PHILOSOPHIES
Haku looked forward to the receding debris as she brought her palm down slowly,
"You served as a short amusement for a while but your journey ends here, Mizukage."
Mei lay face first on the cold earth unmoving on a pool of blood as rumbles were heard from collisions over the battlefield, Haku looked at her before turning and walking away.
"Where the hell is Iruka?" she muttered before she heard a huge explosion in the village.
Naruto huh.
"Am I not worth killing that you would leave me here?" Mei's voice spoke painfully as she gritted her teeth.
Haku stopped, looking back to Mei's prone figure with a side glance. Her eyes narrowed slowly.
"Toshiro requested you shouldn't be killed, I'm just extending a courtesy mind you."
Mei gasped as a senbon went through her neck as Haku concluded.
"Don't think of it as mercy, just go to sleep before you change my mind."
Those were the last words Haku spoke as Mei drifted into unconsciousness. A short distance away, a bloodied Chojuro was unmoving, probably dead, as a large lance of ice pierced through him and into a tree.
The great sword, not seen.
…
"You are never going to stop being afraid of me, are you, Temari?" Gaara spoke, as he made his way forward to a scared Temari.
With her body shaking she muttered, "G…Gaara"
"Time has been fair to you, you look even more beautiful, sister. How have you been?" Gaara spoke with a smile on his face.
"How have I been?" Temari muttered before her body began to shake, she began to chuckle as it evolved into laughter to which Gaara frowned a bit.
"How have I been?! You had the mind to kill our father, destroy our home, and you dare to ask me how I have been?! How dare you Gaara?! How dare you?!" Temari spoke furious, her earlier fright vanishing as she looked at Gaara with a vengeful stare.
"I see. How much do you want to kill me?!" Gaara asked humorlessly; wanting to hear her thoughts.
"So much that it fucking hurts! As if that was not enough, your comrade killed Kankuro!" Temari spat out in anger that tears began to leak out of her eyes.
"I always thought you weren't a monster, even though I distanced myself from you. But now, all that is clear." Temari spoke silently to a stoic Gaara.
"I see." He muttered before he looked down.
He slowly clenched his fist as he muttered "Sure, Rasa was my parent."
Gaara then looked fiercely into his eyes "…but he was never my father."
Temari's eyes widened as she snarled "How dare you… you bastard?!"
"A father does not turn his child into a weapon." Gaara spoke, his voice slowly rising. His expression turning to one of spite "A father does not tell his son that he will never find someone to call friend. A father, does not hire an assassin to kill his son!"
Gaara spoke out, his own frustration showing. Temari gritted her teeth as Gaara snarled at her, his eyes flashing golden for a moment.
"He didn't even have the balls to do it himself! So tell me Temari, was Rasa my father?!"
Silence was all that greeted Gaara as Temari didn't say a word; she just gritted her teeth as she looked at Gaara, who continued.
"You act righteous like you are innocent of all this! You Kankuro, Rasa, you all were the cause of all this. Circumstances with you made me to be who I am… a monster." Gaara spat out as he continued.
"When I needed love from my family, I was thrown aside like some trash; a burden I never wanted was cast upon me by my father, and when he finally saw the result of his decision, he called me an abomination straight to my face."
"So tell me Temari," Gaara spoke walking forward until he was in front of her looking at her form on the ground. "Who is the monster?"
A brief silence went through the area as Temari looked down for a moment. A grimace spread across her face as she looked conflicted.
"Your anger may be rightly placed." Temari spoke, standing up slowly due to the exhaustion that plagued her body. She then used her hand to lean to a tree. "But did the village have to pay for all that?!"
She asked slowly as Gaara narrowed his eyes. "What?"
"You completely murdered families, created unnecessary hate towards yourself. If you wanted us why didn't you come after us yourself?"
"You never knew did you?" Gaara replied as he looked to the skies "You never knew of what I was exposed to in the village."
"What are you talking about?"
"The attack of the Ichibi before I was born was devastating. And an attack like that will always lead to vengeful enemies. Unlike Naruto who was ignored all his life, I was attacked. And the most funny thing,"
Gaara spoke chuckling
"…is that Rasa actually approved of it."
"No!" Temari yelled vehemently. "Father would never-"
"Ah but he did…" Gaara spoke with a dark smirk, interrupting her. He began to walk around a shocked Temari. "If he denied them the chance to vent their frustration, it might lead to an insurgence, which he would like to avoid. Also, he knew that the Ichibi would not let me die so killing them will teach them not to come closer to me. And if they got successful in killing me he takes care of me and them at a go."
"No." Temari widened her eyes as tears threatened to pour out again. Gaara looked directly into her eyes as her world was shaken.
"That is the type of man you call 'father'. That is the type of man you expect me to call father. I feel no sympathy in killing him, or destroying the village. The world is better off without one sided thinkers."
Tears flowed out freely from Temari's eyes, as Gaara muttered.
"Apologies, penitence, all that does not matter. What's done is done."
Temari looked at him sadly as she clenched her fist to the point that blood began to flow to the stone cold earth. She then looked forward with a stern look on her face.
"But do you think that justifies your actions? Do you assume that you are some sort of god that decides the fate of people like that?!"
"god?" Gaara chuckled in amusement, "Please I am not that arrogant. I don't believe there is a god in this world. In my belief a god is someone that would have saved your village, stopped the wars; prevent this twisted system from ever taking place. Yes, there is no such thing as a god!" Gaara spoke with his arms outstretched.
"Then why are you following Naruto. Do you believe him to be a god?"
Gaara laid his hands down as he looked to the red skies.
"I follow Naruto because although his way seems bad. He really wants to change the world, and I am someone who is just caught up in his…philosophy. Another fact is that he will definitely, without a moment's hesitation, give his life for me because we are friends"
Temari looked at Gaara as she spoke mirthlessly.
"Idiot. Usually, a person, or a group might have a good plan in mind, but how it is executed matters. Naruto wants to create a land where everyone is evolved. It may sound as a good plan but delusional!"
Gaara's eyes narrowed at the comment. "Temari-"
"He should be able to convince people. If they want it done, fine! If not, don't use force on them! Naruto should have called the Kage or the daimyos to discuss extensively. He had power; his words would have been given a thought! If you were really trying to change the world, you all were supposed to be humane in everything you did, not through destruction!"
"Temari-"
"Let me finish! Don't show force; that is in an 'I can do it' motion! He could be right, but from the moment he decided to use force, it turned to a different thing entirely; people didn't understand his 'good' intention, more especially, now that there are other political opponents like the Akatsuki!"
"So what are you saying?" Gaara spoke as he looked slightly affected by the words of his older sister. His breathing was becoming labored.
"What I am saying is what everyone has been afraid to tell you to your faces." Temari spoke grabbing his red cloak and looking into his eyes. "You aren't on a path to peace. Just on a revenge mission!"
Gaara's eyes widened as Temari's words really had an impact in his thinking process.
"W… What?!"
Temari seeing this pushed deeper, "Think about everything! You destroyed Sunagakure; led the world to war! And now what are you doing, destroying Konohagakure! Tell me Gaara, of what purpose does destroying Konoha have in ensuring peace? Tell me! I'm going to tell you a simple fact Gaara! Jinchuuriki or not, you were never Insurgents from the moment you decided to destroy Sunagakure, you became terrorists!"
Gaara looked at Temari, his eyes widened as he digested the words of his sister. His pupils began to constrict as the words repeated itself over and over again,
Terrorists.
Was that what they were exactly? Just a renegade of Jinchuuriki that decided to end everything. Or were they just satisfying their own need for vengeance. Gaara was caught in a conflicted place, before the conversation with his father came to mind,
…
"Y… You id…iot." Rasa heaved out. "H… How are you going to rebuild a world with no people in it? You killed every citizen here in your quest for vengeance. If this continues, the world would end and you would be all alone. Is that what you truly want?! Tell me Gaara!"
"Maybe, maybe not." Gaara replied looking to the skies. "The thing is… I don't care anymore. I found people that I could call friends; people that I could place my trust on without doubting. Regardless the state of the world, long as I have those people beside me I am never going to be alone."
…
Gaara began to chuckle as Temari shifted back a bit a little bit stunned.
"Temari, you were always good in scolding Kankuro weren't you? Sometimes, I really wished you did that to me so I could know what it felt like to be in a family, but, like everything, it waned over time. Let me tell you something,"
Gaara spoke, his eyes looking sternly at Temari who steeled her face.
"Your views are understandable, and would probably work if given a decent amount of thought. But there is something you should know. This world is…delusional, the system was made in delusion, the people, shinobi and civilians are in delusion! You and I are in delusion. But it comes a time when someone actually sees the world for what it is, a thoroughly misguided world. And that person is Naruto."
Temari shifted her head in the negative. "No, I-"
"No… Let me rephrase my earlier statement. Your plan will never work even if given a decent amount of thought, because of one simple reason that had spurned us from the beginning, the Genesis of everything." Gaara grinned in justification. "Human greed! This world my dear sister never wants peace. War, strife, and chaos is when it is the most fertile! So tell me, why it would want to give it up?"
Temari let go of Gaara's shirt as he kept his smirk,
"Whether our plan fails or not, I don't care. I will follow Naruto wherever he goes, because that is what friends do."
Temari chuckled hopelessly,
"It seems it was too late for my kind of thought, but let me say something, a true friend knows what is right from wrong, and deters the other from committing the bad acts. Now that I think about it, nothing I say would actually change a thing. You are at the precipice of everything, there is no going back now. So tell me Gaara."
Temari spoke leaning against a tree, as her legs were screaming against her to lie down, but she persevered. She exhaled, shifting her eyes to him.
"Are you going to kill me?"
A slow silence went through the place as Gaara looked at her, before he answered.
"I wouldn't, it wasn't my intention for Kankuro to die; though there must be a casualty when facing Fu. You were actually lucky you lived."
A huge chakra swept over the land as Temari's eyes widened.
"What the-"
The chakra was so oppressive that Temari hugged herself to the tree as sweat began to dribble down her scalp, she panted in and out as a terrified expression came on her face.
Just as it came, it vanished.
Gaara just smirked, "That was Naruto's pure power. You now know what you are dealing with don't you?"
Temari's eyes shook in terror, That was… chakra?!
"I will leave you to your fate. Naruto should going against the Hokage now. I really enjoyed reminiscing with you, sister. Till we meet again."
Temari, having too much in her system closed her eyes slowly as she watched Gaara slowly dissipate to the air. His eyes never leaving hers,
Gaara.
That was the final thought as Temari drifted into unconsciousness.
…
Gaara reformed on the Hokage statue faces as he looked down on the village.
"You are late, Gaara." Gaara turned back to see Haku sitting on a tree branch alongside Fu.
"I had business to attend to, where is Iruka and Toshiro?" Gaara asked as he scanned the surroundings.
"Iruka is lazing about, Toshiro said he had something to do." Fu spoke dropping to the earth silently, as she went towards Gaara as Haku looked on,
"So what was this business of yours?" Fu asked with a mischievous look on her face.
Gaara looked at Fu before he turned back to looking at the village.
"I went to see my sister."
"Oh, Temari huh." Fu spoke as a slight regretful look came on her face. "I'm sorry with what happened to your brother. I really am-"
"There's no need." Gaara spoke folding his arms. "It doesn't change anything."
"I see." Fu added before looking down. "Well, all is accounted for except Naruto."
"He should be meeting the Hokage by now." Haku spoke as a Sand eye made by Gaara went down to the village.
"Let's see what is happening over there."
…
The Elemental nations was a place of strife, suffering, war, betrayal and any horrible metaphor you could think of. But what made the Elemental nations so peculiar is that it was always interesting; in each of the destructive descriptions given above; legendary things were bound to happen.
In the first Shinobi world war, the world saw the clash of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama; in the second Shinobi war, the world saw the clash between the Second Hokage and the Golden Silver brothers, Kinkaku and Ginkaku; the third Shinobi world war introduced the Yellow Flash of Konoha, in which he decimated the entirety of Iwagakure's forces in a flash; and those were just the precipices of events that took place, clashes that involved the Third Raikage, the Third Hokage and numerous other legendary figures in the Shinobi world was enough for a great tale.
So now after the Fourth Shinobi world war, we find two individuals greatly far apart in age, experience, and ideals. Individuals who were once on the same page, individuals who wished to change the world forever now against each other.
Uzumaki Naruto looked towards Hiruzen Sarutobi, a serious look on his face as he assessed the situation. He looked to Hiruzen's side to see A looking at him with unrestrained anger.
I feel a strange chakra building up. Naruto's pupils scanned the entirety of the village, a frown came on his face as his pupils shifted to Hiruzen's steeled ones.
The chakra is everywhere… just what are you planning, Hiruzen?
He turned his gaze towards A as his frown deepened, I don't know how he escaped, from my attack. I was certain I killed him in Iwagakure.
Naruto then smirked. Well it's not like I have anything to be afraid of. I just have to be cautious, Hiruzen wasn't termed the 'god of shinobi' for nothing.
Naruto's returned his gaze to Hiruzen musing. The third Hokage, well known for his tactical planning. Because of his combined effort, Konoha was able to resist the Third Shinobi War and incurred less damages. Though he is no more in his prime, I have to be careful here.
Naruto then spoke with a condescending smirk, "Raikage-sama"
"Shut the fuck up Uzumaki!" A growled.
"Colorful choice of words I see." Naruto muttered "If you don't mind me asking how you escaped my Tailed Beast Bomb? I was pretty sure I killed you."
A gritted his teeth as scars from the battle hit him; it was just luck that he escaped from that final attack; as he was enveloped by the blast, Mabui in Kumogakure had performed a Teleportation technique that instantly reverse summoned him to Kumogakure.
But he would not tell this enemy in front of him that. It was an amateur move. Right now they were bidding for time, if they got it then it would be over.
A just crouched as his lightning armor covered his entire body.
"Not saying anything I see." Naruto muttered before his face began to lose all traces of humor. "You know that would not work on me. I hate ignorance."
Naruto spoke before Hiruzen decided to say his first words in a while to Naruto.
"What happened Naruto? Where did we go wrong?"
"From the very beginning, Hokage. You were just too blind to see it. You were always blind to everything, even the genjutsu Danzo put you under." Naruto spoke with a smirk.
"What are you talking about?" Hiruzen asked in stunned silence.
"The Kotoamatsukami, the eye of Uchiha Shisui, the eye said to put anyone in a genjutsu to a degree that he or she wouldn't notice it working."
Hiruzen slowly widened his eyes at the revelation, as A gained an astonished look,
What is he talking about?!
"He made you play slowly right into his hands, making you think you were resistant to his motives, eventually he almost got what he wanted, had Toshiro not killed him..."
Hiruzen's shocked look went on as he thought, "It can't be…? How do you know of this?"
"That is for me only. Let just say due to a friend I've been able to sense it. I just didn't say anything because it would assist me in my goals."
Danzo… I can't believe he would do this. But I cannot falter, I must hold my ground, rebuking myself will come later. For now.
Hiruzen thought, looking ahead to Naruto,
I have to take care of Naruto.
A slow silence came through the area as Hiruzen thought, We cannot fight him yet, it's not yet time, we need to buy time.
"So why, why do you do this, of what purpose does fighting the world have to with achieving your goal?" Hiruzen spoke as a stern look came on his face.
"Simple, to show my might. If I can show the world firsthand that I have the power to completely dominate everything. Then they will understand that I mean business; this goes hand in hand in procuring peace, Hokage-sama." Naruto spoke scathingly
"Why do you wish to change this world, Naruto?! You decided to go against a system that is already being accepted."
"As I spoke to Gaara," Naruto began. "This world is in delusion because the system is delusional. Everything was done in delusion; people are becoming extremists. Extremism cannot put people of different persuasions together, that is the case with the five great villages. If you want to rule the world you have to be in the middle. Extremism with extreme ideas do not work. You have to go to the middle and carry everyone along, no great or small villages, no corrupt and uncorrupt. Everything will be under one empire, my empire!"
"Naruto," Hiruzen spoke, "you are still a child."
Naruto frowned deeply at that statement as his chakra began to build up.
"What did you just say?!"
"Extremism means you take an idea to the extreme!" Hiruzen spoke stamping his bo-staff to the roof of the building he was on, A stood upright as his lightning cloak dissipated. "You are in search of answers that is very vital to this world but you have gone extreme. No matter your ideas or dreams, the moment the world begins to take a stand against you; you've failed."
A folded his arms as he added.
"Tell me Naruto, if you take cake baked by two different women, the cake hardly tastes the same is it not?"
Naruto's eyes narrowed as he muttered. "What the fuck are you getting at?"
"What I am saying is that human experience determines perfection. Many Kage from time past needed experience in whatever they did; very few have experience even in governance, except for those that have led the country for years that have story to tell. You don't govern this world without experience, Naruto, and you do not simply have that."
"I see." Naruto spoke with his eyes shadowed. "Well let me ask you my question, Raikage-"
"Hmmm?" A's eyes narrowed as Naruto muttered.
"What then made experience a requirement?"
What are you getting at? Before they widened in unbelief. I see…!
"Don't tell me, is that your goal? To wipe the core off?!"
Hiruzen looked shocked at Naruto who smirked, "You cannot be serious Naruto?! What are you thinking?! You want to destabilize the world?"
"I have everything in order. Every nation would become one as I govern everything."
Naruto outstretched his arms as it began to rain to the earth; "That has always been the goal of evolution, every individual shows his through colors when hope is lost. I intend to make it happen?"
Naruto spoke cryptically as his smirk deepened, under the downpour.
"It will never come to fruition Naruto." Hiruzen spoke as he brought up his palm in a ram sign; his left palm holding the bo-staff.
Suddenly a red illumination filled the entire village. Naruto narrowed his eyes as he looked around.
What is happening…?
"This will end everything Naruto." Hiruzen spoke as his gaze softened before they hardened back. There was no going back from this.
…
Gaara widened his eyes, What the hell… "Don't tell me? Naruto!"
"What is happening?" Fu spoke in shock as she looked down to the village
"Unbelievable!"
Haku just looked down as she spoke in awe, "What is that?"
In the awe of many, the entirety of Konoha was covered by a red dome barrier. The ominous chakra leaking out of it was astounding.
Toshiro looked with wide eyes from the edge of the village where Haku battled with the Mizukage.
"What is that?! Naruto is in there!"
As Toshiro was about to move Mei's voice stopped him in a whisper, "It's over, Toshiro."
Toshiro turned as he looked at Mei. Grabbing her by the cloth, he pulled her up, not caring for her pained expression, "What are you saying?!"
"It's what I said." Mei said looking down in sadness, "It's over for your nephew."
…
Naruto looked up to the red barrier that shielded the entire village.
This was it huh… the chakra I felt earlier. Why does this feel nostalgic?
Hiruzen spoke, "The forbidden scroll you took, possessed the techniques of Uzumaki Kuragari, your ancestor. It was placed there by Uzumaki Mito; that I am sure you know. But the question still lingers."
Naruto's eyes narrowed as he looked directly at the two Kage.
"How was Uzumaki Kuragari defeated? I was privileged to listen about him from Mito and I took note of his abilities; his godlike power. Each battle you fought, was researched by Danzo's ROOT and we came to the conclusion that in a way, you inherited his power. How that was possible was beyond me, seeing as Toshiro didn't possess it. His mother Uzumaki Sayomi focused on the sealing arts thought to her by Mito so we weren't sure if it was a bloodline trait."
Naruto didn't make an effort to move, he just listened.
"Mito gave us the sealing formula used to defeat him. You really have ascended in power, but your limit lies here, Naruto."
Naruto's eyes widened as an unknown force pinned him down.
I can't move!
In an instant, red glowing chains attached themselves to a roaring Naruto, whose chakra kept spiking to unreal levels.
"Incredible!" Hiruzen muttered as the surroundings around Naruto began to disintegrate due to his chakra gaining a black tint, surrounding him disintegrating some of the sealing chains.
"This cannot hold me down, Hokage!" Naruto roared as Hiruzen persevered.
"This should be enough to hold your power down, Naruto!" Hiruzen roared as his chakra spiked to. To both add more power to the attack and also defend against the pressure Naruto's chakra made to the surroundings.
"Even Kuragari couldn't escape from this! What makes you think you can?!"
A clasped both his palms as he too roared together; Hiruzen looked forward as the two Kages were completely covered in their own respective chakra shrouds.
RARGH!
Naruto roared in fury as more sealing chains pierced themselves through Naruto, before wrapping around him, covering him entirely.
Hiruzen gritted his teeth as he added more chakra into the seal, blood rushing out of his nose into his lips, to which he cared little for.
Hiruzen's eyes turned red as veins protruded from his head due to the strain put on his body. Hiruzen looked forward as a tear went down his cheek.
Naruto, I am really sorry. I really am. I've failed you, I have failed your mother, your father. I have failed myself. But, I have an obligation, to protect Konoha from threats. Even though this is not the Konoha your father gave his life for.
It is still the village the first Hokage created. Created for everyone to live in peace and harmony. I have been tasked to ensure that the peace is kept. No matter the consequences. Even if it means, you die.
Naruto, who was completely covered was slowly absorbed into the ground as a sealing matrix emerged from every edge of the village walls. He and Hiruzen looked at each other as Naruto finally was sealed, the ground of the village formed a huge black spiral runic structure that completed a full circle to where Naruto was sealed.
The entire land embraced silence as the rain stopped falling to the earth. Hiruzen and A placed their palms down as they heaved in and out.
Every single shinobi that you've killed have given their life energy to create this. It's over Naruto.
A silent gust of wind blew by the village as the silence ended, with the rain, resuming its downpour.
…
"I cannot sense him anymore." Gaara spoke in stunned silence as he and Haku looked down in shock.
Fu just looked forward, an emotionless expression on her face, No, Get up Naruto. Please get up!
Toshiro just looked at the red barrier in front of him as he couldn't get into the village.
"Naruto. Why can't I sense you?!"
Toshiro yelled in frustration.
"I told you, it's over."
"What did you do?" Toshiro asked silently. Mei walked till she was beside him.
"This is a sealing technique the Hokage got from Uzumaki Mito that was used to seal Uzumaki Kuragari."
"What?!" Toshiro yelled before looking down at Mito, "How do you disable it?!"
"Because of what it was used for it was never meant to be disabled. They didn't want a situation where he would be free. Because then, nothing would be able to hold him down anymore."
Toshiro roared in anger, "Damn it!" as he pounded on the barrier with power; but it didn't show any sign of budging.
…
"For him to elicit this destruction." A muttered as he looked at Konoha, completely destroyed
"We will have to rebuild. We took care of a menace that was going to destroy everything. It should be expected that this would happen." Hiruzen added
"But why did you make your village the battleground? You would have saved yourself a lot of trouble."
"No matter what, I just had to bring him back home." Hiruzen replied as he looked solemnly at the center of the matrix. I can't trust anyone with his power.
"What do we do about his comrades?" A asked, "We would not be able to face them alone."
Hiruzen spoke, "Naruto's defeat would rattle them; they would simply retreat. At least I hope that's what happens. Don't want to be dealing with an angry reprisal. Anyways, we are done with the main problem."
Hiruzen looked to the matrix as he muttered.
Forgive me, Naruto. It's over.
…
Naruto looked forward to the darkness that was surrounding him.
"Sealed, after everything that I have fought to accomplish, I get defeated here." He chuckled. "What a joke! I cannot fall here, I can never fall here!"
Naruto looked astounded as he chuckled a bit, Shinju… Kurama are you there?!
"Where Are You?!"
Silence… was all that greeted Naruto, as he began to look around with his eyes widened as a thought came to him,
"I'm… alone?"
Naruto's expression began to fall as he looked stunned to the darkness surrounding him.
Will I stay here for eternity? Was this how Kuragari felt, alone? No, I cannot be alone! I just can't.
…
"I have a question for you, Naruto." A feminine voice rang out as a younger Naruto spoke digging into his Ramen with his chopsticks.
"Sure, you can ask anything, Ayame."
"Are you going to leave the village?"
The chopsticks were halted in the bowl as a young Naruto looked stunned towards Ayame who reciprocated the action with a stern look.
"W…What?"
"It's just a question." Ayame spoke simply looking into Naruto's eyes.
"How did that just come into your mind?"
"I came earlier to your apartment to give you a gift for your genin exams when I saw your apartment empty. Well emptier than it usually is."
"I see." Naruto spoke as he looked down.
"Were you expecting to go without even saying so much as a goodbye?"
"It's not like that Ayame." Naruto spoke as he looked down. "I just can't say."
"Why are you leaving, Naruto?" Ayame asked sitting down on the other side of the counter.
"I have a dream to change everything, but I cannot achieve that in the village, I will come back eventually. But, I have a lot to do."
"I see." Ayame then reached out to Naruto and enveloped him in a hug, "We will miss you Naruto."
Naruto looked stunned. "You're okay with this."
"I've known for a while that you don't relent whenever you put your mind to something. I just have to make do eh."
Naruto smiled honestly at her. "I will miss you guys too." For some reason, he did not reciprocate the hug.
"Please come back, Naruto."
"I will." Naruto spoke as he nodded his head in assurance. "Trust me, I will."
…
An older Naruto overlooked Ayame as she closed her shop for the day.
After shutting it finally she paused for a minute in thought before she began to walk home. She walked silently as a sad thought came to her.
She smiled wistfully as she turned a corner when she saw a silhouette.
Straining her eyes she saw spiky blond hair as she widened her eyes. Only one person she knew had spiky blond hair.
"N… Naruto?"
"Hey Ayame." Naruto spoke coming out under the shade and into the moonlight, as he looked at her with a smile.
Ayame just gasped as she put her right palm to her mouth as her eyes began to brim in tears.
"You came back Naruto."
"I said I will."
Naruto widened his eyes as he was enveloped by a tight hug by Ayame.
"You really came back, Naruto." Ayame spoke silently as tears flew down freely.
"Yea." Naruto spoke as he reciprocated the hug. "I did. I've…" He smiled. "I've missed you."
Ayame released him as she quickly tried to compose herself, she wiped off her tears with the back of her hand.
"W…Well, come on. Let me get you something to eat. I hope you still like Ramen."
Naruto chuckled, "Sure."
Naruto walked into the house as he looked around in nostalgia. It was a simple apartment, housing the needed amenities.
This place hasn't changed huh.
Naruto slowly widened his eyes as he looked to a corner of a house as he saw a makeshift shrine, for Teuchi.
Ayame noticed his look as a sad smile came on her face.
"When did it happen?"
"Three years after you went." Ayame replied, "He never stopped believing that you would come back despite the time that had passed."
"What happened?" Naruto asked as he looked stunned.
"He was really sick, his organs were severely damaged to the point even Tsunade couldn't do anything about it."
"I'm sorry."
"It's no worries, though it's sad that he's gone, he really didn't have any regrets. Come say hi."
Naruto walked to the shrine as he went on his knees, as he first paid respects. Ayame then took the time to speak.
"Hey Dad, guess who finally came to visit?!" Ayame spoke happily, she budged the man beside her. "Hey Naruto, say hi."
"Hey old man." Naruto spoke as he looked at the shrine. He smiled sadly. "It's been a while hasn't it? I would have loved to meet you in person, then I would have thanked you personally for all you have done for me. You gave me everything I would have asked for in a childhood, and for that, I am grateful."
Ayame watched him with a smile, as Naruto clasped his hands a lone tear falling through his left eye.
Are you seeing him, Dad? Ayame thought. Naruto sure has grown.
Naruto who didn't know what was going on in Ayame's head continued as he wiped the tear off.
"Well, I'm almost done in completely achieving my dream. Everything would be better for Ayame; that I assure you. I…" Naruto looked in thought. "It was hard at first, but, I finally found friends. People like me."
Naruto shook his head clearing his thoughts before looking to Ayame.
"Thank you again."
She just smiled at him.
"Now let me have some Ichiraku Ramen!"
Naruto spoke as he got up, bowing his head, as Ayame reciprocated. They moved to the center mat as they chatted animatedly with time passing swiftly.
"So, Ayame. There is a reason I actually came here." Naruto spoke as he dropped the ramen bowl to the table; the jovial atmosphere vanishing slowly.
"What is it?"
Naruto then spoke six words that shocked her.
"I am coming to destroy Konoha."
"W…What?! Naruto what are you saying?!" Ayame spoke in alarm.
"You heard me. It something that has to be undertaken no matter what."
She grabbed him by his shoulders, looking into his eyes in horror. "Are you doing this for revenge, Naruto?! It's not-"
"I wouldn't be lying if I said I didn't gain some satisfaction at the thought. But trust me, it isn't for revenge. I wanted to tell you so you could be far away from here when it happens. This village," Naruto shifted his head in the negative. "This village is not as bright as you think it is Ayame. It's not just me, they… they've done things that cannot go unanswered. I know you don't understand but please. Trust me."
"I see." Silence filled the room before Ayame spoke. "I… cannot leave here Naruto." She looked into Naruto's stunned eyes.
"Why not?!" Naruto asked.
"Because this is my home." Ayame spoke with a smile, "I buried dad here, in Konoha, and I wish to stay here till I die, Naruto."
"Please Ayame, please. This is a fight that I cannot guarantee anyone's safety. I just can't!"
"If you are really as powerful as the rumors say." Ayame spoke by placing a hand on his cheek cleaning the tear. "Then that shouldn't be a problem for you. I will go to the shelter, the Hokage has already ordered the civilians to start moving."
Naruto sighed, "Nothing I say can make you see reason is there?"
"Yes unfortunately. It seems we were cut from the same cloth after all." Ayame smiled. "But, to think you were Tamashii Shou, you really got famous didn't you?"
"Well, technically, I didn't. No one but you and my friends know who I am really. Besides, it was all necessary."
"What of those bunch of kids that usually followed you because you were so cool?"
"Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon." Naruto smiled in thought. "Hiruzen would take care of them; that I am sure."
"Do you plan on meeting them?" Ayame got up, packing the ramen bowls and taking them to the kitchen.
"I don't know yet." Naruto spoke as he looked to the ceiling.
"You always liked to act tough but deep down I know you were amused by them." Ayame spoke with a smile, as she came back into the room. "I could see it in your eyes."
"You always seemed so alone too." Ayame spoke out. "It was good that Dad found you and spoke to you; I wonder what would have happened if you didn't have anybody in Konoha to call your friend."
Probably the same thing as now. Naruto wondered. "That's the fate of Jinchuuriki, I suppose."
"No." Ayame interjected as she grabbed his hands fiercely. "Everyone must never be alone, Jinchuuriki or not. As long as you have even one person to call a friend, then you are never alone. We all need someone to lean to, when times get tough."
Naruto looked to Ayame, stunned at her words.
"And I'm always here for you Naruto, forever always."
Naruto then smiled, "Thank you Ayame."
…
Naruto looked to the darkness surrounding him, I'm never alone. I still have my dream to accomplish, I have to change the world. I cannot fall here, not now, not ever! Because, I have people to return to.
Images of Tsunami, Inari, Tazuna, Ayame, Haku, Gaara, Iruka and Fu passed through his memories as a determined look came on his face.
Suddenly Hiruzen's words reverberated through the surroundings.
"Even Kuragari couldn't break free from this! What makes you think you can?!"
"Well." Naruto spoke, his eyes shadowed as wisps of red chakra began to envelope him, a smirk came on his face.
"Kuragari wasn't a Jinchuuriki, was he?"
…
Hiruzen was walking to dispel the barrier, surrounding the village when he felt a tremor. He stopped his motion and immediately turned back.
"What?!"
The earth began to tremble as cracks began to form over the surface, a red illumination began to seep out of the crevices as Hiruzen's eyes widened,
"This chakra?"
A looked shocked, Impossible!
With a huge release of chakra that echoed to the heavens, a tower of chakra burst out from the seal on the ground as it coated the skies in a crimson red color.
Hiruzen looked to the skies in fear as he muttered, "It returns."
A Konoha shinobi looked above in fear as he saw the towering monstrosity as he stammered in fear.
"That… is-"
In the safe house beneath the village, every shinobi was silent as well as the civilians as their eyes widened, they were just rooted in fear as they cradled their young ones.
Toshiro smirked as Mei's eyes widened, That is-
He chuckled "What a nephew…"
Fu then smirked from the Hokage faces as she looked down.
"There we go… Let's move!"
Memories of that day began to creep in as the guard at the door looked up in shock.
It can't be?
Jiraiya looked up from where he was as he muttered. "After 15 years, you finally decided to show yourself, Kyuubi."
A blood red chakra was seen encasing a fox like monster as Naruto was seen standing on it, his attire completely changed as he was covered in a blood red haori that emitted such a terrifying aura.
Suddenly humongous chakra signatures were heard around the village as Hiruzen looked around in shock. Surrounding the village were the One, three, five and seven tails.
In the name of-
Kurama looked to the village as it set out a huge roar, a shockwave destroying a portion of the village.
N…Naruto…?
Naruto turned his gaze to Hiruzen as his blood red silted eyes found his, he then muttered darkly.
"Hokage… you didn't think we were done were you?"
A shinobi looked to the skies as he muttered falling to his knees.
"We are doomed."
Naruto then chuckled darkly. "It ends here, Konoha!"
The clash finally reaching its climax.
…