The Future: Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 1-Hope

HOPE, A THING OF THE PAST - THE HIDDEN LEAF VILLAGE

The Hidden Leaf Village Tunnels

The tunnels beneath the Hidden Leaf have a history to them, they have been used for evacuation purposes many times. People fled through these tunnels during the attack of Orochimaru so many years ago. People ran for these tunnels when they came under attack from Pain, so many years ago. During Pain's assault on the Hidden Leaf Village there was one great difference though, a hero who everyone was waiting for, Uzumaki Naruto. This is a different time however, a time without Uzumaki Naruto, a time without Uchiha Sasuke, a time of great war.

"Keep moving please" Inojin requests as he ushers the civilians along the corridor.

It would be considered natural to bawl and shout in these circumstances but Inojin is a professional, Inojin is a shinobi. It's of the utmost importance in this situation that he keeps everyone calm, if they were to get too agitated they may start to run, that would put elderly and the young at great risk.

As Inojin swings his arm in a sweeping motion, urging people on he feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns around to see a familiar face from his youth, a close friend of his mother's. This woman with pink hair is the last survivor of the Hidden Leaf's most legendary team, the last survivor of team 7. Uchiha Sakura.

"Inojin, is my daughter safe?" Sakura asks, her face showing a unique expression. While everyone else in the tunnel is afraid, Sakura is worried.

Inojin shakes his head, "I don't know Aunt Sakura" he answers truthfully, "She said that she will be the last one to leave. As the Hokage it is her duty to protect the village with her life".

This is what makes Uchiha Sarada different to the other shinobi, leaving the village is not so simple for the Hokage. So many had protected this village with their lives, for the Hokage to leave would be to spit on their legacy, great shinobi like Senju Hashirama, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Namikaze Minato.

"But" Sakura starts before feeling a hand on her own shoulder.

The owner of this hand is a man who many have come to love and respect. This man has been making plans to retire, to join Sakura's generation in handing over his responsibilities to those that have come after him but as with all happy stories in the ninja world, if it appears too good to be true it usually is.

This man is of course, Sarutobi Konohamaru.

"Lord 8th" Inojin mutters before saluting.

"Come on Sakura" the 8th Hokage begins, "Our descendants are working hard to clear the village, we shouldn't get in there way".

Sakura lowers her head, an empty look in her eyes. "Konohamaru, these monsters killed Sasuke, they killed Naruto, do we stand a chance of surviving, is there even a point in running".

The many civilians walking down the corridor were quiet a second ago but now they are murmuring, whispering to one another. They all know that this could be the end of their lives, but to hear Uchiha Sakura, their hero, say this is something else.

"Lady Sakura, your generation became heroes when they fought in the great war, everyone was left with no choice, no other option than believing in you" Inojin remarks, "You rewarded their belief greatly, you won, now you have to give us the chance to do the same thing".