Chapter 12: Awakening
"Ah! I've found it!" Reiji exclaimed. Tsunade and Neji approached him.
"Finally…" Tsunade said and patted Reiji on the head. "I think we better leave…"
Reiji only nodded. He was removing the other scrolls from the table.
Tsunade, Kurenai and Neji left.
"Ah, Tsunade-sama…could you tell me what exactly is happening? Why…why is Reiji-san so determined about finding that scroll?" Reiji heard Kurenai ask.
"That is not our problem, Kurenai…" Tsunade lied. "We have more business to attend to remember?" The volume of their voices decreased.
"Ah…" Neji agreed. "What do you think happened?"
Reiji then heard whispers that gradually disappeared after that.
He was all alone again.
But he didn't mind at all.
He knit his eyebrows together in determination and opened the scroll. "Let's see…" He mumbled.
She barely kept awake.
The will to keep an eye on him was the one that kept her awake.
Her body, though, could give in any time now.
She wanted to reach up to his face and touch his skin that is frighteningly very pale. She bit her lower lip when her other hand tapped his cold skin.
It felt as though he was already dead.
She shook her head. "No… he's still alive…he promised…" Hinata whispered. "He promised he won't go away again…"
There was silence as she stared at his troubled expression. She then felt suddenly warm. She looked over her shoulder and saw a warm blanket over it.
She turned her head more and saw Hanabi smiling at her. "Hinata-nee, you should rest…" Hinata saw a worried look painted at her younger sister's face.
"I…can't…" Hinata looked at Naruto again. "I…must…" She collapsed towards the floor.
"Hinata-nee…!" Hanabi luckily caught her before Hinata hit the ground.
"Hinata-nee…!"
Naruto suddenly opened his eyes. His heartbeat grew faster. "What…? That's Hanabi's voice! What happened to her?" He stood up from his curled position.
He clenched his fist and looked down.
"You still can't go back…" Kyuubi whispered at him.
"You don't need to remind me…" He sat down again. He closed his eyes and hugged his knees. "Hinata…I hope you're okay…"
Hiashi was alarmed by Hanabi's sudden shout. He rushed to where they were and saw Hinata unconscious in Hanabi's arm. Hanabi looked at him.
"What happened to her?" He put a hand over Hanabi's shoulder as he bent down to observe Hinata.
"She just collapsed…probably because she worked too hard….or because she hadn't slept yet." Hanabi answered.
"Let me carry her…" Hiashi said.
Maeda Kenji took a last bite of the apple on his hand. He was sitting by a tree. His katana was laid next to him and he had a smug look on his face.
"It's only a kid…" He whispered. "No big problem…." He picked up and slung the strap of his katana by his shoulder.
He decided he would move today.
"Heh…Konoha's security is still easy to bypass…" Kenji smirked as he walked around the village.
He decided to spy on the Nins talking by the newspaper stand. He approached the stand and acted that he was looking at it and finding what to buy.
"Have you heard…?" The short leaf-nin said.
"If you don't say what it is then I won't know if I have already heard of it or not." One nin who looked arrogant said while looking away.
The short one frowned. "It's the rumors about the Rokudaime's health!"
The third of them who looked ignorant was pretty shocked. "What about Rokudaime's-sama's health?"
The arrogant one spat, "Hah! I heard that someone saw him collapse!"
"They said he's dying!" The short one added.
The ignorant one flailed his arms. "Nani! When did you hear those things?"
The arrogant one lighted a smoke, "Four days ago…"
The ignorant one looked down, "It's only a rumor…"
"Yeah…but if he was okay…he would help us now…" The short one pointed out. "Solving the problem with that village when he's around will be a lot faster I bet…"
The ignorant one spoke again, "Ano…I saw his son running around near the archives with a serious look this morning. Godaime-sama was following him."
Kenji reached out for a paper that has the headline about a certain village being attacked and he paid for it.
He walked away.
"Heh…so Jiro had already taken his precautionary actions…" He whispered when he went off to rent a room.
Jiro played around with the tip of kunai; it reminded him so much of Ichiro who used to play around with kunai when he was getting impatient. "Ichiro… that fool…" He smirked.
He was sitting in a dim room; it was not as shabby as his old place.
"Hmmm… so you have not left yet." Jiro smiled wickedly at the snake sennin who spoke.
"It's not time yet…" Jiro placed the kunai on the wide armrest o his chair.
"Kukukuku…" Orochimaru laughed. "I'm glad that you share the same passion of destroying Konoha with me…"
Jiro looked at Orochimaru with evil eyes. "The passion which is hate…" He laughed. "And I thank you for kindly sharing your technique with me…"
Orochimaru smirked and turned around. "It's no problem, Jiro-san. We both share the same problem, and we both share the same hate. I figured I'd help a friend…"
Reiji opened the scroll slowly and once it was opened, he instantly read it.
"Warning: This jutsu is extremely chakra consuming. Before studying this technique, it is recommended that the future user has knowledge about how the seal they want to remove works…" Reiji gritted his teeth. He didn't know a thing about how the "seven day seal works"
He lowered the seal to the table and fidgeted in his seat. "What should I do?" He asked himself and he kicked the air. Accidentally, he hit the table and another scroll rolled down.
He picked it up and was startled to find out that it was labeled "seven-day seal"
He grinned.
He opened it immediately and read, "The seven day seal is designed to control the carrier's chakra perfectly. When it is still inactivated, it reduces the carrier's chakra capacity to half. Once activated, the seals original purpose starts: it is to use the carrier's chakra to shut the system down. The chakra of the carrier would work against his body controlling his system. In order to stop this, another chakra force must try to restart the shut down parts of the system of the carrier. Once the whole system restarts, the effects of the seal disappear and the seal disappears itself." He knit his eyebrows together and he switched his attention back to the seal removal scroll.
"This removal seal technique is only proven to work against the Hyuuga clan's cursed seal." He frowned. He was back to square one. He banged his fist against the desk. "No; I won't give up!" He shouted and he heard his echo in the empty room.
He then heard something; he felt as though he wasn't alone in the room.
"So it was true…" Reiji was startled by the red-haired man that was standing beside him. He stood up and his chair fell. He stepped away from the man.
The man smirked at him. "It was really true that you were here…"
Reiji got into jyuuken stance. "Who are you? You don't seem to be a leaf-nin…"
The red-haired man picked up the seal removal technique scroll and the seven day seal scroll. He performed one-hand seals and a small ball of fire engulfed the seals, turning it to ash. Reiji's eyes widened. "I'm Maeda Kenji." The man spoke and he flipped his hand, the ashes fell to the ground. "I'm here to kill the Rokudaime's son…"
Reiji stepped backward. He gritted his teeth.
"…and that's you…Uzumaki Reiji…" The man took a step forward and he disappeared without a trace the next.
'So fast…!' Reiji thought as he was pushed back with the force of Kenji's punch that was aimed at his belly.
Reiji hit the wall and he fell at the ground.
"So weak…" Kenji glared at him.
Reiji clutched his belly. "Why…are you doing this?"
Kenji kicked Reiji. "I told you before: I went here to kill you." He kicked Reiji again but Reiji caught his foot. Kenji's eye twitched. "You're on annoying kid…"
Kenji brought out a kunai and purposely missed Reiji's head but he still made a cut on Reiji's face; the Rokudaime's son let go off Kenji's feet. Reiji gritted his teeth.
"Damn it…" Reiji whispered and Kenji kicked him again. 'He's just playing with me…' Kenji kicked him again. 'Why? Why can't I fight back? I'm not that weak!' Kenji grabbed his jacket and he raised Reiji into a sitting position. 'I…manage to wound father back then….no…I shouldn't think that way. Otousan was weak back then!' Kenji punched him hard in the face; it made Reiji cough out blood.
Kenji lifted the boy off the ground. He was choking Reiji.
"Ugh…" Reiji tried to twist himself out of his situation.
Kenji just stared at him.
"Okaasan…" Five-year old Uzumaki Reiji pulled a piece of his mother's pants. He was picked up by his mother.
"My, you're getting big…" Hinata smiled at him and he smiled back.
"I need to grow big and strong so I could be a Hokage one day! Like Otousan!" Reiji grinned at Hinata playfully.
Hinata laughed while young Reiji tried to flex his little muscles. "And I bet you'd grow up big and strong like your dad!"
Reiji smiled at her.
'Okaasan…'
Eight-year old Uzumaki Reiji smiled at his father.
"Oh, what are you smiling at?" Naruto asked with a grin on his face.
Reiji scratched his head. "It's just that I'm really happy that you're finally back, Otousan!"
Naruto ruffled Reiji's hair, "And I'm staying for good kiddo!"
Reiji had a big smile on his face. "Otousan, what will you teach me after this one?"
Naruto cupped his chin and he made a "thinking" look. "Hmmm…let's see…"
Reiji was eager to hear what kind of cool technique was next in line.
Naruto removed his hand from his chin; he put his hand atop Reiji's head and grinned, "It's a secret…"
Reiji pouted.
'Otousan…'
Naruto felt something bad; he couldn't exactly explain what he felt. He sat there in uneasiness.
Suddenly, he felt movement. "Kyuubi…?"
There was silence at first and then the ghostly voice came, "Naruto, your boy is in trouble…"
Naruto stood up. "What…?" He clenched his fist. "What's happening?"
"It seems the black sheep has sent one of his henchmen to kill your boy…"
Naruto's eyes widened. "Kill…? Why my son? This seal is already killing me! Reiji has nothing to do with--!"
"Your son has the potential to learn the technique that needs to save your life…especially with the gift I gave…" Kyuubi cut him off.
Naruto became very worried. "What…gift?"
"You will find out soon…" Kyuubi answered. "But Naruto, this is goodbye…"
Naruto took a step forward, "What? You're leaving?"
"Yes, for good…" Naruto saw the apparition of Kyuubi's human form.
Naruto raised on eyebrow because Kyuubi looked like Kenji in a way.
"I see…" Naruto looked down. "Thank you…for helping me a little bit…"
"No problem…"
Silence…
Reiji closed his eyes. He stopped struggling out of Kenji's grip. He was no longer able to breathe.
"Sensei…Mayu and Shiro…" He saw a picture of his team in his mind. "Uncle Neji…Auntie Hanabi…Grandpa…" He also saw a picture of them in his mind. "Okaasan…" Hinata was smiling at him. And then a picture of Naruto grinning at him came, "Otousan…"
"Never give up my son…"
For a moment, he felt like dying and then the next second, he felt a large amount of chakra in his body.
His eyes snapped open.
Kenji choked Reiji. He tried so hard not to feel guilty about killing a small boy. No matter what he did and said to himself, he had a hard time killing the boy. He wasn't even choking him tightly.
He gritted his teeth. 'Making this longer would just bring more pain to the boy…' He thought as he choked Reiji harder.
He then felt this scary amount of chakra coming from the boy.
His eyes widened and his body trembled; the chakra he was feeling was scary.
Reiji's eyes snapped open and in an instant, his byakugan was activated.
Reiji grabbed Kenji's arm and squeezed it. With the pain the Kenji felt, he stopped choking Reiji.
'What power…' Kenji thought as he underwent the pain of Reiji's strong grip. He felt that anytime, if Reiji would tighten the grip around his arm more, his arm would break.
Kenji tried hard to battle the pain and he grabbed a kunai. He threw it towards Reiji. Kenji was startled as it was deflected by what seemed like chakra.
The kunai ricocheted towards him and he moved his head to the right to avoid being cut. But his efforts were in vain, the speed of the kunai was very fast; kunai cut him near his left eye.
His right hand trembled because of the pain. He tried to grab Reiji and he did by the leg. He slowly did one-handed seals in his right hand and he electrocuted Reiji's leg. He sent a strong current of electricity in Reiji's body. Reiji let go off his arm and Kenji tumbled back.
Kenji then scrambled back to his feet and he unsheathed his katana. He then thought, 'this is not good; he almost broke my right arm…this child…is scary.'
Reiji then disappeared.
Kenji moved backward and he used a defensive sword stance. He felt Reiji coming at his side and he swung his blade. Reiji appeared and his jacket was ripped. Reiji black flipped.
Kenji gripped the handle of his sword. 'I only got to rip his jacket. He was too fast and I was slow so he was able to avoid getting wounded by my katana.'
Kenji then ran towards Reiji. He swung his katana towards Reiji but Reiji was able to stop the katana with a single kunai. Reiji stepped forward and Kenji was pushed back.
Kenji grinned at him. "Denkaiden no Jutsu…!" (Thunder charge) In a sudden, there was electricity traveling through the katana.
It reached Reiji's kunai. Reiji was blown back with the electric surge through his body.
While Reiji was recovering from the attack, Kenji formed some seals. "Shiroi Rakurai…!" (White Lightning bolt)
A bolt of white lightning was released from Kenji's hand and headed towards Reiji. Reiji was hit and he was forced against the wall. The attack caused Reiji some minor burns.
Kenji panted. Reiji was still fazed from the attack. Kenji's hand was filled of electric static giving some light to the room.
'My chakra is not enough to summon Enryuu…' He looked at Reiji. "Just one more…it will take one more…to kill him. I don't want to make this longer.'
He gritted his teeth. He formed some seals. 'It will take time to set this jutsu up. Charging this up would hurt me the most. If this…doesn't work…I'm dead.'
He put out his palm and it glowed because of the electric current he was forming.
'What was that?' Reiji asked himself as he sat there against the wall. 'What was that power?'
He took a deep breath to calm himself down. He looked up and saw that Kenji was doing something. As seconds passed, the electric current in Kenji's palms intensified.
Reiji stood up. He thought of his father again. He said to himself that he cannot die yet, that he must save his father first.
He clenched his fist and he felt the chakra that he used earlier. His mind was a lot clearer this time and he saw that the mysterious chakra was purple in color.
Reiji knit his eyebrows and he molded chakra. 'Damn it, I don't know much jutsus…'
Kenji then shouted, "Thunder cannon…!"
Reiji was a little startled as a beam of thunder directed at him approached him in high speed.
Kenji was a bit drained as he unleashed the beam. He tried to follow Reiji's movements and he directed the beam at Reiji.
The room was destroyed and some scrolls were burned.
The beam died half a minute later. The room was wrecked very much now. Reiji was still standing and Kenji was kneeling in defeat. Chakra was still leaking from Reiji's body.
"Why did you try to kill me?" Reiji asked.
Kenji looked at the boy weakly, "It's my job…"
Jiro laughed in a twisted way. "Kenji…that weak fool…" He smirked.
Naruto's son approached Kenji. He jumped back when Kenji started screaming. Reiji saw a seal on Kenji's head. Veins popped out from Kenji's forehead and his eyes became white.
"Hey, what's happening to you?" Reiji asked.
Kenji continued to scream.
Three shinobis rushed to the archives. They were disturbed by the sudden explosion inside the building and by the enormous amount of chakra they felt.
Lee saw a Chuunin in the ground. He leaned down and checked if the Chuunin was still alive. He stood up and turned to his companions. "He's dead."
Shikamaru then faced the door leading inside the archives. "It seems like he was the one guarding the door. He twisted the knob and found out it was locked. "The other person who knows the sequence of seals to unlock the door is Naruto and I have no idea where he is."
Lee had his thick eyebrows knit together. "Then how would we open the archives? The explosion came from the inside!"
They heard a scream.
Shikamaru approached Chouji who was also with them. He tapped Chouji's shoulder. "It's time for you to work…"
Chouji finished the bag of chips he was eating and he smiled. "Sure! But promise me you'll be treating me to all-you-can-eat barbeque!"
"Whatever…" Shikamaru put on his "how troublesome" face. "As long as you can open that door…"
Lee marveled at how Shikamaru trusted Chouji.
Chouji then used his "meat ball tank" technique and he charged at the door. Debris flew around and the hall was filled with dust.
When the dust settled, Chouji was standing there with a smile on his face.
Lee cheered, "Good work, Chouji-san!" They ran inside the hole that Chouji made.
"Ahhhh!" Kenji screamed once again. He felt this stinging pain from his body and he lost control of his own body slowly.
The puppet's mark- a seal that when activated turns a person into a cold killer. The person is aware of what is happening though. Often activated when a person with the seal is with their family, when it is activated during that period, the person is forced to kill his family because the seal will cause you to kill anyone in sight…
The seal also enhances the person's strength. The only way to stop the person is to kill him.
'Shit…' Kenji cursed in his mind. He then completely lost control over his body. His body started to run towards Reiji who was still puzzled by what was happening.
Reiji only stepped back.
"Kid…r-run!" Kenji struggled to speak. "…o-or kill me!"
Kenji's body started throwing punches at Reiji. Reiji tried to dodge it.
"What's happening?" Reiji asked in the midst of his dodges. He dodged yet another punch and it landed on the ground; Reiji was surprised by the fact that the ground was crushed.
It sent small debris flying against Reiji and it got inside Reiji's right eye. At that time, his movements became slower.
Kenji disappeared and reappeared in a blink of an eye in front of Reiji. He thrust his fist forward but Reiji saw a flash of green and the next thing he knew, Lee stopped Kenji's attack.
Kenji jumped back.
Lee then spoke, "Reiji-kun, who is this man?" He got into his Iron fist stance.
Reiji looked at Lee and then he answered, "He came here to kill me…"
"Lee-san, watch out!" Chouji exclaimed and Lee dodged the attack Kenji made. Kenji jumped back and he drove his katana on the ground. After doing a couple of seals quickly, He gripped the handle and a magnetic current surged through the floor. Lee was pulled down because of the metal weights he was wearing. Chouji and Shikamaru felt heavy because they were pulled down a little. The magnetic current was pulling their tools down. Seconds after, the straps of their pouches weren't able to take the weight of the pull anymore and it gave in. Reiji was free and Kenji was still holding on to the handle of his katana. The young boy used this time to help Lee remove the weights. Shikamaru used his shadow manipulation technique to stop Kenji from escaping. Chouji enlarged his arm and he tried to smash Kenji. Chouji lifter his enlarged arm and he destroyed the ceiling of the room. The moment he brought it down, he saw Shikamaru being thrown away by something at the corner of his eye. Chouji's eyebrow's met when the smoke that was caused by the impact cleared. Kenji was able to break free form Shikamaru's technique and he was able to dodge his attack. By that time, Lee had already stripped of his weights and he, ready to strike Kenji down any moment, was standing before the intruder.
"Please give up now or I will be forced to take your life." Maito Gai's replica spoke firmly.
Kenji turned pale. Lee thought it was because Kenji couldn't take being defeated. But it was something else, "Please…" Kenji barely got the words out. "…just kill me…" He added.
Lee turned very serious. He was a shinobi but he still didn't like taking people's lives. Besides, he thought Kenji would be a good source of information about their unknown enemy.
"Lee--!" Shikamaru was cut of by a blinding light. All of them had to shield their eyes. Lee had to jump away when he felt a sudden stinging sensation by his feet. By the time he landed, the blinding light weakened and they saw whip-shaped lightning lashing out in all directions furiously. Shikamaru rolled away from a lighting lashing out to him. At the center of the room, there was no whip-like lightning. Kenji was kneeling and his hands were planted on the ground. He was pale and trembling. A seal that looked very weird and unexplainable at that moment appeared at his forehead.
At this rate…I will die and take down this room with me... Kenji thought while still having no control of his body.
Reiji leaned on the wall. He was leaning there to avoid the whip-like lightning. He squinted as he was able to observe a pattern of the lightning attack. So it does have a pattern! He breathed deeply and tried to calm himself down. He observed the pattern more and he saw Chouji trying his best to avoid being whipped by the attack one time.
Damn… the lightning attacks seem to be coming rapidly. The brightness of the lightning is also hurting my eyes. Brightness…light… there is shadow… Shikamaru smirked. He then looked at Reiji. Shikamaru felt like doing what he planned when he saw that Reiji had a plan by looking at his expression. He formed the right seals. Shadow manipulation technique… Shikamaru was holding Kenji in place. Do it Reiji… I know you had figured out a pattern. Figuring it out won't be of any use if this guy here would suddenly move. But then…
What is he planning? Lee thought as he watched Shikamaru manipulate his shadow.
Chouji kept away. He knew something was bound to happen. He trusted Shikamaru on this. If Shikamaru needed his help, he would jump in at any moment without hesitation.
Reiji's blue eyes widened when he figured it out completely. He then tried to summon the same power he had awhile ago. When he felt that mysterious and enormous chakra, he ran towards Kenji at the right time.
At the same moment, Shikamaru tried to lift Kenji's hands away in hopes of canceling the jutsu. But it didn't work out that way. Lightning linked Kenji's hand to the ground. The only thing that happened was the lightning whips weakened a little.
He charged at Kenji with his fist that was engulfed with red chakra.
His timing was perfect; he had observed the pattern effectively; he had charged in at the right opening.
Kenji felt this enormous and crushing impact on his forehead and his vision turned dark.
The whip-like lightning disappeared completely after Kenji dropped to the ground. He was lying on his back and he was panting heavily. The effects of his seal seemed to have stopped. His forehead was bleeding much. He didn't have enough energy and power to even open his eyes. His body was aching all over.
Reiji stood triumphant at the center as Kenji's lungs begged for air. His knees were slightly weakened and he used the last of his strength to stand up. His other eye was only half-opened.
Sugoi… Lee thought after he had seen Reiji's attack. Reiji-kun is just like Naruto; he's an unexpected one too… Lee chuckled inwardly.
Shikamaru sighed in relief after the attack. This sudden fight was very troublesome in his opinion. Chouji cheered, "Good work Reiji."
"Hey…tell me…" Reiji spoke. Everyone turned serious. "…how the hell could I save my father if the scrolls were burned?" Reiji gritted his teeth. "It was the only scroll!"
Kenji coughed and he answered weakly, "I…know Jiro's ways…with the power you have…I believe you can save Naruto-san. But…you…you need excellent chakra control to do it. You have to…turn Naruto's chakra system on again with yours…" He coughed again. "…the seal…had already stopped the flow of Naruto's chakra by the start of the seventh day…" His breath became heavier. The wound in his forehead was still bleeding heavily and he was feeling lightheaded all of the sudden. "…pour…your chakra…into his body. He should be able to stand it…."
Kenji managed to open his eyes a little bit.
All he could see was white. Then there was this man standing before him. That man looked like him minus the scar on his face. The man offered him his hand. "It's time to go…my son…"
Kenji raised his arm weakly to reach up to the man's hand. "Father…"
In a blink of an eye, Kenji died.
"He's…" Chouji muttered.
Shikamaru sighed.
Lee strapped his weights on himself again. "This room is a mess…"
"Reiji-kun…!" They all exclaimed when Reiji fell down on the floor.
Reiji felt like his whole body was floating in water. He felt weak. He was staring at the dark sky that he could see.
I…wonder…what was that power that I used awhile ago? He thought and he closed his eyes.
Then he could see something. Hinata, it was his mother. His mother was crying there was no sign of his father. Reiji felt this great fear when he saw that. He wondered what this memory was. Was it just a random figment of his imagination caused by something? Or was it a memory that is meant to be seen by him?
He watched on.
"Naruto-kun, why didn't you return?" Hinata said.
Reiji looked at his mother more. Something triggered him to turn on his Byakugan. When he did, he saw this different chakra pattern in Hinata's womb. "That is…" He whispered.
Reiji then saw this ray of red light. It hid Hinata and she fell unconscious in the ground. A moment after, his uncle Neji and Sasuke entered the room.
"What was that red light?" After Reiji said that, it all blacked out.
"What would we do?" Reiji heard this voice. It was familiar; it was Tsunade. "It's…almost…" Tsunade sighed.
There was silence.
Reiji opened his eyes. "Where…?" He asked. He slightly lifted his head and he saw Hinata and Tsunade on the room.
"You're…" Hinata was supposed to answer.
"Otousan…!" He sat up. "Okaasan, What day is it?" Reiji exclaimed, cutting his mother off.
Tsunade and Hinata became sad.
"Ne, ne Okaasan…what day…?" He asked. Reiji looked at the wall clock. It was nine in the morning.
"It's the seventh day."
Silence fell after Tsunade stated that fact. Reiji looked at them with wide eyes.
"But…"
"You fell asleep after the fight in the archives." Tsunade explained. "The newly discovered area of the archives was almost destroyed. We tried to find the scroll but we couldn't…"
Reiji clenched his fist. He looked around and found out that this was his room. In short, he was at his house. He was wearing a white t-shirt and green shorts. "Otousan…" He whispered.
He then sprang out of his bed, surprising both his Mother and the Fifth. He ran to where his Father is. He opened the door and saw his Father slowly losing his life.
After all, in just a couple of hours he would…
…
What should I do?
That question kept echoing in Reiji's mind. Sure…he was told what to do. But…should he trust? Should he do what the enemy told him?
Reiji clenched his fists.
What was he saying? It was the only way. He activated his byakugan and he looked at his father. Kenji was right; chakra circulation did stop.
Reiji hurried at his father's side. He looked at his father's forehead. It had this weird glow, as if chakra was building up near it.
Reiji tried to summon the incredible chakra he used once.
Seconds turned quickly into minutes as he tried to summon it.
He then heard Naruto's breath turn into sharp gasps.
He trembled and almost panicked. His palms were sweaty and cold. He was shaken by the fact that this was a sign that his father was about to go but it didn't stop his will to fight the seal.
Otousan…
With the fire of his will, he summoned the enormous chakra resting within. He placed one hand at his father's forehead.
…and then he released his chakra into his father.
He felt Naruto's cold skin against his hand.
Please…work…
Reiji shut his eyes tightly as he poured his chakra into Naruto in hopes of saving him.
Purple light filled the room.
Tsunade and Hinata were alarmed by the sheer amount of chakra they sensed.
They ran as fast as they can to find out what was happening.
Heat slowly filled his body. Long lost energy was felt by him. His weakness disappeared in a blink of an eye. His dark world was filled by light.
Naruto gently opened his eyes. He blinked a few times…
I…I'm alive? He asked himself and then he heard someone panting.
It was Reiji; he was barely standing.
"R-Reiji-kun…" Naruto stared at his son.
Reiji cried in happiness. "Otousan…you're saved…" Reiji collapsed and at the same time Hinata burst into the room. Tsunade followed her.
"Naruto-kun, what happened?"
Hinata kneeled beside Reiji.
Tsunade approached Naruto.
"I…I don't exactly know…" Naruto glanced at them and he looked at Reiji again. "The only thing I know is…I was saved…by my own son…"
Epilogue:
A year later:
The sun was high up in the sky. Konohamaru ran in the streets with panic written on his face. "Why must I be the one to call them?" He asked out loud. He gritted his teeth and he picked up his pace. Damn it…I don't even know where Reiji-kun is!
On his way, he encountered Iruka.
"Konohamaru, why are you in such a hurry?" Iruka stopped Konohamaru.
Konohamaru jogged in place, "Gah! You know where Reiji-kun is?"
Iruka squinted, "Answer my question first."
Konohamaru furrowed his eyebrows. "Iruka-sensei! Hinata is…!"
Reiji was enjoying his ramen meal very much. He was already on his fifth bowl when Konohamaru dragged him out of Ichiraku.
"Oi, the payment!" The owner exclaimed.
Konohamaru answered while dragging the bewildered Reiji out of the shop, "I'll pay it later! Promise!"
Reiji twisted out of Konohamaru's grip and he glared at Konohamaru. "Sensei, why did you have to do that?"
"Reiji, your mother is…"
"It will go like this…" Shikamaru was cut off by the sound of the double doors opening.
"Naruto-niichan!"
"Otousan!"
Everyone looked at Reiji and Konohamaru who were both panting.
Naruto raised his eyebrow. "Konohamaru, Reiji-kun…! Don't you know I'm on an important meeting now?"
Reiji said, "But Otousan…"
Naruto glared at his son.
Konohamaru then exclaimed, "For Kami-sama's sake Naruto! You don't have to be angry at your son! YOUR WIFE IS GIVING BIRTH AT THE MOMENT! That's why we came here!"
Naruto's eyes widened. "What?" He glanced at his fellow shinobis who were at the meeting.
Shikamaru sighed, "Go ahead Naruto. I will take care of the rest…"
"Thank you very much Shikamaru!" Naruto shouted while he ran towards the exit.
Naruto paced back and forth at the hall while Reiji fidgeted at his seat.
"How long would this take?" Naruto asked.
Reiji didn't answer.
Naruto was growing more impatient.
His heart was beating very fast.
Reiji was nervous too.
Seconds after, they heard a baby cry. Naruto and Reiji's expressions lit up and they both smiled.
After a minute of excruciating waiting, the doctor opened the operating room's door. She carried a baby in her arms.
"Congratulations, Hokage-sama. It's a healthy baby girl."
End of Part III
There.. I hope that was fine. Sorry it took sooo long to get that out...
Also, thunder/lightning-based justsus were not made by me. It was taken from Kumo Sato of thesato forums. I am in no way claiming them as my own creation...
Till next time... remember to leave a review...
-xi