Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto or its characters. Plot takes place after manga no.390

I am at the last two chapters of Book 1, including this one. So let's enjoy.

And...What about epic reviews...ahem battles, and reviews?

Chapter 21: Fire and Wind Against Rain Part 2 – Changing The Paths Of Fate

"DIE!!"

Gaara sent a high sand wall to contain the main body of Pein.

Naruto teleported to take a chance from behind. Genjutsu body sent an area genjutsu that could be felt even in the air. Naruto quickly countered it with creating a chakra pulse and sending it outwards. Range attacker sent his arm flying to Naruto. Naruto smirked.

Just when the detached arm was about to him, he moved in an impossibly fast blur. His sword was out for the first time in battle, and the arm sent to crush him was in four pieces, lying uselessly.

One of Pein's fire techniques broke through Gaara's sand and sped up to him. He threw his sword and quickly moved his hands. He proceded to create a Rasengan as soon as he finished. Rasengan lit up immediately, which Naruto held in front of him while running towards the range attacker.

He cut through fire as it died around him. Another elemental attack rushed towards him, this time a wind attack. He tried to throw the Rasengan towards the range attacker, but he was too late and the Fire Rasengan exploded near him, strengthened by the wind attack. He was sent flying backwards, hitting hard against the railings.

Just at this very moment, the last remaining full-powered clone of Naruto made his appearance and rammed a Rasengan to the chest of the genjutsu user. The main body quickly sent a lightning attack but it was already too late. Clone smiled before showing his middle finger and poofing away.

Gaara sent a destructive sand shuriken rain towards the main body and the range attacker, trying to cover for recovering Naruto. The main body didn't even stop his preparation for his next attack while Gaara's extremely powerful sand shurikens doing nothing but only disintegrating as soon as they came contact with his weird green shield. The range attacker dodged them by jumping behind a pile of rubble, courtesy of Gama Squads jumping.

Naruto rose on his knees, shaking violently.

What is this feeling?...What is this white light I see?...

Pein's attention turned to him. Eyeing him, he decided to attack.

What is this coldness in my heart?...And yet...There's something...something hot...Warm...Comforting...

Pein immediately sent one of his best fire attacks.

Why my eyes sting?... Why my heart aches?...

A very, very big mass of fire made its way to Naruto. A silent scream was on Gaara's lips.

Ah yes...That is...Vengeance...Hate...But it is not all...That is...I know now...That is sorrow, regret, resentment...And yet...That is...kindness, shadow of joy...Love...That is...

POWER!!

He suddenly exploded with red chakra.

(-)

"What is happening?! MY POWER!! IT...IT...GOES TO HIM!!"

"HOW?! HOW CAN THIS BE?! I CANNOT BE OVERCAME BY HIM!"

"Yes you can...You are already kneeling in front of our will..We force you to this."

Nine-Tails lowered its gaze to ground, where dark form of Avenger touching the Seal, somehow draining chakra to him than spreading it around.

"YOU CANNOT DO THIS FOOL! YOU ARE JUST AN OVERGROWN PERSONALITY PART!"

"You are right...I alone cannot...But Naruto...We two in whole...When he truly accepts himself as what he is, when he lets me join with him, we can force ANYONE to anything."

"NO! You weak human cannot use my power without my consent!"

"We already do."

"THEN TELL ME FOOL! WHAT NARUTO TRULY IS??"

The Avenger rocked his slightly back, looking eye-to-eye to demon lord.

"He is The Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki, Loyal Ninja of Hidden Village in The Leaves, The Only Son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, The Last Carrier of the Toad Summon Contract, Wielder of the Sword of Uchiha Sasuke, Bane of Akatsuki."

"He is The Yellow Death of Konoha, The Second Bearer of Yellow Flash."

"The First and Only Husband of Uzumaki Hyuuga Hinata." The Avenger began to cry at that last one.

"HE IS...NO! I AM NAMIKAZE UZUMAKI NARUTO!!"

The Avenger vanished slowly from sight. Nine-Tails watched in horror as the seal holding his cage grew bigger, its color turned to blue and began to shine with a blue light that scared him, a demon lord!

The seal eventually grew big enough to cover all of the cage. Fox were trapped on the other side, whimpering and cowering in front of the nearly-celestial blue light.

(-)

Gaara watched in awe as Naruto, seemingly with pure instinct, waved his hand and dispersed the fire attack.

Fear and silent scream was all over Pein's face.

Naruto, his head still hung low, stood completely up. He raised his head, his eyes closed.

At last...I know what truly I am...At last...I know where my priorities lie...I remember now... I dwelt on the wrong side of sorrow... Hinata... She would be heart broken to see me like this... So...Weak... True strength is...no...was lost me... The Will of Fire was laid in ashes...

Not anymore...Not goddamn freaking anymore!...I refuse to die here!!

I WILL NOT DIE HERE!!

Naruto's eyes opened suddenly, lit with a fire long forgotten to him. Blue was radiating against Rinnegan, beating it back. His killer intent, instinct, will to fight, beliefs...

All of those was in their right place now... And now...Pein would die because of true purposes...

To preserve. To prolong.

To protect.

The red chakra leaking out from him took a dark shade of purple. His own chakra was joining with Nine-Tails', forcing it to come out while reinforcing it at the same time. This was, by far, the strongest Naruto that anyone has ever seen. The chakra slowly retreated back to him, but it did not disappear. It coated around Naruto.

He took out a pronged kunai from his pouch.

Both Gaara and Pein were silent. Naruto smirked.

"LET'S ROCK!"

(-)

Ground beneath Lee's feet cracked as he jumped at an incredible speed. He literally tore the air as he closed in on one of the Pein clones. He quickly arrived near the clone in the center and shouted.

"KONOHA GREAT WHIRLWIND!!" The clone in the center was driven into ground while the other nine jumped away from Lee.

"KUROI GATSUUGA!" Kiba caught one of them in the air. He drived the clone deep into the ground.

Konohomaru too caught one of them in the air. He swirled his staff and threw it to one of them. Staff hit and immediately turned to Enma. Enma punched the clone back to Konohamaru. Konohamaru's hands were already working.

"FIRE: FIRE TIGER TECHNIQUE!" A giant fire tiger leapt and tore into the clone's body. Konohamaru followed through. "RELEASE!" The fire tiger turned into a great ball of energy and exploded. The clone was blowed into bits.

All of the warriors stopped and waited for dust to settle.

Kiba gasped as he saw the clone he drove to the ground opening its eye. He tried to attack and tear his throat, but the clone caught his head. The clone released a ball of energy from its hand.

Kiba was blown back from the hole he created. Akamaru saw this and jumped to catch him.

Another clone tried to attack Akamaru as it hurried to a plummeting Kiba. The clone ran to Akamaru while pulling out a short blade. It jumped to catch the great dog. Just as he was about to hit, a wooden and metallic puppet stopped it. Kankuruo appeared near the clone and kicked it back to one of his puppets, Kuroari.

Kuroari opened its torso and caught the clone. Kankuruo moved his hands to coordinate the attack quickly and motioned for Karasu to split. Karasu splitted up and extended its blades. Kankuruo didn't hesitate as the blades flew to Kuroari's openings and entered from these openings. A sickening impaling sound was heard. Kuroari's chest opened to reveal a bloody mess.

Akamaru had caught Kiba while Kankuruo finished off the clone.

Lee turned and tried to run to one of the other clones. He tried but he couldn't because the clone he just drove into the ground was holding his right leg. He brought down his left leg and kicked the clone in its place. The clone caught his leg with his other hand. Lee jumped and brought the clone with himself to the air. He turned and punched the clone in the air with a one-two, and the clone finally let Lee's leg go. It was blown back to the ground. Lee landed and followed the clone's descent and sent it back to the sky with a vertical kick.

"HERE COMES THE KONOHA'S GREEN BEAST NUMBER 2!!"

He jumped to air near to the flying clone. His all-white eyes was strained with concentration.

He began punching at an incredible speed. His hands began to glow as his speed picked up.

"MORNING PEACOCK!!" His hands turned into fireballs as his speed reached to its peak. The clone was being thrashed and it was blown back.

"NOT FINISHED!" Lee landed and tore the ground with his speed. Two of the other clones was knocked with his speed. He stopped running and began sliding and tearing the ground apart while pulling his right fist back. The plummeting clone neared him. He held his fist tighter.

The clone entered his range. He shouted while releasing his at sound-speed.

"TEN-THOUSAND YEARS OF PAIN!" His fist met the clone's head. The clone deformed and blown back towards the village. Several buildings fell while it tore through them.

The remaining seven clones began to spasm and closed their eyes. They opened their eyes a moment later. Neji gasped.

"Another ripple added to their Rinnegan! They're getting stronger!"

Akamaru brought Kiba near the others. Lee began to run to another clone, having missed Neji's explanation. He jumped and tried to kick the clone. The clone caught him and threw him back towards the others. Konohamaru jumped and caught him. They landed and both stood while Kiba shook himself up.

Neji stepped forward. "Let me see their strength." He brought his hands together and began to concentrate chakra. The seven clones hurried towards the group. He released his hand bind and brought his right hand back.

"JYUUKEN STRIKE LEVEL THREE!" His right hand shot forward as an energy wave charged itself in front of his opened palm. It glowed for three times and released itself towards the clone charging in from the center and its three nearby copies.

A gigantic energy wave made its way to four clones from Neji's hands. The centermost clone was caught in the wave's center and disintegrated into molecules. The other three were blown back.

The other three clones that was attacking from sidelines were stopped by a humongous hand belonging Chouji and a great nest of bugs courtesy of Shino. Chouji waved his great hands to blow two clones back. Shino's bugs caught and brought down another clone. They began to suck the chakra of the clone out of it.

"This process will take a while. I need to remain concentrated. That clone itself has more chakra than an average Jounin's."

Konohamaru nodded while Lee held a gasping Neji. He motioned to Kankuruo who quickly understood and took position near Shino with its three puppets acting as a shield.

Dust settled where Neji's energy wave hit. It revealed a clone missing half of its body, while the other two was relatively unharmed. The halved clone fell to ground. With the clone that fell during Neji's attack, it made a total of five clones down, excluding the one whose chakra was being sucked down by Shino's bugs.

Shino's bugs drained that one up at last and bugs stopped draining chakra. They returned to Shino.

The remaining four clones spasmed for a good ten seconds. They opened their eyes. Because of the distance , grouo couldn't make what was the change. Everyone turned to Neji.

"Two more ripples added...They are four times stronger than they were at the start!"

(-)

An eighteen year old blond walked through the Leaf Village. People were looking at him in awkward way for him, they were looking at him with awe and respect. They were not holding any hate, no contempt in their eyes. There was only respect.

One might have thought that his deeds, namely bringing down the Akatsuki and driving away the ultimate traitor Uchiha Sasuke, were the reason for this respect. Well, it partly came from that truth. But, there was an even bigger reason for the respect.

He was near his growth's end, and he had became into a living copy of a dead man. No one who saw the Fourth Hokage with their own eyes could deny the immense similarity, and even those who saw the Fourth only on the rock faces and in a few pictures of him could see the similarity.

Fifth Hokage had announced his father and granted him his true last name because there could be no more denying. In a gathering that requested all the ninjas and the mature civilians, his heritage was revealed. Few people were shocked,most people at last saw their mistake made in hatred, and when his true name and heritage was finally given to him, Fourth Hokage's dying wish was fulfilled.

Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto was an undying hero.

So here he was, walking towards an old abandoned two-story high house. It was the home of his late parents. The door was sealed, presumably by Jiraiya himself. He smiled to himself as he saw the handiwork of the Toad Sage. That old pervert had sealed the house in a secret way so no one but he or Naruto could enter. He unsealed the door and made his way into the house. He opened the windows, letting air and light into the unused house.

He entered various rooms and kitchen. In the kitchen he found a worn book titled 'The Tale of Gallant Naruto' authored by Jiraiya. He pocketed the book. He made his way into the study. He found a big room with books and scrolls lined down through an entire wall. He saw a section called 'Namikaze Family Techniques' and walked to there. As he reached out, his hand was stopped by an energy field. He saw a seal on the ground and inspected it. It was a blood seal, requiring a specific person's blood.

He sighed and bit his thumb. He went over the seal and stood up. The energy field wavered and died as he looked. He reached out and pulled one scroll. He stopped and created ten shadow clones.

"Guys, get to work." Each one of the clones pulled a various scroll. Naruto looked at the scroll in his hand and unsealed it on the study's table. When he saw the title, he yelped and fell back. His eyes were wide. One of the clones looked and walked towards him. "What's it, boss?"

"Look yourself!" The clone too yelped.

The Flying Thunder God Technique was the title. The original Naruto gathered himself and began to read the scroll with shaking hands.

Type: Time/Space Ninja Technique

Class: S-rank, Supplementary, Infinite Range( Assuming There is Enough Chakra)

Requirements: Average Chakra Control, Middle to High Jounin Level Chakra

Items Needed: Special Seal as Explained Later, A Throwing Weapon of User's Choice Capable of Holding The Special Seal

Seals Needed to Perform: None.

Usage: The user throws the weapon and concentrates on the chakra signature released from the seal on the thrown weapon. Activating the seal with his mind, he travels through the tissue of time/space continuum and teleports near to the weapon.

Specifics: This technique surpasses any kind of shields as long as the weapon or the seal is within the shield. Since the user literally tears apart the time/space continuum, chakra must be maintaned as a constant flow through the passage. A yellow flash is released from the point user reappears from.

Downsides: If the user cannot control his chakra good enough, he will deplete his chakra very quickly. This technique makes no sound, but the yellow flash that is released can be quickly identified and detected.

Notes: My child (hopefully a son), the seal that I created and use at the moment requires the user to have my blood in their veins. This seal can be modified, but doing so requires extensive knowledge that only Jiraiya-sensei and I possess.

DO NOT EVEN TRY TO MASTER THIS TECHNIQUE BEFORE ATTAINING ENOUGH CHAKRA CONTROL! Doing so may deplete the chakra, and time/space continuum is not something to be trifled with.

This technique REQUIRES extensive emotional control. Since chakra control relies on one's emotional state, the user of the technique must be calm. The mind must be pure and set in on one goal. The user must have no regrets that tarnishes the soul.

Otherwise, teleportation becomes sluggish. Normally, when this technique is executed with a hundred percent efficieny, there is NO time lag during teleportation. It is instantenous. However, when this technique lacks enough control or concentration, a time lag appears between disappearing and reappearing. This both wastes chakra AND time, both of which is crucial to the user who relies on speed.

Having a proficieny with Body Flicker seems to help with the training of this technique.

Since there is no seal involved, Sharingan cannot copy this technique. Byakugan cannot see through it or guess where the user will appear from. Shortly, no eye technique is usable against the Flying Thunder God.

Teleporting an attack such as Rasengan with the user is possible, however that requires an ven greater chakra amount and control than performing only the move itself.

Teleporting another person along the user is possible, but again requires more chakra.

Once the seal is activated through throwing the weapon or simply by mind, user can teleport to that seal time and time again as long as both the seal and the user have chakra.

Note To Males: THIS TECHNIQUE CANNOT BE USED TO TRYING TO GET TO A DATE ON TIME! (Believe me, the female quickly understands why you used the technique...)

THIS TECHNIQUE CANNOT BE USED WHILE SLEEPING! ( Experience speaks the truth.)

Note to Males 2 :For a reason, whenever I tried to kiss Kushina with utilizing the technique, she realized what was happening and caught me in a headlock as I reappeared in the world. I'm not sure, but females may have some kind of perverted thought detector or something. So yes, even this technique cannot help with a girl. Try Jiraiya-sensei's Transparency Technique if you want to peep though. Even Third seems to use it...Man, what a bunch of perverts I had as elder...

Other than that, I cannot remember any other restrictions. Have fun, and do not try to kill to many people at the same time. If you do, They give you such stupid nicknames that you want to puke from the stupidity. What the hell is 'Yellow Flash' anyway? I always wanted something along the lines of 'Sudden Death'...

AND REMEMBER! NO regrets!

(-)

Naruto absolutely had no regrets...Not anymore.

He threw his pronged kunai coated with his wind chakra. Pein's lightning attack failed to stop it. The kunai flew near the last puppet-body. Naruto had already prepared a Rasengan. He thrust his right hand holding the spinning chakra ball forward while holding his left to his side.

The puppet-body realized what was going to happen. It tried to dive but it was too, too much late.

Naruto appeared instantly near the range attacker body. His thrusted right hand was already in the torso of the puppet-body, and his left hand was holding the kunai.

He turned slowly to the real and the only remaining Pein. "You don't have any more fake bodies to hide behind or do your dirty work for you. Between Gaara and me, you have no chance." Gaara prepared a large amount of sand to attack while Naruto charged a Rasengan in his right hand, his left twirling his trademark kunai.

Pein began to laugh hysterically. "You... You two think that I'm weak now?" He suddenly turned his arms and each of his arms pointing one of them. His face grew dark and furious. "YOU KNOW NOTHING!! NOTHING ABOUT THE PAIN!!"

Without the slightest indication, a water attack to Gaara and fire attack to Naruto were sent from his arms. Gaara instinctively formed a sand barrier, now stronger than ever because of Shukaku's powers returned to him. Naruto teleported to sideways and looked where he was.

To his shock, the fire mass turned into fine lines of fire and began to chase him.

Gaara's sand barrier was hit by Pein's water attack. The barrier held, but it was noticeably slower and heavier. Gaara tried to spin himself and the sands to shake the water and counter attack. His spin was halted because his barrier was taking constant hits. He opened a third eye over his shield and saw that the water mass had turned into numerous water dragons and constantly attacking his shield. He knew that his shield wouldn't hold out much longer and he could not retaliate due to his sand's heaviness.

Naruto teleported over and over until seeing Gaara's predicament. The lines of fire turned to dragons and picked up speed, becoming even more dangerous. Naruto had used only one kunai to teleport though, so he came up with a plan.

He took out another kunai and threw it towards Gaara. He threw the other one to the exact opposite direction. The fire dragons quickly attacked him but he teleported towards the second one he threw and collected it in mid air. He teleported to the second one without missing a heartbeat, again collecting it.

The fire dragons went to attack his first location but turned towards Naruto standing in front of Gaara's shield. Naruto smiled and muttered "Time lag." to himself. He threw the first kunai to the water dragons and the second one towards the presumed trajectory of the fire dragons. Pein was in an uproar and he was concentrated only on his technique, not heeding Naruto's actions.

Naruto teleported to his first kunai, somewhere up twenty meters in the air. The water dragons rushed to Gaara's shield while fire dragons changed target and came towards the falling form of Naruto, indirectly to the water dragons as well. Naruto quickly teleported to the second kunai.

Fire dragons could not stop at time and crashed into the water dragons. Since the water dragons were already extended, the interference of fire dragons cut them in half, failing the technique. Fire dragons changed their target yet again towards Naruto.

Gaara, having watched the whole affair through his third eye technique, understood Naruto's plan and opened the shield so Naruto could enter into the dome that was protecting him. Naruto immediately jumped in and the sand shield closed itself back. He rolled and shouted to him.

"HOLD THE SHIELD!! OR WE WILL BE BLOWN OFF THE BALCONY!!"

Fire dragons crashed into the sand shield. Trying to dive through it. The wet sand quickly dried up as fire dragons spent their power slowly. Gaara shouted over the high-pitched shriek of the sand defense to Naruto.

"SHIELD WILL NOT HOLD DOWN!! IT WILL BE SUPERHEATED!"

Naruto turned to look to shield and saw some parts that were beginning to turn into glass. He began making handsigns and proceded to shout at Gaara.

"HOLD ON! A TOUGH RIDE THIS ONE WILL BE!" He finished the handsigns and released a condensed wind chakra to the air. Wind Chakra gathered air around it and began to turn. The air around it picked up more and more speed by the moment. Nearly all of the shield was glass now.

"IF THAT FIRE MEETS THAT, WE WILL BE ALL BLASTED OFF THE TOWER! ALONG WITH SUMMIT ITSELF!!" Gaara turned to see Naruto feeding chakra into the mini-tornado.

Naruto stopped feeding chakra into the tornado and smiled to him. "A LITTLE LATE FOR THAT!!"

The sand shield were all glass now. Gaara let it go and picked up his remaining sand and shoved it into the gourd. Glass dome superheated while the tornado picked up speed and cooled it down from the inside. With both wind and fire attacking from inside and outside, glass dome gave way and exploded.

Pein finally understood what was happening and opened his mouth in shock. Explosion grew instantly and took the tower summit with it.

Three figures plummeted through the debris in air and to the quickly approaching ground below. Gaara quickly formed a small sand cloud under himself and slowed his descent. He was not able to catch Naruto though.

Naruto, being Naruto, did the most flashy thing imaginable by grabbing his sword through the flying debris, charging it with wind chakra and sending it into the ground. The sword pierced the stone pavement of the tower area and went further into the ground. A moment later, the pavement exploded, allowing Naruto to jump on the flying debris and slowing himself while landing. Just after he landed, he proceded to avoid falling debris on him, making quite the scene.

Pein just activated his green chakra shield and landed to the other side of the tower area, creating a huge crater. He was kneeling and his shield was active around him. He was radiating an immense aura.

"Fools...They cannot pierce my defense! Even with such reckless moves! I will kill them slowly for that insolence!"

(-)

The members of the ninja platoon turned their heads to the immense explosion and the flashy entrance of Naruto. Gaara and Naruto were close to them, but the four remaining clones were between them.

They saw the original Pein coming into view from the other side of the tower, riding a wave of earth under himself and surrounded by a green shield. He reached and began to attack the Jinchuuriki duo, the waves of energy washing over them each time Naruto evaded or Gaara defended himself.

They were forced to turn their heads back to the clones when one of them attacked with frightening speed. Lee countered him with great effort. He was panting. He blowed the clone back for a moment. He turned to Neji.

"Neji-san! I'm taking this one out of here! I am going to use IT!" Neji nodded and quickly turned to defend himself from a fire attack originating from another clone with a Kaiten. Lee jumped and ran away towards some distance away before he took out something from his jacket and ate it.

Konohamaru, attacking the clone that attacked Neji with an earth technique, asked what that thing was. Neji responded while glancing off another attack from a sinister clone. "A chocolate bonbon with strawberry liqueur in it!"

(-)

Shino and Kankuruo was having a hard time containing one clone that was using various elemental attacks. Kankuruo blocked and blocked and blocked its attacks with his puppets, but puppets could not hold out much longer. Shino was unable to find any openings with his rather slow bugs.

Kiba, Akamaru and Chouji were not doing better. They were trying to deal with a heavy-power type attacker that shrugged all their attacks like nothing. Kiba was trying his special attack but to no avail. Chouji could not damage the rather strong clone either. Akamaru couldn't even get close to the clone.

Shino, assessing the situation even in the grave conditions that they were in, quickly relocated himself and ran to the trio. Kankuruo followed him, getting a vague grip on what he intended to do. Akamaru saw them running and barked at Kiba, who in turn saw and growled at Shino.

Chouji contained the attack of the heavy type while Kankuruo did the same with the ninjutsu user wit his puppets.

Shino and Kiba ran to each other. Just as they passed near each other, they shared a knowing look. Kiba shouted as soon as he passed near Shino.

"SWITCH THE OPPONENTS!" He wasted no time and attacked the ninjutsu clone with deadly precision and accuracy with his black Gatsuuga. Akamaru followed suit and initiated the Gatsuuga of his own. Chouji jumped back to assist Kiba while Kankuruo blocked the heavy attacker.

(-)

Neji and Konohamaru tried to corner the crafty clone. The clone was trying to attack with ninjutsu, genjutsu and taijutsu one after the other. While both the warriors were more than capable in all of the areas, the clone was beginning to drive them back with its speed.

Neji used another Kaiten to block a fireball coming in towards them. He was running out of chakra, even with the two gates of chakra opened. Konohamaru was not better, using high-level techniques through the start was taking toll on him as well. He turned to Neji while the clone gathered itself up from Neji's Kaiten's backlash.

"Do you have an instant death guarantee attack if I can hold him long enough?"

Neji cringed. "I..have...But I can only perform it once. And he has to be in my range of divination."

Konohamaru nodded and held his staff tighter. "Begin to prepare it."

He hurried to the clone and threw his staff towards him. The clone blocked the staff but staff turned into Enma who punched the clone and jumped over it. Konohamaru followed upon reaching the clone with an uppercut. Enma kicked the clone back to Konohamaru. Konohamaru fly-kicked the clone towards Enma again. Enma held the clone's head and headbutted it.

Neji shouted. "I am ready!" Konohamaru jumped and motioned towards Enma. The moneky summon turned into the black staff again. Konohamaru mustered all his strength and hit the clone with all his might towards Neji.

The clone turned in the air and tried to prepare itself for an attack. It was a futile effort.

"You are in the range of my divination."

A ying yang circle appeared and Neji took his position.

"Eight Trigrams Divine Punishment: Three Hundred and Sixty One Style."

He instantly became a blur hitting and hitting and hitting clone for a full three seconds. Upon the last contact, clone fell to the ground, motionless and dead.

Neji collapsed while Konohamaru panted heavily and leaned on his staff.

(-)

Lee went completely ballistic upon eating the bonbon.

The clone attacked him but couldn't hit due to the drunken fighter's evading ability.

"Whassh ze hell issh your problemsh weirdsh clone thingshy?!" He attacked it from ground with a sweep kick, and when the clone jumped over it, he threw himself to ground. The clone went in for the kill.

It was stopped with a Lee that was relentlessly kicking him while using his hands to advance. Lee sent it to the air with a double kick and fell down to the ground.

The clone reached the peak and began its descent to the ground when Lee rolled and exposed his back while straining himself. He suddenly jumped off the ground with both his hands and legs.

His extended butt met the clone's face with a sickening crunch. The clone were sent back to the air, this time higher.

Lee followed with a weird hand jump from the ground and his extended legs met the clone in the air in the form of a double kick. Lee did not stop and wrapped his bandages around the clone, and beginning to spin towards it.

The spinning clone had his head crunched into its neck by a flying Lee's feet.

They both fell to ground. Clone was dead and motionless. It's rinnegan was nowhere to be seen.

Lee was lying on the ground too. All around him were explosions and stuff.

And he was snoring.

(-)

Kankuruo's puppets held the attacks while Shino proceded his bugs onto the clone. He could not attach great amounts without getting attention so he just ordered the bugs to suck chakra as much as they can.

Kuroari blocked another attack and sidestepped to allow a charging Karasu towards the clone. Karasu cut the tall clone with its blades, but it did not nothing more than scratching its skin. The clone swung his punch to get Karasu.

But it missed the agile puppet with a moment.

Kankuruo and Shino smiled. The clone was getting slower at last.

Shino, taking advantage of the situation, extended more bugs out of his body. A great cloud formed and overcame the tall clone. Clone fought its way through the bugs towards Shino.
Karasu countered him with quick slashes, allowing the bugs to do their job. Clone punched Karasu with a lucky shot, but it collapsed after that stunt. Shino's concentration was pure. He ordered the bugs to suck all the chakra out.

It took a long time to suck all of it.

Kankuruo was looking to Karasu for any possible damage.

(-)

Kiba and Akamaru made another dual Gatsuuga on the ninjutsu using clone. The clone was hit for the first few times, but later, it just evaded the attacks. It sent a water attack towards the duo when they stopped.

Chouji's giant right hand came out from the side and protected them. He later proceded to attack the clone with his giant hand. The clone easily evaded the slow attack. But Chouji didn't stop as his left hand grew and attacked the clone in mid air.

Clone sent a wind attack to the hand, forcing it to back down. Chouji's right hand came and attacked the clone from side, trying to pin it down. Clone realized the attack and created an air shield around itself. Chouji's right hand was shot back, cut from various places.

"We can't take that one down without a combination attack! He is too fast for my attacks."

"I will force him to your hands, then you can grab him. Akamaru and I will handle the rest!"

Chouji nodded and proceded to grow his whole body into a giant body. Kiba and Akamaru began to chase the clone, avoiding its elemental attacks. Kiba made a series of successive Gatsuugas from the left of the clone, while Akamaru did the same from center, effectively driving the clone to Chouji's giant body.

Chouji rolled over and trapped the clone under his hands. The clone's arms were constricted, so it could not perform any ninjutsu. Chouji held his left hand in place while drawing his right hand back and delivering a devastating blow to the clone. He felt his body shrinking, as his energy was near its end.

"Kiba, anytime would be good now to finish this!" He heard a high-pitched growl as an answer and turned back.

Kiba jumped on to Akamaru. "BEAST HUMAN CLONE!" Akamaru turned into a perfect copy of Kiba, even imitating his Black Wolf form. Kiba gathered chakra and shouted again. "Man Beast Combination Transformation: Double-Headed Wolf!" With this last shout, the duotransformed into an enormous, two-headed, black colored giant wolf. Chouji realized what was going to happen and jumped back as last of his strength left him.

The giant wolf jumped and began to spin in the air. The spin turned into an humongous drilling fang, namely black gatsuuga. With deadly precision and speed, giant wolf drilled the clone into the depths of the earth, making a tunnel above themselves.

At last, the drilling stopped and the wolf jumped back. Combinative transformation failed at last, revealing a now-normal Kiba and an exhausted Akamaru. Both fell to the ground, panting heavily.

"Heheh...A taste of our two-headed transmission fang was enough it seems..." He trailed off and fainted due to chakra exhaustion.

The last of the clones were down at last.

But the fight was not yet over.

(-)

Naruto dispersed another water attack with another one of his wind releases. With the chakra he was forcefully taking from the Nine-Tailed Demon, he was able to defend and attack on par with the master of Rinnegan, Pein. The three fighters were locked in a close fight fueled by ninjutsu.

Gaara, however, was not such in a good shape. With most of his infused sand, blown away on top of the tower, he was severely lacking his very-needed weapon. He was running out of chakra too. He failed to notice a fire attack from Pein coming in from his left, and his remaining sand was unable to protect him properly.

He was blown backwards for some hundred meters, leaving Naruto to deal with Pein alone. He fainted from exhaustion and damage to his body.

And suddenly he found himself in a vault like place, floor covered in a thin layer of sand.

In front of him, a cage made of a red, glowing metal stood. He approached the cage slowly.

(-)

Naruto cursed as he saw Gaara blown out of the fight. Without him backing Naruto up, his job had just gotten five times harder. Pein focused his attacks on him, and having no affinity to stop fire element, he was being pushed on his heels between dodging, teleporting and trying to for an attack every once in a while. His superior speed and intelligence was the only thing that kept him on par with Pein.

He dodged again and again until Pein used some weird technique to sink into the ground. Sensing an impending danger, he threw his pronged kunai to air and teleported to it as soon as it reached to its peak.

His deduction and instincts proved right when Pein suddenly burst from the ground where he was just standing on. He created a large number of clones to reel him to a better position.

(-)

Gaara touched the crimson metal of the cage and immediately held his hand back. That substance, whatever it was, was burning his skin...or in the state he deducted that he was in, his soul.

He saw the darkness in the cage recede and he faced his most feared enemy and his companion for long, hard years. The one-tailed raccoon-dog demon, Shukaku, was standing in the cage, sporting all his might.

Or he would be if he was not being held by the chains that was made of the same crimson metal that the cage was made of. The demon saw him and growled at him. It spoke in its hideous yet maniacal voice.

"My my...Look who graces me with his presence...How goes your life Kazekage-sama? Enjoying the pleasures of life, eh? Some women to knock then and there, some ninja to kill every once in a while... It sure must be exhilerating, HAHHAHAHA..." The demon's chains rumbled as it shook in a maniacal laughter.

Gaara raised and held his hand forward. Shukaku stopped laughing and began to eye him closely. Gaara stood and spoke calm in the face of a feared demon.

"Give me your power now." His eyes was betraying nothing.

"Quite the cold, powerful bastard of a man you've become, my dear host. But I see no reason. I'm stuck here because of that blond bastard and my traitorous, fucking brother. Good luck with your endeavours...not."

"The cage and the seal depends on your will. Shukaku is no Nine-Tails, it has neither the power nor the will to stand against your might. You can force him to give his power, or at best, you can forcefully take it from him. I cannot force Nine-Tails,but you can force that bastard one-tailed. I believe in you."

Gaara recalled Naruto's words regarding his seal and the state of the link between he and the demon. He slowly closed his extracted hand and spoke again.

"Give it to me willingly, or things will get rough for you, Shukaku." His threat was not empty, that much even the maniac demon could see.

"Hmm... You have no problem taking after that bastard duo... Even handing out threats to demons... I still refuse to give you power, so what will you do? Just because I'm imprisoned and shackled doesn't mean that I won't put up a fight, brat!"

"It is your choice to do this that way,demon, remember that." He closed his hand into a fist suddenly. His eyes began to blaze with determination and will. The red chains and the cage began to glow more and more as moments passed. Shukaku shrieked and gave out an infernal cry as its body began to burn in the places that the chain touched.

Yellow chakra seeped up from him and began to flow to Gaara. Gaara walked up to the cage and set his right hand onto the paper writing with 'Seal' on it. The seal began to grow and shine with energy. More and more chakra leaked and went to Gaara.

Gaara's presence vanished as Shukaku howled in rage and pain.

"GOD DAMN YOU BROTHER! DAMN YOU UZUMAKI!! DAMN YOU GAARA!!"

(-)

Both the fighters stopped as a foreign, sickly yellowish spiral of energy rose from the rubble that Gaara was in. Rubble exploded to show a furious looking, scarred Gaara. His wounds began to regenerate rapidly as the yellow chakra spun around him. At last the chakra stopped to spin and coated Gaara like a second skin, just as the red chakra coated Naruto.

In a matter of seconds, sand formed and carried him over to the two fighters. Naruto was sirking at him, understanding what he just did. Pein, meanwhile, had realized that his troubles had just doubled.

Gaara arrived near them and took his place near Naruto. Red and yellow chakra spiked and the duo looked to Pein. Naruto spoke whileeyeing Pein for any possible attacks.

"I don't suppose it gave the power willingly." Naruto twirled his kunai and assumed the Fourth-Hokage's battle stance.

"Took some 'persuasion' I must admit." Gaara opened his arms and sand began to spin around him, faster than ever before. Gaara turned to Naruto. "Cover me for a minute. I need some sand."

Naruto nodded and disappeared from sight, appearing behind Pein. He shoved a Rasengan into the shield but the shield only wavered and repaired itself instantly.

Gaara crouched and set his both hands on the ground. Pein and Naruto were fighting, Naruto sending an attack and evading while Pein standing his ground and attacking constantly.

After thirty seconds, ground began to rumble and cracked in various places. Naruto teleported himself near Gaara a moment later, recalling something like that from a time forgotten long ago. Pein barely avoided a great crack that appeared beneath himby jumping away from the duo.

From the cracks inthe ground, sand began to rise. More and more sand came out as Gaara concentrated. A very large amount came to him. He rose from his position and took a look around.

"That should do it."

Naruto patted him on the back while whispering. "Open his shield somehow and keep it open enough for one of my kunais to get through. Then I will finish him." Gaara nodded and the duo began to attack, this time Gaara fueled by with both energy and ammunition.

Naruto began to teleport and attack and teleport again, and he set this onto a rythm to allow Gaara to prepare an attack to breach Pein's defensive shield.

Gaara send numerous lines of sand to pound onto Pein's shield while preparing a spear like sand-weapon in his hand. Pein,whose shield was being disturbed by both sand and Naruto's chakra attacks, was pinned down and could not retaliate.

Naruto noticed that Gaara was near to his attack's completion, so he drew his sword and disappeared in a flash. The part of the shield that was facing Gaara was being shredded by Naruto's sword coated in wind chakra. He sensed chakra spiking from Gaara and jumped back and up into the air, taking a pronged kunai into his hands at the same time.

"SPEAR OF SHUKAKU!" A giant spear flew towards the weakened shield crashed onto it. A green flash was seen and a moment later the shield was gone. Naruto threw the kunai while preparing a Rasengan in his right hand.

Pein smirked.

Naruto teleported himself, only to face a wave of fire coming onto him. Pein was not where he should have been. He was blown backwards by the fire.

Gaara froze when he saw Naruto blown back, and a moment later he saw a patch of air, formed into a sycthe was coming onto him. His sand shield was cut and Gaara fell and rolled back as a big gash formed on his torso.

Pein stared down onto both of them. His rinnegan was spinning.

"Foolish jinchuuriki! Did you really think that you could kill me, PEIN?! DIE FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!"

He formed seals and prepared to send his most powerful attacks onto them.

Naruto and Gaara stared and waited for the attack to come.

It never came.

(-)

"Shadow Imitation Technique...Success." Shikamaru was standing on one of his knees, while maintaining his technique. He was just in front of Pein, his hair brushing the man's knees. He slowly stood up and faced Pein.

Naruto slowly rose and limped near them. Gaara was unable to stand.

"Shikamaru...What...What are you doing here?...Get away from him quickly! You will die if you don't!"

"Temari is dead." Shikamaru spoke with hate in his voice. Naruto shook against both his alien voice and the statement he just made. "This man killed her."

Naruto turned to Gaara, who was trying to stand up from his kneeling position. "It is...true...It was not only Matsuri we lost in the attack." His voice too, was somehow alien and full of pain.

Naruto quickly turned to Shikamaru. "Don't do this! We can bring him down, goddammit, you have a son that you need to look after! He needs you!"

"Naruto... Listen to me, and listen to me very closely... I cannot hold him for long, he is too powerful. He just showed the true extent of his power to you, and it would be too difficult, even for you two. I have two minutes at best, so listen." He drew a deep a breath.

"I loved my wife. Like you loved yours. But there is a difference between us. You are the most powerful ninja of Konoha currently, one of the most powerful in all of Elemental Nations. Village cannot lose you, and Tsunade will not live forever. I, on the other hand, am only a Jounin. I do not hold any significance compared to you."

Naruto tried to interrupt. "THAT'S NOT TRUE! YOU ARE A PRECIOUS PERSON TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY! YOU HAVE A CLAN THAT DEPENDS ON YOU!"

"Naruto... In all my years, I only trusted Chouji more than you. You know that I tell you the truth. You are indispensable while I am...This man and his power hints that he can revive from the worst of the wounds, so you have to destroy him completely... Down to the last molecule."

"Naruto... You have taken on a path that is most detrimental to you and to Hinata's memory. You cannot live like this, you are not what you are meant to be. That path only leads to death, and you deserve far more better. You are not one to give up on your dreams."

He raised his head and looked to the clouds. " For that reason, I will exchange paths with you. I will, just here, become the avenger and take that man with me. I will die in your stead. However, you must take my path. I have an apprentice to teach. Asuma turns ten and will graduate in six months' time. I need you to teach him. My son will have a family, my parents, but he will need a master when time comes. And the village...The village needs a strong, firm and kind Hokage that it was in need of since your father. You must become the man you are destined to be. The Hokage. That is the burden I place upon you."

He turned his face to Pein, who was struggling to release himself from the shadow-hold. "I am not powerful enough to finish him myself, he resists it already. Time is running out Naruto. YOU MUST KILL HIM!" He lost control over his voice and shouted. "WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT HOLD BACK! THAT IS MY DESTINY NOW! I HAVE CHOSEN, NOW YOU MUST DO THE SAME!"

Naruto, the famed Yellow Death of Konoha was crying. "Shikamaru..please..."

"DO IT!!"

Naruto stood up and gathered his sword. He formed energy around it. Then the wind came. Both wind and red chakra began to swirl around it. It became more compact and powerful.

He walked with the charged sword in his right hand. He placed his left hand on Shikamaru's shoulder. Pein was frantically trying to escape, but Shikamaru's resolve was firm.

"I promise to honor your wishes. Goodbye...friend..."

"Tch...Troublesome man...Just do it already, I have some cloud and Temari watching to do." His voice was back to normal for a moment. " Tell everyone that I'm sorry and not sorry. Good bye, Naruto. It has been an honor to be your comrade."

Naruto, tears pouring out of his eyes jumped and brought the sword on the standing duo.

"SLASH OF THE NINE-TAILS!" The sword connected with Pein. Naruto was blown several meters backwards. A vortex formed around Pein and Shikamaru. It swirled and the forms of two man began to blur.

Chouji,Neji,Kankuruo and Konohamaru was watching in distance. They had heard only bits of it, but Kankuruo had told about Temari's death. Chouji was crying while Neji was holding the big man by his shoulders, trying to subdue him. He was crying without realizing too.

The energy vortex shredded the men to the last molecule, leaving nothing behind. An infernal cry was heard as Pein met death.

Naruto thought that he saw a smile on Shikamaru's face for the last time.

A moment later, it was all over... A crater had formed where the two men stood just a minute ago.

Uchiha Sasuke's sword was broken, blown to bits. Naruto wondered that if it was a sign.

He heard a distant, faint voice as the sweet aroma of unconsciousness greeted him.

"Tch...Don't become so troublesome over my death, fools..."

(-)

Next Chapter: Epilogue to Book One