Chapter 84

"Welcome back Naruto-kun." Hinata greeted him as he appeared atop the head of the forth Hokage. They had only parted for a short time but Hinata had been feeling nervous as dark thoughts had covered her mind.

She had lived in this black and white world, this colorless world since the day he died so his disappearance after a short meeting had brought despair along with hope.

She was scared that he would disappear again, and crush her heart even worse than before. This time she had heard words of love from him. She had heard words of a good future unlike the previous time where she didn't know.

Standing at the place where Naruto would stand and watch over the village like it was his personal territory, she had let the memories flow out.

She remembered the old days and could easily tell that Naruto had changed greatly. He was the same at the core but he gave off a darker feeling, he had stained his hands with blood.

He was the light of hope just like before but now it was a lot brighter and he seemed to have arrived at his answer.

In the past he used to run towards a goal that was vague, towards an answer many had desired.

She had never been close to Naruto, she was just a normal friend to him that he got to know after the training trip but she knew him more than anyone else except for Jiraiya in this world.

She had watched him when they were younger, whenever she could.

She wished that she could have helped him. She wished she could have watched him without having to worry about the consequences but she was the heir of the Hyuga and he was the pariah.

Her love for Naruto that had started from a small crush on the day when he intervened in a bullying attempt on that snowy day and it kept on growing as she saw him struggle and live his life in this harsh world.

She felt connected to him as they were both so similar. She was hated and she was alone.

The family that provided warmth and happiness to others brought her despair.

For her sister, she sacrificed her future and sabotaged her potential.

The curse of being a Hyuga meant that her sister had to become a slave but her gentle heart could never allow it.

She had promised her mother that she would protect Hanabi, and for that she sacrificed it all.

She held own and kept that secret even when everything beat her down. Her own father cursed her as a worthless and incompetent.

Her sister that she loved more than life saw her as an incompetent trash just like the rest of the clan.

The sister that would hold her hands and follow her around with her bright eyes, with her lovely voice asking questions had now turned into one of them.

Seeing Naruto fight on and suffer, her love and her despair whispered words that had her question everything.

Naruto needs you. Let that little bitch understand where she stands. Show her what you can really do. Show her the cruel reality of the world.

Why do you need to suffer? Why? Why? For what reason, what have they done to deserve such loyalty from us? The mother that only existed for 4 years, are you going to suffer for eternity.

They don't deserve it. Go on, take the step and extend your hand towards him.

He will be ours. He has no one. He cannot deny us. Show him the world, show him the way and he will brighten our world.

Break through this imaginary cage and ignore others, your desires take priority.

Hinata had been tempted but she chose Hanabi over Naruto and stepped back. With her weak presence if she had interacted with Naruto, both of them would have been in trouble.

Just like that day when Naruto tried to save her, those children that tried to bully her had their families destroyed for daring affront the noble Hyuga clan.

In this world, the powerful rule the world and the Hyuga were one of the ruling clans of Konoha. It didn't matter if they were kids or adults as it was basic knowledge to never mess with the clan children especially the heir of the clan.

The clans protected the village and in return they had authority beyond the normal citizens and ninja.

Hinata could choose to abandon Hanabi and become the heir she was meant to be and extend her hand to Naruto but she didn't.

And with the poor standing in the clan she would have led to Naruto's increase in suffering.

That was based on her knowledge as a child and currently she knew if she had taken that step no one would have stopped her.

Hinata regretted her choices after learning of this fact and she had long time to think on these facts in the time he was dead.

She felt partly responsible for his death as she could have made him stronger with her knowledge. She was one of the people that could have been an asset to his rise to power but the chains on her heart kept her back.

With his death and Danzo's words, she took back her position and worked towards her dream of fixing the clan while also watching out for Naruto's dream.

These goals held her heart together or it would have shattered completely, leaving in an empty shell.

Naruto was more than the person she loved as he was the only one that could occupy her heart. He represented her desires, he represented an aspiration and he represented an ideal.

Now that he was back, her heart started beating and the color returned to the world but it also brought back the crushing depression with vengeance when he left her sight.

She couldn't sense him as he was like a ghost and that fact terrified her.

Hinata left the battlefield and let the others handle the aftermath as she felt that Naruto would return to Konoha.

She didn't know when but it didn't matter as she wanted to wait for him and see him.

Seeing him appear, the dark clouds occupying her heart disappeared and a bright smile adorned her beautiful face.

"I am back, and sorry for making you endure this pain." Naruto muttered gently as he pulled her into his embrace and kissed her head.

She was very much reserved unlike the other girls so she didn't throw herself at him. It showed her noble background in her attitude.

She had become a lot stronger and her body had changed. She had become taller and more muscular than before.

The biggest change were her eyes, they now had pupils. She had the floral pupils of the Tensaigan and they enhanced her looks.

He had forgotten her looks because of his continuous use of Shadow clones but now he knew he had forgotten a beautiful creature.

He could feel her love for him and it was comparable to how much Kara and Raven loved him. He could feel her regrets. He could feel her fear. He could feel the darkness covering her existence in its disgusting grip.

He could hear her regrets.

"Believe in me, one more time. Let those worries disappear, I will answer your sacrifice for me on that day with my actions." Naruto whispered as his aura covered her up completely and his soul touched her soul.

He cleared away the darkness from her heart and destroyed the negativity.

He filled her up with positivity and let her feel his emotions. He let her know that her worries were unfounded.

"I will always believe in you." Hinata said with tears in her eyes as she looked up at him. She felt healed. She felt that her burdens had disappeared. She felt complete. She felt happier than she had ever felt. She wanted time to freeze at this moment.

"Thank you for all the time you gave me support. I planned to say this after the battle but life happened."

"You are welcome. But it was nothing special as it was my duty to stand by your side. You fought for us, it would be cowardly for me stand back and watch you get captured."

"Not everyone can say that and not everyone can do what you did." Naruto remembered that day very clearly as it was one of the strongest moments of his life. He remembered his rage, he remembered his despair and he remembered the darkness inside his heart roaring at the situation.

Look at the cowards hiding behind you, watching you die.

Why did you come back?

Why not take your time and train to kill the target at a later date?

They don't deserve our sacrifice. They have done nothing for us. They made us suffer. They are the source of our suffering.

Feel them, look at them and tell me why they not step in. We are their only hope from death, yet they cower in fear.

Look at your team mate, your love watching you die.

Is that the person you believe in, is that the person you gave your heart to. When has she done anything to deserve such an honor?

Why do you continue to ignore reality?

Leave, run, we can still survive, if we just focus on escape.

Naruto had said many things but his heart had also poured out such things and Hinata's presence had made them disappear.

She had touched his heart, more than anyone in his short life with that simple act.

She had given him a hand when no one would.

She had loved him when no one would.

It was different from Kara and the other girls because Hinata had lived in this world where his existence was a curse. She had loved him even while his existence was akin to a monster.

He wasn't an easy person but that had elevated Hinata from just a simple friend to best friend category in his heart.

She had surpassed Sakura and Kakashi in ranking, and arrived at the level of Jiraiya, Iruka, Teuchi, Tsunade and Sasuke in his heart.

All five of them were people who had put their lives down for him.

"How did it happen?" Hinata didn't try to make excuses for the others like she would have done in the past. She had grown and she had no reason to shield others anymore from their failures.

They had been wrong in their choices.

Naruto could tell she found it hard to even say the words about his death and brushed her hair, "Danzo, bring him to me."

Hinata felt her eyes widen at those words and she realized that some trash had utilized her for his goals. The target she had been looking for had been standing beside for all this time and she had never known.

But Naruto's aura kept her from getting angry and she remained calm.

She could tell that Naruto's words like a command, he wasn't asking. It was so different from before, where he would never that kind of tone.

Hinata didn't say a thing and the Tensaigan cloak covered her body as she flew away towards her target. Her powers of Tensaigan gave her the powers similar to the Six Path Sage Mode, meaning she had an extremely large range sensing capabilities that could even cover other dimensions.

She locked on to Danzo who had been released by Kaguya like everyone else. He was still near the command center for the Ninja Alliance.

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A.N Hope you enjoyed and comment