Chapter-4

"Damn brat!" Using his remaining hand, he attempted to crush the shinobi who refused to stay still. Swiftly, the shinobi leaped into action, reaching the giant's arm and dashing along it until he reached the giant's face. In an instant, the giant's head was separated from his body.

Everyone present was left in shock by the gruesome scene that had just unfolded. A Class B villain had been brutally slain, and the massive body, whose grip had produced a dull thud, lay lifeless. Blood began to spread across the area. Nearby, the blonde shinobi calmly sheathed his sword and secured it in his backpack. Within moments, something or someone landed on the shattered pavement.

With a solemn expression, the teenager raised his gaze to see the newly arrived individual. This tall figure had blonde hair, featuring two prominent strands that resembled horns. His eyes were dark, with only the blue pupils shining brightly. He wore a blue suit adorned with white and red markings. Without a word, the blonde teenager stared unwaveringly at All Might, who had apparently arrived just in the nick of time.

"You'd better do this the hard way... or..." His eyes flashed menacingly as the ground beneath him cracked slightly, and his muscles showed a subtle increase. "It will be the hard way..." With these words, he locked eyes with the teenager, who displayed no fear, hesitation, or remorse for taking a life and now standing before one of the world's mightiest heroes.

Slowly, the blonde reached for his sword, taking a moment to survey his surroundings. His attention, however, remained fixed on the girl who, aside from rushing to her father and embracing him tightly while shedding tears of happiness, turned her gaze toward the number one hero. He carefully removed the sword from its sheath and placed it on the ground before raising his hands in surrender.

Somewhere beneath the city, in an underground concrete room, Naruto sat in the center of the space. He occupied a metal chair, his hands and wrists encased in substantial, pure steel handcuffs. With an empty expression, he stared ahead at a glass window.

He was aware that people were observing from behind that glass. He had been in this place for an hour and thirty minutes. Letting out a solitary sigh, he muttered under his breath, "You know, I'm surprised..." The teenager displayed no shock when, seated at the table opposite him, the Kitsune of the Nine Tails made an appearance this time. She was attired in a dark kimono, seemingly on a whim. "Someone like you coming to the rescue of a kid... Is that stone heart of yours softening?" she taunted as she hopped off the table to inspect her surroundings. In this spiritual form, she could only be perceived by her jinchuriki.

"..." The blonde didn't dignify her with a response, simply continuing to gaze at the floor while awaiting someone to arrive and inform him of his fate. The notion of prison was the foremost thought in his mind. Interrupting his thoughts, he felt the redhead position herself behind him, encircling her arms around his neck.

"Does Uzumaki Naruto believe he can find redemption..." He smiled darkly, resting his cheek against the jinchuriki's, "Do you think that saving children and rescuing cats from trees will erase all that you've done? My dear Naruto-kun... your hands are stained, and we both know those stains never fade, no matter what we do. Humans have this notion that all their actions can be forgiven or that they can find redemption through good deeds..." Without releasing his hold on Naruto, he tightened his grip slightly, "Human sentimentality at its core. They believe that everything will be fine in the end, even when they know that a dark and sorrowful destiny awaits them." He spoke calmly as he gradually increased the pressure of his grip on the Uzumaki.

"Long..." was the whispered response of the shinobi, who only wished for the Nine-Tailed Beast to vanish. The beast indeed disappeared as if it had never existed. Simultaneously, the room's door swung open, revealing All Might.

"I've just arrived, young Uzumaki, but I'm already leaving," the imposing hero calmly pulled out a chair and sat across from the shinobi, who kept his gaze down. The hero donned a yellow formal suit and held a briefcase. The sixth user of One For All opened the briefcase, removed some files, and placed them on the table.

Naruto looked up at the files on the table, then back at the older blonde. "What awaits me now?" he asked calmly, breaking the heavy silence. In response to his question, the hero sighed and opened one of the files.

"You're facing several charges," he explained seriously, his hands folded as he looked at the teenager, whose expression remained impassive. "You're not only guilty of first-degree murder but also forgery. You aren't registered anywhere, not even a birth certificate with your name on it."

"And does that matter now?" he asked calmly, maintaining his composure.

"No, that doesn't matter at this moment. However, for taking a life, you're looking at a minimum of 30 years to life in prison, which could be reduced since you're still a minor," the number one hero responded quickly.

"In the eyes of the authorities, I killed a man. But from my perspective, I stopped a desperate man from harming a girl, and I couldn't stand by and let that happen," he sighed, glancing at the table for a moment before returning his gaze to the hero. "I don't care about the rules imposed by this society. I have my own code, and one of its principles is protecting children from harm," he said seriously, locking eyes with the hero who remained silent.

"While I may not agree with your methods, I must express gratitude for what you've done; you saved those people," the hero acknowledged. However, his expression turned more serious. "But that doesn't absolve you of what you've done. That's why I fear you should face justice." He packed away all the files into his briefcase, then looked back at the shinobi, who raised an eyebrow in response.

"So, you expect me to go along without resistance?" The blonde raised his hands to show they were free from handcuffs, which fell to the ground with a dull thud. "I'm sorry, All Might, but I won't be going to jail." He stood up, mirroring the hero's posture, and a tense atmosphere enveloped the two blondes, their gazes filled with defiance.