Disclaimer: So not mine.
A/N: Whoa, I was wondering when would I ever update this? (laughs out loud)
>> Just Want to Say I'm Sorry >>
Part 3
To be one of Orochimaru's most trusted aides, he knew Kabuto must possess something more than just excellent medical skills. Therefore, Naruto has expected him to be a good fighter at the very least. But at the rate the fight was dragging on for the past thirty minutes, and the challenge the older man was putting up, suddenly the word 'good' seemed such an understatement. Kabuto was not a good fighter, he was a darn good fighter.
"Teme..." the blond growled, annoyance finally getting to his nerves. If circumstances would allow it, he would have break out into a series of colorful phrases foul enough to shame even Orochimaru himself.
Rushing each other for the umpteen time, the two males clashed their kunais together, steel screeching against steel. Both refused to budge, as one pushed with his weapon, the other answered with an equally forceful shove. Finally, the building momentum sent them stumbling apart, heels skidding clumsily over sandy soil.
"You're so irritating! When are you going to drop dead exactly?" Naruto snarled with a pout. How he managed to combine the two features into one expression was a mystery.
"Same to you, gaki." Kabuto smirked, regarding him coolly.
"You're so going down!" Naruto proclaimed and resumed his fighting stance again.
"So you say..." the older nin smiled eerily and followed suit.
"Hoshigake...Kisame." Sasuke regarded the ex-Akatsuki nin stoically, face schooled into an unreadable expression.
"You...! Uchiha Sasuke!" the shark-man spat venomously at his opponent, eyes narrowing angrily. "You killed Itachi!"
"..."
"You killed my partner! Your brother moreover!" Kisame continued his rave.
"Shut up." Sasuke replied, fists clenched and head bowed. "I do not have such a traitorous brother."
"What! I'm going to kill you! I'll take revenge for Itachi!"
"You're welcome to try..." the ebony-haired nin answered the challenge with a calm response. However, when he finally lift his head, his expression was not in syn with his voice as eyes that were black minutes before has bled into advance Mangekyou Sharingan.
Kabuto crumpled to the dirt ground most unceremoniously, limbs twitching violently. His mouth was agape, opening and closing like a dying guppy out of water, and black eyes were unfocused. Naruto wince at the result of rasengan effected on a man, knowing all too well that Kabuto's inner organs has been ripped apart by his swirling orb of raw chakra by now. He really wanted to say sorry to the dying nin, but the fact that they were enemies just made it seemed wrong to do so.
Naruto never wanted to kill.
He tried not to scratch his hands, tried not to feel the clammy blood stuck to his palms. Closing cerulean eyes for a beat, he breathed out a sigh. If it has not been the failure of Kabuto's last jutsu, then he would not have had the chance and opening to strike down the man. The fight could have been delayed longer. Suddenly, once reminded of the medical nin's last strike, the area where the kyuubi-bearer was hit started to throb with pain. That was followed by a searing pain which burned through his seal and made him see stars.
"Kami..." Naruto gasped in agony, falling to his knees. He clutched to his stomach tightly, trying to will the pain to stop. Glimpsing down, he saw that his skin has blackened to a sickly glowing green. "Maybe the jutsu didn't fail as I assumed..." he gritted out his frustration.
"No, it didn't fail." A certain slimy man replied, glee interlaced with his voice.
Through tears, Naruto looked up painstakingly to meet eyes with the big villain – Orochimaru. "You..."
"Yes, me." the vile man replied mockingly, reptilian eyes bright with fervor.
His taunting voice repulsed the blond, and the boy attempted to punch the man, only to be dragged down by his pain again.
"There is no use to struggle. What Kabuto has done, is gave you a curse seal. You will continued to feel weak, and your little youkai can't provide you any of its abnormal chakra too. If you tried to force use its chakra, you will die." Orochimaru laughed, flicking out his long snaky tongue. "Uzumaki, for countless times, you have stopped my precious vessel from coming to me, I'll make sure you pay for that. You shall watch while I destroy Konoha before your eyes and kill every single inhabitants."
"No..." A faint protest barely cried from the younger nin made the missing nin grinned even madly with delight.
Whipping about, Orochimaru turned his attention back to the scene before him, which happened to be the heart of Konoha. Due to the short notice of the surprise attacks, most of the villagers were trapped within the village and cornered to the center. They currently faced the ex-Konoha nin with fear.
'No, I can't watch this! I must protect Konoha! I must protect...!' Naruto screamed inwardly, determination setting his jaw. Effort forced his fists close as he clutched them tight, and slowly stumbled to his feet. 'Fox, please let me be selfish just for this once.'
'...' Strangely, Kyuubi was quiet.
"Orochimaru..." the blond called out in a strong, unwavering voice. Name mentioned, the said man turned about to face Naruto with narrowing eyes. He watched in disbelief as the fiery red youkai chakra began to seep out from the boy's body and enveloped him in pulsating strength. He hissed in anger as the loudmouth ninja morphed claws and incisors.
"Fool, you will die if you use Kyuubi's chakra!"
"I have to protect Konoha no matter what."
"I should have known there bound to be idiots like you!"
"Let's fight."
Somewhere in-between, more Konoha nins have arrived to fight off Kisame's minions. Slowly but surely, the defenders were winning. The moment Sasuke stole over Kisame's katana and ran it through the shark-man's midsection, the victor was known.
Panting slightly, the ebony-haired frowned. He should have felt reassurance and maybe even happiness to finally end all this mayhem. However, a dreadful feeling settled to the pit of his stomach instead. Something just did not feel quite right.
"Uchiha..." a weary and grim Neji shimmered into his sight, face purposely schooled into a mask. "You better get to the village center."
The silence was deafening. His steps managed to echo eerily even with all the villagers gathered at the particular area. All of them were clustered together, attention focused on something which was blocked from Sasuke's view. When they finally saw the last Uchiha heir approaching, the villagers solemnly parted a path for him to walk through. He raise an eyebrow in question, thoroughly mystified. Beside him, Neji vaguely gestured him to go ahead. Stepping forward, the ebony-haired guy soon came to face with the Godaime – Tsunande.
Suddenly, he was pulled into a hug and over the female's shoulders, he saw the terrible sight which made his body trembled uncontrollably and fists clenched tightly to his sides.
"He says he has to protect Konoha." Tsunande sobbed, hands tightening around. Come to think of it, the embrace was more like a restrain to prevent the shocked Uchiha from doing something unspeakable. " He says he has to protect...you."
That day, Konoha mourned the death of one very honourable ninja, Uzumaki Naruto.
TBC...
A/N: I realized I just can't end it here. That will be inappropriate, and I will get stone to death by ya guys. There will be a closing to this, I will made sure of that! I swear on the (non-existing) reputation of TenshiKaitou. (solemn pledge) Heh. Wait for the epilogue then!
