Chereads / Grace: A Naruto Fanfiction (Book 1) / Chapter 39 - CHAPTER 39: INTERNAL PROBLEMS

Chapter 39 - CHAPTER 39: INTERNAL PROBLEMS

Chapter 39: Internal Problems

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Naruto looked over at the unconscious Zaku one last time before walking away from his existence. Everyone was silent from this single battle.

It was so one-sided.

Everything that occurred all throughout the battle was on the terms of Naruto's. He pushed his hands into his pockets and walked right on to the spectating area.

Naruto stopped and stood right beside Satsuki in utter silence. His apathetic face glanced over at the medics attending over at the bruised and battered Zaku.

Satsuki sighed at Naruto's attitude.

"You know, Naruto. It would've been better if you had finished the battle quicker." Naruto shrugged at Satsuki's words with absolutely no enthusiasm indicated.

"I guess. But. . ." Oh? It seems like Naruto had a reason for doing so.

"Spill it," ordered Satsuki, gazing at Naruto. He sighed, knowing that Satsuki won't stop berating him if he didn't tell her why he didn't finish the fight quicker.

"As you know, his team was targeting us in the Forest of Death." Satsuki nodded. It seems like Naruto was talking quite loudly to the point where other people were attentively listening to their conversation.

"While our team did overwhelmingly defeat them without much effort, they still had lots of confidence in themselves." Them defeating their team was not much of a surprise.

"At first, I wan't going to go through this plan, but I conveniently got paired up with Zaku for the first round." This caught the attention of many around them.

Including Orochimaru.

"And that plan was?" Naruto sighed at Satsuki's assertiveness.

"To destroy their morale." People slightly widened their eyes at the words that Naruto had said. Why would Naruto want to destroy another team's morale?

"As long as they have confidence in their abilities, they'll continue to target us under orders from a certain person. So by showing a difference between our strength to theirs, It'll show them how hopeless they are," Though he wasn't done talking.

"Thus making them lose their morale during the process of it all. Even though it was a pain to have to do such a thing, it was a necessary step in the process." There was a moment of silence.

"You're crazy," said Satsuki, shaking her head at Naruto's unorthodox way of solving things. Though it seems Naruto doesn't care all that much at all.

"Thanks for the compliment."

"That was not a compli- never mind." Everyone waited for the next matchup to be decided. Though while Naruto could indeed observe what could happen, he was not interested in doing such a thing.

For the people who wield strong power or high intelligence, these preliminary rounds should be considered a piece of cake. But people who wield both are the most dominant.

After quite some time, Naruto saw a familiar name grace the electronic board.

Uchiha Satsuki vs Akado Yoroi.

Naruto looked over at Satsuki, whom had a slight smirk appear right on her face. Oh, it seems she is liking this outcome quite too well for her standards.

Good. This will be a good time for me to observe that mark that is on her shoulder. Naruto thought as Satsuki walked down the stairs to the arena. His eyes darted from Satsuki to the guy, Yoroi.

"Naruto." He heard someone call out his name. Naruto turned towards the person whom that had called him out.

It was Kakashi.

"I would like to ask for a favor." He leaned in towards Naruto's ear and started to whisper what he wanted Naruto to actually do. After a few more moments, Naruto nodded his head.

"I guess that can be arranged. Though I don't get why you need me to do this." Kakashi just eye-smiled.

"She trusts you more than anyone else. I think you doing it would be much more ideal." Naruto sighed, but nodded his head towards the favor/request that Kakashi had just made.

He looked back towards the fight. Man, he had already missed a few seconds of the battle. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the battle that was currently occurring.

Hm? It seems Satsuki is not fighting a full strength. She's avoiding using chakra at all cost. Naruto thought, internally noting this bit of information inside of his head.

This probably means that Curse Mark thingy responds and reacts to her chakra. Naruto thought as he saw Satsuki dodge an attack from Yoroi. The outcome of the battle was very split.

He is able to absorb chakra. Interesting. Naruto mused to himself, carefully eyeing each move and action that Satsuki and Yoroi does every moment that pasts.

Though it seems it is not the most versatile way. Having to actually create contact with your opponent can prove rather difficult to some degree. This was especially true if your opponent is faster than the user of the technique.

But it seems to be working in his favor. Naruto thought as he looked at Satsuki's weak form. God, this was actually quite humiliating for Satsuki herself.

Should I try and give her motivation? I should. I want to fight her. Naruto saw Satsuki break free from Yoroi's hold rather slowly. To think he was capable to drain this much chakra in such a short amount of time.

"Why is Satsuki-san not using jutsus?" Asked Sakura quietly. The other genin did not know of this development that involved the Curse Mark.

"That mark on her shoulder responds to her chakra. If she carelessly uses her chakra, it'll without a doubt, activate and try to corrode her." Sakura nodded, understanding what the Curse Mark was capable of.

After a few moments, Satsuki was driven into a corner. Her eyes darted around everywhere around the arena. The distance between her and Yoroi was quite substantial.

Her eyes finally landed on Naruto's. She slightly widened her eyes before dodging another attack from Yoroi. She widened her eyes not because of the attack from before, but from Naruto's gaze.

Just from eye contact alone, she understood what he wanted to say to her.

"You call yourself an Uchiha? Pathetic." Of course these words were influenced by her pessimistic self, but they were certainly close enough to where it's true.

That damn bitch. Satsuki thought, just barely kicking away the kick that was sent her way from Yoroi.

Is this your way of motivating me? You're a lunatic. She pushed her hand into her holster and pulled out a kunai. With very sharp precision, Satsuki threw the kunai right towards Yoroi at insane speeds.

"That won't be enough to defeat me," Yoroi said, using a kunai of his own to deflect the kunai that Satsuki had thrown right towards her. He looked towards Satsuki's direction and widened his eyes.

Where the hell is she? Yoroi thought, tensing up a considerable amount before feeling a sharp and sudden pain breach his abdomen. His eyes widened further as he was knocked away.

Satsuki wasn't done and jumped in the air all the while going through a set of hand seals.

Snake → Ram → Monkey → Boar → Horse → Tiger

As she inhaled in the air around her, she widened her eyes. The Curse Mark was activating and trying to corrode her. Satsuki gritted her teeth at this development.

I got too carried away and tried using chakra. She thought as the flickering flames started to cover her face. Naruto noticed this and internally sighed at Satsuki.

Though he would've just done some motivational speech to Satsuki, there was simply just too much people here. It would just be repulsive to the point he would rather die than do such a thing.

A speech to motivate her is not something I would do at all. Naruto thought, gazing at Satsuki as she struggled to break free from the shackles of the Curse Mark.

There was a simple problem about Satsuki that Naruto knew of.

She is too reliant on me; It's a codependency type-thing. She has an excessive reliance on me that is holding her back. Even though other people haven't noticed this, I have. Naruto thought as he continued to gaze at Satsuki.

This is partly the reason why I need her to go to Orochimaru. Not only is she holding herself back just from being too reliant on me, but I am effected by this. There were actually very clear reasons on why this is the case.

I've said this many times before, but I have grown an emotional attachment to her. I need that emotional attachment to halt itself from ascending to new heights. Naruto thought as Satsuki started to slowly overcome the Curse Mark's influence.

I won't let that attachment to ever rise again. Until I am ready, of course. He took necessary precaution just incase something went horribly wrong in the future.

I won't deny it, but if I let that emotional attachment rotten, then it'll effect me too. There is no doubt about that. Naruto is smart and knows a lot about the psychological part of a person.

My mental state will surely plummet down. Naruto continued to observe and predict the outcome of the battle. Even though Satsuki was indeed very handicapped, she would ultimately win in the end.

Her skills far surpassed his without any question. Naruto thought, seemingly satisfied once he saw Satsuki persevere through the influence of the Curse Mark.

The flickering flames that threatened to corrode and run amok was now surrendering to Satsuki's own will and were now receding back to the mark.

She then exhaled the built-up chakra from within and sets out a large fireball towards Yoroi. Once she landed back down, Satsuki felt pain arise from the mark once more.

With just a slither amount of chakra left, she maneuvered her way around the abundance of smoke that littered all throughout the arena that her and Yoroi were currently fighting in.

Yoroi was on alert. The amount of smoke that was covering the arena was indeed quite a huge problem for him. A bead of sweat slowly slithered down his face.

Where is she? Here? No. There? No. Where? Yoroi thought. This was proving to be rather difficult by a very large extent. Naruto was actually amused by this.

Even though I can't see it, I just know that Satsuki is trying to break him down mentally. Naruto thought, seeing the smoke clear out slightly. She was making Yoroi way to over-paranoid.

Yoroi suddenly felt a sharp pain enter and course through his face. He widened his eyes as he got knocked away by Satsuki's punch to the face. Yoroi fell down a few meters away from her.

But it seems like Satsuki was far from down.

As Yoroi moved to get up, a kunai was sent towards his eyes. He widened them and just barely dodged the kunai; it left a slight cut on his cheek. He panted as he jumped up immediately.

"You seem to be getting tired." He dodged a punch to the left. Yoroi then dodged another punch from Satsuki. He caught sight of the arm and tried to get hold of it to drain the chakra once more.

You're done! Thought Yoroi, reaching out towards her arm in order to have his plans become reality. But it seems Satsuki came prepared and pulled out another kunai with her other hand.

With not much time left to decide on the next action, Satsuki impaled Yoroi's hand that he tried attacking her with. A wound appeared right on Yoroi's hand.

Blood splattered from the wound and onto Yoroi's mask. He was in complete daze. Satsuki took advantage of this and jumped slightly in the air. She used her foot and brought it up to his face, kicking him back to the concrete floor.

His head bashed right on the ground. Even more blood escaped from his head, soaking the concrete ground with the dark-crimson color.

Satsuki landed back on the ground.

"Winner: Uchiha Satsuki." The crowd cheered at the victory of Satsuki. Naruto internally dead-panned at this.

Wow. . . you cheer for her and not for me? I'm totally hurt. Naruto thought. He noticed how those thoughts were so unbelievably fake that it made him cringe internally.

I must be bad at acting. Naruto continued to muse. Kakashi disappeared and reappeared right behind Satsuki.

"We need that mark sealed. Come with me." Satsuki sighed, nodding her head in understanding. They walked off. Once they disappeared, Naruto sighed, looking up towards the ceiling.

"Can't believe I have to do this," muttered Naruto, also disappearing from the arena in complete silence.

~~~

Kakashi brought Satsuki in an empty and secluded area that had stone pillars surrounding them. Satsuki saw a sealing array already pre-made before they had gotten here.

"How are we going to seal the mark?" Asked Satsuki, pointing right towards the Curse Mark that was imprinted on her shoulder. Kakashi pointed towards the middle of the ritual-like-thingy.

"Walk over there and sit down." She nodded, walking right towards her designated place in complete silence.

"Now what?" Satsuki asked, looking at Kakashi. There was a moment of silence; a very very eery amount of silence that dawned on the two of them.

Kakashi suddenly eye-smiled as he took out straps of bandages.

"Take off your shirt." Satsuki widened her eyes as she caught the bandages that Kakashi had throw right towards her. She fumbled while trying to catch it.

"What the hell?! There is no way I am going to do such a thing!" Satsuki glared the at closet-pervert right in front of her. What the hell was he asking?!

"Relax, it's not like I'm the one that is going to do the sealing." Satsuki narrowed her paranoid eyes at Kakashi.

"What do you mean by that?" Kakashi continued to eye-smile at Satsuki. God, Kakashi was such a vague and annoying person to talk and converse with.

"Someone else is going to do the sealing. Duh." Satsuki could suddenly hear footsteps approach their location. It kept on getting louder and louder by the second.

"Why do I have to do this again?" Asked Naruto as he lazily walked and got closer to them. Satsuki widened her eyes in realization on what was about to happen.

"No! There is no way I am letting him do anything." Naruto looked at Kakashi.

"See? Can I go now?" Kakashi chuckled as he shook his head at him.

"Ah, Naruto. There is no way I am letting you do that. You're going to do this for me since she obviously doesn't trust me to do anything." Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto just sighed, looking right over at Satsuki.

"You heard sensei, take off your shirt and put on the bandages." Satsuki scowled with displeasure shown on her face.

"No way." Naruto raised an eyebrow at those defying and retaliating words. He was getting nowhere with this kind of wording with her. But he was too tired/lazy to do something much more forceful.

"Just do it, Satsuki. I promise that I won't peek for even a second."

"Tch. Fine. But remember, if you look, I'll kill you in the worst possible way." Naruto nodded, understanding what Satsuki was currently telling him to do.

"Yeah, Yeah. Just go on with it. I'll look away." Naruto turned around, no longer having his eyes linger on Satsuki. After a few moments, Naruto heard Satsuki wrap the bandages around her body.

"You can turn now," said Satsuki embarrassingly. He then turned around slowly.

Oh. Now I get why the boys are all so attracted to Satsuki. Naruto thought as he walked right behind the seated Satsuki. He pulled out a kunai and created a small gash on his finger.

"Hurry up, idiot. I'm starting to wonder if you're actually enjoying looking at me." Satsuki glared at the floor that she was currently seated on.

"Believe me, I'm not." Naruto started to quicken his pace. Once Naruto was finished, he looked right over at Satsuki's displeased and displeasured face.

"You ready? This is going to hurt you; maybe even make you pass out." God, those words sounded so lewd. Satsuki nodded vigorously, obviously wanting to have this end and done with,

"Just do it," ordered Satsuki, gritting her teeth in anger at the predicament that she was currently in. Naruto nodded at those words and started weave a set of hand seals.

Hare → Snake → Horse → Ram → Bird → Tiger → Hare → Snake → Horse → Ram → Bird → Tiger → Hare → Snake → Horse → Ram → Bird → Dog → Rat

"Evil Sealing Method"

Once Naruto finished the hand seals, he maneuvered his hand to where his palm would just barely hover right over Satsuki's Curse Mark. He saw Satsuki tense up her body.

"AGHHH!" She yelled in pain. The blood on the ground started to move in an orderly fashion. Once the blood had finally reached the Curse Mark on her shoulder, it solidified and wrapped itself around the mark.

"There." Naruto heard Satsuki pant for a few seconds before crashing on the floor, passing out. Naruto looked right up and above towards the ceiling.

The effectiveness of this jutsu is determined through a person's will. Even though I obviously didn't tamper with the jutsu, I still need her to be engulfed by the need for power. Though I am sure she will most likely resort to using the Curse Mark sooner of later down the line. Naruto thought as he soon sighed after.

He heard footsteps.

"Kukuku, impressive. To think you already have skill to use Fuinjutsu. I might have to make you my minion." Naruto turned around slowly and saw Orochimaru lurking right behind one of those stone pillars.

"As expected, you have come here."

"You expected me to do this? You're quite keen." Naruto stood silent before pulling out a kunai from his holster.

"If you came here to get Satsuki, then you won't be leaving here without a wound."

"Is that a threat?"

"No, it's a promise. I know you have plans for Satsuki over here. I just don't know what those plans are." Orochimaru just lets out a very malicious chuckle from his mouth.

"Then how about you side with me? You'll surely know if you do so."

"I'd rather not. You're better off leaving; there is no way I am letting things go your way." Naruto did not feel fear. The fear that he felt while he first fought Zabuza was merely a learning experience.

There is no way I am letting fear overtake my consciousness. Naruto thought, recalling back to the memory of his cowardliness and pure weakness.

Such things were never going to happen ever again.

"Kukuku, I like your resolve and conviction. I'll take up your offer and leave as you want. Though you won't be having it your way the next time we meet." Orochimaru soon disappeared out of existence.

After a moment or two, Naruto sighed.

I'll be honest, even if I didn't feel any fear right there, I knew i was outclassed against him in everything but intelligence. If we fought, only a minor cut would've been made. Naruto thought, turning back towards Satsuki.

He looked at her.

Contrary to popular belief, Naruto did find Satsuki very attractive for their age.

Very.

Naruto tried taking his eyes off of her, but he couldn't do it. He clenched his fist as he once again tried to peer his eyes off of her body all at once.

There were many thought going through his head.

Those. . . thighs. . . lips- No! Stop. Stop. Stop. Naruto thought, feeling his mouth twitch in frustration. He gulped as he felt the unstoppable desire to look at her body and its proportions.

God, puberty and his hormones were literally raging out of control. Naruto took initiative and took Satsuki's shirts and placed it right over her.

I'm currently having. . . internal problems. Naruto thought.

~~~