Chapter: No More

The next day

Naruto hadn't shown up to Team 7's final exam with Kakashi. The other two shrugged it off expecting as much from the deadlast.

"Knowing Naruto, he'll probably show up tomorrow with a refreshed attitude after a bowl of ramen." Sakura shrugged her shoulders and looked at Sasuke.

"It is not like the dobe to shoot down challenges, in the recent months he has isolated himself from situations like that." Sasuke wasn't concerned or even cared for that matter, but he couldn't help but think he hid under a persona that wasn't his own.

'I thought I was the only one who noticed this. Very perceptive from the most promising student in the academy.' Kakashi had the feeling that Naruto hid his true identity behind a plastic smile and an idiotic personality.

Out of the brush came an ANBU with a rabbit mask. "Kakashi, you and your students are being summoned by the Hokage. Report to his office right this instant." He then disappeared in a burst of smoke.

'What could this be about? Naruto perhaps?' Kakashi signaled for the two to follow him. Both seemed similarly confused by the sudden summonance.

Soon after, the three arrived at the Hokage tower.

The Third Hokage looked out towards the impending forest beyond the walls of Konoha. Three sets of footsteps arrived at his door and he turned around and sat.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice." The Hokage seemed choked up about something. He sought for words that would ease the situation but knew there was no way of getting around this conversation.

"There's no way of saying this lightly. Late last night, I presume, a note was left on the doorstep of my home." Team 7 stood with their arms at their sides watching their Hokage struggling to speak.

"An extremely heart wrenching note. One I'd never wish on anyone." He opened the note. His fingers trembled and tears floated to the surface. "In this letter, Naruto Uzumaki stated he no longer felt that his life was of essence to others. He said that he desperately held onto the idea of being loved by someone or something, even if it was only a small gesture. 'I am not who everyone thinks me to be,' he said, 'That persona of a child's naïve mindset to the world's mistreatment of him was no more.' Naruto also said other things I cannot say out loud. He finishes with, 'My life is no longer needed, nor do I wish to carry this burden. If you are reading this, It is already too late. I am dead, one that is befitting of honor or integrity. Farewell jiji. May we meet again one day.'

The tears streamed down his face now. Sakura followed in suit with the gut churning last words of Naruto. She cried more out of shock then anything else.

Kakashi stood frozen. 'He reached out for me and I shied away. I failed you Minato-sensei,' Kakashi's face grew pale. The gaping hole in his soul grew evidently larger.

Sasuke felt guilty for a second, but remained passive and unmoving compared to Sakura.

"I was to relay this knowledge to the three of you. In my heart, I truly believed nothing could get to him...That is not all I'm afraid." The Hokage hadn't even got to the worst news. No one dared to say a word.

"This morning an ANBU found Naruto outside the wall dead. Signs of suicide were on scene. I'm afraid the contents within this letter were true. Naruto Uzumaki is dead." The Hokage reached for his pipe and packed fresh tobacco before lighting it.

Sakura and Sasuke were asked to leave the room and wait for their sensei before returning to their usual leisured training.

Sasuke followed behind Sakura. She continued her sobs as the door shut and Kakashi was left alone.

"We failed Minato...I was entrusted with his son and I made so many mistakes in the process." Kakashi looked upon the old man who now faced the window again. "My people...our people drove him to his death. He was meant to be this village's hero. A sacrifice made by Kushina and Minato, and we dishonored their deaths."

"Lord Hokage, I have lost so many people in my life I don't know if I could shed any more tears. I am ashamed to call myself Minato's student. Naruto deserved better than me. He sought for a figure in me after I dispelled that riot. I let him die, because I was too inconsiderate of his feelings." Kakashi sighed.

"A small funeral procession is being held tomorrow. Only classmates and close friends if there are any."

"Hai," Kakashi collected himself and left the office. 'I've made so many mistakes in my life as well, Lord Hokage.'

Outside the village a small funeral was held with people Naruto had simple ties with.

14 people were in attendance at the gravesite. Under a small willow tree was where his final resting place was. Small hints of blood still remained from the sight. The tree's bark encased these small droplets barely visible but there nonetheless.

A simple headstone with Naruto Uzumaki was written across it.

The Hokage said a few words and paused in between parts to look at the people surrounding his grave.

Sakura now sniffled instead of sobbing intensely as she did before. Sasuke to her right still unmoved but held a minor pain in his chest. Kakashi and the other Jounin Leaders stood behind their students. The other Jounin had been relayed on what had transpired, none had relations to the Uzumaki but they knew this was not deserved at such a young age no matter what he was.

Shino and Kiba held still and calm, hearing the news was not something they would have ever guessed. Hinata tears streamed down her face. She tried her best to keep her emotions in check but was defeated anyway. The boy that had saved her all those years ago was gone.

Ino was never really acquainted with Naruto, but he still dropped by her flower shop to buy a bouquet to give to Sakura, once upon a time. Teuchi and Ayame watched as Naruto, their number one customer, laid at rest. Teuchi comforted Ayame as she cried on her father's shoulder.

The ones who took it the hardest were Choji and Shikamaru. Shikamaru had never really been one for tears. Naruto was a good friend, although they didn't see each other much. He blamed this endeavor on the village that shunned Naruto just for existing. Choji sobbed and placed a bag of chips on Naruto's grave. No one had ever had the eye for exquisite food tasting quite like Naruto. Not only was he a good friend but he was also someone who accepted Choji for who he was.

The Hokage finalized his brief yet moving speech with, "All of you students here may not have known why Naruto was treated the way he was...I am going to tell you all why Naruto was attacked nearly everyday of his life."

All the kids looked up and focused their attention on the Hokage. 'There's a reason?' The collective thought was going through all of their heads.

"Naruto Uzumaki was the son of the Fourth Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki. On the night of the Nine Tails attack, Minato Namikaze, The Fourth Hokage, sealed half of the Kyuubi within a newborn baby. That baby was Naruto Uzumaki. Shortly after his parents were killed while sealing the other half within Minato. Minato and Kushina's dying wish was to make sure everyone in the village knew that Naruto was to be a hero. As the wish was entrusted to me, I failed in doing so. The result of that broken promise to two of the people in this world I respected the most...lies here, because of me, and because of the village's blind followance of my will, their deaths have been in vain. You new genin have the opportunity to change this village and this world so people like Naruto never have to suffer to his lengths. His will of fire was so bright, like all of yours. Do not allow his death to be in vain as well...Because Naruto was so much more than a demon fox. Rest in Peace my son."

All of the genin watched as the Hokage left the stage and hobbled over to Naruto's grave barely able to hold himself with all the grief and regret he carried on his shoulders. He placed his fingers to his mouth and then placed it above the headstone and held it there for a second.

"Please come and grab and rose, and place it upon Naruto's final resting place." The Hokage led the precession and placed a rose in the grass in front of the headstone.

Across the clearing stood two men in robes with red clouds on them. One of the men had an orange encased mask, he stood intrigued at the precession.

"This will set back my plans, no matter, I am a patient person after all." The man in the orange mask said.

The other man looked up before his eyes once black swirled into red, revealing his Sharingan. "Except he is not dead, a forbidden jutsu was used to create an identical body without a chakra signature. Deceptive...Naruto Uzumaki is not dead."

'Little brother...you have finally made your move.' Itachi and the man next to him disappeared without a trace.