Dangerous Bond: Clan of Peace

Part 49

Naruto clones had finally begun reaching all the divisions with impersonators lingering. As tensions were high, he had arrived in the nick of time before the divisions were about to turn on themselves.

Hinata breathed a sigh of relief as a clone appeared just in time to save her from being cut down. She watched in awe as he swiftly handled Zetsu. 

With a reassuring smile, Naruto assisted her to her feet and let his hand linger for a moment as the two stared at each other.

Hinata was left in a daze as she noticed a remarkable change in Naruto. She couldn't believe that the same man who once nervously asked her out on a date was now standing confidently before her.

Kitsuchi, Neji, Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru quickly closed in on the two with Neji glaring at Kitsuchi. 

"Why weren't we notified right away that Naruto was here?" He snapped at the man in charge. Leader or not, he had unnecessarily put them in danger.

Kitsuchi gave him a blank stare "Naruto just arrived" 

Naruto stifled a laugh as Kitsuchi glanced at him and sighed "I happened to see him first, but I was in the midst of a battle" 

Neji clicked his tongue against his teeth as he eyed Naruto with curiosity. Kiba stepped forward while rubbing his nose "Naruto smells differently than before, I wouldn't have noticed" He stated with a puzzled expression.

Naruto snapped his head to Kiba "I smell nice though right?" He muttered.

Kiba smirked "No." 

An invisible arrow shot through the blonde as he held his chest where his heart had been ripped out.

"You're the one that can see long distances, so..." Kiba turned back to Neji with a raised brow.

Neji seemed taken aback as the blame suddenly passed on to him "He looks different from before. So is his Chakra Nature..." He stated confidently, although a small tint of redness covered his cheeks in embarrassment.

Kiba stuck his chin out with a smug aura around him "Then who are you to talk?" 

Naruto glanced at Hinata with a goofy smile as the two went back and forth. He found the entire ordeal truly refreshing. 

"Are you really Naruto?" Neji tried passing the blame to the blonde, who looked taken aback "I hope you're not a white Zetsu fake too." 

"I'm Naruto" The blonde glared, his power radiating from his body as if to prove it.

"Can you prove it?" Neji questioned with a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. The blonde Jounin was on a different level than the rest of them. 

"It's Naruto!" Hinata stepped in with a confident look before realizing the attention had shifted to her. Her voice lowered as she continued "You can tell by looking into his eyes" She tried not to make that sound as dreamy as it did in her head.

"Hinata..." Kiba muttered, hoping this wasn't another one of her episodes like when she was young around Naruto.

"Besides, he came to my rescue." She lifted her head back up with confidence in her words. Naruto stared at her with wide eyes as she returned his gaze. 

Naruto couldn't help but feel a twinge in his chest as he looked at her. She was no longer the shy girl that stuttered everytime she was around him. Instead, she had become a beautiful and confident woman who could hold her own. He couldn't help but worry about what she thought of him suddenly.

Shino stepped forward, appearing as if out of thin air "He saved me too." 

Everyone turned to Shino with shocked eyes.