Chapter 20.
A day in the limelight.
(With Hanabi Hyuga, near the Hokage's office.)
The Hyuga clan had experienced upheaval which the clan has not seen in a very long time.
It all began, when one day Hinata Hyuga the eldest daughter of the previous clan head Hiashi Hyuga, suddenly out of nowhere closed herself within the main branch library. A library which has the secrets of the most powerful techniques of the Hyuga clan.
After that, she out of nowhere challenged her father for the right to rule over the clan, and beat him within the duel.
Things however, did not end there.
Once she became the head of the clan, Hinata branded every one of the main family who constantly doubted her previously with the cage bird seal. Not even elders were spared from this treatment.
Hanabi Hyuga, the younger sister of the Hinata, quite enjoyed that spectacle. After all, those elders have been pushing around their father for as long as she could remember. When Hiashi would question them on this, they would often bring the fact that they have lived through the era of the warring clans, the era in which monsters like Madara and Hashirama were born.
Of course, Hanabi didn't thought these elders to be like those two, no matter how much they might try to portray themselves like that. she was sure that if Madara or Hashirama ever fought with these old fools, they would end up like so many nameless Shinobi, dead and buried beneath the ground.
What did hurt her however, was the fact that Hinata branded their father with a cage bird seal as well. She didn't even bother to listen to what he has to say, or how much he argued behind the doors to make sure that Hinata was not marked by the seal.
Yet she did that very thing to him. Not only that, she took it one step further, and marked her younger sister as well, all while smiling like a fiend.
This of course, made Hiashi quite depressed. The former proud clan head barely ventures outside these days.
But this was not the end of trouble for Hanabi. She wasn't sure how, but Hinata somehow managed to strong arm the Hokage in to making her a single Genin, without a team. Considering the recent hardships which the village has suffered, there were not many Jonin left free to train the upcoming generation. Thus, she was not only without a team, but she was without an instructor too.
At least she still has enough skills to make sure that she could perform D rank missions, and if need be, some easy C rank missions.
The girl was just returning from one of such missions, some D rank about making sure that the supplies were catalogued correctly or not. She was deeply hoping that she would get something different this time.
"Hanabi Hyuga reporting the success for the D rank mission of cataloguing the supplies." The girl said, and put the report on the desk.
"Ah, good job." Tsunade said, glad that the young Shinobi were working so hard.
Hanabi turned to the Hokage, who was currently working with the Chunin manning the mission desks. "Now, there is another D rank mission: go catch the cat of the wife of the feudal lord." The Chunin at the desk said, and handed her another scroll with the details of the mission.
Hanabi winced. The last time she had that mission, it did not end well for her. Still she nodded, and prepared herself for the difficult task ahead of her.
As she was moving towards the exit of the office, the voice of the Hokage stopped her.
"Wait there Hanabi, I wish to talk with you."
The girl stopped, and slowly turned around. She was not sure what would be the reason why Hokage would say something like that to her. As far as she was concerned, Hanabi had nothing to say to Tsunade.
"Talk about what, lady Hokage?"
"How are you settling in the life of a Shinobi?" she enquired.
"Good…" was the simple answer Hanabi gave.
"You don't have to worry about it. no one would say anything to someone else, if you have any trouble, you can tell me."
Hanabi nodded slowly. "I would lady Hokage. May I leave for the mission?"
"You may."
Watching the young Hyuga leave, Tsunade sighed.
She really didn't have much of a choice to deny the request of Hinata. The girl not only seem to have snapped, but has gone mad. And her madness was extracting vengeance from Hyuga clan for every small slight.
Of course, she wanted to do something with Neji as well. But at that, the Hokage put her foot down. She cannot allow a girl to cripple one of her Jonin for the sake of her revenge.
'If it were Sensei in my place, he would have never let her walk all over himself.' She thought self-deprecatingly.
The weight of another bad decision was put on the shoulder of Hokage. To make sure a girl develops into a Shinobi with a team, or to satisfy the anger of a mad clan head, in a bid to keep peace.
As much as she hated this, Tsunade could not allow a rift within her forces now of all places. With another sigh, she prepared for the Hokage summit which was two months away. She needed to decide who would lead the village in her absence.
(With Raikage.)
Raikage was sitting on his desk, doing paperwork and making preparations for the upcoming plans.
There was something to be said about the person who despite his age, brought harden Shinobi under one banner, and was even now making plans which the said Shinobi were following.
Thinking about all of this brought him to the memory when Naruto first arrived in the Cloud around two years ago, when he was just fourteen.
Naturally, when an unknown person appears within the hidden village, all the alarms start to blare loudly. This was the reason why he was dragged in chains in front of Raikage.
When he explained why he was there, who he was, how did he arrive there… Raikage was about to blew his top. He may not be the most intelligent Shinobi, but he was not the fool that he would believe the tales about demons, hidden doors, and cunning Jinchuriki who managed to deceive his own village, and was now standing in front of him, proposing him, the Raikage, to join his side.
Seeing that the Raikage was not convinced yet, Naruto proposed an even more ridiculous idea.
He would fight with Raikage to prove his conviction, in a single combat of course.
Raikage, seeing nothing wrong from the proposition, agreed. After all, if the boy lost, he would take over him, and made him the latest weapon of the Cloud. And if the boy through combat managed to convince him, well there was nothing to think about then.
But he didn't want to appear as a bully. Thus, he agreed that if Naruto managed to wound him once, even the lightest scratch, then he would agree to every single proposition he had. Naturally, Naruto managed to accomplished this, though he nearly died in the process.
Once he woke up from the unconsciousness suffered dew to the damage within the battle, Raikage was on his side, and with an oddly peaceful smile, agreed to the demands of the future demon.
After that, through the support of Raikage behind him, Naruto managed to take over several profitable business ventures, through which he helped Mei to overthrow Yagura, securing her support in the process. After that, the alliance was formed.
Rest, as they say, was history.
'Sigh… remembering all of that was really stressful. Maybe Mabui is up to some relaxing activities?' thinking about such activities got him excited, So Raikage left his office to find his secretary.
(With Naruto.)
After nearly disrupting the capital, and tampering with the monk, Naruto was in his way to the Leaf. Right now, he was in the middle of the Leaf and the Tanzaku town.
"Seriously though," Yamato was saying, "I can't believe that you've got the will imposing so easily."
"Well, the technique does seem to have its roots in soul manipulation. And you already know that I can do that."
"No not really." Was the casual dismissal of Yamato.
"What?" Naruto, of course was not happy with such casual dismissal one of his skills, through which he became a demon without dying in the process.
"Yes, you can extract the soul from a living creature, absorb its power, and see its memory. But you can't do anything else. But you do have the talent for the skill, I'll give you that." the sword explained further.
"I really need to go to the library." The demon muttered.
"You do." Yamato agreed.
In Yamato's opinion, sooner Naruto got some access to the repository of demon knowledge, the sooner he can get more stronger, and develop his skills further.
"So, who are these 'mages?' you seem to be afraid of them."
"Afraid? Me? Do you know who I am? Yamato, the dark demonic blade, is not afraid of anything!" Yamato said in a boastful tone.
"Not even the pink scabbard?" Naruto asked with an evil grin.
"Fuck you with a Ping-Pong paddle, Naruto!" Yamato roared.
"no thanks."
The sword was trying to think something to avert the attention of Naruto from the pink scabbard frantically. Yamato took a look around himself. You know, to get inspiration? Seeing something, the demon blade caught the chance with both of his nonexistent hands.
"Hay Naruto? Is that a girl?"
"What? Where!" the demon perked up immediately, and lost all the interest in mages and pink scabbards.
"There, to your right, with a cat." The sword showed him the direction mentally.
Naruto looked around himself, and after finding the said girl, he started to observe her.
"Yamato, she is a child." The demon said in some disappointment.
"No, no, you don't get it. that girl offers amusement, don't you see?"
"Why?" the demon did not see how she could be any sort of amusement.
"Remember that girl who you knocked out within your sell?"
"Hinata?"
"That one, yes. She looks a lot like her, don't you see the similarities?"
"now that you mention it, but what is she doing here? We are not exactly around the Leaf."
"Seriously? Look around yourself, I can't believe that you managed to survive this long with that poor sense of surrounding." Yamato said in a derisive tone.
Ignoring Yamato's ribbing, the demon looked around himself. He observed that there was a forest on both sides, a road on which he was standing, the road cut through the forest, and reached to the…
"Yikes! Why didn't you tell me Yamato?"
"I thought you knew!" the sword hollered.
"Well maybe you should pay more attention to your surrounding then." Naruto said sagely.
"Me? It is not my job. I am just a sword, that is your job—hay that girl is getting away." Yamato suddenly pointed.
"What? No!" saying that, the demon started to chase after the girl.
"Chase the amusement, don't let it get away!" the sword was encouraging in a frantic tone.
Increasing his speed, the demon appeared close to the girl. He changed his appearance, and just when she was about to enter into the village, he appeared before her.
Walking towards the girl who was just about to enter within the Leaf, Naruto commented in his transformed appearance…
"Ah, a Shinobi. Haven't seen one in quite a while." He nodded towards the girl, all the while keeping certain level of respect within his eyes.
At this, the girl stopped.
Usually, if some stranger appeared before her like this, she would have never talked to that person. But in the recent times, Hanabi has gone through the testing of both her pride and her clan, not to mention the guy was most likely looked up to the Shinobi.
She remembers her lessons in academy about this exact situation. As well as her father's lessons: civilians often would be afraid of the ninjas. But some of them hold admiration for them.
These people, despite being civilians, are not to be taken lightly. Thus, if one of them approaches a Shinobi, they often show them same curtesy. After all, that person for all they know, might turn out be a future client.
Keeping all of this in mind, Hanabi replied. "Well, you are about to enter in a Shinobi village. You will see a lot of us."
"I know." The stranger replied. "I used to live here once upon a time, I even attended the academy, sadly I was turned out to be not fit for this job."
"Not many people are." Hanabi nodded.
After all, she knew that even if she is from a Shinobi clan, the challenges and sacrifices demanded of her, are often harsh.
While walking towards the gate, they both chatted about the random things. Until the stranger asked about the cat who was being quite difficult to control.
Squirming and snarling, Tora the cat tried to flee from the human, the human who would return him back to that large devil, who would try to crush him again.
"Ug. Calm down already." the Hyuga said in some annoyance.
"Wow, he was so docile few moments ago, look at the guy now. I guess the rumors were true."
"What rumors?" Hanabi gritted out, while trying to make sure that the cat did not flee from her.
"Oh, that cat is quite famous even among the civilians."
"I knocked him out with my clan's technique, I didn't think it would wake up so soon."
"Hmm! Would you give me the permission to try something?"
"As long as you don't kill him."
"Don't worry, he is going to be alive alright." The stranger said, with a devil's grin.
Approaching the cat who was still struggling for his freedom in the arms of Hanabi, the stranger puts a finger at the top of his head. Slowly but surely, his struggles stopped.
Hanabi was looking at this stranger in wonderment. This was not the first time she has been sent to catch this damnable cat. Yet just by whatever this guy did with his finger, he managed to calm him down.
Looking at him gratefully, the girl thanked the stranger. "Thanks for calming him. Are you sure he won't die by whatever you did to him?"
"No, he won't." the stranger assured.
"Good. I am Hanabi Hyuga, and if you need my help in some matter, you may come to me."
"Hmhmhm. I definitely would. My name is Kenta Kobashi." 'Kenta' chuckled.
"I'll remember it." the girl said and disappeared in the village.
"Hm. Two options, deal with security guards, or just sneak in the village. I think we both know which one I am going to pick, right Yamato?"
"I think you have unhealthy obsession with this place. You just keep coming back to it, no matter how many times you leave it."
"Ah, but this is my birth place, Yamato. I can't forget it?"
"Whatever." If his wielder wishes to get imprisoned once more, who was he to question him? Especially when those ladies keep visiting him.
(With Tsunade, in the Hokage's office.)
When Tsunade gave the order to Danzo to prepare for the war, he promptly followed her orders without any delay.
He assessed the military, and put the ninjas who are willing to listen to orders in top position. He felt that Sarutobi should have been more like his student. Many of Danzo's troubles would have been easily solved that way.
But he did remember that it took the betrayal of a Jinchuriki to make her come around to his thinking. If he knew that this will be the thing which would push her in this direction, Danzo would have made the arrangements to make the Jinchuriki disappear a long time ago from her eye, while keeping him as a secret weapon.
Putting all of this aside, he suggested to the Hokage to make more allies with small countries, both Shinobi and otherwise, and make sure that whichever hidden village had their back, wouldn't have a reason to abandon them now.
Of course, this results in small and insignificant countries, which won't even get attention from the big power like Leaf, suddenly receiving much more generosity from them.
One of these countries is Land of Claws. But this country was neither strong enough to send a Chunin as a messenger, and is most certainly not important enough to warrant a Jonin messenger.
Danzo, not wanting to get involve himself in something so mundane, left Tsunade's office quickly, all the while not letting the expression of hurry show up on his face.
This left Tsunade to think who could she send to Land of Claws to ask for the support of that countries feudal lord.
His army might be useless to them, but at least they could insure the supply roots and such through his support.
Right in that moment, Hanabi entered with Tora in her arms. "Hanabi Hyuga reporting, mam."
At this time, there weren't any Chunin in the office, unlike earlier when Hanabi was handed this mission.
The eyes of Hokage came and stopped at Hanabi, contemplating something. The situation was very strange for the girl. Noticing the cat in her arms, Tsunade commented…
"I see you have retrieved the troublesome pet."
Hanabi wanted to scream in agreement, but considering that she was in the presence of Hokage, she refrained herself from doing so.
Tsunade, however. Understood the expression on the face of the girl, so she just winked. But soon enough, the Hokage straiten herself and asked Hanabi.
"So Hanabi, are you ready to receive a C ranked mission?"
Hearing that, Hanabi's heart leaped in joy. A C rank mission meant a long-term mission, a long-term mission for which she has to be outside of the village, a mission which would make sure that she wouldn't have to be in her clan compound, which felt like a prison to the young girl recently.
"I except."
'Checkmate.' the Hokage thought to herself.
an Hyuga sent for this mission, even if they were a Genin, proved that Leaf was taking the Land of Claws seriously. Which means that the insane feudal lord would at least think deeply before making any decisions.
Tsunade beckoned the girl to come forward, and receive the letter, adorned with the seal of Hokage on it envelop.
"Give this to the lord of Land of Claws, okay?"
"I would."
"Since you've just completed two D ranks one after another, take some time before you leave. You wouldn't want to be weary in the way and caught off guard by other Shinobi, would you?"
"No."
"Good, dismiss." Tsunade waved her hand.
Hanabi left. She would first go and take a nap, after which she would make her preparations and leave for the Land of Claws, all the while hoping that she wouldn't have to face her insane sister.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair. 'That take cares of one thing.'
While she didn't tell the girl how much time she had before leaving, in truth she wouldn't mind if Hanabi left until the next day. It was very important that the girl was properly rested before leaving, especially since she didn't have a Jonin sensei, or teammates to rely on.
Tsunade in if it was any different situation, wouldn't have sent her alone for the mission like this. But she didn't have much of choice, at least that is how she justified her decision to herself.
(With Naruto.)
The demon stayed within the Leaf village in his appearance in which he approached Hanabi. Currently, he was sneaking through the hot springs, to show Yamato the wonderful vision.
"wow, look at the variety!" the sword commented in amazement.
"I know, right?"
But as much as they enjoyed that activity, it was clear sooner or later that Naruto and Yamato would get bored of it.
Thus, the demon found himself roaming the streets of his former village.
Yamato, getting annoyed at Naruto's aimless walking, decided to suggest something.
"Hay Naruto?"
"Yeah?"
"Why don't you go to that woman?" the sword hinted.
"What woman?" his wielder sadly, did not picked up the hint.
"You know, the one whom you seduced before you got me? Red eyes, black hares, bandages within her dress?" at this point, Yamato abandoned any subtlety.
"Oh, you mean Kuranai?"
"That one."
"You do realize that she would report me, right?"
"Yes, but it would be better than this aimless walking. Also, who knows? Maybe you might manage to twist her mind enough that she would follow you."
At first, Naruto was reluctant to follow the idea of Yamato. But as the sword continued to present his reasoning, the demon finally decided that his sword has a point.
"Great. on to Kuranai's house then. I hope that Anko is there."
"Of course, you do— wait!"
"What now?" Naruto asked annoyed. He did not like to be interrupted once he sets his mind on a task.
"Isn't that the same girl whom we met earlier?"
Naruto looked around, and after spotting Hanabi, told Yamato, "So what?"
"Let's follow her." Yamato suggested.
"What? Are you mad? Do you realize what would it do to my reputation?" the demon could not believe his sword.
"What reputation?" Yamato asked for curiosity's sake.
"Look. I might be considered evil, mass murdering, reviler of my own village. but I won't follow a girl for your strange amusement, a girl I may remind you, is not even a teenager yet!"
It took a while for Yamato to understand how his wielder was taking this. After he understood, he was horrified.
"Are you mad? That wasn't my reason at all!"
"Then what was your reason?" Naruto asked.
"She has potential."
"Potential?" this was interesting.
"Yeah. Unlike her sister, that girl is strong, both mentally and well, I haven't seen her fight yet, so I can't say about that, but still, don't you think we should scout her?"
"Then give her the offer to join my side?"
"Exactly!"
"Hmm! You know what? You have a point. Let's follow the girl then. I just hope that no one finds out."
"Don't worry. If anyone gives you hell for this, just stab them. I find it to be the best way to win any argument."
"Hahahahaha! Me to. Well Kuranai side quest, you must wait for a while."
Thus, the demon started to follow Hanabi, who was just leaving the Leaf for her mission.
(Next day.)
The Land of Claws was not a close country to the Leaf. Thus, it was natural that it would take anyone, whether ninja or not, some time to get to the country.
Thus, it was not a surprise for Naruto that the girl decided to stop in an inn in a small town.
The fact that she was wearing her headband which marked her as a Shinobi, definitely helped in the process to acquire a room without too many questions. The civilians know that it was better not to ask too many questions whenever ninjas are involved, even if they are children. After all, if they are a kid, then it would also stand to reason that they would have an instructor somewhere near.
Naruto, of course didn't have much trouble acquiring a room for himself in another place nearby. It wouldn't show if the girl saw him too early, now would it?
'You are starting to remind me of Orochimaru, lord pedophile.' Yamato mocked mentally.
'Two words, pink scabbard.'
'Strange, did you hear anything Naruto? I most certainly didn't.' Yamato replied nervously, making Naruto smirk.
After spending the night in her room, Hanabi was ready to reembark on her journey to deliver the letter to the Land of Claws.
But this was where her smooth journey was interrupted most harshly.
She was attacked by the bandits. Now, no bandit worth their brains would ever mess with a Shinobi, even if they are Genin. It just was too much hassle, not to mention, the loss of life.
But seeing a lone Genin, without any teammates, or a Jonin instructor, proved to be too much of a temptation for them to resist. Thus, resulting in Hanabi's current situation.
Naruto, was of course observing the fight from nearby, being very impressed by the skills of the girl.
Hanabi was an unstoppable blur of movement, getting in between the attackers, striking them, and getting away swiftly. She also was managing to take out multiple of them at once.
But her problem was that the bandits have numbers on their side, and she was still just a Genin. A Genin, who managed to take out the one third of their numbers, either knocking them or killing them, (She didn't have the time to think about killing other humans at that time,) but sooner or later she was going to get tired, or trip.
Unfortunately, that moment appeared earlier than she thought. In one of her attacks, her gentle fist stance was interrupted. That was all the time the bandits needed to capture her.
"Well," Yamato said, "Guess the show is over."
"Who said?"
"Well, 'the girl full of potential' just got grabbed by the bandits, so…"
"Hmhmhmhm. Think big my friend."
"What?" Yamato did not get what Naruto was rambling about.
In answer, Naruto teleported in just some four hundred meters within the path of the bandits who were taking many people as slaves, and made himself appear helpless and weak. As soon as they approached closer, he started his sales pitch.
"Oh, mighty warriors! I am nothing before you might, pleas spare my life!" striking the weakling pose fifteen, Naruto proclaimed dramatically.
After hearing that speech, the leader of this group started to sport a strange expression.
Usually, people would run away, try to fight, or do any number of things to escape. But this man, just dramatically proclaimed that they could capture him.
"Men, capture him!" he ordered. 'I'll let the boss deal with the weird one.'
This was how, Naruto Uzomaki, demon extraordinaire, got captured by the measly bandits who did not have any training what so ever.
This was of course, so amusing for Yamato, that the mental laughter of the sword was constantly ringing within Naruto's mind.
'You do know that I let them deliberately capture me, right?' Naruto asked, annoyed.
'Never gonna live you this one down!' the sword sang.
Hanabi, of course saw who was the person these morons captured recently. She couldn't believe that it was the same person who helped her with that damnable cat. She of course for her gawking, received a harsh push to keep walking, for which she gave a withering glair to the soul who performed such an act.
After arriving to their hideout, the prisoners were promptly banged up in sells, while the bandits left to celebrate such a large find.
There was not any doubt in anyone's mind, they were going to be sold as slaves. They would be lucky enough to find the masters who wouldn't be cruel.
But let's be honest, people don't buy slaves to be nice to them.
Hanabi being a Shinobi, scoffed at the prison facility of the fools who captured her. After being thrown within her sell, it took her only five minutes to get out of the chains. After that, it was simple to pick the lock, and the girl was free once more.
She couldn't do this in front of the bandits, because she would have been captured again immediately. But from her current position, the Hyuga girl has a chance to leave safely.
At least she did not lose the letter which she still has to deliver to that damnable feudal lord. Her capture did not give the bandits enough time to search her. But first, she needed to free that guy who helped her. She couldn't leave him behind.
'Pss, pss, Naruto, that girl is coming.' Yamato interrupted his wielders ranting which has been going on for half an hour about he did not get captured by the bandits unless he wishes to, and that his sword should respect him more.
The demon saw Hanabi approach with a raised eyebrow. Once she got close to the gate of his sell, she started to pick the lock.
"What a strange situation to find you here, Kenta, wasn't it?"
Naruto smirked. "Indeed. Wasabi wasn't it?"
Hanabi acquired a red hew to her face. "Hanabi." She said frostily.
"Ah yes. Thanks for reminding me. My memory is terrible, this was one of the reasons why I was thrown out of the academy."
"Not surprised there." The Hyuga said sarcastically.
With a clang, the lock was undone, and the girl walking up to the prone Naruto, started to remove his chains. After he was free, the demon got up and stretched his back, cracked his joints and sighed happily.
"This has been a while since I got captured." This statement caused Hanabi to look at 'Kenta' strangely.
Yamato wanted to say many things, but the sword has to restrain himself. It wouldn't do to interrupt the fun of his wielder, now would it?
"What? Don't tell me you have the habit of getting captured by the low lives?"
"Actually know. Most of my captures… are much more fun kind." The disguised demon said in a strange way.
'Naruto, she is still twelve.' Yamato chided.
'Relax Yamato, I was just joking.' Naruto assured, but the sword was not convinced.
Hanabi, not understanding what the demon was talking about, gave him a strange look. "Anyway, I can't free all of these people, and I need to leave this place."
"Hmm! Tell you what, you just find the way out, while I deal with this bunch."
"Sounds like a great idea to me." After saying that, the Hyuga walked out of the sell, and disappeared within the darkness of dungeon.
When the prisoners realized that there was a Shinobi among them, they started to hope that they eventually would get free. They started to hope that they won't be sold in slavery anymore.
Too bad that the Shinobi left them with a demon.
"Hm. What to do with you?" said demon gave the people a considering look.
Many of them cowering in the fear, some of them were letting out whimpers. This individual does not seem to be the kind who would leave them alive.
Getting annoyed by the constant cowering and whimpering, Naruto said, "Be quiet." Couldn't they see that he was busy thinking about their fates?
Instantly, the silence descended on the place. Only to be broken by the sound of melting metal, as Naruto moved his hand from left to right, destroying the doors of the sells which kept the people inside.
"Now, I will release one of you from the chains. That person would release the others, and then you all would leave. Understand? There is going to be a slaughter in this place. Trust me, you don't want to be here when that starts."
If there were any demands of this person should free them and take them out of this place, they died right then and there. Besides, this person is appearing to be much more dangerous than the Shinobi child.
Doing as he said, Naruto freed one of the prisoners, and left them to their devices. If they managed to survive or not after this, it will be up to their own good fortune.
'Now to see the second performance of that girl…' the demon thought excitedly.
"Seriously, you are starting to remind me of that snake fellow, again."
"Pink scabbard."
"That is an injustice, you can't seal my lips. People have the right to know!" Yamato exploded.
"Hmhmhmhm. Too bad they have run in to the governments who are hellbent on defanging that right."
Yamato sighed. "That was supposed to be a joke."
"Don't you know? I was joking as well."
"Well, it didn't feel like it."
"Well, that is because your sense of humor is inferior. Don't worry, with few thousand years with me, and you will get the fine art of black humor."
"You! How! Me not inferior!" Yamato could not believe that someone would call him inferior on his face.
"Be quiet." The demon said, while observing Hanabi.
The girl was sticking to shadow, and managed to arrive within the central part of the hideout, where apparently celebrations were in full swing for a while.
'She has good potential, but she needs some more training, a guiding hand perhaps?' the demon noted, as Hanabi was spotted by one of the guards.
'And let me guess, you want that hand to be yours?' Naruto didn't reply.
Luckily for the Hyuga, the guard was alone, and she struck him down quick enough that no one noticed. After all, alcohol was flowing freely, she doubted that anyone was sober enough to notice anything like that.
Hiding the unconscious guard in an out of the way place so the drunken morons would not stumble on him accidentally, the girl continued to try to find the exit.
But she actually doubted that she would get out of here. This was clearly central part of their hideout, whatever ways there are to get out of this place, they most certainly are not here.
Which meant she would have to fight tooth and nail to get out of here, and perhaps make her first kills as well.
As the plans of Hanabi reached completion in her head, the leader of the bandits appeared on a podium like place. In actuality, it was nothing so fancy, just some high place where he was standing, brandishing a crude and deformed sword, as if it was rejected by its blacksmith.
The celebrations quietened as the leader began his speech, which was considered nothing more than drunken rambling by Hanabi… until he began to speak.
"Today, is a great day for celebration, for I Naruto Uzomaki, not only single handedly caused havoc within the Hidden Leaf, but my wonderful comrades even managed to get a large group of slaves!"
The crowd let out a thunderous cheer at that declaration, while Hanabi was looking as if she never understood the world, as if all which she believed in… was nothing more than her imagination.
Meanwhile, Naruto who was observing all of this from the shadows, started to twitch, and started to grumble to himself that just because he wanted his freedom does not mean that he would suddenly start to sell other people into slavery, and people should really not steel other people's achievements and brag so loudly, unless the real person was around and decide to hunt them down.
Meanwhile Yamato the dynamic sword wonder, was cackling within the mental world.
'Oh, look at me. I am big bad Naruto Uzomaki, I will sell you into slavery!' Yamato was making an impression of the leader of the bandits.
'And look at me, I am his evil sword!' Yamato said in a pathetic voice.
Things for Hanabi, however were not going well. Not only she has to hear the stupid speech of this moron, who most likely run his tail between his legs if real Naruto showed up, she also got spotted, just because she stumbled on an empty bottle. The bottle caused a clattering sound to echo within the silent hideout.
naturally, all the bandits immediately realized that there was someone who was not welcome here. Thus, to deal with the problem, ten of the drunken men, who were more sober than their allies, set out to deal with the fuming Hanabi.
"Screw the stealth." The Hyuga muttered in anger.
Taking an offensive gentle fist stance, and ignoring her exhaustion, the Hyuga promptly laid out five out of the ten bandits.
Naturally, the remaining bandits had immediate reinforcement, while the Genin was alone. It was clear to the observing demon that she won't last long. Still, he wanted to see how long she could last, this was the entire reason why he was here after all.
surrounded by the bandits, Hanabi decided that it was time to bring out the big guns of the gentle fist.
thus, the demon got to see the vacuum palm, and also the sixty-four palms, through which Hanabi managed to kill five of the bandits. Though the girl was so swarmed with the danger that she did not have the time to process any of that.
her resistance however, came to an end when her exhaustion become too much that it could not be ignored anymore. The girl huffing and panting, sat down, not having any strength to resist what was coming for her.
"You caused me a lot of trouble girl! Not only you trashed my party, but you killed many of my men! Once you're dead, I'll dug your eyes out and sell them to the highest bitter. I am sure the eyes of an Hyuga would fetch a hefty price, enough to recover my losses." The Naruto wanabe leader said furiously.
Hanabi, at this point, was beyond caring. So, what if she was about to die? She won't die whimpering in fear. No, that is out of the option. She did not fear when her sister in her madness, enslaved most of her clan, including their father. She did not fear when she became a Genin without a team, or an instructor. So, she was not about to start now. She did wonder however, how could a letter delivering mission of all things could go so bad?
"Your mother would fetch a hefty price." She said in retaliation.
If there was a crowd watching this in some drama, there would be people cheering her right about now. But this was no drama, the only people here were the bandits, their moron of a leader, and a hidden demon who was watching this like the audience of a demented theater.
"You miserable!"
"Hahahahahahaha! I was right wasn't I Yamato? That girl got not only talent, but spunk as well!"
"Yeah, sure, whatever."
Hearing that laugh, and those two voices caused the Hyuga to go still, as if she couldn't believe her luck.
She did not fight with Naruto directly, but she did saw the destruction he caused, not only that, she also heard his bouts of crazed laughter. She remembered the voice of Yamato from the trial, how the sword tried to play lawyer on his wielder's behalf, yet got shut down harshly.
As the bandits were observing this new player who was walking out of the shadows, he spoke again.
"As for you, you miserable shit." Naruto said, looking at the boss of the bandits, "Next time you want to steal someone else's achievements, make sure that they aren't around to take offence of that."
"Oh yeah? Who do you think you are? No one talks to the boss like that and gets away from us." One brave soul said.
The said boss on the other hand, was whimpering in fear at the words of his minion. Maybe he should have listened to his friends, and become an honest farmer? At least that way he won't have to face a demon.
As the words of jeering continued at the demon, Naruto took a deep breath, and said, "Enough."
The leader walked up to Naruto hesitatingly, and started to stammer.
"Um, l—listen Mr. Uzomaki, this is just standard practice, you understand. We meant no offence by that."
After hearing the word "Uzomaki," there was a silence within the hideout so deep that you could hear a pin dropping at the ground.
"Naruto, no mercy. Not only he insulted you by using your name, he insulted me as well! I am no way that deformed and ugly!" Yamato said, in an enraged voice.
"Well, you heard the sword, no mercy." Yamato appeared on Naruto's hand.
"Wait, please—"
In one swift motion, the head of the leader was relieved of his body. And then began the slaughter the likes of which Hanabi, or indeed any Genin has not seen since the third Shinobi world war.
After the bloodbath was done, the demon looked at the girl at the ground, who was trembling. Though it was because of his fear, or because of the entire ordeal, Naruto could not tell.
"Now, what to do with you?"
"We both know what you're gonna do, so can we skip the theatrics?" Yamato asked.
"Theatrics? How dare you call my way of the demon theatrics?" the demon was full on ranting mode. "Do you have any ideas how many enemies I have beaten by using my way? Or how many people submitted just because they were in the presence of me."
"Yeah, yeah, just talk to the girl, will you?" Yamato was not impressed.
Naruto grumbling and cursing about how the ancient demon swords not respecting their wielders, came closer to Hanabi. Though she barely has enough energy, the girl still stood up from the ground, and took a stance of gentle fist.
"Don't come any closer." She tried to say threateningly, but she could tell that it did not came out the way she intended it to be.
"Or what are you gonna do?"
"I…" Hanabi thought for a moment.
It was a great question. What she could do to a demon who was unstoppable even when the entire village of Shinobi was against him?
Yet she was here, a Genin, not even a prodigy, still within her fighting stance, not wanting to die like a coward.
"I don't know what, but I am sure you won't like the results." She finally answered.
Three seconds of silence ensued after that declaration of Hanabi, after which the silence was broken by the roaring laughter of Naruto.
"Hahahahahahahahaha! Now if only your sister had shown such a spirit."
"What?" the girl was very confused at this point.
"I am sure she didn't tell anyone. But she came to my prison sell when I was there. She was willing to promise all sort of things to me, the village, the world, but she lacked a very fundamental thing which I look on the people around me."
Hanabi strangely enough, could not stop herself from asking, "What?"
"Willingness to stand up for yourself. It is all fine and dandy when I am manipulating someone from the shadows to rely on me, and use me as their crutch. But it is a seriously big weakness when that same person wishes to be on my side, and as soon as I am in the trouble, crumble down in to the helpless weakling."
Done with talking, the demon approached Hanabi, not at all worried by the threats of the girl as he came closer and closer.
Reaching his hand, in one smooth motion, he took the forehead protector of the Hanabi off, to confirm his suspicion.
Hanabi, really tried to fight the attempt, or simply tried to get some more distance between Naruto and herself. But the demon putting one hand on her shoulder, stopped her struggling.
"So, she did give everyone that seal, didn't she?"
Putting one finger on the seal known as the Caged Bird Seal, Naruto started to move his finger in a strange pattern. Hanabi, of course, was very uncomfortable with such a dangerous enemy being so close to her, and doing who knows what with her seal.
"Not creepy at all." Yamato could not stop himself from saying so. Although, his comment did not help Hanabi.
"Pink scabbard Yamato."
"I'll go to sword union I swear!" Yamato said, with the conviction of those who have nothing to lose.
With a sound of lock clicking open, the demon cheered. "Aha! No seal can stand up to Naruto Uzomaki!"
"W- what did you do to the seal?"
"Why removed it of course, can't have someone like you under such a barbaric thing, now can I?"
"Impossible!" Hanabi knew that know one has succeeded in removing the seal, since many captured Hyuga have been experimented by their enemies to break the seal, all without any result.
Getting angry now, Naruto summoned a mirror from his pocket dimension. "Fine. Look at it for yourself."
With that, the demon released the shoulder of the Hanabi, and started to sulk and grumble about how people don't really respect his talent.
"Wait, why do you even have a mirror on you?" Yamato asked.
Getting out of his sulking, Naruto replied, "Why, to admire myself of course!"
"Narcissist!"
"First comments about me being like Orochimaru, now calling me narcissist, are you sure that you are not holding a grudge for something?" Naruto asked his sword.
"No, I am not!" Yamato said in a petulant tone.
Naruto was just about to reply to Yamato, of which he was sure that it was going to be a long argument, but both of them have to dismiss their clashing of words, because they were interrupted by the shocked exclamation of Hanabi.
"It, it really is gone! I am free, the seal is gone!" Hanabi could not believe it. the seal which has been a thorn on her side for past few months now, is really gone.
"Well, of course it is gone. What did you think? That I was playing a trick or something?" Naruto, who was quite proud of his sealing skills, (As well as any other skills of his,) asked in a self-assured tone.
"Well, I, that is to say," the Hyuga couldn't come up with anything.
"Tell you what. I will escort you until wherever your mission is. A young girl shouldn't travel alone in the current climate, even if she is a Shinobi." Naruto said generously.
"Err. I am sure the older Konoichi would have been fine."
"Yeah, but look at her Yamato, she doesn't have a team, she doesn't have a Jonin sensei either. And she looks like someone is barely out of academy." Naruto tried to sell the point with a teary look.
"Can't argue with that." Yamato, of course, was not affected by his wielder's theatrics.
But the points which he made cannot be disputed either. And besides, wasn't observing Hanabi's potential the entire point of all this?
Turning to Hanabi, Naruto asked, "So, where are you going?"
While her mind was screaming at her that she should not tell anything to this demon, he is her enemy, and you do not tell the details of your mission to your enemies, her mouth decided to take the decision out of her hands.
"To the Land of Claws."
"Hm, presumably, to ask for the support of that moron. Looks like they are really scraping at the bottom of the barrel here."
"They are not, and you know it." Yamato said.
"Not in the front of her, Yamato!" Naruto, blushing dew to receiving such a dressing down in front of Hanabi, by his sword no less, said.
Arguing about how the sword should actually enhance his image rather than put him down in front of people, specially girls, Hanabi followed the demon to outside of the hideout.
"Oh, I had so much fun today, I didn't even realize that it is night time already." Naruto said, while listening to Hanabi's rant of how she would now need to find a place to rest.
"Don't worry," Naruto chimed in the middle of her rant, "There is a nice place in the nearby town. I am sure you would enjoy the service there."
"And of course, that would definitely be not because of you own that place?" Yamato said smoothly.
"Fuck you Yamato."
"Language! Not in the front of children." The sword chastised.
Hanabi wanted to interrupt, she wanted to say that she was out of the academy, and by the laws of the Shinobi, she was no longer considered a child. But both the sword and wielder ignored her attempt of saying something. Instead, out of nowhere, the demon grabbed her, and teleported both of them to the nearby town.
Getting the room for one night, Naruto was thinking what to do with the girl. He couldn't allow her to roam freely, if she came across any Leaf Shinobi, he knew that his chances of corrupting her would go to hell.
So, the demon decided to do the next best thing.
Grabbing the key from the hanger at the door, and putting all sorts of seals to contain someone inside a place, the demon decided to lock Hanabi within the room, while he would go and meet with someone, who for some reason couldn't handle the underworld part of the city, despite Naruto's assurances that the person doesn't have to worry about anything.
"Really? You have to talk with yourself in circle as well?" interrupting Naruto's thoughts, Yamato said.
"Of course. There are mind readers within this world. Can't have them find out my secret, now can I?"
Right at that moment, Hanabi walked out of the shower, waring different clothes, which were in Naruto's opinion, very civilian.
"Going somewhere?" the girl asked.
"Yeah. You have to stay here; I really am sorry to lock you here."
"What?" she asked frostily.
"Your grounded." The demon said, shedding a fake tear. "I know this is not the way you've wanted the things to be, but you have left me no choice. Just know, that this hurts me more than you!"
"Nice acting." Yamato's words came crashing like the cold bucket of water.
"Damn its Yamato! I was having a moment there!"
"Yeah, yeah, can we move on already? you have things to do, remember?"
"Oh yeah." Remembering the underworld problem, Naruto promptly forgot his theatrics.
"You, you're not gonna lock me! —" Hanabi's protests were cut short as the door promptly was closed at her face.
"You… you… you demonic bastard, get back here in this instant!"
Naruto of course by this point was gone very far to listen to Hanabi.
'Fine. I am a Shinobi. You can't contain me here.' She thought vindictively.
Unfortunately, Hanabi ran afoul of the seals set by Naruto before he left.
The demon of course, did not left her alone for the entire night. He came back after hour and a half, in a very good mood. He not only gets to remove the incompetent head of Yakuza of this city, he also managed to install his own puppet leader. All and all, Naruto considered this day to be quite a productive one.
Humming in contentment, a room service guy following him up to his room, Naruto opened the door, and exclaimed,
"What a productive time. Hay Hanabi, where are you?"
In response, the girl attacked him like an angry cat, hissing in barely contained rage. Naruto of course, handled her quite easily, causing her to become angrier. The room service guy, used to the strange behavior of the Shinobi, (With also great self-preservation instincts,) did not gawk at the strange things happening within front of him.
"Should I put the food at the table, sir?"
Naruto, keeping both of Hanabi's arms in a lock, replied, "Oh yeah. Feel free to leave."
"Good. If you need anything, call me." With that, he put the food at the table, and left the strange people to their devices.
Maybe he should also inform his cousin from moving within a Shinobi village? Clearly, whatever they were doing in those villages, it makes the children unstable.
Meanwhile, Hanabi managed to get out of the lock of Naruto, and was now liberally trying to use the gentle fist on the demon to make her displeasure clear. But Naruto through the smell of the food, distracted her, and after ten minutes of more snarling and struggling of Hanabi, both of them were eating the food at the same table.
After eating and spending so much energy before that in expressing her anger, the events of the day finally caught up to the young Hyuga, and she fell asleep from shear exhaustion.
But she could not stay asleep for too long, as the kills she made after her capture and escape, finally started to haunt her.
Being awake because of the nightmares was a new feeling for Hanabi, and she was not enjoying it. she also saw the demon was still awake, working on various things, observing a ring, reading from a scroll, and was it a seal he was working on too?
Hanabi did not understand why would someone work on so many things at once. But her observation was not unnoticed, as the demon after cracking his neck, came to her bed and sat down next to her.
"Nightmares bothering you?"
"Go away."
"You shouldn't feel guilty for them." Hanabi, did not expected to be told something like that.
Wasn't the talk supposed to go how it was fine to kill in the defense of yourself and others, but make sure that you don't enjoy it, etc. etc.?
"What?"
"They were trying to kill you. Didn't you remember the comments of the leader? He was going to sell you and your eyes to the highest bitter."
"But the faces—" Hanabi tried to say.
"Oh, everyone makes them. see, everyone likes to kill people, lord their power over someone else. But once it is their turn, they can't take it."
Covering the confused girl, Naruto said, "Sleep in peace, for you are alive, and they are not."
"Besides, people who trample on others freedom do not deserve any sympathy."
Perhaps her Shinobi instructors would be furious at her to be so relax in a presence of an enemy, that she fell asleep soon once more. But at that moment, she could not bring herself to care.
Besides, Naruto was right. She would have been trading one prison to another one. After all, Hanabi's current position in her clan was of course just barely above a slave.
(Next day.)
Hanabi was awake, and was now taking in her surroundings. Being a Shinobi on a mission, she did not expect to wake up in a nice room with a soft bed.
But soon enough, the memories of yesterday came crashing down at the girl. fighting and getting captured by the bandits, freeing herself from their prison, and the slaughter performed by the Naruto…
As if summoned by her thoughts, the demon appeared out of another part of the room, his hair dripping, a proof that he just got out of a shower.
"Ah, there is nothing like a nice hot shower in the morning to refresh the soul." He remarked cheerfully.
"How would you know? You don't have a soul." His sword, of course was there to annoy him.
"Ah, you wound me Yamato, despite my arrangements to make you get cleaned up by the beautiful apprentices of that blacksmith, you say such a hurtful thing to me?"
"No, no, no. I was out of line, please forgive me, oh mighty and generous wielder." Yamato begged.
"Perhaps considering how quickly you realized your mistake, maybe I would—hay she is awake!" Naruto dropped the banter with his sword like a sack of useless stone, after seeing that the Hanabi was awake.
"Yeah, sure. ignore your sword for a Konoichi who hasn't even entered her teens yet…"
"You know Yamato, I really don't appreciate your insinuations about my character. I have you know that I am an honest and an upstanding demon!"
Hanabi, after the events of the last day, did not have the patience for this early in the morning. So, she asked the next important thing. "Where is the shower?"
Replying to some comment of Yamato, the demon pointed absent mindedly at the far corner of the room, where a door can be seen.
Ignoring still bickering duo, Hanabi quickly got herself inside of the shower room, and by the time she got out, there was a large platter of breakfast waiting for her.
"Did you ordered all of this?" the girl asked to Naruto who was sitting at the table, apparently waiting for her.
"Of course! You are a growing girl; you need to eat. Meanwhile—"
"Meanwhile you are just a glutton."
"That is, it! I am sealing you in a pink forge for hundred days!"
"Nooooo! Lord Uzomaki, please have some mercy!" the horror Yamato felt, cannot be described.
Still ignoring the byplay at the table, Hanabi started to eat, displaying her manners. Which just proved to Naruto that slave or not, being born in a clan was a harsh punishment.
"So, are you going to follow me all the time?"
"What?"
"I have to deliver a letter to the Lord of Land of Claws. Are you going to follow me all the way down there?"
"Well, yes."
With a grimace, the girl resumed her breakfast.
"Though, I do have a way to solve the traveling problem."
"What?"
"I can simply teleport both of us there. Then you can accomplish your mission, and I will have my entertainment, and you can get rid of me sooner."
At this, Hanabi looked at Naruto guiltily. But it was true. despite what he had done for her, she really did not want to be around him. Scratch that, she did not want to be around anyone right now.
"Do it then."
"Ah, ah, ah, first finish your food." Naruto said in a tone as if he is admonishing a child.
Hanabi just started to eat once more, all the while grumbling how she is not a child.
"All the children say that. which just proves that—"
"Let. Me. Eat!" in her rage, Hanabi nearly broke the utensils.
"Okay, okay, man someone is cranky today."
"I am sure you have nothing to do with that."
"Shut up, Yamato!"
(Two hours and many arguments later…)
After leaving the hotel without even bothering to check out at the reception desk, (Which just confirmed that the establishment was owned by Naruto, somehow,) Hanabi was preparing herself to be teleported to her destination.
Considering that people who do know seals are quite rare, and the people who can mess with the space and time and stay alive are even rarer, Shinobi do not get to teleport often, aside from body flicker. But no one cares about that.
"Ready for the departure!" Naruto said, putting one hand on the Hyuga girl's shoulder.
"Wait, what? Don't you need to prepare a seal matrix or something?"
"What are you talking about? There is no need for any of that."
"Oh. Mind telling me how do you do that then?" the Hyuga asked curiously.
"No." was the flat answer of the demon.
"But—"
"I may have saved you out of the goodness of my heart," at this, Yamato just chuckled, "The girl who is the sister of insane Hinata, whose name I can't remember,"
"I am Hanabi. How hard is it to remember?" Hanabi said, frustrated.
"But that does not mean that I will give you my secrets just like that, especially when you haven't defected and joined my horrible and evil side." The demon finished his spiel.
"Just, just teleport damn you."
Flames surrounded one demon and a young Konoichi, the last thing which Hanabi saw was the infuriating smile on Naruto's face, before the flames covered them and made them disappear.
(At the gates of the capital of Land of Claws.)
Hanabi stumbled out of the teleport, looking at Naruto in awe. If someone could use that in a battle, or just use it in general and do not lose their balance, that person might be something. And that something would be terrifying.
Naruto, however was observing the girl in amusement. "I know. It took me quite a long time before I could use it without getting dazed too."
The Hyuga just shook her head, and started to walk towards the gates of the capital. Which were of course, standing tall over the city in quite a grand fashion.
"It is as if these nobles are trying to compensate for something." She muttered under her breath.
"I know, write? At least your clan has true power to back that noble façade, of course a clan of killer nobles, that is."
Ignoring the running commentary of Naruto, Hanabi approached at the guards at the gate. Showing them her official papers from the Leaf for this mission, she declared her intentions.
"Hanabi Hyuga, Shinobi from the Leaf." She said. Turning to her right, where Naruto was observing everything in amusement, (Doesn't he has any other expressions?) she tried to come up with a suitable identity for the demon.
"And this is—" she was saying, but before she could proceed any further, she got interrupted by the guard.
"Who?" the guard handling her papers asked, looking at Hanabi strangely.
The guards had heard strange stories of Shinobi, silent killers who only show up in the open if it suits them. they apparently also have the power to change the entire landscapes when they fight, and of course some of them are really insane.
Or his that cousin from the group of guards of the court says.
Hanabi wanted to say in her most sarcastic tone, "Oh look, he is just standing there." But noticing that people were walking past both of them while ignoring the presence of Naruto as if he never existed there in the first place, Hanabi decided to cut her losses and replied…
"Nothing, I apologize."
The guard started to sweat in fear. 'If Shinobi apologize to you, make sure that you have your last will written.' Were the words of his cousin that guard thought in his mind, while trying to show no sign of his terror.
"No—no problem…" handing her papers, the guard beckoned the next person in line, clearly done with the processing of Hanabi.
"Civilians are strange." The girl muttered while walking away, entering into the capital.
As for Naruto? Let him deal with any complications which arise dew to his presence within this place. If she was found with him, she would use and stick with the hostage excuse as if her life depended on it, which to be honest, it would.
"More like terrified. I mean who gets terrified of one little apology?" the demon asked, walking next to Hanabi.
Before Hanabi could reply, there attention was drawn towards a strange spectacle taking place on the streets.
There was a large group of people gathered around a person, numbering in fifty or so. The people were equipped in poorly maintained weapons, and were not in any condition to fight anyone, let alone hold the weapons properly. Yet, the person around whom they were gathered, was giving a speech to rouse them for their last stand or something along those lines.
What was the strangest thing to Hanabi that the speech apparently worked, and the people rushed at the soldiers and the city guards under the employ of the feudal lord. Of course, these people did not pose a threat to them, but still, Hanabi could not believe that they still rushed at their deaths.
Of course, since a brutal extermination is no place for the normal unarmed people, the streets of the capital were cleared quickly by them. but this was not the concern of the demon walking besides the Hyuga.
"So, what did you thought about that?" Naruto asked Hanabi's thoughts on what they have just witnessed.
"What do you mean by 'That?' it was nothing more than a last stand of a failed rebellion. Personally, I do think that if they can't fight, then these weaklings shouldn't resist."
"You might be right. But I can't begrudge them their efforts. At least they tried for their freedom, and that is something which I can respect."
"Yes, yes, you like the freedom. Can we please pick another topic?" Hanabi said quickly.
Hanabi has heard many rants of Naruto about how he was only fighting for his freedom, that the Shinobi won't leave him alone, despite asking nicely, and what does it matter whether he killed few people in the process? The Leaf in general, at least make five people disappear everyday mysteriously. So, he really did not say why they were whining so much.
Reaching the castle of the feudal lord, which was built like a fortress, Hanabi announced her mission to the guard at the massive doors. She was really getting tired of all these pointless procedures; it is not like that these people could stop a ninja from killing their precious lord if they chose to.
Still, she waited as the announcer in the court of the feudal lord announced her name, and her purpose for coming here.
"Hanabi Hyuga, from the Leaf's Hyuga clan, here with the important message by the Hokage herself to the feudal lord!" the man said grandly.
"Very well. We shall see the Shinobi." Came the voice of the lord.
Rolling her eyes at the overbearing tone of the fool, while ignoring the demon who was exclaiming about things within the lord's castle, she retrieved the letter of the Hokage from her Shinobi pouch, and handed it to the servant who came to collect it. All the while, the advisers of the feudal lord were planning how to best use this new opportunity.
Taking the letter from the servant, the lord started to read the letter. After that, he started to think for a while, after which, he suddenly said excitedly, "There is a war!"
This statement caused a murmur among the court. "All this time, my warnings were ignored, they all called me insane, people even rebelled against me! Yet, I did turn out to be right!"
"I… I see my lord…" one of the advisers said.
"Tell your Hokage Shinobi, that we will join the Leaf in their war."
Appearing out of nowhere, Naruto chuckled. "Hmhmhmhmhm. Wrong choice."
Raising his index finger, Naruto fired a Death Beam right into the forehead of the feudal lord, killing him before anyone could do anything.
"Did you know Yamato, that despite my manipulations, back stabbings, and general evil behavior, I never visited a court of a feudal lord?" Naruto said to his sword.
"And now that you did it, you marked the occasion with a kill, with the royal kill no less. I am impressed Naruto." Yamato said, awe in his voice.
"Tch. Of course, you are." Hanabi gritted her teeth. "Do you have any plans for getting out of here?"
"Easy there. No one can do anything to us here."
"O- oh yeah? Call the guards!" one of the nobles said, bravely.
Though Hanabi did thought him a fool to grab the attention of the demon like that.
The advisers tried to follow this idea, but they were all cut down before they could do so. The servants, and the pitiful security in the court was also not spared the fate of getting slaughtered by the demon.
(Ten minutes later.)
After Naruto killed everyone present within the court, Hanabi and the demon walked out of the castle as if nothing happened.
Hanabi, was thinking how she did not care as all those people were killed one by one with the hands of Naruto. She also remarked in her head that she has in just two days, has seen more death than any Genin since the third Shinobi war.
"See? I told you we won't have any trouble walking out of there." The demon said smugly.
"Whatever."
"Ah, come on now. I am sure you can say something wittier than that?"
But before Hanabi could say how the demon could take his wittiness where the sun doesn't shine, both of them got interrupted by the people out to recruit more fighters for the rebellion.
"You two, you would do fine as a cannon fodder. Come with us." The leader of the recruiters said gruffly.
"No." was the simple reply of Naruto.
The demon considered the entire thing done, then the recruiter did something which changed the thoughts of the Naruto.
"Oh yeah? Then we'll take this kid. I am sure you will cooperate then."
Snorting in derision, for Hanabi could kill all of these morons without any trouble, Naruto instead answering to the recruiter, asked a question to Hanabi.
"Say, what do you think about these people?" the demon asked, while pointing to the recruiter and his lackies.
"I wish they would disappear where I wouldn't have to deal with them." Hanabi said, bord.
"That… can be arranged." Naruto said, as he started to transform in his demonic form which he took during his escape from the Leaf.
Wings grew out of his shoulders, and gloves appeared on his hands, while two horns also grew at the top of his head. The recruiter and his lackies, were too terrified to say anything at this point.
Crouching a little, Naruto beckoned Hanabi towards himself.
"What?" the girl asked, getting close to the demon.
Naruto pointed over his shoulder, emphasizing his bent back.
"You—you want me to get on your back?"
The demon nodded happily.
'Well, might as well.' With that thought, the young Hyuga clambered on Naruto's back, while the demon took flight. She was using Chakra to stick on him just in case he decided that Naruto did not want her in the air with him anymore.
"Behold, the power which you must have, to remain free!" Naruto said, while closing three of his fingers of his right hand, and curling his index finger in such a way as if he was holding over the trigger of a gun.
"Galick Gun, fire!"
With a sound of a large laser getting fired, the energy beam was released from the demon's hand, when the beam reached the capital below, it also increased in size.
Boooooooommmmmmmmmmm!
With a large explosion, the capital of the Land of Claws disappeared from the maps of the elemental nations. In that city's place, there was only a large crater left, while the surrounding area was also damaged.
Hanabi, of course had a front seat for watching a city-wide destructive attack. 'Maybe if I had that level of power, then I wouldn't be branded like cattle.'
Landing in the crater softly, Naruto reverted back to his human form. Hanabi also clambered down from his back.
The young Hyuga observed how some of the rocks at the corner of the crater were still glowing from the heat, while some of them melted, and were now slowly getting back to the solid and deformed shape.
Turning towards the demon, she asked, "Why didn't you used this against the Leaf?"
"If you do remember, I was more intent on leaving peacefully rather than cause wide spread devastation. It's just the people refused, and it all escalated from there. Besides, I am still trying to reach full potential of my demon form."
"Oh." What more she could say? If this was not the full potential of his power, who knows what he could do when he reaches it?
"So, do you want me to teleport you to the Leaf?"
"No!" was the panicked answer of Hanabi.
"Okay…"
"You see, as long as I am outside of the village, I am outside of the authority of my mad sister."
"I got it. I'll take you to the Leaf then."
"Not that you would stop if I asked."
"Right on one."
(Three days later…)
Hanabi, now standing at the road which lead to the Leaf's gates, was currently thinking the time she had in the last week.
Who would have thought that after returning from retrieving that damnable cat, she would receive a mission so spectacular that it would change her outlook on life?
After all the death and mayhem of the first three days, where she saw an entire city disappear, she had a wonderful time with Naruto. Excluding when he was ranting about his philosophy of freedom, constant arguments with his sword of all people, (And wasn't that a confusing thing too? Addressing a sentient sword with the words used for humans.)
And of course, how could she forget the horrible singing of both of them?
"Sun started to dim," Naruto sang in the male section of the hot springs, yet his voice was loud enough to reach to Hanabi in the female section.
"Moon started to set." Yamato was equally loud.
"Oh, this sky,"
"Why is it melting?" both of them sang together.
Still, she won't deny. If the demon asked her to switch over to his side, she would not mind doing so. After all, she very well knew what was waiting for her beyond those gates.
"I guess this is good bye for now." Naruto was saying.
"Yeah."
"Oh, I almost forgot. Make sure to hide that you don't have the seal anymore, okay?" the demon advised.
"I would."
"And, contact Neji."
"Wait, what? Why him—oh."
"Exactly. Be careful girl."
Not saying anything more, Hanabi walked up to the gates of the Hidden Leaf, entered into the village, and prepared herself to make sure that she wouldn't be found out just in her first day in the village.
Meanwhile, Naruto watched her walk towards the gates, he teleported them far enough that Shinobi won't detect their arrival. As the Hyuga disappeared, the demon too left.
(End.)
Author's notes:
You know, when I started to write this chapter, I never thought that it would reach twelve thousand or above. Yet, here I am.
I also have quite a hell of a time as well, I learned web designing in December, (Despite being blind,) got sick and suffered from the throat infection the likes of which I have never experienced before, and started to learn web development from January 13th.
My thoughts on web designing:
It was great to learn how much does it takes to create a website, all those webpages with there own different designs, colors, fonts, images, etc. etc.
But overall, I would not want to be a web designer. Because it is a visual heavy work, and just by my involvement, I would turn it into a two people's job, while in actuality one person is enough to design a small website.
Web development, however is something which I can do myself, since there are no visual aspects to it. as long as my code runs, no one would care how it looks.
Of course, I will try my best to format it in such a way that sighted developers can read it as well, but you know, mistakes happen.
See you on the next chapter.