Wet dream
All was cast in a soft shadow except for the area around the futon that Naruto and Hinata shared. The princess's heart was a violent hurricane in her chest — a loud and chaotic rhythm she thought would have woken him. But the weary prince remained in his peaceful slumber, his lids lightly closed, his lips slightly sealed, and the golden light from the candles' flame dancing over his face.
Slowly, careful, the Hyūga princess inched closer, the warm light playing over her curvaceous features. Her breaths were erratic, her cheeks flushed by the time she homed in mere inches away from his beautiful face. Even in his sleep, Naruto had such a potent effect on her. Even in his sleep, he still looked like an irresistible god.
She cupped a lock of his golden hair between her fingers, examining its silky luster. But the texture couldn't compare to that of his luscious lips, and hers parted lasciviously as she stared at them. She wondered what he tasted like while he lingered in unconsciousness, and her nerves hummed as her body ignited in sweet anticipation.
Abruptly, the laws of time and space warped within her dream realm and, all too suddenly, Naruto was clinging to her hips from behind — a ravenous and insatiable beast with a singular, delicious purpose that reverberated in her own body.
The princess moaned.
Glistening droplets of her feminine nectar pitter-pattered on the floor of the bathtub as Naruto thrusts his fiery steel in and out of her, stretching, squeezing the wet, silky flesh of her swollen center.
"Nnnh!" Hinata couldn't get enough, and the muscles in her core went taut as desire pooled in her tummy, her body flushed from head to toe.
Looking pass the mist of her crystalline eyes, she realized that they were inside the bathroom of Fuugetsu's Twilight Hotel, her breasts, hands, and cheek pressed fast against the glass shower stall.
The foundations of her realm shifted once more, taking them both to the northern edge of the village, where Naruto had made love to her one final time before he left.
"Oh, no! Naruto-kun's hitting me so deep inside!" She sighed amorously, mounted on top of him in that position that made her felt on top of the world.
Sweet wails of pleasure undulated across the open pond, merging with the howls of the midnight's zephyr. It was a cloudless night and a brilliant crescent moon sat in the distant heavens, accompanied by a galaxy of stars that overlooked the fervent couple. But Naruto and Hinata's interest dwelled elsewhere; in this wild twister of sensuality and passion, gratification was all that mattered.
In his frenzy, Naruto cupped Hinata's buttocks reverently, tightly. Then he pulled his hand away and drove it back down onto her defenseless behind. She moaned. In between each smack he caressed her, kneaded her — so she was massaged inside and out. It was a stimulating and erotic feeling, and she continued to roll her hips: up and down, back and forth, dominating, taking all that he had to give... and more.
Suddenly, their eyes met and they shared a cosmic moment. "You're so amazing," Naruto praised candidly, his oceanic eyes fixated on her tempting pink lips.
Hinata blushed scarlet... too lost, too drunk to articulate words. Instead, she held sleek locks of hair behind her ear and leaned forward, her eyes hooded, her heart racing. Naruto lightly cupped her breasts as their lips parted, and then she was kissing him, relishing the warmth and sweetness of his luscious lips.
Fireworks shot into the sky from the village, decorating Her Majesty's imminent climax, commemorating this special moment. Then, against his chest, she tightly closed her eyes in a fit of moaning and panting, feeling the build-up — that delicious, slow, step-climbing build. Pushing her higher, higher to that familiar summit wrought of pure ecstasy.
In a dynamic downpour, she yielded to an overwhelming eruption, sweet, sweet rapture coursing fast through her veins. And her center convulsed much beyond her control, each shiver and breathless pant leaving her weak and enraptured.
Hinata woke up with a jolt from her lewd dream, pleasure coursing just as fast, just a potent, through her veins, her centre contracting vigorously with the delicious memory of him.
W-What just happened?The princess was shiny with sweat and completely flustered, but never had being flustered felt so good.
Standing under the shower, water undulating down her highly sensitive body, over hardened nipples, Hinata's hand reluctantly wandered down to her swollen center.
Gasp!Her entire body shivered deliciously when her fingers brushed her swollen g-spot. Swallowing pass the hot lump in her throat, her cheeks pink, her eyes quivering, she meticulously eased two fingers inside, imitating Naruto's customary technique. They slipped right in, and she couldn't stifle the long, lazy sigh that escaped her lips.
So good...
Her head reclined as her fingers delved deeper, smoothing over her warm inner walls. Then an invisible force pushed her up against the wall. It was Desire and Reverie, whispering at her ear, bringing her blood to a boil, coaxing her across a bridge of no return — utterly irresistible.
Abruptly, the aroused princess cupped one creamy breast and began messaging desperately, her fingers caressing, stirring her wetness. Her tights squeezed as heat and pleasure swamped her, Naruto's name an endless chant upon her lips, even as she visualized his length and width.
This was the first time she had succumbed to temptation to pleasure herself. But, after the state she woke up in, there was really no helping it.
Naruto-kun… She breathed his name through a series of panting and whimpering, tipping on her toes as pleasure flickered throughout her nerves.
It was clear to her now that she was addicted. Naruto was a drug that she had gone far too long without relishing. Memories of him lingered on her mind — a reservoir of lust — heightening the gratification she claimed with her fingers.
Finally, she felt a warm, familiar spark of energy flowing down from the pool of her tummy into her loins. She screamed in her hand as a fierce orgasm washed over her in a flurry of activity, legs trembling beneath her as a delightful spasm reverberated throughout her body.
Pant. Pant. Pant.Naruto-kun, this is your responsibility...
The Aura Stone's Prediction & Hinata's Dread
Hinata crawled back to consciousness before the first light of dawn could break over the horizon. She was surprisingly less gloomy and tense after her sensual exploration in the bathtub. Just thinking about it sent a dangerous bolt of libido throughout her lean frame.
After effusively apologizing to her furry friend for her abruptly leave the previous day, the princess hastily returned to the Hyūga's Estate, just in time to freshen up and join the family for breakfast. Before Hiashi had taken his place at the table, Hanabi took the liberty of informing her sister that she had already explained her staying over at Naruto's apartment last night. Hence, there was no needless worry.
Hinata was grateful.
With impeccable timing, Neji snatched the recently elusive princess the moment she finished helping out in the kitchen, hauling her backwards by the hood toward the training grounds, as if she was a spoil chibi that needed a stringent lesson in discipline.
Hinata pouted.
"Good luck, sis!" Hanabi said cheerfully. "I'll take care of him for you. Meet me at my training ground once you're through. I'll be with Konohamaru-kun!"
The elder princess smiled appreciatively, reassured. "Thanks, Hanabi. In that case, I'll meet you there in the afternoon."
Perched on the limb of a tree, obscured by the shadows of the canopy, the Kyuubi watched in amusement as Hanabi and Konohamaru duke it out against one another in the dense forestry.
With a pant, the princess leaped backward to dodge Konohamaru's roundhouse kick, landing horizontally on a tree trunk roughly fifteen feet in the air. Then, she quickly eased into a series of backflips to evade a barrage of shuriken, progressing even farther up the tree.
Suddenly, that mass that was supposedly Konohamaru's original body dispersed into a cloud of smoke.
Gasp! Kage Bunshin?
Prickled by a spell of surprise, Hanabi's eyes went wide as she looked around, frantically searching for him. Konohamaru's fighting style was aggressive and warranted extreme caution; just one direct hit could decide the victor of this duel.
In an instant, something — or rather, someone — launched himself, like a rocket, from the receding puff of smoke toward an alarmed Hanabi. "Still insist on not using your Byakugan, huh?"
He used a smoke bomb to make it seem like he was a clone. The girl was shocked, but she quickly redeemed her composure and gracefully maneuvered from the tree trunk into a sitting position on Konohamaru's shoulders, his face buried in her yellow panties.
Nosebleed!
To follow up, she took advantage of the forward momentum, spiraling into a vertically semi-circle and releasing her boyfriend, like a stray missile, into the ground. He made contact with an explosive crash, sinking a few inches into the earth.
Puff! The clone dispersed, leaving empty the small crater it made in the ground and abandoning the princess in a state of panicked confusion.
Time slowed, and she spied his real body accompanied by a clone a few meters away, forging his work-in-progress — Ōdama Rasengan!
The trees swayed, leaves rattled, and the undergrowth reclined in submission to this pre-eminent power. The massive sphere of condensed chakra emitted a high-pitched shrill, filling the princess with trepidation as she slowly descends toward the ground.
But, suddenly, the sphere destabilized and distorted, detonating in a fierce explosion that vanquished the shadow clone instantaneously and sent Konohamaru crashing backward in a series of bouncing and rolls through the open glade.
"Konohamaru-kun!" Hanabi cried, rushing over to his motionless mass. She bent her knees, dropping to the ground beside him, wondering if his reckless attempt left all his body intact.
His face flat on the ground, he declared in a murmur his loss to her and lifelessly raised a small white flag of surrender. Then he turned his head to the side so that he could look up at her, heaving a clumsy smile. "Don't worry… I think I'll survive."
"Konohamaru-kun no baka!" She chided, teary-eyed.
He grinned at her.
Hanabi blushed and began wiping her eyes. "It's not like I care if you bite the dust or anything," she lied cutely. "Baka!" She pounded him atop the head.
"Ouch! That hurts!"
"Good!"
Back at their routine picnic site, beneath an age-old oak tree admits the eastern district of the village, Hanabi was just finishing up Konohamaru's first-aid treatment — bandages all over, the final one she pasted over the bridge of his nose.
Hanabi sighed. "Can you be anymore reckless?" She chided, leaning back onto her heels in front of him. "Naruto-oniichan hasn't finished teaching you that move yet! Why did you feel the need to use it now?"
"My bad," he grinned embarrassingly, a hand behind his head.
"Well, you should be happy you walked away with only a few minor scratches and bruises. But, if you're dumb enough to do something like that again, you may not be so lucky."
"Hai-Hai, cap 'm!" He saluted firmly, and then his stomach grumbled, dismissing the tension. "Ah. It feels like I used up all my chakra doing that Rasengan."
"I guess there's no helping it," Hanabi sighed coyly, pivoting her torso around to reach into her picnic basket. "You can have this bento." She blushed. "I-I didn't make it specifically for you or anything. I just happened to make too much food and decided to take it along… just in case."
Konohamaru smiled comically as he stared through the transparent cover of the lunch box, a bead of sweat drooping at his temple. That's what she says, and yet these are all my personal favorites. "Thanks, Hanabi-chan!"
"Ba-Baka!" She panicked as his words ignited some dangerously sweet response. "There's no need to thank me!" Cocking her head to the side, she folded her arms across her chest and pouted.
"Well, I wouldn't be able to eat in peace if I didn't."
She watched him practically salivate as he reached for a pair of chopsticks, a deeper hue of pink creeping into her cheeks at his open excitement.
Shaking off her nervousness, Hanabi looked up into the tree that sheltered them from the unmerciful sun and spied her sister's furry friend sitting quite relaxed on a limb. Their eyes met. "You're hungry, aren't you? Why don't you come down? I have the bento that Kuwashima made for you."
On a whim, the Kyuubi took her up on her offer, gracefully leaping down onto the blanket. The creature was bored, and preferred not being hungry at the same time — a rather appalling equation.
"Yosh! Here you go!" Hanabi removed the seal from his custom-made lunch box and placed it down before him, revealing stake, barbecue, beef, fish, bread, and a mixture of vegetables. And, on the side, she poured him a bowl of warm milk.
Stuffing his face, as if it was the ending of the world, Konohamaru stared at the small canine, recalling just how minute Akamaru was not too long ago. "So, what's the story with this little guy?"
Hanabi placed a cubed tomato into her mouth. "Mmm. Oneechan's savior..."
"Savior?"
"Mmm," she nodded, still chewing her fruit. "She woke up to find him sleeping next to her on the day that Naruto-oniichan left. We believe he actually belongs to him."
"To Naruto-niichan?"
"Hn," Hanabi nodded again. This time, a small octopus was sticking out of her mouth. "In any case, he's helped to minimize Oneechan's loneliness and her depression."
"Before... you emphasized Kuwashima's name when—"
"He wouldn't have eaten, if he didn't know that Oneechan or Kuwashima was the one who prepared his lunch." Hanabi didn't seem the least bit enthused about that bit of truth. In fact, she was offended; didn't B-kun like her, after all this time?
"That's really something." Konohamaru was intrigued. "So, can he talk?"
The princess watched as the nine-tailed canine lap at his serving of milk. "He's never done so before, so we really can't tell."
"Well, I think he's cool. He reminds me of Naruto-niichan."
Unconsciously, Hanabi brought a thoroughly greased cutlet of stake to her mouth. But it slipped from between her chopsticks and splattered on her breast, slowly skidding down into her cleavage to the princess's alarm.
"Ehhh!" Konohamaru pinched his nose to mitigate his nosebleed, his head bright red as steam spewed from his ears. He watched in a fit of exhilaration as Hanabi struggled to fish out the piece of meat from her chest, every futile attempt a seductive display that tugged the chains of his control.
"No, don't look!" She pleaded shyly, endearingly.
Having saying it like that, how can I 'not' afford to look?
Hanabi was dressed as ostentatious and tempting as ever: she wore a frilled, v-neck blouse beneath a small jacket and frilled arm warmers. On her waist was a short, pleaded skirt with a frilled hem — and stretching to her thighs was a silky stocking — yes, with more frills.
Konohamaru took in the vibrant colors of white, purple, and lavender. But what especially tugged at his attention was the creamy surface of her breasts, and how her curves would shift and bounce in lovely defiance to her retrieval efforts.
Finally, she had the elusive piece of meat secured between her chopsticks. Reclining her head, she opened her mouth and dropped it inside, devouring the culet as though the morsel of calorie could feel pain — the wrath of her vengeance.
Konohamaru swallowed, enchanted by the erotic aftermath left on the girl's bosom: her bra was shifted plainly into view, the flushed, silky skin of her breasts slick with soy sauce. A flurry of lewd thoughts invaded his mind in an instant, and Hanabi easily deciphered those thoughts with the briefest glimpse into his eyes.
Her face heated, then practically combusted when his appraising eyes veered down to her thighs, recalling that instant she sat on his shoulder in a deadly move with his face buried in the glorious yellow threads that were her panties.
"Pervert!" She snapped.
Konohamaru shook off his wayward thoughts just in time to dodge the slap that was geared toward his face. Then he was on his feet running around with a hostile princess hot on his tail.
"Come back here! Be a man and let me slap you!"
"If that's what it means to be a man, I'd rather stay a kid!"
"Why you!" She grumbled before diving at him.
Konohamaru pivoted around to beg for forgiveness, only to have Hanabi slam into his chest. He fell back into the rolling greensward with her on top of him, her knees bent at either sides of his waist. They were both dumbfounded, their eyes locked. Then slowly, hesitantly, Konohamaru's eyes drifted, from the sheen of her gaping lips, down the slender column of her throat, to the disheveled state of her protruding chest.
His eyes widened when he spied the outer rim of a pink-tipped nipple, a dangerous and slightly unfamiliar fire building inside him, stirring his blood to a wild rush through his veins.
Hanabi's breathing was gradually creeping toward hyperventilation. She felt a heady mix of adrenaline and some other treacherous brew she never knew existed — all induced by the boy that lay motionless beneath her.
All of a sudden, she felt something hard and... alive beneath her, throbbing against her southern lips. For a moment, her eyes hooded and she bit back a sweet whimper. Then, her eyes narrowed.
In response, Konohamaru raised his hands in surrender. "Ha-Hanabi-chan," he pleaded. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"
Teary-eyed, her cheeks crimson with embarrassment, a growl slowly bubbled up in her throat. "You perverted barbarian!" She exclaimed, frantically pounding on his chest, her body tingling all over.
They both rolled around in a chaotic white cloud of punching, kicking, and bickering. The Bijuu watched tiresomely as he enjoyed his milk. The hint of lethargy in his eyes changed, however, when Konohamaru suddenly transformed into a female.
"You wouldn't hit a fellow girl, would you?"
Hanabi clobbered him unmercifully nonetheless.
I was wrong,he squeaked.
Falling to the ground, the transformation dispelled and the princess continued her impetuous assault until her temperature cooled.
A few prolonged minutes later, the young couple sat down to a bottle of cold soda, an awkward space between them — not because Hanabi was vexed by what had happened earlier, but because she was startled and a tad confused. Who knew sitting on top of Konohamaru would've felt so good? And how could she explain the influx of sensations she felt — an unfathomable quicksand pulling her under, beneath reason, to a dark, delicious proposition.
The princess blew out a sigh, somewhat remorseful for the way she reacted earlier. "I'm sorry. You ended up with more bruises, and I'm all out of bandages now."
Lying prostrate on his back, Konohamaru also blew out a sigh, gazing up unseeingly into the sky. "Augh, I thought I was gonna die."
...
All of a sudden, the atmosphere shifted again, veering back to the intensity born from her being on top of him moments ago.
On a whim stemming from her poorly acquainted lust, Hanabi crawled on all fours across the space that separated them and propped herself up on her arms over him. Konohamaru's eyes were wide with shock, but he smelled deep the locks of hair that brushed his face, whispering her name on a breath that sent shivers up her spine.
Without a word, her cheeks hot, the princess nervously lowered her head, their lips inches apart, hearts drumming in unison. But she lost her nerve at the very last second and, instead, pressed a light kiss to his cheek. It was still enough to unlock a potent measure of dopamine and adrenaline that churned on a hard, swift boil in their veins.
Pulling back, Hanabi quickly pushed to her feet and scurried off. "I… I'll fetch some more bandages. Don't go anywhere until I get back!"
In all but an instant, she was gone.
Konohamaru's eyes were still wide and glazed with desire. He couldn't believe what just happened, and his body was still high from the rush, the lovely scent of her hair still lingering in his nose, preserving his excitement.
A small weight dawning upon his chest swerved his thoughts in another direction, his eyes, too. It was Hinata's furry friend, B-kun, sitting quite comfortably on top of him, the deity's eyes calm and fixated. "There's something you possess that interests me..."
A few hours later, Hinata had retrieved her nine-tailed friend and made her way to her usual training grounds, much to the Bijuu's delight. Basking in her aura was one of the Kyuubi's favorite pastimes, and he was certain she had packed another serving of Kuwashima's special bento for him.
The princess's joints were still a bit numb from her intense training session with Hyūga Neji, but there were personal skills and techniques that she needed to sharpen and improve on her own — and time was of the essence.
Her cousin's coaching mostly gravitated around the rudimentary disciplines of combat — strengthening the foundations of the Hyūga's fighting style, which, in turn, would support greater principles. While that was important, she was the only one who knew what styles best suited her disposition, her Protection of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, for instance. And there were new techniques that she needed time to formulate and prefect, as well.
Hinata's shadow clone charged at her with impressive agility, both hands alive with her Gentle Step: Twin Lion Fists. The counterpart's strikes were swift and precise, and yet Hinata gracefully dodged the blows with nimble steps, doing her best to use as little effort as possible to preserve her energy.
May 12th
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Dear Naruto-kun, I'm a little late writing about what transpired yesterday — a day late, really. And I'm sorry.
In truth, I was taken to the bathhouse by Ino-san, Tenten-san, and Sakura-san. They insisted I needed a "girl's-night-out". As much as I wanted to be alone, I surprisingly enjoyed myself.
Forgive me, Naruto-kun, but... I ended up telling them about your proposal. Are you angry with me? I really am sorry... If I had just remembered to take off my ring, they wouldn't have seen it and jumped to conclusions.
She sighed inwardly, leaping backwards as her clone stuck the ground with a powerful downward palm thrust, shattering the earth, sending grass and debris flying everywhere.
Our engagement was supposed to be a secret — a sacred union between you and I. I feel so bad for letting the others know about Naruto-kun's proposal. But I will try to make it up to you.
Early in the morning tomorrow, I'll be going to the Iron Country. There, I'll try to get your wedding ring. It's only customary that Naruto-kun receives his ring also. Our marriage is a one-in-a-life-time event, so let's make it as grand as possible!
I want our wedding to be beautiful and perfect... just like you.
The princess smiled, even as her counterpart darted toward her once more with an attack more fierce and challenging than the last. But then, the clone suddenly halted in her tracks, following the original's eyes to the sky.
There was a sudden change in the climate — a flurry of clouds came slinking over the valley, dense and opaque. They were rain clouds, and the abrupt roar of thunder spoke the truth of it.
Besides the inclement shift in weather, an ominous spell of energy hung on the wind that made Hinata's heart swell in anxiety. Instinctively, she reached down and fished her ring from her pocket. It was imbued a brilliant orange. Then, suddenly, a crack appeared.
Hinata felt her eyes popped open in horror. Fear twisted, like a ravenous serpent, in her stomach, its cold, ghostly tail coiling around her heart in turn. And a bolt of lightning pierced through the dark clouds in the same beat, as if a reflection of her shock, striking the earth beyond the horizon, the explosive sound echoing off the distance mountain range in an eerie shrill.
The princess couldn't help but feel that this weather was the bearer of bad news. Now her fear shot up in her throat, exploding out of her in a silent scream, throwing her thoughts in turmoil.
The Kyuubi pushed to his feet in concern when the shadow clone disappeared and the girl dropped to her knees. From where the creature stood, he could clearly feel the rise of her dismay. It rippled off her motionless body, like the sudden downpour that assaulted the towering trees and parched landscapes.
Slowly, robbed of her energy by the anguish that gradually consumed her, Hinata tilted her chin, water undulating down her face, washing away her salty tears. And the high howl of the wind concealed her sorrowful wails, preventing her pleading cries from reaching the goddess of good fortune.
Why? Why hadn't she gone with him? Now Hinata was regretting it more than she thought possible. But, could she have made a difference, if she had accompanied him? What exactly had happened to Naruto? Was it the Kyuubi's doing why he was injured? Was it fatal? Was she, after all, going to be widowed before she had even gotten the chance to wed? And what of their child? Was Hinata Hyūga destined to be alone and miserable all her life?
Naruto-kun... don't leave me all alone. Please!
The Kyuubi continued to watch... watch in discontent and frustration as the woman he adored with respectful devotion flounder in an unforgiving sea of grief and hurt. The Bijuu didn't need to hear her wails above the rain and thunder to know that she was in pain. He could feel her heart breaking; excruciating pain that echoed through him on some hard, profound level.
The perturbed deity wanted to approach her — to bring clarity and reassurance to her cloudy and doubtful mind, to salve her breaking heart and dry her tears. But the Kyuubi knew breaking his vow of silence, to grant her a measure of closure, would be a double-edged sword.
What would be her reaction should his identity be revealed? What would she say when she found out her B-kun is, in fact, the legendary Nine-Tailed Demon Fox — the incarnation of evil and malice responsible for an uncountable numbers of deaths and the suffering of many, suffering that she also knew because of his existence.
The Kyuubi couldn't bear to speak; couldn't bear to jeopardize the only bond he was able to make. So he simply watched — watched as his goddess yielded to the unmerciful serpent of grief and the bitter rain. Wailing to the heavens in a sorrowful symphony, a prayer to protect the man she loved... she man she loved with every fiber and cell of her being.
Garbed in a marina and a pair of Naruto's boxer shorts, a towel draped over her head, Hinata used a separate towel to dry the canine's fur. Her eyes were somber, her lips pursed. "B-kun... I'm very sorry for having you exposed to the rain for as long as I did. My mind was... um, I wasn't myself. But there's no excuse for my inconsideration. I hope you can forgive me."
Misty eyed, the Kyuubi frowned discreetly, even as the princess gently worked on his droopy ears and tails. He was the one who was sorry, and it pained him to hear her apologize, instead. Because of his reluctance to free his tongue, to try to soothe her, his goddess was left vulnerable to the elements, as well as the bitter sting of despair.
How pathetic! Was this the level of commitment he held toward the fragile and endearing treasure he vowed to preserve? Was this the depth to which he was fond of her? His divine protection obviously had a lot to be desired, and something needed to be done. He wouldn't allow this kindred spirit to slip through his fingers; he couldn't allow himself to lose his only bond.
After preparing a cup of tea for her and a warm bowl of milk for her tiny companion, Hinata shrugged into Naruto's jacket and sat in his bed, inching slowly toward the window.
It was still pouring heavily outside. The grey slant of rain obscured the reconstructed buildings of the village, but the princess was looking far beyond the architecture, staring unseeingly into another realm as her mind flooded with thoughts.
It had been a while now since the Aura Stone cracked. Did that mean Naruto would be given the time necessary to recover? Did that mean his wounds were not fatal, that there would be no successive attacks certain to vanquish him completely? Would he be permitted to continue existing in the world she dwelled? Would they eventually meet again?
Resting her mug on the windowsill — her body already warmed by the beverage — Hinata bent her legs against her chest, her eyes glossy as thoughts continued spinning a complex web in her mind.
Seconds, minutes slowly passed and, before she knew it, her fingertip was against the cold, hard glass of the window, slowly connecting crude lines to form a chibi of her knight.
Naruto was the village's hero — the sage who single-handedly defeated the notorious leader of Amegakure: Pain of the Rinnegan. Just who was powerful enough to wound him when he had amassed such incredible power? Was it the Kyuubi? Had he finally arrived at his destination and began striving to conquer the beast? Did his injury mean he had successfully done it, or was it a sign that he had failed?
If only she would receive a message. Where was Messenger-kun at a time like this? Didn't Naruto know she would be worried?
Hinata's eyes saddened as the condensation gradually erased her poorly drawn portrait, and the Bijuu watched her, the girl's grief reverberating through his own heart. He could sense through his counterpart that Uzumaki Naruto was drawing ever closer to his destination. Would his malevolent side concede to the Jinchuuriki's ambitions? Or would the true incarnation of evil and malice bring more sorrow to the woman they both admired?
We Finally Meet!
Enter Kurama: The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox!
Hinata,
Princess,
I have 2-day tickets to a resort hotel in the hot spring country. I want you to join me. Sign your answer to the scroll. If you decide to come, meet me at the village's gate at 12.
I miss you.
- Uzumaki Naruto
Hey, babe,
I'm sorry about the sudden leave.
It couldn't be helped, but I'll make it up to you.
We're still on for today, right?
- Uzumaki Naruto
Hey, what's up?
I thought you would've come and seen Granny Tsunade by now.
She's doing great — doesn't look any different from before.
It's like she was never in a coma.
Oh, two guys asked for my autograph at the campsite. It felt really weird.
It's almost sundown and I know how busy you get in the evenings at home.
So later tonight, I want you to meet me beneath that tree we had our picnic the other day. I'll be there from eight.
I have something important to tell you.
Again, I'm sorry about us getting interrupted.
I'll make it up to you, I promise.
Miss you.
- Uzumaki Naruto.
Hinata slowly ran her fingers across the sheet of the scroll, feeling the smoothness of the ink where the brush had left its mark.
The princess could imagine Naruto writing these characters — manipulating the brush with certain elegance and speed to form neat lines and curves, a hand cupping the crook of his arm to supplement the precision of his strokes. She imagined the excitement on his face and how that delight stretched his lips into his lopsided grin. Naruto-kun looks funny, she would have told him with a giggle, perhaps with a finger lingering dangerously close to her lips.
But giggling was the last thing Hinata felt like doing right now as she re-read the words she'd already memorized. It was the following morning and the serpent was just as tightly wound around her heart as it was the previous day.
How was Naruto doing this morning? He just had to be okay. He was the constant wind that filled her sails, and she would have run a thousand miles to see him, just to know that he would be okay.
Sparing another brief glace to her ring, Hinata returned her attention to the unfurled scroll. Then she did a quick double take, gaping in disbelief at a fully repaired Aura Stone. She sat upright with a jolt, every nerve ending sparking back to life. "Naruto-kun!" She exclaimed, teary-eyed, her cheeks flushed as she beamed at the ring resting on the bed.
The Kyuubi pushed to his feet, stirred awake by the princess's open excitement. Color slowly returned to the girl's pale skin and, in return, the Bijuu could feel a wave of relief wash through his body. But, wasn't it a tad too early to allow such nonchalance?
As soon as Hinata was through with breakfast and her picnic basket was prepared — as a means of warming up, before she left for the Iron Country — the Hyūga princess made haste to her training grounds, to perfect a technique she thought of when Hanabi told her about Konohamaru's failed Rasengan.
May 13th
Weather: Overcast
Naruto-kun... I have so many questions. Yesterday was a very difficult time for me. There was a crack on the Aura Stone. What happened? How bad was your wound? And are you going to be okay?
She pursed her lips.
Naruto-kun... I won't be able to do this, after all. I have to be by your side; I can't bear staying behind and waiting for you to return home. I want to help. I want to see what you see. I want to protect you in any way that I can. I'll help to shoulder your burdens; we'll get through everything as one.
Taking a deep breath, she looked to the random arrangement of tree stumps placed in a wide-open area. These were her targets — inanimate and hallow — and she focused her mind in preparation to attack; working out the schematics of the new technique she had formulated in theory.
Naruto-kun... I have said it before, haven't I? I can't continue living without you; you complete me. As a Jinchuuriki, you should be able to understand that more than anything. I know you're only trying to protect me but, like you, never forget that I am also I shinobi.
A slight frown creased her forehead as she delved into a deeper level of meditation, summoning that perfect state of mind as she molded the chakra necessary for her jutsu.
The princess deemed getting stronger in preparation for the war crucial. Her contribution would be a droplet in an endless ocean — but that ocean would be a multitude of droplets by the Allied Shinobi Force. Everyone had to pool together to put a stop to Akatsuki and Madara's terrible ambitions, lest the entire world as they know it be destroyed.
Hinata knew with great certitude that she needed to become stronger and even stronger then. She had to protect Naruto, her friends, her family, her future, the present... even the past! More! She needed more power to preserve all the things that she cared for.
Her eyes still closed, breathing controlled, mind calm and resolute, Hinata spawned two large lions that stood at either sides of her, growling and flexing their heads in impatience. The beasts were fierce-looking but obedient, and their jaws suddenly opened wide to accommodate a perfectly forged Rasengan.
With a low exhale, the Hyūga princess raised her hands and the blue deities wrought of chakra charged toward the wooden targets, zipping from left to right in a disarming series of feint attacks. Using razor sharp claws, they sliced through majority of the targets with astonishing speed and lethality, and then careered toward the final two wooden stumps with a menacing glow in their eyes.
Using extremely thin chakra threads that are not easily susceptible to an attack, I'm able to control this lion shape manipulation. In addition, the lions are infused with wind-natured chakra. When this chakra is injected into the Rasengan through the creature's teeth, it triggers a great explosion.
Unlike the Rasengan, Naruto-kun's Rasenshuriken is thrown from a distance. It explodes and expands, creating a giant orb that envelopes everything that's within its range. The principle with this attack is the same, and I wouldn't have been able to devise it if not for Konohamaru-kun's blunder with the Ōdama Rasengan and fighting with Kiba-kun.
The lions leaped into the stationary targets with their Rasengan, effortlessly grinding through the defenseless wood, like butter. Then, Hinata's eyes suddenly narrowed with a flash — a silent command — and the beasts drove their fangs into the spirally sphere of destructive energy, brewing a lethal combination as instructed by their master.
Suddenly, a strong blast of spiritual energy rippled outward, across the landscape, followed by a large explosion that was far beyond the scale the princess had calculated. For this mistake, she was blown away and enveloped by the deafening shock wave, grouped with large clumps of earth and debris in a violent whirlwind. In mere seconds, she was spat out from the chaotic void, like a stray missile, rocketing headfirst toward the ground at breakneck speed.
However, before the worse could happen, in a glorious vortex of orange flames, the Kyuubi transformed and used his body to break her fall and shield her from the falling debris.
With the princess secured by one of his many flexible tails, which coiled around her torso, like a length of plush and refined quilt, the Bijuu stood firm, gazing at the aftermath of the girl's new craft. The wind gusted, sweeping away the blanket of dust that hug over the training sight, revealing the full extent of the destruction.
Her technique was a reckless blend of chakra control and power. The truth of it was written on the crater left in the earth. With the proper refinement, this attack could prove formidable against the enemy and make a valuable asset to the upcoming war. But, for now, the princess needed to rest.
Gently resting her down on the grass, the Kyuubi did a quick scan of her body, to check for wounds. But she was merely unconscious — erecting her cloak-like shield at the last second before she was swept away was to thank for that.
Heaving an inward sigh of relief, the large deity nipped the hood of her jacket in his powerful jaws — as though she were an helpless pup — and brought her beneath the shade of a tree where he rested her down on their blanket. Then he laid down carefully next her and curled up.
In her stupor, the princess smelled the wonderful fragrance of the Bijuu's shampoo and slowly inched closer to snuggle against his plush body, her head resting comfortably in the soft fluff of his fur.
"So warm..."
The Kyuubi was a bit surprised by her unconscious and rather endearing act, but this soothing and sentimental atmosphere was too much to resist. Surrendering to the complacence induced by the cool shade, crisp breeze, and the closeness of the entity he admired, the Bijuu plants his head down atop crossed legs and lightly rested his majestic tails over the princess's motionless body, drifting off into slumber.
Gradually surfacing from a rather pleasant dream, Hinata's hands roamed about for a bit before she clasped soft, silky fur that pressed into her palms like fluff. Then she smelled deeply and recognized the fragrance of wild berry. "B-B-kun?" Her voice was a mere whisper, and her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the bright light.
The Kyuubi's eyes flashed open abruptly in contrast to her own, emerging from slumber with evident agitation. He was certain he would've been able to sense that moment of wakefulness, long before the girl actually regained consciousness. But he had fallen prone to a deeper more uncharacteristic and powerless depth of sleep. Now, his form had been revealed to her and everything would fall apart.
Hinata sat on her heels meekly, staring up at the anxious deity with a mysterious gleam in her eyes. Every second felt like a thousand years to the Kyuubi, and a fiercer creature than himself took a hold of his heart, squeezing, crushing without mercy.
"...We meet at last," the princess whispered with a wanly smile.
The Kyuubi frowned, and then growled a warning for her to leave him alone when she began stretching to cup his face. She didn't flinch. Her eyes shone brightly and her smile warmed as she took the deity's head in her small hands. "Sixteen years ago, if Naruto-kun had any say in your being sealed inside of him, I know he would have objected."
The fox's eyes widened a tad.
"Despite how desperate a situation might be, Naruto-kun has never condoned sacrifices to make ends meet. He wouldn't have deprived you of your freedom, if he had any control over what was happening. Naruto-kun's a good person."
She heard a deep yet soothing voice enter her mind. "Why are you telling me all this? It doesn't change the fact that I'm the Kyuubi; I've done terrible things."
Hinata beamed. "So you can talk, after all."
The creature's eyes narrowed a bit. This woman...
"Have you already forgotten what Kuwashima said?"
— "Hinata, sweetheart... you have always been a good judge of character, so I will confide in what you believe. Besides... whether or not this is the real Kyuubi, what he was in the past has nothing to do with what he chooses to be in the future."
The Bijuu's eyes shot open and quivered for the briefest moment, and then he heaved a wolfish smile. "You're an interesting woman... Hyūga Hinata."
The girl's smile was still radiant. "Now I can understand why you refused to speak all this time. But, we've had lots of fun since we met, and I don't want all of that to come to an end."
The Kyuubi cocked his head to the side rudely, trying to hide his glee. "Humph! I suppose your company up until now has been relatively amusing." Opening one eye furtively, he cast her a sidelong glance. She wasn't offended.
"I have so many questions!"
The Bijuu pushed to his feet and sat imperiously, facing away a little to the right as he tried to mask his cheerfulness. "What do you need to know? I don't mind answering your questions… but only a few."
"Hn!" She nodded her head way too exuberantly. "Etto... um, will you tell me your name?" She averted her eyes and began meddling with her fingers. "I'm sorry I didn't come up with a better name, after all this time."
He grinned, revealing pointed fangs and pearly white teeth.It was the name that you gave me; I liked and appreciated it. "My name is Kurama."
"Kurama... hmm." She made some lovely sound in her throat, as if savoring the sound of the word and testing it on her tongue. "That's a lovely name. Kurama-kun," she said it again, much to the Bijuu's delight. "How are you here?" The princess was more passionate and demanding in her curiosity regarding this. "Has Naruto-kun gained complete control of your chakra, or... have you broken the seal?"
In another glorious vortex of orange flames, the deity reverted to his miniature form and hopped atop her head, sprawling out as he usually did. "Neither..."
"Eh?" Hinata looked up with a blush, confused and desperate for enlightenment. "What do you mean?"
"That fool hasn't tamed my power, nor have I broken the seal."
"Then, how is Kurama-kun here?"
"On the night before Naruto left, I separated myself from him using a special technique taught to me by the Rikudo Sannin."
"A special technique?"
"Bijuu Fission: Heaven's Judgment. Despite the type or level sealing jutsu used to imprison a tailed beast, this technique guarantees success… if the Bijuu's deemed worthy. As you can see, I was deemed worthy and the form I'm currently in was divided from my original self. In other words, I'm the complete embodiment of the Kyuubi's positive energy; his good side."
The princess sighed in astonishment. "Then, by 'being deemed worthy', does that mean this special technique searches inside your heart, to check if there is any goodness, before it can work?"
"Exactly."
Hinata was awestruck. "That technique almost seems superficial."
"Well, my presence here should be proof enough."
"I suppose you're right," she agreed. "But, what about the other part of you that's still sealed inside Naruto-kun?"
Kurama leaped from her head and approached a plate of unfinished boiled eggs and fish. Eating didn't affect telepathy. "Our consciousness is still linked on some levels, but that other side of me can't influence my mind and the decisions I make."
"Mmm," the girl poked her lip and stared upwards. "I'm not sure I quite understand. You're basically saying even though Kurama-kun is still connected to his original half, he won't do any bad, right?"
"Precisely." His eyes narrowed as he licked the final drop of soy sauce from his plate. "I may have been judged worthy, but I still have a conscience that can be subjected to change. Consequently, I'm still being monitored by the jutsu. One wrong move and I could be sent back."
The princess's eyes were a bit somber, and she folded her fingers into fists atop her legs. "You've been sealed away for over sixteen years; there's so much to see and to do. So why have you decided to stay with me, instead, Kurama-kun?"
The Kyuubi cocked his head to the side again, to hide the insolent blush that crept into his cheek and a bead of sweat hung behind his head.
Hinata heaved an awkward smile, battling with her own bead of sweat, too. "Kurama-kun doesn't have to tell me, if he doesn't want to." She bowed her head. "It's just that... I've been sulking a lot and people don't usually stay around others when they get that way."
The Kyuubi still had his face hidden. "And yet I stuck around. What does that tell you?" It was a rhetorical question, because the canine didn't allow her to reply. Suddenly, he morphed again into his larger form. "We're heading to the Iron Country, aren't we? Get on!"
Still a bit speechless by the impressive transformation, Hinata pushed to her feet and stared up at the notorious Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. He was three to four times bigger than Akamaru and looked exactly like the Kyuubi did, except for being much smaller. His eyes were softer, too, much more civilized and... content.
"So?" Kurama was getting impatient.
"Y-You want me to ride you?" Hinata almost blushed.
"We'll get there faster, and we can talk along the way."
"Um, okay..."
Trick Mansion & Kage Bunshin Challenges
Hinata's hooded coat waved violently behind her back as Kurama sailed along the narrow byroad through the thick forestry. There was no particular reason to be in such a hurry; nevertheless, there was an inexplicable and visceral need for speed. And the Kyuubi delivered — accelerating to the point where the trees and undergrowth around them merged into a wall of green and brown.
They were so caught up in the rush, wind-resistance, and the new level of their bond that they failed to notice when a few of Naruto's clones passed them by on the right, in the other section of the forest, across the main road.
Suddenly, Hinata's heart pounded a familiar symphony and static electricity kindled a warm flame inside her tummy. The red string of fate that bounded her to him reached out desperately, stretching, extending to meet the opposing end. But, in a matter of seconds, the distance proved too great and the spiritual connection was lost.
"Naruto-kun?" Hinata exclaimed, almost reflexively, snapping her head around. Her eyes searched frantically, but there was nothing but dark columns of trees on the other side.
Could she have just imagined it?
"What's wrong?" Kurama's voice drifted into her mind, low and curious.
"...It-It's nothing." The princess rested her head low, clinging tighter to his fur as the temperature gradually fell.
"We're getting closer." Kurama accelerated again, becoming one with the forest, leaving a long streak of saffron in his wake.
Then, they shot passed a threshold and the walls were no longer of green and brown but of pure white. Hinata shivered as a gust of frigid wind whipped across her body, seeming to seep through the fabric of her coat to caress her defenseless skin.
The sudden tree-choked, frozen wilderness told them that they had entered the borders of the Iron Country. Snow clung, like a plague, to the canopy of the trees and layered branches and leaves in a bittersweet spectacle. The ground had to be buried in no less than three feet of snow, but Kurama's speed hadn't faltered. And a memorable warmth emanated from his body, shielding her from the bitter cold as they journeyed deeper into the icy region.
In time, they approached that radiant light at the end of the tunnel and the Kyuubi leaped through, breaking from the gloom of the frozen forest and landing in an expansive field of snow. It was overcast, but a few rays of sunlight still streamed through the thinly made clouds.
Proceeding at an amble pace, as opposed to their speedy career before, Hinata couldn't help but inquire if Kurama was all right.
"I have lots of energy to spare." The Bijuu's eyes narrowed warily, shifting from left to right as he did a sweep of the immediate and surrounding area. "What bothers me is that the samurai might still be on edge since the incident with Uchiha Madara and Sasuke, and it would be troublesome if I'm seen in this form."
"In that case—" she activated her Byakugan and began scouting the surrounding area, as well— "shouldn't Kurama-kun revert back to his smaller form, to be safe?"
"It's fine," he assured, warmed by her evident concern. "I don't sense that anyone's within a few miles of us. I'll withdraw once we get closer to the outskirts of the village."
"H-Hn!" She nodded, relinquishing her ocular ability.
Then, the princess pursed her lips as her eyes hooded. It was becoming much more difficult to keep her lips sealed; to subdue the flood of questions that bubbled up in her throat — questions that were pinned on the cover of her mental journal, prone to be seen and reflected on each time she had a moment's silence.
But, alas, she had to be patient with him. Still, Hinata couldn't help but wonder if Kurama would ever grant her the privilege of having a child. Would he eventually be able to confide in her enough to allow her to make a family? Or would Naruto have to suppress his power and his individually to have what they sought? The princess hoped it would never have to come to the latter.
All of a sudden, the Kyuubi grew apprehensive and his body dipped as he eased into an offense stance, like a canine bracing to pounce on its prey.
"Ku-Kurama-kun, is something a matter?" His anxiety ran through her, as well.
"There's someone... or something here."
Hinata hopped down from the deity's back with cautious eyes, dropping their picnic basket in the snow to brace for whatever or whoever had discreetly joined their ranks.
"Show yourself!" Kurama roared, his deep voice a thunderous roll of bass and battle readiness.
And whoever it was did appear, pushing up from the snow, like a plant sprouting from its seed. But this plant was grotesque — a man with olive green hair and a pale body riddled with spikes, cracks, and bizarre folds. "HELLO! And what do we have here?" He grinned.
Hinata's eyes dilated, her eyebrows descending above those dismayed crystals. That figure... that unforgettable form. There was no mistaking it. "Zetsu!" She exclaimed, her voice devoid of all compassion. He was the one who wanted to capture Naruto-kun before…
"For what purpose did you show your wretched face before me?" Kurama's fury churned on a swift, hard boil. Already the pyrokinetic energy was rising up inside of him; he felt the living heat ripple beneath his fur, coaxing him, demanding that he made use of his lethal power.
Unfazed by the creature's dark sneer, Zetsu frowned curiously. What's with this thing? It can't really be the Kyuubi, can it? "What exactly are you suppose to be?"
Kurama's eyes went as narrow as blade, cutting the man with its malice. "Now that you've seen me, I can't afford to let you leave here alive."
Zetsu allowed a smile. "I don't know whether or not you're a fraud, but I do intend to capture you and find out. As for you, cutie," the man turned his attention to the Hyūga princess. "I watched the entire fight between Pain and the Kyuubi and witnessed how he lost control when he thought you had been killed."
"What are you trying to saying?" Hinata couldn't bear to watch him any longer.
The man heaved a deceptive smile, climbing out of the ground with undue excitement. "I've come to take you back with me. The Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki obviously holds much affection for you; so we plan to use you to lure him into a trap and acquire his Bijuu."
Hinata gasped.
Kurama's gaze was suddenly feral and hot. Such impudence toward his goddess was utterly deplorable, and he would make certain this abomination was thoroughly crushed as retribution. "I'll tear him apart," he reassured without breaking his scowl.
Abruptly, the fuming deity darted toward the provocative creature who responded by spawning over a hundred copies of himself. But the Kyuubi wasn't daunted. Instead, his rage burned fiercer, searing hot lava that coursed through his veins. "You'll all feel the wrath of my fangs," he bellowed menacingly, leaping into the chaotic white swarm.
His assault was swift and savage, successive and effective. With a single sweep of his paws and tails, Zetsu's forces flew hopelessly across the field, like stuffed animals. Bones were being cracked and dismantled, flesh torn and seared, and sounds that were nothing close to human split the air as the battle intensified.
Through the blanket of snow and debris between them, Hinata could just make out the bared teeth and fiery, crimson eyes of her overprotective comrade. The clones were constantly climbing and clinging to him, trying to topple the ferocious deity with their sheer numbers. But, every now and then, Kurama would shake his body to throw them off, pivoting his head around to mangle those persist ones with his powerful jaws.
The princess was trapped between the fear of him being hurt or captured and the horrific manner in which he chose to destroy their enemies. Kurama heaved a frustrated growl; the knowledge of her dread hit him like a stab to the chest. And he bristled at the thought that this mere abomination would force him to rampage in such a crazed manner.
Gradually, he felt that crackling, uncontrollable trace of heat begin to bloom in his gut. Pushing the fire down deep, he finished severing the arm from another clone, and then focused all his energy into making his way back to Hinata. He would end this skirmish with a single, devastating attack.
All of a sudden, a few dozen clones merged to form a large titan that used its brute strength to pin the Kyuubi to the ground. Simultaneously, a flurry of thick roots bored up through the snow, coiling tightly around his neck and tails, assisting the titan in its flawless capture.
Kurama roared in irritation, and Hinata's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits in response. Without hesitation, she charged toward the horde of vile atrocities, activating her Byakugan to capture the small army in her Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.
This man was a monster who wanted to take her love away, and now he had his eyes on Kurama, too. But she wouldn't allow him to take them away — not her knight or her faithful guardian. "I won't let you have your way!" She shouted, closing in fast on a taunting clone.
But suddenly, unexpectedly, a Zetsu generated a repulsive third leg in his stomach, stomping Hinata in her chest as she pelted toward him with a lethal Rasengan in hand. With a pained yelp, the princess catapulted rearward in a high arch. But, instead of crashing into a tree that stood between her and a hill of snow, she heard a soft grunt as a comforting chest and a pair of attentive hands broke her fall.
This aura... Na-Naruto-kun? As they skidded backward in the snow, she glimpsed her savior's calm, soft saffron eyes. No! It's… it's Kurama-kun!
"I learnt this new transformation so that I could save you more… humane in moments like this," he prompted lightly, gently setting her down on her feet.
Hinata couldn't believe her eyes.
"Are you seriously hurt?" His voice was buttery soft, even as he assumed an offensive stance in front of her, watching through his peripheral vision. And she shook her head slowly, still incapable of speech still. "Stay behind me; I'll take care of this vermin."
Hinata swallowed pass the hot lump of shock in her throat. The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox... Kurama was... in a human form — and he was extremely beautiful. Clad in an orange kimono adored with white, black and red designs, and pants tucked into tall boots, he was a lovely god that almost rivaled Naruto's irresistible flair.
Long Persian red hair sat in gorgeous locks over his forehead and cascaded down his back to his thighs. Atop is head were cute, fox-like ears and a red haori jacket partly concealed a plush tail.
"Oh my!" Zetsu scoffed. "It would seem the Bijuu has learnt a new trick!"
Despite the mocking remark, the lovely deity wore his composure and decorum as if the man hadn't uttered a single word. His eyes were soft, hooded, proud, and his lips were a thin, unenthused line. It was about time this atrocious fiend be slain, along with all his copies.
Without as much as a frown, a massive, intricate sword wrought of flames materialized in Kurama's hands. "I'll end that giant in a single sweep of my sword."
Hinata took a step forward, her eyes worrisome. "Kurama-kun..."
"Hime... there's no need to worry."
Hime?
"Maneuverability was difficult in my previous form but I'll be fine now. These spineless pieces of trash can't hold a candle to me."
"...But there's so many," Hinata persisted.
"While I was crushing them before, I noticed that they're not good at close combat fighting. They try to use sheer numbers to overpower their enemy."
The princess thought about that for a while. "Now that you mention it, Madara did say something like that."
Kurama cast her a sidelong glance and allowed a neat smile. "This is the perfect opportunity to work on that new technique, don't you think?"
Hinata smiled, almost impishly, and she nodded her head with innocent glee, spawning her lions as Kurama vaulted into the violent abyss once more.
As boasted, he was effortlessly able to down the giant in a single sweep of his sword, his blade heaving a toxic breath of flames upon impact that scorched surrounding clones. Then his weapon was suddenly a scythe with a chain attached to its pointed hilt. Like the grim reaper, he dispatched mobs of clones in a single sweep, stabbing enemies with his fire-forged weapon and throwing it to extend the reach of the blade.
Clones yelped and roared as they were swiftly acquainted with oblivion, and even those few that tried to escape were shown no mercy; their retirement into the dark abyss was just as swift and brutal. Perhaps even more so — there was no place in the world for cowards.
Time slowed, even as Kurama leaped into the air to avoid the reach of a pursuing root. And he smiled fondly at Hinata from the chaos, reassuring her with soft, cool eyes.
The princess returned a warm smile of her own, awestruck by the Bijuu's power. So much had happened that it was proving difficult to digest everything all at once. To think that the little furry fox she had taken into her home that slept on her bed and ate Kuwashima's homemade cooking was, in fact, the legendary Nine-Tailed Fox. And now they were friends.
Kurama was like a human typhoon: slipping through attacks with lethal retaliation, dodging and deflecting kunai, slicing, carving, and severing clones in an impressive display of agility, decisiveness, and aerial dynamics. As cunning a fox as he was, the deity was able to maneuver around every attempt to restrain him in using numbers and, at the same time, even avoid Hinata's range of attack.
Gentle Step: Mobile Lion Charge!A pack of six lions pounced into the horde of clones with a fierce roar, slashing and biting everyone in range — immobilizing dozens through the Gentle Fist before eventually being slain.
Gentle Step: Mobile Lion Charge - Kamikaze! Another pack of six ferocious lions entered the battlefield. And after inflicting their share of slicing, ripping, crushing, and grinding,the chakra-forced beasts bit down into their Rasengan, eliminating more than a hundred of Zetsu's fearless army in a great and suicidal explosion.
The man sneered at the opposition, livid with rage. "I still have a few hundred strong; I can still capture you both!"
"Hime!" Kurama suddenly called, reverting to his previous form, as he broke free of the congested crowd. "It's time to leave!"
"Ri-Right!" Hinata obeyed, quickly retrieving her hamper and securing herself on a moving Kyuubi as he made his way toward the mouth of the valley.
"It's no use!" Zetsu warned, his army sprouting extra legs and racing toward the speedy fox. "There's no escaping us!"
"Who said I was escaping," Kurama retorted, and then softly instructed the princess to hold on. "Taking them out one or two at a time is useless; the others just keep calling more clones. We have to annihilate all of them in one fell swoop."
Focusing power into his hind legs, he leaped high into the air and then turned around, firing off a thin but powerful laser beam from his mouth, wiping out the entire infantry in a great and fiery explosion. Bedrock blasted skyward in a blinding mass of flames and heat and thick, roiling smoke. The plumes of fire shot out in all directions, showering large chunks of splintered wood and burning embers down into the snow.
Hinata gasped, impressed and terrified all in one. "A-Amazing! But... won't that draw attention to this place?"
"Maybe. And that's exactly why we won't linger." Kurama was already leaving the valley behind at an unbelievable pace, proceeding farther into the country's borders.
"I didn't know Kurama-kun could transform into a human form."
The Kyuubi allowed a wolfish grin. "Naruto's apprentice is to thank for that."
"Konohamaru-kun?"
"Mmm. Learning to walk upright was as infuriating as it was to actually learn the transformation process, but some rigorous training solved that problem."
— "I learnt this new transformation so that I could save you more… humane in moments like this."
Hinata blushed, and her eyes gleamed. "Thank you."
The Kyuubi grunted as a traitorous blush crept into his cheeks in turn.
"This is the second time you've saved me now. And, for opening up to me, I'm happy that you did. Your company is even better now." Her smile was warm and sincere.
"Humph!" He cocked his head furtively. "This new transformation is for my benefit, too; I didn't do it specifically for you."
The princess giggled endearingly at his contradiction.
Kurama growled in his embarrassment, her charming voice a perpetual song in his ear. "Keep a careful lookout," he said to cut her off. "We'll be arriving soon.
"Hai!" She nodded exuberantly.
Meanwhile, oblivious to the princess and her guardian, was the fact that a small army of Naruto's clones were gathering in Konoha, each one declaring an official challenge against a formidable comrade. And amongst these many challengers where Lee, Tenten, Ino, Sakura, Sai, Chōji, Shino, Kiba, Neji, and more. Everyone's question was the same: "Naruto… what're you doing here?"
Disguised in an ANBU attire, the nonchalant sage pushed his mask to the side to reveal cool, oceanic eyes. "I'm here to test your power, and to gain battle experience in return. We'll both grow in skill from this duel."
Shikamaru frowned, disconcerted. "What's the point of having you take a long detour to your destination, if you're going to let Akatsuki follow your trail and figure out your location?"
Naruto was still calm. "Relax. I haven't been in contact with the original in over a month so I haven't jeopardized his mission. And my indentify is safe."
"A month?" Shikamaru was astounded.
Elsewhere.
Kakashi frowned, secretly enthused. "I see you've gotten serious with this training method, Naruto." He charged a Chidori in his hand, his chilled decorum mirroring his apprentice's own. "But... just how much stronger have you become?"
Naruto allowed a modest grin. "How about you come and find out," he suggested challengingly, independently constructing a Rasengan in one hand.
Kakashi's eyes shot open in surprise, and then he raised his forehead protector to reveal his sacred eye. "Heh — that much, huh?"
Everyone clashed.
