Snake Lords

"Takes place around when Naruto comes back with Jiraiya. Sasuke is still with Orochimaru. So yeah, they're all around 15 or 16. A Naruto and Harry Potter Crossover. I'm not sticking to the plots of either series."

Thinking

"Yelling"

Demon talking

On with the story!

Chpt 29: We're Too Late… He's Dead…

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"This just keeps getting worse and worse…" Neji whispered hoarsely. He started to run, ignoring the shouts that Temari and Kankurou gave after him. There was no time to lose.

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Grains of sand writhed, tossed, and solidified over Gaara's sleeping form. This wasn't the way Shukaku had planned on taking over, but the fact that Gaara got hit with a sleeping spell didn't bother him all too much, that just made things all the easier.

Pushing himself to his feet, Shukaku wobbled on his unsteady limbs. Still only about human sized, Shukaku felt weak and defenseless. His mouth stretched to both ears in what could best be described as a maniacal grin.

I only just barely tasted that power of yours before, boy… Shukaku muttered to no one in particular. Now, Shukaku held his sandy paws up into a basic chakra molding sign. Let's dive even deeper and see what surprises we can find…

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Deep rivets were gorged into the ground wherever Kyuubi's chakra touched. Kyuubi's mouth opened, letting dribbles of froth leak from his mouth. One of his chakra coated claws easily punctured the ground, and cracks the width of one's forearm spread out for a 30 foot radius. His throat let out a guttural growling, and everyone took a step back.

Something from the shadows glinted, drawing Kyuubi's attention slightly. Ten-ten, sporting a pair of metal spikes from each arm came sprinting out, her arms held up in guard position. Kyuubi swung at her, as one would do to a fly, but before it hit, Ten-ten hurdled over his arm and began to spin. She placed her arms with the metal spikes above her head, and pointed them towards Kyuubi, spinning wildly about like a top.

Kyuubi leaped out of the way, throwing her attack way off course. Expecting her to stop her attack, Kyuubi was mildly shocked when she kept going, burrowing straight underground. Shock waves made a giant wind blow wildly about, making everyone shield their eyes with their arms.

When the dust cleared, Kyuubi was trapped inside some sort of thick white net. Behind him, Neji stood with his hand spread out wide in front of him. Kyuubi roared angrily and thrashed wildly about, trying to destroy the net that clung to him.

"Take the injured back to Madam Promfrey." Neji grunted, beads of perspiration sliding down the side of his face. "Those who can fight, help me stop him before it's too late!"

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Hinata! Where are you? Hinata stopped suddenly and turned around, wincing at the pain in her side. She had been trying to get out of the forest, but numerous ambushes had delayed her greatly. Now, some weird voice was talking to her. She sighed. This was not the time to be going insane. Thank God! There you are!

Ino came crashing through the bushes at a sprint, scaring the bejeebers out of Hinata. Normally, Hinata wouldn't have been scared, but the problem was that Hinata knew that Ino was in Madam Promfrey's care, and hadn't awakened once since the expedition she had been on. That, and the fact that she was somewhat transparent and glowed slightly.

"W-what are you?" Hinata stammered, holding a kunai out in a defensive position. The glimmering Ino figure placed her hands on her hips and stared at her.

Have you gone blind or something? She asked, sounding exactly like the real Ino should.

"That's what I'm starting to wonder…" Hinata took a step backwards.

Oh yeah… Ino stared down at herself. Well, to make a long story short, I'm not really here.

"Huh?" Hinata lowered her kunai slightly.

Yeah, funny thing actually… Ino rubbed her head. My body is still at Hogwart's Infirmary. I'm kind of here, in spirit, so to speak. Almost like my shintenshin no jutsu, but I didn't do that or anything…

"I don't understand…"

You think I understand what happened to me? Ino sighed. Okay, I woke up, but I wasn't in my body. I tried to go back in, but I couldn't. I looked out a window, I saw complete chaos. The others need you now Hinata! Ino sounded pleading. You're the only one who can help!

"Help with what?"

Naruto! He's gone berserk! He's not Naruto anymore, the demon's taking over!

"The Kyuubi got out?" Hinata almost fell to the ground.

I don't think so, but it's pretty damn close! Ino ran over to Hinata. Nobody can stop it but you!

"What makes you think I can do anything?" Hinata looked down at the ground hopelessly.

Well, ah… Ino looked slightly uncomfortable. Because last time, you seemed to do something… Because I said so! Ino said huffily.

"I'll try, but I don't know if I can do anything. Where is he?"

Follow me. I'll show you. Ino ran off, Hinata right on her heels.

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Clawing and flailing about, Kyuubi began to break Neji's hold on him. He let out an ear-splitting roar as he saw the injured being carried off, his prey escaping from his grasp. Concentrating with all his might, Kyuubi allowed his own chakra to sink into Neji's net, disintegrating it bit by bit.

As soon as the net became frail enough for Kyuubi to shred through, the ground split open, and Ten-ten came shooting out from below, her metal covered body spinning crazily about like a power drill. Using his lightning fast reflexes, Kyuubi bent back and grabbed her with one of his giant paws. Wheeling around, Kyuubi sent Ten-ten flying under his legs, and threw her straight at Neji.

Ten-ten was able to stop spinning, but couldn't manage to change her course. Ten-ten flew headlong into Neji, sending them both flying backwards over 60 meters. Kyuubi howled angrily and charged headlong at the people trying to retreat. As a sheepdog herds its flock, Kyuubi ran around them, cutting off their only route of escape.

More…… Kyuubi glowed with a sickly, horrible bloody aura, making several people gulp with fright. I can feel it now… Just a bit more… His tails whipped about, making the air crack loudly.

"We can not retreat to the castle." Tsunade said calmly. "Put down the injured. Keep Kyuubi from reaching them at all costs. His power is escalating at such an accelerated rate; there's no way Naruto's body can sustain such abuse for much longer. We have to try and wait this out."

"And if that doesn't work?" Asuma asked, holding his hand up to one of his shattered ribs.

"There's only one other option." Shikamaru answered his sensei in a solemn tone. "We all die."

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"Oh God… n-no…" Ten-ten looked down in horror at her blood soaked metallic arm. "I… This c-can't be happening…" Neji, lying about four feet away from Ten-ten, clutched feebly at his bleeding side. A hole, roughly the size of a baseball was hacked out of the side of his stomach. When Kyuubi had thrown Ten-ten, one of her spear-like protrusions had plunged straight through him.

Ten-ten desperately tried to pull herself over to him, but gasped in pain. One of her legs was broken, bent in a way that legs were not meant to bend. To add to her injuries, her right shoulder was dislocated, now just as useless as her leg.

Neji rolled over on one side, now facing Ten-ten. He grimaced as he forced himself to move, edging himself closer to her.

"A-are you alright?" He asked, ignoring his own injuries. Tears pricked the corner of Ten-ten's eyes.

"I didn't mean… N-no… Damn it no!" Ten-ten started to break down into tears. Neji reached over and grasped her hand tightly, still holding his own wound.

"Stop that. I know it w-wasn't your fault." Neji's breathing was sharp and labored.

"That still doesn't change the fact that it h-happened." She said quietly, letting her head lie on the upturned soil.

"You didn't kill me. I'll get through it." Neji smiled weakly. "But now isn't the time to sit around, we have to stop Kyuubi, somehow…"

"I can't m-move." Ten-ten gasped as she tried to get up, and failed.

"Well, that makes the t-two of us…" Neji fell backwards onto the ground, just managing to keep his hold on Ten-ten's hand. "I can't move either." Ten-ten coughed slightly.

"Looks like we can't do anything. Some h-help we are." She muttered.

"We will not die here. I refuse to let it happen." He squeezed her hand harder as a thin trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. "I p-promise you, somehow, we will get out of here a-alive."

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Shukaku's eyes opened, revealing that both the crosses and the dots in his eyes were no longer black, but a brilliant shade of blue. Cackling evilly, Shukaku plunged his claws into the ground and began to crush the stone into small particles of sand. His size increased dramatically, making him grow to the size of a large skyscraper. (A.N: Think Chuunin exam when he grew as large as Gamabunta.)

I feel stronger than ever… Shukaku licked his lips and roared, sending out a shower of sand over the forest.

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Kyuubi sent out his chakra hand and grabbed Jiraiya, sending Tsunade and Chouji crashing into the ground. Kyuubi closed his hand, crushing Jiraiya in his demonic grip. Jiraiya cried out as Kyuubi's chakra scalded his skin, burning him severely. However, soon, Jiraiya's head drooped, his entire body exhausted of all chakra. Kyuubi had drained him dry, almost killing him in the process.

Perfect… Kyuubi threw Jiraiya's motionless body aside and curled his previous seven tails and his new eighth tail over his head, forming a swirling sphere of chakra all around him. He lifted his claws up, and then thrust them violently down, straight into the seal that kept him trapped inside of Naruto's body. Twisting his hand around, he tore a giant mass of flesh from Naruto's stomach, ripping the seal from his body.

The red chakra disappeared, leaving Naruto kneeling down on the ground with glazed over eyes, blood gushing from his stomach in buckets. Everyone looked silently at him, holding their breath. A blinding spotlight shone out from the hole in his stomach, forcing his head to snap backwards.

Hinata crashed out of the forest, her breathing ragged. She held her hands up to her mouth when she saw Naruto's body, the red light shooting out from his stomach. Wasting no time, Hinata ran to him, ignoring everyone else's warnings to get back.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata knelt down and grabbed his shoulders tightly, ignoring the blood that splashed onto her face. Naruto didn't seem to hear her, or anything else for that matter. "Fight it! I know you can! Fight it, please!" She shook him back and forth, her eyes wide with fear.

Naruto's mouth opened slightly, his lifeblood running out, dripping onto Hinata's hands. His pupils seemed to move in her direction, barely visible under the white glaze of his eyes. His mouth moved up and down slightly, a thin croak escaping past his bloodied lips.

"H-Hinata…" He managed to make out. "Y-you have t-to stop him before i-it's too late…… P-p-please……"

"How?" She forced Naruto's head up, trying desperately to keep him from losing consciousness.

"K-kill me…" He sputtered, his blood spraying on Hinata's face in tiny droplets.

"What?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "W-what do you mean?"

"Kill m-me b-before he g-gets o-out… Hinata… pl-please…" He begged, the light from his stomach growing brighter by every passing second.

"There has to be some other…!"

"Th-there is no o-other w-way!" Naruto said angrily to her, his eyes glistening. Hinata looked away, tears streaming down her face. "L-listen to me! E-ever since Ky-Kyuubi was sealed i-inside of me, it has b-been my b-burden and d-duty to p-prevent h-him from getting o-out or h-hurting anybody! I'm g-going to die…" Naruto wrapped his only usable arm about her, bringing her in close. "I-if Kyuubi gets out,… I-I am g-going to die a-anyway." He smiled slightly, closing his eyes. "I'm s-so sorry t-to p-put such a b-burden on y-you, but I-I'd rather take h-him d-down with me th-than h-have him e-escape…"

"I-I can't…" Hinata gasped, letting her tears flow freely. "I-I love y-you…" She threw her arms around him. "I c-can't do such a th-thing!"

"I d-don't w-want you to d-die t-too… H-Hinata…" Naruto grimaced as he felt a metallic tang enter his mouth. "I'll n-never rest i-in peace i-if th-that fucking f-fox hurts y-you again…" Naruto's body began to shake horribly, "Pl-please!" He sobbed. "Th-there's no t-time l-left! I…!" But he never got any further. Every single one of his muscles went slack, and he fell into a heap on the ground.

"NARUTO!" Hinata struggled as Tsunade dragged her away.

"Hinata! We have to get out of here!" Tsunade said sternly. "It's too late! He's gone!" A giant column of light erupted from Naruto's stomach, Kyuubi's gateway out into the physical world. An enormous paw slammed into the ground, sending giant ripples out along the ground. That paw was followed by a bristling, frothing, red snout.

Black clouds swirled around in a vortex, the last of Kyuubi's tails exiting the shimmering gate. Kyuubi roared triumphantly, halting all activity for miles.

You! Shukaku appeared, pointing angrily at Kyuubi. What are you doing here? He snarled menacingly, his eyes narrowing.

I see you're still tethered to that stupid human container, Shukaku. Kyuubi taunted, showing off his white fangs. Shukaku chuckled.

You may have broken yours, but at least I can use my container's magic. A bright blue light glimmered at the ends of each of Shukaku's claws.

I might have given up on the boy's magic, Kyuubi began to advance slowly. But you do seem to forget, I am the only current nine-tailed Youma, Shukaku.

Yes, and the only nine-tails to have ever been sealed inside a human. You have utterly disgraced the honor of being a nine-tail. Shukaku spat.

So what? I was careless… Kyuubi growled and crouched down. I also do not have to take such talk from a lowly one-tail! Kyuubi sprinted at Shukaku, his eyes wide with rage. I SHALL TEACH YOU TO RESPECT YOUR BETTERS!

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"Watch over him dearie. All we can do now is hope for the best." Madam Promfrey bustled off to attend to her other patients, leaving Ginny and Akamaru watching over Kiba's motionless body. Akamaru whined pitifully and nudged his master's leg, expecting him to awaken. But Akamaru was rewarded with no such thing, leaving him to stare sadly at Ginny with his round, brown eyes.

Ginny's face was pale, as she stared solemnly at Kiba's stone-like face. She gently grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly, her head bowing down towards the floor.

"Come on Kiba." She whispered to herself. "Please wake up… You can't die…. You can't just leave us here…" Her hand clenched tightly into a fist. "Please… We need you here… Our friends need you… Akamaru needs you…" Ginny seemed to hesitate a moment. "…I… need you…" She said softly.

If this had been like countless other love stories, Kiba would have awoken right then and confess that he had heard every word Ginny said, and further confess that he loved her. Unfortunately, this is not one of those stories, so Kiba remained unconscious, leaving Akamaru to worry over his master, and Ginny heartbroken, completely alone with nothing but an aching heart.

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"No…" Sakura fell to her knees, staring unbelievably at Naruto's lifeless body. "This isn't happening… It can't be happening… He can't… Not to Naruto…" She held her head in her hands. "No… Damn it! No!" She yelled at no one in particular, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to burst out at any second.

Sakura turned around to stare murderously at Sasuke. Sasuke was lying on his stomach, oblivious to all that had happened after Kyuubi had drained his chakra almost completely dry. Sakura's eyes blazed with hatred.

"It's all your fault." Her voice was bitter with disgust. "Everything's your fault. If you hadn't been such a bastard and left us… If you hadn't betrayed us all! Maybe… none of this would have ever happened… and we'd have been happy." Sakura bent down over him. "Why? Why did you do this to us?" Sasuke's eyes opened slightly.

"Do what?" He asked, his voice thin and weak. Sakura stared at him with loathing.

"It's all your fault…" Sakura said softly, her voice shaking slightly. "IT'S YOUR FAULT HE'S DEAD!" She screamed at him, her tears falling freely now. "HE'S DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!" She grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and shook him. "YOU WERE SO OBSESSED WITH BECOMING STRONGER AND KILLING YOUR DAMN BROTHER!" Sasuke grabbed Sakura's wrists and feebly tried to stop her from shaking him.

"Who's dead?" Sakura screamed in his face and slapped him.

"NARUTO'S DEAD!" She yelled at him, her voice beginning to catch on her sobs. She fell to the ground and curled up into a ball, hugging her knees. "HE'S DEAD, TH-THANKS TO YOU!" Her body shook violently back and forth as she tried to wipe the imprint of Naruto's corpse from her mind.

"He's… dead?" Sasuke's mouth became dry. He looked around, and saw Naruto's lifeless eyes staring up at the black clouds, blood rushing from a gaping hole in his stomach. "H-how?"

"He's not dead… He can't be d-dead… " Sakura mumbled to herself. Sasuke saw a giant red streak come plummeting down, headed right towards them. Sasuke jumped on top of Sakura and pushed her to the ground. "Wha…?" Sakura looked up at him with her tear filled eyes. Sasuke coughed, his whole body aching from the blow of Kyuubi's tail. "You…"

"We have to leave now!" He gasped. "Those two demons are going to destroy everything in there way! We'll be no exception!" He rolled off her, and began to pull her to her feet. "Come on!" With no hesitation, Sasuke started to pull her towards the castle.

Sakura looked up, and saw a giant metal object flying through the air, a limp body grasped in its arms. Upon closer inspection, Sakura was astonished to see Ten-ten sporting a pair of humungous pair of thin, metallic wings, Neji held tightly in a metal arm, and one of her normal ones. Her other arm lay limp at her side, flapping about in the wind.

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Well, I hope this satisfies you readers out there. Depressing, don't ya think? Anywho, don't expect an update anytime soon. My CMT's are starting tomorrow, and will last for about a week and a half. I'll be busy busy busy. Yes I know, I'm sorry. So, very, very sorry… T.T Till then!