Once More by ItsHardToFindAPenName

Chapter 41: Confrontation, Part 2

"That's a name I haven't heard for quite a long time, indeed."

The masked man answered Kakashi in a surprisingly carefree tone. The cyclops narrowed his eyes.

"So you're not trying to deny it?"

"Denying or admitting, it's not important now," the masked man laughed; a dry, empty laughter which chill Kakashi's hair at the nape. "I am never anyone important; just someone with the mission to clean up this rotten shinobi world."

"Those are the words of someone who is afraid of showing their true face to the world," Kakashi pointed out, hoping to be able to provoke his enemy. But the masked man just gave him a mirthful chuckle.

"You are too naïve if you think those words are enough to provoke me, Kakashi."

Welp, so much for that...

"Then why don't you just show me what is under that hideous swirly orange mask?" the cyclops challenged. The masked man just answered impassively.

"If you want to see what is under it, you will have to take it off by yourself."

"Oh, trust me, I will."

And with that declaration, Kakashi charged forward.

A gigantic tsunami suddenly crashed down on the heads of everyone in the clearing without a warning, drowning the whole island, including every person standing on it, in a sea of water. Even the Byakuren, anchored very carefully far away from the shore, was shaken back and forth dangerously because of the sheer force of the wave.

Even with the enhanced power the Tailed Beast Chakra Mode had given him, Naruto was not invincible. He could block almost all attacks with the Truth-Seeking shield, and the chakra cloak itself made his body incredibly tough against physical attack, but it couldn't save him from asphyxiation under a gazillion ton of water.

'Son of a bitch! Isobu, can't you do something?! You are a turtle, for fuck's sake!'

'I can't! Healing is one thing, but to modify his body, Naruto has to be able to think consciously! I can't do anything from the inside; it might destroy his body!'

He heard the Tailed Beasts inside him bickering in panic, but everything was beginning to fade away... He couldn't think properly anymore... He needed air... but... the very last bit of it was leaving him...

Things were starting to fade away from his vision...

Then he felt fresh air rushing into his lungs. The fresh air, filled with oxygen, revitalized him in a second. Oddly, the air also smelled like menthol.

He opened his eyes, and saw himself...

...locking lips passionately with Haku, the person who was giving him her own air while pulling him to the surface.

He wanted to breathe out in relief and cry at the same time, but then he realized that it would just make the kiss even more passionate. So he just let his body go slack until she managed to get him and herself back to the surface.

When the light finally came back into his vision, the two separated, much to Naruto's relief. Then he remembered...

"Wait, what about Fuu-chan and the others...?"

"Here they are," said Shiro Ichigaki right next to him, plopping up from underwater with Fuu and Kosuke. Both of them seemed to be out of breath, just like Naruto, and he shuddered when thinking about the image of Shiro's mouth locking with the old man's, just like Haku had just done with him a minute ago.