Chapter 9: To Be Strong

The man had been waiting a long time. But this was part of being a ninja, waiting for opportunities: opportunities to strike. Being impatient has proven to be fatal in this line of work. Nevertheless, he was weary and bored numb. He looked around at his peers, all proudly harnessing their hidden cloud uniforms and kunai, also waiting. They were getting restless, he was sure. And so was he.

"What are you going to do with your cut of the reward?" He heard a man ask another.

"Fool! That isn't something you go around asking people!" The man looked as if he had been greatly offended, but his scowl quickly became a smug smile. "But if you must know, I plan on retiring as a shinobi, buying a mansion and living an untroubled life." He thought for a moment before finishing his supposed new life escapades. "Of course, there will be many fine women and liquors to taste as well."

The man rolled his eyes as he listened to the two men continue to bicker over how their forthcoming money should be spent. He had never considered it, but if he was asked he would guess it would be used to better the life of his family. His elder daughter would go to the best schools. His younger son would procure the finest ninja master to train under so that he could become a Kage someday. And his precious wife would have a home that she can finally call her own.

He smiled at the thought of his family and imagined them crying tears of joy when they find out what he had accomplished. They would want to know where the money came from of course. And he would tell them with satisfied and proud look. "I took down the Three Yaban! Those filthy traitors can now rest in hell!"

The Three Yaban had an enormous bounty on their heads. By no means, nothing to sneer at. Enough money to make four-hundred-eighty lucky men rich. And that was how many were here with him on this fateful day. Failure was not an option. In fact, it wasn't even considered. With this many men, no one would waver. Each and every one of them was confident, if not in their abilities, then in their numbers alone. The Three Yaban did not stand a chance.

The man scoffed. Without a shadow of a doubt, those three nineteen year old punks couldn't take them all down if they wanted to. He had heard stories about them, stories that would make anyone think twice before taking them on, but they were probably all exaggerations, he thought.

A man with a cloak and hood appeared. His presence was enough to make all four-hundred eighty men go silent; their attention, solely his and his alone. He was their captain.

"At nightfall…" He spoke, "…They will be here."

Shouts ensued and men stood with their arms held high. Victory was imminent, that was unquestionable. A cunning smile was barely visible through the captain's hood, his sharp teeth emerging from behind his lips.

Dusk was approaching. Her eyes felt heavy and her legs were moving from sheer willpower alone. She must be more than halfway across the country by now she thought. Her stomach churned. The loaf of bread she ate the night before was not nearly enough calories to compensate for the distance she's ran so she was nauseous. But it didn't matter. If Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura can withstand it, so could she.

A light rain began to leak from the clouds, settling on Hinata's forehead and gliding down her face. It felt nice to her after being covered in sweat for so long. The rain continued to increase until it gave her the sensation of being in a shower. A storm was brewing, she could feel it in the wind. As the skies roars became more forceful, she knew. The decisive battle would take place on this very night.

She had not thought about the outcome of this battle or whether she would come out alive. She honestly didn't care. If it meant her sacrifice to save them, so be it. And she would take as many bastards down with her as possible. But a thought occurred to Hinata, had she ever killed anyone before?

No.

The thought of killing was foreign to Hinata. She's never felt that much hate. She's never felt that need. Sure, she's taken down countless bad ninja's, but she had never honed her skills to kill. Always track and detain. Never eliminate. And if put on the spot, could she do it? She contemplated it.

Would she kill to save her own life?

It's possible.

Would she kill to save Naruto's life?

Yes.

And that was all she needed to validate. She would kill to protect. And that was just fine by her. She didn't need to overthink it. When it came to the people she loved, she had no restraint. She would do anything.

A deafening crack echoed through the mountains ahead of her, about twelve kilometers away. "Byakugan!" She was not close enough to see anything yet.

The sky continued to glow dimmer and the rain persisted to fall harder as she ran. Her feet barely managed to hold chakra as she rushed across a lake that laid between her and the mountains. She was running out of stamina, but she wouldn't let herself become discouraged. She was close now; she could feel it.

Keep moving.

She repeated those words to herself again and again, a mantra of words that wouldn't let her abandon hope until she was dead or dismembered.

Movement was seen through the mountains, catching Hinata's attention. She had finally come into range.

There were more shinobi than she thought there would be to her dismay. The mob of men were running fast, all pouring out of the mountains forest and onto a clearing. Suddenly, a multiple of jutsu's were launched, causing a quake that shook the earth Hinata was standing on. It was starting. She couldn't find Naruto, Sakura or Sasuke with her Byakugan. There were too many bodies in one area to tell. Just a bit further. Thunder rumbled above her as she pressed on.

She arrived at the mountains and began to run along its nature's wall, using the chakra on her feet as support. If I can make it to the top of the mountain, I will be able to see everything clearly. And locate them!

A swarm of sounds could be heard, echoing through the mountains, while the ground continued to shake from the battle that was being taken place. It sounded like the Three Yaban were holding their own.

The mountains side became rocky and slick as she neared the top. She jumped from ledge to ledge, careful to keep her balance. Instantly, the mountain shook causing Hinata to lose her balance and plummet. Her hand managed to grip a branch from a tree that was in a losing battle with the earth as its roots desperately clung to the mountain's muddy ridge. She hung there, cold and drenched. She couldn't muster the chakra to her feet and her Byakugan was slowly fading back within her depths. Her breathing was ragged and unconsciousness was looming ever so near.

Battle cries echoed within the mountains, its resonance startling Hinata awake. She had been out of it for about five seconds. She chastised herself. I am truly a worthless ninja, but worst of all a failure as a friend. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were fighting for their lives, and for the peace of the world. But she was here, hanging from a tree that was about to give up itself. Its roots were unearthing as it attempted to support Hinata's weight. She was a burden.

'You're strong, Hinata.' She remembered his words. Words that had made her feel worth. She didn't want to be a burden; she wanted to help. She wanted to be the pillars that supported Naruto's dream. It's uncontrollable; such a beautiful desire.

I can't go back.

She took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. She was not going to be a burden. She refused. Her fingers unraveled themselves and let go. Hinata took a small amount of her remaining chakra and forced it into her fingertips. Her hands came into contact with a rock's ledge and attached. She was going to climb.

I won't turn around.

The mountains peak was so close now. She became anxious and felt the howls of men were calling her name. She was ready: ready to fight.

Her hand extended and touched the summit. She lifted herself and slowly rose to her feet. Her head leveled and took in the sight before her. She could see everything with such clarity that she didn't even need her Byakugan. It was staggering.

About four-hundred men were below her in combative positions, all had the same murderous intent plastered on their faces. Each ninja did a number of deadly jutsu's, one after the other, destroying anything in their path. She was panicked, but not for very long. There was something before her that had wiped away the fear. Something extraordinary.

They were there. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura in all their glory. Sakura had markings that stretched along her body that Hinata had never seen before. The cherry blossom beauty lifted her fist and struck the ground. The earth split and erupted, causing men to fly or be engulfed by its soil. Sasuke followed suit, concealed in his massive Susanoo. He flew to Sakura's side and pulled various kunai out of her back as his Susanoo fired a large arrow, covered with black flames.

Men were screaming in agony as the black flames increased in size. A myriad of water jutsu's were trying to put the flame out, but it was futile.

And then there was Naruto. Hinata wasn't sure if it she was seeing correctly as she gazed upon him. His blonde, unruly hair was soaked and stuck to his face. His attire was also drenched, his tapered waist and broad shoulders more patent. His body was enveloped in orange and red chakra flames, while his whisker markings were more distinct and his eyes…forbidding. A red, ominous demon lay deep within his orbs.

She was so ignorant before. This was the Demon, how could she forget? She wanted to look away, but all she could do is stare as his chakra hands easily countered a jutsu and swatted its user like a fly.

Blood was strewn before Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura, as they worked together to subdue the enemy. And they did it with a smile on their faces.

"There's a girl on the mountain!"

Hinata adjusted her view to a shinobi not too far away from her, his finger extended and pointing in her direction.

Many faces turned and glared at her. Their eyes ceased to hold even a semblance of rationality. Blood lust was their one and only desire, and it was aimed directly at her.

A hundred or so shinobi that were positioned near the back of the fight, turned and rushed towards her, easily seizing the mountain she had just struggled to overcome.

She was fatigued and a heartbeat away from blacking out, but she was stubborn. She was going to meet them head on. Her legs moved without much thought and carried her down the mountain. They were not going to break her.

One second. One more second was the amount of time Hinata had before her fists connected with his. But it was all she needed to get the adrenaline she required.

"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"

A vacuum of air, powerful enough to cut down trees forced its way through a couple dozen shinobi. Their screams echoed as they were blown down the mountain.

Hinata turned just in time to see a large fireball headed her way. As she spun, her hands moved around her with precision and fluency, creating a rotating blue chakra shield that can counter just about any jutsu thrown her way.

The fireball collided with her shield, creating a devastating blast that blew a deep crater within the mountain. The intense pressure from the blast knocked her off her feet and she fell along with most of the shinobi that were with her into the dark below.

There's something sinister about the way it hurts.

A pair of hands grabbed her while in the air. With a loud thump, they landed at the base of the mountain. Her sight was fading rapidly and her consciousness was hanging by a mere thread, but she knew who had saved her.

"Hold on to me." His voice was not gentle like she was used to. It was rough and deep.

"Okay." She says as her hands cling tightly around his neck.

While one hand supported Hinata's weight, the other extended with his hand out-stretched. The opposing ninja stopped running and stared at him with looks of uncertainty. It was a warning, not to be taken lightly.

The ninja's smirked at each other and approached with high speeds, obviously paying no heed to his warning. There were nearly less than two hundred shinobi left, but they still felt confidence in their numbers.

Hinata's felt a surge of power emit from Naruto, his chakra expanding and swallowing them both. Her hair began to rise from its energy and so did their bodies. His chakra was taking form just as her chakra did when she used her twin lion fists. But this was different. They were inside it.

His chakra became a blend of gold, yellows, oranges and reds, all twisting while expanding in size. The advancing ninja's stopped and stared as his chakra formed the very beast they had only seen in nightmares. The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.

Naruto and Hinata were high above the ground now, floating within the nine-tails. She didn't know how Naruto was doing this, but it was a feat that could not have been easy. A heavy roar erupted from the chakra beast causing all remaining hidden cloud shinobi to stare open-mouthed.

"A-Attack!" Hordes of men yelled as they casted their jutsu's, but it was ineffective against the nine-tails impenetrable chakra.

Sasuke's Susanoo flew over to them and landed with a thunderous crack. Hinata squinted to see Sakura inside, also looking her way. Sakura's eyebrows were raised in confusion at the sight of Hinata, but Sasuke seemed unfazed as he acknowledged her and turned to the fight at hand.

"Naruto, lets end this!" Sasuke yells solemnly.

Naruto looks at Sasuke and nods. While still holding Hinata, he holds his hand out again, prompting the foxes' mouth to open. A mass of energy accumulates within its mouth creating an enormous sphere while Sasuke's Susanoo structures an arrow from lightning and black flames. They both aim at the persisting cloud ninja's and fire.

The glow of the explosion lit up the night.

The ashes call my name.

Hinata felt something eerie fall over her as Naruto ran down the mountain with her still in his arms, but the sensation quickly disappeared. It had stopped raining now, and the storm was coming to an end. The wind was steady and cool as it swept across her face in light breezes. That feels nice. She thought.

Her over-strained eyes managed to make out Sakura's petite figure running beside them.

"Naruto, we need to find somewhere safe fast! Hinata needs medical attention, she's used up too much of her chakra!"

Naruto didn't say anything, but responded by picking up his speed.

A darkness was overtaking Hinata, as she slipped in and out of the world. Her head fell limp and her eyes adjusted to the scenery behind them.

The tree that had been hanging on for dear life was still there grasping the mountain side. It didn't falter and neither would she. She was strong, after all.