Thank you for the wait, guys. I just finished my exams and I did pretty well. So, here's the last chapter before the year ends. Also, thank you for the reviews while I was away. Also for Monfe7, I took your suggestion and added the English names for the jutsus at the end. That detail honestly slipped my mind so I thank you for your recommendation.
Happy holidays everyone and have a great new year.
Another day has passed and the two weeks are almost up. Night fell before the country of Nami and instead of the uncomfortable peace that roamed the town, one particular house is experiencing a set of wild emotions. In the period they have stayed in Nami, Hinata never encountered the child of Tsunami after their first meeting. When she heard of the boy's past, she couldn't help but sympathize with him. The pain of losing a parent will last a long time and the burden they will carry will be a heavy one. It would be understandable for someone to be a chaotic mess of emotions, especially a young child.
"You don't understand my pain! You shinobi don't understand what us normal people go through!"
She had noticed how Inari had been steaming in his seat, glaring at her and the others as if they personally brought this town to ruin. It was only when Naruto let out a laugh at one of Sai's other misunderstood remarks that he broke. A rageful speech roared from the boy's mouth. His mother shamefully tried to stop him, but Inari was too emotional to think clearly.
The reactions he garnered were expected. Sasuke matched the boy's glare with a darker one of his own but otherwise kept quiet. Sakura looked on with pity, while her eyes roamed to the still forms of her comrades. The jonins, along with Sai, kept a monotonous expression on their faces, shunning any emotions on their features.
Hinata… frowned.
It would be a lie if she said that she could understand the boy's life. As the heiress of a prestigious clan, the most contact she had with civilians is the people of Konoha and even then, their lives are significantly more different than those outside of the hidden villages. Hiring a shinobi could be expensive but when you're living in one of the five great villages in the world, then there's nothing much to fear. Unfortunately, not everyone could live with the same privilege.
However, that's not to say that she agreed with everything Inari said. After all, pain has been a personal acquaintance for quite some time now.
"Enough."
Silence fell over the house. Befuddled and concerned gazes shifted toward the stoic form of Naruto. A blank haze hovered his cerulean eyes, its usual shine nowhere to be seen. Inari matched the cold stare with a glare of his own, but it's clear that the boy is putting up a brave front. While most of the others at the dinner table are understandably worried, Kakashi went back to his book and allowed the scene to unfold.
"I have had enough of your whining. Your grandfather is actually standing up against Gato and your mother is doing her best to make do with the situation. What have you been doing other than moping around?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, ignoring the stunned looks from the others. "So your dad died, what are you going to do about it?"
"Naruto-san!" Tsunami stood up in aghast. She might not like the way her son is acting, but that didn't give her guest the right to say such things. The boy in question sat in his seat in complete shock.
The blond ignored the woman. "You're weak but that's not entirely your fault. The problem is that you choose to stay that way. You chose to let go of that hope and continue to wallow in despair. If your mother was taken by Gato, will you just let him take her like a coward?"
"No!" Inari cried out almost immediately.
The response was strong, supported by the indignant look on his face and the sudden rising from his seat… However, his answer appears inadequate to Naruto, judging by the snort he released.
"With the way you've been acting, I highly doubt that. Show me that you have what it takes to do just that. Because right now, all I'm seeing is a brat." the blond scoffed before turning to the indigo-haired woman with a warm smile that melted the coldness in his eyes. "Thank you for the meal, Tsunami-san. I appreciate your hard work."
A small blush spread over the mother's cheeks, a bit taken back at the sudden shift of emotions. "O- oh, it's no problem, Naruto-san." she bowed in appreciation.
Nodding, Naruto addressed his students. "Get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow." With that said, he proceeded to push his chair back and began to head over to the guest room. But just as his hand grasped the doorknob, Inari had something else to say.
"Why do you care?! It's not like you understand me! You don't know how it feels to lose someone!"
Another cloud of tension billowed through the room, sending tingles down everyone's bodies. Even Sasuke couldn't help but cringe at the insensitive statement. All this time, he wanted to beat the snot out of the boy for his callousness but right now, even he knows that this battle isn't his to fight. So, with quiet contemplation, he observed the blond jonin's reaction.
Naruto remained silent for the next few seconds, which only amplified the thick tension growing in the dining room. Finally, he craned his neck to the side and sent an apathetic eye at the boy. "Sure, brat." was all he said before smoothly entering the guest room and shutting it quietly.
Even with Naruto gone, the pressure refused to leave but it somewhat abated for a bit. Tsunami immediately confronted her son with a disapproving glare, while Tazuna simply shook his head at him. The boy in question indignantly turned his head away and ran off, leaving a distraught group of individuals.
Sakura, who felt the most uncomfortable, went back to eating her food. Though the flavor grew stale from the previous exchange, she's just glad to get out of that predicament. Sasuke scoffed at the direction which Inari ran off to and left to fill in his guarding shift. Sai was more confused than in fraught but noted the scene in his head for possible future use.
Amongst the genins, only Hinata was able to catch the flicker of emotion in the slight glance he gave Inari. It was a feeling she knew all too well and it only reminded her of the fact that they know almost nothing about their sensei. Besides being the son of the Fourth Hokage, his personal life is locked behind a shroud of mystery; a past filled with tragedy and pain lurks behind that cheerful mask.
Hinata's kind heart yearns to comfort her sensei, yet her body refuses to move. How could she help a person, if she couldn't even help herself? Besides, what can someone like her do to alleviate his buried emotions?
But even then, she still couldn't help but feel guilty.
She remembers the first time they met. He had helped her through a panic attack, one that could've had severe consequences, both to her mental health and to the reputation of the Hyuga clan. While she may not have improved much, she has to admit that she has been doing things she would've never done before. He had done more for her than her family ever did and how could she ever repay him for that?
With these troubling thoughts in mind, Hinata forced herself to move. She offered Tsunami some help with the dishes, but the woman refused profusely. At first, she thought she did something wrong. After all, it would be the first time she would do such a chore. However, her worries were relieved when Tsunami flashed her a smile and told her that it was her job as the host to take care of the guests' needs, including the dishes.
The following hours felt like a blur to Hinata. Her muddled thoughts remained throughout the entire night, plaguing her already bad dreams. The same scene would always play in her mind; a peaceful aura settling over her clan. All members happily enjoy each other's company without the discriminatory barrier between them. A smile graced her pale lips as the conversations she had with her family grew warmer and more comforting.
Only for a hellish flame to consume her surroundings. A horrific scene replaces the joyous event, revealing her fellow Hyuga trapped in chains while some whipped them to the ground. Her terrified eyes switched to the gazes of her family; her father, sister, and cousin—all glaring at her with pure rancor. It was an uncommon sight, but it never fails to bring more weight to her soul
However, this dream proved its desire to torment her to be rather vicious. Amid all the glares, a few stood out the most. A pair of emerald green eyes, one that's usually filled with hints of curiosity and passion, now burned with anger. The same blank stare she became familiar with and one might even say she grew to like, pierced through her heart like a poison-tipped arrow. Not even a scolding from her father brought her this much pain.
Unfortunately, it only grew worse when she recognized two more figures. Both of them were unique individuals that somehow wormed their way into her life, breaking through her walls of insecurity and cherishing her as if she was theirs. Their compassionate gazes are a far cry from the gazes looming over her right now. She could see it—the disgust; the pure hatred in their eyes forcing her down to her knees. No longer does their presence emit a comforting aura, but a perverted version of it.
A black miasma of abhorrence swirled around them like a disease. Greyed strings latched onto her fragile body, seeping through her veins and sending a blinding pain into her soul. She could barely feel it because all she could see is their blackened faces, a pool of hatred spreading across their features and all of it is directed at her. As the decaying blanket slowly consumed her, tears finally escaped her eyes and what was left of her walls broke.
Morning came early for the shinobi, or at least it felt like it. Tazuna had been rather excited for the past few days and it was not that hard to figure out why. The bridge is almost complete and in record time as well. He, along with a bit of convincing from Naruto, was able to invite more help from the townsfolk to finish the wooden structure. From what it looks like, this would be their last day.
As per their routine, they would accompany Tazuna to the bridge and guard them against any danger. Although considering their track record, this could be another safe day without any intervention from Gato or his hired shinobi, something he doubts would continue. But now that it's their last day, Naruto's guard is all the way up. Something's telling him that a major event is about to unfold and his gut has yet to fail him...
"Uh, Naruto-sensei? Should we wake Hinata?"
Naruto glanced at the sleeping heiress with a frown. "I think we should let her sleep in. She's had… a rough night."
Saying that would be an understatement. He barely got some sleep himself with the hours he spent soothing the whimpering Hyuga throughout the entire night. Despite his attempts to wake her out of her nightmare, the night continued to be a hellish experience. It was only when he took her form into his arms and cradle her just as he did with his sister back whenever she couldn't sleep. He never thought he would have to do it again until now.
This only made him realize how much damage the Hyuga clan had inflicted on their own heiress and how long she had been hiding her pain. It only summoned a great deal of anger within Naruto. He quietly promised himself to deal with the council of parasitic elitists himself if nothing would change. As much as he adores the late Hitomi Hyuga, her husband wouldn't be spared from his rage.
After covering Hinata with a warm blanket, they headed off with the old bridge-builder. However, Naruto made sure to not leave the house unprotected by leaving a clone to constantly guard the perimeter. Another effect of his paranoia could be an answer to his ever-growing worry but it would be better to be safe than sorry. Kakashi certainly agrees.
So, the strange band of shinobi and civilians made their way toward the bridge. Throughout the trip, the most experienced shinobi in the group felt something disturbing in the environment but couldn't quite pinpoint where. Even Sasuke couldn't shake the lingering voice in his head, one that frustratingly sounded like his brother's, telling him that something big is about to happen. While Sakura couldn't sense it, she could feel the other's negativity.
"Bah, nothing happened in two weeks! I doubt something would happen now!" came Tazuna's optimistic attitude, after Kakashi decided to voice their thoughts.
Naruto frowned. "That's exactly why we're cautious. Zabuza should be in good condition by now. Today could be a strategic plan to catch us with our guard down. We rode this sense of peace for a while now and it would be the perfect chance to strike."
A seed of doubt has finally been planted in Tazuna's mind. "What makes you say that?" he dares to ask.
"Because it's something we would do," Kakashi replied ominously. "I'm betting my book that they're waiting for us right now by the bridge."
The bridge-builder paled. "I asked the other workers to come early today. Do you think…?"
The group froze, their heads slowly craning toward the old man. "How long have they been there?" Kakashi's voice lacked its usual lackadaisical tone.
"Um, I told them to arrive before sunrise." Tazuna's words only registered when the blinding rays of the golden morning star entered his vision.
Naruto didn't waste any time. With a blink, the blond disappeared in a flash of yellow and orange, leaving the tiniest trail of dust as a memory of his presence. Kakashi acted as well, "Sasuke, Sai, with me. Sakura, stay here and protect the client."
The pinkette was only able to respond with a small "wait!", before all three took after Naruto, leaving Sakura with the bridge-builder. As the trio followed the usual route, they began to notice that the air is starting to look blurry, and translucent. It wasn't until they got even farther that they realize that they were surrounded by mist. If they had their assumptions before, then this basically confirmed their suspicions.
"Kakashi-sensei, I sense death." came Sai's utterance.
The silver-haired jonin frowned, as well as the Uchiha beside him. The common theme between the three shinobi is their experiences with death. It's a common ability in veteran shinobi to be able to almost see the touch of death in their surroundings. Almost as if they were blessed or cursed by the Shinigami's sick desires.
No words were exchanged between the three as they pushed on, with Sasuke just barely keeping up with them. Soon, they finally found the shock of blond hair they were catching up to. As they came to a stop, their noses were immediately assaulted by a rotting stench. The mist in the area blocked most of their vision, but they already had an idea of what it was.
Kakashi immediately recognized it and hardened his features. Walking up to Naruto, whose eyes stared off into the hazy air, the scarecrow made his presence known. "How long?" he asked.
The blond's nose twitched. "About three hours now. They've been waiting for us. This is just unlucky timing." Naruto muttered as he sent a wave of wind chakra to sweep over the thickening mist with just a swipe of his finger, unveiling a scene of horror.
Blood—from the crevices of the concrete path to the unpolished surface of the bridge, red painted their views. The bodies of the same people they protected and talked to for the past week were sprawled across the splattered ground, their fluids pooling under their lifeless forms and some of their own organs strung along each other. Each of their faces had a resting expression of agony, their mouths twisted into a scream before their final seconds.
It was a disgusting and terrible sight but to the eyes of the veterans, it was nothing unusual.
Unfortunately for Sasuke, he wasn't as prepared. His body unconsciously lurched over as the remains of his breakfast spilled over to the ground. It wasn't the first time he witnessed a massacre, but that didn't mean that he would be immune to it. The looks on the corpse's faces reminded Sasuke so much of his family that his fist started to tremble in anger.
Sai, despite being trained extensively to ignore such sights, couldn't help but frown. An unknown emotion stirred in his stomach, prodding from under his skin. As he was unable to identify the feeling, the pale boy shook it off and decided to focus his attention elsewhere, such as the mass of water vapor refusing to leave even after Naruto's attempt to sweep everything away.
It's a good thing that none of the girls aren't with them right now. As much as they have grown for the past few months, this is something that is still beyond their understanding. Unlike the boys, their experiences with death are limited. One day, they might be able to stomach it but as they are right now, their fragile minds won't be able to handle such gruesome sights.
"Naruto-sensei…"
"I know, Sai. Don't focus too much in the middle. They can come out of anywhere." Naruto replied, eyes flickering across the dispersion over the bridge.
Just as he said, footsteps began to ring from the bridge. The sound of metal scraping against the wooden platform sent shivers down Sasuke's spine, who tried his best to keep a brave face on. The unfinished scaffolds creaked at every step and as it grew closer, the Leaf shinobi prepared themselves.
Soon, three familiar figures emerged from the misty cloud.
The first two were easily recognized. Their signature shark-like smiles are ever-present on their lips, visible even under Zabuza's wraps. Their infamous blades sang in joy at the opportunity to feast on more blood. They've clearly learned from their last encounter, opting to cover themselves in thicker wraps and cloth, but not enough to hinder their movement.
Trailing behind them is one that the Leaf shinobi didn't recognize, though Naruto has a vague idea of who. The person is dressed as a typical Kiri hunter-nin, but judging by how close the three are walking, it's clear that they're working together. Silken, black hair falling down their shoulders is the only sign of identification they showed. Other than that, everything is locked behind a white mask and baggy clothes.
"Look who's back!" Zabuza cried out with glee.
Naruto's eyes twinkled with amusement. "That should be our line. How're the ribs?"
Any form of cheer immediately drained away from the Demon's face. He ignored the chuckle coming from his companion and leveled a glare at the blond. "I don't know who the fuck you are, but if Ameyuri hadn't called dibs for you, I would've gladly taken the chance to gut you." he snarled.
"Too bad. I would love to dropkick you again."
Zabuza gritted his teeth and turned his head towards Ameyuri. "Make him bleed at least once. I still have some unfinished business with Hatake."
"Don't worry," she replied with a savage grin, drawing her Kiba in excitement. "I wish to settle our duel as well. Haku, make quick work of the brats."
The masked individual nodded. "Understood, Ameyuri-san."
The blond realized he made the right call to leave the bridge-builder. If they had brought him, he and Kakashi would have had to focus on two different tasks. This would severely limit their capabilities and they would have to measure their every action to a significant degree.
His eyes then fell on the two genins who tagged along. While they may be a lot more capable than the bridge-builder, against high-level missing-nins who come from a land that thrives in bloodlust, there's not much they can do. He would have to leave them to… Haku.
Naruto's expression turned grim. He already knew that Haku would be an enemy, but that didn't make the situation any better. The boy is a good person at heart, whose loyalties falls on the other side. As a shinobi, it's his job to finish the mission, even if it means eliminating someone like him.
"Kakashi, I assume you want to face Zabuza?" Naruto asked.
The silver-haired jonin sighed dramatically. "Oh, fine. Have your fun then." he mused jokingly, but the hardened look in his lone eye told otherwise.
"Sasuke, Sai. I'll leave the last one to you. Be careful, he's a hyoton user and is extremely skilled. Watch his speed and don't expose your backs." Naruto mentioned to the genins, earning a look of confusion from Kakashi and nods from the rest. "Let's go!"
With that said, the two sides immediately leapt into action. Kakashi met the Demon on the bridge, his sharingan flickered out and a kunai was drawn to quickly block a swift strike from Zabuza's blade. The genins followed Haku, who blurred out of existence and appeared just a few meters away from them.
Compared to the others, Naruto's battle with his opponent started quite slowly. The two were slowly walking towards each other, just right by the river with their eyes locked onto each other's form. Ameyuri's swords had arcs of lightning dancing along the blades but other than that, her stance remained passive.
Naruto hasn't even summoned his yet and is taking his sweet time in this supposed duel. "How should we do this? Blades only?" he suggested, only to receive a gruff chuckle.
"I already have a rough idea of how it would end. Your potential is there, but it's still no match against someone like me." Ameyuri replied. There wasn't a hint of arrogance in her tone, oddly enough. Though there is a sliver of pride, she told nothing but the truth.
Which is something Naruto had to admit. If he goes against her with nothing but his sword, he would most likely end up on the ground with a noticeable lack of limbs. Their first encounter had only been a test and now that both of them have a gauge of each other's swordsmanship, it's already clear who's superior.
"It would be a shame to finish a meal so quickly. I like to savor my food." Ameyuri grinned at the blond. "So show me everything!"
Naruto closed his eyes. "I see," he whispered under his breath before two clones popped into existence, each wielding a kunai and a pair of hardened cerulean eyes. A blue tint colored the edges of their blades, dispersing the air around them.
Opening his eyes, he allowed a flurry of wind chakra to cloak his forearm once again and summoned Tenrai no Soyokaze with a flick of his wrist. The air practically parted for Naruto, whipping leaves and pebbles out of the area. Though there is a notable difference between the state of his blade now and before.
Its shape isn't as smooth and linear; the blade is constantly fizzing and switching back and forth from a clean edge into a serrated one. Its length is smaller, similar to a tanto rather than a katana, but with a thicker base and a chipped tip. It's hard for Ameyuri to tell if it's intentional or not, but either way, she would take its threat seriously.
It turns out, she was right to assume that. Because the next she knew, she had to dodge a concentrated blast of wind chakra carving right toward her. The concrete under her cracked, leaving webs of crevices in its wake. The arc continued to blow past her and eventually dissipated after it parted the river behind her.
Ameyuri felt a bead of sweat trickling down her forehead, which is odd because of the humid weather. Her eyes shifted to the grinning form of Naruto and his clones. The original's sword arm is raised up in the air, the blade's already deformed state shifting chaotically.
She knew the blond held an unmeasurable amount of power behind that inexperienced swordsmanship, but to think that one strike from him could practically split towns blew her expectations out of proportion. Once again, she found herself comparing him to the Mizukage and even then, she doubts their strength are as equal as she first thought.
"You know, I never was the disciplined type. Using a sword goes against my fighting style. So in exchange for the perfect form, I was gifted with the power of destruction." Naruto regaled with pride in his voice, his hand hovering over the frenzied edge of his blade. "Still want this fight?"
The Shinku no Tatsumaki let out a crazed laugh. Despite the obvious power difference, there is nothing more exciting than a challenging fight. She could feel her lust for battle salivating and she didn't let it wait any longer.
"More than ever! Show me my last meal!" she cried out with sadistic glee as she lunged at Naruto, her Kiba roaring along with her.
"Ugh, when will the boss come back?"
Naruto's clone is not having a good time. Remaining perched up on top of a rooftop while the original is out there probably doing something more productive, grated his nerves. As much as Naruto has changed from that impulsive, reckless child, his clones have somehow retained at least some of those qualities. Whatever dormant personality he kept buried always uncovers itself whenever he summons a clone and it's not that much different now.
The shadow clone had resorted to playing with his kunai. After drawing a target on the trees below, he would boredly throw them right into the bullseye every time and slowly walk towards it to pick it up. While some may call his shurikenjutsu exceptional, his skills are nowhere near as perfect as his rival's. That guy could hit a target from a mile away, deep into a forest with nothing but a toothpick.
"Tch, wonder what that guy's up to nowadays." he mused to himself as the memory of his former best friend flashed in his head.
But before he could reminisce the good times, the sound of a branch snapping took his attention. In a fluid motion, the kunai in his hand that was just about to leave his fingers were immediately redirected into the forest on his right. The small blade howled into the air before striking its target, the squelch from sinking into flesh reaching Naruto's ears.
While that could be a sign of an intruder, Naruto personally thinks that the scream that followed is what sold it, which was followed by multiple curses and hushed voices.
Reaching for another kunai in his pouch, the blond went after them. It didn't take long to uncover the identities of the intruders, who appeared to be a pair of missing-nins. Judging by the respirators on their faces, it's safe to assume that they hail from Amegakure.
Naruto didn't even bother identifying them. He vaguely guessed that they belong to the C-rank category and even then, their faces are so plain that he doubts that the Bingo Book bothered to record them. With one of them already down with a kunai stuck in the chest, their threat level barely surpasses a genin at this point.
Without even allowing the second to say his last words, Naruto laced his kunai with wind chakra and swiped, ending the man's life before he could even blink. With a sigh, the blond proceeded to follow the ANBU protocol and took the heads of the missing-nins. No matter how forgetful they are, their deaths still signify something in the village they came from, especially if they were eliminated in another country.
Just as he was placing their heads in the scroll, Naruto sensed a presence nearby.
"Hm, you haven't changed a bit, haven't you."
Cerulean eyes flashed towards the thick of a forest, seeing nothing but rows of trees, flowing grass, and unearthed boulders. The wind howled in a grim tone. The rustling leaves whispered curses under their breath. Chimes seem to echo in his ear yet all he sees is the hollowed form of nature.
A simple blink changed all that.
As if a veil of illusions fell, a figure now stood before him. Robes of ink and vermillion clouds greeted him. The familiar symbol of the famed Uchiha kekkei genkai spun wildly. No sane person would dare even glance at their eyes, yet Naruto held no such fear and locked his gaze on his crimson orbs. A thin tendril prodded the back of his head, but with a pulse of chakra, the blond dispelled the alluring illusion before it could even latch onto him.
"You haven't changed, indeed."
Naruto scoffed. "I couldn't say the same to you. However, you still have that same beatable face, Itachi."
The Uchiha chuckled, breaking his stoic demeanor for the first time in a very long time. He shifted his arm, which was resting outside of his cloak, to a more practical stance. "Be careful. After all, a clone would only need one hit before it's useless." Itachi remarked quietly.
"And I only need one chance to pummel you to the ground. Dispelling will be worth it." Naruto cracked his knuckles with a grin.
Yet again, Itachi laughed. If anyone else would've seen him, they would've thought that they were dreaming. He and emotions usually don't go hand in hand but even as children, Naruto has a natural ability to bring out unusual personalities in people. He could still remember the shocked looks on his parent's faces when they first saw him laughing with Naruto.
"How have you been doing, Naruto?" Itachi asked casually as if he isn't an S-rank missing-nin.
A snort is his answer. "That should be my question. When you said that you have a role to fill in, I didn't expect the Akatsuki. Nearly five years I haven't heard of you and now you decided to show yourself?" Naruto seethed, his tone closing the gap between tolerance and resentment. "Why shouldn't I do my job as a Leaf shinobi and get rid of one of Konoha's greatest traitors?"
Itachi hid it well, but he couldn't deny that it took a lot to resist flinching. Naruto was always the forgiving type. Despite his temper, he has a natural kindness and is always willing to give a second chance but once that line is crossed, he would show them why the Uzumaki clan is so feared.
The raven-haired man sighed. Times have changed indeed.
"Because I have information that you would want to have," Itachi replied coolly.
However, his attempt to soothe Naruto's rising anger failed. In fact, it only plunged it deep into boiling oil and lit a blazing fire. "INFORMATION?!" a mocking chuckle escaped his lips. "You didn't have this information when I confronted you that night?! Not a fucking smidge of knowledge? You ask me to trust you but even my patience will whittle after five years. You better make sure that this information is worth not killing you right now."
"Madara Uchiha leads the Akatsuki."
Those five words immediately stopped the tangent Naruto was about to go on. That name sent a flurry of memories and emotions spiraling across his body. The name that has haunted him for the past twelve years, looming over his parents' spirits, has finally revealed itself and is now tied with his former best friend.
How cruel.
Naruto brandished his kunai with newfound vigor. "Tell me everything." he hissed out, holding the edge of his wind-laced blade against the neck of the Uchiha.
Itachi remained stony for a few seconds before breaking. His form slouched and the eyebags under his eyes were now more prominent. Years of exhaustion finally revealed themselves on his face and proved to Naruto that once again, he was too young to experience such a tragic life. But for now, all he cares about is the information he withheld for years.
"Don't worry, I intend to tell you everything you deserve to know"
Hinata's morning did not start great.
First, the remnants of her nightmare remained vividly in her head, causing her to wake up with an even worse headache. Second, she had rolled off of her futon somewhere, somehow, and ended up tasting the dusty wooden boards first thing in the morning.
Lastly, she just noticed that no one else is in the house. Despite her blurry vision and splitting migraine, she could still notice that the house feels a bit more empty than usual. Most of the time, she would be the first one to wake up and help Tsunami set up the table for breakfast.
Now, not a sign of her fellow Leaf shinobi nor the client's family is present in the house. She spent a total of ten minutes searching the small building but found no one in sight. She even used her Byakugan to search through the walls, not that she thought that they would be inside them but just to make sure.
In the end, Hinata assumed that the group had gone to the bridge to oversee the completion of the bridge. They probably left her because she slept a bit too deep or for some rational reason, but it still left an insecure imprint on her.
However, as she went downstairs to leave she noticed the door had been left wide open. It was odd because Tsunami valued the security of her house as if it were her own child so it was unlikely that she would forget about it. But as she inspected it more, she found something that drained the blood from her face.
The hinges of the door had been snapped and the latch had left a hole in the doorframe, showing signs of forced entry. If that didn't prove it, the muddy footsteps on the mat did. The sizes of the prints were too big for Inari and Tsunami, meaning that someone else had broken in.
"Tsunami-san! Inari-san!" Hinata exclaimed in horror.
Without even thinking, Hinata summoned an unnatural amount of chakra and activated her Byakugan with full force. Veins crept along her eyes as she blasted her kekkei genkai with full power, scanning each and every single meter around the house. Every inch of the forest, as far as she could see, was stripped off its nature. Her eyes are starting to ache at just how much she's pushing her ability.
Eventually, she found movement just a couple of hundred feet ahead and she took off running. It didn't matter who had taken them. Her mind and heart have already settled on one goal; to save Tsunami and Inari. She would reap the consequences later, once their lives are safely in peace with the living world. Not even the risk of death made her stumble.
Bravery is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to push through despite that, Hinata's heart pumped with trepidation. As she began to catch up to the kidnappers, the realization settled. She had no plan to go with. Even if her enemies are normal bandits, whose chakra levels are lower than an academy student, they still hold an advantage over her with their hostages.
Hinata's courage was quickly unraveling and she didn't have time to ponder for a plan when she finally came to a stop. The kidnappers had halted their movements under one of the thicker trees in the forest and placed their hostages against the trunk, their limbs tied with robe and a piece of cloth wrapped around their mouths.
The lavender-haired heiress sunk into the fields of grass. Her small stature aided her for the first time, allowing her to blend in perfectly with the surroundings. With the use of her Byakugan, she continued to observe them.
The two thugs appear to be discussing what to do with their hostages, rather furiously at that. One of them kept pointing at Inari and the red mark trailing down his eye. From what she could see, the only weapons they bear are a pair of machetes and a couple of knives on their person. Hinata isn't sure if she could take them both at once but to save Tsunami and Inari, she would have to try.
Her heart pounded against her ribcage. She tried her best to ignore the small voices in her head, whispering cold words and spelling out her death if she dares to enter a situation out of her league. She summoned the words of encouragement from both of her sensei, an attempt to remedy her anxiety-filled heart. So far, it's working.
"No matter how intricate your plan is, that won't help if you're already dead before you could act on it. Don't stop to think about every single action you'll take. Don't think, just do. Woman up!"
As much as a crude woman Anko is, there's no denying that she has a way with words. There's something about her unfiltered language that would normally make Hinata cringe but instead filled her with rejuvenation. Maybe it's because she had to suffer under the honeyed words of strangers and the false attempts to inspire her. Whatever it is, she's glad to have her as the main voice in her head.
With renewed vigor, the Hyuga heiress took advantage of her element of surprise and rushed out of the grass. The first thug never expected it. All it took was three quick strikes down the spinal region, and he collapsed like a bag of potatoes. Not even a scream, but a feminine yelp was her response before only one left stood standing.
Hinata didn't hesitate to engage the second. The man reacted rather well, unlatching his machete to take a wide swing at the shorter girl. But to the Hyuga, the attack might as well have been in slow motion, and coupled with her ocular abilities, nothing from the man would ever touch her.
"Hold still, you fucking—" his words were soon cut off.
"You are within my divination. Hakke Sanjūni Shō!" Hinata muttered, before launching with her palms coated with chakra.
Two strikes at the elbow and the shoulder forced him to drop the weapon with a cry of pain. Another two aiming at his stomach had him hunched over with his breakfast nearly spilling over his mouth. Four more to the chest grounded his nerves. A set of eight shattered any feelings in his legs. The last ones were sixteen-consecutive strikes; blurred palms slamming against his body nearly rattled every organ inside his ribcage. One would've never expected such force from a little girl, even the person herself.
The last thing the man saw was the fierce glare from her Byakugan, her eyes piercing right through his soul with righteous anger. Not even his pride as a man let up after realizing he was beaten by a girl quarter his age. All he did was accept the sweet embrace of unconsciousness and finally relieve himself of the pain.
Both Tsunami and Inari watched with wide eyes at the scene before them. The normally timid girl who spent her time doing meaningless chores in the house had just taken down two men twice her size. It just goes to show the gap between a shinobi, even one as green as her, and a normal person.
Hinata let out a breath she had been holding throughout the quick one-minute fight—beatdown if you would ask anyone else. "A- are you alright?" she asked shyly, her fiery nature melting back down to a gentle flame.
The two could only nod dumbly as Hinata went over to them with a kunai out to cut their binds off. "I'm terribly sorry for not noticing that you were taken. I-" she started, but was cut off by Tsunami.
"Don't apologize, Hinata. The most important thing is that you saved us now and for that, we're indebted to you." the older woman smiled warmly.
Hinata looked on for a few seconds before returning it, albeit a bit nervous. "O- okay." she said as she removed the final bindings of Inari, who rubbed his wrists with a frown.
"How did you do it?" he asked, catching Hinata off guard.
"What?"
The boy sent her a hard look. "How did you defeat them?"
Hinata hesitated for a bit. "I- I don't know. I just… did. I didn't think about how I would do it, I just… did it." She knew her answer isn't enough to satisfy his question, but that's the only way she could put it. Because just a few seconds ago, even she didn't know she is capable of such things.
"Were you scared?"
The lavender-haired girl pursed her lips. "Yes. B- but, I focused on what's more important. It's my job to protect you so…" she trailed off, the unspoken words flowing alongside the wind.
"And we're grateful for that." Tsunami cut in, shooting a glare at her son. "I'm just surprised you were able to take all three of them down. Though I guess I shouldn't have doubted a shinobi's—"
Hinata froze. "Three? I only saw—"
"Look out!"
The world slowed down. Gasps and screams echoed. Hands flew in the air. All of this is captured in the ocular vision of the Byakugan and yet, all Hinata could focus on is the axe falling towards her. She noticed the rust decorating the blade, the edges serrated and the wooden handle coated with oil. She could see the expression of rage on the wielder's face. Each wrinkle on his skin painted a hideous sight.
'Is this it? Can I finally see mother?'
Hinata blinked. 'Maybe it is. I can't wait to see you…'
The next thing everyone knew, blood spilled everywhere.
Naruto's clone cursed himself. He hadn't noticed that he spent nearly thirty minutes speaking with Itachi. The tale he had been regaled had shattered some of his beliefs. He really wanted to dispel so the original would learn about this new information. However, he nearly forgot about the real purpose of his existence.
Which is why he's scouring the perimeter to search for his missing student and client's family. He had been foolish to believe that Itachi wouldn't try to ensnare him in a genjutsu. Unfortunately, he had underestimated his level of spite. He almost forgot that he is considered one of the most prolific genjutsu users in history.
He had thought only a few minutes had passed, only to realize that the illusion only made him think that. In reality, half an hour had already passed and during that time, it appears that some of Gato's thugs decided to kidnap his student and the client's family. Unfortunately for them, Naruto isn't as merciful as before. Some things have changed and he needs to take out his frustrations on something… or someone.
With a click of his tongue, his body blurred out of existence. It's sad to say that he hadn't inherited his mother's sensory abilities. He would have to give that to Mito, who made it really hard to play hide-and-seek. From the scrolls he read, it did make sense since females of the Uzumaki are more likely to exhibit those abilities than males. That didn't make him any jealous, though.
That's not to say he has no sensing abilities. He wouldn't have gotten into ANBU if he hadn't. It's just that there's a huge difference between a normal shinobi's sensory skills and an Uzumaki's. They could practically scour an entire country with just a single pulse and read their enemies' intention before they could even take action. It's no wonder his clan was wiped out for being too dangerous.
Naruto's eyes flickered across his surroundings at speeds that would make his dad proud, checking every single nook and cranny in the forest. Coupled with a constant flow of his senses reaching out of his body, he doubts that he wouldn't be able to find them.
Just as he said, he finally found a couple of chakra signatures just a few meters away from his position. So, his feet ground against the dirt, the air ripping as Naruto flew through the thick of the forest to reach them. His hands are poised in case he needed to take action immediately, slivers of chakra flicking along his digits.
It didn't take long for him to arrive. However, the sight that greeted him shook him to his core. Blood is the first thing he sees on his student. Hinata, a pure individual that would've made angels weep, is coated with a layer of crimson. Her pale irises and her lavender locks are the only ones that remained untouched. From her oversize trench coat to her unblemished skin, a river of red had drenched her.
However, none of it came from her.
Naruto's eyes followed her outstretched arms, ignoring the continuous flow of blood dripping down her skin. They locked with the kunai she held with both hands. The blade is nowhere to be seen, but he could see where it had been buried.
Standing before the Hyuga is an unidentified man; he could only guess that he had been one of the kidnappers. Naruto would've questioned him if it weren't for the fact that a blade is sticking through his neck, severing his vocal cords and trachea. He could see the tip of the kunai jutting out of his nape. His eyes had rolled to the back of his head, a slight raspy wheeze escaping his mouth.
The man's legs were barely holding on, the weight of his oversize body forcing his knees to buckle but whatever life he had left, it was keeping his stumps strong. Naruto slowly walked forward, his eyes trailing away from the man's dying body to the trembling form of his student. With a gentle raise, he closed his hand around her wrist, finally eliciting a reaction from her.
A gasp left her lips and her arms instinctively retracted. With nothing holding the man up anymore, he collapsed unceremoniously, the weapon that had ended his life still buried in his neck. However, Naruto paid him no attention and knelt at Hinata's level. Her hands were curled around an imaginary handle, the presence of the kunai still present in her mind.
"Hinata…" he calls out her name, but her eyes remained unfocused.
Naruto ignored the slickness on her skin and wrapped both of his hands around her wrists, forcing Hinata to remove her gaze from the corpse and lock eyes with the blond. That's when reality settled in for her. No longer was the world muffled, as if a great blanket had ascended over the nation. She saw her reflection in Naruto's eyes; she could see the gruesome figure that stood in her place and that's when she broke.
Her words broke up and all she could say were stuttering sounds. Hot tears streamed down her face, and she squeezed her eyelids shut in the hope her tears would stop. She could feel the blood against her skin, the sticky sensation reminding her of the scene that just happened. Her choppy breathing and watery eyes remained for quite some time, and she stood there unmoving.
She couldn't even feel the arms that wrapped around her form. She could only replay her actions over and over in her head and each time, the weight in her heart grew heavier. Her knees threatened to buckle, but Naruto held onto her tight, allowing the blood and tears to stick onto his body unperturbed Whispers filled her years, yet words failed to register,
The pair stood there for seconds, minutes, and maybe even hours but none of them cared. Hinata sobbed against her teacher's chest until the tears had stopped. She opened her eyes and darkness greeted her. That would be a common sight for the next few days as she drifted out of consciousness, the emotional toll on her body finally settling.
Naruto cradled her form for a few more minutes until he shifted his gaze to the other two people he had come for. Tsunami had covered her son's eyes when the first sign of blood emerged. However, she couldn't hold her shock anymore after she witnessed the scene continue. She had to remind herself once again that despite being shinobi, these were children; kids whose ages are closer to Inari's than to her own and it broke her heart to see an innocent girl such as Hinata break down like that.
"Are you two okay?" Naruto asked.
Tsunami nodded hesitantly. "Y- yes. Hinata… she saved us."
Naruto's eyes widened for a bit before they softened and a smile graced his lips. "How reckless of her." he mused.
"D- do you think she'll be okay?" Inari's small voice piped up, round eyes filled with concern peeked from his mother's fingers.
The blond raised an eyebrow. "Yes. She just needs some rest," he replied. "The same could be said of you two. You had a rough day. Do you have any friends you can stay with? Just once all of this blows over."
Tsunami nodded. "Yes. The Nakaya often invites us over and I could maybe call in a favor."
"Please do so. I assume that something went wrong with the others and these thugs were ordered to take advantage of the chaos."
The mother gasped. "Is my father safe?"
Naruto shook his head. "I'm not sure. But I assume the boss could handle it. In the meantime, it's better if you inform the townsfolk to stay indoors for the time being. It's not safe today."
Inari was about to say something else, but Tsunami beat him to it. "I understand, Naruto-san. But what about Hinata? Should we bring her along with us?"
Naruto thought about it but figured that having Sakura check her out should be at the top of his priority list. "No, she'll be going with me. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that she needs some special care from someone," he replied earnestly.
Tsunami nodded in understanding. "I see. Then don't let us hold you back. We can return on our own. They weren't smart enough to cover our eyes so I could still navigate out of this forest."
As much as he wanted to escort them out, he can't afford to let Hinata wait so he reluctantly agreed. "I bid you two good luck." he nodded at them but before he could leave, Inari had something to say.
"Naruto-san." the boy started. "I was able to hit one of them with my fishing rod. I also made one of them trip with a bucket."
The statements were so out of the blue that anyone would've burst out laughing. However, Naruto could recognize a person seeking attention. As strange as it is, his own ANBU team, despite most of them being older than him by quite a margin, found themselves competing for his approval. But unlike them, Inari is searching for a different type of attention.
"So?" Naruto arched an eyebrow and just as he expected, he received a glare from the boy.
"You were wrong! You said that I would just sit by and let them take her but I didn't! So you were wrong!" Inari cried out.
"But they still took her, didn't they? If it weren't for Hinata, who knows where you will be right now."
"Yeah, but…"
"That means that you're still weak. So technically, I'm not wrong."
As cruel as it is to say, Naruto found joy in irritating kids. Konohamaru, Hanabi, Mito—all of them are so fun to tease and almost all of them have the same reaction; a red face and puffed-up cheeks that resemble a chipmunk's. He could only imagine the amount of bullying he could enact once he has kids. That would be a fun sight.
"Naruto-san…" Tsunami shot him a disappointed gaze.
The blond let out a sigh. "However, you're now on your way to becoming strong. You may be weak now, but keep this up and you'll be stronger than anyone you could think of."
For the first time, a bright smile lit up on Inari's face. "Even you?"
"Ha! You wish."
Tsunami groaned again. "Naruto-san…" She felt like scolding her son for how immature the blond is being. Who knew that someone as calm and professional as Naruto would have a childish side in him? She expected maybe from the man who read those smut books but not from him.
"Hey, I'm being realistic here." Naruto defended, before shifting his attention to Inari again. "But will you let what I say stop you from trying?"
Inari scowled. "Of course not! Blonds like you suck!"
Naruto's eyebrow twitched. "I'll give you that one, brat," he muttered to himself. "I must be going. Good luck and keep safe."
Those were the last things they heard before he and Hinata vanished in a swirl of wind and leaves. Once the two were gone, Tsunami let out a sigh. "Come, Inari. We still have to do what Naruto-san told us," she said as she took the boy's hand to leave, only to find him rooted in his place and his hat covering his contemplative look.
"Mom, please don't be mad but I think I have another plan."
Tsunami already didn't like that tone of his. It's similar to when Kaiza would suggest one of his devious strategies whenever they went fishing. However, she could never refuse those doe eyes of his and just like him, Inari used his adorableness to his advantage.
"You better not be suggesting throwing a cage and a sardine sandwich down the river to please the fishing gods."
"What?"
Tsunami shook her head with a sigh, "Nevermind, what is it?"
Sasuke's week hasn't been the greatest. In fact, he might even say that it's one of the worst weeks of his entire life. First, he lost a spar against Sai—Sai! The last person he expected to lose against. If it was the Hyuga, he might've understood since she's one of the strongest contenders to breaking his record in taijutsu spars. He might've even accepted it if it was against Kiba, who he noticed was improving quite quickly.
But Sai, the most average yet eccentric person he has ever met, was the one that beat him. If someone would've told his past self that the same pale freak would beat him without suffering a scratch, he would've buried that person under the dirt. However, it did happen and it's driving him crazy.
What's even crazier is that he's now fighting alongside him, against a shinobi who can manipulate ice and snow to his advantage. The strangest thing is that he's willing to work with Sai to beat this winter bastard. He didn't know when but somehow their backs are now against each other to protect each other's flank. He might've protested at first but after experiencing the threat that the enemy shinobi possesses, he's more than willing to push his pride aside.
"Can you see him?" he asked.
Sai shook his head. "No. The mist is blocking my senses," he replied, clutching his tanto tightly. The mass of water vapor had enshrouded their view almost completely. They could barely see the sun peeking out or the ground below them.
If that isn't worrying enough, they have to watch out for random water senbon shooting from the mist around them. Their opponent is fast, faster than any person they've faced before. From the way that he merges with the mist, the genins would've thought that he might've dematerialized into a cloud of water particles himself.
"I suggest that you surrender now. You have no hope of defeating me." came the disembodied voice of their opponent.
Sasuke ground his teeth. "Shut up and stop hiding like a coward!" he cried indignantly.
"Only a fool will fall for such a cheap tactic." the voice whispered so closely that the two genins felt like he was talking right beside them.
In instinct, Sasuke attempted to retaliate with a clean swipe of his kunai and nearly taking Sai's head off, if it weren't for the fortunate timing. The pale boy raised an eyebrow at the Uchiha, who managed to at least adopt an expression of penitence.
"How amusing. My opponents are nothing but a pair of children who have yet to wield a kunai." the condescending tone nearly drove Sasuke mad, his pride once again taking a brutal hit.
Interestingly enough, even Sai felt a prick of annoyance at the mockery. A swift shift of weapons allowed him to have his brush and scroll in his hands within seconds. Sasuke gripped the shaft of his kunai, the insult propelling his desire to mutilate the one who spoke against him.
"Use your drawings to lure him out. Once I can see him, leave it to me." Without even waiting for a response, Sasuke pocketed the blade and leapt to the other side, positioning himself so none of them would be caught in his jutsu.
Despite the demanding tone, Sai complied. His brush, slicked with chakra-infused ink, danced across the scroll in intricate paths. "Choujuu Giga," he muttered and a pride of lions emerged from the paper.
Roars filled the area, breaking the silence. Their manes shook with majestic pride, while their claws and carnassial teeth protracted with the intent to tear through flesh. Their empty, hollow eyes scanned the mist around them, and all at once, they locked onto a single target hidden behind the mass of water vapor.
Sai noticed this and spoke once, "Go!" and the lions lunged.
With unbridled snarls, the ink felines tore through the mist. The reaction was instant. Ink splattered out of the dispersion and shards of ice clattered across the ground. Grunts could be heard yet the figure of the enemy-nin has yet to reveal itself. As the chaos ensued, Sai continued to spawn more lions to keep him busy while Sasuke focused his gaze on the general direction
He waited for a few seconds; for a clear vision of his target. His palms were damp with sweat and anticipation. Chakra quickly cycled through his system, bubbling in suspense as time ticked by and the roars grew louder.
It was only a glimpse, a shred of an image in the midst of the mist. A single frame of his mask appeared in his perception and it was enough. He inhaled a stream of oxygen into his lungs and his chakra met it with a blaze. Almost immediately, he unleashed it in the form of a torrent of phoenix-like flames leaping toward its target.
"Katon: Todoroku Hebi."
The jutsu ripped through the air, consuming the remaining lions and reducing them into puddles of evaporating ink. For the Hyoton user, every lick of flame tasted his skin. The mask refused to shatter or even crack but the heat had pierced his garments, leaving patches of burnt wool and holes exposing his reddened skin.
The mist was parted, allowing the genins to see the disheveled form of the enemy-nin. It's clear that he is nowhere near spent, but it still brought satisfaction to them that they were able to at least directly hit him. Steam hissed from his back, and any remnants of heat were instantly quelled from the sheer cold of his nature.
The blank mask lifted its gaze from the ground and struck them with a lifeless stare. "It was a mistake to underestimate you. Very well…" he muttered.
Ever so slowly, he straightened and released the tension from his body, which in turn caused the genins to react with suspense. Clasping his hands, he intertwined his forefingers and summoned a shroud of chakra to envelop his body. It's so potent that the genins could literally see tendrils of blue chakra flickering across the air.
A flurry of cool air rushed from behind the enemy-nin, sweeping across the area and dropping the temperature to near-freezing level. Following it is another mass of mist barreling through, enveloping around as if it's intending to trap them. Sasuke let out a shivering breath; a white puff of carbon dioxide could be seen leaving his lips, mixing with the dispersion.
What happened next shook the genins.
Ice cuboids began to form around them; solid crystals hovering above the ground. Their eyes flew everywhere and all they could see is their own reflections and the growing panic in their eyes. The surface of the ice mirrors appears smooth and clear, but its vulnerability isn't as it seems.
"Makyō Hyōshō." the enemy-nin declared, his voice bouncing against the mirrors and ringing against their ears.
They watch as the Hyoton-user steps inside one of the crystals and almost melts inside it. The next they see are multiple reflections of the same person suddenly appearing around them within a blink of an eye. The same masks loomed over them from every angle, watching their every move.
"Allow me to start," he whispered, yet multiple voices spoke up. "I apologize, but it is within my orders to eliminate you."
Sasuke was struck first.
The Uchiha didn't know what happened but in just a second, a laceration had appeared on his arm. He couldn't even register the pain before another opened around his abdomen. After that, everything is a blur. Needles of agony and terror sliced through Sasuke's flesh, torturing his muscle fibers and bringing him to the cool ground.
Blood ran down his entire body. Each move he made felt like walking on fire. The freezing air seeped through his wounds, doubling the pain even more. His vision blurred, the ice mirrors around him looking more like sheets of paper. The outside pain has long since passed and has now turned into a battle against internal torment.
Throughout all this, Sai did his best to avoid the senbon aimed at him, but not without a few lacerations himself. However, he suffered worse under the training of his ROOT superiors and was able to power through the wounds.
Sai has long deduced that instead of cloning himself, the enemy-nin was just jumping from mirror to mirror, throwing water needles and senbon from every direction; above, right, left, behind. No angle is left alone. It would've been a lot easier to predict his movements if he weren't so fast.
He tried to follow where the attacks were coming from, but the sheer speed displayed destroyed his views on the term fast. The nin's movements were swift that he could barely comprehend them. Whenever he would launch an attack, the Hyoton-user would already be right behind him, after circling around him a hundred times.
Sai momentarily stared at the downed form of Sasuke, before an idea struck.
"Duck-butt, use your fire to melt the mirrors. Reduce his movements by lessening his options," he said as he dodged another set of senbon soaring his way.
Sasuke opened an eye and glared at the pale boy, but slowly got up. A searing burn flooded his flesh but he kept going. With an aching pain, he managed to do the necessary hand seals and weakly cried out, "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"
The ball of flames flew from his mouth like a snowball rolling down a hill, slowly growing in size before it reached its target. The fiery projectile slammed against the set of mirrors and the genins expected the crystals to shatter or even melt. But once the smoke cleared, to their shock, the mirrors remained untouched, glistening as if it hasn't been hit by an orb of heat.
"It is futile to resist. Please, accept your fate." multiple voices rang across the dome of mirrors, taunting the injured genins.
Sasuke swung his head from each side, searching for the real one. But all he could see are frozen reflections. His eyes burned, prompting him to seize his face in pain. However, he had failed to notice a mirage pass through the mirrors and melt into the mirror behind him. He failed to sense him emerging from ice, a senbon in hand ready to end his path for revenge in just a clean strike.
Fortunately, Sai isn't as ignorant. With a flick of his tanto, he blocked the incoming senbon, shocking the Hyoton-user at his sudden appearance. The pale boy didn't waste any time and rushed him with his blade at the ready. However, striking the enemy down proved to be just as difficult as avoiding the ice projectiles. His tanto trembled slightly against the resistance from him, who had summoned another senbon to block his attack.
Sai had been fervently scanning each mirror, trying to catch the slightest glimpse of movement. At last, he did and he allowed Sasuke to be used as bait to lure the enemy-nin out. He could've allowed him to end the Uchiha clan's heir right there and then, but he didn't.
Was it for the mission? Maybe it is but why did the faces of his team appear in his head? Why did their looks of disappointment send an unknown emotion down to his stomach? Why did Naruto-sensei's disgusted expression make him nearly recoil? Why are their reactions important to him, if he let the Uchiha die?
It did not make sense.
Unfortunately, these thoughts were his downfall. His hesitance caused him to fail to notice the enemy-nin performing one-handed seals. It was only when needles made out of the water in the air began to form around him that he realized his fate. Not even a scream left his lips as the needles showered his body, striking his pressure points and nearly reducing his body into a vegetable.
His last thoughts before it went dark were, surprisingly, about Shin. He never did ask what his condition had really been. Maybe when he returns, he'll even allow himself to be dragged into one of his shenanigans. For the first time, the thought of it brought a pleasant feeling rather than annoyance.
Haku frowned underneath his mask. The pale boy was reported to be a strange one, but other than his ability to summon ink creations, he was nothing special. The Uchiha, the supposed most powerful one, is even more of a disappointment. He was hoping to test his abilities against stronger opponents but as it turns out, the powerful clan members seem to have died in the massacre and all that is left is just a husk of their former glory.
A shiver ran down his spine. 'I'm starting to sound like Zabuza-sama. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.'
With a shake of his head, Haku faced his last opponent. He juggled between fighting him in close quarters or ending it quickly by returning to his mirrors. But just as he was about to decide, he felt a pressure suddenly fall on his shoulders. It isn't as heavy as Zabuza's, but it was enough to warrant some attention.
To Haku's surprise, the Uchiha is glaring in his direction. The wounds across his body seem to have no effect on the boy, who stood with defiance and anger. His grip around the kunai tightened and his face twisted into a dark scowl. Pure adrenaline ran through his veins, as seen by the almost mad look in his eyes.
Haku's eyebrows furrowed and decided to choose the safest option. He isn't as skilled in taijutsu as his master had wanted and now isn't the time to test it against a potentially maniacal opponent. Melting back into his mirrors, he shifted to a farther distance and began his assault.
At first, he expected the boy to take the needles like a brute and mindlessly charge at the dome. However, he was surprised once more when the Uchiha blocked it. Not just a few, but nearly every single one that came his way. Haku chalked it up to maybe a fluke or adapting to the patterns, but his next action left him baffled.
The Uchiha dodged the senbon without even sparing him a glance. Just a few moments ago, the boy could barely see him moving and now, he could predict his movements and block projectiles that were speeding through the air at the speed of sound. Every attack Haku launched was either blocked or dodged and the few times that did hit were only because of the boy's wound causing him to be a bit sluggish in his movements.
However, what happened was what truly broke him.
The boy's eyes moved to the exact mirror he had been planning on shifting to. Haku is lucky that the mask concealed his surprise, lest he gives the Uchiha an even bigger advantage. The next few movements were predicted as well, to the point that frustration bubbled in Haku. This technique was perfected to be an unforeseeable and inescapable prison, and it was foiled by a simple genin.
"Impossible," Haku muttered and momentarily stopped shifting, staying in the mirror just above the Uchiha. He stayed and observed for a few seconds, searching for a change.
With his fatigued body, there's no way that he should be functioning in peak condition. However, when Haku stared into his eyes, crimson greeted him. A wheel with a single tomoe spun wildly in his direction and there he finally realized what had happened. Even in this distance, he could see his eyes unnaturally locked onto his form and in instinct, Haku sped away.
Faster than he ever went before, the Hyoton-user shifted from mirror to mirror to the point of recreating replicas. His chakra is quickly draining, but Haku's pride wanted to see. Is his technique enough to outwit the mighty kekkei genkai of the infamous Uchiha clan?
For a moment, Haku paused his movements to observe the boy, and his eyes immediately locked with his. Those cursed eyes had been following him, despite the speed he had displayed. A secret technique he had trained years to complete was overcome by a pair of red eyes. It sent a surge of irritation down his throat.
However, the smirk that followed and his next words brought even more anger.
"I can see you."
I was actually about to end the wave arc in this chapter but I felt like it was going to exceed 17k words. Just a quick question, are you guys alright with long chapters with around 12k words or a bit shorter ones like 8k-9k? I kinda need to know so I would know what parts of the storyline I would write in each chapter.
Hakke Sanjūni Shō = Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms
Katon: Todoroku Hebi = Fire Release: Roaring Serpent
Makyō Hyōshō = Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals