Chapter 17: The CEO of Earth Will See You Now
SUNDAY NIGHT - NEAR THE FIRST FRONT
Naruto sprinted at full-speed across the tablelands alongside Killer B, using his sage mode to light their way. They had just escaped from Genbu, a giant domesticated turtle the size of an island, where both jinchuriki had been trapped and hidden away for their safety. While there, Naruto faced the greatest enemy he would ever encounter: himself. His dark form, his inner hatred, an amalgamation of all the suppressed resentment he felt throughout his life. Resentment towards his parents for cursing him with the Kyuubi, his village for rejecting him due to circumstances beyond his control, his elders- people who claimed to have cared deeply for his parents- for abandoning him as a child and leaving him to face everything alone.
Truthfully, Naruto had nearly lost the battle. He was on the brink of being consumed by Kurama's and his own darkness when his mother, Kushina, appeared to him. She told him of her and his father's sacrifice, how they had no other choice. He finally accepted his dark counterpart as part of himself, and with that he realized that his hatred had been misdirected. The people in his life were victims of circumstance, just as he was. It isn't them that he should hate, it isn't even Kurama that he should hate. The real enemies were those who saw things such as the tailed beasts and sought to exploit their power, to control and oppress whomever they deemed as 'lesser than'. Those who would sacrifice others for personal gain.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
This revelation allowed Naruto to empathize with Kurama, to combine their perspectives into a mutual, more beneficial hatred. Through this connection they formed a pact to use their power for righteous vengeance, unlocking the Nine-Tails Chakra mode and Kurama Mode. The former allowed Naruto access to nearly the entire reservoir of Kurama's chakra, while the latter granted full access and synchronized their hearts to unlock additional abilities. With this new union they decided to face Madara and the Akatsuki themselves. It had to be Naruto, he was the only one who could bring them salvation. This redefined hatred had further strengthened his Will of Fire; he would willingly sacrifice himself for the good of the many and the safety of the villages.
As they ran, Naruto picked up on scattered transmissions from the sensor cores of several divisions. The white zetsu had infiltrated their ranks, spreading mistrust and doubt like a disease and turning their shinobi against one another. However, it appeared that one particular kunoichi- a recent arrival in the leaf- was able to sense the impostors, and was going to be taking care of the issue. Naruto hadn't had the chance to get to know Aratani Hoseki very well, but from the few interactions they did have he could tell that she was one of the good ones, so to speak. Her resolve was similar to his own, although the events that lead her to develop such reasoning were mysterious and unknown to him. There was something about her that always seemed...different, when compared to everyone else. But he could never quite put his finger on what it was.
Naruto and B stopped dead in their tracks when something slammed into the ground in front of them, cracking and shaking the ground beneath their feet. When the dust cloud settled, they came face-to-face with Lady Tsunade and the Raikage, both of whom looked pissed . Well, Naruto expected something like this after pulling off what was essentially a prison-break.
"Granny?" He asked, unsure of whether or not he was hallucinating.
"Whaaa…b-buu...bra!" Killer B exclaimed, immediately flustered by the Hokage's ample cleavage. Which was on full display. People ragged on Naruto for being an idiot, but this fool made him seem more like some kind of Neji Hyuga-level genius.
"B! Get your eyes up here right now, have some respect for the Hokage!" The Raikage roared in outrage at his younger brother's behavior.
"Oh, no, bro! I'm just shocked, that's all. I meant no offense, it's just that the Hokage's jugs are definitely immense!" Killer B responded, making finger guns at her chest for emphasis.
"Now is not the time for your rapping nonsense! We're here to stop you, you will not pass!"
Naruto bristled. He really didn't want to have to fight Granny Tsunade or the Raikage, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let them get in the way of his goal.
Narutooo, we cannot let them stop us. Use our strength. Use our hate.
"I know why you're doing this. If the enemy captures me, they'll complete their jutsu and the world will end," Naruto began.
"So then why are you doing this? Are you some kind of fool?!" The Raikage interjected, pointing an accusatory finger at him.
"I'm not a fool. I'm sick and tired of being treated like some idiot. I refuse to sit back while people die for me, while people fight against the thing I should be fighting myself. I'm fed up with these villains and their insatiable need for power, I'm tired of them exploiting everything that they can get their hands on! If I back down now then I'm giving them what they want, I'm letting them control me, letting them control Kurama, letting them control everyone through fear!"
His chest was heaving, his words laced with righteous fury and dripping with venomous hate. Tsunade had never seen Naruto like this, she hardly recognized him. Even the Raikage was caught off guard by the incomprehensible rage fueling his speech.
"I hate them. I hate everyone who dares to wield such power for the purposes of destruction, subjugation, inflicting pain. My hatred is what motivates me, and my Will of Fire - my love for the people in my life, for everyone- is what will empower me to win this war. I'm not protecting anyone by allowing them to sacrifice themselves for me! I don't run away and I don't go back on my word; that is my ninja way."
"Enough!" The Raikage roared, "I won't let you pass!"
"Then I'll just have to hate you too."
A surge of chakra flooded into his body, the bright yellow sage-mode cloak turning a sinister shade of crimson. He charged at the Raikage, but to his surprise the man easily matched his speed while tacking on a powerful punch headed right for Naruto's chest. He crossed his forearms defensively to block the attack, but the force of the blow still sent him skidding back nearly fifty meters. The Raikage could keep up with him even in Kurama mode. This was going to be a problem. He needed to avoid direct hits.
"Granny Tsunade, I know you understand, I'm the only one who can-"
"Naruto, I'm part of the Allied Shinobi Forces. I am under direct orders to stop you. Even though I'm still Hokage, I cannot act independently on this matter," Tsunade said, cutting him off.
They do not understand, Narutoo. They do not understand our hatred or our purpose, they are too naive.
Faster, he would just have to be faster. He wasn't going to use Kurama Mode, but beyond that he couldn't hold himself back against these two, not if he wanted to escape. It pained him to have to fight like this, but that pain was nothing compared to the pain he felt knowing that his comrades might die because of his inaction. Naruto darted around as fast as he could trying to get around the Raikage, but the man was still too quick and kept perfect pace with him.
They faced off, and the Raikage started talking about Minato. About his father. About how his dad, even with all of his strength, had ultimately still failed. How the tailed beasts could not be trusted, that they needed to be controlled. How he should learn from his father's failure. He continued to drone on until Naruto's rage hit a fever pitch, until he couldn't bear it anymore.
"STOP! Stop talking about my father. He didn't fail anyone, he sacrificed himself for his village. You failed yourselves by trying to use the tailed beasts for your own selfish purposes. The same thing Madara is trying to do to us now. You're so blinded by your own ego and self-righteousness that you can't even see the corruption blackening your hearts! The tailed beasts and us jinchuuriki are more than just weapons or assets for you to exploit and control!"
"If you insist on going...I will kill you right here and now!" The Raikage's chakra crackled with lightning, emphasizing the veracity of his threat.
"And if you insist on killing Naruto...then I will have to kill you instead," a fourth voice said.
They all turned around to face the newcomer. Naruto was shocked when he recognized who it was. Everyone was shocked- they didn't even know how she had found out about his escape or this confrontation.
"Aratani, what are you doing here?" Tsunade asked.
She stepped forwards out of the shadows, and the moonlight cast a haunting ephemera onto her pale skin. Her strange, floral irises glowed in the night, reflecting like the eyes of a wild animal. Predatory. Naruto felt an overwhelming malevolence coming from somewhere nearby, but as soon as his mind was able to process it the feeling was gone, replaced with nothingness. No good will, no ill will, she didn't express anything. She was just empty and completely unreadable. He brushed it off, thinking that it must have been his imagination. Or perhaps it was the Raikage he had sensed.
"Let him go," she said.
The Raikage took a threatening step towards her. "What?! Weren't you the one stressing the importance of keeping him away from-"
"The circumstances have changed. I need his help, I cannot do this alone anymore. Please, you have to trust me on this. I won't be able to win on my own, and once I lose, they will come after him again. With me gone, you will be even more vulnerable than before. There will be no hope ."
"But why Naruto?" A asked, turning to face his brother. "B is the jinchuriki who can control his tailed beast. Therefore, he is a stronger military asset."
"That's where you're wrong, bro! You see, Kurama and Naruto are tight now, fo-sho!" B explained, in his odd lyrical manner.
"The eight tails does not have the strength I require," Aratani added. "Additionally, Naruto has the leadership skills that I lack. He also has the necessary…. inspiration . The Will of Fire."
"Ara-chan...I don't know what your position in all of this is, but I know you feel it too. The same hatred I do. Hatred for these tyrants , these abusers and their malevolence," Naruto seethed.
Her face remained neutral, but her voice betrayed a quiet fury. "Yes. Only by working together will we be able to defend against this plague of greed. We must sacrifice ourselves for the sake of the others."
Aratani walked over to Naruto, both Tsunade and the Raikage stepped away in a show of submission. Naruto wondered, just what kind of power did she have over them? It should have taken more than a brief exchange to convince the Raikage to step down. Not that he was complaining, but still, it was pretty weird. There were so many secrets being kept from him. He hated secrets.
Yes, finally, someone who understands our hate. She will aid us. Together we will save us.
"Live or die; these are the rules, but we do not have to remain bound by them. I will reveal to you the truth, and the truth will overcome all threats. Our hatred can change the rules."
[PAST]THE DAY OF THE RALLY - UNKNOWN LOCATION
Four holographic figures stood facing a hooded man, patiently waiting for him to initiate the meeting. A shadow covered his eyes, concealing his expression as he sat with his chin resting atop folded hands. The inners were growing impatient, familiar with but still intolerant of these pensive silences their leader seemed so fond of. One of them, a young girl, tapped her foot impatiently, her heeled boot irritatingly clacking against the tiled surface she was standing on and echoing throughout the genjutsu. She was the youngest member- only 15 years of age- aside from their leader and had a nasty temper.
Just as she opened her mouth to chastise their brooding commander, he lifted his gaze to peer at his subordinates. His black irises were unnaturally large and covered almost the entire whites of his eyes, exacerbating the dangerous and intimidating authority he displayed despite his young age. The hood of the black cloak he wore-the standard outer-dress for all members of their organization- was pulled back, revealing a short black ponytail and the shaved sides of his head.
"Welcome," he said in a voice that was uncharacteristically mature and baritone for someone of his physical age. "Shall we begin?"
He nodded towards the eldest of the group, prompting him to speak first. "As you requested, I have met with the outer who serves as the captain of the Allied Forces' Sensor Division. It appears that one of your brethren has made an appearance, and-"
"Yes, I sensed her arrival some months ago," their leader interjected.
"Then you know the threat she poses. It appears that she intends to aid the war effort. I believe it is very likely that she will kill Kaguya herself, as well. It is my recommendation that we take action before she has the chance to interfere with our own agenda. "
"No. Let her be."
"What? Sir, she is a threat-"
"No. She will take care of my former partner so that we don't have to. I intend on letting her consume Kaguya's power."
"Are you insane? You can't risk being overpowered like that!" The girl exclaimed, staring daggers at her superior.
"Please, calm down. I know her personally, in a way that none of you understand. Do you not trust me?" He stared at them calmly, letting the accusation linger in the air.
The inners remained silent. Only the ladybug fluttering around the leader dared to move.
"As I was saying. Do not underestimate my cunning; she can be easily manipulated. This girl is impulsive, overzealous, and naive; on her first day here she willingly forfeited the bulk of her abilities, albeit temporarily. Powers more immense than any of you could possibly comprehend. An invaluable asset to our cause."
"If you aren't getting rid of her then...what, you're planning on convincing her to join us?" The man asked.
Their leader smiled, a twinkle reflected in his soulless gaze. "That would imply that I am going to give her a choice."
MONDAY EVENING - KUMOGAKURE
Tsunade and the Raikage sat at a small wooden table in the Sensor Division's headquarters while Shikaku Nara anxiously paced back and forth behind them. They watched the glowing blue orb of chakra in the center of the room as they waited for Inoichi to relay any status updates being sent in by each of the fronts. Inoichi sat on the ground in a meditative pose, the top half of his face obscured by a large metal helmet with tentacle-like black tubes attached to the back. It amplified his telepathic abilities, allowing him to send and receive messages to each of the battlefronts without disrupting the sensing barrier they had constructed to detect any intrusions upon the headquarters.
Earlier that morning they'd received word that a group of two thousand white zetsu had ambushed and overran the Water-Attack Raid unit stationed at the seventh front. In response, they dispatched Kumogakure's Thundercloud unit to provide backup. The Thundercloud unit consisted of seven prodigious fourteen year-old shinobi who were well-versed in kenjutsu and bukijutsu. Despite their young age, their excellent swordsmanship and ninja-tool proficiency made them an effective counter to the close-ranged combat style of the white zetsu. However, they had only narrowly avoided defeat and several members were critically wounded, the news of which had put everyone in the building on edge.
Aratani Hoseki entered the room quietly, taking up a seat across from Tsunade. Ara had been busy trying to weed out the rest of the zetsu infiltrators so that she could join them at the headquarters to help monitor Naruto and B's movements and be ready to provide backup for them at the drop of a hat. The Raikage visibly tensed in response to her presence; even though he had relented and allowed the jinchuriki to leave the night before, he was still angered by the young woman's interference and defiance of his authority. Tsunade smiled softly at Aratani when she entered and was greeted with a polite bow.
Something about the kunoichi's demeanor had shifted recently, and it'd been bothering Tsunade ever since their encounter the night before. She was suddenly much more serious and emotionally reserved than usual, which had set off alarm bells in the back of Tsunade's mind. The Hokage ignored her gut, though, remembering her display of reliability back when she'd sparred with Kakashi and reminding herself that Aratani's change in mood was likely a side effect of the violence she had seen and been a part of during the past few days. After all, it was the young woman's first time witnessing a war first-hand.
Her speculation was interrupted when Inoichi and Ao jumped into action to begin relaying an incoming message.
"Naruto and Killer B have just left an encounter with the reanimated Itachi Uchiha. According to Naruto, Itachi had planted a crow with a dormant genjutsu inside of Naruto during his lifetime and was able to use it to break free from his summoner's control," Inoichi said.
"No way! Itachi Uchiha?" Tsunade stood up and slammed her palms onto the table in shock.
"Yes. Itachi has communicated to Naruto his intentions to go and personally attack the person casting the reincarnation jutsu. It seems that someone named Kabuto Yakushi is responsible for summoning the dead shinobi."
"Who is Kabuto Yakushi?" A asked.
"I encountered him once a long time ago while I was on my way back to the village with Jiraiya and Naruto," Tsunade began. "He was one of Orochimaru's minions, if I recall correctly, and possessed similar abilities to my former teammate."
Kabuto Yakushi was a former citizen and orphan of Konohagakure who had been acquired at a very young age by Danzo Shimura's hidden espionage organization, Root. After being mislead and forced to murder his former caretaker- Nono Yakushi, the woman who rescued him as a child and adopted him into the orphanage in the Leaf- Kabuto became disillusioned and abandoned Root along with the rest of the village. He was then recruited by Orochimaru and played a crucial role in an attack on Konoha during the Chunin Exams, as well as Sasuke Uchiha's eventual defection and escape.
Unknown to Tsunade and everyone else who hadn't encountered him since her return as the Hokage, Kabuto had since scientifically modified his body and was now a monstrous version of his former self. He infused himself with Orochimaru's remains, the results of which increased his chakra reserves and altered his appearance to become more snake-like and reptilian. After that he'd further enhanced himself by replicating the abilities of several other powerful missing-nin.
The first of these abilities was Suigetsu Hozeki's hydrification technique, meaning that he could liquify parts of his body in order to avoid escape. The second granted him the Uzumaki's unique rejuvenation technique that allowed them to completely heal any injuries just by biting themselves, something that Naruto also possessed. Additionally, he implanted himself with a kekkei genkai allowing him to passively absorb natural energy; this meant that he could continuously and instantaneously use Sage Mode without assistance. Other users, by comparison, had to remain completely still for several seconds in order to enter the chakra mode. Lastly, he developed a method of producing snake-clones with various capabilities; namely, the ability to absorb chakra from his opponents. With enough initial energy, he could produce a virtually endless amount of the chakra-stealing reptiles.
"It seems that even in death, Itachi Uchiha has not abandoned his mission to protect the village no matter what…" Tsunade murmured.
"A real shame, Itachi's fate was. After enduring so much pain...he deserved better," Aratani commented.
Tsunade narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "And just how would you know anything about-"
She was interrupted once again by another important announcement from Inoichi.
"Lord Kazekage and Onoki have successfully defeated the Fourth Kazekage with minimal casualties in the Fourth Division," he stated. "The Second Tsuchikage- Lord Mū- has still not been spotted since disappearing on Saturday. They are now being approached by the Second Mizukage and the Third Raikage."
The Fourth Raikage stood up and growled, clenching his fists in anger. "Send Naruto to aid them. They won't be able to seal my father without his help. And tell the other divisions to leave as soon as possible and converge with the fourth division. B will escort them in case they run into any more of the enemy on the way," he commanded.
Inoichi relayed his orders to the jinchuriki, who would arrive to provide support by dawn tomorrow. Aratani stood up, announcing that she would head there as well in case of any potential complications or surprises. There was always the possibility of Mū returning unexpectedly, so it was best to have as much power on hand as possible. The kage agreed and dismissed her for departure. Tsunade stared at her back as she left, still unable to shake the uneasy feeling in her stomach.
Aratani walked through the dim and empty corridors of the main headquarters, grinning widely as soon as she was out of sight. Her body contorted and compressed into an anomalous black substance- devoid of anything and everything- as she blended in with the shadows and disappeared into the nothingness.
TUESDAY
Gaara's eyes burned from the salty droplets of sweat that had found their way past his eyelashes. This was one of the major drawbacks of not having any eyebrows. His hair was damp and matted to his forehead, and the clothes he wore now felt suffocating as they clung to his sticky skin. Gritting his teeth to distract from the intensifying soreness spreading throughout his aching muscles, he continued straining and struggling to keep the Mizukage and the Raikage trapped within the confines of his sand imprisonment technique.
The worst part about this entire situation was the fact that neither of the two kage before him actually wanted to fight. They were being controlled, manipulated, and forced against their will to attack the very same people they spent their lives securing the futures of. The Mizukage was chattering excitedly at the prospect of finally being sealed away when an anti-barrier fuinjutsu tag appeared on the sand covering his chest. The tag activated at the same time that the Raikage punched through his own barrier. Unable to hold them any longer, Gaara bit back a wave of despair as he watched them obliterate the sand prisons and free themselves once again.
Groups of his shinobi charged forwards to meet the kage head-on and try to surround them. Onoki was hanging back at a safe distance; the old man had overexerted himself in their previous fight, so Gaara was forcing him to take a break to recuperate and restore his chakra. The Raikage's lightning ephemera crackled dangerously as he dove into the center of one of the groups and slammed into the ground with lethal force, instantly killing dozens of their shinobi. Survivors pressed on following Temari's orders, rushing past the crushed and mangled bodies of their fallen comrades.
When they were both surrounded, the kage stopped and stood back-to-back inside the ring of shinobi. Gengetsu Hozuki, the Second Mizukage, took the opportunity to address the crowd.
"Do not underestimate my jutsu, you need to stand back! Now, here are all my weaknesses: I use shadow style- genjutsu- and my summoning," he paused his rambling to bite his thumb, drawing blood to place a summoning seal on the ground, "is a giant clam!"
The sand shook as soon as his hand touched the ground, and a massive mollusk rose up from underneath him. The Third Raikage followed his example, divulging his own weaknesses.
"And I'm a lightning style user, so you need to gather all your earth style users and use them as a shield, and then attack with your wind style shinobi!"
"Great, thanks for the intel," Temari yelled out. "Do you have any other details you can tell us?"
"I'm not in control of my body. There's no time for more talk!"
The Raikage jumped away, distancing himself as much as he could from Gengetsu to try and minimize casualties. Temari gathered the earth and wind users along with part of the sealing core to chase after him. Gaara, much to the displeasure of Gengetsu, abandoned the group facing off against him without telling anyone what he was doing. He just fucked off and told them all to deal with the Mizukage.
"You can count on us!" One of the shinobi yelled.
"Yeah, we'll take care of wispy whiskers!"
Gengetsu became enraged at the use of such a degrading nickname and burst into a ball of orange flames. This only served to invigorate his opponents, who began to jeer and pump each other up. If literally any one of the commanders had been there, they would have had a crisis of faith in response to the collective anencephalic stupidity present on that particular battlefield. The shinobi squared up as the Mizukage's giant clam blew ass and created a shroud of mist, and the battle began.
They attacked Gengetsu with a barrage of ninja tools, successfully subduing him for approximately thirty seconds. Unfortunately, the person they'd attacked turned out to be a mirage. Gengetsu berated them for being dumb fucks while he patiently waited for everyone to retrieve their weapons, growing irritated when several shinobi started arguing over who owned what or ambled around helplessly, unable to find their tools.
"You're ninjas? More like non-jas," the real Gengetsu laughed from atop his flatulent mollusk. "Terrible what passes for a ninja these days."
"Hey man, you don't have to insult us like that!" a random dude responded. "That clam suits you, 'cause you're just like the ocean. You're salty and you scare people!"
"Yeah, and you're not even trying to go easy on us! You don't even want to die, do you!" Another random dude exclaimed.
"Dammit," Gengetsu cursed. "It's not that I don't want to die, I just don't want a village of idiots slinging childish insults to kill me! I may as well hold a funeral for my dignity right here and now," he sighed.
"Speaking of funerals," a new voice shouted, "why don't you go ahead and die already!"
Naruto came flying out of nowhere and wrecked the Mizukage with one of his Rasengan. Gaara and Onoki followed behind him, the former acting quickly to trap Gengetsu in another sand prison while Onoki used his super-weighted boulder jutsu to split the giant clam apart. Thankfully the clam was out of ammunition, so everyone could breathe easy. The sealing core jumped into action while the Mizukage pretended to resist, working as fast as they could to lock him away.
Meanwhile, Temari and her shinobi were holding their own against the third Raikage, but seemed to be locked in a stalemate after each round of combat. Their wind attacks just weren't strong enough, and despite Temari being the best wind user in the Allied Shinobi Forces she wasn't able to defeat him on her own. Luckily, the second strongest wind user was already on his way to help.
The Raikage flew backwards as Naruto slammed into him with a rasen-shuriken, resulting in a massive explosion once the ball of energy detonated against his body. The sealing team tried to capture him with their cloth bindings while he was down, but the Raikage easily broke free. Kabuto had completely taken over his will at that point, and prepared to counter Naruto using the Raikage's strongest ninjutsu: the Four-Fingered Piercing Thrust of Hell. Similar to Sasuke and Kakashi's chidori, the technique worked by gathering lighting in his fingertips and fists. The entire group of shinobi was ordered to disperse and fall back while the earth users erected a thick wall of stone to try and soften the blow.
Due to congenital intelligence defects, several of the shinobi refused to retreat and instead prepared to launch a suicidal attack at the Raikage as soon as he broke through the wall. As expected, every single one of them was violently electrocuted. They screamed in agony as their limbs convulsed and their flesh was cooked medium-rare, the cries only ceasing once their brains liquified inside of their skulls. Dodai, a jonin from Kumogakure, managed to grab Naruto and pull him away to safety moments before he met the same fate. When the Raikage altered his hand sign to use just three fingers, Dodai hurriedly explained to Naruto that the Hell Stab became more powerful and more concentrated as the number of fingers used decreased. On top of that, the cloak of lightning that enveloped his body during the attack made him impenetrable.
Naruto examined the Raikage, noticing a scar on his right pectoral muscle and pointing it out to Dodai. Apparently, he had received the injury years ago when he fought the rampaging eight-tails by himself. It reminded Naruto of the eight-tails' strongest attack: the tailed beast bomb. Concentrating all of his energy, Naruto began trying to form one of the bombs in his hands; an extremely dangerous jutsu to attempt while still in human form, and something that was thought by everyone else to be impossible.
However, now that Kurama was fully cooperating with Naruto, he was able to shift into Kurama Mode: a completed version of Nine-Tails chakra mode but without the full transformation, meaning that Naruto could utilize both tailed-beast bombs and truth-seeking balls. When activated, Naruto's chakra cloak took on a reddish hue, his eyes became slitted and the markings on his face thickened to resemble the trigram symbol, and nine truth-seeking orbs materialized and levitated behind his head. Three tails manifested and protruded from his back, billowing like leaves in the wind due to the pressure gradient caused by the immense energy levels radiating from his chakra. Dodai noped the fuck out of there, ordering the remaining shinobi move out of the way and telling the sealing core to stand by as the Raikage- now down to a single finger- charged full-speed at the jinchuriki.
Bracing himself, Naruto continued to focus all of his chakra into a tailed-beast rasengan, cultivating it into a mass of energy nearly the size of his head. Due to the density of the chakra, he wouldn't be able to throw the orb. Instead, he held it in front of him and allowed the Raikage to strike it head-on. The ball ripped through his protective barrier of lightning and instantly destroyed the majority of his reanimated body. The positive and negative chakra used to create the tailed-beast bombs is potent enough to prevent even the immortal bodies of Kabuto's zombie ninjas from regenerating. Before the Third Raikage could even think about making another move, the sealing core was on top of him and imprisoned him using a powerful cloth-sealing technique.
Victorious, Naruto regressed into his human form and collapsed with exhaustion, having spent nearly all of his chakra performing the unstable counter-attack. Even though he had access to all of Kurama's chakra now, Naruto still hadn't mastered the tailed beast's abilities, and was inefficient at best when using them. Unfortunately, this meant that he had literally wasted the majority of his chakra in less than sixty seconds and unwittingly doomed himself to what would happen next. Use of the tailed-beast bombs also caused tissue damage throughout his arms that would need to be healed.
The fourth division banded together in a surreal moment of triumph, believing that the war was finally coming to an end.
Nagato screamed internally, gripped by despair as he was placed onto the ground near the perfected vessel, a recreation of the very person who had given him his eye. Kabuto chattered incessantly, exuding manic energy while he prepared for the ritual. Kneeling down in front of the other body, his disgustingly phallic snake appendage wagged excitedly while Kabuto summoned the desired inhabitant to the vessel. He lay there helplessly when Kabuto exploited his Rinnegan, forcing him to use the Rinne Tensei- the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique- to fully resurrect the malefactor next to him.
An eerie silence had settled over the desert while the fourth division waited with baited breath to see who the new presence was that the sensors had detected approaching them.
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Three heavy footsteps sounded off of the flat stone surface of the butte before coming to a halt. An unexpectedly average-heighted man appeared, looking down on them with his arms crossed. He was clad in dark red traditional armor that clanked metallically with each movement. The man stood there menacingly, staring at the group of shinobi with one glowing red Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan and the distinct purple of the Rinnegan. Everyone watched, mesmerized by the beautiful black mane billowing behind him as they clenched their assholes in terror.
Gaara and Naruto stood side by side, the former coming to grips with the reality that Aratashiki had been telling the truth while the latter gaped in shock after Onoki announced who it was that now faced them. The masked man was indeed lying about his identity, and everything Ara had said was coming true. Naruto was crouched down, sitting on his knees. It was only a few minutes ago that they had sealed the Third Raikage, and he'd hardly even begun to recover his chakra.
Madara gazed at the strange coalition of villages before him, not really understanding what he was looking at or why he was looking at it. He was not expecting to be revived, and would be straight-up lying if he said that everything was going according to his plans right now. But beggars can't be choosers, right? It was time for him to put the shinobi world in its place. To bring them to their knees, and offer a path to salvation only he could provide.
"Madara Uchiha," Naruto yelled, jumping to his feet and pointing a finger at him. He was spitting with fury. "Whatever it is you're planning ends here. Come over here, coward! I'm gonna beat your ass you son of a bitch. You're an intellectual dumbass, and I'M COMIN'! You coward, you think you're a tough guy...I HATE YOU! COWARD!"
Naruto turned his head to yell at his comrades. "We're gonna defeat this anti-human scum, we're gonna wreck his WORLD!" The crowd of shinobi behind him cheered in agreement.
Scowling, Madara glared at the young man furiously. He had never been so aggressively verbally assaulted in his life. Only he was allowed to go off on people like that! And how bold of that little twerp to behave so rudely when they've only just met. Such ignorance was surely a disease. "You all only hate me because you do not like me and I am mean to you" he roared. "Grow up!"
This riled the shinobi up even more. They prepared their weapons, letting out battle cries and bracing for his attack. Madara was about to charge at them when the ground began to shake, interrupting their imminent smack-down. He pivoted on his toes and watched as the Demonic statue rose from the sand, with Obito standing on top of its head looking like some shitty street magician that was going to follow you home and steal your cookies. Rolling his eyes, he faced the crowd again and spotted a new character next to the annoying orange. It only took him a moment to realize that the woman was no woman, but Black Zetsu. When had he gotten into genderbending? Wasn't he supposed to be Madara's will? Because Madara was not exactly into that kind of thing. No matter.
Obito appeared at his side, quickly whispering the plan into his ear. Madara's face broke out in a sinister grin; the young man had certainly out-done himself this time. They watched as Zetsu conversed with the unsuspecting jinchuriki, the other shinobi falling back per 'her' orders. Whoever he was impersonating clearly had some authority- an excellent choice. As soon as the noisy ninja let his guard down Zetsu morphed into his true form and plunged his arm into the man's stomach.
"You naive, arrogant fool….you never ssstood a chance. You're too weak ," Zetsu jeered while his disoriented victim collapsed onto the sand.
Instantaneously, Obito was at Zetsu's side and they began extracting the nine-tails using the Tail Releasing Method, the same technique Obito had used on Kushina Uzumaki years before. Naruto cried out in distress, unable to fight back in his weakened state and in too much shock and pain to beg for mercy. Horrified yells rippled through the crowd of shinobi in the distance, but not a single one attempted to move, too terrified to try and stop what was happening. Honestly, the lack of intervention was quite pathetic and rather disappointing. Apparently, what his generation had lacked in quantity the current generation now lacked in quality.
Madara cackled like a madman, amused and excited as he watched the Kyuubi being sucked into the Gedo statue bit by bit, inching closer to his dream. When Obito and Zetsu were finished, they abandoned the dying former-jinchuuriki and returned to the statue, warping it a distance away so that Madara could have his fun while they all waited for the Ten-tails to form. As soon as they were gone several figures rushed forth from the crowd. An old man, a goth wearing a mummified pumpkin, a sharingan thief hiding half of his face behind a mask, and a pink-haired woman surrounded the wounded shinobi.
How repulsive, a non-Uchiha with the sharingan. Madara berated him in his head.
You could never be an Uchiha because you. are. not. that. kind. of. guy. Bitch, everything I've had, I've worked for and I've gotten myself. I've built myself from the ground up-
A woman interrupted his psychic tirade.
"Naruto!"
The distressed kunoichi screamed his name, fumbling to try and heal the gaping wound in his abdomen. Just as Madara was growing bored with the scene, the woman and the wannabe Uchiha picked up 'Naruto' and began escorting him to safety. Hmph. Madara couldn't care less if he lived or not, he was just grateful they had left and taken the drama with them. Now the real show could begin.
Taking a step towards the edge of the butte, he prepared to deliver the monologue he had written decades ago to the crowd of angry, terror-stricken shinobi. Madara- and the Uchihas in general- were not known for their poetry. However, he was quite proud of this piece and thought that it summarized his intentions masterfully. It would definitely go down in history as a famous war speech. Well...it would have, if he wasn't about to end human civilization. Perhaps he could make it so within the Tsukuyomi...
No. Now was not the time to start losing focus!
Anywho, when writing his magnum opus Madara had specifically chosen to refer to others in third person, so that they would feel dehumanized and ostracized. There was no point in telling them the truth, because they wouldn't listen. Too far gone, the lot of them were. Thus, he made no attempt to defend his benevolence. Additionally, in order to finish his presentation with what younger generations referred to as a 'bang!'- and this really was the pinnacle of his artistry- Madara planned to drop a meteor on top of the army. Like, just smash the shit out of them all. Two birds with one stone, so to speak. An ingenious idea for sure.
In the past, his renowned brilliance had kept him from easily relating to lesser, more stupid people. It was tough, being a devastatingly handsome erudite with great-smelling hair and impeccable style, all while being the Uchiha clan leader and the God of shinobi.
Madara Uchiha drips too hard, to put it simply.
None of that would matter, though, by the end of the day. The last Tuesday.
Deep down, Madara was not the psychopathic killer history had made him out to be. That title belonged to Izuna, without a doubt, but few knew of his depravity. On the contrary, Madara cared deeply for his clan and wanted nothing more than to end the suffering of humanity as a whole. It pained him to have to do something so drastic. In fact, it was excruciating. But nothing ever goes as planned in this world. Only pain, suffering, and futility exist. In this world, wherever there is light there are also shadows, so as long as the concept of winners exists there must also be losers. The selfish desire of wanting to maintain peace causes wars, and hatred is born to protect love.
Love would not bring peace. His hatred, his power - these were necessary if he was going to save them all. Madara was going to free them from the agony of trying to maintain order and diplomacy. From the secrecy, corruption, and war.
This new world would be a world of truth, not lies.
"Look at them, they come to this place when they know they are not pure," Madara began, projecting his deep voice as much as he could. "The Villages flaunt their Jinchuuriki, but they are merely imposters. Only I, Madara Uchiha, know the true power of the tailed beasts!"
Madara beat on his chest to emphasize the turmoil of being alone as a God. "I was cut in half, destroyed, but through its immense power, the God Tree called to me. It brought me here, and here I was reborn! I cannot blame these creatures, they have been led by a false prophet, an impostor who knows not the secrets of the God Tree, of the Ten-Tails. Hashirama Senju...that intolerable, well-proportioned, irritatingly charming, wooden-headed jackass!"
He opened his arms wide, gesturing to the entire audience and manifesting a giant meteor to hold over their heads, anticipating the grand finale.
"Behold the Shinobi, come to scavenge and desecrate this sacred realm. My brothers, did I not tell of this day? Did I not prophesy this moment? Now, I will stop them. Now I am changed, reborn through the perfection of my Infinite Tsukuyomi. Forever bound to the God Tree."
The faces of his spectators were priceless: confused and terrified, cowering in the presence of his god-tier masculinity. Madara could practically hear the slaps as the men's balls receded into the abyss of inferiority.
"Let it be known, if the Shinobi want true salvation, they will lay down their arms, and wait for the baptism of my Infinite Tsukuyomi. It is time. I will teach these trespassers the redemptive power of my Infinite Tsukuyomi. They will learn it's simple truth. The Shinobi are lost, and they will resist. But I, Madara Uchiha, will cleanse this place of their impurity!"
As Madara dropped the meteor with a flourish, an ominous voice spoke in his mind:
Ok, boomer.
