Set Me Free | Naruto Neglect✔️

Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Truth's and Attack!

Sakura wandered about through the dense forest, she called out for Naruto for about the hundredth time, almost loosing hope. She released a sigh and jumped onto a tree branch, she scaled up a tree and looked up, trying to find a certain blonde.

Where could he be? She asked herself and dropped to the ground, walking on the soft, green grass. It was only a mere five minutes but she soon came to a stop upon a small clearing.

There before her was Naruto leaning against the base of a tree, foxes and other animals surrounding him. A squirrel holding an acorn rested on his left shoulder, a fox carefully approached him and sniffed his right hand and a deer sat down beside him. Birds flew in near him, singing happy songs.

A smile formed on the blonde's face and a small laugh escaped his mouth.

Sakura's stomach did several flips and her heartbeat escalated. A warm feeling, the same warm feeling she had felt at the party, washed over her once again.

"You just gonna stand there Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked turning his head to the pinkette, smiling gently at her.

Sakura snapped back to reality, "u-uh..." she stuttered.

The animals quickly looked up at Sakura and took off into the bushes, "sorry... I didn't mean to scare them away." Sakura said.

Naruto shook his head, "it's alright." He said and stood up.

"I've been looking all over for you." Sakura said a small smile plastered on her face.

"I heard." Naruto chuckled scratching the back of his head.

Sakura took a seat next to the blonde, admiring the clear blue sky and the birds that flew up above. "What were you doing all the way out here?" Sakura abruptly asked, breaking the comfortable silence before them.

"Just needed some air is all." Naruto chuckled.

Sakura shifted her attention from the sky to the blonde who was still looking up. She saw his expression, a façade to hide the pain. "You know, you don't have to put up a front. No one else is here, except for me that is." Sakura said.

Naruto froze, he didn't want to even look at Sakura. 

"Naruto?" Sakura asked. 

Nothing but silence responded to her answer. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry-"

"It's fine." Naruto suddenly spoke as he quickly stood up. He shoved his hands into his pockets and turned around. "I just... need some time to myself..." He said more softly. 

"Wait Naruto..." Sakura trailed.

"I said it's fine!" Naruto hissed and walked off, leaving Sakura alone with a feeling of an invisible knife stabbing her heart. An ache that hurt her so much. Not even realizing she was crying, clouds slowly shadowed the once clear blue sky.

***

Rain showered over the village and thunderstruck. The villagers rushed to their homes to escape the abrupt storm. Jiraiya gently knocked on the wooden door, hearing a response from the person behind it. He opened it and smiled. "Hey Minato." Jiraiya said.

"Jiraiya-sensei." Minato smiled, nodding as a greeting. "Do you have any information on Naruto, as I had asked?"

Jiraiya walked into the room and nodded, thunderstruck and his expression shifted form happy-go-lucky to serious. "Yes, however it's not much." Jiraiya answered.

"Even little things can have a big impact," Minato stated, "go on."

"It's confirmed that he is you're child, but I will push that aside after the main point." Jiraiya said and Minsto nodded. "Now, although he didn't mention it, specifically he left roughly twelve years ago. He stated that he had stayed with people he considered as his real family."

Minato put up an expression of confusion. "What does that mean?" He asked.

"I'll be explaining that to you later." Jiraiya answered.

"Fair enough," Minato said, "is that all?"

"Well from what Kakashi had personally told me and from the little information I've gather from Naruto himself..." Jiraiya paused and looked at Minato directly in the eyes, "I believe Naruto was raised by the Akatsuki."

Minato's eyes widened, thunderstruck creating a loud cracking sound, he abruptly stood up from his seat. "What!?" He yelled.

Jiraiya merely nodded, "yes, it's exactly as you heard. Kakashi had explained to me that his clone saw Naruto mourning for the death of the Akatsuki member, Hidan." The Toad Sage explained.

"On the way to Konoha people had spread rumours about another Akatsuki member, a young boy with yellow hair." Jiraiya added.

Minato sunk back into his chair, face clearly showing that he was in a state of disbelief. "So this whole time... we've had an Akatsuki member here!?" He exclaimed.

"He's going to end us all! We need to kill him now! An Akatsuki member-"

"Even if he is your son!?" Jiraiya suddenly yelled in anger.

Minato was taken back by his sensei's sudden yell that it made him flinch. "Naruto had also told me that you had neglected him, yes I admit it was fault... but YOU, you of all people neglected their own child!?"

"Let alone the Jinchurki?" Jiraiya asked.

Minato couldn't find the right words to even speak the right words. "No wonder why you were so confused when you saw the results from Tsunade." Jiraiya spat. "I'm disappointed in you, Minato."

"Akatsuki or not, Naruto is just a boy! Sure he grew up but he's the same fragile hearted boy whose trying to hide it!!" Jiraita released a sigh of frustration.

He punched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "Something must've happened to Naruto that made him turn out like this." Jiraiya said and put his hands on his waist.

"Think and see if you can remember that long lost son in your memories, Minato." Jiraiya said and turned to leave.

It was only a second ago when Minato and Jiraiya were talking about the blonde and in a flash, a huge shockwave blasted throughout the village. Villagers and Ninja's caught in the attack. Houses and other buildings blown away, colliding with all the other buildings.

The village was completely destroyed from a singular attack..

It was an attack that, even Naruto, hadn't seen coming from the leader of the Akatsuki.