THE BATTLE FOR THE EARTH – DESTINY
The Hidden Leaf Hill
Overlooking the valley is Uzumaki Naruto. It is a calm, still night, a perfect contradiction to the metaphorical storm he finds himself at the centre of. It is his death that made the leaf realise how real a threat these invaders are. It is his future self who lost in a battle against General Clyde and now it is himself from the past who has to win in order to secure the villages safely.
Fighting the final battle is harder in his opinion. He has felt the emotions of all those who have fought before. Mirai, her determination to not give up. Kakashi, his will to work with Obito to win. Tobirama, his desire to bring his brother back to the light. Hashirama, his power stemming from his wish for Mito's revenge. Sarada, her learning as she goes, adapting and overcoming the impossible. Boruto, his anger at those who would hurt his family.
All of the hidden leaf's team members have fought their hearts out, they have battled and struggled with every fibre of their being just to get to this stage. Not a single one of them had given less than 100% and every one of them had done that knowing they may have to depend on Naruto. No, every one of them did what they did knowing they would have to depend on Naruto.
The 7th Hokage turns his head to the side, sensing someone approaching. "You've returned then".
Emerging from the shadows is a man with blue, heavy-looking armour and short white hair. Senju Tobirama. "As I thought, it's impossible to sneak up on you".
"Kurama makes it harder to avoid detection" Naruto smirks as he recalls that the 2nd Hokage is now one of three nine-tails jinchuriki's, "Also, never giving up has paid off for me".
"It certainly has".
"Thank you for chasing that Colonel earlier" Naruto turns his body around, fully facing Tobirama as the two engage in conversation.
As Naruto mentions, Tobirama had put Minato first earlier by leaving the battlefield to chase the fleeing Colonel. While the 2nd hadn't been able to catch up with him, it was still an effort that everyone appreciated at the time.
"It's no problem" Tobirama replies, he had not wanted to lose another friend to Martin's poison, "Thankfully you and my brother were able to help Minato yourselves".
"I didn't really do anything" Naruto smiles dumbly, "It was all Kurama".
"I suppose it was" a cool smile comes to the 2nd Hokage's face, "For such a hated creature, he's not too bad when you get to know him".
"Right?".
The conversation has become awkward for the two of them. Tobirama's lowered eyes and tight chest indicate how much he is struggling. Clearly the older of the two Hokage's has something he wants to say but he just cannot find the words to do it. To get a heavy issue of his chest is not something he is used to, usually he had been the bouncing board for other people's problems. He had someone he could talk to, that was his brother but that has changed, Hashirama's attitude is different.
"You're worried aren't you" Naruto asks.
"Was it that obvious?".
"It's your brother's new attitude isn't it" Naruto calmly observes, "That's what is worrying you".
Tobirama sighs deeply. He walks to Naruto's side before clumsily sitting down in the grass, looking over the destroyed valley as his counterpart had been doing just moments ago.
"You remind me so much of my brother" he begins, "I thought he would continue to believe even after Mito's death. But…".
Naruto places a hand on Tobirama's shoulder, inspiring the latter to look up at the former. "We will bring back old man 1st, don't worry about that".
"After all" Naruto continues, "The hidden leaf village is his dream, he will never betray that".
The blonde shinobi places a hand on the damp ground before lowering himself just as Tobirama did. With a sloppy thud he also hits the floor. This valley, it has truly fallen into a state of disrepair, it's beauty has been ruined. Still, some destroyed beauty is easily worth it for the freedom of the villagers.
"What if he restarts the cycle of hatred?".
"I'll stop it again, I'll stop it as many times as I need to. I will never give up".
"And if you can't stop it?".
"Then I will leave it to those who come after me".
Tobirama contemplates this. This is what Sakura had told them when she was describing shinobi history. The single greatest difference between Hashirama and Madara is their ability to entrust. Hashirama had entrusted the village to his brother, to Hiruzen and to all those who would follow. Madara had entrusted his dream to nobody, instead leaving Obito to continue the legend that is 'Madara'.
"Sarada has decided she wants me to be her teacher" Naruto smiles as if this is funny, "Perhaps others will do the same, or maybe someone will follow her teachings. Still, as long as we continue to believe in those who follow, the cycle of hatred cannot win".
"… you are truly inspiring, Uzumaki Naruto".
The 7th Hokage scratches the back of his head as he tilts it backwards, "I'm just repeating what my master told me".
"My master was called Jariya, his teach was Lord 3rd. If my history is right, Lord 3rd learned from you Lord 2nd".
"Lastly, the will of fire was passed on to you by Lord 1st".
The armoured shakes his head slightly, "Brother…".
"Do you see what I mean" Naruto asks as he nudges Tobirama, "The Hashirama of the past entrusted the rest of us with bringing the current Hashirama back to his senses".
He gets to his feet. Dusting off his orange jumpsuit before offering his open hand to the 2nd Hokage. The two exchange a smile as Naruto helps Tobirama to his feet.
"Do you think you are going to win?" Tobirama questions.
"Of course" the reply comes, "I've said from the beginning, I will beat that General so bad he will never hurt us again".
"Thank you"
"Thank me when I've won".
Tobirama turns away from Naruto, facing into the black night. "I intend to".
After leaving his final words, he disappears.
Hashirama's Hut
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
Hashirama doesn't bother to raise his head, the smile creeping onto his face shows reflects that he already knows who is on the other side of that door. He is being visited by just the man he was hoping to see.
"Enter".
The door opens to reveal a medium-sized man with a newfound power. This is of course, the Shadow Hokage, Uzumaki Boruto.
"You were right" Boruto claims as he approaches Hashirama, joining the 1st Hokage in sitting at the table.
"So it would seem".
"With everything that was happening to my grandfather, I got more and more angry. Then, I had this sort of, vision. Someone came to me and unlocked the hidden part of my chakra" Boruto recounts an abridged version of what happened to him, "I gave in to my anger, my rage and then my eyes changed".
Boruto demonstrates his new power, his eyes first shifting to a Byakugan before a bright pattern appears around a newly formed pupil. This is the appearance of the Tenseigan.
"Nara Shikamaru referred to this as the Tenseigan" Hashirama stretches out his finger before tapping Boruto's forehead just above his eye.
"The Tenseigan" Boruto repeats the word, smiling as he finds it to his liking. "It's a good name. Why have I never heard of this before?".
"The Uzumaki clan descended from Otsutsuki Hagoromo" Hashirama explains, "Better known as the sage of the six paths, he is also the ancestor of the Senju and Uchiha clans"
"However" the 1st Hokage continues, "The Hyuuga clan is different, the Hyuuga clan are the descendants of his brother, Otsutsuki Hamura. At least according to legends".
"Hamura" Boruto makes a mental note to remember that name.
"I suspect it's because you are the first to fuse these two chakras" Hashirama explains, "That would explain why you are the first to awaken it. Never before have these two chakras fused".
"Then Himawari?".
"Perhaps your sister was simply not strong enough". Hashirama is not wrong to suggest this, while Himawari unlocked the Byakugan at a far younger age than her brother, she cannot be said to be stronger than him. She may be a genius but Boruto's hard work is something he learnt from his father. "Or, perhaps it is only a matter of time and she will soon unlock it. Either way, you realise, now don't you? We must embrace our rage if we are to win".
Boruto nods, it's not something that is pretty or even desirable but in his mind, it is essential. "Yeah, it's a temporary but powerful measure".
Hashirama grins as he strokes his chin, "I was right to trust you Uzumaki Boruto, Sasuke taught you well".
"When this is over" the blonde shinobi places his hands on the table as he gets to his feet, "When this is over, will you teach me?".
"Teach you?".
Since the death of Sasuke, Boruto has had little in the way of guidance. Naturally, a shinobi as experienced as him would typically require little. He is still developing though, for him it is impossible to catch up with Naruto and Sasuke so quickly, his father and his master had been granted an enormous power in an instant. To be as strong as them at the same age is impossible, for anybody. To surpass them required constant meticulous training, training that Sasuke was unable to complete.
The training Sasuke couldn't complete, Boruto deems there is no one better to continue that training than Senju Hashirama.
"Your strength is incredible" Boruto points out, "It's unlike anything I've ever seen".
Hashirama had not won his match. In fact he had lost in an embarrassing fashion. Still, one thing was clear from his match, with the exception of Naruto he is their strongest shinobi, if not for his lower starting point, he may have actually been stronger than Naruto. Nobody on the hidden leaf team, nor any of the Colonels can hold a candle to this man, the 1st Hokage.
"Your greatest power is your incredible mastery of sage mode, that's an area I am most lacking in".
"It's not that I don't want to train you" Hashirama replies, hesitance in his voice, "However, after this, there will no longer be a reason to get any stronger".
The Uzumaki clansmen lowers his head, thinking back to an experience that nobody knows of. That day when he had stumbled across the portal, when he had knocked Mirai unconscious and snuck through, he had understood what they were up against. That day he had seen Clyde being spoken down to by another General, then he had seen that General kill thousands in an instant.
No, in Boruto's mind, this threat is far from over.
"That's what we said last time" Boruto frowns.
"Very well then" the elder Senju brother smiles, "I'm sure there is plenty we can learn from one another, Boruto".
As one extends their fist, the other excepts it.
The two fists bump together for the first time as master and student.
Sarada's Hut
Sarada smiles away as she chats leisurely with Himawari. At this point everything is out of her hands but she cannot help being nervous. Himawari is an old friend, someone she can talk to when things become uncomfortable for her. During the period in which she became Hokage, Himawari had been a good alternative to Konohamaru when she had wanted to talk about the stresses of the Hokage position. While Boruto would be away from the leaf, Naruto's daughter rarely left the village and understood, very well, just how hard it is to be the Hokage.
As well as the constant support Boruto had given Sarada when she became Hokage, he also gave her a route to befriending Himawari again, someone Sarada had talked to little since their youth. Hence, a friendship quickly formed between the two.
At this point their conversation is interrupted as Mirai enters. "Yo, Sarada, Himawari".
"You seem quite cheerful" Sarada notes.
Mirai sits at the table, the rooms only major feature as she pulls up a chair next to Himawari. "What point is there in being miserable now?".
We have done our bit" Mirai says as she points to a wound on her arm, "Now if we die, we die and if we live, we live".
"Are you scared" Himawari asks.
"Maybe a little bit" the Sarutobi clanswomen confesses, "It's now all or nothing. Even the rest of the contest hasn't felt like this. To put our very existence on the line, it's a little intimidating".
"There is no need to be afraid" Himawari smiles, "My father is the one fighting tomorrow".
These three women have all grown up around the same period. Even for Mirai, the eldest of the trio, Naruto is someone she was told stories about growing up. The man who had killed her father had been defeated by Naruto. A feat that sparked his rise to the top, through Kakazu, through Pain, through Madara and even through Sasuke.
"Very few people have truly battled to decide the life and death of the village" Sarada suggests, "As Himawari says, Naruto is one of them".
"I suppose so" Mirai shrugs, "But tomorrow is different, he is fighting a General. We had never beaten a Colonel before you summoned the Hokage from the past. It took Naruto and Hashirama working together to beat one and now we are going one step further".
"Perhaps". Sarada's eyes flicker as a smile comes to her face. This situation does feel intimidating but it doesn't feel hopeless, it feels more hopeful than ever before. "Don't you feel that fate is on our side right now?".
"But, logically speaking, can he stand up to someone that powerful?".
Himawari chuckles lightly, "Did you see how fast he moved earlier".
"No".
"Exactly" Sarada taps the table with her palm, "Even I could barely follow his movements". The last Uchiha puts great emphasis on herself as she says this, tapping the side of her skull to point out just how incredible this is.
"Even with the rinnegan you couldn't…".
"He was just that quick".
The eldest of the three shakes her head gently as she smiles, "This is the Uzumaki Naruto from the stories isn't it".
Sarada nods. "I always thought my mother was exaggerating when she spoke about my father and Naruto. She wasn't, he truly is our greatest Hokage".
"You haven't done so bad though" Mirai grins.
"That's right" Mirai continues enthusiastically, "By bringing the Hokage back you have given us a chance. Think about it, we may actually survive through tomorrow".
"We will survive through tomorrow and beyond".
As Himawari makes this declaration it draws curious looks from her friends. "It's my birthday the day after tomorrow, there is no way he would miss it".
"Of course not" Sarada nods.
"He will win. He will win and we will be free".
"Definitely".
The Side of the Hidden Leaf Hill
Shikamaru has caught Naruto for a moment. Desperate to ask him about the thing that only the two of them know. About Naruto's power, about their destiny for this tournament, if the miracle has happened.
"You've watched this entire contest, you've had plenty of time to observe" Shikamaru notes, "Have you had that flash of inspiration, has it come to you".
Naruto shakes his head reluctantly. "No, I still don't understand it".
This is a great pain. Shikamaru has been depending on Naruto finally understanding something. This is the miracle that he has been praying for, a miracle that nobody else knows they require. How can he react now, he cannot act to discourage Naruto and he cannot rob the others of their hope by declaring this fight unwinnable?
"Can you win without it" he asks optimistically, "Tomorrow is the day you know?".
"I don't know if I can win without it. I know for a fact I could beat any of the Colonels". Naruto scratches his chin as he tries to formulate a realistic estimate for his power. "Clyde didn't look the least bit intimidated by my speed. He could have just had a good poker face but…".
"Do you really believe that?". Shikamaru's grey hair flutters in the wind as he locks eyes with Naruto.
The 7th Hokage smiles, "I believe in giving it my best, in never give up, also…".
"Also…".
"I believe that I will have that flash of inspiration tomorrow".
Shikamaru laughs heartily, "Dammit, what a drag. Well, I can't really doubt you, can I? You're the legendary Lord 7th".
"Thank you Shikamaru, for believing in me".
The Nara clansmen approaches Naruto, a serious look on his face as he clamps his hands firmly down on his friend's shoulders.
"I'm not the superstitious type but if I were I would say this…".
"It is your destiny to win tomorrow. You were born to do this. Go now, fulfil that destiny".
"And win".