Naruto's Revenge

Chapter 3: Promises

Kakashi was very much afraid of what he might find when he finally arrived at the valley of the end.

His students, fighting, killing each other. Beating each other into bloody messes.

The very thought terrified him.

He'd failed. He had failed as a teacher, as a mentor.

He was supposed to guide them but now they're fighting and one, or both of them, might die.

If his sensei could see him now... 'I'm sorry, Minato-sensei. I failed'

Each step he took only made his heart beat faster, his worries grow further, and his guilt rise higher.

Mentally, he was preparing himself. He knew what he might see. So he had to be prepared. He had to be able to accept the outcome, whatever it was.

Even if it was two dead students.

He needed to accept it, acknowledge his failures, and do better. At least he still had Sakura (A/N: 😂😂😂😂)

He was expecting the worst and mentally preparing for it.

What he didn't expect, though, was an empty battleground with two headbands lying on the foundation. One scratched, the other spotless.

'So they left...'

He failed. He simply failed. He failed his village, he failed his father, he failed his friends, he failed his sensei, and he failed his students.

They had run away. His students had run away...

But...at least they're still alive. Maybe... Maybe he can save them, bring them back.

He shook his head. 'Not now'. He didn't have time to dwell on his failures, he had to collect their belongings and then report back to the Hokage.
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"What?!"

"they left, lady Hokage."

Tsunade sat down, her anger suddenly dissipating. "They...left," she repeated.

Kakashi looked down in shame. "I failed... I failed them."

"This isn't your fault, Kakashi."

"No, it is. I could've done more, for both of them. I could have helped them, and maybe...maybe they wouldn't have left..."

"Now is no time to dwell on that," she said. "Right now, we have to update the missing-nin registry."

"What?!"

"I didn't mean it like that, Kakashi. Of course, I don't want to go after them, but they left. They're criminals, Kakashi," Tsunade said. "I'm not saying we abandon them, but we have to go after them, and we have to bring them back. And it makes it easier for us if we add them to the missing-nin list."

"I...understand."

"Don't worry, we'll bring them back. Now, you're dismissed."

"Yes, lady Hokage." With that, Kakashi left.

"Why, Naruto?" Tsunade asked herself.
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Kakashi was leaving the Hokage's office when he caught sight of Sakura.

"Hi, Sensei! Is Naruto here? Where is he?"

'Here we go...' he thought. "Naruto isn't here, Sakura."

"What do you mean? Is he okay?" she asked.

"Let's go for a walk."

"Why? Did something happen?"

"I'll tell you outside, come on."