Welcome back to the chapter 16 of "Selfless".
"Talking"
'Thoughts'
"Demonic Voice"
"Flashback"
...................................
Naruto was walking towards the bridge when he saw Tazuna who was finally sober.
Hey Tazuna!" A voice suddenly called out.
"What is it Takeshi?" Tazuna asked a build man who was sweatbands to what fishermen wear around his forhead.
Takeshi looked down as he sighed "I decided stop working on the bridge?"
"WHAT!" Tazuna shouted in shock at another person who decided to quit today.
"Tazuna I really want to help you finish the bridge but I fear that if we continue Gatō will come after us. I have a family to take care of. Tazuna interjected "I HAVE A FAMILY TOO YOU KNOW
Takeshi sighed "I'm sorry Tazuna you should quit as well for Tsunami's sake" The old man shook his head "I cannot I have a duty to finish this bridge and I will finish it.
"I'm sorry" Takeshi bowed and then left.
Tazuna sighed "What shall I done now"
Out of the blue he then saw multiple people running towards Tazuna.
"Hey old man let me help out"
"Yeah me too I'm strong as an ox"
"Me too"
"Tazuna give us your orders and we will follow"
These were the voices of around 30 Naruto clones that all looked ready.
Tazuna was shaken as he then felt someone grab his shoulder. The old man turned around as his eyes met Naruto who smiled.
Tazuna sniffed "Thank you kid"
From afar Yugao watched with a smile.
0°0°0°0°0°0
Within a bright beautiful forest sat Naruto who looked to be mediating.
His eyes were closed in concentration as he focused his chakra.
He focused and focused deeply as he then breathed in and out.
Slowly yet surely chakra started to form outside his body as at first it could not be seen but then it the chakra became visible.
"Concentrate!" The chakra went up and enveloped his whole body as suddenly a rock flew at him at tremendous speed.
Naruto's eyes quickly opened "Imperial! (Teikoku)" before the rock hit Naruto a barrier formed that shielded him from the rock, when the rock hit the barrier, due to the ferocity of the barrier the rock shattered to pieces.
Then suddenly countless of rocks flew at Naruto by which it all suffered the same fate.
Naruto looked exhausted as he was huffing "What is wrong with me i don't run out of chakra that quickly"
What Naruto didn't know was that the reason for his easy fatigue was that he wasn't a host anymore.
His used to be Kage level chakra descended to a low level Jounin to a High Chuunin chakra.
"I need to do more of those Chakra exercises" Naruto needed to no! he had to do those exercises in order for him to be where he used to be.
Without warning Naruto's sight became blurry "Huh" as the Uzumaki fell towards the grass unconscious.
0°0°0°0°0°0
A black haired woman who wore a sleeveless pink kimono can be seen walking through the woods.
"Mmmm these should be enough" thought the woman as her basket was full of herbs.
Her lines of thoughts were interrupted when she saw a blond haired boy unconscious in the grass floor.
"What happened here?" Haku looked in at the boy sleeping with his back turned on the grass "that's the boy who fought Zabuza-Sama"
Haku moved closer to the sleeping form of Naruto before noticing the leaf headband tied around his right shoulder, 'He's the ninja so that means"
"Now I can end this nuisance once and for all. All I have to do is snap his neck" Haku's hand inched closer to Naruto's neck before she sighed and shook him awake instead.
"One minute Kisara" Haku's eyebrow twitched as she shook him again "grnnnhhn..." Haku sighed as the boy grunted pushing her hand away "It would have been easier to snap his neck".
Haku once again shook him patiently "huh" this time waking him as he yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes causing Haku to blush slightly at the cute scene before her.
"If you sleep out here, you might catch a cold." Haku told him with a gentle smile.
Naruto shivered as he nodded.
His immunity went down the drain as onetime Kisara was nursing him when had the flu.
"So what are you doing out here Miss....?" Naruto asked the unknown lady.
"Haku...I came out into the forest to collect some herbs for my friend who is currently ill and then saw you sleeping there." Haku lied with a smile
Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly as he chuckled lightly "Sorry about that Haku" Haku nodded then Naruto went for a handshake "Names Uzumaki Naruto..Haku nice to meet you"
Haku smiled as she took his hands "Your hands are soft" Naruto marvelled at his soft hands.
"Your hands are firm"
"Touché" Haku tried her best not to giggle.
"So you train Naruto..You must be strong" Naruto nodded "I have to be strong"
Haku titled her head to the side "why do you continue to grow stronger? For what reason do you want to gain more power?" Haku asked quietly as she looked right into Naruto's eyes when he suddenly had a faraway look. 'His eyes... they look so lonely yet bright"
"I only want to become strong to beat my foes as I believe they are many" Haku sighed "Then you won't become strong" rhis made Naruto's eyes go wide as he quickly looked at Haku "I believe that true strength only comes from protecting that which is precious to you." Naruto shook his head "That's true as in some way it aligns to mine but once you attain strength there is nothing to fear"
Haku shook her head disapprovingly "One day you will realise how wrong you are" as then she then left leaving Naruto to his devices "No Haku you're wrong if I don't become strong then I will lose everything"
0°0°0°0°0°0
Everyone sat at the dining table with Inari, Tsunami and Tazuna since work on the bridge was done for the day when Sakura trudged in through the door followed by an amused Kakashi.
"So how did the training go Kakashi?" Yugao asked as the two kids went to take a shower first.
"Sakura was able to make it to the top on her first two tries but that's because she has small amount of chakra. Sasuke still out there but he didn't reach the top yet but is making progress" Kakashi sighed at how problematic his team become.
Asuma smoked his cigarette as he was looking at Kurenai, Naruto and Inari conversing. The woman in question he was looking at was giggling and smiling happily at the argument Naruto and Inari were having.
"She never smiled or laughed like that ever" Asuma narrowed his eyes at the boy she was engaging these acts to.
Uzumaki Naruto!
"She can't...Nah anyone but him...she is 5 years older than him" Asuma sighed as he looked at Kakashi "And where did he find a woman like Kira from..are they" Asuma quickly thrown those thoughts away as he smoked deep.
"Stop it Naruto he is just a kid" Kurenai scolded but there was a hint of playfulness.
"He aint no kid when he is spouting nonsense" Inari was being held back by Tsunami
"Well is true Bruce lee easily beat Chuck Norris"
"Kid you're that close of getting a spanking you hear" Naruto looked ready to jump the kid if it wasn't for Kurenai.
"Screw the Chuck Norris facts" "Inari language" Tsunami scolded
"Forget this kid you're in for it now"
"Mom help me" Inari ran around the dining table with Naruto running after him Tsunami looking amused shaking her head.
"Hmph you're getting emotional on just actors" Both Naruto and Inari looked at Sakura as they pointed at her "hey don't insult our heroes pinky/forehead" Sakura who came from her shower fumed at the double insult and started to chase both Naruto and Inari.
Everyone laughed while Tsunami smiled at her son's innocence coming back slowly as it was all thanks to Naruto.
Thank you Naruto
0°0°0°0°0°0
As the sun was setting, Sasuke finally reached to the top of the tree as he huffed in exhaustion looking at the magnificent view of the forest.
He was thinking of two individuals one his destination and the other in his path.
Uchiha Itachi and Uzumaki Naruto.
He heard from Sakura that Naruto already knew the tree exercise.
This made his blood boil.
"Why is this happening...why" He could not find any damn reason as to why the dobe, the loser who failed the academy three times in a row could be stronger than him.
"I thought he was only good at Taijutsu but he knows Ninjustsu as well that must be the only reason he could match that Jounin woman"
Sasuke clenched his hands tightly "I promise you Uzumaki Naruto once I get my Sharingan I will do all I can to beat you even if I have to use other means"
He smirked.
The next day (Wave shopping district)
Right in the early morning Tsunami again went out this time clothes shopping for her son looking at used clothes that the store clerks were selling making her sigh.
She then decided to just look around and then go home.
On the pathway home Tsunami was walking in silence as she was in deep thought.
"Maybe we can this time beat Gatō"
A shadow slowly loomed behind her while she was in thought and when the shadow got close enough the figure right away grabbed her mouth from behind with a cloth.
"Mph" Tsunami was alarmed as she tried to struggle but to no avail as she lost consciousness
The figure smirked
While everyone slept peacefully Naruto put on his jacket and went out for a run as he closed the door slowly behind him.
He wasn't the only one wake as Sakura was watching him from the stairs and then ran after him.
Kakashi and Yugao looked afar then Kakashi nodded at her in which she disappeared.
Shopping district
Naruto when he finished his lap he was in the shopping district.
He then stopped as he pulled something out of his pocket.
It was the tablets Kisara gave him "Use it on your most important moment" he sighed as he put it back in his pocket.
When he was about to leave he heard voices in the alleyway.
His curiosity peaked to the fullest so he sneaked to have a listen hiding behind a trashcan.
Two thuggish Samurai looking guys were speaking to another.
"Heh the woman was easy to get"
"She is hot, will be a good fuck"
"Yeah but first boss as a use for her"
"Almost feel sorry for her, that's for messing with Gatō"
Naruto's eyes went wide as he suddenly moved his, movement slightly hitting the trashcan which made a sound"
"Whose there" The Samurais were on full alert
Naruto sighed as he then kicked the trashcan towards them making one of the Samurai slice it in two.
Naruto with great speed went behind one Samurai scaring him and the other Samurai.
"Why you" The other Samurai tried to slash at Naruto but his friend was in the way "Wait don't"
Naruto using this opening unsheathed the Samurai's sword by which the blade's hilt hit the Samurai who attempted to do a downward slash in the belly hard making him grunt and let go of his sword to nurse his belly.
Naruto pushed the Samurai in front of him, the Samurai crashing into the other one who was nursing himself.
Naruto quickly grabbed the sword while it was in the air and stabbed the Samurai he pushed in the back.
"Teuchi" Naruto smirked "Well what you know he got the same name as Ayame's old man"
The Samurai looked at his friend who fell dead with a sword in his back.
Naruto stepped on Teuchi's back and pulled the sword out of him. A sick squelch can he heard.
The other Samurai was in the floor as he started to shake at Naruto's cold blue eyes.
"Now tell me what happened to that lady"
"Eeeeeee" The Samurai wailed pathetically.
In an abandoned warhouse
In one of the abandoned warehouses stood Aoi with some Thugs while Tsunami was banged up and tied her eyes covered.
"Here is the woman you requested boss" Said one of the thugs
"Mmmm she is a beauty" Aoi leered at the shivering Tsunami
"Boss what will you do now" Aoi smirked as he looked at the thugs "well I will just wait for the shinobies to show up.
"How do you know they will show" Aoi sighed at their stupidity "One of them will come eventually?"
"You need help boss" Aoi smirked "Yeah I found a way for you to be useful" the thugs gleamed.
"You see I have a beautiful weapon begging to come out and play." The thugs nodded as "So you need practise" Aoi nodded smiling "and I have the practise I need"
"What will you practise with" Aoi had a murderous look "You?"
The thugs' eyes went wide as they saw Aoi bring out a blade with a beautiful golden hue as it made a crackling sound like lightning"
They all ran as Aoi then disappeared.
Screams echoed and piercing flesh can be heard.
Tsunami whimpered.
.......................
And cut
Till the next time stay happy and safe