Magnus: Here is the conclusion of the Wave Arc, for real, this time, from here is just an intermission, and then the Chunin exam will start, enjoy!, and remember, Read and Review!
Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto, as well as anything you believe is being mentioned in this fanfic, Reiko Zonbolt, Arashi Uzumaki and Yukina Hyuga are owned by Kage Bijuu, the Harvesters are co-owned by Kage Bijuu and me, the other OCs belong to me
Chapter 30
Guardian Demons
The young Inari was running through the streets of the poor town, he was armed with a bucket as a helmet, and a small crossbow as a weapon, his eyes were flashing with courage, a courage that menaced with burn like a raging inferno, and there was nothing to subdue it, nothing...
"COME ON!, THERE IS A FIGHT OVER THE BRIDGE!, WE MUST GO AND DEFEND OURSELVES!, OUR TOWN!", Inari shouted to the top of his lunges, but nobody replied, even those who were at sight seek a place to hide, those at their windows closed them, and doors got closed
"Inari...", Tsunami muttered, saddened that her son got this kind of reply
"Let them be boy, they don't deserve to be saved, even if Gato is defeated, and the bridge completed, another evil will come to enslave them, it's of no use", Arashi said, enraged by the lack of spine of these people
"Born slaves, live and die like slaves...", Yukina muttered, feeling pity for the people of wave, a nation bound to die under someone else's iron grip
"If you don't want to defend your land... THEN ALL OF YOU CAN GO AND DIE!, THEN ALL OF YOU CAN GO AND SURRENDER NOW AND LET GATO SKIN YOU ALIVE, I'LL GO TO THE BRIDGE TO DIE LIKE A HERO!, TO DIE LIKE MY FATHER!, YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY!!!", Inari Shouted with a force far beyond of a warrior, and then he ran toward the bridge, to meet his destiny
"INARI!!!", Tsunami shouted, running after him, she felt so proud of her son, but her mother sense was still strong, and so her need to protect him
"The kid has potential, may as well I'll train him after this", Arashi stated, while running too
"Indeed, we can start the order here too!", Yukina added, with a knowing smile
The people of the town heard Inari, and most of them were ashamed, ashamed of letting a child die aiming for an impossible dream, ashamed to see that a child was braver than them to chase said dream, one by one, they came out of their homes, and looked in the direction of the bridge, the direction where Inari ran, suddenly, one of the men, one that was meek and scrawny, started to head in the direction of the bridge, maybe he only wanted to see the battle, maybe he wanted to join the battle, but whatever his purpose was, it started a chain reaction on the people, first the children, then the old men, the women followed next, and at the last, the strong men of the town followed, soon, everyone in the town, headed to the bridge, and for the first time in their lives, they noticed just how many of them were, a small army, and their mind, started to change
Bridge, some minutes later...
"Do you think that I fear you, insignificant human?, do you think that I have any need of your money?, no, but I'll take something from you before I let go of you...", Naruto stated, up to now, none has seen the shadow, yet, everyone was trembling, this wasn't a killer intent, this was the cold aura of death itself
"W-What is it?!", Gato asked, thinking that with a heavy amount of money, he'll have a demon at his side
"YOUR FLESH AND SOULS!!!", Naruto shouted, and then from below their feet, massive fox heads raised, dozens of eyes placed on the heads, massive tusks on their deformed mouths, and then the most gruesome carnage took place
Genins and jounins alike were frozen in the spot they were, the carnage in front of them was gruesome, ruthless, diabolic, and utterly unnecessary, even Kakashi and his team alone would have been able to handle Gato and his men with ease, with flying colors, but obviously, The Yokai King thought that Gato required a different treatment, he was the first to be trapped, but not the first to be killed, one of the fox heads was holding him upside down by one of his legs, said leg was brutally crushed, but he was still alive and conscious, he wished not be
"PLEASE!, STOP!, I BEG YOU!, I'LL DO ANYTHING!",
Gato screamed to the top of his lunges, but it was useless, the screams of agony of his men muffled his voice, none of the men that accompanied him escaped, all of them received a crippling blow at the very beginning of the attack, all of them got their legs severed, just to be slowly devoured by the other eight heads, they were hundreds, and Naruto didn't seemed to have any hurry, those who tried to crawl away were the first to be slaughtered, those who were smart enough tried to commit suicide to prevent the gruesome final, most of them were unable to do so, for countless hands, stripped them from their weapons, and held them in place, so none would escape their destiny
"KILL, KILL, KILL, KILL, KILL, KILL!", Lee and Hinata were chanting, obviously enjoying the show to the fullest, but making so creepy, that the rest were unable to tolerate it
"Blame yourselves!, your greed!, this man!, and carry your grief, shame, and hate to Hell!", Naruto voiced with great delight, the symphony of suffering, pain, and death was in a sublime crescendo, and there was nothing that could stop it to reach it's climax
"I think that Naruto is overdoing it a little...", Anko muttered, she was his servant, she was now immortal and with demonic powers, and she was a little scared that maybe, in the middle of this joyful demonstration of satanic wrath, Naruto may make some little collateral damage, namely, slaughter all of them along with Gato's friends...
"JUST A LITTLE?!, SOMEONE SHOULD STOP HIM!, NOW!!!", Kakashi managed to shout, this was far beyond the Kyuubi, Kyuubi killed everyone instantly, Naruto was now just enjoying the suffering to it's fullest, like a true King of Hell
"You are welcome to try", Anko said, no mockery on her voice, yet her eyes still glued on the horrible massacre in front of them, Kakashi didn't replied to that, but he found himself wishing that someone had succeeded on killing the kid long time before, namely, before certain white clad merchant appeared...
'That's it!, this is the fault of that merchant!, he had to have done something to the legacy of the fourth!, I must report this to the Hokage, he'll do something about this, and hopefully, I'll be the one to decapitate them', Kakashi thought, however his thought were broken when Naruto spoke again, in his distorted demonic voice
"Scream!!!, Scream more!, Rise your voices in a painful plead for your demisse!, MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!", Naruto laughed, spinning in the middle of the carnage, blood flying everywhere, innards splattered on the floor, pieces of flesh that once were part of human bodies hanging out from the mouths of the fox heads, which kept taking murderous bites on the mercenaries, Naruto was in a killing frenzy... until his eyes spotted some more people, people that was supposed to be cowering in fear in their home, not armed with makeshift weapons, and ready to fight, and by seeing them, the senseless slaughter stopped, with the exception of the pained moans of the still alive mercenaries, less than a dozen by now
"By Father Garmraid...", Arashi managed to mutter, he, heir of the clan of the fire guardians, felt horrorifyed by the sight, Yukina said nothing, but her tearful eyes and her mouth covered by her hands were proof enough, that she was shocked by the show
"Why?...", Inari muttered, and Naruto's smile faded away, he didn't wanted this kid to hate or fear him, but it seemed too late now
"Inari... I... I didn't intended to...", Naruto tried to explain, with the shinobies, Anko, Kakashi, Zabuza, Neji and Tenten were relieved, Naruto was still Naruto, and he just overdid a little, he wasn't that evil...
"WHY IS THAT BASTARD STILL ALIVE?!", Inari shouted, while pointing at the injured figure of Gato, at this, Naruto's smile returned full force
"Ah!, it's because I was waiting for you!, here, Inari, Show me that you have what it takes to be the hero of this town of cowards, here, in front of the entire town, decide the fate of the man that brought you so much suffering!", Naruto said, while dropping Gato at Inari's feet, everyone went silent, and waited for the kid to decide... he didn't made them wait for long
"I'll take no revenge, for that will make me like you, or worst, that will turn me in an empty assassin, no, this is not revenge, THIS IS JUSTICE!!!", Inari shouted, and then fired his crossbow at Gato's chest, with coldness on his eyes, the bolt pierced Gato's chest, but to the surprise of everyone, he was still alive
"AAARRRGGGHHHHH!!!, Goddammit kid!", Gato shouted, and this time, the eyes of the entire town's people flashed with malice, the demon they deemed untouchable, was now laying on the ground, about to die, yet everyone wanted apiece of him before death claimed him, and they didn't wait to start to tear him apart as mindless beasts that were fighting for survival and freedom
"Well, well, it's seems that this town has some chance of being saved after all", Arashi said, overcoming now the shock of the carnage
"Yes, and Inari will be a nice first recruit on our guardian order", Yukina said, while hugging Arashi
"Ugh... my head... my body... it all hurts...", Haku complained as he was waking up
"Haku, you better stay down, it's all over, Gato is no more, and you have nothing to do with what is going to happen", Zabuza said, fortunately, Haku was so sore, that he obeyed immediately, allowing the darkness to claim him, into a peaceful slumber
"Well, it seems that my dear Naruto-kun has finished the work", Hinata said
"AYE!, but there is still the matter of the big sword guy!, I want a match with him!, I need some more exercise!", Lee voiced, Haku was a good friend, but a poor fighter, and he needed to vent some frustrations, and Zabuza, still held by the chains, looked like a good punching bag
"HAHA!, IT WOULD BE MORE MERCIFUL IF WE KILL HIM NOW!", Anko laughed, they were about to discuss what to do with Zabuza, when the sound of a thousand birds reached their ears
"What is that?", Lee asked, and Kakashi smirked, someone was about to claim a good kill for his record
"CHIDORI!!!", Sasuke screamed, his hand cackling with energy pierced through Zabuza's abdomen, Sasuke didn't moved for an instant kill, he seemed to want someone to suffer, and for good or ill, He got what he wanted
"Oh God...", Hinata muttered in sorrow, there were better forms to kill an enemy, more a worthy one like that
"By Father Odin... THAT WAS A COWARD ACT!!!", Lee shouted enraged, he was about to charge against Sasuke, when Kakasi stepped between the two
"Stop, you brute!, Zabuza is an A-Rank criminal, he was appointed to be killed anyway, Sasuke hasn't done anything wrong by getting rid of him!", Kakashi tried to reasoning, Lee was about to punch him back all the way to Konoha, when Zabuza started to cough blood, and Anko freed him from her chains
"Please... let Haku live... here with his friends... tell him... I said I don't need him anymore...", Zabuza managed to say, and then walked to the edge of the bridge, and allowed his body to fall to the water, Kakashi only eyed him, knowing he wasn't going to survive, he'll send a dog to look for him later
"Bullshit!, this fucking gay is going to follow his gay friend to hell!", Sasuke shouted, while holding a kunai over Haku's unconscious body
BANG!
The sound of Casull filled the air, breaking Sasuke's kunai, startling everyone, and making them to turn to look at Naruto, whose shadow was now receding into his body, until it was the size of a normal shadow, no trace of the bodies, or even blood of the mercenaries, but he was showing a very angry face
"I don't think so, Sasuke-teme", Naruto said, Kakashi was about to claim that Naruto was a traitor for attacking a fellow shinobi while on a dangerous mission, when Lee charged in
"STAY AWAY OF MY FRIEND!", Lee shouted, Sasuke turned around to face the muscled boy, just in time to see the a hand ramming against his face, and that was the lat he saw that day, for unconsciousness claimed him instantly
Later that Night...
Zabuza managed to reach the edge of the water, far away from the bridge, he was safe from the Konoha nins, but it didn't matter he was going to die, very soon, and there was nothing he could do to remedy it
"I wish I could had been able to say good bye to you, Haku...", Zabuza muttered, his sight was failing him now, death was about claim him, until a frightening voice sounded
"Zabuza Momochi, you are going to die, but that can be remedied", Minato spoke, behind him, three dark hooded figures stud, the air around them said only one thing, power
"How so?...", Zabuza asked, he had nothing to offer right now, but the figure let a gold ring fall in fron of him, at the reach of his hand
"Put this ring on your finger, and serve me", Minato commanded, and Zabuza, having nothing to lose, did as told, soon, another Ring Wraith Raised, joining the already over powered army
"Only Four more to go... MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!", Minato's evil laughter resounded in the distance, chiling the hearts of every living being in the surroundings
One week later...
The shinobies stayed on town until the completion of the bridge, and with help of Lee and Naruto, it was ready before schedule, and now, at the gate, the shinobies were saying their good byes to their new friends
"So, you are going to stay?", Naruto asked
"Yes, by the looks of that silver haired shinobie, our kind is not welcomed there in Konoha, besides, someone has to protect this place when you are gone", Arashi replied, Yukina holding his arm, nodding to everything
"I see, what about you, Haku?", Naruto asked now, looking at the still crying Haku
"I'll stay here too (sob), that was the wish of Zabuza-sama (sob), and I feel more welcomed here with Arashi-kun and Yukina-chan (sob)", Haku managed to reply
"Very well, but train harder, I want another friendly spar!", Lee shouted to Haku, who cringed in remembered pain, his body still sore for Lee's powerful thunder Punch
"Naruto!, as long as you are alive, let us be friends, and so long you are a ninja of Konoha, your village will be friend of this town!", Inari shouted, he wished to be able to do more, but this was all he can promise
"Very well, friends forever!", Naruto replied, while putting his wide brim hat on Inari's head, soon, the town saw them depart, and then a question raised
"Hey, Tazuna, how are we going to name the bridge anyway?", someone asked
"Well, I guess that the most proper thing to do, is to use a name that inspires us with valor", Tazuna stated, still wondering which name to use
"Naruto, let's name it, Naruto, for he was the one who take the blindfold from my eyes, and inspired me, and all of us to fight back", Inari said, and everyone agreed to that, and from that day, at the gate of the bridge, a plate reads as follows:
Great Bridge Naruto
In Honor to The Yokai King
Who freed us from the chains of fear
And brought to us the Clan of the Guardian Demons
Scarps from the Personal Journal of Dr. Marcus Stronghold
Fourth Entry
Today was one of those days, when I think that grown ups are more afraid of injections than children, after all, Konohamaru and his gang gave very little fight against receiving their vaccines, while the Elric Brothers, well, let's just say that it's the first time I have to summon a Pyramid Head just to keep someone so short in place to apply the injection, of course, I have to give this victory to my apprentice, Sakura, who only needed to enter to distract them enough for me to apply the vaccines on the blond boys!, still, I feel bad for her, they yelled so much at her, it seems that she was the reason they lost their arms, they yelled so much, that no one noticed the Pyramid Heads leaving, I have to repay my apprentice somehow, perhaps I could invite her dinner, I just hope she doesn't gets the wrong idea
Magnus: Well, I hope you liked this end of an arc, and now, the moment you all have been waited for is coming closer, what kind f surprises will await you during the chunin exams?, stay tuned, and see ya in next chapter!