AU, Naruto/Marvel, Jutsu will generally be in Japanese, but I'll translate them down at the bottom.
Prologue
"Hakkeshou Kaiten!"
Neji and Hiashi spun furiously in place, chakra pouring out from every pore in his body, to deflect the towering "tail" of the Ten-Tailed Beast as it swept the field of shinobi toward him.
He gasped for air, and wiped a sweaty hand through his hair.
Even without his Byakugan, he could feel the massive amounts of chakra disappearing in the Ten-Tail's attack, an immeasurable number of ninja dying in battle.
It was just one thing after another. Neji grit his teeth, and sneered. Resurrected legendary zombie ninjas, cloned puppet plants, and now the embodiment of all tailed beasts. Quite literally the end of the world hangs in the balance of their victory.
"Move!"
Neji scrambled out of the way, multiple jumps backwards, as a barrage of projectiles erupted from the beast's tails. Again, Neji spun, desperately trying to counter the attack. He winced when one of the wooden spears grazed him. His hands dropped to his knees. Neji reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out a soldier pill, popping it into his mouth, and felt the surge of renewed energy. The new energy buzzed inside of him, erratic and excited.
Neji shook his head vigorously. Focus.
His senses tingled, and whirled around to face the direction of the sensation. His mouth opened in horror. An incredible mass of chakra was being collected by the Ten-Tails.
That'll wipe us all out.
Time seemed to slow as the Ten-Tail released that ball of chakra towards them. Death seemed imminent, but there was a surge of chakra right beneath the beast's foot, a combination effort of an Earth Release jutsu managing to knock the beast off balance at the last moment, making it release the mass of energy into the distance. It seemed to travel on for a solid minute, before it landed, and even then, Neji felt knocked back by the resulting shockwave.
The Ten-Tails charged another Tailed Beast Ball, even quicker than before, but this time the beast didn't aim it at the army in front. It hurled it again into the distance.
Neji narrowed his eyes. What is it aiming for?
The Ten-Tails charged and released a Tailed Beast Ball once more into the distance, and that's when he got his answer.
"Everyone, listen carefully," a sharp voice, Shikaku he realized, said directly into his head. "The Tailed Beast Ball is coming towards HQ. These...these will be your last orders..." Shikaku relayed the strategy quickly and concisely, devoid of all emotion.
Despair.
Neji spotted Hinata and Naruto, and hopped on over. Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino were also there.
"Chouji, no unnecessary comments now, we're in battle." Shikamaru said, voice but a whisper. "Ino, you too." He coughed, and cleared his voice. "We...we will do as dad says." This time, his voice was steady, and his eyes were determined.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto asked angrily.
"It means," Neji interjected, "That you are the key to our strategy."
"Not that! What's going to happen to Shikaku and Inoichi!? Everyone else at headquarters!?"
Neji's eyes cut at him sharply. "We are at war. People will die," Neji told him steadily, "And if we do nothing, everyone in the world will die. Shukaku and Inoichi made a choice. They chose to sacrifice themselves so that their children will live."
Like father did.
"Neji, spin right!" Hiashi suddenly commanded him.
The Ten-Tails swiped at them again with one of it's tails, but Hiashi and Neji just barely manage to beat it back.
"We need your power, Naruto, for this strategy to work." Neji said, breathing heavily.
Hinata jumped next to him, and with the three of them, formed a wall in front of Naruto.
"In order for us to be successful, we will protect you, Naruto!" Hinata yelled determinedly.
The Ten-Tails raised all of its tails at once and produced a rain of spears, leaving no area safe.
"Hakkeshou Kaiten!" Neji and Hiashi called out as they spun in place.
"Shugohakke Rokujūyon Shō!" Hinata yelled right beside them, arms bending at impossible angles to create an impenetrable defense.
"Guys…" Naruto said in wonder. He visibly steeled himself, and Neji felt him gather up chakra and enter Sage mode.
At the beast's next barrage of wooden spears, Naruto created several copies of himself, each molding chakra in their hands.
"Rasenshuriken!" The original yelled out, throwing his whirling mass of chakra at the projectiles, and his clones followed suit.
Naruto heaved as his Sage mode receded, the chakra exertion getting to him.
Neji looked at Naruto consideringly. He's grown so powerful...
One of the Ten-Tails appendages focused it's barrage right at Naruto.
Neji's eye widened in alarm. Naruto won't be able to dodge it-
Hinata!
Neji didn't even hesitate. There was no time. One second he was watching in horror, and the next he had thrown himself in front of both of his friends, stopping the incoming projectiles with his own body.
Neji felt blinding pain. He reached a trembling hand forward, and Naruto caught it.
"P-protect-" Neji coughed up blood. Everything seemed to grow dim, and there was an incredible pain coming from his abdomen, yet he felt at peace.
Ah, so this is what you meant, Father.
Distantly, very faintly, he heard, "Kamui!", just before he felt the air around him twist.
Hakkeshou Kaiten - Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Rotation
Shugohakke Rokujūyon Shō - Protective Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms
Rasenshuriken - Wind Release: Spiralling Shuriken
Well, just a bit of a re-write of Neji's death in the manga, not gonna make it too lengthy. Wonder where he's gonna end up next...
R&R!