Chapter 4

The week Naruto and Jiraiya spent in that town was full of fun and excitement. Naruto stuffed his face with a diverse range of food and of course bowl after bowl of ramen (this town's ramen was actually not that bad so says Naruto). The ramen stand owner was sad when the time came for Naruto to leave, but then so were most of the people that Naruto met. The townspeople loved the spiky haired blonde's cheery nature and humor. Naruto also had a fairly large group of girls that adored him. These girls wanted to date him, but he turned them down saying that he was only in town for a week and that wasn't enough time for a relationship. There was also another reason, a painful one that kept Naruto from dating, but he was almost over it.

Konoha

Sakura went about her business at the hospital, filling out paperwork, taking care of patients, and healing injured ninja. Her social life was almost non-existent. Sakura was lonely and depressed. She lost two teammates. One teammate, a dark haired one, she didn't mind losing (Sakura now hates Sasuke), but the other a happy-go-lucky, blond she wanted back. He had become her best friend (Sakura still view Naruto as her best friend while he doesn't view her as anything more than another person) and she wanted him back. However, it looked like the man she knew she loved more than anything now, would never come back.

"No, I want to see him again. Looking at his happy face always brightens my day. Damn you Sasuke. Even in death you torment me and break my heart!"

Sakura knew Naruto was alive with the messages that came back to Tsunade from Jiraiya, but there was never anything in the letters she wanted to know about.

Tsunade sat at her desk thinking about Naruto and Jiraiya. She sighed and wondered what would have happened if she had executed Sasuke to begin with. Then she wouldn't have to deal with a heartbroken Sakura and have one of her best shinobi no longer available for missions. Naruto wrote to Tsunade telling her not to tell Sakura anything about him. She complied and hid the letters Naruto sent and let Sakura look at the ones Jiraiya sent. Tsunade knew that there was no way to fix Naruto's and Sakura's relationship anymore.

"Oh well, what's done is done. You can't change the past, although I wish I can. Sakura you messed up and lost a great opportunity. Sigh. I need some sake."

4 Years Later

Uzumaki Naruto stood in the battlefield. His clothes were torn, he was wounded in some places, and bleeding, but that didn't matter to him. Tears were falling down his face as he continued to stare and mourn at the body of his godfather.

Jiraiya was dead. The old Gama Sennin had died in the battle against Akatsuki. Naruto was the only one left alive after the battle. Over the years Naruto and Jiraiya had slowly eliminated the members of Akatsuki. Soon only Pein, Itachi, Tobi, and Konan remained. Orochimaru was also dead, killed by Naruto when the former tried to abduct him to take over his body since Sasuke was dead.

Fight Earlier in the Day

During the fight, Naruto fought against Itachi and Tobi while Jiraiya fought against Pein and Konan. Itachi, who revealed his dark secrets, turned against his organization and helped Naruto fight Tobi. In the middle of that fight Tobi revealed to Naruto that he was the true leader of Akatsuki and that he was really Uchiha Madara. Naruto had been surprised and turned to his new comrade for confirmation. Itachi had merely nodded and then attacked Madara, who was not as powerful as he once was.

(Note: I do not know what kind of jutsu Madara can use with his Mangekyō Sharingan, so I made it so he and Itachi have the same dojutsu. After all it is stated that Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan lets him use the 3 most powerful techniques in the Uchiha Clan and Madara was the one who founded the clan.)

Naruto and Itachi and Madara started their fight using mainly ninjutsu. Itachi and Madara used basic Uchiha fire jutsu while Naruto used futon, doton, and suiton jutsu. Madara quickly became annoyed with how the fight was going. Although he managed to land some hits on Itachi and Naruto they weren't serious. Every time he got a good opening at either Naruto or Itachi the other one would cover the hole by attacking him or defending the person. Deciding to take Naruto out of the fight Madara activated his Mangekyō Sharingan. Itachi sensing what Madara was doing yelled at Naruto.

"Naruto-kun keep out of the fight from now on. Madara is going to use his Mangekyō Sharingan and only another person with the Mangekyō Sharingan can fight him now! Leave it to me."

"Understood and Itachi you better not die! I have some questions for you about what you told me among other things." After saying that Naruto backed away a bit from the fight.

Itachi nodded and turned his attention back to Madara. Closing his eyes Itachi activated his Mangekyō Sharingan. Itachi and Madara used Tsukuyomi on each other at the same time. The powerful genjutsu never hit their targets. Using the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, Itachi and Madara canceled the jutsu aimed at their nerves. Then both decided to use Amaterasu on each other. Naruto had to move back more to get out of the way as the two giant black flames hit each other; Jiraiya was busy fighting on the other side of the meadow. The black flames, which burn as hot as the sun, collided with each other. The space separating Itachi and Madara became engulfed with the jet black flames and extended about 8 kilometers into the sky. The attacks were equal in strength and neither could gain the upper hand and only lost a lot of chakra. Itachi went left and Madara went right. Both ran around the circle of flames at each other. Clang, clang. Naruto could hear the sounds of kunai on kunai. Then he saw someone sent flying into the flames of Amaterasu. The figure emerged from the fire and removed his cloak so he wouldn't burn. Madara emerged from Amaterasu. He was kicked by Itachi into the searing, intense pain inflicting flame. Suddenly, a large spiritual being emerged out of nowhere. Naruto gasped at the size of the weird thing and its appearance.

Madara looked at Itachi's greatest technique, Susano'o, and laughed. He activated his own Susano'o. Now there were 2 yamabushi spiritual beings on the battlefield. Itachi slowly walked towards Madara with his jutsu following him.

"Madara this fight is over. You will not be able to overcome my Susano'o, even with your Susano'o," said Itachi coldly at Madara.

"You're wrong Itachi. My Susano'o is even stronger than yours," Madara shot back.

"We'll see," said Itachi. "You are in for a surprise when my warrior attacks you, Madara for I have collected some scared items and equipped them to my Susano'o."

Madara made the first move and his warrior swung its sword at Itachi's warrior. Itachi's Susano'o blocked the attack with the sacred Yata No Kagami (Yata's Mirror) in its left hand. Then Itachi's spirit warrior attacked Madara's being. Using the legendary Totsuka no Tsurugi (The Sword Ten Hands Long) aka Sakenagi Longsword (Sake Cutter Longsword) in its right hand it swung at Madara's warrior, who blocked the attack with its shield. However, since Itachi's sword is enchanted it cut through the shield and pierced Madara's warrior in the arm. Madara's eyes widened in surprise at this.

"Impossible! How did your warrior do that? No! Don't tell me that you the weapons your Susano'o wields are sacred or enchanted?" asked a now sweating Madara.

"That right. My Susano'o wields the Sakenagi Longsword in its right hand and the Yata No Kagami in its left hand. You have no chance at winning this battle," stated Itachi.

With that Itachi commanded his warrior to cut down Madara's until it disappeared. Then, it attacked Madara, cutting the immortal Uchiha in the chest, trapping him in an eternal genjutsu.

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!" screamed Madara as the genjutsu enveloped him and he fell to the ground. Madara will forever be trapped in that nightmare with no way to escape, except for death. Naruto rushed at Madara and stabbed him in the chest with 3 kunai, killing the former leader of the Uchiha Clan.

Itachi dispelled his jutsu and collapsed, breathing heavily, his chakra mostly expended. Naruto rushed to Itachi's side.

"Itachi are you alright?" asked Naruto, genuine concern in his voice.

Itachi looked at Naruto and smiled a real smile. "Yes Naruto-kun, I'm alright. I'm just exhausted."

"So what you told me earlier is all true, about the Uchiha Clan and Madara. But why did you turn on Akatsuki and help me?"

"Because you were a good friend and tried to be a real brother to Sasuke. You were there for him since I couldn't be. I wanted to repay you for that."

"Sasuke is dead now though and I left him over 4 years ago. You know that. So I still don't understand why you helped me?"

"For the reasons I just said is why I helped you Naruto-kun. And as for leaving Sasuke 4 years ago, that is of no concern. He was the one that drove you away, not the other way around and it was his fault he got killed. He should have been more prepared and planned better when he made his escape. I know I drove him to become more powerful, but that was to make him stronger and protect him from the truth about our clan. I wanted him to view our clan as a great, noble one, not the traitorous one it really was. My clan wanted to overthrow the council and Hokage and establish themselves as the rulers of the Fire Country. I couldn't let that happen as war would inevitably break out, so I killed every Uchiha except for him. I hoped that he would have become strong enough to avenge the clan by killing me and then Madara, but that doesn't matter now. I'll apologize to Sasuke and tell him the truth about everything when I join him on the other side," Itachi finished explaining to Naruto. He then let out a long breath. It was like a great weight had been lifted off of Itachi's shoulders.

However, a large explosion in the distance caught Naruto's and Itachi's attention.

"Oh shit! I forgot! Ero-Sennin is still fighting. We have to help him Itachi."

With that Naruto grabbed Itachi and vanished in a yellow light from the spot they were just in.