The next day, Tayuya walked through the dimly lit halls, her determined footsteps the only sound echoing in the eerily quiet corridors. The unusually empty passages were bathed in the flickering light of torches mounted on the walls. Shadows danced over the stone, highlighting the intricate, swirling patterns that adorned them. She moved cautiously, her senses heightened and her eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of trouble. As she approached Naruto's cell, her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the iron gate was wide open. Panic surged through her as she rushed over, fearing the worst.
"Damn it, how'd he escape?" she yelled, her voice echoing through the halls. She darted forward, her pulse quickening with each stride. When she reached the cell, the sight before her left her utterly stunned, it was far from what she expected.
Naruto, his body a canvas of bruises and cuts, blood leaked steadily from his ears, staining his disheveled hair and tattered clothing. His skin was ghostly pale, and his chest barely moved with each shallow breath. For a moment, he looked lifeless, as if every ounce of energy had been drained from him. Yet, despite his battered state, there was a quiet intensity in his sleeping expression—a testament to his indomitable spirit, refusing to yield even in the face of such brutal adversity.
But that wasn't what truly shook her to the core. Scattered beneath him were a multitude of Sound ninja, more than a dozen, piled up on the ground. Their bodies were mangled, some had their limbs twisted in grotesque angles. Their faces held a variety of expressions, yet none were peaceful. Their eyes were a hollow white, like empty orbs frozen in shock. The cold stone floor beneath them was stained with blood.
Among them, several had spiraling wounds that deeply scarred their torsos, '...Any more and he would have broken past the ribcage and their hearts would have spilt out of their chests' That thought sent chills down Tayuya's spine.
Naruto sat atop this hill like a king on his throne, his presence that of a true conqueror.
Tayuya hesitated, her instincts flared up, her mind overwhelmed by the sheer absurdity of the moment. With a deep breth she steadied herself and drew a kunai from her ninja tool bag. As she climbed up the small pile of bodies, she felt the crunch of bones and the give of flesh beneath her feet. The Sound ninja lay motionless, their faces were unmoving, frozen in time. A quick look around and she could already confirm they were no longer of any threat. Her gaze steadied as she arrived infront of Naruto, She knelt beside Naruto, gently placing her fingers on his neck. She moved her fingers slightly, searching for any sign of life. She felt the faint, rhythmic beat of his pulse, a reassuring sign amidst the chaos.
As Tayuya gently moved her fingers over his neck, Naruto stirred slightly in his sleep. A chuckle escaping his lips. "Pftt Haha, sto-stop it mom, it tickles," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Naruto reached out and held her hand in an affectionate manner. Tayuya, startled, dropped the kunai she was holding in a panic. Her face flushed as she slapped him. Naruto jolted awake, his hand flying to the stinging red mark on his cheek. "What was that for?" he demanded angrily.
But when he saw Tayuya's face, he calmed down almost instantly. He didn't fully understand her expression, and her attempt to cover her blush with her hand only confused him further. "H-Hey Tayuya, you're back already," he mumbled under his voice, rubbing his cheek and still half-asleep.
Tayuya crossed her arms and glared at him, trying to regain her composure. "What are you even saying? Wake up, will you!" she snapped, though inside, she was panicking at the thought of what had just happened.
Naruto yawned in a daze. "Huh? Oh... right, g'morning... is it morning?" he muttered, his voice trailing off as he tried to wake himself.
"It's midnight," she replied. After a moment, she collected herself and asked, "Anyway, can you explain what happened here?"
Naruto looked down at the pile of unconscious Shinobi. "Those so-called guards went on break, and the next thing you know, these guys walked right in like they owned the place. Turns out just about everyone's got the key to this dump. I tried to talk it out, but in the end, they wouldn't listen. I had no other choice but to fight back," he explained, stepping on one of their faces without much care. Then a gnarly grin spread across his face. "But you know what, it felt kinda nice... blowing off a little steam."
Tayuya directed her glare at Naruto. "And you, why didn't you leave? There's nothing keeping you in here. The door to your freedom is wide open," she said, her frustration evident.
Then a slow, bitter smile spread across his face. "Heh, you just don't get it,this cage isn't what's keeping me here." He glanced around the confining space, then back at her "Sometimes, freedom isn't the most important thing."
Tayuya's eyes flashed with disdain, she couldn't grasp at the bountiful wisdom behind his words. "Trade your freedom... for what? If I were free I'd..." Just then, her curse mark flared up, sending a searing, familiar wave of pain across her neck. She flinched but nothing more, a heavy sigh escaped her lips. She had gotten used to it by now. "...Forget it," she muttered, dismissing her own suffering.
Scratching at the back of his head, Naruto tried to figure out what he'd done this time. 'Maybe she's just the emotional type,' he thought, as he brought his hand back down.
Scanning the fallen Sound Ninjas, Tayuya felt a vague sense of familiarity. She kicked one over and stared at his face for a moment, trying to place him. Slowly, recognition dawned. 'So, he took down a chunin,' she thought. She moved to the next one, her eyes widening with each new face she identified. They were all chunin. The realization settled in gradually, like a heavy fog. 'He defeated all of them?' she wondered, the thought pressing in on her as she tried to piece it together.
She turned and glared at him, a drop of sweat trickling down her brow. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt a slight twinge of fear. 'He's stronger than I thought. I need to be careful,' she reminded herself, trying to maintain her composure.
Naruto stretched his neck, trying to relieve some of the tension that had been building up over the past couple of days. "Uuugh, feels like I've been here forever. Aren't you supposed to get some field time in prison, y'know, so I can stretch my legs?"
Tayuya glanced at him, her expression hardening. "You've been watching too many movies. Usually they never let you out" she replied curtly, his unexpected comment catching her off guard.
Her guard lowered slightly. 'He's not just strong, He's... Stupid...' she thought, her apprehension giving way to a faint sense of relief.
"How are you holding up?" she asked, a faint concern having grown within her, an emotion she had long forgotten.
He turned her way, a bright calming smile grew on his sunny face. "My ears are killing me, but I'll be fine in a while. I'm tougher than I look, y'know."
Tayuya turned away from him, a blush forming on her face. "That's good to hear," she said, trying to mask her growing embarrassment. 'Idiot, don't point that at me,' she thought, picturing Naruto's charming smile in her mind.
Naruto glanced her way, his curiosity as clear as the blue in his eyes. "You're not usually around for this long, you got something to say?" he asked, his voice filled with playful banter.
Tayuya shook away her moment of weakness, straightening up with renewed resolve, she turned to him. "Lord Orochimaru wants to see you, blondie," she replied, her tone a blend of serious sarcasm. "Now get up. He's not exactly the patient type."
"Nice! I can finally get a word in. Thanks a lot, You're the best." Naruto's eyes sparkled with newfound enthusiasm.
He clenched his hand into a fist and pumped his arm in a small, triumphant celebration. A surge of determination welled up within him, making him feel unstoppable.
"Yeah, yeah. Just get up, we've got places to be," Tayuya replied, her eyes narrowing slightly, reflecting her usual tough demeanor.
Naruto took a deep breath and attempted to stand, but a sharp pain shot through his chest, he clutched it and grimaced. His legs wobbled, and he nearly stumbled back. Gritting his teeth, he pulled his body forward, muscles protesting with every movement. Each step felt like a monumental effort, his breaths coming in shallow gasps.
Watching him struggle bothered her, Tayuya stepped in and slipped his arm over her shoulders, supporting his body with her own. "Don't mention it," she muttered as she helped him to his feet.
Naruto winced in pain but managed to thank her again. "Man, if only Sakura was as nice as you."
A faint blush appeared on Tayuya's cheeks as she lowered her head. "Just shut up and keep moving," she replied, rolling her eyes.
She led him out of his cell and into the labyrinth of corridors. Naruto eyed the halls; the torches flickered, casting a warm, unsteady glow on the uniform stone walls. The air was thick with smoke and the scent of burning oil. The quiet was almost oppressive, broken only by the echoing steps of their feet on the stone floor. "Everything look the same, Won't you get lost or something?"
"It's designed to confuse intruders," Tayuya replied, her voice hard. "Makes it harder for anyone to find their way in, or out, if they don't belong here. Once you've wandered these halls long enough, you get used to it."
Naruto nodded, as he took in her words. As they continued, his slow recovery was evident. His strides grew stronger as steam rose from his wounds, sealing them as they rapidly healed. The sight was strange and fascinating, as his body gradually mended itself.
Tayuya leaned in to get a closer look as a cut on Naruto's cheek closed up. 'Its almost like.... Aiko, so this is the power a jinjuriki possess,' she thought to herself. With every step he took, he seemed to steadily regain his strength.
His wounds seemed to regenerate faster than usual, as if his curse sought to become a blessing.
They stood infront of a hall darker than all the rest, from the other end of the hall sounds of battle raged on. Shouts of defiance, clashes of steel, and the heavy thud of a body slammed against the stone walls.
A few thoughts still lingered in his mind, he turned to Tayuya and said "hey.... I think I'm fine now. Go on ahead I'll catch up"
Tayuya freed Naruto's arm and stepped to the side, distancing herself. "Good... this is as much as I can do for you. From here on you're on your own now," she said, her tone indifferent. Without another word she vanished in the darkness of the hall.
From his ninja bag, he retrieved his headband, the polished metal reflected his intense gaze. He stared at it for a moment, his eyes locked onto his own reflection "This is what we've been waiting for... Let's do this, just like we planned". With a sharp, determined nod, he tied it firmly onto his forehead
Kicking off the ground and he sped forward into the unknown. 'I made a promise to her, and I never go back on my word. That's my nindo, my ninja way,' he declared, his voice resolute, filled with purpose. His determination solidified the further he ran. The danger ahead was his alone to face, but none of that mattered, because on the other side of this hall is the man he's been dying to face, Orochimaru!