Saruto Hyuga: The Last Generation

53.) An Entity Left Behind

It was beautiful out. In a city full of tall buildings and so many people, it's hard to find peace and quiet in Konoha. The forests were getting cut down less despite the village's legendary name. All Saruto was doing today was picking leafs, sipping water from the river and eating safe berries by the streams. 

"I didn't expect anyone to be out here, this far out." An rough, old voice of a man peeps from behind a rose bush. Saruto freezes but felt comfortable around this older gentleman. "You know, I used to take my wife here. Later on in my life, my children and then my grandson." Saruto nods. "You don't take much do you? That's alright. It's just that you remind me of a child who was quite the opposite." He says.

Who was this man? The hair from his head and chin was grey. He smelled funny and looked old and wrinkly. He had a kind laugh and serious yet loving eyes.

"Who are you?" Young Saruto asks, poking mud in the stream with a large stick. 

"That doesn't matter. I'm sure you'll learn later in your life. How old are you? Five? Six?"

"I'm five." Young Saruto whispers.

"Ahh. Boys are your age are running around playing ninjas and villains while you're out here sleeping in the shade."

"It's not like I have to be anywhere else exactly. It's not like I got parents to go home to like the other kids... and it's not like those parents are willing to let me play with their children either." The old man looks to the side in sadness. It reminded him of a boy so many years before this one was born. He was a young orphan too.

"Tell you what, if you catch a fish in the river nearby, we can start a fire and get you something to eat. I can tell you stories from my life." Saruto smiles at this and runs off to catch a fish.

It took the young boy a long time to achieve what the old man said but when he was back to the log where the two sat, it was nighttime and the old man had started a fire.

So, the night went. The old man told stories about the stars and all the funny and meaningful moments in his life. By the time of morning, Saruto felt he had made a friend even if he hadn't known how it felt yet. 

In the morning, Saruto said he had to make his way back to his village and turned to wave at the old man in the open field towards town. He stepped a few and then looked behind him once more. The old man was gone.

...

"Ten tails?! What's happening out there?!"

"Ma'am, we have been informed that Isshiki with the power of ten tails is killing a lot of shinobi. It's harder to defeat a jinchuriki of the ten tails now that it's mixed with original otsutsuki powers."

"They need me out there!"

"Ma'am, please. We need you here more. Lord Shikamaru is coming up with a brilliant plan right now to stop what's happening to the people on the battle field."

Saruto opens his eyes and felt the pain instantly. The tenseigan had taken a huge toll on his body and he felt like he was on fire.

"Sakura! He's awake, quick!" A familiar voice speaks from his right.

"Saruto, it's grandma Sakura. Are you in pain? How do you rate it from 1-10?" Sakura runs towards the boy. 

"Ten-thousand. It feels like my cells are being burned individually." Saruto bits his lip hard and screams in agony. "Why isn't Kurama repairing my injuries?"

"You died." Hinata blurs out.

"What?!" Saruto yells. 

"Let us explain." Sakura says, administrating pain killers into Saruto's IV.

...

"Naruto!" Sasuke watches his friend go down as he himself is thrown against the mountainside.

"You tried and you failed you inferior creatures. What's left now is to create the infinite tsuyomi." Isshiki taunts.

"Sarada, this is Inojin back at base. We need to find Isshiki's weakness. Is there any chance to hold him back at all?" Inojin mind transfers to Sarada.

"No, not really. I'm breaking down my own cells here because of my Susano'o. If I keep going, I'm not going to survive. Same with everyone on the battlefield. I'm not sure what to do next. I'm prepared to die for the world but me dying at this point can destroy the world as we know it."

"Understandable. We'll work to figure things out quick here. I'm sorry but we'll find a way."

...

"I need to help them out!" Saruto attempts to get up from his hospital bed but fails as his pain keeps him down. 

"Not in this condition, you're not." Sakura claims, pushing the boy down. "The tenseigan actually had an effect on your body as you're not fully otsutsukian. It broke down some of your vital organs since it was already not functioning in your corpse while the jutsu worked. Unless you find some miracle within the next year you're recovering, you're not getting out of this hospital bed."

"A miracle, you ask?" Kurama, resting in Saruto's subconsiousness speaks. "I thought you were dead, kid." 

"Kurama!" 

"This is the last big thing I'm offering you." Kurama huffs, his eyes still closed. "There was one thing that came only slightly close to killing Isshiki and it still didn't kill him." 

"What is it?"

"I'm sure you've heard of Baryon mode-"

"-no, absolutely not. That's going to kill you."

"You didn't let me finish," Kurama opens one eye in annoyance. "Each of us nine tailed beasts had shared chakra with Naruto for communication. I never viewed this as an option before since the other tailed beats were unwilling to help but after I died and I suddenly came back, they were nicer to me. After Naruto died, we became as close a siblings can be as we were losing our second savior and father. I can ask each of the tailed beasts to give a piece of their chakra to be used in battle. I'm sure this time they'll agree. I'll use mine right now to repair your body."

"Kurama... I don't even know what to say. This is big and so helpful. I can safe my family and the world beyond."

"Right, so stop being pathetic and go safe the world."