Sword of God -- A Naruto Fanfiction

| 14 | The Hunted become the Hunters

Naruto and Team 8 walk down a winding road, having just passed through Tanzaku Gai for a refill of water.

"So, Naruto, why are you taking this mission with us? Not that we're complaining," Kurenai gestures to the team. "But aren't you in Kakashi's squad?"

Naruto's face darkens, though it isn't shown in his tone of voice, the eternally light and pleasant tone shining through, despite his true emotions. "Nah. I quit the squad and know I'm a one-man army!"

He makes several gestures that they giggle at.

"In all honesty, Sasuke and his... shadow are an insufferable duo. You mustn't go near them lest you suffer their wrath and become deaf for days on end."

He says this with such seriousness in his voice that they can't help but nod.

It's been six hours since they had left the village, and already their making progress. I reckon we'll be walking for the rest of the day, and well into the night.

Voicing this, Kurenai adheres to his concerns, declaring that they would take a break once every three hours for ten minutes; if they got attacked, their feet would feel too heavy to even dodge a kunai.

Something paramount to an embarrassment of a ninja.

"W-what've you b-been up t-to, Naruto-Kun?" Hinata squeaks out, adverting her head as her cheeks heat up like a tomato.

I've never seen anyone this shy nor this... red! What a phenomenon, Naruto thinks, answering the question.

"Just training, flitting in between the company of Guy and Blackli-- a mentor of mine," Naruto replies.

"I'm sorry, which Guy?" Shino inquires politely.

Kurenai halts, her face paling as her eyes unfocus. "Kurenai seems to know," Naruto mischievously misleads the attention to said jonin, a small smirk on his face.

She shudders, muttering sentences at an incomprehensible speed. "Green jumpsuits... bowl cut... caterpillars... eyebrows... clone... sunset... beach..."

At every word, she violently shudders, especially at the last two.

"You... don't want to know," Naruto states, his left eye twitching violently as he winces.

"O-okay, Naruto-kun," Hinata states, thus cutting off the conversation.

Naruto's thoughts drift off towards the curse he had read about. What could it possibly be? I hope it's just a myth, even though it probably isn't. And if it is what I think it is, then...

His head bows as his eyes begin to water at the very notion. No. I will prevent it by building stronger bonds.

A cursed blade will not stop me, and I will become the Hokage with all my loved ones by my side, no matter the cost.

The group continues on the path, taking the odd break or two but none willing to break the awkward silence that had befallen them.

The sky turns orange, streaks of pink racing across the sky as the sun begin to fall past the horizon, the sea suddenly becoming orange, a far cry from the serene blue that laps the shoreline.

Minutes, now, until Blacklight becomes stronger, Naruto thinks in glee as he begins to rejoice at the darkness overtaking the light in the sky. But that also means that any bandits that have been following us will strike.

He stops the group, whispering his orders at a rapid pace, barely comprehensible but manageable at the same time.

"Hinata, scan the area with your Byakugan. Shino, get your insects to form a perimeter. Kiba, get Akamaru to detect scents."