Chapter 34: Fourteen Dead Bodies
Roken spun around to be face to face with Naruto. As soon and Roken was facing him Naruto grabbed his right hand in his left, immobilizing the katana.
"YOU! I killed you!" Roken said obviously scared.
"I know, I was there," Naruto said as a Rasengan began to form in his right hand.
"How? How are you here?" Roken asked.
x-X-x
"What's with the kid?" Wiseman asked.
"No idea, I've only known him for three days," Nomad said.
"Is there a past between them?" Strag asked.
"Yes. Pain. Immense pain. Beyond what is normal," Sage said.
"What do you mean?" Dea asked.
"I can tell it's partitioned. Two pieces, one slightly larger than the other, but the smaller, it's stronger that the love for a parent, for a spouse. It's as if was him," Sage said.
"He was killed and brought back," Nomad said.
"Perhaps Roken was the one to do it," Strag said.
"But that was the smaller of the two. What could Roken have killed that the kid loved more than someone loved themselves?" Wiseman asked.
"Himself could be the stronger, and the other could be the smaller," Stone said.
x-X-x
"I came back. To kill you, and the Alliance. Say hi to Green for me," Naruto said before slamming the Rasengan into Roken's stomach. He didn't let go of Roken's hand though, and plowed the sphere deeper and deeper into Roken, until it had made it's way though him.
"Remind me never to piss the kid off," Frost said.
Roken's body hit the ground and there was silence in the clearing save Naruto's heavy breathing. Then the twelve walked over to him, "You okay there kid?" Wiseman asked.
"Yeah," Naruto said.
"We know you two had a past, what did he do?" Wiseman asked.
"Killed me," Naruto said as he walked away from the body.
"The smaller of the two," Sage said.
"What's the larger?" Wiseman asked.
"I must hear his words to know," Sage said.
"Is it that important?" Dragoon asked.
"Yes, it is," Wiseman said walking up to Naruto, Sage and Nomad behind him.
"Kid, what else. We know he did two things, what was the other?" Wiseman asked.
"Why do you want to know?" Naruto asked.
"It could be a weakness. We need to see if it is," Wiseman said.
"He almost killed Sakura," Naruto said.
Sage nodded, "that's it," he said.
"Who's Sakura?" Wiseman asked.
"His girlfriend, though, from what I gather that parts recent," Nomad said to Wiseman, Naruto not hearing what the three were saying, not caring what they were saying.
"He had more feeling over his girlfriend getting hurt, than himself dieing?" Wiseman asked.
"He's one of a kind," Nomad said.
At that time the rest of the twelve had reached the four. Naruto looked at them all and sighed, "Sorry, I just…" he said.
"It's okay, the method isn't nearly as important as the outcome," Sin said.
"So, who brought the kid?" Wiseman asked.
"I did, and his name's Naruto," Nomad said.
"Anyone else find a good village?" Wiseman asked.
The others shook their heads, "there were a few good individuals, but I know the village would have exploited us," Dragoon said.
"And the ones you found were good?" Wiseman asked Nomad.
"Yeah, they filled me in pretty well on what happened while we were gone," Nomad said.
"I guess we'll all check it out," Wiseman said.
"Hold it, first things first. You said he killed Kyuubi," Lax said.
"Yeah, I did. It was sealed inside me and when I died it almost escaped. When they brought me back I challenged it and won," Naruto said.
"Sealed inside you?" Wiseman asked.
"Yes, it was attacking the village and our fourth Hokage sealed it inside me to stop the attack," Naruto said.
"There should be something left then," Strag said.
"I'm looking now," Sage said.
"What's the big deal?" Naruto asked.
"How you think of us, being ultimately powerful beyond thought is how the tailed demons are to us. But instead of you only knowing of us a few years, we grew up on the stories of the tailed demons. No man could defeat any of them, it took several just to make one sleep," Strag said.
"Yes, it's there," Sage said pointing at Naruto's abdomen.
Naruto lifted his shirt to look, "I don't see anything," Naruto said.
"Your eyes can't, neither can mine," Nomad said.
"But he doesn't have eyes," Naruto said pointing at Sage.
"I don't see with my eyes," Sage said.
"What do you see?" Stone asked.
"The scar, where the seal once was. Kyuubi is dead," Sage said.
x-X-x
Three days later and thirteen people walked into Konoha. Eleven were doing so for the first time. They walked to Hokage tower and entered Tsunade's office. When they entered Tsunade looked up from her paperwork and jumped. The Twelve Terrors now stood in her office, as well as Naruto.
"I brought them back," Naruto said.
"I can tell," Tsunade said getting to her feat cautiously.
"Are you okay Hokage?" Nomad asked.
"Yes, it's just startling," Tsunade said standing up straight. "Naruto, you can go, I'll hear the story from them," Tsunade said.
Naruto nodded and left the office. As soon as the door shut behind him he ran off to his apartment where he dumped off his bag. He then left and ran off to Sakura's house. 'It'll be more time together this time, I'll be sure of that,' he thought as he ran.
Sakura wasn't home, but that didn't stop Naruto. He started running around the village looking in all the places she could be, finally he found her at the hospital. She was sitting at a desk and Naruto walked up to her and grabbed her wrist. Before Sakura could say anything she was pulled to her feet and out of the hospital.
"Naruto what are you doing, where are we going?" Sakura asked as she followed behind Naruto.
"Last time Granny sent me out right away, I don't want her to again, so we'll go someplace they won't find us for a while," Naruto said.
x-X-x
"So how long are you staying exactly?" Tsunade asked.
"At least a month. The rest of us have to see if we agree with Nomad. If we do then we'll come back here to ask for residence," Wiseman said.
Tsunade nodded, "and none of you helped with Roken?" she asked.
"He did it all on his own. Though there wasn't really much of a fight involved," Frost said.
"Does that count as an adequate report?" Nomad asked.
"For what? The mission? Naruto's report was enough, the fact that you came back was a successful mission for him," Tsunade said.
"No, on Naruto's behalf," Nomad said.
"Oh, yes, I believe it does, I'll check to be sure, but I do believe it does," Tsunade said.
"By the way, the Kyuubi is dead," Sage said.
Tsunade smiled and nodded, "I already knew that, you just needed to confirm it yourself. But if that's all you can go find a place to stay while you're here," Tsunade said and the twelve nodded and left.
x-X-x
Sakura smile looking out at the city. She sat with Naruto on the fourth Hokage's head on the cliffside. This was only the second time she had been up here, the first was on her first date with Naruto. The view was just a wonderful as she remembered it. The village was so peaceful and quiet.
"Naruto, Hokage-sama wants to see you," said a voice behind them, completely breaking the silence they just had.
"No," Naruto said looking at the chuunin that had just arrived.
"What do you mean no?" the chuunin asked.
"She did this before, sending me out right after I got back. If she wants me out of the village she can just kick me out, but have her come here to do it, cause I ain't going there," Naruto said.
"But, she demands your presence," the chuunin said.
"And I want to spend more time here than I got to last time I got back. Tell her if it's that important she should come here and get me," Naruto said.
"Naruto, come on, I'll go with you," Sakura said standing up.
"No, she's just going to send me off again," Naruto wined.
"Well, you said you wanted time with me, and I'm going to see Tsunade-sensei," Sakura said.
"Fine," was all Naruto said as he got up.
The chuunin nodded and vanished while Sakura and Naruto took the longer rout. The sun was on its way down, and Naruto was pissed at Tsunade for her timing, the view of the sunset from the Hokage's heads was the best part and now Sakura would miss it.
They reached the tower and entered Tsunade's office. She sat at her desk filling out paper work. When the two entered and stood before her desk she looked up, "I've been told you didn't want to come," Tsunade said.
"Yeah, because I know you're just gunna send me out on another mission and I don't want to leave again so soon," Naruto said angrily.
"I don't have a mission for you. Not at the moment anyway," Tsunade said leaning back.
Naruto faltered slightly, "you don't?" he asked.
"No, I'm promoting you to jounin," Tsunade said.
There was silence in the room for a few seconds before it sounded like a bomb went off. "YES! ALRIGHT JOUNIN!" Naruto yelled jumping up and down.
"Calm down Naruto," Tsunade said holding her temples and Sakura laughed.
After a bit Naruto had calmed enough to be in a normal conversation again, "but, wait, how?" he asked.
"Do you know how someone is promoted to jounin?" Tsunade asked and Naruto shook his head. "When a chuunin goes on a mission with a higher ranked ninja who isn't part of their original four man team that higher ninja can recommend them for jounin. Jiraiya recommended you. Then, the next three missions you go on you're under watch. Any higher ranked ninja can be the eye that watches you. If in any of the three the higher ranked ninja declares you high enough to be promoted you are," Tsunade said.
"But, I didn't have a mission with a higher ranked ninja since I got back with Perv Sennin," Naruto said.
"Nomad counts, he's a legendary ninja who can claim his origins to be here," Tsunade said.
"So I'm, I'm really a jounin?" Naruto asked.
"Yes," Tsunade said.
Sakura grabbed Naruto in a hug, "congratulations," she said in his ear.
Naruto smiled, "I always thought it be harder, like the Chuunin Exams," Naruto said.
"If there were jounin exams than no one would watch the Chuunin Exams because the jounin would be a bigger draw, even if they were at different times," Tsunade said, "plus, you'dve heard about people going to the exams before."
Naruto nodded and smiled before heading out, Sakura in his arm.