Hong, heavily pregnant, stared blankly at Liao Wu, who was crying as though his father had died.
Were Naruto and Asuma really that close?
Hong pulled Liao Wu up and comforted him. "Naruto, you've already avenged Asuma. If Asuma could see you now, he'd be grateful."
Hidan had not been the only one responsible for Asuma's death. Kakuzu had helped him.
Without Kakuzu, Hidan alone could not have killed Asuma.
Naruto had killed Kakuzu with Wind Style: Rasenshuriken. That counted as avenging Asuma.
Liao Wu hugged Hong and sobbed. "I failed old Asuma. Those two from Akatsuki came into the Land of Fire for the Nine-Tails sealed inside me."
"I'm the reason old Asuma died!"
Kakuzu and Hidan had not entered the Land of Fire specifically for the Nine-Tails inside Naruto.
Akatsuki had assigned its members specific Tailed Beasts to capture.
Kakuzu and Hidan had captured the Seven-Tails and the Two-Tails. The Nine-Tails was not their responsibility.
They had entered the Land of Fire purely because Kakuzu wanted a side job: killing Chiriku of the Temple of Fire for the bounty.
Of course, if they ran into Naruto, they would still capture him.
Was Liao Wu being foolish by taking all the blame?
No. He wanted an excuse to stay close to Hong afterward.
Old Asuma died because of me. If I take care of Hong and her future child, no one can accuse me of coveting a widow.
Relationships were built on needing and being needed.
If there was no need, he would create one.
"It's all my fault! If only the Nine-Tails hadn't been sealed inside me!"
Hong held Liao Wu tighter and soothed him. "Naruto, you are absolutely not the reason Asuma died."
"You can't keep blaming yourself like this!"
"You're the Fourth Hokage's orphaned son, a