Chapter LXIX

A Deadly Promise

"Can you stop filling my glass?" I grumble. Once again, I must push away the bottle of sake about to spill its contents. "Let me finish it first…"

"You barely touched it. You're way too tense, Kakashi." Iruka hastens to swallow down his glass … a little too quickly since he coughs afterwards.

Jaded, I sigh despite myself. He's on his second bottle, and he's had a few drinks. With his cheeks coloured in red, the alcohol is starting to go to his head.

"It might be time for you to calm down on your drinking, Iruka. You're gonna have a bad time with the kids tomorrow."

"I wouldn't be in this state if you helped me drink them," he retorts, swallowing his words, with a smile on his lips.

"Stop ordering for the both of us…"

A silence settles in.

I turn my attention back to my glass, which I barely sip and swirl more than anything else. I'm too worried. I don't know if everything is all right with Shikamaru and the rookies.

Besides, I accepted Iruka's invitation without thinking when we crossed paths. I was so angry that I needed to occupy my mind to forget the vile stench stuck on my skin, like those slanderous rumours that give me dirty looks and gratuitous hostility. That said, I wasn't turned away at the bar earlier…

In all of this, my Sharingan worries me. Attacks of sharp pain are much more frequent, although they're always fleeting, fading like a breath. I don't have enough chakra to examine it further. I have to save my strength in order to feed Naruto; hunger torments him constantly. I'm ready to bet that he's impatiently awaiting our reunion, which shouldn't take too long. As for my Sharingan, if it gets worse or if my vision is impaired, I'll have it inspected by Lady Tsunade…

"Since I have to feed Naruto with my body, I don't know if it's a good idea to drink," I explain.

Iruka giggles. "If I didn't know what you were referring to, I'd say 'bad choice of words,' Kakashi."

I roll my eyes as I blush.

"I learned that you're the only one who could give him what he needs," he continues darkly. "How does it feel...? You know… Your chakra...?"

Wearily, I glance at my forearms marked with scratches, bruises and bites, and camouflaged under the bandages that decorate my tortured skin. "It could be worse. It's not the pain that bothers me the most. My chakra reserves are greatly limited and I can't satisfy his hunger either."

"Naruto can only eat this way?"

I nod. "I highly doubt he can eat anything else."

"I see," Iruka mutters, refilling his cup once again. "I'd have liked to invite him to Ichiraku… I guess I can forget about the project."

He smiles, but his smile is fake.

A light appears on his head, implying that some idea has arisen in his mind.

"Kakashi, do you think he could eat a popsicle? Technically, it's water, and he liked it back then."

A silence, a questioning and a curiosity.

"Now that you say it… I wonder," I mumble, sinking into thought.

I'm convinced Naruto can't eat solid food. However, Iruka marks a point. My student always needs to hydrate. He's not limited to just water since he can drink tea and drinks of all kinds. Does this include liquids in solid form that can be melted?

Suddenly, I'm brutally torn from my thoughts when an excruciating pain burns my neck, as if lava had just been poured on it. Agonizing, I arch forward and slam my hand on it. I wheeze, tremble and moan in response to this pain that tears me in two.

"Kakashi! What's wrong?!"

I'm unable to think. I can only focus on this odious pain and nothing else. I close my eyes, grind my teeth. All the sounds around me fade away, becoming distant and abstract echoes. Only the sound of my heart, in the middle of a marathon shattering my ribcage, persists. My wheezing gets worse. I gasp and suffocate, as if I were drowning under an ocean of acid, into which I sink, sink and sink.

I… I… I feel like I'm being erased from the entire universe. I get lost, wander into nothingness; my mind and body are foreign to me, numb. There are no words to explain what's happening to me, or these thoughts that enter my head and which aren't mine… A single thought overwhelms my mind, immediately enslaved by it; it's abstract, but I manage to understand it…

"What's that—"

I suddenly jump on my two feet. My arms sweep across the counter, knocking over anything in their path. The fragile objects shatter when falling to the ground. The sound of their destruction doesn't reach my deaf ears; Iruka's voice doesn't reach me either. Incapable of reason, I set off running to get to where I'm told to go.

I'm enslaved to this frenzy that commands me to move faster than ever.

I have no choice but to bend to its will, and I don't know why…

- XxX -

Slowly, the iron restraint approached Naruto's delicate skin. When it touched the neck, it caused abuse as painful as the blond's heart pierced with grief and despair.

The surrender of the beast made their task easier.

Just as they were about to seal the mechanism around the neck, they saw a shadow darkening them. They barely had time to raise their heads when the one holding the necklace was hit in the face, with such violence that he was thrown several metres away. A stream of blood escaped his lips. The metal ring fell to the ground.

Before the other two could understand what was happening, the second man received a kick in his abdomen, which knocked him off balance; he fell heavily backwards. The leader noticed the glint of a sharp weapon about to hit him in the throat. He released the blond mop of hair to ward off the fatal blow with a kunai and jumped back.

When the men recognized the attacker, astonishment and confusion seized them.

"Kakashi of the Sharingan," the leader whispered.

Holding Naruto by the waist with one arm, Kakashi took a few steps back and imposed a safe distance, his kunai brandished. Furious, even enraged, the red eye of the Copy Ninja pierced the men with its coldness. He meticulously scanned and analyzed his enemies and his surroundings. Adrenaline was flowing freely through his veins. As a result, it erased the fiery pain that burned his neck with agony. He didn't even notice that his Sharingan hurt just as much, or that the vision in his left eye was slightly blurred.

The rage in his heart, his soul, kept him from realizing that something was wrong with his eye.

To Kakashi's misfortune, he was alone against four. They possessed little-known abilities that required caution. His repertoire of jutsu, although grandiose and numbering around a thousand, were greatly limited. His measly chakra reserves did not allow for the slightest mistake, however small it might be. To top it all off, his Sharingan was siphoning off his precious strength, but Kakashi refused to take any chances.

Even though he had snatched Naruto from their clutches, his student did not react. He was visibly in shock. The blue markings still glowed despite his worrying immobility. Protecting a tied-up Naruto limited Kakashi even more; deprived of one of his arms, it prevented him from using techniques requiring hand seals. He feared that if he let go of Naruto, for only a second, the men would get their hands on him and make him disappear.

Naruto was completely useless. Even if an opening presented itself to free him from these iron bonds, Kakashi doubted the teenager could move or do anything. He wanted to be helped by the strength and powers of the chakra devourers… He kept his cool… However, he feared the possibility of the battle against men determined to kidnap Naruto once and for all.

"Fuck! What the heck is he doing there?!" one of the enemies grumbled out loud as he got up. "He's not supposed to be there! Why is he there?!"

"Whatever! Get rid of him and avoid ninjutsu. Without chakra, even the legendary Hatake Kakashi is no threat. He's just a mere shinobi like any other."

Kakashi frowned, insulted. He understood that they did not want to attract attention, and therefore eliminate the possibility of reinforcements showing up. Moreover, they were fully aware of his dismal physical condition. They underestimated him—something that made his blood boil in his veins.

"Don't hurt the beast. She wants it unharmed."

The shinobi surrounded Kakashi, weapons in hand. Kakashi glanced at the fourth, the one in the middle of some jutsu. With the colour of the chakra and the unknown symbols outlined on the ground, Kakashi finally understood how this group managed to enter Konohagakure without being spotted.

This group used space-time ninjutsu techniques, with which they escaped the sharp surveillance of the Hidden Leaf Village. They teleported inside, neither seen nor known. Kakashi did not have the luxury of raving about this type of jutsu so complex that he could not copy it with his dōjutsu. They were already preparing their exit door to disappear with Naruto.

If he did not stop this technique, they would get away.

On his life, Kakashi swore to protect Naruto at all costs.

The shinobi launched a synchronized attack. Using his Sharingan and his intuition, Kakashi could easily counter their attacks. He ducked to avoid one of the bladed blows, while parrying a second with his kunai. With calculated precision, he spun around and blocked the third with one of the metal rings that held Naruto captive. It took the man by surprise as he held back his blow. This hesitation turned things to Kakashi's advantage. They did not want to hurt the feral boy that Kakashi could use as a human shield.

Kakashi fought back. He kicked the leader to disarm him while he disarmed one of the other two. Strangely, the one behind him had stopped and was not counterattacking, and he did not care. The Copy Ninja jumped to gain height. Arming himself with a few shurikens, he threw them at the retreating shinobi to stop his technique… However, his projectiles were parried with shurikens.

They protected their comrade who trusted them blindly. He had not even looked up in the face of danger. Frustrated, Kakashi let out a growl and gritted his teeth.

Kakashi saw the leader in the air, behind him. He blocked one of the blows with his arm, but not the kick, which hit him in the abdomen and knocked him to the ground. The shock made him cry out in pain. In his fall, Kakashi had taken care to absorb the shock to avoid any harm to Naruto, who despite the fight happening before his eyes, was in no way reactive.

Was Naruto unconscious?

The Copy Ninja had no respite. He avoided a fatal blow by rolling over. He jumped up on his two feet. He parried and avoided numerous kunai blows that came from all sides like an unstoppable tornado; some of his silver locks were severed during the battle. He took a few punches before jumping out of the eye of this deadly cyclone. He had suffered a few scratches and bruises, but that was the least of his worries.

Kakashi was already exhausted. He panted despite himself. He did not know how much longer he could last. Escape was not an option. He could not approach the one in charge of the jutsu, as long as the others were still standing. While he was sweating and struggling to catch his breath, his attackers were in great shape.

Once again, Kakashi was surrounded. Seeing the shinobi rushing for a group attack, he moulded a large quantity of lightning chakra into his hand, then throughout his arm. Since Naruto was immune, he did not have to worry about devastating repercussions on his student. He wanted to attract attention, a hope that reinforcements would come to rescue them.

Despite his obvious imminent defeat which only delayed the inevitable, Kakashi will continue to fight. As long as his body moves, as long as his lungs breathe in air, as long as his heart beats, as long as the will of fire burns in his soul…

Kakashi will fight until his last breath.

He waited until the last moment before unleashing his lightning. His hand and his entire arm propelled devastating lightning. His Raikiri chased away the oppressive darkness, in which despair grew. He swept his arm and created a torrent of lightning around him. The noise, like the song of screaming birds, buried all the sounds and voices of the men. Unable to stop their momentum, two shinobi were electrocuted by the wave of energy, which sent them flying through the air.

To Kakashi's dismay, the leader had managed to withdraw in time; he had not suffered any damage. Furthermore, his Raikiri had exhausted his precious and last reserves of chakra. His chakra veins were pulsing with pain, his breathing was chaotic, and he could no longer stand. He collapsed on his knees, then on all fours, without letting go of Naruto.

When Kakashi saw the mocking smile on the face in front of him, he knew it was only a matter of seconds. In his state, snatching Naruto from him was as easy as grabbing a lollipop from a child…

Faced with the macabre eventuality that awaited him, Kakashi resolved to gamble with the epilogue of his life.

'I promised to protect you, Naruto. Even if it costs me my life, I won't let them bring you back into hell. I won't let them get their hands on you again!' Kakashi swore in his heart.

Kakashi awakened his Mankekyō Sharingan. Focusing visually on the shinobi, he used his Kamui to make him disappear into another dimension. A rift in space appeared in an abstract whirlwind that split the air, ready to swallow everything within its reach. Feeling himself being sucked in, the ninja jumped back.

Kakashi stopped his jutsu. He had just burned through his last reserves of chakra. His vision blurred, the sounds faded. He kept his eyes open, fighting against his eyelids, which wanted to close forever. As soon as his eyelashes meet their twins, death will claim his life.

"What are you doing?!" the leader grumbled.

"I'm not gonna die for her," he retorted before getting back into position to prevent the glyph from disappearing. "Either way, he's done! Finish him off instead of yelling at me!"

Near the rupture, Kakashi cursed himself. His last efforts had been in vain. All he had managed to do was delay the inevitable. His body was as supple and heavy as stone. In his helplessness, he could only observe the consequences of his dismal failure. The two ninjas were dark figures approaching him.

They would kill him…

They would kidnap Naruto…

Through his fault, Naruto will plunge into the abyss of despair, into the flames of an inconceivable hell.

Again…

Kakashi had broken his promise…

The last thing he had accomplished in his sad, regrettable existence was another failure.

His life was just a series of failures…

He could not save Sasuke…

As he could not save Naruto…

'Obito… Rin… Sensei…'

Soon…

Kakashi would see them in the afterlife.

Futilely, Kakashi fought for his survival, although he was dying, because he had exhausted all his energy. His whole being refused to obey him. He could only tremble in pain. His last strength was now insufficient to stay alive.

'Forgive me, Naruto… I failed…'

Kakashi wrapped Naruto in one last hug; a useless attempt with which he protected him despite his body ready to break at any second…

"Don't kill him!" cried one of the men. "He has—"

"Dynamic Entry!"

The two shinobi were swept away by a powerful kick that sent them flying several metres. An indescribable feeling took over the Copy Ninja when he recognized the energy that no one else possessed, the hideous outfit, the jet-black hair as black as the exhilarating wild-eyed look…

In front of him was his rival and his friend Might Gai. Kakashi could not believe it. He and his team were supposed to be away on a mission for many weeks. He was the last person he thought of to help him. Besides, Kakashi was convinced that they were both doomed…

"Leaf Gale!" cried the youthful voice of Rock Lee, who knocked away the one in charge of the jutsu.

The miniature replica of Gai took place beside him. Behind the enemy, Hyūga Neji jumped and landed gracefully on the ground. He thus blocked the road to the thugs. He took an offensive posture by activating his Byakugans. The young kunoichi of the team, Tenten, came to inquire about the condition of the two shinobi.

"Kakashi-Sensei," she worried.

"…Don't… Don't worry about me," Kakashi muttered with difficulty between wheezing breaths. "Cap… Capture them alive…"

"You'll thank me later, Kakashi!" Gai said confidently, offering a thumbs up to accompany his charismatic smile. "We're not gonna let them slip away! You can count on us!"

Tenten joined her brothers in arms. Gai's team remained on guard. Surrounded, the enemies took a defensive posture, their backs against those of the others. They started arguing. Their plan had fallen through and so, panic and agitation took hold of them. The leader ordered them to be quiet. At first glance, they did not seem at all suited to combat and preferred to opt for discreet approaches…

A battle began and Kakashi looked away. With difficulty, he ignored the terrible twinges that plunged his entire body into a bath of suffering. He resisted, again and again, the urge to close his eyes forever. The black stars obstructed his useless vision, to the point that he could not see more than a metre away. Kakashi grabbed a kunai and cut the three leather straps securely attached to Naruto's head. He freed the imprisoned face from its cage and the darkened, tear-filled eyes from their visual restraint.

Blinking, Naruto turned his head and let out a gasp of surprise. While he was also freed from his bonds of burning metal, he had difficulty knowing if it was a hallucination or not, if it was really Kakashi, there, before his eyes. The foreign and putrid smell was not that of Kakashi… It was not Kakashi… However, when his sharp nostrils recognized the electrifying and divine chakra, cascades of light left his eyes.

No doubt possible.

It was indeed Kakashi.

The Copy Ninja untied the ankles, forcing against the mechanism with his non-existent strength. The markings shining like fiery, azure fires returned to their dark appearance. The skin that had come into contact with the metal was badly burned. A few blisters dotted the reddish epidermis; the dermis was wounded.

The kunai suddenly slipped from his fingers. The pain faded as the numbness took over him. Kakashi saw the teenager get up and kneel to his level. He looked into Naruto's sapphire eyes with his heterochromic eyes. Excruciatingly slowly, he placed his palms, which were in terrible spasms, on the cheeks wet with sorrow.

"...You're … safe and sound… Naruto… That's all that matters… I… I want you to know that… I… I…"

Darkness took Kakashi; he collapsed in Naruto's arms. Trembling, Naruto fearfully turned over Kakashi's now fragile body, which no longer responded to anything. With horror he saw the face with a sickly pallor and the eyelids unable to touch, although the eyelashes brushed against their twins. He heard the insufficient wheezing and in no way capable of filling the lungs with air, and the beating of Kakashi's heart, which was gradually weakening in the incurable silence.

Naruto understood that he was witnessing the precious human in the apple of his eyes fading like those flowers he had seen wither, losing their petals, their colours, their scents… In his arms, the precious life of Kakashi was running out of steam to disappear forever, carried away by the twists and turns of unjust death.

Naruto wrapped Kakashi in his arms and rocked him with anguish. Tears flooded his face. He could not breathe anymore. He moaned, unable to believe that such a thing was happening, there, before his eyes veiled with helplessness and despair. He could not conceive that Kakashi could die, that his time had come. The world around him seemed to be cracking. The earth degraded before collapsing into an infinite void, swallowing everything that existed. The air had become rotten with toxic and deadly stenches…

Drowning under this ocean of pain, Naruto, who refused to accept Kakashi's death, uttered a cry of agony to protest. His shrill and horribly high-pitched howl paralyzed the four Konohagakure ninjas on the spot. They had to place their hands over their ears to dampen the sound of suffering in vain. They suffered from countless tinnitus which left them dizzy. Pain bled the ear canals, as if the eardrums, besieged by the unimaginable sound and as powerful as an indestructible ram, were bursting. Together, they released groans, which added to the orchestra of hell.

As for the injured and out of breath enemies, they were unaffected, although they grimaced in discomfort. They had planned ahead the possibility that the beast would utter its cry of hell; they had equipped themselves in advance to resist it. Without waiting, they took the chance to escape. The four jumped up and came to meet the others, at a very specific place. Back to back, they performed a series of hand seals together and placed their palms on the ground.

"Gate one! Opening!" they cried.

A glowing glyph of green and orange appeared on the ground. A pure black circle expands in the centre. As Naruto stopped screaming and sobbed, Gai and his team watched the intruders sink into the darkness. They disappeared without a trace; the strange symbols suffered the same fate. They had finally discovered how this group had managed to infiltrate the village during that fateful night, in which Naruto had been kidnapped. Their conclusions were the same as Kakashi.

Their atrophied ears took a long time to hear again; at that, a scarlet flow slid down the lobes. Nevertheless, the four ninjas run to Kakashi and Naruto. Kakashi's life was threatened. He was dying, and every second counted now.

"We need to take him to the hospital immediately," Gai said, tearing Kakashi from Naruto's arms, who offered no resistance. "Take care of Naruto." He carried Kakashi on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and took off running to disappear.

In shock, the sapphire-eyed boy was unable to react or do anything, even when the human had snatched Kakashi from him. Locked in the prison that was his body, Naruto could only watch as the human took his precious Kakashi away from him. His grief was so great that his eyes no longer cried…

Like Kakashi before him, his body, exhausted in all aspects, gave out.

In turn, Naruto collapsed to the ground and sank into darkness.

Hellow! A few short words from the author!

I hope this story continues to pique your interest! This chapter closes the fourth book

The fifth book, called "Darkness," will start in two weeks! (December 08)

Thank you for your valuable comments that give me a boost of motivation