Anthem Of My Dying Days
Author's Note
- Thank everybody for your review... they certainly help me in generating more ideas effectively... Arigatou Gozaimasu, Minna-san!!!!
- To Hyuuga-sama... first off all, thanks for reading my fanfic. Okay, time to answer your brilliant question!!! At first I think that Naruto's new hair will be long and quite spiky with a pony-tail hairstyle just like Jiraiya, but then my friend suggest that I should bring some differences, not just bounded within Naruto's original manga only. So I decided to make Naruto's hair quite spiky and long just like the 4th Hokage, Arashi's hair, but with a pony-tail just like Kenshin Himura Battousai version or even more cunning, Saitou Hajime Shinsen Gumi version. After all, now Naruto is a samurai, right??
-This chapter will serves more action-packed scenes, just like the meeting between Kanashii (Naruto) and Hyuuga Hiashi in Hyuuga Mansion, the arrival of The Japanese delegacy and the fighting scene between Kakashi and his team 7 (Sakura and Sai) against Kanashii... yes, the clash of techniques, skills, beliefs and determination which makes the samurai completely different from ninja.
Okay, enough for author's note... let's head back to our main event!!!
Episode 5 -Wonderwall
That night is the most relaxing night that Kanashii ever feels, without many things to do... just keep on smoking, drinking sake, smoking and drinking sake again. who don't want to have a peaceful night... smoking and drinking sake while watching the bright stars on the sky. After having a quite sorrowful life of merciless killing and slaughtering in order to protect the weaks and innocents, Kanashii feels that this time is the most perfect time for him to rest before heading to another next big battle, the battle with the Akatsuki which hunted him for a long-long time. He remembers every phrases that Saitou had spat out during Saitou's conversation with Kenshin, before Kenshin started teaching Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu to him.
(flashback)
"Battousai, I think you should reconsider back your decision to teach Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu to that brat... your life has miserably ruined by this technique, along with you naive thinking of protecting the weak and innocent..."
"Miburo No Ookami Saitou Hajime, since when do you start lecturing sessha about sessha's own past?? Do you forget about our presence as a nemesis, you with your own principle of Seitosa (Justice) and Makoto (Honesty), while sessha with sessha's principle to protect the weak and innocent lives of citizens? Please give the boy a chance to correct things become as usual, if he wants power, strength and acknowledgement, then so be it..."
"Yes Battousai, of course I remember... but after all, we have achieve this far beyond our limits with the courtesy of our strong principles... Do you ever think that does the brat have a strong reason to live just like the way we live according to our strong principles? Battousai, I don't like to argue about anything with you, since both of us have a clear perception of this matter..."
"Sessha is pretty sure that Naruto-kun will not end up his life by following the dark path that Yoshinobu-kun follows..."
"Battousai, don't be so sure about it... Even Yoshinobu which have the strongest will to survive than any of us followed the dark path all by himself... Isn't it obvious? Modified the ordinary Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu into another scary and horror Dark Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, kill people according to his principles of the strongest will survive, the weak will vanish, he is as same as your successor Makoto Shishio... and I have the same feelings that the Kyuubi brat will follow him..."
"Well, Saitou... We should follow what sessha's leader Kogoro Katsura said, let the person choose the path he has destined to choose..."
"Even though I have a hard feeling about this, I still admit that you're right about it, let he be what he want to be..."
"Thanks, Saitou... You're the most kind arch-enemy sessha have ever know... It's sessha's luck to cross-sword with you during our previous days and now, being in the same team with you is an honour for sessha..."
"Your words make me sick, foolish Battousai..."
"Ha ha ha... Saitou Saitou, still cold-hearted as ever..."
(end of flashback)
Yes, Kanashii admit that he is far away from his usual attitude during his previous days in Konoha. Being a cold-hearted and ferocious hitokiri is not a good option for him to accept, but he never regret of being what he is now. Moreover, this is the best remedy for him to cure the big hole of sadness and despair in his heart. There is no use of him to correct the perception of Konoha villagers towards him, although he tries everything to solve these problems. Yet, still there are some of his comrades who discriminate and never appreciate what have he done for the sake of Konoha. Then, his decision towards these problems are... let the dragon choose its own path. Let the universe lives in their own ways... so be it.
Kanashii are still meditating, making his way deep into his heart and feelings until he hears somebody knock his apartment's door. He quickly stands up and walk slowly to the door before opens it.
"Yes, sir... What can I do for you?"
He sees an Anbu, wearing a dog mask standing before he hears something irritating from the Anbu's lips.
"You, the 5th Hokage wishes to meet you now... come with me."
He slips his Nagasone Kotetsu and Shinuchi on his hip before he locks his apartment. Both of them make their way to he Hokage office, not far from his apartment.
As soon as he reaches Hokage's office, he makes his way to the front door of Hokage office before he enters the room without any hesitation at all. But still he aware of the possibilities he may face when he enters the room.
He sees many of his comrades gather in front of hokage desk. Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Sai, Ino, Rock Lee, Shouji, Neji, Tenten and lastly Sakura. He also sees Tsunade-bachan, sitting on her office chair waiting for him.
All of the eyes in the rooms pay attention to Kanashii when he enters the room and make his way to the front of Hokage desk.
"Yes, Hokage... How may I help you?"
Tsunade starts the conversation by asking him a simple question, that shocks everybody in the room.
"Why do you leave Konoha??"
He replies the question with a smirk.
"Who had left Konoha?? Don't ask any foolish question or I will completely end your miserable life here..."
"Kankyo Kanashii, as an honourable samurai you should have at least a piece of honesty in your heart..."
"Don't speak to me as you understand the life of a samurai better than me... Hokage!!!", Kanashii fills the room with dark Ki, the strong desire to kill. Everybody in the room feels the dark Ki, with a huge of frightened feelings in their heart, hoping that the Shadow Hitokiri wouldn't kill them.
"I"ve crossed-swords many times with your Demons of Tokugawa... Kenshin Himura Battousai, Miburo Saitou Hajime and Shoki de Nai Yoshinobu Tokugawa... Based on their own bushido, of course I understand the life of a samurai perfectly..."
"Yeah, mumbling and mumbling about your past achievement as a pathetic Sannin... don't make me laugh at your face, Hokage... Himura Battousai is the one who taught me the art of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, Saitou Hajime as well as Yoshinobu Tokugawa always stand in the front line with me, fighting against Meiji rebels in almost 57 battles so far..."
Kanishii's statement surprises everybody in the room, especially Neji, Rock Lee and Tenten as the most powerful taijutsu practitioner in Konoha.
"You never tell me about this, since our first meet at Ichiraku Ramen stall... My family has searched for Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu technique for 20 years, and you're so selfish to share it with us...", Tenten interrupt the conversation as she shouted half-histerically towards Kanashii.
"I hold the principles of Tokugawa Ieyasu, never teach any ninja anything about swordmanship... especially Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu... Do you want me to teach you the 200 years old since Edo period sacred technique just to make me feel ashame of myself, for teaching a ninja Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu??! No, no, no... not at all... go to hell with your request!!!!"
The words silence the whole ninja in the Hokage office.
"For your information, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu is not just the art of sword-wielding technique or some lame taijutsu that all of you have learnt before... It is the art of killing for sure... The history of Japan had proven that Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu are the 'black sword' which can be used to strengthen a government or to topple a governmnet, because they possessed full power and strength that sometimes just a sweet dream for other samurai... Kenshin Himura Battousai is the best example... you can see on how he earn the legendary Battousai title... Battousai title stands for a hitokiri who can kill people by wielding his sword in great god-like speed..."
"How can't a ninja learn the art of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu sword technique... You're selfish!!!! You just don't want others to surpass you, isn't it?!?!", Tenten replies back, in a harsh tone.
"Its not that I'm selfish... but you're the one who is too weak to earn the name of Seijyuro Hiko (title for those who inherit Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu)... in other words, you're too weak to possess the title of a samurai..." Kanashii objects, but in a mocking tone.
Tenten feels extremely ashamed, while clenches her own fists very hard. That is her first failure as a weaponry master and she feels like she has humiliated her own honourable family name.
Kanashii changes his direction to Tsunade, which has observed him carefully, from hair to legs.
Tsunade has been waiting for a long time to ask the question, the question which haunted her since the day Kanashii walked into Konoha. The images of Uzumaki Naruto kept on haunting her, while her heart instinct tells her that Kankyo Kanashii is actually the real Uzumaki Naruto.
But this hitokiri seems totally different from Naruto, the way he speaks, the way he condemns people... it seems so calm and full of wisdom. Kanashii is rather more relax and calm looking person than Naruto, who keeps on boast-off, loud-speaking, and being a nuissance to others at all.
"Hei hitokiri-san, I have a question for you, I hope you'll answer it honestly... Pkease, I'm begging you..."
"... go on, Hokage..."
"Are you actually... Uzumaki Naruto???"
All of the ninja in the Hokage ofice are eagerly waiting for the answer, until they receive a big smackdown when Kanashii answers the question after being silent for a minute.
"Tsunade-bachan... I thought you will be forgetting me after these four years... the search for power had made my way to Japan... my answer for your question is,... Yes, I'm Uzumaki Naruto..."
What the hell...?? Is he actually Uzumaki Naruto???, Sakura thinks as she hears the answer in disbelief.
The environment in the Hokage office become noisy as the jounin hear some sobbing sounds from the Hokage herself. But still Naruto still acting so calm and undisturbed by the noisy surroundings.
"Naruto... why are you running away to Japan?? I've try my best to find you but I couldn't, thanks to your Demons of Tokugawa... they hid everything about you from us...", Tsunade asks, in sobbing voice.
"Don't you hear what I've said just now?? the search for power and strength had made my way to Japan... After failed in my mission to retrieve that fuckin' Sasuke, I felt that I'm not destined to be a ninja...", Naruto starts his words of despair and sadness.
"Love and friendship means nothing to me... This village had stolen everything from me, all I have now is sadness and despair... and the cure for this disease is to kill without mercy, in order to survive as the strongest of all samurai..."
Sakura instantly objects the words from Naruto,"You always says that you're lucky to have friends like us... where is your words?? Even though the villagers hate you, but we still happy to have friends just like you since you have done much to make us happy!!!".
Naruto chuckles in a slow tone, but later gives a crazy big laugh.
"All of you means nothing except for a disturbance to me... I don't need anthing from you... Love, friendship, they're bullshit, you know... bulshit!!! As long as I have my precious Shinuchi, my Nagasone Kotetsu and my cigarettes with me, everything is just fine for me..."
"Naruto, I will not forgive you for that!!! You have made our heart broken twice, now you make everything harder for Hokage-sama!!!", Kiba finally voices, in a harsh tone.
Tsunade's tears running wildly over her cheek. She doesn't figure what have changed Naruto to be just like that, cruel and heartless. She taught Naruto about love, friendship and family bonds... but what she recieve from her so-called brother now is hatred, sadness, despair and a strong lust to kill.
"Don't make me laugh, you pathetic dog... hold on for a second, let me smoke first...", Naruto put his cigarette on his lips before he light it.
"Naruto... I remember that day, when you talking loudly about your dream to be the strongest ninja and finally be a Hokage... where is your dream???", Tsunade asks, in a sad slow tone.
"Good question, Tsunade-bachan... Now I've power and strength as a samurai, why must I return back to my previous way, to be a ninja??? I'm happy to be alone in the dark, killing and slaughtering enemies... what an enjoyable moment..".
"Do you consider yourself now... alone?"
"Yes..."
"What about your dream to be Hokage?"
Naruto silents for a minute before he answers in a simple answer.
"To these pathetic nins of yours, Hokage means power... but to me, it means nothing... Now I have the title of Shadow Hitokiri, the successor of Hitokiri Battousai... that means the title of Hokage is no longer my dream..."
The environment in the office become noisy with Sakura crying, while others try to comfort Sakura.
"Naruto... please come back... I beg you... please!!! don't you feel pity of your comrades?? they don't expect you to be such a heartless hitokiri just like the Three Demons of Tokugawa...", Tsunade begs Naruto to be himself back.
"I'm sorry, your request is impossible... I'm afraid I can't fulfill your request...", Naruto replies back, in his calm tone while exhales out the cigarette smokes.
This time Tsunade admits that Jiraiya's news about Naruto is absolutely true. He isn't Naruto anymore, but a heartless hitokiri who possesses huge enormous feelings of sadness and despair in his heart. Everything tumbled down one final time, and she struggled to find the energy to speak.
"You may leave now... Naruto."
Without feeling guilty, Naruto steadily walks pass his former comrades as he is stopped by Sai, his former comrade in team 7.
"There's no way I can change you back into your normal attitude before... a free man has the right to choose his path of life...", Sai tries to speak.
"Let the dragon choose its own ways of life...", Naruto voices, cold-hearted as he walks calmly towards the front door.
Tsunade sat unmoving, her heart burdened more than in anytime in her life. She hoped to find the lovable prankster that she knew today. She was wrong, only finding a faint ghost of a person she now barely knew.
The tears came steadily, tiny drops at first before becoming torrents of salty pearls. She cried, the first time since he disappeared, knowing at last, that Naruto was truly gone, to be replaced by a demon by the name of Kankyo Kanshii which means the 'Sad Surroundings'.
Hinata tries to hide her heart-broken feelings but she couldn't. her tears rushing as she barely watch Naruto walks pass her, without even lay any single eyes on her. All of Naruto's former comrades realizes that Hinata had a crush on Naruto, and her feelings has been crushed into pieces, to know that Naruto isn't the energetic boy that she ever loved.
Naruto watch the Hokage office from the street where he start his way back to his apartment, while inhaling the last package of smoke from the cigarette before he throws away the cigarette.
"I'm sorry, Tsunade-bachan... but you must accept the way I am now... I have adapted the ways of the samurai in my life, and I must uphold the principles in order to survive... hope you'll understand.", he whispers before he continue his way back home.
- end of Episode 5 -
Author's note
- The sad elements are conquering this chapter... beware!!
- Stay tune for Episode 6 - Good Morning Revival
- Hint for episode 6 - Naruto meets his former ninja comrades while he is eating in Ichiraku Ramen stall...