Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Chapter 9: Purpose

He felt a cold chill travel down his spine. This coldness was different from the coldness that the northern winds have brought. His skin became paler because of the length of his stay at such a cold place. After practice, the former Konoha-shinobi looked up and saw that the sky was already dark. He tightened the scarf around his neck and proceeded to skid down the hill.

On his way, he passed trees heavily decorated with snow. If it wasn't for his proper footwear, his feet would have sunk in the thick layer of snow. He rubbed his hands together in hope that he would be able to survive a few minutes of the cold climate outdoors. As he got near the place where he was staying, the unexplainable cold feeling in his gut intensified.

He stopped himself from knocking when he noticed that it was unusually quiet. He stepped back and observed whether there was smoke coming out from a chimney; there was none. He felt very weird regarding this matter; no one who lives here will be able to endure the coldness. And the fact that he knew that the family he was staying with liked their house warm made Naruto feel awkward that there was no smoke coming out from a chimney.

A few seconds passed and all he could hear was his heavy breaths. He looked at the window of the house and found only darkness inside. His heart raced in a nervous sense.

He immediately knocked down the door. In one swift kick, the bolts and screws securing the door gave; a couple of them flew away because of the impact. The door fell in the ground with a heavy thud. Naruto quickly turned on the lights and the sight shocked him and made his stomach turn. He was used to seeing blood. But this was way different.

Arinori lay in the ground. His eyes were wide; as if he was killed in the instant he was shocked. The sight of Arinori's remains made Naruto flinch. His limbs were torn from his body and a large pool of blood surrounded him.

A cold bead of sweat trickled down Naruto's head.

He shifted his attention to the entrance of Yoshi's room. Hanako was lying near the door. Her eyebrows were knit together depicting a worried look. Her death seemed cleaner than Arinori's though. But he wanted to see no more of it. Naruto proceeded to twist the doorknob.

The sight slowly unfolded before him.

There was a kid, a small boy that was sitting against the wall. His chest had a hole in it. His shorts were soaked with his own blood. His eyes gave off a puzzled look, even a confused one. His face was twisted in a way it told his fear. In his slightly closed hand, there was a kunai.

"Mine…" Naruto muttered.

As he approached the boy, he felt tears against his cheeks. He kneeled in front of the boy.

"Who did this to all of you? Who…? Who is the freaking bastard who killed you!" He pounded his fist at the floor which was stained with Yoshi's blood.

He wiped away his tears with his clean hand and he looked down. He looked up at Yoshi's wound, a hole.

A hole…

Naruto's eyes widened in shock and disbelief as something came up in his mind.

Sasuke…

"Chidori…" He muttered.

He passed his hand on Yoshi's pool of blood. He clenched his blood-filled hands. "I promise…if it was ever him…I will…" He stood up and looked at Yoshi. Cold winds that came from the big hole at another wall brushed against his exposed skin. His eyes were cold and determined. "…kill him…"

Even in reality, he felt it; the sheer coldness of that day. His heart sank deeply as the memory played again in his mind. Amidst this coldness, he could feel warmth. From his bad dream, he was slowly awakened.

Naruto opened his eyes slowly. Halfway, he could see her.

Hyuuga Hinata

She was looking at him with a faint blush on her face. Her small gentle hand was at his cheek.

"Naruto-kun…" She softly spoke.

Naruto blinked a couple of times before replying, "Hi-Hinata…"

"Are you okay? You fell asleep…" She removed her hand from his cheek and Naruto had this desire to feel her palm against his face again.

He smiled at her, "I was just…tired…" He jumped down from the bough. "Hmm…?"

Hinata looked at him with worry clearly painted at her face.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked.

Hinata looked away. "It was just that…while you were sleeping…you looked…very troubled…"

Naruto scratched the back of his neck. "You don't have to worry about it. Nightmares…often happen to me." He explained.

Hinata kept silent for a minute. Both of them found no words to say.

Naruto sighed inwardly. He was starting to hate silence again. It looked like going back to Konoha brought his old self back. He placed his hand at the back of his head and forced out a laugh. "About earlier Hinata…I'm sorry about it…"

Hinata looked at him. "Eh, what are you saying sorry for?" She asked.

Naruto looked away. "If it wasn't for my presence here, your party wouldn't have been interrupted."

Hinata smiled at him. "You shouldn't worry about it. It was bound to happen…" She looked up at the sky. "..I think…"

Naruto looked at her while she was gazing at the stars. "H-Hinata…"

Hinata gracefully lowered her head to look at him. "Hmm…?"

Naruto scratched the bridge of his nose. "Did Tsunade leave any message for me?"

Hinata nodded and smiled.

---

Shikamaru's finger softly hit the table. He was pointing down at the map. "Tsunade-sama…our security is obviously too easy to bypass. Three of them already got inside the walls." He pointed out. Tsunade nodded.

"I know that Shikamaru…" She said. "We should tighten our security…"

Shikamaru then asked, "We should scatter ANBU squad platoons outside the walls…just in case…" Shikamaru bit his lower lip. Geez…this is very troublesome. He sighed. And yesterday was also shocking. Now I have to think about our strategies…Geez…where the hell is Naruto? I need him. He's the best source of information for now…

At the very moment his thoughts came to an end, the door opened. "Yo Tsunade…" Naruto's entered.

"Finally…" Shikamaru whispered. "Come here, Naruto…I need to ask you a few questions…"

"Yeah…we need a few answers…" Tsunade said.

"Answers you want. Answers you will get." He stepped in and shut the door.

---

The room was still dark because of the curtains. His young face was emotionless. His dark eyes were empty. He would have looked dead if it wasn't for the rising and falling of his chest. And then his eyes closed…

There was this man that stood tall. His built was large. His face was decorated with scars that varied in thickness and length. His clothes were thick to protect him from the cold climate. He seemed very wise and serious.

He was the head of the Yasuhiro clan, the father of Yoshihide and Hidetada.

"Come Hidetada," His voice was deep, "Yoshihide. Come, my sons."

Young Hidetada stood up. His younger brother was clutching the sleeve of his jacket. He took Yoshihide's hand.

"Otousama…" Hidetada said. His eyes were full of innocence and youth at that time. He had never tasted hardships when he was little. He was a little pampered since he was the heir. He didn't need to learn their techniques because his father had forbidden using it. He could remember that his father said, "We are not demons. We don't need to taint the earth with more blood. We don't need to dye the rivers with its red color. There is no need of such killings anymore. White is for pureness. White with a blend of red isn't pure anymore. I want to preserve the pureness."

He didn't understand it that much. He was young and not as wise as his father. At the age of five, he wasn't able to comprehend the meanings of his father's words. He was too young, too frail, too innocent.

His father gestured for the both of them to come closer. And then he leaned down and placed his large hand over his head. His other hand lied atop his brother's head.

They both looked at their father curiously.

Their father's serious eyes were much kinder that day.

That was the day when he saw the last of his family.

His caretakers died because of sickness so he left to wander through the white plains of the cold country he lives in. He almost died if it wasn't for the man who possessed the onyx eyes which turned red sometimes.

"Kid…" This man looked at him. Hidetada was sitting by a tree stump. He was cold. There was nothing to provide him with heat. His old jacket was tattered and dirty. His stomach produced noise which expressed how hungry he was. The man removed his jacket and gave it to Hidetada. "…here."

Hidetada passed his eyes along the interesting designs of the jacket. He took note of the fan shaped sign at the back. He then looked at the man whom showed him such kindness. "Anou…mister…" The man raised his brows. "…how about you? A-aren't you cold?" Yes, Hidetada was still a young boy at that time, though he acted much older than his age. Fate brought him many hardships than expected. He had to live by himself. He had no one to rely on but himself.

The man shook his head. "Unlike you, I have been trained in such harsh conditions…" The man smiled a small smile which faded away the second after.

Hidetada's stomach expressed his hunger again. Hidetada blush and lowered his head. He heard a couple of shuffles. "Hey…" Hidetada looked up and there was a piece of bread that was held out to him. "…take it. It is yours." The man said. Hidetada hesitated for a while. The raven haired man took his hand and placed the bread at Hidetada's palm.

"T-Thank you…" Hidetada said. He started eating the bread. The man sat down beside him.

"You," The man said while Hidetada ate, "Why are you alone?"

Hidetada stopped eating. "Otousama…Otousama…did it. He…he gave me to those caretakers!"

"Hmm, I see." The man said. Hidetada finished eating the bread minutes after. The man then stood up. He looked down at the young boy sitting at the cold ground. "Being alone is hard. Come with me. I will take care of you."

Hidetada looked at him curiously.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke."

Months after, Sasuke took him to a certain place. They were atop a hill and a house was down below. Hidetada could see a man with blonde hair staring at the dead body of his brother. He wanted to run there and hold his brother but Sasuke stopped him and said, "No. If you go there, you will end up like he did."

Hidetada bit his lower lip and looked at the blonde haired man. He could see blood on the man's hand.

"Did he…did he kill Yoshi?"

"Yes he did."

Hidetada's eyes snapped open. The memory was still pretty clear. It always managed to bring out the anger that he tries to repress so much. He clenched his fist. Sasuke brought him to Konoha the week after he saw his brother and the blonde man also known by the name Naruto. Sasuke told him to act accordingly to their plans. He could remember Sasuke's smirk when Sasuke told him that he would get his revenge.

"Revenge. Yes…Revenge…" Hidetada murmured as he covered his eyes with his hands. There had been too much at stake, his life and the bonds that he had formed with the one that cared for him during his six years of stay in Konoha, six years that was just a big lie.

His eyes were shut tight when he thought of how Hinata's heart would be broken if she found out that all this time, he was the enemy. He didn't want that. Hinata had shown him genuine kindness that he rarely experience. Hinata was far more precious than revenge.

He bit his lower lip.

Was he having second thoughts?

Yes he was having second thoughts.

"Why?" He terribly pondered about why he was having second thoughts. No was the time he could strike. He had seen Naruto move. He was very strong. Hidetada already admitted to himself that he would never be able to beat him. But Akuchi, Seijaru and Daishinsai could always help him.

He shook his head. No, he wanted to kill Naruto with his own hands.

"But…" He shut his eyes again. There were too many thoughts in his head, too many thoughts that contradict with another in a way.

He heard the door open. His eyes were still closed. He didn't want anyone to talk to right now. He continued to feign that he was asleep. The visitor's movements were graceful. The footsteps were light. He could almost here nothing. He then heard the visitor push aside the curtains to let the sunlight through.

Hidetada then heard the sound of the chair being pulled nearer to his bedside. Then there was the sound of a basket or probably a container being put atop the table at the side of his bed. The sound of peeling a certain fruit followed it. The visitor was silent.

Hidetada was overcome with the curiosity about who the visitor is. He opened his eyes and saw who it was, "Hinata, Hinata-neechan..." He whispered.

Hinata smiled at him warmly and he was filled with more doubts. He had no intent on betraying that smile. Hinata liked, possibly loved, Naruto. He could see it in her eyes, how Hinata cherished Naruto. Hinata cherished Hidetada too but not on that level. When it came to Naruto, it was different…different…

"Is there something wrong, Hide-kun?" Hinata offered him the apple she just peeled. "You seem worried about something."

Hidetada sighed and said afterwards, "Nothing, nothing is wrong." He smiled a fake one. He took the apple and whispered, "Thank you."

---

"Yes, it's fairly easy to bypass here," Naruto pointed at a spot in the map of Konoha, "here," and to another, "and here too." He pointed at the last one. "I'm saying it because I went though it without any trouble." He sighed.

Tsunade tapped the table with her fingers. "Hmm…"

"I tell you this, Tsunade. They are slacking off." Naruto said and he looked at Tsunade.

Shikamaru raised one brow. "Who?"

Naruto turned to look at Shikamaru, "Those guards, all of them."

"It isn't a surprise that three of the enemy did get inside Konoha." Tsunade said.

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. "It wouldn't be a surprise too if someone was working inside…"

Silence fell in the room.

Shikamaru scratched the back of his neck. "So we know our problem about the security…"

Tsunade then spoke, "You shouldn't worry about the number of people that can fight if ever a war really happens. We have enough shinobis to rely on."

"Aa." Naruto nodded. "Tsunade, it would be better to address the problem about the security as soon as possible."

"But," Shikamaru said, "Were forgetting something."

"What?" Naruto asked.

"There was another, another enemy." Shikamaru stated calmly.

Naruto slapped his forehead. "Darn, I forgot about that one."

"I already sent ANBU members to search for the two."

"Tsunade-sama…!" Shizune came entered the room. She was clutching a couple of papers. She bowed down in respect to the Hokage.

"What is it, Shizune?" Tsunade asked.

Shizune offered her the papers, "A written report just came in. It's from one of the ANBU squads you deployed."

Tsunade nodded and she took it and scanned through it. She then looked at Naruto. "Speaking of those intruders, they found the shadow user. He's dead. As for the other one, they haven't found him yet."

"I see…" Naruto said.

---

"Daishinsai-sama, you didn't need to do that." Shikyou bowed before the big shinobi. He passed his eyes over Daishinsai's bloody clothes. It was not Daishinsai's blood. It was the ANBU member's blood.

"Tch…" Daishinsai looked irritated. "Damned ANBU…" He whispered.

Shikyou didn't move. He then looked at the bloody scene before him. He shut his eyes. It was a gory sight. The bodies of Konoha Shinobis were lying on their own pool of blood. Some were thorn by the hard earthen spikes that Daishinsai made with his jutsu. Some were crushed the by the large boulders that were also made by Daishinsai.

"Oi Shikyou," Shikyou looked at the large Shinobi-nin, "Sasuke-sama has ordered me to take you back. Let us go back. I don't want to spend time in this place anymore."

"Hai…"

----

Akamaru snout was facing the sky. He was sniffing for something and then he barked to get his master's attention. Kiba landed at a branch. Akamaru was sitting at a branch meters away from him.

"What's wrong Akamaru?" He asked.

Akamaru barked again.

"What do you mean?"

Akamaru barked yet again. He then jumped to another branch and he barked once more. Kiba followed him. They were jumping through the trees. A few minutes after, they arrive at a spot.

Kiba could feel the cold bead of sweat passing the side of his head. His eyes were wide and he could feel his stomach turn just because of the sight in front of him. His mouth was slightly parted. Akamaru barked in worry and he hid behind Kiba's right leg. The dog was shivering.

Kiba was still motionless.

"My god, what happened here?"

"Oi Kiba…" Shino came. "Kiba…"

Kiba didn't answer.

"What's wrong?"

Kiba pointed down below.

Shino became motionless too. "What…the…?"

---

"You're pretty silent today, Hide-kun." Hinata was peeling another apple.

"…" Hidetada munched on his apple in silence.

"And you told me nothing was wrong." Hinata said. "I wonder if that was true."

"…" Hidetada didn't answer.

Hinata grew sad and worried. There was definitely something wrong with him today. The Hidetada he knew was not like this. She came here to check how he was.

Hinata didn't know what to day. She had no clue. She took another apple from the basket and started peeling it.

And then Naruto came in.

"Yo, Hinata," He looked at Hidetada, "Hide-kun."

Hinata had a smile in her face. Fondness could be clearly seen in her white eyes.

But Hidetada, he was trying hard to not show the anger in him. The mere image of Naruto that day reminded him of his purpose…

Revenge