The Pantheon of Nine
By: Finn Mertenz
A/N: Subzeroxd - I appreciate you putting so much thought into your review. But that's the purpose of the plot, the Inuzuka and Aburame aren't meant to forgive Naruto.
The Cycle of Hatred won't be completely broken until the last chapter, the very end. Please, wait until the very end, the last chapter, before giving your final judgement.
Personally, I think Butterfly Sage had more to offer, because Choji killed Kakuzu. While Shino displayed his own value with Spider Sage, I didn't see him defeating Naruto.
Jinchūriki can die, but this isn't the series finale, we haven't got to that build up. The hype isn't real, the tension isn't high, and the world doesn't hang in the balance, not yet.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. I DO NOT CLAIM TO OWN NARUTO.
Chapter 132: The End Of Shinobi! I Declare War.
Friday 10:32am, October 10th 57SSP.
"Yea, I heard it from Iruka himself." Naruto mused.
Situated inside a popular park of Konoha, Naruto celebrated his 12th birthday. Accompanied by Sasuke, Choji and Shikamaru, the sky was blue with bubbly clouds of pristine white.
Celebrating the stark atmosphere, Konoha's leaves fell, crinkled and crimson. In time, these naked branches would be filled with fresh buds, blooming with an emerald and vibrant glow.
"Everyone's talking about it... The scariest tale in Konoha." Choji swallowed.
Forever defined by a bag of potato chips in hand, this shinobi chewed aloud. The height of autumn, this group of friends enjoyed a lovely day off from school, a splendor of youth.
"Shouldn't we just lay around? An adventure is such a drag." Shikamaru sighed.
The Tale of Senju Manor, a fairy tail amongst young children of Konoha. It was told from generation to generation, past along through word of mouth, and the commitment of memory.
"It'll be fun." Naruto proclaimed.
Still studying the ways of shinobi, Naruto wore an orange jacket with matching pants. Also, his eyes were a deep shade of blue, partially veiled by overhanging bangs of blond hair.
Shrugging in contempt, Shikamaru pulled a scroll from his pouch before unrolling it. Detailing the path to their destined goal, they all sprang to their feet, beginning a long journey.
Thirty minutes later.
Traversing a winding and narrow path of dirt, the only sound was the crunch of potato chips. Walking behind his friends, Choji was cloaked by fluttering butterflies, as blue as the sky.
"So, these are the southern outskirts." Sasuke observed.
Encompassing trees were harrowed and withered, drenched in a thick mire of muck. The last stretch of landscape before the outer wall, foliage was overgrown and dense, a lush forest.
"It's a little dreary for my taste." Shikamaru mumbled.
Raising his foot from the ground, gooey sludge stuck to the bottom of his shoes. Wiping this gunk aside, it was etched across an adjacent layer of bark, possessing a tone of snot and mucus.
"I used to play here all the time, as a kid." Naruto proclaimed.
"We're all kids." Choji gurgled with a mouthful of food.
True to statement, this group of friends were all 12 years old, shinobi in training. Living in a time of peace, they knew nothing about true conflict, war without end and conflict without reason.
Waltzing over a minor knoll of grass and dirt, they were met by a rumbling sky. Polluting the previous aura of blue, dark clouds took shape, fueled by roaring thunder and a booming chorus.
"A storm? Now?" Sasuke hummed.
Extending an outstretched hand. a branch was torn from its tree, used as an umbrella. Blocking a fresh blanket of rainfall, the sound of rustling leaves emanated through the tree-line.
Dampening each step, dirt that was once dry now turned to mud, drenching the earth. A soaked morass of sludge, slush and clay, falling leaves sunk beneath wet soil, a mixture of slurry.
"I hope I brought enough chips..." Choji stammered.
Diving into his satchel, instead of shuriken, he carried various snacks and bags of food. Mimicking this trait, Naruto was laden with scrolls and bundles of parchment, trained in Fūinjutsu.
"If this manor is so haunted, why haven't they demolished it?" Sasuke asked.
One of the first settlements inside Konoha, the Senju Manor was a sacred landmark. Now, decades after its inception, with the near extinction of the Senju clan, their holdings fell into disrepair.
Peering through a passage of trees, this ancient building was hewn with oaken lumber. Built atop a jungle-like hill, grass was overgrown while thick foliage dangled from trees above.
So thick in nature, these moss-covered branches absorbed the heavy downpour of rain. Dropping their crudely-made umbrella of wood, Naruto and Sasuke blindly dashed forward.
Lazily followed by Shikamaru and Choji, this band of ninja entered the swollen overgrowth. Eventually reaching a paved pathway of wood, these planks were rickety and rotten.
Striving to open an aged sliding door, the timbered frame was littered with holes. Falling open with a single touch, the way inside was lined with cobwebs and swirling shadows.
"I'm starting to have second thoughts..." Choji whispered after walking inside.
Immediately clogging the exit, a wall of shadows consumed the outside world from sight. Creaking and popping under unseen weight, the floor snapped and jutted with foreign life.
"Is the house alive?" Sasuke struggled to remain balanced.
"I should've taken a nap..." Shikamaru muzzled his regret.
As if it was triggered by these words, a howling pitch of dogs reverberated throughout the house. Unable to see these beasts, the fierce sound of their growls still struck fear and turmoil.
Running without reason, Choji vanished behind a far-off corner, quickly tracked by his friends. Several seconds later, the floor was trampled by invisible claws, charging with rabid lust.
Ten minutes later.
"What were those things?" Choji hid in a closet with Sasuke.
The sole occupants of this withered wardrobe, a match was their only source of light. Traumatized by exterior gnaws and close-up scratches, they blew the flickering flame out, hiding.
"Shush... I don't wanna find out." Sasuke stuttered.
Young ninja, they still held fear in their heart, afraid of the unknown, unseen and unheard. They didn't know what horrors lurked outside, and they were unwilling to peek or glare.
"Guys?! A little help!" Naruto ran for his life.
Chased by undetectable hounds, the planked floor cracked under their approaching weight. Barking, snarling and howling, their chorus held the demonic tone of an ancient and primordial being.
"What a drag." Shikamaru slouched atop a towering clock.
To old too tick, this elderly mechanism was covered in a thick coat of rust and tarnish. Jostled beneath the heavy steps of Shikamaru, he clasped both hands into the rat seal.
Cloaking the ceiling with his stretched shadow, this academy student held great intellect. Too young to hold a shinobi headband, his forehead was naked and bare, lined with roots of black hair.
Ensnaring a herd of invisible dogs, Shikamaru struggled to restrain their hostility. Primal and beast-like, their hollowed screeches permeated the web-filled air, a scream of pure terror.
"Whew... Way too go, dude!" Naruto cheered.
True to his innocent persona, Naruto jumped for joy, clapping both hands while he laughed. Immediately silenced by a collapsed wall, tumbling planks sprinkled a layer of saw-dust.
"You made it worse! Way worse!" Sasuke panicked.
Fleeing for safety, Sasuke's feet arched with each step, leaving Choji far behind him. Demonstrating his skill as a ninja, he pressed both palms together, forming a pristine snake seal.
Inhaling a torrent of air, he kneaded it with chakra in his stomach, preforming more seals. Blending their mixture, he spewed a vortex of flames, unleashing Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu.
Colliding against a freshly shaped wall of earth, lain lumber was splintered in half. Erasing previous howls, a winding current of wind blew through decrepit and dilapidated hallways.
"Is that Earth Style? Who's casting it?" Shikamaru cleaned his ears.
Flicking the wax from his fingertips, Shikamaru hastily dove from a pile of debris. Landing inside a murky mire, he became trapped by Earth Style: Dark Swamp, turning wood to mud.
Sinking to his waist, Shikamaru squirmed with outstretched hands, clawing for freedom. Gripped by a crumb-covered palm, Choji yanked his friend from danger before burping aloud.
"It was strong enough to counter my own technique!" Sasuke held crossed arms upright.
Alarmed by the venomous hiss of poisonous snakes, scaled serpents slithered forth. Colored brown with spots of maple, they coiled on approach, forcing each Genin to flinch and twitch.
Retrieving a scroll from his satchel, Naruto unraveled the scribbled kanji written inside. Exploding beneath a puff of smoke, several shuriken were exposed, hurled with finesse and speed.
Bisecting a number of snakes, this barrage of metal jutted across the planked floor. Recoiling on impact, these boards of lumber morphed into living serpents, baring their retracted fangs.
"Bail!" Shikamaru cried.
Reaching into his pouch, this Nara clan member held a single kunai to the ceiling. Tossed through web-filled rafters, it sliced a distant window, hewn from thin sheets of paper and bamboo.
"Bail!" Choji mimicked his teammate.
Instinctively opening a bag of potato chips, Choji madly chewed while running forward. Leaping from the opened window, he was trailed by Shikamaru, rubbing his scalp with boredom.
"Bail!" Sasuke and Naruto shouted in unison.
Diving from tangible snakes and bellowing gusts of wind, these childhood friends ran. Sprinting with haste, they maneuvered through Shikamaru's opening, escaping to the outside world.
"Did you see them run? What babies!" Anko rolled from a closet.
Holding her stomach as she laughed, her body swayed from side-to-side with a smile. Shaking his head in disappointment, Iruka loomed beside her, accompanied by a dazed Kakashi.
Turning the page on his book, Kakashi shuffled through the orange cover of a novel. Shrouding the bright blush he displayed, his iconic mask veiled a mischievous expression on his face.
"I appreciate the help... But don't you have paperwork too do?" Iruka spun his head.
Revealing the 3rd Hokage, Hiruzen inhaled a fresh hit of leaf from his wooden pipe. Expelling this lingering cloud of smoke, he tugged on the saucer-like shape of his crimson hat.
"It's important to enjoy the little things... The small moments." Hiruzen declared.
A 67 year old veteran, the 3rd Hokage lived through decade after decade of conflict. Experienced in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Shinobi Wars, his life was brutal than most, distilled with loss.
"When teaching the next generation, you must always remember the value of time." He took another drag of weed.
Time was everything, a principal that defined life, it continuously ticked without end. Much could change in a day, a month, a year, friendships could end and lives could derail themselves.
"Let them play in their haunted homes, while they still can." The 3rd Hokage exhaled.
In truth, no one knew the passage of unfolding events, canaled like a wave of focus. However, tragic accidents were as normal as falling trees, swept aside by hostile acts of calamity.
One year later.
The 3rd Hokage was murdered while Choji fell in honorable combat, worthy of shinobi. Kakashi died in battle and Iruka sacrificed his life for the child he loved, the whiskered demon of Konoha.
Now, on the day of Naruto's birth, he separated from the mainland, leaving his friends. Turning 13 years old, a passage of innocence was left behind, replaced with a wall of pain and hate.
Startled by quaking earth, crumbed pebbles fell from an overhanging ceiling of stone. Brushing clumped rock before it struck him, the 4th Raikage moved with muscular and swell arms.
"An earthquake?" Muku stammered, rising to his feet.
"No, we're being attacked." Temari recognized these tremors.
Standing infront of a sundered desk he already broke, A was enamored by boiled rage. Directing blame to others, he chastised the Land of Fire, labeling Guy as an accomplice.
"It's another distraction, to blind us from our shared goal." A barked.
Stroking his bandaged chin with foresight, Dosu visible ear was soaked in conversation. Tapping a sole finger atop the crescent-shaped table he sat at, Zabuza was annoyed and vexed.
While shinobi argued and belittled one another, the delegation of samurai remained silent. Mifune, Chishima, Sandayū and Idate, centurions of melee dressed in fine silks of colorful kimono.
"I don't know about Konoha, but Naruto is nothing but an ally." Kazan retorted.
Chittered spats, grumbled complaints and seething rivalries clouded all progress. Bickering adults were too poised by the past, old betrayals and petty grudges from trivial actions of life.
"He assassinated Ōnoki!" Deidara clasped a lone palm on the table.
Ferocious growls and hostile shouts grew louder and more bold, silencing opposition. Kisame cackled, Guy frowned, A leered, Temari grimaced and Shibuki shook his head while Raiga crossed both arms.
Undaunted by exterior conflict, heated words forced the conversation to stale. Instead of leaving, neighboring Kage fought with words, quarreling over childish grievances from long ago.
Meanwhile.
Cobbled and bricked stone was parted by towering spires of frigid and chilled ice. Cocooned in black robes with red clouds, Haku maneuvered with extreme grace, holding flat palms upright.
Hair wavered as shattered shards of ice flung out, traced by a transparent aura of white. Fighting Paku and Kahyō single-handedly, striking rock with the wooden tracks from his sandals.
"What are you doing?! It's me!" Kahyō stuttered.
Struggling to evade a frozen barrage of senbon, these iced projectiles soared fast. Puncturing the layered ground, Paku rescued her friend from harm, moving like a gust of snow.
Replacing the comedic persona she always displayed, Paku's expression was stern. Breathing frosty breathe, she spewed a hail of frost and flakes, colliding against Haku's own mist.
Meanwhile.
Deflecting strike after strike, Suigetsu skirmished against Chōjūrō and Ao with Nuibari. Sewing the air with his sacred weapon, he resembled a knight, shining in defiance of the state.
"Water Style: Liquid Bullets!" Ao expelled a bombardment of water.
Weaved, shaped and hewn with the density of his chakra, this attack lunged forth. Reaching with his free palm, Suigetsu gripped the hilt of Shibuki, unsheathing the explosive blade.
Battered by Ao's torrent of water, this collision erupted into sizzling smoke and steam. Incorporating the strange seals across Shibuki, Suigetsu used this ancient weapon with reserve.
Embroiled with two elite shinobi at once, Suigetsu held a fabled blade in each palm. Seeking to surpass his fallen brother, to make his own name with his own glory, he continued to battle.
Meanwhile.
Constrained with layered linen and stifled bandages, Isaribi's violet hair bounced. Clapping both hands together, she emanated a wave of green, crackling like embers of emerald fire.
The host for Son Gokū, Isaribi's skill reached unprecedented levels of degree and might. No longer was she some irrelevant child from the Land of Sea, attacking boats and fishermen.
Now, Isaribi fought as a jinchūriki, trained in the ways of Ninjutsu and Genjutsu with resolve. In the past, she always felt like a outcast and a freak, a deformed girl with scaled skin.
But she found a place for herself in the Akatsuki, accompanied by Suigetsu, led by Naruto. A band of rogues to some and demonic pests too others, they were the only family she knew.
Dodging thrown rock and stretched length of chakra-thread, Isaribi was veiled by her robe. Swallowed by the viridescent glow of flames she projected, adjacent stone was singed to ash.
Collapsing steep pillars and columns of grey rock, chunks fell from the ceiling overhead. However, this lethal landscape didn't deter the battle, blooming into a full scale act of conflict.
Meanwhile.
Standing with hostility, A gripped his maple chair before hurling it across the room. The 4th Raikage was outraged, accusing Guy, Shibuki and Dosu of forming a secret alliance.
"You dare suggest his innocence? He wears the red cloud!" A shrieked.
The Akatsuki had grown too bold and arrogant, a rampant plague on the Five Great Nations. More than that, even the minor nations were impacted, frequently falling victim to their group.
The Land of Rivers and Land of Hot Springs were both viciously struck by the Akatsuki. Even the Land of Grass wasn't safe, all tormented by Nagato's Akatsuki, corrupted by Obito.
Hoping to oppose this band of terrorists, that was the purpose behind the Kage Summit. Convened with a distinct goal, distinguished Kage argued over the solution, blaming one another.
"You can't prove he assassinated anyone." Dosu hummed.
It was the truth, there was no evidence, no witness, no survivor from Ōnoki's death. But that didn't halt A's accusation, diluted by distrust and distain, he blamed the Akatsuki for everything.
Screeching and screaming, A's voice swelled while Raiga shook his head in annoyance. Ever defined by his humor, Kisame laughed while Muku scowled and Kazan rubbed his bald scalp.
Brought to the moment of climax, A's feet dug against cemented stone, cracking aloud. Rising in defiance, Shibuki's will flowed like a raging waterfall, unstoppable and unsurmountable.
"I killed the 3rd Tsuchikage." The air was pierced.
Muffled by the hollow thud of feet on wood, Naruto appeared in front of everyone. Exposing the Seal of the Flying Thunder God, glowing kanji was etched across the saucer hat of the Hokage.
"He was a ruthless tyrant, poised with deceit." He stood atop a crescent-shaped table.
Instantly disrobing, A tossed the cloaked Raikage's attire to the pebble-littered floor. Engulfed by a visible aura of blue, he activated his signature technique, Lightning Style: Armor.
Surging forward with legendary speed, he cleaved through the damaged desk. Hurling a clenched and muscular fist, his right hand inched towards Naruto's whiskered face, wasting no time.
Mere centimeters away, A gasped as Naruto utterly faded from sight, evading his attack. Missing his target, the 3rd Raikage struck naked air, hastily regaining his balance before leaping back.
"Do you hate me?" Naruto groaned.
Suspended upside down on the ceiling, the rippled gaze of his Rinnegan was unblinking. The scarlet clouded cloak he wore became weighed down by gravity, black fabric coiled around him.
Meanwhile.
"Did you hear that?" Sasuke spoke.
Startled by the quaking sound of A's advanced, Sasuke, Sakura and Ranmaru turned. All positioned outside the sole entrance to the Kage Summit, they bore witness to interior eruptions.
"Let's go inside!" Sakura encouraged.
Denoting his well-earned title as the 'Trap Master', Gennō pulled two grenades into view. Retrieved from the deep satchels he carried, they were welded iron filled with gunpowder and a fuse.
Dragged against cobbled stone below, he ignited these bombs before tossing them. Launched at the wooden doorway in front, they collided with the hardened silhouette of a panda.
Summoned from a puff of smoke, this fuzzy bear possessed stone-like fur and a wet nose. Roaring with extended claws, he stretched and scratched at the air with a facial grimace.
"What's that?" Ranmaru bite his own tongue.
Confronted by the swept paw of a rocky panda, Ranmaru, Sasuke and Sakura dove. Looming over each child, Gennō's height was enabled by his extreme age, older than most nations.
"It's an animal summoning!" Gennō harked.
A high degree of Ninjutsu, this special summoning was employed by Rinnegan. Holding an identical pair of rippled, violet eyes, his field of vision was shared, linked with Naruto.
Recognizing these eyes, Sasuke clapped both palms together, weaving with speed. Preforming over ten unique hand seals, the static appearance of Chidori buzzed with electric chakra.
Impatient and unwilling to wait, Sasuke plunged this pulsating fist through the air. Met by a clenched paw, Panda lowered its jawline before howling, sundering stone with pure sound.
Propelled backwards, Sasuke flung past Sakura, rolling and skidding across the floor. Dissecting the cobbled ground, Sakura hurled a large boulder, crumbled into debris and dust on impact.
Shaking off this staggering assault, Panda continued to guard the Kage Summit entrance. When faced by four separate shinobi, all with varying renown, prestige and skill, Panda stood firm.
Meanwhile.
Crossing slanted arms in front of her face, Ryūzetsu squinted both eyes to strain. Sazanami also recoiled, using a single hand to hold his straw hat in place, washed over by wind.
"Who's fighting?" Sazanami coughed.
Consumed by a bellowing tornado of frost, snow winded through a cavern of rock. Radiating from a frigid battle, Haku and Paku fought with advanced Ice Style, beyond Kahyō's level.
Spotting the crimson cloud Haku wore, various kunai slid down Ryūzetsu's sleeve. Landing in her right palm, three blades rested between her fingers, thrown with lethal intent.
Splintered as they crashed against a sphere of ice, broken kunai littered the floor. Demonstrating his method of survival, Sazanami fiercely clasped each hand, sneering in contempt.
A Jonin and a past combatant from the 2nd and 3rd Shinobi Wars, Sazanami endured. After deserting the war, and leaving the life of shinobi behind, he became a fabled blacksmith.
Innovated by a discreet seal of kanji on each palm, he yanked a naginata from no where. Twirling this bladed polearm with grace, he unleashed a horizontal slash towards Haku.
Scraped against a frosted surface, miniatures shards of ice infected the cold air. With great agility and a slim figure, Haku dodged every attack directed towards him, flipping and sliding.
Faced with hurled kunai, lashed naginata and twin oppositions of Ice Style, Haku fought. Engraved with the Iron Armor Seal on his left cheek, his eyes permeated an aura of teal.
Emboldened by the special presence of Kokuō, steam gushed from Haku's fair pores. As thick and dense as mist, sweltering heat drifted throughout the atmosphere, covering everything.
Meanwhile.
As swords clashed and jets of water launched, Kurobachi and Suzumebachi leapt. Adding their own strength to Ao and Chōjūrō, four shinobi joined to fight Suigetsu, the eight-tailed jinchūriki.
Utilizing the unique technique of his clan, Kurobachi displayed Honey Style: Bees. Calling forth a vicious swarm from his own gullet, hundreds of insects flew from his mouth, buzzing.
Mimicking the actions of her older brother, Suzumebachi pressed flat palms together. Dancing through several hand seals, she kneaded the chakra in her stomach, belching vomit of honey.
While these duel technique's approached, Ao expelled another torrent of volatile water. At the same time, Chōjūrō wielded Hiramekarei, ignited into the ethereal shape of a long sword.
Slicing this spectral blade, it's strength was added to a mixture of honey and water. With four abilities all merged into one, they crumbled the stone earth on advance, racing forward.
Battered against the cylindrical edge of Shibuki, this sacred sword glowed with kanji. Unrolling dozens of explosive tags, they ignited into smoke while flames roared, an elemental storm.
Blooming into a geyser of dislodged rock and crumbled earth, dust clouded the room. Bridged by columns of cemented stone, sprinkled pebbles fell from the ceiling, littering the floor.
Meanwhile.
Omoi, Karui, Matsuri and Kankurō traveled as one, journeying through a cavern of grey. Accompanied by a squad of armor-clad samurai, rapid footsteps echoed like a booming chorus.
"This way!" Izomu directed his platoon.
Awakened from his previous daze, slates of iron were strapped across his limbs and torso. Wielding a bare katana in his right hand, short black hair framed his cold and pale skin.
Joined by Izatumo and Itakata, these younger brothers wore a slotted metallic mask. Complete with a rebreather, their eyes dotted from side-to-side, studying the environment.
"How could Tetsu be infiltrated so easily?" Izatumo spoke.
Clanking steel and rickety wood grinded as this group continued their approach. Filled with samurai and shinobi, distinct headbands were worn, emblazoned with pride and might.
"Obliviously, samurai don't pay attention!" Karui snapped.
Diverged by striking streams of sand, this band divided in all directions, fleeing for safety. Uncoiling the bandaged puppet on his back, Kankurō's fingers hummed with blue chakra-threads.
Exposing Karasu to sight, this four-armed puppet dangled from Kankurō's shoulders. Chattering its maple jawline, the noise of wood-striking-wood reverberated like a song and melody.
"No way..." Matsuri's mouth fell open.
Surrounded by shifting spires of sand, Gaara was cloaked in scarlet clouded robes. Phasing from the earth itself, grains of sand were colored grey, sharing the tone of adjacent stone.
With an expressionless glare and blank eyes, Gaara swept a single arm outward, directing sand. Forcing thousands of particles to rush forth, crimson hair was swallowed by rural terrain.
Meanwhile.
"I have something to say." Naruto's voice was cold.
Holding mixed reactions, emotions in the room varied from drastic to extreme. Members like Sandayū, Idate and Dosu were welcoming, while A screeched and Guy scowled in distain.
"To say? I'll have your head before I let you speak!" The 4th Raikage roared.
"I'll listen to him." Mifune cut in.
The Daimyo of his village and a leading delegate for Tetsu, he represented his nation. An arbiter of peace, he sought to negotiate a solution, to deescalate and discuss a harmless answer.
"I agree, he's been nothing but a friend to my village." Kazan interrupted.
In total, eleven Kage were gathered, along with four distinguished and famed samurai. To confront the threat of the Akatsuki, the threat of Naruto, they traveled far and wide.
Ever intrigued, Kisame cackled with naked teeth, curled into a sinister smile. Zabuza himself sat with crossed arms, resting in front of his bandaged mouth, dressed in pale blue robes.
Gazing at Naruto with unblinking eyes, Temari's sandy blond hair was tied in place. Bundled into four separate ponytails, the attire of the Kazekage was white with emerald green hems.
"I don't trust anyone from the Akatsuki." Muku spat.
The Kukage from the Land of Grass, Muku's sickly face was lined by strands of black hair. Adorned in dark green tinted robes, he represented Kusa, the Hidden Village in Grass.
"While we talk, battle takes place outside." Raiga noted.
The entire room throbbed with the sound of exterior violence, the noise of conflict. Unable to intervene, they were forced to listen too Naruto's proposal, an offer to herald the end.
Meanwhile.
"Get out of the way!" Sasuke shouted.
Preforming a complex degree of hand seals, Sasuke's right palm was engulfed by static. Swelling into Lightning Style: Lightning Beast jutsu, this strange summoning barked aloud.
Enthralled with hostile rage, this ethereal dog surged forward with an electric snout. Rushing head first into Panda, this rocky bear was irradiated by the continuous zap of blue lightning.
Sprawling across nearby portions of earth, arcs of static might buzzed without pause. Striking bricked rock overhead, the ceiling collapsed into an upheaval of dust and debris.
"Did we get through?" Sakura slurred.
With imbalanced hair and a slanted neck, this kunoichi held her tipped chin with a single palm. Alarmed by a jutting ruptured from underground, Panda's clawed paw reached from below.
"We didn't even scratch em!" Ranmaru proclaimed.
"Keep pushing!" Gennō howled.
Sprinting with elderly posture but agile reflexes, his cowl rustled beside windy currents. Retrieving several seals from his pouch, he hurled these explosive tags out, glowing with kanji.
Brandished across Panda's concrete outline, eruptions of soot, smoke and fire occurred. Infused with the ancient power of Rinnegan, Panda roared like a feral and wounded beast.
Sneering in annoyance, Sakura felt robbed of her constant companion, Tonton the pig. Clenching her right fist with rage, an emerald glow engulfed the entirety of her petite body.
Exposed by the blood-red crop top she wore, Sakura's naked stomach was embellished. Tattooed upon her abdomen, a teal diamond sparkled with chakra, resembling a jewel in light.
The Strength of a Hundred Seal, the absolute pinnacle of chakra control and influence. Possessing greater control than Naruto with double the physical strength of Sasuke, Sakura screeched.
Charging forward with quaking steps, paved rocked crumbled beneath her sandaled feet. Plunging a clenched fist, a tangible wave of green rippled in all directions, swollen with might.
Meanwhile.
With flat palms Isaribi twirled, unleashing torrent after torrent of flames, vibrant as emerald. Cleaved in two, chunks of uprooted stone were seared to ash, baked by viridescent fire.
Pitted against Sasame and Kagerō, crimson clouded robes clung to her youthful figure. Imbued with the spontaneous resolve of an ape, Isaribi flipped and twirled over chakra-threads.
Pressed shoes slid across the ground as Isaribi ducked beneath a hail of shuriken. Promptly surrounded by dozens of samurai, a spiritual tail sprouted from her lower back, colored green.
Lined with transparent strands of scarlet fur. this spectral tail deflected sharpened blades. Forcing her canine teeth to grow, she caught a barrage of kunai, splintered by her deafening grip.
Maneuvering over a hurled boulder of dislodged stone, Isaribi contorted her body sideways. Evading countless attacks, shortened clumps of violet hair were bundled by stretched bands.
Using green threads to reach out, Kagerō was ensnared by Isaribi's bare hands. Yanking her opponent close, she kicked this Fūma clan member, launching drops of spit from her mouth.
Startled by twitching streams of orange, radiant chakra surged forth like a snake. Trapping Isaribi's wrists, both arms dissolved into crackling spears of verdant flames, breaking free.
Swarmed by pairs of samurai, she cut various warriors in two, bisecting their torso's. Drenched in blood, this crimson gore was boiled and scorched into dry flakes, peeling off like mud.
A freak, a demon and an annoyance to most, Isaribi had grown past their harsh judgement. Instead, she found value in her newfound friends, the unconditioned admiration of Suigetsu.
Meanwhile.
Dented metal scraped against cobbled rock, falling from the hands of fighting shinobi. Deflecting and dodging thrust palms, thrown shuriken and hostile jutsu, Haku's speed was renown.
"I can't hit him!" Ryūzetsu fumed.
Despite her skill as a Jonin, each attack was below a nuisance for someone like Haku. Embroiled in conflict with four shinobi at once, the jinchūriki of Kokuō was fueled by eyes of teal.
Preforming one hand seals, Haku summoned a bombardment of frigid and frozen icicles. Launched with a mental command, distant earth was skewered and pierced by this hail.
Punctured by this attack, Paku was layered in countless amounts of sharpened ice and frost. However, she quickly crumbled into loose snow, blown away by the wind from Sazanami's feet.
Leaping towards his enemy, Sazanami's naginata was battered against domes of ice. Solidified with the unique mixture of Haku's chakra, hardened snow oozed consecutive steam.
Sprouting twin tails of red chakra, Haku's eyes continued to glow with an aura of teal. Paku, Kahyō, Ryūzetsu and Sazanami, foreign shinobi fought as one against the Akatsuki.
Meanwhile.
Duel wielding Shibuki and Nuibari, Suigetsu held sacred and revered blades with ease. Confronted by Ao, Chōjūrō, Suzumebachi and Kurobachi, he stood firm, stalwart with resolve.
Waves of honey, flocks of buzzing bees and ethereal slices from Hiramekarei converged. Aided by gushed jets of water from Ao, Suigetsu remained undeterred, brandishing Shibuki.
Plunging this seal encrusted blade into the bricked floor, a geyser ignited in its place. Swallowing the landscape in a cloud of debris, surroundings columns of rock were broken, falling apart.
Meanwhile.
"What is the meaning of this?" Dosu was stunned.
The dismantlement of shinobi, the destruction of Ninjutsu and the end of ninja. That was the proposed statement of Naruto, to deescalate existing conflict by removing shinobi and their jutsu.
Such a notion was heresy in front of the Kage Summit, a meeting of great shinobi. The very idea would disrupt the balance of power, tipping scales in favor of samurai and Idate's muskets.
"That is beyond extreme." Kazan commented.
Laughing, Kisame cackled while Zabuza remained silent, both aware of Naruto's plan. Snarling with rage and contempt, A could barely restrain himself, popping muscles in each hand.
Temari's mouth hung open while Muku scowled and Raiga's head shook in disagreement. Deidara lazily held his chin as Shibuki grimaced and Guy crossed arms in front of his chest.
"What's happened to you?" Sandayū choked.
Devoid of emotion, empty of expression, Naruto's body was alive, but mentally, he was dead. There no was smile or frown or a furrowed brow, there was nothing, nothing else left.
"This action would only create more pain!" Idate proclaimed.
Jumping to his feet, this youthful Daimyo clasped the oaken table he sat at, sneering aloud. Standing between Mifune and Chishima, this delegation of samurai was quite than most.
"What about the people of Dega? I thought you dreamed of a better world?" He rang.
Dampening these words, A's heels dug into solid rock, crumbled beneath his rage. But Idate felt a different sensation, forever familiar and common since his birth, the feeling of pain.
"My pain is constant and sharp, and I never cared about your people." Naruto's voice was dry.
"I don't hope for a better world, because I want my pain to be inflicted on others." His mouth was hidden.
Veiled by overhanging fabric from the raised collar of his robe, Naruto's glare was permanent. Imprinting the room with a rippled gaze of violet, he stood upside down on the ceiling.
"I want everyone to feel my pain." He used an identical tone to Nagato.
Enabled by two decades of constant training, Guy instantly sprung into unbridled action. Rushing through the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th gates, he opened the fabled Gate of Closing.
With discolored skin that took on the hue of red, Guy's individual hairs stood on their ends. Protruding beneath Hokage robes, bulging veins crossed every limb, muscle and joint.
Moving at speeds parred to the 4th Raikage, Guy swept his right shin through the air. Striking Naruto's collarbone, the whiskered demon of Konoha bubbled into dozens of ravens.
Landing with a quiet thud, Guy searched the room with white eyes, missing their pupils. Stricken by this onslaught of speed, A groaned while Dosu stroked his bandaged jawline.
"The answer is given..." Naruto echoed.
Merged from a flock of squawking black-beaked birds, the jinchūriki for Kurama sat. Accompanied by four of his siblings, Shukaku, Son Gokū, Kokuō and Gyūki inhabited their jinchūriki.
Crouched atop a stone ledge at the back of the room, Naruto was dwarfed by shadows. Four shrouds, Gaara, Suigetsu, Isaribi and Haku all wore red clouded robes, tattered from battle.
Sleeves on Isaribi's attire were cindered and bare, revealing petite and frail arms. Sparsely covered in green-tinted rashes of scaled and fish-like skin, she no longer bothered to hide them.
"So be it, I declare war on you all." His words received grim gazes.
A child in a room of adults and teenagers, Naruto carried the hatred and guile of many, Now, bolstering this prestige of disgust, he informed the listening Kage of his plan, living subjects.
As Naruto spoke, Tayuya, Jūgo, Karin and Fuu all struck far off nations, a distraction. Defenseless without their iconic Kage, these villages burned like the crimson cloud of the Akatsuki.
In reality, even this conversation was a distraction, obscuring Naruto's true intentions. Sundered by the collapsed entryway into the Kage Summit, torn open by Panda's falling corpse.
Colliding against the floor, this summoning puffed into a cloud of smoke, fading away. Highlighting the pink hair of Sakura, the room was flooded by past members from Team 7.
"What?! You're starting the 4th Shinobi War?! With jinchūriki?!" A growled.
The end of shinobi, the eradication of all Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and Taijutsu. Another inch closer to world peace, all Naruto needed to do was break it, he had to end the era of shinobi.
