Chapter 295: Visiting a Friend
Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 295: Visiting a Friend
The next day, during the early hours of the morning, Naruto walked through the streets of Konoha.
There were still a few people lingering here and there, stumbling around the streets, heavily intoxicated from last night's party.
This time, there was no way for the Hokage to cover things up...so everyone in the village was fully aware of how close they had come to being destroyed by the combined armies of the Cloud and the Rock.
Many must have thought it was the end, and that they were going to die. This was especially true for the civilians, who had no hope of surviving an assault from a massive enemy ninja force.
After receiving word of the complete annihilation of the invading army, people felt the need to celebrate wildly and savor every second they had.
Both civilians and shinobi had spent the entire night dancing and drinking.
"Urgg…" One man collapsed over a table just as Naruto passed by.
"You…" A young woman was resting against the wall of a closed shop. The moment she saw Naruto, her eyes widened like plates.
There wasn't a single soul in the village who didn't know who he was or what he had done the day before.
Calling him a legend in Konoha would be an understatement.
"Ahh…" The woman collapsed next to one of her friends, who had long since passed out from drinking.
Naruto sighed. "These mortals can't handle their drinks… how disappointing."
He continued walking, soon leaving behind the center of the village and the crowds.
Eventually, he reached the place he had come to visit. On a desolate corner of the village lay a massive plot of land reserved for one purpose: to serve as the resting place for those who had fallen.
Naruto passed by the short stone walls and continued forward. The first sections of the cemetery were reserved for civilians. The tomb he had come to visit belonged to a ninja and was located in a more restricted area.
After pacing for a few more minutes, he arrived at the metal gate leading to the section reserved for fallen shinobi.
Naruto noticed that no one was guarding the gates. Normally, at least one person would be stationed there, but he assumed everyone had gotten too drunk to do their jobs last night.
He pushed the gate open and walked inside. This was the second time he had come to this place.
The first had been several years ago, for Sakura's funeral.
Had he died under different circumstances, Sasuke would have been buried here as well, but from what Naruto had been told, Orochimaru's remains were cremated and the ashes given to Itachi. After all, it was a Uchiha body and should remain with the clan.
At the top of the tallest hill rested the most important graves. That space was reserved for the most important figures, like the previous Hokages.
Jiraiya had never earned that title, but his status as a legendary Sannin was enough to grant him a spot beside his old sensei.
Naruto stopped before the stone slab covering the grave. The epitaph read:
Here lies Jiraiya the Gallant—
A teacher who inspired generations,
A warrior who laughed in the face of danger,
A sage who loved deeply and fought fiercely.
Though he fell to the shadows, his light lives on…
In the students he raised,
In the tales he penned,
And in the hope he left behind.
Rest now, noble toad.
Your story will never drown.
"I'm surprised it doesn't mention your obsession with women... I suppose you have Tsunade to thank for that one," Naruto was sure that his old friend had something to do with the text written there.
He stared at the grave for a long moment, thinking about what to say next.
"I was going to visit you sooner, but things have been a bit hectic these past few days. One of your former students came to destroy Konoha. I got married. And before I could even recover from my wedding night, I had to save the village from an army of terrified mortals."
Naruto shrugged. "Not like I didn't gain anything from it. Got a nice pair of eyes, and I'm one step closer to my goal. Just two more Bijuu to go. Well... two and a half. I'll take care of that one soon."
"Mmm…" Naruto sensed a chakra signature approaching fast.
He waited patiently.
"Huff…" She was completely out of breath by the time she landed next to him.
"I thought that out of everyone in the village, you would be the one with the worst hangover," Naruto said casually. His comment earned him a sharp glare from the Hokage.
"You should know that no one in this village handles alcohol better than me. This is just another Tuesday for me," Tsunade huffed.
"It's Friday, though," Naruto pointed out.
"Naruto…" Tsunade suddenly grew serious. "I hope you're not planning on doing what I think you are... because if—"
"You can rest at ease, Tsunade." Naruto's golden Rinnegan flickered for a moment. He knew her fears well, and the reason she had rushed here, ready to stop him if necessary.
"You're not planning to use those eyes?" she asked.
"To resurrect the dead?" Naruto glanced back at the tomb of his old friend. "I probably could… but I have many reasons not to."
On a technical level, it would be unwise to bring back someone who had been dead for so long. Jiraiya's body must have long since decayed, and a new vessel would be needed for his soul to rest in.
But more than that, Naruto understood...perhaps better than most, what kind of journey souls embark upon after death.
"You're not going to try?" There was a time when Tsunade would have begged Naruto to bring her loved ones back.
"No… I won't disturb my friend's soul. Besides, death is hardly the end…"
He understood this well, as someone who carried the memories of a previous life.
"It's just another part of our journey. He'll come back someday. There is no need for me to intervene."
Naruto looked down at the grave.
"I just came here today to say goodbye."
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