AN: I'm happy that I finally got to 50 reviews! I'm still new to this site, so thanks to all who read my stories and put up with some parts which I feel are not so well written... well we're all here to practice writing aren't we?
Note: A is not the Raikage of Kumo yet, I plan to make him fight the Third Raikage for the position after the time skip. However, Kirabi and Yugito are still the Jinchuriki of the eight tails and two tails respectively. (Kirabi is not acquainted with A, of course)
Also, Ogama Sennin is also known as the Emperor. (Purely personal, of course.)
To Sloucher94: Thanks for another well thought-out review. About me developing Naruto's ninjutsu style, one thing I found repetitive was the long drawn out training procedures Naruto always had in other stories, so I decided to save my readers the pain of re-reading them. But if you do insist, I might consider incorporating it into my story. Perhaps I can make him learn such jutsu through necessity as the story progresses. It would probably be some time later though.
To naruhinalover: Yeah, I actually intended for the devil part to be confusing. Is it a dream? Or perhaps some other entity trying to make Naruto its slave? I'll develop that later on. As for the Haraishin, I do intend to let him learn it, albeit an upgraded form, after the timeskip. Thanks for the review!
To Malsyn: I'm grateful that you took the time to write out a review. As for the reason as to why I have made it clear the setting is Japan, it's because I intend to convey a sense that there is always more outside of the scope of the story. I did purposefully make it this way, and in the future there will be interactions with people from other regions of the world; after all, I try to widen the setting in which I base this story in. I'm aware that the setting is not actually Japan in the anime/manga, but have made it this way to allow for other situations to crop up. After all, you can't have Japan without the rest of the world. Thanks again for submitting a review; I really appreciate it!
To Lord Anubis Judge of the dead: Yes, Shino is evacuated; he is an academy student after all. As of now, the oldest living Aburame is Muta, the next is Shino, then the few Aburame babies that were evacuated as well.
Thanks to dayfox96 and Biplis for the reviews! Now that this is out of the way...
After the Jump!
And when the Infernal Hordes are roused,
From the bowels of the Earth they come,
Clashing with the Imperial Army,
Who descend like angels from the sky.
They shall battle,
And the force of their war will be such;
The Heavens shall shake from thunderclaps,
The Earth forever scarred by raking talons.
And here, caught between the legions of Light and Dark,
Shall Humanity breathe its last.
-Deep Within The Earth-
I had lived out my existence, forever slinking in the dark. Where the giants tread, I grovelled at their feet, content with the dregs they threw to me, like the scraps a master throws to his dogs.
But no more. No longer am I Aobozu the Coward, no longer will I disgrace myself, no longer am I content with my lot.
An eternity ago, I beheld the greatness of Father Fox; his great stature was so magnificent I thought for a moment I might have been blinded; he towered above us all, as though we were ants, and he a god. I saw him burn with forsaken power, desecrating the very ground he walked upon, and since then have I wished and hoped to one day attain his power.
But he is gone now. That he has fallen is unquestionable. To be defeated by beings as puny and weak as humans? I could only wonder at how far he had fallen, to be destoyed, to be killed by those even less than us.
I knew he was dead, we felt he was dead, on that faithful day, a decade ago. We felt his presence disappear; and we rejoiced, for now we had the chance to ascend. Chaos broke out, many died; but nobody cared about me, no one bothered with such a weakling.
That was their downfall. They severely underestimated my drive, and now, here I stand, having fought, betrayed and murdered... and finally I have become powerful.
Aobozu stood on a ledge, casting his eyes out and beholding his army. An army he lied, cheated and back-stabbed to assemble. This forsaken place, deep beneath the surface, where molten magma bubbled and broiled, was the home of the Kitsune. The ground was charred and blackened by the infernal heat, the walls cracked and glowing from molten fire. Yes, this was truly the home of the Kitsune, elementals as old and ancient as the land itself.
From his vantage point, Aobozu could see the foxes, some large, some small, bicker amongst themselves. They believed he would become their new leader, and now they stood ready for battle, growling, snarling and gnashing their teeth, willing to prove themselves to the aspirant.
When the Father died, his power was scattered throughout the lands. For eleven years have I sought, and gained the scattered fragments of energy, and now, I am poised to become the Kyubi. But one final fragment remains; it resonates deep within the lands of Man. Before the week is over, I shall gain that power, and finally... ascend.
In a few hours, at midnight, they shall rampage across the lands of Man, and they will fight and die against the forces who wish to keep me at bay. They are simply tools with which to achieve my ambition; those few who survive will spend all eternity as my slaves - a fitting sentence for those who have for so long ridiculed me.
A little more, that's all I need. Just a little more.
Gamabunta stood at the forefront of his warriors, standing at the edge of Mt Myoboku. Before him the Toad army stood proudly, resplendent in their gleaming armour, carrying immense shields and wicked swords. Thousands upon thousands of them were at attention, arranged into square formations and awaiting the command of their Great Lord.
Gamabunta sat quietly and observed. His eyes roamed over the hills and plains, the rivers and mountains that made up Japan. Patiently he waited, watching for any sign of the fox spirits.
With a puff of smoke, another toad appeared by his side. "Gamabunta-sama, I have received word from Manda. He requested me to deliver the message to the Emperor, although I trust you have better use for this information: Manda has agreed to aid us in battling the foxes, and his kin are ready for battle. Katsuyu and her forces also stand at the ready, and await your signal. Also, your father, Honoured Fukasaku, has located the last remaining remnant of the Kyubi's power; it appears to be in the possession of Orochimaru, the Snake Summoner, and he appears to be somewhere in the Land of Fire."
Nodding, Gamabunta responded gruffly, "Understood, Gamakomu. Stay by my side; once the foxes appear, relay your massage to the others to begin the defence."
I'll have to split my forces; if he's in the Land of Fire, then that's where most of the foxes will attack.
But how did Orochimaru get this power? Knowing Jiraiya's old teammate, he's up to something.
-Kumo War Council-
The Raikage was tired, tired of all the reports of failure, mounting casualties and retreats. Furthermore, the last attack, and incidentally only the third assault upon Konoha, had his men spouting nonsense about red-haired, indestructible demons.
Since then, the Raikage had called a temporary halt to the attacks in order to consolidate his forces and incorporate the newly arrived reinforcements from Kirigakure into the plan of attack.
He was the Third Raikage... There was nothing he couldn't do, no obstacle that could stop Kumo's rise to power! And yet the Leaf Ninja had driven them back, the collective forces of three of the Five biggest Hidden Ninja Villages.
The Raikage was a giant of a man, towering two feet above the ground. He sported a mane of unruly white hair that contrasted with his ebony skin; a single jagged scar ran down his torso, cutting him all the way down to the abdomen. He was feared throughout the nations as the only person possible of matching and defeating Konoha's most powerful warrior: The Yellow Flash.
Originally, he had intended to overwhelm Konoha in a single day, perhaps two, but already the village had lasted more than a week; the Raikage had seen enough wars to know that if he did not end things in the next two to three months, a stalemate might occur. Furthermore, there was the added burden of keeping Iwa's forces from penetrating the borders of the Land of Fire - no easy feat for his own forces, which were spread on two fronts.
He reclined on his wooden chair, watching with unblinking eyes as Jounin commanders filed into the tent. They were seasoned veterans, all of them, but it was clear to all just how much of a stifling presence the grim Raikage was. All of them, from the eldest to the youngest, showed deference to the man; his combat prowess was unmatched, and they feared his power.
The first speaker stood, a tall ninja by any standards. "With the recent addition of almost eight hundred Kiri ninja to the invading force, we currently number two-and-a-half thousand combat-ready shinobi. If another attack is made, we would surely overwhelm Konoha's battered forces. I would recommend an all-out attack assault to be made in the following seven days, Raikage-sama."
At this, the Raikage boomed, his voice a deep baritone, "That was what you said last time... Commander Yamashita. As yet, the Leaf's spirit is strong, and will not break easily, and they will only fight harder with the arrival of new enemies. Let me make this clear: we will defeat Konoha, one way or another. Whether we stay here for two month or two years depends on how fast Konoha falls. Do not forget that our border forces are already having a hard time dealing with their Iwa allies; once Iwa has established secure routes to Konoha, a stalemate would be inevitable. And what of the 'demon' that the imaginations of the assault troops have fabricated?"
At this, a chorus of murmurs could be heard. Suddenly, a scar-faced man hailing from Suna stood; it was clear to everyone that he had lost an arm in one of the previous assaults. "Raikage-sama... I was part of the assault group... and I... saw the demon. It looked as if it were made up purely of blood, and it had so many legs, almost as if it were an octopus adapted to land travel. Its limbs were hard as steel... and they sliced off my arm. I swear - it really existed!"
The Raikage snorted derisively, deciding he had enough of this useless meeting. "We attack in three days. Send a messenger to Kumo, and request for both Jinchuriki to be transported here; make sure they are kept inside their cages - we cannot afford to have them escaping. Use this time to rest, for in seven days, we shall destroy Konoha."
With that, he flicked his wrist, dismissing all those in his presence. Once the tent was emptied, the Raikage dashed back into his personal tent and bent over; he could hold it no longer. Vomiting onto the floor, he coughed uncontrollably. I may have to personally join the attack, but in my current condition, I can't stand against the Hokage. Damn my sickness! If the others find out about it, they would certainly take advantage of it... I have to endure, and keep it a secret from the others for just a little longer; after this, I can finally fulfill what I always dreamed of doing.
Seething in rage, Hana spat in Muta's face. "YOU! You killed her! I can smell the filth of your bugs all over her! I smell blood on you... who else have you killed... WHO ELSE!"
Panic welled up from inside him. Muta inched closer, intending to explain. "W-wait... Hana! I did not-"
Suddenly, Hana let out a loud high-pitch screech, interrupting the Aburame. Seconds later, other Inuzuka appeared, surrounding him and growling. Finally, the Clan Head, Tsume Inuzuka herself dropped from the sky.
"I smell blood." Tsume snarled, prowling toward Muta. "Aburame blood. You have killed your own people... Kinslayer."
As one, they pounced, intent on killing. Twisting out of the way, Muta managed to escape at the last moment. He saw now that no amount of explaining could diffuse the rage and anger of the Inuzuka, and instead opted to run.
Easier said than done.
The Inuzuka set their dogs upon Muta, and they dashed towards him, frothing at the mouth and baying for blood. With a flick of his wrist, Muta distracted them with his kikaichu before forming a hand seal and disappearing.
He reappeared on a rooftop some distance away, and immediately sprinted for the village gates; to his dismay, the Inuzuka bounded after him, pursuing him relentlessly. They were the premier trackers of Konoha, and there was no way for him to outrun all of them.
With another hand seal, he created several bug clones, which split up in all directions. From behind, he could hear the words of his pursuers. "Split up! Capture all of them!"
Capitalizing on the momentary distraction, Muta poured every ounce of chakra into his thighs, launching himself toward Konoha's East Gate. I have to escape... It's all over if they capture me.
Running as fast as he could, the Aburame soon reached the gates... only to find his path blocked by Hana Inuzuka, flanked by her three ninken.
"Nowhere to run, traitor." Hana spat. " I can't believe I ever trusted you. Gatsuga!"
Without another word, she launched herself forward, spinning her body at high speeds and synchronising her attack with her ninken. As one, they hurled their bodies at Muta, intent on drilling a hole into his body.
Muta leapt into the air, narrowly escaping the attack. I don't want to fight you, Hana. I can't raise my hand against the woman I love. All I did was for your sake...
Not allowing him to regain his footing, Hana twisted her body around, launching another attack. "Gatsuga!"
Muta dodged again. It was clear to him that the attacks were sloppily aimed. She's blinded by anger...
Deciding to engage in close-quarters combat, Hana sped toward Muta, roaring incoherently and smashing her elbow into his side. The Aburame easily blocked the attack, but refrained from exploiting her momentary vulnerability. I-I can't hurt her.
Hana let loose a whirlwind of powerful punches and kicks, but was unable to even hit Muta. Infuriated, she charged blindly... and tripped on a loose stone.
Seeing the woman lose her footing, Muta dashed forward, catching her mid-air... and suddenly slumped unconscious onto the ground, his body cushioning Hana.
"We got him! Hana, are you hurt?" Tsume called. She had thrown a well-aimed poisoned senbon, and had managed to incapacitate the bug-user.
Confused, Hana shakily got to her feet. "N-no, I'm not hurt. Is he dead?"
"Unfortunately, no. I only had a paralyzing poison in my pouch. Come, let us report this incident to the Hokage. The bodies of his Clansmen were found dead - killed by him. He will definitely be executed." Tsume said.
With a sigh, Hana picked up the limp body of her ex-teammate, trying her best to keep her tears at bay. How could you, Muta? You killed her... you killed Jin! Oh if only I had not been so selfish! I couldn't bear leaving Jin alone, with no one, so I hid her in the Compound. If only I had not stopped her from being evacuated!
It's all your fault, Muta! I'll have your head!
-Two Hours Before Midnight-
Naruto sat on the roof of the Hokage's Residence. Every hour reports came in, each painting a bleaker picture of the situation in Konoha than the last. A few hours before, the Inuzuka reported the murder of the entire adult population of the Aburame Clan to the Hokage. He must be discussing the details of the murders. I overheard them talking, and it seems Muta is the perpetrator...
Something tells me there's more to this than meets the eye. Still, if he's lucky, he will be executed tomorrow. If not... well, there's worse things than death
If Naruto was shocked when he heard the news of his former teammate, he did not show it. Inside, he refused to believe Muta was the sort to do something like that, but what did he know about Aburame? Still, there was nothing he could do, and so he did nothing.
What he found most interesting, however, was the colour of the moon; it was a sickly red, and seemed to glow with malice; Naruto knew something was going to happen, something big. He could feel it in his veins.
The night was cold as it was quiet. No sounds could be heard, as if nothing dared disturbed the tranquillity of the darkness. The forest seemed barren, the leaves of the trees having been shed. Like mournful figures the naked trees stood, gnarled from age and stripped of the familiar green that coated them for three seasons out of four. Their naked branches seemed like the arms of sinners raised in prayer, as if to ward off an incoming evil.
A strange humming could be felt from underneath the earth. It was subtle, like an illusion, but the blond could not discount the unease that it arose. If anything, concentrating on it seemed to goad him to anger and remind him of the evil that took away his friend.
Even now, his mind reeled from the loss of Kurenai. But he was a ninja, if not in name, then in spirit, and so he would endure.
He could remember the power his rage gave him, the ease at which he killed while caught in the throes of his madness. Even now, the power inside him grew stronger, fueled by his determination to never again let the same thing happen. Where before it was but a warm glow, now it was a blazing bonfire, threatening to explode at any moment.
So he waited, not allowing himself to sleep, and instead attempted to grasp hold of his power. He wanted to mould it, to control it, not to be controlled by it. For some reason, he had a feeling that he would need to use it very soon.
-One Hour Before Midnight-
Jiraiya sighed, slumping back down into his chair. The Inuzuka had just left after giving him a full detailed report of the incident and subsequent findings.
What am I to do? Is the situation in Konoha that bad? What motive did Muta Aburame have to kill his entire clan?
So many questions, yet so little time. Konoha's dying hour draws near; the Corps has all but given up hope, and with the added psychological and military ramifications of this mass murder, Konoha will undoubtedly fall.
There was a time when I believed I could achieve anything; there was a time when I thought the village eternal. Now, as its leader, I am faced with its destruction.
In the background, the white-haired man could detect a faint humming. It was continuous and incessant, and seemed to amplify his hopelessness. For some reason, he suddenly became very irritated at the humming, and then, slowly, the irritation grew to anger.
Turning his head, he stared out the window of the Residence. Hanging high in the sky, a single baleful eye watched him, its crimson hue casting a red-tinged light over Konoha.
-Half-Hour To Midnight-
The Raikage drew himself to his full height, letting his eyes roam to the village far in the distance. The night was quiet, almost too quiet for his liking.
For some indeterminable reason, he could not sleep, and so decided to calm his nerves by heading out of the camp for a walk. Currently, he stood atop a snow-covered hill, grey cloak wrapped tight around his muscular frame.
Damned village... I can only wonder what drives them in the face of destruction. Any sane man would have surrendered long before
All of a sudden, he was overcome with the sudden urge to hit something. Just thinking about it makes me angry! How can they not bow to our superior numbers and strength!
Snarling, he sent a single chakra infused punch flying at a tree, obliterating it in an instant. Sighing, he attempted to regulate his breathing. Still, their tenacity is admirable. Why is it I feel so strongly about them?
What is making me so angry?
Coughing at the slight exertion, the Raikage made his way back to his tent, cursing the gods for inflicting such a sickness upon him.
-Fifteen Minutes Before Midnight-
Hinata gazed contemplatively at the sky, her thoughts taken up by a certain blond-haired boy.
Naruto-kun... You're all I ever think about these days. I have so many questions... and so many things I want to tell you.
Where are you? Where did you go?
I would gladly give anything to be with you, not that I have anything to give in the first place. Are you looking at the same sky? Do you see the moon, the red moon that seems to weep for our bleak and disappointing lives? And why does looking at the moon fill me with dread?
In the time I have been here, I have made friends, something I had not thought possible. It seems a lifetime ago when I could only dream of people respecting me for who I am.
But I do not need their respect, nor do I crave it... not anymore. The only person that matters to me is you, Naruto-kun, and I hope that one day you might see me for who I am, and love me.
Are you even alive? Or are these simply the delirious thoughts of a lovesick fool?
-Midnight, The Shogun's Fortress-
"Shogun-sama! You have to see this personally!" Muneyoshi shouted frantically.
The Shogun frowned. He had never seen such an expression on his most loyal warrior before. He certainly never thought he would see the day when the samurai actually panicked. Deciding that something was indeed afoot, he got up, and without a further word, followed his subordinate out of the chamber.
Muneyoshi half-walked half-ran toward the battlements, where he halted, and gestured at the horizon.
The Shogun's eyes widened.
Far out in the forest, trees were burning, illuminating the night with a fiery glow. The ground cracked, and crimson tides rose from the ground, uprooting trees in a horrendous cacophony of destruction.
Explosions rang out, and more of the red tide appeared, bursting from the cratered ground like pus from an infected wound.
Then, cracks appeared in the plain leading up to the fortress.
The very earth was split in two, and out came a raging demon. It stood almost ten stories tall, its crimson, slitted eyes glazed with madness and its teeth bared in murderous glee. The great demon drew itself to its full height, roaring out into the night, raising its great claws and swiping at the stone walls of the fortress.
The men atop the battlements were quivering in fear at the elemental power the demon seemed to exude, but did not back down. Recovering from his initial shock, the Shogun screamed out his orders, "Man the ballistae! Fire at will!"
The claw of the beast connected with stone, cleaving a large chunk of rock from the fortress. Men fell screaming from the crumbling walls as they met their doom.
"Stand fast warriors! Attack!" The Shogun barked. As one, the ballistae fired, and the bolts pierced the hide of the towering demon, causing it to scream out in pain. As one, the archers and crossbowmen joined in the frantic battle letting loose a hail of arrows and bolts.
The ballistae were reloaded, and again they fired at the beast, who was now swatting blindly at the fortress. Finally, it could take no more, and with a final terrifying roar it collapsed and melted into the ground.
Breathing a sigh of relief, the Shogun cast his eyes to the horizon. And gasped.
Waves of fox-like beasts arose from the ground, some as tall as the fortress itself, some little bigger than a human. As one, they rampaged across the landscape, smashing through trees and razing the human settlements located not so far from the Fortress.
They are destroying the villages!
In the distance, sounds of frenzied destruction rang out into the night, and the Shogun could only cower in fear from atop the Fortress battlements. Small figures could be seen fleeing down the great road leading to the Fortress itself, screaming out prayers to their gods and begging for entrance.
"Open the gates! Let them through; keep the ballistae loaded at all times! Fire when the targets are in sight!" The Shogun commanded.
Suddenly more of the accursed demons exploded from the ground right in front of the Fortress gates, rending through the fleeing villagers. These were barely the size of a grown man, but they made up for their lack of size with an unmatched ferocity in battle. As one, they poured into the opening gates, overrunning the men and slashing their stomachs open. Sickening squelches could be heard; the kitsune were feasting on the exposed guts of their victims.
Once more, another demon, this one bigger than the fortress itself, burst from the now steaming ground. Again the ballistae twanged, sending a hail of sharpened projectiles hurtling into the beast. This time, the beast did not even bat an eyelid.
All of a sudden, it laughed. It was a horrible grating sound that echoed in the ears of the men, sending them to the ground, quivering in fear at the sheer malice it exuded. "HUMANS? TRYING TO BATTLE ME? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH! TODAY, YOU ALL DIE!"
With a roar, it raised its clawed limbs, sending it smashing down upon the fortress.
The Shogun closed his eyes, waiting for death to claim him. It ends here. After years of politics, rivalries and bitter wars, I shall finally meet my death.
But death did not come.
A blurred figure smashed into the kitsune, sending it sprawling into the forest and causing the ground to quake with the force.
Where the demon once stood, a gigantic toad equal to it in size now crouched, shield and sword held firmly in its webbed hands. "NOT TODAY, FOX."
Brandishing its shield, the toad lunged at the fox, barrelling into it and sending it flying further into the forest.
The sky seemed ablaze with a thousand shooting stars, lighting up the heavens like angels descending upon the world. Just as the crimson tides seemed to swamp the land as far as the eye could see, so the stars filled the sky, crashing to the ground and causing the earth to quake.
Another star crashed behind the Fortress. The smoke cleared, revealing another giant toad that ran to aid its comrades. But for every toad, two more kitsune appeared, engaging its enemies in titanic battle that ravaged the land.
It was as if it were a choreography of destruction. The fox-demons smashed, clawed, snarled and bit, while the toads gave as good as they got, slashing, hacking, bashing, twisting and gyrating.
In the middle of it all, were the awestruck men and women that watched the ensuing melee with morbid fascination.
To say that the Shogun was speechless would be an understatement. Such elemental fury. Truly this is the stuff of which legends are borne from.
-Back In Konoha-
Naruto could only stare dumbstruck. Like a tsunami the demons rampaged across the forest, breaking through the village walls and destroying anything they could get their hands across. Fear rose within his gut, but he bounded toward them nonetheless in a futile attempt at battle.
Then the toads came. Objects fell from the sky, revealing themselves to be humongous gleaming warriors that rivaled the demons. As one, they advanced, attacking in disciplined formations, hacking and slashing at the crazed foxes.
But the tide of destruction was too much. Slowly, surely, the toads were driven back into the village, falling against the relentless onslaught.
Then, like a silent tide of death, a hissing sound increased in volume, until finally it blotted out all other sounds. Snakes as giant as the other titanic warriors emerged from the ground, coiling around the foxes and constricting, crushing the life from their bodies. With swift, fluid motions, their tails whipped around with such speed they severed the heads of their foes.
In sheer bloody-minded foolishness, Naruto made a hand sign, screaming, "Tajuu Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!" Thousands of solid clones appeared, and as one, they jumped head-first onto a struggling fox currently battling an armored toad.
The fox snarled, swatting at the clones and dispelling more than a couple of them. "FOOLISH HUMAN. YOU DARE ATTACK ME?"
Capitalizing on his enemy's momentary distraction, the toad lunged with his sword, shouting, "DON'T GET DISTRACTED; YOUR ENEMY IS ME!"
The sword pierced through the breast of the demon, sending it writhing in pain. The toad forced the sword downward, carving the fox's body in two. Turning, it addressed Naruto, "YOU ARE BRAVE, YOUNG NINJA. YOU REMIND ME OF JIRAIYA, THE TOAD SENNIN."
Panting, Naruto dispelled the remainder of his clones and leapt onto the toad's head. "You know Jiraiya-sensei?"
Nodding, the toad replied, "SO HE IS YOUR TEACHER. I AM GAMAKEN, ONE OF THE PROTECTORS OF MT MYOBOKU. PERHAPS YOU MAY BE ABLE TO AID ME IN THIS BATTLE; STAY ON MY HEAD AND BE CAREFUL."
Then he bounded back into the battle, leaving Naruto hanging on for dear life.
-A Few Miles From Konoha-
"Gamabunta! What's happening?" Jiraiya asked, quite flustered from the day's events. I get to deal with a mass murder, a war with Kumo, and another war between god knows who. My life sucks.
"JUST QUIET DOWN, BOY. IF YOU MUST KNOW, THE FOXES ARE TURNING THE LAND OF FIRE UPSIDE DOWN TRYING TO FIND THE LAST REMNANT OF THE KYUBI'S POWER." Gamabunta intoned. He was bounding through the forest as fast as he could, trying to find Orochimaru.
"The Kyubi's power? He's sealed inside Naruto!" Jiraiya shouted, becoming very confused.
"THE KYUBI'S DEAD! GET THAT INTO YOUR THICK HEAD! NOW SHUT UP. WE HAVE TO FIND OROCHIMARU; IT SEEMS HE IS IN POSSESSION OF THE FINAL FRAGMENT OF THE KYUBI"S POWER. HOW HE CAME TO ACQUIRE IT I DO NOT KNOW." Gamabunta snorted, annoyed at Jiraiya's apparent ignorance.
Damn it! Now I find Naruto does not hold the Kyubi, and Orochimaru has some secret power? What the fuck?
Come to think of it, that must be what he was looking for the last time he came to the village! Suddenly, understanding dawned upon the Hokage. He stole the remnant of power from Naruto!
-Konoha's Prison Cells-
Muta sat alone in the dank prison cell, contemplating his actions. Tomorrow, it's all going to end. I'm going to be executed. There was so much more I had wished to do...
It's too late no-
An explosion jolted him from his thoughts. He could hear the faint cries of battle and could feel the quaking of the earth. What could that be? Another attack? This is a chance for me to escape!
Creeping to the iron bars of his cell, he noticed that no guards could be seen. What could warrant even the absence of the prison guards? At least that means less people to deal with.
Muta summoned every one of the kikaichu that lived within his body, compressing them into a ball and sending them hurtling toward the bars, smashing the gates apart. How complacent. They didn't even bother to suppress my chakra or separate my kikaichu.
Silently, he crept out of the prison complex. Strangely, not a single guard could be seen. Only the faint snoring of some other unlucky prisoners could be heard. Finally, he reached the entrance, although he found it locked.
Deciding he had enough of being confined, Muta smashed the portal open... and gasped at the scene of destruction. Towering over the village were great beasts engaged in battles of humongous proportions. So that's what happened. I can take advantage of this and escape.
Without another word, he sprinted in the opposite direction that the battles were taking place, toward the South Gate. Please keep safe, Hana. I promise I will meet you again, and when I do, I'll explain the truth.
AN: That's the chapter, Read and Review!
You know, up till now, I was pretty certain I was going to kill off Jiraiya, but now, not so sure. Do you want him to die? If so, how?
Also, Naruto is not going to get much training until later in the fic, but would you want me to write out the entire training sequence?