KG: I think I've beaten last year's record for uploads.
Music of the Week: A Post-Apocalyptic Soundtrack by Andreas Zoeller
Quote: "One day, I looked out at the sun, the grass and the oceans. I looked at the people roaming the streets. I stared at the clouds. I stared at the stars. Then, I woke up from the dream."
Naruto dropped his kunai and fell back to the wall. He wasn't sure whether to cry or laugh. Hell, he might have done a mixture of both. One of Kurenai's students was still alive. That alone made the blond happy. Then there was a young kunoichi in Tenten, Neji's teammate. If he wasn't so exhausted, he might have hugged them both out of sheer elation.
"You both have no idea how awesome it is to see your faces dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed as he leaned back against the wall. The two quickly sat next to him.
"You don't look so bad yourself. Where were you hiding? We searched the tunnels for weeks and never found a soul," Tenten replied.
Confused, Naruto pointed upwards. "What do you mean? I've been on the surface in the village. You guys won't believe all the crazy stuff out there!" he answered back.
Tenten and Shino looked at each other. Though it was dark, with two flashlights it was easy to do. They looked like they didn't believe what they were hearing. "You…you were on the surface?" Tenten asked.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki nodded. "Yeah, I'm at my apartment with Ayame-neechan and Kurenai-san. Rescued them both and now we've hunkered down," "He said.
Though he and Tenten didn't see it, Shino visibly relaxed. So, his sensei was still alive after all. Well, that was some good news in this otherwise depressing world. However, that didn't answer the glaring issue present. "Naruto," Shino spoke.
The blond turned to him.
"Are you sure you were on the surface?" the former Aburame heir asked.
Naruto grew worried. "What? Of course I was! Just look at all this stuff I got!" he said as he showed them his backpack. He opened it and both genin gawked at the supplies he'd gathered. There was some eaten food, two bottles of water, binoculars, storage scrolls, and sets of kunai and shuriken.
Tenten picked up one of the kunai. She shivered from its cold touch. How long? How long had it been since she felt the feel of sharp steel in the palm of her hand? Way too long! A perfectly well-maintained kunai and not the rusty ones they'd been using.
"But…but that's impossible," the kunoichi of Team Guy stated. This got the attention of the young genin. He looked between them both. Okay, he was starting to get worried.
"What's impossible?" he asked as Shino picked up a shuriken.
"The air is toxic, Naruto. No one can survive up there. If you up there then you'd have seen all the bodies on the ground, nothing but bones, right? The only places we've gone to are the Forest of Death Tower and the Anbu Headquarters. Out the windows, we saw…the bodies," Shino replied slowly.
Naruto widened his eyes upon this realization. He wanted to think they were messing with him, but the look of horror on their faces, well he couldn't really tell with Shino, was enough to let him know they weren't joking.
"Well, that didn't happen to me. It didn't happen to Ayame-neechan and Kurenai-san either. I've gone out almost every day for nearly a month now!" the blond Jinchuuriki exclaimed.
The other two genin looked at each other. It wasn't that they thought Naruto was lying. It just…seemed so impossible for him to be telling the truth. After all, the evidence of him being on the surface was obvious. Despite going into the Tower in the Forest of Death and the Anbu Headquarters there weren't any weapons. No one knew why. Surely they couldn't all have been taken, but that was the case. They hadn't seen a kunai or shuriken until now.
"We should inform Kosuke-san about this," Shino said.
Tenten agreed. Naruto looked confused. Who was that?
Once the three rested, Shino and Tenten asked for Naruto to follow them. Seeing as how he was only stumbling his way through the dark tunnels, he wisely decided to do so. The trio walked together. Naruto heard the sound of their steps echoing through the creaking steel. Tenten's flashlight roamed the halls back the way the two came.
"Excuse me, Naruto. I have a question," Shino said.
Naruto had a feeling he knew what that question was going to be. It brought him great unease and sadness. He never thought he'd break news like this to someone like Shino. "Is it about Kiba and Hinata?" Naruto asked.
Shino didn't even reply. The bug user already knew he'd been found out. Well, perhaps he made it kind of obvious. He just looked at the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, silently waiting for his words. However, judging by the way the blond's head dipped down and his face filled with despair, the Aburame wondered if he even wanted to know.
"Kiba and Hinata are dead. Kiba was at the Chunin Exam Stadium. Hinata was…she was somewhere else," the blond answered.
Naruto heard nothing. He looked at Shino. The genin looked forward. Naruto couldn't properly gauge his friend's reaction from the darkness and his black glasses. "I see," Shino said. He spoke nothing more.
Oddly, Tenten didn't ask about her own team. Naruto didn't have the heart to bring it up either. It actually wasn't until another ten minutes of awkward silence passed that he spoke again.
"So, how did you guys make it down here? Kurenai told me about this spot, but she said only a jonin could open it. How'd you guys get in?" he questioned.
Tenten chuckled. "You might not believe it, but a genin helped us get in," she said.
Naruto stopped.
What? A genin helped them?! Was it possible there was someone who could use the green chakra just like him? Though excited, Naruto held his nerve. Perhaps he'd get his questions when he got to…wherever they were leading him.
The flashlight shined in his face. "Something wrong?" Tenten asked.
Naruto shook his head. "No. Sorry, just found it strange is all," he said as he rubbed the back of his head.
The female genin nodded. "Well, he's a genin in rank, but jonin in skill. He's who we're taking you to meet. Kosuke Maruboshi-san, better known as The Eternal Genin," she said.
Naruto's mouth thinned. The guy definitely didn't sound that tough if he was called something like that. That said, he learned not to underestimate people. Maybe there was something he was missing here. After all, he'd gotten by because people underestimated him in the same capacity.
As they walked, Tenten told her story. Once the Oto-Suna Invasion of Konoha started, she immediately started helping move people to the shelters and bunkers. She'd managed to dispatch a few enemies, but her main focus was the safety of civilians. It was then that she saw the giant rock fall from the heavens and slam into the earth. Its force was so great that it shook the ground beneath her feet. She figured she must have passed out because when she woke up Konoha stunk of dead. She'd seen the rotting corpses and decaying bodies lining the streets. She'd heard the people screaming as chaos and anarchy reigned through the village. She also remembered…how hard it was to breathe.
Tenten ran through Konoha, its buildings on fire, its people in disarray, and the sheer chaos of everything wrapping around her like a hot blanket of death and destruction. She watched earthquakes sink homes and families. Friends and neighbors were crushed and stamped into the ground over others. Not even children were safe as falling debris crushed them without mercy. All this and Tenten could only watch as people began clawing at their faces and necks in pain. She remembered the blood that spilled out before they fell to the ground dead.
The air was too tight, too thick, too strong. She'd passed out. When she woke up, she was with Shino, and Kosuke Maruboshi beneath Konoha in the tunnels. It was her and them along with a few other genin, chunin, jonin, and civilians.
At first, everything worked well for a week. A few jonin led the survival group and began tasking orders. Kosuke, though a genin, was one of them. The genin were in charge of tending to the civilians. The chunin were tasked with heading out and reporting back the situation. A jonin would go with them to unlock the doors. That's how it was supposed to go.
The first group…never returned.
Worried, the second group went out to look for them a week later. They didn't return either.
After that, the civilians were rightfully scared. They began pointing blame, some got angry, and others got scared. Loss of food, water, and shelter, fighting began to take place. Kosuke calmed everyone down. He said that they would be fine. He also said that he would check to see what was going on. Tenten managed to convince Shino that they should investigate as well even though they should have stayed behind.
Both watched as Kosuke, a jonin, and four chunin got around together five days later. They would exit out the Tower of the Forest of Death and look through the village. If there were enemy forces, then the trees would make for good cover. It was a solid plan. It could work.
It didn't.
It went wrong.
It went…just so wrong.
The jonin and four chunin stepped out. The instant they did, Tenten had nightmares about what she saw. The four chunin inhaled the air and screamed as their bodies turned to bones and their bones turned to dust. The jonin might have lasted a second longer, but before he could even turn around he was dead. That was when Tenten knew…their world was gone. That was probably why the groups went missing. They…didn't even make it past the front yard of the Forest of Death.
Kosuke went back to the group and they were furious. He tried to tell them what he'd seen. Hell, even though it exposed them, Tenten and Shino tried to back up his claims. However, who would listen to an old man and two genin? The civilians, remaining genin, and few shinobi guards all left save Kosuke, Shino, and Tenten. They left down another hallway with what supplies they could get. In the weeks that followed, Tenten wondered what happened to them for she never saw anyone ever again. From then on, it had just been her, Shino, and Kosuke in the weeks that followed.
Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat from the story. When he asked Shino, his friend merely shook his head. He merely replied with, "I'll tell it another time."
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki assumed it was because his friend was dejected about the news of his friends. He didn't push the matter. Besides, Shino wasn't the type of guy to talk about his feelings anyway. Maybe Kurenai could get something out of him when they met.
After some more walking, Tenten and Shino guided Naruto down a long ladder. A few turns of tunnels later, he noticed a large door. The kunoichi knocked on it five times, then three, then ten. She grabbed the doorknob and opened the door.
When Naruto stepped inside, he saw a plethora of sleeping rags and empty cans. There were a few steel barrels filled with fire. More than likely they were meant to resemble fire pits. He'd used one as well, just not so big. They also seemed to provide just enough light so someone didn't trip over themselves.
When the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki finally got a good look at Tenten and Shino, he was rather surprised. Not only were they pale, but they were also much thinner, almost sickeningly so. They reminded him of the times he had to go without food. Then there were the bags beneath their eyes, well Tenten's that he could see. He'd seen that in himself too when he looked into his mirror.
"Nice place," Naruto remarked.
"Well, I don't think Hokage-sama created this place for it to be a hotel resort," Tenten answered as she guided him through a hallway with a series of empty rooms. In those rooms, the blonde said sleeping bags and sheets. No doubt, people had been down here with them before. Clearly, they were all that was left.
Shino knocked on the door. "Kosuke-san, we've returned early. It's an important matter," the young genin of Team 8 said.
"Ah, Shino-kun, do enter. I've boiled some hot water,"
An elderly voice came from the other side. Naruto raised an eyebrow while Shino opened the door. "You better pull out an extra tin can then! We have a guest," Tenten replied.
Naruto stepped inside and he saw an old man in ragged clothes. His hair was as grey as storm clouds. His face showed a few signs of wrinkles. He was also just as pale, if not paler than Tenten and Shino. Then again, what else could you expect from people who lived down here?
Kosuke stared at the young Uzumaki. As far as he could tell, the boy wasn't living in the tunnels with them. He was much too fit. From lack of food and water, he, Shino, and Tenten began to show effects of deterioration. Yet, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki looked as well as he'd ever been. In fact, there was something about the boy that almost felt…intimidating to the old man. He didn't know why. He'd met powerful shinobi before. He served under three Hokage. He was used to seeing powerful, godly people, but this boy…something told him to submit himself. It was deeply concerning. It was possible because he was that man's son, but…Kosuke somehow doubted it.
"Uzumaki Naruto. And here I was hoping for a day where nothing goes on," Kosuke said as he took a can of hot water and sipped it.
"You know me, old man?" the blond asked.
Kosuke laughed. "Indeed I do. I'd have to be living under a rock to not know you, Naruto-san. You made use of the Kyuubi's chakra in the Chunin Exam. Quite the feat for such a young man. This little hut isn't much, but I welcome you," the Eternal Genin responded.
The young genin's mouth thinned before he slowly nodded, somewhat perplexed by this situation. He was offered a seat. He took it graciously. Once he sat down, Shino closed the door and Tenten wasted no time explaining things.
"Kosuke-san, listen to this! Naruto's not from the tunnels! He's been outside since the day the giant rock fell from the sky!" she exclaimed a little too excitedly. The weapon user quickly composed herself while Kosuke frowned. The elderly man pulled his can from his lips. He wanted to appear hopeful, but like many others, even that seemed to be dwindling these days.
"Is that true, Naruto-san?" Maruboshi asked.
"Yeah. Shino and Tenten claimed the air's toxic, but I've been breathing the air since this all started. Nothing's happened to me. Nothing's happened to Ayame-neechan nor Kurenai-san," he answered.
Kosuke scratched his chin. That was definitely odd. The air had to be toxic. That was the only explanation for what trapped them down here for so long. Could it have passed? That was possible, but the young genin claimed he'd been doing this since Day One. That was the day people started dying and chaos ruptured through the streets of Konoha. Something wasn't adding up here.
"Hmmm, perhaps a story might be best," the Eternal Genin said.
Shino and Tenten sat down while Naruto began his tale. He talked about his week beneath the pile of logs, and how he made it back to Konoha. He talked about how he found his apartment, rescued Kurenai and Ayame. He spoke of the horrors he saw and the creatures he faced. Shino was particularly interested in the bugs the blond encountered when he fell into that deep crevice. Tenten and Kosuke were worried about that thing he encountered at the Chunin Exam Stadium. To hear of Teuchi's demise, saddened Kosuke. The man was a dear friend.
When Naruto was done, the others processed what he'd told them. He had chosen to leave a few things out such as how he'd taken care of Ayame and Kurenai, his training, and the green chakra. That said, it wasn't like Naruto didn't trust Shino. He was a good friend. A weird friend, but a good one. He didn't know much about Tenten, and he'd never heard of this old man before. Strong genin or not, he wasn't taking any chances.
"I see. Sounds like you've had a rough time. So that's why it's been getting colder down here. It's started snowing. By your own words, the snow is…alive?" he asked.
Naruto nodded. He knew it sounded ridiculous, but snow didn't act like that!
While the trio thought on the matter, Naruto grabbed his backpack. "I don't have a lot of food on me, but I can at least give you guys what I didn't eat or drink," he said. He handed Shino a half-eaten bag of chips and two and a half bars of granola to Tenten. He also gave Kosuke two bottles of water. It wasn't much, but for the three who only saw food sparingly, it might as well have been gold.
"Thank you, N-Naruto!" Tenten lowly sobbed as she ate.
Shino offered his thanks as well and partook of the chips while Kosuke began dividing up the water. Well, it certainly held true that the blond had been up there. Bottled water, chips, and granola weren't seen down in these tunnels. He had to have gotten them from the surface, but…how?
Naruto watched Kosuke, Shino, and Tenten eat. Though there was barely anything, they still shared amongst each other. As he expected, it wasn't long before they ran out of everything he provided.
"That tasted so good. It might as well have been a five-course meal," Tenten sighed happily. Kosuke laughed while Shino faced forward.
The group fell into silence for a moment before Maruboshi cleared his throat. "Well, thank you for the gifts, Naruto-san. So I assume Kurenai helped you with opening the sealed door?" Kosuke asked.
"Y-Yeah," Naruto lied. It was a lie that The Eternal Genin effortlessly caught, but he didn't push it. He'd noticed some of the blond's behavior but didn't address it. He had no idea why Naruto would lie.
"I see. Well then, I suggest we all head for the Anbu Headquarters. I've disabled the traps there long ago. We can camp out there until the snow stops. Then we can test if Naruto-san really can go outside. If he can then we'll try as well. Who knows, we might actually be in the clear," Maruboshi said.
Shino leaned forward. "What if he can and we can't?" he asked.
Everyone was silent for a moment before Naruto spoke. He took out his map and showed them all the places he had marked. "My apartment is right here. If it's stopped snowing then I'm heading straight there. To be honest, I was looking for another place to stay with them. We settled on these tunnels anyway. We'll run your tests, but if I can go and you can't then I'm just going to grab them and run back here. Kurenai is still sick. I'll run them here as fast as possible. Then I'll run back out and try to grab what I can from the other apartment rooms. That's where all the stuff I've stored is," he said.
Tenten slowly nodded. "And you've been communicating to them with this headset? I guess the snow cut off the connection, or maybe it was the tunnels themselves. Plus, being down here doesn't help," she said. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki agreed.
"That certainly complicates matters. If Naruto's the only one who can survive up there then we'll have to rely on him for finding supplies. Yet, you said you carried Kurenai and Ayame back to your apartment and they were fine?" he asked.
Naruto swiftly nodded. "Well, yeah. Though, I guess when I saw them neither of them was outside. Kurenai-san was in a house and Ayame-neechan was in the basement levels of the Chunin Exam Stadium where that…thing was. But yeah, nothing happened to them when I got them," he said.
The other sat on the floor utterly confused. There had to be something that they weren't seeing. Absently, Naruto wondered if it was because of his green chakra. Maybe he'd been using that to keep himself alive and them as well. Yet, how was that possible? He hadn't accessed it in the week or two following the time before he found Ayame or Kurenai. He breathed just fine all those times. What was going on?
Suddenly, Kosuke clapped. "Alright, alright. Based on the map, it seems Naruto-san's telling the truth, but you know what they say. Seeing is believing. Shino-kun, Tenten-chan, if you're both fit enough then we'll quickly move to the Anbu Headquarters. There is a room where we can perfectly view everything on the mountain ridge past where the Hokage Stone Faces used to be," the elderly shinobi said.
The young kunoichi nodded. "Yeah, I'm down to go. That was the first decent meal I've had in weeks. Not passing this up!" she said.
Shino also agreed. "Neither am I. This will be an enlightening experience," he said.
Kosuke smiled and patted his legs. "Well, I think we're all for a vote. Then let's collect what we need and escort Naruto-san to his destination!" the elderly man said. Tenten and Shino eagerly agreed.
While Naruto packed his bag, he felt a hand on his shoulder. When he turned, he noticed the Eternal Genin staring down at him with an odd smile. It unnerved the young man a little. Neither spoke a word until the older man released his hand and walked out of the room, leaving the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki confused.
Once Naruto finished packing, he walked out the door. He noticed them waiting for him. Apparently, they didn't have much to pack.
"Watch your step, Naruto. We had several traps down here. Though we never spotted anything, you can't be too careful," she said.
He nodded. "Alright, lead the way then," he said. The three nodded and before long, Naruto found himself being guided by his two friends and their mysterious leader.
The trip wasn't anything spectacular. It involved a lot of walking and a lot of climbing up ladders. Even though they were deep beneath the ground, Naruto could hear the sounds of the blizzard outside. The ladders creaked and each step echoed eerily. He worried for Ayame and Kurenai. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he failed to protect them. If he ever met Teuchi again, how would he explain to him that he failed to protect his daughter?
The young Uzumaki tried not to think about these things too much. He just had to hope and pray that they'd be fine until he returned. Well, he was never much for praying even before all this shit started.
"Shino, if you don't mind me asking, what happened to your Aburame bugs? Kurenai and I haven't been able to gather chakra for a long time now. I assume it's the same for you, so what's going on?" Naruto asked curiously as he, Shino, Tenten, and Kosuke climbed up another bunker ladder.
"The Aburame and kikaichu are very understanding of one another. If you're worried that they'll start feasting on me, then don't be. I've merely asked them to go into diapause," he replied.
"Dino what now?" the blond asked. He thought he heard a laugh from below.
"Diapause, Naruto. Some insects, when it's cold go into diapause to survive cold weather or winter months. The kikaichu are in diapause, an unmoving state until I find some means of recovering my chakra for them to feast on. I hope I find a way because they'll die if I keep them like that for too long," the Aburame here replied.
The blond genin slowly nodded as they continued climbing. Should he tell Shino he'd eaten some bugs to survive while under those logs? No. HELL NO!
After about an hour, Naruto figured they were along the side of the mountain because the tunnel started to curve upwards. Constantly, the group of four was surrounded by darkness. The journey up was made through creaking metal, but finally, they all were rewarded.
Kosuke led the three genin to a separate set of hallways. In those hallways laid a black door that had been torn off its hinges. A staircase led upwards. The group ventured forward and it wasn't long before the elderly genin grabbed another door handle and pushed it open. They all walked through.
Naruto noticed they were all in what could only be described as an office of sorts. A very trashed office at that. A broken desk, cracked lamps, shattered floorboards, and a torn carpet all laid there.
Tenten kicked a fallen glass jar to the side. It rolled to where no one would find it again. "Not very put together, is it?" Naruto asked.
Tenten grunted. "Trust us. It looked better before we had to break down the floorboards and wooden shelves for firewood," she replied.
Meanwhile, Naruto turned his head to one of the open windows. He didn't know what part of the Anbu Headquarters they were in. Hell, he didn't even know there was one until just a few moments ago. When he got there, he and the others stared out at the snowfall. Even the pieces that landed on the window started to stitch themselves together. It probably wouldn't be long before they cracked the window and got inside.
A breath to calm himself, Naruto stared out into the world. All was covered in snow and he watched as that snow, like some strange virus, clung together and scaled the sides of buildings. Some had accumulated so much snow that they were crushed beneath their own weight. Clearly, the more snow fell, the more and more it stuck together the heavier it got. When it got too heavy, it would break down homes and shelters, taking anyone alive in them.
The young man felt his hands shake. His apartment was already in bad shape before the snow. Could it stand against all this other stuff?
"What is that?!" Tenten asked as she stared at the window. Shino and Kosuke stared out as well. They all saw what Naruto saw. They watched the snowflakes string themselves together. Like thousand of parasitic vermin, they latched together intent on conquering all they touched.
"That's what nearly got me, dattebayo!" the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki replied.
The three gasped. How had the world changed in so short a time? It was like a horror movie gone wrong. Now they understood what Naruto meant when he said the snow was alive. How could snow and ice even move like this?
"Board up the windows as best you can. We can't have this stuff getting inside," Maruboshi said.
The kunoichi of Team Gai and genin of Team Eight agreed. They grabbed one of the bookshelves and pushed it to the window. While that wouldn't do much, it was all they had.
"Great, so how are we supposed to test Naruto now? We can't send him out in that!" Tenten exclaimed.
Kosuke frowned and scratched his chin. Tenten was right. Whether Naruto could survive out there normally wasn't the problem. Clearly, he couldn't survive now. Plus, from the way all of this was spreading, it wouldn't be long before it covered most of the village. Plus, how long would it take before this snow started to melt? Though the Eternal Genin didn't like the thought, they might have to say goodbye to the Anbu Headquarters as well.
"Wait, I have an idea," Naruto suddenly said.
Tenten looked stunned. "You have an idea? YOU?!" She questioned.
A glare was met for her troubles. The weapon kunoichi didn't know why, but she felt a shiver run through her spine at his gaze. It made her feel like just maybe she said the wrong thing. She didn't remember the last time she'd felt so terrified. Hell, she'd been on C and B rank missions before. Yet, none of them felt like what she felt now. Was it his chakra that she felt? She didn't think so. It was something more.
The kunoichi cleared her throat and wisely decided to keep her comments to herself.
Naruto leaned against the wall near the window and turned on his radio. "Ayame-neechan, Kurenai-san, do you read me?" he asked.
The three widened their eyes. He had a radio! It was hard to tell in the dark of the tunnels. Plus, the room they were in didn't offer much light, but they could all make out a working radio and headset on his head.
The four waited silently. Naruto felt his heart grow heavy as another structure fell to its knees not far off. The cold wind was a cruel howl in his ears. "Ayame-neechan, Kurenai-san, do you read me?!" He asked, a bit more urgently this time.
"Naruto-kun?! Oh, thank Kami! We've tried to radio you for the past two hours! Are you alright?" Ayame asked.
Naruto inhaled and exhaled. He chuckled happily and his fist knocked against the wall. "Yeah, I'm fine. Listen, I've got some good news. I've met up with a few people. Shino, Tenten, and a man named Kosuke! We're here in the Anbu Headquarters," the blond spoke proudly.
"...you meet Shino? Shino's alive?" a soft voice asked. No doubt, Naruto knew that to be the Genjutsu Mistress on the other line.
"Yeah. Hang on!" Naruto said. He then took off his headset and handed it to Shino. He pointed at it with the widest grin on his face. The Aburame stared at the headset, but took it all the same. He placed it on his head.
"Hello?" He called.
"...Shino. Thank Kami, you're alive. It's good to hear your voice!" Kurenai said on the other side.
The Aburame heir never thought himself as emotional. Yet, not even he couldn't help lifting up his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "It's good to hear you as well, Kurenai-sensei. Are you alright?" Shino asked.
He heard a cough on the other line. "I'm doing fine," she replied.
As much as Naruto wanted this lovely reunion to continue, he couldn't. He asked for the headset. "Ayame-neechan, how is the apartment doing?" he asked.
There was a pause on the line. "Bad, Naruto-kun. One of the rooms collapses because of all the snow. When I checked, the snow somehow began cracking the walls. It broke inside and shifted the complex. It won't be long until it falls. I think we're blessed we've got this long. N-N-Naruto, the snow is breaking into the living room. It's so cold, the snow is turning into ice. The ice forms place blades of diamond and stabs through the window. I'm scared to go to sleep. I don't think we'll last even two more days," she said.
Naruto scowled, but he kept his mind clear. He looked at his three companions. He sighed. "Ayame-neechan, gather everything together that you can. Put on any comforting and covering clothes that you can find! Use the towels and bed sheets if you've got to. I don't care. I'm coming to get you both!" he stated strongly.
"What?! No, it's too dangerous, Naruto-kun! We could be too far from…,"
"Don't argue with me, Ayame-neechan! I'm not letting you both die! Just be prepared to leave!" Naruto said as he took off his headset and handed it to Kosuke.
"Stay on the line with them. Take me to the front door of this place," he said.
Kosuke looked at the young genin. When was the last time he'd seen such a ferocious, commanding fire in eyes like those? Between the chaos that seemed to rule over lesser minds, his mind remained clear and his goals strong. The Eternal Genin couldn't help feeling impressed and surprised. There were many points he could have argued, but he couldn't bring himself to speak them.
"Follow me," Kosuke said.
They followed him and Naruto ripped off the many curtains, drapes, and anything else he could find. He wrapped them around himself and tasked Tenten and Shino with gathering any firewood that they could. The two obeyed without complaint. They broke down the wood from some desks and took some wooden swords from the armor.
"Naruto, what's your plan?" Tenten asked.
"I'm going to go get them," he replied.
The kunoichi snorted. "Yeah, thanks. We got that, but what are you going to…," she stopped as they all came to the front of the building. Naruto ordered them to drop the wood in the center of the reception area. Yes, apparently the Anbu Headquarters had a reception area. Don't ask him why.
Naruto stared out into the intense blizzard. He placed his goggles over his eyes. He then reached into his backpack and pulled out some matches. "Alright, put the wood in here on the floor. I'll set it on fire. Whatever you do, keep it hot," He said.
Slowly, Kosuke realized where the blond was going with this. It was rather unorthodox, but it would definitely work. Though the snow and ice were still fearsome outside, at the end of the day…it was still snow and ice. It was the natural enemy of fire.
"But can you even find your apartment in this storm?!" Tenten asked.
Naruto snorted. "Please, I once found my way home blindfolded," he boasted before he tore off a piece of cloth and wrapped it around his mouth. The rest of the curtains, drapes, and torn carpets he found were tied around his body. His arms, his legs, and his face were all protected. That said, he wondered how long it would stay this way.
"Alright, I'm as covered as I'm gonna get. Close the door as soon as I'm out. Stay close to the fire," the young genin said. The three nodded. He then grabbed the door hands. Even with his hands covered, they still felt cold. He shivered when he stared at the thousands of snow flurries rushing outside.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki inhaled and exhaled again. He summoned the green chakra in his body and used it on his arms, legs, lungs, and heart. It was rather hard to control so many areas, but he needed to. If he was going to have any hope of getting to them and them all returning alive, then he'd have to push himself. For them, he'd do it!
Naruto pulled the doors open. The frozen winds blasted in his face, but he didn't care. He sucked in his legs. Tenten, Kosuke, and Shino stood stunned as the ground beneath his feet cracked. Then, he dashed out with all the force he could put behind his steps. A blast of broken tile from the floor ruptured in their faces as he leapt into the air. Though shocked, they quickly grabbed the doors and closed them.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki felt the snow cling to his clothes as he sailed through the air. He landed on a rooftop. It was cold. It was so very cold. His body already felt heavier. No doubt the snow was stitching together, ready to overtake him if he stayed. He jumped off the building's snow-covered rooftop, snow stretching together beneath his boot.
Naruto ran and ran and ran! He ran so hard his lungs burned. He wouldn't let it happen! He wouldn't let them die! He'd seen enough death to last a lifetime. If he could help it, he couldn't stand the thought of losing anyone else. He knew it might break him down if it did.
As the young genin landed on another rooftop, he lifted up his leg, but it was stuck. He looked down. The snow was beginning to crawl from the rooftops and onto his boot. He forced the green chakra to move him. He leaped into the air and continued dashing to the southeast. Though the winds were fierce, his determination was fiercer.
Naruto panted as he felt his covering get stronger still. How much snow had accumulated on his body? He'd rather not count. It would just distract him.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki zoomed in on his apartment. As he had trained with his green chakra, it powered him to run as far and as fast as he could. He already knew that when he would stop using it, the pain would be excruciating. However, when he remembered Teuchi's dying body, Hinata's eyeless face, and the corpses of Kiba and Lee, he knew that the pain, if he failed, would be much worse.
As Ayame said, the snow was beginning to crack through the brittle walls. It wouldn't be long before his home was sent crashing down just like everything else. Naruto landed on his rooftop. He then kicked his door down. They wouldn't be coming back here anyway. It was time to say goodbye.
Kurenai and Ayame jumped out of their skin as they saw Naruto standing there, his body covered in so much snow and crawling ice. They wondered how he was even standing.
"Naruto-kun…," Ayame said before the blond moved.
"I'll take Kurenai-san first since she's the most vulnerable. I swear I'll be back for you, Ayame-neechan!" He exclaimed. He tore off the curtains and drapes he'd been using. He then grabbed the shower rake he was using to block the windows. He covered himself with that.
Kurenai gasped as she felt Naruto picked her up in his arms. Before the jonin could speak, he dashed out of the window with her in his arms. The Genjutsu Mistress held her arms around his neck as he protected her from the snow and ice. Her breath was cold, but she found his body to be rather warm and filled with mysterious, yet comforting power. Her face buried in his neck as the harsh winds buffeted against them.
The added weight of Kurenai wasn't easy to hold, but Naruto fucking did it anyway! He made it back to the Anbu Headquarters. Honestly, it took longer than he thought. The way up was much harder than the way down. He kicked the doors open.
Tenten, Kosuke, and Shino gasped as Naruto set Kurenai down near the fire. The snow quickly began to melt while she looked at the three in surprise. Her eyes landed on Shino and his landed on his teacher. Forgive Kurenai if she was a bit overwhelmed, but she hugged her student and turned her head to thank her savior, but he was already gone. The indents on the floor were the only thing that indicated that he had been there.
Naruto growled as he felt the snow cover one of his arms. His goggles were also getting covered with the stuff. He wiped it off with his arm, but he knew the snow would only start accumulating there. One of his legs had been covered with snow and ice as well. It made it very hard to move.
Finally, Naruto made it back to his apartment. Ayame smiled at him while he took off more of the curtains, drapes, and carpets he'd used for a makeshift coat. His shower curtains had already been destroyed and claimed by the deadly weather outside. Instead, he grabbed the sheets from his bed and some of his spare futon stuff. He grabbed the curtains from his bedroom.
The young Uzumaki's mind was racing like a thrown kunai. Everything seemed so clear, yet so muddy. To be honest, he thought he was moving on instinct at the least. While he was thinking about the goals to be done, he was already doing them. He grabbed however many storage scrolls he had and began sealing all the shit he had looted from the other rooms. He sealed the water, food, clothes, medicine supplies, bathroom supplies, mattresses, sheets, pots, and anything else of value that everyone could use in this slowly dying world they all lived in. By the time he was done, he had a backpack full of scrolls.
Once that was done, he appeared in front of Ayame. The ramen waitress wouldn't deny it. Naruto looked so…so…gallant in her eyes. He was like a living, breathing hero that stood before her. He really came back for them. Just like back at the Chunin Exam Stadium, he rescued her once again. The brunette didn't know why, but her heart leapt in droves.
"Trust me?" Naruto asked, his hand reached out.
"Always, Naruto-kun," Ayame said as she took his hand. He picked her up in his arms. She felt safe there. She couldn't stop the smile on her face. There was a pang of sadness when she saw how…empty his apartment was. Just like everything else, it too would be gone with time.
Naruto sucked in his legs and dashed back into the storm. Ayame shivered in his embrace as the snow continued to cling to them both. Ayame brushed off what she could with her gloves, but it didn't matter. It quickly started to accumulate and crawl on her, ready to devour her and her Naruto, her blond, heroic savior at a moment's notice.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki kicked open the doors to the Anbu Headquarters. Kosuke and Tenten heaved as they closed the door and placed five blocks of wood against the handles. Everyone stared at Naruto. His body was covered by the snow. Thousands of stringy ice knitted themselves together like a coming virus. One of the goggles' eye pieces had been completely frosted. One of his legs was being consumed. Yet, he did it. He saved both Ayame and Kurenai.
"Quickly, get some fire on him," Kosuke said as Naruto slowly put Ayame down. He smiled at her and she smiled back as the others placed burning wood on his clothes.
The snow quickly stopped its expanse. It melted off his body. His back felt so much lighter… and wetter. His leg was freed from its frozen prison and the snow on his arm merely dissolved into the fabric on his clothes. In no time, Naruto was also saved from the predatory elements as he allowed the green chakra to fade.
"ARGH!" Naruto groaned as he fell to his knees and clutched his legs and arms.
"Naruto? Naruto-kun, what's wrong?" Ayame asked. She got up instantly and went over to him as he writhed in pain.
He couldn't answer her. The pain was too unbearable. The strain he'd placed on his legs by pushing both his body and his chakra was immense. His muscles tightened and his innards burned. Yet, he was happy. He was happy to take this pain. It was the penalty for the victory he'd awarded himself.
For the next hour, Ayame comforted Naruto as his body tortured him for what he put it through. She and the others grew considered when he spat blood on the floor. However, once that hour was over, they could all breathe easy when his pains halted. His head rested on Ayame's lap. His eyes fluttered.
"I-Is everyone alright?" he asked.
Ayame wiped her eyes. "Yes, Naruto-kun. You saved us. You saved all of us," she replied. He smiled as he leaned his head back.
"Well, I guess that proves whether he can go outside or not," Tenten remarked more to herself than the others. Yet, they heard her.
Shino quickly agreed. "Yes. Ayame-san and Kurenai-sensei were the same. They could survive outside as well," the bug wielder replied.
"Maybe that means we can go outside too, ya know after it stops snowing," she said. The others quickly agreed.
Ayame used a torn piece of curtain to rub down Naruto's forehead. He'd been sweating quite a bit since his pain subsided. She took off his backpack and tossed it to the side. "So you've all been living in the tunnel system designed by Sandaime-sama for a month?" she asked.
"Indeed. However, I'm more intrigued by Naruto-san. He managed to run from the Anbu Headquarters to his apartment in the southeast quadrant of the village in under six minutes. Even most jonin would need ten minutes to make it that far. How did he get over there so fast?" Kosuke asked.
Unfortunately, the only person who could answer that question was currently resting on Ayame's lap near the small fire pit Tenten and Shino made. They looked at him as he slept.
After about an hour passed, Naruto opened his eyes. "Glad you're awake, Naruto-kun," Ayame said with a welcoming smile.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki slowly leaned up and rubbed his head. He noticed he passed out just in front of the door where the freezing blizzard raged.
"How long was I asleep?" he asked.
"About an hour," Ayame answered.
Naruto rubbed his neck and stared at his bag. Everyone surrounded him. "Alright, let's get away from the doors. Kurenai-san is still sick. I also got everything from my apartment. We'll need to sort everything in the tunnels," he claimed.
"Shouldn't Kurenai-sensei be telling us our next plans? She's the highest ranked official here," Tenten said. She didn't think what Naruto said was a bad thing, but she did think the jonin should be the one leading the effort.
The Genjutsu Mistress sighed. "Listen to Naruto. I'm not in the condition to lead anyone. Besides, he's the one who knows the most about the situation outside. I also hate to admit it but out of all of us, he's the only protector we've got right now. We'll have to see what happens when I feel better, but if your stories are anything to go by then there's a reason you three weren't able to go to the surface. If the same does apply to Ayame and myself then Naruto's our only hope of surviving," the black-haired woman said.
Tenten opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. "I second your idea, Kurenai-san. Until this blizzard blows over and we can truly test if Shino-kun, Tenten-chan, and myself can weather the environment, Naruto is all we have," Maruboshi suddenly said.
Everyone turned to Naruto and suddenly the blond felt a little out of his element. Everyone looked to him, ready to follow whatever he said. It was a rather nice feeling, if an uncomfortable one. He cleared his throat and stood to his feet. He wobbled a moment and felt a little dizzy, but with Ayame's help he stood straight.
"Alright, Kurenai-san, can you walk?" he asked.
The jonin nodded. He nodded back to her. "Alright, Kosuke-san, lead us back through the tunnels. Once we're back there, I'll start rationing everything. Ayame-san, Kurenai-san, and Kosuke-san can help with that. Tenten, Shino, gather all the wood and any burnables that you can up here. That fire isn't gonna last forever and I bet the window's gonna break from the ice outside. Probably won't be long until this place is overrun too, dattebayo," he remarked.
Everyone agreed.
Kosuke helped Kurenai while Tenten and Shino started collecting what they could. Ayame helped Naruto to his feet. He grabbed his backpack and everyone began their trek back to the tunnels. They left the burning fire there. With any luck, it would keep the ice at bay for a little bit before it went out. In the back of Naruto's mind, he wondered if the snow would last so long that it would reach the tunnels. He'd have to keep an eye on that. If it did then it was likely to grow in places with no heat to burn it away. If they weren't careful then even the tunnels wouldn't be safe. Truth be told, Naruto was running out of options.
The group of six went back the way they came and entered the tunnels. Kosuke pulled the bookshelf back against the walls and closed the door behind them. Kurenai walked a bit unsteadily, but she kept up with everyone.
By the time they returned, everyone was a bit exhausted. Kosuke opened the door to the underground bunker area for the group. Ayame and Kurenai surveyed the living conditions. Just as both thought, it looked worse than they had envisioned. Just like Naruto, they heard the story of how Tenten, Shino, and Kosuke got down here. It wasn't a great tale.
Everyone sat in the resting area. Ayame gently laid Naruto down while he lowered his backpack. The barrels of fire provided little light, but Tenten tossed some of the wood they'd gotten into them. She stoked the flames and they got a lot brighter and a lot warmer.
Naruto opened the flap of his backpack and everyone noticed the numerous scrolls stuffed in them. "Alright, first things first," Naruto said as he unfurled the first scroll. Out came various bottles of medicine, pills, and other supplies related to the medical field. He picked up one of the medicine vials.
"This one's good for every six hours. Helps with cough, sickness, and sore throat. This'll do," he thought. He then handed the vial to Kurenai.
"This'll be your medicine now since the other vial ran out. Take it every six hours," he stated. Kurenai took the medicine from him and looked it over. Once she inspected it, she took her first dose.
Once Kurenai's needs were met, Naruto began unsealing all the scrolls he'd used. Kosuke, Tenten, and Shino were stunned at the jugs of water, boxes, and crates filled with canned and packaged food, along with various clothes. The young kunoichi gawked when she saw the female undergarments. She glared at Naruto, but he merely shrugged. Hey, if she wanted to complain then she could go without them. What did it matter to him?
"Ayame-neechan told me we were getting low on water so…try not to drink it all. I'll need to find a way to go back out if the blizzard doesn't stop. Ayame-neechan, make a list of all I've collected. Kosuke-san, keep an eye on all the things everyone takes. Shino, Tenten, and I will make space for all this stuff. As for Kurenai-san, she needs as much rest as she can get," he said.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki unsealed his mattress and the sheets and covers. Kurenai would have wanted to complain, but one look in the blond's eyes and she had no fight to give. Instead, she just crawled on the mattress, next to the fire pits, and fell asleep.
So, per Naruto's orders, everyone got to work. Ayame made a quick tally of everything the group had on a table the blond also unsealed. She worked closely with Kosuke as Shino and Tenten were allowed food and bentos from the boxes unsealed. Meanwhile, the three genin moved most of the boxes to another room that wasn't being used. They also strung up a set of five candles in four tunnel hallways for light.
As night fell over Konoha and the tunnels became colder, Tenten, Shino, and Kosuke ate like they never ate before. Ayame and Naruto watched the three eat like they never ate before. By the time they were done, Naruto had to wonder if he should jot down more places on his map for food. Clearly, having double the number of people wasn't going to cut it anymore.
Of course, once the dinner was sorted, Kosuke spent some time working out what they had all eaten, drank, and used to wash up. He informed Ayame and Ayame in turn informed Naruto of the list.
Between all the moving around, everyone became very tired. The sleeping arrangements were made. Naruto, Kosuke, and Shino were in one room. Tenten, Ayame, and Kurenai were in the other. However, that arrangement wouldn't last for very long.
Late into the night, Ayame tossed and turned. She couldn't go back to sleep. She'd gotten used to having Naruto next to her. Having him by her side comforted her. She hadn't said it, but she'd been a nervous wreck when they lost communication. She'd assumed the worst. Thoughts that she didn't want to entertain kept coming into her head. She couldn't take them. Even now, they continued so much that she started to sweat. Call her weak if you must, but she couldn't live like this.
So Ayame picked up her pillow and sheets. She walked over to the men's door and gently knocked on it. "Naruto-kun?" she asked as she opened the door. She stepped through and rubbed his shoulder.
The blond opened his eyes. "What is it, Ayame-neechan?" he asked tiredly.
Ayame blushed and grabbed his arm. She pulled him out of the room. Though he was tired, it didn't take him long to realize what was going on. They walked to another room. Naruto lit a few candles while Ayame laid out another futon and some sheets. Both slipped into the bed.
Now that he was awake, Naruto reached under his shirt and pulled out his journal. He felt Ayame wrap her arms around his waist. She…smelled good. "Ugh, not again!" he whined to himself before he pulled out a pen.
"Naruto's Log, Day 34. A lot's happened. I've met with Shino and Tenten. They're led by this guy who's called The Eternal Genin. His name is Kosuke Maruboshi. That smile on his face creeps me out sometimes, but Shino and Tenten seem to like him, I guess. He also appears to have the respect of Kurenai-san. He must be powerful if he's that old and still a shinobi. I also saved Ayame-neechan and Kurenai-san from my apartment. I'd rather not tell them I can't feel my legs right now. Every step I took today was painful. We distributed the food and other supplies. Currently, I'm the only one who can loot the village. I hope Kurenai-san gets well soon. I'll also have to bring up the topic of…us leaving Konoha. All this stuff is going to run out eventually. That said, I don't know where we would go. Is any place even safe anymore? Is anyone else out there? Can I protect everyone here? I…I don't even know the answers to those questions. Everyone looks to me for answers. This must be that Burden of Leadership stuff Kakashi-sensei always talked about. Kakashi-sensei, I wonder if he's even alive too. Maybe he's gone just like everyone else. I probably should have paid more attention to his lessons. I hope I'm doing the right thing."
Naruto finished writing. He closed his journal and eased himself into the sheets. Ayame hugged his body and smiled while she dreamed sweet dreams. Soon, Naruto closed his eyes as well. The blizzard outside lulled him to sleep. Though it was deadly, and a cold not of his normal world, he still found it peaceful to listen to. Soon, Uzumaki Naruto was carried off to sleep as well.
KG: Well, I don't have too many things to talk about. So, there was something I forgot last time. I've made an ArchiveofOurOwn account, same FF name, to post the more…lewd chapters that will take place. I'll upload both versions. The non-lemon version to FF and the Lemon Version to Archive. Nothing's uploaded there yet, so don't go looking. Some people asked me to do this since FF continues to be FF and not give better ratings than what they have.
KG: I'm still on the fence about summons, but I might have an answer soon. Anyway, have a great rest of your day. CREAM SODA!