The Last Assassin
Chapter 2
Training Completed!
The First Mission!
A/N – ChronosMitsurugi mentioned that they enjoyed the idea of masking the Assassins, so in response, I added more colors and made the masks a ranking system, ranging from a grey Apprentice mask, to a gold Grand Master mask. Hope you enjoy, Chronos!
Story Start!
It
had been twelve years since Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad had taken Naruto as his
personal apprentice. In that time, Naruto had taken a new interest in
studying and had mastered a wide variety of skills, ranging from the
ancient, and useful, Art of Parkour, to human anatomy. He had even
learned how to vanish into a crowd in order to ensure an escape. In his
spare time, Naruto could be found among the shelves of the Assassin's
Library, on the hunt for new Jutsu that he could master, which surprised
the Grand Master immensely, as Naruto had already learned an immense
number of jutsu. Most importantly, the young pupil had managed to master
the A-ranked Kage Bushin kinjutsu, which had helped in speeding
his progress and had ensured that he could learn entire months of
material in mere weeks. His most surprising change, however, was what
choice of taijutsu he had selected.
Flashback
Naruto
was bored. He had just mastered what was, in his opinion, the most
mind-bendingly difficult chakra control exercise that could be found in
the entire library. The exercise was to levitate several lumps of clay
over his arms and legs, while simultaneously using several different
elemental manipulations to form a functional sake cup out of the clay.
(A/N- not even Tsunade of the Sannin has the necessary control to do
this exercise. It takes a GODLY amount of control.) He had returned the
scroll to the chakra control area of the main room, and was wandering
around the Taijutsu section when three thick scrolls caught his eye, a
black one, and a violet one. Intrigued, he grabbed the scrolls and made
his way to the training dojo. Sitting down in an empty part of the room,
he opened the black scroll, revealing the katas for a taijutsu style
called the Black Leg. Reading on, he learned that Black Leg relied on
immense levels of flexibility and leg strength in order to use an
immense amount of kicks and other footwork to both attack and defend.
Choosing to learn this style, he summoned nearly sixty shadow clones,
giving them orders to learn the style.Turning his attention to the other scrolls, he opened the blue scroll. As he read it, he discovered that it was for a style called Muay Thai, a style that incorporates knee and elbow strikes into a traditional style, making a very fluid style. Having learned that, he created another batch of clones and repeated the process.
As he opened the final scroll, he wondered what was on it that he could add to his growing list of mastered skills. Reading the scroll, he found katas for a truly ancient technique called Dim Mak, or the Poison Hand. He learned that Dim Mak was a supplementary style, often used in conjunction with the Shaolin Striking Snake Style in order to maximize its efficiency. Dim Mak, as he read, was a style that relied on striking the natural weaknesses of the human body. Although he was apprehensive towards learning a style so similar to the Juuken, he nonetheless created a third batch of clones with the orders to learn the katas of the style.
Leaving his clones to work on the styles by themselves, Naruto made his way to the armory, where he picked out a set of black, steel-toed combat boots, and a set of steel greaves. Moving his selected equipment to a nearby workbench, he set to work engraving incremental weight seals on the individual pieces. A personal project that he had recently finished, the seals would start off adding twenty pounds of additional weight to an article of clothing, similar to a normal weight seal. The difference was that when the wearer became used to the weight, the seal would automatically add another ten pounds, making it a very effective way to train.
End Flashback
Naruto
blinked and shook himself out of his thoughts. In the two years since
discovering the hidden styles, he had mastered both Muay Thai and Black
Leg and was now wearing 520 pounds on each leg, quite an impressive
amount for only two years, at least in his own opinion. Shaking his head
again, he managed to successfully break himself out of his thoughts as
he finished lacing on his combat boots, and strapping his greaves onto
his shins. With that done, he grabbed his steel-grey apprentices mask
and sprinted out of his room. Today was the day of his Initiation
Ceremony into the Order of the Brotherhood, and it would not do to be
late.As he neared the room containing the ancient Scroll of the Assassin's Creed, he slowed to a walk. As he strode into the room, his face hidden behind his grey ceramic mask, he calmly strode through the ivory masked honor guard, as he had done on that fateful day twelve years previous. Once he had reached the pedestal where the archaic scroll rested, he knelt down, bowing his head before the Elders of the Assassin Order. As he remained in that position, the five elders slowly approached him, the solid gold mask of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Grand Master of the Assassin Order, at the head of the procession, followed closely by the four, gold-trimmed, ivory masks of the Regional Masters. Looking up, Naruto could see the loose, guarded stance of his Fuinjutsu master, Ezio Auditore Da Firenze, Eurasian Regional Master and carrier of the Hawk Summoning Contract.
As Altaïr looked down at Naruto, he couldn't quite squash a feeling of immense pride and accomplishment as he thought back to all that the young man had done in the past years. He had quickly learned all of the skills necessary to be an excellent assassin, he had achieved a level of chakra capacity and chakra control that the shinobi in the world aboveground could only dream of, and he had even been declared a Grand Seal Master by Ezio Auditore, Seal Master of the Brotherhood.
Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Altaïr stepped forward and spoke the first line of the Initiation Ceremony,
"When other men blindly follow the truth, remember…"
"Nothing is true." Naruto intoned seriously.
"When other men are limited by morality or law, remember…" This time, as Altaïr spoke, the four elders spoke with him.
"Everything is permitted." Naruto spoke, finishing the sacred Creed.
"We are those who serve the Light by striking from the Shadows." As the elders spoke the final line, they were joined by every Assassin in the room. "We are Assassins." With the ceremonial lines spoken, Altaïr reached down and removed the grey mask of an Assassin Apprentice, exchanging it for the pure white mask of a fully fledged Assassin.
As soon as he had done so, a patch of skin on Naruto's left collarbone began to glow brightly, fading after a minute to reveal a medium-sized tattoo of the Assassin's sigil, branding him as a member of the Assassin Order. With the ceremony completed, Naruto, Ezio and Altaïr vanished in a gust of wind, leaving only an ancient scroll as a witness to the ceremony.
An hour later, the three assassins met in Altaïr's office. Altaïr was the first to speak, "Naruto, now that you are a fully-fledged member of our order, it is time for you to undertake your first mission. Should you accept, your mission will be to infiltrate Konoha and discreetly eliminate twelve corrupt officials. This mission is to be considered a B-rank mission. You will be accompanied by Ezio as both a means of communication and as a way to eliminate suspicion. I leave how you accomplish your mission up to you, though I would recommend that you join the Konoha Academy. Doing so will grant you both a means and an opportunity to perform your duties. While the two of you are in the city, however, you are to give an alias to all except the most trusted. Ezio your alias is to be Mangetsu Kazama and Naruto will be your nephew, Tamashī Kazama. Now come we have a final ceremony to perform, the Gauntlet Ceremony." With the briefing completed, the three faded into the shadows and disappeared.
As Naruto reappeared in the armory, he saw Altaïr holding an object that he had only read about. "This, Naruto, is a Hidden Blade Gauntlet." Altaïr spoke in a lecturing tone. "The hidden blade is the most famed weapon of the Assassin Order. By channeling your chakra into the gauntlet, you can project an eight-inch blade from the front of the gauntlet, while cutting the flow of chakra will retract the blade into the bracer again. Now, hold out your right arm so that I can equip the gauntlet." Naruto did so and watched as Altaïr strapped a carved leather bracer to his forearm, securing it with reinforced bronze rivets molded in the shape of the Sigil of the Brotherhood, while a large Sigil lay atop his forearm. As Altaïr finished and stepped back, Naruto channeled chakra into the bracer and watched as a large blade shot out of the gauntlet with an audible 'pop'. As he withdrew the chakra, the blade silently slid back into the bracer. "Next, you can equip the member's robes." came Altaïr's voice, as he held out a folded bundle of clothes. "These are the traditional robes of the Assassin Order. They have proven as iconic as the hidden blade. First came a set of reinforced leather gloves over his hands, which had barrier seals carved into the palms. Second came a set of white pants and shirts which had automatic repair seals, and had his custom weight seals embedded into the fabric. Next came a wide, gold and leather belt, which had the hilts of several throwing knives protruding from the thick leather. Finally, overtop it all, he was given a pure-white, hooded, cloak, which had storage seals sewn all down the long sleeves. As soon as he had donned the entire outfit, he was handed a blank, white ceramic mask, one that had the Assassin's sigil carved into the forehead.
As he concealed his face, Altaïr spoke again. "Some final instructions, if you will. First, take no apprentices. Should you conduct yourself properly, there shouldn't be any attention drawn to you anyway. Second, let none know of the Sanctuary or of your training here. If we were to be discovered, the consequences would be dire. Lastly, let nobody see your members tattoo, the tattoo is, in actuality, a key seal, one which grants the bearer safe passage through the security traps set both within the Sanctuary and in the area of the exits. If the key were to be discovered and copied, both the Sanctuary and the Library would be in grave danger. Do you both accept the mission set before you?" Naruto and Ezio glanced briefly at each other, then simultaneously shouted, "Hai, Grand Master Altaïr!" and vanished in a swirl of wind.
Story Start
Hiruzen Sarutobi, former Kami No Shinobi, and
current Sandaime Hokage, sighed as he moved to do battle with the enemy
of all bureaucrats. Not for the first time, he cursed the Yondaime for
having the urge to play the tragic martyr, and dumping him back into
this accursed job. He sighed again as he pulled what had to be the
millionth form toward him, slamming his personal seal down. Paperwork.
The eternal scourge. He cursed the Yondaime again. The young upstart had
been the only Kage on the entire continent to figure out the secret to
defeating paperwork, but aside from a few vague hints and riddles, the
blonde genius had taken the secret to the grave. The old ninja still
didn't know what it meant to "look left and right at the same time."
Or what the devil a mirror had to do with Minato's Secret, as it had
been dubbed by all 5 of the Great Shadows. He was absentmindedly
weighing the consequences of merely using a Katon jutsu and torching the
endless amount of forms and other detritus littering his desk, when one
of his personal ANBU Shunshined into the room. "Yes, Jakkaru?"
He intoned. "Lord Hokage, the Cloud BINGO book that we ordered has
arrived from Kumo." The Special Forces ninja said as he pulled a small
black book from his weapon pouch and handed it to his aged commander.
"Excellent work, Jakkaru, This Intel will prove useful in crafting this
year's International bingo book, which will then be issued to jonin from
all across the… "The Hokage faltered as he noticed a particular entry.
Noticing the shocked look on his leaders face, the ANBU stiffened.
"Jakkaru, assemble the Council of the Clans immediately. Then lock down
the council chambers." Having received his orders, the ANBU Shunshined
out of the office, leaving Hiruzen to stare at the entry. The portrait
revealed a man dressed in pure white robes, a carved ivory mask serving
to conceal his features. The name beneath the portrait was no less of a
shock. In big, bold letters, the entry stared back at him, a name that
would shake Konoha to its Roots in the coming year.
Tamashī No Naruto
True Identity - Unknown
Known alias – The Spirit of the Whirlpool
Known village affiliation – Uzushiogakure Ruins
Area of activity – Has been seen in all nations of the Elemental Lands
Land of origin – Unknown
Combat Data – Limited, Seems to prefer Assassination skills, but reportedly has a high Jutsu arsenal
Threat ranking – S, Approach with caution
Bounty
– Target is wanted in connection to a number of assassinations
throughout the Elemental Nations. 100 million ryu, dead or alive
The
Hokage stood, lost in thought. He recalled an ancient story he had
heard in his youth, passed down from his grandfather. According to the
aged Sarutobi, the tale had been passed down for ten generations, always
from grandfather to grandson. At the time, the young Hiruzen was
enthralled. He absorbed his grandfather's stories of the Assassin's
Brotherhood, the men in white robes and masks, who were the pinnacle of
the Assassin arts. According to Soifon-ojiji though, the assassins had
all died out thousands of years ago, leaving behind a priceless
treasure, which was locked away forever in a mythical Sanctuary. Soifon
would never say what the treasure was supposed to be, nor would he say
where he believed the Sanctuary was hidden. All that Hiruzen was ever
able to pry out of the old man, was that the Brotherhood would one day
return, and raise themselves back to their former glory, all through the
acts of a mysterious figure known only in legend as The Heir to the
Brotherhood of Assassins. Many people disputed the existence of the
Heir, but the Sarutobi Clan was always adamant that the Heir would one
day come to be, and the Assassin's Brotherhood would return to its
former glory, eventually retaking the impregnable fortress, Masyaf. With
a chuckle, Hiruzen shook himself out of his thoughts as he reached the
doors to the council chambers.
Council Chambers
As
the Hokage walked into the council chambers and seated himself at the
head of the long, marble table, all conversation in the room ceased.
"Lord Hokage, what is your reason for convening the Council of the
Clans?" Came the lazy drawl of Shikaku Nara, the current Jonin Commander
and head of the Nara clan. "I would pose a question to the clans."
Replied the Sandaime. "What do you know of the legends of the Eastern
Peoples, specifically, the Assassin's Heir?" At the Hokage's reply,
mutters swept the room like wildfire. "The legends state, that during
the fall of the Assassin's Brotherhood thousands of years ago, a
prophesy was made, stating that the day would come when the Order would
return and reclaim their former glory. Many have speculated what was
meant by the bizarre omen, but many believe that the 'former glory'
relates to the impregnable fortress Masyaf." Replied Iruka Umino, head
of the Umino Clan. "However, Masyaf's location makes it near impossible
for anyone from Konoha to be the Heir."Anyone from Konoha? HA! Try anyone at all." Rebutted Tsume Inuzuka, Alpha of the Inuzuka Clan. "Umino, you should know from your own history lessons that Masyaf earned its reputation as impregnable and untakeable in the last war." Hiruzen flinched at the memory. Late in the last Shinobi World War, Iwagakure had sent a large force of its best ANBU to take Masyaf, in order to use it as a staging area to move on to the Lands of Iron and Wind. Much to Iwa's horror, the force was never heard from again. After Iwa's Folly, as the debacle had been dubbed, none of the other countries dared to try and take the mountain fortress. After the war was over, rumours began to circulate that Masyaf had stood for thousands of years, and had endured millions of sieges ranging from bandit warlords seeking glory, to entire nations seeking a base for war. Shaking loose from the memory, Hiruzen cleared his throat, drawing all eyes to the small, black book in front of him. "To business, please?" he said with a smirk. "While the topic is on historical relics, Cloud has received an interesting bounty in their most recent BINGO Book." He said as he showed the council the entry of Tamashī No Naruto. "H-He cannot be… " Stuttered a wide-eyed Hiashi Hyūga. "An Assassin, and a recently ordained one at that." Finished the Inuzuka matriarch." "But if he was an apprentice, then who or what was his master?" asked Akido Haruno. "It had to have been another Brother," said Danzō Shimura, head of the ANBU Black-Ops unit. "No others ever had knowledge of their ways or training methods. After all, the Order enjoyed its secrets. In fact, has the Leaf not searched for the Assassin's Library for decades and not found a single clue?" Heads nodded at that. The Assassin's Library, a legendary collection said to hold books and scrolls from around the world and from throughout time, a priceless treasure, indeed. Hiruzen opened his mouth, intending to move the conversation away from such legendary topics, when an ANBU Shunshined into the room. "Lord Hokage! The Forbidden Scroll of Seals has been stolen by the traitor Mizuki!" Hiruzen immediately grew serious. "I want the Forbidden Scroll retrieved in two hours! With a massive cry of "Hai, Hokage-sama!" the room emptied in a massive cloud of smoke. 'Orochimaru must be behind this.' Thought Hiruzen as he Shunshined away.
Mizuki cursed as he evaded a brace of Kunai thrown by the ANBU currently pursuing him. Breaking into the Hokage's Vault had been a simple enough task, but as he was leaving with the Scroll of Seals, he'd had the misfortune of tripping a missed security seal, raising an alarm. Then, as he was leaving the tower, he had been spotted by an ANBU squadron that was investigating the alarm he had tripped inside the tower. Mizuki had promptly fled, pursued by three of the ANBU, while the fourth had gone to alert the Hokage and the Shinobi Council.
He shook himself out of his thoughts, immediately leaping to the left to evade a large fireball. As he increased his speed in an attempt to outrun his pursuers, he failed to notice the ANBU dropping to the ground, nor did he notice the forest gradually going dead silent.
The Hokage stood atop the Hokage tower, addressing the scrambled search teams. As they leapt away to join in the search, he heard the cry of an eagle and couldn't help but sense impending death. Shaking the feeling off, he went into his office, to try and help the search with the viewing orb.
Mizuki snapped back into awareness when he heard an eagle's cry. It was then that he noticed a primal aura of raw fear lingering over the silent forest. As he began to calm himself, he realized that he was completely lost and began to panic, whirling at every small noise. In his fear, he failed to notice the unnatural fog bank filling the clearing.
Inu, the ANBU Captain who had been following Mizuki, did not know what was causing either the fog or the subliminal fear that filled the small clearing ahead of them but he nonetheless ordered his ANBU company to surround the mist-filled clearing. 'Not knowing really, really bites.' He decided.
Now in a full-fledged panic, Mizuki heard something moving through the brush behind him. Spinning around, he launched his last brace of shuriken at the sound, hitting nothing but air. Growing angry, he shouted incoherently as he rushed towards the sound of footsteps, missing the small sound of a clone being dispelled. Mizuki stopped as he heard as object slicing through the air. Dodging to the right, he watched with morbid fascination as a straight-bladed throwing knife blurred past his shoulder. Facing the direction the knife came from, Mizuki assumed a defensive stance. Hearing a twig snap behind him, he whirled around, barely seeing the white-robed figure standing before him. As he watched warily, the figure twitched its right hand, and Mizuki saw an eight-inch blade shoot out of the figure's sleeve. The last thing he saw was the blur of the Assassin's right arm.
After retrieving his throwing knife, Naruto returned to Mizuki's corpse. Opening a small ledger book, he dipped an eagle-feather quill into Mizuki's blood and drew a line on the page. He then took an eagle's flight feather, and coated it in the traitor's blood, using it to paint a strange sigil onto a blank paper, before throwing the paper into the air and pinning it to a nearby tree. As he dispelled the mist, he became aware of the full company of ANBU surrounding the clearing. Raising his arm in a salute, he withdrew the Hidden Blade and vanished with the mist, as if he had never been.
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen dispelled the scrying jutsu, erasing the image of the bloody clearing from the orb. For the first time, the old monkey felt every inch the old man he appeared to be. 'So, my suspicions were correct, the Heir of the Assassins has finally come.' He thought to himself 'To think that Konoha would witness the return of the Assassin Brotherhood. I cannot keep the fact the he killed a Konoha Shinobi from the Councils, but at least I can keep to myself, any suspicions of his identity.' He gave a troubled sigh as he sank deeper into his chair. 'Naruto, what have you gotten yourself into now?' he thought to himself as he drifted off to sleep.
-Nami No Kuni-
"Are you sure that this information is correct?" a voice spoke from behind a high-backed chair. "Are you certain that our contact was slain by an assassin, and not just any back-alley murderer, by a member of the Brotherhood of Assassins?" "Yes, Bunta-sama, the hit was witnessed by one of our spies in the Konoha ANBU ranks." Spoke the low-level grunt. "Interesting, an unaffiliated asset loose in Hi No Kuni. Jei, send several teams of our best trackers. I want this 'Tamashī No Naruto' and his entire party under my payroll before we move on the bridge-builder. Have we had any success in locating the 'Oni No Kiri'?" "Yes, Bunta-sama, the Demon of the Mist and his party are awaiting orders as we speak." Said the now-identified Jei. "That is good, his orders are to stand down until we commission 'The Spirit of the Whirlpool,' then I want the Bridge-Builder dead at by all costs. That thrice-damned bridge is the only threat to my complete control of Nami, and I will not allow any threats to Gatō Shipping.
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