A/N: Pah, I'd like to ask you guys to forgive any mistakes you might find -.- I was a little groggy when I finished this one, 2 AM in the morning. I had to go to sleep and write the Omake in the morning, just so that I would use my fingers effectively. Once again, there are bound to be a few misstypes, but I hope they won't be much of an eyesore. Enjoy =)

The Ashbringer: Shinobi of the Light

Chapter 16: Feelings! Missions! … Richard?

“So, how the hell did you manage to even place her in that state?” she asked, dreading the answer. The gleeful smile on his way too pale face gave her the chills… and for some weird reason she liked it.

“Easy. I ambushed her while her team wasn’t looking, cast the spell, and left.” He simply explained, chuckling to himself.

“And… why did you do that?”

“Boredom, mostly.” He replied dismissively.

Needless to say, Anko was speechless for once.

XxxxX

“Hinata! Come to your senses!” he yelled as he parried another kunai with the Ashbringer. Somewhere along this quarrel he had remembered the weightless weapon on his back. The gem was still missing and he couldn’t feel any power rushing through the blade though, no strength.

It was a common sword right now. Nothing more.

“I need to defeat you! For my team!” she reasoned the unreasonable as another flurry of Jyuken strikes went on its way upon the blonde.

Naruto used the sword to parry most of the attacks and even dodged some. The countless training hours along Hinata had made him understand her fighting style better than anyone. And he knew she wasn’t giving it her all. That she was holding back. Her strikes weren’t as accurate as they should as she fought back the fury that was taking over her soul, the strength behind the hits was meek as she held back most of her rage.

Hinata was still there. That determined look in her eye told him everything. It wasn’t some mind-controlling jutsu that had taken over her. It wasn’t some ironic maniac who controlled her and sent her against him. This was Hinata. Another side of her. The dark side of her…

XxxxX

“What exactly, does that shit of yours do?” she asked with even more dread at the even more gleeful smile on the warlock’s face.

“Hehehe…” he chuckled to himself. “It’s a unique spell that has the power to amplify emotions, negative ones I might add.” He explained smoothly, as if he had practiced this speech.

“It takes fear, and makes it terror! It takes anger, and turns it into bloodlust! It takes sadness, and turns it to despair! It takes rage… and the user might as well become a berserker.” Richard grinned at an unspoken memory and Anko had to admit, this whole shit was more sadistic and blood curling than any of Ibiki’s merciless tortures.

She freaking liked it. Not that it was right, though.

Despite her self, she still asked “How we reverse it?”

Richard looked at her as if she had lost her mind… or she ruined a perfect moment of some kind. “Reverse? You mean to nullify it? No can do girl, that power doesn’t lie in my grasp.” He said and crossed his hands over his chest.

Anko quirked an eyebrow. “You mean…?” He sighed in exasperation “Meaning, while that spell amplifies dark emotions, the only way to stabilize one again is to counter-balance with positive emotions. Which is, right now…” he shook a finger “Im-po-ssi-ble.”

XxxxX

A parry, a dodge, a strike, a faint. Another strike. This one nearly found its target, and Naruto cursed. He didn’t want to harm her… ever. But what the hell was he supposed to do? Somehow her stamina had increased ten times over. Despite his best efforts, he had a hard time himself catching up with her speed. Her anger was flaring. It burned and churned like a seize less fire. He could see the pain behind these enraged eyes, the pain of hurting him, the pain of hurting herself while doing so.

‘Why… Hinata? What happened to you…?’

His mental question reached no ears as she attacked again. He pierced the Ashbringer in the ground as he fully blocked her oncoming attack. “Hinata! Stop this already! There is no reason behind this…” “I have to… I have to!!” she yelled and drew back her hands, striking the blade again and again and again. Naruto could feel the force of her chakra even while being protected by the sword.

“I can’t… stand this any longer… I can’t watch you ignore my feelings!...” what the hell was she thinking anyway? She was occasionally mumbling incomplete and barely coherent sentences. Nothing made sense. Not this situation, not this Hinata.

“Katon: Gogakyou no jutsu!” he heard a mighty yell coming from behind her…

Naruto’s first instinct was to get away. Flee from the incoming flames.

His second instinct was to protect her, even though she was out for blood, even though she was on a rampage, a part of him didn’t really care. She was so focused on her assault that had probably failed to notice the incoming giant fireball.

And he couldn’t use his ‘Hand of Protection’. It wouldn’t work on these fires.

Naruto unsheathed the Ashbringer from the ground…

“Hinata!!!”

XxxxX

“And how could someone achieve to bring out such feelings of… purity?” Anko spat the words. Richard’s frown clearly said he didn’t enjoy it either.

“Well, you can try giving flowers… or chocolate.”

“Cut the crap.” She snapped.

“Yeah, yeah…” he dismissed her with a gesture “Anyways, I don’t really see how one could be emotionally able to apprehend my spell. Who’s stupid enough to commit self-sacrifice anyway?”

XxxxX

The smoke slowly cleared as moths of flame danced around the scorched ground. Sasuke frowned as he squinted to get a better view.

“Did I get her…?” he whispered to himself and took out a kunai, prepared for any incoming attack. What he saw surprised him though. To the point his eyes went wide.

“Naruto!” he yelled and dropped his stance.

“What the f*ck are you doing?” he yelled and gripped his kunai harder.

Before him stood the image of complete idiocy. Naruto had put his own body before Hinata’s protecting her from the gulf of flames with some kind of sword. His clothes where scorched, nearly ruined. He was panting and his hands and feet trembled. That idiot had taken a Gogakyou straight on. He was lucky he was even alive and not a roasted turkey.

But how the hell had he taken it…?

XxxxX

‘Divine Shield… what a trick’ Naruto smirked despite his condition. He had to ignite and drop his shield in the span of three seconds, which meant that he repelled most of the damage but took a good chunk of it as well.

At least she was safe…

But what about him? Would she stop her attacks now? Would she be astonished or moved enough to stop this?

Would she kill him from behind?

His heart and body ached at the thought, but he didn’t turn to justify his thoughts. All he did was stand and breath slowly as he tried to calm his racing heart. Sasuke was still gaping at him, eyebrows twitching from extreme disbelief.

Then Naruto saw an emotion he didn’t expect.

Fear.

“Naruto!! Watch out!”

Sasuke’s warning came a second too late as Naruto turned around, not having enough time to do anything other than glance at Hinata’s approaching form…

The blonde turned around, his body fully facing her as he gripped his blade from behind him, realizing his mistake of having it embed in the ground. He couldn’t pull it out now… not fast enough.

Bracing himself for the what would probably be a tad too painful, Naruto waited and waited, even after he felt something warm press against him, entwine itself around his body and embrace him…

Embrace him…

Opening his eyes, sheer disbelief painted itself across his features. He guessed he looked pretty much like Sasuke at the moment…

The girl that was sobbing in his chest, quietly but strongly, the girl that was hugging him as if he was a lifeline, was surely Hinata, no doubt.

Yet he did doubt. What the hell was going on…?

XxxxX

“Awww, he ruined the mood!” Richard complained to himself as he watched the scene from afar, Anko besides him. The bitch had forced him to help make things clear… too bad he didn’t get the chance.

“You said… it takes sadness… and makes it despair… right?” Anko whispered, amazed purple eyes gazing at the scene in wonder. It looked like some kind of drama that jumped out of a battle movie. The male battered yet standing tall as the seemingly wounded female clang to him, he gripping a sword tightly to his side.

It was weird, really.

Oh, and lets not forget the astonished idiot that gaped from the side.

XxxxX

“Gomen…” she whispered among choking on tears and gasps of sorrow. Naruto placed his free hand over her head and stroke her lightly, gently.

“Honto… gomenasai… Honto… honto…” she whispered over and over, as if she fought to keep back a scream, as if she fought to keep herself together.

“Daijobu…” he replied in a soft tone as well, closing his eyes and setting a little of his weight on her. She was so warm… such a comfortable feelings for his aching body. The wounds where already healing rapidly, due to the light and Kyuubi. He felt no pain.

“What happened… Hinata…?” he asked after a few more moments. She shook her head ever so faintly and resumed in crying over his chest. One moment, she was trying to kill him, the next, she was crying like a baby.

He concentrated on his hand, which lied on her head, grasping the strings of memory that danced within her mindscape, searching for the right ones…

Flinching at harsh memories of the past that randomly flew by, memories about her cousin, the loss of her mother, the harshness of her father, the game of favorites the clan played between her and her sister… he could feel and see every inch of them all, as if they where his.

Setting that past aside for the moment, he gripped the single string that illustrated the memories of the day… watching it carefully, he skipped to the moment he looked for, where he looked for.

It was… strange… right as her team was scouting around for enemies, Naruto and friends to be exact, someone approached from behind… none of them took notice until he was right next to her. She had no time to react and she passed out…

Naruto frowned as he replayed the image of the man. Tall, very thin, dressed in black robes, his face hidden by a cowl of similar color, leaving only a pair of wide yellow eyes and death-like pale skin to pierce through.

He clenched his fist unconsciously in anger.

An undead…

And he was toying around with her. He was playing with her!

For a moment, a very brief moment, the wind seemed to stand still, time and space didn’t seem to matter and any echo of a sound vanished.

Then the Ashbringer flared, fire surging down the blade, the gem like mark appearing and shining once more in its rightful place… Naruto opened his eyes, leaving Hinata’s mindscape for the moment. She was confused enough for him to be able to put her to sleep. She would be alright, for the time being.

Letting his senses flow, he scoured the whole forest in mere moments…

He frowned ‘Gotcha…’ and he was off, Hinata now gently lying against a tree, tear marks running down her stained cheeks, her expression peaceful for once.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was still gaping at the sight of Naruto suddenly popping a sword out of nowhere like that. What the fuck was going on…?

XxxxX

“Anko… sweetie, I believe it best that you be gone.” Richard frowned towards the forest, his eyes glimmering dangerously as countless thoughts run through his mind. Anko barely registered the fact that flickers of flame had began sparkling in his hands…

“Get out of here!” he turned his deathly gaze at her and the snake mistress felt the ever so rare feelings of shivers running up and down her spine. As she turned to jump away…

“Who the fuck is your sweetie?!” yelled a blushing Anko as she threw a kunai at Richard’s head. The warlock simply raised a hand and caught the blade without even taking his eyes off the unmoving forest. The kunai soon melted away into nothing but scrap in Richard’s blazing grip.

Anko gulped and decided not to push any further. If the ever comment-full, cheerful and sadistic Richard was this serious, she didn’t think he would hesitate to burn her alive as well.

XxxxX

‘Where are you…’ Naruto wondered as he flew around the endless trees. He was nearby… he could feel it. The Ashbringer flared at the prospect of vanishing even more of these unholy beasts… it was its purpose.

It didn’t take him long to reach his destination. The man was probably stupid enough to leave himself open. A clearing? How easier could he make it?

But Naruto didn’t think any strategy up, didn’t wonder if there would be any traps. He gripped the Ashbringer and charged straight in, the blade ablaze with purging fire…

He didn’t yell. No battle cries, no warning. He went straight for the man’s head. Easy and quick it should be.

Imagine his surprise then, when the man simply rose a hand to grip the fiery blade of the sword with a fist made of ice…

“Who has who now…?” his voice was chilling, sarcastic and gleeful at the same time. Naruto’s wide eyes looked into deathly yellow with horror. How could he stop such an attack? With his bare hands?

The man wasted no time as he pushed the blade down and shot another fiery fist at the blonde. Naruto barely managed to evade as he got over his surprise, the man’s fist scorching his shoulder…

Richard easily shook the sword out of Naruto’s surprised grip. With a swift motion over it, the whole blade was enclosed in a thick layer of ice. The young Paladin’s wide eyes turned to watch the man play with his blade. Tirion’s blade.

“Hanma no Kougi! (Hammer of Justice)” he shouted and an ethereal hammer made of bluish Light shot towards the bewildered Warlock. Richard’s hand rose to create a flaming barrier, stopping the hammer midway.

Naruto grit his teeth. “Hikari no Hantei! (Judgment of Light)” the wind shifted as another hammer formed within his hand, this one made of pure gold, glimmering in the dimmer light of the sun.

Richard frowned at the sight. Nevertheless, he still set both hands ablaze as he enclosed the Ashbringer within an enchanted barrier, chains keeping it locked to the ground.

“Who are you…?” the man asked and Naruto’s gaze frowned upon him at the question. The young paladin gritted his teeth again.

“My name is Uzumaki Naruto… your executioner.” He spat.

But before he could even react, the robed wizard was already right next to him, a hand gripping his own free one.

“Hi! My name is Richard. I was really hoping you would notice that little spell of mine on your girlfriend and come for vengeance. You know, it’s really boring with no other company than a woman you can’t even kill, and I still hadn’t had my breakfast today.” Sigh “Well, I’m hoping you will put up enough of a challenge before I reduce you to dust. Not that it’s likely though. Without the sword you are useless, no? So, just to get over with it already, mind if I incarnate you and be done with?” and all these while he shook his hand friendlily and gazed at him with wonder.

Naruto blinked a few times before processing all of the Warlock’s words.

“Uhh… thank you but… I’m afraid I’ll have to decline…” why the heck did he use polite speech anyway? This was the man that had made Hinata suffer! He was an undead too! He had to be cleansed!

“What a shame. Oh well.” Richard’s way too gleeful smirk sent Naruto all the warning he would ever get. Without even thinking the paladin pushed the warlock away, gripping his now scorched hand. It hurt…

Richard’s fists where already enclosed in flames. “Oo, now you’re a fast one.” He commented and prepared for more.

Naruto gritted his teeth once more and chanted a short spell, healing his wound instantly. He gripped the ethereal hammer, his only weapon for now, and charged into battle…

Richard was more than waiting.

XxxxX

“He’s so…” the voice was filled with enthusiasm.

“COOL!!” Kakashi picked his ear, checking if it was still working. He along with the other teacher’s had found the snake-mistress peaking through the foliage down the open field, where a battle seemed to be taking place. They where all surprised nonetheless, witnessing the Kyuubi container fighting with a strange man that seemed to favor Katon jutsu. None of them had ever seen a jutsu that contained flaming fists into it though… neither ice based jutsu.

Kakashi should have stepped in… the man was an unidentified threat towards Konoha and his student. He should have charged in and stopped this ridicule.

But something told him not to. The fierce look in Naruto’s eye, the power he was using… it was all so strange and familiar at the same time. Naruto had never gotten into much detail about what other skills he had other than the shinobi one’s Kakashi taught him.

‘What tricks are up your sleeve, Naruto…?’ he wondered idly…

XxxxX

Dodging another fist, Naruto finally found an opening.

‘There!’ he yelled in his mind and his hammer found Richard mid-waist. The hammer seemed to be absorbed and fade into particles of Light as it made contact, Naruto now jumping away to keep his distance from the menacing warlock.

Richard frowned down at his side. There was no serious damage, neither did he feel any pain. Well, he never felt any pain to begin with, but…

With what was the blonde going to fight now?

Naruto smirked at the curious look in the man’s eye. Whomever told him all he had was paladin techniques…?

He decided to go with the simple one.

“Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!” he yelled out and a bunch of clones puffed into existence. Surprised they all where though, when Richard’s face instead of contorting in fear… was happy?

“Oh, oh, please tell me they can bleed!” he asked, full of hope. All Narutos felt like falling to the ground…

“Uh, no.” Naruto simply answered and it was somehow weird to see that happy smile fade from Richard’s face. It felt like he had just taken away candy from a murderous sadistic kid. The robed man shook his head in grief. “Oh well. At least they are bound to scream.” And with that, he began shooting bolts of fire and ice… everywhere. And indeed, they let out oh so glorious screams as each and every clone was either consumed in flames or encased in ice, the low temperature making them poof out of existence soon.

Naruto gaped as his clones where wiped like mere flies, one after another. Just who the hell was this guy…?

“And now… Finale!” and with both hands he sent a blazing beam towards the blonde… who poofed into smoke.

“What…?” he asked, raising a non-existent eyebrow. The ground under him seemed to tremble then for a moment, and Richard got a vague idea of what was going on…

But before he could react, a pair of hands shot out of the dirt, gripping him like steel. The man frowned, as did the shinobi that hid in the trees and watched the battle. They had all noticed the same thing.

He hadn’t even tried to dodge it.

Four Narutos then emerged from the ground, each of them gripping a pair of kunais, charging at the still warlock. Richard regarded each of them with boredom. With palms extended, walls of ice began to form and rise to defend him.

And they did so as he was wholly closed into a cask of ice. All the Naruto’s though didn’t back away though as they warped a note around their kunai, threw them at the ice and began a set of hand-seals…

“Katon: Kokyou no Doragon! (Fire Technique: Dragon’s Breath)” they all yelled and steams of fire shot from their mouths and towards the block of ice.

As the flames went over the explosive notes, ignition commenced and explosions came to add to the destructive inferno. All jounin watched with gaping mouths at the building fire, shocked beyond belief that this kid could use such a katon technique… and with four clones to add to it.

Kakashi simply blinked. Naruto had overdone it with the chakra usage… again. Kids never learn, do they?

All clones disappeared into clouds of smoke as the fire settled down, the chakra inside it fading away, small patches of flame licking on the green grass here and there. Only carnage was left though where the warlock once stood…

So one can imagine the surprise they all felt when they saw the man appearing out of thin air in the middle of the devastated ground, as if he was there the whole time and yet was not.

Kakashi blinked twice this time. He didn’t feel any chakra coming from the warlock at all at the moment. He wasn’t using jutsus…

Richard dusted himself off. “Phew, that was some good ‘fwoosh’ you got there kid.” He shook some dust off his shoulder, then looked into the seemingly empty forest.

“Now, come out before I turn this place to ashes.” For some reason, they all felt as if he was meaning what he said… and was more than capable of doing it.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible.” Naruto walked out of the trees, smirking widely at the warlock, who regarded him with a disregarding gaze. “Don’t test me kid. You might find yourself missing a limp.” The idea seemed far too common, at least to him.

Naruto’s smirk didn’t waver though. The anger and fury that lied within his eyes before was no longer there.

Richard sighed and prepared to launch the final strike. He was bored already.

But he was quite surprised when he found his body unmoving. Looking down at himself, he realized he couldn’t bunch an inch. Not on his own will.

Then he saw dark shadows connecting with his from the forest. Frowning upon the bushes, it seemed as if he wanted to burn them to ashes on the spot, if he could. Or rather, the one that hid in them.

Shikamaru walked out of his hiding spot, seeing that he was spotted, and pretty easily to add to it. “Kagemane no Jutsu… success” nonetheless.

“Chouji! You’re up!” the Nara yelled as he set himself in the jutsu’s stance, concentrating on keeping the warlock perfectly still.

“Ora ora ora!!” someone yelled from the other side of the clearing, and a large rolling ball shot out of the trees, straight for the wide eyed man. Richard struggled, managing to raise one hand despite Shikamaru’s best efforts. Neither Naruto nor the jounin where surprised. It was a miracle the Nara boy kept him in place to begin with.

What they all feared though, was what he was going to do against Chouji’s meat tank…

An inferno of flames shot out of his palm, fighting against the brute force of Chouji’s attack. Thankfully for the chubby boy, even though as his technique was canceled, the damage he received was minimum due to the force of his own strike.

Richard frowned, preparing to freeze the fatty to death.

Instead though, he seemed to need to defend himself against a massive fireball that came his way. The wall of ice that rose from nowhere blocked the attack entirely.

Sasuke panted, as this was maybe the fourth fireball he used today. This thing was exhausting.

“Gatsuuga!” yelled a spinning Kiba as he and his companion became identical whirlwinds of fangs and claws, aiming for the still standing warlock.

Richard quickly threw a beam of force towards the Nara with his free hand, sending the boy flying to the trees, his whole front body scorched from the attack. The warlock wasted no time as he jumped away from the menacing strike of the Inuzuka.

But he failed not to retort as he froze Akamaru on the spot, the poor dog encased in a block of ice, unable to even blink. Kiba gaped for a moment as his companion was so easily incapacitated.

It would be Kiba’s turn was it not for a swarm of bugs protecting him from the icy beam. The warlock sighed as another newcomer seemed to have entered the battle. This was getting irritating.

Shino’s bugs swarmed around his hands as the boy prepared for the next assault, to attack or defend would it be.

Naruto quickly made his way over Akamaru, using the Light to dispel the block of ice before the dog was killed by the cold. Thankfully, the little pup only had some chills as it barked loudly at Richard.

The blonde turned to tend to Shikamaru as well, before he stopped in his tracks.

Hinata was already there, healing the unconscious Nara through the Light. It was amazing what quick and wonderful job the divine power would do over wounds. What was once scorched and dead skin was now replaced by clean healthy one. As if nothing had happened to begin with.

She smiled at his surprised expression and pressed a finger against her lips, motioning him to keep quiet. Naruto dumbly nodded, not noticing the blush that rose to his face. She was too freaking cute for her own good.

Concentrating on the opponent again, he was amazed to find his friends, all of them, battling against the man as one. Kiba and Akamaru would constantly keep him on the run while Shino’s bugs dared sacrifice themselves to protect them all from the deadly attacks of their opponent. Sasuke had also engaged in melee combat, in which the warlock seemed pretty adept as well.

Chocolate monks for the win.

Naruto shook his head, launching back into combat.

XxxxX

“ENOUGH!” with one mighty blast of power, everyone froze on the spot as the Ice Age seemed to have dawned upon the small clearing. Trapped or knocked unconscious, none of them could do a thing as Richard’s eyes shone an open blue color, like flowing water, instead of his deathly yellow ones.

All but Naruto. Divine Shield was an amazing trick. Damn bubble-boys.

Naruto wasn’t done yet though. He had little time before the shield faded and the blasts of howling wind and snow hit him full force and made him into a snow statue like his companions.

He had only one option. One chance.

Tirion had once told him that the Ashbringer was a weapon that bonded itself with its user’s soul. It was a part of him, and he was part of it. It was a blade that resided in his soul, not his body.

It was in this moment that Naruto decided to truly test the gone paladin’s words. Closing his eyes and summoning all his power, he concentrated to materialize the Ashbringer in his hand…

But nothing happened. The enchanted case where the warlock had closed the blade in seemed to disrupt his call. Well… if the blade didn’t hear the voice of the Light through the environment…

Maybe it would, through him.

He tried again… only five seconds before the shield went down.

This time, particles of light formed in his hand, taking the shape of the legendary sword. Four seconds.

Gripping it tightly and aiming at the raging warlock, the blade was set ablaze with a fire that blew away all cold around him. Whatever snow or ice would fall in its wake was immediately melted to simple water.

Three seconds.

Setting his feet ready, he launched off towards his target, blade poised to strike. Two seconds.

He was only a meter away. Just a little more…

One second.

XxxxX

“That’s one hell of a battle.” Asuma commented as he munched on a sandwich.

“What are you talking about?! Our students are getting killed out there!” Kurenai screeched in terror despite herself. She still didn’t understand why they all had kept their lazy asses back in the safety of the forest while their students fought against an opponent a tad too strong.

“Relax. He won’t kill them. In one go. He likes to play with his victims.” Anko reassured, or at least thought she did. Kurenai felt more hysteric with the second.

Kakashi himself looked amazed as he taped everything with a camera that none of them knew from where the hell popped out from. His lone eye went away from the winter that had taken over the clearing and looked boringly back at them.

“What? It’s not like you see such stuff everyday.” He said and went back on his taping. Everyone sighed, except for Asuma who kept watching the battle with interest, munching on a sandwich all the time.

XxxxX

Richard looked down at his chest, where a blade seemed to procure.

“I am no physic, but I dare say that a blade procuring from one’s chest isn’t healthy.” He commented and looked back at Naruto with bored eyes, the boy panting from the heavy effort.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me…” he said, gripping the blade.

“Shut the fuck up!!” Naruto yelled and slapped him hard on the face, not sure why. Oh right, he had freaking taken the Ashbringer in the chest and was still saying such shit!

“Et tu cale…?” the warlock mumbled before falling to the ground, unconscious.

Naruto blinked once, before looking at his palm in wonder.

XxxxX

Hinata had thankfully avoided the blast, hiding in the trees and dragging Shikamaru along. With more energy to spent than the exhausted blonde, the girl went on her way to unfreeze her friends. Thankfully, other than a little numbness, they didn’t seem worse for wear.

“That was some shitty battle.” Kiba commented, flexing his shoulders.

“Indeed.” Was all Shino added, shaking his legs a bit.

“Hooray for idiocy.” Ino mumbled as she and Sakura helped Hinata bandage the boys up. The fools had just barged into battle without allowing them to take part… or rather, they didn’t want to take part. Sakura’s and Ino’s abilities would be no match for this guy… they would just be in the way.

They both knew that. And they where both ashamed of themselves. In a time of need, they where useless in the end. All they could do was tend to the wounded. All they could do…

Everyone conversed around each other, keeping only an eye on the duo of young paladins that took care of Richard… it seemed like a purposeful moment.

XxxxX

“I…” she tried to begin, yet the words died in her throat.

Naruto smiled back at her. “I know.” Was all he said as he shackled Richard’s left leg and arm to the ground with Light-blessed chains. Hinata did the same to the opposite part of the body. For some weird reason, the warlock was sleeping with both eyes open… quite weird. And uncomfortable for them.

“I know… no need to apologize anymore, Hinata.” He said gently and she smiled back, even though she felt a new wave of tears assaulting her eyes.

Naruto grinned back at her “There’s no way I’d keep a grudge. I’m too awesome anyway.” He said with mock pride, puffing out his chest. A laugh was earned by the petite girl.

She moved to hug him, burying her face in his chest…

Naruto was taken aback for a moment. “Hinata…?”

“You’re a baka.” It was a whispered statement. He grinned.

“I’m an awesome baka.” He added with a laugh.

XxxxX

“Aren’t they a couple yet?” Asuma asked with bewilderment. Those two were quite the cute sight.

Kakashi shook his head “The factor of idiocy multiplied by shyness with the addition of fear for one’s own feelings makes this equation quite hard.”

Asuma’s eye twitched “What are you, Kakashi, a mathematic?”

“No.” was the simple reply.

XxxxX

“So, this was an indeed interesting fight. Well done everyone, glad you’re still alive.” Kakashi said with a smile on his face, the other teachers right behind him. Everyone’s eye twitched at the man’s carefree attitude. Anko on the other hand, was already by Richard’s side, poking him with curiosity.

“Ne, ne, is he dead?” she asked, placing a hand over his chest. No heartbeat. But that was to be expected anyway.

Naruto glared at the man’s form “Tse, you wish.” He nearly spat “But I have some questions for this guy before I finish him off…” he mumbled to himself, letting his weight fall on the Ashbringer which was embedded to the ground once more, the glimmering gem now gone as the power had left the blade.

“The time for the test is already over, Kakashi-sensei.” Shikamaru pointed out of the blue, earning the surprised stare of everyone. The Cyclops though happily nodded.

“Yes, yes. And you all did an excellent job.” He complimented and even more surprised gapes this time where aimed at him.

“What do you mean?” Shikamaru wondered with an arched eyebrow. Kakashi sighed, motioning to Asuma.

The man took a breath from his nicotine stick before setting it aside.

“As some of you might be aware, the real purpose of this test isn’t about the bells. It’s about…”

“Teamwork” everyone mumbled as one. Asuma grinned “Exactly.”

“But we still didn’t get bells.” Sakura said, disappointed. Kurenai smiled at her.

“As the smoke-freak pointed out, Sakura, teamwork was what we tested here today. Even if you had taken enough bells or not, you could all pass or all fail depending on how well you worked with your team. The plan in the end was for us to see what unison could the winning team have when they would have to sacrifice a member in order to move on. But, we didn’t get to that stage since this guy popped out.” She motioned to the sleeping Richard, who was still poked mercilessly by a grinning Anko.

“And you guys where more than excellent in engaging combat with a far superior opponent. Not only did you all survive but you defeated him as well.” Kakashi said “And I got some good material.” He patted something in his pocket and smiled, but said nothing else.

“So, you guys all pass!” his cyclonic smile was wider than ever.

The cheers that erupted could be heard all around this small patch of forested land.

“By the way…” Shikamaru started once again.

“Naruto, Hinata… I saw you both using some weird powers. And not only that, this guy used no jutsu nor chakra. He didn’t use any hand seals yet cast such powerful… spells, you can say, against us. And why the hell is he sleeping?” everyone turned at Naruto and Hinata, finally noticing the blade that Naruto carried.

Both sighed as Naruto took the sword out of the ground and channeled some power through it. The gem immediately shimmered in its rightful place and the sword hummed with a gentle, calming tone.

“Sit down, everyone. I’ve got a looong story here.”

XxxxX

“WoW…” was all Kiba could exclaim after Naruto was done. By that time, everyone was so entranced in the story that even Kakashi had put his book away to hear in detail.

Hinata smiled back at them all “And generally, that’s how we ended up like that.” She said.

Shikamaru scratched his head “Still, you’re either super lucky for finding something like that randomly… or a big idiot. Depends.” He shrugged.

“What do you mean?” Naruto asked questioningly as he sheathed the Ashbringer on his back.

“Well, on one hand, you’re lucky because you have a power no one else in this world has. But you’re an idiot too because by taking up this power, you’ve given yourself an even greater responsibility. But, not my problem.” Shikamaru commented and relaxed back on the soft grass.

The others followed with swift remarks, or how awesome it was that only he and Hinata had this ‘Light’ power. All the duo of paladins could do was smile nervously back at them. They weren’t used to having such talks with other people…

And by the way, where the hell was Richard? Their senseis seemed to be missing too.

Naruto frowned, yet kept himself composed. Kakashi was probably escorting the warlock for interrogation… how much would the man do against four jounin anyway?

XxxxX

“Thank Kami-sama, he’s light like a stick.” Kakashi said, shifting the warlock on his shoulder, making it a little more comfortable.

Anko snorted “He’s a bony guy.”

Asuma regarded her with a glance as he took a puff from his cigarette “Say Anko, where did you meet that guy anyway?” he asked, remembering having seen her arrive in the village with said robed man days prior.

Anko didn’t look like she really wanted to answer. One point for being energetic. “I found him during my latest mission… he had butchered a band of bandits and was covered in gore and blood…” “I can see the attraction.” Kurenai commented but Anko only regarded her with a glare “Anyways, I was alone the guy didn’t seem satisfied with his work there. He tried to kill me too in the beginning.” Strangely enough, the woman seemed to be reminiscing a happy memory.

“In the… beginning?” Kakashi was bewildered.

The snake mistress nodded “Hai. When I started swearing and cut off one of his arms, he just stopped fighting, said he liked me, and started following me around.”

“He… liked you for cutting off his arm?” Kurenai noticed that at the moment, he did have both his arms.

“What we have here, is called Chemistry, my friends.” Kakashi’s face contorted in a smile, while Asuma laughed openly. A blushing Anko didn’t hesitate kicking both of them in the gut though. Kakashi was defenseless too as he carried the warlock.

“Go to hell! That piece of shit at least helped me complete my mission, in his own way. That’s why I allowed him to tag along back in Konoha. I thought he would be a great asset to our forces, that’s all!” a string of colorful adjectives followed in quiet mumbles as Anko walked a few steps before the group. Everyone sighed at the obviousness of it all.

“Nevertheless, we have to bring this guy to the Hokage. Powerful as he is, he does seem too unstable to begin with.” Asuma said and the others nodded.

Having Richard in their ranks could be a blessing… or a disaster. It depended on the mood.

XxxxX

A Couple of Months Later…

“Pahh… ONE MORE!!” he yelled and the barman was quick to bring another round of ice cold beer. Needless to say, the short man swallowed it in one go.

Poll sighed next to his friend. “You know, your liver might fail any moment now with all the beer you vacuum everyday.” He was pretty sure that if beer was spilled on the floor, Gorley would firstly pummel the culprit, then make him down a whole glass to compensate.

Well, that was just how Gorley was. A beer worshiper.

“Bah! You call that strong?! I’ll kick yer bloody warios to death!” the fact that he turned round and round on his stool didn’t give out the intimidating tone as much as he would like…

“Alright, alright Gorley. You had enough for today my friend. Leave the warriors aside and roll a paladin instead.” Poll said as he got up and dragged a drunk Gorley out of the bar, the paladin shouting curses about mutilate rogues and the such…

XxxxX

“We’ve been doing Ds for Kami knows how long…” Sakura commented with a sigh as she put her weight on the broom she held. Sasuke didn’t answer as he continued peeling potatoes, neither did Naruto, who kept scrubbing all around the floor.

“Can’t be helped, Sakura. New genin are supposed to do a number of D ranks before moving to something harder.” Was all the Uchiha mumbled as he finished another potato. Naruto stopped his insane scrubbing for a moment.

“Phew… well, it would be far easier if Kakashi-sensei allowed me to use Shadow Clones… these guys aren’t only for combat, you know.” Naruto complained and wiped his forehead.

They had all been working hard these past few months after being made genin. D missions as they where, chores never backed from being tiring nonetheless. There would be times that teams would combine for large scale… ‘missions’, but generally, all missions where handled by each team separately.

Kakashi was talking about ‘building teamwork’ and such, but Naruto could hardly see that. They where already bonded enough to be able to distribute chores between themselves. They needed something more, a challenge that would truly test their bonds, something that was more than wiping the floor or weeding a garden.

How much danger did painting a fence had anyway?

Life threatening, if you consider the ever so deadly power of the nail, or the legendary thump attack that occurred under a hammer’s influence.

Yep. Deadly.

They all sighed. Kakashi was relentless as for them completing a bunch of Ds first, bonding and such. Sasuke was clearly aggravated, if you knew where to look. The silent treatment he gave nearly everyone other than his teammates said as much. Not that he talked much to people in general anyway…

Sakura was openly complaining to the silver-haired jounin about them needing something more of a challenge. Kakashi never seemed to heed her whatsoever, always dismissing her complains with fainted ignorance… or an ero-novel.

Naruto had just gone with the flow. And was glad that all of his friends had kept their word in not telling anyone about his and Hinata’s powers. People where already after him for having the Kyuubi inside him. How would they react if they knew that the ‘demon’ had even more power?

As for Poll and Gorley… Kakashi had mentioned a legend about a midget-man that run around bars and finished all their stock on beer… he also carried a hammer and a companion who always dragged him out of said beverage-selling structures.

It didn’t take long for Naruto to understand who these mysterious figures where. Beer said it all. As for Sasuke and Sakura, it remained an urban legend.

Regardless of talks and such, they had already completed a total of 33 D ranked missions, including this one.

XxxxX

“Thank you for your hard work!” said the old man as he smiled at the three. They all nodded back and turned around, heading away towards their waiting sensei.

“Jeese, Kakashi-sensei. What had you been doing while we worked ourselves to the ground? Reading porn?” Naruto said dryly in which Kakashi responded accordingly.

“Did you say something?” and to prove his point, the Cyclops popped out his favorite book. Naruto grunted at the sight, but said spoke not for a moment.

“Oi, isn’t that guy over there burning Icha Icha novels? Oh! It’s even a ‘First Volume Golden Edition’!” Sasuke said out of the blue, pointing over yonder. The world seemed to freeze instantly as Kakashi halted all functions for a moment.

“Bu… burning…?” his voice was barely a whisper.

A hand went for his headband. “NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

XxxxX

“Sometimes, you guys are too evil. Aren’t you supposed to be the good guy, Naruto?” Sakura complained as she nursed an unconscious Kakashi. Obviously, the shock was too much for him to handle.

Naruto gave her the thumps up. “Told ye, Shadow Clones work for everything! Even for Ero-novels.” Then he pretended a pouting position “Besides, it was too much of a good chance to simply pass up, ne?” he grinned and Sakura couldn’t help but grin back. It was indeed a good prank. Even Sasuke was smirking.

“Ugh… Icha… Icha… burning… yamete… onegai…” Kakashi mumbled in his sleep, shifting around. His words earned another feat of laughter from the trio.

XxxxX

“You guys… really should stop this. You’ll make me die from heart-attack one day…” Kakashi whined and his students simply smirked at him. The jounin couldn’t help but shook his head at their antics. Kids these days…

Aside from the mishaps, they had finally reached the Hokage tower once more. Naruto’s eye twitched at the towering structure. Day by day they would come here and take on even more boring missions, either by Iruka-sensei or the Hokage when he was available.

Good times.

He shook his head as they entered the Missions Assignment office. Dreaded place. Here a part of your future was decided. You either took a good mission and went off for lively adventures, or sulked inside Konoha while doing imprudent D ranks…

“Ah, Kakashi. Done already?” the Hokage greeted them with a smile. Naruto had to admit, even through all the hardships he went through his long life, all the hard work he had to put up with everyday, he still put a smile on his face. He was still who he was.

“Hai, Hokage-sama. The mission was accomplished with no complications and all requirements where met within time limitation.”

The trio behind him frowned. He spoke as if chores was some kind of honorary action. Woo, they where heroes, no?

“I see, I see. Then, I believe you’d like the rest of the day off?” the Hokage sounded a little weird today… he usually dismissed them without much of a second thought.

“To tell you the truth, Hokage-sama…” Kakashi seemed reluctant for a moment.

“I, Hatake Kakashi, recommend Team 7 for higher stature.” He said and bowed. All three teens where stunned for a moment…

The Hokage smiled, as if he was expecting this. He clearly did. “I see, I see… well, I believe them to be ready as well. 33 successful D ranks without the slightest mistake and a bunch of satisfied customers. A job well done.” He nodded to his own words.

“Very well. Team 7, today you shall be assigned your first…” A pause for effect. Oh the drama.

“C rank mission.” He looked up at them, a small smile towards their surprised faces.

Naruto was the first one out of the stupor as he grinned back at the aged Hokage.

“Heh, bring it on, I say!”

“Tseh.” Was all Sasuke commented, yet his smirk spoke wonders.

“Yatta!” Sakura was more than cheerful. Delighted would be more appropriate.

“Ne, ne, jii-san, what are we supposed to do?” Naruto said, full of excitement. Despite his usually calm demeanor, his uneasiness was clear as day. Hiruzen smiled back at the blonde.

“The orders lie within this folder.” He produced said piece of paper out of a drawer “Kakashi will get into the details. Now, if you please…” he motioned for them to take their leave. All four bowed before the Hokage before turning around and exiting the room. The Hatake though couldn’t help but throw a side glance at the Hokage. Sarutobi only nodded in response, a solemn expression on his face.

Kakashi didn’t waste any more time as he walked outside along with his team, altogether heading towards the exit of the tower. The three of them were happily guessing what adventures would lie before them in this new mission.

The jounin threw a wary glance at the folder within his hands…

‘Land of Waves… Things are about to get interesting… ne?’

XxxxX

And so ends yet another gleeful chapter, while the Arc of the Land of Waves begins… hehehe, I can’t wait ^^

Lo, here comes the

Omake: Say ‘Ah’!

“Say, Richard.” Naruto said, full of curiosity. The warlock looked up from the book he was reading, apparently something about ‘Jack the Ripper’…

“What happens when, [The Unstoppable Force] hits [The Immovable Object]?” he scratched his blonde head. Richard regarded him with a bored look.

“Chuck Norris dies.” He replied simply.

Naruto fell on the floor, PwNeD style.

XxxxX

“Kakashi-sensei!! Kakashi-sensei!!” Sakura was full of enthusiasm as she run up to her teacher. The man’s lone eye went down to look at her far shorter form… and that single eye expanded to the point it could almost pop out.

“Ne, ne, Kakashi-sensei… sensei?” Sakura looked curious and cute at the same time as she joggled her giant breasts up and down. Kakashi was actually drooling out of his mask…

“Eh… ah… sensei… you have a weird look in your eye…” Sakura took a step back, seeing that her teacher no longer seemed to have any connection with reality. Hell, his eye had turned into a H, for hentai.

“Oh ho ho, what a gifted lady you are!!” said an enthusiastic much older voice from above. Both Sakura and Kakashi looked up to see an old man with long spiky gray heir, some kind of red outfit and sandals on his feet.

“Ji… Ji… Jiraiya-sama!!” Kakashi yelled out of nowhere, falling on his knees as if a deity had appeared before him. Oh, he had also taken out his book and held it as if in offering to a God.

“Hahahaha! Of course, I’m the greatest of all great ninja in this world! The author of history! The…” something (hard) came to connect with the back of the man’s head. He stumbled and fell on the floor, head first.

“Ero-sennin! Train me!!” Naruto appeared out of nowhere. There was one Naruto yelling at the aged ninja… then another one, then another one, then another one… countless Narutos emerged from every damn roof, window, door, tree, even the sewers! There was one under an old lady’s oversized dress too! All yelling ‘Train me, train me’ like a chorus.

The sweating Jiraya didn’t seem to find this funny though as he stood up and looked for a path to escape. None, there was no hope. He was surrounded.

“Jiraiya-sama! Nigete! I’ll hold them off!” Kakashi said, full of resolve as he stood up and set his one hand out, gripping it with the other.

“No! You won’t make it, Kakashi!!” Jiraiya yelled back. The Narutos were closing in now, the ‘Train me’s becoming more and more audible, close.

The man looked back at the sannin, a sad smile on his hidden face.

“I know.” And with that, lighting crackled within his hand, power surged and the thunder seemed to roll in the sky.

“RAIKIRI!!!” he roared and went straight through a bunch of Narutos, creating an opening. “Now, Jiraiya! Run!” the long haired man had tears in his eyes as he sprinted towards the small opening Kakashi sacrificed his life to make.

“I’ll always remember you, my friend.” He said as he passed by the fighting Cyclops.

“I’ll always remember you too… forever.” Kakashi’s resolve was unrelenting as he Raikiried another Naruto.

And Jiraiya was off towards the setting sun, away from the raging battle.

“I’ll fight you till time stops! Till there is no power left in this body! Till… Aaaaaaargh!!” he yelled in despair as the ‘Train me’ chorusing clones swarmed over him, leveling him to the ground.

And thus fell the mighty Kakashi, in a battle of life and death where he was defeated in combat, but victorious, as he protected something precious to him…

Well, that’s the dramatic version. After the clones where done harassing Kakashi, they all left the dazed Cyclops on the ground and went off towards Jiraiya’s general direction, shouting ‘Train me’ all the while.

Sakura, too stunned to even breath, fell on the ground, unconscious. Too much for one girl to take.

Sasuke on the other hand, was laughing like crazy, a certain video camera in his hand as he taped the last moments of this epic video. He had an especially close cut on Sakura’s breasts…

Don’t ask.

XxxxX

“Since when does Sakura have such big breasts?” Hinata pouted, standing up and down on her hills.

Naruto grinned at her. “Don’t worry. You’re far cuter anyway. On every aspect…” He said meaningfully and she giggled in response, reaching up to plant a kiss on his lips.

“Mm, got plans for tonight, don’t you?” he said with a smirk and she smiled back.

“I sure do” she replied, entwining her hands behind his neck, going for another kiss. He was anything but reluctant as he leaned in himself.

And so this small story ends, with the setting sun on their backs, a screaming Jiraiya and ‘Train me’ clones…

XxxxX