Discliamer: I don't own Naruto... that's it... i own it now, i bought the shares... well just a joke.
A/N: Sorry took me so long. I've got other work to do. But here it is. Enjoy and please review with care. thank you to all who reviewed and please stay with me here.
Chapter 6: Redeemed
Like a wild beast of the forest it waited for its prey to break down. A broken spirit of man is a meal demon would love to devour; like a wild beast they sniffed for their prey. Fear is a sweet aroma for demons. The presence of a broken spirit cause by fear would be a special treat for them. It's like serving them a special delicacy on a silver plate.
However, mere demons cannot inflict fear on humans such as shinobi. Whose life is either a weapon for destruction or a weapon for protection; whose hearts grow numb all through out the unending cycle of having and losing someone dear and precious. Yet here they were inside a cave shivering in fear and losing their strength of courage before the presence of the connoisseur of fear, the Kyubi himself.
Every breath the demon took, sent fear into their spines. Each stare it gave, drained every ounce of hope there was in their hearts. The demon growled. Its voice is deep and cold, a sadist to its tune.
"You... the one with a red eye... I remember you... you were there that night... the night I was sealed in this body.... I will kill you, you pathetic human...."
Kakashi's eyes widenwhen he heard those words. All his sense grew numb of the sight of the dreadful eyes. His geniuses and mighty demeanor were shattered by those words. Usually a ninja with Kakahi's caliber cannot be threatened of his life. He had been brushing with death since he was six years old. However, that night, he trembled and quivered for his life. But not he's afraid to lose it; he believed that his death would mean his failure to save someone precious to him. He feared that he might lose someone precious again. His mind raced through the memories from Obito to the time he took Team 7 under his wings.
The sight of Naruto being possessed by the demon broke his heart. This boy had grown in him. Before he was just amazed by the power of the Kyubi, but later on he saw the real Uzumaki Naruto – a boy who's willing to throw his life for his comrades and friends. Yet that night, the Naruto that stood before them is not he. He was a demon that lusted to take someone's life. He could not believe that the boy that has stood before him threatened him of his life and so will he with the others.
Kakashi was dumfounded. Not a word escaped his mouth.
Tsunade saw through Kakashi's actions his pain. Although she can't believe that a ninja like Kakashi could still allow emotions to come across such situations and of all people that night it was not to be expected of him. But she could understand. The boy had grown in him as much or maybe more than in her. But being the Hokage, she needs to be resolute.
"Kakashi do that technique you have," she said as she turned her attention to the Kyubi Naruto in front of them. But at the corner of her eyes, she noticed the unresponding Kakahshi. She grabbed him by his collar and pulled him at a spit distance. "Listen to me," she shouted. But then again the ninja didn't seem to notice. Tsunade shook him again, "Dammit Kakashi, I want to save him as much as you want. But if you stay like this we... can't...." Tsunade broke down in tears. She released Kakashi from her grip and laid her hands on Kakashi's vest. "...save him... Kakashi... we can't...."
"Gomenasai, Hokage-sama..." Kakashi said. At last Kakashi was awaken from his trance. "I want to save a friend and today I will not fail," he said. He looked at his companions who are staring at them. He motioned them that they have to what they've got to do. "Gai, Genma, Ibiki, back me up on this," he nodded at them. He turned his attention towards the Anbu, "You three, cover Hokage sama." With that order, the Anbu prepared themselves.
"You... don't get... it, do you?" Tsunade turned to Etsuya who was bleeding with cuts from the gripped of the demon. "The demon... cannot be defeated by you... only Naruto can... But then again, I don't know if that's possible..." he finished.
Kakashi just held his annoyance towards Etsuya. "Unlike you, I haven't given up hope yet... nor will I ever do ... even at the cause of my life.
Tsunade smirked and gave Etsuya a cocking glance. "Etsuya... we are Konoha... We will not be the strongest village if we give up that easily..." She glanced at her right she saw Genma smirking and then to his left, Kakashi who already revealed his sharingan.
"Yes we are the green shinobi of Konoha!" Tsunade need not to turn to see who said it, it was Gai, and no one else associated ninjas with green colors except him.
"Where there is fire, the leaves dances..." Tsunade finished then prepared herself for the plan.
The demon was irritated with this sight. Just a while ago it had have smelled the fear in them. It was there a moment ago. It couldn't believe the sudden change of emotion. It was confused. "Arggh.... you will suffer for this insult... you useless humans..." The Kyubi launched itself again. It's target, Kakashi.
Kakashi predicted this move not with the sharingan but with his instinct and wits. He was aware that the justu he performed a while ago might present a threat to the Kyubi. Although the demon has taken control, it was still in a human body. It was still subject to limitations. Kakashi barely evaded the attack although he was prepared since it moved in a tremendous speed. Kakashi landed on the ground along with the others who evaded the rampaging demon. But when he landed, "Shibaru ashi no jutsu!"
Again the kyubii found itself tied with chakra. It tried to free itself, but Gai and Genma who were transferring their chakra to Kakashi reinforced Kakahi's jutsu. As a result, the jutsu became stronger. 'Damn, I have to break free from this body... in that case I must finished the boy first before....' The kyubi failed to set his plan as powerful punch hit him across the face... "Arghhh..." the body flew a hundred meters away.
"Now Tsunade ordered the Anbu."
The Anbu quickly performed a set of hand seals to fortify the immobilization through the use of another binding technique. "Kanishibari no jutsu," yelled the three Anbu.
The demon was prevented to move. Aside from the chakra rope that suppressed its ability to emit chakra, it was paralyzed.
He was trailing off where he left but didn't know where he came from or where he should go. He was there falling to what seemed to be an endless pit. He saw tiny spot of light from the above but it was too far away. "I can't reach it..." Naruto said. He continued to fall and the spotlight slowly faded. "Where am I? It's dark in here... wait... what are those?"
Outside the cave, the two prodigies stood quite again. They cast inquisitive glances at each other the whole time they've waited, but neither made the first move. The winds kept blowing then and the cold atmosphere made the quiver a bit.
"The red chakra... my bugs said... there is a red chakra." Shino's voice startled the two. Somehow they are always amazed by Shino's stealth ability.
"Shino,?" Sasuke greeted while Neiji quietly nodded to him in aknowledgment.
"Do you have any idea what the red chakra is?" Shino asked as he found himself a log to lean on.
Neiji looked at Sasuke as if he wants him to answer Shino. Sasuke returned the look with the same intention.
"I guess not then..." Shino flatly said.
"I saw that red chakra during my match with Naruto. I didn't understand what it was. I was sure I hit his tenketsu at that time but somehow he managed to squeezed that amount of chakra." Neji's sudden explanation raised some eyebrows of the other 2. But Sasuke was the one who recovered first.
"Back then at the Valley of the End, I saw it too. It was way too strong and..."
"evil..." Shino cut off Sasuke.
"yeah evil..." Sasuke mumbles.
"But come to think of it, I never heard of any Uzumaki before, do you?" Neiji asked. He moved himself to face Sasuke. "You're his teammate, I suppose you know something."
Sasuke glared at Neiji at this question then he looked down on the ground. He thought that although he was his teammate, he never knew Naruto. He knew Naruto was alone, but he didn't know why. His thoughts trailed back the first time he saw Naruto.
FlashbackHe was sitting on a small viaduct at the small lake near the park. He was thinking of his lost family. He was alone then, away from other kids. But somehow he felt that someone was looking at him behind his back. He quickly turned his head and saw a blonde boy. He recognized the boy. He was alone too like him. The boy snubbed at him in a very annoying manner and he snubbed at him also. But when he turned his head to face the lake, a smile crept into his face. He found someone like him.
End of flashback"You don't know him that well then..." Neji said pointing his byakugan. Sasuke understood Neiji's motion and he nodded in agreement.
"Hold him tight Kakashi, I have to place the four part seal to destruct that chakra somehow." Tsuande ordered.
"Don't do that Hokage-sama! If you value this village don't do that," Etsuya shouted in a desperate voice.
Tsunade turned to him and gave him a glare, "I don't know what you mean, but if this continues on the village will also be in great danger. Either way, the village is in peril. I have to do something."
"You can't save the boy and the village! You can't save them both. The village is the village. That boy is another thing." Etsuya reasoned.
" I've told you already, either way the village is in danger. But if this boy dies, the village will the more be in great danger." With that last statement, everyone was confused. They don't understand what she was saying.
"What do you mean by that?" Etsuya asked.
"That boy that you called thing is a future Hokage. If that boy dies, Konoha will surely loss all the battle they will have to face in the near future. Believe me, I lose a lot of money because I suck in gambling. But I have never lose when I bet my life on it. This time, I bet my life for this boy," she turned to her back to face Naruto. "Got that Etsuya?" she finished.
'Where am I falling to... what are these images?' Naruto thought to himself. He saw a lot pictures falling with him by his sides. He saw the Hokage Mountain and the faces of the previous Hokages carved out from it. He saw the Ninja Academy building and the children dragged by their parent away from him. He saw the swing. He saw the face of Iruka. 'Iruka-sensei...' He saw Konohamaru and Ebisu training together... He saw Sakura and Sasuke standing then came Kakashi's image reading his favorite book. Naruto smiled upon seeing it. Then he saw the crying Inari and the happy face of Tazuna; the sad face of Haku and even the dead Zabuza. 'Hey I saw them before.'
Naruto turned his head from his left to right and he saw another set of pictures falling with him. He saw the rest of the rookie nine smirking at him except for Hinata who was deep red. "Hinata..." The image of Jiraiya puffed from nowhere. Naruto smiled at the image. "Ero Sennin...." Then the image of Tsuande and Shizune came, they were warmly smiling at him. Once again Naruto looked up. "Everyone..." but before he could finish his thought, an unfamiliar image came from darkness above. It has presented a pair of deep blue eyes just like him. It was looking directly at him. 'What... who's that?' The image continued to fall and drew nearer to him. He didn't recognize those eyes but he was sure it was like his. Then the image faded just at it reached point blank away from him. "Whose eye were those," he yelped. His voice echoed the around the abyss.
Outside his body, Kyubi Naruto was struggled to get free from the binding techniques. It tried to emit more and more of its evil chakra. Alas, the ninjas that were binding him slowly lose their charkas, which eventually lead his right foot to become active again.
"Shit, I can't hold it anymore," exclaimed one of the Anbus as he fell down to his knees. He was gasping for breath. It seemed that he could no longer hold the technique.
Kyubi Naruto saw the opportunity to attack so it thrust its foot on the ground. His foot was buried deep into the ground and then he shoveled his foot to kick some massive chunk of rocks towards the other Anbu.
The projectiles flew in a speed of light. One Anbu was hit on his chest while the others took it straight in the other parts. The Anbu collapsed thus, the Kanishibari no jutsu was dispelled.
Tsunade looked in horror upon seeing the kyubi move freely again. Her only chance was to make a diversion while Kakashi's technique was still active and strike the four part seal. But Kyubi already saw another chance to attack his main captor. It launched itself again with its vicious claws extended and aimed at Kakashi's chest. It moved so fast that not even Gai, Genma and Ibiki can react.
"Kakashi!" Tsunade shouted.
Blood spattered everywhere on the ground and on Kakahi's face. His eyes were filled with terror. A pool of blood stained his vest. Everyone looked horrified.
"Do... it... now... Tsunade...oba..chan..." Naruto said as his hand was buried deep into his gut.
"Naruto..." Tsunade mumbled in disbelief. Everyone was shocked. Naruto has taken control.
Etsuya could not believed what he was seeing. His stared blankly at the scene and not a word escaped his mouth.
"What... are you waiting for..? Do... it now.." Naruto desperately demanded.His blood dripped through his hand.
Kakashi was about to realease his technique when Naruto warned him not to. He understood what Naruto meant and succumbed to his wishes.
"Shishou Fuuin!" Tsunade landed the jutsu on Naruto's belly. Eventually the red chakra died out and slowly the fox figures slowly faded. Naruto collapsed but Tsunade prevent him from falling to the ground.
Everyone looked in amazement, bewilderment and of course relief. The threat they saw a while ago is now asleep. But one thing confused them, what the hell happened inside Naruto's mind.
"I guess that will be it for now," Ibiki said.
Tsunade calmly looked at Ibiki and nodded. She carried Naruto but Kakashi offered himself to do it. Moments later, the group emerged from the cave much to everyones relief.
A/N: I was lazy in the last part, but don't worry i'll pull this off in the next chapter. please continue to review. by the way its 1:00 am in my place.