Chapter Ten

Screams broke out as smoke restricted the oxygen. Fire caught on the trees and vegetation, roofs started to light, and people ran through the streets in panic. A lost child screamed for her mother, tears streaming down her small face. Only one of her pigtails were left as the other hair tie had fallen off somewhere leaving her pale yellow hair to fall to her shoulders.

No one paid heed to the child in all the chaos but a shadow zoomed over her small figure and grabbing a tight hold of the little girl, Maiko did her best to soothe the distressed child in her arms. "Shhh, shhh, it's going to be okay. I've got you. Nothing bad is going to happen while you're with me. Now let's get you to safety."

Nabuo was leading the elderly one by one into the underground part of the city praying that the fire wouldn't catch them or the intruders. He tried his best to hurry them along but when it came to the last, he was a man in his late eighties with bad back problems. Having lost his cane in the crowds of runners Nabuo had to carry him all the way back here. Now he would do the same again down into the underground. "Don't worry sir. I won't drop you and I'll try to make this is as comfortable as possible." Saying that, the old man got up onto Nabuo's back and they both descended to safety.

Fumio and Hitoshi rounded up the rest of the civilians to the other entrance points. Soon enough the village was left empty with only the crackling of burning wood and the falling of trees.

Naruto looked out over the destruction of his home and felt anger boil deep down inside him. The cage inside him started to shake with the same type of fury as him and his eyes soon went from a light sky blue to a bloody red with a black slit for a pupil. Canines began to replace his human teeth and red chakra bubbles started to form. Not only had the attackers riled up the wrath of the Uzukage but that of the Kyuubi. "Show yourselves!" He screamed out.

Koshio's POV

I woke up earlier tonight with my uncle picking me up in his shaking arms. He looked so scared as we went down the stairs and out of our home. I didn't understand what was happening until I smelt the smoke; saw the burning fire, and the screaming people. My aunt and cousins weren't far behind us and I wrapped my arms tightly around my uncle. No matter how brave I was at the academy and around my friends, something like this scared me and I buried my face into the crook of his neck. Tears started to fall and I couldn't help but started to bawl.

"I'm scared uncle." I whimpered.

"I know Koshio, I am too." And those words comforted me a lot more than being in his arms because I knew that even strong adults like uncle could get scared too.

We traveled to the entrances to the underground, a safe place that big sister Suzume mentioned to me before. She told me it had plenty of beds, food, and water for everyone to get a fair share. Big brother Uzukage built it when he thought about everyone. It's supposed to be a lot like the underground of the Academy. There would be a lot of hallways connecting into one big open area where everyone would be waiting.

By the time we got there, a line had formed outside the entrance. It was in one of the few caves on the outside of the village zone. None of the bad guys would be able to find us easily so we all managed to get in safely. The lights on the torches were already lit. Not far down I could hear the voices of other people already down there.

Uncle set me down on the ground but still made sure that I held his hand so that we wouldn't be located. Aunty put a gentle hand on my head and I felt a whole lot safer than before. My three younger cousins were still crying and I felt that it was my duty as the oldest out of the four of us to comfort them.

Taking Asao's hand, he looked up at me with the same grey eyes that I have. "I'm scared Koshio-niichan." The poor kid started to cry a lot harder than before.

"Don't worry Asao. I won't let anything bad happen to us. Remember, I am training to be a ninja and that means that I am already getting strong."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and that means that I am already strong enough to help uncle protect us and when I get older, I'll be able to protect you guys and uncle by myself."

"Woah…" Asao stopped the tears at the news. "I hope you get strong real soon Koshio-niichan."

I nodded and looked forward with a new determination. "I will, I promise Asao. I'll become real strong. Just like the Uzukage."

Nabuo's POV

Taking care of the elderly finished, I went up to the surface again. The fire was spreading but not too quickly. This would give me enough time to put it out with a water jutsu but I had to perform it in a high place. Clenching my teeth, I sneaked out and hid behind a restaurant menu sign.

"Where am I going to find a place high enough that isn't on fire and won't give me away?" Roughly tousling my hair, I ignored the second idea and decided to climb up the nearest pole. It would be high enough to perform the jutsu, right? Shaking my head at my doubt, I just went with the flow.

Concentrating the chakra to my feet I scaled the fifteen foot pole up and stood at the top with determination. I had to stop the fire no matter what it takes. Swiftly going through the hand signs, I was about to use the jutsu when a kunai pierced my hands. I held back a scream of pain, wincing as I used my mouth to pull out the weapon from my flesh.

An evil laugh drew my attention to the right. Standing there was a kid a little older than me with blonde hair tied up into a pony tail. He wore a black cloak with red clouds.

"Who the hell are you?" My voice came out angrier than I thought. "And why are you attacking our village. We haven't done anything."

"Where is Naruto Uzumaki?"

I froze at the name. "I don't see why it's any of your business to know where he is, ever." The kunai was now held in my bleeding hands. I managed to cover them in water to stop the bleeding long enough. "Now leave! I'm not telling you where Naruto is!"

With an evil grin, he raised his hand and out from the mouth on his hands came clay birds. They flew at me and grew bigger the closer they got. I cursed again but under my breath and managed to jump away in time for them to explode.

What was that? And what the hell is up with that disgusting hand mouth thing? I hadn't read anything about this guy on any of the reports intercepted from other countries. "Who are you?"

"Me?" Smirking, "My name is Deidara and the guy who Is going to kill you." Summoning more of those damned clay creatures, I threw the kunai into the air wrapped in the explosive paper. "Don't think you can get away so easily, fool. I've got an endless supply waiting to tear you apart." And out of the smoke, as promised, came clay birds and spiders and other clay made living things.

"Water style: Urchin Sphere!" An outer layer of water surrounded me but left oxygen inside. Narrowing my eyes to concentrate better, I timed the attack perfectly. "Urchin spikes!" Water spikes stabbed out in every direction at the clay things. "Don't think you can win against me so easily you bastard. I'm not so simple that I would die by your hands."

"Oh really? Then let's test that out." Deidara launched more clay birds in my direction and every time I countered with my Urchin Sphere. When I noticed that he seemed to slow down with the attack the reason being he was running out of clay molds to use. A victorious grin showed up on my face when I realized that this would be the only time to take him down.

Breaking the sphere, I jumped up and roundhouse kicked the clay from Deidara's hand. "Let's see how good you are without that clay of yours." I went full out in trying to connect my punches and kicks. When a couple blows managed to land I finished with a heel hit to the top of his head. Watching him crash to the ground with a loud crash gave me satisfaction. "Not so cocky with a mouth full of dirt are you?"

Coughing and getting back up, Deidara smirked. "Not bad. Not bad at all. But that's all I'm going to give you."

"Bring it."

Naruto's POV

"So you're the Uzumaki brat that we're looking for? Not anything impressive to look at."

I stood there, feeling the anger boil up further and further to the surface. "Show yourself, or are you too much of a coward to fight me?"

A light chuckle seemed to come from all directions. Where was the bastard at? Is this some sort of genjutsu? I growled. "Now, now, no need to get so angry. I don't think you want go destroying your new home like you did all those years ago in Konoha, right? Or is it that evil fox chakra finally fried your brain?"

"I am not going to destroy anything but you when I get my hands on you. I'll tear your head off and burn your body. Just wait."

"Actually, I'm looking forward to that but I'm not sure if the body you're talking about will be mine or if it'll be just one."

My self control started to spiral out of control the more the voice taunted me. Fingers twitching and biting my lower lip, blood dripped down my chin onto my shirt. "I am the Uzukage of this country and the sworn protector of all those who call this place home. I will not lose myself because of some pathetic words you use to get into my head. I am not that weak and I will never be that weak." Slowly breathing out, I calmed my heart and felt the dark chakra recede back into the cage. "And I will fight and defeat you with my own strength, not with some chakra that isn't my own."

"The chakra that nearly destroyed Konoha and killed all those innocent people including your parents, including your first sensei's parents? The very chakra that belongs to a monster that should never have existed? You shouldn't even exist because you are the same as that thing inside of you, aren't I right? That's what your former comrades told you before abandoning you. So doesn't that mean it's the complete truth then? Everyone else believes it and the only one left is you but then again... I'm sure you are starting to believe it too. Right? Tell me I'm right."

"No! I am not a monster and I did not hurt all those people. The past of someone else doesn't define me! I am Naruto Uzumaki! I am a proud member of the Land of Whirlpools, I am the Uzukage, and I am the son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki!"

"Keep telling yourself that over and over because the more you tell yourself that, the faster those words lose all meaning and truth. You're living in the shadow of a cursed life. No matter how much you run away from this, that fox will always be bound to you even in death. And as you continue living on you'll only bring death, destruction, and misfortune to all those you love. I mean think about it, you're parents died binding that monster to you. Konoha was nearly destroyed trying to seal that beast in you. Hundreds of lives were taken: kids, parents, grandparents, friends, everyone. You are the living proof of a past no one wants to remember. A curse."

When I was about to snap, a drop of water fell down on my face. What? Rain? Now? But as it came pouring down to douse the flames, it stopped just as quickly as it came. It had to have been a jutsu... Nabuo. He managed to stop it all in time. Thank god. I smiled happily. The village was spared. "I'm not going to listen to you."

A light chuckle, "Are you running away again?"

"No, I'm facing my problems."

"Good, then killing you later would be more enjoyable. Be happy, I'm sparing your miserable lives but don't get too comfortable. This is only the beginning. Let's go, Deidara."

And then the voice ceased to exist. There were no answers no matter how many times I yelled and cursed at the wind. How could I have been stupid enough to let them escape? I slammed my fist into the ground as I slumped down to my knees. Water dripped down off my face and hair to plop down on the shingled roof. I felt Nabuo step up behind me but I chose to ignore him and he did well in giving me space. I kept slamming down on the roof until all the pent up aggression inside evaporated into nothing. "Damn it, damn it, damn it! Why?! Why am I so incapable?!"

"I don't know if this will make you feel better Naruto but at least next time, we'll be better prepared." Nabuo tried to comfort me the best he could and I felt a bit better.

Getting up and turning around, I gazed at my friend. We had been through so much together along with Suzume. The two always had my back and I couldn't ask for anymore and even now, despite what he had just seen, Nabuo gave me a small smile of strength. "Thanks... Did you get in any good hits?"

His face brightened up at the question. "Are you kidding me? Only good hits? I kicked and punched him enough times to probably add up to twice his age. If I didn't send him home with at least one broken bone then I won't stop hunting him down." I laughed.

Descending down the stairs, Nabuo went ahead to go down at tell everyone that things were okay now and that it was safe to come up. Assessing the scene, I couldn't bring myself to crack another smile looking at black fallen trees, charred roofs and walls, and some of the collapsed homes. Water from the rain dripped down into the puddles on the ground, reflecting the bright sky above. The storm had passed but I knew that it was only the beginning of something much bigger.

Footsteps running in my direction brought me out of the dark thoughts when bodies tackled me into hugs. Suzume had managed to get to me first, we stood there in that spot silently with each other, leaning into the comfort of the other. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Pulling away, I got serious. "How are the others holding up with what happened? No injuries right?"

"Yeah, no injuries. Just some shock is all. We managed to get everyone evacuated down. No losses from our side."

"No losses from theirs either."

Slightly looking disappointed, Suzume patted my shoulder. "Think of it this way. The next time we face them again, they won't be getting away anywhere near easy."

"Yeah."