AN: The Sannin are fifty years of age. (a few years younger than in canon)
To Ookami: To address your question of serious NaruHina... well lets just say I've been itching to write more of it. Still, I got an idea on how I want the relationship to progress; give it maybe two or three chapters? I'm actually planning to write some in two chapters time. But its not going to be extremely fluffy, if you're the fluffy type. (You'll get what I mean)
To Sloucher94: I'll keep your opinions in mind. Thanks for reviewing! And yes Muta will be part of the main storyline later.
Thanks to the two anonymous reviewer, and want of my more loyal reviewers naruhinalover!
After the Jump!
WARNING: EXTREME GRAPHIC CONTENT. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
But all is not lost,
Nor is anything ever confirmed,
For this is simply the First of many,
The Trials that shall forge a greater man than any other.
From the Beginning,
Unto the End,
Those that live only for themselves,
Are those that die only for themselves.
-Ogama Sennin, The First Prophecy
The pounding footfalls did little to distract him. His eyes were graced with the most delectable destruction to ever caress this world.
It was breathtaking.
It never gets old, each time I see it, it becomes more beautiful.
That was my wish, the wish of a madman.
The wish of a lost child.
To experience the best of the worst in the world.
But I was not sorrowful, nor did I curse my fate.
It was a fate I embraced, a fate I shall see through to the end.
I remember those days of happiness... I loved the innocence of our friendship.
But I knew I was tainted, from the beginning.
And until the end, I shall remain tainted.
Orochimaru sat cross-legged at the edge of the cliff, taking pride and pleasure in the elemental fury that coursed through the Land of Fire. Everywhere he looked, fire raged, mountains were split, and lives were lost. His right hand was clenched tightly, hiding the seal carved into his flesh.
In my hand, I hold a power.
On its own, it is nothing, too small to matter.
But like a puzzle piece, it is essential.
Essential to the completion of a being that seethes with complexity and power.
It is amazing, is it not?
Such an insignificant little fragment, yet brought to significance because of what it belongs to.
And because of this, they ravage the land, kill innocents and feast on the flesh of Man.
The faint sounds of battle drifted to the top of the frozen cliff. To him, it sounded like the music of war, an ensemble of chaos. The periodic booming of the earth were like the percussion that accompanied the masterpiece, stirring the heart and moving the minds of lesser mortals.
I can hear them coming.
Their steps are ominous, echoing with ancient power.
They move steadily, pushing aside all obstacles, smashing through any obstruction.
Because they know what they want.
And they will get it.
The cliff exploded, sending him careening into the air and raining debris onto the ground. Quickly regaining his footing, Orochimaru drew himself to his full height.
Smoke covered the area, obscuring the vision and preventing the Snake summoner from seeing. He did not move from his position, instead standing stock still and calmly observing.
Then the smoke cleared, and in its place crouched a maroon colored beast unlike any other; its power flattened the trees in the area and permeated the air with suffocating intensity. A permanent snarl was etched into its face, and in spite of its fox-like features, it seemed more like a dragon than any other beast.
It was an immense being of power, and dwarfed even the biggest of his legion by many times. To it, Orochimaru seemed like a dust mite before a god.
"YOU KNOW WHAT I WANT." It snarled. It voice was a deep bassoon, rumbling like a waterfall crashing down onto rocks.
Slowly, a smirk formed on Orochimaru's face. As if teasing the being before him, he turned and walked away with dramatic slowness.
Letting loose a roar of pure rage, the fox swiped at the man, talons scything down upon him. With the force of a thousand earthquakes, the blow impacted upon the ground, tearing a deep gouge into the earth. Trees were flung into the air, having been uprooted by the sheer force.
But Orochimaru reappeared unharmed much further away, standing on a tree-top and staring back at the beast, the tips of his mouth curled upward in a mischievous smile.
Such power... how exquisite.
I want it.
Just then, another figure streaked down from the sky, smashing down upon the ground. It was a gigantic toad.
And a toad, of all things. Jiraiya's late.
Atop the toad rode a familiar white-haired man, standing tall and regal. It was smaller than the fox-demon, but its age and wisdom was apparent from its ancient voice. "OROCHIMARU... WE HAVE COME FOR YOU."
"So you have." Orochimaru replied with damnable smugness.
Jiraiya could barely contain himself. Seeing his teammate after so long was enough to send him flying into a rage, especially after what he had done. Still, he managed to calm himself, and stayed silent, his eyes narrowing imperceptibly.
Clearly unhappy with the new arrivals the great fox exploded in anger, "HE IS MINE! NO ONE ELSE WILL TOUCH THE POWER!"
Teeth bared and brandishing his claws, the fox lunged at the giant toad. With preternatural swiftness, the toad drew its sword and parried the incoming blow. As the blade of the sword met the razor-sharp talons of the fox, the resulting impact rang out across the lands, flattening trees with the force of the sound waves.
"SO YOU ARE THE NEW ASPIRANT. YOU DO NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO KURAMA." The toad intoned, swatting the claw away and slashing at the fox's midsection.
Enraged, the fox grabbed the sword with its bare hands, ripping it from the hands of his enemy. "DO NOT COMPARE ME TO HIM! HE WAS DEFEATED BY HUMANS!" With uncanny speed the fox twisted to Gamabunta's side, slashing the toad's belly open and exposing his guts.
With a grunt of pain, the toad bounded back, covering its exposed wound with his left hand.
Cackling, the fox screamed out, "SO YOU ARE ALL TALK. DIE!" Launching itself with such power that four gigantic footprints were imprinted onto the ground, it barreled straight into the toad, sending both of them flying into a cliff. Jiraiya jumped at the last moment, and sprinted across the exposed treetops, until he came face to face with Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, I will only say this once; give it to me." Jiraiya said, teeth gritted.
Orochimaru simply stood there, not even deigning to answer his former teammate.
Growling, Jiraiya charged up a ball of chakra in his right hand, and launched himself at Orochimaru, yelling, "RASENGAN!"
Just before Jiraiya could reach him, he disappeared, and reappeared on the ground. Looking up, the Snake summoner cackled, "I have become much more powerful than you could ever dream to be. Already, immortality is in my grasp."
Facial features contorted in rage, Jiraiya launched himself downward, hand humming with blue power. He met the ground, slamming the sphere of energy into the earth and causing a huge explosion to rip through the forest.
Orochimaru was nowhere to be seen. His distorted voice seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once, confusing and enraging the already incensed Hokage. "You want so badly to save your village, your country. A pity you aren't powerful enough..."
"Shut up! You may have abandoned Konoha, but I'll do everything in my power to protect it!" Jiraiya shouted. Even with his voice raised, he was almost drowned out by the shock waves coming from the battle between the ancient beings in the distance. The ground trembled with every blow, and Jiraiya knew his time was short. Gamabunta won't be able to hold on for much longer. He told me that if I could seize the power Orochimaru has, the toads would be able to force the foxes back to their domain.
The sound of chuckling echoed through the forest. "So did you. And Tsunade. We all abandoned that cursed village, and you deem yourself fit to lecture me? Pathetic!"
Orochimaru rose from under the ground, catching Jiraiya unawares with a kick to the groin. The white-haired man doubled over in pain and collapsed to the ground.
"I've always been stronger than you, as I'll always be. You wish to aid the toads in getting rid of the foxes... believe me, as much as I revel in destruction, I too want them gone. I can't be ruling over a wasteland for the rest of eternity, can I? Still, we'll do this my way; I humbly request your aid, if you would so kindly give it." Orochimaru hissed smugly.
Suddenly, Jiraiya sprang to his feet, grasping Orochimaru with monstrous strength. "Fuck you. You die now, traitor. Hari Jizo (Needle Jizo)!"
His hair lengthened, draping over his and Orochimaru's body like a cloak. With a sudden expansion, the cloak of hair hardened, the spiky strands of hair piercing through Orochimaru's body like a piece of paper. Orochimaru hissed in pain and struggled; he was unable to move. Blood flowed from his numerous puncture wounds, and it seemed as if he had been stabbed a dozen times all over his body.
Still, his smirk never left his face. raising his head upwards, he opened his maw impossibly wide. Jiraiya watched on in sickened fascination as a new, unmarred body emerged from the mouth, leaving the previous, shredded body behind.
His voice quivering in disgust, Jiraiya spat, "What the hell is that?"
Orochimaru's new body simply bared its twin fangs. "I've told you, I have found the secret to immortality. All I need now is a little something to acquire it. It appears you will be of no use. Die then."
From his mouth, a serpent shot out, opening its jaws and revealing a pale, razor-sharp blade. Jiraiya had no time to react. The sword impaled him through his chest, causing him to grunt as the pain registered in his brain.
As Orochimaru forced the sword downward, slicing through Jiraiya's innards, he could not help but feel a pang of emotion...
-About Fourty-two Years Ago, Konoha-
Hatred.
Loneliness.
Pain. That's all I have ever experienced in my short, cursed life. I saw my parents slaughtered before my eyes; I could feel the warmth of the blood, its wetness as it ran down my face. As I sat, hidden and frightened in the cupboard, I could see, through the thin sliver of vision I was granted, the men rape my sobbing mother, pumping her full of their tainted seed, until she was but a quivering mess. Then they slit her throat, and as I watched, horrified, they cut strips of meat from my mother's dead body.
"Food," They said. "You can never have enough of it. The war has made all of us hungry and starving."
'Food,' I thought to myself with widening eyes. Cannibals.
I was sickened. I knew The Third Shinobi War was a time of death and famine, and cannibals were not uncommon. But still I felt bile rising in my gut.
I watched on, as the men continued cutting and hacking away, until only bloodied bones and my mother's terrified face remained.
Then they walked out of the house. I did not dare venture out of the safety of the darkness; I was too afraid. I came from a civilian family after all, and so I did not know how to defend myself, not that it would have done much good; the men were obviously ninja, from the way they walked to the muscle apparent on their frames, although they wore no headbands. They had probably went rogue, tired of fighting.
For how long I sat there, I did not know. But I could hear the distant voices of the men. Then I remember the sound of sizzling flesh and the stench of fried meat wafting into my nostrils.
I knew they were cooking my mother's flesh.
Was it wrong that I found my mouth watering? I did not know; I had not eaten for a day, and was naturally hungry.
For hours I waited, my mind coming up with all sorts of horrible ways in which I could die.
Still, death did not come, not even if I wished it.
Finally, I could take it no more. Slowly, I pushed myself out of my hiding spot, every fibre of my being screaming out in fear. Slowly, I ventured outside... and heaved a sigh of relief. The men were gone.
Then I looked to my left, and saw, strung up by his intestines upon that gnarled oak tree, the swaying body of my father.
I could take it no longer. The fear, the disgust, the rage, it all welled up within me. What had I done to deserve such a fate? Why me?
I vomited and cried at the same time, collapsing to the ground.
And then I stopped. No use crying now. I had to survive so that I could avenge my parents. I swore to all the heathen gods that I would make them pay for what they did. I would inflict a fate a thousand times worse. I promised to myself that I would destroy them, totally and utterly.
I did not understand what I was thinking then, only that I was angry, that I had to have an outlet for my anger.
Stifling my sobs, I walked into my home and took up a kitchen knife. I was but a child, and until the previous day had lived as happy a life as I could ever want.
I seethed with anger at what had been taken away from me, even as I cut my mother's head down from the pile of ragged bones, her face stained with dried tears and mucus. I could not leave her like this; I would carry my mother's head with me, and would bury it when I came to a suitable place; I could not bear to bury her here.
Then I set off. I had no way of reaching my father's body. He was a good man, from what little I could remember, so I bowed to his corpse, giving him my final respects.
For days and weeks I traveled, across plains and through the forest. Food was abundant here, and I ate my fill of the wild berries and fruits. I had no idea where I was going, or where I was. I simply walked. I could have gone round in circles for all I knew.
Then I came to the desert, that sprawling barren wasteland. I knew nothing of it, and so I plunged foolishly into it.
It almost led to my death. I could find no food, no water, and for two days walked with no end in sight. I had eaten all of the meagre supplies I had, and so, on the third day, finally collapsed; a child's body could only take so much.
I went mad with thirst and hunger, and finally could take it no more.
I ripped my bag open, taking my mother's rotting head out and feasted on it. It was the only way to survive. I could not waste my tears, but even then, I cried inside, my heart weeping at my actions. Her flesh was raw and bitter, the texture tough and dry; I needed the energy, I told myself, energy to survive.
And then I was off again, and on my fourth day, finally reached forest. I swore that I would not step into the desert again, although it was a promise I broke many years later.
For another few weeks, I'm not exactly sure how many, I traveled, carrying my mother's skull with me, still intent on finding a proper burial site. Food was, for some reason, scarcer here, and the vegetation was noticeably thinner.
Finally, I found civilization once again. My family had lived close to the mountains, and so never really interacted with people much; but I remember the exact feeling, the feeling of elation as I stood there gazing at the great double gates of Konoha, standing tall in the distance.
I stumbled into Konoha, my body thin with hunger. I fell, there at the great wooden gates of the Leaf Village, and would not have had survived if not for a little girl.
I could remember how close I was to passing over to the afterlife; perhaps it would have been better if I did. But the little girl saved me. I was young then, about eight, but already my eyes were lifeless and dead, or so she told me.
But it was the girl, her blond locks fluttering in the wind, that brought me back. She helped me up, where others left me in the dust, she brought me to her house and nursed me back to health.
"What's your name?" she had asked.
I did not answer, memories of my parents death still vivid in my mind.
"Please, don't act like that. Where are your parents?" she had pressed.
I flinched and swatted her hand away. I could remember the pained look in her eyes, the look that told me I had hurt her by refusing to open up to her.
For we were children. I was inevitably scarred, but she was still innocent, and did not understand.
Eyes tearing up, she had left, and I thought she would never come again.
But come again she did, to bring me dinner. I ate in silence, not showing my gratitude but nevertheless grateful for the life-saving sustenance.
I was too weak to get out of the bed she had put me in. It must have been her bed. Trying my best to sit up, I had the sudden urge to say something. "I like snakes."
She was surprised at my sudden utterance. Curious, she could not help but inquire, "Why is that?"
I could not give her an answer. My fascination with snakes went back a long way. I could still remember the look of disgust on my mother's face when she found me playing with those serpentine creatures in the forest. She had reprimanded me, telling me how lucky I was that they were not poisonous.
Seeing as I wasn't going to tell her my true name, she opted instead to give me a nickname. "Well, I hope you're comfortable... Orochi-san. I have to tell my father about you, but I'll be back soon!"
Her eyes twinkling, she left me to my nightmares.
I soon learned her name; Tsunade Senju. Being part of a prestigious clan, she had naturally been given ninja training, and was a genius in every aspect of the shinobi arcs.
But most people kept their distance from me. I was weird to them; I was a stranger, a stranger they did not know, and was thus naturally ostracised. My strange fascination with all things serpentine probably did not help my image, and consequently I was always addressed by my nickname, Orochimaru. I was given a small, dilapidated apartment to live in by the Hokage at the time, Hiruzen Sarutobi and subsequently enrolled in the Konoha Academy, like the rest of the children, and was given a monthly stipend; it was a comfortable life, although I could not deny the darkness growing in my heart.
It was nearing the climax of the war, but Konoha was feared for its superior military might, and thus, life was good in Konoha. But as the rest of the children played together and enjoyed their time with their parents, I could only remember the truth of the world; outside the walls of the village continued a cruel and merciless cycle of violence.
Through it all, I could only wallow in my anger... if not for Tsunade. She was bright, like the sun, and for some reason being with her let me wash away all my worries. Slowly, I grew to love her presence, and eventually, years later, I found I could not deny my feelings.
Then there was my only other friend, Jiraiya. The first time I saw him was the same year I graduated from the Academy. He was being beaten, bullied and, like me, ostracized.
I knew not the reason for this, but I felt a certain kinship toward this boy. He was a little runt then, unable to even defend himself properly; I watched as the bloodied fists pounded on his broken face, bruising it, splitting it apart. He raised his hands meekly, but his weakness seemed to spur the aggressors on even more.
When I first saw him, I hated him. When I saw his weakness, I remembered my own weakness; when I saw him being beaten to the ground by the laughing Inuzuka boys, I remembered my mother being raped by the laughing men. How could such a person ever hope to become a ninja when he could not even defend himself from a few genin?
But yet I pitied him; I was in that position once, and I hated it, I loathed myself. I knew he loathed himself too. I had been watching for a few minutes, contemplating whether I should leave them be, when finally the white-haired runt fainted, unable to bear the pain.
And finally I could take no more. I leapt into the fray, engaging them in the basic Academy taijutsu, intent on making them pay. I surprised them, knocking out two of them and fearlessly facing the other three, a snarl on my face. I tackled them punching wildly and letting all my pent up anger loose.
They gave me a few good hits, I give them that. But they were pathetic. They were five genin, but fell to a single Academy student.
I beat them to the ground, smashing their faces and painting my clothes red with blood. Finally, panting in exhaustion, I let my arms fall to the side. I looked to the white-haired boy and saw his eyes on me; he must have been feigning unconsciousness.
"Why did you help me? Nobody helps me." He asked in that pitiful quivering voice.
"Because you couldn't help yourself. You are not fit to be a ninja, fool." I snapped back at him.
Despite the situation, he still found the strength to look indignant. I admit it was a funny sight, what with his split lip. "Hey! I'm going to be the Hokage one day! Nobody tells me what to do!" He had yelled.
Chortling in response, I replied, "The day you become Hokage, will be the day I betray Konoha. Get up, your weakness is infuriating."
Nervously, he pushed himself to his feet. "Did you do this to them? They look to be in pretty bad shape..."
"Leave them. They deserve a few weeks of hospitalization if they can't beat an Academy student like me." I growled.
From then on, he always hung around me, always yelling in that cheerful voice, always goofing around.
I admit I liked that.
The Hokage was a powerful man; one did not earn the title 'Kami no Shinobi' (God of Ninja) by simply sitting around and twiddling his thumbs.
It seems he had been watching us, watching our progression and gauging our performance. It was unsettling to be scrutinized at all times. When I graduated from the Academy, I was put into my genin team - headed by the Hokage no less. My teammates were none other than Jiraiya and Tsunade, and truthfully, I would not have had it any other way.
I still remember our first day together, on the roof of the Hokage Residence. The Third told us straight out what he expected of us. "I have been watching all three of you, and the friendship you have developed is a powerful force. I have taken you as my pupils, my only pupils, because I truly believe you have what it takes to become the best."
You could almost feel the grin emanating off Jiraiya's face.
"From now on, I will concentrate on molding your talents and making you the most powerful ninja the land has ever known, because I believe that you three will finally bring peace to the world, and because I know that you have enough determination to achieve your goals." The Hokage had said.
Years later, we would make a name for ourselves in the ongoing Shinobi War, and we would be known as the 'Densetsu no Sannin' (Legendary Three Ninja).
I remember.
The love we had for one another.
A pity my lust for power was stronger than our bonds of friendship.
I loved Tsunade, and I wished with all my heart to have her; it was the only guiding light in my life.
And again, I must pity the fact that the light was so easily snuffed out.
I was one of the strongest ninja to ever walk the face of the earth. Still, she chose to reject me, to instead pursue her own love elsewhere.
I hated myself then, as I knelt on the ground, staring at the sky. But no tears were shed, nor had I ever shed any since the night of my parent's death.
I immersed myself in my work, attempting forbidden methods to further my quest for strength.
But I knew then it was never about strength; I would achieve my teacher's ambitions my own way, by uniting the world under my rule and forcing peace onto all.
I knew it could not be achieved in a single lifetime. So, my quest for strength became synonymous with the quest for immortality. I experimented, first on the bodies of grown civilians, then ninja, whenever I could get my hands on them.
When I first started using children, i almost had second thoughts. They cried for their mothers, they struggled so futilely... but I steeled my heart; it was all for the good of the world.
I had lost myself in the darkness, and I could not break away.
... and then he pulled the sword out, letting Jiraiya collapse to the ground. Sighing uncharacteristically to himself, Orochimaru sprinted away, leaving Jiraiya to bleed out into the soil. He had killed, maimed and mutilated, even going so far as to warp the bodies and minds of children; but yet, some small fragment of him, something human, prevented him from ending his former friend's life himself.
There's no place for weakness in this world. The hibernation period for the integration of the Kyubi's chakra is almost up, and the defeat of the foxes draws near. Soon, power beyond my dreams will be in my grasp!
Chuckling to himself, Orochimaru sped off into the night.
"YOUNG NARUTO, THE FOXES ARE SCALING THE MOUNTAIN! ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY SETTLEMENTS IN THAT VICINITY?" Gamaken inquired.
Naruto was more exhausted than he had ever been in his life, but still, he struggled to keep upright on the toad's head. The battle against the crimson-eyed demons was ferocious, and already Gamaken was sporting several deep gashes and black bruises all over his amphibious body. To his left and right, other armoured anurans stood as the bulwark against the unrelenting hordes. As far as the eye could see, the demon monstrosities were swarming through the forests, leaving only destruction in their wake. No matter how many were cut down, more always took its place. Even the remaining Konoha ninja, barely a nuisance to the enemies, were helping as best they could, flinging jutsus to distract the enraged beasts.
"The mountains...? Wait! That's where the Konoha safe houses are located! Jiraiya ordered them evacuated before Kumo launched its first attack!" Naruto yelled frantically. And Hinata-chan is among them!
"YOU HUMANS, ALWAYS MAKING WAR..." The toad huffed.
"I could say the same for you spirits..." Naruto scoffed.
"LET'S GET GOING. AS LONG AS I STILL BREATHE, I SHALL NOT LET ANY DEMON HARM THE CITIZENS OF KONOHA; THE RASCAL JIRAIYA WOULD HAVE ASKED NO LESS OF US." Gamaken murmured. Dodging another wild slash by his adversary, he brought his sword down and cleft the smaller fox-demon in two. Then, he gave a loud croak, and muttered unintelligible words to some of his comrades. Naruto watched in amazement as a few of the giant toads broke away from the battle with commendable haste and followed Gamaken's lead. With a speed no normal human could fathom, the anurans sped up the mountain, leaving the screams, croaks and snarling of the remaining combatants behind.
The wind buffeted Naruto, stinging his eyes and making them water. As they gained altitude, he turned his head, and gasped at the sight laid bare before him; tiny motes of light blossomed all over the land, flashing out in the darkness of the night. He could only wonder at the scale of destruction that had been inflicted in just a few short hours.
The toads continued up the natural formation, until the incline decreased, and they were on relatively flat ground again. Peeking out once again from the top of the toad's head, Naruto was treated to the sight of a thousand demons scaling the sheer cliff, using their claws as hooks to push themselves up. They had reached the summit of the mountain, and the beginning of the mountain range that ran the length of the Land of Fire.
Pointing behind himself, Naruto explained to Gamaken, "According to Jiraiya-sensei, the safe houses are located behind the mountain range down at the base. It hugs the face of this particular mountain."
Nodding his assent, Gamaken barked out some unintelligible words to the other toads. Then he addressed Naruto, "WE WILL BE DEFENDING THIS AREA AND CONCENTRATE ON PREVENTING THE VERMIN FROM CLIMBING THE CLIFF FACE; IT IS A MUCH BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO DESCENDING ONCE AGAIN TO THE NORMAL ALTITUDE. HERE, WE HOLD THE HIGH GROUND... BUT IF THINGS GO BADLY, WE MAY HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO REGROUP DOWN AT THE SAFE HOUSES."
Tears welled up in Jiraiya's eyes. I have failed, again.
Black spots appeared in his vision, and soon, he felt himself tumbling into the darkness. He could faintly hear the rumble of thunder and feel the ever-present trembling on the earth, but he paid them no heed.
He had to concentrate on the path to the afterlife, after all.
Gamabunta cursed. He could feel Orochimaru's presence disappearing, and Jiraiya's weakening life force. It's too late; I have to get Jiraiya help.
It was clear he was no match for the sheer ferocity and power of his enemy; the fox had scored numerous gashes which were bleeding freely, although none were as severe as the first.
Panting in exhaustion, Gamabunta decided to make his escape. Mustering his last reserves of strength, he smashed the hilt of his sword onto the demon's abdomen with so much force it was blown backward. Even before its immense bulk landed upon the ground, Gamabunta was already in motion, bounding back to Jiraiya's position.
He paid no heed to the enraged roar that bellowed behind him, and instead sheathed his sword, clutching Jiraiya's limp and bleeding body in one hand and covering his exposed wounds with the other.
Not wasting a moment, he sped back toward Konoha. He could only pray that he was in time to save Jiraiya.
The tide of death was truly unstoppable. Naruto could see that now.
No matter how many the toads impaled, crushed, or ripped apart, there would always be more.
The snarling demons kept coming. Even the fear they had exuded before slowly tapered off.
Now, he simply felt despair.
Slash, cut, pull back, evade.
Exposed midsection... stab.
Downward swing... cleave.
They knew they were going to die. There was no other end in sight.
Inexorably, the defense was pushed back, until the remaining toads could take no more. Retreating in a disciplined fashion, the ten remaining amphibians bounded backward one by one and landed at the base of the cliff, cratering the ground.
He looked back, into the Konoha safe houses. They were little more than wooden buildings placed around in a haphazard fashion, but there were so many buildings that it spread out across the entire plain.
That was when the sheer number of people living in them hit him. Konoha has five thousand civilians...
There were ten toads and one Naruto, standing between five thousand lives and a horde of raging demons. The citizens of Konoha had flooded out of their makeshift homes and were watching with rapt attention at the scene playing out before them; throughout the night, sounds of unholy battle echoed across the mountains, playing on to their superstitions and fears. Now, they were met with the objects of their nightmares and myths.
Fueled by this sudden realization, Naruto readied himself; he would do his best, even unto his dying breath.
They were at the base of the mountain now. Looking upward, they could see demons spilling out onto the summit.
And then the rain of fire began.
Like blazing comets the beasts jumped, cackling with frenzied abandon. They impacted onto the ground, many of them being trampled by their own kin. Still, they surged forward against the unyielding defense of the anurans.
At least the base of the mountain is narrow. That's blessing enough for us. This way, they can't surround us.
It's only a matter of time before we tire out.
Naruto continued making clones, one at a time, sending them jumping in suicidal succession into the battle. The beasts were so frenzied that they were distracted by even one shadow clone, and so swiped blindly at them, leaving them open to be attacked by the sharp swords of the amphibious protectors.
The blond was panting now, drenched in sweat and trembling in exhaustion. He had lost count of how many clones he had made; he was only staying awake through the force of his willpower.
For how long he stood there, he did not know. All that mattered was that he stood, and fought.
One by one, the toads fell, until only Naruto and his flagging friend remained.
It ends now.
He would die here. Naruto was sure of it. I wonder if it's too much to ask for this to become another near death experience...
And his wish was answered.
From high up in the pitch black heavens, a light appeared. The demons stopped, and a still silence fell like a heavy blanket upon the area.
Somewhere, Naruto could hear a baby crying.
Then the light exploded, lighting up the sky with all the radiance of a thousand suns, blinding all who dared look at it.
The pure white light washed across the lands, running like pure water down the cliffs and mountains. Everywhere, howls and screams could be heard; the death cries of the foxes washed over the land like clear water, cleansing the land of the taint of corruption. The light burned them alive, sending them mad with the pain of their burning flesh.
When Naruto opened his eyes again, having been momentarily blinded by the magnificent radiance, it was only to witness the death of the spirit that had guaranteed his safety. His sword still held high in an expression of defiance, the body of Gamaken the Toad melted when the light struck him, his skin sizzling from the heat.
He could only manage a sad smile when he turned his head to Naruto.
Then he was gone, along with all his adversaries, leaving Naruto suspended in mid-air.
A second later, he tumbled face-first onto the ground.
Sputtering, he turned around and lay facing the sky. He was too tired to do anything else. Dawn was fast approaching, and as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the clouds, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief at having survived the longest night of his life.
Huh. The first time I didn't pass out at the end of the near death experience. Counts for something I guess.
A familiar comforting sensation enveloped him. He turned to see one Hinata Hyuga running toward him and taking him up in an embrace. For a moment, he stopped thinking, content with lying there in her arms, taking her lavender scent in through his nostrils.
Suddenly, as if just registering the close contact between herself and the blond, Hinata abruptly stood up, blushing madly.
Naruto was startled, feeling the loss immediately. "Huh? Hinata... what's up?"
It was the only thing he could think of saying after such a harrowing night.
Hinata didn't respond. Oh! I was just so happy to see that he was okay, I just came and hugged him! I saw him battling for us, for the entire village; we all saw him. ...I h-hugged him...
Characteristically unaware of the blossoming shade of red taking over Hinata's face, Naruto pushed himself to his feet. His body protested at the slight exertion, but the blond forced himself up anyway. "Hey Hinata? I'm really glad to see you're okay! Those monsters were really tough, but I guess they got scared and ran away!" He chuckled. Then his mood turned sombre, and he looked away. "But I guess I have to thank that toad for helping me out. He was a true friend, even though I met him just a few hours ago."
Hinata was poking her fingers together again. No matter how hard she tried, she could never get rid of the nervous tick. "Y-yeah..."
Naruto turned back to face Hinata, whose head was bowed nervously. "Hinata?"
Hinata jumped a little at his involuntary utterance, and slowly, she met his gaze.
"I'm really really happy to see you're safe."
Hinata allowed herself to smile a little.
Unfortunately, the battered remnants of the Kumo invading force decided to make their appearance there and then. All of a sudden, an entire battalion of ninja appeared, although noticeably the worse for wear. The most prominent was the white-haired, dark-skinned giant that landed right in front of them. He exuded pure power, and his grim stare seemed enough to make people cower.
A few muffled gasps rang out from behind Naruto. Immediately on guard, he pushed Hinata behind himself and drew his kunai. Damn it, how the hell did they get here!
Scowling deeply, the giant intoned, "Such a pitiful sight. Konoha leaves the lives of their people in the hands of children. It has been a long night, and it has made me very, very angry."
Stupid ninja, they don't know when to leave well alone.
Looking back, Naruto could see the fearful faces of the civilians. They were no match for the ninja before them; they might as well have been five thousand ants for all he knew.
Then there was Hinata. For some unfathomable reason, something inside him told him that he could not let her be hurt.
Drawing power from his reserves of rage, Naruto surged forward into the waiting arms of the enemy. And I have yet to get my fill of revenge, for Kurenai.
AN: 'Orochi' means large serpent while 'Maru' means male.
If you were wondering, the demon Gamabunta was fighting was Aobozu.
Next chapter, we see what caused the disappearance of the spirits.
I'm almost sure I want Jiraiya to die, but since some of you want him to live, well... we'll see.
And no, it never truly ends for Naruto. Next chapter will signal the end of this plotline before the timeskip!
Also, you can tell that Orochimaru is going to be an integral character; I might flesh out his history a bit more too. After all, one does not become evil without reason.
Please Read and Review!