Legends Never Die
This is it people, the last chapter of the first part of this story. It only took me six years to get this far and thank you to anyone who has stuck around for all the impossibly long update delays. I have already started the next chapter so don’t worry it shouldn’t be another year till I update, more like a week if not in a few more days depending on how life plays out. Side note this chapter is super long, like 5K+ long so be forewarned this won’t happen often. I normally keep the chapters 3K max. But with this one being a closer for this arc I figured why not go out with a bang.
Once again thanks for sticking with me for this long and I hope all my readers enjoy the next part of all this as much they did the first part.
Chapter 11: Legends Never Die
Kakashi stood up as he realized what was happening. A dead man had been sent to him as a warning, as a collar so he wouldn’t change things in a way the Sage didn’t see fit. Kakashi pulled every unchecked emotion he had left exposed in Naruto’s mindscape. Leaving nothing but his mask for Itachi, and the demon in place of his reactions.
Kakashi went from rigid and stiff to relaxed. Hands in his pockets, and one lazy eye exposed to stare blankly at the legendary monsters inside the cell in front of him. The only thing he could think of that would top this as complete control of his environment would be a copy of Icha Icha Paradise in his hands.
“I was under the impression that anything I chose to do was the gift bestowed upon you for your sacrifice Itachi.”
Itachi felt his teeth grind as he realized Kakashi’s voice no longer held any of the raw nervous tones he had spoken with seconds ago and sharpened his eyes as he evaluated the changes. The teen in front of him stood more like the man who Itachi knew as a leader in his ANBU days. Kakashi Hatake, Inu of ANBU, the revered Kakashi of the Sharingan. Itachi almost wanted to smile when he saw how Kakashi reacted when realization of why Itachi was there set in.
This was the man he had chosen to change the future, to save Sasuke from himself.
Itachi wanted to smile, and clap Kakashi on the shoulder for being as smart as he had hoped the man was, but he knew he was being watched. The Sage would know Itachi sided with the silver haired shinobi’s views and pull him out. So instead Itachi cleared his throat and delivered the message as he had been told to.
“It appears the Six Sage has learned you plan to upset the balance by exposing certain aspects of the future to prevent inevitable deaths.”
Kakashi scoffed as if he was insulted or shocked by the words.
“I thought the purpose of me even being here was to prevent the death of those I or you cared about. There were no specific terms set that stated I was sent to the past only to prevent Naruto and Sasuke from killing each other.”
Itachi knew better than to try and argue with the man in front of him. Though he looked like a child, Kakashi Hatake could, and would talk circles around Itachi who often relied on his teammate to speak for the both or his skills to speak for himself instead of words. His last couple of years alive, traveling with Kisame and having the Mist rouge practically read his mind for answers or reactions had only made Itachi lazier when it came to speaking. There was no way he was going to try and engage Kakashi Hatake in a verbal battle, the man trained children for a living.
The Sage wouldn’t be happy with how this was playing out, but Itachi couldn’t bring himself to care. Had he been anyone else Itachi might have even been jumping with joy over Kakashi’s rebellious attitude.
Kakashi was angry at himself for how he had forgotten himself. He had allowed his struggles, fears and worries to cloud his judgment. Kakashi had fully convinced himself he was a fifteen-year-old, someone who had just lost the last people he claimed as family. Someone who had been broken. Kakashi had forgotten all the work he put into himself to be whole again, all the work Team 7 put into him to make him whole.
There are more than a handful of events Kakashi could count as times he immediately regretted his words.
Challenging Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin when protecting Sasuke during the Chunnin exams.
Challenging Itachi Uchiha right after said Sannin encounter.
Picking a fight with Sasuke right before the war.
Just to name off few examples. When he took those events into account, he really shouldn’t have been so shocked when the sentence he said out loud next left his mouth.
“The Sage should have known better than to try and leash a wolf protecting it’s pack.”
Without changing how he stood, or his tone of voice Kakashi let the eye that Naruto gifted him with slowly bleed into the Sharingan. Even as the only thought running through his mind was…
‘What idiot picks a fight with the Six Sage?’
‘This idiot apparently.’
Those thoughts did nothing to stop him from continuing.
“You can tell him my plans are my own and I will do whatever I see as necessary to fix this world.”
There was a low rumble of laughter from behind Itachi, nicely timed as Kakashi tilted his head, smiling at the dead man.
“Only the Sage himself can stop me now.”
That rumble of laughter exploded into a fit, as the nine-tails pushed his head against the bars of his cage.
“Yes, do tell that old man all of this Crow boy. Tell him he made a mistake; I like this vessels guardian and they will have my support if the Sage wants a fight.”
Kakashi took in the sight of the large beast hovering above Itachi who remained seated on the ground, completely unfazed by the demon all but hovering over him. The nine-tails met his eye and grinned, or snarled Kakashi couldn’t tell with all those exposed teeth which expression the beast was going for. He also knew it didn’t really matter at that moment anyway.
“Let’s make it official shall we Wolf boy?”
Kakashi went back to his relaxed stance as he met those red eyes filled with bloodlust and amusement.
“Make what official?”
Large teeth were separated and snapped back shut with a huff of terrifying laughter in Kakashi’s face.
“I will give you my name, the Crow boy here has already spoken it so there isn’t much value to it now, but if we exchange names, and chakra officially we shall make a pact. A chakra oath to abide by, not even the Sage himself will be able to break it.”
Itachi stood up then. Walking to the bars with eyes blazing the same red color as Kakashi’s.
“I’d advise against making pacts with foxes Kakashi-sempai.”
His tone held a threatening edge making Kakashi wondered if the man could even carry out any threat he delivered. A caged dead man shouldn’t be as intimidating as Itachi Uchiha was, but Kakashi couldn’t find a shred of fear he potentially held towards the man. Just a small bubble of pity for a shinobi who wasn’t allowed to rest even in death.
“True, I am a trickster by nature.”
More of that echoing laughter from the beast as Kakashi took a moment to consider its offer and Itachi’s words of warning.
If the nine-tails was willing to support him in going against the Sage when the time, if it ever came, how could he pass that up? But if the self-proclaimed trickster asked for release in exchange for its cooperation Kakashi would have doomed the Leaf before even beginning to save it.
He would have to think about this more in dept before giving an answer.
“Will this offer stand if I think on it demon?”
Itachi’s attempt to speak again was covered up by the nine-tails growling and lowering his head to be nearly eye level with Kakashi.
“Of course.”
Kakashi felt the hot breath of the nine-tails on his face and pulled out of the jutsu.
He blinked a few times as he came to, Naruto started to scream and his ninken all relaxed from the tense positions they had taken since Kakashi activated the jutsu.
“Good work guys. Take a break.”
He dismissed all his ninken, but one remained perched on the bed next to a wailing Naruto. The small pug wore a look of concern but didn’t say anything as Kakashi lifted Naruto into his arms.
“Pakkun was there something you needed?”
He asked nonchalantly and watched as tiny nails flexed into his blankets for a moment before the ninken shook his head.
“No boss, just make sure to take some supplements you’re close to running low on chakra.”
Pakkun left in a cloud of smoke without saying anything else. It wasn’t strange for Pakkun to voice his concern over Kakashi’s health but the way the ninken had been acting made Kakashi think there was more to it than that. Naruto doubled his screaming efforts and Kakashi decided to put a pin in evaluating his Pakkun problems for now.
Time went on too quickly for Kakashi’s liking. When he had arrived in the past and learned he was able to change things, but his Team were infants he couldn’t wait for their genin days when they would all be together again.
Now he would sell a limb for time to slow down for him. Kakashi hadn’t expected to want to watch Naruto grow. Everyday the baby got bigger, did more, learned more. Kakashi had never been a parent or around small children in general, he wasn’t used to watching anyone under double digits at least. Many times, Guy, Genma, or Reiko would make fun of him for being attached, or sappy. He would point out their own attachments to the baby but that was only after the shock he felt at hearing the words no matter how many times it was mentioned.
Naruto had become something more to Kakashi than he had been in Kakashi’s original timeline. Not that the man didn’t hold a special kind of affection, and even loved the teen after their time spent together. Only Kakashi’s mind had always put Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura under the same category of love. His cute little eager to learn genin Team, his ninja family, the people he turned to when they asked for help or advise, people he would and had died to protect.
Over the course of a few months Naruto had transformed from his idol student, his greatest point of pride, into something he hadn’t meant for them to become. Kakashi could tell he wouldn’t simply die for Naruto now, no now Kakashi wanted to live for him.
This concept had never occurred to Kakashi in his own timeline.
Kakashi Hatake had spent so many years of his life willing to die for his teammates, village, friends, and the greater good that the idea of wanting to live for something was foreign to him. Even after he and Team 7 became a family, he always thought he would rather bleed out than risk losing any of them.
But months spent taking care of an infant Naruto made him mean more to Kakashi now, a type of love he has never encountered before. The closest he could describe the feel to was what he had felt for his father before he died. Complete loyalty, complete acceptance, unwavering affection.
That is the only reason Kakashi has for the cold empty feeling in the pit of his stomach as he stood in front of the Hokage now.
“With Orochimaru’s defection from the Leaf I am tasking you a Team to help hunt him down.”
He could hear the Sandaime’s words, familiar and shocking all the same but Kakashi was slowly going numb where he stood. Unable to react or speak as the mission was explained to him. It had only been a few weeks since his dive into Naruto’s mindscape where he argued with Itachi and challenged THE Six Sage. He had yet to give the nine-tails an answer to his offer, or even attempt the jutsu to speak to them again. In those weeks he had anticipated Orochimaru’s betrayal, and the part he was to play in the mad man’s escape. Kakashi had forgotten himself as he had focused on befriending Tenzo as he had in his timeline and trying to keep constant contact with the Uchiha head family. Plus, juggling Naruto, and the endless stream of visits from Genma, Guy, Raido, and Hayate and any other shinobi who wished to get just a bit closer to Minato-sensei’s son had made this particular part of his life slip his own mind.
With the years that were to follow Kakashi would spend more time out of the village than in it. Hunting down Orochimaru, exchanging information with Jiraiya whenever the chance arose, and staking out the snake Sannin in various other villages. All while continuously patrolling the border of the Fire Nation to ensure their safety.
Kakashi felt his blood freeze in his veins as these memories flooded his mind.
These would be the years he missed out on originally in Naruto’s life. The years he caught glimpses of the young child his teacher left behind. The child he was only allowed to help from the shadows and darkness when villagers who should be thanking the ground the child walked on abused him instead.
What about all the times he won’t be there to protect Naruto now?
What about Kakashi and Reiko’s monthly updates on Naruto?
What about his nightly visits from Genma?
What about his shopping trips with Guy?
What about everything he would miss Naruto do?
First steps.
First words.
First fight.
First day at the Academy.
Yes, ROOT kept him busy and away from the village more than he would have liked but it would be nothing compared to what he knew was coming when hunting down Orochimaru.
Kakashi had been so lost in thought he didn’t realize the Hokage had stopped talking. Sarutobi looked at him with concern meaning the teen had been silent for too long now. Shit, if only Kakashi could remember the question the man had asked him at this point in their meeting. His mind helpfully drew a blank when he reached for an answer, so he was left to sigh and resist the urge to scratch the back of his neck in a very Naruto like action.
“My apologies Lord Hokage I missed your question just now.”
The older man took a moment, inhaling the contents of his pipe and exhaling a steady stream of smoke before answering Kakashi.
“As with every single parent shinobi, I was asking you if you are willing to take on the task of a mission that is over 50% based outside of the village.”
Well that explains why Kakashi had no idea what the question was when he tried to think of it. Only now that cold numbness was returning the longer the thought about being away from Naruto. Sure, he had been fine in his timeline when tasked with tracking down the Sannin, but there was no telling if things would be the same this time around. If he would be safe and not die hunting the man was a complete anomaly to Kakashi. All it would take was an injury Kakashi was expecting to cut just a little deeper, or an enemy to be just a little smart than he recalled.
Sarutobi was giving Kakashi an out for this mission, and a large part of him wanted to turn it down. There was a pesky voice, it sounded vaguely like Itachi Uchiha if he really focused on it whispering in the corner of his mind. Whispers of reason and logic he wished didn’t make as much sense as they did.
So Kakashi did the only reasonable thing he could. He bowed deep at the waist and tried not to grind his teeth as he spoke.
“Yes, I accept.”
They went over some finer detail things for a short time and then Kakashi was dismissed. Head and heart heavy Kakashi made quick work of getting home.
Reiko was there with Naruto. It has already been close to eight months since all of this started and this wasn’t the first time Kakashi wanted to lock himself and Naruto in his small apartment and forget the horrible future he was trying to save for a few hours. Naruto was already crawling around the apartment, Reiko laughed as the infant launched himself to Kakashi when he opened the door to greet the silver haired teen.
“I think you might have a future tracking nin on your hands Kakashi.”
Reiko giggled as she turned the stove off and served the food she had been cooking.
“He always knows when you are close, I can tell because he gets overly excited, and makes all kinds of adorable noises as he heads to the door.”
Kakashi felt his numb coldness melting away as he picked Naruto up and the baby snuggled into his neck with tiny arms attempting to wrap around him.
“You didn’t have to cook Reiko but thank you.”
He thought it was best to avoid letting anyone in on the fact that Naruto was one of the best chakra sensors the village of Konoha had ever seen. Kakashi wasn’t surprised to hear even as a baby Naruto was able to tell the difference between Kakashi’s chakra from others when he wasn’t masking it. As a practically untrained genin Naruto had once almost hit a swordsman of the Mist spying on them with a kunai, not even a second after Kakashi himself had realized they were hiding there. And what Naruto pulled off during the war only proved how great his skill with chakra sensing truly was.
Reiko sat down at Kakashi’s small table, leaving a plate of the food in front of his only empty chair. Kakashi took the hint and walked over to join her at the table, Naruto still in his arms.
“Was there something you wanted to talk to me about Reiko?”
He took small fingertip servings of rice and fed them to Naruto as he waited for Reiko to say whatever was on her mind. It wasn’t often the daughter of the Hokage held her tongue, and even rarer after all the time she and Kakashi had spent together now because of Naruto.
“I know my father is tasking you with an extensive mission that will take you out of Konoha for quite some time.”
Kakashi hummed in agreement as he snuck food under his mask for himself, ignoring Naruto’s grumble of complaint that the food Kakashi ate wasn’t offered to him first.
“And I have spoken with father and Akihiko, and even Asuma-ni.”
“I see.”
He knew where she was going with this, he had expected it just not so soon after agreeing to take the mission.
“Yes, but I’m sorry I cannot take Naruto-kun into the Sarutobi household.”
Kakashi nodded, his food gone and heart heavy. Just because he had expected it doesn’t mean he wasn’t disappointed. He had hoped the Hokage would think differently this time around since Kakashi had already been caring for Naruto. He couldn’t really be angry at the outcome of this situation. A part of Kakashi knew Naruto growing up alone in his early years is part of what drove him to become such an incredible shinobi. The part of Kakashi that loved Naruto in the here and now though didn’t want to leave him alone to fend for himself against the cruel villagers.
“I understand, clan laws can be complicated. While I am away Naruto Uzumaki will be a ward of the Leaf.”
Naruto was placed on the floor as Kakashi moved around his apartment. Placing dirty dishes in the sink, hanging up his flak jacket, leaving his weapons pouch on the nightstand. All the while Reiko sat at his small table looking close to tears as she watched Naruto follow Kakashi throughout the apartment. It wasn’t long till she excused herself for the night, leaving Kakashi and Naruto alone as the silver haired teen wanted.
Kakashi had a deal with a fox to make.
Kakashi wanted to spend the last week he would have with Naruto stress free, so he had to do it now before being gone for two years straight and then only in the village a day or so at a time until Naruto was nearly eight. For a moment he had considered avoiding answering the fox for those first two years if only to buy time. But Kakashi knew better than to push his luck, if the Sage was already mad at his decisions what he would do in the following years would only serve to piss him off more.
Kakashi needed the demon fox’s support if things came down to a fight. The nine-tails was many things, but he had grown to be loyal to Naruto when they needed him the most and he was under no delusion that without the demon they wouldn’t have survived the war.
Well technically Kakashi hadn’t survived the war…and Sasuke and Naruto killed each other so this was a bad comparison for his mind to make. But he did know the fox had value as an ally and was a threat as an enemy.
The sun had gone down and Kakashi figured it was now or never. He propped Naruto up on the pillows as he had the first time, he did this. Shaking the baby awake gently. Kakashi took a moment to watch as Naruto slowly woke up. His throat felt constricted and his heart ached while Kakashi thought about leaving Naruto again.
And it would be again.
Kakashi might have failed the jinchūriki of the nine-tails. Naruto Uzumaki, the prophesied child Jiraiya-sensei wrote of, the son of Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash, and Kushina Uzumaki, the Red-Hot Habanero. The two people who treated him like family after everything he had done, after everything life had thrown at him. They had loved him, and he had failed them and Naruto by walking away from the infant when he should have fought to stay. This time Kakashi had thought fighting to stay would be the hardest thing he would have to emotionally experience, since he plans on fixing everything else that went wrong long before it gets a chance to happen. Kakashi knows he was wrong now.
Leaving Naruto after these last eight months, with knowing how distant they will become made Kakashi feel like he was sawing himself in half with a pair of chopsticks.
Naruto woke up completely and smiled lazily up at Kakashi as he yawned.
Kakashi activated his Sharingan before he could change his mind, his resolve was crumbling by the seconds.
“See the Wolf boy returns. It’s as good thing you didn’t bet those eyes on it, or I would be plucking them out now.”
Kakashi almost didn’t want to know what kind of bet the two of them had going if that was the threat the nine-tails pulled upon his arrival.
“I expected too much of him apparently.”
Itachi’s dry tone made Kakashi smile behind his mask.
“If this is the welcoming party before you even know my answer, I feel I should just keep it to myself then.”
Kakashi kept the neutral tone he used on his students in the beginning of their time spent together. The monsters inside the cell stopped arguing among themselves and focused back on Kakashi.
“So let’s hear it. What is your decision?”
Itachi stood in front of him, as noble looking as ever, as if he hadn’t been arguing with a Biju just seconds before. If Kakashi wasn’t about to sign his life away he might have laughed at how childish Itachi acted at times. It reminded him of their days in ANBU when the young teen got mystified by Guy.
“I’ll do it.”
The nine-tails who had still been chuckling to himself behind Itachi abruptly stopped. His large form coming into view as he moved closer to the bars of the cage. Kakashi didn’t think he would ever get used to seeing the nin-tails up close and personal like this. He didn’t know how Naruto could look this demon in the eyes and befriend it. He didn’t know how Itachi could bicker with it like the demon couldn’t swallow him whole if he got truly angry, or bored.
“A wise decision.”
The words were followed by a claw larger than Kakashi phasing through the bars coming close to hitting Kakashi.
“You will have to place your hand on mine so we can transfer chakra to seal the deal.”
The flash of teeth as the nine-tails spoke the words made Kakashi hesitate. He glanced to Itachi more out of habit than to gauge an answer or reaction from the other. Itachi met his eyes but nothing in his face betrayed what he was thinking. Kakashi knew the other had tried to stop him from agreeing the last time he was there, but he wondered why he said nothing now.
The nine-tails flexed his claw and if Kakashi wasn’t used to not reacting when scared he might have jumped away at the motion.
“Get to it.”
Kakashi did as ordered. He laid his hand completely on the red fur of the nine-tails, making sure his entire palm was pressed completely against the demon.
“I have a condition to agreeing to this exchange demon.”
There was a growl and tension built up under Kakashi’s hand.
“What condition?”
He was shocked when Itachi asked the question and not the nine-tails. He couldn’t completely keep the shock off of his face and hoped his mask gave him enough cover that the Uchiha wouldn’t be able to tell.
“If we do have to fight the Six Path Sage you will help me, but I will never break the seal that keeps you here nine-tails.”
The demon pulled his claw back so Kakashi was no longer touching him like he demanded for the exchange.
“And why is that Wolf boy?”
Kakashi looked up to meet the nine-tails eyes.
“I have seen what happens to Jinchūriki who form a bond with the Biju and then they are removed, the host dies. Naruto is too important to me to risk killing him just for your freedom.”
“Weather this cage lives or dies means nothing to me. Why should I help you if you will not help me in return?”
Those teeth were once again exposed, making chills travel down Kakashi’s spine.
“That is my only condition. Take it or leave it.”
He shrugged nonchalantly as if he wasn’t close to pulling out of the jutsu now that he could feel the rage pouring off of the nine-tailed demon in front of him.
“Then no deal.”
Itachi cleared his throat to draw their attention.
“When I show you what will happen if the Sage has his way you might change your mind Kurama.”
The demon hummed in question looking to Itachi.
“What do you mean Crow?”
“You already know I am from the future, Kakashi is too. But I have seen the fate of the ‘cage’ you live in now. I have seen what happens to you, and I can show you.”
Kakashi didn’t think it was possible for the Demon fox to have expressions but he could practically see the wheels turning as the fox thought over the offer.
“Knowing the future is a dangerous game young ones. If the Sage really did send you back through time and monitors you now revealing these truths to me may do more damage than you already have.”
Itachi’s laugh shocked Kakashi, one he had never heard the other man laugh, and two it was hard to find anything funny with the nine-tails staring you in the face.
“The point of us being here is to do damage to the future, to our future, to change it.”
Itachi’s words made the fox rumble with his own laughter which only served to make Kakashi more nervous than he already had been.
“I’m starting to like you two. Alright show me this terrible fate that will convince me to help this wretched prison of mine.”
Kakashi watched as Itachi activated his Mangekyo and revealed their future to the demon fox. It was only seconds, barely noticeable to anyone who had never had the misfortune of being exposed to the dōjutsu.
“The Sage cannot have his way Wolf boy.”
The words were growled from the maw of the nine-tails and the pact was initiated. The nine-tails raised his chakra, building to suffocating levels and Kakashi struggled to do the same to meet the demon at the bars of the cage.
“My name is Kurama Kyūbi no Yōko, I am the oldest of the biju and I swear fealty to Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. I will protect this child with all of my power even against Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Six Path Sage, my father.”
The last part was more growl than actual words. Kakashi reached his hand out to rest against the burning fur of Kurama’s forehead.
“My name is Kakashi Hatake, last of the Hatake Clan and I swear fealty to Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. I will trust you to protect Naruto and those he cares about when I am unable to. I will fight alongside you against the Six Path Sage, if and when the time comes.”
He didn’t need any prompting or guidance as the words left his mouth. The chakra infusion burned like lava under his skin and only two lifetimes of training kept Kakashi from screaming in immeasurable pain. There was a moment, Kakashi could feel every emotion the demon fox did as if they had become one.
All of Kurama’s rage.
The fear.
The pain.
Hatred.
Depression.
Loneliness.
And right before Kurama retracted his chakra Kakashi felt something he hadn’t expected.
Hope.
The feeling made Kakashi think of Naruto’s too bright smile, and Sakura’s laughter. He thought about Sai’s face of excitement when he understood a joke, and Sasuke’s grin of accomplishment when he mastered a new jutsu.
The hope sealed their deal, and Kakashi wasn’t surprised to come back to himself and feel his eyes stinging. Unshed tears he blinked back as he pulled away from Kurama.
“Your chakra is almost completely spent Kakashi.”
Itachi’s voice reminded him of where he was. It made him miss his team more than he had in the past few months. Being close to Naruto had helped stave off his own loss but now he was reminded full force of what he was risking by being here.
By striking deals with Monsters.
Squaring his shoulders, Kakashi cleared his throat before forcing a smile to his eyes. Grateful for his mask.
“Alright Kurama, this is good-bye for now, and Itachi-“
Kakashi forgot what he was saying as he looked over to where Itachi was standing. He could see straight thru the man, his form had gone from solid to ghostly. Even so Itachi wore a serene smile.
“I guess the Sage is upset with me after all. He is not calling me back, I am being let go.”
Kakashi felt panic rising as he watched Itachi disappear. He held his hands up, reaching out as if he could stop Itachi from fading.
“Itachi. I, I won’t fail.”
He let his hands fall to clench at his sides. Anger and determination coursing through his veins.
“Don’t worry Kakashi, I trusted you to fix everything before I even knew I would be given time like this here. I am ready to move on if the Sage has decided not to keep me around now.”
Kakashi nodded.
“You’ve done well, I hope I can help you in this life Itachi.”
Itachi faded completely, his smile still in place.