The Way of Heroes
AN:
Thanks for the review jj, always appreciate the feedback.
A2 E10/13 A Broken Seal! Luffy vs a Demon!
In some ways, it is an incredibly important aspect of life to never surrender ideals or personality to an outside force. Most men refuse to change and most respect them for that. Even in the face of the apocalypse, some refuse to bend their minds and spirit to anything besides themselves. Sometimes an idea is so burned into a person's being that as long as they are alive, that idea, that dream, is as well.
But sacrifices have to be made, and sometimes even dreams and ideals have to be burned into ash before a man can defeat the world. Sometimes the world poses such a great threat that even the strongest willed of men are forced to change their ways and conform as an era changes.
Sometimes these changes are completely unexpected. A man will often become something else when he wants to, but often times these great people change because the world demands it. Sasuke had never expected the change, and it crashed down onto him like the rain.
The Last of the Uchiha wanted nothing more than death in his life. But his teammates forced the ideal of love onto him. This strange, almost alien emotion to the orphan that hadn't known that feeling for years. As he became a man, he was forced to meld with his desire for blood, he had to become vengeance itself in order to survive in a world that destroyed everything he held dear.
Sasuke hadn't needed friends. He hadn't wanted friends. But you cannot choose your destiny, neither as much as you can choose who you care for, and least of all who cares for you. If love and caring could change a boy who knows nothing but hatred, then that love and caring should be able to change anyone, which is what Naruto had always wanted. Love and caring, the two things that the blonde thirsted for his entire life is something that he gave to a boy who claimed to hate him. Now with these ideals in mind, Naruto plans to complete his dream, as all he wanted was to be loved. To be cared for. His childish greed would make him lust to be the most loved, the most cared for man in the entire Village. But now, he realizes the importance and appreciates the love of a single boy for him, the feeling of a word that few people know.
This strange concept, the Uchiha Brothers would call: NAKAMA.
The Way of Heroes
An unbridled tension tore through the fog while the Sharingan Hero focused. Where will he strike? Kakashi wondered, turning around even though he knew full well that even the Sharingan couldn't penetrate the mist. He worriedly searched back and forth, despite not seeing a thing the jonin was made even more nervous. Eyes shooting wide open, Kakashi realized, "The Bridge Builder!"
Rushing toward where he had left Tazuna, Squad 7's Captain could hear the slight sound of fingers brushing leather, and he knew where Zabuza the Demon was in an instant. Because he knew that he'd been discovered, the Swordsman abandoned all pretenses of stealth and whipped his huge saber out of his hilt, shouting, "Too late," As he swung his sword through the air with tremendous strength.
The Way of Heroes
Racing towards where he instinctively knew his friends needed him the most, Luffy plowed into the dome clumsily. He fell onto his butt, rubbing his head where he'd hit the massive Jutsu. A comically large bruise appeared on his forehead, and he screeched, "Ow! Stupid wall!" Punching the closest wall only to wince as his fist inflated with a massive bruise as well. But then the wall began glowing and a trio of the same person emerged, the masked Haku.
Luffy pointed to the thickest part of the now thinning fog, yelling, "Sakura! Go help Kakashi protect the bridge guy!" Complying to the pirate's command, Sakura raced off into the obscuring cloud. Luffy beamed, "Alright who wants to fight first?" Ignoring the Rubberboy's preferred battle scenario, all three of the Clones rushed him at once, slashing at him with senbon.
He barely managed to dodge the first two swipes at him, and completely failed trying to avoid the stab that the third one sent into his arm. Yelping in pain, Luffy jumped into the air and yelled, "Gum Gum Spear!" Pressing his sandaled feet together and sending his connected shoes straight into one of the Clone's heads, the move destroyed the targeted clone, and Luffy sailed over the head of another, which he decimated with a simple punch to the back as he coasted to the ground.
Smiling at his early victory, Luffy bragged, "It would take an army of you guys to defeat me!" He would regret that choice of words as the final Clone made a hand sign, and summoned two dozen more Clones, each pulling out a senbon and taking aim for the Pirate King hopeful. The vested Captain gulped, but then grinned with euphoria, "It's never easy, but if it was than it would be boring!" Running headlong into the crowd of enemy Jutsu, he smashed two before the rest shot their needles at him, stabbing into him.
His charge not through he shot a punch out, yelling, "Gum Gum Pistol!" And he destroyed four more before falling onto the ground, and he was laced with another round of senbon from the survivors. They all jumped on top of him, mobbing him with kicks and awkward low punches. It felt like a hundred blows were falling like rain onto his body, and his cuts from Akame didn't help his pain. The agony kept going, when the strikers got tired they would switch out with the Clones that had been waiting for a turn, when they grew tired the original mob would return and the cycle would continue indefinitely. Just as the pain and damage would.
The Way of Heroes
Sasuke heard a loud squeal of a screech, and he worried, That was Sakura. But what happened to Luffy and Kakashi? What's happening out there? The brunette struggled against the pain, only able to just barely hold his life blood in from two of his deeper wounds. Next to him, Naruto was lying face down, blonde hair caked in sweat, blood, and dust. Naruto coughed, "Sakura… She's in trouble –" We've got to break through… Sasuke thought, and as if responding to his silent murmurings, Naruto pledged, "I'll bust us outta here! Believe it!"
"Naruto?"
"I'll fake 'im out."
"But –"
"Don't worry Sasuke, we can beat this guy. Believe it."
Haku shook his head, seething, "You've exhausted my patience genin." In response to this, Naruto focused his Chakra, and blue static energy crackled around him. Navy lightning forming a circle around him, the blonde ran towards a mirror, only for Haku to appear inside of it. As he saw his enemy Naruto ran to the left in an attempt to outrace the masked rogue. Seeing that he was much too slow, Naruto turned around in fear, only for Sasuke to yell, "Naruto behind you!"
Warning his friend much too late, the blonde was stabbed by a trio of senbon in the left arm, and Naruto fell to the ground yet again. "Your chance of escaping my house of mirrors is zero. That is absolute," Haku stated calmly, voice as cold and deadly as the winter winds themselves. Sasuke raced over to his fallen friend, shaking him and asking, "Naruto? Are you able to get up? Try not to use any more of your Chakra." Haku watched silently as Naruto was held in Sasuke's arms. The assassin was brought into a near comatose state by the Uchiha's turn in personality for his teammate.
"If you move anymore, it'll just help him now," the brunette added, but Naruto got into a seated position, whimpering, "I know Sasuke, I know." Just before passing out however. With the blonde out cold, Sasuke, now frustrated, thought, Ugh. Can't go on like this… He's blocking every move we make. I've got to find a way to out maneuver him. Suddenly calm, Sasuke grimly studied Haku's still reflection.
My eyes have finally adjusted to his movements, Sasuke realized, but Haku didn't understand the meaning of Sasuke's fixed gaze. "Looking for a counterattack?" Haku asked incorrectly, only to add, "I'll save you the trouble…" He pulled out four needles, each ready to make a Leaf genin into a pin cushion. Sending them flying straight towards Sasuke's chest, Haku hadn't expected a deflection of all four of the projectiles.
It seemed at nigh superhuman speeds, Sasuke had wrenched a senbon out of his body, and had used it to parry the new needles that were rocketing towards him. Despite being skilled enough to block the most recent attacks, the punishment the Uchiha had already taken was taking a toll on him. Sasuke fell onto one knee, and shook Naruto, "Get up loser; we've got to team up." Even though I'm aiming at his vitals now… I can't get a direct hit. It seems that Naruto's friend has grown faster since our little battle began. Haku noted, and watched as Naruto started to get up.
"I know what we have to do, believe it Sasuke!" Naruto shouted to his comrade, who knelt over him like a guardian angel. A flourish of senbon rained down onto the protector, who slashed away any of the weapons that came near to stabbing him. Deflecting all those targets, another volley shot from his right, which he had to toss Naruto away from in order to keep him from being hit. Haku realized, He's been dodging and avoiding all my attacks for some time now, it's not just luck that he and Naruto have survived. He's protecting someone now, so he is truly strong.
Grinding his teeth together, Sasuke looked down to see a fresh senbon had entered his leg, and dark crimson seeped from the new opening. I've got to stop him now, before he can unlock even more power, Haku said to himself, and he focused black power into a needle in his fingers. Suddenly leaving the visible plane, Haku had left the mirror before any had seen him move, and Sasuke shouted in shock, "He disappeared! How could he just vanish?"
Worriedly scoping out the area around him, Sasuke impatiently waited for Haku to launch his next assault. The brunette pleaded, "Naruto don't pass out again, I can't keep protecting you like this; let's go!" Seeing stars, Naruto growled, "Well then don't, I never asked for your help, I'm gonna be stronger than you –"only to fall backwards onto his head, passed out again. Sasuke turned, watching his teammate breath hard as he lied there on the ground.
"You can't revive him," Haku said, revealing his position directly above the two Leaf ninja, "He's reached his limit. It would do no use for him to suffer any more than he needs to." This time throwing his own senbon in a rage, Sasuke shot the weapon towards Haku, only for the masked ninja to move again at speeds beyond a normal human's. Now behind him, Haku whispered, "Impressive. You have excellent moves. Your attacks are very skillful." During his compliments, Haku launched his black tipped senbon right at his target, only for the brunette to narrowly dive out of the way.
"Unfortunately, it looks like you've reached your limit as well," Haku added, as if as an afterthought. "Motorfunctions," Haku said as he appeared in front of Sasuke again. Each time he added something to the list, he appeared in a random spot, moving far beyond what Sasuke could see. "Reflexes," He appeared again. "Judgement. Even your core abilities as a ninja are weakening slowly, trickling out of you like the blood from your wounds. Now you're finished."
Having stopped moving, Sasuke could now see that Haku held six needles, and was ready for the last, and his believed to be final attack. "Here he comes," Sasuke muttered as he watched Haku shift from mirror to mirror, senbon ready to fly. Stay calm, the Uchiha reassured himself. Just have to concentrate; see everything, He ordered his eyes, and he ground his teeth as he waited for the attack, having pulled two senbon from his own body ready to strike with.
Black needles flew towards him, but the genin was faster than even he thought himself. Picking up his teammate at super speeds, Sasuke had left the spot, only for six needles to sink deep into the spot where he and his friend had been resting. He saw every move, Haku thought, But how? There's no way he could beat me. Sasuke set Naruto gently onto the ground, allowing the Fox Ninja to lie down unconscious. Sasuke fell to his knees, as if struck by some jarring and impossible new pain. He held his eyes for a second, and when he got back up he opened his eyes wider than ever before.
Revealing crimson iris, the Uchiha now proudly brandished his Sharingan, one in each eye with black symbols orbiting each one, two on the left eye and one on the right. Those eyes… Haku realized, The Sharingan. Sasuke got into a battle stance, cold red eyes focused on the mask, thinking, It's not complete, but I can see through his deceptions. Haku stood there in awe, gawking at the boy's powerful new jutsu, So he too as a Kekkei Genkai: a powerful bloodline trait passed down in his clan… Even though it's not perfected, to uncover this dojutsu in the midst of a lethal battle is an impressive feat indeed. Or perhaps that is why he has become so strong, he was protecting his friend. Perhaps he had found the one that can make him stronger, the one he must protect…
The Way of Heroes
A raven haired toddler waddled over to an older, but still nine year old boy, who looked very similar to him. It would have been obvious to anyone that the two were brothers. But experience had made the elder of the two seem much older than he needed to be, especially with his sad eyes. Yes the older Uchiha may have been a genius ninja, but he had seen much more than any boy of any age should have seen.
The toddler made his way awkwardly to the other brunette, who stood in the doorway of a dim room that they both resided in. The brother warned, "Be careful Sasuke, don't fall again." Sasuke smiled brightly at his brother, showing his large front teeth broadly and uninhibited. The future orphan ran towards his brother now and he begged, "Big Brother? Could you show me your Sharingan again?"
Said Big Brother hefted the young boy up into his arms and nodded. Clapping and cheering, Sasuke laughed as soon as his sibling blinked, his dark eyes were replaced by a rotating red circle where his irises should have been, with black symbols swirling around each pupil. Sasuke cheered, impressed by his brother's Sharingan, "That's so cool Itachi! How can I get one?"
Itachi's eyes widened as he remembered something painful. Something that he had hoped to forget. He shook off the awful memories, and answered, "First you have to find someone to be important to you, then that person has to become something special to you. Once that happens, you can become stronger for that person, and then when they need you, your Sharingan will appear. They say this person, or these people that are that important to you become something beyond friends or teammates, they become nakama."
"What is 'nakama' Itachi? I've never heard that word before."
"Nakama is an ancient word. It comes from a land from a thousand years ago, a place so far and so old that there are no records of it even existing. But a few people know words that they spoke in this Ancient Kingdom. 'Nakama' was something very important to them, and some people think that it led to their destruction, but I have my doubts."
"But how will I know when I find my nakama?"
"Well when the bond between two people is so powerful they become like family, then they are nakama. When you have nakama, anything is possible. Through nakama, you can become even stronger than anything you can imagine."
"Even stronger than you Itachi?"
"Yes Sasuke, even stronger than me."
The Way of Heroes
Because of that Sharingan, I won't be able to fight much longer… Haku realized, This Ice Mirror Jutsu uses a tremendous amount of Chakra, so I must finish this boy quickly before his full power can be utilized. There is no doubt that the longer we fight, the more he will use the Sharingan to percieve my movements. Sasuke rotated his head around, finding himself surrounded by reflections of Haku in the mirrors around him.
Even now, his eyes are tracking my every movement. Every breath I take, every pump of my heart, this boy can see and analyze and understand now. The Sharingan truly is a power that has few matches, but I can outdo him as Zabuza will outdo his mentor. But I can't target him directly, he will just block any frontal attack. Haku thought, I'll have to throw him off guard, by attacking his partner. Then I can destroy him.
Shooting out of a mirror, Haku zoomed toward Naruto, and Sasuke could only watch as the ninja charged his friend. Sasuke shouted, "What? NARUTO!" Racing to meet the masked killer, Sasuke held a kunai knife up high in a last effort to protect the fallen Fox Ninja.
The Way of Heroes
Painfully holding a bleeding side, Kakashi groaned as Sakura screeched, "Kakashi-sensei!" Blood dripped from between the Sharingan Hero's fingers, hitting the bridge audibly. "You were late Kakashi," Zabuza remarked, still holding his sword ready to move again. "You let your concern for those little punks' safety cloud your mind. You lost focus, and you paid for it," Zabuza explained, and he watched as the blood poured from the gash he'd put in the legendary Leaf ninja.
"Losing focus really didn't help the fog that already hinders your eyes, did it Sharingan Kakashi?" Zabuza asked rhetorically. The jonin didn't answer, instead opting to shake off his thoughts for Luffy, who he heard grunting and shouting in the distance. He knew the Rubberboy could handle it, especially since Akame was now down and out according to Sakura.
Zabuza complimented, "Your eyes are sharp Kakashi, but not sharp enough to read my moves, not anymore. Not in this fog." Kakashi stayed quiet, locking eyes with Zabuza as they faced off. He didn't even attempt genjutsu or Killer's Haki, as he knew that the Demon would be as focused and ready as he was. Laughing, Zabuza wondered, "Come on Kakashi, why are you so quiet during this rematch of our's? I want to enjoy myself; I want to feel the hate burn through my veins as I exact my revenge on your pitiful head."
Kakashi looked towards where the mysterious masked ninja's Kekkei Genkai was, if only for an instant. Zabuza followed his gaze, knowing exactly where the man was looking without turning, "Don't worry about those little brats Kakashi. They're at Haku's mercy now. I want to end this as quickly as possible, so I would suggest making these silly mistakes of yours when he clash blades. They must be breathing their last breaths right now…" He allowed his last words to sink in, and he watched as they took hold of the pinkette and the Bridge Builder. Kakashi was boringly staying the same stoic grim, holding a kunai tight in one hand and his slash in the other.
Clenching his fist, Zabuza took his blade behind his back and held it in two hands. He ordered, "Relax! You'll have plenty of time to regret failing those little brats when you meet them again in the next life!" Now nearly completely gray, Kakashi's tired Sharingan wavered and quaked at Zabuza's words, but no tears would fall. Kakashi Hatake would not be reduced to sobbing at mere words. Kakashi didn't fear words. What the legendary Cold Killer Kakashi feared most was, failing his students. He had vowed to never fail his friends again, not after what had happened to Naruto's father, the last of Kakashi's first team.
The Way of Heroes
He waited for the right moment, just as some Clones were switching out due to fatigue, Luffy rolled onto his back and shouted, "Gum Gum Gatling!" Hundreds of super-fast punches shot into most of the Clones, destroying those unlucky enough to be hit by them. Luffy shot up onto his feet, once again taking up a fighting stance, ready to dispatch the remaining Clones.
He took count of the rest of them, seeing eight left. All of the enemy raised their arms in unison, and clapped their hands into signs, yelling in sync, "Wind Style – Gale Palm!" Shooting out a massively potent gust of slicing wind from their pointed hands, Luffy was knocked into the mirrors again, and then slammed by the repeated blasts.
I gotta, find a way out of this. That Wind is too strong, I'll have to hit them from behind somehow… Luffy thought as he summed up the situation. "I gotta figure out how to get off of defense and start attacking!" Luffy shouted out his entire strategy right then and there, but he couldn't enact on it now as soon as he prepared to run at the last Clones, they shouted, "Wind Style – Gale Palm!" And sent another blast from each of their hands.
Crashing onto his back and smashing into the dome again, Luffy groaned, "Ugh! This guy's such a cheater. He invited all his twin brothers to fight too!" Another blast from each of the Clones slammed the pirate again. And again. And again. Luffy was not so much hurt by their techniques, merely very annoyed by them. "You bastards! I can't hit you but your weak attacks can't even hurt me!"
The Rubberboy jumped in between another blast, and he used the momentum of the attack to fly up over the dome, and he landed on top of the highest point, on a spike similar to a Church's steeple. He hung off the large structure with one arm, sticking his tongue out and laughing at the ground-bound Clones. As he teased them, he failed to see them leaping up to meet him. They had all drawn senbon and in midair threw them powerfully at him. Luffy could barely shield his face and head from the onslaught, but he was forced to sacrifice his arms in the process.
The Way of Heroes
Breathing heavy, Kakashi and Zabuza both sized each other up once more. Demon stared down Hero in a silent, motionless duel where the first to flinch would die. Any doubt or hesitation would be purged from their minds, or they would die instantaneously. As soon as any thoughts infiltrated their minds and disturbed their focus, the other would attack and kill without mercy. Such was the life of a ninja, but both knew that life well. It was just a matter of who had seen more of it, and who was ready to use that experience.
"Zabuza… He said Sasuke will die," Sakura said to Tazuna, who stood behind her, "No! I won't believe that. I have faith in him." YEAH! Sasuke is gonna beat them to a pulp! He's gonna make 'em wish they were never born! Holding her head in fear, Sakura gasped, "I can't lose Sasuke!" Anyone who tries to take him from me will have to pay for it! And Naruto, I refuse to let them die! "Exactly," Kakashi responded, "I – I believe in their abilities: all three of them. Luffy can handle anything either of them can, but if they work together they will be an unstoppable force. I have faith in them. Naruto: the Number One Hyperactive Knuckleheaded Ninja. Sasuke: Heir to the Most Powerful Clan in the Hidden Leaf Village, Last of the Uchiha. And Luffy: the Leaf Village's one and only Rubberman."
Hearing this new information, Zabuza exhaled shallowly, "You mean?" "Yes, Sasuke's full name is Sasuke Uchiha. He is the sole survivor of a massacre that wiped out his entire family. He alone controls the unique powers of the Uchiha Bloodline. The Sharingan Kekkei Genkai is his birthright," Kakashi answered, and Zabuza and Sakura remembered the red and white symbol on the back of Sasuke's jacket. That's the Uchiha crest! Sakura recalled, We learned about it in class… That was what the great Madara Uchiha's Sharingan looked like! Sasuke's family is sooo important.
"Awe, I had heard that a single boy had survived the Uchiha Massacre. But I had thought those rumors would have been wrong, but I guess I underestimated them. No wonder he advances so quickly; he's got the power of the greatest geniuses your Village had ever produced flowing through his veins. But, so does Haku, and no one can match him!" Zabuza realized, and he hefted his sword up for a second attack on the Sharingan Hero. Zabuza reminded, "No one has ever survived a fight against Haku, even the most skilled jonin fall before him. Do you really think your students are more powerful than the jonin of even the ruthless Sand Anbu that have pursued us? Haku's Secret Jutsu is undefeatable, and I doubt your little Uchiha and that loud blonde brat can do anything about it. Just as you will fall before me, Haku will decimate your protégés Sharingan Kakashi."
"Sakura stay with Tazuna," ordered Kakashi, and the girl followed his command. With Kakashi in battle stance, Sakura formed a protective barrier between Tazuna and Zabuza, kunai drawn and ready to protect the mission and the Bridge Builder. Soon her Sensei would leap into action, running into the deep fog, and vanished from Sakura's sight quick enough for her to be unable to shout and stop him. He's right. It is time to end this, Kakashi thought, But he is the one who will fall! The gray haired jonin raced towards where he figured his target would be, his intuition making up for where his eyes would fail to guide him.
The Way of Heroes
As he came back around, dozens of sharp stinging pains shook through Naruto's young body. Blasts of agony shot through him with every little gesture, as any place where a needle was near hurt like Hell. Of course at this point* in the battle, nearly every inch of his body had a senbon through it. He looked up, twisting his neck to see what was going on around him and throughout the Ice Jutsu.
What he saw brought an enormous and obnoxious grin to his face and he beamed, "You beat him Sasuke!" As he stared at his seemingly victorious teammate, Naruto smiled even brightened, and he commended, "Good job!" He noticed Haku lying face-down on the ground, but that didn't bother him much. What mattered now was that they had won, together, as a team should.
Sasuke groaned, "You – ugh – always manage to – ugh – get in the way… Don't you, Naruto…" A sad smile slipped onto the Uchiha's pale lips, and he fell onto his face, hitting the bridge indelicately. It was then that Naruto saw the dozens of senbon sticking sickly out of Sasuke's arms, legs, back, and even head. Blood dripped from several of the wounds, and several holes indicated spots where the needles had been thrown straight through his adolescent body. Adrenaline surged through Naruto, and with the chemicals flooding his cells, he crawled over painlessly to his friend, who he knew didn't have much time left.
"You – ugh – you should see the stupid look on your face Naruto," Sasuke choked out, spitting blood as he finished his taunt. "You look like a total loser right now," Sasuke teased, but the blonde was very concerned about his friend, "Sasuke! What? What happened?" But instinctively, Naruto recognized the situation. This was just like when Iruka was stabbed by Mizuki, or when Kakashi was chained by the Demon Brothers. Naruto had been constantly saved, and this time someone paid the ultimate price for his wellbeing. The blonde asked, "Why? Why did you save me Sasuke?"
His generally cold, cool eyes going blank, Sasuke answered, "I don't… I don't know why. I just did." In that one instant in the time it took Naruto to blink, Sasuke's mind was elsewhere. His memories played through everything that Naruto and he had done together. Each time they fought, competed, or trained he remembered it. From training with the trees to first meeting Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke even recalled first meeting Naruto, and the day that he had broken off their friendship. Sasuke couldn't figure out what made the blonde more important to him than his own dream. His own being, his own vengeance. Sasuke's honor was the most important thing, the only thing that Sasuke had left. He had no family, no time for friends, only his own strength held any importance to him. He was the Last of the Uchiha, Successor of the Sharingan, the Avenger of the Leaf. He was a boy without a future, as his future was only written as his own, or another's death.
How could this kid become so important to him? Sasuke whispered hoarsely, "You… I hated you." "Then why? It doesn't make any sense," Naruto quivered, fearing the worst as he held his rival bleeding in his tired arms. "Why did you protect me?" Naruto barked, and Sasuke replied with a grinning silence. "ERGH! I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask for you to save me!" The Fox Ninja snapped, but for a moment the Uchiha remained quiet.
"I don't know… My body – ugh – it just moved. There was no time to think."
"SASUKE!"
"Loser…."
Naruto watched as a tear trickled down Sasuke's cheek, and he himself began to tear up. Sasuke's mind was somewhere else however, and he groaned, "He's… He's still out there. My brother. I promised myself, I wouldn't rest until I destroyed him. Him and those horrible, demonic eyes of his." The brunette's hand went to Naruto's hot cheek, and he whispered, "Naruto, don't let your dream die. Not like I did mine. You can't die, not until you become the greatest Hokage… Isn't that what you've always wanted?" While his hand fell limply, Sasuke closed his eyes, and then he was gone.
As was looking down, focusing on his friend's body, Naruto failed to sense Haku's raising presence above him. Naruto's hateful eyes stared at Sasuke's pulseless body. They burned into where Naruto had felt his heartbeat just a half minute before. Now that felt like a lifetime ago to the preteen shinobi. Haku realized something, staring at the Uchiha's body, He found the strength he didn't think that he could muster. Why? Because he was protecting someone, someone important to him. His power wasn't fueled by hate or fear, or even sadness. That boy's second wind came because of his love for Naruto. But I don't have to worry about anymore. He is a true ninja, worthy of honor.
"Is this the first time you've seen a friend die in battle?" Haku asked the mourning blonde. The crossdresser continued, "This is part of the path of becoming a ninja. This is an integral cog in the way of heroes." Returning to one of his mirrors, Haku left the regular field of battle. Naruto remained there, back turned to his enemy in what would've been a fatal position had the fight continued without interruption. "Shut up," Naruto said simply. Putting his fallen comrade down, Naruto talked to him, "I never hated you Sasuke. Not for anything you ever did. I knew that you were a good person. A good friend. I knew you were my friend, even if you didn't." Steam rose around the blonde's feet and legs where he touched the ground, and he twisted his body around threatening, "You'll pay for this."
Staying crouched next to Sasuke, steam flew off the ground as even more heat poured from the blonde's body. Ice began to melt slightly. A huge geyser of crimson energy shot up into the sky, smashing through the ceiling of the Crystal Ice Mirror Jutsu. The energy crashed back down like scarlet lightning, twisting like a writhing vermillion serpent in the air. With the flow gaining speed, it whistled like the wind as it continued to go from Naruto's body to the sky and air around him.
Feral eyes gleamed out from under his long blonde hair, orange, fox-like eyes. A fierce, savage voice hissed, "I'm gonna kill you!" Now Naruto crouched over Sasuke's body like a mother wolf protecting a cub from an enemy. Fury unlike anything Haku had seen burned from Naruto's eyes. This unbridled, animal-like hatred almost made Haku follow his instincts and run, but his curiosity and confidence made him refuse to yield. The energy circling around Naruto and his friend span faster and faster, and rose up like a great bonfire.
Haku stepped back a bit, wondering, What is this power that Naruto has? This Chakra isn't like anything I've ever fought before. Chakra cannot be seen, but this strange energy is clearly visible. This is something unholy, something eldritch. I can feel the malice, the hatred. As if I am fighting evil itself now. Within the high points of the fire, a canine face appeared, huge white fangs protruded from it's mouth and dark blue eyes pierced Haku's soul. All the needles within Naruto's body fell onto the ground, and all the blood evaporated off the ground.
Steam cleansed his skin of scab, scar, cut and hair, while his nails grew longer and wild. Naruto turned around, and bared his own newly formed fangs at his enemy. Haku fearfully dared not to think of an answer, but he asked himself, This boy… What is he? A huge monster like an ancient god released it's fury, a giant creature roared and gnashed it's horrible teeth at the world, as if begging to be let loose to destroy everything. Pure energy, pure destruction, oozed like saliva from the beast's great maw.
The Way of Heroes
Now with all of the fighters meeting on top of the Crystal Ice Mirror Jutsu, they traded blows las regularly as clockwork. Luffy would punch one of the four remaining Clones, and the copy would dodge and the three others would try to lay the Rubberboy out, only for him to dodge all three of the blows at once. Neither could give or get anything anymore, and the odds were completely matched with Luffy nearly laid up by all of the fights he'd done recently. Happy and Dasher had actually taken quite a bit out of him, and his body was still attempting to purge himself of Akame's drugs.
The pirate smashed a lucky punch into one of the Clone's heads, dispelling it. Two more stabbed Luffy in the ribs from either side with senbon, and the Rubberboy howled with pain. He yanked the needles out of himself, and threw them on the ground, then out of nowhere a heatwave shot from the roof of the Jutsu he stood on into his feet. The smell of burning flesh led to him jumping off the thing. This was just in time too, as when he turned to see what was going on, a giant crimson streak broke through the entirety of the roof of the technique, destroying the three Clones that had stayed there.
Red evil shot into the sky, and Luffy fell down in awe of the power. He shook himself in order to make himself more aware, as he knew that he had to do something about this new enemy. He didn't know what it was, but he knew he had to do something about it.
The Way of Heroes
At first not recognizing it, Kakashi wondered, What is that? Is that Zabuza's doing? However the creation of such a vile creature even paused the Demon of the Mist, and Zabuza stopped what he was doing to watch the powerful monster in awe. Sakura, Luffy, and Tazuna all gaped at the giant's power, marveling at the very existence of such a great creature. Kakashi remembered, No this can't be Zabuza! I know this Chakra! It can only be found in Tailed Beasts… Which means that Naruto's Seal has been broken! Zabuza wondered, What is this energy? Something foul. Evil, inhuman presence all around me. It must be some great beast's Chakra, but what could it be? Has the devil himself come to end my quest? Zabuza readied his sword, Because if he did, he better be up for a Hell of a fight. Where can it be coming from though? Having been unable to see the monster for himself, only feel it's presence, Zabuza searched the thick mist for a great power. But the creature's strength was so great the Demon couldn't pinpoint his location by just his sensing abilities, as there was so much raw power and Chakra that it felt like Zabuza was standing on top of it. Kakashi's eyes widened with a horrible thought, Naruto! This puts everyone in danger! I have to stop it, or the Nine-Tails could destroy us all!
AN:
*We are writers…. Puns puns puns puns puns puns puns.
Originally this chapter and this Saga in general was supposed to have much more use of the word Nakama, but in writing this chapter and after some editing, I realized the potential for this word. So Sasuke and Itachi are one of the few people that know the meaning of this word, and only those that Sasuke tells it to know it in the Leaf Village, and we all know that during this part of the series, Sasuke isn't too big on friendship.
Don't worry guys, I just need to post one more chapter this weekend and I'll be all caught up! After this Arc concludes, I will unfortunately going on Hiatus for a month, so that I way I can get ahead, get my notes together, and maybe write the episodes I skipped over.
Cya tomorrow for: White Past: Hidden Ambition! Luffy Gets Knocked Around! Naruto finally explodes, and releases the Nine-Tails's power, and Luffy gets in way over his head as usual, but this time maybe there is no one strong enough to back him up.