Mountain Myoboku.
There are places and locations throughout the world, hidden from even the best trackers and seekers, masked by the very nature and Sekai itself, as well as those that inhabit said places. These are the lands and domains of Summons, that inhabit their own plain of existence which allows them to remain hidden from most of the people. Like Yokai, Summons do not like to get dragged into the wars of Humans, at least to an extent, but unlike their more supernatural cousins, they themselves have their hands full with each other. Much like mortals, Summons compete and fight amongst each other, trying to gain more influence and power amongst their own kind, engaging either in direct battles, or in plays of power, where their display their influence and might through showcasing their Summoners and what they can do.
Humans may not question the fact of Summons actually picking members of their race to be trained and also allow them to summon their respective Summons, but in reality humans, or more specifically Shinobi, serve as another resource and leverage in the grand strategies that Summons play amongst themselves. Summons do not just pick up whoever they want, they try to pick up those that have as much potential as possible, as well as being influenced by them so that they would be able to do their bidding when need be. A powerful Summoner, with great capabilities and might is always a valid argument when Summons try to settle a dispute in their favor, and more often than not, a stronger Summon, or a stronger Sage, is the deciding factor in the Summons feud.
They may parade themselves as being above squabbles of humans, but in reality Summons are just the same as humans, also engaging in their own plays of power and influence. Their desires are quite easily comprehended and understood by humans, because they are essentially the same as their own. Every Summon wishes for more power, more wealth and more influence, to be able to exert their will over the others in one way or the other, and for that some of the most ruthless and ambitions will do anything. Even change the fate of the entire world if they wish so, like the Toads had done.
Of all the Summons, there is little to no doubt that Toads have played the most critical role in molding and shaping it to their own desired design. Even thousands of years ago, back when humanity didn't even possess Chakra, they already schemed and planned to put themselves in the position of power. Gamamaru, back then a young toad, and now the Great Toad Sage, had used his powers of divination to steer Hagoromo and Hamura away from Kaguya, presenting them with the vision of the future that he implied will come to pass if she was not stopped. As a result, Kaguya's sons, including Shiva, had rebelled and defeated her, paving the way for Humanity to gain Chakra and also opening a Pandora's Box, as the Olympian Gods would say it.
For all his powers of divination and precision that he claimed and still claims to be correct, all that Gamamaru saw was merely one possibility of a future, a single variant of it that could occur, yet also could not. He believed that he had prevented a catastrophe, yet instead he merely invited chaos to come, and the first one to actually perceive it was none other than Shiva, who even before his own ascension into godhood, was already starting to be capable of perceiving future events. But where he and Gamamaru weren't alike was in their wisdom, with Shiva not trying to use his knowledge of the possibilities to shape the future to his own design, unlike with Gamamaru. This, as well as Shiva's desire to make his brothers see that they had been used by an overly ambitions Toad, had led to Toads becoming bitter enemies of Lord Shiva, for unlike them, he was the one who had the perfect vision of the future and how it would play out, no matter what route it took.
Most Summons knew better than to play with forces that were far beyond their complete understanding and control, yet Toad preferred to not to heed to common wisdom, choosing instead arrogance. For ages, they've manipulated Humans with their limited perception of the future, using it to bolster their own powers and influence, as well as to remove the obstacles from their path. For that reason Toads, with the help of their Summoner Jiraiya, had helped to expedite the destruction of Uzumaki nation and its people, reducing them from many to few. Those people had been descendants of Lord Shiva and Lady Parvati, their mortal enemies, and that is not to mention their deep understanding of the world and supernatural, along with the immense knowledge of Onmyodo.
Toads had perceived that Uzumaki might spread their knowledge to the other people, which would render them and other summons utterly useless. Humans would gain such vast power that they would be able to breach the defenses and barriers of Summons' World and gain access to it on permanent basis. This could not stand, and with the aid of Jiraiya and thanks to the greed of Daimyos and Shinobi, they were able to ensure that this would never come to pass. Toads celebrated their great victory, not even thinking of the fact that they had not just slighted, but enraged beings from higher plane of existence, with at least one of them being excellently aware of their scheming nature. But after that, other deities have taken notice of the toads, and had they been wiser, they had understood that perhaps they should've been more careful.
Unfortunately, that victory had bolstered their confidence and arrogance, leading to Toads fully exploiting Jiraiya for their own benefit and power. Through him, Toads had been able to find whom they had originally perceived as the Child of Prophecy and what's more, trained him in their own ways, making him their devoted Summoner. While Minato didn't turn out to be the prophesized savior of the world, the hopes of Toads now rested with his children, holders of Nine Tailed Beast and members of the Uzumaki bloodline and of Minamoto Clan to boot. To think that Uzumaki would one day serve to further the goals and power of Toads…
All seemed to be going smoothly and well for Toads, until today… The Great Toad Sage has had another one of his visions, but this time it wasn't just a future event or something that they could influence. This time it was something that the Toads needed to prevent from happening, destroy before this future could or even would take shape. And if they didn't do it now… They would risk losing everything, including their own domain, power and very lives. For the first time in thousands of years, Toads were truly terrified of the possible future and now they needed to see it destroyed before it was too late.
And for that reason Shima and Fukasaku have forcefully summoned Jiraiya from the realm of humans. With the great puff of smoke, Jiraiya appeared before the two small toads, surprising them with the fact that he was currently in the cuffs.
"Jiraiya-boy, what in the world had happened to you? Whom did you cross this time that they've decided to cuff you up?" Fukasaku asked with a surprised tone.
"Funny story that one, Fukasaku. You know how I usually have ladies chasing after me everywhere I am? Well, this particular one was quit- OUCH! Hey, what gives?!" Jiraiya was now trying to nurse his swollen head, after Shima hit him with her utensil.
"Quite yapping all that nonsense tell us what really happened!" Shima demanded to know.
"Fine! Okay, just get these off of me." Without much trouble and after applying Senjutsu, Fukasaku crushed the cuffs and released Jiraiya. "Ah, far better. Anyway, this time I really did have a lady chasing after me, and not a simple one. It was one of Minato's old sweethearts herself, Tomoe Uchiha."
"That girl that saved Minato, Kushina and their kids on the night of Kyuubi's attack?" Shima asked, with Jiraiya nodded to her. "What did you do to her?"
"That's the thing: I didn't do a thing to her! Well, maybe not directly." Jiraiya rubbed his neck. "I was just on my way out of the Village and out into the field, where I was obviously needed, when she somehow had managed to intercept me just as I was about leave through the gates. She demanded that I come with her, and when I told her that I couldn't, she just went on ahead and started to attack me, and oh boy… That dame had put me through the thrashing the likes of which I haven't received since that time I peaked at Tsunade."
"But why did she need you?" Fukasaku asked, with Jiraiya seemingly being reluctant to answer. "Jiraiya-boy, what in the world did you do to rile up that woman?"
"Well… I may have accidentally had a part in a certain accident that happened today in the Village." Jiraiya wasn't willing to share this part with the Toads. "You see, about a month ago, when me, Minato and Tsuna were having a drink, in came Naruto and demanded to have a talk with his daddy. Tsuna and I had tried to shoo him off, since we thought that whatever he had on his mind was just something stupid or idiotic, yet he didn't leave. In fact, just to get his daddy's attention, he went on ahead and riled up Tsunade to the point when she tried to smash his head open. Yet that's not even the most surprising or shocking: kid not only had managed to survive, but actually punched Tsunade right in her eye, giving her a black eye and even managed to evade every single of her punches. I mean, that was just… That was just unbelievable and I would've written it off as an illusion, had I not checked myself. The kid did what neither Narumi, Natsu nor even Kushina couldn't do!"
"He managed to punch the Slug Summoner, giving her a black eye, without any prior training?" Fukasaku asked with clear interest, with Shima too analyzing what she heard. "What happened afterwards?"
"He just handed over the letter from Uchiha Clan Head and left, not even staying when Minato had asked him to stay. I mean, I was just in a shock after seeing it, and it was then that I could clearly see that I've underestimated that kid. Before that I just thought he was just a local fool, a joke and nothing all that important when compared to Natsu and Narumi." Jiraiya admitted. "After that, I had tried to approach him, offered him to give him a couple of lessons, maybe even teach him how to use his chakra properly, even tried to goad him into training with his siblings, but Naruto just up and refused every time. And he refused not just me, but his parents as well, which was odd. I mean, the kid was always kinda left out and I'd imagine he would jump at the opportunity of having a Sannin teach him a thing or two. But all he did was just scoff or shut the door, one time even saying that he didn't want any training from: "a self-centered parasite that feeds off better men than he is." Now who the hell did that kid thing he was, calling me like that!" Jiraiya huffed with indignation.
"Forget about that, Jiraiya! What happened afterwards?" Shima urged him to continue.
"Well, today was the Academy Inauguration Day, and before that, I came up with a brilliant idea, that would allow me and Minato to actually see what Naruto was capable. As a tradition, two freshly minted students fight in a practice match, showing off what they can do. A child's game, in all honesty, but this was the perfect opportunity for us to see what Naruto could do!" Jiraiya felt pride at coming up with the plan. "It was a safe and controlled environment, so nothing would go wrong, and so I managed to convince Minato to have Hiruzen, who would draw out the names of participants, to name Natsu and Naruto as the competitors. Of course, Natsu was more than eager to show what he had learned, but Naruto didn't even put his name in, but it didn't matter, really. I did have to give a little push to the kid, when he was about to give up, but after that… Oh boy, man, I did not see that one coming."
"What happened?" Fukasaku was starting to get impatient.
"Well, it all didn't go as planned, first with the public actively crying out for Natsu to beat Naruto to a pulp, calling him a demon and all that, for some reason. And then Natsu went after Naruto, and I was thinking that Natsu would really do him in, but instead… Natsu wasn't able to land even a single strike on Naruto!" Jiraiya stated with clearest shock in his tone. "And don't mean that Natsu was going easy on Naruto or anything. He was throwing practically everything that he had learned from us at Naruto, yet he wasn't able to land even as much as glancing blow on him. Naruto always seemed to be able to dodge and move away from the strike, just like with Tsunade. In fact, he moved with such ease and speed, that it almost seemed like he was used to training with someone who was much faster than Natsu. It then became clear to me that someone had trained Naruto, possibly even Tomoe did so, but before I could think of something more than that, Natsu actually managed to land a hit on Naruto."
"Did he hurt him or something like that?" Shima asked.
"That's the thing: Naruto blocked a spinning kick at full power from Natsu! He didn't even budge, much less seemed to be feeling hurt! In fact, he actually wanted Natsu to do it, because then he did something none saw coming: he grabbed Natsu by his leg and twisted it with enough speed and force to make him fall on his stomach and face into the dirt." Jiraiya told them. "Naruto did that with practically no effort at all. He just did it like it was the easiest thing to do! He could just beat Natsu without breaking a sweat, yet after that he just went towards the edge of the ring, effectively throwing in the match. I couldn't wrap my head why he would just do after getting ahead of his brother, but then… Then something really bad happened."
"Stop drawing it all out and just tell us already!" Shima shout at him, waving her utensil menacingly.
"Okay, okay… Natsu didn't take well to Naruto leaving the ring, and… I don't know, he was either just angry, goaded by the crowd or something, but he picked up a stone, shouted at Naruto, getting his attention and then… He threw the stone with all of his strength, with the rock hitting Naruto's forehead and… And cracking open his skull." Jiraiya admitted with a sigh. "L-look guys, I know how this looks like, but I didn't…"
"The boy, Naruto, is he dead? Did Natsu kill him?!" Fukasaku demanded to know.
"What? No! No, though that must've been luck on Naruto's side, because he was bleeding really badly. Minato and his family with Tsunade used Hiraishin to get to the hospital, and I'm certain that Naruto is being operated on right now. With any luck, he might survive." Jiraiya stated to them. "It was after that I decided that I've overstayed my welcome and decided to head out, but Tomoe caught up and made me spill my guts out. And after that, she had me tell it all to Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha, before putting me in the cell in Uchiha's Police Department. And that's how I got here."
"So, the boy may yet die…" Fukasaku said in a strange tone, surprising Jiraiya.
"Well, maybe, I don't know. What do you care if the boy lives or dies? I mean, it'll be sad if he dies, but he isn't Natsu or Narumi, even with his potential. We can just train those two to be even better than that." Jiraiya stated to them.
"Jiraiya, have you asked yourself why we've so suddenly decided to summon you without your will?" Shima asked of him, with Jiraiya shaking his head at that one. "The Great Toad Sage has had a vision of the future earlier today… A future, that features that boy Naruto as its key component."
"What? But how is that possible? That kid is just a naïve fool with some potential and training, nothing like Natsu or Narumi, the Children of the Prophecy." Jiraiya stated to them. "And what did that vision show him?"
"It would be best if you were to speak with him yourself. Now, let us move, because every moment we waste is too much right now." Fukasaku cryptically stated, as they three moved towards the Sage.
It didn't take them long to reach the Great Toad Sage Gamamaru, who was currently lounging in his usual seat, though there was something serious going through his head at the moment. Fukasaku spoke up as soon as they had arrived before him.
"Great Sage Gamamaru, we've brought Jiraiya, as you've requested."
"Ah, very good, good… Thank you, Fukasaku, Shima, please remain here with us." Gamamaru shook off his thoughts. "Jiraiya, thank you for coming so soon. It is good that you've arrived so soon, for time is not on our side at the moment."
"Does this has something to do with that vision Ma and Pa mentioned, one with Minato's other son in it?" Jiraiya asked of the Sage.
"Yes, it has everything to do with him, because whether he lives or dies, depends weather we die or live to see a better world." Gamamaru spoke, confusing Jiraiya a little. "As you know, I had foreseen one of holders of Nine Tails becoming a savior of the world, but today, a new vision entered my mind… And that vision is something that can't be allowed to come to pass, for it tells of the end of our world!" Jiraiya widened his eyes at that one.
"What? What did the vision show you?" Jiraiya demanded to know.
"I saw how the Shinobi nations fell, one by one, being destroyed by a force that had not been seen in our world since the age of Sage of Six Paths. This man, no, this demon rose from the shadow of the mighty tree, the same one from where Children of the Prophecy will spring out, but unlike them, his purpose shall be to destroy the pillars of this world, instead of preserving them!" Gamamaru stated with fear in his voice. "Nations will be subjugated to his will, armies of followers shall march throughout the lands, claiming all and purging opposition. He shall command hordes of Demons and even beings that are not of Human world, flooding the world of Men with horrors unseen, and Gods themselves shall not dare to challenge him. Shinobi will be grinded to dust, all without exceptions, and the last to hold out will be Leaf, his last conquest that his golden eyes will seek to claim. And it too will fall, once Natsu and Narumi are beaten, their spirits and will to fight destroyed, forced to kiss his feet, before he ends them. From skulls and bones of them and all that opposed him, he shall fashion himself a throne upon which he shall sit, seeing as the Leaf, his home burns, along with his parents, Minato and Kushina. And so will end the Shinobi World and will begin the Era of Chaos, Era of Damnation… Do you understand of whom I speak, Jiraiya?"
"Th-that's impossible… H-how c-can this be… B-but Naruto…" Jiraiya wasn't capable of comprehending something like that happening with the world.
"Jiraiya-boy, think about it. You've already seen that boy showing skills and talents beyond possibility. How he handled that Slug Princess, or how about Natsu? Doesn't it make sense now? And the eyes… Those are not just some simple eyes, Jiraiya-boy." Fukasaku stated to him. "No, they are the same as that of Shiva, The Destroyer."
"Who is that Shiva?" Jiraiya asked of them. "Some monster that Sage of the Six Paths defeated?"
"No, far worse than any monster. He is a force of pure destruction, who had refused to see the wisdom and light of the Great Toad Sage and instead of becoming a force of good, became an existential threat to all. He is a God of Destruction, a cosmic being that seeks to bring about damnation." Shima stated to Jiraiya, who was already fearful of that entity. "Few know of this, but Shiva is the younger brother of Hagoromo and Hamura, and instead of using his powers for good, he used them for his own devices. For millennia, we strived to prevent him from destroying this world, but now… Now he found the way, and that is his new Avatar, Naruto."
"What, but how… Wait, now that I think about… Could this Shiva guy had saved Naruto when he was branded with Shinigami's brand?" Jiraiya asked of them.
"Yes, it is well within the powers of that foul being." Fukasaku confirmed it, with none of them noticing how a storm was starting to gather above them.
"Because it was then that Naruto had gained those eyes, after he was miraculously saved… And he always speaks of Gods and those Yokai, not to mention being at that Temple of Inari… Oh no…" Jiraiya seemed to have realized something terrible. "All this time… How could we be so blind… That priestess, Amagi, she must be a follower of that Shiva, masked as the servant of Inari!"
"Indeed, it is entirely possible that she is the one behind corruption of the lad!" Fukasaku and others could clearly see that their lies have already given fruit in Jiraiya's mind.
"I need to tell Minato of this right away! Maybe if I hurry…"
"No, Jiraiya! This will not be enough, just taking Naruto away from that fiendish woman won't be enough to prevent that future!" Gamamaru stated to him. "The seeds have already been planted, whether with or without help, they will give growth to catastrophe. Jiraiya, you are our Summoner, our Sage and a Shinobi, who swore to do everything to protect the world and peace, are you not?"
"Yes, I'll do anything to prevent that nightmare from happening! Tell me, what can be done to prevent it?" Jiraiya asked of him.
"There is but one solution, one way to once and for all to prevent Shiva from gaining a foothold here." Fukasaku spoke up. "Jiraiya, if the boy survives today's events, then you must do everything in your powers to kill him. This is the only way to prevent that nightmare from happening."
"What? You mean I would have to kill him? But he is still just a child and…" Jiraiya was having doubts in his mind about the morality of his actions, but they were dashed away when the Great Toad Sage spoke to him again.
"Jiraiya, I know, and we all understand that this is not a decision that can be made without doubt. And it pains my heart too, but that child… He is cursed by Shiva, cursed to be his tool in bringing about this world's end. This isn't a murder, Jiraiya. This is a liberation of that child's soul from the grip of nightmarish fate." Gamamaru told him with sympathy. "For all of Shinobi, for all of Humanity, and first of all, for Naruto himself, Jiraiya, you must do what is necessary. Either that, or bearing responsibility for the destruction of our world. Are you prepared to see our world burn, Jiraiya?"
"I… I'll do it." Jiraiya stated with the sigh. "If the kid doesn't pass away on the table, I'll make sure he does in his bed, before he wakes up. It's the best I can do for him, a clean and painless death. Just… Just make sure to explain this to Minato, if he ever finds out, okay? I can't be the one telling him that I've capped one of his children." Jiraiya asked of them.
"Of course, Jiraiya, we will be there for you, as always." Fukasaku promised him. "Now, you must hurry back to Konoha and… What in the world is going on?" Fukasaku asked in shock, as the ground shook, while skies darkened and powerful bolts of lightning began to hit the ground.
"How can there be storm on Mt. Myoboku?" Jiraiya asked out loud, never having seen something like that.
"Lord Fukasaku, Lady Shima!" A toad quickly jumped into their vicinity. "Great Sage, Jiraiya, we have serious trouble! Someone is currently trying to breach the gates of our Mountain!"
"What! But how can that be possible? Our Mountain is impossible to see for any mortals!" Shima stated with disbelief at what she heard. "And we have some of our strongest warriors guarding those gates. He couldn't have beaten them."
"That's the thing, milady, he… they were just defeated, without even any real fight put into it, like they were nothing!" The toad shocked them all, before they all heard a great explosion out in the distance, with a sound of falling rocks destroying the forest. "Oh no… He destroyed the gates."
"What kind of being would ever be able to do something like that? What kind of man can do it?" Jiraiya asked himself of that, before preparing to bolt out of here. "I best inform Minato of this. Reverse Summoning…" Jiraiya tried to use that Jutsu to get out of the mountain, but he found himself unable to do so. "What?! But how?! Why can't I teleport out of here?"
"Because it is the will of those above us…" Gamamaru stated with fear in his tone. "I fear… This time… We may've stepped over our permitted borders."
"Lord Gamamaru, what do you mean?" Fukasaku asked of him.
"Lord Shiva… No, The Trimurti, they've decided to punish us… They've sent the General of heavenly armies to do it." Gamamaru stated it with knowledge and defeat. "The God of War has come himself to defend his brother from us."
"The God of War?" Jiraiya asked of them. "Whom is he talking about, Ma, Pa?" He looked at the two toads, who looked paler than ever.
"Kartikeya..." Was all that Fukasaku could state, before an explosion behind them erupted, destroying the entire wall of the building they presently were.
Earlier.
Three persons were traversing the mountainous path, moving higher and higher up, and though the path is treacherous and obstructed by Nature's Chakra and Jutsu of Toads, to these three, it is nothing but a buzzing of the mosquitos. They've waited for far too long for this opportunity, for this chance to finally pay these overly ambitions creatures back for their part in destroying what was once their home and home of their children. Two women walked just behind the man, their husband, who was literally burning away all the traps and seals that the Toads had placed upon their mountain over the years, and he was doing it by just walking forward.
His aura and power was beyond any mortals and Summons, with Yokai all over the world feeling his burning might, and all of those that were in vicinity of the mountain chose to hide as far away as possible, for none of them were brave enough to become a target for anger release of this being. Even though he is a benevolent being, for the most part, serving in the pantheon of Gods and Goddesses as the General of Heaven and their armies, and being the patron of wisdom and destroyer of ignorance, he was still a God of War.
He was still Kartikeya, Son of Lord Shiva and Parvati, and once one of the principal Deities of Uzumaki nation, and its progenitor, one of its parents, alongside his wives, Devasena and Valli.
Born when his parents weren't even full-fledged deities, Kartikeya had been there to witness the beginning of his uncle's way of life, that Ninshu that he called it, and he also saw how his cousins, Indra and Ashura had created the world of Shinobi through their squabble and battles that followed. Kartikeya himself had more than once squared off against them, proving to them his own might and power, though they were among the least famous of his opponents. Even before his ascension to the status of Deity and God of War, he battled against Demons, Oni, Ayakashi and many more horrors that plagued this world. Thanks to him and later his descendants, the Uzumaki, the world wasn't overrun by creatures that would see this world burn.
It was also in those days that he found the two women that would become his wives and eternal companions, his pillars of support and power, giving him will and fueling his desire to move forward. Devasena and Valli, two women of otherworldly beauty that walked behind him right now as he reminisced, were not mere mortals even back when he met them. Devasena was a daughter of Lord Indra, King of Heaven and God of Thunder, Lightning and Weather, while Valli was a woman of incredible skill in hunting, yet this was not all that they shared in common. Both were sisters in their previous lives, daughters of Lord Vishnu himself, reborn after their deaths, and who became wives to Kartikeya. They, alongside his own mother Parvati, can very well be called mothers of Uzumaki nation, for they had given Kartikeya many children, each a treasured angel in their parents' eyes, and they went on to become the foundation for the nation of Uzumaki. Upon their ascension and become deities, Kartikeya, Devasena and Valli left an already prosperous people behind, who would found a nation of riches, wisdom and progress.
A nation, which Kartikeya and his wives had witnessed being destroyed by the greedy, ignorant and ambitious men that desired to gain what was not theirs. For what seemed like an eternity the three of them watched how their descendants fought off the invaders, how valiantly and bravely they charged and repelled wave after wave of invaders, yet it seemed like they were fighting against an unbeatable force of nature itself. When the pillagers gained a solid foothold on the island, Kartikeya has had enough and was already rushing towards the battlefield himself, and yet he was stopped. By the order of the Trimurti, he was forced to endure how his home, home of his beloved wives, was being razed to the ground, its riches plundered and knowledge was stolen. Temples burned with children and women inside, palaces robbed and demolished, with a nation reduced to a scattered number of battered Clans and wandering exiles. And all of this was witnessed by Kartikeya, who stood firmly and watched it all, while Devasena and Valli cried openly on his shoulders, while their husband gave not a word. In their rashness and sadness, they accused him of being insensitive and not caring for their descendants, but they would later ask forgiveness for those words.
When the last defender fell, and when plunderers in their great mass were starting to leave, Kartikeya descended down, having had enough of that torture and unleashing his fury upon those unsuspecting fools. That was not a battle worthy of songs and memories, for it was a slaughter in its worst form, one that Kartikeya had relished, for the first time in his life. For the first time in his entire life, Kartikeya relished destruction and death, for before he cherished peace, prosperity and life, defending it. This time, however, he became not a God or Deva, but an Asura, seeking blood and destruction, and he gained his fill. Mortals that were lucky to escape the island before that or before being caught by Kartikeya never were able to guess or find out who or what was it that brought so much death upon them. The general conclusion afterwards was that this was some kind of last weapon that Uzumaki were developing, set loose upon the Samurai and Shinobi. They never guessed that it was God of War himself reaping their souls as a price for destroying his homeland.
Rivers ran red with blood, ground became muddy with the blood of the enemies, and only when the last foreigner was able to leave the island and when there no more living beings upon the isle did Kartikeya stop and dropped his spear. It was then that he fell on his knees and finally allowed to himself to weep and cry, with skies crying with him at the loss of his people, his children and grandchildren. Kartikeya had spilled so much blood for them, taken so many lives, and yet… It was all pointless and meaningless, for none of that would bring back the dead or restore what was lost. For seven days and seven nights storms raged around the Uzu, whirlpools forming at random and swallowing all that passed near them, and for that same amount of time did Kartikeya grieve and cry for Uzumaki.
Upon his return, he had to face the judgement of the pantheon and other deities for defying the orders of The Trimurti and Izanagi, who too was against Kartikeya's rampage. However, when Kartikeya had expected a punishment to be handed upon his head, instead he was forgiven by the deities, who remember his many great deeds and role he played in establishment of the prosperity and order in the cosmos. Only Izanagi was demanding that Kartikeya receives a proper punishment, but when his divine father, Lord Shiva, stood in defense of his son, and reminded Izanagi of his bias towards Sekai, did the God of Creation and Life relent. After that, Kartikeya was informed by his father and mother that while their people were gone, the hope still remained, and too all that was destroyed, there would always come something new. A cycle of life and change was impossible to stop, and though Kartikeya didn't understand what they meant by their words at time, he had a feeling that soon enough all will become known to him.
And it became crystal clear to him, when a mere day after the attack of Kyuubi upon Konoha, when pantheon and deities were abuzz after learning of what his father, mother and grandmother had done. It was then that Kartikeya learned that he now had a new sibling, a younger brother, adopted by his parents, yet still his own in spirit and blood. Naruto, a child nearly robbed of his life by a Shinigami, was his sibling, his youngest brother, and Kartikeya watched with interest and a smile at him, how he grew in body and mind. Though it would be some years before the would meet, as per the orders of The Trimurti, even now Kartikeya could sense a connection with Naruto in their ideals and ways of thinking. Already Kartikeya saw Naruto as his little brother and felt responsible for him, and now his sense of brotherly care was put in full display, for he and his wives were given a command by his father, Lord Shiva.
The events of this day were well known to all of deities who watch and care for Naruto, and his injury and near death was enough to set his mother into a frenzy, nearly bringing out her Kali aspect, with only Gange and Ganesha, Kartikeya's younger brother, being able to calm her down. As for his grandmother, Kartikeya knew not what she was up to, but felt that she will not sit idly and will have her own revenge upon the mortals. However, none of that was important to Kartikeya, for he had received news and orders from his father, who has given him a task of punishing the Toad Clan and preventing them from trying to assassinate Naruto.
Lord Shiva, through his infinite wisdom and understanding, was able to perceive and discern the upcoming assassination of his son, and he knew why it would happen. Gamamaru, that foolish toad, had seen the rise of Naruto in one of the possible futures, one of the better ones, and he saw how Naruto would be able to rid the world from the influence of the Summons and end their manipulations. Toads wouldn't stand for it, and without even thinking things through, decided to use their puppet, or Summoner Jiraiya, to end a threat before it was even born fully. Lord Shiva would not stand for it, and he decided to set upon them the one being that would see them punished in full- his son, Kartikeya and his wives, Devasena and Valli.
The trio had finally made it the end of the road, as they were now before the great gates, the size of which was thrice as great as that of Konoha's main gates. These gates were guarded by giant toads, ranging in size from 7 to 12 meters, all armed with different weapons and having different colorations. They observed with disbelief how three mortals had easily traversed dangerous mountainous road and made it here.
Before them stood two women and one man, all of whom didn't even look tired or even bothered by the road they've traversed. The two women looked very similar to each other, having an appearance practically identical to one another, but their hair and eyes were of different coloration. One had eyes the color of blue sky, while the other had purple ones. Their attires were also different, with the first one being dressed in a black, military style shirt, short black skirt and high leggings with boots, with golden trimmings, which showed off her great figure and beauty, with a black coat over her shoulders and a banner on a pole in her hand, displaying a rooster of all things. The second woman wore a sleeveless white shirt, black short skirt and high boots and a long jacket as a coat, while her head was adorned by the white cap, with her other female friend having a similar, yet black cap, with the white-haired lady carrying a great silver bow.
As for the man himself, he was slightly taller than both of the ladies, possessing a very handsome looks and looking like he was just over 20 years old. He has long crimson red hair, reaching to his shoulders, and blue eyes that now looked directly towards the toads. His body was well built and defined, which showed even underneath his attire, which consisted of a white jacket, with a red shirt underneath, with golden and red trimmings, coupled with same colored trousers and elegant shoes. He wore no jewelry, but his shoulders were adorned by the crimson cloak, with a golden peacock displayed upon the material. The man looked up at the Toads and spoke up
"Toads of Mountain Myoboku, I am Kartikeya, Son of Shiva and Parvati, and I have come here to see justice be done for all the crimes committed by your kind and Sage. Let us pass, or I will force my way in towards your leader, Gamamaru." Kartikeya announced himself and his intention, with the Toads already taking up arms.
"Ha, like we would allow some small nobody like you to even look at our land! Whack him, boys!" The leader Toad just stated it, with the rest already raising their weapons.
Clubs, axes, daggers, swords and all like that, just in the size for the Toads, it all went down to strike Kartikeya and the Toads expected to see nothing more than a cloud of dust when their weapons collide with the body of that fool. And yet… instead of dust cloud, they saw how their weapons froze in place, just a few centimeters away from their target. It only dawned upon them a few seconds later, that all of their attacks were blocked… by a spear. The spear's tip was all that was blocking the attacks, with Toads being shock to see how a man could deploy it like that, and even summoned it like that. As for the spear itself, it had a long black bone, with a golden willow leafed blade, emanating great power. Kartikeya simply moved the spear to a position at which it would be able to block all of those weapons, holding it with his left hand, and as they all collided, before speaking to the shocked Toads.
"I've warned you." Was all he stated, before he pushed all of those Toads' weapons away with a single twirl of his weapon. "Now, let's see what the best of Toads can do against a puny nobody like me." And after that he just vanished without a trace.
For the briefest of moments, Toads thought that they had seen an illusion, but their illusionary safety was quickly dashed away, when one of their warriors was sent flying right into the wall. Then another, another and more were sent, one by one they were just thrown by an invisible, unstoppable force towards the gates, starting to pile into a small mountain of flesh. It was only at the last one that Kartikeya reveal himself right before the leader, appearing before him for the briefest of moments, before leaping upwards and delivering such a powerful uppercut that it sent the giant toad flying into the air and over the walls.
"Was this really necessary?" Devasena asked of him, as she dusted off her black coat. "A single strike of Vel would end them, so why resort to fists and kicks on them?"
"Because they can be as satisfying as using my spear, and because these creatures are unworthy to be struck by it." Kartikeya replied to her, as he dispelled his spear and sent it back where it was before, and moved towards his wives. "I've waited decades to have my retribution upon them, and I've promised that I would destroy them with my bear hands."
"Then why dress up like this, if they are so insignificant, Kartikeya?" Now it was Valli asking him, with Kartikeya smiling to it.
"Because even if it's such an easy enemy, a God of War still must make himself look presentable before the audience. That, and I didn't want to put on my best suit, and this suit is best for the situations like these." Kartikeya replied in a carefree manner, before returning to his more serious mode. "We've been distracted for long enough, my beloveds. Let us make good on the time wasted, before Jiraiya tries to leave this mountain."
"He'll not get away from here that is certain." Devasena stated, as the clouds gathered above their heads at her behest. "Now, shall we knock, or will one of us open these gates?"
"Why knock when we can open them ourselves." Valli replied, as she brought up her silver bow and pulled the string back.
An arrow formed in place, formed of golden light and radiating power, with both Devasena and Kartikeya stepping aside and giving Valli space for firing her weapon. Once they were clear, she loosed the arrow, sending it flying towards the mighty gates, and it reached them in no times. In less than a second, the entire mountain shook and trembled, as the mighty Gates of Myoboku and its walls were shattered and destroyed, rubble from them raining down upon the lands below, mountain ranges and the land of Toads themselves. Valli didn't react at all to the destruction she had caused, as she simply pulled her bow downwards, while Kartikeya and Devasena joined her. They walked through the cleared passage and entered the land of Toads, where they were greeted by the majority of the population of this land. Kartikeya smirked at the sight of them all gearing up for war.
"And here I was thinking they would make it hard for us, but no. All are out here and ready." Kartikeya commented at the sight of the Toads, before preparing to draw out his spear again, but then he was stopped by Devasena. "Deva, what's the matter?"
"Nothing, beloved, just making sure that you do not lose sight of your true objective in the face of possible battle." Devasena told him, with Kartikeya deciding to listen to her. "Stay your hand from the blade, Kartikeya, and head towards the Great Sage Toad, or whatever he claims himself to be. Valli and I will deal with them ourselves."
"Are you sure you want this?" Kartikeya asked of them.
"Decades before, you denied us the opportunity to pay with blood for the lives our descendants, claiming them all by yourself. Now, it is our turn to honor their memory, and we won't be denied even by you, Kartikeya." Valli stated to him, as she drew her bow string, forming a new arrow. "Now, go and do your brotherly duty, Kartikeya. Let the mothers reap the harvest of their tears."
When Valli stated that to him, Devasena enhanced the statement, when she materialized her own true weapons behind her back, which looked like four dragon heads, made out of the metal and connected to Devasena's back, with a two cannons turret mounted on each of them, all primed and ready for firing their devastating barrages. This was when Kartikeya relented, and with the nod to them, continued on with his path, while his wives have done well on their promise. Just as he was starting to step forward towards his intended target, Toads immediately began to rush him and tried to destroy him, but not even one of them was able to get close enough to even land a single hit on him.
All of them were being annihilated by Kartikeya's wives, firing their deadly and powerful weapons at the Toads, while he calmly marched towards the place of residence of Gamamaru. Kartikeya ignored the cries of the destroyed Toads, rubble and ruin all around him, sounds of explosions and fire balls that passed right next to him, though had this been a different situation, the God of War would be acting completely differently. Yet this was not even his battle anymore, this was the battle for his wives to partake, and he won't deny them their due. He could still hear their sobs and see their tears when they watched their descendants being slaughtered, and Kartikeya swore that he will find a way to make sure that they never have to cry like that.
And if this meant destroying an entire race of Summons, then Kartikeya will do it, but beyond that, today he was to ensure that not only a survival of remaining Uzumaki people, but also a chance of rebirth and rebuilding for the nation. His father shared with him some of the possible futures that he had seen, regarding Naruto, and although this was forbidden, for most Gods to know the future, Lord Shiva knew, that his eldest son would be able to hold his hand back and not act on an immediate impulse.
Especially if he knew the consequences of his rash actions, if he were to take them, and Kartikeya understood why his father had entrusted him with this bit of knowledge. He wished to ensure that there would be a future for both the fractured Uzumaki people of old, and new blood that Naruto will bring into this world. Kartikeya was certainly looking forward to seeing that future become a new present, and for that, he will stay his wrath and blade from those that were of import to that future.
Just as Kartikeya was able to make to the front of the building, Gamabunta, Chief Toad and acting leader for the tribe, decided to use his moment and try to assassinate the invader. He jumped down upon him, bringing down his giant dagger, hoping to slice this guy in two. With a roar, he sent his blade down, preparing to imbed it deep in the ground, with remains of the invader splattered all around it. And yet… the blade stopped in midair, with Kartikeya's hand risen and holding the blade from piercing even his hair… by his mere pinky.
"I-impossible! N-not even Sages have this kind of power! Wh-what the hell are you, demon?!" Gamabunta roared at him, as he jumped away from Kartikeya, who lowered his hand once the need was no longer for it to remain where it was. "Ya thinking you can just stroll in and genocide my folks, my family?! Who do you think you are, you measly punk?! Do you know who you and your bitches are messin' with?! We are the Toads, blessed by the Heavens with our powers of divination and protected by the Gods, destined to command the future, and you think you can pick a fight with us, ya dumb bastard?!"
"I didn't come here to pick a fight with your Clan, Gamabunta, son of Gamateru and acting Chief Toad. I've come to make you pay for what your Clan has done to my people and for all the times you've dared to interfere with natural course of time and history." Kartikeya told him, as he resumed his walk towards Gamabunta. "And as for that protection of the Gods and blessing of the Heavens, I have some bad news for you: your immunity and blessing have been recalled, by the orders of Lord Shiva of the Trimurti. I'm sure that even a Yakuza cosplayer like you have heard of him." At the mention of the name, Gamabunta immediately lost color, growing as pale as death, within the Toad's physical parameters.
"S-Shiva?! B-but… Old Geezer Sage told us h-he wouldn't touch us, s-since it would d-disrupt the balance and all that stuff. Who the heck are you then?!" Gamabunta angrily asked of him, with Kartikeya stopping just a few meters away from him.
"Me? I'm the General of the Heavenly armies of Deva and Asura, Son of Shiva and Parvati, born in River Ganges and blessed by its waters and the Goddess of the same name. I am Kartikeya, the God of War!" And with that, Kartikeya sprinted right towards the shocked Toad, with ground itself being blasted back at the force of his feet.
This was not a run, but a flight for Kartikeya, and at full speed, he crashed right into Gamabunta, imbedding his fist right into the flesh of giant Toad. Under normal circumstances, such an attack would be considered the height of madness and idiocy, but those circumstances applied to mortals, and Kartikeya was no mortal, not anymore. He was a deity that had battled against evils unspeakable and other pantheons, he was the God of War that stood proudly in the same league as Hachiman, Bishamon and others. He was the War God that was feared by Olympians, despised by Ares and hated by Athena, for Kartikeya had shamed them on both battlefield and in wisdom. He was not someone to be crossed under any circumstances, and an enemy like Gamabunta was nothing more than an insect before him.
The force of the punch was enough not just to knock out air out of Gamabunta, and not just to simply make a hole in his body. The power of that punch split the giant toad in two, with the area of the effect being signaled by a clear circular area, with the bloody remains of Gamabunta splattered all over the place. This was Kartikeya holding back, and even this was enough to destroy a Summon of such power and even have an entire wall of the building behind Gamabunta collapse, revealing just the people Kartikeya was looking for. He walked right towards them, moving past the destroyed remains of what was once Chief Toad, observing the shock and terror in the eyes of Shima, Fukasaku, Gamamaru and one person that Kartikeya personally wished to put into the ground, Jiraiya of the Sannin. Just as he approached them, Gamamaru spoke to him
"Kartikeya… How could I not foresee that Gods would turn away from us?" Gamamaru asked rhetorically an in a defeated tone. "I see that the ages have been treating you well, just like your father, Lord Shiva." Jiraiya turned pale and his face contorted into one of shock, when heard Gamamaru speak like that, especially after all he just heard.
"Great Toad Sage, h-how can you speak i-in such a manner of that monster? And if this is his son, then we surely must fight with everything we have, lest he helps his daddy be reborn in here!" Jiraiya prepared for the fight.
"Jiraiya, forgive us, but… That prophecy, the future, we…" Fukasaku was about to speak the truth of it, but then Kartikeya interrupted him.
"Do not let the exterior confuse you, Gamamaru. Last years have not been kind to me, nor to my wives, nor to my mother and father, as I am most certain you are aware." Kartikeya replied with steel in his voice, as he continued walking towards them. "Flattery will not get you anywhere, not today nor ever again. This is the end of the line for you."
"I see… So, your father had foreseen what we were about to do?" Gamamaru asked of Kartikeya.
"He sees all and everything, and your little plot he saw before you even had that vision of yours. How arrogant and greedy you must be, if that vision had scared you to the point of lying to your own Summoner, spouting lies of my father and of your past, all just to make it easy for him to kill my little brother." Kartikeya saw clearly the look of fear on Jiraiya's face. "But then again, that is quite in line with what you have been doing for the past millennia, all so that you would be able to play and win that pointless and endless game of thrones with the other Summons. For someone claiming to be in harmony and peace with nature, your actions seem far too resembling that of the "uncultured barbaric mortals" that you like to employ in your own games."
"Don't you dare to put us in the same category as your kind, you ungrateful bastard! Had it not been for the Great Sage before you, you might not even be alive right now!" Shima screamed at Kartikeya, making him turn his head towards her. "You should praise him for foreseeing the cataclysm that Kaguya would cause, and urging your father and his brother to intervene and stop her! Had it not been for them, humans wouldn't even have chakra right now, so you should bow before us and…" In a single second, Shima froze in place, as Kartikeya's eyes glowed with red, before was vaporized without even ashes being left behind.
"No, Shima!" Fukasaku jumped to the place where she previous was, finding nothing of her. "H-how could you?! All she did was telling the truth! Aren't you supposed to be fighting the ignorance and defending the truth, instead of propagating lies and ignorance?!"
"From the perspective of beings with greater perception than your entire combined kind, I am doing that at this very moment. After all, your kind has been leading countless people into ignorance through your so-called "prophecies", closing their eyes to wisdom and truth, instead making them follow a path where there were no possibilities and variations. You've been making them your own cattle, animals for the slaughter upon the pedestal of your arrogance." Kartikeya stated to him. "And as an example, how about the Uzumaki nation, the very same one that you've conspired to destroy, just because it was capable of breaking the laws you've been living by for millennia."
"That nation was far too dangerous to be left alone, and there was no telling when it would launch a surprise attack, especially when the nations were engaged in the Shinobi Wars!" Jiraiya stated with fervor. "Their destruction was a necessity, in order to maintain the world balance and stability. The Great Sage himself had prophesized that they would…"
"Jiraiya… That is enough." Gamamaru stopped him, making the man turn back to him. "Their destruction was a way for us to remain in power, to keep our own prosperity and avoid becoming useless and obsolete for the humanity. I am sorry that we had to use you like that, but… It was a necessary evil, for the sake of Toads and Konoha."
"What?" Jiraiya couldn't believe what he was hearing from Gamamaru.
"Enough with the theatrics, Gamamaru. All except for this fool here know that this was not a necessary evil. It was an act of an unjustified brutality, brought about by arrogant and power-hungry individuals, who were far too narrow-minded to simply look around them and stop for a second to think about possibilities." Kartikeya stated to him, as he raised his right hand and pointed it at Gamamaru. "And now it is time to pay for what you've done, Gamamaru, and for what you were about to do with Naruto. Any last words?"
"Only that for all that I had accomplished, I have no regrets and there is no shame in me for my actions, Kartikeya. Go ahead and end this. Heaven awaits me." Gamamaru stated with content, with Kartikeya letting out chuckle.
"Heaven? I've got some bad news for you, Gamamaru: today no Toad will go to Heaven. Your souls are heading straight to Yomi, into the cauldron of wrath and millennia old grudges that Izanami has been cooking just for you." The revelation was enough to make Gamamaru reconsider his prior words, but this was already too late for him. "Hakai." Kartikeya's eyes blazed red, and in the moment's time, Gamamaru was erased from the existence, crimson red powerful energy taking him and destroying his physical form. "That is the end of him. Now…"
"SENJUTSU RASENGAN!" Jiraiya screamed, as he slammed the empowered Rasengan right into Kartikeya's stomach, with both Toad Sage and Fukasaku expecting that this would at least wound the God of War…
…But the very next moment, the two were separated as an invisible force literally sent the two flying into the different directions, with Fukasaku being slammed with such a force that his little body literally broke apart into the several bloody and gruesome pieces upon impact with the stone wall. Jiraiya was thrown with much less power behind, so he simply ended up landing on his back with some grunts, and when he was already rising back up, he saw Kartikeya walking straight to him, without as much as a scratch on him.
"I-impossible, no living being can tank a Senjutsu powered Rasengan and not take damage… You really are a demon!" Jiraiya grit his teeth, as he rose back up.
"To some, I am Devil, while to others, I am a God. Feel free to pick your poison while you still can, Jiraiya." Kartikeya replied to him, as his aura was starting to show around himself. "But you should really concern yourself with something far more important at the moment, like dying with whatever measure of dignity you have left in you. Although, after what I've witnessed you do, I'd have to say that there is no dignity or even much of humanity left in you."
"Pft, what do you know about me? Do you know just who I am?!"
"Oh, but I do know who you are, Jiraiya of the Sannins, illegitimate son of Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, abandoned at birth by his mother and left in an orphanage and never recognized as a member of Senju Clan. Possessing neither talent nor patience and determination, yet you've never lacked for greed, ambitions and spite, which drove you to becoming the weakest of the students of Third Hokage, as well as a lackey of Toads. And when they tasked you with seeding the destruction of Uzumaki nation and people, you've completed it without a hitch, and when the invasion happened, you personally were there, stealing secrets to power and Sealing Arts, not to mention raping four women out of lust and greed, as well as to satiate your pride." Kartikeya listed to Jiraiya all that he was doing, with the Sannin backing away. "Those four women were of Fujiwara Clan, Clan that was founded by my and Devasena's firstborn Son, Yoshitomo. Their names were Yodo, Kai, Nene and Oichi, with Yodo being just 15 when you took her against her will, barely old enough to have grown into womanhood. And the things you did to her… I've battled demons and Asura that made unspeakable things, yet you've managed to outshine quite a few of them. And those four are not even the first or last of your victims, oh no, and there is so much more that you've done and would do, with the assassination of my little brother being right next in line."
"Your little brother? Wait… Naruto… So, Shiva really did save him for the purpose of using him." Jiraiya realized what Kartikeya was speaking about. "Let me guess, your daddy wishes for Naruto to take over the world and revive the Ten Tailed Beast, so that he could become the next Sage of Six Paths?"
"No, my father has no plans for Naruto, only hopes. Hopes, that I share and will do everything in my power to help him realize." Kartikeya stated, as he instantly closed the distance between him and Jiraiya, grabbing him by the throat. "And you are an obstacle on that path. My father has commanded me to remove you, which for me usually means a good dose of annihilation, but for the crimes you've committed against my people, my descendants and grandchildren, I shall do something quite different for you." Kartikeya raised his hand before the face of Jiraiya, before snapping his fingers.
Right in front of Jiraiya and behind Kartikeya appeared black as pitch night Torii Gates, sprouting right from the ground. In the next second, a dark portal opened up and Kartikeya moved inside, dragging the resisting Jiraiya with him.
Next moment. Yomi.
The very next moment, the two appeared out of the identical gates and Kartikeya walked into the main hall of Izanami's castle, before dropping Jiraiya right upon the floor, with him coughing and trying to ascertain where was he transported. The place was dark, unnatural and literally oozing with evil all around him, making Jiraiya, one of the three legendary Sannins and a veteran of two Shinobi Great Wars, feel uncontrollable fear. It was cold for him, deathly cold, and the air itself seemed to smell with death, being empty and void of any smell or fragrance. He was about to turn to ask Kartikeya about where he was, when he heard soft footsteps coming towards him, making Jiraiya turn and pale in a second. For in that instance he looked straight into the dark eyes of Izanami, who had a predatory smile upon her face.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Izanami stated with an unmasked glee in her voice. "Jiraiya of the Sannin, in the flesh still… My dear Kartikeya, you always know just what your dear grandmother desires most. What an attentive grandson I have, bringing me just the man I wanted, and still alive."
"A-alive… Wha… Wh-where am I?" Jiraiya asked, shaking from fear.
"Where no mortal had stepped in millennia, in the Land of Darkness and Death. You are in Yomi, Jiraiya, my real, Realm of Izanami-no-Mikoto." Izanami stated to him, as she bent a little before him and cupped his face. "You have been a very bad person, Jiraiya, one that deserved a special punishment from my lovely Hino-Enma attendants, but for taking part in destroying my descendants, and now participating in hurting my little Naruto, you have earned yourself the right of having me as your personal torturer." Izanami's smile widened, as realization set upon Jiraiya and it was at that moment when Izanami opened up a portal underneath him, sending into one place that even Oni and Gods feared to enter.
"I am usually not one to ask for something like this, but make sure that his suffering do not end too soon." Kartikeya asked of Izanami. "He should pay for every soul he damned, every woman raped, every crime he committed. Let his torture be as long as all the years of all the victims that he killed, directly or not."
"Oh, you wound me, Kartikeya… You are being far too merciful. His suffering will be far longer than what you asked of me. His torment shall be an example to all that dare to think of hurting my bloodline." Izanami promised him. "Now all that I require is that cow that had concocted this entire affair to begin with, yet why am I being denied her, Kartikeya? Doesn't Shiva know that she is the one responsible for Naruto's injury?"
"He knows, as always, yet he denied all of us the right of punishing Tsunade. All that I got out of him was his assurance that Tsunade will answer for all her crimes, but not before us and not now." Kartikeya told Izanami, who cocked a brow up after hearing that. "I suspect that Tsunade will answer before Naruto in the future, and if that is the case, then I will be content with that. All that now concerns me is placating the fury of my mother."
"In that you shall have no success, my dear. Best you allow your father handle her, lest you wish to come to harm when she is enraged." Izanami shared a piece of advice with her grandson. "But let us turn back to the reason of your visit. Are you not afraid of what will happen, when that fool of a Kage Minato discovers the remnants of Toads and will find nothing of his Sensei?"
"And for what reason would I fear him, exactly? All that Namikaze will find is a flattened mountain top, with ashes, ruins and whatever lucky remains of the Toads in there. He can do whatever guess work he wishes, but he will not link it to the Gods that he doesn't even believe in." Kartikeya stated to Izanami, who listened to him. "And besides that, the disappearance of Jiraiya, the chief spy master of Konoha, now opens a well of possibilities for us to exploit, and to ensure that Naruto is better defended."
"Oh, it would seem that you have a come up with a plan of sorts. Care to share with me?" Izanami asked. "For I too have decided to strengthen the protection of Naruto."
"And what exactly did you do for it?" It was at that moment that Kurumi Tokisaki chose to appear out of the shadows, with a curtsy immediately upon arrival.
"Ara ara, it would appear that I am intruding upon something. Shall I go and fetch tea and biscuits, milady, while you finish your meeting?" Kurumi asked in her usual manner.
"And there is your answer, Kartikeya. I believe you are familiar with Kurumi Tokisaki." Izanami spoke up again, with Kurumi raising her head.
"I'm afraid that I'm more familiar with her exploits, rather than with her personally. She has quite a… memorable style to her conduct." Kartikeya said diplomatically. "Efficient, to the excess, and without any survivors, safe for those that know how to counter her.
"Ara ara, I never thought that my little tea parties and gatherings would garner the praise of God of War himself. My, you are making me blush, almost like your little brother when I looked at him." Kurumi replied with a giggle. "Oh, and you may rest easy. The threat to him was taken care of."
"Yet not eliminated. I expected better results, Kurumi. This is the third time Aiwa has given you a slip." Izanami reminded Kurumi with a stern look upon her face. "I believe my orders were crystal clear: finish her off, not play with her like you usually do. And now she has gone underground, again, for who knows how long until she shows herself again."
"My deepest apologies, I was careless, my lady." Kurumi bowed her head lowly, her tone meek and humble. "I can assure you, that next time I shall…"
"There will be no next time, Kurumi. From now on, your primary mission is protecting Naruto, since now Aiwa has grown a fixation with Naruto." Izanami stated to her. "If that is all you may leave. And one more thing: next time you decide to kiss my grandson without his or my consent, I shall be far less lenient towards you."
"As you command, milady." Kurumi disappeared, leaving Izanami and Kartikeya alone.
"Aiwa Minamoto is now after Naruto, and you didn't see fit to inform me of it?" Kartikeya asked with a tone of accusation in his voice. "You know just as well as I do just how dangerous that woman is. If she had gotten close to Naruto…"
"If she did, then she would have to deal with me in person, instead of Kurumi. I was monitoring the whole situation and was ready to go there and take her down myself, if she was to get close to Naruto, yet there was no need." Izanami explained herself, with Kartikeya taking her explanation. "Izanagi's taboo be damned, but do you really think that I would let that witch get my grandson. Not a chance!" Izanami declared with force, emanating her power throughout her entire castle.
"As you say, but now I'll have to accelerate my plan. Grandmother." Kartikeya nodded to her, before walking back to the Torii Gates and disappearing through them.
"And there he goes again… Oh well, he is a busy man now. And I too now have something to do." Izanami chuckled darkly, before leaving her throne room.
For the next several days, Yomi's dark plains were filled with cries of unfathomable suffering, coming from the tallest mountain in the entire realm, where Izanami has made her personal retreat and chamber for punishing those that she deemed worthy of her attention. And to those that had garnered said attention, the dead and living had little pity.
A bit shorter than one, but I wished to get it out earlier, since I was forced to leave out what was happening on Mt. Myoboku in the last chapter. Hopefully that will satisfy you and your thirst for vengeance. It certainly does to me.
Now, on to a few things of note. Lord Kartikeya, son of Lord Shiva and Lady Parvati, older brother to Lord Ganesha and Hindu God of War. I will be honest with you, he was in the making since I added Lord Shiva and Lady Parvati, because there was no way I was going to leave out such a character. A God of War, yet benevolent and who leads armies of heaven against demons and Asura, whose origin story is something that made my head spin a little bit. I won't go into retelling it, you would do best to research it, but all I can say is that he is as hot as it gets. As for his looks, I went with Sirzechs Gremory from DxD on this one, and as for his power level… Let's just say it is over 9000.
As for his wives, Devasena and Valli, I used a Pride of a Nation and Grey Ghost for them, for those that know their military history of WWII and a certain Swedish music band. For those who struggle with finding out, here is a tip: they are from same place as our residential Kitsune. And those who understand whom I meant, you have my respect.
Now, I'll have to warn that I am taking a bit of a vacation, and I know that all of you are expecting the next chapter, same as I do, but I need a little bit of break. First of all, because I need to help out around the house for a bit, and second of all, my birthday is coming up, it is on 19th of October, so I believe I deserve me some me time. But don't worry, I'll make it back before you start get angsty.
Now, if you have suggestions what ladies should Naruto have in his harem, what weapons he should use and something else like that in mind, do please write in the review or in a PM. If you have suggestions, questions, an opinion to share, feel free to do so.
Next time: Council Meeting; Repercussions for Namikaze and Uzumaki; Mother and Son finally meet.
See ya!