Chapter 10 - Despair
~Jinchuruki… that's what we call those who carry a demon within them. The name is distasteful, but it is true to what I am… a human sacrifice. Even though my blood hasn't been spilled, my identity has all but erased, overshadowed by that of the demon, and any chance of a normal life has been lost. The MaShin would most likely laugh at that term, as they revel in the powers granted by the demons and view them as blessings. I have no love for the Kyubi, but I also admit that had it not been for its presence, I wouldn't be alive today. No matter how dangerous things got, I always had Kyubi's power to fall back on… until now. Against willing vessels capable of wielding the full might of their demons, I have no advantages. I struggled hard to gain the strength it would take to oppose Yashiro… mentally preparing myself for anything he could do… but I woefully underestimated him. Unlike us shinobi who reside in the shadows… he is an enemy who belongs in true darkness…
-Uzumaki Naruto
(Mist Capital, Shogun's Castle)
Morning had arrived and the sun had risen over the Water Country… though it wasn't easy to tell. The fog that covered these lands had grown heavy to an almost unnatural degree, while dark clouds seemed to blot out the sky.
Standing atop the balcony of the castle, a lone figure stared down at the city. A beautiful young woman in an extravagant, flowing kimono with long black hair that fell past her waist and a golden headdress common among royalty. This girl was Izumi-hime… Princess of this country and only daughter of the Mist Shogun.
Princess Izumi gazed down at the city below, barely visible in the mist. In the sky, no rays of sunlight shone through bringing warmth. The normally beautiful and familiar landscape had become eerie and foreboding… and an ominous feeling seemed to cover the land.
"Hime-sama!" The princess turned her head, hearing her voice, as a female figure suddenly appeared behind her, dropping to one knee and lowering her head. "What are you doing up at this hour?"
"Junko." said Izumi, looking down at the kneeling girl dressed in a traditional ninja garb. Junko had no forehead protector, for she was not bound to the hidden Mist Village. "Please stand up, there is no need for such formalities when we are alone."
"Yes… of course Izumi-hime." Junko rose to her feet, but still addressed her properly. She was born of a highly prestigious clan, not unlike the Hyuga. Junko was of a similar age to the princess, specially trained to serve Izumi as both a protector and attendant. "My apologies princess, but you should not stand out here in the cold. Please return inside."
"I am sorry for worrying you… I will come shortly." Izumi spoke, understanding her concern. Without a doubt Junko was her most loyal and trustworthy servant who always looked out for her best interest… yet always maintained a certain level of distance. This saddened the Princess, who remembered their close friendship in their youth, before it was stifled by protocol. As her attendant left, Izumi stared once more down at the city below. The news of her uncle Kirishaku's death was still fresh in her mind and the entire country was in a state of shock…
Though Kirishaku was well liked by the masses… those who knew him better often felt otherwise. Many in the palace knew her uncle to be extremely boorish and power-hungry, with Izumi in particular never understanding his almost fanatical hatred of the bloodlines powers. She could still remember his lectures from her childhood on the horrors of the Bloodline powers… giving examples of how these monsters could do such inhuman things as breathe fire, change their faces, or cling to ceilings like spiders. When she innocently pointed out that everything he described sounded exactly like typical shinobi arts, 'It's completely different!' he would insist, yet never elaborate.
Despite Izumi's general distaste for him… his death was concerning. Not just the sheer brutality involved… but the timing. Just when Kirishaku had reached the peak of his popularity… he was killed in a manner that seemed to validate everything he said about the Bloodlines. It all just seemed to line up too perfectly. Everything felt connected somehow… from Kirishaku's sudden rise to popularity, the introduction of the sensor lanterns, the exile of thousands of citizens possessing those powers… and the growing hatred on both sides. Everything began when that stranger came to this country… the man with the ghostly white hair.
Right now, Izumi could sense dark times approaching. Hatred has gripped these lands, and peace would not last much longer…
(Encampment 6)
"Hmm…" Naruto moaned. His eyes were closed as he lay there on the ground, still mostly asleep. Despite having to spend the night out in the cold on the hard ground without so much as a blanket or a roof over his head, he had slept very well. For some reason, he just felt so warm… so comfortable. Naruto slowly opened his eyes, "AH…!" He gasped when he saw the source of all this warmth and comfort.
"zzzz…" Right beside him, Hinata was sound asleep; her body lay against his and her arms were wrapped around his neck cuddling him close!
Naruto's face went red and his pulse shot through the roof. Embarrassed, he tried to quietly move his body away without waking her, but then she suddenly began to shift uncomfortably. Naruto's eyes were wider than ever when she hugged him even tighter and pulled him in even closer than before. "Naruto-kuuun…" Her face now nuzzled his…
"H… Hinata…!" Naruto gasped, seeing how dangerously close they were. He could feel her warm forehead pressed against his own, her breath gently tickling his face while she continued to hold him tightly in her sleep…
Now, a part of him REALLY wanted to stay like this… but the one thing keeping him from drifting off into sleep was the fact that they weren't alone. The other members of Team 8 were all sleeping nearby. Naruto didn't even want to imagine what their reactions would be if they found the two of them like this… "(AAAAAAHHHH!)" he screamed inside his head when Kiba started to stir. With movements made possible only through a lifetime of ninja training, Naruto managed to escape her grasp. Now standing several feet away from her, Naruto could see Hinata frowning in her sleep and rolling around uncomfortably before finally settling back down. Naruto let out a long, drawn-out sigh as his heart continued pounding inside his chest. He was now cold, and felt tremendous regret for having to leave her warm embrace. Turning to Kiba, Naruto growled…
WHAM!
"OWWWW!" Kiba screamed, after Naruto gave him a very hard kick.
"You just HAD to be here, didn't you?!" Naruto shouted as the other woke up
"WHAT THE HELL DID I DO!?"
(Later on)
Roughly an hour had passed, and the other Konoha nins had all gotten up. It was impossible to determine the hour as they had no clocks, and looking at the sky was useless because the heavy clouds blocked out the sun. Most of the villagers were visibly exhausted from a cold and sleepless night.
"Damn! What a lousy night!" Kiba shut his eyes and stretched. His muscles were sore from all the fighting. Sleeping on the ground did not help, and neither did Naruto kicking him.
"It couldn't be helped, we were forced to go without shelter." said Shino, "All our camping equipment and supplies from Konoha were destroyed when the soldiers raided the village." All they had was the clothing on their back and the weapons in their sheaths.
"Ano… I actually slept quite well. I wonder why?" wondered Hinata, although she did notice Naruto shift nervously and looked away from her after she said that.
"Even though we have spent a lot of time outdoors, it was always within the warmer climate of the Fire Country. It's nothing compared to what's in store here." Said Kurenai, "We are ill-equipped for dealing with the Water Country winter."
"Speak for yourself. You're the only one here actually 'ill-equipped'…" Naruto commented while resting his arms behind his head.
Kurenai paused as she glanced down at her thin, one-sleeved dress, and then over to Naruto and Team 8, who all wore nice warm jackets. "Be quiet!" she snapped at him. The other genin sweatdropped… though the same thought had crossed their minds as well. Naruto then turned around and walked away from the group, "Where are you going?"
"I'm gonna go check up on Mizurei." Naruto replied, his hands in his pockets.
As Naruto walked through the camp, he could see the atmosphere was truly miserable… far worse than when they first arrived. He thought back at the time they spent living among the exiles in Encampment 6. The people who were once fearful of outsiders had eventually grown acquainted with them, and life was beginning to improve. The pain was gradually fading away and they were just starting to know happiness once more, and then came Kirishaku and his army…
"Things are worse than ever…" Naruto said to himself. These people who had lost everything when they were first exiled had only started to rebuild their lives… and in a single night it was all taken away. They lost their homes, their few meagre possessions, and now their leader. Right now… the people were just sitting there, he could see by their faces they had no idea what to do… many of them seemed to have just given up. Finally Naruto reached the last standing structure, where Mizurei was currently recovering. Some of Mizurei's gang were standing guard around the building, and they let Naruto pass.
Naruto approached the sleeping figure of Mizurei, who lay deathly still on a straw mat. Plopping his butt to the ground next to him, Naruto spoke up. "Hey Mizurei… still sleeping, huh?" Naruto stared down at Mizurei. Both Ebi and Hinata had treated him as best as they could with the materials they had, but they could only do so much. "Damn, you really look pathetic right now. You know that?" As Naruto spoke, his teeth clenched and he gripped his knees tightly.
Seeing Mizurei in this state seemed so strange to Naruto. The way he always acted… speaking from the heart, dedicating himself to his people and how he fought carrying their hopes… for a while Naruto almost believed him to be invincible.
"You damn idiot… Why didn't you run? What were you thinking by fighting him?" Naruto stopped for a moment, and then punched himself on the side of the face. "Sorry… not like I have any right to criticise. I saw that man do even worse, and I'm still stupid enough to think I can beat him." his eyes narrowed, wondering if all his training meant a thing. Naruto leaned back and let out a deep sigh, "I bet you're wondering why I'm still doing all this… trying to make a difference even at this point, when everything keeps going from bad to worse." he looked up, "I just want to do what's right. I owe Haku that much…"
Naruto frowned as he remembered Haku's story. After the gruesome deaths of his family, he wandered alone and unwanted, living like a stray animal until he met Zabuza. "Heh… it was all so long ago… It feels weird to be bringing it up. But now, we're facing the same situation… the prejudice that destroyed his life. I'll bet you also got a hell of a story yourself, huh?" Even without asking, Naruto just knew Mizurei had a painful childhood. "We're all the same… we're treated like freaks for reasons beyond our control. The circumstances might be a little different… but the pain isn't."
"Haku probably won't rest in peace as long as the same tragedies keep repeating themselves… but I'll put a stop to it. Heh… for all I know, the two of you could be long lost cousins!" Naruto closed his eyes and chuckled at the thought. He saw little resemblance between the delicate, feminine shinobi and the rough-looking fighter lying in front of him. The only thing remotely similar about them was their hair colour and bloodline ability. Naruto's expression changed to a serious one, "No matter what, I'll keep on fighting. Until peace returns and you can all live without having to hide what you are… I swear on it." Naruto nodded, standing up, "Well, get better soon. Ja…"
As Naruto turned to leave the cabin, he continued thinking back on their stay in this country. In the time they had spent here, he felt he had grown tremendously, and Mizurei's strength and skills were roughly on par with his own. But faced with Yashiro, it all meant nothing. Even Kurenai, a jounin sensei, was unable to bring him down. Using the power of the nine tails meant nothing after what Ebi told him about the MaShin's own ability to control their demons. He was really beginning to wonder if it really is possible to win. As he stepped outside… he noticed Hinata was waiting for him.
"How is he, Naruto-kun?" Asked Hinata
"Still out cold…" Naruto sighed sadly. Mizurei hadn't moved since they brought him back, nor did he show any signs of waking up.
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata looked down. She felt sorry for Naruto, knowing he and Mizurei had gotten along very well. She wanted to encourage Naruto and tell him things would be all right… but now even she was uncertain. Without any doctors or proper medical equipment, Mizurei may not survive. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more to help…"
"Hmm? Why are you apologizing?" Naruto turned to her. "You helped treat him, right?" she nodded at the question, "Then I'd say you've done plenty. Mizurei's strong, and there's no way he's gonna die from just that much! You've done everything you could, and now it's up to him! Heh!" Naruto grinned, "Once he wakes up, I'm gonna kick his ass for scaring us like this!" walking off, he motioned with his hand, "C'mon Hinata, let's go."
"I-I'm coming, Naruto-kun!" Hinata nodded, following him. Despite the grin Naruto showed her, she knew better. She recognized that look. Behind that smile, Naruto was afraid…
"YOU GREEDY, SELFISH PIG!" Both Naruto and Hinata were startled by some shouting. They saw several guys shouting at a lone man who had a piece of meat clutched to his chest. "Hand it over!"
"NO! I found it, so it's mine!" the man shouted back. Whether that piece of meat had survived the fire was debatable; it was burnt black and covered in mud, but he held onto it as if his life depended on it even as several other men tried to take it from him.
"You have to share it!" Another one of the people shouted.
"It's every man for himself! I'm not giving it up!"
"You bastard! You're trying to starve us all, aren't you?"
"GIVE IT TO US RIGHT NOW!" The group dove onto him and suddenly tried to pull it out of his hands. One of them managed to wrench it free and then tried to escape with the meat, only to be tackled down by another man. The burnt, muddy hunk of meat fell out of his hands and into the dirt… but no one made any effort to grab it. They had all completely forgotten about it as they continued fighting each other.
"HEY! STOP IT!" Naruto shouted, diving into the fray and pushing them all apart.
"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!" One of them shouted,
"Listen! I know things are bad now, but we can't lose control like this! We have to stick together in this time of need!" Naruto pleaded
"What do you mean 'we'?" one of them eyed Naruto. "You're not like us!"
"Yeah! You're normal!" Another chimed in, "You can go back to your nice warm house and soft bed whenever you feel like!"
"You're an eyesore! You and every one of your kind…! Just get out of here, already!" Those words left Naruto frozen in shock as those people lost interest in him and left.
"Naruto-kun…?" Hinata approached him slowly, "A… are you okay…?"
"I'll be fine…" Naruto trembled, clutching his fist. He could feel so much anger and hatred from them… it was just too reminiscent of his childhood… "Come on, let's move on…"
Meanwhile, at the other side of the camp Kiba was wrapped in an argument with Shino. "I don't see why I have to stay here!" Kiba said angrily to Shino, "Yes, it's a real shame what happened to Mizurei and that everyone's suffering, I know that much, but we don't need to sit around waiting for him to spoon-feed us! Me and Akamaru can track anything! We'll go out and hunt in his place! At least we'll be doing something to help these people!"
"Kiba, I do not doubt your skills, but you won't be able to feed everyone just by yourself!" said Shino. "Their stock of food they were saving up had been destroyed. Even if you brought back the largest animal in that forest, there still won't be enough for everyone. Worse yet, they might even start fighting among themselves to claim whatever they can. In trying to help them, we may end up causing them more harm!"
"Grrr… GOD DAMMIT!" Kiba threw his arms up in frustration, "One second things were looking up, then straight out of nowhere that asshole Kirishaku had to come in and ruin everything!" Kiba couldn't imagine anyone he'd rather meet alone in a dark alley. Every single part about that man pissed him off. "I wish that bastard was dead!"
"KIRISHAKU IS DEAD!"
"WHAT!?" Everyone in the village turned their heads as a man, apparently from another camp ran through the entrance
"Holy crap! That worked!?" Kiba exclaimed. He couldn't help but grin, along with a number of the camp's residents. This was the kind of good news they all needed right now!
"K… Kirishaku's been murdered…!" The man hunched over and panted from running here as fast as he could. "The whole city is in an uproar, and WE'RE being blamed for it!"
'What did you say?!', 'They think WE killed him!?', 'This is terrible!' Everyone was speaking amongst themselves. No matter how much they all hated Kirishaku, if they were being blamed for this… their lives were all in danger!
"They say the Shogun's amassing an army! The Mist Ninjas are being called in! They're planning to wipe us all out!" The newcomer exclaimed.
"NO! THIS CAN'T BE TRUE!" panic spread through the village.
No one knew what to do. Some suggested they drop everything and flee the country… but this was an island! There was no escaping on foot, and even if they could find someone willing to ferry Bloodlines, there were simply just too many of them! Retreating into the great forests meant exposing themself to the elements without any supplies, thousands among them would freeze to death on the first night, while stragglers would be easy prey for the wild beasts! Even if they could survive the wilderness, the royal army and Mist Shinobi would still hunt them down!
In this most desperate of times, they needed leadership… someone with a cool head to make decisions. There was only one person they all trusted to guide them… but Mizurei was in a coma. Without him, they were completely lost…
The man who delivered the message hadn't left, on the contrary, he was strolling through the camp, smiling and enjoying the sights and sounds of the panicking villagers. But then, something caught his eye, an individual obviously not of the encampments or this country for that matter, dressed in orange clothing and wearing a leaf headband.
"Hinata? HINATA! Where are you!?" Naruto shouted as he ran through the camp, having lost her in the panicked crowd. As he tried to find her, he suddenly spotted someone staring back at him. "AH…!" Naruto's eyes widened in shock at who he saw. The man who delivered the message of Kirishaku's death… Lei Maoyan!
"Hello, fox-boy." Maoyan smiled.
"YOU!" Naruto gasped, recognizing this man as the person who fought Kakashi back in Konoha, "What are you doing here?!" He immediately took a fighting stance.
"My-my… you sure are eager…" Maoyan chuckled at Naruto's readiness for battle, "But I'm not here to fight. Just thought I'd do some sightseeing."
"Bullshit! I know you're here to finish Mizurei!" Naruto shouted, "You won't get past me!"
"I admire your spirit, but you do realize a fight here would result in some unfortunate… accidents." Maoyan smiled, looking around. Naruto growled, lowering his stance. If they fought, there was no telling how many bystanders would get caught in their battle. "I was actually telling the truth, I wanted to see how my handiwork affected these camps. You should've seen what it did over in the city! Actual riots broke out!"
"Your handiwork…?" Naruto stared at him, and gasped, "That means… you…!"
"Correct!" Maoyan nodded, "I killed Kirishaku and now the whole country is in an uproar! The best part? Everyone immediately blamed the bloodlines!"
"RHAAAA!" Unable to restrain himself, Naruto roared and lunged at Maoyan, but the MaShin warrior swerved his body and avoided the punch completely.
"I'm all for fighting, but here's not the place! Too much noise!" Maoyan said, moving back, "If you want to fight me… you'll have to catch me first!" he suddenly sped off.
"You're not getting away! MATTE!" Naruto darted after him.
"Naruto-kun?" Through the crowds, Hinata saw him bolting through the gate and into the woods. Everyone else was too occupied to notice, but she decided to follow…
(Meanwhile in the forest)
Naruto was darting through the woods as fast as he could, bounding from trees, trying to keep up in this extremely fast-paced battle. "HAAA!" Naruto charged right at Maoyan with his fists flying. While Maoyan used his arms to block and redirect the flurry of punches, Naruto aggressively continued to press forward.
All the power in the world meant nothing if Naruto couldn't hit his opponent, which is why he was using his chakra to maximize his speed. Despite all the chakra he was using… he still couldn't keep up and Maoyan was moving circles around him! Naruto still wouldn't stop attacking, he wasn't about to let Maoyan go on the offensive… "AGH!" Naruto fell back when Maoyan's fist struck him across the face.
"That's some scary strength you got there," Maoyan said as he rubbed his arms. Though he hadn't taken a single direct hit, he still felt like his arms were beaten with hammers.
"Sorry I can't say the same for you!" Naruto spat to the side. Maoyan's strength was only average… nothing compared to the likes of Nergui or Mizurei. The problem was his speed… Naruto's eyes couldn't even keep up with him, let alone his fists. Naruto growled when he noticed a smirk on his opponent's face as he avoided his punches by just millimetres, as if only to mock him! Gritting his teeth, Naruto quickly jumped back to place some distance between himself and Maoyan while brandishing two handfuls of shuriken. "Dammit! YOU'RE REALLY PISSING ME OFF!" Naruto threw both sets of shuriken into opposite directions.
"Hmm?" As a foreigner in these lands, Maoyan was unfamiliar with ninja weapons, he was wondering why Naruto hadn't thrown them directly at him, "What?" he suddenly noticed these strange projectiles curve through the air and veered towards him! "WHOA!" he swerved his body, narrowly avoiding the shuriken.
"AN OPENING!" Naruto brandished a kunai and darted forward. Those shuriken he threw were only to distract him, even if just for a second. "YAA!" He stabbed upwards, but gasped when Maoyan stepped to the side and avoided the kunai. Now standing at Naruto's side, the MaShin soldier closed his left hand into a fist delivered a fast hook directly into Naruto's throat. "GAGH…!" Naruto gagged, stumbling back and hunched over, clutching his neck. "God… damn it!" Naruto swore as he swallowed hard.
"You're pretty good, fox-boy. You almost had me right there!" Whistled Maoyan, placing his hands on his hips.
"Don't… call me that!" Naruto growled, straightening himself once again. He knew Maoyan was just toying with him, not even putting up a real fight. His opponent had yet to unveil any of his real strengths, or even his usual open-palmed fighting style. "(It looks like this fight won't be any easier than the one against Nergui…)" Naruto thought. He was, after all, faced with a man who could go toe-to-toe with Kakashi-sensei. In all aspects, Maoyan was the total opposite of Nergui; fast and fluid whose skills were a league above his own. "(He may just be playing around now, but if he starts using his real strengths I could be in trouble.)" Naruto thought, his mind quickly working to devise a plan.
Though it was unlike him to be cautious, the inability to match Maoyan in direct combat was forcing him to think strategically. If Naruto busted out the Kyubi's power right now, it would provoke Maoyan into bringing out his own demon; a scenario Naruto wanted to avoid at all cost. After what Ebi told him about MaShin warriors, he knew he couldn't compete against these people in a demonic fight!
"Hm…" following a long pause, a smirk crossed Naruto's lips, "I've been going at this the wrong way." Naruto spoke as he dropped his fighting stance and stood up straight. Maoyan looked at him in surprise, especially when Naruto pointed at him, "Sorry to keep you waiting, but this is where the Uzumaki Naruto Ninja Chronicles begin!"
"Ninja chronicles…?" Maoyan stared at him, confused.
"HAAAAA!" Maoyan watched as Naruto put his hands together and began drawing out massive amounts of chakra… so much that it was visible to the naked eye. Though he knew little about a shinobi's use of chakra, he could sense tremendous energy from the boy, "TAJYUU KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"
There was suddenly a massive burst of smoke that enveloped the misty forest. As the smoke cleared, Maoyan's smile shrunk as his eyes widened. Looking around. In every direction there were thousands of Naruto's surrounding him!
"YOSH!" the real Naruto shouted and shot his fist into the air, "EVERYBODY! LET'S GO!" At those words, the thousands of clones sprung into the air. "NARUTO NINPOCHO! (NARUTO NINJA CHRONICLES!)" They all shouted from up above, every single one of them drawing out handfuls of shuriken, "SHIHOHAPPO SHURIKEN NO MAKI! (SHURIKEN FROM ALL DIRECTIONS CHAPTER!)" true to the name, thousands upon thousands of shuriken came raining down towards Maoyan!
Maoyan suddenly broke into a sprint, darting to and fro from the sides, spinning, flipping, rolling… anything to avoid the deadly rain! "NGH!" The rain of shuriken had ended, but Maoyan suddenly grimaced when he felt tremendous pain beneath his feet. Looking at the forest floor, barely visible through the mist, he saw the source of his pain. Naruto had scattered makibishi over that very spot to pierce his feet! Whirling his head around, he could see the onslaught of clones charging at him, but with his feet in this condition and unable to move properly, he could not escape them!
"U! ZU! MA! KI!" Masses upon masses of chakra-strengthened clones were throwing themselves at Maoyan. The MaShin warrior took a stance and began to strike at them with open fists at blinding speed, destroying scores of clones… but there were just too many. They were overwhelming him! "NARUTO NISEN RENDAN NO MAKI! (UZUMAKI NARUTO TWO THOUSAND COMBO CHAPTER!)" The MaShin warrior continued fighting back the swarm… yet blows continuously rained down on him. Suddenly, all the clones vanished into a burst of smoke. With the smoke all around him in addition to the dense mist, he was practically blind! Then out from the smoke, the real Naruto sprung up!
"IT'S JUST YOU AND ME NOW!" Naruto shouted as his fist flew towards the staggering Maoyan. The MaShin warrior gasped, his jaw dropped as Naruto's fist slammed straight into his abdomen, breaking several ribs and blowing him right off the ground. "RASENKEN!"
"Ungh…" Maoyan gasped, clutching his gut. More than his broken ribs, he felt a sharp pain, as if a short blade had carved a spiral into his flesh. "What… was that?"
"The next evolution of my taijutsu. I call it Rasenken (Spiral Fist)." Naruto replied, holding up his clenched fist. "I developed this for the fight against Yashiro… and I'm happy to see it works!" This was the technique he had been practicing at the spring the previous night, using the movement of the mist to see the spiral. The chakra that came from his fist was roughly equal to that of the Rasengan's 'stage two' training. On its own, it was weaker than the completed Rasengan, it required next to no concentration. "I gotta thank you for being an annoying piece of shit! I wouldn't have been able to test this move on my friends!" Naruto smirked, satisfied that his new technique was a success. It was like adding a sharp, spinning blade on top of his already bone-crushing punches and kicks!
Maoyan may have been the superior fighter… but battles are not always decided on physical abilities alone. When Naruto realized that direct confrontation was useless, he stopped thinking like a warrior and more like a shinobi. It was not a ninja's role to confront their opponents in direct combat, on the contrary… he used his head to trap and confuse his enemy, and most of all, to catch him off guard and strike when vulnerable! "(Heh, move over Shikamaru! The tacticians have a new master!)" Konoha's number one unpredictable ninja thought to himself with a smirk.
Naruto raised his palm. It was nice to see his new technique was effective, but there was simply no substitute for the original Rasengan! Chakra began to spin wildly in his hand, taking the shape of an orb, "RASENGAN!" he thrust his palm towards Maoyan… but the MaShin warrior wasn't as incapacitated as he had hoped! "WHAT!?" In an instant the cat-eyed fighter rolled his body to the side while grabbing Naruto's wrist, slamming the Rasengan against the ground, completely dispelling it.
"Don't think you've won already, fox-boy." Maoyan smirked, still gripping Naruto's wrist. The genin roared in frustration and threw him into the air, but Maoyan flipped gracefully through the air and landed neatly on his feet, "Ouch!" he said under his breath. It hurt to breathe, and he was bleeding from both his midsection and feet. While painful, it was not unbearable, for he too was a demon carrier and healed quickly because of it. At this moment, the terrible cuts and tears were gradually mending. "You're stronger than what I've been told. Perhaps Nergui's defeat wasn't entirely a fluke after all."
"(Shit… he can still move!)" Naruto growled. Though he had inflicted a lot of damage, Maoyan was still fully capable of fighting and had yet to use his trump card. Naruto knew that if Maoyan had fought him from the start with the same level he went against Kakashi, he'd be in trouble… and after everything Naruto had inflicted during this skirmish he would not hold anything back.
"That last technique you used… was that wind you held in your hand?" Maoyan asked, looking at the ground where rasengan had hit and seeing the damage it left. A direct hit could have been fatal. "So you carry the wind?" as he spoke, he began to channel the energies from the demon within. Electricity began to spark and crackle in his palm. "TIAN JIAN! (HEAVENLY ARROW!)" He fired a thunderbolt towards Naruto.
"AH!" Naruto screamed, suddenly falling over on his side, narrowly missing the bolt. There was a loud crashing noise behind him, and Naruto turned his head to see a large tree had been split in half by the lightning strike.
"I carry the thunder." Maoyan spoke, as the electricity faded away. "I guess now you know why everyone thinks it was the bloodlines that killed Kirishaku!" Naruto had gotten back up to his feet, he knew that Maoyan had only used a miniscule portion of his demon's power. If he were to draw out its full strength, Naruto was prepared to call out the Kyubi's power should it go that far, "After watching you fight, I'm starting to see why Yashiro is so interested in you. With such potential, if you were to join our…"
"Not this again! Just save your damn breath!" Naruto interrupted him. "Just what the hell is your purpose!? Why did you come here?!"
"I just wanted to see the results of my work, but you knew that already?" he answered with a cheery smile, "I might have lied earlier about the Shogun preparing an army and the Mist Ninjas… I just made that part up to get a better reaction at the camp." he crossed his arms, "Truth is, the Shogun no longer has any control over the public. Their anger has made them deaf to reason. The army should have been working to calm down the people, most of them agree in having the bloodlines exterminated! At this point war's inevitable, with or without our support! And no matter who loses… we win."
"You bastard…!" Hearing this, Naruto was growing furious. He was clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, totally enraged by his statement. "You three… you brought over that damn technology that split this country apart! You were the ones responsible for all the suffering in the camps! You are the ones keeping this country's wounds from healing!" He began to tremble with rage, "Why?! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?" To Naruto's surprise, Maoyan's expression changed, for the first time he looked serious. But that was not nearly as surprising as his answer…
"To save this world."
"W… WHAT?!" Naruto said in shock
"The world of man is a wretched place." said Maoyan, "Without guidance, humanity is doomed to an eternity of pointless, self-destructive wars. This you cannot deny, just look around you, your own village is proof of that… the entire purpose of the ninja villages is to breed more spies and assassins. Especially this land… poisoned by its senseless hatred." His eyes narrowed at the thought of the Water Country.
"You're the ones who've been manipulating the people against the Bloodlines! You pitted them against each other!" Naruto shouted, calling Maoyan out on this hypocrisy.
"All we did was introduce the technology to identify them. Everything else was their own action. The Water Country has crippled itself over fears of its own greatest asset: Advanced Bloodlines." Maoyan glanced in the direction of the encampments, "Every man, woman and child in those camps is a natural-born warrior wielding destructive powers… and yet, in their senseless devotion to outdated fears, the inhabitants of this land have done everything they could to antagonize them! They will be destroyed by the very hatred they created. This country's death is long overdue, and I am proud to have had a hand in speeding up the process."
As Naruto stared in stunned disbelief, Maoyan continued. "Do you not see? We are fighting to rid the world of such injustice. All over the world… even in your home country, servants of MaShin continue to work in secret… breaking away the foundations of these twisted societies. We shall eliminate the powers that infest this world… so that we may all unite under the perfect rule of the MaShin Empire…" His eyes lit up and his lips curved into a genuine smile, "This is the future… a perfect, and just world."
"Y… you…!" Naruto said in utter disbelief, "Everything you've done… YOU SAY IT'S ALL FOR A PERFECT WORLD?!" Naruto screamed. Responding to his rage, the beast inside him was stirring… Kyubi's power was beginning to boil… when suddenly a figure emerged from the woods. Naruto gasped at who he saw "H… Hinata!?" he exclaimed, Kyubi's power fading away. "What are you doing here!?"
"When you left in pursuit of this man, I followed you, Naruto-kun…" said Hinata, having finally caught up. She turned her glare to Maoyan, "I heard everything you said, Maoyan…" anger was clearly on her face. "You… you people have caused so much suffering and death, all to further your own twisted goals…! You monsters!"
"Monsters, huh?" Maoyan chuckled at that word. He recalled Nergui mentioning a girl with strange white eyes fighting alongside the fox boy. He watched in interest as the girl moved into a fighting stance, her right palm faced forward and her left palm faced down.
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata turned to look at Naruto. "You are always fighting… struggling for what you believe in… and putting yourself in danger for the sake of others." she said sadly, "You are always trying your hardest… too hard even. Right now you have even taken upon your shoulders the task of stopping an entire war by yourself! This burden… it's not something anyone should have to bear!" She exclaimed, "You are fighting harder than anyone to end this conflict, and I… I just can't stand by and watch while you have to struggle alone!"
"Hinata…" Naruto stared at her.
"You aren't alone anymore, Naruto-kun! And you don't always have to protect us!" said Hinata, "No matter what happens, I will not abandon you! I too am a Shinobi of the Leaf, and I will fight by your side!"
"You don't have to say anymore… Hinata." said Naruto, trying to hold back tears. He couldn't let himself become emotional during a fight… at least any more than he already was. "Let's take him down… together!" he shouted as he stood beside her and took a fighting stance, as the two of them faced Maoyan…
"Awww… that was just so sweet. I think I have something in my eye!" a loud gruff voice spoke mockingly. Naruto and Hinata's eyes widened… they recognized that voice! Pushing the trees aside, an enormous figure emerged from the forest. The ground shook as a large bare foot stamped onto the ground. "Still playing hero, are you?" the giant figure of Nergui looked down on them.
"Nergui…!" Naruto and Hinata gasped, recoiling at the sight of this man.
"Oh, I'm so flattered you remember my name, boy…" Nergui now wore a vast leather waistband that covered his belly. The materials offered little warmth or protection, obviously it served a different purpose… to hide the scar Naruto and Hinata had left on his body, a constant reminder of his failure that day.
"Yeah? Well it's pretty damn hard to forget your name when you keep shouting it every time we hit you!" Naruto growled as he readied himself alongside Hinata. Last time it had taken everything they had to bring him down, and now they were faced with two!
"I'm ready, Naruto-kun…!" Hinata spoke, facing forwards in her fighting stance with her Byakugan nerves visible. There was no hesitation in her voice.
"Right…!" Naruto's lips curved into a smile, as he adopted his own fighting stance. "This is what we trained for! We will fight… and we'll overcome them… together!" He cheered, his voice filled with hope… when suddenly…
Naruto and Hinata gasped. Their eyes opened wide. Their bodies tensed up involuntarily and their blood chilled as they felt an overwhelming feeling of dread fall over them.…
"N… NO…!" Naruto recognized this sensation while Hinata trembled, not understanding what was happening. As the two of them turned around, Naruto's heart sank as the hope in his eyes drained away. His fears have been confirmed. The man who stepped into the scene was the source of this dark presence… the true mastermind behind the entire conflict… Yashiro. All hope had died.
"So you still wish to stand against us." Yashiro spoke calmly as he looked down at Naruto, "Even hearing the reasons for our actions hasn't persuaded you to join?"
"W… what I HEARD was a load of bullshit! If you even think I'd join after listening to that, you're even crazier than I thought!" Naruto growled, glaring defiantly at Yashiro.
"I warned you about choosing your friends more wisely." Yashiro merely frowned. "If you continue to side against us, you choose death."
"So be it…!" Naruto snarled. Throwing caution aside, he summoned chakra throughout his body, strengthening himself to the limit of his body while razor-sharp threads of chakra spiralled at the end of his fists. He immediately charged towards the MaShin warrior. "I'D RATHER DIE THAN FIGHT ALONGSIDE YOU!"
"I was hoping you'd say that!" Nergui grinned, cracking his knuckles as he stepped into Naruto's path. Nergui swung his fist down, but Naruto dodged the punch and leapt into the air, spinning his entire body and delivering a powerful roundhouse kick to Nergui's face. "Oh, was that supposed to HURT?!" with Naruto's leg still pressed against him, Nergui grinned. Nergui grabbed Naruto's leg in his enormous hand and swung him!
"ARGH!" Naruto braced himself as Nergui smashed his body right through a nearby tree. Still holding Naruto by the leg, Nergui continued to swing him in circles over his head, before letting out a mighty roar and throwing him to the ground.
Naruto clenched his teeth as Nergui let go of his leg. His whole body had sunk almost a foot into the soil. Opening his eyes, Naruto immediately sprung back to his feet, "ORA!" He roared, punching upwards against Nergui's chin and causing him to stumble back. "RASENKEN!" Naruto began pummelling Nergui with mighty blows, the damage further amplified by the whirling thread of chakra that cut into Nergui's skin with every strike. "Ite…!" Naruto gasped, swerving his body and narrowly avoiding a powerful hook from Nergui. That punch had missed, but the mist had been completely blasted away by the force of the swing; a chilling reminder of this man's unbelievable strength! Naruto slipped beneath Nergui's guard and formed a rasengan in the palm of his hand about to push it directly into the giant's stomach, "AH!?" Naruto suddenly gasped as something tripped him! Looking to the side, he saw Maoyan!
"Did you think I was gonna stand back and let you two have all the fun?" Maoyan smiled, he had tripped Naruto. Naruto gasped as he fell forwards into Nergui's incoming fist…
SMASH!
"AAAAAHHH!" Naruto screamed when Nergui delivered a crushing blow to his skull, flinging him off the ground sending him crashing in the distance. "A… argh…!" Naruto lay on the ground, gasping for air while his eyes were shut from pain. Had he not seen Nergui's punch coming at the last second, he would not have been able to brace himself and his neck could have snapped from the impact. Slowly he staggered to his feet, trying to stand straight, but Maoyan had already appeared right in front of him!
Naruto tried to deliver a punch, but he was still sluggish from the blow. Maoyan evaded it with ease, dropped to one knee and pressed a palm against Naruto's belly, "Dianlu Yizhi. (Electrical stream suppression)" Naruto screamed as electricity surged through him. Maoyan stepped back while Naruto's smoking form dropped to one knee, shaking uncontrollably from the electrocution. Against the two of them at once, he couldn't win!
"NARUTO-KUN!" Hinata screamed, running towards Naruto "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" she shouted at Maoyan, raising her palms… when suddenly she skidded to a halt, trembling at the man in front of her. Yashiro stood in her path, glaring down at her.
"Be quiet." Yashiro said coldly, and smacked her across the face with the back of his fist. She was instantly knocked off her feet and fell to the ground.
Naruto's eyes shot open at what Yashiro had done. "HINATAAAA!" he screamed. Turning his gaze to Yashiro, the man who had struck her, he began to tremble uncontrollably, rage boiling inside him… the whisker markings on his face were beginning to darken while the colour of his eyes had changed completely, "RHAAA!" He suddenly darted in Yashiro's direction. Nergui and Maoyan both ran into his path and attacked, but Naruto viciously fought back, avoiding their attacks and slashing at them with what appeared to be claws
Yashiro watched in interest at the changes Naruto went through, as he was aggressively fighting off both Nergui and Maoyan at same time. Yashiro smiled, sensing the power of the fox burning within this boy. It hadn't emerged until the girl had been struck,
"I see now…" Yashiro reached down to Hinata and picked her back by the scruff of her neck. "If all I need is to provoke you… let's see what happens when I do THIS!" He twisted Hinata's arm behind her back.
"AAAAAHHHHH!" Hinata cried out in pain as her arm went to the verge of breaking. Tears began to form in the corner of her eyes…
"HINATA…!" Naruto gasped, seeing what was happening to her… "YASHIROOOOO!" he screamed. At that moment, red chakra erupted from his body… demonic power burned in the air, swirling all around him. Snarling like a wild animal, Naruto attacked his opponents with such fury, even the two MaShin warriors were forced back. Naruto then turned his sight to Yashiro once more… his eyes glowing with utter rage and undying hatred, "RHAAA!" Naruto roared as he charged towards him, leaping into the air and pouncing down with his claws outstretched and fangs bared…
"Hmm…" a smile crossed Yashiro's lips, as Naruto lunged down at him with eyes blazing with killing intent. "Nice expression." he said calmly…
-SMACK-
"AAARRGH!" Naruto screamed, after Yashiro had connected a strong, clean punch straight into his face that sent him flying back and hitting the ground. "RRRR… GRAA…!" Immediately Naruto got right back up, snarling like an animal while his killing aura had grown even fiercer than before… until his eyes suddenly met Hinata's.
"N… Naruto-kun…!" Hinata stared at Naruto. He could see it clearly… she was trembling in fear… not at the MaShin, but at him! Hinata was terrified by what he had become!
"H… Hinata…" Naruto's deadly expression changed as he looked down, his faced filled with shame. His hunched shoulders fell and the red chakra began to fade away…
"What's this…!?" This new development infuriated Yashiro. He threw Hinata aside and approached Naruto, "Stupid boy… why did you stop!? Such magnificent power, and you are putting it to waste!" he shouted, "What is the point of having such power if you have no desire to even use it!? You are completely unworthy of the demo-"
"URUSAI! (SHUT UP!)" Naruto screamed as loud as he could and suddenly lunged at Yashiro, only to be knocked to the ground by a kick to the head.
"Hmph… fool. Trying to attack me while I was…" Yashiro stopped when he came to a sudden realization. "Oh… I see what's happening!" his lips curved into a wicked smile, "So it's a secret, isn't it? And she doesn't even know!"
"STOP IT! STOP TALKING!" Naruto screamed, desperately lunging at Yashiro trying to stop him, but Yashiro punched the side of Naruto's head and knocked him to the ground.
"What's the use of keeping such a big secret, eh?" Asked Yashiro. As Naruto desperately tried to stop him, he punched the boy hard in the gut, causing him to double over in pain. As Naruto gasped for breath, Yashiro's foot suddenly stomped down on his head, driving his face into the floor. The boy lay on the floor, while Yashiro rested his foot atop Naruto's head. "Harbouring such power… there's no way you can keep it hidden for long. It's amazing she still hasn't already learned the truth!"
"HINATA! DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!" Naruto screamed, struggling under Yashiro's foot.
"Why would you want to keep her from hearing this? Were you ever planning to tell her the truth? Or maybe… you enjoy lying to her!" While terrified of Yashiro, Hinata was also confused. She didn't understand any of it… "You still don't know what I am talking about, do you?" he asked Hinata, "Allow me to enlighten you…"
"DON'T DO IT!" Naruto screamed, but Yashiro pressed his face down harder.
"Do you know how this boy is able to summon such tremendous power in times of need? Do you know how he could overcome Nergui's might, even with his meagre abilities?"
"STOOOOOP!" Naruto cried desperately into the air.
"Within his body, he carries the fabled beast that once ravaged your pitiful village!" Yashiro reached down and grabbed Naruto by his hair, and held his face up for Hinata to see. "He is none other than the living vessel of the dreaded, nine-tailed demon fox!"
At that moment, a terrible feeling of dread spread through Naruto. His eyes met with Hinata's… only to see they were filled with fear. She was trembling… "No…" Hinata shook her head, she couldn't believe it… but what she had seen… that horrible beast just now…
"Hinata…" Naruto spoke, but she didn't seem to hear him. Yashiro released him, allowing Naruto to step closer to her, "Hinata…! Please… listen to me…" he reached out to her…
"NO!" Hinata suddenly cried, backing away from him, shaking her head… worst of all, she was looking at him in fear! That moment… Naruto felt his heart shatter.
"HA-HA-HA! How about that!" Yashiro threw his head back in laughter, "Such loyalty…! Even she turned her back on you the instant she learned what you really are!"
Naruto was looking down… his entire body was trembling with rage. Slowly, he turned towards Yashiro. "Teme…" Naruto growled beneath his voice. The beast was emerging again… this time combined with his rage and utter hatred towards Yashiro for this revelation. "KOROSUSHITE YARU! (I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!)" Chakra exploded from his body, his teeth grew into fangs as several tails of chakra became visible! With tears in his eyes and burning with hatred, Naruto charged at Yashiro ready to kill him…
"I don't think so." as Yashiro spoke, a dark aura began to surround his body. Naruto immediately skidded to a halt, while the darkness surrounding Yashiro grew! While the destructive power of Kyubi was burning all around him, the evil energies that surrounded Yashiro had overwhelmed his own! "Kneel." Raising his hand, the darkness gathered in his palm, and he pointed it at Naruto.
"AHH!?" Naruto screamed as he suddenly found himself enveloped in darkness. His limbs froze in place, he was unable to move as it began to close around him. Nergui and Maoyan watched from a distance. They had withdrawn from the battle the moment Yashiro stepped in… otherwise they would risk being caught up in his horrific powers…
The darkness that surrounded Naruto dispersed, and he fell to his knees, his entire body was trembling. Even with Kyubi's power burning within him, he was terrified. In that brief moment he was trapped in the darkness, he experienced such horror. Intense memories of sadness, uncertainty, fear… they weren't his… they had been forced into him. He had felt suffering and pain that wasn't his own, heard the agonized screams and throes of death from countless voices. Trembling, he looked up to see Yashiro stood with dark flames surrounding his body.
"Kyubi, the strongest of the nine demons that roam this continent, deemed to be unstoppable… and yet, powerless against us." Yashiro spoke looking down at Naruto. Naruto trembled even further as the dark aura grew stronger. The evil he sensed around Yashiro was sickening, "Those who die horrific deaths do not depart from this world. Victims of war, murder, betrayal, disaster… they are unable to let go. Their souls remain bound to this world, existing in a never ending cycle of agony. The rage and hatred left behind by the countless victims have manifested into a single entity… which I now carry." Naruto's eyes widened in horror. "It is not some crude monster in the form of an animal… but the amalgam of human suffering… a spirit of darkness!"
"You have just tasted what can only be considered the true embodiment of humanity. You've seen a million faces twisted in agony, and heard their voices screaming at their torment. In their suffering, they seek to drag anyone with them… and the more I kill, the more I add to their numbers!" Yashiro momentarily showed a grin of utter insanity, "Unlike the tailed beasts, the dark spirit's potential is limitless! This is the power that was bestowed upon me by the MaShin Empire!"
Naruto was in shock. How could this man carry something so horrible?! How could Yashiro act so calm, living day by day accompanied by this mass of souls, without losing his mind!? Just like those ANBU who tried to fight back in the village, Naruto struggled to move. It was like invisible hands were holding him down, while all-encompassing despair invaded his thoughts! He couldn't even will himself to stand and fight!
"My power is the key to bringing forth the end of this country. Those who are consumed by these dark emotions are easiest to control… but why don't I give you proper demonstration?" He turned his gaze to Hinata, who was trembling in fear of the evil presence. Darkness seemed to lift itself from Yashiro's body, completely separating from him: the dark spirit had been fully released! "And now, TAKE HER!" Yashiro shouted, as the entity suddenly shot towards Hinata and vanished into her body!
"AH… AAAH…!" Hinata's eyes were wide with terror, as she started to clutch her skull. She could feel this dark presence inside her…! It was spreading through her body, invading her soul! Her own thoughts were drowned by the agonized screams of a million different voices! She tried to struggle against it, but it was too much! "GYAAAAAAAAAA!" she screamed into the sky.
"HINATA!" Naruto screamed, running over to her, grabbing her by the shoulders, "Hinata…! NO…! HINATA!"
"(N… Naruto-kun! Get away…!)" Hinata tried to speak, but her voice had been silenced. She moved… but not by her own volition. Hinata's body was no longer hers to control. "(N-NOOO!)" The next thing Naruto knew, he heard a sound of metal piecing flesh, and then felt tremendous pain. Naruto gasped as he looked down. A kunai had been thrust into his abdomen… and the one who stabbed him was none other than Hinata.
Naruto couldn't believe what was happening. "Hinata…" he said in disbelief, stepping back and clutching his wound with his hands, "Why…?" he asked, unable to comprehend… until he saw the MaShin soldier… "Yashiro…! This is your doing…!"
"N… na… ruto… kun…!" Hinata uttered, as if it were the hardest thing she had ever done. "R-RUN!" And with that, her body went out of control. Her arm clutched a kunai and swung to stab him again.
"Urgh!" Naruto narrowly avoided the deadly strike. Grabbing Hinata's wrist, the kunai fell from her hand, while he placed his other hand on her shoulder and faced her directly, "HINATA! YOU HAVE TO FIGHT IT!" He shouted, but there was no response. Hinata suddenly flipped her wrist and struck his arms, making him let go and then struck her palm against his belly. "Ngh!" He grimaced, pushed back by the blow, and Hinata continued to attack him! Inside Hinata's head, she was struggling with all her might to stop, but the force controlling her body was too strong! "Damn it…!" Naruto quickly started to run from her, but Hinata followed.
The three demonic soldiers of MaShin stood there as the two leaf shinobi vanished from sight, "The fox-boy has thrown in with their lot. Whether he lives or dies is no concern. She will pursue him to no end… and he will either kill or be killed." he walked off and motioned with his hands for them to follow. "Come. There is work to be done. The spirit will return when one of them is dead." And so they all went, following Yashiro to proceed with the next step of their grand plan.
Meanwhile, Naruto continued to run as fast as he could until he lost sight of her. After finally losing sight of her, he slowed down and started panting.
"Grrr… CHIKUSO!" Naruto screamed in frustration, as he beat the ground with his fists. Naruto's body was trembling, tears streaming from his eyes over what Yashiro had done.
The way Hinata had reacted when she learned the truth… it was everything Naruto feared it to be! The look of terror in her eyes, the way she backed away from him, too afraid to speak to him…! She had looked at him like he was a monster!
"Damn you… Yashiro…! DAMN YOU!" Naruto screamed, repeatedly slamming his fist to the ground. He was furious… not only at Yashiro for revealing his secret, but at himself for letting this all happen! "It's my fault…! I couldn't do anything… and I failed to protect her…!" Naruto cried. He blamed himself as much as Yashiro for what happened to Hinata. If he hadn't gotten her involved, none of this would have happened!
As Naruto sat on his knees, overcome by grief, he failed to notice a figure silently approaching him from behind. Just as Naruto was getting up, he sensed that presence and turned around, gasping at what he saw. He barely had enough time to react!
"Shimatta!" Naruto gasped, feeling metal cut flesh as he dove to the side. Gasping, Naruto clutched a long slash wound across the right side of his torso, and looked up to see the emotionless and pale Hinata carrying a bloodsoaked kunai. He had only reacted soon enough to avoid a life threatening wound.
Hinata raised the kunai into the air and stabbed down at him, but Naruto sprung to his feet and caught Hinata's arm, stopping the kunai, "Hinata! Snap out of it!" suddenly she raised her palm and attempted to strike at his heart, and Naruto was forced to let go in order to avoid the fatal blow. He grimaced as her chakra infused palm struck his shoulder, and felt all the strength in that arm vanish. Immediately, Naruto bolted past Hinata and ran as fast as he could, trying to get away. Naruto was in pain from pushing himself with these wounds but he had no time to recover, as Hinata relentlessly pursued him. She hurled a set of shuriken at Naruto; two of which hit his back, "AGH!" screamed, but still kept running, while Hinata was gaining on him by the second.
Naruto was jumping from branch to branch, with Hinata closely pursuing him. Suddenly, she threw another set of shuriken that spun to the air, veering at him. Naruto quickly spun around and drew his kunai in a reverse grip. He swung it and managed to deflect numerous shuriken right out of the air, but yelled out in pain when he had missed one of them and it had struck into his arm. Naruto lost his footing and fell from the high trees, his back slammed painfully against the ground.
"Urgh…" Naruto groaned. His body was in pain, but he wasted no time and quickly started running across the forest floor while Hinata pursued him from above. Now closer than ever, Hinata threw more shuriken down at him, this time hitting his leg. Naruto screamed as he fell over and hit the ground. Groaning, Naruto slowly got up, but gasped as he saw Hinata was standing right in front of him!
Hinata did not say anything as she took her Jyuken stance. Her Byakugan flared as she attacked him before he could move, landing many blows directly onto his tenketsus, before striking his chest with her palm and knocking him back against a tree. Naruto stood there, exhausted and hurt. His tenketsus were blocked, and he couldn't even move. But despite all this, even with his life in danger… he could not bring himself to attack Hinata…
As Hinata continued to advance, she suddenly stopped and clutched her head, "What…?" Naruto watched, not understanding what was going on…
"N… Naruto-kun…! My b… body… I can't stop…!" Tears were streaming from her eyes as she struggled to speak, "Please… save yourself! K… kill me…! Naruto-kun…!"
"Hinata…!" Naruto frowned, clenching his fists, "No… I won't do it!" He shouted, "There has to be another way! You're the most important person in the world to me, and I'll be damned before I sacrifice you just to save my own skin! DID YOU GET THAT!? I'M NOT GONNA ABANDON YOU!"
Tears ran down Hinata's face, as his words had shaken her to the core. She was stunned for a moment… but her body began to move against her will once more…
Hinata drew her last kunai and gripped it tight in his hand. Naruto could only look on at what was about to happen to him… and smiled sadly "(Heh. I guess this is it huh?)", thought Naruto as a few tears rolled down his cheeks. "(It's too bad. Guess I won't be able to save the people of this country… or make my dreams of becoming Hokage come true… or to see any more of my friends… or to finally admit the feelings I have discovered…)" Naruto glanced at Hinata, before lunging forward and wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. "(…for her.)"
Hinata froze in shock as she felt his arms wrapped around her, bringing the warmth that she had longed for such a long time. Her body stopped moving, but only for a moment. "(I can't stop…!)" Time seemed to slow down, as she could feel her hand raising the kunai into the air… "(Naruto-kun…! Iya… (no…) Iya! IYA!"
"Hinata…" said Naruto, his eyes closed and head resting against hers. He whispered something into her ear, but she could no longer hear him…
"(IYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!) (NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!)" She plunged the kunai into Naruto's heart. At that moment, everything froze. Naruto's eyes opened wide, and his arms fell. Blood was dripping from his mouth, a kunai was lodged firmly into his chest.
"Hi… na… ta…" Naruto said quietly, as his eyes closed and he fell to the ground.
"Na… Naruto-kun…!" Hinata's body trembled uncontrollably, tears welling up in her eyes looking at what she did… "NARUTO-KUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!"
At that moment, the dark entity that had been controlling her actions suddenly left her body, flying into the air and returning to its master… but it was too late. She watched in horror at the sight in front of her…
Somewhere far away Yashiro's body suddenly tensed up. Looking down, he instantly knew he was reunited with the spirit. "So he's dead." The demon spirit had told him of what happened. "What is this?" he wondered, when he heard about what happened at the very end. The extreme surge of emotion in the girl was so intense, the demonic spirit had been completely ejected from her body, "No matter. It is over. Now begins the final phase." Once again, he released the demon spirit. The darkness in front of him divided into two.. the divided entity flew in two separate directions… one half flew towards the Mist Capital, the other half towards the encampments…
Hinata stood there in horror, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't believe what had happened. Looking down at her hands… she saw they were covered in blood… it was her hands that did this to him… she was the one that did this!
"IYAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Hinata closed her eyes and shrieked, turning around and running away as fast as she could. She was racing desperately through the forest, unable to believe this was really happening! This was impossible… this had to be a nightmare!
As she ran, she refused to believe what had happened. So many thoughts were racing through her mind, memories of the past flashed in her head. The days spent at the academy where she had first met Naruto, to the challenges faced within the chuunin exam. And the more recent memories when they had begun to grow close… the time they first embraced… the previous night as they sat next to each other under the moonlight at the spring, when they almost…! Her memories led her back to the present… when she had learned his secret… and for the first ever… she was afraid of him.
Even though she kept telling herself this couldn't be real… the same thought kept racing through her mind. "(I did this…! I killed Naruto-kun…!)" She kept on running, unable to stop, when suddenly her foot caught onto a tree root. Hinata fell, her body hitting the ground. As she lay there, snow began to fall. The final words escaped her lips before her eyes closed, her senses faded and her world turned to black… "Naruto-kun…"
(To Be Continued)