Two and a half years have passed since Naruto Uzumaki left to train with Master Jiraiya. Kimiko Sumire and her friends have been training hard themselves during his absence. Now, Naruto returns home and everyone is overjoyed o see him again.
It isn'...
Naruto yells as he holds Neji in his arms, "Get the medical team! Hurry!" Hinata numbly drops to her knees as she stares at her cousin. "There's a critical injury! Hurry!"
The Hyuga speaks up, pain and exhaustion in his voice.
"No. I think... I'm done," Neji murmurs, blood leaking down the corners of his mouth.
"Neji!" Naruto gasps as we jerk our gazes to him. I sit on my knees beside the Uzumaki as I gaze at the brown haired male.
"Neji, no!" Hinata breathes with her hands clasped together.
Hinata leans forwards in worry as Neji coughs more blood. He says, "Naruto, Hinata is willing... to die for you." The Uzumaki blinks his eyes in surprise as they widen a bit. I feel more tears threaten to spill. "So, remember: you hold more than one life... in your... hands..." Hinata and I start to finally cry as we realise we were losing Neji. He continues. "And it seems that my life may have also been one of them."
"But why?!" Naruto demands. "Why did you—?! You can't die, here! You were gonna change the Hyuga!" Neji doesn't say anything as he lowers his head a little. "Why would you go so far for me?" Tears form in his eyes. "Even... give up your life? Why?"
"Because you called me a genius," Says Neji softly, no doubt remembering their Chunin Exam Finals so long ago.
The Curse Mark of the Hyuga clan fades away from Neji's forehead.
The Ten Tails struggles to push the Earth Jutsu away from it as a bird drops dead before us, a sprig embedded in its chest.
Obito demands the blonde, "Didn't you say you wouldn't let any of your comrades die?! Naruto!" This causes us to jerk our heads up at him, Naruto and I glaring as we hiss in anger. We gasp as Neji suddenly falls out of the blue eyed boy's arms and collapses on the ground. His head lands right in Naruto's palm, startling him.
Naruto could only stare numbly at Neji.
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Obito continues, "You said "I'll never let my comrades die!" Those were your words!" Obito holds up his right palm. "Now, look around you, and try to say them again."
I swear, if he doesn't shut his trap, I'll do it for him!
I grit my teeth as I notice Naruto's blue orbs are frozen in their widened state and his face is pale. Around us are some of our fallen comrades from different villages.
Naruto couldn't say anything.
"I said try to say those words again!" Obito roars. "As the bodies of your comrades grow cold in your arms, take in their deaths!"
"Neji's really... dead?!" Gasps a Hyuga as he and everyone else gapes at the sight. Hiashi grits his teeth out of frustration.
A shadow over his features, Obito says, "This will just keep happening! And all of your flippant words and ideals will become lies. This is the end result of ideals and hope; this is reality. Naruto! What is there here for you in this reality? Your mother and father are gone, your master Jiraiya, too! And if you keep standing against us, you'll continue to lose your friends one by one." Hinata raises her head. "This shall become a world where no one who acknowledges you will exist!" Hinata gazes at the silent Naruto.
