AN: alright, age update. The chapter starts where the last left off, but after the first break it jumps pretty far, so the age update is for that time. Gaara is 19, Kankurou and the rookie nine are 20, Temari, Link, and Gai's team are 21, Konohamaru and his group are 15.
by the way, i may not respond to your reviews, but i still appreciate them all. a writer is his own worst critic and to hear that you all like my work is partly what keeps me going, so thanks.
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Chapter 66: Attainment
"So you've decided it then?" one elder asked.
They were at a meeting the day after Nomad's funeral. Tsunade and the surviving terrors were there as well, Tsunade standing at the Hokage position.
"Yes. I've read Nomad's wishes and talked the situation over with his companions, we have agreed that what he wants to happen can not happen yet," Tsunade said.
"What are his wishes?" one elder asked.
"It was specified for only Tsunade and us to know until the announcement is made," Sage said.
"As his word as Hokage, we must honor it," Tsunade said.
"So you will resume the title until the time is ready?" the first elder asked.
"Yes. I find it pointless to assign another for a time of only a few years, at most. I will step down when I see things are ready, or if any of the terrors feel things are ready," Tsunade said.
"When will the people be told?" Edge asked.
"After this, some already know, because it happened before," Tsunade said.
"Was his successor the only thing mentioned in the will?" an elder asked.
"Yes, as well as a letter to his successor that has been sealed as being only for their eyes," Tsunade said.
"Well, I suppose we can call this meeting to an end then," another elder said.
There were murmurs of agreement from the others and slowly they all got up and began to file out. Tsunade went out to the balcony and made the announcement to the village that she would temporarily resume the position until the designated next Hokage was ready.
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"Enough, stop, both of you," Elvo said suddenly.
Akutei and Naruto were in the middle of their fight; Naruto had managed to increase his speed, but not nearly to the degree Elvo and Chaos wanted. He was able to see Akutei moments before the attack, but he couldn't avoid them yet.
"What is it, I know it can't be time for a break yet, it's only been half a day, you don't usually call a break until the second straight day," Akutei said.
"I know, it's not a break. It's time," Elvo said.
"Time?" Naruto asked.
"From the day I took you we have a year. you must be back in your village exactly one year to the day after you left with me," Elvo said.
"Why?" Akutei asked.
"It's the most we could do. And there's less than two months left," Chaos said.
"What's that mean? If I'm not ready in two months I stay here?" Naruto asked.
"Well, we will be gone on the day you're due back, so you'll be lost out here, but yes, you won't become a god," Elvo said.
"And if I make it?" Naruto asked.
"You still have to make it back to say your goodbyes," Elvo said.
"Well if it's gotten down to the wire, what do we do? Am I done here?" Akutei asked.
"Yes, you are. We don't want any problems with what I'm about to do," Chaos said.
"Ah, yes, your trigger," Akutei said walking away from Naruto and towards the gods, "then you don't need me to keep fighting my son."
"No, you can go back now," Chaos said.
"Goodbye Naruto, I'll see you when you're done, either as a god, or when you old and grey," Akutei said.
Naruto started towards him, perhaps to grab him in a hug, but Chaos placed his hand on Akutei's chest and he vanished into the air. "No, let me say goodbye!" Naruto yelled as his father vanished.
"You heard him, you'll see him soon enough," Chaos said.
"You really lack all emotion don't you?" Elvo asked.
"You know the answer to that question, and yet you repeatedly ask it," Chaos said.
Elvo shook his head and walked towards Naruto who was on his knees, and looked as if he was about to start crying. "It's alright kid, if Chaos' idea works, we'll be done here in a week or two," Elvo said.
"If things work how they did before, we'll be heading back tomorrow, if we contain him fast enough that is," Chaos said as his battle armor appeared on him, his scythe in one hand and helmet in the other.
"You think it that bad?" Elvo asked looking at Chaos' change in attire.
"I had this last time and he killed me, although I was held down," Chaos said.
"Alright, I guess I'll do the same," Elvo said walking back to Chaos.
"Devine Influence should be enough for you, I'll be his main target, I'll need the defense," Chaos said slamming the pole end of his scythe into the ground and taking his helmet in both hands.
Elvo shrugged and called down the blade before hopping into a tree to the side of Chaos, "Get up kid, this is going to hurt," Elvo said.
Naruto looked up at them with a stern face and slowly got to his feet, his swords in his hands.
"Elvo, take those away, we want him as non lethal as possible," Chaos said putting his helmet on.
Before Elvo could react to this Naruto threw both blades at him. he caught the first and knocked the second away, and away from Naruto as well, he tossed the first on top of it. "Alright Chaos, hit the trigger," Elvo said.
"Alright kid. You remember what I do. I watch over everything. And while you were here, I focused in on your home, planning on rewarding you with information on it. Things worked out differently. Firstly, your friend, you know, the one with the red eyes…" Chaos said.
"Sasuke? What happened to him?" Naruto demanded taking a step forward.
"He's betrayed your village again. His main target seems to be you, but he's attacked friends of yours," Chaos said.
"No, I don't believe you, he wouldn't do that!" Naruto yelled.
"Think back to how he's always been. I've always kept and eye on him, thinking he could fit in to my plans, it's the exact type of thing he'd do," Chaos said.
"I don't believe you! You're lying!" Naruto yelled taking another step towards Chaos.
"He's not kid, I know when he's lying. I don't know what he's getting at, but he's not lying," Elvo said.
Naruto just stood there, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. Now was the time Kyuubi would come flying out and start attacking everything, but Kyuubi's long dead, now it was just rage building in Naruto.
"Now, the act of his betrayal happen a few days before I came here, and his attack was on your pink haired friend," Chaos said.
"Sakura! No! he wouldn't! Why would he attack Sakura! You have to be lying! Please, tell my you're lying! I promised her I'd protect her, please tell my you're lying!" Naruto yelled, he had taken a few more steps towards Chaos and tears were starting in his eyes.
"It's true." Chaos said unwavered, "And you know his skill level, the girl was no challenge, he ran her through-"
"No!" Naruto yelled falling to his knees and grabbing the sides of his head, "please…no…stop, please stop," Naruto said quietly shaking his head from side to side.
"He stabbed her in the abdomen, she was hospitalized when I came here, I don't know if she made it. She was in shock and unable to heal herself," Chaos said.
Naruto didn't respond to this. It didn't seem as if he was listening to the last part, he was just sitting there on his knees, hunched over, hands on the sides of his head and swaying slightly back and fourth.
"Was that it?" Elvo asked.
"Yes. He spiked unimaginably high when he killed Roken, who had hurt the girl. And when he killed me, it was after he watched Vox kill her," Chaos said.
"So her getting hurt like that is the trigger? It didn't work Chaos, he's not any stronger, just broken," Elvo said.
"Wait and watch, just wait and watch," Chaos said taking his scythe in both hands and preparing to defend himself, "be ready, all we'll need to do is knock him unconscious," Chaos said.
Elvo kept his eyes on Naruto, his senses on Naruto's potential, and it wasn't going up. Then, suddenly It jumped to half potential tapped. The ground cracked under Naruto when it happened, and both gods felt it rush over them. Naruto got to his feet slowly, his hands fell to his sides, fists clenched. His teeth were gritted, and there were cuts on his cheeks form his nails digging in as he grabbed his head.
"It almost worked," Elvo said.
"Keep waiting," Chaos said.
But the words weren't even out of his mouth yet when Naruto jumped at him. Chaos dodged the attack and countered it with a kick to Naruto's back sending him tumbling away. Naruto shot to his feet and charged again, but he was attacking with punches and kicks, Chaos was blocking with a weapon. Chaos knocked him back again and Naruto just stood there, teeth gritted, breathing heavily, blood dripping from his palms because his fists were clenched to tightly.
"Based on how it was when I last saw, I don't think she would've made it this long. And the boy is still at large, able to attack others," Chaos said.
Naruto roared in anger, the only sign he heard what Chaos had said. Elvo looked at his opposite unsure of his methods, but it worked. The ground cracked again, and they felt the large push of energy from Naruto again.
"How far?" Chaos asked.
"Close enough, we can get the rest in the month we got left," Elvo said.
"Chaos nodded and charged Naruto who dodged and delivered and elbow to the side of Chaos' head.
On impact Naruto's elbow split open and blood stared pouring out. Chaos was sent a step back from the hit and his helmet had a dent in it. Elvo swing his sword down cutting the branch he was standing on off of the tree. He landed on his feet and dug the sword in the ground.
Chaos swung at Naruto who ducked down and kneed Chaos in the chest. He aimed for the chin, but Chaos moved to block it better. Chaos was able to stay his ground after this hit as well. As soon as Naruto landed from his hit on Chaos he was nailed in the side of the head by the large end of the branch.
Naruto was sent flying into a tree, and he didn't get back up. Elvo retrieved his limp body, Chaos' scythe and helmet were gone when he got back.
"That seemed to work well," Chaos said.
"He's at ninety-seven percent. It worked very well," Elvo said setting Naruto down.
"You hit him pretty hard," Chaos said watching the blood flow from the wound Elvo made in the side of Naruto's head.
"That's because he hit you pretty hard," Elvo said kneeling down and beginning to heal Naruto.
Three days later Naruto was waking up and Elvo shot to his feet, sword in hand.
"Ah, my head…" Naruto said sitting up, his hand over where Elvo hit him.
"So you're sane again," Elvo said relaxing again.
"Where is he? Where's Chaos?" Naruto demanded getting to his feet, "I want to know what happened, I want him to see how it is now," Naruto said looking around.
"He's finding out. There's no need to do it again, so he's going to fully calm you with the update," Elvo said.
Before Naruto could respond Chaos had appeared beside Elvo, "She's alive and out of the hospital, but not fit for missions yet," Chaos said.
Naruto breathed a deep sigh of relief, "and Sasuke?" he asked.
"He attacked again, killing Nomad," Chaos said.
x-X-x
AN: and now, what Vox said. firstly, he insults Sin and Wiseman because Edge, who is mentally challenged, was the one who noticed the similarities in their two battlefields. Secondly he says that despite the previous outcome of the last fight, and no mater how anxious they are to fight, no one can foretell the outcome. That refers to how Strag had decided who fights who. Finally he says that he knows the limitations of the terrors, showing his confidence in his victory. How many of you got it?