Chapter 53 : Heaven and Earth(1)

I have found what I was missing with my Sage Dust…

Even I can't fully contemplate what this means. If what I now think is possible…

I'm… I'm still a monster, right?

More importantly, I'm still human… right?

....

It had been another week, and the bridge was finally complete. Tazuna, Tsunami and Inari stood on the symbol of hope that Tazuna had built, saying their goodbyes to Team Seven and Naruto. It didn't feel like it, but two weeks had passed with Kakashi and his team, and Naruto now knew another method of teaching, something he had already learned from his time under the Copy-nin.

Kakashi had always said that teamwork was the most important thing in a successful squad, and he stuck with his ideals even when teaching genin. Like the silver-haired jonin, Naruto also thought that teamwork was very important. When he became the captain of Ro-Han, the rules of teamwork still applied, as they most likely still did.

Yugao saw both Naruto and Kakashi as two of the greatest shinobi in Konoha, and even though she never said it out loud, she strove to be like them. They were her role models, and she wouldn't change the way the team worked just because she was appointed the new leader.

After what happened on the bridge, Naruto publicly executed Gato of Gato Company. Both of his arms were broken, his face was smashed in, and a kunai greeted his brain from his throat. It was ugly, it was brutal, sickening even, but it was something Nami no Kuni needed. None of them could admit it, and no one could do it, their moral codes weren't as flexible as a shinobi's.

Thankfully, Naruto was able and willing – his Lord Hokage's orders were absolute. When the strangled cries for help rang out, Naruto only had one thought in his mind, his talk with Choji. Like he told the young Akimichi, sometimes, shinobi had to do the hard, ugly things so that the innocent could keep their purity.

The following week went by extremely fast. It was spent with Naruto observing Kakashi, secret late night talks with Sasuke, and just hanging out with Inari. The boy really changed since he arrived. Gone was his dark, hopeless attitude, and in its place was a happy, cheerful young boy.

Kakashi didn't really do anything different with his genin that Naruto hadn't already seen from him. Well, except for the fact that he was hugely easier on them than he was on Naruto or his ANBU team, but that was necessary. The only genin Naruto knew who could take that kind of training was Rock Lee, and only because his sensei was an extremist when it came to physical training.

During the nights, Naruto would take Sasuke out into the forest, and the two of them wouldn't return until morning. Not even Kakashi fully understood what the two were doing out there, but he had an idea.

He had most likely started the Uchiha's training. In Naruto's mind, there was no better time than the present, and Kakashi wouldn't be surprised if the boy had a second tomoe in one eye already. What was for certain was that Sasuke had started the training that would cause him to surpass all other Uchiha that came before him. When Naruto said he would do something, he would, no matter what, and he had promised Sasuke that he would turn him into a monster.

It was only a matter of time now.

At the moment, Naruto was staring at a smiling Inari. He had thought the boy might have wanted to cry, but what he felt from him right now… it reassured him that he had changed. Inari now understood what most never do. He now understood the true meaning behind hope, the true meaning behind strength.

As Kakashi and the others said goodbye to Tazuna and Tsunami, Naruto and Inari didn't speak one word. The boy knew that words weren't needed. Everything was being expressed through their emotions.

You gave of us hope.

You took it for yourselves.

Naruto couldn't help but smile. Inari was a man now. He no longer looked at the world the same. He saw how beautiful it was, and he would do so until he died. That was Naruto's true gift to Inari, to Nami no Kuni. Sight. It may sound ridiculous, stupid even, but those are the words of the blind.

The eyes are useless if the mind cannot see.

When it was Tsunami's turn to speak with Naruto, the blond held out his hand. "You know, you have an amazing family, Tsunami-san." When he felt the woman's emotions, he was stunned, which is why he didn't react fast enough to dodge her hug.

"I know," she whispered into his ear. "And you are now a part of it." He just stood stock still, not knowing how to respond, "You always have a home with us, Naruto-san." She smiled, "Kakashi-san told me that you were an orphan." She ended the hug so she could look him in the eyes. "Not anymore," She said firmly, "You have a little brother, a second mother, and a grandfather in Nami." Her eyes made him feel like a child again. "Always," She finished, her beautiful smile still on her beautiful face.

Naruto couldn't do anything but nod his head. Those words… they made him… they made him feel awake. He had never felt awake outside of combat before, but here he was, receiving the kindest words he had ever heard… it was invigorating. It was a brief, fleeting thing, but it was there nonetheless. He had felt awake outside of battle, if only for a second.

He took a deep breath, calming himself so that he could speak to Tazuna. "You know, Naruto-san..." He wasn't looking at the blond, but at the bridge he had built. "This isn't my bridge…" He smiled. "It's yours." Naruto felt the man's heart. "You may not think that you're a hero, but it really doesn't matter what you think." He finally looked the young jonin in the eyes. "It's what you do that defines you." He smiled again. "And kid, you save people in more ways than one." He bowed to the blond. "Thank you, Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto smiled, and nodded his head in thanks.

"You're welcome, Tazuna-san."

As Team Seven and Naruto walked across the bridge, Inari finally spoke up. "What are you going to name the bridge, Jiji?"

Tazuna smirked. "This bridge is the physical representation of our hope, so the way I see it, it should be given the name of one of the Bringers of Hope." Inari smiled, turning his attention back to Naruto.

That's when he whispered the name of their symbol of hope.

"The Great Naruto Bridge."

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