Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Tutor et Ultor ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and its characters…except for my own created OCs.

Tutor et Ultor

Formerly known as 'Shards of My Secret Unkempt'

In a valley nearing the Hidden Grass village, an ANBU team of assassins stood before a powerful nin, readying themselves to kill him. "I've killed ninety-nine people with this blade." The man boasted as he raised his sword to show to Ayako's teammates, hoping to incite fear in their hearts.

"Ninety-nine people? That's a whole lot of people…" Ayako said dryly, watching her enemy tense at her obvious negligence of his power.

"Yes, and you'll be my hundredth…" he sneered, charging against her with a speed that surprised her team.

"Woah, he's fast." Kyle, Ayako's teammate, gasped as he watched the fight before them.

"Yeah." Omi shrugged carelessly.

"Shouldn't we save her?"

"No. Don't interfere…" Omi warned him as he tipped his ANBU mask to another angle.

"But…"

"She doesn't need saving…"

"But she's a… she?"

"I forgot. You're new, right? She is the Shinimegami, known for killing thousands in cold blood. It takes a miracle to escape her blade."

"Has anyone ever defeated her?"

"I don't…"

"Actually, yes. The only one…" Ayako interrupted as she walked towards them. They looked behind her to see the pitiful carcass of their enemy cut in half.

"Really? Who?"

"Himitsu." She answered, before turning her back on her teammates to look at the sky. Itachi, you better come back to Konoha alive and safe or else… say bye-bye to Iruka-kun.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Achoo!" Akito looked up, surprised at the unexpected interruption in their meeting. He raised an eyebrow at the stoic Uchiha who had sneezed when they were seriously planning an attack towards Sand. The other merely glared, not even showing any inclination that he had sneezed. Akito shrugged, this was not the time to wonder on the weird behavior shown by the Uchiha. After all, he had a mission to accomplish.

"… And what of the unknown power of the Sand..?" Ryukien asked, his eyes boring holes on the Uchiha.

"…" Akito shrugged carelessly, glancing briefly at Itachi.

"Two things… Either he joins or he dies…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He avoided the blade… he AVOIDED my blade… Naruto A-V-O-I-D-E-D the kunai I sent towards him without even NOTICING it. Kakashi gaped, as Naruto cheerfully continued eating his lunch. It had been a week since Kakashi's test and Naruto to the great surprise of many, haven't gotten himself killed… yet.

As of yesterday, the blonde boy had the threat of death on his head courtesy of Kiba. This was because Naruto had oh-so-cheerfully insulted Akamaru which resulted in a fight between him and the other boy. Thankfully before Naruto got killed, Hinata pulled away her large teammate away from him.

"Hey, sensei! Aren't you gonna eat yet?" Naruto asked, not even looking up from his food.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow as Naruto's words reached him. He knows that I am here?

"What the hell are you talking about, Naruto?!!! Kakashi-sensei isn't here yet!!!!!" Sakura screamed at Naruto before turning to Sasuke with a blush. "Right, Sasuke-kun?"

"…"

Not even Sasuke was able to sense me… Kakashi frowned, wondering if all the rumors he had heard about the boy were false.

He gasped when Naruto looked directly at him before nodding curtly. "Sensei."

"Would you stop acting, Naruto?!!!" Sakura burst, her hands poised to whack the poor boy on the head. However this action was halted when their sensei leapt from the branch where he was observing them with a quiet thump.

"Naruto." Kakashi said in greeting at the blonde boy who had first noticed his arrival. "How did you know..?"

"Where you were, sensei? Pretty easy... you stink!!!"

"…"

"You hid your charka, sensei, but not your scent… I have a strong sense of smell."

"Sou ka." You're like a dog…. "The Hokage has a new mission for us…"

"That cat again?" Naruto groaned

"Maybe…" And with that, they fell in line… walking towards the Hokage's office.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

//"Someone once told me that stars are souls in heaven…" A voice whispered in the darkness.

"What?" Neji asked, confused. He was used to dreaming of floating in darkness but this was the first time that something other than the lack of light pervaded his dreams.

"…look at your brightest star……that's your father watching over you…" the voice continued

"…my brightest star…?" Neji asked, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. He knew that he had heard it before but…the knowledge of who owned it escaped him.

"You've forgotten, haven't you?" A younger version of him accused, staring down at him as he floated before Neji.

"What do you mean?"

"You've forgotten. You've forgotten our first friend."

"What? What do you…"//

"…mean?" Neji's question died as he was jerked awake from his dream. He was surprised to notice that a white flower lay innocently in his left hand, the hand he was reaching out to his apparition. He stared curiously at it before getting up on his feet and walking towards the open window beside him. A curious smile on his lips, he reached out his other hand towards the midnight sky and whispered. "We meet again…"

Perched on the tree beside his room, Naruto smiled, also holding out one hand he said before departing. "It's nice to meet you again, Neji."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"No! And I do mean no!" Kenji argued, his voice rising in volume.

"But Kenji-san, Naruto will be in good hands." The Hokage argued back, frustrated at the lack of cooperation that the Uzumaki's were showing.

"What part of no do you not understand, Hokage-sama? The N or the O?" Ran asked, equally aggravated.

"I told you Sarutobi-san that I will NOT allow that… that pervert to train Naruto! He can train just fine here with us." Kenji insisted as the third shook his head.

"Jiraiya is strong. Naruto can learn…"

"I don't care if that pervert is a sennin! My answer is no! We have argued about this before, and like that time my answer is no!"

"Sooner or later, he will have to face Orochimaru."

"So…" Ayako countered, not bothering her annoyance at the Hokage's insisting.

"I know that blockhead more than anyone else does…" Jiraiya muttered as the two elders argued before him.

"I don't care."

"I will train him."

"No, Jiraiya. You will not."

"Whether you like it or not, I will."

"Can't you understand English? The answer is still no!"

"After all, it's just right…"

"We said…"

"I promised the Fourth that I will ensure that his son will surpass even him." Jiraiya continued, unmindful of the arguments that the Uzumaki's were putting forward at his every turn.

"We.. WHAT?!!!"

"I'm pretty sure that he'll be proud to have his son be my student." The white-haired sennin commented.

"Fine"

"Grampa?!!" Ayako and Ran gasped, surprised.

"Hush. Naruto will decide on this matter. If he wishes to be trained by Jiraiya, then fine. If he wishes to stay with us, then better."

"But…"

"My decision is final! Understand?"

"Hai." They whispered dejectedly.

"Kenji-san?" The Hokage asked

"Hm."

"I must tell you… Team Seven will leave tomorrow, just before the sun rises, on a mission to the Wave country to escort a certain man named Tazuna-san."

"Oh?"

"Hai. Naruto had requested for a tougher mission and thus, they were given this assignment."

"Sou ka."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

//It was an eerie quiet. The hallways of the place felt cold even as Hinata wore three layers of clothing over her skin. Her tiny frame felt fear as the wind howled its anger against her weak flesh.

"Mama?Mama, where are you? I'm scared!"

The shadows of the room cornered her, embracing her in a loveless embrace. The moon gazed down at her, lighting the room enough to show her the one she sought for.

"Mother?"She weakly asked, her tiny body shaking as she fought off the sobs threatening to overtake her.

"Mother, why are you lying there? Mother, why did you leave me? Why did you have to die?"//

"Hush. It's only a dream, Hinata. Only a dream..." Hinata's mother murmured comfortingly, quietly brushing away Hinata's tears with the cloth in her hands.

Hiashi stared at his daughter and wife, wishing to comfort the child but unwilling to seem weak… "Hinata, it's only a dream. Hyuga's are not supposed to cry because of such trivial things." He whispered, closing his eyes in anger, towards himself and towards their family traditions. He closed the shoji doors of Hinata's room and walked away, towards the pavilion. Passing by Neji's room, he peeked inside. He frowned slightly upon noticing the prodigy's open window. Immediately he asked the younger boy. "Why are your windows open, Neji?"

"He watches over me. He keeps my dreams away…."

"Neji?"

"I'm no longer alone…" Neji whispered, making sure that his voice was low enough to be unheard by the older Hyuga.

To be continued…..

AN: Hope you like this…

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