Chapter 63
An Oath to a Friend: Never Quit and Never Go Back on Your Word!
Naruto collapsed back first into the hard dirt with a dull thud. His lungs expanded and contracted without rhythm, without control, mouth open as he desperately sucked in air.
I just need to catch my breath…then I'll get back to it.
No matter how painful his muscle spasms were, he promised himself to stand up again. Even though his legs felt laden with lead, even though his right hand was burning like he stuck it into a boiling pot of water, he wouldn't stop training until he nailed this jutsu.
Sure he was tired. Sure he was soaked in sweat. Hot, too; he already tore off his jacket and tied it around his waist just to breathe and get some air to his upper body. And sure he was training in the pitch dark. Didn't matter. His bet with that old hag Tsunade ended tomorrow, and though he was at his absolute limit, Naruto believed—no, he knew he was within reach of completion.
This fire in his belly demanding him to push harder burst to life after he and the Pervy Sage set off to find Tsunade—Naruto refused to call her Lady Tsunade. Her skills as a warrior and a medic deserved respect, he truly believed that, but as a person? Get real. She lost that respect from him already. Insulting the honored dead. Insulting his friends and Sensei.
"Tch!" he hissed out an irritated, uneven breath.
Anyway, the encounter with the Akatsuki, Amari's sacrifice, the entire situation kept playing through his mind on an infinite loop. Over and over. Over and over and over again. During brief respites from training. As he tried to sleep. He couldn't escape it.
The things those other two Uchiha said, especially Itachi's words, kept eating at him. More specifically, he couldn't figure out why they wanted to capture him so badly.
"Naruto is the prize the Akatsuki seeks, and we will have him."
Why was he their prize? Why did they go so far to kidnap him, doing all that damage to Amari and going so far to use her as a bargaining chip? Maybe they didn't intend to leave her behind. Maybe he'd have been a fool to believe them. But…why? Why him?
"Don't get the wrong idea, kid. It's not you they're actually after. It's what you hold within you," Jiraiya had explained.
Those three and this Akatsuki group, they didn't care about him. They just wanted the Nine-Tails and its power. Naruto couldn't understand it. Why would they be after this…this monster inside him? This demon spirit that terrorized the Leaf Village; everyone in the Leaf feared it…and in turn feared him, too. All for something he never asked for.
"The fox spirit that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed our village has taken over your body. You are the Nine-Tailed Fox!"
Sucking in a controlled breath, Naruto gazed up at the full moon shimmering in the sky above him. It didn't add up. If people feared it so much, why would those three and their organization want to get their hands on it?
The Pervy Sage wasn't keen to their plans either. Perhaps they wanted to seize control of the power and use it for some ill purpose or something of that sort. Or maybe they had a more nefarious plot. Neither of them knew, not really. All they had were guesses and theories.
In the end, knowing why they wanted the Nine-Tails didn't really matter. Understanding their reasons didn't change his reality: the Akatsuki would continue to hunt him until they captured the Nine-Tails or they were stopped.
It should have scared him. It should have made him feel like an enormous weight was bearing down on his shoulders. But it didn't. How could he complain when Amari had been bearing a similar weight for as long as he had known her?
From the day she unlocked her Sharingan and gained the Byakugan, his best friend lived with the knowledge that others would kill to take those from her. Shinobi with greater power than her. Shinobi with more experience. Possibly even friends.
Fear of her own powerlessness stalked Amari's every step. What if a power hungry Leaf shinobi learned her secret? What if one of the other Villages found out? What if she wasn't strong enough to defend herself? What if another friend betrayed her to take her eyes?
But Naruto never heard her whine about it. He couldn't even remember ever seeing how afraid it really made her. Amari faced her fate courageously, using it as her motivation to become stronger.
If she could do it, then he could too.
These Akatsuki guys weren't going to stop so he could prepare. One of these days they'd be back to capture him, which was why Naruto started doubling his efforts. He had to face this just like Amari faced them: without fear, fighting until the bitter end.
Next time he wouldn't just stand by as his truest friend fought to protect him. He swore to never fail her like that ever again.
So these last few weeks of tracking down Tsunade had been chock full of intense training. The kind of intensity that left him an aching mess, to the point sleeping was almost impossible because of how much pain his hands were in.
Naruto squinted at the sky, causing the twinkling stars to blur. Kami, he was tired. And sore. And really out of breath, to top it off. And…he was stalling. Complaining. Trying to find the strength to stand up again to win this stupid bet.
They'd traveled so far to finally find a lead on the Granny, and what was their reward? Not an acceptance to return to the Leaf; she didn't even seem to care there were people who needed her help, in fact she made a point to insult those who needed her legendary talents.
No. The so-called Legendary Sannin, the woman apparently capable of medical miracles was just a cynical, old woman who loved to gamble while hiding her age with a Transformation Jutsu.
I don't know what I was expecting, Naruto thought. The way Mimi was so excited, I suppose I thought she'd be this really nice and super compassionate medic. I thought she'd have that same spark Mimi has when it comes to helping people.
He rolled his head on the ground to shake it. But that's not the case at all. She's the exact opposite of Mimi.
Mimi was full of energy. Full of passion. Full of fire. Mimi cared. Deeply. She wanted to help people, and when she couldn't be of any help, it hurt her. Just like it hurt her to not be able to fix Lee. Just like it hurt her to be unable to heal Amari's injury.
But she didn't quit when things got tough. She didn't tap out and walk away; Mimi stuck to her guns and trained to become better and stronger.
Naruto really admired that about her.
If that Granny ever had any passion or any fire in her eyes, it's gone now, he thought. When he glared into those brown eyes, he didn't see anything. Just cold emptiness and old wounds.
Still, he wouldn't stop this hellish training until he completed this jutsu. He would win this bet, that way she had no choice but to acknowledge she was wrong and come back to the Leaf to heal his friends. Her necklace—the First Hokage's necklace to be exact— was also a part of their bet, but the piece of jewelry was barely a thought in his mind.
First thing was completing this jutsu.
Learning the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu was nothing compared to this. He sucked in more air, desperate for the cool oxygen for his internally and externally warm body.
This A-rank jutsu—the Rasengan—was nothing to sniff at. It was similar to the Chidori in a way, or at least he thought it was. The Chidori was like holding a whole bunch of focused chakra in your hand, plus Lightning Nature added into it. The Rasengan required him to create a rapidly spiraling sphere purely made out of chakra in his hand, compressing the chakra into a focused area while simultaneously keeping it spinning.
He didn't even want to think about what kind of skill adding a Nature to it required. It was already ridiculously difficult.
The level of chakra control this takes…it's insane. Naruto shut his eyes and sighed internally. I don't know if I'd have even gotten this far if Amari and Kakashi-sensei didn't always try to get me to practice my chakra control. Amari probably would have gotten this down by now.
The Pervy Sage didn't think so.
"Don't look so down, kid. You know, I doubt even your friend Amaririsu could get as far as you have in this short amount of time."
"Are you kidding? Amari can shape her chakra into dragon wings and even do that Rotation move Neji does. Creating a sphere would be no big deal for her."
"Hey, I'm not saying your little girlfriend doesn't have chakra shaping talents. She does, and those feats you mentioned are impressive. But, listen Naruto, did you ever really look when Amaririsu performed those techniques? I bet there are imperfections the normal eye doesn't catch in it."
Later, when he thought more about it, he remembered more clearly the imperfections he saw. Against Gaara, Amari's chakra wing may have left her externally unscathed, but internally the recoil hit her hard. And even though she countered Mimi's huge attack in the Finals with the Rotation, she didn't escape all damage.
"For this technique to work there can be no imperfections," Jiraiya continued. "I'm not saying Amaririsu couldn't do it; she does show a lot of promise. But don't forget it took the Fourth Hokage three years to create this jutsu, and he was a genius.
"Remember, Naruto, there is no easy road to learning this technique. Not for her and not for you."
The Pervy Sage was definitely right about its difficulty. There hadn't been a single moment of training where it became a piece of cake.
The first step was popping a water balloon by rotating his chakra in every direction, which was utterly exhausting.
Then came the next step: Power.
He changed from training with a flimsy water balloon to a rubber ball, once again attempting to blow it up with only his chakra. To do so required him to use all of his strength to increase the volume and density of the chakra he was spinning.
Like his current situation, the intensity of his chakra burned his hands and made his entire body ache. Honestly, somedays he felt like he'd been caught beneath a rockslide. Shooting pains incapacitated him daily. Eventually, though, he pulled it off.
Now he was on the final step. His training was no longer about trying to pop a water balloon or explode a rubber ball, which seemed so much simpler now than ever before. His current goal was to contain his power and rotation in a tight sphere inside a regular, fragile air balloon so it wouldn't pop.
Control. He had to control it. If the balloon moved at all then he was messing it up completely.
No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to focus on maintaining the rotation and power without it losing its shape.
It was frustrating. Absolutely frustrating. And it was only made worse by Tsunade disrespecting the Third Hokage, Kakashi and his friends.
As a cool breeze rolled over his sweat covered body, he was brought back to the night in the tavern.
One Week Ago
Naruto could only gawk at the Pervy Sage and the two women sitting opposite of them in their booth.
The Leaf chose Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage? When? Why her? He may not have figured out the trait the Pervy Sage told him Amari and the past Hokage possessed, but he could tell this lady certainly didn't have it.
Directly across from Naruto at the entrance of the booth was a woman of fair skin and average height named Shizune. Apprehensive and deeply saddened black eyes momentarily lowered at the news of the Third Hokage's death. The black strands of her shoulder length hair swayed over her bluish-black kimono as her head pivoted slightly to trade looks between the two Sannin, uncertain about the tense silence.
Shizune didn't seem that bad. So far she was the mirror opposite of her master; respectable, nice, and actually cared the Third Hokage died. Tsunade showed no emotion. Not even the slightest inkling of remorse or sorrow.
She hasn't seen the Old Man since she left the Leaf, and this is how she reacts to the news? Maybe they parted on bad terms, but this is no way to react to the news of her old sensei!
He was fuming within. Ready to burst at any moment. But he kept his anger leashed. For now.
Tsunade sat across from Jiraiya in the booth. They both wielded cards in their hands, courtesy of the kunoichi member of the Sannin. The pink flush coating her fair cheeks revealed her tipsy state.
The older woman's long, straight blonde hair brushed against the middle of her sleeveless kimono-style grey blouse in the style of two loose ponytails. Her top was held close by a dark bluish-grey obi that matched her pants, although 'closed' didn't mean the enormous expanse of cleavage she wielded was concealed. Like, at all.
No wonder the Pervy Sage likes her so much, he rolled his eyes.
Around her neck, dangling into said cleavage, was the First Hokage's necklace. However, what Naruto found stranger than all of this—besides her apparently being selected as the Fifth Hokage without anyone asking his opinion—was the small blue mark on her forehead, shaped like a diamond. Was it some sort of birth mark? Or a Seal of some kind?
Naruto's impatience got the better of him.
"Arghh! Will someone please tell me what's going on?!" Naruto groaned in confused annoyance.
He turned to Jiraiya, who stared at his cards with a smile. Naruto fought back a second annoyed groan. This wasn't the time for some stupid game! They had serious business to take care of!
"You told me we were coming to get her because she could heal Amari, Kakashi-sensei and Lee!" he accused. "But now you're pulling this Fifth Hokage business out of nowhere!" He pivoted his head back to Tsunade, who looked at her discarded cards with an irritated frown. "And then she goes and refuses it? But then…how can we help everyone? I promised Kurenai-sensei and the others…"
Naruto's solemn eyes lowered to the table. I promised I'd bring her back no matter what so she could heal Amari, Kakashi-sensei and Lee.
Amari's lifeless face flashed into his mind.
The cerulean eyed boy grated his teeth and squeezed his hands into fists. Amari…
"No…that's not a good enough answer," he spoke in a low voice. Wonder, confusion or simple disinterest crossed the features of the three adults. "You don't get to sit here and say 'no' like the title of Hokage and the people back in Konoha, your home, mean nothing.
"Mimi and Kurenai-sensei believed you could help the people we care about. I made them a promise that I'd bring you back to do it." Naruto lifted his head and met Tsunade's glazed over, unimpressed brown eyes with a hard glare. "I won't take no for an answer."
"Relax, Naruto," Jiraiya soothed. "Tsunade is well aware that she cannot refuse. There can be no one else who takes the mantle of Hokage. There was no single shinobi who contributed more to the Leaf's victory in the Great War. She combines immense skill as a warrior with a renowned ability to heal. I'd bet that's why your friend Mimi looks up to her so much."
Naruto raised his eyebrows at the Pervy Sage. Contributed to the Leaf's victory in the Great War with the ability to fight and heal?
"What's more," Jiraiya continued, "she's the granddaughter of the First Hokage. In heritage and abilities, she is the clear and only choice as the Fifth Hokage. Once she accepts her destiny, which she will, then she'll have to come back with us to Konoha and then heal Amaririsu, Kakashi and your friend Lee."
The Sage shut his eyes. "It's been all carefully thought out by the highest councils of the Village. No offense, but it's not something an adolescent Genin like you is meant to understand."
Not something I'm meant to understand? He frowned. I wasn't even told about ninety percent of this stuff before we sat down with these two. And on that note, if I'm the adolescent Genin, why does it feel like I've been the one babysitting him since we left Konoha?
There was the time in the outpost when he ran off with that woman under the influence of a genjutsu. Then there was the other time in the first town they searched where the Pervy Sage stole his hard earned money and ended up using it on alcohol and women—two of the three Ninja Prohibitions the pervert had warned him about.
"Heh, you're losing your touch Jiraiya," Tsunade taunted with a sneer on her face. "This little student of yours is nothing like the last one. He's a fool with a big mouth, and funny looking too."
Naruto furrowed his brow in agitation. "Oh yeah!" he challenged.
Jiraiya chuckled and rested his right forearm onto the table as he looked at the boy. "Well, to be fair, it's hard for anyone to match up to that standard. The Fourth Hokage had all the signs of becoming the greatest shinobi in generations. He was brimming with talent and natural ability. Brilliant, popular and, to top it off, he was nearly as handsome as his teacher," the older shinobi added with a sly grin.
Oh yeah, I forgot. The Pervy Sage mentioned the Fourth being his disciple back on the road before we ran into those Akatsuki guys. With all the ridiculous and perverted antics he had witnessed from his teacher, it was sometimes hard to remember he actually taught the Fourth Hokage—Naruto's idol.
"Oh sure, but that didn't stop him from dying young." Tsunade's low, deadly and cynical voice severed the amicable atmosphere.
Everyone at the table turned to the kunoichi. Shizune and Naruto reflected bewilderment and disbelief. Jiraiya's grin vanished, replaced by a stern expression.
Tsunade equipped a new set of cards in her hand, all held in a solid row so she could only see the first card. "Deciding to throw his life away all for the sake of the Village?" she continued harshly. She moved the cards so the second would be revealed. "Money is one thing, but a life is another. To risk everything against all the odds," Tsunade glared at her fellow Sannin, "that's a suckers bet!"
The chopsticks in Naruto's hands suddenly snapped. A suckers bet?!
She glanced at him and her cynical smile returned before she looked back to Jiraiya. "My grandfather and his successor were all so willing to die for the Village." Tsunade looked back down at her cards. "Well they're dead all right, and Konoha isn't any safer."
"Sounds to me like you've changed, Tsunade," Jiraiya replied. He sounded so disappointed. "I don't know what has happened to make you like this, but to say such things out loud?"
It was wrong. So wrong. Naruto would never be the one to teach classes in respect; he did paint graffiti on the faces of the Hokage, but to speak so lowly of the First, Second and Fourth Hokage? To disrespect the honored dead? It was like dancing and spitting on the graves of holy monks.
Maybe he had said and done some stupid things to his teachers, the Third Hokage and to the Hokage Mountain, but it was all just adolescent actions and pranks. Attempts to get people to stop pretending he didn't exist. Deep down he held the greatest respect for the past Hokage's and Iruka-sensei.
Tsunade moved the third card into her view, chuckling lightly at her fellow Sannin's words. Her eyes fell shut as she rested her chin on the back of her propped up right hand. "Don't forget, I'm not as young as I look. All of these years have taught me a great deal."
She shifted a fourth card into view. "Kakashi should have learned the same lesson by now. How many more people do you think he needs to lose before he gives up his ridiculous crusade at redemption?"
"This stone is a memorial for all those who sacrificed their lives for the village… The names of my closest friends are engraved here."
Naruto snarled. The broken chopsticks began to stab into his palm.
"It's obvious he's still throwing himself into deadly situations over and over again, and for what? To protect Konoha? To make up for his past?" She lifted her chin up in the blond's direction. "To protect the next generation of Genin who are foolish enough to need my level of Medical Ninjutsu? He's a bigger fool than I realized."
"What did you say?!" Naruto growled. He had to fight against the urge to dive across the table and pound the woman's face in. Slowly but surely he was losing that fight.
Kakashi, Lee, Amari, they all fought to the bitter end to protect what they held precious. They followed their nindos and never gave up, even when defeat seemed certain. Who the hell was this old hag to disrespect them?!
Tsunade smirked vindictively at him. "You heard me, brat. Your little pals who need my help are fools, the same as your Sensei. Do you know what happens to reckless Genin on the battlefield?" Her eyes darkened as her smirk became a flat frown. "They're usually the first ones to die, all so filled with the belief they're invincible as they try to prove themselves for some pointless cause."
"Lady Tsunade…" Shizune whispered in shock.
Naruto barely heard her. He could feel his body trembling as it tried to jolt him forward. Pointless cause?!
"Don't you dare talk about them that way!" he snarled as the harmless chopsticks continued to feel his inner rage.
"Or what, brat?" She met his silent glare head-on with dark eyes. "Being a shinobi is still a little game to you, isn't it? You probably think you're invincible. But guess what? You're not. Nobody is. One of these days all you'll be able to do is watch as your comrades fall in front of you."
He'd seen that one time too many already.
"Jōnin like Kakashi should quit while they still can," she lectured. "Nothing he does will change the fact his teammates and his sensei are already dead. Let me guess: His severe injuries were gained trying to protect one of your teammates, right?"
The disgusted curl of Naruto's lips turned hers into a smirk. "Thought so. Probably this Amari girl you're clearly protective about. But he wasn't able to save her, was he? She was critically injured regardless. Just goes to show you he's still a foolish brat who hasn't grown up. He still thinks he can make up for the deaths of Obito, Rin and Minato by throwing his life away, just like they did."
"That's enough, Tsunade." Jiraiya's tone was bladed and threatening. Scary, even. Like Tsunade had become one of those Akatsuki guys.
Her brown eyes flitted back over to the Toad Sage, brow furrowing in mounting agitation. "Sarutobi-sensei, too. He should have known better than to try playing the hero role at his age."
That struck a particular chord in Jiraiya. A chord Naruto decided he never wanted to touch. Something about the glare turned him from the perverted fool into the legendary shinobi.
At the same time, Naruto's left hand trembled beneath the table. Anger tightened his chest. It begged to be released.
Tsunade merely glanced at the boy before snorting and turning her eyes back to her cards. She shifted the final card out then released a sigh, placing them face down on the table and sitting back into the seat. "Huh, playing at Hokage? Count me out. It's a fool's game."
Naruto snapped. Bowls, cups and plates clattered, bounced and shifted as his hands slammed against the table. "That's it!"
He couldn't stand one more second of this woman's disrespect!
The boy launched onto the table and attempted to dash across the short distance to pound her face in. Unfortunately, a hand gripped the back of his jacket, keeping him in place as he struggled to punch or kick the woman.
"Let me go!" he growled. "Let me go! Let me just—"
"That's enough. People are watching," Jiraiya scolded tiredly.
He was dragged back towards his seat and given a stare that told him to settle down. He couldn't. Not when she was blatantly and callously disrespecting the people he cared about.
Naruto stamped both feet firm on the table as he readied himself to give her a piece of his mind. "I'm not going to let her sit there and disrespect the Old Man, Kakashi-sensei or my friends! No way! I don't give a damn if she is a woman!" The blond slammed his left fist into his right palm. "I'll beat that cynical sneer off her face!"
The kunoichi member of the Sannin merely stared at him. Flat. Disinterested. Like he wasn't even there. Shizune watched on in awe of his passion and concern for the crumbling situation.
Suddenly Tsunade's lip turned up into a smirk. The kunoichi bolted up in her seat and placed her left foot on the table, resting her left hand on her knee to be face to face with him.
"Are you challenging me, boy? You've got guts, if nothing else." The boy didn't back down from his glare or anger. "Let's take this outside!"
"No, no!" Shizune begged the older woman.
Neither would hear it. All four—five including the pet pig named Tonton—moved outside. Tsunade stood on one side of the street with her hands on her hips while Naruto stood at the other end. Shizune, Tonton and Jiraiya took their positions off to the side with their respective companions.
The light of the tavern painted artificial squares of light onto the dark street. Clouds covered the sky, concealing the moonlight behind a thick blanket.
Naruto wasn't sure what chance, if any, he had against this woman. His dislike of her aside, she was still a member of the Legendary Sannin; Orochimaru annihilated his team, and Jiraiya nearly killed all three of those Akatsuki members. What was this hag capable of then?
Doesn't matter. He wouldn't back down. She crossed too many lines, insulted too many people he cared about.
If her skills aren't exaggerated, I'll have a hard time landing a solid blow on her…but she is under the influence of alcohol. That should increase my chances here.
It was a longshot, but a shot nonetheless. He wouldn't let her get away with insulting the Old Man, Kakashi and the others.
"One of the Legendary Sannin taking on a snot-nosed Genin?" Tsunade shut her eyes and smiled to herself. "I should be ashamed of myself."
"Who you calling snotty?!" was his intelligent retort. He hated how stupid it sounded. Hated how he had nothing better to say.
The Sannin member lifted her right hand up and extended only her index finger.
"Huh?" he breathed out in question.
"Oh, stop trying to show off," the Toad Sage chastised.
"You see this? One finger. This is all I'm going to need to beat you."
"Please, don't," Shizune tried to stop them again.
Tsunade turned her hand around and motioned him to attack with the same finger. "Well? Come on, kid."
The knucklehead of Team Seven growled again. "Don't…ever underestimate me!"
He dashed forward and grabbed at his ninja tool box for a kunai and a set of shurikens. Once in his hand, he grabbed the shurikens with his left hand and tossed them at the woman. She dodged her head to the side with her eyes arrogantly closed, simultaneously giving him the opening he needed.
Now! The boy lunged forward with the blade of his kunai seeking to hit its target. This would show her!
Swiftly, Tsunade ducked out of the way and got her solitary finger in the hole of his kunai's grip. The legendary shinobi stole the blade from him instantly, swinging it straight up before he could even comprehend he had lost his kunai.
The kunai hit his forehead protector with a loud clang, sending both the weapon and his headband flying up into the air. His head recoiled back from the strike. Naruto tried to regain balance, tried to plant his feet to counter, but suddenly she was in his face with her pointer finger and thumb in range to flick his forehead.
Her pointer finger ripped forward and collided against his skull. It felt like someone had punched him in the face with a metal glove.
The power of the strike sent him flying backwards through the air. Then his back slammed against the ground, sending him tumbling head over foot until he rolled back onto his feet.
Naruto grimaced. He brought his left hand to his forehead. Did Sakura appear when I blinked to punch me in the face? Sakura was nowhere to be found. Which meant the flick did all this. Ow.
His vision was becoming all foggy. He could hardly focus on Tsunade anymore.
I feel a huge headache coming on. It's so bad my ears are ringing…and all she did was flick me in the forehead? I know Mimi can knock someone out with pressure points, but this? It's unreal.
He touched the spot of contact and winced. My forehead is already bruised.
Gritting his teeth, he stood up to his full height. "I'm not done yet!"
Suddenly his kunai impaled in the ground right in front of his feet, exactly where he planned to step. Naruto's eyes bulged as his forehead protector clattered to the ground a few steps away from the blade.
Whoa…Pervy Sage wasn't kidding. She's the real deal even when she's drunk.
"Hey kid!" the woman slurred. Naruto's cerulean eyes met her brown ones as the gravity of the fight was beginning to hit him. "One question before you pass out."
Pass out? From a flick to the forehead? This was bad.
"Tell me, what makes you so touchy about the title of Hokage."
"Unlike you, my dream is to become Hokage," he retorted heatedly. "Just you watch, one day I will become Hokage! That's my dream!"
Something about his words affected the Granny. Despondence overcame her eyes. Her gaze fell to the ground.
Hey, she lowered her guard! This was the one opening he was going to get and he wasn't going to waste this chance. There's no way I can take her head-on. He lifted his right hand up with his palm facing him. Now is the time to use that jutsu. Focus!
Determined to win, Naruto began focusing his chakra to his hands. He placed his right palm over his left and created an imperfect blue sphere between them.
The sound of the swirling chakra garnered the attention of all three elder ninja. Tsunade gawked in surprise at him. The Pervy Sage beamed with pride.
Not wasting a single second, Naruto dashed forward with the spiraling sphere of blue chakra between his hands and a wordless war cry.
He reached his right hand forward, hoping to connect the swirling chakra with his opponent. However, the kunoichi hastily slammed her index finger into the ground, splitting the ground beneath him to form a small ravine. What started as a war cry quickly shifted into a wail of surprise.
Instead of connecting his attack with Tsunade, the jutsu impacted into the rift; the recoil of the unstable power sent him flying backwards into the crevice. Naruto could only wiggle around like a turtle stuck on its back, wedged between the split earth.
"Ah! I'm stuck!" Naruto groaned as he scratched and clawed at the air in an attempt to get out.
Talk about power. Splitting the ground with a single finger? What kind of crazy strength did the Granny have?
Shizune was quick to come to his aid and help him out of the crack within. She rested a comforting hand on his back as he began coughing on all-fours. Her strength is insane.
"Naruto, are you all right?" Shizune asked in worry.
"Jiraiya! Are you the one that taught this little brat the Rasengan?" Tsunade accused.
Rasengan? It was the first time he had ever heard the name of the jutsu. The Toad Sage had never bothered to mention the name or had simply forgotten to tell him. I'd bet on the latter when it comes to Pervy Sage.
"Of course I did! I'm his teacher, aren't I? What about it?"
"Ha! Some teacher! What's the point of teaching it to someone who could never learn it, you old fool! Giving him false hopes like that, filling his little mind with stupid ideas, making him believe he could actually become Hokage someday!"
The knucklehead growled, stood up and swiped his left hand through the air. "Oh yeah! I'll show you who's an idiot! Just you wait!" He created a three with his fingers. "Give me three days and I'll have that jutsu down flat!"
At first the woman was taken aback, only to smile and breathe out a laugh. "Watch what you say, kid. I might just hold you to it."
"Heh, I said it and I never go back on my word. That's my nindo, my ninja way!"
"Well then, how about a bet…"
Naruto's eyes shot open, startled awake. Exhaustion immediately weighed his eyelids down again. The Siren of sleep called to him, begged him to let his eyes close for one moment. Just one little moment…
His eyes snapped open again. They felt heavier than before, but he couldn't sleep now. Not when he was so close to completing this jutsu.
There's no more time to rest.
Against the pleas of his body, Naruto struggled up from his supine position to stand on his quivering legs. He gripped his right wrist with his left hand and shut his eyes. Concentrate. Concentrate.
"Now listen up: In the third step you have to draw up one hundred percent of what you have learned thus far, and then maintain it," Jiraiya's lesson echoed in his mind.
Naruto opened his eyes as he summoned the chakra to his hand. It burned. Stung like a swarm of bees were stinging every inch of his hand. He ignored the pain as best he could, watching as a blue sphere began to build in the palm of his hand.
The more he concentrated the chakra, the more it hurt. His hands felt toast. Over trained with this heavy and powerful concentration of chakra his body still wasn't acclimatized to using.
Come on! Concentrate. Concentrate!
The power was all but impossible to contain. He may as well be trying to use a paper dome to contain a fire! Gritting his teeth and grunting in a mixture of frustration and pain, Naruto prepared to slam the Rasengan into the dead tree in front of him.
"Hahhh!" he screamed.
Upon impact, the Rasengan created a swirl pattern in the bark, but nothing else.
Damn!
This jutsu, when completed, could cut through a tree without exploding like his always did. The Pervy Sage maintained it perfectly when he showed him, sawing a tree in half without ever losing the shape or the power of the Rasengan.
Warm beads of sweat slid down his face, dripping off his chin. His upper body, slouched by exhaustion, heaved with heavy breaths he couldn't control. The black undershirt he wore stuck to his skin.
"In other words, you have to keep the rotation and strength at their maximum the entire time."
I get it, he panted. I can see it in my head…but no matter how hard I try, I can't focus all of my chakra into a neat little ball.
Naruto shut his eyes and grit his teeth. He only had until tomorrow to get this jutsu down. The hours were ticking by; every wasted second was another second of guaranteed failure. His body could only take so much more abuse before it inevitably gave out on him, and if he failed…
"There's nothing worse than watching your students fall in battle. It's like…losing little pieces of your soul," Guy-sensei's words sounded off.
Bushy Brows. He had watched Lee in awe during his battle against Gaara. Even though he was rendered unconscious, even though his arm and leg were broken by Gaara's sand, Lee's Will made him stand up again. Ready to fight to the death for the sake of his ninja way.
Lee's condition ate away at Mimi's heart and soul. Naruto saw it. She was a medic who couldn't help her own teammate. Her friend. But the Inuzuka believed in Tsunade's ability to fix him. She believed they could bring her back.
"Look at her! Do you realize the kind of emotional anguish an Uchiha must go through to unlock the Mangekyō Sharingan? Why don't you stop thinking about yourself and consider for a moment the heartbreak she went through in the last few hours.
"And despite that pain, despite being heavily beaten, exhausted of her chakra and captured, she still used the last of her strength to save you! To protect you from the Akatsuki!"
Amari…
Since he first met her, since she started excelling, Amari always seemed invincible to him. He knew she wasn't. He saw the damage the Lightning Blade did to her. He remembered her in that frighteningly empty state after the Sound Genin ambushed them.
Hearing her agonizing cries when Hisashi poisoned her was his least favorite before Itachi took her down, but…Amari kept pushing. She kept fighting. No matter how much pain she was in. Even when all she wanted to do was quit, her Will kept pushing her until the final drop of her strength was expended.
Even…even when he was too scared to do anything, Amari didn't even flinch to act. She sacrificed herself to save him and Sasuke, to spare them from pain when she was already shouldering so much.
Because that's just who Amari was. She was so strong. Smart, too. Stubborn and passionate, even if she didn't show it outwardly all the time.
She was his best friend, and he refused to fail her again!
Naruto channeled his chakra to his hands, steadying it with his stilled right hand and applying chakra with his left in a pawing motion to help create the sphere shape. Once the sphere was created, he held it between both hands and prepared to strike again.
Then his knees buckled. Naruto grimaced.
My body…
Supporting his own weight was the new impossibility he was faced with. The concentrated chakra was burning his hands even worse than before. He squinted his eyes against the screaming pain. His pain receptors cursed him. Clawed at his brain to make him end the jutsu.
I...
"What's the point of teaching it to someone who could never learn it, you old fool! Giving him false hopes like that, filling his little mind with stupid ideas, making him believe he could actually become Hokage someday!"
"Your little pals who need my help are fools, the same as your sensei. Jōnin like Kakashi should quit while they still can. Nothing he does will change the fact his teammates and his sensei are already dead. Let me guess: His severe injuries were gained trying to protect one of your teammates, right?"
"But he wasn't able to save her, was he? She was critically injured regardless. Just goes to show you he's still a foolish brat who hasn't grown up. He still thinks he can make up for the deaths of Obito, Rin and Minato by throwing his life away, just like they did."
Kakashi-sensei…
His teacher had lost so much. More than he ever realized. Well, he never really asked about it after the bell test talk, so it was his own fault. But his teacher lost his teammates and his sensei.
Naruto couldn't imagine how hard it was to be the last one left. He didn't want to think of how he would feel if Amari, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi all died. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to keep moving forward, honestly.
Kakashi found a way, though. He may have hit a lot of rough patches along the way. Maybe he even lost sight of himself during it; Naruto couldn't blame him if he did, definitely after losing so much. But his teacher kept moving forward. He didn't quit like that old Granny did.
Naruto realized at that moment that Kakashi was pushing forward through his suffering to see a better future for his fallen friends, just like Amari was for Ryu. No, he wasn't just trying to see it. He was trying to make the future better. That's why he went so far to protect Amari against the Akatsuki. That's why he was training Team Seven.
Kakashi lost a lot, but he also gained new bonds in them. Bonds his teacher was willing to sacrifice his life for.
What kind of student would he be if he didn't follow his teacher's example?
I…refuse to quit now. Face scrunched in pain, Naruto pushed himself to stand up once more. Just like Lee. Like Amari. Like his teacher.
"Arrrgghhh!"
The Rasengan began to saw through the tree, but that was all Naruto witnessed before the recoil of the power sent his weakened body rolling through the dirt. He slid to a halt on his stomach. Burns attacked his hands; they trembled in agony, every little twitch only making the pain so much worse.
"It's…no use," he panted. He tried valiantly in futility to stand again. The result of his efforts was a face full of dirt. "Why can't…I do it?
Darkness overcame his senses. His eyes fell shut on this moonlit night, and there was absolutely nothing that could stop them.
"It's too late… Running out of time…"
If only I had an extra hand, I could contain it better.
His eyes shut and the darkness consumed him.
Little did he know the tree he attacked lay on the ground, sawed in half just like the Pervy Sage had done. And all the nearby brethren of dead trees in the path were shredded by the sheer power of the Rasengan.
The Next Day
Standing on a broken leg really hurt. Naruto was learning that firsthand as he tried to stand firmly, placing the majority of his weight on his good leg instead of the newly broken one.
Connected with his forehead was a bloody fist belonging to none other than Kabuto Yakushi—that snake. But the force of the blow didn't budge the young Genin. He stood strong—sort of—and held his ground.
A lot had transpired between passing out while training and this moment. To be honest, he was still having trouble wrapping his head around the succession of events.
Everything happened so fast. One moment he woke up in a room that wasn't his own; Shizune was out cold on the hotel room floor and barely stirred when he tried to wake her up. And apparently Tsunade drugged the Pervy Sage to weaken him, all because she had met with Orochimaru the day they made their bet.
The week timeframe she gave him to learn the jutsu was really to give her time to think on the Snake Sannin's proposal: Heal his arms, damaged by the Third Hokage, and in return he would somehow revive her little brother and lost lover.
Afterwards the trio set off to stop the madness, only to find craters in the ground and destroyed walls around the castle where they had chosen to meet. Seriously, it looked like someone with super strength had a massive temper tantrum, which could only mean the Granny refused the deal.
Lucky for her. He'd have found a way to pummel her into the ground if she took a deal from that rotten snake.
Again they set off to track her to their current location—a grassy plain with a wide horizon in all directions.
Last time they met, Orochimaru was disguised as a woman. Today he took his true form. He was exceptionally pale; white clouds looked tan compared to him, if they were being honest. Purple markings surrounded his golden eyes, the pupils of which were slit like a snakes. His black hair reached all the way down to his waist, although his garbs were the same as those he wore as the Grass woman.
His arms hung like wet noodles at his sides at all times, no doubt because of the Third Hokage's final act. Serves him right.
Kabuto was finally showing his true colors too. The whole act in the Exams was exactly that—an act. A show. He played them for fools, earning their trust so he could get close to gather information on them for his bastard master. He was the lackey of the man responsible for the Third Hokage's death.
It made Naruto feel like such an idiot for trusting him. Or a bigger one than usual as Sasuke or Shikamaru would say. Jerks.
However, although Kabuto was a no-good traitor, he was still a smart and skilled traitor. He had no chance of defeating Tsunade in hand to hand combat, so he used her hemophobia—her fear of blood—against her by cutting his own hand and splashing the blood on her.
That left the fight to Shizune and the weakened Pervy Sage against Kabuto and Orochimaru. The two Sound shinobis summoned giant snakes again, one of which tried swallowing Naruto—again.
What had he ever done to deserve the wrath of these snakes? Why did they always try to eat him?
Anyway, with the help of a murder of Crows attacking the summoning serpent from out of nowhere, Naruto escaped being made into a snake's dinner. Unfortunately, his escape wasn't perfect. The snake attacked the ground he landed on, sending him flying into a nearby boulder.
That's when his leg broke. And boy was it hurting badly. He could only watch as Shizune and Kabuto battled one another from his grounded position while the Pervy Sage, backed up by the Crows, battled against Orochimaru.
Naruto wasn't sure what the birds were doing here; he mistakenly thought Amari showed up to help. His heart soared for the smallest moment, but when he looked around and couldn't find her anywhere, it sank again.
He wished she were here. Wished she wasn't injured.
Either way, the extra help seemed to be helping the Pervy Sage fight against his former comrade.
While their battle intensified, Shizune's reached its end when Kabuto used some sort of Medical Ninjutsu attack to disable her legs.
Rather than finish the job, he left the kunoichi alone to go after Tsunade. The bastard kicked and punched her while she was down. Her terrified screams from the blood rolled over the grassy plains, sparking anger in Naruto.
Whether or not he had a bone to pick with the Granny didn't matter; she was an ally and Kabuto was a traitor. Broken leg or not, he would not stand for this…bastard's treatment of the old lady or his betrayal of trust.
And so, he was here. Standing on one broken leg and one good one, glaring through gritted teeth at Kabuto. Warm blood from Kabuto's hand slid down his face.
"Back off," he growled. Kabuto's face relayed the shock he was feeling at his sudden appearance. "That's enough already, you traitor!" The boy quickly channeled his chakra to his hands and began creating the Rasengan. The blue sphere wasn't perfect, but it would be enough to send this traitor flying.
"Haaaaa!" he yelled and jumped forward with the sphere aimed right at his opponent.
Kabuto reacted quickly. Quicker than the boy could move given his injuries. He summoned a blue blade of chakra to surround his hand and dodged past him, tapping his right leg as he went by with the chakra blade.
Instantly the pain of his broken left leg was forgotten, replaced by tearing muscles in his right. Naruto let out a short agony filled cry. His Rasengan faded as his hands snapped to grab his newly injured leg. Chest first he slammed into the grass.
Gah! My leg! He shut his eyes and focused on pushing himself up onto his hands, trying in futility to ignore the white-hot pain. It was no use. His left leg was throbbing with its own pulse and his right felt as if someone was waxing his skin off. It's no use. I can't hit a moving target like this!
"Grgh! Aah! Damn it!"
And I still can't contain all of the chakra yet! Not on command like he tried. There was barely enough time to even concentrate on controlling it. Had he landed the jutsu, it would have been a quick blast of power to hurt both of them.
This was bad, and it didn't appear his luck was about to change any time soon. His legs were pretty much useless. No running. No kicks. Just enough to maybe stand, if he grit his teeth enough and pretended he was in perfect health.
Naruto shook his head. I've…just got find some way to do this…but how? Think like Amari, think like Amari.
"It looks like you fractured the thigh bone in your left leg during your tussle with the snake," Kabuto spoke up in his condescending voice.
Sweat slithered down the boy's face as he did his best not to act rashly. I have to use my head like Amari would if I'm going to beat him. It was the only way. He had to fight smarter, not harder. He had to think, not react. He had to fight every reactionary instinct in his body and look at this tactically.
He could do that. Not like he could go running off anyway.
The bad joke didn't alleviate his spirits as much as he hoped.
Kabuto seemed content to talk down to him. Irritating, sure, but at least he was giving him time to think.
"If it were only the bone, you could still stand, but it's gone beyond that now. I also severed you're lateral vastus muscle in your right leg."
Whatever that meant. Obviously something serious if the pain was anything to go by.
What do I do? This jutsu takes both of my hands. If he even gets one of my arms like he did my leg, it's all over.
He looked back over his shoulder to stare at the ash-grey haired ninja. If I had Amari's Shadow Possession Jutsu, I could just use that then hit him with the Rasengan. But I don't and there's no way I'm suddenly going to learn how to use it.
I've already tried getting him with clones, but it was just a waste of my chakra. He's too fast and skilled for me to pin down with mere clones. The boy glanced down at his legs. And even if they did, I'm in no shape to close this distance.
"What's the matter? Are you scared? I hope you don't feel like running away!" Kabuto taunted.
Naruto could only glare in silence. He had to figure out some way to get this momentum back in his favor.
His opponent pulled out an orange card, one of his Info Cards if the boy could remember correctly through the noise of screaming pain receptors.
"Naruto, as I recall you were nothing but big talk in the first round of the Chūnin Exams."
"Don't underestimate me! I don't quit and I don't run!"
If it hadn't been for Amari taking over his body he would have never had a chance at filling out any of the questions. Her words of confidence to not give up and her promise to not let him fail had given him that final boost of confidence in the fear of failing the final question.
Without her I…
"Don't underestimate me. I don't run away. I don't care if I'm a Genin for the rest of my life. You guys aren't going to scare me off. I'll still be Hokage," Kabuto mocked him with his own words. "So, where is all your tough talk now?"
Naruto growled.
"Unlike Sasuke, Amaririsu and Mimi, you don't have the skill to back up your words. You're not a kid anymore. You're a ninja, so you might want to stop shooting your mouth off like a child. It's okay to admit when you're over your head; sometimes running away is the best option."
The blond only continued to scowl in silence. Run away? Not going to happen. If I don't do anything here, who will? People are depending on me…my friends need me.
His brow was set in his glare. And now you're standing between me and my goal. I'm gonna wipe that smug smile right off your face.
Kabuto closed his eyes and smiled as he lifted his hands in a placating motion. "Come now, what's with the scowl? If I kill you, you can kiss your dreams goodbye."
His smile faded for grit teeth and an angered stare as he began stalking closer. "Little kids like you think life is so easy, that's why they always go on and on about their stupid little dreams. That's why they never give up."
His opponent reached him and landed a kick square in his back, knocking the wind out of him. He ate a face full of grass again.
The kicks began to rain down on him. Blow after blow; his ribs, his legs, his face, his ribs again. Over and over, one after another each kick and stamp landed on him sending waves of agony through his body.
"They go chasing after ridiculous ideas, and then they die!"
"Do you know what happens to reckless Genin on the battlefield? They're usually the first ones to die, all so filled with the belief they are invincible as they try to prove themselves for some pointless cause.
"Being a shinobi is still a little game to you, isn't it? You probably think you're invincible. But guess what? You're not. Nobody is. One of these days all you'll be able to do is watch as your comrades fall in front of you."
Naruto caught Kabuto's foot. "Shut up, you bastard!" He pushed the foot away then placed his hands on the ground. Again he tried to force his body to stand. "I don't care what you say. I'm not going to give up. I never go back on my word!"
I think…I think I know what I have to do. He struggled his way up onto his weak legs, ignoring the ripping, tearing and throbbing pains within them as well as his other wounds.
"That's my nindo, my ninja way!"
Finally, he made it onto his two feet. It hurt. Everything hurt. But he was here, and he had a plan. That was an improvement, right?
I know…how to beat him. I just…I need to get him to come right at me.
Kabuto gave him an unimpressed stare then smiled evilly. He lifted up his right hand and created his chakra blade again. The Genin hoped he didn't go for either arm.
"You should have just stayed down, Naruto," he said menacingly.
His enemy swung his hand back and backhanded him across the face, sending him sliding back towards the kunoichi member of the Sannin.
The blond ninja let out a short cry of pain but nevertheless remained conscious despite the insurmountable amount of throbbing agony surging through his left leg from the landing.
My body…he grunted and trembled. I'm still conscious and that means I still can fight. Amari wouldn't give up here. She wouldn't give up when there's a chance to pull this off…and right now there is a chance.
Small, maybe, but that didn't matter. Amari, Lee, Kakashi, none of them backed down when the odds were stacked against them. Neither did the Hokage's of the past. They all stood up in the face of death and prepared to sacrifice everything to protect their nindos, their precious people and the future.
Naruto's eyes widened. That's it! I figured out the trait Pervy Sage wanted me to learn!
The rational side of his mind begged him to stay down. No one ever accused him of being rational, though.
Naruto pushed himself up onto all-fours with shaky arms and legs.
"Why?" the quiet voice of Tsunade reached his ears. Naruto continued to push his way through the pain onto both of his legs. "What…what are you doing?"
Blood dripped from one of his wounds onto the blades of green grass below him. Ragged breaths shook his body. I can do this. My friends…they need me to succeed here. Kakashi-sensei. Sasuke and Sakura. Bushy Brows and Mimi. Kurenai-sensei and Amari.
This was his chance to pay them all back for believing in him. For trusting in him. For giving him a reason to keep on living.
"I made a promise, Granny," he spoke in a tired and pain filled voice. "To all of those friends you called fools." His battered body swayed. "A promise to bring you back to Konoha so you could heal the people we care about. They've entrusted their hopes and their faith to me, the number one knuckleheaded ninja."
"Still haven't had enough," Kabuto growled in annoyance.
Naruto slowly lifted his hands up. "I didn't get it before. Pervy Sage told me to think really hard about what trait every past Hokage has possessed beyond strength and intelligence, and I have. I spent this entire trip thinking about it, because it's a trait my best friend showed when she sacrificed herself to keep me safe.
"I admit, it took me a while to figure it out. But I finally get it. That's why…" He moved his hands into the Clone seal. "You better get ready to come back to Konoha to heal us fools, because the people of Konoha are entrusting their hopes and their dreams into you too—the Fifth Hokage. Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
A single clone appeared next to him.
All right you traitor, it's time for you to get what's coming to you. The pair lowered their arms and stared at their opponent. He has to make the first move. Once he does, he'll be right in my trap.
"Enough! Naruto, you don't have to protect me! Go, get out of here!" Tsunade pleaded to get him to run away.
Even if he could run away—which he couldn't—he wouldn't. He wouldn't run and leave her to fight off Kabuto when she was trembling like a leaf caught in a heavy wind. She would die if he did.
"It's my dream to become Hokage, Granny. I told you that already. Which means I have to inherit the trait Lord Third and my idol the Fourth Hokage possessed. And deep down, Granny, I think you have it as well. Because your little brother and your lover dreamed of becoming Hokage too, and their Wills are with you now."
Just like Amari's will was with him right now.
Kabuto's lips curled in a disgusted snarl. "What utter nonsense." He pulled out a kunai and charged forward. "I told you to stay down, didn't I?! Now you're dead! You just threw it all away! Dreams have no meaning if you're dead!"
"Just get out of the way, Naruto!" Tsunade cried out. Kabuto moved his arm back then stabbed the blade right for him. "No, look out!"
"Do you know what that trait is, Granny?"
Blood sprayed into the air as it met his flesh, but it was all according to the plan. Mostly.
Naruto felt the blade slice between the interspace of his pointer and middle finger, drawing warm crimson blood to pour across his hand and onto the blade. The hand behind the blade found his palm. Immediately he clenched it with an iron grip.
Perfect.
"It's self-sacrifice!" he yelled for the Pervy Sage to hear.
Naruto never saw the nod and smile of pride Jiraiya gave at his declaration.
His opponent tried desperately to free his grip by trying to tug the blade back, but it wouldn't budge, and Naruto had no intention of letting go. Kabuto fell face first into his trap.
"So no, Granny. I'm not running away. Even if I have to risk my life to protect you, I will!"
Just like Amari risked her life to save him. Just like Kakashi risked his life to protect her.
Kabuto tugged again unsuccessfully. "What's the matter? Can't go anywhere?" he taunted through grit teeth.
I can't control the power and rotation with only two hands right now, but that's fine!
He put his right hand out, palm facing up, and began summoning his chakra to it. His clone began to rotate the chakra and create a shell to contain the power for him. With my clone I can manage all three steps with three hands instead of two!
The result of his plan was a perfect, glowing blue sphere of chakra in his palm, spiraling rapidly in a contained sphere.
"Compress the chakra…" he coached himself as his clone dispelled. He braced his body for the recoil of the technique. "Keep it going..." The young ninja brought his hand back and then jabbed it forward right into the midsection of Kabuto. "Rasengan!"
"AHHHHHHHH!" Kabuto screamed.
The energy of the technique shredded the area of contact and kicked up dirt in all directions. Pure power. That's what this jutsu was.
Bright blue light blinded the boy. Waves of energy crashed against him like a giant squall in a hurricane.
Naruto didn't let his strength waver; he pushed his hand further into his opponent. "Take this, you traitorous bastard!"
The Rasengan shot Kabuto in the opposite direction inside a giant white swirling ball of energy. Dirt and grass shredded in its wake, leaving behind a gravelly crater. Dust covered the area. Coated it really. He could barely see through it all.
Naruto let his hands fall to his sides, his heavy breathing returning.
That…should do it…I hope. I don't…have much else left.
As the dust began to settle, he finally saw Kabuto within a giant circular crater of a boulder he had collided with. His shirt was ripped to shreds and his body was bent forward at the waist like a hinge. Red, discolored and bruised skin marked the point of impact. Blood dripped from the shredded fabric.
Kabuto, too, panted up a storm but somehow managed to stay on his feet.
I…can't believe it. I put everything…I had into that jutsu. Naruto exhaled a breath then felt a stinging pain form in his heart. Suddenly he coughed up blood. The taste of iron filled his mouth as the warm liquid trailed down both sides of his mouth.
Everything was starting to spin. Breathing was becoming too hard to do.
What the…hell is going…on? This…isn't…just exhaustion.
Something was wrong….something was undeniably wrong.
His vision was blurring. His legs felt so weak. Naruto tried to fight whatever this was, tried to ignore the building pain in his chest, but his vision of Kabuto faded. Soon blue sky and white clouds took over his vision.
How'd…that get there?
Even as sleep was claiming him, the blond could feel the pain of each breath and the throbbing in his chest. Each breath shuddered in agony and the last of his strength was disappearing.
Just a little nap…that's all I need. Then I'll be…ready for anything.
Voices submerged in water tried to call to him. At the same time, darkness was closing in all around him.
Was this the end?
Was he…dying?
Something warm and wet dripped onto his face. Cracking his left eye open, he was met by almost blinding light. Then he saw Tsunade kneeling over him, tears pouring down her cheeks. She was crying? For him? He was so certain she couldn't stand him. Being snot-nosed and all.
He could make out the faint green glow of Medical Ninjutsu on her hands. Applied to his chest—his heart, where Kabuto struck him with a chakra blade in the middle of the Rasengan.
Naruto struggled to keep his eyes open. In the fog he honed in on the necklace that was a part of their bet. It dangled in sight above him.
No…I'm not going to die yet. I have promises to keep.
He reached up and grasped the pendent in his left hand with a feeble grip. Tsunade's teary brown eyes widened at him. Her sadness and sorrow was always so easy to see in her eyes. He hated it. Hated that it made someone so admired by the likes of Mimi and Pervy Sage give up. Hated that she couldn't escape it, no matter how hard she tried.
Maybe, though, things could change. He hoped. For her sake. Maybe someone could reignite the fire and passion she once had. Maybe, if she stopped closing herself off, she could find new bonds to make the burden easier to bear. Just like Kakashi. Like Mimi. Like Amari.
Naruto smiled tiredly at her. "Told you…I'd do it. You're…stuck with us…fools…now."
With the last of his strength gone, his eyes fell shut and his arm collapsed back towards the earth. He was unconscious a moment later, and did not feel Tsunade catch his hand or her warm words of faith. Nor did he see that Kabuto had collapsed face first into the dirt, the damage of the Rasengan too much for his Medical Ninjutsu.
"Take a breather. You've earned it. Leave the rest to us." Amari's voice soothed him into a peaceful slumber.
You've got it, Sis. I'll see you…when I get back.
Review Response to ChillinInKonoha: When Itachi said reporting to the Leader he meant Pain/Nagato. I just doubt learning three intelligent and powerful shinobi of the Akatsuki being thwarted by a thirteen year old Genin would go over well. Probably not a death sentence, but it was also Itachi's way of keeping Amari/Haya a secret a little longer from the Akatsuki by sounding so certain it'd mean death for them, that way Kisame believed it too.
Yep, we're approaching steadily towards where Team Seven started to be split apart in the manga and anime. We'll have to wait and see how that turns out in this story. More on Mist Village soon. The movies will be incorporated into this story, not a separate one. I've been trying to make it happen as naturally as I can. So, for instance, the Land of Snow will be a mission given to Team Seven by the Fifth Hokage, which is how it technically happened in the movie. But it'll happen prior to the Land of Tea arc from the anime.
Personally, I feel like everyone should have gotten a power boost as a natural progress through the anime. I love the Naruto series, and I know it was named after Naruto and was meant to show his journey as well as Sasuke's, but I feel we were introduced to this cool cast of characters in Part 1...and then they just all faded into the background except Naruto and Sasuke. Granted, they are the protagonist and deuteragonist, so it makes sense it focused on them. But instead of building up the others, they just sort of faded into obscurity. Again, that's just my personal opinion.
As for Six Paths power for Tenten and Hinata, Hinata definitely makes the most sense given what happened in the Last movie and how the Byakugan is connected to the Otsutsuki. I wouldn't have been against it. Tenten I'd be on the fence with, just because as far as we know she has no connection to that bloodline in anyway. Would it have been awesome for her to get a power upgrade so she could use those weapons without issue? Absolutely. But without further knowledge on her lineage, it'd be hard for me to say yes she definitely should have Six Paths power within the canon world.
We'll learn about Amari's training in time.
Thank you for the review!