Chapter 53

A/NI know I haven't updated in six months but, I'm back now! I'm really sorry for the long wait! I hope you guys are still alive!

Third Person's POV

Lhexi regretted her life decisions as all the energy she had left was seemingly being transferred to the overly energetic Uzumaki. Naruto was sparkling as radiant as the sun for he couldn't control himself just for ten seconds to stand still. He was just that excited to go on a date.

But, Lhexi wasn't as excited as he was, she's too busy with her life affairs that she might just throw her hopeless promises into the bin. And the boy behind Naruto neither liked the idea.

Before Naruto can even ask for more details about the date, Lhexi immediately switched the topic. "So Naruto, care to introduce your friend to me?"

Naruto looks back on the unamused kid who merely sighed before stepping forward. "Uh, sure! Oi Boruto! Come here!"

"You didn't have to shout ttebasa. It's not like I can't hear you.", he bowed a little as his tone changed into a more respectful one. "My name's Boruto ttebasa. Pleasure to meet you!"

His resemblance to Naruto was the first thing that came up to the girl's mind as he watches him grin from ear to ear. "The name's Takeda Alexa. It's a pleasure to meet you too, Boruto-san. But, you certainly do look like twins. If Naruto would have a son, he will certainly look like you."

She didn't hold back her assumptions, rather the truth she was aware of. She watched with amused eyes as Naruto tilted his head in confusion while Boruto wailed his hands around as his voice cracked.

"Oh really? Well, I guess. I can say we pretty much look the same but, we're complete opposite ttebasa!", to her surprise, he completely regained his composure after a few seconds of panic.

"Lhexi-chan, I can't possibly look like this idiot, right?"

"Well, certainly you d--"

"Who are you calling an idiot?! Have you ever looked at a mirror before?! You're the stupid one here if you can't even discern our similarities!"

"Wait! Why are you calling me stupid?!"

Their glares sparked electricity and Lhexi rubbed her temples, no longer bothering to stop them from raising fists towards one another. 'Like father like son.'

Something growled all of a sudden and the chaos seemed to have stopped as they both turned their heads toward her. Their fists right across each other's cheeks.

"Lhexi-chan, are you hu--"

She shuts him off with a firm--"Don't."

She wouldn't be that hungry if she didn't repeatedly eat soldier pills as substitutes for meals. She didn't even have a proper meal for the past four days. She's seriously starving to the point she's gonna eat anything that's moving.

"Alexa-san, you were hungry?"

To be honest, she has never been this embarrassed before. Sure there were times when she fell flat on her face on their graduation day and some people witnessed it but, never had she been this indecent before.

She groped her clothes as she looks down at the ground in embarrassment. Naruto laughs at the girl he likes, he's never seen her face this red before, and he sure was gonna tease her about this in the future.

"Oh right! The ramen! It's all soggy now!", Boruto exclaimed as he rushed back to the apartment and Naruto's face fell.

"I completely forgot about that!", he steps closer to his door for one moment before turning back around with an aloof yet gentle smile. "Lhexi-chan, wanna eat with us?"

She followed suit after nodding her head.

"If you were this hungry, you should have told me sooner. I can always cook for you, ya know."

"And since when did you began cooking young man?", Lhexi asks as the red hues on her face dissipated.

Naruto crosses his arms over his ribs as he thought it through. "Since I was five or something? But, I only know how to make soup with mushrooms and broil fish and stuff. Well, I'm not that great of a cook like you Lhexi-chan.", he rubs the back of his head, being meek and humble about his skills. "But, if you want anything, I'll cook them for you! I promise!"

Lhexi smirks as she closes her eyes. "Then chef, I want some ramen. Just one cup of ramen would do."

"Eh? Really? That's all you want?"

Lhexi nodded as Naruto blinked his eyes in confusion before he gave a big thumbs up.

"Roger that! Oh right! What about the flavor? I have chicken, pork, beef, and seafood or spicy seafood."

"Then the seafood one I guess." 

"Oi! What are you two still doing there?", they both turned towards the young blonde gawking at them with a bored expression. "Hurry up ttebasa!"

"Hai hai, gomenasai!", Naruto and Lhexi simultaneously answered, playfully teasing Boruto.

..........

Kakashi was finally back from his mission, his gravity-defying hair still as fabulous as usual while he walks through the gate of Konoha. He carefully avoided seeing any of his companions, especially Gai, they're best of friends but, seriously give him a break. He took a quick dash and arrived outside the Hokage's Building in no time. He bent his knees and leaped, jumping from the railings towards the roof.

He didn't have to knock on the door because he was already by the window of the Hokage's office, taking his time to rest after he completed one S-rank mission after another until Tsunade calls for him to make his report.

"Kakashi-san! What are you doing there?!"

He looked up from where he was sitting seeing Shizune opening the window for him. He waved his hand, the other scratching the back of his hair.

"Yo!"

It didn't take a while before he was already in front of the presence of Tsunade. If she didn't give him a fiery glare, he would still be out there, reading his favorite Icha-Icha.

"Kakashi, make your report."

"Mah. Cut me off some slack, will you? Godaime-sama."--is what he wanted to say but, he might just end up getting his rest in the hospital instead.

He pulled out a scroll from his vest, sliding it across the table towards Tsunade who creased her eyebrows. A heavy sigh escaped her lips before she closed her eyes, disappointed. "We were too late, huh?"

"Yes. By the time I found him, he was already dead.", Kakashi stated, his shoulders slumped. "And--"

Tsunade sent him a sharp look. "What is it?"

"His head was missing. Most likely, it's a plot of an assassination.", Kakashi explained with his monotone voice. "I will have it investigated.", he said even while knowing who was behind it.

Tsunade unclasped her hands together already aware of the identity of the man who pulled the strings behind the scene. She motioned for her assistant who was standing eerie beside the Fifth Hokage. "Shizune, have someone take this to the autopsy."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

The room listened to the light footsteps of Shizune as she left followed by the Fifth Hokage who uncontrollably tapped her forefinger on the desk.

"Damn it. They got him before us."

"Then, I will be taking my leave.", Kakashi bowed in return, heading towards the door. He finished the mission quickly so he could resume the work he originally intended to do and finish it as soon as possible.

"Ah, by the way, Kakashi. Good news for you.", he turned around, looking at the Hokage with a curious glance. "Team 8 found Lhexi."

He remained silent, calm, and composed while quietly listening.

"Rest assured. She's alive. With a new arm, I must say.", Tsunade added the last sentence with a lower voice, her eyes narrowing into a doubtful look. "If you see her, tell her to come back here quick. I have a new job for her. Oh and Kakashi. Get a quick rest then immediately head for your new mission."

As much as he wanted to ignore the paper on Tsunade's hand, he had to oblige to it before she loses her cool.

..........

"So, what are you doing in our village? I'm quite pretty sure I've never seen you around here before."

Boruto touches the teacup on the table as he rubs the back of his head with his other hand.

"Ah--! I'm a traveling performer dattebasa! I'm actually with my master but, he hurriedly left saying he's busy about something business related."

Lhexi raises an eyebrow at Naruto searching for verification and the kid simply nodded in agreement. "He's telling the truth dattebayo!"

"Naruto. Didn't Hokage-sama clearly instruct you to watch over the two of them?", Lhexi asks, not pleased with how relaxed Naruto was.

Naruto almost chokes on his drink before wiping off the liquid that slid off his chin. "W-well! The truth is...he already left before I could stop him."

"Then, I guess it can't be helped.", she stood up from the floor looking down at the two yellow Pikachus. "Let's find him."

"Why?", Naruto asks a little bit surprised.

"Hokage-sama ordered me to look after the two traveling performers. You can't expect me to complete my mission by only looking after one, don't you think so Boruto-san?", she smiled before she began walking away.

Naruto and Boruto left their eyes on Lhexi's form and just stared at each other for a couple of seconds.

"I think we should follow her...", Boruto suggested.

"Right...but she seems kinda mad...", Naruto trails off stuffing his hands into his armpits thinking hard. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Was she?", Boruto was left dumbfounded. "How could you tell?"

"Well, it's what you call an instinct.", Naruto moves his forefinger side to side. "Women are hard to understand, you know! Even harder than exams..."

"Since we're gonna go out, let's buy groceries for you!", Boruto exclaimed catching Naruto by surprise.

"Eh? Why? I already got my cupboard loaded with food ya know."

"You mean a stack of cup ramen?"

"Ramen is still food!"

"It ain't healthy ttebasa!"

They both stood up playfully glaring at one another.

"Mou! Forget about it! I don't have parents paying for my needs anyway.", Naruto crosses his arms, facing the opposite direction.

"Leave it to me. I'll pay for it.", Boruto points at himself with his thumb.

"I can't do that, you're my guest!"

"Just consider it as my payment for staying at your place."

"Eh?! But!"

"No buts! If you continue eating always ramen, you're not gonna grow taller than Lhexi-san!", Boruto excitedly left out Naruto's apartment as the latter fumed in anger.

It was one of his insecurities. He was 147.4 centimeters tall and Lhexi was around 150 centimeters. Sasuke technically was the tallest one among them while Sakura was around 150.3 centimeters if he recalled correctly. When it comes to their height, he memorizes them. And he's desperately fighting for every single inch.

"You piece of sh--! Hey, come back here!"

The two blondes bickered on their way to the nearest convenience store to buy some food for Naruto. They already informed Lhexi about grocery shopping and the girl agreed to it without any much problem. She was gonna buy some food along the way anyway.

"Wah! Pork buns! Oi! Let's buy some! I want to taste pork buns of this era!"

Her eyes followed Boruto dragging Naruto by his sleeve towards the small stall standing on the side of the road. The vendor gave them a grin as he realizes the two-whiskered mark kid was drooling.

"How many are you gonna buy young man? If you buy 5, I'll give you one for free! Nice deal don't ya think?"

"Hey Boruto, we just ate ramen a while ago, didn't we? If you're still hungry let's just head to a restaurant or something. It saves money.", Naruto's sweat drops as Boruto pulls out his brown leather foldable wallet.

"How much for one pop?"

"Gwah! You're totally ignoring me!"

"Just 20 Ryo!"

Boruto's eyes went wide as saucers. "Eh?! That cheap?! Then I'll buy five!"

"That much?!", Naruto was dumbstruck as he watches Boruto spreading out his hand excitedly waiting as the seller packs his order. It wasn't long when they resumed back on their walk, each one of them holding a steamy meat bun.

"Taste good!"

"You bought too many! You idiot!", Naruto shouts before chomping on the food that was half bigger than his hand like an annoyed stray cat.

Boruto just finished half of his bun when he looked behind him to see Lhexi throwing the remaining paper in her hand to a trash bin they just walked past to. He struggled to gulp down his food as he chokes on it, deliberately hitting his chest multiple times.

'Fast! Did she just finish it already?! Scary!'

Lhexi stood outside the convenience store patiently waiting for the two to buy groceries for Naruto. The two insisted she comes with them but, she declined to say she wants to stay outside for the time being.

Placing her hand on top of her left shoulder, she rolled it a bit after sensing the discomfort she had with it. It was fuzzy and slightly numb.

'It seems like, Orochimaru altered something on the arm he gave me. I need to check it out later.'

Hearing a ruckus from behind her, she looked back through the glass pane to see the duo holding a porn magazine on both ends. She blinked her eyes as their eyes met hers before they gazed back down upon the adult material they were holding. They closed the magazine in sync. Silently returning it to its shelf, taking the basket of food supplies, walking to the other shopping aile as if nothing happened.

"Why would you pick that up you idiot?!", Naruto hissed at the younger kid whose face burst into the color of chili as soon as they were out of Lhexi's vision.

They squat down on the floor behind the shelves, making sure they were not visible from the glass pane.

"I promise I had no perverted intentions...! It was lying on the floor! I was just trying to place it back! And more importantly, why would you pick it up?! Now Lhexi-san thinks I'm a pervert!", Boruto replies as he pulls his hair in frustration.

"You're not good at making excuses, are you?"

"Shut up...!", Boruto hisses.

"Mou! Just don't say anything! Keep calm and act natural!", he clears his throat before standing up, carrying the bag of goods as he walks towards the counter.

Boruto sweatdrops. "I thought you said to keep calm and act natural?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Then why are you walking on your toes?", Boruto asks dumbfounded.

Naruto looks back as he scratches his hair a little. "Is that so? Hehe..."

The younger kid simply lets out a short, exasperated sigh as he stands behind Naruto who was standing by the counter.

"Oi brat hurry up!", a deep voice calls out catching Boruto's attention.

Boruto looks back at the big adult behind him. "Ah- Sumimasen! We just bought a lot of stuff right now, we'll be quick! It will be reassuring if you'll be patient!"

"Heh! Move out of the way brat. I need to buy something.", he forcefully pushed Boruto aside as he grabs Naruto by the shoulder attempting to shove him against the shelves.

"Eh?!", Naruto lets out a surprised sound as he jumps a bit. Crashing his hand against the corner of the steel uprights, the tuna can on his hand catapulted across the room.

Before Naruto could even ask what was going on, Boruto grabs the adult's collar, ripping the edge of the fabric. "Oi! Apologize!"

"Huh?! Who the hell--?!", his breathing accelerated as goose bumps appeared all over his body. Boruto's deep blue eyes dimmed as if his hawk eyes penetrated through his soul attempting to chew him alive.

The man swats away Boruto's arm as he recovered from his murky glare. He sees Naruto's headband and grinned as he points at the kid wearing a black jacket.

"What do you think were you doing brat?! Huh?! Hey, you there! Aren't you suppose to protect the civilians?! This kid is threatening me! You should arrest him!"

Naruto stood stunned before he got a hold of the situation and yelled back. "What the hell old man?! Weren't you the one who pushed us in the first place?!"

The guy raises an eyebrow. "Then what are you gonna do about it?", he points his finger at Naruto before digging his forefinger into his chest. The kid curls his hands into iron fists. "What? You're gonna hurt me? Then do it! C'mon! Beat me up! Isn't that what you brats learned at the fucking academy?! Beating each other out to death?!"

"Sir, please stop! You're going too far!", the male clerk from the other side of the counter yells as he attempts to stop a fight from ensuing in his store. Of all places, couldn't they have waited to resume it outside?

"Huh?! What the fuck dude?! Don't butt into other people's problem!", he resumed back to degrading Naruto who didn't speak a word to Boruto's incredulity. "You look familiar...Ah! That kid! You're the demon--!"

The clerk jumped in, cutting his sentence off. "Sir--! That's a taboo topic!"

"Huh?! Who fucking cares! The Third Hokage is dead! What?! You're gonna report me?! Then be it!", he laughed in between. "And there's no way this kid hasn't known yet he's the demon fo--!"

Boruto slams his fist dead set on the center of his face plunging him right across the shelves and taking down chocolates and candies. As the sweet smell of sugar and thick cocoa filled the room, Boruto scrunched his nose, expressing disgust as the sweet-scented aroma mixed with iron rust. Blood dripped down from his knuckles as a result of knocking three to four of his teeth as well as breaking the bridge of the nose of the man lying unconsciously against a stack of chocolates.

"B-b-b-boruto?!!", Naruto was visibly panicking as he don't know what to do now that they'd caused trouble by injuring a drunk old man.

"Find your patience before I lose mine.", he clicks his tongue on the roof of his mouth before facing the shaking clerk taking out several bills from his wallet. "Sorry for that, I'll pay for the all damage. Please pack all of this right away."

The cashier guy could only stutter in response as he scans all the food they bought at lightning speed. "Y-yes!"

"Hey! Boruto! You! Really!", Naruto was speechless at what he has just seen.

The kid raises a brow before simply smiling in return thinking Naruto was angry about the money. "It's alright dattebasa. My dad's pretty rich ya know."

'This kid really...', Naruto deadpanned before smacking Boruto's head with his fist creating a small bump. "That's not the problem here you idiot! We didn't come here punching people! Imagine the consequences of your actions before doing something Baka Yaro!"

Boruto comically tears up a little as he touches the big bump on his head.

"You little...!", the two simultaneously look back to see the man slowly getting up thankfully the clerk had already processed everything.

Boruto left a pile of money on the counter as he grabbed the bags of groceries at the same time Naruto pulled him away as they made a run for it.

The door flung open and the bells rang catching the attention of Lhexi who got a little surprised seeing the two blonde kids leaping off to the next building across the street. She saw the distressed face on Naruto while Boruto laughed it out as they landed on the roof.

"You two! Where are you going?!", she asks a little confused but, neither of them replied.

The bells rang once again and she turned around to see a guy triple her size holding his neck in pain. She scrunch her eyebrows noticing how badly crooked his nose was.

"Uhm...are you alright?", Lhexi asks as soon as the drunk adult shook his head in dizziness.

He waves off his hand after seeing two girls standing in front of him.

"Hey! You kids!"

Lhexi looks around her only to realize the man was hallucinating because of the mega pint of sake he drank as he held his head in pain. "Have you seen...ugh...two brats...!...Runnin 'round 'ere?!"

She watches the guy fall over on his butt, his back sliding off against the wall. He battled with his eyelids that were slowly but closing before he fell asleep on the cold ground.

Sighing, exasperated being hungry and tired. She picks him up with her brute strength, not wanting to leave a drunk middle-aged man passed out on the side of the road. 

"Why do I have to always clean up after their mess?"

She jumps to the building next to the convenience store with a drunk middle-aged man sleeping on her back. She pushed chakra to her feet as she continues hopping from one roof to another hoping to reach the hospital in no time.

"Leave...! Leave me here! Hic! I should have died! Why does it need to be my son?! M...my wife...my poor wife..."

She pauses in her tracks after hearing him groaning loudly right next to her ears. She takes a glance at him first to see if he would scream once again only to see him passed out with a red face, drooling on her shoulder. A relieved sigh escaped her lips after hearing nothing more other than his snores.

Twenty minutes later, she found herself in the hospital paying in advance for his bills. She didn't need to go all out of her way but, she figured out it wouldn't hurt to help someone once in a while.

She wasn't that cold-hearted.

"Ara! Is that you Takeda-san?", an unknown woman calls out to her to which she could recognize her as one of the nurses who tended to her every time she ended up critically injuring herself.

"Ah...ohaiyo gozaimazu. Uhm...thank you for always taking care of me. It's nice to see you again...", she looks down to see her tag before lifting her eyes back at her. "Emi-san."

The nurse approaches her as she leans in to take a good look at her face.

"Hmmm...your skin...they're showing good signs of health! And you seem to have gained some weight. It's a good thing, unlike before when you were all stick and bones."

She puts on an awkward smile. "Yes..."

"Anyway, what's the purpose of your visit today?", Emi asks and Lhexi simply smiles.

"I just brought an intoxicatedly drunk man I saw lying on the streets."

Emi blinked her eyes, not expecting her answer.

"Oh...I see...that's rather nice of you. I thought you came here because of a fracture or something."

"Well, perhaps it's nice to help someone once in a while."

The older woman releases a relieved yet sad smile. "But, you shouldn't do that often. Being too kind can backfire on at you anytime. Remember, we're not living in an era of peace."

"Hai. I'll keep that in mind."

"But, that man..."

"What about him, Emi-san?"

"If I remember correctly, his wife and son died less than a month ago. They were crushed under a pile of rocks when their house exploded. Poor guy, to live his life like this."

Lhexi raises an eyebrow. If that was less than a month ago during the Chunin Exams, then she's the one who killed them after leaving paper bombs attached to their homes not just one civilian family but several.

"Then, I'll get going now, break time's over. Emergencies don't stop and neither do we."

Lhexi kept silent and stood there for a little while. She turns around, walking past the patients and medical staff. She meets with a doctor who came out of the door of the room of the drunk man she helped.

"Were you the one who brought him in?"

"Yes. Is there anything serious about his condition perhaps?"

"Mhm.", the doctor scratches his hair with his pen as he looks at his patient's charts.

"People these days don't bring in alcohol intoxicated people often because they think that it's nothing serious when it can lead to coma or even death. It's a good thing that you helped him. Ah sorry, I spoke too much."

"W-well...generally his health is at risk and it's deteriorating rather quickly due to a long term of alcohol abuse. He needs to be monitored to control and stop his alcohol intake if possible and we would need to run a few tests for a possibility of cirrhosis and even hepatitis."

"Then please carry on with the tests."

"Alright. Then I would have to get going. See you again, little miss."

She nods her head before taking a glance at the unconscious man from the window.

Her ice-cold eyes lose their sharpness for one brief moment.

'Revenge only creates a cycle of retaliation and agony. Innocent lives get caught amid a war created by nothing but, hatred and hurt the weak.'

"I...What am I even doing exactly...?"