Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and gang. Just playin' with 'em ;P. Any OCs you see in the story are mine.
Notes: Sorry for the wait. It's 14 pages long, 5082 words thick. My longest chapter! Wow. Anyway. This took 3 days of crazy typing and reading FFVII fan fiction. Man, I'm hooked on them now. BTW, feel free to ask any questions. I'll address them in the next chapter, which is more or less gonna be an explaining chappy.
Enjoy.
Chapter Fourteen: Seven suns and writhing pasts.
Naruto sat away from his team, his blue eyes blankly focused on the leaping cinders of the amber flame. A faint crinkle of the burning wood lulled the blonde into a temporary sense of tranquillity, away from the pulsing pain laced his sore muscles and the haunting whispers of his past.
Haku looked worriedly at her friend. The boy had refused treatment from the medic-nin, shutting off all protests when the gaping wound below his neck sealed off by itself, leaving a spot of unblemished skin outlined by drying blood.
The katana that stabbed him, still stained a dirty red, lay almost innocuously beside Naruto. Sakura sat huddled in a blanket, her eyes half asleep as Kakashi finished up a chakra transfer into her body. Sasuke propped his arms on his lap, rest his head onto his intertwined fingers while silently observing the masked blonde.
Taro sat beside his guardian, unusually quiet. Chihiro polished her katana furiously, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.
"Narashi. . .are you alright?" asked Haku tentatively.
The blonde turned his head slowly. He was in a strange, almost frightening daze, cocking his head sideways to look at the medic-nin with vacant eyes. Then he merely shook his head, and returned to his original position, watching the orange fire dance.
"Narashi." Kakashi stood up, taking a step towards the boy. "Narashi, what happened today?" He continued in a low, soothing tone.
Sasuke stared hard at his team-mate, his onyx eyes narrowed with faint annoyance. "Oi dobe! Sensei called you! Are you there?" he prodded, hoping that the blonde would at least respond to insult. It unnerved the Uchila, seeing the normally lively blonde so deathly muted.
Naruto didn't respond, but he shifted forward. He peered carefully, his cerulean iris turning amber before the fiery blaze as they read the entrancing twirls and leaps of wild, untamed sparks.
Then they flickered to his right hand, darkening into a moody maroon, as if frowning at the dried, flaking rivulets of blood that trailed across his palm.
"Narashi?" Haku asked again tentatively when the genin suddenly thrust his hand into the fire.
A whisper of a smile graced Naruto's lips as he felt pain surging past his searing skin, overflowing into his mind as a numbing, white bliss before a sudden jerk on his arm brought him back to reality.
He looked up, dully registering a sharp sting slapping onto his face when he saw Haku, her hands on his arms. Already, the rush of painful joy evaporated, replaced by a slight tingling that enveloped his hand. Kyuubi remained silent, and only a slight rustle of fur conveyed the fox's annoyance at having to heal his vessel again.
Naruto kept his mouth tightly shut, turning himself away from the furious and worried cries of his sensei, his team.
He stiffened when a firm pressure gripped his shoulder. The presence of the Haku filled his senses, and the blonde could almost see the hazel eyes of the medic-nin, glittering with streaks of emerald as they stared pleadingly at him. Those eyes, who could break a man with a single steely glare, who could make Naruto lose his nerve. . .
The genin broke out of his reverie, and stood up slowly. Chihiro glanced at him. Her stare was held curiosity, laced with accusation.
I failed.
Naruto looked at the samurai, bowing deeply, his left hand at the side while the right was cradled at the stomach. Already, a new layer of skin had begun to form, smooth and pale.
"I apologize for today. It will not happen again." His eyes were shaded, and his white coat fluttered in the slight breeze around them. "I will take the night shift," he finished, leaving no arguments.
Then he was gone, melding into the dark, shifting canopy of leaves above. Sasuke raised an eyebrow while Kakashi signed, shrugging helplessly. The silver-haired jounin caught Haku's worried eye, and silently nodded to her, jerking his chin towards where Naruto had disappeared to.
The medic-nin took off without hesitation.
Haku landed on a thick branch, with a good view that overlooked the whole of the camp and its surroundings. She found the blonde leaning against the tree, his head rolled on his shoulder as he lazily surveyed the bottom.
The nin sat beside Naruto, her hands flat against the rough bark while her legs dangled freely in the air. The light of the campfire soon diminished, leaving the two a semi-darkness.
"Why are you here?"
"You looked like you need someone to talk to." Haku gave a small smile, her eyes closed in a grin as moonlight cascaded down across her face in long, glowing strokes.
"You. . .you should rest early." Naruto tore his eyes away, a light blush spreading across his cheeks.
The medic-nin shrugged, and scooted closer, gently grabbing the blonde's right hand. Naruto gave no response, but he cocked an eyebrow in mild surprise as the girl stared intensely at his hand.
"It's healed." It was a statement.
Naruto pulled away, feeling slightly awkward. "I'm a fast healer."
Haku did not answer. She looked away, peering at the flitting shadows beyond. A moment of silence surround them, pierced only by the chirping of crickets and the soft rustle of leaves.
"I once read that there were a few ways chakra chaos could occur. The most frequent, besides being born with it, was under great emotional trauma. If the person has an unstable chakra state in his body, the emotional toll could have warped it into a frenzied state, resulting in this condition."
Haku paused, turning to meet the blonde's curious stare.
"It was also stated that although this was not proven, there were many signs that pointed to the chakra taking on a. . .personality of sorts, due of the emotional stress experienced by the victim."
Naruto flinched.
"In-inter-resting," he stuttered, his mind blazing with confusion.
"What happened today?" Haku quipped, her sharp whisper cutting through the night air.
Naruto nearly jumped at her tone, but forced himself still.
"I messed up, that's---"
"--not all," Haku interrupted. "You froze the moment you saw that man. You are better than that. You know him, don't you?"
Her hazel eyes flashed in warning, almost daring him to lie.
"I don't know, I don't know anything, ok!" His tone bordered on frustration. "He. . .looked familiar. Maybe I know him. I just. . .I'm just confused. . .so confused. . ."
Haku bit her lip. She did not mean for the blonde to get so worked up.
"Gomen-nei, Narashi." The nin placed a reassuring hand on her companion. "Perhaps another day, neh, Narashi?"
As she turned to leave, Naruto suddenly grabbed her, causing her to pause mid-step.
The blonde seemed to struggle with himself, swallowing a deep breath before muttering in a small voice.
"I. . .I have a phobia of crosses," Naruto murmured. "Either I go insane and tear everything around me apart, or I freeze and drop."
Haku gasped. "Narashi. . ."
"I guess you were right. Something. . .painful did happen to me, when I was young." He shifted, looking down at the camp. "It probably caused my chakra chaos. It probably gave me my phobia."
It probably condemned me to a life of pain.
"Do you feel better, letting it out?"
Naruto jerked his head up, his eyes widened in surprise. Haku only grinned at him, making him realize that, in a way, the darkness that had plagued his thoughts lightened slightly.
A small smile crept onto his face.
"Yeah. . .I guess I do." Then he laughed, a child-like elation filling him.
"You should learn to open up more, Narashi," Haku said, "It'll help. I should know. . ." She drifted off, watching questioningly as a faint expression of guilt washed across the blonde's face.
"Haku," Naruto started. "Eh, well. . ." He looked away. "My name is not Narashi, it's Naruto."
"Gomen-nei, Haku-chan," he finished, refusing to meet the medic-nin's eyes.
Suddenly, a cold finger trailed down onto his face, gently tugging the black veil away. A feathery, warmth peck touched Naruto's cheek, filling him with a rush of blood as a pink tinge slowly spread his face. The boy whirled around, his fingers raised, tracing the kissed spot almost reverently.
Haku drew back, her lips curled coyly. "I've always suspected. You did hesitate when you gave me your name."
Then the girl stood and up, walking towards the end of the branch.
"Besides, I kinda lied to you about my age as well. I'm actually a year older than you," she winked, and leapt off.
"Goodnight, Naruto-kun."
The blonde stared, stunned, before chuckling, a fuzzy warmth hugging him.
Naruto. . .-kun.
Hn. That sounded nice.
-/-/-
Naruto slowly strolled up to the river. The orange rays, peeking out from a dawning horizon, danced on the trickling river in shimmering ripples. A few fishes glided through the currents, swimming smoothly beneath the water surface as their fins sliced it into a splitting 'V' shape.
The blonde sat down, his eyes softening in relaxation as he pulled out the katana that had stabbed him. His blue irises scanned the gleaming blade, marked with winding rivulets of dried blood.
A faint ache, below his neck throbbed, as if reminding the ninja of the katana's strike.
Naruto shook his head, setting the sword down beside him. Shrugging his coat off as he stood up, the blonde rolled up his long pants and jumped into the water. The fish scurried away, their tails flicking frantically.
A small smirk came to him as Naruto pulled his sleeves into a thick bunch at his elbows.
"Here, fishies, fishies, fishes!"
It was his duty that morning to find food for the team and his clients, and he'd be damned if he failed this simple assignment.
The genin lunged, swooping above the river as his hands scooped up a struggling fish. Light bounced of the fish's glistening grey scales and Naruto murmured an apology to it.
"Gomen, little fish, but, err, today, my friends and I are gonna eat you."
It was then when he felt multiple shrapnel raining down behind him. He dropped the fish and kicked backwards, flipping away and back to his coat. He picked up the coat, whipping it over his shoulders, deftly hooking the clasps of the coat together, letting the material lay draped on him.
Kin Juujikei stood before him. His lips were pressed in a straight, hard line, while his eyes were a steely yellow. A glint of madness tainted those orbs, swirling beside a rising anger.
The man shifted slightly, compensating for the large load on his shoulder as he balanced himself on a single outcrop.
"You." It was a single word, punctuated with a dark fury.
Naruto crouched low, averting his eyes away when he caught a glimpse of the many crosses hanging freely from the shinobi's vest. Slowly, the blonde reached upwards for his headband, shifting down onto his eyes.
"You killed Yori."
Naruto twitched his ears as pitch black filled his vision. He heard the sound of water splashing, and felt the unbridled hatred rolled off the other ninja in overwhelming waves.
It scared him to sense that the hatred was directed towards him.
"He has a cross-shaped brand on his chest, demon."
It saddened the blonde to find himself facing such discrimination again.
"He died screaming demon. Was this your revenge?" A black pall was cast over them, wrapping the area with a heavy blanket of intense abhorrence.
"WAS IT, DEMON BOY!"
"I'm not a demon," Naruto said quietly, but firmly. He took a step backwards, cautiously twirling his katana in his hand.
There was no answer; only the long-drawn grating of metal filled the air before Naruto dodged, twisting his body sideways to avoid Juujikei's mad lunge and swipe.
The man had a blade of his own, and was attacking with it.
DODGE FOOL! THINK LATER, INSTINCTS NOW!
Then Naruto fell deep into his minds, letting the cool, soothing instincts of his primal subconscious take over. He swam deeper, letting the icy currents snake through his flowing hair. . .
Meditative Battle Stance, Activate.
The genin parried a second attack away with a mighty clank, propelling backwards into the forest.
Level Seven.
He twirled, instinctively blocking a downwards slash before pushing the blade upwards, giving himself space to dart forward in a quick thrust.
His opponent sidestepped the attack. Naruto aimed downwards, piercing the ground. He used momentum to push against his katana, lifting himself off the ground vertically onto the sword like a moving lever. The faint sensation of swooping wind echoed in his mind which the blonde dully registered as an attack he had dodged.
Then he twisted, landing back on the ground while swiping upwards to meet Juujikei's blade in bright flurry of sparks. The two fighters backed off, before coming back in against each other while slowly moving deeper into the forest.
Naruto heard the loud flap of his white coat as it billowed behind him. Faintly, he found himself much lighter, more nimble as the metal chains which had held him firmly since four slacked and melted away. He ducked low, rushing under whiling slashing at Juujikei's legs.
The man leapt high, flinging his blade downwards at Naruto. The genin parried it away, his mouth curled in an half-snarl. A bright light exploded in his inky vision and he recognized the swirling colours as the channelling of chakra.
A jutsu.
Then the light exploded, and a shrill cry rang dizzily in his head. The blonde twisted, dancing around the searing arrows of light as they swooped down into the ground.
"Secchuu kirisame no jutsu! (Rain of Crosses)," was the faint whisper that drifted over the glimmering, vivid display.
Blood sprayed across the floor; the red liquid trickled down his arm in winding streams.
Naruto ignored the throbbing cuts and lacerations on his body as he jumped away into the trees.
They were silent as the battle was fought across branches. Juujikei never smiled, his face etched as an unfeeling mask yet his yellow orbs glinted with maddened glee as he pressed onwards on his quarry.
Sweat trickled down Naruto as he parried with his sword. He was never much of a swordsman, he knew his opponent was slowly gaining the upper hand.
His mind suddenly focused, becoming amazingly sharp as it calculated the various ways of attack.
Time to use chakra.
Juujikei cocked his head, his eyes slightly widened as the blade flew past his head, a few strands of his hair flying with it. The ninja landed on a branch, a few metres away from the boy. He crouched low, studying the demon carefully.
Naruto stood there calmly, the headband that hid his eyes gleaming almost eerily. A blue, shimmering fire spread across his arm, flickering wildly. The blaze burnt, its flames whipping upwards in long, flowing tendrils.
Sharp talons sprouted from his fingernails, curling wickedly. Naruto half-grinned, flexing his fingers almost experimentally.
He swiped at the air viciously, watching with his blinded vision the various spinning arcs of chakra flying towards Juujikei.
The shinobi held his blade upright, a sheen of blue chakra enveloping it as furious flames. The spinning discs hit his sword, breaking away on contact as tattered, twisting ribbons that soon faded.
He snarled, curling his lips around a visible canine before leaping straight at Naruto. The genin jumped, avoiding the blade. The branch snapped into two while a massive explosion rocked the place. He could feel Juujikei's yellow eye, filled with hate, swivelling to follow his movements.
"Kage bunshin no jutsu," Naruto whispered, his fingers finishing the last seal.
He landed on the side of a tree, which he kicked hard against, propelling towards his opponent. Around him, several clones appeared, their hands ablaze with chakra.
Juujikei dropped onto a lower branch. He whirled around, growling as he leapt high into the air at the boy. His katana clashed with Naruto's claws and a blue radiance burst forth, bathing them. The leaves rustled excitedly; the wind howled furiously. They backed away, the opposing forces pushing them apart. The two dropped back onto branches, before lunging back in at each other. They were streaking blur as they slammed and retreated, collided and withdrew.
Naruto grabbed the smooth metal blade. Its sharp edge burned down onto his palm, but his chakra shield him from it while he spun, trying to push it away. This time, he didn't let go, and through the darkness he felt themselves falling. A stray twig hit him, but he took no notice as he grappled with Juujikei.
My clones!
He lashed out, snaking around the blade to thrust a fiery fist at the shinobi. Juujikei cocked his head, his eyes narrowed as he avoid the claws, and kicked back in the blonde's stomach.
The boy grabbed onto him, unwilling to let go. He whirled, pulling the ninja below him when they crashed into the forest ground.
Dirt flew up into the air in a thick mist. An enraged bellow was heard as a blue, shimmering blade was whipped up, parting the floating sand like a dissolving veil. It slammed down, and a blue explosion illuminated the forest floor.
The brown mist trembled, shivering violently as it dispersed like shredded vapours, revealing Juujikei and his sword, looming over Naruto. The shinobi pressed on, his sword trembling as it clashed against the firm grip of a clone. The real Naruto stood a few paces back, shaking off the aftershocks of the fall.
"You recovered fast." There was no emotion as the genin spoke.
"I will not lose to a demon," Juujikei sneered, before kicking backwards.
He fell almost flat on the ground, but braced his feet and faced forward, suddenly propelling ahead. His blade skimmed on the leaf-bed, shredding through the surprised clone before thrusting ahead towards Naruto.
The blonde sidestepped the attack, retreating while he appraised his opponent with his hidden eyes.
"Fast reaction. Your muscles are used to quick movements. Their elasticity is amazing," he murmured, as if he was fascinated.
Juujikei scowled. "Do not treat me like an experiment, demon."
"I'm not a demon."
The man ignored the soft rebuke. His blade became alive with blue chakra as the man jumped forward. A long crack seared through the ground, and the birds became deathly silent as they watched the battle.
Through the flitting shadows of towering tress they fought, parrying blows. Juujikei skidded on the forest floor, twisting his body and slamming his katana upwards to ward off a descending Naruto. Sliding on the loose leaves he pushed the clone off before whirling around to counter another attack from a second bunshin.
A gale picked up about them, and the sky had darkened into a brewing, swirling mass of grey clouds. A howl echoed through the forest, but the two didn't take note as they fought.
A clone exploded in smoke while Naruto suddenly teleported onto Juujikei's shoulder, switching places with one of the man's hanging crosses. A wicked, long scar marked his back as the genin leapt away. Juujikei whirled around, stumbled as more clones used Kawarimi, appearing on him and leaving burning scratches on his body before disappearing again.
The fire on their hands soon ebbed away as they landed all around him, settled into a loose stance.
"Utsurigi Kazoekirenai."
They leapt, flickering into thin stripes of shadow as they suddenly appeared on him. Firm taps shocked Juujikei's body; agony coursed through him and it took all to not loosen his grip on his sword. His chakra was warped, strangled and chained as a growing terror grew inside his body.
The shinobi felt himself being kicked high up into the air, alternating between different Naruto clones as they passed him along like a pinball. Gritting his teeth, he waited, holding the excruciating pain rocking his ribs before lashing out at a surprised clone.
His blade pierced through a body and he could feel the bleeding, broken heave of a dying lung. Then it turn to smoke and Juujikei blew through it, the pinkish fog dispersing behind. A cross slid into his hand, which he promptly shoved into another clone that weighed down on his right shoulder.
He screamed, an inhuman shriek that rang hauntingly throughout the trees as the madman twirled his blade furiously. It gleamed, flashing like a silver-ish streak as it consumed clone left and right. Anger and hatred pumped through his mind and veins; Juujikei let himself free, embracing the dark folds of his troubled emotions.
Naruto dodged sideways, then jumped, avoiding the bright arc that whizzed under him. He threw a punch, thrusting viciously as his hand starting burning in azure fire again; talons blazing when he tried to stab Juujikei. The older man Kawarimi-ed, and the genin smashed a log into burning pieces.
"Die, DEMON SPAWN! DIE AND NEVER RETURN!"
Naruto whirled to see Juujikei stooping down onto him, wind rushing past a metal blade.
He whipped his claws high up, just in time to block the blade. Blood slowly oozed out of his palms, trickling down his arms like meandering streams. His headband shone dully while his hair trembled.
For a long second they were locked. Then everything exploded when Naruto twitched his wrist, flipping Juujikei away. He dashed at the shinobi, swiping as he darted inwards. The man bent his elbow, turning his blade back diagonally near parallel with his arm to deflect the attack.
They clashed, blue sparks dancing off a bright effigy when claw and katana met.
Gritting his teeth, Juujikei drove forward, flinging the boy away. He stumbled a few steps back, but quickly recovered to dash at Naruto. Like a missile he ran, his yellow eyes bathed in a cold, icy azure light as he thrust. The trees shook, their stoic trunks watching silently while the genin grabbed the blade, stopping it millimetres away from his chest. He swivelled, turning his feet to compensate for the weight as he tried to toss the heavier man away.
He let go too late, and the humming blade cut through a thin tree. The bark cracked and splintered; a silent scream hung thickly in the air it tumbled, leaves shaking into a fluttering mess as a massive shudder spread across the ground.
The two fighters stood at the side of the fallen tree. Naruto felt his coat billow violently around him as thunder boomed across the land. Frantic rustling accompanied the dull flap of his sleeve as he stood, catching his breath. His muscle throbbed with faint pain, yet bristled with addictive adrenaline.
Juujikei readied his sword. Cuts peeked out from his tattered clothes; bloodied patches dotted his dirtied apparel. His face was curved into a mocking scowl, his eyes narrowed and slanted into yellow slits that glinted with insanity. His blade burst into a cold, azure flame, with an icy glow that washed across its holder.
Then they leapt, and another explosion rocked the place.
/-/-
Haku glared at Momochi Zabuza. He remained impassive, with his kunai held dangerously at the prince's neck. In a moment of panic when they realized Naruto hadn't come back, the shinobi had grabbed the boy and held him hostage.
"Don't worry, your friend should be dead by now. When Juujikei returns, I shall release the prince, and we can go our separate ways."
Kakashi looked at the mist nin, his visible eye laced with a slight amusement.
"What makes you think he's already dead?"
Zabuza gave a throaty laugh. "Juujikei is a skilled swordsman. I doubt that genin, the one who froze up can ever beat him."
It was then when a sudden blast rang shrilly in their ears. They turned, only to see a giant tree slowly falling. Its leaves were drooping, and the clouds swirling ominously above them.
As the ancient log toppled, the group could see a short blonde dashing upm his hands encased in vivid blue as it smashed against his opponent's sword. The boy jumped, dodging a spinning whirl of silver-blue that arced below him; then he ducked, his hair smothered momentarily by the wind as he avoided the second roundabout spin.
He darted in, claws ready and swiping. Talons slashed empty air when Juujikei sidestepped, using chakra to stick to the side of the tree while manoeuvring behind the genin.
A crazy grin spread across his face as he jumped backwards, stabbing his blade into the trunk to stall his descend. He twisted and watched gleefuly as a ring of chakra spread through the dead tree, snapping it.
Dust rose into air. Blue chakra swathed angrily around him, swimming over him with snarling strokes.
"DEMON! YOU KILLED MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, AND NOW MY BEST FRIEND!"
Sasuke stared, curiosity drowning the jealousy in his onyx orbs as he heard Juujikei's screams.
"I never killed anyone! I'M NOT A DEMON!"
"FUCKING BASTARD! WERE YOU HAPPY? DID YOU FEEL JOY WHEN YOU FELT THEIR SOULS LEAVING? THEY WERE BURNT ALIVE, DEMON, BURNT ALIVE! AND IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!"
The blonde snapped, his hands already finishing off a jutsu as he charged at the shouting nin.
The man only sneered, and parried with his katana, fighting back furiously. Naruto felt his hair growing, lengthening into a mass of whipping white. It flowed behind him as he did a low roundabout kick before slamming his hand upwards. A smashed log felt to the ground, and Naruto turned, only to widen his eyes in surprise when he saw Juujikei barrelling down onto him.
Hair shot out in a tangled mass as Naruto crashed into a tree behind him. His headband slowly slipped off, revealing a pair of blank, hollow eyes. Strands of white hair were wrapped around his attacker as the blade hovered inches before his neck. They had tightened, pulling back and shaking with the struggle as Juujikei continued to push forward.
"I'm not a demon," Naruto whispered, his voice breaking with a faint plea.
"You will die today," the man replied, ignoring the boy's previous statements. "Die in repayment for the sins you have committed, demon."
Naruto stared, frozen. His gaze shifted to a darkened as fury gripped his body. The a faint warning brushed against the blonde's mind, but he didn't hear it as rage overtook him, consuming him in a red, blinding fervour. His phobia of crosses was lost, washed by the red-hot surge of adrenaline pumping through his veins.
His claws flared alive, bursting into twin conflagrations that seemed to howl as Naruto sprang, spitting and growling. Juujikei jumped backwards, his sword whirling up and down, a spiral of twisted silver that flashed like a shield. He tried to attack: slashing downwards onto the blonde. His two hands were locked on the handle while he brought it downwards.
Naruto caught it, his mouth arched in a feral grin while narrow slits marked his twin orbs. He tightened his grip, and the audible crack echoed loudly. Juujikei grunted in surprise, but it was too late.
The blade shattered. The shinobi stumbled backwards, broken weapon in his left hand while he frantically reached for a hidden cross with his right.
Pain, pure and undiluted, scorched his arm. Blood spurted up in long, thin strokes that arced sharply, and Juujikei could only stare. Time seemed to become still. He dully registered the bright azure that engulfed his arm as Naruto brought his claw downwards. His hand flew away, a thin trail of blood behind it.
The blonde snarled, eyes wide in anticipation. His left hand shot back, grabbing the dropping, top-half of the blade. Long, slender fingers curled around it and it was brought down, gleaming dangerous us above Juujikei's face. The genin had his right hand curled around the man's neck, and the skin was blistering as his chakra caressed it.
They crashed into the round, dirt rolling around them before they halted. Naruto felt his chakra ebb away, leaving his hands cold and bare. Blood continuously seeped out the nin's stump of an arm.
"Kill me then, demon," Juujikei spat. "Kill me as you have killed my parents. Kill me as you have killed my friends. . .
"KILL ME, FREAK!"
Shock hit the blonde, waking him from his raging haze.
Kill? Blood? No. . .no! I'm not a demon! I'm not a monster!
He stood up, sword clattering onto the ground. He sprang backwards, tears streaming out of his eyes while a determined look flitted across his face.
"All these years, right up to you tried you kill me, my life has been shit. People hated me, everyone ignored me, and no one cared."
His voice was strangely subdued, yet loud enough that everyone caught it.
"I never killed your parents. I was never the demon you thought I was. . .
"I'M JUST A FUCKING BOY, ALRIGHT?" he suddenly screamed, bending forward to yell at Juujikei. "Just a. . .fucking. . .unlucky. . .boy," he continued in a whisper.
Regret filled the man's face. "Oh, Naruto. . .I'm so sorry. . ."
The blonde jerked his head upwards. "What?"
Juujikei lurched forward, crawling up to the blonde. He painfully settled into a kneeing position, his head bowed low as if seeking forgiveness.
"I am sorry for what I have done. I did not see," he said.
Then he lunged upwards, a wide sneer spreading across his face when he plunged a cross straight into the blonde's chest.
"NARUTO!"
The genin heard his name --- my true name --- echoing in his ears, before a rush of thrilling darkness embraced him. For a second, he was lost in the flitting shadow; then he saw again, wide-eyes and uncomprehending.
Pain. It surround Juujikei, enveloped him as it shredded his insides. His good arm broke, twisting in several awkward directions while his whole body was consumed by a dark, devilish fire. He opened his mouth to scream, but only blood came out, washing his last cries away.
He exploding, tearing into four pieces as two gashes split him --- like a cross, thought Naruto --- apart. Blood rained from sky onto the petrified blonde, covering him a dank sin.
He collapsed onto his knees, and fainted.
Haku rushed forward, ignoring Kakashi's cries.
Sorry if the ending sounds rushed. I think it is /. Anyway, i need thoughts on the battle., which was the longest battel scene I ever wrote. What do you think of it? Too long? Too complicated? Thanks in advance.