KG: Well you're here and so am I. What are you still up here for?
Music of the Week: Fallout Radio.
Quote: "I like to think God is real because I hope there is an end to all this violence. If God doesn't exist, I only fear that one day all these video games we play fantasizing about the end of the world will not be entertainment, they will be our prophecy."
"So, I've been thinking. Maybe it would be a good idea if, when the blizzard lets up, I go with Naruto-kun on scavenging as well. We can take more stuff back if it's the two of us. What do you guys think?" Ayame asked everyone as they ate their breakfast that Naruto unsealed for them.
Everyone stopped their eating and turned to her, yet Naruto was the first one to react. "What?!" he exclaimed. The blond was so shocked he nearly choked on his food. He couldn't believe what he just heard. Surely, the others couldn't as well.
However, to the young genin's surprise, everyone else seemed to be contemplating the matter. Kosuke scratched his chin while Kurenai sipped some hot soup. Tenten and Shino glanced at each other.
"I think it's a good idea. At least we wouldn't be relying on Naruto so much, even if he's the only one who can seal and unseal these scrolls. Which none of us know why, not even him! I'm for it!" Tenten said proudly.
Shino placed down a bag of chips on the table. "It does make sense. It also does benefit us. However, Ayame-san's a civilian. She's had no former shinobi training. Even if it's through the window, we've seen what it looks like. Had it not been for Naruto, she and Kurenai-sensei might have not made it to us three days ago," he replied.
Tenten frowned. "We can train her! It's not like we're doing anything down here anyway. We're all gonna have to go up to the surface at some point. Soon all of us are gonna have to start pulling our weight! If Naruto can do it, she can do it too!" Tenten protested.
"It's not about pulling our weight. It's about practicality. There are numerous advantages to her going, but there are numerous disadvantages as well. We all heard what Naruto said was out there. We don't know what these Bone Crawlers are capable of. How do we know he can protect her if they go out?" Shino asked.
"She can protect herself! She doesn't need…,"
Tenten was cut off by a simple cough. Everyone turned to Kosuke. "Now, now, I think our food is warm enough. No need to spread more heat to it. Ayame-san has cast her vote with Tenten in favor and Shino against. I shall say I'm in favor as well. What say you, Kurenai-san?" Kosuke asked.
All attention turned to the lone jonin. "No, for now. If she proves that she can handle it then I might think otherwise. But for now, I'm against it," she said with a heavy cough before she returned to her meal.
Naruto felt uneasy. Soon, everyone's eye landed on him, the voted leader of the group. Of course, he would have the final say in this matter. "And what do you think, Naruto-san?" Kosuke asked, that weird smile on his face again.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki wanted to say 'No' immediately. It wasn't that he didn't trust Ayame nor think less of her, but…he thought of Teuchi. He thought of what he'd seen to Hinata, Kiba, and Lee. He thought of what that would mean if the same fate befell her. How could he face Teuchi after he'd made such a promise to protect her?
Even for him, the things he'd seen, the things he'd encountered, all of them he barely walked away from. It was only by some random miracle that he was even still alive. The trees outside the village, the Chunin Exam Stadium, the Shinobi District, even just getting to this underground bunker, he'd almost died doing each and every one of them. Now he'd have to do them while protecting Ayame?
For once in his life, Naruto felt how weak he truly was in the face of this new world. On his blood, he swore to Teuchi that he would protect his daughter with every fiber of his being. That also meant…making her strong enough to survive in this world along with the rest of them.
Naruto sighed. "No…," he replied.
"Oh, come o…," the outburst that Tenten was about to give was cut off by a hand from Kosuke.
Kurenai didn't say anything either. Both adults could clearly see just how much the young woman meant to the blond. Kurenai, herself, had read up on Naruto's profile. He frequented the ramen shop, Ichiraku Ramen. He'd formed a bond with the father-daughter duo that ran the place. It was only natural that he wouldn't want her out there. Perhaps not Kosuke, but Kurenai indeed wondered just how gone he would have been if even the ramen waitress didn't make it.
Ayame held her head down. Did she feel frustrated? Yeah, but she understood where Naruto was coming from. She didn't hold it against him. She'd probably say the same thing if they were in different positions.
Naruto continued. "So, you have until this blizzard ends to prove me wrong. When it stops snow, we're going out," he replied.
Everyone widened their eyes. Ayame stared at Naruto in shock. He just smiled at ner, though it wasn't as strong as he hoped it was. It was completely clear where his stance was, but she proved him wrong then what else could he do about it? He agreed, but he would have to make himself stronger as well. Strong enough that even when she couldn't protect herself, he still could. He could be strong enough to protect all of them!
Ayame was sure if her smile got any larger, it would split her face. "Right. I won't let you down, Naruto-kun!" she answered.
The Kyuubi jinchuuriki just nodded as everyone finished their breakfast and threw it away. While Ayame and Kosuke took a brief count of everything, Naruto said that everyone would oversee Ayame's training. Every week he'd ask for a daily report on her progress. If she wasn't ready, then she just wasn't ready.
Naturally, the others agreed. Tenten would handle Ayame's weapon training, Shino would help with her training regimen, Kosuke and Kurenai would work on her more advanced courses of any of the following. Understandably, the subjects of chakra control, ninjutsu, and genjutsu needed to be put aside at the moment. Of course, those mattered would be looked into once everyone HAD their chakra back. For now, taijutsu would have to be enough. Kosuke, Kurenai, and Naruto would see to that.
Once inventory management was done, Ayame's torture began. First, endurance training. The Eternal Genin marked places for Ayame to run in the halls with Tenten or Shino guiding her. She'd jog or power walk in the mornings and run at night for an hour each. Between those would be her other training. It was also good for Tenten and Shino for they had also become lax with their bodies.
While the three were gone, Naruto gathered Kosuke and Kurenai in the latter's room. They all sat together and the elderly man was the first to speak.
"Alright, Naruto-san, you've gathered us together, what seems to be the problem?" Kosuke asked. Again, he had that smile on his face that unnerved the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. Why would the man even ask that question? It was kind of obvious to them all what this little meeting was about.
The blond sighed. "Let's not beat around the bush. I already know you're both wondering how I even made that successful, yet daring rescue mission three days ago. I wanted to wait until Kurenai-san made a full recovery. However, there are some things I want to talk about that can't be put off, dattebayo,"
Kosuke and Kurenai agreed. Seeing as how their main question was already out in the open, they didn't feel the need to rush the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, allowing him to form his own thoughts. Thankfully, it wasn't too long.
"If you both had to give chakra a color, what would it be?" Naruto asked.
Kosuke and Kurenai thought on the question, but not for too long. It was simple enough.
"Blue," they both said. They'd seen the strength of chakra before. When concentrated, it was a very strong blue color. Some hypothesized that it was only blue because that was the color that the naked eye made it out to be. Other scientists liked to speculate that everyone's chakra was unique. Well, not like there was anyone to argue it now.
Naruto agreed. He stared at one of the flaming barrels. "Yeah. I said that to Ero-sennin too," the blond replied, which got confused looks from the two older individuals.
"Ero-sennin?" Kurenai asked.
The young genin nodded. "Yeah, he's a damn pervert sage, Jiraiya. Guy taught me a little bit before the Chunin Exam Finals. I saw him cause he was peeping on the ladies in the hot springs one day," Naruto answered.
Kurenai and Kosuke had entirely different expressions. The former's was sterner. The latter's was more humored. Clearly, they both heard of the Toad Sage, Jiraiya. "Ah, Jiraiya. That indeed sounds like him. I always told him those eccentric activities of his would get him in trouble," Maruboshi with a chuckle.
Meanwhile, the Genjutsu Mistress just tried to move forward. The disrespect the sannin had towards women was always notable. Of course, she knew he had great qualities of a shinobi and a human being, but… he was a piece of shit all the same. She always thought that if he stopped his perverted tendencies, at least in public, then there might be a woman out there for him.
"Can we move on? Naruto, what about Jiraiya-sama did he tell you?" Kurenai asked. She'd forgo even asking why one of the legendary Sannin was interested in him. There were too many questions as it was.
Hearing these questions, Naruto moved on. "Yeah, anyway, he asked me about accessing the Kyuubi's chakra. He asked me what color I thought my chakra was. I said it felt blue. He then asked me about the Kyuubi's chakra. I said it felt red. But, check this out," he said.
Naruto formed a handsign and focused the green chakra in his body. He slowly exhaled. He stared at Kosuke and Kurenai as the green chakra formed outside his body. Both shivered. Even though there wasn't much of it, both could see the green chakra surrounding the blond's body. In the flickering fire pit, both felt their hands clench together.
The chakra, it felt so powerful. It felt so overwhelming. It felt like nothing they'd ever felt before. They had actually felt this a few times whenever they were near Naruto. They weren't sure why, but every time they were next to him there was this boundless power that connected with them, enough to make them sweat. It made them tremble. They then knew that it was because of that chakra.
Seeing their reactions, Naruto eased on the chakra and expelled it. For once, he actually felt no pain. Perhaps it was because he didn't do anything crazy with it. "I call this Green Chakra because I don't know what else to call it. I've tried using it to do jutsu again, but it doesn't work. Believe I've tried. I tried to walk on trees, buildings, and any other surface I could find, but I got nothing. What I did get is that it's like…it intensifies what I already have. When I channel it into my body, I can run faster than ever. I'm stronger than I've ever been. I can remember things clearly from like 10 years ago. Every taijutsu lesson, ninjutsu lesson, genjutsu lesson, I remember them all and everything seems to connect itself together in ways I can't describe. But, the backlash hurts like you wouldn't believe," he said.
"Backlash?" Kurenai asked.
Naruto nodded. "You remember why I passed out three days ago? Well the reason I could even make it to you guys was because of the green chakra fueling my movements. It was like nothing I'd ever felt," he answered.
Kosuke scratched his chin. "Hmm, interesting. So this is something like chakra, but can't be molded like chakra. It also makes Naruto-san stronger and smarter. Perhaps we have it as well?" Kosuke asked.
Kurenai frowned. "I've tried molding my chakra. I don't have anything like what he described. It could be something to do with why he's able to survive on the surface. Perhaps this green chakra strengthens his lungs?" she asked.
The elderly genin leaned back. "While that might be true, it doesn't explain why you and Ayame-san can survive like he said. The only way I can see this happening is exposure. If this green chakra is what's keeping Naruto-san alive up there, and you both have been living with him for a month, then it's likely that your bodies just naturally absorbed the chakra from him," Kosuke replied.
Kurenai leaned forward. "That's impossible. That's not how chakra works. If it worked that way then there's be an abundance of overloaded chakra within people. They'd die just from too much of it, never mind its potency," she countered.
Maruboshi nodded. "Indeed, but this isn't normal chakra. Besides, we've all had our chakra levels severely reduced. That could be the reason it slipped in without you, Ayame, or even Naruto knowing. It could be the key to Tenten, Shino, and I returning to the surface as well," he figured.
Kurenai sighed. "So what? We're basically using Naruto as some kind of chakra battery? You heard him, the backlash is supposedly intense pain. If he's incapacitated then we really have no hope of surviving anything out there," she returned.
Kosuke smiled. "Then we'll just have to make sure he isn't incapacitated," he replied. Kurenai and Naruto looked at the old man as the smile on his face got wider.
Two weeks passed, and Naruto learned that Kosuke Maruboshi was definitely NOT the average genin. He might have been genin in rank, but the man fought better than even Kakashi in some areas. The Kyuubi trained with The Eternal Genin in Taijutsu while Kurenai observed. The latter had to sigh sometimes. Just what was Kakashi teaching his students? The blond's taijutsu was a mess. Granted, he did hold his own against prominent taijutsu genin, it wasn't the greatest thing to look at. She corrected what she could and advised Naruto on what to do or practice on.
The only difference in all this practice was that Naruto had to constantly use, control, and maintain the green chakra in his body while he fought. It was painful, very painful, insanely painful. Naruto felt like he was being pushed and pulled between the realms of life and death. Numerous days and nights were spent in utter pain and agony. Some days he wondered if he'd live to see tomorrow, others he thought he wished he never did.
How? How could one old man be so strong? Naruto remembered the clashing of kunai, the punches to the face, and the gut, each strike a flowing motion in his mind for him to remember later. Each lesson was a strain on his head.
As for Kosuke and Kurenai, neither was sure what to say. For Maruboshi, it was a challenge to even hit Naruto himself. He didn't know why. The young boy, though strong, wasn't something to be feared so mightily. Each strike he let out was filled with fear when he struck the blond's face. Each kick, punch, and rebuke was a fear of being judged harshly. It was hard to stand in his presence, against that terrifyingly overwhelming green chakra. Kosuke had to constantly stop himself from apologizing for every beating he gave the blond. He couldn't understand it.
Kurenai watched him practice in his off days. She remembered her gasp when he threw a kunai with such force that the air around them bursted like a bubble. He ran from one end of the tunnel to the next in half an hour when it took most two hours to run. All of this even without the Kyuubi's chakra felt…so…powerful.
Once the two weeks passed, Naruto stared out from the Forest of Death tower. He'd been here a few times since his training regimen with Kurenai and Kosuke took place. The snow had finally stopped falling. Hell, it actually dried up. There wasn't a sign of it anywhere on the trees or on the ground. The only thing that was left was arid, dusty air filled with nothingness and the acid green-yellow sky filled with dirty clouds. Everything was back to normal. Well, normal for this hellish world they were in.
"Man, even this is starting to feel normal to me," he thought before he got up. He grabbed his backpack and ducked back into the tunnels. He ran through the numbers halls before he finally made it back to his group.
Everyone looked at him with great expectation. "It's stopped snowing," he said.
The group breathed easily. Naruto and Ayame shared a look. Both quickly nodded while Naruto took out a map. "Alright, for now, Ayame-neechan and I are going to avoid the Shinobi District. That's where those Bone Crawlers reside. It's also where the fissure's located. I do still want to attempt a raid of that spot for the bank," he claimed.
"Yeah, you've talked about that before. Why do we need the bank exactly?" Tenten asked.
Naruto's mouth thinned before he decided now was the best time to bring it up with everyone. "Because, we might have to consider the possibility of leaving Konoha," he said, finally dropping the news he'd held ever since he visited his own apartment complex.
The bunker was deadly silent. The only thing that could be heard was the distant sound of water drops on some steel. "You want us to desert the village?" Tenten asked.
"What village, Tenten? Everything's been destroyed. We're also running low on stuff as it is. It's been a month and half since all of this started. There's no chain of command, there's no reinforcements, and the ground is breaking beneath our feet with more earthquakes. If we're not careful we could be caved in down here," Naruto said slowly. He knew this might get heated. Yet, he kept his nerve. He had to.
Tenten opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Shino soon took over. "Well, unless we test that the three of us can go outside, I don't think we'll have much of a place to go anyway. We also don't know how the landscape has changed beyond the gates of the village. It could be worse out there than it is here," the bug user argued.
Kurenai, Kosuke, and Ayame stayed silent. Ayame didn't feel the need to speak. She was sure that she'd follow Naruto no matter which choice he made. Truth be told, she didn't wish to stay in Konoha after what she'd experienced back at the stadium. If anything, staying in Konoha only terrified her more. True, she didn't know what was out there, but, for her, it was better than staying here.
As for Kosuke and Kurenai, they could understand where Naruto was coming from. They had all elected him the leader, most notably because he currently had the power to do what they couldn't. As it stood, he was a great young leader. Certainly filled with errors in judgement, but he kept them all alive regardless.
If Kurenai and Kosuke swallowed the very hard pill called reality, then Naruto was definitely right. They couldn't stay here. Both had felt the earthquake some time ago. It was easily the scariest time for them all. Kosuke even wondered if the ground beneath the steel tunnels would collapse in on itself. Them staying here wasn't guaranteed survival. Hell, they didn't want to sound defeated, but…was anywhere safe anymore? Naruto had to do what was best for the group. In his mind, that meant leaving behind this broken, chaotic village that had been everyone's home for years.
Even just yesterday, Kurenai, who'd been feeling much better, walked through the Forest of Death Tower for a time. As she was walking, one of the upper floors caved in caused a devastating crash that blocked all access to any steps to the roof. Even that tower was fading away. There was nothing she could do to stop it.
Naruto rolled up the map. "For now, it's just a suggestion, dattebayo. I don't like it anymore than you guys do," he answered back.
"Yeah right. I bet there's no incentive for you to stay here. Just because you don't have anyone doesn't mean the rest of us don't," Tenten grumbled before she widened her eyes and covered her mouth.
The Weapon Mistress frowned as she forced herself to look up. Everyone looked at her with disapproval, but the eyes she couldn't stand were Naruto's. He didn't even look angry at her. He just looked sad, hurt, and guilty. "I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean…," Tenten stuttered while Naruto stood up.
"Yeah, I know. Come on, Ayame-neechan. We have to get ready," Naruto said.
"Right," Ayame said as she got up and left with him. This left Tenten wishing she could just bury herself in a hole and never come out. Kosuke and Kurenai sighed. This…was clearly not going great for anyone.
After about ten minutes, Naruto and Ayame returned fully dressed. Both had backpacks with sets of kunai and shuriken. "Alright, we'll be back soon," Naruto said. He then set a radio on the table. Kosuke took the radio and headset.
"Be safe out there you two," he said. Shino and Kurenai waved them off. Tenten was nowhere to be seen.
Naruto and Ayame nodded before they walked out of the bunker door and roamed the tunnels. The walk was strangely quiet, and not the good kind that Ayame liked. The sound of their steps was the only noise made between them. This continued until they made it to the ladder beneath the crushed rubble of the Hokage Mansion.
"Ready?" Naruto asked.
Ayame firmly nodded. "Yeah! The aches in my arms and legs tell me I am," she laughed.
She was happy to know she got a snicker for that. Naruto then climbed up the ladder with Ayame behind him. Before long they made it to the door. Naruto punched it open and it swung with a creaked thud. The arid winds that Naruto came to know blasted in his face. The sands on the ground rolled through like leaves in the Fall. He pulled himself up and helped Ayame out. He pulled up his face mask and gave Ayame his goggles. He'd find a pair for himself somewhere else.
"Alright, so water, food, and some other things right?" Naruto asked.
Ayame huffed as the winds blew against her face. Was it always so hot out here? She quickly took a notebook. "Yes. We also need to get more bathroom supplies. We can find those in the local commercial districts. Where would you like to go first?"
Naruto wiped some stray sand from his eyes. "We'll stop for the water first. We'll also see if we can't find some additional radios. We're gonna need them. Alright, stay close to me," he said.
"I'll follow your lead, Naruto-kun!" Ayame said. He nodded and the two dashed off into the whirling sands and sharp winds.
The brunette's breath was hot beneath her torn makeshift face mask. She stared at what used to be her home with no small amount of shock, sadness, and regret. Streets where mothers and sons, fathers and daughters would laugh, were barren. Not even their bones remained. In the harsh winds they'd been blown away or covered by sand. Soon, with the passage of time, they'd deteriorate until they became just like the dust in the air.
Buildings crashed against each other. One store laid on top of another. Splintered wood, cracked stone, and fractured glass laid strewn about the ground. Ayame actually started to see sand dunes form over them. Soon those would disappear as well. The more she saw, the more she felt Naruto was right. What…what was left for them here? If there were many of them then she'd at least argue that maybe they could rebuild if given enough time, but…how could Konoha rebuild itself during something like this?
While they surveyed the village, Naruto found himself impressed. Though he wasn't giving his all in running, Ayame actually kept up with him rather admirably. Of course, two weeks of training was hardly enough time for a civilian to ever keep up with a shinobi, but the ramen waitress had grit. She didn't complain. She didn't ask for the pace to be slowed. She just ran with him. In this hellish world, this was oddly nice to have.
Naruto and Ayame entered the commercial district. The latter sighed as she pulled up to a pile of broken stone and wood that was most likely a store at one point. She picked up one of the wood splinters and tossed it to the side. Everything was dying. The very Will of Fire in Konoha didn't even seem to burn in anyone's heart anymore.
The Ramen Waitress threw the board to the side before she turned her head to what her partner was looking at. It was a rather small-sized convenience store. Even it seemed to be on the verge of breaking down. Just how many structures were left standing?
"Alright, let's pick this place clean!" Naruto exclaimed rather excitedly. Ayame agreed.
The two slowly stepped through one of the broken windows. The sandy air outside blew past them with a solemn howl. Naruto helped Ayame down while they peered over the store. Broken magazine shelves littered the right side of the store while detented bottles and busted bags of food surrounded the left.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and the Ramen Waitress got to work. They decided that since Naruto was the only one who could seal their things, for now, they would just gather everything in the center of the room. They worked meticulously. It was a shame the perishable foods had long wasted away. Most of the food in refrigeration units had grown spoiled and rotten.
That said, the food on the shelves was the usual free game. Naruto grabbed some more chip bags, snacks, candies, cereal boxes, juice containers, sugar, salt, and any other thing that one might find in a store like this. Don't ask him why he thought he might need sugar or salt or other condiments, but they were there so he took them.
As for Ayame, she grabbed water bottles, juice containers, a couple of boxes in the back rooms filled with other supplies that didn't make it to the shelves, along with pots and pans. She also decided to grab some magazines and books from the shelves. No one would be watching Tv or going to the movies anymore so maybe everyone would find comfort in some books. She didn't know what she collected so piled everything in neat bundles.
It took about half an hour of continuous work, but they were finally finished. Naruto quickly sealed up everything and the usual green color burned itself to the edges of the scrolls. Now, Ayame didn't know much about shinobi tools, but she was sure it wasn't supposed to do that. That weirdness aside, Naruto stored the scroll in his backpack. Then they left the convenience store.
Six hours of looting passed, and Ayame stared at her home from on top of the roof of a hotel complex. She watched the thunder roll across the sky and sand tornadoes swirled different parts of the village. Fires began to spread from one corner to the next. She actually saw one of the buildings get ripped from its roots and swirl through the air before it landed on another. The resounding boom of wood, stone, and metal made her heart heavy. She and Naruto watched from under a blanket tent they made while they ate their food.
"Naruto-kun," Ayame said. He turned to her. She pointed outwards.
"There used to be a bar right around there where me and some of my friends would go after I got off work. I remembered we'd dress up and have a nice night in the village. We'd talk about boys, drink some nice beers, maybe dance a little while," she said.
Naruto stared out into the distance while she pointed somewhere else. "There, my mother took me to the p-park. She was sick but she still played with me a-anyway. And, there I made my dad my first… ramen bowl," she chuckled sadly before her finger trembled.
The young blond heard his friend sniffle as she rubbed her eyes. "Is there any place out there that's safe, Naruto-kun?" Ayame asked as she held her head down.
The Uzumaki heir didn't know the answer to that question. He wished he could spout something comforting to her, but his mouth wouldn't work. All he could do was hold her and rub her shoulders as she cried.
The two stayed like that for some time until the brunette got control of her emotions. She quickly apologized for showing him something so embarrassing, but he merely smiled. Oh, he'd seen enough embarrassing things during this time. As they packed up their things, he grabbed her hands and clenched them. "We'll make it, Ayame-neechan. I'll make sure of it," he answered.
She smiled at him and quickly nodded. However, before both jumped when they heard something crash down below. It was something small, insignificant. Naruto peered over the side and he saw a bottle rolling down the open street. His eyes narrowed. He looked in the direction the bottle came from and his blood froze. He saw something move so it hid behind the wall.
Naruto narrowed his eyes. He grabbed Ayame's arms. "Ayame-neechan, get behind me," the blond said slowly.
Worried, Ayame didn't ask why. She slowly got behind the young genin while the blond took out a kunai. He heard something in the distance again, a clawing, scratching on the wall. The wind became a loud, hollow, wail. "What's wrong?" Ayame asked.
"Bone Crawlers," he told her quietly. The Ramen Waitress shivered. Her eyes expressed shock and fear. She held onto Naruto's shoulders while one of her hands reached for the kunai in her pocket.
The duo quickly packed their things. Naruto then slowly moved them back into the staircase that led to the roof. Once they were inside, he closed the door and jammed it with a stick of wood. They backed away slowly. They could hear scraping on the sides of the building.
"What do we do?" Ayame asked.
Naruto scowled. "I don't know. They never came out there far before. I observed them for a full week. They never went beyond the Shinobi District. Why'd they come here now?!" He asked, not really expecting an answer.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki turned around and he could see the utter fear in Ayame's eyes. As he thought, she wasn't ready to be outside. No doubt the trauma she'd faced back in the Chunin Exam Stadium still weighed on her. He turned to her. "Don't worry Ayame-neechan, I'll protect you. I'll always protect you, dattebayo!" Naruto stated with strength in his voice.
Despite her fear, Ayame couldn't help but blush at his confidence. How could he be so strong in this hopeless situation? Even more than that, why did the brunette believe him so much?
She slowly nodded as they heard scratching on the door. Thinking quickly, Naruto guided Ayame down the long staircase. He then took her into the basement. "Alright, stay here. I'll go out and take them out. Stay here and remember your training, Ayame-neechan. They aren't human! Don't be afraid to cut them down!" Naruto exclaimed.
Ayame grabbed the kunai tight and nodded. Meanwhile, Naruto exited the basement and closed the door behind him. He had passed a wine cellar on the way down. He grabbed one of the tall wooden wine cracks and slowly sealed the bottles of wine so as to not make noise. He then pulled the wine rack in front of the door. If any did get past him to Ayame then he was going to make sure they fuckin' worked for it!
As Naruto walked up the stairs, his ears picked up on the sound of something breaking further up. He recognized it as the wood he used to block the rooftop door. He pushed the green chakra into his ears. "One… two… four… seven. Seven Bone Crawlers," Naruto thought to himself.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki inhaled and then exhaled. It was strange. He didn't tremble like last time. In fact, he felt good. No, he felt great. No, he felt wonderful. He was calm. He was focused. There was no panic. There were no second guesses. There was only one objective in his mind.
Protect Ayame. Nothing else mattered right now.
The blond closed his eyes. The green chakra rose from the pit of his stomach like a raging inferno. He willed it to seep into his arms, legs, eyes, ears, and lungs. Wherever it could go to help him fight, he tried sending it there. Once he felt the familiar pain rushing through him, he smiled. The young genin then slammed his palms together. Naruto gritted his teeth and forced the green chakra to explode out of his body. It cracked the wooden ground beneath his feet and the walls surrounding him. He didn't bother hiding. They would already find him. After all, he pretty much just told them where he was.
Now, all he had to do was wait. Now, all he had to do was prepare.
After about five or six minutes, Naruto opened his eyes. A bone crawler stood in front of him much larger than the ones he'd encountered last time. This one was easily over ten feet tall. It's head comically brushed against the ceiling. Two smaller ones laid behind it. Its eye-less face stared at him. Its black, bony claws scraped the sides of the wall.
He tilted his head to the side. It followed him. So, three were in front of him. The other four were somewhere. Thanks to the green chakra fueling his sight. He was sensitive to the environment around him. He could see the thin veil of the same green chakra around these Bone Crawlers. It led back up the stairs. Again, he could only guess it was some kind of link between them all, a hive mind.
The tall leader turned its head. "Eaaark!" it screeched. The black tendrils around its mouth flapped.
One of the Bone Crawlers on the side moved. Naruto watched it climb on the wall and head for the wine cellar. His eyes narrowed. Hmm, so somehow they could sense Ayame even with the amount of green chakra he'd saturated the place with. Yet, for some reason they also didn't attack him immediately. What the hell kind of creatures were these?
The Bone Crawler on the wall clawed its way as it journeyed to the cellar. Somewhere, deep within the reaches of Naruto's mind, he grew oddly angry. This was the second time. This was the second time he was being treated like some kind of joke. The first time he'd been a sniveling mess when he saw one of them drop Hinata's head in the dirty road.
Naruto inwardly chuckled. Did they really think they could just walk past him like he was a garbage can rolling outside? The blond's eyes turned red. Truly, could there be anything more offensive?!
Naruto swung with his full strength. His fist slammed into the Bone Crawler on the wall. Suddenly, the hotel complex shook with violent fury. The Crawler on the wall screeched in pain as its body flew from the hotel and into desert-like streets. Its body skipped like a stone on water before it crashed into another building. It flew from that building and into another. It finally slammed into a third building. Given how weak those structures were, the stone cracked and fell on top of themselves. The homes and shops of Konoha men and women came crumbling down like a roll of thunder struck the skies.
To be honest, Naruto was stunned when he looked at the massive hole in the wall he'd just made. Unfortunately, he'd have to stifle that shock for now. Clearly, someone was upset. The young shinobi grinned. "One down," he stated.
"RAAAAAAAAAAEAAAAK!" the lead Bone Crawler roared as it rears its massive claws back. Unfortunately, the room was much too small for it to maneuver.
Naruto tightened his gaze and clenched his fist. He slammed his fist into the lead Bone Crawler. It flew from the room and through the other wall of the hotel complex. The one on the wall screamed as it ran back up the stairs. Naruto picked up on the sounds of crawling on the upper levels.
Through the unbearable pain, Naruto steadied his shaking hand. "You won't touch Ayame-neechan!" he thought through a labored breath.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki heard the scratching and clawing upstairs and quickly grabbed a kunai. The green chakra rushed into his eyes. Here they came.
Bone Crawler 1 roared as it leapt down the stairs with number 2. Naruto rushed towards them both. Their long limbs clawed at the walls like sharp blades, ready to slice his head from his shoulders. The blond ducked beneath the strike and swung his legs. "RAAAAEK!" One screamed as he slammed his foot into its torso. He launched Number 2 through the wall and grabbed the face of Number 1. He had to admit, its claws were painful as they dug into the side of his arm. He slammed the creature down into the floorboards. It screamed back at him as he stood over it, ready to plunge his kunai right into its face.
However, Naruto wasn't allowed to do so because now Number 3 and 4 charged at him. They swung at him, angry, dangerous. Each of them was fast, faster than Kakashi, faster than Jiraiya, but… they were predictable. They were creatures of instinct. All they wanted was to make sure he didn't live to see tomorrow.
Naruto's eyes looked up, down, left, right. His body moved like it wasn't his own. He didn't see it, but a dark smile was on his face. Such insignificant creatures dared attack him. The young genin frowned. He'd dominate them! Dominate them! Dominate!
Naruto blocked one strike with a kunai and took out another. He jumped on the wall and backed away. He then threw the blade he just took out. Yeah, he remembered this kunai formation. Shikamaru had used it once. The kunai sailed past number 2, 3, and 4. A thin piece of wire lit up in his eyes. He tugged at the wire with his fingers. Soon, a sprawl of about ten kunai exploded from the single kunai he threw. However, he raised an eyebrow when the kunai actually broke against the frames of the Bone Crawlers.
Hmm, tough fuckers. Alright, time for Plan B. The trio of Bone Crawlers charged at him. Naruto was quickly brought in the offensive as he blocked the strikes coming at him from almost every other direction. His eyes worked as hard as they could to keep track of every strike upon him. Damn, how he wished he could have Sharingan right now. Congratulations Sasuke, Naruto actually wished he had something you had!
Finally one of the claws landed and slashed his face. Naruto seethed as he stumbled back and touched his cheek. It dripped with blood profusely. He glared at the three. They hissed at him angrily. To be honest, the blond didn't remember what happened next. Actually, he blanked out. He just remembered being angry. He remembered the continuous pain of this green chakra. Something deep within him smirked.
If Naruto could see it, then he would have seen the green chakra burn markings onto his skin. The Bone Crawlers… backed away. The young survivor's green chakra exploded.
With a loud roar, almost enough to crack the walls, Naruto charged at the Number 2. He slammed his fist into its face causing it to screech in pain. He then punched number 3. The Bone Crawler recoiled in pain. Number 4 raised its claws to him. It struck forward, but Naruto dodged and grabbed its long arms. He screamed as he threw it overhead and slammed its face down into the floor. He then buried its body into the wall and kicked it out as well.
Number 2 and 3 quickly tried to run, but Naruto grabbed both their tails. "Where are you going? We were just starting to get to know each other!" Naruto said. He pulled them back to him. The two bone crawlers screamed in pain as the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki held up his hand and, with all his might, struck through Number 3. He pierced its chest before he threw it to the side.
"That's two down," he snickered to himself. He grabbed Number Four. He squeezed it tighter and tighter. The Bone Crawler's body frantically moved to try and escape, but it couldn't free itself from the young genin's…merciless grip.
"You dare desire to run from me? You should feel honored that I'll slay you with my own hands! You should be pleased to die at the hands of your god!" Naruto exclaimed, his green chakra blazing from his body. His voice was definitely not his own. A mix of deep-seeded regalness and authority laid behind it. He crushed the Bone Crawler's dense head until it slopped onto the ground. Three down.
"ERRRRAAAAAUK!"
The young warrior turned his head. He stepped out of the broken hotel room and stared at Number 7, the leader of the group that had stalked him. Alongside it was Number 2, Number 5, and Number 6. Naruto stared back at them defiantly. He wasn't even sure if he was aware of himself anymore.
The four Bone Crawlers quickly stepped back and turned away. On four legs, it looked like they would retreat back to their side of the village. Naruto didn't give chase. For one, he noticed there were three more than the group that attacked him. That either meant that there were more he didn't know about, or there was A LOT more he didn't know about. Plus, his body was starting to experience the same pain it felt when he used this chakra too much.
That said, the green chakra in Naruto's eyes burned bright as he stared at the retreating Bone Crawlers. He slowly raised his hand. "You dare turn your backs to me? I don't remember giving you the honor!" The corrupted blond spoke as the markings on his face grew larger.
The young man held up his hand. If one had a finer sensitive to chakra, then they would have seen five green tendrils fly from the five points of his fingers. They soared through the air and latched onto the chakra surrounding Bone Crawler Number 6. His eyes gleamed wickedly. As the others ran off, Number 6 screeched and writhed while it plummeted to the ground.
The blond stepped to the fallen Bone Crawler, his eyes filled with the mysterious chakra that he'd unlocked some months ago. "Now, what to do with you," Naruto said as the disgustingly formed creature wailed beneath the gaze of its captor.
Meanwhile, Ayame swallowed as she pressed her ears towards the door. All the fighting had grown quiet and she grew anxious. The ramen waitress felt utterly pitiful. She should have been out there fighting with Naruto. Instead, she was down in a basement terrified for his life. What if they killed him? What would she tell everyone else? Would she even make it back to them? What were they going to do without Naruto? What was she going to do without him? She…
Ayame paused. She heard something creak. Something heavy was being lifted. She feared the worst and quickly moved. The brunette grabbed a large shelf and knelt on it, her kunai ready. If something did come through then at least she could quickly pounce on it. She'd then jab the kunai in it over and over until it was dead.
The basement door unlocked. "Ayame-neechan," Naruto called.
Relief filled the woman's body. She jumped down from the ledge. "Naruto, you're sa…," the ramen waitress felt her words die in her throat. She nearly screamed when she saw the blond dragging one of the bone crawlers into the room. It screeched weakly. Some type of bloody ooze dropped from its tough skin. Now that Ayame got a good look at it, it was more hideous than she'd ever thought of anything. Not even her nightmares looked like it.
"Naruto-kun, are you insane?! Why are you dragging that thing?" Ayame asked.
The blond smirked. She stared into his eyes. There was an odd reassurance in them. "Dare you doubt me, Ayame-neechan?" he asked, his eyes green like emeralds.
When she stared into them, her own eyes gained a green color. "No, Naruto-sama," she replied almost drone-like. Unlike last time, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki smirked.
"Good. Now, we're going to start your training. This one's been severely disarmed and weakened, but it should at least make you move dattebayo. Kill this one and I'll make sure it doesn't kill you!" he responded.
Ayame nodded again. "Yes, Naruto-sama," she replied.
The blond also nodded and threw the Bone Crawler into the room. He walked over to the steps and took a seat. He observed his friend as she began her bout with the product of these cursed lands.
Truth be told, Ayame was scared. She was very scared. Even now, the Bone Crawler hissed and roared at her. A dying animal on its last legs, though it couldn't see her, it knew she was a threat. The blood poured out from its torn arms courtesy of Naruto. He had torn those off before he dragged the creature back down to Ayame. Granted, it wasn't as much of a threat as what he'd face, it was enough to get her on the right path.
Slowly, Naruto studied the way Ayame fought. Her hands were quivering and her fear was evident. She'd tried little playful jabs which only seemed to irritate the Bone Crawler. Its black tendrils snapped at her a few times, but her fear kept her fast. She was aware of everything. Was she cowardly? Definitely not. Even though some say cowards live the longest. No, she still stood and fought if. If she didn't then that would give Naruto the evidence that she wasn't ready for this, but… he saw the look in her eyes. That burning fire to survive in this world that had taken away her father. She'd be strong. She'd be worthy. She'd be beautiful.
"Heh, thank me later, boy. I do you the greatest service," A voice spoke in the depths of Naruto's head more softer than anything the Kyuubi might speak. The Uzumaki heir just quietly observed. He hoped Ayame hurried. His body was punishing him in the worst way. However, he had to keep his chakra active. That was the only thing that kept the Bone Crawler on edge. The only thing that would keep it from mauling Ayame faster than he could get to her.
The young woman panted as she took the kunai in her other hand. Dammit, the creature was tough! Tougher than anything she'd ever tried to cut in all her years as an assistant of Ichiraku Ramen. Even when she did manage to strike it without getting her head eaten, it barely flinched. How did Naruto expect her to take it down? With just a kunai, no less.
Minutes passed by, how many, the Ramen Waitress didn't know, but slowly she stopped being so terrified of the beast. Oh sure, it scared the hell out of her, but not because of its appearance. No, in some messed up way her mind had rationalized it so that she could spare some energy doing something else. It was just a big dog. A big dog with no limbs, no eyes, no ears, and extra flesh for a scalp, with tendrils like a curtain over its mouth. Yeah, just a big dog. Maybe wolf was better.
Either way, that still didn't solve her problem. Though she felt braver facing the creature, she still couldn't cut it. It's like it was impervious to human strength! It's bones were harder than stone. If it had arms, it could easily overpower her. Okay, maybe she had a better evolved brain than it. She could lead it into some traps, but there was no room here. There was nowhere to go. There was nowhere to lead it to. What could she do?
The Bone Crawler charged at Ayame and she danced out of the way. Oddly enough, it reminded her of those many taijutsu sessions given by Kosuke. The push and pull of battle. The give and take of survival. What could she give and what could she take? She panted.
The more this went on, the longer Naruto grew worried. The green chakra was slowly leaving his body. It couldn't take the strain anymore. He was also slowly coming to his senses. Why was he making Ayame do this? No, how did he even get here? The last thing he remembered was the cut from one of the other Bone Crawlers. Everything seemed dark after that. Now, he was here watching Ayame face against one.
Naruto got to his feet, but he was too late. The Bone Crawler roared as it pounced on Ayame. Both crashed into one of the wooden crates in the corner as the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki widened his eyes. He quickly moved to survey the damage. It was a little dark, but he noticed Ayame groan as she pushed the dead Bone Crawler off her body. The kunai was lodged deep in its neck.
"Ayame-neechan, are you alright?" he asked.
The Ramen Waitress smiled. "I'm fine," she said. She had just gotten that out before Naruto fell down next to her. Perhaps the training was working. He didn't pass out this time. Ayame laid down with him. They stared at the ceiling.
"How did you kill it?" Naruto asked.
Ayame smiled. "It always jerked away when I tried to go for the neck. That must be where the sensitive tissue is. I admit I thought I was gonna die when it pounced on me so I just stabbed its neck over and over until it died," she panted.
Naruto chuckled. That was definitely something to remember. "Sorry about making you do that. I don't know what came over me," he said.
The ramen waitress closed her eyes. "No, I think I needed that more than I'd like to admit. This…this isn't Konoha anymore. I won't weigh down our group! I won't weigh you down, Naruto-kun! For… For my father who died in this cruel world, I'll make sure to live for the both of us! You helped me conquer my fears of this world. As long as I've got you, I'll survive!" she exclaimed.
Ayame then started to laugh and Naruto did too. They both heard the howling winds outside. A storm seemed to be coming. That most likely meant acid rain. It'd been a while since the last time it rained in Konoha. Even this hotel might not stand given how much destruction Naruto caused to it.
The two rested for about half an hour before they pulled themselves up. Naruto groaned when he helped Ayame to her feet. They picked up their bags and slowly surveyed the destruction around them. Ayame stared at the corpses of Bone Crawlers in awe. It took so much for her to just defeat one. How did Naruto kill four of them?!
The brunette eyed the blond as they walked out. Both looked up at the sky. Clouds were gathering more than usual. The smell of rain was upon them. Naruto took out his map while Ayame looked over his shoulder. The wind breezed through their hair carrying dust, debris, and more remnants of their dying world.
The older companion watched a lone suitcase drag itself across the ground into the distance. The latter blocked his face from a flying can. Dare they count again? Another building fell to the ground, to be forgotten and covered by the sand. Then a second, third, and fourth. A lot of the areas of the village had actually been destroyed.
When Naruto and Ayame looked out, Konoha seemed more like the lands of Suna. Both had seen images of the Village Hidden in the Sand before. Large sand dunes covered debris. Homes and structures that hadn't fallen were also being covered. Whatever laid in them would be gone, crushed by the weight of accumulating dust and dirt. Then, there was the coming rain. It too would bring it all crashing down with no place left to go. In the end, even if they didn't run out of supplies, they might have to leave just because of the fear of the sands crushing the entrances to the tunnels. They'd be stuck down there.
How long they even had left, the blond didn't know, but… given the way the weather seemed to be growing stronger, they probably had less than two months before Konoha became a barren wasteland. Hell, it actually looked like that even now. Large areas, or dry spots as Naruto called them, separated parts of the village from others. Those were the spots where some buildings laid before they broke down as well. Most of the buildings still standing were of stronger material. They would probably keep standing, but as far as being habitable, Naruto wasn't sure. Who knew, maybe one day they could return to this place once it was all done. The only question was, would it still be Konoha?
Naruto grabbed Ayame's hand and guided her down some other streets. They continued their looting. They grabbed as much as they could carry. The former also made a note that he might have to head back to the Shinobi District. Their group would need all the weapons they could handle.
Naruto grabbed toilet paper, paper towels, bars of soap, shampoo, conditioner, and more household items. He picked up some mirrors, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other conveniences. Ayame packed up pillows, beds, mattresses, sheets, and clothes. Neither decided to speak on the horrors they'd seen.
The young man saw melted shinobi flak jackets, who they belonged to didn't matter, and broken human bones. The young woman watched a skull roll down the street to parts unknown. She raided a house and sighed. Survivors must have been here because there was writing on the wall.
'THE END IS NIGH! MAY KAMI HAVE MERCY ON OUR WICKED SOULS.'
Kami, Ayame chuckled. She wondered if the gods had abandoned them, or if there were even gods at all. Maybe they just got sick of all the human violence and thought to erase it all. Maybe, this was just the end of humanity's time as the dominant species. Maybe…this was just the universe's way of saying 'Fuck You.' Who could say?
If there was any guilt about them raiding the homes of their friends, they didn't show it. The two split up briefly. Naruto entered the Nara compound while Ayame checked the surrounding buildings. The former tried not to let the piles of boned corpses bother him. One of them could be Shikamaru for all he knew, but he didn't cry. In fact, since Hinata's death, he'd been out of tears lately.
The young genin had been friends with Shikamaru. He knew his family was into the medicine business. Hell, back during his time as a runner, Naruto actually delivered some… medicinals to the crime lords in the area. They actually ran a high price. Surprisingly, it wasn't that hard to collect everything. He wasn't sure why there wasn't some kind of defense seal in place, but he'd just count his blessings. He took everything they had and left their stores empty. He offered the Nara clan a silent prayer before he left.
He and Ayame met up. She showed him all the things she'd collected from the Akimichi clan. Boxes filled with food and books for nutrition and recipes. He had to laugh when Ayame said she'd be thrilled trying to make some of them. Naturally, both also cleaned out the clans' wealth stores. Turns out, the clan funds were much more than even they thought. They stored them all and finally they couldn't store anymore.
Just in time too. Both gasped as a loud BOOM of thunder cracked the sky. A piece of lightning struck the ground and lit the village in flames. No doubt the wind would carry it far. Either that or the rain would do something.
"Come on Ayame-neechan, let's go home," Naruto said. Ayame agreed. Yeah, she definitely had enough excitement for one day.
They picked up their things and started their trek, but Ayame gave a brief pause. She saw something and ran into a store. Naruto waited for her. She quickly ran out. He asked her what she got, but she wouldn't tell him. He just shrugged his shoulders and they ran back home.
Both counted their blessings. They had just closed the doors beneath the Hokage Mansion when the rain started up. They tried to cover the door with some sand, just to make sure the acid rain wouldn't get through before they made it back into the tunnels.
Naruto helped Ayame down and they continued in their trek below the surface. Even now, the sounds of the rain outside, hissing steam and smoke on whatever they touched wasn't lost on them. The latter of the duo wondered if one day she would wake up with their bunker covered in sand from the acid rain.
After working themselves through the tunnels, Ayame and Naruto found themselves home. The sounds of training and combat became apparent. They knocked on the door the precise number of times to enter and opened it. The familiar barrels of fire were a nice thing to see.
In one of the hallways, Kurenai and Kosuke were training Tenten and Shino with the shinobi tools that Naruto acquired before. The four quickly moved to greet them. "Welcome back, you guys. Find anythin… Naruto, what happened to your face?!" Tenten asked as everyone saw the large scar over one of his eyes.
He frowned as he placed his bags down. "We got jumped by seven Bone Crawlers. One of them got me I guess," he replied with a rough smile.
Kurenai quickly checked his face. Her eyes narrowed. As expected of the holder of the most powerful bijuu. The scar on his face was already healing. "Well, at least you're alright. Be sure to disinfect it," she told him.
He agreed. Then he and Ayame placed their bags on the table. Alright, we got a ton of stuff. It's gonna take awhile to sort it all. Kurenai-san, how good are you with money?" the blond asked.
"Well, I wasn't in debt if that's what you're asking," she replied back. That got everyone to chuckle a moment before Naruto tossed her a scroll.
"That's all the money we've looted around the civilian district, homes, stores, and shops. I want you in charge of it. I sure as hell can't do it," Naruto remarked. Kurenai took the scroll and sighed. Ah, an accountant. Well, she definitely wasn't THAT good with money, but she wasn't that bad either.
"Sure," she replied. Of course, should she remind him that she'd need him to unseal the contents? Probably, but not now.
While everyone got themselves situated, they all suddenly heard a peaceful, classical, jazzy melody roll through their bunker. Curious, everyone turned around and noticed Ayame place down a modern record player. "I found it back in a store with some batteries. I thought we could all use something nice to listen to," she said.
Everyone smiled as they began to work. The different sounds of trumpets, flutes, and other instruments relaxed them all.
Naruto quickly disinfected his face while he unsealed all that he and Ayame had gotten. The melody was rather nice to hear in these dying times. While they all worked, everyone remembered what Naruto had spoken about. They would need to leave Konoha. None of them thought it possible, or maybe they didn't want it to be possible. However, the longer they worked it out, the longer they knew the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki was right. If there were any higher officials in Konoha, surely something would have been planned by now. They couldn't just operate on the 'what-ifs.' That would get them killed.
It was for that reason that Tenten walked over to Naruto. "Naruto, listen. I swear I didn't mean what I said earlier today. I'm sorry for what I said and I hope you'll forgive me," she stated.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki smiled. "Already forgotten!" He exclaimed. He and Tenten shared a hug before she got back to work.
Naruto and Shino pushed some beds and futons into the female and male quarters. It was quite clear to everyone that no one was going to separate Ayame and her blond pillow, that is if they wanted a peaceful sleep. So, Naruto and Ayame were given their own quarters. The former had to blush when the Eternal Genin kept elbowing him telling him that he'd appreciate things when he got older. Well, the young genin didn't say he already "appreciated" enough. Well, aside from the embarrassing mornings between them of course.
By the time everyone was done, they were all exhausted. The water was quickly divided up between drinking, bathing, and cleaning. Once that was done, the girls took theirs and the boys took theirs. The two groups moved away from each other and bathed. It wasn't the best solution, but it worked.
Once everyone rejoined, they ate dinner. The music on the record player provided wonderful ambience in this fallout environment. For once, they all laughed as they ate and drank. Just for this once, they could all be happy.
Soon, the tunnels got darker. Everyone climbed into bed. Naruto and Ayame slept together. He felt her wrap her arms around his shoulders. He sighed. Two months later, this still wasn't good for his heart. The genin wrote in his journal for a little while under a gas lamp. He then fell asleep. As he drifted off to tomorrow, his mind faded. Just before his eyes closed, a flash of green chakra appeared in them one more time.
"Hehehehehehehehe… HAHHAAHAHAAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHA!"
KG: Well, that's good for now. Anyway, we'll go on to announcements. You guys don't need to worry about the ArchiveofOurOwn account yet! Nothing's there anyway. I'll be sure to give you guys details when I actually have something posted. Also, so in the anime Naruto, chakra is blue for everyone. In the manga, it's apparently a unique color for every person. In order to actually provide meaning to these different chakra colors I've made, I'll keep normal chakra to the color Blue.
KG: Now, someone criticized me saying that Naruto's too weak or the story is too, as is usually pointed out in most fics. Well, as for Naruto's strength, he's not weak. In fact, you can argue that down the line I actually gave him one of the most powerful abilities in the story which is caused by the green chakra. No, it's not a dojutsu or kekkai genkai. However, it is something exclusive to him. Someone actually came close to what the Green Chakra actually does. Also no, he's not the only one who has this green chakra.
KG: Again, apologize for this, but spacing these out helps my thoughts. Anyway, as for the pace of the story, this is a post-apocalyptic fic. This isn't so much about action. This is about survival, suspense, and the collapse of shinobi society. Yes, there were be action, but it's not the center point of the story. Naruto isn't supposed to just be crushing everything that moves with a simple flick of his finger. These are powerfully strong creatures and they will continue to roam the earth. It also is a suspense story. It wouldn't be very suspenseful if there was no danger for Naruto.
KG: Anyway, bye. CREAM SODA!