Chapter 37 - Visit(6)

[You're quite smooth and effective.]

Naruto: "What do you mean?"

[The White Lightning. You managed to make great progress on your relationship with her in a single day. In human phrasing, you have gone through three bases of the four and you are very close to reaching home.]

Naruto: "What? What does that even mean?" 'There's a phrase for that??'

[...]

[...Nevermind. Congratulations regardless.]

Naruto: "For what? Being better friends?" Confusion can clearly be heard from the tone of his voice.

[...]

[...Sure.]

Naruto: "Cain. You're being weird today."

[Yes. I am the weird one.] Naruto felt a little off.

Naruto: "You okay?"

[...]

There was a team of three. Well, the girl was tied up and held hostage by a red-clothed man with a blade on the back of both hands while the other two teammates were trying to rescue her in a big rock dome. Reading about the Sharingan previously in the library, he noticed that one of the young men possessed them but only in the state of two tomoe. There was also this other person that Naruto felt was familiar.

He recognized that silver hair and he realized that it was that depressing Anbu he met a few days ago but way younger. Naruto already knew his true face as he saw a dream vision of a timeline where he was adopted by him but he never knew about his past. Perhaps finally he can learn what is causing his depression because he could never find the Anbu which meant that he wasn't close enough to use Aura Reading to read the event that caused his sadness. The bandage over the eye was a pretty good start for Naruto.

As the battle progressed and it became more dangerous, Naruto saw that teamwork helped them out in the fight and they won. Once they thought they won, they went to save the girl only to see that the enemy hasn't died after all. Then the enemy did a Jutsu that brought the whole place down on them which made Naruto facepalm and question why they didn't attack while he was talking. Hell, why didn't they attack while he was doing the seals for the Jutsu in the first place?

They started running to escape the location but then the silver-haired young man got hit with a rock on his head which made him fall to the ground. This led to the Uchiha going back to save his teammate and be crushed by a giant boulder in his place. Naruto started to respect the Uchiha who sacrificed himself for his comrade. Although he was a little skeptical on the escaping part as they ran quite slow even if they were a little exhausted from the fight. Both of the guys looked fine when they started running towards their teammate and the girl was sitting there the entire time in a Genjutsu so she was probably rested enough physically. He thought adrenaline would kick in anytime when they were trying to escape their death but not in this case. Shaking his head to clear the negative opinions, he saw the next scenes play out.

Seeing it, Naruto genuinely respected the Uchiha with no other negative feelings behind that respect. An Uchiha giving up their Sharingan was quite a sight to see and Naruto did feel that it was a pity that he died. At least his two comrades escaped. The vision then fast-forwarded until Naruto saw something that made him raise his eyebrows. A Chidori was going through the ċhėst of the girl teammate. The future Anbu then took it out and let her fall as he fell on his knee from the emotional damage he just took. Then the vision did a split-screen as it showed another person who Naruto recognized as the kind Uchiha and the Anbu having their eyes changed. They both took the same form and Naruto instantly thought of the Mangekyo.

Something white started covering the face of the Uchiha as the younger Anbu fainted. Naruto then heard the roar of the Uchiha as he dashed to the Shinobis with masks and started a bloody massacre. Walking through the pool of blood he created, the Uchiha disregarded his silver-haired teammate and went to the girl directly and picked her up in agony and sadness. Everything then ended.

Naruto: "What the hell was that!? Did that happen?"

[Yes.]

Naruto: "Can you explain?"

Naruto: "So he was alive..."

[Yes, but he was bȧrėly alive. He was using something to keep his life ongoing.]

Naruto: "Then what happened? I know Madara didn't just turn into a good guy."

[No. He intended to corrupt that Uchiha and he succeeded as you saw.]

Naruto: "So Madara showed the Uchiha that his comrade that he bestowed the Sharingan to and the girl he wanted him to protect was murdered by the person he gave his powers to."

[Yes.]

Naruto: "Interesting. I know Madara was cruel but wow." Naruto was more worried about his future now. "How did he do this?"

[Madara manipulated the Mist Village into forming the girl into the three tails Jinchuriki and then use her to either attack the Leaf or to let her go crazy and release the three tails in the Leaf unwillingly. She is not Uzumaki nor Senju. Her young body is not capable of handling that level of stress. Especially of a tailed beast under the control of Madara that has been ordered to escape from her and cause destruction.]

Naruto: "So I'm guessing she told the Anbu and the Anbu made the choice?"

Naruto: "She couldn't kill herself?"

[There was a seal on her heart that prevented her from killing herself.]

Naruto: "I'm guessing Madara did that too."

[Yes.]

Naruto: "...Amazing. I wish I could've met this girl myself. Someone willing to die for their home. Very respectable." Naruto then had a thought. "Wait. Then is he the Uchiha who unleashed the Nine-Tails?"

[Yes.]

Naruto: "..." Naruto looked at the face of the young Uchiha that was still on the screen. Blood was all around his face as his one eye showed the pain he was feeling. "I will kill him." He decided.

[Why?]

Naruto: "This bastard made me suffer indirectly and even if he was a chess piece for someone else, that is not enough for my forgiveness." Naruto closed his eyes. "I am not a kind man Cain. I know that I am weak. So very weak."

Naruto: "I can only see what happens to others and know what happened to my family without having the capability of doing anything to help either. Even all this training I'm doing might not even come into use."

[What is your point?] Naruto opened his eyes.

Naruto: "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong and I am not strong Cain. Even if I have strength, I will forever be a weak man."

[I see.] Silence took over the place where Naruto face. As the place disappeared, Naruto started to vanish from the dream location.

Waking up, Naruto felt like something was out of place. He looked down at his ċhėst area and he knew exactly what was wrong. The comforting feeling he felt last night was simply too pleasuring and it seemed that his entire being agreed with him on that aspect. Getting up from the bed reluctantly and doing his morning stretches, he decided to transform back to his original self.

Like always, Naruto did his morning routine like clockwork and decided to go out today. The plan was to leech as many mental attribute points as he can and enjoy himself at the Nara clan. Blue lightning coursed through his veins once more as he ran to his destination. Sometimes Naruto wondered if he will ever run out lightning one day. It always seemed never-ending and doesn't ever use chakra so he couldn't understand it. Maybe it's infinite due to him being a generator of this lightning. If that's so, then what will be the limit of his powers in the future? He put this question to the back of his head because he saw that he was already arriving where he wanted to go. Seeing Shikamaru heading out, he found his chance to go in.

Naruto: "Good Morning Shikamaru." he approached.

Shikamaru: "Hm?" He turned around. "Naruto? Where did you even come from?" Shikamaru was genuine confused. He was always an observant person but he knew for sure that he didn't see him around the area so where did Naruto come from.

Naruto: "I just walked here." Shikamaru knew it was a lie but Naruto's face and body showed no indication that he was lying and so he stopped caring.

Naruto: "I'm here to play board games with your father." Naruto responded.

Shikamaru: "Board games?" He asked. "Why?"

Naruto: "It was fun yesterday and he did say I could come again to play so here I am."

Shikamaru: "Oh." He yawned. "Well, he's having breakfast right now so you could go in." Naruto nodded.

Naruto: "Thank you."

Shikamaru: "It's not a big deal." He shrugged. "Hey. I wanted to ask you if you are okay after what happened yesterdary." said Shikamaru with a hint of worry in his tone.

Naruto: "I'm good." Naruto was inwardly surprised. Shikamaru looked at him for a second and then went back to embracing his lazy nature.

Shikamaru: "If you say so. Well, I'm gonna go now. See ya later."

Naruto: "You too."

Shikaku: "Well, I just finished my breakfast." He grinned at Naruto. "Ready to lose?" he grinned.

Naruto: "You don't know that." said Naruto as he let out a grin of his own back.

Shikaku: "Oh? Is that so?" he said in a happy tone. "You seem like you want to genuinely challenge me." Naruto felt uncomfortable at how Shikaku replied. He was way too happy to be dueling a small child. This made him question whether he liked challenges, his potential, or something else. It might even be a trap but he wanted to see how this would play out.

Naruto: "I'm feeling quite lucky today so yes, I guess do feel a little competitive."

Shikaku: "Great. Wanna bet something?"

Naruto: 'There it is. I knew something was going to happen. Wonder what kind of bet he is going to do with me?' "Sure. Why not?"

Shikaku: "Good. We'll play like yesterday until lunchtime. By that time, we should be able to play fifty games of shogi. The winner is the one who has 26 wins or higher and a tie would mean that everyone wins. Simple?"

Naruto: "Yeah. So what are we wagering?" Shikaku smiled.

Shikaku: "If I win, you have to join my family for lunch and dinner."

Naruto: 'That's it?' "...is that all?"

Shikaku: "Yes."

Naruto: "Then what if you lose?"

Shikaku: "Ask any request of me. As long as it is not a crime, I should be able to do it."

Naruto: "Oho. Got it. " 'Anything huh? I am quite intrigued by the Nara Clan's jutsu of shadow manipulation. Wonder if I can get my hands on it after today.'

Shikaku: "Seems like you're ready. Let's begin."