Chapter 41: Problems with Power
"You do realize we're here too, right?" asked the giant turtle with an annoyed grunt. Naruto nodded to him slightly, then bowed to the Sanbi.
"I apologize if it was rude of me to address your Jinchuuriki first, Isobu-sama. It was not my intent to cause offense."
"You told him my name," Isobu looked behind Naruto in shock.
"The Kit can be trusted, Isobu," Came Kurama's booming voice. "He has a special power rarely seen in humans. He holds naught but forgiveness and care in his violent little heart, and only wants the best for even those who would do him harm. He grew strong through sheer will, and did so to protect his family." Naruto smiled slightly at Kurama's praise. They might bicker sometimes, but ultimately they were friends and partners. The bickering came from being stuck together Twenty-four/ Seven. Isobu gave a contemplative hum, gazing at the blond teen with his one eye.
"He has even gone so far as to offer to end his own life merely so I could be free," Kurama added with some hesitation. This had happened shortly after Naruto joined the Academy.
Flashback
"Kurama, I'm sorry."
"For what?" Kurama asked without opening his eyes to look at the blond leaning near his massive orb.
"I'm sorry that you've been confined for close to a hundred years. I'm sorry that you've had freedom ripped from you at every turn. I'm sorry I'm your Jinchuuriki," Naruto said quietly.
"I'm not," Kurama rumbled. He stretched, enjoying being full-size once more, a side-effect of a full partnership between the two. "You only use my Chakra with permission, you always consider my opinion and what I want before doing something, and you're attempting to find a way to free me."
"I already found one," came the surprising answer. Kurama snapped an eye open to gaze at the sullen boy, his normally bright blue eyes cold and dark.
"No," he immediately growled, eliciting no response from the teen. "I will not accept freedom at the cost of your life being far too short. You're still far too young to be contemplating that."
"You already know how bad I am, Kurama. You're up here all day, every day," Naruto all but whispered, gesturing vaguely at his head. "Honestly, I don't think anyone would really miss me. Tou-chan is probably going to get with Kurenai any day now, and they'll more than probably have a child together. Konohamaru is young, he'll be able to recover. And to Jiji, no matter how much he tries to show otherwise, all I am is a military asset. Who would miss someone like me?" the last few words showed just how vulnerable and alone Naruto really felt.
"I would."
Flashback end
That wasn't a particularly happy memory for the Fox, especially considering the incident when Naruto was younger.
"I see you're still adamant about living up to Tou-sama's expectations of you,"Isobu stated. "It's ironic, really. The only ones who still do that are you, Son Goku, and Chomei. The rest of us have lost faith in his words, and the human race in general."
"I realize that," Kurama answered. "That's one of the reasons I don't like associating with you assholes. You're dishonoring the man who breathed life into our existance. You disgrace the very name of Bijuu." Isobu seemed to shrug as if it didn't matter to him any.
"If I may," Naruto spoke up. "What exactly was the role of each Bijuu?" Isobu gazed at him inquisitively.
"We were to be guardians," Kurama said, forcing Naruto to turn and face him. "Each of us were to guard one thing in the world that the Rikkudo Sennin held dear. Shukaku was supposed to protect hope, to guide those lost in despair back to life. Matatabi was to protect passion, to ensure that love was never lost from the world. Isobu," he said with a nod to the turtle. "Was to guard knowledge, he was supposed to gather as much as he could and share it with those who seek it, that ignorance can be removed. Son Goku protects nature, to the best of his ability, that the beauty that was is not replaced by the beauty that could be. Kokuo was supposed to guard imagination, to ensure creativity never dies, so that always we stride forward. Saiken was supposed to protect honesty, so vows be kept and conflict didn't arise. Chomei guards laughter, and luck I suppose, so joy can always be found, even in the bleakest moments. Gyuki was to protect ambition, that always people could follow their dreams."
"And what about you?" Yagura asked lightly, gazing up at the towering creature. "What is it you persist in guarding?"
"Children. I was tasked with protecting children, that each generation be better than the last."
"And such a marvelous job you've done, Kurama," Isobu snidely commented. "Orphans freezing and starving to death. Hatchlings sent off to slaughter so that geezers can make themselves fat off their suffering. Oh yes, today's world is in much better shape than it was eons ago when we were given our duties."
"Isobu-sama, is it possible Kurama could be unable to perform his duties as well as he wants to because the rest of you have given up?"
"What was that you blond-haired wretch?"
"Well, without hope, imagination, honesty, knowledge, and motivation, does not the world seem bleak? When an arranged marriage bears a child, there is no passion involved, and the child grows up in a broken home. If only laughter and nature remain, then what good is it when the children grow? Without the honesty to keep their word, deceit is inevitable, thus the Shinobi was born. Without kowledge to pass on, people are raised in ignorance, not knowing any better than what the Shinobi world has taught them. Two or three cannot protect the world in it's entirety- it requires all the elements to be present. Each of these traits you Bijuu were meant to guard from destruction are still around, true, but less so than even a hundred years ago. They are dying flames, flickering before the dark that is this world we inhabit. When standing alone, a candle will sputter and die in the face of a hurricane, but when linked together, it can form a great flame that can dispel the water, no matter how it lashes." Naruto laid it all out, causing Kurama to grin proudly. Isobu merely stared at him.
"And how would you suggest I keep to my task when Humanity has not proven worthy of this knowledge? When they use it for deceit and personal gain?"
"Sometimes, all you can do is grit your teeth and have faith. Faith that a few will rise above, that a few might lead the way to the world the Rikkudo Sennin wanted." Isobu remained silent, staring contemplatively at the boy. Naruto took this as his indication to speak with Isobu's Jinchuuriki. "You seem much livelier here than in the physical world. Why is that?"
Yagura shrugged. "I would assume it's the Genjutsu I'm under." Naruto quirked an eyebrow in question. "Shortly after I became Mizukage, a strange man attacked me and forced me under a powerful Genjutsu that Isobu couldn't help break. It made me a puppet to the man, who started forcing me to do things I wouldn't normally do, such as beginning the bloodline purges. I hold the utmost respect for Kekkei Genkai holders; they have incredible abilities and generally know how to use them very well. In fact, one of my best friends has two of them."
"Who is this person?"
"Her name is Terumi Mei, and she's absolutely incredible," Yagura answered with a fond smile, hoping down from the Sanbi's head to stand before the blond. "She's smart, funny, and can melt your face off in three different ways."
"The current Mizukage?" Naruto asked, causing Yagura to jolt in surprise.
"Mei became Mizukage?"
"Yes, she's currently standing fairly close actually. I'm escorting her to Konoha for the Chuunin exam finals." Yagura smirked.
"Kiri actually sent a team to Konoha for those?"
"Not just Kiri, but all the of the Big Five." Yagura hmm'd in thought.
"Well then, this should be interesting. If I may ask though, why'd that old Codger of a Hokage send a kid to escort a Kage?"
"Because I'm not just some kid," Naruto answered with a laugh. "I'm, by all accounts, the best shinobi Konohagakure has. I'm an ex-ANBU, first choice for ANBU Commander, and the only Shinobi in history with a flee-on-rumor listing in the bingo book as opposed to flee-on-sight." Yagura gaped a bit.
"You're the Leaf ANBU Kage?" Naruto nodded, drawing a whistle from the man. "Damn, that's some serious firepower you got there, kid. Plus, you're a jinchuuriki with full control over your Bijuu's power? Hot damn."
"I also happen to be an Uzumaki, and the Hokage's adopted grandson, and I have the Rinnegan," Naruto added, gesturing to his eyes. Yagura nodded.
"With all that, there's just one thing I want to ask you."
"And that is?"
"How are you with Genjutsu?"
"Personally or with help from Kurama?"
"Both, I guess."
"On my own, I can detect Genjutsu up to B-Rank, and break them with some difficulty, but can't cast one at all." Yagura frowned at this information. "But with help from Kurama, well... so far, we haven't found a Genjutsu yet that can hold us longer than ten seconds. Although I can only cast one A-rank or higher because of the size of my chakra reserves."
"Yes, I imagine as an Uzumkai and a Jinchuuriki both, they're absolutely insane. So, there is one other thing I feel I should mention about this Genjutsu I'm under. The man who placed it on me was wearing a strange mask, and had a Sharingan," Yagura said without a hint of emotion. Naruto growled.
"Madara."
"Uchiha Madara? One of the founders of Konoha?"
"That's the name he goes by," Naruto confirmed. "But Kurama says his chakra felt different, so we're assuming for the moment that he's taken the name as an alias, or some kind of title. We do know, however that he has a Mangekyo Sharingan, and is able to control the Bijuu with it. He might be using a slightly altered form of that against you. If that is the case, there's only two ways that we know of to break you out."
"And what are those?"
"We kill Madara."
"Or?"
"Or we cause you enough pain to fluctuate your entire Chakra system at once, momentarily opening the Hachimon all at once."
"And how exactly can you do that? As far as I know, that would kill me."
"Luckily, we have Maito Gai- a man who can open all eight gates, and has a possibility of surviving. He's done extensive study into the gates, and has learned much about them. There is one sure-fire way to open all eight at once for a brief moment, and survive."
"Well, don't keep me in suspense!"
"We have to amputate a limb."
Silence reigned for a moment as Yagura appeared aghast.
"What?"
"We have to hack one of your limbs off. Merely damaging you wouldn't be nearly painful enough, and a inflicting a possibly fatal wound without a medic around is just plain stupid. So, we have to violently remove one of your limbs." Yagura turned an amusing shade of green and began dry-heaving, causing Naruto to laugh uproariously. "I'm just fucking with you," he said between his ringing laughs. "There's an easier version. All you have to do is pump all your chakra as best you can in here while we lop off one finger." Yagura groaned slightly and straightened himself.
"I hate you so much."
"I get that a lot. So, which finger are you willing to part with? No matter which one it is, I could save it and we can re-attach it later." Yagura paled at the thought, but inspected his hands closely, his face becoming resolute.
"My left ring finger." Naruto nearly choked on his own spit.
"Your marriage finger? Why?"
"Because I wasn't strong enough to resist this 'Madara' and was forced to do atrocious things because of it. I have lost all right to find someone to love." Naruto gazed at the man, who by all counts was roughly the same age as the Yondaime Hokage, and felt pity. He nodded solemnly and patted Yagura on the shoulder.
"I take it you won't want it reattached then?" Yagura shook his head 'no'.
"It would take away the meaning. I'll just learn to make handsigns again without it."
"Alright... wait a few minutes for me to get outside and get prepared, then begin blasting your Chakra, and Isobu's too if you can."
"Can you tell Mei something for me before you do it?"
"Sure."
"Tell her 'the Mist is always thickest just before the dawn burns it away', she'll know what it means." Naruto nodded and surged his Chakra for a moment, drawing himself from the Bijuu mindspace, and back into the physical world.
Outside
Naruto opened his eyes and looked around to see everyone crowded around him. Or more accurately, Kisame, Zabuza, and Sasori lined up in behind him, keeping everyone from crowding around him.
"I'm gonna kill that damn gaki," Zabuza bit out.
"What was that?" Naruto asked, causing the man to stiffen in shock.
"Nothing, nothing." Naruto grinned for a moment, then turned to the Mizukage.
"I have a message for you, Mei." the woman quirked her visible eyebrow and rested a hand on her shapely hip. "The Mist is always thickest just before the dawn burns it away." Mei's eyes widened and her mouth fell open as she went pale, her pupils dilating alarmingly. Naruto turned back to the comatose man before him and swiped out a kunai. He rested it against Yagura's left ring finger, hearing shouts of alarm and anger behind him. He waited a moment, until he felt energy begin pouring out of the man's stomach. That was his que. He snapped his wrist forward in one smooth motion, loping off the digit.
"THAT'S IT!" he heard Ao shout, presumably before he barreled through Naruto's guards. Naruto blinked, and suddenly the space before him was empty, and Ao was making a gagging sound, followed by a loud thud as his head presumably hit the concrete. Naruto turned to see he was right.
Yagura had choke-slammed the man into the ground, despite him being the shorter of the two, and was kneeling over him, glaring down at the dark-haired man.
"You've always been reckless, Ao," he said with mild annoyance. "But I'd have thought you'd at least be smart enough to not attack the Hokage's grandson and risk starting a war, no matter the circumstances." Ao gazed up at the man with unhidden fear as it settled in what had happened. It didn't help that the former Mizukage was holding him with his newly-mutilated hand, blood pouring from the wound. Yagura glared at him a moment more, then released him and rose from his crouch, holding his hand up.
"Naruto, do you happen to have a gauze pad?"
"Indeed I do," Naruto said jovially as he whipped out said item, along with disinfectant and a roll of cloth to hold it in place. "This'll sting a bit," he warned. Yagura nodded and turned to Zabuza.
"Zabuza, good to see you again! Could I possibly borrow a Kunai?" the man nodded dumbly and pulled out a knife, handing it to the Jinchuuriki, who placed the handle in his mouth and bit down, nodding to the blond. Naruto promptly poured the disinfectant over the mutilated stump, and Yagura's jaw clenched as he stifled a scream. Naruto quickly placed the gauze pad over the injury, and began wrapping the clean cloth around it, and the hand on which it rested.
"There you go," he said as he tucked the end under an earlier layer. "Be sure to change it every day, and it should be ready to come off in about a month or two."
"Thanks," Yagura panted. Ao finally rose with a hateful glare to the blond that had all but turned his world upside down within an hour of meeting. His teeth gritting was audible. Yagura snapped a glare only a Kage could pull off, as did Mei, but Naruto stepped forward.
"You clearly have some issue with me, Ao-san. Since you seem so dead-set on hating me, I would ask what your issue is, and what you would do given the chance."
"You are an upstart who speaks out of turn and doesn't respect those who are your elders! You prance and preen as though nothing can faze you, and I would take you down to where you should be!"
"I see," Naruto said slowly, while turning to Mei. "Mizukage-sama, it would be counter-productive to peace between our villages if we hate each other." Mei nodded acknowledgment. "It would seem to me the only course of action is to allow Ao-san to vent his frustration as he sees fit, but away from the village, so as to avoid civilian casualties." Mei's jaw dropped, her lips forming a perfect 'O' in her surprise.
"Ao-kun is one of our best shinobi, Uzumaki-san."
"And I can assure you I can take whatever he may dish out. I would rather have this out of the way now, than let his anger fester." Mei shared a quick look with Yagura, who nodded.
"It's the wisest course of action, Mei-chan," the former Mizukage and still-technically-prisoner said quietly. "I'm sure they can both avoid lethal force." Mei sighed explosively and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Fine," she finally said, exhaustion lacing her voice. "But we're all going to make sure you don't kill each other." Naruto nodded as Zabuza and Kisame converged on him with scowls.
"What are you doing?" Kisame hissed. "We can't allow this to happen, we'll be roasted!" Naruto looked at his guard.
"As Uzumaki Clan Head, I am ordering you, my Akatsuki Guard, to stand down for the duration of this fight. If Nagato and Itachi find a problem, I will deal with it." Kisame opened his mouth to speak once more, but was cut off by the Uzumaki lifting his hand in a silent order. "Kisame, I realize you're trying to do your job, but I can more than take care of myself. As much as I appreciate your concern, even if it stems more from worry for yourself than for me, this is something I have to do." the two swordsman looked at each other for a moment, looked back at the teen, then shrugged.
"Alright," they said in sync. Naruto nodded and turned to Ao.
"There is a fairly large clearing two kilometers in that direction," he stated, pointing west. "It should suit our purposes." the entire group, a total of twenty people if you counted, Naruto and his three guards, nodded and took off, arriving there in moments. Ao took a ready stance on one end of the clearing while Naruto did something Zabuza didn't expect. He took off every weapon he had. He rested all his weapons, hidden as well as not, on a tree and turned to Ao, falling into the Uzuken Taijutsu stance.
"I'd put those back on," Ao sneered. "You'll need them."
"No," Naruto said resolutely. "I will face you using only Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. If I draw a blade, I am liable to end up killing you." Ao snarled and rushed the Rinnegan wielder, slashing expertly with his kunai knife. Naruto weaved through his attacks as though the older man were standing still. Naruto continued this for two minutes, ducking under and around slashes, before Kurama urged him to fight back instead of just evade. As Ao went for a horizontal slash, Naruto jumped and tucked his legs up, coming to a crouch on the man's wrist, his hands dangling between his knees as his wrists rested on his thighs. It was a testament to Ao's physical prowess that his arm didn't even buckle, although he seemed surprised by the maneuver.
"What the hell?"
"I'll admit, Ao-san. You're fast, and your aim and timing are impeccable," Naruto drawled lazily as he felt astonished stares resting on his form. "But there's one thing your abilities lack. You have the speed, the power, and the experience, but you lack true understanding. To you, combat is just that, combat- a means to an end. You've been through war, true and had to fight for your very life, but there are some things only living as a street rat can teach you. To me, a fight isn't just a fight. It's a test of wills. If your will is strong, you survive, you win, you move on. If your will is weak, even if you win the fight, you lose. You become arrogant and conceited in your strength, and start belittling others and demand respect from those whom you do not respect. Respect is not earned through word of mouth or deeds of blood. Nor is respect freely given. To earn my respect, Ao-san, you must first show me at least kindness and an open mind, if not respect. Where we differ in our hell is that you expect respect for nothing. I work to earn it. You bemoan what was, and what you had to go through, and I push forward to the future, instead of looking back. Now, I think I've yammered long enough, it's about time I took this seriously, ne?" with that, Naruto blurred into motion, snapping his foot out and slamming the heel into Ao's cheek, knocking the man back. As the blond dynamo touched back down lightly, not raising even a puff of smoke from the dirt, he blurred forward and began laying into his opponent. He put out a right jab to the man's gut, followed by a left hook across his face, then jumped and snapped a round, delivering a powerful spin-kick into his sternum. As Ao staggered back, obviously caught off guard, Naruto leapt at him once more, doing a full roll forwards, bringing his left heel down in a falling-axe kick, which slammed the man into the ground. Naruto stepped back as he rose and wiped blood from his chin.
"I can see that you are indeed dangerous, so I'll have to give this my all," the man spat, heaving a glob of bloody spittle to the boy's feet. He began flipping through hand signs.
"Suiton: Teppodama!" Naruto made a sequence of hand signs at his best speed, so his hands looked like they disappeared basically, before spitting out a stream of mud.
"Doton: Doryuheki!" he saw the analytical gleam in the eye of the man with sealing tags for earrings.
Now he thinks I have an affinity for Doton, because otherwise, I'd have had to slam my hand to the ground. Nine times out of ten, he's trained in some Raiton to defeat Doton users because he knows Suiton is weak to Doton.
Good. Use that. If he thinks you only know Doton, he won't be expecting you to whip out Futon. It's too bad that pervert hasn't taught you the Raasengan.
I'm sure he's planning to, as well as trying to get me started on the Hiraishin to turn me into a Yondaime-clone. Why is that old fucker so obsessed with legacy anyway? Kurama remained silent, allowing Naruto to focus back on the fight. True to his guess, Ao had pumped out a Raiton technique.
"Raiton: Jibashi!" Naruto quirked his yellow brow.
Hmm, you don't see just anyone using that Jutsu.
Focus, you idiot.
Right. "Futon: Diatoppa!" Naruto slammed his hands together, then threw them outwards, pushing hurricane-force winds against the advancing electrical current, dissipating it, and pushing through to Ao, who's eye widened as he threw his arms up to protect his face. When the winds died down, his robes were shredded. He looked utterly flabbergasted, causing Naruto to smirk.
"Think that's impressive? Watch this," he chuckled, flashing through hand seals once more. "Yoton: Shakugaryugan no jutsu! (Lava style: Scorching rocks jutsu)" if Ao was surprised before, he was both utterly shell-shocked and alarmed when the blond upstart began spitting out a flurry of molten rocks the size of his chest, which came flying at him at high speed.
Good think Son Goku taught you that jutsu, or I wouldn't have it now.
Yes, the Yonbi is fairly generous with his Yoton techniques, even though he's the only one who can use them with ease. I suppose he thought it's be good if I had it in a pinch, even though I don't have a secondary Doton nature for it. The two fell silent once more as the young Jinchuuriki continued flinging globs of lava. Had he looked, he would see Mei sit down in shock.
Kit, I have another Mokuton technique for you that I remember the Shodaime using against me. Naruto mentally grunted, essentially giving the go-ahead. Kurama told him the hand sequence, and he cut off the lava to flip through them.
Alright. Snake, ram, hare, dog, snake. "Mokuton: Mokuryu no Jutsu!" throwing his hand out, a loud crack resounded through the clearing as a nearby tree snapped in half as a wooden serpent shot out of the trunk. Naruto winced at the sound. Gotta remember to not put so much power behind it, I don't wanna wreck the whole forest for one jutsu.
Just takes practice, like anything else.
Ao whipped towards the sound just in time to be freight-trained by the dragon, driving him into a tree on the opposite side of the clearing, it's jaws wrapped around his arms and chest, teeth gouging into to tree it had him pinned to, before it began coiling it's body around said tree, trapping him completely. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he panted heavily, glaring at the demon masquerading as a child before him with what energy he had, which he idly noted was being siphoned off by his wooden prison. Naruto, in answer, crouched down and adopted a pose similar to Shikamaru's 'thinking pose', a shit-eating grin on his face while a few beads of perspiration trickled down his temples.
"I'd keep going, but you seem a bit tied up," he cracked. "You're bound to get angry with me, but I just can't leaf it be." Zabuza and Kisame tried, they really did, but failed miserably in holding in their howls of laughter at the humiliating defeat the man had suffered, as well as their boss' stupid puns. They were soon on all fours, trying to catch their breath through the non-stops bellows. Meanwhile, Samehada purred in a way that indicated amusement.
"Unbelievable," Mei whispered, drawing an agreeing nod from Honoka, and several others. "How can one person be so strong?"
"Simple," Yagura said from his position leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. "He worked for it. He trained non-stop for years to get to this point. The only thing he didn't work for were those eyes of his, which grant him his chakra abilities. But his strength? His speed, and agility? Only bone-cracking labor can build those."
"But he's only a child..." Mei whispered, quite audibly to both Jinchuuriki and some of the higher-level shinobi. "He's too young to have to be this strong..."
I like her, kit. She gets that children should be children.
Kurama, that option was taken from me the day you were sealed into me.
Yeah, I know.
"Mizukage-sama," Naruto called as he turned to her. "I appreciate your concern, but for some, a childhood of joy and peace is not possible. Some are born into this world to be warriors, and some have that fate thrust upon them." with a wave of his hand, he dispelled his wood dragon, releasing Ao, who fell to the ground with a pained grunt. "We should head back into town and bunk down, Zabuza, how many rooms did you book?"
"Managed to get an entire floor," the masked-nin answered, tossing a half-full Gama-chan back to Naruto, who began crying with storm clouds over his head when he saw the state of his poor wallet. "Also thought the Mizukage and her company would appreciate a soak, so I booked the hotspring and baths whenever we get there, as well as a full meal. Ship fare sucks, so I thought they'd enjoy a real meal on steady ground."
"Thank you Zabuza-kun," Mei said with a smile while the blond who'd paid for it all held a funeral for his froggy while Kisame analyzed him.
"Zabuza," the shark-man said, leaning over.
"Hmm?"
"Run." the Demon of the Bloody Mist had only a moment to question the directive before he felt a massive dose of Killing Intent directed at him, forcing a cold sweat to break out.
"Oh shit," with that, he blasted off with a terrified wail as Naruto raged after him.
"I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU MOMOCHI! I TOLD YOU TO ONLY GET THE ROOMS!"
"I'M SORRY! I WAS TRYING TO BE A GOOD HOST!" the entire group left behind was startled when trees began toppling with large cracking sounds and many large puffs of smoke and dust, as well as explosions without flame, possibly massive punches that hit with enough force to sound like bomb blasts. Several moments later, Naruto stalked back into the clearing, dragging a broken and bloody-looking Zabuza.
"Let's go," the blond said lamely. "I paid for it all, so we might as well make use of it." Yagura nodded, and patted the teen on the shoulder. The group set off, with Honoka eyeing her apparent Uzumaki Cousin. Just as they got to the town, she spoke up.
"If I may ask, Naruto-san, how can I be sure you're really an Uzumaki?" Naruto shrugged and formed a crimson Katana from his Chakra for a moment, then dispelled it.
"You know anyone else who can physically manifest Chakra?" Honoka looked ready to vomit as it sunk in that she had a family still alive, then she fell into deep contemplation.
"So you use your Kekkei to make Katana?" Mei asked lightly, trying to hide her subtle attempts at info-gathering. Naruto shook his head.
"I use it to make a lot of things, I've just trained with Katana for years in Uzumaki Kenjutsu, so it's the most natural to me."
"I see."
"But it's not quite my favorite," he added with a smirk, drawing a groan from a now-recovered Zabuza.
"Here we go," the man sighed. Mei looked quizzical.
"You might recognize these from the last war," Naruto said lightly, causing nearly everyone to tense up as he formed three bladed chains from his spine and had them coil around his arms and left leg. Mei turned pale and Ao made a choking noise as he backpedaled.
"Konoha's Chain Reaction..."
"Was my mother," Naruto said quietly. "And I am forever grateful to her for bringing me into this world, in spite of what I've faced. Even now, I can feel traces of her love, though I wish she had survived my birth."
"Let's get to the hotel..." Mei said awkwardly, trying to avoid the subject, given that the grief the young man was putting off was palpable and noticed even by nearby civilians. Naruto nodded slightly and motioned for Zabuza to lead the way.