Each of the Anbu, spared each-other a glance before they decided to simply cut their losses and leave.
Naruto lowered his blade and spared a glance at the woman slung under his shoulder before he set her down on the floor. She lay on her back as Naruto placed his hand over her chest. He closed his eyes and focused for a moment.
This was one of the few medical techniques that he knew, he usually just used it to preserve the life of a prisoner. He realized with some small sense of irony that this was the first time he would use it to save a life just for the sake of saving it.
He sent a jolt through her system, trying to jump start her heart again. He sensed no change in her pulse, so he did it again. Again nothing. He did it a third time and heard her pulse.
He listened for a moment and heard her breathing. It was shallow and unsteady, if she was to survive then he had to get her to the medics.
With this thought in mind Naruto sheathed his blade, picked her up and rushed back to camp.
It was several hours later that the demon of Konoha found himself waiting infront of a medic tent, where they were currently treating the woman he had saved. He didn't even know why he saved her. Was it curiosity? Was it because, her death would have been a waste? He didn't know really, but he had saved her, and yet…as he continued o replay the events over and over in his mind a dull ache grew in his chest.
The tent parted revealing one of the Kiri medics as she wiped her brow. "She'll be fine. But will have to stay in bed for several weeks before she can do any strenuous action."
Naruto nodded. "Very well. Inform me when she wakes." The woman nodded and bowed before she went to her other duties.
Naruto looked to the setting sun. It dull orange hue setting the sky ablaze with its light. He turned and left, he needed to think.
Kakashi looked over the battlefield. Many ninja lay dead or dying, some groaning in pain while others cried in agony.
A relief force had arrived, earlier, they were meant to be used as back up incase things went wrong but now they were in charge of mop up.
The Kiri ninja walked around, trying to find survivors from either side, various cries calling for medics could also be heard among the chaos.
He sighed. "This is war." He mumbled to himself as he rubbed his covered Sharingan. "I had almost forgotten what it was like." He muttered as he looked to the sky. "I guess I'll have plenty of time to get used to it again."
He sighed again as he turned to leave. But stopped as he caught sight of Naruto, walking among the bodies as he too surveyed the battleground.
He stared curiously as Naruto just walked past and entered the forest, seemingly unfazed by the gruesome display before him. He sighed and looked to the setting sun. 'Minato-sensei…I wonder…what you would do?'
Naruto stopped at the edge of the clearing. Hidetada lay there, in the same place as before. His blood pooled around him coating the grass a deep shade of brown.
He walked over to him and simply stared at his still form. The ache in his chest grew almost uncomfortably. He placed a hand over his chest and wondered what it was.
"It is called guilt Naruto-sama."
Naruto turned to the voice and found the Aburame clan head as he emerged from the forest. The blond was only slightly surprised at his presence there. But then his words caught up to him. "Guilt you say? And just why should I feel guilty over his death Shibi?" He questioned. His voice a slow bored drawl. "Leaving both him and Ginchiko alive was simply too dangerous. I did what I had to do."
Shibi adjusted his glasses and nodded. "Yes you did Naruto-sama. You did everything that you were supposed to do. But…you still feel guilty and naturally so.
"Naturally so?" The blond questioned.
Shibi walked around the clearing, his hands clasped behind him. "Naruto-sama…you are a person that has dealt death…your hands are stained with blood and much of it…but you do not understand it…" He paused as he turned to look at the boy. "Today, you witnessed what death truly is. You saw her suffering, not just the fear, or the anger you have normally witnessed but her true suffering."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "I suggest Shibi, that you keep your insects off of me." He warned quickly deducing the source of the man's knowledge.
"Did you know." Shibi ignored him as he continued speaking. "That after the great Shinobi war, Sarutobi and Yondaime-sama were in the perfect position, to take full control of Iwa? Do you know why they did not seize that opportunity?"
Naruto said nothing as he listened.
"Because, neither of them wished to bear the weight of that guilt. Conquering Iwa would only bring destruction, it would only bring more sorrow and neither of them wanted to bear that burden." He paused as he turned to face the blond. "You merely feel the beginning of that burden. Are you sure you wish to shoulder this thing that will undoubtedly become only all the greater? Even to one such as yourself, with this undertaking Naruto-sama?
Naruto listened, and thought over what was just said to him he squared his shoulders as he formed his hand seals.
"Katon Gokakyu" He whispered before he breathed a stream of flame, incinerating the Kiri jounin. He stared at the flames for a long while, listening to the cracks and losing himself in their glow.
He looked to the Aburame clan head. "This is a land at war, a world where demons fight…if I must become a demon to end the chaos. Then a demon is what I swear to be and I will shoulder whatever burden that comes with it." He spoke with determination before he turned and left.
'If I must…then I alone…will shoulder the sorrow.'
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