Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Rating T (I guess)
Plot summary: To protect the village, he cut the demon loose. It didn't work. In order to fix himself and everything else, Naruto decided to walk the lonely path of an exile, knowing that he'd be branded a nukenin and marked for death. But, once a hero…
Author explanation: Did you notice that in this type of fanfics, pretty much all Naruto characters (save for Jiraiya) are bitchified and turned into a bunch of hateful assholes? There's gotta be a better way of doing it! Time to prove my worth.
E X I L E D
Chapter 1 – The sword named "Heart"
Red.
That's what the world had become. There was no other way to call it. The midnight sky… was red from the fires. The ground… was dyed red. How could this have happened? A question asked by the many. Or rather… a question asked by the few, the lonely few.
The few that lived, that is. She was among them, those lucky few. Yes, she was wounded, wounded gravely, mortally even, perhaps, but for now, she was ALIVE. As she did her best to run, she stumbled and fell to the ground. Instinctively, her eyes drifted downward, looking at what she tripped over.
A woman. It was a woman, her long blond hair was stained red, and it covered her face.
"Ino? Ino!" She reached for her childhood friend, shaking her lifeless body. Seconds later, her medical training kicked in, and her hands moved over Ino's chest, her palms glowing in radiant green light. It hurt. It hurt so badly, the wounds that covered her left arm and back. Both her legs were broken from the fall, as the immense explosion of chakra ripped the Hokage Mountain into atoms.
'How could it come to this…?' she asked no one in particular, as she forced all of her chakra into the massive gash on Ino's chest, desperately struggling to stem the relentless flow of blood.
"Naruto…" she sobbed his name. "How did it come to this!"
But deep inside, she already knew the truth. Madara. Uchiha… Madara. He was too powerful. The war. She clenched her teeth, angry at herself, at the whole goddamn world for not…
'There had to have been some things that I could – that someone could have done to stop this.'
In horror, she watched as the towering figure of the Kyuubi emerged from the giant cloud of dust. Its huge jaw was open wide, as the energy required for the Bijūdama, as both positive and negative chakra filled the air around the great beast's mouth.
"Don't…" she whispered silently only to let out a scream as the Bijūdama exploded outward in the form of a massive beam of energy wiping out homes, streets, people… Tears flowed down her face.
"He didn't mean it…" she whispered. "Naruto loves this village…" Again, one of the massive tails swung down, shattering the ground on impact. "He's fighting for us!" she tried to convince herself. "He's fighting for us!"
'Why didn't we foresee that something like this could happen… Why didn't anyone ever ask themselves, exactly how strong that man is…'
A small figure could be seen between the beast's attacks, blurring and disappearing to avoid the attacks. A hero and a monster… Who would have guessed that the monster was the human and not the beast? The Kyuubi lunged forward, enclosing the man within its jaw. Seconds later, the man emerged unscathed through the side of the jaw like some ghost or a phantom.
Even from her distance, she could see Madara's hands moving in a blur, weaving in hand seals of nature unknown to her. But that horrid feeling in her stomach could not lie. And then it happened. Out of nowhere, black flames erupted out of thin air. Even the great beast that Naruto had become retreated, before the onslaught of that merciless inferno as dark as the void, terrifying as death.
She shook her head. Naruto would definitely win. He always managed to come on top.
'Naruto…'
"S-Sakura?" She heard her name being called.
"Ino!" She looked down at the now half-closed wound on Ino's chest, realizing her friend was awake.
'She'll live!' The thoughts of joy filled her mind with warmth unsuited for such a day, filled with tragedy. But…! 'She'll live! Oh…Thank you, god…' She grabbed Ino's shaking hand.
"You'll be fine, Ino! You'll be fine…"
O-O-O
"How did I let it come to this…?"
She was lying on the ground, her body broken, while she barely remained conscious. She was the Hokage… The Hokage, damn it! That had to account for something… right?
'But if that is the truth…' She gritted her teeth, as tears of desperation flowed down her face. 'Damn it!' If that was the truth, then… 'Why…? Why am I here, lying on this blood stained mud, while that boy is…'
The Kyuubi roared in agony, as the black flames touched its skin. In seconds, the entire monstrous body of the beast was covered in this firry blackness, hiding the demon from view. And a mere seconds more… a powerful burst of combined positive and negative chakra exploded in all directions, detonated at almost pointblank range. In spite of all the power the legendary Amaterasu possessed, the pure amount of demonic chakra filled the air in that explosion was enough to blast the flames away from the flame's target, rending both the ground beneath and the Kyuubi's flesh to shreds. But the monstrosity would regenerate. As long as the container lived, it would always regenerate, ready to unleash the full brunt of its bloodlust down upon the only being in the universe it truly hated.
Even from a distance as great as hers, Tsunade could still hear the Kyuubi's feral voice, as it screamed the Uchiha's accursed name.
Madara…!
It screamed.
Madara!
It roared.
Madara! MADARA! MAAADAAARRRAAA!
Even Tsunade had to cover her ears, the fury of the beast was deafening.
She knew she had to move. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her to move. She had to protect him, to protect the boy that would one day claim the title of the Hokage, a title that was rightfully his, a title that she merely held on for him. But now, that boy's future was more uncertain than ever. This time…
She wished to scream, to trash, to do something – anything! She was the Hokage for pity sake! She had to… She had to…
But as her gaze drifted down, she knew the truth.
'How can I move…?' She thought bitterly.
"How can I move with these damned legs of mine? !" Tsunade screamed in anger and desperation, looking at the charred remains of her lower body. 'Don't die…'
"Don't die, Naruto!"
…
Whether the great demon had truly heard her or not on that day, would forever remain a mystery. But, for whatever reason it may be, its reflexes sharpened, its murderous gaze hardened.
Madara used his Jikūkan Idō to appear behind the kyuubi's neck, aiming to strike at the one weakness shared by all manner of creatures both great and small, but it was not to be so. The monster moved faster than the eye could follow; its nine deadly tales soared through the sky, each bearing the deadly burning chakra ready to burn the human to a smoldering crisp.
No time to for a fancy disappearing act this time. Madara's Jikūkan Idō was useless!
He draws his chakra sword, the only way he knows that is fast to save him.
The Iai rips through the tails like they were nothing.
But that split of focus was all that the beast truly needed to gain the advantage. The Uchiha would not be given a chance to think. Faster than a thought, the jaws of the mightiest of all the demons closed down on the accursed human.
No Jikūkan Idō. No nothing.
The giant fox howls among the ruined world of Konoha, the blood of its most hated enemy staining its teeth. And just like that, the orange fur that it donned seemed to retreat back into the body, as its flesh shrank, leaving behind the exposed bone, until even the bones retreated, loosing in size, becoming ever smaller, until a figure of a seventeen year old boy was all that was left, standing in a huge crater, where once a monument to heroes stood.
O-O-O
Through the ruins, she trudged.
The dead littered the way, but she did not see them. Her eyes were for him only.
The wounded called for help, the dying cried and screamed their dying breaths, but Sakura did not hear them. Her ears were for him only.
Naruto.
She stumbled over a body, nearly falling down. She did not look at it. There was no time.
She could see him. He was right there, staring at the annihilation, with that horrified look on his face. She was close enough to see his eyes. The pain in them…
She had to look away.
'It's not your fault!' She wanted to scream to him, but could not force her mouth to open. Even with all of her emotions penned up in her throat, she could not find a word that would comfort him now.
'Naruto…'
She tried to wrap her arms around him, to pull him into a hug and not let go. Not let go, until he would finally close those pain-filled eyes, and sink into sleep's warm embrace. But before her hands could touch him, he jumped back, staring at her wide-eyed, now with a completely different type of horror inscribed within those eyes.
"Don't touch me." A single command. But a command strong as the earth.
Other people were slowly gathering. Slowly, the air was filled with different cries. They were the cries of the victorious. There was Kakashi-sensei, his face still hidden behind the remains of a half-torn mask, which's end he held up with his hand. Even so, the smile on his face was clearly evident. And there behind him, the three Hyuuga's, Neji, Hinata, Hanabi, all beaten up, bloodied, and bruised, all were looking at him with such pride. Even though Neji was leaning on the two girls, with his left leg nearly torn off, the bleeding barely stopped, he still managed to keep that look on his face. And there was Kiba, still brushing the dust and dirt and the battle grime off of himself, as he was only recently dug up from under the ruins by his sister, Hana. Both bore the faces of exhaustion and pain, but still they somehow managed to smile for him.
"Naruto…"
"Naruto."
"Naruto?"
"Naruto~!"
Like a wildfire, his name spread through the gathered crowd, which grew by the minute.
There were Chōji and his dad. And Shikamaru and his parents. And Yamanaka Inoichi, holding his daughter Ino in his hands.
"Why…?" Naruto whispered. The crowd fell silent. "Why…?" His sorrow-filled gaze slowly drifted over their faces, pausing to look at each and every one of them, as if he wanted to look them one last time, to make sure he would remember their happy, smiling faces… "Why is everyone smiling…?"
He looked at the ground.
"…it burns…"
"Naruto…?" Sakura slowly whispered his name, reaching out to him. He pulled away.
"Don't touch me."
"Naruto…?" She called his name again, worried. His lips moved silently, but no words came out. He opened his mouth again, slowly uttering the words.
"Everything I touch…" 'Everything is burning…' He somehow managed to turn towards her. His gaze was fixed at the ground.
"Why… Sakura-chan? We won, didn't we? So…" His voice was so pleading, it was painful to listen. "So… why do I feel like this? Sakura-chan, I can't hear the Kyuubi anymore. But I still hear it!"
Sakura looked at him in fear, dreading from what might have happened. His body seemed to be fine, but… Was Naruto's mind broken?
"I still hear the Kyuubi's voice! It's there every time I think, but he is not talking to me!" As she took a step closer to him, she felt strange traces of warmth on her skin.
"Look at me, Naruto." She ordered.
He looked away.
"Naruto! Look at me!"
He slowly raised his head, until his eyes met her own. Sakura barely managed to bite back the scream.
One of Naruto's eyes was red, with a slit for a pupil.
"Those are my thoughts, Sakura-chan…" he whispered. "I hear the Kyuubi but… THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS!"
Only now did she realize.
His left eye was red. His clothes were smoldering.
(Flashback)
"…it burns…"
…
"Everything I touch…"
(End Flashback)
She was startled when he finally spoke again.
"Sakura-chan… you can no longer touch me." His voice was as heavy as the grave. "Everything I touch now, it is burning…" 'Even the ground beneath my feet…' When he looked her in the eyes, she did not look away. No one did.
"Sakura-chan… What happened to me?"
O-O-O
END OF THE FIRST CHAPTER
O-O-O
Extra: The Hokage war jurnal
Fourth Shinobi World War
(…and the fall of the Shinobi Aliance)
O-O-O
Entry #341 by Tsunade, General of the Shinobi Rengōgun and the Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure no sato.
Time: 8.36 pm
We have held of the Zetsu offensive for over two month now. Even though our supplies are running low, we can still hold of the relentless hordes of these white monsters, along with their undying allies. We have to seal way those that were brought back. There is no way for us to kill them. At first, we could set their hearts at ease, but that is no longer possible. We though to hide away our two most powerful trump cards, Natuto and Bee, but we failed to account for their nature. Should've figured they would break out eventually. Should have, but didn't. So instead, we employed them in battle, always moving them, not allowing them to spend any more than a few hours on every battlefield, fearing that Uchiha Madara would appear and take them away with that power of his. I will not write where they sleep nor where they eat and rest, in case this paper ever falls into enemy hands. Only the Raikage and the Tsuchikage know of its exact location.
I have to go now. My scouts have just returned. It seems another large group of Zetsu is almost at our doorstep. No sake tonight for me, it seems. Damn thing seems to be happening more frequent with every day now.
O-O-O
Entry #367 by Tsunade, General of the Shinobi Rengōgun and the Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure no sato.
Time: 4.09 am
Madara appeared this night. Had to call in reinforcements, lots of them. Gaara helped out big time. I owe that kid the lives of both myself and my men. But, even with him, we would have been slaughtered, had Madara been truly out to get us. It's like he doesn't even care if we're here or not. As soon as he was sure the jinchuuriki were not there, he left. I can only hope his arrogance earns him a kunai in the throat.
Or between the legs. Both are evenly preferable.
I have to go tend to the wounded now. Gaara nearly lost both of his eyes this time. If I wasn't there, he would be blind now. I'm not letting him down.
O-O-O
Entry #411 by Tsunade, General of the Shinobi Rengōgun and the Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure no sato.
Time: -.- pm; somewhere in the afternoon.
Finally got a few seconds for a breather. Damn that man! How many more of those white monsters has he got left anyway? The 'whities', as the men had begun to call the white zetsu, have pulled back for now. Finished healing the wounded. We'll need every shinobi we can get. The enemy will be returning soon, no doubt about it.
It's been over a month that Naruto and Bee have joined the frontlines. We're still playing defense. What is Raikage thinking? We can't keep up this much longer. I've requested for food, clean water, medical supplies and manpower, but the whole army is running short at the moment.
DAMN! Here they come agai_
O-O-O
Entry #434 by Tsunade, General of the Shinobi Rengōgun and the Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure no sato.
Time: 1.55 am
Good news, finally! Gaara's back in action! I can't believe I ever felt so glad to see someone. He pushed them back again! A god-sent, that's what he is. He and the other two, Naruto and Bee, that is. Haven't seen the Konoha's most unpredictable ninja lately though. Been hearing all sorts of stuff about him however. It turns out he's some big hero up at the northern edge of the front. Beat an entire army singlehandedly, and with Hiraishin, no less! Iwagakure started cheering "Konoha's Yellow Flash! Konoha's Yellow Flash!" Took them a while to realize that wasn't Minato. Then they changed it to "Konha's Orange Flash!"
Sakura should be able to handle things for an hour or two, I hope. I need some sleep if I'm to be able to tell Konoha shinobi from zetsu next time the attack starts.
O-O-O
Entry #471 by Tsunade, General of the Shinobi Rengōgun and the Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure no sato.
Time: 1.55 am
Finally! Finally! We were given the order to move forward! We're pushing forward. All cards are down now. Every trick A had in store for Madara is now ready for use! We'll show them! We'll show them the true strength of shinobi! Sangaku no Hakaba! Mountains' Graveyard! We're coming!
O-O-O
Entry #4_FUCK! FUCK! DAMNIT!
They got us! THEY FUCKING GOT US! I'm in a cave now, somewhere half way between the front and Konoha. What's left of my forces is either here with me or scattered along the way, trying to get back to Konoha. He had a clone of my grandfather! THE FIRST FUCKING HOKAGE! Bee got captured almost immediately. I don't know where Naruto is. Kakashi was with him the last time I saw them. I can only guess they're safe since we're still not enslaved by Madara's world domination jutsu.
I saw Gaara and his siblings covering our retreat. Hope that kid made it out alive. If he hasn't I'll kill him!
O-O-O
Day 31 since the Shinobi Rengōgun fell. No idea if other villages still exist. We're in Konoha. Naruto as well. Madara knows this. We've been surrounded and under constant siege ever since we made it back.
Many villagers beg for me to surrender. How am I to explain to them that Madara accepts no surrender?
Our supplies are almost out.
I can hear the war songs those white monstrosities sing outside.
HE IS HER_
O-O-O
This is where the file ends, its final word never finished, with a pencil line marking the moment the Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure no sato, the proud village hidden among leaves rushed into a battle already lost to her. This record was recovered several weeks among the ruins, after the horrid battle that took place. Though nobody noticed it then the battle on that day marked the end of Konohagakure no sato, the proud village hidden among leaves. Not just Konoha. It marked the end of a world, and ushered the dawn of a new age, an age of uncertainty.
But ages have little to do with us shinobi. Be it good or bad, we press onward, and ever anward. We will survive, no matter what.
~Anonymous
O-O-O
END OF EXTRA
O-O-O
Translations:
Bijūdama – Tailed beast ball
Jikūkan Idō – Space–Time Migration (Madara's power to fade in and out of reality into a pocket dimension of his)
Iai – quick draw
Shinobi Rengōgun – Allied Shinobi Forces
Konohagakure no sato – Village Hidden in the Leaves
Sangaku no Hakaba – Mountains' Graveyard (Madara's hideout)
Whities – Whites. NOT TO BE TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT OF THIS STORY! I MEAN IT!
BTW, a heads up - Shinobi in this universe are not aware that Tobi is not the real Uchiha Madara. (though you probably figured that out on your own by now)
So much from me this time! If you have any questions, feel free to ask them. Reviews are highly appreciated, as always. This is a pilot chapter, sort of. Hope you know what that means.
See you soon!
~KuroiTori-sama