THE BATTLE FOR THE EARTH – NEVER GIVE UP
Naruto and Clyde's Starting Point
In one direction, Mirai begins her battle against Sheer. Normally Mirai wouldn't be able to compare to a Colonel in terms of battle prowess and Sheer is stronger than an ordinary Colonel. This situation is special though, Mirai has been fighting for a very short time and Sheer has fought more than any of the other Colonels in this match. With the stronger of the two being completely exhausted, the weaker stands a chance.
In the other direction, it is a different story. The other direction is where Hashirama and Peterson are fighting. Each warrior is the second most powerful on their respective teams. Peterson is the Colonel who started all of this, who Naruto had to work with the 1st and 2nd Hokages to defeat. Hashirama is the man who has gone from strength to strength with only a single moment of weakness since this contest began. When embracing his true power, when he doesn't hold back, his might is easily capable of rivalling Peterson's.
Still, despite the hidden leaf's good odds in these two battles. It doesn't matter, the most important battle is before Naruto. It is between the 7th Hokage and the enemy General. Between Naruto and Clyde. A battle that Naruto cannot see a way to win.
"This whole situation must be hopelessly sad for you" Clyde observes as he snaps Naruto from his speculations.
Sympathy, not something that Naruto had been expecting until a moment ago. "What do you mean?".
"I didn't realise it until now. You've been brought forward from the future. I can't imagine what that must have been like", Clyde looks sincerely sympathetic towards Naruto, the frown on his face is proof of this. Normally, one would have little sympathy for an opponent who puts their friends in danger as much as Naruto has Clyde's but the General has an enormous respect for the Hokage. He reminds him of his role model and his ideals are similar to his own.
"You are clearly the strongest person from your village. Not even that guy fighting Peterson is on your level". Clyde feels a sense of familiarity as the words he wants to express come into his head. "Everyone's hopes must have been pinned on you. It must be hard for someone your age".
"Idiot" Naruto uses a silly voice as he grins in response, "I've always wanted recognition".
"There is a big difference between recognition and dependence" Clyde snorts at Naruto's stupid comparison. Nobody wanted to have to fight for their loved ones under these sorts of circumstances. "To have recognition is to be praised, to be depended upon is to have pressure put on you".
"Ever since I was young, I dreamt of becoming the Hokage". A nostalgic smile is retained by Naruto, even though he is merely 17 years of age it feels like so long ago that he was a kid claiming he would become the Hokage. Not many people had believed him, in the last few years though, things changed and they changed fast. "I was ready for both of those things when I made that decision".
"But never on the scale you have experienced it here" Clyde holds a hand out to his side as he questions Naruto. Truly this is more pressure than anyone should ever have to face, never mind a teenager, "No matter what, you couldn't have been prepared for that".
The 7th Hokage looks out of the corner of his eyes, his smile becoming more disjointed and awkward, "I guess that's true".
"You are truly unlucky, Uzumaki Naruto".
Those words interest him. Those words catch him by surprise. Those words make him realise something.
"Unlucky did you say?".
"That's right" the General confirms.
"You're wrong".
Clyde is taken aback by this statement of defiance. Wrong? How could it be wrong? How could Naruto's position be anything but unlucky?
"Although I wasn't there for their birth, I've met both of my children".
"And my parents are alive, it's not like before when I was just meeting them, they are alive!".
"And so many amazing people from the past are here, and there are amazing people from the future too".
"I've been given such a precious opportunity, a chance to know them all".
"And you call that unlucky?".
"I call that lucky, I'm so glad that Sarada brought me to the future".
"There is so much… life here".
"It's funny, you've spread nothing but death and what has emerged is life".
"My daughter, my son, my wife, my parents and all of my friends…".
"All I want to do is be happy with all of them".
"All I have to do is beat you".
"So I don't care how I do it, I'll beat you. I'll beat you so badly you never hurt us again".
"Their lives are so precious to me. No, all life is precious to me".
"I'll protect that for as long as I can and you will never stop me".
"That's why. I'm going to beat you, Clyde!".
The Hidden Leaf Hill
Minato smiles as he pumps his fist in the air. "He's not going to give up".
"Naruto…" Hinata smiles at his determination.
"Don't get your hopes up" Shikamaru sighs as he looks realistically at the situation. In the end nothing has changed. "His resolve alone won't be enough to…".
At this point he stops, staring at the screen with wide eyes. He spotted something familiar just a moment ago. Something that he had only seen once before. It had been difficult to notice and anybody else would have just discarded it as a blip on the screen. Not Shikamaru though, he has seen this before. This is hope.
'Was that really…'.
Naruto and Clyde's Starting Point
Naruto and many others have a sudden change in feeling following his speech. There is a sensation telling them that he will now be able to stand up to Clyde that there will be some difference, some greater power to him. There is no basis for such beliefs though, nothing has changed. Naruto has found no new reserve of chakra, he has noticed no new weakness in the enemy.
Their beliefs are all unfounded.
Except for Naruto and Shikamaru. These two notice something.
Perhaps there really is a difference.
Naruto starts as he feels something strange within his own system. It feels just like when he receives chakra from Kurama. The source of this strange feeling is his inner world. "What… what's this" he says as he looks at his own hands.
Clyde flinches. 'He's acting strangely'.
Naruto heads into his inner world, taking a couple of steps on the watery surface he hears the succession of splashes that usually accompanies him walking in here. As always, it is poorly lit, with a yellowish tinge to the place. There seems to be no source of light, it seems merely to exist, bouncing off the floors as if born in the air itself.
The most significant feature of Naruto's inner world is what it has always been. A giant fox with nine tails. The nine-tailed beast. Kurama. The fox stands proudly as ever as Naruto comes in to visit him despite the desperate situation they are in at the moment. It seems that Kurama is also experiencing this sensation, he is also feeling the same things as Naruto, no doubt due to their link.
"Kurama" Naruto asks, approaching his partner, "What is going on".
"I have no idea" Kurama replies impatiently.
The 7th Hokage shakes his head, this doesn't make any sense to him. The unfamiliar sensation is definitely coming from here and Kurama can definitely feel it to. The nine-tailed beast was always here, his senses always covered Naruto's chakra network from this place. If something were to interfere, how could he not be aware of it. Even when learning sage mode, Kurama had been able to sense the nature chakra Naruto was using. He had prevented Naruto from using sage mode in the same way as Jariya.
"Look!" Kurama shouts as he raises his head, looking above them.
From just the spot he was looking. A giant stone tablet falls down.
Giant doesn't do the tablet justice. It is slightly taller than Kurama and about twice as think as the nine-tails arms. The tablet is far from being in perfect condition as well. It is chipped and cracked in various places, like a gravestone that has been left untended for hundreds of years.
"What the hell is this thing?" Kurama asks looking towards Naruto.
"I have no idea" Naruto answers as he inspects the stone tablet. "It's got something written on it, hasn't it?".
Kurama reaches his large arm up to the tablet. He rubs his forearm along it, clearing the assorted dust from its surface. Naruto has seldom seen dust in this place and on such a large scale it completely covers him for a second. He coughs and splutters as he waves his hand in front of his face, trying to clear the fine substance from his mouth and his eyes.
As the dust finally clears around Naruto he looks up at the now clear tablet. It has a single word on it.
Naruto reads the word and it triggers something.
From the tablet a pure white energy flows towards the blonde shinobi.
"What's going on" the wide-eyed Naruto asks as he watches the thin white substance pour from the tablet into his body.
Kurama's mouth opens slightly as he realises what is going on. "This word… this substance… could this be the power that Shikamaru was training you to use".
The power that Shikamaru was training him to use. A power that Naruto used once during his training and even then, it was by mistake. Back then, a white substance just like this had swirled around Naruto, an incredible power. He hadn't been able to control it, on the contrary, it had actually caused Naruto to suffer somewhat.
At that time only Naruto and Shikamaru were present. The latter thought it was a good opportunity to try and obtain a new power, to try and learn to use this white substance. He hadn't told the others, he hadn't wanted to get their hopes up and Naruto had not been successful in using it previously. He couldn't even bring it out again yet now it has appeared like this.
"Could it really be" Naruto asks as he looks at his hands, "This feeling, it's not chakra".
"Naruto…" Kurama hesitates as he speaks, not daring to believe but at the same time not being able to stop himself. In this moment, the nine-tails is truly excited, "Have you grasped their power".
Naruto remains still, embracing this new sensation through his body.
Kurama doesn't share his patience though, "Try it out" he shouts, "Don't you leave me in suspense".
Naruto nods.
'This… whatever it is. It's not like chakra. It feels so easy to control. It feels, incredible'.
He realises that he is just as eager as Kurama to see this power in action.
Naruto wills the white substance into his hand. Just like that it appears, thin strands of this new energy that he is controlling. If he had to describe this feeling he would describe it as pure.
The white substance is acting just as Naruto wishes. Controlling it is far easier than chakra. So he decides to test its true capabilities. He raises his hand slowly into the air and then closes his fist.
ZOOM!
The formerly dull light starts to shine brilliantly. It starts to shine blindingly. From Naruto's fist an incredible power is sourced. It creates a draft, a breeze away from the point at which he focuses the energy. It is strong that even the giant that is Kurama stumbles backwards a step. This is it. This is really it.
"This is it Naruto" Kurama shouts excitedly as his host finally stops using the power, "You've made the breakthrough at a critical moment".
Naruto opens his hand. Lowering it back to chest height he looks at it in awe. Had he really just done that? Was that power from just a second ago really his own. That moment when he refuted Clyde for calling him unlucky, that he had truly understood what he wanted from the future. That proves to be the moment he unlocked this magnificent ability. "Wow".
"What are you still here for" Kurama asks with a smile.
Naruto returns the smile, "Are you saying you don't like my company, Kurama?".
"No, I'm telling you that if this is what we think it is, then it's time for you to go and kick that guys ass".
The 7th Hokage greens cheerily. This a look that Kurama had disliked in the past, that he had associated with his hosts childishness. It was not only that though, it was a look associated with Naruto's attitude, with his ninja way. He would never give up. Through their time together, this look has entirely changed for Kurama. Each time he saw it he was happier than the last. This time is happiest of them all.
"Let's do this then".
The jinchuriki leaves his inner world.
Naruto and Clyde's Starting Point
Clyde frowns and places a foot back to ready himself for combat. While the others had been ambitious after Naruto's speech, he had not shared their thoughts. He had no inkling that Naruto's determination would allow him to win this match. This is different though, the smile on the Hokage's face. It isn't a smile of optimism or cheeriness. It is a knowing smile. In his mind, this fight is not so clear-cut anymore.
'He is smiling. Don't tell me that he's found a weakness'. The General shakes his head after a moment, dismissing this suggestion as ridiculous. Compared to chakra, his power has no weaknesses, it augments his physical abilities, it makes him superior. Using the golden darkness cloak he is superior to Naruto in every way.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, General".
Clyde gasps.
"I'm ready to fight now".
Naruto creates a truth-seeking staff using the power he inherited from Asura, from the sage of the six paths. This is not a weapon he has used many times before but it is a weapon he is comfortable in using.
Clyde snorts upon seeing this. 'As if you could fight against me using that'. He is right there is no way the truth-seeking staff can be used to fight against him. Not a few minutes ago, he had deflected all of the truth-seeking orbs with a single hand, one staff wouldn't change things.
That is what logic would dictate.
The 7th Hokage has a firm grip in the middle of the staff. It is in his right hand, the same right hand he was using before. He wills this hand to be the focal point of his attack. It's slightly harder than it was a second ago but slowly the energy he obtained from the stone tablet starts to manifest in the outer world.
A pulse of white energy runs along the length of his staff, momentarily turning each part of it white before it changes back to its original colour.
This one pulse is enough.
Sheer, Peterson, even Clyde. All three of them look directly at this staff. Their faces go pale as they feel a familiar sensation.
'This feeling' Clyde thinks to himself, 'Is it…'.
The truth-seeking staff continues pulsing. The white pulses become more and more frequent, gradually the pulses become wider as their frequency rises. It happens, the whole staff becomes white.
The staff is coated in the new energy.
Clyde grinds his teeth, "That can't be!".
He refuses to believe what he is seeing. He creates a golden darkness ball, focusing his power in the palm of his hand like he had done before Hashirama interrupted. Stretching his palm out and pointing it at his opponent, he fires. This attack is far stronger than the darts he used before. This attack is merciless.
BANG!
With an almighty swing of his weapon, Naruto hits the golden darkness ball. It is not easy but after a struggle, a collision of powers, the Hokage forces the golden darkness to dissipate. He cancelled out the attack.
During the time it takes to do this, Clyde had started his run towards Naruto. It strikes the shinobi, it seems slower, this new power has improved his motion vision and his speed. He can keep up. He needs this newly obtained speed as Clyde throws a punch towards him. It is a narrow thing but he manages to return a punch. The two fists collide sending both warriors back. An even collision.
'This can't be happening' Clyde tells himself, 'Even if he has comprehended our power, he is only at the very basic stage, the same stage as a Captain'.
The General shakes his fist, realising that he is feeling pain in it. That punch was a turning point. No local had ever hurt him in this golden cloaked form. Uzumaki Naruto is the first.
'He is significantly stronger than me if I don't use my powers' Clyde notes, 'But even if he had an element on the same level as darkness… No, even then he wouldn't gain enough from it to fight me while I use the golden darkness cloak'.
Naruto stretches a hand out before him, from his back he summons a truth-seeking ball. The same thing happens as before, the thin white strands begin to pulse around the circumference of the sphere. Slowly, it is being enhanced by his new power.
'This can't be happening' the General shouts in his head once again, 'I can feel his power, it's definitely not chakra'.
The enhanced truth-seeking ball is fired towards Clyde.
'Fast!'. He dodges the attack at the last second. It provides him with a momentary opening. An opening he is more willing to use now than ever before. He fires a beam of golden darkness energy towards Naruto, a constant beam, an ongoing attack.
This is countered by a shield. White and black collide against one another as Naruto's shield holds off the beam of darkness. It lasts for a whole ten seconds before Clyde stops attacking. To continue to attack would just be a waste of energy.
While Naruto has become stronger thanks to his new power, he is by no means dominating Clyde. He emerges from the destructive power of the beam but his shield is heavily battered as a result. This is a defensive method he stole from an old opponent of his. This is the defensive method he first witnessed Peterson using in the Colonel's battle against Hashirama. It is a technique originally from their world.
"It seems I really have understood it" Naruto smiles, much to Clyde's anguish, "The look on your face when I started using it. This is your power, isn't it?".
"No" Clyde snaps. "There is no way you can fight evenly with me. Not using our power. This… this isn't our power".
Naruto gazes seriously at Clyde.
"It can't be" the General declares, trying to convince himself as much as Naruto.
The Hidden Leaf Hill
"What is going on" Kushina asks as she looks around the other shinobi. None of them answer so she asks Hinata, "Did you know about this power?".
The Hyuuga clanswomen shakes her head in reply, "I've never seen him use it before".
"I spoke with Naruto about this before" Shikamaru claims, drawing everyone's attention, "This is what I was training Naruto to do. Naruto is using their power".
"How?".
"Is that even possible?".
"Does it matter" Himawari asks with a familiar smile on her face. A smile just like her father's, "If things keep going like this he can win".
"No, if nothing exceptional happens, he will win. We will survive".
Everyone tries to contain their excitement as they watch on. If this fight has taught them anything it's not to get their hopes up. The General's expression tells them everything they need to know though. He has no more trump cards stored away, no more ways to get stronger. Naruto is truly fighting evenly against him.
Naruto can win.