Chương 101: Fear and Determination
By the time Naruto was done, Hana had come to the realization that whatever the village had done to Naruto, even if she decided to keep them standing….she might not be able to. The pressure around him stilled. The violent and unstable swirls around him had finally made some sort of peace with themselves. His eyes opened and just staring at them made Hana's internal instincts grow mad.
Breed a strong litter with this male. That...was what her body told her. Thankfully, she held enough reason to resist. Though, the longer he stared at her with those eyes would only make it harder.
Aside from before he started, Naruto's appearance had only changed slightly. His hair was still long, but during the process some of it had been shaved away. His body had grown more defined and the muscles which had been barely noticeable before were easy to see now. The orbs which had also been floating aggressively had now collided with his body and formed new clothes once again.
"Thanks for that. Turns what I cultivated was the Box's leaking chakra. I guess I'm lucky you were with me. If I was on my own, I probably could have died from the pure, demonic energy it possesses. You know, I thought having the Kyuubi sealed within me would give me some natural affinity to demonic energy. I guess I was wrong." Naruto stated.
"Well, you've never used the Kyuubi's chakra before anyway. Maybe that's why," Hana replied.
Naruto thought on that for a moment. Hmm, that was indeed true. Perhaps it would be time to say hello to his tenant when he had the time. Well, that would be for another time.
"Anyway, let's get this mission started. Hopefully by the end of this mission, we'll both be a little more satisfied," Naruto said suggestively. Hana knew what he was implying, but wasn't sure how he could deliver. As far as she was aware he was still around thirteen. Oh yes, she had been shocked out of her mind when he told her that he was technically still around Kiba's age, but a previous breakthrough had aged his body ahead by two years. So...if another major breakthrough like that happened, then…
"Perhaps. I'll try not to rough you up too badly," she said with a suggestive smile of her own.
"Likewise," he returned as they both left their room.
......
"Akari-san, I'd like to have a word with you," Ryuzetsu said from her side of their quarters. She turned around and noticed Akari quickly unpacking her own things.
The chunin swiftly nodded. "If it's about Mui-san, then try to forget about it. I know why he makes you angry. If it's about Naruto, then...I can already tell you think fondly of him. Though I hope you're not thinking about him so much that you forget to sleep. You've been looking tired lately," Akari replied.
The young genin wasn't sure how to take those statements, but she hoped that the embarrassment didn't show on her face. "I...don't think that fondly of him," she said.
"Ryuzetsu, you're a young girl entering the stages of adolescence. It's normal to be attracted to a boy. Especially one with that gorgeous red hair of his," the female chunin noted.
Ryuzetsu's mouth thinned. This was not what she was expecting of this conversation...even if Naruto's hair was nice to look at. She shook her head. "Please, try and be serious here. I...I want to ask you, do you think the Box of Ultimate Bliss needs to be destroyed?" she asked.
Akari processed this question for a little bit. If she were asked this question about a month ago then her answer would not be what it was now. She would say yes, but could she say yes? She didn't think so. Even now, the dreams that haunted her of her former colleagues, her betrayal, and their deaths, seemed so inconsequential to the grand scheme Naruto continued to plan. Had she not chosen her side...then no doubt she'd already be a part of him in less romantical ways.
The chunin already knew that with some given time, Kusagakure would come into Naruto's possession. The simple reason for this was because he was growing too fast. His ability in taking the memories of those whom he had killed had not only added strength to his lifeforce and years to its form, but also gave him wisdom which he could spend hours and days cultivating to understand. It was as if the knowledge he gained from the memories of people, in addition to their experiences, had grown this twisted wisdom further than anyone else could think. Just thinking of where he would be in about five, no two years, was enough to make her shiver.
"Then let me answer that question with another question. Why do you want the box destroyed?" Akari asked her.
"I…,"
Ryuzetsu did not continue with her comment. She was not sure what to say to this question. The box had taken her best friend. The box was rumored to have caused terrible tragedies even before the rise of Kusagakure. There were rumors of a malevolent demon within its confines. What other reasons could she possibly give that would justify destroying it? Try as she might, she couldn't think of anything. The days without sleep had begun to weigh on her mind.
"Be honest with yourself, Ryuzetsu. There's no shame in admitting that you're...afraid of it. That's why you really want it destroyed, isn't it?"
Akari's voice seemed like a stone crashing into the frail glass that was Ryuzetsu's mind. She was...afraid of it? No, that was stupid! What did she have to be afraid of? She wasn't some weak academy student that had never learned how to take a life! She...she couldn't possibly be afraid of it. She just realized the gravity of the situation if it were unleashed. She wasn't afraid. SHE WAS NOT AFRAID!
"Why would I need to be afraid? I'm not…,"
A sharp thud alarmed the young white-haired kunoichi. She looked down and she noticed a kunai and a shuriken. "Are these evil? Are you afraid of these weapons?" Akari asked.
"What would I need to be afraid of two simple weapons for?" the genin returned.
The chunin picked up the kunai. "Alright, then would you classify these as evil? These have taken more lives than the Box ever could. So what about these?" she asked once again.
If anything irked Ryuzetsu more, then it was when people treated her like she was an idiot. She was angry. She was upset. She was...not happy! She could feel her mind slipping away. She could feel hatred at the disunity of her thoughts upon her.
"Alright fine, I know the answer. They aren't evil. It's the way people use them that makes them evil! Then what am I supposed to do?! It still took my best friend! If I don't destroy it, then what meaning is there in Muku's death?!"
"Keep your voice down! Need I remind you that we're still on a mission? Don't get complacent just because we've been received without issue," Akari criticized.
....
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