Determination.
Such burning, unyielding determination.
It almost took on a life of its own, swirling unseen around the running figure, a wraith matching his every step.
Anger.
Seething, pulsing anger.
Even the writhing tentacles of red chakra seemed to have a fury all their own.
Hatred
Icy cold, like great needles in his heart.
The only thing that keep the darkness from overwhelming him was the hatred for his enemy and the love that he felt for his precious one. Love was what made him strong before. Hate was what made him unstoppable now.
Fear.
Slavering, growling, thirsting for control.
Biting and snapping at his heals, it spurred him on. It could not bring him down. Not now. Never again. It was the enemy's turn to know fear.
R-U-N!
He was running. He was running like never before. He was running like he might never run again.
L-O-O-K!
His senses were expanding further and further, like a fireball blossoming from an explosion. Sight. Sound. Smell. He would find his enemy before they knew it. They may think that they were prepared, but they would soon find out otherwise.
G-E-T R-E-A-D-Y!
"I'm coming Hinata!"
When Naruto had fought Gaara, there had come a point when he decided that he would accept death, just as long as he could save Sakura. That feeling was nothing compared to the promise he made himself now. He would save Hinata, no matter the cost to himself. Not only would he risk a battle that might well leave him dead, he was prepared to used the jutsus that would guarantee his demise.
Akatsuki had asked for this. They had thrown but a pebble. It had started rocks rolling down the hill. The avalanche would bury them once and for all.
I DO NOT WISH TO PERISH
"You don't have a choice! If I win, we might both live. Keep this in mind: You screw with me, and I will take you down for sure.'
For the fist time in eons, Kyuubi felt fear. But, that did not last long. The great demon would fight too, in its own way.
WE ARE NOT FRIENDS. I DETEST YOU, AND WOULD GLADLY TEAR YOUR TENDONS FROM YOUR BONES. BUT, WE WILL HUNT TOGETHER, YOU AND I.
"Great. Just keep that chakra coming. Your reputation is on the line here, bastard fox! If you chicken out, they'll be selling stuffed Nine Tails in the gift shops…"
A sense of animal hunger filled Naruto. He opened his mouth and howled. He felt an insatiable thirst for blood. He wanted to rip, tear, and rend, burying his muzzle in the belly of the one who had kidnapped Hinata.
He wanted to hear the crunch of bones between his teeth. He wanted to hear... he wanted... to hear... he... wanted... to... hear...
The last gurgling breath.
NOW YOU UNDERSTAND
"Yes!"
Naruto had no tendency towards unnecessary violence or cruelty. His goal had never been to cause pain in his adversaries. Just the same, he realized that there could be great joy and satisfaction in destruction, when the ones who were destroyed were evil and deserving.
Day after day... month after month... year after year... he had been storing up anger since before he could walk. There would be an outlet for that tonight. They would pay. Each and every one of those bastards would pay. For their actions, and for all the hardships that other people had piled upon him before now.
"I'm coming Hinata. Hold on!"
Naruto's body ran on its own. His conscious thoughts pictured the small parchment scroll he had unrolled in the forest.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Uzumaki Naruto, chosen vessel for the Kyuubi
You are under constant scrutiny. We know your every action. Our spies and sympathizers are not who they might seem. Take heed!
We have the girl. Hyuuga Hinata. She lives, for now.
Seek help from others, and you kill the girl. Delay in meeting our demands, and you give those who have such desires permission to partake in her body.
Stand before us on Mount Monado, before the dawning of the moon two days hence, and the girl shall be released.
Come with a spirit of humbleness and acquiescence. You have no hope to defeat us, but your defiance may kill the one you hold dear.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Bastards."
Those heartless bastards. They were scum of the earth. No doubt they would kill Hinata regardless, if they hadn't killed her already. A swift and decisive victory was her only chance.
"You feel any desire for humbleness, damn fox?"
NO
"Acquiescence?"
NONE
"Good."
AND YOU, INSECT?
"Sure. After they're all dead..."
The sun was going down. As if painted by a celestial artist's brush, unspeakably beautiful colors spread across the sky and distant landscape. Violet and heliotrope clouds were drifting further apart, as if fleeing the coming Armageddon.
The soil beneath Naruto's feet changed in texture and hue. Loam gave way to small rocks and dirt. Small rocks and dirt became huge slabs of basalt and granite. Green and brown gave way to gray and black. But, as the great orb came close to passing below the horizon, the land beneath him took on a reddish tint, as if a dam had burst open, spilling blood down the mountainside.
Naruto smiled. It was surreal.
It was also fitting.
Trees were replaced by shrubs, and shrubs were replaced by tall weeds, patches of lichen, and mounds of moss. Here and there, great scraggly clumps of vegetation burst free of the ground like bony hands The wind whistling through them played a haunting and forlorn tune.
This tract of land, in a desolate stretch between the Land of Fire and the Land of Winds, was riddled with caves, cliff faces, and outcrops. The shape of the tortured rock, thrown up in fierce tectonic conflicts eons ago, seemed hideous and misshapen. It all looked like something from a dream.
No. From a nightmare!
The enemy could be anywhere. They could be everywhere. He would seek out their heat. The stone was so cold, they should stand out, unless they were hiding deep beneath the earth. There were other methods at his command, only possible because of his huge reservoir of energy.
"Kage Bunsgin No Jutstu, mega many clones!" Dozens of Narutos popped into view, their arrival marked by numerous mushroom-shaped clouds of smoke. "Henge!" Some turned into hawks, their wings beating hard against the thinning mountain air. Others became jackals, foxes, and wild dogs, rushing down ever hole, crevice, and cave opening in view. No small number became bats. Fast-flying insects followed in their wake.
"Hinata," Naruto whispered, almost in prayer.
His clones were not the only spies out. Great hounds, their necks encircled by wicked spiked collars, caught the scent of Naruto and his advanced scouts. Men on large kites called out to unseen comrades, tossing flares and incendiary globes to mark the area of the shinobi's approach.
"Shit! They had to know I was here sooner or later. Come on guys, somebody find her!"
Pulling his hand out of his weapons pouch, Naruto performed Kage Bunshin again, directing his replicas to fill the air with spinning shuriken. The kite-men shouted in fear and dismay as the ropes controlling their craft were severed, causing them to flutter out of control before plummeting to their death.
Kunai in hand, the clones all sacrificed themselves in continuous numbers while taking down the blood-thirsty mastiffs and lion hounds heading his way. Naruto realized that he had a huge advantage. The enemy no doubt had orders to capture him without killing him. The dogs were likely trained to bring down prey without ravaging it. Fortunately, he did not have to operate under the same set of restrictions. While that might not offset the fact that the enemy knew this area and he did not, he would take anything that he could get.
Rockets shrieked as they shot upward, their twisted streamers forming web-like lines against the darkening sky. Yes, there was no doubt now. Everybody would know that he was here.
"Well then, let's make doubly sure, then!"
Men on foot were pelting down the hill, each carrying some form of barbed net or sack lined with fish hooks. Those would burn. So might the clothing and capes they wore.
"Kage Bunshin No Jutsu!" More Narutos. "Ready guys?" The original Naruto grinned when his copies all gave him a thumbs up. "Foxfire!"
He could feel the energy shooting forth from him. Each clone was surrounded by a greedy glowing nimbus of flame. They headed towards the rushing foes, catching them and their burdens on fire. The agonized screams of burning men formed a ghastly counterpoint to the sound of whining and yelping dogs.
"Hah! Are we having fun yet?" Naruto laughed. He didn't expect an answer.
He slowed. One man was rolling on the ground, his flames nearly extinguished. Naruto put his foot on the soldier's neck, then attempted to take possession of him. Bingo! Now, to pluck forth knowledge from the man's mind. Naruto had chose him because he looked like a leader. He was. Nonetheless, he knew nothing of Akatsuki's plans, and had no knowledge of their precise whereabouts. He tried other men. No one knew where the Nine ninjas were. Afraid of their leaders, most did not want to know.
"Nobody said it was going to be easy!"
ABOVE!
Kyuubi's warning was timely. A dark shape was descending rapidly. Naruto had mistaken it for another kite. It was not. It was a bat-like figure, a man with a huge rigid wing-like cloak.
"Naughty naughty boy. It's time to show you who you're up against!" Horrible cackling laughter filled the night. "Yup yup yup! You... are... mine..." The first Akatsuki member had made his presence known. He was alone, but Naruto had no doubt that others would be near. They would have no need to fight as couplets, if there were many in the general vicinity.
Damn! He hadn't located Hinata yet.
Countless small kunai and daggers fell from beneath the flying man's cloak, each trailing an explosive scroll. Behind them, a number of glass globes fell, the sloshing liquid within them making them wobble through the air.
Bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam… boom.. boom.. boom...
BOOM... BOOM... BOOM... B-O-O-M!
Naruto found himself thrown hard to the ground, rolling down a slope of jagged rocks.. Blood srickled down into his eyes and mouth. The taste of it fueled his fury even more. Hurting, he picked himself up, cringing from the pain of broken ribs. Moving in a near blur, he just managed to avoid a weighted net falling from above.
"You cannot escape, young rabbit. But run anyway, if it makes you happy! Yup yup yup!" Naruto's keen eyesight told him that the swooping enemy was working hand seals. He had to be prepared for anything.
Short jagged bolts of chakra enemy cut through the air. One hit a glancing blow on his arm. The limb trembled with electric pain. The shock made its way along the nerves to his head. For a moment, he felt as if he were going to black out. He couldn't take too much of that.
It was time for his counter-attack. Creating a realm, he sent a single clone ahead as a decoy. Inside the small pocket of alternate reality, more clones flashed into being, holding shurikens in their hands. Concentrating, Naruto set each weapon aflame with foxfire. Then, they all left the realm at the very same instant..
"Do it!" The clones sent the flaming blades up in a great sheet of small shooting stars. Some caught the flying ninja's cloak on fire. Others detonated the flammable materials in his makeshift bombs.
"Shit...shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit..." The screeching voice of the airborne Akatsuki member passed out of earshot. Naruto ran upward, easily keeping out of the way of the remaining foot soldiers.
STOP!
Naruto slid to a stop, tearing a layer of leather off of the bottom of his boots. Kyuubi's warning had come just in time.
"Found her!" One hawk clone called out Hinata's location just before it ceased to exist.
Naruto couldn't act on that yet. The youma's warning had come for a reason.
"I will not prove so easy, fool!" A great dark shape burst out of the ground, looking like some form of jagged and malignant growth. Great leaf-like collars surrounded the cruel visage, with its angular lines and deep set eyes. "We had expected more from you. But, no matter." A wrinkled and stunted hand made a brushing motion on the long black robe he wore. Quickly… almost in the blink of an eye… a large number of tendrils sprouted from the ground around Naruto. These rapidly became creeping rootlets... And then huge swaying roots... each with tiny hairlike projections waving to and fro.
"How?" Naruto gasped, as the great structures spun him around, wrapping tightly around him like string on a spool. "There's… only… rock… around… here…"
"Dim wit. There are cracks in the stone, more than anyone can count. They are filled with rock dust and dirt, enough for a skilled master to use. I'm not allowed to kill you, but you would be amazed at just how much pain you can live through!" The roots began constricting, like bark-covered pythons. The rubbing of the rootlets even made a hissing sound.
"Ha! Who's the dim-wit?" Naruto laughed as the substitution technique activated. "What do plants hate?" The young ninja swept his arm back and forth across the area, focusing his will on the questing plant-life. Huge geysers of foxfire burst forth from the ground, singeing and burning the writhing roots. There was no time to admire his handiwork, however. It was time to go on the offensive. "Doryo Dango. Right back at you!" Concentrating his chakra, Naruto tore a huge slab of granite free from the ground, then swung it towards his adversary.
"Ah!" The Akatsuki member countered with a one-handed series of seal after tossing something on the ground.. With the other hand, he began a separate jutsu. "Even the village idiot knows some tricks, it seems!" Like huge springs, spiral plant shoots shot forth from seeds that had been strewn about the earth. Upward they shot, too fast to follow, cushioning the blow of the rock slab. Rolling out of the way, the shadowy form shouted "Life Spore No Jutsu! Endless leech!"
EXHALE!
'Shit!'
Naruto blew all of the air from his lungs, then pinched his nostrils shut. Rotating, he gave off foxfire, sterilizing his skin and clothes, while scouring the air for meters around him. He couldn't help but be amazed at the nature of Kyubi's fire once again: it burned only what he wished. He was feeling tired, though. He had almost used that trick up.
This was taking too long.
The more he delayed here, the greater chance that the other Akatsuki members could take up the most favorable positions available. And, the more reasons they might have to harm or kill Hinata. "It's been fun!" Naruto began running at a speed comparable to Sasuke and Rock Lee. He stopped inexplicably.
"Not so fast, friend. We've only begun to get acquainted!" The enemy ninja began laughing, looking at the fruits of his labor. The spring-like plants weren't only good for support. They sprayed out a fast-acting and tenacious sap. Naruto was glued to the ground.
"What!" Naruto slowly lifted one foot, seeing it snap back to ground by way of the elastic goo. "No way!"
"Ha! Let's take off a limb or two or gouge out both eyes. That ought to end it. I'm certain our medical ninjas can get here before you die!" Making a different set of seals, the Akatsuki member caused razor sharp leaves to shoot forth from the plants. The plants began whipping about in violent fashion.
"Shit!" Naruto hated to do it, but could think of no alternative. He created another realm. Up until now, he had always exited from the same spot he entered. Could he possibly move the realm, or create a series of adjacent realms, then break out of the ground from another site? Only one way to find out. But, what attack to use? Of course. How had he forgotten that?
He began shaking some. Damn. His own chakra was nearly depleted. 'Hey, stupid fox. Open the bank. I need to make a number of big withdrawals!' An enormous amount of Kyuubi energy flushed through his system, almost more than he could handle. 'Careful, shithead!' He could do this now. He had to. "Kage Bunshin No Jutsu, Chakra Sharing!" A number of orange-glowing Naruto clones came into being, each marveling at the amount of energy at their command. "Everybody...Rasengan!"
Here goes.
Moving to the last realm in a string of small realities, Naruto and the clones found an exit.
"Hi!" Pushing his arm out in front of him, he rammed spinning ball of chakra against the abdomen of his startled opponent, just as the other clones connected with their spiraling energy. "Buh-Bye!" The resultant explosion tossed the other man thirty yards away.
No time to worry about that one any more.
Gotta move.
"Make yourself useful, guys. Sweep ahead. Look for traps and enemies!" At Naruto's command, the surviving clones ran ahead, some encountering ninjas of little note, and others detonating traps or triggering pitfalls.
"Looking for someone? Aren't you getting a bit tired by now? Want to rest a bit? I can easily arrange it!" the voice was unctious, sickeningly so. Another Akatsuki powerhouse. Then again, what did Naruto expect? He came here well aware of what he was up against. His strategy of 'quick in quick out' was hitting too many snags. "What? No greeting? One might question your manners." The dark figure smiled, his tall twisting spire of hair looking like a great horn in the ever growing darkness. "Why don't we work on that? Your discourtesy has stung me to the quick..."
A number of round pomegranate-sized objects hit the ground at Naruto's feet. He was curious, but not that curious. He began to run in the direction of Hinata's captivity. The globes bounced along behind him, tethered to his body by invisible cords of chakra energy. The globes, made of a paper-like material, began to shrink, then expand. A buzzing noise could be heard. It was getting louder. The Akatsuki ninja shouted the final words of his jutsu. Swarms of wasps burst forth from the nests faithfully following Naruto.
The young ninja tried to create a huge covering of foxfire, but only manage a spark or two. Not good. Dozens of wasps clung to him, stinging him again and again. They were only the beginning. Hundreds more followed.
"Doryuuheki, Mud Barrier!" Feeling a disgusting taste in his mouth, Naruto vomited forth a huge volume of mud, coating himself all over. That should keep the damn insects from stinging for a while.
"Can't rely on that too long! When it hardens, you'll either be stuck, or the mud with crack and fall away. Good try. The more the merrier." The strange ninja seemed quite happy. Naruto knew that some kind of summoning jutsu was being performed. Watching in awe, he saw his foe lift voluminous sleeves and pull his arms inside. Somehow, the sleeves kept their shape. No. They were expanding, even pulsating. Suddenly, swarms of bees emerged. Not content with that, the man opened his mouth. Scores of venomed needles shot forth. Most stuck harmlessly in the mud. Some passed through, causing Naruto great pain.
The young shinobi tried to create another realm. He couldn't. 'Damn you, fox. What gives?'
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
'Damn. Damn. Damn!'
Another wellspring gone dry.
Naruto began to feel thick in the throat. Was that an allergic reaction to something on those accursed needles? No matter. He had to counter with something. Fast. "Think, Naruto!" No. Not that! It wouldn't work unless his adversary was a pervert. Ah, what the hell. It would have to do while he thought of something else.
Naruto performed the Sexy No Jutsu, harem style. It had two major effects. There were a lot of naked women walking tenderly over the rocks. The bees and wasps didn't distinguish one target from another. Most of the stinging nuisances followed after the running beauties. Also, by good fortune, the sight of the enticing women had the Akatsuki member spouting blood to a phenomenal degree.
"OK. Here we go. Bakeretsu Kage Bunshin. Hit him where it hurts, guys!" Naruto smiled as he watched his clones surround his challenger, shaking the ground with their thunderous explosions. "Think I put too much chakra in those?"
A BIT
His robe in tatters, the furious enemy stumbled to his feet, a great rattle in his throat. "You...rrrrrr... will rrrrr... definitely pay for... rrrrrr... that!" His smeared his bloody thumb across a tatoo on his wrist. "Your obscene little trick will cost you dearly."
Something touched a primitive fear deep within Naruto. He could not remember anything that scared him even half as much. Preening its antennae, and then moving on to its forelimbs, a huge bald-face hornet was visible to Naruto's enhanced vision. He was glad it wasn't daylight.
"I doubt that the mud will do much good now, whelp!" His opponent laughed a smug laugh.
Naruto bit his thumb. Performing the necessary actions, he summoned Gamarakki.
"C'mon dude, can't a guy get some rest? Fetch your own damn noodles!" The huge toad yawned, showing its massive pearl-studded tongue.
"Wake up! It's not about noodles. Behind you. I wouldn't leave my back turned to that thing if I were you." Naruto pointed. As he did, a huge buzzing noise arose, drowning out ever other sound. The hornet took to the air.
"O boy! I freakin' hate those things. Vespamandaro, is that you? Ho guy, do I ever owe you one!" The great toad unslung his axe, as Naruto jumped on his head. "I just wish it wasn't dark out, little fellow."
"I'm not so little!" Naruto reigned in his temper. "Kill two jerks with one stone. Give me some oil, big mouth. Get your buddy and mine."
"Ha. I knew there was some reason I liked you. You got it!" Gamarakki's throat pouch expanded to enormous dimensions, then he belched forth a huge gusher of oil.
"Katon!" Naruto used the jutsu taught to him by Jiraiya. The ignited oil coated the wasp, but never reached the Akatsuki member. A sudden wall of moths and butterflies appeared around him, dying in huge collapsing sheets of flame.
"Ye ha-a-a-a..." Gamarakki tossed his gigantic axe, watching as the spinning blade bit deep into the side of his equally huge opponent. Huge walls of flame shown light on the action.
"You can party with that Vespa-whoever in a minute. I need you to do something first. That way." Naruto pointed. "Get me up past that crag. I have someone to rescue!"
"No fun. Hold on!" The amphibian bunched his long and powerful hind legs, and then leaped far and high, landing with a jarring thud. "See ya!" Gamarakki went back to retrieve his axe and resume the battle with his mortal enemy.
MMMMMMMMMMMM
'Wish you could play too, huh?'
Naruto ran towards the sole tree on the crest of the mountain. One of the Naruto hawks had seen a girl chained to that tree. It had to be Hinata.
The surroundings were eerily quiet. The only noise came from further down the hill, where the two titans waged war. Naruto felt goose bumps, knowing that there had to be more Akatsuki members somewhere.
'There's no time to waste.'
"Well well well. Look who we have here. He doesn't have his owner with him this time." A shadowy figure tossed a torch into a huge flat cauldron of oil. The sudden roaring fire threw light on the grinning figure. Kisame.
"It wouldn't matter if he did," another shape said, tossing a lit lantern into another great saucer of oil. Itachi.
"Just what I needed to see. There goes my appetite. A weird-eyed freak who probably ate his dentist, and another traitor Uchiha loser. Great. The only thing good about this is that I get to kick your ass. That ought to piss off Sasuke real good!" Naruto didn't feel half as confident as he sounded.
Kakashi had told him about the encounter with those two. He, Gai, Kurenai, and Asuma were probably lucky to walk away alive. His own meeting with them was still the stuff of nightmares. But, what choice did he have? They were here now. Hinata was here. He was too. Kismet.
"Hah hah hah. No wonder everybody thinks you're funny, kid. Remember what I promised last time? I can be funny too. What do you call a legless ninja on a pond? Bob! What do you call a legless ninja outside your door? Mat! How about a limbless ninja with two brain cells? Gifted!" Kisames eyes shone horribly in the light. He licked his lips, sending chills down Naruto's back. The horrid man began unwrapping his huge weapon.
"Enough, Kisame. We do not want to upset our guest." Itachi pushed back his hair, and turned to look at Naruto with a cold souless smile. "Understand that this is nothing personal. You have the Kyuubi. We want it. You want to keep it. We all share something in common."
Naruto began getting angry. He didn't like being made fun of. He hated being underestimated. Swallowing, he began thinking about the hand seals needed for his next move. It would be risky. He had no idea what would happen. There was a good chance that he might not survive.
"Where's...the...Girl..." Naruto's voice sounded like gravel in a rock tumbler.
"Girl?" Kisame asked. "Did we have a girl, Itachi?" He swung his frightful weapons in great sweeping arcs, limbering up. "Shit. I knew we forgot something..."
Itachi clapped his hands. Two flunkies who had been hiding in the darkness ran out into the light, then passed out of view. A short while later they returned, each holding onto one of Hinata's arms.
"N-N-Naruto-kun..." Hinata looked unharmed.
"Want to give your sweetheart a kiss before I get to work?" Kisame looked at Hinata's expression and laughed. "If not, mind if I do?"
Naruto took a step forward, but held his ground and his breath. "How do I know that's really Hinata? What would she know that you jerks wouldn't? Hmmmm. Well, maybe you never heard this story." Naruto grinned, rubbing his chin. "Hinata. How did I defeat Akamaru and his master?"
"Uhhh..." Hinata blushed.
"Aha! You don't know. I…" Naruto's replay was cut of by Hinata's shout.
"You farted!" The echo carried about the mountainous terrain, growing ever dimmer as it passed into the valleys and passages below. Hinata bit her lip and hung her head.
"Really?" Kisame began chortling. Soon his laughter caused echos of its own. "That's rich. Konoha's finest. No wonder you left that village, Itachi!"
"I'm here, now." Naruto set his jaw. "Let the girl go. Hinata, when they do, become an owl or something and fly away as far and as fast as you can."
NO. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS. PLEASE.
Courtesy from Kyuubi? That was stranger than fiction.
'Sorry. It needs to be done. We might even survive it. You do know what my other two choices are, right?'
There was no answer from Nine Tails.
"B-B-But Naruto-kun. I can't leave you. At least not before I tell you...ummmm..." Hinata's eyes grew very wide. She tried to speak, but her voice was drowned out.
"Nobody's going nowhere!" Kisame spat. "You're not really that much of a horse's ass, are you, boy?"
"My rather enthusiastic friend is correct. Perhaps seventy-two hours of pain will help settle you down sufficiently." Itachi began walking towards Naruto.
Naruto closed his eyes. It was time. "Hinata. When there's an opening, go. It may be the last thing I ever ask of you." Naruto worked the hand seals for the Half-Seal technique.
"WHAT?" Itachi tried to use the Mangekyou sharingan. He was too late.
"Yeh, copy this if you can, asshole!" Naruto laughed in the face of danger, ready to face the unknown. He would give it his all. That's who he was. If Itachi tried to duplicate his actions, the older more experience ninja might open other outlets on Kyuubi, but his life energy would be siphoned away.
Time seemed to slow. Every beat of Naruto's heart felt years apart from the next. His thoughts gradually took shape, like a stalagmite under a slow drip. No one else seemed to be moving. Somehow, he could smell something rank, like long wet fur. He had claws. No, he had fingernails. What? He had a tail? No, it was gone. There was the sense of agelessness, as if he had been around longer than anyone could remember. He actually had two heartbeats, not one. A pair of minds with a single thought. One purpose.
AHHHHHWAAAAARRRRRROOOOOO-O-O-O-O
That wordless exclamation of pain vibrated through Naruto's being. His own pain was nothing less than Kyuubi's. Focusing, he regained his individuality. The energy emanating from him was pushing everybody else back. Glancing out of the corner of one eye, he saw that Hinata was wedged between two rocks. She would be safe there.
He had to move fast. He could sense that Kyuubi's agony was growing by leaps and bounds, while it's life force was flowing out in place of his. Soon enough, that would change.
Kisame was the closest. He had started to swing his sword at knee-level.
His arm and hand sheathed in blinding light, Naruto grasped the weapon, shattering it. His fingers shaped into claws, he swept a backhand blow completely though the startled ninja, watching as the two halves of his body fell lifeless to the ground.
Itachi was next. The look of shock on his face would not last long. He opened his mouth. "No, it's…"
It was only fitting. Kakashi had once taught Sasuke Chidori, but not him. Sasuke had used that attack to defeat Naruto, off in the Valley Of The End. Now, Naruto would use his own version of that attack to remove the greater of two Uchiha threats. Kyuubi energy sheathing his hand, he thrust out faster than anyone could hope to see.
His hand pushed through Itachi's sternum... heart... and vertebral column. The remnants of the once beating organ fell from his fire-lined fingers when they burst out of the dead ninja's back.
"OK, Hinata. Run!" Naruto felt a huge weight lifted off of his shoulders. He had given his girlfriend a chance to escape. If he were able to move after the jutsu was terminated, he would try and follow. There were more fearful enemies out there, but it didn't matter.
He had done what he set out to do.
Looking over at Hinata's rock, Naruto froze. She wasn't there. Itachi was. Slowly turning, he was paralyzed with shock when he saw the body in front of him. In disbelief, he pulled his arm out of Hinata's chest, catching her limp and lifeless body before it feel to the dirt.
"No. Hinata! No. Oh No." Trembling with denial, Naruto fell to his knees. He was stroking Hinata's hair with his blood-coated hand when a huge net was thrown over him.
"I think I will let that be the memory you live with for the next seventy-two hours." Itachi's words echoed in Naruto's ears.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Hinata!"
No. Hinata. It couldn't be.
"Hinata, please no!"
No. Hinata, please no.
No. No. NO. NO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O
Naruto sat upright, dislodging his night cap. He looked down at his hand. There was no blood there.
He looked around the confines of the small room. It was his room. This is where he usually spent the night.
It had all been a nightmare.
"It was just a dream. It was just a bad dream."
Naruto fought hard to regain his composure. His heartbeat was loud in his ears, and he felt close to passing out. Everything had felt so real. He was drenched in sweat.
AT LEAST YOU DIDN'T WET THE BED
'Shut up!"
Kyuubi chuckled, and thanked Naruto for such a pleasant show.
Naruto looked out the window. It was dark and the moon was still high in the sky. He rubbed his eyes. He needed his rest. The coming day was the most important day in his life. But, there was no way he could fall to sleep after that.
What could he do? Letters. He would write a letter to each of his friends. The last one that he would write would be to Hinata, in case he died while rescuing her. There was a lot that he wanted to share with his precious people.
The task ahead of him was overwhelming. The welfare of countless people would rest on his choice of actions. Somewhere out there, on Mount Monado, Hinata was being held prisoner. Was there any way he could defeat Akatsuki? How many members would he face? What were they actually like?
That wasn't the most important question at the moment. Should he tell someone about the note? No doubt, by now, any number of people knew that Hinata was missing, unless she was abducted during some small scale mission. Should he go this alone? His dream did not have him feeling overly confident. Should he go at all?
The life of one girl did not compare to the amount of damage Akatsuki could do with Kyuubi.
He had little time and a lot to think through.