Chapter Nineteen: The Child of Legend

Naruto stood back from the two fighters, as the slowly circled each other, a fierce gaze in their eyes. Naruto felt his fury burn at the attack on his home, the home he was sworn to protect with his life. He bit his lower lip until blood flowed from a small wound. He closed his eyes, and as he reopened them, they were no longer a cool blue, but a fierce red. His teeth elongated and he dropped to his knees. Gaara looked at his friend and he knew what was happening.

"Sasuke! We have to get Naruto out of here or he will kill us all. The Kyuubi is taking over."

Sasuke was shaking his head in disbelief. He remembered fighting Naruto in the Valley of the End. He remembered the strength that he had shown with a single tail. Sasuke watched Naruto. The blonde Hokage was writhing on the ground, and a shield of red Chakra formed around his body. Sasuke watched in horror as not one, but seven tails sprouted from the fox shaped shield. Sasuke lost control of the Curse Seal, and his body returned to normal. Gaara was shaking as he watched his friend transform before his eyes. Naruto calmly stood up and turned from them. He dropped to all fours and ran off at an incredible speed. Gaara clenched his teeth and snarled.

"Temari, follow him. If it comes down to it, you may have to stop me as well. I can feel my control over Shukaku weakening. We may have two Bijuu loose in the village."

Temari nodded and closed her eyes. She let a silent sob escape her lips and she turned and ran after Naruto, not looking back at her brother. Shikamaru turned and ran after her, and just as they were out of sight he grasped her hand. Sasuke was left alone with Gaara and Iruka. He glared at Kabuto and spoke.

"What do you want with that poor child?"

Kabuto laughed and smiled. He said nothing, and instead he fell down and didn't move again. Sasuke's eyes went wide and he ran to the fallen body. He ran his hand over the back and saw stitches.

"Shit! It's a Jutsu! He used his Shikon no Jutsu! Iruka, go to the Hyuga Manor. Get Sayuri and Iris out of there!"

Iruka stood his ground and he took a step forward. All of the color drained from his face, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. He dropped to his knees and then fell to the floor, lifeless. From his back protruded countless needles. Sasuke checked for a pulse in Iruka's body, but did not find one. Sasuke looked around for the thrower, and saw a Shinobi he did not know.

"Who are you?"

The Shinobi had long brown hair and intense green eyes. He wore a simple green Jounin vest, but his headband was of a Hidden Village Sasuke had no knowledge of. The markings on it were very foreign, but very distinctive. It was in the shape of the Earth, and all around it were clouds.

"I am Humi Nezuma. From the Village Hidden in the Sky. I know all about you Sasuke Uchiha."

Sasuke was dumbstruck to hear his name, but he stood up calmly and let the Curse Seal activate upon his body. He glared at the man named Humi and smirked.

"I don't know who you are, but I'll kill you here. Gaara, go to Naruto."

Gaara nodded, unused to taking orders and ran in the direction Naruto had gone, to the west. Gaara ran for what seemed forever, and he finally arrived at the gates to the Hyuga Compound. Gaara surveyed the area grimly. Countless bodies were strewn all about. He saw no sign of Naruto or anyone else. He ran inside and he quickly turned left down the main hallway, into the meeting room. It was there he found Kabuto and Hinata. She was fighting desperately to keep him away from Sayuri. Tenten was bruised and unconscious, still holding Hanzou. Neji was nowhere to be seen. Sayuri was asleep in a smaller Hyuga's arms, and she had a visible look of shock on her face to see the red haired Kazekage enter the room. Hinata looked at Gaara and smiled.

"A little help would be nice you know."

Gaara smiled at his friend and nodded. He spread his arms wide and began to form hand seals for a new Jutsu he had developed on his own. Sand began to slither along his arms. Gaara swung his arms and the sand lashed out at Kabuto. Gaara clenched his fist and it wrapped around Kabuto's body, immobilizing him. Hinata smiled at him.

"Thank you Gaara. Now Kabuto, tell me why you want my baby."

Kabuto smiled at her.

"I won't tell you a thing."

Hinata smiled and nodded. Without warning, she plunged her fingers into his neck, pressing the Tenketsu there. Kabuto gasped softly, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of pain. Hinata smiled again.

"Care to tell me now? Next I will render your lower body useless. And if you still do not tell me, I will emasculate you from the inside. What is so special about Sayuri that you want to kidnap her?"

Kabuto looked into her eyes, wide with fear. He kept his smirk on his lips however and he shrugged.

"I don't know why she is special, I just have my orders."

Hinata smiled and turned around. She activated her Byakugan and she looked into his eyes.

"I will ask one last time, or I will kill you. Why do you want Sayuri?!"

Kabuto began to sweat profusely, and he swallowed hard.

I can't be certain, but I believe it may be because of her… unique heritage. She is the child of a Jinchuuriki and a Hyuga. I think someone wanted to raise her as a living weapon, much like your friend the Kazekage. Sayuri seems to hold some unknown power, one which could save this world... or dig us all an early grave."

Hinata looked at his eyes and looked for the truth, but she saw nothing. She traced her hand over his heart, ready to strike. Sayuri began to stir and cry in Hanabi's arms. Hinata motioned for her sister to bring her daughter to her, and Hanabi obliged. Gaara tightened his hold on Kabuto as the latter's eyes began to flutter. Hinata held her daughter in her arms as Sayuri opened her eyes and smiled a toothless smile at Kabuto. She reached her hand out to touch his cheek, and as soon as she made contact with his skin, Kabuto's body sagged. He began to writhe and squirm so fiercely that Gaara was forced to release him. Kabuto fell to the floor in seemingly unbearable agony and yelled loudly.

"What the hell did she just do to me?! It feels as if I'm being torn apart! Agghhh!"

Kabuto continued to writhe on the floor and he stopped moving as his body split in two, and then into four pieces. Hinata looked at Sayuri in awe, and Sayuri calmly closed her eyes once more and drifted back to sleep in her mother's arms, as if nothing had happened. The main door burst open and Naruto and Neji came into the room. Naruto was human again, but when he saw the dismembered body of Kabuto on the floor, he stared at Hinata and then at Gaara.

"What happened in here? Who did this?!"

Hinata burst into tears and ran from the room. Naruto ran after her, and threw his arms around her waist. Hinata fought desperately to get him away from her, and she finally stopped squirming as he stroked her cheek in a calming way.

"Just what is she Naruto?"

Naruto looked at his wife quizzically.

"Who is who?"

Hinata pushed her face deep into his chest and sobbed. It was in her tears that she told him.

"I don't know what Sayuri did, but she was the one who killed Kabuto. She just touched his cheek, and he fell to the floor. Naruto, I'm scared for my baby. What did she just do to him?"

Naruto pulled away, and he stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Sayuri is just a baby though. How could she have done that? I've never seen a Ninjutsu like that, not even in Orochimaru's entire arsenal."

Hinata sobbed even harder now, and Sayuri began to cry as well. Naruto held them both in his arms, unaware that they were being watched by Gaara and Neji. Gaara was more shocked than anyone else. He remembered something of extreme importance just then, and he went to Naruto's side.

"In Sunagakure, we have a legend. Allow me. 'In times of great evil and peril, there will be born one child who is stronger than all, but as a result, will be shunned by all because of her birth. Born to a Jinchuuriki, she will be of immense power, and she will deliver the world into a new age of peace, at the cost of the one she holds dearest.' Naruto, I am convinced that Sayuri is the Child of Legend. She destroyed Kabuto with a single touch. It all makes sense."

Naruto sighed and clenched his teeth. My Sayuri, a Child of Legend? How… What should I do? His thoughts were numerous, and Hinata gently rocked the sleeping child in her arms after she had dried her own tears. Hinata smiled at her daughter and kissed her cheek lightly.

"I don't care if she is the Child of Legend; she is still my little Sayuri Uzumaki."

Naruto nodded and smiled.

"Our Sayuri Uzumaki. I'm worried about Sasuke and Choji. Let's head back and give them our support."

Naruto smiled and withdrew the now familiar dagger, and threw it at the wall. The Hyuga Manor spun and shimmered out of view and they were back in the plaza. Naruto quickly hurried to where he had left his friends, expecting them to have defeated their foes by now. He was correct, and he saw Sakura standing there waiting for him, with Ino and Tenten. Ino had a sad look on her face, as did Sakura and Tenten. Naruto saw their sad faces and his own cheery smile faded.

"How many did we lose?"

Was all he asked, not as their friend but as their Hokage. Sakura, Ino and Tenten all broke down in tears and Sakura held up a single finger, indicating a single death. Naruto was relieved and he was also ashamed that he had let one of his dearest friends die. He opened his mouth to speak again.

"Who was it?"

Ino pointed to the body and she turned away. Sakura didn't say anything, nor did Tenten. Naruto calmly walked to the body of the fall Shinobi, and when he saw the lifeless body of Iruka Umino, his lower lip began to quiver. Neji saw the body as well, as did the rest of them. Sasuke and Choji leapt down from the sky, and landed near them all. All of the Konoha Twelve were there, plus Gaara and Temari. Iruka Umino, the kindest Shinobi in the village, had fallen in battle. He had died a Shinobi's death. Naruto dropped to his knees next to Iruka's body and let a loud scream escape his lips.

"IRUKA-SENSEI!!!!"

Naruto placed his face over Iruka's once beating heart and sobbed uncontrollably. It was no secret that Naruto looked up to Iruka as a father, and now that Iruka was gone, Naruto only had Hinata and Sayuri. All of his friends paid their respects to Iruka, for all had been taught by him at the Academy. Hinata remained with her husband and daughter. Kakashi came not long after, to be with his former student. Kakashi patted the young Hokage on his head and a silent tear trickled down his right cheek. Even though Naruto was the village leader and a father, he was still a boy of sixteen. He never had a father in his life, but the bond he shared with Iruka was one that would last forever, even after death. Naruto finally regained his composure and stood up.

"I want him to have a Hokage's burial, like the Third's. He deserves it."

To be continued…

A/N: I am sorry for the very long and sad chapter. I wanted to make this more than just a cheery story. The next chapter will be the last chapter of Love Among Shinobi. I will begin a new story shortly after called The Child of Legend. It is the story of Sayuri, and how she deals with her life as the daughter of a Jinchuuriki. Please review this chapter, and I would like to thank you all for your continued support of this story.