"A/n Alright so Those reading this I will explain. A while back I wrote this up wanting to try a love triangle with Naruto, Tsunade and Mei. It was going well imo then I lost interest in it as I felt I wasn't doing the story justice. A few weeks back I became interested in Boa and Luffy's relationship(or lack their of). I found it intriguing enough to actually watch this show from the beginning which at one point I ABSOLUTELY HATED. But it was confusing starting at episode 408. Who the fuck is Ace? What are the Tenryuubito. Why is their a talking reindeer? What the fuck is going on!? So I started over, and OOOOOO did I fall in love with this show! So I took my dying story and tried an interesting plot twist. The summary was at one point that Naruto died fighting Pain. While thinking over his effect on the world he finds he feels something for Tsunade. Then Kami gives him a second chance and sends him back to fight Pein. He wins him and Tsunade get paired up( I DID NOT DO IT JUSTICE) shit happens I jumped into the war WAAAAY to soon and the story became too much trouble that I didn't even feel compelled to fix it. So here we are. This story is now the tale of Luffy's journey to be the Pirate King. I will loosely follow canon except points I think should be "remedied." I hope I do this right and that you enjoy it. Bear with me for the next few chapters before he is in One Piece.
"In this place that he had concluded was the afterlife the only semblance of light was the moon. Everything else was a mass of darkness that was post marked by random rock formations. The shore however was a scene of such beauty it would make anybody stare into it for hours on end. The blonde frowned as he realized exactly why he was here.
He had failed the Leaf. He had lost in the fight against Pein. He had failed the world.
"I was and always will be a failure," he growled as he threw a fist full of crystal dust at the water's edge. In what he believed would be his nearing victory, Pein had used one of his chakra rods as a projectile. It had gone straight through Naruto's heart and into the ground behind him. He had only had a few seconds to realize what had happened before all went black for him.
When the young Sage had come to he was met with the dark shore he was currently on. "I failed when it mattered most. Again," he spat out, the blood from his palm going unnoticed by himself as he nails dug deeper. "Just like with Sasuke. Well there's no time like death to think about the good times in life," he said, he words filled with sarcasm.
"His lonely childhood was anything but good. He was beat to near death at least once a month and faced death every birthday. His only rays light were Teuchi and Ayame.
"Then he started the academy. He ended up finding another light in Iruka. Naruto's thoughts landed on the night he found out about why everybody hated him. A few days later and he had had his first real mission. It had truthfully became a disaster. But then, if he never met Zabuza and Haku he wouldn't have found his nindo.
"It was after this that he had faced Gaara in battle. He had been happy to find out that there was somebody that understood his pain and loneliness. Naruto raised his head and looked up at the moon. An image of Gaara's lifeless body in his mind's eye made his frown deepen. He was heartbroken to find out that the Third Hokage had died in the ensuing conflict. He then smiled at the thought of his time with Jiraiya which lead to a frown as he remembered his death. "I failed you Jiraiya sensei," he muttered as he threw more dust into the water. The carefree man was the closest thing he had to a father and it had left him lost. He had won the First's necklace from Tsunade after she lost a bet that he couldn't learn the Rasengan in a week's time. She had even given him a kiss to the forehead in a sign of her faith in him.
His hand opened as he threw more blood tainted dust into the water. Tsunade was another person he had failed. "I failed you just like everyone else," he started as he felt tears threaten to fall. He didn't understand. "Why does it make my heart ache that I failed her over everyone else?" His thoughts began again as he remembered failing his promise to Sakura. The first time he had broken his nindo. Another hand full of dust hit the water's surface.
"Why am I always so useless!?" he shouted as he stood up, his sage mode helping him, as he lifted the rock behind him, launching it into the ocean. He gave a huff as his shoulders slumped, falling to his knees.
This was the scene that Kami found herself facing as she walked forward. She gave a frown as she felt the emotions coming from the boy. The pain and sadness. strong"Naruto Uzumaki," she addressed her angelic voice ringing out across the shore.
He turned around as he came to face the divine woman. "I can only assume your Kami?" he questioned as he knelt down to grab another hand full of crystalline sand. He waited until she nodded before he turned around and sat down to resume staring at the moon. Naruto was mid swing but stopped as he felt her place his hand on his shoulder.
"I am sorry," even as unpredictable as Naruto was he didn't expect these words to come from his goddess.
"What could you possibly be sorry for?" he growled as he finished tossing more sand.
The purple haired woman sat next to him as his gaze held firm on the moon. strong"For failing you. I never foresaw your death. Or rather your unnatural death," her words making him look in between his bent knees. She moved her hand to his other should as she brought him into a light embrace. "Those eyes, the Rinnegan. They can interfere with my actions and judgment on the world."
"Hn," was his only response before he threw another hand of sand. "Just like the sharingan, it screws with life and taints everything that it casts its gaze upon." She smiled as she herself agreed at his opinion on said visual jutsu.
strong"Yes that is true, although at one point it was an important gift to the world." Naruto nodded as he knew what she was talking about.
He threw another hand full of sand into the water. "The Sage of the Six Paths."
She nodded in confirmation. strong"I gifted him with that…what is it you humans call it?" she pondered before it came to her. "Kekkei Genkai?" she asked with feigned ignorance as she tried to raise his spirits. strong"The point is I am here to apologize for my intervention causing your death even if it was so many centuries ago.
He nodded, and smiled as he said, "I don't forgive you."
Kami in all her wisdom was shocked by his simple words. She expected his kind heart to accept it and move on.
"It's because of your meddling that I failed them, that I failed to protect the Leaf. That I failed the world and the Akatsuki won," he said somberly. He looked back as he punched the white beach.
Kami shook her head with a smile as she continued. strong"Or is it because I caused you to fail?"
Naruto froze as his brain registered her words.
"Even though you are unsure of her feelings, you have come to love her as more than a mother-figure. Regardless that she is many years your elder," she spoke fluidly with a knowing smile.
"I…I…Yeah. You're right, I've only now had time to sort through my thoughts with nothing to weigh down my mind," he spoke in a soft tone, a small smile working itself onto his features.
She placed her left hand on to the top of his own left. strong"Naruto. Would you like to know what the moon signifies in this world?"
He looked up at the celestial body in question. "I wouldn't know," he said as he frowned, Tsunade still on his mind.
He felt her thumb rub his clothed shoulder. strong"It's the heart of the person's life."
This Naruto didn't understand.
"The Heart in this world is based entirely on the heart of one's life."
He frowned still not fully catching her meaning. His hand touched the First's necklace as he thought.
"IF somebody was a heartless being that relished in the suffering of others, they would not have a moon but a black void that would torment them for the rest of their existence. This is what you humans refer to as Hell. The lack of anything to look at in their deaths drives them absolutely insane," she pointed to the moon before she traced her index finger around the moon following its circumference. strong"The bigger an everlasting effect somebody has on a person's soul…" she then placed her finger gently against his chest."…The larger the impact and the greater the moon. You have one of the largest moons in all existence through time, the reason being because of her pure and genuine effects on your heart,"she pointed back to the moon.
"But you said it yourself. I have no idea in the slightest what her feelings for me are. It doesn't matter even if you told me," he grabbed another handful of sand before she responded.
"Well then what if I told you that in a few more weeks' time, if you would have simply said something to her she would have thought over her own feelings. In another week or so she would have come to love you just like you do her." /p
Naruto gave a brief smile before it turned into a frown. His hand opening as the sand flew into the water. "It doesn't matter now," he muttered as he leaned into Kami.
She patted his head as she thought. strong"What if I said it could?" she lifted the blonde's head to face her. strong"I could do two things for you. One, I could send you to before you arrived in the Leaf and ultimately met your death. I could also then advance Tsunade's feelings so that all you have to do is simply say 'I love you.'"
Naruto leaned back from the emerald eyed woman. "It may be selfish of me but if you could make all of that work then I would forgive you. Without a doubt."
With their silence the crashing of the waters filled his ears. Kami stood to her full height at a grand 6'5". strong"Very well then Naruto Uzumaki. All you must do is simply walk into the water, the next time you close them in the water will be your last before you wake up in your world again."
The blonde sage nodded before turning to the water. He blinked as he could of swore he saw the image of Tsunade smiling at him with her eyes closed and her hand extended in invitation burning from the moon's light. "Soon…" he whispered as he took his first steps into the water. "…I will finally tell you how I feel about you Tsunade," he let go of all of his worries as the black water reached his mouth. One last breathe was all he took before he looked back to Kami. He nodded as he stepped forward into the abyss.
Naruto gave a sharp breath as he found himself atop Gamakichi. He looked out as he glared at the descending form of Pein. He did so with a scathing look, wanting nothing more than to rip the man limb from limb. The village was destroyed once before and he stood in the center of it again. em'I hate him so much,/em' he thought maliciously. He had never felt so angry at a person. This man, no, this monster. Pein had taken so much from the world. Things that weren't meant to be stolen.
"Good, I don't have to search for you now," Pein's voice unwavering as he waited for Shurado to be revived, staring up at the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Naruto flinched as he saw Tsunade land before him, the ANBU Commander appearing next to her. "I am the Fifth Hokage. How dare you trample on the jewel of my predecessors. I won't forgive you," she narrowed her eyes further at the murderer. "I settle this as Hokage," she growled, the words went unfelt as Pein stood with a blank face.
"It seems you understand a little bit about pain. However I have no need of you right now. The one I seek…" his words leading to Shurado launching forward, a blade forming around its hands. It went unfinished as Naruto appeared, a Rasengan destroying the mechanical freak. "Is me," parts of the Path flew up into the air as Naruto spoke. Naruto's eyes met Pein's as he moved to Tsunade's side. "There is no need for the Leaf's Hokage to bother herself with the likes of these murderers. Just rest and stay out of this fight Tsunade."
She looked up at him with surprise, "Naruto…" she spoke softly.
Pein's head tilted slightly in the wind's force. "So you are Naruto Uzumaki," the Akatsuki leader said causing the young sage to grit his teeth.
"This is the end, I'm going to erase your existence!" Naruto shouted enraged./p
The proclamation made Tsunade smile lightly.
The remaining Paths took up a formation around Tendo. 'Tendo's power will not recharge for quite a while. I must…'
"Gamakichi!" Naruto called, the orange toad landing behind him in turn. He pointed with his thumb, "I want you to take Tsunade away from here. I'll take over from here. Keep everyone out of this, I'll be able to fight better without any interference." The adolescent toad nodded lightly as Tsunade lifted up a small clone of Katsuyu.
"Alright but take Katsuyu with you, she has the info she knows will come in handy." She looked down at the ground briefly before she glanced back up at him. "Naruto, please just be careful," she pleaded as she was lifted up in Gamakichi's hand.
He nodded as he turned with a smile. "Don't you know by now Tsunade? I'm not gonna die until I take your hat." A confident smile assuring her he would be safe. Naruto however was anything but confident. em'I failed once before I am not going to fail again./em' He shot his hand up ordering the orange toad to leave. He was brought to attention as he heard the telltale sounds of a summoning jutsu. He turned rapidly, his hands intercepting the horn of a giant winged rhino. He dug his feet into the ground as he lifted with nature chakra enhanced strength.
Sakura looked up in surprise as the familiar sight of Gamakichi appeared above her, landing with a large thud that kicked up dirt. "Milady…" she started as she watched the orange amphibian place her down gently against a broken pillar. Sakura's eyes opened wider as she watched her teacher's genjutsu fade. Her skin turned a darker shade, and her hair lost most of its previous vibrancy.
"Everything will be fine now," the older woman's breathing still slightly ragged. "He'll pull out another miracle, and be as unpredictable as ever," she said with a faint smile.
Sakura gave a small smile while she lifted the older woman's hand. em'Thank you for your labors Lady Tsunade.'
The giant rhino gave a groan as it flew up into the air, Chikushodo following up her first failure with two other summons. Or rather a large Ox, Goat thing, and a dog with wings charged at the small form of Naruto. The two elder frogs nodded to each other before they leapt up, putting their hands together. "Sage Art: Frog Song!" The words bringing forth a barrage of noise that made the charging beasts stop their charge, the form of Naruto passing by the large summons. The blonde summoned two clones to his side as he continued forth, the clones beginning to form Rasengans in his hands before taking their creations and assaulting the animals. Fukasaku looked to the three large toads. Signaling them to attack the summons that were airborne.
Naruto took heed in Katsuyu's words as he took to the Frog Kumite as he launched his fist at Gakido, the combined vision of Pein watched as he pushed the enemies' wrist aside before retaliating with an unsuccessful kick before closing in with a punch that 'missed'. The sage jutsu smashed Gakido's face, casting its form aside.
Pein looked at the now prone form of Gakido, actually confused as to how it had been hit. The attack the Nine-Tail's Jinchuriki had attempted clearly missed./p
Said boy came to a stop as he summoned two clones. "Prepare to be erased as I use my new jutsu."
It finally dawned on the Path as he looked at the teen.
"So that's it, you've become a sage, and mastered the same jutsus of Jiraiya sensei." Naruto looked at the man, he still couldn't understand how he could call what he did peace, "I too learned jutsu from Jiraiya. He was once my master as well. That makes us sibling disciples does it not? Being so, we should be able to understand one another, our master desired peace."
Naruto narrowed his eyes in anger once again. "Shut your damn mouth!" he shouted as he held the Rasenshuriken above his head.
Tsunade gave an angered expression that was soon overwritten by worry and sadness. 'emI told him to not use that jutsu./em' Sakura's voice having reached her ears. The Sannin gave a weak smile. "Then again, he never was one to listen to his superiors." Her words barely a whisper.
"What you've done here, all this unnecessary bloodshed, this isn't anywhere near peaceful!" Naruto shouted in anger.
"You simply cannot see the forest for the trees. You're not able to understand what I'm trying to accomplish. Just let yourself be captured, surrender and your death will pave the way to peace," his monotone words enraging Naruto further.
"What you call peace is just mindless murder, now go ahead and die!" The shrieking jutsu left Naruto's hand as he flung it at the group.
Said group began to leap away, Ningendo throwing Chikushodo out of the way./p
Naruto's eyes displayed a knowing look as he watched the now expanding attack catch the long haired Path. Naruto then dodged a strange bird summon, leaping over its cawing mass while the Rasenshuriken expanded into a large sphere./p
When he landed Pein continued speaking, "It seems Deidara was right, this boy does emnot /emlisten."
Naruto apologized as he heard Gamabunta complain about Gamaken's lack of information, he leaped into the air as the bird from earlier smashed into the earth. He then found himself sending and receiving a barrage of attacks from Chikushodo. Gravity soon took charge as the two landed on the ground.
''It seems you're beginning to wear out. Your sage jutsu is rapidly starting to wane. Could it be you used up your sage jutsu chakra with that jutsu of yours?" Naruto held his ground as Pein's words were true. He looked at the beautiful face of Chikushodo as he thought, 'emI need to take at least one of these guys out./em' His thoughts were interrupted as a huge cloud of sand appeared before he was engulfed in total darkness. He smirked as he knew where he was. em'Sorry for this. While you're a girl I still need to kill you.'
The only female path gave a gasp of surprise as she was punched in the face making her step back across the mushy ground. Another knocking her up into the air and then down to the ground as she tried her hardest to see the hidden assailant.
Pein gave an aggravated groan as he looked around, 'emWhere are they?/em' he thought before he and the other Paths saw a flash of blue before they felt the connection to Chikushodo disappear being followed up by the scene of smoke escaping the toads lips. The toad let out his tongue as Naruto and the girl rolled to the ground. The teen turned to face Pein, his eyes turning to blue. "No more Sage Mode."
Naruto removed his scroll before a gasp of pain as his eyes gave out a sharp pain, Tendo closing in all the same. Naruto suppressed the pain as he moved away from the front of Gamabunta as his giant knife came down. Naruto gave a brief concerned thought about the random pain, looking up as he saw a shadow fly over him he saw Tendo spin into a crouched position blocking his advance.
Fukasaku jumped to his side as he told Naruto to give him the scroll. Tendo closed in as the tiny toad leapt back.
Naruto pushed away the first punch before he dodged a swift kick to his knee. He blocked Tendo's knee thrust with his own before he raised his palm to stop a jab to his face. He kept fighting with Pein as Gamabunta tried to intervene but stopped, "I'm going to enter sage mode. Get away from here, I don't want my Rasenshuriken to hit you." Naruto smirked as he heard Fukasaku's words.
His eyes blinked open as his palm shattered the black rod Pein had formed making Pein form a startled look. Pein started jumping back as the young sage lashed out with a strike to Pein's left forearm and then his right and again as Pein made small leaps away from the re-energized shinobi. He kept blocking until Naruto's leg came up swift and fast. The sage jutsu causing Pein to be launched from the force, his first contact with the ground being his head before he dug his hand into the ground.
'What?' he thought as he looked up at the blonde gasping as he saw the boy form another Rasenshuriken and launch it at his kneeling form. He gave a blank look as Gakido dropped down in front of him and absorbed the powerful attack. He watched as the Jinchuriki looked over to Jigokudo as the King of Hell stood with its mouth agape.
"What is that thing?" Naruto spoke as his clones looked on. Katsuyu crawled up his shoulder to inform him. "That one's ability is to resurrect the others if they fall." She said as she followed with the other Paths abilities. He mentally nodded as he already knew these things. His clones stepped forward as he put his hand out, the facsimiles spinning chakra in his hand. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a smokeball.
Pein's eyes opened slightly as another Rasenshuriken appeared through the smoke cloud. The other Path glared as it raised its hands, a white aura appearing before it's eyes widened when it puffed into smoke and a clone tackled him to the ground. "Tricky bastard," was all it muttered before it hit the ground and another Rasenshuriken passed over only to dissipate as Pein used Almighty Push. Naruto cursed as he should have seen that coming. "It seems my powers have returned."
'No shit,' thought Naruto as his summons gave similar thoughts, Gamabunta voicing them. "You'veemgot /emto be kidding me, he repelled the boy's attack."
The clone looked up as it covered Gakido's eyes. Pein cursed as he felt the connection to Jogokudo get cut, "Rasengan Barrage!"
He turned around as the Path was drilled into the ground.
Gamabunta complimented the boy, right before he gave a confused request as to how he pulled it off.
Pein listened in with subtlety in hopes that he too learned how, his keen hearing picking up the elder toads words.
Pein turned his head as his eyes narrowed, the toads having stopped talking, having figured out the rest for himself.
Naruto raised his fist like the first time before, hoping to be quick enough to beat him to the 'punch'.
He frowned as he wasn't and was thrown away by the shockwave his clone numerically dispelling as the summons dropped down in an attempt to tear him apart as the two Paths leapt about, their attempts failing. "Again, Almighty Push," Pein said quietly, leading to the toads being shoved violently from the center of the village.
Naruto immediately raised his hand as the elder toads started talking about using the genjutsu.
"It won't-" anything else was silenced as Pein used Universal Pull to pull the teen to him, the Gakido sucker punching him before head locking him. "Don't worry I won't kill you, emprecious Jinchuriki/em."
Naruto scoffed as he remembered this. "You shouldn't underestimate the capabilities of sage jutsu." He smiled in his mind as Pein thought he was captured. He being still was perfect as he was able to gather more nature chakra, turning the Gakido into a stone toad. He waited until he broke the stone arms releasing himself. He ignored Katsuyu as he remembered that this was when Fukasaku was pulled to Pein and killed. He growled as Pein was still too fast. "I've had enough ofemthat /emjutsu," he was pulled forth as Pein pinned him to the ground with the chakra rods. He remembered the sensation as the disruption flooded his body.
Naruto's gaze burned into Pein's purple eyes. Pein however gave no sign of emotion as he looked down at the boy. "I expect that you want to know why I'm doing all this?" He spoke as he stood from his crouched postion. "I doubt very strongly that the knowledge would change anything at all." His eyes still lying on the boy's incapacitated body. "But let's say that I took the time to explain it to you, what do you think would happen then?"
Naruto remained quiet as he tried to control his anger.
"My goal is to fulfill the dream even Jiraiya sensei was unable to achieve. As I said earlier, what I want is to create peace and bring about justice."
Naruto's glare deepened. "You killed my master, my sensei and my friends, my village, those I love," his words reflecting his thoughts as images played through his skull. His hands digging into the barren dirt. "After everything you've done, all that you've destroyed. Don't youemdare/emtalk about peace or justice!" He dropped his head slightly as he tried to keep calm. "Then tell me…" the Akatsuki member started, "What is your goal?"
"I'm going to kill emyou/em, and then I'm gonna bring peace to the ninja world!"
Pein looked up as he took a step to his right, "Oh I see, thatemis/emnoble of you," his foot step puffing up dust as he stopped at Naruto's prone side. "Then what about my friends, my family…emmy/emvillage?" His face that of being calm but his eyes held a glare as he looked around him at the destruction. "My village suffered the same fate as this village at the hands of you Leaf Ninja. How is it fair to only let you people preach about peace and justice?" When Naruto merely glared up at him he continued, his gaze resuming on the fallen sage. "Once the Land of Fire and the Hidden Leaf grew too big, to protect their national interests they forced feudal clans to wage war against one another. Profiting from it. Otherwise, the people of their villages would have starved. As it happened, our little nation and its villages got caught up in the battlefield where the great nations waged their wars. Each time, our land was ravaged and laid to waste. After many battles the great nation stabilized as small nations suffered. Leaving it barely covered, you and I seek the same thing. We wish to attain the peace Jiraiya envisioned," his cloak shuffled gently as he continued, "you and I are the same, we are both motivated by our similar desires for peace and justice. The justice I have laid on the Leaf Village, is no different then what you are trying to do to me. Everyone feels the same pain when loosing something dear."
Naruto looked at the ground as he agreed with some of his words. "You and I have both experienced that pain. You strive for your justice, and I emmine/em. We are both just ordinary men, trying to find this justice. If one seeks vengeance under the thought of justice then only further vengeance will be attained and emtrigger a vicious cycle of hatred/em." Naruto's fingers relented on the ground, as he glared into the dirt.
"We currently live in such a cycle. I know the past, and I can foretell the future. It is the same as our history." His eyes narrowed as images from the Land of Rain plagued him. "So we believe that humans simply cannot understand each other, and they never will."
"This shinobi world of ours is ruled by hatred and hatred alone."
Naruto's mind was playing over one of his conversations with Jiraiya.
"Even I admit our world is consumed by too much hate. I always wanted to do something about this hatred, I'm just not sure how to go about it as of yet. But I truly believe that the day will come, that someday people will live in harmony."
Naruto closed his eyes as he gave a grin. "Boy it sounds sorta complicated to me."
Jiraiya gave a small smile as he continued. "If it so happens that I can't find a solution to this problem, then I might just entrust it to you, eh Naruto?" Naruto gave another smile as he mocked a salute. "Yes sir. I can't turn down a request from my master can I Pervy sage?"
Naruto grit his teeth as he remembered that time again, just like the last time.
"So Naruto how would you confront this hatred in order to find peace?" The tall man asked as he desired to know his answer.
"I want to know what his answer is." Naruto closed his eyes. He frowned on the inside as he still didn't have an answer, same as before. "I…I don't know." He spoke with a solemn tone. "I don't have an answer."
The wind picked up a bit in a small gust. "But you see emthat /emis why I formed the Akatsuki. To break the cycle of hatred, I can finally put an end to it but I need the Nine-Tails, I must have that power to achieve that goal. I will use the tailed beasts to make a tailed beast weapon far greater than the one that once leveled this village to the ground, a beast that could wipe out an entire nation in an instant."
Naruto's anger returned as he heard the same words.
"I will stop all wars with the terror the pain caused by the pain the beast will unleash." He raised his hands as he went on. "I will lead down the road to stability and to peace."
Naruto spun his head to face him as best he could. "This so called 'peace' that you'd try to achieve would be nothing but a lie in the end!"
Pein held his gaze as he continued. "Human beings are not the most brilliant of creatures, this is the emonly /emway for peace to be achieved. Of course with a few decades that pain too will fade, it will no longer act as a deterrent and humanity emwill /emreturn to war again. This time they will use the tailed beast as a weapon against each other and reconfirm what real pain is."
Nagato continued speaking as Konan placed her hand on his transport, "and for a time peace will begin again. Of course in this endless cycle begetting more hatred, and unbearable pain will rise only to fall once more to momentary peace. That is my dream and my goal."
His words ended with a ragged cough as Konan gave him a worried look. "Nagato please don't overexert yourself. You've already used so much chakra. She frowned as she saw a small trickle of blood leak from his lips.
His closed gaze lifted before he shot open his eyes. "Peace is finally in our grasp."
Pein continued to look down on the boy, "You argue that my version of peace is a false life, a mere lie. But in this accursed world, peace where people understand one another, is nothing but utterly ficticious."
"But I truly believe that one day the world and it's people will come to understand each other in harmony." Jiraiya's words reappearing again in Naruto's mind.
"But Pervy sage believed that one day people would /come to understand each other, and find harmony." He felt a growl grow in his throat. "You're /the one who is wrong!"
Pein's emotionless face held still, "Empty words. You are one to speak, he who doesn't even have an answer as to how he's to achieve peace. Your last and only option left is to give me the Nine-Tails for my own use," Nagato's eyes slowly opened again as his words continued ",as I told you. Your death will lead to peace."
Naruto grunted in pain as Pein broke off more rods in parts of his body immobilizing him. "I avoided any vital spots but you will not be able to move on your own."
Naruto growled as Pein launched Shima away. "Loud mouthed frog."
Naruto looked up at him in anger, "You bastard!"
Pein turned his attention back to him as he pointed his palm at the prone Child of Prophecy. "Now, it's time we are on our way." His rippled eyes expanding at the pupil, becoming large black dots. Naruto cursed, this was when Hinata intervened while he was thankful it wasn't worth her death. Pein leapt away as Hinata's palm smashed into the ground. "Hinata you don't stand a chance, get away from here! I don't care what you feel about me!" He said startling her a bit. "Don't put yourself in danger like this just go!"
Hinata shook her head as her eyes rested on Pein. "I won't run away, not anymore. I'm not afraid to die here if it means protecting you. I will, because I love you." With that she took up her stance, as Pein made a chakra rod. Her eyes activating before she spun and tried to break the rods, but was flung away as Pein used a concentrated shockwave to throw her away before she closed in only to have Pein use Universal Pull to throw her to the side. She stood up as her hands became encased in chakra. "Gentle Step: Twin Lion Fists!" she shouted as she charged at Pein. The man moved like the wind as Hinata tried to strike him with her jutsu. His head moved to the side as her thrust went wide. She somehow got lucky as her head hit the man's jaw.
The attack allowed for her to remove one of the rods in Naruto's leg, however she gave a cry as Pein used Almighty Push.
"No!" Naruto shouted as he was helpless once again to stop her. The pain she felt made her struggle as she got to her feet, she stumbled her way over to Naruto as Pein watched. She fell as her legs gave out before she got up again.
"Please just stop, just go away."
She kept walking forward as she remembered all the reasons she fell in love with Naruto. She fell once more as she crawled to him. Pein gave a confused look as he questioned her actions. "Why, why would someone as weak as you try to resist?" his voice low as he kept speaking, "Why resist when you know you'll only die?"
As Hinata grabbed the rod piercing his hands, her arms trembled as the rod interrupted her chakra making it difficult to pull the black object from the dirt. "Because...I never go back on my word. Because...because that's my ninja way."
Naruto's eyes went wide as he watched Hinata be thrown from in front of him into the air like a helpless ragdoll before Pein catapulted her into the ground the force making a shallow crater next to him before a black rod came out of his sleeve and his arm swung down in one final arc.
"It was just like this, when my parents were killed before my eyes," his voice low. "By shinobi...of the Leaf," his voice unwavering he continued. "Because of love/,sacrifice is born, as well as hate,/and one comprehends, one knows pain."
Naruto's eyes clenched shut as he felt anger well up in him. em'No, not again. I can't lose control again./em' He gave a grunt as he felt the pain behind his eyes hit harder than ever. His mind shifting from the thought of pain to the rage caused by the Nine-Tails influence strong 'Yes give in to your rage. I can give you the power to kill that man. You can avenge that pathetic fleshling he killed. My power can make it SO!'
'No, I'm not going to give in anymore!' The boy stopped struggling as an intense surge of power came from within him. strong 'You can't resist it. You'll give in and let the anger that's festering in your gut over take you,'the deep voice growled as his eyes opened in rage. The pain becoming too much. "Never! Get out of my...he...AD!" He didn't know what happened next as another, different surge of energy over took him as his vision dramatically change. Everything was sharp. The Nine-Tail's influence taking the chance to breakthrough as his mind finally snapped.
"Do you hate me now?!" Pein's taunting words sending him over the edge.
"I'M GOING...TO KILL YOU!"/He roared as red and purple chakra surged from his body bubbling as the chakra coalesced into a semi solid form. Creating a dome above him as the untamed energy shot up in a column.
"The power of the Nine-Tails..." Pein whispered as the blood red energy tried consuming the boy, the purple seeming to hold the vile chakra at bay. Parts of Naruto's skin peeling away. Pein gave a startled look, he tried to raise his arms in defense. He didn't have time to blink as the boy appeared in front of him his fist already placed into his jaw. It was so fast his body took a few milliseconds to realize it was being hit with insurmountable force. His body flew across the ground as he skidded and flipped end over end. He wasn't given reprieve as a claw of bubbling chakra grabbed him before he was brought to the boy's purple and red encased fist. His eyes opened in shock as he stared into the teens enraged eyes before he was thrown into the air. "How does he have the-" he was interrupted when the boys powered fist hit his gut propelling him into the ground with force.
'-THE Rinnegan?!/' he thought in his head as a fist smashed his jaw from below his body digging further into the ground.
"Boy how do you have those eyes! TELL ME NOW!" yelled the Nine-Tails as he thrashed in his cage, the influence of his chakra dwindling.
Naruto didn't hear the fox's rant as he started to lay a barrage of punches into the killer's chest and face.
He was stopped as his left wrist was grabbed, followed by his right one before his was kicked over Pein's body.
"It doesn't matter if you have the Rinnegan. I have many more years ahead of you in experience," his words feeling somewhat hollow as he blocked an Almighty Push with his own. He launched into the air as he jumped away from the boy, the purple and red chakra starting to recede as Naruto gave pursuit a black rod forming in hand as he started throwing them like large kunai.
The orange haired man deflected them with his own as he turned, ducking under a flying kick. He jabbed up into the boy's leg as he spun around, elbowing the boy in the back.
The blonde moved with the momentum as he brought his leg around kicking the older opponent in the back of the head. He felt a surge of power as he leapt back before putting his hands together on instinct. "Universal Pull!" The otherworldly ability lifted up a slab of earth as it climbed into the air before crashing down on Pein.
When Pein came up through the dirt he growled. "Do you hate me now?" Pein asked as he rose up before limping to a rock formation made by the impact. "Do you still think people can fully understand each other?" Pein asked as Naruto's glared somehow intensified, purple chakra leaking from him. Pein lowered his eyes at the empowered boy. "Then as you wish...but know this…" he started in a low tone as he reared his fist back before he lashed out at the ground speaking as he did. "MY PAIN IS STILL FAR GREATER THEN YOURS!" The punch bringing forth water that started sweeping Naruto away as said boy tried to get some traction on the ground. Pein was quiet for a few seconds as the fog obscured everything before he uttered an aggressive, "Let's go!' The man bolted forward as he entered inhuman speeds rushing to the struggling teen. He dodged multiple blasts of purple condensed chakra that came from a semi solid Nine-Tails cloak. 'It seems your emotions aren't reigned in yet,' he scoffed in amusement as he continued his blurring speed.
He made an abrupt left as giant fists of purple chakra came flying at him. He jumped over two slashed fists before he rolled under a third using the momentum to roll into a shattering run as he bounced across the water as he avoided the following fists. He heard a yell as the sounds of the crashing fists stopped before he turned around jumping as Naruto flew under his arm in a close line position.
Pein shot across the water leading through a small crevice as Naruto pursued the chakra cloak flickering on and off as he grimaced. He launched more arms forward making the last Path jump from side to side across the walls. He threw four together at once making the ground under Pein crumble causing him to go into a roll as he put up and Almighty Push to block more tailed beast bullets. The rapid fire of purple cascaded into the shield only to streak over the top and sides de-atomizing rock and earth as not a single one hit their actual mark.
Pein curled his fingers into a fist when Naruto stopped briefly before taunting him again, "Is that all you've got?" not expecting a final shot to rocket into his face and drive him like a ball across the water's surface. When he came to a stop he raised his palm. "Not bad," he breathed as the cloak showed to be encompassing the boy. A black skeletal frame forming atop it as a slight guttural growl came from Naruto as his Rinnegan filtered the Nine-Tails will from the chakra. Replacing it with its purified strength.
Sakura held her arms as she trembled under the KI that was lingering in the air. "This chakra feels just like from that time at the bridge. What's going on!?" she asked as the Hyuuga next to her relayed the updated status of the battle. "Lady Hinata was struck down in front of Naruto, he looks to be struggling to control himself, but the Nine-Tails chakra is fading and being replaced by something else. What it is I don't know." He said as he scanned the titanic fight.
Pein flipped through he air as he sent a concentrated pulse of sharp chakra through the roots under a giant slab of earth above Naruto. He landed as he watched Naruto's purple and black form burst up from the top as he tore through the roots. Pein formed a chakra rod into a javelin before chucking it at Naruto.
The Jinchuriki let out a roar as purple chakra destroyed it causing the roots to burst apart and land in the water, Naruto following them. The sets of Rinnegan eyes met as the cloak's 'bones' started to fade before they reappeared altogether. em'Here he comes,' Pein thought as Naruto leaned his head down before he drilled into the water in a flare of purple. Pein looked around frantically before he was struck in the face. He rolled into the water as he called out his Almighty Push keeping the water and Naruto at bay, or so he thought. The boy pushed through the gravitized force slightly as purple tails broke up from the ground, rooting him to the spot before his 'hands' reached through and grabbed his face before Pein was struck in the face by a Tailed-Beast Bullet. His head ending up in a cliff wall as his body went rigid, soon going limp and the rocks from above him giving out.
Pein grunted as he felt the Jinchuuriki start forming a Tailed-Beast Bomb, he quickly clapped his hands together as he rose from the rocks and dirt. "Universal Pull!"
The attack lifted a giant chunk of earth into the air similar to how Naruto hit him. He slammed it down causing the explosion to go off on Naruto under the rock./p
When the explosion died down Pein broke from the ground and flipped to his feet, his cloak partially destroyed showing off the top left of his torso and his left arm as well as his control piercings. Naruto too came up in the form of multiple flailing purple arms trying to move the rock from his form.
"The Nine-Tails power, it's magnificent," he whispered as he looked at Naruto pull himself from under the rock destroying it, he started fleeing away from him. The Jinchuriki gave pursuit as the torrent of water followed after their movement.
Pein leapt off the edge of the mesa before floating to the forest floor before jumping in a zig zag across a river clapping his hands together while Naruto shot after him.
The man flew swiftly through the trees as he got closer to Nagato's position. He flipped to a stop on a branch before he rushed to a hollow tree as Nagato began his most devastating jutsu. The Path placed its hands together again as if to pray before spreading them apart revealing a small ball of light.
He moved his hand out of the tree as he released the ball into the air. His eyes opened wide as a Tailed-Beast Bullet slammed into the tree, he had jumped out in time as more assaulted the tree as he landed with his hands together.
"Planetary Devastation!"
Naruto's form added another tail as the Nine-Tails forced more chakra into the boy, in a vain attempt to influence him. The boy looked up in surprise as he heard Pein call out that jutsu.
He saw Deja vu as he watched rocks start ascending into the air towards the small orb. em'You're not taking me out with that again./em' He rushed forward as he opened his mouth. A small purple sphere appearing before he let it loose into a beam as he sped forth. He was shot back as rocks encased his form before another beam launched a the form of Pein who let out a roar before the man made the serpent hand seal and he kneeled to the ground, rocks protecting him from the attack.
Naruto growled as he felt himself get higher and higher. He let out a barrage of Bullets as he tried to kill the orange haired man. The barrage did nothing as Pein kept repairing the defense. Naruto only getting closer to being crushed. He shook his head as he felt himself speed up before he hit the colossal rock, the rocks pelting into him getting faster and faster. He felt his focus slip as he felt the eighth tail start to emerge.
He growled as he forced himself through the rock and out the side as he let out a ferocious roar, his purple tails flailing through the rock's surface. Pein looked up in slight shock as he watched the Jinchuriki resist.
Naruto, however, was ripped from the world in a sight he didn't want to meet again.
His mindscape. He frowned as he glared at the Nine-Tails. strong"I emstrongwill someday get out of here and when I do I'm going to rip you limb from limb you fucking fleshbag! You cannot ignore my power!"
Naruto scoffed as he watched his dad appear.
Konan looked up at the Planetary Devastation in worry. "Nagato, why do you push yourself so far?" she asked as she turned to the bleeding man.
"I do this because I must. Besides, this is nothing. Compared to the Sage of the Six Paths who was said to make the moon, this is nothing but a boulder." He gave a sharp breath as he frowned. He watched the Nine-Tails disappear into a cloud of smoke.
Naruto stared down as he held a few tears as he finished the second time talking to his dad. He wiped them away as his eyes blazed into Pein's distant form.
The boy was brought out of his thoughts as he felt he heard a voice whisper into his ear. He looked around quickly as he heard the voice of an older man. He looked around until he felt his mouth move. "Six Paths Jutsu…" His arm raised itself to point at the small form of Pein. "…Certain…Pressure…" his hand started to glow at the palm as he watched the air around Pein darken. "…Annihilation!"
Pein attempted to flee as he felt the air become sharp and oppressive. He felt his shoe get destroyed as a vacuum of air rushed in on the area of effect. em'Space/Time Ninjutsu?/em' he asked himself as he leapt towards the crater of rocks.
He watched as the boy fell to the earth, a frightening look on his face. "Do you finally understand pain? Unless you come to know the same pain you cannot truly come to comprehend someone else, and if you do come to comprehend someone else you might not understand them even is the /emis the reason it is useless to chase Sasuke," he said as the boy stood with his Rinnegan burning brightly.
"Enough with this useless rambling take me to where the real Pein is. I want to talk to him face to face now," he ordered.
The Tendo moved its shoulder forward as it took one step forward. "So you figured it out?" speaking as he raised his arm to make a chakra rod. "First Jiraiya sensei and then you the same. You leaf Ninja are quite impressive," he brought the rod to his side, "But our discussion is over. Further conversation will change absolutely nothing."
Naruto glared at the approaching man. "I just want to discuss something with him."
Pein ignored his comment as he stepped forward even more. "You're in Sage Mode again, which means you can only use two of those annoying chakra shuriken at a time. If you do then your Sage Mode runs out."
Naruto scoffed in his mind. Except for a few things like the Rinnegan and the jutsu he was seeing things exactly the same as before it was…boring to say the least. "I guess I have no option but to fight you then."
Pein kept walking forward. "Except for your Rinnegan's abilities should your two shuriken miss you'll only loose. You'll have no more chances." His pace quickening as he continued speaking. "I will put you to near death before I haul you OFF!" The man erupted into a mad dash towards the blonde who stood steadfast.
"Well that's too bad. I guess I'll have to find the real Pein myself then." When Pein got close he grabbed the rod and spun the man around before kicking him away with a sage jutsu chakra infused kick as he broke the rod in half taking some with him, the man cracking the rock upon impact before falling to the ground./p
Naruto then stabbed his shoulder, using the Sage Mode to track the connection. Naruto gave a smirk as he found his location.
Nagato speaking through Pein cursed Naruto, "You bastard!"
Naruto decided to entertain Pein with a Rasenshuriken making no attempt to hide it, so he wasn't surprised when Pein simply destroyed it with a brief Almighty Push before the second one followed after its predecessor. Pein raised his arms as he stabbed two of his hidden clones that jumped at him before leaping over the jutsu.
He came to a kneeling position when he heard the multiple puffs of clones dropping. "Clones!" he shouted as he counted down one more second. Then zero as the clones just barely got him before being thrown away. "You with no answers and no solutions should simply give up!" he growled as he held the jutsu pushing Naruto and the clones back.
Pein glared at him as he watched the move cancel out. "He withstood that...quit resisting! Just give up!" he stated as he kneeled back down as he prepared to wait five seconds. Naruto put his hand in front of him as his clone made a Rasengan. em'He can't get to me with that in five seconds, he's finished if I stay at this distance./em' he opened his eyes wide as the clones threw Naruto. "Pein! I'm gonna make you give up, on making me give up!"
"RASENGAN!"
The Tendo grimaced at the force of the jutsu twirled at his gut as he was pushed back. Before he gave out a long yell as he was driven into the rocks.
Naruto stood above the fallen form of Pein. He kneeled down as he pulled out all of the conductor rods in the body. Not caring that he had actually survived this time. Pein's words floating through his head before he took the last one and put it into his palm before reconfirming the real Pein's position.
He jumped into the air after he put down the tiny slug clone.
Naruto grit his teeth as he approached the tree that Pein was in. He stopped as he heard Inoichi, Shikaku and a Hyugga who appeared before him. "Please don't follow me, I need to go on alone." Naruto shook his head as yes when the Hyuuga asked him if he knew Pein's location. "Yes I understand but why is it important you need to go alone, what's going on Naruto?"
"There's something I want to check out," he said with a slightly downcast tone.
"Check something out, and what is that?" Inoichi asked.
Inoichi gave a shocked face at the answer. "I want to talk to him, the real Pein."/p
Inoichi became angered slightly. "You just want to talk? I'm thankful for you beating Pein, but we're beyond the point of just talking."
Naruto and Inoichi entered an arguement as Naruto defended his reasons. Shikaku eventually intervened, "Inoichi, let's just respect Naruto's wishes and let him go on ahead alone."
This was not what the mind reader wanted to hear from his friend. "He's the one who stopped the Peins so I think he deserves the chance to talk to the real Pein. Besides I'm sure he has something in store for the real Pein." Inoichi sighed as he nodded as Naruto jumped away.
Naruto placed his hands on the 'tree' before he found it was paper and he ripped thought it before he was confronted with the sight of a beautiful blue haired girl coming to confront him. She stopped however as Nagato called her back. Naruto walked forward as he glared at the crippled redhead.
"So the peace maker comes stumbling in at last," mocked Nagato as the boy's eyes glowed with a faint purple hue. "Tell me do you hate me now? I'm the object of your vendetta, do you wish to exact your revenge on me?" he spoke as he looked at the blonde.
His words making the boy clench his eyes shut as Tendo's words became fresh in his memories.
Konan took this chance to speak, "Killing Nagato won't change anything, but only bring personal satisfaction." She looked at the boy as his fist shook in barred rage.
"If you could not find the answer then there is nothing you can do. So do the just thing and sacrifice yourself to me," Nagato spoke dejectedly as he launched a giant needle at Naruto. He made no attempt to stop it, the sounds of blood dripping to he floor as he bled. "At this distance I should be able to manipulate your every move with my chakra. But don't worry I've avoided your vital spots. Because you're valuable to me Jinchuriki." he gave a gasp as Naruto looked up, the center of his pupils being grossed by a slit, KI leaking into Nagato as the chakra reversed itself.
'He let me hit him,/em' he thought in shock.
"I came here intending to talk to you, but I also wanted to check something out."
Nagato's eyes held a startled gaze at the boy. "Check out what?"
"I wanted to see how I would feel when I finally stood before my enemy. I wondered what I'd do, when I didn't even know myself."
"And?"
Naruto gripped the giant conductor rod in his chest as he began pulling it out, "And I really can't forgive you! I want to kill you so bad I can't stop shaking!"
The boy pulled out the rod, making Konan give him a shocked look, em'He resisted Nagato's chakra at such a close distance? Such a thing should be impossible even if he has the Rinnegan as well.'
Nagato's mental words going along the same line.
Naruto threw the rod to the side before he rushed Nagato before stopping when Konan stood in front of him. His fist still raised, "Pervy Sage said the time would come some day when everyone would be able to understand one another. To be honest, I was never really paying attention to what he was saying. He said he would entrust this quest to me. I was simply excited that he was complementing me as his student." He lowered his fist as his gaze turned sad as he stared at the ground. "Thinking back now, I can finally realize what he was trying to tell me, that nothing in this world is that simple."
"That doesn't change the matter that you cannot forgive me. Human love is not so worthless. But you can sweep it under the rug."
Naruto continued to hold his gaze on the floor, "That's right, that's for sure."
"Jiraiya's words reflect an idealism that's from an era from long ago. Reality is too different, I thought you would say you'd take me down and bring peace to the shinobi nations."
Naruto looked up as the slit and slight redness disappeared from his eyes./p
"Those would be empty words. What you really want is to exact your own revenge. If this is your idea of justice then so be it. You are not a god, even I am not, do you still believe in Jiraiya's words and outdated thoughts?"
"Naruto looked down as he contemplated the Akatsuki leader's words. "When I found out you were Jiraiya's students I thought of something I've been wanting to ask you."
"Nagato continued to look at the boy. "What?"
"How could you all be his students yet still turn out this way, the way you are now? I can see that you're not like the other Akatsuki. They all simply enjoy killing, but you I still don't know anything about yet. I need to hear your stories. Before I give my final response.
"Very well... we'll tell you all about our pain."
"A/n Hello again fans and potential fans This is my new story. I have along with ZuttoAragi have decided to postpone King of Absolute Opression's first chapter sorry fans who actually wanted to read it, I am now working on this Beyond Thoughts and Emotions and another Story I am posting by either tomorrow or the next day called Naruto's Curse of Hatred. The pairing is Naruto - Mei Terumi and the rating is M. Like all my fics it is romance/adventure. Please check it out as soon as it's out. Also as you might expect I am putting my Code Geass story Powers of a Memory on hiatus. If you check out my Bleach story while looking over my profile do not expect it to ever be updated I have abandoned that story and leave it on incase that I ever do continue it. I will be finishing the second chapter of BTE in a few days and will begin working on NCoH's second chapter as soon as BTE's second is finished. Please review if you read this it was an exceptional bitch to edit and fix everything after an error during the exchange between my original and my BETA ZuttoAragi's revised version happend and a bunch of stuff got messed up. This will be an AU that follows cannon for a while. Same goes for NCoH. Also I encourage event ideas that do not disrupt these points in the Naruto timeline:Five Kage Summiit, Itachi and Sasuke's fight, and the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Alright went through it and tried to fix all of the issues from messing around with it. Sorry if any /em or /emstrong or /strongs are still in their I don't know what they are from tbh. Hope it reads better.