Blood for the Blade's Granddaughter (Naruto X Dream SMP Fanfic)

Chapter 25.75

"Wow, such smooth skin. It's a shame I can't take my sword to it." Inari heard one of the mercenaries say. They were walking away from his house, and Inari followed them, waiting for the right time.

"Stop dawdling." The other replied.

It's now or never! Inari thought to himself, stepping before the mercenaries holding his mama. "S-Stop! You...you let my mama go right now!"

One of the mercenaries chuckled to himself as Inari squeezed his eyes tightly shut and ran forward. He could hear his mom yelling for him and the sound of swords being unsheathed. Just before he thought he was about to be struck down, he felt a slight woosh against his body. 

"What the-" One of the swordsmen muttered.

"Guess I got here in the nick of time, huh?" Inari heard a familiar voice say. When he opened his eyes, he and his mama were on the opposite side of the mercenaries, and he was being held by Naruto. "Great work, Inari! Thanks to you, I was able to get your mother safe!"

"That's one of Tazuna's bodyguards." One of the swordsmen muttered as both of them rushed forward. Naruto didn't panic, instead taking out two shuriken and throwing them at his opponents. They seemed to be easily deflected, but then two of Naruto's clones kicked them from behind, aiming for the head and knocking them unconscious.

"Heh, almost too easy!" Naruto said to himself before turning to Inari. "You okay, kiddo?"

"Uhm, yeah..." Inari muttered. "How...how did you know...?"

"There was a big boar back in the forest that was sliced to ribbons," Naruto began. "And there were a bunch of slashed trees going in the direction of your house. I figured that someone was after you and I got worried."

"Oh..." Inari murmured. He supposed that made sense.

"But enough of that, Inari...I owe you an apology." Naruto said. "I'm sorry I called you a crybaby. It's not true, okay?"

Naruto then put a hand on Inari's head and slightly ruffled his hair. When he removed his hand, Inari couldn't help but tear up and start crying.

"D-Dang it, I promised myself I wouldn't c-cry..." Inari hiccuped. 

"Hey, that's okay," Naruto said, his hands clasped behind his head. "Nothing's wrong with crying when you're happy!"

I wish Naruto was my brother... Inari thought to himself, wiping away his tears.

"I gotta go help out my teammates on the bridge," Naruto said. "You good with everything here, Inari?"

"Y-Yeah, go get 'em!" Inari cheered as Naruto ran off once more.

This hero thing was a lot of work. Maybe Inari could get the other villagers in on it too.