THE IMPERIAL PALACE – NARUTO VS HASHIRAMA
The Camp
Naruto cannot help but wish he had son's as he tries to keep track of Hashirama's movements. He can move and perceive time at a quick enough rate, but even then there is something mystical about the way the 1st Hokage moves. Perhaps it is the many times Hashirama battled Madara, perhaps he is the better equipped of the two to battle a high-level opponent. To others Hashirama's feet are a complete blur as he reaches such a sensational speed, only one person can possibly keep up with him.
Hashirama circles Naruto, keeping his position difficult to predict. However, Naruto has the benefits of sage mode, and of his keen battle intuition. He sways once to the left, once to the right and then he bolts. He arches his run, moving at the same speed as his adversary and moving in such a way that the two of them come level with one another.
Running next to Hashirama, Naruto fires a truth-seeking orb at him, hoping to unbalance him from his run. Hashirama moves to block without even stopping though, coating his hand in 'death' energy and swatting the truth-seeking orb away with ease. The quick exchange happens far quicker than any equivalent during the 4th great war.
The two of them run until they reach a small pond where they stop in perfect time with one another. They bring the chakra to the balls of their feet and control it perfectly to prevent themselves falling in. This is where Naruto and Sarada trained before, this is where a plan was hatched to bring Naruto back to his best.
Hashirama kicks his foot into the water, bringing it up into Naruto's eyes and blinding him. As the 7th Hokage covers his face with his hand, his opponent runs forward, spins once to add momentum and then strikes, landing on a solid to Naruto's sternum.
Naruto is pushed back by the punch but his legs remain strong, preventing him going back more than a foot, and opening up the next strike for Hashirama. The 1st Hokage lands rapid blows on the 7th, blows even more rapid than previously. In the blink of an eye fifty punches are thrown and Naruto's already wounded body is damaged even more. It is a flurry that surely nobody can stop.
But Naruto does stop it.
Without so much as moving his head, Naruto's hand flies in front of his chest and catches the incoming hand of Hashirama.
"Decreasing your power to increase your speed?" Naruto asks, "I think it's about time you got serious".
Naruto leaps upward, grabbing Hashirama's head between his feet and flipping him to the ground. It's a daring move that requires tremendous precision, something normally impossible against someone so evenly matched, but the Uzumaki clansman connects anyway, slamming Hashirama down into the surface of the pond as if it were concrete.
Hashirama knows the form in situations like this all too well, don't let yourself get pulled into the water, if you do then you will be at a significant disadvantage. However, Naruto is quick to grab his left arm, pull it across his chest and then use his right arm to pin it on place, putting Hashirama in a position where he cannot counter the next attack. Naruto brings a tailed-beast bomb to his hand and slams it down toward Hashirama's chest.
Hashirama curves his fingers, pointing them up at his face and projects a small beam of 'death' from his fingertips. This small beam works as a shield, saving him at the crucial moment as the tailed-beast bomb detonates between the two battling warriors. As the huge explosion dies down both of them remain in that same position, unhurt, something unthinkable for shinobi not long ago.
Hashirama bends his knees before kicking Naruto several times in the chest, each strike forcing the 7th Hokage to convulse differently from the last. Enhancing the fourth kick with 'death' energy, he drives Naruto back through a nearby group of trees, tearing up the nearby shrubbery.
'Winning here would be easy if I made this into a battle of attrition' Hashirama thinks, noting Naruto's condition.
Naruto gets back to his feet, creates a rasen-shuriken, then adds 'life' energy to it.
'But he isn't going to make that easy!'.
As Naruto launches the rasen-shuriken, Hashirama notes that it is faster than any attack he has had to deal with from Naruto before. The great distance between them acts in his favour though, and he follows his rule of thumb in these situations, go left to avoid the attack. He does that, kicking with his right foot and letting his feet hover just over the ground. He thinks he has gotten away with it, but he hasn't.
Suddenly the rasen-shuriken expands, all while spinning violently.
The rasen-shuriken knocks Hashirama sideways in what seems to be a random direction. The 1st Hokage quickly comes to realise that this isn't the case as Naruto arrives in his path, mid-flight. Naruto predicted exactly where he would go, next Naruto raises and kicks his leg downward, slamming Hashirama into the ground.
As Hashirama bounces a short way off the ground, Naruto begins to gather 'life' energy in his hand.
'What on earth is this?' Hashirama asks himself as Naruto gathers energy.
He has no time to wonder, he must act quickly. Naruto has all the energy he needs to perform his strongest attack, his concentrated attack, the life-gathering rasengan.
Hashirama gets to his feet, he must move quickly. He leaps backward to get away, but his luck has run out.
Naruto grabs Hashirama by his armor, preventing his escape.
There is nowhere left to run.
"Rasengan" Naruto cries as he slams the all-powerful ball of energy into Hashirama's chest.
Hashirama screams out in pain, realising that it is over. The energy is consuming him, it's the most beautifully crafted attack he has ever faced, far more efficient than Carmen's. He tries desperately to wriggle away, but Naruto just pushes further forward. After two seconds have passed, Naruto curves his arm, uses the rasengan to lift Hashirama a short way into the air, before curving it back and slamming him down into the ground.
A violent explosion of dust comes out from under Hashirama and bright 'life' energy engulfs his entire body.
Naruto breathes a sigh of relief.
'That's it Naruto… you've conquered your demons… you've won'.
But he hasn't!
Naruto looks down to see Hashirama covered in an additional layer of armor. An armor constructed mostly of wood but teaming with external particles of 'death' energy. Breathing heavily, Hashirama himself appears shocked at the revelation. That isn't what concerns Naruto though, Hashirama appears unharmed.
'What the hell just happened?' Naruto asks himself.
Hashirama doesn't have time to think. He kicks Naruto away for the second time as he coughs deeply into his hand. The armor dissipates around him as he dusts himself off. Slowly, he gets to his feet, all the while looking down at his hands. The 1st Hokage dares to smile as he realises what a great gift fate has bestowed upon him. It seems that his luck had nod run out after all.
'How is this possible, is it because I'm weakened? Is it because I'm tired?' Naruto wonders, 'No, that armor around him, could it be?'.
Finally, it becomes clear to both Naruto and Hashirama.
'Hashirama has developed a concentrated defence'.
One with a concentrated attack, the other with a concentrated defence.
Naruto wanted desperately to avoid a battle of attrition, but now it seems that he may have no choice in the matter.
Naruto looks on aghast, wondering exactly what his next move is going to be. The possibilities run through his head and he takes a moment to calculate the best possible outcome. This is normally something Shikamaru would do, but he has no choice but to use his head right now. Or does he? He considers that perhaps he should do what he always used to do and run with his heart.
Suddenly a group approach him from behind, calling out to him. Confident that he could react to any attack from Hashirama he turns his head to see the various members of the approaching group. The group consists Hinata, Kushina, Hiruzen, Kiba and a collection of military personnel. With the 'death' barrier down and the loyal shinobi free to join the battle, the tide has truly turned.
"Naruto are you alright" his mother asks as she reaches out to him, "You look like you won't last much longer".
"Don't worry, I'm fine" he answers.
"How can you say that? Look, there isn't a single part of your body that isn't bruised or broken or…".
"Mom, I'm fine" he insists, "I've mended the internal damage using 'life' energy".
Hinata and Kiba take a moment to see what the others cannot, there is a definite change in Naruto's aura, his confidence. The man stood before them now is not the same man who rushed south to save Tsunade. The person stood here is a confident, outgoing warrior who knows his own mind and will not be swayed. He is the person whose determination and resolve took him from an annoying kid to the Hokage. He is the Uzumaki Naruto they knew in the past.
"Naruto, the battlefield is under our control now" Hiruzen explains, "They may be stronger than us on average but our leadership is better. Lara and Clyde are machines, they are dominating anyone who gets in their way".
"All that's left now is take down this traitor" Kiba says.
Naruto turns back to Hashirama. The 1st Hokage may not be a user of 'life' like he is, but he is still a master of medical jutsu, and his recovery rate is incredible. The concentrated attack he used previously may have been able to defeat him if it had gone unchecked, but it did not. Now his concentrated attacks will always be answered by a concentrated defence.
"It's easier said than done" Naruto says.
"Then let's work as a team" Hiruzen suggests.
"Lord 3rd, I don't think this team would…".
"No, not us. I will get Mirai and Elliot, if the three of you worked together you would be able to defeat him".
"No".
"No?".
"I will take down Hashirama alone".
Hiruzen doesn't know what to make of that. If anyone else had made such a claim it would have sounded incredibly hollow, but coming from Naruto, there is a small part of him that believes it may be possible. He certainly wants it to be possible, he wants it to happen, but he struggles to believe it. Is there a single pocket-worlder who has ever lived that could take down Senju Hashirama as he is now?
"Naruto look at me" Hinata begins, "This is your pride talking, you need to think about the situation now. There is no harm asking your allies for help, you should be proud to call on them. Together we can this battle using your power to inspire people".
Naruto shakes his head. "Hinata, I'm going to ask you to stand down".
"I won't do that Naruto, I won't let you do this alone" she shouts back at him, "I can't watch the same thing happen again, I can't watch you lose here and do nothing".
Naruto's next words take everyone aback, they show a confidence even greater than he shows with his stance and his aura.
"Who said anything about losing?".
"I…".
"Hinata, it's not my pride talking, you probably can't feel the battlefield, but I can" he says with a smile. "The balance is shifting; the surrounding element of 'death' is weakening and 'life' is getting stronger. If Hashirama and I go on like this, I have calculated that I can win".
Hinata doesn't dare to believe it. That isn't only the same old Naruto speaking, it's not just his youthful confidence, but it's also his calculated opinion. That is the greatest certainty of victory over Hashirama that has ever been stated by him.
"Naruto, how confident are you of winning" the 3rd Hokage asks.
"I'm confident enough".
Hinata speaks again. "But Naruto if you lose then…".
Naruto turns back to his fiancée, placing a hand on her shoulder. Perhaps it is her love for him that makes her so doubtful in this situation. But it is his love for her, communicated through a single touch, that puts her in a more comfortable position. As Naruto rests his hand there, to Hinata it's as if the entire battlefield vanishes, and the whole world is filled by just the two of them.
"Hinata, do you trust me?".
"Yes, with my life".
"Then get back. This time I promise that I am going to win".
Hinata nods, accepting Naruto's request and stepping back away from Naruto. As she walks away Kushina steps back with her, as does Kiba. Following the lead of the Hidden Leaf shinobi, all the Homeworld military that have accompanied them step back as well. Captains and colonels, they are all well aware that even their collective might would not be enough to stand up to Hashirama. They have no choice but to leave this fight to Naruto. But, unlike before, everyone now feels a lot happier in leaving the fight to him. This is their trust in him.
As the masses retreat, one Hokage remains stood at Naruto's side, the 3rd Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"You really are something, you know that?" Hiruzen says, "You know there won't be any more chances if you lose this time. He won't spare your life, he will have no choice but to kill you".
"I know".
"Then from one Hokage to another, please beat him. For the sake of the village, beat him Naruto".
Hiruzen gets only a nod in reply before he walks back and joins the military personnel and his fellow shinobi. Despite the changing of the tide throughout the battlefield, this is the one that will really make the difference. If Naruto loses it's all over for them, if he wins then they will have pulled off a miracle and survived this attack with no major casualties. As he walks back and sees only Naruto's back as he faces Hashirama, he understands just how much the young Hokage has matured in their time in the future. The 7th Hokage is a young man who carries on his back not just the dreams of one, but the dreams of the entire village, and he keeps moving forward anyway. That is why he goes into his battle with the Hidden Leaf's founder with his reputation as the greatest Hokage firmly intact.
Now there is only one thing left to do.
Hashirama finishes healing himself, takes a deep breath and walks forward, meeting Naruto in the middle.
Both men walk to their destiny and prepare for their final battle.
"How many more times will you do this to me Naruto" Hashirama asks, "You could walk away with your life in one piece, all you had to do was…".
"Oh just shut up Hashirama" Naruto says, interrupting his old friend, "You have known my position from the beginning. It is what it once was, what it always has been and what it always will be. Never give…".
Hashirama attacks mid-sentence.
Coating his hand in 'death' energy, the 1st Hokage makes a fist and punches forward as hard as he can.
Coating his arm in 'life' energy, the 7th responds by raising his arm to block the incoming blow. His block is rushed and only just makes it in time, and he can feel the crunching of the bones in his arm as he struggles to deflect the strike from his head.
'Going straight for the head, looks like his true colours are showing'.
Hashirama continues in this manner, landing slow but powerful blows on Naruto repeatedly. While Naruto continues to block, Hashirama refuses to stop his offence, landing strike after strike. The blocks do little to allay the damage after the first few strikes, even Naruto's arms have been struck so many times that they have begun to break. There is no way that even he can continue to fight much longer.
After the strike count passes a dozen, Naruto's arms finally weaken to the point where Hashirama lands a clean punch to Naruto's face, spinning the Uzumaki clansman around to face his supporters. The signs are now clear to all that Naruto's body is going to give out long before his heart does.
"Naruto!" Hinata shouts as she runs towards him.
"Hinata, please stay back" Hiruzen begs as he grabs her by the arm and forces her to remain where she is.
She is not the only one that is worried.
"I don't know what you're doing, but don't you dare give up now Naruto" Kurama implores his host, "Just keep pressing forward, keep refusing to back down, just like you always do".
Eventually the blows stop landing on Naruto as an exhausted Hashirama gasps for breath. Hashirama looks down on his opponent, watching as the 7th Hokage wobbles on his feet. He watches as his former friend's arms flail uncontrollably about. However, after all the dramatics, and after all the damage he has taken, Naruto is still standing.
"You… you infuriating bastard… Uzumaki Naruto, just who do you think you are?".
Hashirama steps in and strikes to Naruto's body.
"Just why…".
He hits.
"… won't you…".
He hits.
"… stay down!".
He hits again.
But no, he staggers around and flails about desperately, but Uzumaki Naruto does not at any point leave his feet. It seems that Hashirama's prediction has already come true, this beat up fool, this naïve idiot, he is the most powerful Naruto of the lot.
Steadying himself once again, Naruto stares powerfully in Hashirama's direction.
"Don't you get it? You've already lost, Hashirama".
Hashirama shakes his head. Concentrating his energy control on his hand, he moves the 'death' energy away from the fist and instead concentrates it into a super dense orb about an inch in front of his knuckles. All those supporting Naruto shudder as they feel the energy grow, it's more powerful than any attack that Hashirama has hit Naruto with as of yet.
"Just remember Naruto, you forced me to do this".
Hashirama takes two steps, one to get into the right position, then one to boost his momentum. When in the perfect position, he strikes forward, unleashing this horrendous torrent of 'death' energy in Naruto's direction.
That man who can barely stand, who is on his last legs, who looked like he had nothing else to give. He gives one last thing.
Naruto ducks beneath the attack, managing to avoid it at the last moment.
With a quick rotation, his hand gathers 'life' energy from the battlefield and forms it into a life-gathering rasengan.
The concentrated attack is ready!
Hashirama has energy left to spare. He simply dissipates his attack and recreates the sensations he felt when he survived last time. Sure enough a powerful wooden armor enhanced by small particles of 'death' energy is formed, it protects him, fitting like a glove. Everything is perfect and he smiles because of his confidence. If he can survive this attack, he will have won. This will have become a battle of attrition and even a small push would be enough to defeat Naruto.
Naruto slams the rasengan into Hashirama's concentrated defence.
That is when Hashirama feels it for the first time, this attack is more powerful than it was last time.
He quickly understands what has happened, it's the balance in the surroundings. There will always be a balance in the environment between 'life' and 'death'. Previously it was almost entirely 'death' energy, Naruto's attack which depends on the environment was weak. However, as Clyde and Lara defeated his subordinates, 'life' energy started to slowly return to the battlefield. In the last few minutes alone, the balance has shifted significantly to the point where Naruto's attack is now much more powerful. It may even be powerful enough to pierce his concentrated defence.
Hashirama grits his teeth and holds on like his life depends on it.
But then it is heard.
For the first time in so long.
A scream, a battle cry, a shout symbolic of effort. Hinata recognises the sound, it's Naruto's scream, a sound she hasn't heard since coming to the future. This is definitely the true Naruto.
Naruto forces the life-gathering rasengan through the concentrated defence and into Hashirama's torso.
"Stay away from the Hidden Leaf" he says.
"Rasengan!".
Naruto uses the force of the rasengan to raise Hashirama slightly before twisting and slamming him down into the floor.
Once more dust is scattered by the impact and Hashirama's body is shrouded in 'life' energy.
Naruto knows straight away that this is it, he's either won or it's over. There isn't the energy in his body to continue fighting someone at Hashirama's level, he's too weak.
The dust clears.
The fight is concluded.
Hashirama is down!
After the third attempt, Naruto finally overcomes his demons, and defeats Hashirama!