'Because of bonds?'
Under the dim moonlit night, Logan faced Naruto and Sasuke. The fire in their eyes was visible even in the darkness, and Logan thought this might be the reason they were so determined to come.
It might also be the reason he had stopped.
Naruto called out to his teacher, breaking the silence between the high and low ground. His voice jolted both students into action. With their breaths still uneven, they climbed the rock wall, using the Chakra Control they had learned, and positioned themselves opposite Logan.
As Naruto and Sasuke moved vertically upward, closing the distance, Logan suddenly realized that neither he nor Kakashi had taught them how to walk on water yet.
"Naruto, Sasuke."
Logan said, noticing that Naruto and Sasuke were standing on Hashirama Senju's statue, while he stood on Madara Uchiha's, which in a way suited the situation.
"Hattori-sensei, come back with us quickly!" Naruto shouted loudly, his usual demeanor unchanged.
Sasuke carefully observed Logan's expression. He hadn't fully recovered from the shock of encountering Itachi, and now, faced with questions and challenges from another important person in his life, the shadows in his eyes deepened, "Naruto, I don't think there's any need to waste words on him."
Logan's expression shifted slightly as he looked at Sasuke, as this was the first time Sasuke had spoken to him in such a manner.
Sasuke stubbornly met Logan's gaze. His eyes were like a calm lake, but the emotions beneath the surface were far from peaceful. Logan could sense an unwillingness to accept the truth hidden within.
"What are you talking about, Sasuke?" Naruto snapped at Sasuke unexpectedly, "We have to get a clear answer!"
Sasuke scowled at Naruto's words, clearly displeased.
"Hattori-sensei, Old Man Hokage and also everyone said that you betrayed Konoha, is it true?" Naruto asked, enunciating each word clearly. Some facts were obvious before his eyes, but Naruto didn't care. He has a stubborn personality and will not give up until he hears confirmation from Logan's own mouth.
'This was likely the final confirmation of a truth that appeared to waver, burdened by unspeakable reasons, and perhaps, held the slightest glimmer of hope.' Logan remained silent for a moment, feeing that complicated explanation didn't seem appropriate for such a straightforward question. Since he had chosen his path long ago, facing his students, Logan answered clearly, "It's true. Naruto, Sasuke, everyone is right."
Despite their mental preparation, hearing the truth was still hard to accept. Naruto couldn't understand Logan at all. A once-respected and beloved teacher now stood on the opposing side, destined to become an enemy faced with kunai in hand?
Naruto knew all too well what it meant to be a Missing-nin. It only made his anger and sadness grow stronger, "Why?!"
Logan looked at Naruto's expression, seeing how deeply he felt betrayed. Then, he glanced at Sasuke, who was biting his lips tightly between his teeth.
"There aren't always answers to everything in this world."
The moon hung just above the mountains, barely staying aloft. Logan deliberately slowed his tone, but Naruto and Sasuke's hearts grew colder because the weight his words lacked didn't match the gravity they expected.
Logan's long deliberation felt sudden to Naruto and Sasuke. He couldn't say too much because he didn't know what the consequences of revealing his secrets might be. Perhaps someone hidden in the shadows was observing, or his words might end up in the pages of the manga. He dared not risk such an impact.
"Someday you might understand," Logan said carefully, "All the messy things in life, people can't just live according to their own will." Though he knew that saying anything now was pointless.
"Kakashi is a good teacher. He'll make sure Team 7 turns out excellently."
"Damn it! Don't act like some adult giving a lecture!" Naruto snapped, his straightforward nature making him quick to trust others but also leaving him feeling more betrayed when that trust was broken. "What does Kakashi-sensei have to do with this? Hattori-sensei, you really think you can just walk away so easily? Without you, is Team 7 even still Team 7?!"
In his heart, Logan silently answered, 'Yes.'
Naruto's shouting echoed clearly in the quiet night at the Valley of the End. Logan felt uncomfortable as Naruto's words poked at the stance he had resolved during the Chunin Exams. He wouldn't go back to the village just because of a few words from Naruto, but he couldn't ignore what he heard either. Understanding was one thing, but arguing was pointless.
'When Sasuke defected, listening to Naruto's earnest shouting on this very statue, did he start to find it annoying too?'
"Enough, Naruto." Logan waved his hand to cut the conversation short, "You're not a kid anymore, so all this yelling is embarrassing. If you want to fight, then fight."
"Damn it..." Naruto clenched his fists in anger, not feeling embarrassed at all, "Fine! If that's how it is, then I'll beat you, Hattori-sensei, and make you come to your..."
Before he finished speaking, a figure had already darted forward, the wind stirred up by the movement venting anger.
"I told you to stop talking nonsense."
Sasuke's tone was so cold it sent a chill through the air as he leaped from the statue, as if the slope beneath him didn't exist and couldn't slow him down at all.
"Attack him!"
The distance between them wasn't far. Logan watched as Sasuke charged, and without hesitation, he swung his kunai straight at him.
The trajectory of the blade seemed to burn like fire. Logan sidestepped the sharp edge and collided with Sasuke in a fierce punch.
Bang!
The impact was much heavier than their sparring matches from years ago, the force pressing down firmly. Logan kicked Sasuke's incoming knee, and suddenly, the sound of the wind closed in. Both Sasuke and Logan had the same idea. Using the force of the collision, they quickly pulled back.
Ding ding ding!
The shuriken rained down densely where they had just been.
"Naruto, I can see your moves coming from a mile away. They won't work on him."
"Shut up!" Naruto snapped irritably as he arrived, standing on Logan's other side and forming hand seal, "Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
Though they exchanged taunts and jabs, their coordination in action was surprisingly precise. The attacks came from both sides. Logan blocked Sasuke's aggressive assault, and when he tried to counter, he had to dodge Naruto's kicks and punches.
Bang!
Logan dispersed a shadow clone with a punch, caught the wrist of another clone, and tried to swing it towards Sasuke, but Naruto's main body closed in, aiming to grab Logan's back, only to be kicked away.
Logan attempted to use the captured clone to block Sasuke, but unexpectedly, the clone dissipated on its own. Sasuke's kunai, charged with fury, thrust directly towards Logan's eyes.
'They've grown, truly surprising.'
Swish!
Like moonlight suddenly brightening up close, Logan's blade swiped impossibly fast. Sasuke watched in shock as his kunai shattered like brittle clay, fragments lingering in the air before he was forced away from Logan.
Rolling across the ground, Sasuke got up wordlessly, clutching his abdomen where he'd been hit, his fighting spirit undiminished.
Finally finding a chance to strike, Sasuke seized it, but unfortunately, his opponent's experience and ability far exceeded his expectations.
Logan spun his sword skillfully, but before he could say anything, more shadow clones swarmed in from the side.
"Tsk." Logan effortlessly crushed Naruto's taijutsu, dispersing the clones in a cloud of smoke, "Stop wasting your Chakra."