Do I Have A Purpose Anymore?
Chapter 8: The Search for Naruto Intensifies
Naruto knew exactly who the three guests heading towards him were and he was loath to fight them. In truth he knew he could decimate all of them quite easily, but he had no desire to do so. The blonde Jinchuuriki bore no ill will towards them other than the fact they represented the very place he was trying to get away from.
'No, I don't want to have to hurt them. Please Kami, send them away from here!"
However, it would seem that the great deity was ignoring his prayer, as rapid footfalls reached his Jinchuuriki enhanced ears. They were coming and they were coming fast.
"Great." Naruto hissed in aggravation, before he pulled his mask back on with a fierce tug. Reaching up he quickly placed Nel onto his shoulder while sternly saying in his mask-distorted voice.
"Hang on Nel-chan, we've got to go and go right….now!"
Nel pouted upon hearing this, as she wanted to play with Naruto and his new friend.
"Awww, do we have to go?"
Then Nel's Arrancar senses picked up the energy signatures of three people heading towards them and her pout quickly became a look of concern and she obediently wrapped arms around her adoptive father's neck and said.
"I'm all set Naru-kun, but what about the lady-chan here?"
Naruto turned to look at the Yugito who was struggling just to stand and with a sharp intake of breath he realized that his adoptive daughter had a strong point. He couldn't just leave her here. What if the Akatsuki came back or what if the incoming trouble decided to take her back to the village for questioning? Naruto knew in her present weakened condition she would be defenseless. But if he took her with them he would be putting her in even more danger for what he has planned. Naruto was uncertain of what to do and in deep contemplation when the Kyuubi's voice cried out in his mind.
"KIT! They're less than a half-mile from here and closing fast. You better decide what you're going to do quickly!"
'Damn it!' Naruto silently cussed.
As if Kami was trying to make Naruto's life more difficult the sky rumbled with thunder and a thick curtain of rain began to fall. Yugito stifled a surprise gasp when Naruto wrapped his arm around her waist and jumped straight up into the thick branches and foliage of the tree they were standing under. Setting his weary and injured fellow Jinchuuriki down on a branch next to him and then checking to make sure Nel was secure. Naruto began to lower his chakra levels to an almost imperceptible level, maintaining only enough to utilize a henge jutsu to camouflage and blend them into the tree foliage completely, as he quietly stated.
"Nel-chan, Yugito, I need you two to remain as silent as possible."
Nel merely nodded her head in acceptance and Yugito followed in suit, but shivered with fear at the sound of Naruto's masked voice and silently berated herself.
'It's just a mask; quit being such a scaredy-cat.'
"HEY…"Nibi shouted in her head in righteous indignation.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hinata bore a look of grim determination on her face, as she left the Wave Country following the now cold trail of Naruto in hopes that she would run into him. It had taken her longer than she would have liked to get to the Wave Country upon hearing the rumor that the hero of that country had returned there. Unfortunately, Naruto was gone by the time she had arrived and Tazuna had already passed the word around that anyone from Konoha inquiring about Naruto or his whereabouts was to be told nothing. Hinata had then spent a long and fruitless day of questioning the Wave Country inhabitants and receiving no information about Naruto. Disheartened, the former Hyuga heiress found herself at a local temple and weeping prayed to Kami to help her love Naruto.
Kami must have heard her prayer because a woman who had just entered the temple heard Hinata's heartfelt prayer and the anguished tone in which it was given. The woman walked over to console the young woman and after a few minutes of talking with one another. Tsunami realized this was not one of the people who Naruto needed protection from. Taking Hinata back to her house, the only daughter of Tazuna the bridge builder and the Wave village's current chief and leader made certain her father shared any information he had about Naruto with Hinata or there would be hell to pay otherwise. Afterwards, Hinata resumed her journey to find Naruto, as she quickened her pace and thought to herself.
'Naruto-kun, where are you my love?'
Gone was her usual outfit exchanged for a nondescript long black-sleeved shirt, that fit her snugly and bore a Kanji for 'Hope' on the back that Tsunami had sewn on for her. Also, she now wore long black hip-hugger pants along with knee high boots, which made her plain outfit complete. Hinata also bore a black pack now worn over her left shoulder and her Leaf headband was nowhere to be seen.
Hinata's once long indigo-colored hair had now been cut and was at shoulder length only, and tied with an orange-colored ribbon into a small ponytail. On the lower part of her face, she wore a white mask that hid the defining features of it. However, even with her face hidden except for her lavender eyes along with the alluring curves of her body, Hinata still she drew the stare of many a passerby, especially the men so great was her natural beauty.
Hinata also sported a katana blade strapped to her back as well courtesy of a Wave Country mask-maker she had questioned thanks to Tazuna's information. At first the man was reluctant to share anything, but it's amazing what a fistful of money and the threat of a juuken fist to his face unless he talked was enough to convince the old man to speak.
After that, she had trekked on with the aid of a tracking hound she had borrowed from the Inuzuka compound and they were following the scent of Naruto they had been able to detect from the mask-maker's shop. Soon to Hinata's horror she came across the scene of a battle and Naruto's scent was mingled with the unmistakable odor of blood, as was told her by said dog. Worried that Naruto had been injured, Hinata was relieved when the dog informed her that the blood came from two separate males and that there was also a scent of a female in the area as well.
'Naruto-kun must have run into an ANBU tracking squad, as most of them are set up with two males and a female on each squad. I pray to Kami he wasn't hurt.' Hinata thought with concern before remembering that her sudden disappearance would also have ANBU after her as she commented to herself.
"I hope I'm able to find Naru-kun, before the trackers find me."
Several hours later Hinata soon found a campsite with the rotting corpses of several men strewn about. It was a gruesome sight, but then Hinata recognized the men as part of an infamous group of thieves called the Crimson Bandits she had been hearing about during her travels. According to her canine companion Naruto's scent was intermixed with all the blood proving he had been there and most likely had been the one to dispatch these men. After milling around a bit, the tracking hound had finally picked up the scent-trail of which direction Naruto had left and then the duo was off again in pursuit.
After a short while, once again Hinata and her dog came across a scene of death. However this time it was of a single individual and by the looks of him Hinata wasn't even sure if the man was human. Aside from the fact that the man's head which was adorned with some sort of skull like mask on the left side of his face was no longer attached to his body. The most peculiar feature of the corpse was that he bore three stumps instead of arms on the left side of his body and two stumps on the right side. Also the lone remaining arm on the right side of the man's body and was holding some type of curved type of weapon.
It saddened Hinata to know that Naruto was capable of such killing, but not surprising. After all before he left Naruto had broken Hatake Sakumo the legendary White Fang and Hatake Kakashi father's record for most kills in ANBU history. It had garnered Naruto much praise and accolades throughout the village from both shinobi and civilians alike. Hinata knew that killing was a part of any shinobi's life and had accepted that long ago, but it was the brutality and viciousness of these killings that concerned her the most.
Pushing her anxiety aside, Hinata asked her canine partner how long ago Naruto had been there and was pleased to hear that she was only a day behind. Unfortunately, the hound also informed her that Naruto was no longer traveling alone. As he could detect the scent of a female intermixed with his own. Now, a new anxiety was beginning to grow within Hinata.
She was catching up to Naruto.
But what would happen when she did catch him? What would he say? What would he do? Who was this girl Naruto is with now?
The last question she had silently asked herself filled Hinata with the most dread.
Suddenly, and for some strange reason she stopped, drawing a confused look from the hound, as she gazed down at her left hand, her gaze narrowing to focus on her finger that bore the ring symbolizing her marriage to Kiba. This little gold ring had undoubtedly been part of the reason Naruto had left the village.
It had been her fault. If only she could have told Naruto the truth three years ago. Maybe there could have been a way to stand up to her father. However, Hinata knew that there was nothing she could do other than what she did back then and heaved a heavy sigh of regret and frustration. Once she caught up to Naruto she could finally tell him the truth and prayed Naruto would understand her reasons for marrying Kiba. But while Naruto may understand her reasons was no guarantee that he would still forgive her and the thought of that filled Hinata with misery and terror.
Then her thoughts turned to those of Kiba and Hinata's face took on an image of anger. She did not love him and he knew that. She loved Naruto and he knew that as well. Yet the Inuzuka heir and supposedly one of Naruto's closest friends as well as her own did nothing to stop the arranged marriage. In fact he had been as duplicitous as her father in the matter and for that she hated him. Not to even mention what a sham of a marriage it had been during these past three years. Still while Kiba and her father had been the catalyst, in the end there was only one person Hinata blamed for the marriage and her own and Naruto's pain and unhappiness.
IT WAS ALL HER FAULT!
"You stupid ring, I never want to see you again! I HATE YOU!" She hissed loudly and in one forceful movement she had plucked the ring from her finger and held it in the palm of her hand, as her body quivered with rage.
Then, spying a nearby river, she heaved the ring with all her might into its briny depths. Then there was a crack of thunder and the sky opened up in a rain as if to hide the tears streaming down her face. Hinata knew that with this rain her canine would no longer be able to track Naruto's scent. So, she now bid her tracking hound farewell, telling the dog that she could take it from here and for him to return to the Inuzuka compound.
"You have been working hard and have been most helpful."
With a grateful woof, the dog turned on its paws and headed off in the direction of the Leaf village. Hinata then turned on her heels and full of determination resumed her trek to follow the trail of her love, albeit alone from now on as she thought of Naruto. However, Hinata was not the only one who was currently thinking of the once happy and playful blonde.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For back in the Leaf village, a certain pink haired Kunoichi was looking with tears misting in her emerald eyes at a picture of Naruto and her. Sakura had learned of Naruto's missing-nin status when Shikamaru and Chouji had been brought into the hospital with the injuries they had suffered by his hands. She was shocked at the extent of Chouji's injuries and couldn't believe that the Naruto she knew would do that to one of his closest friends. However, Sakura then realized that the Naruto she knew was gone and the Naruto she had helped to create over the past few years, she didn't know at all.
Sakura sat upon her bed, as she gazed upon the picture and reminisced about the happier times for him and her. The photo depicted the two holding hands with Naruto smiling from ear to ear, as Sakura leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.
"What was I thinking? The best thing to ever happen for me and I threw him away like an idiot!" Sakura screamed at herself in self-recrimination.
That picture had been taken before Sasuke had been brought back to the Leaf, before she had made the biggest mistake in her life in breaking Naruto's heart by choosing the Uchiha over him yet again. What's worse is that Sakura now realized that she had three wonderful years with Naruto before the blonde Jinchuuriki had brought the Sasuke back fulfilling his promise to her. And what does she do the moment that happens Sakura thought to herself.
'I immediately go back into my 12yr old fan-girl mode and forget about everything I had with Naruto-kun because I thought Sasuke would make me the happiest woman alive.'
"Baka!" She yelled at herself, while looking down at the photo.
Soon, tears leaked from her eyes to fall on the photo that, she was now clenching tightly to her chest, as her pink hair hung down into her face, while her body shook with sobs. Sakura was more miserable now than ever, now that she had realized that she wanted Naruto and had even broken off the engagement with Sasuke just for him. But she had been too late, years too late.
Sakura had never seen him sadder or more broken than the day that she and Sasuke had informed him of their engagement. It hurt her even worse when Naruto lashed out with such anger towards them when they had pressed the issue with him. However, the pain of that night was nothing compared to the pain she felt when Naruto had erupted out with such venom and hatred at her when she had tried to apologize to him.
Sakura remembered she was also going inform Naruto of breaking her engagement with Sasuke just to be with him. Looking back at that now, Sakura wondered how stupid she would have been had she attempted it.
She had taken his heart...and stomped on it just like she always had. Then, as her pink hair tickled her nose Sakura felt something snap inside, as she made up her mind for the last time.
Sakura wanted him,…. Naruto Uzumaki. And she would love no one else but him.
With her hands shaking from remorse, anger, and grief, Sakura dropped the photo and reached under her bed for her shinobi knapsack.
As soon as she found it, Sakura tucked the photo within the faded bag and then slinging the pack over her shoulder headed to the kitchen to get food and supplies, as she thought to herself.
'I'm going after Naruto-kun! I'm going to prove to him how sorry I am and how much I truly love him or die trying!'
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"They're here." Naruto quietly whispered to his two companions.
As Yugito focused her eyesight through the rain, she saw a young man appear in a flash wearing green-spandex and sporting bushy eyebrows looking around the area Naruto's battle had taken place. Wiping the rain from his eyes and blinking he saw nothing but the battered remains of an old factory and a lone tree nearby about 100 yards away. Then a male voice called out from behind the young man.
"See anyone Lee?"
The Taijutsu master frowned as he kept searching, but saw no one as he replied.
"I see no one Neji, but it is difficult for my flames of youth to see through this torrential downpour. Are you sure this is the location where you spotted all of those strong chakra signatures?"
A moment later two more people appeared. One a girl with brunette hair tied into buns on the sides of her head. While the other was a male wearing the traditional robes of the Hyuga clan who then activated his Byakugan and began scanning the area piercing through all about him, as the colors faded to gray and his vision expanded to nearly 360 degrees.
For a second, Neji paused and steeled his gaze towards the lone tree a short distance away. Naruto began to grow a little nervous before the sound of a brick falling to the ground diverted Neji's attention and he shouted.
"Over there Lee, I detect a strong chakra signature underneath that rubble."
In a moment, all three members of Team Gai were removing the bricks and stones only to discover to their surprise that the source of that chakra signature was none other than Sasuke. As Lee and Tenten were helping the Uchiha to his feet, Neji asked with disdain dripping from his voice.
"Why are you here Uchiha?"
"I'm here….Hyuga, because I'm under orders from Lady Tsunade to find and retrieve Naruto. He was here just a little while ago, but I wasn't able capture him."
"So the great Uchiha failed." Neji spat with contempt.
"I failed Hyuga because I got blindsided by a Jinchuuriki woman Naruto had rescued from a couple of Akatsuki members!"
"What happened Sasuke?" Tenten inquired trying to diffuse the tension growing between him and Neji.
"I found Naruto just as he had engaged one of the Akatsuki in battle. It was Suigetsu, my former subordinate in Team Hebi years ago. From what I could gather from the conversation during the fight was that Suigetsu and his partner Deidara were after the girl because she is Jinchuuriki. They were about to capture her when Naruto stepped in and saved her. He took out Suigetsu without too much trouble and was going to go after Deidara when the dobe sensed my chakra and called me out."
"Then what happened?"
"At first nothing, I just tried to talk him into returning to the village and told him the consequences of what might happen if he didn't. But Naruto is so full of anger and pain about Konoha and the people within it that he refused to listen and said he is done with the Leaf village now and forever. After realizing nothing I said would change his mind, I got ready to fight the dobe, but then got sucker-punched by the girl and he got away."
"It is sad that Naruto's flames of youth have been dampened over the years."
"Well, you can thank the Hyuga's slut-cousin for marrying the Inuzuka mutt and turning Naruto into the man he now Lee. The dobe should be grateful he didn't marry the tramp if her love could so easily go from him to Kiba. If Naruto had stayed with her she would have only two-timed him behind his ba….."
Sasuke never got a chance to finish his sentence when a fist impacted his nose breaking it and dropped the Uchiha to the ground. Before Sasuke could recover a hand firmly gripped the front of his ANBU vest pulling him up to look directly into Neji's enraged face, who had his fist cocked back ready to deliver another strike, as spat with malevolence at him.
"You arrogant Uchiha pig! To lay sole blame onto Lady Hinata for turning Naruto into the man he is now when you and that pink-haired bitch of yours had just as much a hand in causing Naruto pain is offensive!"
"Get your hands off of me you Hyuga freak! Sakura and I haven't done anything to Naruto!"
"Really Uchiha, well let me tell you what you and your whore did to him!"
"NEJI!" Tenten sternly shouted out stopping the young Hyuga before adding.
"Remember what Naruto asked and that you gave your word to."
After a few intense seconds passed, Neji let go of Sasuke with frustration and disgust before nodding to Tenten in understanding. However, it was not easy for the Hyuga male as hearing Sasuke lay complete blame onto Hinata for what has happened to Naruto so infuriated him he hadn't even bothered to activate his Byakugan or even deliver a juuken strike. Sasuke had merely received a straight blow to the face powered by nothing more than his rage and contempt he felt for the Uchiha. Taking a moment to calm himself, Neji glared back at Sasuke and said.
"Lady Hinata's marriage to the mongrel was a disturbing event for all of us and none more so that Hinata herself. I cannot tell you Uchiha why she went through with it, as I do not know. However I suspect that there is a reason that none of us know about for why she did? And it has nothing to do with her loving Kiba over Naruto. In fact I can assure you that Lady Hinata has never stopped loving Naruto and has suffered greatly these past three years because of it."
Naruto's face grimaced in pain as he heard Neji's words with his Kyuubi enhanced hearing. Unfortunately, he knew the truth as he had given Hinata a chance to explain why she was marrying Kiba?
Regrettably, she never did.
As Neji's words also sunk into Sasuke's head, he was about to ask why the Hyuga was placing blame on him and Sakura? However, before he could inquire further, a messenger falcon streaked down from the sky and landed upon Lee's shoulder. Tenten quickly unfurled the message attached to the bird's leg and read it.
"What does it say Tenten?"
"Lady Tsunade is recalling us from searching for Naruto. We're to report back to the Leaf village at once for further instructions."
"Very well, since we missed our opportunity to capture Naruto in the first place. We'll spend the night in that small town we passed a few miles back to get out of the rain before returning to the Leaf village. Come Tenten, Lee, I wish to get out of this interminable downpour as soon as possible." Neji ordered with authority to his two teammates.
As Lee and Tenten followed behind Neji, the kunoichi paused and turned around to ask.
"Sasuke do wish accompany us and get out of the rain?"
"No, I've got someone I need to see and they are about two day's travel from here."
"Suit yourself." Tenten replied, as she watched Sasuke leap away before running to catch up with her teammates.
Once the sound of the voices of Team Gai had finally faded away, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, as he removed his mask and jumped down to the ground with Nel secure on his shoulder.
They were safe….For now.
Yugito jumped down from the tree and fell to one knee as she landed. It was quite evident that she was still very weak from her battle with the Akatsuki. Looking up, doe brown eyes met sapphire blue and in that instant she looked down, as he extended his hand to her, whilst Nel stared at Yugito with piqued curiosity. Hesitantly, Yugito grasped Naruto's hand and allowed him to help her to stand before she asked.
"Who were those guys?"
"I have little time so I will make this quick. Those guys were ANBU from the Hidden Leaf village and they are in pursuit of me because I'm a missing-nin from that village. Now, I could leave you here.
Naruto momentarily saw panic flash through Yugito's eyes, before it vanished and was forced down by her, as he mentally commended her for that feat.
'She controls her emotions well.'
"But, that would leave you easy prey to the Akatsuki, who are the ones who attacked you by the way."
"I know all about the Akatsuki, I've been their prisoner for the last eight years." Yugito spat with anger and disgust.
"If she's been a captive of the Akatsuki, perhaps she will be of use to us. You should take her along kit and get whatever information you can from her. Plus once she's healed she could be a powerful ally since she holds the Nibi. And even you have to admit she's not bad to look at either. Perhaps you and her could even….."Kyuubi voiced out within Naruto's mind.
'Knock it off you perverted fox! Your other points are valid, but I'm not going to ask her to join us just so I can get laid!'
"Well you should kit! You've been living like a monk for the last two years ever since that blonde bitch dumped you and I'm sick of it, I want see some action!"
'Enough, I'm not having this conversation with you right now!' Naruto shouted back with righteous anger before turning his attention back to Yugito.
"Well, since you know about the Akatsuki and what they do. As a fellow Jinchuuriki it would not sit well with me to leave you on your own against them."
Naruto then stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, whilst his other went under her arms to support her.
Yugito's face blushed red at this, but it was only for the briefest of seconds and it was gone before he could notice it. Naruto was too caught up in those eyes of hers anyway. He had been staring into those deep brown pools the entire time and he felt hypnotized by her calm yet slightly nervous stare.
Naruto's next words finally got her mind working again, as shock and surprise set in.
"Care to join up with us?" Yugito's eyes widened a bit at that, but after seeing the way he had dispatched Suigetsu with less than half his true strength.
The voice of the Nibi, the Two-tailed cat demon purred her inside her mind. The tone of that cat was laced with curiosity, as which all felines were infamous for. That, and what felt like...desire?
"I think we would be safe with this one kitten. Even though I can sense he is troubled and harboring a lot of pain and anger, he also seems to be of pure heart and if he is indeed the vessel of the Kyuubi, then perhaps we could-
Nibi's thoughts stopped there, as Yugito forcefully protested with all her might.
'Whoa miss pervert! Don't be getting any ideas there, I don't even know him!'
"That can easily be solved and you know what I mean." Nibi seductively purred.
The sound of Naruto's voice interrupted Yugito and Nibi's conversation.
"So about my offer, interested? There's safety in numbers after all."
"Okay, if I say yes, I just have one condition." Yugito replied before she brought her face dangerouslyclose to his and Naruto blushed a bit at that. Her voice held just a hint of desire as she spoke.
"Will you treat me right, with respect I mean?"
"Of course I'll treat you with respect."
"Th-thank you Naruto-sama."
'Again with the sama, oh well, like I said we'll work on it.' Naruto thought to himself before saying.
"Sure, now let's go. I have a…"
The blonde Jinchuuriki was interrupted when he heard the screeching sound of the flare, long before its ruby red light lit up the sky for miles around casting a red curtain of light about all nearby.
He stared at it for a moment, then ever so slowly, a predatory grin formed on his face. A second later, he was running towards it with Yugito in hot pursuit calling out to him, as she struggled to keep up.
"Where are we going?"
"To get me an army!"
Naruto's tone was filled with arrogant confidence, as he took to the trees all the while with Nel chatting away in his ear.
"Naru-kun, ith the cat-lady going to be living with uth from now on?"
"Hai Nel-chan, she'll be traveling with us for awhile."
"Yaaaaaaay, maybe she can be that wife-chan you need!"
The simultaneous squawk of surprise from the two Jinchuuriki could be heard for miles around.
"NANI?"
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Author notes: There's chapter eight presented to you for your enjoyment, I hope? (Lol) Once again, I was required to do a lot of rewriting from the original version an additional 2500K to be precise. Now before I get skewered by some people with regards to Naruto and Yugito this chapter. I do solemnly swear that Naruto and Hinata is the main pairing and that the lavender-eyed goddess will be the #1 girl residing in his small harem. Also, you will see Naruto and Hinata reuniting very soon in the story.
Once again I wish to thank all the people adding this story into their favorite or story alerts categories in such a short time. I'm very pleased that this revised story seems to be a hit with most people. I also want to thank those readers who took the time to leave a review for the tale. They're very helpful in letting me know how the story is progressing with all of you. And they really do assist an author out in knowing what people like about a story.
This will probably be the last posting of a revised chapter for the next few weeks, as I've got to get working on the 50th chapter of my story "Naruto vs. Sasuke: The Aftermath" Also look for a new chapter to post for the story "Supreme Genetics – Creation of a Bloodline" I co-write with Hefster within the next week, hopefully. If you haven't seen that story yet and you would like to read a really good Naruto/Hinata/Sakura story, then this is the one you should checkout. According to the reviews we've gotten, it's pretty damn good. The link to the story is on my profile page and in my own opinion; the story is becoming one of the best Naru/Hina/Saku stories on this site. So if you could be so kind, please checkout both stories when you have a chance. And thank you again for all of your support.
Take it easy and be good!
Kingkakashi