The True Monster

Chapter 18/ A Vacation

"Spitfire Technique." Out of his mouth came a small stream of concentrated fire. It struck a tree about twenty yards away dead center. The flames caught and it was quickly burning. He ran through some more hand signs. "Great Gale Technique." A powerful wind buffeted the tree and the surrounding area blowing out the flames. As soon as that happened he ended the jutsu.

"That was great Naruto-kun!" Moka said. It was late morning. With classes out they had been spending most of the mornings training and working out together. She glanced at his face and was surprised to see he wasn't smiling. "Is something wrong?"

"Not really," he sighed. "It's just that I can't rally cut loose here. Since I've started using the Kyuubi's power to make fire I've found fire jutsu come as naturally to me and wind ones. I've learned a bunch of really powerful wind and fire based attacks. I'd love to really see what I could do with them, but I don't dare."

"Are you worried you'll destroy the whole forest?" She joked.

"Yes," he answered completely seriously. "And I don't think the people at the academy would appreciate it. The last thing I need right now is to get expelled." He found himself recalling the famous training grounds of his old village. There ninja could use their full strength without concern. The village had a corps of maintenance ninja who specialized in repairing the damage. You could flatten a training ground and within a few days it would be restored. But there was nothing like that here.

"Well if you really want I can take you somewhere that you could do that."

He nodded at her. "I've actually been thinking about that." He glanced at his watch. "I have to go meet Kuyou now. I'll come by for dinner at the usual time."

She smiled. "I'll make some more ramen for you."

"Heh, great," I should never have told her ramen was my favorite food. "I'll see you later Moka-chan." He disappeared in a swirl of wind and leaves.

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"I am afraid I have come to the conclusion that the prisoner has no more information to give us." Kuyou said.

"It really took you this long to figure that out?"

Kuyou sent him an annoyed glance. "That being the case, I want you to deal with him."

"Deal with him?"

"Kill him, is that plain enough?"

"I'm not going to do it."

"Please just let me go," Moroha pleaded feebly. "I promise I won't tell anyone anything."

They both ignored him.

"Think of it as training. You need to be able to do terrible things whenever necessary."

Naruto gave the kitsune a cold look. "Don't assume I'll have any trouble with that when the time comes. But he's not the one I hate. I'm not going to kill a prisoner just because you want me to."

Kuyou shook his head disappointed. "You're weak Uzumaki-san."

"And killing a helpless prisoner will somehow make me strong?"

"Doing what must be done without hesitation will make you strong."

"Obviously you and I have different ideas about what's necessary. Tell me something, since this has turned out to be a dead end where does the investigation stand?"

Kuyou frowned at him. "At the moment we have no leads, there is no one for us to investigate. When school begins again we will try and find some more of these scum."