The Hidden Mask

Chapter 4: Awakening

Clashes and clangs could be heard throughout the small cave that Tobi and Naruto resided in as the two dueled, Naruto with a scythe and Tobi with a large battle fan that had belonged to Madara Uchiha with a chain like link connected to it that enabled him to manipulate it better than normally. 

Naruto ducked under the man's battle fan, trying to swipe Tobi's feet from under him, but failed as Tobi jumped up and did a quick fire jutsu that made Naruto make some hand seals and put up a mud wall, which made Tobi dodge around the wall and punch where Naruto's head had been milliseconds ago, only to hit the earth wall, shattering it to pieces. 

"Are you trying to kill me?" Naruto muttered under his breath as he jumped backwards, a smile on his lips as he spit out three balls of fire that seemed like dragon heads, each one like a homing missile, closing in on Tobi, but he just walked through them like they were nothing. Naruto smirked and began running towards the orange masked man, his hand forming a rasengan while a clone appeared next to him, throwing kunai and shuriken at Tobi, who simply sidestepped them. 

"Rasengan!" Naruto yelled as he went to plunge the jutsu in Tobi's stomach, only for Tobi to grab his wrist quickly and kick Naruto's knee so that he fell down before holding the battle fan at his neck. 

"Good. Really good. I think you can handle most of the lower members of Akatsuki now, all you really need is experience." Naruto stood up, rubbing his wrist as he looked at Tobi. 

"And how do I get that per say? I've been stuck in this dump for four years. How you can stand it is beyond me." Naruto muttered. 

"Because unlike you, I don't need to sleep. I leave at night to deal with my business." Naruto raised his eyebrow. 

"What kind of business?" He could feel Tobi rolling his eyes. 

"Who do you think buys all of our food Naruto? Certainly not Zetsu, he's not...civilized enough." Naruto laughed a little. 

"Hey, I like white Zetsu, he's funny, black Zetsu is kinda scary though." Tobi smirked beneath his mask. 

"Are you racist Naruto?" Naruto's eyes widened as he began sputtering, making Tobi surpress a laugh as he watched Naruto gasp for air. 

"Of course not, I mean, besides Zetsu I haven't really met somebody a different color, unless you count Kisame! He's blue! And I hate him for an entirely different reason!" 

"Sure, whatever you say. I have a mission for you Naruto, so you can get more experience." Naruto got serious. 

"Sure, whateves you say Mr. Tobi!" Tobi wanted to slap his forehead. 

"What have I said about you calling me that?" Naruto tapped his chin a little bit. 

"Um, not to call you that?" 

"Exactly. Now shut up and listen. You're objective is to go to one of the Akatsuki bases where we extract the tailed beast. Currently, Gaara of the Sand is being captured and Konoha has sent reinforcements. You are to engage your old sensei, Kakashi Hatake, and steal his Sharingan." Naruto's eyes widened. 

"Steal Kakashi's Sharingan? Why? Why do I even have to see that prick again?" Tobi turned his head in Naruto's direction. 

"This is a test Naruto, to see if you're ready to stand by my side as we take down the Akatsuki. Are you ready?" Naruto looked down at his scythe and his red shirt and shinobi pants. 

"I'm ready, it's just-" He was beginning to say but was cut off. 

"Then prove it to me." He said, his voice now stern. Naruto bowed his head in defeat. 

"Of course, I'll leave right away." Tobi held up a hand. 

"Not before you take these." He held out a black cloak, much like the Akatsuki's but it didn't have the red clouds on them and a white mask with a swirl on it with one eye hole, a copied version of Tobi's own. 

"Naruto Uzumaki is dead to the world. No need for anyone to see you the way you are." Naruto nodded before putting on the cloak and mask. 

"Well, how do I look?" He said, his voice sounding way deeper due to special seals on the mask. 

"Like someone who know's what they're doing." Tobi said, a smirk underneath his mask. "One last thing," Tobi made a few hand seals before he poked Naruto's chest with one finger, and Naruto's hair turned from bright yellowish blondish hair to a dark brown. "Now there is zero chance of anyone trying to link Naruto Uzumaki with you." Naruto nodded. 

"Good, I wouldn't have it any other way." 

Flashback 

Tsunade sat at her desk, three bottles of sake gone with a single cup in front of her, tear streaks on her face. He was gone. Naruto was gone. He stabbed himself in the heart with a kunai and jumped off the Hokage Mountain. He was dead, and it was all her fault. 

If she hadn't banned him from leaving the village, or stood up for him against the council, or gave him a new arm immediately, then maybe he wouldn't have killed himself. She downed her drink in one go. 

The villagers were celebrating the death of the so called 'demon' and that only sunk Tsunade deeper into her depression. The boy was so bright, a shining light in the darkness, and now, he was dead, and they were celebrating it like fucking Christmas.

It was a cruel world. 

Flashback End

Naruto stood a mile from the Akatsuki base, the coarse sand beneath his feet as he folded his arms, waiting for the team sent by Konoha to arrive for the now deceased Kazekage. He was told not to interfere with Gaara, even if he was his friend, and that hurt him deep down, but he knew it would blow his and Tobi's cover. 

He didn't know what to think of Tobi, it was like the man was bipolar for a whole week once a month. Other times Tobi could be nice, and other times he could be a complete dick. They've worked on so much in the past four years, and Naruto was way stronger thanks to Tobi, he didn't know how he would repay him. 

Yes he did, by being Tobi's partner in getting rid of the plague known as the Akatsuki. He looked off into the distance, a total of six people running. He narrowed his eye that was visible and made them out. 

A girl with short pink hair, obviously Sakura Haruno, an old woman who was fast for her age, a girl with four different pony tails, Temari of the Sand, a man with brown hair and a metal frame around his face, a boy with black hair and pale skin with his stomach exposed, and finally, his target. 

Kakashi Hatake. 

Let the fight...

begin. 

Next time on The Hidden Mask! Lol, I love fucking with you guys and gals with cliffhangers. 

Double upload! Yay! I'm super tired right now cause it's bed time and I'm not asleep. Kill me now, Jk. 

Anyways, was it good? Bad? Tell mee! I love getting reviews, even if it's helpful criticism. 

Til next time my lil demons!