Chapter 29
Off to the Mist
"The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him..." -G.K Chesterson
"Sentence." -Speech
'Sentence.' - Thoughts
'Sentence' -Kyara's/Kyuubi's mental dialogue
"Sentence." -Distorted speech.
Naruto was lying on his bed, with a sleeping Saya resting on his chest. He idly stroked her long dark green hair, smirking in amusement as she started wiggling around, a soft smile on her face. The young girl had walked in, obviously sleepy, and after yawning, asked him if she could sleep with him. Naruto had nodded, and she proceeded to collapse onto his chest, much to his surprise.
He eventually shrugged, and let her sleep. Consuming the Ubermorph was a treasure trove of knowledge, from how Necromorphs were created, as well as how to control what Necromorph was created. There was also the matter of the organic bombs used by a Brute when it loses a limb. Apparently, the actual explosive was a compound of methane and hydrogen, two flammable gases. The compound was diffused in an all-purpose acid, capable of corroding both organic and inorganic material.
Like the organic jets, the explosive compound was ignited with a bio-electrical discharge, the acid was similar to seawater, in that it was electrically conductive, and the bomb detonated, showering anything within a thirty-foot radius with acid.
Naruto was contemplating on how to utilize the organic bombs himself, he already had the bomb itself, he just needed something to deliver it to an enemy. An organic cannon? Perhaps.
Making a Necromorph was actually rather simple. Just introduce the Blacklight virus to a corpse, and presto. A Necromorph, of his choosing.
From how the Necromorphs behaved in the sewers, Naruto had predicted they would be extremely aggressive towards non-Infected, or Infected not of their hive. But, it seemed that was only because the Ubermorph had given them those instructions. The Necromorphs that Naruto could create were usually docile unless ordered to attack. They weren't friendly like ordinary Infected were towards him, or his girls, but at least he could count on them to not kill every living thing in sight.
Any further thoughts about the new Infected Naruto could create were banished when the door swung open, revealing Kushina, her long red hair swaying as she walked into the room with a smile.
Naruto raised his head, to look at Kushina, accidentally rousing Saya, who awoke with a pout.
"Kushina? What is it?" He asked, hooded head tilting to the side. Kushina took a seat on the bed, smile still on her face.
"I've been thinking." She said cheerily.
The hooded blonde raised an eyebrow.
"About?" Where was she going with this?
Her smile faded slightly, before returning.
"What happened in Nami?" There was concern in her tone, and she turned her head towards him. Her blue-gray eyes were shining with worry.
Naruto sighed heavily, resting his head back against the pillow. He brought his right hand up to his forehead, in an effort to stem the growing headache.
"Saya, why don't you go play with Miko-chan?" He asked. "Not that way!" He quickly added, raising his index finger for emphasis. Saya's pouting wasn't enough to change Naruto's mind, eventually nodding, and getting off the bed. With a smile, she skipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Kushina watched her go with a wistful expression. Naruto, feeling her emotions through the telepathic link, sat up, and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. She leaned into him, scooting closer. Taking his hand off of her shoulder, he brought it up to the back of her head, caressing the blood-red strands of hair.
"What's wrong?" He whispered. Naruto had a feeling he knew what it was, and if so, he was here for her.
Kushina lightly sniffled, and buried her face into his shoulder. When she spoke, her voice was starting to break with emotion.
"I...I'm just thinking, of what it would b-be like, if I hadn't..." Soon enough, she could speak no more. Bitter tears flowed out of her clenched shut eyes, making Naruto's shoulder feel somewhat wet. The hooded blonde sighed deeply, and wrapped his free arm around her. In return, Kushina's arms shot around Naruto, gripping tightly.
It seemed he was right. Kushina was having thoughts of what could have been. A life with her beloved son, where she raised him. Where she could be a mother.
Kushina began sobbing, the sound muffled by Naruto's shoulder. Said hooded blonde's hug grew tighter, in an effort to comfort her. It worked somewhat, as her sobbing grew a little quieter. He leaned down, his lips next to her ear.
"What happened at Nami, was what happened every single time I lost control." He breathed out. "The virus takes over for a moment, and I get booted into the deepest part of myself. My soul." Kushina stopped sobbing, and lifted her head. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes red, and puffy from her tears. She locked eyes with him, begging silently.
What else?
He took his hand off the back of her head, and gently trailed a finger down her cheek.
"It wasn't good there. Hellish. I simply can't describe it to you, and don't ask for me to show it to you, because I won't. The incident at Nami, something different happened. There was another person there. A visitor." The red-haired beauty tilted her head in confusion, and quietly spoke.
"Who?"
Naruto closed his eyes, and pressed his forehead against Kushina's. He re-opened his blue-silver eyes, making sure to look directly into Kushina's own blue-gray.
"The Rikudou Sennin's brother." It must have sounded funny, considering Kushina started to giggle near silently. Her amusement faded when she realized Naruto wasn't joking in the least. Her eyes widened. He continued.
"He helped me regain control, and begged me to destroy the world. Something about fixing his and the Rikudou Sennin's mistake, or some shit like that." Naruto began to grow slightly angered. "I'll be honest. He, and his dipshit of a brother can go fuck themselves. World's dying as we speak anyway." He closed his eyes, and slowly exhaled through his nose, calming himself. "Anyway, I went through some trials and tribulations, which ended up with me freeing my 'light'..." Four tendrils emerged from his shoulders, bending to mimic air quotes, before receding back into Naruto. "Which probably represents what remains of my humanity, not that I give a single flying fu..."
Naruto was silenced when Kushina laid a finger across his lips.
"Okay, that's a little weird, I'll admit. What about when you infected Haku?" She asked. Naruto was starting to get a little irritated, so she may as well change the subject somewhat. Naruto shrugged, and answered with a completely straight face.
"Remember Elizabeth Greene? She survived being consumed some how, was transferred to me, where for shits and giggles, she weakened my self-control. So in return, I forced her to eat off her arms and legs, and killed her. She's dead now. Very dead hopefully." His face twisted in disdain. "Bitch was crazy as hell, and kept calling me her son." When Kushina's grip suddenly tightened further, he returned his attention to her, and leaned his head back at what he saw.
Her red hair was moving around as if it had a mind of it's own, and her features became wreathed in shadow, leaving only blank white eyes visible, as well as the rather off-putting sight of glowing white needle-like fangs, arranged in a pattern that resembled a mad grin.
"She did what?" Kushina's hair suddenly wrapped around Naruto's neck, pulling, and forcing him closer to Kushina, until all he could see was those glowing fangs. Naruto could distinctly feel Kushina's rage through the telepathic link, and hurriedly responded.
"S-She's dead now! She is as dead as dead can get! Soul, mind, and body, all gone!" He wasn't certain if he was afraid, but Naruto knew for certain that he wanted to be as far away as he could be from Kushina when she got angry.
The enraged red-head, thankfully enough, let go of Naruto, and her features returned to normal. She had on a beatific smile, and her eyes were closed.
"Good!" She chirped out. Kushina leaned in, kissing Naruto on the lips, pulling back before he could respond. "Only one woman is allowed to call you sochi, and that's me!" She poked a thumb into her chest for emphasis. Kushina got off the bed, and began walking out of the room, speaking one last time before she exited the room.
"Oh yeah. I'm going to go tell everyone in the bunker about what you said." Giving a peace sign, along with a cheeky smile, she opened the door, and strolled out.
And Naruto?
He was currently lying back down on the bed, a hand brought up to his forehead.
'So that's what happened.' Naruto stiffened upon hearing the dangerous tone in Kyara's voice.
'Um...I can explain.'
'No, you can't. I recommend you prepare yourself. I'm not the only one who's gonna be angry.' And with that, she closed the link.
Uh-oh.
He was in trouble.
Shit.
(A few hours, and a beat-down later)
"Ow..."
"That's what you get for keeping secrets, dattebane!"
"I...was...just...trying...to...protect...oof!"
"We don't need protection! But you definitely could have used some when you got your kaa-san angry!"
"Urgh..."
Naruto was currently lying face first on the ground, having been been beaten into a pulp by his infuriated mother. Maybe, he could have survived, if Anastasia hadn't taught Kushina how to shape-shift. Kushina's punches hurt. They hurt a hell of a lot more when enhanced by Musclemass.
Said red-head, was standing over him, steam blowing out of her ears. Her hair wildly writhed about, and her eyes were a blank white.
"I mean, honestly!" Punctuating the enraged yell with a kick to Naruto's side. "You don't keep secrets from the people you love!" Another kick. "I understand you were trying to spare us the worry, but still!" One last kick.
A few pained groans from Naruto were her only warning, before he managed to pull his head out of the small crater it had made when Kushina smashed her fist onto the top of his head. Kushina started to calm down when Naruto managed to get back to his feet, bringing a hand to his head.
If anything, Naruto could recover from her anger a lot better than Minato could.
Said hooded blonde, turned to Kushina, and spoke.
"Alright...You made your point." He momentarily flinched as he remembered the fist that floored him. "Very well, if I may add. I won't keep anymore secrets. And, I'm sorry. Truly." There was an undertone of pain in his voice. The punches themselves didn't hurt. Kushina's own anguish, which he felt clearly through the telepathic link, did hurt. A lot.
'Well shit. I feel like an ass. Again.'
'You got your punishment.'
'Yep. I deserved that. All of it.'
'I wouldn't go so far as to say that. Oh, by the way, incoming.'
'Whuh?'
Kushina tackling him to the ground in a hug, was apparently what Kyara was warning him about. With a cry of surprise, he was returned to the concrete floor of the mess hall with a thud.
"I didn't enjoy that, just so you know, koi..." Kushina's whispered into his ear. "And the rest of the girls forgive you, too."
In response, Naruto returned her hug, and whispered back.
"It's okay. I deserved every single punch, and more." He sighed deeply. "I hurt you. I hurt all of you. And I hate that. I hate seeing any of you in pain, and it's only worse knowing that I caused that pain."
"I know you do, Naruto. But this is just how relationships are. Usually, someone does something the other doesn't like." Kushina lightly chuckled. I imagine it's a lot worse for you, since you have, what, seven women who you love, and who love you back?" She released a sigh of her own. "You make mistakes. That's alright. Besides, you had our best interests at heart. That's one of the things I love most about you, sochi-kun..." Kushina gained a teasing grin. "Aside from your big, long..."
She was muffled when Naruto placed a hand over her mouth, and looked at her in exasperation.
"Seriously? You go from actually good reasons to love me, to the size of my penis?" He let his head drop to the concrete floor, and said, more to himself, than Kushina.
"I am surrounded by perverts. Ju...Just perverts everywhere." His complaint ended when he noted something.
"Oh well. At least, they're all very attractive women."
(Somewhere in Suna...)
Jiraiya sneezed loudly, and let out a mental curse. Damn it! The Kazekage's daughter was in the hot-springs, and she was another blonde bombshell! There was also this kunoichi with two toned hair, dark green with orange tips, who had a bust to match that of the other busy kunoichi in Kumo! The perverted Sannin was about to beat a hasty retreat, until he found himself suddenly rooted in place. He looked down towards his ankle, only to realize with horror that a tendril of sand was wrapped around it.
"Who are you? Actually, I don't care. Mother is screaming for your blood. So bleed." Jiraiya, in his terror, wasn't able to determine the gender of the person speaking, and loosed a high-pitched scream as a veritable tsunami of sand cast a shadow over him.
(Back in the Forest of Death)
'Why did I feel so satisfied all of a sudden?' Naruto thought to himself in confusion. Shaking his head, he banished the thought.
"Okay, this is nice and all, but I'd like to get back up now." Kushina nodded, and got back to her feet, helping Naruto up.
The hooded blonde clapped his hands together, and started walking out of the mess hall.
"Right then. It's time to head to Kiri. You ready, Kushina?" Said red-head nodded, and spoke.
"Yes. We're bringing everyone?"
Naruto nodded, the both of them now out of the mess hall, making their way to the exit.
"What about turning Mikoto and Saiyuri into Evolved?" Kushina asked.
Quickening his pace somewhat, Naruto responded.
"They'll have to wait for some time. I can turn them in Kiri." The two stopped near the exit, and Naruto leaned against the concrete wall. "Kushina, head back, and tell everyone to prepare. You'll all need to conceal your identity." Kushina nodded, and crossed her arms.
"What about you?"
Naruto cocked his head, and tendrils swarmed over him. When they receded, his appearance had changed significantly.
He was wearing an entirely black trench coat, which reached down to his ankles, the coat closed, concealing anything underneath. Black military fatigues, similar to the type used by Blackwatch, and black combat boots were his lower attire. To conceal his face, a similarly black helmet, combined with a double-filtered gas mask. The lenses were blood red, and glowed slightly. When he spoke, his voice was distorted, and crackled, as though he was speaking through a radio.
"I have my disguise here." Naruto leveled his concealed eyes with Kushina's. "My alias will be Jupiter." He got off the wall, and Naruto opened the exit door, revealing the Forest of Death outside. "Make sure to fill everyone in. A detachment of Brawlers, and three Hydras will follow us to Kiri. We leave at midnight."
With that said, he walked out, and closed the door. Kushina went to work gathering the others, and Naruto called the Infected who would follow him to Kiri.
If Mikoto were still considered a Clan Head, he'd have to leave a Bio-Clone to take her place. Thankfully, enough, that status was revoked with the slaughter of the Uchiha. The ground rumbled underneath Naruto, as three Hydras proceeded to burst out of the ground in front of him.
Hydras were the Infected giant carnivorous earth-worms, one of the more deadlier species in the Forest of Death. They were rarely seen, as they preferred to prey on larger meals, like the giant tigers, or centipedes that shared the Forest of Death. When Infected they underwent numerous changes.
For one, they grew much larger. A normal earth-worm would usually reach a maximum of 16 feet long. Hydras were usually over 25. Hydras were also much more intelligent, using the environment around them to attack, usually by picking up large boulders, and tossing them at enemies, alternatively, a bladed tongue, often longer than the Hydra itself, would be launched out of the Hydra's beak, and spear enemies, with the tongue winding back into the Hydra's beak, with the unfortunate organism impaled on it.
If needed, the beak itself could be used as a weapon, the Hydra running through an enemy with enough force to penetrate one foot of solid steel.
The appearance of a Hydra was rather frightening. Their bright red bodies were skinless, and seemed made entirely of muscle, with a few blood vessels strewn about. It's head consisted of a bony beak, tapering to a point, which opened horizontally.
The three Hydras screeched, awaiting orders. Numerous thuds next to Naruto, alerted him of the presence of the Brawlers accompanying him to Kiri. He turned his head, and saw at least twenty of the Infected dogs. A large group, leaving behind five Brawlers to defend the bunker. The alpha, signified by the metallic spikes on it's back, as well as it's larger size, roared, also awaiting orders.
"So we're going to Kiri?" Saiyuri said from behind him. Naruto turned, and saw everyone grouped up, including Saya, and Haku were garbed in long, hooded black cloaks.
Naruto nodded, and the eyes of his gas mask glowed a little brighter.
"Yes. We're going to Kiri, to obtain the DNA from kekkai genkai wielders, and if possible, secure an ally in the form of the new Mizukage."
Saiyuri hummed lightly, stepping closer to Naruto. He raised an eyebrow, not that anyone would have seen it, and once Saiyuri was close enough to Naruto, she proceeded to punch him in the arm as hard as she could.
"Ow."/"Ow!" Both Naruto and Saiyuri said/shouted. The latter hissing in pain, trying to shake away the numbness in her hand. Saiyuri glared at Naruto, enhanced with the Sharingan.
"Why'd you keep secrets from me!?" She yelled out. Letting loose a metallic groan, Naruto brought a hand to his mask-clad face.
"Can we please deal with this later? I do have a civil war to participate in."
Saiyuri turned away from Naruto with a huff, rubbing her injured hand. He wouldn't get away scot-free, not if Saiyuri had anything to say about it. She wouldn't hurt him, of course, not in malice, at least.
Naruto took a step back as Saiyuri started giggling madly, Sharingan glowing crimson all the while. Electricity began crackling up and down her body, showing off her powerful Raiton nature.
"Okay, anyway..." He returned his attention to the rest of his group. "Let's go. Kiri awaits us."
The Brawlers and Hydras all roared and screeched.
The Bloody Mist?
It was about to get bloodier.
Zing! Off to war they go! Make sure to review!
If you didn't like how Naruto let himself get beat on by Kushina, please. Direct any and all death threats to the sovereign nation of Idontcare, in the state of Fuckyou, and the county of Eatshit, and the city of And, and P.O box of Die. Got it?
