Syrena Li: Well, I'll let you know in a chapter or two if he's dead or alive. And my little brother slapped me when he read that chapter so you have a kindred spirit lol.
The First Kitsukage: Before you write off my story, can you at least hear my logic? Yeah, I know that there are a lot of OC's, but each one of them is necessary to my story. I bet you if I cut them out and posted this story back up, it would not only be a carbon copy of the manga, but it wouldn't flow like it does. And as far as the Kyuubi dying by the Ichibi, if you read this chapter, you'll get it. Also, when I did research for the tailed beasts, I learned the number of tails they have only means how experienced they are or how old they are. Hence, I decided to make it so that they were all on an even playing field. If you don't want to read my story anymore, then fine, I can't force you to read my story. But I want you to at least understand my logic.
Thanks to RasenShuriken 92 for the encouragement!
The Heavens Weep from Their Power! The Ichibi vs. the Kyuubi!
"Haku, move Sasuke and you and Harufuudo stay out of my way," ordered Kyo. Haku wasted no time snatching Sasuke up, but Harufuudo didn't comply so easily.
"WHY THE FUCK DID YOU SUMMON ME IF YOU HAD NO INTENTIONS OF USING ME?!?!" he shouted in anger.
"In case I lose. Now get out of my way." Harufuudo realized his father wasn't playing around and begrudgingly moved to the sidelines with Haku and Sasuke.
"I never told you much about myself, did I Kyo?" asked Shukaku as he gazed at the clouds. "I came into the world by stealing the life of my mother; Gaara did as well. My body was weak and failing me; much like Gaara's was. I became the strongest warrior; much like Gaara would have if I allowed him to survive. I guess that I should have had a more invested interest in Gaara's life, but the truth is I could care less about what happens to the boy."
"Our time has passed Shukaku! It is time for Gaara and Naruto's generation to take control! Stop clinging to the past!"
"I never thought you clang to your past enough!" Shukaku laughed as sand shot out of his chest and raced toward Kyo. The Kyuubi prepared to leap out of the way, but was amazed when the sand suddenly changed directions and went toward Haku.
Kyo slammed the Ierokitsune into the ground and shouted, "Oni Bijutsu: Jigokuiki (Demon Art: Hell's Soul)[1]!"
A large geyser of magma shot out of the ground and turned the approaching sand into glass. Shukaku used the distraction to close the gap between him and Kyo. He thrust the halberd toward the Kyuubi's head, but the redhead brought the Ierokitsune up to block. The force of Shukaku's attack caused a small crater to be formed.
"What did they mean to you?" inquired Shukaku as he and Kyo tried to gain the upper hand on each other in a high speed sword fight.
"What are you talking about?"
"The rest of the Rosuto. I mean, I am sure you know what happened after I killed you, right?"
Kyo growled in anger at Shukaku's words, and the Ichibi used the opening to slash Kyo across his chest. Kyo swung his mystical sword down, but the attack was blocked.
"It was so much fun. I killed Hihi, Katatsumuri, Kujira, Kyodai, and Oushi slowly and painfully. Their blood tasted so good. And do you want to know what I did to Bake?"
"Shut up! Onichishuuha!" roared Kyo as a massive wave of red yokai created a three mile wide radius of destruction.
Shukaku merely reformed his body and finished, "I raped her repeatedly, violently, and brutally until her vagina became too loose for my tastes."
Kyo's eyes became slits and he screamed, "Yonbiko Imari (Four-Tailed Fox Menacing Ball)!"
A blue and red ball of yokai formed in Kyo's hand. He materialized in front of Shukaku and slammed the ball into his chest. An explosion engulfed the ravaged plain. Harufuudo barely had time to move Haku and Sasuke out of the way before the attack connected.
"They were my friends! They were OUR friends! How could you do that to them?"
"Joyfully. Especially when I had knocked out all of Bake's teeth and shoved my—"
Kyo's blade pierced straight through Shukaku's chest, interrupting his lewd taunt. The Ichibi coughed up a mouthful of sand, and his body dissolved into a pile of sand. Kyo swung his blade down and another Onichishuuha hit the pile.
"They were never my friends. They were an ends to a mean for me," said Shukaku as his body reformed.
Kyo roared in rage and screamed, "Damn you, Shukaku!"
The Kyuubi leapt at the Ichibi, who easily slapped him away with his halberd. Kyo rolled on the ground and regenerated his wound. Shukaku made hand seals and shouted, "If you think that what I did to your little lover was bad, wait until you hear what I will do this delectable young maiden!"
Kyo looked up in horror to see Haku suspended in midair, encased in sand. Harufuudo was engaged in a losing battle with several Suna Bunshin and had yet to realize Haku had been snatched by the Ichibi.
"We both know how this works. She will not be released until you can kill me, IF you can kill me. Care to roll the dice, my old friend?" said Shukaku maliciously. "Suna Shuriken!"
A barrage of sand-made shuriken shot from the Ichibi's chest and made its way towards Kyo. The ancient Okami knocked away everyone that made its way toward him. The sand began to retreat toward Shukaku's body, and it was Naruto, trapped inside Kyo's body, who realized what was going on.
Kyo-sensei! Look at Shukaku and tell me what you see!
Kyo watched as the Ichibi panted and heaved as the sand began to rejoin with his body. Slowly, but surely, Shukaku's breathing began to even out until he was breathing normally.
'I cannot believe I never noticed that before! Kit, what we are witnessing is an ancient jutsu that the Bunshin no Jutsu is based on. It is called the Ougonjutsu: Damisuna (Alchemy: Sand Dummy)[2]. The leaders of the Rurousha no Suna (Nomads of the Sand)[3] would learn this jutsu so that their souls could have a vessel to reside in when their original body died.'
Kyo ran around Shukaku with amazing speed, trying to confuse the Ichibi. He was unable to guard himself from each of the Kyuubi's slashes. Finally, Shukaku roared in anger and screamed, "Fuuton: Mugen-saijin Daitoppa (Wind Release: Infinite Sand Cloud Great Breakthrough)!"
Sand expelled from all over his body and knocked Kyo away. Shukaku quickly tried to re-summon the sand to his body, for he could feel his soul slipping into the afterlife. "I finally figured out the secret to your immortality!" shouted Kyo as he prepared to end Shukaku's miserable life.
"Heh, go ahead, kill me. But tell me Kyuubi-san, can you honestly kill an innocent boy, too? Gaara and I are still interlinked, much like you and your brat are. If I die here, he dies too! I truly am immortal now!"
Kyo growled in anger; all he could do was wait for the sand to merge back with Shukaku's body. 'I know that I know a jutsu that could help us, but I cannot think of it right now! Damn it all!'
I got this one, sensei! Just tell me where to go and I'll look through your jutsu for you!
'In my castle, there is a portrait of a blue-haired priestess. Behind it is my jutsu vault. I must warn you though; it will take me some time to search through all of them.'
How hard can it be?
Naruto stood at the ladder that led to Kyo's realm in his mind. He was about to begin the long climb up, when a hand touched his shoulder. Naruto pulled a kunai out and threw it at the man who deftly caught it.
"Whoa, little buddy! Slow down!" the man said as he stepped out of the shadows. It was Izuna, the man that Kyo had spoken to in Naruto's mind some time ago. "I'm just trying to help you out!"
"Who are you, and how'd you get in here?"
"The same way redhead did! Look, I'm here to help you! I hear you have an ancient jutsu to find! Two people are much better than one!"
Naruto hesitated as he thought to himself. 'I don't know who this guy is, but if he came here with Kyo-sensei, he must be a good guy.'The blond Kitsune coughed and said, "Fine. But keep up!"
The two mounted the ladder and began the long climb up toward Kyo's realm. "So if you came here with Kyo-sensei, why is it that we've never met before?" asked Naruto.
"When we came into your body, we had gotten separated. I was lost in this sewer for thirteen years before I finally found you," Izuna replied as they reached the top and entered the Kyuubi's castle.
The two walked around the main hall until they found the portrait Kyo had spoken of. The woman in the portrait was beautiful: she had long, dark blue hair that flowed to her waist; fair skin; and her figured was sheathed in a simple grey priestess robe. What stood out to Naruto was the fact that she had pure white eyes like a Hyuuga.
"Ah, that's Hyuuga Bake, the Nibi no Nekomata," Izuna said. "The portrait doesn't do her justice; I hear she was much more beautiful in real life."
Naruto gently took the portrait off the wall, revealing a safe. There was no handle, combination, or padlock; in short, there was no way to open the door.
"WHAT THE FUCK!!! HOW DO YOU ASK ME TO OPEN A SAFE WITH NO WAY TO OPEN IT!!!" screamed Naruto in anger.
Izuna chuckled at Naruto, who was now angrily pounding away at the black steel door. "Hey blondie! Move out of the way and close your eyes!"
Naruto grumbled under his breath and complied with the raven-haired man's wishes. All Naruto heard was a thunder clap and a massive explosion. When he opened his eyes, the safe, along with three-quarters of the wall, was completely destroyed.
"Hehe, oops," said Izuna sheepishly.
The two stepped over the rubble to find a room filled with shelves hundreds of feet high in the air. On each shelf was hundreds of scrolls, each one a different jutsu that the millennium old Kyuubi had amassed in his lifetime and afterlife.
"Oh shit," Izuna and Naruto said together as they realized they just might not find jutsu they were looking for.
Shukaku flung his halberd at Kyo, who leapt into the air and created several Kage Bunshin. The Ichibi sent a stream of sand from his chest and hardened it, making a dense, earthen javelin. It ran completely through three of the clones, causing them to dispel. One of Kyo's clones grabbed his fur pelt and flung him toward the unaware Shukaku. The Ichibi leapt out of the way, but Kyo grabbed his arm and shouted, "Enkoute (Flaming Hand)[4]!"
Kyo's hands began to glow bright red, and Shukaku screamed in pain as his right arm burst into flames. He quickly put the flames out, only to gaze in horror to find his arm was now glass. Kyo punched the arm with all of his strength, causing it to shatter into a billion pieces. Shukaku hardened the sand in his left arm and punched Kyo with all his might, knocking him across the ravaged plain. As Kyo flew across the plain, he laughed and shouted, "Now!"
"Kyo" exploded into a plume of smoke and the real Kyo burst out of the ground, his body covered in a cloak of yokai. "Ichibibu: Kai (First Tail: Release)[5]!"
The Kyuubi swung up, and the sheer force of the uppercut ripped half of Shukaku's face off. The massive pressure turned the sand that Kyo ripped off into a chunk of glass.
"I see now that nothing will save you. So I will go all out and kill you here!"
Shukaku laughed maniacally and shouted back, "Can you sacrifice the brat's life to appease your own bloodlust?"
Kyo smirked as he cracked his knuckles and replied, "I will save Gaara. Count on it!"
Naruto and Izuna had tossed about 200 scrolls on the floor in their pursuit for the scroll that Kyo needed. Trying to pass the time, Naruto decided to ask Izuna questions.
"So where are you from?"
"My people originated in Kumogakure no Sato, but I grew up in Hi no Kuni."
"You're a ninja?"
"Yup. Been one for a while now."
"Then how come I don't know you?"
"Uh, kinda been trapped in your mind since you were a few weeks old?"
"Oh yeah. So, who are your people?"
"They're dead now. They're all insignificant anyway."
"How can you say that about them?"
"They treated me like dirt when I was with them. Well, me and my big brother too."
"What's your brother's name? Maybe I know him."
"Doubt it. He's not among us anymore."
"Do you miss him?"
"No, I just think about him all the time because I hate his guts."
"Why?"
"WHY DO YOU ASK SO MANY FUCKING QUESTIONS?"
Shukaku laughed again and asked Kyo, "What makes you so confident that you can save him?"
"Because I learned a long time ago that true strength comes from having people to fight for. I have a new person to fight for and his name is Gaara!"
"Ugh, another one of your 'friendship is all we need' speeches. Gag me! Or rather, gag you!"
Shukaku made several hand seals and shouted, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" A large Tanuki materialized in the plain and roared viciously.
Kyo smirked and shouted, "Harufuudo! You get to fight now!"
The Kitsune Prince grinned the infamous Kitsune grin and made a hand seal. "Kuxo-ta-getseui (Quarter Moon)[5,7]!"
A crescent of forest green yokai incinerated the Suna clones. A tattoo of a quarter moon appeared on Harufuudo's forehead, and the prince made a hand seal. "Shinsei Youshiki: Kai (True Form: Release)[8]!"
Forest green yokai expanded throughout the plain, enshrouding Harufuudo. When the yokai died down, a large Kitsune with platinum blonde fur stood in the plain. He had eight tails with red tips that swished violently behind him. Drool fell from his mouth as he snarled at the Ichibi and his Tanuki.
"Dad!" the Kitsune, who we now know to be Harufuudo, shouted. "Get up here!"
Kyo wasted no time leaping all the way up onto his son's massive head. "I always wanted to taste Tanuki flesh," said Harufuudo as he licked his now black lips.
"Hang on tight!" he shouted as he leapt toward the two Tanuki. Harufuudo's right paw began to glow with purple yokai as he shouted, "Dokutsume (Poison Claw)!"
The Tanuki roared and shouted, "Fuuton: Renkudan (Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet)!" He released a concentrated ball of chakra and wind at the Kitsune prince, who leapt to the left to avoid the attack. More of the beautiful landscape of Hi no Hayashi was ruined by the attack.
"Supeketoru Gokakyu no Jutsu (Spectral Fireball Technique)[9]!" shouted Harufuudo.
The massive, blue fireball made its way toward the Tanuki King with the speed of a fighter jet. He barely had time to shout, "Saikō Zettai Bōgyo: Shukaku no Tate (Absolutely Hard Ultimate Defense: Shield of Shukaku)!"
A massive Tanuki made of sand materialized before him and morphed into glass the second the fireball came in contact with it. Harufuudo smiled in spite of the fact that his attack was deflected and telepathically communicated with his father.
Dad! I figured out how to kill Shukaku!
Forgive me if I sound skeptical, but how did you accomplish in five minutes what I have been trying to do for almost a millennium?
My Supeketoru Jutsu! They attack a person's spirit, not their body! If I can hit him with one, I can wipe his essence out without killing Gaara!
Hmm………it may work, but Naruto may have already found the Wareme Kotan [10]. That would definitely work.
This is Naruto-kun we're talking about.
…………………Good point.
Naruto groaned in frustration. One thousand scrolls later, neither he nor Izuna had managed to find the Wareme Kotan scroll Kyo sent them (well, Naruto) to find. The blonde Kitsune roared in frustration and began flinging scrolls wildly.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!?! WHY IS THIS FUCKING SCROLL SO FUCKING HARD TO FUCKING FIND?!?!" screamed Naruto as he tossed a particularly large scroll in Izuna's direction.
The raven-haired ninja leapt over it and landed on top of the scroll. He looked at the temperamental blonde and said, "Now now, young man. Bitching won't get you anything but bitch slapped in life."
"APPARENTLY, BITCHING WON'T GET ME THE WAREME KOTAN SCROLL EITHER!!!" screamed Naruto.
As if on cue, a secret compartment burst out of the wall near Naruto and a small scroll labeled 'Wareme Kotan' sat in it. "What the—OH COME ON!!!" shouted Naruto as he angrily snatched the scroll up.
Izuna slapped his forehead in frustration and mumbled to himself, "Kyo-san never does anything simply. For him to make getting his rarest scrolls so simple, it's a tactic even I wouldn't have thought of!"
He stroked his chin and said, "I wonder…Fūinjutsu: Genryū Kyū Fūjin?"
A second compartment opened, revealing a scroll labeled 'Never To Be Used.'
Izuna smirked and thought, 'Finally!' He grabbed the scroll and walked over to Naruto, who was reading the Wareme Kotan.
"Hey dobe!" shouted the older man, causing Naruto to look up from the scroll and into his eyes. "Thanks for everything," Izuna whispered as Naruto's eyes closed and he passed out.
Do you think you can not get yourself killed again old man?
Sure enough, Harufuudo-kun. Do it now!
Harufuudo growled and shouted, "Supeketoru Honoo (Spectral Flames)[11]!"
A massive current of blue fire left Harufuudo's mouth and made its way toward Shukaku and his Tanuki bodyguard. The Tanuki lord laughed as the attack took its sweet time reaching him.
"Sand! Protect me!" he shouted mockingly as sand wrapped itself around his form.
The flames engulfed his bodyguard, killing him instantaneously, while turning the dome he was engulfed in into blue, crystalline glass.
"These fools just have to accept that they are in the presence of a god!" gloated Shukaku. Light began to shine around Shukaku from behind
"Funny. All I see is a raccoon about to be skinned alive!"
Shukaku wheeled around to see Kyo standing there, the Ierokitsune covered in blue flames.
"But how?!"
"I was running alongside the flames, absorbing some into my blade. Then I cut my way through the glass like I am about to cut through you," Kyo nonchalantly said.
Shukaku began howling at the mere absurdity of Kyo's words. "I am Kami, fool! I cannot be har—!"
The Tanuki Lord was cut short as Kyo plunged his blade into the chest of his most hated enemy. "You always talked too much. See, my son is a practitioner of Mikoto Arts. He knows how to kill the soul. Like I always told you, no one is immortal, not even Izanagi-sama himself."
Shukaku began screaming with such force as Shinigami appeared to take his soul. All of the glass within a 100-mile radius cracked or shattered from the bloodcurdling sound. The sound stopped just as quickly as it began, and all the body of Shukaku melted away into a pile of sand. It began to reform slowly into an unconscious Gaara.
"It's finally over," sighed Kyo in relief.
"Not quite, my redheaded friend."
Kyo whipped around to be standing face-to-face with Izuna. "How—"
"You're protégé was most helpful. He figured out how to access your secret jutsu, and all I had to do is steal the Genryū Kyū Fūjin."
"I won't let you get away, Izuna!" shouted the Okami as he prepared to strike him down.
"You seem to forget that I'm a master of time and space," Izuna boasted as he faded away instantly.
"Damn it all!" shouted Kyo. "I can't sense him! He must have already linked up with his brother!" The Okami sunk to his knees in frustration and whispered, "I've failed you, Bake-chan."
Next Time: I can't believe I was so trusting! Because of me, Izuna has some powerful jutsu that does Kami knows what. And with the village in disarray I don't know how we're gonna—what do you mean dad's dead?!
Barren! The Leafless Tree!
1- Oni Bijutsu: Jigokuiki (Demon Art: Hell's Soul): The user opens a portal to Hell and summons a geyser of lava. This attack is usually an offensive one, but can be used defensively too.
2- Ougonjutsu: Damisuna (Alchemy: Sand Dummy): The Ougonjutsu mixes science, magic, and chakra. The user takes an ounce of their blood, sand, and other potion ingredients to make an exact physical replica of themselves. The user can then transfer their souls (and in turn, their jutsu, memories, experience, etc.) to the "dummy," which will last as long as the its make-up is not disturbed.
3- The Rurousha no Suna is the name of the tribe that took Shukaku in.
4- Enkoute (Flaming Hand): The user chanels yokai into their hands and can set whatever they touch on fire.
5- Ichibibu: Kai (First Tail: Release): The Bijuu must keep their massive yokai sealed to prevent the sheer force of it from killing those around them. By releasing the first seal, the Bijuu will gain enough yokai to make them as strong as a one-tailed demon.
6- Kuxo-ta-getseui (Quarter Moon): The user releases yokai in the shape of crescent moon. The attack's strength increase when the quarter moon is high in the sky.
7- Harufuudo's jutsu relies on lunar radiation, much like Tsuchi Tsumeato's. With certain jutsu, a tattoo of a different phase of the moon appears on his head. This signifies the amount of control he has over his own power.
8- Shinsei Youshiki: Kai (True Form: Release): Most demon seal their demonic appearances when traveling throughout the realm of the living to prevent scaring humans. The user releases the seal with this technique.
9- Supeketoru Gokakyu no Jutsu (Spectral Fireball Technique): The user fires a ball of blue flames designed to attack one's soul.
10- Wareme Kotan (Soul Splitter): This jutsu is usually used to remove a demon from a Jinchuuriki. Under normal circumstances, the demon survives while the Jinchuuriki dies, but a slight tweak in the hand seals may allow both to survive.
11- Supeketoru Honoo (Spectral Flames): The user releases a massive stream of blue flames that are designed to damage an opponent's soul.
I'm so so sorry for the huge delay! My shitty Dell PC finally crashed, and we moved to a new state, so I've been typing this chapter at the school library instead of a friend's like usual. Updates will probably be slow for a month or so. Hopefully this chapter will keep you satiated.