Yo. It's me. Here is Chapter 7, the second part of the last Chapter. The Flash Forward is here! Woot Woot.
I hope you all have a happy 2022. I really have nothing to say, other than a reminder to please send in some ideas for new abilities and Jutsu. Please and thank you.
Anyways, enjoy the chapter, and let's get on with the story.
General narration
"Talking"
Flashbacks
'Thinking'
Narration
"Yami speaking"
"Bijuu talking"
'Bijuu thinking'
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or Naruto Shippuden, nor the Naruto Manga. They are owned by Viz Media and Masashi Kishimoto. I only own "Narrator" and other OC's.
Continuing...
Midway through their battle, Orochimaru uses handseals that Hiruzen isn't familiar with. "Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei!" Two coffins rise from the ground and open. Inside the coffins are the corpses of the Shodaime and Nidaime Hokages.
"Now, what are you going to do, Sarutobi-Sensei? The great Sandaime Hokage-sama."
…
On their trek toward Sasuke, Pakkun warns Shikamaru, Sakura, and Naruto that they are being followed. "There are two squads behind us. That's eight ninjas. No, there is one more. Nine Ninjas."
"Aw, man. Come on already, just give me a break! What a drag."
"They haven't discovered our location yet. We need to lose them."
Pakkun has the team backtrack their steps to try and confuse the shinobis chasing them. It doesn't work. They buy a negligible amount of time.
"They're probably all Chunin level too. If they catch up, we'll be wiped out." Shikamaru isn't guessing. He knows so.
"We have no choice. We need to set up an ambush, dattebayo."
Pakkun frowns. "These ninjas are Orochimaru's henchmen. That means that they are all likely Jonin-level."
"What a drag. So an ambush won't work. Orochimaru is a former Konoha shinobi, meaning his henchmen know the layout of our village. There are too many uncertainties. An ambush could mean certain death.
Tactics are about clearly grasping a tough situation and formulating the best plan for it. Right now, only one plan makes sense, and only one."
Sakura quirks a brow. "And that is?"
Shikamaru explains his plan. "A diversion that looks like an ambush. In other words, one of us needs to stay behind and slow them down."
Sakura gulps. "So one of us… will be a decoy."
Shikamaru sighs. "Yep. If one of us can delay them, then they'll lose track of the rest of us. We'll be able to escape. Of course, the one who acts as a decoy will more than likely… die. For the sake of the mission."
Everyone stops at once. Shikamaru waits a moment. "So, who's going to do it? We need the dog to follow Sasuke. He's the only one who can track him. So that means…"
Sakura grits her teeth to hold in her shaky breaths. She hugs herself for comfort.
Naruto clenches his fists. "Alright. I guess that I'm-"
Shikamaru interrupts him. "I'm the only one who can do it."
"Why does it have to be you?"
"It's better than all of us being wiped out, right? Besides, I'm the only one who has any chance of pulling off this decoy act and surviving this attack. After all, the Kageshibari no Jutsu was invented as a delay tactic. Anyway, I'll catch up. Go on."
Naruto nods. "We're counting on you, Shikamaru."
When the enemy nears, Shikamaru stays in the shadows. He waits for them to group up. When they huddle near each other, he jumps down and activates his Jutsu. He connects his shadow with theirs. He can't do anything else besides holding the jutsu as long as he can to give his team more time.
Shikamaru starts counting the ninjas in his jutsu hold. 'One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Eight?' He remembers Pakkun said there was nine shinobi total. So where is the other guy?
'Of course. The ninth guy's role is to protect against an ambush. I need to draw him out.' Shikamaru pulls out a handful of shurikens in each hand. He throws the weapons at the shinobis, watching them fly. Before the projectiles reach, they are defected by a barrage of kunai. They came from the treeline.
Shikamaru now knows where the final ninja is. He makes another branch for his Kagemane no jutsu. It doesn't go far. It weakens and breaks, reflecting his exhaustion and lack of chakra.
"I see through your jutsu. You look like you're reaching your limit. When that happens, your jutsu will fail. Give up."
Shikamaru groans and looks at the sky. This sucks. All he ever wanted was an unproblematic life. He'd be an average shinobi, gaining average pay, marrying a regular, average-looking girl, and he'd raise two kids. A boy and a girl. He'd retire when his daughter married and his son was successful. Only then could he spend his days doing what he loves. Playing Go and Shougi. Then, he'd die of old age before his wife. The perfect, average life.
But no. Here he is overexerting himself for the sake of his friends. He'll die tired, exhausted, and fulfilled. How unlike him.
His jutsu wavers, flickers, and finally deactivates. He's dry now.
He hears the rustling of leaves behind him. When he turns around, he is greeted by the slamming of someone's shin on his cheekbone.
Shikamaru is launched back toward the group of Sound ninjas. He pulls out a kunai in his left hand and two on his right. He throws his two kunai at the squad leader. The Jonin blocks his weapons.
This gives him the opening he needs. Shikamaru swings his left arm back, stabbing one of the shinobi behind him on their thigh.
"Agghhh! Fuck! You stupid brat!" The ninja he stabbed slams his elbow between Shikamaru's eyes, pushing him to the ground. The other 8 ninjas surround him and start stomping him out.
Whenever he tried to get up, someone would knock him back down. When he used his hands, someone would stomp on them, crushing his fingers into the ground.
When he held himself up with his arms, someone would sweep them from under him.
Whenever he looked up or at them, there'd be someone there, punting his head to face the side, and someone else to stomp on his cranium, digging his skull in the Earth.
The ninjas continue their barrage of stomps to get petty vengeance on Shikamaru for humiliating them.
When the boy stops resisting, the leader pulls him up by the scruff of his neck, making him face the rest of his comrades.
They took turns practicing their punches on Shikamaru's face.
One! The right side of Shikamaru's face is numbed.
Two! A tooth is knocked out of his mouth. He can taste iron on his tongue.
Three! His nose is bent to the left now. Blood leaks out, and he loses the ability to breathe through his nasal.
Four! Another shinobi sucker punches him in the gut, causing him to spew his breakfast.
Five! This ninja wanted to be different. He went for a point-blank roundhouse to his face, leaving a purple welt on his right cheekbone.
Six! This ninja swings his arm back wildly, aiming an extreme haymaker. It makes contact with his left eye, swelling it shut.
Seven! The penultimate ninja goes for a cheap low blow. That is deplorable, especially when it's against a defenseless child.
The eighth one is the shinobi Skimarau stabbed. He steps up with a satisfied grin. Even in the absolute agony he is in, Shikamaru is able to force himself to look up. His right eye makes eye contact with the final shinobi. He glares at him with unquenchable rage. Even in his agony, he will make sure this man knows that they didn't break him. Even in his dying breath.
The final ninja sees Shikamaru's expression. His lips twitch and his jaw jumps. To not even be able to break a child. How insulting. He's mocking them!
"I'll show you to look at us like that! Let's see how well you see after I'm done with you!" He pulls out a kunai and holds it in a reverse grip. He points the blade at Shikamaru, aiming for his right eye.
He runs toward Shikamaru, poised to cripple him. Before he can get there, a kunai comes from nowhere to divert the path of the blade. The blade is diverted toward Shikamaru's left eye.
It barely misses, but the edge of the blade cuts by the swollen part of his eye, splitting his eyebrow.
Shikamaru can feel the shinobi holding him up go limp. He isn't being supported anymore. There's nothing between him and the unforgiving Earth. Before he strikes the ground, an arm holds on to him, keeping him up.
He uses his right eye to look around, albeit weakly. He spots a familiar bearded face with a cigarette. "Asuma?"
"I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. You did well, Shikamaru. Let me take care of these guys for you." Asuma speaks in a calm voice that can barely contain his cold, righteous fury. He pulls out his trench knives, channeling chakra in them, creating a blue glow around them.
For Shikamaru, the pain finally sets in, as well as exhaustion. He'll be fine now. Asuma-sensei will take care of it. He'll take care of him. Shikamaru blacks out knowing he is safe.
Sasuke finally reached Gaara and his siblings. Unfortunately, they decided to leave one behind to slow him down. Sasuke had to waste chakra, effort, and time to fight Temari. Thankfully, a well-timed substitution and paper bomb was enough for a dominant victory over the wind style user.
Now, to catch up to Gaara and the other one.
…
Sasuke catches up to Kankuro. Unfortunately, his choice to not finish off Temari is coming back to bite him. She catches up to him as well.
Kankuro hands Gaara to Temari. "Go on. I've got this. You are all worn out, so don't argue!" Temari nods stiffly.
She dashes off, leaving Kankuro and Sasuke. "It's time you picked on someone your own size."
Sasuke smirks. "Hn. Whatever you say."
"Wait, Sasuke. I have first dibs." It's the bug user with glasses who said that. What was his name again?
"What do you want?"
"Uchiha Sasuke. You're after Gaara because your match against him was left unfinished. Well, I have similar unfinished business with Kankuro. Because our match never even started."
"Hm. If you're sure." Sasuke dashes away in pursuit of Temari and Gaara.
A few minutes later, Naruto, Sakura, and Pakkun stop by a few trees. Pakkun can smell and detect signs of a fight up ahead. The team decides to go around, even if it means wasting some time. It's better than getting caught in the crossfire.
Half an hour later, Gaara stirs in Temari's arms.
"Temari. Put me down."
"You sure you're strong enough, Gaara?" She stops on a tree to check upon him. He groans, gripping his head. His left arm twitches from the gaping wound in it. "Gaara! Are you okay?" She pulls out some ointment from her clothes.
"Leave me alone, Temari. Go away. You are nothing but a nuisance to me." He stumbles to his feet. "Now beat it! I don't need you." He swings his arm back, delivering a devastating backhand to Temari, launching her across the forest and back first into a tree. She slumps to the ground in a crumpled heap.
Gaara takes deep, controlled breaths to calm himself. He closes his eyes to clear his mind. When he is in control of himself, his eyes snap open to look at the raven-haired boy in front of him.
"I don't know what you Sunagakure clowns are planning, but I'll stop it, no matter what it is." Gaara's eyes crease and turn dark. The sand armor on his skin cracks. "Besides… I'm dying to see what you really are."
Gaara trembles in rage. He grips his head as voices start screaming, pounding in his skull. His sand armor cracks further.
"We're so alike Uchiha. I don't have friends as you do, but they're not what makes you strong. It's your purpose that does it. In that way, we're alike. But mine is the stronger purpose. For only by destroying you and all you represent can I ever prove that I exist. Only by killing you can I feel what life is!"
Gaara screams in agony. The sand armor on the right side of his body falls off. The bones in his arm start cracking and snapping. A massive sand arm forms over it. "You are my prey! My prey!"
Sand covers the right side of his body, encasing it until everything right from his nose is covered in the sand with blue seal markings. He opens his right eye, which is now a 4-point golden star encased in black sclera. Gaara is now half-human, half sand demon.
Gaara leaps after Sasuke with his demon arm in tow. Slobber leaks out of his mouth as he swings his arm. The arm extends like a piston. A piston thrusting into and breaking everything in its path. Every tree in the vicinity is uprooted and torn like toothpicks. But Sasuke isn't among these broken toys.
Gaara's hand lashes out at another tree to his right, Sasuke leaps out of the tree to dodge Gaara's sand arm.
'Is he human or monster?'
"Why did you hide, Uchiha Sasuke? Do I frighten you? Are you shocked by my true form? Come on out and play, Uchiha Sasuke! To live, I must kill. You will make me feel alive! You are my prey!"
Sasuke peeks out from behind a tree. He is impaled in the midsection by Gaara's sand arm. Smoke explodes to life, and Sasuke's form is replaced by a shredded log.
Sasuke comes behind Gaara and swings a barrage of kunai at his foe. Gaara uses his sand arm to block the knives with little worry for injury. The sand swallows the knives and starts squeezing.
"Here, you can have these back!" The pressure build-up launches the kunais out of Gaara's arm and towards Sasuke at unreadable speeds. The momentum in the knives is so high that they are red-hot, almost as if they were freshly smithed.
The kunais break every tree in their path and blast craters in Sasuke's body. Sasuke's body explodes in smoke, leaving behind the ashes of what once was a log.
A few hundred meters away, Sasuke takes a breather and clutches his right leg. He wasn't fast enough, and one of the kunai have just grazed him. That'll leave behind a permanent scar, no doubt. But that is insignificant in comparison to the freak chasing after him.
"What's wrong, Uchiha Sasuke? Why do you run and hide? Why don't you attack?!" Gaara flinches and grips his skull. "Why do they always run away?"
Sasuke sucks his teeth. 'His power is unreal. If it comes down to strength, I've got no chance.'
He thinks back on Gaara's words to him during his training with Kakashi. "I see it in your eyes. You know what loneliness is. True loneliness. You understand that it is the most powerful form of suffering that there is in the world.
We have the same eyes. Eyes with an insatiable hunger for power, and full of hate. The same as me. Your eyes seek vengeance against those who made you so lonely. Eyes that burn to see them all dead at your feet."
An image of Itachi flashes in Sasuke's mind. If he ever wants to reach his level, he needs to fight now. 'I was the only one who was allowed to live. For what reason?' Sasuke scoffs. He starts the handseals for Chidori. 'No, I know the reason. He had to leave one alive to spare himself the guilt of having executed an entire clan. By sparing me, Itachi chose me to be the avenger of the clan. To be the savior of the Sharingan bloodline. He chose me to be his killer!'
The vengeful shrieks of a thousand birds fill the forest. Gaara sees the pale blue light casting false shadows in broad daylight.
Sasuke leaps toward Gaara, his left arm coated in spazzing tendrils of electricity. Gaara leaps toward Sasuke, his right arm caving in and sinking in places like quicksand. Their arms collide. Sasuke's Chidori melts through Gaara's arm like a hot knife through butter.
Blood floats through the air like cruel feathers. Gaara's screams of agony shatter the temporary silence like a stone striking a window.
Gaara's mangled arm becomes covered in sand. The limb regrows to its original state. Gaara chuckles weakly. He struggles to his feet. When he is stable, he looks at Sasuke. "Now I know why I've been looking forward to this. This agony… What a thrill it would be to crush such an opponent capable of wounding me so badly! Such a victory will finally make me feel what it is to be truly alive!"
Gaara's arm grows. Sand covers more of his body. His lower back is smothered. A sand tail even larger than his arm grows out of his coccyx.
Gaara runs at Sasuke at a speed he almost couldn't react to. Sasuke is able to evade Gaara, but his arm is grazed by a sand claw.
'Shit! Without my Sharingan, I'd be dead already. Chidori won't be effective from now on.' He creates a familiar set of seals. "Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!"
Gaara uses the sand on his arm to encase himself. The mystical sands protect him from the heat of the Uchiha fire. Gaara slams his arm into Sasuke, landing all of his effort on Sasuke's body. He is thrown back, smashing into many branches until finally he crashes into and craters an especially thick tree trunk.
"Is that it, Sasuke? Is that the value of your existence? That's just pathetic, truly. Your hatred is weak. You are far too soft and forgiving. You are stuck in the middle, living two different lives. You are weak from failing to choose a path.
The greater the hunger for revenge, the greater the hate. And hate is what gives us power, and that power gives us the strength to kill. Your hate is weaker than mine. It means you can't win. You are weaker than I am."
Sasuke remembers what Kakashi told him during his training. His limit for Chidori is 2 times a day, and he has used it twice already. If he tries to force it, he could die. Right now, that means nothing to him. He has no choice. He needs to take down Gaara and he needs to prove his shallow resolve to himself. Because he is…
"I am an avenger!" Sasuke puts all his effort into creating a last-ditch Chidori. He leaps at Gaara, getting ready to put an end to this fight. Gaara leaps at Sasuke, finally deciding to stop playing with his food. Midway there, Sasuke's Chidori loses most of its strength. It's faint and flickering.
Sasuke is desperate. An insatiable hunger fills him and overtakes him. His hidden lust is awakened at this moment.
Gaara's sand arm falls off, and Sasuke's jutsu has landed its most powerful hit yet. His body is covered in black markings, and every nerve in his body is hyper-sensitive. The Curse Mark activated. His hidden, unquenchable lust for power has finally arrived. His disappointment in himself is palpable, but his euphoria in feeling that temporary surge in power was nearly indescribable.
Sasuke lands on the branch opposite his original position. He collapses. His nerves are firing because of the Curse Mark. The pain is searing, like botching a Fire Style jutsu. His body is depleted.
Gaara's sand covers and spreads to the left side of his body. The sand buries into the wound Sasuke inflicted earlier in Gaara's shoulder, mending the wound, albeit slowly. The sand continues its path toward Gaara's left arm, completely taking over. He jumps toward the last Uchiha, intent on delivering the final blow and fully eradicating the Sharingan bloodline.
Just before he makes it, a solid shin strikes the side of his skull, throwing him back toward a different tree. Naruto has arrived to save his friend from death. He makes sure to stand between Sasuke and the freak.
Sakura comes to Sasuke's aid. She keeps a composed appearance, but internally she is panicking. Sasuke is going to lose control again.
"Sakura!"
A yell breaks Sakura's thoughts. "What do you want?!"
"Who the fuck is that guy?" Naruto points at the sand thing.
Pakkun speaks up. "His outward appearance has changed, but he is the one you know as Gaara."
Naruto gasps. He remembers when he and Gaara talked in the hospital. How Gaara claimed that his newborn self was fused with a Sand Spirit. How he was born a monster. 'So this is what he meant back then.'
"What do you want?" Demands Gaara.
Sasuke's gasps of pain steal away Naruto's attention. He recalls Sasuke's appearance when he saved him. 'Those marks… what the hell is going on?'
"You -You're the one I didn't kill that day in the hospital." Naruto looks into Gaara's eyes. He can recall that Gaara told him his purpose, and who his target was.
"Guys, we need to-!" Gaara leaps past Naruto, going straight for Sasuke. His arm is outstretched, and a spike is beginning to protrude from his sand arm.
Naruto is too far away to stop him, and Sasuke is in no condition to defend himself. Sakura steps in front of Sasuke, making sure to get in the way of Gaara. She stares directly into Gaara's eyes, her own eyes brimming with unwavering resolve.
"MOVE!" Gaara's sand spike stabs into Sakura's midriff. His arm extends, slamming Sakura into a tree. Her head smacks into the hard bark, knocking her out cold.
Naruto sprints toward Sasuke, making sure to get him out of harm's way. "Sakura-chan!" That was the first time he's called her that since graduation day.
'Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT! Sakura-chan has been stabbed! What do I do? Kakashi-sensei isn't here to save us! Sasuke is under the mercy of these strange markings. I-I don't know if I can handle this guy.'
Gaara groans. He grabs his skull, yanking on his hair, trying to pull the memories out of his head. "Wound your body, and the blood will flow, following fast on the heels of pain. But as time passes, the pain eventually fades away. With the help of medicine, it can heal even faster.
But Gaara-sama, even more dangerous than that is a wound dealt to the heart because there is nothing that has more trouble healing. Wounds from the heart are different from wounds to the flesh. Unlike an injury to the body, there is no medicine for a wounded heart. And sometimes, it never heals."
Gaara forces the memories down. He looks straight into Naruto's eyes. "What's the matter? Aren't you going to make a run for it?"
'Fuck! I can't run now. He has Sakura-chan in his clutches. She needs a doctor, dammit! If I leave now, he'll kill her!'
"Who are these two? Who are they two you?"
"Who are they? They're my friends, that's who they are, dattebayo! You try laying so much as another finger on the two of them, then you'll leave me no choice but to kill you!"
Gaara did not like that answer. He applies more pressure on Sakura, forcing her awake with pain. Her screams bring Naruto out of his rage. No, he can't afford to act stupidly. Gaara holds all the power here.
"What's wrong? Weren't you going to kill me? Well, come on then. Do something!"
"I don't have a choice. I have to fight. For my friends, dattebayo!"
"That's exactly why you can't win! As long as you fight for the sake of others, you'll never advance beyond this level. Only one can remain invincible, and he will know what it's like to truly exist. Forget your friends and fight for yourself. The trivial feelings of friendship and loyalty cloud your focus, and you'll die. You have the potential. You have the same look in your eye both Sasuke and I have!"
"You're insane! I'm nothing like you! If you keep talking, I'll have to shut you up for good!" Naruto pulls out a kunai and naively goes for a frontal attack on Gaara.
Gaara lashes out with a tail whip, slamming Naruto into a branch. "You were never loved, Gaara-sama." Memories from the past re-open old buried wounds. "Rahhh! What's wrong? Why don't you attack?"
Naruto goes through the handseals of his new jutsu. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" A small, orange toad with blue markings is summoned. His name is Gamakichi.
'Fuck.'
"Worried about the others still? That's your biggest flaw. I fight only for myself." Gaara's sand spreads, engulfing the left side of his face, and consuming his right arm. His entire body from the waist up is transformed, resembling a mini Shukaku. He splits his left hand to detach himself from Sakura, but keep her bound to the tree.
"Only by attacking me can you free her. And you should hurry. With each passing second, the sand will harden, until it either shreds her organs from the inside from her wound or crushes her from the outside, suffocating her."
Gaara rears his arms back. He swings them forward. "Suna Shuriken!" Naruto picks up Gamakichi to try and save him, but doing so has a shuriken strike his sternum. The projectiles are surprisingly blunt, so they do nothing more than send him to a tree back first.
When he gets back up, he stares into Gaara's eyes. 'His eyes… Eyes full of loneliness. His eyes look just like mine did before Team 7. He's turned into a monster. Could I… have become like that? I hated the village. I hated them so much because they hated me and I didn't understand why. I wondered why I even existed. They blamed me for sins I never committed, but they acted like I was the only one responsible.
It wasn't until Iruka and Team 7 that anything changed. People looked at me and paid attention to me. That meant that I finally wasn't alone. Finally, life was bearable, despite all the shit I still go through. I was finally happy. But, remembering what it was like before, nothing but darkness and loneliness. If I had stayed there even a little bit longer, I might have ended up just like Gaara. That's why I can understand him.
I don't know how, but this guy is stuck there, in that bottomless pit of darkness and pain. He's still there. He has no one. Can I really beat a guy like that?'
Gaara launches more sand shurikens at Naruto. Naruto is thrown to another tree. This time, Naruto is able to get on all fours. He forces himself to his feet. When he is back up, Gaara releases more sand shurikens. Naruto goes flying, breaking branches along the way before crashing into another tree. This time, however, Naruto lands on a knee.
When he gets back on his feet, he can feel it. His hand is reacting. It is searing, almost sizzling with heat, yet it isn't painful. Just intense. Yami's power is flowing throughout his body, giving a boost to all of him. He has never had so much of Yami in him. It feels like his body is on fire. He feels stronger than he's ever been. Like he's invincible.
"I finally understand. I don't have another option. I have to beat him, even if it kills me. We will give it our all because we have never had the privilege of choice. One path is open to us, and we must forge on, even in the face of death!" It's strange. Naruto can feel Yami influencing him, trying to take control, except he himself is fully in control, benefitting from their combined power.
Naruto pulls an explosive tag out of his pouch and wraps it around his kunai. He does his signature crossed half-ram seals. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Naruto's clones charge at Gaara with wild abandonment. Gaara's arm is able to grab the three leading shadow clones. Naruto and another clone come in behind. The clone uses chakra surface adhesion to attach itself to the other clones. Naruto grabs a hold of this clone's arms. The clone swings Naruto toward Gaara.
Gaara raises his other arm to intercept Naruto.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto summons a clone in front of him. Using surface adhesion, he stood on the clone's back and walked to its face. Naruto jumped off the clone's face in time to avoid Gaara's arm.
Now behind him, Naruto tries his technique once more. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" He summons a clone below him to use as a springboard. He jumps and lands on the branch behind Gaara.
"Take this. Straight from the teachings of Kakashi-sensei. Konohagakure Hiden Taijutsu Ogi: One Thousand Years of Death!" Naruto stabs his kunai at the base of Gaara's tail, right where his rectum should be.
Pakkun deadpans. "Oh great. He gave him an enema."
Gaara's tail whips Naruto away. Naruto smirks while sailing through the air. "Boom."
The tag is triggered and explodes. Gaara has experienced something no man ever should. His sanctity has been violated.
Sasuke leaps across the forest in order to catch Naruto. He failed, so instead, his body was used to break Naruto's fall.
When the dust settles, Gaara's mini Shukaku state is deformed. The sand on his body is crumbling and sliding off. Naruto aimed his kunai at the base of the tail where the transformation would be the weakest.
Gaara retreats temporarily. 'He failed to wound me, but my sand wasn't able to absorb the impact. Have I underestimated him?'
Sasuke looks at Naruto in the eye in order to address him. "Oi, Naruto. You have to save Sakura if it's the last thing you do. Once you've got her, I want you to take her and flee as fast as you can. It's all up to you."
"Sasuke…"
"I can hold him here a little longer. If it ends here, it just means this is as far as I was meant to go. I lost everything once, I don't ever want to have to see that again. My trusted comrades falling right before my eyes."
"C-comrades?! Sasuke?"
"If I die here, if it means you get to live, then I'm happy with that. It'd mean my existence meant something."
Naruto's eyes widen in realization. "Of course. I get it now, dattebayo. He's no different than I am. Going through life with the exact same sadness and loneliness I had to carry. He fought for himself, never relying on anyone. Because of that, I thought that he possessed strength. I really did.
I don't know. I guess I should've known better. That's not what real strength is. If you fight only for yourself, you'll never be strong no matter what you do. It's my will to protect my friends that makes me strong. It's what gave me the strength to kill Haku and the Amegakure shinobi who ambushed us in the Forest of Death. And that will give me the strength to beat Gaara.
You won't be the hero of this story, Sasuke. Heroes die at the end, and you won't die here. Not as long I'm around. I will beat Gaara. And I'm no hero either because I refuse to die here!"
"We refuse to die. We don't have a choice. If we are to live, then we need to combine further. Don't you agree, Hikari?" Yami's seductive tone succeeds in getting through to Naruto.
Naruto performs a Ram seal. His right-hand trembles from the intensity of the chakra flowing from it. It feels like it's going to burst from the pressure. The feeling spreads from his wrist to the middle of his forearm. Naruto yells in exertion. Chakra explodes from him, shrowding the forest in a shadow from the brightness of it. Blue chakra wisps violently, cratering the ground he is standing on and encompassing him in a dome of energy.
Vile crimson and black chakra swirls around this dome, creating a black mist floating around it. That putrid chakra cuts and burns the branches near Naruto and the bark of the tree he is on. Any plant unlucky enough to be in proximity to touch the wicked chakra withers and dies.
Sasuke is within reach to feel the suffocating pressure of Naruto's blue chakra. It's magnificent. He is also close enough to feel Naruto's black and crimson abomination he assumes to be chakra. It's awful. It's making him nauseous. He has to focus in order not to gag and wretch at the feeling it gives off.
'Chakra doesn't have a scent, but if this energy did, it'd reek of death and purgatory. This must be what Naraka would smell like. Fire and brimstone searing away at flesh and blood, making ash out of human souls. This is a stench I could never rid my nose of. And Naruto has this energy inside of him. Is it even chakra? What is he?'
A bit of Yami's chakra touches Sasuke. Sasuke flinches at the touch. The chakra burns him. Not like dissolving his flesh type of burning, but the feeling of casting Fire Style type of burning. A pleasant burning. The chakra reacts to his Curse Mark, making it stronger. And that makes Sasuke lose full control of his body. His body is too weak. It's focusing all its energy on suppressing the Curse Mark. Unfortunately, it's not enough to stop its full influence.
'Dammit! I can't move. But-How?! How is Naruto releasing so much chakra? I should have that power, not him!' His thoughts are broken by a massive puff of smoke.
"Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto summons over 150 clones. The most he has ever summoned up to this point.
To every spectator watching, only one thought ran through their mind. How can he create so many clones?
"Sasuke. Take it easy for now. You deserve it."
Sasuke is stunned speechless. 'Unbelievable. What happened to him? Is this really Naruto? He… he- What makes him so special?'
Naruto's clones pull out shurikens. They leap in the air and launch them at Gaara whose body hasn't finished recovering.
Gaara uses his sand to defend himself, giving Naruto the opportunity he needs. Naruto crouches and springs his body upward, planting a full high kick on the underside of Gaara's chin.
"U-"
A clone comes to kick Gaara on his ribs, launching him further upward.
"ZU-"
A second clone spins in the air to heel kick Gaara on the other side of his ribs to continue his upward trajectory.
"MA-"
A third clone comes from below, leaping to kick Gaara straight on the spine to bring him to his peak.
"KI-"
Naruto jumps from clone to clone to get close to Gaara. Around him, the other 150 or so clones ready their arms, preparing wild haymakers. Naruto spins in the air, rotating his body. The clones slam their fists wherever they can on Gaara's body. Naruto stretches his leg and spins, landing a full brunt spinning heel ax kick to Gaara's face.
"RENDAN!"
Gaara is sent crashing to the cruel Earth. Naruto's clones dive in hot pursuit.
'This power… where did this power come from? It came so suddenly. Where did his strength come from? I don't understand.
There's no way. Not to him! Anyone but him! There's no way I'm going-' "-to lose to a guy like HIM!"
A massive tower of sand spears into the sky. All 150+ Naruto clones dispel, temporarily covering the sky in artificial clouds.
The ground rumbles. A small, but powerful growl travels along with the wind.
Gaara has let go of all inhibitions, and in his place stands his perfect possession. A massive sand tanuki with blue markings and golden eyes stands powerfully. Its thick, massive tail is equal in length to its body.
"So that's it. The monster inside of him."
"I never thought you would bring this out of me!" Gaara in Shukaku lifts its arm and performs a half-snake seal.
Sand gathers and surrounds Naruto. It begins to wrap around him, encompassing his person.
Sasuke begins to panic. "Naruto!" The moment he tries to move, however, his body seizes and his muscles stiffen, refusing to move. 'Damn it all!'
Naruto can't move much either. 'Kuso! I used up all my chakra earlier on all those clones. Please, I know I'm asking for a lot, but I-WE are going to die! So please, give me your powers! Both of you!'
"Pathetic. You are nothing without us, remember that! Be grateful for us, Hikari. But don't worry, I'll claim your debt soon."
"Tch. Insignificant worm."
Naruto feels the pressure in his right arm. It spread up to the mid-proximal section of his forearm., merging Yami's chakra with his coils below his radioulnar notch. Crimson and black chakra come accompanied by reddish-orange chakra, swirling around the limb. This pressure is not like before. It's agonizing. He can feel his joints creaking. He can hear the cracks forming on his bones. Holes are blown out of his arm. The holes descend down to his hand.
He bends his thumb inward to collect the blood coming from the hole in his palm. Thankfully, the chakra starts spreading throughout his body and the wounds in his arm start mending themselves.
Inside the sand cocoon, Naruto wills himself to perform the necessary seals. "I, Inu, Tori, Saru, Hitsuji- Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
"It's over! Sand Buri-"
Before Gaara can finish his jutsu, a massive plume of smoke comes from inside his sand coffin. The crunching of trees breaking can be heard even inside the village. In place of where Naruto was, a massive Toad stands with a pipe in its mouth.
Naruto himself is on top of the Toad, his form disheveled. Blood drips down his right arm below the elbow. Steam comes from out the wounds, healing and closing them before everyone's eyes. "Sakura-chan. Sasuke… I swear I'll protect you!"
Gaara chuckles genuinely, truly enjoying himself for the first time in a long time. "Uzumaki Naruto. You really are good at amusing me.
From the trees, Sasuke watches what Naruto did. His awe cannot be contained, with his bright eyes and agape mouth. 'Naruto. How on Earth can you do that?' Subconsciously, Sasuke clenches his fists until his knuckles pop.
The Earth rumbles when the toad grumbles. "Not you again. What is this?" Gamabunta looks toward where he hears movement.
In the distance he sees a massive sand tanuki swinging its tail in the air, creating artificial wind. "Well, will you look at that. The Ichibi, Shukaku the Sand Spirit."
"What do you say? Will you fight alongside me today, Chief Toad, dattebayo?"
"Why would I go out of my way to mess with a guy like Shukaku? I'm not an idiot."
"What?! But you said you'd make me your henchman, dattebayo!"
Gamakichi appears from inside Naruto's clothes. "Come on pops, don't be like that. Settle down and hear the kid out."
Naruto barely caught that. "Eh? Pops?"
"And what do you think you are doing here, Gamakichi?"
"I had nothing else to do. I came to hang out. By the way pops, that big, ugly lug over there was bullying me before."
"Come again?"
"Oh, and when he did, our blonde friend here came to my rescue. He went head-to-head with that monster. I'm telling you pops, there is a heck of a lot more to this kid than meets the eye."
"Is that right?" Gamabunta draws his massive tanto. "Alright, gaki. You're hereby accepted as my henchman. So sit tight. I'll show you what duty is all about." Gamabunta hops toward Shukaku-form Gaara. He manages to sever Gaara's right sand arm off from the shoulder down. Gaara is able to throw the Toad Boss away from him.
After regrouping, Naruto yells at Gamabunta. "Hey, Boss! Try to lure him over to us. Don't go toward him. Sakura-chan and Sasuke are over there!"
"Hmph! Fine."
Gaara cackles from his side of the forest. "Interesting, Interesting! Not bad, Uzumaki Naruto!" Sand crumbles and falls off of the Shukaku's head. Something is coming out of it.
Gaara makes his way out of the demon body, showing his upper body. "To thank you for entertaining me today. I'll show you the true power of the manifestation of sand." Gaara starts with a ram seal.
Gamabunta eyes Gaara. "Hmm. a spiritualist medium. The circles under his eyes are signs of insomnia. It's evidence that the medium has been possessed by Shukaku. Those who are possessed by Shukaku are no longer able to sleep soundly at night. The terror is too much. If one does fall asleep, the Shukaku will eat way at the psyche, eroding the medium's sanity. When the process is over, the person who once was will cease to exist."
"Just great."
"But as long as the spiritualist medium is awake, Shukaku's true power is held in check. The only danger is if the medium falls asleep."
Gaara smiles in twisted delusion. "Tanuki Neiri no Jutsu." Gaara exhales loosely and slumps over.
"Oh shit. Oh fuck. Boss, what do we do?!"
A laugh brings everyone's attention to the sand tanuki. "HAHAhahahAHaHA! I'm free! Here I come, baby!" Shukaku looks at Naruto and Gamabunta. "I hope you're ready to die! Here I come!"
Gamabunta's face becomes stern. "Gaki, I'm going to jump."
"huh?"
Shukaku sucks in a massive breath, which it holds until its belly bulges. "Fuuton: Renkuudan!" An invisible wind blast creates ripples of energy warping the air itself, the force of which uproots every tree in its path.
Gamabunta jumps in the sky to avoid the air bullet. Shukaku aims another bullet to strike Gamabunta in mid-air. Gamabunta begins casting his own set of seals. "Suiton: Teppodama!"
Bunta's water gunshot intercepts Shukaku's air bullet. The collision creates an artificial drizzle for those spectating the match, making it so they don't know if the moisture on their skin is from the free shower or if it's from nervous sweat.
Bunta hops away from Shukaku. While the Toad is mid-jump, Shukaku launches three more air bullets. Bunta launches two water bullets respectively, canceling out two of Shukaku's attacks. Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough to stop the third air bullet. When it strikes him, the collision creates an explosion similar to a stack of 100 paper bombs being ignited, except without the fire or heat.
"Yeah! I did it! I killed him! I killed him!"
Bunta leaps out of the smoke with a slight limp, landing right in front of Shukaku. He grabs on to him. "Gaki, now is your chance!" However, whenever Naruto tried to get close to Gaara, the Toad Boss would jump away.
"Grr, Chief, you're going to have to keep a grip on it if u want me to get a shot in!"
"My body doesn't have claws or horns to dig into the enemy's body with."
"What the hell are we supposed to do, dattebayo!?"
"Use the transformation jutsu to change into something that has what we need! I'm not good at transformation, so you'll have to do it for me. Act upon my will and perform a combined transformation. Conjure something with fangs and claws!"
Gambunta hops as fast as he can toward Shukaku, leaving Naruto no time to think. 'Fang and claws, fangs and claws, fangs and claws.' Naruto can feel Yami drawing on another power source, bringing forth more of its chakra to their coils. He can see it now.
"Transform!"
The jutsu covers the forest in a blanket of chakra dense smoke. When it clears up, a roar shakes even the bones of the forest itself. A massive, orange nine-tailed fox stands where Naruto and Gamabunta did, none of them there to be seen.
Sasuke kinows what this is. Did his friend lose control? "Naruto! Are you-"
The fox charges at Shukaku, trying to dig its claws into the tanuki's body. Shukaku fires blasts of wind at the fox, trying to eliminate it. The fox however is much too nimble for it. It avoids every attack with little difficulty.
Inside the fox, Gamabunta speaks to Naruto. "This isn't going to work, gaki. Shukaku's power keeps increasing."
"We need to keep trying! One hit is all we need."
"Fine." Gamabunta uses the tails to uproot a clump of trees. He runs a circle around Shukaku. When its back is turned, he charges right at it.
Shukaku blows another air blast. Gambunta throws the trees at the air blast to intercept it, giving them a path to strike Shukaku. Kyuubi-transformed Bunta is able to sink his claws into Shukaku and bite its neck.
Gambunta and Naruto dispel the transformation. "It's your turn now, gaki!"
Naruto leaps high into the air and slams a wild right hook on Gaara's cheek. He slides down to Shukaku's nose. Gaara is woken up, and Shukaku returns to its seal.
When Gaara opens his eyes, the first thing he sees is Naruto's infuriatingly determined cerulean eyes. "You… You disrupted my jutsu!"
Naruto runs toward Gaara. Gaara wills the sand on Shukaku's body to grab Naruto's feet. "Sand Coffin!" Sand from the Shukaku rushes toward Naruto. Gamabunta uses his tongue to surround Naruto and block the sand.
"Do you think I'm a fool?!" The sand on Naruto's feet climbs up his body toward his shins, and higher until it suffocates his knees. Gamabunta retreats his tongue, knowing there isn't much left he can do.
"I will wipe you from the face of the Earth. I will not cease to exist. Believe me, I will kill you."
Naruto is exhausted. His chakra and even the chakra lent to him by Yami have been exhausted. Even the little bit of the Kyuubi's chakra has been depleted. He turns around to take a look at Sakura. Her skin has gone pale, and the sand holding her has a small red blotch on it. He looks at Sasuke. His prone, shivering form makes him as defenseless as he looks. Like a newborn calf.
"Sakura-chan. Sasuke. I swear I will protect you guys. I will save you." Naruto turns back around to look Gaara in the eyes. He shows Gaara his full intent to kill him.
Naruto closes his eyes and casts a ram seal. 'Please. I beg of you. Please give me some chakra, both of you. I only need a little bit more. Give me some chakra, dammit!' Chakra explodes out of his arm, both Yami's and the Kyuubi's. While it's not as much as given to him for the summoning, it makes up for it by being much denser. The density of it causes cracks to form on his bones as it travels along his coils. The coils of his right arm merge with Yami's, spreading to reach his elbow. Everything below his humerus is now bonded with Yami.
The chakra spread throughout his body, creating an aura of reddish-orange energy around him.
Gaara won't let Naruto use this new power. "Die!" He casts a ram seal.
Naruto's chakra explodes further, dispersing the sand at his feet. He sprints as fast as he can to dodge the sand tendrils coming after him. He leaps as far as he can toward Gaara with his right fist cocked back.
Just as he is about to strike the host of the Ichibi, the sand tendrils catch up to him. One grabs him by the waist and the other grabs his right wrist, stopping Naruto's momentum dead. Naruto swings his left arm forward, but another tendril stops him.
Naruto gathers chakra in his hands. He uses surface sticking to make the sand by his hands act like platforms. He pushes himself forward against the resistance of the tendrils, like coming out of the water with clothes on.
"I… I have had enough of you!" Naruto slams his skull into Gaara's own, busting him open and making him see white.
The Shukaku cracks. It's beginning to weaken. The sand breaks, crumbling into fine particles. And falling down? Falling with the sand are the bodies of Naruto and Gaara.
Gamabunta and Gamakichi dispel, both having reached their limits.
Naruto and Gaara land on top of the tallest trees in the forest canopy. They will themselves to their knees, looking at each other with so many emotions neither can explain. They are belly-breathing now, both so exhausted, but still unable to stop themselves from continuing.
"I've used up all my chakra, dattebayo. And from the looks of it, so have you. You and I are a lot alike. More than you know. We shouldn't be doing this."
Naruto and Gaara charge at each other, using what they have left to keep them going.
Gaara rears back his arm, getting ready to swing the first punch of his life.
Naruto gathers what remains of his borrowed chakra and channels it into his right arm. He yells a mighty roar and lands an enhanced solid right hook on Gaara's cheek.
They both come crashing down to the Earth, now completely drained. No more chakra or energy left to give. Falling from 50 meters with no cushioning didn't help them either. Their bodies now lay battered, and some of their bones were broken
After a tough battle against the Shodaime, Nidaime, and Orochimaru, Hiruzen is left with no choice. He doesn't stand a chance, so he decides to use Yondaime's jutsu. Not his signature Hiraishin, but his most powerful jutsu. The jutsu that defeated the Kyuubi no Yoko and put an end to his life.
The Reaper Death Seal.
Hiruzen summons shadow clones. They split off to find the Hokages. Once they do, the jutsu is cast. The souls of the village founders are sealed inside the clones, trapped in the stomach of the Shinigami for eternity.
Hiruzen goes after Orochimaru. He knocks his sword away and grabs onto his former pupil. The jutsu is cast.
"The one who casts the Reaper Death Seal sends his enemy's soul into oblivion for all of eternity at the cost of his own life. You are doomed to the belly of the beast, the Shinigami, locked in restless combat until the end of time."
"You old fool! Do you think I'll sit here like a frightened child and do nothing?!" Using his fingers, Orochimaru has his sword stab Hiruzen through the back and into the heart. It's now a war of attrition.
"You're just a trivial footnote in the brief history of a cluster of huts called Konohagakure no Sato! In time, the Hokage stone faces will crumble and be worn down to nothing! The pillars of your village are filled with termites and rot! I don't need to beat you down. You're already falling!"
Hiruzen coughs a wad of blood. "I don't have the strength to extract your soul. Yet your ambitions end here! Your obsession, your need to drown yourself in jutsu is your curse. And for your transgression, you shall be punished! I will take away all the jutsu you hold dear!"
Hiruzen yanks as much of Orochimaru's soul out of his body. All he can manage to pull are his arms, but that is enough. The Shinigami lifts its sword high into the air, readying itself to finish its job. "You wouldn't dare!"
The Shinigami swings its sword down like a cleaver, severing Orochimaru's arms from the rest of his soul. Orochimaru's arms turn purple. The flesh begins to die, rotting from necrosis.
"With those arms, you will never cast another hand seal again. Ninjutsu is forever out of your reach."
"You decrepit old man! How dare you! You will die in vain! Even if I fail to complete my ambition, fate is set! It cannot be changed! Konohagakure no Sato will fall, never to rise again! It is inevitable!"
Hiruzen falls on his back. His breath begins to still. "My one regret is that I couldn't take you with me." He closes his eyes, falling into his eternal slumber. Sarutobi Hiruzen died as a failure.
Orochimaru trembles in a mix of absolute rage and pain. His arms feel unbearable.
He looks at the village. So many thoughts, No time to process them.
"Release the barrier! Our mission has failed!" He yells at his subordinates.
The barrier is taken down and Orochimaru's shinobis group around him.
"Get me out of here."
"Hai." The Sound 4 take their leader and retreat. Sometimes escaping is the best option during combat.
The sand keeping Sakura up falls apart. She freefalls down to the Earth. Sasuke forces himself to his feet in time to save Sakura. He lays her by Pakkun and begins to immediately treat her wound. The patchwork he'll do won't heal well, but it'll keep her alive.
"I'll leave her with you." Sasuke leaves before Pakkun can respond. He has a mission. He must find Naruto.
…
Gaara turns to look at Naruto, seeing his unconscious body on the floor. 'What could it be that makes him so strong? I will not disappear. I will not cease to exist. I won't.'
Gaara's thoughts are broken when a loud, desperate gasp for air makes its presence known. Naruto has woken up.
Naruto looks around. Everything is blurry. A drop of blood enters his right eye, forcing him to keep it shut.
After getting his bearings straight, he spots a bundle of dark red hair. 'Gaara.'
His body is too broken. Too beaten. Too weak. He can't move much but his head. Naruto uses his chin to drag his body toward Gaara's now vulnerable form.
Yami's chakra makes itself known, albeit a small sliver of it. Naruto's body is too weak to handle it, so the energy has no other vessel to use than Naruto's eyes. What little bit of chakra that remains in Naruto's coils goes to his eyes, mixing with Yami's chakra, and forcing the appearance of his Byakugan.
Naruto doesn't know it, but the blood that fell in his eye was a mix of his and Gaara's blood. Naruto's chakra makes contact with Gaara's blood. Naruto is able to see glimpses of Gaara's past. The major events that made him the monster he is. The beginning of his suffering and the path of blood that was forced onto him as an infant. His childhood of isolation. His neglect. The words said to him. The mistreatment his father gave him. The assassination attempts. Yashamaru. Everything that mattered in the shaping of Gaara's story was shown to him. He can understand him now, fully.
Gaara sees Naruto bringing himself toward him. He can see Naruto crawling to him, this threat to his existence refusing to keep far.
"No! Stay away!"
Naruto keeps coming closer.
"No! I will not cease to exist! I will live!"
Naruto stops once he is within hearing distance of Gaara. "It's almost unbearable, isn't it? The feeling of being all alone." Naruto lifts his face so he can look at Gaara.
Gaara gasps at what he sees. Naruto's eyes are a solid, pure light grey. His right eye is bloodshot and slightly tinted red, like when blood disperses in water. But that isn't what made him shocked. No, what stunned him is the expression on Naruto's face. His tears rolled down his cheeks. The unfocused yet empathetic look of someone barely keeping themselves together, but still keeping awake to speak to him. That meant something. That expression -as true and pure as the color of Naruto's eyes- that meant more to him. Much more than words could ever describe.
"I know that feeling. I've been there, in that dark and lonely place. But now there are others- Other people who mean a lot to me. I care more about them than I do myself. And I won't let anyone hurt them. That's why I won't ever give up. I will stop you, even if I have to kill you."
"Why? Why would you do this for anyone but yourself?"
"Because they saved me from myself. They rescued me from my loneliness. They were the first to accept me for who I am. They are my friends. They gave my life meaning. They are proof I exist, so without them, I am as good as dead."
Gaara remembers Yashamaru's words from that day. "There's only one thing that can heal a broken heart. But it is a very complicated remedy. It can only be administered to you by another person. The only thing that can heal a broken heart is love, Gaara-sama."
"Naruto, when you met your friends, what changed from when you were alone?"
Naruto smiles weakly. "The pain went away. It was no longer a constant ache that couldn't be numbed. I was excited for every new day that passed. Because I was finally… Happy. I was happy to be alive to see the next day."
'How can I start to feel like that?'
Like it was a siren's call, what he wanted found him. "Don't you know? Love has already been given to you, Gaara-sama. Love is the heart's desire to serve someone precious to it. To watch over what it loves, and care for it. Just like my sister did for you, Gaara-sama."
'Love. Is that the thing that makes Uzumaki so strong?'
Naruto inches closer. Finally, he stops, laying his cheek on Gaara's hand from exhaustion. Some of the blood on his forehead falls on Gaara's palm.
A drop of Naruto's blood from Gaara's forehead falls into his own eye. Naruto's blood reacts to his chakra and connects with what little remains of Gaara's own. Finally, Gaara is able to see everything.
He sees the grey, blurry image of a young blonde boy in an orphanage. His interactions with an old matron. His first time outside the orphanage. He saw the boy's confusion at the disappearance of the matron. He saw the mistreatment the new matron gave him. He saw that boy being kicked out onto the streets not long after.
The blurriness starts to fade and he sees Naruto's life of near-absolute solitude. Isolation from the village. The days spent not uttering a single word to another soul, and the weeks, sometimes months spent with not a single word being spoken to him. People wouldn't spare the boy a breath. The years of weakness. The fear of the villagers, the hatred in the eyes of the shinobi.
He saw every vital moment in Naruto's life post-graduation. The reveal of being the host of the Kyuubi. Just like he is the host of the Ichibi. His meeting with Team 7, and being pulled from the darkness. The Nami no Kuni mission. His first kill. His interactions with his team. The Chunin Exams and his second kill. Everything that mattered in the shaping of the fascinating boy who defeated him is shown to him.
'I can finally understand. I… I wish to one day be like you, Uzumaki Naruto.'
…
Sasuke is on his way to Naruto's location. His body is finally strong enough to suppress the effects of Curse Mark, despite the marks still being on him. But that means very little to Sasuke. No, the only thing on his mind is the fight he just witnessed.
'Naruto… How were you able to do that? That chakra. Those jutsu. That… power. How!? How were you able to do all that?!
I thought I had improved during this month of training. I thought I was one step closer to killing Itachi.
I have seen your growth throughout these couple of months since we became Team 7. I have seen how far you have come. I acknowledge how much more skilled you are and how much more confident you are compared to before. But as long as I remained ahead of you, stronger than you, faster than you, more skilled than you, better than you, then that meant I was also growing.
But then in Nami no Kuni, you killed Haku when I failed to do so. I took it as just a fluke then. It was easy to do, considering I wasn't conscious to see you do it. But now came my fight against Gaara. I started so well. I was the first person to draw Gaara's blood. I was the first person to break through Gaara's sand defense, and I was the first person to draw his blood twice.
But the second a more powerful form of his was introduced, I was too weak. My trump card was worthless against him, and once I used it, I was completely helpless. I was as useful as a paper kunai.
But you, you managed to not only keep up with but also injure an opponent that I couldn't even slow down. You managed to force him into a more powerful form, and you still overwhelmed him! You forced Gaara to turn into that monster, and you still managed to keep up! And when Gaara gave up control of the monster, you managed to not only wake him but also defeat him.
For you of all people to defeat Gaara is an insult! You, the dobe, the idiot, the class clown, the dead-last, the loser! For you to defeat him when I couldn't touch him is a joke! An embarrassment to the Uchiha name! I refuse! For you to surpass me, that is unacceptable!
I have wasted a month. What have I been doing all this time? If you of all people could grow so much, and manage to surpass me means, then that means in comparison, I have stagnated. What am I doing here?' The Curse Markings on Sasuke's body pulses in response to Sasuke's bubbling hatred and desperation.
...
Narrator: The seed has been planted. Sasuke's jealousy and inferiority complex has set an irreversible chain of events that will begin a journey filled with untold pain, suffering, and hate. This moment will lead to the end of the world as they know it.
(Flash Forward many many years into the future.)
Two men -a tall man with shaggy blonde hair and whiskers as well as a man with spiky raven-colored hair covering his left eye- walk toward a common destination. They walk to a landmark that has shaped the history of shinobi for over a millennium. Their predecessors have cast their own scars on this sacred land, and it won't be the first time they do so either.
Today is different. Today, they walk toward their destiny. They walk to meet one final time and cement the future of the world. Their world was not meant for the both of them, and after today, one of them is guaranteed to cease to exist in it.
'Uchiha Sasuke'. Naruto spits on the ground, hating the taste and feel of the name on his tongue. His body trembles. He clenches his jaw and bares his teeth, showing the large fangs that take place where his canines once were. His fangs are that of a carnivore. His fangs show how many negative emotions that name brings him.
'There was a time when that name brought me unbridled joy. That was the name of my best friend. The person I was most proud of. The person I cared for most in the world.
That love turned into sadness. That sadness turned into anger. That anger turned into resentment. And that resentment has turned into unquenchable hatred. Nothing makes me more disgusted than an Uchiha, and the worst of them is The Lost Uchiha himself. Tch. That name is a mockery. That man knows what he is doing, and he makes his own choices.
His choices took everything from me. All my joy, happiness, my purpose, all of that was stolen from me! He destroyed everything! And he has destroyed those I love. He made his bed, now I will make him lay in it. He is the man I aim to kill.'
…
Sasuke walks toward the Valley of End with grim determination. There isn't a cloud in sight, but the sky is blocked by piles of smog and smoke. A strong contrast to the healthy grass on his feet. The grass reminds him of his youth in the forests of Konoha, and the person who was the brightest light in his life during that time.
'Uzumaki Naruto.' Sasuke scowls, hating the taste and feel of the name on his tongue. Some bile comes to his throat. He instinctively grabs the handle of his chokutō, barely stopping himself from drawing the blade.
It feels almost blasphemous to think but Naruto was once his best friend. The person he loved most in the world, and there was no competition. But now, nothing in his life has brought him more suffering and disgust than the Uzumaki. Every step of the way since they were kids, his efforts have been stifled by that man. That man has carved many scars into Sasuke's body and heart.
Sasuke instinctively grabs at his chest. The massive claw marks on the right side of his chest never fully healed. There is proof of the incident, proof he can't rid his body of.
He clenches near his heart, remembering the lethal blow the Uzumaki landed on him not long ago. That moment… that moment was the closest he has ever been to death. He has never felt such fear before. The nothingness of the void, and the hopelessness of not knowing if closing his eyes to sleep would mean he never wakes up.
His left knee burns, reminding him of the agonizing pains of the most critical hit ever landed on him. The skin on it is mostly scar tissue, and it randomly nags him with phantom pains of the incident. It reminds him of the uselessness he felt at being bedridden, and the despair he felt at the possibility of being crippled -to never be able to defend himself from Uzumaki's near unrivaled power.
'You destroyed everything. You have injured me severely. And you have attacked what I love. For that and many more things, you must die, Uzumaki.'
…
'-For everything you have taken from me-'
'For all the ways you have hurt me-'
…
'For all the evil and crimes you have committed-'
'For all the foolish decisions and naivety that have created this broken future-'
…
'For there to be any hope of a better future, for there to be progress, and for there to be any semblance of peace, Uchiha Sasuke…-'
'For the greater good, for the hope of a new world, and for there to be any semblance of peace, Uzumaki Naruto…-'
…
'-I WILL KILL YOU!'
'-YOU MUST DIE!'
Naruto and Sasuke finally cross paths at the valley.
Naruto stands on the side furthest from Konoha, closest to the ocean.
Sasuke stands on the side closest to Konoha, further inland.
"Uchiha."
"Uzumaki."
They stay still, observing one another, analyzing each other, waiting for even a twitch.
Finally, Sasuke smirks, albeit faintly, but Naruto spots it.
Naruto can feel his endless rage building. Thankfully, he is able to keep his composure and not show any outward emotion, not even a twitch. Despite that, a small bit of his chakra is released, causing the stones by his feet to start levitating. "What's so funny, Uchiha?"
Sasuke's smirk fades, making way for his natural serious disposition. "I figured you'd try to talk to me, for the nostalgia." Despite the serious situation, Sasuke decides to tease Naruto, hoping that it'll make Naruto loses his composure.
It doesn't. Naruto remains as cool and apathetic as he's appeared. "You know better than anyone that there is nothing left to say."
Naruto sends chakra to his gloved left arm. Wind Style chakra is released on his left pinky finger. Fire Style chakra is released on his left ring finger. Water Style chakra is released on his left middle finger. Earth Style chakra is released on his left index finger. Lightning Style chakra is released on his left thumb. Perfectly balanced Senjutsu chakra is released on his left palm.
Naruto combined these chakras in equal proportions in the palm of his left hand. He does a familiar action, that of compression and rotation. He compresses the chakras and rotates them until they form a ball.
Finally, it's over. In the palm of Naruto's left hand is a Gudodama, one he made himself. Naruto transforms the Gudodama into a long, thin staff. He wraps his fingers onto his weapon. His clawed fingers close, finally securing the weapon. His claws dig into his flesh, cutting his palms. He gets himself in a defensive stance.
He channels chakra into his eyes. Veins bulge around them, signaling the activation of his Doujutsu. He opens them, and his Byakugan makes themselves known to the world.
Sasuke's Sharingan examines Naruto, seeing him ready for their final battle.
Sasuke activates it. He can feel the familiar power consume the left side of his body and spread further. Sasuke's Sharingan closes, readying to reach Mangekyou.
Sasuke's gloved hand slowly inches toward his chokutō, grabbing the handle. His thumb goes lower, reaching between the sheath and the handle. His thumb comes below the scabbard mouth and flicks it, finally allowing the sword a peak out of its containment.
The glint of the sword in the sunlight preludes the loud ringing screech of the sword being fully drawn.
*TCHING*
Naruto and Sasuke are laying on a barren wasteland, where the only sounds that can be heard are the crackling of fire burning everything which survived the catastrophe. The ragged, pained breathing of the 2 men responsible for the carnage complements the somber song of the land.
"H-How did it *cough* come to this?" Asks a person with tanned skin, elongated canines, clawed fingers, and whiskered cheeks. The only thing that is visible is his mouth, nothing more. Blood leaks from the corner of his lips, and a streak of it oozes from a cut on his right cheekbone.
"Sh-shut up, Usuratonkachi." Responds the other man. His skin is pale, similar to the glow of the moon. A few strands of raven hair are long enough to touch his cheekbone below his left eye. His mouth is also the only thing that is visible. He coughs and spits out blood.
"Don't speak to me that way, you red-eyed scum!" Yelling causes the whiskered man to cough violently. After the coughing ceases, his chest trembles from the pain. "Besides…look at our condition. All we can *cough* do is talk. So humor me, you-you fucking monster."
The pale, raven man chuckles bitterly. "Hehehe" The chuckles trigger another coughing fit. "You call me a monster? How ironic coming from you, Black. Death. That's the new moniker you've been given, isn't it?" He smirks. "Maybe I am a monster, maybe not. It's too late to change anything, and frankly, I don't care what you think."
Naruto looks at the red sky. The clouds scattered about makes it look like the sky is on fire, and the smoke is the clouds. His eyes follow the many falling red streaks in the atmosphere. He feels the impact of the streaks colliding with the Earth. He follows one particularly large asteroid making its way to what he assumes to be Mizu no Kuni. The impact will likely submerge everything near a coast as well as islands near the Eastern Ocean.
Just his luck.
He hears the aggressive roar of the Earth in protest of the strike, and the violent rumble of it taking the impact.
He inhales some of the dust in the air created by the asteroid's shockwave. Naruto coughs once more, but this time, he gurgles a bit to gather the contents in his mouth and throat. He turns his head slightly, and spits with vigor, aiming for the raven-haired man. The loogie lands on the man's chin. He doesn't react. "You are right though, Usuratonkachi. Look at us. We can do nothing other than talk."
Sasuke stays quiet to think about Naruto's question. "It started during your fight with the sand rat. I couldn't stop him, no matter what I did or tried, but you did. You showed progress and ability that I didn't have. You were growing so fast that I was stagnating in comparison and I just couldn't stand it! The thought of YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SURPASSING ME IS UNBEARABLE!"
Sasuke coughs once more. Blood leaks from his lips. He takes it as a sign to calm and cool down. He takes a few deep breathes to ease some of his tension."Thinking back on it, that moment changed us. Everything that happened afterward was an inevitability. It was bound to happen, no matter what we did."
Naruto grits his teeth, literally baring his fangs. He trembles and hyperventilates. Everything started because of a petty jealous moment from the thing next to him. 'Everything that happened.' That statement brings back all of the memories of what that disgusting red-eyed monster laying next to him has done.
Naruto's lips quiver. A tear falls down his left cheek. On his right cheek, another tear falls, except it is black and viscous. The black tear continues toward his chin and falls off it, landing on a sprout between the 2 of them that managed to survive the catastrophe. The black tear burns the plant on contact, like an acid, and anything it doesn't touch withers and dissolves into nothingness.
Naruto sets his lips and takes a few deep breaths. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale. He holds it and exhales slowly, fully relaxing. He settles his features and stops the tears. He can think straight now. He knows nothing can be done, so he doesn't say anything other than "I see."
The Earth trembles in the distance. A shockwave carries pressurized wind from the site of the explosion toward them, nearly blowing them away. The explosion surpasses that of the asteroid.
Naruto's face stiffens. This energy. It couldn't be. No way…
Sasuke answers for him. "It's them. Who else can it be?"
(End of Flash Forward.)
Narrator: This was the moment that started everything. This moment set the path both boys would walk. Rivers of flowing blood follow them on their journies. Oceans and beaches could be made from the blood and bodies of their enemies and allies. History will look at them as the two greatest mass murderers in the history of the world. Their lies and that of their allies caused untold damage and led countless people to their demise.
The world will go through trials it will never recover from. All because of the ideologies of 2 lonely children and their followers.
Naruto tries his hardest to lift his head. His Byakugan fades back to weary cerulean blue, bringing forth a potent wave of exhaustion. Even then, he keeps trying.
"Oi, Naruto. That's enough."
Naruto uses all his strength to look up. It's Sasuke. He's glad Sasuke is fine.
"Look, Sakura is going to be alright. The sand crumbled away, so I managed to save her. I patched her up too. This guy's chakra is all used up."
"Th-thank… goodness." Naruto passes out, finally letting the sweet embrace of unconsciousness free him from his struggle.
Kankuro and Temari land in front of Gaara, putting themselves between him and Sasuke. They are weakened, but they get ready to fight Sasuke.
"Oi. That's enough. It's over." Declares a weak, smooth voice.
"But Gaara-" Kankuro stops himself after seeing Gaara's expression. He never thought he'd see the day when Gaara was done. Gaara has had his fill. "Alright."
Kankuro and Temari pick up Gaara by the arms and they dash away, back toward Sunagakure.
…
Gaara lets the world pass him by as he is drowned by his own thoughts. 'Who knows, Uzumaki Naruto-kun. Perhaps even I, someday can have the same happiness that you do.'
Gaara swallows some of the spit in his mouth to moisten his throat. "Temari… Kankuro. I'm sorry." Gaara goes into a hypnagogic state, no longer awake, but not asleep either. The last thing he hears is the gasps of his siblings.
Temari's eyes water a bit, but she keeps her focus forward. Kankuro looks at Gaara's semi-awake form. He doesn't know how to feel. "Don't worry about it, Gaara."
…
Sasuke observes Naruto's unconscious form. Despite his dark thoughts from earlier, he can't help but smile seeing Naruto is okay. He picks him up and rushes back to Sakura's side.
When he gets there, He picks her up, and dashes as fast as he can back to the village. He's not sure what to think at the moment, but there is one thing he is certain of. Both of his teammates need medical attention, and he could never forgive himself if anything happened to them while under his care.
He just hopes the fighting is over in the village by the time he gets there.
That's the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, and thank you for reading.
So, tell me, what do you guys think of the Flash Forward? Did you enjoy it? I bet you have many questions. Well...
As always, If you have any questions or concerns, even criticism, Please PM me or Review. I'll always answer.
This is Zippy, out.