The last mission
After the fight with Pain was over and the village of Konoha was regaining its power and being constructed again. We ninjas started to go on missions to fulfil the village's economic needs.
Most of the ninjas were away from the village for their missions. Only some Gennins and chunnins were staying in order to protect the village from other threats and also to help in the reconstruction of the was weeks until I have gone on any mission. After battling with pain all alone I was told to rest for some days. But I think now I am over with rest. It's time I come into action. I got up from the bed and went straight to the Hokage tower. There weren't many ninjas there. It was all empty. I went to granny Tsunade's office and opened the gate.
"Naruto! What are you doing here, didn't I told you to rest for some time?" She said yelling.
"Relax granny!" I said calming her, "I have had it with rest. I want to go on a mission now."
"Well I know you are not going to listen to me so I think let's have it your way this time", she said agreeing with me; "I think a B rank mission is okay for you."
"B rank! I have had it with these small missions can't you give me an A rank or S rank mission?" I said.
"Don't be overconfident just because you have sage mode with you. It still takes time to activate it" she said in a serious tone.
"Okay then I will take it." I said agreeing.
"You will be teamed with Nara Shikamaru and Hyuga Hinata on this mission I will explain the details when they will arrive."
"I am going to look out for them." I said
"We are here Naruto." A familiar voice said.
I turned back and found Shikamaru and Hinata standing beside the door.
"Hey Shikamaru!" I said waving my hand
"Hey Naruto isn't it early for you to take missions you should rest up a bit." He said coming forward.
"I am fine I was actually being bored resting the whole time. When I woke up the other night I found myself hitting a Rasengan on my wall."
"That's what only you can do." He said with a chuckle.
"Enough talk now." Granny Tsunade said ordering.
"Now listen carefully," Granny Tsunade said roaring. "A mysterious ninja has been seen near the borders of the land of iron. Shikamaru, as you already know that land of iron is a place protected by samurai, they don't use ninjutsu they are actually people who are trained to fight ninjas. They use swords as their weapons. Anyway, the ninja seems to be an expert in lightning style. He can make a shield of lightning around himself which act as defensive as well as offensive; also his speed in that shield of lightning is far too greater than any normal human being."
"Isn't that the power of the Raikage of the land of cloud?" Shikamaru interrupted
"Exactly, that's what I was gonna say. Even the samurais aren't able to stop him. He is too much powerful for them to handle. So the Mifune of the land of iron has sent us the request for helping them."
"Ugh! Although it's such a drag to fight an enemy like that, but let's just finish it quick." Shikamaru said, "Hinata, your 'Byakugan' and Naruto's sage mode is essential for this mission. Since the lightning element is very fast only you two can fight him while actually seeing him."
"Hey Shikamaru, you don't seem even a least bit interested in this" I said motioning to granny Tsunade, "hey granny, let me go alone. I don't need bother my friends in such a lame 'B' rank mission, I can do it alone."
Shikamaru said letting out a small laugh: "don't be over confident Naruto, just because you have defeated pain alone doesn't mean that you can go on missions alone. You need directions from the smarter peoples to work correctly. You are still an idiot like before."
And then we all laughed.
We started our journey to the land of iron. As we were running I saw a sign of depression on Hinata's face. I remember the day when I was fighting with pain and Hinata helped me risking her life. And the most amusing part is she likes me. I remember she told her feelings to me at that time. But the thing is I have always seen her as just a friend and nothing else. How can I start a relationship with her? But today after so much time I can see a little depression in her eyes. She must be sad, she risked her life to save me and she proposed me that day and I haven't talked to her much, since then. It's not like I didn't wanted to but after pain's fight I didn't get much time. First, I was forced to rest in my home for a whole week and then after the death of Nagato and Ero-sennin I wanted to spend some time alone. But now I think I should talk to her. As we were running I came to a stop. The two of them also came to a halt a little ahead of me.
"Hey Naruto are you tired so early? That's just not like you." Shikamaru said yelling from a distance.
I walked towards him, "Shikamaru you go ahead I want to talk to Hinata." I said to him, "Hinata and I will catch up to you in a while."
"Aye Naruto can't this wait until we reach the land of iron." He said angrily.
"Please Shikamaru it's important we will catch up with you."
"Okay then, if you got lost use your sennin mode or the Byakugan to track me." He said and left.
I then turned my eyes to Hinata whose eyes were now fixated on the ground.
I waited for her to say something but her eyes were still fixated on the ground; after a long while her voice reached my ears.
"Naruto-kun" she said in an innocent voice, "what is it you wanted to talk to me in private."
I waited for a moment and then came forward, "well Hinata I just noticed that I have never thanked you for helping me in the fight with pain."
"You don't need to Naruto-kun," she said shuddering, "you protected the village when it needed you the most. Anyone from the village would have given his or her life to help you. I didn't do anything heroic at all."
I looked at her as she said these words. I could see a little fear in her eyes; actually it was more like nervousness. Her eyes were still on the ground.
"Actually there is something more I wanted to ask you," I said taking a step forward.
"The day when you tried to help me you told me that you have feelings for me," I said backing off a little, "from always I have seen you as no more than a friend but I want to ask, I didn't ever had any feelings for you; I always treated you just like a normal friend then why did you liked me of all the boys."
She then looked up at me. Her trembling was all gone I could see it in her eyes.
She came forward, her pale white eyes looking into mine her dark blue hairs were blowing backwards. She then took a deep breath and let out her voice.
"Naruto-kun, you are not just the person that I have loved but you are also a person that I have admired the most in my life." She said looking into my eyes, "I have been from a royal bloodline but still from beginning I am a failure, I wasn't enough strong in comparison of Neji or other of Hyuga clan. My only thought was that I am a spot in the name of Hyuga. I had no talent at all. I was prepared to die then living in this life where I was nothing at all. But the only thing that kept me alive was you Naruto. I saw you every time as you struggled to have everyone's attention on you and also try to become more and more powerful no matter what the cost. You are the reason I am still alive Naruto, you inspired me to work hard and never give up you are the only reason I was able to stand where I am now. Your thoughts gave me power when you were away with jiraiya-sama for training. I worked hard to catch up to you Naruto. It's only because of you, and I could say without hesitation, I love you Naruto."
Her words stroked my heart. I was feeling something that I had never felt before. I was captivated by her words. I looked at her she had a little smile on her face, a smile that I have never seen before.
I then threw my arms around her and hugged her tightly. I then realised that I was wetting her jacket by my tears. She realised it too and she also put her arms around me. I was feeling something that I had never felt before. It was like I couldn't feel time going around; I wanted the time to halt forever. I wanted to stay like this for my whole life. I didn't let go of her.
"I love you too, Hinata": I uttered under my breath.
….…
As we continue our run to the land of iron we caught Shikamaru on the way. "What took you guys so long" said he; "I bet you got lost."
"Well, actually I got lost but Hinata knew the way." I said giggling
Suddenly a jolt of lightning struck upon the tree we were standing and broke it to pieces. We descended on the ground with a fall.
I got up from there. Hinata and Shikamaru were lying on the ground injured due to the fall. I looked up at another tree standing by. There was someone standing there with a sword on his back his body was producing electricity.
He smirked down upon me. He then produced his sword and leaped down on the ground.
I yelled upon him: "hey! What do you want?"
It all happened very suddenly then, the man disappeared from the place where he was and then he came from behind and put his sword on my back.
"Don't even try to move", he said in a severe voice.
I closed my eyes in frustration and began collecting sage chakra.
Suddenly Hinata came in between and used her air palm to throttle the man away. He was pushed far away on the ground. I stayed still in order to collect sage chakra. The man then got up and produced lightning and disappeared. He then started taijutsu fight with Hinata. Shikamaru tried to get up but he was too injured suddenly the ground began to shake. An earthquake came. All the trees surrounding us fell upon us and killed all of us.
The end