Chapter Ten
Anger, Rage, Hate and Death
Naruto vs. Renkotsu
The sounds of battle cries and weapons clashing rang loud throughout the forest. The band of seven charged their enemies which surrounded them on all sides. And though the battle was vast and began to spread out through the trees, Bankotsu saw only one enemy, Inuyasha. His blade drawn Bankotsu charged at the young half demon with rage in his eyes. His long black hair waved wildly behind him as he moved. Inuyasha raise the Tetseiga and lunged at his attacker. As their blades met the metal rang out and a flash of white consumed them.
As the band of seven clashed with the heroes the woods became chaotic with battle. Through the mess of fighting Shikamaru saw his opportunity and trapped Renkotsu with his shadow technique. Seeing an opportunity, Naruto leaped into the air and hurled several shrunken at him. The flying weapons hit the gourd which Renkotsu held. "You fool, what have YOU DONE?!" Renkotsu screamed as the gourd began to crack and burst. The explosion was massive and threw all the fighters in all directions. Naruto who was still in midair simply fell to the newly charred earth.
As Naruto looked around to see the damage he had caused he suddenly saw movement in the rubble. He ran towards it so he could see who might need help but stopped almost immediately when Renkotsu stood up looking almost puzzled. Renkotsu looked at his body and saw it was now covered with black markings of some sort. He looked up at Naruto and laughed.
"I don't know what happened to me but I'll tell you that I feel stronger then I have ever felt." Renkotsu said looking at his hands "this power is more then I've ever had," he looked up at Naruto "and now… to pay you back for destroying my gourd." Renkotsu launched himself toward Naruto who jumped out of the way but Renkotsu had a new strength and speed and grabbed Naruto in midair by his foot and brought him to the ground hard. Renkotsu stood above Naruto and laughed, marveling at his new power.
"Don't count me out yet you jerk!!" Naruto shouted and drove his foot up between Renkotsu's legs. He lurched and fell to his knees as Naruto slipped out from under him.
"You… Little… Bastard!!!" Renkotsu growled as he slowly rose to his feet again, one hand holding his crotch. "I'll kill you!"
"Not if I beat you first!" shouted Naruto who formed a seal with his hands and shouted "SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!!" Naruto exploded into smoke and suddenly copies of Naruto littered the trees. He had copied over 500 clones and all had kunai drawn, ready to strike. Renkotsu snared at the massive force he must now face and the black marks all over his body began to glow red.
"I don't care how many of you there are…" he shouted "I'll kill all of you!!!" he threw two grenades into the crowd of Naruto's behind him and leaped forward and struck the closest Naruto. It exploded into smoke and another landed in its place lunging with its kunai. Renkotsu dodged him and kicked this Naruto in the abdomen. It too burst into smoke.
Using his newfound speed, Renkotsu darted around attacking all Naruto's in his path when suddenly a Naruto came flying at him from the sky. Renkotsu easily destroyed him but in doing so failed to notice the four Naruto's coming up underneath him. With four kicks they launched Renkotsu into the air and the one after another jumped up to kick him a second time. One "Uuu..." two "Zuu…" three "Maa…" four "Kiii…" and then from the sky a fifth Naruto came down to smash his heel into Renkotsu. As he saw the final blow approaching Renkotsu spoke to him self "No… it can't end here… I won't let it!!" "Naruto Combo…" A moment before Naruto made contact, Renkotsu erupted into flame. All cloned in a ten foot radius were instantly vaporized.
All of the Naruto's stood looking in awe as the smoke began to settle. Renkotsu stood there surging with power and had appeared to change as a result. His skin was a bright orange and his jaw had extended. Fangs protruded from his mouth just as three horns protruded from his head, and his eyes had become black. Naruto looked on in fear as Renkotsu smiled and readied himself to pounce. His hands hardened and became claws and he leaped out at Naruto, stabbing him with his newly formed claw and turning him to smoke. As peered through the smoke he said in a harsh growl, "it's only a matter of time until I find the true you…" his eyes scanned the terrain looking at all the separate Naruto's standing before him. "The only question is which one will bleed more then just smoke!" he screamed as he hurled himself at yet another Naruto perched on the limb of a tree. As the clone burst into smoke Renkotsu smiled and said "not that one."
Naruto, who had been hiding behind a rock, watching his clones being destroyed one by one, could not seem to bring himself to move. "What do I do!" he thought to himself. Looking at the terrible beast that Renkotsu had become reminded him of the vision of terror that Sasuke had become in their last face to face encounter. He remembered the power Sasuke had and how he could not save his friend. Naruto opened his eyes and stood up. Clenching his fist he roared at Renkotsu. "There is no way that I am losing to you, not after what you did to me and my friends."
The yell got the attention of Renkotsu who turned to look. His twisted features stared at Naruto. "Well now that I know where you are why don't you just give up?" I can kill you sooner rather then later little boy. I'm getting rather tired of killing all of these fake versions of you."
Gritting his teeth Naruto said, "I will never give up… that is my way of the ninja." Naruto the jumped into the air and summoned forth more clones and in a puff of smoke they came forth and attacked Renkotsu.
As the smoke cleared Renkotsu looked at the tiny orange clad ninja coming at him and saw that one of the Naruto's was lagging behind. "I'm growing tired of this!" he screamed as he launched himself into the air and past the oncoming attackers and straight at the Naruto in the back. He flew at him with such speed that Naruto had no chance to block. The claw entered Naruto's body and he exploded into smoke. Renkotsu looking confused turned around at the Naruto's he had passed.
"Looks like you got the wrong one again!" the real Naruto screamed as he floated in midair. Three clones stood around him. One stood beside him to help form the Rasengan in his right hand. The other two stood poised to slingshot Naruto right at Renkotsu. "This is it" screamed Naruto as he hurled through the air Rasengan ready in hand. He hit Renkotsu directly in the chest, throwing the twisted man so hard that he broke through several trees that lay behind him. Panting Naruto walked over to the smoldering heap that was Renkotsu. He had done it.
"Oh no... All my friends!" Naruto turned to the area where the explosion had first went off and with fierce determination, he began to look for his friends.