And... So the story continues on. 3 days before the happenings in the prologue =)
Just as a fore-warning, I'm still pretty re-new to Naruto, I remember a lot of things and I learn quite a few, so if there's anything you would object... Please do so in a nice way? xD
This story is a huge project between me and a dear friend, so please also visit my profile if you want to see some very good illustrations done for Sacrifices ^^
Anyways, on with the story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters or places I write about here. They rightfully belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
...
Seventy-two hours before.
Bloodchilling screams filled Konoha's still and warm air as the unmistakable power of an explosion shook the ground.
It was supposed to be a peaceful night for the Hokage. His duties for the day didn't involve anything that demmanded his immediate attention, so he actually wanted to spend a normal, stress-free night with his family.
His relaxed mind immediately snapped to business mode as he sprinted from the place he sat next to his wife in their cozy living room. Vaguely registering his son asking him whether he could help or not, he stepped out of the house.
And was immediately rushed to by a jounin. "Where?" he asked curtly in form of greeting as the two of them started running side by side.
"The orphanage," the ninja gasped out, at which Naruto increased his speed. The kids... There were kids under attack. Kids, who were under his protection... Kids, who are the future of the villages...
"Kurama!" he shouted through gritted teeth, and felt the presence of the giant fox materializing just beside him.
"About damn time." he hard him growl as a blood-thirsty smile flashed a set of pointy teeth.
"Not now," Naruto hissed as their chakras merged. A familiar surge of power engulfed him and he hastened his pace as houses, nature, everything flew past him.
With the added speed, he was able to reach the outskirts of the town in mere minutes. What he saw, however, made him come to a sudden stop just a couple of kilometers away from his destination.
The whole building was in flames. The black, choking smoke rose high into the air, which was full of panicked, terrified screams, and a horrid smell. Among the flames and smoke, he could just barely make out the heads of one, two... three snakes, snapping around the air at what was undoubtedly attack after attack sent to them from every direction, their tails swirling around.
"Snakes...?" he mumbled in shock, as it only brought one person to his mind, and he felt his hands curling into fists unconsciously.
"Are you gonna just stand there and stare all night, boy?" Kurama hissed. "Let's go make some snacks out of those creepers!"
And just like that, they were off, joining in on the chaos.
Naruto let Kurama go, he needed him to hold off the snakes as he barged into the institution to save those he can.
It was not easy. First, the institution was really quite big, he would be confused if he didn't came in an emergency, too. He could use a water release, but it was too hot here, so he wasn't sure if that would help. An air release might make things even worse, spreading the fire. And, strategically speaking, he didn't know if any of the children were evacuated, either.
None of that mattered then, though. Calling forth his shield, he raised his voice above the crackling flames, hoping against hope that someone would hear him - and answer.
"Is anyone here? Can you hear me?"
...
Kurama rose high above the sky with a mighty roar. Hearing this, all the snakes turned their heads at him, one by one. They hissed when they saw the giant beast.
"Oooh, look, brothers," said one of them, baring his fangs. "The Hokage's pet comes out to play."
"It should be a shame, really," the other one hissed. "Was it really you who once terrorized this pathetic village?"
"Bet you get rusted without all the action." teased the last one, the red light of the fire glinting off his glassy eyes.
Kurama grinned maliciously as he bared his claws. "Talk all you want. We will see whose head goes down first."
With that, he attacked.
...
That... was a close one.
Just when he was headed to the stairs to go up, he had seen movement out of the corner of his eye, and found a group of children hiding under the stairs, shivering in fear, too afraid to move. Naruto ran to them, just as a rubble fell from above.
He did a quick count. There were... ten children here, four of them the Shin clones who were brought here a little more than a year ago. Them and the other kids were huddled up, eyes huge, and he saw tears shining on some of their faces. His expression softened, and his voice took a gentle quality.
"You can run out to the front door. The shield will provide you safety."
The children feebly mumbled thank you before they turned away. Naruto caught the arm of one of them gently.
"Is there anyone upstairs? Do you know?"
The boy was one of the Shin brothers. He tried not to gulp when saw tears brimming the edge of the scarlet sharingan eyes. He was no different than the other kids. Scared. In need of an assurance that everything will be okay.
"Yes," the boy whispered, and avoided his eyes. "My brothers... Most of us stay there."
Feeling as though his heart had just skipped a beat, Naruto nodded. "Go."
As Shin made his way towards the door, Naruto turned and ran up towards the stairs, as nest as he could through the black smoke that shortened his sight.
...
Kurama quickly stepped aside as one of the snakes snapped at him, and grabbed the snake's head, crushing on it with all his might. The snake sputtered and tried to take a bite, but to no effect. The fox lifted him high above the ground and throw it as far away as he could.
He felt something collide to his back and without looking, he spun around and kicked. The second snake dodged his attack, coiled on the ground and struck once again. The five-inch long fangs that would have been deadly in another situation embedded themselves into the outstreched arm of the fox, who just shook it to get rid of the snake. Both of the snakes then rose to their full height on either side of him, baring their fangs, and then...
Kurama saw, out of the corner of his eye, a yellow flash momentarily, through the landscape, far away from the eastern border of Konoha. Something the humans on the ground possibly can't see. If he wouldn't know better, his best guess would be a lightning bolt, but it seemed unlikely. More like this was meant to be seen by...
The snake on his right drew his head back in, suddenly wary. "Here is the signal. Let's draw back."
"Let's." the other hissed.
"You're not going anywhere!" the fox roared and leapt forward, but the snakes easily slithered away from his crushing grasp.
"That was easy. Maybe you should practice a little bit more." one of the snakes shouted back tauntingly.
"You..." the fox began, ready to follow after them, but a deafening rumble caught his attention.
...
Naruto was just escorting a third group out of the building when it happened.
"Naruto!" he heard Kurama yell. "The ceiling is coming down, get out of there!"
But there were still kids inside!
Naruto left the kids with the ninjas outside and immediately turned back, about to rush in once more, when the whole building collapsed and he was pushed back by Kurama.
And then... there was nothing but dead silence.
Naruto jumped to his feet once again, and even the scene of the orphanage's ruins didn't stop him from running towards the rubbles, searching, in vain, for someone who might still be alive.
...
The toll was greater than they imagined.
"Thir... ty?" Naruto whispered, unable to believe his ears.
The ninja who was in charge of the operation until he came nodded sadly. "My lord, the upper floor... It was as if they knowingly targeted there. And the children, they were sleeping..."
The hokage closed his eyes for a moment, as if to wish all these didn't really happen, all these innocent children didn't just die. When he opened his eyes once more to the bitter reality, the sad look in his eyes had hardened into a determined, grave look.
"Do we have any leads for the culprit?"
"Do we need leads?" a kunoichi spoke from the gathered group. "Lord seventh... we only know one person who uses snakes who will attack Konoha. Orochimaru."
Orochimaru. The legendary sannin that everyone in Konoha feared, if not so openly, so much so that his name had been a taboo for years.
The name he had first come up with when he saw the snakes.
The one... former enemy, that they haven't heard from in a long time.
Why now?...
"We need more evidences to jump to that conclusion," he said at last, also implying that he's not completely disregarding the theory.
"That won't be necessary."
From the back of the crowd, Kabuto, the director of the orphanage, came forward in his wheelchair. One look at his face, and Naruto couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Kabuto really, truly loved the kids here, and such a huge loss had taken its toll on him. He seemed to have aged during this short period of time.
Before Naruto could say anything, Kabute looked up with a fierce expression in his eyes. "I saw the man behind this attack just minutes before the explosion. And he wore the curse mark on his neck."
...
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All the best...
