I Will Become the Wind

CHAPTER 5 | The Water's Shadow

The Mizukage's voice was distorted through the jutsu. Naruto tried to yell a few choice curses at him, but all that came out was a large bubble, accomplishing nothing but wasted air.

Yagura laughed, making him look even younger than he already did.

"I doubt you're alone. Where is Jiraiya? Or have you run away to put yourself in danger again?"

This was the same jutsu Zabuza once used on Kakashi. Naruto stopped struggling. Just like with the trap in Orochimaru's base, the only real hope for breaking out of here was Sage Mode. But the Mizukage was right, too. Jiraiya should be ready to strike at any moment. Was he trying to give Naruto a chance to defend himself?

He stayed still, but it was hard to concentrate without being able to breathe. Breathing was usually the first step he took to get centered enough to sense the ambient energy.

Not to mention it was also necessary for living.

Naruto closed his eyes and tried to focus.

"Giving up already, Kyuubi?"

Now would have been a good time for that artificial body he'd had in the future. Naruto's lungs grew more insistent as the seconds passed. His chest tightened as they struggled to inhale against his will. He managed not to breathe any water in, but dizzying alarm bells were going off in his head, and it was impossible to think about anything else. A sputtering cough escaped, expelling what little air was left.

Rapid needle strikes rained down from above, and Yagura jumped back to avoid them. The bunshin and bubble of water fell apart, leaving Naruto gasping as he stumbled and regained his footing.

"Hey, you alright?" Jiraiya looked back at him before turning to Yagura, who had his hand up in a half-ram seal with the barest of smiles.

"I knew you had to be somewhere nearby, Jiraiya-sama. I suppose this confirms it was Orochimaru who somehow stole the Kyuubi temporarily—but why would you bring the boy along after all that? Konoha really is careless with their bijuu."

"He knows." Naruto coughed into the back of his hand. "I don't know how, but he knows about everything we've been doing. Or at least what happened with Itachi."

"Perceptive. I'm surprised," Yagura said.

"Heh." Naruto was breathing hard, but he managed a grin. "It's easy when you underestimate me so much. Besides, I've learned the hard way not to take guys like you at face value. So why are you—"

Naruto's words were drowned out by an explosion overhead. He jumped to the side as chunks of the cliff face fell down where they were standing. Yagura was forced back away from them, looking up with a vague expression of annoyance.

Jiraiya grabbed Naruto by the back of his jacket and hauled him halfway up the side of the cliff before he had a chance to react.

"Oi—"

Naruto skidded on the rocks as he was deposited on a ledge behind a massive boulder. Jiraiya jumped down beside him and peeked over the side of the ledge.

"Quiet," he said. "We'll be close enough to hear, but they might hear us too if we're not careful."

"What are you—"

"Shh!"

Across from them and slightly higher up, an enormous snake emerged, uncoiled, then slithered down into the cove where Yagura was. Orochimaru stood on its head with easy confidence.

"Now, this is unusual. Why would the Mizukage come all the way here in person to see me?"

"Because I would like to know what you did to the Kyuubi," Yagura said calmly, crossing his arms. "And why you seem intent on helping the Rokubi hide."