**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the quote below. I just own Sintary ^^ Also I do not own the other OC Kokuro. He's my friend's.
HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE GUYS! Well, while writing this, I was reviewing several chapters to make sure all the storylines lined up, and I noticed in Chapter 28, I stated I have five chapters left, and that was gonna be it. Well, here I am, a year and SIX chapters later, and still going! The story is close to ending though, in case anyone is getting sick of all the long waits. Anyway, here is about 9,000 words worth of drama.
I hope it's worth the wait! - Sin and Ko
"Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen"
-Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
When Itachi had arrived back at the battlefield, he found the pair in a bind. A youthful Nagato had Naruto's soul almost extracted and Killer B was about to have his faced drilled in. Itachi pulled out his kunai and closed his eyes, concentrating on his targets; Nagato's two headed summon, the Great Snake-Tailed Chameleon. His skills had never failed him before, and he had faith they'd pull through for him this time as well.
His eyes bled red as he let the kunai rip before jumping into the battle. He summoned his Susanoo and dragged its sword across, separating Nagato from the two jinchuuriki.
"Thanks Itachi! That had gotten pretty close!" Naruto told him.
"Don't thank me. It's not over yet." Itachi warned him.
As if on cue, a dark sphere rose high in the blue sky. The ground beneath them shook violently before trees, shrubs, and even the land itself began to gravitate towards that ball. The soil below began to break in chunks, taking the shinobi with it.
"Oh no, this is not good." Naruto said as he tried to balance on his crumbling piece of ground. "Pein used this jutsu against me when we fought. There's like zero chance of actually defeating this."
"Then, how are you still livin', Naruto?" Killer B asked.
"Every jutsu has a weakness," Itachi told them as he analyzed it. "You just have to be able to find it."
"I don't think this one does. I was only able to get out of it because the Nine-Tails went on a rampage." The blonde explained.
"Launch your most powerful long range jutsu at the sphere. The amount of chakra should overwhelm it. Don't worry about aiming, its gravitational pull will bring them to it." Itachi commanded as he rose Susanoo again. "On three; one…. two… three!"
The three shinobi attacked the sphere the best they could while trying to keep away from it. Itachi with Susanoo's Yasaka Matagama, B with Bijuu Dama, and Naruto with Rasenshuriken. Their jutsu hit the mass as predicted, causing it to explode. The debris scattered everywhere as the attractive force turned repulsive. A white light blinded the shinobi. It was enough for Itachi to launch another attack at Nagato. He summoned his mighty Susanoo to its third and final form, and sent its sword through the red-headed ninja in a blazing orange light. He could see Nagato's conscious return to him.
"My Susanoo's weapon of choice is the Totsuka Sword. It has special sealing ninjutsu that will permanently lock you away in Genjutsu. Your soul will never be disturbed again." Itachi told the man solemnly. "It should begin momentarily. Do you have any last words?"
Nagato turned his ringed eyes to Naruto and smiled sadly. Itachi didn't catch what the dying man's words were though. His attention was interrupted by a flickering chakra. He glanced behind him and saw his cousin with both his eyes intact. He nodded gently at the older man, acknowledging his presence. Their main attack against the person behind the reincarnations would commence shortly.
Itachi turned his head back as Nagato's body began to crumble and his soul got placed in the sake jar. He felt the sting of the Mangekyo Sharingan and the Susanoo's pull on his chakra. He released both and wiped the blood away from his one eye. He had only activated his clan's Kekkei Genkai when he absolutely needed to, but he still felt the toll on his body already. He could feel something worse coming, and it would do him no good if he ran out of reservoirs not even halfway through. A quick glance at Naruto told him the young shinobi was straining himself too as his unique form dissipated.
"Naruto," he called, halting the boy's rant. "You must remember that you have comrades that you can rely on. If you don't, you will lose everything that you have worked your whole life. The village isolated you because they believed you were different than them. However, you should them that you were not, and that you understood them. They accepted you, and you've been so successful because you put emphasis on the importance of teamwork and promote togetherness. If you decide to take this war solely on your shoulders, you might as well throw those values away; and become a force worse than Madara. Then, you will never be able to become Hokage."
The blonde-haired boy's face grew serious as Itachi advised him. He nodded, understanding and accepting what the older man told him. "I guess I did forget about all that… thank you, Itachi."
"Yo, what are you gonna do now that Nagato is sealed up?" Killer B asked the Uchiha.
"We're going to stop the animator." Itachi informed them both.
"I wanna come to! I want to defeat this creep who's rising all these people from their graves!" Naruto exclaimed feverishly.
Shisui chuckled behind Itachi. "You were right, cousin. He's a spirited one."
"What's so funny?" The young shinobi asked.
"Nothing, nothing. I promise. But remember what Itachi just said?" Shisui pointed out. "Rely on your comrades. You have bigger fish to fry that a mere puppeteer."
"Bigger fish to fry…?" Naruto prodded, his blue eyes growing wide with his interest.
The the younger of the two Uchiha nodded solemnly. "Kokuro and I were involved in researching what the Akatsuki were really up to. What the man posing as Madara Uchiha was planning… we believe they are trying to cast the ultimate Genjutsu over the entire world and enslave the shinobi."
"Also there are reports coming in," added Shisui, "more and more of the white plant-guy are attacking our forces. The great nations are moving in active war against the Akatsuki."
"What? No! That's not going to happen! I'll stop them!" Naruto exclaimed as he reactivated his bright form.
Shisui nodded. "We have faith you will Naruto, which is why you have to leave the dirty work to us."
The blonde nodded firmly at that. "Alright then. I have faith in you guys too. Get this guy good."
"I'm going with." Sasuke said, suddenly joining them along with Sakura.
Itachi started to shake his head when Shisui stopped him before he spoke. "Itachi, Sasuke is a valuable member. He knows more about the foe than we do. He also has become very strong." The older tried persuading.
Itachi looked over his younger brother before nodding. "Very well then. Let's head out now. The sooner we finish this, the sooner this war can start to wrap up."
The two older Uchiha took off to the trees. Sasuke stayed behind briefly and approached Naruto.
"Watch over Sakura." He told his comrade.
"Hey! I don't need to be watched over!" Their pink-haired comrade exclaimed behind them.
"Hn," Sasuke replied and looked at Naruto.
"Don't worry, Sasuke, I will." He assured.
The younger Uchiha nodded before disappearing into the wilderness, easily catching up with his brother and cousin.
"So what's the plan here?" He asked once he was with them.
"I'm following my chakra trail which will lead us to Kabuto's exact location." Shisui informed him. "From there we will make him release the jutsu."
"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Sasuke asked, turning his attention to his brother for this one.
Itachi was silent for a moment, clearly in thought. "It will all depend on how Kabuto response and the details of the jutsu; both of which are unknown at this point." He replied cryptically.
"So, you're plan is to wing it?" Shisui asked, surprised.
"Not at all. The plan just won't be solidified until the factors are known." Itachi told them.
Shisui and Sasuke looked at each other across Itachi, unsure of what brought upon this odd behavior. But never questioned him, knowing very well he would find a way to defeat their foe.
Kokuro lunged forward, screaming. The loss of Sintary's connection had him seething with rage. "FIRE STYLE: GLISTENING PHOENIX PLUME."
Tsuki laughed and moved in opposition, "Water style: Naga's Spray." A frothy stream of murky water boiled against, and muted out blinding blue and white fire.
Steam erupted out spreading in great coalescing masses of water in the cold open space. The floating droplets whirring and floating aimlessly as the two shinobi lunged at one another. Great wafts of boiling steam seared both living and dead flesh.
The two shinobi moved as mirror images of each other. One with light jutsu, the other a twisted, dark version of the same jutsu. One fought for his life and loved ones, while his foe fought for the mere purpose of fighting. He wasn't trying to beat his lighter half anymore. He was just trying to keep the shinobi enraged.
And Kokuro was definitely livid.
He had absolutely no connection to his friends down below. Somehow, he had lost his communication with Sintary, and that caused him to fear for the worst. She had to be hurt or…
Kokuro poured his chakra into his hand, mimicking one of Naruto's techniques. Wind and water spiraling in his hand. Wind and Water Art: Typhoon Rasengan. Tsuki mirrored his assault, and formed a seething black lightning Chidori in his hand. Blood poured from his eyes as he blossomed it with black flames: Amaterasu.
He couldn't think she was dead because if she was dead, that meant his children were dead. He couldn't lose all three of them so suddenly. And then what about Kiba? Oh, Kiba. He had absolutely no sense of communication with his husband. How did he know he was okay? Tsuki certainly seemed to know what was going down below… surely he'd throw it in Kokuro's face is something horrible happened to him. The foe shinobi seemed to enjoy emotionally tormenting him.
Speaking of which, Tsuki stopped landing blows to sneer. "Ooh. It looks like Madara has officially joined the Akatsuki front line…" He then paused, looking off into the distance. "That's oddly vengeful," he said almost to himself. "The Sound Ninja Four has trapped the souls of several Leaf shinobi in a prison dome...It appears your pathetic husband in one of them."
Kokuro saw red and teleported to the demon, grabbing hold of his throat.
"Tell me what happened to him?!" He roared, visibly shaking as rage threatened to consume him.
Tsuki cackled and smirked. "It's a special jutsu Orochimaru devised called the Space-Time Technique Formula: Underworld Turnover. It traps the souls of the user and their target in an undetectable barrier, leaving their bodies in a suspended animation that essentially stops their chakra flow. The ones inside the dome still feel alive and are capable of movement, but without real chakra flow, their bodies will essentially die."
Undetectable? Then how was anyone supposed to know his love was in danger? How was he supposed to be saved?
His grip on his foe became more intense as he thought of every possible thing that could have happened to his husband. He squeezed so tight that Tsuki should have stopped him or fought back or something, but the demon didn't. Kokuro suddenly felt like he wasn't holding anything. He glanced over at Tsuki, who was still there. The red eyed shinobi stood where he had previously, his neck right where Kokuro's hand should be holding. Only, the white-haired ninja had no grip on the object.
Tsuki smirked more, showing his fanged teeth as he started taking steps forward. Kokuro's hand and arm were completely passing through. Even though Kokuro's limb was in the way, he could see the bruising as black as his other's neck. Tsuki laughed as he walked right through Kokuro, leaving the former with a sudden chill. The smirk, the laugh, the overconfidence oozing from the demon was all an act. In truth, Tsuki was starting to worry. He thought when he provoked Kokuro it would weaken him, making the merge easier with him in control. But the information only made Kokuro want to fight more. If his morale was strong by the time their final blow hit…. Tsuki wasn't sure he would be the dominant soul.
Angered, he yanked Kokuro's head back, and stood so his lips were right by the latter's ear.
"Are you scared yet?" Tsuki asked lowly. "Because the end is coming, and everyone you know and love will be erased from this world, starting with your wretched children."
"In here," Shisui called as they came up to a dark cave with many projections from both the top and the bottom.
"Where in here?" Sasuke asked confused as there was no sign of Kabuto.
"There," Itachi said suddenly and smashed through a wall with his Susanoo's skeleton arm.
Sasuke blinked seeing a familiar woman in the middle of the room lying on the floor. "That's Anko Mitasashi… What is she doing here?" He wondered aloud.
Behind her was a large, white snake attached to a hooded figure.
"Sorry, I wasn't expecting visitors. However, given three Uchiha were on my tail, I figured it was only a matter of time before I was found."
"We're stopping this jutsu with or without your cooperation, Kabuto." Itachi stated making his intentions clear.
The man chuckled, still not turning around. "Why Itachi, you clearly don't understand this jutsu. Let me be the first to explain it to you. This jutsu has no risk to the user. Meaning, if you kill me, you'll never be able to undo the jutsu. This technique was originally developed by the Second Hokage, taken by Orochimaru and improved by me. I raised some of the most powerful shinobi of time; including members of the Uchiha. How was that little reunion? It was quite easy to get into their graves while you two were on your little redemption tour."
That sparked ire in Sasuke. "You filthy piece of shit! Only you would stoop so low to rob graves of the dead." How dare this scum expect praise for an unfavorable act.
"Ah, Sasuke. Didn't you enjoy seeing them? I gave you a gift: finally getting to say goodbye to the parents you lost to your murderous brother. I deserve a thank you for that." Kabuto continued to poke.
"You son of a bitch!" The younger Uchiha exclaimed as he was engulfed in purple chakra that evolved into the starting of a ribcage. His most prominent emotion exploding forward: hatred.
"Sasuke, calm down," Itachi told his brother, outwardly remaining unfazed by his brother's sudden use of the Mangekyo. He, too, was irked by their foe's unbalant remorse, but he simply couldn't allow his emotions to cloud his judgment. They had too much to loose from this if it went south.
"Ooh. So, Sasuke can now use Susanoo as well. I wonder… was that from the agony you felt when you watched your parents die for a second time?" Kabuto asked licking his lips under his hood. "You know, Orochimaru and I did so much for your development, and what thanks did we get? You turning on us. It's not too late Sasuke. You can still join me. We can conquer these wretched nations that caused us so much pain!"
"I said enough!" Sasuke roared as lightning formed in his hand and extended out trying to cut through Kabuto.
The cloaked enemy formed into a lumped figure, and the group could hear hissing.
"He turned himself into snakes." The young Uchiha stated distastefully.
"He divided his chakra amongst them." Shisui stated as he saw the snakes scatter out. "There's not one single snake that is him." He could sense their group dynamic wasn't well suited for what he had in mind, but he hoped his cousin could keep his brother in check.
"Then we take them all out." Sasuke said drily, as if it was the simplest thing ever.
"No, Sasuke," Itachi scolded. "We can't kill him. If we do, we won't be able to stop the jutsu. He's the only one who can end this." Had his brother not listened to Kabuto? Was he not as observant as a shinobi of his caliber should be? He mentally shook his head. No, Sasuke was surely capable of this task. He had proven himself worthy a long time ago.
"Then how exactly are we supposed to get him to end this jutsu?" His younger brother asked.
"Sasuke, we are members of the Uchiha clan," Shisui told him. "We have the ultimate weapon for making people do as we wish."
"The Sharingan…." The young shinobi muttered trying to think.
The trio heard a snicker echo throughout the cave.
"Is that really your plan? You are three of Konoha's finest shinobi, and all you plan on doing is making me talk with your Sharingan? I must say, I'm disappointed."
Itachi and Shisui glanced at each other, unaware of their enemy's supposed advantage.
"You filthy snake." Sasuke cursed. "Serpents are able to turn off their vision. They're able to move without sight due to their other senses being heightened. Genjutsu won't work on him at all."
"You sound like a snake expert." Itachi commented, impressed with his brother's knowledge.
"I had to study them; I planned on taking Orochimaru down." He replied.
"Very good, Sasuke. Only one thing you got wrong." They heard Kabuto's voice as they saw the snakes collet together. "I studied to surpass my mentor. I did what he could not: I studied under the White Snake Sage."
Shisui and Itachi blinked, in visible shock. Both had just read of the sage's talents, but no shinobi had been able to approach and study under it.
"You found Ryuchi Cave?" The eldest asked in disbelief.
"Indeed I did," Kabuto flaunted. "Not even Lord Orochimaru could make it there, but I did. I achieved what he could not. I am no longer a snake as Sasuke stated, but I am a dragon!"
"Sasuke, your Susanoo." Itachi warned as the other Uchiha rose theirs on guard.
The group watched one of the snakes coughed up a newly formed Kabuto in Sage Mood.
"Shisui, I'm coming after you first. I will rewrite the seal inside your head, and we will battle the two Uchiha brothers. Once they defeated, I will absorb them both, becoming the ultimate shinobi." Kabuto monologued to them, ending with his enlarged tongue coming out and licking his lips in delight.
"Good luck with that. It's three against one." Sasuke commented.
"Oh my, you're right. I guess I better level the playing field." The white-haired shinobi commented slyly. "Sage Art: White Rage Technique."
A ghastly, red dragon spewed from Kabuto's mouth. The creature carried a purple orb in its left orb. Weapons raised, the trio prepared for anything. They did not expect the dragon to curl around the orb in a spinning fashion. The being suddenly emitted a bright, white light and a piercing sound that cause their insides to hurt.
"Now I'm the only one who can move giving I can see and can liquify my body." Kabuto stated smuggly.
Itachi had to admit, their foe's plan was clever. He didn't feel like he could move, and his eyes burned from the bright light, only allowing him sparing glances. He saw Kabuto start to move and tried to plan where he would attack. He looked over at his younger brother, seeing him struggle.
Sasuke couldn't stand the pain. He gripped his eyes as the noxious screeching pierces through his whole body - and that was on top of the seething burn of the Susanoo. He felt his control start to slip and shook his head, releasing the jutsu.
Both older Uchiha jumped in immediately to protect the younger from Kabuto's attack.
"Hmm. It seems I'm more transparent than I originally thought." He commented as his dragon dissipated.
"Itachi, I have a plan." Shisui said over his shoulder as he kept his eyes on their enemy.
"I'm listening," he replied looking at his partner.
"We're going to use Genjutsu to make him undo the Edo Tensi." The older man started.
"That won't work," Sasuke reiterated. "He turned his vision off; he can't see for Genjutsu to get through."
"There are other methods of Genjutsu, Sasuke." Itachi informed him. "As Uchiha, we are masters of it and can easily manipulate reality; even without our preferred method." He then directed his attention to Shisui. "What do you want me to do?"
"Keep him occupied. I'll do the rest." The short-haired shinobi said as he pulled out his katana.
Itachi nodded shifting his red gaze back to Kabuto. "Sasuke, remember the boar mission you and I did when we were children?"
The man in question nodded. "I do. How does that help us now?"
"Have you Susanoo form a bow and arrow with your chakra, and wait for the right moment. Just stay behind us." His older brother explained.
The foursome stood in a stand-off; a game of chicken to see who would break first. The two older Uchiha's broke the trance first. Both had their hands blurred with motion. Shisui disappeared, and Itachi launched a fireball at the dragon. Their foe flipped to the ceiling and used a water jutsu to counter the flames. Sasuke took the opportunity and shot an arrow at Kabuto's snake tail, pinning the latter to the ceiling.
"Ooh, crafty." The white-haired shinobi chuckled as he worked the arrow from his body. "The whole family ganging up on me."
The man noticed the older Uchiha brother start running towards him, jumping to attack. Kabuto took hold of the arrow and threw it at him once he was close enough. Itachi took the hit, but exploded into a burst of his crows. The barrage caused their sensory foe to be disoriented enough for Shisui to suddenly appear before him and cut off his horn. The agile shinobi flipped away and landed in front of Sasuke and Itachi, watching the dragon feel his horn with his intense red gaze.
"Well, you've actually landed a blow. Pesky things - these horns," Kabuto nonchalantly said. "No major lost, it'll grow back. Let's wrap things up. I have a war to win."
The four engaged once more. Three against one. A sage art shinobi against three formidable Uchiha. The battle wasn't long though. The trap had been set, and completed within a small span of time. Kabuto soon stopped moving, and the two older Uchiha relaxed.
"It's complete." Shisui stated, putting his katana away.
"What did you two even do to him?" Sasuke questioned, still confused.
"Outside the Mangekyo Sharingan, there are two more kinjutsu the Uchiha are capable of; a pair if you will. They are the Izanagi and Izanami." Itachi explained now that they had time. "The Izanagi is a genjutsu that alters fate by changing the outcome for a more favorable one. The Izanami was created is opposition the Izanagi as a way to decide fate. The Izanami is a genjutsu that depends more on the sensory information from the wielder and the target. Essentially, the caster creates a series of scenes, and once they are connected, the intended opponent is placed in an endless loop. The only way out is to accept one's fate."
"Why would you leave him with a chance to escape?" Sasuke asked baffled. "Wouldn't it be better to trap him and kill him?"
"That would be the easy path, yes," stated the older brother calmly. "But if Kabuto can learn to accept himself as he is, and take hold of his fate, he would be redeemable. We left it up to him to decide if he wants to be a better person or not."
The younger shinobi shook his head, the logic not settling with him, but he accepted his brother wouldn't harm Kabuto directly. "So, wait, you said both were banned as kinjutsu? Why?"
"Because they are jutsu of great power. With power comes corruption, abuse, and a cost." Shisui stated slowly turning around. "The cost being the user loses his vision in the eye he casted the jutsu from."
Sasuke looked at the older man. Sure enough, one of his eyes was white with the loss of vision. Speaking of sight, he noticed his own was weaker than it used to be.
"Now, to end this jutsu," Itachi said moving to Kabuto.
Without the adrenaline pumping, Sasuke started to feel tired and weary. He couldn't see clearly anymore, and his chakra felt drained. Shisui noticed this and turned to Itachi, seeing his best friend's eye bleed from the Tsukuyomi.
"Itachi, you two need to head to a medic after this." He told the younger firmly. "Sasuke used his Mangekyo for the first time, Susanoo on top of it all. He used too much too fast. His vision will fade faster than yours or mine."
The man paused Kabuto's release. "What do you suggest I do?" He asked clearly not wanting his brother to be handicapped.
"Have that girl, Sakura, transplant your eyes into Sasuke and his into you. Both of you have awaken the Mangekyo now; therefore, you both can active the Eternal Mangekyo with the exchange." Shisui explained as his form staggered a bit.
"That will render us both useless for the rest of the war." Itachi commented before continuing.
"It's the only way to save you both. It will work Itachi. Just promise me you'll go through with it," Shisui asked before he was engulfed in the white light.
Itachi could not deny the man he viewed as an older brother that request; just like he couldn't refuse him the last time they parted. He nodded softly as he turned towards him. "I will Shisui."
The older man smiled softly at him. "Good. I'll be watching from the Pure Lands. Take care, Itachi."
The body Shisui inhabited crumbled away as the jutsu was released and his soul was pulled to the afterlife once more. Itachi's hand gripped tightly into a fist in an episode of anger and sadness. The man he always looked to for guidance could finally rest in peace along with his mother and father. He then glanced at his younger brother's tired form. Itachi was determined that no more relatives and friends would join the afterlife this. He would protect them all, even at the cost of his own life.
Sakura was tending to fallen comrades with the medical team. She was one of the few who could actually keep going. A lot of her team was wearing down from the toll of this war. She hadn't expected her stream of hopping from one person to another to be abruptly halted by the Uchiha brother.
"Sakura," Itachi called to her as he landed. He had ended up having to support Sasuke to get them to her.
The pinkette finished up her work and hurried over to them. To her, they physically seemed fine, but they're chakra levels were significantly reduced; Sasuke more so than Itachi.
"What happened?" She asked immediately taking a look at the younger of the two.
"We defeated Kabuto." Itachi stated simply. "However, it required Sasuke to used his new Mangekyo Sharingan and several of its jutsu without proper training."
"Mangekyo? When did he acquire that?" Sakura blinked as her chakra flooded towards his eyes.
"It must have been when mother and father were released from this world." He explained thinking back. "It caused Sasuke great pain; enough to awaken the next stage."
Sakura frowned as she assessed the damage. "He… he can hardly see. There's so many chakra vessels broken causing so much inflammation in his eyes."
"He will go blind if you don't transplant my eyes into him." Itachi told her very calmly.
Her seafoam green eyes glanced over at him. "Transplant your eyes?"
The elder Uchiha nodded. "By giving him my eyes, he will awaken the final stage: the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan."
"You'll be blind then." She stated.
"You can gave me his eyes."
Sakura blinked. "So you want me to perform two massive eye surgeries in the middle of the battlefield? Where I have no equipment, no team, no sterilization!" She started ranting, not even aware of the anxiety brewing in her.
She suddenly felt a hand on her forearm, causing her to jolt and halt her chakra flow to Sasuke. She slowly met Itachi's calm, onyx eyes.
"Sakura, you are the only one who is capable to perform the task at hand. You know you are able to do the surgery on your own. Do not doubt yourself." He told her.
"He's right." Came Sasuke's voice. "The woman I respect wouldn't be whining over technicalities."
Sakura huffed. "IF THAT'S YOUR ATTITUDE -"
"You can pummel me when I can actually see you to take you down." Sasuke said simply. "We're in the middle of a war, this isn't the time or place to debate this."
"It is! It's your eyes!" Sakura exploded. "You two Uchiha think you can just interrupt me healing people who actually are dying to fix your precious eyes-"
"Sakura," Itachi interrupted, "more people are going to die if Sasuke and I cannot join Naruto on the battlefield. It will take every last shinobi to take down our current foe."
"But you undid the Edo Tensi. I saw the souls return." Sakura said.
"We still have to deal with the one who was posing as Madara Uchiha." He reminded her. "He launched this war; Kabuto was merely a parasite taking advantage of it."
"It looks like we Madara Uchiha himself to deal with as well." Shikamaru said joining the group. "Word from Headquarters is the Kage are still battling him, and his Susanoo."
"What? How is Madara still alive?" Sasuke exclaimed.
"He must have known a way out. Kabuto did mention the jutsu was created by the Second Hokage," Itachi deduced, not all that shocked.
"Do you know what he's trying to do?" The young Nara asked.
"I have a theory. Kokuro and I were working on it constantly after Pein's attack. Essentially, we believe Madara is trying to cast the world into an eternal genjutsu, and to do so, he needs to revive the Ten-Tails."
"There's a Ten-Tails?" Shikamaru inquired, shocked.
Itachi nodded. "Essentially, it is all nine tailed beasts merged into one entity."
"That explains why he needs Naruto and Killer B so much." Shikamaru muttered. "So, how do we stop this guy?"
"We need to stop them from raising the Ten-Tails at all costs. The beast's destruction will be worse than Pein's demiliation of Konoha." Itachi told him.
The young Nara nodded. "We need you all in the field immediately. Naruto is battling against Tobi now with Killer B, Kakashi and Might Guy, but if this revived Madara gets through the Kage with all that power…"
"We're going to have more of a mess on our hands." Itachi finished.
"Is that enough reason for you to do that surgery, Sakura?" Sasuke asked bringing it back to their previous conversation.
"What surgery?" Shikamaru asked.
"Sasuke and I are transplanting each others eyes into the other to activate the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan." Itachi explained briefly.
"So you two would be able to use your Sharingan without losing your vision." Shikamaru nodded before looking at Sakura. "We need them in the battlefield. Itachi has intel and skill to revival Madara, and Sasuke can join Kakashi and Naruto against Tobi."
"Does no one here understand the risks of this?!" Sakura exclaimed. "I have never performed or even looked into doing this surgery. This is their eyes! If I screw something up, that's it, they're done."
"You won't screw up Sakura," Sasuke told her calmly. "You were the only one who was able to cut off chakra to our eyes and repair it; the only one who solved how to treat the deterioration of the Mangekyo. You know how our eyes work. You know what to do. You just have to believe you can do it."
Sakura's green eyes bore into Sasuke's dark ones. She couldn't believe the words spilling out of his mouth. He actually believed she was capable of this? He was actually telling her to believe in herself? Was this the same man who told her countless times that she was weak, useless and annoying? The man who left her cold on a bench to seek power away from her? Sakura started pulling her short pink hair back so she could work. This man before her… he was somehow so familiar to her, yet someone else entirely towards her… he… he was what she had always dreamed he would be…
Someone she could love.
His love.
Where was he?
Kiba had nearly died twice, and this war had barely reached its climax. But despite the physical pain and panic he felt about dying, nothing compared to the worry coursing through him because he couldn't find Kokuro. None of the sensory shinobi could locate him either; even Shikaku was beginning to wonder of the boy's absence.
So, the Inuzuka headed to the last person that should have seen his husband alive.
"Uchiha!" He yelled coming up to the pair of brothers.
Both turned their heads in the direction of the noise, but their eyes were bandaged from post surgery. Sakura had said the surgery went well, but had ran off to save more lives, leaving them with some shinobi as guards.
Kiba landed next to the two, not even wanting to ask what mischief they had gotten into this time. "Where's Kokuro?" He asked.
"I don't know," started Itachi.
"YOU DON'T KNOW!?" Kiba roared. "What do you mean you don't know? He went after your girl- Where, where is she?!"
"I don't know that either." The Uchiha stated very quietly.
"You're fucking joking right now, right?" The wild beast asked, his chest heaving. "You have to know where one of them is at. You were the last one to see either!"
Kiba collapsed, hyperventilating. Akamaru immediately moved to his best friend's side and licked his face, trying to calm him down.
"Kokuro vanished from us because Sintary was being attacked by Tsuki. When I had reached Sintary, she had abolished Tsuki, however, Kokuro had not reached her. We were no sooner attacked, and everything spiraled after that. We went our separate ways to end the Edo Tensi, and I haven't seen her since. As for Kokruo…. I have no idea where he could possibly be." The black-haired shinobi explained.
"The sensory ninja can't locate him either." Kiba whispered. "Oh, god. Do you think he's dead?"
Itachi slowly shook his head. "They would have been able to locate his body if that were the case."
"Then where can he be? What else is left?" Worried the latter.
"I'm not sure. Perhaps it could be due to his bloodline. Or maybe he's being cloaked by whomever he's battling." Itachi stated, not sure what else he could say.
"Maybe… maybe he found Sintary. Hey Ino!" Kiba called over. "Can you have them search for Sintary? Ko must be with her; he wouldn't leave her side."
"Yeah, sure, Kiba." Ino told him and sent the request to her father. She was silent for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I'm sorry… they… they can't find Sintary either."
That struck the older Uchiha to the core. Sintary had gone to face her parents. She should have been able to handle them; especially if he had undone the Edo Tensi in time. So, what had happened to her?
"There's more," Ino warned, quivering. "Madara… oh god," she whispered, her voice choking up. "He, he wiped out the Kage, and joined Obito against Naruto, Killer B, Kakashi and Guy-sensei."
"Obito?" Itachi wondered, snapping out of his darkened thoughts. "Obito died during the Third Ninja War."
"He…" Ino started, her blue eyes darting side to side as she found out the information. "He almost did, but Madara rescued him before he died. Apparently, the two have been plotting this entire thing since then. Plans to capture the tailed beasts and revive Madara… all from the very beginning." She then froze. "Apparently, Obito had started resurrecting the Ten-Tails already."
"Then, it seems, time is very limited. They need to stop it from flourishing." Itachi told her immediately. "They need to destroy the statue and free the tailed beasts."
"Ino!" Sakura hollered from a ways away. "Get your ass over here!"
The blonde darted over to the pinkette, not saying anything else. The two Uchiha brothers, and the Inuzuka felt helpless in the situation. Well, one them was tired of sitting around.
"I'm not waiting another damn minute." Sasuke muttered biting his thumb before performing a summoning jutsu.
Kiba blinked as he saw, not an animal summoning, but a person being summoned. A man who was considered their enemy: Orochimaru.
"Why in hell would you summon that thing!?" He yelled.
"Yes, why did you, Sasuke?" The snake master asked looking down at his disciple. "I really have no intentions on getting mixed up in this mess."
"You're going to hell my eyes, and then, we're going somewhere." Sasuke upright demanded.
"Where exactly do you plan on going?" Itachi inquired next to his brother.
"I'm going to find out more information on how to stop Madara Uchiha." Sasuke answered simply.
"Ooh, both Uchiha brothers in one piece, not tearing each other to pieces. Both of you seemed to have some damage to your precious eyes. What happened?" Orochimaru asked curiously.
"Surgery. Now heal them." Sasuke seethed, done playing around.
"Hm… I'm sure I'll find out later." The Sannin murmured before doing as the short-tempered Uchiha asked.
Sasuke then removed his bandages and blinked a few times, his vision a bit blurry. "What did you do? Why can't I see properly?" He immediately hissed
"Patience, Sasuke," Orochimaru assured smirking.
The young Uchiha had ran out of that a long time ago. He frowned as he kept blinking. His vision slowly started to come into focus. He could feel the strength in his eyes; so much untapped potential.
Sasuke stood and moved to leave.
"You're just going to leave your brother here?" Kiba interjected watching him.
The younger brother looked back at his elder. "He needs to rely on his comrades." He stated before taking off with Orochimaru.
Dark eyes glanced over at the remaining Uchiha. "Where on Earth is he going?" He asked.
Itachi sighed, trying to figure out his brother was always a difficult task. "He said he was going to find out more information regarding Madara and how to stop him…. The only one who successfully fought against the legendary Uchiha was… the First Hokage." The intellect started placing the pieces together, going silent.
"What? What are you thinking?" Kiba asked feverishly.
"Orochimaru can use the same jutsu Kabuto did. He could revive the First Hokage." Itachi told him.
"But, Lord Third sealed them away within the Shinigami during Orochimaru's attack on the Leaf almost six years ago." The Konoha shinobi informed him.
"Then he's going to Uzumaki shrine to release their souls." Itachi deduced.
Kiba waited a moment, expecting the Uchiha to start trying to stop his brother. But seeing the man do nothing made him curious. "Aren't you going to go after him…?"
The older Uchiha shook his head. "My brother will do as he pleases. Nothing I say will impact him right now with his mind already made up. Besides, it will not harm anything if he can learn of Madara's weaknesses; or bring back the only person who can actually fight him."
The Inuzuka nodded, going quiet for another moment, before speaking up again. "Do… do you feel kinda useless right now? Cause like, we're not doing anything when everyone else is fighting so hard… I'm… I'm just too worried to fight."
At first, he thought his words had fallen on deaf ears. Why would an Uchiha answer a question like that? They didn't show weakness, fear, or anything like that. He was an idiot for even saying that a loud.
"I do feel rather useless." Itachi suddenly admitted. "I'm sitting here, blind and unable to battle. I do not know the whereabouts of my comrades, and have no way of getting intouch with them. It's…" he sighed, "it is discerning."
"How do you keep your head so high then?" Kiba pondered.
"I have had them taken away from me before," the older shinobi told the younger. "Several times, my family, my love, my friends, my home… even my life has been ripped from my hands. All those times have lead me to let go in times like these. I am not a god; therefore, I do not have control over every situation, despite the delusion I may if I try hard enough. I have to believe that my comrades are strong enough to get through any barrier they face, and return safely back to us. They have in the past, they will again."
They each could feel it coming; the end.
Kokuro froze; his heart thudding in his chest, the fire in his blood boiling. He felt numb as his vision went white. He had no control over what was happening next. He merely glanced at Tsuki and energy exploded from him.
The former felt the impact, and his eyes went wide as he watched the magatama form in his opponent's eyes.
Fear.
Tsuki felt a cold sweat spread over himself as it invaded him; true fear filled his heart. It was followed by rage. He narrowed his black and red eyes.
He would not be beaten.
He would not loose.
He would live.
It was his life, his body, his time.
The pair turned to face one another, their chakra now rolling off like a swirling storm. The infinite space around them warping, giving way to their masses. The moon shaking in the waves of energy exploding from the pair. Shadow and light converging, fighting for form as black shrouds lashed out while white claws burst forth, wrenching at the dark aura. Time seemed to pass into millennia; seconds passing as centuries as the two forms took place.
A deep, dark shroud formed with its bandages swirling, desperately clinging to an emaciated figured. Protruding, white horns bursting forth, placed above a sickening bloody maw. Smiling, wicked fangs pierced the deep crevices of the face. It's eyes burning a bright yellow past it's black sclerae.
In opposition, light took form. A burning white chakra took hold; it's shape becoming solid. Bright, white eyes burned with rage and fury as the brows furrowed. It began to crease further, splitting with a piercing cry from the creature. Kokuro's voice echoing in the form of a scream. Skin split and a hellish red eye broke through the skin scape of ivory. In a blind rage, the eye focused its sight on the black mass.
"KOKURO!"
"TSUKI!"
The paired squared off as their forms finally stabilized. Their chakra solidified into two great beasts. A heavenly white rabbit with bright eyes and ten clawed tails swirling around it. The other a black Susanoo, sable and blending into the darkness of the endless space and adorned with the white mask of the Shinigami.
The two creatures then crashed into each other. The heavenly light mixing with the ghoulish dark in its ever clashing battle.
The magnitude of their battle finally grabbed the attention of those below. The allied forces stood under the moon's watchful gaze, but their feelings turned to worry as they watched something knock into the white light. While they couldn't see details, they could see the nightmare of the Shinigami. Fear struck in the hearts of many as they recalled all the horrors it could do. "It's coming for us!" "It's going to send us all to a permanent hell!" Though, they did not understand that was the very least of their concerns.
Itachi and Kiba turn towards the sky. The Uchiha could not see, but he could certainly feel the chakra tearing down towards them.
"Kokuro..." He whispered.
"What? You think that's him up there?" Kiba asked, now more worried.
Itachi nodded. "That is definitely his chakra... but... it's... laced with bloodlust... and its energy feels infinite.. unearthly." He told the brown-haired shinobi.
Kiba turned back towards the sky. "There's two beings. One... kinda looks like it's a tailed beast, and the other looks like a massive Shinigami." He illustrated to Itachi.
"Kokuro and Tsuki... it has to be." The blinded man told him.
"Oh shit," Kiba muttered. "They're charging at each other!"
The moment the two clashed, everything went silent and still. Time seemed to slow down, even at the battle front. Then, it hit the animals and their companions first. Akamaru hollowed and Kiba cringed, feeling his skin crawl as the massive waves of chakra coming towards them. He and Akamaru immediately braced around Itachi as the waves hit the Earth, causing it to quake in the massive assault. The blast knocked everyone on the battlefront down. Even Madara and Obito were knocked back off their revived Ten-Tails from the blast. Time started up again as the violent outbursts of chakra raped the Earth, sending Mother Nature into a furry.
The two Uchiha looked at each other. "What the fuck was that?" Madara seethed.
"It must have been Tsuki," Obito deduced shaking his head. "The fool was going to merge back and take over Kokuro Otsutsuki's body."
"An Otsutsuki? Those stories of that clan are older than I am. Nothing but myths." Madara insisted.
Kakashi looked between the two. They suspected Kokuro was behind this? The boy had come from legendary beginnings, but he hadn't been aware that he was capable of such massive blows.
Naruto and Sakura looked between the two of them. They had each had their own encounter with Tsuki. Neither was pleasant. The creature had such a distinctive malevolent chakra that caused them to shudder at the thought. To learn that this was part of his plan to take over Kokuro worried them. Both were strong, but they had concerns of who was truly stronger.
"They certainly aren't myths." The Third Hokage said, arriving on the scene with his fellow, revived Kage. "That boy has more power than you will ever have Madara Uchiha!"
"He certainly will not succumb to the darkness for he has inherited the Will of Fire of the Leaf Village," the First Hokage proclaimed gazing down at his old foe.
The man mentioned narrowed his eyes, troubled by not having calculated such a nuisance. No matter, no one mocked the Madara Uchiha and lived, and no Otsutsuki brat would stand in his way.
Darkness.
It surrounded her.
The young kunoichi groaned as her eyes slowly opened. Where was she? How long had she been out?
Sintary gently pushed her body off the ground and tried to look around at her bearings. Four black walls enclosed her with no apparent escape route.
About to wonder once more about her whereabouts, a cold, silky voice answered. "I had to move you. You were causing too much of a fuss."
Her blue eyes narrowed. "Kaguya."
"Yes," she answered. "You are currently in another dimension, and with no chakra or the capability to travel through them, you are stuck here."
"I am not stuck here. If I can't get out, someone will save me." She stated defiantly.
"Who exactly?" The rabbit goddess asked as the four walls suddenly light up. "You see, everyone is preoccupied." One screen showed Kakashi fighting another man in a dark world. Another showed Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura battling a strange creature with ten tails. The third showed her beloved, anxiously sitting with the bandages over his eyes. The final, showed a swirling mass of dark and light chakra and two bodies becoming one.
Sintary breathed slowly, trying to remain calm.
"Do you want to watch it all fall apart?" Kaguya toyed. "Kokuro is currently fighting his darker half, Tsuki. Do you remember? You helped birth him after all."
The screens focused in on the bright light and dark mixing. Sintary could visibly see the two bodies merging back together in grueling agony. She watched as it morphed into each soul as it took dominance. The darkness started to overcome the light as it became to engulf it. Suddenly, there was no light, and the body was left with two protruding horns and a vicious exterior. Fear struck down into Sintary's soul as she took in that Tsuki dominant her best friend.
"Guess he's out." Kaguya said. "How about the Allied Force's hero, Naruto Uzumaki? He certainly seems promising."
The walls suddenly showed glowing Naruto battling against Madara Uchiha, but Sintary saw a dark object appear with several chains as the entrapped… the tailed beasts?
"What… what is going on?" Sintary wondered, watching confused.
"You see, the young Uchiha - Obito, I believe his name was - tried thwarting Madara's plans and became the Ten-Tail's jinchuriki." Kaguya explained. "He failed, miserably. So, the older Uchiha is extracting all of them back into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path."
Sintary watched as the tailed beasts got dragged back into the rock one by one. Her stomach sunk as she saw the young boy struggle against the chains, trying to keep hold of the Nine-Tails. Dread filled her as the creature was yanked from its host, and his life with it. His light going out as well.
"So, he's out. Now, will it be Sasuke that saves you?" Kaguya asked as the screen filled again.
Her breathes became more labored as she anticipated what was coming next. She tried to tear her gaze away, but she felt entranced as she watched the man she viewed as a younger brother jump off his summoning behind Madara. Her lip quivered as he froze in mid-air by the legendary shinobi's force.
"You've really become annoying. I was hoping you'd come around, but you're really just a disappointment," Madara stated to the younger as he bent down and picked up a sword -which Sintary recognized as Sasuke's.
She gasped and held her chest as if the blade has pierced her instead of the black-haired shinobi. Tears fell down her face as she covered her mouth. Madara threw Sasuke carelessly to the ground, and she saw the light start draining from the young boy's face.
Sintary's breath came in short gasps as she sobbed openly.
"Now," Kaguya's voice echoed, "there's one left."
Her blue eyes widened. "No, no, no!" She screamed as the scene flipped to her knight in shining armor.
Itachi had gotten news of Madara's reign crushing through the Allied Forces. He couldn't idly sit by any longer. He had torn of his bindings and headed towards the blaze of chakra. His vision was blurry and weak, but he would have to try anyway.
Sintary watched as her beloved arrived on the scene seconds after Madara had stabbed his younger brother. She could visibly see the anger and despair quash his mask. All his efforts, in vain, because his little brother was dead. His fists shook with bursting emotions as a dark force developed inside of him. He glared at the one person who caused all this suffering. Was this what Sasuke felt when Itachi had been forced to kill everyone? Was this the hatred he bared for so long? The older Uchiha could see how consuming it was; he wanted nothing more than to destroy the one who caused all this - and he would stop at nothing to accomplish his goal.
"Oh, so you're going to stop me too?" Madara asked over his shoulder. "You must be the older brother. I've heard very promising things about you. Maybe you will give me a sufficient duel."
Sintary gazed on in horror as the two engaged in battle. She could see Itachi lagging slightly due to the loss of his vision. Madara could see it too, but he didn't need to. The older Uchiha clearly had the upper hand.
Her legs gave out from underneath her as she watched the father of her children get beat around. She turned away from the scene as she curled in despair. The goddess was right… there was no hope left. Every shred of light was snuffed out by the darkness.
Sintary gently placed her hands on top of her swollen stomach, not noticing how big it had grown since she was in there.
'I tried believing in hope…' she thought to herself. 'I tried believing in love… but despite everything… we still lost. My only regret is... I didn't get to see them one last time… Kokuro… Sasuke… Kazuki… Mesia… Itachi…' Sintary sniffed as the light from the scene went out, leaving her in darkness.
"I love you, all."
Itachi fell to his knees, his body unable to fend off any attacks from the extraordinary shinobi. Instead of meeting his maker's eyes, he decided to stare up at the sky. He remembered his short life. Seeing the war, meeting Sintary, taking care of Sasuke, meeting Kokuro… their team, their missions, their burdens…. He remembered the games, the laughs, the love… of course, accompanied by the lost, the pain, the misery. Itachi reminensed how he thought he was going to die at his brother's hands, or that he was going to be executed by the rejection of the Kage. He was reminded by the joy he felt when he was pardoned, and the happiness that overwhelmed in with being in Sintary's arms again. The love that surrounded him every day with his family…
He closed his eyes.
His children would be orphans, for he was sure Sintary would not make this out alive either. He was leaving them to a madman in a nightmare of fake happiness. He would die having tried everything to stop Madara…
But…
In the end,
It simply hadn't been
Enough.
…
An explosion in the sky rocked the world once more, knocking Madara away from delivering his final blow against one he should have called brethren.
Itachi opened his tired, charcoal eyes to see, what he assumed, was a shooting star. It was a ball of bright, white and yellow light, moving off into the distance.
Silly as it was, it was a symbol of hope, of magic. So, he made a wish.
"I wish… to see their faces… one last time…" the prayer whispered past his dry lips as he closed his eyes once more.
"Fool. Wishing on a star. You should have stayed on my side. You would have been on the winning side." Madara hissed distastefully as he raised a black chakra rod.
He then threw the object, only for it to be halted by two glowing forces.
"How dare you attack my family," trembled a very angered feminine voice.
"You know what happens when you attack family?" asked another masculine voice. "You purge in the hell it gives you."
Itachi's eyes shot open. Before him, in two pure, white forms stood in front of him, protecting him from Madara's blow. In them stood the most precious people in his life. His best friend, Kokuro, and his beautiful love, Sintary.
The pair looked back at their comrade, and extended one hand each to him.
"Come on Itachi," Kokuro ushered.
"Let's kick some ass," finished a determined Sintary.
The Uchiha heir looked between his two friends. Both stood, alive and confident in front of him. He gripped both their hands as he, too, became engulfed in the white light. He felt a surge of energy coarse through him, wild and pure.
The three stood there together, as one, prepared to take on whatever came at them like always.
They were the envision of hope.
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