War noises echoed everywhere. Chaos, destruction, fallen bodies and jutsus being fired in all directions. That was the vision that the now reunited ten rookies of Konoha had ahead. All bruised, exhausted, some seriously injured, and most of all, all afraid. Yes, fear was the most common feeling that dominated their minds at the moment.
Everyone is well aware that when you enter the academy to become a ninja, you are accepting the fact that your life could end at any moment. No matter how good you are, strong, skillful or a strategist, there can always be someone better. And the reality of life's ephemerality has shaken some more than others, especially the trio Ino-Shika-Cho.
The death of Inoichi Yamanaka and Shikaku Nara was a strong blow to all the shinobi who fought against the madness of Obito and Madara. The troops no longer had the means to communicate with each other over long distances, nor to review the strategies devised by one of the most brilliant men who had set foot in this world. If troops were an organism, then they had lost their brain and with it their motor skills.
Until Shikamaru Nara and Ino Yamanaka took over from their predecessors, and began to guide and lead the troops, playing a fundamental role in the war as Naruto and Sasuke, who arrived on the battlefield and faced the front leaders.
But all this seemed to be in vain, the enemy was simply too strong.
And hope totally died seconds after their meeting.
"Gasp!" Ino was petrified in the middle of the battlefield.
"What happened Ino?" Shikamaru, beside her, asked. Seeing that she didn't react, he called again. "Ino! INO!"
"I don't feel... The chakra...Of Naruto-kun..." She said, still in shock.
"...What?" Shikamaru asked, trying to make sure. But it wasn't necessary, as she sank to her knees on the floor, looking at him with a glazed but distant gaze.
"What is going on?!" yelled Kiba, walking towards them followed by the remaining rookies. Everyone was startled when they saw that Ino was crying, still staring at nothing, and Shikamaru turned his face away.
"Naruto's chakra... disappeared." He responded with regret in his voice. Everyone's eyes widened. They looked to where his chakra signal had been, and in the distance they could distinguish a huge creature, emerging from a kind of shell.
On top of the Juubi, Madara was exchanging blows with what appeared to be a yellow figure. If he were an ordinary ninja, he would be in big trouble, but with the help of his Sharingan, he could defend himself from that legendary man's attacks, even if at the last minute.
Minato Namikaze, the legendary Fourth Hokage, known on the field for his deadly flying Thunder God jutsu, as well as his calm and intelligence, attacked the Uchiha with blind fury. The beast inside him warned him about Naruto's condition, and what happened to his other part. And Minato did what any parent in his situation would: It went to avenge his son's death. Using his technique, he crossed the entire battlefield and arrived at the scene, minutes after the absorption of all the bijuus and the birth of Juubi. He took a quick look around, noticing that his son's body was no longer there. And then he went after the man.
And elsewhere, Karin Uzumaki was crying kneeling under the corpse of Uchiha Sasuke. When Orochimaru and the Hebi team arrived, Tobirama, still pinned to the ground, told them what had happened. Sasuke tried to attack him from behind, but Madara predicted the blow, disarmed him and used Kusanagi herself to pierce the Uchiha's chest, which fell to the ground bleeding. But Madara had mercy, for being of the same clan. He didn't leave him to bleed to death, and with a cross cut from the hole he made himself, he disconnected Sasuke's torso from the rest of his body, which killed him instantly.
Orochimaru stared at the boy's body with a mixture of guilt and concern. Guilt, because even though his intention was to take over Sasuke's body later, he trained him. And worry, for the path he chose in the end delayed him too far to gain power, and it showed now, with him being unable to even strike his ancestor. Orochimaru knew that all was lost. Not even the five kage together were able to defeat Madara, and now with the Juubi awake and wreaking havoc wherever he goes, it would be virtually impossible. And even if he used Edo Tensei on Sasuke, what would it do?
The enemy was simply too strong.
Meanwhile, Gaara landed in a cloud of sand, desperately looking for Tsunade. Naruto was still alive, but on the brink of death. The solution was presented, remove the half of Kurama present inside the fourth Hokage and place it in Naruto. This was the order given by Kurama himself before being sucked into the statue. However, when Gaara and Sakura prepared to make the return journey, Ino informed them of Minato's location. It was dangerous, but they had to go. And then, the last drop of hope was completely gone. Minato Namikaze succumbed; Madara defeated him and somehow undid his Edo Tensei.
The truth is that Madara and his clones incapacitated him in the same way he did Tobirama, and used Amaterasu. Even though it is immortal, there is a limit to the regeneration granted by Edo Tensei. But the flames that never extinguish damage him while the jutsu heals him, and in doing so, Madara has incapacitated him. And as if that wasn't enough, Madara, in a gesture that caused the ultimate morale shake of all ninjas, mutilated him. Only Minato's head was intact, glaring at him angrily as the Uchiha laughed derisively, and abandoned him to go on his way.
"Forgive me Kushi-chan... Again, I couldn't save him..." Minato muttered as tears fell freely from his eyes. He failed as a father and as a Hokage not just once, but twice.
The sage of the six paths, Hagoromo Ootsutsuki, watched with pity as the fate of the land was traced. The child of the prophecy has been defeated, and there is no longer any way to allow him to return, unless it is the Edo Tensei. And even so, Hagoromo feared that even lending his power to his children's reanimated reincarnations would not be enough.
Sakura performed surgery, to keep Naruto alive until they were able to find a solution. But even manually massaging his heart, his body was already cold, and he found himself in a state of irreparable life and death. The ten remaining Konoha rookies were around him, in a circle. They cried freely, there was no more strength, no more will. And without Naruto, there was no more hope.
Meanwhile, Hagoromo watched the events unfold. The betrayal of the dark part of Zetsu, the fall of Madara and Obito and the resurrection of Kaguya. There was no one else to stop her. He closed his eyes sadly. He took one last look at the battlefield, and then realized that perhaps there was still hope.
Hagoromo materialized in front of the rookies, who were on alert and startled by the appearance of this strange man, except for two people. And at his feet, burning forever in black flames, the village hero, Minato Namikaze, or what's left of him. Saying nothing, Hagoromo reached out his hand to the eternally charred body of the ex-Hokage, and the Yang part of Kurama came to light. They both exchanged glances, and looked at Naruto. Even if Kurama was re-sealed, a lot of time had passed, and it would take him a long time to recover, and time was something they didn't have the luxury of wasting. Not to mention that alone he might not be enough to stop Kaguya. Then Kurama, along with Hagoromo, joined their hands and expelled all the chakra their bodies contained.
And a great white light took over the entire battlefield. A warm, cozy light.
But none of that seemed to matter to two people. One was the girl who cried all the time since she got down on her knees. And the other was Naruto, who was basically already in the pure world, and could do nothing.
But the last sense to lose is hearing. And before everything went completely dark and silent, Naruto heard a voice, which sang, in a tearful tone:
"Nee kikoemasu ka? (Can you hear me?)"