Eyes of the Broken Soul
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor am I affiliated in any way with Naruto. I just like the show and mangas so I wrote this fanfic.
Beta reader: Kiiroi Senko! XD
AN: Hey everyone, it's me again.
Firstly, I feel like I should apologize for my last message. I was having a pretty rough time and I was upset about a few things happening in my life, so I think I overreacted a bit when I said I wasn't going to write anymore. It isn't fair for me to react like that, even if someone is disrespectful towards me, because I can't expect everyone to like what I am doing all the time.
At the end of the day, it is the people who do enjoy my story that end up getting getting hurt by this, so next time I will give myself time to cool down before reacting again. I had a very trying week and a few problems that had to be ironed out, so please forgive me for that. I just let things get to me, I still do most of the time, but I promise I will try to do better next time.
As for everyone who did try to support me, thank you very much for that. I'm sorry about what I did, because you guys never deserved that from me, especially after being with me for so long after all of your support.
Also, please understand that I don't need reviews to continue writing (as some people seem to have misunderstood the purpose of my last message). I do it because I love doing it, it's just that it feels like I can't enjoy it when people bring me down. But now I'm going to set things straight again and I'm not going to let that happen anymore. This is my story and I shouldn't let anyone else make me feel bad about it, no matter what they say or do, because this is what I love doing.
I hope I haven't offended anyone too badly. Here is the next chapter.
--
Chapter 36 - Rescue
The gentle burning rays of scant sunlight gleam through the thick canopy of greenery that covered the forest under its protective shelter, reflecting and sparkling off of the remnant dots of water that beaded along the leaves while giving their surroundings a shimmering glow of small, shining lights.
The small, subtle beauty of nature's own shed tears were the only remaining evidence of the terrible storm that had taken place the night before and the peaceful and magical atmosphere they created stood in stark contrast to the destruction that now littered the surrounding environment. Terrible scars that since stained the very earth itself with their hideous and deformed gouges.
As two blue eyes continued to stare in complete surprise and bewilderment at the sudden and untimely arrival of their final hope of survival, Naruto's heart began to fluster uncontrollably in his chest, a sign of endless relief mixed with another new found anxiety. The girl that supported him on her own body could only do her best to calm his now erratic breathing while his body beaded with sweat and blood, as well as the tears of his pain.
"Dad... he's... still alive..."
Hinata quickly placed her hand on the boy's forehead as he desperately tried to voice his thoughts with a rasping breath, only to wince at the sudden rise in temperature that now embraced him in its deadly hold. The Hyuuga heiress then moved her arms around the blond's chest and held him firmly in place against herself in an effort to calm his uneasy shuffling and suppress his heavy breathing.
She could easily feel the strong and foreign surge of emotions flowing through her veins from his touch and it almost brought tears to her own eyes as the girl's heart was overwhelmed in a storm of ebbs and flows while her uneasy tension mixed in with that of the boy in her arms. It took every effort to remain strong and every ounce of willpower just to keep from collapsing on the spot, but Hinata knew that her friend needed her strength and support now more than ever.
A stray paw from Ryuukimi quickly pulled the panicked Hyuuga out of her stupor as it clawed at her jacket sleeve, drawing her attention back down to Naruto and his convulsing body as he tried to gain what little oxygen he could to speak, only to cough violently from his efforts. She got the message immediately and moved to act with little delay.
"D... don't talk Naruto, you need to relax." She stammered gently, while leaning her chin on top of his head in a comforting hold. "If you don't calm down and relax, the poison is going to spread even faster. You need to slow your heartbeat. Just follow my breathing and try to inhale at the same time as me. Your father and the others will be fine, so please just stay with me."
The girl got an uneasy nod in return for her request, which only did little to ease her growing anxiety. She knew he wouldn't last long at this rate and there was next to nothing she could do to help.
Once the Hyuuga heiress could feel Naruto's breathing begin to shallow and match her own rhythm more closely, Hinata let out a deep sigh of subtle relief, before looking up to take in their surroundings once more, noticing that they were now being closely guarded by the massive form of Choza, whose bulk had since almost completely blocked out the small amount of light that fell through the trees.
The other students around her continued to remain silent, sharing in the same view that she herself had now fallen into as well as a similar sense of shock and awe. Only Naruto's heavy breaths and Kiba's whimpers of pain broke the otherwise deafening silence.
She also noticed her own father standing on the other end of the clearing, his gaze firmly fixed on her location with an overwhelmingly unnerving expression, but somehow she knew it was not directed at her specifically. She gently squeezed the boy in her arms even more at that, as if to show her unyielding will to protect him, and noticed Hiashi flinch slightly at the suddenly defensive motion. Even Ryuukimi seemed to notice the startling movement, because he was also on high alert and guarding their side defensively.
'So it is true then.' Hiashi thought to himself as he noticed the defiant look in his daughter's eyes. 'She cares about that boy more than anything else right now and has chosen to grow stronger for his sake. I can see it in her eyes and in the way she holds him close to her.'
The Hyuuga clan-head then turned his gaze over to Iruka, whose kunai was still pressing firmly against the exposed neck of their jounin opponent. He had never seen so much anger and vengeance before such as that he saw held within the eyes of the scarred chunin and the he silently wondered to himself whether anything would be able to stand up to such an unyielding wrath.
The silence that had blanketed the clearing only moments before, was quickly shattered as a cruel snicker smeared across the chokingly thick air, causing all present eyes to fall on the chocolate brown hair and grey irises that identified the figure of their children's suffering.
"So, it seems as though I've been caught out after all." Kyoui finally sneered, doing little to hide his distaste of the current situation he now found himself abhorring to. "And to think that here I thought I would be able to take my time and enjoy tearing these little brats to pieces. I was just about to watch them burn alive right before my very own eyes as well. Oh how I've longed to here their screams..."
Iruka simply growled at the jabbing taunts and sickening words that fell from the jounin's lips and brushed them aside uneasily, before pushing his kunai even more threateningly against Kyoui's neck, causing the man to swallow air as the cool blade slid along his jugular.
"As far as I see it, you're in no position to push your luck. The only reason you aren't dead already is because we have some questions in need of answering, such as who it is that you are working for. Maybe if you give us some answers, you might come out of this more or less alive." Kyoui simply snickered at the chunin's words.
"Please, you mean to say that you're just going to let things be if I give you what you want? Look at what I have done. Take a good look at your so-called 'son' and tell me that you aren't going to take your vengeance out on me. I am neither foolish nor dimwitted, so don't insult my intelligence with your idle talk and false offerings of security. Take a good look and enjoy the sight of that monster as he bleeds to death in front of your very eyes, because that is the last time you will ever see him alive again."
The scarred chunin momentarily diverted his gaze away from his charge, turning it over to where Naruto was lying in Hinata's arms. He was immediately greeted by two cerulean, panic-stricken eyes, but they did little to hold his attention as his gaze wondered over the battered body that lay beneath them.
Iruka could easily make out the shoulder wound that adorned his son's body, as well as the blood that now streamed down the side of his chest. He could also see the cuts and burn marks that covered the rest of his torso, as well as those that marked his legs. The boy shuffled even more as his father's gaze fell over him, as if to try and move to meet him, but Naruto was quickly restrained by the Hyuuga that held him in her arms.
'Thank goodness, he's alive... but he looks like he's been hurt badly. Damn it Naruto, what have they done to you?'
"Do you see now?" A voice interrupted, jarring the man's thoughts while re-diverting his gaze back to his captive. "Can you see how hopeless it is to save him? He is going to die right here in this forest and there is nothing you can do to change that anymore. Now... now you will die with him as well!"
At that moment, the brown haired jounin suddenly disappeared in startling a flash of smoke. Iruka didn't even have time to react when a brutal force suddenly impacted with his body, sending him hurtling through the trees and into a nearby clearing. There was barely a second passing thereafter when the rest of the shinobi immediately fell into action, as if by some hidden que, re-initiating their battle once more in a symphony of chaos and destruction.
Shikaku took little time in analyzing the situation immediately after all hell had broken loose, conjuring a coherent strategy in mere seconds and relaying his orders to the surrounding parents and guardians.
"Choza, you take point in front of the students and make sure none of the kids get hurt! If anyone so much as looks at them in a way that displeases you, don't hesitate to make sure it's the last thing they ever see. The rest of us will handle these mercenaries and then we'll go and help Iruka. Understood?!?!"
The jounin got a unanimous bout of sharp nods in return, but there was hardly a second's pause in the fighting to indicate such a reaction had ever taken place. Shikaku could hardly even make out the faint traces of movement before Itachi silenced a fair number of enemy shinobi in a single blur of motion, slipping through their ranks like a hot knife through butter, while Hiashi and Tsume collided with their own prey in a tempest of wailing destruction.
Those who managed to escape the onslaught only did so to fall prey to Shibi Aburame's snare as his kikai proceeded to swarm their ranks and overwhelm them with sheer numbers, while the shadow user himself proceeded to fell his own prey with the more nefarious aspects of his clan's unique and equally deadly jutsu.
Even Kioshi and Inoichi took little time in ensnaring their prey with well-timed offensives and paralyzing techniques, before finishing their helpless victims with calculating strikes that aimed to end their struggles permanently.
Those foolish or ignorant enough to make an attempt on the children's lives were quickly brought short by merciless, crushing attacks as Choza continued to defend them from harm, holding little remorse for their offenders, while the students themselves could only watch on in complete amazement at the scene that met their eyes.
The battle was decided the moment it began and it was already clear for anyone to see just whom the victor would be.
--
As soon as Iruka felt the sharp impact of a heavy force colliding with the side of his body, he was no later flying through the air, brushing through the bushes and shrubs that littered the forest floor before finally entering into a nearby clearing, his body still precariously floating in mid air. Moments later, gravity finally took its course and the chunin came to a grinding halt as his body hit the muddy forest floor with a heavy thud, before sliding to a stop a few feet further down.
Iruka could still feel a heavy weight on top of his body, one he hadn't noticed until he landed, and looked up just in time to avoid the crushing blow directed towards his head, before hearing the dampened thud of a fist impacting against the soft ground beside his face.
"Now you can join your son in death!!!"
The chunin then looked up again only to see Kyoui staring down at him with a hateful glare. The jounin raised his fist to strike once more, but Iruka managed to bring one of his legs up between them, before delivering a sharp kick to the man's chest, sending him across the air and into the muddy forest floor.
The chunin then bounced back up to his feet and fell into a battle stance, watching as his opponent did the same across from where he was now standing. The two of them simply continued to glare at one another while the consistent sounds of battle continued to echo through the trees.
The faint sounds of screams could still be made out in amongst the otherwise overwhelming orchestra of flaring jutsu and clashing weapons and it was already clear just what was happening in the distance.
"Don't you see?" Iruka finally grunted dishearteningly. "You and your men have already been defeated, it is simply just a matter of time. There is no chance that they will be able to defeat so many high level Konoha shinobi at their level of skill so why even bother trying to resist? You have nothing left to fight for, so why don't you just face reality?"
Kyoui simply sneered at the question imposed towards him, before narrowing his eyes dangerously.
"I could care less for those pathetic meat bags." He snorted mockingly. "Those pitiful excuses for shinobi are nothing more than mercenaries for hire, failed shinobi who were cast away by their own villages for their inherent weaknesses. Now they are nothing more than expendable pawns who serve no other purpose than to be used and then discarded when their usefulness has come to an end."
"I find it funny that you are so quick to dismiss them as failures..." Iruka retorted. "... when you yourself are no better than any of them. You're a rogue ninja with no allegiances to any country, no doubt having defected from your own village after falling into dishonor and embracing the life of a missing nin. I know the third would never condone the services of the likes of you if he knew just how far you've fallen." The jounin's eyes narrowed even more at that, before a barely noticeable smirk crept onto the edge of his lips.
"So, you've figured it out, have you? It would interest me to know how it is that you came to such an amicable conclusion."
"It was simple really." Iruka responded confidently. "The Sandaime was very careful to keep the information surrounding the Kyuubi's sealing a closely guarded secret. Anyone who exposed such information, even within our own village, would be severely punished with charges of treason, so there is no way that anyone outside of Konoha could have learned about it so easily."
The chunin then narrowed his own eyes even more, as if to match his opponent's ferocity, although the subject of his own anger was of a different making altogether. It was a brief moment before he continued, this time his voice taking on a far more calculating and methodical tone.
"The fact that you seem to know that Naruto is the Kyuubi's container means that you must have been in Konoha when it attacked. Also, being a Konoha nin, you knew about our academy procedures as well as our security measures and took advantage of that information to set up a trap for Naruto by using a training excursion as a cover. Only a Konoha shinobi with experience in our ways and procedures would be able to pull of such an ambush so meticulously without any suspicion being aroused to the fact."
"Hmmph... Konoha you say…" Iruka furrowed his brows curiously as Kyoui huffed in annoyance, before the jounin's gaze met him once more, only this time they held an endless amount of ire within their depths that spoke clearly of his distaste of the very word uttered from the chunin's lips.
"Don't mention that disgraceful name in my presence again. It sickens me just hearing that such a place still exists in this world. You assume much in thinking that it was I who planned this entire farce. I abandoned that god-forsaken village a long time ago, the very moment the Sandaime allowed that monster of yours to live. The same monster that killed my fellow shinobi, my own teammates and friends, and left me with nothing but hatred to drive me through this cursed life I endure."
Iruka simply frowned in discontent as he felt his heart begin to tense even more. To hear Naruto, his son, being referred to as nothing more than a beast made his unease that much worse and his anger that much more prevalent.
"Naruto is not a monster!" He snapped harshly. "And he has never done anything to hurt anyone! In fact, he's the only reason we are all still alive today. Perhaps you should take another long hard look at the boy you've claimed to be the Kyuubi and maybe you'll finally see that the only person you've ended up hurting is a small innocent child who has endured a curse far worse than anything you've described suffering."
The chunin then placed his hands together in a seal, as if to prepare for battle, before speaking once more, this time in a softer tone.
"Unfortunately, I know that such a realization will never occur. Some people are just too blind to see past their own hatred, no matter which innocent soul must suffer for their selfish actions. I will stop your madness right here and put an end to the pain you've caused my son."
"Tough words, coming from a chunin." Kyoui sneered in response, before shifting into an attack position. "Unfortunately for you, a shinobi such as yourself is completely outmatched against the likes of me, so words aren't going to save you now! I think I'll enjoy killing you almost as much as that brat of yours."
With that, the jounin immediately lunged forward in a mad rush, while forming a series of hand signs at the same time. Iruka watched carefully as the man jumped into the air above him before completing his jutsu. The maddening glint in Kyoui's eyes only served to betray the evidence of his dwindling sanity and the hatred he still clung to so desperately.
"Burn in hell monster lover!!! Katon! Karyuu Endan!!!"
Iruka continued to watch in startled amazement as the bright orange plume of fire erupted straight from the jounin's mouth, a tempest of fury that almost matched the similar glaze he could see in the man's eyes, before Kyoui's figure disappeared behind the inferno all together. The chunin didn't take much time to react and soon his own series of hand seals were complete as well, before he gently placed both of his hands on the moist earth beneath his feet.
"Suiton! Suijinheki!!!"
Just then, all of the water in the surrounding soil darted out of their entrapment, before condensing and collecting in the air around Iruka's position. After clinging together in a stream of life giving liquid, it then formed a protective shell around the chunin, encircling him like a whirlpool as the now reddened flames of his adversary consumed the earth around him.
Kyoui watched in startled amusement as a plume of steam billowed off the forest floor, signifying the embrace of water and fire as they clashed in a battle for supremacy, before he finally landed on the ground once more. The man simply continued to stare in uneasy tension as the smog finally cleared from his gaze, revealing the familiar sphere of water as it continued to encircle its master.
'So, he's the suiton user. I didn't expect a chunin to be so adept at chakra nature manipulation, especially not an academy teacher.' The man's thoughts were quickly stumped, however, when another voice called out, drowned out by the streaming moisture that reamed through the air.
"Suiton! Suishouha!!!"
Just then, the vortex of water that orbed on the forest floor suddenly erupted skywards, rising into the air in a spinning vortex akin to that of a tornado's, before gushing out in an explosive wave. Kyoui quickly jumped into the air just as the wall of water swallowed the ground beneath his feet, but his moment of hard earned relief was short live. The man barely turned around in time to block a sharp kick directed to his head, before catching another fist hurtling straight towards his face.
Looking past the familiar limbs that struck out at him, Kyoui could easily make out the two rage consumed eyes of their owner staring back at him as the two men became deadlocked mid air, floating precariously above the forest floor in a suspended animation.
"You're not bad!" Kyoui snickered, as the two spun down towards the ground, locked in one anothers' grips as neither one dared to surrender their gains.
"But, you're still going to lose regardless. You haven't been paying enough attention to this battle." Iruka could only gape in surprise as his opponent then slowly began to dissolve into mud, revealing the scant edges of explosive tags as they began to protrude from the artificial body that held him in its grips.
'Damn it, he was the one using the mud clones when we were first attacked...'
The last thing the chunin saw as he desperately tried to free himself from the iron grasp that now held him from escaping was the cruel grin etched onto the now crumbling face, before a sickening voice rung throughout the air.
"You can't escape now! It's time for you to join your monster in hell!!!!"
The artificial copy then exploded in a shower of mud and debris, consuming both clone and chunin in it's vengeful blast of destruction and littering the ground with falling remains. A few moments later, Kyoui appeared out from the nearby trees and grinned madly, admiring his handiwork as he eyed out the scattered remains of his opponent.
"Such a waist. He could have lasted longer if he realized that I switched with a mud clone while I was hidden behind by my katon jutsu. Now it's time to get out of here before the rest realize what's happened. There's no need to kill the target anymore, seeing as how his chances of surviving my poison are next to nothing this far from any hospital."
Kyoui was just about to leave the area with a smug satisfaction etched onto his features, when a small motion suddenly caught the corner of his eye causing him to falter in his steps. The last remains of his opponent that had previously scattered across the earth around him were no sooner melting away again, dissolving into small puddles of water before seeping into the muddy forest floor.
'Shit!!! It was a Mizu Bunshin!!!'
"Maybe you should have paid more attention!!!" The jounin turned to the source of the voice that had called out to him, only to be greeted by the unnerving sight of a hardened fist approaching his gaze, before hitting him square in the face.
The resounding crack that echoed throughout the air was almost startling to hear and soon afterwards, Kyoui found himself sailing through the air, before landing in a heap in the mud.
The disgruntled shinobi slowly picked his body up off the floor moments later, wiping the blood that now dripped from the corner of his lips before looking up to see Iruka glaring remorselessly in his direction.
"How... how can this be happening? How can a chunin, an academy teacher no less, match me in battle?" Iruka simply shrugged off the shallow sneers directed towards him, before settling back into a more eased standing position, displaying an overwhelming confidence in his victory.
The once numerous sounds of battle that echoed in the distance were now dying down altogether, signifying that the fighting had now neared its end. The scarred chunin simply released a wavering breath, one that easily betrayed his own disdain and his overwhelming weariness in light of the events that had recently transpired.
"It's over." He finally announced, causing the man before him to sneer coldly.
"This battle was over the moment you became overconfident and underestimated your opponents. I could tell that your chakra was already near exhausted before we even began fighting, no doubt a result of your flashy displays in your attempts to end innocent lives. Just because I'm a chunin, doesn't mean that I am weak, because I fight for something more than my own selfish desires. I made a promise to someone important to me and now I am going to keep that promise by putting an end to your madness once and for all."
Kyoui simply growled at the bold proclamation set out before him, doing little to hide his distaste or the hatred that bore from his gaze. The man slowly pushed himself upright once more before spitting a large glob of blood out from his mouth, clearing his throat to speak.
"You think you've won this battle, but I am not ready to give in just yet. You see, there is still one little trump card hiding up my sleeve and I intend to cash in on my previously ascertained investment."
With that, the jounin quickly turned on his heels and disappeared into the trees, leaving Iruka behind to follow in his wake. The chunin gave chase immediately and soon found himself pushing through the dense undergrowth that made up the forest floor.
Iruka could no longer see the presence of his opponent in front of him, his vision now being marred by the numerous plants that now fell around him. Only the heavy shuffling of feet smearing into mud as well as the heavy breathing of his prey directed his path now. He could also hear the remnant sounds of battle growing louder, indicating the fact that they were now heading back towards where the others were fighting.
'Wait, why would he want to go running back into even more danger? Unless...' It as then that a startling realization hit the chunin square in the heart, causing it to tighten unnervingly as his thoughts dripped from his lips.
"Shit, he's after Naruto!!!"
Iruka quickly moved to redouble his efforts, pushing through the trees with a newfound determination. Finally, he managed to burst out from the trees and back into the clearing that held his son, only to be greeted by a plume of white cloud, no doubt the result of a smoke tag being detonated in the area.
"Naruto!!!!"
A shrill scream resounded throughout the air only moments later, causing the man's heart to jump into his throat. He recognized the voice as none other than Hinata's and he already knew what was happening.
Moment's later, the smog cleared, revealing the still forms of numerous shinobi as they dotted around the clearing. Iruka's eyes were instinctively drawn to its centre, only to widen in fear at the sight that met his gaze.
"You see, I told you I wouldn't lose. After all, now I have my little trump card right in my grasp."
There standing in-between the shinobi scattered and disorientated shinobi in the area was a very smug looking Kyoui, holding a battered Naruto up to his feet in front of him. The jounin's arm was gripped firmly around the boy's chest, holding him upright, while the other held a kunai threateningly towards the edge of his throat.
"Looks like I'm the one giving the orders now!" The man then pushed the kunai even further against Naruto's neck, eliciting a small cut along its base and causing the boy to whimper slightly in both pain and fear.
"Nggghhhh!"
"Naruto!!! Let go of him you bastard!!!!" Iruka quickly moved to dart towards his son, but a quick hand pulled down on his shoulder, bringing his feet back to the ground and causing him to look to his side, leading his panicked gaze towards Shikaku's eyes.
"Don't do it. If you rush in now, Naruto will only end up getting hurt. I'm sorry, but we were caught off guard and he managed to capture him in the confusion. Unfortunately, he has the upper hand and we have to follow his rules now."
Iruka simply frowned in despair, before returning his gaze back towards his son. He could easily see that Naruto was exhausted, in fact, the boy could hardly even keep his eyes open at all. The only reason he hadn't already collapsed to the floor was because of the threatening figure that now held him captive in its grasp. The chunin could also see the blood still dripping from his exposed wound and knew that he had lost far too much of the life-giving crimson liquid for comfort.
The remaining Konoha nins in the area soon fell in around the scarred chunin, many of them moving to check on their own children, while Itachi moved in next to Iruka and Shikaku as if to take point by their sides. Hiashi quickly made his way up to a very traumatized Hinata, who was now holding an equally panicked Ryuukimi in her arms, but was surprised when she inched away from his touch.
Kyoui simply continued to watch as the scene took place before him, his grip around his prize tightening even more as his gaze shifted over to the older Uchiha in front of him, who had since began moving closer to them, while his surviving men took ranks around his position.
"Alright, that's close enough Uchiha, I know all about your clan and that accursed Sharingan and I will not be a victim of your genjutsu. If I so much as see even a slight glint of red in those pupils of yours, this boy will die right here." Itachi simply narrowed his eyes at those words, seemingly annoyed by the interjection, before taking another step back again.
Kyoui then turned his attention to Choza, whose massive form was still guarding the kids from harm. "And as for you tubby, I think it's time to size down a tad. I wouldn't want you to get any ideas either."
The said jounin simply scowled in disapproval in light of the mocking taunts directed towards him, but still managed to keep his temper intact regardless. Soon the man was back to his original height, standing on the forest floor with a very relieved Chouji running up to greet him. The brief hug that the two shared was the only relief shown in an otherwise overwhelmingly tense situation.
"Ah, that's much better, now my men and I will be taking our leave and I'll be taking my prize with me. Don't even bother chasing me, because if you do, this boy will die." At that, Kyoui then began to back away into the trees, still holding the panic-stricken boy in his arms like a lifeline.
Naruto's eyes began to waver in panic as he was slowly dragged away from the distressed figure of his father and his breathing had once again picked up into a frenzy. The boy's futile attempts to struggle were only met in vain, his body being too weak to even pose any hindrance whatsoever.
"No... dad... don't let him take me! Please..."
Iruka continued to watch with a heavy heart as his son was dragged into the trees and out of his sight, with only the boy's panicked, tear strewn eyes to meet his gaze and a hand on his shoulder to halt his advance. He knew there wasn't anything he could do and it tore him apart to see such fear in the eyes of someone so young.
"Naruto..."
Once the shinboi were finally gone from view, Iruka felt his legs begin to shake violently, as if willing him to give chase, but instead the tight squeeze on his shoulder brought his gaze around to Shikaku, who only nodded reassuringly."
"Don't panic, as long as he knows we are after him, he won't kill Naruto. He knows that would be a grave mistake on his part and he needs the boy as a form of leverage, so your son should be safe for now. Just give it a few minutes and then we'll begin our pursuit." The chunin simply nodded his head, for a lack of any better response, before turning his gaze forward again.
"No, that isn't right!!!" Both men were quickly startled from their thoughts and planning as a young voice called out to them in protest, before turning to see Hinata approaching them with a battered Ryuukimi in her arms.
"You can't let them go!!! Naruto's been poisoned!!! If he doesn't get help, he's going to die anyway! That man knew he was going to die, that's why he won't kill Naruto himself." Iruka simply jumped at that, before turning to face Shikaku, noticing that the man had a similar expression on his face to the one he no doubt bore as well.
"I'm going after them now. The rest can stay here and look after the kids, but I won't let them get away with my son." Shikaku didn't even bother to protest and simply nodded in approval. He knew there was no stopping the man, after all he would have done the same in any case.
"Alright, I'll go with you, after all, you may need some assistance." With that, the two men darted off into the trees, immediately giving chase to find the young boy that had been snatched away from them. Hinata moved to follow them, but was quickly stopped by an unusually gentle hand falling on her shoulders.
The girl turned around to look up at the tall figure of her father, who simply continued to stare into the distance, never once making eye contact with the girl beneath his grasp. It was almost as though he were... afraid to look into her eyes, to see her pain and fear and the tears that threatened to fall at any moment.
"Don't go, they will handle this themselves. You are injured and in no condition to save your friend and you will only get in the way." Hinata simply turned her gaze back towards where the men had disappeared before letting out a deep sigh. The tears that began to stream down her face and onto the dragon in her arms only served to provide what little comfort they could.
'I... I should have protected him. I should have...'
The Hyuuga's thoughts were quickly cut off as an arm suddenly wrapped around her shoulders, before pulling her body up against that of her father's. The girl simply froze in her feat, completely stunned by the sudden motion, before finally relaxing again.
Hinata simply continued to cry in the arms of her father, watching... waiting in the hopes of her friend's return.
--
Naruto's eyes continued to haze in and out of darkness as his body dangled precariously in mid air, the arm around his chest still holding him firmly in its grasp as he sailed through the trees in his captor's possession. The boy's vision was now nothing more than a dwindling blur and it wouldn't be long before darkness consumed his gaze altogether.
He could feel the life slowly draining out of his body, feel the poison spreading like fire through his veins, but he knew there was nothing he could do now to stop it. Naruto could also feel the sharp sting of cruel emotions flowing into his heart from his captor's touch, but his body no longer had the strength to fight against it, allowing itself to be consumed altogether in pain and anguish as his soul was continually tormented.
The boy's body simply fell limp in the arms of his jounin captor, no longer having the power to even writhe in agony, while his eyes began to fade into darkness. The trees and branches that passed below slowly blotted out into shadowy figures, while his tears sparkled down to the forest floor below.
'At least... at least the others are safe. That is all that's important. At least dad is still alright as well...'
The sharp crack of snapping wood jarred the boy's thoughts from his mind as they landed on the branch of a tree before coming to a halt altogether. Naruto took the offered opportunity to allow his gaze to wander the area, only to see the last surviving mercenaries fall in around them.
He didn't know how long they had been traveling for, but he knew they were probably far from the other parents and children by now. He also knew that he would probably not last too much longer, so there was little hope of being rescued now.
'Maybe, if I pass out now, I won't have to feel any more pain...'
"Alright, I think that's far enough for now." Naruto propped up as Kyoui's voice rang throughout the air, drawing the attention of his men.
"We'll take a five minute breather and then head out once more." The man then turned his gaze down to the boy raised up in his arms, allowing a satisfied sneer to etch onto his features as he did so.
"Well, it looks like you got your wish after all. Your friends will live while you die in my arms, but at least I got to savor the satisfaction of seeing the life and hope drain from you eyes."
Naruto moved his mouth to speak in response, but only a scratching rasp escaped his lips. The boy gave up after a few failed attempts and simply flopped back down again. He was just about to lose all hope altogether, when a sharp cry suddenly alerted his attention.
"Shit!!! What the hell is this thing!!!!!"
The boy quickly turned his gaze up towards the source of panic, only to see large tendrils begin shooting out from the nearby trees, ensnaring the surrounding shinobi in an inescapable snare. He immediately felt a jolting movement erupt throughout his body as Kyoui jumped away from the area, carrying him across the air before landing on a nearby branch. He could still make out the panicked attempts to escape from nearby, as the panicked shinobi continued struggling against a jutsu he recognized all to well.
'It... can't be...'
Soon afterwards, a familiar voice sounded throughout the air, confirming the boy's suspicions while bringing new hope into his heart.
"Magen! Jubaku Satsu!!!"
At that, the tendrils constricted against their prey, pulling them in a smothering embrace as they were pressed up against the wooden surfaces that had since become the instruments of their deaths. The shimmering glints of kunai soon appeared into view at each victim's neck, before plunging into their prey with remorseless tenacity.
Naruto quickly turned his gaze away from the carnage that ensued as the shinobi's cries echoed throughout the air, before finally falling silent once more. He then opened them again to reveal nothing but the motionless bodies that were now sprawled across the forest floor. He didn't need his Tenraigan to know what had happened or to decipher their condition.
Kyoui immediately jumped into action soon afterwards, pulling a kunai from his holster before lifting Naruto's head up into the air, exposing his neck to the sharp blade that threatened to steal away his life. The boy simply whimpered as he felt the cool, metal kiss of death touching against his skin, once again extracting blood as it slipped across its surface.
"Alright, whoever you are, come out and show yourself right now or this boy dies!!! I thought I made it clear that pursuing me would result in his immediate death!!!"
The jounin was surprised, however, when he felt a hand suddenly gripping around his wrist, immediately pulling his hand and his weapon out of reach of Naruto's neck. Kyoui turned his gaze towards the source of resistance, only to see the spinning red wheel of Kakashi's Sharingan staring back at him with what could only be described as a very disgruntled expression.
"No-one is going to be killing Naruto-kun, at least not while we have anything to say about it." The copy ninja then spun around on his feet, before delivering a high back kick into the jounin's head, slamming him across the air and causing him to release his young captive from his grip.
Naruto's body just slumped down in his weakened state, before falling from the tree and down towards the ground beneath them. A quickly moving figure instantly caught him from his fall, blurring across the air in a startling dash before landing with the limp body cradled in its arms.
Panicked, gray-brown eyes immediately caught the boy's startled gaze as he looked up to his rescuer, only to see the familiar purple glint in Anko's hair.
"Hey there little buddy, are you alright?"
Naruto simply blinked in both shock and relief as the gentle voice addressed him in a near whisper, while an equally gentle hand ran through his mottled, dirty hair, caressing him in a soothing comfort and causing him to finally relax into his rescuer's arms.
The boy's eyes began to fill with tears as he was embraced by the warm emotions that flowed through Anko's touch before his right hand instinctively moved to grab onto her coat, squeezing it and holding onto it like a lifeline. He finally felt safe again, he finally felt protected and the overwhelming strain on his heart was finally released in a sudden flood of emotions.
Naruto then opened his quivering mouth to speak, but his words were barely coherent anymore. Instead, only the muffled strains of his desperate attempts at talking left his lips in a tired whisper.
"A... Anko... nee-chan..." The said jounin simply placed her hand on top of the boy's lips, silencing his efforts to talk before brushing her fingers into his hair once more.
"Ssshhhhh, don't try to speak yet. It's alright now, we're here. No-one is going to hurt you anymore so just relax. You need to try and calm down." Anko got a small, shaky nod in response, before Naruto snuggled his head up against the jounin's stomach, content to simply bathe in the comfort and relief offered to him through her touch.
A gentle smile slowly etched itself onto the woman's features as she continued to gently caress the boy in her arms, but Naruto knew it only served to provide him comfort, because the emotions he felt coming from her touch easily betrayed her distress mixed in with the warmth she provided him.
After a few moments of relief, Kurenai finally appeared out of thin air next to them, emerging from the genjutsu she had just used to dispose of her prey, before kneeling down besides her fellow kunoichi. She quickly took the offered opportunity to check on Naruto's condition, while the boy continued to cling to Anko's side, before dressing the wound on his shoulder as best as she could manage.
"It looks like he's received a heavy wound to his shoulder, and it appears to exit on the other side of his back as well. He's also lost a lot of blood and he has numerous cut and burn marks. I'm afraid his body may go into shock soon if we aren't careful."
The red-eyed jounin then placed a hand on Naruto's forehead, cringing slightly at the burning heat she felt emanating from his touch. The young boy responded by turning to face her with heavy eyes, at which she smiled in return for his efforts.
"Hey there kiddo, how are you doing?" Naruto just smiled briefly in return, before letting go of Anko's coat and reaching out to hold the hand offered to him. Kurenai could tell that it was difficult for him to speak, so he was allowing his emotions to give his otherwise silent response.
The jounin frowned, however, when she noticed just how weak he felt to the touch, in fact she could hardly make out the feelings that flowed into her and his hand was cold as well. Kurenai then lifted her other hand and wiped away the tears from the side of his cheek, no doubt a sign of his exhaustion and shock following what had just happened.
It was only a moment later when Kakashi finally landed next to them as well, with all three guarding around the boy defensively. Not to far from them, Kyoui slowly pushed himself up from the ground where he had landed from the copy ninja's blow, before sneering at the sight that met his gaze as he watched the source of his hatred and anger being treated with so much kindness and love. His heart began to burn with even more rage at the mere sight of it and his eyes were now shot red with a blinding lust to kill.
"Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!!! Why don't you people see what he is?!?!?!?! Why do you coddle him like a child!?!?!?!?! HE'S NOTHING MORE THAN A MONSTER!!!!!!"
The jounin then sprinted forward in a mad dash to attack, the last vestiges of his sanity now disappearing from his mind altogether. Kurenai and Kakashi immediately darted to their feet and formed a defensive line in front of Anko and Naruto, while Kyoui continued on his suicidal attack.
"I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!!! I'LL KILL EVERY SINGLE LAST DAMNED ONE OF YOU!!!!!!!"
The jounin's advance, however, was abruptly halted as a large figure suddenly landed in his path, before delivering a blue sphere of spinning chakra straight into the man's chest.
"RASENGAN!!!!"
The last thing Kyoui saw as he looked up towards the instigator of his demise was Jiraiya's stern, remorseless expression, before being carried away in a maelstrom of destruction. The jounin landed in a motionless heap a good few meters away, the life now vacant from his eeringly still form.
"That is it for you I'm afraid." Jiraiya mumbled dishearteningly. "In the end, your own madness and inability to see the simple truth was your downfall. If only you could have let go of your hatred and simply opened your eyes."
The sannin's words of disdain were immediately cut short as a cry of pain echoed throughout the air, turning his gaze towards Anko's position as she continued to hold a squirming Naruto in her arms.
"Aaaaggggghhhhh!!!!!"
Jiraiya immediately took action at that, running straight towards the source of the scream, before landing next to the purple haired jounin and her blond charge. Anko's eyes immediately lifted to meet his gaze as he knelt down in front of her, filled with a reasonable degree of panic and fear unbefitting of her personality.
"I... I don't know what's happening to him! I can't stop it!" Jiraiya tore his gaze away from that of Anko's own panic stricken eyes to check on Naruto, only to see the faint trails of golden markings begin to spread across his chest and down his arms, running along his entire body and eventually covering his legs and his face as well.
"What... are these markings?" He mumbled to himself, his eyes wide with shock. The markings seemed to cause Naruto some degree of pain, almost as though it were burning into his flesh as they trailed along his skin.
"We've seen them before..." Kurenai interceded. "After you gave him that scroll at the hospital, he received those very same markings when he unlocked it the same day. I'm not sure what they are, but they disappeared after a while and I haven't seen them since then."
Jiraiya nodded his head solemnly, while his mind got to work trying to decipher what meaning the intricate patterns contained or why they had suddenly appeared.
'They appear to be seals of some kind, but I've never seen ones so complex before, especially considering the fact that they cover his entire body from head to toe. I wonder how long he's had them for...'
The sannin's thoughts were interrupted when two figures suddenly came bursting through the trees towards them. Everyone's gaze quickly raised to greet the new arrivals, only to see Iruka and Shikaku landing on the scene. The scarred chunin immediately caught sight of his son squirming in the arms of Anko, as well as Kyoui's motionless body lying nearby, and nearly exploded with relief on the spot.
"Naruto!!!!" Iruka quickly shot passed his jounin companion and knelt down beside his son shortly afterwards, with Jiraiya making space for the chunin's arrival and standing to the side.
"Naruto, are you alright...?" The said boy shifted his gaze upwards to see the brown haired figure staring back at him with a concerned expression, blue eyes now wavering in the pain and darkness that tried to consume them. Even still, despite that, Naruto knew all to well who it was that had spoken. The boy lifted his hand shakily and reached out for the blurring figure whose gentle voice had called out to him, desperately trying to grasp it and hold on to it.
"D... dad..." Iruka quickly caught the small hand in his own as it fell from the boy's weakness, before squeezing it gently in an effort to provide what support it could. The chunin had noticed the markings covering his son's body, but ignored them for the time being, instead opting to comfort his son in any way he could.
"It's alright now, dad's here, I won't let go. You're safe now..." At that, the boy's eyes began to cloud up once more and his body began to tremble in Anko's arms. The jounin continued to watch on with a panicked expression as the boy's face cringed in tension, before Iruka spoke once more to ease him.
"Naruto, it's alright, you don't have to be brave for me. I know this must have been very rough for you, so just let it all out. If you bottle it up, it'll just get worse." At that the tears began to fall once more, and Naruto squirmed in Anko's arms to move towards his father. Iruka quickly leaned forward to meet him and was soon holding him in a close embrace, with the boy's head nestled in his stomach as he continued to sob in relief.
"D... d... dad..." Iruka simply continued to hold his son closely as his tears of relief and exhaustion continued to fall.
The chunin knew that the boy was only crying from shock, having obviously been traumatized by his entire ordeal. It was only natural for a ten-year-old to react that way, especially after being separated from his father for so long while being hunted like an animal by a madman and then being held hostage with a kunai to his throat, threatening to take his life at a mere whim.
It was bad enough that he was so young, to have to endure such an overwhelmingly stressful ordeal, but to make matters worse, he was also still recovering from a life of traumatic abuse as well. It was simply too much for the boy to handle alone and both the physical and emotional exhaustion had now set in completely.
Now that it was all finally over, Naruto couldn't help the release of tension and anxiety through the crystalline liquid that ran down his face as he finally bathed in the warm emotions of his father's touch. Feelings he had been hoping for and longing to find again and ones he had finally embraced as he was held closely in the man's arms. It was all he needed, just to be held in his father's arms while being comforted in his moment of pain and weakness.
It was something all kind parents would offer their children in times of need and Iruka would always be there to wipe away the tears for his own son's eyes as well. After a few more moments had passed, the chunin finally lifted Naruto up into the air and stood to his feet, watching as the glimmering drops of salty water continued to cling to the boy's cheeks as it nestled in his own clothes.
"Alright, I think we need to get you out of here and back home. We still need to take care of your wounds and this poison. What do you say kiddo?"
Naruto just nodded his head weakly, before grabbing onto Iruka's vest and pulling himself closer to the man's hold, with the evidence of his exhaustion now drying away as relief finally washed over him. The boy buried his head into the man's chest and then closed his eyes gently, as if to allow himself to finally rest and be at ease. Once Iruka could feel his emotions begin to calm down, the chunin then turned to face his companions as they continued to watch closely, noting the pained look on all of their expressions.
"I guess the Hokage got my message then, if you are all here. You couldn't have come at a better time and I can't thank you enough for your help."
Everyone simply nodded at the gesture of gratitude on Iruka's part, although it wasn't necessary in any regard. The chunin, however, didn't miss the curious glance coming from Shikaku and he knew that it probably had something to do with the markings on Naruto's body. That would have to be dealt with later and with a great deal of care as well. Iruka shrugged off those thoughts for the time being before speaking once more.
"I... I don't know how we are going to go from here. Naruto has been poisoned by the enemy's weapon and it has already spread throughout his body. He may not even have that long..." Iruka's voice trailed off to a near whisper at the end, as if he were too afraid if his own son hearing of his predicament.
Although it pained him to admit, he knew there was very little chance of his son surviving longer than a few minutes at his current rate of deterioration and he was afraid that his emotions had already betrayed those fears to the boy in his arms. Anko slowly approached the two and placed her hand on Naruto's arm, eliciting a brief flinch as her cool touch tickled against his burning skin.
"What about these markings on his body? What are they exactly? Will they hurt him?" Iruka just let out a deep sigh, before turning his gaze back over Naruto's battered form. He couldn't help but cringe at the wounds covering the boy's body, now seeing them up close, but he quickly pushed away those feelings to deal with later, instead opting to answer Anko's question.
"Apparently they are unique seals that have been given to him as a holder of his bloodline. They only react to his life force, so they're probably appearing because of how weakened he currently is. It is probably a defense mechanism, an effort to protect his body from the poison that is spreading through him, although I think it is already too late to stop it now."
Anko simply nodded her head in understanding, before raising both of her hands up into a single seal, molding her chakra as she did so. She then extended her right hand over Naruto's body and spoke in a near whisper.
"Hey little buddy, this is going to hurt a bit. Do you think you can be brave for me, just for a few seconds?" Naruto peered out from his shelter in the form of Iruka's jacket, before nodding his head in approval. Anko smiled reassuringly in response, before lifting her other free hand into another sign.
"Alright, this will be over in a few seconds, so just hold on for a little while. Ninpo! Doku Tekishutsu no Jutsu!"
At that moment, four slender, light-grey snakes emerged from Anko's sleeves, before making their way over to Naruto's body. The serpents then proceeded to encircle the boy's frame, while positioning themselves around strategic locations, before opening their mouths and baring small, sharp fangs.
Moments later, the serpents sank their teeth into Naruto's flesh in a sudden, jolting motion, causing him to whimper slightly in pain as their needle-like teeth pierced into his skin. Iruka could make out the small trails of a foreign substance entering the boy's veins soon afterwards, before disappearing altogether as it spread throughout the rest of his body. After a few brief moments, the snakes then released their hold and disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving only small pin-like parks remaining behind.
"That was jutsu created to help neutralize most kinds of poison by matching and countering it with another venom of equal strength, in the same way one would create backfire to choke out a forest inferno." Anko explained, putting Iruka's tension at ease.
"It uses a unique venom created by certain species of snakes that acts to help counter and nullify the damaging effects of other toxins, while extending the life of their victims. At the same time, the venom isn't harmful to living tissue, so it won't cause Naruto any further damage. It won't cure him altogether and it will probably only buy him about an hour or so at the most, but at least it gives us some form of hope."
Iruka bowed his head in gratitude as Naruto closed his eyes once more, being given some relief from his pain. "Thank you, but I still don't know how we are going to make it back to Konoha in an hour and his blood-loss may be a more immediate threat now."
"I think I may have the solution to that problem..." Everyone turned their gaze over to Jiraiya as he spoke up in interruption. "I could get him back to Konoha quickly by using a frog summon, but it means leaving everyone else behind for the time being."
"That should be fine..." Shikaku interceded, finally speaking up after having remained silent the whole time.
"The other children aren't as badly injured, barring some broken limbs from the Inuzuka kid and the fractured ribs that the Hyuuga girl sustained, so we can make our way back with them and ensure their safety along the way. It will take about three days to get back if we take the quickest route home, but none of them are in critical condition or in desperate need of immediate medical attention, so it should be manageable."
Iruka agreed with the plan with an overwhelming sense of desperation, although it was no surprise to anyone listening. "Alright, that's settled then, but..." The chunin then turned his gaze back to the sannin once more, his face stern with the strong will hidden deep within his gaze.
"... but I want to go back with my son as well. I can't leave him, especially not now, because I may not... it may be the last time... and he needs me by his side now more than ever. I don't want him to be alone without his father by his side." Jiraiya just nodded his head in understanding, knowing full well the fears that gripped Iruka's heart.
"Alright, but I must warn you, this is going to be a bumpy ride and you'll need to have a strong stomach if you are to endure it. First, however, I think we should check back with the others and let them know what we are doing. At the same time, I think we should try to hide these markings on Naruto as well. We wouldn't want to create a scene when we get back, after all."
With that, Kurenai cast a small genjutsu to hide the patterns running over Naruto's body. As long as no-one dispelled it or used a doujutsu to reveal its secrets, they would be completely unnoticeable and she knew that those were unlikely situations unless someone had a deliberate reason to suspect that something was hidden.
Once that was done, the small group then made their way back to the clearing that held the rest of the children and their guardians with the utmost haste, knowing that the life of a young soul was hanging precariously in the balance.
--
Hinata continued to stand at the edge of the clearing that held the small group of reunited parents and children, listening as warm greetings and happy reunions were shared between the long separated families. Many tears of both relief and joy were shared between the adults and their miniature counterparts, but not all present were happy in the light of such a reunion.
The young Hyuuga heiress was still standing their in complete silence, waiting for the hopeful return of her closest friend, while Ryuukimi paced at her side, the dragon having since taken up a position on the forest floor as his restless anxiety got the better of him. The two youngsters continued to search the trees with hopeful eyes while Hiashi stood nearby, watching over them like hawk.
After a few moments, Tsume approached them with a very irate Kiba in her arms, the boy squirming in protest as his mother continued to make her way across the forest floor with her new 'patient' being carried like a toddler. Akamaru had since taken up a comfortable position on the boy's chest and was guarding him with an amusing tenacity.
"Com' on mom!" The boy protested angrily. "I'm not a baby anymore and I don't need you to carry me like one! So can you please put me down now?" The jounin simply shook her head as she was continually reprimanded by her son, before finally speaking up in response."
"Look here, little mister! You can't even stand, much less walk with that leg of yours, and your arm is broken as well, so just shut up and take it like the man you claim to be." The said boy simply pouted in compete rebellion at that and he could swear that he heard a jovial snicker coming from nearby. The look on Kuromaru's face easily betrayed him as the perpetrator of such a humored response and it only caused the boy's scowl to deepen even more.
"Yeah, yeah... laugh it up while you can, fuzz-ball. One day I'm going to leave a mother of a stink-bomb in your kennel and then we'll see who's laughing."
The larger ninken visibly cringed at the mere thought of it, having a sense of smell far superior to most other animals or humans, but he never had the chance to respond as Tsume finally arrived at her destination. The jounin soon settled beside Hiashi, taking in the same view as the Hyuuga clan-head, while Kiba fell silent in the suddenly depressing change of atmosphere.
"So, they still haven't returned yet?" Hiashi simply shook his head at the older Inuzuka's query, before speaking up in response.
"My daughter has not moved since they left. Her concern is touching but I fear for her well-being if she continues to stress herself beyond her capacity to handle. She ignores her injuries for the sake of a friend, but she may end up hurting herself even more." Kiba, who had since gone quiet, looked up to his mother with a heavy expression, doing little to hide his unease or his obvious pain.
"Mom... do you think Naruto will be alright?" Tsume visibly jumped at the imposed question, having seemingly been caught off guard.
Since when did her son care about the Kyuubi boy...?
"I... I don't know." She finally responded, although her unease was clearly evident in her voice. "We'll just have to wait and see..." Kiba simply shifted his gaze forward again, sharing in the view of his companions while waiting for the return of the young blond that had since become his friend.
"I hope he's alright. He's been hurt enough trying to save the rest of us and I don't want to see something bad happen to him again..."
The uneasy silence that followed was only short lived as a small group of figures finally emerged from the trees, revealing the weary forms of Iruka and his companions as they made their way into the clearing.
Hinata's heart almost dropped into her stomach as her eyes fell onto the still form of her friend as he lay in the chunin's arms and soon she was sprinting across the muddy earth in an attempt to greet them, ignoring the overwhelming pain in her chest, with Ryuukimi trailing closely behind her. Even Kiba's body seemed to move unwillingly, as if attempting to follow them, but he quickly realized that his actions would only gain him a sharp reprimand, so instead he opted to watch from his mother's arms.
"Naruto!!!" Soon both youngsters were right on top of them trying to get a better look at their returned friend, while Naruto himself opened a groggy eye to greet them.
The small blue iris quickly glanced over them before a small grin appeared on the boy's face, no doubt an effort on his part to keep them from worrying too much about him. He then closed his eye again and writhed slightly, doing his best to hide his pain from the prying eyes that searched over his body.
"We need to get him back to Konoha as soon as possible." Iruka finally interrupted, gaining both of the visiting youngsters' attention. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to say your goodbyes for now. I promise you'll get to see him as soon as you get back.
"Wait, I wanna go with as well!!!" Ryuukimi shouted in protest. Iruka just shook his head at the suggestion.
"I'm sorry, but this is the only way. Jiraiya-sama will be summoning one of his toads to carry us back and he's pushing his luck with just the three of us going as it is. If you dispel yourself, I promise I'll have Naruto summon you again as soon as he can so that you can see him."
The dragon was about to speak up in defiance again, but the look on Iruka's face immediately silenced any further protests. After all, as young a dragon as he may have been, Ryuuimi still understood the importance of what the man was saying. To act selfishly now was the worst thing he could do for Naruto's condition and he knew that he would have to make do with what he had been offered.
"Alright, but please, promise me you'll summon me as soon as you get back." Naruto then opened his eyes again and peered down to his small soulmate with a deep blue gaze. He could hardly see the dragon anymore in his failing vision and only the shimmering glow of his bronze wings gave his position away. The boy then mouthed an uneasy 'I promise' in response to Ryuukimi's request, causing the dragon to sigh in relief.
Naruto then turned his gaze back over to Hinata, whose tears still clung firmly to her face as she continued to stare in desperation. The girl just stepped forward towards her blond friend and placed her hand on his arm, being careful to avoid his injuries as she did so.
"You make sure you get better alright. I want to see my friend when I get back home. Please, just wait for me..."
Naruto nodded his head in understanding and then mouthed a silent 'thank you', before allowing his eyes to close once more. Iruka was somewhat surprised by the allowed contact, but brushed it off before turning to face Jiraiya, who had already since started forming hand seals in preparation for their departure.
"Alright everyone stand back! Kuchiyose no Jutsu!!!"
Those who were close-by immediately did as they were told and cleared the area, before watching as the sannin summoned a giant toad with a large shield adorning his back. The massive creature easily dwarfed most of the trees in the area and soon had the attention of everyone else present. Even the nearby students gawked in amazement as they continued to stare at the new arrival, who simply huffed in disdain at the sudden interuption.
The oversized amphibian quickly turned to look down at his summoner, before he caught a glimpse of Naruto's bloodied body held firmly in Iruka's arms. The look on Jiraiya's face spoke clearly of what was needed of him and the toad couldn't help the uneasy sigh that escaped his breath.
"I guess this means we have a little passenger today, Jiraiya-san. I should warn you, though, that I am pretty clumsy, so don't expect a gentle ride to wherever it is you need to go." Jiraiya just shook his head disdainfully, doing little to hide his obvious frustration.
"Actually, there are two passengers, but that is besides the point. I need you to take us to Konoha as soon as possible, otherwise this child here is going to die. Bunta would have my head if I summoned him right now, so you're the best alternative. Do you think you can handle that Gamaken-san?" The massive toad nodded his head uneasily.
"I will do my best, but remember that I've warned you already." Jiraiya, having secured his otherwise reluctant transport, then turned his attention back to Iruka and the small bundle held within his arms.
"Alright, I'll need to hold Naruto while we're traveling. I have more experience with riding toads and I will be able to support him properly without causing any more harm to his injuries. You'll need to use all of your efforts just to stay on Gamaken if this goes how I think it will."
With that, Iruka reluctantly handed over his charge to the sannin, watching as the older man handled his son with the utmost care in his movements and making sure he was comfortable in his grasp. Once that was done, the two mounted their ride and took a place on top of Gamaken's head. Naruto was now completely relaxed in Jiraiya's arms, although the sannin could not tell if he was sleeping or if the poison had weakened him to the point where he could no longer move.
Only the slight convulsions in his small body and his erratic breathing showed any signs that he was still alive, along with his occasional whimpers of pain as the poison continued to burn in his veins. The two men took a brief moment to look back down to the rest of the group that gathered below them.
"We'll see you back in Konoha!!!" Shikaku shouted at the top of his voice. "Don't worry about us, we'll be fine. Just make sure you report our status to the Hokage as soon as you get the chance! Maybe that way I will be able to avoid at least some fallout with my wife!"
Both of them confirmed the request and then bid their farewells to the rest of the shinobi. Kakashi, Kurenai and Anko all remained behind to see the rest of the students safely home and signaled their goodbyes as well.
Even Hinata, Kiba, Shikamaru and Ino sent their regards in the forms of waving hands and watched as the massive creature took off into the sky, leaving them behind in its wake. After that, Ryuukimi dispelled himself in a plume of white smoke, hoping for the time that his friend would bring him back again. Once the three travelers were gone from view, Anko turned to Kakashi and Kurenai, before letting out a deep, exhausted sigh.
"So, can anyone tell me why he didn't summon that thing in the first place. It would have been a lot faster if we were riding that overgrown hopper to begin with." Kakashi just shook his head in disagreement.
"That wouldn't have worked. Firstly, we would have given our position away to our enemies, making it easier for them to evade our movements and avoid conflict. Secondly, it would have also been harder to find the students in the forest from that point of view and we would have missed a lot of ground in between each jump, not to mention the threat of accidently landing on someone."
Anko let out another deep breath of annoyance, having gotten the point. "Guess it makes sense..." She muttered disgustingly.
"Stupid, clumsy, overgrown amphibians. I just hope the gaki will be alright…"
--
The sweltering late afternoon sun was now making its way over to the horizon of the fire country once more, ending yet another day of long hardships and final retributions. Jiraiya and Iruka continued to peer out over the horizon as their ride brought them ever closer to their goal, with a precious cargo still lying in the sannin's arms.
Naruto's markings had since become visible again, with Kurenai's genjutsu failing due to the distance that now separated them, and were now shimmering warmly in the sunlight, their beauty standing in complete contrast to the other wounds and burn marks that covered the rest of his body.
The sannin that held the boy in his arms couldn't help his eyes wonder over their intricate designs while his thoughts continued to calculate their purpose. He would have to investigate them more thoroughly once they had returned to Konoha, but first they would have to see to Naruto's treatment.
"There it is... I can see it now..."
The toad sage looked up as he heard Iruka speak up beside him, only to see Konoha's walls hazing into view from the distance. They had been traveling for little more than twenty minutes, but the speed of their host had covered far greater a distance than any shinobi could dare hope to match in the span of hours.
"Good, we still have some time." Jiraiya sighed, somewhat relieved. "We should be able to make it to the hospital in the next few minutes and Anko's jutsu has brought us the necessary time for his treatment. Let's just hope that there is someone willing enough to help him..."
A quick shuffling in the aged man's arms, followed by a agonized groan, brought Jiraiya's attention back to the precious cargo that he carried, reminding him of the urgency of their haste and the desperation in their cause. Soon, two deep cerulean eyes were looking back up at him, but the way they searched for the man's face told the sannin that they could barely see him properly, if even at all.
"A... are we... almost home...?" The small weak voice that called out in a near whisper was barely audible at all, but Jiraiya still managed to make out the fragile words that addressed him. The sannin gave a short nod in response, even though his answer probably went unseen, before smiling softly in reassurance despite himself.
"Yeah kiddo, we're almost home." He mumbled softly. "Just rest you eyes for now, it will all be fine." After that, the two small eyes slowly shut away again, too exhausted to remain open any longer, and Jiraiya couldn't help but cringe at how sickly and pail the blond now appeared before his gaze.
The life he felt running through his hands was now diminishing precariously and it wouldn't be long now before it disappeared altogether, snuffed out before its time by the dangerous poison and threat of blood-loss that now clung so maliciously to its prey. Only the soft golden tinge of Naruto's markings brought any hopeful colour of life to his otherwise marred and battered appearance as it shimmered in the warm sunlight that bathed him in its comforting embrace.
Their only hope now lay within the very medical staff of Konoha's own hospital that had tried to harm the boy only days before and Jiraiya and Iruka could both only hope that a kind soul would offer their aid and save the precious life he carried.
'Just hold on Naruto, it won't be long now. We're almost home...'
--
AN: Alright, that is it for this week. I may not update as quickly as I used to for a while, or at least until I get back into the swing of things again, so don't be surprised if you don't see a weekly update for the next few chapters as I normally provide. I just need to get my head on straight. Maybe taking a break was a good thing after all.
I've also realized that I don't actually want to change anything in my story and I like the way I'm doing things, even if it seems a bit slow to some people. It is just the way my story is and I have my reasons for doing it, the main one being character development and deep psycological insight I like to give into my characters.
If you don't like it that way, then I apologize, but I can't please everyone. I will gladly accept any advice you can give me to manage time better (as this is one of my admitted weak points when it comes to writing) and I will make changes if they are valid, but I will not do anything for flamers, so don't think that you can push me into a direction I don't want to go just by complaining. You will just be ignored.
I'd also just like to say thank you to everyone who has been supportive and who have helped me along my way. I appreciate your efforts, so this is all for you. I will see you all soon enough.
Oh yeah, I have a new poll up as well. This time the question is about which Doujutsu you would have if you could choose any. Please vote!!!
P.S. the time-skip will be coming now, so expect to see a graduation soon... ^ ^
Notes:
"Suiton! Suijinheki!" = Water Style! Water Encampment Wall!
"Suiton! Suishouha!" = Water Style! Water Shockwave!
"Katon! Karyuu Endan!" = Fire Style! Fire Dragon Flame Missile!
"Ninpo! Doku Tekishutsu no Jutsu!" = Ninja Art! Poison Extraction Technique!
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" = Summoning Technique!
"Magen! Jubaku Satsu!" = Demonic Illusion! Tree Binding Death!
"Mizu Bunshin" = Water Clone.
Credits:
Writer - Me of course!!! XD
Beta - Kiiroi Senko.