In Spite of it all (BOOK TWO)

Chapter 13

Kakashi POV~

They were so close. So close.

My heart stuttered when Tenzo reported the close encounter in the forest. 

So close.

I studied the group in front of me. All fully-fledged ninja, once cute genin still finding their footing. After hearing how Tenzo nearly captured Naruto, some wore determination, some hope, some excitement.

A bare few wore pure relief at the word nearly.

I was once among the determined ones. Now I was just glad to hear that the most elusive young shinobi that I'd ever met was still out there, confounding and irritating quite literally everyone.

Tenzo, with his wood style, would be able to exploit a very big weakness of Naruto's. Against his wood style, Naruto would have trouble using the Kyuubi's chakra without getting restrained. And Tenzo was no pushover, either, so it would cause a bit too much destruction if Naruto fought him and intended to win.

I'm okay with the fact that he got away.

I stopped trying to force myself to think like the village. Yes, I'm glad he's gone. I shouldn't be but I am.

There was also the matter of Sai. After we all got together again and began to head back, he came clean about everything. How his real mission was to get Naruto, and also about how he changed his mind, especially after talking to Sasuke. 

The resolve in his eyes when he said he would no longer let Danzo control him, it sent warmth blossoming in my heart.

Later, while we were camped out during the night, I confronted Sasuke while we were both on watch.

I put a hand on his head, mussing up his hair. He startled and glanced back at me curiously, black eyes soft in the darkness.

"Good job." I told him. He blinked at me, silent, and turned away again. We sat quietly, and I felt something like pride. I was proud of my students. Both the one who left and carved out his own path, and the one who stayed and rediscovered his own. My students, overcoming demons much more demonic than the so-called demon Kyuubi.

How I was grateful to watch them grow, grow into something marvelous.

I smiled softly. It sounded like something Jiraiya would say.

Marvelous indeed.

Naruto POV~

They didn't even know what hit them.

Deidara was about to launch another bomb into the water, most likely a finishing blow towards Isobu, when he was swatted out of the air like a fly.

The blond Akatsuki member crashed into the water heavily. He came spluttering back to the surface, stunned.

When he got his bearings together again, he found he was faced with a being of pure fury.

I stood on the surface of the water, golden chakra swarming around me in a cyclone of power, the energy so immense that we were on a verge of a Tailed-Beast transformation. My cloak fluttered around me, now glowing gold with the black symbols of the Sage of six paths. I was surrounding in a hurricane of chakra that churned the water itself, causing rippling waves to billow across the whole lake. 

There was no worry, using this amount where I was. I was far away from other people, and I was ready. 

We were ready to make a move.

I retracted the chakra arm that I used to hit Deidara. He was strong, I would give him that, but faced with Kurama's and my anger?

He stood no chance.