John flew back towards Naruto and laid his sister's body gently on the floor. Naruto kneeled in front of her soulless body and placed her head on his lap. The King of Hell rose from the ground and opened its mouth. Naruto grabbed Martha's soul and put it back into her body, a green glow covering her body due to the action.
Both adults held their breaths expecting something to happen after the glow died down but Martha remained motionless.
"Come on Martha!" John yelled, shaking her body. He managed to cover her modesty with his shirt.
Martha coughed as she opened her eyes groggily. Like she just woke up from a long Nightmare. "B-big bro?!" she cried.
John was overjoyed as he drew his sister closer to his chest and gave her a bear hug. John was openly crying like a baby with snot and all, crying a shit ton.
Naruto smiled. A true smile as he watched both siblings cry on each other's shoulders.
Today, Naruto Uzumaki saved someone close, someone precious. It felt like someone, just a person back home, was liberated from Mugen Tsukuyomi. It was a weird feeling, like his dearly departed were smiling at him from the afterlife.
Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly, feeling out of place. He was about to leave both siblings to go check up on the demon before he was tackled by both siblings.
"Thank you… Naruto-nii/Naruto!" Both siblings yelled hugging the blonde.
The blonde ninja winced when they squeezed his sore body close.
"C-can't... breathe," Naruto wheezed out.
Both siblings didn't let go, they squeezed him and tighter.
Naruto sighed when he felt relief, joy, gratitude wash over them. "It's alright. It's over now."
Martha and John finally let the ninja go. They saw Naruto smile for the first time, something they thought he was incapable of, a warm smile. A smile that reached his eyes.
The moment was ruined when Ashirok began laughing. He went through a coughing fit and sighed, staring at the sky, a rift parted within the dark clouds and light sipped through.
"Annie, looks like I'm destined to fail as always huh? Are you happy?"
Naruto turned around and walked closer to the demon, a Rasengan swirled to life in his hand, crackling with electricity.
John was beside Naruto, Harshblade in hand.
"It's time to end this, for real," Naruto said.
He loomed over the demon and, as he was about to deal the finishing blow, Martha yelled at them to stop.
John frowned at his sister as she took Harshblade from him and knelt beside the demon.
"I saw everything…" She began.
"You've come to pity me?"
Martha shakes her head. "I feel like giving you a hug."
Naruto raised an eyebrow at Martha. John had a preposterous look on his face and tried to interfere but Naruto pulled him back.
"Let them talk. They both saw their entire lives. Martha is one only one who might be able to understand him."
Understanding your enemies wasn't a new concept to Naruto. The blonde wanted to see how it plays out.
Ashirok stared at Martha with a blank face. "Why? Do you think you understand my pain!?"
"I think I understand a little of it. The one you loved to death, the one you swore a blood path of love with, broke your trust and loyalty. I don't understand the betrayals but I do understand love and loyalty."
"What do you know of my love for Annie?! I wanted to give her the world ever since I saw her in that shrine thousands of years ago. I was ready to put an end to my world domination plan, turn into a new leaf just for her. We were truly happy for a while before that thief took her from me; Your ancestor."
"And you did all this because you couldn't stomach her betrayal. You couldn't accept the fact that she bore a son for the mortal that stole her from you."
Ashirok gritted his teeth. He'd love to rip her throat but the seal holding him in place was very powerful.
Naruto sighed as he listened in on their conversation.
"Annie loved you."
"No, she didn't! She was a backstabbing whore!"
"You're wrong." Martha shook her head. "When she saw what you had become, she blamed herself for it."
"Shut up."
"She wanted to make amends but it was too late."
"Shut… up."
"That's why she sacrificed her life for you."
"Shut up!"
"You knew, didn't you? As her son drove the sword that was meant to be a token of your love for her into her heart. You knew she was protecting you. She was protecting you and her son. She didn't want to see one of you dead."
"Shut up…"A tear streamed down the demon's eyes.
"She was—"
"Enough. Say no more, kid."
"I guess you never learned to let go. Let your break sometimes, it's better to leave the past behind."
"How am I supposed to do that?"he asked.
"I guess that's something you have to find out by yourself," Martha replied with a smile.
"I see, kid…"
Ashirok said nothing as he stared at the rift in the clouds, a ray of light fell on the group, and Ashirok, for the first time ever, took notice of such transient things.
"I-I want to rest now. I want to be where Annie is. Take me to Annie, Kid,"Ashirok replied.
He was past his prime, his time. Maybe it was time to go to his beloved.
Martha sighed and gave him a smile before raising her blade up
.
She saw his entire life.
At first, he was a brutal evil demon bent on conquering the world. The humans under his banner worshiped him like a god.
One day, he met the woman that changed his life. He suddenly detested violence. He was willing to lay down his arms to spend the rest of his life with her.
He was even researching a way to become a mortal but, he was betrayed by the one thing he loved. The one who promised to never leave him left him in the end.
"I hope you find peace," Naruto replied.
Ashirok smiled and gave Naruto a smile. "Thank you for stopping me in every junction, Uzumaki Naruto. Your Valour and selfless acts will forever remain with me."
Naruto nodded and the seal surrounding the demon disappeared.
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