Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Return of the Lost Son ❯ The Rescue ( Chapter 12 )

Kenichi stood watching as his Shark Fin jutsu crackled with energy, ready to head towards his helpless targets and end their existence. He had not expected to bring forth the Kyuubi so soon, but it was out of his hand. There was no doubt that he would have been beaten by the Aburame if the Kyuubi hadn't replaced his drained chakra with its own, near-limitless supply, and once those events were set in motion, the Aburame stood no chance.

 

He was nearly ready to release his Shark Fins jutsu, when several smoke bombs came flying from the rooftops. They landed all around Kenichi and the fallen shinobi, completely covering the battlefield in a black-blue fog. He could not see the shinobi, but he could hear the sound of their bodies being hoisted up by an unknown number of individuals and carried off to safety. Angry at being robbed of his complete victory, Kenichi let out a fearsome roar that blew away the surrounding smoke, leaving the battlefield as clear as it once was. Looking around, he confirmed what he had heard - the bodies of all the shinobi were gone.

 

A massive spotlight was turned on and aimed directly at Kenichi. Then several more were turned on and soon Kenichi stood in the center of their beams. At first the lights made it hard for him to see how many shinobi were gathered, but gradually, as his eyes became adjusted, he was able to make out the distinct forms, and soon the faces of those around him.

 

There was an army of Konoha shinobi on the rooftops surrounding him. Somehow, the village had managed to mobilize a full force of shinobi for this showdown. There were chuunins as young as Kakashi standing next to jounins as old as his brother. They formed a united front against a single enemy, ready to mete out justice through the pointed ends of their kunai. Kenichi could see the anger and determination in their eyes, as they stared down at him. But it didn't matter to him. They had created an ultimate weapon to protect themselves, and now that weapon was going to backfire and destroy Konoha's very existence.

 

As he scanned the now clear faces in the crowd, a single figure stepped forward. His hair was spiky and blond, his eyes were warm and blue, and his power was undeniable. He jumped down from his rooftop perch and landed on the ground that had moments ago been a battlefield. Kenichi's aura was still pulsating around him, but the blond-haired man continued to approach unfazed until he was within feet of Kenichi. Kenichi took this opportunity to start the conversation.

 

“Good evening Arashi. What brings you here on this lovely evening?”

 

“A report came across my desk that a missing nin had returned home. I wanted to come and see for myself what fugitive would be simple enough to show his face in Konoha. If I had known it was you, I would have brought something special,” Arashi replied.

 

“You bastard!” Kenichi shouted angrily, “Don't you dare act so cool and smug in my presence. Don't think that family ties mean that I won't strike you down where you stand. Don't think that I won't destroy you or anyone or anything that stands in my way.”

 

Seeing the legitimate threat that his brother posed to Konoha, Yondaime continued but with a little more deference in his voice. “I am sorry Kenichi. I didn't mean to insult you. But, what is this madness. You return home after 5 years and immediately start attacking your former village mates? What did the 5 shinobi that you seriously injured do to deserve that?”

 

“Madness? This isn't madness. This is justice, and no one in Konoha is innocent. As for your injured shinobi, they are only the first because soon everyone in Konoha will pay for their crimes against me.”

 

“Justice for what crimes? No one you have attacked is guilty of doing anything to you.”

 

“Ingratitude, physical abuse, psychological abuse, abandonment, forced sacrifice, betrayal, murder -- should I go on? Everyone is guilty, including you brother. In fact, you are the guiltiest of all.”

 

“What are --” Yondaime started to say, but was cut off by the sudden surge in Kenichi's chakra. Kenichi's orange chakra aura was now dancing like bonfire around him.

 

“DO NOT INTERRUPT ME!” he commanded, pointing a long, thin finger at the Hokage, “You are guiltier than anyone here. It is your fault that I am where I am, that I was treated the way I was, that I was left alone and ignored. When I acted out as a youth, it was a veiled attempt for you to notice me. Instead, you scolded me for my behavior and promised the village elders that you would control me. As you became more famous in Konoha, you became more concerned with your duties than with me. You left me to fend for myself like a sheep in a den of wolves. And when I finally found someone who could be there for me, you drove me away so that you could have her for yourself.”

 

Yondaime stood speechless. To hear his brother talk like this, hurt him, but what hurt him more was that Kenichi was right. In his quest to prove himself to the village and take on more responsibilities he had pushed his only family to the side. He was more concerned with controlling Kenichi and his rebellion than in forming the bond that brothers should have. If he had formed those bonds, Kenichi would have had more to hold on to and not have been able to just pack up and leave the village.

 

Kenichi was right; Yondaime was the guiltiest. But still, no matter how guilty he was in abandoning his brother, he had a duty to protect his village and Yondaime would not allow him to hurt anyone else in Konoha. “I am sorry that I wasn't a better brother. If I was, maybe you wouldn't have turned out like this. But I cannot allow you to continue to hurt Konoha because of my sins. Your rampage ends tonight.”