Naruto - The Next Generation Ch15

Ch15. No matter where you are… (Hinata's rescue Pt.1)

As every available ninja gathered at the main gate of Konoha, whispers filled the ears of villagers. Concern waved through the air. Hiashi's movement and the lack of Naruto's presence had everyone worried of his safety. They all wondered where he was, what had happened to him. Even doubt of his survival against Hiashi began to surface. No one knew what was going on, and with no sign of Hinata or Hana, the villagers looked grim.

The sea of villagers and ninja parted to make way for the Hyuuga head. What had everyone so anxious was the look Hiashi had on his face. Hiashi had only ordered for everyone to meet at the main gate. He didn't mention why, as he told people to tell as many people as they could. The word spread quickly- followed by rumours. Naruto's elongated absence even had almost all the ninjas and villagers worried. As the hopelessness Hiashi felt lingered, his hope in Naruto formed.

In one swift movement the Hyuuga swung the specialised kunai straight up. It made a 'Thunk!' sound at the top of the gate's arch, penetrating the wood and activating the jutsu placed on it. The villagers and ninjas alike stared at the kunai. Hiashi's abruptly violent movement intensified everyone's nerves. The seal on the kunai crackled with chakra and a flash appeared, momentarily blinding those that stared too closely. Appearing from the flash was their Hokage, wrapped in Kurama's form. Landing at the gate entrance stood Naruto. His body had completely healed. The black lines on the chakra cloak, bold and flaring. As he stood, looking over as everyone that had gathered he felt as ninjas and villagers breathed a collective sigh of relief. Naruto's expression was dead serious.
"I have done like you instructed, Hokage-sama" Hiashi tipped his head. His action resting everyone's nerves.
"Thank-you, Hiashi." Naruto acknowledged the man and looked up to the crowd.
"Everyone! Thank-you for coming on such short notice. I am sure many of you are busy with duties or other missions, however…" A pang hit Naruto's heart. He didn't want to admit he had let her get hurt.
"A... A valuable ninja of the village has been kidnapped. I fear that this could lead to great danger for the village."
"Who was kidnapped?.." Asked a villager, concern on her face.

Naruto looked solemnly as he recalled the times he had let Hinata down. She had always protected him. How much difficulties she had faced. He wished he could have helped her more. He remembered how she was kidnapped as a child because of her much sought out Byakugan eyes. For all he knew, she had been kidnapped for the very same reason. A part of him hoped that was the reason. The only other alternative was that she was taken to hurt him. The best way to hurt someone is to endanger someone they care about.

"Hinata Hyuuga." Naruto's heart ached at the thought it was his fault.
"She was taken… And now I need your help to find her." Naruto clenched his hand into a fist.
"So… Please… Everyone!" Naruto's fist shook as he clenched his fingers tighter.
"…Help me." His voice shook and wavered. He hadn't even noticed the tears that fell.
For a brief moment Hiashi understood why Hinata loved him. His unrestrained kindness and will to never give up, to save his loved ones at the cost of his life was relentless. And in that moment, Hiashi felt how hurt Naruto was. That someone so strong was begging for help. It moved Hiashi in a way that he had never realised.

It began as one cheer.
"Of course we'll help!"
From there it grew, until not one person amongst the crowd was felt not cheering to help.
A smile grew on Naruto's face as he felt the cheering of the crowd give him strength. He grinned with tears still falling, not from fear or guilt, but happiness that so many encouraged him. It warmed his heart.

***

With teams of five ninja's, small platoons made with one tracking ninja, a tactician, a medic and two ninjas that specialise in attack. The medic among the ninja's carried one of Naruto's kunai. Should they run into trouble or find Hinata, the medic was to activate the kunai by jamming it against a tree. Naruto would arrive within a few seconds of activation.

A total of 14 teams were sent out, Naruto included. Some ninja's had insisted on him staying back to wait, but Naruto being Naruto would not sit back and wait while the other ninja's were out looking for Hinata. Naruto had made his own team, consisting of Sakura for medical support, Sasuke that had insisted on joining and Kiba, whom despite Naruto still holding a grudge, knew was the best tracker.

As they travelled Naruto wondered that if someone where stupid enough to capture someone from the hidden leaf village, let alone a ninja of a prestigious clan, they must be smart enough to realise it's a stupid idea unless you have traps and diversions set in place. At which, Naruto unsurprisingly found he was right. The kidnappers trail was spread out and branched off in different directions. Only three teams had needed help. Once he appeared the teams were rushed off. At the sites Naruto found accomplices of the kidnapper that, once threatened; were cowardly and gave up the minimal information they knew.

***

As Naruto pinned a ninja by his throat to the trunk of a tree, he snarled. The ninja's forehead sweated underneath his mask, obscuring most of his face. He felt the malice that Naruto emanated and it scared him. Just the look in his eyes seemed unstable.
"Where is she?" His voice gruff and barely restrained. He wanted desperately to kill the rogue but was only restrained by the fact that the rogue could give him intelligence on where Hinata had been taken.
"I-I don't know.." The rogue wince as Naruto's grip grew tighter. He was choking him.
"What do you mean you don't KNOW?!" Naruto snarled and loosened his grip on the man's throat a little. Enough so that he could speak. The rogue dared not to struggle. The rogue's eyes form tears.
"Who took her?!" Naruto still had more questions he wanted answered. The man just looked down.
"I… don't know that either" The man's tears fell down his face.
"Tch!" Naruto growled. It had been almost 6 hours and so far the search was turning up naught. Until now.
"Why? Why was she taken?" A part of Naruto didn't want to hear the reason but he knew he had to know. He had to find out if her life was in any danger or not.
"She's a Hyuuga… The leader… wants the Byakugan" Naruto's blue eyes glared at the man to tell if he was lying. He told the truth.
"Are there others like you?" Naruto's grip loosened on the man's throat as he let out a small gasp of air. His eye's blazing. The man took some pity on him. He knew that the Hokage would not have involved himself on something that was clan business unless…
"Yes… just follow the road up to Fukurō Yama. Once you reach the fork in the road go straight, into the forest. He should be about 24m's in. He'll know more than I do" Naruto looked to the right where Fukurō Yama stood. Naruto released his grip on the man. Once released, he found his ill to stand had left him, and fell to the floor. He understood now, if only a little; why Naruto had involved himself. Because as he sat there he reflected on his own life and regretted how foolishly he had forsaken his own life. Before Naruto left the man spoke up.
"I'm sorry…" Naruto turned to look at the man on the floor. He bowed in front of Naruto.
"…For taking her, and not being of much help. I am sorry." Naruto felt there was something more to the man's apology.
"Please, forgive me, Hokage-sama" Naruto's anger drained a little.
"What is your name?" The man lifted his head.
"Shiroseki Ryunen, I used to be a librarian at my old village but when the library was burnt to the ground they blamed me. I didn't want to leave the village… But I…" Before he could finish the rest of his story the sixth Hokage had already left in a flash. Naruto's clones had already gathered Hinata's location from the other ninja's confessions.

***

In a cold and almost dank, barely lit room Hinata sat bound to a table. She felt the cool of metal against her back. The air was thick with medical equipment and disinfectants. Whispering could be heard from outside the room. She was knocked out for a while and had laid unconscious for what she could only guess to be around 3 hours. She had tried in vain to use her chakra to set herself free, but unlike Neji she was still yet to be able to release chakra from any point in her body. She tried releasing chakra from her palms and quickly realised it was futile. Her wrists, forearms, collarbone, torso, forehead and legs were all bound. Her hands were made to face outward so that should she use her chakra to try and escape it would only slice through air and miss the restraints. For the last 4 or so hours Hinata was forced to listen closely for any news. She recognised the voice of the leader as having a lighter voice. The others were more submissive. Barely able to tell what they said she listens for any news.
"…! …Report… Urgently… all posts… he's coming here." Hinata wondered but dismissed it.
'Naruto probably hasn't come to save me' Hinata thought.
"What are…? Hurry! Kill him, before he… Block all entrances!" The leader.
"…I'm sure it's…" 2nd in command.
"Pretty hard to miss… He's mad too…" The first person that reported in. Hinata wondered. 'perhaps..'
"Shit!" Leader yelled. Seemed furious.
"Just got word… wiped out stations 2 and… He's coming here!" The reporting minion announces.
"Get her moved" Leader. Not impressed at the situation.
"Che! She must be real special for the Hokage himself to come and rescue her…" 2nd in command opens the door to Hinata's room. Light floods the room, and blinds Hinata a moment. Baffled and blushing the 2nd in command restrains Hinata before hoisting her over his shoulder. Hinata seizes her chance to activate her Byakugan. Her reflexes kick into hyperdrive as she drives chakra stemming from her palms into the back of the second in command. In the same moment the man's body slumps to the floor, the leader bursts in followed by a smoke bomb explosion. Lunging towards Hinata the leader picks up Hinata's restrained body and is careful to restrain her arms and avoid her palms.
As Hinata struggles against the leader, amongst the clearing smoke appears a figure.
Hinata whispers, staring with tears in her eyes.
"Naruto-kun"