Chapter 23
"I'll be fine! Carry on with the mission," Kakas.h.i.+-sensei ordered me. I was going to ignore him and treat the man's wound but Torune suddenly appeared and helped my sensei instead. I was disappointed by his sudden appearance.
"Monkey-san, you had specific orders that involved, not to follow me around," I scolded the man.
"Forgive us, Hikari-sama. We are responsible for your safety," Torune countered. "If you wait any longer, your target will evade you, sir."
"Come, Hikari-sama!" Sai shouted from above. He was riding on his ninja beast drawn by his jutsu. I wasted no time at all by jumping up onto the said beast. When I was seated, we immediately flew towards the fleeing man. When Abe Ginzo was in sight, I hastily jumped down from the bird trying to headb.u.t.t the man off but I was met with rock hard ground. Debris was flying everywhere and when I stood up from my reckless fall, Ginzo emerged from the ground.
"Who the h.e.l.l does that?! Are you a moron?!" Ginzo yelled at me. He was wearing a black jumpsuit with the Oto headband on his forehead, on his back was a large scythe that was caked in dried blood. He was panting heavily which was a sign that he was running out of chakra.
"A moron that can see that you are running out of chakra," I retorted, coughing as I took my Juken stance. The man withdrew the scythe and brandished it at me.
"Don't underestimate me, brat! I am not those weak Orochimaru-sama's lackeys," Ginzo was mad, he charged at me whilst swinging that big scythe of his. I'll admit that he was one step above the snake's minions, he was fast with the big, heavy scythe and as a result, my chest was slashed by it. Blood was dripping down my body but he had committed the worst mistake by coming this close to me.
"Now, who's underestimating who?" I gritted as I took the secret technique's stance. "Hakke Rokujyuyonsho."
This time, I had managed to hit every single Tenketsu on his body and sixty four fists later, he was sent flying towards a boulder. The boulder then smashed into smithereens and buried him in a pile of rock and ashes. Sai had dispersed his beast and jumped down before he kneeled before me.
"As expected from the Konoha Red Oni. That was reckless, Director Hikari. Here, take this, its a soldier pill," he said as he withdrew a bottle from his robe and threw it to me. I took a pill and I could feel that my energy returning and my wound had stopped bleeding. Torune suddenly appeared from nowhere carrying Kakas.h.i.+-sensei who looked much better than before. My sensei sighed desperately.
"Ah, being saved by a ROOT, maybe my days are numbered," he said in mocked despair. I shot him an irritated look because he was mocking my friends.
"Kakas.h.i.+-sensei, be nice! They risked themselves helping our incompetent a.s.ses," I said and he let out his patented chuckle to dismiss my words. Torune left my sensei to himself and went to a.s.sess our target's condition. I decided to help my sensei stood up on his feet.
"Hikari-sama, this man is dead. We could seal him in a scroll for easy transport back to Konoha," Torune announced from the rubble as he withdrew a scroll from his robe. I was taken aback by how he said to words with so much ease but my sensei clapped his hand once to disrupt my train of thoughts.
"That's the ROOT for you, they always had something up their sleeves. Thanks, guys, we're counting on you!" Kakas.h.i.+-sensei was ecstatic.
"I guess, my first S-Cla.s.s as a jounin is a success," I mumbled and then I dusted off my clothing which was caked in dirt and blood. There was nothing I could do about the slash mark and I hoped that the administration could issue me a new vest when I return. After a few minutes of recuperation, the body was sealed and we immediately rushed back to Konoha.
*
At the Hokage's office, Tsunade-senpai had delivered the most disturbing news to date.
"What did you say?" Kakas.h.i.+-sensei was in for a huge shock. "So, only five rookies went to get Sasuke?"
"There was no other choice, given the situation of the village, we've hit the necessary minimum," the Hokage explained. That uneasiness was then skyrocketed and instinctively, my sage mode was turned on to search for my dear, dear friends. Half of them were in the hands of the Medical Corp and another half was missing from my perception. I could saw that Chouji and Neji were in critical condition. Naturally, I gripped my fist too hard and it was bleeding. Some of the Jounin forces had already come back before us but they were late to come to my friends' aid.
"I can't stand here and wait. I'm going," I said before I fled towards the gate at full speed and Tsunade-senpai didn't even have the chance to stop me at all. It was near the
From my Byakugan, I could see that their chakras were being expelled like crazy. Naruto was clad in a cloak of red chakra while Sasuke's body was deformed and I sensed that he was drawing in natural energy. I deduced that the cursed seal had enabled him to be in this state and also, Sasuke's Sharingan had achieved the complete stage as sensei did. They were holding their Chidori and Rasengan, ready to attack each other.
"Please make it in time!" I gritted and the Rinne-Sharingan opened involuntarily. Distracted by it, I didn't realize that they had already clashed. The blinding light had obscured my vision but I summoned whatever strength I had left towards my feet and increase my speed to no avail. When I had arrived there, Naruto had fallen unconscious. My heart fell, thinking of the worst.
"Please don't be dead," I recited those words like a mantra. When I was beside Naruto, I could see that he had suffered severe chakra exhaustion and a large -already healing hole could be seen on his body from Sasuke's Chidori. Speaking of that heartless boy, I searched for him and found that he was walking alone pa.s.sed the fire country's border. In haste, I ran towards him.
"Are you here to bring me back?" Sasuke said as he gripped his left shoulder noticing my presence.
"Why, why do this to your friends?" I gritted. He looked at me in the eyes and it was opaque, the light I once saw had faded away. He was too far down this path.
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"I'm weak," he said. "To kill that man, I have to kill my friend, to kill Itachi, I have to kill Naruto. But I couldn't."
"This is never the way, Sasuke. You'll hurt us, you'll hurt Sakura" I pleaded because I knew that deep down, he did care for her. There was no answer from him.
"If you go down this path, you will lose yourself.".
"I will live solely to kill that man and resurrect my clan whatever means necessary. If you drag me back, I would do this again and again until I kill him," he glared at me with so much hate that I couldn't help but pity him. Inwardly, I cursed Itachi for leading him into this life. The Uchihas were no doubt a pain in the a.s.s. Sasuke was too far consumed in hate that I couldn't do anything for him. He would kill Itachi someday.
"Fine, if you want to live as a traitor to Konoha and your friends, fine!" I said bitterly. "I promise you that you would never be going to like what you would uncover if you go down this path. Goodbye, Sasuke."
I left him there and ran back towards Naruto. I had failed my best friend, failed in convincing Sasuke to come back and worst, I had failed Sakura. Poor Sakura, she would be the one more devastated by this. My mind was churning with self-hate and I had hated my existence right then. I was weak. When I had reached Naruto, Kakas.h.i.+-sensei was already there with Naruto on his back.
"Sasuke?" he questioned. I couldn't bring myself to mouth the words. I didn't even notice that it had been raining, I looked up in the sky letting my face to soak in raindrops. I guessed that he knew the answer when he saw my face. I was crying.
"In such a place, Naruto and Sasuke, it's ironic isn't it?" Pakkun questioned.
"Yes, it is said that long ago, two men fought here, from the scar caused by that fight, this river was formed," my sensei droned. "If you observed the flow, that battle, Konoha was built, the ones who shared the fate of these statues, Naruto and Sasuke. Your lives are remarkably like theirs."
Afterwards, we made our way back to the village and I was still crying. Kakas.h.i.+-sensei didn't even dare to talk me off of that. I guessed that he must have been afraid that I would crumble to pieces. I was so lost in my thoughts when a medic-nin came and a.s.sessed Naruto's condition. The rest of the day was drifting away without I even realized. When I came to my self, I was sitting on a balcony gazing up to the cloud. I could hear Naruto was sobbing alone somewhere. I gazed around and found that I was on a balcony of the Konoha General. Inside, must have been Naruto's ward.
"Well, well, you're awake," I heard s.h.i.+kamaru announced his entrance. Naruto was elated to see s.h.i.+kamaru alive and well. The Nara then gave Naruto the news of the rest of our friends and I was drowned in self-hate that once again, I was so lost in my thoughts. Why am I so weak? I did not deserve their love if I am this way. How could I disappointing Sakura? Why did I let Sasuke go? I do not deserve to live.
"What's this smell of blood?" I heard a girl said. "Oh my... Help! Tsunade-sama! Hikari-kun, stop that!!!"
I heard somebody was shuffling out of something and dragged me off of my seat.
"Hikari! Calm down!!" the girl yelled yet again. I was baffled because I didn't do anything at all. I wondered why did the girl yell at me.
"Kami-sama! s.h.i.+kamaru, hold him down! I need to knock him out and stop his bleeding," another voice yelled before my eyes felt heavy and everything went black.
*
"He must be hating himself so much because he had failed you guys," Hitori's voice was booming in my ears. I felt movement at my thigh, bandaging it and when the person who was doing it tighten the bandage a little too much, I jumped awake. I realized that I was in restraints.
"What, what happens?!" I demanded groggily as I tried to wiggle myself out of these restraints.
"Calm down, Hikari-kun! You're in a hospital," I opened my eyes to see Tsunade-senpai was holding me down and I forced myself to take a deep breath as I stopped thras.h.i.+ng.
"Get Yamanaka Inoichi here," my senpai said to a nurse as she pulled away from the curtains around me. I found that I was on a bed in the hospital and next to Naruto. I could also saw Hitori was sitting with Sakura on the other side of Naruto's bed. Their eyes were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with pity and sadness, even Naruto's.
"Oh, hi! What's up?" I hollered. Sakura's face was red with anger, she stomped her way to my bed angrily before she gave me a barrage of punches.
"Don't you dare 'Oh hi' me! Do you even realized how scared I was seeing my friend cutting himself up like a butcher in a slaughterhouse?! Don't even make me start on how traumatized s.h.i.+kamaru was, holding your bloodied body down while Tsunade-sama tried to heal you. What is the matter with you?! You said you are getting better!" she yelled as the barrage of fist never stopped pulverizing me. I didn't even dare to look at her face and when I looked away, tears fell like a waterfall.
"I've failed you guys," I cried. "I was late and I didn't even could bring him back. I am really weak, I am not worthy of you guys."
"You are going to get therapy even if I had to beat you down to force you to get it. I'll even sit down to make sure you get better with my own eyes," she said as she punched me until she felt tired. I turned around and found that my teammates were crying.
"We'll get him back next time, together," she sobbed. Everyone was sniffing their snots to try to stop the tears. Hitori came to my bed and gave me a peck on my forehead and my cheeks.
"Get better," she said as she sat on my bed. Tsunade-senpai was writing some things on my charts as my team wiped their tears off.
"Let me off these cuffs, senpai. I want to hug my fiance," I pleaded.
"Nope," she clipped, "even when Inoichi gives the okay, I may only just consider to take it off. You are a risk to yourself."
"Oh, come on," I complained but I saw that she was deep in her thoughts. She didn't even say a word when she left the room. Sakura and Hitori had left together soon afterwards and I wondered if they had formed a bond together. If so, I'm glad.
"Please get better, Hikari-kun. I promise that I will get stronger and we will get Sasuke back," the blonde said and I grinned at him.
"Are you crazy? Of course, I will. I don't want to be beaten to a pulp by Sakura," I said and we both grimaced. We talked together for a bit before I felt sleepy and urged him to rest too. So, we decided to sleep it off. I didn't know how long did I sleep that day. I did lose a good amount of blood judging by the amount of blood bag in the trash bin. But, I was rudely awakened by the sound of Naruto's yelling.
"Pipe down, idiot," I grunted but of course, Naruto never shut up.
"Hikari-kun! Ero-Sennin will train me personally, Dattebayyo!" he yelled yet again as he stood up and struck a victory pose. I rose groggily and rubbed my eyes. I noticed that the restraints had been taken off, finally.
"Is that so? Congratulations, I'll buy you a bowl when we got out of this place," I monotonously said and the blonde jumped up and down screaming ramen in return. His celebration though was short-lived as we had received a visitor. It was my family, Hias.h.i.+-sama, Hinata and Hanabi-chan. Hinata brought a big bento that was filled with Omurice. Naruto and I gladly finished the pile together. It was fun, compared to the previous days I had. The memory stuck permanently inside of my head. I had received an earful of nagging from each of them. Taking an example from Naruto, I apologized and promised that I will get better this time.