193 It's time to Head Out - Part 2

Land of the waves…

In a somewhat crowded market place, a man was being chased after a group of four men.

"Ahhh!!!" A man screamed in despair tripping over a stone, knowing that he lost the lead he was maintaining.

"P-P-Please,"

"I don't have any-"

(Bang!) One of the four punched the man in the gut

(Puchi)

*Barf* The man started vomiting on the sport.

"Hey!" The shopkeepers in the marketplace walked out of the shops with sticks and handmade weapons in their hands.

"That's enough!" An elderly man approached the group from amongst the shopkeepers.

"Stay out of our business will ya, This one didn't pay up." The tallest one from the group of four stepped out, facing the elder.

"Hmph, You think we will sit and watch as one ourselves get beaten-up?" The elder asked, followed by the people in the background inching a step closer to the scene trying to intimidate the group of four.

"Yeah, let him go," a person from the background shouted.

"Yeah, let the man, go!"

"We'll beat ya up if you don't!" others chimed in following after the man.

…

"Hehe, you all…" The tall man and the other three behind him stared at the group of people surrounding them with a mocking gaze.

"…" The tall man brought his right hand into his left part of his robe and took out a picture.

"…" The angry crowd was instantly silenced.

"You all couldn't do anything the other day," The man said as he stared at the picture of what happened to be a beaten-up young boy and his unconscious mom both tied up to a pillar.

"Inari…" One of the other elderly ones in the crowd almost broke down.

"You all cannot face him, and neither will he let you live in peace," The man said as he gestured to one of the three behind him.

"Hehe…" A man with a scar stretching across his cheeks and nose stepped out and walked towards the man on the ground.

"W-wait…"

"What are you…" The man could only ask helplessly as he was lifted, being held at his shoulders.

"You can only watch as things unfold…" The tall man said following which he punched the man who was being held by his shoulders.

(Bang!) Argh!

(Bang!) Argh!

(Bang!) Argh!

The motion was in its set rhythm with the tall man punching the man being held at his shoulders.

*Sh!*

The elder who had stepped out earlier could only take deep breaths, knowing that his anger would not do anything good in the situation.

He thought back to the time when Inari and his mom was being taken away…

— - Flashback - —

A day after Tazuna had left…

It was raining as usual in the land of waves.

At a certain house…

"LET GO OF MY MOM!!," Inari shouted in anger.

"hahaha…" Gozaburo was laughing off of Inari's howls.

"Let go of them!," A voice was heard.

"Hmmm??" Gozaburo lifted his head to stare at the villagers gathered in front of him with knives and pitchforks and other home-made weapons.

After the battle to build The Great Naruto bridge, the villagers had a stronger sense of unity and would stand together in face of any trouble, especially after Inari had riled them up in the past.

Gozaburo stared down at the angry villagers with a mocking gaze.

"What's he doing…" the villagers had this question running in their minds seeing Gozaburo not reacting to their order.

"Ahhhh!!!" Someone screamed from the back of the crowd.

"EVERYONE!!!" Inari shouted on top of his voice, as he witnessed the sight of all the villagers who had gathered fall down one by one.

Luckily they weren't being slaughtered but made to fall losing their consciousness. However, It was still a fearful sight to behold to the villagers who had known a lived a life devoid of violence on such scale.

"Hahaha…"

"Hahaha…"

"HHAHAHHAHA…" Gozaburo started laughing maniacally as the villagers fell to the ground one after another. Soon only five elderly men were left standing amongst a large ground of unconscious villagers.

"Kenji!" One of the elders fell to the ground, examining the victim right next to him. The elder hugged the man named Kenji tight to his chest and was able to feel a sign of life. Heaving a breath of temporary relief the man looked at Gozaburo in the distance.

(Whoosh!)

(Whoosh!)

Two figures predominantly wearing black kimonos appeared by Gozaburo's sides.

The elder stared at the two figures, who also seemed to be wearing a mask with thin slitted eye-hole and a wavy design in place of the mouth, and a village symbol on the forehead.

"They are from the hidden mist…" the elder noted, appearing to have prior knowledge of Hidden Ninja Villages and their affiliation.

"You all have a week to get me Zabuza, his partner, and the bridge builder Tazuna. Should the time be up, I will extend it by another week…" Gozaburo paused, leaving the five terrified elders with an even more unsightly gaze as he completed his words.

"After killing his daughter," Gozaburo said as he pointed towards Tsunami.

"NOOOO!!!" Inari howled at the top of his voice.

(BANG!)

Inari was hit hard in the head with a stick, which would probably swell up to a balloon later and at the same time threatened to make Inari pass out, but Inari forcefully bit his Tongue to once again inflict pain on himself, forcefully prevent himself from falling unconscious.

He looked at the five elders.

"DON'T GIVE UP!!"

(Bang!) Inari was thrown to the ground.

*hah!*

*hah!*

"GRANDPA WENT TO GET BIG BROTHER NARUTO!!!"

(Bang!) Inari was thrown to the ground again.

*hah!*

*hah!*

"FIGHT TO PROTECT WHAT YOU LOVE WITH YOUR ARMS!!"

*hah!*

*hah!*

"BIG BROTHER NARUTO WILL DEFINITELY SAVE US!!"

(Bang!) A final hit knocked Inari out cold.

The five elders gut-wrenchingly stared at the scene. It almost threatened to break their heart to a million pieces, seeing Inari being beaten up the same way his Step-father Kaiza was once beaten-up before being executed in the public.

"Remember, You have one week!" Gozaburo said following which his men took off.

—End of Flashback —

*drip*

*drip*

The elder heard drops of liquid hitting the ground. He could feel a cold uncomfortable feeling in his hand that was resting next to his hips. He then looked down only to see his hands which were tightened into fists were bleeding from the fingernails digging into his skin from too much hatred.

("Hatred, why wouldn't I have it, I'm human aren't I. Why should I stare at a young boy who is getting the punches I deserve for standing still. I would rather die than let this go…") The elder thought as he finally found the courage to glare directly at the eyes of the tall man.

"Hmm?" The tall man was confused to see the elder walk towards him.

"Give me that," The elder said as he grabbed a crossbow from another man nearby.

"W-wait, Where are you going…?" The man asked in a low and uncertain voice, astonished to see the elder go to the center of the scene.

"Oh, What's this?" The tall man was really surprised to see the turn of events.

"This is your final warning,"

"Let go, or I will fire," The elder said as he glared at the tall man.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" The tall man asked in a sly voice.

"I would rather die than let that happen again," The man said as he brought the crossbow to shoulder level, aiming for the center of the tall man's torso.

"You're bluffing," The tall man said with a hint of uncertainty.

(Puchi!)

"ARGH!!"

"YOU!!!" The tall man cried in pain.

"Let him go!" The elder ordered in a fierce voice.

"Hmph," The tall man beckoned his teammate to walk over following which he put his hand over his teammate's shoulder.

"We'll remember this!" The man said as he quickly retreated with his group.

"…" The people, shopkeepers, and the others standing in the surrounding stared at the elder with wide eyes.

"We need to save Tsunami and Inari,"

"Who's with me?" The elder asked.

"I am," The crowd shouted at the same time.

"Good! Grab your weapons,"

"It's time to head out!"