Last Time:

"The others?" Naruto repeated.

"Utakata, Han, Roushi, and Yagurachi," Fuu responded. "The five of us were the last five you needed to contact, weren't we? We live here in the Human Realm and we figured we shouldn't leave you to protect it all by yourself. So, from here on out, you have all of us on your side."

"However, after all of this is over, we can't guarantee that we'll stick around," Utakata's voice came through on the radio.

"Now, now, don't be like that Utakata," Roushi's voice bellowed through the radio. "You have a responsibility to do and running away after all of this isn't going to do any of us any good."

"Weren't you also avoiding Uzumaki-san until recently, Roushi?" Utakata questioned.

"Enough bickering you two," Yagura groaned from his end. "We have work to do."

"Well this is certainly and interesting turn of events," Gaara's voice came on over the channel. "Well then Naruto, tell us what we need to do."

Naruto couldn't help but wear a smile on his face at the sound of all their voices. "Let's show Kaguya that we're not going down without a fight."

"Roger!" all of them said simultaneously.

Exorcist: Chapter 26 –

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura landed on the ground just a few feet from Sasuke who was waiting outside of Exorcist HQ. She placed her hands on her knees as she panted seeing as she rushed over as quickly as she possibly could. "I'm coming along with you and Naruto," she stated as she finally looked up at Sasuke.

"No you're not," Sasuke argued as he crossed his arms. "You're better off tending to the wounded and making sure people are ready to fight when the time comes. My clan, Naruto, and I can handle the Guardian and the Outsutsuki accompanying it. Follow the orders given to you."

"My team can handle tending to the wounded without me," Sakura countered. "I'm the best field medic here besides Tsunade and she's the last person who should be on the front lines. I'm coming with you whether you like it or not."

Sasuke sucked his teeth. "What's your problem? Why can't you just stay back?"

"Because it's my job to make sure my home isn't destroyed by those bastards," Sakura shouted as she glared at Sasuke. "So like I said before, whether you like it or not, I'm coming with you and serving as your field medic! Why are you being stupid and not letting me help?"

"Because I don't want you getting hurt!" Sasuke blurted out which caught both of them off guard. Sasuke turned away but not before Sakura was able to catch a glimpse of the pink on his cheeks. "Just do all of us a favor and stay back…you're just a Human after all."

Sakura wasn't sure on how to respond.

"Sasuke," Naruto called as he headed out the front doors of HQ with Hinata behind him. "We're heading out; are you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." Sasuke turned his back to Sakura and walked down the remainder of the steps with Naruto.

"S-Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted and went after him.

When Sasuke turned, he sat Sakura just inches from his face. His eyes widen as Sakura's lips met his, the two of them stumbling but Sasuke keeping the both upright. And after that moment of hesitation, he returned the kiss as he placed a hand against her cheek. After a few short moments, Sakura was the one to break the kiss and look up at Sasuke with her cheeks as pink as her hair.

"I'm coming with you," she said and saw Sasuke flinch at her words. "I'm the only one capable of healing a mass number of people without suffering from Mana Depletion. And I've fought plenty of Demons on my own, you don't need to worry about me."

Sasuke pursed his lips together as he tried to think of an argument. He knew though that Sakura wasn't going to listen to him, especially not now.

"There's no point in arguing," Naruto said and saw how red Sasuke turned as he remembered they weren't alone. "Tsunade recommended that we bring Sakura along and I trust Sakura can hold her own. If I didn't know any better, I'd mistake Sakura for a S-Class Demon."

Sakura flinched. "I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not."

"Let's get going," Naruto said just before he took a few steps forward and became engulfed in a brilliant orange light that reached towards the heavens. When it dispersed, his entire body seemed to be made of this light with think black lines accenting parts of his attire. On his back were six spheres that hovered while nine tails sprouted from his lower back. "Let's get going."

Sasuke nodded as he removed a small scroll from his thigh and let it roll open. As the summoning circle appeared in front of Sasuke, Sakura watched as a large Hawk emerged. It shook its feathers before stretching its wings which roughly could've been a mile wide.

"Garuda," Sasuke said and watched as the hawk looked over its shoulder at him. "Ready?"

"Of course Master Sasuke," Garuda answered as he lowered himself to allow Sakura and Sasuke to climb onto his back followed by Naruto.

"Grandma Tsunade, watch Hinata for me!" Naruto called as Garuda lifted them off the ground and took off towards the Guardian.

Hinata clung to the necklace around her neck and watched as Garuda got further and further away. "Be careful."

The Forgotten Realm: Kaguya's Castle – throne room

Kaguya crossed her legs and tapped the arm of her chair in agitation. In front of her, five screens displayed The Five Guardians and she watched as none of them move with her clansmen on top of them. She looked over her shoulder at the five clansmen of hers who were in meditation poses with emblems glowing on their foreheads that matched the emblems of The Five Guardians.

"I would've hoped people learned not to deny me the things I desire," Kaguya sighed as she looked back at the screen and propped her head on her hand. "The Elders back then denied me a piece of the Tree of Essence and now here we are, having to use my son's toys to retrieve what he left behind for me."

"Lady Kaguya."

Kaguya looked to her right where Kinshiki sat awkward on a small stool. "Have you located where Menma and his entourage ran off too?"

He sheepishly shook his head. "They just finished searching what was left of Menma's Palace and they only found the bodies of civilians. Momoshiki mentioned that they had put up a fight against The Guardian in the Shadow Realm before they ultimately disappeared before Momoshiki could deliver his final attack. However, all Guardians of the Shadow Realm have appeared in the Demon Realm and all Demon Realm Guardians are present in the Shadow Realm. We're just waiting for your permission to proceed."

Kaguya looked back at the screens in front of her. She held out her left hand and made one screen large. On it was Naruto on the back of Sasuke's summon Garuda, the three of them heading towards their fight with The Guardian of the East. "Destroy them."

"Commence operation," Kinshiki said over his radio and Kaguya watched as all The Guardians that her clan controlled began to move and the clansmen on top of those Guardians descended. "Your main objective is destruction, leave nothing behind. If possible, capture the Jinchuuriki and extract the Tailed Beast."

Human Realm: Konoha City – Sarutobi Forest

"I'll be going first," Naruto announced as he grinned at Sakura and Sasuke before jumping off Garuda's back. "Kurama!"

Sakura watched as Naruto transformed into Kurama, a sweat breaking out on the back of her neck as she remembered the Second Opening of Hell's Gate and seeing him towering over the skyline. However, instead of that violent and deranged look in his eyes from that night, there was a look of determination and his eyes were fixed on their target.

"He's in a good mood which means this should be a decent fight," Sasuke announced over the wind as Garuda circled back around. He removed another scroll from his thigh and let it unroll with the wind. "Aoda!"

Below Garuda, a massive summoning circle appeared and, with horror, Sakura watched as a snack descending from it and landed onto the ground below. She shivered as she looked at Sasuke with a slight look of disappointment. "You have a snake as a summon?"

"It's a long story," Sasuke responded as he patted Garuda's head. "Are you ready Sakura?"

Sakura nodded as she looked towards the Guardian and saw the sheer amount of Outsutsuki atop its head and shoulder. "It's been a while since I've been in a good fight so this should be fun." She stood and flexed her hands, a blue light beginning to glow along the veins of the glove. She looked at Sasuke and gave him a warm smile. "Good luck."

"Incoming!" one of the Uchiha shouted from down below and they all watched as the Outsutsuki began to descend off the head and shoulders of The Guardian. At the same time, The Guardian's eyes flashed and the emblem on its forehead glowed brilliantly.

Sakura fell back off Garuda's back and dove straight towards the ground. She recognized a few of the Uchiha down below from her first trip in the Demon Realm and Sasuke's mother had invited them over. When they saw her, they gave her nods of approval before focusing their attention back on their own individual opponents. Nearing the ground, Sakura clenched her fist and gritted her teeth.

As Sakura's fist touched the ground, a powerful gust of wind burst out from around her before the ground gave out beneath her. The Uchiha were quick to maneuver through the wreckage and catch some members of the Outsutsuki off guard as they struggled to regain their footing.

"That's frightening," Sasuke said as Garuda circled back around the battlefield. He watched as Kurama locked hands with the Guardian, the two of them struggling to gain power over the other. "Looks like that's all for now Garuda, thank you."

"Be careful," Garuda advised as he took a sharp turn upward to avoid the attack of an Outsutsuki. "If you're hurt while Aoda is around then I'll be sure to give him a piece of my mind when he gets home."

Sasuke nodded as he removed a small scroll from his thigh and rolled it open. Below Garuda, a massive summoning circle appeared and the head of a massive snake slid though. "Aoda! Help Prince Naruto!"

Aoda spotted the struggle down below and quickly descended from the summoning circle and wrapped himself around the Guardian and squeezed tightly. In the Guardians moment of distract, Kurama overpowered it and flip it onto the ground.

"I'll see you soon Garuda," Sasuke said just before jumping off his back.

Down below, Sakura was holding her own against a member of the Outsutsuki Clan, the two of them constantly clashing against one another but neither one of them backing down. Around her, Uchiha and Outsutsuki fought against one another.

"Sakura!" Obito shouted for her as he blocked the blade of an Outsutsuki much larger than him.

Sakura blinked and saw that the girl she had been fighting was no longer several feet in front of her. When she looked down however, the held one of Sakura's machete's in her hand and had the edge pointed towards her stomach. As quickly as she could, Sakura clasped her hands together and brought them down against the girls back which sent her down but not before Sakura's leg was cut.

She jumped back as far as she could without getting in the way of another fight and kneeled. Her hand quickly moved to her leg and began to heal while the other felt onto her lower back to notice her blade was indeed missing.

The girl groaned and pulled herself out of the ground. As she stood and rubbed her head, Sakura noticed her eyes were different. "Who would've thought that a lowly Human would be fast enough to countered me like that."

Sakura healed her leg faster and kept her eyes on the girl.

The girl noticed Sakura's glare had intensified. She smirked. "I forgot, you Humans are well versed in eye techniques are you. This," she pointed to her eyes, both a light purple with black rings, "is called the Rinnegan. I'd educate you further on it but there's no point seeing as you'll be dead soon."

"Umeko, less talking, more fighting!" the Outsutsuki who was fighting Obito shouted as he swung at Obito only to have his fist hit the ground instead.

"Who are you to give me orders, you underling!" Umeko shouted.

In that time of Umeko shouting at her clansmen, Sakura got back to her feet and sprinted towards her. She was in front of her in a matter of minutes and before Umeko could react, Sakura's fist was against her cheek.

"Shannaro!" Sakura shouted as she sent Umeko flying back and tumbling against the ground until she hit the leg of the Guardian. She stood upright and pulled her gloves down while narrowing her eyes. "Don't underestimate me simply because I'm Human."

Kiri City – Marshlands

Mei watched as water wrapped around the legs of the Guardian of the South and stopped him in his tracks. "I'm not letting you anywhere near my city, you bastard!"

"Lady Mizukage! Above!"

Mei looked up and watched as the Tailed Beast that had attacked the city near her own all those years ago tackled The Guardian causing it to fall backward into the Marshlands. She watched as it buzzed around for a moment before suddenly shrinking in size and morphing into something different.

"Sorry for the delay!" Fuu landed on the ground beside Mei and gave her a large grin. "You fall back Lady Mizukage, you can leave the Guardian to the three of us?"

"The three of you?" Mei repeated and saw Yagura and Utakata stand beside her. "Yondaime-sama!"

"You've done well Godaime-sama," Yagura said as he began to walk forward. "Fall back and help fight off the Outsutsuki while we handle The Guardian. And don't try and fight me on this, you'll only get in the way."

Mei pursed her lips together and watched as both Yagura and Utakata clasped their hands together. She watched as distinct markings covered both their bodies and began to glow and before she could say anything, she was lifted and carried away. With wide eyes, she watched as Yagura and Utakata turned into their respected Tailed Beast Isobu and Saiken. "Yondaime-sama."

"Choumei." Fuu patted her stomach and watched as markings covered her body. A smirk grew onto her face as she removed the red container from her back and propped it up against the ground. "Let's do what we can from the ground, shall we?"

Suna City – Desert Outskirts

Temari used the butt of her folded fan to send a member of the Outsutsuki Clan flying back into several more, all of them causing a tower of sand to erupt into the air as they crashed into a nearby dune. She sucked her teeth and looked around at the situation before looking up towards where Shukaku fought with The Guardian of the West.

"Temari!" Kankuro shouted as he pulled the strings on his puppets and watched it dodge an attack from one of the Outsutsuki.

Temari turned and saw an Outsutsuki charging for her at top speed. Without a moment's hesitation, she opened her fan to reveal all three purple moons within and swing. The gust of wind it produced was enough to send any Outsutsuki within a mile radius to be blown back. Members of Suna's Exorcist immediately planted themselves to the ground to avoid being blown away.

She raised her fan above her heard and when she saw that the Suna Exorcist were ready, the small flaps attacked to their uniforms being attacked from their arms to their waist, she brought her fan back down again. The Suna Exorcist were blown forward and managed to deliver devastating blows to the Outsutsuki in the way.

Konoha City – Sarutobi Forest

"Kurama!" Naruto shouted and watched as Kurama opened his mouth and began to form a ball of energy in his mouth. He gritted his teeth as The Guardian of the East tried to bring itself back up. As it sat up, Kurama released the ball of energy, the blast removing the head of the Guardian and the side of some mountains in the distance.

"He did it," Sasuke said with a sigh of relief as he watched Kurama's form disappear only leaving Naruto who began to fall back towards the ground, his grin clear from down below. Sasuke was about to shout up towards him but saw a blur of light shoot up from where the Guardian lay.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called to him as she ran towards him. As she reached out to touch his arm, he was gone in a flash and instead of her touching his sleeve, she touched Naruto's instead.

"Huh?" Naruto looked at Sakura for a moment before looking up to see Sasuke in his place. Before he could shout, he saw Toneri not even an inch away from Sasuke, his arm through Sasuke's chest. His eyes widen as Toneri removed his arm and let Sasuke fall towards the ground. Frantically, Naruto ran as fast as he could to where Sasuke was falling. "Sasuke!"

To Be Continued…