Politics in the Mist

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Chapter 19, time to finish the cliffhanger. I've got a ton of people following the the story and I couldn't be happier, thank you all for your great support. There's 10 to 15 chapters left in the story depending on how long certain things take. Thanks a ton for reviewing, and lets get started.
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aruto had his eyes closed, prepared for the worst, but the blow never came. He looked up to see Asuma with the scythe being held back by this trench knives. The scythe had made a cut into Asuma's hand, some blood trickled down onto his hands.
Asuma laughed, "you'd think that you guy's would know a man who spends every free moment with the Leaf's top genjutsu user would be able to sense one."
Hidan looked him in the eye, he was grinning ear to ear. Quickly as he could he sped over to his partner, laughing like a madman, "you're going to be perfect for my ritual, it's time for you to die."
Naruto was screaming, "Everyone get Hidan, if we let him start the ritual there's almost no way to stop it."
Kakuzu released some wire from his body and it began to shoot fire at the shinobi, forcing them to licked blood of his scythe, his whole body turned black and white, "it's over you pricks, time for beardy-boy to die!"
He raised the sharp end of his scythe to his chest and plunged it in, still laughing. Asuma toppled over in pain and blood came out of his mouth. Naruto couldn't believe it, "Asuma-sensei!"
The remaining members of the Ino-Shika-Cho formation were running through the forest, desperately trying to reach their sensei and teammate. Choji could be surprising fast when he wanted to be, and Ino was pretty fast to begin with.. They weren't sure what to expect with them fighting two members of the Akatsuki, but they knew it couldn't be good. Once they reached the gate they found Shikamaru knelt over Asuma and Naruto screaming at the cloaked men.
"Asuma-sensei," Ino and Choji yelled.
Naruto was going balistic, "you bastards, he was gonna be father."
Kakuzu snorted, "he's a ninja you little gaki. His life was fair game, just like all shinobi. In this world every person is disposable, I learned that in the Waterfall. I was banished for being unable to kill the First Hokage, an impossible task. They didn't care if he was the strongest shinobi in the world at the time, if I couldn't kill him I was useless. I took what I could and left, never returning. The only way to be successful in this world is to gain as much as you can as fast as you can. This friend of yours is worth money, I'm not gonna be held back just because he has some kid on the way. He's expendable, just like everyone else in this world."
Naruto was shaking, "Expendable...you think everyone in the world is expendable...the only people I see here who are expendable are you and your friend. The world will be much better off without people like you!"
While he was screaming, the Ino-Shika-Cho were busy having their last words with their sensei, "No, not now, not yet," Ino cried.
Shikamaru still wasn't speaking, so Choji went next, "I'm sorry, if we had just come sooner, hadn't left you alone maybe…"
Asuma stopped him, "No...its ok...you can't blame...anyone but the...Akatsuki," he said with all the strength he had, "you guys...help with...the baby."
Shikamaru finally snapped out of it, "I promise you, no harm will ever come to your daughter, you're the coolest adult I know, I'm sure she'll be pretty cool too."
Ino held Choji's hand, "Asuma-sensei, we're gonna tell you tomorrow, we're getting married."
Asuma smiled, "that's great...I'm really happy for you...now we just need...to get Shikamaru to…" he would never finish that sentence, his eyes closed once and for all.
Shikamaru stood up and saw that Kakashi had arrived, "you and Naruto handle Kakuzu, we'll handle Hidan."
Kakashi nodded, "alright, be careful. I don't want to add two names to the memorial stone."
Shikamaru stood up and looked at Hidan who was still recovering from stabbing himself in the chest. He picked up one of Asuma's trench knives and threw it him, landing in his shadow. Hidan laughed, "work on your aim dipshit."
Shikamaru didn't even flinch, "that's a chakra blade, I've been practicing with them. I don't need to be near you to pin you down with my Shadow possession."
Hidan tried to move, unsuccessfully, "damn you!"
Naruto and Kakashi had already forced Kakuzu away from his partner, Shikamaru had no trouble finishing the rest of his plan, "I know where all the traps are around the gate, I designed half of them. All I have to do now is lead you to the right one to make sure never have a chance to perform your ritual again."
Hidan's eye twitched, "you fool, I'll do whatever I have to to escape. I'm an immortal, a follower of Jashin, you can't stop me!"
Shikamaru walked up to him and captured him in his shadow, leading him to a group of trees nearby, "I don't care about how you became immortal, it doesn't matter to me. What matters is you're killing my friends, and I sure as hell can't stand for that," Hidan suddenly found himself falling down into a hole with metal rods at the bottom, Choji used his expansion jutsu and prepared to bury him, "Asuma-sensei had something you never will, the will of fire. An undying need to protect everyone around you. Without that, immortal or not, you'll never be able to beat us."
Choji made a massive stomp with his foot burying the man for eternity. Shikamaru headed back, he need to get his sensei back to the Leaf."
Naruto and Kakashi were busy with Kakuzu, who was giving them all they could handle, "give it up, I've got five hearts in my body, I'm over 100 years old, I've got more experience than the two of you combined. You don't stand a chance."
Naruto had already activated Kurama's chakra, he was extremely pissed off. He made two clones who started to make a sphere in his hand, "you wanna bet?"
Kakuzu laughed, "you think you can actually hit me? I'm faster and smarter than you are, you're a joke to me."
Naruto finished and raised the Rasenshuriken above his head, "fuck you," and threw it at Kakuzu.
Kakashi's eyes widen, "he threw it?"
It head Kakuzu dead center leaving nothing left. Naruto was holding his arm screaming, "son a bitch, what happened?"
Kurama was yelling in his head, "You broke your arm you idiot, your body can't stand that kind of force yet. If you want to pull that little stunt again, you'd better finish sage training or the jinjuriki cloke. You're lucky to be alive!"
Naruto sighed and leaned back on a rock, no matter how strong he got people still were getting hurt because of him. He had to get stronger, he couldn't keep letting people die for him.
Kurenai collapsed on her hand and knees, "No, please it's a mistake, it has to be a mistake."
Shikamaru put hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry, this is my fault. They walked straight through my traps..."
Naruto walked up, "No, if it's anyone's fault it's mine. Kurenai-sensei I knew exactly how they fought and I still failed completely. You have every right to hate me, he didn't have to take the blow for me. He could be here to rais..."
Kurenai gave him a small smack, "Naruto, none of this is anyone's fault but Hidan's. Asuma wouldn't have been the man I loves if he hasn't been willing to take that hit for you. His undying loyalty to his friends is what won me over. Ever since he trained you in wind chakra he spoke highly of you, almost as highly as he spoke of Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji. You're going to be a father too Naruto, I can't imagine you of all people letting something like this turn you into a depressed little shell of a man."
Naruto looked down, "I know that, but it's hard to keep acting like it's ok that people are dying for me."
Kakashi walked up to Naruto, "Naruto your father died believing you'd be the one to bring peace to the world, the one who could change everything,"
Naruto got wide eyed, no one but a select few knew his father was. Kakashi was just blabbing it around people who had no idea, "Kakashi-sensei!"
Kakashi didn't stop, "he trusted you with the most powerful weapon we have, the Kyuubi, he trusted you with everything. He and Asuma didn't die just for you, they died for all the good you're going to do while you're here. Don't let them die for nothing."
Shikamaru was working it out in his head, "you're father...Minato Namikaze, the man who sealed the Kyuubi in you, that's what he meant when he said he trusted you with our most powerful weapon."
Naruto was terrified, "please don't tell anyone about this, if some of my father's enemies find out..."
Shikamaru didn't need him to finish, "you're the son of one of the most powerful ninjas ever...troublesome. Don't worry your secret's safe with us."
Naruto sighed in relief, then he he looked at Kurenai, "would it be okay...if I named my son Asuma? He saved my life, it's the least I can do."
Kurenai wiped the tears from her eyes and hugged Naruto, "Of course, thank you."
Naruto got gone a few days later and told Mei everything, she smiled and hugged her husband, "Asuma Uzumaki, it's sound wonderful."
Naruto held her close, "thanks, think just in two months, we'll have a little pair of people who'll be stealing your boobs from me." Mei nearly passed out from all her laughter.
She regained her composure and continued to speak with her husband, "how was Rituji doing with Shino?"
Naruto smiled, "she was a little more optimistic when I left, I think they'll be okay."
Mei nodded, "They're only getting one month before the wedding, I'll being going with to the Leaf next time you head there."
Naruto wasn't sure about that, "but you'll be 8 months pregnant, do you have to go?"
Mei kissed her husband's cheek, "don't you worry about me Naruto, I'll be just fine."
Naruto still wasn't sure, but Mei was giving him one of her, 'lets head to the bedroom looks', so he chose to just let it be and go with his wife. She had been much more...eager since she got pregnant, and Naruto wasn't' complaining. He knew his wife would be fine even if she did go with him to the Leaf, she was a strong woman, and he had complete faith in her. He still worried, but he had faith in her.