Naruto Uzumaki's sorrow and frustration stemmed from the same source: resistance against the unfair treatment he faced.
No matter what, as long as his goal remained steadfast, that was enough.
Naruto knew that, no matter what, Uchiha Izumi would be by his side.
"Sis Izumi, no matter what happens…"
"You won't ever leave me, right?"
Naruto looked at Izumi, not with uncertainty this time.
His tone was firm, a statement rather than a question, because Izumi was the first person to truly make him feel warmth.
"Of course, Naruto."
Izumi smiled softly, nodding.
But Naruto didn't notice the brief flicker in her eyes.
[Looks like the night of the clan massacre is almost here.]
[More Anbu are watching Naruto, and the conflict between the Leaf and the Uchiha is escalating.]
In Naruto's subconscious, Chu Ran sensed several new presences around them.
His expression grew grave. The more Naruto cared for Izumi, the greater the pain her death would inflict.
Whoever caused it would become the target of his hatred.
The one who killed Izumi would also earn his loathing.
But a problem nagged at Chu Ran: how to get Naruto past the Anbu.
Witnessing a loved one's death firsthand versus hearing about it were vastly different experiences. If a storm was coming, Chu Ran wouldn't let Naruto hide safely from it.
He wanted Naruto to face the tempest head-on, to make it rage even fiercer.
[This is tricky. Getting Naruto to the Uchiha clan on the night of the massacre is no small feat.]
Chu Ran leaned against the bed's edge, watching Naruto's smiling face, lost in thought.
Even just hearing of Izumi's death would devastate Naruto.
But for Chu Ran, that wasn't enough.
…
Elsewhere, Izumi had returned alone to the Uchiha clan compound.
As she neared home, a figure stepped out from the shadows.
It was none other than Sasuke Uchiha's father, Fugaku Uchiha.
"Clan Leader."
Izumi froze, dropping to one knee in respect.
Though the Uchiha lacked the rigid hierarchy of the Hyuga clan, non-core members like her were expected to show deference to the clan leader.
"Be cautious with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."
"More Anbu are around him. If the time comes to act, you must bring him to the Uchiha clan swiftly, no matter the cost."
Fugaku's face hardened with resolve.
His words carried an undeniable authority, making Izumi tremble.
They were ninja, and ninja obeyed orders.
Duty outweighed personal life, a principle Izumi held as well.
"Rest assured, Clan Leader. The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki trusts me completely."
"There won't be any issues."
Izumi kept her head bowed, her eyes dimming with sorrow.
Even Chu Ran hadn't anticipated that Izumi's closeness to Naruto was due to Fugaku's orders.
If their first meeting was a chance encounter, at some point, her approach became deliberate.
"The village is watching us closely. We can't miss any opportunity."
"Go home and be careful."
Fugaku nodded and left.
As clan leader, his priority was the Uchiha's survival.
It might be despicable, but if the clan could endure, it was worth it.
Forcing a Uchiha to abduct Naruto would draw Anbu attention.
But if Naruto came to the Uchiha clan willingly, or was brought by someone he trusted, it would simplify things. The Anbu might not interfere.
If the Uchiha could control the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, even if they couldn't defeat the Leaf Village, they'd gain a bargaining chip. Since the Fourth Hokage's sacrifice, tensions between the Uchiha and the village had only grown. Fugaku saw no other way.
"Yes!"
Izumi responded, vanishing with a Body Flicker Technique.
When she reappeared, she was at her doorstep.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. She saw Naruto as a little brother.
But she had her reasons for complying.
If the Leaf targeted the Uchiha, they wouldn't merely make an example of them.
The unity of the Leaf's noble clans was stronger than outsiders realized. If the Uchiha rebelled, no one would be spared.
Not her, nor her mother.
"I'm sorry, Naruto."
Izumi wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her gaze hardening.
…
A week later, Naruto hadn't seen Izumi for an entire week.
For some reason, the Hidden Leaf Village felt eerily quiet.
The usual bustle of the streets was gone. Shops closed as soon as the sun set.
Naruto's pockets were nearly empty.
Fishing by the lake today, he'd had an unusually good haul.
He returned home with a basket of fish.
Since Izumi's cooking was admittedly terrible, Naruto had learned simple fish recipes from the Leaf Library.
After cleaning fresh fish, he pan-fried two, pairing them with a big bowl of white rice.
This was Naruto's solitary dinner, quickly devoured.
Burp!
After a satisfied belch, Naruto lay on his bed.
He pulled out a kunai, practicing carving Flying Thunder God seals onto it.
Since the Scroll of Seals incident, he'd dedicated time daily to this.
Though he hadn't succeeded, he'd made some progress.
"I wonder what Sis Izumi's doing right now."
(End of Chapter)