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"SASUKEEEE!".
The world faded to gray. The sounds and voices dwindled into the background, becoming mere noise. Senses became dulled and unresponsive.
In that one moment, she realized the meaning of true fear. She only felt this feeling once before in her lifetime. And that moment gave her far too many nightmares to count. That cursed moment on the battlefield when her most precious cousin sacrificed his life to protect her and the other man that she wanted to protect at that time.
But, now things were different. The same man her cousin had died protecting was about to end the life of the man who gave her life meaning, who gave her heart a reason to beat, who gave her lungs the oxygen to breathe. Her one last lifeline in this wretched world and she was watching with eyes widened with tears as that man took the full force of a massive rasengan at his back, while she was helpless and could only watch.
Hinata's throat constricted, as her heart tightened the moment she saw her Uchiha prince fly off like a ragdoll in the direction of the village. The rasengan had clearly burned through his clothes and had inflicted excruciating damage to Sasuke. Whereas Naruto also immediately stopped and landed on the branch of a tree the moment he realized that the damage was done. His face remained impassive, while his gaze slowly diverted from his former friend who was out of the fight, to the Hyuga heiress who had also landed on a tree branch, not too far away from him.
She looked miserable at that point. Her eyes were widened with tears and too many emotions flowed through them. Rage, Sorrow, loss, empathy, hopelessness, regret, and more. But slowly her eyes also found themselves set on the Uzumaki.
And at that point, every other emotion burned away in her eyes, and only one thing remained.
Hatred.
Hellfire induced hatred. Seeping from every cell in her body. From every pore in her body. Coming off in waves from her entire being.
His sage mode allowed him to sense the shift in chakra that occurred in her at that moment. It was completely different from anything he had ever seen before. It felt so raw and unyielding that it even made the Uzumaki uncomfortable and fidgety. The veins around her neck slowly became protruded, as her byakugan came into play.
"Don't, Hinata. You don't want to do this. I don't want to hurt you" Naruto said as he noticed the malice in the Hyuga's stance. The sheer killer intent in her eyes was enough to make the even most fearless shinobi fearful.
"No more talking, Uzumaki Naruto. For what you have done. What you did to him.......I'll be taking your heart" Not a second had passed after that statement that she dashed over to the Uzumaki in the blink of an eye and engaged him. Her palms filled with chakra and her aim directly targeting the most precious organ of the body.
'Crap! She's fast' Naruto thought gritting his teeth as he blocked her attack at the last moment by substituting himself with a clone. He knew that she wasn't going to stop, so immediately he got into fight mode.
This time it was Naruto who initiated the attack. Lunging at the Hyuga, his sage mode in full force, he leaped and reached her in mere seconds. But the byakugan allowed her to see through his attack, and easily dodged him. The two got into a close quarter fist fight. Naruto noticed that Hinata wasn't going for mere incapacitating attacks, she was fighting with the intent to kill him.
"Eight Trigrams Vaccum palm".
Out of nowhere Hinata used her technique, catching Naruto by surprise as she didn't cast any hand seals. He noticed the chakra palm heading for him. He sidestepped at the last moment, but the palm connected with his right arm, and in an instant Naruto yelped in pain as he felt his elbow bone break. He also noticed as the palm flew past him and cut down nearly every tree it came into contact with. But he wasn't the one to give up so easily. Jumping back, he used only one hand to use his jutsu.
"Multi-shadow clones".
Upon his command, a huge poof of air caught Hinata by surprise and in an instant, she sensed the sheer ridiculous number of Naruto's surrounding her. She immediately prepared herself for an impending jutsu of a large scale and Naruto delivered just that.
"Sage art: Super Rasenshuriken barrage".
Suddenly, the forest came alive with the sound of many spiraling spheres, and the heat of the chakra filled the area. Hinata watched as hundreds of Naruto's all carried massive shuriken shaped rasengans in their hands. But she didn't feel an ounce of fear in that moment, sliding into her fighting stance, her eyes narrowed in on the original Naruto who was watching her with a serious look on his face.
"Come on" She tipped him off and in that moment, Naruto threw everything he had towards the raven haired kunoichi. Hinata stood stiff, not moving an inch, watching the projectiles gain on her. It wasn't until the last moment that she made her move.
'It's ove-' Naruto's train of thought was interrupted all of a sudden.
"Protecting eight Trigrams sixty-four palms".
Naruto watched, shocked and surprised as he watched the heiress create large, strong and flexible arc-shaped chakra blades that spread across her attack range and around herself completely, effectively forming a barricade between herself and the impending attacks. It all finished off in the form of a Majestic web of blue chakra that sealed the Byakugan princess away from danger.
The Rasenshurikens connected straight on, but they didn't explode or make any commotion. Naruto watched with eyes widened as one of his most strongest jutsu's rebuffed and evaporated into the air, in the form of small blue particles, leaving behind nothing but dust.
Hinata stood in the middle, unbothered and untouched. Her eyes fixed on Naruto, her gaze creating shivers down his spine. Naruto wondered what she was feeling? What kind of connection did she have with the Uchiha to push her so far? These thoughts annoyed him and irritated him.
"What the hell is wrong with you! Why are you willing to risk your life for that bastard?...you're willing to kill your own father over him? Snap out of it!" He shouted, his rage taking over him. But it was nothing compared to what Hinata felt.
"......shut up. Don't you dare say anything about him again. I don't care if you or anyone doesn't like the fact that I'm with him. It's not your concern.........all I care about is that I love him. Unconditionally. And I have dedicated my life to him.....as he has to mine" Hinata said gritting hear teeth in anger, taking Naruto by surprise. But she kept going.
"You barge into our village and then try to ruin our peace. You attack me. My husband. My loyal subject.............for that, you will pay dearly" Hinata proclaimed without any fear, looking Naruto dead in the eyes. Suddenly her byakugan perked up as she sensed the Chakra of the Uchiha.
'H-He's alive' Her eyes watered from happiness and relief set in when she sensed that he was in the market area but, nonetheless alive. Now she had to again somehow draw out the fight so Sasuke could escape.
But she wasn't the only one who sensed Sasuke's Chakra.
"He's always been a tough bastard. I might've been a little too optimistic to believe he would've stayed down after that attack. But still, he's out of the fight for good.......so don't think that you'll be leaving this fight so easily, Hinata" Naruto said eyeing Hinata, building his chakra once again, but Hinata didn't waste a second in weaving another set of hand signs.
"Fire style : Majestic Flame".
Naruto was slightly caught off guard by the large scale fire attack. It's attack radius was too large to just dodge or evade, so he immediately pulled off the next best thing.
"Multishadow clone jutsu".
With a large poof, hundreds of Naruto's popped out of thin air and formed a human shield around the original. The clones yelped and popped into mere air from the impact of the massive fire style attack, but they fulfilled their purpose. The Uzumaki remained unscathed under the shield of his clones.
But it gave Hinata the chance she needed to run again. She wanted to fight the Uzumaki some more. She wanted to inflict more pain. But, her priorities lied with Sasuke and his condition. She had been so caught up in rage the moment she saw him get hit, that she forgot about everything and only wanted to hurt Naruto. Sensing his chakra broke her out of that haze.
Dashing as fastly as she could, she pushed herself beyond her lifts. Filling her feet with chakra, she jumped and jumped without looking back. And even without looking back, she could sense that Naruto and his posse were tailing her and they were gaining distance quickly.
But the more distance she covered, the more closer she got to Sasuke. She started hearing murmurs and gasps. She was out of the forest and was now jumping on buildings and wooden houses. She had to get to Sasuke fast. He was in no condition to do anything. And if the enemy got to him before she did, it would be his end.
That sudden thought set her in overdrive as she broke past her limits, and rushed with urgency. And within moments she stood on top of a wooden shack, looking down on the market place, the people all bundled together in one place in the middle of the street, overlooking something. And that something was the man Hinata was after.
Wasting not even a second, she jumped down, and rushed into the hurdle. "Please, move. Let me through" She said quite a few times in urgency. But thankfully her voice was heard, and the moment the people recognized her, they immediately gave her the space she needed. Her heart broke at the sight of a broken Sasuke lying helplessly on the street in the lap of a random villager.
"Oh, my love" her tears sprang forth as she lowered herself on the ground and took his head and laid it on her lap, while the people moved behind her and watched with worry filled faces.
"Lady Uchiha, what happened? W-What's happening" a woman asked cautiously, while holding the hand of a small child next to her. Hinata's eyes stayed trained on Sasuke, but she heard the question and knew that the others were thinking the same thing.
"The village is under attack. Please, take shelter inside your homes and leave the streets. It's not safe out here" She answered in a firm and authoritative voice. But her voice gained a small response from Sasuke, who slowly opened his eyes, showing a pair weary and tired of jet black orbs.
"H-Hinata. P-please.........save....yourself" Sasuke croaked out slightly, but Hinata's byakugan was fixed on something particular that she was seeing inside Sasuke's body. It was something very small, but it was there.
"H-Hinat--" Sasuke started but was cut off.
"Your chakra. It's building back up again. Very slowly.....but. But, it's being created again......how is this possible" Hinata watched as chakra very slowly poured and seeped around his insides. It was a wonder to her because she saw how his chakra became completely empty before. Using her all-seeing eyes, she focused on finding the source. And suddenly, it came into sight.
Using her strength, she titled Sasuke on his side, and her eyes widened when she saw the jewel embedded in his back, containing small cracks. Suddenly, it clicked.
"Naruto's rasengan! The sheer amount of power and chakra from an external source. It weakened the jewel and cracked it. That's why your still breathing. The moment it cracked, your body made just enough chakra to keep you alive" Hinata's smile couldn't be any bigger when she found out a way to help the Uchiha. All she had to do was pour an excessive amount of chakra directly into the jewel. Essentially overpowering it.
"Lady Uchiha, please tell us how we can help you? We can't just run away and leave you alone" Her thoughts were cut off when a random villager spoke up, around him the others agreed in nods. But at that moment, the so-called enemy came forth.
Naruto along with the three hokages and Hiashi. While Kakashi and the other young ninjas including Sakura and the others standing behind them. Hinata's immediately paled in fear, not because of them but because she wouldn't be able to help Sasuke.
The second hokage glared at Hinata who was now looking him straight on.
"Hyuga, tell your daughter that if she doesn't let go of the Uchiha this instance, she'll lose her life just like the brat" Tobirama hissed, his tone laced with venom. Whereas Hiashi stood with a poker face, eyeing Hinata.
"She's no daughter of mine. She deserves death for betraying her family and village. Do with her as you please" Hiashi spat out, looking at Hinata who was glaring daggers right back. Tobirama scoffed and took a step forward but Naruto stopped him.
They all turned to him, as he kept his eyes trained on Hinata.
"Last chance, Hinata. Give up Sasuke and nobody else gets hurt. Don't make us hurt you as well" Naruto said, his sage mode still active. Hinata didn't say anything but her expression gave him the answer he wished he hadn't received.
"So be it" His words acted as the signal the second was waiting for, as he along with the second hokage and Hiashi took a step towards where Hinata and Sasuke were along with many villagers.
Hinata watched with not an ounce of fear in her eyes, as she held onto Sasuke with the utmost care in her hands. She had already decided and made her mind.
'If I am destined to die today then I'll die alongside my mate' shifting her eyes down to Sasuke who was also staring right back at her, almost as if he was reading her thoughts. She slowly bent down and placed a small chaste kiss on his forehead and whispered in a feathery voice. One that only he could hear.
"I'll be with you till the end, my love" Sasuke's eyes softened the moment he heard those words, as a very small genuine smile formed on his lips. A nod came as a reply to Hinata's words, as his eyes slowly closed. He too accepted that if this is how his life is supposed to end, then he was happy.
He was happy that he would spend his last moments alongside someone he loved. Someone he truly held precious ever since the death of his family. Someone he could truly call his own family. He slowly moved his hand and placed it on top of Hinata's which was placed on his heart.
And in that moment, the two Uchihas accepted their fate in pride. Refusing to bow or beg to be spared. They prepared themselves to face death in honour and dignity.
Naruto slowly walked with a grimace when he realized that he would have to take the life of the girl that once loved him. He would have to take the life of the man he once called his brother. Walking slowly, he held out his hand and concentrated his chakra in it. The sudden burst of energy resulted in a perfectly rotating rasengan in his hands.
Somewhere deep in the second hokage's gut, he also felt that what they were about to do was wrong. Somewhere in his mind or heart, he could hear his older brother protesting against this decision he was about to take. But, he buried it all. He would do what was necessary to protect the village.
Hiashi carefully eyed the woman who was sitting on the ground in front of his eyes. He could still remember the day she had been born. He had never felt such a bigger happiness then the moment the nurse brought him a small pink bundle wrapped in towels before him. He could still vividly remember the way her soft cheeks glowed pink. He could still remember the way her lavender tinted eyes shined the moment they opened up.
He had never felt more complete at that moment.
And now, there She was. Not an infant. But a full grown kunoichi. One that had gone against the word and order of the clan. One that now had to be stopped.
One that had to be killed.
Their resolves strengthened and their nerves ready. They all trudged forward to kill their enemies. But then.....something strange happened.
"No! I won't let you kill them. I won't let you hurt Sasuke-sama or Hinata-sama. They are our leaders and have protected us for so long. They have put their lives on the line to protect us......so this time...if they aren't able to protect us.....then this time we'll protect them and support them" suddenly their heads snapped towards a man who was standing in the crowd, Hinata's eyes were also fixed on the man she had never seen before. She watched as he walked to the front, from his steps she could sense fear but also determination.
"What's the meaning of this!? Have you lost your mind" Tobirama spat out in anger once he heard this. But the man kept walking, until he was standing in front of the two Uchihas.
"Like I said. I'll protect them with my life because I know they would do the same for any one of us!" the man yelled, as he balled up his fists and stared at the shinobi that could end his life in an instant. Naruto's eyes widened when he saw the man and the will in his eyes.
"Get out of the way, you fool! We don't want to hurt you" Hiashi said, feeling his anger grow. But the man stayed firm on his feet and not moved an inch. Suddenly, another voice filled the area.
"He's right. Sasuke-sama has spent all these years working to make our lives better. To help us live better. Now it's upto us to repay the favor. We won't just watch while you kill him or our heiress" a woman also walked from the crowd and stood next to the man. Hinata couldn't believe what she was seeing. These people were willing to risk their lives for them?
Suddenly, a whole crowd of voices and people filled the area. As men and women and even children rose to their feet and stepped forward to protect their rulers.
"If you wanna get to them, then your gonna have to go through me".
"And me".
"We won't let you put a single finger on them".
"We'll stand next to Sasuke-sama till the end".
And many more chants and voices filled the area, so many stood in front of the Uchihas that their bodies became hidden behind the plethora of people. Standing behind Naruto, the silver haired copy ninja could help but smile at the sight in front of him. It was most shocking to see so many people defending the Uchiha heir.
'Perhaps, we may have judged you too wrongly, my dear student' he smiled underneath the mask because of what he saw. He as well as the other ninjas next to him, stood shocked with their mouths gaping because of what they saw.
But, Tobirama was not among those who was shocked and happy with this sight. He felt even more sour and bitter.
"Get out of the way, you insolent fools! All of you, before you get killed" The second said in an rage induced yell. But the people didn't move. They stood collectively. They breathed collectively. And they shared their mindset collectively.
The second again moved forward, disregarding the villagers. But this time someone from their own side stood up for the Uchiha.
Suddenly, it was Kakashi who jumped over to the side of the Uchiha and stood next to the villagers facing the Second. Who was also surprised.
"Hatake, just what the hell are you doing" Tobirama asked in a furious tone.
"I'm sorry, lord second. But this isn't the way to handle things. This isn't the way of the leaf. I won't stand and just watch while you go through with this slaughter" Kakashi said in a gentle voice, as he picked out a kunai from his holster. Even Naruto was shocked and a little angered that his sensei was taking the enemy's side.
As the tension grew more and more, suddenly a calm Shikamaru walked in the middle of the street, between the two sides in a laid back and lazy demeanor. While the others watched curiously and wondered what he was upto.
"This is so troublesome......you know, this could all be avoided if you can listen to me for maybe 30 seconds" Shikamaru said, gaining the attention of everyone there. Not one of them knew what he was upto, with the exception of Sakura who was also itching to jump next to Kakashi.
"What the hell do you mean, Shikamaru" Naruto asked in a hyper tone. The Nara slowly fixed his gaze with the Uzumaki's and replied in a casual manner.
"Simple.........Sasuke Uchiha suggested to me a way we can decide who claims the village, minus the bloodshed" Shikamaru smirked slightly at their surprised reactions and wondered what he was saying. Taking out a cigarette from his pockets and then a lighter.
Lighting the small thing up, he breathed in a hefty amount and inhaled the smoke till it hit his lungs before slowing exhaling it. Letting the smoke free. His gaze set on the second who was just as anxious and curious.
"Now...........are you willing to listen, Hokage-Sama".
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WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I'M HIGH AS A KITE.
COMMENT MY LOVE AND VOTE AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER. 💜💜💮💮💮💮🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑