Naruto was not dead.
Even though Kakuzu was fully capable of killing the brat with a single blow, taking his life had never been the goal. Naruto, who had been blasted several meters away, sat up from the ground. His chest and abdomen throbbed with pain. Those blue eyes of his were still stubbornly bright. He raised a hand to wipe the blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, and when he spoke, his tone was obstinate and unwavering.
"I refuse."
Orochimaru sat off to the side and withdrew his gaze from Naruto. He gently swirled the goblet in his hand, the crimson liquid inside tracing an elegant arc along the glass. Tilting his head back, he drained it in one go, then set the cup down on the table without saying a word.
"Me, apologize? Apologize for what?! You people are way too strange, y'know! What right does something like that have to stay here?! Why pretend to be human?! It's disgusting, y'know! I won't ever acknowledge something like th—"
"Shut up!!! Shut the hell up!!!"
As the shouting erupted, Deidara suddenly leapt up from his seat. He grabbed Naruto by the collar and roared in his face,
"You bastard! What the hell are you saying, huh?! What's wrong with Sister Kita?! Ah?! She saved you humans! Without Kita, you'd never have known about the Otsutsuki clan¹! Without her, you would've died the moment your tailed beast was ripped out! Who the hell do you think you are to talk about Sister Kita like that?! Huh?!"
Naruto's face turned deathly pale. He shoved Deidara away and shouted back,
"Who asked that thing to save us?! Now I finally get what Akatsuki really is—trash that runs around with monsters like that! This world is messed up because beasts don't act like beasts and humans don't act like humans, that's why people like you exist! I—"
"I… I am not… an Akatsuki member," Zaraki Kita said. Her face still carried that faint, shallow smile.
To be honest, the last time she had seen this boy was many years ago. The child once labeled a monster by his village had grown this tall now. It made her feel, very clearly, the passage of time.
"But, Sister Kita—"
"I… I don't mind. So… let it go," Kita said, stopping Karin's hand just as she was about to draw her blade.
"I don't need something like you to plead for me! I'm Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha, the man who will become Hokage! Saying things straight is my ninja way! Even if you kill me, I'll never acknowledge it, y'know! A beast is a beast, a human is a human! Even if—even if you did all that, I still won't do it!"
His words were righteous, resounding, and forceful.
Naruto's resolve and stubbornness felt like he was standing alone against the entire world.
"As expected," Kisame said slowly, "changing a person is harder than killing one. Always shouting 'beast' this and 'beast' that—aren't you a beast in other people's eyes too, Nine-Tails jinchuriki²?"
"I am human!" Naruto yelled. His blue eyes were clear and unyielding.
"So what if you're stronger than me?" He went on, pointing at Zaraki Kita. "So what if you're stronger than me! This world isn't a place where strength lets you do whatever you want! Humans are the ones who granted you the right to live! You don't even feel grateful and still disguise yourself as human—do you really think you're one of us?! Don't make me laugh, y'know!"
"Bastard! This pisses me off! None of you move—I'm killing this guy, hmm!"
As Deidara spoke, a clay centipede had already formed in his hand. Before Naruto could react, it coiled tightly around him. Jiraiya frowned and struck once, blasting the clay construct away. He turned toward Nagato, his expression cold.
"Nagato! Are you trying to kill Naruto?!"
If possible… I really would like to, Nagato thought.
He had experienced too many times how much easier it was to kill someone than to change them.
He remained seated, holding a cup filled with a moon-exclusive beverage. It was as if he were completely unaware of how tense and volatile the situation had become. He raised the cup and took a sip. The sweet, cool liquid slid down his throat and into his stomach, bringing a trace of relief to the stifling heat.
The Third Kazekage puppet was already positioned to take Naruto's life at any moment. Kisame gripped Samehada, having risen from his seat long ago. Deidara maintained his aggressive stance, ready to take the boy's head the instant Nagato gave the order.
Itachi showed little outward reaction. Naruto was from Konoha, his younger brother's closest friend—he did not want to kill him. But neither was he willing to let Zaraki Kita be humiliated at will. Unwilling to kill, unwilling to stand by and do nothing, he remained there, the emotions in his eyes dark and displeased, tinged with faint hostility.
Hidan did not fully understand the relationships at play, but from his perspective, Kakuzu being this angry meant he could not stay idle as a partner. He tightened his grip on his weapon, ready to jump in at any moment.
Obito, however, remained seated exactly as before. He did not look at Naruto, nor at Jiraiya. With his back turned to the Akatsuki on the verge of action, and his back turned to the furious Uzumaki Naruto.
"Nagato!!!"
Jiraiya's voice carried urgency—because of the imminent violence, because Naruto's retreat had all but been sealed off.
Nagato did not want to respond to that familiar title, not from the bottom of his heart. But he had no choice. He set his cup down and turned toward Jiraiya. In those Rinnegan eyes, confusion and deep exhaustion were unmistakable.
"Sensei…"
Nagato paused briefly after addressing him.
"Our Kita…" he said, glancing once at Naruto's disgust-filled eyes before looking back at Jiraiya.
"Our Zaraki Kita has worked so hard to protect this world—to protect a world that's like hell itself. And this is how people treat a hero? That isn't fair, is it?"
But when was this world ever fair…
Jiraiya fell silent. He stopped Naruto from speaking further. After a long moment of quiet, he looked at Nagato and slowly shook his head.
"Nagato, I can't answer that question."
The hall sank into dead silence. After a long while, Nagato spoke again, his words accompanied by a heavy sigh.
"Obito, send them back."
"Boss! We can't just let it end like this! Hmm!" Deidara protested angrily—but that was all it could be.
A trace of bitterness seeped into Nagato's smile. It wasn't that he was unwilling to stand up for Zaraki Kita—only that this world had never been fair to anyone.
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