Here's hoping the new year's been kind to you all, mine has certainly been one hell of a rollercoaster, I can say that much. And then some. Ahem, after a whole lot of build-up and foreshadowing, one of the most controversial events in Naruto lore will begin…with some modifications. Without further ado, let the tragedy-I mean show begin!

I do not own anything.


Fox Tails and Whirlpools

Chapter 22 - Ōmagatoki Pt.1


"Those self-centered bastards! That's it?! They're going to blow half the of the village to hell then sit back and wait for the results?!"

Fugaku couldn't help but smile. It was rare to see his wife get worked up enough to curse, he liked to treasure those times in spite of how dark they usually were. He was the somber one, granted his foul language was kept extremely reserved. Even when angered, he tried to keep a firm enough hold on his emotions, lest they slip out of his control. Such was a lesson he'd learned in his youth and refined during the Third Shinobi World. In his heart, he'd hoped that it'd be the last war he'd have to live through, but Fugaku was a practical man, if a tad bit cynical.

What he never imagined was that his own clan would be at the heart of the next war, and one likely far greater than those who'd come before it. "Mikoto," he softly chided, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. These roles were usually reversed as she was the one comforting him and not the other way around. But they were husband and wife, thus there was a time for everything. While his wife could be quite patient and understanding, even she had her limits. After all, she had been best friends with the Red-Hot Habanero; Fugaku still thought back fondly to one of the legendary "dual rampages" the two had gone on that had left him absolutely breathless of her beauty.

That same beauty remained, even as her face became marred in sadness. "Fugaku," she began, turning back to face him. Looking into his eyes, a sad, resigned smile formed on her face. "Nothing ever goes as planned, huh? This whole thing was supposed to be as bloodless as possible, not that makes this any less right, and now…" Like the rest of her clan, or at least a majority of them, she felt like the village had stifled them, in particular, her husband. Her heart still ached at the thought of Kushina and Minato's death, but what happened afterwards had been an absolute nightmare that had only grown worse over the years.

"What do you mean they won't let us adopt Naruto?! Without Lady Tsunade or Kōgen here, we're the closest thing he has to a family! I'm the closest thing he has to a family!" Shouted the black-haired matriarch, slamming her hands against the dinner table. Fury blazed in her eyes as she stared at her husband, who could only look back at her with sympathetic eyes. Slowly, the realization dawned on her. "Don't tell me…"

Grimly, the jonin nodded. "At the very least they didn't say it to my face, but I got the underlying meaning well enough. Mikoto, they'll never allow us to adopt Naruto, and I doubt they'll allow any other clan to adopt him either."

"So…Minato and Kushina give their lives for this village and…what? Their son becomes an orphan? A castaway?" Snarled the kunoichi.

Fugaku had laced his fingers together, a deep frown on his face. He looked like he was carrying the weight of the Hokage Stone Faces on his shoulders. Even that might not have been a fair comparison given his foresight. He knew enough that for Jinchūriki, the more darkness that slept in their hearts, the easier it was for their sealed beast to dig its claws into them. Common sense would have told a person to not allow such darkness to fester, especially since the Jinchūriki were seen as the backbone of a village's military power. Sadly, the Leaf Village had taken a leave of common sense following the sudden attack of the Nine-Tailed Fox. It seemed fear and paranoia had pushed out all lines of reasonable thinking.

Looking back, that's likely when Mikoto's resentment for the village had truly begun to fester, not reaching its height until years later. Now, she was in a situation that was nothing less than unwinnable.

She remembered something she was taught in the academy along with the rest of her friends, "In a civil war, everybody loses because when a nation fights amongst itself, you slay your countrymen. That in itself is a loss worth mourning."

Leaning against her husband, his arm wrapped around her, she thought back to those peaceful, idyllic days that were so far gone. As much as she wished she could go back to them, Mikoto ultimately knew she could, her husband knew so as well given his distant gaze. He too could think of several happier times, some not too far off.

"I wanted to have dinner with them, the Kishinamis." He spoke up.

Mikoto laughed. "You seemed to have taken quite a liking to Hakuno. To be honest, he reminds me just a little bit of Minato."

"Right down to who he married, and marrying young at that." Answered the Uchiha matriarch with a smile on his face. The smile eventually faded as he looked back at the map on the dinner table. It showed an accurate layout of the Hidden Leaf Village, several places marked. Those were the places where runes, bombs, had been set up by his clansmen. The Lancer, Celtchar, he'd ordered them to place them around the village after explaining how he could use them in conjunction with his spear. Either towers of blazing flames that would sear flesh from bone, or plumes of poisonous gas that would kill in seconds. Hundreds would die and the village would be knee-capped, and the Hokage and elders forced to sue for peace or risk an all-out civil war. It was the most "bloodless" plan the hardliners and moderates were willing to agree on. He could see the logic in it as it'd be a quick and decisive blow that would bring the opposition to heel quickly.

For a while anyway. Fugaku knew Sarutobi, but he knew Danzō as well. Hell would freeze over before the war hawk allowed something like that to stand. For all he knew, the one-eyed ninja already had countermeasures in place, perhaps a Servant of his own. Such worries had complicated an already ballsy plan turning it into a catastrophe waiting to happen; strike that, a bigger catastrophe.

"Mikoto, Sasuke's training at the academy, isn't he?"

"Weekend practice." She nodded. It was something he did quite often, especially since it'd offered him some time to spend with Naruto. At the very least, she was happy that the two had managed to foster a friendship, much like the one between her and Kushina. At the thought of her redheaded friend, Mikoto's heart ached. "What will we tell them when we see them again? That we endangered the village and their son over our own foolish pride?"

"Knowing Kushina, it'll involve a fist to the head-"

"Several." Mikoto chirped.

"Yes, several." Laughed the love of her life. "Followed by a lecture. First from her, then Minato." He was about to speak again when his senses alerted him to a presence, a familiar one. Quickly, he was on his feet and rushing toward the door, Mikoto following close behind him. No doubt she'd sensed it as well. Throwing the door open, he came to a stop, his racing heart calming down if only by a fraction. "Oh, it's…you. Did-"

"I came here of my own volition, Wicked Eye." Rarely did the Celtic Lancer address him by his name, only his title. In some ways, Fugaku supposed that was a good thing, after all, it wasn't like Celtchar was his Servant. He'd follow his orders, but only as he was ordered by his true Master. Still, it was clear to all of the Uchiha that the Irish Lancer had fostered a certain respect for the hard-faced jonin. The rest of the clan wasn't exactly pleased as Fugaku wasn't in agreement with every length they were willing to go to. "Just a few more hours until this village changes forever."

"Came to ensure that I didn't get cold feet?" Questioned the police force captain in a flat tone.

"Well, the others pointed me in that direction…but, hm, I suppose you could say that. You're the leader and figurehead of this building coup."

Boldly, Mikoto stepped forward, drawing Celtchar's attention. Instinctively, Fugaku threw a hand before his wife, a move any husband would make to protect his spouse. "If my husband asked you to, would you…"

"Help him seize control from Yashiro?" Offered the bronze-eyed Servant. There was a humorous chuckle, one that didn't please Mikoto in the slightest. "As much as I prefer your husband than him…he's not my Master. I'm just a spear who cuts and slashes what he's aimed at, that's what Servants are supposed to be."

"But you're still people." Mikoto argued.

"…Maybe, but even in life…I was a spear, one who cut and tore at whatever I was aimed at. You'll find some Servants are like that. We can't all be as…bubbly as that fox that you've been palling around with." Retorted the Irish Servant. He stood in the twilight, his scar-laden body serving as testament to his words. Everything about Celtchar spoke of a man who had lived his life on the violent side, the very violent side apparently. "Look…for what it's worth…I came to offer some advice. Ya' damned, Wicked Eye Fugaku, but you can probably still save your boys, especially the young one." The response was immediate, a tightening of the body and hardening of the eyes, but a spark of fear flashing through them. They had every reason to worry. "Back in my world, in my time…there was a great warrior, Cú Chulainn. Like me, he had a cursed spear that could slay any man or monster he encountered…but in the end, all it took away were the lives of those he loved. Including his own son, who never even knew him."

The statement hit true, temporarily stopping Fugaku's heart. He'd heard a few legends from the other world, now he knew another one. One that hit him harder than he would have liked to admit.

A son…who never knew his father.

"There's no going back, one way or another, there's going to be bloodshed tonight." Continued the towering Servant, turning his back to the couple. His bare back was just as marred in scars as his front, particularly a set of three jagged claws marks that stretched down his right shoulder all the way to his left hip. "My advice is…doing something that'll ensure you don't end up killing the ones you love. Not like I had to."

A sliver of sympathy lit Mikoto's eyes. "…If you don't mind me asking, who...who was it?"

The smile he gave her was a sad one. "My dog."

Fugaku went bug-eyed. "You…had a dog?"

His laughter was booming, lively, a stark contrast to the grim demeanor he'd projected upon arriving at their doorstep. "Stop and think for a second what kind of dog a person like me would keep." The parents looked between each other then back at him. Their expressions told them they got the picture, and likely dreaded the possibility he could summon said dog via some sort of magic. "Yeah, it got loose and guess who had to put it down. What I'm getting at is…if you wanna make sure there are no hard feelings, best act now. When the sun comes up again, this village is going to be a radically different place. I can tell you that much." With that, the tattooed-armed man began to vanish in an array of mystical glitter that heavily clashed with his grim and dark persona. Having been around Tamamo and to an extent Okada, both Fugaku and Mikoto recognized the feature as being unique to Servants, returning to spirit form as they called it.

The Uchiha matriarch and patriarch were alone on their front porch, the words of the Celtic warrior ringing in their ears and hearts. Slowly, they looked to one another, having arrived at the same conclusion. Quietly, they returned inside, to their empty twilight-filled home. It was pleasantly quiet, as befitting for a Sunday evening; in less than an hour or two, the sun would have gone down and they'd at least have wanted Sasuke on his way back home.

Fugaku's study was a private place in the household, one that only two members of his family, his wife and his oldest son, had walked into. It had been his hope that one day, Sasuke would join them, when he was older and more seasoned as a ninja, and a man. It saddened his heart as he sat down behind the desk, realizing such a time would never come to pass.

They both knew that their oldest son had made his choice…and it was one they couldn't blame him for, they wouldn't blame him for if they faced him when the moon climbed into the night sky. The Uchiha patriarch knew better than anyone that he was the one responsible for the path his son was now walking. It'd been his intention to harden Itachi to make him ready for the harsh road ahead of him, his plan had worked too well. Indeed, his oldest son had learned, but he'd learned too well, and his rejection to the violence that was shinobi warfare was stronger than he'd expected. Such rejection also extended to ensuring that Sasuke would never have to face such horrors as well.

"There's so much I want to tell him," he began, his finger pausing before the brush could even touch the paper laid out before him. "But I don't know where to begin. Would sorry be an appropriate place to start?"

"For what?" Humored his wife.

He looked at her with a half-smile. "Being distant, cold, unaffectionate, never giving him the praise he secretly craved and deserved. Those are just off the top of my hand." Heavily sighed the Mangekyō Sharingan-user. "My oldest son I broke long ago and put him on the path between choosing between his village and his clan, and my youngest, I've neglected to the point it's too late to do anything about it."

"You have time now." Softly chided his wife. Over the years, many had remarked they were polar opposites, he a stone-faced man who projected an aura of cold professionalism and her a bright and warm figure as befitting of a mother and clan matriarch. She brought out the kindness in him, as well as the doubt and unease he couldn't show in public, at times not even to his own sons, and certainly not to his clansmen. Just her. Gently, she reached out and took hold of his right hand.

Gradually, he began to write, his emotions spilling forth as he thought back to the day he held his youngest son in his arms. He'd cried when Itachi had been born, and he had the day Sasuke had entered the world as well. He'd smiled in joy when watching how tenderly he held his younger brother, how his wife doted on him. Had things been different, would he have had more of those moments? Would he have been able to truly connect with his son as he so wished that he could have?

Sasuke,

If you are reading this message, then the time has come for you to know the truth, of everything. Whatever may be swelling in your heart, anger, confusion, sadness, shame, all of which I will not deny that you have a right to feel, especially towards me, I only ask that you take a moment and read this letter. Sadly, it is all that I can give you, but all that I write down, know that these words have my heart, and my love for you.

o-◁≡=⊳ ⊲=≡▷-o

Village Outskirts, 6:15 PM…

"So, any special feelings swelling inside of you on the prospect of getting to watch your old home burn?"

The masked man was silent as he kept his gaze focused ahead. Answering the Assassin would only encourage her, which was the last thing he wanted to do. After all, like all canines, once a fox picked up on a scent, it had a trail to follow, and once its prey was found, it'd sink its fangs into the creature and rip it apart.

Obito Uchiha knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he couldn't allow such a thing to happen. Not yet, not this early in the plan. He knew that he had to keep this foxy creature at a distance.

She leaned on his shoulder, her brown-colored tail swaying about in the night air. "Ahh, you don't have to say anything. I can feel your emotions so well. Your rage…your sorrow…your grief…your longing, they're all so delicious, Master." Chimed the pink-haired vixen, running a hand over man's chest. She didn't seem to mind when it was caught in a vice-grip, she actually enjoyed the pain that came with his tightening grip. "If you want…you could go down there and say hi to him."

"Vitch." Growled the Sharingan-user. "All I'm asking you to do is your job and that's it. Now, are you sure you'll be able to draw out your 'sister'?"

"Oh, the minute she catches my scent, she'll come running, and that's just one of the things that'll set her off." Coyly spoke the Assassin. Stepping away from him, she approached the edge of the tree branch that offered a view of the village wall and the city beyond it. The moonlight illuminated the dark smile that spread along her face as she looked back at him. Her copper eyes glistened with malice that made even his skin crawl. "But more than me…anything that threatens her little fling with that human Master of hers…oh, she'll charge headlong into an obvious trap if she thinks it's a threat to the two of them."

"And you have something like that up your sleeve?" Inquired the masked assailant.

Her grin grew even wider. "Remember that angel they fought?"

"The one that you led here? You mentioned something about him desiring Hakuno Kishinami as a Master." Holding her stare, the pieces came together immediately. "Ah, I see. A fallen angel indeed, craving such earthly pursuits."

"Often you'll find those earthly pursuits are the cause of their fall, simply look at me." Laughed the glasses-wearing Servant, bitter amusement underlying her voice. "Anyways, leave my sister to me. You got down there and finish what you started seven years ago…oh, and feel free to use them however you like." She jabbed her thumb to the back before leaping forward into the open night air. Her skin-tight bodysuit hugged her body, highlight her rather sensual and even desirable figure. And then she was gone in a flash of golden light, leaving the masked rogue alone.

Almost alone.

Quietly, he looked back at the menagerie of beasts that stood atop the other tree branches, some of them clinging to the walls. While most had a variety of grotesque shapes and forms, many possessed eyes, either double or triple the normal number that humans had. Eyes the color of blood much like his clan's Sharingan. Unlike them though, these eyes were the eyes of hungry beasts, barbaric to their core. Most anyway, in some the light of reason shined, as did the light of sadism. Jaws opened, revealing rows of fangs, saliva dripping from them. Amongst the demons, he noticed that when their saliva hit the wood or ground, it sizzled indicated that some of their bodily fluids might have been poisonous. That made even the dumbest and most direct amongst them useful in some ways.

One of the more intelligent members of the pack stepped forward, joining Obito on the branch. "Tobi-sama, your orders."

Pale as bone, that was the physical and spiritual description of the humanoid-demon. His left shoulder was covered by a red-ripped bony sode that he was sure could deflect all the hardest of human blades. It was the sole unusual feature on the creature's body other than his inhumanly pale skin. His icy blue eyes stared deep into Obito's singular red one.

"Go, cause as much of a ruckus as you can. Draw Hakuno Kishinami out, but if you can capture him." A chorus of grunts and growls went up from the horde behind him. He made a mental note to question his demonic ally about the seventeen-year-old's particular history. From what little he'd been made aware of, the title "holy warrior" suit Hakuno Kishinami quite well, and not just because he was serving a goddess. "All that said, try to keep things below a level-five on a ten scale."

For the first time in days, the bone demon smiled. "We'll try. In the meantime, happy hunting, Tobi-sama."

The invisible gong sounded and the lone human vanished in a haze of shadows. In his wake, a horde of demons growled and laughed, their jaws being licked and their mouths rumbling as hunger seized them. At long last, their patience would be rewarded, and their stomachs filled.


Uchiha District Outskirts, 6:29 PM…

Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.

Itachi Uchiha was not a violent person. While yes, he lived a very violent life, he was not a violent person, not at heart or in mind. In truth, he actually hated violence, a good fight was one thing, but the shedding of blood turned his stomach. It had ever since he'd seen his first battlefield all those years ago, the stench remaining in his mind for not just days, but weeks on end. Ever since then, he'd seen more death than he'd have liked. But he pushed through it on the belief that these deaths could prevent more tragedy, especially keep tragedy from finding his loved ones.

Yet here he was killing his clansmen, his family, one after another. And a small part of him was enjoying it.

He stared straight ahead at every person he cut down, his Sharingan forever memorizing the look of shock, anger, and outright horror on their faces. That's how he kept the wretched ecstasy bubbling within him at bay. It was how Itachi held onto his sense of self. If he lost that, then he was more damned than he already was.

Damned? I was damned the moment I agreed to this. I was damned the moment father began to plan this coup! I was damned the moment I saw that accursed battlefield! I was damned the moment I was born into this accursed family!

The rage came in like an overflowing river, pushing through him, empowering him, intoxicating him. His eyes glowed with murderous fury as he swung and slashed at everyone in sight, their screams ringing in his ears. Within his mind, they echoed over and over again, temporarily pulling him out of the murderous haze he'd fallen into. But only for a moment.

His ears heard it, the sound of frantic breathing fueled by a fearful heart. There were still some alive, so, so many left alive.

Itachi stabbed his sword into the ground and gnashed his teeth. From the sword flowed in a blood-red aura that was seeping into his skin into his soul. Damn you to hell, Danzō! My agreement wasn't enough for you, this sword…this goddamn sword…it's almost like it's got a will of its own! Snarled the Anbu ninja. As if to symbolize the corruption spreading through him, the moon became obscured by a haze of dark clouds. The bloody glow of the cursed sword in his hand seemed to burn brighter because of that, as if it were trying to shine in place of the moon.

Certainly, the weapon wasn't Itachi's preferred one. He could use swords just fine, but he had a preference for katanas, tantos, and other curved weapons that were easily concealable. The weapon he'd been "gifted" with was not; it was about as far from what he was used to as possible.

A heft broadsword with a blade measuring five feet, every bit of it dark steel with the sides marked with foreign runes, as well as the top and bottom of the blade. He'd noticed the more blood he shed, the more the brighter the runes glowed, an indicator that the blade was growing stronger as he killed with it. The power was growing, and he could only dread what would happen when it "peaked".

"Sword beam." Hakuno had stated, crossing his arms and looking upward, his expression a cross between annoyance and amusement. Clearly, his memories were a mixture of fond and unpleasant. Itachi was beginning to see why. "If you encounter any sort of magic sword from my world, at some point, it WILL fire off a sword beam. Size may vary, but there'll be one. If said sword starts glowing, either start running, or make sure its owner can't fire off his attack."

Itachi had an idea of what such an attack would look like, and his functioning mind told him to not use such an attack. This was supposed to be an assassination, not a declaration of war!

But you are already at war, you went to war the moment you said yes. The sword's voice was a feral growl, the sounds a beast could make if it could talk. It was perfectly fitting. Foolish boy, you went to war with your family, your clan! You've went to war with your village! You are at war with this entire village! In war, there is only one goal - victory! Now kill, kill, kill, kill! Kill them all! Kill them all! Kill them all! KILL THEM ALL!

At the bottom of the hilt, the red gemstone locked in avian claws exploded with crimson light as did the eye-like holes in the skull-shaped cross guard of the blade.

"Itachi!"

"Quickly, take him out before he can move again!"

They came at him from all directions, his fellow Uchiha, his clansmen. Fire and kunai and shuriken and lightning and wind, all screaming for his death. Ordinarily, he'd be sprinting out of the way, heading underground or calling forth his Susanoo. Anything that would preserve his life and allow him to complete his mission. Instead, Itachi remained there, kneeling in the dirt, his pants and vest stained with the blood of the dozens he'd murdered in the first ten minutes of his mission. Those ten minutes had drudged up more vile and disgust than anything his past several years of being a ninja had easily.

He wanted to die. He wanted to let the attacks hit home and end it all.

But then he saw his face, his innocent, smiling face.

"Raaaaaarggggh!" Howled the prodigal son of the Uchiha, his sword arm rising, blood-red veins spreading through the exposed muscle. Fiery light exploded from the blade as it moved through the air, annihilating all that into its path, be it energy or solid matter.

It was over in a flash, flesh seared from bone, bone crushed and pulverized and slashed into splinters, and stone and wood and metal all incinerated as if by a fiery explosion. The crimson wail rose fanned out, reverberating through the Uchiha District like a death cry into the night. Indeed, that's what it was, but it was only one of many.

Smoke rose into the night sky while fires sizzled along the ground. It looked as if a bomb had gone off, decimating everything around the lone human who stood in the center. His sword hand trembled, any second it looked as if he'd drop the demonic sword in his hands. A moment passed, and he regained his grip on the weapon. The crimson aura died down, becoming thin wisps that circled the sword. The former Anbu captain looked on dead ahead, his Sharingan activated, his black and red eyes burning with a mixture of rage and sorrow as evident by the bloody tears beginning to lick from his eyes.

It wasn't over yet, no, he still had so many more to kill, including his lover and his own parents. The faces of those he lived swelling in his mind, Itachi Uchiha strode forward, ready to continue the bloodbath that had been put into motion seven years ago.

o-◁≡=⊳ ⊲=≡▷-o

West Side Leaf Village, 6:38 PM…

This is the most fun I've had since I got to this stupid village! Cackled the orange, or rather red-eyed, Assassin as his twin blades flashed bright crimson, spurts of blood flying in all directions as he danced through the building.

For a group about to commit a coup, Okada had to admit, the Uchiha had been surprisingly lax in their defenses, and in their own home region. Then again, perhaps they were just arrogant. Scratch that, they were definitely arrogant. It made his nonstop slaughter of them all the more thrilling, watching the light fade from their proud black and red eyes as his sword parted flesh and split bone. He was in his element, moving through the shadows like the specter of death that he was, that he'd always been.

They tried to stop him, oh, they tried. But in the face of his might, it wasn't enough. Okada grinned beneath his shadowy disguise, his red eye flaring as he bisected an attacking enemy at the shoulder. He kicked his severed top half toward a trio of his compatriots. Their moment of stunned horror was their last mistake as he dashed forward, slashing in quick but coordinated arcs that left the three falling to the ground with blood spurting from their chests and decapitated necks. Splotches of blood landed on his straw hat, protecting his face from the crimson shower.

Hm, suppose right about now I should make my way over to that Lancer Servant they supposedly got on them. Granted, this'll be more fun if I slay that bastard for last, but he's trying to muscle in on my turf. That fox witch is mine to one day slay! Declared the Meiji-era Servant, swatting his swords to the side, flicking the blood off them. Around him lay the slashed apart corpses of the Uchiha clansmen that had been stationed in this building as lookouts. They'd all died with little more than a few seconds of screams, none of which made it into the outside. This was his talent, his ability as a Heroic Spirit of Silent Killing.

Quietly, he made his way up to the roof. Beneath his shadowy exterior form, Okada opened his mouth and inhaled a sweet breath of the night air. It was a beautiful Sunday night. Many were spending it as they wished, drinking, partying, walking the town, or just enjoying a quiet evening at home. It was somewhat irritating that none of them would ever know just how close their lives were to be violently uprooted and that he was the one responsible for preserving them. Alas, such was the fate of a Manslayer such as himself, may his deeds live on infamy at best and obscurity at worst.

His red eyes looked across the rooftops, finding his destination; a multi-story cylinder-shaped building not too far away. In seconds, he was sprinting towards it, dashing over the rooftops intent on slipping in through an open window, or forcing said window open and slipping in himself. In spite of the excitement rushing through him, a small voice cautioned Okada. Inside, he'd no doubt encounter a Servant, one of some considerable power. He'd have to move fast and kill all the humans around, depriving him of a possible Master. Or he could just kill him thus leaving the humans on their own. It was hard to pick between the two options as both felt equally appealing in Okada's eyes.

Coming into view was his destination. Quietly readying himself, Okada searched for a usable entrance, finding one in a barely closed window. With the stealth that his Servant Class was known for, he forced it open then slipped in, not a sound being made and his presence unnoticed.

Okada got two steps in before he was forced back through the walls, the explosive force knocking him through the air and into something solid. He skidded across the ground-no, a rooftop, stopping just short of the edge.

He was in pain and he hated it. "Gaaaaahh! Dammit, what in the hell…oh, don't tell me that they saw me coming…gah! What the hell is that stench?!" Even in his "Hitokiri form" as he called it, all his sense still worked just fine, in fact, some were better than others. Unfortunately, those enhanced senses were a factor against him. His nose inhaled the foul stench and it immediately caused a reaction in his spiritual stomach. The smell was ten times worse than those of a rotting corpse, not to mention it made him shudder in fear.

Looking up, his ears ringing as they were assaulted by the feral roar. "AAAAAARRRRHHH!" Okada shook were he lay, gazing wide-eyed at the humanoid figure that appeared through the smoke. An orange-like glow shined from his center chest, seconds later and the smoke ignited into a great blaze. The figure swung some pole-like weapon about, then leaped off into the village. Fittingly, a chorus of screams and destruction followed suit.

Shaken, Izō Okada rose to his feet and looked in the direction of the commotion. A bead of sweat rolled down his darken skin. "Um…okay…what the hell do I do now?"

o-◁≡=⊳ ⊲=≡▷-o

Four Minutes Earlier…

He felt it in his bones, something was wrong, very wrong. That, and the familiar shiver that ran up his spine alerted him to the presence of something dangerous.

Celtchar's bronze eyes scoured the meeting room, searching for the source of the unsettling chill quickly working its way through him. Not everyone had been assembled at the meeting, Fugaku and his wife were on their way there to oversee the "commencement" of the preemptive strike. Even Yashiro was keeping quiet, patiently waiting out the clock on a nearby couch.

Looking further, he found the source of the unease, standing right by the window overlooking the rest of the village. "Get away-"

His spear had manifested and his feet were carrying him in a singular direction, towards the impostor.

Sadatoki Uchiha looked back at "his" fellow Uchihas with a warped smile, alerting those who heeded Celtchar's words. It did little good as "his" hand rose, and from it came a blinding flash of light. Still, the Irish Lancer kept on going, knowing if he stopped, then the wicked monster in front of him would be running amok.

But he'd miscalculated.

Easily avoiding the spear thrust, the Assassin dropped her disguise, allowing her foxy tail to sway about freely. "Ah, you finally saw through my disguise. Just so you know, quite good, but not good enough. Don't worry though, I know how much you hate working for roaches such as this, so I'll help you out a little~" Giggled the pink-haired Servant, holding up her left hand, in it glowed baseball-sized azure gem that glowed bright blue with a symbol shining in orange.

Ten, heaven.

Her fangs exposed in malicious glee, Tamamo Vitch rammed her hand forward, the gemstone being driven directly into his exposed chest, which it phased through.

All of it took place in the span of less than a second. The force from Celtchar's thrust blew apart the window, giving the Alter Ego an easy escape route, which she happily jumped back through. "You Uchiha wanted a weapon, here you go! Hope you enjoy it!" Giggled the foxy-eared woman before vanishing in a burst of black-tinted orange flames.

"Gah! Dammit! Who the hell was that?! What was that?!"

"It…looked almost like Tamamo Kishinami, but it couldn't have been her! There's no way she could have learned of our plans!"

"Quickly, we have to move, this changes everything! Contact Fugaku and tell him we're moving to Site B!"

"He should have been here by now."

Yashiro was angry, but that anger didn't completely blind him. "C-Celtchar?" The hunched over Servant's body concerned him, as did the sudden rising temperature of the room. Slowly, his clansmen took notice of it, and the Lancer's quivering form as well. "W-What is it? What's wrong?"

"-ill me."

"What?"

"-ill me…kill…me. N-Now…now…" His muscles visibly tightened, then began to spasm as his fist rose and fell, creating a flaming hole in the floor. Suddenly, the black-haired Celt looked up, his bronze eyes wild and ringed fiery red. They were filled to the brim with fear. "KILL ME! NOW! USE A COMMAND SEAL TO MAKE ME KILL MYSELF! DO IT BEFORE I-"

That was enough for Yashiro to get the hint, but not to give the order to Tadashi to order their ace-in-the-hole to kill himself. No, it was the hint for him to bolt for the open window with all of his might. That's exactly what he did.

Expectedly, the act saved his life as Celtchar's body pulsed, an orange glow illuminating his right-side breast, then he exploded. Literally.

Boooom!

The burst of solar flames was all-consuming, incinerating the immediate Uchiha instantly. None of them had a chance to scream, they barely even had time to comprehend what was happening before death claimed them in one fiery sweep. They were lucky.

Celtchar felt next to nothing at the fact that he'd just incinerated his own Master, after all, why should he? He had a brand-new source of mana to keep him anchored to this new world. Sadly, that same source of power was also rushing through him, filling him with pain so unbearable he hadn't felt anything like it since he'd died his first death by his beloved dog's own poisonous blood. This time, the poisonous substance was pumping through him. Throwing his head back and screamed, he begged, begged for the pain to cease. It didn't. He screamed to the moon, praying that his call would be heard. There was no immediate response. All of it left his rapidly fracturing mind with only one directive.

Destruction.

"AAAAAARRRRHHH!" The pain propelled him forward, his feet crushing the ground in what felt like a second later. Was it a second? Had it been two? Three? Celtchar couldn't tell, his sense of…everything really. His ears burned, his mouth burned, his nose, burned, his fingers and toes burned, and lastly, his eyes burned. All of it pushed him to respond in the only way he could as a warrior - to attack. That's what he did. His spear still had the seal on it rendering its attribute poison, he lashed out, thrust and slashed at anything near him. Celtchar thought he could hear screaming, or was that his own madden wails? Was it blood splattering on him? Whose blood was it? Who was he fighting? Who was he killing? Celtchar didn't know, all he knew was that as long as he lived, the pain would continue.

Surely if he burned out all of his magical power, the pain would stop, right? He'd vanish once he'd exhausted all of his energy, right?! The pain would stop, right?! Right?!

Watching the slaughter from a nearby rooftop, Tamamo Vitch giggled. She loved it when her plans came together, and so far, this plan was working like a charm. Without a doubt, her sister and "brother-in-law" would come running once they caught wind of Celtchar's rampage. They'd no doubt then attempt to draw him away from the village as his spear, even in its sealed state was a weapon of immense destruction. Those who survived the first blows of his spear would find themselves suffering poisonous pain the likes of which they'd never known; most would die from the shock alone, and that included this village's elite guard. They'd be cannon fodder for such a raging force, meaning either Hakuno or Tamamo would be forced to fight him.

Oh, who was she kidding, it would be her "in-law" that would be forced to clean up this mess, just as he always had to clean up after those around him.

"Sister, here's hoping you'll enjoy the reunion!" In a single bound, she leaped into the air much as she'd done before. Holding up a blackened feather, she summoned forth the dark power of her Shapeshifting Skill. In a glitter of light, Tamamo Vitch vanished. Bursting forth came two blackened feathery wings.

As flowers of death bloomed throughout the Hidden Lead Village, those strongest in the Uchiha District, an "angel" took to the skies, its blacken wings spread out. Black light gathered in the being's palms as he raised them skyward. Grinning from ear-to-ear, the fallen Divine Spirit screamed out, "HAAAKUUUNOOO!"


Leaf Village General Hospital, 6:40 PM…

There'd been plenty of red flags before, but the resounding shout that was filled with unapologetic longing was what finally pushed Tamamo-no-Mae Kishinami over the edge. Her teeth gnashed, her fangs coming out and her tail and ears on the verge of manifesting. What definitely manifested was the aura of seething malice that told everyone in the reception area that whoever had just screamed her husband's name was about to find themselves in a world of pain.

Said husband, held tightly onto his adoptive son, his eyes slightly shutting in what could only be irritation. Just as we're about to go back home, hip-hip-hooray for E-Rank luck!

"Um, Dad?" Started the blonde child at his side. "Who was that? Was it another…Servant?"

Looking down, he readied to speak, but the words died as he noticed how his adoptive son was shaking. Uncertainty swirled in his eyes not simply because of his adoptive mother's sudden mood change, but because Naruto could feel it. Looking through his spiritual eyes, Hakuno saw the crimson mass inside of him, its interests had been piqued. It wasn't hard to see why as he felt the disturbance as well. That familiar shiver that ran up his spine and moved him from the reception desk to the front of the hospital, his wife and son trailing behind him. In a repeat of little more than two weeks ago, they were standing outside in front of the hospital watching chaos unfold.

First off, something was barreling through the village, creating quite a disturbance. Second, something else, someone else was hovering in the skies above the village raining blasts of destructive light upon the unsuspecting populace. Both Hakuno and Tamamo used their superhuman vision to get a closer look at the culprit; their fears were confirmed causing both to curse.

Once pristine white wings were stained black, as was the same with the holy halo, once shining gold but now a shadowy tint. Both heavily clashed with the somewhat pale-skinned body that they were attached to. Golden hoop-like bracelets adorned the naked wrists, jiggling as hands moved. From the opened palms came searing blasts of light that impacted with the force of rockets. Silky black hair flowed down the back and down to his chest, golden eyes scoured the village, searching for the target of the fallen angel's affection. They widened finding it, a smile spreading across the Caster's face.

Boom!

At the very least, the rain of laser beams came to an end. Smoke and fire consumed the angel, who was temporarily immobile thanks to the solar energy blast that had hit home.

There were more than quite a few coming in the future. "He's mine."

Clenching a shaking Naruto, Hakuno looked at his wife. "Tamamo..."

"I can do this! Besides," Turning to face him and her adoptive son, the Japanese Servant's gaze softened. "I can smell them, a small horde, but one we can't let run loose in the village. Your power is that like blessed silver, just what is needed to slay demons. Kiya~" Not minding their son seeing them, she reached over and placed a light kiss on his cheek, causing the human to blush ever so slightly. "You've also got the knife that can slay gods and demons and you can move at the speed of light, so you should be able to have this finished up in no time! That said, I won't leave you to do the work alone!" Stepping back, she plucked several strands of her hair from her now manifested tail. As she'd done several nights before, she breathed onto them, infusing the hairs with miniscule portions of her divine power.

They floated into the air before the family of three, orange and golden flames exploding from them. Seconds later and there stood nine somewhat large foxes with flame-like orange coats, embers rolling off their backs as they began to look around.

Naruto stared in awe at the group of magical familiars manifested by his mother, as did those who'd made their way out to the courtyard to see what was happening. They all marveled in awe at the magical constructs. The fear and paranoia they felt moments before was seemingly burned away staring at the majestic creatures; it was like seeing the first rays of sunlight after a long and horrendous night.

Tamamo threw her hand out to the side, giving the silent command to all of the foxes. At once, they scattered, rushing across the ground and leaving streaks of golden embers in their wake. Next, she turned back to face her son.

"Naruto," she began, catching his attention and leaning down to face him.

"You'll beat him, right? Just like you did with Okada?" He spoke up, a spark of confidence flickering in his voice.

Smiling, the Heian Era Servant embraced him, happy to feel his arms wrapping around her. "Of course I will! In the meantime, stay here at the hospital, no matter what happens, don't leave this place. Stay behind the barrier we're going to put up, alright?" At his nod, she kissed his forehead. Though he was putting on a brave face, she could still sense the fear running through him. She didn't blame him at all. "I'm so sorry we have to keep on doing this to you."

"I-It's alright, I-I mean, being the son of superheroes isn't easy…but I think I can do it! Besides, you two wouldn't be you if you didn't rush out there trying to save everyone." Responded the jinchūriki. His words had a stronger effect than he'd realized as his pink-haired mother pulled him into an even tighter hug. Naruto couldn't quite place his fingers on it, but he could have sworn he felt her shaking. Gradually, the answer dawned on him. Mom, at some point…were you just like me? Called a monster and…His words traveled off as his adoptive father joined the embrace as well. The line of thought was dismissed as he allowed himself to be enveloped in the warm embrace of the two people who'd taken him in and given him a home. He knew whatever threat was out there, they'd triumph over it and return to him. Then, they could all go home.

Untangling herself from her loved ones, she threw her left hand out towards the hospital. There was a spark of orange and golden light, then around the entire hospital and surrounding area rose a translucent wall of golden light. It left all beside her husband awe-struck. Turning her voice to those in front of her, she commanded, "Those of you who wish to remain safe, get behind this barrier, now! Do not come out until the fighting has ended!" With that, she lifted herself off the ground in a single bound, her superhuman strength carrying her into the skies. In both her hands ignited flaming spheres that she hurled at the angelic entity ahead of her.

She knew full well that a number of her husband's admirers had followed them to this world of ninja. For those who still had their eyes set on her beloved, she'd prove to them that the results would be the same here as they had been back home.

Hakuno Kishinami was hers.

As he watched his wife depart, his ears registering the sounds of further explosions amongst several other things, Hakuno knew he had to act fast. Every second he wasted, another life was lost. "Alright, I won't repeat everything your mother just said, but I will be cautious." Leaning down, he held out his hands. In a swirl of silvery light appeared his trusty combat knife. Gently holding Naruto's hands, he pushed the blade into his palms. In his childlike hands, the weapon might as well have been as a sword. "I'm going to go out and help your mother, and you're going to stay here, Naruto, but I'm leaving you this. It's my personal knife, Blaue Blume, hold onto it until this is over with."

"B-But won't you need?" Protested the whisker-faced child.

He winked at him. "Don't worry about me, I've got more than a few tools in my arsenal, including this." Indicated the seventeen-year-old, pointing to his head. Once more, the young jinchūriki gave an affirmative nod, his eyes showing nothing but absolute faith in his father to succeed. Stepping away from him, he passed through the sunlight barrier that his wife had placed. Turning to the side, he threw his hand out, silver light exploding from his palms and covering the golden barrier. As the light died down, spectators saw that instead of one force field surrounding the hospital, there was now two, one of sunlight and another of moonlight. "Don't leave the barrier no matter what happens! The creatures running amok won't be able to pass through it! They'll be burnt to dust before they can make so much as a crack in it!"

Several looked unsure, and they had every right to be. Hakuno knew if sometime after this, he was going to be sitting in the Leaf Village Council meeting chamber…again. At the right this was going, he might as well have started to consider painting his clan's mon on one of the chairs as he heard some council members did. It wasn't until he was given an affirmative nod from the head doctor, Dr. Asaoka, did he finally turn his back and prepare to move.

"Go kick some butt, dad!" Shouted his adoptive son.

Those words put an extra spring in the Corona holder's step, not that many could see it. After all, he did move at the speed of light, vanishing in a literal flash and leaving a trail of silver glitter in his wake.

Definitely…this is definitely an attempt at creating a Ōmagatoki. He realized, catching sight of the first demon, about to sink its claws into an elderly couple who'd been cornered on the street. Hakuno moved with the speed of light and with the precision of a surgeon. Its head rolled to the ground, blood spurting alerting its comrades that something had come to interfere with their fun.

No, something had come to end their demonic lives.

o-◁≡=⊳ ⊲=≡▷-o

7:02 PM…

"Get the hell out of my home! And keep your sullen hands off my husband!" Howled the Nine-Tailed Witch.

Kabaiel smirked as he ascended upward, dodging the torrent of golden flames that exploded from the Japanese Servant's hands. More flames came, all of which hit a tad too close to home, forcing the fallen angel to continuously climb higher with his blacken wings; the enraged housewife followed closely behind, just as "he" planned. Silky dark hair whipping, the bare-chested Grigori flew higher into the clouds, his cloak-like undergarments tailing behind him.

Tamamo could have used a wind spell to clip her adversary's wings, but that wouldn't have been satisfying to her. What she wanted to do was clip the wings off the accursed angel who dared to call out to her husband in longing. Such punishment couldn't go unanswered, wouldn't go unanswered. Solar energy cloaking her, she launched herself upward, quickly catching up to the Abrahamic Caster. His golden eyes briefly widened seeing that the distance between them had been closed. Then he grinned. Ignoring it, Tamamo struck out with her leg, solar energy coiling around the striking limb. It hit the target with a deeply gratifying crunch; Kabaiel went sailing back toward the ground, his wings limp and unusable. Holding her hands out, she launched herself downward, her foot outstretched and burning with solar flames.

It was only fitting for a fallen angel to die crashing to the ground, their wings ablaze along with the rest of their bodies and their remains given over to the earth.

Kabaiel recovered and counterattacked, firing off several bolts of black light Tamamo's way. Snarling, the foxy Caster threw both arms forward, sending forth two massive crescent-shaped masses of solar energy that blew straight through the light bolts. Kabaiel used that chance to fly back into the skies, a murderous grin on his face.

If Tamamo were thinking sensibly, she would have noticed something was wrong there. The normally polite yet somewhat downtrodden Grigori wasn't the type to smile so venomously. He was not his Master.

Speaking of which, how exactly was he free when he'd been sealed away in a Penalty Box in the first place?

Such questions weren't at the forefront of Tamamo's mind, what was there was the rage she felt at yet another pretender attempting to lay claim to her man. In her heart, she knew that the string of would-be-suitors could continue to try their luck at stealing her husband and Master away from her. That sparked the possessive fire that always burned within her. That fire had seized her and burned away all functions in her brain, including those pertaining to reason and logic.

Which was exactly what the disguise Assassin had been hoping for. After all, she knew her "sister" well.

o-◁≡=⊳ ⊲=≡▷-o

7:22 PM…

Thirty years of ingrained instinct spoke to Haine Comstock as he sat alone in his cell, still recovering from his interrogation at the hands of the Leaf Village's senior torturer. It felt like he'd permanently damaged his lungs with all the screaming he'd done. Disgraceful was what it was, thirty-four years of hunting heretics, going through the highs and lows of human society and this incident was what brought him low.

When he escaped, he vowed he'd find Hakuno Kishinami and flay him alive. It was nothing short of what the little bastard deserved for all the trouble he'd caused.

Fortunately, it seemed the chance to do that was at hand.

His back hairs stood up, an old shiver running through him and his nose catching the faint but very recognizable scent. Demons had come to this village, demons thirsty for blood.

"So, finally called in your little friends for a meal?" Mused the British Templar, staring at the door of his cell. Something was going on outside, he could feel it. The gray-haired man wasn't as optimistic as to believe one of his fellow Cross Bearers had come to his rescue, he knew in his gut that wasn't what was happening. Still, that didn't mean that he was going to ignore the act of charity that left his cell door open. At the foot of the door lay a note with written instructions on where to find his sealed Servant.

Upon stepping out, he immediately caught the scent of blood, and saw splotches of it on the walls of the prison.

"Hey! Priest, you going to let us out of here?!" Barked one of the prisoners. One of the braver ones apparently. The rest had seemingly been kowtowed by whatever it was that had made its way through and slaughtered the guards.

Comstock sneered at them. "Were these cuffs not restraining me, I'd kill you along with the rest of the filth in this village. I will eventually, so sit back in here and await your judgment!" With not another word, he began to walk out, ignoring the shouts and protests of the other prisoners. What was irritating was that he couldn't just kill them as he wanted to. The cuffs that had been thrown onto him was restraining all of his power, preventing him from even summoning forth one of his Black Keys. He needed Kabaiel to break them, or at least find someone strong enough to release him.

Going through a window, he stopped and looked up at the sky. Columns of smoke were rising, people were screaming, and the sky was alight with bursts of fire and occasionally lightning. He sneered seeing that the fox was fighting, apparently with another aerial-borne opponent.

Wherever she was, it meant that her Master wasn't far behind. "Just you wait, Kishinami, once I've got Kabaiel back, we'll teach you to defy God's will!" Barked the Englishman, taking off down the street. He felt he didn't have to worry about stealth as the village's defenses were no doubt occupied with other, more visible threats. Once he got his Servant back, he'd quickly establish himself as the greatest threat, and the last one this village of bottom-feeders would ever face.


Uchiha District, 7:15 PM…

As shinobi, Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha knew exceptionally well that any situation that was already bad could become worse. When that happened, one was presented with two choices, either give up or keep on going.

They decided to go with the second option upon dodging the two pressurized blasts of air that came flying at them, or rather, at Fugaku.

"Ah, you're still alive, Wicked-Eyed Fugaku! You have no idea how happy that makes me! It means we can finish what we started back there in the forest! And this time, that witch isn't around to save your ass!" Cackled the shadowy swordsman. His form was befitting that of what he'd always claimed to be - a manslayer, a specter of death that reaped life with his swords and did so with sickening glee. A murderer, just as Tamamo had described in their hearing.

Neither Fugaku nor Mikoto were impressed. "I'd argue with you that that's not how things went, but I have better things to do." Spoke the former in a quiet voice that belayed the racing emotions within him. Anger, horror, shame, they all fought for dominance behind his legendary stoic mask. "Get out of my way."

"Sure, just give me your head, oh, and your wife's." Snapped back the Assassin.

That was the last straw for Mikoto. A set of shuriken and kunai appeared between the tips of her fingers, they were all launched at the swordsman a second later. Hand signs were weaved quickly, out from her lips came several plumes of fire that cloaked the projectiles. Red-eye flashing, Okada responded to the attack with swift swings of his katana, deflecting the fiery shuriken and kunai to the side while racing towards Mikoto.

In a flash, her husband was there, his Mangekyō Sharingan activated and his yellow-colored Susanoo forming around him.

A vertical surge of lightning shot skyward, courtesy of the kusarigama blades the chakra construct held in both hands. They moved again, firing off two more electrified waves that crashed hard into the buildings around the road. Fugaku paid no heed to the collateral damage as he knew in his heart the damage done to the Uchiha District would be minuscule compared to what had befallen the village.

"Go." He commanded.

"No, I'm not leaving you here!" Fired back his wife, her own Sharingan activated.

"Mikoto! Just this once, please! If you can find Sasuke, maybe…maybe you can live through this! At the very least, do it for his sake, for Itachi!" He pleaded. The mask of stoicism he'd maintained in the face of his former attempted murderer fell away, the emotions he'd kept a tight hold on spilled out in full force. "I'll hold him off, I'm the one who he really-"

The infamous Hitokiri came back at them again, this time actually managing to withstand the force of one of Fugaku's blades. In response to this, he put more force thus generating more lightning which eventually forced the Servant back. With some distance between them, Fugaku threw caution to the wind and decided to end things then and there. His Susanoo roared, its skeletal form becoming humanoid as its chakra blades were reared back, crackling with bright yellow lightning. The arc-shaped blast came surging forth, forcing Okada to hastily move aside, lest he'll be incinerated into ashes.

Biting her lip, Mikoto made a run for the gate that led in and out of the Uchiha District. It might as well have been the doors of the netherworld as once she passed through it, she knew all there would be behind her would be death, death of her family, death of her husband, and perhaps the death of her oldest son. All she could do was sprint dead on ahead and hope she could at least save her youngest, and perhaps apologize to him in person for the nightmare she and her husband had so foolishly unleashed.

Fugaku prayed to whatever powers that might have been to deliver his wife to their youngest son, that was all he could ask for, and even that was arguably too much for all the destruction he'd helped cause.

But he would not let his judgment be delivered by this cutthroat rogue, he still had his pride.

"The village…is under attack, and you're here, trying to cut me down." Began the Police Force Captain, dispelling his Susanoo. His enemy lived, though half of his cloak had been singed as had his left hand, making his grip on his wakizashi light. It also meant he likely wouldn't be able to swing his katana with both hands, meaning weaker swings.

Okada shook off the pain in his left hand, or rather, he forced it back as he slid into a fighting stance. "I have my orders! Besides, you're the mastermind of this little coup so I'll end it by taking your head!"

Just as Tamamo stated, this man is far too self-observed. He'll kill me, and likely only head out to defend the village after he's done that. One could have argued the noble thing to do would have been to let the Manslayer kill him. After all, if by some slim margin he lived through this night, he was most likely going to be executed for treason. The Third Hokage's mercy could only extend so far, and Fugaku knew such a thing was nothing short of what he deserved.

But he'd go to that fate with his head held high, that would be how his end would be met and he'd pass into hell in peace. Not at the blade of this sorry excuse for a samurai!

Unlike their previous battle, Fugaku had a sword of his own, a katana with the Uchiha family crest emblazed on the bottom. It was an archaic weapon, one that had passed down from one clan leader to another. An old weapon, but one sturdy enough that it could withstand repeated blows against Okada's spirit-formed swords.

Besides, Fugaku dared not bring out his great-grandfather's sword. If anyone was to draw the blade, it would be Sasuke, who'd hopefully one day use it to reclaim the clan's honor.

Sasuke. Thought the clan leader as he parried slashes and thrusts. In a short window of time, he performed the hand signs required and breathed out a stream of highly focused flames that left a scorch mark across the ground; Okada had no choice but to flee, lest he'll be caught in the blaze, which gradually moved to follow him. Suddenly, the torrent of flames ended, Fugaku waved his sword, the residual flames feeding into the sword. Moments later and they were launched forth as several flaming slashes aimed at the Assassin.

The two blades met in a clash of sparks, as it was the first time, their faces were total opposites. Okada's obscured face, his eyes, danced with malicious glee, Fugaku's Sharingan, on the other hand, contained nothing but focused determination. Even in the midst of such a crisis, with the Leaf Village under attack behind them, the two fighters focused on one another. Neither of them could afford a moment's hesitation as in that window of time, the other would strike; with their skill caliber, that one strike would end the battle.

Boom!

Given the proximity of the explosion, both combatants paused, turning their attention to what lay beyond the gate. Washing over the pair was a wave of malevolent rage that chilled the blood of the warriors.

For Fugaku, he felt an unsettling sense of familiarity in it.

Then came the fearful shriek of his wife.

"Mikoto!" Cried the clan patriarch. Disregarding his shadowy opponent, he began to run towards the gate, heedless of the dangers that lay beyond it.

What he sought came to him instead of him having to go to it. With his telescopic vision, he saw his wife's bloodied form. "Mikoto! Mikoto!" A crimson gash ran down her shoulder, indicating that she'd just barely avoided being split in half. That was the greatest of her injuries. He could tell by her faint breathing. "Mikoto! Mikoto! Please, answer me!"

"F-Fu…ga…ku…Sword…have t-t-to…we-"

He was forced to move them as a blast of crimson energy came shooting out from the darkness, carving a path across the ground then impacting with a violent explosion that had the war veteran's ears ringing. Burning hot anger smeared inside of him before his feet even hit the ground. He heard footsteps and heavy breathing, all of which he deduced could only have belonged to the bastard who'd mutilated his wife. Like all Uchiha, his rage fueled him, calling forth his yellow-bodied Susanoo, lightning crackling around the body and hands as chakra blades formed.

Once he got a look at who their new attacker was, all the fight drained out of him.

"Gaahh…arrrhh…aarrrrrrhhh!" His entire right arm throbbed with blood-red veins that stretched all the way up to his right-side face. Said face was contorted in murderous rage, not a silver of sanity to be found in his red and black eyes. Like his father, Itachi had his Mangekyō Sharingan activated, but unlike his father's formerly focused gaze, his was wild and animalistic.

"I-Itachi?! W-What is going on-" One glance to his right and he figured it out.

"We…have get that sword away from him! Now!" Huffed his wife, attempting to stand in spite of her injuries.

"Well, well, looks like even your clan's prodigal son has his limits!" Barked the Hitokiri, having recovered from his temporary shock. Of course, his reaction was dead opposite of the ninja's. "Hey, back off, kid! I've already been assigned to axe your clan, so wait for your turn! Or look away if you don't want to see your-!" To Okada's credit, he was able to move fast enough to avoid the wild, ferocious swing. And the next three. Ah damn, it's like he's under Mad Enchantment! That makes him no better than a rampaging animal! The second one I'm going to have to deal with tonight! Ah well, he's a Uchiha too, so he's going to have to die either way!

For the first time all night, Fugaku was glad for Okada's interference. It gave him some time to tend to his wife's injuries with what basic medical ability he possessed. He could tell that were it not for her own kunoichi skills, her years of service alongside him on the battlefield, she'd be dead.

Using her left arm, she gripped his shoulder. "We…have to stop him, g-g-get…that s-s-sword away from him. As his parents…it's the least we can do for him. No, we have to do it." Mikoto Uchiha was a calm and gentle woman, but that didn't mean she couldn't be just as fiery and passionate as her deceased best friend. Her fire could burn just as hotly as the late Uzumaki's.

Fugaku had seen that fire several times, and each time it had made him fall deeper and deeper in love with her.

They stood together, her leaning on him, blood pooling at their feet from their respective injuries. Mikoto knew trying to stop her oldest son would likely kill her, but it was a death she could accept. Fugaku knew likewise, and like his wife, he too was willing to accept such an end. It was to preserve the life of one of their own children. They'd already made preparations for their youngest, whom they could only pray was safe at the academy or somewhere else.

"Itachi!"

Their voices reached him, thankfully, or not. In an instant, his attention shifted from Okada to the two of them.

As he took off running, the Assassin made his thoughts on the sudden change known. "Hey! Wait a damn minute! Get back here so I can take your head off! Dammit, Wicked-Eyed Fugaku, you-"

His voice was drowned out by the explosive clash of the possessed teen's sword colliding with his father's spectral weapons, arcs of lightning and tendrils of crimson energy surging in all directions. They formed a monstrous pillar of light that rose above the Uchiha District, alerting the residents to begin fleeing if they hadn't already.

Sadly, death was closing in from all sides for the Uchiha, and before dawn would break, the clan would go from "strongest in the Leaf" to no occupying a place on the endangered species list.

o-◁≡=⊳ ⊲=≡▷-o

7:11 PM…

It only took one break in the disguise for Tamamo to realize she'd been duped, of course, by then it was already too late. Not to mention she couldn't exactly afford to fall back. No, the real opponent she was fighting was far too dangerous for her to leave alone.

"Alright!" Shouted the pink-haired Caster as yet another one of her attacks was canceled out by a burst of blackening light. "Enough of this, reveal yourself, Vitch! Or shall I tear that disguise off you piece by piece then absorb you!"

"Kabaiel" came to a stop in the middle of the skies. Were it not for his wings and halo, he might have been able to pass for a normal human being, albeit his paler than average skin might have drawn some attention. Said skin began to burn away along with the blackened wings, the tattered brown skirt that covered his waist and pants all fell away. From the mouth came not a masculine voice but a feminine voice lined with sugary malice the likes of which Tamamo would recognize anywhere. The disguise continued to burn until at last, the true form of the Caster's opponent revealed itself.

"Ahhh, what's wrong, aren't you happy to see me, sister?" Whined Tamamo Vitch, shying away from her look-alike with a look of mock pain in her eyes.

The original was not amused. "Take your demons and leave this village, now!" Demanded the blue-clothed Servant. In the back of her head, she kicked herself for falling for such an obvious trap, one that had Vitch's signature written all over it. That was her first mistake, and for the sake of the village's thousands of residents, including her own family, it had to be her only one.

Expectedly, the catsuit-wearing Assassin laughed. Just as her venomous Alter Ego hadn't changed outwardly, she'd remained the same on the inside. Rotten, malicious, cruel, but not as hyped up on murderous hatred as Scorn. No, whereas Scorn was a living engine of divine hatred and rage, Vitch was a walking, talking evil that dressed herself up nice and pretty. Behind that pretty façade was an insidious mind that Tamamo hated to admit once belonged to her. Such a mind was the only type that could have cooked up a plot such as this.

Hundreds of feet below them, demons were on a murderous rampage alike with a thoroughly berserk Servant, and that was only on one side of town. On the other, in what Tamamo believed to be the Uchiha District, something else was happening, something bad. Her husband was no doubt dealing with the first two threats, but whatever it was that was happening in the quarter of her dark-haired friend, it was going on unimpeded. She made a mental note to head over there as soon as she dispatched Vitch.

"Thinking about her? What's her name…hmm, Mikoto, right? Her and her husband and their little brats?" Broached Vitch with a cruel smile.

Tamamo seethed, if she flared up anymore, she'd ignite the rooftop the two of them were standing on. "If you've done anything to any of them, I will-"

"Me? No, no, you misunderstand, sister! I have no hand in that wonderful little tragedy, it's all them! Humans, humans doing what humans do best." Retorted the bespectacled Servant.

"Vitch! Surrender! I will not ask a second time!" Shouted the witchcraft-user.

There was no silence between them as the roar of the various clashes resounded through the air. What had once been a serene night had now turned into a nightmare.

It was just the beginning.

Her patience exhausted, Tamamo readied herself to move. She'd reabsorb her diabolical Alter Ego then proceed to damage control with her husband and what was by now the Hidden Leaf's military.

But her body didn't move, it was frozen stiff.

"The moment you fell for my disguise was the moment you lost this battle, sister." Reflected in the glassy shine of the Assassin's glasses was the rapidly marked body of the original Tamamo-no-Mae. Inky-black markings spread through her body, showing on her exposed skin. A binding spell, one that she'd been careful to set up while maintaining her disguise. Not an easy feat, but the fruits of her labors ripened before her, or rather, they were about to ripen. "I'm sure you know what this is, yes, another one, a ōmagatoki. Oh, I'm sure Scorn's probably already had one or two of these since we all got here, but this is my first one. I wanted it to be special so I saved it…Just. For. You. Sister."

Calling on as much as her sealed power as she could, Tamamo forced her body to move, centimeter by centimeter, golden flames exuding from her tail. Staring straight ahead, she pushed and pushed, her leg muscles gradually freeing themselves until she felt like she was soaring through the air again.

But it was too late.

Vitch threw her hands out to the side. "Kage-no-Ama-no-Iwato!"

The light of the original sharply contrasted to the pitch-black darkness that was expelled from the villainous Alter Ego. Moving fast, the shadows fanned out from Vitch and spread across the rooftop, moving above, below, and to the sides of Tamamo. Her golden eyes briefly rose in shock and horror as Vitch's Noble Phantasm immediately began to take effect. The light of world faded, along with the once howling breath of the wind.

Behind her glasses, the Assassin's eyes glistened with malice. "Welcome back to hell, sister. Do please enjoy your stay!"

And then, darkness completely enveloped Tamamo-no-Mae, gone with her was the light.

To be continued…


Pretty heavy stuff, huh? As with Fate/Dark Order, I decided to start the new year for Fox Tails with a bag. A very big and dark bag you could say. Overall, I'd say that Fugaku and Mikoto were the main characters of this chapter, and rightfully so given I had them realize right off the bat not only is their plan not going to work, but things are about to go far more downhill than they expected.

Given how close Mikoto and Kushina were, I like to think the former might have at least entertained the possibility of adopting Naruto. As for why that didn't happen, consider that after the Nine-Tails Attack, the Uchiha were put under suspicion as being the perpetrators thus sending the newly born Jinchūriki off to live with the clan's leader and his family was not something the village's higher-ups (*cough* Danzō) were in favor of. A little headcanon that'll get more elaboration on when the events of that night are more closely examined.

Since the phrase was in the title and will be name-dropped not just over the next few chapters, but over the course of the story, I'll explain what ōmagatoki is. It's a poetic Japanese term for "dusk", making it the opposite of akatsuki, meaning dawn. Now, what makes the phrase rather striking is it can be written in one of two ways. The first being, "the time of meeting of yūrei (hungry ghosts), and dark creatures", and the second is far simpler meaning, "the time of great calamity". Basically, a dark hour when monsters and all sorts of evil spirits come out inviting great calamity. It's rather similar to the "Hundred Demons Night Parade", albeit usually played for a more malicious bent as along with ordinary demons, you've got hungry and malicious ghosts who can also possess the living and animate the inanimate. See where this is going? A very scary period that I chose to implant in this story since it focuses on Tamamo and Japanese culture.

So, Tamamo Vitch had her "debut" this chapter. Her role won't really be all that different from how she is in Grand Order, that is being a cruel, malicious bitch that raises hell for everyone (and occasionally biting off more than she can chew). As all the info on her hasn't been released, I'm taking some creative liberties with her powers and exactly what her Noble Phantasm(s) could be. As of currently, I'm going with the evil mastermind characterization with an NP that involves one of the biggest, yet bleakest aspects of Amaterasu's legend. As you'll see next chapter, it's a very dangerous tool that ties into the above.

Meanwhile, some demons, a crazed Lancer, a murderous Church Militant are on the loose, the last of which nobody knows about. Things are looking pretty bad for the Leaf Village, huh? After twenty-plus chapters of relative peace, this is the one that's going to shake things up and leave the village and the villagers in a very different place. Oh, and for any of you wondering about Izumi, worry not (or worry given how things are), I've got something planned for her, especially one Itachi gets his sanity back. Next chapter the action will continue, but first…

Class: Caster

True Name: Kabaiel

Origin: Abrahamic Mythology (Book of Enoch)

Alignment: Neutral Good

Alternate Classes: Berserker

Natural Enemy: Tamamo-no-Mae

Parameters:

Strength: D+

Endurance: D

Agility: B+

Mana: A

Luck: D+

NP: B++

Class Skills:

Territory Creation (A+) *User can create an "observatory" which is on par with a temple.

Item Creation (C) *Being an angel of the stars, Kabaiel's created items are the sort one would find useful in astronomy such as telescopes and astrographs, albeit he can infuse these items with divine energy, giving them a "stellar" element which could make them somewhat suitable weapons. As for things like crafting a "sword of starlight", he could do such things if he put his mind to it. Or he was doing it for a certain someone.

Personal Skills:

Heavenly Teacher (Astronomy) (B)*A Skill unique to all Grigori, Fallen Angels. As one of the reasons for their fall was the teaching of "forbidden knowledge" to humans, Kabaiel can bestow that knowledge onto those he chooses. In his case, the knowledge of astrology, the study of the stars and planetary placements. By following these teachings, one can theoretically learn the arts of stellar magecraft, the branch of magecraft that covers the manipulation of the stars. However, due to his fallen status, for every "study session", Kabaiel runs the risk of one of his parameters being lowered.

Divinity (A-) *Once upon a time, Kabaiel was a high-ranking angel of the Lord. Unfortunately, he is no longer welcomed in the heavens thus his Divinity has been lowered and can be lowered further.

Infernality (C+) *One's measure as a demonic spirit. As a Fallen Angel, Kabaiel runs the risk of transforming into a demon should his Saint Graph be interfered with.

Astronomy (EX) *As the angel who taught mankind the art of reading the stars and planets, he possesses the highest rank regarding this skill. Allows for the full usage of stellar magecraft which includes the creation of stars, stellar energy, and so forth. The high-ranking of this Skill grants Kabaiel access to another Skill, Mana Burst (Starlight) which is an application of the Mana Burst Skill which fills the user's attacks with starlight.

Noble Phantasms:

Kokab Legión: Loyal Attendants of the Lord's Heavenly Star

Rank: B+

Type: Support ~ Anti-City

Range: 1~ 9, 999

Description: According to legend, Kabaiel commands a total of 365, 000 loyal spirits who all will follow his every command. In reality, these same three-hundred-thousand spirits are in fact his fellow angels and disciples who remained loyal to him even after his fall from grace. As a Noble Phantasm, they can manifest as low-ranking familiars, albeit each familiar possesses a small "star core" that Kabaiel can manipulate at his leisure. These star cores can be "refueled" by Kabaiel's magecraft allowing for the familiar to reform after destruction, or, the core can detonate creating a rather explosive blast. This last bit makes each familiar a potential ticking time bomb that can explode at Kabaiel's behest; if used all together, the resulting "starburst" would be strong enough to wipe an entire city off the map. That said, due to the high mana costs, most Masters could only afford to have him summon anywhere between two-hundred to four hundred spirits max.

Not to mention Kabaiel personally knows the names and faces of every spirit and sees them as loyal attendants of his. Every spirit lost is one he mourns, especially since they were already damned once following him. To get him to use them all (or any more than two hundred) in a mass suicide attack would likely require a Command Seal as the resulting aftermath would be more than what he could bear.

Saraph Ora-Shine Once More, Oh Divine Star of the Lord

Rank: A+

Type: Suicide ~ Anti-Fortress

Range: 1 ~ 999

Description: Kabaiel's second and strongest Noble Phantasm, as well as the hardest for him to invoke. It temporarily restores Kabaiel back to his original form, a Seraphim, the highest of angels and "lap lighters" of God. By using this Noble Phantasm, his two wings will become six, all flaming as they've regained their original golden shine. This transformation will be brief as Kabaiel will concentrate his regained divinity into a beam of burning light that is strong enough to obliterate anything from a fortress to a mountain range. As the beam is of the "holy attribute", it will be an automatic KO against any being bearing a hint of demonic taint, or those who possess legends comparing them to demons and the like. Afterwards, Kabaiel's Spiritual Core will break down and he will immediately begin to fade away as he has broken his "contract" in regaining his Divinity, even if only for a moment.

This Noble Phantasm can only be invoked with the usage of Command Seals as otherwise, Kabaiel would require seven days of praying to his "Father" to use it. He is, after all, a fallen angel.

Did you think he can just regain his status as a holy angel with a snap of his fingers? As you can see from this, Kabaiel would need a Master like Illya to be used productively…or Hakuno who has a miniature Holy Grail inside of him and could keep him fueled. Next chapter will feature Celtchar's Servant sheet as he'll be getting some spotlight; I'm pretty sure you can all imagine that he'll be getting up to, but you're free to guess how much damage he'll do before Hakuno can stop him, if he can stop him. Until then!