Part I: Episode 6
"N-Namikaze-san!?" One of the Konoha guards exclaimed as the man known as Konoha's Yellow Flash slowly walked to the gate with Kushina hanging on his back and a baby in his hands.
"Let me in! My wife needs to get to a hospital!" Minato shouted. Without a pause, the gates were opened and Minato went in as fast as he could carrying both his half-conscious wife and his newborn son.
"Namikaze-san, we can't promise you'll find a doctor. I understand that your wife just gave birth, but a lot of people were injured in the Kyubi's attack." Minato took what was supposed to be a steady breath, but failed.
"Don't worry Minato," Kushina whispered softly. "I'll be, fine." She managed before she fell asleep again. He could feel his breathing quicken, despite his attempts to remain calm.
"Sensei!" A voice called out and Minato turned to see Kakashi coming towards him with a few of the other ninja his age. And close behind walked Danzo and the rest of the Konoha Council. As Minato looked at him, Orochimaru's words echoed in his head. Was Danzo really planning on having Minato sacrifice himself for a human weapon? Minato composed himself as the man drew close enough to be spoken to.
"Minato? What are you doing here? Where is Orochimaru?" He demanded. If he was surprised that Minato was still alive and had not sacrificed any members of his family, Danzo didn't show it. Minato blinked a few times to straighten his thoughts before replying.
"He's fighting the Kyubi along with Sandaime-sama, Tsunade-san, and Jiraiya-san." Danzo's eyes narrowed when Minato spoke up again. "Hokage-sama told me to say he wanted no interference." Danzo bore into Minato and even with one eye, the pressure was almost tangible.
"Sensei, do you need help?" Kakashi asked as he held his hands out. Minato looked at the boy and gently let him hold the baby. Despite his situation, Minato couldn't help but smile at the way Kakashi marveled at Naruto.
"I'll go try to find a medic who's free." One of the younger shinobi, a girl with red eyes, stated. A pale arm grabbed her, however, before she could move.
"Kushina!" Minato exclaimed as his wife struggled to stand. Once she had accomplished that, she smiled to the girl.
"Don't worry, I have a very strong life force. The medic-nin and doctors need to worry about the villagers first. I'll be fine. I just need rest." Kushina said. She then fell backwards, being caught by Minato. The girl looked between Kushina, Minato, and Danzo rapidly.
"She's correct, Kurenai." Danzo said, his face an unreadable mask. "One of the things the Uzumaki clan is known for is their incredible life energy. Even in her current state, I'm sure Kushina-san here is in better shape than most of the villagers. She'll be fine." Danzo then turned to Minato.
"Get her and your son to a hospital and then get to work. There are still multiple villagers that need help and your abilities will be greatly appreciated." Danzo ordered, going into Jonin Commander mode. Minato nodded slowly and scooped his wife up bridal-style. He looked at Kakashi, who was holding his son as if the baby was made of glass.
"Come on Kakashi," Minato said and the two slowly and carefully made their way to the nearest medical station.
"This bastard is really tough, isn't he?" Tsunade remarked as she appeared by Hiruzen, who launched a few more fireballs from his mouth. Within seconds, both Orochimaru and Jiraiya appeared beside them.
"I'm not even sure we're doing anything," Jiraiya announced. Both he and the toads on his shoulders seemed exhausted and the rest of the team was not faring much better. For a while no one said anything.
"No, he's definitely weakening. His movements are several times slower than before and it's stopped using that rapid fire chakra blast it was using before. I suppose even for a creature of near infinite chakra, something like that would be draining." Hiruzen stated matter-of-factly.
The Kyubi threw one of its paws towards the team, and Tsunade just barely managed to swat it away. Jiraiya then leaped into the air, his fingers combining expertly into hand seals.
"Suiton: Gunshot!" Jiraiya shouted before launching a massive ball of water out of his mouth. The Kyubi hissed as it stumbled backwards. Before it could fully recover, Tsunade launched towards it and delivered a brutal punch which Orochimaru followed with a massive wind style technique.
"Sensei!" Orochimaru shouted. Hiruzen, however was already forming the hand seals.
"Katon: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet"
"Futon: Great Breakthrough" Orochimaru shouted as soon as the flaming dragon erupted from Hiruzen's mouth. Orochimaru's attack combined perfectly with his sensei's causing the flame dragon to nearly double in size as it collided into the Nine-Tails. The Sannin and Hiruzen regrouped just as one of the Kyubi's tails flew towards them.
With a smack, all four of the Konoha shinobi were sent flying backwards. Without pause, the Kyubi launched another chakra ball which Jiraiya and Orochimaru countered with a combination technique of their own. Tsunade went into her own series of hand seals.
"Doton: Great Earth Dumpling!" Tsunade chanted as she lifted a massive ball of rock and launched it towards the fox. The Kyubi obliterated it with a swipe of its tail. It then roared, causing the very earth around them to shake.
"Dammit, this is ridiculous. Our best attacks are doing nothing!" Jiraiya stated as Tsunade slammed her hands on the ground.
"Slug Technique: Acid Spray!" She cried out as acid shot from the ground like a geyser. The Kyubi hissed in pain and jumped backwards. Without hesitating, Jiraiya chased after it with his hand outstretched.
"Ultra Big-Ball Rasengan!" The massive ball of chakra slammed into the Kyubi, legitimately sending it sliding backwards. Hiruzen wasted no time in going on the offensive himself. Just as he finished, the hand seals, however, he was pulled upwards just in time to avoid one of the fox's tails. The fox howled as massive rock pillars shot from underneath like brutal rock uppercuts.
Almost as if by reaction, the fox launched one of his chakra balls. And then launched two more on either side of the original.
"Triple Rashoumon!" Orochimaru slammed his palms into the ground as three of the disturbing gates shot up from the ground. Each gate shattered like they were pieces of ceramic.
"Everyone together! Great Fireball Jutsu!" Hiruzen shouted. All four ninja launched a massive fireball from their mouths that combined into one big fireball, but was countered by a swipe of the Kyubi's paw. It let out a growl, but whether or not it was from pain, the ninja had no way of knowing.
"We're throwing everything at this behemoth and nothing!" Jiraiya exclaimed. He was breathing hard and it was clear that Sage Mode was beginning to take its toll.
"How do you plan on defeating this thing, Orochimaru? Surely you're not intending on just smashing it to death!?" Tsunade exclaimed. Orochimaru remained silent, just watching the beast. The Kyubi wasn't attacking. He was merely staring. Cautiously, Orochimaru stepped forward causing the beast to roar.
"I've been tagging you with chakra-draining seals since we've started fighting, you no longer threaten me, fox." Orochimaru hissed coldly. The Kyubi growled menacingly, but still didn't attack. Tsunade noticed that its breathing was incredibly labored.
"Where is Uchiha Madara?" Orochimaru demanded. The fox growled again, but Orochimaru didn't flinch. Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Hiruzen simply watched as Orochimaru stared down the beast until finally, surprisingly, it lowered its massive head. When it talked, its voice was deep and raspy.
"The one who controlled me was not Madara." The foxed growled.
"As I thought," Orochimaru responded.
"Well I'll be damned, the Kyubi really can talk. I thought that was just a myth." Jiraiya said with a laugh. Tsunade rolled her eyes although she too was surprised that the beast was talking. And that it knew that its controller was not Madara. But then, who else had that sort of power?
"Kyubi no Kitsune," Orochimaru said loudly, causing everyone to pay attention to him. The fox tilted its head slightly and moved closer. By now Orochimaru was easily within biting distance, but showed no fear or even any sign of being uncomfortable. It was as if Orochimaru were standing face with just an average person.
"Would you be willing to make a deal?" Orochimaru asked. Tsunade couldn't tell if the creature was laughing, in pain, or growling as the sound it made seemed to be a mixture of the three.
"What? Orochimaru are you insane?" She snapped, although Orochimaru ignored her.
"What could a human possibly offer me? I could crush your village just as easily as you could squash a bug." The fox responded arrogantly. Orochimaru said nothing, but he knew the fox was right. Even now, exhausted and covered in chakra draining seals, the Kyubi could still easily destroy the village if it wanted to. But curiosity and exhaustion kept the fox where it was and Orochimaru knew that as soon as it was ready, the fight would be back on.
"I can offer protection from the Sharingan and the masked man," Orochimaru shot back coolly. The fox made another odd noise, although this one clearly indicated curiosity. Orochimaru offered no further information, waiting on the Nine-Tails to speak.
"How exactly, would you accomplish something like that? The Sharingan is the direct descendent of the Rinnegan of the Sage. How can a mere man like you possibly defend a creature like me against such a thing?" The fox asked, his voice booming and echoing - a sure sign that he was beginning to gain his strength. Jiraiya noticed, but said nothing.
"However, you will be unable to move," Orochimaru continued, as if the fox hadn't even spoken. "Your power and freedom will be lost in exchange for this protection. So tell me, demon fox, will it be worth it?" The Kyubi growled and then stopped, regarding Orochimaru. It then literally roared with laughter. The fox then quickly lowered his head to Orochimaru's level.
"Again, human, how do you intend to accomplish such a feat? Would you seal me within yourself? Protect me using your pathetic skills? Is that what you intend to do? Foolish human! You are weak! You are nothing! How dare you try to make a deal with me, the Nine Tailed Demon Fox!" The Kyubi howled as it raised his head towards the sky and began to charge one of its chakra blasts.
"Orochi-" Tsunade began when something shimmered towards the fox. Suddenly the chakra ball dispersed and the fox was suddenly bellowing in pain. Tsunade looked at Orochimaru and suddenly saw a sword in his hand.
"The Kusangi..." Hiruzen said, awestruck at the legendary weapon. The fox raised its paw and the sword once again extended forward at an impossible speed, slicing deep into the creature's forearm. It roared again. Orochimaru bought the sword back to its normal length and placed it against his body.
"Secret Technique: Renjin," Orochimaru's voice was calm and even. Tsunade watched and it seemed nothing was happening. The fox then let out a pitiful sounding cry of pain and when Tsunade turned to look at it, the fox was covered in blood. Its own blood.
"Orochimaru, what was that?" Jiraiya exclaimed, awestruck.
"It's one of the abilities of the Kusangi sword. It's a simple attack really. The blade just extends and retracts hundreds of times in succession. Devastating all the same however." Orochimaru explained. He took another step towards the fox.
"Kyubi no Kitsune, I'm afraid I was not giving you much choice. It would be far too troublesome to allow you to do as you please. As you can plainly see, as long as the Sharingan is around, you will always wind up as a tool for someone's purposes. Let me make this perfectly clear: Accept my offer or you will die here." Hiruzen couldn't help but be impressed by his former pupil. Still, the man was bluffing a storm. Even with the Kusangi's ability, the fox was still far too powerful for the four of them. Tsunade's arms were burned and bloody even through her Strength of a Hundred technique and there was no Jiraiya could keep up the Sage Form for much longer before he collapsed. Plus Hiruzen himself was getting old. He couldn't keep fighting at this level forever.
"You arrogant bastard. You dare to order the Nine-Tails?!" The fox roared. It attempted to rise, but Orochimaru launched his Renjin attack against the creature's leg, causing the beast to collapse to the ground. It growled for what seemed like ten minutes, but finally lowered its head to the ground.
"Good now-" Orochimaru began when the fox opened its mouth and a chakra ball began to form.
"Orochimaru!" Hiruzen cried. The Hokage cursed as his fingers went flying. Hiruzen watched as the ball grew larger. Orochimaru slammed his hand into the ground. Tsunade and Jiraiya charged the fox from the side and both Sannin slammed their fists into the beast's face just as the Rashoumon gate rose in front of Orochimaru. There was an explosion that easily shattered the gate although Orochimaru himself seemed to have disappeared.
Once the smoke cleared, the Kyubi was growling through a likely broken jaw. The Rashoumon gate was obliterated and Orochimaru was nowhere to be found. And then, suddenly, the ground where the Sannin once stood began to stir. Hiruzen watched, awestruck, as the Kusangi launched from the ground and made a massive circle. He then watched as Orochimaru slowly rose up via a rising pillar of rock. Blood was pouring from his head and shoulder and the Hokage robe he had been wearing was completely ruined.
Leaving barely anytime for anyone to rejoice that Orochimaru was alive, the Sannin began launching into another series of handseals.
"Sealing Art: Knowledge of Ten Thousand Things," Orochimaru exclaimed as he slammed his hands on the ground. Suddenly a seal underneath him appeared underneath him and began glowing a painfully bright blue.
"Jiraiya, Tsunade, move away from the fox! Now!" Orochimaru ordered. No sooner had the two moved, an identical seal began glowing under the fox's chin. Its eyes shot wide open in surprise.
"What do you think you're doing human!?" It roared, although its words were slightly off due to its jaw. The demon fox then howled as small scripts began to appear over its body, starting with its head. The fox's chakra began to take on a tangible form as the chakra draining tags started to fall off.
"Orochimaru, are you mad? You can't possibly think to absorb all this chakra at once! You'll kill yourself!"
Author's Corner:
So who's ready for another random fact? As it turns out, ten thousand things isn't something I used merely for the sake of alliteration. It's actually a phrase from like Buddhism or something that's like a metaphor for creation. For ATLA fans, the spirit owl in the dessert that the Gaang faced was actually named after the phrase.
Anywho, I like this chapter's fight scene much better than the last one. As for Orochimaru's seal, well you'll just have to see what that does.
Always and forever, thank you guys for all the feedback you give. It's amazing as are all of you. Also, it's occurred to me that I should probably put disclaimers up. Then again, for all you know I might be Kishimoto himself (dun dun dun!)