REBIRTH OF THE LEAF – THE LAST HOPE
Shinki's House
Naruto has never been the most quick-witted of shinobi, nor has he been the most intelligent Kage. Slowly but surely, he sorts out the information in his mind, everything becomes clear. The mystery behind Shikamaru's heart unravels.
"It was you" Naruto gasps as he staggers backwards. He realises in this moment that he has been betrayed, not just by an ally but by the son of one of his closest friends. "You were the one who attacked Shikamaru".
Shinki does not answer Naruto with words, instead opting to answer with a mere facial expression. There is no regret in that expression, not one ounce of concern for the life of his uncle. Instead, that expression is a smile. A smile. He laughs in the face all those who have fallen into his trap. With the people of this world on the brink of extinction, one local pulls off a perfect plan and laughs while his victims fall into it. Unlike usual, it is not one of the celebrated Nara clan targeting the enemy. It is the last Kazekage, targeting his own friends.
"That familiar chakra" Naruto stammers as he recalls where he last felt it. He had believed the chakra to be that of the Akatsuki's Hidan but now it is obvious that is not the case. "That familiar chakra was from Jashin!".
"It seems you have pieced of everything together, Uzumaki Naruto". The Kazekage refuses to show any remorse. Even with the way he speaks it is clear that he is looking down on his opponent. In this world, only one person can fight Naruto on a level-playing field, that is General Clyde. However, despite the enormous gulf in raw-power between the 7th Hokage and 6th Kazekage, the latter shows no fear, as if he is talking to a child.
"Indeed, this is Shikamaru's puppet" Shinki declares. As he says this, his iron sand lifts an object out of his gourd. It is lifting one of the amulets by the string. Like the hand of a professional sportsman, the iron sand whips forward, launching the amulet towards Naruto at full speed.
Any object moving at this speed is enough to kill a normal human. Naruto is not a normal human though, he is the 7th Hokage. Despite his lack of visual prowess his senses are far beyond what others could hope to achieve. Without even looking he stretches his hand out and catches the high-velocity jewellery.
Naruto looks over the amulet. Several cracks meet in the metal of the central piece. The damage is not extreme but anyone would describe its condition as 'broken'.
"How…".
"These amulets don't merely monitor your life, they resonate with your blood" Shinki explains. This brings back sour memories for Naruto, memories of Kakazu and Hidan. While Naruto hadn't battled Hidan directly, he has seen the effect he left on the battlefield, he has heard the stories of his power. A power that was based upon blood, that seems to be the mark of Jashin. "When Aunt Temari insulted my father and my uncle, when she insulted their desire for revenge, I taught her a lesson, I crushed the amulet".
Naruto still struggles to regain his composure, pushing out just the few words required to keep Shinki going. "Then Shikamaru…".
"Yeah, he had a heart attack, he was destined to die but you got in my way".
Hearing Shinki say this Naruto realises the source of this resentment, resentment not towards the invaders but resentment towards him. It is because the 7th Hokage is interfering with his plans, repeatedly. It is as Shinki says, from the moment he crushed Shikamaru's amulet, the head of the Nara clan was destined to die, no shinobi should be able to save him. No person should be able to save him. However, Naruto had used the power of life to reverse Shikamaru's fate, a power unseen not only in this world but in Clyde's as well.
"Again, and again and again" Shinki snaps, "You keep doing it. You saved the invaders. You saved Shikamaru but you are not going to stop me this time".
Naruto shakes his head, his eyes meet those of the 6th Kazekage and send a powerful message, not one of bitterness or hatred, instead one of disappointment, as if looking at his own child. "Why Shinki? Why would you go this far? Your father would never have approved of this".
These words reverberate through the Sand shinobi's head. They make a lot of sense at first, many of Gaara's teachings were based off the beliefs of Uzumaki Naruto. When Gaara was raising Shinki, the man he praised the most highly was Uzumaki Naruto. Even in the Sand, his name was known for being the saviour of the shinobi world, Uzumaki Naruto. For an instant, despite being the elder of the duo, Shinki looks at Naruto, a child looking at a man with a hundred years-experience. Could such a man really be wrong.
"I… I…"
"Don't lose your nerve Shinki" the voice in his head encourages him, a voice that is truly the oldest amongst them. "We're so close now. We can kill them. We can take revenge for your father".
"We can take your revenge".
Shinki's doubt vanishes to be replaced with resolve, all it takes is a few well-placed words. "Revenge" he mutters through his smile, "My revenge… it's so close now…".
Suddenly, groups of strands begin to lift from Shinki's gourd. Iron sand lifts up an impressive display of jewellery. A whole collection of amulets, one for each person who has stood in Shinki's way. With a cross of his arms, the amulets begin to spin around Shinki, aided by his iron sand until the settle into a formation.
"An amulet for each person who has dared to defy me" Shinki explains maliciously, "I hold each of their lives in my hand now".
Naruto's mind switches, no longer is he dealing with a misbehaved child, now he is dealing with an enemy.
He holds out a single hand and an energy unfamiliar to Shinki begins to gather on it.
While Shinki cannot sense it, he does know that this is Naruto's life energy. Additionally, there is one thing he can sense, through instinct alone, this power is truly terrifyingly strong.
"I won't let you hurt them" Naruto resolutely declares.
Jashin's servant grins. "There is nobody left who can stop me".
He sends a small burst of chakra through his network of iron sand, into each and every amulet.
Lord 7th collapses!
Outside the Village
"Do you mean that?" Boruto asks Sarada. It is something he had never expected to hear her say, that she loves him. For so long he has ignored his own emotions and then on the day he almost killed her, they all came flooding out but he couldn't tell her. To hear her say this means the world to him.
"Yeah" Sarada admits nervously, "It's completely true".
"I see" he smiles, "There is also something I have to tell you, Uchiha Sarada".
Sarada's eyes fix firmly onto Boruto's as he begins to utter words that would change their destiny forever.
"I love…".
Just as Boruto is speaking, they are both attacked by an invisible force.
Lady 9th and Lord Shadow 9th both collapse!
In the Hospital
"It was Shinki" Shikadai declares, as if the other occupants of the room haven't worked out everything by themselves. "Shinki caused you to have that heart attack, father".
Mirai shakes her head, this is unbelievable. While she is always invited to family occasions and while Shikamaru has been like a father to her, they are not actually related by blood. She never travelled to the Sand with them to visit the Kazekage clan. That isn't to say she has no relationship at all with Shinki, the two of them can be described as friends at the very least. An intrinsic part of Mirai's character, she refuses to believe any friend of hers could do something like this, even under Jashin's influence.
"But why would he…".
Mirai stops in the middle of her sentence.
Mirai collapses!
"Mirai!" Shikamaru raises his voice as loudly as he can as he watches Asuma's daughter fall before him. One thought is running through his mind as this happens, what if Mirai is having a heart attack as well. Naruto isn't here to save her.
His son kneels on the ground and checks Mirai over. He isn't a medical shinobi but he knows when someone is dead and when they are alive. "Don't worry, she's OK" Shikadai declares, "She's just unconscious".
"That symbol is for Jashin" Shikamaru rushes out. His condition means he shouldn't be allowed to get this agitated but as a shinobi he understands that this situation is a grave emergency. "We've never fully understood Jashin or his powers, but, linking damage between entities, that is similar to the power Hidan of the Akatsuki used".
Shikadai nods, "I know I read the report but almost forgot about it". Ideas run through his mind about what to do, how this could have happened. "Why didn't you recognise the symbol when he gave you an amulet, you and Mirai have fought against Jashin's followers before".
"He must have used some sort of genjutsu to hide it from us".
Following this revelation, a scream is heard from the corridor. A scream for help. That is fairly common for a hospital but Shikadai recognises something different about this scream, it is panicked. Medical shinobi and the various nurses and doctors who work at the hospital are all trained medical professionals, it takes a lot to fluster them.
Shikadai runs out into the corridor and runs down the hall towards the source of the shriek. As he does he recognises two people down the other end, right next to the screaming doctor. It's the 3rd Hokage, Hiruzen and the medical lead of the hospital, his wife, Biwako.
The 3rd Hokage and his wife, have collapsed!
"What happened?" Shikadai urgently asks the shouting doctor.
"Lord 3rd and Lady Biwako, they just collapsed suddenly" she answers in reply. "I haven't seen anything like it before, they seem fine but… I felt absolutely terrified as it happened".
Instead of helping, the now senior-shinobi in the building runs back to the room he came from, to his father. In this moment of desperation when all of the village's powerhouses are collapsing, he resorts to what their strength has always been, their minds. Right now, his mind is telling him that only one person can help him find a solution, his father, the assistant to the 7th Hokage.
"It happened to Lord 3rd and his wife, they have collapsed as well".
"It must be happening to everyone he has an amulet for" Shikamaru notes. Subconsciously he also notices something else, everyone who has collapsed agreed with Naruto, saying that the invaders should be spared.
"What do we do?". The usually composed founder of The Circle panics, a situation as desperate as this, it is something seldom heard of the village's history. If the invaders were lying about their intentions, if they realise that the village is weak in this moment, if they attack, everyone will die.
Shikamaru knows the answer won't be easy for his son to hear but he does not hold it back. "You have to go and take those amulets from Shinki".
"Me…".
Thoughts start to cascade around Shikadai's brain like water down a waterfall. Ever since he has returned from watching the captained six contest he has felt what nobody else has stop to felt. That he is inferior. Seven giants went to war for the hidden leaf, a few more stood nearby and watched. He, on the other hand, he looked on knowing there is nothing he could do against that power.
He looked on and realised he is an insect compared to them.
"I can't fight Shinki" he says as he shakes his head from side to side, "I'm not on his level I…".
"Shikadai!" Shikamaru shouts as loud as he can in his condition, "He cooked for all those powerful shinobi as an apology, the chances are that there is nobody left on his level".
Shikadai starts as he realises his father is right.
"You have to do this, you may be the last hope for the village".
"I…".
Shikamaru lets his frustration get the better of him and snaps, "Your mother has an amulet, she could die if you don't do this".
"Shinki… Shinki is the Kazekage".
"But you're a shinobi" the Nara clan-head declares proudly, "You're also my son and I believe in you".
Shikadai looks within himself and realises nothing has changed. He may be an insect compared to the true powerhouses of this world but that never stopped the Nara of the past from standing up. That never stopped his father from changing the course of the war. An insect can never wrestle a lion but it can outsmart one and it always will be able to.
He finds what resolve he can, he tightens his fist, he nods his head and leaves.
Outside the Hospital
A group of people are being carried into the hospital by nurses, a very powerful group of people that confirms Shikamaru's suspicions. Minato, Kakashi, Tobirama, Mitsuki. These are the unconscious bodies of some of history's most powerful shinobi, but right now they are useless.
Fortunately, those co-ordinating the operation are not useless.
They are just who Shikadai needs, Yamanaka Inojin, Akimichi ChouChou.
"Inojin, ChouChou, come with me, hurry!" Shikadai doesn't stop as he runs past them, trusting them not to hesitate. They do not disappoint him, not a moment later they are either side of him, following on his dash towards Shinki's residence.
"Shikadai, lots of shinobi have fainted" ChouChou explains, "Do you know what is going on?".
"I have no time to explain, but Shinki is behind this, we have to go and stop him".
Inojin is stunned by this. How can they tackle a Kage? Isn't this how Shikadai felt not so long ago? "Hold on, if it's Shinki shouldn't we get one of the Hokage to help us out?".
"No, they're all down" Shikadai explains resolutely, "We have to do this ourselves".
"But what can we do against Shinki" ChouChou frowns, "He is the Kazekage".
"We're the Hidden Leaf's last line of defence".
"We're shinobi of the Hidden Leaf".
"We're the Hidden Leaf's Ino-Shika-Cho formation".
"And I'll be dammed if we're letting him get away with this".
A motivational speech has never been Shikadai's forte. He has never had the energy or the charisma needed to inspire people like the Hokage have. However, in this moment his determination is enough to change all of that. For this instant, he has gained the true power the Hokage have that he didn't, the power to move people.
ChouChou and Inojin share a smile. "Alright then, we'll follow your lead, let's take him down".
Shinki's House
As the Ino-Shika-Cho formation arrives outside Shinki's house, the Kazekage waits with his arms folded. His calm demeanour is sickening to them when they consider what he has done but that is not what truly draws their attention. Instead that is the formation of amulets surrounding him, amulets that he has used to poison the Hidden Leaf's heart.
"Shinki" Shikadai begins as he arrives, "Hand over the amulets".
"Oh, I'm impressed cousin, just how much have you worked out?".
"Those puppets in the shape of amulets, you claimed they allow you to monitor the lives of the one puts their chakra into it. That is not true though, instead they are connected directly to the blood of the one who puts their chakra into it, it's linked to their very life. Using this you have forced my father to have a heart attack".
"If it wasn't for Lord 7th, you would have killed him" Shikadai finishes, doing his best not to let his rage show.
"That's impossible" Inojin gasps.
"Yeah, I thought that too" Shikadai admits, "Until I saw the mark on the amulet, don't you recognise it".
Inojin and ChouChou look at the various floating amulets that surround Shinki, looking for any symbol that brings back memories, and then they see it on the back.
"Certainly, it does look familiar" ChouChou says.
"Your parents probably told you about it, our parents battled against this cult in the past". The terrifying name of the cult then passes the Nara clansmen's lips, "It's the cult of Jashin".
"But your father should have recognised the mark on the amulet!".
"Shinki used a genjutsu on anyone he thought would recognise the mark, on my parents and on Mirai".
"Full marks cousin, you got all of it" Shinki admits with a callous smile, "In fact, all of the people who have fallen unconscious would have been ignorant to my plan, if not for one man. The previous Ino-Shika-Cho formation, Hatake Kakashi, Sarutobi Mirai, they all failed to see through my genjutsu".
"But one man could see through my genjutsu, one person who had encountered Jashin before".
Just like before, Shinki uses his iron sand to throw something. Only this time, the object he throws is a lot bigger and heavier. It's a body. The body of Uzumaki Naruto.
"Lord 7th" ChouChou shouts as she rushes to check Naruto's pulse. Thankfully, he is alive but her fear makes her realise something. As it stands, Naruto is all that stands between Clyde and the death of the village, if he had died, everything would be over. Despite this, Shinki let him live, is that a sign of arrogance, or confidence, or maybe even something else.
"Don't worry, he's only unconscious". As Shinki explains this, he shows an amulet to the trio, Naruto's amulet, before slipping it into his pocket.
"Shinki, it's still not too late" Shikadai offers as he approaches his cousin, "You can take back everything you have done. Hand over the amulets and we can forget all about this".
"I'm afraid that I won't be doing that Shikadai" Shinki condescendingly explains, "I've worked hard to get this opportunity. Ever since I first discovered it… Jashin had a temple".
"A temple of Jashin" Inojin is one of the villages top shinobi, just as his mother and father had been. "I've never heard of such a thing before".
"This technique was inscribed upon the walls" Shinki explains as he gestures to the amulets, "Jashin imparted to me the knowledge of how to perform it".
"He told me to gather the most powerful lives I could and sacrifice them to him".
"In return, he offered me the power to take my revenge. His voice has been haunting me ever since".
"At first I thought it was ridiculous. I would never allow myself to do that. I wouldn't become that sort of monster".
"Then, I started to become desperate. I looked around and what did I see? A few surviving civilians from the Hidden Sand. There is no way their lives would be enough".
"But then hope came along. The Hidden Leaf survived. I couldn't believe my luck".
"I thought that I could forget Jashin. I thought I wouldn't have to turn myself into a monster. I thought I could turn my back on him".
"But you didn't kill the invaders! You spared them".
"Death is about to descend on the Hidden Leaf Village and you have Uzumaki Naruto to blame for it".
The Ino-Shika-Cho formation cannot believe what they are hearing. Blaming Naruto for the death of the village, that is absurd. It is thanks to the hard work of the Hokage from the past that the village has been able to survive. It is thanks to them that the village made it through the 4th great shinobi war. It is thanks to them that the village made it through the invasion. In their minds, Uzumaki Naruto is not to blame for this, it is Jashin and Shinki's warped desire for revenge.
"Sacrifice lives in order to obtain power?" Shikadai spits as he repeats the method back, "Don't tell me you are planning to sacrifice my mother. That's your aunt, the closest relative you have left!".
Shinki smiles, "Some sacrifices are necessary in order to obtain power".
"That isn't how Jashin's power works. He is lying to you, he's screwing with your head" Shikadai shouts at his cousin, hoping that some part of him is still the man he used to be, "Shinki, killing the invaders makes no sense, surely you must see that".
"I… I…".
Jashin's voice returns to Shinki once again.
"Don't let them talk you out of it, Shinki. You're so close now, so close to revenge".
Once more, his resolve returns.
"Sorry Shikadai, I'm taking my revenge".
A thin layer of iron sand lifts out of Shinki's gourd and blinds the team of shinobi before him.
When their sight returns, he is gone!