The view is awesome here," Obito declares, grinning from ear to ear. His black onyx eyes gazed out long wide horizon. The sun was above the clouds now though, and its light was blinding. The man loved the scent of the air on the mountain, and though the sun shone its burning rays the air remained cool and refreshing. The mountain was the perfect place for one to meditate and train. 

The shinobi enjoyed the view from atop a boulder on the mountain where he and his team were assigned to. Where the Konoha shinobi were was actually a range of mountains that all vary in shape and size. But the thing that they all were wary about was the edge of the plains that end with a long cliff. Because beyond the cliff was the inescapable mist where all travelers die, but mostly from the fall. Being with a team to act as a scout was a wise part on Kakashi's decision, but it made Obito wonder if it was necessary.

Sure, being thorough in their search was an important asset to the mission, but Obito thought that Kiba and Akamaru's hunting abilities should be sufficient for the job. And the same for Shino and his insects, and Hinata's keen sense for chakra. If anything, they should have just  continued all together to the bridge.

"Neh, Obito-sensei," Ino calls him, interrupting his line of thought.

He looks down from his spot, and sees the three shinobi with him staring with determined looks on their faces. It peaked the man's interest.

"What is it, Ino-chan?" Obito asks, while his eyes kept glancing at the surroundings around him.

"I can't get the stone Masashi-san showed us out of my head," said the girl. "It's bothering me."

Jumping down, the team's captain pats the girl's head reassuringly. To the man's observation, Shikamaru seemed disturbed just as Ino was, and so did Choji. It made the man feel unsure of himself, making him wonder how to lift the shinobis' hearts. For whatever reason, the new generation of ninja were often attached to the people involved in the mission, and it pleased Obito to an extent. But that made him worry as well.

"Well, we'll figure things out once we get to the Land of the Rising Sun," said the captain as he turned to the sun. "So, right now, we should focus on our assignment on being scouts."

"Don't you find it strange that Masashi-san is hiding details from us?" Shikamaru suddenly asks, turning everyone's attention to him. "She came to ask for our help but hides important details. It doesn't make sense. It wouldn't be a surprise if it was actually a set up but the Anbu reported that her side of the story was true. So what did she have to lose if she gave some more details?"

"What if she's responsible for what happened?" Choji suggests, which surprises his friends.

"Choji!" Ino yelled at him angrily. "That's a terrible idea!"

"He's got a point though," Shikamaru came to his defense. "It would make sense. It would mean she has a guilty conscience. Having a guilty conscience makes one wary of others. And they would not trust anyone so easily. That's the case with the samurai right now. If she really wanted our help, she should have been desperate enough to beg on her knees if necessary."

Ino frowned.

"Not you too, Shikamaru," she sighed. "You shouldn't make some negative scenarios. When Sakura and I got to know her a little, we noticed that she seemed a little touchy when it came to family. Like she was sad. So, have you ever thought of the possibility that she may have just been a little aloof about it because the disease or whatever killed her family?"

Her defense for the samurai brought a smile on Obito's face. But guilt was plastered all over the other two, who realized that the girl may be right.

The sudden sound of a boom startled the shinobi, making them whirl their heads around towards the sound. From where they were, they could see the side of the mountain—right where the bridges were—exploding with snow.

A battle was currently ensuing.

* * * * * * * *

Sakura roars as she hurled her fists at the samurai. Her face was crumpled into a frown, and the seal on her forehead was released. Two lines were tattooed on her face, both at equal, parallel from each other. The mountain shook at the girl's power; each blow that missed the samurai sent the air rushing away from her fist. Even the samurai could feel it, the strength of her power. With his swift prowess, the samurai dodges each blow successfully. The kunoichi he enraged could even barely graze him. 

By the time he and the kunoichi were fighting, the man had already returned his katana to its scabbard. Earlier on, he already knew that taking a single blow from the girl's blow would mean his demise. So the moment Sakura attacked him, he merely dodged all her attacks. But as the battle raged on, he decides that it would be better if he finishes this petty single-sided fight.

The samurai moves slightly to the side as a fist cam at his face, and he faces the raging ninja calmly. The moment her face was closes, the samurai sent his hand at the kunoichi. His slap came hard enough to hear the smack on Sakura's cheek and send her face reeling to the side. In that same moment, the demon samurai knees the girl in the stomach, hard enough to stop her momentum. And he finishes it off with a single roundhouse kick that sent her flying into the snowy ground. Sakura felt her limp body violently cannon into the earth, and her green eyes watched the snow and earth around her fly.

But she refused to back down.

Her legs moved on their own, dashing at the awaiting samurai. Kicks and punches couldn't seem to touch him. It was almost as if there was an invisible force that prevented Sakura from planting a single blow. But that force was the mere swiftness built into the samurai. And his exasperating slaps only enraged Sakura even more. They weren't as strong as his first, because they were only strong enough to turn the girl's face away for a moment.

Sakura felt exasperated. "Why can't I hit you?!"

She gasps at the samurai's pokes against her stomach. They made her step back for a moment, but in a few seconds worth her fists came flying again. However, instead of dodging it this time, the samurai blocks her fist with his own hand.

Sakura couldn't believe what she was seeing. She didn't feel anything different, but she wondered how it was possible. Seeing the impossible made her feel nauseous almost enough to bring her to her knees. Her anger quickly energized her, however, and so sent her leg flying at the samurai's face. But in the next second, she felt her body twirl around violently with her stomach receiving a powerful blow.

A scream escapes her lips as she bounces off the ground below her. From there, the samurai struck the ninja several more times without giving her an opening to defend herself. It became a one sided battle where the Leaf kunoichi felt so helpless.

Close by, Naruto attended to his captain who lay bleeding. He was enraged seeing Kakashi breathing heavily from his wound. Though Naruto felt that it wasn't lethal. Turning to the battle that was raging on, Naruto felt anger watching Sakura getting beaten mercilessly. He felt useless getting his sensei hurt, his best friend beaten to a pulp in a moment's occurrence, and now Sakura was suffering the same thing Sasuke did earlier on.

He grits his teeth angrily.

"What should I do?!" He mumbled angrily. Then a thought flashed through his mind, making him realize that he needs to step up with his techniques just as Sakura had. 

But he witnessed the samurai taking her strength away, and it alarmed him. He couldn't believe that Sakura's taijutsu was mysteriously taken away from her, and by a samurai wearing a demon's face. If he fought against the samurai, would his technique have no effect on the samurai? Would he be able to defeat him for his friends' sake?

Naruto shook his head.

There was no time to think.

And absolutely not about himself.

Or about failure.

He needs to save his friends.

Without another moment's hesitation, the boy closes his eyes. He relaxed and allowed the flow of nature to surge through his entire body. Orange wings etched into his skin by the corners of his eyes and his pupils formed into small rectangles afterwards, also coloring them into orange. A scroll also appeared behind Naruto. And the boy was not alone. With him was a massive rusty red toad but around his eyes and on his lips and chest were brighter in color. He donned a blue happi vest, and the toad carried a massive dosu blade by his hip, then his lips was a large kiseru pipe.

The toad didn't seem too pleased to have been summoned at such a frightening cold weather. Amphibians were never meant to stay in such temperatures; they would be frozen!

"Yo, Naruto! Why'd you summon me?" The massive toad boomed, his eye widening when they landed on the samurai.

"Sorry, Bunta," said Naruto. "Needed your help here."

"You need help to beat some samurai?" The toad asks disbelievingly. "Did a year after the war make you rusty, Naruto?"

"He's no ordinary samurai, Bunta," Naruto replies calmly, although his frown was fierce. "He's strong enough to withhold Sakura-chan even with her seal released.

"No way!" Exclaimed the toad. "Shouldn't you use the nine-tails instead?"

Naruto shook his head.

"I don't need Kurama for this," he said. "I wanna believe I could handle this samurai without using him."

"I don't like this," said Gamabunta. "It's almost like we're fighting a demon."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asks.

The toad clicks his tongue.

"Don't you feel it, Naruto? Don't you see death emitting from him?" The toad asks.

This made Naruto nervous. A confident Gamabunta always made the boy feel secure as the toad has always had his back. But seeing that his friend was nervous, Naruto couldn't help but feel insecure all of a sudden. But he refused to back down. Sakura needed him, and she has already been set aside by the samurai. Surprisingly, the black samurai didn't seem as coldblooded as he had expected him to be.

Now was not the time to cower. This was the time to save his friends and defeat the samurai from the reports. The killer of hundreds of people. Naruto vowed to avenge them all. The boy's strength was renewed in an instant at this thought, and so began his attack in the next second.

He and Gamabunta synchronize in their attacks, attacking the samurai from two sides. The toad hurls his sword at the samurai continuously, not even giving the man a chance to defend himself. This was how threatened the toad felt. But the samurai, despite their difference in size, managed to defend himself with his katana. He carried the weight the toad pressed down against him, and he remained on his feet while the ground beneath him compressed loudly. This surprised Gamabunta more than he could comprehend.

"What the hell, Naruto!" Gamabunta bellowed. "Who's this little bastard?!"

"He's a killer responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people!" Naruto yelled trying to strike the  samurai, while he was distracted with Gamabunta.

The samurai quickly leaps out of the way just as Naruto slammed down his ransengan. Snow exploded into the air. And Gamabunta managed to move his sword from slicing off his partner's head in the midst of the struggle.

"What the hell, Naruto!" Yelled the toad. "I could have killed you!"

"It was the perfect moment!" Naruto yelled back.

"It wouldn't be if you ended up hurt," Gamabunta bellowed. "Use your head, kid!"

"Damnit!" Naruto couldn't imagine himself fighting against a samurai with hand to hand combat. If Sasuke couldn't do it, then all the more he. The samurai before him didn't seem to enjoy the fight either, and Naruto could guess that the horse he had sent off earlier on would be waiting for him on the end of the bridge. He refused to let the samurai get away.

The boy dashes at the samurai and hurls shiruken at him. But the man easily blocks them with his katana, sending the small projectiles into the snow. Naruto throws himself at the samurai afterwards, using only his kunai to par with the samurai's blade. The boy manages to push the samurai back, and he struggled to overpower and outwit him. But his cheap tricks would not penetrate the samurai's armor. 

It was almost the samurai could see through his head and read his movements, thus predicting every attack Naruto attempted. Frustration seeped through his brows as he felt beads of sweat roll down his exasperated face. Even Gamabunta seemed tired and weary. Their battle may have taken long, but it was tiresome to fight so one-sidedly.

Suddenly a scene of people dying on the streets flashed through his mind. 

Dying. 

Bleeding. 

Crying. 

Shouting for help. 

Helpless these people were, but their hands that reached out to the black-armored samurai riding on his mighty steed were cut down mercilessly. Poor hands were soaked in their own blood which painted the dirt dark red. Houses were on fire, and the its red flames danced into the gray sky of ash. Embers flew into the air, disappearing soon afterwards.

Seeing this scenario playing in his head over and over and over again.

"Who are you?" An angry Naruto asked the samurai. "Why did you have to kill all those people?!"

Those words stilled the samurai but he remained calm, despite the hostile look on Naruto's face. He keeps his stance throughout the entire silence; his sword raised threateningly at the young ninja. The samurai didn't look like he would be lowering his guard at all. Although the next moment stunned not only Naruto, but the other nin who were nearby.

"You know not of what you speak, shinobi," a deep, growling voice spoke through the mask. "Death merely calls out to their souls. Once hope is lost, death calls and the only destiny those who are called is their destruction."

Naruto grits his teeth at the sound of this. 

"You have no right to say such things!" The boy snapped. "They were all innocent!"

"Never having stepped a foot on the land where the sun meets the earth, how can you be so sure that these people whom I've slain were innocent?" The samurai asks calmly. "Dead men tell no tales, and the foolish indulge themselves upon myths and legends. Shinobi, don't involve yourself in matters that do not concern you. You know not of what you speak of, nor what you are fighting against."

Naruto gulps as he feels his sweat freeze from the cold. He doesn't understand why, but his enemy's words planted a seed of doubt in his heart. The samurai was right.

"A samurai came for our help!" The boy growled. 

He refused to doubt Yoshie whose eyes he could not forget. 

Not the pain in her eyes. 

Never.

"Even if doesn't concern us, we can't back down from lending a hand. There's no scum worse than those who betray their friends! Or the people who ask for help!" He yelled. "Whatever you say, I won't forgive cold-hearted killers like you!"

"I told you, you know not of what you speak, shinobi," the samurai replied calmly. "Speaking to someone naive such as you is a mere waste of time."

Roaring, the boy charges at the samurai again. His movements were careless; swinging his kunai aimlessly. While he fought, the samurai jabbed him multiple times in the stomach. Naruto felt nauseous in this same moment, but the uncomfortable sensation was quick to disappear. Desperate to give the samurai a beating, Naruto throws his fists and heels in between the slashes. But none whatsoever proved even the least bit lethal. And it frustrated Naruto. He couldn't take it. He wondered why he couldn't hit the samurai, and why he felt so small and weak.

In the midst of his thoughts, his mixed feelings, his rage, Naruto didn't realize the appearance of the other group. He didn't realize that he was bound by Shikamaru's shadow techniques, or that Obito had become the samurai's new opponent. He didn't see Ino trying to switch her minds with the samurai not the heavy boulder that rested on Choji's shoulders. He didn't see Sakura crawling to him, nor the frustrated look on Sasuke and Kakashi's eyes as they tried to join to take down the samurai.

But what he did notice that snapped him right back to reality was seeing the samurai get struck right in the face. The blow from Obito cracked the samurai's mask, and small pieces flew out onto the snowy ground. It would've taken a mere moment to imagine the samurai's full face, but unfortunately the Uchiha's earlier blow sent him falling into the mist of the abyss below the cliffs.

The look on Obito's face was filled with sudden remorse and terror, but no one was able to grab the samurai. And he was forever lost.

* * * * * * * *

"Naruto-kun! Eat your dinner already!" Cried Sakura as she ate a piece of salmon. "We need energy to move to the next town."

"I'm not hungry," Naruto replies sulkily, playing with his food using his chopsticks. His cheek was pressed against his fist, and his eyes squinted with disappointment. The people around him were also in a sour mood, but not as bad as Naruto's or Sasuke's. Sasuke was upset about getting beaten by an anonymous samurai, but Naruto was upset that they killed him by accident. The boy only wanted answers, but it seems that those source of answers were forever lost.

The group was able to reach a town after so much running. There, they treated the wounded and fed the hungry. The town was a few hours walk from the mountain, and it was a miracle that they were even able to find it at all. When the three groups regrouped, the two captains, along with the other six young shinobi, were shocked to hear Naruto and Sakura's story. Even Sasuke hated to admit losing to the samurai. But the physical prowess and sword wielding ability that the samurai displayed was alarming. 

Naruto was wrapped up in bandages just like Sakura and Sasuke. Kakashi though, was in a bad shape. Though he may not have lost consciousness immediately, he suffered from quite amount of blood. It would take a while for him to recover, and maybe continue on with their mission. Obito also seemed upset to know that his friend was injured. However, he was relieved to know that Kakashi was not in a life-threatening situation.

Naruto's pink-haired friend was also relieved to know that Kakashi was safe. She understood how Naruto felt; losing an important asset to the mission may prove lethal. But they have to move forward. What was important was that they find Yoshie. If the murderous samurai who burned down villages was gone, it would be best if he was gone. It would mean removing dangerous opponents.

Sakura sighs.

"Look, Naruto, I know you're upset that we lost that samurai, but right now you should be more happy that Kakashi-sensei is doing great than upset that we killed the samurai," Sakura told her friend, but her voice softer and more understanding this time.

Naruto's gaze deepened with guilt at the sound of her words.

"When I saw him suddenly stop your fist, I couldn't believe what I saw. I just. . I suddenly felt scared. Fighting the war, fighting so many evil shinobi. . none of them stopped your punches. Everyone could not survive your strength. But the samurai. . I was out of words. Like, I just felt all my energy drain from me. Imagine, Haruno Sakura, the carbon copy of Grandma Tsunade, stopped. I couldn't swallow it," said Naruto. "That samurai. . he stopped you. That scenario kept replaying in my head over and over."

"Me, either," Sakura replied. "He was avoiding my blows at first. . but after a while. . I'm just as surprised and shocked you are, Naruto-kun."

"Could you remember exactly what happened?" Captain Yamato inserts himself into the two youngsters' conversation. The others quickly listened up as Yamato waited for their answer. Some stopped eating, others just glanced, and some merely waited for Sakura and Naruto's answer.

Sasuke tapped on his blade, Shikamaru couldn't stop puffing smoke from his cigarette, and Shino kept fidgeting with his shades. Even Akamaru couldn't help but whimper. Neither Sakura or Naruto had an explanation either. 

But an idea struck.

Both of them remember being jabbed in the stomach several times in a single moment. Because right afterwards, Sakura lost her strength and Naruto's sage mode was disrupted which immediately sent Gamabunta where he originally came from. Perhaps that might explain what had happened. They told this idea to their friends, and it led them all to suspect that whatever the samurai did, it disrupted the flow of chakra through the two ninjas' veins. It didn't prove lethal or dangerous as the two were able to regain their abilities some time afterwards.

Obito suggests that the samurai might just be human disguising himself as a demon. Although the idea was obvious for everyone, but Obito shared that whoever the samurai was he was probably more than he seemed. From Sakura's report on Kakashi's condition and how the four were, it was almost as if the samurai had no intention of killing any of them. Because if he was able to cut Sakura and Naruto's chakra, he should have been able to kill either of them if he wanted to. And not to mention that the gash Kakashi received was horizontally placed on his chest below his collar bone. It was not even deep, just bad enough to make the man bleed badly. But that was only probably because they treated him late. Overall, his wound was not lethal.

This shocked everyone to an extent. But not only that, they all felt confused.

Everything was confusing.

Naruto also told them what the samurai told him when he confronted the man about the killings.

"You know not of what you speak, shinobi. . . Death merely calls out to their souls. Once hope is lost, death calls and the only destiny those who are called is their destruction. . ." Naruto reiterated, and he also explains to his friends the rest of their conversation. The samurai was really successful in making Naruto doubt himself. "I don't get it. I have a bad feeling about all this. It made me doubt. . Yoshie. I don't know who to believe anymore. The samurai was saying that we don't know what we're doing, and that we shouldn't involve ourselves in the matter."

"This only means that more than the fact that this whole situation is bigger than it seems, but that we have a strong enemy we barely know anything of," Shikamaru remarked. "If you ask me, the samurai may prove more dangerous if we encounter him again. I have a tingling feeling that he may still be alive."

"I have to agree with you," says Shino. "But what makes me wonder is why that samurai burned down entire villages. And then he says that we don't know what we're fighting against. He makes it sound like nothing about the entire situation is normal in the first place."

"I suspect that the samurai. . those from the Land of the Rising Sun are in no way commented with those from the Land of Iron," said Sasuke. "I don't think they have anything to cut chakra flow. They're just fast enough to beat our hand signs."

Shikamaru puffs a smoke, allowing a line of ash rise up to the ceiling where it disappeared. He did not like what Shino had just said.

"What a drag," he complained. "This isn't good. We're dealing with something so blindly."

"This is why we're going to the Land of the Rising Sun," said Ino. "We're supposed to head there and see what we could do to help!"

"Ino's right," said Obito. "We're going to the country to see what we could do. Just like we always have. We should find it as an honor to help other countries. Not everyone finds the other major countries as approachable and helpful. They may not be as hospitable as we are."

Kiba chuckles.

"We all have our Will of Fire after all, we go head on and conquer every danger with victory!" He declares. "Don't give up hope guys!"

Hearing that brought a smile on Obito's face, and he patted the young lad on the shoulder. He felt proud. 

"He's right," said Obito. "Kakashi may be hurt, but knowing him he'll heal up pretty quickly. So, once Kakashi gains full strength again, we will continue on towards the Land of the Rising Sun."

* * * * * * * *

For the next two days, the shinobi from the Hidden Leaf Village of the Land of Fire spent their time planning for emergencies and so on. They made plans regarding their trip during their travels because the snow was melting as they headed further south. The temperature would be warmer and the terrain was more than less familiar. Despite the fact that they use the wind and stars and map to travel down, the shinobi had no idea how they would be able to travel to the other country. They would need a boat or ship to cross the sea.

Meanwhile, the girls each used their medical training to help Kakashi recover, and thanks to their skills he was like a new man when they were finally ready for their journey. His wound was fully healed and no scar was left behind. It was all as if nothing had ever happened.

But when he was informed of the current situation and the suspicions his teammates had, Kakashi was more than willing to consider them. Most of the shinobi were jonin after all with only a few still being chuunin. And seeing the little that they were up against, the man became more wary and alert. Samurais are difficult to deal with after all.

As they traveled down, the weather was no longer as bad as it was further north. In fact, seeing the crystals that hung on the branches of a tree were beautiful. They were sparkling under the warm sunlight like tiny diamonds that shone in a dark night sky. But the silence was all the air was giving. The sound of rushing wind was all the shinobi could hear apart from the footsteps they took. They couldn't hear the birds twittering about, singing its song. It was gone because of the cold of winter. But they would be returning once the warmth of spring would arrive.

The sky wasn't so clear though. There were white, fluffy clouds scattered all over the sky, and where the clouds were was the coldest. Cold remained under the shade of the thick puff of mist, and in a moment's time the sky was soon covered by the gray clouds. And it grew colder.

The Leaf shinobi wondered when they would be arriving in the next town. They were running out of supplies, and it's been days since they had left the previous town. But no one complained. No one said a word. The group traveled in silence. Perhaps they wondered why the black samurai killed hundreds and why Yoshie asked for help in the first place. It was all just so strange.

Naruto thought about how Obito might be feeling. Because the man was similar to him, strong-willed and determined to take care of his friends. When he saw the expression Obito had when he saw Kakashi, it was almost as if the Uchiha was devastated. Sasuke insisted though that Kakashi was fine, with a little sarcasm of thanks; Obito didn't seem to be worried about Sasuke at all. If it was Itachi, the long-haired ninja would have freaked out badly.

Then Naruto wondered about the black samurai. Who was he? What was his purpose? What did he want? Why did he kill all those people? If he really had the power to eliminate Naruto and the others, why didn't he do so? Why spare them? These thoughts whirled around the youngster's head as the group headed south, as they ran through forests and clearings. His friends could tell that Naruto felt restless ever since the left the village and even more so after his fateful encounter.

And the boy at some point could not hold it any longer.

"Neh, Obito-sensei, do you think we'll be able to find Masashi-san?" The boy asks with a deep expression on his face.

The man looks at the boy with surprise painted on his face.

"Yeah," he replied. "I'm sure we will. This mission is anchored on us finding her. Why do you seem unsure all of a sudden?"

"I'm just. . wondering if Masashi-san's. . words could be. . trusted," Naruto replied.

Wide-eyed, Obito felt his heart stop for a moment. "What do you mean? You were the one who had so much faith in the samurai. Why are suddenly doubting her?"

"I don't know. . the samurai. The black samurai. He said that we don't know anything," Naruto replied. "And Masashi-san couldn't trust us enough to allow us to help her. Now, some black samurai is telling us that we shouldn't be concerned."

"We don't know what's going on, Naruto," said Obito, and he gives the boy a pat on the shoulder. "Don't lose hope, Naruto. You never and should never lose hope."

Naruto doesn't give a reply.

Along one of the long hours of the day, the ninjas soon came through a thick forest near the southern coast of the Land of Fire. Its trees created a canopy of leaves. Its long, crooked branches seemed to reach out towards the sky. Snow barely penetrated through the leaves, thus left the ground bear brown, wet, and cold. Fog screened the inner part of the forest, and it might prove dangerous to go on.

But the eeriness seemed to call out to the ninjas of the Hidden Leaf. It was strange. And it was entrancing. The rustle of the leaves sent snow and drops of water on the ninjas. And then suddenly in the quiet a sweet melody breathes through the fog. Its resonance was deep and full of life. It continued on and on, never ceasing its song. Naruto swore the sound seemed familiar. He quickly came to a realization.

It was the sound of a leaf flute.

Without thinking he dashes through the screen of the fog, while ignoring the voice of his captain. The fog seemed to make a way for him, perhaps due to the boy's speed cutting through. While running, he trips on a large root that hovered over the ground. It sends him tumbling across the ground, and grunts escapes from his mouth. He quickly stumbles to his feet though, and continues after the source of the music. The boy is dumbfounded when the sound seemed to resonate from all around him, leaving him at a loss.

But he refuses to give up, and goes after where his instincts pointed at. He could hear the faint sound of his team's voice, but again he ignores them and runs off. His tongue is tied as he couldn't find his voice to scream out the samurai's name. He just couldn't but deep in his heart he screamed her innocence of all malice and evildoing. He can picture out her sad eyes, and he knew she had a broken heart. Naruto couldn't imagine her as a coward.

Horse shoe prints caught the ninja's eye. It looked fresh, maybe only a few minutes old. Naruto doesn't hesitate to follow them. His blue eyes stuck to them, pushing bushes aside just to keep them in view. Soon the sound of a rushing river joined the enchanting music of the leaf flute. Continuing on, his ears caught the sound of horse whinnies. And in a moment's time, the samurai's *kasa peeped behind the bushes in front of Naruto.

Hovering his head over them, the behind of a ebony black steed came into view with its tale still as a hanging cord. On the steed's back, a white-colored haori contrasted its color greatly. But the long, black locks of the rider shocked Naruto even more. On the rider's side, were two katana swords covered by their black sheaths. There was bags tied to the horse as well, but that was not what was important to the boy. He was nervous to call out the rider by her name. Naruto didn't know why. He simply did.

Building up courage, his raspy voice gasped out the rider's name, "M-Masashi-san!" While the boy stared at the woman with wide eyes. At that moment, the music stopped. Turning her slender neck, the rider's face came into view and her fiery eyes locked onto the boy's gentle blue ones.

~~~

Number of words: 5675

*kasa (笠) is any of several sorts of traditional hats of Japan. Some of the kasa hats are Amigasa, Jingasa, Sugegasa, Takuhatsugasa and Sandogasa. Amigasa is a traditional straw hat used in some Japanese folk dances. When preceded by a word specifying the type of hat, the word becomes gasa as in the jingasa (war hat) due to rendaku.

This chapter is dedicated to -slothviibes, and I hope that you'll enjoy Wattpad more ;)