I do not own Naruto any of it properties or any characters from Naruto.

What? Did you expect a joke? I don't do one every-time you know! And I bet nobody ever reads these either? You know what this is bullshit, fuck you Dave, yeah you, sick of your shit I always work here, always do my job telling you I don't own Naruto and nobody ever gives a damn.

*tips over desk*

Fuck you guys I quit!

XXXXX

Higurashi sighed as he cleaned out the forge; he didn't often get a chance to do this and was taking the chance to clean it out before he started getting customers when the boy and his friends rescued everyone.

He started to polish one of the more important parts of the forge as he started to fret again about his daughter. Oh how he wished she never became a ninja, the dangers she'd always face and-

Something twitched in the air and Higurashi halted his thought process immediately, something told him he had to go to Uchiha complex, there something important he had to do…

Higurashi dropped the part on the ground ran to the front of the store grabbing a long package wrapped carefully in silk before sprinting out of the store holding the parcel. Later when he thought back to it he would only be able to wonder what had warned him of the coming danger…

XXXXX

The Uchiha mansion seemed to remain quiet aside from Naruto's terrified gasps, the blonde wiped his forehead and let out a few ragged gasps.

He knew his break was only a brief respite before the heads of the Uchiha found him here and killed him, he'd have to be on the move soon but for now he could breathe easy… well easier.

But he needed a plan, he couldn't just keep running from the two ghosts forever, he'd need a good spot to set up an ambush for the wraiths to enter before getting drenched in fireballs, hopefully with Naruto far away from the room in case that didn't work.

Naruto peeked out of the wardrobe he had "bravely" hid in and left it quietly, he wondered if the Uchiha ever had a ballroom or some sort of massive training area before he carefully opened a sliding door and peeked past it.

There was some sort of courtyard with no ceiling and a few bushes and it would've had a pleasant feel about it if it weren't for the fact the courtyard was a in a haunted mansion. Naruto tugged his mask down and grinned foxily to himself, this was an ambush site if he ever saw one!

Now to make the ambush itself.

XXXXX

Vashaan continued to study Sakura's seal on her forehead and made some calculations in her mind; trying to figure out how the pinkette had gotten into Sasuke's mind without Naruto acting as a catalyst. Meanwhile Tenten nervously paced back and forth waiting for the magic user to figure something out. Tenten frowned to herself and felt her weapon holster's and pouches, wishing she could do something constructive rather than wait. Finally she couldn't take it anymore and broke the silence

"Well how is it going?" she asked nervously and Vashaan made a vague shooing motion with her hand,

"You can't rush art," Vashaan said as she frowned thoughtfully to herself; the Demonness held up her hands and did some math. Suddenly Vashaan slapped her forehead.

"That idiot girl just painted the symbol on herself and charged it full of chakra!" Tenten raised an eyebrow at that,

"Well what's the issue with that?"

"If she had undershot the amount of chakra needed she would have surrendered her eternal soul to the aether, if she had overshot it she would've literally blasted her own head off." Vashaan said rubbing the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"Ah… that's bad then," Tenten finished lamely slightly pale at the thought of her head exploding,

"Don't worry I think I can get the seals drawn up and safe for use, it'll lock us in a coma similar to Naruto's where if we die we wake up, rather than 'respawn' back in the nightmare." Vashaan said before getting a little worried, "Don't die though, this idiot locked herself in the nightmare and has wasted all of their chances; so if any of us die those two will as well. For the others in the nightmare… well is complicated and has to do with seal identification matrices-" Tenten cut off Vashaan before she could spout off any Jargon,

"I get it, how long will it take you to make the seals?" Tenten asked and Vashaan rubbed her forehead,
"A bit, it'll depend on how accurate the calculations I made are I'll need some paper and a writing implement…"
Tenten smiled, now they had a plan and were making progress, this she could deal with.

XXXXX

Naruto crept through the hall stealthily, his eyes flicking across the area nervously above his mask. Suddenly he heard a keening wail burst out from behind him and saw Mikoto's spectre with a bloody pale limb outstretched towards him. The blonde gulped before he sprinted in the opposite direction away from the ghost. He made it to other end of the hall into a T-junction and heard a more masculine wail from the left corridor. Not bothering to look and see Fugaku rush towards him Naruto sprinted into the right corridor leading the ghosts towards the courtyard garden.

Hopefully the clones were ready.

Naruto burst into the clearing and gasped out a breath, he heard wailing from close behind him, too close, Naruto realised dimly as he turned around to see a ghostly white palm shoot through his forehead.

Slowly everything turned ice blue and he collapsed to his knees, gasping about for breath, suddenly his mask seemed stifling and the blonde started to choke before…

He dispelled in a puff of smoke.

Elsewhere in a broom closet a smirk lit up and blue eyes glittered; sometimes you just had to lame it out when it came to these things.

Back in the courtyard the two ghosts circled the room before a cry was heard; on the opposite end of the area was a horde of clones all with an all too familiar hand-seal ready, each of the clones calling out the same jutsu name.

The rock garden burst into flames.

Eventually the smoke died down partially and a blonde in front let out a gasp, he tugged down his mask and breathed in and out heavily, a dark smudge of soot on his face. He motioned for one of the other clones to move forward into the clearing and look for the ghosts remains.

The clone walked through the area, and suddenly a white smoking hand clamped down on the clone's shoulder and the enraged spectre of Mikoto wailed in the clones face. The clone screamed back in pain as his face started to hiss and bubble as if it were being melted, eventually the clone puffed out of existence and every blonde in the vicinity gave a collective wince.

'Right don't get hit by that' Naruto thought to himself back in his closet, he hummed in thought and worriedly mulled over the fact that the one attack he was hoping would work proved completely ineffective.

The clones meanwhile were being torn apart, the main formation had scattered upon seeing their opponents survive and were distracting the two ghosts while the original plotted. The two spectres were like death incarnate as they swept about touch the clones who tried their best to dodge and keep sending barrages of ineffective fireballs at them.

However as one of the ghosts swept up and was about to kill one of the clones, the blonde futilely raised his arms; and the ghost slammed off a crimson energy shield that had sprung from the gauntlet. The creature hissed and a -5 appeared before the damage vanished and a +50 flashed over it. The clone then dispelled itself just as a pain-inducing scream shot through the area the clone was in.

Naruto's eyes widened at the new information and he looked down at his gauntlet in surprise…

If this thing could hurt the ghosts then he now had a chance, Naruto quickly through together a plan before he summoned and dispelled a clone to send the information to his clones at the courtyard. Naruto then stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth thoughtfully and made a snap decision. The ghosts were more bestial than anything else and beyond cruelty hadn't put any thought into their attacks or strategies, it was unlikely they'd figure out his location by the direction reinforcements was coming from; on that note he made a small army of clone puff into existence in the corridor outside of the wardrobe. The clones all ran towards the courtyard, pulling up their masks and unsheathing their blades.

Back at the rock gardens the clones all had grouped up and were launching themselves in waves at the ghosts who were taking small amounts of damage from the attacks but every time they took some damage the wounds repaired themselves almost instantly. More and more clones started to get hit and would puff out of existence and the wraiths now getting used to the attacks had started taking the hits and powering through them.

The clones were dwindling in the courtyard before the reinforcements arrived and the clearing exploded with activity again as blonde's wearing dark cloaks and red energy shields engaged the two spectre's.

Naruto meanwhile scowled at the fact that no damage he did manage to have any lasting impact, though he could keep this up forever he was on borrowed time and if Sakura had managed to get herself killed before he got to her…

Naruto focused his mind and thought quickly, if he remembered clearly his clones were weaker versions of themselves and if that was the case… Naruto looked at the ominous gauntlet strapped to his right arm. He twisted his hand and around and made a fist.

This gauntlet would be a lot stronger than the others…

A glint of steel returned to his eyes and Naruto looked up from his gauntlet and kicked out the closet doors. No more hiding like a coward, it was time to do this the good old fashioned way!

Naruto sprinted through the corridors while his clones now started to try and distract the ghosts and stay alive for as long as possible. The ghosts had started again flying around and decimating the clones but this time they had a harder time as the clones would cover one another with the crimson energy shields the gauntlet's made.

Mikoto flew down at a clone in the centre of the rock garden only to be repelled by a shield, the clone grinned before he turned pale white and Fugaku's fist stuck out of his chest. The two spectres twisted around to repel an attack that never came.

All at once the clones all dispelled and what was undoubtedly the real Naruto stood in front of the ghosts. A large and much brighter, more solid shield blazed out of his right fist which was clenched over a familiar purple blazing tanto.

Naruto meanwhile in the five seconds of pre-combat silence he had summoned clones all over the clearing and henged them without smoke as backups. He had to do this perfectly and not take a single hit or he would be 'killed' and Sakura and Sasuke would be lost forever.

Naruto's fierce Azure orbs blazed overtop his mask and the two spectres wailed at him before flying at him.

Naruto blocked the first slash by Mikoto and twisted around Fugaku's outstretched limb, one of the clones dispelled and the information filtered to Naruto just in time as he dropped to ground as both ghosts wailed at where his head was.

Naruto slammed his Tanto into Fugaku's shapeless lower half of his body and thankfully Naruto's idea was right and the blade actually damaged the male ghost, the spectre wailed as his body was pinned to the ground and Naruto rolled away as Mikoto blasted the ground with another ghostly wail.

Springing to his feet Naruto looked up just in time for a more concentrated wail to slam into his face and Naruto screamed aloud as all his nerves set on fire. Thankfully after a moment the pain receded and Naruto gasped out and looked at the smug looking Uchiha,

'note to self, they have long range attacks too.' Naruto thought to himself and he pulled down his mask and spat out a glob of blood before he pulled his mask back up and glared at the spectre who had cruel smirk on its face.

Fugaku still pulled in vain at the Tanto that pinned him to ground but couldn't break out free, as Mikoto and Naruto paced around the courtyard. Suddenly the truce was off and both combatants launched themselves at each other. Naruto raised his shield just in time as Mikoto pounded again and again on the crimson shield that glowed from his wrist. The spectre let out another scream and Naruto blocked the sonic attack with his shield clenching his teeth as the sound sent a chill down his spine.

Suddenly Fugaku broke loose and sent the tanto spinning at Naruto who saw it thanks to another clone dispelling and warning him in time. Naruto bent backwards and dodged the weapon, the blade passing centimetres from his eyes. Suddenly another clone dispelled and Naruto realised Fugaku was rushing his position. Naruto realised he only had one option and bit back a scream as he twisted awkwardly on his foot, his cloak whirling around and whipping both ghosts while Naruto managed to just barely to avoid being touched by the deadly spectres. Naruto sent himself away with a heave on his twisted leg and felt something strain and snap, and Naruto held back a whimper of pain in mid-air.

He landed a ways away from the pair and actually let out a yelp as his leg burned fiercely and gave away; sending the masked blonde crashing onto one knee. The two ghosts both circled Naruto who held his leg and growled to himself, angry for underestimating the pair.

The two spectres were visibly amused and had cruel smirks once again adorning their pale bloodied faces. Fugaku floated up to Naruto, and stretched out his hand towards the whiskered warrior; Naruto closed his eyes and he realised he had failed.

He had failed Sakura, and he had failed Sasuke… it felt like an icy cold grip squeezed his heart and Naruto felt himself giving up.

He had failed them just like he had failed everyone he ever knew, just like he had failed Inner… Naruto almost broke down into a sob at that thought…

Inner… he had failed her and now he was failing to hold the last promise he made her… Naruto started to breathe heavily as an ugly hate-filled rage grew inside him.

…No.

Suddenly his eyes shot open and his energy shield flashed on again, this time Naruto mentally forced it into a long pointed bolt of energy, his will clashing with the gauntlets and his sheer fury slamming into the gauntlet's will and winning with sheer force. The bolt hummed to life and Naruto brought it forward and impaled Fugaku with it. Naruto then shot to his feet and back flipped away just as the ghost screamed as the shield now turned weapon burned it away.

Fugaku's health ticked to 0 and it exploded in a flash of light and a few wisps of energy fell down to the ground.

Mikoto screamed at her partner's death and flung herself at Naruto who landed heavily but ignored the protest of his leg and summoned another energy bolt and sent it flying towards Mikoto, the weapon sailing over her shoulder. Naruto made another bolt and parried two of the creature's attacks before twisting around and slamming his bolt straight through where the spectre's black heart lay. Naruto summed another bolt and slammed Mikoto away and the ghost screamed as it exploded in mid-air.

Naruto fell to his knees and heaved breaths in, it was done… he had won. Naruto then feeling a twinge in his stomach yanked his mask down and rushed over to a bush and vomited out a mess of bile and blood.

Naruto felt pain wash over his body and vaguely thought that this was far worse than the ghostly screams. His seal itched and burned and his hand felt like it was exploding over and over again as waves of pain flooded through it.

"Never… doing… that… again…" Naruto said breathing out as he collapsed on his back, almost blacking out from the pain. The gauntlet felt hot and heavy and Naruto held it up and examined it against the bleak, clouded, night sky.

It seemed that forcing the gauntlet to his will had negative side effects, Naruto though wryly as the pain slowly passed away and left him breathless, a trail of blood leaking from his mouth and more blood leaking from his right ear.

Naruto closed his eyes and held the bridge of his nose and realised that in his pain all the clones around him had dispelled and he was completely unguarded.

Naruto made a few clones and rubbed his forehead a headache building up.

'Sorry Sakura, Sasuke I need a quick break or I'm just gonna show and pass out in pain in front of the main boss.'

Suddenly Naruto had a realisation and it felt like his insides had frozen up and gone numb, these two spectres had almost killed him, would've killed him if it weren't for his new gear. How strong would the main boss be?

Naruto wasn't completely oblivious, he knew about the Uchiha massacre, and who had done it. Whatever demon was playing Itachi's role would not have low health like the spectres, and would most certainly not be slow and sluggish like the zombies.

Naruto swallowed and felt his mouth go dry, he held up his hands and realised they were shaking, and for the first time in his life Naruto felt fear.

'I might not be able to do this after all…'

But he would try, and if he died he'd go down fighting and make Cabaddon pay for doing this to his friends, a cold hatred and fury growing through Naruto.

Naruto never noticed a seal inscribed on the outside of his gauntlet glow red and it began to hum lightly.

XXXXX

Phew! This one took its sweet time I know. Due to a bunch of complaints from reviews I'm gonna now shorten the AU's quite a bit and edit them more. SO that does mean I'll have to stop reply to my comments D: I read all of them though and they make me want to write more!

Anyway the only I have really new to say to ya guys is that I think I've finally managed to find a balance between studying for exams, practising piano, my social life, and writing. So that's good, updates *should* come more regularly now but I've said that before and been wrong, sorry guys not by choice blame highschool math and the ridiculous amount of homework given by it.

So yeah pretty happy with this chapter, think I managed to capture the sheer adventure and epic-ness that was chapter a little here, and threw in some nasty foreshadowing. I kinda wanna spoil something about Naruto's emotions and tactics here but I'll leave you guys wondering what's happening to his emotions till I address that in few chapters.

Ciao! -Badger