DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto. All characters are owned by its author Masashi Kishimoto.
Author's Note: Please be good with the reviews since this is my first Naruto-fic I might miss on something so I am calling all Naruto anime/manga fan to give me advice. Thanks for your support and hopefully you can give me reviews after you read. I am also willing to return reviews.
Chapter 1: Death of the NineTails Jinchuuriki
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto. All characters are owned by its author Masashi Kishimoto.
It is unknown if it was fate that led two souls to put their life on the line on the same place where the young heroes of the past prove their principles to one another. The first and second hokage of Konohagakure once demonstrated their skill at this same place and have shown the young generation of the event that scarred the place, two great statues were built to venerate that day warning the youth not to repeat the past. The Shodai Hokage who was the founder of Konoha fought with his younger brother the Nidaime Hokage. The unique abilities of this two ninja created this place, this place called the Valley of the End.
There was no river in this place before but after their destined encounter, of the first and second hokage, a river was formed, clearly showing an open-wound on their land. Today, two souls were here to prove what they believe, the other with his heart screwed with hatred and one believing that his friend would make the right decision.
"Bring it on, Sasuke!" a kid with blonde spiky hair shouted, sphere of tornado chakra in his hands, eager to change the mind of his friend by force and to counter the kyuubi's attack the Uchiha kid prepared his most powerful jutsu yet, the jutsu that he learned from the jounin Kakashi.
"I'm coming, Naruto!" He screamed. Bolt of lightning squirming on his right hand.
"What? Sasuke wants to go to Orochimaru and Naruto went after him with Shikamaru and the rest of the genins," the spiky grayed-hair jounin, Kakashi exclaimed in the office of the Godaime upon learning of what has transpired in Konohagakure. Tsunade was appointed the Godaime not long ago. It came to no surprise that many didn't offer trust on her table, including the working citizens, her administration was at best troubled by the slightest concern and now an issue involving Orochimaru has reached their attention.
"Where are you going? I have another job for you," Tsunade was waving the paper in her hand while looking at the back of her subsidiary.
"I will be attending on something first, I will be back, don't worry," the jounin expressed his dissatisfaction with the fifth hokage's decision but decided to keep it on his own. He just came back from his jounin rank mission but here he is in front of the gate summoning his ninken dogs.
"Quickly! Find Naruto's scent, bark after learning his location and I will go to you. Now, disperse!" he commanded which the dogs followed after a simple nod. Kakashi remembered the Godaime waving the document containing his next mission but he would rather see to it that his students were safe before leaving the village again. Woof! In a flash, Kakashi escaped away from the scene.
"Rasengan!"
"Chidori!"
Little by little as they both come closer to one another, with their most powerful jutsu at the palm of their hand, both felt a prick of pain pierce through their heart as they were bound into killing one another but there was no backing out for either of them, not today. Destructive wave of their jutsu brought thunderous shock on the water below them, forming a sphere of liquid that erupted from the middle of the collision of emotions and power. Hay of clouded mist surrounded the place that tried to envelop their presence. Still the power and strength of their chakra kept on pushing one another but they are both equal, although Naruto's rasengan was far more superior in strength the container of the Kyuubi was not mentally prepared. Deep in his heart, hesitation hindered his strength, and it was enough to tip the scale.
Inside the sphere of their mixed emotions, the current made by the collision of their power, Sasuke's chidori and Naruto's rasengan, the forehead protector that was so dear to Naruto was torn off, scratched in the mid-section, lost in the fray. Naruto would have made a ruckus out of it if he was aware, no, there was something, someone far precious than that in front of him and he knew that Iruka would understand.
Can you really kill me calmly, Sasuke? He asked himself as both of them propel to different directions. A stalemate cost both of them but the two remained in-tact, Sasuke beside the fall with his feet on the ground thought of a way to conserve his chakra while his friend rumbled his mind with thoughts of saving the Uchiha kid.
I will lose if we fight like this, my chakra won't last long, he thought after re-assessing himself, the reminders of Kakashi after he asked a question if he can cast chidori after failing the second time entered his mind, there will be no third time, his middle-aged jounin master warned him.
Looking at Sasuke's way, the container of the Kyuubi realized how dead serious his friend was in taking his life, with his eyes wide opened, Naruto had a hard time realizing the jutsu being released until it almost hit him, "Katon Housenka No Jutsu," spit of fire tried to touch Naruto but he was quick to evade above. His move anticipated, Naruto went diving to the depth of the river as a whipping kick pummel his head back into the water.
In the beginning, I thought you were just like me, a loner, but I guess I'm wrong. You had friends back then but you chose to be alone, there are times when I want to just talk to you but you won't speak, not to me. When we became a team, my envy became jealousy as I notice how different and how strong you really are, but even so I aspired to be like you. I try to lie about it but I want you to acknowledge me of all people, the thought of Sasuke asking him for a fight mano-a-mano came in mind as his consciousness started to sway, I want to be friend with you but right now, can we still be friends?
Powerless as he seemed to be, Sasuke pulled him out of the water and a combination of one-two on his body made Naruto groan in pain while Uchiha captured his arm. "Mada, mada," he murmured as he bury one hard kick on Naruto's chest which shove the poor kid on the stony part of the valley.
"There is no escape, Naruto," he pulled him up again holding the jinchuuriki by the neck. From Naruto's eyes, he saw a different person in front of him but he wanted to believe, because he and the uchiha kid were friends. That sounded right… but at the same time wrong.
Naruto continued to dream on, looking at the past where both of them were younger than today, that day when Sasuke was rising from the occasion and him playing the fool, tried high and low for someone, somebody to acknowledge his meager existence. He ran and escaped the truth but in the end he found himself wanting to be recognized by the same person he considered his rival, Sasuke Uchiha.
After all, maybe I was the only one who thought we were friends. A smirk was etched on the Uchiha's face as he lifted Naruto high enough to prepare for his finishing blow while the black curse of Orochimaru covered his face and body giving the black haired shinobi enough power to mold his chidori. As he looked at his friend's eyes, he remembered what his brother had told him, only by killing your closest friend will you be able to obtain the same strength as I have, the Mangekyou Sharingan.
Detest me, hate me and cling to your life.
I am an avenger; my sole purpose was to kill my brother. I don't care if the world would hate me for doing this but it has to be done. I'm sorry, Naruto. He kept to himself, raising his right palm and in one swift blow speared his chidori covered hand deep into his heart.
"It's too late, Naruto," he shouted.
At the very last moment Naruto wanted to believe on him, looking into his eyes he was prepared to pay the price of his stubbornness. He has always been stubborn willing to waste his life into nothing just to be accepted by everyone, by anyone. "Ackk-," blood shoot from his mouth, in the end his expectation failed him. Revenge was all Sasuke saw, it was everything for him but if there was anything Naruto was so proud of. It was his stubbornness that mustered the strength, of that remained in him, and he got a hold of his arm. "Sass, Sasuk-ke," he whispered to his friend, smiling wryly, "do not… abandon your friends… Sasuke. We will always be there for you like you are to me."
At his last breath a speck of blood spurted on Sasuke's face, his eyes widened, and without him noticing tears flow down from his face. No mangekyou sharingan was activated only his heart crumbling into pieces, shattering like the glass as he looked at his dying friend closing his eyes with smile still on his face. After a minute of silence with only the rustling water from the river can be heard, "Naruto!" he shouted pulling his hand that took the breath out of his friend.
"No…Naruto…you can't die. You can't die you idiot," he tried to shake him, waking him up, you cannot die yet, Naruto, you can't…lying beside Naruto, he remained still looking at the past right thru his eyes, Naruto was still bubbly as ever, smiling like he always did, shouting and expressing himself freely. Narrowing his sharingan eyes Sasuke looked at the only friend who remained loyal with him, believed him at the cost of his life.
Sasuke held him in his arms and in that brief moment he noticed his wound healing on its own but Naruto remained unconscious with his heart not responding at all. What is this?, there might still be a chance to save him,trying to cling on the small hope that his friend have, Sasuke knew what he should do. "Only a medical nin could help naruto regain his life."
Wiping the tears from his eyes and after bringing Naruto near the shade of a stone just beneath the fall, he had decided, I will ask for help, naruto. I don't know if I can make it with my chakra but I will save you like you saved me. I need to call her quickly, Sakura… Naruto… we need you?
As fast as lightning Sasuke challenged the wind against his face. Tears and sweat flow from his face, the thought of his friend dying because of him kept on haunting him back inside his mind. I will save you, Naruto. Just please wait for me. Suddenly, despair enveloped his heart and at the right time the birds flew from where Naruto was, Sasuke can only think of the worse happening. "Naruto, No!" he shouted stopping his step in one of the bough of tree. He rushed back but his balance was off, his eyes hurt and an unexplainable ring screamed inside his head, caused his balance off.
What's happening to me. He noticed the effect of Orochimaru's mark has weakened to the size of a coin.
Sasuke collapsed on his feet and fell from atop of the tree, extreme headache made it hard on his part to stabilize himself, covered by the dead leaves on his tracks, a familiar shadow from behind almost took him by surprise. "Yoh! Sasuke."
With teary eyes he looked at his teacher, "Sensei…"
Noticing the blood in his arms, Kakashi made a quick judgment, "Where is Naruto, Sasuke?" He just looked at his feet and avoided his captain's gaze. "Pakkun!" the dog hunter was already on alert and nodded at Kakashi. The Sharingan-Jounin gazed at Sasuke again but as soon as he heard the signal from his ninja dog he jumped out of the place to find Naruto.
Kakashi was in a hurry following Pakkun closely behind just thinking about the loudest nin of Konoha dying, totally unacceptable Naruto.
Rain started to intervene with the nin as it pour down making it harder for Pakkun to track Naruto's scent. Finally they reached the Valley of the End where Naruto and Sasuke faced off, "Where is he Pakkun?"
The nin-dog tried to sniff his scent but the rain made it impossible, "It just stopped here."
"I see. I guess I will have to ask you Sasuke."
Sasuke was already behind the jounin who was more surprised than Kakashi, "…that's impossible I left him here a while ago." He walked slowly to where exactly he left his friend and knelt down to pick up something; it's the Konoha forehead protector of Naruto bearing the insignia of the Fire country.
"Naruto would never leave that one lying around here, thats for sure," Kakashi exclaimed as he observe the symbol of a true konoha ninja.
"Wait! There is a faint scent of a decaying plant or tree in this area," the ninken leader said after noticing some unusual grass within the territory.
"Could someone have taken Naruto?" Kakashi asked himself loudly but decided to keep his concern in his mind when he noticed the wide gaze of his pupil, turning around he avoided Sasuke's weakened glare and looked at his ninken, I can't think of anyone else capable...
"I'll be going now, Kakashi."
"Okay," nodded by the grayed hair jounin at his ninken. The pug nodded before vanishing in the smoke leaving the two shinobi in the Valley of the End. Kakashi looked at his pupil with his careful eyes letting him kneel down and shout the name of a true friend, the real friend that he had. "Naruto!"
"Naruto!, ..., Naru, to," tears flowed out from his eyes covering his chin and dampening his already wet shirt. The hand that injured his friend was in his face; his eyes became weak as he looked at the blood of the jinchuuriki. To Kakashi's surprise the Uchiha kid pulled his last kunai and with it tried to stab his hand, the hand that killed his friend but his master was quick to swat the kunai off his hand. "What do you think you are doing, Sasuke?"
"I killed him Kakashi-sensei. I am no different from my brother. I should die myself," he clenched his fist after throwing those words at his jounin master, who in turn smiled at him. "You did not kill him Sasuke and I don't think he is dead, not naruto. We will see that noisy brat again. I'm sure."
Sasuke nodded at him with his wobbly eyes closing in and unexpectedly he collapsed on the dirt still murmuring the name of his friend, Naruto. Being the only one standing before Sasuke, Kakashi brought him up in his shoulder about ready to depart. "What about Naruto sensei? He's still alive right?" the boy said before he lost consciousness.
The jounin let out a long sigh before he rose up looking at the wide horizon, "be sure to come back, Naruto. I know you are still alive, you should be."