Thank you all for the numerous review . Continue to add them! And, as always, thank you, Alpha142 and Third Fang, for your very precious help!
Traveler/Original Naruto: Kazama Arashi.
Female Naruto: Naruko Arashi.
Puppeteer Naruto: Chibaku Arashi.
Werefox Naruto: Kitsune Arashi.
Deceiver/Original Madara: Tsukiyomi.
Destroyer/Rinnegan Madara: Susanoo.
Warrior/Collector Madara: Amaterasu.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto is the only owner... for now.
Chapter Ten: The Killing Field
In less than a minute, everything went straight to hell.
While Kakashi and his team avoided the multiple weapons thrown at them, they broke their formation to do so, like all the ninjas present. The three masked men charged at them, and the situation evolved into a chaotic melee.
The jonin's Sharingan, however, helped him keep track of the events.
Firstly, his genin were currently fighting one of the fake hunter-nin, the one in white. The missing-nin was now covered with an armor of bones, making him look like a knight. He was wielding a flail, made of a skull and vertebrae.
Secondly, Kitsune, Kisame, Zabuza and that Amaterasu guy began to attack each other. The young blonde transformed into a werefox, the SS-Rank shinobi picked up two katanas, and engaged the two swordsmen of Mist in a fencing battle.
Thirdly, the second hunter-nin formed a dome of ice around him, Chibaku, Shinja, Naruko and the man with mismatched eyes. Before they disappeared from Kakashi's view, he saw Naruko beginning a water jutsu, and the masked ninja projecting chakra with his hand at his enemies.
Finally, Kazama and Kakashi himself were assaulted by the last Madara Uchiha, who shot blue fireballs at them with his fingers. The two ninjas avoided them all, and riposted with the Heat Wave and the Dragon's Breath. The result was a massive cone of fire hoisted at their opponent.
Space twisted, and the inferno got absorbed by the man, as if he were a vacuum cleaner. Madara put his palms together, and a freaking tornado formed around him. Unable to resist, Kakashi and his ally were swallowed by it, like the sea's water and large chunks of the bridge.
Reacting quickly, Kazama used heat wave to propel himself within the tornado, and Kakashi imitated him with great breakthrough. Their enemy seemed to simply walk on the winds, perfectly at ease within the chaos.
Kazama, closing the space between him and his enemy, tried to ram a rasengan in the masked man's chest, only to fall through him. Then, Madara somehow transformed himself into a black hole, absorbing everything near him.
A second later, Kakashi had left the inside of a tornado for a dark place. He landed on strange pillar of rock, before jumping on the side, escaping death when a large part of the bridge crashed near him. The location was composed of white structures and a shadowy, moonless and starless sky.
Kazama was too on another pillar, but Madara was nowhere to be seen. The blonde approached the jonin. "Kakashi-sensei, do you have any idea where we are?"
The man masked his surprise, and shook his head. "No."
The other ninja sighed. "Well, that's too-"
Faster than the wind, Kakashi rammed a Chidori in the blonde's chest… and as expected, went through him.
"How did you know?" Madara said, as he retook his original form, teleporting a bit away.
"My Sharingan can recognize a Henge when it sees one," the man replied. That, and Kazama is always disturbed when he calls me Kakashi-sensei... which you weren't.
The masked man's lone eye blinked. "So Obito is helping you from beyond the grave?" Blue fire formed within his palm. "Let me see if you are worthy of my descendant's help."
Suddenly, a blast of cold wind blew toward Madara, who vanished. Kazama, the real one, landed next to Kakashi. "I don't know what kind of place is it, and I don't see any escape."
"He swallowed us," the jonin stated. "Perhaps this place is the source of his powers?"
A deep voice resonated in the air. "Correct, Hatake Kakashi," Madara whispered. "This is the Takamagahara, a pocket dimension linked to my Sharingan, created by myself and only for myself. The only way to leave… is to beat me." The masked man reappeared, far, far away.
"Meteor Shower!" he shouted.
Red lights illuminated the darkness above the trio. Burning rocks of the size of shuriken descended upon them, at an incredible speed. As fast as they could, Kakashi and Kazama began to run at Madara, struggling to avoid the falling stars along the way.
The masked man used a technique. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."
Kakashi's eyes widened in horror as a second Madara appeared next to the original, charged at the jonin, and almost put a kunai in the copy-nin's skull. In a masterful show of agility, the ninja moved his head out of the weapon's way, and at the same time attempted to punch his opponent in the belly. Unfortunately, his adversary jumped to the side… an action that shocked the grey-haired shinobi.
He didn't turn intangible! Kakashi thought. He didn't teleport either! This clone can't use all of the original's abilities!
Devising a strategy, the jonin briefly looked sideways at his partner, who was engaged in a ninjutsu battle with the other Madara. The copy exploited his moment of inattention, projecting a cone of blue fire with his palm at the copy-nin.
Deciding to counter fire with fire, the ninja riposted with the Dragon's Breath. The two infernos collided in a massive firework.
Suddenly, the Uchiha's clone ceased to project his azure blaze, bent down in an attack pose, and slammed the ground with his right hand. One of the pillars jumped out of the floor, and Madara kicked it, sending it flying at Kakashi. The man cut the missile in half with the Beast Tearing Palm, saving his own life.
Then, the Kage Bunshin oriented his clenched fists toward the soil. They projected blue fire, and propelled Madara in the air. The floating ninja then began to spit fireballs at Kakashi.
The man sighed as he prepared a jutsu. If a simple shadow clone is strong enough to compete with me, I don't think my partner will be able to defeat the original alone. I must kill this copy, and rush to Kazama's help.
Unfortunately, he had the feeling things wouldn't be so easy.
The Traveler, Kazama
Ten shadow clones of Kazama used Heat Wave at the same moment, targeting Tsukiyomi, who didn't move. "Behold the wrath of the skies! Wind Release: Fuujin!"
An invisible blast pushed back the blondes' attack, dissipated them, shattered the pillars, and hit the world wanderer with the strength of a cannonball. The teenager flew, and crashed on the ground, feeling some of his bones breaking under the shock.
Struggling to ignore the pain, the young man rose up, and used cold wave at Madara. This time, his adversary faded out of Kazama's sight.
"I see that you have mastered some of your ancestral techniques," the ninja's voice muttered to the blonde's ears. "It is good. The blood of the Uzumaki is still strong within you. Unfortunately," the masked man said, as he appeared right before his adversary, "Konoha's actions have restrained it." He tried to punch Kazama in the face, but the blonde instinctively tilted his head, before grabbing the man's arm... or at least, trying, as his own hands simply went through it.
Stepping back, the blonde avoided a kick, and then another. Madara attacked again and again, but the teenager managed to redirect most blows away... at least, when his enemy wasn't becoming intangible.
"Oh, you are using the Azure Dragon Style?" the masked man asked, curious. "It's a very bastardized, inferior version, but still, I wonder where you found its instructions... anyway... I have bad news for you."
"What?"
"You're not very good at it yet," the man stated, as he grabbed the blonde's sleeves, restrained his arms, and approached his head. Kazama found himself locking eyes with his opponent's strange and gleaming Sharingan.
"Tsukiyomi."
Instantly, the world turned red.
Kazama inwardly cursed, as he found himself standing on a cloud, under a crimson moon. He could see the bloody earth below, and more importantly, Uchiha Madara looking at him from another drift.
"Welcome in my mind, Uzumaki Naruto."
The Werefox, Kitsune
KILL THEM! The voices ordered.
I'm doing what I can! Kitsune answered, as he moved out of a katana's way. Amaterasu continued his assault, lazily countering Kisame's attempts at cutting him in half. Zabuza decided to take his chance and behead both the werefox and the SS-Rank menace. Kitsune bent down, avoiding the attack, and Amaterasu jumped.
Spinning, the man counterattacked by cutting the missing-nin's left shoulder, before kicking him in the jaw. Zabuza staggered and protected himself from a second strike, by using his massive blade like a shield.
Kitsune decided to exploit the occasion. "Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet!"
Nonchalantly, Amaterasu fell through the ground, and the blast of wind ejected Zabuza out of the bridge, making him fall into the sea.
Then, Kisame tried to shred the werefox apart with Samehada… but stopped moving, as lines of ink covered his body. "What?" The man yelled.
Sasori's seal… "You won't be able to move for a good time…" He showed his fangs. "But I can…"
Someone chuckled. "So you have your little surprises, kit."
Kitsune turned his head, and locked eyes with Amaterasu. The voices' rage and thirst for revenge overwhelmed him, and the possessed boy adopted a bestial, ferocious pose.
"I have to repay you for last time," the masked man said, as he caressed his shoulder with his duke. He dropped his blades, and cracked his fingers. "Why not settle our feud hand-to-hand, in a good old fistfight?"
The werefox roared, and charged. Amaterasu lowered his stance, his eyes fixed on his incoming opponent. Then, he ran toward Kitsune, and punched him in the chest, breaking ribs.
Kitsune didn't care, and swung his paw, almost beheading the man, who tilted his head. A second later, a fist impacted on the werefox's face.
His adversary became invisible. His speed was incredible, and his blows were like cannonballs. Sheltering himself behind his arms, the boy resisted the tempest of strikes painfully, sensing his bones being shattered and his blood dripping on the bridge.
A powerful upper kick hit his jaw, and sent him fly in the air. Amaterasu teleported behind him, closely following his movements. Strange threads worked their way out of his armor, like black tentacles. "Earth Grudge Fear: Aerial Capture."
The strings grabbed Kitsune, winding around his muscles. "Madara's Lotus: Fallen Lord," the masked man whispered.
Both teleported above the clouds, before descending toward the bridge, spinning rapidly. Kitsune knew his head would be the first thing to hit the ground, and thought fast about a way to save his own life.
As the duo was ten meters above the floor, the werefox opened his muzzle. He released a blast of air, which slowed down his fall. Crimson chakra covered his fur…
The collision was extremely brutal. Kitsune felt as if someone had dropped a mountain on him. The bridge broke partially, and rock shattered. The werefox didn't doubt that without the Kyuubi's power protecting him and healing his wounds, he would have died. Even then, he couldn't move, laying pathetically on the ground, at Amaterasu's mercy.
The masked man was standing before the blonde boy, narrowing his head at him. "So you survived… I have to admit it, you are very resilient… but it wasn't enough."
The werefox growled in a feeble response.
"It's nothing personal," the Uchiha said, as he took one of the swords nearby. "It is simply the law of nature. The strong kills the weak, the predator eats the prey."
"Go… to… hell…" the boy spat, as he unwillingly retook his original appearance. The voices were silent, stunned.
"I am already in it," the man said, as he wavered his blade. "I am living in a world where the weak is prospering, where no one can compete with me. What is a warrior without worthy foes to overcome?"
"Alone," a voice answered.
Kitsune and Amaterasu turned their face toward an immobile Kisame, who was smirking. "A true warrior doesn't fight for money, for power, for peace. A true warrior fights for the fight itself, kill for the sake of killing. Names, position, causes, glory… do not matter. Only the challenge matters." He difficultly brandished Samehada, struggling against the seal. "This philosophy, I understand it perfectly."
The masked man teleported before Kisame. "Then, if you are like me, are you willing to fight me?"
"Yes."
"Even if your chances of defeating me are almost inexistent?"
"Yes," the man declared with a shark-like grin.
Amaterasu stayed silent, before touching Kisame's neck with his fingers. The seal vanished. "Then come."
The two combatants swung their swords, beginning their duel. Kitsune, unable to move, watched silently the spectacular battle. Skills, parades, tricks… two weapon masters were displaying their abilities to their fullest. Amaterasu only relied on his weapon, preventing Kisame's use of ninjutsu by targeting his arms all the time. "No techniques. Let our blades decide our fate."
"Fine," the missing-nin snarled. "I will kill you the way you want!"
And yet, despite his bragging, Kisame was obviously the underdog.
Kitsune saw him slowly getting cut more and more, his movements becoming more and more sloppy, his speed being reduced. Amaterasu's assaults were savage and deadly. He was at tempest that couldn't be stopped. The swordsman from Mist tried to behead his enemy one last time... and a sword pierced his body, splattering the soil with blood.
After a while, Kisame fell on the ground, a sword through his belly. Amaterasu stood still, like a statue.
In the end, the battle had a clear winner.
The Normal
Naruto was having a bad day.
He and his team were fighting a monster. A physical one. The ninja looked like a samurai, but his armor was composed of ribs and bones. It was like a human whose flesh had been replaced by the material underneath it.
His weapon was especially dangerous. The skull-flail, attached to a spine, moved quickly and brutally. It had already shattered the ground more than once, and Naruto had no doubt that any hit of this thing would be deadly.
"Surrender Tazuna to me," the monster ordered. "Do it, and I will let you live."
The disguised clone grunted. "I'm not even the real deal!" he said, as he retook his original appearance.
The skeleton clenched his fists. "Where is Tazuna?"
"We have things more important to deal with right now!" The clone yelled. "This trio is going to slaughter us if-"
The freak twisted his hand, and the flail pulverized the doppelganger's. He frowned. "A clone," he murmured to himself, before staring at the three genin. "Where is Tazuna? The real one."
"As if we were going to tell you!" Sakura spat.
The monster straightened up. "Either you do, or you die."
"Idiot," Naruto snarled. "Kazama-san is right, these three guys are gunning for us all! Why not make a truce?"
The skeleton snorted. "My companions can handle these arrogant trashes. Even better, they will make your allies' defeat easier."
"You fool," Sasuke sneered. "You are going to die."
"Your friends are the only one that will fall today," the monster shot back. "Enough talk. Where is the real Tazuna?"
The Uchiha's response consisted of four words. "Fire Release: Wild Phoenix." Three fireballs impacted on the freak… who didn't even flinch.
"Fine," the monster grunted. "You are going down. Fear the wrath of the last of the Kaguya, Kimimaro." He swung the flail, and tried to smash Sasuke with it. The genin barely saved his life by jumping backward. The skeleton began to slowly walk at the trio.
Naruto gazed at Sakura. "Ready?"
"Ready and waiting."
The two then lowered their stance, before executing hand seals in perfect synchronization. The Violent Water Wave and the Violent Wind Palm were used the same instant, creating a powerful jet of water, aimed at Kimimaro… but it didn't even slow the bastard down.
The freak pointed his hand's fingers at them, shooting five bones bullets. Sakura put herself between her team and the projectile. "Water Release: Water Tornado." The shield of liquid whirled… and the shots went through it.
Sakura screamed as two bullets lodged themselves in her left shoulder, while Sasuke and Naruto managed to avoid the three remaining ones.
As fury spread over his face, Naruto didn't even wait to land on the ground to attack, making the seals necessary for the Beast Tearing Palm. The cutting gale slashed Kimimaro's helmet of bone, but barely scratched it.
Is this guy invulnerable? The genin wondered, as he rushed at his girlfriend's rescue, while Sasuke bombarded the freak with fire techniques, stalling his advance. "Sakura-chan, are you alright?"
"Yeah…" she replied, as she got up. "We have to-"
Kimimaro tried to kill the Uchiha with a swing of his flail, but the genin jumped… and the weapon continued its course.
The attack's real target wasn't Sasuke. It was-
"SAKURA!"
He pushed her on the side… and the flail smashed his spine, shattered it, his bones and his ribs, before making him crash on the ground.
The blonde's view became red and blurry. He couldn't hear well… he couldn't even feel his limbs. Sideways, he saw Sakura crying over him.
"Survive… Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered, before closing his eyes, never to open them again.
The Girl, Naruko
As a dome of mirrors enclosed Haku, Susanoo, Sasori and the pervert, Naruko attacked. "Water Release: Snake's Mouth."
The water on the bridge, left by the rain, took the form of a furious reptile that opened its jaw at the fatalist bastard. The man opened his palm in the viper's direction, and a flare of white chakra destroyed the liquid creature.
"You have progressed, little girl," the masked ninja grunted. "But it isn't enough."
"Then take that!" Chibaku shouted, as his puppet opened its muzzle. "Puppet Technique: Blinding Breath!" The machine spat white gas at Susanoo.
At the same, hundreds reflections of Haku formed on the ice. "Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death." She unleashed a true rain of senbon, but not on everyone. Simply on the Uchiha jerk. The man's red eye transformed into a black hole that swallowed the weapons and the gas.
Naruko saw a smirk spread over Sasori's face. One of his two dummies, looking like a black and thin female humanoid, jumped into the gap within space, staying attached to the second puppet. The white male machine plunged all his fingers into the bridge, an act that allowed him not to be absorbed.
And then…
Susanoo screamed.
Naruko stayed still, terrified, as the masked monster roared in pain. The chain turned white, and the Uchiha bastard grabbed it. Sasori's grin widened. "ATTACK!"
Obeying, Naruko threw a full volley of kunai, imitated by Chibaku. The weapons flew, and Haku launched innumerable needles herself. They almost hit Susanoo… and he groaned something.
"Shinra… Tensei…"
The projectiles suddenly changed course, switching target. Naruko, Sasori and Chibaku sheltered themselves behind Uke Mochi, and Haku's mirrors protected her.
Finally, Susanoo succeeded in ejecting the black dummy from the hole, sending it crash on the dome. The puppet shattered, and its owner promptly sealed it and its white partner into a scroll.
Susanoo glared at the redhead puppeteer. "What… WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?" he yelled hatefully.
Sasori answered by pointing his palm at his opponent, and a jet of pressurized water flowed out of it in the Uchiha bastard's direction. The masked man brutally slammed his hands. "SHINRA TENSEI!"
An invisible force pushed back the water, Naruko and her companions, before making the dome explode into thousands of ice shards.
Rising up, the blonde girl began a jutsu. "Water Release: Stormy Blockade!" The clouds spat a real waterfall upon Susanoo, who stared at the skies. His mask radiated with a blue light, and a powerful beam coming from the ninja's Rinnegan vaporized the liquid.
The Uchiha stared at Naruko. "You sure love water, don't you?" He snarled. "And I REALLY LOVE FIRE!" He pointed his index at her, and a powerful cone of blue fire rushed toward her.
A wall of water saved her from death, and a fake hunter-nin appeared next to the blonde girl. "Naruko-san, are you okay?"
She nodded. "Thank you, Haku-chan."
"It's nothing," the kunoichi replied, as she created a real fortress of ice between her and Susanoo's endless blaze. "He and his allies are menacing us all. If we combine our efforts, surely we-"
The cold wall exploded, interrupting the young lady. A blue light was emanating from the Uchiha bastard's Rinnegan. "Goodbye," he whispered, as he shot a powerful beam at the two girls.
This time, a shield of black metal protected them, even though a large part of it melted. Sasori was twitching his fingers, making a humanoid puppet release iron sand from its mouth. Chibaku had sealed Uke Mochi, and approached the two kunoichi. "Are you alright?" He asked them.
Both nodded. "What happened?" Naruko wondered. "He doesn't absorb anything now."
The blonde puppeteer smirked. "We neutralized his power over space."
"How?" she gasped.
"By unbalancing his chakra," he explained. "He is a master of the Yin and Yang releases, two special affinities for chakra. By manipulating them, he affects the fabric of time-space. It's complicated, but when we sent the Izanami into his hole, it spread Yin chakra into it. Having too much Yin and not enough Yang to equalize his energy, his chakra went awry, and will probably stay unstable for a long time." Noticing the two girls' questioning frowns, Chibaku sighed. "Basically, we screwed his chakra control, and he cannot become intangible, nor teleport, without it."
"He still has an incredible firepower," Sasori continued, as the black sand stopped multiple beams of light. "He is however vulnerable at close-range now. Chibaku, Naruko, as soon as I, and the Hyoton girl create an opening, you will close the gap between us and him, and assault him physically."
"And how are we supposed to survive, Sasori?" Chibaku grumbled. "He'll vaporize us before we can even reach him."
"By using the Kyuubi's help," the redhead replied. "If I remember well, I specifically modified your seal to facilitate your contact with it, haven't I?"
The blonde opened his mouth, but closed it almost immediately. His eyes became red, and a cloak of crimson chakra covered his body. Sasori then stared blankly at Naruko. "And you?"
Kyuubi-san, I need help!
Of course, the Bijuu complied, and she felt the demon's energy racing through her veins. Make this cursed asshole suffer as much as possible. I owe him one hell of a beating, and I REALLY want to pay him back.
Two tails formed in her back, and three behind Chibaku. The redhead puppeteer locked eyes with Haku. "Ready?"
She nodded. "Yes, Sasori-san."
"Then let's go."
The wall of iron sand shifted and transformed into spears flying at Susanoo. Haku shot shards of ice at the same target and both Chibaku and Naruko began to run faster than the wind. The Uchiha bastard waved his hands, and projected jets of chakra toward them, his Rinnegan still shooting beams.
The next twenty seconds were extremely chaotic for the blonde girl. Unable to properly observe what was going on around her, her view being reduced thank to the speed, she only saw incoming rays of light, and avoided them. She heard the sounds of shouts, explosions and of the bridge's destruction, but she didn't stop her course.
Then, Naruko stared at Chibaku, who reached Susanoo the first. The blonde puppeteer tried to punch the masked man, who simply blinked.
A second later, the blonde puppeteer was sent flying away.
A second later, Naruko prepared herself to kick the Uchiha.
A second later, the man noticed her, and his eyes widened.
A second later, the blonde girl's foot connected with the proud jerk's head.
A second later, Uchiha Madara was propelled backward, his mask cracking under the shock.
A second later, an invisible force made Naruko crash on the ground.
Three seconds later, both she and Susanoo got up.
A second later, they glared at each other.
A second later, the masked man yelled: "SHINRA TENSEI!"
A second later, Naruko's eyes widened, as the whole construction was pushed underwater, breaking.
A second later, the blonde girl, and about a third of the bridge, sank into the ocean.
The Traveler, Kazama
"Your attempts at harming me are useless, young man," Tsukiyomi said as Kazam tried to ram a rasengan in his chest, but simply passing through him. The SS-Rank ninja teleported, reappearing a few meters away.
"I am omnipotent in this illusion," Tsukiyomi declared. "I control time and space, energy and matter, life and death. For three days, you will be at my mercy. Don't worry, I won't torture you, if that's what you fear."
"Then what do you want?" The demon vessel spat.
"I want to talk," he explained. "I want to convince you to stop this madness. Can't you see that our enmity is pointless? We can do great things together, instead of battling?"
The teenager gritted his teeth. "And you really expect me to hear you?"
"Yes," the masked man answered. "What have you to lose in listening to my words? Let me explain you the whole situation. You might find my propositions interesting… and I have answers to all your questions."
The ninja… wasn't wrong. Kazama had nothing to lose in hearing him. Hell, he had listened to Mizuki's, Neji's, Gaara's, Sasuke's and Orochimaru's ramblings. He could survive this man's sentences… and if he knew the whole truth about him… "Alright, you won," the blonde stated. "I will listen to you." At least, until I find a way to escape this illusion, he added silently.
"I am happy to hear that," Tsukiyomi said. "You won't be disappointed."
A table and two chairs formed out of the clouds, and the masked man sat on one of them. "Please, get comfortable." Kazama reluctantly sat down.
"Let me present myself. I am Uchiha Madara, founder of Konohagakure, former leader of the Uchiha Clan, and Akatsuki's strategist and second-in-command," the SS-Rank ninja explained with a proud, if polite, tone. "I have adopted the codename of Tsukiyomi to facilitate battle plans with my two counterparts… and I am from the same world as you."
So this guy was in the Akatsuki… I should have guessed before, with his robes… "I am simply Naruto Uzumaki," the blonde replied. "Why were you in the Akatsuki?"
The man chuckled. "Honestly? To destroy Konoha, for betraying me," he declared.
Okay, it's confirmed: he is not a nice guy.
"And, secondly, to obtain the power necessary to reshape the world in my image, and to create a utopia."
"A utopia?" Kazama asked.
"I have… a vision," Madara explained. "In my dreams, I have seen a perfect world. Tell, Uzumaki Naruto," he locked eyes with the blonde, "do you have dreams? Ambitions?"
That was a difficult question. Once upon a time, he had desired to be Hokage, to earn the acknowledgement of the citizens of Konoha. But not anymore, not after this whole conspiracy deal… he had goals, but… "I wouldn't call it dreams, more like quests."
Tsukiyomi silently invited him to continue.
"I want to help all my counterparts, that suffer, in this multiverse," he said. "I want to find who is behind our crappy life… I want to see my parents… I want to see Uzushiogakure, or restore it… I have a lot of goals."
"This is a good thing, to have multiple objectives," the masked man declared. "Sacrificing everything for one dream is self-destructive. My descendant, Sasuke, is the living proof of that. He showed it, at the valley of the end."
Kazama's eyes widened. "You were present?"
"Not in flesh," Madara replied. "One of Akatsuki's agents recorded the fight, and I carefully observed it. Like all good ancestors, I am watching over my great-great-great-grandson."
"I see…"
"Anyway," the masked man wavered his hand, "what is your opinion of Konoha?"
Bad. "It's complicated."
"They ostracized you for something you didn't do," Madara pointed out with a soft voice. "They hated you. They ruined your life. They prevented you from reaching your full potential. They tried to transform you into a slave. If I had been you, I would have said 'I want to destroy them all'."
"They didn't all hate me," he replied. That, at least, was true...
"Who?" Tsukiyomi asked. "The owners of a ramen stand? Iruka Umino?" He chuckled at Kazama's blank expression. "Don't be surprised. My agents observed you all of your life. I know almost everything about you… at least, until you began hopping worlds. I know that your only non-hostile human contacts before your graduation were the Sandaime, your instructor Iruka Umino, the proprietors of Ichiraku's, and sometimes your fellow slackers, Inuzuka Kiba, Akimichi Chouji and Nara Shikamaru. The first was simply seeing you to better manipulate you, the seconds were talking to you simply because you represented more than two thirds of their income, the third simply helped you out of pity, and the other kids viewed you as an accomplice at best and an annoyance at worst."
"That's wrong!" the teenager shouted. "I'm not sure anymore about the Sandaime, but-"
"Naruto-san," the masked man interrupted him calmly. "Have you ever seen someone else at the Ichiraku's Ramen Stand, beside you, Iruka, and Sarutobi?"
The question took Kazama aback… and terrified him once the teenager realized that the answer was 'no'.
"Ramen is not the most successful of all industries," Madara explained. "The Ichiraku's was almost bankrupt, before you came. With you and the Sandaime as regular and generous customers, Teuchi-san and his daughter didn't fear poverty anymore. That's the only reason they treated you well. They couldn't afford to lose you."
That's a lie… that's a lie…
"About your 'friends' at the Academy… let me ask you: did they ever invite you to their home? Did they ever try to stay in the same room as you, when you weren't punished? Did they ever offer anything to you?"
Kazama's silence was a good enough answer.
"And Iruka… apart from being slightly professional, what has he done for you? Did he give you remedial classes? Did he train you? Did he mentor you?"
"He saved my life," Kazama shot back.
"For you or for the Village?" Madara pointed out. "He simply protected his country's best weapon, and the forbidden scroll. He was a ninja doing his job, nothing more."
Anger spread over the teenager's face. "You're wrong!"
"Naruto-san," the ninja whispered kindly, "it pains me to say that, but it is the truth. Iruka isn't your friend. A true friend would have been there to help you refine your skills… would have accompanied you when you chased after Sasuke… would have invited you at his home… and Iruka did nothing, except paying a few ramen bowls and protecting you once, only because your death, and the loss of the forbidden scroll, would have been a crushing blow to Konoha. He saw you as a human being, yes. As a fellow comrade? Probably. But as a friend? I don't think so."
He is lying… he must be lying!
"About your team… Sasuke tried to kill you. Sakura beat you, insulted you, almost deserted to follow Sasuke, which equaled to abandoning you, the boy that saved her life from Gaara, before forcing you to bring back her crush, like you were some kind of dog, while she didn't even help. And when you returned… she still didn't consider you at your rightful valor. She rejected your advances. She still loved a traitor. She still thought you would obey her. Tell me, Naruto-san… with friends like this, do you really need enemies?"
Kazama clenched his fists. He hated to admit it, but Tsukiyomi was right. Completely. He was telling the truth… the horrible truth that he had tried to ignore. It was like listening to Orochimaru's rant in the Land of Grass, all over again.
"Kakashi didn't adopt you, the son of his mentor. He left you alone, only taught you tree-climbing of all things, and fully expected you to fail at the Chuunin Exams. 'Those who betray ninja rules are trash, but those who betray their comrades are worse than trash', that's his motto? He is quite the hypocrite, isn't he?"
"… I already know," Kazama whispered. "They aren't my only friends."
"Oh? You must be talking about your other teammates, the ones that helped you during your failed attempt at capturing my descendant? Except doing their job, what have they done for you? Nothing. Sai? He backstabbed you. Yamato? He was your leash. He was only there to restrain you, should you ever go crazy! Tsunade didn't believe enough in you to allow you to work without being watched!"
"… I have…" he almost said Jiraiya, but remembered his flawed training. "I have Gaara."
"He isn't from Konoha," Tsukiyomi noticed. "He is from Suna. Who, in Konoha, is really your friend?"
"Tsunade," he said. "Shizune."
Madara blinked. "Naruto-san… are you aware of the existence of the Inner Council?"
The what? "I don't know what you are talking about."
"The Inner Council is an unofficial assembly of powerful people that are basically, the anti-establishment to the Hokage's power. It is a shadowy force that rules Konoha from behind the scenes. And it responsible for most of your problems."
Kazama's eyes widened. "The conspiracy?"
"You can call it that, if you want, but the Inner Council is far more than a simple cabal. It has existed through the ages, under different forms, and formed under the Shodaime's rule. The first Inner Circle had been eliminated by the Nidaime. The Second Inner Circle came into being during the Sandaime's late years, before being destroyed by the Yondaime. The Third Inner Circle really formed after your birth, and still existed once we both left our original dimension."
The demon vessel thought about this new piece of information. "One alternate Sandaime explained me that they were composed of many influential people, but refused to give me names. Do you have them?"
"Of course," Madara declared. "But since things are different in each alternate worlds, the members might change, depending on the universe's changes."
Kazama gritted his teeth. The man was right, once again. "Anyway, I want you to give me their names."
Tsukiyomi… chuckled. "I will do far better than that."
Before the teenager could do anything, the world changed. They had left the skies, for a dark room. Dozens of people were sitting around a great table. The blonde and the Uchiha's chairs were floating above them.
"This is one of the last meetings that one of my agents recorded," Madara explained. "It was right before your departure from Konoha." He descended among them. "Come, and see for yourself. I will tell you who they are."
Kazama obeyed, and stared at his tormentors.
A dark haired man with white eyes. "Hiashi Hyuuga, head of the Hyuuga clan."
An adult copy of Shino. "Shibi Aburame, head of the Aburame clan."
A blonde man. "Inoichi Yamanaka, head of the Yamanaka clan."
An adult Shikamaru. "Shikaku Nara, head of the Nara clan."
An old woman. "Koharu Utatane, counselor of the Hokage, and the Sandaime's teammate."
An old man. "Homura Mitokado, counselor and former teammate of the Sandaime."
The list continued. Most were powerful merchants, influent jounin, and even a friend of the Daimyo. And finally…
A blonde woman, wearing green robes. Kazama's face was one blank expression. Another, dark-haired medic was standing behind her. "Tsunade Senju, Godaime Hokage of Konoha. Not a member, but rather… an executive. She is currently being kindly asked to order something to Jiraiya… specifically, to teach you a flawed style, so Konoha's agents will be able to put you down easily, and to study your Jinchuuriki's powers… and as you know, the man complied. Her assistant Shizune was present, and didn't say a word." The masked man touched the blonde teenager's shoulder. "So tell me, Naruto-san… do you have any friends in Konoha?"
Silence fell.
"… No."
The statement was sad and pitiful. It was the anguish of a broken man, the despaired cry of a reluctant loner, the suffering of a martyr. The scene crumbled, leaving only a deserted land.
"Are you happy, now?" Kazama asked, depressed. Damn, tears were dripping from his own eyes.
"Why should I?" the masked man asked. "I am not a monster that feeds on others' suffering." He joined his fingers. "Naruto-san… you must understand that, well, I am like you. Or rather, I was like you, once upon a time."
The land became a forest, and the duo was staring at a man wearing a red armor. His eyes were Sharingan. Another, younger Uchiha was standing beside him, wearing a blue armor.
"I am the man in red," Madara stated. "The other is my brother, Izuna… the only person I would have been ready to die for. When I was at my worst… he gave his most precious gift, willingly, to help me."
One second later, the younger Madara was cradling his bleeding brother. "On his deathbed, he forced me to promise him something. That one day, I would create a world where the gifted wouldn't be feared, where bright would prosper, where the privilege of name will be replaced the privilege of merit."
Kazama saw an armored Madara shaking hand with the Shodaime. "With Hashirama Senju, I founded Konoha on this basis. I thought it would be a utopia, a model… and I was wrong."
Pictures of the Nine Bijuu formed before them. "Do you know that Hashirama and I captured the nine demons? That we sacrificed our men, our time, our resources, to capture them? And do you know that in one act, they were all stolen from us."
The duo was now in the Hokage's office, where Madara was in an argument with the Shodaime. "Once the other countries asked, Hashirama gave them the Bijuu. 'To promote world peace' he said. 'For the sake of equality'. Those who worked hard to gain them had nothing, and those who stayed on the background, out of cowardice, obtained the result of our efforts. Can you imagine the pain I felt? To see all my beliefs being trampled upon by my most esteemed rival?"
The world became dark. Madara was starring at a crowd of Uchiha, all glaring at him. "I tried to rally my clan, to change things, but they betrayed me. They preferred the easy way. They ignored the sacrifice of my brother, of the dead, to preserve their 'peace', or rather, servitude. My own wife and children left me," the man roared, as a beautiful woman and three kids shook their head at him. "I damned myself for them, and they backstabbed me."
Kazama stayed silent. The masked man's eyes were full of an endless hate… the same eyes as Sasuke. The illusion took the appearance of the Valley of the End. "So I snapped. I tamed the Kyuubi, the beast my brother gave his life to capture, and I fought Hashirama… and lost. My brother's legacy was stolen from me, and I was left for dead. But I survived… I trained, prepared, planned, waited for the day when Konoha will finally burn… and out of the ashes, I will one day create a paradise."
The demon vessel felt as if he had been stuck by a lightning bolt. This man tamed the Kyuubi… my mother was the former Jinchuuriki of the fox… she died the night of my birth… A few astray memories rushed through his mind…
"She was my container in this world too, before someone ripped her seal and mind-controlled me into attacking Konoha."
"Together, we can achieve this vision. My original plan was small-scaled… but with your power… with your power, we can gather the bright, the strong, the talented, and conquer all universes. We can get back at Konoha, everywhere. Alone, none of us can destroy this cursed village, but together, we will be unstoppable. We will be gods."
"The day of Naruko's birth, a man named Madara Uchiha took her hostage and extracted me from Kushina, killing her in the process."
The teenager couldn't answer. He opened his mouth. "Tsukiyomi… you are the one that unleashed the Kyuubi on Konoha, aren't you?"
Madara's eyes widened, confirming Kazama's theory. "I don't see what you are talking about," he lied.
"You extracted the Kyuubi from my mother," the blonde stated. Something in the back of his mind was convinced of that. "You killed her… and you ruined my life…" Chakra exuded from his body, without his mental command.
"It's a lie," Madara said. "Whoever told you that is a liar. Kushina's seal simply malfunctioned. It was an accident."
Kazama's chakra separated from him, and fused with the illusion. The decor changed, much to Madara's obvious surprise. The duo was now on a mountain. Madara was dragging a beautiful, red headed woman by the shirt, before facing the town in front on them: Konoha. He touched the woman's belly, opening a hole in it. The Kyuubi escaped from it, his eyes looking like two Sharingan.
"What is this fantasy?" Madara roared, before locking eyes with the blonde. "Don't believe these lies! It is probably a trick from the Kyuubi to manipulate you!"
"You do not tell the truth…" Kazama replied. "I simply know it…" he straightened. "You won't manipulate me, traito-"
The blonde didn't finish his sentence, and scoffed instead. A strong hand grabbed his neck, before lifting him. "Do not, ever, call me that, Naruto-san," Tsukiyomi murmured.
The teenager didn't answer… or rather couldn't.
"Yes," Madara said. "Yes, I unleashed the Kyuubi on Konoha. Yes, I extracted the demon from your mother, after she refused my proposition of alliance. But I didn't kill your mother, or your father, for the matter. The Kyuubi did, once your father freed him from my control. I am not responsible for what happened to your parents… the fox is."
He approached Kazama's head from his own. "It was for your own good… so you could have a future. Had your father not intervened, I would have taken you with me, and helped you achieve your true potential. If I hadn't intervened, you would have grown up as the son of a Jinchuuriki, as hated and despised as you were. You would have been a slave… and I wanted to make you a man. Can you really criticize that? I would have been a better father than your parents could ever be."
The teenager spat at the man's mask.
"You don't believe me?" Tsukiyomi asked. "I am being honest with you. Your father sealed the Kyuubi in you, instead of simply destroying it. He could have spared you the cruel fate of being a Jinchuuriki, but did not. He chose the village above his son… and did so willingly, with the blessing of his wife. He and your mother betrayed you, Naruto-san. I saved you from their influence."
"This… is… bullshit…"
The murderer blinked. "Can't you see? Why can't you understand?" He seemed absorbed within his thoughts, before gasping. "Konoha must have brainwashed you."
What?
"That explains everything…" Madara muttered. "Why you didn't rebel, why you didn't follow my path, why you still refuse to strike back at them… they have brainwashed you, like these creatures from Root. It is the only explanation. This illusion must be one of their fail-safe. I will free you from their hold on your mind." His lone Sharingan became completely black, and he whispered something.
"Mikaboshi."
The world was suddenly swallowed by a deep darkness. The red illusion vanished, leaving only emptiness behind. Madara grew, reaching the size of a mountain, and took Kazama within his hands. "Let the void consume you, and be reborn anew," the giant whispered.
Coming out of nowhere, black threads pierced Kazama's torso, at the heart to be precise. The boy screamed.
"Do not fear the Mikaboshi… it is simply the sword that will sever all your restraints."
Kazama screamed…
And the pain stopped. Light leaked from his heart, vaporizing the black threads. A humanoid figure formed appeared. It was a beautiful, thin, and naked woman, composed of pure, azure crystal. It was like an angel.
"Kushina?" Madara muttered, completely shocked.
"ME!" she shouted, as thousands of blue chains formed from her body. They promptly restrained Madara's limbs.
Mother? Kazama wondered.
"I understand... it was your chakra that twisted my jutsu," Tsukiyomi declared. "Sorry to disappoint you, but your son will be mine, and mine alone."
"No!" the angel spat. "I won't let you corrupt him!"
"The Mikaboshi is already within him, despite your efforts," Madara gloated. "The seed of the Uchiha will grow, slowly, and one day... one day he will forsake your crappy Will of Fire, and choose my path instead."
"My son is strong!" she yelled. "Strong enough to resist your curse!"
The chains tightened, crushing the giant Uchiha, who then exploded in a flash of light. The darkness faded away, and Kazama awakened.
Kakashi
Finally punching the clone in the face, Kakashi grinned mirthfully as he popped up into a cloud of smoke. Gathering all his strengths, the jounin rushed at Kazama's side. The blonde was apparently in trance, his body protected by chains of blue chakra. Has he awakened his bloodline? The man wondered.
Madara Uchiha was holding his head with his hand, right in front of Kazama. "Kushina... cursed spitfire..." the ninja was gibbering to himself.
Seizing the occasion, Kakashi charged at his enemy, the chidori forming inside his fist. Even in his confusion, Tsukiyomi was still fast enough to deviate the blow, by seizing Kakashi's arm and directing it away from his heart. "It's not nice... to attack someone from behind..." His lone Sharingan met Kakashi's own...
The grey-haired ninja had left reality for a red room, a perfect illusion of his home. The jounin's limbs were chained, and he couldn't move any. In front of him, his father, Sakumo Hatake, was laying on his blood, his sword impaled through his belly. "Father?"
The scene changed. He was now in a cave, witnessing a younger himself fighting side by side with Obito and Rin. Kakashi realized what Madara had in mind. No... everything but that... "Please... don't..."
Rocks began to fall-
"PLEASE NO!"
-and crushed Obito.
The scene changed again. It was now Konoha, and he saw his younger self watch helplessly the Shinigami taking Minato's soul. "Sensei!" both Kakashi shouted.
The scene changed again. He was now in a deserted house... one that he knew too much. "Madara..." he supplicated. "Please... don't show me that... I won't survive this..."
His prayers were ignored, as he saw his younger self cradling the love of his life. Rin was... was a horror... she didn't look human anymore... she was dead...
"She begged me to stop," her murderer gloated. "She begged for my forgiveness, when my men forced her to watch as I strangled her son to death... was it yours? He had your eye color, after all... anyway, after your child died at the ripe old age of one week, I took care of his mother. I have to admit it, your girlfriend was a beautiful woman... you have good tastes, Kakashi-kun. My soldiers were lusting after her, but, in my great generosity, I prevented them from violating her. I had something far better in mind." The monster smirked, showing Kakashi his bloody kunai and torture instruments.
"PLEASE!" Kakashi begged. "I CAN'T SUPPORT TO RELIVE THIS MEMORY!"
"It's incredible, the resistance of the human body. It never ceases to amaze me. She screamed your name, you know. Screamed 'Kakashi', as if you were going to show up and save her. But nobody came, so she kept shouting. It was annoying. You know the old proverb, 'Before you speak, turn your tongue seven times in your mouth'? Well... I took it literally. I kept her alive, chained, bleeding... and then I went all out on her. You see, I am a professional, so I couldn't resist trying new... techniques. I cut, slashed, burned, broke, skinned... and all the time, all the time, I whispered to her these few words: 'Kakashi Hatake... has abandoned you'."
"PLEASE!" Kakashi screamed.
"She was my masterpiece," the torturer continued with a sadistic grin. "I fashioned the best of all prisons: a body. Imagine yourself, just one second, in her place, suffering all days, unable to communicate with the outside world, for a whole week! Isn't that glorious? All of that because you failed to save her, as you failed to save anyone! You killed your son... and you killed your lover."
The younger Kakashi sobbed, before madly attacking his lover's murderer. The older one screamed... and his Sharingan twisted, transformed. The illusion was shattered, and the world returned to normal.
"Impressive," Madara murmured. "To awaken the Mangekyo with memories only... you are truly worthy of the title of genius, Hatake Kakashi."
The jonin didn't reply anything for a while. His new Sharingan was simply blazing with fury. "Do you... have any idea... of what you did to me?" He charged at his enemy with rage and hatred in his heart and voice.
"I awakened your potential," the man calmly answered, as he pared Kakashi's blows. "I have made you stronger, as I will make Naruto-san more powerful than ever before."
"I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH HIM!" the jonin yelled, as he pushed back the Uchiha with a violent kick. "I WON'T LET YOU TWIST HIM!"
"Then you will have to defeat me," Tsukiyomi stated, as he teleported away. "An impossible task."
"There is no such a thing as the impossible!" Kakashi shouted. His Sharigan instinctively activated, unleashing black fire upon Madara. "I will prove it today!" A black hole formed in Tsukiyomi's eye, absorbing the attack.
At this moment, blue chains grabbed the masked man, flinging him in the air. Kazama had awakened, and he was angry. "Kakashi-san, you have no idea how much you are right." He locked eyes with the jonin, before gasping. "Your eye..."
"It's an upgrade... I think," Kakashi said. "And your chains?"
"I don't know," Kazama said, "I don't control them. My wounds are healing fast, however. I think it's linked to my mother."
"Kushina?" the jonin asked, before frowning. "We will have to talk... after we escape this place, of course."
Kazama smirked, as his eyes drifted to Madara, who was standing on a pillar, far, far away. "Together we can beat him."
Kakashi nodded. "Let's teach him a lesson."
The werefox, Kitsune
"KISAME!"
A furious Zabuza leaped on the bridge, attempting to kill Amaterasu in one deadly swing. The masked ninja masterfully avoided the attack, retired his sword from Kisame's body, and riposted. The Uchiha warrior began to push his adversary toward the edge of the construction, despite his enemy's enraged moves.
Rising up with all the pain in the world, Kitsune walked toward the bleeding Kisame. Samehada was… crying, next to him. The man locked eyes with the blond boy. "Hello… little fish…"
"Kisame-san…" the werefox in human form kneeled beside the dead in waiting. "Why did you do that? You knew you couldn't win."
The man smiled. "Little fish… have you heard what I said? I don't fight to win… I fight for the fight itself…"
"But why?" The boy cried. "Why?"
"Because there is no meaning in this world," Kisame whispered. "Because… because humanity has no future… I once had an ideal… I wanted to preserve my country, to ameliorate it… but in the end, it was all for naught… I was called a traitor and a monster… by the very people I was trying to help… in the end, goodness isn't rewarded, and evil is not punished… in the end, life isn't worth living… it's only in a battle, where politic, goals, names, reputations… are nothing… that all lies disappear…" He chuckled. "This world of truth… I wanted to witness it once… before dying…"
"That's-"
"That's my way," Kisame cut him off. "That's how I lived."
Kitsune stayed silent a moment. "Kisame-san… I used to think like you… but some things are worth living for! Some people are worth protecting!"
The missing-nin smirked. "If that's in what you believe… if humans like you exist, then perhaps there is still hope… after all…"
"Kisame-san…"
"Little fish," he whispered. "Can you do me a favor, please?"
Kitsune nodded.
"Take Samehada with you," the man explained, as he caressed his sword gently. "She likes you… and I think you will be a good swordsman one day…"
"I will do it," the boy promised.
Kisame closed his eyes. "Then I leave at peace… goodbye… little fish…" And he closed his mouth too, never to open it again.
Samehada sobbed, and Kitsune stayed silent.
Then, his eyes drifted from the dead missing-nin to Zabuza and Amaterasu, still locked in their duel. Once again, Madara was clearly dominating the fight.
Full of a renewed determination, the blonde rose up, and touched Samehada. "Let's go."
The creature nodded, before swirling around his arm. Kitsune sensed the sword fuse with him, making him double in size, and cover his body with scales. A few seconds later, an orange shark-man charged, roaring, at Amaterasu.
The man tilted his head toward the incoming hybrid, and blinked as a punch ejected him from the bridge, sending him crashing onto the water. The man dropped his sword in the process.
Ignoring a mesmerized Zabuza, Kitsune jumped onto the sea, landing on a shocked Amaterasu. The two descended deeper into the ocean, brawling, exchanging blows. After a few seconds, the masked man vanished, leaving Kitsune alone in the ocean.
Then, large chunks of the bridge began to fall into the sea, and the shark-man navigated between them, trying to reach the surface. Something, however, caught his attention: an unconscious blonde girl.
Naruko? The boy grabbed her, and both got out of the water. "Are you alright, Naruko-chan?" he asked her.
"Yeah… I think…" she muttered, before realizing she was talking to an orange fish. "Kit-Kitsune, is that you?"
"It's me," the hybrid confirmed. "What's happening?"
"Susanoo is blowing up the construction," she answered. "What about that Amaterasu guy?"
Kitsune didn't reply. He simply stared at something standing on the water. Naruko followed his gaze.
Amaterasu was glaring at them, the Kusanagi in his right hand. "So Kisame left you his sword… he was an honorable opponent, and I offered him a warrior's death," Madara said. "You have his sword, but do you have his resolve?"
The two blonds put their feet on the water, rising up. "He will be avenged," the hybrid declared. "I promise it."
The masked man chuckled. "Revenge… the fuel that bring about all conflicts…" he lowered his stance. "Show me the power of your hatred."
"You will see mine, first!" Zabuza roared, as he leaped on the water.
Kitsune eyed the swordsman. "Zabuza-san… why not make a truce? We both want revenge for Kisame's death… why not work together to achieve it?"
The man glanced at the hybrid. "… tch, for now," he said, after a short silence. "VERY temporarily."
"Thanks," the boy said, before straightening up. Naruko imitated him.
Amaterasu didn't move. "Come and strike me down, if you can!"
Sakura
As she saw her crush die before her, Sakura cried. "Please, Naruto-kun… wake up… wake up…"
He didn't respond, his corpse staying lifeless.
"Wake up…"
"It is useless," the freak said, as he pointed her with his hand's fingers. "He is dead… as dead as you will soon be."
Her eyes could only widen, as five bullets were shot at her…
And she could only gasp when she saw Sasuke's body taking the attack instead of her own. The boy fell on the ground, next to her. "Sasuke-kun?"
"Who else?" The genin answered as he got up. Strangely, his shirt had stopped the projectiles. "Damn, Chibaku's seals are damn effective."
"Why did you do that?" She asked.
"I don't know," he said. "My body moved on it-"
The skull-flail smashed his head faster than the wind, in a sickening crack. Sakura watched, horrified, as the Uchiha's corpse was ejected from the construction, and fell into the sea.
"One advice: never ever have any moment of inattention on a battlefield," the freak gloated.
"You were great, Sakura-chan! Way better than me!"
"If you ever want someone to hear you, I am here."
"Sakura, I want you to be with me."
Anger and sadness overwhelmed Sakura's heart, making it burn with a lust for revenge.
Yes, a voice whispered. I can give you the power you need... let your anger consume you...
Her eyes became red, fangs grew…
"This is the end," the bastard declared, as he pointed his index at her head. "Farewell."
The bullet was shot… and stopped by a mix of blood and chakra.
Six tails formed on Sakura's back, and her body began to adopt the form of a demonic, incomplete monster. Barely aware of her surroundings, she opened her mouth, unleashing a blast of power at a gasping Kimimaro, vaporizing him in an instant. The ray continued its course, destroying a large part of Waves' landscape.
Then, the possessed girl began to seek a new prey.
The Puppeteer, Chibaku
Chibaku was running for his life, as the bridge crumbled. Sasori and that chick, Haku, were following him. Behind them, their enemy was pursuing at an incredible speed. Susanoo was expelling chakra from his feet, a technique that propelled him in the air. Rocks and bricks were floating at his side.
Sasori suddenly stopped, rotated, and moved the Sandaime Kazekage. Spikes of iron sand shot up, intending on impaling the masked ninja. Susanoo blinked, and the projectiles were repelled. A large rock then hit the human puppet, making it explode into shards.
A furious Sasori prepared himself to use his flamethrower, but a flying chunk of the bridge was thrown at him, ejecting him from the unstable construction.
Still propelled, Susanoo reached Haku, who tried to protect herself with a shield of ice. The bastard punched it, went through it, and hit the girl in the belly, sending her after Sasori. The masked man landed on his feet, and glared at Chibaku.
Instantly, an invisible hand seized the blonde, bringing him to Susanoo's fist. The puppeteer tried to protect himself with his arms, but they were broken on the impact, the Kyuubi's cloak saving his life. He flew in the air… and the invisible force drew him to his enemy, who landed a punch on his head, breaking his jaw. The process repeated on last time, and Susanoo knocked the blonde in the torso, shattering ribs.
The next second, Chibaku crashed onto the sea. The Kyuubi's chakra vanished, and he began to sink… until someone grabbed him by the shirt and took him out of the water.
"You look terrible, pervert," Naruko said. The blonde puppeteer wanted to say something nasty in response, but only succeeded in groaning. The girl put him on her back, and ran, as bricks were raining on them.
Sideways, Chibaku saw Zabuza and an orange shark-man fighting Amaterasu… and loosing. The masked man looked like a dancer, gracefully sidestepping, fencing, outflanking, cutting through his opponents' skin as if it was butter. The shark was bleeding massively, and Zabuza was barely parrying Madara's ferocious attacks.
"Seems that Kitsune and his 'partner' are in trouble," Naruko said, as she rushed at their rescue.
The shark is Kitsune? Man, is he a wereshark too? What will it be next time, a weremonkey form? A weredragon? It would be awesome…
Sounds of explosions retired Chibaku from his fantasy. A flying Sasori was trying to incinerate a floating Susanoo, who deflected the fire nonchalantly. The redhead landed next to Naruko, and they were soon joined by a bleeding Haku.
"He is too strong," the girl stated. "We can't even slow him down."
"He has damaged the bridge's foundations," Sasori noticed. "It'll sink in the ocean within the next minutes." He gritted his teeth. "Even weakened, he is stronger than us all."
"Oh yes, I am," Susanoo gloated, as he descended on the water.
"You cannot defeat us," Amaterasu added proudly, as he jumped to his counterpart's left side. "Surrender, or we will kill you."
"In your dreams," Zabuza growled. Kitsune straightened, and the rest of the group prepared themselves to stand firm for their skin.
"Then I will add your weapons to my collection," Amaterasu replied.
"You are all fools!" Susanoo shouted, putting his hands together. "You can't hope to…"
The powerful noise of an explosion interrupted him. A ray of light vaporized a large part of the bridge and of Waves, and everyone looked at its source. A monstrous red creature, covered with an incomplete skeleton, was roaring at the skies.
The Kyuubi had emerged, and it was out for human blood.
Author's notes:
Yeah, a sadistic cliffhanger, and a lot of death. Will everyone survive to this deadly battle?
... yeah, tell me what you think of it. And please vote at the poll. It will be closed when I post the next chapter.
Write you soon!