Undaunted, the shinobi continued. "Despite the similarities of the request, the situation surrounding that request was...quite a lot different than yours. So different...that if I helped you actively on this, that I'd be violating one of my principles."
Kunou's eyes snapped back to the teen's, surprised despite the silent treatment that she was giving out.
Before she could ask however, he answered.
"...To put it bluntly, I can't fight this battle for you. I definitely can't fight every battle for you, this is actually for your sake."
...
"Wh-What?" the yokai princes blurted out, breaking her silence. "What the heck does that even mean!?"
Naruto sighed, looking somewhat tired of the question-and-answer session. "It means that if I go ahead and stay to help you get over your fears...I'll be depriving you of some valuable experience. I know this isn't the nicest thing to do, but I'd like to help you only to the point where you can't help yourself. Especially since I believe that you can face this fear that you're carrying."
The shinobi turned his head towards the ceiling, eyes unseeing. "You see...life can be cruel, can throw curve balls, can rip your life out from under you in a single day. That is a fact, no matter how old you are, what gender you are, what race you are. So if someone would help someone else with everything that may hurt them...then how are they supposed to deal with greater pain in the future? How can they become stronger? How can they take life's challenges?"
Kunou stared at the older blond with intensity, watching as he turned around and walked towards the end of the cave.
"...If I can, I want to prepare everyone I care about...prepare them for the harshness of reality, for their own sakes. As for the person that I did help? Well, her circumstances were far more extreme, she was on the run for a long time and was reaching her stress limit. Although she framed it as a question...she needed that reprieve back then."
After a few more seconds of walking, he reached the end of the cave, right in front of the wall.
"The point of all of this, is that stronger people won't always be around to help you solve your problems."
He stared at the wall for a moment, before moving to turn around.
"There are going to be times where you have to face your demons..."
"What's wrong, Yuki-chan? Aren't you happy to see your old teacher?" Cao Cao mocked lightly, grinning uncharacteristically.
Yuki didn't respond, she only raised her blade back into a defensive position. Trying to regain some semblance of serenity to fight properly.
Even if it was...him...
She had to...Naruto was counting on her.
She wouldn't fail him. She wouldn't fail someone so precious to her ever again.
Naruto turned back to the little kyuubi, with his blue eyes reinforcing how passionate he was about this.
"...And rise above them. Despite the pain that those demons gave you, despite the scars that you still held. Despite it all. Sometimes...you just have to push through."
Kunou couldn't help but hang onto every word, in awe at what was coming out of his mouth. Was this really Naruto...?
This time, the shinobi turned around again, facing the wall and holding his left hand out, bringing his right hand close to it.
"The fact is Kunou-chan...I want you to be able to stand without my support. I want everyone to be able to stand without my support, and I won't be able to do that while everyone is leaning on me all of the time. I want them to grow stronger!"
Mio reached the training center again, noticing that, like last time, she wasn't alone.
Almost everyone in the Occult Research club was here, using their free time to train...
The red-head grinned, she couldn't let them get too far ahead now...!
She walked forward, waving as several of her friends happily greeted her when they saw her.
They would all get stronger, in preparation for the future, she had no doubt about that.
The yokai princess' eyes focused on the little ball that the older boy had formed in his left hand.
Watched as it brought light to the oppressive darkness that surrounded them.
"...More than anything else...Kunou-chan." Naruto declared, voice confident and stance implacable. "I believe that it isn't my duty to solve everyone's problems, even if I could. No...I'm not going to solve your problem..."
The shinobi brought his left hand back, bringing the small maelstrom of power in his hand to bear.
"...But here's what I'm going to do...!" Naruto roared, swinging his left arm forward and into the wall in front of him.
Kunou quickly crossed her arms over her face, protecting herself from the debris that came flying when the blond smashed the orb into the wall.
She then fell over backwards when a shockwave pushed her back, dust flying everywhere and clouding up the cave.
The little kyuubi coughed thanks to the large amount of dust, only opening her eyes once everything has settled down...
Her golden eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, this was...!
Light.
Naruto's outstretched arm led to a rather large opening in the wall, with the sounds of wildlife becoming more apparent with the hole that was created.
With that hole, came the light of the day, bringing forth illumination into the formerly dank cavern.
The shinobi turned around to look at the little girl, the light embracing him as if he was made from the piercing rays. Especially as Kunou watched in slight awe as the sunlight framed his golden hair like a halo and brought his bright blue eyes to life.
"...I'm going to show you the way forward." was all he said.
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