Naruto: The return of the lost child.

Ch-18

"I was just answering Menma's question" said mom as she sat next to father. And now, there was an awkward silence that covered the hall. I was desperately searching for a topic so that I could break this suffocating silence and then I made a huge mistake, "H-hey Kaa-san when are you going to clear the other room?".

"Which room?" she asked me. While I was going to answer my mom I got a glance of my brother's face who was indicating me to keep quiet "N-naruto's room I mean he is not going to come now--"

"No one touches that room!" she interrupted me by raising her voice. "Get practical Kushina. Naruto is in Akatsuki and it's a fact just face it" argued father. "And do you know what else is fact? It's that, that day he was just about to tell me his reason for joining Akatsuki and he looked so depressed...but before he could tell, you just sliced his arm right in front of me" and just like that a war greater than any began in our house. Why do they fight each other just for a stranger? Why is Naruto so important to them..

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Konoha Border,

"Hey I guess you should rest a little Neji" said Sasuke. This part of Border was given to Konoha 13 to guard with their leader Shikamaru. For past couple of days, this part has been their home where they eat and sleep turn by turn.

"Neji senpai let me watch the borders for you. By the time you can have dinner" said a shinobi. Neji accepted his offer and left to his group along with Sasuke. "Any uncertainties Neji?" asked Shikamaru to which Neji simply denied in response.

Their dinner together wasn't any fun or exciting....all thirteen of them were busy in their own thoughts as they ate their food. It wouldn't be wrong if one says they were filled with fear. Afterall, one single shinobi took down almost half of their village.

Even in that emotion of fear, their sense of protecting their beloved ones was carrying them.

●Kiba:- You know guys...I heard some Anbu shinobis talking they said that sniper shinobis who were placed at the closest border near Hyuga House were all killed with just a single hit each!.

In Kiba's response no one except Sasuke flinched to his words.

●Sakura:-It's obvious Kiba. From where do you think they all entered from--.

●Sasuke:-Wait did you just say Sniper Shinobis were killed? With just single hit each?

asked Sasuke to which he nodded in agreement.

●Sasuke:- I heard from my brother that Sniper Shinobis were deployed in such way that no one could even detect them...not even Byakugan. Only way to kill them was from inside--...Oh shit!

Sasuke's reaction was unusual to all of them.

●Ino:- Why would they hide it from us.

●Sasuke:- that's not the point here. I-it was obvious that they entered the village from there but I thought they just blew up the forest....I didn't know they were selectively killed.

●Lee:- If you say that even Byakugan can't detect them then maybe the other guy with purple eyes must have spotted them. I mean he is a monster.

●Neji:- Every single one in Akatsuki is a monster. But I don't think he came with them from start.

●Shikamaru:- Are you trying to say that someone from inside the village did it?

●Sasuke:- Only someone who knew where they were deployed could have killed them. Moreover with just one hit!. Maybe Naruto was never the Ghost. The real Ghost is still in the village.....

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Akatsuki Hideout.

Jinchuriki Extraction of Six-Tails chakra scroll was completed just few minutes ago. Konan was dead. 9th grave was added to Akatsuki's graveyard.

Outside the Akatsuki Hideout, in never ending rain, there stood a red haired shinobi who was gawking at darkness of the night sky, darkness which reflected his soul.

Somewhere in that darkness he was finding his martyred comrades, memories and salvation. He was left with no one to whom he can ask for answers...answers for everything he had done so far.

As death of his every friend was being pictured in front of him, his eyes started to shut. Just then he felt a hand on his shoulder, "Nagato-san.." it was Naruto.

"Memories...it's such a mysterious thing ain't it Naruto? At first, they are something which seperates us from animals but later they become like a posion. We all strive to experience happy moments. These moments...the happier they are, the more difficult it becomes to survive it later when they return as memories. And you know when it gets most difficult....when the people with whom you made the memories becomes memories themselves. So shall one reject the right to create good memories? Why do you think Naruto that God created such thing?" In the pitter-patter sound of rain drops Nagato's questions were left unanswered for a moment. But then he was soon replied by Naruto's words,

"I think that God made the concept of memories for warriors. Now, warriors do not always mean someone with sword and armor or something. A person who is in debt but still fighting to make a living, a person who is born with disabilities but still refuses to beg on the streets....they all are warriors.
Memories are made for warriors so that they could keep fighting for that person in his memories. So that sacrifices these warriors made don't get forgotten by the world. Memories are for the warriors so that they wouldn't loose the spirit to fight. Just like how you fight in memory of our fallen comrades....just like how I am willing to sacrifice my life in memory of Kurama".

Another silence enveloped both of them as they stood beside each other. Naruto could hear suppressed sobs of Nagato in the rain which held so much of pain that he could only imagine. "You can cry Nagato-san" continued Naruto "I don't know about others but I have seen you hiding your tears everytime. You have suffered a lot Nagato-san but as a leader you never showed your weakness. Later in days even I would be dead, at that time you won't have anyone's shoulder to cry on. Crying with someone is far less painful than alone. That is why Nagato-san...cry while I am there beside you."

With his words Nagato broke down completely. Stream of tears from his eyes were visible even in the darkness and rain. "YAHIKOO!! KONAN!! SENSEI!!" A loud scream which contained suppressed pain of his over the years finally let out. He cried and cried with audible blubbering. Not only he blubbered each of his comrades names but repeated over tens of times. At that moment Naruto's heart was not ready to take such sadness.

Nagato's cries and his painful screams were twisting Naruto's heart. Even being the one to offer his shoulder, Naruto couldn't help but shed some tears with him. That night was the darkest night for both of them.

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Next Day,
Konohagakure,
Namikaze house.

The atmosphere of Namikaze house was rather tense today. Afterall, Minato was visited by Danzo himself along with Itachi. The talk they were about to have was concerning some serious topic. Topic whose chapter started on a fake page such as Jiraiya's prophecy. "In two days we will start Jinchurification of Nine-Tails on Menma. Better to do it before Akatsuki takes any step ahead. What do you say Minato?" asked Danzo.

"Yes it's good. Sooner the better. I just hope it won't cause any side effects on him or...you know Kushina she is not in her best moods nowadays" sweatdrop was clearly visible on Minato's face as he said it. "Don't worry it will be perfect. I don't think we will get any interference from Akatsuki this time....since Ghost is no more in the village."...

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