Chapter 8- The True Deceiver
~Among the many forces that exist in this world, hatred is one of the most powerful. It can overwhelm us, manipulate us unspeakable actions. It comes in many forms, and can be spread simply through teaching. Right now in the Water Country, there is hatred, and people are suffering because of it. I've taken it upon myself to remain here and put a stop to it… even if it meant turning my back on the mission and responsibilities handed to me. To say that this will be difficult is more than an understatement… but there are those around me who support and believe in me. For those who were forced to suffer… I have to find a way to help them… no matter what.
-Uzumaki Naruto
(Location- Water Country, Mist Province, Encampment 6)
It has been several days since Naruto had failed his mission and left his team to pursue other goals. Having vowed to remain and defend the oppressed Bloodlines, Naruto accompanied by Team 8 as well as Ebi were currently residing in the camp. Though the accommodations were less than favourable, to the Ninjas of the leaf it was endurable…
"Well what do we have here?" asked Mizurei as he entered the scene, looking around him. Normally, this camp was such a quiet and desolate place… but today the place was bustling with activity. He could see a number of people working on their houses with brand-new looking tools he never recalled them having before. He then noticed there was a bunch of people crowding around the foreigner from the Fire Country, the one named Ebi, and his question about the new tools was soon answered.
"There you are, good as new!" said Ebi as he handed a new-looking iron pot to a middle-aged woman. "Anyone else?" he called out, as more people came to him, "All right! Let's see what I can do!" he quickly performed a jutsu to create fire…
"Never knew ninjutsu could be used for this purpose." Mizurei whistled, watching Ebi using his metalworking skills to repair all those worn-down household items along with creating new tools that the people were using.
"It may be intended for combat, but it can easily be repurposed. Just having functional tools and regular household items like pots and pans makes life so much easier." said Ebi as he handed back the last of the repaired items, "There are also the healing jutsus. I only know the basics, but they have proven invaluable, time and time again." Ebi stood up and dusted himself off, "The same thing can be said about your powers too. If everyone here used their abilities properly, they could easily become just as useful as any jutsu…"
"If that were an option, we'd have done it from the start." Mizurei shook his head, "You know there's a law forbidding usage of our powers, and with those sensors around, there's no way to cheat that law…" he scowled, "The Lanterns react to our presence, but activating our powers triggers them from further away. If we use our powers here, everyone in the city will know that someone among us has broken the law." He turned his head to the southwest, the direction of the Capital, "When my group attacked you people, we were taking a major risk. We may have been further from the city, but if they picked up the slightest resonance… someone here will soon have to pay the price."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know…" Ebi said apologetically
"Don't worry about it…" Mizurei sighed, the both of them looked down, saying nothing… "Hmm?" They looked to the side when they heard children laughing. Both Ebi and Mizurei could see a group of children, running around, and laughing happily. The two of them stood there and watched as they could see Hinata was playing with them. "This…" Mizurei said in amazement… "This is something I never thought I'd see…!"
Ebi looked around, he could see quite a few people other than Mizurei were amazed by the sight of the kids having fun with Hinata, shouting 'Nee-chaaan~!'. Ebi then turned to Mizurei, "What do you mean?"
"A lot of those children have been orphaned in recent times… suddenly discovering their powers and activating them unintentionally, and the authorities come to take the criminals away. Often a parent will sacrifice themself by claiming responsibility… but the child is left alone" Mizurei looked down… "We all stick out for each other over here, and plenty of adults have offered to take in those orphaned kids, but they never open up to anyone. But for that girl to have reached them like this… it's incredible!"
"That's Hinata for you…" Kurenai said proudly, stepping into the scene. "Her gentle nature causes people to easily like her." she then glared to the side at a bunch of guys, apparently the ones who accompanied Mizurei…
'She's so pretty…!' 'I've never seen anyone this beautiful!' 'Look at her, she's so gentle, like a saint!' 'Forget saint, she's an angel!' 'I think I'm in love!' All these comments could be heard coming from those guys watching Hinata…
"All of you knock it off!" Mizurei waved his hand, mainly because of the visible killing aura surrounding Kurenai, "You lot come with me, we're going hunting, NOW!" They all nodded, replying with the usual 'Hai Aniki!'. Mizurei sighed and grabbed his spear. Dragging them along was definitely gonna hurt the chances of a catch, but the last thing he needed was for his underlings getting killed by the girl's protective instructor.
As Mizurei's gang left following their leader, Kurenai sighed and calmed down. "Still… I'm rather quite surprised with Hinata. I never recalled her being this outgoing" she watched her sitting in the corner of the camp with the kids, now telling them stories. Somehow, Kurenai had a feeling that the recent change in her student's personality was due to a certain blond-haired ninja's influence… not that it's a bad thing… "I also have a question for you. You've upgraded this mission to an A-rank due to possible danger and lasting for an uncertain amount of time… but just what are your plans?"
"For now… we wait." answered Ebi, "No matter how long it takes, time is no issue for me and I assure you, you'll be paid accordingly. But until Naruto makes any serious decisions, we're on standby."
"Speaking of Naruto, where is he right now?"
"Out training in the forest, I believe"
(Meanwhile)
"OW! SHIT!" Kiba shouted as he hit the ground, clutching his face in pain. In front of him, Naruto stood in a fighting stance, ready for more. They were in the forest area outside the encampment, while Shino and Akamaru were watching. Kiba got up, taking his hands from his face, wriggling his nose a bit to check if it was still intact…
"C'mon! Is that all you got, mutt?" Naruto smirked, coaxing him to fight. His sparring partner growled and came swinging at him, and Naruto swerved his body out of the way, narrowly missing Kiba's clawed hand.
"What's going on here?" asked Kurenai, entering the scene
"Kurenai-sensei" Shino turned and nodded, "Naruto-kun and Kiba-kun are sparring."
"And as usual, I'm wiping the floor with fleabag here!" Naruto smirked, "WHOOP!" he tilted his head back to avoid a punch from an aggravated Kiba
"HEY!" Kiba exclaimed, "I only agreed to spar with you as a favour, so lay off the name-calling!"
"I'll think about it, but maybe you should ACTUALLY TRY and make me break a sweat?" Naruto grinned, absolutely loving the fact that he was getting on the guy's nerves.
Shino said nothing as he continued to watch Naruto annoy the hell out of Kiba by avoiding his attacks while throwing insults and occasionally a punch or two. Kurenai seemed almost amused… but would not laugh out loud at her student's expense.
"I can understand Naruto wanting to keep up his training… but let's be honest here… this match is a total waste of time" said Ebi, crossing his arms
"Hmm? When did you get here?" Kurenai did not recall seeing Ebi following along.
"Never mind that!" Ebi huffed, annoyed for being asked that question again… "I had nothing else to do in camp… no one needed anything and I already finished drawing my plans for Uchiha Sasuke's assassination, so I decided to come here." He shrugged casually. The others stared at him, trying very hard to ignore that last remark.
"Ahem… what makes you say it's useless, Ebi-san?" asked Shino.
"Obviously… Naruto is that much stronger. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Kiba is weak," Ebi added, not wanting to offend Kurenai. They saw Naruto receive a number of hits, but didn't seem the least phased. Right now Naruto seemed done with teasing Kiba and began to speed up; his fists were slipping through Kiba's guard and hitting him repeatedly. "In this simple match of skill without any weapons or chakra, Naruto is utterly dominating. If Naruto had been using his real strength, this would have been over long ago." As usual Shino said nothing, while Kurenai seemed deep in thought with Naruto's astronomical growth "That's why I say they're wasting time. If he's aiming to get stronger, that will never happen if he has to restrain himself just so he doesn't hurt his training partner." As Ebi finished his statement, as if on cue, Kiba staggered dizzily and then fell to the floor panting heavily. He couldn't go on…
"Hey, thanks for the help Kiba, 'preciate it!" Naruto grinned as he reached down and helped Kiba up.
"Just one thing… the next time I agree to spar with you… talk me out of it." Kiba grumbled, as Shino was helping him get back to the camp.
As Naruto stood there and sighed, Ebi approached him, "Nice job there. You've certainly gotten stronger" he commented, giving a satisfied nod.
"Yeah, I know… but still, I hoped Kiba would've put up more of a challenge…" Naruto sighed as they trailed Kiba, Shino and Kurenai from a distance, "I mean… When we fought, it felt like everything he did was in slow motion. His hits didn't even hurt. Even if he came at me with jutsus and weapons, I think I still would've won."
"Well what do you expect? After the kind of enemies you've been fighting? It's natural that you'd grow as well." Ebi stated, "I guess you probably realized it by now, but you're not the type who improves through regular practice, but through battle. After fighting such monstrous opponents, regular ninjas wouldn't even be able to touch you."
"Heh… yeah… problem is, if I only get stronger by fighting, then who else is gonna be my sparring partner?" Naruto wondered, his arms behind his head, "I chose Kiba because I got no problem with hitting him, I already have experience in beating him up (and this time I didn't even have to fart!). I probably can't even punch Shino without getting bugs spewed all over me, and there is no way in HELL I'm ever gonna hit Hinata…" Naruto thought out loud… "Ara?" he and Ebi, along with the others ahead all looked up, they could hear the sound of a lot of commotion coming from the direction of the camp.
"Something's going on!" Said Ebi, as the three in front of them could be seen moving quickly towards the camp, "Let's move!"
(Encampment 6)
The first thing they noticed as soon as they came through the entrance was that all the activity going on in the village had come to a sudden halt, and a lot of items and tools could be seen lying on the ground, as if everyone had suddenly stopped what they were doing. The crowd was standing silent, with a look of fear in their faces.
There in the middle of the camp stood a group of newcomers. Among them stood a middle-aged man wearing a Mist headband and flak jacket bearing the royal emblem. Tucked beneath his arm was a large leather-bound book of this country's laws. He carried a very fine and decorated sword, as well as ornamented armguards and greaves. Even his forehead protector seemed to have been altered to look fancier. Accompanying him was a retinue of Yojimbo, four in all, each of them clad in armour that had a pole attached to the back carrying a banner that bore the same emblem.
"Hmph…!" the Mist jounin scowled, not noticing Naruto and the other nins from Konoha arriving. "Where is he?!" The villagers recoiled in fear. "I demand that Mizurei show himself right now!"
"Psst! Ebi! Who is this jerk?" whispered Naruto, not liking the guy's haughty tone.
"That symbol…" Ebi's eyes narrowed as he recognized the crest of the royal family on the man's back. "No doubt about it. He's Kirishaku."
"THAT'S Kirishaku?" Naruto growled as the people trembled in fear of the man…
"L… Lord Kirishaku…" One of the bloodline villagers slowly stepped forward, "Mi… Mizurei is not… AHHH!" he suddenly screamed as he felt a sharp pain across his shoulder. Kirishaku had thrown a shuriken, cutting him there.
"So arrogant to even address me directly… know your place! Lest I must force my men to sully their swords on filth like you." Kirishaku said coldly, as the samurai bodyguards drew their swords an inch from the scabbards in a threatening manner, sheathing them only after Kirishaku gave a dismissing wave of his hand. "So that scum Mizurei isn't here, is he? Or is he just hiding?" there was no response, "Some time ago, we detected illegal activity on our sensors. It was resonating from a long distance, but there's no mistake. Someone among you has broken the law!" He shouted once again, "I have reason to suspect the one responsible for this crime is none other than that rogue, Mizurei. I have come personally to arrest him, and bring him to justice!"
At that statement, there was suddenly a lot of chatter among the people of the camp. This couldn't be…! They all knew what the penalty was! 'NO! Please! You can't take away Mizurei-san!' 'Mizurei-san watches out for us, he has saved us from bandit raids in the camps!' 'He's not a criminal! Mizurei is a hero!' all of them were pleading.
"SILENCE, OR I'LL HAVE THIS MANGY VILLAGE BURNED TO THE GROUND!" Kirishaku roared, silencing the crowd. As they continued to look around, frightening and muttering fearfully among themselves, Kirishaku smiled, "(Ah… long have I waited for this moment… when I can finally be rid of that damned rogue!)"
"What kind of sick joke is this!?" Naruto growled, watching that man preening himself and flaunting his superiority over these poor people "Bastard…! I'm gonna kick his ass!" he stepped forward, when suddenly both Shino and Ebi grabbed him, "Hey!"
"What do you think you're doing, Naruto…!?" Ebi whispered angrily as they held Naruto back, "Do you have any idea just how powerful that man is? He's royalty! Pick a fight with him is almost the same as declaring war against this country!"
"Shit…! This is crazy!" Naruto growled, shaking off Ebi and Shino and then crossed his arms, "He's coming here and spewing all this crap about committing a crime…! Mizurei already told me about those sensors, I know they don't say who did it! But that man has the balls to come out here with no evidence whatsoever and demand they all hand over the person they all love so he can be put to death?!"
"Hmm? Those headbands…" Kirishaku heard some chatter and turned his head to see Naruto, Shino, Kiba and Kurenai at the entrance. He instantly identified them as three genin and their jounin sensei, "You must be the emissaries from the Leaf Village." He instantly straightened himself and addressed them in a dignified manner, "I apologise for the unsightly lot you see before you. I can see you took a wrong turn and arrived here by mistake! Please don't worry, I will shortly accompany you to the Hidden Village-ARGH!" He suddenly exclaimed. In that one moment of distraction, a rock has suddenly flown and hit him on the side of the head. Many gasps could be heard from the crowd… "WHAT!?" turned around…
"You bad man! Go away! Leave Mizurei-niichan alone!" a child shouted. He was the one who threw the rock. A lot of people quickly stepped away from the little boy…
"You dare humiliate me in front of the emissaries…!?" Kirishaku's dignified facade instantly melted away, "Representatives from Konoha, I ask that you step outside, while I discipline the freaks!" not caring that foreign ninjas were watching, he immediately started walking towards the child… when suddenly a girl stepped in front of the little boy. The Konoha nins eyes widened when they saw who it was… Hinata! "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, not even noticing the Konoha band around her neck… "Move!"
"I will not allow you to hurt this child, Kirishaku!" Hinata said in a defiant tone.
"Oh really?" Kirishaku growled, infuriated by this girl's attitude. How dare she speak to him in such a tone! "Is he that important to you? Why? Is he your kid?" Kirishaku's hand suddenly shot forward, taking Hinata by surprise as he grabbed her roughly by the hair and pulled her head back. "Hmph, such ugly, unnatural eyes…" he commented, glaring hatefully at her face, "You know, I shouldn't be surprised at all. No concept of morality whatsoever… selling your body at such a young age, filthy little-" before Kirishaku could finish the sentence, Naruto appeared right in front of him…
SMAAAAACK!
"AAAARGH!" Kirishaku screamed as he took the full brunt of Naruto's fist directly into his face, sending him spinning through the air before landing face-down on the floor. Absolutely everyone's eyes opened wide and mouths hung open, and even Kirishaku's bodyguards were too shocked to move.
Without a word, Naruto reached down and gently helped Hinata back to her feet. He smiled in relief when he saw she was unhurt. Naruto then turned back to Kirishaku, closed his eyes and took a very deep breath through his nose… "YOU ASSHOLE! KEEP YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HINATA!" He suddenly exploded. "IF YOU LAY SO MUCH AS A FINGER ON HER AGAIN, I SWEAR I'LL TEAR YOUR HEAD OFF AND BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH IT!"
"AH…! W… WHY YOU…!" Kirishaku lifted himself from the ground with a number of his teeth missing. He couldn't believe this boy struck him over a mere Bloodline girl! "You… you dare strike royalty!? Do you have any idea just who you are dealing with!?"
"Oh blah-blah, SHUT THE HELL UP! I'm not interested in any of the shit you have to say!" Naruto pointed at him, while Hinata remained by his side. The shock of Naruto's actions had worn off and the samurai bodyguards drew their swords… "Pfft! Now I'm just disappointed!" Naruto crossed his arms and scoffed while turning his head to the side. He did not seem remotely concerned about the samurai. "After everything I've heard about Kirishaku, I half expected him to be some ten-foot ogre thing… but THIS is it!? I can think of a million words that'd fit this crusty shitbag, but there are children watching!"
"(And he's saying that AFTER cussing up a storm in front of everyone?)" the same thought crossed everyone's minds…
"THAT DOES IT!" Kirishaku shouted, pointing at Naruto, "FORGET THE ALLIANCE! I WANT HIS HEAD!" all the Yojimbo complied, taking a stance… when suddenly…
"AHHH!" One of the Yojimbo screamed when something huge came flying at him from behind! The three other samurai were taken by surprise when they saw what took down their comrade… an enormous dead boar?
"Oi-oi, what's going on here?" A voice called, as all eyes turned to the entrance. Accompanied by his group of scruffy-but-loyal followers, Mizurei stood at the entrance with his arm held out, having thrown the wild pig carcass at the samurai. "What, I leave home for a few minutes and all hell breaks loose?"
"YOU!" Kirishaku shouted at Mizurei, but the bloodline leader simply ignored him,
"That was a nice shot there, Naruto. God knows how long I've wanted to do that" Mizurei smirked, cracking his knuckles and glaring at the three battle-ready samurai, "I'll take it from here! HAAAA!" he roared and charged forward, his right fist struck square into one samurai's face, the impact lifting him right off the ground and sailing through the air, his helmet flying right off as his body hit the ground hard. A weak groan escaped the unfortunate man's lips as he lay there with his face utterly smashed and most of his teeth missing. "Whoa!" he dodged another one's sword by a hair's width, "For trash like you, my fists are more than enough! HA!" he delivered a powerful body blow. A loud cracking noise could be heard, and the man fell to the ground gasping desperately with a huge dent on the waist where he had been hit and cracks running across his armour.
The last yojimbo was trembling in fear as this impossibly strong rogue then turned his sights on him and now approached him "Stay back…!" he exclaimed, pointing his blade at him… which went flying out of his hands after Mizurei gave it a good slap.
"You don't hesitate for a second to turn your blades on defenceless people, but as soon as someone can fight back you suddenly become cowards?" Mizurei's left hand shot up and grabbed him by the face and began to grip him hard, "Let me show you just how I deal with scum like you…"
"Ah… AAAAH!" the man screamed out when Mizurei's grip suddenly tightened! He tried to struggle, but Mizurei was just too strong… he was gonna crush his skull…!
At the last moment, Mizurei released him, letting him fall to the ground. He didn't kill him, the samurai simply fainted out of fear. The imprint of Mizurei's hand was clear on his face. "That was almost as easy as it was depressing. You called these high-priced samurai? Don't make me laugh! These are nothing but thugs that you dressed in expensive clothing! Fitting actually…" He shot the Mist Jounin a dirty look
"Y-you think you've won!?" Kirishaku shouted, reaching inside his jacket… "Stand back!" In his right hand he pulled out an inro bearing the crest of the royal family. "You see this? You stand in the presence of royalty! Any action you take against me will be considered high treason! Mizurei, ringleader of the Bloodline freaks… By both Royal decree and authority as a Jounin of the Mist, I hereby sentence you to-"
THUD!
"SHADDUP ALREADY!" Kiba kicked Kirishaku in the back and knocked him down.
"Thank you, Mr. Inuzuka." Said Ebi, "Please keep him quiet for a moment."
"My pleasure, boss!" Kiba stepped onto Kirishaku's back. "Keh-heh! It's times like this that I REALLY love my job…!" He grinned, happily embracing the role of hired goon.
"HEY! GET OFF OF-MMPH!" Kirishaku couldn't say more as Kiba's foot stamped down hard on his head, pressing his face down into the ground.
"I was hoping to be diplomatic, but since we've already come this far…" Ebi sighed, reaching down to pluck the small leather-bound book Kirishaku carried. "Now shut up and eat some dirt for a minute while I PROPERLY read the rules…" his eyes darted left and right as he flipped through the pages. "Nothing here… yadda-yadda-yadda… here we are! AHEM! Section 7, Article 5: Those who are born inheriting genetic powers from particular bloodlines are hereby forbidden to use said powers under any circumstance. Failure to comply will result in punishment to the fullest extent of the law. However, in the event that individuals of the aforementioned group are threatened or attacked without provocation, they possess the full right to act in self-defence."
Ebi closed the book and straightened his glasses, the lens glowing in the sunlight. "If I remember correctly, you threatened everyone here multiple times and in the process assaulted a civilian with a lethal weapon… which according to your own rulebook, gives them the green light to beat your ass into the ground." He smirked, dropping the book. "Of course, if you can ignore our friend's alleged ''infraction' and drop the charges, you can quietly leave this place with perhaps most of your bones still intact." He calmly walked off, motioning Kiba to follow. Kiba hopped off the nobleman's back and trailed behind Ebi, spitting on the ground in the process.
"Grrr…!" Kirishaku scrambled to his feet. Looking around him, all the people of this village were glaring dangerously at him… even the ninjas from Leaf Village. Seeing his unfavourable position, he backed off, "This isn't over! You and the rest of these freaks will pay for this! MEN! Let's go, I can't stand the stench of this place any longer!" The two samurais who could still move grabbed the other two and limped away as fast as they could while Kirishaku turned around and started walking in a dignified manner… stopping once more and turning his head, "Emissaries of the Leaf… after this incident, you can forget ANY ideas about forming an alliance with the Mist!"
"As if we would ever align ourselves with a country that employ scum like you as shinobi!" Kurenai spoke in a harsh tone, receiving surprised glances from her students. "How you could ever achieve the jounin rank is a mystery well beyond me!"
"It's not that hard to see he only gained his position by throwing enough money at the right people!" Hinata's eyes narrowed on the aristocrat.
"Still giving him too much credit. I wouldn't be surprised if he just walked into a costume shop and started forcing everyone to call him a ninja!" said Kiba, looking at the headband and vest, both of which had been altered just to look more expensive.
"Weak, stupid, corrupt… not a single redeeming quality." said Shino as Kirishaku walked away, trying to maintain a dignified manner.
"(In all my years, I have NEVER been so insulted! To be looked down at by those freaks… and for the Leaf Ninjas to side with them…?! What is this world coming to!?)" Kirishaku thought as he passed through the camp's entryway.
"Hey Kirishaku! You forgot something!" Naruto ran to the entrance of the camp, holding the shuriken Kirishaku threw earlier, "You can have it BACK!"
"YEEEEOOOWW!" Kirishaku's scream echoed loudly in the air. The whole camp roared with laughter as Kirishaku broke into a run, the shuriken firmly stuck in his left buttock.
"That was brilliant!" Mizurei shouted, slapping Naruto on the shoulder, while the people in the camp ran to the two of them, laughing and cheering for them both.
"Did you catch the look on his face? Seriously, I thought he was gonna explode!" Naruto also laughed along with him
"Heh, good on you for taking the first swing!" Kiba threw one arm around Naruto's neck and laughed, "But what kind of threat was that? Rip off his head and THEN beat him to death? Ah whatever… he got the message!" he then snapped his finger in disappointment "Dammit! If I didn't think I'd get in trouble with Kurenai-sensei, I totally would've taken a couple more swipes at the bastard! Just one kick wasn't enough!"
"Indeed." Kurenai nodded with her eyes closed, feeling secretly grateful that Naruto had acted. If he hadn't done something so rash, she certainly would… not that she was about to admit it. "That man is simply intolerable! I can't believe someone like that could be afforded so much power…!"
"And despite that, we could never truly stand up to him" Mizurei spoke in a more serious tone. "For me, crushing his goons is easy enough, but this is the first time that we really won…!" he smiled, and then turned around, "COME ON EVERYBODY! WE'RE GONNA CELEBRATE! WE JUST SENT KIRISHAKU SCRAMBLING BACK UNDER THE ROCK HE CRAWLED FROM!" his statement was met with many cheers.
The people of the camp got to work. Some people were throwing wood into a pile, to make a fire. That humongous boar Mizurei caught was to be shared by everyone, and it took several men simply to lift it. It wasn't long before this camp was filled with new faces, people from the other camps were flocking in. Before long, the air was filled with the sounds of excitement and laughter… something that has become all too rare.
As the celebrations went on and everyone was talking about the events that had earlier transpired here; most especially the now-legendary moment when Naruto had actually punched Kirishaku. Despite being the topic of most of the conversation, Naruto himself wasn't actually participating in the festivities; as a matter of fact he was sitting on the sidelines, against the village wall.
"Naruto-kun?" said Hinata, walking over to him. "What are you doing here by yourself?" she asked. "Everyone's enjoying themselves. Are you feeling alright?"
"Ah, it's nothing! I'm just not hungry at all!" he grinned… when suddenly his stomach began to growl, "Dammit, shut up!" he punched himself in the stomach… resulting in him doubling over in pain. Seeing the concern in her eyes, he sighed. "It's fine, I got plenty of soldier pill rations in my pack." The mission was supposed to be a quick round trip, he had only brought a single cup of ramen to snack along the way. "It's just… seeing these people, and how they live…" he gazed at the people dressed in rags, he lowered his voice "I don't want to take food away from them…"
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata stared at him. He was concerned about the needs of others…
"Heh… that Mizurei is really something, isn't he?" a smile crossed his Naruto face, "When everyone saw that he wasn't gonna be taken away, they were overjoyed…" he rested his head against the wall, "His strength is unbelievable, and I'm not just talking muscle. He just has this presence… even in a country filled with people who hate them, they aren't afraid when he's around. He protects them, and they all love him…" his eyes shone brightly, almost in admiration. "A strong leader who protects his people and is in turn loved and respected… that's the very kind of leader I want to be…" He let out a sigh.
"Ano… Naruto-kun?" said Hinata, looking down, pressing her fingers together "I… I may not be very strong or experienced… and I do not know what it is like to be a leader… but…" shyly she sat down next to him, "I know that if Konoha village is to have a great leader in the future, one who is respected… a-and also… l-loved…" she turned pink at that word, "…and will always protect us… I know it could only be you, Naruto-kun." she smiled, as Naruto stared at her incredulously, "I want to thank you for earlier… for standing up for me." she shifted a bit, looking away in embarrassment, before facing him, "You didn't care what sort of power that horrible man had at his disposal, and you immediately defended me. What you did for my sake, it really meant a lot to me, Naruto-kun…" She smiled brightly.
"Uh… h-hey now…! Come on, it was no big deal…! Uh…!" Naruto waved his hands, flustered, "I mean…! Anyone would have done it… and… and…!" Hinata giggled slightly at his behaviour, "(Sheesh… what's wrong with me? I usually don't have any trouble talking, ESPECIALLY when receiving a compliment… maybe it's just harder for me to talk to girls? Yeah, that's gotta be it… growing up around Sakura and Ino, no wonder I've got no experience talking to REAL girls…)" He thought to himself. For some reason he had the feeling that that wasn't it… he felt especially nervous as he sat next to her… "(Hmm… what do I do in this situation?)" he didn't know what to talk about with her, but he felt he didn't want her to get bored just sitting around and doing nothing, "(Maybe if I…)"
Slowly and carefully, without saying anything, he reached out with his hand on the ground and slowly slid it towards hers. Not daring to look in her direction, his arm was trembling… that is, until he felt her own hand gently clasp his. Unknown to Naruto, Hinata was probably even more surprised than him. "(I… I'm holding his hand…! I'm sitting next to Naruto-kun… holding his hand…!)"
The two smiled shyly as they continued watching the celebration from a distance, their faces bright red, and hands holding each other's. Even though they weren't actively taking part in the celebration, they found enjoyment in each other's company…
"Naruto-kun… will always be around to protect us… right?"
"Of course! You can count on it!" Naruto grinned, giving her a thumbs-up… before hearing another loud rumbling coming from his stomach… "Dammit! Stop ruining the moment!" Naruto punched his own stomach, before doubling over in pain once again…
"Ano… why don't we go join the others now, Naruto-kun?"
"Yeah, let's do that!" he agreed, getting off the ground and helping her up in the process, both heading towards the large campfire in the center of the small village.
"Well look who's finally decided to join us!" said Mizurei, cutting into the boar with a stone knife, "Hey Naruto, HEADS UP!" he suddenly flung a piece in Naruto's direction
"Huh? OOOOUUUUCH!" Naruto exclaimed when he grabbed the very hot piece of meat in his hands, "DAMMIT-MIZUREI-THAT-IS-HOT!" he shouted, tossing it between his hands while blowing at it.
"I did say heads up." Mizurei shrugged, "I understand you're reluctant to share in the food and fun because you feel sorry for us?"
"HUH? How did you…!? Don't tell me mind-reading's also one of your powers!" Naruto exclaimed, groaning inwardly and feeling embarrassed…
"Nah, it's written all over your face!" Mizurei laughed, "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the sympathy, but it's unnecessary. We've got no money, but don't think for a second that we're starving. There's plenty of food to go around!" Along with the giant boar they hunted, they had plenty more food in stock; enough to last a long time.
"Eh, thanks." Naruto bit into the meat and tore a large chunk off the bone, while Hinata slowly and politely ate the piece she was offered.
"You're in training, aren't you?" Mizurei smirked, "If you wanna get strong you gotta eat right! Have some REAL food, instead of just ramen!"
"Hey! Did I hear you wrong or did you just insult ramen?" Naruto asked,
"No, I'm just saying meat is way better than junk food!" Mizurei retorted
"Only someone who's never actually tasted ramen could say something like that!"
"Some puny bowl of soup and noodles can't satisfy me! There's nothing better than filling my stomach with the meat I've hunted myself!"
"Says you! Absolutely nothing beats ramen! That's why I eat it every day!"
"The stuff is seriously stunting your growth. You're practically a midget!"
"MIDGET!? Well it's still a whole lot better than what you do, eating like a caveman!"
"A CAVEMAN?! DO I DRESS IN ANIMAL SKINS AND CLUB PEOPLE!?"
"AS A MATTER OF FACT, YES! THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT YOU DO!"
"Um…" Hinata sweatdropped as everyone watched as the argument escalated…
"THAT DOES IT! If you're gonna keep spewing this nonsense about ramen, then we're gonna settle this the hard way!" Mizurei shouted, taking a stance.
"Fine with me!" Naruto bit down hard and tore off the rest of the meat and then tossed the bare bone aside, "Winner decides which food is better!"
"YOU'RE ON!" they both charged at one another… and everyone stared speechless as a wild brawl suddenly erupted between the two…
"Well that came out of nowhere…" commented Kiba, watching the wild brawl from a distance while Akamaru lay next to him gnawing on a large pork bone.
"They've probably been itching to go at it since they never actually finished their first fight." said Ebi, who was drinking from a cup of tea he had prepared himself, "They do have quite a lot of in common after all… power levels, skills, even their mindsets are pretty close." Knowing Mizurei possessed a bloodline, it was more than likely he had lived a difficult life too. "But there is one thing they have in common more than anything else…" he glanced in the direction of the two in their titanic struggle…
"H-heh… you're pretty good… but ramen's honour is on the line, and I'll fight you all night if I have to!" Naruto smirked, panting heavily.
"I've met full on junkies who weren't half the addict you are!" Mizurei grinned back, sweating profusely, "There is no way that stuff could be legal!"
"I'LL TEACH YOU TO INSULT RAMEN!"
"BRING IT ON, SHORTY!"
POW!
Everyone cringed as both their fists hit one another's face, and they both stood still for a moment before falling on their backs, both of them knocked out cold.
"…they are both tremendous idiots." Ebi took a sip of his tea, while everyone else sighed.
(The next day, within the Mist Capital…)
The Mist Capital… a vast city located directly in the middle of the Water Country, and the center of all activity within the land. Surrounded by high walls, this great city was over twenty times the size of Konoha village, making it one of the largest cities in the entire continent… and at the very heart of this great metropolis stood the Shogun's castle.
"Damn them…!" Kirishaku growled, his fists clenched as he paced around his chambers located in one of the highest towers. He had spent the previous night in a private hospital, having undergone surgery in which the shuriken had been removed, while there was also a large bandage on his face covering the swelling on his cheek. Everything that had transpired the previous day, from his humiliation at the 6th Camp to the operation, in which the doctors swore complete secrecy under penalty of death… "How dare they! THEY'LL PAY FOR THIS!" he howled, kicking a table nearby, sending the items placed on top spilling and crashing over the floor. Turning, he swung his arms at a fully-assembled samurai armour standing on the side, causing it to fall over and hit the ground, pieces of the armour scattering across the floor. To say he was mad was more than an understatement, as he continued shouting loudly while breaking everything around him, visualizing Naruto's and Mizurei's faces with every object he broke.
"The fool's throwing another tantrum?" Yashiro scowled as he looked up at the tower from the courtyard. The shouting could easily be heard from down below. In the fairly short time he had been staying here, he noticed this sort of thing was common whenever that spoiled noble was in a bad mood… and by the sound of it, he was particularly angry. Not that he had any interest in hearing about Kirishaku's day, he did note some interesting words coming from the idiot's mouth… namely a rogue named Mizurei and a ninja from the leaf… "The ninja from the leaf is no concern, but just who is this Mizurei?" he wondered, also remembering the name coming up a number of times…
"According to the locals, he's a Bloodline punk… and possibly the toughest this city's ever produced." a voice spoke up from behind him. Dressed in the standard castle guard's uniform and carrying a spear, it was the man who fought Kakashi back in Kohona Village… the martial artist who wielded lightning… Lei Maoyan.
"I'm not going to warn you again about approaching me from behind." said Yashiro, releasing his grip from his sheathed sabre, "But do go on." He turned around to his comrade Maoyan, who was currently posing as a castle guard.
"There's plenty of stories about that Mizurei." Maoyan shrugged, "He too was among those exiled for being born with powers, but unlike the rest of them who were living among society, he grew up as an orphan in the Mist Capital slums." Said Maoyan, "Now, I don't know if you've actually taken a look at this city's underside… it's a whole other world, no lawmen will ever set foot if they hope to come back alive. Years of neglect from this country's nobility has allowed it to fester, while gangs openly wage war for control." He explained, "Slum orphans are seen as vermin, who either lead very short lives or grow up to serve the gangs… but Mizurei did the impossible. In the last few years, the fighting suddenly stopped and the biggest gangs were completely toppled. That Mizurei did more than survive the underworld. He conquered it."
"Interesting… I like him already." Yashiro commented.
"Ever since he got exiled along with all the Bloodlines, there's been a vacuum of power. The underworld has fallen back into chaos." Maoyan laughed. "At least it's not all bad. Nergui is actually enjoying the anarchy. Whenever he's not drinking his own weight at the tavern, he's probably cracking ganger skulls out in the slums."
"I wonder…" Yashiro crossed his arms, "Knowing this country's tolerance towards Bloodlines, why wasn't he executed the second he was outed?"
"Because!" Yashiro and Maoyan turned to see Kirishaku entering the scene, having heard Yashiro's question. Yashiro gave a respectful bow and Maoyan performed a formal salute… even if the gestures were devoid of loyalty. "That rogue's brutal nature is precisely the reason I had him exiled to the camps! He is a danger to everyone around him, and I had hoped that he may even serve to decrease their numbers!" He smiled wickedly at the thought… but it quickly changed into a scowl. "Once again, I find myself disappointed. He has taken on the role of leader… and as a result, the freaks have become more defiant than ever! If only those fools in the council will listen to my suggestion and send a fully armed garrison, we could finally be rid of this infestation…!"
"He loves the sound of his own voice…" Maoyan sighed as he and Yashiro walked off, leaving Kirishaku speaking to no one in particular, although he didn't seem to notice, "All the better for us I suppose. I can't imagine things being this easy for us if they hadn't given him so much power."
"That may be… but it is truly sickening, feigning loyalty to that fool…! I don't know just how much longer I can keep up with this charade!" Yashiro growled, having lost count of the number of times he had wanted to kill Kirishaku just to shut him up… but they still needed him alive. "But this Mizurei… I would really like to find more about him. If I am not mistaken, he may be just what I'm looking for."
"Everyone in the slums knows about him. All you need is a little 'persuasion', and they'll tell everything they know. Shall I get Nergui to ask around?"
"No… I will go myself." Said Yashiro, as he stepped beyond the palace gates and marched down the steps, into the city below…
(Location- Bloodline Encampments)
If you had visited the bloodline camps one week ago, you would not believe this was the same place here and now. Over the past few days, the camps had been undergoing some serious changes and renovations. The flimsy shacks were being rebuilt into solid houses, village walls being torn down to create more space, and there was a well being dug, which once completed, would give them access to fresh clean water nearby without having to travel all the way to the river.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but this place really doesn't look half-bad…" Mizurei whistled, looking around.
"With all the extra space, you'll be able to start planting rice. Once the weather permits it, that is…" Ebi shivered a bit, his breath was visible by the cold. The weather has gotten colder of late. Winter in this country came earlier than in the Fire Country, and they were much longer and colder. It was for this reason that everyone was working to reinforce their houses, in preparation for the harshness of a Water Country winter.
"A prison's a prison, no matter how you decorate it." Mizurei closed his eyes and crossed his arms. In society's eye, exile to this place was no different from being locked up in jail. Life here was miserable, but all that's been changing ever since the Konoha Nins arrived. "Though we can't change the circumstances, at least the people have regained their spirit. Heh… I guess I really do owe you guys…"
"If there really is someone you should thank, it would have to be Naruto." Said Shino in his usual stoic demeanour, "He is after all why we are all here"
"Speaking of which, where is the guy? I haven't seen him all day" asked Kiba, turning his head and looking to spot the blonde genin among the crowd. He sniffed in the air, hoping to catch a whiff, but no such luck.
"The last time I saw him, he was at the boys' cabin," said Kurenai. Since they were staying here for an indefinite amount of time, it only made sense that they found places to stay. Mizurei's place was large enough to accommodate the boys, while some of the local carpenters had pulled together the materials and built a dwelling for Kurenai and Hinata nearby, "Do you have any idea?"
"No… Naruto-kun didn't tell me he was going anywhere" she replied sadly
"Maybe he's out training in the woods again?" asked Kiba, not wanting to try out as his sparring partner a second time. "(Note to self: as soon as we get back to Konoha, train non-stop till I can beat his ass and reclaim my dignity!)" He angrily grit his teeth.
"You're looking for Naruto-san?" said a passing villager. "I saw him heading over to the city. Said he had some business." He pointed in the direction of the Capital.
"WHAT?!" Everyone shouted, "He went to the Mist Capital? ALONE?"
"Are you sure that's what you saw?" Mizurei pointed at him, and the villager nodded.
"Ugh, wonderful… simply wonderful" Kurenai closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. She just knew this couldn't be good.
"What sort of business?" Ebi wondered… "I doubt he knows anyone living there. Maybe something related to bloodline persecutions?" Everyone crossed their arms… that idea had also crossed their minds. "The question is what he could possibly be doing? Changing people's long-held beliefs isn't something you can just DO. Frankly I can't think of him doing much, other than speaking from a soapbox or handing out pamphlets."
"PFFT! Yeah right!" Kiba dismissed Ebi's suggestion, "This is NARUTO we're talking about! Pamphlets involve WRITING! Hell, there's a better chance that he's running around the city punching random people till he thinks they're not racist anymore!"
"…" Kiba's remark was followed by a very long and uncomfortable silence.
"DEAR GOD! WE HAVE TO STOP HIM!" they all screamed. Everyone immediately went sprinting towards the city, save for Mizurei and Hinata.
"Sheesh Hinata," Mizurei sighed, "Your boyfriend is a bigger piece of work than I thought."
"M-M-MIZUREI-SAN!" Hinata exclaimed, now an impressive shade of crimson.
(Location- Mist Capital)
"Man, it's friggin' cold…" Naruto said to himself, exhaling on his hands and then rubbing them together for warmth before sticking them back into his pockets. As he walked the streets, he was feeling quite impressed by the build of the city… the sights and sounds of merchants and citizens haggling over prices, buildings many times higher than those back home… This city made Konoha look like a quaint little rural village. He wasn't wearing his headband right now; he had removed it before he reached the gates, knowing there'd be trouble with the guards if they saw that he was a foreign ninja.
Naruto's reason for coming here wasn't for sightseeing or activism… he had a much more pressing matter in mind… "Where the hell can I find a ramen stand?!" He's been wandering for two hours and he hasn't caught so much as a whiff! "Dammit! I thought the open racism was bad enough, but NO RAMEN!? It's barbaric!" He suddenly turned around and pointed at a crowd, "YEAH, YOU HEARD ME! YOU PEOPLE MAKE ME SICK!"
"Mommy? Is that boy crazy?"
"Don't look at him!"
"Well, there's an afternoon wasted…" Naruto huffed as he continued walking… feeling unusually agitated. He always felt annoyed whenever denied his favourite meal, but it was strange… "(What is this feeling?)" He wondered to himself. The moment he first set foot in this city he was on edge. Earlier he just dismissed it, but this tense feeling has been eating away at him… growing all the more intense…
"Ngh…!" Naruto clenched his teeth, gripping his stomach… there was a strong unsettling feeling in his gut. "What's going on?" cold sweat poured from his face, his eyes were darting left and right. "This feeling…!" his eyes opened wide. KILLING INTENT!
As Naruto spun around, he felt his heart stop. His body was trembling uncontrollably, at the source of this almost tangible bloodlust… "Y… you…!"
"Hello, fox-boy." Said Yashiro. Naruto suddenly jumped back, so that they both stood at a distance from each other… "It's been a while."
"What… what are you doing here!?" Naruto shouted at the white haired demon carrier, his hand close to his weapon pack…
"I could ask you the very same question… though by the looks of it, I'd say you're looking for a fight." Yashiro eyed Naruto's hand. Though his face showed no visible emotion, Naruto could feel a tremendous pressure raining down on him… "You must be the leaf ninja that Kirishaku's been screaming about."
"Kirishaku?" Naruto stared at him, surprised to hear that name coming from his mouth, "What's your connection with that man? Are you working for him?!"
"Only for as long as is needed. The fool still has a part to play…" His lips then curved into a twisted smile as he began approaching Naruto, "I wonder… if I were to present to him your head, would it shut him up?"
"HAAA!" Naruto threw a smoke bomb at the ground. Many surprised screams filled the air as of smoke covered the streets, while Naruto turned and made a break for it in the opposite direction, "(I have to get out of here!)" Naruto thought as he ran through the smoke. He saw how that man fought in Konoha; he knew he was out of his league!
"Going somewhere?" Naruto suddenly skidded to a halt when he saw Yashiro was already in front of him! Before Naruto could react, Yashiro punched his face and sent him crashing into a bunch of trash cans by the wall… "Rather than go through with this pointless struggle, why don't we discuss things like civilized men?" Yashiro approached the trash cans. The wind blew away the smoke, revealing that Naruto was no longer there. Turning his gaze towards a building, Yashiro caught a glimpse of orange jumping across the rooftops and vanishing from sight, "I thought as much…" he sighed.
"(SHIT!)" Naruto screamed internally as he could see Yashiro leap up onto the rooftops and quickly started gaining on him! "(Grr…! What do I do now? Running was my only option!)" he clenched his teeth. "(If I can't outrun him… then I'll have to trick him!)" he thought to himself, putting his hands together… "Kage-bunshin-AAAGH!" he screamed when a trashcan lid came flying through the air and nailed him on the side of the head! Not only did it interrupt the jutsu, but he was in the middle of a jump between two buildings! "AH… AAAAAAHHHHH!" He screamed as he plummeted towards the ground…
"Heh! Got him!" From down below, Maoyan smiled triumphantly as he watched Naruto fall from the air. "You can thank me later, fox-boy. If you persisted in angering Yashiro, you'd most certainly be killed. At least this way there's the chance he'll talk. Good luck with that… if you survive the fall." smiling happily as usual, he walked away, not anxious to see what lay in store for Naruto should he refuse their demands…
Naruto was falling fast, he could see the ground quickly getting closer, and he was going to hit it head-first! "Come on… focus!" he exclaimed, quickly closing his eyes, gathering chakra… "KAGE BUSHIN NO JUTSU!" he created a single clone beneath him. Naruto pressed his feet against the clone's back and used him as a springboard towards the side of the building. "YES!" He cheered, continuing to bound between the walls of the two buildings as he headed downwards till he finally landed on the ground, unharmed and standing up on his two feet. "Whew…" a relaxed sigh escaped his lips as he slumped back against the wall in these alleyways… but his serious expression quickly returned as he remembered he was still in danger! "AH…!" His eyes widened as he spotted a figure from the corner of his eye. Yashiro had already caught up.
"Such amusing tricks. Maybe you'd have been better off performing in the circus than fighting on the battlefield." Yashiro said as he approached him once more.
Naruto growled, standing up and taking his fighting stance. If anything, he was in more danger than ever. When he first encountered Yashiro in the open streets, there were enormous crowds of people and enough witnesses to at least deter him… But right now, they were alone in these dark alleys with no eyewitnesses, nowhere to run and no reason for Yashiro to restrain himself! "What do you want from me!?"
"Above all, your loyalty." Yashiro answered. "Naturally, you should be siding with us. After all… you and I are exactly the same."
"URUSAI! (SHUT UP!) Don't you dare compare us! We're NOTHING alike, murderer!"
"And what right does an assassin-by-trade have to judge me? You ninjas kill merely for the patronage of squabbling, feudal lords." Yashiro retorted, "Your abilities are wasted in that puny village and ignorant, self-serving masters! Join us and be among your own kind, and fight for a higher cause. With us, you will finally learn your true potential."
"I didn't take Nergui's offer, so what the hell makes you think I'd take yours? 'My own kind'? What kind of crap is that?" Naruto shouted, "If there has to be something we have in common, it'd be that we've both been forced to live with some damn monster locked up inside us! That's it!"
"Forced? You really are a fool. This demon is the greatest thing that ever happened to me." Yashiro frowned, "To have it bestowed upon me is the highest honour… and with it I have been blessed with power and purpose." He spoke in a tone of reverence, "Such incredible beings these demons are… knowledge and power far beyond the comprehension of mere men." He said in reverence, "You and I are blessed, and that alone makes us the same! Having become one with demons, no longer are we truly human. With the power we hold, we can change the world and usher in the new age…"
"A new age…?" Naruto asked, trying to keep Yashiro talking to stall for time. His eyes were quickly scanning the area around him, trying to devise some sort of plan to escape…
"The era of MaShin… when this world is free from chaos and all submit to Imperial rule!" Yashiro glared at him. "You may not be wearing your village's emblem, but I know where your loyalties still lie…" he approached Naruto, clenching his fists…
"Grr…!" Naruto clenched his teeth, he couldn't see any means of escape! Standing in these deep dark alleyways alone with that man, he was trapped! "No…" he said quietly. His expression changed as a smile crossed his lips, he began to chuckle…
"Hmm?" Yashiro stared at Naruto…
"Deep down I already realized it… from the moment you spotted me, it would come to this…" Naruto reached down into his pocket, pulling out his headband… "Running is pointless… there's just no way I can escape you. So if I can't run…" as he finished tying his headband, he slid one foot forward, turning his body a bit to the side as he raised his hands in a fighting stance, "I'll just have to beat you!"
"You're challenging me…?" Yashiro's eyes opened wide and a smile crossed his face. He looked as if he were about to laugh… "An admirable decision…"
"HA!" Naruto pulled out a handful of shuriken clutched between his fingers and flung them in Yashiro's direction. As Yashiro smoothly evaded each one, Naruto sent chakra down into his legs to increase his speed and darted forward with a kunai aiming for Yashiro's heart… "WHAT!?" he gasped when his hands stopped short. Yashiro caught his wrist!
"Admirable… but still the wrong choice!" Yashiro pulled Naruto's arm up and lifted him off the ground, "HA!" with his other hand he punched Naruto's gut.
"AGH…!" Naruto's eyes opened wide and jaw dropped while bits of saliva flew from his mouth. Yashiro released Naruto, allowing him to fall and hit the ground. Naruto shook his head, trying to block out the pain and the taste of bile in his mouth… "KURAE!" he suddenly sprung upwards and swung his chakra-packed fist towards Yashiro's face.
"Is that all?" Yashiro asked calmly as he tilted his head to avoid the punch. punch. Naruto screamed furiously and attacked with a blazing flurry of punches, yet not a single one of them connected! "Did you really expect to beat me with such pitiful strength?" He slammed down on Naruto's head, sending him hitting the ground,
"MADA-MADA! (I'M NOT DONE YET!)" Naruto screamed, springing back up and flipping high into the air, latching onto the wall behind him. Growling, he clenched his right fist tight… and an aura was beginning to surround that right hand. He was gathering so much chakra into his fist, it was actually visible, "HAAA!" kicking off the wall so hard it left cracks, he shot towards Yashiro like a bullet, fist first.
"You are eager… I'll give you that." Yashiro shifted into a quick draw stance. As Naruto got into range, Yashiro instantly sliced off his hand. "Hmm!?" He exclaimed when Naruto burst into smoke!
"EAT THIS!" Right behind the clone that just exploded, the real Naruto held a sphere in his hands, his sights were set directly at Yashiro's face…! "RASENGAN!"
Naruto coughed and shielded his eyes from the dust that flew into the air, as everything hit by the sphere had been ground into a fine powder. As the cloud of dust cleared, Naruto's eyes opened wide. There was a large hole in the brick wall created by his Rasengan… but Yashiro wasn't there! "WHAT THE…!?" Naruto turned his head and gasped when he saw Yashiro standing right behind him, "N-NO…!"
"You just don't get it, do you?" said Yashiro, completely untouched by Naruto's attack. "You are alive right now only because I allow it." he raised his two sabres and darted forwards, right past Naruto. Before the genin could move, before he even realized what happened, Yashiro was standing behind him, sheathing his blades.
"…wha?" Naruto's eyes were opened wide… and suddenly, from all over his body, blood came spraying out. Without even a word, his sight grew dim, his thoughts were fading and he collapsed to the ground covered in countless open wounds.
"Did I overdo it?" Yashiro wondered out loud, staring at the boy, as a pool of blood was forming around him. "No, still alive…" he sighed, looking down at the wounded child. If Naruto was alive at this point, then he was in no danger. The demon fox would heal those wounds. "I wanted to see for myself how capable you are in battle, and I must say… what a disappointment. The nine-tailed fox is completely wasted on garbage like you." Yashiro glared down at him, "No. The real disappointment is that I don't have with me the means of extracting the demon into a more suitable host. Kyubi is worthless now." He drew his saber and pointed it downward, holding it over Naruto's neck… "Such a waste."
Naruto lay there, helpless and defeated… completely at Yashiro's mercy. He could see Yashiro's sabre coming down at him… as it did, time itself seemed to slow. "(Am I going to die…?)" he asked himself, as the grim prospect was dawning on him. He was going to die here… alone… separated from his friends, in a place far from home. Naruto shut his eyes tight. The thought of such an outcome terrified him.
Suddenly, out of the blackness of his mind, an image came into him… "Hinata…" he said quietly… picturing her smiling face… gentle and pure "(She had always supported me… from the very beginning, when I first received my headband… no… before that even…)" the smiling image of her then vanished… to that of a withdrawn girl with a sad expression… the very same expression she used to wear. "(If I die… she'll be sad and lonely… and that strength and determination I've seen in her… they'll die with me!)" his eyes shot open…!
"WHAT!?" For the first time, Yashiro's expression was that of pure shock when he felt his sabre suddenly stop. Looking down at Naruto, he could see that he had stopped the blade by grabbing it with his bare hands!
"H-heh…" Naruto smirked, sweating heavily while blood dripped from his fingers. "I know I'm nowhere near your level… I know you've killed people far stronger than me… but no matter what… I can't die yet! Not until I become Hokage… not until I've stopped this country's useless feud…! Until that happens… I REFUSE to die!" still holding the blade, Naruto was getting up, pushing back against Yashiro! "AND THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL I'M GONNA LET YOU CHANGE THAT!" The sabre was suddenly ripped right out from Yashiro's hands and flung to the side! Yashiro had a look of shock as Naruto got up once again, and his sabre was stuck in a wall. "Huff… huff…" Naruto panted, blood dripping all over him.
"How… where did you get this strength…?!" Yashiro gasped. Just moments ago Naruto was on the brink of death, and now he's ready to fight again! Naruto stood there, his eyes were burning with fierce determination, so strong that Yashiro could almost feel it piercing into him, willing him to lose!
"This… isn't over! We're just getting started!" Naruto panted, the marks on his face darkened as the red demon chakra was beginning to emerge…
"No. I'm done." Unexpectedly, Yashiro stepped back.
"Huh?" Naruto blinked, the chakra fading and his red eyes suddenly reverted to blue, "What… are you actually giving up?"
"Don't make me laugh." Yashiro scoffed. He pulled the sabre out of the wall and sheathed it. "In your sorry state, I could kill you a thousand times before you even lay a finger on me. I am simply sparing you for now… but tell me, why are you in this country?"
"I came here on a mission, but that all changed when I learned about the treatment of those born with bloodline powers. Right now, I'm fighting so there will be peace for everyone in this land, regardless of their blood! I don't have the time to waste on you!"
"Interesting…" Yashiro smiled, "Tell me, do you happen to know anything about these sensors found all over the city?" he gestured to the wall. Even in this dank, remote alleyway, some of Kirishaku's blood sensors could be seen above. To the naked eye, they looked no different than lanterns glowing a soft blue light… "These lovely devices exposed an entire race hiding among the population and divided this country. Kirishaku spared no expense in their manufacture and spread. But tell me… did you really think anyone in this primitive country is capable of developing such advanced technology?"
At that statement, Naruto's eyes opened wide. "Don't tell me…!" he pointed at Yashiro… "You were the ones that brought that damn technology!? You're the cause of all this?"
"Precisely… and by taking your stance against Kirishaku, once again you are siding against us." Yashiro answered
"WHY!?" Naruto screamed, "Just what are you trying to accomplish!?"
"War…" Yashiro's eyes glowed at the word. "The people are divided, the hatred is spreading, and war shall be this country's downfall…" he covered his face with one hand, looking as if he were about to laugh… "Truly, the people of this land amuse me to no end…! All of this bloodshed… and we barely have to lift a finger!"
"Why are you telling me all this?" Naruto growled, struggling to remain upright. He was too weak; there was no way he could fight. The only thing keeping him standing was spirit.
"The better question you should be asking… what are you going to do about it?" Yashiro smiled, and turned around, "Consider this a gift, I'm letting you walk away with your life… but I suggest you start thinking about choosing your friends more wisely." and with that, he disappeared into the darkness of the alleyways…
"…ungh…" Feeling the last of his strength fade, Naruto's legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground. "Dammit…!" he growled, punching the floor. Yashiro had defeated him so easily…! As if that wasn't enough, there was now the knowledge of who was behind all this conflict! Kirishaku was nothing more than a puppet to sway the masses; YASHIRO was the cause of everything…! "I failed…!" he growled. He came face-to-face with the source of all this misery… and he couldn't do anything about it! "GRHAAAAA!" Naruto threw his head back and screamed in frustration. Silence followed, as his head hung low…
In the alleyways, footsteps could be heard coming in his direction… yet Naruto didn't even have the strength left to turn his head…
"Bark! Bark!"
"The scent's getting stronger! He's right this way!" a voice that sounded familiar to him shouted, as the footsteps could be heard coming closer…
"Oh my god… NARUTO!"
"What in blazes happened to him!?" a woman's voice shouted
"Naruto! Are you okay?!" Naruto felt hands on his shoulders, he opened his eyes just enough to see them… Kiba and Akamaru, Shino, Kurenai and Ebi… Naruto's eyes fell closed once more. He knew he was safe… "Hang in there Naruto!"
"We've got to get him out of here, right now!"
(Location- Encampment 6)
"Huff…! Huff…!" Hinata was running as fast as she could, past the villagers in the camp. She was gathering herbs in the forest when one of the villagers came and told her the news. "Naruto-kun…!" she said quietly to herself as she was running to one cabin in particular "Please… be okay…!" she bolted through the entrance and came to a halt.
"Hinata?" Kiba turned his head, noticing her run past him into the hut. He, Shino, Kurenai and Mizurei had all been standing outside when she ran in, not even noticing them. Just as he was going to look in, he felt Shino's arm on his shoulder, stopping him. Kiba turned around and saw Shino shaking his head.
Inside the cabin, Naruto was sitting upright and cross-legged on a mat, while Ebi was bandaging him up. "Hmm?" he looked up, seeing her… at that moment Ebi quickly left.
"N… Naruto-kun…" Hinata panted, looking down at him, trembling…
"Hinata…?"
"BAKA!" Hinata suddenly shouted, taking Naruto by surprise, "D… do you have any idea… how scared I was…!?" she asked him, her eyes were closed, she was trembling even harder than before…
"Hinata… I…"
"Do you have any idea… how I felt… when I heard you were hurt…!?" tears were forming in her eyes… "You went out by yourself… without telling any of us… putting yourself in danger just so you can have a snack!?" She shook her head, tears were streaming down her cheeks, "Can't you see…? If anything had happened to you…! I just… I… I don't know what I would do…!" it was then she suddenly flung herself forward, wrapping her arms around him, pressing her face down into his shoulder. "You… idiot…!"
"Hmm…" Naruto didn't say anything, as he watched her clinging desperately to him, crying… "I…" he opened his mouth to speak, but the words didn't come out. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, raising one of his arms and embracing her back, leaning his own head against her… "Gomen… nasai…"
"Naruto-kun… I'm… I'm happy that you are okay… just please…" she was starting to calm down… "Please don't put yourself in danger like this again…"
Hours had passed, and the sun was now setting. At the edge of the encampment, at the gates, Naruto was standing all by himself…
"Hmm…" He sighed, staring into the horizon, gazing at the Mist Capital in the distance, deep in thought. Everything that happened in his encounter with Yashiro kept playing over in his mind, mainly the scheme to plunge this country into war. "Telling me all that… he's taunting me…!" he growled silently… but the feeling of anger was soon replaced by a feeling of helplessness. He could do nothing in the face of that man… in fact, the only reason he even told him all this was because he knew there was nothing he could do… and he felt the truth sinking in. He was only alive because Yashiro had allowed it. Yashiro's mocking question was entirely valid: 'What are you going to do about it?'
Naruto had already told everyone about his encounter with Yashiro back in the city, which was especially shocking for Hinata and Ebi, the only people besides him who knew first-hand what that man was capable of. From that information, it seemed that Naruto was right on the mark in his theory about the Water Country heading for war and the attempt to manipulate Konoha for its own gains… except now they all knew that the land itself was being manipulated by yet another power…
Once again, Naruto omitted everything demon-related when telling this to everyone… as much as he tried to hide it, he just knew he wouldn't be able to conceal the truth much longer. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before he too got exposed being the same as them… "No…!" Naruto closed his eyes "I'm not the same as them…! I'm not!" he closed his eyes… as Yashiro's words kept replaying in his mind…
"How much longer are you going to hide it?"
"Huh? Ebi?" Naruto turned to see him enter the scene, "Hide what?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about Naruto." Said Ebi with his arms crossed, "I'm not talking about the demon inside you… I'm talking about the ones in them." Naruto's eyes opened wide, "What did you think? I've been dealing with the MaShin long before you even knew they existed… hell, before you even became a ninja. The only reason I haven't said anything is because you've made it clear that you don't want anyone else to know…"
"Know what!?" Naruto suddenly snapped, "Know that I'm a freak!? That the people we're fighting have monsters inside them too!? While we're at it, why don't I just tell everyone I'm one of THEM!?" Naruto calmed down, now looking apologetic and ashamed. "It's just… if everyone found out what we're fighting against… I know they will start seeing me the same way… and I don't want that to happen! If mere superstitions over bloodlines can tear families apart… what's to stop an actual demon from tearing away my friends? I've worked so hard to get where I am, I don't want to lose them all…!"
"Very well… I'll respect your decision." Ebi sighed, "I won't say anything. But one thing, Naruto… you shouldn't underestimate the bonds you share with your friends." Ebi walked away, leaving Naruto by himself.
"Bonds…" Naruto said, thinking about what Ebi said. His thoughts flew over to Hinata once more… remembering how upset she was. This was the first time he had actually seen her cry… and that had really hurt him. That very image reminded him of a similar one that came to him in the midst of battle… "When I was about to die… I suddenly thought of her…" he said to himself, remembering when he called the strength to fight back. "But what happened? The moment I thought of her… I suddenly found the strength to continue fighting… to survive, just for her sake…"
Speaking of Hinata, he also remembered something else… namely, why exactly she wasn't among the konoha nins when they brought him back… it was her bloodline ability. "(Her powers… she can't use them either.)" he thought to himself. So long as they remained in the vicinity of the capital, use of her powers was off limits. The prejudice against advanced bloodlines was so extreme that they would deliver the death penalty just for using it… and he had a bad feeling that they would show as much mercy to a countryman as they would to a foreign ninja. "(We may have been able to scare away that snivelling Kirishaku and his thugs earlier on… but what if next time we're faced with trained ninjas, or worse yet, one of the MaShin?)" Naruto was one who really believed in her strength, but without her byakugan… her ability to fight was severely hindered… and she may not be able to defend herself against an actual threat…
"Hey, Ebi told me I'd find you here" said Mizurei, stepping into the scene, "You holding up okay, Naruto?"
"I'm just fine…" Naruto replied, and then sighed… "I really am useless, aren't I?"
"Huh? What makes you say that?" asked Mizurei
"Today I came face-to-face with the man responsible for the hardship and suffering you all went through, and I was completely helpless…" Naruto sighed, "All this time I thought I was so cool… sticking up for the oppressed, making a fool out of Kirishaku… but when push came to shove… I totally choked. I'm starting to wonder if I really can do anything." Mizurei simply blinked, staring at him for a minute…
POW!
"OW!" Naruto shouted, clutching his skull after Mizurei punched him over the head. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?"
"Whew, glad to see we haven't lost you!" Mizurei smirked, rubbing the back of his head, "Seriously man! You were starting to say some really crazy things!"
"Oro?" Naruto blinked
"First of all: the angsty hero routine does not suit you at all. Secondly, what're you saying, talking about yourself like that?" he asked, "You brought us something we've all given up on long ago, hope! You gotta be crazy to think you're useless after that!"
"Mizurei… thanks." Naruto stared at him for a moment, but then smiled back. He then turned towards the city, his expression showing renewed energy, "Ninja or not, no matter what I'm still just a kid compared to Yashiro… and I'm way in over my head if I wanna challenge him. There's no way I can suddenly just magically become stronger than he is… but somehow, I'll find a way to stop him…" he turned then to Mizurei… "Oh, and Mizurei?"
POW!
"OUCH!" Mizurei exclaimed when Naruto punched him over the head! "What the…!"
"Fight me! Now!" Naruto shouted, taking a fighting stance, "If I can get stronger, even just a little bit, I'll go to any lengths, and I won't ever quit!"
"Heh… so you actually wanna fight me in your sorry state? Fine then…" Mizurei rubbed his head, "BUT DON'T EXPECT ME TO GO EASY ON YOU!" he suddenly lashed at Naruto, and the two immediately began their fierce brawl.
Naruto smiled as he and the bloodline leader began trading blows, "I'll keep training, till I get the strength I need to protect everyone! I won't give up, and I'll find a way to beat Yashiro!" his thoughts flew over to Hinata once more, remembering her tears… "And I'll make sure that'll never happen again, I won't ever give her a reason to cry!"
As Naruto and Mizurei continued to fight, the gears continue to turn in motion, as Yashiro's plan to bring forth the Water Country's downfall is reaching its next phase. Though our young hero is still not ready to reveal the truth about their enemies, or himself for that matter… he is more determined than ever to gain the strength to protect his friends and those in need, and defeat Yashiro, and the demon yet to reveal itself. Just how much does Ebi know of the MaShin, and what is he not telling? Find out next time on Naruto: Way of the Ninja!
(To Be Continued)