Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
Setting: Alternate Reality. Out of Character.
CLASH OF DESIRES
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Multifarious dreams swirled in Naruto's mind, thriving and living by their laws. He witnessed the children of the Konoha ninja academy running around chasing each other on the edge of a small river in the western part of the village of Konoha, the evening sun hitting their happy faces and becoming warm with laughter. Their mothers waited on the higher ground where they played, talking to each other equally warmly. When the sun is about to be replaced by the moon, the mothers send their children home, and together they return with a look of hope; they want all this to be repeated tomorrow.
Naruto was aware of his flaws; he does not have such periods, whether consciously or in his dreams. He breathed out tiredly, looking at the violet lines on the horizon. Everything looked so much different; the people of Konoha, with the status of ordinary citizens, lived quietly in the warmth of their families. When he realized he only felt emptiness, Naruto wondered why the name emptiness turned out to mean congested. His heart never again touched comfortable feelings when his eyes woke up.
Exhaling tiredly for the umpteenth time he straightened up limply. His tired body then walked away from where he watched the children play earlier, sweet and bitter memories that never stopped being part of his head accompanying the short trip to the stopover before the next day he would carry out his lifelong mission again.
Because he travels so frequently, he becomes confused about what constitutes a home and what merely serves as a temporary stopover. However, since the incident that occurred a considerable time ago, he feels as though he has never truly returned home again; perhaps for Naruto, only his sleep and unconsciousness remain as remnants of what was once home.
After years of living only to carry out the mission he forced upon himself, without ever thinking about when this mission would end for him, he had also grown weary of being a part of this world on many occasions. It seemed that Naruto just needed a place to call home—a sanctuary for him to relieve all of his sorrows.
His heart always cries when he begins to dream, and his despair never ceases its plea to remain in the realm of dreams where he feels truly accompanied. Because in his dreams, he encounters someone whom he constantly yearns for in his waking state; that figure is always the one he longs for the most during slumber—someone who is the reason he can still perceive the world.
His consciousness was jolted by the purpose of his walk, and before him stood a modest apartment, resolute in its simplicity yet serving as an excellent stopover as it provided him the space to return home once again.
A slightly relieved feeling washed over his heart as he entered the apartment. It felt as though he had missed someone dearly. Naruto refrained from engaging in any other activities once inside. He entered the bedroom and immediately closed his eyes, seeking solace in the comforting warmth.
A white hue draped over Naruto's two black eyeballs, blending with his being. No objects adorned the space; only empty expanses of white captured attention. A soothing voice permeated the air, bringing a sense of comfort that compelled Naruto to turn his body.
"You're home, Naruto. I thought it would take longer," a warm voice welcomed him.
Naruto's face lit up with a gentle smile. Standing before him was a stunning woman, her purple hair framing her face perfectly, adding to her allure. Her sweetly crafted smile enhanced her beauty even more.
"The sooner I see you, the better, Naori," Naruto responded.
"Oh my…" Naori walked towards Naruto, extending her arms as if searching. Witnessing this, Naruto hurriedly approached Naori and grasped her hand. Naori felt her hand enveloped by a slightly larger one and lowered her head, resting it upon Naruto's chest.
"I believe you missed me, Naruto," she softly uttered.
Naruto smiled in response and gently caressed Naori's purple hair. "Once again, you are right," he acknowledged.
Naori's lips curled into a sweet smile, her eyelids closing softly. Naruto gazed at her closed eyelids, his expression turning sorrowful.
"Don't wear such a sad expression. It truly doesn't suit you," Naori remarked.
Naruto flinched, realizing that Naori couldn't see the sadness on his face. However, her intuition seemed to sense it.
"I suppose it's quite challenging to hide it from you, Naori," Naruto admitted.
Naori looked up at him, offering a reassuring smile. "I'm here, Naruto, in your embrace."
Naruto returned her smile warmly. "You're right. You are here."
The morning sun graced the sky with a resplendent yellowish-pink hue. The air carried a fresh, sweet, and warm essence. Naruto's eyes fluttered open in response to the sunlight. He blinked several times, sat up, and surveyed his surroundings with his dull green irises. Only the row of parallel trees caught his attention.
The sun had begun its ascent, and Naruto had to return to Konoha to report the mission he had completed to the Hokage. As a Jounin, it was an A-Rank mission, and he was given until today to swiftly deliver the mission's results. Therefore, he had to hurry back to Konoha before sundown.
Naruto wasn't alone in undertaking this mission; Naori accompanied him and was currently sleeping under the shade of a tree. Naruto cast a curious gaze at Naori's peaceful face. "Did I just realize it? Naori looks beautiful when she sleeps." A hint of melancholy appeared in the corner of his eye as he spoke those words. He shook his head, realizing the weight of his statement.
"Naori, wake up. We need to return to Konoha now," Naruto said, gently shaking Naori's shoulder, causing her to slowly open her eyes, revealing her black irises.
"Um... is it already morning?" Naori replied, stretching her body slightly.
"Judging by the sun, it looks like it's seven in the morning," Naruto responded.
Naori rubbed her eyelids to fully wake up. "Looks like we have to hurry if we want to reach Konoha before sunset." Naori yawned a little after saying that. She then stood up, following Naruto, who had already risen.
"We should find water first. Your disheveled face doesn't look good," Naruto remarked.
Naori glared at Naruto and playfully punched the top of his head. "OW!"
Naruto rubbed the sore spot. "You are a mischievous woman, Naori."
"Wanna get punched again?" Naori raised her fist.
"N-no thanks, that was enough," Naruto quickly responded.
"That's great." Naori turned around and set off to find a water source.
Naruto's eyes widened. Had he ever seen Naori smile? It was a small, endearing smile that etched itself into Naruto's memory.
Naruto closed his eyes, relishing the tender touch of Naori's hands as they caressed his hair. Each stroke carried a profound sense of love and care.
Naori leaned closer to Naruto, who appeared serene while resting in her lap. "You seem weary, Naruto. I can sense it."
"You always understand me, Naori," Naruto replied.
Naori chuckled softly. "Don't paint me as some kind of psychic, Naruto."
"Well, it's true. Even without eyes, you—" Naruto's voice trailed off, his expression tinged with sadness as he gazed at Naori's face.
Noticing the shift in Naruto's demeanor, Naori reached out and gently touched his cheek, tenderly stroking it. "I told you, don't wear such a pained expression," she said. "If I could see, I would tease you."
Naruto remained silent, bringing his hand to hold Naori's hand that was caressing his cheek. "I've always wondered why you didn't leave me back then. If you had, you would still be alive," Naruto whispered, his other hand reaching to touch Naori's eyelids. "You could still behold the Konoha you love."
Naori responded with a soft smile upon hearing Naruto's words. "I didn't have a reason to leave you back then, Naruto." She entwined Naruto's hand, which was touching her eyelids, with the hand that had been stroking his pale yellow hair. "And you should know why I love Konoha," Naori said, guiding Naruto's hand to rest against her cheek. "It's because Konoha is where I met you."
As Naruto listened to Naori's heartfelt words, his eyes turned red, and he clenched his jaw tightly, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from the corners of his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Naruto. You're enduring even more difficult days because of me." Naori's face began to show sorrowful expressions. "I'm sorry for selfishly choosing you to stay alive." Her voice sounded hoarse to Naruto's ears. "I just can't imagine Konoha without you by my side."
Naruto tightened his jaw even further, holding his breath. "Do you think that doesn't apply to me, Naori?" Suddenly, Naruto felt the weight of his vulnerability. Since Naori's departure, his heart has become the weakest part of him. "You left behind an immensely burdensome task for me to bear alone."
Unable to contain her sobs, Naori's tear-streaked face became visible, even though no tears fell from her closed eyelids. Naruto gazed at Naori with a mixture of sadness and compassion.
"I continue to fight to protect Konoha, just as you wished," Naruto said, his black eyes fixated on Naori's tearful face, which seemed to cry even more. "I'm suffering too. You're no longer here as you were before, accompanying me in battle."
Explosions shattered the tranquility of the night, causing birds to flee from their nests among the fallen trees. The moonlight cast a radiant glow, creating a breathtaking spectacle that remained confined to a small part of the Earth.
"Naruto, we're trapped. The enemy was aware of our approach." Itachi, wearing an Anbu mask, voiced his concern to Naruto.
Naruto remained silent, his gaze fixed on the three individuals standing before him. He was taken aback that their ambush, planned with Itachi and Naori, had been discovered by the enemy, causing him to tightly grip the tantō in his right hand.
"We must save Michiru-dono quickly before it's too late." Naruto turned to Naori, who stood on his left. "Naori, Itachi and I will hold them off. You go and rescue Michiru-dono."
"No, I'll stay here with you," Naori insisted.
"Don't argue, Naori! If we don't act swiftly, then—"
"No matter what you say, I'll stay here to keep you company." Naori readied herself for battle.
Naruto growled, shifting his gaze back to the three adversaries in front of him. "Itachi, you go and save Michiru-dono." Naruto spoke without looking directly at Itachi, who nodded and swiftly departed from the scene.
"I won't let that happen." Kongo, the burly man among their foes, lunged towards Itachi, who leaped over tree branches to intercept him.
Itachi halted on a tree branch, his Sharingan eyes gleaming behind his mask. He prepared himself as Kongo leaped towards him, throwing a powerful fist. But before Itachi could evade the attack and before Kongo's fist could connect, Naruto appeared beside Kongo and kicked his hand, disrupting the intended strike. As a result, Kongo lost his balance and staggered.
Naruto seized the opportunity, gripping the back of Kongo's collar with both hands. With all his strength, he lifted Kongo's body and hurled it toward his two comrades. Kongo's body slid through the air, only to be caught by his male companion.
"Itachi, I'm counting on you," Naruto said, his eyes fixed on Itachi, who heard his words and hurried away.
Ishidate, the tall man who had been holding Kongo's body, growled in frustration. "It seems like you're quite confident you can take us on with just two people."
Naruto remained silent, employing the Shunshin no Jutsu to switch positions, appearing next to Naori, who had been silently observing. Naruto coldly regarded their three enemies. "Naori, I'll take on the two men over there. You face the woman."
Naori nodded in response, her Sharingan activating behind her Anbu mask. She tightly gripped her tantō, ready to strike or defend against any attack.
"Hey, hey... Do you think you're so arrogant to fight the two of us alone?" Ishidate's annoyance became apparent as he removed his gloves, revealing the peculiar shape of his hands and an eyeball on the back of each hand.
Naruto remained silent, his expression hardening beneath the Anbu mask. He was well aware of the danger posed by Ishidate's hands, having faced him in battle on the coast before. However, it was still a daunting task to fight against two opponents, especially with one possessing such a dangerous ability.
"You're walking towards your demise," Ishidate declared, swiftly lunging towards Naruto, followed closely by Kongo. Ishidate reached Naruto first, extending his hands to grab Naruto's head. Naruto was evaded by sidestepping, but he was caught off guard by Kongo, who aimed a punch at his head.
Naruto ducked to avoid Kongo's punch, then countered with a right elbow strike to Kongo's stomach. Kongo flinched and spat out saliva, but Naruto didn't relent. He followed up with a powerful kick to Kongo's right ribs, sending him crashing into a tree trunk.
Swiftly, Naruto turned his body, sensing an attack from behind. He spotted Ishidate's hand passing through his body, but Naruto reacted quickly, grabbing Ishidate's hand. He swiftly kicked Ishidate's stomach, causing him to spit out saliva.
Naruto pulled Ishidate's hand, forcefully slamming his body to the ground. Ishidate's impact with the ground left him dazed, his widened eyes witnessing Naruto poised to stab him with a tantō. However, Ishidate prevented that by turning Naruto's blade to stone with the hand that Naruto had not gripped.
Naruto growled in frustration as he witnessed his tantō turning to stone in Ishidate's hands. He swiftly released his grip on Ishidate's hand and deftly evaded the incoming attack.
Ishidate rose to his feet, his face twisted in anger. He hurled the now-petrified tantō in various directions.
Naruto fixed Ishidate with a determined glare, considering different tactics to overcome him without succumbing to his perilous palms. Suddenly, his thoughts shifted to Naori. He surveyed the area, searching for her location. Just as he was about to locate her, Kongo, standing by Naruto's side, launched a punch in his direction. Reacting with agility, Naruto positioned his hand in an X shape, successfully blocking Kongo's strike.
Despite his defense, Naruto was still propelled several meters backward, crashing forcefully into a tree. He grimaced, enduring the pain coursing through his right hand from the impact. The metallic clinking sound reached Naruto's ears, prompting him to redirect his attention to its source. He witnessed Naori engaged in a fierce battle against a female adversary.
Assured of Naori's capability to handle her opponent, Naruto shifted his focus back to the two adversaries standing before him, now maintaining a considerable distance between themselves. Naruto was determined to swiftly bring an end to this confrontation.
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Naruto exhaled heavily, sweat dripping from his exhausted face, now revealed by his cracked mask. The relentless speed required to fight against two enemies and counter their dangerous attacks with chakra-consuming jutsu had taken its toll on him.
Glancing at Kongo's lifeless body, lying motionless on the ground with a gaping hole in his chest, Naruto knew that the big man's heart had been crushed, leading to his demise before his partner, Ishidate.
Ishidate lay nearby, his eyes closed and his body appearing lifeless. Blood flowed from his nostrils and the corners of his lips, indicating that his ribs had been shattered, piercing his internal organs.
Naruto averted his gaze from his fallen enemies, taking a moment to catch his breath. His eyes met Naori's as she approached him, signaling that she, too, had completed her part in the battle.
Unexpectedly, Ishidate rose with a limp, pulling a knife with a long blade from behind his waist, and lunged toward Naruto. Unaware of the imminent attack, Naruto was focused on Naori.
Observing Ishidate's malicious intent, Naori swiftly drew her tantō and darted towards Naruto. Naruto was taken aback by Naori's sudden movement, passing by him in a blur. As he heard a cry of pain from behind, he realized what had transpired.
Reacting swiftly, Naruto retrieved a chakra-infused sword lodged in his left thigh. He turned around to find Ishidate, his face contorted in agony, his hand severed and blood gushing profusely.
Channeling wind elemental chakra into his chakra sword, Naruto swiftly thrust it through Ishidate's heart. Ishidate coughed up blood, succumbing to his wounds and ultimately succumbing to death without even uttering a curse against Naruto.
Naruto lowered his hand, releasing the chakra sword from Ishidate's body. Removing his mask, he locked eyes with Naori, offering a relieved sigh and a faint smile. "Thank you, Naori."
Naori also removed her mask and returned Naruto's smile with a warm expression. "Of course."
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This story was first published in November 2019. It was originally written in Indonesian and then translated into English, to learn English and allow more people in the English fandom to read it.
I apologize for any grammar or sentence structure errors that may be present in the writing. As a beginner in using English, I am aware that there may be many mistakes in the story. Please feel free to correct and point out any errors you come across.
The story has been written up to chapter 9 in Indonesian, but it is not yet finished. I will translate the next chapter and make an effort to complete the story.
I hope you enjoy what is presented in this story.
Regards,
schwarzhaarige.
