Chapter 4-Understanding the Devil
When Umino Iruka, a teacher of Chuunin ninja rank at the Ninja Academy woke up at 8:00 AM in the morning he had a feeling of dread running through his body that day as something felt off to him. After all it was not everyday that a ninja of Jounin status that was of significant rank like Shiranui Genma appeared at his little home telling him that the Hokage wanted to see him in the mourning in concerns to the Genin Exams. The very same Genin Exams that were taken earlier the previous day.
However, when you are a ninja and ordered by the Hokage of all people for something he felt was important then by the gods you do so whether you need to hurry or not. 'I bet it concerns Naruto again seeing as he did take the Genin Exam for a second time in a row and he unfortunately failed. From the look on his face when he entered the room I had believed that for a second he would pass,' thought Iruka who personally held no hatred for the boy himself...just for what the boy contained.
Iruka made his way to the Hokage's office with a nod by the ANBU guards who knew he was to be expected for his 8:30 AM appointment. When the teacher entered the room he found that the Third Hokage did not have his usual calm, wise, and old face on him that Iruka usually saw. It was not the face of the man he talked to on more then one occasion about things involving next years classes with potential Genin teams. No. At this very moment in time the Third Hokage was livid with an angry look on his 60+ year old face that Iruka had not seen in all his years of meeting with him. "Have a seat Iruka. I called you hear because we have to talk and not a friendly one at that," said Sarutobi who for the first time in years felt a fire in him that he thought had been passed to his deceased successor when he originally retired from this office.
"Of course Lord Hokage. Might I ask what I am doing here and if I may be so bold what I did wrong to make you look so angry?" said Iruka hoping not to face the wraith of the much elderly man as there was a reason for him being Hokage now as he was before the death of the Fourth.
It was then that the Third Hokage's eyes softened slightly and his tightened jaw was now relaxed a little as he realized he was still holding onto anger he held in his heart from the previous meeting he just had. "My apologize Iruka for your assumptions that I am angry at you as I just had very stressful meeting before you came in here. A meeting with some of the Chuunin and one Jounin Headmaster at the Ninja Academy who said some things he shouldn't have," said Sarutobi seeing the man in front of him flinch before replaying what the Hokage said in his mind before frowning in confusion.
"But no one left your office when I entered seeing as I was right on time for the meeting you set for me? They didn't leave with Ibiki or Anko did they?" said Iruka as he did not want to be those ninja's right now who got on the Hokage's bad side.
"No. Ibiki is busy with things right now and Anko is in the Hospital after a small sparring session with the person she was fighting went bad on her. As for several of the ninja who were in here before you...they are all dead. My new...'enforcer' if you will saw to that they were eliminated. He is out right now with Naruto as his official guardian and new teacher for the boy so he can learn skills that he has been deprived of at the Academy. I have already sent request forms out for new possible ninja's from all the other small and minor villages around us that are considered extensions of Kohona itself. They should be here in less then a month and I have no doubts they should be ready to pick up the slack the others left behind when the new ninja year at the Academy starts next Fall," said a slightly smiling Sarutobi as he found his..."enforcer's" way of leaving him without being detected to be both interesting and scary.
"I take it this is what you called to talk to me about Lord Hokage? You want to talk about Naruto failing for the second time in his second year at the Academy. If you think that I might hold a grudge against the kid you are wrong its just...well you know. The beast that the Fourth sealed inside is the one I hate," said Iruka as memories he had tried to shut up the past 11 years were coming up in his head.
Sarutobi nodded his head in understanding Iruka's thoughts as many people lost many loved one's at the hands of Slade's involuntary psychotic rampage. The question before him now was could Iruka let it go from what he was about to learn. "I know how you feel Iruka as we all lost someone in that battle who was like family to us whether they were in fact actually family or not however, recent information has come to light and it involves the...Kyuubi's rampage. What I am about to tell you may change your perspective on the whole situation," said the Hokage getting look of confusion from the Chuunin teacher's face whose gut feeling came back 10 fold.
(In the Village-Clothes District-9:00 AM)
Naruto walked with Slade fresh with energy and excitement as he was pleased to have his sensei be declared his legal guardian who was "legally" on the level of a Jounin ninja. If not that of a Special Jounin to ANBU Black Ops level, which Naruto knew he was far beyond as Slade was the Nine Tailed Demon Fox inside of him. The Demon Lord Fox had returned to his vessels body still in human form as it made his cell less restricting to him giving him more room to breath. "Hey Slade-Sensei did you really mean it when you said you think I could be as strong as you said I could be. Did you really mean it?" said Naruto as he looked his guardian in the eye who just nodded without saying a word as they walked through the busy streets of Kohona earning glances this time at Slade more then Naruto.
Apparently Slade only used his demon fox form to fight off other Demon Lords and only then when he was facing more then two depending on how many tails the demons he was fighting had on them. Slade had told Naruto in his Mindscape he had created during the boy's sleep so they could meet that in the morning he would take the boy to do some very much needed clothes shopping. It was very much needed in Slade's opinion when one put into consideration the filthy clothes the boy was wearing now.
Even the ones Naruto had taken with him made him standing out like a roman candle lit in a dark cave. 'I guess its not too surprising considering he had to survive on his own for the past 11 years without me up till now. Even if with his survival instincts and growing eyes in the back of your being heightened his clothing in ninja fashion are worse off then others I have seen in my last life time. Well that's why we are here and the Hokage gave me a considerable amount of money to pay for everything. Much more in fact I assume just in case some fool tries to swindle me out of things the boy needs. If anyone tries that I'll burn their store to the ground and teach them its not nice to play with fire,' thought Slade as he then pictured how much fun it would be to see the store owners shop burn down...with the store owner with it.
"Um Slade-sensei you didn't answer my question. Did you really mean what you said earlier like at the ramen stand?" said Naruto as he couldn't read the man's mind despite them being bound to each other though he knew that Slade could if he tried.
"I'm not going to lie to you Naruto as being the Hokage does NOT mean that you can do whatever you want to whoever you want. It means you have to make decisions that will reflect who you are and how people will remember you in years to come when you retire and eventually...die. A Hokage must do what he or she feels is best for the people he or she watches over. Not only that, but a Hokage knows what is needed to protect the village and not what is in his other personal best interest. That was something Orochimaru forgot about a long time ago when he was here when he wanted to be Hokage of this village," said Slade as Naruto's words focus him back to the present at hand, but his response to the boy's question had effectively ended their conversation on the matter as anymore on the subject would put a horrible distaste on their tongues.
It was silent the rest of the way till they reached their destination making Naruto nervous as he had been to this clothing store before and had barely taken a step into it before and had earned him a broom to the head. All thanks to a cashier of a crazy looking woman who was hitting him repeatedly to get out and to not taint her store with his evil presence before she made him leave in her own way. "Um Slade-sensei maybe we should...," said Naruto not wanting to make a scene in front of everyone and give them an excuse to hate him further
"Don't worry Naruto. If the woman so much as tries to speak to you harshly I'll tear out her voice box so she will never speak to anyone ever again," said Slade remembering the woman's actions and words that she said to Naruto before seeing the boy nod his head and they entered the store.
Meanwhile rumors about the man's presence and what he did at the ramen stand the night before had gotten everyone's attention and even more so just by hanging around Naruto A.K.A "demon boy". Some of the people had saying he was a new breed of ninja calling him the Special ANBU. A special ninja assassin hired by the Hokage to watch over the 11 year old boy should anyone try anything. It was also rumored that the man was also responsible for the mysterious deaths of over two-thirds of the children's orphanage's employed overseers who had all been found beaten and burned to death in their homes or at the orphanage itself with the children telling everyone that the "shadowy fire man" did it. Not only that, it was spread through the ninja ranks that a solid amount of ninja who denied Naruto access to the Shinobi Library met with a mysterious deaths as well as all that remained of them were broken hands, feet, skulls, and ashes of what used to be that of human remains.
It was clear to everyone what the pattern was...all of the deaths had one thing in common with each other...all the people who had died had been mean if not cruel to the boy named Uzumaki Naruto. It was no secret to the people of Kohona that those that were employed at the orphanage had done their job of hurting the "demon boy" on more then one simple separate occasion exceedingly well in his time their. The only one who did not seem to know about the abuse was the Third Hokage himself as the punishment of the "demon child" endured and continued till the Hokage had setup the now destroyed apartment for him to live in. It seemed to everyone that those who had wronged the boy were getting their just deserts and the people who hated the boy didn't like it at all.
The only one person who was enjoying hearing these rumors as it had peaked her ninja interests was Yuuhi Kurenai as she watched them from the shadows. The two figures entered the store after the boy talked to man about something. Unfortunately, though she could not quite hear anything they said due to the noise of the crowd. 'Well if any of the rumors are in fact true about this guy then I better stay nearby to watch for myself just to get a glimpse of what he can do,' thought Kurenai as seeing Anko and (for a very brief and yet startled moment) Kakashi in the hospital was proof in itself that to cross this guy meant either pain, death, or possibly both all in one.
No longer then 5 minutes after the two had entered the store Kurenai heard a small shriek of whether it was terror or something else (she wasn't sure) coming from the store below her. Almost in an instant Kurenai reacted on due to her ninja reflexes and had now left her genjutsu created camouflaged hiding spot to jump down from the roof she was on to the ground for a better look inside.
She went inside the store ready to draw her kunai at a moments notice only to find Naruto now holding a blushing red in the face and fainted form of one of the very few people in the village that cared about Naruto. It was none other then Naruto's biggest fan as well as the Heiress to the Hyuuga Clan Hyuuga Hinata. "Fancy meeting you here my dear," said Slade now from behind the woman scaring her to such a degree she whipped around and stabbed the person behind her in the neck.
At least Kurenai had tried to stab the person as a strong, rough, and yet gentle hand held hers by the wrist several inches away from its intended target with her red eyes filled with a fire that told anyone who saw them she would go down fighting. Seeing it was the man she had been watching before lessened the fire and looked at his hand covering her wrist in his metal covered grip. Slade let go slowly as if to say he got the message, but wasn't afraid of her all the same or shy about the matter at all. "Mind explaining why the girl is on the floor in the boy's arms," said Kurenai looking at the boy who was trying to get the girl awake and every time he did the girl would take one look at him and faint yet again.
"Not at all. You see as soon as we came in here the cashier of a woman saw Naruto not realizing he was with me and tried to shoo him out again. She swung her broom at him nearly hitting the girl and the force of the near miss forced her to retreat backwards away from the woman causing her to trip on her own sandals back first towards the wooden floored ground. While I dealt with the woman with the broom Naruto used his amazing speed and caught the girl before impact using his own body as a buffer to take most of if not all of the punishment the girl would have received from the fall. When she realized he had caught her she shrieked in surprise. Personally though to me it sounded more like a squeak if anything before she blushed such a magnificent shade of red before fainting in his ever so welcoming arms before you came in here," said Slade as he was ignoring the painful protest of the female cashier on the ground to his left with her ankle underneath his foot under such pressure it would be ready to be literally broken off should he wish it.
Kurenai was not oblivious to all this and in seeing the woman on the ground with the hate filled look in her eyes when she glanced at Naruto, it was more then likely that what the man had been telling her was the truth. "It's a real shame that they don't see the boy as a 'Hero of the Village' instead of seeing him as the...well you know," said Kurenai as she would be damned that her ninja career ended in speaking the words that would violate the Hokage's secret law even if this man knew about it.
'Him being Naruto's guardian was certainly an indication as such or else the man would not be near the boy. Right?' thought Kurenai looking at Slade's one eye trying determine his thoughts, but him to be a closed book to her.
"Indeed it is. Nonetheless we have shopping to do as I'm sure the girl does to as well as us I assume seeing as she was here for clothing was any indication. Though from the way she was a blushing when we first entered I'm not so sure anymore. Care to join us?" said a now curious Slade as it was an honest offer seeing as the Jounin could watch over the girl while he watched over Naruto.
Kurenai blushed slightly and lightly at the man's offer despite how innocent it was as she had never been asked by the opposite sex to go clothes shopping. It wasn't considered by most male shinobi in the ranks to be..."manly" in doing such things with the female half. Still this could be her only chance to understand the man and have Hinata get closer to the boy of her inspirational dreams. "I think I will. Its not often a man like yourself offers such an offer to a lady like me," said Kurenai missing the glint in the man's one eye.
"I'm not like most men," said Slade chuckling at the woman before breaking the foot at the ankle of the woman now screaming below him before he and Kurenai went to assist both Naruto and Hinata out of the awakening, fainting, and reawakening habit the two had got timed down to a science.
(Hokage's Office-One Hours Later-9:30 AM)
"You can't be serious?" said Iruka who was now so close to yelling that "The Professor" was glad he put up the sound barrier jutsu at the advisement of Slade in the last meeting he had as some people could not control the volume of their voice when needed.
"I'm afraid what I have told you is true Iruka. Kyuubi like all of us were pawns as well as victims of Orochimaru's treachery that caused the death of not only your parents, but our beloved Forth Hokage as well. Even if you wanted to hate the Kyuubi Iruka...you can't," said Sarutobi in a sad voice as he had just told Iruka everything with the exception of the Kyuubi being Slade who was with Naruto shopping for clothes and ninja training items.
"I don't believe it," said Iruka his voice spaced out as if he were talking to himself more then the Hokage himself.
"What's more is that the Kyuubi got the last laugh in the whole affair if Orochimaru was in fact hurt in the ordeal of using the genjutsu on him. If my former student was fatally injured in a wild attack by the fox demon then it means it forced him to use his still in the experimental Immortality Jutsu he was creating during his experiments that we had soon discovered underneath Kohona. No doubt using the incomplete jutsu such as that will cause some serious and possibly permanent side effects on the man, which I can assume as well as hope will come back to bit him," said the Third Hokage hoping to get Iruka to believe what he was telling him was the truth and not hate the boy as the man was one of the rare few in the village aside from himself that had seen the boy not as a demon vessel, but rather boy with a great burden he did not ask for to carry with him forever.
"That is not what I meant Lord Hokage. Well at least not all together anyway as you are right about not hating Kyuubi for killing my parents. What I really meant was you can't be serious that the Academies own teachers and Headmaster would sabotage Naruto's dreams of being Hokage. I mean I know the hatred for the boy runs deep, but to do that to him seems...unthinkable!" said Iruka who saw the Third open his desk and take out his prized crystal ball to try and find Naruto in the village.
"One would think so, but sadly it is. You remember what I told you about what was told to me about Naruto's life at the orphanage? (Iruka nods) I had my 'enforcer' as you may recall me mentioning earlier kill most of the employees there that were all in complete and direct contact with Naruto for the abuse they gave him and nearly killing him when I had him delivered to them. I nearly had a heart attack last night when I had learned that all of them nearly starved Naruto to death, which is why I gave the order to kill them all without a second thought. The guards of the Shinobi Library found that out the hard way when I discovered that they all had been more then reluctant to let the boy learn what he needed to pass some of the minor parts of his years training to be a Genin," said Sarutobi as he recalled the protest of the ninja he had Slade kill in secret before they died saying that the boy was a demon and had no right to grow back to being a monster.
It was then that Sarutobi's crystal ball showed Naruto walking with Slade both with bags of different things in hands. The two walked along with Kurenai and surprisingly in their eyes a very shy Hyuuga Hinata who would look at Naruto before looking away. "(Sighs) To be young again and in love. It is a pity Naruto does not know how to spot it, but then again after the way he's been treated I'm surprised there is ever even a smile on his face half the time I've seen him," said Sarutobi out of nowhere making Iruka raise an eyebrow before looking back at the orb to see what the Hokage was talking about.
The poor girl that was Hyuuga Hinata was always blushing a new shade of red every time she looked at Naruto. When he ask her if she was all right or if she had a fever it had now made the shyer then ever girl shake her head either up or down or left and right so fast it made one wonder if she was saying "yes", "no", or that she was being possessed by her own demon and she was now shaking it free from her mind. "You think Naruto will find out how much she likes him or will Hinata have to do that herself?" said Iruka smiling at the scene in front of him in the ball.
"Eventually I think however, Naruto may not have the time you think he does. (Iruka: "Huh?") I have spoken to some of my own contacts within the homes of the Village and Shinobi Elders after they all learned that Naruto should have passed both Genin Exams when he took them twice. Not only is Naruto proving to them that he is not the idiot they think he is, but he is showing that he is much stronger then people give him credit for," said the Hokage looking slightly worried as he saw someone in the crowd the Naruto was walking by have a stone in his hand, but dropped it when Slade looked in the villager's direction killing intent focuses solely on that one person making the man literally drop dead on the ground causing a small commotion that thankfully drew people away from Naruto.
"What do you mean Lord Hokage? Surely you are not saying that Naruto has been doing what he has been doing while holding back a great deal of his strength now? Are you?" said Iruka as he was finding it hard to believe that Naruto of all people would deliberately hold anything back in almost anything he did.
"One would think that, but not after last night. A ninja came into my mansion last night in search of Naruto yesterday in pursuit of killing him...again. The man was found in the morning tied up, bloody, and broken hanging upside down nearly dead from being like that most of the remaining night. It turns out THIS ninja was a high level Chuunin who was going to apply for the Jounin Exams next Spring, but wanted to kill Naruto to make a name for himself first. When I asked Naruto if he was all right and where his ever so watchful guardian was and Naruto just said, 'Slade-sensei was sleepy and wanted me to handle the guy on my own. Why do you ask?' smiling the entire time all before going to the kitchen to get something to eat from one of my cooks who actually respects the boy. His actions though positive are making the Elders jumpy as they do not want the boy to live to see the next sunrise much less live at all," said the Third Hokage as his age was starting to catch up with him once more as he felt tired then yesterday and today had just started.
"Surely you can protect Naruto saying it was the dying wish of the Fourth Hokage for the boy to live being seen as a hero. Even the Village and Shinobi Elder would have to force themselves to respect the wish of a dying man like the Fourth Hokage whether they want to or not, "said Iruka afraid at what the Elder's thought of his words if they heard him speak out now.
"There hatred for Kyuubi it seems is stronger then their love for my late successor as I have begun to hear rumors flaring up long before the new information about Kyuubi was told to me. According to the rumors everyone of the Elder both influential and non that hate the boy are going to unify against me to have the boy killed for the 'safety of the village' as they called it. The rumors also say that they are going to bring this before me at the next meeting when we all meet next time coincidentally at the start of the new ninja year for the Genin's," said Sarutobi as he took a long puff from his pipe as he was finding the stress was too much without it as he had been restraining himself from smoking the pipe piece since 6:00 AM in the morning.
"What are you going to do? I know they are rumors, but knowing that where the source of the rumors is coming from and when they concern Naruto's future it is most likely and unfortunately true," said Iruka knowing this could be a serious problem for the boy.
"I will have to talk to Naruto's guardian and the boy himself when they return later on tonight as they currently staying at the Hokage Mansion. For now let the boy enjoy his time with his guardian along with the people he is with as this is one of rarest things in seeing that boy happy. In fact he has not been this happy since I helped him enroll into the Ninja Academy nearly two years ago," said Sarutobi slightly smiling at how he easily he remembered how Naruto's face lit up at the thought of being a ninja with his blue eyes showing true happiness in them.
"Well if you ever need help smuggling Naruto out of the village before such a thing can happen let me know and I'll do without question. No one would ever suspect me as I'm just an instructor at the Academy," said Iruka smiling before getting up and bowing his head respectively before the Hokage before leaving.
"Perhaps later like you Iruka they will be able to see Naruto as the hero he is supposed to be seen as and not that of something made out of their own arrogance," said the Third as he now turned his head to the most evil thing a Hokage can face next to one of the Nine Tailed Demon Lords...village paperwork.
(Training Ground 5-2 Hours Later)
After their purchases of clothing, weights (Naruto only), kunai and explosive tagged, and a shrunken holsters (with the weapons included inside). Slade, Kurenai, Naruto, and a still blushing Hinata went to the ground to test them out. Naruto got the weights on his legs and arms under his new clothes, which he changed into in the forest area of the training ground while a furious blushing Hinata was watched over by Kurenai to make sure she didn't use her Hyuuga bloodline limit known as the Byakugan to peak through the trees. 'I know Hinata likes the boy more then she would like anyone to believe, but from the look on her face she might need to receive 'The Talk' soon,' thought Kurenai as she was seeing the girl now pushing both of her index fingers together waiting somewhat patiently of Naruto to come out of the woods.
"Hey Slade-sensei can I ask you a question?" said Naruto as he a put on his pants while Slade had his back turned away as he respected the boy's privacy.
"Sure Naruto. I am your sensei after all and here to help," said Slade as the sound of the 50 pounds (per leg band) worth of weights being put on around his ankle and then being covered could be heard.
"Why do you still have the Leaf symbol burned onto your mask forehead? I mean...did you decide to become an official ninja of Kohona?" said Naruto as he tried put on his 50 pounds per arm band weights on before struggling to put on his shirt covering them from view.
"Frankly Naruto I have not yet decided if I should be or not. Officially? Officially I am a temporary ninja of Kohona so the answer would be yes, but the key word is 'temporary'. Now hold still my boy I have to alter your weights with a special seal known as 'The Seal of the Demon', which will amplify your weights weight with by the standard amount of your natural chakra reserves that you have in your body. The way the seal work is as you get used to the weights the special seal I'm giving you will then re-measure you and will amplify the amount of the weights heaviness by 10x's what the weight was originally and will then amplify it continuously again 10x's every single time you get used to it. It will be a pain at first, but the end results will bare a lot of fruit when you remove the weights and you are so fast you could swear you could actually see through time as you move," said Slade putting the demon seal on both leg and arm weights that would have sent Naruto straight down to the ground had Slade not held him for a while till the boy got use to it.
"Thanks Slade-Sensei," said Naruto as he struggled to stand on his own much less take a step forward to the training ground clearing without trying to break his body from the extreme weight.
"Fortunately, your body is like your father's and adepts quickly to strain so you should get used to them momentarily. Soon there won't be a significant chance of you falling down into the ground creating a crater the size of the Fourth Hokage's head," said Slade seeing the effects of the weights slowly lessening by the second, but just enough that he could move slightly faster then before.
'If he is anything like his mother he should be able to master any jutsu I give him, but I do not want to do that for at least another week to see if his second bloodline limit has even activated yet. His father's was called 'physical endurance' I believe, which I can see has already kicked in. His mother's was rare in her case and the last of her clan when she fell in love with Arashi, but it was very powerful and permanent when activated. Now what was it called again? Oh yes 'genetic memory' from what Uzumaki Hikari told me when I last saw her before...,' thought Slade pushing the thoughts back of the past and focused on the present task at hand of escorting Naruto out of the forest.
When Naruto finally came out sluggishly Hinata nearly fainted as if she had actually used her bloodline limit to see him getting changed. He was now wearing black pants and shirt with the upper part of the shirt and the long sleeves having orange-reddish lines that were thinning upward diagonally. It made him look like he was being consumed by a fire that was unnatural if the wind blew just right. He was wearing shoes that were black that were of similar design to that of normal Jounin, but were covered at the edged tips with solid steel like his sensei's were. "Okay you two I want to see how you two would fair against each other. No chakra reinforced Gentle Fist just spar with the form," said Slade leaning his back against a nearby tree arms folded watching with amusement at the girls red face got redder at actual possibility in touching Naruto's body even if it was only for training purposes.
"You don't have to worry Hinata it won't be so bad. He's now wearing extremely heavy weights now from if his movements are any indication and it will slow him down," said Kurenai seeing Hinata struggling between the urge to faint and the urge to run back to her house, go into the her room, lock the door, and then cover herself with her blanket on her head till the end of time.
Fortunately, Naruto made sure she didn't do either walking up to her smiling at her as if all was right with the world. "Hey come on Hinata my taijutsu need work just as Sakura's hair is pink. By training with me we both get stronger and I well know where we stand with our skills. Please!" said Naruto giving her a puppy dog eyes that would have put the Inu Clan dogs to shame when they asked for something.
Hearing his words as well as seeing his face made Hinata's resolve strengthened to train with him and her urge to faint or the other more embarrassing thought faded away almost instantly. "O-okay Naruto-k-kun. Let's d-do our b-best," said Hinata as her stuttering was the only thing that had not left the girl as she got into her Gentle Fist stance though from the way she held it was not made to her anyone much less practice against.
"That's the spirit Hinata-chan!" said Naruto got into his own fighting stance, which like his opponent that was Hyuuga Hinata his fighting stance was for practice use only.
The battle started off with Naruto charging in first right fist ready to strike at Hinata and did so even though she successfully blocked the attack. The hit itself Hinata analyzed was only designed to hit her with below average speed and strength as he did not want to hurt her in a practice spar. Hinata followed up with her own attack move doing the same thing as Naruto and hitting him with a right of hand of her own with an open Gentle Fist palm to his middle left side. Naruto saw it easily and leaped difficultly back just in time before the blow "connected" with him before getting into his fight stance and engaging Hyuuga Heiress in combat once more. "They are good together." said Kurenai to Slade casually as the red eyed genjutsu mistress now leaned against a tree next to Slade as they observed the two kids sparing now at a much more faster, but still practice like pace.
"They certainly are. Did you by any chance to talk to Anko or Kakashi in the hospital?" said Slade as he saw Naruto dodge a kick to the face before countering her with a sweep kick to knock her off balance.
"Kakashi? No he's zoned out like he had been hit with something other then a fist. As for Anko then my answer is yes. She's still angry at you for the name you called her and the beating you gave her while in the Hokage's office from what she told me. Between you, me, and these tree from one person to another I believe she wants to have nothing to do with the Snake Sannin. Why did you ask? Feeling a slight bit of guilt?" said Kurenai as she never thought this man next to her would be so...opposite of what she expected in most men she met.
"About Kakashi? No. He had it coming long before I did what I did. As for Anko...well I don't regret hurting her as it was self defense since she it seems she has that annoying habit of striking first like a snake. As for the insult...well I was never much to apologize to someone as it was not in my character before nor is it now. I suppose I could send her a 'Get Well' card as to start a ceasefire. Other then that and your pushing it," said Slade as Naruto blocked Hinata's left open palmed Gentle Fist strike attack by grabbing her wrist with his right hand before spinning all the way around and throwing her into the air only for the girl to land on her feet.
"It is a start and that's good. However, when it comes to ceasefires to start a friendly type of relationship with someone like you with her I am afraid that Anko will not know the meaning of the word," said Kurenai as Hinata did her own leg sweep that Naruto jumped over with somewhat impressive grace landing and charging at Hinata.
"If she knows what is good for he she WILL accept it. If she does not...well I let us just say I won't be held accountable for my actions next time. Especially if and when she tries to do anything and I'm forced to put her in the hospital with feeding tube down her throat with a dent in her head," said Slade as when he fights he fights to cripple or kill as there was no third option in the matter.
"A dent?" said Kurenai as she expected him to say something worse then just "a dent in her head" when the threat came.
"In medical terms of speaking it would be officially considered a dent. Though personally I would just call it having a whole in one's skull where bone, flesh, and a good chunk of one's brain used to be," said Slade eyeing Kurenai carefully as the woman he was now looking at shivered noticeably at his statement.
While Slade and Kurenai were having this interesting little conversation Naruto as well as Hinata were having the time of their lives sparring with each other. Naruto attacked with a strong closed left handed fist while Hinata caught it with her left hand at the wrist and tried to kick him in the side with her leg. Naruto saw this and then countered it by grabbing Hinata's leg as it was about to hit him in the ribs thus putting the two in a dead lock. "Want to just call it a draw Hinata-chan?" said Naruto as he still held her leg like she held his hand at the wrist both of them panting and sweating as they had been going at it for awhile with neither one seeing victory in sight.
"Y-yes. I n-need my e-energy for future Gentle F-fist t-training today a-at my h-home w-with f-father," said Hinata slightly blushing now as the two let go of each others fist and leg, then took two to three steps back, and bowed thus ending the match.
The two went to he nearby hill near the training ground and just collapsed on the grass as they now enjoyed the wind on their faces as they did what Shikamaru did in a lazy state. They watched the clouds go by with each in their own world with their own thoughts on things. Hinata was thinking about Naruto and how strong he was by moving at a practice pace with wearing heavy weights. Naruto for the most part thought about many things while looking at the clouds from his weights, ramen, before finally settling onto Hinata and how a nice, shy, with a pretty face...'What did I just think? Did I just say she was pretty? Well...its not a lie! Hell its more of truth then any I could ever speak of before so why should I protest it. Whenever I tried to talk to Sakura her mother would just shoo me away or Sakura herself would do it saying she would tell her mother that I was near her if I came any closer. At least with Hinata I don't have to worry about any evil mothers or any other parent for that matter raining their blows of 'justice' down upon me for being near kids my age,' thought Naruto frowning as he remembered how Kiba's big sister Hana interrupted their talks that they were having about dogs when she ironically sent her own stupid attack dogs after him after she had been told by her mother to try and protect Kiba from him because he was a "monster" as Hana had been told by her mother as Hana had told Kiba.
"N-Naruto-kun? Are you all right?" said Hinata worriedly seeing his frown as they were now in very close contact range as she now fiddled with the helm of her oversized coat with her left hand as the right hand was on the grass next to his less then a strand of grass away from touching each other.
"(Sigh) I don't really know Hinata-chan as this whole ordeal with what's been happening to me has been crazy ever since my old apartment blew up," said Naruto now looking at her with his blue eyes staring back into her near nonexistent looking ones while trying to ignore a painful feeling slowly growing on the back of his neck.
"D-don't worry N-Naruto-kun. Y-you a-always get t-through things b-bad l-like t-these t-things," said Hinata as she had heard about that from one of the servants even though she wondered why the servant had frown when she said Naruto was not killed in the massive explosion.
Before Hinata could ponder into this she nearly gasped at the touch Naruto's finger had unknowing touched hers with making blood rush to her cheeks while making her face look slightly and noticeably red since like all Hyuuga their face were much paler looking then others. 'His finger is touching mine. The skin has a jagged like edged to it no doubt with all the hard work he does, but still feels nice on my hands,' thought Hinata as she enjoyed the touch whether Naruto meant to do it or not.
"Yeah your right Hinata-chan I just have to...aaaaahhhhh!" said Naruto only to scream at the sudden pain in his neck that he was in.
"N-Naruto-kun!" said Hinata worriedly and confused nearly raising her voice to yelling level, which had drawing the attention of both Slade and Kurenai to them.
"What's wrong?" said Slade to Naruto who was holding the back of his neck as if he had either been burned, stabbed, or something in-between.
"My...my neck! It...it feels...feels like its on...fire," said Naruto as the pain was becoming more and more painful.
"Hold on Naruto were going to get you to the Hokage right now!" said Slade as he picked up the boy and immediately left with Naruto in his arms in a burst of flame scorching the earth where he once stood.
"K-Kurenai-san w-what h-happened t-to N-Naruto-kun?" said Hinata her worrying made her stutter with nearly every single word she tried to speak with.
"I don't know Hinata, but I promise you I'm going to find out," said Kurenai as she took off in a swirl of leaves leaving the girl alone worrying about a certain blonde hair boy before gaining the courage she needed to rush to the Hokage Tower to see the wise old sage about Naruto.
'I have to see for myself what wrong. Only then will I have the courage to tell him just how I feel for him and maybe...maybe he will like me back too,' thought Hinata as she couldn't help, but hope in her heart that he was all right while at the same time tell him just how she felt even if it was only crush.
(A/N: I have finished chapter (what am I on now?) 4 right? Right. Anyway this is slightly longer then the others as a token of appreciation to all the responses I've gotten from all of you. Thanks! Your reviews were long a plentiful with ideas and suggestions that help once more. I also made this longer then usual as I have some important school work to do over the Labor Day weekend (what's the point of a three day weekend if you can't enjoy it?) so this will have to do for now. I can probably get something out by...next Friday. I think anyway it all depends. Keep on reviewing! Also can you guess what's causing poor Naruto such pain? I told you I was going to make him work for it. As for the weights and the seal altering the weights in case you don't know how they work is basically they take the weight already on the...well weights themselves and amplifies it with that of the boy's charka. Chakra that is in the boy's body that he can use that he has inside of him. What's the math on that? 50 pounds on each leg and arm amplified by 10...I need a calculator. (You are a calculator) I mean a good calculator you stupid bastard. (Please wait for one moment...) HOLY CRAP! He has on over 2000 POUNDS! (Well that's what his father's bloodline limit he was given was for right?) Yeah oh well he can sweat it out. If Lee can do it so can Naruto. Thanks to all who reviewed as I know who you are as I responded back to you. You know who you are. Got to go till next time...PEACE!)
