A.N. Ahh now to the part that you've all been waiting for... I'll keep this short so lets get on with it
Chapter 3
Even the Best Laid Plans...
Tunnels beneath Konoha
"WHAT THE FUCK IS KYUUBI DOING UNDER KONOHA!"
Mei ignored the confused scream of Anko as she dashed after Ao who was leading their small group out of the catacombs towards what would hopefully be their freedom. Not willing to waste the precious time it would take to answer. As they fled she noticed that the walls were alight with similar seals and runes that she had seen in the cell that had held her moments before.
'Dear Kami...' she thought as she glanced over her shoulder, behind her the runes on the walls flickered to life and sparked. Electrical discharges lancing out and striking the ceiling and floor of the tunnels.
Naruto's cell wasn't just that room. It was the entire system of tunnels beneath the village, and even with all that reinforcement they were failing to hold him back.
'To weild that much power... i-it's it's unbelievable!' she heard the snaps and crackles catching up to them and she heard one of the two women behind her scream in pain.
"Nai-chan!"
Glancing over her shoulder once more Mei saw Kurenai laying in a heap on the ground, smoke wafting off of her body. 'She must have been hit by the one of the seals going off an-'
Mei's thoughts were cut off as a pained grunt came from her right, looking towards the noise she saw Ao and though she wasn't in pain she screamed as well. Her long time friend and ally lay on the floor convulsing, spittle and foam forming on his lips. His lone visible eye dilated to frightening degree swiveled chaotically within its socket.
A pained scream not her own filled Mei's ears and she watched in horror as a series of blue white tendrils of lightning struck Anko in the chest, the purple haired woman's body went rigid. Then in slow motion with her mouth opened in surprise she slowly fell to her knees, before falling unconscious to the ground in front of her. Pale blue smoke rose from the fallen woman's still body.
Though it pained her greatly to do so Mei turned away from the fallen bodies of her comrade and the two women who had helped save her. Staying here wouldn't help them and dying with them wasn't a favorable option either.
Unseen to her however was the jagged bolt of pure energy that struck her in the back, and her world was quickly consumed by darkness.
Root Headquarters
Danzo looked around his quaint office, while not quite as grand as the Hokage's. It was much larger then most, in front of him sat a heavy and ancient oak desk littered with paperwork. He was leaning back in an oversized and over stuffed leather chair enjoying one of his more simple pleasures.
A glass of brandy.
The dark amber colored liquor sloshed about in his cup as he brought it to his lips. He savored the burning sensation it caused as the it ran down his throat. Setting the crystal made glass down he reached over to the tallest pile of papers pulling a sheaf of medical files on his favorite pet project in front of him.
Naruto.
The boy was the perfect weapon for Konoha; himself and Sarutobi having found the newborn boy and a single simple note left by the Yondaime on the battlefield after the Kyuubi attack. The pair realized instantly that the child contained the nine-tailed demon.
Although praised across the land as a sealing genius, both Sarutobi and he had agreed to run their own tests to make absolutely sure that the boy wouldn't be a threat to the people and village.
After all even a prodigy can make mistakes.
As they feared a mistake had been made, one found by a Yamanaka mind reader in his employ. Who had quickly been disposed of to keep the information classified after his job was done.
The child's mind had been shattered by the incomprehensible changes that had been forced onto his body. A broken husk that as it grew without proper direction would unleash havoc across the lands.
The warping in his mind had been caused by the demons consciousness being exerted upon a childs who had just been born. Unable to put up the proper mental defenses Naruto's will had been consumed by the malevolent beasts. Surviving only because of the seal on his stomach that as a last resort forcibly molded the two separate identities into one.
Not all the risks to that were known, but drugs and strict conditioning had kept anything too surprising from springing into the lime light.
Yet with all these flaws, the diamond in the middle of all that coal had been a simple fact.
All the power of Kyuubi at the hands of an infant.
Years of testing and experimentation had given Naruto enhanced reflexes, strength and agility. These modified attributes were further exploited by the demonic chakra's influence. He had been molded into a toy soldier, always one to follow orders and listen to superiors. All it took was a pat on the head, a bit of misdirection and a little false praise. Though lately the child had begun to question these, with proper instruction he would be the perfect tool again.
The boy could become an unstoppable avatar of war...
And with guidance, Danzo knew that Konoha would rein supreme.
"Danzo-sama!"
Looking up Danzo spotted Rat, one of his specialized ROOT ANBU in the doorway to his office. Usually a gross breach in protocol to enter without permission, but he was in a good mood so he allowed it.
"What is it Rat?" Danzo asked picking his crystal glass up once more intent on savoring the brandy a bit more before stowing it away until he had need of it again.
The words spoke next plunged the room into silence except for the sound of glass shattering against the floor.
"Uzumaki Naruto's security seals have just been destroyed."
Underground ROOT Facility
Pain...
That voice that had always filled his mind was there. The far to sweet, maddening whispers to let it all out consumed him. Taunting him, teasing him to allow the power he held to be free and for once,
Agony...
Naruto was listening with full intent to do as told.
"...They hurt you..."
He charged one of the walls to his cell, his prison... his home. The mental capabilities to use the doorway leading out were far to gone. The once all powerful seals and runes littering the wall were dim, unable to fully contain the energies that he was exuding they had worked themselves to their own destruction.
"...Lied to you..."
The stone wall, the once seemingly intimidating and indestructible earth crumbled beneath his onslaught. Spider web like cracks appeared, slowly at first as he continued his mad assault though they grew in number quickly. Rapidly covering its entire surface. Widening into gouges as he continued to slam his body into it, forming a growing crater.
The skeletal fox carcass that had formed over his chakra cloak sparked and grated against the stone.
"...Do as they did..."
Stone gave way to flesh and with an bellowing rumble the cave he had once lived in began to crumble around him. Rocks pelted him as it fell from the ceiling upon his body, a small nuisance. Turning his wrath on the stone above him, Naruto halted his attack against the wall.
It was trying to hurt him, like everyone else the ceiling was trying to cause him harm.
Hunching over Naruto braced himself with his tails, the six swirling living entities punched holes in the ground around him. Opening his mouth the vile cloak surrounding him began to coalesce and thicken. Sparkling blue and white orbs began to form in the room, the rock that continued to fall upon him drove his anger to even greater limits.
"...Make them feel your torment..."
The orbs grew in number, passing hundreds... thousands. They shimmered in the light given off by the chakra that enveloped him. Slowly they danced in front of him, forming a larger ball of darkness. They made the tinkling noise of glass on glass as they fell in on each other.
When they ceased to exist all they left as their legacy was a massive gleaming black orb nearly triple the size of his body floating above him in front of his mouth. Naruto felt its weight, pushing him down causing a crater to form under his feet. Exerting his will upon the ball it shrunk until it was no larger then his fist.
Opening his mouth impossibly wide he consumed the ball, his body ballooned beyond human limits.
"...Let them see your rage..."
Naruto roared throwing his head back to face the ceiling and the pent up energies flew skywards... the demonic howl that erupted from his chest echoed in his ears and his vision was clouded in a flash of white.
Konoha Market District
The morning star hung low over the village, dew on trees sparkled while song birds sang their welcome to the newly arrived day. Husbands and wives bid their goodbyes to their families as they headed to work. Filling the streets with the daily early traffic, children played their games with barely contained enthusiasm. Friends gossiped about the happenings of the night before.
A normal day that was soon to be filled...
With terror.
Yamanaka Ino yawned as she walked downstairs from her bedroom into the flower shop that also served as her family home. She had an early shift before heading to school this morning.
Her stomach growled and she blushed, she was dieting so instead of a fulfilling breakfast she grabbed a juicy looking apple out of the basket that sat on the kitchen counter before throwing on an apron and getting ready to work.
"Itachi-nii-san!"
The black clad Uchiha looked down at his now pouting younger brother, "Hai, Sasuke-chan?"
Sasuke's face scrunched up as he scowled, causing Itachi to smile at the one light in his dark world.
"Don't call me that!" Sasuke adopted a position that was disturbingly like their fathers, crossing his arms over his chest with a deep frown on his features.
Kneeling down Itachi poked Sasuke in the forehead with his right index finger. "Gomen na, Sasuke-chan," his emphasis on the suffix caused the younger onyx eyed boy to growl. "Now be good and I'll teach you some kunai throwing exercises later."
The younger of the pair of Uchiha's eyes lit up as he nodded furiously. Grabbing his older brothers hand, Sasuke dragged him towards the village plaza. They were supposed to by some fresh vegetables for their mother.
"Ne! Ne! Hana Nee-chan!" ever energetic Inuzuka Kiba bounded in front of his elder sister Hana jumping around her gleefully. They were heading to the park but his reason for joy was far different. "Is it true I'll get a puppy next year when I start going to the ninja academy?"
The brunette woman smiled putting her hands on her knees she nodded and laughed gently when her younger brothers eyes filled with excitement. "Yes Kiba-kun, you will get one of the clan pups to become your nin companion." she said as she ruffled the brown mob of hair on his head.
"SUGOI!" Kiba shouted pumping his arms into the air.
Hana couldn't help but smile at her excitable otouto's actions but her acute sense of hearing picked up something out of place. Causing her to look around anxiously.
It started with an innocent rumble, the noise made from far off thunder. Some villagers headed it no mind, while the shinobi glanced around wondering what it could have been.
However when the rumble turned into a roar, shaking the earth and causing massive cracks to form in the dirt beneath their feet.
Panic struck.
Screams filled the air as many prepared for an earthquake, many running to get out of buildings they were in.
Though for many it was the wrong choice to make as an brilliant crimson light began to show though those cracks in the earth. As is human nature many stopped to look, even with the obvious danger.
They were the first to die.
In a single blaze, a massive pillar of hellfire erupted from the ground heading into the clouds above. Continuing on its path no longer impeded it howled throughout its ascent before it detonated in the sky.
A blinding supernova flared to life far above Konoha, the sonic boom created by the shock wave as raw chakra pushed against air knocked over ancient trees and other foliage for miles around. Ancient buildings crumbled beneath the strain and all the windows in the city shattered. The heat wave melted steel, lit homes on fire, and for those of flesh unfortunate enough to be caught in it.
Caused them to combust and crumble to the ground as piles of ash.
Shining in the sky like a second sun the energies it held washed over the entirety of the elemental nations. With it a single message was delivered to all, it had no voice, spoke with no words. Yet every soul still understood its meaning.
"...I'm free..."
Chapter 3 End
A.N. Now we can get going full bore. I am very sorry for the shortness of the chapter but you know what... fuck you all I don't care bwahahaha.
Kidding but I'm keeping it suspenseful for a reason expect the chapters coming to be longer, around 10k words in length. I'm trying to get a feel for weather or not I'll continue to post this story or just write it for fun.
Also a reason is I'm already considering compressing this entire arc into a massive prologue but only time will tell.
As a teaser here's a scene from the next chapter:
On weak trembling legs she had to forcibly will to move, Inuzuka Hana rubbed at the back of her throbbing skull, while shaking clear the stars that threatened to fill her sight.
Around her Konoha was burning.
Screams filled the air, pained moans and shouts filled her sensitive ears in a stereophonic symphony of destruction.
Taking in the aftermath of whatever unexplainable phenomenon that had just occurred, Hana screamed. In the rubble of the building she and her brother had used to take shelter from the crazy red beam of light... she spotted something that made her blood run cold.
In what was forming a massive crater that had once been the market district she spotted the bloody beaten body of Kiba.
His neck had been twisted at an awkward angle and his face was frozen in a expression of sheer pain and terror. The bones of his left arm had torn through his skin, the marred bloody and shattered porcelain of his skeleton had impaled him through the gut. Around his deathly pale body a crimson puddle formed growing larger with each second.
'No... nononononono' an infinitely repeating mantra filled her mind at the manged sight of her dead brother. Falling to her knees she clutched at the sides of her head willing the images away.
A rumbling filled her ears, drowning out the screams the filled her mind.
Looking towards the noise desperate to remove the picture of Kiba's smiling face now gripped in death, she looked down to the center of the crater.
Two crimson clawed hands made of what looked like pure swirling energy shot out of the rubble, with them they carried the feelings of malice hate and despair.
Most of all though they carried pain. Indescribable pain and agony so potent, Hana felt that her heart would stop if she didn't get as far away as possible.
The arms suddenly stopped clawing at the ground in their desperate search to seek an escape. She cried out and closed her eyes as one of the hands shot towards her wrapping around her body and dragging her down into the pit. She felt her skin burn and with her in such a close vicinity those feelings of despair and hatred pierced her to her core.
She felt herself stop moving and opened her eye slowly, gasping when she saw what manner of creature held her.
The other clawed hand had found purchase and was finally dragging its owner out from beneath the rubble.
A pair of fox ears sat atop the being head, the empty eye sockets of a foxes skull stared at her. Like armor the bones of a skeleton hanging about the beast clacked and chattered as they rubbed against each other when the being moved. Over the creatures shoulder she spotted seven tails of pure crimson energy twitch and spasm behind the figure.
So caught up in taking in this beings features she barely heard the words it spoke in tones that she would carry with her to the Shinigami's doorstep. It was the voice of the devil himself, a fallen god ready to wreak chaos upon the world.
"Where iiiissss Danzzzzzoooo!"
Teaser End