The Shadow (Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter 30

Kozuri watched as Sasuke and Sugiestu started looking for the Executioner's Blade inside the village that Sasuke had visited back when he was thirteen with Team Seven. The pair returned to Kozuri to see him talking to a shadow of a crow. Sasuke waited until the crow vanished before approaching Kozuri. "I have information we need to discuss but after you gather your team." Sasuke nodded softly before the three went to where the Blade rests. Along the way Sasuke bet Sugiestu that he couldn't retrieve the blade without killing anyone. "What are you and Kozuri going to do?" Kozuri started walking to the mansion that was their target and Sasuke looked at him. "Just focus on the Blade." Sasuke caught up to Kozuri who was holding a man by his throat. Sasuke noticed that the man seemed to be a skeleton and black smog was exiting any opening he had. The smog was then entering Kozuri and when the smog ended Kozuri dropped the body. "Let's go Sasuke." Sasuke followed Kozuri inside and found the man who owned this mansion. The man started hyperventilating when he saw Kozuri staring at him. "W what kind of monster are you!?" Kozuri just kept staring at the man before fading away. Kozuri waited for Sasuke and Suigestu to show up outside the village. When they did Suigestu had the Blade and so Kozuri followed Sasuke to another Hideout. There Kozuri saw the place looked more like a prison then not and he also noticed recently dug graves. "Interesting someone here is silencing people." Sasuke looked at Kozuri who was staring at the graves. "Go on inside I doubt the person your here for will want me around." Sasuke went inside and when they were far enough inside Suigestu sighed. "Sasuke what's up with that man?" Sasuke ignored Suigestu instead focused on finding his target. Kozuri noticed a crow flying towards him so he raised his arm and it landed on him. "I want you to keep protecting them for me Kozuri even after my death." Kozuri looked at the crow before nodding so it flew off and Kozuri watched it go. "Itachi you don't deserve to die for the sins of that wretched village and mine." Kozuri shook his head before summoning a member of his inner circle. The one who emerged from the shadows was a female named Rouge and wore a mask that had the appearance of a seductress. "Yes Lord Kozuri?" Kozuri looked at Rouge before having her stand. "I want you to go check on the Leaf specifically Naruto." Rouge nods and fades away just as Sasuke walks out with a red head following him. The red head tensed up seeing a miasma and when she follows it the girl sees Kozuri staring at her. "W who are you!?" Kozuri narrowed his eyes at her. She's a sensory type ninja. Sasuke looked at the girl. "Karin leave Kozuri alone. We have one more member Kozuri." Kozuri nods and follows the three. Karin keeps looking back at him and shivering. "Are you sure having him with us is smart? He gives off such an insane amount of chakra that anyone who can detect chakra will know where we are." Sasuke just glanced at Kozuri who hid his chakra immediately which startled Karin. "I can't detect him anymore?" Kozuri brushed past them all and vanished after that making Suigestu as well as Karin to gasp. "How'd he do that!?" Sasuke just kept walking knowing Kozuri will be around. Sasuke and the others made it to the final hideout where the last member of their group will be at. However when they went inside they heard sounds of fighting. The group ran ahead and when they arrived at the fight they saw Kozuri fighting the last member Sasuke was looking for. "I'll rip you to shreds!" The orange haired man yelled at Kozuri who just caught the man's mutated arm and broke it before grabbing his face. Kozuri tripped the man before slamming his face into the floor repeatedly. Sasuke and the two with him felt uncomfortable witnessing such brutality. Kozuri kept smashing the man's face into the ground until he reverted to normal and fell unconscious. "When he wakes up talk to him." Kozuri backed away and shortly after that the man sat up. Sasuke managed to convince Jugo, Sasuke told Kozuri the man's name, by telling him about how Kimimaro, the man who used his own bones to fight, sacrificed his life to get Sasuke to Orochimaru. Kozuri snorts softly and Jugo looked at him. "You are not natural." Kozuri just stared at Jugo but Sasuke got in front of Kozuri. "Relax Kozuri." The older man walked from the group and left the hideout. When the others meet up with Kozuri he turned to Sasuke. "When you are ready to hunt your brother I'll be around. Until then Sasuke take care." Kozuri faded away like he was nothing more then a mirage startling the three who Sasuke gathered. "What is he Sasuke?" Sasuke turned to the others. Sasuke didn't answer Jugo's question instead he told them the reason why the Uchiha gathered the three of them. "If you have that man with you why gather us?" Suigestu spoke up and Sasuke looked at him. "Because Kozuri promised he'd let me do it my way and Kozuri doesn't want to kill my brother." Suigestu looked confused. "Why not?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Let's go." Sensing he touched a nerve Suigestu wisely shuts up and follows the Uchiha. Kozuri just chuckled from his perch having heard it all and he looked around before vanishing. Kozuri touched down in his lair and Sal walked up to him. Kozuri hugged Salazar who could sense the darkness in Kozuri has grown. "I'll be ok Sal. I won't lose again or leave you two alone ever again." Sal just stayed in Kozuri's hold until Paarl walked in. "Kozuri it seems your friend has been searching for you. Rouge has reported that the blond has joined up with some of the Ozo. They already came close to attacking one of our hideouts." Kozuri sighed thinking of his kin before nodding. "Very well guess its time to make an appearance huh?" Paarl looked at Kozuri. It seems the blond managed to defeat Pain. The Akatsuki are weak right now." Kozuri chuckled and pets Paarl before the three go visit Obito. They found him at their hideout and Obito turned when he sensed Kozuri. "It seems you are down more members." Obito noticed Sal and Paarl staring at him while Kozuri walked to him. "Word seems to have gotten out what do you want Koz?"Kozuri grinned behind his mask. "I am suggesting a truce for now. The Akatsuki and my organization join together until." Obito stared at Kozuri who returned it. "Why now?" Kozuri chuckled. "Because as of now I have the upper hand plus my clan are coming for us both. My mother seems to have gathered enough intel on us that she believes you live Obito. I can destroy that intel so she can't give it to the Leaf but only if you agree to join up with me." Obito saw Kozuri offer his hand and he shook it. "I'm trusting you on this Koz." Kozuri nods then points to Sal and Paarl. "Have them help you move the statue as well as what's left of the Akatsuki to my hideout." With that Kozuri vanished and touched down on the Ozo island. "I haven't been home in a long time." Kozuri sighed before looking for the intel Ashira has on Obito. Kozuri was searching through his mom's stuff and he found it. As soon as he hid it in his cloak however the door to Ashira's room opened. "What are you doing here Kozuri?" Hearing his mom's voice had Kozuri turn to face her. She had guards with her and he chuckled. "I was simply searching for more stuff to do with my past. Why think you can stop me with just two guards?" Ashira knew Kozuri was more dangerous then the last time they saw each other and so she had her guards stand down. "Mom how are the others?" Ashira looked at her son. "They are ok still looking to bring you home." Kozuri nods. "Can you tell them I think about you all still? Tell them I will come home one way or another. I haven't forgotten about any of you." When Ashira nods Kozuri waved bye. "Love you mom." With that Kozuri vanished and Ashira sighed softly. "I love you too Kozuri." Kozuri arrived back at his base and burned the intel he stole.