Author's Note:
I am so sorry for the delay everyone. Been very busy and choosing how I was going to cut this chapter took longer than expected. Also, President Iwata Satoru-sama's death didn't help either. I hope you enjoy the chapter, and a few of Iwata-sama's best quotes.
"I've never once been embarrassed that children have supported Nintendo. I'm proud of it. That's because children judge products based on instinct. Everyone wants to appeal to people's instincts, but it's not easy. That doesn't mean we're making products just for children. We believe that there's interactive entertainment that people in their 60s, 70s and 80s can enjoy, so we're doing various things."
"Some argue that our success is short-lived and temporary. So, we now need to make efforts to constantly expand the player base by offering services and titles that can appeal, not only to those who have never played games, but also to those who play them hard."
"On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer."
"Even if we come from different sides of the world, speak different languages. Even if we eat too many chips, or rice balls. Even if we have different tastes in games. Every one of us, here today, is identical, in the most important way. Each one of us has the heart of a gamer."
Iwata Satoru
President of Nintendo
(1959-2015)
Rest In Peace
Pirates vs Ninjas: Battles of Love and Will Chapter XII: The Heaviest Fists
A sound that had not been heard for over a decade in Konohagakure rang across miles and miles. Birds began to take flight from their roosts and beasts bolted from cover to get as far away as possible. The very clouds in the sky began to vanish out of fear, for fear itself had been set free and soon the entire world would know it.
Inside Konoha, Gaara, Matsuri, Temari, Kankuro, and Shikamaru all turned their heads to the direction of the demonic roar and all felt sweat begin to pour.
"Was that?..." began Shikamaru fearing the worst.
"Yes, without a doubt" answered Gaara. "They have failed."
"W-We need to evacuate!" shouted Temari preparing to help move the villagers of Konoha to safety.
"Where would they go? Nowhere is safe now that the Kyuubi is free" said the Kazekage halting his sister.
"Demo!"
"I hate to say it, but he's right" said the Nara heir gritting his teeth.
"T-Then what do we do?!" asked Kankuro with panic in his voice.
Gaara sharp eyes scanned over the village trying to figure out any form of plan. "Get as many as you can underground" he said finally. "I will hold the Kyuubi off for as long as I can. I wish you all luck." He began to walk forward making his companions gape at his orders.
"You want us to hide as you march to your death? Don't be stupid!" cried Temari.
"For what little time we have left in this world, I am still Kazekage and those are my orders. See to it that you follow them."
"I ain't a Suna nin and this ain't Suna. Your words don't mean anything to me!" snapped Shikamaru not pleased.
"Nara Shikamaru..." said Gaara in a voice that made everyone's blood turn to ice. "I am entrusting you with my sister and student. Please look after them."
Both Shikamaru and Temari blushed at his words never expecting them to ever be said.
"Oi what am I chopped-liver?" snapped the puppet user, annoyed.
The two aforementioned and flustered teens looked at one another unsure of what to say next as Gaara walked past them with Matsuri and Kankuro.
"S-So..." began Temari at last. "This is the end?"
"Looks like it" said Shikamaru, searching for his final cigarette forgetting that he had given his pack to Sanji.
"Got anything that you want to get of your chest?"
"No not really" he lied. "You?"
"Me neither" Temari lied back. There was a short pause of silence before they spoke up again, cutting each other off.
"You first" she said.
"No, you should go first" he said back.
"Trying to be a gentleman at the end, lazy?"
"Alright screw it!" cursed the genius turning to face the young woman. "You are the most annoying, hard-headed, and beautiful woman I have ever met. How I fell for you I don't know but I did. There. I said it. Now where is that damn cigarette?" snapped Shikamaru padding his pockets again.
Temari stared at him with her mouth agape not expecting him to say the words she had been secretly wishing he would say for the past 3 years. Only hesitating for a second, the young Suna kunoichi launched herself at the deer herder, grabbed his chunin vest, and kissed him as hard as she could.
Shikamaru had found one last cigarette tucked into one of his vest's pouches and it fell to the floor when Temari pounced on him. His eyes went wide when he realized what she was doing, as he had only imagined her doing such a thing in his dreams. When she pulled back, he stared at her dumbfounded and his tongue tied in a knot. While Temari was expecting for him to be surprised by her out of character behaviour, she still felt worry when he said nothing right away. But it did comfort her seeing that his face was burning just as much as hers.
"And you're the laziest, borderline sexist, and most handsome man I have ever met" she said with half proud half sheepish smile on her face. "But unlike you, I know exactly why I fell for you. You treated me, Sabaku no Temari, daughter of the Yodaime Kazekage and sister of the Godaime, like any other woman. You didn't become my friend to be a suitor, you didn't do it for my family fortune, you did it because you liked who I was as a woman and as an individual. So there."
"Uhh..." exclaimed Shikamaru trying to find his words, "how long have you..."
"Since I saved you from that girl with the flue. You?"
"About the same time ya. Would have been nice if you had told me sooner."
"Oh really?" Temari asked with a wild look in her eyes, punching him in the arm. "Mr. Manly Man wanted a girl to make the first move? You're so full of shit."
"Hey that hurt you violent woman!" shouted Shikamaru rubbing his arm. "I take it back. You're too troublesome."
Temari gave him an incredulous look before turning around. "Well that's just perfect. I confessed to the guy I like and I'm still going to die a virgin."
The deer herder's jaw hit the ground when she said that with his entire face turing red. "Y-You're a virgin?" he gasped. Sadly those were not the best words too use as the desert princess turned to face him with the most menacing look he had ever seen.
"And what does that mean Nara Shimakaru?" she said almost as if she was snarling, fire burning in her eyes and a hand retching for her fan.
"M-M-Matte! I didn't mean that you're a loose woman!" cried the lazy ninja holding his hands up in defence. "I didn't think that a woman like you would ever see me more than a friend so I thought you had a boyfriend or at least an ex already."
His words seemed to calm her down as she lowered her hand, but it quickly became a fist and connected with his nose knocking him to the ground.
"Ok, what was that for?!"
"I cannot believe I've been praising your intelligence all this time when you're such an idiot" Temari fumed, crossing her arms. She then looked away from with her cheeks flushed. "I-I've been waiting for you all this time, lazy."
Shikamaru remained on the ground with his mouth agape and his cheeks burning. Why hadn't he put two and two together? Was it because he didn't see a girl like her going for a guy like him? Was it because she was an older woman? Was it because the life of ninja had made him believe it was better to get it out of the way as death could happen at any time? Or was it simply that he was an idiot? If he had to be honest, Shikamaru would have to say the latter.
Temari squatted down so that she could pick up her crush's cigarette and held it up to him. "Here. Sorry for punching you" she said.
"No I deserved it, as troublesome as it is to admit. But I guess if I too am gonna die a virgin, I might as well be honest" he replied reaching for his smoke. But because he could touch it, Temari pulled it away. He looked at her confused but was even more so by the look on her face.
"In that case...you might want to save this for later" she said, in a tone he had never heard her speak in. He stared at her not understanding why he would save his last cigarette for later, until he remembered something Asuma had said; thought it was more of a joke. Immediately his face flared up.
"Ý-You don't mean..."
"Yup" she replied, her own face turning red but was far more confident than her lover.
"This really isn't the best time."
"Is there going to be a better one?"
"True but..."
"You don't want to?"
"Of course I want to!" jumped the Nara, admitting something he had been hiding for a while. "But given the circumstances I um...don't think I can perform under pressure."
It was then that Temari began to show her age as her face transformed into what looked like a large cat going after her prey; her body matching that transformation. "I think I can help you with that."
Shikamaru swallowed knowing that this was a once in a lifetime chance. He knew he was acting out of character and he knew that if his family and friends found out he'd never hear the end of it; not to mention what Gaara would do. But then again, the world was coming to an end. It was time to live a little.
"It's too fucking troublesome to argue against you. Where should we go?" he said as confidently as he could.
Temari wanted to laugh at his honesty, but instead was overwhelmed by his sudden act of machismo, which any other day would have earned him a tongue lashing.
Today he was going to get a different kind of tongue lashing.
She reached down and helped him to his feet before practically dragging him to one of the abandoned buildings. Matsuri, to her great discomfort, had witnessed the entre public display and was as red as a strawberry. While she was very happy for her friend for finally getting together with the boy she loved, the manner in which true love found its way and the possible apocalypse had left her stunned and incredibly embarrassed. Strangely enough however, it also gave her confidence. She turned to look at her sensei who had been standing out of earshot, along with his older brother, and knew what she had to do. If the world was going to end, she was going to confess her feelings.
She quickly walked up to Gaara preparing herself as best she could but stopped short as she had no idea how she would confess the feelings she had been hiding for years. Then, a voice spoke to her.
"Yes Matsuri?" asked Gaara. The young kunoichi jumped not expecting him to notice her and began to panic. Gaara, who believed she was panicking for a different reason, placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a reassuring look; or rather as reassuring of a look he could make. "Do not worry. I believe that these people, alongside the Godaime Hokage can stop Naruto from releasing the Kyuubi entirely. And if they fail, then I will stop him. No harm will come to you."
"A-Arigatou Gaara-sensei" she finally managed giving him a courteous bow.
"As I have said previously Matsuri, with you promotion to Chunin, there is no longer any reason for you to address me as you teacher. You may call me by my name without any honors."
"H-Hai G-Gaara-k-kun" she replied. This caught both the Kazekage's and his brother's attention.
"Gaara-kun?" he echoed.
"Ah! I'm sorry, I mean to say-"
"There is nothing wrong by calling me that Matsuri, it is just no one has ever called me Gaara-kun. Why do you?" he asked genuinely. The Suna kunoichi looked away for a moment before finding her courage to answer her Kage's question. She took an extra breath to steady herself before speaking which did not her cheeks to darken from several shades of red.
"F-For some time now Gaara-sensei, I have wanted to call you Gaara-kun be-because I have romantic feelings about you!" she half shouted, before bowing with her eyes closed.
There was an unfortunate silence that followed Matsuri's confession as neither Gaara nor Kankuro knew how to react. The idea of a girl liking Gaara was always farfetched due to his unfortunate "curse". Temari and Kankuro had their own fair share of admirers and even suitors given their positions in the high class families of Suna. But Gaara? Even as the Kazekage and Shukaku gone, which did make the village trust him and respect him greatly; he still had enough of his old emotionless persona that no one saw him that way.
Except for Matsuri.
Gaara, whose hands had fallen off his student's shoulders when she bowed, placed them back where they were making her look up at him.
"There is no need to lose one's mind completely, even in a time of crisis such as this" he said calmly. Both Matsuri's and Kankuro's jaws dropped. Neither one of them could have predicted how he would have reacted to being confessed to, but this was certainly not a likely one. Matsuri was completely crestfallen and felt her world crumble as the realization of being rejected hit her. Kankuro acted a little differently.
"Baka yaro!" he shouted hitting his brother in the head, though it did not seem to do much. "That's not what you say to a girl when she confesses to you!"
"Kankuro...that hurt" Gaara said, more to the effect of being surprised by the attack, as he had forgotten his sand no longer activated to defend him, than with actual protest of pain.
"Good! Apologize to her now!" the older Sabaku ordered, something that he rarely, if ever, got to do. "You just trampled all over her feelings! That's the worst thing you can do to a woman."
"That was never my intent" said Gaara seriously with rare display of regret. "Matsuri, please forgive my lack of sensitivity. It is just that I do not understand such things and I...for lack of a better excuse, did not take your words seriously. Most do not look at me as a possible lover."
His words snapped Matsuri back into the real world and felt them dig into her heart. She was very much aware of the pain her sensei had been through, being treated as a monster by his countrymen and family, and nearly assassinated by them. She knew he had had the Shukaku in him, but she had never seen him as a monster. Now it was time to let him know.
"I understand Gaara-kun. But I want you to know that I never saw you as a monster. I saw you as a sad and lonely boy who was unloved, and not the Shukaku. I'm sorry that I never displayed my feelings to you sooner. Can you forgive me?" she asked.
The former jinchuriki looked at his student with the softest eyes he had ever had. "There is nothing to forgive Matsuri. It was my fault for not noticing sooner" he said, pausing for a moment. "Matsuri...if it is not inappropriate to ask...if we survive this day, would it be alright if I courted with you?"
Both Matsuri and Kankuro stared in amazement, again not expecting him to say that. But it was the young kunoichi who spoke first with a large smile and flushed cheeks. "Hai Gaara-kun!" she said beaming, before stunning both of the Sabaku siblings by wrapping her arms around her date's neck, gave him a quick kiss on the lips, and then dashed to help with the moving of the injured.
The brothers watched her go in silence before Kankuro began a slow clap. "Well done little brother, well done."
"Kankuro, is it ludicrous that I suddenly wish that I and the Shukaku still shared the same body? For I feel I could truly use the help."
Gaara's older brother looked at him with both worry and curiosity. "You really don't think you have a chance against him?"
"I am no longer a demon and I must go up against the most power being in the world. I fear the best I can do is stall for time."
The puppet master sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "Well fuck. What are we gonna do? We can't fit thousands of people in the basement Gaara. Is there anything else we can do?" he asked hopefully.
The Kazekage scanned the village slowly trying to think of a better plan. Even if the injured were in fighting form, they would neither be able to fight the Kyuubi, nor would they be able to out run his destruction. Furthermore, the civilians of Konoha were in the same position as they could not fight and they could not outrun. There must be another option for them.
Finally, Gaara's eye landed on the Hokage tower. For some reason, he felt that there was something he was overlooking. As if there was something about the building he had forgotten. He then began to speak without really knowing what he was saying.
"Get everyone to the Hokage building."
"What?"
"I said, get everyone to the Hokage building, Kankuro."
"Why? What are we going to do there?"
"At the base of the left side of the tower there is a false wall made of stone" explained Gaara. "Beyond the false wall is an ornate door. Go through the door and head down the stairs into a large chamber. There will be enough room for all the villagers and the wounded."
"How do you know that?" asked Kankuro.
"I just do. Now go" ordered the red haired teenager. His brother was not convinced but followed his Kage's orders and began to inform the others. Gaara watched his brother leave and took a few moments to look around the village. He had wondered why Naruto had wanted to protect the village that hated him so much. He had never considered himself to be a patriot until he had met his fellow jinchuriki and decided that he too would become the Kage of his home. Anyone else in their position would have jumped ship a long time ago and never looked back. And yet, both of them had stayed. His eyes finally landed on the stone face of the Yondaime Hokage.
"Was it worth it?" he asked rhetorically. "Was it worth sacrificing it all? My father did it to create a weapon and he paid for it. You did it to protect the village you loved and you paid for it. In the end, both I and your son shared the same fate of hatred and fear. I wonder if you would be as resolute in your actions and beliefs then as you would be now, knowing what would transpire after your death. I suppose we will know soon enough."
Without saying another word, the former jinchuriki began to walk towards the monument where he would make his final stand.
xXx
"Common Long Nose, we gotta move!" shouted Franky as he shut his abdomen closed.
"YAAHHH!" screamed Usopp running in circles as the cola made the shipwright's hair returned to normal. "We just rode on the back of a giant monster!"
"That is rather rude" said Gyuki as his eye engulfed of the entirety of the porthole and then some.
"YAAHHH! Usopp Ketchup Boshi."
Outside of the Thousand Sunny, the villagers were acting much like Usopp. They stared in horror as this gigantic bull octopus hybrid was resting in the bay next to a ship that had appeared out of nowhere a few days prior. As a fishing village, they did not have ninjas or any form of army or militia. It would take days before ninjas from Konoha to assist them and they were certain they would be dead long before help would arrive. Though strange as it seemed, while many had begun running for their lives, a fair number of villagers stayed to watch in confusion; confused that the demon was not attacking them.
Suddenly, the demon lord's head snapped back to the West with a look of great concern on his face.
'What's wrong?" asked Killer B.
'Do you feel that?' asked Gyuki.
'What the fuck is that? Is that another Bijuu?'
'It is Kurama. It feels as if he is being freed, but there is so much rage. His jinchuriki is most likely losing complete control.'
'Great, now we've got to take of it. That fuckin' dumbass.'
'I think you are missing the severity of this outburst. Firstly, Kurama might die. Secondly, our otherworldly friends are fighting him and can be killed.'
'Well fuck, let's go!'
'We must tell the shipwright and the long nose' said Gyuki looking back into the porthole. "Little ones, your friends are in danger."
"What do you mean?" asked Franky.
"It seems that my friend and brother is being released against his will and can accidently kill your fellow crewmates in his rage."
"You mean he's a demon like you?"
"Yes, and much stronger."
"Nani?! We need to get back to the village right now!"
"Are you crazy?!" shouted Usopp with his eyes bugging out of his head. "You want to go towards the giant monster?!"
"Damn straight."
"But what about the ship? We can't just leave her here alone!"
"Gentlemen..." cut in the eight tailed demon king, "...I believe I can help you with that."
xXx
Luffy stared with eyes wide and his mouth open. He had seen many things during his travels across the Grand Line; things that would have broken most men and scared them so horribly that they would never dare to return. But this was different. There was a feeling that was building inside him that he hadn't felt before. It was similar to when he was nearly beaten by Rob Lucci, but still entirely different. It was a crushing aura that only came when meeting someone or something that was larger than life. But Luffy didn't know what he was looking at so why did he feel that way?
From behind him, his crew finally reached him but stopped dead in their tracks when their eyes landed on what their captain was staring at.
"What the fuck is that?" asked Zoro with eyes wide but still glaring intensely.
Before them was the most hideous creature any of them had ever seen. It looked like a giant fox that had been skinned alive but had not died, with all of its muscles exposed along with its spine. Its eyes darted in every direction and never blinked for it did not posses eyelids. Its jaws were open revealing its exposed fangs where saliva dripped as it roared the most monstrous roar they had ever heard. Instead of having one large tail, it had eight, each a combination of dark red and the blackest black. They seemed to be their own living being as they pulsed with energy and flared with intimidation. However, it did not need those tails to be intimidating, as it was as large as a Sea King.
"Is that that the Kyuubi?" asked Sanji.
"It is a tail short meaning it has not been fully released" explained Robin.
"It looks like a creature you would have seen in Thriller Bark" commented Brook looking at the demon from head to tail. "He is a rather bony fellow, but not as bony as me! Yo ho ho ho!"
"No..." gasped Tsunade, falling to knees. "We're too late."
"But he hasn't reached his final form. We can still stop him" said Nami, though not truly confidant in her own words.
"It doesn't matter. The furthest he's ever transformed was 4 tails and we were barely able to contain him then. He's at 8. There is no way to stp him now and soon he'll be at 9, setting the Kyuubi free" explained the Godaime, feeling tears building in her eyes.
"There has to be a way. Wait, where is Luffy?" the navigator asked, now fearing that her captain had been killed. Her eyes quickly found him kneeling before something making her sign in relief. "Luffy!"
Hearing his cartographer's voice, Luffy quickly turned his head and saw his crew. "Chopper! Get over here quick!" he shouted in a way he hadn't before. Chopper complied, but was unsure about the tone of his captain's voice until he saw Hinata in his arms. The man-reindeer ran as fast as he could with the rest of the crew tailing him. "Can you save her?"
"Let me see the wound!" said Chopper tossing his medical knapsack to the side and opening up Hinata's now bloody jacket. "This is very bad Luffy. Her large intestine has been pierced and it even looks mangled. From the angle I think her spine was nicked as well. I need to perform surgery on her immediately but I'm afraid to move her."
"Hinata!" shouted Nami kneeling quickly beside the kunocihi. "What happened?"
"I don't know. When I saw her that guy had stabbed her with a sword then I knocked him out" answered Luffy jabbing his bloodied thumb at the unconscious Uchiha. When Zoro saw who it was, he gritted his teeth and began to draw Shusui.
"Son of a bitch" he growled, but was stopped by Sanji who placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I know, I want to skewer the bastard too. But we need to deal with the fox."
Zoro glared at the cook and shrugged off his hand, but he knew he was right.
"O-Oi!" cried Chopper drawing everyone's attention back to Hinata. "Don't close your eyes! Stay awake! Hey you!" he shouted at Tsunade bringing her back to reality. "You're a doctor right?"
Tsunade blinked as if she didn't understand the question making Chopper angry. "If you really are a doctor then please help me!" he shouted. The Godaime looked at the sweet girl who she had come to like and respect, and saw the blood flowing from her abdomen and growing even paler than she already was. She looked up at Chopper and then the raging demon before returning to Hinata.
"You drain the wound while I'll begin a bowel resection on the Jejunum" she said with authority.
"But when was the last time she ate? The chance of infection is high enough as it is with the bowels clear of bile. I'm also afraid that her spine is injured."
"We'll have to risk it and we'll deal with it after we take care of the main problem. We'll move her to inspect her spine in a more sterile place" explained Tsunade.
"But if we move her the wrong way she could become paralyzed from the waist down."
"We could die any second so let's get to it."
As the two medical prodigies began with the meatball surgery, Luffy watched them in silence. He looked at Hinata and saw how she was barely clinging on to life. This girl had been on their side since the beginning and had been risking her life to help them. The pirate captain assumed that she had tried to stop Sasuke from escaping because she knew how much Naruto wanted to "rescue" him. She was now laying in the dirt dying because of how much she cared for him, and he just continued to chase after the Uchiha. Luffy began to clench both his fists and his teeth, making his muscles and veins pop and his blood boil like magma. He turned to face his enemy and held up his shaking fists.
"YOU FOOL!" he screamed as loud as he could, kicking up a gust of wind. The raging jinchuriki's head snapped onto Luffy with its eyes locked onto his face. "THIS IS THE GUY YOU KEEP DEFENDING AND CHASING AFTER? HE JUST STABBED YOUR FRIEND! ARE YOU STILL GOING TO DEFEND HIM NOW? DO NAKAMA MEAN SO LITTLE TO YOU!?"
The last sentence he spoke caused a wave of energy to blast from his body, across the clearing, and struck Naruto. The demonized ninja froze and stunned all who were present when he took a step back.
"Did he just...step back?" gasped Tsunade in confusion, as the idea of a demon, let alone the Kyuugi himself backing down was ludicrous. Even Kurama was taken aback.
'What was that?' he asked as the sensation of that wave of energy was still affecting him. 'Mugiwara became enraged and unleashed a form of energy that I have never sensed before. It wasn't Yoki, it wasn't Maho, it wasn't Ki per say and it most certainly was not chakra. It felt like a combination of Sakki (killer intent) and Yoki. That is a wonderful mix, but there is something else to it that I haven't felt in decades. It felt like the crushing power of a king, a god. You are truly an interesting person Mugiwara no Luffy, now show me if you can defeat this form.'
The Straw Hats watched their captain breathing heavily after screaming at the demon and felt the weight of his words. They had not been there for the fight between him and Naruto, and did not know of the words they had shared. They did however know how he felt about them and what friendship and loyalty meant to him. If Naruto had been friends with Hinata's attacker who they already knew was a horrible person, then they understood their captain's feeling perfectly.
After a few moments had passed, allowing himself to catch his breath, Luffy spoke to his crew. "Oi...mina" he began without turning to face them. They all looked at him already knowing what he was going to say. "Will you help me kick his ass?"
Zoro snorted as he began to retie his black bandana onto his forehead. "What a dumb question ask" he said fastening the knot.
"Ah, a pretty shitty question baka-sencho" added Sanji lighting another cigarette. "As if you needed to ask us."
"This guy is friends with the bastard that tried to kill Hinata?" asked Nami rhetorically as she glared at the fox demon. "I want to take a few shots at him. She helped us because she knew we were innocent and she didn't want to see anyone else get hurt. I saw in her eyes the same feelings that Vivi had back in Alabasta. Damn straight we're going to help you Luffy."
"Arigatou. Let's go" said Luffy gratefully, cracking his knuckles.
"Luffy..." spoke up Chopper making his captain look over his shoulder, "can I help you fight him?"
The straw hat wearing pirate looked his doctor in the eyes and saw the determination. "Is she going to be ok?"
"Aa. I think so. Can you finish on your own?" asked the man-reindeer.
"How long have you been practicing medicine doctor?" asked Tsunade seriously.
"Nearly 7 years."
The Senin smirked. "Hardly any time at all and already this gifted. Kid, I may not look it but I'm over 50 years old and I've been practicing for over 30. I can finish on my own so go fight with your friends. I won't let her die. I understand your captain's feelings so you may not understand mine, but this girl is really the only good thing that has ever happened to Naruto, and he has helped her. I don't want them to lose their chance of being happy because of mindless foolishness. I swear to you."
Chopper nodded and stood up, turning into his Heavy Point in mid pivot, making the Hokage's eye nearly pop out of her skull.
While not all united, the Mugiwara Kaizoku-dan began to walk towards an opponent that most others would have run away from.
"So...what is the plan sencho?" asked Brook.
"We kick his ass just like did Oars" replied the childish pirate blowing steam out his nostrils.
"As I recall, that did not go so smoothly" said Robin. "Furthermore, we cannot rely on 'Nightmare Luffy's power as we did last time."
"And we're down by two" added Zoro referring to Franky and Usopp who were on their way to the Sunny Go.
"We can beat him. He wasn't that strong when I fought him at 4 tails so with all of us fighting we'll beat him at 8 just as fast."
"I don'know, he's supposed to be a god" added Sanji.
"Bleh" replied Luffy blowing a raspberry. "I've beaten 'gods' before and they're all just talk."
Nami couldn't help laughing at his lack of caution, which was only bothed her half the time since she began sailing with him. "Of course. Just don't let me be kidnapped this time ok?" she said.
"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you again" he said looking at her seriously. Immediately his words made Nami's stomach flutter and her cheeks flush. She quickly turned away to hide her reddened cheeks "not" understanding why his words effected her this way. Unfortunately for the young navigator, Robin noticed and a small smile formed on her lips.
Naruto, who had recovered from Luffy's burst of anger, took a step forward and roared mightily at the pirates sending a massive gust of wind and dust at them.
"Well he's pissed" said the first mate smirking.
"Normally I can understand what animals say" said Chopper frowning, "But for some reason I can't this time."
"Do demon animals speak a different language?" asked the musician amused.
"I guess so."
"From what I heard, fox meat tastes like shit" remarked the cook as he examined the muscles of the demon fox. "I guess a first class chief has never cooked fox before."
"We're gonna eat him?" asked Luffy half interested in the idea.
"Baka! Even though he shares a body with a fox demon doesn't necessarily make him a fox. That's cannibalism!" scolded Nami as she knocked her captain in the side of the head.
"I think he has lost his patience" alerted the archeologist making the rest of the crew look up. Naruto had taken a stance that seemed as if he was sitting and raised his head into the air with his jaws open. Luffy recognized the stance and warned his crew.
"He's gonna fire his beam!" he said with excitement.
"Beam?! Really?!" asked Copper with stars in his eyes.
"O-Oi, if he is going to fire a beam shouldn't we move?" asked Sanji with worry, remembering their fight with Kuma.
"But Hinata is behind us!" reminded Chopper afraid for his patient.
"Don't worry he's slow so we can stop him before he is ready to fire" said Luffy recounting his fight when Naruto was at 4 tails. However, this time Naruto had become faster with this transformation and his demon chakra canon was quickly forming. "Aa. He's faster now."
"Damn it! Let's move!" shouted Zoro with the crew following him as they charged the skinless fox.
xXx
Not far from the battle, Gyuki was running through the forest carrying the Thousand Sunny on his back. He suddenly stopped seeing the 8 tailed form of Naruto and knew what he was doing.
'What's wrong?" asked Killer B.
"Kurama's jinchuriki is about to fire his Demon Chakra Cannon at the pirates."
'Well what are ya waitin' for let's stop him!'
"We won't make it in time."
"How far is it?" asked Franky catching the attention of both demon and jinchuriki.
"A mile and a half" estimated Usopp fairly accurately.
"Then we got him. Get in the prow!" he shouted opening up the cockpit behind the head of the Sunny
"Rokai!" replied the sniper running at the prow and slid into control room grasping the controls.
'What are they doing?' asked Killer B.
"I have no clue."
"Cola Energy charging now!" shouted the shipwright throwing several levers making the internally mechanism of the ship pump cola into the hydraulics of the Sunny's head making the jaw open and the barrel of the cannon emerge. "Charging complete!"
"I got him in my sights!" shouted back Usopp resting the crosshairs of the cannon's scope on the charging fox demon.
"Oi Tako-san, can you hold the ship tightly without crushing her?" asked Franky.
"Yes, but why?"
"You'll see. Ready?"
"Yes" answered Gyuki adjusting his tentacles.
"Usopp! Fire at while!"
"Locking on..." said Usopp pressing the red button on the left handle bar making the scope glow red. "Gaon Hou Fire!"
The barrel of the cannon immediately began to glow as it unleashed its payload. The blast thundered as it exited the barrel making the entire Sunny recoiled backward taking Gyuki and Killer B by surprise. The bluish white "beam" soared as fast the speed of sound across the canopy of the forest right at Naruto who was beginning to unleash his own cannon blast. Just as his jaws opened, the Gaon Hou hit him in the right shoulder where the neck and shoulder muscles met. Naruto's head snapped quickly to the right diverting his attack far into the distance away from the Straw Hats before it hit the ground and unleashing its destructive power.
"Direct hit!" shouted Usopp happily.
"Well done Usopp!" congratulated Franky.
"Most impressive" commented Gyuki who was genuinely surprised by the power of the attack and the power of the ship.
"And since you're acting as the counter instead of the Coup de Burst, we got enough Cola for another salvo to put that fox bastard down for good."
"You just might need it Shipwright Franky."
Back at the main battlefield, all present were stunned.
"Was that the Sunny?" asked Zoro.
"Impossible. We're miles from the sea" answered Nami, though she was not able to convince herself.
"That's the Sunny alright and she stopped him just in time" said Luffy grinning like a proud father. "Let's get him!"
"Th-The village" gasped Tsunade staring at where the chakra attack had landing knowing that it was in the same direction Konoha was located. She wasn't sure if it did land inside or even near the village walls, but the possibility made her sicker than a night of heavy drinking and learning of Jiraiya's death rolled into one.
"We've got to stop him from firing that attack again" said Sanji.
"Cien Fleur (100 Flowers)" chanted Robin making a hundred hands sprout out of the fox demon's face and wrapping around his jaws, keeping them closed. Immediately Naruto began trashing and clawing at his face to remove the muzzle. Robin cried out in pain as she felt her arms being ripped off, a dangerous vulnerability of the Hana Hana no Mi's power.
"Son of a bitch!" shouted Sanji bolting at Naruto.
"Oi! Don't fight him on your own, Ero-Cook!" shouted Zoro running after his crewmate. Luffy cracked his neck as he was about to join the battle, but a voice stopped him.
"Ano Luffy..." said Chopper making his captain look over his shoulder once again, "this is going to be a hard fight isn't it?" Luffy nodded with a small hmm. "When we fought Oars, we nearly died. I know that's happened a lot before but it was the most intense fight we've ever had. Zoro was so injured that I still can't believe he survived, same with you. I was so scared that we wouldn't make it this time." The doctor paused for a moment to swallow and look at the ground. "Because of that, I've been thinking about how I can be more useful to the crew that just being the ship's doctor. What if I was able to you my Monster Point properly? What if I could use it and be in control? That fight with Oars would not have been so brutal. The New World is going to be full of monsters like Oars and who know what else.
I need to be stronger. I need to be stronger if I want to keep sailing with you all and not be burden. Monster Point has that strength and it could save us if we have to fight giant monsters or large waves of Marines if we keep climbing to the top of the world."
Chopper reached into his medical bag and pulled out a rather large pellet that looked like a Rumble Ball the size of an apple. "This Special Rumble Ball has a powerful sedative that will hopefully knock me out after a few minutes. If it doesn't...I'm so sorry. I promised Doctorine that I wouldn't use it again and I broke that promise to beat Kumadori. I hate being a monster and I hate hurting the people I love" said Chopper as snot began to run down his note and tears burning in his eyes. "But if being a monster means that I can protect my friends...then I want to be that kind of monster!"
Taking one last breath, the courageous little pirate opened his mouth and began to chew on the over sized Rumble ball. "Rumble" he said, just as his consciousness began to fade. Immediately, Chopper's body began to change. His fur grew thicker and longer, as did his arms, legs, and antlers. His hooves merged with his Heavy Point hands giving each of his fingers a coating of keratin that was stronger than steel. His face elongated to have his snout that he only had in his Walking point, making Chopper look like a true Man-Reindeer, with eyes glowing white without pupils. He towered over his allies at roughly 50 feet tall, but carried an aura that made him look far larger, which helped intimidate his demon foe.
The entire crew stared at Chopper in horror realizing what their crewmate had done. Tsunade looked upon the Devil Fruit user not understaning what he was. Was he one of the jinchuriki and this was his Bijuu form? The king of those Bijuu was now looking at Chopper face to face and was just as confused.
"What are you, small one?" he asked himself aloud. "You are not a demon but you most certainly look like one. At the same time you look like an angry Kami. Are you a Shishigami in disguise? If you are then you will give us one Hel of a fight."
Aboard the Thousand Sunny, Usopp was shaking uncontrollably as he stared at his transformed friend. "W-Why? Why? Why? Why?" he asked, snot, drool, and tears running down his face.
"What's wrong? Do you still have a clear shot?" asked Franky entering the prow. He then saw what the sniper saw and remembered the last time Chopper had been in that form. The cyborg remembered the power and terror of the doctor in his Monster Point and how he had no control of it. Was the fight going so poorly that the doctor needed to use that?
'What the fuck is that thing?' asked Killer B looking at Chopper.
'I am not exactly sure. A giant deer of some kind' replied the Hachibi.
Chopper looked Naruto in the eyes as if he was looking right through him. He then lurched his head forward and let out an otherworldly roar that resonated for miles around. While intimidated, Naruto held his ground and also unleashed a monstrous roar announcing that he accepted Chopper's challenge. The pirate doctor lowered his antlers and charged at the fox attempting to ram and pierce him with his now sharpened rack. Naruto tried to strike him by rising up on his hinds legs but instead was hit in the chest making him roar out in pain. He latched onto the deer's antlers in an attempt to force him back, but received two painful strikes to his gut by Chopper whose hands were still free. He then dug in his hooves and threw Naruto to the left allowing him to crash onto the ground.
Before Naruto could recover, Chopper reached down and grabbed a few of the fox demon's tails. With all his might he began to hurl the jinchuriki like a potato sack and slammed him back onto the ground, repeating the attack. Naruto roared in pain and anger as he crashed again and again into the earth, unable to shake the Man-Reindeer's grasp. The Straw Hats, who had been able to get out of the way, watched the waring titans alongside Tsunsde who was healing Hinata.
"Is he going to be alright?" asked Nami, worried about Chopper.
"He'll be fine" answered Luffy watching the fight, but was looking at his enraged doctor. "Chopper is being a man who wants to protect what he loves more than his own life. He's going to give us a one up on this guy so all we can do is put our faith in him and wait for the special Rumble Ball to take effect."
While she understood her captain's words as well as his feelings, Nami still was worried about their youngest crewmate.
Chopper slammed Naruto one final time into the ground before digging in his hooves once again and began to spin like a pinwheel. He spun several times hurling the fox demon with him, until he let go and sent him flying several hundred feet away. Naruto crashed into the ground destroying a great number of trees before stopping, allowing Chopper to roar once more.
He finally managed to stand on all four legs and roared back before charging his opponent. Chopper tried to swipe at Naruto but he dodged the attack dashing to the right, going behind the reindeer and climbed onto his back. He latched onto him and stretched open his jaws to bite as hard as he could down onto the doctor's left shoulder. Immediately Naruto realized that he had beaten off more than he could chew as he felt several of his fangs break, not knowing how tough Chopper was before biting him. But while Chopper in his Monster Point was tougher than Naruto in his eight-tailed form, Naruto was easily twice his size and possibly more than double his weight. Using this to his advantage, the jinchuriki grasped Chopper's antlers and forced him to the ground. He began to slam the pirate's head into the ground repeatedly either trying to knock him unconscious, or break his skull open.
From aboard the Sunny, Usopp was gritting his teeth watching his friend being pummelled. He began to ready the Gaon Hou once again but was stopped by Gyuki.
"Please do not interfere with the fight" he said.
"Why? Chopper's getting hurt!" shot back the sniper.
"He is fighting because he wants to protect you and your friends. Is it right to get involved in his one on one fight where his pride is on the line?"
Usopp looked down at the deck knowing that the demon lord was right, and looked back at his friend hoping that he could turn the fight around.
Naruto drove the reindeer's head once more into the ground before he felt him resist. Chopper reached back with his left hand in a claw like manner and grabbed Naruto's side. Due to the demonic ninja's body, Chopper's hardened fingers punctured the exposed muscles and linked into the ribcage. He then rolled to the left throwing Naruto over his head finally freeing himself. Though Naruto roared in pain, he quickly recovered and launched his tails to attach themselves to each of Chopper's limbs who had only just risen to his feet. Each limb had two tails holding on to them and began to pull on them as if Naruto was trying to quarter him.
Chopper roared at the jinchuriki and tried to pull himself free as he noticed that Naruto had opened his jaws and began charging up his Demonic Chakra Canon once again. Chopper tightened his hoof hands and glared with blank eyes at the fox demon, and did something that no one present expected him to do.
"I..." he said in a hollow haunting voice. The Straw Hats gapped at their doctor in shock, knowing how this should not be happening.
"Chopper..." began Nami.
"Spoke?!" finished Usopp back on the Thousand Sunny.
"How is that possible? Doesn't he lose consciousness when he's in that form?" asked Franky, stating what he and the entire crew knew. And he was right. Chopper should be unconscious and was only fighting because of the wild instinctual state his mind and body was in while in Monster Point. The only sound he was able to make in said form was the unholy roar that pierced the heavens. But now, he was speaking. Was Chopper in control of himself, or was it just a brief moment of clarity?
"I...am...ok..." continued Chopper looking down at Naruto, who even he was being affected by the Devil Fruit user's words. "I...am...ok...with...being...a...monster...if...being...a...monster...protects...my...NAKAMA!"
The final word of the doctor's came out as a mighty roar that resonated for miles around him. Using both the rage and power of his own words and feelings, Chopper fiercely pulled back his right arm to free himself, and did it with such strength that he ripped two of Naruto's tails out. Naruto roared in agony while Chopper pulled free his left arm by ripping the tails off with his right hand.
Before the ninja could recover, he looked up hearing the pirate roar once more and felt his giant fist collide with his skull, sending him into the dirt. Chopper began to wail onto Naruto alternating between both fists, pounding him into the ground as he continued to roar. The loudness of the roar muffled the sound of bones breaking, and the dust that was being throwing in the air hid from the other just how much damage Chopper was doing to the jinchuriki. It seemed that Chopper would not stop until Naruto was nothing but paste, but his swings began to slow down and his roaring was now nothing more than confused whimpers. He stumbled backwards in a daze and swatted the air weakly as the sedative was finally taking affect. Chopper was not able to remain standing for long and fell backwards onto his back with a loud crash as the ground broke beneath him.
There were a few moment of silence as the Mugiwara looked at both their unconscious friend and his broken opponent.
"He...did it" said Nami with eyes wide.
"Of course he did" said Luffy with a proud smile on his face. His smile began to fade however when the sound of loud whimpering came from where Naruto lay beaten. The entire crew looked at the demon and saw to their dismay that it was trying to stand back up.
"Tough son of bitch" remarked Zoro with a deep frown, but still found it in himself to grin at the whimpering beast as he saw what he now looked like. Chopper had done considerable damage to him as his jaw was only hanging onto the skull by the right hinge. His left eye had been crushed as well as his eye socket that was now sunken in. His skull was cracked everywhere and his left ear was missing, most likely ripped off during Chopper barrage of blows. The damage was so extensive that the collar bone had broken and pierced through the muscle tissue exposing itself, along with several other bones in the shoulder. However, as bad as the damage seemed to be, the crew could see that Naruto was slowly healing his wounds and in a few minutes would be back in one piece.
As if they would give him those few minutes.
"Did it hurt?" asked Luffy in a surprising calm voice. "Did those fists hurt? Did you feel their weight? Did you feel the emotions and pain and anger that made Chopper's fists so heavy? But if you did or didn't it doesn't matter, because you're gonna feel the weight of all our fists. And I promise, they will hurt."
His words made the entire crew nod in agreement and made them eager to fight the demonic ninja.
Next chapter: Of Gods and Monsters