Naruto sighs slightly as he feels his back slam against the wooden wall of the wagon, interrupting his little moment of sleep, in which he hadn't even realized he had dozed off. In front of him, Ryuzetsu was staring at him with her head resting on her knees. Her intense gaze made the boy feel uncomfortable, but not something that would completely take his attention, since it was not a malicious look, but one of pure curiosity and interest.
Although it didn't make him relax much.
-... Ryuzetsu, you are going to put a hole in the boy if you keep staring at him like that.
One of the women said, causing small muffled giggles, especially from Ryuzetsu who straightened her posture and put a strand of hair behind her ear.
- Sorry. But it's just that I've never seen a person like him. I thought Temari was unique for her blond hair, and she still is, but come on, his hair is almost the same color as the ring he gave her. And his eyes are as blue as the sky.
She said in a tone drowned in a mixture of admiration and excitement. Naruto, despite the praise, just kept staring at the ground.
- I have to agree. I have never seen anyone with golden hair.
Another woman said, and Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, sighing. What was so special about his hair? It was just a bunch of messy strands.
- That scar on your face... who or what caused it?
Ryuzetsu asked. Naruto didn't answer, or even stare at her, but his hand went almost immediately to the claws on his necklace, squeezing them lightly. An action that did not go unnoticed by the curious woman's eyes.
- Hm... what was it? Those are long claws.
He stared at her, trying to understand the reason for all this curiosity. Or all that friendly behavior.
- Argh, will you stop?
Temari's irritated voice caught the attention of Ryuzetsu, who looked at the girl.
- If he doesn't want to say it, fuck it.
- Temari... I'm just trying to make him more comfortable in the midst of so many strangers.
- Well, you're doing a shitty job.
The woman sighed, falling silent and hugging her own legs again, resting her chin on her knees.
-...a mountain lion.
Her husky voice caught Ryuzetsu's attention, and she arched an eyebrow.
-... It was a mountain lion.
He clenched his sword slightly, closing his eyes, but feeling the woman's satisfied gaze still on him.
The hours passed quickly, especially since Naruto slept again. He didn't know if it was because his body was really tired, or for some other reason.
It wouldn't be long before night came, and the horses stopped. They began to get off the wagons and walk across the plain in order to set up their camp. The men carried the materials to put up their tents and the women carried what was needed for the night.
Naruto climbed down from the wagon after putting his sword on his back. His eyes immediately ran to the people in front of him. A large number of men and women.
Further ahead, Mifune walked calmly towards him, as did other men.
- How are you, boy?
He asked, staring at Naruto, who in turn stared back at him for a while, until he nodded briefly.
- When you said he was young, I didn't think he was a teenager. How old is this kid?
A man just behind Mifune asked, eyebrow arched, one hand on his sword and the other on the back of his neck, scratching at his short dark hair.
Naruto stared at him for a while, focusing his eyes on the scar on the side of the man's face.
-... old enough.
He replied simply, and the man snorted, giving a small, awkward smile.
- Heh... reminds me of someone.
He said amused, looking at Mifune, who just ignored him.
-... Everything went well?
The older man asked, looking at Ryuzetsu, who was approaching with the other women by his side.
- Yes, he's sweet. You have to see the ring he gave Temari.
The woman said somewhat excitedly, making the men curious to say the least. Some even intrigued.
- Ring? What ring?
One of them asked, this being the most incredulous, apparently. He had short hair, as did most of the men there. Hard features and a bit... rugged. Wrinkled, though not too old.
- A gold ring with a diamond on top. It's enough for our expenses for a while.
Temari replied, showing the ring that seemed to sparkle in front of her eyes. She had to admit it was quite beautiful.
The man took a few steps towards her, staring at the ring with wide eyes, surprised and... annoyed.
- Uuuuh, the ring he gave her is bigger than the one you gave her, Daimaru.
One of the men teased, slapping Daimaru lightly on the back and laughing at his incredulous expression.
Daimaru's brown eyes soon faced Naruto. He straightened his posture and walked toward him with slow, precise steps.
Naruto, however, just stared at him, feeling unaffected by the man's futile attempt to appear threatening. But, just in case, he put his hand on the handle of his sword.
- Daimaru.
Mifune warned him. Daimaru looked at him for a few moments, before turning his gaze to Naruto again.
-... Look, newbie, I'm going to let this one slide because you're new here, and you're also very young, so I don't have to worry too much. You can flirt with any woman you want, but Temari is off limits.
He said, slowly and intimidatingly. His voice was coarse, which added to his striking presence. However, Naruto just spat in front of his feet and turned away from him, without averting his gaze, as if to challenge him as he walked away.
- Oe, who do you think you are to do that, Daimaru!? I told you, damn it, I'm not your fucking property! I'll flirt with whoever I want!
Temari said angrily, walking away from him in stride.
Daimaru followed her with his gaze, until he sighed and scratched the back of his neck.
- Try not to start a fight, please? We've had enough trouble.
Mifune said, turning and walking toward a group of people sitting in front of him, waiting for their dinner.
Daimaru snorted and followed him, casting a few glances in Naruto's direction as he walked.
- Mifune. We won't have much food tonight either.
A woman, this being the oldest Naruto had seen so far, approached the man with a somewhat worried expression. Mifune put his hands on his waist and sighed.
Naruto arched an eyebrow as he looked at him, but then looked away, running his eyes around the camp and stopping briefly at a few people who looked at him curiously. He didn't know if it was because of his hair, or because he was someone they had never seen before... or because his chest was still bare.
- Why don't we take the rookie hunting?
Daimaru's voice caught his attention, and Naruto turned to them. Daimaru had a bow and quiver in his hands, and one on his back. He walked toward Naruto with an expression of indifference.
- Come on, rookie, prove yourself. I'm not going hunting so you can scratch your ass here in camp. Or do you think you can buy me off with one of your cute little rings?
he asked, a clear tone of disregard in his voice. Naruto sighed, taking the bow from the man's hands, ignoring the looks in his direction.
-... Are you sure, kid? Do you know how to use a bow?
Mifune asked, still with his hands on his waist.
-... Yes.
Naruto said, placing the quiver on his back.
- Great, what are we waiting for? The night won't be long now, we have to be quick.
Daimaru said, turning and walking towards the forest.
- Who is the boy?
The woman asked Mifune, though she looked at Naruto who was only a few steps away.
- I met him at the battle earlier. He defeated two men by himself. The boy is young, but he is skilled.
Mifune said, following with his eyes as Naruto followed Daimaru and some other men. But before he got too far away, he stopped and turned to Mifune.
-... My name is Naruto.
He stared at the elder for a few moments, before continuing on his way. Mifune remained silent, crossing his arms as he watched them go, until the woman leaned slightly toward him.
- What's this "ring" all about? I heard Temari and the others mention it.
He sighed amused and turned around, walking with her toward the group ahead.
- Hey, you won't believe the new guy!
One of the men from the hunting party said, an excited smile on his lips and a relaxed expression. His voice caught the attention of the people who were around a large fire, spread out in the center. Some were sitting on the ground, others on pieces of wood, others standing with their backs propped up on the pillars that supported the tents.
Behind the man, Daimaru walked with an unfriendly expression as he held a folded skin under his arm, and Naruto came with a large deer on his shoulders, an arrow stuck in the middle of his head. The deer was skinned, and blood was dripping from Naruto's hands, evidencing that he was the one who skinned the animal.
- Oh, boy. This is a big deer. The boy is strong to be able to carry that thing.
A man said as he approached, a look of surprise on his face.
- That was a great shot. Right in the middle of the face. Looks like the boy has spent some time in the forest.
Another man, this one shorter than the first, said, placing the bow propped up on the side of a tent near the center of the camp, a smile on his face as he sat down.
Naruto stared at him for a while, before walking over to the place that was used as a kitchen, and throwing the deer onto a makeshift table. The women, and some men who were also in the kitchen, looked at the animal with slightly wide eyes in surprise.
- Well, along with what we have, the whole camp will eat tonight. Good job, kid.
The woman from before said, and Naruto gave a slight nod in her direction before walking away.
- There is a lake not far from here. Go wash up. Take these clothes, they should fit you.
Mifune said, handing some clothes to Naruto, crossing his arms afterwards. The boy nodded and turned around, walking in the direction he was pointed in.
After a few minutes of walking along the path lit only by the light of the full moon, he reached the lake. The reflection of the moon made him admire the beautiful scenery for a while.
Naruto looked around, and when he was sure he was alone, he put his sword down and removed his clothes, entering the lake. The cold water made his skin shiver, but a comforting feeling spread through his body as he dove in, swimming calmly to the middle of the lake and back to the surface.
He threw back his head and ran his hands through his hair. His eyes focused on the water around him, and his hand reached out in front of him in a somewhat hopeful attempt to touch the moon that reflected in the lake.
The sky had always mesmerized him, the moon had always captivated him, especially at times like this, when it appeared in all its splendor in the sky.
A sigh escaped his lips as his hand sank into the water. Moments like that made him do stupid things. It was stupid of him to think he could touch the moon.
Shaking his head, he finished washing up and swam back to the shore, barely drying himself and putting on the clothes Mifune had given him.
They were a little tight, especially the shirt, but he just shrugged. Maybe it was the fact that he hadn't dried properly and water had made the fabric stick to his body. A dark blue blouse, black mercenary pants, leather shoes that went halfway to his ankle.
Putting his sword back on his back, he walks back to the camp, this being the only place illuminated by something other than moonlight.
As soon as he arrived, the man from the hunting party, Beorward if he was not mistaken, raised a cup and smiled in his direction.
- Oe, Naruto, come, sit with us.
He shouted, too loud for Naruto's liking, who scratched the back of his neck. Nervousness and shame were not things that were part of his everyday life, but having so many looks like those fixed on him caused these feelings to rise in his chest. After the death of his father, and even before that, he was used to angry or disinterested glances in his direction.
He thought about refusing, but with so many people staring at him, he was forced to approach.
He sat close enough to feel included, but far enough away not to be easily touched.
- Why is your hair golden?
One of the men asked, and Naruto blinked a few times.
-... What?
- I've never seen a hair color like yours. It looks like it's made of gold.
Another man said, taking a sip from the drink in his cup after he finished saying.
- I... I don't know. My... the man who took care of me... well, he wasn't exactly my father.
The words came out without him realizing it, and he grimaced slightly. He had no idea that he was so longing that he could carry on a conversation without even realizing it.
Maybe it was the nostalgia of seeing a group of mercenaries gathered together for dinner.
- Those scars are cool! Ryuzetsu mentioned a mountain lion, or something like that.
He looked at the woman for a few moments, she just smiled and shrugged, and Naruto sighed lightly.
- Yes.
- Heh, you're quite young, and that scar looks a while old. When was this?
Beorward asked.
- I don't know... I was about six, I think.
- No fucking way!
- Six!?
- How old are you now?
He ran his eyes around the people who had spoken, and he cleared his throat. It had been a while since he had last been in a similar situation.
- I'm... I'm ten. I think.
Beorward almost spit out his drink.
- Ten!? Holy shit, I thought you were sixteen, seventeen!
- Boy, you're pretty big for someone so young.
Naruto scowled, and just smiled as he scratched the back of his neck in nervousness. That wasn't so bad.
The night passed quickly, and the tired mercenaries went towards their respective tents to sleep. Naruto took his plate, as well as some others, to the lake and washed them beside some older women and men, who, as soon as they saw him, almost forced him to leave the plates there, saying that this kind of work was their responsibility.
He didn't really understand why he couldn't wash his own dishes. But he didn't complain.
His eyes focused on the camp again. He didn't feel tired enough to go to sleep, he had slept enough on the way there.
Not wanting to go back to the wagon, he put his hands in his pockets and walked around the camp, exploring the area he was in a little more.
As he moved a few dozen, maybe hundreds of yards away from the camp, he began to hear groans... no, maybe screams or something. His hand immediately went to the hilt of his sword, and his body went into a state of alertness.
His silent footsteps followed the weak breeze that swayed the grass and the leaves of the few surrounding trees. His vigilant blue eyes focused on the direction the noises echoed, getting louder and louder as he drew closer.
But it was no enemy that made these noises. No situation in which he should draw his sword. Further ahead, hidden by a few trees that surrounded her, Temari was swinging a short sword, slicing the air with each movement.
Naruto relaxed a bit and allowed himself to watch her for a while. Her footwork was not very good, being quite sloppy at times despite her clear agility. Her movements, while fast, were not consistent, and from the movement she was making, he figured she was just trying to cut through the enemy's armor, not do any damage.
They were simple, short, sloppy movements, done in a rather... ugly way. It was clear that she was an amateur.
Sighing, Naruto approached, purposefully stepping on the branches and making his presence known.
Temari turned suddenly upon hearing the sound of his footsteps, her eyes staring at Naruto for some time. Shame and anger coursed through her greenish eyes.
- What do you want?
she asked in a snarl, clenching the short sword in her hand and narrowing her eyes in his direction. Naruto didn't answer immediately, he just took a few steps closer, letting himself be illuminated by the moonlight.
-... What are you doing?
What a stupid question, and he knew it. Temari clicked her tongue and grumbled lowly, straightening her posture.
- Training, why? I'm not allowed to?
She put her hand on her waist and looked at him with disgust.
-... I didn't say that.
- But I know you thought it. What? Does it hurt to see a woman training with a sword? Is it bad that I want to be a mercenary?
Naruto arched an eyebrow. Where did she get that from? He didn't say anything, it was just a question. An idiotic one, he admitted, but one that didn't hide any twisted words.
-... Do you want to be a mercenary?
- Do you have a problem with that?
They remained silent, which only seemed to irritate the girl even more, much to Naruto's confusion.
- You men are not the only ones who can wield a sword! I have heard this all my life, how women are not suited for war, how sloppy women are with a blade, I-
- It doesn't matter.
He interrupted her, and she arched her eyebrows in surprise and confusion.
- What?
Naruto crossed his arms.
- In a battle, in a war, all that matters is the strength and skill of the one wielding the sword. It doesn't matter if you are a man or a woman, what matters is if you have what it takes to fight, to survive.
She stared at him intensely for some time, incredulous, as if she herself did not believe his words.
-... If you're saying this because you feel sorry for me, I swear-
- No. I don't pity you. Anyone can be a mercenary if he has the skill. A warrior uses all the weapons he has. - He walked a few steps toward her, slow and short steps, hesitating to come any closer. - You may not have the strength of a man, but you may have something to make up for it.
Temari closed her eyes and crossed her arms after putting the sword in its sheath.
- What do you mean by that?
- I saw your movements. If I may say so, they are terrible.
She grimaced, and then picked up the sword again, gritting her teeth as she felt her face heat up.
- But I saw your speed. - He said quickly, stopping her in her tracks. - You have no skill, but you are fast, no strength, but you have an agile body. If you attack first, in the right way, you will kill your enemy before he can even attack you.
She straightened her posture, digesting his words.
-... My father said that I would never be able to go into battle. That I was too weak, and that my opponents would be twice my size, twice my strength.
She said with a low tone, words slow and slightly slurred.
- Indeed, your opponents will be twice your size. But there is a way to ignore that.
She arched an eyebrow.
- In a battle, there are almost no people who take advantage of low blows. Maybe because everyone is about the same height or something, I don't know. But someone of your stature, for example, can take advantage of the fact that your opponent won't be waiting for an attack on his legs, and even if he does wait, he will have a hard time blocking your attacks.
Naruto ran his eyes around, and soon, walked to a place not far from there, picking up two pieces of wood of the same size, throwing one towards the girl.
- It may not be much, but I'm still bigger than you.
She looked at him with clear doubt on her face.
- Do you want me to attack you?
He stood in a defensive position.
- You need someone to train with. I assume that the men here don't take you very seriously. You need training, to learn how to throw low blows, and high blows. You never know.
Temari stared at him, the anger from before fading completely, and only doubt present in her expression.
-... Why are you doing this? As far as I know, we are two strangers.
Naruto was thoughtful for a while. And really, thinking about it, it wasn't like him to do something like that. In that moment alone, he had said more than he had the entire trip. Maybe that little display of kindness earlier had affected him more than he had thought.
The image of the boys pushing him off that hill returned to his mind, followed by the image of Hans and Konohamaru, two boys with no training whatsoever, alone in the world if they had survived.
- I don't know.
She grimaced.
- Really?
- Yes, I have no idea. Maybe I just want to train with someone and not just the air for a change.
She, again, stared at him. No matter how hard she tried, Temari couldn't tell what he was thinking.
Sighing, the girl got into attack position. The piece of wood was similar in length to the short sword around her waist.
- Your left foot is too far forward. You are too bent over.
He said, and she tried to correct herself.
Naruto straightened his posture and approached her, using the piece of wood to instruct her.
He was so immersed in his little lesson that he didn't notice a pair of eyes staring at them both.
Daimaru had a bottle of drink in his hand, his eyes fixed on the image in front of him. Anger burning in his chest at seeing that boy so close to Temari, even though he was very young. Temari was not far behind, she had not passed the age of fifteen, but she was already a remarkable and beautiful woman in his eyes.
A growl echoed through his throat, and as he finished his bottle, he turned and walked with sloppy steps towards the camp. He would finally have his alone time with Temari after so many failed attempts, only for that boy to get in the way of his plans.
The next day dawned. The sun was beginning to light up the inside of some wagons and even some tents. Few people were awake, but those who were already up were doing their morning chores.
Naruto was already used to waking up in the middle of the night, he had already done what he was supposed to do, and at the moment, he was swinging his sword against the air.
"Forty-nine... fifty..."
Each movement as fast as the last, each swing of his sword blowing a strong, but small, gust of wind that swayed the short grass.
Sweat dripped down his body and dripped onto the dirt, his bare chest showed his muscles that tensed with every movement. His sword was large and heavy, but he always made it heavier by tying stones around the blade as tightly as he could so that they would not come off in his movements.
The sun hit his eyes, and for a few moments he stopped swinging his sword and looked at the horizon. He liked to watch the sunrise, it was beautiful, although it didn't captivate him like a beautiful night with a full moon.
He finished his little training after a while, and went down to the camp after washing in the lake.
Most people were already awake, including Ryuzetsu, who was talking to the same woman in the kitchen.
A few mercenaries were training together, and Naruto arched an eyebrow when he saw Daimaru staring at him, right after he blinked at Temari, who had just come out of her tent.
- Oe, newbie, how about a quick training session?
He asked, forcing a friendly smile. Something Naruto noticed.
The boy arched an eyebrow and stared at him.
- Daimaru, you and your horrible ideas. What are you planning this time?
One of the mercenaries asked, interrupting his little training and leaning on his sword.
- Nothing. Mifune said he saw the boy kill two men like it was nothing, I just want to train with him. If Mifune said so, then he is quite capable.
Daimaru said, and Naruto sighed.
- Come on. It's just a quick training, it's not like you have anything better to do.
Daimaru insisted, and Naruto rolled his eyes as he approached. Why not? He didn't have any time to train with a real skilled person. That would be nice, those guards in that city gave him a lot of trouble.
Daimaru smiled slightly and moved a few steps away, getting into an attack position and facing Naruto, who did the same. The man purposely shouted that to get Temari's attention, since the girl had spent a good few hours training with Naruto last night.
Daimaru attacked first, attempting a horizontal slash across Naruto's chest. But, the boy dodged, throwing his torso backwards. The man, however, attacked again, this time faster, trying to cut the side of his body.
Naruto defended with his sword, countering with a slashing attack towards his stomach. Daimaru defends and kicks the side of Naruto's abdomen. Which wouldn't be a problem, but he used much greater force than a training kick, causing Naruto to grit his teeth and stagger a few steps to the side.
- What? That didn't hurt, right?
Daimaru asked, clearly provocative.
Naruto didn't answer, but instead attacked him. He attempted a vertical blow, but Daimaru dodged and countered with a horizontal slash.
However, Naruto ducked, supported his body with both hands, and kicked the man in the stomach, causing him to groan slightly and stagger back a few steps.
Daimaru stared at Naruto with a very unfriendly expression, while the boy just stood in fighting stance again.
- Haha, come on, Daimaru, you're getting rusty.
One of the mercenaries sneered.
- Get him, kid.
- Try not to kill him, Daimaru.
- I'm betting on the boy.
Daimaru ignored the comments of others and advanced again, attempting a cutting attack from top to bottom. However, Naruto defended with his sword and kicked the side of Daimaru's leg, followed by a punch to the face.
The man groaned in pain, but recovered quickly, trying to attack Naruto, who jumped back.
Daimaru began to attack Naruto viciously, quick, precise movements. The boy was trying to defend himself as best he could, and even though he was very strong, Daimaru was a grown man, his strength was superior.
At one point, Daimaru purposely attacked Naruto's sword, causing the boy to stand with his guard open. In one swift movement, he attempted a cutting blow from below.
Blood gushed from the new wound on Naruto's body, who threw his body backwards at the sign of the attack, but was not fast enough to avoid full damage.
His hand was immediately in his eye, and a groan, similar to a growl, escaped his throat.
- Hey, goddammit Daimaru! What's your problem, man?!
- This is training, you fucking asshole!
Some men protested in anger at the sight of blood dripping through Naruto's fingers. Daimaru made a silly expression and scratched the back of his neck, as if he regretted it, although deep down he was pleased.
However, there was no way he could not be surprised to see Naruto stand up, remove his hand from his eye and point his sword in his direction. A vertical cut from his cheek to above his eyebrow, but that didn't damage his right eye.
- You see? The boy is fine. This is sword training, these things happen. He couldn't be considered a mercenary if he wasn't prepared.
Daimaru said, getting into attack position again.
- I hope I didn't take it too hard, kid. I can go lighter if you like.
- Shut up, and come at me.
Naruto's cold voice made him smile, and do just that.
Daimaru was amused by this image, Naruto's blood streaming down his face, which made him unaware of the flames present in the boy's blue eyes.
Daimaru attempted a horizontal cut with his sword, however, Naruto slams his own blade against the man's, a much greater force than he had used so far.
Daimaru took a few steps backwards due to the boy's strength, and he didn't even have time to recover. Naruto began to attack him viciously, movements just as fast and strong as before, giving Daimaru no time to do anything but defend himself as he moved away.
At one point, Naruto cuts his forearm, causing Daimaru to stun himself, for only a few moments, from the sudden pain. Then, the boy cuts his thigh, followed by a kick to the stomach, causing Daimaru to drop to his knees.
Naruto then strikes the man with the hilt of his sword, causing him to fall to the ground. To finish, the boy steps on his chest and puts his sword into Daimaru's neck, who stares at him with wide eyes.
The surrounding mercenaries were silent, surprised to see Daimaru on the ground.
- Heh, I think that's enough for a morning training session, don't you think?
Mifune's voice made itself present, and they looked at the man approaching calmly.
Mifune stared at Naruto for a few moments, focusing his gaze on the wound on his face. Then he faced Daimaru on the ground.
- You were stupid, Daimaru. Your childish actions have brought you to this end.
He said in a cold voice, causing the man to click his tongue and mutter softly.
- You can get off him now, Naruto. That wound needs a look.
Mifune said, yawning soon after as he walked away.
- That was a good fight.
He said as he passed Naruto, who just followed him with his eyes, before looking again at Daimaru. A dark look, as if daring the man to try to do something against him again.