Bearing Scars of Battle 2

As they listened to Aqua's somber words, Ai, Ruby, and Akane felt a deep sense of sorrow wash over them. It was painful to witness the toll that their loved ones' lives as soldiers had taken on them.

Naruto, sitting next to his son, nodded in understanding. He glanced at Aqua and said, "You know, Aqua, your journey really reminds me of my own youth."

Aqua turned to look at his father, a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. "How so, Dad?"

Naruto shared a rare smile, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "Well, back in the day, I was just like you—determined, fearless, and ready to take on any challenge. It's that spirit that makes soldiers like us who we are. But along the way, we lose something important."

Naruto's gaze drifted to Ai, the woman he once loved deeply, then to Ruby, his daughter, and finally to Akane, the girl who had entered their lives.

He continued, "We lose the ability to hold on to the things that truly matter, like love, happiness, and relationships. We become consumed by our duties, thinking that we're protecting others, but often, we forget to protect ourselves."

The weight of Naruto's words hung in the air, and the room fell silent. The girls, realizing the sacrifice their loved ones had made for the greater good, couldn't help but feel a mixture of admiration and sadness for the soldiers in their lives.

Kota looked at his father, Naruto, with a determined expression. "Dad, I refuse to believe that it's too late to make things right. No matter how messed up the past may be, we still have a future together as a family."

Naruto's stern facade softened just a bit as he listened to his son. He couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope in Kota's words. "Kota, you've always been the one who sees the best in people. I admire that about you."

Kota smiled at his father's acknowledgment but then Naruto's gaze turned more serious as he continued, "You're not fully consumed by darkness, Kota. I can see the love in your eyes for your mother, your sister, and especially for Kana. You love her, right, Kota?"

Kota nodded, his affection for Kana evident in his eyes and the way he spoke. "Yes, Dad, I love her."

Naruto leaned closer to Kota, their eyes locked in a profound moment. "Then, Kota, promise me that you'll protect yourself from becoming like me and Aqua. This zombie madness has twisted us, and I don't want the same fate for you."

Aqua chimed in, his voice filled with concern. "Kota, listen to our father. Save yourself from this darkness, and don't let it consume you like it did to us."

Kota nodded, understanding the weight of his father and brother's words. The room was filled with a palpable sense of hope and determination, as they all realized the importance of preserving their bonds as a family in the face of adversity.

The girls, Ai, Ruby, Akane, Kana, and Shikimori, had been quietly listening to the heartfelt conversation between Naruto, Aqua, and Kota. The words exchanged had left a deep impact on them, and they could sense the pain and regret in Naruto and Aqua's voices.

Ai was the first to speak up, her voice trembling with emotion. "Naruto, Aqua, you both may have lost your way, but you're still our family. We can't just give up on you. We have to find a way to bring you back from this darkness."

Ruby, Aqua's sister, nodded in agreement, tears glistening in her eyes. "You're right, Mom. We can't abandon them. They're our family, and family sticks together, no matter what."

Akane, who loved Aqua, added with determination, "I won't let this darkness consume Aqua. We'll find a way to save him, and Naruto too. We can't lose hope."

Kana, who had feelings for Kota, chimed in, "I won't let Kota turn into something he's not. We'll bring him back to us, just like the family he is."

Shikimori, the youngest among them, looked up at the others and said with conviction, "I don't want anyone to be lost to this darkness. We'll find a way to save them, together."

Naruto's voice was heavy with pain and regret as he continued to speak, addressing Ai with somber conviction. "Ai, it's because you believed those fakers who betrayed us. When you left and filed for a divorce, it crushed me. But that was nothing compared to what Aqua went through."

Aqua, still bearing the visible wounds of his battles, looked at his mother with a mix of sorrow and reluctance. He had kept this secret for years, even from his closest family members, and now he was faced with sharing the painful truth.

Kota, worried for his older brother, urged him, "Aqua, please tell us. We need to know."

Akane's tearful eyes pleaded with him, "We're here for you. Just tell us what happened."

Naruto took a deep breath before revealing the long-buried secret that had haunted Aqua for so many years. "There was a mission, Aqua was with his comrade named Alen. But Alen was a double agent, working for Umbrella Corporation. He betrayed Aqua, left him in the middle of a horde of zombies that no one could count. It was a suicide mission."

Aqua's eyes darkened as he recalled that fateful day, the pain etched across his face. "I fought them with a broken arm, two bullets in my shoulders. I was left for dead. It was the day that changed me, the day I became like father."

Silence hung heavily in the room, the weight of the revelation sinking in. The girls, Ai, Ruby, Akane, Kana, and Shikimori, could hardly fathom the horrors Aqua had endured in silence, protecting them from the truth.

Naruto continued, his voice tinged with remorse, "I couldn't protect my son from that darkness, but I won't let you fall into it too, Kota."

Aqua's eyes bore into his brother's with a plea, "Save yourself from this darkness, Kota."

The room was filled with the heavy truth, and the resolve to rescue Aqua and Naruto from the shadows grew stronger among the family members, who had just learned about the painful secrets that had shaped their loved ones.