Standard Disclaimer: I do not own the ninja known as Naruto. But YOU owe ME, suckas!
Author's Notes: BLEH. As if I don't have enough technical problems…now I've gotten a boatload of spyware on my comp that's raisin' heck with my processor power. It's things like these that have made writing at a fast pace pretty much impossible recently.
To quote the infamous Dark Helmet: "Even in the future nothing works!"
Amen to that.
To the reviews!
Dragon Man 180: Not that the Nukenin will GET a funeral… :P
Audriel: One tends to disagree less in a battle to the death.
aznpuffyhair: You have puffy hair. o.o
Dark Qiviut: Tilt your head to the left and look at it. It's a smiley face with a 'wink'. ;)
: I'm doing so!
Cloud-821: No finales just yet!
Mistress DragonFlame: Eh, I know; late updates stink. But when you suddenly get bombarded with failing hardware and spyware, your progress tends to drop. Oh well.
Begin!
xxxx
The Snake Arrives! Naruto's Desperation!
xxxx
/Present Day/
/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/
Naruto silently stared to his right, gazing out the window at the small skyline of Konoha. Already, tinges of blue and orange were reaching the eastern horizon. "It's almost morning."
"Your point?" curtly retorted Sasuke.
Naruto chuckled as he grinned widely in his usual fashion. "No point needed. Actually, this means the old hag will be here soon to check up on us."
"You mean Tsunade."
Another chuckle escaped Naruto's mouth. "Heh. I'm surprised you still remember her name."
Sasuke scowled; he knew that it was nothing more than a well-disguised insult. "Feh, whatever…" His mind wandered…to Orochimaru. In a way, part of him still couldn't believe that the wretched snake was finally gone.
But then again, part of him would always stay. Sasuke frowned as he fingered the Heaven curse seal on his neck. Despite the death of Orochimaru, the curse seal had remained. Either way, he didn't care; being cursed for the rest of his life sounded like a good enough punishment for betraying the Leaf anyway.
"PARDON ME, BUT WEREN'T YOU TWO REMEMBERING THE BATTLE?"
Sasuke glanced at Naruto, frowning at the sound of that demonic voice. Sure enough, a red aura fashioned into the shape of a nine-tailed fox sat atop Naruto's head, barely bigger than a puppy. The glare and the scowl were apparent, nevertheless…but suddenly, the corners of the phantasm's mouth contorted into a smirk. "AFTER ALL, REMEMBERING YOUR SUFFERING IS MUSIC TO THE SOUL."
The Uchiha glared at Naruto. "Mind telling me why you let him out just now?"
"Don't sweat it pretty boy, it's only the fox's spirit," retorted Naruto. "Besides, as drained as I am, I can't really stop him from getting his face out."
Kyuubi chuckled as he stared at Sasuke's red eyes. "YOU FEAR ME, EVEN THOUGH I AM NEARLY DEPLETED OF CHAKRA. GLAD TO SEE THAT I CAN STILL INTIMIDATE…EITHER THAT, OR YOU'RE SIMPLY A WIMP WHO'S SCARED BY ANYTHING BIGGER THAN A CHIHUAHUA."
That was the last straw for Sasuke. The Uchiha snarled as he roared, "COME OVER HERE AND SAY THAT!"
"WHY DON'T YOU COME TO ME? OH WAIT…YOU CAN'T. INJURIES SUCK, DON'T THEY?"
"Rrr…"
Naruto grimaced at the sound of Sasuke's grumbling and Kyuubi's chortling. "NOW do you see what I have to put up with every single day?"
"CONTINUE ON WITH YOUR TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE. THE PART WHERE THAT OLD MOONBAT GOT STABBED IN THE SHOULDER WAS QUITE GOOD."
"Eh, shut up you friggin' fox," muttered Naruto as he impulsively remembered the fight. So did Sasuke.
xxxx
/Sasuke's Flashback/
/Yesterday/
/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/
Sasuke had known it wouldn't last long.
He knew that eventually, his 'mentor' would come to reclaim him. In a way, Sasuke had subconsciously resigned himself to that fate; he knew that if Orochimaru came and claimed his body, there would be nothing he could do to stop it (after all, even with the Level 3 Curse Seal, his battle with Itachi would leave him drained…too drained to face a fresh Orochimaru).
And yet despite all that, moments after Sasuke muttered Orochimaru's name, he burst away from his old brother, his right arm crackling with electricity. He was going to give Orochimaru a taste of a full-blown Chidori. "HOOOOOOHHHHH…!"
Orochimaru seemed to sigh, as if he was bored. "Poor little Sasuke-kun…you should know better." Suddenly, Kabuto rushed in front of Orochimaru and bit into his thumb. He jumped off Manda's head – running blood onto his arm simultaneously – before performing a katas and slamming his hands onto the ground. "Rashoumon!"
Suddenly, a massive barrier was summoned out of the ground. The barrier looked like the door to a massive temple; the door was the face of a purple demon, complete with large fangs and eyes of obsidian. The rim of the door was lined with spikes of stone, tinted the color of blood.
Sasuke scowled as his right hand slammed into the summoned door. He had seen Orochimaru teach this jutsu to high-level ninjas before; the door was strong enough to block anything.
We'll see about that, thought Sasuke with a snarl as the power of the Chidori shimmered and danced over the barrier…and moments later, a wave of power shot out of the Rashoumon door, sending Sasuke to the ground with a thud. The electricity on his right arm fizzled and died out moments later. "Rrrrg…"
"Ku ku ku ku…" Orochimaru chuckled as his black hair fluttered in the wind. "Foolish Sasuke-kun…you've tested your Chidori on the Rashoumon before…and you failed just the same." The Sannin smiled as he stared at what would soon be his body. "But your fiery will…exquisite. Your body…is a marvel of human strength." And soon, it will be mine.
Sasuke glared at his former master.
And to his surprise, Itachi spoke up. "It's been a while Orochimaru."
"Indeed it has Itachi." Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he stared at the elder Uchiha. In reality, Orochimaru's most recent departure from Akatsuki had once been intended for two: himself and Itachi. Itachi had declined. It was a shame…his body was quite the specimen. Could've been mine…but oh well. Sasuke-kun's is younger and stronger. "Now if you'll move aside, I have a body to claim."
"No."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow out of surprise. Sasuke did one better; his eyes completely widened. Huh? What's this? For once, Sasuke was completely bewildered as to his brother's intentions.
Itachi's red Sharingan eyes were as cold as ice, staring into Orochimaru's poisonous yellow orbs. "My brother and I have a score to settle. Whatever you have in mind for my brother's body, it'll have to wait until I kill him."
Ah. That explains it. Sasuke frowned as his fleshy wings twitched. The rivalry came first, after all.
Orochimaru's yellow eyes narrowed as he glared at Itachi. "I'd advise that you not overstep your boundaries…you know what'll happen should you do so." Orochimaru's glare was intense in its intent to kill. Even Sasuke himself shivered; never had the snake's glare been so powerful…
And yet Itachi was not fazed in the slightest. "Of course I know. But then again, as Akatsuki, we were equals…but now that you have left, we are no longer equal."
The Sannin smirked. "Glad to see you know your place."
"And by that…I mean that you are below me."
Orochimaru's mouth slightly twisted into one of annoyance. "Fool. My spirit is anchored to this world. I am immortal. Even if my body dies, I will remain. You cannot destroy me."
"But your immortality lasts only as long as you have a body. If you cannot fully claim a body, your spirit will wander the earth forever, bodiless." Itachi's tone never changed in its coldness.
Orochimaru chuckled quietly as he mocked, "Maybe so…but it doesn't matter. I will never run out of bodies to possess. Eventually, a body will come along even better than Sasuke-kun's, and so on and so on! I will never die…I will learn all jutsus…and thus will I achieve godhood."
Sasuke snorted, finally joining in on the conversation. "Godhood you say? You'll never get the chance." He flapped his wings, preparing to charge at the snake once more.
"HOOOOOH!"
He never got the chance though. Orochimaru whirled around to see Jiraiya charged at him, wrapped up in the tongue of Gama-Bunta…and in his outstretched right hand was a supercharged Rasengan.
The Sannin smirked. "Foolish frog." Manda the Anaconda suddenly whirled his head around, glaring at the tiny Jiraiya. "Time to feed!" His mouth widened by about three hundred feet.
Jiraiya sweatdropped at the sight of the anaconda's fangs. "Uh…Gama-Bunta? PULL BACK!"
"Gotcha!" Gama-Bunta's tongue suddenly snapped back, pulling Jiraiya with him. Manda's mouth shut down on nothing. "Rrr…cowards."
"You can deal with them Manda," hissed Orochimaru with a smile. "Kabuto…well, I know what you want to do. Leave me to claim Sasuke-kun."
The silver-haired Yakushi Kabuto smiled maliciously as he readjusted his glasses. "Thank you Orochimaru-sama." At last…my blood was beginning to boil. Now let us see if you have what it takes to defeat me Naruto-kun…
Kabuto and Orochimaru both jumped off of Manda. The giant anaconda slithered to engage Jiraiya and Gama-Bunta in battle. Kabuto dashed off to engage in the battle between Naruto and Akira.
Orochimaru just stared calmly at Itachi and Sasuke. "Ku ku ku ku…first things first." He bit into his thumb and placed some blood on both of his palms. "YAMAKAGASHI! Poison Snake!"
He slammed both palms into the ground. Moments later, a giant green snake with poison-laced fangs erupted from the sand, yellow eyes glaring at Itachi. The elder Uchiha was silent as the snake charged at him, his left arm still crackling with the fires of Unari.
Suddenly, the snake's head fell off. Sasuke slowly hovered above Itachi, his right hand holding a fiery Zanbato. "I'm not going to let you die brother…you'll die by my hand, and my hand alone."
Itachi sighed. "Fool. Who said I needed your help?"
A second snake suddenly erupted from behind the two (Orochimaru's technique had summoned two snakes, one from each hand), mouth preparing to shut down on the younger of the Uchiha.
The snake suddenly combusted, shriveling into nothing but flaming ash. Itachi's Unari had completely incinerated it.
The older Uchiha stared coldly at his younger brother. "I need no protection from you."
"Ku ku ku ku! How amusing…" Orochimaru chuckled as he flexed his neck. "I might as well get some sport out of this…" He pulled his sword – Kusanagi – out of his mouth. "Now…last of the Uchiha clan…TRY TO SURVIVE."
He swung his blade…and hundreds of snakes suddenly appeared from the sword, hissing and charging at the two brothers.
xxxx
/Gaara's Flashback/
/Yesterday/
/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/
Shukaku had been prepared to attack Koumorimaru and Hiroto so that he could free his vessel.
What he had not expected was a giant toad to suddenly slam into his side. "OOF!"
As the One Tail fell on his side, Gama-Bunta righted himself as he glared at Manda the Anaconda. "Blasted snake…"
Manda hissed at the giant toad as his tongue quivered with anticipation. "Come. This time, I WILL taste your flesh."
Gama-Bunta snorted as he unsheathed his dagger. "Jiraiya…" He licked his dagger, coating it with oil from his belly. "Fire her up."
"Got it." Jiraiya performed some katas before using his 'Fire Dragon Blast' jutsu. The dagger suddenly lit up with fire, becoming a flaming blade. Gama-Bunta twirled it once before growling, "Come if you dare!"
POW!
Manda sweatdropped as Gama-Bunta and Jiraiya were sent flying by a fearsome punch from Shukaku. "…"
The One Tail snarled as he shook his fist angrily at the Boss Toad and the Pervert-Sennin. "THAT'LL TEACH YOU!" Seconds later, the two crashed into the sand over two miles away. The demonic sand spirit then turned his attention to Manda. "Ooh. You may be a snake…but I see a future shish kabob."
The giant snake snorted before licking his lips (wait. Snakes don't have lips. Oh well.). "I always wondered how tanuki tasted…"
Shukaku's eyes narrowed. He glanced over at Gaara, who was still trapped inside Hiroto's Ishikorokaze. "…keh. Fine then; I'll play along…but I've got more pressing business at the moment, so I can't waste time on a weakling like you."
"LET US SEE IF YOU'RE STILL BOASTING AFTER THIS! I'LL DEVOUR YOU!" Manda snarled as he dove into the ground, his body tunneling easily through the loose sand. Shukaku stumbled a bit as the snake's movements made quakes in the immediate area.
"…keh heh heh," chuckled Shukaku as his tail quivered. "If you're going to get a bite out of me…you'll have to do better than this!"
Manda erupted from the ground behind Shukaku. The One Tail immediately struck with his namesake without even looking back. The anaconda grimaced as the tail slammed him into the ground. "Ka ha ha! At LEAST give me more of a challenge than Henpuku-Kami!"
"AS YOU WISH!" roared Manda as he righted himself and wrapped his body around Shukaku like a coil. The badger blanched as the mighty anaconda began constricting his body. "Try and slip out of this…"
"Keh heh…gladly. BERSERKER SPIN!"
What followed wasn't very pretty.
Meanwhile…
Gaara grimaced as Hiroto's body parts swirled around him, pelting him at random intervals. His Shield of Sand struggled to keep up, but they were coming too quickly…and the force was enough to break through the shield at some times. This isn't good…
He had to get out.
Gaara clenched his hands as he muttered, "Desert Geyser…"
From below, a fountain of sand erupted, pushing Hiroto away. The ex-Stone ninja grimaced as he floated away to regain his concentration. "Koumorimaru. Distract him."
"Yeah yeah, no need to tell me twice." The bat woman flew high up and folded her wings quickly, digging the nails on the tip of her wings into her shoulders. Then, she opened them, causing the nails to tear open the skin. "Kusachi! BLADES OF BLOOD!"
Her blood became razor-sharp lines of red that bore down on Gaara. He quickly created a platform of sand and moved away from the red lines. They crashed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of sand.
Suddenly, Gaara's eyes widened.
"Gansekikuwai…"
His Shield of Sand went into action…
"ROCK ARROWHEAD!"
Gaara turned around just in time to see a large arrowhead made of stone slam into his shield. The blank eyes of Hiroto stared quietly at Gaara from above. "Impressive. You are not the Kazekage for nothing I see."
Gaara's eyes narrowed as he stared into the milky orbs that were Yagami Hiroto's eyes. "You don't sound like a typical criminal…what is your reason for joining?"
"Hah…fine. You shall perish eventually…I might as well speak." Hiroto floated away as the Rock Arrowhead broke down. "I joined Akatsuki to get rid of the elite…in other words, people like you."
Gaara raised an eyebrow. Hiroto continued. "In the village I grew up in, the clan that held the most power…was the Yagami clan. They ruled the village with an iron fist, thanks to the might of their bloodline limit; the power of Iwakasu no jutsu. Even though I was one of them…I detested such fragrant abuses of power. So I left and became a ninja for Iwagakure, the Hidden Stone Village."
The Kazekage was silent…but this brief interlude was being used to his advantage. He was gathering his chakra.
"It wasn't long before I was asked by the Leader to join Akatsuki…and although he was one of great power, he sought to change things. He offered me a way to bring the elites down…and that was the five Tailed Demons. He possessed three at the time…but now the last two are in our grasp." Hiroto smiled as his body parts quivered with excitement. "The five Tailed Demons will assure that those in power will no longer abuse the weak…humanity will be equal once more. In a way, my wish is sort of like Koumorimaru's…different wish, same outcome. And soon, you will die as well! IWANEAMETSU! ROCK RAIN!"
Gaara blinked as he impulsively brought up a wall of sand to protect him from Hiroto's incoming body parts. He had enough chakra…enough to keep the battle confined and away from Sunagakure.
It would tire him…but he had no choice. He couldn't risk an errant jutsu striking at Sunagakure…even IF there was a barrier.
"DESERT COLISEUM!"
Suddenly, the area rumbled and quaked. Everyone slightly stumbled, in the midst of their own battles. Gaara paid no attention to Shukaku, who was now eviscerating Manda with his spinning attack.
All Gaara knew was that he had just raised a massive wall that circled them all, easily possessing a diameter of two miles. Then, he used his chakra to push the sandy walls in on each other, sticking the grains together so that they wouldn't fall without his constant concentration.
The Kazekage glared quietly at Koumorimaru and Hiroto as a floating platform of sand dumped him onto Shukaku's forehead. "Now it's truly like a life-or-death battle. Come."
xxxx
/Jiraiya's Flashback/
/Yesterday/
/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/
Jiraiya frowned as he stared at the tall wall of the coliseum. "Well…this isn't any good. How am I supposed to get up there in my condition?" Well, there WAS Gama-Bunta…
"Sorry Jiraiya…I have to return to my home now."
The Sennin turned around to face the Boss Toad. "Why?"
The giant amphibian chuckled. "I can't move…landed on my back. Can't move my legs…gotta go home to recover, ya see?"
"…" Jiraiya grimaced. Now there was no way for him to continue fighting.
Gama-Bunta smirked. "Don't look so upset…after all, you've got one heck of a student fighting."
Then, the giant disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Jiraiya sighed as he slumped to the ground, staring at the sun. It was already well into the afternoon. "I know…that's why I'm worried."
xxxx
/Naruto's Flashback/
/Yesterday/
/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/
Naruto thought he had been angry before.
Akatsuki was one of the biggest threats to his life. Scratch that; it was THE biggest threat. That's why he had been so enraged to finally learn of their plan…because it only regarded him and Gaara as nothing more than pawns.
Sasuke was the biggest jerk in the world. At first, he had been in the way of his affections for Sakura-chan! But after leaving Konoha to join Orochimaru…just for power…the look in Sakura's sorrowful eyes had enraged Naruto. And at that point – at the sight of those tears Sakura was shedding for Sasuke – he knew that he would never hold the place that Sasuke had in her heart. That had been pouring salt on the wound.
But then again…Yakushi Kabuto was a close competitor. Naruto had felt so betrayed to see someone whom he had thought to be a loyal Leaf ninja and a good friend turn out to be an Oto-nin spy…
And now, Kabuto was here.
Naruto scowled, ignoring the wall that had just been raised around the entire battlefield, with the epicenter being the Obsidian Seal. He glared at Kabuto, his attention on Akira no longer existing.
"Well Naruto-kun…we meet again," said Kabuto with a sickeningly smug grin. Just staring at him made Naruto's anger flare; his fangs grew a tad, and his nine-tailed aura flared even more brightly.
OOH. ANGER. MAKES YOU DRAW ON MORE OF MY POWER. CONTINUE ON.
Naruto snarled as he pointed at Akira, "Kabuto…I'll tear you apart after I finish with this joker."
"HEY!"
"I don't care. I've wanted to settle the score since our fight three years ago…" Kabuto grinned as his hands glowed blue; the Chakra Absorption technique. "I'd like…to see what the chakra of a demon feels like…"
Kabuto immediately charged…and dodged to the side. Less than a second later, a steam axe slashed into the ground where the silver-haired Oto-nin had been.
Fujiwara Akira glared quietly at Kabuto. "Sorry muchacho. Got orders from the Leader to subdue him. We have something big planned."
"Sorry. My fight with him is none of your BUSINESS!" Kabuto quickly pulled out a harmonica and roared, "Otoaori no jutsu! SOUND GALE!"
Akira yelped as an overwhelming amount of force erupted from the harmonica, blasting him backwards by over a few dozen yards. Kabuto smiled as he turned to Naruto. "Try not to make it too boring."
"I'LL SHOW YOU BORING!" roared Naruto as he charged at the silver-haired Oto-nin. He shoved his fist forward, causing his aura to extend as a massive fist.
Kabuto leapt away only to find himself under attack by Naruto's nine tails. With all the grace of a Jounin, Kabuto dodged and weaved through the swirling tails…and came up right next to Naruto's face.
Naruto blanched.
Kabuto smirked. "Smile."
The fox boy gagged as a palm latched onto his head, glowing blue. He remembered this move…from the Chuunin preliminaries…Yoroi had used it on Sasuke…
"YOU'RE NOT GETTING MY CHAKRA!" roared Naruto as he kneed Kabuto in the before sending him flying with a punch to the sternum.
Even as Kabuto crashed into the ground, he was smiling. Not bad kid…you've certainly gotten better…
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!" roared Naruto as he charged at Kabuto.
SLAM!
Naruto gagged as a thorny tentacle slammed into his body, sending him skidding across the desert. The tentacle slithered back to its owner: Ogi-Daimyou. In the grasp of one of his thorn-less vines was Akira. "Now that the other Legendary Leaf is out of the picture, we can focus our attentions on the demon vessel."
"Go ahead. I need a drink," replied Akira as reached inside his pocket, pulling out a large water bottle. "Gotta stay hydrated." He quickly chugged down the entire liter of water in less than ten seconds.
Shuu sighed. "Ogi-Daimyou, we have no time to waste; it's already past noon, and we have to be ready by sundown. Forget about the silver-haired man…all he'll do is weaken the Nine Tails even further, which is good for us."
"…very well," rumbled Ogi-Daimyou as his petals quivered. "However, once this battle's over, we feast on his flesh."
Shuu stared eagerly at Kabuto. "Indeed…"
Naruto grimaced as he got to his feet. Crap…now I've got a fricken' oversized weed to deal with!
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
This is my fight.
FOOL. MY FATE IS ON THE LINE AS WELL.
…who cares.
I CARE!
Nyeh!
IDIOT.
Flea monger.
YOU'LL BE SUMMONING ME IN THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES.
Yeah right!
"Thorn Whiplash!"
Naruto paled at the sight of over a dozen thorny tentacles lashing at him. "Uh oh." He quickly leapt away from the onslaught-
POW!
"AGH!" yelped Naruto as Kabuto suddenly slammed his heel into his back. The Oto-nin smirked as he unleashed a flurry of punches to the spine before sending Naruto upward with a flying kick.
Naruto grimaced as he tried to open his eyes…and he saw Akira floating. WHAT?
To be more precise, Akira was floating on a cloud of steam. The former Waterfall ninja smirked as he formed a long whip made of steam, wrapping it around Naruto. "Have a nice fall!"
Then he slung Naruto towards Ogi-Daimyou.
The Plant Lord chuckled as he roared, "Thorn Whiplash!"
Moments later, Naruto was sent flying by a final hit from the massive tentacles, slamming into the wall of the coliseum. The Leaf ninja gagged as he slid down from the wall, leaving a trail of blood on the hardened sand.
He was an absolute mess. His clothes were torn, and blood was leaking from numerous cuts (no thanks to the thorns). His red aura was gone, his fangs were gone, and his eyes were now blue again. "Agh…agh…"
Some of his wounds began to close, due to the Nine Tails chakra.
"NO."
HMM?
Naruto grimaced as he stood, unzipping his orange jacket. "Don't waste your chakra on healing me…you have more important matters…"
…HA. I TOLD YOU. I TOLD YOU THAT YOU'D SUMMON ME. IT WAS ALL INEVITABLE.
"Shut up…" growled Naruto as he pierced the skin around the seal on his belly, using both thumbs to cover himself with blood. And it had to be from the seal, or else the connection wouldn't hold. "Just don't go crazy and kill everything…"
NOW WHY WOULD I DO THAT?
"Cut the sarcasm, you smartass," snarled Naruto as he ran trails of blood along all of his fingers, clenching his hands together. His pinkies joined together, whilst the other fingers interlocked, giving off the impression of only nine fingers…for nine tails…
HO HO HO. TESTY…BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. THIS'LL BE MY FIRST FIGHT IN OVER A DECADE. I'M FEELING TESTY MYSELF…
"I'm counting on it," muttered Naruto as red chakra swirled around him.
Over one year ago…when Jiraiya had instructed Naruto to go get some mushrooms (Naruto hadn't understood at the time why they couldn't have just gone to the nearest town for some ramen…) from a nearby forest, the Nine Tails had told him of a unique jutsu.
It was one Naruto had used before…however, there would be one difference.
The contract would be to something entirely different.
No longer was Naruto bound to the frogs…
"RAAAAA! KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!"
...for his contact was now to the Fox Demon Tribe to which the Nine Tails belonged.
Naruto slammed his hands into the ground…and he disappeared in a flash of red chakra that grew…and grew…and grew…
Kabtuo paled. He's not serious…
Ogi-Daimyou grumbled, "The boy's become desperate…" Shuu nodded out of concurrence.
Akira blinked. "Ooh. Biggie."
On a different part of the battlefield, Shukaku and Gaara stared at the growing mass of red energy. "…you feel that?" asked Gaara, his skin becoming gooseflesh. The chill he felt was indescribable.
"Of course. The fox boy's calling on the Nine Tails."
Koumorimaru blanched. That boy…he isn't…
Hiroto frowned. We've waited too long. Now the demon vessel has become desperate…
In a different part of the coliseum…
Orochimaru stared in awe at the growing mass of red chakra. The fox boy…he's actually summoning the beast from within. It was odd…for him to suddenly feel fear. The mere name of the Nine Tails was enough to chill even his evil heart. Heh…I feel afraid…interesting.
Itachi stared quietly, his face betraying no emotion. But deep down, he felt just as fearful as Orochimaru, if not more so…because unlike the Sannin, he had witnessed the power of the Tailed Demon before.
As for Sasuke…his eyes were wide out of disbelif. "What the…what's that idiot doing?" Unlike everyone else on the battlefield, he did not know of the demon sealed inside Naruto…which was why he felt as confused as he was afraid.
Suddenly, the red chakra stopped growing. It was easily as large as Shukaku.
Then, the redness disappeared, revealing a mighty beast that chilled Itachi, Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke to their cores. Even Jiraiya, who couldn't even see the battle, felt a strange chill grip his soul.
The face of Konoha's greatest threat was glaring at everyone.
The orange fur, tinted with the color of blood, was unmistakable. The black fur that covered the inside of his ears, running across his eyes. His blood-red pupils. His white claws…and finally, his nine tails.
Sasuke's skin turned white. No…it's…it can't be! He had heard tales of the nine tailed monster that had nearly destroyed Konoha…all this time, he had been told that the Yondaime had destroyed him at the cost of his life. But instead, he had actually been sealed…inside Naruto.
It explained everything…his power…his strength…his ability to come from behind…everything! Naruto…you had it inside you…all this time…?
Kyuubi.
He was in the world of the living once more.
The Nine Tails roared as he grinned, showing his white fangs. "FREEDOM!"
xxxx
To be continued…
Next time…
Kyuubi's Rampage! Another Foe Bites the Dust!
xxxx
Author's Notes: Bleh. I hate spyware. It's all gone now…but darn it if it didn't cramp up my writing.
Six days to write the chapter. So so.
See you soon, and please review!