Dangerous Bond

Part 39

"Uto-Naruto!" Called a muffled voice.

Was that his name being called?

"Come on kid! Wake up." The muffled sound of Jiraiya called as a firm hand shook the young genin awake.

"Tch...what...what happened?" He tried to mumble out but his throat felt stricken with tensed, overused, muscles. It was as the blonde regained his focus to find the old Pervy ninja peering down at him, that he recalled what had taken place before he blacked out.

"S-Sasuke!" Naruto called out suddenly, remembering the traumatizing event more clearly.

He pushed himself up in haste but grunted, falling back down, as his body was suddenly hit with an overbearing ache all over.

"Easy kid. Sasuke's okay, in the same state as you...but okay" The Sannin sighed, half relief and half stressed out.

Naruto blinked rapidly as he waited for the pain to pass and stared up at Jiraiya, weakly.

"Tell me...what happened?"

Jiraiya almost seemed hesitant to answer the boy but nevertheless, it wasn't his place to withhold information regarding the boy's own actions.

"Well. You started out great, kid. You and Sasuke took them on with clear heads and a strategy in mind...but, they were just...stronger" Jiraiya grimaced as he remembered the two bloodied bodies he had to fight for to get away from the two, ruthless, S-Rank shinobi's.

"I arrived in time to stop them from taking your lives, luckily" The Sannin quipped with a small grin, clearly trying to lighten the atmosphere.

Naruto simply frowned up at the ceiling. They had failed and he knew this wasn't going to sit well with Sasuke. Even he felt completely put out by the outcome. They had trained so hard...and for what?

"...where is Sasuke?" Naruto questioned, his voice breaking up a little at becoming emotional of the defeat. It was a hard defeat. He could feel it strongly in his body but more so in his mind and heart. He was hurt, not because his opponents were stronger but because after all that training, blood, sweat and tears...they couldn't last even 10 minutes against them. He felt ashamed and no doubt, Sasuke felt worse.

"Listen, I don't think it's a good ide-"

"Where is he?" Naruto asked in his a sharp tone, his gaze narrowing on the white haired male.

Jiraiya remained still for a moment before complying with a sigh "He's in the other room with Guy. The idiot showed up a few minutes after they left and kicked me right in the no-"

"You let them get away?" Naruto's icy voice cut him off.

Jiraiya sensed the blonde was becoming a little worked about this but chose to remain silent. His only answer being the strong, unwavering, stare he gave the genin as he continued to glare up at the Sannin.

Naruto scoffed "You're a Sannin..." He croaked, his voice holding too many emotions. He couldn't hold them back for some reason. Maybe it was because he realised that no matter how many promises he made to his friend, when the moment came - he failed.

"Naruto." Jiraiya's stern voice pulled him from his depressing thoughts.

"It's okay" he whispered, his gaze softening on the blonde who seemed to only get angrier at the words.

"No, it's not! I promised Sasuke I would help him defeat his brother!" Naruto bellowed, pushing himself up with a grimace. The pain was still almost unbearable but he didn't care at that moment. "I failed!" Naruto cried out, though tears refused to leave his eyes.