Chapter 45

He was no stranger to the bullying Naruto had been going through. Even he at some time back hated Naruto as well. Blaming a child on something he did not do; Thinking about it made him disgusted at himself. Not like he had a right to speak or anything. He had not really done anything to stop it after all. He shook his head and walk towards the gates with Naruto. Arriving there, he met Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, the two Jounin guardian gate keepers of Konoha.

Iruka enquired if Might Guy had left on a mission or had returned. If anyone would know then it would be these two. No one passed through the gates without their knowledge. They were like an extremely dumbed down version or Heimdall, the all-seeing, all-hearing Bifrost Bridge Protector.

Apparently, Guy had returned for a while. Iruka and Naruto thanked them before leaving. If he was back then Iruka wanted to check one more place before they went elsewhere. After walking a while, both arrived in front of a building. There was a large round green sign at the top that read "Jounin". Below that was another sign that read "Wondering to oneself" (Jimon Jito).

Iruka introduced this building as the Jounin building to Naruto and told him to behave once they entered. Upon entering, Naruto saw three people seated on a long red couch that surrounded a pillar with plants in the middle of the room. One had white standing hair with a mask that covered his face and his Konoha headband over his left eye.

'What a weird person' Naruto thought to himself. The other person looked normal enough with a cigarette in his mouth with his entire body smelling of smoke. Finally, the last person was a man with a bowl cut and large eyebrows. He wore a straight green spandex with his jacket over it. All the Jounin present had different reactions with seeing Naruto.

"Ah Guy-san. The person we were looking for. It is good we found you." Iruka looked delighted as he walked towards the man in the green spandex. He greeted the others before talking with Guy. Naruto who stood by the door could barely make out what they were talking about but he felt the Might Guy person looked weird as well.

Guy and Iruka walked towards Naruto. "Naruto, this is Might Guy, the man you wanted to find. Remember not to be rude, ok. I still have things to do at the academy so I will head back first ok." Naruto thanked Iruka sincerely before the man left.

"Young man, you want to speak to me?" Guy spoke with a radiant smile. Naruto looked around at the others present before asking if it was possible to speak with Guy alone, but wanted Guy to walk with him through the village towards a location, to which the man thought about for a bit before he consented.

Naruto wanted to take Guy to where he usually practiced, but he had a plan. He walked with Guy through the village, occasionally walking to a store or two before continuing their journey. Guy looking at this had a slight frown on his face, as he looked at the young Naruto.

Eventually they arrived at the spot Naruto usually practiced. There was a single log with rope tied around it in the middle of the field and a tree an old target tied to it.

"Please train me in taijutsu" Naruto bowed his head low and spoke to Guy. This made Guy frown a little.

He shook his head slightly and asked, "I assume you are in the academy? If so then there would be no need to be hasty. Once you graduate, you would have plenty of time to get stronger and..."

"I might not survive till then." Naruto cut him off before he could say anything and continued, "I am sure Guy-san has seen it. The looks the villagers have been giving me. In the stores, on the streets. No one would sell me real food and the only food I can get is ramen. How can a growing boy survive on just ramen?" He chocked slightly as his voice began to croak. He had thought long and hard and finally decided it would be quicker if he played on the conscience of the person before him; If the man was just like the rest and did not care, then he would find a different avenue to get stronger. Maybe this time he would find a way to truly leave without being stopped.

However, Naruto did not think that playing on someone else's conscience would end up opening something that had been buried deep for so long. "I have been starved and beaten and cut every day for as long as I can remember. I heal. That is great for them, right? They can now cut away till they are satisfied, right? I am just a kid. What have I done to deserve this? Because they say I am a fox? Why are they so sure? Even still, how is that my fault? It hurts. Everything hurts." At this point, Naruto was already on his knees, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably. After eight or nine years, Naruto finally broke down. He had kept them bottled deep inside so much. It had eaten him inside for so long.

Guy stood as his body shook. He could not believe his ears. Yes, he had seen the looks the child received. He already knew what the child was; the S-rank secret. Yet he did not know he was being treated to this extent. He did not understand; He should have been considered an S-rank secret and yet why did civilians in the village know? Why did the S-rank secret himself know? To see the child breakdown like that in front of him made him feel a sadness and rage inside.

"I even tried to run away from this place. If no one wants me then let me leave, but I was dragged back from the gates without being able to resist. Why? Why? If no one wants me then why would you bring me back? So that I could be beaten some more? Why so cruel to me?! I am just a kid! Why?!" Tears flowed like a broken dam. He did not care anymore. He had stayed strong for too long. He may have cried due to the pain inflicted on him, saddened from being shunned, but today he finally broke down.

As he knelt there crying, he felt an arm wrap around him. Guy could not take it anymore as well. Tears rolling down his face as well, his body still shaking; Maybe from the sadness, or from rage. He did not know at that moment. Naruto had never been hugged for as long as he could remember. He could feel the strong arms wrapped around him and It felt warm, safe, comforting. "No one will hurt you anymore." Guy whispered the words to Naruto. Words he never imagined hearing. He finally let everything go and cried to his heart's content in the embrace of Guy.

Standing on a tree branch a few distance away was the white-haired ninja with his headband covering his left eye; Hatake Kakashi. He had followed to find out what the kid wanted. This was his sensei's son. Of course, he knew. But why had things turned out so differently? He had occasionally watched Naruto from the shadows but not interfered, especially when he had been able to ward off a few bullies his age by himself, so why? He had seen him okay with Iruka, so how? Why didn't the Anbu agents watching him stop those things from happening when they saw? His sensei was gone, and Naruto was all that was left as a reminder. Naruto was supposed to be kept as a secret to protect him from his sensei's enemies; So why? Why, instead of his father's enemies was he being treated worse in the village?

His body was shaking as he began to release killing intent. It was directed at the village, the Anbu, the Third, and most of all, at himself. The final thoughts deflated him. His fury burning as he could barely control himself. He turned around and left. He wanted to go to the Third, he demanded answers.

After Naruto finally cried himself exhausted, he fell asleep. Guy picked him up and took him to his place before leaving. He too wanted answers from the Third.

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400 stones = 2 chapter

600 stones = 3 chapters

1000 stones = 5 chapters.

current reached = 1030

Chapters owed = 4/5