PinkiePieParty122894: Once again appreciate the review and hope that you like this chapter.
Animaman: I will probably have the talk between the Sannin next chapter. Shinigami's Blade background will come in a later chapter, and Madara died with the rest of the Akatsuki when they were killed by the Shinigami's Blade.
thor94: We'll have to see about the powerups, just wait until this chapter and then tell me what you think of Tsuranabi. I can't say what the end result of the battles between Naruto and the Shinigami's Blade will be.
Roland's Blade: I understand the dislike of the early chapters but I think that it gets a lot better as it progresses. The early going was a bit rough because this is only my second fanfic but it does get better (in my opinion).
Guest: You say trash fic but there are a lot of people who say different. Sorry that you didn't like it but at least tell me what you didn't like.
Guest: There are parts of the story that are rough but eventually it comes together (in my opinion).
Stephane Klein: Honestly couldn't find a great translation but what I did find was long live. If you meant long live the story I really appreciate it.
(Iron Country)
Minato sat in the conference room along with the other kage and sighed. It had been a day since the funeral of Mifune, five days since the samurai's death. The blonde Hokage couldn't help but wonder for the millionth time what led to this mess. Two of his children were responsible for killing the leader of an entire country seemingly without remorse. As a matter of fact, it looked almost as if the two had enjoyed murdering the samurai. A small part of him had been hoping that he would be able to get his children out of the grasp of the Shinigami's Blade and bring them home. That hope was dashed now. Menma and Narumi, along with their comrades of the Shinigami's Blade were now the most wanted criminals in the elemental nations. There would be no sanctuary for the two children. The moment that they were caught, they would be tortured for days on end and then executed.
Minato sighed again. His wife had not left the bedroom, opting to instead cry at the monsters her children had become. It was a stressful situation, one that the man was sure would not be ending any time soon. His thoughts were interrupted by the slamming of a fist on the table in front of him. Minato looked up as did all the kage to see an irate and fuming A standing up.
"DAMMIT! What in Kami's name is happening? How the hell did two children become that strong?" A growled while clenching his fists.
Minato shook his head at his fellow kage's outburst, but he understood it. Menma and Narumi both exuded a dark and malefic power when they appeared, but it was nothing compared to the aura that radiated off of Tsuranabi. It was a power that shouted the message that the Shinigami's Blade leader could do anything he wanted and there wasn't a damn thing anyone could do about it. Well there was one, but thinking about him just caused Minato's heart to ache.
The blonde Hokage took a breath before speaking from his chair. "It must have been Tsuranabi. He is the only member that we have no intel on so it's perfectly feasible that he has some kind of special ability to empower those who he chooses" Minato said getting a few strange looks from the other kages.
It was Mei who spoke up next. "Listen Minato, we need to know all of the information that you have on the Shinigami's Blade, especially if you want the support of Kiri" the auburn haired woman said getting nods from her fellow leaders in the room.
After a few moments of thinking about where to start, Minato sighed and spoke. "Here's what we know."
(Paradise)
Naruto stood in front of a waterfall soaking in the water. His eyes were closed as he thought about prior events, specifically his meeting of Aiko's mother.
(Flashback)
Aiko was helping Naruto stand when her bedroom door opened. Both Aiko and Naruto stopped in their place to see a average sized black haired woman dressed in a light blue shirt and dark pants standing in the doorway. Her eyes were widened and her jaw was slightly ajar. A second later, the woman had appeared beside Aiko and pulled her away causing Naruto to fall on his face. The woman quickly placed Aiko behind her and stood in a defensive position as she looked at the blonde ninja struggling to get up.
"Who are you and what are you doing with my daughter?" the woman said almost yelling. She kept her eyes glued to Naruto as he started to push himself up. Her attention was taken away from the boy however by the tugging of her shirt. After a few seconds of aggressive tugging, the woman looked down at her daughter who had a worried look on her face. "What is it Aiko?" the woman asked.
The little girl looked at her mom and then to Naruto who was still struggling to stand up. "Mom, he needs our help. I found him sleeping in the forest and when he woke up, he wasn't feeling good" Aiko said tugging on her mother's arm.
The older woman looked down at her daughter and bit her lip. Aiko was so pure that her acts of kindness and willingness to believe in others constantly flirted on the edge of naivety. The mother slowly turned her attention to the boy in front of her who had finally risen albeit he was shaking as he forced himself to stand. The blonde haired boy looked weak and lethargic to her and with begrudgingly accepted the fact that her daughter was right. He did need their help.
Naruto stood though his muscles screamed at him to stop. With a deep breath, Naruto looked up into who was revealed to be Aiko's mom's eyes. "I understand your fear and uneasiness. I will leave immediately if you wish, just please do not blame Aiko. All she did was care for me and show me kindness" Naruto said before trying to take a few steps forward. As he took small steps, the blonde stumbled and prepared to collide with the floor. He was pleasantly surprised when he opened his eyes and realized that he had been caught. Looking upwards, Naruto looked into the uncertain eyes of Aiko's mother. The woman stared at him for a long time before letting out a sigh and lifting him up to his feet.
"It's time for Aiko's lunch and from the looks of it, you could use some food in you as well" the dark haired woman said as she started to walk while supporting the boy with Aiko following behind, a wide smile on her face. The three walked in silence out of Aiko's room, through the hallway, down the stairs, and into the kitchen. Aiko's mother and Naruto slowly made their way to the kitchen table where she lowered the boy into a chair. Aiko quickly took the chair next to Naruto with the same grin plastered on her face.
Aiko's mother stood up after setting Naruto in the chair and wiped a small bit of sweat that had formed on her forehead. Walking into the kitchen, the woman opened a drawer and cabinet pulling out the makings for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches causing Naruto to mentally raise an eyebrow. The blonde haired boy looked around and admired the quaint and homey feeling that the house provided. Naruto's attention shifted to the girl who was smiling at him. Smiling back, Naruto decided that it was time to start a conversation. "So Aiko, how old are you?"
Before Aiko could answer, the girl's mom interrupted. "Actually I would like to know more about you before we say anything about ourselves" the woman said turning around with a large plate that held six sandwiches. She gracefully walked to the table, set the plate down, and sat down beside Aiko and across Naruto, her eyes glued on the boy.
Naruto nodded at Aiko's mother's request. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. I come from the Hidden Leaf Village and I don't know where this place is or how I got here. All I want is to get home" Naruto said getting confused looks from Aiko and her mother. "Did I say something wrong?" the boy asked.
The black haired woman stared at Naruto for a long moment trying to pick out any type of deception in his eyes before speaking. "Well the place that you are in doesn't really have a name. We simply know it as Paradise. It's odd you being here because we don't have people come through this land. As for the Hidden Leaf Village, I can honestly say that I have never heard of such a place" she said causing Naruto's eyes to widen. Meanwhile, Aiko was on her third sandwich.
(End Flashback)
Naruto closed his eyes as he thought about his first impressions with Aiko's mother. He chuckled as he thought about little Aiko who continued to eat her peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as he and her mother conversed about Paradise and all of the unique aspects of the land. He had spoken to the woman about any type of civilization nearby but Aiko's mother had not given him any reassuring answers. The people of Paradise lived off of the many gifts given to them by the land. There were no worries of danger from others, there was no worries of not having enough to eat or good enough living requirements. It truly was a Paradise and the name did it justice. By the end of his and Aiko's mother's conversation, Naruto had clarity, Aiko's mother knew who Naruto was, and Aiko had eaten a grand total of twelve peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
With a smile on his face, Naruto took a deep breath. His smile slowly faded as he walked forward under the waterfall and began to concentrate. The perfect temperature water fell evenly on the blonde as he let it run along his body. Taking breaths in between the water, he looked inside of himself to find his chakra. His chakra pathways were all closed, that much he knew now, but they could be opened if he found his chakra center. Opening his chakra pathways were key to his body recovering. Minutes passed as the water continued to fall onto Naruto's shoulders. Still, he kept his eyes closed and continued to search through his body. More minutes passed before Naruto sensed something. Deep within, he felt his chakra. There was not a lot of it at the moment but that was about to change.
Naruto walked out from under the waterfall and stood in the pond with his eyes closed as he thought back to his time with the serpents. One of the last things that he had learned from Leviathan was how to jump start his chakra and make it stronger and more potent temporarily. The plan was to use the same technique and force his chakra pathways to open with a flood of newly formed chakra. The process was similiar to that of opening the eight gates and if Naruto got this wrong, it could kill him. Unfortunately, it was a risk that he had to take.
Raising his hands, Naruto placed them so that they sat just above the water and began to summon his chakra. It didn't take long to pull it from him and when he did, he immediately converted it to lightning chakra creating little bolts of lightning along his hands. With one last deep breath, he summoned up the rest of his chakra and slammed his hands into the water forcing the lightning down into the water as well. Immediately the electricity swarmed his lower body leveling shock wave after shock wave. The electricity coursed through his body causing the blonde to scream in pain but he kept pushing. The more he pushed, the more intense the shock waves became making him twitch as he stood. Just as he could take no more, the plan succeeded.
Lightning chakra coursed within Naruto's chakra coils. The lightning came to the first blockage in the pathways but after a short buildup, it forced the pathway open. The chakra sped through to the next blockage and quickly forced open the next pathway. One by one, each of Naruto's blocked chakra pathways were opened up painfully and chakra started to flow. The built up chakra surged through the boy giving him more chakra within his body than he had ever had in his life not including his chakra increase in the moonlight.
After two minutes of agonizing pain, Naruto opened his eyes gasping for air. His chakra was now opened and he would be able to heal at an Uzumaki rate now. Taking a few steps forward, Naruto stumbled but kept himself standing. With a frown, the Konoha ninja realized that he was still in some bad shape. His chakra pathways were opened and he could start generating chakra again, but his reserves were completely exhausted meaning that he couldn't head out just yet. With a sigh, Naruto waded to land and sat in the grass once he left the water.
(Iron Country)
Minato looked at the kages around him.
"Here's what we know about the Shinigami's Blade. Each one seems to have special abilities. We aren't sure if it is their sword that gives them the abilities or if they had them already. It would take only one of their members to take out a village and everyone in it. The four of them together, there is no question that they could take the entire continent over. So far, three of their members have been killed. The first one as you know was during the Chunin Exams when my son Naruto killed a member. On the way to assisting Kiri, I have been told that he killed a second member and while he was away, I killed a third member. However, Menma and Narumi as you saw have been taken into the ranks of the Shinigami's Blade and have received strength that comes with being a member. Jiraiya was able to find their base but Menma and Narumi almost ended his career and with ease according to him. I believe that Menma and Narumi have mastered the Kyuubi's chakra which is their ability, and my ninja Konan encountered another swordsman who for every strike landed, an equal strike was inflicted on the other side of the body" Minato said.
The blonde Hokage took a breath before continuing. "We have no information on the leader of the Shinigami's Blade. We don't know how powerful he is, we don't know any abilities he may or may not have, we know basically nothing" Minato finished with a tired tone.
The room was silent. Each of the other four kage were silent with a downcast look. The reality of the situation at hand struck particularly hard at Onoki the Tsuchikage and A the Raikage. Both of the two kages were prideful men who had worked their entire lives through grueling training only to be beaten with hardly any effort by one man. The fact that a low level member of the Shinigami's Blade that nearly killed three kage was beaten by a child was something that cut deeply into their pride as ninja. It also put things into perspective. It would take the concerted efforts of each of the five great ninja villages in order to have a chance to topple this still mysterious group.
A stood up bringing the attention to him. "Minato is right. The Shinigami's Blade is a threat that we cannot ignore any longer. Kumo will join this alliance and destroy these swordsmen" A said crossing his massive arms.
The room was quiet before Gaara stood. "The Shinigami's Blade provides a real threat to all of us. Suna will join in the assault of the Shinigami's Blade" the one tailed jinchuriki said in a low tone.
Mei stood up next with a sultry smile on her face. "You will have the assistance of Kiri along with the Swordsmen of the Mist and we will wipe the Shinigami's Blade from existence" the auburn haired Mizukage said with flirtatious tone and crossed her arms inadvertently pushing her breasts up.
Everyone's focus turned to the eldest kage who sat in his chair with a thoughtful expression on his face. After a minute of silence, Onoki stood up on his chair much to the secret amusement of his fellow kage. "Iwa and Konoha have been enemies for a long time. Perhaps it is time that an alliance be formed in order to take down this threat" the old man said.
Minato smiled at the responses that he had received. For the first time in ninja history, all five ninja villages would be allied against one enemy. "I know that it will take time for each of you to assemble your forces, but all that matters is that they are assembled and ready for battle. We are not fully aware of the strength of our enemy, but we do know their goal and location. They intend to destroy our ninja way of life and that will not stand. For the first time in history, all five ninja villages will be allies and the Shinigami's Blade will face the wrath of the elemental nations. Now, I think that we should reach out to the smaller villages as well and get their assistance" Minato said getting nods from everyone.
(Paradise)
Naruto was lying on the grass and basking in the sun when a shadow came over his face. Slowly opening his eyes, the blonde was met with the sight of a smiling Aiko. Naruto let a smile of his own grow on his face, a common occurrence whenever he came across the innocent little girl. "Hello Aiko, how are you doing?" the ninja asked the girl.
Aiko's smile widened. "You weren't home so I came looking for you. What are you doing Naruto?" the girl asked in a cheery tone.
The blonde slowly sat up and looked at the girl. "I was a little hurt before, so I had to help myself get better" he said and pushed himself up off of the ground. Getting to his feet, Naruto took a few breaths before standing up straight. Looking down at Aiko, he smiled again and patted her head causing the girl to giggle. "Aiko, I want to thank you for everything that you have done for me. When I was weak, you watched over me and for that I am very grateful" Naruto said causing Aiko to look down in hopes of hiding her blush as she smiled.
"You're welcome Naruto. I like having you here" the black haired girl said, her smile still plastered over her face. "Do you wanna get some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?" Aiko asked with puppy dog eyes shining.
Naruto chuckled at how adorable the little girl could be before letting out a sigh. "I guess that I am feeling kinda hungry although I do wonder what your obsession with peanut butter jelly sandwiches is about" Naruto thought out loud not realizing the irony of his thoughts, especially when it came to his family love of ramen. "Let's go Aiko" the blonde said walking up beside the girl.
Aiko smiled and held out her hand which Naruto took and the two began to walk in the direction of her house. "It kinda looked like you were sleeping" Aiko said as they continued to walk which caused Naruto to laugh.
(Aiko's House)
The ninja and his new friend walked into Aiko's house through the front door hand in hand with Aiko skipping while humming and Naruto rolling his eyes at the ordeal but with a smile on his face. The two walked into the kitchen where Aiko's mother was making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as if she had seen their future request coming. The woman looked up and smiled at the sight of her daughter and their guest returning. "Welcome back you two. You are both right on time for lunch. Go ahead and sit down at the table and I'll bring you your sandwiches" the mother requested.
Naruto and Aiko nodded before obeying the woman's request and taking their places at the table. A minute later, Aiko's mom brought forth a plate of six peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and placed it down on the table. Immediately after, she retrieved the plates, placed them in front of Aiko, Naruto, and her own spot, and then sat down beside Aiko. Looking at the two, she smiled when she saw her daughter immediately begin stuffing her face while Naruto politely took a sandwich and ate it at a calm pace. Shaking her head slightly with an amused look, the woman took a sandwich for herself before looking back at the two. "So, how are your days going?" Aiko's mother asked.
Aiko's face lit up at the question. "Well when I woke up, there was a birdie outside my window. When I opened my window, the birdie let me pet it. Then me and the birdie sang together and the birdie told me about it's day. After that, I went outside and played with a few of the squirrels which was a lot of fun. Then I went to watch the fishies swim which was a lot of fun. And then I went to go find Naruto which took a long time but I found him sleeping in the grass. And then we came back home to eat food" the girl said without taking a second to breathe in between sentences.
Both Naruto and Aiko's mother looked at the girl and then at each other with amused looks on their faces before small laughs made their way out of the two. Naruto smiled brightly at the innocence and pure goodness that radiated from Aiko. It was refreshing to get a break from the at times dark nature ninja world. Naruto's smile lessened at the thought of the ninja world. No matter how much he would like to stay here, there were people who needed him and depended on him. He had to get better as quick as possible so that he could leave his place despite his hesitation to do so.
(Later that night)
Naruto sat on the roof of Aiko's house. He stared at the sky as he waited. The moon was almost fully out, just a few more minutes now. Tonight was the night. Tonight was the night that Naruto would regain the power that he had before his fight with Ryuki. Staring at the sky, Naruto watched as the last clouds in the sky moved out of the way of the moon. Immediately, the great light in the night sky shined down on the blonde giving him power unlike any other. His body went into overdrive, all soreness and feeling of injury disappeared, and pure untainted chakra surged through Naruto's body. White light shined around Naruto's figure as the pure chakra enveloped him, giving him strength greater than any he had ever wielded before.
After about a minute, the light around the blonde died down and Naruto was left standing in his black sleeveless shirt and black ANBU pants. Looking up and down his own body, he felt power coursing through his veins. Looking to his side, he noticed something new. On his left shoulder was a tattoo of a crescent moon and three star tattoos outside of the moon. The markings caused Naruto to raise an eyebrow but set it aside for later. Shaking his head slightly, the blonde swordsman held out his hand and focused like he had so many times before. An instant later, a glowing light appeared in his hand that lasted for ten seconds before dying down to reveal something new.
Instead of his usual black and silver curved blade, Naruto now held in his hand a slightly thinner and less curved sword. The blade was white with a gold lining along the blade. A purple moon was placed in the center of where the handle and blade met. The handle itself was golden but with three white stars going down the handle in a straight line. It was a fine blade and for some reason, Naruto felt slightly more powerful with his new sword than his previous one. Taking a few swings, he immediately realized that this sword was lighter and could land quicker blows, but it was big enough to land powerful blows as well. The blonde nodded at his new sword. He was a new Naruto so it was only fitting that he was to wield a new sword.
(Shinigami's Blade Base)
Tsuranabi was thinking of new strategies to implement when he felt it. An immense wave of power caused him to stop what he was doing and walk to his window. Upon looking outside, he came to the sight of a great light shining from the moon down to the ground. Narrowing his eyes before realizing what the light meant, Tsuranabi smiled a large and sinister smile. His plans were back on its original track. The key to him gaining unlimited power had survived his test and he knew exactly where that key was. Flaring his chakra, Sashira immediately appeared behind him.
The black haired leader of the Shinigami's Blade continued to stare in the direction of the light that had just started to die down. "Sashira" the man addressed the woman without turning around causing the woman to look up. "It seems that our dear Naruto has survived his battle with the dragon summoner. The boy now resides in Paradise. I think that we should pay him a visit, don't you?" the man asked with an amused tone.
Sashira quickly nodded. "I shall get Menma and Narumi" the woman said before turning around and leaving to get the two jinchuriki leaving her leader alone in his office.
"So Naruto, you have returned from the dead, but I wonder if you have finally reached the pinnacle of a swordsman. I suppose we shall see soon enough whether you have matured or if you are still the same child that I last saw in Kiri" the man said evilly chuckling at the end of his comment.
Meanwhile, Sashira walked through the hallways of the base gritting her teeth in anger. 'Soon Sera, I will avenge you my beloved' Sashira silently promised as she clenched her fists at the thought of seeing the blonde that took the woman she loved away from this world.
It wasn't long before the woman came to the kitchen where the two siblings were having a conversation. Making her presence known, Sashira walked into the kitchen and looked at the two jinchuriki. Tsuranabi may be using them to further his own ambitions, but she didn't trust them in the slightest and was secretly waiting for them to slip up. To give her any excuse to kill them. Shaking her head, Sashira looked Menma and Narumi in their eyes. "As it seems, your brother has survived his battle with his previous challenge and now resides in Paradise. Be ready to leave" Sashira said quickly turning around and leaving the two alone to stew in the anger that their hated brother was still alive.
(Iron Country)
The kages and their guests sat in the meeting room in Iron Country late at night when a massive surge of chakra was felt. A light shined outside of the window in the distance to which each of the kages gravitated towards. Looking at the light in the far distance, it seemed to be coming directly from the moon but in a beam downwards. After a short moment of confusion, each of the Konoha members' eyes widened at the same time and they looked in between one another with excited looks, giant smiles on their faces, and in the case of Kushina and Yakumo, tears in their eyes. The light from the moon all but confirmed the bleak and distant hopes that the Konoha group had previously held. The power felt gave truth to one fact. Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze was back.
'MY SON IS ALIVE! MY SON IS ALIVE! MY BOY IS ALIVE!" thought Minato with a smile on his face while in the back of his mind, his thoughts were along the lines of 'We actually have a chance to beat the Shinigami's Blade now'.
Konan had a genuine smile on her face. While she wasn't as emotional as her fellow Konoha ninja, she was ecstatic that Sashira's words proved to be false. 'Well Sis, you sure know how to train em' the blue haired kunoitchi thought with her smile turning into an amused smirk.
Kushina held her hand to her heart. 'My baby, my baby is alive. Oh my sweet baby, I will find you no matter how long it takes and when I do find you, I am gonna smother you in hugs and kisses sweetie, you know' the red headed Uzumaki thought unable to control her verbal tick even in her thoughts as tears slid down her face.
Yakumo however had a mix of extreme happiness and womanly fury on her face. 'When I get my hands on you Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, you will wish that you were never born' thought a demonic voice in her head. 'And then I'm gonna give you the best welcome home present of your life' thought a naughtier voice of her mind causing the girl to blush as tears of happiness fell down her face.
The other kages and their guests looked at the Konoha group with a confused expression on their faces but set it aside for later. It was a late night and they were tired. Whatever was happening could wait until tomorrow morning.
(Paradise the next day)
Naruto's eyes flickered as he gradually began to wake up. Stretching his arms out and slowly opening his eyes, the blonde was met with the sight of Aiko looking at him from above. Naruto blinked a few times before raising a finger and poking the girl's nose.
Aiko giggled at the action and moved back, allowing Naruto to sit up. "It's about time you woke up lazy head. We get to go into town today!" the girl shouted jumping around the room. The intensity of her voice caused the boy to put his hands to his ears in hopes of lessening the noise. Seeing that the girl was done talking and was just jumping around for fun, Naruto slowly got out of bed and without a word, picked up Aiko. Walking to the doorway, he placed the girl down and shut the door completely missing the pout that formed on the girl's face.
A minute and a half later, Naruto opened the door in his regular clothes to a still pouting Aiko. Rolling his eyes, Naruto ruffled Aiko's hair causing the girl to giggle and hold out her hand which Naruto took. The two walked down the stairs to see Aiko's mother in the living room. The woman looked up as the two made their way downstairs. Smiling, Aiko's mother stood up. "Well look who's finally up" the woman said with a smirk as Aiko giggled beside the boy in question.
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Sorry, I guess I was just really tired" the blonde said which got a giggle from Aiko.
"More like really lazy" the little girl corrected getting laughs from her mother and the blonde in question,
As the laughter died down, Aiko's mother stood up straight. "Well, it's good that you are awake. I don't know if Aiko already told you but today we're going into town" she said to which Naruto nodded. "Well good. Maybe we can get some lunch and afterwards get you some new clothes." she said with a smile. Naruto nodded with a smile and Aiko smiled as well.
(Paradise in town twenty minutes later)
Naruto, Aiko, and Aiko's mother sat in a food stand in town. The three sat on stools waiting on their food with Aiko swinging her legs back and forth. Naruto had ordered the same as Aiko and her mother which was the house soup. Naruto looked at Aiko's mother with a perplexed look. "So you don't pay for this or anything here in Paradise?" Naruto asked causing the woman to turn to him and smile.
Aiko's mother chuckled at Naruto's obvious amazement. "No Naruto. Here in Paradise, we take care of one another. We have people who collect certain resources, we have people who make use of the resources like tailors or cooks, and we share our resources among one another. For example, I am a teacher, but I do not charge for teaching others. It is just a service I give to the people of this land. The land around us takes care of us and we make the most of it by sharing the resources evenly. Is that so hard to understand?" the woman asked not seeing the big problem.
Naruto nodded his head. In a world where you must give something in order to receive something, the concept of everyone living in a world where everything is free is nothing more than a fantasy" the blonde said and stopped talking as the food had arrived. The smell of the soup made his mouth water. Dipping his spoon into the bowl, he slowly began to raise the spoon before something stopped him dead in his tracks. A presence that he had not felt since the civil war in Kiri. A presence that made Naruto's face pale and his stomach feel like emptying itself. Focusing on the presence, the blonde looked around quickly before he was able to narrow down the location. Looking in the direction of what he had sensed, his eyes widened as atop a distant hill stood four figures. Each figure with the power of a kage and each figure with a dream of peace through submission.
After a long moment of silence, Naruto was brought out of his trance by a tug on his arm. Looking down, he noticed Aiko with a concerned look on her face. Putting on a weak smile for her, he slowly got up from his stool and looked down at Aiko. "Listen Aiko, I need to take care of something real quick but I will be back soon. In the meantime, I want you to take your mom and go back to the house, okay?" the blonde said now getting Aiko's mother's full attention as well.
Aiko tilted her head in confusion. "What's the matter Naruto? Maybe I can help" the girl suggested excitedly.
Naruto looked at the girl with a sad smile and the sight of Aiko only strengthened his resolve. Looking up at Aiko's mother, he sent a silent message through eye contact. The woman immediately understood that Naruto needed them out of the way for some reason. Standing up from her stool, she took her daughter's hand in her own and smiled. "Come on Aiko, Naruto has to take care of this thing alone. He'll be back soon though and then you two can play all day. Does that sound fun?" the mother asked with an excited tone.
The little girl smiled her signature wide smile and nodded rapidly. "Okay Mommy. Good luck with what you're gonna do Naruto" the little girl said before jumping off of her stool and squeezing her mother's hand. Aiko's mother gave one last look towards Naruto before turning away from him and walking with her skipping daughter home.
The blonde swordsman meanwhile turned around with a determined and angry look on his face. He gave out a slight growl before he shunshined in a water vortex.
(Paradise Hilltop)
Tsuranabi watched as Naruto left the people he was interacting with and only had to wait a few short moments before the blonde swordsman himself appeared in front of the four members of the Shinigami's Blade. The black haired leader smiled a dark smile as he looked the boy over. He was almost there, he had almost reached mastery over his abilities.
Shaking himself out of his inner thoughts, Tsuranabi let his smile grow. "Why hello Naruto, what a surprise seeing you here. I'll say, before your little light show last night, I honestly thought that you were dead" the man said, chuckling the whole time.
Reaching his arm out, Naruto summoned his new sword into his hand which caused Tsuranabi to raise an eyebrow. "Leave now and you will live to see tomorrow" the blonde said gripping his sword tightly and letting his chakra flow freely throughout his body. Lifting his arm, Naruto let his sword rest on his shoulder. He narrowed his eyes when Tsuranabi began to laugh. Meanwhile he saw the evil smiles on his siblings' faces and the angry expression on the woman's face.
"Oh Naruto, even after our little confrontation in Kiri you doubt my power?" the leader asked before a sword appeared in his hand. Tilting his head slightly, Tsuranabi raised his sword. As Naruto started to raise his own in preparation of battle, an unnatural weight came over his body, one that he was unable to hold up. Falling to his knees, Naruto tried breathing as hard as he could but could only get air in short breaths. Naruto tried to force his body to listen to him and rise up, but it was a futile effort. Looking forward, he saw Tsuranabi shaking his head with a disappointed look on his face. "Still so naive and arrogant Naruto. Believing that you can handle every enemy that you come across" he said before looking at the two jinchuriki beside him. "Bind him" Tsuranabi said coldly.
Menma and Narumi walked forward with sinister smiles on their faces. Coming to stand in front of their sibling, Menma raised Naruto's head. "I want to see the pain on your face you pathetic worm" Menma said before looking at his sister and nodding. Taking a breath, both of the Kyubi jinchuriki forced red malevolent chakra chains out of their backs. The chains rose upwards and then quickly flew towards Naruto. They entered the boy's body through his shoulders causing him to scream and exited his chest. They then entered through his chest and exited his back. Next, they went through his tailbone and exited out of his hips. Once again, the chains turned and entered the blonde's knees and exited the back of his legs before tightening up.
The chakra burned Naruto's body causing him to scream out in pain and it took everything in the blonde swordsman not to pass out. Tsuranabi walked to the edge of the hill and faced Paradise. Menma and Narumi walked to stand beside Tsuranabi, dragging their brother along with them. Sashira came to stand beside her leader and look at the town. In immense pain, Naruto still found a way to stay conscious and know what was going on.
Tsuranabi looked down at Paradise. "Naruto, I don't know if you know the true importance of this land. This place, this paradise, is the last perfectly good place on Earth. It is also one of the last obstacles in my way of creating my perfect world. And when I create my perfect world, there will be peace" Tsuranabi said.
"You're an insane and maniacal bastard" Naruto said before a strong sensation of pain coursed through his body and the burns increased in intensity.
The leader of the Shinigami's Blade chuckled at Naruto's continued resistance. "You are resilient, I will give you that. At this point, I know that it is useless trying to explain to you how I will create my perfect world. Your mind is made up. But you will watch as the next step in my plan comes to fruition. The destruction of the last perfectly good place on Earth" the man said with a smile.
Naruto's eyes widened. "No. NO! Please, don't do this. You can have me, just leave this place alone. They won't interfere with your plans, just leave them be. PLEASE" the blonde begged from his position on the ground. He tried to move, but the chains kept him held tight and the intense burning sensation every time he moved discouraged him from trying to get up. But his thoughts of Aiko and her mom made him continue to struggle.
Tsuranabi shook his head. "That is the difference between us young Naruto. I will do whatever it takes to achieve my absolute goal whereas you will compromise your goals if a step seems wrong to you. Now watch as Paradise falls" the black haired swordsman said raising his sword. With the blade pointed at the sky, a black beam shot out from the point of the sword. Afterwards, the black beam flew down from the sky and surrounded the entire town.
(Paradise in town)
Aiko's mother and everyone else in town looked at the black beam that seemed to be coming from the sky. Looking around in confusion like everyone else, a strange feeling started to come over the mother. Out of nowhere, she felt like her energy was draining and it was draining fast. Once again looking around, the woman saw the people around her start to fall down. Losing the energy to stand, she too fell to the ground causing Aiko to rush to her mother's side. The girl quickly fell to her knees with a tired look on her face.
"Mommy, I'm tired" the little girl said as her eyes were growing heavier and heavier by the second.
The mother once again looked around and would have emptied her stomach if she had the energy at what she saw. The people around her were all lying on the ground, but some of the people were not just lying on the ground. One by one, the people's skin started to grow thinner and more wrinkly while their hair lost its color. Seconds later these same people let out haunting moans before their bodies decomposed into nothing but piles of dust. Unable to find the energy to show a physical reaction, the woman turned her sight to her daughter who laid beside her. The girl had a scared look on her face and needed comfort. Finding the last of her energy, the woman smiled at her daughter and whispered "Everything will be okay sweetie."
Aiko looked at her mother and smiled. Her mother said that everything would be alright so everything was going to be alright. Her smile however quickly turned to a look of fear as her mother's appearance began to change. First, the woman's beautiful black hair lost its color, then her skin stated to lose its color and texture, and eventually the moans began. Aiko held even tighter to her mother's hand but eventually the hand became so weak that it crumbled in Aiko's hand. The little girl tried to scream but didn't have the energy to do so. She watched as her mother turned from the beautiful woman she used to be into nothing but a pile of dust. It was too much for Aiko and eventually the girl passed out from exhaustion.
(Paradise Hilltop)
Naruto felt it. One by one, he felt the people dying until he could feel no more life forces left in Paradise. The Shinigami's Blade members chuckled at the fall of Paradise, but something in Naruto broke. Looking up to the sky, Naruto let out an primal scream of anger. The scream caused the Shinigami's Blade members to turn and look at Naruto only to see a dark shadowy substance enveloping the blonde. The sky that held a beautiful shining sun immediately went black. An eternal darkness blanketed the once peaceful land.
The swordsman slowly stood up, the chakra chains that once impaled his body quickly falling out. His siblings rushed forward to attack, but just before they could land a hit with their sword, both of their bodies were separated at the midsection. Split in two, Menma and Narumi lied on the ground not responding to anything around them. The shadow covered Naruto turned his sight towards Sashira and dashed her way. A millisecond before he slashed the woman in half with his shadowy sword, Tsuranabi appeared beside his fellow swordsman and blocked Naruto's attack. The man frowned as the swipe caused Tsuranabi's arm to buckle slightly.
Tsuranabi moved his left hand to help out his right and hold his sword up. "Sashira, get Menma and Narumi and take them to the base now" the leader ordered. Pushing with actual effort, Tsuranabi managed to moved Naruto's sword up a little. Looking at the boy in front of him, he saw a boy who's eyes had no soul, no emotion left in them.
Sashira quickly got out of the way and collected Menma and Narumi's bodies which had just started to come back together. The three vanished in a distortion, returning to their base.
Naruto paid no attention to the other three members and instead focused on Tsuranabi. Naruto pushed hard, knocking the leader back and quickly swiped his sword. Tsuranabi dodged the strike just in time, but he didn't anticipate Naruto striking again so quickly. With a quick stab, Naruto landed a shot on the side of Tsuranabi's cheek. The black haired swordsman jumped backwards and placed a hand to his cheek. He couldn't believe it. The boy had landed a hit. Tsuranabi didn't have much more time to think about his wound as Naruto immediately came at the man.
Naruto swung his sword heavily but quickly, breaking Tsuranabi's guard time after time.
On the defensive, Tsuranabi was starting to feel the fatigue from his attack that wiped out Paradise. With over half of his remaining strength, he swung his sword and sent Naruto flying backwards. Just as Naruto started to get up and begin attacking again, the leader of the Shinigami's Blade disappeared in the Shinigami's Blade's signature distortion.
Standing up, Naruto looked around and upon seeing that the Shinigami's Blade was gone, the darkness that covered him receded. Once the darkness vanished and Naruto came to his senses, the blonde fell to his knees. Immediately the tears started to flow out of his eyes. The boy clenched his fists so hard that his hands began to bleed. His tears eventually turned to sobs as he thought of Aiko and her mother. So many people were dead and they had done noting to deserve such a fate. Naruto gritted his teeth and looked to the sky. "I swear to you people of Paradise, I will not let your deaths be in vain. I will make this right" the boy said before looking back to the ground and letting the tears fall.
Author's Note: I hope that you liked this chapter. I'm sorry that it took so long, but work and school have been kind of heating up so I haven't had as much time to write. I've got a good idea of where I'm going with my next chapter and once again I hope that you all are liking the story. I also want to thank everyone for the reviews and encourage more reviews as it helps me make my story better.