Chapter 20

Now regarding our initial problem, for two years we face the problem of aura exhaustion, during training. Whenever we train or spar with each other, things always gets bloody. The healing protection takes to much aura and we want to conserve our aura as much as we can or else it could kill us before our enemies could. Besides, if anybody saw how we spar, it was like seeing two sworn enemies fighting to the death.

We spar like we were trying to kill each other. It's not that we hate each other. It is that, by fighting like our life depends on it, it makes is tougher, faster, stronger and more importantly merciless, also it strengthens our bond as brothers.

This world is very cruel. So, you show no mercy to your enemies, for they will show you none. That is why during our sparring session, we give our all, fight with everything we got.

Currently we are at the kitchen, in our pit. The room was a fairly large room, with lots of shelves filled with food. We have a very huge appetite, due to the very high demand of nutrients our body needs to heal our wounds. So food is a must for us.

We were sitting on the floor as it was much more comfortable than sitting on a chair. We were both in deep thoughts, regarding our problems.

" First brother, came up with something yet? Kuromaru asked me

" Nope."

Kuromaru just sighed in defeat, " This is so hard!"

" Well who said it's going to be easy."

"I just wished it was as easy as moulding chakra."

"Yeah, me too. I wish that-" I stopped at what Kuromaru just said.

"What did you just say?"

" Um... that I wished that would be as easy as moulding chakra?

We have been searching for an answer for two fucking years and Kuromaru just found the answer just like that.

"Second brother, you're a genius!!!" I was so happy that I had to hug him. But Kuromaru had no idea what was going on, since I was suffocating him with my hug.

I sat cross-legged on the floor and started to empty my mind. I focused on drawing my aura, but now comes the real problem. Releasing aura and letting it cover my body does not require any effort, but using any of the protections will start to either use our nutrients or our stamina.

My entire body was enveloped in my bloody red aura, then I tried to control it. For the past two years of training with aura, we know that aura is emitted from our body, it is gaseous by nature and it will dissapear after five seconds. But trying to control it was as difficult as catching the wind.

Sometimes, I questioned many times, that why my aura is bloody red and Kuromaru's is dark blue. But that question had to wait.

After an hour of tedious effort to control my aura to move to my hands, I already began to have a headache; It was sooo fucking difficult.

All the aura that had covered my entire body, was currently at my right hand. I must say it looked cool, as if my hand was holding onto fire.

Well it's time to test if Kuromaru's theory was right.

I took a kunai and gave a small cut on my right hand. In an instant, it got healed!!!

Well it works and I didn't fell any of my nutrients getting devoured in healing my small cut.

" ALRIGHT!!! WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS HERE!!!"

Tonight was an epic night, but I got to go to get some shut eye, because I have an important job tomorrow.

( Next morning )

The sun was shining brightly today, the birds were singing their melodious songs and I am at the gates outside the Hyuga compound.

My job today is to drop Neji at the Ninja Academy. Hizashi and his wife were going outside the Village for some buisness stuff early, so I have to do the honour to drop and pick up Neji from the Academy.

I didn't have to wait that long, as Neji came out of the compound with a school bag on his back.

"So you're ready?" I asked Neji.

"You bet I am!"

"Naruto-kun" came an angelic voice. I turned to see Hinata walking towards us. She was hiding something behind her and a blush was on her face.

"G-Good morning Naruto-kun!" She squeaked.

Now this was wierd, the last time she ever stutter infront of me was when I teased her too much and I got a slap on the face by a red faced Hinata.

"What are you hiding from me?" I teased her.

Hinata blushed even harder. I chuckled at the sight, "Please stop teasing me!" She pouted.

"Alright... So what is it?"

"I made a bento for you." She brought a bento box infront of me, her eyes closed avoiding eye contact with me.

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!!! is this really happening. I GOT A BENTO FROM HINATA-CHAN!!!

I placed both my hands on the bento box, " Hinata-chan..." I called her. She timidly opened her eyes looking at my face and a bright happy smile was adorned on my face.

" Aniki you know she spent the entire morning making this for you." Neji said, earning another blush from Hinata. " Aunty even offered to help her, but she was persistent, saying that she will do it all by herself."

" You did this... all for me?" I asked her, she just shyly nodded.

I softly grabbed her hands, my smile still present on my face. " Thank you."

"So-So you like it?" Hinata shyly asked me.

"Like it? I love it." I gave her a content smile. She even smiled at me. Today was a great day, Hinata's smile was so bring that the background seemed to turn white, Sakura leaves began to fall? What!!!? there were no Sakura trees nearby. Nah! who cares. Then I began to hear Angels singing??? The fuck? but how is that possible. Nah! who cares, then I heard the ringing of bells??? This is getting really wierd, but who cares.

Unknown to us love birds, Neji was shocked at the sight that burned into his eyes. Infront of him and everything around him turned white, and amidst this white location, were me and Hinata holding hands, smiling lovingly. Sakura leaves began to fall, Angels appeared and began to sing and joyous ringing of bells was heard.

"This is definitely a genjutsu!" Neji exclaimed, " I got to dispel it!" he immediately formed a Ram seal, "Kai!" It didn't work. "Kai!" it didn't work again, " Kai! Kai! Kai!..." No matter how much he tried, the scene he believed to be a genjutsu didn't dissapear. The scene was too beautiful that he had to cover his eyes.

Later we had to leave to drop Neji to the Academy. I offered my hand to him, to which he looked at me with a dumb look.

"What? I thought you would like to hold hands."

"Aniki, we are men and men don't hold hands."

Wow...just wow... well let's move on.

We arrived at the Academy, it was not far from the Hokage tower actually. All the kids were at the hall, the parents along with me were standing at the sides.

The Hokage was also present and was giving the young ninja aspirants a motivational speech, but I was not interested in such speeches. I noticed that Arata was also present, so I went to his.

"Sup Arata." I waved at him.

" Fancy seeing you here. So where is Neji?"

I pointed at the group of children, particularly to a long brown haired boy, who was Neji, standing in attention listening attentively at the Hokage's speech.

" Isn't that the demon, who allowed him to enter here." I could hear people around me whispering bad things about me.

"What is Hokage-sama even doing? Allowing this filth to even exist."

"I wonder which filthy whore even gave birth to him."

"Why don't he just die? Nobody would even care if he died."

I had enough of this, I better get away from this place before I kill anybody in this room.

Arata noticed me leaving. "Hey! you leaving already?"

" This place disgust me." I said with no emotions and I left the hall.

I managed to remove all the negative emotions during my training, which was a good thing.

Now was the moment I had waited for, it was lunch time. We sat at a wooden log and Kuromaru was devouring his own lunch, I took out the bento Hinata made for me. It had three compartments, the first contained rice, the second contained food which I even don't know but still looked delicious, and third was chicken.

I was practically drooling at my lunch, it looked and smells delicious, now all I have to do is to eat it. I picked up my chopsticks and...

"First brother, did Hinata-san made you that? can I taste that chicken it looks delicio-" Kuromaru was pointing at the chicken with his front leg approaching at the bento box.

SLAM!!!

Without any warning, I slammed my chopsticks at the log, and was about two inches away from impaling Kuromaru's leg. Like hell I'm sharing!!! Hinata made it for me and only for me. She didn't even said that I have to share it with anyone.

" This." I pointed at the bento boxes, "Mine." I looked at him with eyes that showed that I am serious.

"R-Right." Kuromaru said awkwardly, pulling his hand away from the bento boxes.

I began to eat my lunch and it was as so delicious. I consider myself as a good cook, but this lunch was just divine, it was so obvious that she poured all of her love in this meal and I love it!!!

Evening came, and I had to pick up Neji from the Academy.

"There he is! Aniki! over here!" Neji waved at me. He looked happy, but I was not.

" Why is this guy here?" asked a very irritating brown haired girl, who was named Tenten. I guess she was still mad at me.

I don't have time for this shit. I have more important stuff to do. We then left the Academy, I was walking in silence, the two children were chatting happily, totally ignoring me.

We finally reached the Ninja Store or to be precise, Tenten's house. Arata was at the counter, counting money.

"Welcome my dear custom- Oh, it's just you."

"Well, see you later, future Tsunade-sama." I said sarcastically.

" Is that sarcasm I hear ?" Tenten asked me with an irritated voice.

"That's one big word coming from a six year old. And yes, it was sarcasm."

" Why you!!!"

" Naruto-san, if you are dropping Neji to the Academy tomorrow do you mind picking up Tenten as well ?" Arata said with that shameless smile on his face.

"HELL NO!!!"

( At the memorial stone )

A lone figure was standing at the memorial stone like a statue, staring at the names engraved on it, particularly on three of them. He had a gravity defying white hair, and his forehead protector covered his left eye like an eye patch.

He gave a tired sigh, " Well things are never quiet with him around." his voice sounded cheerful.

" My rival how is your day, still blaming yourself I see."

" Guy I heard you are planning to take in an apprentice."

" And I already found him, he have such a youthful passion, even when he is not capable of using ninjutsu, he doesn't give up. That is the power of youth!"

"Ah, I see."

"I will show him the path to greatness, his youthful passion will burn as bright as the sun!!! And if not, I'll run 500 rounds around the village with my hands."

" Well good luck with that. "

" I don't need luck, I have the power of youth by my side."