Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
XxX Chapter 5 XxX
Naruto couldn't believe what he was seeing. He could tell who they were by the scent of old blood on them. They were vampire hunters. But there weren't just ten of them. There were over 60 of them.
His blood went cold as he saw one charge at Arashi from behind while Arashi was distracted fighting off others.
Needing no warning Naruto jumped and landed on top of two vampire hunters. Almost instantly, naruto was surrounded. He barred his fangs and was quick to knock out many. Some had swords while others fought with their bare hands. He dodged them as if it were a dance.
By the looks of it his opponents were getting impatient and he could feel their desire for his death. His movements were quickening as he tried getting closer to Arashi but it proved more challenging since more hunters were coming, blocking him.
'Dammit, move' Naruto roared in his head.
He didn't know how long Arashi could fight until he tired, by the looks of it, it seemed he had already been fighting for a while before he even came.
Arashi gave a roar that sounded like thunder as some blades pierced him. He continued to fight desperately, he could see naruto fighting but already he was growing tired.
Naruto heard Arashi's roar and turned, bad move. He was cut deep on the shoulder by one of the fighters who saw an opening while he was distracted. The wound healed almost instantly and he snarled and wiped his claws at one of them, tearing some of their flesh off.
'An opening' Naruto thought as he saw one fighter fall down but as quickly as he was near some jumped and did an Arial assault.
He flung the human to the side and heard the crash as well as a groan.
He could see now that Arashi was defending himself from attacks that were from above and around him, a great feat considering he managed to put in some punches and powerful kicks here and there. But one was behind him, and Naruto yelled.
"Arashi behind you!!"
But the warning was heard too late as Arashi was mercilessly stabbed right through the heart. Naruto pushed away the hunter and took out the sword from Arashi's torso. Arashi fell back onto Naruto's waiting hands.
"N-naruto" Arashi whispered hoarsely.
Naruto nodded and clutched Arashi closer. Giving warning to the now still hunters that surrounded them. The warning was clear in his eyes: Don't take a step closer
"I….d-don't want to die" Arashi whispered as tears trailed down his cheeks.
Naruto looked down with horror at the damage. It was his heart that was pierced.
"…..d-on't want..to….d….die" and all was silent.
Naruto clutched harder bringing Arashi closer.
"Don't go….not yet…please you can't die" Naruto fearfully whispered, his whole body trembling as he felt Arashi's now motionless corpse slip right through his hands.
Arashi had turned to ash.
"--if I were to die would you even cry"
Naruto cried. Something he hadn't done in a very long time. All those around him couldn't bear the howls of sadness ,grief and pain. They had never seen a vampire cry or mourn. Maybe they were mistaken was the thought that rang through some of their minds.
"Why, though Naruto" Arashi coaxed
But all too quickly Naruto stopped and stood. His eyes hidden behind his bangs.
Naruto stubbornly turned away but answered nonetheless. "Because I care"
The hunters tensed, waiting for Naruto to make his move, the wait was almost suffocating.
Arashi patted him on the back and smiled
Naruto looked up his eyes red. "I'll kill you" naruto whispered but then he shouted it louder… his voice deeper and …..darker.
"I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!" and he attacked. Cold. Ruthless. Merciless. Sparing none.
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Those eyes. Those merciless crimson eyes. Julius watched as his men were ripped apart by this vampire. This powerful vampire.
"Commander we must retreat!!" yelled a subordinate but it was already too late.
Julius knew this there was no doubt that they would all be killed by the vengeful wrath of this vampire. Even if they did run they wouldn't get far and die anyways. Most were already dead, more screams and battle cries were drowned out over the roars of the vampire.
"Julius we must retreat!!" was the yell of one of his comrade but Julius ignored it as he unsheathed his sword ready to fight, regardless of knowing the outcome.
He gave a battle cry and ran straight for their opponent. His sword was however stopped mid strike. It was secured in the vice grip of the blonde vampire. His hair was blood soaked, only small traces of blond hair were left untainted.
"Sorry" was the soft uttered word Julius said as his sword was used against him. But as he fell he felt at ease even though his mind kept echoing 'I'm going to die' over and over again.
He knew however that despite everything their organization would fall today he and all his comrades. A life filled with hunting. The hunters had become the hunted.
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There was no one left. All of them dead. Their bodies torn and bloodied. Unrecognizable.
Naruto was covered completely with blood. Human blood. He didn't indulge in drinking or even tasting any of the blood. He took no pleasure in the act of killing this being no exception but still…they deserved it.
Carefully Naruto made his way past the bodies that littered the ground and crouched near a gray mound. Ashes. He bent closer and scooped as much as he could, some of it had been blown away by a gush of wind. He clutched it with both hands putting it close to his chest and then he was gone.
He ran as fast as his legs could take him and he felt a piece of him die inside. Arashi was…dead. Arashi gone was something so wrong, he'd always seen Arashi as someone constant in his eternal life. But he was cruelly taken away.
All too quickly he felt the presence of two others and tensed. Ready to fight any who opposed him. As he stood there waiting for enemies to make themselves known he was about to strike but halted when he saw the familiar faces of Kyuubi and Madara.
Both were drawn by the smell of blood that seem so thick in the air.
Their appearance was disheveled and their worry grew as they took in naruto's appearance. Clothes torn, covered in dried blood and eyes wild.
"Naruto" Kyuubi approached cautiously.
Naruto tensed a bit but, finally slumped on the branch he was standing on.
"I'm sorry" Naruto whispered as his clutched hands tightened their grip, protectively.
"Naruto what are you holding" Madara spoke cautiously as well.
Naruto's shoulders shook
"I'm sorry.. I tried" Naruto whispered voice filled with anguish as he unclenched his hands to reveal ash.
They were stumped, why was he holding ash.
"I tried to save him…I was too late" and naruto cried closing his hands around Arashi's remains.
Madara and Kyuubi now understood who he was talking about.
"It's time to leave" came Madara's solemn voice. It was clear in his eyes that he was masking his pain at the moment.
Kyuubi was in near shock. Arashi dead. The idea of it was preposterous, but this wasn't a joke, this was reality. No matter how cruel it was.
"Come on Naruto" Madara said with an outstretched hand. Naruto stood but he felt his legs become unsteady and his vision spun. He swayed on the trunk dangerously and he fell forward.
Madara steadied him and tossed him over his shoulder.
"Kyuubi, we have to leave, now" Madara's voice was grim
Kyuubi only nodded and they both ran back to where the ferry would be.
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They arrived back home, as they ran so fast no human could see them. Naruto was still out cold, his clamped hands were in a tight grip that wouldn't loosen even in his sleep.
From what they saw before they met up with Naruto in the forest...it was a truly gruesome scene. Something they'd eventually have to ask Naruto about. But not yet, it would be too soon.
They knocked on the old oak doors and were greeted by a cheerful Tsunade.
"You guys took so long to come I almost thought you'd--" she stopped as she looked at the group in whole.
Arashi wasn't with them and naruto was unconscious slung over Madara's shoulder.
"Naruto!" was all that left her lips as she made to grab hold of him.
Madara put Naruto's limp form into Tsunade's waiting arms. She cradled his body like a mother would a child. It was an endearing, yet odd, sight. Seeing as naruto was by no means a child.
She ushered them in and went to lay naruto on the soft couch, his hands still tightly gripped together. Tsunade noticed this and tried to unclench his hands but it proved futile even with her strength.
"Where's Arashi" Tsunade asked as she looked at Kyuubi and Madara. Their faces took on a foreboding look.
"He's dead" came the hiss like voice of Orochimaru.
Tsunade's head snapped and looked at him with widening eyes. She looked back at Madara and saw that his head was bowed down. It was true.
There was a groan that came from besides Tsunade and she looked at the dried bloodied Naruto. He was awake.
"Naruto are you okay, how did Arashi die...it can't be true"
Naruto stilled and closed his eyes, his breathing deceptively calm.
"Yes he was killed, but I killed all those involved"
The room was silent Jiraiya, who had entered the living room moments ago was silent as well.
"Naruto I'm sorry" Tsunade said quietly as she stroked naruto's hair
"Why are you sorry, you weren't responsible. You weren't there" Naruto's voice echoed.
"It's just I know what your feeling-" naruto snapped as she said this
"How could you know how I feel, you don't know anything about the way I feel. Stop trying to be my mother!" naruto shouted as he stood up and ran upstairs.
Tsunade stood shell shocked
"Tsunade it's okay give him some time" Jiraiya cooed trying to console Tsunade.
"I know I was just trying to comfort him…but what he said hurt"
"It'll be alright. He didn't mean what he said. I know Naruto, just give him his privacy" Kyuubi said
Madara was quiet but agreed. Orochimaru on the other hand couldn't help but smile.
It seemed he was the only one who noticed that before naruto left his eyes flashed crimson red. Something that had never happened before.
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Naruto was furious.
They didn't understand, they could never understand. They hadn't before so what would change things now?
His thoughts were askew his mind restless.
He would not be able to continue bottling his emotions for long.
He decided to sleep he couldn't face them : his fledglings.
Not out of cowardice but because he couldn't move.
It seemed he wasn't in control of his emotions right now, he would end up doing something reckless.
Something that would be out of his control.
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He willed himself to sleep.
His slumber wouldn't be considered a slumber because it was anything but peaceful.
Not peaceful at all.
Naruto woke up with a cold sweat his eyes panicked.
It was just a dream.
A nightmare.
Tbc…