This chapter is long overdue.
And I can't say this is the return of the story yet.
I simply found that the chapter was mostly completed, so I finished it up.
I would like to go back through and update many things throughout the story and fix it before I continue working on this.
CHAPTER 1 IS CURRENTLY UNDER GOING A REWRITE!
But let me know what you think.
"Katon: Shodo!"
Jiraiya's voice rang through the forest as intense flames burst, incinerating everything.
It came far faster than anything Flora had ever seen before. It was too fast for her to predict, and her sword swing would not be enough to overwhelm and put out the flames.
"Katon: Shodo!"
A second set of flames erupted before them as a golden flicker flashed before their eyes. The two groups of flames fed off one another and scorched the very earth, burning everything around them until there was nothing left but scorched earth.
Yet the second flame kept burning as the first one went out, engulfing the white-haired man that launched the flames.
And before them stood Naruto, his eyes radiating a glow they had never seen before.
"M-Master?" Clare couldn't help but look on in awe-inspired surprise upon seeing her sensei standing before her.
The ferociousness in his eyes glinted and made her take a step back. Clare had never seen this side of her master before. And that aura around him…
It felt so intense…
So murderous.
"Clare, take Raki and get out of here. Flora, you are to guard them with your life if you must." Naruto ordered as his eyes never left the flames, a certain edge tinting his voice she couldn't quite identify to it.
There was anger and rage behind it. But there was something more. Something else…
Sorrow?
"Wait, we can help!" Flora tried to insist now, seeing that Naruto had arrived and knowing more could be done.
"Do as I say and take them out of here!"
Flora flinched at the intensity of his voice. She did not argue as this was not a side she had seen from the man before—and not one she wanted to see again from him.
All she knew about the blonde warrior from her time spent around him was that he was a pleasant, outgoing individual who held an intense seriousness when needed. Someone that had a way with speaking and could garner the respect of those around him.
But this side of Naruto…
A shiver ran down her spine as she turned to the two teenagers, one much closer to being considered an adult now. This version of him garnered a healthy dose of fear about him.
There was something deadly about this version of him.
Seeing Flora lead Clare and Raki away, Naruto sighed in relief. This was not a battle Clare was ready for. Raki wasn't even close, as they had just got the boy. Besides…
Watching the flames die to show the regenerating body of his sensei…
He didn't want them here for this.
"It's been quite some time, Master." Naruto quietly stated as he gazed upon the smoking form of his mentor and fallen father figure.
As the resurrection restored his body together, Jiraiya had a sliver of a smile on the corner of his lips. His body trembled at the sight of his student, and his tears well unconditionally despite not being in control of his actions. "My, you have grown…"
"Although I'm not entirely proud of what I see before me, I can't say I know what has happened. Things are beyond my control, and unfortunately, we don't have time to discuss them."
"I don't have control of my body, so you're going to have to put me down, brat. I know you are more than capable of that, so don't hold back on my account." Jiraiya felt his body moving against his will and grimaced.
"Don't I know that feeling well…" Naruto muttered and inwardly thought about every time he wielded the Nine Tails power and had gone berserk before. "Sorry for nearly killing you back then."
"Heh, just make sure to put me out of my misery now," Jiraiya smirked before his face hardened, and he took a deep breath. "Do it…"
"I know you can. The bastard summoned your mother and father, and if you are here, that means you took care of them already."
"Protect your friends and family. Fulfill your destiny, kid." Jiraiya finished as his body charged for him, fully regenerated.
"Kage Bunshin."
Four clones popped into existence next to Naruto as Jiraiya came toward him. "It will take more than that to defeat me, Naruto…"
"Only one of them is for you, my master," Naruto admitted before he drew forth an heirloom of his father's.
And as it was tossed behind Jiraiya, four flashes flickered out of existence. One flickered behind Jiraiya. "This will be quick…"
"And for you controlling our master, it will not be as we will make it as slow and excruciating as possible."
"I believe the process of turning into a youma is a harrowing experience from what Luciela explained." Naruto knocked Jiraiya with a boot before he could respond. "And just before we allow such power to be given to the likes of you…"
"We'll cut you apart limb by limb."
"Okay, you have become somewhat unhinged," Jiraiya admitted as he winced at what the clone had said. "Not that I can't disagree with someone using all of your friends and family against you, but damn…"
"But seriously! I got disrespected and have only one copy left for me! The indignity!" Jiraiya called his student out. "I should at least rate the time of the real one of sentimental value!"
"He is needed elsewhere; I'm afraid otherwise. Yes, he would have dealt with your personality." The clone admitted as it drew forth its copy of Luciela's claymore with a single hand.
Jiraiya whistled. "That's a big sword. Whatcha you gonna do with it?"
"Bifurcate you."
"Huh, should have seen that one coming." Jiraiya tilted his head at the joking manner this was going, feeling he had a bit more control than he should.
He then grimaced as his body moved on its own, formed the Rasengan in preparation, and drew a kunai for defensive measures. "Well, I definitely would like to see that happen, but…"
"Not exactly in control here, so your work is cut out for you."
Jiraiya moved swiftly, his kunai drawing the sword's attack. It would be the opening for the Rasengan…
That sword was heavy, and it was coated in wind chakra…
It cut straight through his kunai.
And would have split him if he hadn't replaced himself with a log.
Jiraiya dropped in from above, driving the Rasengan down to shatter…
Nothing but dust and dirt as a black and red blur ripped right past him. At that very moment, his body was sliced into several pieces, bifurcating him and cutting off his arms in the process.
"You've improved far beyond my wildest expectations," Jiraiya muttered as the regeneration of his body held his body together. "Now, in fairness, I don't have Shima and Fukasaku here to help generate sage chakra, and you are using yours…"
"But I don't think that would matter much, given that I finally figured something out."
"You are much older than you look, Naruto." Jiraiya sighed as he closed his eyes and bit his lip. "You made a deal with the fox, didn't you?"
"One to keep us in our prime until the deed was done." The clone admitted as it sheathed the sword and prepared to finish the ordeal. "To stay ageless and reach our pinnacle until the job is complete…"
"He would give the Nine Tails the freedom it desires."
"What?!" Jiraiya chastised his student's decision, knowing how dangerous such a deal was. "Do you realize what…"
"Does it matter in the end?" The clone tilted his head as it placed its hand on his master's head. "Both realized what the deal entailed. They knew the depths of what he would be capable of, and the fox is well aware of that from the moment he is released..."
"If he attempted to betray the contract, he would lose."
Upon that revelation, a slight smirk graced Jiraiya's lips. "Well, I'll be…"
"I knew he was the child of destiny. But to know his capacity was that great…"
"Do it. Put me out of my misery." Jiraiya begged as he looked up into the clone's eyes. "Whether this is the path to salvation…"
"Or ultimate destruction. I know I've done all I can to lead you in the direction I best could."
"It's up to you to do the rest, kid." Jiraiya finished, a blinding flash of light spilled from Naruto's hand, and a seal activated.
Jiraiya's body dispersed and withered into dust, the bottom half following and scattered in the wind.
The clone looked longingly at the dust, wishing he could tell more. Hoping that its master's faith in them would be well founded. But in its heart…
It felt like calamity was left in their wake.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Teresa yelled as she cut through yet another Awakened One, a humanoid.
However, her eyes narrowed as a clay bird soared near her, and she could barely escape the ensuing blast. "There is too much happening here! There are so many of these things, and these birds are starting to piss me off! I can hardly sense them!"
"Glad I'm not the only one that's struggling," Irene muttered at the sheer odds stacked against them, and the number of Awakened Ones was already a task in itself.
Then add the explosion expert from Naruto's land along with the woman with absurd strength, and they were in a difficult position.
"But we did make that promise…"
"Yeah, yeah. But someone has to take out Blondie up there!" Teresa snapped at Irene as they stood back to back, and she turned to her friend. "And I don't know about you, but I can't fly!"
"You aren't holding out on me, are you? Is that a power you have, Irene? Show it to me, and I'll master it like I did your Quicksword!"
"Fuck off, Teresa." Irene rolled her eyes, knowing it wasn't possible to float up into the sky, and growled as the male Awakened Ones roamed closer. "You wonder how this many men turned into Awakened Beings?"
"Oh, they've been screwing around with experiments. That much I've figured out already!" Teresa called out as they engaged the Awakened Beings, their arms blurring and dicing through youma.
There was no time to think. They could only act as more birds came down and were forced to evade while fighting. They could put a plan into action when they saw their leader again…
"If we survive this assault," Teresa bitterly commented as she dashed from an exploding bird.
Irene haughtily scoffed in agreement as she wiped a smoke smudge from her cheek. "Getting real tired of those birds…"
"And the earth is shaking! Just what is going on over there?"
"Gaara!" Sakura called out in the distance as her partner's sand wall was only just enough to keep his opponent from puncturing through his defense.
And she still made contact with him, sending him skidding across the desert.
He was in a desert. And he was still getting knocked around.
This was humiliating.
What was the fifth Hokage?
Sakura rushed in and engaged her master, a delicate balance dodging blows while throwing punches. Neither knew the other could land a blow without hurting the other, but…
"Come on, Sakura. You need to do better!" Tsunade begged her student as she looked into her eyes, clutching one another's wrists. "I don't want to be doing any of this…"
"I know!" Sakura cried, tears streaming down her face. "I just…"
"Sabaku Kyū!"
"Gaara!" Sakura's eyes widened, and sand entrapped her master before her eyes.
"Move! I'll handle this!" Gaara held out his hand as he tightened his sand's grip around the fifth, attempting to pin her and her massive strength down.
"Right…"
Closing her eyes, Sakura wrenched her grip free from Tsunade as she jumped away. "Do it!"
Clenching his hand into a fist to finish the deed, Gaara's eyes narrowed. His arm shook, and he winced. "No…"
"No!"
The sand shattered as Tsunade broke free. Her tremendous power was still too much for him. "I need her immobilized before I can put her down!"
"We can't even do that!" Sakura shook her head. "It's Impure World Resurrection! She'll regenerate!"
"Then I'll keep putting her down until she stops regenerating, or there is nothing left!"
"Are you guys having a more difficult time than we are?" Teresa asked from a distance, and Gaara and Sakura twitched. "Want to switch? I think I can handle the stronger one better, honestly!"
"I can't hit this…"
"Was that a flash of light?" Teresa blinked, and as she swore, she saw a flicker of yellow pass through her vision.
And she had this strange burning sensation on her back…
Now there were these strange kunai scattering the ground that weren't there moments prior…
"Wait, Kunai?" Teresa muttered, and her eyes narrowed.
"Naruto!"
The entire battlefield came to a standstill as a flicker of yellow light flashed between all the Awakened Ones.
The very next instant, they all came falling apart as if a claymore had cut through each and every single one of them at high velocity.
"Oh, that's not good, yeah," Deidara muttered as he watched from above, feeling like he saw a ghost from his past. "History is not on my side."
"Yeah, um, snake guy. Just let me go. We know where this is going, yeah." Deidara stated as kunai hung up in the air next to him. "Oh, son of…"
Deidara could not finish his statement as a claymore cut him in two, and an explosion ripped through the air, tearing his sliced parts into tiny fragments.
In another golden flicker, Naruto appeared beside Teresa sheathing a claymore.
His utter attention was focused on the woman he considered a mother.
One who had put her faith in him and gave him the necklace he still wore to this day.
Senju Tsunade.
He stepped toward her, his eyes engaging with hers as he took a deep breath. "Been a while, hasn't it, old hag?"
"Still got that annoying name-calling habit, I see, brat?" Tsunade twitched before frowning as she looked at Sakura and then back at Naruto. "Unless you're pulling a me, kid, you've done something you shouldn't have…"
"Haven't you?"
"Yeah, I did."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she felt her body move against her will and move straight at Naruto. "Naruto! I can't stop myself. You have to…"
"I've done this with my parents…" Naruto whispered as she reached him, Tsunade's eyes widening, hearing those words as her fist was moments from cracking his skull.
Only for a golden flicker to streak directly behind her, a Rasengan fully charged at her back.
"Rasengan…"
"Taihō."
The spiraling orb shot forth faster than the slug princess could react. The explosion shattered her resurrected body, disabling it and leaving her a mess on the ground.
Broken and defeated in a single strike.
Yet a frown formed as she lay on the ground, looking up at the Naruto that gently squatted over her and placed its hand on her forehead. "You've realized what you've done…"
"You aren't human anymore."
"Naruto made peace with that decision, and it's why we've decided that our most suitable option for a life partner…"
"Isn't human either." The clone sighed as he gazed profoundly into Tsunade's eyes. "What we have is love for one another and the desire to protect what matters most to us…"
"And to bring forth a red dawn, ending this pointless strife one way or another."
"Naruto…" Tsunade's eyes welled before she closed them and shook her head. "Do it!"
"I don't want to see any more!"
A flash of light soaked Tsunade, and her destroyed body dissipated into dust, leaving the clone to sigh as he stood up. He would have to find the remains of Deidara and put an end to it as well…
"Teresa!" The clone beckoned the former number one, his cerulean eyes gazing in her direction. "Take Gaara and Sakura to our base."
"It's time we made our final preparations and leave this place."
"For I take it things have not turned out well if you two are out here searching for me." The clone sighed and gazed upon its fellow Akatsuki members.
"No," Gaara answered straightly. "Unable to push back against Danzo and his tactics…"
"A Fourth Great Shinobi War has started, and we need you to help turn the tide as we're in dire straights."
"So it's a revolution then." The clone closed its eyes. "And while that normally would be the most pressing issue…"
"Are you mad?" Sakura gave Naruto a ludicrous glare through half-lidded eyes. "It is the most pressing issue! We're at war! Yes, whatever, this is lunacy, but it can wait…"
"Jūbi."
"It can't wait." Gaara narrowed his eyes, and his mouth twitched into a snarl. "If anything to do with the Ten-Tailed Beast is happening on this island, it must be shut down immediately. That was the original Akatsuki's goal, and we stopped that."
"Fuck, that's what kept you?" Sakura gnashed her teeth and palmed her face. "Oh, that means you were summoned here!"
"My sand also picked up the old Akatsuki member saying something about a new snake summoner?" Gaara brought his hand to his chin quizzically.
"Kabuto. He's been here for quite some time, it seems." The clone answered, and Gaara and Sakura's eyes slitted upon hearing that.
"But my time is running short. Master only gave me enough chakra to deal with Tsunade and the bomber." The clone turned and began to walk away from Gaara and Sakura, their eyes widening at the sudden realization that they had been talking to a clone this entire time.
"Wait, you're just a clone!" Teresa seemed upset, and her eyes narrowed. "Just how much have you been holding back recently?"
"Far more than you realize…" The clone muttered before shaking his head, spotting the recovering body of the mad bomber. "It's time to put this to rest…"
"Do as I said."
"A new dawn is almost upon us."
This battle had not gone as anticipated.
Luciela hissed in her throat, her two tails flailing wildly.
To gain an advantage in this fight, she had to transform. But that was short-lived.
Alicia's awakened form was not what she expected it to be. This was something more. It was twisted, manipulated, and changed. It didn't feel natural…
As if something had manipulated it…
"Tainted chakra?" Luciela hissed as she recognized the feeling. "What have they been doing?"
"Good, I don't have to explain it then." Orochimaru's voice ecstatically reverberated as he hid in the area, most likely with Beth, to protect her sister. "I love what my apprentice has done with my work!"
"He has advanced the cursed seal so far beyond what I could have ever imagined! Brilliant!"
"Lovely." Luciela sarcastically replied, glaring at Alicia in the process. "If I find you…"
"I'm going to enjoy eating you over and over again."
It would be best for me to stay hidden then, wouldn't it? Even with this regeneration, I dare say I wouldn't enjoy that." Orochimaru cackled from all around. "Beth, have Alicia launch the attack if you would."
Luciela hissed as everything around Alicia was shredded as she blitzed her position, her blades tearing through everything. Her speed was impressive, but…
She was still slower than her. Luciela was the fastest of the Abyssals and would not be hit so effortlessly. Not until she grasped how her blades worked a little better…
Then she'd let her mouths feed even if youma flesh was disgusting.
Allowing her a second charge to avoid; this time, she clearly saw how her blades worked. "Interesting…"
It seemed that her blade appendages were formed of smaller separate, serrated blades that vibrated at high frequencies. That would make her defenses against the blades very difficult.
She would have to wear them out first.
Forming a few lancers from her fingers, she jettisoned them toward her opponent's more vulnerable portions of her body. In a predictable manner, Alicia countered and obliterated them before charging towards her.
After evading her attack, she slapped one of her tails into the vulnerable face of the girl.
"This will get us nowhere." Luciela hissed as she looked up at what in essence was another Abyssal before her. "I don't want to be here all day, girl! I've got better things to do!"
"Best start looking for your vulnerable partner if I want to end this fight…" Luciela muttered as she avoided another pass by Alicia and slapped her once more, biting a chunk out of her, this time with her tail grimacing.
"Oh, that is nasty! I hate Awakened Flesh more than youma! Oh, Naruto! Where are you?"
"I need your taste right now…"
"Did not need to hear that…" A heavenly voice filled her ears as Alicia was suddenly trapped in quicksand, unable to lunge forward as she had been previously.
"Naruto?" Luciela looked excitedly at the generator of the voice before frowning as she sniffed the originator of the voice.
"No, you are a clone. You don't smell as good."
"Must have gone to the north in preparation for the final push," Luciela growled and focused on the stuck Alicia, placing her monstrous hand onto his and flowing yoki steadily, matching his output. "I'll apply my yoki to keep her stuck!"
"Just do what you do!"
"Got it!" The clone replied as it threw a kunai straight at Alicia's head while the Awakened number one attempted to slash the weapon away.
Only for Naruto to stomp her head into the muck and trap her entire body. "Get well and covered there, girl!"
"Need to trap you in your mind for a bit!"
Placing his hand on the back of his skull, seals scattered through her body, and there was nothing she could do to stop his actions. That was until a long snake-like head snapped out of the forest and…
"No one bites my man but me!" Luciela screeched and slammed Orochimaru to the ground, her many mouths opening and crunching into the man. "I found something that tastes worse than youma flesh!"
"How is this possible?"
"Clone! When you disperse, you are informing my man he owes me!" Luciela screeched as she glared at the clone nastily while gagging and devouring the regenerating snake man. "Oh, and it grows back! I'm gonna throw up!"
"Please don't! I don't want to send that image back!" The clone finished as the seal spread through the Awakened body of Alicia, her body spasming painfully.
And it receded into her natural warrior state, unconscious.
Beth slowly revealed her position, looking alarmed at everything she had witnessed, her hand drawn on her sword and ready to fight. Seeing her state, Naruto stepped off her sister and backed away. "We have nothing against you and your sister."
"It's the organization, and what they are doing is what we are fighting against."
"Listen to me, girl," Luciela called out to Beth, her eyes staring straight into the warriors. "I know very well the pain of being separated from my sister due to the same experiment they are doing to you."
"You are disposable to them."
"They will find others to subject to it. Let this generation of warriors be the last. Let's end this misery." Luciela stated as she painfully swallowed the remains of Orochimaru before swatting what was left over at Naruto. "Just deal with that!"
With a flash, the snake's body evaporated into dust as the clone focused on Beth. He could see she was wavering, memories of what she and her sister had gone through. "Think about it."
"How many warriors have gone through this? Why do you think we have so many rogue warriors in the south?"
"It's because you know what we're saying is true, and what we represent is right." The clone held out his hand and offered it to Beth.
"Can we ask for your assistance and cooperation?"
Beth's eyes snapped at her sister, and she frowned, shaking her head. "You only want me because you want her…"
"We want you because you are a warrior." Luciela slowly phased into her human state, looking at Beth in a straightforward manner. "We'll be asking her the same question when she awakens."
"We want all warriors as we want to free them from the chains that bind them. To find a way to free them from fear of Awakening."
"And it is no longer a dream," Luciela stated, her eyes glimmering as she looked at Beth as she glanced at Alicia. "Look at what just happened…"
"Now, apply that to every warrior and realize what we offer here."
"We offer freedom. Now, will you join?"