บท 31: A War We Don't Belong In - Chapter 5: Respite
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based on multiple existing anime/manga series. The characters and settings used in this story belong to their respective owners and creators, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to infringe upon any existing intellectual property. I do not own any of the original works that inspired this fanfiction, and I fully support the original creators and their works.
(Warning Extremely Brutal and Morally Questionable Stuff Will Be Depicted, Hinted at, or Shown. Read at your own discretion. Also Psychological elements, manipulation and other not so family friendly stuff. Really, read at your own discretion.)
-Story Start-
-Third Person POV-
The afternoon sun cast its gentle glow over the Land of Woods, its descent marking the approach of twilight.
Yet amidst its innocent radiance, the land bore witness to the atrocities and carnage that unfolded, stark against the fading light.
Only making the corpses and chaos all the more vivid.
Nearly a hundred miles away from the now-ravaged fortress town of Yumemori, nearing the border of the country itself - Was an assortment of mountains that were the impromptu border between the Land Of Woods and the fittingly named Land Of Mountains.
Those were only the forewarning of the sights to come.
After one crosses and climbs the heights of the nearly four thousand-foot-tall mountains, effectively entering the territory of the Land Of Mountains.
The onlooker is greeted with even taller mountains, valleys, open plains, caverns, and gaps between said mountains, rivers cut through the landscape and large crevices and gaps in the earth became ponds of considerable size due to the buildup of rainfall.
Furthermore, a temperature change was also warranted - The season of the year as well as the height of the mountains further enhanced the cold as breathing would leave vapors in the wind.
Taking a peek into the far-off distance, one is greeted with snow-covered mountains, their height eclipsing their considerably shorter brethren that compose the landscape.
Decorating the landscape were small towns with architecture that differed heavily from the usual style in the Shinobi-infested lands.
Even calling them towns is generous; settlements would be a more apt term.
The residents appeared to be wearing fitting warm clothing from fur - Supplied by their visible livestock of Yaks.
Speaking of animals - Those with keen eyes could notice Mountain Goats roaming around as they climb steep and flat surfaces without a speck of chakra - Just their natural evolutionary built-in tools. And those with even keener eyes may take notice of the Snow Leopards prowling about.
The sight could be described as simply beautiful.
A pristine sight that one's gaze can find itself lost for hours on end.
A place that seemed untouched by Chakra, warfare, and Shinobi.
Such places exist in the Elemental Nations, albeit rare.
Although unknown to but a few well-informed individuals, it is only ironic that sites like this were created by accident by a cataclysmic force of nature made out of chakra.
It is a shame, then, that Team 7 and Kyokan could not indulge in the fine scenery as they climbed a mountain - Their eyes fixated on a cavern they'd seen.
In comparison to the others they'd noticed - This was the ideal spot.
Chakra coated the feet of Akira and Kakashi as they effortlessly and quickly scaled the mountain, eventually reaching their destination.
Upon entering the cavern, they heard a growl - They've encroached upon a mountain lion's home.
Normally, this would be an issue and an adversary to be cautious of.
...That is if you aren't a Shinobi.
-Akira POV-
Well, this is rather convenient.
"That's our meal, then." I casually stated.
Normally, claiming that we'd be essentially dining on a "Big Cat" would've had Naruto flailing around in protest.
However... Naruto was still unusually silent.
I gently lowered his injured figure to the ground from my back.
The roar of the Mountain Lion signaled its attack as it pounced toward the closest invader.
Me.
I responded by grabbing its throat and stabbing its head with a kunai from my pocket cleanly to end it painlessly, blood spraying on my face which I really couldn't bother avoiding.
I sighed, vapor appearing from the sheer cold as I exhaled.
Fucking cold.
Shaking my head, I wiped the blood off my face with whatever was left of my torn sleeves as I proceeded to drag the dead mountain lion out of our way and began to prepare it.
Meanwhile, Kakashi lowered the sleeping figures of Kyokan and Sasuke onto the cold floor as well.
Directing his gaze at me, Kakashi stated steely, "I'll be getting some rest. Naruto, I suggest you do the same. Akira, you'll keep watch for now."
Whilst I was draining the blood of our dinner and removing the organs, I turned to Kakashi with a resolute and silent nod.
At that, he needed no further prompting as he immediately closed his lone visible eye and fell instantly asleep.
Naruto as he lay unmoving on the ground thanks to his formerly bent leg, gazed at me, his tone genuinely curious, and was still distraught from what happened, "...How are you not tired, Akira?" His voice came out as a whisper, yet it still echoed in the cavern.
I gave him a knowing look as I multitasked, "Do you mean mentally or physically?"
He nodded, "Both... I just don't get it."
Hmm...
Physically - I am pretty tired from my fight as well as all this running, and my Chakra still has barely gone back to roughly 8% from all that exertion and alertness without pause.
That's with all my Shikigami dismissed, even the few Whiskers clones.
Though it could have been much worse.
Rudolph is thankfully a thing.
I may look in tip-top condition - But he doesn't heal my stamina, unfortunately.
Muscle soreness, exhaustion, stabilizing my rapid heartbeat - All of that aren't healed by him.
So, at the cost of a hefty amount of Chakra - I'm as good as new... Discounting the Stamina part.
Which makes a lot of sense.
Stamina is one of the two key components of molding Chakra - Physical Energy.
I'd assumed if he regenerated that for me, that I'd be able to regenerate Chakra by proxy.
If he could do that... That's infinite Chakra as long as my mental energy can keep up.
...I hadn't the time to question him about it, but that's an experiment for later.
Nonetheless...I'll have to consider my position in battle later.
Now, regarding my mental health?
Well, my method is a little complicated.
Regardless, this isn't the time to talk about it right now.
I paused as I addressed Naruto, "Look, it'll be a long talk, to be honest with you. We'll talk about what we experienced - Every one of us when we're all awake and fixed up. Trust me, it hasn't been easy for me as well."
His eyebrow rose, "Fixed up? Kakashi-sensei's arm is messed up. My leg won't move and Sasuke's been poisoned." His concern towards Sasuke was evident.
"Stop being such a worrywart. I gave him the antidote earlier, he's considerably better than when we began our run here if you'd only pay some attention." I pointed at the unconscious figure of Sasuke whose chest was steadily rising.
His expression was considerably lighter than the struggling one he had prior to me administering the antidote to make sure he didn't die.
It's a good thing they used Suna-made poison.
Although they have the best poisons in the market - The downsides are evident:
(1) Unless you're from Suna it's expensive. But that's not a problem for Makoto.
(2) Antidotes are equally expensive but are easily obtainable and well-known.
(3) Most types are easily identifiable by taste.
As a consistent user of those poisons, it was rather rudimentary for me to take care of it.
I continued "And all those other problems will be solved when I rest and get some Chakra back in my system. I can heal us with enough Chakra." I responded matter-of-factly.
"Heal us?" Naruto repeated.
I shook my head, "You'll understand when I use it and I don't really want to explain twice. Go to sleep already." I waved him off.
He scratched his head in frustration for a moment, only to huff and retort, "Hrgh... Fine! We'll talk when I wake up."
Good.
I nodded and he turned around and went to sleep.
From the sound of shuffling around, it was evident he struggled to find sleep, likely due to the pain in his leg despite Kakashi's adjustments.
However, with or without Rudolph, his healing factor should ensure proper recovery now that his leg is set.
I think.
I turned back to skinning the mountain lion, my mind drifting over the events that had brought us to this point:
-Flashback Start-
Kakashi and I ran for our lives, I was in peak physical condition and was still slowing down my injured, tired, and hasn't slept for multiple days Sensei.
Nevertheless, we sped through the Land Of Woods towards our destination.
Our steps lacked any and all subtlety as we hopped from tree branch to tree branch, our steps loud on the muddy and wet ground.
Luckily, we met but a single Genin? who was effortlessly dispatched by me.
Eventually, we arrived at the shore of the Iron Lake - The largest lake in the whole world.
Seeing Sasuke's condition worsening, we stopped there to diagnose and treat him.
"His heartbeats are getting fainter, we won't make it to a safe location by then. We have to stop and treat him. Now." Kakashi announced as he let Sasuke down on the warm sand.
Naruto's face paled as he roared out in fury, "I TOLD YOU TO TREAT HIM WHEN WE LEFT THE TOW-"
"That doesn't matter now. Now shut up so we don't get killed." I hissed as I dropped Naruto to the ground rushing towards Sasuke.
Kakashi also let down Kyokan who let out, "That is fine! If those scum attempt to strike us now then I shall protect you with my body!".
Truth be told, the only reason we haven't stopped to treat Sasuke yet was the paranoia we were still being chased.
Noc and Mir were out of commission thanks to my Chakra and a life-threatening injury on the latter which I have yet to heal.
And none of us, Kakashi included, was in the condition of fighting Five Jonin.
We'd be massacred before Kakashi's eyes before he gets overwhelmed himself - I'd imagine.
For Sasuke, though, we had to stop - It's a risk we have to take for him.
We tore off his shirt and immediately spotted a purple clot in his abdomen.
Kakashi and I are not medical Shinobi but we knew enough to understand it was poison.
"Purple?" I mumbled as I confirmed the Suna signature color.
"Suna is it?" Kakashi concluded the same as he proceeded to gently cut the clot with his kunai, bringing the contaminated blood to his mouth through his mask and tasting it.
"Sunlily and... Desert Viper? There's something else mixed in..." Kakashi gave it a sniff, not managing to recognize the missing ingredient.
Naruto and Kyokan were nervously watching as I turned to them, "Keep watch! We're taking care of this!" I chastised them and they nodded, turning their heads to scan the surroundings.
I gave a scrutinizing look at the clot and responded, "Let me taste it," Which he promptly gave me.
...
Shit, I've got no clue.
Kakashi nodded as he recalled something, "It's Lionfish poison."
"Lionfish poison? Really?" I blinked, only to shake my head and proceed to take out the assorted antidotes.
Lionfish is a type of fish you can't find in a desert-like Suna nor are they native to the Southern Sea.
...I'm guessing the Iwa Jonin mixed the Suna poison with Lionfish poison which is actually native to the Northern Sea they border.
How... Annoying.
The poison gets more diluted, but in turn, it is harder to identify.
Shoving the antidotes down Sasuke's mouth, Kakashi nodded in visible relief and moved to take care of Naruto's bent leg.
"Bite on this." Kakashi cut off a piece of his jacket, folding it and giving it to Naruto.
Straightening Naruto's leg as he bit on the folded jacket piece.
"Let's move," Kakashi said decisively, his eye sharp as he lifted Sasuke and Kyokan once again.
After that, Kakashi and I ran on the surface of the Iron Lake for a few miles to cross the border to the Land Of Mountains in an unorthodox manner.
Reaching the baseline of a mountain that was adjacent to the shore, we climbed it, found a cavern and here we are.
-Flashback End-
The reason behind us choosing this place as our hideout of respite is obvious...
In the case of an emergency and a need for us to escape a lost battle - Jeff was necessary.
The question was... Escape where?
There were two routes we could take that Kakashi presented us after I explained Jeff's capabilities:
(1) Tactical Retreat.
(2) Return To The Leaf.
Depending on the circumstances at hand and several other factors our decision can change at any moment.
The first option is only possible by bringing Kenzo or Kyokan with us.
If all the leaders and influential figures of the Conservatives were to perish, how would we reinstate the Conservatives or create a new rule after we defeat Satsujin?
Although a rather minor concern in our eyes - Who would follow the written agreement Kenzo had given us in regard to payment to the Leaf if those who agreed to it are dead?
Dead men's bills are, in this case, unfortunately not something that is easily forced upon others.
If we didn't meet that critical condition - The first option was out of the picture.
That means we had lost completely and continuing would be both an emotionally and pragmatically vain effort.
No matter how much Naruto protested and was convinced we'd clobber the bastards regardless.
The second option was what we would go with in case the first option's conditions weren't filled.
That's right - Conditions.
The other condition of the first option is - "A concrete chance at Victory."
When I unleashed Jeff, normally it would have been Kakashi's choice to choose where we would head.
North West or South East.
Thankfully, Kakashi wasn't surprised and didn't protest me calling the shots this time.
And seeing how we went the completely opposite direction to where the Leaf is, it should be obvious what choice I made.
I remember Kakashi's voice vividly as we climbed the mountain, his left arm limping at his side, "Given our conditions and the enemy's forces. I would've chosen going back to the Leaf."
His admission startled Kyokan and caused Naruto to tense up.
"But... When you said we're going northwest. I'm assuming you're certain we have a chance?" He gave me a knowing look, his lone eye fixated on the lacerated parts of my shirt.
"Yeah. I said it to Kyokan earlier, but I believe we still got this." I nodded.
Thus, a tactical retreat to a different country to recuperate would have been ideal.
Of all the nearby countries, the Land Of Mountains was as primitive as they came.
A harsh, albeit beautiful land of mostly farmers and mountaineers.
If we've managed to lose our pursuers or hopefully they've never pursued us to begin with - We should be safe here.
Returning back to reality, I finished skinning the mountain lion, a hint of amusement amid the solemn situation came across me as I repeated Kakashi's words.
Shaking my head I repeated, "Given our conditions, huh? Real subtle." I mused sarcastically.
All he had to do was take a glance and he had concluded I could heal.
-----------------------------
Everyone slept soundly and I kept watch for hours on end, as the sun had already set beyond the horizon, greeting the night.
Meanwhile, I set up some warmth in the otherwise freezing cold cave.
I lit up the fire and premade skewers and cuts of the Mountain Lion to cook when we were all awake - Placing them neatly in a pile of snow outside the cavern whilst I discarded the remains by throwing them off the cliff.
The hours ticked by, the stars of the beautiful night sky visible through the entrance of the cave as I fiddled with my battle plan and tactics.
I had to fight off the urge to summon Jeff to question him on the abilities of those Iwa Jonin - But that'll wait, I need to regenerate my Chakra foremost.
Eventually, Kyokan awoke first, insisting passionately that I should get some rest and that he'll cover for us emphasizing that he'd wake us up if anything happened.
Although it's likely the coast is clear and we're safe in this place, I'd normally wait for someone more reliable to wake up.
Though... A little rest couldn't hurt. I'm pretty tired.
So, with an apt excuse to get some rest... I went to sleep.
Only to thankfully stir awake naturally, my eyes blinked open to the sight of Naruto, Kyokan, and Kakashi lazily sitting beside the fire.
My eyes turned to the entrance of the cave, allowing sight to the outside world; I could see it was the dawn of the next day, as the sky was dimly lit.
Letting out a groan as I lifted my upper body and stretched, Kakashi commented, his tone soft yet not as easygoing as it usually is, "How was the sleep?"
Yeah... I feel much better.
I patted the impromptu Mountain Lion carpet I slept on I responded bluntly, nodding my head in satisfaction, "Pretty damn good."
Naruto narrowed his eyes at me, to which I immediately responded with my arms lifted in a placating gesture, "Calm down, give me a second to wake up properly."
Cracking my neck, I slowly got up and scanned the room, noticing the still-sleeping figure of Sasuke.
A frown crossed my expression as Kakashi responded, "If you're wondering if he had woken up when you still slept, the answer's no. Do you have enough Chakra to heal us?" He added bluntly, his tone convinced.
I hadn't protested nor responded to his claim, nor pretended that I didn't know what he was talking about.
I checked my Chakra.
Roughly 70%... Well, that's pretty good considering it was less than 1% when I had dismissed all my Shikigami that makes sense.
Chakra regeneration is not something anyone can accurately evaluate - Only presume.
I could have woken up with 90% or even 30%, the factors are known yet hard to count on.
They're endless and pile up enough to give anyone a headache.
I nodded, "Yeah, I can heal all of you. I'll explain when Sasuke's awake. So try and keep the questions at bay, this creature is a little special and I really don't want to explain it twice."
...I have tested Rudolph that one time with Whiskers, and poison has an interesting yet concerning interaction.
I made the shadowgraphic hand sign of a deer's head with my hands, mumbling, "Round Deer."
Liquid shadows moved at a rapid pace, a spectacle that everyone here is used to, with the minor exception of Kyokan who has seen it only a few times yet still finds it mesmerizing.
Eventually forming the figure of a large four-eyed deer - Rudolph.
"He looks so creepy..." Naruto commented slightly disturbed by the figure of the four-eyed deer.
"What a majestic creature!" Kyokan added his own insight.
"Mah, so that's the 7th?" Kakashi pointed at the deer.
"Yeah." I easily lied.
"Go heal everyone," I ordered as I pointed at those huddled near the fire and the sleeping figure of Sasuke.
...
'Sure.' He slowly responded as he approached Naruto.
Naruto looked like he swallowed a lemon as Rudolph lowered his head and touched Naruto's head with his nose.
That familiar glow enveloped Naruto and he fittingly marveled at the sight.
Naruto's leg hadn't seemed to have healed much since yesterday, yet now...
He began to move his healed leg, "Woah... THAT'S AMAZING DATTEBAYO!" Naruto's excitement had been renewed at his being restored to his active self.
He easily hopped onto his feet and eagerly kicked around with his formerly broken leg, a wide smile on his face.
Kakashi's lone eyes narrowed at the scene, yet kept quiet as Rudolph approached him.
Pressing his nose on Kakashi's head, the same glow enveloped him, and with it came relief.
His lone eye widened as after a few seconds, Kakashi managed to move his formerly limping left hand, flexing it and moving it as if it was as good as new.
'Something like that... Would've taken at best a month and at worst a couple to get back to normal.' Kakashi noted incredibly impressed.
'It's no wonder he kept this a secret. It's on a scale beyond even Tsunade-sama... That's not even including the damage Akira had managed to survive through.' He concluded, eyeing Akira's still torn shirt his tone on the border of awe.
Rudolph approached Kyokan who had bowed quickly to Rudolph, "Thank you, majestic deer! But I do not require any healing!" He then continued sadly, a furious glint in his eye, "...I was the lucky one."
Rudolph blinked his four eyes and stood there for a moment as he gazed at Kyokan.
The silence was downright suffocating and slightly awkward.
I sighed, rubbing my forehead, "He's... A little slow, so give him a moment."
'Go heal Sasuke you dolt!' I ordered.
In the short time that I have gotten to know this Deer.
I can only conclude our relationship as a love-hate one.
Sometimes I love him for what he can do.
Most times I hate how long it takes him to do what he has to do.
...He did react pretty quickly when I was about to die.
...Jeff is the first and last intentionally irritating Shikigami and I'm not planning on having any others.
He blinked his four eyes once more and then slowly turned his head towards Sasuke.
His large body barely fit the cave and his hooved steps echoed on the rocky ground as he approached.
He then paused before Sasuke.
'...What's the problem this time? I'm not exactly rich on Chakra to be keeping you here for so long.' I patiently questioned the dim-witted deer.
...
'He. Too low. Can't reach.' Rudolph responded.
Oh... Fair enough.
I shrugged and quickly went up to lift Sasuke to Rudolph, who stretched his neck and touched Sasuke's forehead with his nose.
Once again, the familiar glow enveloped Sasuke as I lowered him down to his bed and we all nervously observed Sasuke's unconscious state.
I do hope this will be enough to wake him up.
I did give him the antidote - And he still hadn't woken up.
That either means the poison managed to deal enough damage by the time it worked.
Or that there is still poison and the antidote was the incorrect one.
Personally, I'd rather the former - Since Rudolph can easily negate all the damage as long as he's alive.
Then again, I can only hope, really, but Rudolph's healing isn't as effective against poison as traditional injuries as I have managed to test with Whiskers.
When the glow envelops someone, it disregards any poison, focusing solely on healing cellular, bodily, and organ damage.
A surface-level assumption might suggest Rudolph's healing is ineffective against poison, but that's not entirely accurate.
My theory as well as observations have concluded the following, albeit more tests are needed:
When Whisker's clones were suffering from organ failure, the collapse of the immune system, etc... Caused by a poison.
Once Rudolph did his magic, All that damage done was invalidated and restored - Yet the poison remained.
Of course, the immune system of Whiskers fought off and managed to eliminate some of the poison before collapsing.
So there was less poison than there was before... Yet now Whiskers' immune system got a clean and fresh reboot so to speak.
To explain it in video game terms:
When it comes to poison, Rudolph's healing basically acts as both a full heal of your character, as well as a +1 Life and retry of the fight with the damage you had done to your opponent in your previous fight still in effect.
This means that, if there's enough poison and it's fatal enough - That means I'll have to summon Rudolph multiple times as Sasuke's immune system tries and tries again to destroy the foreign object in his body.
I, unfortunately, cannot keep Rudolph's nose pressed on Sasuke long enough for the slow albeit repeatedly healing immune system to get the job done without my Chakra running out.
So periodic administration would have been my course of action.
But seeing as he is stirring awake, thankfully that won't be necessary.
It seems my antidote worked - He was still asleep from what I assume was damage the poison had dealt.
He had a momentary expression of struggle, only to be exchanged for relief as he tiredly opened his eyes.
The lot of us sighed a sigh of relief at Sasuke's awakening, his eyes opened to reveal their dull charcoal color.
His eyes widened momentarily and he got on guard as the first thing he managed to see in his awakening was a large four-eyed deer.
Before he jumped and caused a scene I stopped him with my hand as I was beside him, "Calm down, he's friendly. One of my summons he healed you."
Sasuke turned to look at me with a blank stare for a moment.
Presented his agreement with a grunt, "Hn."
He then gazed around the cave, quickly adapting, "Where are we? What happened back there?"
Seeing Naruto's relieved and happy expression swiftly exchanged with a solemn and sour one, Sasuke continued, his countenance irate and his fists clenched, "We lost? Kakashi-sensei... Are we at the Land Of Mountains or back in the Land Of Demons?" His gaze fixed on Kakashi.
I have one more teammate I have to heal.
"Divine Dogs." I made the shadowgraphic hand sign of a dog head, as an insignificant dip in my Chakra was felt.
Liquid shadows moved swiftly to form the figures of Noc and Mir.
Noc looked a little battered.
But the true issue lay in the currently whimpering and rapidly bleeding Mir.
Detailing how gruesome his injury looked would be... In poor taste.
"Rudolph, now, before he dies," I ordered without pause.
Rudolph adhered to my command without delay this time, as he approached Mir and pressed his nose on Mir's forehead.
Mir's body was enveloped in the familiar glow and his whimpering swiftly came to an end.
Meanwhile, Kakashi replied to Sasuke's rapid-fire queries swiftly, his tone nonchalant, "Mah, calm down. We're at the Land Of Mountains. For now, let's wait for Akira to finish... Naruto could you cook us the meat?"
At the mention of Land Of Mountains, Sasuke's angered expression showed a sign of relief mixed with determination, "Good. I won't lose again."
He clenched his fists, a hint of shame crossed his tone, "I'll be stronger."
I nodded at Rudolph, my tone grateful, "Great job. Thank you and I'll see you later."
He stood there staring at me.
...Okay, I'm not waiting for a reaction.
With a nod, I dismissed Rudolph, allowing him to melt into the shadows.
Turning to Noc and Mir, I offered a quick acknowledgment of their efforts in the battle.
"You both performed admirably. I owe you my gratitude."
Mir responded with a bark of assurance, and I nodded, a sense of responsibility weighing on me.
"Your injury was a result of my oversight, Mir. I'll ensure it doesn't happen again."
Their acknowledgments were met with a small smile before I dismissed them back into the shadows, intending to call upon them when needed.
Naruto hesitated in response to Kakashi's order, casting a doubtful glance at the frozen meat outside the cave, "A-Are we really going to eat a Big Cat? I don't mind going down there and hunting something else."
Kyokan offered reassurance, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder, "Don't worry, Naruto. Mountain lion meat is a common dish in the Land of Mountains. It's quite palatable, similar to chicken."
Naruto's grumpy expression softened only slightly as he reluctantly headed outside to retrieve the meat, his steps echoing in the cavern.
Sasuke and I also gathered around the fire, seeking warmth and comfort.
However, the situation was but a comforting, temporary illusion.
One that, all of us knew, would dissipate once we were reminded of the infuriating and horrible events that transpired.
It was evident that my teammates had faced their own trials.
A sudden exclamation broke the silence, "WOAH COLD!" from outside, unmistakably Naruto.
And yes, the temperature from outside contrasted greatly with the warmth here thanks to the fire.
Although it might be a colder day today.
I turned to everyone, questioning the others, "Are any of you still cold? Because I can still take out some warmer clothes from my shadows."
Sasuke replied dryly, "Just take them out, we'll need them eventually."
"Sure."
What followed was us huddling beside the fire, cooking the meat I had accidentally procured us and I had elaborated on the capabilities of Rudolph down to the last detail I was aware of for the sake of strategy later on.
Which brought us to this...
-----------------------------
Naruto grabbed me by my shirt, his face inches away from me his teeth barred and he growled at me, his blue eyes were slitted, and his tone was pure fury, "ALL THIS TIME... YOU COULD HAVE HEALED ALL THOSE POOR PEOPLE WHO WERE DYING ON THE STREETS? WOMEN? CHILDREN?"
Kyokan looked equally furious, yet he merely glared at me with his fists clenched.
Sasuke and Kakashi gave me an appraising gaze, though Kakashi's gaze had a hint of understanding underneath it.
One I could read, a glance he hadn't tried to veil from me.
Thanks... I guess, though I'd rather you help remove the blonde who's very intent on kissing me.
I tried to convey that message through a glance at him, but Kakashi merely shrugged, saying that this was essentially my problem.
A kiddy fight is it? Really? That's his assessment?
I turned to look at Sasuke, who seemed to understand my reasoning, but kept his opinions until he heard my logic.
Ah...
With teammates like these... Who needs enemies? Really?
I addressed Naruto, with a hint of irritation and frustration, "Are you for real? I've already told you how Chakra costly he is, not everyone's got boundless Chakra like you do." I pointed at him.
He stood his ground, "THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN IT ONE BIT! HOW MANY COULD YOU HAVE HEALED WITH YOUR CHAKRA?"
...
It would be better to tell the truth, I guess.
My tone was even as I answered, "At least a hundred injured if I'm going from a hundred to zero."
His grip on my shirt grew stronger and his face turned red, and his chakra began to fluctuate so I continued before he could respond, "But... It was a matter of priorities."
"Priorities?" He mumbled in silent fury.
I elaborated, "That's right. Priorities. Sure, I could have healed all those people, but when the attack eventually comes... They'd likely be dead anyway. Rudolph is a card I keep close to my chest because if they knew about him, I'd have died..."
I glared at Naruto, grabbing his hand and gripping it hard as I got up, slightly taller than him I looked down on him, my tone cold, "And if Satsuki knew about him. We'd have all been dead and there would have been no chance at victory right now. For all they know, we're on our way back to Konoha running with our tails between our legs."
Naruto's expression soured immediately as he bit his lip at the mention of Satsuki, his expression was betrayed.
But that's not what's important right now...
I continued, as I removed his hand from my shirt by force, "But sure, let's say I did heal everyone... What then? How would we have escaped with Jeff if I had no Chakra? You, Me, Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke, Kyokan. We'd all be six feet under."
I sighed in frustration, my tone slow and deliberate and progressively heated, "Un. Der. Stand. Call it selfish, call it disgusting, I don't care. The decisions and uses of My powers are for me and me alone to make. Not you, not Sasuke, not my parents, not my brother, not my closest friends, not my clan, not my mentors, and not even the Hokage!"
"And for you to criticize me on the uses of my power with that kind of naive and illogical argument? You... All of you... Are my priorities." I met the eyes of all my teammates.
I then turned back to Naruto, "Tell me, Naruto. Would you risk the likely death of us all for the sake of saving strangers?"
At that sudden question, Naruto's eyes widened to which I responded, "Ah, now you understand?"
"Mah, well I think that's enou-"
"If you decided to stay out of it initially, be consistent." I rudely interrupted Kakashi's interference.
A moment of silence passes and Naruto's face lowers and his fists are clenched.
Like I thought.
My rage boiling, I ended the pointless argument with, "Know your place, Naruto. My powers and what I do with them are My decisions. Trust me that I'll use them wisely for my friends."
I directed a look at my teammates, my tone was a mix of anger and exhaustion, "I'll be heading outside to cool off. We'll discuss our situation and our plans when I'm back."
Sasuke's expression was a firm nod of understanding, though a hint of dissatisfaction was evident in his look.
...I'm not going into another argument.
I haven't lost emotional control to this level in a while...
I still feel like I want to punch something.
Kyokan gave me a conflicted stare, as if understanding but still finding it frustrating.
I can't fault him, I would have hated myself in his shoes as well.
Kakashi simply looked like a fish out of water, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.
My steps echoed amid the awkward silence of the cavern, only for me to stop at the sound of Naruto calling out to me, "Akira!"
I turned around reluctantly, my eyebrow raised, a frown etched on my face, "What?"
He took a step forward, his eyes passionate and determined as he extended a closed fist in my direction, intent on answering my prior question, "We're Shinobi. We're supposed to risk our lives to save the day."
I shook my head, "We're not heroes stop with the-"
He continued, his voice raising and determined, a smile on his face, "BUT! THAT WON'T HAPPEN! WE WON'T DIE AND WE WILL SAVE THE STRANGERS. EVEN IF WE CAN'T SAVE THEM ALL, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T TRY! I CHOOSE THE THIRD OPTION! I'LL SAVE BOTH THE STRANGERS AND KEEP YOU GUYS ALIVE! I NEVER GO BACK ON MY WORD! BELIEVE IT!"
...
My expression was the picturesque example of gobsmacked.
I could only stand there shocked, blinking at how he actually meant what he said.
He truly believed in his naive and illogical statement.
It was so stupid, so utterly unrealistic and you'd think he has seen and experienced enough in this mission to change that outlook.
Yet he poured his heart and soul into every word of that absurd sentence.
I couldn't even be mad.
It was so innocently stupid and naive, that it was comforting.
But I can't just accept what he said as it is - It'd be a blatant lie.
Main Character of the show or not.
I know very well that convincing someone, especially someone as headstrong and stubborn as Naruto is a futile effort.
But..
I sighed, my tone a note calmer, "Naruto, how exactly are you planning on doing that?"
Before he asked, I elaborated, "There will be times when you'll have to prioritize one or the other. It's a simple question in essence. Who would you rather risk death?"
Meeting my eyes, the determination in them didn't lose any luster, "AND I SAY THAT'S A STUPID QUESTION! OF COURSE, I'D RATHER YOU GUYS BE SAFE THAN SOME STRANGERS!"
I tilted my head, "Well, there you have I-"
He cut me off, his tone lowering and his clenched fist loosened, "I... I know what it's like. To be sad. Alone. Without hope or anyone to help me. I was invisible. I hated everyone."
The atmosphere turned melancholic at his admission.
Kakashi's fists clenched at Naruto's words.
I frowned but waited for him to get to his point.
His teeth were barred, "NO ONE DESERVES THAT! NO ONE! NOT EVEN THE WORST SCUM IN THE WORLD!"
His fists clenched, his tone a whisper, "Even our enemies hurt and cry... Even monsters do."
"I've killed... Back in Yumemori" His tone was tired, similar to what it was yesterday.
I nodded in understanding, "Then this is a pointless argument. All of us have to kill our enemies, even if we are a bit more sensitive to it. We all have our own methods to cope with it, if you'd like then I can sugge-"
He cut me off once more, "The first one was an accident... I didn't think my jutsu combined with Sasuke's would have killed someone. But the second time... I thought, I could clobber those bastards to mush, and they'd stop. They stabbed me in the back when I left them alone. I tried words... I tried arguing... Nothing worked!" His tone was regretful.
Stabbed in the back? How did I not see such an inju-
...He must have healed it.
"That's why..." His tone grew in strength and his eyes were determined once more.
"I'll grow strong enough that I don't have to kill! Grow strong enough that no one has to get hurt! Strong enough that no one would even consider fighting!" Naruto presented his determination.
"And if you have to kill?"
"I'll try to understand them, use every option, every tool, every method I can think of before I resort to that!"
Ah, at least he finally understands that killing is something unavoidable.
"That's wasteful and risky."
"I don't care!"
"Would you care if that is also risky on our part?"
"Then I'll grow strong enough that it won't be a risk for you! I'll grow strong enough that you, Sasuke, and Kakashi can kick back and relax while I handle all the problems!"
...How I'd love for that to be true.
"Then how would you suggest handling Satsuki?"
Once again, his face soured at the mention of her.
Though, this time, he hadn't lowered his gaze.
He presented his fist at me once more, "I'll handle her in the same way! I'll clobber her! Lord Jashi or whatever! I don't care! I'll talk to her with my fists! I'll find a way to settle the score and understand why she lied to us! I'll stop her and break all the bones in her body so she can't hurt anyone else!"
"And if everything doesn't work? What would you do? What if you can't be that meticulous and our lives are at risk because you are holding back and trying to carefully disable her?"
"I don't go back on my word. I will try everything. Even the things you can't imagine or think of! I'll surpass your dumb scenarios and expectations! If even those don't work... I'll kill her. I never give up and I never go back on my word! That's how I'll become Hokage. That's my ninja way."
...
Grow strong enough that killing is avoidable?
...That really goes against everything I have been taught.
I really can't see eye to eye with him.
Though, I can't help but believe a part of it.
...Have I really grown so indifferent to the taking of life?
D̵͚̮̰̠̩̃͑́̾̄̉͘ͅė̶̡͈̪̱̤̦̖͔̬̘́t̷͇̜̏͐̏̀̾͆a̵̢̬̰̠̥̓͑̐̉͘c̶̢̘̬͙͕͆͠͝͠ḩ̸̛̻̺̫̦͇̼͙̑͌̍̊̈́͗͛̄͋
Ah, my head hurts...
...
Perhaps, there is merit to his words.
Maybe.
Naruto continued, "That's why! Leave it to me! I'll change your insensitive bastard ways, Akira-teme!" He pointed at me in a declaration.
To which...
I broke into uncontrollable laughter, "Pfft... HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Naruto gave me an annoyed look, "What's so funny?"
I continued laughing for a good minute, stopping to catch my breath, "Oof, phew. S-Sorry, it's just funny you say all that so arrogantly when I, along with Kakashi-sensei, was the main reason we survived."
Sasuke looked downright offended.
"Oi! You don't even know what I did!" Naruto's smile cracked at my words.
"Exactly! Pfft..." I continued giggling like a schoolgirl.
Naruto shook his head, as he returned to his determined state, "More importantly! I'll get stronger! Stronger than all of you! After all, I'll become Hokage dattebayo!"
Calming down again, I met his sapphire eyes with my own emerald ones, a short smile on my face, "Well, I'll believe it when I see it. I'll hold you to it." I shook my head and continued heading outside.
Naruto nodded in smugness, his posture assured of his future achievements.
He's stubborn, I'll give him that.
And he's the Main Character, so... I truly hope there is merit to his words.
I didn't lie about holding him to them.
Kakashi leaned back on the cave's wall, "Mah, glad it ended well."
Sasuke commented in a deadpan, "You just didn't want to get involved. And felt bad when you should have, but didn't."
Waving him off, Kakashi pulled out his favorite piece of literature, "Nonsense my duckling." Patting his hair much to his dismay.
He quickly moved aside to dodge the following head pat, calling out to me who was about to leave the cave, "Do you still need to cool off?" Sasuke's tone was genuinely curious.
I replied evenly, "No. But looking at your ugly mugs any longer would make me seriously ill."
Kyokan had a bittersweet expression on his face, one that Kakashi noticed.
"What's on your mind?" Kakashi inquired whilst he read his book.
"...I feel I have been unfair and ungrateful to you, especially towards Akira, as well as quite intrusive thus fa-"
I didn't care enough to stay and hear the rest of it as I had gone outside to simply gaze at the breathtaking view under the noon sky.
As I took in the sight below me and the freezing breeze waved around my face.
I couldn't help but sigh.
We have a lot to digest, a lot to cover, and a whole lot to prepare for.
But... We don't have a time limit - Our side has been demolished completely.
We're the last hope of the Conservatives and the people of the Land Of Woods.
It's a heavy weight on our shoulders, and just thinking about it makes me more uncomfortable than the cold here.
Nevertheless, I'm determined to see this through.
We have the advantage and we can win.
But, for now...
This is pretty good.
...
Hmm, considering how high up we are, I should summon Nue later to be our lookout here.
Just in case, though.
-----------------------------
-Third Person POV-
The pitter-patter of water droplets echoed loudly inside a chamber of iron.
Its dull echo was particularly audible amid the eery silence that enveloped the stronghold.
Large and spacious, decorated with many pipes, and utterly empty and quiet.
Quiet, only because two individuals currently stood there in silence.
One, a familiar handicapped old man, who held a letter, reading it with his lone uncovered eye.
The other is a man with an ANBU mask.
Here, they found themselves at a place where True Shinobi call it as their headquarters.
Located deep underground under Hokage Rock.
It is the base of operations of all ROOT under Shimura Danzo.
Finishing reading through the letter, a frown crossed Danzo's usual poker face, "That fool Hiruzen..."
'Of all the available Shinobi he had, he decided to send out the weapon and my investment?'
He clicked his tongue, 'And Uchiha Sasuke as well... If he dies on that mission, that man will act. Hiruzen never ceases to amaze me in the unconscious ways he manages to infuriate me.'
Recompossing himself, Danzo turned to the ROOT below him, "When was Team 7 last sighted?"
The ROOT Shinobi responded emotionlessly, "Yes, Lord Danzo. The letter took two weeks to arrive here as we had anticipated the severity of the issue at hand, Lord Danzo. They were only sighted last during the Purge of Yumemori that happened fifteen days ago, managing to escape the Iwa Shinobi albeit with considerable injury on each of them."
"Had our spies not seen them pass by any Land west of Woods?"
He shook his head, "Negative, Lord Danzo."
Danzo narrowed his eyes, "Then contact our spies in the Land Of Woods and those in the Lands of Swamps, Valleys, and Iron. Engage all efforts in locating Team 7. If those in the Land Of Woods can't find them licking their wounds, order them to head to the Land Of Mountains."
"Should you find them, do not contact them and only act if one of those three Genin is certain to perish. Hatake can handle himself. Dismissed."
"Yes, Lord Danzo." The ROOT Anbu bowed and responded in monotone, disappearing upon Danzo's dismissal.
Danzo's eyes narrowed on another letter, 'Onto the next matter... Land Of Waves. What a curious letter...'
To Be Continued!
-Author Note Start-
(By the way, here's the map I've been using for this fic. Is it official or 100% accurate to the LORE?! IDK, I liked it, I'm using it, deal with it!)
Hey there people! Sorry for the delay! (I'm getting fucked and this chapter was a mess to write not going to lie to you)
(But I did lie about the double upload - I'd probably shit blood or something if I did it lol)
Anywho, I hope you've enjoyed this rather... Boring chapter.
I know I haven't shown the events of what happened to each member of Team 7.
But I don't really want to skim that through - So I'll be writing short chapters (Like an interlude) that summarize what happened to Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi.
It's basically what they tell each other around the campfire lol.
Also, you may notice in Danzo's dialogue that two weeks have passed.
That is intentional, though I won't be really skipping the time immediately, I'll show what happens before the time skip of course.
Cause that would be just in poor taste lmao.
And yes, apparently I was wrong, we've got 3* Chapters leftish lol.
Wanted to get the Character stuff right in this chapter, and I hopefully did.
So yeah, that took a whole lot outta me lmao.
Apparently, I was wrong again - Character depth chapters are apparently much harder to write than Fight Scenes.
I had thought the latter to be the hardest to write.
You'd think I'd have known that after almost a year of being a writer.
Guess not.
Also, After the interludes (Which will be rather gruesome).
And they're NOT at the cost of a chapter.
You'll be getting Chapter 6. Wow!
Then 7. Amazing!
Then 8 which is hopefully the final one of this arc lol. Spectacular!
XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Sasuke was a bit on the down low this arc, but he'll be getting his moment.
Kakashi is him so don't really gotta say anything about him.
Hope you've liked the seedling of what is building up to be Naruto's "Ninja Way" in this AU where Akira exists.
And Akira's development yeh.
Cya next time/week/month/year!
-Down here is the copy paste stuff-
As always people! If you see any inconsistencies, wrong information, Illogical statements, etc... Notify me, please! I'll fix it ASAP! And or explain it later on in case I had planned to make it vague in the first place.
Also, all comments, reviews, constructive criticism and so on Are much appreciated! I especially love Constructive criticism because it allows me to improve the story in real time! I try my best to follow your advice!
I enjoy responding to you all! So do send them comments! Also, ideas are also welcome! I'm not that creative so assistance from you guys is always nice! Yup!
I hope you lovely people have a fantastic rest of the day/week. And I'll see you in a week's time or so :P
The longest English word is "pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis," which refers to a lung disease caused by inhaling very fine silica dust. It has 45 letters. Here's this week's random fact.
-Author Note End-
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