Chapter Fifty-Two
Shikamaru froze in horror as the reanimated Madara Uchiha burst from his sarcophagus, showering everyone in fragments of stone. The long-dead Uchiha patriarch stood imposing and every bit as fierce as his description in historical scrolls and textbooks. Even a shadow of his former self, he still projected power and dominance for which he was legendary.
Sensei moved to cut down Madara, but Madara flung the man to the side like a dog's chew toy. Temari followed up with her wind scythe attacks. Despite the violent gusts of razor-sharp winds, the attack did little more than tussle the dead man's long, silk black hair. Even Lord Fourth would have at least been stunned by that!
Before Shikamaru could even blink, Madara had closed the distance to Temari and had his hand around her neck. The main hoisted her up off the ground by several inches as the rest of her body hung limply.
"Crap!" Shikamaru made the had seal for shadow possession, knowing it was his only chance to distract Madara; although, he knew he had no real hope of holding the man any length of time. As he reached through the man's shadow, Shikamaru pried at Madara's grasp, feeling like he was tugging at granite statue with rubber bands. Goddammit, MOVE! Shikamaru felt sweat rain down his side and blood streaming down his nose as he threw everything he had into forcing Madara's hand open. It worked. Temari flopped to the ground, clearly injured but alive.
Madara's face warped into shock as he realized that Shikamaru had at least a temporary hold on him. Limited time, use it! Shikamaru rammed a fist into his own face, and Madara did likewise. "Stop hitting yourself!" he pounded with the other fist, "Stop hitting yourself!"
Madara looked more annoyed than anything as he reasserted control and he moved his hands to his throat; Shikamaru's hands did likewise. Let go! Let go! Shikamaru released his shadow possession, but Madara decided his throat was too interesting at target. The ancient lord grasped Shikamaru by the neck much as he'd done with Temari. And this time, who is going to come to save you? Remorse washed over him for making Temari a widow so young.
"Picking on little kids, old man!" Shikamaru flopped to the ground as a brilliant orange meteor thrust Madara to the side. The world began spinning as Shikamaru sucked several deep breaths to feed his oxygen-starved body. As his eyes focused, he saw the brilliant orange glow of Naruto tangling with Madara. "N-Nar-uto…" Shikamaru mumbled as he felt his rubbery limps give out.
As soft pair of hands caught him mid-fall, "Easy, Shikamaru!" Ino spoke as she cradled his head and neck, gentle green glowing from her hands. The severe burning in his neck eased as Ino willed crushed muscles and blood vessels back into proper form.
"You're too late to stop the Eye of the Moon!" Madara growled as he hastily vanished from sight.
"Dammit!" Shikamaru wheezed.
"Looks like," Asuma groaned as he limped along toward them with Temari, "it was a good idea to give up smoking." He clutched his side against easily broken ribs.
"Temari?" Shikamaru wheezed.
"I'll be fine," she wheezed in return, an angry red handprint around her throat, "I just won't be able to hit those high notes any time soon!" She tried laughing, but Shikamaru could tell it was forced. They now had less than forty-eight hours to the end of the world. And we blew it!
"Shikamaru!" Naruto scolded, "Quit moping, you did everything that could have been done!" Naruto was still glowing his brilliant Path of Six Sages mode.
"What's there not to mope about," he groaned, "Unless you've got another miracle up your sleeve, we're fucked."
Naruto merely smiled, his yellow sage mode eyes becoming a pale blue-white, glowing intensely. What the hell is that? "I might have a few tricks left in my old hat," Naruto winked. "But let's get you all out of here first!" Naruto joined hands with Ino and Asuma and teleported the entire group back to the camp in the Land of Sound. Before Shikamaru could say anything else, Naruto vanished in a flash of orange light.
Hinata raked through another swathe of white Zetsu creatures with surgical precision. Bodies and pieces of bodies withered in her wake as her charged blade carved through the chakra network of creature after creature. While she understood the need to go and rescue Team Shadowhand, most of her ached at the thought of solely protecting the camp against the never-ending onslaught. As she circled the camp like a scythe, her knees began shaking at the task before her.
In the eye of the chaos and destruction, Hinata's mind wandered to the future. Did this happen in your time, Hima? How did your father do this all by himself?! Hinata continued to cut her destructive path, her purple-blue chakra burning through the enemy ranks. Her whole life, she'd been blessed by the strength that Nine-Tails offered; she couldn't imagine what she was without it.
"It takes more than chakra or skill to make a great shinobi, Hinata," Nine-Tails offered as she carried forward.
How do you figure?
"You forget the hospital almost five years ago," she sensed Nine-Tails grinning in her head. "I was on the brink of killing Kushina and Naruto, and I would have succeeded had it not been for you."
You would have killed them?! Hinata's throat tightened at the memory of being the scared little girl negotiating with a powerful nine-tailed demon, pleading for him to stop fighting them.
"Hinata, I was not always at peace with the two of them, if you remember. You begged for me to save them, at risk to your own existence, and with no guarantee I wouldn't kill you for fun. When I saw what lengths you were willing to go to save Kushina and Naruto, by extension probably saving me, I decided it would be amusing to see if you could live up to your end of the deal." Nine-Tails shook his head, "I had no idea you'd go so far, and keep that little rascal straightened out!" Kurama chuckled as she ended another pass around the camp.
"If you're done having a laugh at my expense, Kyuubi, might I borrow Hinata?" Naruto spoke via their linked chakra.
"That depends, you're not planning on mating with her, are you?"
Kurama, really! Hinata turned pink at the lewd reference.
"Hinata, come back to the camp, quickly!" Naruto ignored the inappropriate question.
Hinata focused on the Flying Thunder God marking she'd put over Naruto's chest, and she warped to his location. "Good to see you," he smiled through his glowing orange chakra, warm arms surrounding her.
"I'll take my celebration when this is over," she heaved, trying to catch her breath after the exhausting process of carving away the wave assaults by the Zetsu creatures. "What's happening?"
"We have to wrap this up now," Naruto said grimly, "You've felt it?"
Hinata felt the earth trembling, almost imperceivably, as her knees shook. "It's Ten-Tails!"
"Yup," he released his hold around her, "and when it gets here, we won't be able to stop him and the Zetsu creatures. We have to end this, now!"
Through her expanded vision, she saw there were still easily millions surrounding the camp, and they were getting closer and closer to the perimeter. "The last time we did this, there were only a few thousand," she struggled to keep her voice even.
"The last time we did this," he took her by the hand, "we didn't know we could do this." He smiled, still apprehensive. "Whatever happens, if this is our last ride, there is no one I'd rather take it with."
"I love you, Naruto, no matter what happens!" She blurted out, letting emotions go.
"Love you too, babe!" They began channeling their chakra, "Time to see, if Hima was right to put her faith in us!"
She stood back-to-back with Naruto, drawing out Nine-Tails and Hamura's Chakra like they'd done the last time in the Land of Sound. The incredible surge of chakra overwhelmed Hinata as it coursed through her body. As she felt the mass of chakra build to critical level, Naruto reached back with his right hand, taking her left hand in his. "I'm scared, Naruto," she felt a gentle tear trace down her cheek as chakra pulsed through every cell, every fiber of her being, "What if this doesn't work?"
"It'll work," he squeezed her hand, "I believe in you!"
"And I believe in you!"
"Can we get over with the chick-flick moments and get on with it?!" Kyuubi resounded in their minds, but something seemed different; there were two voices speaking.
"Kyuubi?" Hinata and Naruto asked in unison.
"Pretty impressive trick, eh?" The twin Nine-Tailed demons spoke through them.
"How is this possible?" Naruto gasped.
"Yin and Yang carry tiny bits of one another. When we bonded to you fully back at the prison, each half began growing as one," Kurama explained.
Hinata's chakra grew beyond anything she'd ever experienced, "Why didn't you tell us?"
The twin Kuramas chuckled, "With his propensity for getting his ass killed, we didn't want it going to his head that he was carrying the equivalent of our full version!"
"A million laughs," Naruto scoffed slightly, "but does that mean you're ready to kick some ass?"
"ALWAYS!"
Hinata expanded her vision as millions of the Zetsu creatures reached the camp's outer perimeter. "NOW!" With tremendous release, the mass of chakra she held released at the same time as Naruto's. Hinata felt herself disconnect from reality as the wave of chakra surged outward like a tsunami. Eighteen fiery tails swept over the camp, causing the earth to shake as it shielded the shinobi within and washed away the Zetsu army in a wave of hellfire.
The wave continued unabated as thousands, then tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, and finally, millions of the withered former humans were incinerated like touch paper on a wad of firecrackers. Just when it felt like it was going to end short of their needs, more chakra spilled forth – purifying lava burning away a diseased landscape. Hinata cried in joy as the wave washed over the last ranks of the Zetsu creatures. We did it!
The chakra flow slowed rapidly as the flaming tendrils withdrew to her and Naruto. Heat evaporated from her skin as cold evening air again tickled her skin. Hinata shivered, and her knees collapsed, as did Naruto's. However, he did not let go of her hand. "The moon shines brightest when she's closest to the sun," she heaved as the flopped to their knees, exhausted.
"We're not out of this yet," Naruto groaned in disgust.
Hinata's heart sank as she felt the ground shaking again, more distinct than it had been earlier, "Ten-Tails!"
"It's heading for us," he heaved, sounding punch-drunk.
Hinata gazed out, her Byakugan caught the sight of the unholy creature, a living mountain with twenty-seven tails protruding and a gaping maw of razor-sharp teeth. As terrifying as the monstrosity appeared, Hinata noticed something even more horrific. "It's not heading our way," she felt adrenaline refueling rubbery limbs as she crawled to Naruto's side, "it's heading for Konoha!"
The terrible words renewed Naruto as his arms snatch around her waist and heaved her upright to her feet. "Come on, babe!" They stumbled arm in arm back toward the command tent. As they hobbled, Hinata felt him contemplating the situation through her linked chakra with Naruto. The odds were long, and they were both exhausted. Even with the addition of another tailed-beast to the mix, they both had serious reservations of their ability to stop Ten-Tails or prevent the Eye of the Moon in about twenty-four hours.
Regaining some strength, Naruto paused their trot, staring at her with a question unasked, "Hinata…"
"Yes," she nodded. Time had run out, and now was not the time for petty things like worrying about what might happen.
Minato surveyed the aftermath of the awesome destruction from a guard tower at the edge of camp. On the night of Naruto's birth, he'd feared what Nine-Tails could do if it had been loosed on the village, and he'd been prepared to do whatever it took to ensure that his son and the village would have that power to protect the future. And now, they have protected us. Indeed, the entire army of Zetsu creatures had been incinerated like dried grass in a campfire.
"Lord Fourth," an orderly called from below, "your wife requests your presence at the command tent urgently."
"I'm on my way," Minato flashed across the camp to the tent, wondering what could now be so urgent. As he arrived, he saw Itachi, Shikaku, Inoichi, Shikamaru, Kakashi, Temari, Neji, Konohamaru, and Hanabi gathered around the command map. "You rang?"
"Minato, over here," his wife called from the far end of the group. As he circled around, he saw a haggard Naruto and Hinata leaning against the table, clearly exhausted. Ominously, a large red marker on the map indicated something sinister about.
"Dare I ask?" he spoke.
"Dad, Ten-Tails is heading for Konoha!" Naruto huffed, sounding winded.
"What for, I thought they were going to do that eye of the moon shit?" Shikaku added.
"Revenge," Minato said. "I don't think Obito is thinking with his brain so much as his blind heart. He blames us for Rin's death, and I think he'd like to take the village out before doing the Eye of the Moon thing."
"Tens of thousands could die," Kushina gasped.
"Mom," Hinata interjected, "we have no intention of letting that happen!"
"However, we do need you to evacuate the path ahead of it until we recover enough," Naruto completed.
"Son, even with Nine-Tails, it's incredibly powerful!" Minato cautioned.
"Get Gaara and B up here, and I think we can beat it!" Naruto replied.
"We have another problem, in case you're forgetting," Shikamaru spoke, "Madara is on his way, and will be here shortly!"
"I don't get it," Shikaku rubbed his pointed chin, "Was this part of their plan, or was this something unexpected?"
Naruto snapped his fingers, "Obito's goals must be different than Madara's; they're allies of convenience! At the prison, he was trying to open the Box of Infinite Bliss to bring back Rin without Madara's help!"
Minato exchanged a look with his wife. "It might not be much, but it might be a gap in their armor, something we can exploit," Minato said.
"I can't believe he'd do all this over Rin," Kushina sighed as she started at the map on the table. "All this death, all this destruction."
"There is more to it that we know, Mom," Naruto said grimly, "Rin told me so."
"Well, whatever it is, we need to figure it out quickly," Kakashi spoke, voice acidic, "I'll start rounding up what we can and begin evacuating those in the way of the beast."
"Uncle," Naruto spoke with a tight voice, "If it's all the same, could I ask you to stay behind for a bit?"
"Son?" Minato stared at his son, concerned.
Naruto had taken Hinata's hand, "I have no illusion of our chances, and I have the feeling some or all of us aren't going to make it this time." Naruto closed his eyes against tears, reached into his pocket, and extracted the scroll Lord Hiashi had given him months ago and placed it on the map.
"Naruto?" Kushina stared at their boy.
"Mom, father once told me the story about you and Dad the night before he left for war," Naruto stared longingly at his girlfriend. "Putting things off is no defense against bad things happening," Hinata stared back at Naruto as he spoke, "and I'm done playing safe. Please," Naruto stared at Kushina with fire in his blue eyes, "marry us!"
Naruto felt Hinata tremble in his hand as he pushed his voice past the heart pounding in his throat, "Putting things off is no defense against bad things happening, and I'm done playing safe. Please, marry us!" Gentle tears gathered at the corners of his eyes, as they did with Hinata's beautiful Byakugan eyes.
"Son," Mom spoke, "This is a huge decision to make, are you two sure?"
"Even if the world weren't so close to ending in the next day or so," Naruto traced away a stray tear from Hinata's cheek, "I wouldn't wait, not after all we've been through together." He turned to face his mom and dad, "With your permission, that is."
"In another twenty four hours or so," Minato looked at his watch, "you won't need ours."
"I object!" Neji's voice cut the air. Naruto's heart jumped. Really, man! You would spoil the moment!
"Brother Neji, really!?" Hanabi crossed her arms as she sassed.
Neji raised a hand to stop her, "It is traditional for the bride's parents to be present to grant their blessing to the husband-in-waiting and their daughter." He paused and stared at Naruto and Hinata. "Being that Lord Hiashi and Lady Akemi are far afield and cannot be here, I wish to stand in Hiashi's place," he turned a smirk to Hanabi, "and presumably have Hanabi stand in place for her mom."
Hanabi nodded, "Big brother Naruto, you take care of my sister!"
"I will!" Naruto smiled as he squeezed Hinata's hand.
"If you hurt her, I'll take it out of your ass!" Neji laughed, suggesting the threat was in jest.
"Well," Mom clapped her hands, "now that we have that out of the way, let's get on with the show!" Mom gestured to the ground in front of her, "Naruto, Hinata, if you'll both kneel before me."
"You ready?" Naruto asked Hinata, staring deep into her beautiful eyes.
"Yes!" she dragged him to his place before Mom, and they knelt as instructed.
"Minato, if you please," Mom gestured for dad to stand at her side. As he stood beside her, mom's voice shook with tears as she began the invocation, "Dearly beloved, we gather here today on the field of battle to join our son, Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata of the Hyūga Clan in the enduring bonds of marriage. As all parents pass their Will of Fire to their children, now it is time for our grown children to pass their Will of Fire to each other. In doing so, two flames will join to form a larger, stronger flame that will one day carry on through their children."
Mom paused, wiping tears from her eyes, "Hinata, even before you were born, you saved my life and that of my son. I never once doubted that you two were meant for one another. And now I ask, do you take my son, Naruto Uzumaki, to be your lawfully wedded husband? Will you love, honor, and cherish him times good and bad? Do promise to forever share with him all that you are, all that you have, and all that you ever shall be, forsaking all others for as long as you shall live?
Hinata stared, a delicate stream of tears coming from her eyes, "I do!" Naruto's heart lifted to heights unimaginable as he continued to hold her hands, his own hands beginning to shake as mom continued.
"Son, you have made your father and myself proud time and time again, and now…" Mom stifled a tear, "… now it is time for us to let you decide your own destiny." She composed her voice, "And you could not have made a better decision for a partner to have with you on this great adventure awaiting you both! Son, do you take Hinata of the Hyūga Clan to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you love, honor, and cherish her in times good and bad? Do you promise to forever share with her all that you are, all that you have, and all that you ever shall be, forsaking all others for as long as you shall live?"
"I DO!" Naruto cried tears of joy as the words pushed past the lump in his throat.
"Then by the power vested in me as the Fifth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, I am proud to declare you two married!" Mom smirked, "I think you two know what to do from here!"
Naruto brought his arms around Hinata as she did the same. They continued to kneel as they desperately kissed one another before the witness of friends and family. Time stood still for a desperate moment, and Naruto was free of the burden of stopping Ten-Tails, Obito, and Madara for a precious few seconds as he held his wife. They broke for air, heaving breathlessly as the moment came to its inevitable ending. He stared frozen at her pale, Byakugan eyes.
"You two are going to have to wait to consummate the marriage, I'm afraid," Mom chuckled as reality returned. "We've got work to do!"
"Let's go save the world," Naruto said to his beautiful wife.
"It'll be some honeymoon!" she laughed as the got to their feet.
Author's notes: Hi everyone, and thank you all so very much for reading as well as your infinite patience. I know this is not updating nearly as fast as I was a few months ago. I thank you all for bearing with me as my work schedule has turned outright barbaric the last few months with little sign of things letting up. I do have a favor to ask if you are reading at the time of publication. I have a poll on my profile that will make a special determination of the future of the Uzumaki family. When you get a chance, please vote as it will impact the end of this story. Due to hosting duties and work, my next update may not be up until after thanksgiving (I will endeavor to make it sooner if possible). I'll see you all next chapter. Until then, stay healthy, stay safe, and have a great week!