Disclaimer: I don't own anything within... it's been created for my own amusement and the enjoyment of others. I'm not making anything for this so don't even bother to sue me...
Naruto Ultimate:
The Nightmare of Konoha…
Chapter 21: Soul-Edge… SEALED!--
"Normal Speaking"
'Normal Thinking'
Radio in use
"Jutsu In use"
"Demon/Nightmare Speaking"
'Demon/Nightmare Thinking'
"Inner Spirit Talking"
--
(??)
Far to the west of the Land of Blades laid an almost chapel like building with half of its roof torn off. Within the building beautiful stained glass windows held intricate depictions of people and angels. The floor was long with two different levels existing, the higher level covering only half the space the lower level did. However on the upper level stood two warriors who battled with one another fiercely.
The first was a man with blond messy hair, dark amber eyes gazing angrily towards his opponent and pale skin. He wears an old fashioned black coat with white cuffs, gold trimming, and long tails behind him, a frilled white neckerchief, a short black cape held onto his shoulders with a metal chain and a green collar coming up and curling down, thick black leather gloves cover his hands, while over his neckerchief is a metal bat shaped ornament with two red jewels, one above and one below it. On his right forearm is a metal ornament of some sort like a forearm protector, with a black belt with a bat shaped buckle, long black pants are tucked neatly into a pair of armored black boots with white flaps curling down, the metal on the front of the shin is made in the image of a woman with wings like a Bat, with metal tipped toes. (Raphael (SCIV Version))
In the mans left hand is a rapier, silver in color with a curved handle that moves over his fingers, a short spike coming from over that with red etched into it. (Flambert… (Costume One version))
Across from him was a more familiar figure, save that he was dressed in new armor, as a show of escaping Nightmare's grip. Crow now wore white leather Grecian battle armor, given to him by Sophitia. The armor over his upper torso had a silver wolf crested onto the front single strap over his right shoulder with a large pad on his left that had a wolf on it, over his right shoulder he still had the mirrored Bandoleer, only now the jade mirrors shined brightly. Around his waist was a gray sash, with a single white leather hip guard on his left side, black Shinobi pants reaching down to a pair of long leather sandals that were taped over his shins, grieves covering his shins with a plate of metal over the top of his feet. Last he wore a white leather forearm guard on his right arm that had a silver bracelet holding it on at his wrist and silver vines reaching up the back of it, with black fingerless gloves under them, over his other arm was Soul-Calibur.
The dark haired young man wielded Soul-Calibur as Raphael came lunging at him, spinning his sword, only for Crow to deflect then grab the man and throw him away. Crow then lunged at the man once more as he attempted to get up and rammed his head into him, knocking him back and into a wall. Looking down at the man, Crow shook his head and placed Soul Calibur onto his back as he then walked away from the downed blond. "You should kill me now!" Raphael exclaimed and then glared at Crows back as he stopped. "Or else I'll just come after you again…" The blond said darkly, amber eye's glaring towards the dark haired young man who chuckled lightly.
"If I killed you… That Amy girl would be all alone for the rest of eternity… And I wont separate a father and daughter from one another…" Crow said simply while turning, revealing he now wore new armor and clothes. Raphael merely growled, glaring at the white armored warrior Raphael snarled.
"It matters not fool… I am immortal… Someday… When you're weak and helpless… I will end you for this insult to my honor…" The man stated and Crow shook his head before turning and walking off, Soul-Calibur placed securely onto his back. Walking away from Raphael, Crow soon found it, Soul Edge was leaning against an old corpse with its hazel eye looking at him strangely.
"So… We meet again Soul-Edge…" He said mostly to himself and walked towards the sword, only to stop as the weapon caught aflame. Standing back Crow narrowed his eyes, before scowling as then the corpse near it reached out and grasped the hilt of the cursed blade. Then, black vines began to grow over the corpses form, consuming it as then a strange fin like collar grew over it's neck, then flames consumed the creature as it roared, eye sockets filled with an eerie red glow. (Inferno, SC II)
The creature then stood up and slammed one of its feet into the ground; flames engulfed the church as he and it were taken to a new field of Battle. Looking around Crow found he was now in what he was sure could have been Hell, flames and larva surrounding them within a barren plain of nothingness. "So now we cross swords…" Crow muttered to himself before then smirking and lifting Soul-Calibur over one shoulder and pointed towards Inferno. "Yes… This IS the end!" He then exclaimed before lunging at Inferno and swinging his massive sword…
--
(Konoha…)
Naruto had Tayuya over one shoulder, the red head having passed out when the armored hell knight had hit her with the bluntest part of Madness he could. Walking passed bodies of former ninja and down the streets he couldn't help but chuckle to his self and then saw Tsunade walking towards him. "You missed all the fun." The red head quipped dryly and Tsunade looked around and shrugged.
"I'm not as into death murder and mayhem as you." She said simply then saw Tayuya over Naruto's shoulder and raised a brow. "You two related or something?" She asked of the red head and the warrior nodded his head.
"She seems to have taken to Soul-Edge a little too well, it was trying to make her into a female Nightmare." Naruto stated and Tsunade made and O with her mouth before then grinning.
"So… She's your sister then?" The blond woman questioned and Naruto rolled his eye's, why did humans have to put a label on everything?
"In the same sense that Charade is my brother, yes, she is my sister, a little work and I might even have a second Nightmare to help me revive Soul-Edge." Naruto explained then walked on with Tsunade following after him and humming to herself happily.
"What's the difference between a Male and Female Nightmare?" She then asked and Naruto chuckled to himself.
"Male Nightmare's usually end up strong, wielding massive weapons, Female Nightmare's are like Tira, using lighter weapons and quicker speeds over strength. This is not always the case but has been known to happen from time to time." Naruto explained simply and Tsunade nodded her head, seeing how that could possible.
"Then just how many Nightmare's have there been in the past?" She questioned and Naruto stopped, and then took a thoughtful expression.
"In the past few thousand years… Twenty Female Nightmare's, Twenty five Male Nightmare's, and three that were made of bones or metal…" The Hellish warrior said and Tsunade whistled, forty-eight wasn't so bad out of a few thousand years.
As Tsunade thought that they came upon the Arena, and Naruto chuckled seeing all the death and destruction. 'Tira would have absolutely loved this…' He thought to himself then shook himself of the thought; he really needed to find a way not to become so attached to everything he owned. He then noticed that Sasuke and Ino seemed to have gotten out of dodge, Sakura's body was no where to be seen so he figured Ino took her for something… 'I wonder what Ino will do with her…' He thought to himself then saw that the "Holy Trinity" had also managed to make an escape of some sort.
Closing his eyes, Naruto noticed that the few remaining ninja and AnBu were on the other side of town dealing with Astaroth. The Civilians seemed to be running in any direction bodies weren't in their way while the giant snake Orochimaru summoned was having a feast with them. 'All in all, a very good day for me…' He then thought before walking over to see Gaara grinning insanely as he began burying the bodies of their victims. "Nice work…" He said to the other red head that looked to him and nodded before then raising both hands and the sand swallowed the rest of the bodies.
"Hey! You get my sword?" Came a shout from Anko as she flipped to the ground near him and Naruto chuckled before handing the woman the new Kusanagi. The woman grinned and took the swords hilt before then swinging it around herself and laying it along her shoulders like Naruto would Soul-Edge. "Whose the red head?" She then asked while pointing to Tayuya.
"Judging from Orochimaru's Memories, her name is Tayuya, and she's an expert in Illusions. While I don't like them she could be useful in spotting and destroying them." The insane young man explained and Anko shrugged while Yugito, Charade, HK, and Seras all came over to the red head. Said teen then saw Lizardman land nearby and looked around with a confused expression.
"When did he get here?" He questioned, recognizing the soul as someone who had aided Soul-Edge in the past.
"During the battle he came and I figured we could use all the help we could… He seemed to enjoy it also…" Seras explained with a shrug and Lizardman spoke something to Naruto and the armored warrior thought for a few moments before nodding his head. He then looked around and raised a brow upon seeing his other inhuman ally Charade.
"So Charade, get a few souls for yourself?" Naruto questioned noticing that Charade seemed bigger than before then chuckled before tossing Tayuya to Gaara. "You deal with her… I can't take becoming attached to another person…" Naruto said and Gaara grumbled to himself and Gaara mumbled about it being annoying. "Anko, Tsunade, take a head count, there seems to be several people missing… But I want to make sure of that." Naruto ordered and the two women nodded before heading out and checking around the numerous ninja.
"HK, I want a report on the capabilities on this little group of ours, should we ever encounter a larger force without them killing one another I want to know what our chances are." Naruto ordered and HK nodded, compiling the data of the battle silently while Naruto kicked a body over and found a Soul-Edge fragment. "Charade, check around for more of these, a few of Orochimaru's troops had some of them…" Naruto then said and the rock formed creature nodded before walking off and the red haired hell knight dropped to one knee and narrowed his eye on the fragment.
"What's up?" Yugito questioned of the armored warrior and he frowned to himself angrily.
"These warriors… They were all so crazed that the Soul-Edge fragments began to twist their minds… They were easy for that snake freak to control because they wanted battle and souls..." Naruto stated while then passing the fragment to Yugito who touched it, and it seemed to sink into her Nekomata Gauntlets.
"Statement: Master my compilation of data has been completed." HK then said and Naruto looked to him and motioned for him to go on. "Explanation: Miss Seras is an excellent Long Range fighter like myself, however, her weapons provide heavier gunfire, she also has superb Martial Skills. Yugito: Is probably a Demolitions expert, her love of fire is useful in her combat skills for setting enemies aflame then pushing them into others, spreading chaos among the ranks as it were. With her new Soul-Tags she will be able to take out many of the much larger buildings we may encounter on our Journey." HK paused for a moment so Naruto could take this all in. The blue armored teen nodded for the machine to continue and it did.
"Continuation: Tira: Unlike the others she is more built for one on one combat, however, her information gathering skills rival that of myself or the Yamanaka. Tsunade: She is strictly a Medic for our group thus far, however, knowing of her strength she could easily be useful for disrupting large numbers, thus allowing more weapon using fighters to take out larger numbers of fighters. Gaara: He is perfect for mowing down large numbers with his Sand Coffin ability, as well as taking out larger enemies by crushing them with his sand. Anko: She is strictly useful in Assassination as apposed to the rest of the group; she has no "Flashy" techniques or ability like the rest of this village and has a slight mastery of swords. Not ay you're level of course but still quite high. Charade: Master… He can copy the skills of any of us and is as such the most versatile out of us all." HK said while leaving himself out because he didn't want anyone to know everything he could do.
"Hmm… How would this group fair against an army of this size? Without the aide of the other villages attacking one another?" The blue armored hell knight questioned and HK was silent for a few more moments.
"Apologetic Statement: Master, I'm afraid that is nigh impossible to calculate. Your ability to absorb the memories and souls of a person leaves too much data, added on with the fact that those among this group are all practically immortal I cannot truly comprehend what would be the outcome of any battle with our group." The droid explained and Naruto then nodded before turning to Seras.
"We have to move, Astaroth will only be delayed by the remaining Ninja's in this village. It would be unwise to fight him in this terrain… Here he is the one with an advantage." The red head said and got a nod from Seras who then hid her weapons in her shadow and ran off to find the others while Charade came back and deposited five more Soul-Edge fragments into the Nightmare's hands.
"Yugito, take three of these, Charade, you get the other two, I need everyone in this group as powerful as they can become as quickly as we can." Naruto ordered and then handed Charade his two Shards and the rock creature absorbed them while Yugito took her fragments into her gauntlets.
"Yo Naruto! We've checked but can't seem to find some of the Rookie brats!" Anko then shouted while kicking Asuma Sarutobi's corpse and smirking. 'Heh, that'll teach you for trying to hit on me when you're supposed to be Dating Kur…' She thought to herself while Tsunade walked over as well, and shrugged, having found no sign of the missing Genin. Once all together Naruto took a thoughtful expression, what now was a question going through his mind over and over. However he suddenly went wide eyed when he heard a strangled scream in his mind coming from very far away…
--
(Land of Blades…)
Crow roared as he swung Soul-Calibur one last time, sending Inferno flying back and to the ground, seemingly dead. The flames then died away from its form and into a skeleton again before crumbling into dust at the white armored warriors feet. Panting heavily, Crow reached up a gloved hand and wiped away the blood from a cut on his face. Walking over towards Soul-Edge Crow couldn't help but laugh, looking around the chapel he nodded to himself.
"A fitting place… for you to finally be destroyed…" Crow said and looked down at the sword with a frown before closing his eyes. The white mark on his right shoulder then began to glow, resonating with his jade mirrors and Soul-Calibur. A bright light came from him, as his eyes became crystal blue while a strange translucent armor then coated his body. The armor was beautiful translucent Silver, with claws forming over his fingers from it, a fin on each of his forearms and knees, the armor then curved off his single shoulder guard into a curved wing like shape, while over his feet the armor formed into boots with a fin at the back of his heels.
Looking down at Soul Edge, his eye's narrowed and the blade's own eye twitched rapidly, looking around for an escape it seemed. Crow didn't allow this as he lifted Soul-Calibur up over his head and then held it there for a few meager seconds. "Now… This nightmare… IS OVER!" He exclaimed and plunged the sword down into the eye of the sword, gritting his teeth when he felt it struggle against him. Twisting the sword deeper into Soul Edge he hears it cry out in pain in his mind yet ignored that as he continued to push down on it.
Vines then rose out of the sword to rap around Soul-Calibur, only for the holy sword to glow and blow the vines and tentacles back. The boy's armor, and Gauntlet then seemed to shatter into pieces, forming into a shield between him and Soul-Edge's twisted vines. Gritting his teeth once more Crow then roars, spinning on one heel he tosses the sword out of a nearby stained glass window…
--
(Back in Konoha…)
Naruto suddenly fell to his knees, his right arm sparking and grasping erratically at nothing. "What the hell?" Anko asked then watched as Naruto began screaming in pain, rolling around on the ground, his arm soon caught aflame, purple flames roaring to life as Naruto grasped his head in pain. "Tsunade! HK! What the hell is going…" Before Anko could continue Charade started to freak out as well, floating into the air and trembling erratically, sparking and covered in flames his body began to fly everywhere, smashing into anything close to him.
"Statement: It would seem that both Master and the Rock Creature are in some amount of Discomfort. Query: Since both Charade and Master are linked to this Soul-Edge, is it possible that Soul-Edge might be under some form of attack?" HK suggested and Tsunade shrugged, how the hell was she supposed to know, the only thing she knew was that they were in pain, and it obviously wasn't due to any kind of physical ailment. However, before any of them could do anything they all started to scream and writhe in pain on the ground as well.
Ignoring the now completely useless Humans, HK, Lizardman, and Seras went over to Naruto and found him slamming his head into the ground. He continued to do this until there was a crater in the ground in the shape of his head. HK placed a hand onto Naruto's back only to pull back as the flames seemed to begin to melt his hand. "Statement: It would seem touching them is a fairly bad idea…" HK then said and Seras rolled her eyes before then looking at the writhing in pain humans.
"It's only the ones who are somehow connected to Soul-Edge that seem to be affected by this…" Seras said and HK nodded his head before then looking to HK. "We better figure out a way to protect them in case some more of those Ninja come. Set up a perimeter and check for any of those Explosive notes, I'll try and seal the exits before they notice…" Seras ordered and HK seemed reluctant before going off to do so, while Seras walked off to seal the entrances and exits…
On the other side of town Astaroth was slamming his axe into another puny human when he was also overwhelmed by pain. His eyes widened as he fell to his knees, fire and lightning covering his form before he roared, grasping his axe tightly he swung it wildly, without purpose, crushing anything and everything in his path as his body was wracked with unbearable pain.
--
(??)
Cervantes groaned in pain as he pushed himself along the walls of his ship, finding his crew was falling to pieces all around him. His own personal version of Soul-Edge was sparking and flaming erratically. Gritting his Teeth Cervantes kicked the door to the top deck down and found his crew of the undead was falling to the ground as bones and corpses. Cervantes gritted his teeth once more then looked to his Soul-Edge: Female and noticed that the blade had cracked making his eye's widen as he snarled.
"Someone… Someone has sealed Soul Edge again…" He grunted before falling to the ground and slamming one of his hands into the floor. "I have to find it… I have to unseal Soul-Edge… Or else… I'll…" Cervantes said then fell to the ground panting and grunting in pain as he was severed from Soul-Edge like the others around the world…
--
(Land of Blades…)
Panting heavily as he sits back Crow laughs, he can't feel it… Soul-Edge it's power it was finally… Stopping when he felt a spark of power, Crow pushes himself back to his feet and then stops when he sees something. Walking over to a dark corner, Crow sees an old body with a sword at its side. The sword is a Zweihander, like the ones Crow has used since he was a child. The blade it about four feet long, with a double edge and the tip having two spikes pointing to the sides, the center of the blade is dark gray however, with a thick hilt that has a small chain link dangling off of it with a bow shape between the handle and the blade, the handle is another foot long with brown leather over it and a simple metal pommel. (Requiem… (SCIII Version))
Looking at the weapon Crow reaches down and takes the sword, before then swinging it and placing it onto his back. Looking down at the old skeleton, crow sees white armor and knows immediately who this once was… "Rest easy now Siegfried… I'll continue your quest…" Crow says softly before then walking away and out of the chapel, Raphael having long left himself.
Crow walks out of the simple chapel and out to where he tossed the two legendary swords. Over his shoulders a brown cloak resides, the hood lowered while his ebony locks shadow his eyes. He soon sees both swords but sighs when he sees that they are now in some kind of strange bond. Soul-Calibur is now buried up to the hilt of Soul-Edge with Soul-Edge's eye looking up towards its pure counter part… "So even now… It's not over…" He whispers before picking up Soul-Calibur's hilt and then raises a brow… He doesn't feel any taint from Soul-Edge!
"It may not be over… But I'm close to finally ending this…" Crow then says and walks away from the chapel, pulling the two combined sword with him he hides it under his cloak with Requiem, he'd have to find a more permanent cover for the blades at another time, for now… He needed to leave…
--
(Konoha…)
Naruto and the other Humans with pieces of Soul-Edge all slowly got to their feet, gasping in pain. Most had returned to their Human forms, only Naruto remained in his "Nightmare" form and felt like he had just had his own soul ripped out of his body… Luckily it was still very much intact…
"What the hell just happened?" Anko asked weakly while grunting in pain.
"We… I… Was separated… From Soul-Edge…" Naruto said with a groan then looked up as HK held down a hand, Naruto took it and was lifted to his feet by the red robot.
"I never want that to happen again…" Yugito said and Gaara nodded while Tayuya groaned.
"What the fuck did that?" The girl questioned and then saw the group around her. "What is this, a freak show?" She then questioned while Charade fell to the ground and his rocks twitched. Naruto growled seeing this then stalked over to Tayuya, reaching down he lifted the girl from the ground and up into the air.
"Listen here you little cunt… You have two choices… You can shut the hell up, work with us, and help us find Soul-Edge… OR you can decide to stay here, where I'll let Anko torture you for five hours, then I'll let HK have you for Ten, then I'll cut your arms and feet off before fucking ripping your intestines out… ALL WHILE KEEPING YOU FUCKING ALIVE! THEN I'll Find the worst most brutal bunch of rapists and leave you to be their little play thing until I'm bored, THEN I'll fucking cut you into one hundred pieces, then throw those pieces to a bunch of hungry fucking wolves, then cut the wolves into pieces and burn those all to fucking cinders!" Naruto screamed at the girl who had paled to a sheet white shade while looking at the completely furious red head.
"I'll help…" She said meekly and Naruto roared before spinning on one heel and tossed the girl across the ground to Gaara. Anko and the others stared as Naruto then ran at a wall and began to punch into it with his right arm. Breaking the wall he then jumped up and used an axe kick to what remained of the wall and demolished it… Panting the living Nightmare growled angrily, eyes wide with anger and hate.
"You… Okay?" Anko suddenly questioned and Naruto growled.
"I've been cut off from Soul-Edge… If I don't restore my connection with it… I'll fucking die…" Naruto said then growled angrily, Tsunade heard this then ran over to him and checked him with a medical Jutsu. The annoyed red head knocked her hands away from him then cracked his neck however. "My problem isn't medical… When Soul-Edge was cut off from me it was as though I lost a limb… As long as I absorb a couple more souls I'll be fine to fight… Until then I'll be in a weakened state…" Naruto explained with a groan before standing up and walking over to HK.
"HK, gather up Charade, he'll need your help with that from now on. Anko, collect any weapons on the field your going to need for this trip. We'll buy food and provisions in the next town over… away from Astaroth… I'm too weak to fight with him at the moment… Gaara, get Tayuya, your in charge of her… Seras… Tsunade… Help me get out of here till my strength returns…" Naruto grunted out and Seras and Tsunade nodded their heads before helping the armored young warrior walk towards an exit. Behind them Tayuya was starting to get an idea in her head when Gaara appeared and glared down at her.
"He maybe weakened at the moment, but I wouldn't suggest getting any thoughts about killing him… He's practically family…" Gaara said with a smirk and used his sand to pull a kicking and screaming Tayuya with them. Lizardman followed HK and assisted in the robotic assassins collecting of Charade's pieces.
"Statement: I thank you for your assistance Lizard Creature, but I did not require it however at the moment it appears that my master will need me more than ever." HK said as Charade reformed its body then shook its head, HK and Lizardman helping the rock creature move as well as the group left Konoha to go in search of the closest town and more souls…
Meanwhile across town, death and destruction rained supreme, not a single soul had survived the Black Giants wrath as he slaughtered hundreds… Astaroth grunted as he stepped on the next puny Ninja then absorbed their souls, feeling rejuvenated but not at full strength. Looking around he snarled, Soul-Edge was sealed… He could feel his connection to the cursed sword had been cut, and he couldn't allow that… "Nightmare can wait… Seems, I have more important things to deal with at the moment…" Astaroth growled and then jumped through a building and went running in the direction of the Land of Blades…
--
TBC…
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Harem Will Include: Tira (The Misguided Angel of Death), Anko Miterashi (The Serpentine Snake Mistress), Tsunade Senju (The Broken Angel), Seras Victoria (The No-Life Queen), Yugito Nii (The Flaming Hell Cat)