Red Lightning Guardian - A Naruto Fan-Fic

Chapter Twenty-Five - Euphoria

Hey guys! I'm back with chapter twenty-five. I hope you enjoy :) :)

- Akai's P.O.V -

Hands buried in my jacket pockets, I traipse through the village under the night sky, head tilted towards the ground. Ever since our meeting with the Slug Queen and her apprentice, I'm assuming, my mind hasn't really rested. Not that it does but it's been borderline overdrive. I've wondered about Tsunade's cynicism towards the title of Hokage and why I had protected my followers.

Why would I do something like that? It was a subconscious gesture; I had somehow concealed their presences without a second thought. It's like I...panicked at the prospect of Jiraiya noticing them and attacking. I had only recognised that one of the people following me was the brunette I had spoken to. Even though I fail to know his name, I just wanted to protect him. Him and the second one whose chakra was so glaringly familiar, I can't help but become frustrated.

If Jiraiya found out about this, he'll have a field day. I won't be surprised if he attacks me. I know full well I'd lose in a fight to him indefinitely but I have a feeling he'll attack me then take me back to village and imprison me. The pervert doesn't come across as the type to just spontaneously take someone's life.

I withdraw my bandaged hand and glance at it, clenching my hand and flexing my fingers to substantiate how much pain I'm still in. I hardly feel a thing so I increase my pace to an empty place where I can train my Chidori.

As I reach a cliff landing dotted with several dead trees, I overhear panting, sighing when I sense it is Naruto. The blonde lays splayed out on the ground, body matted in dirt and chakra almost completely exhausted.

"I thought you planned to start training tomorrow morning?" I question, stopping beside the blonde. Naruto peeks his blue eyes open and moves them to me, panting still.

"I can't afford to take a break." He replies breathlessly, gritting his teeth. I hum quietly before grabbing the front of his orange jacket and yanking him up into a seated position.

"What are you doing?" he wonders as I sit down adjacent to him, resting my hands in my lap. I stare at him blankly, evoking a nervous look on my teammate's face, sweat adding to his already shocked face.

"Why did you tell Jiraiya what the Akatsuki had said about me?" I ask bluntly, making the blonde freeze. He downcast eyes before glancing away, resting his hands in his lap as I do and I briefly take note of the tremor in his right hand.

"I was worried about you, Akai," he responds lowly, brows creasing. "I mean, I didn't intend to rat on you but the thought that they'd be after you too scared me."

I arch a brow, half of my face concealed behind my jacket collar. "You saw what Itachi did to Sasuke," he continues, raising his trembling hand to his face. "I was no match for that shark dude, either. Pervy Sage had a hard time with them too and you couldn't even get hit on either of them. I didn't want what happened to Sasuke happen to you, too."

"Why do you worry so much about me, Naruto?" I inquire curiously, giving the blonde a minor frown. "It's foolish and null and void. Because we're teammates doesn't mean you have to waste energy being anxious over my wellbeing. I don't need it."

Naruto snaps his head to me, a determined glint in his blue eyes. "It's because we're teammate that I worry for you," he answers obstinately, surprising me. "Not only are you my teammate but I also think of you as my friend, Akai and no matter what you say or act, I'll always see you as that!"