Chapter 9 Demon knight

Naruto managed to get Hinata back to the Hyuga compound before the sun fully went down. He got to the front gate as two of the branch family members stood guard and gave him a curious look as the heir to the clan was being led by a small blonde boy in a mask. They stopped at them as he looked up at them, he didn't know why but a lot of Hyugas did kind of looked alike kind of like aunty Anko had said a few times.

"Hinata-sama," one of the guards greeted her and casting calculating looks as Naruto.

Naruto bowed her head to them, "H-hello, this is N-Naruto Hatake and he's a good friend of mine."

They both nodded as they stood apart and gave them room, "Of course Lady Hinata, your guest is welcome."

Naruto gave them a small look with his arms behind his head as he walked in like he owed the place with Hinata; he looked around forgetting about the stuffy guards and finally saw Hinata's home. The place had huge walls so he never got to see inside of it but this place was huge. His eyes widened in surprise at all of this, there were houses all over the place, gardens, small bonds and everything looked perfect. There were a lot of Hyugas as well as they cast sidelong glances at them.

"Wow Hinata, this place is huge...so this is what a clan home is like?" he asked her and she nodded her head, "Huh...maybe I should call you Hinata-hime, after all you're like a princess since your dad is a clan head and all and this place it like a small country."

Of course he was exaggerating a bit with the size but that didn't stop Hinata from getting a deep red blush at the thought of his new 'nickname' for her. She looked down at her feet not trusting herself to look at him, whenever she was around him she felt like she mattered. She knew that she wasn't the strongest in her clan and that she was viewed as too gentle but she couldn't help it, it was just who she was.

"Hinata-sama," she was broken out of her thoughts by a voice and was surprised to see who it was.

To Naruto it looked like just another Hyuga with long hair, although he seemed to be a bit older hen the two of them, maybe by a year or so.

"Lady Hannah saw you arriving and wished for me to bring you and your guest to her," the boy said to them.

"How did she see us?" Naruto asked and the boy gave him a strange look.

"With her eyes, you don't know of the Byakugan?"

Naruto thought about it and thought about what his dad taught him over the years. "Oh wait is that one of those bloodline things? Oh so is that why all you guys have those cool eyes? Hey Hinata how come you haven't shown me that?"

"I...I h-haven't been able to activate it y-yet," she looked disappointed in that. Normally someone from the clan would have been able to do it a year ago but she was still struggling with it. She felt weak and she knew she was a slight disappointment to her father who was the head of the clan.

"I'm sure you'll do it Hinata just keep at it right...uh...sorry I didn't get your name," Naruto blushed a bit at the boy.

"It's Neji Hyuga."

"Cool, I'm Naruto Hatake nice to meet yah." Naruto stuck out his hand to the boy who looked at it for a moment before shaking it.

Neji was just surprised by this Naruto person, he was the complete opposite to Hinata-sama in every way. He was loud, energetic and outgoing. His shy cousin was a stark contrast and he had to wonder how these two had become friends. At any rate he started to lead them through the complex to where the main branch lived. He knew the place well since his father lived here and so did he because of it.

" Your mother is in the study Hinata-sama," Neji said as he led them.

"Y-you know you don't h-have to call me that, we are family."

"You are?" Naruto was surprised at this.

"H-he's my cousin."

"Hey cool! I don't got any other family other then my dad and then there's the Old Man, my crazy 'aunt' and 'uncle' and there's Iruka. But I got no family around my own age, how come you don't come out and play with us Neji?" Naruto asked the slightly older boy.

Neji was surprised by the question, it just wasn't his place to just play with someone from the main branch, although he didn't hate Hinata or anything after all she was just too nice to hate. But it was kind of an unwritten rule about how main and branch members had to interact. "It's just not the way things are done in this clan."

Naruto made a face behind his mask, "well that's just stupid. I mean do you have others to play with?"

In fact Neji didn't really, he trained a lot and he had his studies. Plus he helped out around the compound there weren't many children their own age here anyway so he just tried to fill in his time. "Well..."

Naruto smiled at that, "good you can play with us then and to hell with the stupid rules right Hinata?"

"Uh..uh...well...I..."

"Come on you like Neji right and shouldn't family stick together?" He said.

"It's just that I have a lot of training to do," Neji supplied seeing that Hinata was in a bind and so to give Naruto something in order to drop the matter.

Naruto thought about it as they walked on and then an idea hit him, "Hey since Hinata and me are going into the ninja academy soon why don't we train together? I mean you're most likely ahead of us anyway and you can help us, you can sharpen your skills on us and we can still spend time together."

Neji just didn't know how to get around this kid, it was like every time he figured something out he would find another way. He sighed trying to think of something else, although he kind of liked the idea of training with others there was only so much he could do on his own. But he was worried what his uncle would think of this, and then there was his father and all the others. The main branch just didn't train with the other branches but Naruto didn't seem to care.

He just blew out a sigh, "We'll...we'll see about that."

He hoped that giving him something that wasn't a yes or a no would get him off this. Naruto nodded and Neji was glad that was over with, with luck the boy would forget about this.

They arrived in the study, which was larger than any room in Naruto's home other than the training room they had. It was filled with books and scrolls and there sitting there was Hinata's mother, she had a tea set next to her as she had been reading something. She smiled at the three of them as she gave Neji a nod to let him know that he could go, he returned it and that left the two kids alone.

"So how was your day children?" she asked.

"I-It was good mother."

Naruto threw his hands behind his head grinning widely, "It was great, we met some new kids and made some new friends!"

Hannah Hyuga was happy to hear that they were making more friends, "Well Naruto that's very nice to hear, and thank you for walking Hinata-chan home as well."

"Aw it was nothing my dad's off on a mission today and might not be back until much later anyway. Besides I got to finally see inside of this place and it's awesome. Plus Hinata's cousin was nice to meet if kind of weird. But he said that he'd let us train together since he's too busy to play and all."

Hinata wanted to correct Naruto that Neji didn't actually agree he said that he would think about it. Her mother got an interested look on her face as she thought about it. In truth it couldn't hurt, she knew that her husband used to be very close to his brother before he had to take on the duties as head of the clan. He had to act a certain way and although he never said it, she knew that he sometimes missed how close he used to be with Hizashi but he could never show it.

Sometimes being a Hyuga meant a lot of personal sacrifice but at least Hizashi didn't resent his older twin Hiashi. So Hannah got to thinking that maybe having the three of them spend time with Neji might help with forging a stronger bond between the main and branch houses. She knew that there was a major rift between the two and this might help strengthen it, and in Hinata she saw someone that the branch house members couldn't hate. She had seen how Hinata treats everyone with respect and for branch members that had seen the ugly side of certain main branch members it was a welcome change.

"Well I think that is good idea, I'll speak with Neji's father about that and set something up," Hannah said.

"Great!" Naruto nearly jumped and Hinata's eyes widened, she hadn't expected that but it would be nice to spend time with her cousin. She barely saw him and at times she wished that he was an older brother back before her mother was pregnant.

"Well I guess I'll be off then," Naruto made for the door.

"Naruto since you walked my daughter home why don't you stay for supper?"

Naruto stopped in place, "Huh? You serious?"

"Always, besides my husband is entertaining an envoy from the hidden village of Cloud tonight and I don't feel like showing up to that. So it will just be the three of us."

Hannah didn't trust the Cloud ninja that had been sent on a mission to improve relations with their village. He had been going around to all the clans and although he was nothing but civil there was something about the man that made her uneasy. That and the fact that with her new cravings she tended to need food that was a bit odd especially for an envoy to see her eat. Besides she and her husband agreed that Hinata was too young to attend such functions and she would look after her.

Naruto thought about this and shrugged, he was kind of hungry and it was better than eating alone so he agreed happily to join them for dinner.

-Later that night-

"Well I must thank you for the wonderful dinner and for your hospitality Hyuga-sama," said a man wearing the symbol of the Cloud Village on his forehead protector as he was talking to Hiashi as they left the dinning room.

"It is my honor to host a guest to the village. I know that our two villages have not gotten along well in the past," he said to the other man.

Akira the ninja from Cloud nodded, "Which is why I was sent on this mission to help reastablish ties with this village. Konoha has grown since the last war and from even the defeat of one of the multi-tailed demons as well. Not an easy feat, so we felt it wise to strengthen our association with this village as it seems to be graining strength."

Hiashi nodded, "Well then one of my people will show you to the room we set aside for you for the night."

"Thank you once again for the hospitality." Akira told him as he was shown the way to the room.

Akira had spent a lot of time gathering information on the major clans of Konoha and especially those with blood line abilities. The Village of Cloud didn't have as many with those special abilities and they needed more in order to stand up to other villages. So he had been looking for one to steal away so their own village would have a new powerful bloodline limit. The question was with who and that was the problem. He had chosen to take one of the powerful ones and that left only two clans, the Uchiha's and the Hyuga's. The Uchiha's were very powerful but the problem was that the only ones that had activated their abilities were adults and thus a lot harder to kidnap and smuggle out let alone just steal the eyes right from out of their heads.

There was an added problem and that was of Itachi, his name had reached even his village's ears and he didn't particularly like the idea of facing him and if he did attack their clan he had no doubt they would send him after him. That left the Hyuga clan and he could see they were definitely born with their special eyes it only took time to activate it at a young age.

While talking with the clan head and others in the village using a hedge to appear as someone else he found out that there was a possibility in the young Hinata girl. She was the daughter of the clan head who was said to be powerful but she seemed to be a shy and kind girl, in other words not one to put up much of a fight. He would have preferred a boy since if he could get a boy back then they would start with the brainwashing and make him into a Cloud ninja. Then they could use him with the strongest females ninjas to make a whole new generation of strong ninjas with that bloodline limit.

She same could be done with the girl, she would be taken, her mind twisted into a loyal servant of Cloud and she would be mated with the strongest warriors. Her children would make for excellent ninjas even if it was a slower process.

And if things really went wrong, well he knew enough medical ninjustu to take the eyes out intake. Although the person would most likely not survive he could have the eyes and they could implant them or study them to see how they worked. Either way they would gain power or knowledge on their rivals.

When he was sure that the guards from outside the window had gone out of sight on their rolling patrol he slipped out into the shadows. He had been taking note of the complex and had been trying to figure out which room belonged to the girl he had chosen to take. It wouldn't be easy, but there were other Cloud ninjas that had managed to sneak in as merchants all he had to do was get to them. They had a cart with a false bottom and they could keep the child there as they were smuggled out.

The real trick was trying to find the girl, he had eliminated many of the rooms during his tour and only one floor that was used for the sleeping quarters. So he started there, he found one room that looked to be a nursery being built as he knew that Hiashi's wife was expecting another child. The next looked empty but it was the next one that he found the girl. She looked like she was getting ready for bed, he would have to be quick and fast with the girl.

Naruto was walking home, it was late and he hoped he got back before his dad did, he really didn't want to explain why he had been out so late so if he got back before him than he would be none the wiser. Besides it was a nice night out anyway and he was making his way around the compound, it just by pure chance and luck that he took that way that night. One of those decisions that at the time a person doesn't know will affect their future, call it fate, call it blind stupid luck, call it what you will. But when he chose to go this way it set him up for a night that would change him.

That is if he survived.

But Naruto didn't know any of this, he was just minding his own business when he saw a shadow leap on top of the wall and then jump down not far from him. He looked like a ninja to him with some kind of shack over his shoulder, at first he thought it was just another Hyuga. Then he noticed the sack was moving a lot.

"Hey mister what's in the bag?" Naruto asked.

"Damn it," the Cloud ninja hadn't seen the boy, he had been so worried about the rest of the clan seeing him he missed the boy. It didn't help that the boy wore a lot of black and add the night and the boy nearly blended in.

"Help!" Came a crying voice.

Naruto's eyes widened at that voice because he knew it, even without the stutter. "What are you doing with Hinata-chan!"

"Stupid kid, you saw too much," the Cloud ninja threw several shurikens at the boy.

Naruto saw them and dodged them easily enough, he dodged another set and smiled. He didn't know what this ninja was up to but he was obviously kidnapping Hinata. He wouldn't let him, he would save her. He was proud of how well he was dodging the weapons, if only his dad could see him now. Then suddenly a pain hit his chest and he stopped confused as his body refused to move.

He was wondering why his body was suddenly to hard to move but he managed to look down. He was confused for a moment because there was a kunai in his chest. He didn't see him throw a kunai so where did it come from? Then his mind registered that he was bleeding now, he put a hand to his chest and felt the warm blood almost like he couldn't understand why this was happening. His legs finally gave out and he sank to his knees.

Akira smirked at how stupid the boy was, he hadn't known that those throwing stars were just a diversion to get set him up for a kunai throw. The shurikens although could be lethal demanded you hit a few vital areas and he needed to be sure the boy was killed a kunai to the chest would do that. So when the boy was just dodged his second volley after he judged his speed he threw his kunai at his full speed unlike the shurikens that had been about half his speed.

He turned around ready to go and leave the boy to die.

For Naruto he felt time slow down as his blood was leaking out of his wound. He was starting to feel a bit cold and his vision was starting to blur. He could still hear Hinata calling for help and he tried to move but his body wouldn't listen.

'I failed...I failed to protect...her...why...why do I have to be so weak?' Naruto asked himself he remembered when the ninja took him and how afraid he had been. Gai had saved him that day, and here was Hinata in that same moment but where was the person to save her? He was here but he couldn't do anything.

'I...I can't die...I have to save her...I...don't want...to die...not yet...I CAN'T DIE YET!'

Naruto looked at the ninja knowing that he would hurt Hinata, he wanted to hurt him instead. Images of Hinata flew into his mind. Of the day they first met, how happy he was to finally find a friend, to his birthday, to all the days she had been with him. She made him less alone, she made him happy and he liked it when she smiled. And now she was going to be taken away from him, from her family, from her home.

Naruto looked at the ninja with hatred, pure hatred. He had never hated anyone so much in his life. He felt warmer now, like there was a fire building up inside of him.

'Hate.' A voice called out to him.

'Punish.' Again the voice it was deep and seemed to growl out the words.

'KILL!'

And then Naruto roared.

All around Konoha the chakra was felt, from the further places that were from the Hyuga home people stirred in their sleep, some woke up to feelings of dread. The closer you got the more intense the sensation. People bolted from their beds in cold sweats, children woke up crying wondering what that scary feeling was. The adults however knew, they had all felt that chakra before, that dreaded killing intent was burned into their memories and into their nightmares of several years ago.

The night that the Demon came to them, a living nightmare that left its mark on them all, and now they were feeling it again. Many were so scared that the Demon had returned that they couldn't move remembering that horrible night. Others who hadn't been at the battle who had been away when it came or from civilians that had moved in after the battle were never as scared as they were that night.

The Hokage bolted out of his bed and rushed to his window, he could feel it in his bones and he alone knew what was happening and that it was coming from the Hyuga compound, he quickly left to gather his ANBU and anyone else he could find. At the Uchiha estate Fugaku just stared out his window in fear, the day that he had feared might have just happened, that the demon fox had found a way out of his prison. For Itachi he was frozen in awe for a moment, he had never felt such power before.

It was like it was pure power, true power, a force of nature itself. And a small part of him was drawn to it, that finally he had found a power greater than his and he liked it, a power that great in his hands sent his mind racing with endless possibilities.

In the Hyuga compound they all woke up to the power of the chakra and the killing intent coming off it. Hiashi Hyuga knew this chakra as well, he activated his eyes trying to find the source of it all. He felt the hand of his wife on his arm gripping it, "Hiashi..."

"I know..." He tried to steady his voice as he searched and then he found it. Out by the wall there were two figures, no wait...three. One of them was in a bag and...

"Hinata!"

"What? What about Hinata!" his wife shouted but she didn't get an answer as her husband grabbed a robe and jumped through the window.

Back with Akira the Cloud ninja he was frozen in place as he looked at horror at the child. There was actually chakra coming off the boy in levels that he only thought a Kage would have. There was so much he could actually see it but that wasn't what scared him, the chakra wasn't normal. It was red and it swirled around the boy looking like it was alive. Then the boy's eyes looked at him and he knew that the boy's eyes had changed. He couldn't remember what they originally looked like but there was no way he could miss those eyes. They were red and had slits like an animal's but there was something else in those eyes.

There was this untamed fury in them, like a predator that wanted to punish and kill.

"God...what are you..." He whispered out.

Naruto didn't hear him, he was in a haze of anger, fury, rage and blood lust. He pulled the kunai out of his chest and threw it with inhuman speed sending it into the man's shoulder. He cried out as he dropped the bag with Hinata in it, and the next thing he knew the boy was next to him. The speed was impossible for a boy that age, then with Naruto's clawed hands he slashed the man's face.

He screamed in pain as half his face was clawed, but Naruto didn't stop he punched him in the chest and he was sent into the brick wall. It dented and his bones shattered, and Naruto kept on going. He wanted to hurt this man, he wanted to kill him. He began to punch the man and wasn't stopping, his prey tried to put up an arm to defend himself but it was broken after several hits.

"You. Will. Not. Hurt. Hinata-chan. AGAIN!" he shouted out between punches.

"Naruto!"

The voice of Hinata snapped him out of it and he looked over at the struggling bag. He weakly walked over to it as he tried to get the bag opened. He finally did to find the crying form of Hinata in there. She looked up scared at him and Naruto felt the anger leave him, he felt the fire in his blood slowly drain

"N-Naruto-K-Kun?" she sniffled.

"Yeah...are...are you okay?" Naruto asked and she nodded her head. "That's good...I'm glad that...you're...okay..."

Naruto collapsed there onto the ground and Hinata noticed all the blood on his chest and the hole in it.

"Naruto!" she cried out.

Next Up Chapter 10: Between Life and Death