Hinata couldn't believe at what she was seeing. Naruto, had transformed into a giant fox. Okay, she shouldn't be surprised by things like this anymore, but could anyone really blame her in the first place? Her husband, who is the Ultimate Weapon, had just transformed into a giant freaking fox that had to be twenty feet tall! How was it that she was just standing there not doing anything, other than gawking at her husband!?

"Mom, we have to go." Said Kazumi, hoping to get her mother away from the battle that was to take place. Hinata turned to her daughter, a frown marring her face as she started to register what it was that Kazumi had said to her. Letting out a soft sigh, the blue haired woman followed the half-demoness away from the battle. What could she do in the first place? Not much, though she wished that she could do something, anything that would be able to help her husband.

But what could a human do to help a demon?

'Not a damn thing...' thought Hinata with a sigh.

The young woman gazed up at her husband, watching as he growled and snarled at his future-self. She couldn't see his eyes from where she stood, though she figured that if it was the few times that she had seen him angry, or the time that she had seen him as a half-fox man, than she had a feeling that his eyes were as red as blood. "Kazumi, is this really the true form of the Ultimate Weapon?" asked Hinata.

"Yes, I never knew that it was dad to be honest. I had always thought that it was just someone else. To think, dad had this kind of power all this time and never knew." Kazumi whispered softly.

"I think he learned after a while, I'm not really sure. But, I just hope that it'll be enough to stop Menma and Gaidoku." Hinata whispered softly, though she couldn't really be sure if Naruto had learned of this beforehand, or if he had just learned it recently. Taking a deep breath, the two young women started to walk on further away from the battle that was to take place. Yet, Hinata didn't want to leave Naruto alone but knew, that if she did stick around that she would only put herself and Kazumi's unborn-self in danger.

Letting out a shaky breath, the young woman tried to think of something that she could do to help Naruto, yet she would only come up empty handed. What was there that she could do in the first place? Sighing softly, the young woman managed to get to what, she and Kazumi assumed to be a safe location but, she still felt nervous about still being too close. After all, how far did they have to be, in order to get away from two demons, who had transformed like they had?!

She had no idea, and it still made her nervous as hell. Breathing deeply, Hinata whispered "Are we even safe here Kazumi?"

"I don't think we'd be safe anywhere. Though, I don't think dad had fully lost himself to this transformation. He seemed to still be aware of who I was, and who you were. I think right now, he is following his basic instincts and that tells him to protect his mate, you, and his child, me." Kazumi explained calmly, yet, Hinata could detect a hint of fear in her words. Did she think that Naruto would lose himself still?

Hinata figured that it was possible, yet at the same time she didn't think that it would happen. After all, everything that Naruto had gone through before now, it had to have probed something at the very least. Giving her daughter a small smile, she tried to reassure her child that is until a voice reached them.

"TO think, he'd awaken to his power much sooner than Menma did. I'll have to make sure that I control him much sooner with my younger-self." said the Dark Master, causing Hinata and Kazumi to quickly turn around to face him. He stood there, glare on his face as he just seemed to burn holes into their souls. "I'll have to kill Kazumi sadly, since she knows far too much about time travel. Then, I'll make sure that my younger-self takes you Hinata, in case we need Kazumi to bring birth to the next Ultimate Weapon." He smirked at the idea, causing Hinata and Kazumi to back up a bit.

"Can you back up your words though? If I recall, you've never fought once. You always had Menma fight for you instead, not once, throughout my entire life, have you ever fought anyone. You had your lapdog do all the work for you. I get the feeling that you don't even know how to fight anymore." Kazumi challenged with a smirk on her face.

The Dark Master just raised an eyebrow at her before holding up his sword. "You never forget how to fight." He said with a smirk of his own. Hinata had a feeling that Kazumi had some kind of plan. If the master never fought anymore, but still knew how to fight, was he even still strong enough to fight at all? And against someone who had fought from such an early age at that? Well, there was only one way to find out right now.

Hinata backed up as she said "Be careful Kazumi. He may have a few tricks up his sleeve." Even though she did believe in her daughter, she still had a feeling that there would be more to this guy when he would fight. Though, maybe they'd luck out and it wouldn't be much of a fight in the first place. Hell, maybe he'd be taken down in one hit if they were that lucky. Just thinking about it made her giggle mentally, though knew that she still had to be careful about her actions during this time.


Naruto didn't know what was going on around him, all he knew was that the sound of his own pounding heart echoed in his ears. The desire, the pure instinct to hunt and kill was coursing through his entire being. Yet, so was the desire to protect those that meant more to him than anything else in the world. It was something completely new to him. Yet, at the same time, it was amazing to have this kind of power, and he was going to make sure that it wasn't going to go to waste. No matter what, he would make sure that his family, his friends, all of them would be safe.

And he would start off with the demon that was in front of him.

Standing there, was Menma, his fur dark as the night, compared to Naruto's own orange, reddish fur as it seemed to blow through the wind. He snarled, baring his fangs at the raven coloured fox. Menma, he himself was prepared for the fight that was at hand. The desire to shed blood reached him, and he knew that he could no longer hide it. He could no longer control the desire to shed blood, to kill, to destroy.

Letting out a loud roar, Naruto rushed forward, with a speed that he never knew that he possessed in him, damn it all, this was all so new to him. It almost scared him, yet at the same time, he knew that he would make sure that he would use this power for his needs, his desires. Slashing his claws at Menma, only for the demon to jump out of the way and jump over at Naruto. Biting into the nape of his neck and tugged, thrashing around as if hoping to knock the younger demon down onto his side.

Howling from a mixture of pain and rage, Naruto used his tails to whip at the other fox, sending him back a few steps. Growling, his tails swaying in front of him as if to shield him from the attacks that Menma would use on him. He was following basic instincts yes, but he still had some of his sanity within him. Sort of.

He knew what he had to do, he knew what he had to do in order to stop Menma, but what was it again? The sane part of his mind was screaming at him, what it was, he didn't know. Yet he knew that he had to something, ugh this was going to drive him insane!

Menma growled before he rushed forward once more, yet his jaws started to open. Revealing his razor sharp fangs yet, that wasn't what the orange fox had noticed. No, it was far more than that. Menma had a swirling sphere of red forming in his mouth, and that was when Naruto felt something coursing through him. Something, a part of him maybe, telling him, no warning him, to run and hide. No, to dodge or at the very least to deflect it.

A mighty roar echoed in the empty field, Naruto quickly thrashed his tails outward, all nine of them trying to protect himself, yet, a part of him was telling him not to allow it to hit anything behind him. His mate and offspring was behind him. That if he jumped, he was allowing them to be hurt in the end. Anger bubbled up within him, he would never allow himself to let his family be harmed. HE would protect them, no matter what he had to do, that part of him would never change no matter how much he had or would transform into new shapes or sizes.

Quickly, with a simple flick, Naruto's tails swatted at the red swirling orb and tossed it to the left of him, and heard it explode as it made contact with something. A part of him hoped that it wasn't a building, yet the animal part of him, didn't give a single fuck. Snarling, Naruto charged forward once more. Menma, trying to swat at Naruto with his tails or his paws. Yet, Naruto was getting the idea of how Menma fought. He would dodge, swatting at the raven haired fox with his own tails to keep himself at a distance.

Menma was starting to grow frustrated, how that was Naruto had no idea. A part of him was telling him that he shouldn't be able to feel anything. Though he didn't focus on that for long. He had jumped out of the way, over him really before spinning on his two front paws and used his back ones to smack at Menma, knocking him off his feet before he rushed forward once more.

Claws digging deep into the earth, the sound of his breath quickening as he rushed for his future-self. He would make sure that he stopped this once and for all. No matter how short or long this battle took. Naruto had to make sure that he took him down and fast.

Menma quickly jumped back up onto his feet before narrowing his eyes at the younger fox demon. Menma rushed, demon vs demon. Charging to the point that it would make anyone think of that game 'Chicken' yet no one backed down. Narrowing his eyes, Naruto jumped over before twisting his body around and slammed Menma into the ground. The demon yelped with a mixture of pain and surprise.

Soon, something glinted within Naruto's line of sight. It was the metal collar, of course! He was supposed to break it so he could free Menma! Snapping out of his moment of madness, Naruto knew that he had to think of something that he could do. Should he use his fangs or his claws to stop Menma? In order to break him free of this? Would his bangs be strong enough to break it? Hm, Menma had told him to transform, so it could be possible that was the only way to free him of this. Though, he would have to stall him long enough to weaken him. He didn't like the idea of this, yet he knew that he had to act fast before Menma got his baring together.

Before he could act, Menma threw Naruto off of him. Jumping back a few steps as he glared at the orange fox. Okay, Naruto now had a game plan, he would have to think on what he should do to get close to Menma long enough to stop him… and of course, how he should do it. Taking a deep breath, he knew that he would have to hurry before he lost himself to his own instincts again, and they were screaming at him once again.

Screaming at him to kill, to forget about saving the other fox yet he shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind. Right now, saving Menma was what mattered, no matter what Menma, even though he was Naruto's future-self, he was still family.

Breathing deeply, the young man knew that he would have to think, for once in his life for a battle, he was going to have think things clearly instead of just jumping into the battle. (Wait, did that mean he just insulted himself? Fuck it!) If it got down to it, he would have to wound Menma, even though he didn't want to cause that much damage to the man, he would have to in order to stop him. To stop him from this madness before he would cause any more damage or harm, to others or to himself. Even now, Naruto could sense that his life energy was starting to fade.

Growling, only to howl in anger and rage, Naruto just rushed forward. He'd have to think of something while he was attacking. Yet, he didn't think that it would come that easy for him. He would have to make sure that he would be able to do something before Hinata or Kazumi got hurt. He wouldn't allow them to be hurt, and that had caused his inner fox to want to surface once more so he could take over, and kill the man that had wanted to harm his mate and child.

Before Naruto could think of something, Menma had managed to turn around and bite into his shoulder. Eyes wide from the pain, Naruto never knew that pain could still be this bad while he was in this form. It was burning, it seared through his very veins and into the very core of his being. Howling from the pain, Naruto thrashed about as he tried to throw Menma off of him. Yet, the man held firm, it was as if he was trying to tell Naruto something, what it was, he still had no idea what it was. Screaming, both as a man, and as a beast. Both minds, and body screamed from just pure pain and agony.

"Stab me, use your tails to stop me long enough to remove the collar." Naruto froze for a moment, it felt as if Menma had for a moment, spoken to him in his mind. But, why? Why had he spoken to him like this? Of all things, he had to fucking bite him?!

"Why couldn't you talk to me normally!"

"This… was the only way to. I didn't think you'd figure it out soon enough."

Naruto wanted to grumble at that. "So, you didn't think I could have figured it out huh?" he asked, just how much time was passing them right now? It felt like seconds really but, it could have been minutes or more than that.

"I don't recall my younger self being smart enough to have figured it out." Naruto wanted to growl at that. Okay, he gets it, he isn't that smart! Before he could retort further, Menma had moved himself back, eyes narrowed into slits as he lost himself to madness once more. Taking a deep breath, Naruto knew that he would have to think on how to attack him. His claws wouldn't be able to get close enough to cause any kind of harm. SO, what was it that he could do in order to stop this in the first place?

Wait, he could use his tails. They were more powerful now in this form, or so was the feeling that he was getting while he was in this form. Taking a deep breath once more, hoping to calm himself, the young demon charged forward. He would make sure that he would get close, yet at the same time keep a distance so he wouldn't cause himself any kind of harm.

Menma almost seemed to know what it was that he was thinking, and tried to jump out of the way. No matter what, Naruto kept trying to get close to him, and Menma kept trying to dodge out of the way. Breathing out in frustration, Naruto had to think of another tactic. Yet, what could he do while in this form? There wasn't many options that were open to him and it almost seemed impossible. Yet, he couldn't give up, that wasn't like him. He would never give up.

Letting out a mighty roar, Naruto charged once more, using his new found speed once more, in fact he almost felt like he was even faster than before. Jumping into the air, Menma looked up in shock for a brief moment, only to scream from the pain as Naruto's one single tail had jammed into his side. There was no way that he was going to use all nine tails on him that would very well kill him. Yet, this, this would be his change to at least slow him down.

Menma screamed from the pain, and once the raven furred fox landed on the ground, Naruto landed on top of him and snapped his jaws around the metal of the collar. Menma struggled weakly, most likely due to the pain though he couldn't stop Naruto. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't stop him. Naruto knew, just knew that this would be his only change. Snapping his jaws tighter and tighter, he quickly snapped the steal that once circled around Menma's through. Naruto felt Menma start to calm down and watched as the man started to shrink.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto started to relax as well, and felt his own body start to shrink. Now that he thought about it, he even felt rather drained. Tired really, but not enough to pass out. Before he knew it, they had reverted back to their human forms, Menma though was unable to remain standing.

"Thank you." Came his soft reply before a groan came from his throat. He'd have to have that wound tended to, but where was Kazumi?

Taking a look around, Naruto tried to find his daughter, hoping and praying that she was okay. Frowning a little, the young man squint his eyes only to blink in shock as he saw Kazumi fighting the Dark Master. He couldn't help but stare in shock, Kazumi was… winning? The Dark Master had cuts and bruises on his body, it seemed as if he hadn't fought anything in years. Was that even possible? Maybe.

Kazumi was really keeping up with this fight, it looked like she hadn't gotten wounded at all. Moving his gaze, the young man tried to find Hinata, he didn't see her near the fight and for that he was thankful. Yet, there was still worry in his heart as it wrapped its nasty icy grip. Soon, his gaze fell on Hinata, who was a ways away. He couldn't help but sigh in relief. Hinata was safe, for the time being, he knew that he would have to get to her before the fight got too outta hand.

"Let's… get to Hinata." Menma whispered softly, trying to push himself to stand up onto his legs. Though, he struggled to stand, but had managed to stand up. "Come on." He started to walk with Naruto only to stare in shock. It seems that the Dark Master was starting to get frustrated with Kazumi. He growled and snarled, yet the two men could hear and see the Dark Master getting ready to do something.

"If I can't stop you from here, I'll just have to take you out before you are born!" Shouted the Dark Master. Before anyone could even think, the Dark Master held out his hand, and shot out a green ray toward Hinata. Or, maybe it was like a bolt of green as it headed toward Hinata. Naruto stared in shock, and started to rush forward yet it seemed that he couldn't run fast enough! Why couldn't he move faster damn it!?

Growling, Naruto shouted "Hinata!" His voice was filled with fear, fear that Hinata was going to die, that he was going to lose her. There was no way that he could do it, there was no way that he would be able to make it to her in time! "Hinata!" Shouted Naruto.

Though, everything started to move in slow motion for the young man. His eyes wide, heart racing, breath hitching in his chest as he tried to reach for his mate. To reach his unborn child, he didn't want to lose her, if he lost her there would be no way that he could keep living without her! She was his everything, he would be nothing without her and now he was going to lose her!

Something caught in the corner of his vision, looking over, he saw Menma running, his hand on his side as if he was trying to keep the blood flow at a halt. Yet he kept running, was running faster and faster than Naruto could ever hope to. How was it that Menma was running faster than him? Or, maybe this was because he was older, had more power in some sense and the collar, and was no longer draining him of his life's energy or his own demonic energy.

"Menma!" shouted Naruto, not sure what it was that he was going to do, though from what he could see, Menma held out his hand and shot out a bolt of flames, it missed. HE could faintly hear Menma cursing to himself, shooting out more bolts though it seemed to weaken him to the point that he was slowing down. Menma cursed to himself once more only to try to pick up speed. "Menma what are you going to do!" Shouted Naruto, not sure what it was that he was going to do, though he had a sinking feeling that he knew what it was that he was going to do. It was something that most demons did for their mates. If they couldn't stop an attack with their own, nor could they push their mates out of the way because of them being with child… they did the only other best thing they could do for them.

"Gaaaaaaah!" Menma screamed out after he stood in front of Hinata. His arms spread out as the attack had hit him square in the chest, causing him to stumble backward from the sheer force. Hinata screamed in shock and concern as she grabbed a hold of Menma and sat down on the ground. Holding Menma in his arms as he wheezed.

Naruto managed to rush towards him and knelt next to his future-self. Kazumi growled out and attacked the Dark Master, though only to be sent back by his attack as he shot at her as well, though she had managed to dodge it for the most part, it only knicking her shoulder. She cursed and started to heal herself.

Menma wheezed as he tightly shut his eyes from the pain that coursed through his entire body. Looking up after opening them, he smiled at Hinata the big grin that Naruto himself would always give him. "Don't worry Hinata. If… my younger-self can stop Gaidoku, I will still be alive." He chuckled a little more, seeing Hinata's tears build up in her eyes. Frowning, he reached up and gently cupped her hand as he whispered "Do not cry for me Hinata. I have done many wrongs in my life, you were one of them."

Hinata cried, Naruto wanted to growl. What the fuck was that supposed to mean?!

The Dark Master laughed as he said "I'll just have to wait for the next weapon then after all. It seems that Menma has outlived his purpose. I'll have to take Hinata after all." Menma growled before his energy started to build up. Naruto backed up slightly, yet Hinata still held onto him, both of them were confused. "Hm?"

"You won't fucking touch my fucking mate you fucking asshole!" shouted Menma, his power building to new heights, more powerful than Naruto had ever seen it before. His long hiar whipping around from the powers of wind, the heat around them building up from his power over fire. "Die you fucking asshole!" Menma rose his hand and shot out a blast from his palm, it had shot out so fast, and so quickly that the Dark Master had no time to react. He soon, had fallen over dead, for the blast had destroyed his head and half of his body. Naruto couldn't believe it, his future-self, wounded and most likely poisoned, had so much power left after all of that?!

"Menma…" Hinata whispered, confused in her voice.

"When, I had brought up how I have had many wrongs, and you were one of them… I meant, I had wronged you." Hinata and Naruto frowned a bit at that. "I failed you, I failed to keep you safe, I failed to keep you safe, happy, and loved. I disappear and you died because my mind had shut down and the seal, took that as my death." Menma explained softly, a soft but pain chuckle escaped him as he groaned from the pain.

"Don't talk Menma." Naruto said, hoping to get him to stop talking as he went to heal him, only for Menma to whack his hands away. "Menma?"

"Don't, this is how it should have been long ago in my time. My Hinata, the one I had failed so long ago has long since been dead. Now, I can join her in my time, in the afterlife and I hope, that she can forgive me." Menma whispered, coughing as he held onto his chest, where the hole resided, near his heart. "I bet, she hates me for leaving her like that, even though I didn't want too leave her."

"She never hated you." Kazumi whispered softly, causing Menma to look up with a frown on his face. His skin growing pale. "My guardians, they watched over my mother until she died in childbirth. She still spoke so fondly of you. Speaking about how much she loved you and wished how much that she could have found you, could have saved you and wanted to tell you again, how much she loved you." Kazumi started to go on, tears building up in her eyes. "Mom, she loved you until her death and most likely still does in my time, waiting for you to join her."

Menma stared with wide eyes, not sure if he should believe this but, his heart was beating painfully. Painfully, because all this time, from the moments he would regain his sanity, his sense of self, he had thought that Hinata hated him, that she regretted being with him because of all the trouble that had happened in her life. But, she had still loved him.

Tears started to pool in his eyes before rolling down the sides of his face. Chuckling, he looked up at the sky as he whispered "I guess, I've kept her waiting long enough haven't I?" Turning to Naruto and Hinata, he said "Stop Gaidoku, and my future, Kazumi's future, will be no more and you can live the way it should have been." Turning to Hinata once more, he whispered "I'm glad, that I could save you once last time Hinata." Then, his eyes closed, his breathing, along with his heart had stopped.

Naruto and Hinata, along with Kazumi cried, though… Naruto rose to his feet as he said "I'll kill Gaidoku, once and for all. I won't allow him to ruin anymore lives." He had to make sure, that Menma's death wasn't in vain, and the Dark Master was gone, now, to kill the current Gaidoku before it was too late.


sup everyone, Fire Inu Princess here! yes, Menma is dead, but he died saving Hinata, and I thought I'd add some emotional stuff here at the end. BUt yes, the final battle is next chapter at long last! I'm going to try to make it as awesome as I can, now, as for why this chapter was a little late. I had a bit of an emotional break down the other day and, don't worry it wasn't that extream, was just in a crying fit mostly, mom had to talk/threaten me never to think like that about myself again or she'd kick my ass, and her, it wasn't a threat, it was a promise lol. Anyway, here is the chapter, final battle is next! WHO WILL WIN?!