"This will be a much more light-hearted chapter." - Author
I lost...
Naruto gritted his teeth as he landed across the battlefield. He could barely stand up properly. Naruto fell back down on the ground.
From the piles of smoke covering the area, Naruto could barely see the silhouette of Itoh. Naruto just scowled before going unconscious.
Fuck you, Itoh. I'll defeat you the next time I encounter you. Itoh was now a new obstacle that Naruto had to overcome. He really couldn't get a break. He felt like a weak boy again from over 4 years ago.
~~~
"I'm here again. " Naruto said out loud.
He was in his mindscape again. "This place looks like a dump still." Naruto looked up and saw the familiar cage from before. In that cage was a pair of devilish eyes peering into his soul.
"Come closer." The Kyuubi's sharp canines were visible. Naruto just backed away with a raised eyebrow.
"I rather not." Naruto shot at him.
"You could've beaten him if YOU used my power." Naruto just stuck out his tongue at him.
"I could've. But I don't want to use your cheat of a power." Naruto slowly came closer to the forsaken bars.
"Your and the other Tailed Beast' power... it's something beyond human comprehension. I don't really like saying things that make sound so weak — but i'm afraid."
"I'm afraid of losing control and destroying everything around me." Naruto said a he stopped his walk.
"You don't even know what half of the words you said even mean." The Kyuubi told Naruto.
"So be it. But anyway, thanks for the talk." Naruto slowly disappeared from his mind.
"I don't usually like talking about myself and my personal feelings anymore. It just seems a bit unneeded." Naruto fully disappeared from his own mind.
"Don't worry about it."
~~~
Naruto saw a white ceiling from above. He mentally sighed as he saw it.
I'm in a fucking hospital. Naruto thought. His first instinct was to look to his sides. To his surprise, Sasuki was there sleeping.
Oh? She lost, too? Naruto felt a familiar scent of deja vū. It would be even better if he had the power to escape the village. But... he had a promise to keep.
It would make me sound too much of a coward. Naruto thought. He suddenly got an idea.
Can't believe i'm doing this again after I just talked to the fur ball. Naruto had a small smile on his face.
"I'll just make this simple. I don't know if you can hear me or not, but thank you. For trying to be my light. I personally think it's too much of a trivial task that is unneeded. But I guess you can do you." Naruto's voice trailed off and soon after... stopped. He soon fell back asleep.
Little did he know. Sasuki had small and stupid smirk.
Fuck you, asshole.
~~~
It's been almost been a day two since being welcomed to the hospital. It was a very boring one at that. Nothing eventful actually happened. They may have gotten get well presents and card (mostly Sasuki fanboys and sometimes fangirls.)
But none really stood out.
"Finally. It was about time." Said Naruto as they walked out of the hospital with rolling bandages around parts of their body. They were both noticeably, surprisingly skinny.
We look fucking malnourished...
With his bandaged hands in his left and right pockets, they walked through the streets. As they walked through the streets of Konoha, Naruto and Sasuki saw many kids look at them in awe.
Then there was the academy children who looked at Sasuki with envy and love. They were fans of her.
When they looked at him, they pondered on who he was.
They have never seen me before. By the looks of it, they were around the age of 8-11. Lots were just starting out in the academy.
"You know, I heard it." Sasuki suddenly said.
'Yeah, I figured you did." Naruto replied. He then slightly chuckled. "You probably had a shit-eating smirk." She just nodded.
"I did. Thanks, by the way." Naruto looked up. "For letting me be your light."
"Ahh... touching. Doesn't real matter." Naruto said.
"I'm trying to be nice here." Sasuki said with a tick mark. Naruto just replied with a shit-eating grin. Naruto then suddenly thought of something.
"So... how's your journey with making a contract with the sword?" Naruto asked.
"Uhh... I'm have yet to make a contract with the sword." Sasuki responded.
"You do know that each blade has a mind of their own, right?" Naruto asked to make sure she knew.
"Or course! It takes only basic common sense to figure something that simple." Naruto raised eyebrow that held some skepticism.
"Whatever you say."
"Do you think this blade alone is enough to stop this village?" Sasuki asked with doubt in her power.
"Most likely not." Naruto said in a straight-forward manner. Sasuki gained another tick mark. She most definitely wanted to beat the shit out of Naruto.
"I'm just being logical. This is Enryu's power without his blade." Naruto his right hand up high.
"This is you without the blade." Naruto put his left hand much further down.
I swear, he better not be trying to downplay me.
"With you using the blade with a contract, you should be just below him. But even that is a large gap in power and abilities. But once he uses his blade, he'll be able to make the gap much more larger."
"How about me against Onoki?" Naruto pondered a bit.
"Considering his old age, he should be just a bit higher than you once he uses his blade. You can say you're both practically even." Sasuki just nodded.
"Anyway, let's go." They continued walking until they made it into Sasuki's household. Once they opened the door, Naruto immediately crashed down on the couch.
Naruto yawned as he snuggled in. He suddenly felt a pillow hit his back.
"You can't sleep now, idiot. You had enough sleep at the hospital." Naruto turned around and looked at Sasuki with disbelief in his eyes.
That's what you get for making me feel weak. Sasuki then walked away with the pillow in hand. With a sigh, Naruto looked up at the ceiling.
How long is this war going to take? Naruto asked himself mentally. He had hoped that they could end this war in just a month or two, but it seems that his estimation was a bit off.
This war is likely to continue for at least 4-6 month more. This is with 4 months being the earliest. There were multiple amounts of possibilities. Some involved a much more deeper increase than others.
I'm not too fond of staying here for too long.
Naruto was then snapped out of his thoughts when his eyes were covered by a blanket. He lifted it up and looked at the evil doer. "What?" Naruto asked as he wrapped the blanket around himself.
"I'm going out for training." Sasuki responded.
"So, don't touch anything that doesn't involve you." Naruto raised an eyebrow before nodding his head. "Yes, ma'am." Naruto said with a lazy attitude. Naruto then put the blanket over himself.
Weirdo. Sasuki thought before she left the house. She had her sword in hand as she opened the door. Sasuki looked at the sword as she was passing through the streets.
How... can I still feel so weak? Sasuki thought as she gripped the sword tightly. She managed to beat her brother: Itachi. She then defeated Pain/Pein. But in both battles, she barely managed to scrape through.
She may be able to at least take them down much more better now, but in the past... it was a much more different story.
How can you act so optimistic when you know that there are much stronger people than yourself? Sasuki thought as she neared the designated training ground.
~~~
"Gahhhh!" Naruto yelled out with frustration laced in his voice. He was stuck. Not just in intellect and strategy, but in combat abilities also.
How can they defeat me when all they have been doing is the basics? Naruto thought as he had the blanket over his body. "There has to be a way for me to better myself at a exceptional rate." Naruto pondered.
Contrary to popular belief, Naruto can think for himself... sometimes. Naruto sat up from the couch that he was laying on.
Maybe... I should looks through the seals that I haven't been able to use. This was actually a very well thought idea. Naruto pulled out a few miniature scrolls that he kept.
"Which one first?" Naruto asked himself. He knew that he was being trivial. But it was common for Naruto to act so trivial. He picked up a scroll that had kanji that represented, 'Tale'.
Naruto took the time and channeled chakra into the scroll. Soon enough, a book came out of the scroll.
"The Tales of a Gutsy Ninja." It had been quite some time since he read the book. Around a year or so? Naruto questioned himself. The last time read such a book was to entertain his boredom.
That boredom made him reread this book. He soon slept after reading it.
"I don't think this would help me at all." Naruto sighed as he threw it on the ground. He looked back on the 5 other scrolls he was holding. Naruto held out his hand and snatched the next scroll off the ground.
"Let's see..." He channeled chakra once more. A cloud of smoke appeared. The cloud of smoke soon disappeared and a pile of weapons he used in the past.
The demon wind shuriken? Totally forgot about that. Naruto thought as he inspected the very larger shuriken. It indeed brought memories But the memories are in the past and should stay in the past. Naruto sighed as he continued to look at ever single scroll. It was a pain.
And out of the pain came nothing. There was nothing there for him to help him out. Naruto groaned out of frustration as he laid back down on the couch.
"This is so useless!" Naruto yelled to himself. He immediately got back up and slowly cleaned up his mess. His hand outstretched and grabbed the necessities that he withheld.
Just before he was done cleaning, Naruto spot something.
"Hmm? What's this?" Naruto picked up the book that he thought was nothing but a good book.
"The Tale of a Gutsy Ninja." It was in the first scroll that he opened. The book was also the first thing that ignored and put to the ground. It was nothing more than just a book with words.
Well... that was before he saw the words that it had. Naruto widened his eyes as he spotted the gold mine.
"What are the chances of me even landing on this exact page again?" Naruto brought the book up close and personal. He soon read out the words that struck him.
"I was stuck. In both mind and abilities. But someone once told to go back and reteach myself the basics... of being a ninja." This brought a huge smirk onto Naruto's face.
"Wow~! To think a person such as: The Pervy Sage could come up with such a theory." But the thing is. Were the words in the book just words and not reality? Or were they reality and not just words made up in a book.
"Only one way to find out." Naruto soon finished cleaning the floor below. Naruto was about to go back out. But his stomach started to growl out.
"Should I eat Sasuki's very mediocre food? Nah. I'll go get ramen." Her food wasn't bad per se. But it wasn't the best. And the only food that is known to be the best is: Ramen.
Naruto turned around and walked towards the door. His hands touch the door knob. He pulled the door open. The night sky glistened throughout the night.
It was exactly the perfect time to eat ramen. At night, the streets are at its busiest other than at the morning. The people were slowly cleaning up their shops.
As Naruto neared Ichiraku Ramen, he spotted a familiar individual.
"Sasuki!" What were the fucking chances of that happening.
"The the actual fuck." Sasuki muttered to herself. She didn't expect Naruto to eat at Ichiraku's. She had expected for Naruto act all lazy and eat the food at the house.
"Why are you here?"
"The food that you cook taste bad, so I thought I would come here." Sasuki slightly choked on her ramen when he heard what she said. "My food is not bad!"
"That's what they all say. Just stick to being a ninja. You can always eat outside."
"I hate you."
"Hate is a strong word to use." Naruto gave her a toothy grin. They suddenly heard a voice.
"Naruto?" Naruto heard and followed the speaker. A wide smile came up his face. "Hey, old man! Konoha was being desperate so they asked for my help! I'll be staying here for a couple of months to half a year." Naruto responded.
Did he just say we're desperate. Sasuki asked herself.
"Good to hear! Ayame is currently not here for today." Naruto nodded to that as his 2 bowls were served. He displayed a very wide grin as he slurped down his ramen.
That's absolutely disgusting. Sasuki thought as she compared to her eating speed to his.
"Naruto" He looked at Sasuki as he settled the bowl down. "I don't know if you want to answer this or not. But why did you decide to become a rogue-nin?" Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"You want to know?"
"Yes"
"Why?"
"I don't know"
"I guess that's a somewhat valid reason." Naruto sighed as he started to slowly explain.
"You know... I never really wanted to be Hokage at all." A sad smile was plastered was on his face his as Sasuki widened her eyes. "All the words you yelled... were all fabricated?" Sasuki asked.
"Somewhat. I only want to be the Hokage to be acknowledged. The responsibility when it comes to it was something I didn't care about. But as you know. It's impossible for someone who's not acknowledged to become Hokage. If acknowledgement is needed to become Hokage, then I would just be wasting my time."
"But... there are possibilities and chances."
"Yes. But the possibilities are slim to none. It's something that could crush my hope." Naruto told her. "You know, if you were to ask me this 4 years ago, I would've answered that it was because of you."
"Why?"
"Because I was being petty. I thought... maybe I could get acknowledgment from defeating Gaara and keeping the village safe." Sasuki looked away with a bit of shame.
"It wasn't my intention."
"I know."
"But even then, I knew the village would still hate me. The village would only and always know me as the cursed boy who didn't deserve to live." Sasuki wasn't about to say something, but was cut off.
Naruto's sad but sharp eyes looked at his ramen bowl.
"But I was ok with it... because deep down... I knew that I hated them as much as they hated me."
~~~
There. That's the end of the chapter. I was actually going to do something else for the end of this chapter, but held it off for a later date.
So yeah, this was a semi-lighthearted chapter. Yeah, Naruto lost against Itoh. Expect them to have a rematch in the future.
But until next time, cya.