Naruto smirked, still falling with Hinata. "Sshhh." Naruto made a quick strike at Hinata, who just as quickly deflected it. The two neatly landed on the ground and immediately went toe to toe. The Hinata before him was completely different from the Hinata Naruto had left behind. Three years later she was bold, brave, and ready to take blood.
Naruto side stepped Hinata's Gentle Fist, countering with a steady stream of physical attacks—alternating between dull kicks and soft punches. It is not as though Naruto pulled his punches because he was facing Hinata, rather he pulled his punches because his orders were clear: Do your best to take your opponents out of commission without harming them. Naruto aims only for a knock out.
Neji made a not-so-surprising attack from behind. Neji just barely stopped himself from striking Hinata after Naruto ducks. From above came a loud "CHA!" and the ground split open where Naruto stood just a hair's breath before. Attacks rained from all sides, but Naruto was not even winded. He dodged, countered, and egged them on. His Flying Raijin permanently kept him out of harm's way.
In an instant, the fighting comes to a standstill. Hinata, Neji and Sakura stand defensively around the guarded Naruto.
"Who are you?" Sakura demanded.
"Take a guess." Naruto snidely replied. "You were told what this was all about were you not?"
"Yeah," Neji said, "take down the enemy and return him to base."
Seriously? "No. Your specific orders were as followed: Find your target and bring him home."
"That's what we're doing." Sakura replied.
That did it. Hinata lost her straight face. She laughed hard, almost seeming to chock.
"Hinata?" Neji asked.
"Sorry . . . sorry, it's just that . . . I finally . . . get it."
Naruto couldn't fault her. In a way this had been funny. She, at least, finally got their real orders. They had not been told who their target was. Only that he was to be brought "home". Now she understood why they were to bring him home.
CRACK. Naruto looked toward the sound of a snapping branch.
Hinata takes advantage of the distraction and lands a solid blow. Her Gentle Fist quickly drains the energy out of Naruto, so she believes. As he lays there face and hair covered, teams Hinata, Shikamaru, Sakura, and Neji gather around.
Well child? What are you going to do? Kurama said in amusement.
Gravitation. Naruto thought.
As the last person joined the group joined around him, Naruto unleashed the power of his Rinningan. In one swoop all nine people around him found themselves weighing ten times more than normal. Standing Naruto says, "You could have at least made this a little more interesting for me."
Naruto cast his genjutsu.
YOU ARE READING
Dawn is Coming: A Naruto Retold
ФанфикAfter three long years away from the village Naruto is back, but he is not nearly the person he was when he left. Now he is a man.
