I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.
Victory
Naruto hauled himself out of the water with Sasuke just behind him then walked over to Sakura and Idate, both of whom looked exhausted. Naruto and Sasuke could easily out perform them in a complaining contest because after defeating the three Ame Nin, the sea had become more than a little violent in a severe storm. Sakura instantly stood and rushed over helping Sasuke to sit on the log she was sitting on then sitting beside him, leaving Naruto barely able to stand.
"Ouch," Idate laughed. "Rejection."
"Naruto will be fine," Sakura stated simply.
"While you are right, that doesn't change the fact that you're treating him like shit," Idate laughed. "I bet that other girl would be more sympathetic if she were alive."
"What do you mean, 'if she were alive'?" Naruto questioned, teeth clenched.
"Idate, no," Sakura warned.
"Aoi didn't kill that pathetic, weak, little bitch," Idate snorted. "He stabbed her then through her off the cliff."
Naruto instantly froze, entire body going numb. Sasuke realized what was about to happen first and stood.
"Naruto no!" Sasuke all but shouted but he was far too late.
Naruto wheeled around leaping away from shore and into the water, boiling red chakra already present. Sasuke sighed as Naruto swam underwater, shooting through the water in a red streak, vanishing from view within seconds. After resting for another hour, Sasuke and Sakura followed Idate along a trail wrapping around the island that was, coincidentally, a shortcut. After an hour, they reached the top of a cliff with a bridge similar to the one they already crossed. They made their way across as fast as they could but just as they arrived, they found Aoi waiting.
"You again," Sasuke growled.
"Me again," Aoi grinned throwing his umbrella into the sky. "Ninja Art, Senbon Rainstorm."
The umbrella was spinning and as it spun, senbon shot out of it, hitting Idate, Sakura, and Sasuke with dozens of them within a second. Finally it stopped and Aoi caught it, putting it before spinning and using it to block a punch from Naruto. It smashed on contact and Naruto's fist narrowly missed Aoi's face sending him flying from sheer force. When he landed, he vanished and Naruto turned to Idate, rage and hatred clear on his face.
"You...you knew!" Naruto shouted, voice making the ground tremble.
"You found her body I take it?" Idate smirked. "It doesn't matter. If she couldn't even fight him, she deserves to be dead."
Naruto blurred forward, swinging at Idate but Sasuke stepped forward and Naruto froze. The chakra slowly faded from his body and he lowered his fist shaking slightly.
"Naruto, now's not the time for this," Sasuke stated. "We need to finish our mission. We'll find her afterward."
"No point searching," Naruto stated walking past. "The currents there would have dragged her out to sea. Let's just get this over with. The sooner we finish the race the sooner I can find Aoi again."
They began moving again, Idate trying to pull ahead but Naruto easily keeping up with him while his clones brought Sakura and Sasuke. As they ran, the trail steadily rose until they reached a peninsula where the path wound back around the cliff behind them but Aoi was standing on the peninsula.
"You," Naruto growled as the clone carrying Sasuke was released and Naruto drew his sword, while extending his left arm's Garian blade. "You killed her, didn't you?"
"Of course I did," Aoi smirked. "She wasn't worthy of fighting me so I put her out of her misery."
Naruto shouted in rage swinging his sword and sending a massive wall of wind at Aoi. Aoi held up a fairly large black metal vajra from which grew a glowing yellow blade. As the wall of wind reached him, Aoi swung the blade and cut the blast in half, the two sides flying past him. He grinned holding up the blade and Naruto growled in rage sprinting forward. Aoi met his charge and swung at Naruto who ducked under it then slashed at Aoi's stomach. Aoi blocked the slash and electricity raced down Naruto's sword and across his body before throwing him away. Naruto stood and charged again, ignoring every bit of training he had ever gotten from Shisui and Itachi and slashing wildly at Aoi. Aoi easily sidestepped all of Naruto's attacks before swinging back. Naruto jumped over the blade and over Aoi, blasting him full on the back with a wall of wind. Aoi flew through the air, crashing into the cliff face then stood just in time to dive aside from a stream of flame from Sakura.
"You two go!" Naruto ordered. "We'll catch up!"
Sakura nodded and the clone holding her sprinted away with Idate. Naruto and Sasuke both charged and slashed at Aoi who blocked both blades sending both ninja flying.
"I'm taking that sword," Naruto growled standing as Sasuke struggled to do the same. "And shoving it down your THROAT!"
He sprinted forward, jumping over Aoi and firing several Vacuum Spheres at Aoi's back but he did a back flip over them, planting his feet in Naruto's stomach and slamming him into the ground. He looked up in time to jump over Sasuke's sword and smash the flat of his blade against Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke lit up like a Christmas tree for a moment before flying off the cliff. Aoi grinned and turned back to Naruto, who was just reaching his feet, picking up Sasuke's fallen sword.
"Just you and me now," Aoi grinned. "No one can survive a fall from this height."
"I'll kill you for that," Naruto growled.
He fired a steady stream from both, sending a supercharged blast of flames at Aoi who ducked under it sprinting forward. The stream ended as Aoi neared him, moving too fast for Naruto to react. Just as he moved to stab Naruto, a blur of tan clothes and blue hair appeared between them, sweeping Aoi's arm aside before disabling it with a series of jabs then hitting several points on Aoi's torso before dropping and kicking Aoi in the face, sending him flying away and over the cliff.
Naruto let both swords fall to the ground then collapsed to his knees as Hinata turned to face him smiling. tears streamed down Naruto's face and he stood, pulling her into a tight hug and after a moment, she hugged him back. After a another moment, Sasuke, who Hinata had caught before he could fall to his death, cleared his throat and Naruto pulled away rubbing the back of his head.
"Um, I'm glad you're okay Hinata," Naruto said blushing slightly.
Hinata blushed even more and nodded smiling before holding the Aoi's sword out to him. Naruto looked at it for a moment before shaking his head.
"Keep it," Naruto said smiling. "You beat him. It's yours."
Hinata blushed but shook her head.
"I can't use a sword," Hinata stated.
"I'll teach you," Naruto promised. "It'll come in handy if you ever have to fight without Gentle Fist again."
Hinata nodded and Naruto tossed the Flame Sword to Sasuke then created a clone for him.
"Shall we?" Naruto questioned kneeling.
Hinata smiled and climbed onto his back while Sasuke climbed onto the clone's and Naruto and his clone took off running after Idate and Sakura. After about five minutes, they reached a massive set of steps where Idate and Sakura were only halfway up, the competitor just barely having made it.
"Pathetic mother fuckers!" Naruto snorted as he and his clone sprinted up the steps, two more forming for Idate and Sakura.
They picked the two up on the way past then sprinted the rest of the way up the steps, blowing past the competitor with ease. After a few minutes, the clone with Idate put him down and he took off running with the others.
"So I see she's alive," Idate stated.
"No thanks to you," Naruto growled. "Aoi is dead too, just so you know."
"Good," Idate said. "Now, I have a race to win. If you'll excuse me."
He sped up and Naruto and his clones kept perfect time with him until they reached a town where a massive crowd three times the size of those that had been at the starting line was waiting. Naruto and his clones slowed down as Idate shot across the finish line, the competitor nowhere to be seen.
"The winner is Idate Morino!" the announcer shouted.
Idate bent over, panting for breath as Naruto walked over crouching and glaring at him while Sakura healed the stab wound in.
"Listen brat," Naruto growled. "Just because you weren't ready to be a ninja doesn't mean that ninja don't deserve to exist. My team risked their lives to save you. You'd have died before we ever reached the ship without us. The least you could do is be grateful."
"You're right," Idate sighed. "I am grateful...to your team. And you're right about ninjas as well. But you were practically useless. You left me to die in order to find your missing girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend!" Naruto snapped, voice hushed. "And I don't care if you like me. Just don't be an asshole just because you failed at something."
And with that, Naruto stood and walked over to Sakura and Hinata just as Sakura finished healing Hinata.
"You two ready?" Naruto questioned.
"Wait, what about Sasuke?" Sakura questioned looking around to see that he was already gone.
"Sorry," Naruto sighed. "But he's not coming with us."
Sakura's face fell but she nodded and stood.
"Are you carrying us?" Sakura questioned.
"Not you," Naruto stated picking up Hinata. "You're not out of chakra."
Sakura nodded and they began to head back to the Leaf Village. This time, Naruto knew that there was almost nothing that could keep Jiraiya from taking him from the village.
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