Disclaimer:

I do not own Naruto or Star Wars.


Chapter 13: Fear and Dead Men

They were all afraid.

He could easily tell just by looking at all the villagers as they stared at him. The child in front of him began to shiver, but it was not from the frigid and cold wind that was blowing from the incoming storm. He could sense that it was the primal instinct of fear building up inside him. The boy watched as a lone leaf blew right into his open gloved palm. He instantly crushed the dried up leaflet in his grip. Right before he opened his gloved hand and the pieces blew away with the wind.

The child suddenly felt the urge to get away. He took a step back from the dark stranger but slipped and fell onto his backside. He groaned while rubbing the spot he fell on before his eyes snapped back up to see that the armored man was approaching.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

That strange, unnerving sound came from him again as the boy scrambled to try to escape. The villagers grew worried and thought that this armored foreigner was going to harm the defenseless child. Yet no one thought fast enough to try to come to his aid for the stranger was already upon him. When the man's shadow overtook him, the boy shut his eyes and braced himself for whatever was to come.

But nothing came.

The boy slowly creaked an eye open and saw that the tall dark stranger was gone. He looked around, as his friends rushed over to see if he was all right. It wasn't long before he finally spotted the armored man, who was already moving away from him and the other children, heading toward the older villagers.

Everyone stayed silent as he made his way through the once vibrant market. No one there moved a muscle save for those who fearfully stepped out of the way of his path. The only sounds that could be heard were the rumbling of the distant storm clouds and the strange respirating sound that reverberated from the stranger's unsettling looking mask.

When he finally stepped out from the market area, a lone young villager stepped forth and spoke to him.

"H-Hey! You!"

The dark stranger stopped.

All the other villagers eyes began to quiver and some of their brows began to drip with sweat as the young man continued speaking to the strange man.

"Wh-Which hidden village are you from?"

The stranger's helmet slowly turned to the side with part of his mask showing toward the bold young villager who responded at first by swallowing some dry spit.

"W-We've never seen a shinobi like you before! Who are you?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

That was the only verbal response the stranger gave to the man's inquiry. It sent shivers down his and all the other villagers' spines and the air around everyone suddenly grew heavy. Some of them there felt this kind of sensation a couple of times before. Once from when the Kyuubi attacked and the second when the village's jinchuriki went on a rampage shortly three years ago.

In spite of that, however, the young man tried to muster up another inquiry to the stranger. That was until he found his mouth suddenly being covered by an Anbu who body flickered out of nowhere along with several others. One of them with long purple hair and who wore a catlike mask stood in front of the squad facing the villagers.

"Your attention, please! The Hokage has declared an emergency curfew! All villagers are to cease whatever activities they are doing and are to return to their homes immediately! Do not worry about closing up your shops or putting away your products! Gather your loved ones and return to your homes at once! Lock your doors and await further instructions! That is all for now!"

The villagers didn't argue as they scrambled out of the market. Even the young man, who tried speaking to the stranger, didn't waste any more time as he made a beeline for his home. Some of the Anbu helped the children or those who were too old and fragile to get out of the market fast enough while the rest of them, including the cat masked one, had a stare down with the strange newcomer.

Despite their disciplined training, the dark being could sense the growing unease and tension in these Anbu. None of them though dared to make a move against him or even twitch in his presence. They didn't even have their hands drawn to their weapons, but he knew that would change in an instant if he were the one to make the first move. Before any of that could happen though, the Anbu all body flickered away as soon as the last of the villagers were evacuated.

The dark stranger then turned his helmet back and continued on his way. He knew that the Anbu weren't gone. He could still sense their presence all around him. They were likely watching him and keeping their distance with orders to not engage. It would seem that they have learned after what happened with their previous experience in dealing with Uzumaki.

But this man was not that boy.

He didn't share the same weaknesses that foolish child had. The village guards were only to serve as his first and final warning which no doubt that feeble villager has already relayed to the Hokage as was evidenced by Anbu showing up to get everyone here and likely everywhere else off the streets. However, if anyone should dare to challenge him from this point on then they shall meet their fate.

At the hands of Darth Vader.

Hokage Tower

Tsunade bit the nail of her thumb while she, Kakashi and Sakura waited. It was only minutes ago when she sent her Anbu to get the villagers back into their homes and to relay those same orders to all the active shinobi in the village. She also specified to her Anbu to make it clear that none of them were to engage this person unless his actions warranted it. If this entire situation was going to be resolved peacefully then it had to be handled delicately.

Extremely delicately.

Suddenly, Yugao body flickered into her office in a kneeling position.

"Lady Hokage, we have begun clearing the streets and making sure all the villagers returned to their homes while carrying out the rest of your instructions."

Tsunade nodded.

"Very good, what's the status on….our guest?"

Yugao answered.

"He seems to be alone but so far he has not made any aggressive moves against the villagers. He's just walking through the streets but we have no idea where he is currently heading, my lady."

Kakashi and Tsunade looked at each other before back at the Anbu.

"Have the others continue keeping an eye on him but be sure that they still do it at a none threatening distance. Don't make him feel surrounded because it's highly likely that he knows you're watching him. Meanwhile send out messenger birds to Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai to assemble in my office immediately!"

The cat masked Anbu nodded before she flickered away.

"Wouldn't it be better to just have the villagers evacuate into the Hokage Monument?"

Tsunade shook her head at Kakashi.

"There isn't enough time and it could cause an unnecessary panic. Also, don't forget that he knows our evacuation and emergency procedures, so chances are that if we do that we could be sending all the villagers into a trap!"

Kakashi now understood.

"That's why you sent that other group of Anbu to inspect the monument."

Tsunade nodded.

"Yes, we don't know if he's secretly brought his troops here already. For all we know, he could be having them waiting there or somewhere else in the village close to the mountain to stage a surprise attack. If the Anbu don't find anything then the villagers will be sent there but only as a last resort if negotiations with him…fail. I also gave certain instructions to Shikamaru and Shukaku to initiate the procedures just in case I'm…..I'm unable to give the orders out myself. But only under extreme circumstances!"

Shizune then came in rushing through the door.

"Tsunade-sama! What's going on?!"

She looked at Shizune.

"Shut the door."

She did as instructed before Tsunade slammed her hand on the floor to seal off all the sound in this room from being heard by any unwanted ears.

"Vader is here in the village."

Shizune's face took on a grave expression.

"Is he here to attack?!"

Tsunade sighed.

"We don't know. He seems to have come alone, but it could be that he's decided that he doesn't need an army to attack us. However, he hasn't made any aggressive moves against our shinobi or the villagers yet. And I prefer we keep it that way!"

Shizune stammered.

"W-What do we do?"

Tsunade turned back toward the broken window watching as the storm clouds began to overtake the village.

"We'll continue our surveillance and leave him be for now. Chances are he's likely coming here so we'll wait for him when he does and we'll try to negotiate. However, the council members absolutely cannot know of his presence here in the village! Those old stubborn fools will just make things worse especially if they involve Danzo! Which is why no one outside this room, with the exception of a few, can know about Darth Vader being here since they already know of his true identity and would stupidly try to capture him!"

Kakashi looked at her.

"That's why you wanted Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai to report here as soon as possible."

Tsunade nodded.

"I trust them as much as you three and Jiraiya with this situation. I just wish he were here to help us right now."

Shizune looked at Tsunade with still much concern and worry.

"What if Vader isn't coming here? What if he's going somewhere else with a specific target in mind?"

Tsunade sighed heavily as lightning began to flash and cackle from the dark clouds.

"Then we'll just have to figure out what it is and beat him to it but not with the intention of fighting him. He's far too powerful. We'll just have to try to settle things without provoking him further."

Kakashi and Shizune nodded until Sakura spoke up.

"It won't make any difference."

Everyone looked at her.

"You all don't understand. I feel his anger. His rage. Being back in the village that's responsible for most of his suffering is more than enough to easily provoke him into attacking anyone. The only reason he hasn't yet is because he's keeping his anger tightly focused on something else. But if we go and try to head him off wherever it is he's going to then he will….kill us all."

Shizune looked confused.

"Sakura, what are you talking about? You can sense his thoughts? How?"

Tsunade answered.

"She has Force powers just like Vader."

Shizune looked at Tsunade in shock then at Kakashi as he nodded in confirmation before back at the Cherry Blossom girl.

"Sakura,…..can you sense where he's headed? Is it a specific location or target?"

Sakura shook her head to Shizune's question.

"No, he's hiding most of his thoughts from me and I don't want to…..probe any deeper into his mind if he won't let me."

Shizune stepped forward.

"Why not?"

Sakura looked at her.

"Because then he'll probe into my mind and I don't want to go through that again so soon. But more importantly,….I don't feel that I have the right to pry any deeper into his thoughts. Not even to keep this village safe."

Shizune was about to argue until Tsunade held her hand up to her.

"We understand Sakura."

Sakura nodded.

"I will say this. Shortly after I sensed his presence, I felt something else from him other than his rage until he shielded his other thoughts and feelings from me. It was pain and what felt like…regret and shame."

The three older shinobi looked at each other.

"That's not much of a clue to help us figure out where he's heading."

Sakura lowered her head.

"I'm sorry that I can't give you anymore.

Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Sakura. We're not expecting you to have a full grasp of a power that no one here understands and that you only just discovered within yourself a few days ago. Did Vader say or tell you anything on his ship that might give any indication on where he might be headed?"

Sakura looked at her sensei before down at the floor.

"No,…I don't think so, I-"

Her eyes widened when she suddenly remembered something.

Flashback

"There is nobody in that village, left alive, that I care about anymore."

End Flashback

"Sakura?"

Sakura didn't respond to Kakashi but before he or anyone else could snap her out of it, Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai suddenly appeared in the office.

"You summoned us, Lady Tsunade?"

She nodded her head before walking over to them.

"Someone of immense power has infiltrated the village and we have reason to believe that their intent is hostile."

Asuma took out his lighter and was about to light a smoke.

"This guy must be very skilled if he's able to penetrate through our defenses so easily.

Gai then smacked his fist.

"Well, this skilled and powerful hostile is going to have one helluva fight on his hands with the power of youth on our side!"

Tsunade closed her eyes and tilted her head a little.

"No. None of us are to fight him unless we have zero other options. The plan is to try to reason with them first."

The three team leaders looked at each other confused to this unorthodox tactic.

"Lady Tsunade with all due respect why should we reason with an intruder who, judging by what you described, intends to attack us and the village?"

Kurenai agreed with Asuma and gave her own query.

"Just who this intruder anyway?"

Shizune answered.

"It's complicated."

They looked at one another confused again.

"Complicated?"

Tsunade nodded as she explained.

"Listen to me all of you. There are certain things you need to know about this person."

This next part was not going to be easy but Tsunade knew it would have to be done.

"What I'm about to tell you all….is going to sound unbelievable. Even terrible. Despite that however under no circumstances are what you are about to hear to leave this room! You are not to tell this secret to any of your students! Not even to Shikamaru or Neji! Is that clear Asuma and Gai?"

They both looked at each other confused as to what about this secret would strictly inhibit them from telling even those of their students who are now jōnin at this point, but they complied.

"We understand, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade nodded and then told them the truth about Darth Vader.

She described every single detail of what happened since the night of Kyuubi Festival three years ago. As she explained the horrible events that transpired and the secrets and lies that were revealed, the facial expressions of the three veteran jōnin and even Shizune's changed frequently until finally they all settled on both shock and dismay. The only parts she left out were who Naruto's parents were and Sakura breaking his heart and the reason for the latter was because she felt no one other than her, Kakashi, and a few others needed to know as of yet.

When she finished, Shizune's mouth hung open in shock, Asuma dropped his lighter, Gai looked at the floor with his eyes quivering and Kurenai looked like she was going to puke though Tsunade can understand half of her reasoning for that given her current physical condition.

Gai looked over at his rival and longtime friend.

"Kakashi…..is everything she told us true? Is this man really Naruto?"

Kakashi slowly nodded.

"Yes."

Gai's eyes drew back to the floor while Shizune looked toward the woman whom she regarded as her trusted mentor.

"Why didn't you ever tell me Naruto abandoned the village, Tsunade-sama?!"

Tsunade looked at her.

"I couldn't risk it at the time Shizune! Not in case the council members ever decided to question you about how he disappeared!"

Shizune wanted to argue but Gai interjected before she could.

"How are we supposed to keep a secret like this from our students?! From Lee?!"

Asuma heavily sighed and really needed another cigarette right now or maybe five cigarettes.

"We don't have choice and it probably wouldn't be wise to tell them the truth right now anyway!"

Gai looked at him.

"What are you saying?!"

Asuma looked back at him.

"Ever since the failed mission to retrieve Sasuke, most of our students each felt responsible in their own way for Naruto disappearing. Shikamaru especially took it hard and it nearly drove him to revoke his rank of chuunin and his shinobi career at the time! If we tell them now of what really happened, just when they've finally learned to live with that failure, it will devastate them completely! Especially, since they won't understand because they don't know his reasoning and motives for abandoning the village at that time!"

Kurenai nodded as she looked at the floor with softened eyes.

"If Hinata were to find this out …..it would completely break her heart!"

She looked at her comrades.

"They cannot know the truth about him! Not yet!"

Tsunade crossed her arms.

"That's exactly right. They will eventually but for now they have to be kept in the dark."

Gai took a deep breathe before steeling his resolve as he looked back up at the Hokage.

"What is the plan then Lady Hokage?"

Tsunade then divulged to them how the Anbu are currently tracking Darth Vader at a safe distance, but no one has the faintest idea of where he's heading. The plan ultimately is to try to meet with him at his chosen destination and try to negotiate in a peaceful manner without any cause for violence. Also, that neither of the elders or anyone else is to know of Vader's presence in the village hence another reason why none of their students can know of his true identity.

When she finished, she gave a serious look to the team leaders.

"There's something else you three need to know. If we don't get through to him. If he decides to attack the village and where left with no choice but to fight him, he will likely be the most powerful and dangerous opponent any of you have and possibly will ever face!"

Their eyes widened.

"Just how powerful is he?"

Kakashi answered Gai's question.

"Before he left the village he was already strong enough to fight on equal footing with Orochimaru and had him on the run. He was even able restrain me, Lady Tsunade, and Master Jiraiya with his power with little effort. But now he's become even stronger to the point where not even Orochimaru could stand up to him and was forced to once again retreat and this was after he fought and defeated Sasuke and Team 7 which was all a few days ago."

They all gasped.

"He fought and bested Orochimaru twice?!"

Tsunade confirmed with a nod to Asuma's question.

"Just what is this power he has? Is it the Nine Tails?'"

Tsunade shook her head to Kurenai's question.

"No, it's not. It's a power called the Force. We don't know what this power is but it gives its user many abilities and as far we know there are two others apart from Vader who has this same power. One of them we suspect is responsible for killing Iruka Umino."

The three jōnin's eyes grew wide in shock. They all thought it was strange why the academy instructor's death was deemed an S-class secret and why their students couldn't know how he really died. Now, they understood, but there was still something that didn't make sense.

"So that explains all the secrecy behind Iruka's death, but out of all our shinobi why would someone with this special power only go after an Academy Instructor? That's not exactly a high priority target."

It was good question Kurenai asked and one in which Tsunade heavily suspected the answer to.

"Do we know who it was, Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade nodded and answered Asuma.

"We're strongly convinced that the one responsible was Palpatine Sidosaki."

The three team leaders were shocked and once more gave noticeable gasps in light of this information.

"Sidosaki?! You mean the old man that helped rebuild the village after it was attacked by the Sand and Sound?!"

Tsunade answered Gai's question.

"Yes, we heavily believe that he has this same power like Naruto and also that he's not only responsible for Iruka's death but also for turning Naruto against the village and convincing him to abandon it."

"Tch!"

Asuma crossed his arms and looked down at the floor annoyed and angry with himself.

"If that's true then what you're saying is that we foolishly allowed a dangerous bastard like him near one of our own students for so long right under our noses! The result being Naruto suffering the consequences of our ignorance and becoming this….'Darth Vader'."

Kakashi looked solemnly and guiltily at the floor which didn't go unnoticed by Gai.

'Kakashi,…I never would've thought that two of your own students would turn against the village. I can only imagine what you must be going through right now.'

Gai would've offered his rival and longtime friend some words of comfort but he didn't know what to say and he had to ask one more question to the Hokage that was more important at the moment.

"Lady Tsunade, who's the other user of this Force power?"

"It's-"

Tsunade cut herself off from answering as she noticed something odd before she alarmingly began looking around the room.

"Wait, where's Sakura?!"

Everyone else looked and saw that she was gone.

"She was just here a minute ago!"

Shizune was right which meant she must've only recently left.

"Oh no…."

All eyes drew to Kakashi as he looked out towards the window at the raging storm with a fearful expression on his masked face.

"She isn't!"

Meanwhile outside on the rooftops, which were now being beginning to be peppered with rain, the Cherry Blossom of Team 7 raced across them with only one objective on her mind.

'I know where you're going, Naruto!'

Elsewhere in the Village

Neither of them understood what was going on.

One minute they were just casually hanging out, wondering where to go to for lunch, before the storm would hit the village and then the next an Anbu came out of nowhere with orders from the Hokage. They and other shinobi were to get the villagers off the streets and into their homes. The reason why was because there was an intruder in the village. One apparently so deadly that they were all forbidden to fight him unless it was in defense. Shikamaru also found it unsettling how the Hokage gave him instructions to initiate evacuation procedures on her behalf in case she's unable to and only under extreme circumstances.

It was a good thing Ino caught up with them to help because if they were going to get the villagers in their homes then it was going to take a team effort.

When it looked like the last of the villagers were finally inside in this area, Team Asuma moved on to another street to make sure it was clear.

"Man, this sucks! Does it really have to rain while we're doing this?! My hair is going to be a mess!"

Shikamaru and Choji rolled their eyes from Ino's complaint. Even after she cut her hair, during their first Chuunin exams, to try to prove that she didn't care about how it looked, she still occasionally obsesses over it. Some things will never change with the Yamanaka teen girl.

"Hey Ino, is it true Sakura was found in some kind of giant metal pod thing outside the village?"

The platinum blonde haired girl nodded.

"Yeah, she was unconscious at the time but otherwise okay! Of course, a few more seconds of trying to get her out of that thing and she might not have been!"

Shikamaru didn't like the sound of that.

"What do you mean?"

Ino elaborated more.

"The weird ass thing exploded right after they got her out of it!"

Choji looked at her shocked.

"IT EXPLODED?!"

Ino nodded.

"Yeah, that's right! Guess whoever sent her back in it had a twisted sense of humor and thought it would be hilarious to blow her up along with a portion of the village before she could even step one foot out of the thing!"

Choji narrowed his eyes.

"That's sick!"

Ino agreed as Shikamaru weighed in.

"You're both ignoring the other possibility."

The two of them looked back at the pineapple haired Nara confused as to what he meant.

"Whoever sent that pod may have only set it to self-destruct so that we wouldn't be able to study and examine its workings after it crashed. Also, if their intention were to use it to blow up a part of the village then why bother sending Sakura back in it? Why have the pod land outside the village rather than a better target like the Hokage Tower?"

The two looked at each other and realized that he had good points as per usual.

"There's too many variables to ascertain without a doubt that whoever sent that pod did it with the intention of killing Sakura and attacking the village."

Ino began to think Shikamaru was right and that they shouldn't jump to conclusions but Choji had something on his mind that was still bothering him.

"Hey, do you guys think it's a bit of coincidence that Sakura gets sent back to us in a strange metal pod and then we get an intruder that we're not allowed to confront?"

Ino looked at the Akamichi teen.

"You think they're connected?"

Choji looked back at her and nodded while Shikamaru gave his input again.

"I agree. They are too coincidental to not be related. In fact, there have been a lot of strange coincidences happening around here since that object appeared in the sky."

Choji looked at him.

"But what does it all mean?"

Shikamaru answered his longtime friend.

"I don't know but it's making me feel uneasy!"

The Nara teen looked down and spotted another area that hasn't been searched yet.

"Let's check this place out!"

They landed down in the wet puddled street and began searching for any signs of villagers still out of their homes.

"Doesn't look like anyone's here."

"Yeah, looks like they all cleared out."

Shikamaru couldn't see any villagers still outside either. He would've suggested that they move on to another area but something caught his attention. The pineapple haired Nara teen walked away from his team members over to a newly built apartment building that was scheduled to be open for occupancy soon.

Both Ino and Choji walked over and joined him as they stared up at the structure.

"Can't believe after all these years it's finally almost finished."

Shikamaru nodded to Ino's statement while Choji couldn't help but feel uncomfortable looking at it.

"Is it wrong that I wish they never built this stupid building on this spot?"

His teammates looked at him.

"It's just…..it feels like they only did it so people would act like nothing happened. That it was all no big deal."

Ino scoffed.

"If they think that a bunch of cowards burning down a building because they had a ridiculous problem with one tenant, who did absolutely nothing to them, is an easy thing to forget then they have clearly lost their minds!"

Shikamaru agreed and not to mention that the building doesn't even look anything like how the old one originally did. Every other building that was destroyed in the Sand and Sound invasion was rebuilt to look exactly as they were before but this one for some reason was rebuilt with a new distinctive look. It was taller, fancier, and had balconies for every apartment. Almost like the owners are trying to pretend that the old building and the one who was living in it both have never existed at all.

It really pissed him off.

"Come on, let's go."

Shikamaru turned around but froze in place with wide shocking eyes. Ino and Choji looked at him and wondered what was wrong until they too fully turned around. When they did so and saw what Shikamaru was staring up at, their faces turned into the same stunned and speechless expressions.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

An unsettling sound came from the stranger's dripping yet intimidating looking black mask. And just like his metallic mantle, his clothing and armor were all black as well. He was also tall. So tall that he stood over them as the rain pelted on his great stature.

None of that however were what was most captivating about him.

'W-What is this…!'

Shikamaru didn't know why but he was trembling. He didn't feel much chakra from whoever or whatever this man was but something about his presence and the environment around him felt so unnatural and full of such dark killer intent. The last time he felt the air filled with so much rage and lust for death was when he fought against one of the Sound Four during the retrieval mission three years ago. But this was nothing like that. The mutated kunoichi he fought against, who had so much bloodthirst and hate, seemed like a kitten compared to this black armored being.

Shikamaru wasn't the only one frozen in place with fear. Both Choji and Ino were in the same state. If it wasn't heavily raining right now, sweat would've easily been seen running down Choji's brow. Ino was quivering and shaking like a frightened little girl. This was the first time she's ever encountered someone with such terrifying killer intent and malice. It was enough to make her want to be anywhere else in the village or even the entire world than here at this moment.

And the same could be said for her comrades right now too.

The dark stranger slowly lifted his masked helmet up till his sight was no longer focused on them but on the building behind them.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Hmpf."

That was the only verbal sound he gave other than his breathing before he turned to his right, his cape whipping as he did, and walked away.

Shikamaru and his teammates suddenly exhaled. Realizing they were holding their breath that entire time. Ino bent over on her knees to keep from collapsing while Choji's arms wouldn't stop shaking. Shikamaru couldn't help but keep on staring at the stranger's backside as he kept walking away from them.

"Who…..who the hell was that guy?! He seriously gives me the creeps!"

Ino wasn't kidding for her comrades felt the same way about this stranger.

"S-Shikamaru is that the intruder?! The one Lady Tsunade told us not to engage?!"

The pineapple haired teen answered.

"I think it's definitely a safe bet and now I think I see why she ordered everyone not to mess with him!"

Choji swallowed nervously.

"Yeah, that guy seriously looks like he's no joke and he didn't even have to use a jutsu, throw a punch or anything!"

Ino looked up.

"All he had to do was just stare at us!"

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed at the stranger as he walked further away from them.

'Which makes me wonder just what the hell is he capable of and also…..what does want with the Leaf Village?'

CRASH!

Shikamaru was snapped out of his thoughts as his and the others' attention were drawn back to the building to see all the windows bursting and shattering. Glass shards were raining down while the new apartment complex's structure began to moan and creak from the entire building shaking. Cracks and indents formed on the building's surface. The detailed architectural structure of the building suddenly grew deformed as the beams, wood, and concrete holding it together suddenly came apart and began to condense in on each other. Looking as if the entire complex was being crushed in some invisible gigantic grip.

They didn't know what was happening but they all had the same feeling that the building was not going to hold together much longer.

"CHOJI! QUICK!"

Choji nodded and performed the necessary hand sign.

"SUPER EXPANSION JUTSU!"

Choji poofed into a large plume of smoke and appeared giant sized. Just in time as the building finally imploded in on itself! Choji used his arms and massive body to shield his comrades and the buildings around them from any and all debris. Shikamaru and Ino shielded their eyes as the smoke and dust overtook Choji's giant form along with the entire surrounding area.

When it sounded like it was over, the Nara and Yamanaka teens leapt out of the dust and smoke covered street. Landing onto one of the taller buildings nearby that was free from the clouded debris. The shadowy figure of Choji's gigantic form disappeared in an instant before he too leapt out of the sea of smoke to join his teammates.

As the large cloud of dust and debris dissipated, they stared in shock at the sight of the building that stood there just a few seconds ago.

"There's barely anything left!"

Ino wasn't exaggerating at all. There were hardly any pieces of the building and its supporting structures amongst the ruins and debris. It was almost as if it was completely crushed out of existence.

Shikamaru looked at his Akamichi friend.

"Choji…..when you blocked that did you feel any debris or big chunks of that building hit you at all?!"

Choji looked at him and slowly shook his head.

"No, it was almost like being hit with sand or a big pile dust!"

Shikamaru figured as much before he turned his attention back to where the intruder was, before the building imploded in on itself, only to find that he was gone.

"Well,…..I think we just had a taste of what this guy is capable of!"

Shikamaru looked up at the dark storming sky.

'And I hope that was all that we're getting from him today!'

Close by in the Village Streets.

The rain fell harder on his armor as Darth Vader made his way through the familiar puddled streets of the Leaf. The village had hardly changed. The only things that were different were the new monument of Tsunade Senju added to Hokage mountain and that building complex that did nothing but disgust him.

Despite the few notable changes, the village only filled his mind with memories of a life that was so long ago and yet they feel as if they only happened recently. Memories that he wished would have been forgotten for they only served to anger him. Fueling his rage as well as the guilt that weighed heavily deep within himself.

Guilt that he buried and hid from the Cherry Blossom girl's sight. He knew she tried to sense his mind earlier. He could feel her presence even now but at the moment she didn't matter to him. Neither did his postponed invasion of this accursed village.

Only one thing mattered.

He knew where the Force was leading him. It was the one place in the village he would rather leave untouched by any fighting or destruction if it could be helped. Well, at least one small part of it.

However, it was not simple for him to just walk through the village and past those wretched primitive animals called villagers back there.

Just the way they were staring at him, made the former Sith apprentice want to slaughter them right then and there. Especially that loud mouthed one that dared to call him a shinobi. He hated even just being associated with that word.

A word that had the same definition as scum to him.

But he strenuously kept his mind focused on where he needed to go. Those villagers were nothing more than a distraction. And besides, he had no desire to start any violence right now that would involve children even though he was fully prepared to do so with his invasion.

However, he could not contain his rage when he saw the complex that was built in place of Uzumaki's old home. It was an utter disgrace and an insult that he could not overlook. So, he let loose the reigns a bit on both his power and rage by destroying it. He didn't care if Uzumaki's old classmates were caught in the building's destruction, but he doubted that they would succumb to something so simple as that. Even though they were weak, their skills have still grown.

But not by much.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks when he came across a wooden stump on the side of his path. There was something about it that was familiar. Full of more memories of solitude and transparent existence. It was then he realized where he was. He looked to his left and saw that he was standing in front of the rebuilt building that was the Leaf's Academy of Ninja Arts.

The building looked just as it did before Uzumaki and the Uchiha burnt it down. He easily recalls the humiliation that was suffered here. The constant ridicule and being treated like a plague or a disease. And the worst of it was Uzumaki having to act like a pitiful clown to gain everyone's attention and approval.

All of which greatly tempted him to destroy this structure.

Once again though he restrained himself and focused on the path the Force was guiding him on. Before he left, he took one last look at the wooden stump and noticed something odd next to it. It was covered in grass and some moss, so he waved his hand to clear them away. It was revealed to be some old rope that was rotting and bundled up.

It was the rope for the swing Uzumaki used to sit on beneath the tree that once stood here.

Finding it increasingly more difficult to keep both his own rage and the rage of his tenant under control, Vader left the stump and the academy behind. The dark lord continued on his path through the village till he was past the last of its buildings. He was in the area that consisted more of woods and small streams which meant he was close. Finally, he was standing before an arched gateway.

The gateway of Konoha's Cemetery.

He stood at the gates for several minutes before finally entering. Upon so, he was met with the countless gravestones of the village's past and fallen shinobi. Further beyond them was the red sculpture representing the Leaf's pitiful Will of Fire ideal with the kanji for Hokage written on it.

The dark lord proceeded through the gravestones. Allowing the Force to continue guiding him to what he sought. The one here that he deemed worthy enough to pay his respects.

However, a couple of particular gravestones caught his attention during his search. Forcing him to stop in his tracks. His fists tightening as he read the inscriptions on them.

"Here lies Minato Namikaze, Fourth Hokage and beloved hero who gave his life to protect the village."

"Here lies Kushina Uzumaki, a brave and dependent kunoichi and dear friend who was loved and is missed by all."

They were the graves of the accursed parents of Naruto Uzumaki.

It was a shame that neither of them were alive right now. If they were he would make them watch as he and his army destroy the very village that they sacrificed the well-being and happiness of their son to protect before Vader would then kill both of them himself. Unfortunately, they were not but at the very least he would still have the pleasure of killing the third hand that was involved in both his and the Kyuubi's suffering that night.

And once they find that man, he will know what true power and hatred really is along with the rest of their enemies.

Knowing he's already wasted enough time and that he would no doubt have intrusive company soon, he went on his way. Ignoring the graves of the two poor excuses of a father and mother as he continued down another row of graves. Feeling the Force telling him that he was close. Very close to his destination.

Finally, he found it.

The grave of the one he came all this way to find. That he postponed the invasion of this accursed village for. The grave of the only one in this hellish place who has ever tried to guide him on the path that he once desired. The one who has given him genuine truth, kindness, and friendship.

The grave of Iruka Umino.

Vader slowly knelt down to one knee in front of the grave of his first sensei. Placing his cybernetic hand on the gravestone as he examined it while the rain pelted his armor and body harder. The grave looked like it's been properly taken care of. There were no weeds or moss growing anywhere on it. No doubt vigilant work done by genins who were assigned rank D duties that involved keeping the cemetery tidy.

Vader noticed that there were also some flowers placed on the grave that looked like they been sitting there for a few weeks or so. White Tulips from the look of it. He recalled his sensei once mentioning how they were his favorite. It was good that they were on his grave. The man deserved it and so much more after everything he tried to do for Vader when he was a boy.

Before he fell to the Darkside and betrayed everything that his sensei stood for.

Flashback

Naruto sat alone at Ichiraku while staring at his ramen bowl. He was hungry, but he still didn't feel like eating. He hasn't eaten much for the last few days now. Nor has he really talked with anyone either.

Ever since the attack on the village, by both the Sand and Sound, the spiky haired blonde knucklehead has been socially distant with everyone. A lot of it had to do with Old Man Palp being a little busy with helping to rebuild the village, which was understandable, along with the villagers not even acknowledging that he saved them from Gaara when he transformed into a monster, and the fact that he was still mad at his sensei for training the stuck up Uchiha over him.

Most of his solitude however had to do with him grieving over the death of the Third Hokage.

It was a tremendous loss for the whole village. Everyone cared for and respected the old man. Even now they were still grieving but they were also moving on and continuing with their lives.

While Naruto was stuck with his mourning.

Even though he and the old man had argued frequently and he's given Naruto countless boring and annoying lectures and speeches, the Uzumaki genin viewed him like a grandfather. He was like that for all the children in the village but for Naruto it felt more genuine at times. But he was gone now. Killed while defending the village during the invasion.

Naruto didn't quite know how to handle losing someone as dear as the old man. He's been alone most of his life after all. Every time he thought about him, his thoughts would be happy for a second before a knot would form in his stomach, and he would feel like repeatedly punching something till his knuckles bled.

Losing him was a very sharp wound for the boy, but it was even worse, when driven by the fact, that he'll never have the chance to finally get some answers from the old man on who his parents were. All he's ever told him about them were that they died fighting the Kyuubi and that was all he needed to know. It still drives the boy up a wall that an old man, as good and kind as him, would tell something like that to a child that desperately wants to know more about his mother and father.

Now, all that he's left for the boy are unanswered questions and a need for vengeance.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Naruto recognized the voice and turned to see Iruka holding some flowers as he sat down next to the boy and ordered himself some ramen.

"Hey sensei."

Iruka looked at the boy and could tell he was upset.

"Hey Naruto. How have you been?"

Naruto put a bad fake grin to his brother figure.

"I'm great! Never felt better!"

Iruka raised a brow.

"Then why haven't you even touched your first bowl of ramen?"

Naruto stammered before he pouted his face.

"W-Well…..I was about to until…until you interrupted me sensei!"

Naruto then began to scarf down his ramen while Iruka chuckled and smiled.

"Hey sensei-Slurp!-What are the flowers for?-Gulp!"

Iruka smiled softly.

"These are White Tulips. I bought these for Lord Third's grave."

Naruto stopped eating.

"They were his favorite. Just like they are mine. Ino's shop was having a sale on them, so I got them for-"

Iruka ceased his explanation when he saw how depressed Naruto looked and grew a somber expression himself.

"Naruto,….it's okay to admit when you're sad and hurting over the loss of someone you cared about."

Naruto looked at his sensei with a bit of a dark expression.

"There's hardly anyone in this village other than you, Old man Ichiraku, and Ayame that's worth admitting that to!"

Iruka looked sternly at him.

"Now, what kind of a thing is that to say?! What about your team?! They've been worried about you lately, you know!"

Naruto scoffed before jabbing at his ramen with his chopsticks.

"I doubt it! Kakashi-sensei is probably too busy training Sasuke-teme right now to worry about me and how I'm feeling right now!"

Iruka shook his head.

"Naruto, that's not true!"

The Uzumaki boy suddenly broke his chopsticks before whipping around to Iruka and proceeding to rant.

"Isn't it?! During the finals for the exams, he chose to train that bastard instead of me and leaves me with some closet pervert instructor that I could beat easily with my Sexy Jutsu! Then he wouldn't even listen to me when I tried to warn him that Gaara was out for blood against Sasuke and that their match needed to be stopped! And during this whole time, he hasn't even once come to check if I was all right!"

Naruto turned back around and folded his arms while closing his eyes.

"And neither has that Teme and even after I saved his life too, damnit!"

Iruka didn't know about any of that. He was going to have to have a chat with Kakashi later about all this. Naruto shouldn't be left alone with his emotions bottling up like this. He's seen what it does to the boy and it's not pretty. His team members should be there for him.

Which leaves the question on the final member.

"What about Sakura? Hasn't she come to see you?"

Naruto eyes snapped open and became saddened.

"No,…..she's afraid of me."

Iruka looked at him confused.

"Afraid of you? Why?"

Naruto was about to say something but stopped himself.

"I don't want to talk about it sensei. I just…..I just haven't been feeling like myself since the exams."

Iruka understood and felt very empathetic for the boy he's looked at like a younger brother. He placed a hand on the shoulder to comfort him. Thinking of the right words to say.

"Naruto, I know you're hurting right now and that it feels like there aren't many people who can help or who want to help you but that's not true."

Naruto looked at his academy instructor.

"Any struggle or obstacle that a person here faces can be overcome when he knows that he has the resources and help to do it from the village."

Iruka could tell Naruto was confused so he tried to give an example.

"You want to become Hokage, right? Well one of the best ways to go about becoming one is to not be afraid and to acknowledge that the village and its people can help you achieve that goal."

Iruka held his finger up.

"No one in history has ever become Hokage without the village and everyone's help you know? Not even Lord Sarutobi."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"I know that right now many people here are having trouble trusting you which is no fault of your own but it won't last forever. Once they do, you'll be able to accomplish your goal!"

Naruto raised a brow.

"Really?"

Iruka nodded and smiled at him with that dearly caring look on his face.

"You'll be capable of anything including becoming Hokage when you have the entire village to help and back you up the whole way!"

End Flashback

But that was a dream that was not to be.

His sensei had no idea what fate really had in store for Uzumaki. A torturous and twisted destiny that Iruka never could have imagined in his wildest dreams happening for the boy. Now, Naruto was gone.

Leaving only a shadow in his place.

Vader was thankful in a way that the man was no longer living. Because if he were, he probably would've been heartbroken and beside himself to see what he has become. Even so, that did little to quell the anger the dark lord felt over his murder. He should've known years ago who was behind it. Just as he and Skywalker should've known that what they have been told about Padme's death was also a lie.

Unfortunately, they didn't.

They both were caught in the web of lies and half-truths spun by their former master and blindly served as his obedient slave for years without knowing the truth about either of their deaths. He remembers very clearly, the rage they both felt when they learned that Padme didn't die from Anakin's anger, like they were told on Mustafar, and that she survived long enough to give birth to his offspring. Vader should've known at that moment, that he had to have been deceived about Iruka's death also. It was so obvious but he couldn't deny what he saw and heard in the holorecordings. It was not until right before he put an end to the renegade mad scientist, Dr. Cylo, that he discovered the truth about Iruka's demise as well.

Another enraging revelation he vividly remembers.

Flashback

He marched onward leaving the various slaughtered copies of the traitorous Cylo behind. The foolish man claims he's become immortal but all he's really done is give Vader the satisfaction of repeatedly killing him. Now there was only one left and Vader would be sure to give the last copy an apropos demise.

The cybernetic Sith Lord was passing by another one of the scientist's labs when he suddenly stopped. He sensed something strange about this one. Something that was deeply connected to his past was in there. What, he didn't know but he would not ignore the Force.

So, he went in.

It was a lab full of droids of some model type he did not recognize. There were several screens on the wall that showed schematics of their design. Thanks to his counterpart's knowledge of mechanics and droids, he could easily read and understand them.

According to the schematics, these were holodroids that were designed for infiltration missions. They did this through disguising themselves by perfectly copying the physical characteristics of any individual. They had processors and certain modules that also allowed them to imitate the psychological attributes of whoever they copied as well. They possessed holographic generators that were similar to the ones on the black market that assassins and bounty hunters would sometimes use but these were far more advanced.

The Sith Lord approached one of the droids and activated the console next to it. Accessing the droid's memory files and databanks before searching through them. Finding records of assassinations, coup d'etats, espionages, even information on the various people its copied. Then he came across one certain data file for a copied individual.

The name of the person that was copied on the file caused Vader to clench his fist.

He selected the file and activated the droid. Its eyes lit up as it walked out of its chamber before turning to the imposing Sith Lord.

'Replaying selected identity.'

Bright holographic light enveloped its whole body. A second or two later it assumed a perfect copy of a woman that was from one of his halves' past life. A person that he has longed to see dead along with many others.

It was the Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure, Tsunade Senju.

"I told Shikamaru and the others to keep an eye on him! They were supposed to take him out once the mission was over! You better damn well believe I did! I'm tired of that brat whining and complaining about having to be our secret weapon! If only his damn father hadn't had interfered with our plans to take the Kyuubi out of his mother and place it into a more obedient vessel! I didn't think he would've had the guts to choose protecting the village over his own flesh and blood! Well, he was not nearly as stubborn and idiotic as my old sensei! He should've come to me for the position of Hokage after Minato died! Instead, he chose to take it back for himself despite my birthright! Of course, the old greedy fool paid for it with his life when we had Orochimaru trick the Sand into helping him and his new village attack the Leaf!"

The dark lord instantly recognized this recorded dialogue. It was the same words of venom and betrayal that he heard the woman spew from the holorecording in Palpatine's laboratory twenty years ago. Only, he now realizes that it was never her and Hatake that he saw in that recording.

It was these infernal droids!

As he continued to listen to these once painful and incensing remarks that finally broke Uzumaki completely, his anger and power broiled. He could barely contain his outrage and the feelings of once again being lied to and betrayed by the Emperor. The very man who he has trusted and given his loyalty to. It was absolutely maddening!

And with the next line of dialogue did Vader utterly and truly understand the scope of the Emperor's lies to Uzumaki.

"She's going to learn what happens to little bugs like her that cross me when I crush her head beneath my heel! Just like I did to Iruka!"

SCHAZ!

Vader suddenly lashed out with his lightsaber and cut the droid! Slashing it diagonally from the top of the right shoulder and down the torso through its opposite arm! The droid fell apart into sizzling pieces with the hologram of Tsunade violently flickering on the droid's upper half. Shortly before its head was suddenly crushed beneath Vader's armored boot.

He would not let this stand. That accursed old man has lied to both of his halves now. Senju and the others were never behind all the deception, atrocities, and killings that he was led to believe. It was all lies and it strongly meant that the Hokage woman couldn't have been the one behind Iruka's death.

Not after what he just discovered.

It was no mystery as to who was really responsible, however. Vader was not a fool like Skywalker and Uzumaki were. Iruka's death was far too convenient a tragedy for the Emperor to have exploited and used to influence Uzumaki into abandoning the Leaf Village. Which only left one dark undeniable truth that immediately sent Vader in a blinding rage as he cut down and destroyed the rest of the holodroids while the lab crumbled and came apart from his raging power. The truth that Darth Sidious, the one who he's been serving all these years and who he dogmatically calls master, was the true culprit behind Iruka's death!

After the last of the droids were destroyed, he stood there shaking with both humiliation and horrible untamed anger.

End Flashback

An anger that even now has yet to subside.

The rage against his late deceitful master still burned so greatly in his soul that it caused his power to halt all the rain in midair that was coming down around him as well as a few of the gravestones to crack. Even though Darth Vader finally ended Sidious, he still bore so much hatred toward him. How he wished he ended him then on Exegol but he was still too powerful for him and his other half then. All they could do was fall back in line and take their hatred out on hunting Luke and his friends.

But now he had new targets.

Targets that more than deserved to feel the full brunt of his malice. And while Uzumaki's old comrades may have been innocent of the vile acts that Palpatine fooled him into thinking they've done, he still had not forgiven them. Not after all the secrets they wrongfully kept from him, as well as allowing all of the backwardness and cruelty of this village to fester in addition to interfering in his hunt which allowed his targets to escape.

It made him all the more wanting to burn this place down.

But among his dark thoughts and violent intentions, his sensei's words still echoed in his head. Something about what he said to Uzumaki caught Vader's interest. Spurning a new thought that swam through the former Sith Apprentice's mind. It felt fleeting though as it was a severely flawed and absurd one but the dark lord did not entirely dismiss it. In fact, there was a chance that it could actually work for his purposes.

Even so it did little to calm his hate and he didn't want it to either. He needed to sate it. He needed to unleash his fury on something.

His dark thoughts were interrupted when he suddenly raised his helmet up and the frozen rain around him resumed its fall to the earth. He sensed that he wasn't alone, but he had no need to raise his defenses to whoever that has dared to come forth. He knew who it was.

All too well.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Why have you come here?"

A soft feminine voice answered the dark lord's cold words.

"Where else should I be right now?"

He slightly turned around and answered Sakura.

"Anywhere else."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

He then turned back around while Sakura stood a few yards from him and was completely drenched in the rain. She didn't care about that though as she walked over to her former team member. She didn't even hesitate to stand at his side, despite his fearsome presence, in front of the gravestone of their academy instructor.

Silence followed before Sakura finally managed to find the courage to say something.

"It's not fair…..It's just not fair what he did to you. You of all people. What kind of a man would-"

Sakura cut herself off as she couldn't say it but she didn't need to as the dark lord turned his mask to her before back to the grave.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"So, you know the whole truth now."

Sakura answered.

"Yes,…..I do."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"And yet you came here to once again try to stop me from destroying this pathetic village."

Sakura turned to him.

"Nar-…"

She stopped herself before she could say his old name and took a deep breath before speaking.

"That's part of the reason, yes, but I also came here because….I wanted to tell you…..that I'm…..so….so sorry!"

Vader slowly turned to her.

"I know I already apologized to you on your ship but I didn't have any idea then of the real pain and anguish you truly had to suffer while living here!"

She took a few small steps closer to him.

"What the Fourth Hokage did to you….was the most horrible thing I've ever heard of a father doing to his own son. And then for everyone to just ignore and treat you like dirt after. Even trying to kill you despite the fact that it was your father who saved us all and that you kept the Kyuubi from killing us….."

Tears began to pool at her eyes.

"Then having to lose someone so dear to you before being betrayed by someone you loved while having to deal with all of that is just…..just so cruel!"

Sakura began to sob and leaned into Vader's chest armor while wrapping her arms around him which caused him to stiffen again.

"But even so I beg of you not to destroy the village!"

Vader tightly closed his fists.

"And I'm not asking you to do it for me! I'm asking you to do it for Iruka!"

Upon hearing that the cyborg relaxed his gloved hands a little as he looked down at her.

"He wouldn't have wanted this for you! He wouldn't have wanted you to be a cold blooded killer consumed with hatred and vengeance! He wanted so much more for you! Because he knew! He knew that you deserved it! And so do I! You deserve more!"

Vader grabbed her by the shoulders and gently pushed her at arm's length.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"No. I do not."

Sakura looked at him with confusion and a strange foreboding sense of dread.

"What do you mean by that?"

Vader was about to answer until he tilted his head up in alert. Sakura did so as well as she sensed that they weren't alone. They both looked to the entrance of the cemetery where standing there were Tsunade, Shizune, Kakashi, and the other team leaders of the Konoha 12; Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai.

All of whom, except for Kakashi, were stunned and speechless at the sight of the tall intimidating dark lord.

Vader fully turned to them with his cape whipping in the wind while the lightning flashed above and reflected off his armor. Sakura felt the darkness in Vader rising along with his anger and his guard. She hoped that she would've had a little more time to try to reason with him and calm him down before the others showed up. However, there was something that was nagging at her. A strange sensation that was causing a disturbance in the Force.

Something didn't feel right.

Tsunade slowly stepped forward while the others stayed where they were. Walking right toward the girl and the cybernetic former shinobi. Her eyes taking a long look at the person or thing rather that was once the short loudmouthed happy knuckleheaded boy she had taken to three years ago. Even after hearing all the reports and descriptions, she still found it almost impossible to believe. Yet here he was cladded in armor and looking completely different from before.

Which made it more difficult to accept who it was underneath it.

"Is that really you? Is that really you, N-"

Tsunade was cut off as she froze in place just a few yards away from the two. The others at the gate also stiffened and even trembled as they all felt the killer intent that was radiating from Vader. All of the veteran shinobi there have never felt anyone or anything even close to giving off this kind presence. The wet chilly air around them felt so heavy with a wanting for death. They would dare say that this terrible sensation rivaled that of the presence of a tailed beast.

Tsunade and the others eyes then drew toward Sakura. Standing behind Vader while shaking her hands back and forth while mouthing "no" as a warning to not to say his former name. They understood and Tsunade stayed where she was as she tried to regain her composure.

"The reports didn't do justice. You've really gone through quite the transformation, kid."

Vader only responded by turning his masked helmet to his right and then to his left. Tsunade and the others were confused by this gesture as was Sakura until her body stiffened when she felt the Force shifting everywhere all around them. She suddenly realized what it was and shouted in a panic to the Hokage.

"LADY TSUNADE, WHY ARE YOU HAVING THIS PLACE SURROUNDED?!"

The Slug Queen looked at Sakura confused.

"Sakura, what are you talking about? I never gave an order to-"

Tsunade then felt it along with Kakashi and the others at the gate. Multiple chakra signatures everywhere around the cemetery. They felt like Anbu with the way they were masterfully hiding their presences but the veteran jōnin could still sense them. Suddenly Kakashi gave the others a fearful look in his eye.

"Get to the Hokage!"

The others nodded and leapt into the air before landing all around Tsunade with their kunai out. Moments after they did, shadowy figures leapt up from every place of cover in the graveyard. Leaping down till they completely surrounded everyone there.

There was over eighty of them by the looks of it. Whoever they were, they were cloaked and wore Anbu masks. However, they were not the loyal Anbu guards that belonged to Tsunade. The veteran team leaders and Shizune narrowed their eyes while Kakashi and Tsunade recognized who these men were much to the Copycat Ninja's concern.

"Root Anbu."

Tsunade glared at the Root agents and roared at them.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?! I ORDERED FOR EVERYONE TO STAY BACK UNTIL I SAY OTHERWISE!"

"I'm afraid that is simply out of the question, Princess Tsunade."

The Anbu parted as three individuals emerged from their ranks. It was their leader Danzo along with the two village elders Homura and Koharu. Tsunade glared at the old war hawk and pompous fools for interfering and possibly dooming them all.

"DANZO HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION?! HAVE YOUR MEN STAND DOWN RIGHT NOW!"

Danzo calmly and insultingly retorted.

"As I have told you already, that is out of the question! For it is you, who doesn't have the situation under control as it was made blatantly obvious since the incident three years ago! You have allowed the village's jinchuriki to run rampant and free from the village's control for far too long! You've gone as far as to even allow him to commit treason and to declare war upon Konoha without any repercussions! And instead of trying to contain and neutralize this threat you instead intend to negotiate and make peace which is beyond unacceptable!"

Homura and Koharu spoke.

"You've left us no choice, Lady Tsunade."

"The safety and integrity of the Leaf Village is absolutely paramount as is reclaiming its greatest weapon."

Sakura gritted her teeth and wished that she pulverized those two old idiots when she had the chance.

"AND YOU BELIEVE KILLING THOSE WHO'VE YOU MISTREATED AND IGNORED IS THE BEST WAY TO KEEP THE VILLAGE SAFE?! THAT MAKES YOU NO BETTER THAN THAT MURDERING BASTARD OROCHIMARU!"

The two elders looked at the girl shocked and insulted by her words while Danzo glared at her with annoyance.

"Be silent girl! Your lack of respect combined with your powers makes you just as much a threat to the village as the jinchuriki! Which is why you will placed under arrest for your transgressions!"

Sakura was perplexed by his threat. Easily telling that the man wasn't bluffing at all. Gai and the other team leaders looked at Sakura and realized she was the other one Tsunade mentioned earlier.

"Sakura….you have the Force too?"

Sakura looked at them and nodded while Tsunade and Kakashi glared at Danzo while the Copycat Ninja spoke to the elder in a threatening tone.

"If you want either one of them, you'll have to get through me Danzo!"

Kakashi lifted up his mask revealing his sharingan which already morphed into its Mangekyo state. Gai then cracked his fist and Asuma got out his trench knives just as Kurenai began preparing her hands to cast genjutsu.

"Us too!"

Danzo smirked. He was rather hoping that Kakashi would stand against them. It would give him the perfect excuse to arrest him and take his sharingan. If the other jōnin insisted on standing with him though then so be it. It would mean less of Hiruzen's followers to get in his way.

"Can't you all understand that this is for the good of the village?"

Asuma answered Homura.

"There is absolutely nothing good about any of this!"

The old woman Koharu blatantly responded.

"That is a matter of opinion but regardless of your feelings it is your duty as shinobi to protect the village at any cost!"

Her counterpart then looked at the leader of Team 8.

"Kurenai Yuhi, your father gave his life when defending the village against the Kyuubi! Are you willing to disgrace his sacrifice by not ensuring that the beast is recaptured and placed within a more trustworthy host?!"

The mistress of genjutsu gave a retort.

"My father died protecting the village and the next generation of shinobi that were to defend it! If I turn my back now on the children that we have been charged with training and keeping safe then his sacrifice would truly have been for nothing!"

Asuma smiled approvingly at her words before looking back towards the hard case elders.

"She's right! Without the children and future generations, the village will have no hope of survival no matter what methods any of you try! And besides…."

He looked towards Vader and still got the chills.

"From what I heard about him, it would be an act of idiocy to try to fight him for foolish or selfish reasons!"

Danzo sighed in annoyance.

"That type of naivety thinking is going to be doom of this village as it was for Hiruzen."

Tsunade stood in front of her group and yelled at the old trio of fools.

"It's you traitorous idiots that are the ones who are going to get us all killed!"

Danzo snapped at the granddaughter of the First Hokage.

"It is you who is acting treasonous Tsunade as is your apprentice and those that follow you! The Leaf will have its weapon back and your apprentice will be confined until as such time as we can deduce how her powers work for the good of the village!"

The Queen of Slugs roared.

"LIKE HELL SHE WILL!"

Danzo arrogantly replied.

"It is no longer up to you, Tsunade-sama!"

She snarled at the crippled old man.

"I am the Hokage! You and your men will do as I order you to do Danzo!"

He smirked again.

"Not for much longer! I sent a messenger bird to the Daimyo regarding the current predicament our village is in due to your mishandling of its jinchuriki. I have little doubt that once he hears the accounts from myself and my old comrades here that you will be relieved of your title!"

Shizune yelled out in outrage.

"You have no right to treat Lady Tsunade like this after everything she's done for the village!"

Koharu responded.

"We do have that right!"

Tsunade fists cracked from how hard she tightened them. She was having enough of this and was just about ready to call in her Anbu. That was until Sakura shouted at them.

"LISTEN TO ME ALL OF YOU! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST OR WHAT YOU'LL BRING DOWN UPON OUR VILLAGE?! HE'LL KILL YOU ALL IF YOU CHALLENGE HIM!"

Danzo looked at the Cherry Blossom girl.

"The jinchuriki may be more powerful than even the likes of Orochimaru but not even he can face this many of my agents at once!"

Sakura was shocked.

"Don't you care at all if any of your men die?!"

Danzo apathetically responded.

"They fully know and accept that their one purpose in life is to serve and die for the village!"

Sakura couldn't believe how cold and careless the man was being with his own men. She wasn't the only one as the team leaders all glared at him for his callous statement. Gai in particular growled with much disdain toward the bandaged man.

"You ruthless bastard! Just who in the hell do you think you are?!"

Danzo closed his eye and gave a sharp tap with his cane into the wet soil.

"Enough!"

He then looked at the rogue jinchuriki who has been silent this whole time save for the sound of his breathing apparatus.

"Naruto Uzumaki, you are hereby charged with high treason against Konohagakure! You have deserted your village and have even gone as far as to threaten and attack it and its people! All of which are crimes that are punishable by death which will be conducted when the Kyuubi is extracted from you! You can either surrender quietly or you can resist! You may defeat many of my men but they will still bring you in all the sa-"

Danzo stopped midsentence as he noticed that the dark armored jinchuriki wasn't even paying attention to him but was looking up at something in the sky. His lone eye followed his line of sight as did Sakura and everyone else's. Suddenly, something began materializing out of the air. Some of the shinobi gasped as it was some kind of metallic jellyfish like creature with glowing red eyes. Sakura's eyes narrowed from recognizing what it was.

'Another droid creature?'

It hovered above them all before it lowered itself down. The various Anbu unsheathed their weaponry believing it was about to attack. Danzo gestured with his hand to stand down though just as the creature already descended to Vader and began making strange sounds.

ZZZRRRRTT-RRRRZZZZZTTTTTT!

Vader nodded to the droid much to everyone's confusion. One of the droid's eye then emitted a blue light that streamed out onto the ground in front of its master. In the middle of the streaming light, much to everyone but Sakura's shock, stood a flickering man that wore what looked to be a white uniform and cape.

No one knew what was going one or who this person was but when he looked upon Vader he became very fearful.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Director Genkol."

Tsunade couldn't help but shiver from hearing Vader's voice for the first time as she and the others watched the blue man answering him nervously.

"Lord Vader."

Vader then walked away from Sakura to directly in front of the blue flickering man who only stood up to just below the neck of the dark lord.

"You seem unsettled."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

The flickering blue man stammered.

"N-No just….I understand that you've been requesting my presence my lord but….I've been rather pressed for time as I'm sure you can imagine that there are a great many of my projects and work that I must attend to!"

The dark lord instantly turned toward him.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"My apologies. You do have a great many things to explain regarding the probe incident and neglecting to inform me of the events that have recently unfolded in the Land of Sand!"

Tsunade looked at Shizune and Kakashi and all three of them had to guess that Vader was likely referring to the Akatsuki's attack on the Sand village. Danzo and the two elders also figured as much. The bandaged and seemingly crippled elder could've used this chance to try to capture the jinchuriki, yet he and no one else made any effort to interrupt.

Instead, they just continued to watch with curiosity to see what would happen as the flickering anxious looking man tried to defend his actions.

"I was working on delivering the advanced probe scouts that you requested, my lord! Also, it was Admiral Watock that strongly insisted to me that the Akatsuki and their skills had remarkable-"

Vader began to slowly close the small gap of space between him and the blue man in a very threatening manner. Making it very clear to the nervous director that he was to choose his next words extremely carefully lest he suffer the dark lord's ire. The flickering transparent man tried to keep calm but could barely contain himself as he quaked in fear.

"P-Potential for the Empire!"

Koharu whispered to Homura.

"Empire?"

Her old comrade shook his head in confusion while Danzo's eye narrowed even more curiously at this conversation between the jinchuriki and this odd servant of his.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Their ability to create problems and cause chaos have certainly been confirmed! The Sand Village nearly destroyed and its Kazekage openly attacked!"

Vader walked past the blue flickering director who began to panic and think up of another excuse.

"It was Admiral Watock who suggested that I not inform you, so that he could use the probe to study the Akatsuki and its members more!"

The cybernetic lord turned back around and snapped at the cowardly director.

"I did not allow you interrupt my business here, so that you could grovel and lay blame onto a man who has already paid with his life for his actions, Director Genkol!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Tsunade and the others looked at Vader with shock that he actually punished one of his allies with a death sentence. A grim detail that especially caught Danzo's attention. However, it only made the old war hawk even more interested.

"I was only thinking of what these gifted individuals could do for the good of the Empire and-"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"There is no Empire any longer, Director! And the members of the Akatsuki are cowards whose fears are matched only by their extreme arrogance. They are nothing more than savage animals that deserve to be slaughtered!"

Sakura and some of the others felt chills down their spines with that statement while the director nodded and complied like an obedient child.

"Yes, my lord. I understand."

Vader approached the holographic director while jabbing his finger at him.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You had better, for I expect you not to rest until you and your new spy probes can provide me assurances that they will locate the other members of the Akatsuki before they compromise anymore jinchuriki. In. Any. Way!"

The man swallowed nervously and nodded slowly.

"Y-Yes, my lord. I can assure you that me and my new probes will not fail you."

Vader stood to his full height in front of the feeble director and spoke in foreboding and threatening tone.

"I hope so, for your sake, Director. For if you do fail, I will not be as forgiving the next time!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Vader waved his hand to the probe and it immediately ended the transmission. Shortly before it suddenly vanished into thin air much to everyone's surprise. Their shock lasted only for a moment though as Darth Vader turned his attention back to Danzo and two elders.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Now then, I believe you were you trying to threaten me."

It took a second or so for one of them to respond after witnessing Vader's conversation.

"It's not a threat. Since you have betrayed the village you're-"

Vader interrupted the council member Homura

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Silence! I have had enough of power hungry old men like you using whatever foul methods you can to try to possess the power I wield!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"The three of you old fools are exactly like Palpatine!"

They looked at him shocked at the mention of that name until Tsunade spoke.

"So, then it is true. Palpatine was the one who convinced you to leave. And he was a user of the Force just like you."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Indeed, he was. My former master's powers far exceeded any on this planet. But not even his vast powers in the Force could protect him from his own overconfidence."

Tsunade and some of the other's eyes narrowed including Danzo's.

"Was? Is he dead?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Yes."

Tsunade would've felt a little relieved with that but the current situation left little room for it.

"Nar-Vader there's something you need to know about Iruka's death. It was Palpatine who-"

"I know!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

The Slug Queen looked at him surprised along with a few others.

"You knew?"

Vader turned toward her and answered while the storm above boomed with more thunder and cackled with lightning more violently.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I discovered the truth, years ago."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"What that lying old man did to Iruka was one of the many reasons why I destroyed him!"

Everyone including even Danzo looked at him shocked.

"You…..you destroyed him?"

"Yes, I did. It nearly killed me, but the deed was done!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Vader then turned back to Danzo.

"So, with that in mind, if you think my capture will be easier now than your first attempt was years ago, when I was still but a leaner of the Force, then you are sadly mistaken, Shimura!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"For I am now the Master of it!"

Danzo narrowed his eye while Sakura, Tsunade, and the others looked at Vader confused as their minds were still wrapped around everything heard from the last few minutes.

"Wait a second, what do you mean by his first attempt?"

Vader answered Kakashi.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"On the night when the young Uchiha abandoned the village and I too chose to forsake it, Shimura decided to try to take my powers for himself and sent his men to kidnap me in the apartment I was staying at."

Tsunade looked at Danzo with outrage.

"HE WHAT?!"

Even the two elders looked at Danzo with shock upon hearing this news. Despite the fact that they were allowing him to attempt to do the same thing right now, they had no idea that Danzo had defied them three years ago when it was agreed upon that the jinchuriki would be left alone for that time. Danzo however didn't look like he cared that everyone knew now as he admitted and spoke accusingly toward the dark lord.

"Yes, it was an attempt to rectify Princess Tsunade's mishandling of you and your power! However, you were only to be taken alive then and you responded by killing all of my men!"

Tsunade and the other veteran shinobi looked at Vader dismayed as did Sakura.

"You killed them?"

Vader looked at the Haruno girl.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You sound surprised."

The two elders looked at Danzo.

"If he defeated your men when he was only just a child beginning to learn his powers then what makes you think your men are a match for him now, Danzo?"

He answered the elder woman.

"The men I sent then were the lowest of my subordinates while the ones I've brought here now are the elite of my core. He may have grown stronger but not even he can face them alone!"

Tsunade shouted at the leader of the Hawk Faction.

"HE ISN'T ALONE, YOU STUBBORN OLD JACKASS! HE HAS AN ENTIRE ARMY AT HIS BECK AND CALL THAT COULD BE ON THEIR WAY HERE RIGHT NOW!"

The three elders were astonished from the Hokage's revelation but for Danzo it was only for a brief moment.

"An army?!"

Sakura nodded.

"Yes! I've seen it with my own eyes! He has an army of at least thirty thousand soldiers! All of them are well trained and are armed with weaponry the likes of which we've never even seen before!"

Homura and Koharu looked at each other before back at their colleague.

"Danzo, perhaps it would be best-"

The leader of Root interrupted Koharu before she could finish her sentence.

"It doesn't matter! Whether or not he has an army is irrelevant! Once we capture him, we'll use him to stand them down! They won't risk the safety of their leader with an attack on the village!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"There is so much you fail to understand."

Danzo narrowed his eye from Vader's preluding statement.

"Meaning?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You are not the one who holds the advantage here, old man. I do with or without my forces!"

Danzo retorted.

"This Force power of yours along with the Kyuubi's power will not save you! If anything, your reliance on that demon's power only proves that you are still a hopeless puppet for yet another master!"

'HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!'

Sakura's head perked up as she could hear a dark ominous laughter from inside Vader right before the armored cyborg gave his own retort.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I serve no one!"

Sakura shuddered as a long streak of lightning pierced the stormy clouds behind Vader. Sensing his thoughts being consumed with the need and desire to kill. Which is why she panicked when she saw Tsunade step away from her group and got in between both him and the old war hawk.

"No! This has gone far enough!"

The Sannin looked at the Root leader.

"Danzo, I won't let your single minded authoritarian stubbornness be the doom of this village or ruin its only chance to try to redeem itself for all the terrible mistakes it's made with this boy! He has more than suffered enough! Now, I'm going to give you one chance to withdraw or so help me….I will end you right here and now!"

She cracked her knuckles while Kakashi and the others got behind her.

Danzo glared at them and was about to order his men to strike first before Vader suddenly raised his right arm. Sakura panicked as she suddenly found herself being lifted up into the air much to everyone's confusion. Vader then threw her toward Tsunade and the others where thankfully Kakashi was able to leap up and catch her in his arms in time. Just after he landed back down; however, an energetic dome materialized out of nowhere and formed around their group.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I do not recall asking for you or your comrades aide, Lady Hokage!"

Tsunade and the others looked at the energy dome in which they were trapped.

"What is this thing?"

No one knew the answer to Kurenai's question. It was definitely some kind of barrier. It wasn't like any they've have witnessed from jutsus before. While the rest of them pondered however, Gai crouched down on knees.

"Only one way to find out!"

"GAI! WAIT! DON'T-!"

Gai then leapt up before the others could stop him and attempted to kick it with his Leaf Gale. Only for his leg to get shocked and burned from the barrier's touch. He fell to the ground and yelled with pain just as Kakashi and Asuma rushed to him and held him up while Tsunade immediately began applying medical jutsu to his injured limb.

"J-Just what the hell is this thing?!"

The dark lord answered the Taijutsu master.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I would not bother trying to perform any jutsus. That shield can withstand a great deal from even the likes of S-Class ones. And as I'm sure you have all just learned now that anything physical such as taijutsu is also futile."

After Tsunade finished patching up Gai's leg, the Hokage rose to her feet and called out to her subordinates.

"ANBU!"

Seconds went by as not a single one of them appeared. This only caused the Hokage to grow confused and uneasy as did the others. They should've been here already.

"Damn it! Where are they?!"

Meanwhile

Yugao fell to the ground with a grunt before losing consciousness. She and the rest of her squad all laid across the rooftop unable to move or let alone get back up on their feet. While at the center of all the defeated Anbu, stood the four men squadron known by their brethren as Obsidian Squad. They were also known for another title which they live up to proudly.

And that was the title of Vader's fists.

"I'd say that went pretty well."

Fives agreed with Echo.

"Yeah, but it still wasn't easy trying to get the jump on these guys. Anbu are no joke when it comes to trying to catch them off guard."

Hevy just finished putting binders on the last of the Anbu before he nodded to his captain who then contacted their leader.

"The Hokage's Anbu have been taken care of, my lord. Bound and neutralized."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Including the ones that were inspecting the monument?"

Rex confirmed.

"Yes, sir. All of them are down."

"Good work, captain."

Rex looked toward the cemetery.

"What about the Root Anbu, my lord? Shall I call in for more troops or have a few of my men provide you with back up?"

"No, I will face them myself. Just make sure to keep any more shinobi out of the cemetery."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"As you wish, my lord."

Rex looked at his brothers who were all having the same thought as Hevy would voice it out.

"I almost feel sorry for them."

Konoha Cemetery

Vader looked at the Hokage and her trapped shinobi.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Unfortunately, your Anbu will not be joining us Lady Tsunade."

They gasped as did the elders with fearful looks on their faces while Danzo's eye narrowed.

"You didn't…..tell me you didn't!"

Vader answered the medical chuunin and former teammate of Uzumaki.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"They are still alive. For now."

Sakura exhaled in relief and the others were also glad to hear that but their current situation was still rather dire as Vader turned his attention back to Danzo and the elders.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Now then who wishes to be the first to fall before me?"

Tsunade and everyone else trapped with her looked towards Danzo with little hope that he would do the smart thing and stand down now before it was too late.

Unfortunately, he did the exact opposite and sneered at the dark lord.

"Your arrogance will be your undoing, Uzumaki! We still have you completely surrounded!"

Sakura's face contorted into horror.

"Oh god!"

Danzo made the absolute worst mistake by calling him by his former name again. She knew better than anyone else there as she felt Vader's anger pulsating and radiating inside him like an unstable storm that made the one above them seem like nothing. She watched as he reached for his saber hilt and pulled it out before igniting it.

KURRRRRRR!

Steam could be seen rolling off the blade from the rain drops as he bathed in its red glowing radiance.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"All I am surrounded by is fear. And dead men."

Danzo's eye glared before he gave the order to his men.

"Take him!"

Many of the Root Anbu then leapt upward before chucking out their kunai with ninja wire attached to them. The metal daggers however were cut down as Vader twisted his body around while slashing his saber through each of them. As the hot pieces of metal fell to the wet earth, Vader jumped up high into the air. Far above Danzo's men as they tried to unsheathe more kunai. Unfortunately, they were not fast enough though as Darth Vader descended upon them. Slicing and cutting his way through each and every airborne Anbu.

When Vader finally landed back on the ground with his saber held at an upward angle, pieces of the Root agents fell and landed in a heap of sliced up sizzling flesh.

The dark lord slowly looked up to see more of Danzo's agents in front of him. He could sense the fear inside them building up just as he suspected it would. He knew that old fool was not as efficient in training them to suppress their emotions as he egotistically thought he was.

But even if he were it would not change the outcome.

Vader rose up and slowly approached the doomed Anbu as they threw more kunai at him. A tactic that was blatantly proved to be useless again as he held his saber up and sliced through them like before with small precise strokes. While that was happening, several other Root Anbu leapt up behind with tontos raised high. However, the cyborg simply reached out with his free hand and grabbed them with the Force before he suddenly swung the Anbu to right in front of him.

Using their bodies as shields for the incoming kunai.

The Root Anbu ahead realized what he was doing and ceased their throwing but it was already too late, as many of their kunai already pierced and embedded themselves through their comrades' bodies. Their screams and their death throes lasting only for seconds before their bodies went limp. Having no further use of them Vader threw the fresh corpses into their comrades up ahead. Knocking them off their feet to the ground. While they struggled to get back up, several more Anbu appeared in front of Vader and leapt to attack him.

That was a fatal mistake they would learn too late.

Darth Vader began by slashing one Anbu deeply across the chest leaving a long sizzling cut. Another he cut in half right through the waist. One tried to stab him with a tonto but the dark lord just grabbed the shinobi by his shoulder and crushed it. The root agent screamed in agony but was cut short as Vader plunged his saber through his chest and out his back. Causing the man to gargle as he was unable to continue screaming. Another one came charging toward the cyborg, who responded by pulling his saber out of his comrade's corpse before sidestepping out of the way of the Anbu's strike and slashed his saber through his back. Severing his spinal cord and killing him as well. The dark lord didn't cease his momentum there though as he whipped his body around and swung his lightsaber right through another incoming Anbu's neck and beheaded him.

One by one they fell before him until he finally reached the Anbu he knocked down earlier to find they were already back on their feet. Vader stopped before raising his right gloved hand which caused the Anbu to get into defensive positions. When he only twitched his finger however, they tilted their heads in confusion before one of the many more Root agents rushing in called out to them.

"LOOK OUT!"

Their comrade's warning came too late unfortunately as a large gravestone suddenly soared fast through the air and bashed through each of their heads. Blood and brains spurting out everywhere as it did. The last Anbu managed to see it at the last possible second before the large slab of stone smashed into his face so hard that he flew with the stone right into the wall surrounding the cemetery.

CRUNCH!

A sickening sound was heard as the gravestone embedded itself into the wall with the Root Anbu's head completely crushed beneath it. His limbs could be seen twitching while blood seeped out through the newly formed cracks on the wall's surface into the wet dewy grass. His comrades paid no mind to his downfall though as several of them began rushing through hand signs.

"WATER STYLE: RAPID THUNDER WHIP JUTSU!"

The Root agents each stuck two of their fingers out to touch the falling rain droplets. As they did the droplets began to gather to their fingertips and combine together to form what looked like whips as given by the title of the jutsu. When they finished gathering all the water they needed, they cracked their jutsus at the dark lord who merely sidestepped and avoided each of their whipping strikes. One of them managed to hit a gravestone and cut it clean in two which didn't go unnoticed by Vader. They cracked their water whips at him again except this time Vader used his lightsaber for defense and managed to cut and sever each of their whips forcing the users to retract what was left of them back and gather more water to regenerate their jutsu.

Vader decided to take this chance to strike while they were preoccupied. Before he could attack them; however, he froze as he sensed that something was amiss. He then took his saber in both of his gloves before plunging it into the ground. Cutting through the dirt, all around himself, in the shape of a glowing sizzling circle. Moments after, he pulled his saber out just before several arms suddenly sprung out of the edges of the newly made circle. All of them twitching or shaking before going limp.

With their simple minded trap out of the way, Darth Vader turned his attention back to the water style users to find that they already regenerated their water whips again. Only this time there was another Root Anbu with them who was channeling lightning style jutsu into the whips thereby electrifying them. The former Sith Apprentice wasn't the least bit intimidated though as he held his saber at the ready.

One of the water users jumped up in the air before snapping his electrical whip toward Vader! Vader responded by holding his saber up to block the blow. But instead of cracking at his saber like earlier the jutsu wrapped around his saber's red glowing blade. After the Root agent landed he tried to pull with all his might in an attempt to disarm the dark lord's weapon. At the same time, his comrades stepped in and cracked their jutsu whips to try to entangle Vader in their electric coils.

To their surprise Vader managed to use his saber to defend himself yet again, despite the fact that it was still wrapped up by the first electrical whip, as each of their own whips wrapped around the laser sword. When all the whips became entangled on the red glowing blade, a tug of war began as all the Root agents pulled hard on their whips to try to rip Vader's saber from his grasp. It was far from an easy task though as the cybernetic former shinobi had an iron grip on his weapon and would not allow it to be taken. Darth Vader then sensed many more Root Anbu that were approaching behind him. Likely using this chance to rush in and attack while believing him to be distracted by the others.

Unknown to these fools was that he was far from so.

Vader took his right hand off his saber before he twisted his upper body around while shoving his free hand outward toward the cowardly Root Anbu and violently repelled them with a mighty Force Push. He turned back around where his left arm began to channel red electrical power that ran up to and ignited around his saber. At that moment, it conducted itself through the water whips and easily overtook the lightning style jutsu that was channeling through them. The water style users realized what was happening but failed to cancel out their jutsu in time before the lightning reached them instantaneously.

Horrible screams filled the air as the scarlet Force Lighting consumed them. What's worse was that it was amplified by their water whips which unfortunately still could not be cancelled out. Their skeletons could be seen glowing through their bodies due to the intense magnitude and shock of this dark Force technique.

Deciding it was enough, Vader raised his entangled electrified saber upwards before slamming the blade onto the ground! The impact caused large torrents of red Force Lightning to shoot outward from his saber and strike into the Root Anbu! Sending each of them flying high up into the sky. So high they could be seen disappearing into the storm clouds as their bodies faintly flickered from the aftereffects of the Force Lightning.

Before they disappeared completely.

Meanwhile, the other Anbu, who were pushed away, began picking themselves up. The first of them almost managed to get back on his feet before he was suddenly yanked off the ground and flew right into Vader's saber as it punctured out of his chest. The Root Agent's body arched in pain for a brief moment before the cyborg roughly pulled his saber out of the now lifeless corpse. Vader then suddenly vanished before appearing again right in the middle of the group of struggling Anbu.

Raising his lightsaber high as he proceeded to strike them all down.

While Vader was slaughtering the Root agents, the two elders could only look on with fear in their eyes. Fully realizing just how grossly they underestimated the Leaf's former jinchuriki and that the Haruno girl wasn't exaggerating at all about him. Danzo was the only one in the trio who had a mixed look of both annoyance and a bit of awe in the face of the strength, skill, and power Darth Vader has displayed thus far. A power that he sorely desired for the village and for himself. It would seem that he neglected to consider the other uses this jinchuriki had other than containing the village's Bijuu.

Making him wish all the more that his men were successful in capturing him those short years ago.

Close by in the barrier, Sakura and the others could only helplessly look on in silent horror as Darth Vader continued to mercilessly butcher the Root Anbu agents. Kakashi tried to use his Lightning Blade and other jutsu along with Asuma but none of their techniques had any effect. No matter how much they tried they just couldn't seem to find or hit any weak spots in it at all. Not even Kakashi's Sharingan could find anything and he even doubted that the Byakugan would be able to do better either considering that this shield wasn't made of chakra at all.

It would appear that Vader wasn't overstating about the durability and strength of this shield after all.

Despite these major setbacks, everyone inside wanted to put a stop to this. Even though most of them were ready to battle these Anbu to the death to defend Sakura and Vader earlier, not even they would've gone as far as to use the brutal methods the dark lord was employing in dispatching Danzo's men. It was complete overkill with the way he was finishing them off.

And if Vader is pushed far enough, it could mean that the village may be next to suffer his ruthlessness.

Sakura held her hands over her mouth as tears could be seen pooling out of her eye sockets. She couldn't take this. She didn't want to watch anymore but she did. She watched painstakingly as her former comrade and precious friend continued on with this merciless slaughter.

Cutting Anbu down one minute before using the Force to crush them and throw them around like broken toys that had no more use. Even employing that lightning attack of his again on several more members which afterwards left them as nothing more than smoldering corpses. It was all terrible sights to witness. But it wasn't just the horrific deaths of the Anbu that made this situation difficult to bear for young Cherry Blossom kunoichi.

It was also what she sensed from his mind as well.

A maelstrom of rage and unyielding hatred that continued to grow with each Anbu he killed. It was so shrouded in darkness that she wasn't even sure that she could still feel the dwindling light inside him from before. It felt like the only thing left inside him was the Darkside.

And his desire for retribution and vengeance.

"We have to do something!"

Everyone looked at Gai who was steadying himself up now that his leg was finally patched up.

"We can't just sit here!"

Asuma looked at the barrier around them.

"I don't think there's much we can do right now, Gai. Kakashi and I used some of our best jutsu and they did nothing. Plus, you saw what it did to your leg and besides…"

He looked back at Vader as he cut and smashed through an earth style wall jutsu before cutting down its user.

"Even if we do somehow get out, I don't think we would be able to stop him anyway."

Gai grunted in frustration knowing Asuma had several good points. Still, they had to do something to stop this. They could try tunneling under the barrier by either smashing through the ground or having Kakashi use an earth style jutsu but they didn't want to cause any more damage to the cemetery than its already sustained.

Speaking of Kakashi, the bowl cut haired jōnin looked at his longtime rival to see him staring wide eyed at Vader with looks of shock, horror, and disappointment. However, Gai suspected that the latter wasn't towards his former pupil. The Leaf's Noble Green Beast put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Kakashi,….I may not really understand at all what you're going through but I have a pretty good idea what you're thinking right now. It must be very difficult but it's not your fault. None of this is."

He looked at Gai with eyes full of unyielding doubt.

"This is my fault, Gai. All of it."

Tsunade was about to tell Kakashi he was wrong and that she was the one responsible until Sakura spoke up.

"No."

They all looked at her as she stood in the front of the group continuing to watch Vader's killing spree.

"There isn't anyone who's solely responsible for Naruto becoming…..like this."

She looked at them for brief moment in the corner of her eye before back at the dark lord.

"We all made mistakes with him. Each and every one of us. Add that with the customs, cruelty, and hypocrisy of our village, it's no wonder that he ended up like this!"

They all looked down with regret and shame from the kunoichi's harsh but very truthful words.

"We all made him this way!"

She couldn't hold her tears back any longer and cried.

"And he's going to kill them all to prove it!"

Shizune and Kurenai saw how much Sakura was hurting. They both figured that she shouldn't have to watch anymore of this carnage but Tsunade stopped them before they could do anything. Shaking her head and letting them know that it was no use and that the girl was determined to watch this to the very end.

Kurenai looked at Sakura with pity and empathy.

'Poor child.'

WHAM!

They were all broken out of their thoughts when one of the Root Anbu slammed into the ground right in front of the barrier. Everyone inside watched as Vader approached the struggling Root agent while eviscerating another one who attempted to attack him. He wasn't alone though as more of his comrades came rushing toward the dark Force user in an attempt to overwhelm him.

The Anbu in front of the barrier threw a kunai out toward Vader who merely grabbed it with the Force. Vader then noticed something attached to the blade's handle that was sizzling like a fuse. Realizing what it was, he used the Force to throw and direct the kunai towards the other Anbu who all managed to barely dodge its lethal blow but were each cut by the knife in their clothing before it flew high into the air and exploded from the paper bomb attached to it.

The Anbu were about to resume their attack until they all noticed that smoke was rising up from their clothing. When they looked down, their unseen eyes all widened in shock to see that in actuality the kunai from before cut through their pouches that held all their paper bombs! All of which were on fire that were undoubtedly set by the fuse of that other bomb and they were burning up fast! The Root Anbu all frantically tried to unhook their pouches but it was too late. For when the first paper bomb detonated it set off a chain reaction that completely obliterated all the Root Anbu along with the surrounding graves and soil.

As the debris and bits of flesh fell to the wet soil, Darth Vader slowly turned around to the lone agent that stood in front of the barrier who was whizzing through hand signs before he slammed his hand onto the ground.

"UNDYING GRUDGE JUSTSU!"

A ring of red chakra suddenly formed around Vader before expanding itself across the cemetery. The hollow grounds then began to rumble and shake which caught the dark lord's attention. Hundreds of rotting decayed hands burst out of the various gravesites around him before their owners fully dug themselves out. They were all citizens and shinobi of the village that were no doubt being animated by the jutsu and judging by the looks of their decayed forms were not fully alive either.

The others inside the barrier were shocked at this display as Tsunade voiced her outrage.

"DANZO! YOU TAUGHT YOUR MEN TO USE TECHNIQUES LIKE THIS ONE?! YOU KNOW ANY JUTSU THAT ENSLAVES THE DEAD IS FORBIDDEN AND UNFORGIVABLE!"

Danzo looked annoyingly at the Hokage.

"There is no such thing as forbidden on the battlefield, Princess Tsunade! There is only doing whatever is necessary to achieve victory!"

Homura and Kotetsu felt like old age was truly getting the best of their eyesight for they didn't recognize this reanimation jutsu at all.

"Danzo, what kind of reanimation jutsu is this?"

The Warhawk answered the old council woman.

"It is an Earth Style jutsu that works by absorbing a small amount of the target's chakra and exuding it into the soil where it calls forth and raises up those that have been felled by that very target."

Homura and Kotetsu looked concerningly at each other over their former teammate's usage of a terrible jutsu such as this one while Danzo turned his attention to Vader.

"You may as well surrender, jinchuriki! This jutsu will last as long the dead's grudge against you remains unsatiated. It can only be undone if they kill you or if the caster undoes it which he will never do!"

Sakura and some of the others were confused.

"What do you mean grudge against him?! He's never killed anyone from our village other than your men!"

Tsunade and Kakashi's eyes narrowed.

"It's not Vader that these dead shinobi hold a grudge against."

Sakura looked at the Copycat ninja still bewildered until Gai's eyes widened at the zombified corpses.

"Wait,….I recognize some of these shinobi! They all died from the Kyuubi's attack fifteen years ago!"

Kurenai and Asuma realized that Gai was right. These were in fact the same shinobi that fell before the demonic kitsune on that terrible night many years ago. In fact, upon closer examination, Kurenai recognized one of them as she gasped with wide disheartened eyes.

"F-Father?!"

One of the corpses approaching Vader was indeed her dear beloved father. Who told her to stay behind and protect the villagers while he and many other brave shinobi fought against the Kyuubi to buy them time. Tears began to drip from her ruby eyes while she growled under her breath at this unforgivable act.

"Damn you, Danzo!"

Outside the barrier Darth Vader stood his ground as the countless number of reanimated corpses encroached on him. He struck out with his saber and slashed through one of them and then the other two next to it before whipping around and smashing another one's head to pieces with his gloved fist. More of them kept on coming while he continued cutting down their rotting bodies. Their sheer numbers made it difficult to keep them at bay however, as they began to pile on top of him to the point where they completely covered him. The others inside the barrier could only look on helplessly at this horrific sight while Danzo smiled over the jinchuriki finally being subdued.

His grin didn't last long however as the massive hordes of undead Leaf shinobi and villagers were suddenly repulsed away by the dark Force wielder. Sending them flying everywhere and smashing into pieces upon whatever they impacted into. Vader then jumped high into the air and brought his fist up before he descended and slammed it into the ground! Creating a shockwave that obliterated all the animated corpses that were near its epicenter and blowing away those that were further from it. Vader then stood up and held his arm out and closed his hand into a fist. Upon so, all the zombified villagers and shinobi exploded into a putrid mess of rotting flesh, puss, and bones.

However, Darth Vader noticed that the pieces of all the corpses he's slain were starting to crawl and move on their own before reattaching and sewing themselves back together. It looked as if the undead beings were regenerating themselves. A theory that proved to be true as once again he was surrounded by the reconstituted undead.

Vader held his lightsaber high at an angle where it began to glow and flare with a coat of red chakra before he swung it horizontally. When he did, all the chakra in his saber gather into a large wide arc created from his swing that shot outward and sliced through all the zombified corpses. Reducing them into pieces again.

Asuma gasped with wide eyes. He knew that was no ordinary chakra enhanced attack. He wasn't the only one shocked as some of the others looked at him with their own stunned eyes.

"Asuma, was that…"

The son of the late Third Hokage looked at the Green Beast of the Leaf and slowly nodded.

"Yeah,….it was."

Sakura looked at them confused.

"What are you talking about? What kind jutsu was that?"

Asuma answered.

"That was a Wind Style chakra attack."

Meanwhile outside their barrier, Danzo's eye narrowed at the chakra nature that was consistent with the technique.

'So, he does possess the same chakra nature that I do. It's amazing how he's completely mastered using it in such a short amount of time.'

However, it was of little consequence since all of the undead Leaf villagers and shinobi begun regenerating themselves again. While that was happening, Vader turned back toward the Anbu and used his enhanced speed to instantly appear next to him. Where he proceeded to grab him by the back of his skull with his right hand and lifted him up.

HOOOOOPUUUUURRRRR.

"You will undo your jutsu, now!"

The man looked down at the dark cyborg and replied.

"I'll die before I undo the jutsu! And if I do, it will still continue to last until they all tear you limb from limb!"

Vader growled at the Anbu's resistance. As a result, he slammed him face first into the barrier! Sakura and the others inside backed away in shock as they watched the Anbu struggle and scream in bloodcurdling pain as the right portion of his mask burned away along with his face underneath it.

"Revoke your jutsu now or suffer! The choice is yours!"

HOOOOOPUUUUURRRRR.

Vader pressed him harder into the barrier and the man screamed louder in high pitch as his face continued to broil and roast more. Sakura felt like she was going to be sick as she watched half of the man's face becoming scorched and burned right in front of her to the point that his skin melted off. Even the older and more experienced shinobi trapped with her found this hard to stomach as they watched the dark lord torture the agent in such a merciless and gruesome way.

Finally having enough of the man's torture, Sakura shouted at Vader.

"STOP IT! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT HE WON'T BE OF ANY GOOD TO YOU IF YOU TORTURE HIM LIKE THIS?! PLEASE STOP AND LET HIM GO!"

Vader looked at her for a few moments and then back at the Anbu in his grasp before he pulled the man away. The Root agent continued to yell and gasp from the horrible pain of half of his face being burnt off. Vader lifted his sizzling charred face up to his mask as the Root Anbu fought through the intense pain of his ghastly injury to speak.

"Y-You may as…well….k-kill me because…..I-I won't do it. They will….s-seek out and-d….d-d-destroy….the one…who bears…most….of their s-s-s-slayer's chakra!"

The fallen member of Team 7 looked at his former comrade who was still looking at him with pleading eyes to release the man.

HOOOOOPUUUUURRRRR.

"As you wish."

Darth Vader then dropped the man to the ground before he held up and closed his left gloved hand into a fist where it became imbued with the red chakra of the Nine Tails. He then stretched forth his hand and channeled the chakra into the Anbu, who reacted by thrashing around in pain from feeling the demonic kitsune's destructive evil essence entering his body. This lasted for only half a minute but for the Anbu it may as well have been an eternity of agonizing torture.

When Vader finally lowered his hand and ceased the transfusion of the demon's chakra, he grabbed the Anbu and threw him towards the zombies. The Anbu could just barely look up due to the unimaginable pain he was in, but when he did he was both confused and horrified to see that all the undead shinobi and villagers weren't going after Vader anymore but instead were coming for him!

"W-Wait….Wait s-s-stop! S-S-STOP! STO-ARGH! ARGHOACOCHACH!"

The man could only release a gargled scream of terrible agony as the reanimated corpses piled on him and tore him to pieces. Sakura looked at Vader in shock as the dark lord spoke to her in a callous tone.

HOOOOOPUUUUURRRRR.

"I did as you asked, Cherry Blossom. I let him go."

Sakura would've given a response but instead she could only turn away, so she wouldn't have to watch the Anbu being slaughtered by these undead monstrosities. She felt her stomach drop from still listening to his awful, gargled, screaming pounding in her eardrums. Then there was suddenly no screams at all but dead silence. When she looked back, her emerald eyes were wide with both disgust and horror as she watched all the zombies backing away from what was the bloody torn up remains of the Root agent. Shortly before they all began disintegrating into dust that was swept away by the stormy wind.

Kurenai's father was the only one left despite the fact that he was slowly withering away as well. He stared at his daughter who stared right back at him through the barrier. How she wished he were his old self right now so she could say all the things she wanted to say before he died.

Their brief and silent reunion was cut short however when Darth Vader flicked his wrist and threw him with the Force into the barrier. Where upon impact he completely disintegrated much to Kurenai's horror. She and the others looked at Vader in complete shock as he looked back at them with his emotionless and ominous mask.

HOOOOOPUUUUURRRRR.

Vader turned away as Kurenai grit her teeth and her face scrunched up with tears running down from her ruby eyes while Asuma tried to comfort her.

Sakura grit her teeth too but only out of how useless she was being right now. Her body shook as her brain racked around desperately with trying to figure a way out of here and stop this brutal massacre. Tsunade noticed her struggle and understood her plight but she hoped that Sakura wouldn't try anything foolish, for any hasty actions right now would likely result in deathly consequences.

Outside the barrier, Danzo was growling angrily due to the failure of one of his top men. The fool gave away too much information about the jutsu and Vader exploited it by using its greatest strength against them. Yet not even Danzo expected the jinchuriki to be able to transfer the Kyuubi's chakra into another person like that. But there was no reason to be concerned, as he still had plenty of agents left and Vader surely had to be growing tired at this point.

A notion that was about to be proven wrong as Vader continued his onslaught by snatching several Anbu with the Force before pulling them over and slashing through all of them with a single strike from his lightsaber. Leaving their cut up bodies and even severed heads to tumble to the ground before he turned his attention to Danzo and the two elders.

HOOOOOPUUUUURRRRR.

He marched heavily through the wet dewy grass with the lightning once again flashing over his armor.

Within that instant, smoke exploded all around Vader which forced him to halt in his tracks. When it cleared it was revealed to be more Root Anbu. At least two dozen or so in this group and they were all armed with kunai, tontos, kusarigamas, senbon, and various other weaponry.

Needless to say, the dark lord was getting annoyed by their foolish persistence at this point, so he responded by lifting his left glove and flexed his fingers. Upon doing that, all of the Root Agents' weapons suddenly flew out of their hands. When he stretched his fingers outward, the weapons turned on their owners and proceeded to stab and cut into their flesh causing the Anbu to all roar and scream in pain before dropping to the ground dead with their own weapons sticking and skewing right into their now fresh corpses.

Vader proceeded through the piles and heaps of bloodied dead Root agents towards their leader once again until more of his servants suddenly descended upon him with jutsus at the ready to attack. Darth Vader didn't even bother to look up at them as he raised his left arm and closed his glove into a fist. The Anbu then poofed into nothing but logs revealing to be substitution jutsus. The towering dark cyborg then stood as still as a statue. His lightsaber humming and steaming from the heavy downpour of rain.

Then without warning Vader took his blade in both gloved hands and struck out with a horizontal strike to his right. Followed by a downward angled slash to his left. Then he turned and stabbed through the air towards his backside. Lastly, he then struck his right hand out before lifting his arm up and began squeezing with his fingers.

No one understood what was going on and some thought Vader was going berserk like a mad dog. That was until several dead Root agents materialized out of nowhere on the ground around him. One had his gut split open. Another had a deep diagonal cut down his chest and abdomen. The last one had a glowing sizzling hole right in the middle of his mask that cauterized within seconds just like the fatal wounds of the other Anbu.

Everyone's eyes then drew upward to see another Root agent who was struggling within the dark Force user's grasp.

The Anbu could barely thrash about as he felt his throat being crushed. His windpipe could be heard cracking and snapping as Vader's glove squeezed harder. The Anbu looked down at the dark lord's mask. Seeing nothing in the black abysmal reflective eyes. Vader slowly raised his lightsaber upward. It's glow could be seen within the Anbu's own eyes behind his mask. Showing eyes that had fear and what almost looked to be a plead for mercy in them.

But even if that were true, Darth Vader had none for him.

Proving so as he plunged his saber through the man's chest, directly where his heart would be, and out through his back. The Root agent didn't bother to put up a fight or even let out so much as a gargled scream like the others. His body just simply and silently went limp.

Sakura winced at yet another Root Anbu being killed in cold blood. This whole situation was turning out to be a horrible nightmare and if she and the others didn't get out of here soon it wouldn't be too long before this nightmare may possibly spread to the rest of the village. She wasn't the only one in this line of thinking as Tsunade and the others were also getting anxious about finding a way out of here to try to stop this.

A goal that seemed impossible considering the shield containing them and the fact more Anbu appeared to block Vader's path to Danzo and the elders.

The dark lord ripped his saber out from his fresh kill and casted the body aside before he suddenly threw his lightsaber toward the other Root Anbu agents.

WHUR!WHUR!WHUR!WHUR!WHUR!

The red blade spun through the air like a saw that was ready to cut through all in its path. The Root agents all leapt away to avoid the saber's deadly touch but when they landed again, they were all cut off guard to find that the blade had followed them and was already spinning fast towards its first victim. The Anbu assassin didn't have a chance as it sliced his body in half through his waist. The blade didn't stop though as it still spun fast towards another agent who was caught off guard and ended up losing half of his head. It continued on its trajectory where it then cut through another one and then another after him.

It was literally mowing them all down.

The Root Anbu all tried to dodge or outrun the blade in its wide arced trajectory. To some of them, the lightsaber seemed almost like it was alive and eager to cut through them all when in reality it was being controlled. And its owner used this opportunity to proceed towards his quarry while the Anbu were being distracted and cut down.

Despite Vader's fierce attack though, some of the Anbu managed to avoid the fast and wide trajectory of his lightsaber. Those Root Agents decisively chose to attack the dark lord rather than help those of their comrades who weren't quite as lucky to escape from the saw like blade. Thinking that Vader would be defenseless without his saber which could mean that this may be their one and only chance to finally take him down.

A foolhardy notion on their part.

Two Root Anbu leapt at Vader from both angles at his front only to be lifted high into the air by his two gloved hands. Using the Force, he then brought his hands together and smashed the two servants of Danzo into each other so hard that their bones could be heard snapping and breaking. They both fell on top of each other, after he released them, without any movement or so much as a twitch which meant they were either unconscious or more likely dead.

Another one rushed toward Vader with a kunai in each hand and tried to stab at him. Each of his attacks missed as Vader easily dodged and evaded them as if it were child's play. Darth Vader then instantly grabbed the Anbu by his wrists and then gave a slamming headbutt with his helmet right into the Anbu's mask! Completely shattering it and leaving a bloody and bruised mark on the Anbu's forehead.

"AHHHHHH-AHOCK!"

The agent's painful screaming was silenced as Vader shoved both of the Anbu's wrists into his neck. Causing both of his kunai to pierce through it from both sides. Blood poured and spurt from his neck and mouth as the Anbu's eyes rolled back. Darth Vader let go of the man's wrists and walked passed him as he knelt on his knees with his torso slumped over with his own two kunai still embedded in his throat.

Vader didn't get far though before two more idiotic Root soldiers attacked him from the front and behind. The cyborg responded by swinging backhanded with his right fist toward the one in his front. Hitting him hard in the head with the back of his mechanical knuckles.

SNAP!

A loud snapping sound was heard due to the Anbu's head twisting around completely to where it was now facing the other direction. With him finished, Vader reached with both hands behind his helmet and managed to grab onto the head of his comrade just before the Anbu's attack could land. The Anbu struggled as the dark lord began to squeeze. It didn't take long before he started screaming from the intense pressure being applied onto his skull by Vader's large, gloved hands. The Anbu's mask began to crack like an egg. Blood started seeping out of his eye holes and the newly made cracks on his mask.

Sakura couldn't bear to watch as she looked away with her eyes shut from yet another Anbu's horrific death.

CRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAACK!

When she looked back, she saw the Root Anbu hanging limply from Vader's hands. His fingers slightly twitching with blood running down from the cracks of his mask. The dark lord roughly dropped this Anbu to the ground along with the rest and summoned back his lightsaber to him. Continuing toward the elders and Danzo.

With only one Root Anbu left in his way.

The Root soldier unsheathed a sword from his back, where he then took a peculiar stance. Holding his blade up before waving it around in a circle. Creating an afterimage of the sword and his arm as he did. Tsunade and the older shinobi in the barrier gasped as they recognized this technique.

"It can't be….Is that the Dance of the Crescent Moon?!"

Kurenai looked at the others as Gai stated what they were all thinking.

"That's Hayate's jutsu!"

Sakura looked at them a bit confused.

"Hayate? You mean the third instructor that was killed during the Chuunin Exams three years ago?"

Asuma nodded.

"Yes, this is the same technique as his!"

Kakashi's eyes narrowed as his Sharingan detected something off about this.

"No,….it's not the same as Hayate's!"

Everyone looked at the Copycat ninja as he explained what his Sharingan was picking up.

"His movements are slightly different than Hayate's. They're slower and he's channeling more chakra into the kenjutsu than Hayate ever had before."

Some of them were still confused.

"What does that mean?"

He answered Shizune.

"Just watch and we'll see."

They looked back to see the Root Anbu suddenly dashing towards Vader. Moving at such breakneck speed that his body began to leave afterimages of itself while he was in motion. Seven of those images suddenly split off from the original and took full form into shadow clones which surprised everyone in the barrier.

"Seven of them?! But Hayate only produced one when he used it!"

Kurenai's observation was correct which could only mean that the Root Anbu's version was much more advanced than Hayate's. They didn't know how it was possible since Hayate was one of the best swordsmen in the Leaf before his untimely death. As this new variation of their late ally's jutsu unfolded before them, Tsunade's eyes narrowed at the Anbu before turning toward Danzo with only a single question on her mind.

'How on earth did Danzo and his subordinate manage to copy and improve Hayate's technique? Hayate has only ever taught it to Yugao, so how does this Anbu know how to do it?"

One way or another, the Slug Queen knew that Danzo was going to have to answer for a lot of what transpired today.

Assuming of course if any of them and the village survive Darth Vader's wrath.

Her thoughts were interrupted when four of the same Anbu dashed around Vader so fast that they were literally forming a ring around him. Leaving more afterimages and smeared forms of their bodies as they did. Each of their blades started stabbing inward from the ring towards Vader at random and overwhelmingly complex intervals that anyone else would've been a shish-kabab by now.

Yet everyone was surprised to see the dark lord parry and block each striking blade with masterful precision and timing. Danzo however, smiled as the Root Agent and his other three copies, that were left outside the ring formed by the other clones, suddenly jumped high and fast through the air. Diving into the center of the circle towards Vader with blades held high preparing to strike while he was distracted with defending himself from the others.

SLUNK!SLUNK!SLUNK!SLUNK!

Most of the people that were witnessing this expected the Anbus' blades to have connected with Vader's armor or even perhaps a bit of his flesh. Instead, their swords only pierced and sunk into the wet soil. The Root Anbu and his clones looked around as did the ones that ceased their circular formation. Confused and on edge as to where Vader had gone.

SCURRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

POOF!POOF!POOF!POOF!POOF!POOF!POOF!

Without any warning, a red flash of light screeched its way through the clones. Causing each of them to poof into smoke. When the last one poofed away the red flash halted in front of the final and original Root Anbu. Creating a small but powerful gust of wind that blew into him forcing him to shield his eyes. When he lowered his arms he found that he was alone without any of his clones and that he was also staring up at Darth Vader who towered before him.

The Root Agent began to tremble and slowly backed away from the dark lord. He looked over his shoulder to his master with a desperate pleading look to call in reinforcements. Only to receive a glare that was overwhelmingly full of disgust and anger toward his cowardice and lack of emotional suppression. The Root agent knew he couldn't back down now as the consequences would be worse than death itself. He dug up whatever strength he had to resuppress his fear and other emotions and lashed out at Vader once more with his sword.

SWACH!

ARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

Vader responded by simply hacking off the Root soldier's right arm off. The Anbu held onto the cauterized stump in pain before he was suddenly lifted into the air and started choking! He looked and saw Vader raising his left arm with his fingers curled inwards. The Root agent struggled to breathe but found it harder and harder as Vader flexed his fingers inward more. He could hear and feel his windpipe slowly being crushed by the Force wielder's unseen power.

The two elders reacted in horror as they watched the levitating agent choking to death in front of them while Danzo disregarded the sight as just another complete waste.

The Root agent meanwhile was barely struggling anymore. The pain he was feeling from both his now amputated arm and from his throat being crushed was more than he could stand. He was ready to die and in fact he wanted death if only to stop the pain.

So, Darth Vader granted it when he closed his fist.

SNAP!

Another sickening snap reverberated through the cemetery from the Root soldier's throat being completely crushed. The dark lord then shoved his arm outward with his palm open which threw the servant of Danzo fast through the air. Soaring far and high into the village until his corpse disappeared from sight below the rooftops.

Darth Vader then tilted his helmet down. Turning his attention back to the two cowering elders and the glaring Danzo. He gripped his lightsaber hard in one hand and held it a low angle.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"All too easy."

He marched toward them once again with a dark determination to end this little game of theirs once and for all.

Meanwhile the captives in the barrier were getting more restless. Especially Gai who's not used to sitting around and doing nothing. He looked at the others and the Hokage and noticed that Tsunade looked like she was wrestling with a difficult decision. Shizune noticed it too as she always recognized that look on her shisou's face.

"Kakashi,….were getting out of here via one of your Earth jutus."

The squad leader of Team 7 looked at her stunned as did the others.

"But Tsunade-sama, the graves…..."

The Slug queen looked at the son of the Third Hokage who had a well warranted look of concern on his face.

"I know Asuma, but we can't afford to remain trapped in here any longer! Too much blood has already been spilt and as much as I don't like those old backstabbing fools, I'm not about to let them and the village just die! We have to put a stop to this here and now! The Leaf and its people are top priority! Even over respecting the dead and fallen!"

Tsunade took a deep breath and exhaled.

"I can't use my strength because it will cause too much damage which is why Kakashi has to be the one to tunnel us out! I'll take full responsibility!"

Sakura closed her hands into fists over how infuriated she was with herself. She felt so useless again. Everyone was trying to figure a way out and she spent almost the whole time just feeling helpless and fragile while Vader slaughtered those Anbu. She had to find a better plan of getting out of here than further defiling the graves in the cemetery.

The medical kunoichi looked around but didn't see anyone or anything controlling the shield that was containing them. Even so her eyes kept madly dashing around trying to find what could be generating it. It wasn't like it appeared from nowhere out of thin air.

'Out of thin air….'

Sakura's eyes widened in ascertaining where the shield might be coming from. She looked to where it was first projected but didn't see anything there. However, there was another method to use other than just her mere eyesight. So, she closed her eyes and remembered to clear her mind. She didn't focus on their situation or Vader getting ready to kill the elders. She only concentrated on sensing her surroundings with the Force. Trying to feel anything that was out of place.

While she was doing that, Kurenai asked a very important question that everyone else was thinking.

"What do we do once we get out, Lady Hokage?"

She looked at them all before back at Vader and answered Kurenai's question.

"I'll try to reason with him one more time, but if that doesn't work…we'll have to fight him!"

The faces of the veteran shinobi there grew more unsettled and rightfully so. After what they have just seen Vader capable of against Danzo's men, they knew that fighting him wasn't going to be easy. In fact, it very well could cost them their lives.

But if it's to protect the village then they would gladly make that sacrifice.

However, Asuma looked to Kurenai and whispered something in her ear.

"If things don't go well, I want you to get out of here and try to get the villagers to safety."

Kurenai looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes.

"I'm not about to cut and run while you all risk your lives!"

Asuma looked at her more serious.

"It's not just about protecting yourself, Kurenai!"

His eyes looked down at her abdomen which she covered with her hand before looking back up at her to which she sighed and nodded.

With their matter being settled, Gai placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

"You ready for this, Kakashi?"

The Copycat ninja nodded.

"Yeah, just give me some room to prepare my jutsu."

Gai looked at him more earnest.

"That's not what I meant."

Kakashi looked out at the dark armored lord. Someone who was once the son of his sensei, whom he was charged with teaching and protecting. Someone he grew to care for and who proved to be so much like his dear friend Obito. That boy who had the same dream of becoming Hokage as Obito. The very same boy that he ended up failing just like everyone else he cared about.

He wearifully looked at Gai.

"I know."

The Leaf's Noble Green Beast nodded. He wished that Kakashi didn't have to do something as soul breaking as facing his former pupil as an enemy. If it were Lee, Gai wasn't sure he would've been brave enough to do it even if it was for the good and safety of the village. However, he knew that Kakashi was strong enough to face this challenge.

He just hoped that they were all strong enough to overcome it.

Gai then stepped back while Kakashi was about to go through the hand signs needed for an Earth jutsu. Before Kakashi did even a single one, the barrier around them suddenly flickered. They all looked around them as the energy walls began fluctuating and wavering. Everyone then noticed Sakura reaching her arms up over her head.

"Sakura?!"

The Cherry Blossom kunoichi grunted as she tried to pull her arms away from each other. Almost looking like they were struggling to separate something. As the young kunoichi's arms slowly pulled further apart, the shield fluctuated more violently and looked like it was losing its integrity. Shizune then noticed something with narrowed eyes that was outside above the shield.

"What's that?!"

Everyone's eyes drew to where she was pointing to see something that was sparking and materializing above the shield. When it fully formed, they all gasped to see that it was another metal creature just like the one that appeared earlier. Except this one was different. It was much larger and bulkier and its eyes were also of a different color as these ones were blue instead of red. Various parts of the creature's body were bursting into sparks.

Everyone then looked down toward Sakura and watched as she roared while pulling her arms completely away from each other. When she did, the droid's body was completely pulled apart into two halves! Destroying it and dissolving the shield in the process.

Darth Vader stopped as he turned to see the shield was down and the two halves of the prototyped shield droid both falling from its stationary position.

With the barrier down, Tsunade and others prepared to step in but Sakura rushed ahead without them. Leaping high and far into the air much to their surprise and protest before landing right between Vader and his quarry. Holding her arms out and taking her stance right in front of him.

"STOP IT!"

Leaf Village, A Few Seconds Earlier

Shikamaru didn't like this. It's been a while since they've heard anything from Lady Tsunade or her Anbu. Far too long in his opinion but their last orders haven't changed as he and his team were still continuing to help the villagers evacuate into their homes.

They've been at it for quite some time in fact. Scouting throughout the Leaf to make sure there weren't any stragglers still out in the streets or markets. It was starting to get a little tiresome but they still rather be doing this than running into that intruder again. None of them could still shake off the frightening encounter they had with him earlier.

Which was why they were trying to focus on doing their jobs.

"Shikamaru!"

The Nara teen looked up, while Ino and Choji were helping an elderly woman and her grandchildren into their home, to see Team Gai along with Team 8 jumping down from the rooftops.

"What's the status on the Lady Hokage?"

The pineapple haired jōnin answered Neji.

"I have no idea. We haven't heard anything since her first orders were given."

The other teams looked at him surprised.

"So, you haven't heard from the Anbu either?"

Choji answered while he and Ino finished up helping the elderly woman.

"No, we haven't and I'm surprised you guys haven't either."

They all pondered what was going on and what they should do when Tenten suggested an idea.

"Maybe we should go check in just to make sure things are alright."

The others thought the weapon mistress' suggestion was the right course to take but the look on the faces of the members of Team Asuma said otherwise.

"Under normal circumstances I would agree, but…..in this case…..I think the best course is to stick to our current orders until we hear otherwise."

They all looked at pineapple haired teen as to why he would be hesitant to go check in with the Hokage.

"Why's that Shikamaru? We're practically left in the dark with what's going on right now! The only thing we do know is that someone's infiltrated the village and we've been forbidden to fight and kick their asses out!"

Akamaru barked in agreement with his trainer and partner as did everyone else.

"Believe me, Kiba. After what me and my team just saw, I believe now that Lady Tsunade made the right call."

They didn't like the sound of that nor the look of dread and fear on Shikamaru and his teammates' faces.

"What do you mean what you saw? Does it have to do with that building that was destroyed?"

Shikamaru nodded to Shino.

"Yes, our…..guest was responsible for that."

Lee pumped up his fist.

"That fiend! We should track him down and stop him with the Power of Youth!"

Tenten and Neji sighed.

"Have you forgotten that we're forbidden to fight him unless it's to defend ourselves or the villagers, Lee?!"

The taijutsu user looked at the weapons mistress.

"Yes, but he destroyed a building! That has to count for attacking the village right?!"

Shikamaru answered.

"It was only one building, Lee. And it was still under construction which means that it was empty. It doesn't really count."

Lee lowered his fist.

"Oh…..but we still shouldn't let him get away with it!"

Kiba weighed in.

"Yeah, I agree! We can't let some outsider walk in and trash our village! Even if it's just one construction building!"

Hinata tried to calm Kiba down.

"K-Kiba, we shouldn't g-go against orders! We d-don't know who we're d-dealing with!"

Kiba looked at her with a smug grin.

"Doesn't matter! Anyone who messes with the Leaf is going to have to deal with me!"

Akamaru barked to where Kiba patted him on the head.

"Don't worry, I didn't forget about you boy!"

The Nara teen shook his head.

"Listen to me, Kiba. This guy destroyed that building without so much as lifting a finger. Hinata's right. We have no idea what he's really capable of. Lady Tsunade must have a good reason for ordering us all to stand down. She must know how dangerous this stranger is. So, we have to trust her!"

Kiba grunted before settling himself down.

"I guess you're right. You usually are, but still how dangerous could this one guy-"

CRASH!

The Inuzuka was interrupted when something smashed into the home of the old woman and her grandchildren that Shikamaru's team were helping! All three teams dashed toward her door and helped her and a few of her grandchildren out when they heard a scream inside. They all rushed in and found a little girl screaming in terror in the living room where a newly made hole was in the ceiling. When they looked toward the floor, they all saw an Anbu splayed across on their rug.

Shikamaru looked toward Hinata and Choji and gestured them to calmly get the girl out of here which they did without question. While they gently escorted her out, Ino began checking the Anbu's pulse. When she couldn't find it, she shook her head to the others and then began checking his injuries with her medical jutsu for a cause of death.

"Is it me or does this guy seem a little different than the Anbu's we normally see?"

Lee looked a little closer to determine Tenten's suspicion.

"No, you're right he does seem different than the others."

Lee than noticed the Anbu's right arm.

"His arm….it's gone."

Neji's eyes narrowed and even Shino's hidden face looked like it was perplexed.

"The wound looks cauterized. Like it completely melted off."

That was an astute observation by Ino but Shikamaru had another theory.

"Or it was cut off by something very hot."

Ino nodded in agreement before she finished her examination and revealed her findings.

"From what I can tell, this Anbu died from asphyxiation. His throat was completely crushed before he was thrown into this house. Strangely though, I can't find any bruise marks on the skin around the neck. It's almost like he was being choked to death without anyone physically grabbing his throat…."

She looked at Shikamaru who was thinking the same thing as her.

'Who in the hell are we up against here?!'

Konoha Cemetery

Sakura held her ground as she stood between Darth Vader and the Leaf elders. Tsunade and the others were about to dash right to her side but Sakura shook her head as a warning to them to stay back. Vader turned his helmet toward them. Even with his mask, it almost appeared like he was daring them to interfere. Tsunade hated this but she held her hand out for everyone to stay back as Sakura instructed.

Hoping that she would be able to handle this if they could not.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Stand aside."

Sakura looked right into the eyes of his mask as she refused to move.

"No, I'm not going to let you do this! I'm not going to let you kill anymore!"

Vader deactivated his lightsaber but still held onto it.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"That's not your decision to make. We both know that you cannot stop me!"

Sakura retorted.

"I did it before and…I-I'll do it again!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"The last time we fought, you barely survived while I was only but toying with you. Waiting patiently for Orochimaru to slither out of his hole."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"The last time…."

He took a few steps closer to her even though she still refused to budge.

"I was not even using half of my true strength!"

Sakura shuddered from that revelation as did everyone else. Even Danzo was surprised considering everything he heard from Sai's report. It left everyone thinking just how powerful was Vader truly.

And for everyone but Danzo on whether or not he could be stopped.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Besides…."

Vader looked past her to the elders and Danzo who was still glaring at them.

"They are the ones who sent those Anbu to their deaths as well as countless other shinobi of this village!"

He looked back down at her again.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Do you still not understand? Your life along with every other Leaf shinobi are all expendable to them when compared to the pitiful reputation and status of this worthless village!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"And knowing all of this, you would still die to protect them?"

Sakura didn't respond right away. Instead, she looked back over her shoulder at the two village elders and that stubborn old warmongering fool, Danzo. Feeling disgust and even downright hatred towards them even while knowing that Vader sensed those feelings in her.

"No. I'm not willing to die for them. But to protect the people of this village that I care about and to stop your hatred from consuming you and making you more into a killer…..I would."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You are unbearably naïve."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Every single person here with the exception of you is a killer. Those elders, the other jonin team leaders, your sensei, and even your beloved master along with her assistant have all killed people in the past."

He looked at Tsunade and the others as Gai was about to protest Vader's statement but Tsunade held her hand out to silence him.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Did you ever consider whether any of them have killed someone in combat who was only trying to protect their own comrades in battle? Tortured those with secret information that they were trying to keep to protect those that they cared about? Or even assassinated those who were innocent but their existence proved too much a threat to Konoha?"

He looked back at her.

"Tell me."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Sakura looked at them and saw that more than a few had subtle looks of guilt or shame on their faces. Meaning that Vader's words struck a chord with them and stirred up memories of past actions they would rather forget. She could sense those memories from each of them. Memories that filled her with confusion and turmoil.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Yes, you can sense their past, kunoichi. Their actions. The pain they inflicted on others. This is why the five great nations have fought and spied on each other for so long, that they resulted in using their own villages' children to host Bijuu."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"How many jinchuriki and others who were different, were left behind to be ignored and hated by their villages, only to be used and turned into killers and savages? How many innocents were killed and destroyed by those whose lives were ruined by these villages? All so that shinobi and their Kage leaders….."

Vader held his free hand out to her before closing it into a fist.

"Could play God!"

Sakura couldn't possibly know the answer to such a horrid question. There had to be hundreds maybe even thousands out there who were left to endure such torture and neglect from their own villages and their customs. Only to be turned into cold blooded assassins, killers, and even as far as murderous psychopaths.

She remembered years ago what Naruto told her about Haku, after their mission to the Land of Waves. How his mother was betrayed and slaughtered by his own father, because he and the other villagers feared those who possessed the Ice Style kekkai genkai. How afterwards Haku had to live alone and fend for himself until he was found by Zabuza, who took him in and trained him to be a killer and a loyal servant. Zabuza may have grown to care for Haku, but it still didn't change the fact that he made Haku become a killer, because he gave no other option for the boy.

Then there was Gaara. She could never forget how murderous and bloodthirsty he was during the chuunin exams. All as a result of his village hating and fearing him and his own father grooming him to be a weapon. Doing so by constantly trying to assassinate him and depriving him of all the simple pleasures and happiness in life. In fact, if Naruto hadn't fought and inspired him to change his ways, she was sure that Gaara would've still been obsessed with killing. He likely would have still been hated by his village and would never have even been chosen to become its Kazekage, if not for his unprecedented change in character.

Finally, there was Sasori whom she and Lady Chiyo fought during her mission to retrieve Gaara. During her recuperation in Suna, she learned that Sasori lost his parents to a Leaf shinobi known as the White Fang, who was also ironically Kakashi-sensei's father. He never recovered from that lost and grew socially distant from everyone, including his own grandmother. He resorted to focusing and obsessing over puppets. Which in turn led to his descent into the puppet wielding murdering psycho who became a member of the Akatsuki. If Sasori had not lost his parents, or at the very least received help from his village in recuperating from their loss, perhaps he never would have considered turning people into puppets, becoming a rogue ninja, and joining the Akatsuki.

And these were all people she's encountered in only just the last few years alone. Who knows how many more there are? How many others who have started out sweet and innocent like Naruto only to be turned into twisted dark versions of themselves by their very own villages?

While she was deep in that thought, Vader stepped closer to her.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Now, for the last time..."

He stopped till he was standing right in front of her at arm's length.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Get out of my way!"

Sakura didn't say anything at first. She just stood there looking down at the wet grass while the rain pounded on her being. Grass that was partially stained with the blood from the Root Anbu who were slaughtered. When she gave her response, it was something no one there expected.

"I agree with everything you say."

Tsunade and the others looked at her shocked and even Vader was surprised by her answer.

"Almost every village has caused people to suffer and become killers. Ours is no exception. This shinobi system of ours is broken and has allowed so many to become murderers and monsters. What we do to children, when we make them into jinchuriki, and how we deal with those who've suffered with loss and betrayal…it's not right. It's inhuman."

Tsunade and Kakashi looked down wearifully as did the jonin instructors for they all knew there was much truth to what the Cherry Blossom girl was saying.

"However, that doesn't mean we all have to define ourselves that way! It doesn't mean that we can't change…...And that includes you!"

She looked up at him with determined teary eyes.

"Killing doesn't have to be the answer and neither does revenge! You're better than this! You don't have to be what those people in that other universe made you! What this village has made you! What even your father has made you! You still have a choice! Iruka-sensei knew this and so do I! You still have a choice to be who you were before! To be Nar-!"

Sakura was interrupted as she sensed danger from the Force.

She whipped her head around to see a chain extending out towards her from Danzo! Before she could react, Vader grabbed her by the collar of her vest and threw her back towards the others, where Kakashi once again caught her. Darth Vader then grabbed the chain with his free hand and whipped it back around its user! Catching and entangling the Leader of Root before he suddenly began floating off the ground.

Vader brought the old war hawk to him and tapped him on the forehead with his index finger. The bandaged man suddenly poofed into smoke before it cleared away to reveal another one of his Root soldiers. Vader growled in annoyance before walking over to Sakura and the others while temporarily leaving the confused and shocked elders. The tangled Anbu levitated behind him while turning upside down.

He stopped a few feet from Tsunade's group as some of them were getting into defensive stances. He paid them no mind as he was only looking down at the Cherry Blossom girl, as Kakashi was helping her up on her feet. Sakura looked up and saw the tangled Anbu and immediately shook her head pleadingly to Vader as he reactivated his lightsaber.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You were unwise back there to have lowered your DEFENSES!"

The dark lord immediately slashed through the Anbu! Causing Sakura to loudly gasp in horror as his upper body fell and bounced across the ground till landed right in front of her. Tsunade and the others were stunned and speechless themselves at yet another display of Vader's mercilessness towards Danzo's men.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"How much longer do you intend to hide in the shadows while you gradually run out of men, Shimura?"

The cyborg tilted his helmet down and turned slightly to the direction of his left, where just a bit further past the elders, the leader of Root himself emerged from behind one of the trees.

"I must admit, Vader. I honestly didn't think you would make such short work of so many of my subordinates. I trained them to be perfect and to be clear of any and all distracting emotion. Yet, you bested them, all the same."

Vader fully turned to him.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"There was nothing 'perfect' about them. All you did was teach them how to be mindless drones and how to use a few modified stolen jutsus."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"What the girl said about you before was correct. You are just as arrogant and stupid as Orochimaru if not more so."

Danzo growled at the dark lord's insult. He still had a large reserve of men left but Vader doesn't even look the least bit tired or even intimidated. If he still has enough chakra and stamina to continue then Danzo would likely be just sending more men to die without any of them being able to successfully capture the jinchuriki.

If there weren't so many witnesses around, he could've just used his secret trump card to subdue the rogue jinchuriki.

It's discovery by either Tsunade and her followers or the other elders was not worth the risk though. He and his men could try using smoke during the battle to prevent any of them from seeing, but Vader would likely just disperse it or Kakashi would probably see through the smoke with his Sharingan. There was another option to be considered which was simply luring Vader away from the others, where he could then use his "technique" in subduing him. However, there was still too great a risk of Tsunade and the others following and finding out Danzo's secret if he did. It would seem that the only option was to try to overpower him before he has chance to attack or defend himself.

Besides, the leader of the Hawk faction has come too far to back down now. This was his re-opportunity to claim the power of the Kyuubi that was denied to him in the past. Furthermore, enough of his subordinates' deaths would do well to fully convince the Daimyo of the inability of Hiruzen's followers to effectively lead and protect the village from a dangerous threat that they have inadvertently allowed to roam free. That their weak softhearted nature placed the security and safety of the village in jeopardy.

With all this in mind he tapped his cane where once again the cemetery became surrounded with more Root Anbu. Many were crouched on tree branches or hiding in bushes while many others took battle stances out in the open. When Danzo was about to give the order to attack, Tsunade leapt in between Vader and him along with the others.

"THAT'S ENOUGH! AS THE HOKAGE, I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS MADNESS AND SENSELESS VIOLENCE TO CONTINUE ANYMORE!"

She then gave Danzo a vicious glare.

"And I swear that when this is over Danzo, one way or another you're going to pay for all of this! You're not going to sleaze your way out of this one!"

Danzo glared back and sneered.

"I was only acting with the best interest of the Leaf in mind! Something you are inca-"

Danzo was cut off as a kunai was suddenly held at his throat by Kakashi on one side while Asuma's trench knife was held to it on the other.

"If you're going to lie at least make it a more believable one, old man!"

Danzo's men all tensed up and were eager to come to the defense of their master, but were blocked off as Gai, Kurenai, and Shizune formed a protective circular formation around the three of them. They would've tried overwhelming them with their numbers, but one look from Kakashi kept them all at bay. Letting them know that if any of them made so much as a twitch, he wouldn't hesitate to dispatch their leader.

With Danzo taken care of, Tsunade turned her attention back to Vader while Sakura stood behind on her right.

Even now, she still couldn't get used to seeing what the dear Uzumaki boy has become, or what he's just done. She took a brief second to look at all the dead Root Anbu that were littered throughout the cemetery. They may have been in service of Danzo but not even they deserved this. She knows that he was technically defending himself from them but this was too far. She has to put a stop to this before her own shinobi and the village end up getting fully dragged into this conflict.

One way or another.

"Nar-…..Darth Vader,…I just…I just want to say…that I'm sorry. On behalf of the Leaf Village and of the previous Hokages before me, I apologize…for all the suffering and pain you had to endure here."

She looked down with half lidded eyes.

"It should never have been allowed to happen. Especially not to an innocent child like you once were."

Tsunade softly closed her eyes and gave a heavy sigh.

"Believe when I say this that if I could change any of it, any of what happened, to ensure you never would've ended up like this. That you would've been a happy carefree boy surrounded by people who love and cherish you so much that they would never lie to or leave you behind, no matter what, I would do it without a second thought. However,….."

She opened her eyes and looked at Vader with a hardened expression.

"I cannot allow you to endanger the village! Sakura told me of what happened to you, at the Valley of the End, and I fully understand your need for revenge but this is as far as it goes! I promise you that Orochimaru and Sasuke will both pay for what they did to you! They will face justice in the Leaf, you have my word but you have to give up this obsession for vengeance! I beg of you! I don't want to have to fight you gaki but if you insist on invading the Leaf then by my life I will stop you! I won't allow you or your army to harm or kill anyone in the village! It's my duty as the Hokage! The very same duty you once strove to have!"

She pointed at him.

"I really believed in you! I really believed that one day you would make it and become a future Hokage! But if you attack the village! If you attack everyone then that dream will be lost forever! Is that what you want?!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"That dream was and still is a non-regrettable loss."

The veteran medic was cut off guard by his statement. She scrunched her face, like she had just taken a blow, while turning her head to the side. She hoped beyond everything that it wouldn't come to this but seemed that the gaki really is too far gone.

Which means there was only one road to take.

"I really am sorry for what we've done to you! But now…you've left me now choice but to fight you to protect the village!"

Sakura looked at Tsunade surprised and didn't think she would actually resort to standing up to Vader. The dark lord himself took a couple of steps toward the two kunoichi. Tsunade tensed until she saw him deactivate his lightsaber. Giving her a little hope that she somehow reached and convinced him to stand down. Sakura, however; held her breathe as she felt Vader's power and his suppressed chakra rising up.

When the Cherry Blossom medic saw him raise his left arm with his palm facing up and forming a red Rasengan, she began to tremble with trepidation.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"Very well."

Everyone's eyes widened just as Danzo began struggling and screaming at them all.

"YOU FOOLS! ATTACK HIM NOW BEFORE HE WIPES US ALL OUT!"

Kakashi held his kunai closer to Danzo's throat to prevent his Root agents from getting any ideas. Sakura looked back at the red Rasengan to see that it was growing. Incredibly fast at that too. She remembered what happened when Vader last used this technique against Orochimaru. Her pupils shrunk when she recalled the long deep trench that was left from the jutus' wake and realized what the old stubborn warhorse was getting at.

She stepped in front of her master while shouting at the dark lord.

"YOU CAN'T USE THAT TECHNIQUE! YOU'LL DESTROY THE VILLAGE!"

Tsunade looked at Sakura alarmed to what she said, as did the others, while Vader responded to his former kunoichi teammate.

HOPUR.

"I told you many times before, so I will say it for the last time. I do not care one bit about the Leaf and its pathetic inhabitants. But you can be rest assured that this not the same technique from before. It will not affect the village and it is not nearly as destructive as the previous one."

The Rasengan then grew small enough to the point where it fit in Vader's gloved palm. He closed his fingers around it and red light could be seen glowing and seeping from between his fingers. A low vibrational whirring sound could also be heard coming from his glove. Neither of which settled everyone's nerves or made them worry any less as to what he was planning.

HOPUR!

"However, this jutsu is far more deadly!"

The vibrational humming sound was getting louder and the red light glowing from Vader's glove began shooting out from between his fingers into violently flickering beams. It was almost like whatever he was forming was desperately trying to get out of his grasp. Sakura's pupils shrunk and she held her breathe with a sharp intake. She could feel the Force beginning to shift around this entire area in almost like a premeditated and forewarning manner.

A warning of death.

HOPUR!

"Rasenstorm!"

Darth Vader then opened his palm where thousands of small red Rasengans sprung forth! Shooting and whizzing fast through the air in a chaotic and random manner. Almost like they were a swarm of angry bees flying around. It didn't take long before one of the Root Anbu there was struck by one of the small chakra sphere's. The Root agent fell from his perch on a tree branch and landed with a thud on the ground. When his body rolled over, his masked showed a hole that was burrowed through it and his face beneath. Leaving everyone else shocked and little time to react as the many other Rasengans gathered and closed in on them!

Acting on her instincts and the Force, Sakura whipped her body around and used it to push Tsunade and the others out of the cemetery!

Caught off guard by the kunoichi's actions, many of the veteran shinobi were barely able to land on their feet just before hitting the ground. Tsunade and her group were fine but the elders unfortunately where not quite as reflexive and Danzo used this chance to escape from Kakashi and Asuma's grip. The other shinobi didn't bother with him though as they all watched the thousands of Rasengans completely covering the cemetery in a giant tornado like formation! Making it impossible for them to get in without getting struck by the tiny but deadly chakra spheres.

And impossible for all the Root Anbu and Sakura to get out.

Screaming was beginning to be heard from within the swarming formation. It was a bit hard to hear it over the loud vibrational humming and buzzing, but it was definitely the Root Anbu who were no doubt being slaughtered by the flying spheres. Kakashi ran toward the construct and began preparing an Earth Style Jutsu to tunnel under and get Sakura out of there but Gai grabbed and held him back much to his protest.

"GAI! LET ME GO!"

Gai wouldn't budge even though he understood his friend's plight.

"I CAN'T DO THAT KAKASHI! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS! IF YOU GO IN THERE CHANCES ARE YOU'LL NEVER MAKE IT OUT ALIVE AGAIN!"

Kakashi still struggled.

"I CAN'T LEAVE HER IN THERE!"

Shizune looked at her master wandering what they should do.

"Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade gritted her teeth and looked back at the large swarm of flying Rasengans.

"Damn it!"

She didn't know what they were supposed to do. She had no idea how they were going to get in there and get Sakura and themselves back out alive. There had to be a smarter way to do it, but they didn't have the time to think of a plan. Not to mention the fact that Vader was also in there. Likely waiting for them if they did find a way back in.

It didn't seem like there was anything they could do but wait.

"You'd better not get yourself killed in there, Sakura!"

Meanwhile inside the red hued vortex of Rasengans, the Cherry Blossom kunoichi was busy inside trying to dodge and evade the rampant chakra balls that were whipping and flying around everywhere. Even with the Force guiding her, along with her trained athletic reflexes, it was extremely difficult due to the small size, speed, and unpredictable maneuvers of these spheres. What made it even more cumbersome though was the constant distraction of Root Anbu falling over dead with holes all over their bodies, from where they were hit by the pervasive chakra spheres.

This was just like the nightmare she had earlier in the hospital. Vader's slaughter of Root soldiers and the flying Rasengans left little doubt that the dream was coming true before her very eyes. It was just as Vader told her before. She was having visions of the future.

Which meant that there was still more from that vision to come.

Sakura tried pushing those thoughts out of her head as she just barely dodged another one of those flying chakra spheres. Her movements were very limited in here. She couldn't do backflips, leap into a tree for cover, or even so much as perform a substitution jutsu. There wasn't enough time and there were far too many of these Rasengans that could hit her if she tried any of them.

She really didn't think this all the way through.

The kunoichi saw several more spheres heading right toward her, so she reacted by twisting her body around each of them. Unfortunately, she wasn't watching her feet and tripped over a corpse. She used her hands to break her fall just in time to spot another one rushing in her direction! She ducked under it at the last second and rolled across the damp soil. She then crouched low to make herself less of an open target.

Suddenly, a bloodied hand grabbed into her arm. She gasped in shock to see that it was a Root Anbu who was littered with holes. His own hand, which was grabbing onto her, was missing a few fingers that were likely lost when he was barraged by these spheres.

"H-Help…..me!"

Sakura knew she couldn't just leave him. Even if he does serve that awful bastard, Danzo, he doesn't deserve to be left to die like this. Also, she didn't have to worry much about him turning on her and attacking. Not with how injured he looked. So, she wrapped his arm around her shoulders and lifted him up while still trying to keep low to the ground.

"T-Thank you."

Sakura looked at him.

"You can thank me by remembering what I did for you here today and to not try to kill me or my friends in-"

Sakura was interrupted when a Rasengan suddenly shot through the Anbu's head! Killing him instantly. His body dragged her to the ground where she laid in shock for a few moments. She took a quick breath to snap out of her stupor before crawling away from the Anbu she vainly tried to help.

THUD!

She gasped as another one dropped dead right in front her. Causing her to leap up in surprise. A rookie mistake when a Rasengan soared toward her head on her left. She ducked underneath it's trajectory only to find another speeding towards her face!

She froze.

She couldn't evade this one. There wasn't enough time as there was only just a couple of feet of distance between them. She basically put herself right in its path and now she was helpless.

Suddenly, she felt an arm grab hold of her waist and hoisted her off the ground! She gasped in surprise as her body was suddenly pressed into something hard and leathery. She looked up in shock to see that it was the tall dark stature of Darth Vader.

HOOOOOPUUUUUURRRRR.

"Don't move."

Sakura was stunned by Vader's actions. The Cherry Blossom couldn't believe that the dark lord once again saved her life. This time even from his own technique. She would've been happy and hopeful that there was indeed still the old Naruto left inside him but her eyes caught several more Rasengans heading in their direction from behind Vader!

She looked toward the tall cyborg who made no effort to move or evade their path. She was about to warn him when suddenly the chakra sphere's dispersed from hitting them at the last moment to seek out other targets. Sakura was confused and noticed that the other spheres were avoiding hitting them also. It was almost like they had minds of their own and they were being selective of their targets.

Or more likely they were being controlled.

Sakura looked up at Vader again with realization that he was controlling them! Somehow he was using his mind and the Force to direct the flight path of all these Rasengans as well as their targets. It was unreal that he was able to control so many of them at once.

It was incredible.

However, the screams of all the dying Anbu around them woke her out of her bewilderment. She slowly turned her head as her emerald eyes became engulfed with horror. Watching all of the rest of Danzo's men being struck and pierced by Vader's technique. Some of them tried putting defensive jutsu's or even tried using their best attacks to try to wipe out the small deadly chakra spheres. But in the end their jutsus had no effect and they ended up punctured with holes just like their comrades.

Sakura turned to Vader and tried begging him again to spare them.

"Please! You've made your point already! There's no need to continue this! Please….just….just stop!"

He slowly tilted his helmet down to her and gave another callous response.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I have not yet begun to have made my point!"

Sakura softly gasped. The poor kunoichi was slowly beginning to realize that there was nothing she could say to him to save these Root Agents. She slowly turned around again to see them all still being butchered. She couldn't take watching any of this awful killing anymore, so she pressed her face into Vader's suit with her eyes tightly shut while he held her tighter against him. Even though Sakura couldn't see them anymore, she couldn't prevent herself from hearing the terrible death cries of the Root Anbu.

As they all continued to perish.

Elsewhere in the Village

Shikamaru and the others stared at the sight in the distance with awestruck and fearful looks.

They had all just finished their assignment of making sure all the villagers were safely in their homes, when they noticed a strange sound was coming from somewhere close by. They didn't know what it was other than it sounded like a reverberated low humming. When they took to the roofs to investigate, they were all shocked to see what was happening in the middle of the village cemetery.

"What is that?!"

"It looks like a….a whirlwind or a tornado!"

Shikamaru didn't like the look of this. If that thing was heading for the village, then it would be paramount to begin evacuating the villagers right away. However, they needed more information first before engaging in something so drastic. He looked to Neji and Hinata, who both understood as they both did the appropriate hand sign before the veins around each of their eye sockets bulged out.

"BAKYUGAN!"

As their visual jutsus zoomed in on the construct, Hinata's face grew stunned while Neji's eyes narrowed.

"It's….it's made entirely out of chakra!"

"WHAT?!"

The others were astounded by this news while Neji tried to elaborate more on Hinata's revelation.

"More specifically, it's made out of thousands of tiny chakra spheres that are each moving at an incredibly fast speed!"

Shikamaru looked back at the tornado like construct.

'How could anyone be able to produce that much chakra and control it for a jutsu like this one? It's unheard of and defies the natural limits of the human body!'

Then again after their encounter with the Sound Four, and their strange abnormal abilities and powers displayed to them by their Curse Marks, it wasn't all that unheard of for normal limits to be broken through unnatural means. Still, this was beyond anything Shikamaru has ever seen anyone capable of producing before. Assuming of course it was one person doing this.

A suspicion he heavily expected to be true.

"I can see Lady Hokage and several others just outside of it!"

Shikamaru whipped his head toward Hinata as did the others.

"Is she alright?!"

Neji answered.

"Yes, she appears unharmed along with everyone else there. Wait a minute…..Gai-sensei is there!"

Lee gasped.

"GAI-SENSEI IS UP THERE?!"

Neji nodded while Hinata spoke.

"Yes, along with Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai-sensei!"

Kiba and Ino chimed in.

"What are they all doing up there?!"

"And why didn't they tell us anything?!"

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes.

"If I had to guess, they must be dealing with the intruder!"

They all looked at the pineapple headed teen.

"You mean they're fighting that guy you ran into without us?!"

Lee pumped his fist.

"THEN WE SHOULD ALL HEAD UP THERE TO SUPPORT THEM WITH THE POWER OF OUR YO-"

BONK!

"OW!"

Lee rubbed his head from where Tenten struck him.

"Lee now is not the time for your impulsive attitude!"

He looked at her with perplexed eyes.

"But Tenten, I-"

"She's right, Lee!"

The young taijutsu user looked toward Shikamaru again.

"First things first! We need to know if that jutsu construct is heading toward the village!"

He looked toward the two Hyugas who were able to answer that.

"No, it's remaining stationary at the village's cemetery."

Shikamaru sighed with some slight relief.

"Can you see what's happening inside it?"

Hinata and Neji briefly looked at each other before back at the tornado like swarm of chakra.

"We're not sure but we'll try."

They put more chakra into their Byakugan, as they tried to peek past the outer layer of chakra spheres to see what was going on inside. It was very difficult though due to the amount of chakra spheres but they persevered. When they finally broke through and caught a glimpse of the inside, they're faces contorted into horror.

"There…..there are people dying in there!"

Several of the others gasped while they looked at the Hyugas with shocked expressions.

"WHAT?!"

Neji nodded to confirm Hinata's revelation.

"Yes, it's true. There's a group of shinobi in there that are being killed by these chakra spheres."

Hinata's eyes suddenly grew in shock.

"Wait, a minute….Neji look more toward the center!"

Neji did as his cousin instructed and did so where his own eyes narrowed with realization.

"Is that…..?"

Hinata nodded.

"Yes!"

Shikamaru and others were getting tired of the suspense.

"What do you see?"

Hinata answered.

"Sakura is in the middle of that jutsu!"

The others all gasped this time while Ino shouted.

"SHE'S WHAT?!"

Kiba leapt on top of Akamaru.

"Well that settles it! We have to get up there!"

Lee began to get serious as well.

"Indeed! We cannot just sit here while Sakura is in danger!"

Shikamaru and the others were afraid they were going to have to restrain these two but they knew that they weren't entirely wrong. None of them could do nothing while Sakura is stuck in that death trap. Before anyone could decide on what they should do, Neji spoke up.

"No! Wait!"

Everyone looked at the Hyugas as there was more to be revealed.

"The chakra spheres aren't trying to hit her at all! It's like they're avoiding her!"

Everyone grew confused.

"Avoiding her?!"

Neji nodded as his eyes narrowed further.

"Wait a minute…..there's somebody with her!"

Hinata gasped.

"Neji…..something's not right!"

The Hyuga teen eyes squinted as he was trying to make out this strange phenomenon.

"Yes, I know! This doesn't make any sense!"

Shikamaru and the others were on the edge with their anticipation of what the Hyugas' were seeing.

"What's wrong?!"

Neji grit his teeth as he tried to focus his chakra. Hinata did the same as they both struggled with this ominous ordeal. When it proved fruitless, he answered Shikamaru's query.

"Whoever it is that's with Sakura,…..we can't see any chakra from them!"

Everyone gasped upon this revelation.

"No chakra?! Are you absolutely sure?!"

Hinata answered.

"Yes, we can't detect any of their chakra points but nevertheless there is somebody in there with her!"

They all looked at each other worriedly confused.

"How is that possible?!"

Tenten asked a good question to which no one had an answer while Kiba looked at the Nara teen.

"Hey Shikamaru, you think it's that intruder you encountered earlier?!"

The normally laid back shinobi looked at the chakra tornado with narrowed eyes.

"It very well could be!"

Neji started to notice something about the jutsu.

"Hold on….The jutsu appears to be dissipating itself!"

They looked at him as Hinata confirmed it.

"Yes, you're right! It looks like it's run its course!"

The others were relieved to hear that but for Shikamaru it still didn't change the issue on what course of action they needed to take. They could disobey Tsunade and go to help her and their team leaders against this intruder and his terrifying power that they all frighteningly knew very little about. Or they could continue to carry out their Hokage's wishes and hope for the best.

It was the type of judgement call Shikamaru hated to make.

"Hey, you guys feel that?"

They all looked at the Aburame.

"Feel what?"

Shino placed his hand on the ground.

"There's something coming. Something big."

They didn't like the sound of that.

"Big?...you mean like-"

Kiba cut off the Yamanaka girl by shooshing her.

"Listen!"

Thoom! Thoom! Thoom! Thoom! Thoom! Thoom!

They could all hear it. It sounded indeed like something big was approaching the village. Not only that but it sounded like there was more than one of them; whatever they were.

Shikamaru looked at the Hyugas again.

"Can you guys check to see what it is?"

They nodded and concentrated their Byakugans again in the direction of where the sound was coming from. When they found the source of the sound, both of their expressions changed from confusion to shock, and then to dread. The other shinobi teens were getting antsy and nervous upon the Hyugas' silence and the looks on their faces.

Until Hinata spoke.

"We have to warn the Hokage!"

Leaf Cemetery

Tsunade and the others were absolutely stunned as they stared at all the bodies that littered throughout the cemetery. The sight was gruesome to say the least and even the most experienced and hardened among them found it hard to swallow. Homura and Koharu, both of whom have survived through several wars and witnessed constant carnage on the battlefield, found the sight of all the corpses with punctured holes all over their bodies rather ghastly. Danzo though didn't even mourn for his men and was hardly affected by the gruesome sight of their bodies but even he couldn't believe how all of them were wiped out in just a blink of an eye.

And at the center of all it all, stood Darth Vader as he held onto Sakura who still had her face buried into his suit. When the last of his Rasengans finally dematerialized, he released his hold of her.

She slowly looked up at him before turning around to see that all the Rasengans were finally gone. But she wasn't prepared for the dreadful sight of all the dead Root Anbu that laid everywhere. She shuddered in horror at the sight. Instinctively backing away while holding her hand over her mouth. Unknowingly she backed up into Vader, as the dark lord looked down at her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I told you before that death would be coming with me."

He then stepped around her while walking toward the others and left her there alone to stare at all the corpses. As he marched toward the three elders, yet again, Danzo glared at the dark Force wielder. It was difficult for him to accept, but it slowly began to dawn on him that the others may have been right, and that the jinchuriki was indeed too powerful to capture or kill.

Perhaps he acted rather hastily with making his move against him and Tsunade now rather than to wait but the situation called for it. At the time, it felt far too perfect a chance to try to capture the jinchuriki and to prove to the Daimyo and the village once and for all that Tsunade was unfit for the title of Hokage and to take charge of the village. Now though it looked as if he may have played his hand too soon.

It would seem that maybe a retreat was in order.

Even though he could try to fight him with his hidden abilities, it would be wiser to simply go underground and wait for a more suitable chance to strike. One where enough information about Vader and his abilities has been gathered, so that a weakness could be found. If Vader is to attack the village in the meantime then so be it. Whoever that is left afterwards will be led by Danzo and the remainder of men he has left.

First, he needed a distraction.

While the Leader of the Hawk faction contemplated a suitable plan for one, the Cherry Blossom of the Leaf looked around in both sorrow and horror at the corpses of the Root Anbu. She kept trying to tell herself that they attacked first and that Vader was only defending himself but what he had had done to them was beyond overkill. A lot of them may not have even deserved it. Some of them might have been like Sai and had friends or family once that they were brainwashed into forgetting. Those individuals could've been helped into remembering and regaining their lost selves.

If only she could've saved them. She could've saved all of them if she tried harder to reason with Vader. Tried harder to stop him. But she didn't and what truly frightened her was not the fact that he killed them.

It was whatever he was planning to do next.

Sakura suddenly dashed toward Vader. Her fear totally driving her in a mad rush as she was now beyond desperate at this point to stop him. Vader turned around and stretched forth his hand where she then suddenly froze in place unable to move. The cyborg curled his fingers and brought her to him on her knees.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"For a smart kunoichi, you never learn, do you?"

Sakura tried to struggle even though it was useless. Even when she tried using the Force, she couldn't break free. It was becoming wildly obvious to her now that Vader did indeed hold back when they last fought.

His skills and power were far beyond her own.

Her wrestling stopped though when she sensed something. She looked up with terror as she saw Tsunade, Shizune, and Kakashi leaping down while the other team leaders dashed on the ground toward Vader's backside. Tsunade had her fist pulled back and Shizune looked like she was preparing some senbon with some kind of tranquilizing sedative agent. Kakashi had a Water Dragon Jutsu at the ready while Gai had six of the eight inner gates open as was evidenced by his red skin and chakra surging through his body in the form of a green aura. Asuma had his trench knives at the ready with his chakra infused in them and Kurenai looked like she was preparing one of her strongest Genjutsus.

The pink haired girl didn't know what they were thinking. They surely didn't think that Vader would be taken by surprise that easy. Even if they had a better advantage by attacking from both the air and the ground, it still wouldn't help against him.

'No! Go back!'

Unfortunately, Vader was already aware of their impending attack. He twisted his body and stretched out his free left hand, where red Force Lightning streaked out from his gloved fingertips. Shocking the three airborne shinobi with such immense pain the likes of which none of them have ever felt before.

Seeing this as the perfect opportunity, Danzo suddenly dashed away much to the confusion of his two former teammates.

"DANZO?!"

Vader's helmet turned as he saw the Root Leader's attempt to flee. He ceased his attack on Tsunade and the other two before lowering his arm and curling his fingers inward. Within that moment, Danzo suddenly stopped running and looked to be frozen in place. His body seen struggling as it was bound by the unseen grip of the Force. The other team leaders meanwhile increased their speed to try to reach Vader and catch him while both of his arms were preoccupied with still restraining both Sakura and the abandoning Danzo.

When they were only just a few short yards away, it was then that Sakura heard it.

That unearthly monstrous growl that reverberated once again from inside of her former comrade. Moments before red chakra suddenly rose up ablaze over his entire suit. Then without any warning, the red chakra suddenly took shape into a massive giant clawed paw that swiped at the three incoming shinobi with such speed and power that they were knocked away by the shockwave. They all hit the ground hard but Asuma was able to protect Kurenai from both the brunt of the attack and the rough landing afterwards.

Vader then released Sakura, who rushed toward Tsunade and her group. Concentrating and going into full medic mode. She saw Shizune and Tsunade already working on healing themselves from Vader's lightning attack. Therefore, she went to Kakashi and immediately began healing him.

SLAM!

Before Sakura could even place her hands on her sensei to heal him, the giant chakra claw slammed into the ground so hard that the earth quaked. She and everyone else slowly turned and watched as another claw formed out of the flaming red chakra that was spurning from Darth Vader's body.

SLAM!

Like the previous one before, it slammed into the ground with such power that the ground once again shook and sounded like a deep earthquake. The fiery red chakra then began to slowly rise up and grow in mass. At the very end of it, nine long tail like appendages sprung waving back and forth with what looked like eager anticipation. The flames of the red chakra began to flicker and wave in a way that resembled wild fur. While at the very top of the mass, a large canine like snout formed with large sharp fangs and two long ear like strands sprouting from the back. Two glowing ruby red eyes with slit pupils then materialized and were even more fiery and fearsome then the rest of its form. When it finally finished, Darth Vader stepped out of the fiery chakra beast. It's flame like chakra unbinding and releasing its hold on his body as he did.

Everyone held their breath as their eyes were wide with both disbelief and terror at the beast that towered over them. The red chakra that was engulfing Vader mere moments ago wasn't just chakra at all but was actually the demon that it belonged to. The very same demon that was supposed to be contained inside his body ever since it attacked the village 15 years ago, yet was now free and towering over them.

And it looked very angry.

Elsewhere close by

Shikamaru dashed madly toward the cemetery at top speed along with Shino and Tenten. They had to get there in time to warn Tsunade. Even if a fraction of what Hinata and Neji saw was true then the situation the village was currently in was worse than what anyone initially thought.

Much worse.

The young Nara Jōnin decided it was best if the others stayed behind to evacuate the villagers to the mountain while they went to the battle zone. He couldn't bring Ino and Choji though due to Choji's size changing jutsus possibly causing damage to the cemetery and Ino's and Hinata's medical jutsus were needed more in the village than with them. Kiba and Lee were too likely to get carried away and cause severe damage to the cemetery also and it took some effort to convince the two stubborn teenagers of that.

So, after some consideration, Shikamaru decided on bringing Tenten and Shino. Both of their techniques and jutsus would cause the least collateral damage and Shino could easily send his insects to warn the others to expedite the evacuation if necessary though it was preferred to keep it organized with less panic. He would've brought Neji, but since the Hyūga was unable to see their unwanted guest's chakra points, it probably wouldn't have been wise. So now, he and his makeshift team were heading toward the cemetery to warn Tsunade and their senseis.

That is until they halted in their tracks when they all felt something very wrong.

"Hey, do you guys feel that? The air..."

Tenten was right. The air around them felt odd. It was warm and dry despite the storm raging above them. However, that wasn't what really caught their attention. It was the thick heavy feeling of evil bloodlust in the atmosphere.

Shino looked at his hands to see his insects scurrying back into the openings of his body.

"My beetles…..something has them frightened."

Tenten looked toward Shikamaru.

"Hey, is this how you guys felt when you were near that guy in the suit?"

Shikamaru shook his head.

"No. This feels very similar but it's different. This presence feels eviler and fouler than his. I can't quite place it but-"

ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

The three teens clasped their hands over their ears as a booming roar tore throughout the village. It was louder than anything any of them have ever heard before. It was so loud that various windows broke and even a few small buildings and businesses crumbled from its intensity. The villagers themselves scrambled out of their homes both in confusion and in fear of their homes collapsing on top of them.

It was chaos.

When the sound finally died down, the makeshift squad lowered their hands even though their ears were still ringing from the aftereffects.

"W-What the hell was that?!"

Shikamaru shook his head to try to shake off the ringing while trying to answer Tenten.

"I don't know, but I-"

Shikamaru was interrupted when a high pitched scream was heard. When the three of them looked down toward the street, they saw a large mob that was stampeding below them. Men, women, and even children were rushing like they were trying to get away from something and a few shinobi could be seen either trying to calm or corral them to somewhere safer. When the three teens looked in the direction of where the villagers were fleeing from, they saw an ominous red light illuminating the surrounding buildings. They then realized that it was coming from the cemetery, which was where the Hokage, Sakura, and their senseis were!

Wanting to know what was waiting for them, Shikamaru, Shino, and Tenten leapt up onto the higher rooftops till they found one with a better vantage point of the cemetery. Right after they landed on the roof, their jaws dropped and their eyes grew wide at the unbelieving sight ahead of them. The sight of a giant red glowing fiery fox like monster that was looming over a small group of people they could only assume were the Hokage and their friends.

And the creature had multiple tails.

"Is that….the Kyuubi?!"

Neither Shikamaru nor Shino were brave enough to answer Tenten's question. Instead, the Nara teen focused on counting the number of tails. Hoping beyond anything that it was less than the number they all feared it to be.

"One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven….Eight…Nine!"

As soon as it was confirmed that the giant fox like apparition indeed had nine tails, there was little doubt that it was indeed the infamous fox demon that attacked their village fifteen years ago. All three of them were caught up with both terror and confusion. Shikamaru's mind for the first time ever was completely blank on what they were supposed to do. Tenten had beads of sweat running down her face and palms. Even Shino had trouble hiding his reaction as his body trembled in sight of the giant demonic kitsune in the distance.

"But-But how is this possible?! The Fourth Hokage was supposed to have killed it!"

The young jōnin Nara's eyes narrowed.

"Well,…..I guess it decided that it wasn't going to stay dead forever!"

The situation has just gone from dire to a straight up nightmare. It was bad enough with everything else going on, but now they had to deal with the very same demon that nearly wiped out the Leaf village a decade and a half ago. A demon it would seem that not even the heroic and mighty Fourth Hokage could destroy like they were initially led to believe.

Shikamaru was finding it harder and harder to remain optimistic of there being any hope of the village surviving through all of this.

"Shikamaru, what do we do?"

He looked at Shino as his mind racked with how to answer his question. They needed to warn Tsunade about the incoming threat, but if they go up there, what could the three of them possibly do against the Kyuubi? He wish he had more time to think and come up with a strategy but there was little to no time at all.

Realizing that he wasn't getting anywhere, Shikamaru took a deep breathe to try to recompose himself, so that he could think more clearly. A few seconds was all he needed to come up with some decent plan of action. They obviously needed to warn the Hokage, but at the same time they also have to warn the others about the Kyuubi and to get the villagers into the mountain faster.

That much they needed to accomplish first.

The pineapple headed Nara turned toward the insect handler and gave him his instructions.

"Send a message to the others and to other shinobi that the Nine Tails has appeared! We need to double our efforts to get the villagers to the Hokage Mountain and inside it once the Anbu have told us it's safe! Also be sure to instruct other members of your clan to do the same!"

Shino nodded before he stretched out his arms where thousands of his beetles swarmed out of his sleeves and flew throughout the village. During this time, Shikamaru took the chance to try to plan out what they were going to do when they reached the cemetery. He sat on the ground and cupped his hands together as he began to think and strategize.

It took nearly a couple minutes before Shino finally finished sending out enough beetles to get the word out. By that time, Shikamaru managed to concoct a plan for how they were going to get up there and warn Tsunade while having to deal with the Kyuubi. He stood on his feet and turned to Shino and Tenten, who he could tell were both terrified with even the remotest idea of taking on the demon. Shikamaru didn't blame them and if he had a choice, he wouldn't either but there was too much at stake to just do nothing without warning the Hokage of what the two Hyugas saw.

As he began explaining his plan; however, they were completely unaware that they were being watched through the scope of a sniper rifle. The handler's finger could be seen slowly wrapping around and pressing against the trigger. When Tenten and Shino nodded and it looked like the three of them were ready to move out, the sniper pulled the trigger and shot a large purple stun blast that struck Shikamaru. While Shino and Tenten reacted in surprise to him collapsing from the sudden surprise attack, the sniper quickly shot two more bolts that hit them both dead on.

When all three were immobile, the sniper pressed a finger to the comm in his helmet.

"Targets are down. Proceed with caution boys."

Upon cue, Rex landed down on the roof of the unconscious shinobi teens with his jetpack. Seconds later, Hevy and Echo leapt down onto it while Hevy muttered about wanting a jetpack of his own to save him all the jumping and climbing they've been doing. When Echo's droid finished scanning the shinobi to make sure they were alive and their chakra was suppressed enough, Rex proceeded to contact their leader to inform him of their progress.

"Sir, we just neutralized a squad of shinobi that were heading toward your location. Two chuunin and a jōnin."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Are they from different teams and is the jōnin a young one from the Nara clan?"

Rex looked at his brothers surprised before answering their lord.

"Yes, sir."

There was a brief silence save for the breathing apparatus of Vader's mask before he spoke again.

"You and your squad have done well, Captain. Now bring those three shinobi to me alive. Make sure they are heavily sedated. I want them to be fully unconscious for when I conduct my test."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Rex and his brothers were confused.

"Test, sir? What kind of test?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"The kind that will end this little conflict once and for all."

Rex still didn't quite understand but he would make sure to do as his lord commanded.

"As you wish, my lord. One more question though what is that…apparition that's appeared at the cemetery? I don't recognize it as any of the jutsus me and my brothers have trained against. In fact, it looks a lot like that creature that was described in the scrolls and records of this village. The demon fox known as the Kyu-"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"This creature is an ally and is no cause for concern. Now bring the shinobi to me at once!"

Rex nodded.

"Yes sir! Right away, sir!"

He looked toward his brothers as he grabbed the unconscious Nara while placing chakra suppressing shackles on his wrists.

"You heard him! Double time!"

Hevy and Echo nodded while binding the other two with similar shackles.

"Hey, how did Lord Vader know this one was from the Nara clan?"

"Or that these kids were each from different teams?"

Rex looked at his men as he slumped Shikamaru over his shoulder.

"That's not important! What we need to do is focus on getting to the cemetery right now!"

Rex contacted Fives to make sure he got the message while Hevy grabbed the other two shinobi under his arms.

"Hey, did you make sure to use the special binders on the Aburame? I don't want his bugs to suddenly crawl all over me and drain my chekra."

Echo answered.

"Of course, I did. And it's pronounced chakra not chekra."

Hevy scoffed in annoyance.

"Whatever!"

Once Rex finished contacting Fives, he gestured with his free hand that it was time to move.

"Alright, let's go!"

As they started running across the roofs toward the cemetery, the clones took another look at the monstrous fiery demon ahead.

"Ally or not. That thing doesn't look very friendly to me!"

Hevy responded to Echo's sentiments.

"I don't know. I kind of like it."

The clone captain didn't voice his opinions or concerns over the sudden appearance of the Kyuubi save for one.

"Let's just hope it doesn't like us for lunch!"

Konoha Cemetery

The gigantic chakra flaring fox Bijuu glared with its blood slitted hateful eyes at the group of shinobi below.

Sakura stared up at the Kyuubi with both awe and fright. She couldn't even concentrate on healing her sensei what with being so close to the demonic kitsune. All the stories she heard. The celebrations that were held in the village. Even the descriptions of the creature given by the survivors of that terrible night fifteen years ago. All fell utterly short to this beast's enormity and terrifying chakra. Just being this close to it sent shivers down her spine with a primal instinct to take her sensei and run away.

But when the demon's eyes locked onto her, she felt frozen with fear and terror.

"You!"

The great kitsune demon snarled. It's paws once again slamming into the earth while it raised its head to let loose another roar that shook the village. Causing everyone to clasp their hands over their ears again from its loud intensity and might. When it finished it bore its fangs at the girl with a dark and murderous look in its eyes.

"You have no idea how much I have wanted to tear you apart! You wretched little vixen! After all the suffering you caused us! The pain we endured!"

The demon raised its head and roared once more.

"ALL BECAUSE OF YOUR CHILDISH CRUSH FOR THAT BASTARD UCHIHA BOY!"

Sakura's grew terrified as it looked like the beast was about to attack her and everyone until Vader spoke.

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"Kyuubi, calm yourself."

The Kyuubi looked down with annoyed eyes at its host while Sakura and everyone were astonished by what Vader said to the beast.

"YOU'RE TELLING ME TO CALM DOWN?! YOU OF ALL PEOPLE?! AFTER EVERYTHING SHE DID TO YOU?! YOU SHOULD BE STRANGLING OR CRUSHING HER WITH THE FORCE RIGHT NOW!"

Vader looked at Sakura as he brought Danzo to him on his knees before lowering his arm while still keeping him frozen with the Force.

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"She is of no importance at the moment, so keep yourself calm. Now!"

The demonic fox snarled at the dark lord as the two stared each other down. No one dared to say or try anything during this but the sight they were all witnessing was far from anything they have ever seen before. Even the frozen Danzo was shocked at how Vader so easily stood up to the very beast that could swat or obliterate even the bravest and mightiest of shinobi with ease.

It looked like a battle of two dark titans was about to take fold until the Kyuubi huffed with red chakra mist spewing out of its snout.

"FINE! But if she or anyone else here does something that pisses me off, I swear that I'll-!"

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"You will do nothing! I have my own plans for them and if you restrain yourself long enough, I will see to it that you will have some satisfaction when the test is over."

The demon's eyes narrowed and no one there liked the sound of this test Vader was describing.

"What kind of test?"

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"You know."

The Kyuubi's eyes narrowed again and the look on its face suggested that it did have an idea of what Vader's intentions were. The Kyuubi gave a heavy sigh which released more red chakra steam from its mouth. The great Bijuu knew better than most that when Vader makes up his mind there's little to no chance of changing it.

Besides, it could be interesting.

"Alright, but I get to stay out here and watch! It's the first time in decades that I've felt even a semblance of freedom, so I want to enjoy it a little longer!"

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"That is acceptable."

Sakura starred with confusion at the jinchuriki and its Tailed Beast.

'Decades?'

The Cherry Blossom girl didn't understand. According to what Vader told her on his ship, the Kyuubi was released from its last jinchuriki on the night when it attacked which was only fifteen years ago. So how on earth could have been decades since it was last set loose?

Not mention that it didn't make sense to her as to how the Kyuubi was even out here. Everything she learned about jinchuriki and Bijuu heavily suggested that if they separate, the jinchuriki is supposed to die. Yet, Vader is standing there without even showing the slightest sign of weakness or frailty.

'What if the Kyuubi isn't really free at all?'

It was a likely theory. She could sense the beast still having a strong presence inside of Vader. Also, the form it's taking doesn't look entirely whole. The creature is supposed to look like a giant living fox with nine tails not some chakra ghost like projection.

Before she could think further on the mystery, her thoughts were interrupted when the ground shook. She saw that it wasn't from the Kyuubi's doing as the demon was standing perfectly still apart from its tails swishing back and forth. When she and the others felt it again, they began to hear what sounded like booming footsteps that were approaching and also what sounded like large metal gears and pistons creaking.

Sakura helped Kakashi up just as a battered Gai came over and slung his arm over his shoulder. Tsunade and Shizune also rose to their feet, after managing to finish healing themselves, while Kurenai was helping an injured Asuma over when everyone heard the sounds again only much louder and closer now. It was then their eyes drew to the forest surrounding the village where they heard the sounds were coming from.

Suddenly, the trees in the forest began to shake and sounded like they were being pushed and trampled over. The Birds flew frantically away from their nests and perches while the animals on the ground could be seen running away in a panic out of the forest. The booming footsteps and the sounds of trees being torn down grew louder and louder until finally to everyone's shock, a gigantic metallic creature on four towering legs emerged from the line of trees.

While some of the others were confused, Sakura recognized what it was and what its presence meant the second she saw it.

'Oh no!'

Her fears were confirmed when another emerged from the forest canopy next to it. Then another came proceeded by another and another. It didn't stop with them though as they were followed by the smaller two legged chicken like ones that lumbered out in between each of the larger ones. Soon enough the whole border of the forest was lined up with the giant metallic monstrosities all facing toward the village.

Then darkness fell upon them.

Elsewhere in the village

Things have been getting more and more unnerving for them since Shikamaru, Tenten, and Shino left to warn the Hokage.

When they received Shino's message none of them could believe it. It didn't seem at all to be possible until they saw the mob of villagers running for their lives through the streets. And when Neji and Hinata used their Byakugan to confirm it for themselves, they discovered that it was very much true.

That the Kyuubi was alive and had returned.

For now, it seemed to be staying at the cemetery where all the action was which was the only good news. Shikamaru's instructions to increase their efforts of getting the villagers to the Hokage mountain were all they could focus on right now. It was a pain, when considering all their work to get them inside their homes was wasted, but with everything that's happening what choice did they have? Luckily for them it seemed Shikamaru once again proved his sensibility to send the same warning and instructions to other shinobi squads too. So now they were all working harder to get them to the mountain faster.

They just hoped the Anbu will give them the all clear soon.

Since Neji was a jonin, he was technically in charge of their group. While he would rather it was under different circumstances, he didn't shy away from holding the responsibility. Not on a day like this one. He only hopes that Shikamaru is able to warn the Hokage in time about the approaching army he and Hinata saw.

But the fact that they haven't heard anything new from Shikamaru and the others was making Neji feel uneasy.

"What's wrong? Is something happening at the cemetery?!"

Neji looked to see Ino and Lee leaping onto his roof while both were looking at him concerned.

"No, nothing new has happened there yet."

Ino could tell that there was still something troubling Neji.

"They should've made it and contacted us by now."

Lee looked at the cemetery.

"I agree, it's not that long of a distance. They definitely should be there right now."

"Hey, you guys!"

The three of them looked to see Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon leaping down to them.

"Is it true what everyone is saying?! The Kyuubi is back from the dead?!"

The older shinobi teens nodded to the younger kunoichi.

"It would appear so."

Moegi and Udon quivered in fear while Konohamaru pumped his fist up.

"Yeah! Well, I say we should head over and kick that giant fox's ass!"

The other two genin looked at their teammate like he was crazy which was substantiated by Ino bonking the grandson of the late Third Hokage on the head.

"OW!"

"Are you insane?! Do you want to get yourself killed?! You can't fight that monster! No one here can!"

The young member of the Sarutobi Clan didn't appear to be swayed over by the older kunoichi's words.

"Big Brother Naruto wouldn't care! If he were here, he wouldn't be afraid to go toe to toe with that stupid fox!"

The three older teens suddenly grew quiet. Even with everything going on, the reminder of their dear missing comrade still touches a nerve with them. Neji though took a deep breath as this wasn't the time to be thinking about the Uzumaki boy.

"Regardless, it still doesn't change the fact that you are not a match for it. You and your team are needed here more than on the battlefield. We have to leave this to the Hokage. She'll know how to handle that demon."

Neji crossed his arms.

"A real shinobi like Naruto would always put the needs and safety of the village first. Not pride nor blind heroism!"

The young genin lowered his fist begrudgingly. Accepting that the older Hyuga was right. It was more important for these genins to stay and help the villagers instead of foolishly challenging a demon that apparently not even the brave and heroic Fourth Hokage could destroy.

It was both the smart and responsible thing to do.

"Come on guys! We need to get these villagers to safety before that fox gets here!"

The other two members of Team Ebisu nodded and were about to head back out until Neji stopped them.

"Konohamaru, one more thing. Don't mention the Kyuubi to any of the villagers especially the children. We don't need to create more of a panic down there."

The grandson of the Third Hokage nodded before he and his team leapt back down into the streets to help manage the rowdy villagers. Ino also returned to her duty, as she spotted an elderly couple that were injured from the rampant crowd and leapt down to help and give them medical attention. Right after her, Lee also went back into action to aid with the evacuation.

While they did that Neji activated his Byakugan again to see if there was any progress from Shikamaru.

At first it didn't seem like there was anything different from when he last looked until he noticed something odd. There were several chakra signatures heading towards the cemetery. Three of them were definitely Shikamaru, Tenten, and Shino but the others he didn't recognize at all. Furthermore, the chakra signatures of their comrades looked like they were being repressed or were weakened for some reason.

Neji had a real bad feeling about this.

All of a sudden the rain stopped and darkness swept through and fell upon everyone. The panicking and frantic crowds of villagers ceased their running and stood frozen with confusion and fear. No one understood what was happening. It was still too early to be night and many were starting to take it as a bad omen.

Suddenly a little girl amongst the crowds pointed up at the sky.

"Mama, what's that?"

The girl's mother along with all the villagers there looked up at the sky. As did the various shinobi in addition to Neji's group. Where slowly their eyes grew wide and their mouths hung open from confusion, trepidation, and shock.

They all watched with utter incredulity and wonder as a gargantuan triangular object began to protrude out of the rumbling thunderclouds. It's large form cut through the storm like knife through a butter. It was just so ridiculously huge that no one could believe it. It was bigger than anything anyone there has ever seen in their entire lives. The village, no, not even the Hokage Monument could compare to it.

And it's slow descension down to the village began to reignite a new wave of panic and fear among everyone.

Konoha Cemetery

Tsunade looked up with incredulous eyes at Vader's ship hovering above them. The Slug Queen knew his ship was large but she had no idea that it was this incomprehensibly massive. She wasn't the only one who thought so as everyone else there were also astonished as they stared at the gargantuan ship. Sakura herself, who was held prisoner on the vessel, couldn't believe how she didn't figure out the sheer size the ship had to be to hold everything she saw on board it. The new screams and shrieks of the villagers could do nothing to distract any of them from the sight of Vader's airborne fortress.

That was until they noticed ships flying down from it.

They were much smaller in size compared to the giant one, but they were still pretty large themselves as they flew in fast toward them. They were strangely looking in design, as they were cubed shaped with a few bent looking wings. When they reached their location, gusts of air blew into them and through the wet grass. Forcing the Lady Hokage and the shinobi to try to shield their eyes.

When the ships were lowered enough, doors began to open in the front and their sides. Where men in black armor, which they assumed to be Vader's clone forces, leapt out and formed a circular formation around them. Each and every one of them were holding what looked to be the advanced anti-chakra weaponry that Sakura described. Pointing them at the Hokage and the others while making clipping and cocking sounds as they did.

One of them in the middle stood at attention to Vader.

"My lord."

Vader nodded to the clone, who took a quick look up at the Kyuubi who was glaring down at the soldier.

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"Worry not, lieutenant. He is not our enemy."

The Kyuubi's eyes twitched a little at Vader's remark, as the clone officer nodded before turning his attention back to the shinobi with his own blaster cocked and pointed at them.

Then a strange odd looking metal creature wheeled itself in past the clones. It looked to be another droid as it was black in color, had a dome shaped head, three legs with wheels on the bottom of each of them, and a colored blinking light that appeared to be its eye. When reached Vader, it's center leg pulled up into its body before a light shown out from its nose. Again, a blue flickering man appeared, but it was not the same cowering one from before. This one was a bit older and had a different looking uniform.

"My lord, our forces are in position. Shall we commence the attack?"

Tsunade and everyone's breathe hitched and they felt giant pits growing into their stomachs along with sweat running down their faces. She and Sakura looked at Vader with pleading and begging eyes to not go through it. Tsunade was even about to try beseeching to him again, but Vader raised his hand as warning to silence her.

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"Not yet, General. That will depend entirely on the results of the test."

Everyone there grew more uneasy at the mention of this test again while the flickering general grew confused.

"I don't understand, my lord."

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"You will, General. As soon as Squad Obsidian arrives within a moment or two."

The Kyuubi's ears perked up a little before it looked up with its glowing red slitted eyes squinting at something small and fast that was approaching them.

"They're here."

The Leaf shinobi all looked up where they saw another clone flying in with some sort of device on his back and who also looked to be carrying someone. When the clone landed, Sakura recognized him as the clone captain that pursued her on Vader's ship. When her eyes drew to the unconscious person slung over his shoulder, she gasped as she recognized that it was Shikamaru! She wasn't the only one as the others also gasped in shock at the sight of the unconscious Nara.

"SHIKAMARU!"

The surprises didn't stop there as three more clones made their way through the others. One of them was very large and was holding Shino and Tenten in his arms. The sight of them caused their own senseis to panic along with Asuma.

"TENTEN!"

"SHINO!"

Asuma struggled while Kurenai struggled to hold him and herself back. It took more sounds of the clones cocking and readying their weaponry to get the son of the Third Hokage to put more effort into trying keep himself more levelheaded. When the two other clones and their captain stood next to their lord and leader, Vader gestured with his hand toward the two elders.

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"Bring them to me."

A couple of clones grabbed the two elders and pushed them toward Vader before shoving them down to their knees in front of him. Pressing their blasters into the back of their heads as a warning not to try anything. The quivering retired shinobi looked up with eyes full of fear at the former jinchuriki of the Leaf who stared down at them with his soulless looking black mask.

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"Now, let us begin."

Vader took a few steps to the right till he was standing in front of the still restrained Danzo.

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"Shimura, you have built yourself a reputation for being both a talented liar and one who will do whatever it takes to protect his own secrets to the point of sacrificing your own allies. Even if the secrets have nothing to do with protecting the village but rather yourself and your organization."

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"Let us see if either of which is true. I will ask you one question. If you lie to me with your answer, one of your old comrades will die."

Sakura gasped while Tsunade and Kakashi looked like they were about to protest until Rex pulled out one of his pistols at them while the other clones could be heard cocking their own again.

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"Tell me, did you ever persuade or threaten the other clans of the village to give you some of their most talented or unique younglings to add to your ranks to increase your power?"

Danzo's eye narrowed and it took him a moment to answer.

"No, and if I did acquire any of their youth it was from agreements that were entirely mutual and beneficial for the village."

The Kyuubi snarled in disgust while Vader looked at Homura and Koharu. The two elders were sweating bullets as the dark lord took out his lightsaber hilt. To their surprise and confusion, as well as the onlooking blue officer's, he didn't approach them. Instead, he stood in front of his personal clone squadron where he gestured downward with his helmet. The clones catching on to his intentions, lowered the young unconscious shinobi down while holding their heads up where then Vader activated his red lightsaber. Holding it toward them while facing Tsunade who gasped in fear along with everyone else.

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"Now as for you, Lady Hokage….I am going to ask you a question."

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"If you give me an answer that is suitable…I may perhaps be inclined to spare your village."

Tsunade and everyone gasped again. Sakura herself should've felt relieved that Vader was offering them a chance to save the village but she felt something was off. She could sense that there was a dark purpose to this test. A purpose that held more at stake than just the village.

And they were about to find out what exactly it was.

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"As the Hokage, you will do whatever it takes to protect this village even if it means destroying me."

Tsunade stepped forward.

"That's not what I would-"

Vader silenced her as he held his blade to Shikamaru's unconscious face.

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"Do not deny it! It's perfectly obvious that you would take that course if you were left with no other choice. You have already proven so when you tried to pitifully attack me earlier!"

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"Just as you would also allow any of your subordinates to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the village!"

Vader walked past each of the captured shinobi with his blade held low.

"You would feel guilty for it, but the fact that they are shinobi who would willingly make that sacrifice to protect the village would help put your conscious at ease especially if their efforts were not in vain."

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The dark lord stopped in front Tenten.

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"However,…"

He cupped the kunoichi's face in his glove.

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"Would you be desperate enough to do something as atrocious and cruel as what the Fourth Hokage did to save your village?"

Everyone including the Sannin was confused.

"What are you talking about?"

Vader turned back to her.

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"Apologies, allow me to rephrase. Would you sacrifice a Leaf shinobi's life for the village when they are in no position to willingly make that sacrifice of their own free will?"

Tsunade's eyes grew in shock and Sakura felt her body go ice cold to the touch.

'He wouldn't…!'

The towering dark lord turned to Sakura.

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"I would, Cherry Blossom."

He then turned back to Tsunade who was stuttering.

"I w-would never….I ca-….I can't."

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"Yes, you can. You are the Hokage. And the Hokage's duties are always to the village first!"

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"Your predecessors have proven that fact many times! The Fourth Hokage himself sacrificed a helpless infant who was so young he couldn't even talk and decide for himself on whether or not he would be willing to save the village by becoming the vessel of the Kyuubi!"

The said fox demon growled as he remembered that night.

"Indeed, he did! Even I didn't think he would go as far as to protect the village by trapping me inside a bawling helpless baby!"

The demon's claws raked against the ground while Vader raised his hand to settle the demon down.

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"So, would you make the same kind of decision that he did? Would you sacrifice someone who is incapable of choosing to do so for themselves?"

Tsunade stammered while Sakura spoke in an outburst.

"THAT'S NOT FAIR! YOU'RE ASKING HER TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SAVING THEM OR SAVING THE VILLAGE!"

The Kyuubi knelt and roared at the pink haired teenage girl.

"SILENCE BRAT!"

Sakura immediately shut up while Vader responded to her.

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"No, I am asking her to choose only one of them to die."

All the Leaf shinobi gasped with horror at the horrendous proposal before Asuma protested.

"And you just expect us to just stand here and let you kill our students?!"

The Kyuubi growled at the Leader of Team 10 but Vader held his hand up again to calm the Bijuu fox.

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"Be thankful that I'm only offering one of these students as a possible sacrifice and not your unborn child that is currently growing inside of your lover next to you."

Asuma and Kurenai's faces suddenly grew pale while the others looked at them in shock from this revelation.

"Kurenai,…..your pregnant?"

Gai had no idea, while everyone else knew that something was going on between the two jōnin but none of them ever imagined that their relationship had progressed this far.

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"Now then, Lady Tsunade. You will choose one of these shinobi to die for the village. Taking away from them their own choice for life or death. Do so, and my forces will not attack."

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"You have one minute to decide. If you fail to make a decision then they all will die and your precious Konoha will burn!"

Tsunade shuddered while Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai all felt like their guts were being wrenched out.

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"Your minute begins, now."

Tsunade's mind began to race with this daunting decision. She couldn't sacrifice any of them but like Vader said it was her duty as the Hokage to protect the village at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing shinobi lives.

But it was still an impossible choice.

"Lady Tsunade, we can't go through with this, we ju-"

"QUIET SHIZUNE!"

The medical kunoichi silenced herself. The two elders also tried to give their opinion on what choice the Hokage should make, but the two vicious looks from both Tsunade and Sakura stopped them before they could even get a word out. The Slug Queen then continued to wrestle with this unbearable choice.

Knowing that if she didn't make a decision very soon the entire village would be destroyed.

She tried to consider all of their options. They could try to fight Vader and his army but between their numbers, advanced weaponry, aerial advantage, and not to mention the Kyuubi and Darth Vader himself, their chances of victory were slim to none at best. But if she were to choose any of these three teens to die, it would destroy her.

But they are shinobi.

They chose this way of life and it's a life wrought with dangers that could easily end it in an instant. If any of them were conscious right now, they each would probably offer their lives up for the village. They'd probably even refuse to allow only one of them to be sacrificed while the others lived on. She knew for a fact that's what Shikamaru would do, but for Tenten and Shino she had no real way of knowing what they would do right now if they were conscious.

For all she knew, one or both of them would be begging her right now to not choose any one of them to die.

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"You have thirty seconds."

Feeling even more pressured, Tsunade tried to think a bit more practical. Shikamaru and Shino both come from prominent clans in the village. Clans who would be furious if she offered one of their own young members to be a sacrifice without giving them a choice in the matter. She also knew the two boys' fathers personally which made it even more cumbersome. That leaves Tenten, who didn't come from any clan in the village. However, Tsunade wouldn't even be able to look Gai in the face if she chose her, and the same would be said for Asuma and Kurenai if she chose either of their students.

Tsunade looked at them as they starred at her with shocked dismaying eyes. She couldn't tell if they were pleading her to choose saving the village or to save their students. Maybe it was neither and they wanted her to decide the hell with it and attack Vader which would likely result in their deaths and the village's destruction. She honestly didn't know and was not sure if she wanted to know.

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"Fifteen seconds."

She turned back to the three unconscious shinobi. They all looked so young and innocent. She couldn't imagine how the Fourth Hokage could've made such a harrowing decision similar to this one with his own son when he was only just an infant no less! If he were still alive right now, she would curse the man for making a terrible decision that has ultimately come back to haunt this village.

But that didn't matter right now.

The Slug Queen took one last look at the team leaders of the three captive shinobi. Letting them know she has made her decision. They each were consumed with dread as she was about to give Darth Vader her answer when Kakashi suddenly spoke.

"Take me instead!"

Everyone snapped their heads toward Kakashi in surprise as the Copycat ninja unwrapped his arm from Gai and stepped forward. The taijutsu user and Sakura both tried to stop him but Shizune and Asuma held them back. Tsunade meanwhile looked at Kakashi stunned as he walked past her right up to Vader, who was tilting his helmet down at his former team leader and sensei.

"KAKASHI, YOU CAN'T!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, SENSEI!"

Kakashi looked at them.

"This is my responsibility, you guys. I have to do this."

Tsunade was stunned in light of his bravery and devotion.

"Kakashi..…"

The Copycat ninja looked up with a heavy heart and saddened eyes at the one who was once one of his students and comrades. He couldn't believe he allowed this boy to become this hateful merciless killing machine. All the blood that he spilt today were on his hands too which is why he had to make this right.

Both for Naruto and those shinobi.

"We both know that it's not Shikamaru, Tenten, or Shino that you're angry with. They have nothing to do with the pain and betrayal you've suffered. It's me that you really want."

He looked down as his eyes scrunched with regret.

"You were right about what you said about me that day. The day that you found out the truth about everything. I should've been there for you. I should've helped you and been a better friend. But I wasn't. I did nothing. Not even when you were placed on my team and I was charged with training and taking care of you."

The clones looked at each other confused along with the blue flickering general, who was staring at Vader with bewilderment, as Kakashi continued.

"I didn't guide you as well as I should have. I didn't do enough to keep you and Sasuke from splitting apart nor did I make it in time to stop him and Orochimaru when they…...when they tried to kill you. And I didn't protect you from Palpatine twisting your mind into hating us and the village."

Kakashi knelt on his knees before the dark lord.

"When I lost everyone on your father's team, I thought that I failed him. But in truth…..I failed him by not looking after his son properly. I failed you."

Kakashi bowed his head.

"Don't blame them. Don't blame the village. Don't blame Lady Tsunade. Don't blame Master Jiraiya. And please don't blame Sakura. I'm the one you want to punish. It's because of me you've become like this. I'm…..I'm sorry."

Silenced followed. No one, not even the Kyuubi, said a word as Vader only continued to stare down at his former sensei. Vader's men and subordinates all stared at him with thousands of questions on their minds but not even they would break the silence. Until finally Tsunade and her company gasped with horror as Vader lifted and Forced Choked the gravity defied silver haired ninja.

"SENSEI!"

Sakura screamed out as she watched helplessly as her sensei choked.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You're apology means nothing, Kakashi! Nor does its attempt to sway me from my current course!"

Sakura and Gai struggled and thrashed harder to try to get to him but Asuma and Shizune wouldn't let go. The Taijutsu user was able to get free and sped fast toward Vader while Tsunade vainly called out to him to stop. However, before he could even lay a single punch on Vader's suit a few well shot stun blasts from Captain Rex's pistol sent Might Gai to the ground on his back.

With that distraction out of the way, the former Sith Apprentice then turned his attention back to Tsunade who was trying to help Gai up.

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"Give me your answer, Lady Tsunade! Will it be the village's survival or the lives of these young shinobi?!"

Tsunade had an answer, but as she looked at how Kakashi was ready to selflessly sacrifice himself for everyone, she felt ashamed now of her previous choice. Pressure or no pressure, she would never be able to forgive herself for sacrificing these three young shinobi to protect the village. Hell, if they were awake right now, she's not even sure she would even allow them to offer their own lives for this twisted test.

Not when there's always other choices.

"I made my decision!"

Kakashi tried to speak out only to be silenced by the dark lord's choking grip as Tsunade gave her answer.

"I choose neither!"

The elders gasped in shock while the restrained Danzo immediately chastised the Slug Queen.

"YOU DISGRACEFUL EXCUSE OF A HOKAGE! YOU WOULD ALLOW OUR VILLAGE TO BE DESTROYED BECAUSE YOUR'RE TOO WEAK TO-"

Danzo's mouth was suddenly clamped shut by Vader, who at the same time released Kakashi from his Force Choke who began to cough and rub his sore aching throat. The cyborg then approached the Lady Hokage until he stood in front of her. The red glowing hue of his lightsaber showing off on her face.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"And that is your final answer?"

She looked him straight in the eyes of his mask and answered.

"Yes. Because there's no point in protecting the village, if it's spirit and the loyalty of everyone and everything it's supposed to stand for are sacrificed in the process! So do whatever you're going to do!"

The dark lord was silent with once again the only exception being the sound of his mechanical breathing. No one, not even his troops, could tell what he was thinking. Even Sakura, who could sense his mind, had trouble as there was nothing but conflict in him.

Flashback

"You'll be capable of anything including becoming Hokage when you have the entire village to help and back you up the whole way!"

Flashback End

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"It would appear that Danzo was right. You are a disgrace to your title of Hokage."

Tsunade was ready for whatever was to come and some of the Leaf jonin and Sakura tensed up and prepared as well. But to everyone's surprise, Vader deactivated his lightsaber and reattached it to his belt. Then he slightly swung his arm and Kakashi flew right into Asuma, who managed to catch him.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"And being a disgrace has served you well."

Tsunade and everyone grew confused, so the Sannin asked.

"What does that mean?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You passed the test."

Everyone gasped in surprise while Vader turned to his general.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"General, stand our forces down."

The general was confused but knew better than to question an order from him and immediately nodded in compliance before proceeding to relay those orders to the rest of the ground forces. Many of Vader's troopers there were also shocked and confused by their leader's decision including the members of Squad Obsidian. Even the Kyuubi couldn't believe what the dark lord said.

And the demonic fox didn't seem very happy about it either.

"DAMN IT! I was sure she would fail!"

Vader calmly responded to the annoyed demon.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Do not worry Kyuubi, there will still be satisfaction to be found for you here."

No one amongst Tsunade's group could tell if this was a good or bad outcome as they looked at one another before back at the dark lord.

"Okay, I'm confused. Just what was the point of all this?"

Vader answered the Asuma.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Simple, if she had chosen any of these young shinobi to be killed in order to protect the village, I would've destroyed it along with every villager and shinobi."

Everyone was stunned while Homura protested.

"B-But you said if she chose one of them, the village would've been spared of your wrath!"

The dark lord snapped at the elder.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I gave you no such promise! I said that if she chose one of them then my forces would not attack. I said nothing about myself!"

Tsunade then asked hopefully and hesitantly.

"So, does this mean you'll leave the village in peace?"

Vader slowly turned back to her and replied.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"No. It means that you and your village may be of some use."

None of them liked the sound of that.

"What do you mean of use?"

Vader answered Kurenai.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"The Leaf Village will serve and aide us in our goal for vengeance."

Everyone including the Kyuubi had but one reaction to the dark lord's proclamation.

"WHAT?!"

"WHAT?!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Shizune was so shocked like everyone else that she let go of Sakura who immediately ran up to next to Lady Tsunade and Gai.

"You want us to help you?!"

Vader turned to the pink haired teen.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Want, is a contrast from the word I would use. I am merely giving your village a small chance to redeem itself and to continue existing by helping me find Orochimaru and the remaining members of the Akatsuki, where I will then destroy them myself!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"But do not for a second think that this means that I trust you all or have succumbed to whatever feelings you think that I have for this insignificant village!"

The Kyuubi roared again which startled all the nearby clones. Even causing Squad Obsidian to drop their hostages to point their weapons at the beast. However, Vader raised his hand to command them to stand down which they did, albeit slowly and hesitantly.

"I DIDN'T AGREE TO THAT! I THOUGHT WE WERE EITHER GOING TO DESTROY THESE WEAK PATHETIC WORMS OR JUST LEAVE THEM IN QUIVERING FEAR! BUT TO HAVE US ALLIED WITH THEM?! DEATH WOULD BE A BETTER OPTION!"

Vader turned to the fox who narrowed its ruby red slit eyes at its host.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Kyuubi, do you wish to forego the satisfaction I promised from this test?"

The Kyuubi snarled before glaring at the two trembling elders.

"HMPH! Fine! But this matter is far from over Vader! Mark my words!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Consider them marked."

Tsunade and Sakura looked at each other before back at Vader.

"What if we refuse this alliance?"

Vader turned back to the two kunoichi and stepped closer before answering the Slug Queen.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You might want to rethink that option considering that I just calmed the Kyuubi down. Even if just barely."

The beast raked its chakra claws against the ground again to further emphasize Vader's threat.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"If you refuse my offer then you and the village will be destroyed. If you agree, and you betray us, you all will be destroyed. If you fail us, you all will be destroyed!"

Sakura's pupils shrunk while Tsunade's eyes widened from hearing the consequences of any of those scenarios.

"So ultimately, you'll destroy us unless we help you get what you want in the end. Is that right?"

Vader answered the inquisitive Taijutsu master.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Correct."

Sakura rushed up and grabbed Vader by his cape much to the alarm of his troops who pointed their weapons at her but Vader once again raised his hand for them to stand down.

"PLEASE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS! YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE REVENGE!"

The chakra apparated Kyuubi snarled down at her again.

"I TOLD YOU TO BE QUIET! BESIDES WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT REVENGE?! YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN EVERYTHING YOU WANTED IN LIFE WHILE HE'S HAD TO STRUGGLE AND SUFFER IN WAYS NONE OF YOU COULD EVER KNOW!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"How true."

Vader Force pushed her away until she was next to Tsunade and Gai who both caught her so she wouldn't lose her balance while Kurenai asked a question of her own to the former Leaf shinobi.

"What happens to us once you succeed in getting your revenge?"

Vader answered the Genjutsu mistress again.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Me and my army will leave the village…in peace."

The Kyuubi growled annoyingly but didn't say anything while Sakura sensed that something was off between Vader and the demon in that moment but couldn't quite figure out what it was.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Now, do we have an accord?"

Tsunade looked down in the corner of eyes as she weighed her options again. This choice was definitely better than her previous one of choosing between saving the village or Shikamaru and the others but it was still a difficult one. If she agreed then she and the village would be at the mercy of Darth Vader and his army of clones. Where according to him, if they make the slightest mistake or uprising on their part then their lives would all be forfeit. If they agreed; however, and helped Vader track down Orochimaru and the Akatsuki and destroy them then the village will be spared.

She took a look at his soldiers before at his enormous mechanical monsters and then up at his vast fortress. If it were anyone else, anyone else, then Tsunade would've told them to give it their best shot and that the Leaf kneels before no one but these were no ordinary opponents. Vader has the advantage both on the ground and from the sky. Even if they best his ground forces, he could still attack from above with his flying ships.

Not only that but Darth Vader himself has also proven to be no ordinary fighter. He's shown that on multiple occasions and his carnage today has more than proven his sheer tenacity, mercilessness, and power in addition to that of the Nine Tailed Fox's. His proposal is far from ideal but it seems to be the only way to protect the village for now. Not to mention that if they succeed then the threat of both Orochimaru and the Akatsuki to themselves and to other nations would be extinguished, but there was still no guarantee that Vader himself won't become an even greater threat than both of them combined.

Assuming of course he wasn't already.

Tsunade gave a long and heavy sigh before making her decision and nodded to the armored dark cyborg.

"We will help you. Just please….please give back our shinobi and don't hurt anyone else."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"The former I will grant but not the latter."

The dark lord waved his hand and Squad Obsidian brought the three unconscious teens to them before they stood behind their leader. Sakura, Shizune, and Kurenai immediately began to examine them for injuries. Thankfully, there weren't any which brought a little bit of comfort to their current grim situation.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Now, there is just a few more matters left to settle."

Tsunade stiffened and asked cautiously.

"What are you talking about?"

Vader turned to the Kyuubi and nodded before the apparated fox suddenly lunged and snapped its jaws around Homura! Everyone watched in horror as the council member was snatched off the ground screaming as the Kyuubi began shaking him like a chew toy in its jaws. His bones could be heard breaking and his flesh being ripped apart from the demons large crushing sharp teeth. Finally, having enough the Kyuubi whipped its head and threw the elder so hard that he smashed through and obliterated the Leaf Village's sculpture representing the Will of Fire. When the dust cleared, everyone was shocked to see that the sculpture was nothing but rubble with the now deceased elder's arm limply sticking out of it.

Koharu trembled as she picked up her long time colleague's cracked glasses off the wet grass that fell off mere moments ago.

"H-Homura…."

Sakura looked up at the Kyuubi who was licking its flaming chakra lips with a sick grin on its face while Tsunade immediately reacted with outrage.

"WHY ON EARTH DID YOU DO THAT?!"

Vader turned and pointed at the Sannin.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You will hold your tongue, Lady Hokage! I am not one of your Leaf subordinates for you to lash out your temper on nor am I required to explain any of my actions to you!"

He lowered his cybernetic arm.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"But if you must know that old man has been nothing but a thorn in my side for as long as I can remember. While the elders' position on the council may be important for helping you maintain order and the safety of the village, keeping them both alive is not. Also…"

Vader turned his helmet to Danzo who was still being held down by the Force.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I warned you all what would happen if Shimura failed his test."

Everyone looked at the bound elder with glaring eyes while Koharu looked at him shocked.

"Danzo,….what did you do?"

Danzo calmly responded.

"I did nothing! I told the truth as required! His mind is clearly paranoid with distrust and an insatiable need for vengeance that he-"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"That may be true but it still doesn't change the fact that you lied to me."

The dark lord stepped closer to the elder while reaching for his lightsaber.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Perhaps a show of proof is in order."

SCHURRRRRRRRRR!

With his saber activated the dark lord raised his weapon with both arms. When he struck down, it was only met with dirt. Vader raised his helmet and everyone turned around to see two more Root Anbu who were cloaked and wearing masks, like their deceased comrades, holding Danzo protectively.

"Lord Danzo! Are you alright?!"

"Never mind that! We need to retreat or-!"

Before the Leader of the Hawk faction could finish, Vader reached out with his arm and grabbed all three of them with the Force. Bringing them back to him on their knees. He then flexed out two of his fingers where the hoods of the two Anbu flew off their heads. He then arched his hand and removed the masks of both agents. Revealing them to be a young man with yellow eyes and red orange hair and another whose face was hidden by another mask that covered everything but his nose and mouth and what looked like glasses that obscured his eyes.

Tsunade and everyone else stood next to Sakura as they looked at the two shinobi without recognizing either of them.

"Who are you two?"

They didn't answer and stayed silent until Vader decided to answer the Hokage's question for them.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"They are members of both the Aburame and the Yamanaka clans. Both of whom were taken at a very young age by Danzo after he threatened their clan leaders to give him their most talented and unique shinobi."

Danzo stayed silent while the redheaded Yamanaka protested.

"THAT'S A LIE!"

Vader tilted his helmet slightly to the side.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Oh?"

His helmet then turned toward the Aburame who was staying silent and looking to the side.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Not according to your subordinate."

Danzo's lone eye looked piercingly at who he thought was one of his most loyal subjects.

"Torune, what did you tell him?!"

The Aburame looked at Danzo confused and in a panic.

"I-I didn't tell him anything! I've never even met him before now!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"He did not need to tell me anything. I sensed the truth from his mind."

The redheaded Yamanaka looked at the cyborg confused.

"What? His mind? How?"

The dark lord looked at the dogmatic servant.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You and your clan are skilled when it comes to techniques involving the mind but you're not the only ones who can see inside it."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I sensed the Aburame's past when my squad brought the younger one with the Nara and the kunoichi. I know how the younger Aburame's family took him in after his father had died. How he and the youngling became friends and even close to being like brothers. However, he could not attend the academy because his insects were too dangerous, so his social interactions were rather limited."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Then Shimura came looking for those in the clan with special secret jutsu or talent to add to his ranks. He was interested in the younger one much to the concern of his father but Shimura did not care as he believed it was well within his authority to take any he wished and subtly threatened the boy's father that the clan would not receive monetary support from the village if he didn't comply. This one didn't want his only friend to grow up alone without his family and friends, so he offered himself to Shimura to protect his adopted brother."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Ever since, he has carried buried feelings of resentment for Shimura for taking him away from his adopted family despite developing a strong loyalty to him."

Sakura's eyes widened with realization of what Vader revealed.

"You knew Danzo would fail your test didn't you?"

The others looked at him shocked and wandered if that was true.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Indeed, just as I knew that threatening his life would draw the Aburame and his Yamanaka cohort out."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Still even though his blind loyalty to Shimura is strong it is not without cracks."

Everyone looked at the elder with disgust while the Root leader once again glared at Torune who stammered.

"M-My Lord Danzo, I swear that I would never-"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Do not waste your stamina being angry with him, Shimura. The fact that he has these cracks only proves that you make a poor excuse of a lord, master, and teacher. You thought you created emotionless loyal agents but all you've done is created psychologically flawed pawns who's loyalty to the village is second only to you. Well, almost all."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You pride yourself in thinking your training methods are the most efficient for producing shinobi when in actuality these methods have been used by countless others before you in more efficient fashions."

And the dark lord would know considering he used those mentioned methods for recruiting and training the members of the Inquisitorius Program. A program, along with many others in the Empire, he'd wished he never took part in. Being reminded of the horrid vile things he did to train or torture younglings in that program only made him want to butcher the old man in the cruelest way imaginable.

And Sakura was sensing those enraged thoughts along with very brief flashes of that past which only brought her more feelings of confusion and fear of her former comrade.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You're nothing but a pathetic old man, who's hunger for power and need to control everything and everyone around him has completely blinded him of his own frailty and weakness!"

Everyone felt Vader's killer intent rising to where it was even comparable to the Kyuubi's and it was also noticeable with how Vader was tightly gripping his lightsaber hilt.

"And I suppose you're going to kill me now too?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"No, I have other uses for you."

Vader deactivated his saber.

"Your men have demonstrated talent that may prove to be of aide in tracking down my enemies. And keeping you alive would help secure their services and cooperation. So, you will be spared…for now. But make no mistake….."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Vader raised his arm and lifted Danzo before slowly crushing him with the Force which caused him to groan in pain.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Fail or betray me, and you will not live to regret it!"

Vader then slammed Danzo onto the ground before proceeding to flatten him into it.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Is that understood?"

Danzo barely managed to look up at the towering dark armored cyborg before gruffly answering.

"Yes!"

The large clone standing behind Vader barked at the humiliated elder for his disrespectful tone.

"You will address him as Lord Vader whenever you speak to him, Root scum!"

Danzo growled in both resentment and pain as he was pressed harder into the earth before correcting his previous statement.

"Yes,….Lord Vader!"

Vader then released both Danzo and his two subordinates before he then turned to the blue flickering general who stood at attention after patiently waiting for his next orders.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Have all the men withdraw and return to the ship. Contact Admiral Orchens and have him send a transport to my location."

The general nodded.

"Yes, my lord!"

The general than vanished as the blue light emanating from the droid's nose switched off. Moments later all the giant metal creatures turned around and headed back into the forest much to the relief of Tsunade and her company. Just as they disappeared, the ships that brought the troopers returned and landed around them. Vader nodded to his clone soldiers to which they lowered their weapons and headed to board their transports.

When the last soldier boarded them, the ships took off and flew high up towards Vader's main vessel. Then another ship flew down which Sakura recognized as Vader's transport from her mission to rescue Gaara. It landed near the cemetery's now ruined sculpture with its wings folded up with steam exuding from its underside.

Squad Obsidian headed toward the waiting vessel until their squad leader noticed that Vader wasn't moving.

"My lord?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I will be along shortly, Captain."

The clone nodded before boarding the ship with his brothers. When he did, Vader turned and looked up at the astral projected Kyuubi who was looking down at him with a sinister toothy grin on its face.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Why are you still out here?"

The demon laughed in an unsettling manner.

"HA! If you think I'm going to miss out on this show after you dashed my hopes of finally being able to destroy the village today, you're mistaken! I want a good front row view!"

Vader growled from the demon's irksome behavior before he turned toward the Leaf Shinobi. Sakura then quietly gasped as she felt another a tremor in the Force. Another warning that felt more urgent and foreboding than all the other ones she's felt thus far.

Something very terrible was about to occur.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Now, lastly there is the matter of your village's punishment."

Everyone stuttered and stammered with confusion.

"Punishment?! What are you talking about?! I thought we were resolved!"

Vader's helmet slowly shook back and forth to the Hokage.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Unfortunately, not quite so. You still interfered in my efforts to destroy Orochimaru and his Uchiha pawn. The consequences may no longer be the village's destruction but you must still pay nonetheless!"

Vader held his finger up.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Also, there is a lesson that the people of this village need to learn."

No one liked where this conversation was heading.

"What lesson?"

Vader lowered his hand before answering.

"For too long now, this village has feared me because of the fact that I am the vessel of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. They have always had apprehension and uneasiness with the thought of its power controlling me or the demon breaking free out of my body."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"It was a valid if not irrational fear they had of the demon inside of me when I was just a boy. But now….."

Darth Vader slowly raised his arm while stretching out his gloved cybernetic fingers.

"They will learn that it is not just the Kyuubi and its power they have to fear."

His glove began to slightly tremble just as booming cracking sounds erupted from the Hokage Monument. Drawing everyone's attention where they watched in shock and disbelief as large cracks formed and grew along all the stone faces of each Hokage including over the recently repaired fourth one's face. The monument moaned and shook with dust and pieces of small rock crumbling and falling off like it was being pulled apart.

Which only took a moment for Sakura and then everyone else to realize was exactly what was happening.

'OH MY GOD! HE'S GOING TO-!'

They all whipped their heads back toward Vader only to watch with dismay and powerlessness as his glove was already slowly closing into a crushing fist.

HOPUR!

"The other thing that they have to fear…..IS ME!"

The Cherry Blossom medic's eyes widened as she sensed something at the base of the mountain. Once she realized what it was, she immediately ran up to Vader. Grabbing hold of him while pleading and begging to him once again.

"NO, YOU CAN'T! THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE TRYING TO GET INTO THE MONUMENT! THEY'LL ALL BE KILLED!"

HOPUR.

"Then the Force shall decide their fate!"

"NO!"

'NARUTO STOP!'

The Kyuubi's ears suddenly perked up.

'That voice…..was that….!'

Vader heard the voice as well but it did nothing to dissuade him as he completely closed his glove.

Where the monument then completely shattered.

Everyone watched hopelessly as large chunks of rock and boulder descended toward the screaming and shrieking citizens below. Sakura could feel the terror from all of them. The men, women, and even the children. It was a such a dreadful sensation that mere words alone could not even begin to describe. To her horror, she could even sense Ino and the rest of her friends down there with them.

She knew that if nothing was done, they were all going to die.

But what could she do? Those boulders were so massive and huge. Not to mention there were so many! Even with her powers, there was no way she could use the Force to stop them all from falling.

Still, she had to try.

So, the Cherry Blossom stretched out her arms where she then engaged in the greatest struggle of her life thus far.

Hokage Monument, Few Moments Earlier

Nothing has been going right. First an intruder storms into the village, then the Kyuubi appears, and now a whole army and a giant metal ship has shown up on their front doorstep. This had to possibly be the darkest hour this village has ever faced.

And the Konoha 12 feared that it has only just begun.

"Neji, how are we doing?"

The Hyuga teen took a look with his Byakugan.

"We have approximately close to half of the village here!"

This was getting ridiculous. The Anbu were supposed to have given them the all clear on whether or not it was safe to get the villagers into the monument by now but they haven't heard back from any of them yet. And things are starting to really get out of hand with the civilians all crowded together and panicking.

Something was amiss.

"What are we supposed to do?"

Choji's question didn't really raise any answers which made everyone wish only more that Shikamaru were here.

"We'll have to handle things ourselves!"

Everyone turned and saw Shikamaru's dad and the leader of the of Nara clan; Shukaku. Alongside him were Choji's dad, Choza and Ino's dad, Inoichi. The three veterans of the original Ino-Shika-Cho leapt down to the members of the Konoha 12.

"Dad!"

"Pa!"

The two fathers nodded to Ino and Choji while Shukaku laid down his plan.

"Neji, I want you take a squad of Hyuga to scout out the monument to make sure there are no enemy soldiers or booby traps waiting inside. Also see if you can find out what's holding up the Anbu. We'll give you 20 minutes. If you can't find anything by then, we'll have no choice but to get everyone inside regardless!"

Neji nodded and was about to head out until Hinata leapt down with urgent news.

"The soldiers and the machines, they look like they're all pulling back!"

They were all surprised and found the news too good to be true.

"Are you sure?!"

Hinata nodded while the three adults looked skeptically at each other.

"Why would they pull out when they have the advantage?!"

"Maybe the Lady Hokage was able to negotiate peace with their leader!"

Shukaku hummed in contemplation.

"It's quite possible but…..I have a nagging feeling that's not the case here. We need more information on what's going on!"

Choji asked a question.

"What do we do in the meantime?"

The Nara cupped his chin.

"Best to play it safe and proceed with the evacuation for now. At least until we hear back from Tsunade-sama."

Ino had some concerns about that.

"Yeah, but with the Kyuubi and an entire army with advanced mechanical weaponry, will they even be safe in there?"

Inoichi looked at Shukaku in agreeance with his daughter.

"She has a point."

Shukaku hummed again and nodded.

"Yes, she does. But unfortunately, we're out of options. If we had more time and preparation we probably could've-"

CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

Everyone snapped their heads up to the monument where they witnessed large cracks spreading on all the stone faces. Dust and rocks began to fell as the cracks grew and expanded. Causing everyone began to panic and scream until everything was chaos again. The villagers were now rushing in a mad frenzy to get away from the monument.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"

Everyone thought the same thing as Ino as the mountain further crumbled with no reason whatsoever. This was just like what happened when that mysterious crack appeared on the Fourth Hokage's face years ago only this was much worse. The whole monument looked like it was literally falling apart!

"ALRIGHT LISTEN! WE NEED TO GET EVERYONE AWAY BEFORE-!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

With a sudden earsplitting sound that felt as though it shook the very heavens themselves, the mountain exploded.

Shukaku and the others looked up feeling their faces turning white at the terrible direful sight of enormous boulders and stone facial pieces of the Hokages descending down toward them. The screams of the villagers and their stamping feet became deafening as they all scrambled to get away with their lives. Hinata spotted a small toddler boy nearby that was standing by a lamp post all alone and crying in confusion as the stampeding mob rushed toward him. She dashed down much to the protests of everyone before snatching the boy. Saving him in time before he was trampled underfoot by the mob but she could only look up in horror as the gigantic boulders were upon them!

Seeing that there was nothing left to do as the boy cried in her arms, she held him tightly to her so his eyes were covered. She shut her own eyes too and braced herself for the end. Yet, as she waited for the imminent death to come, she realized something.

Nothing was happening.

When she looked up, she saw a sight that looked like something completely out of a genjutsu. However, this was far too real to be one. Yet, it was still breathtakingly unbelievable.

The giant rocks and boulders were no longer falling but were…floating.

Konoha Cemetery

Sakura fell to one knee as she grunted and trembled from her struggles to keep a hold on all the giant debris and rock. It was extremely difficult due to their sheer size and the fact that they were so numerous. All it would take was one slip up and all those villagers would end up being crushed. She hoped that they would take this chance to get away because she couldn't keep this up for much longer.

Especially if Vader decided to attack while her defenses were down.

Strangely though the dark lord only stood there without lifting even so much as a threatening hand against her. Everyone else only watched with both shock and amazement at the spectacle. No one really understood what was happening until they all turned and saw the Cherry Blossom's struggling ordeal.

"Sakura,…..you're doing this?!"

Sakura couldn't respond to Kakashi, for she was far too busy trying to concentrate. Unfortunately, she was starting to lose her hold. The rocks were starting to descend even if just at a slower pace. Some even slipped through her hold completely and fell on top of some buildings Smashing them to pieces. She only hoped that no one was in them as she tried to push herself harder into restraining the rocks.

Meanwhile the Kyuubi was getting restless.

"Vader why are you letting her interfere like this! Destroy her know while you have the chance!"

He didn't respond which only aggravated the demon more into taking matters into its own hands.

"Fine! If you won't end this annoying nuisance then I will!"

The Kyuubi looked like it was about to lunge at the girl until it suddenly froze as the dark lord reached out with his glove. When he pulled it back into a fist the demon's astral form was suddenly sucked back into the cyborg's body. It's enraged roars echoing in the former Sith apprentice's mind.

While Sakura was relieved that she no longer had the Kyuubi to worry about, she still had to contend with her lapsing focus and hold on the debris.

'I can't do this! No matter how hard I try, they're still too big! They're going to fall!'

'Do or do not, there is no try.'

Sakura's head snapped up with widened eyes. It was the voice again. She then noticed something odd about the giant rocks and boulders. They were no longer slipping through and falling but rather the opposite. They were actually floating upward.

'I'm not the one doing this….'

She and everyone watched with amazement as the boulders slowly levitated higher and higher. Right till they were even hovering above the mountain itself or what was left of it. They then slowly descended downward before resting securely right on the plateau at the top.

Nobody there could believe it but it looked as if the village was just saved. Sakura herself still didn't understand how it happened as it certainly wasn't her that did this. She also knew for fact that it wasn't Vader so then it could only mean one other possibility.

'It doesn't matter how large the challenge; size doesn't matter, Sakura. Remember that.'

Sakura suddenly started to feel very tired and exhausted. She collapsed to the ground before Tsunade and everyone rushed over to her. Picking up and checking her vitals and also hugging her for saving the village while also taking the chance to glare at Vader for callously almost killing thousands of people.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Impressive. Most impressive, but you still have much to learn, Cherry Blossom."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she gave a retort.

"You should know by now that she's a quick learner!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"That may be. But even with or without a teacher or any other source of knowledge to help her better understand and control the Force, she will never be able to challenge me!"

Vader then turned around and headed toward his ship. Leaving looks of shock and anger on everyone's faces. Shortly before a weak trembling hand reached out from them.

"Wait…"

The cold hearted cyborg stopped as Sakura's tired voice called out to him.

"Did you know…whether or not…..I'd be able to save them?"

Vader didn't respond at first. He only just stood there like a statue while the storm and thunderclouds still rumbled in the horizon beyond his gigantic ship. Finally, his helmet slightly turned as he gave his answer.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I did not care either way. Whether they survived or perished was ultimately immaterial and it still is."

He fully turned to and gave one last departing remark to the girl whose face was mixture of both shock and disheartenment.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Now you know why I don't deserve more."

He turned around and marched leaving Sakura to lose consciousness in Tsunade's arms. with tears dripping from her closed eyes. Tsunade and Kakashi both felt sorrowful as they looked upon Sakura's heartbroken face. Neither of them could've ever imagined in their darkest dreams that things would turn out this horrible. That Naruto would literally become the monster, the villagers feared him to be.

If only they knew then that he would only become one due to their own making.

Meanwhile, Danzo could only stare at Vader as he approached his ship. Even after everything that's transpired today he still couldn't believe that Vader wiped out nearly all of his own loyal Root Anbu with such little effort. A part of him though actually still couldn't help but recall Vader's recent slaughter of his minions with a sense of awe and magnificence. His combat style along with his mental and emotional focus were a sight to behold. How he wished he had integrated him into his organization when he was only a small child then.

He would've made the perfect tool for Danzo's purposes.

However, there was no point lamenting on what might've been. The jinchuriki was a threat to not only the Land of Fire but also to the other nations as well. He could quite possibly destroy everyone and everything. The leader of the Hawk faction would not allow for that to happen. He has his own plans for this shinobi world and no one was going to stand in his way.

Not even Darth Vader.

"Lord Danzo, what should we do about the jinchuriki?"

Danzo contemplated Fū's question. What can they do against him? They already tried overpowering him with numbers which had no effect against his vast power. Danzo was even beginning to have doubts that even any of the Kage themselves would be a match for him. Which meant there was only one course to take.

One that he's mastered very well.

"We shall be patient. We'll cooperate with Vader for now and help him destroy Orochimaru and the Akatsuki. Eliminating them will leave Konoha with two less potential threats to worry about. Also…"

His eye narrowed.

"We will be sure to keep a close eye on Vader and his forces. He is powerful but not even he is so mighty that he is not without a weakness to be found. When that time comes we will strike and then his power along with the Kyuubi's will be ours!"

Vader suddenly stopped before he even set one foot on his ship. The second he did, Danzo began coughing. Reaching up with his three hand to his throat before he was suddenly choking and collapsing to his knees much to the worry of his subordinates. When they looked up, they saw Vader turning around, while holding his arm up to his waist with the index finger of his glove curling inward toward his thumb.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Be careful not to choke on your aspirations, Shimura!"

The dark lord then turned and headed into his transport. Releasing Danzo from his Force Choke and leaving the seemingly crippled elder coughing on the damp soil. Moments later, the strange looking ship lifted off the ground with its wings bending down to below its body before taking off toward Vader's fortress above them.

Danzo glared at the ship with both hate and another emotion that he has not felt for a very long time. Not since before Hiruzen was chosen to be the Third Hokage over him. An emotion he himself has strived to be rid of, so that it would never cause him to hesitate from achieving his goals ever again.

The emotion of fear.

Vader's Ship

As the shuttle landed in the hangar bay with its ramp extended, Vader marched out and headed toward his chambers leaving the bewildered Clone Force Obsidian behind. They were not the only ones; however, as many on board, who watched the dark cybernetic lord marching through the hallways and corridors, felt confused over their leader's sudden change in plans with the Leaf village amongst others things that were heard and mentioned down there. The young and recently promoted Admiral Orchens tried to have a word with him but the way Darth Vader marched past him heavily suggested that it would be unwise to disturb him right now.

When Vader reached his quarters he sat down in his meditation chamber and focused.

Mindscape

Vader approached the glowing cage of the Kyuubi's prison where the beast was glaring at him while raking its claws against the old rusty bars.

"You've got a lot of guts coming here after what you pulled!"

Vader folded his arms over his chest plate.

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"You were becoming uncontrollable."

The demon snarled and banged its head against the bars causing them to shake and sent ripples through the sewer water.

"I didn't agree to this partnership just so that I can be controlled by the likes of you!"

Vader nodded his helmet.

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"A fair point."

The demon lowered its scowling face to Vader.

"You know, I really did believe that you were ready to destroy that dismal speck of a village once and for all, but now I'm beginning to think you never intended to!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"The village will be useful for when we destroy our enemies!"

The demon roared with aggravation.

"THEY ARE OUR ENEMIES!"

The Bijuu slammed its claws into the water causing a tidal wave that parted before it could reach the dark lord.

"HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHAT THEY DID TO US?! TO YOU?!"

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"I…..will never forget!"

The demons red slit eyes narrowed.

"I am starting to have very serious doubts about that! Especially after what just happened down there!"

It's snout drew closer to the bars.

"You used to be ruthless! You would publicly slaughter innocent people in the streets, destroy entire cities and planets even to get what you wanted! But now I think you really are succumbing to your old feelings for your village and for that wretched pitiful pink vixen!"

The former Sith apprentice growled.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Careful, Kyuubi…"

The beast bared its fangs.

"Or what?! Don't forget Vader! You need me but I don't need you!"

Vader suddenly raised his glove before using the Force to slam the Kyuubi into the water just like before.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Stop acting like an impatient fool! Of course, you need my power! Do you really believe that it was the girl who lifted all of those boulders by herself?! It wasn't her! There is another Force wielder!"

The Kyuubi's eyes widened.

"WHAT?!"

Vader released the demon as it immediately sat back up.

"ARE YOU CERTAIN ABOUT THIS?!"

Vader nodded.

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"I sensed a very powerful presence that was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. I felt it before when I fought with the kunoichi. It felt very familiar to me but there is something about it that is different from anything I've felt in the Force before. There is something strange at work here and that is not all…."

He tilted his helmet up to the demon.

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"You also have heard it, haven't you? Someone was calling out to try to stop me from destroying the mountain. I heard this voice before when Sidious saved me from death at the Valley of the End."

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"You know who it was."

The Kyuubi growled.

"Yes, I do! I will never forget that accursed sickening voice!"

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"Who was it?"

The Kyuubi's answer struck Vader harder than any Force Lightning attack shot from his late master.

"It was your father; the Fourth Hokage!"

Vader slowly unfolded his arms and lowered them into curling shaking fists. His helmet tilting down while the bars and pipes around them began to moan and creak. The water rippling and churning violently in the wake of the dark lord's rage.

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"How is that possible?"

The Kyuubi slumped its shoulders in confusion.

"I've been asking myself that question ever since."

The demon's ears perked up as a thought came to it.

"Perhaps,…..he may have transferred some of his chakra into you."

Vader tilted his helmet up again.

"His chakra?"

The Kyuubi nodded.

"Yes, a part of his soul and essence that he sealed inside you along with me. Assuming if that's what he pulled before his death."

Vader looked around.

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"Then why haven't I sensed him?"

The demon shrugged its fury shoulders again.

"I don't know. Maybe it's been difficult considering most of your life involved having your soul fused with another plus having me inside you as well."

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"Can he interfere with our plans?"

The Kyuubi slammed its claws down again.

"I DON'T KNOW, DAMMIT! I TOLD YOU IT'S JUST A THEORY! WHO KNOWS WHEN IT COMES TO THAT CLEVER, INGENIOUS, BASTARD!"

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"If he were truly clever, he would've had the foresight to put greater effort into securing your prison."

The demon's eyes looked over at the paper seal that was still covering the lock.

"I'm still amazed that you were able to loosen the lock underneath without the key. It would take a master of Fuinjutsu to perform such a feat, yet you were able to do it with ease. Allowing me to let more of my chakra out and even project my consciousness out of your body.

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"You should know better than most on this planet that there is no lock that cannot be opened by the Force!"

The demon rolled its eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it already! You keep on saying it like you're trying to convert me to a new religion!"

Vader's armored shoulders rolled back in agitation as he was letting that remark slide for now.

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"Answer me this…..has the Fourth Hokage been watching me this entire time?"

The Kyuubi groaned before answering.

"It's hard to say! But I wouldn't put it past him to have been trying to keep watch over you since you are his only son."

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"Good, then he knows that he has failed!"

Vader turned around.

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"And that he is no father of mine! But enough of that old fool! There are more important matters to discuss!"

The Kyuubi huffed.

"Yeah, like how you may be going soft!"

Vader raised his glove which caused the demon to flinch. When he realized nothing had happened he growled. Realizing he fell for a trick.

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"You haven't been paying any attention as to what's been happening have you?"

The fox's bloody eyes narrowed again as its machine like vessel turned back around and explained.

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"The Akatsuki are now increasing their efforts to hunt down and extract the other Bijuu from other jinchuriki. That means that they won't be hiding themselves as much as before."

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"And this village has demonstrated that they have shinobi capable of tracking and even combating these rogue ninja. The girl herself was able to defeat and even divulge information from one of their members regarding Orochimaru's whereabouts. Something none of my probes have been able to accomplish!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"She and the others in this village may be weak but they may not be entirely worthless. If they succeed again in locating other members of the Akatsuki, odds are one of them may know the location of Orochimaru, Sasuke, and our other target!"

The pipes and metal walls once again strained as Vader's power riled up with just the mere mention of that person.

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"That one, I will make sure, suffers dearly!"

The Kyuubi growled again. It hated to admit it but Vader's reasoning actually made sense. Maybe the village could actually be of use. He was also right in pointing out that the probes haven't found any of their targets since they've even returned to this universe over a year ago. Odds are that with them on the move now, they'll be easier to find, but with extra spies provided by the Leaf, it could definitely make tracking and finding them much faster and more smoothly.

But that didn't mean the demon had to like it.

"You may be right, but you know that I don't trust them!"

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"I am fully aware of that as neither do I. Another aspect of me you should know very well. Just as they are now aware of the consequences of failure or betrayal."

The fox opened its mouth which released some steam.

"That reminds me. What happens to the village once we finish hunting and destroying all of our prey? Are you going to keep your word to them?!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Yes."

The Kyuubi slammed against the bars yet again.

"SO, AFTER EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO LET THEM GO?!"

The cybernetic dark Force user turned his back to the fox Bijuu again.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"No, I will simply keep my promise that neither I nor my army will attack them."

Darth Vader then walked away leaving the demon still frustrated and outraged. That is until it took a moment to think and fully understand what its vessel really meant with that promise. It's growling lips slowly turned into an unsettling smile while its long ears folded back over its head.

"It would seem that even I still continue to underestimate you, Darth Vader."


DUN! DUN! DUN! DUN! DUNNNNNNNNNNNN! DUN! DUN! DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

There you have it folks! The second longest chapter in this story is COMPLETE!

I apologize for taking so long to get this baby out but between work, college, and everything else that always gets in the way, it was a trial. Not to mention that fight scenes always take forever to think up and write out. Still, even I'm surprised by how long this chapter took to write!

There are a few sections in here that I feel could use a bit more work but that's for later.

Anyway, I'm sure loads of you loved this chapter and there are also very likely a lot of you that feel disappointed that Vader didn't just walk through the village streets while ripping people out of their homes and Force Choking them. Still, I promised you that there would be carnage and there was even if just not in the way a lot of you expected. I also suspect that people are outraged that I didn't have Vader kill off Danzo immediately but don't worry, I have something very special planned for him later down the road.

My next chapter will also have action but it's not going to be as bloody as this chapter's. But there definitely will be "permanently damaged" losers in the next one. I don't know when I'll get started. Probably not till at least the summer ends because right now I'm burnt out and exhausted.

There's also something that I feel I need to give you all a heads up on. Basically, the next chapter is as far as I've concretely and fluently planned this story out when I first started. I have ideas, concepts, and new characters that I want to try integrating, but it's all still going to take some time. Meaning that after my next chapter is released, it may take me far longer than usual to get the next one out, but don't let that discourage you! I'm not giving up on this story!

I've come too far for that!

Last note, I have been watching Obi-Wan Kenobi. I like it so far, but I agree on a lot of the issues surrounding it. I don't care much for Reva and I can't believe that she's going to get her own series which is something nobody asked for but when it comes to "The Mouse" nothing from them makes sense anymore other than money. Vader of course is a beast and his deepfake voice is just phenomenally well done. My only complaint that I hope they address is why Vader allowed Kenobi to escape the first time. It can't be because of the flames because Vader's suit is totally lava proof and he already put them out a few moments before they were reignited. If the writer didn't know about Vader's suit or is having it that Vader is afraid of fire then the dude hilariously does not know anything about the character at all!

Anyway, can't wait for the finale and I'll catch you all on the flipside!

;)