Hey, long time no write.
Sorry for not updating sooner, but things happened in real life. Long short story, I got jaw surgery mid-July and I'm currently in recovery. Can't eat anything solid until another week. As you can guess, I was more interested in sleeping than writing for a time. Secondly, I've started writing a professional novel, which also takes some free time.
Anyway, special thanks to Third Fang for betaing and editing the battles, and ABitterPill for his excellent work. Thanks all readers for reading.
Chapter 51:
Obito Uchiha
Menma Uzumaki was waiting silently, sitting on the Yondaime Hokage's stone head.
As Kazama glanced at him, he realized his double seemed have an inverted color scheme compared to his counterparts. Menma's hair was black instead of golden, and his white clothes replaced by a black cloak of fox fur. An ANBU mask lay on the ground next to him. His blue eyes appraised Kazama without a word.
"Sit," Menma commanded, Kazama obeying reluctantly. "It's an impressive view, don't you think?"
Kazama observed the city below. At this hour, the lights of homes and shops alike illuminated the night, giving Konoha the appearance of a sea of stationary fireflies. "It's beautiful."
"I find it disgusting," the double replied with a smirk, "But there's a certain charm to it. The name is Menma. The real Menma. You know that already, of course. The question is, who the fuck are you?"
"Kazama Arashi," the blonde replied, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you who I am."
"I heard your name already, smartass," Menma replied, showing his double his hand. "Does it remind you of anything?"
Kazama glanced at the raised limb, and recognized Menma's ring. He ground his teeth. "Teikoku… I see. That explains why you vanished."
"I left the city long before joining the organization," Menma replied. "I simply didn't know what to do with my life, so when I was invited into it, I accepted. I don't care what their goals are… visiting new worlds is more of a hobby to me than a vocation."
"Destroying them as well?"
"I'm just a tag along," Menma replied, "If you want hard core genocide, call the boss. I do what I'm asked, but I didn't participate in atrocities like some of my comrades. I did some pretty terrible things, yes… but don't you dare judge me. I never burned a city to the ground."
Kazama clenched his fists. "How did you learn about that?"
"You can't hide anything in this place," Menma replied, "Not that I blame you. I toyed with the idea myself more than once."
Kazama glanced down at the sleeping city with sorrow. "It isn't worth it," he whispered. "It never is."
"Then why did you do it in the first place?"
"I was angry," the young man whispered. "I still am. I let my rage consume me, and it cost me not only the respect of the people who loved me… it also cost me myself. I ran across the line, and I can never undo it."
Menma observed the sky. "You know, sometimes, I wonder why the gods made humans so imperfect," he admitted, "Why give us the desire to seek pleasures and revenge, and yet guilt and shame at the same time? They're mocking us I tell you."
"I have met gods," Kazama replied angrily, "They made us imperfect because they're no better themselves. Even worse is that most don't recognize it."
"Heh, there must have been a funny story behind that statement," Menma shrugged, searching inside his robes and bringing out a pipe. Lighting it with a fire jutsu, he inhaled the smoke and smiled. "Want some?"
"No, I do not smoke."
"My parents told me once the Sandaime used to smoke these herbs, and I wonder if they're right," Menma snickered. "At least they're pretty relaxing."
Kazama observed Menma for a few seconds, trying to figure the guy out. For a Teikoku member, he seemed more like a relaxed teenage punk than an evil criminal. He couldn't underestimate him though; it could be a trick to lower his guard, but…
Menma didn't appear to that bad.
"I've got a question for you," Menma said, "Did you fuck Sakura?"
Kazama reddened indignantly. The outlandish inquiry had come from out of nowhere and caught him off guard in a way he had not been expecting. "Of course not."
"Ah good, 'cause I would have killed ya if you did," Menma snorted. "I have been observing you guys for some time, and considering she had a crush on me when I left… well…"
"I've got a girlfriend… I think." Kazama sighed. "I haven't seen her for a while, and I'm not sure I can speak to her again."
"Due to your breakdown?"
"Yeah. I'm not sure if I deserve her affection… or if she will even return mine any longer. She's… a wonderful, strong woman. She… she made me feel alive. Worth something."
Menma nodded. "She sounds like a soulmate," he said. "I think you should see her again. Even if she's no longer willing to pursue a relationship… it's better than running away, like I did with Sakura. If you don't, the doubts will never leave you."
"You knew she loved you." That wasn't a question. "Why did you leave, then? Because you did not return her affection?"
"Can a toy have affection?"
Kazama grabbed Menma's neck almost instantly by reflex, grinding his teeth in outrage. "Don't you dare say that," he hissed, "She's a person, a nice one to boot, which is a hell of a lot more than I can say about nearly everyone else I've met in my life. Don't you dare ever call somebody a toy in front of me!"
Menma shrugged, seemingly not at all uncomfortable with being manhandled, and continued to smoke his pipe. "Yet she's a toy," he said, "As I am. Everybody in this damn world is a toy, a puppet dancing to a tune. Haven't you seen the strings already?"
Kazama released Menma, who calmly rolled his shoulders to regain his previous comfort. "Explain."
"Geez, how dense can you be?" Menma growled. "Doesn't it strike you as odd that you ended up in a world where the childhood crush you spent years trying to earn the affection of just happens to love you back? That the parents you never grew up with are alive and nice people? That your friend Madara, just happened to have the respect he craved for most of his life here, where he's a hero to Konoha?"
"So Madara was right… something is very wrong with this world." Kazama narrowed his eyes. "What's going on?"
"Do you really want me to spell it out to you?" Menma shrugged at Kazama's silence, and dropped the bomb.
"I am not you. Or rather, I am not the real Naruto Uzumaki. This world's Naruto was murdered long ago."
Kazama blinked. "What-"
"Three years ago, Akatsuki succeeded in capturing all Jinchuuriki and reviving the Shinju, the primordial god of the world," Menma explained. "The leader of Akatsuki then became its Jinchuuriki and used its infinite chakra to launch the strongest ninjutsu the world has ever seen… the Infinite Izanagi. Reality warping on a global scale."
Kazama assembled the pieces. "You can't be implying that this entire world-"
"Is a dream turned reality," Menma said, "Sakura, my parents, this place… we're not humans. We're chakra constructs, not unlike the Bijuu. We're the children of one man's fantasies. We're worthless copies of real people, with faked emotions, fake memories, fake everything. We're nothing."
"This is… even Kushina, Minato-" Kazama choked, the horror dawning upon him. "Everyone…"
"Everyone," Menma cut in, "But the person behind the fantasy, you, and your mentor."
"The scale of this…" Kazama whispered. "An entire world replaced with an illusion. Which means the original people…"
"Have been wiped out of existence," Menma confirmed sorrowfully, "When I realized what was going on… I snapped. I didn't want to live a lie. I dyed my hair black, had my name changed from Naruto to Menma… I ended up hating Konoha, my parents, everyone, and most importantly, myself."
He sighed morosely. "You know what the worst thing is?" he asked. "I'm not even sure if my feelings are my own or just something my creator inspired to taunt me."
"Who did it?" Kazama asked angrily, ready to murder. "Who could be so utterly selfish?"
"I think you already know who did this," Menma replied, vanishing into the night, "He's the guy for whom everything turned out alright in this world."
Naruko
Naruko opened her eyes, on a soft bed of grass. Two people were observing her, although she couldn't clearly distinguish their features yet as her vision was blurry.
"Good morning, Naruko," Konan's soft voice welcomed the girl, "Have you slept well?"
"Hello girlie!" A man with a screechy voice greeted her. "Nice to meet ya! I see Karin patched you up good!"
"Konan?" Naruko grunted, as the woman helped her get up. "You're healed? Where are we?"
"Somewhere safe," the woman said, "Friends saved and gave us extensive medical attention."
"Yeah, although I'm always crept out by Karin's methods," the man with the screechy voice said, "I mean, healing by biting? That's freaky as hell, if effective!"
"Biting?" Naruko frowned, glancing at the man. "What do you…"
Then, she recognized the screechy one.
The creature was a white Zetsu, with a spiraled form instead of a face. He waved at her cheerfully, only for Naruko to adopt a fighting stance. "Konan, behind you!"
"Hey, hey, calm down!" The strange Zetsu raised his arms in peace. "I'm on your side! I'm innocent like the newborn lamb!"
"He is on our side, Naruko," Konan confirmed, "In fact, without him and his partner, we wouldn't be having this conversation in the first place. Glance around yourself."
Naruko calmed around herself, and did as she was told.
The area looked like an endless plain, covered with emerald grass and cultivated fields. A few houses of earth had been built upon it, and dozens of people surrounded them. Some were medics treating wounded or burned people, others were working in the fields to reap fruits and vegetables.
It seemed to be a primitive, overcrowded village. "How is this possible?" Naruko wondered. "Zetsu…"
"Red," a deep voice said, as a man joined the small group. "We call him Red here."
The man was obviously an Uchiha. In his thirties, the man had short spiky black hair, a plain face, and a Rinnegan and Sharingan in place of normal eyes, protected by orange goggles. Clad in white robes, he looked more like a wandering artist than a ninja. "My name is Tobi," the man said, "And this guy there is Spiral, my best friend and partner."
"I'm the pretty one," Spiral said.
"We're the ones who rescued you from Red," Tobi continued, "This is the Ark, my pocket dimension. It's very small, but it's the only place our foes cannot access. You can say it's our last refuge."
"These people…"
"Are survivors from Red's campaign in the human world." Spiral chuckled. "You didn't think he killed everybody, did you? Not that he didn't try."
"Whenever we could, we transported refugees here with the Kamui," Tobi continued, "People and animals alike. The lasts of their kind."
"Did you create this entire place by yourself?" Naruko asked, amazed, before glancing at what appeared to be a star above them. "Even this sun?"
"It is no bigger than a house, but yes," Tobi chuckled. "All the previous owners of the Rinnegan focused on its abilities for war, when it can do so much more. It is the power of a god… the power to create, to bring life. It saddens me how much its potential was wasted on pointless battles. I could teach you Konan-san a few tricks, if you want."
"Combined with my Mokuton, we have a full self-sustaining ecosystem," Spiral said. "We could stay there forever. Well, not really. We're overcrowded, and Red might find a way to invade this place eventually."
"But at least for now, you are safe here," Tobi said, "Rest and mend your wounds, while you still can."
"How did you know we needed help?" Naruko asked, slightly suspicious.
"We were in the middle of evacuating the mountain villages when we noticed signs of battle in the valleys below," Spiral explained, "I'm the land as much as Red. I could sense it cry when Red started consuming it to power himself. We arrived right in time to grab you and get away with the Kamui."
"Fortunately, we have some good medics among us, and they treated you well," Tobi continued, "Your friends have woken up already and left to train. The Dark Wolf took her defeat badly, and wished to be prepared for the next showdown. Sasuke-san decided to give assistance."
"Thank you very much," Naruko said, bowing her head, "You saved our lives."
"It is the least I could do," Tobi admitted, "I am the one indirectly responsible for Red's existence in the first place, after all. All his atrocities are on my head."
Konan frowned. "Please explain how."
"I was once rescued from certain death by Madara, the dreaded lord of the Uchiha," Tobi explained, "He was old and weak, at death's door, and he wished for an apprentice to carry on his plans of world domination. After thanking him for saving my life, I gently told him what I thought of his offer."
"He told him 'you can suck my dick you senile old fart'," Spiral chuckled, "You should have seen Madara's face! I laughed so hard I almost died from it."
"Yes, I was a horrible brat when I was younger," Tobi said with significantly less amusement. "After someone very close to me died, I decided to leave Madara and wander the world to help those who needed me. I didn't wish for anyone to suffer through what I did, and I didn't want to continue that old misanthrope's crazy plan. Since he lost one pawn… he decided to breed another."
"I'm the first Zetsu," Spiral explained, "The prototype, so to say. I was made to be an assistant with few combat abilities. Madara decided to create another Zetsu, one more adapted for combat, planning and leadership. After a recipe of mad science, tropical plants, and spliced human DNA, he created Red."
"Red was, unlike Spiral, an organism made purely for fighting, a brute with a cruel intellect that would capture the Jinchuuriki and bring back Madara after he died," Tobi continued, "But Red was too intelligent, too smart, too egotistical and, more to the point, lacked empathy for anybody, even his 'father'."
"Red grew arrogant," Spiral whispered. "He began to consider himself superior to humans, even Madara. He didn't wish to be a stand-in for his creator. He wanted to remake the whole damn world in his image. In the end, he moved from desire to action."
"He killed Madara in his sleep, before abducting Jinchuuriki one after the other," Tobi continued. "He extracted the Bijuu with his Mokuton and used their chakra to make nearly endless clones of himself. With his shapeshifting abilities, he impersonated world leaders and sparked wars between the Shinobi Nations. When they were weakened enough, he made his move and started to conquer the land."
"Red thinks he, and by extension all his 'children', are the next dominant species that will assimilate, exterminate, and replace mankind," Spiral said, "I warned Tobi, and together we attempted to kill him. But Red and his spawns overwhelmed us with sheer numbers, and we had to flee with our tails between our legs. It wasn't our proudest moment."
"I searched for the Rinnegan Madara once abandoned, in order to even the field," Tobi continued, "But by the time I had found it, Red had already conquered most of the continent and started hunting down the last pockets of resistance. I decided saving what was left of mankind was the priority… so I brought them there. Red may be the land, but even he can't access my pocket dimension."
The Uchiha shook his head. "This entire situation is my fault," he said, "I should have killed Madara long ago, before he created Red. This would have saved many more people than those I rescued."
"It wasn't your fault," Konan replied, "You didn't know it would end like this."
"Yes," Naruko said, "You're a hero, Tobi-san. What Red Zetsu did was his and Madara's fault, not yours."
"Thank you, but my guilt is clear," Tobi replied. "Anyway, I would like explanations. Who are you exactly? I did know a Konan once, but she died, and… you little girl look awfully like you could be the Dark Wolf's daughter or sister."
Yugito
Mifune wasted no time in crushing them.
"The princess wants it quick, and so shall it be!" he exclaimed. "Ninshu: Human Containment Seal!"
Moving his hands in whirlwind motion, Mifune unleashed his attack in the form of a whirlpool of red chakra. The assault moved forward like a typhoon, annihilating all in its wake. Yugito and Izanami both dodged the technique…
Only for it to change direction midair and impact on Izanami's back. "What the-" she said, before the artificial wind swallowed the sound of her voice. The whirlwind captured her, and moved around, shifting direction once more.
Kushina lazily raised her fan, upon which the whirlwind impacted. However, neither the princess nor the fan budged as the whirlwind and its captive vanished on contact, absorbed into the item. All that remained of Izanami was her name written on the fan.
One technique.
That man had defeated Izanami with one technique.
"And another for my collection," Kushina said, "I wonder how long I should keep her sealed there? A few years maybe? Food for thought."
Yugito growled, as she started tapping into the Nibi's chakra and unleashed two powerful fireball at Mifune. The man stopped the first easily, without realizing he wasn't the second attack's true target. If I destroy the fan, Yugito thought, as the fireball reached Kushina, It should free Iz-
"Fuuinjutsu," the princess whispered, waving her fan, "Return to Nothingness."
The projectile vanished the second it hit, as if it had never existed. "What?" Yugito exclaimed, amazed. Only a Rinnegan user could-
"You dare attack the princess of Uzu with your filthy ninjutsu?" Mifune growled. "To make me slip up? I was willing to give you an honorable death, but you do not deserve my mercy!"
He inspired deeply. "Ninshuu," he whispered, slamming his foot on the ground, "Powerless Imbalance."
His foot hit the ground, and Yugito felt an invisible force phase through her.
Instantly, the Nibi fell silent. The kunoichi's body was drained of all strength, and her skull became assaulted with headaches. Yugito felt as if she had lost her sense of touch, her body numb.
"This is Ninshuu, the most primal force of spiritual energy, untainted by the corruption of Ninjutsu," Mifune declared, "I put a spiritual barrier between your physical and spiritual energy, preventing you from mixing them into chakra."
"Now, you understand why Mifune is called the Ninja Buster," Kushina taunted, "He lost once against a ninja in his entire life. None of you peasants can scratch him."
This is bad, Yugito thought, frantically attempting to mix her chakra to no avail. Without the Nibi and her ninjutsu, Yugito could only rely on her above average taijutsu… against an armored and obviously experienced hand-to-hand fighter.
After spending days drained and weakened by the Warlord's chains.
Refusing to admit defeat, Yugito adopted a fighting stance. If she had to go, she would go down fighting.
"At least you have a strong spirit," Mifune commented before charging. "I will make it quick."
Yugito focused and dodged the first blow, retaliating with a punch of her own. However, the swordsman caught her arm with one hand and punched her shoulder with the other, dislocating it. Yugito refrained from letting out a shriek of pain, as the warrior grabbed and tossed her against a nearby statue.
Quickly getting up, Yugito moved sideways to dodge an incoming kick. Mifune's iron heel smashed through the statue, and the kunoichi exploited the opportunity. Touching the ground with her remaining working hand, she raised both her legs and intertwined them around Mifune's neck. With a slight push, she threw the man off balance and smashed his skull against the ground.
Freeing him and getting back to her feet, she prepared to stomp on the samurai. Mifune, apparently more annoyed and surprised than hurt, quickly got back up and moved out of the way. Before he could fully rise up, Yugito attempted to hit his neck with her knee.
The samurai grabbed it with both his hands, kicked her other leg to make her slip, and smashed her knee against the rock, breaking it.
Yugito hissed and vainly attempted to rise up again, only for Mifune to pin her to the ground with his iron heel. "You were brave," the samurai commented, unsheathing his sword, whose blade was as dark as the night, "But bravery without strength is meaningless."
I can't die here! Yugito panicked, as the man raised his weapon to behead her. I can't-
The entire room shook.
Haku
The man was toying with them.
He had to be, for the 'battle' was nothing more than a taunt. Kabuto Yakushi, clad in his dark robes, absentmindedly dodged Kitsune's blows and Haku's Ice Senbon without seemingly any effort, moving like a dancer. He didn't even fight back.
He just… dodged everything.
"Well, well, you sure are a disappointment," Kabuto commented, "I shouldn't be surprised considering how our last fight ended, Haku-san, but I wonder if I should bother using ninjutsu at all."
The kunoichi growled and slammed her palms. "Ice Release: Killing Field," she whispered, the ground underneath Kabuto turning into sharp icicles.
Moving at great speed, Kabuto slithered through the obstacles like a snake, the projectiles grazing his cloak without harming him at all. He rapidly approached Haku, who attempted to punch him.
Leaning a little, Kabuto avoided the blow entirely and stepped backward, dodging all of Haku's strikes with sickening ease. "Are we dancing or fighting?" he asked. "I cannot tell."
Kitsune came crashing in, whipping Kabuto away with his tail. The scientist gracefully landed back to his feet and engaged the dragon-man in taijutsu combat, neither of the two fighters were managing to land any blows.
Haku quickly realized something was odd. She had fought at his side long enough to realize Kitsune's blows were sluggish and careless. Why didn't he use his stronger techniques? And why didn't Kabuto bother to beat them at-
They're staging a fight.
Suddenly, Haku understood how their allies had managed to find them and get plans of the HQ in short order. They got help. Inside help. She glanced at Kabuto and briefly locked eyes with him. The little glint of acknowledgment in his eyes was all the confirmation she needed.
"You bore me," Kabuto whispered, grabbing Kitsune's tail and flinging the boy away with his mere physical strength. He then charged toward Haku, who faked a counterattack.
Kabuto punched her in the chest, making her cough. She wondered if she had been mistaken… until she felt something metallic against her skin. The ninja briefly approached Haku's ears and whispered to it. "Take it and run away. You can't win against my allies, and I will have to fight you for real to keep my cover if this lasts much longer."
Haku grabbed the item and, after making sure nobody else saw it, hide it beneath her robes. Then she kicked Kabuto away, much to his amusement. "Demonic Ice Mirrors!" She shouted, turning air moistures into a dome of ice, trapping the ninja inside.
"That won't hold him for long," Haku said, playing the masquerade. She glanced at her fellows, each in precarious positions. "We've got to escape!"
Her wish got fulfilled when a beam demolished the ceiling.
Chibaku
The moment Orochimaru started moving, Chibaku realized from whom the Sound-Naruto had inherited his speed.
His movements were but a white blur to Chibaku's eyes, the fiend wearing Sasuke's face charged forward, his hands clad in lightning. Karasu reacted first thanks to his Sharingan, and unleashed a barrage of fireballs at the ninja.
Orochimaru dodged them without much trouble, but the fireballs' smoke slowed down his movements. While Inari charged to fight hand-to-hand, Chibaku flew into the air, above the fighters, and readied his kunai launcher.
Inari, his hands clad in what appeared to be swords of wind, reached the madman without any signs of hesitation. Orochimaru in turn unsheathed his sword, swirling with lightning, and parried Inari's strikes with expert care, electricity and wind clashing head-on. Unfortunately his progress was forced to a halt as he had to deal with the fact that the young ninja had two blades to his one, and seemed to be capable enough to use them well. The air between the two was soon occupied with the flashes and sounds of their weapons encountering one another at a rapid pace.
With his arms preoccupied, the attacker resorted to more unique techniques. Widening his mouth, Orochimaru turned his tongue into a white snake. Inari was forced to take a step back to avoid a possibly fatal bite at the last possible moment, and Chibaku exploited the opening to unleash a volley of kunai at their foe. Rotating on himself, Orochimaru deflected one kunai after another with the grace of a dancer.
Then, a split second later, he unleashed a lightning bolt at Chibaku, who dodged it… only to be hit by a second one and end up flying out of control.
Damn it, the first shot was a feint so he could calculate my trajectory with the Sharingan, Chibaku cursed his lack of foresight. He uses his Sharingan much better than most Uchiha.
In the split second it took for Chibaku to reach the ground, Orochimaru had already closed the gap between them, his sword readied for a fatal blow. Fortunately, Inari and Karasu stopped the man's progress. Karasu, having transformed in his crow-Sage mode, flew forward and attempted to tackle Orochimaru, while Inari attacked from another angle.
Sheathing his sword, Orochimaru dodged Karasu's attack, grabbed him by the ankle, twisted on the spot, and threw the Uchiha at Inari. Hurriedly removing his blades of wind to avoid hurting his ally by accident, Inari took the human projectile head on and crashed next to Chibaku.
"Is that all you've got?" Orochimaru mocked, as he stepped backward to dodge a volley of gunshots from Chibaku. "I expected more from three Jinchuuriki."
"Guys, I don't want to sound cynical, but we're kinda getting our asses kicked here," Karasu groaned, as he rose back to his feet alongside the Feral Gale.
"That guy has the techniques of both Orochimaru and Sasuke put in a single body," Inari sighed, sounding far more like Shikamaru than the others would like to admit. "Man, that's the last person that should have gotten a Sharingan. Beside Jiraiya of course."
"He's as fast as the Sound-nin, but he's also a taijutsu master and with the Sharingan…" Chibaku hissed. "And I thought that guy was a pain."
"Ah, yes, Naruto… I was most happy with the fighting style I taught him." Orochimaru smirked. "Especially the flaws."
Chibaku immediately understood. "You intentionally taught your student a flawed fighting style?"
"What kind of teacher teaches everything he knows to an apprentice?" Orochimaru confirmed, unleashing a powerful gust at the three of them. While Inari and Karasu managed to get out of the way in time, Chibaku was not so fortunate. The blast of air impacted the mechanical man heavily, launching him into the nearby wall. Even after the user had finished performing it, the jutsu seemed to persist in holding its target down. "When an apprentice learns everything from a master, then it is inevitable he shall turn treacherous and use the skills taught to him to usurp the teacher. Better keep a few aces in your hand, don't you agree? Only I can live forever after all."
"Tremendously faulty logic aside, I'm guessing that's how you managed to steal Sasuke's body, isn't it?" Inari guessed calmly, for the first time in the fight showing a hint of genuine anger and disgust, which quickly turned into a bitter smile. "They can't all be genius after all. I suppose that means you're the lucky one that hit the multiverse lottery."
The snake in Sasuke's body allowed his smile to drop just a hair at the insult to his genius, but kept his cool and snorted. "If my counterparts were stupid enough to teach everything they knew to a bunch of brats, then they deserved their fate."
"Grooming your apprentices while preparing to kill them anytime… that's pretty smart… and low, even from you!" Chibaku hissed, struggling against Orochimaru's wind technique. "A teacher should better a student, not sabotage them!"
Orochimaru laughed. "Is that what Sasori told you? Where is he now? Rotting in some foreign grave, while his pathetic student will fall before my might!"
Chibaku was about to respond to the snake's taunting with some colorful dialogue of his own when something behind the snake moved and caught his attention. A clone of Inari's seemed to come into focus behind the target of their ire and stab him through the chest with a wind blade…
... only for Orochimaru to transform into a fire clone moments later and explode to consume its attacker instantly.
"Humph." The real body stealer phased through the ground near the downed clown as it poofed out of existence and looked unamused at Inari. "Did you really think I didn't notice such a paltry trick?"
The wind master, who had at some point was looking at Chibaku with interest, shrugged, not at all bothered by his failed attempt. "Not really. Fire clone kinda screwed over the chain I was setting up. Plus you got rid of the other clones I hid pretty quickly."
"And yet you seem to find your comrade's condition more interesting." The scientist shrugged. "Simple-minded fool."
"Inari!" Karasu hissed. "Now isn't the time to go crazy on us! I can't hold him back alone!"
"Just checking out this jutsu he used." The eldest of the three mused almost casually as he looked at the puppet with some interest before reaching out a hand and twitched his fingers. To almost everyone's surprise, the technique dispelled instantly the moment he made contact with it. "Yeah, I think I know enough to do it now."
Orochimaru blinked a few moments before chuckling with amusement, not at all bothered with the fact that his technique was cancelled so easily. "Kukuku. Well now. That certainly is interesting. Perhaps this will not be a waste of my time after all."
"Guys, there is a way to beat him hand-to-hand: the same way I beat the Sound-nin," Chibaku grunted as he got back up, "Summon the Kyuubi's chakra and have it attack him, while you focus on moving and dodging."
"Even with the Sharingan he can't predict so many movements at once," Inari caught on, "Sounds good to me!"
The three Jinchuuriki focused, their skin quickly covered by a cloak of red chakra.
Orochimaru's Sharingan swirled and released a brief red flash.
… and the red chakra receded back into the Jinchuuriki, their connection to their Bijuu disrupted. "I guess I should have seen that coming," Karasu trailed off.
"You fool, have you any idea of my mastery of the Sharingan?" Orochimaru taunted. "I spent decades studying and mastering its powers!"
"Ranged tactics," Inari commanded, "Karasu, Chibaku, use fire techniques. I'll boost them with wind."
Chibaku readied his flamethrower, and unleashed a long stream of fire. Meanwhile, Karasu finished a long hand seal sequence. "Fire Release: Fenghuang!" he snarled, unleashing a large fireball taking the vague shape of a bird. Inari released a powerful wind, which bolstered both techniques.
Orochimaru joined his hands and mimicked Karasu's technique, while adding a few more hand seals to the sequence. "Fire Release: Fenghuang!" he snarled, unleashing a colossal bird made of blue flames at the group. The techniques collided in a big explosion that filled the room with smoke.
"Did he just copy my technique?" Karasu asked, infuriated. "Now I know how my opponents feel."
"No. He copied and improved it at the same time," Inari stated grimly. "Not even Madara pulled it off. Damn. I've only heard of guys that do shit like this in passing, but they're known to be complete pains in the ass to take down."
"You can say anything about him, but Orochimaru is a genius," Chibaku groaned, "We need to prevent him from using the Sharingan."
Inari grimaced as he looked at Karasu apologetically before he joined his palms. Almost instantly, the air grew thicker, warmer, and most importantly, blurry as all hell to the Sharingan users there.
"What are you doing?" Chibaku asked. While he couldn't directly feel what was going on, his chakra sensors were going haywire.
"I'm boosting the chakra I normally saturate the air with," Inari said, "Since the Sharingan and nearly all sensors detect chakra in its purest form, it will overload said senses and render them useless when in range. The Hyuuga and Sasuke back in my world hated it when I did this. Sorry Karasu, but you're kinda the reason I didn't do it earlier. Didn't want to hold you back."
"You could have warned me sooner," Karasu said, closing his eye. He would have turned it off, but he still needed the techniques that were only available when it was activated. "Still, getting rid of his eyes is more important than me keeping mine at the moment."
"Can you fight with your eyes closed?" Chibaku asked worryingly.
"With my Sage Mode, I can still roughly use Senjutsu to direct myself," Karasu stated, "But yeah, I'm deprived of most of my arsenal."
"Stay behind and use long-range techniques if you can," Inari said, his hands once more clad with wind chakra, "Chibaku, let's go."
The duo charged toward Orochimaru. The man waited for them, his eyes closed, and dodged Chibaku's first strike with infuriating ease.
"I never encountered such a technique before," Orochimaru stated, "It is simple, yet so brilliant. Saturating the air with your chakra to impair the Sharingan… no there is more to it than that. Chakra in this state should not last nearly this long without form. Fascinating. I will take notes. Unfortunately for you, like a snake, I can feel the vibrations you produce by moving and breathing."
"Yeah," Inari agreed, not at all surprised by his opponent's statement. "But can you see the length of my wind blades?"
Orochimaru laughed, as he leaned forward, avoiding Inari's wind arm. "I do not need to. I calculated the chakra wavelength you are using long ag-!"
His boasting was interrupted as he jerked his head to the side from a second slash that Inari made, and a cut appeared on his cheek that began to weep blood. Almost instantly he widened the gap between himself and his attackers. He was no longer smiling or amused.
"Come on, keep talking." Inari had long since learned how to mess with an opponent's fine tuned senses in various ways while the air held this much of his chakra in it. Fooling the snake's in this case was an easy task for him to accomplish.
Inari's grin grew to the point that he looked savage, homicidal, and at the height of joy. It was almost as if humiliating Orochimaru in that instant brought him the greatest happiness in his life. Clearly Orochimaru's possession of Sasuke's body bothered Inari more than what he had initially revealed. "It amuses me."
The scientist frowned as he wiped the blood from his wound and rubbed his fingers together as if inspecting the fluids. "Considering your exceptional skill with wind techniques, the fact Chibaku-kun is a puppeteer and Karasu-kun would never use a technique robbing him of his most prized weapon… I take it you are responsible for this peculiar chakra field."
Which makes you my main target, Chibaku guessed the snake's thoughts. He and Inari were nearly on top of the Sanin when their target decided on what he was going to do, and moved with horrifying precision.
Orochimaru pushed the puppeteer aside with a kick and then focused back on Inari, once again showing incredible speed. Dodging a wind arm strike, which held enough power and range to scar the floor and walls a good distance behind him, he prepared to punch the biggest threat. While the speed of the blow was incredible, the Feral Gale managed to step back and dodge with only some effort. Without the Sharingan to boost his abilities and precision, the Sanin's taijutsu was far easier to predict and follow, if only just so.
Then the fingers turned into white snakes.
Inari obviously didn't expect something like that, as the reptiles hit his chest at the speed of a bullet. "Pentagram Cursed Seal," Orochimaru whispered, as Inari went crashing against the ground.
"What the-" the young blonde hissed, as he tried getting up. Black seals started spreading across the chest, adopting the design of a five-headed snake. The thick air started vanishing almost instantly.
"This is a self-replicating, adapting seal of my design," Orochimaru taunted, "It will shut down your chakra coils one by one, until your own organs fail and kill you. It has already started neutering your skills."
Opening his eyes and revealed the Sharingan once more, Orochimaru unsheathed his blade and prepared to behead Inari. The Feral Gale managed to dodge the first swing, but his pain crippled and paralyzed him enough to render him helpless on the second.
Reacting quickly, Chibaku created chakra strings and attached them to Inari's limbs, making him dance like a doll. Orochimaru missed, and so did his two newest strikes. A fire ball finally hit the madman from behind, covering him with smoke and debris.
"I did it!" Karasu gloated, being the first to hit the madman in the entire fight. "Got him!"
"Damn it Karasu!" Chibaku yelled. "You saying that only means-!"
A colossal creature emerged from the smoke, shadowing the entire battlefield.
"My strongest technique," Orochimaru's voice resonated, "Yamata-no-Orochi!"
"Oi oi." Inari frowned. "What's with the jump to final form already? Don't tell me you're pissed just because he nailed you with that one attack."
"Amaterasu's Breath!"
The chakra construct was a version of Susanoo… one taking the shape of an eight-headed, colossal snake, with golden shields for scales and red burning lights for eyes. The eight mouths opened at the same time and unleashed black flames at the puppeteer and his unwilling puppet.
At the last moment, the black flames stopped midair, Karasu groaning as his lone Mangekyo Sharingan started bleeding. "I won't hold the Amaterasu for long," he hissed in pain.
"Guys… we can't beat him," Inari grimaced in obvious pain, "Not like this. Without this seal and on a larger battlefield we might have stood a chance but right now it's only a matter of time before he and his allies overpower us. For all we know, Teikoku might send more soldiers soon. We've got allies outside that can ship us out of this world, but we've got to get away."
Nodding solemnly, Chibaku glanced at Karasu. "I'm gonna destroy the ceiling," he said, "When I do, grab Inari and fly away. I'll evacuate the others."
"Roger that!" Karasu glanced briefly at his friend. "Good luck!"
Chibaku raised his arm at the ceiling and unleashed his laser on the unfortunate construct. The beam went through the concrete, piercing the floors above until it reached the blue sky. Rocks and stones started falling, burying Orochimaru's Yamata and Amaterasu underneath. Grabbing Inari, Karasu flew away toward their freedom.
Flying and dodging rocks, Chibaku quickly found Yugito at the mercy of the red samurai. Tackling the man by surprise before quickly moving once more, the puppeteer grabbed Yugito and fled, much to Kushina's obvious displeasure.
"Izanami's been sealed in that woman's fan…" Yugito hissed in pain, her shoulder and knee having been broken in the battle. "We can't leave her…"
"I'm sorry to say it, but we've got no other choice," Chibaku said grimly, "We will come back for her, I promise."
Much to his surprise, he located another flying creature moving around debris. Kitsune flew into the air with amazing grace, Haku riding him like a steed. "Kitsune, you can fly?"
"Do you think I spent the time we got separated lazing off?" Kitsune replied. "I have grown stronger, as did you."
Chibaku nodded and focused on the crumbling ceiling. He noticed the Yamata's first head starting to break free of the rocks and stones. "Alright, let's go!"
The flying duos rose above, pursuing Karasu, and finally reached the skies and clouds.
Free at last.
Naruko
"This… is a hard story to believe," Tobi admitted, "Honestly, I would have thought you mad if I didn't have the Sharingan, but your body language shows no lies. You're either the most skilled teller of tall tales I ever met, or you're telling the truth… or, you're all just insane."
"That would explain the guys fighting with Zetsu nowadays," Spiral noted, "That's crazily exciting!"
"We know Teikoku has been using devices called Relays to transport their troops from one universe to another," Konan said, "Do you have any idea where one could be placed?"
"The only place I can think of is Zetsu's headquarters, the place which we once called Konoha," Tobi said, "If we can secure the area, and the Relay, then maybe you could join your friends. Of course this is easier said than done."
"Red Zetsu is the only member of his army with strategic abilities," Naruko pointed out, "If we kill him, it's all over, right?"
"That wouldn't solve anything," Tobi replied. "Slaying Red Zetsu would be only a temporary setback for his swarm."
"Why?" Konan asked.
"Because Red doesn't die when he is killed," Spiral explained, "We've destroyed his body multiple times, but a special technique allows him to return again and again."
"After capturing the Bijuu, and with the use of his Mokuton, Red managed to recreate the legendary World Tree, the fabled source of all chakra," Tobi explained. "As soon as he could, Red fused with it, placing his soul inside. The World Tree is the source of the countless White Zetsu, and the center of their hive mind. Only Spiral, created long before this tree, could evade its influence. Red is the tree, and the tree is Red. As long as the tree lives, so does Red."
Konan's eyes widened. "So this means-"
"The Red Zetsu you fought isn't the real Red. It is simply a special body Red inhabits and controls from a distance. The real Red Zetsu's soul lurks within the great tree, and anytime his body is destroyed, he simply creates another one to inhabit."
"However, if the tree is destroyed first, then the hive mind will crumble and the countless White Zetsu will shut down," Spiral said, "If we execute Red's current body after that, then the swarm will never recover."
"Who could destroy the tree?" Naruko asked.
"I can," Spiral explained, "If I can access the tree's core, then I could fuse with it and destroy it from the inside. Like a tree cancer."
"The problem lies in the slow fusion process, which means Red's troops will interrupt us long before we can finish," Tobi said, "And with the tree close, Red can tap into its natural chakra to power his Corrupt Sage Mode at will. Somebody needs to occupy him while Spiral takes over the tree. The rest will protect Spiral from the countless White Zetsu lurking in the area. Since Red can sense anybody walking on earth, infiltration is out of question. Only a full on assault is possible."
"We need a little more planning and preparation," Konan said, "By combining our Rinnegan, we might be able to attack the tree head on, and wipe his armies out."
"Possibly, but Red will expect us to come," Spiral pointed out, "Especially if the Relay is your only way out. And, well… you guys didn't fare well against Red himself, and somebody has to take care of him. None of you stand a chance against his Corrupt Sage Mode. He's too fast, and too strong."
"Actually…" Tobi said, glancing at Naruko, "I think the solution is right here."
"You want to teach her that technique?" Spiral scratched its head. "It could work yes…"
Naruko's eyes widened. "Wait, there's no way I can defeat Red Zetsu on my own. He's… above my level. Way above."
"I don't expect you to win, because honestly, there is no way you can beat this thing alone," Tobi said, "However, I might have a technique that should give you a way to keep him busy. Your job will be to stall him long enough for us to destroy his world tree. Without it, he will be unable to regenerate and we shall destroy him together."
"So you're using her as a meat shield?" Konan narrowed her eyes in disgust. "I will not support this."
"If the Dark Wolf had access to the Kyuubi's chakra, she would have been my first pick and probably could have crushed Zetsu with it," Tobi said, "Unfortunately, Konoha, after the devastation unleashed by the Kyuubi, reinforced the Yondaime's seal to the point she can't even tap into its chakra when faced with grievous circumstances."
"Red Zetsu's Mokuton can negate the Kyuubi's chakra," Konan pointed out, "Any technique using it is doomed to fail."
"I know, but you misunderstand my point," Tobi said, "Due to the Kyuubi's chakra periodically leaking in its host's chakra coils, the Jinchuuriki's natural chakra reserves are greatly increased, without taking into account the added boost provided by the Uzumaki's exceptional gifts. I estimate Naruko-chan's personal reserves, excluding the Kyuubi, are around five times your own, Konan-san. Meanwhile, the Dark Wolf's own reserves are… very low."
"How long would that technique last?" Konan asked.
Spiral and Tobi exchanged a glance. "I would say… fifteen minutes," whispered the latter. "Afterward, she will be at Red's mercy."
"But then Red Zetsu will kill her," Konan protested vehemently.
"We might be able to destroy the tree within fifteen minutes and rescue-"
"Might," Konan cut in, "I have seen far too many of my friends die on my watch to let another one!"
"I… I understand how you feel perfectly." Tobi nodded respectfully. "Maybe I have been too demanding. It is not right to discuss such things and ask of you to bear such burden right after you suffered through such an ordeal. I apologize if I hit a sour point."
"I… I'm sorry, but I've seen so many of my friends die before my eyes…" Konan whispered sadly. "I don't want to send another of my loved ones to her death."
Konan-san… thank you, Naruko thought silently.
"I understand your feeling perfectly," Tobi said, "I know the pain of losing a friend before our eyes… it is a thing that haunts us for the rest of our lives."
"Sorry not to have been on time," Spiral apologized, "If I had been a little faster…"
"What is done is done," Tobi cut in, "Rin is dead, and she won't come back." He glanced at Konan. "When you lost your friend… what is the first thing you promised yourself?"
"Never again," Konan replied.
"As did I…" Tobi sighed. "After my friend Rin died… I swore such a tragedy would never happen again on my watch. I did my best to help people who needed help. I tried to honor her memory, to create a place where she would have loved to live in… but I failed to protect these people. I… I am desperate for help. I'm sorry if I spoke rashly."
"I promise you we will defeat Red Zetsu, Tobi-san," Konan swore, "We will give you our help. But… we need a little more time to prepare and think."
"There is time," Spiral said, "Enjoy a respite… we'll deal with Red after you've rested more."
Kazama
"Kazama-san, while I enjoy the fact you're starting to take your therapy seriously, I would ask you not to knock at my door in the middle of the night," Obito sighed, inviting the young man to sit around his kitchen table. "Please take a seat."
Kazama did as he was told, and examined the house. It was a pretty small, elegant traditional house in the middle of the Uchiha compound. Nothing extraordinary… except for the photos.
The house was filled with various photography, from Obito's old team to other people and areas. It made the house populated, while in truth, only Obito and his 'family' lived there. Kazama couldn't help but find it creepy.
A smiling Rin gave both her husband and Kazama a cup of tea. "I hope you will enjoy it," she said, "I added some honey to it."
"Thank you very much, Rin-san," Kazama whispered, although he made no move to drink.
"Your tea is always delicious," Obito complimented, sitting in front of Kazama. "Return to bed. I doubt it will be long."
When the duo was left alone, the Uchiha's lone eye glanced at Kazama. When the blonde looked into the Sharingan, he couldn't help but feel a chill down his spin. This guy is empty inside, the ninja realized. His emotions are just a veneer. There's nothing behind them.
"What did you wanted to discuss?" Obito asked, smelling the tea's vapors. "Is it about your past traumas?"
Kazama intertwined his fingers. "I figured it out."
"Figure out what?"
"That you are the guy behind this world," Kazama whispered, "The puppet master."
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
"I only told two people in this world I burned my own Konoha," Kazama spoke coldly, "Madara, and you. You're the only one who could have told Menma… since you're partners in Teikoku, isn't that right? The doll and its maker."
"I believe you might have hallucinated," Obito replied, "You are Menma, and I assure you our professional sessions are strictly confidential."
"Of course, it was possible the puppet master, having created this entire world, could simply observe events there at will and learn of the truth through spying on me," Kazama continued, ignoring Obito's words. "But if you were omniscient, then why didn't you change the odd flaws in your creation before we stumbled upon them? It would have been much easier to keep us unaware if we had believed this world to be true. You are not omniscient in this world: you may have created it, but your control over this dream is not absolute."
"I believe you might need more than just a therapy-"
"Then something hit me: if this world was made to be perfect, then why should anybody need a shrink?" Kazama cut in. "That is obvious: you took this job so your creations would visit you should they gain awareness of the true nature of the world they live in. Being a shrink is the perfect way to watch over the population: people spill their dearest secrets to you and nobody realize you use the sessions to subtly manipulate them. The fact that you're the only one in an entire village of shinobi only further cemented the suspicion."
"This is absurd-"
"But you know what sold it?" Kazama cut in, "The dropout who earns his childhood crush's affection, marries her and becomes renowned as a hero of Konoha… that's just a teenage fantasy."
Obito fell silent, the air quickly dropping and become cold as ice. Kazama shifted uncomfortably, but kept locking eyes with the man.
Then something changed in Obito.
A mere smirk and a glint in his eyes were enough to change his entire expression, from wise adult to cruel predator. "So you figured it out," he whispered mockingly, "I guess I should tell Menma to shut up the next time I see him."
"So I was right…" Kazama trailed off in disgust. "You're the one behind everything."
"So you caught me!" Obito callously mocked. "I guess many things in people's behavior ticked you off? I never bothered with secondary characters. They were just names and faces I needed to fill the stage for the really important people. You are right, I am not omniscient: I did not remember every book in a library enough to copy them all, nor did I have much interest in the other villages. My utopia did not need them."
"A utopia? You call this place a utopia?" Kazama growled in disgust. "You destroyed an entire world for a childish fantasy!"
"The world?" Obito spat on his tea. "Who gives a shit about the old world? A place where you can lose your friends to some punk with a kunai is not worth living in. The one I created is much better: no war, no pain, no suffering. I don't hear anybody in this Konoha complain about his or her lot in life."
"You can't destroy an entire world just because you didn't like it!" Kazama protested angrily.
"You're the one to talk," Obito shot back, "Isn't that why you destroyed your Konoha in the first place? Because you didn't like it?"
The simple statement felt to Kazama like he was being hit by a sledgehammer. At loss of words, the young man struggled to find a coherent reply, but he couldn't deny the madman had hit a crack in the armor.
"Oh wait, that's right: you did it because it was justice, correct?" Obito mocked, once again the words hitting a sore point. "Don't expect me to be impressed by your attempt at moral superiority. You just hated this place and wanted it gone. That's exactly what I did with my world."
"Shut up!" Kazama snapped. "Don't you dare use my own words to justify your atrocities! We're nothing alike!"
"Your words are my words… you don't get it do you?" Obito smiled. "Do you know why you caught me? It's not because you're a detective. It's because we are alike. We think the same. You truly are the second coming of Obito Uchiha."
"Why is it that every crook I meet insists I'm just like them?" Kazama grimaced, his tone couldn't hide his stress.
"Because you are a hypocrite," Obito mocked, "You hide behind your veneer of justice and respectability when in truth you just pursue your selfish desires. You came here to 'punish' me, correct? But have you even considered what would happen if you were successful?"
Kazama frowned. "I…"
"You haven't thought about it, have you?" Obito taunted. "You kill me, you destroy this world. But what comes next? Is the old world restored? Or does everything fall back to oblivion, and you along with it? You didn't even think about it: your eyes were just clouded by your justified anger."
Kazama clenched his fists. "I will find a way to get out of this world," he said, "Whether you like or not."
Obito laughed. "If you truly want to go back to your friends… then why did you flee from them in the first place?"
Kazama opened his mouth, closed it, and finally found an answer. "Because I couldn't meet their gaze," he admitted.
"That's right: because you know deep down they will not accept you anymore. Not after what you pulled off in your Konoha. Only Madara is willing to tolerate your presence, because you've become no different from him. You are alone."
Obito smiled kindly. "If you need your friends, I can recreate them," he said, "I can turn your illusions, your memories of them, into reality." He snapped his fingers, and somebody appeared out of thin air next to him.
Much to Kazama's horror, it was a carbon copy of Naruko, down to the most precise details. However, while a smile was plastered on this copy's face, her eyes betrayed no hint of soul: it was just an empty shell.
"You don't like it?" Obito asked. "Maybe you would better like her with red hair, or green eyes? Would you like her to be like the one you grew to love as a sister, or do you wish for a different personality? I can create the perfect buddy."
"This isn't friendship!" Kazama spat in disgust. "This is just a fantasy!"
"There is no true friendship in this world, and neither is there true love," Obito replied grimly, Naruko's clone vanishing in smoke. "In the end, we're on our own. We humans are doomed to be flawed, to be disappointed. It's just how the real world works. But in my world, everything is always perfect."
Obito sighed. "In this world, there is no dropout," he said, "No traitor. No punishment. You can do anything you want! Want a vacation on a beach? I can create sand warmer than anything you've ever experienced, a sea of sapphire, and a dozen chicks in bikinis that will fawn over you! This place is heaven. And if you kill me, then this place will vanish… alongside all the people inside. You and Madara both."
Obito rose up from his seat. "You have a second chance at living the life you craved. Don't waste it."
The Red
The World Tree was a beautiful creature.
A colossal flora that would put any human tower to shame, the World Tree had started growing where the mighty Konohagakure once stood. Underneath its powerful roots laid the Relay, the gate the Zetsu race used to spread through all worlds. From the World Tree's branches, trapped in cocoons, captured humans slowly underwent their metamorphosis into Zetsu. It was beautiful.
A pity an eyesore spoiled the view, standing atop a root and not even sparing his comrade a glance.
"I am very disappointed, Zetsu," the Warlord said, "I thought you, of all people, were the most likely to defeat a group of women and children."
"Somebody interfered," the monster replied, leaping next to his ally. "Fortunately, I have another plan ready."
"Oh? Do tell."
"They are trapped in this world, on their own, with none of their friends able to track them down." Red Zetsu shrugged. "The only way for them to leave is either to take my ring or use the Relay. In both cases, they will be forced to attack this place. And I will be ready."
"Oh? So you're luring them into the beast's lair? Pretty ruthless." The Warlord observed the World Tree closely. "How did you recreate this plant? I thought the Kyuubi was needed."
"When I used my Mokuton to control the Kyuubi and unleash it on Konoha," Zetsu explained, "I managed to capture a little of its essence. Not much, but enough to recreate this tree after capturing the other Jinchuuriki. In its awakening, it destroyed Konoha, before giving birth to the first of my children. I had to purge the spirit of Princess Kaguya from it first, of course, but in the end, her nursery became my own."
"Kaguya… yes, I remember the rabbit. She was a pretty strong woman, if clearly insane. Then again, who isn't a little mad?" The Warlord chuckled. "She was very attached to your counterpart, do you know that? She was so horrified when I smashed her black son's skull under my foot she couldn't help but shed a tear. This was the opportunity I needed to kill her."
Red Zetsu narrowed its eyes. "If she died at your hand so easily, then she didn't deserve to live."
"Oh, she was more than strong enough to match me, even now, but the difference between us was simple: I am heartless." The Warlord snorted. "Her child's death drove her to despair. If the situation had been reversed, I wouldn't have bat an eyelash at such a trivial event. It is when you care for nothing in this world, when you realize you are alone, that your true power comes out. You cease to be a man, and you become a demon that cares only for himself."
The dreaded conqueror glanced at the newborn Zetsu with cold indifference. "I appreciate your company, Zetsu. I believe you have a bright future ahead of you… but your love for your children keeps you down."
"Perhaps, but at least I will leave a legacy behind," Red Zetsu replied, "My children will mourn me, and I will forever exist through their memories. You, on the other hand, are going to die alone and despised."
"Die? Since when are you under the delusion I can die?" The Warlord mocked. "I am the Oni no Shinobi, the Devil of Shinobi. No one can comprehend my power and cunning. The battlefield is my realm, conquest my crown, and death my scepter. No one can match me. No one."
Zetsu shrugged at the man's hubris. "Yet, you have been unable to take down one kunoichi."
"I lacked the proper motivation. In your case, I thought the prospect of taking revenge on your nemesis would be enough, but apparently you need a… little assistance."
The Red Zetsu glanced at its ally in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"I have nothing better to do with my time," the Warlord said, "My body lusts for battle. Yes… the blood of our foes will be such a delightful sight to behold."
Technique Compendium
Ninshuu: Human Containment Seal, S-rank: by using Ninshuu, the ancestor of ninjutsu, the user releases his spiritual energy outside his body in the form of a whirlwind he can direct at will. Upon hitting a target, the whirlwind creates a pathway between the user and the victim: the user then uses his own spiritual energy to affect the victim's physical energy and seal him in an item.
Ninshuu: Powerless Imbalance, S-rank: by using Ninshuu, the user connects his spiritual energy to the victim's own, and puts a mental barrier between his physical and spiritual energy, preventing him of using chakra. While the effect wears off with time and meditation, the victim's chakra is disrupted, alongside any possible seal or bloodline limit.
Fuuinjutsu: Return to Nothingness, unknown rank: by adding seals to a fan, the user can reduce a technique back to its primal state of ethereal chakra and instantly absorb it.
Fire Release: Fenghuang, A-rank: the user turns his chakra into the shape of a fiery bird and launch it at a target.
Yamata-no-Orochi: turning his Susanoo into the shape of a eight-headed snake, the user than summons his Amaterasu through the creature's lungs, unleashing a powerful fire upon a target at high speed.
Infinite Izanagi, SS-rank: the ultimate version of the kinjutsu Izanagi. Through the sacrifice of an eye and limitless reserves of chakra, the user is able to use the Izanagi on a global scale, turning the old world into an illusion and his fantasies into reality. However, the death of the user will undo the technique, with unknown consequences.
A/N: that chapter was more or less Obito's.
I wanted to show how a reaction to a single event can change an individual. Rin's death led to two different reactions for the Obitos portrayed here: in Zetsu's world, he took it as an inspiration to become a better person and persevere in trying to be good. In the Road to Ninja's verse... he snapped. They're both the same person: they just took different paths in life.
For the battles: I envision Mifune as the anti-ninja per excellence. He doesn't have flashy techniques; he focuses on impairing his foes instead. Giving him the ability to use a warped version of Ninshuu seemed fitting: Ninshuu was originally made to connect people. Mifune uses it to dominate them. Meanwhile, Orochimaru is basically the most souped up version you'll see. The main difference with his canon self is his ability to learn from his mistakes, which earned him the Sharingan. As you can guess, he'll be a major foe for this arc.
The next chapters will focus mostly on character development, especially Naruko, Sasuke and the Dark Wolf, Chibaku, Izanami and Kazama. There won't be a big battle for a while, but the next should be pretty epic in scoop.
Would you kindly leave a review?
