Chapter 6: The Demon Eyes Open
Disclaimer: Yeah, you know.
AN: Here it is folks, the fight between Naruto and Demon Eyes Kyo. I don't think it'll be exactly the epic confrontation that some of you were expecting, but then, it's not supposed to be. I at least hope that you guys have fun reading it.
Kyo stood firm as eight separate Naruto's rushed him. In unison, the eight of them attacked simultaneously from separate angles. They came left, right, above and below. Kyo seemed to lean casually to one side and slipped easily between the first two attacking Naruto's. He ducked gracefully under the punch of a third that had been aimed at his head. Then, in a sudden movement, he snapped out, slamming the pommel of his sword into the stomach of the fourth attacking Naruto.
Naruto gasped as the wind was knocked from his lungs. The seven clones vanished in bursts of smoke as the real Naruto was thrown backward by the force of the blow. He rolled across the ground for several feet before he finally came to a halt. Kyo smiled down at him as he hefted sword and sheath easily.
"What?" said Kyo, "Is that it?"
Naruto growled and got to his feet.
"Amazing," whispered Kakashi.
"He saw through Naruto's jutsu and struck the real one without hesitation," observed Jiraiya, "Even I can't tell which Naruto is real when he uses that jutsu."
"So Kyo isn't called strongest in the world for his power alone," agreed Kakashi.
"But Naruto-kun can still win," said Hinata, "He won't give up."
"I wouldn't be so quick to agree," said Sasuke, "That first exchange just revealed the gap between the two of them." It doesn't matter how many times Naruto gets up. Kyo won't have any difficulty in knocking him back down.
"I still believe that Naruto-kun can win," said Hinata stubbornly. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and looked back to see Sakura.
Sakura grinned. "You're right," she said, "Naruto's just too stupid to even know how to lose."
"Is that it, kid," taunted Kyo, grinning at Naruto.
"Don't mock me, you bastard!" Naruto shouted, "I'm just getting started!" Once again he made the sign for his favorite technique. "Kage-Bunshin-no-jutsu!" This time there weren't just eight Naruto's. There were well over a hundred clones. They appeared in a circle surrounding Kyo.
Kyo smirked. "Is this the best you can do? Make more of yourself?"
This time, the Naruto's didn't bother to answer him before charging. They came from all directions. Kyo chuckled as he thought about how easily he was going to deal with them. However, his expression of amusement changed to one of mild surprise when the Narutos' charge was preceded by a hail of shuriken. His sheathed sword became an ebony blur as he whirled it about his body with inhuman speed. Every single one of the hundreds of shuriken that came his way was batted away easily. However, while his attention was on the shuriken, he didn't see the large numbers of Narutos coming in for the kill.
Kyo's feeling of triumph vanished when he felt several feet connecting with his back, the force of the kicks propelling him into the air. "U!" Another group of feet connected with his backside, sending him further up into the air. "ZU!" Kyo grunted as a third set knocked him higher still. "MAKI!" Suddenly the air above Kyo was full of Naruto's. "NARUTO-NISEN-RENDAN!" Fists impacted all over Kyo's body. He didn't bother trying to count to see whether or not the two thousand blows actually fell. The force of the attack slammed the red-eyed samurai into the ground. The force of his impact caused the earth to explode upward in a rush of dirt and dust.
Kyo got to his feet. He sensed, rather than saw, many Naruto's coming in from above, trying to press their attack. Even more were coming in from all around along the ground. He was cornered.
"He's won!" shouted Hinata.
"I knew Naruto wouldn't lose!" shouted Sakura in agreement.
Kakashi and Jiraiya merely shook their heads.
Kyo's eyes burned like crimson flame. His thumb pressed against the guard, popping the sword free. In a fluid motion, he began to draw it. Naruto had only a moment to register the fact that his opponent's aura had grown much more intense before his vision went white and his world was ripped to shreds.
Sakura managed a shriek as the area around Kyo and the attacking Narutos seemed to explode. A shockwave rippled outward, nearly knocking the spectators off of their feet. A second later, they were engulfed in a cloud of dust and pelted by airborne stones. Sakura felt someone's arm around her and realized that Sasuke was in front of her, shielding her from the debris. For a moment, Sakura's cheeks flushed red as she looked at Sasuke.
"Are you alright," she asked after Sasuke let her go. Sasuke simply nodded and turned to look back towards the battleground.
Naruto coughed and groaned as he got to his feet. It took him a moment to register the fact that he was bleeding. Several slashes ran laterally across his body. Cuts also scored his arms and legs and even his face had a clean red line drawn across one cheek. Fortunately, he appeared to have escaped the brunt of the attack. But all of his clones had been destroyed instantly. Looking up, Naruto saw Kyo standing, sword still extended back and out to the right. He was grinning almost insanely. Even more terrifying, the samurai's eyes were gleaming with crimson light. The same aura Naruto had felt on the bridge was a thousand times more intense.
Kyo chuckled as he lowered his sword and stepped out of the crater he had been standing in (the one he had created after his landing from Naruto's attack). The force of Kyo's counterattack had completely blown away every speck of snow out of the field. Naruto gulped, noticing that Kyo didn't seem to be the slightest bit phased by all the hits he had taken. If anything, Kyo looked even more invigorated that when the fight had begun.
"Unbelievable," gasped Sasuke, when he saw the result of Kyo's attack.
"He destroyed them all with a single stroke!" exclaimed Sakura.
"It might have been several in succession," commented Kakashi, "But it was so fast it was impossible to tell."
"I knew that Demon-Eyes-Kyo was strong," added Jiraiya, "But this is beyond even my expectations."
Hinata was simply speechless. Naruto-kun!
"You're doing pretty well, kid," said Kyo, "If this keeps up, I might just have to take you seriously."
Kyo's jab got the desired response. Naruto growled and drew a kunai. He charged forward, coming at Kyo from the front.
"A head-on attack!" exclaimed Sakura, "Is he insane!"
That idiot, Sasuke shouted mentally, Is he trying to get himself killed?
Kyo's smirk disappeared as Naruto closed. "I thought you were better than this, kid."
He didn't even seem to be thinking about it as his sword lashed out, biting into Naruto's shoulder before cleanly cutting through his chest and exiting from his abdomen, splitting the boy diagonally. The two halves of Naruto burst into smoke revealing the log that remained in their place. The real Naruto came in from behind. Instead of a kunai, his right hand contained a blue-white sphere of whirling chakra.
Kyo's expression didn't change. He simply reversed the direction of his swing, spinning around as he did so. His sword struck Rasengan. It hesitated only a moment before biting into the spinning chakra orb. Naruto cried out as the Rasengan exploded, sending him flying backwards to once again skid across the ground.
"The kawarimi didn't fool him at all," said Kakashi.
"He saw through the illusion in front and anticipated the attack from behind," said Jiraiya, "And back before he drew his sword, he allowed Naruto's infamous combo to land in order to test the extent of the boy's ability."
Kyo now looked downright bored as he stared down at the still prone Naruto. "If this is the best you can do, then perhaps I should just kill you now." To accentuate his point, Kyo let out a bored sounding yawn.
Naruto grit his teeth and got to his feet. This guy is unbelievable, thought Naruto, He cut through the Rasengan like it was nothing. If I want to win this fight I only have one choice left. He frowned. But I wonder if it'll work. I've only toyed with the idea, I've never actually tried to do it. Looking at Kyo again, he snorted. I have no other choice.
Naruto made his most familiar sign. "Kage-Bunshin-no-jutsu!" Instantly, seven clones of Naruto appeared. However, instead of lining up to attack, the eight Naruto's formed a circle. Each one presented his right hand, palm facing inward towards the center of the ring. Here goes nothing. The dust and stones around him began to whip about, as though caught in a tornado while chakra began to swirl and coagulate.
As far away as they were, the remainder of Naruto's group were already beginning to feel the effects of the massive chakra buildup. Jiraiya shielded his eyes as dust and dirt flew through the air, whipping around Naruto and his shadow clones. It's amazing, he thought, Even without Kyuubi's power, the boy has an awe inspiring amount of chakra.
"What is he doing?" asked Sakura as she cringed back from the growing wind.
"It's the Rasengan," observed Kakashi, "But I've never seen it done this way."
"Naruto told me about this once," said Jiraiya, "When he originally learned the Rasengan, he needed the assistance of one of his kage-bunshins to properly mold the chakra. But he theorized that once he learned how to master the jutsu one handed, then he might be able to utilize the clones in a different manner."
"A different manner?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," replied Jiraiya, "By using multiple clones to mold chakra, he could increase the amount of chakra used, the speed at which it spins, and the concentration of that chakra. Essentially, what he's created is a compound Rasengan."
"Amazing," observed Kakashi, "Even with all the extra hands molding that chakra, maintaining control over such a tremendous amount must be a monumental task."
What is it with Naruto, wondered Sasuke, Every time I've seen him, he's so much stronger than he was before. Even when he is confronted with what seems to be an insurmountable task, he only seems to grow in order to meet it. How does he manage it?
Hinata was also amazed. Naruto-kun really is the best. He can win this fight. I'm sure of it. She clenched her hands until her knuckles began to turn white. You can do it, Naruto-kun.
"But still," said Kakashi, "Naruto's at a major disadvantage."
"Why's that?" asked Sakura.
"Kyo's sword is five shaku long," explained Kakashi, "That gives him an advantage of reach. However, it is debilitating at extremely close range. That being the case, Naruto's position way outside of Kyo's reach means that he will have to cross over through the most dangerous portion of Demon-Eyes Kyo's maai in order to land his blow. He's making himself extremely vulnerable by attacking from way out there."
"But there's no way he could prepare an attack that powerful from inside of Demon-Eyes' reach," protested Sasuke.
"Which is another reason why Naruto's attack is inappropriate for this situation," countered Kakashi, "Unlike Chidori, the Rasengan does nothing to increase the physical activity of the person who uses it. Therefore, even though the attack is extremely powerful, Naruto won't be able to reach the speeds he needs to execute it successfully."
Jiraiya sighed. "It looks like this battle's over."
Hinata trembled. She didn't like the way that Kakashi and Jiraiya were making things sound. But nonetheless…I believe in you, Naruto-kun.
Naruto smiled as he dismissed all but two of his shadow clones. They had served their purpose. Now his compound Rasengan was in stable form, all that was required to maintain it was concentration (albeit, a great deal of concentration). He laughed as he faced the samurai. "Let's see how you handle this one," he said as confidently as he dared.
Kyo's bored look faded, replaced with an evil grin. Then, to Naruto's surprise, Kyo began to laugh. With each passing second, Kyo's laughing grew louder and harder. Naruto growled in anger as he glared at the swordsman. "What's so funny?" he demanded.
Kyo managed to calm himself down. "It's been such a long time since I've fought someone this interesting." He grinned as he looked straight at Naruto, fixating the boy with his glowing red eyes. "You may yet make this worth my while." He readied his sword.
Naruto crouched as he smirked back at Kyo. "Well then, HERE I COME!" His two remaining clones leapt into action, with Naruto and his powerful Rasengan coming in from behind. "GET READY TO LOSE!"
Demon-Eyes Kyo did not remain idle before Naruto's attack. He bore down, meeting Naruto's charge with one of his own. The ninja and samurai were about to clash with what would probably be earthshaking results.
The first two clones closed with the charging Kyo. His sword didn't even seem to move, but both bunshins vanished in bursts of smoke as Kyo plowed right past them, bearing down on the real Naruto, his sword ready to deliver a powerful slash. Naruto continued to press forward, the powerful sphere of chakra tearing a trench through the ground without even touching it.
It was Hinata who first noticed what was going on. "Look," Hinata shouted, "His feet."
Everyone turned their attention to Naruto's feet and realized what Hinata was referring to. Naruto was gathering chakra into the soles of his feet as he closed with Kyo. The reason became clear when Naruto came within reach of Kyo's descending sword. Suddenly, the orange-clad ninja seemed to vanish.
Sasuke suddenly realized that Naruto had done. He released the chakra in his feet to increase his speed at the last moment and close inside Demon-Eyes' range before his attack could land. Now Kyo has too much maai. Naruto's going to win!
To everyone's shock, Kyo did not recoil away from the extremely dangerous attack. Instead, he stepped in, coming even closer to the awesomely powerful sphere of spinning chakra. Is he suicidal? wondered Sasuke. Then, both combatants disappeared as Naruto's compound Rasengan exploded.
The immense amount of released chakra completely obliterated the ground around the two combatants and ripped open a swath of earth, continuing along the direction of Naruto's charge, extending deep into the forest, toppling trees and crushing them into splinters for nearly a hundred yards beyond the boundary of the field. As the smoke cleared around the two fighters, Naruto became conscious of two things. First, someone had his wrist in an iron grip. And second, there was something very sharp resting against his neck, just above his left jugular. Then, as his vision cleared, Naruto realized what had happened. Kyo was standing in front of him. His leading foot was planted right next to Naruto's. Kyo's magnificent longsword was just barely touching his now exposed neck, leaving the samurai in a position to deal Naruto a killing blow with the tiniest twitch of his wrist. It took all of the control that Naruto had to stop himself from gulping. The movement of his throat probably would have done Kyo's work for him.
Kyo had gripped Naruto's wrist and deflected his Rasengan so that it only barely grazed the samurai's side before releasing out behind him. Even though it was clear that he was the winner, Demon-Eyes was not himself unscathed. The swirling burn pattern of the Rasengan was etched into the left side of his abdomen, visible through the hole the attack had ripped through his ebony kimono. And yet, despite the pain he undoubtedly felt, Kyo grinned down at Naruto.
"Who did you say," commented Kyo, "Was going to lose?"
A small hiss of anger escaped Naruto's mouth as he glared back up at Kyo. "What are you waiting for?" he nearly shouted, "You've won! Are you going to kill me or not?"
Kyo pressed the edge of the sword ever so slightly against Naruto's neck. The young ninja didn't flinch as a tiny trickle of blood ran down from the miniscule cut. He continued to glare at the still smiling samurai. Then, Kyo's grin widened even further.
"No!" shouted Hinata as she rushed towards the two of them, "Please don't!"
"Hinata!" Sakura shouted after her, "Stop! He'll kill you!"
To Naruto's amazement, Kyo withdrew his sword. "I've had too much fun," he said, "When you get stronger, come find me again."
"You're letting me live," Naruto spat incredulously.
Demon-Eyes Kyo retrieved his sheath and slid his sword inside. "Yeah," he said, calmly. He smiled evilly at Naruto. "I'll kill you next time. I promise." Hefting his weapon, Kyo headed off towards the forest. An astounded Naruto simply watched him go. He was barely conscious of the fact that Hinata had come up to stand beside him.
"Um," said Sasuke, softly, "What exactly happened? How did Kyo win?"
"By a step," said the man standing next to them. It only occurred to Sasuke then that there was a man standing next to them, a man whom he knew had not traveled to Wave Country with them. From the looks on their faces, it was clear that Jiraiya and Kakashi had also been caught off guard by the man's sudden appearance.
Sasuke blinked as he looked the man over. Despite the fact that he was indeed a man, the newcomer's appearance could only be described as feminine. He dressed in a dark green kimono with flower designs with matching hakama. Over the kimono, he wore a black vest. His unmarked skin was a beautiful cream color that stood out perfectly against his shoulder-length black hair, which had even more luster and shine than Sakura had ever managed to coax out of her cherry locks. The man's eyes were a mesmerizing dark-blue color. There was a clarity in those eyes that seemed to pull at Sasuke's attention.
Jiraiya, pointedly choosing to ignore the question of the man's identity asked, "What do you mean, 'by a step?'"
The man smiled obligingly at Jiraiya. "It's a very advanced sword technique. Only someone with Kyo-san's level of experience could possibly execute it effectively.
"When that boy closed inside of Kyo-san's reach, Kyo also stepped in. The purpose of that was to meet the attack before that boy could exert his full strength. Kyo-san's intention would be to use his own body to catch the attack in a non-vital area before the boy had a chance to acquire enough leverage. While he is doing that, Kyo-san would aim for a vulnerable vital spot, the best choice of course being the neck, where almost no power can be used to devastating effect. It is quite simple in theory, but only someone who had lived through many death matches could possibly find the courage and abandon required to try it.
"However, what works with swords doesn't necessarily work with ninjutsu. The boy's attack clearly did not derive its power from the boy's movements. Thus, it would not matter at which point Kyo-san tried to absorb the boy's strike. So long as the chakra is effectively molded, the effectiveness of the attack is not determined by the physical exertion of the user."
"That's true," agreed Jiraiya.
The man continued. "In order to compensate for this slight complication, Kyo-san used his free hand to deflect the boy's attack out and away from him slightly. Such a grapple would only be possible in extremely close quarters, making the execution no less difficult."
"I see," observed Kakashi, "That makes it even more impressive."
"How so?" asked Sasuke.
"From the beginning of the fight," explained Kakashi, "With the exception of Naruto's first attack, Kyo had simply been using his superior strength to completely overpower Naruto. In other words, he was fighting with only brute force. But when Naruto created the compound Rasengan, Kyo demonstrated that he is not only inhumanely strong, but also unbelievably skilled and experienced. Just that slight demonstration shows us that Demon Eyes Kyo is a true monster."
"And don't forget Kyo-san's trump card," added the man, "The infamous Mumyo-Jinpu-Ryu."
"That's true," agreed Jiraiya, "That technique that he used on the bridge was devastating. What was it called again? The Mizuchi."
The strange man nodded. "Indeed, the Mizuchi is a powerful technique; nigh unstoppable even." His smile widened. "However, the Mizuchi is only the most basic of the Mumyo-Jinpu-Ryu's techniques." He chuckled. "Imagine, Kyo-san knows a plethora of techniques even more awesome than the Mizuchi."
Sasuke gulped. It was rather daunting to think about. Then something occurred to him. "How do you know so much about Demon-Eyes Kyo?" he asked, looking pointedly at the man.
The man gave Sasuke an easy smile. "Kyo-san is a hobby of sorts for me." He looked in the direction that Kyo had left in. "I have seen him fight many times. His power and skill are truly magnificent to behold."
"Which brings me to my next question," said Sasuke, "Just who are you?"
The man laughed lightheartedly. "Oh, I'm nothing except a wandering swordsman. My name is Kanato. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"What were you doing out here?" asked Kakashi.
"Well, I was enjoying a lovely drink," replied Kanato, holding up the jug of sake he had been carrying, "Then I heard that Kyo-san was nearby and fighting, no less. And here I am." He shrugged nonchalantly.
"I can't believe it," growled Naruto as he slammed his fist into the ground, "I can't believe I lost to that asshole!"
"It's alright, Naruto-kun," said Hinata, trying to comfort him, "You fought really well."
"Besides," chided Sakura as she came up next to him, "What did you think was going to happen. You just went toe to toe with the most powerful man in the world. Did you think you were really going to win?"
Naruto growled under his breath as Sakura began to heal his wounds. "You did quite well, though," commented Kanato as he came up to join them, with Sasuke, Jiraiya and Kakashi in tow. "It is very rare that Kyo-san is impressed to the point that he willingly spares an opponent's life."
"Huh?" Naruto looked up at the new arrival.
Kanato crouched down next to Naruto. "Kyo-san has very unique tastes. Those whom he considers his closest friends are often people who have sworn to kill him."
"What?" demanded Sakura, "Why would anyone want friends like that?"
Kanato directed his smile towards Sakura. "In a way, their determination to kill Kyo-san is a sign of their respect for him. They so admire him that they want to be like him. And yet, the only way to be like Kyo-san is to be strong enough to kill him."
"Why would anyone want to be like that psychopath?" growled Naruto.
Kanato laughed as he turned back to Naruto. "Kyo-san might indeed be quite bloodthirsty. However, he is also every strong, as you yourself have discovered." He patted Naruto's shoulder. "The fact that Kyo-san spared you tells me that he is impressed by your strength and your potential for growth. He hopes that when you two meet again, you might be strong enough to provide him with an even greater challenge."
"Um, excuse me," interrupted Hinata, "But who are you?"
Kanato laughed again as he introduced himself to Hinata, Sakura, and Naruto. That finished, he stood upright. "If I'm not mistaken, you six are heading into Wave Country, yes. Why don't I join you?"
"Um," said Naruto, a little baffled by the man's friendly attitude, "Okay."
Kanato stood up straight and clapped his hands together gleefully. "Well now," he said excitedly, "This is wonderful. After all, drinking alone is such a boring proposition."
"What are you talking about?" demanded an irate Sakura, "We're not old enough to drink yet!"
Kanato danced out in front of them, spinning around to face the group. "But your senseis most certainly are." He directed a radiant smile at Jiraiya and Kakashi. "And something tells me that they would be wonderful drinking partners." Kanato leaned over towards them, beaming.
Naruto scratched the back of his head. This guy is weird, he thought, nonplussed.
"Oh but I'm not weird at all," Kanato replied, turning his brilliant expression on Naruto, "I enjoy a good time, just like any other person…Uzumaki-san." Kanato's expression shifted from gleeful to sly in the blink of an eye.
"Huh!" Naruto was shocked. How did he know what I was thinking? Wait a minute! How does he know my name! He opened his mouth.
"Oh I happen to know all of you," said Yukimura, once again the happy go-lucky man he had been a few seconds before. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the infamous Copy-Ninja, Hatake Kakashi-san," he said, bowing to Kakashi. "And of course I've always been a fan of yours, Jiraiya-sama." He bowed slightly to Jiraiya. Then he turned to Sakura. "It's an honor to meet the apprentice of the famed Godaime Hokage, Haruno Sakura-san," he said bowing, "Please do give her my regards." Chuckling he turned to Hinata. "And of course the heir to the legendary Hyuuga clan, Hyuuga Hinata-san," he said, bowing to her, "You certainly have look of a worthy heir." Kanato gave another chuckle as he turned to Sasuke. "And who wouldn't know the sole survivor of the mighty Uchiha clan, Uchiha Sasuke-san." Kanato bowed to Sasuke.
"And last but certainly not least," said Kanato as he turned to Naruto, "The man who would be Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto-san." Kanto bowed deeply to Naruto. "It is a special honor to meet someone with such boundless potential, Uzumaki-san."
"Huh?" Naruto's mind was reeling. How did this strange man know them all? More importantly, how did he seem to know what Naruto was thinking?
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at Kanato. "You are well informed, Kanato-san. Would you care to explain how you have come to know us so well?"
"Ah but of course," replied Kanato, as cheerfully as ever. He leaned towards them, his voice becoming a whisper. "The reason I know so much…" he said softly as the six ninja strained to here him. "…Is a secret!" he blurted suddenly. Naruto, Sakura and Jiraiya toppled over to fall flat on their faces as their legs suddenly gave way beneath them. Meanwhile, Kanato had spun away from them and was once again chuckling happily.
Naruto groaned as he rubbed his throbbing head. They had only known this man for a few minutes and already he was driving them crazy. He looked up as Kanato spun around to face them again. "But I've read so much of Jiraiya-sama's excellent literature. I simply can't wait for the next volume!"
Naruto toppled over again. Great, he thought, Another pervert.
Kanato spun in the direction of Wave Country and skipped along towards the bridge like a giddy schoolgirl. "Come along then," he called over his shoulder, "We've certainly dallied enough on introductions. It will be night soon and it would be best that we find a place to spend the night." Naruto and the others followed a slightly more sedate pace as they made their way to and across the bridge into Wave Country.
"Oh it truly was a marvelous view!" exclaimed Kanato as Jiraiya refilled his sake cup. Both men were already looking a little red in the face after consuming copious amounts of alcohol. "It's the best way to get in close and observe the details Jiraiya-sama!"
"You're not joking!" replied Jiraiya, who was practically ecstatic, "I'm amazed that a true genius like myself never considered the possibility. Using a piece of bamboo as a snorkel to infiltrate the women's bath underwater is brilliant."
"Ah yes," agreed Kanato, "But then, one of the ladies got wise to my trick and plugged my snorkel. When I was forced to surface they were quite surprised. Strangely, the ladies seemed to take offense at the fact that I so appreciated their boundless beauty and decided to get rather rough with me. Being the gallant fellow that I am, I decided to take leave before any of the young ladies could get carried away and inadvertently mar their feminine magnificence."
Not everyone was as impressed with Kanato's tales as Jiraiya was. Both Naruto and Sakura had very sour looks on their faces and were getting closer and closer to pounding the daylights out of the two perverts. Naruto could only just barely begin to imagine what kind of mischief Jiraiya could get into if he tried out all the new ideas Kanato was giving him. Sakura was furious simply because the two were blatant lechers. Sasuke was desperately forcing an expression of indifference. However, the occasional twitch of an eyebrow betrayed his growing irritation. Kakashi wasn't paying attention at all. He was buried up to his masked nose in the latest volume produced by Jiraiya. Hinata was perhaps the person most upset by the conversation. Her face was gradually growing redder and redder with each disturbing thought provided by the two super perverts.
"Oh!" exclaimed Jiraiya, "That reminds me of the time…"
"That's…" Sakura was trembling with barely contained rage, "…ENOUGH!" Seconds later, she and both men became invisible in a billowing cloud of dust that was resulting from Sakura's superhuman measures of discipline.
"Haruno! Please calm down!" exclaimed Jiraiya from within the storm of flying fists, "Have mercy on an old man!"
"MERCY!" screamed Sakura, "YOU WANT MERCY! I'm already on a mission of mercy! I'm going to save all the women in the world from you two!"
"S-S-Sakura-san," protested Hinata in the most placating tone she could manage, "Please try to calm down."
"DON'T TRY TO STOP ME!" Sakura came to a grinding halt, revealing that she had a now cringing Jiraiya in an iron headlock with her free hand in a position to beat him over the head mercilessly. "I'm giving these perverts nothing less than what they deserve."
"B-but Sakura-san…" Hinata tried to interject.
"Look, Hinata," snapped Sakura, "There's only one way to deal with perverts like this. This is no time to be acting soft."
Next to Hinata, Naruto nodded his head in agreement as he pumped his fist in the air and shouted encouragement to his teammate. "That's right Sakura-chan! You show that Ero-sennin what for!"
"Hey!" protested Jiraiya, "Is that any way to refer to your sensei?"
Naruto paused and thought for a moment. "You're right," he said. Jiraiya's expression went from anger to relief and then to shock at what Naruto said next. "That's right Sakura-chan! You show that Ero-sensei what for!"
Hinata sighed as the thrashing resumed. Quietly, she excused herself from the group. Silently, she went outside of the restaurant where they were having dinner. As she walked down the street, the young girl fought to keep tears from coming to her eyes. She couldn't even voice her thoughts in front of her own friends. When she had tried to intervene, they had only scoffed at her. Why do I have to be so weak!
Hinata yelped and jumped as someone's arms enfolded her in a warm, gentle, yet firm embrace. Even though she was startled by the fact that she was being hugged by someone didn't know, Hinata couldn't help but feel somewhat comforted by the warmth she felt in those arms. How she wished her father would do this occasionally. But she could expect only cold looks and harsh words from him. Finally, the arms dropped away.
Hinata turned around and flushed red when she saw that it was Kanato who had embraced her. "K-K-K-Kanato-san!" she exclaimed, "W-what was that f-for?" Somehow, he had managed to extricate himself from the miniature war Sakura had begun. When or how he had made his escape, Hinata couldn't even begin to guess. However, seeing as he was completely unhurt, she believed that it was most likely that he had done so in the early stages of the conflict. Not only that, but the slight redness in the face that indicated his drunkenness was now gone.
"I'm sorry," said Kantato. He put on an expression that Hinata could only describe as adorable. "I couldn't help it. You looked like you needed a hug." To accentuate his point, Kanato wrapped his arms around himself in a cute hug. "It's just that," he said, meeting Hinata's eyes with the most gentle expression she had ever seen, "You looked like you were about to cry."
Hinata was both awestruck at the man's perception and horrified at the same time. Her father would have been furious that she displayed such weakness openly; and in front of a complete stranger, no less. Her head dipped as shame swallowed her.
Kanato walked past her, stopping when he was right alongside her. Gently, he rested a hand on top of her head. "You know," he said, "Being gentle isn't the same thing as being weak."
"Huh?" Hinata looked up at him in confusion. Kanato simply smiled down at her.
"Just because you seek first to end conflict without resorting to violence doesn't mean you lack strength," he said, gently running his hand through her hair, "In fact, sometimes it takes great strength to seek the peaceful resolution. It is those people, who try their hardest to ensure that such conflict does not occur that become the greatest leaders. With someone like you at the head, your clan couldn't have a brighter future."
Hinata looked away and down the street, back towards the restaurant. "But still," she murmured, "I'm always the one who falls behind. I hold everyone else back." Again she was trying to stop her tears. "I'm a burden to them."
"That may be so," replied Kanato. Hinata had to stifle a gasp. Kanato was the first person who hadn't simply denied that notion with the intent of trying to reassure her. Either that or had declared her to be a weakling in the first place. "However," he continued, "Is being a burden such a bad thing?"
"Huh?" Hinata once again stared at the man in confusion.
"After all," continued Kanato, "A heavy burden is supposed to make one stronger. If you consider it that way, then perhaps your so-called weakness is their strength."
Hinata was speechless. She had never thought about it that way. It didn't exactly seem like something to be proud of anyway. But still it did make her feel a little bit better.
"Besides," added Kanata, "Maybe you're not as weak as you think."
"What?"
He grinned. "The human mind is an amazing thing. People often have a tendency to underestimate the scope of its control over our bodies. If we believe hard enough that we are sick, our bodies fail. When we think that we are invincible, we can overcome even the most intense pain. Because you think you are weak, strength escapes you.
"You believe yourself to be weak and you want to become strong in the future, yes?" Kanato crouched down so that his face was level with Hinata's. Hinata reluctantly nodded. "But you never will be stronger," he said, "If you always believe yourself to be weak. It will do you no good to say, 'I am weak now, but I will be stronger in the future.' How then will you know when that future comes? When will the time that will be, be now? How can you be strong in the future if you are forever weak in the present?"
Hinata was baffled by the man's train of thought. She couldn't figure out the answer. Kanato chuckled and went on. "You must take the leap and make that future your present. Until you do so, you can't obtain the strength you desire.
"Before you can have strength here," he said, patting her shoulder, "You must first believe in your strength here." He poked Hinata gently in the forehead.
Kanato stood upright and gestured towards the restaurant. "Well then," he said cheerfully, "Shall we join your friends." Hinata nodded and followed him silently. She had nothing to say because Kanato had given her a great deal to think about.
The morning came with the sun shining brightly. The entire group had assembled to see Kanato off. Both Naruto and Sakura were still bleary-eyed and rubbing way sleep as they joined the others. Jiraiya was suffering from a tremendous hangover. Despite the fact that he had consumed an equally copious amount of sake, Kanato was showing no ill effects from the previous night's drinking. Hinata looked tired as well. However, her exhaustion stemmed from the fact that she had been working on the learning of the Rasengan all night. Despite that, she had not yet managed to burst the balloon. Also, her hand hurt from channeling so much chakra.
"It's been a pleasure to meet all of you," said Kanato, smiling brightly, "I hope that we have the opportunity to meet again." He turned to Jiraiya. "Jiraiya-sama, I look forward to your next work." Then he spoke to them each in turn. "Hatake-san, I hope I have the honor of seeing you fight sometime. Uchiha-san, it has been an honor. Haruno-san, you have the makings of a great med-nin. It was nice to make your acquaintance."
He turned and knelt in front of Hinata. "Hyuuga-san, you truly are a wonderful person. You need not worry about such little things." He gave her his widest smile. "I have the feeling that you will go quite far."
That said Kanato spoke to Naruto last. "Uzumaki-san, it has been a true honor. I look forward to seeing what you do in the future. And there is no doubt that you will make a fine Hokage someday."
Kanato gave them all one last bow. "And with that, I bid you all farewell." Turning around, he skipped off down the road towards the bridge leading out of Wave Country.
While the others went back inside, Kakashi took one last look after the strange man. His eye widened in shock. Emblazoned on the back of the man's vest was the familiar crest. The Rokumon-sen! Kakashi blinked. Was he wearing that before? I'm pretty sure he's wearing the same clothes. But why didn't I notice it last night? Who is that man really?
Kanato's journey to the edge of Wave Country was uneventful. Once he was out of sight of the inn, he slowed down to an easy walk. That same walk carried him across the bridge, where the locals were only just beginning to clean up the aftermath of the previous day's slaughter. The lone traveler reached the other side and crossed into the forest. Before he completely lost sight of the bridge and the rest of the country, he turned around and gave one last look towards Wave Country.
"So," commented a voice, hidden within the snow-covered foliage, "Enjoy yourself?"
The man smiled slyly. "I had a wonderful time. Who knew these people were so interesting?"
The branches rustled and a young boy with white hair and amber eyes dropped down next to the man. "Well," said Sarutobi Sasuke, "What do you think?"
The man smiled. "Uzumaki-san's potential is amazing. To think that he did so well without the Kyuubi's chakra, and against Kyo, no less." He chuckled softly. "That young man will most certainly achieve his goal in the near future."
"Is that such a good thing?" asked Sasuke, giving the man a sidelong glance.
"Of course," replied Kanato, grinning.
"And what about the other one?" inquired Sasuke.
"Hmm," mused Kanato, looking slightly thoughtful. Abruptly, his face broke out into a smile. "She's perfect. There's no doubt about it. She's the ideal candidate. Ni-san will be so pleased!"
Suddenly, Kanato wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck and pulled him into a bone crushing embrace that had Sasuke gasping for breath. "Oho ho ho ho!" he laughed as he hugged the wildly struggling ninja, "Who knew my little Sasuke had such an eye for women!"
"Let go of me before I kill you!" Sasuke nearly shouted, only to be dropped like a hot rock. The man spun away and was on a new track, as if nothing had even happened.
"Now then," he said, clapping his hands together, "Let's go home."
"Shouldn't someone stay behind to keep an eye on them?" asked Sasuke.
"Don't worry," replied Kanato, "Kotaro has them under very close surveillance."
"On top of everyone else he has to watch?" inquired Sasuke, raising a curious eyebrow.
"You worry too much," responded Kanato laughing merrily, "Who knew you were so worried about them."
The boy snarled irritably at the man's flippant attitude. "Don't you ever act seriously?" growled Sasuke as he got back to his feet.
"There's no reason to worry," said the man cheerfully. Turning, Sasuke had to stop himself from flinching at the intense look on the man's face. "In a few months, the Chuunin exams will begin and everything will fall into place. And once the plan is in motion, the Sanada will rule."
Sasuke turned his eyes away briefly. Then he began to chuckle softly. Then he started to laugh. As he turned back to the man, his eyes were shining with eagerness. "Now that's the man I swore allegiance to," he said, his voice a low growl, "That's the Sanada Yukimura I know."
Sanada Saemon-no-suke Yukimura, ruler of the Sanada clan, smiled back at Sasuke. "I can see you're quite eager to see this through," he observed.
"I can't wait," replied Sasuke, "I've been waiting a long time for this." Very soon, he thought, You and I will fight, Uzumaki Naruto. Show me the power that made Yukimura put his trust in you.
Naruto suddenly sneezed with enough force to nearly knock him off his feet.
"And now it's time to go to work," said Kakashi, once Kanato was gone from sight, "We had far too many distractions yesterday. But now it's time to put our minds to the task ahead of us."
"Very well then," said Jiraiya, "Let's go."
"Naruto-niisan!" the shout echoed down the street. A young boy came rushing down the street and tackled Naruto in a fierce hug.
"Inari!" Naruto shouted back, returning the boy's hug.
"Naruto-niisan! It's been so long!" Inari was practically shaking with joy. "Where have you been? What've you been doing? Did you get to do anything cool?"
"Whoa," Naruto rested his hands on Inari's shoulders, doing his best to calm the excited child. "One question at a time, please."
"Inari-kun, it's nice to see you," said Sakura who, while happy to see him did a much better job of controlling herself than Naruto did.
"You're here too," exclaimed Inari, smiling widely, "Welcome back, Sakura-oneechan!" He spun in place, taking in all the familiar faces. "And Kakashi-san and Sasuke-san as well! This is great!"
Sasuke gave a noncommittal nod in Inari's direction while Kakashi raised a single hand in greeting. "Yo."
"Um, Naruto-kun," ventured Hinata, "Who is this?" Considering all the good feeling that was going around among the members of Cell 7, Hinata was feeling more than a little left out again. She wanted desperately to know more about someone who seemed to know Naruto and liked him so much. She was quite happy for Naruto. At least in this place, the general populace didn't regard him with barely disguised abhorrence. At least she could be pleased with that. Jiraiya, on the other hand, had no trouble whatsoever containing his curiosity (though it was debatable that he had any to begin with).
"Oh, sorry," said Naruto awkwardly. "Inari, this is Hinata-chan. Hinata-chan, this is Inari. He's the grandson of the old man we had to protect the last time we came though here."
"Oh, I see," replied Hinata. She smiled at Inari. "Inari-san, it's nice to meet you."
Inari seemed to completely ignore Hinata's greeting. "Naruto-niisan," he said, questioningly, "Is she your girlfriend?"
Naruto tripped over his own feet (which was quite a trick, seeing as he was standing still at the time) and slammed his face into the ground. Hinata, to her own credit, turned a brilliant shade of crimson. Sakura, who was listening in, was also turning red, though for a slightly different reason, as though she were imagining the ways she would smash Naruto if he shot his mouth off and embarrassed Hinata for no other reason than to look cool in front of his friend.
Naruto shot to his feet after recovering from his tumble. He was scratching the back of his head sheepishly. There was also a slight blush on his cheeks. His color was no match for Hinata's, which had spread across her entire face all the way to the tips of her ears. "N-n-n-no," said Naruto after a few false stars, "She's not my girlfriend. She's a good friend, that's for sure but she's definitely not my girlfriend!"
Hinata, still quite red, nodded, though she felt a slight sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wished Naruto would think of her that way. It was only wishful thinking though.
Sakura was suitably calmed by Naruto's answer and impressed by his honesty. Still, she remembered all the times that Naruto had tried to act as though she were his girlfriend. She also vividly remembered all the times she pounded him into the ground like a tent stake in reprisal.
The moment was interrupted by the sound of Jiraiya clearing his throat. That caught Naruto's attention. "Oh," he said quickly, "Ero-sensei, this is Inari. Inari, this is my Ero-sensei." The next thing Naruto knew, he was nursing a good-sized lump on top of his head.
"I told you not to call me that!" shouted Jiraiya in Naruto's ear. At least he calls me sensei now.
"So, who is he?" asked Inari.
Jiraiya struck his infamous pose. However, before he could even begin his introduction, he suddenly found himself in possession of three lumps of his own, courtesy or Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. The three of them had spent enough time around the combined theatrics of Maitou Gai and Rock Lee to not have any tolerance for the old ninja's antics.
"He's just Jiraiya," growled Sakura, "And we'll leave at that."
Inari scratched his head and decided to go along with it, considering the look of barely contained wrath Sakura was giving the old man. Remembering something, he immediately turned to Naruto. "You need to come with me, Naruto-niisan. When Grandpa heard you were in town he asked me to bring you over."
Naruto grinned at Inari. "Sure thing, Inari. I can't wait to see Tazuna-ojiisan again."
Naruto was about to rush down the street with Inari when Kakashi caught his collar and lifted him off the ground. "Hold it, Naruto," he said calmly, "Aren't you forgetting that we have a job to do."
"Oh come on, Kakashi-sensei," protested Naruto, "It's been a long time since we've seen Tazuna-ojiisan. And it's not like that sword is going anywhere."
"Huh," grunted a confused Inari, "What sword, Naruto-niisan?"
"He mean's the sword that belonged to the ninja who tried to kill Tazuna-san," Sakura explained to the boy softly, "It's an important sword from Kirigakure village and they want it back."
Inari thought for a moment. "Oh," he said suddenly, "You mean the sword that was over that ninja's grave!" he exclaimed.
"Was," inquired Sasuke, with a raised eyebrow, "What do you mean was?"
"Well," said Inari, "It was there up until a couple of days ago. But now it's gone and nobody knows where it is."
"You were saying," Kakashi remarked to Naruto.
"Hey!" protested Naruto, "It's not my fault. If it was taken a couple of days ago that means it was around the time we first got this assignment. How was I supposed to know that it was gone?"
"Maybe somebody from Kirigakure already came and took it," suggested Sakura.
"No," argued Sasuke, "If they had intended to do that, then they wouldn't have told us to come for it."
"This certainly won't go over well with the people at Kirigakure," moaned Jiraiya. It won't go over well with Tsunade either. I can already feel the pounding she's going to give me.
"That must mean that somebody's taken the sword who wasn't supposed to," muttered Kakashi to himself, "Zabuza made plenty of enemies both inside and outside of Kirigakure village. It wouldn't surprise me that one of them would take his sword."
"Um," said Hinata softly, "Excuse me…but, don't you think that we should go to where the sword was kept?"
"What's the point?" groaned Naruto, "It's not even there anymore, it's not like whoever stole it is going to return it."
"But, um…" Hinata was fidgeting again. "Perhaps whoever took it left some traces that we could follow."
"Well," mused Sasuke, "The trail couldn't be more than a couple of days old at least. There might be something there that we could use to find the culprits."
"We don't have time to visit right now," Sakura said to a crestfallen Inari, "But we'll be back soon. Once we find the sword we'll be sure to come visit you and Tazuna-san."
"Do you really mean it?" asked Inari warily.
"We promise," replied Sakura, smiling widely at him, "Do I look like the kind of person who would lie?"
"Yes," coughed Jiraiya under his breath. Unfortunately for him, Sakura heard him all too well.
"Now don't worry," she assured after the elderly Sannin had been firmly imbedded in a nearby wall, "We'll come back for sure."
"Alright then," agreed Inari. Turning around, he trotted off down the street. "You'd better come back!" he shouted at the group over his shoulder.
"Are you kidding," Naruto shouted in response, "We wouldn't miss your mom's cooking for the world!" After that, Inari was gone.
"Well," said Sasuke, "I guess we head to where the graves were."
"Like we have anywhere else to look," muttered Jiraiya.
Zabuza's grave was gone, but the marker that designated the grave of the young man who had accompanied him still stood. Even as they began to search the area for clues as to who had taken the sword, the six ninjas left small offerings at the two graves. Hinata had already been told about what had happened on that fateful mission, albeit in an exaggerated manner. However, she was still fuzzy on a few of the details.
"Hmm," remarked Kakashi as he searched around the area, "I don't see anything in the way of tracks." He turned to Hinata. "Hinata-san, do you think you could use the Byakugan to track any traces of chakra that the culprit might have left."
"I-I'm not sure," replied Hinata nervously, "It's unlikely that the thief left any chakra traces at all. And any he might have left may have faded in the time since they were here."
"Please check anyway," requested Kakashi, "Even the smallest clue might help us."
"A-alright," agreed Hinata. Quickly, she activated her Byakugan. She was surprised by what she saw. "There are chakra traces," she exclaimed, "They're faint, but there's a definite trail."
"That's good," said Sakura.
"And bad," added Sasuke.
"Eh?" wondered Naruto, "Why's it bad?"
"If it's this definite after the culprit is long gone, it means that he has a great deal of power," replied Sasuke, "Whoever it is that we're tracking I no ordinary thief."
"Well," said Sakura, shrugging, "Even so, the only thing we can do is follow them. We do have a mission to carry out after all."
"I guess so," agreed Naruto. He turned to Hinata. "Lead the way, Hinata-chan."
"A-alright," said Hinata hesitantly. The six of them set out on the trail of the one who had taken Zabuza's sword.
"Um…Excuse me, Jiraiya-sama," ventured Hinata. The group had stopped to rest for a short while. The chakra trail was getting more definite with each passing hour, making it clear that they were catching up to their quarry. Now it was so apparent that even the others, who didn't have the Byakugan, could sense the chakra to a certain extent.
"What is it?" asked Jiraiya as Hinata approached him. He had exchanged very little in the way of words with the Hyuuga girl. She was quiet, polite, and very shy; so unlike the girls and women Jiraiya was used to having to deal with (Tsunade, Sakura). In many ways, it was a nice change to talk to a lady who wasn't constantly shouting at or berating him for being a pervert. However, the earnest tone in Hinata's voice told the Sannin that now wasn't the time to fool around.
"Naruto-kun told me that you were the one who taught him the Rasengan," she said, "I can't seem to finish the first phase. I was wondering if…if you could maybe help me a little."
"Hmph," snorted Jiraiya, "The big advantage of the Rasengan is that it doesn't require any signs or seals at all. You just do it, which means that any idiot can learn it. But you have to learn it on your own."
Hinata was on the verge of crying. "P-please, Jiraiya-sama. I really want to learn this. Please help me."
Jiraiya took one look at her and sighed. He couldn't stand to see a lady cry. Inwardly he cursed the fact that he was such a gallant fellow who treated women with such courtesy and respect. "Alright," he sighed, "Show me what you can do so far."
Hinata obliged him by taking out one of her water balloons. Holding it in her hand, she concentrated as she began to use chakra to spin water in multiple directions as she had seen Naruto do. Jiraiya watched as the rubber stretched and bulged in all different directions. After a few minutes, his eyes narrowed. "You're a Hyuuga. So that means you've learned the Gentle Fist technique right?"
Hinata nodded. She wasn't quite sure what this had to do with her inability to accomplish the first phase.
"Jyuuken uses chakra to allow you to strike past flesh and bone to attack the inner organs directly, right?" Again Hinata nodded. "That means that you don't need much in the way of physical force to attack. Instead you concentrate on form and hitting your chosen target, right?" Hinata nodded. Jiraiya leaned back and smirked. "The problem is that the Rasengan isn't all form. Yeah, you can spin the chakra in the ways necessary to use it. The problem is that you're concentrating on the shape too much. In order to break the balloon you can't simply churn water like that. You won't get anywhere. What you need to do is concentrate and make that water spin. It's the speed and power of the rotation that breaks the balloon, not simply the fact that you spin it in multiple directions."
"Oh!" Hinata looked down at the balloon in her hand. Her eyes narrowed as she concentrated. Once again the rubber stretched as the water inside began to shift. Slowly, she concentrated on speeding up the rotation. Soon the water inside was churning faster than she had ever managed to make before. With so much speed, Hinata was worried that she would lose control and wouldn't be able to maintain the multi-directional spin. However, she was surprised to realize that maintaining her control was quite easy. Concentrating even harder, Hinata made the water spin as fast as she could make it. Suddenly, the balloon broke, throwing water in every direction. Hinata looked down at her hand, dumbfounded. She had done it. For a moment, Hinata was too stunned to anything.
Jiraiya wasn't exactly unimpressed either. Secretly, he was shocked. That kind of precise manipulation of chakra would be difficult for anyone, even a Hyuuga. Once she understood what it was that she needed to do, Hinata had broken the balloon so easily. There was no doubt in his mind, the girl had frightening potential. To think that her family had written her off as weak.
Once she regained the ability to think coherently, Hinata was filled with excitement over what she had done. Immediately she rushed over to where Naruto was sitting. "Naruto-kun!" she shouted, "I did it! I finished the first phase!"
"Really!" exclaimed Naruto, "Show me!"
Hinata pulled another water balloon out of her pack and repeated what she had done with the first one. Almost immediately, the balloon exploded, spraying the two teens with water. "Sorry!" cried Hinata when she realized what she had done.
Naruto was too ecstatic to even hear her apology. Hinata suddenly felt herself pulled into a powerful hug as Naruto spun her around. "That's great, Hinata-chan! I knew you could do it!" Suddenly, he realized what he was doing. Quickly, but gently, Naruto set Hinata back onto the ground. Both of their faces were flushed red. "Eh heh," chuckled Naruto embarrassedly, "Sorry about that, Hinata-chan. I guess I got a little carried away."
"Th-th-that's alright, Naruto-kun," replied Hinata. For a moment they just stood there, unable to meet one another's eyes. Naruto was about to say something when they were interrupted.
"Come on you two lovebirds!" shouted Sakura, "It's time to get back to work!"
Both Naruto and Hinata jumped apart. "We're not…" Naruto protested. But Sakura was no longer listening. Naruto sighed. "Come on, Hinata-chan," he said, "We'll start the second phase when we're finished with this."
"Alright," agreed Hinata. And once again they were off on the trail of the stolen sword.
AN: And this completes my latest chapter. It's a little sooner than I had originally intended, but I need a break to contemplate what happens next. I hadn't actually intended for the whole stolen sword storyline to break out. However, I felt the need to make this a little more interesting. That being the case, I haven't yet come to the conclusion of exactly who has stolen the sword. And before you start speculating among the usual suspects (Orochimaru, Akatsuki, etc etc) I will say this, it's going to be someone new. Hey, it's a fanfic, so there's gotta be an OC somewhere. I can't always just borrow characters from other storylines (as fun as it is). Speaking of borrowed characters, now it's time for a character introduction.
Sanada Yukimura: Introduced at first under the alias of Kanato. In the original SDK manga, his alias is Genjiro, but as I already explained in chapter 1, someone in this fic is already used that name. Having two Genjiros would be suspicious, not to mention confusing (we already have two Sasukes). If at any time now or in the future, Yukimura seems to come off as a bit of a Mary-Sue type character, then that's okay. Because his role in the story is primarily passive, it's alright that he doesn't have any flaws at this point (at least, none that we know about). Perhaps we'll explore further into the matter at a later date. Like many of my other borrowed characters, Yukimura has been somewhat tweaked to better fit into the Naruto universe.
Naruto vs. Kyo: Yeah yeah. I know. This fight was horrifically one-sided. Naruto got a couple of good shots in, but not much else. And, of course, no sign of the Kyuubi. But that's the way it's supposed to be. In any case, those of you who read SDK will notice that I borrowed the fight's conclusion from the fight between Kyo and Yukimura in volume 5. I thought it was a cool way to illustrate the difference between Kyo and Naruto.
So soon after his initial introduction, Kyo has walked off the stage and probably won't be seen again for a while. Maybe next time, he won't be alone… Anyway, in the next chapter, expect to learn the identity of the thief who has stolen Zabuza's sword. That's all I can' promise for now. Until then.