Chapter 8: Past Events

Sweat trickling down her brow, Revan wiped it off angrily as she dodged another chakra rod from one of the cloaked assailants, her lightsaber burning through nothing but air as she missed yet again, to her ever-growing frustration.

She still had yet to work out how all six of them could see where she was going to attack, even if they had their eyes closed. Normally, it would be absolutely impossible, especially if the person was distracted until the last possible moment. She'd nearly lopped off the fat one's head, only to have him duck the swipe and try and drain her energy dry, something she'd seen happen to a rather unfortunate Konoha nin who had been fighting him previously.

The summoner was sitting back, watching idly with two other orange-haired compatriots. Strangely enough, all six of them had orange hair and purple, ringed eyes; that wasn't the only oddity, though: strange, piercing-like objects protruded from their faces, arms, necks, and pretty much anywhere she could see bare flesh. They looked like piercings, at least; with these six, she wasn't undoubtedly sure about much.

Second of the three fighters she was currently engaged with was of slim build, long orange hair whipping as he dodged a Force-push. She'd seen his technique as well: He had the ability to literally rip the souls of his victims clean from their still-living bodies. Such a technique was certainly a kinjutsu, she thought; no person in their right mind walks around tearing immortal souls from passerby's like pulling a thorn from a hand.

The third fighter, one she was SURE wasn't human, shot a rocket from its' wrist, her saber slicing cleanly through it as it exploded behind her, causing her hair to billow wildly. It had the ability to wield all sorts of foul contraptions: from the missiles in its' wrist, to its' detachable arms; from its' chakra-powered rocket boots to the serrated tail produced from its' lower back, it was more machine than man.

The fourth man was standing next to the summoner, staring intently at the fight in a disturbingly similar manner to the summoner. She had no idea what this one's techniques were, but if she went by the other's penchant for destruction, she'd guess it would be a devastating technique.

Finally, there was the leader of the group. The one that had caused so much death and destruction to the village of Konoha. The supreme leader of Akatsuki, and the inheritor of the Rinnegan, the supposed doujutsu of the Rikudou Sennin (Sage of Six Paths). The one known as Pein.

He'd started a skirmish within Konohagakure's walls, searching for Naruto who'd gone off to train with the toads on Mount Myouboku. While the Konoha nin knew he was searching in vain, they continued to act as if they were protecting the boy from him, which only fueled his search for the Jinchuuriki. In the end, they hadn't been able to keep Naruto's absence from Konoha a secret for long, and Pein discovered his quarry wasn't in the village.

With Naruto M.I.A, Pein had no further use for the populace of Konoha, so he set about destroying the village with the simplest, yet most devastating technique at his disposal: Shinra Tensei. The likes of Kakashi and the late Sannin Jiraiya could attest that it was a most powerful technique, but nowhere NEAR this scale. No, this one had a good deal of Pein's chakra put into it, and the results showed it.

Konoha was leveled; dirt carved itself from the ground as buildings, animals, people, and everything within radius was violently thrust outward, the deafening roar of splintering wood, breaking rock, and twisting metal echoing as Konoha was turned into a parking lot, the debris literally forcing open the giant gates that were supposed to protect the village, twisted wreckage spilling into the surrounding forest as a giant crater replaced what was once a thriving village. Now the place reeked of death.

Revan could only surmise that that was the reason he'd yet to enter the fray, and why the other two were holding back. They were guarding him while he built up his strength, recovering from the vast amount of chakra he spent turning an entire village into a barren wasteland. The very thought angered her, and she slipped slightly in her emotions, letting the Dark Side snag hold and fuel her swipes, her anger channelling itself into precision and power.

Still, it wasn't enough; despite her overwhelming skill and incredible power, she couldn't harm them if she couldn't HIT them. For some reason, a reason which escaped her right now, they were able to PREDICT her every move, and could dodge her swipes as if they knew what she was thinking before she did. The result was that they were dancing around her, barely attacking and letting her wear herself out.

She knew that, at the rate this was going, she wasn't going to last much longer. However, she also knew that if she stopped, the remaining LIVING citizens and ninja of Konoha would be fair game to Pein and his orange-haired gang. As it stood, Kakashi was dead, Tsunade was far too weak to be of any aid, having used all of her chakra to protect as many people as she could with Katsuya, and everyone else was either seriously injured or, like Tsunade, too fatigued to be of any assistance. She was their last line of defense, and both she and Pein knew it.

Concentration slipping for just a second, the lack of defense was all the machine-man needed, a chakra-powered punch fracturing several ribs as it connected. Blood flying from her mouth, Revan flew backwards into the rubble, clutching her stomach and hissing. Staggering to her feet, she panted heavily as she drew on the Force to heal her injuries, constant fighting having sapped her strength greatly.

"So, it seems you've finally found an end to your inexhaustible energy, woman." Turning her head slightly, she regarded the voice of Pein, his five fellows gathering next to him as he droned on in a monotone voice, void of any interest or care. "While you indeed lasted longer than either Kakashi-san or Jiraiya-sensei, you were fighting a losing battle, nonetheless. I am a god, you see. No mere mortal can kill a god."

Spitting blood-coated saliva, Revan smirked as she wiped her mouth. "You're not a god, Pein. You may act like one, and I'll daresay you may even fight like one, but you are no god. The only god I know has blonde hair, a raucous personality, and can't sit still when ramen is mentioned in a conversation. Sadly, he's not here right now, but I'll be more than happy to deliver your beating in his place."

Chuckling, Pein leveled a slightly amused look at Revan, even as he sent his Asura Path to deliver the final blow. "Tough talk coming from a dead woman. This god shall see your existence at an end."

Igniting her sabers, Revan made to carve the charging path into pieces, but shielded her eyes as a blinding cloud of smoke filled the area, the Asura Path forced to halt its' attack as the smoke killed all lines of sight, making any attack useless.

Several tense seconds passed, the hiss of the smoke the only noise in the area. Slowly, it dispersed, the fog lifting and parting to reveal a welcome sight for all: Three giant toad summons. Some villagers even shouted about the return of Jiraiya, but Revan knew who it was the moment he arrived.

Golden locks blew in the breeze, the blood-red coat with black flames billowing behind him as the scroll strapped to his back shifted slightly. Arms folded, eyes closed, expression blank. As if a switch was flipped, Naruto's eyes flew open, orange pigment and yellow frog eyes the only noticeable physical changes about him.

Eyes hardening into a cursory stare, Naruto peered through the dimming smoke, looking for his beloved village in the distance. He could make out the Hokage Monument, but couldn't see any other landmarks, like the Hokage Tower, or Ichiraku's.

Frowning, he turned and regarded Shima just as Fukasaku spoke. "Kaa-chan, I thought'chu were summonin' us to Konoha."

Face grim, Shima replied, "This IS Konoha. Or what's left of it after Pein destroyed it."

Shock registered on both of their faces, Naruto's quickly hardening into one of pure rage. Just then, the smoke cleared to reveal Pein staring up at Naruto, his expression one of slight anticipation.

"So, you've come."

Immediately, all 6 Paths formed a perimeter around him, keeping him safe while he continued to gather strength. "Good. That saves me the trouble of tracking you down myself. I will admit I was surprised when I learned you weren't in Konoha. I didn't take you for the type to let your village fight your battles for you. I'm glad I was proven correct, even if it DID take you some time to return."

Leaping down from Gamabunta's head, Naruto glared heartily at Pein. "You...YOU..."

Pein turned his head, regarding Revan with one eye. "Saved by the Jinchuuriki. You should be so grateful. Normally, I would completely ignore you in favor of capturing him, but with you..." The Asura Path soared towards her once more, Revan's eyes widening at the sudden lack of distance between them. "...I'll make an exception. Die."

An explosion rocked the ground, and Revan stared as the Asura Path was driven into the ground by Naruto's Rasengan, its' body tearing open as metal pieces and parts showered everywhere while the Rasengan drilled into it with the force of a chainsaw.

Once the Asura Path was reduced to scrap metal, its' various limbs scattered and its' head at Naruto's feet, he was satisfied that the body beneath him would not get up again. Naruto stood and leveled a hate-filled glare at Pein. "Your opponent is ME, and NO OTHER!"

Pein nodded, "So it would seem."

Behind them, Gamabunta chuckled. "Jii-san, doesn't he remind you of those two?"

Fukasaku smiled. "He sure does." 'Naruto-chan has finally surpassed his predecessors. Jiraiya-chan would be so proud.'

Without turning, Naruto spoke. "Rev, let me handle this guy. You don't need to waste your power on the likes of him."

Chuckling, she grinned at his back. "Fine, I'll stay out of this one. Just don't complain if I give you pointers on your sloppy fighting style."

She frowned when he didn't reply. "...Naruto?"

"Revan."

She stopped when he used her full name. He only did so when he was deadly serious. "Yes?"

"I know that this isn't the appropriate time to ask this...but now that I've mastered Senjutsu...I'm able to sense everyone's chakra..."

Revan tensed, knowing where this question was headed, but unable to stop it. "Has...has Kakashi-sensei been sent on a mission? Is he out of the village right now?" Sensing his hope through the Force, Revan didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise, and stayed silent.

Naruto grit his teeth, an audible grinding noise reaching her ears. "I see...I thought as much..."

A complete and utter sadness permeated her, the agony at losing his sensei, one of his precious people, was palpable through the Force. So strong was this feeling that Revan had to bite her lip in order not to cry herself.

Pein interrupted Naruto's silent grieving. "Uzumaki Naruto...I've waited far too long for this. Quit your stalling and hurry up, so that I may capture the Nine-Tails."

He barely finished his statement before the Animal Path slammed her palm down, a cry of , "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" echoing through the air. A large plume of smoke erupted, and a rhinoceros summon shot out of the cloud, it's huge horn barreling forward.

Eyes shot up, Naruto glared at the animal before catching the charging beast, skidding to a halt mere feet from Revan. A shout of rage was followed by him tossing the animal skyward, its' bellow of surprise echoing as it flew vertically into the air.

Another cry of, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!", and two more summons charged forward from the resulting cloud of smoke, one a winged dog and another a fur-covered ox.

Fukasaku and Shima, having transferred over from Gamabunta's head prior to all this, leapt from their perches on Naruto's scroll. Reaching the peak of their jump, they slapped their hands together and cried, "Senpou: Kawazu Naki! (Sage Tech: Frog Call)" A loud screeching noise erupted from their open mouths, and the summons stopped in their tracks, shaking their heads side to side as they roared in discomfort and disorientation.

Naruto shot forward, his infamous cross-seal formed in a heartbeat. As he passed between the summons, two clones popped up on either side of him. Hands together, they began to form the Rasengan, and once ready, took both balls of energy and proffered them upwards, senjutsu flowing into the orbs and increasing their size dramatically.

Leaping forward, they rammed their jutsu into the summons from behind with a cry of, "Senpou: Oodama Rasengan! (Sage Tech: Big Ball Rasengan)" before vanishing in puffs of smoke.

As the summons soared into the air to join their friend, Fukasaku and Shima landed, the former turning to the three giants behind him. "Bunta-chan! Ken-chan! Hiro-chan! Now!"

With a nod, all three leapt upwards. Pulling out his large tanto, Gamabunta neatly beheaded the rhino, blood showering the crater as it dispelled in a puff of smoke.

Gamahiro drew his katana in the blink of an eye, sheathing them a second later. Seconds passed before the oxen was sheared into thirds, organs and flesh raining down in pools of blood before it, too, dispelled in a puff of smoke.

Gamaken attacked the winged dog purposefully, as he'd fought it before and knew exactly how to dispatch it without causing it to multiply. Bringing his sasumata across in a horizontal arc, he slammed it into the torso of the dog, causing it to yelp in anguish, the sound of ribs snapping deafening.

Slamming his blunt weapon into the creature several more times at various angles, he reared back and delivered the finishing blow, cracking his weapon across the dog's snout, causing the head to jerk violently to the side. A CRACK was heard, and the dog fell limply to the ground, neck obviously broken before it dispelled within a huge cloud of smoke.

Meanwhile, Naruto continued to close in on the Path formation. The portly one leapt forward to engage him, and he cocked his fist back as he swung, intent on decking Naruto from the get-go. Naruto easily dodged this, and swung back of his own accord. Like Naruto, this Path easily dodged his attack. Back and forth they went, and it soon became obvious to Naruto that this Path wasn't just dodging his attacks; he was anticipating them.

It came to a head when he brought his hand in front of his opponent's eyes, merely a distraction for the left hook that came whizzing at his head. The Path's eyes followed the hand, as predicted, but he still managed to dodge the punch that came at him via his blind spot, and again when the follow-up kick was deflected.

Revan's insight came as a welcome relief. "They can somehow anticipate your attacks, Naruto! It's like they can see where you're going to punch before you do!"

Leaping backwards, Naruto smirked as he looked at the other Paths, each staring intently at their fight. "So THAT'S it...no wonder even Frog Kumite was having no effect on him..." Chuckling, he clenched his fist. "Then how about an attack that they CAN'T see?"

Running towards the Hungry Ghost Path, he didn't even blink when a chakra rod shot out of its' sleeve and into its' grasp, the makeshift weapon gleaming black against the sunlight. He reared back and threw his punch, ducking his head to the left to avoid being stabbed in the eye by the rod.

As expected, the Path dodged his fist, but was completely caught off-guard when his cheek caved inward, his eyes widening slightly before he was sent hurtling off to the right, skipping and bouncing off the hard ground before he came to a rest, his body slamming into the ground and cratering it slightly. He didn't even twitch afterwards.

Glancing towards the now-dead Hungry Ghost Path, Pein then glared back at Naruto. "How did you manage to hit us? Your fist clearly missed us."

Naruto barked out a laugh. "You'll find I'm full of surprises. It's best not to underestimate me. My range of attack is much bigger than what you can see."

Pein's eyes widened, and Naruto knew that somehow, he'd given away his secret. "Range of attack...I see...you've become a Sage." Naruto winced inwardly at that, his secret exposed to the enemy. "Just like Jiraiya-sensei, you've mastered the same jutsu as he has."

Naruto stood there in shock, not believing what he'd just heard. "...J-Jiraiya...sensei?"

Pein smirked. "Yes, or I should say 'former' sensei. I had the privilege of learning jutsu from him, and he was my first and only teacher. You could say that this would make us, 'sibling disciples'. Therefore, we should, at least theoretically, be able to understand one another. Wouldn't you agree?"

Naruto's eyes hardened as he continued. "Our master desired peace. This much was certain. I am following in his footsteps, carrying out his dream where he himself failed to do so. I shall grant this world a gift, the gift of peace everlasting."

Two clones poofed into existence, and a shrill humming noise tore through the air. "Shut the HELL up!"

Cocking an eyebrow, Pein watched as Naruto held a jutsu aloft in his right hand, the screeching noise getting louder as the Rasenshuriken grew in size, from a normal-sized Rasengan to slightly bigger than a fuma shuriken, four prongs whirling with such speed that even his Rinnegan couldn't count the rotations.

"Wh-what the heck is that?" cried Shima, utterly dumbfounded at the technique before her. "S-such a massive amount of chakra! Tou-chan, did you teach the boy this?"

Shaking his head, Fukasaku was barely able to respond over his awe. "No...this is the first time I've ever seen such a technique. Trust me when I say he never showed THAT during our training. Besides it's overwhelming power, what is Naruto-chan planning to DO with it?"

With his other hand, Naruto gestured to the complete and utter devastation surrounding them, the countless bodies strewn about in the rubble. "What the FUCK are you talking about? PEACE? LOOK AROUND YOU! All that you've done here, the countless lives you've taken, the terror and fear and pain you've wrought, and you have the GALL to claim it's for peace? WHERE'S THE PEACE IN MASS MURDER?"

The clones dispersed, and Pein replied. "You're merely looking at the tree, forgetting the forest even exists. You are uneducated in the true meaning of peace. You know not what you spout. You are ignorant, and yet a crucial part to my plan."

Pein held out a hand to Naruto, as if offering him to take it. "So let yourself be captured. Give up, and accept your fate. Your death...will be the gateway to the true, everlasting peace our master desired."

Naruto snapped, cocking his arm back even as he spoke, "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU...TO SHUT THE HELL UP!" Whipping his arm forward, he hurled the Rasenshuriken towards the four Paths, shocking everyone present.

Revan knew quite a bit about the way chakra worked, even if she could use little of it herself. So to see Naruto hurl that technique like one would hurl a frisbee was startling to even her. 'How can he throw something with such a large amount of chakra, and an even higher rotation? It shouldn't be possible, even for him!'

In less than a second, the Rasenshuriken had closed the distance between them. Pein and his Naraka Path leapt clear in time, but his Animal Path was too stunned to move. The Human Path turned to her and grabbed her collar, hurling her clear of the attack just as it expanded, the prongs becoming a sawblade as they carved through the Human Path, his lower body falling to the ground as his upper body was sheared into smaller and smaller pieces.

The remaining 3 watched as the ball then exploded, thousands upon thousands of attacks reducing what was left of the Human Path to mere ashes. Turning towards Naruto, Pein spoke. "Deidara was right. You don't listen to reason."

Sucking in air, Naruto exhaled heavily as he shot forward, engaging the Animal Path next. Pein watched as Naruto's movements seemed to slow down with each attack, dodging becoming easier and easier.

Ducking a swipe, then backflipping away from an axe-kick, the Animal Path landed next to the Naraka Path as Naruto took a short breather. Pein smirked as he figured it out. "You're slowing down...you're running out of Sage Chakra, aren't you? Did that last attack drain so much from you?"

Naruto inwardly cursed. 'He's right, much as I hate to admit it. Rasenshuriken does a number to my senjutsu, and with the various Rasengan I've used already, I'm almost out of it.' Looking towards the Animal Path, he nodded to himself. 'I've got to take this one out, at least, before my Sage Mode runs completely dry.'

Sensing an incoming object, Naruto reached out and grasped it. Turning it over in his hand, he blinked as he recognized Revan's lightsaber. Turning to her, he gestured towards the weapon.

"Figured you could use a hand. I haven't been training you in sword combat for nothing, you know."

Smiling, he nodded and ignited the saber, the purple blade humming to life as he charged the orange-haired girl. Chakra rod in hand, she attempted to stab him in the gut, but he skillfully skirted the edge of the weapon, bringing his own down in a backhanded arc.

She dodged it, and attempted to stab him again. Once more, he skirted the edge, the rounded object only good for thrusting and stabbing. Slashing and cutting were not options with chakra rods, and they both knew it. A third attempt, then a fourth. After the fifth failed attempt, the Animal Path was about to retreat and regroup with her companions. Naruto couldn't have that, so he struck fast and hard.

Parrying her rod with the hilt of his weapon, he swung around and attempted to meet her in a clash of blades, knowing full well what would happen if he succeeded. He was gambling on Pein not knowing the unrivaled cutting power of the lightsaber, and it paid off.

Attempting to block his blade, her eyes widened considerably when the purple saber sheared through the chakra rod like a hot knife through butter. In the time it took to blink, Naruto had carved his way through her rod and continued into her right shoulder, making a diagonal arc through her body and coming out at her left hip.

Panting heavily, Naruto slumped to one knee, the orange pigment fading as he dropped out of Sage Mode. Even as he deactivated Revan's saber, the Animal Path finally showed its' damage, the two halves sliding apart before collapsing to the ground separately.

Not the least bit concerned about having lost his fourth Path, Pein cocked his head ever so slightly. "You've finally exhausted your senjutsu. No more Sage Mode for you, I take it."

Scowling, Naruto began to remove the scroll from his back. Pein suddenly sprinted forward. "Now's my chance to finish this."

Sprinting away, Naruto began to remove the straps covering the scroll, when Pain landed in front of him. "You're not getting away, Jinchuuriki."

Fukasaku landed behind Naruto, arms held out. "Naruto-chan! Give it to me! I'll do it!"

Wordlessly, Naruto tossed him the scroll and blocked an attack from Pein, deflecting a punch with his forearm before spinning into a roundhouse kick at his opponent's face. It was blocked, and the fighting continued.

Hopping away, Fukasaku met Shima and Revan halfway. "I've got it. Quickly, Kaa-chan, help me open this."

"What is it?" Revan inquired, looking between the scroll and Naruto, who was currently fighting both the Naraka Path and the Deva Path.

"Yeah, Tou-chan. Can't we just merge with him like we did with Jiraiya-chan?"

Fukasaku shook his head even as he began unraveling the scroll. "The Kyuubi prevents us from merging with him. I've tried many times, and each result was the same: complete and utter rejection."

Shima paled. "Then what are we supposed to DO?"

Revan helped Fukasaku unravel the rather long scroll. "I take it Naruto came up with something?"

Fukasaku grinned. "Naruto-chan sure did. It's rather ingenious, if I do say so myself."

With the scroll unfurled, Fukasaku slammed his hand down on the seal. "Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu! (Reverse Summoning Technique)"

With a puff of smoke, a clone of Naruto in Sage Mode appeared, seated in the lotus position still gathering senjutsu.

Like flicking a switch to turn on a lightbulb, Revan instantly realized the plan. "Create a Shadow Clone, have it gather Natural Energy, then have it disperse itself and give the energy to Naruto, allowing him to re-enter Sage Mode without sitting still! It's BRILLIANT!"

Fukasaku grinned. "I thought so, too. But there's a problem. While gathering Natural Energy, that limits the amount of chakra that Naruto can disperse between clones. Otherwise, he cannot balance the energy properly. This means that he' s limited to the creation of four clones, two to gather Natural Energy, and two to help him create that technique of his, among other things."

Revan nodded as Shima spoke up. "So that means...he can only re-enter Sage Mode a total of two times, not counting the energy he started with."

Fukasaku nodded. "Once the two clones are used up, he will have to remain completely still in order to re-gather the senjutsu again, and with an enemy like Pein, that's not possible without loads of support. In other words-"

Revan finished his thought. "In other words, once these two clones are gone, it's over."

Looking over at Naruto, she managed to get his attention. "Naruto! It's here. Have it dispel!"

Nodding, Naruto did just that. His movements stopped, he lowered his head and stood stock still. Pein let his Naraka Path disengage, figuring he didn't need it for the finishing blow. "It's over, Jinchuuriki." Letting another chakra rod slip into his grasp, he reared back and thrust it towards Naruto's chest-

CRACK

Pein blinked, staring at his broken chakra rod. Eyes widening, he looked up at Naruto, his eyes yellow once more and surrounded by orange pigment. Pein barely had time to register this before he was on the defensive, blocking several hard hits from Naruto that left his arms completely numb with each punch. A sudden, swift kick was barely blocked, but with a sizable chunk of senjutsu behind the blow, it was impossible to completely block it, and Pein was sent skidding across the ground, rolling to a stop several yards away from him.

He looked up in time to see Naruto with two clones at his side, a Rasenshuriken fully formed in his hand.

'This is impossible! He's in Sage Mode? But HOW? He used the last of his senjutsu to destroy my Animal Path."

Pein barely had time to register the Rasenshuriken being thrown before it had crossed the distance between them.

'Got you!' thought Naruto.

It had gotten within two yards of Pein before a large individual landed in front of him, arms outstretched as a strange barrier engulfed the two, the Rasenshuriken impacting it and stopping in its' tracks.

Naruto and his clones gasped. One of them asked the question all of them were thinking. "It's him! But we took care of him!"

The Hungry Ghost Path then began to absorb the technique, the Rasenshuriken breaking apart as it was reduced to its' base components of regular and wind chakra, the energy sucked into the barrier before the barrier itself dispersed, leaving both occupants unharmed.

Naruto looked off to his left, and saw the Naraka Path, standing next to what could only be described as a giant head, its' mouth closing. Next to it was the person-sized crater where the Hungry Ghost Path had been. Putting two and two together, Naruto could only surmise that this Pein had the power to resurrect his companions. That made him the most dangerous one right now, and it put him at the top of his priority list.

Holding his hands out, both of his clones formed a faux-Rasengan, designed to create massive amounts of smoke, aka, Smoke Bombs. Slamming them into the ground, a huge plume of red-colored smoke engulfed the Naruto's, parting suddenly to reveal a Rasenshuriken screaming towards the Paths.

Smirking, Hungry Ghost Path held his hands up again, the barrier forming as before. "It's useless, you stupid-"

As the technique impacted the barrier, it went up in a plume of smoke, catching the Path completely off-guard.

"Wha-"

"GOTCHA!"

Slamming bodily into the Path, the original Naruto tackled him with the skill and finesse of a pro-linebacker, taking him to the ground hard. "You absorbed a jutsu, all right...a HENGE!"

Soon as he spoke, the REAL Rasenshuriken screamed out of the dissipating smoke, coming to within inches of Pein's neck. Just as it looked like decapitation was imminent, Pein widened his eyes, and the technique exploded into streams of chakra, violently ripped apart by an invisible force.

Pein smirked, looking at the shocked faces of the assembled crowd. "My power has returned."

Revan grit her teeth, and cursed violently. "We're screwed."

Naruto moved his forearm to cover Hungry Ghost Path's eyes. He smirked up at Pein. "I'm not done yet."

"Hmm?"

"SENPOU: RASENRENGAN! (Sage Tech: Double Rasengan/Rasengan Barrage)" Pein's eyes widened as a deafening crash resounded behind him. Whirling around, he saw his Naraka Path in a crater of his own making, two fist-sized holes in his back. Blood poured freely down his back and arms as it pooled in the crater, a clone glaring daggers up at him as it smirked in victory.

"Shit, it was all a diversion to get my Naraka Path in position for an attack?" he said in disbelief.

"And you fell for it; hook, line, and sucker." Naruto quipped. "Two more to go." Rearing his hand back, the original made to punch a hole in Hungry Ghost's throat, while the clone leapt forward to engage Pein in hand-to-hand.

'Just in time...' Holding his hands outward at either side of him, Pein invoked his beloved technique. "Shinra Tensei! (Almighty Push)"

Instantly, both Naruto and his clone were repelled with great force, the clone dispersing upon impact with the ground while Naruto skidded and bounced several times, finally coming to a rest next to Fukasaku, Shima, and Revan.

Revan knelt next to him, helping him to his knees. "Are you okay, Naruto? You've done enough; let me take it from here. I'm sure I can kill the last two without much trouble."

Accepting her help, Naruto struggled to his feet. "It's alright, Rev. Let me handle this. You know I couldn't bear it if something happened to you, right?"

Shaking her head, she smiled. "You men and your chauvinistic ways. Fine, but if you get in it up to your eyeballs, don't come crying to me."

He nodded. "I will ask, though: What was that jutsu he used just now?"

She frowned. "That is Pein's main attack, the one he used to destroy the village. It appears that the more power he puts into it, and the longer he uses it, the more time it takes until he can use it again. However, Chouji brought Tsunade information that she relayed to us through Katsuya. It appears that the bare minimum amount of time between each attack is 5 seconds."

Naruto cursed. "JUST 5 seconds?"

She nodded. "You're going to have to time your attacks for that specific window of time. If you can hit him during that time-frame, he won't be able to retaliate."

Nodding, Naruto looked over towards where Pein was. He was currently engaged with Gamabunta, Gamaken, and Gamahiro. All three giant toads were swinging their respective weapons, doing their best to try and make mincemeat out of the Deva Path. Pein was easily dodging their attacks, but that was to be expected. The three were leading him into a trap.

Once Gamaken and Gamahiro managed to get on either side of him, Gamabunta had only to come at him from above, which he did. He brought his tanto down, but struck only ground. Caught off-guard, the three toads watched as he got to within eye level of them, held both of his hands out, and struck.

"Shinra Tensei!"

They were instantly repelled, all three flying in different directions far outside of Konoha. Gamahiro skidded across a meadow before splashing into a lake, fully submerging and not rising. Gamaken slammed through Konoha's wall, sliding harshly against the rough rock before slamming into the side of a plateau. He didn't stir.

Gamabunta got the worst of it, though. He was sent soaring through the air, clearing the fence completely as he went 100, 200, 500, then 1,000 yards and more. He slammed the ground hard, and skipped several times, rolling end over end before coming to rest in a clearing surrounded by trees. He cried out in pain before going silent, his crumpled body not moving in the ditch he'd dug himself.

Naruto cried out to his toad companions, but his concerns fell on deaf ears. None of them responded, and he cursed.

Pein landed, and held out a hand towards Naruto. "I think it's about time you came with me, Kyuubi. Bansho Tenin! (Heavenly Attraction)" Naruto started as he felt himself inexplicably drawn forward, caught completely off-guard by this new technique. In a split second, he had a fist buried in his gut, causing saliva to fly from his mouth. The Hungry Ghost Path, he now recognized, then wrapped him in a full nelson hold.

He heard Revan yell his name. Heard Fukasaku and Shima do the same. He also felt his chakra...slipping away? No, that wasn't quite right. It was almost like...it was being drawn out of him. Snapping his eyes open, he blinked as his vision dimmed slightly, letting him know his Sage Mode was gone.

'FUCK! This bastard's stealing my chakra!'

Pein stepped into his line of sight, a partial look of smugness on his face. "Capture of the Kyuubi: Complete."

"THE HELL IT IS!"

Pein sidestepped a swipe, the red saber hissing through the air as it tore through the air molecules. Throwing her other hand out, Revan called her other saber in Naruto's possession to her hand, the purple blade snapping to life as she wove a deadly dance of purple and red against her foe, forcing him to backpedal lest he be diced.

Naruto, meanwhile, was racking his brain trying to come up with a way to counter the drain on his chakra. The Hungry Ghost Path was living up to its' reputation; it had already consumed his senjutsu chakra, and was working on his original chakra, slowly siphoning it off with each passing second.

Naruto groaned, as his eyes began to close from the sudden onset of fatigue. 'This isn't good. I can't move, and he's draining my chakra. At this rate, I'll-' Naruto's eyes snapped open. 'Can't move...draining chakra...THAT'S IT!' Closing his eyes, he let himself slump into the Path's grasp, not moving an inch as he put his plan into action. 'This'll teach him to steal other people's chakra.'

Revan, meanwhile, was grinning as she continued to push the Deva Path back, tears and slashes adorning his semi-tattered cloak. Pein was getting frustrated with her, but knew that by biding time and keeping her away from Naruto, he would be that much closer to overall victory. Once he drained Naruto of nearly all of his chakra, save just enough to keep him alive, he'd dispose of the woman and toads. Then he'd be on his wa-

Eyes widening, he nearly lost his head (literally), ducking a swipe from Revan and backflipping away. Shooting a glance over towards Naruto's location, he was stunned to see his Hungry Ghost Path...morphing? Yes, it was morphing...sort of. He couldn't really describe it, but a change was taking place no doubt.

Looking down at Naruto, he was further stunned to realize it wasn't his doing at all. He was just slumped there, not moving a muscle. So how...? Watching in stunned disbelief as his Path slowly transformed, Pein was helpless to stop the change. Human features morphed in ever-quickening intervals, becoming amphibian in nature until his entire face was toad-like. His hands had become webbed, and his skin was green and blotchy, covered in warts.

Suddenly, a new change took hold, and he began to stiffen. In fact, he CONTINUED to stiffen, his features growing stony in appearance as his body's movements ceased altogether. Realization crashed into Pein like-well, you get the idea. His Path had been petrified, turned into a frog statue.

A growl came from the statue's captive, and he lowered his gaze to see Naruto break free with a yell, the statue's arms snapping and crumbling under the blonde's strength. Falling to one knee, Naruto panted heavily, sucking wind as he stared defiantly at Pein. "Now...it's just...you..."

Pein leveled a curious look at him. "How did you do that?"

Naruto laughed. "Senjutsu is very particular with who it lets use it. It's also very particular with HOW it's used."

Pein blinked, then nodded to himself. "So, Senjutsu comes with very inherent risks, I see. It can very well be a double-edged sword to the user, should they fail in harnessing the power of Natural Energy."

Pein, for his part, actually chuckled, causing Naruto to quirk an eyebrow. "You are strong, indeed. This is the farthest Pein has ever been pushed. No one who has come before you, not even Jiraiya-sensei, has done as much damage to the Six Paths of Pein as you have. You've taken out not one, not three, but ALL of my Paths...save one."

Raising his hand, he surprised Naruto by NOT pointing it at him. Following the direction of the hand, he blanched as he saw it pointed at Fukasaku and Shima. The two Elder Sages had been gathering energy to perform their strongest Genjutsu, the Magen: Gama Rinshou Technique (Demonic Illusion: Toad Confrontation Chant). The very same one they had used when Jiraiya confronted Pein. Pein, however, was having NONE of that.

Even as he invoked the technique, causing Fukasaku to be sent hurtling forward towards his outstretched hand, a look of passive disdain filled his face. Ignoring the various cries of protest, he brought a chakra rod back in a ready stabbing motion.

"I absolutely LOATHE that technique."

Bringing the rod forward, he impaled the helpless toad, Naruto looking on in stunned disbelief as Shima began to scream Fukasaku's name, tears streaming down her face. Revan blanched, able to instantly tell through the Force that he was, in fact, dead.

"YOU BASTARD!"

Sprinting forward, Naruto was caught off-guard when Pein hurled the dead toad at him, forcing him to stop and catch the lifeless body.

"Bansho Tenin."

He was yanked forward, air escaping his lungs in a choked gasp as Pein wrapped his hand around his throat, before bodily slamming him into the ground. Debris showered the field as Pein grabbed both of his hands, crossed them together, and brought his chakra rod down.

A loud yell of pain shot out from the cloud of smoke, and Revan clenched her chest, hoping that Naruto wasn't too wounded. She was able to relax slightly when it cleared, showing Naruto was merely impaled through the hands.

"I hope this has tamed you a bit, Kyuubi. I wouldn't want you struggling too much and hurting yourself. After all, you are a precious Jinchuuriki. I can't have you dying on me...not yet, anyway."

Grasping her sabers, she made to move when Naruto's voice cut through the silence. "What the FUCK are you? Why are you here? What the HELL is your motivation for DOING all of this?"

Pein stared down at his captive, knowing full well that Naruto could feel his chakra pulsing through his coils, keeping him from doing anything...rash. "Why, you ask? Things always happen without warning. Only after the dust has settled does the reason become apparent. This situation..."

Pein stood, snapping part of his chakra rod off to keep Naruto fixed to the ground. "Perhaps I will explain it to you."

Growling, Naruto nevertheless remained silent. "You asked me why I am doing this. Should I tell you, perhaps it would enlighten you to the matter at hand. However, I highly doubt that, nor would it be likely to change anything. I once told you that my goal is something even Jiraiya-sensei was unable to complete. To bring peace, and ensure justice."

The sound of teeth grinding caused Pein to stop his monologue. "...Peace? Justice? Sure, that's right...you're so thoroughly convinced that what you're doing is right that you don't give a FUCK about the consequences of your actions! You don't CARE who gets hurt, you don't CARE who dies, you don't CARE about the means, so long as it reaches your desired end, and you CERTAINLY don't CARE about what others will feel when you enact those means!"

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT!" Tears sprung up in Naruto's eyes, and threatened to fall. "MY MASTER! MY SENSEI! MY FRIENDS! MY VILLAGE! AFTER ALL YOU'VE DONE, DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK TO ME OF PEACE AND JUSTICE!"

Pein simply stood there, expression blank. "...Then tell me...what is your goal?"

"I'm going to KILL you, and restore peace to the world!"

Pein nodded slightly. "I see. That is very noble of you. It is indeed justice...however...MY friends, MY family, MY village...they all suffered the same fate as this one, by your very village no less. What sort of justice allows one to preach of goodness and peace while the other is left to wallow without it? True justice is not secular justice, it is universal justice."

"What are you talking about?"

"The Land of Fire and Konohagakure have grown too big, too fat. To conserve it's 'interests', it forced clans to wage war on one another, and profited from it. I'll be the first to admit it wasn't for entirely selfish reasons, and I can respect that. They did what they needed to do; without confrontation, the people of the Hidden Villages, and even the entire nation, would have starved."

"But their true sin lies in this one fact: they used OTHER NATIONS as the battlefields for their war. They used MY nation for their war. Each time they fought, WE took the majority of casualties inflicted. WE took the highest amount of suffering. WE took the highest death toll, and WE were the ones relegated to squander and sorrow, bereft of even the most basic necessities like food, warmth, and shelter. After the fighting was done, the Great Nations were able to stabilize themselves, while our little nation was left to rot, to pick up the pieces once more."

Naruto's anger had ebbed with each word, until he was staring solemnly at the ground, listening intently to Pein's every word. Revan was doing the same, but kept her hands near her sabers in case Pein tried to pull a fast one.

"You and I seek the same thing, yet we go about it differently. We seek the peace that our master, Jiraiya-sensei, desired. You and I...are not so different. We each act according to our own sense of justice, our own sense of right and wrong. The justice I've enacted upon Konoha...is no different from the justice you've been trying to enact on me this entire time. So, too, is the pain of losing something or someone we love." Pein pointedly looked Naruto dead in the eyes. "And both you and I know what that's like all too well."

"You have your justice, and I have mine. We're both just ordinary men, seeking vengeance under the falsity that is justice. It stands to reason that if there is vengeance in justice, then justice will breed only more vengeance. This will trigger a cycle of hatred. And yet, we're already living in just such a phenomenon. We're familiar with what the past is, and we have an inkling of what the future may be. That is history, as we know it to be."

"So we cannot help but believe that humans are incapable of understanding one another. This world of ninja is ruled by hatred. Something unavoidable, as hatred is...brings a greater understanding to one's self, but no understanding to another's self. This cycle will continue unabated so long as hatred rules supreme."

Unbidden, a memory came to Naruto's mind, one several years old.

'Even I can see that there's too much hatred in our world. I've wanted to do something about this hatred, but I just don't know what to do. But I have faith. Faith that, one day, there will come a time where people can truly understand one another. And if I can't find the answer, maybe I'll entrust my search to you, so that you can find it.'

Even now, Naruto could still picture Jiraiya's smiling visage in his mind. 'Ero-sennin...'

Pein's words snapped Naruto out of his reverie. "So, Nine-Tails, how would YOU deal with this hatred? How would you confront it, in order to create and ensure peace?"

When no response was forthcoming, Pein continued. "I want to hear your answer."

Silence permeated the air...then, "I...I don't have an answer...to something like that."

Pein was silent for a moment. "...I created Akatsuki as an answer to that question. I can put an end to it, this never-ending cycle. But for it to succeed, I need the power of your Bijuu, Jinchuuriki. The power of the Nine-Tails, plus the power of the other Tailed Beasts, will allow me to create a weapon the likes of which the Shinobi World has never seen. A Tailed Beast Weapon."

Naruto's eyes widened at this revelation, even as Pein continued. "A power strong enough to make what I did here look like child's play. Power enough to wipe out an entire nation in a single instant."

"You...you're mad."

Pein ignored him. "The world will experience pain. Real pain. True pain. The fear instilled by this pain will ultimately be the catalyst that will cause wars to cease. The world will be ushered into a new era of stability and peace."

Naruto shook his head. "That kind of peace...it's fake! It's nothing but a forced peace!"

Pein chuckled, once again catching Naruto off-guard. "Humans aren't the most...intelligent creatures, contrary to what we firmly believe. Our ignorance is nothing but a curse. This is the only way we can attain peace. It must be forced upon them, so that they will know the benefit of a world without wars."

"Yet, this peace will not last forever, and eventually, after some time has passed, that pain will fade into memory. It will go from being a deterrent to nothing more than a page in the history books. Eventually, mankind, in its' infinite stupidity and arrogance, will begin to fight again, and THIS TIME, they will use the weapon. On one another. Bringing about true pain once again. Reconfirming its' existence, and asserting what true peace should be like."

"In the end, this cycle of hatred cannot truly be broken. Only through true pain can we enjoy a momentary peace, before the cycle starts again. This...is my dream."

Chapter 8 is up and running. This is going to be a rather extensive flashback, as Naruto vs. Pein is one of my favorite fights in Naruto, and deserves every ounce of respect it garners. Hope you enjoy it.

-Sgt. Assassin