Chapter 69: The Decision
Naruto avoided Tsunade and Elvo over the next two days. He spent most of his time with Sakura, mostly helping her train, but he spent his time with his other friends as well. It was the second day after Naruto's return that the other terrors came back. They hadn't even found Sasuke, but they knew of some of the people he attacked. Sage even mentioned something about a larger plan in the making.
"Where the hell is the Kid anyway?" Wiseman asked after their meeting with Tsunade.
"Avoiding me. I'm not going to send for him until we're ready for everything, but you have to have your decisions made when we're all here," Tsunade said.
"She's right, Chaos is going to be coming here with the decisions from everyone in the afterrealms so we should have ours ready as well," Elvo said.
"To think the Kid's the strongest mortal ever, kinda funny," Sin said with a slight laugh.
"Yeah, he'll be a good protector," Sage said.
"How much of the village knows?" Strag asked.
"Us, him, and Sakura," Tsunade said.
"Sakura? How'd she find out?" Sin asked.
"I told Naruto he could tell her," Elvo said.
"How do we know she won't tell everyone else?" Wiseman asked.
"That's kind of what we're hoping for," a voice said behind them.
Everyone turned to see an old man dressed in black, "Chaos, the others have decided then," Elvo said.
"Yes, what of you?" Chaos asked.
"Uh, not really, but we have until tomorrow right?" Wiseman asked glancing at Elvo.
"Yes, the decision should be made by sundown tomorrow," Elvo said.
"Then let's shoot for noon, get it out of the way, as well as having time for anything you might need to do afterwards," Tsunade said.
"Very well, I will be back here at noon tomorrow," Chaos said before vanishing.
x-X-x
"So what would you be the god of?" Sakura asked as she sat under a tree beside Naruto.
"Nothing, I would watch the others and make sure they don't step out of line," Naruto said.
"So like the guards?" Sakura asked.
"No, more like a scale. If it tips to far one way, I have to balance it out," Naruto said.
Sakura nodded then stood up, pulling Naruto's hand with her so he was forced to stand too, "Come on, show me some of what you learned," Sakura said pulling Naruto into the training area.
"But I really didn't learn anything. It was all just control and getting stronger," Naruto said.
Sakura stopped and looked at him, "But what's the point then?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" Naruto looking at her confused.
"I know why people would want to be the strongest, and why they have to keep training to get stronger, because someone might take that away from them. But when your one of two that ever reached twenty five percent, and the only one to reach fifty percent, what's the point anymore? No one else could rise that high fast enough, no one else could pose a challenge, there would be no reason to keep training, no reason to stay in shape. Being a ninja would loose all meaning," Sakura said.
"Yeah, you're right, it would. But I would still be able to protect everyone. Everyone I care about, I could be sure they would be safe, because I could be there and protect them. But that wasn't even why I was gone, it was to join Elvo and the others, and I have to be at full to do that," Naruto said.
Sakura spun around to look at him, "Why didn't you fail on purpose? Why didn't you use them to get stronger, but stop trying at some point?" she said looking in his eyes, tears on the edge of leaving her own.
"Because I never thought I would make it. Then when it jumped, I feared they'd take it all away if I failed," Naruto said wiping the tears away before they fell.
Sakura stepped into Naruto and put her arms around him, resting her head against his chest, 'has he always been this much taller than me?' she asked herself as Naruto wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on top of hers. The two stayed like that for a while, before darkness set in and Naruto decided to take Sakura home.
He dropped her off at a safe location a few blocked from he home before heading to his own. He was told that unless he was actually going inside to not go there, not even to pick her up for anything. Naruto went off to his apartment after dropping Sakura off, it would be the first time there since he left with Elvo.
His apartment was exactly as he had left it, in every detail, he could tell that no one had been there while he was gone, and he was slightly surprised. Before the Kyuubi was dead, and even for a while afterwards, whenever he would return home from mission his apartment would be ransacked. He was still getting used to it not being like that anymore. Then the thought hit him that he may never need to get used to it, he may never be there again after a week. That thought haunted him into sleep.
x-X-x
The next morning Naruto woke to a knock on his door. He moaned as he got up and answered it. There stood Sakura and Grim, both looking like they'd been awake for hours.
"Naruto, Tsunade-sensei summoned you," Sakura said.
"Yeah, so get dressed," Grim said with a laugh.
"Why're you both here?" Naruto asked as he retreated into his apartment, Grim and Sakura followed.
"I came by because I knew you'd be summoned," Grim said.
"And Tsunade-sensei sent me to get you," Sakura said.
"At the same time?" Naruto asked peeking his head out the door.
Grim just shrugged, "does it really matter?" he asked.
"No, I guess not…" Naruto said going back into his room.
A few minutes later Naruto was ready and the three left for Hokage tower. The other terrors were already there with Tsunade, as was Elvo. Grim walked in and over to the others, Naruto stayed by the door and Sakura began to leave, Naruto grabbed her arm.
"Naruto, I can't be here," Sakura said turning to look at him.
"You already know everything that's going on, and I'm going to tell you the result anyway," Naruto said.
"You may stay. We may end up asking your opinion in the end," Elvo said and though his face was hidden by his hood, Naruto was sure he was smiling.
Sakura nodded to him and followed Naruto to a chair, Naruto sat down and Sakura sat on his lap. Before the question could be asked Chaos appeared in the room beside Tsunade.
"I see everyone is here, and before the scheduled time as well. I assume that this means you are all ready," Chaos said.
"Yes, it does, we all have a decision," Wiseman said.
"Very well then. Terrors, how many of you would believe it better if he stayed?" Chaos asked. Edge and Sage were the only two to raise a hand. "That means the rest of you believe him better needed with us," Chaos said and the other terrors nodded. "The count for the terrors is four say he should stay, and eight say he should join us," Chaos said.
Elvo nodded, "Tsunade, what is you're decision?" he asked.
"I think his is needed more here for now. Maybe after he passes he could join you," Tsunade said.
"The count is five to eight," what are the others choices?" Elvo asked.
"We are brought to a tie of eight to eight, leaving the four of us to decide," Chaos said.
"Well, we should have decided upon an odd number of people to decide this," Elvo said.
"I agree, because with my vote and the other gods it is at nine to ten, for him joining us, and I am sure you will tie us, meaning we must ask our final person," Chaos said.
"I was fearing that as well, but it is not so, we have nine to eleven, he will be coming with us," Elvo said.
"So that's it then? I have a week left?" Naruto asked.
"Yes. You have a week left of being here. Elvo, I'll meet you there," Chaos said before vanishing.
"Where, back in the afterrealm?" Naruto asked somberly.
"No, we're not done Naruto. The decision was made, we have until dawn to finalize everything, otherwise unwanted things could occur," Elvo said.
"Like what?" Naruto asked turning to look at him.
"Let's leave that topic alone. For now, come with me, once we're done you will return here for you week to say your goodbyes," Elvo said heading towards the door and motioning for Naruto to follow.
Sakura stood immediately and Naruto slowly got up and followed Elvo, the terrors also left to room, but they didn't follow Elvo once they were out of the building. Once they had all left the room Sakura turned to Tsunade.
"I won't see him again after this week, will I?" Sakura asked.
"Yes, you will. I'm sure you'll see him when you die," Tsunade said in a sad tone.
"Yeah, but when will that be?" Sakura asked.
"I hope you're not thinking of speeding up that process, because I was going to start you back on work and missions, after this week," Tsunade said and Sakura turned to look at her.
"Really? I'm going to start work again?" Sakura asked slightly eager.
"I was going to start you sooner but Naruto came back, and with the news of his situation… I think you should spend the time with him," Tsunade said.
Sakura smiled, "thank you, thank you very much Tsunade-sensei," Sakura said bowing before leaving, slightly happier than before.
x-X-x
Naruto and Elvo walked in silence. Once they left the village Elvo broke into a run and Naruto kept pace, finally one spoke.
"I guess this means I made full potential," Naruto said.
"Yes, on the last day of all times. It seems one year was just enough," Elvo said with a slight laugh.
"So what's going to happen here," Naruto asked.
"First you're learning where you have to come in a week, sundown on the seventh day you have to be where we're going," Elvo said.
"Where is it?" Naruto asked looking forward.
"Here," Elvo said stopping, Naruto did the same.
They were in a battle torn clearing, whoever had fought here, they were powerful, "where we first fought. It took longer last time," Naruto said.
"Yes, you were weaker then too. But this is where you have to come," Elvo said as he jumped down form the tree he was in and walked towards Chaos who was waiting there.
"When you come bring nothing you treasure. Whatever you have with you will be lost forever, leave everything you hold dear in your village," Chaos said.
"What about my swords?" Naruto asked.
"Kami will craft you new ones, if he has not already," Elvo said.
"So what do we do here?" Naruto asked.
"We take away you're mortality. You won't be a god until you enter the afterrealm, but you won't be human anymore either," Elvo said.
"After this, you can't have relations with a woman," Chaos said.
"WHAT?" Naruto yelled jumping back.
"Not physically, but the child that could come about would be half immortal, and you would be forced to kill it. So you will have to restrain yourself now," Elvo said.
Naruto's breathing steadied after Elvo's explanation, but he was still eyeing Chaos weirdly, "How do you take my mortality?" he asked.
"We help," said a voice behind Naruto.
Naruto spun around to see two beings dressed in white. One was an old man in white elegant robes; the other seemed to be a young man with fanged curved teeth in white samurai robes.
"Naruto these are Kami and Shinigami," Elvo said gesturing to the two in turn.
"Have you marked the ground yet?" Shinigami asked.
"Yes, behind you," Chaos said walking over to the two. He passed them and stood by a large seal that had been carved into a previously unturned part of the earth.
"You must be standing in the center of the seal when the sun goes down," Elvo told Naruto as they joined to others by the seal.
"What do I do now?" Naruto asked.
"Lay in the center of the seal," Kami said with a slight smile as he took out four glowing swords. One glowed black, another white, another silver and the last golden. Shinigami took the black sword, Chaos the silver and Elvo the golden leaving Kami with the white. They each took a position around the seal, Elvo at Naruto's head, Chaos on his left, Kami at his feet and Shinigami on Naruto's right.
"This'll hurt kid, so relax," Elvo said.
"How do you know relaxing will help?" Naruto asked.
"I don't, I just know fighting pain only makes it hurt more," Elvo said.
"On three, one…two…three," Kami said and on three all four gods raised their swords in the air and dug them into the ground at the edge of the seal, each blade sinking to its hilt.
None of the gods released the handle, and all were watching Naruto intently as he slowly rose off the ground. Naruto felt that he was in the air, but nothing hurt yet. Just as that thought passed thought his head a jolt of pain shout though his body. It was so fast he didn't have time to voice it. He'd manage that on the next ones. One after another, each following a different path and each increasing in pain the jolts continued to shoot through Naruto.
His body was twisting and contorting in pain. Each muscle moved on its own, none were under his control. His screams never ended, never paused for a breath, or rather, the echo's made it sound that way. Finally after a few minutes, but what felt to Naruto like days it all ended. At the same instant all four swords were pulled from the ground and at that moment the pain stopped. Naruto fell to the ground, his body still moving on its own, tears freely flowing down his face.
"I chose to do this now, because if you were dead it would hurt more," Elvo said.
"How…how the hell can you know that?" Naruto asked slowly as he turned over.
"Because I'm supposed to, it's part of what I am. I never went through it, but I already felt its pain, and it hurts more after death," Elvo said.
Chaos tossed his sword to Kami and started walking away from the seal. Kami caught the sword in his free hand and followed Chaos with hid eyes, "We should go now, when the pain is gone, so to will his mortality," Chaos said turning to the others.
"How could there be such a heartless god?" Kami asked.
"He's right though, but someone should still take the kid back," Shinigami said hading Kami his sword.
"I'll do it. I'm the one the village already knows anyway," Elvo said kneeling down beside Naruto's still convulsing body.
"I'll begin working on his blades. They should be ready when he joins us," Kami said as he took Elvo's sword from the ground where Elvo had tossed it.
"Yes, we also need to decide which domain he will reside in," Elvo said.
"We'll do that when you join us, then all our together work will be done and I can get back to my old projects," Shinigami said.
Elvo nodded and the other three vanished, Elvo then turned to Naruto, "is the pain gone?" Elvo asked.
"Yeah, it's been gone, I just can't control anything," Naruto said.
"That's easy to solve, we just need to sever your spine," Elvo said standing up.
"After all this, you're going to kill me?" Naruto asked looking at Elvo.
Elvo didn't answer; he just pulled a katana out of the air and rammed it through the base of Naruto's neck and into the ground, completely severing his spinal cord. Naruto let out a scream of pain and Elvo pulled the sword out, the instant the blade was out the wound started to heal.
Once the wound was sealed Naruto hopped to his feet, "What the hell are you thinking, that could've killed me!" he yelled.
"No, you're immortal now, remember. Besides you can move now," Elvo said.
Naruto looked at his hands and moved them around, "oh yeah…" he said before looking back at Elvo confused.
"Before you ask, yes I knew that would happen, also immortals heal quickly. It does take energy, but when judged by how much you have overall it's relatively small," Elvo said.
"So this is what it's like to be a god…" Naruto said looking at his hands again.
"No, you'll be much stronger as a god, and it won't take any energy to heal," Elvo said.
"Really?" Naruto asked looking at Elvo eagerly.
"Yes. Right now you're the same as before, only immortal. Any tricks you could do, all the stamina you had, none of it has changed, but it will when you're a god. Now get back to your village. You only have a week remember," Elvo said before Naruto nodded and ran off, Elvo vanished once Naruto was gone.
x-X-x
Naruto enjoyed his last week in Konoha. He told all his friends he was leaving, but when they asked what for he said he was leaving the village to train on his own and maybe take out Sasuke. Only Tsunade, the terrors and Sakura knew the real reason, and when Jiraiya would return Tsunade said she would inform him, the terrors having said it was okay for him to know.
The week went by too fast, and soon it was Naruto's last day in his village, his home. He had already given everything to Sakura, signing over the larger things like is apartment. The only things he now owned were the clothes on his back, which would be destroyed when he entered the afterrealms, his forehead protector and his necklace.
He returned the Necklace to Tsunade and gave his forehead protector to Sakura. There was a rather large crowd that gathered to see him off at 5:00. But there was one more than anyone expected.
"So you're leaving to find me? Well here I am," a voice called form beyond the gates.
Everyone went silent and looked at where the voice came from, "Sasuke, get your damn ass out here," Naruto yelled.
"Eager for me to kill you?" Sasuke asked appearing in front of Naruto, just outside the gates. "Not here, not right now," Naruto said to himself.
"What's wrong, not ready yet? I heard you were gone for a year to train, did you realize that since I beat Sakura you needed to train more, seeing as she's stronger than you?" Sasuke asked his smirk ever present.
Naruto smirked back, "I'll fight you, if you can catch me," he said before taking off behind Sasuke.
"Idiot… I'll be back later to get some of you, so don't worry about that," Sasuke said before taking off after Naruto. He finally caught up with him in a battle torn clearing.
Naruto was waiting near a large seal; it looked as if it had been freshly drawn.
"Nice art work, it's worse than your ninja skills. I guess there's nothing you can do right, huh?" Sasuke asked drawing his katana.
"I keep my promises, that's all that matters," Naruto said.
"Oh right, your promises. Didn't you promise Sakura you'd bring me back? I guess you failed that one huh?" Sasuke asked.
"No, I brought you back. I never said you would stay though, but I brought you back, and I did it twice," Naruto said taking a fighting stance.
"You know, usually when you leave on a solo mission you leave early so you can cover more distance before night, not leave near sundown, I guess this proves you never were meant to be a ninja," Sasuke said.
"I guess you're right," Naruto said charging Sasuke and sending him flying.
Sasuke hit a tree and stopped. He hadn't even seen Naruto move. He shrugged it of to not expecting it, but he activated Sharingan nonetheless. He charged Naruto, sword at the ready and swung at Naruto's head, Naruto just ducked. Sasuke proceeded to make several more attacks all of which Naruto managed to fully avoid.
The sun was on its way down, and Naruto needed to end this fast. He started going on the offensive. Sasuke managed to block and dodge the first few with the aid of his Sharingan and reach of his sword, but soon Naruto's hits were getting through and Sasuke was sent backwards again. Sasuke hopped to his feet and started flying through handseals, Naruto smiled when he saw the seals, and he knew exactly what Sasuke was going to do.
As soon as the seals were done Sasuke shot a giant fireball at Naruto. Naruto dodged it, and landed where he needed to for his idea to work, but he needed Sasuke to move faster. When Naruto landed and looked at Sasuke, he was already done with the next set of seals and shot out several medium sized fireballs at Naruto. While Naruto was dodging between them Sasuke prepared one more attack.
"Chidori!" Sasuke yelled once Naruto had dodged the last ball, there was no time, he looked up and was hit in the chest by the powerful attack. Sasuke quickly pulled his arm out of Naruto and kicked him backwards.
Naruto stumbled backwards, his hand over his wound, covering up the fact it was healing quickly. He looked up at Sasuke and grinned, "You fell for it Sasuke, this isn't an ordinary seal, with it I can kill you. It'll boost my power enough to wipe you out, you've just lost," Naruto said through his grin.
Sasuke just looked at Naruto wide eyed as the sun vanished behind the mountains. The instant it was gone a blue bolt of lightning shot down form the sky and hit Naruto, the bolt was so large it consumed his body. He didn't scream or anything as the bolt enveloped him, he just kept grinning at Sasuke, "I'll see you in hell bastard," Naruto said before both he and the bolt were gone with a bang. The blast shot Sasuke back, but he was unharmed.
He got to his feet and smirked, the seal was a sizzling crater, Naruto had just blown himself up and missed killing Sasuke. Sasuke walked over and grabbed his katana, he sheathed it before running off.
x-X-x
Tsunade was just entering her office after dinner when the window behind her desk burst inwards. Tsunade stumbled backwards form the suddenness, but remained on her feet. Fear and shock engulfed her as she saw who had broken her window, and who was standing on her desk.
"The idiot's dead. He blew himself up trying to kill me and missed. I see no real reason to hunt any of you down anymore, it can't hurt him where he is. But don't think you're safe, I may change my mind at any time," Sasuke said before jumping back out the window and was gone from the village.
The instant he was gone the door burst open and Shizune as well as several other ninja ran in, "Tsunade-sama, what happened?" Shizune asked.
"Sasuke, he just came back to tell me Naruto was dead, and that he wouldn't hunt any of us anymore, at least for the moment," Tsunade said sitting on the floor slowly.
"Hokage-sama are you okay?" one chuunin asked.
"Get the terrors here, I think we need a new Hokage," Tsunade said holding her chest and breathing deeply.
x-X-x
AN: wow, I put a lot into that. Fear not, this is not the last chapter of the fic. The next one, however, will be. And no, it was not always planned to be 70 chapters, it's just going to happen that way. All that finally news and other stuff will be there, so tune it to see how this fic ends.