The One That Survived [Naruto Fanfic]

The One That Survived [Naruto Fanfic] Chapter 20

~Chapter 20~

When we got over the viewing tower I could see a group of ninja surrounding a figure laying down. My stomach instantly rose to my throat and my eyes misted with unshed tears.

No….

I instantly jumped off Chi’s back, landing beside Kakashi as Ibiki took a step back.

“Old man….” I whispered, looking down at his blood stained face. After a few seconds of silence of all of the shinobi, I smirked. Even in his last moments, he found something amusing. That smile on his face….crazy old coot.

I smiled sadly down at him, reaching back and shuffling in my weapons pouch. As I stood I clipped on a necklace with the Konoha symbol dangling from it. Inside there was small amount of fire that was forever alive.

It was a necklace from the old man, back in the old days.

“But old man! Why do I got to go on a mission with that bastard?!” I whined, glaring over at Hiashi Hyuga.

The Hokage chuckled, the crazy old coot. I crossed my arms, my lips protruding in a pout. I was being assigned on an A-ranked mission, one of many the past two years I’ve been here. I was sixteen now and I’ve already gained a lot of respect in Konoha.

The Hyuga, that I’ve personally nicknamed ‘the bastard’, was glaring at me. “I agree with the brat, much to my disgust. Why are we being assigned a mission together?”

“It’s for the success of the mission that it’s imperative you both go.” The Hokage sighed. The bastard and I just glared at each other.

“I understand you two have your….differences, but please brush them aside until you both return safely.” The Hokage sighed, handing us both a mission scroll. Smart move. Had he just gave us one, we wouldn’t have let the other look at it.

Hiashi glanced over it while I did the same before glaring over at me. “Meet me at the East gate in an hour, brat.”

“Whatever, bastard.” He nodded, disappearing. I sighed, about to do the same when the Hokage’s voice stopped me.

“Hokori….I’d like to give you something.” He opened one of the top drawers of his desk, pulling out a necklace. I looked at it curiously, tilting my head. It had a black metal chain with a Konoha symbol charm hanging from it. What was weird about it though was the fact that there was a small fire burning inside the necklace.

The Hokage got up from his seat, coming around his desk to stand in front of me. With a small nod, he handed the necklace to me. Despite the flame within the see-through charm, it was barely warm.

“This is a necklace that has been passed through ninja of the Hidden Leaf. There aren’t a lot out there but I do see them every now and again amongst the ninja. The charm signifies the Leaf’s Will of Fire. You’ve learned of the Will of Fire since birth, no? I believe the Hinome were faithful followers of it.”

I stared down at the necklace, flashes of memories going through my brain. A lot of the members of my clan had had a necklace like this. And even now I see passing ninja in the village with one.

“Every true Konoha shinobi must love, believe, cherish and fight for the village’s sake, as previous generations had done before them.” I whispered, remembering my father once telling me this.

“It’s what gives Konohagakure shinobi the strength to continue fighting against all odds, building willpower and the strength of character. It is also symbolic of the hopes and dreams of the previous generation being passed to the next.” The old man finished for me, smiling.