Naruto's Life Redux Ch. V: The End
Hey guys we're back with another chapter. Apologies for taking so long but I hope y'all enjoy it and I have a surprise for y'all in store in terms of Naruto's hidden power coming forth. Alright enough teasing y'all here's the fight we've been waiting for… you know after Kimimaro, Lee and Gaara show up of course.
"What's this power? He's glowing yellow!" Temari said
"I don't know." Tsunade replied with wide eyes.
'You never cease to amaze me Naruto.' Kakashi thought to himself.
Normal Timeline
"SASUKE!" Naruto yelled as he chased after the Uchiha who wouldn't look back. "Hold up Sasuke! WAIT!" He kept yelling but it fell on deaf ears. Naruto could feel the evil dripping off Sasuke but he didn't want to believe it.
"And where do you think you're going?" A voice asked as Naruto jumped back and saw a teen older than him with white hair and two red dots on his forehead standing in his way.
"Who're you?" Both Sasuke and Naruto asked
"I'm merely a servant for my lord Orochimaru, here to ensure Sasuke Uchiha makes it back to my master. I'm also given the mission of disposing of any trash that threatens those plans. Please make this easy on everyone and turn back before I'm forced to kill you. I'm in a rush."
"So what. I asked for your name dumbass." Naruto said unimpressed and getting angrier by the second.
"Kimimaro." He replied
"Alright, thanks Kimimaro, now please get the hell out of my way, I have my own mission I must complete; and that's getting this asshole back home where he belongs."
"Sasuke go on ahead, Orochimaru is waiting for you." He said without breaking his gaze from the blonde.
Sasuke smirked and kept running toward the Hidden Sound. "SASUKE!" Naruto yelled after and tried to make chase but Kimimaro blocked him.
"Like I said I can't have you disrupting my mission, I guess since you insist so much I'll just have to kill you." He said getting into a stance while Naruto just kept getting angrier and his chakra was now visibly showing around his body like a raging fire.
"I said…GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Naruto yelled as his chakra completely covered his body in a blue cloak and he was generating his own wind.
'Incredible, this boy is putting off so much power. No matter, he'll die like all the rest.' Kimimaro thought as he made bones protrude from his forearms and elbows.
"What the hell is that!?" Naruto yelled in confusion.
"My kekkei genkai. I can control the amount of calcium my body produces and essentially create new bones to use as I see fit. This was special to my clan, the Kaguya clan."
Naruto really didn't care what it was he just knew he was wasting time and he was getting too angry to avoid letting the Nine Tails influence him and his chakra turned red along with his eyes.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He yelled and several hundred popped up.
Kimimaro was slightly surprised seeing such a high level jutsu be performed on this scale. 'Impressive.' He thought just before the clones started to rush him and he easily slipped through them and kept 'killing' them with such expertise. 'He's been trained pretty well, but I've been trained much harder than he could ever imagine.' Kimimaro thought as he took out all 600 clones in a mere 3 minutes shocking Naruto.
'How the hell did he beat them all that fast? No focus, I know exactly how he moves now thanks to my clones. I can take him I know it.' He thought to himself and he calmed down and his chakra color changed back to blue.
He slowly took a breath with his eyes closed and when they snapped open he was gone in a flash and reappeared with his fist being buried in Kimimaro's stomach surprising him and getting him to cough up some blood while sending him back.
"Impressive, Uzumaki. But I've dealt with better." Kimimaro said before charging back at Naruto and landing a solid punch to his jaw sending him flying back.
Naruto stood up wiping his mouth of blood and spitting some out glaring at Kimimaro.
The two charged at each other trading punches and kicks while blocking some. Neither one really gaining any ground. They separated from each other both breathing a little more than they'd like.
"Seems you're better than I originally gave you credit for." Kimimaro coldly said
"As much as I'd like to take the compliment I really don't care seeing as it's coming from you." Naruto replied
Kimimaro charged in and grew a bone straight out of his palm and thrusted it forward. Before Naruto could react a green blur appeared knocking the arm up and then kicking Kimimaro square in the chest but shielded the blow by growing an external rib cage and only sliding back a little.
Naruto's eyes grew wide seeing who jumped in and couldn't believe his eyes. "Lee!? What're you doing here, you're supposed to be back home resting!?"
"I was cleared by Lady Tsunade and was told of the situation and came straight here!" Lee said giving his signature wink and thumbs up.
'Who is this? Another one of the Leaf's reinforcements?'
"I'll take it from here Naruto, go after Sasuke and bring him home." Lee said turning and facing Kimimaro.
"Alright just be careful with him. He can increase the amount of calcium his body produces to create new bones from anywhere on his body." Naruto said looking ahead to where he saw Sasuke disappear. "Understood, I'll take things from here then." Lee said getting in his stance with one arm behind his back and the other extended out with the palm up.
Naruto started to take off and Kimimaro moved to block him but Lee moved much quicker than he thought he could and took a kick to the ribs making him skid across the ground and out of Naruto's way.
'Thanks Lee.' Naruto thought
'Good luck Naruto.' Lee thought and they both focused on the task at hand.
"So you wish to take that idiot's place. Doesn't matter to me, I'll eliminate you, then go and finish the other one." Kimimaro said
"We shall see about that." Lee said getting back in his usual stance. "Shall we begin?" Lee asked and Kimimaro nodded and just like that Lee was gone from his view and next thing he knew he was sent flying to the side thanks to a head kick from Lee.
Kimimaro got up and showed that at the last second he cushioned the blow with a thin layer of bone he summoned to his cheek and it was cracked.
"I must admit I didn't think you would be that fast. I'm impressed, but that'll be the last time you ever get one on me." Kimimaro said as the bone receded back into his skin.
Since Lee was much more adept at Taijutsu compared to Naruto he was able to go at a speed that Kimimaro was having a little difficulty keeping up with; but his moves were becoming too predictable and Kimimaro began shifting the tide of the battle and began pushing Lee back with perfectly timed counters and got Lee to trip up on his own feet while backing up.
Kimimaro tried doing the same move he did to Naruto extending a bone from his palm but Lee called for a timeout? "Wait please!" He said extending his hand and Kimimaro actually stopped since no one has ever asked for a stoppage in the heat of a battle unless they were begging for their life but Lee wasn't asking for a stoppage for that reason.
"I'm sorry, but it is time for me to take my medicine. I was hoping to finish this fight before needing to take it but I guess I got in over my head."
"Very well, make it quick." Kimimaro said backing off and allowing Lee to consume his medicine.
Back in Konoha
"YOU WHAT!" Guy yelled at Tsunade.
"What's the big deal Guy, Lee took his medicine with him to fight. It was against my orders but he was so headstrong who was I to stop him." She said
"You're the Hokage that's who! But that's not important! You said you had a bottle of sake with you when you last checked on him right?" Guy asked
"Yeah so what, he's old enough to drink and I doubt he thought my sake was his medicine." Tsunade said as they walked to the room Lee was recovering in.
"I need to make sure he didn't take the bottle of sake with him, if he did…" Guy trailed off in horror.
"What happens?" Tsunade asked with her eyes narrowed.
"He becomes an unstoppable machine, even I can't restrain him on my own. It doesn't even take much sake to enter his system, just the smallest drop will do the trick. He tore apart a small restaurant we were at for a team meal after a mission. It took more than myself, Neji and Tenten to finally get him restrained. Lady Tsunade you better pray he took the medicine with him. If not then we just let loose a weapon we can't control." Guy replied with fear in his voice as they finally arrived at Lee's former room.
When they walked in Guy became white as a ghost as he read the label on the bottle, "Medicine".
"Dear Kami, help us all." He said
"Damnit, I hope you don't do something stupid Lee." Tsunade said under her breath.
Battle site
Lee drank down his dosage and noticed it tasted different and it burned as it went down his throat.
"I don't remember my medicine tasting like this the last time I…took…it." Lee said as he began stumbling toward the end of his sentence and his cheeks became flushed along with his eyes starting to close.
'What did he drink?' Kimimaro wondered seeing as Lee was definitely not acting like himself.
Lee instantly went on the offensive thinking Kimimaro gave him a weird look. "Wh-What're…what're you looking at huh?" Lee asked wobbling around after stopping his attack and then going right back into it.
Kimimaro didn't realize he was dealing with a natural born Drunken Fist Master. His moves that were once so predictable were now impossible to see. Every attack Kimimaro used was blocked and countered perfectly by Lee.
This kept going on for about 10 minutes with Kimimaro not knowing what to do until Lee just…fell asleep?
Kimimaro peered over at the sleeping Leaf shinobi and couldn't believe he actually fell asleep in the middle of a fight.
'What the hell is he?' Kimimaro thought and couldn't react fast enough to Lee punching him square in the nose sending him back covering his nose. "Why you little-" He replied before realizing Lee was still asleep. 'How did he perfectly land a punch on me without being awake?' He wondered, 'No matter I'll finish this right now.' He thought extending bone from his palm and went to stab Lee in the head but Lee moved his head out the way, eyes closed and still seemingly asleep.
'W-WHAT THE HELL!'
Again and again Kimimaro tried to stab Lee in various spots but Lee kept moving out the way perfectly even rolling from side to side to avoid getting hit.
Kimimaro was in utter disbelief at what was happening and in his stupor Lee got up spinning and landed a back hand to Kimimaro who traded by extending his bone just a little more and swiping across to scrape his cheek drawing blood and almost instantly getting Lee to sober up.
"What happened to me? Why am I bleeding?" Lee asked
'He doesn't even know what happened!?'
"Enough games, time to finish this so I can kill your friend and ensure Sasuke makes it to Lord Orochimaru." Kimimaro said coldly.
Kimimaro had multiple new bones protrude from his forearm and sharp enough to slice through anything extend past his fist as he threw a punch straight for Lee who couldn't react fast enough.
Lee came to terms that this would be the end for him unfortunately, but fate wasn't done with the green spandex wearing ninja just yet as a wall of sand blocked Kimimaro's punch getting the two combatants to raise their eyebrows in surprise.
'This is-' Lee thought as his head snapped to behind him to see Gaara.
"Gaara?"
Gaara merely looked at Lee then to Kimimaro. Lee was able to get up as Kimimaro jumped back to distance himself from the newest opponent. Lee got right back into his fighting stance and was ready to go. For Gaara he saw that Lee was ready to jump right back into the fire and noticed the blood on some blades of grass and it reminded him of when he killed for pleasure and for his "mother".
"I'll handle this." Gaara said looking blankly at Kimimaro.
"No please do not interfere this is still my fight. Please just back me up." Lee said jogging out in front to show he was the one to fight but Gaara motionlessly send his sand to grab Lee by the ankle and make him fall into more sand.
"Just let go of me please!" Lee yelled back before wincing in pain.
"Well you're not doing anything in your present state; I've got this." Gaara said walking calmly as sand came out his gourd.
"Just don't let your guard down, he uses his bones to attack, being able to protrude them from his body for offense and defense." Lee replied from on the ground.
"Interesting, a weapon that serves as his offense and defense at the same time." Gaara mused
"You must be Gaara of the Desert; hence the name." Kimimaro said seeing more sand come out of his gourd.
'That sand is a strong defense, but definitely not a close combat fighter, but it'll be difficult to get in close.' Kimimaro thought as little bones started to break the skin on his fingertips and Gaara saw this and countered accordingly with his sand to go after Kimimaro who just jumped in the air and launched them yelling, "Digital Shrapnel!"
All the tiny fingertip bones were speeding to Gaara who quickly used more sand to block them right in their path. Gaara went on the offensive sending sand after the Sound ninja to get a hold of him but Kimimaro was dodging his attack perfectly and countering while moving around with more fingertip bones being launched which Gaara would let hit a wall of sand. Not a single move was wasted Lee noted in Kimimaro's movement.
'This level of taijutsu is incredible, every move he does has a purpose whether to evade or setup his counter. Incredible.'
"Gaara of the Desert huh, kind of a foolish nickname isn't it, you're nothing without that sand of yours!" Kimimaro said countering some more.
"Sand Shower." Gaara replied as a cloud of sand began to rain down on Kimimaro who never noticed it collecting up there. The Kaguya clan member tried to move out of its range but found two arms of sand wrapping his ankles up as the sand rain kept pelting him and gathering around him and up his legs.
"As long as I have it I can do anything. The only fool here is you! If I need more sand I can simply use the earth we're standing on to make more." The redhead continued as a small tornado of sand swirled around the bone user.
'Of course, he's been feeding his sand under the ground and grinding it up, creating new and unlimited sand for this fight.' Lee thought impressed at how much Gaara has grown in such a short amount of time that it was almost unreal.
"You did it." Lee said getting excited that the fight was over. "Not yet, Sand Burial!" Gaara said closing his extended hand into a fist as his sand crushed the target and blood began pouring out of the sand.
"When I look at this guy he reminds me of him, Uchiha, his eyes are the same as Sasuke. Seeking to prove the existence of their own existence." Gaara said.
Elsewhere Naruto was still chasing after Sasuke as they were approaching their fated battlefield The Valley of the End.
Back with Gaara and Lee, Kimimaro activated his curse mark to go to the first stage as he remembered who he was. Soon he fought his way out of the sand revealing his form. Parts of skin were gone and you could see the bone below. His curse mark were a bunch of vertical and horizontal lines going north and south.
"More bones, he a monster, a freak." Gaara said getting ready for the fight to continue once more.
"Well he's certainly a nuisance." Lee added
"I admit I underestimated you but I assure you that'll be the last time I get caught in your sand." Kimimaro said and Gaara just got into a wider stance and began going through a bunch of seals as the wind kicked up and sand began coming out of the ground. "Sand tsunami!" Gaara yelled and Kimimaro did his best to avoid it but got caught up in the literal tsunami of pure sand and it spread to the surrounding forest carving it up.
"This time for sure, you had to have done it!" Lee said
"Not yet, Giant Sand Burial!" Gaara said slamming his palms onto the sand and getting it to increase the pressure of the sand to crush anything within it. It created its own miniature earthquake and Lee noted his growth once more.
"Why won't he give up?" Gaara asked which surprised Lee.
Below the sand Kimimaro's curse mark advanced once more turning his skin to a shade of grey and he grew a tail. His eyes and sclera changed color; he didn't even look human anymore, especially with 6 bones protruding from his back. When he emerged Gaara tried to trap him in another Sand Coffin but he seemingly walked right through it and began sprinting at them with his new form.
"W-What is he!?" Lee exclaimed at the appearance of the sound ninja.
Gaara kept trying to send more sand to crush him but Kimimaro was too fast for him so he decided to put a wall of sand up but Kimimaro went right through and slammed his shoulder into Gaara sending him back and cracking his armored shell.
Lee tried to intervene and attack but Kimimaro swatted him away like a bug, but Gaara acted quickly getting sand to come between them and softening the blow, but Lee knew he needed to stay out of this fight.
"I'm growing tired of this sand so I'll take you out first Gaara." He said as he pulled his spine out of his back. And used it like a whip to wrap around Gaara who put up sand around him to protect him. Kimimaro then used the four bones coming from his forearm to spiral and grow into a giant spear.
"This is bone is my strongest, it'll bore right through you defenses and all." Kimimaro claimed and tried to hold back a cough that he knew all too well. 'Damnit, I don't have much time left. Going into this form is cutting my lifespan. I need to end this quickly.
"Shukaku's Shield!" Gaara said as a smaller version of Shukaku came up from the ground with its stomach being the striking point of the spine from Kimimaro.
Kimimaro attacked with his bone spear trying to bore through and he was making progress as Gaara tried to hold it back, but one by one cracks were beginning to show on the bone spear and you could hear it crack before eventually flaking away.
"How can this happen!?"
"I took the strongest materials from the earth and fused them with my sand using chakra." "Tell me that's a kekkei genkai right?"
"It belonged to the Kaguya clan, but now belongs to me and me alone."
"So you're the last of your clan eh. Then your clan perishes today." Gaara replied
"That might very well be the case. My body has weakened and might not last much longer, however I will still live on, because I'm not alone."
"You're not alone you say."
"That's right, my existence has been subsumed into Lord Orochimaru's ambition, that means a part of me will survive in Lord Orochimaru's heart forever."
"He brainwashed you well, you sad little pawn." Gaara said as Shukaku disappeared and a sand whirlpool appeared beneath Kimimaro and began making him sink.
"I'll bury you 200 meters under the earth where pressure is so great you won't be able to move a finger in there until the end of time." Gaara said sending him under.
"Dance… Braken Dance!" Gaara heard from within the sand as towers of bone began shooting up from the ground. Covering the entire area and reaching him to the tops of the trees. Thanks to some quick thinking Gaara got himself and Lee out of harm's way floating on some sand above the newly created bone forest.
"Once again you show your incredible powers, thank you Gaara." Lee said
"I wouldn't call it incredible; I just have the sand do my bidding, it's second nature now." They looked out around them amazed at the power Kimimaro held.
Elsewhere Kimimaro was in a dark place with his seal lit up. "Lord Orochimaru forgive me." He said remembering back to their invasion of the Leaf and how his illness was catching up to him and he wasn't able to lead his team into combat. His seal now pulsing as Gaara's words rang in his head about being a pawn. "You're wrong! You're wrong!" Kimimaro yelled out remembering everything about Orochimaru.
"A tenacious opponent, but it's over. We won't being seeing him in this life." Gaara said
"Good." Lee replied nodding to his enemy turned comrade.
"My strength is gone, we must descend." Gaara said feeling weak.
"I am not his pawn! He is the one…the only one who ever gave my life meaning!" Kimimaro yelled appearing from of the towers of bone catching the duo off guard and unprepared to counter or react.
"But how could the likes of you ever understand that!" He yelled going in for the kill with his bone spear was stopped just short of Gaara's eye. Kimimaro of the Kaguya clan was officially dead. The Kaguya clan was now extinct.
After descending to the actual forest and resting against some trees they finally caught some rest and their breath. "It was sheer luck. I should've been killed."
"No, it was not meant to be. My sensei always says a good ninja makes his own luck."
"You mean that meddlesome mother hen."
"Guy sensei is nothing of the sort, he only stepped in that once and only because I was not strong enough. I am grateful to you for having saved my life but I will not let you speak ill of my sensei."
"So you're another one eh? You have someone in your life whom you honor and revere so much that every hurt inflicted on them is inflicted on you as well and the closer they are to you the greater the pain." Gaara said remembering Kimimaro's words.
"To feel so strongly for someone you'd fight for them and die for them. You and Naruto Uzumaki have this in common. However what if this person you honor and would even die for is not a virtuous person?" Gaara posed
"Impossible such a person would be unworthy of honor or respect." Lee strongly replied
"No perhaps the companionship of an evil person is preferable to loneliness." Gaara replied
The two thought about it while catching some more air for a while longer until Jiraiya, Temari and Shikamaru showed up.
"Gaara! You ok?" She asked her little brother looking worried.
"Yes, just a little tired from my fight…thank you." He replied
"Of course." Temari said hugging him.
"Lee!? What're you doing here!?" Shikamaru asked in shock.
"I came here to assist you guys on your mission. I couldn't sit by in the hospital while the rest of you were out on this mission, especially Neji risking his life. How is he?" Lee asked and it grew deathly silent.
"What?" Lee asked
"He's in critical condition Lee. He's already being taken back to the Leaf for Tsunade and Shizune to check out along with Choji and Kiba. Shikamaru is the only one who's come out okay with only a broken finger which he's put back in place. We didn't know you were out here but it seems like your help was an unforeseen necessity, so thank you. You two should head back to the Leaf to recover properly, especially you since I hear you just got out of surgery recently. You definitely shouldn't be moving around; Tsunade is an incredible medic but she can't instantly get you to 100% if you need surgery. There's only so much she can do before the body has to take over and heal on its own." Jiraiya said
"Shikamaru." Temari said looking at him seriously.
"What's up?" He asked
"I need you to go with them, back home. If something happens they're going to need a strategist who has recovered some chakra and stamina."
"Yeah, I can do that. Just make sure Naruto comes back home to us." He replied
"Don't worry about that. With Master Jiraiya and I going after him no matter how the fight ends he'll have family right there to help." She said getting Shikamaru to nod in respect.
"You got any more summons Master Jiraiya?" The Nara heir asked
"Yeah, don't worry about that one bit, I've got plenty of toads for us to use. I don't I've used this many before though for one mission." Jiriaya replied summoning another huge toad by the name of Gamahiro.
"Heya Hiro!" Jiraiya greeted with a grin.
"Jiraiya good to see you. I've heard the news from the others, anyone I need to take back?"
"Glad that you're filled in, I need you to take back those three. Get them to Tsunade and Shizune, they'll take it from there." Jiraiya said
"Anything I need to be careful about injury-wise?" Hiro asked
"No, just exhaustion and a broken finger that's been put back in place, thanks buddy." Jiraiya said as Gaara lifted them up to Gamahiro's head.
"Thank you." Gaara said shocking Shikamaru at how polite the redhead was, 'He's definitely changed, and it's thanks to Naruto.' Shikamaru thought to himself smiling.
"Alright get you ready you three, we're about to get goin!" Hiro said leaping away.
"You ready Temari?" Jiraiya asked but the blonde was clutching her chest where her heart is. She was frozen with her eyes wide.
"Hey you okay!?" He asked getting closer and could hear her breathing pick up in short rapid fashion. 'What the hell is going on? Is she having a panic attack?' He thought and helped her sit down.
"Everything alright down there?" Gamabunta asked
"I think she's having a panic attack; can you go back to Mt. Myoboku and get some of Ma's special tea?" Jiraiya asked
"Sure thing just give me a few minutes." Gamabunta said poofing away as Jiriaya held Temari's hand to try and get her to calm down, "Look at me, everything is going to be alright. Naruto is going to be alright. When the fight is over you'll be able to hold him in your arms again and we'll get him home, he'll get some time off where you can make sure he's alright and give him the comfort he still needs. Believe it or not he's doing his absolute best to open up to you and I had to make him realize the situation you were in too. You've done such a great job putting a smile on that idiot's face that I'm glad that I'll be able to call you my goddaughter in just a few years." Jiraiya said and noticed her breathing slowly come back to normal as she processed his words.
She immediately wrapped her arms around him hugging him and crying her eyes out. Neither one not knowing what the hell was going on since this was completely out of character for the normally serious and stoic kunoichi originating from Suna.
"I'm just so worried for him. I just can't help but feel like he's in trouble and he needs my help and I hate feeling helpless. This whole time we've been behind him not making any ground and even now I'm just wasting our time… damnit I'm so pathetic!" She cried
"Hey, enough of that crap of you being pathetic. You're one of the most promising kunoichi I've ever seen at your age. You and Naruto are going to do great things and you'll get that family that I know you've always wanted." "BUT WHAT ABOUT THIS FEELING! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M FEELING DO YOU!" She yelled at him as more tears streamed down her face as she tried to put on an angry face but couldn't.
"The sad thing is I do understand." Jiraiya said with a grim look. "A long time ago Orochimaru fled the Leaf. I was the only one who was sent after him and I tried my best to get him to come home. He was more than a friend to me and much more than simply a teammate; he was my brother and it hurt to see him turn his back on me and everyone else back home we considered family. I tried everything I could but I wasn't strong enough to bring him home. I know exactly what you're feeling, you're scared, worried, anxious and so much more all bottled up inside of you. I was the same way when I was chasing down Orochimaru and I haven't stopped chasing for him all these years later, I haven't given up hope on searching for him and bringing him home." Jiriaya said as Temari listened to him tell the story of his attempt to bring him home.
"I'm sorry Master Jiraiya I didn't mean to-"
"Nonsense. You don't need to apologize to me sweetheart, I've lived much longer, have seen much more so naturally I know much more. I don't blame you for yelling at me and I'm certainly not mad. I understand where you're coming from so there's no need for apologies okay Temari." He replied with a soft smile.
"Yeah." She said wiping her tears away and giving him a small smile back and Gamabunta appeared again with the tea.
"Ah good time Bunta." Jiraiya said
"As usual."
"Tell Ma I said thanks for this." Jiraiya said
"Already did, she said to make sure you come by more often." Bunta replied
"I'll try my best."
"Here drink up this'll help you calm down and give you back your energy." Jiraiya said handing a cup to Temari, "How can this relax me and energize me at the same time?" She asked
"Honestly… no clue, Toad secret. Even I don't know and I've been contracted to them for years." Jiriaya said putting emphasis on the word 'years'.
"Wow, well I guess I shouldn't question it then huh?" She replied
"Yup, and before you ask, yes it actually works." He said drinking some down himself.
"Hey Jiraiya, I've got some news from Konoha by the way." Bunta said
"Yeah? What is it?" The white haired sage asked.
"The one called Choji is in surgery with Tsunade right now and the Hyuga boy, uh what was his name?" "Neji." Temari replied
"Yes, yes, Neji that's it. Lady Shizune is working on him right now too. The others should be close to home by now."
"Okay thanks for the update buddy. Stay ready to move out any minute okay?" Jiraiya requested
"You know me." He replied as he took a look at Kimimaro's handy work and thought about clearing it out so they'd have a path. Slowly but surely Gamabunta was cutting down that bone forest until it looked like an open clearing.
The Valley of the End
Naruto and Sasuke stood on the huge statue heads of Hashirama and Madara respectively. "Sasuke… don't do this." Naruto begged
"Just stay out of my way dumbass." Sasuke spat back.
"So be it." Naruto quietly said before launching across the waterfall with his right arm cocked back. Sasuke followed suit with his left arm cocked back. Sasuke avoided Naruto's attack in midair while landing his punch to Naruto cleanly sending him to the lake below; but Naruto wasn't going down that easily as he threw some ninja wire and got it to wrap around Sasuke's waist and pulled hard enough to send Sasuke face first into the water before he fell in.
After a few seconds they both surfaced and climbed out onto the water and were just staring at each other. Neither one making a move until a leaf dropped onto the water.
In an instant the two met in the middle with their right forearms slamming into each other and two audible cracks were but neither one acknowledged it as anger and hate were filled in the eyes of Naruto and Sasuke respectively. Naruto quickly followed it up with a left knee to the ribs sending Sasuke towards the waterfall.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke yelled sending a huge fireball back to the Uzumaki while flying back and landing on the waterfall and pushing off to get behind it. Naruto dodge to the right but Sasuke predicted this and landed two quick punches to the face followed by a spinning side kick to the stomach and sending him crashing into a cliff wall and falling into the water.
Sasuke began to walk away breathing a little more than he thought he should as he looked down at the water looking at himself he the water change colors from blue to crimson. Sasuke breath caught in his throat and he slowly turned to where Naruto fell into the water and saw it boiling. The water exploded and a cyclone shot up into the sky with Naruto on top of it and after a while it slowly died down and lowered the blond to the surface of the lake.
Naruto was sitting on his shins looking blankly up at the sky wondering just what happened to make Sasuke go this way. Was it his fault? Was it because he never reached out to him when they were little kids? So many questions swirled through his mind as he thought back to all the times he was younger and the interactions he had with Sasuke.
His head slowly fell down and he locked eyes with the raven haired boy. They stared into each other's souls until Naruto's eyes went from blue to red and his pupils became that of the Nine Tails. Not only that but a crimson colored chakra began to cover Naruto's body and it was bubbling like boiling water. Naruto's canines elongated and he crouched down like a fox ready to strike its prey. The sheer heat Naruto was giving off was creating steam from his hands and feet.
Naruto let out a snarl and in an instant he was gone. The surface of the water barely moving. The next Sasuke knew he was being sent back and felt a pain in his chest. He looked down to see a slash mark and blood leaking out. Naruto had struck him and he didn't register until far after it happened. Naruto moved in again at a blinding speed punching Sasuke right on one of the slash marks.
Sasuke would've screamed out in agony but he slammed right into the cliff opposite of where he sent Naruto and spat up blood and heard some cracks and felt his ribs flare up in pain. 'Shit, first my arm and now a couple ribs. He isn't playing around this time.' Sasuke thought as he noticed the slight bulge in Naruto's forearm disappear. 'He can heal broken bones!'
Naruto let out a beastly scream that shook the surface of the water and made any living creatures nearby flea in fear. Once more Naruto charged in as Sasuke tried to climb out of the human shaped crater he was put in but was instantly sent even deeper into the cliff courtesy of Naruto's fist.
This time the Uchiha felt his sternum crack and his breathing became ragged. 'Shit, he's going to kill me at this rate, not bring me back.' He thought right before a crimson claw pulled him out of the hole and sent him skipping across the water's surface like a smooth stone.
"Guess I have no choice but to use it." Sasuke said activating his Sharingan. Naruto began moving erratically not giving Sasuke a clear indication of where his attack was coming from and this led to the Uchiha get beat even more. A broken nose, severely bruised right thigh, possibly a ruptured liver and stomach later Sasuke stood against the cliff he sent Naruto into looking down at the water trying to catch his breath.
"It's no use, no matter the distance it won't matter if I can't see him coming." He said in anger as he began channeling more chakra to his whole body to hopefully reinforce it from further damage and to go longer.
"IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT NARUTO! TO KILL ME! IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CAN ANYWAYS, YOU HAVE AN UNUSUAL POWER, BUT IT'S NOTHING I CAN'T HANDLE!" He yelled down pissing off the Jinchuriki even more who only screamed even louder than before.
Naruto charged in just like he has been but this time was different. Sasuke could finally see Naruto moving and could see his attacks. 'I've got you now!' Sasuke dodged every punch Naruto threw and on the last one he slipped his guard, got behind him, wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist ignoring the burning sensation he felt and suplexed Naruto headfirst into the cliffside and the result was the blond's body going limp.
"Stay down this time damnit." Sasuke said as he dropped to the water's surface once more and laid down looking up at the sky to catch his breath. 'He put up a better fight than I ever thought possible.'
Naruto's body slowly began to peel out of the hole and falling to the water. Sasuke looked closely and noticed Naruto was looking dead into his soul. 'Shit!' He thought jumping back as Naruto landed on the water upright. Sasuke charged in for a change and began his lion's barrage and successfully landed all the hits he needed.
Sasuke landed on water and was ready to charge in but Naruto appeared from the water pissed to hell and swiped his arm and it was so strong he created a wave that was going towards Sasuke and It towered over the Uchiha. Sasuke didn't know how to avoid it and didn't see the chakra arm construct burst a hole straight through the wave latching onto Sasuke and slamming him back into the cliffside. Sasuke again coughed up more blood and wondered just how much longer this was going to continue. Two more chakra arms grabbed onto the cliffside and acted like a slingshot pulling Naruto towards him.
'Gotta move damnit! MOVE!' Sasuke thought seeing Naruto coming in with a right punch and just as he got in range Sasuke used a left upper kick than slammed into his jaw sending him back. Sasuke jumped out of the hole grabbing a kunai from his pouch and plunging it in Naruto's stomach all the way to the hilt and pushing off before performing another jutsu. "Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" Sasuke yelled and the flames enveloped the blond Uzumaki as he fell into the water with a huge splash. "Chidori!" Sasuke said and let the lightning touch the water and everything in the water got electrocuted. Sasuke kept at it for a whole minute to make sure he got Naruto.
It was a long minute for Sasuke but when it passed he let it go and began walking away. Naruto slowly climbed out of the water and called out to him, "Where do you think you're going? I'm not done yet, you're coming home." Naruto said with obviously burns on his body.
Naruto climbed out of the water and stood by the foot of Hashirama while Sasuke stood by his ancestor's. Both Leaf shinobi were breathing heavy, burnt, bloody and broken beyond belief. Normal humans would've died or passed out at this point but sheer will with a hint of adrenaline was keeping these two going.
"Just stay out of my way damnit! You have nothing! From the very beginning you were on your own! You don't know what it's like to have that taken away from you! Especially from your own brother!" He yelled as his curse mark advanced to its second stage.
"You're right. I have been on my own for a long time. But I created bonds and you're one of them! I can't just let you walk away from us Sasuke!" Naruto yelled holding his right hand open charging up a Rasengan while Sasuke charged up a Chidori in his left.
The two jumped at each other and collided attacks. Neither one was giving an inch and soon a black orb encased the two and soon expanded and forced the water falling to be redirected over the orb. The black mass soon began turning white and in the middle Sasuke had his arm plunged through Naruto chest with the Chidori still screaming.
"I'm…I'm sorry Sasuke. I really am. Go ahead…finish the job." Naruto said with the light fading from his crimson eyes and Sasuke was shook to the core. Naruto was apologizing and practically begging for death.
Sasuke stopped the jutsu and pulled his arm out and let Naruto fall coldly to the ground and unconscious. Sasuke looked down at him and soon rain started to fall and his headband came undone, clanking next to the blond's head.
After that Sasuke was gone, he successfully fled to Orochimaru. Naruto was finally found by Jiraiya and Temari 10 minutes after Sasuke left. Temari was the first to reach him and was frozen seeing the hole in his chest and the blood that was streaming into the water. Jiraiya's body went cold, he felt exactly like he did when Nawaki died. How would Tsunade react!? He thought but pushed it aside when Temari screamed in horror and got down begging Naruto to get up.
Jiraiya created a clone and he walked up to Temari and put a hand on her shoulder and she turned around and clung to the Sage and bawled her eyes out begging him to save Naruto. Jiraiya scooped her up while his clones picked up the boy and it was heavier than normal and felt lifeless. "We're losing him." The clone said and Jiraiya placed Temari on Gamabunta's head and came back going through some hand signs and when he finished he touched Naruto's head and he froze his body in time. Blood was no longer leaking; his body was now sealed in time."
They quickly hopped on Gamabunta and made for home. It took two hours with Gamabunta pushing his legs as hard as he could. When they made it to the gates Temari was finally awake and composed as best as she could, not being able to look at her near dead fiancé. They hopped off and made off to the hospital bursting through the door calling for Tsunade.
Tsunade was down the hall and heard Jiraiya calling her name with authority. Tsunade came down the hall to see a broken Naruto covered in blood. "This way." Tsunade said getting her medic side going.
Naruto was in surgery for hours but Tsunade couldn't fully heal him. His broken sternum wasn't healing and she didn't know why. She tried over and over but it was like his body was rejecting the healing force. She couldn't figure it out, if this was a normal human it would accept the chakra but why was he not accepting it? Then it hit her, The Kyuubi. Something was going on internally that the Kyuubi was purposely rejecting the chakra for whatever reason.
Tsunade decided to gamble on the Kyuubi wanting to heal him on his own. She exited the room to see Temari waiting with longing eyes. "He's out of the way, but I think the Kyuubi doesn't want me to heal his broken Sternum. Why? I have not clue, but he's out of harms way. I just don't know how long it'll take for him to wake." She said sitting down and hugging her fellow blonde who tried her best not to cry.
"I wish I could have better news for you and stay longer but I need to check on the other's from the mission. Keep in touch okay sweetheart." Tsunade said walking away to making sure Choji is still okay and that Neji is done with surgery.
"I'm sorry Temari." A voice said and the blonde turned to see Shikamaru looking at the ground.
"What?" she replied
"I-I'm sorry. I should've been better on this mission. I failed and now Naruto is in trouble. I-I'm so sorry." He said breaking down.
Temari stood up and walked over to him getting him to look her in the eyes. Her eyes were strong and held little emotion. She slapped him hard across his face getting him to look back in shock.
"Don't you remember your psychological training? With every mission comes sacrifice." Temari said
"Training and reality are two different things." The Nara heir replied. "I thought I knew about missions, what it meant to be a shinobi. Now after this mission, my first as a squad leader, only one things clear; I'm just not cut out to be a shinobi." He continued
*sigh* "Honestly all you men have such fragile egos."
"I thought all I had to do was depend on everyone else for this mission, some leader. I should've done more…I just didn't have the strength." He said balling his fist up. "It's all my fault." He said and Temari narrowed her eyes, "You afraid of getting hurt?" She replied and this froze Shikamaru for couple of seconds before he turned to walk away.
As he walked down the hallway his father was leaning against a wall that would take him in a different direction in the hospital. "Shikamaru." Shikaku said and his son stopped.
"A girl disrespects you like that and you just walk away?" He challenged
"You bet I do. Standing around and arguing just isn't my thing. That's something girls like to do." He countered
"And what're you? You're not a man that's for sure. As far as I see you're nothing more than a coward." The man pressed.
Temari could hear the whole conversation and slightly felt bad for him. This was the lowest point in his young shinobi life and he's already getting railed by his own family. It was different if she did it because she isn't family so he can brush it off but coming from family is sure to stick and sting more.
"You think if you quit missions will just stop? Someone's gotta do it. Your comrades will be sent out again on other missions with someone else leading them. They'll face the same risks and some of them might not make it. Ones you might have saved had you been there to lead them. How are you going to feel then? You've got a chance to reflect on your mistakes and to learn from them. Use your failures to make yourself a better leader. You won't help your friends by running away, instead make yourself stronger for their sake. So that the next mission goes perfectly and everyone gets back safe. The choice is simple, you're either a leader or coward…so which are you?" Shikaku said
For an entire hour Shikamaru stood there contemplating everything his father said to him and also what Temari said. Tsunade came back to check on Temari and saw Shikamaru and decided to deliver some good news for him. "Choji's alright and out of harm's way. He'll make a full recovery. I have to thank you Shikaku for the invaluable research your clan has done. It was extremely detailed and helpful." She said
"Thank you." Shikaku replied
Just seconds later Shizune came running down the hall since she heard Naruto made it back. She saw her master and decided to report the news on her end. "Lady Tsunade! Neji Hyuga is set to make a full recovery!" "Good." Tsunade replied, "What about Naruto and Master Jiraiya?" She inquired to her master.
"Jiraiya is alright, same with Temari and her siblings. Naruto was in critical damage with a hole in his chest and some burns but I've healed him. The only left is for his tenant to heal his sternum, but he's out of harms way." The older blonde said.
"I've also gotten a report that Kiba and Akamaru are alright and resting in the Inuzuka compound and are set to make a full recovery." Shizune said getting her master to nod in approval.
"Shikamaru Nara!" Tsunade called out, "Your mission was a failure. However everyone's alive and that's the most important thing." She said with a small smile.
Shikamaru was now crying tears of relief hearing that none of his friends had been lost for nothing. "Next time the mission will go perfectly." He said sobbing
A couple of days passed and Temari spent everyday staying with Naruto and waiting everyday to see if he would wake. Around morning time 4 days after Naruto woke but it wasn't normal. His eyes were still crimson red with slitted pupils. Immediately in a blind rage he slammed Temari into the wall with his hand around his throat Temari lifting her off the ground and choking the life out of her as her eyes were filled with fear. Jiriaya burst into the room and slapped a seal onto him Naruto forcefully sealing away the demon chakra and Naruto collapsed with his head banging off the tile floor.
Temari massaged her throat and was trying to catch her breath and regain her bearings. "What the hell was that?" She asked
"Seems like when he went unconscious the Nine Tails was still in control and didn't give up control when he woke." The Sannin replied
"What's different about what you did?"
"I sealed it away. It's completely different. I forced the chakra back to where it should be; in the seal. When he wakes he'll be normal." Jiraiya said setting him on the bed again.
"Go ahead and get some rest kid, and just so you know I'm going to offer him a chance to get stronger. He'll go on a training trip with me for 3 years and I'll work him into the ground. Just giving you a heads up." Jiraiya said as Temari made her way out of the room.
"Temari." Jiraiya called out. "He'll get it under control and master the chakra of the fox." Temari could only nod and turned to walk away still freaked out at what just happened.
3 more days passed and Naruto finally woke up and Jiriaya was right there when he woke. "Glad you finally woke up. Remember anything?" Jiraiya asked and Naruto thought back and a memory of his hand choking Temari flooded his mind and guilt just washed over him and he immediately began looking around until Jiraiya put a firm hand on his shoulder to center him. "Relax, she's at home training."
"Did I? Did I really attack her?" He asked tears brimming.
"Depends on your perspective. You physically; yes. You consciously; no. The fox was in control when it happened; but that doesn't excuse you not having control of the chakra inside of you. Which is why-" "Teach me! Take me under your wing again and teach me! I need to get stronger; I need to control the Nine Tails power." He said with eyes begging the older man.
"I don't know kid. You think you can handle being on the road and training one on one with a Sannin?" he asked
"I don't have a choice; I have to get stronger so I can protect everyone and bring back Sasuke!"
"Glad to hear." Jiraiya said taking out a scroll and unsealing some of his clothes. "Put these on and check out. We leave now." Jiraiya said looking at the wide eyed teen with a huge smile on his face. "What about Temari?" He asked
"No time to say goodbye to anyone. Get your clothes on and let's go. We need every second we can to train together; unless you really don't want to." Jiraiya said smirking and Naruto got dressed in an instant and left to the front desk of the hospital to be discharged.
"So what's the plan Pervy-sage?" He asked with a grin and getting the Sannin to groan, "Just when I thought you'd stop calling me that."
"Hehe. Gotta keep you on your toes." Naruto replied as the two laughed walking away from their home and getting ready for their 3 year training trip.
End Chapter
Well shit finally I got this done. Took me forever to find the motivation to come around and finish this chapter especially when I got to the Naruto-Sasuke fight. Nevertheless I still got it done and I'm excited we get to begin the Shippuden portion of this story.
So you guys know the normal spiel Review! Fav and Follow myself and the story to get notified as soon as it drops. Thank you for the patience of putting out this chapter and hope you enjoy it!