And here's Chapter 27. I apologize for the delay, but I hit a spot of writer's block with this one. Still, I hope you enjoy it. Readers, Reviewers, Thank You...Remember (Walking in the Sand) by Aerosmith.
Also, just a quick heads up. I've been nominated for Author of the Year, Story of the Year, and Saddest Ending in the Second Annual Naruto Fanfiction Awards. Please, go to teamdarkhope(dot)synthasite(dot)com and vote for me. I appreciate you guys sticking with me and all my little stories.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.
Kakashi looked over his shoulder at the giant trees behind him, unnerved with the incessant pounding coming from within. He could only imagine what was in there that could make that kind of unholy racket and hoped that it didn't have anything to with Naruto. He'd only just recently gotten back in his former student's good graces…he didn't need him dying on him just yet.
A hand rocketed past his face, barely missing him, and struck the bark hard, sending a shower of splinters in the Copy Ninja's direction. He leapt to the side and ran for better cover to wait for his chance to strike. Gai and Lee engaged the Pein body again, distracting it from sending more missiles his way.
Curious as to what the construct's true purpose was, Kakashi crept back over and looked at where the Pein had struck at him. A tiny crack in the structure was bleeding water…and the crack was getting bigger every second.
Well…he'd have to figure it out later. The 'cat' part of his nickname was killing him at the moment though. And you know what they say about cats and curiosity…
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Hold still, you little bastard!"
Naruto ground his teeth in frustration as he ran sideways on the trees he had created, a water shark striking the wall just behind him every few feet. Kisame was showing just why he was a prominent Suiton user, effortlessly creating the sharks despite his weakened condition.
Kisame had not come out of the water for several minutes as he tried to skewer Naruto with water spikes, tear his flesh with water sharks, or rend his flesh with a quick swipe from Samehada when the blond ventured too far out into the water. The blond couldn't even catch a moment to concentrate so he could try his plan…and Kisame knew that. His head was only above water long enough to taunt his opponent before diving under again.
Naruto was noticing something that he hoped Kisame wasn't though. As he ran around the cylinder, he noticed that the water level was dropping at a slow, but steady pace. This could only mean that something had punctured the outside wall at some point, meaning there was fighting going on near them. Imprisoning both him and his opponent suddenly wasn't such a hot idea, as he couldn't see or help his comrades outside.
His hands flew together in the seal for Kage Bunshin and four of them puffed into existence, already running along with their creator. He needed to get Kisame out of the water and fast. The four peeled off and sprinted across the water, stopping at even intervals near the edge.
Kisame poked his head out of the water just high enough for his nose to break the surface and breathed. The gills on the side of his head provided him with a bit of oxygen beneath the surface, but he was still human and had to come up for air. He'd noticed the four clones as they ran across the water's surface. How could he not? The ripples they sent throughout the liquid reverberated through him. He didn't need to know what his idiot of a foe was planning; he just knew he had to stop it.
The rasengan they were forming weren't helping his disposition any and he took off toward one, sending water sharks for the other three. The sharks hit their mark and he shredded the surprised clone with Samehada, letting his sword eat up the chakra hungrily, before whipping around to seek out Naruto.
The jinchuuriki was standing parallel to the water, his eyes shut in concentration, his hands wrapped tightly around the gnarled staff. Kisame didn't need to know what he was concentrating on to know it was bad news for him and propelled through the water like a torpedo.
Naruto's eyes snapped open when Kisame's shoulder slammed into his gut and he was rocketed up the side of his ring of trees, before being driven into them with bone-jarring force. Kisame snarled, slammed Samehada into the wood hard enough that it would stick, and grabbed the blond's head, pushing his nose just millimeters from the spiny barbs of the zanbatou. Kisame's gravely voice seemed to echo as he breathed hard, the exertion beginning to take its toll as the poison wound its way through his veins.
"No more games, boy. I'm sick of this. You've caused me a lot of pain and that is unacceptable. Now, I'm going to cause you some. First, I'm going to use Samehada on your face like a cheese grater. Then, I'm going to cut each limb from your body one by one. I want you to feel what it's like to be pierced by little spikes. Too bad Samehada isn't poisonous."
"Are you quite through?"
Kisame's head jerked back slightly in surprise before he grinned ferally.
"Still trying to act like a big shot, huh? You ain't got shit now, kid. Want to know what I'm going to do with that oversized back-scratcher of yours? I'm going to use it to rearrange your bitch's face."
The blue eyes of Naruto seemed to become like ice as he turned his face as far to the side as he could to glare at his captor.
"Don't talk about her like that. I'll make this hurt more than it has to before you die."
A cackle echoed through the wooden prison and Kisame's teeth shone with maliciousness.
"Scratch that. I'm just going to rip your throat out. I hate the sound of your voice."
Kisame opened his mouth as wide as he could and leaned down to complete his threat, when something tugged at his throat. He coughed a bit and grabbed at whatever was assailing him, his eyes flying open when he touched…something plantlike?
Another sharp tug and he was pulled away from the blond, who planted his feet and stood up. More and more aquatic weeds wrapped around Kisame until only his eyes and nose were visible. Naruto took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"You know, you really are something, Kisame. You fought off a poison with no antidote, fought me at less than full strength, and proceeded to make a lake and fire off several high-powered jutsu. But…"
His eyes locked on to the giant blue man's and Kisame's beady eyes glared back.
"…I wonder, Kisame…how long can you hold your breath?"
Small white eyes flashed open and Kisame began to struggle against his bonds. Naruto motioned downwards with his hand and the weeds began to sink, pulling Kisame along with them. He glared at the blond as he sank, his whole body shaking with unbridled anger. If he could just call Samehada to his hand…but he was so weak. He'd been running on fumes for at least the past three minutes.
A Kirigakure ninja's greatest fear was drowning in their own element. Being masters of water, it was both dreaded and shameful to be taken under and drown…that was the reality that Kisame was now facing.
Naruto watched as Kisame sank below the surface, leaving hardly a ripple as the weeds held him firm as they took him down. He felt nothing from this like he had with Sasuke's death. He had fought Kisame and he had won. Kisame had to die; otherwise he'd just heal up and come after him again. He looked down into the crystal clear water and could make out the eyes of the shark man as they radiated hate, defiant to the last.
Kisame held his breath for nearly three minutes before trying to filter in oxygen through his gills. To his dismay, only a small amount of the much needed air siphoned into his lungs. Horror sat in when he realized that the mass of weeds was sucking out all of his precious oxygen out of the water to speed its growth. His mouth opened involuntarily as his lungs cried for air, and he sucked in some water. His chest began to feel heavy and he turned his gaze upward.
The clear brilliancy of the water allowed him to see the man who had defeated him…no…the man who had killed him. His brain began to feel foggy and he struggled to maintain that glare, that last defiant glare. He would not die like this. He wouldn't die by drowning! He was Hoshigaki Kisame, member of the Seven Swordsmen, member of the feared Akatsuki, wielder of Samehada and the most feared Suiton user in the world!
He wouldn't die like this…like this…like…
Kisame never felt the subtle constriction that the hydrilla was putting on him, forcing all the air out of his body and letting the water fill up his lungs. He never knew when he had begun to drown, so focused was he on his hate of Uzumaki Naruto. His vision just kept fading and fading until it all went black.
Naruto looked down into the lifeless eyes of one of the most feared men in the world for a moment longer and turned away, walking up the edge of the wall and crouched on the ledge. He'd leave this construct up for now, just in case…
Hunkered down on the ledge, he looked out over the area. There were several disturbances all around, but only one fight he could see. Two green blurs rushed around one of the bodies of Pein, trying in vain to smash it to smithereens. The blond smirked and watched for an opening. He had an idea of how to get rid of that particular Pein.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Zetsu emerged from the ground right behind Sanzoku and licked his lips. He'd never eaten a red panda before, but he'd heard it was very gamey meat. With an omnivorous diet, it was sure to have a distinctive flavor. He'd heard what his foes had said about the genjutsu, and had already released himself from it as soon as he'd felt it tug at his psyche. Of course, dual personalities helped the process a bit.
A vicious smile raked across his white and black face and he suppressed the urge to lick his lips. The oversized rat had to die first. It was more dangerous than the other three combined. It was able to smell him and if those claws or those teeth got ahold of him, it would be his body torn to shreds. With great care, the cannibalistic shinobi's jaw-like protrusions opened wide and he lunged forward…only to hit air.
Yellow eyes widened in anger and surprise as the sound of whistling blades reached his ears. The former Kusa ninja whirled about and found Kamatari hurtling through the air, several scythes following behind him, his own held firmly in his paws. The weasel was so close to the ground that his fur was getting dirty and Zetsu realized that he would not be quick enough to retreat into the ground as close as the summon was. Running to the side was also not available as the wind jutsu from Temari and the amount of steel headed in his direction forced him to go in one direction.
Up…
Zetsu knew it was a trap, he knew what they were up to. Kamatari passed beneath him, the whistling of his steel scythes fading as the distance, and the two-toned man's face twisted into ugliness as the weasel smirked. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw that infuriating salamander puppet clinging to the wall suddenly leap toward him it's tail ready to stab and it's mouth open, needles at the ready.
A volley of needles flew toward him and Zetsu kawarimied with a piece of pipe, the ring of metal on metal resounding through the area. He hadn't had to use jutsu in so long that he was somewhat rusty and had nearly been skewered. No doubt those needles were coated in a poison quite like the one that Kisame had been stricken with. The psychotic ninja crouched behind a mass of concrete and looked out over the area for Temari.
The girl was almost as big an obstacle as the rat, coming up with strategies and barking orders. Kill her and they would become disorganized. Zetsu licked his lips in anticipation and rose a bit more to get a better look. A sharp pain in his leg caused him to nearly cry out and he glanced downward, sure that he had been careless and a jagges piece of metal or glass had scratched him. He'd nearly given himself away in surprise. His yellow eyes widened exponentially when he found a perfect u-shape on his right leg.
He'd forgotten about that damned size-altering rat for a moment. But when had it struck? He hadn't seen it near him, hadn't heard it, and hadn't sensed it. A sharp pain in the back of his head erupted as he rocketed back to the middle of their battlezone, flopping unceremoniously to the ground. He was immediately surrounded by all four of his enemies and the puppets. Zetsu stood to his full height; his skull still wracked with pain, and sneered at all of them.
"We are through playing with you. We shall strip the flesh from your bones. But we'll make sure you're alive to watch as we do."
Sanzoku's teeth were on full display as he snarled.
Not if I strip yours first.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The air in Jiraiya's lungs rushed out as he hit the wall and Ma and Pa cried out in surprise. Despite being fused to his shoulders, it was still a jarring blow, and not a very pleasant one. The bored look on God Realm's face wasn't helping the three's disposition at all as it stood with its arms at its sides.
"Would a coward stand and face you as such, Sensei? Would a coward fight you as such?"
Jiraiya sucked in a huge lungul of air and used his good arm to push himself back to his feet. With Senjutsu chakra running through him, the blow hadn't actually hurt, it had just stunned him. A smirk crossed underneath his bulbous nose, the jagged teeth making him look even more fearsome an opponent.
"Nagato, you're a coward because you won't face me as a student to his teacher. Yahiko is dead. This is a perversion of time and life that I can't believe you would do. You were such a kind boy."
Ma and Pa hunkered down when they felt Jiraiya tense up, and set their jaws when he rushed forward again, his fist cocked back for a mighty blow. The body of Yahiko frowned and blasted its former sensei back again with a Shinra Tensei. Jiraiya slammed into the wall again and was immediately back to his feet, his eyes shadowed by his hair.
"I think that's enough research, don't you, Elders?"
Ma nodded her head and her round eyes blinked.
Yep. More than enough. We know his weakness now.
Shhh, Ma! You'll give it away!
God Realm tilted its head to the side, curious as to what they meant. He had been careful in all his fights thus far, especially with his primary body, not to give away any secrets. Jiraiya rushed forward again and Pein's eyebrow twitched in annoyance as the man slammed into the invisible barrier again. The barrier dropped as the large, white-maned man rocketed backwards and the count began til the next time he could use the jutsu. Without warning, pain exploded into the back of his skull and he found himself flying forward, straight into one of the large metal pipes.
Jiraiya landed deftly in a crouch, a smug look on his face, as Pein righted himself once more, a look of shock on his normally bored face.
"Five seconds, Nagato. That's your secret for this body. Without your shared vision, you can't predict anything behind you. You're vulnerable."
Pein stood to his full height and frowned. His cloak was muddied now and he'd been touched. That had never happened before.
"I see. I guess I'll have to increase my odds once again then, Sensei."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Tsubasa, the Hachibi, Sakura, and Tsunade stared down at the broken remains of the summons and the Summon Realm Pein. It had been a difficult battle. The Cerberus had kept splitting into smaller dogs and reforming. The panda was impervious to pain. The rhino was thick-skinned. The centipede was just creepy.
The Hachibi's breathing was labored as it stood beside Tsubasa and it turned its head slowly.
I'm through. I can't sustain this any longer. If the two of you can hasten Kira's healing, he will help in the coming battles. I risk destroying my host's body if I stay any longer.
Tsubasa nodded and bowed his head.
Thank you for your help. It was most appreciated.
Please. I haven't had a chance to cut loose like that in ages. I enjoyed myself immensely.
The Hachibi began to shrink in size until it left a battered and smoking Hachi Kira. Sakura began to heal him immediately, being careful to only hasten his own natural abilities as Tsunade stood watch. Her senses, enhanced by chakra, adrenaline, and battle, caught the whistle of the air as it was displaced. She spun on her heel and threw her right fist forward, her eyes widening when it collided with Hell Realm, sending the body flying off to her left.
The body collapsed against a building, sending a shower of rubble down upon it, and sat unmoving. Tsunade kept her gaze trained on it, knowing that that couldn't have possibly been enough, when the sand around them began to shift and Gaara stepped into the clearing.
"I hate the moisture of this place. It makes fighting such a bother."
Sakura looked up from her work on Kira, relief on her face. Tsunade, however, was not as receptive.
"Damn it, Gaara! We're supposed to keep them separated!"
The red-headed Kazekage looked down at the prone body of the Summons Pein and shrugged.
"Yours is dead. What is the danger?"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she hissed at the younger Kage, listening as the rubble began to shift around.
"We don't know what these bodies do. They're dead in the first place! Two together could be trouble!"
Gaara simply stared at the Hell Realm as it stood once more, his eyes narrowing.
"I swear, it keeps getting back up. It's like there's something special about it, but I haven't figured out what it is yet."
Hell Realm stared out across the expanse between it and its opponents, its eyes finally settling on the prone body of Summons Realm.
"So…you actually defeated that Realm. Very good. No one ever has before, except for Sensei. It was all futile, however."
Tsunade's eyes widened when a huge head appeared behind Hell Realm and she screamed at Sakura.
"Sakura! Get out of there!"
The pink-haired girl's head whipped around just in time to see the huge Enma head and the tendril coming from it. Scooping Kira's body up, she leapt away, just as it grabbed for her. Gaara growled and sent his sand toward Hell Realm, only to have Tsunade stop him.
"We need to see what it's capable of. We need to know what that head does."
Gaara's perpetual frown deepened as his sand swirled around menacingly.
"I don't want to know what it does. It tried to grab Sakura-san, so it can't be good. Let's just destroy it."
The two watched the tendril as it crawled across the body of Summons Pein and brought it back into the mouth of the Enma head. The head chewed for a bit before spitting out Summons Realm, good as new. Tsunade gawked at the sight and Gaara's teeth ground together.
"See? I told you waiting was a bad idea!"
Hell Realm didn't seem to notice their discomfort as it looked over Summons Realm.
"That was impressive. I won't allow you to destroy my Summons again though."
The three active shinobi grimaced and prepared themselves for what was sure to be the worst fight of their lives. Pein seemed to have limitless energy, something that they did not possess. The two Peins readied themselves, sure of victory now that their shared vision would help them.
No one in the area thought to look up…
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Madara's teeth threatened to ground down to the gum in fury. Itachi stood before him, enshrouded in the protective armor of Susanoo, the giant form looming menacingly with its shield and mystical sword. This was one form he could never match. His Eternal Mangekyou allowed him to forever be youthful, full of vitality, and gave him free use of his Sharingan. It gave him many things…control over Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi…but Susanoo had always been beyond his reach.
Itachi stood in the middle of the spectral figure, gazing out over the expanse at his ancestor. He hated this man with all his heart. Madara was the focal point, the sole reason for the decline of the Uchiha clan. Everything that had ever happened could be traced back to his betrayal of family and country. Only one thought crossed the younger Uchiha's mind.
'Unforgivable…'
The ghostly warrior that was Susanoo raised its sword above its head and sent it crashing down toward Madara. The elder shinobi rushed away as the weapon crashed down, only to pass through the ground, leaving no trace of damage. The sword rose again and settled on the long nosed being's shoulder. Madara regained his bearings, his mind racing for some grasp of what he had seen.
That the sword was merely an illusion was not feasible. If it was incorporeal, then it had another purpose besides physical damage. Itachi was never one to flaunt his abilities and therefore, he knew nothing beyond the few battles the boy had had since he had taken him under his wing. This…thing…that had taken form around him was something he was totally unprepared for.
Another swing of the sword, another dodge, and Madara unloaded a huge fire jutsu at the being. The ghostly shield came up before Itachi and the elder statesman of Akatsuki watched in awe as the fire impacted with the shield, stopping it completely. Itachi stared out at him from within, his Sharingan-clad eyes unblinking and filled with hate. The flames died down and the shimmering form of Susanoo grinned, ready for the next assault.
Madara was livid. Nothing he could do would work apparently. Well, it was not the first time he'd had a setback. Being eternal was as much a boon as it was a curse. He could afford to retreat and plan again. Akatsuki was one of his better ideas, but it was not his only one. The eternal man readied himself for a leap out of the hole behind Itachi.
"You won't make it."
Madara froze in his tracks, his knees already locked for the jump, and spared a glance at Itachi.
"And why is that? I've come too far to allow an upstart like you to stop me."
Itachi merely blinked, his lips hardly moving as he spoke.
"You won't make it because I already have you. You're within the barrier of Susanoo. Nothing gets in, nothing gets out."
Madara slowly stood to his full height and snorted.
"I think I would know if I was captured, young one. I've avoided all the swings of that sword and your armor still enshrouds you, not me."
"You're wrong."
Madara's eyebrows rose to his hairline as the shimmering form of Susanoo began to form around him. His breathing became erratic as he ground out his question.
"How?"
Itachi merely looked up through the destroyed roof as the rain began to fall again.
"Susanoo is not merely half a body, it is a whole one. Its size simply encompasses whatever it wishes. The breastplate of the armor is the strongest point, so it simply enshrouds its user in its chest. The rest is below ground. Incorporealism is one of the features that best identify it. Now, you're trapped in here with me. There is no escape."
Madara's brain raced furiously in a bid to find a way out. Susanoo, however, was an impenetrable barrier. Not even Pein's Shinra Tensei could match it. Seeing physicality was not an available option anymore, he decided to try diplomacy.
"What now then, Itachi? We're both trapped until you release the jutsu. What do you hope to accomplish?"
For the first time in years, Uchiha Itachi smiled. Such a sight was enough to make even the normally unflappable Madara quiver.
"I plan to end the legacy of the Uchiha clan. Today, our clan dies with us."
Madara could only wonder what the boy meant. Did he mean to kill himself as well in some misguided form of seppuku? But Susanoo protected all in its shell…what could he do to himself? The spectral form of Susanoo raised its arm above its head and flipped the sword to a reverse grip, the blade now held to stab downward. The sudden realization of what Itachi was planning brought only one word to Madara's mind…
"…no…"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The Raikage growled as he let the last pieces of paper flutter through his fingers before turning to his followers.
"It was merely a bunshin. The bitch is still out there. Come on. We have to find Kira. I don't sense the Hachibi anymore."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hell Realm and Summons Realm prepared themselves for battle, Hell Realm taking a step back and Summons Realm taking a step forward, ready to summon more creatures. Tsunade heard the groan of Kira as he awoke, but feared it wouldn't be enough. With their field of vision now multiplied by two, these Peins would be nigh impossible to beat.
The figure sitting above leapt from its perch, hurtling down towards the people below it. Its size began to grow and grow as it fell…
Before Summons Pein could slap its hand to the ground, a resounding boom echoed throughout the area and the four allied shinobi covered their eyes against the assault of mud and water. Gaara was the first to lower his arms and relief flowed through him. Sitting on top of both of the Peins was Tsubasa, his teeth bared menacingly.
The four ninja watched as the Raccoon King reached down with his dexterous fingers and picked up the prone body of Hell Realm, lifting it to where he could see it.
Hmm…it seems that this Pein is very important. Well, it's been a while since I've had a snack.
Sakura and Tsunade looked away from the scene as Tsubasa bit into the body of Hell Realm, severing the shoulders and head away from the rest. Whatever chance it had of reforming itself was gone. As the women turned green, Kira and Gaara watched as Tsubasa swirled the meat around in his mouth before grimacing and spitting it onto the ground.
Bleeehh! It tastes awful, like rotten meat!
The two men laughed at the King's misfortune as it ran its hands over its tongue, trying to get the awful taste out of its mouth. Humor could be found, even in the midst of battle.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Kakashi still had not found his opening with Asura Realm and it was beginning to frustrate him. A trained assassin he may be, but he'd never met an opponent as frustrating as this one. Gai and Lee were having trouble as well. Despite their speed, they couldn't land a truly damaging blow on the mechanical man.
To make matters worse, that wooden citadel behind them worried him. He didn't know what was going on in there but it couldn't be good. The water was escaping more frequently now. If only they could find a way to neutralize this body…
His senses suddenly picked up an incoming energy source and Kakashi looked up in time, just to catch the sight of Naruto hurtling out of the sky and crushing the mechanical Pein below him. Metal and flesh flew everywhere as the Pein exploded and Naruto stood upright, a grin on his face.
"You guys looked like you needed some help."
Kakashi sighed and closed his eyes as he lowered his hitai-ate, partly in relief that Naruto was alright, partly in frustration that his former student had again entered a battle without full knowledge of what was going on.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Konan gasped when the memories of her bunshin reached her. The Raikage and his swordsmen were fearsome opponents and her bunshin had not been a challenge at all. A slight, low growl behind her made her attention turn to her companion.
"Your bunshin is gone, yes?"
She nodded her head in affirmation. Nagato frowned and his fingers gripped the armrests of his chair with more force.
"This…Uzumaki…and his pet raccoon are most…troublesome. They are alike in their battle planning to a degree that is uncanny."
"What happened?"
Rinnegan eyes locked with Konan's and Nagato's teeth bared.
"They destroyed Hell Realm, Asura Realm, and Summons Realm. Crushed them in similar manners even though they were nowhere near each other. It is most…annoying."
Konan turned back to the window, gazing out.
"I don't see the Hachibi anymore. What will you do now?"
"I will kill Sensei and everyone else I can. Then, we shall see."
"Can you bring another Hell Realm to the frontline?"
His eyes closed, in frustration or pain she couldn't tell.
"I have never found another suitable body for Hell Realm. It seems that my last three Paths will have to do."
"Can you defeat Sensei and the others?"
"We shall see. It is foolish of them to challenge a god on his own turf. Amegakure is my realm. It is my heaven and my hell. I rule all here. I control all here. And I will bring down my wrath upon them."
Konan's forehead touched the cold glass and she closed her eyes as she whispered.
"…what if your wrath isn't enough?"
Nagato sank back into his chair, his eyes narrowing.
"We shall see..."
Ta Da! I once again apologize for the delay, but I hope it was worth it! More to come! And don't forget to vote for me! Cheers!