Wow, I didn't expect to receive such a positive interest to this experimental idea. Thank you to all who reviewed and letting me know your thoughts. It has made me interested in pumping out of a few more chapters to see how it goes.

I may incorporate some concepts from my other stories if required.

Chapter 2

Loss

(10 Years Later: Earth)

Hashirama Senju somberly stood in a military cemetery. He was wearing a dark suit which matched with the colors of the thousands of grieving people around him. They were loved ones and families of the 7th Battalion, 105th Shock Troopers Division - their most lethal special forces and the best protectors of humanity.

As he watched the hundreds upon hundreds of newly created graves of members of the 7th Battalion, he could only feel his heart dying a little more.

He looked at the grave in front of him and only felt the anger within his heart at the Otsutsuki increase ever more.

Lieutenant Colonel Minato Namikaze.

He could vividly remember the young man he had interacted with a few times, full of brilliance and strength who was one of the youngest promoted to lead an established Battalion like the 7th Shock Troopers.

In that way, he was just the same as his wife- Captain Kushina Uzumaki. She had also been a fine Naval officer and a promising Captain of the 5th Fleet.

Now both laid buried side by side while Hashirama's wife Mito held on to their ten year old son who was crying.

Losing a parent was devastating for a young child, losing both of them at the same time could crush a young one's heart- a fact which Hashirama saw clearly in young Naruto's eyes.

Yet their sacrifice hadn't been in vain.

After more than a decade and the loss of nearly half of their colonies, humanity had achieved its first victory.

It had taken place across the colony world of Freedom in the Daedalus Sector, the industrial world had been the next victim of the Otsutsuki's genocidal war. When news reached the Terran Federation, its Supreme Military Commander had acted with decisiveness.

Madara Uchiha had been bitter after losing world after world, ships after ships, and millions of soldiers and sailors.

He was determined to gain humanity its first victory against all odds which was why he had deployed the 5th Fleet to repel or destroy the Otsutsuki armada that had arrived to destroy the colony of Freedom. The 5th was one of their most strongest fleets and had performed valiantly in past battles. Under the command of Hashirama's own younger brother- Admiral Tobirama Senju- it had engaged the enemy fleet to save their colony.

Freedom was not just any colony world for it was the last of the standing outer colonies left, with the others having been destroyed by the Otsutsuki over the past decade. If they were not stopped there, the inner colonies would be next to face their genocide and Earth as well eventually. It was Hashirama, Madara and their entire Federation leadership was determined to stop the enemy's relentless advance.

While the 5th Fleet had met the enemy navy in space under Admiral Tobirama's leadership, the 105th Shock Troopers Division alongside the 9th Armored Division of the Army were deployed on the planet to cleanse it of enemy ground forces.

The multiple battalions of the 105th Shock Troopers Division- their finest special forces had led the charge against heavy enemy resistance across the three continents of Freedom supported by the Army's 9th Armored Division. After many tough battles and tremendous sacrifices, they managed to wrestle control of two out of the three continents on the colony.

Only one had remained.

All prior contact had been lost with the continent of Meta once the Otsutsuki arrived on the planet, the status of its people and military forces were unknown. What had been more alarming was the fact they could not monitor anything on the continent as the Otstsuki had applied some form of camouflage technique that scrambled their satellites and recon units whenever they tried to investigate.

It had essentially become a dark zone.

Humanity had learned painfully that their technology and mastery of chakra paled in comparison to that of an advanced civilization like the Otsutsuki and the slave species that they used as cannon fodder in the war. For each Otsutsuki ship destroyed- they had to take losses of three of their own. For each Otsutsuki clan foot soldier- they lost twenty of their finest.

Such was the difference in power, and the dark zone they had created over the continent of Meta was another such horrifying display.

Admiral Tobirama was tied up in engaging the enemy fleet and was suffering horrible losses of his own, one of them being the ship commanded by Naruto's mother. Captain Kushina Uzumaki's cruiser class ship- The Akagi had come under lethal fire when facing an Otsutsuki dreadnought class ship. The larger and more lethal enemy vessel laid waste to Kushina's escort of corvettes and destroyers with impunity, and crippled her own ship. As Kushina's vessel was about to be destroyed, she made a decision that would alter the course of the entire battle and her own life alongside her crew's.

Hashirama could still clearly recall the video feed that Admiral Tobirama had shared with him which replayed his conversation with the young female Captain.

"Admiral Tobirama, my ship is nearly finished. Permission to arm nuclear warheads and lead a kamikaze attack on the enemy dreadnought?" she had asked in a resigned but determined voice,

"Captain Uzumaki, you are certain of success?" Admiral Tobirama had asked in his usual stoic voice,

"40 percent of our fleet is gone. If we don't take out the dreadnought which is their flagship, more will follow. If the fleet is destroyed, our ground forces across the colony will also be wiped out including my husband down there. My son will not lose both parents today and neither shall humanity suffer another defeat, I'll...make sure of that" Kushina had answered resolutely, making Tobirama close his eyes sadly.

"Then go and win, Captain Uzumaki. Show the Otsutsuki what humanity's wrath truly means" replied Tobirama in a whisper,

A bittersweet smile had arrived upon her face as she offered a final salute which was returned by Hashirama's brother in earnest.

"Any last message for your family?" asked Tobirama in a somber voice, which finally earned a crack in the young Captain's composure as her eyes became a little moist with her thoughts drifting towards her family.

"Tell my husband to look after our son and that I love them both" replied Kushina sadly, earning a nod from Admiral Tobirama.

With those final words, the Captain of The Akagi piloted her crumbling ship straight towards the enemy's flagship dreadnought all the while arming the dozens of Shiva Nuclear Warheads in its belly.

Hashirama had watched the video feed as the rest of the human fleet supported their sister's ship final charge. The enemy to their credit saw the approaching threat and tried to destroy Kushina's ship before it got close to its target.

But they were too late.

The Akagi crashed straight into the port of the enemy dreadnought and a moment later erupted into a mini supernova consuming the Otsutsuki's flagship and several other enemy ships nearby in a fiery explosion.

The loss of the flagship and the support ships surrounding it opened a dangerous gap in the enemy's formation, one which Admiral Tobirama exploited without hesitation as the rest of the 5th Fleet rushed in to finish the opening Captain Kushina and her crew had given them at the cost of their lives.

Their sacrifice would have gone in vain had another critical victory not been achieved upon the colony by their ground forces.

When recon units of the 105th Shock Troopers Division and the 9th Armored Division set foot upon the continent of Meta- they discovered a reality that was certain to seal their defeat and annihilation.

For hidden inside the camouflaged continent, was an entire enemy fleet and armies greater than the ones in space and the other two captured continents.

The Otsutsuki had been toying with them for whatever sadistic reasons, giving them the illusion of gaining victory and willing to sacrifice thousands of their own in the process. They wanted to let humanity batter its fighting strength while preserving their real assets for the decisive blow.

What they didn't take into consideration was humanity's indomitable resolve to win at all costs.

Not knowing of his wife's heroic death in space, Lieutenant Colonel Minato Namikaze and his 7th Battalion of Shock Troopers alongside the 9th Armored Division of the Army volunteered for a final mission.

The after action video feed sent by Brigadier General A- the leader of the 105th Shock Troopers Division had detailed the events in vivid detail.

"You're sure about this, Minato?" Brigadier General A had asked seriously, the fierce older dark skinned man in his forties was from the Nation of Lightning on Earth and looked somber for once.

"Yes, sir. If we don't eliminate this armada, all of us are dead. The 9th Armor will support our advance while my Shock Troopers from the 7th Battalion lead the charge to the heart of their base of operations. We will destroy them with a series of Shiva Nuclear Warheads, I have discussed the situation with my men and asked for volunteers only to accompany on this mission" answered Minato calmly,

"How many answered the call and they understand that this is a one way trip?" asked A sadly,

"We all make it sooner or later, sir. My shinobi know the score, all of them have volunteered. The 7th Battalion will do its duty" Minato had replied somberly,

"You're one of my best commanders and the 7th is the crown jewel of the 105th Division" said A sadly,

"That's why we can get the job done"

Defeated and left with no other option, the Brigadier General had given his approval with a somber nod earning a final salute from Minato and last words that still echoed through Hashirama's heart.

"Tell them to make this count"

Hashirama had watched the feeds of the daring land invasion of the continent led by Lieutenant Colonel Minato Namikaze in person. True to his word, the 7th Battalion of Shock Troopers proved their mettle as they carved a bloody path through enemy territory supported by the 9th Armored Division, while a small Task Force of Naval ships dispatched by Admiral Tobirama provided them air cover and distracted the Otsutsuki fleet to buy time.

Whole companies had been wiped out trying to reach the enemy's base of operations, but Minato and his men continued pushing on inspite of losses knowing they were not going to come back.

By the time they reached their target, most of the 9th Armored Division of the army was wiped out- as were most companies of the 7th Shock Troopers Battalion.

Waiting for the surviving human forces were an entire company of Otsutsuki themselves supported by thousands upon thousands of their slave species.

A historical ground battle had followed- the likes of which Hashirama had never seen before in his life.

No side gave each other any quarter as they tore into each other.

Minato led the charge and personally slaughtered dozens of Otsutsuki fighters before delivering the enemy their mortal blow as the final human soldiers reached their target and carried out their duty.

Dozens of Shiva Nuclear Warheads erupted across the continent of Meta, consuming in its fiery flames every enemy soldier, ship, bases and supplies.

The Otsutsuki's games and overconfidence had costed them dearly as Admiral Tobirama and the surviving 5th Fleet routed the last of enemy ships in space completing the victory.

For the first time in a decade, humanity had been victorious against its fateful enemy.

But the heavy cost lay in front of Hashirama in the form of hundreds of empty graves of soldiers from the 7th Battalion, their bodies vanishing in the fiery nuclear inferno they had consumed their enemy in.

The 5th Fleet had lost half of its ships and personnel which was a testament to their enemy's strength even in the face of their first defeat.

Hashirama watched his wife Mito consoling young Naruto as he wept in front of the graves of both his parents.

The leader of the Terran Federation stepped forward to stand beside Minato and Kushina's graves to address the crowd of grieving families in front of him.

"It didn't take long for the colony of Freedom to fall. Our enemy was ruthless, but they underestimated us. The heroes in front of us today jumped into the flames of hell to save their fellow human beings. For the sake of all of us, they made the ultimate sacrifice in blood" said Hashirama sincerely,

He watched Naruto looking at him earnestly and realized his words today may just give the young child some meaning to his devastated life, as it would for all the grieving people around them.

"While our heroes laid down their lives, they showed us the Otsutsuki can be defeated. They proved we can win this War, every victory we achieve from here on will be built upon the foundation of their sacrifice. We will have a future to look forward to without the threat of the Otsutsuki one day and it will be because these heroes showed us the way" said the leader of the Terran Federation honestly and with as much determination in his voice, making many including young Naruto look upto him with a ray of hope.

The Senju clan head laid his hand upon Kushina's tombstone making Mito Uzumaki finally release her own tears over the fate of her deceased cousin and her young son whom she held in her arms.

"Kushina was family to me, as was Minato and everyone buried here. They entrusted all of us to see this war through, will you follow me to the end?" asked Hashirama seriously,

Of all the people in the gathering, Hashirama had never expected young Naruto to be the first one to volunteer by stepping forward and offering him a salute.

"I will"

Madara Uchiha had watched the video feed of the ceremony led by Hashirama through the satellite feeds. While his childhood friend had been good at raising morale and never lost hope, was in fact full of optimism after their first victory against the Otsutsuki- Madara had a different viewpoint.

For in front of Madara was a man who had shown him a different reality.

"The colony of Freedom will have to be evacuated eventually, Lord Madara. The Otsutsuki will retaliate with greater vengeance sooner or later. Holding this colony will waste more lives" said Admiral Orochimaru, the head of the Office of Naval Intelligence.

"Tell me something I am not already aware of, Admiral" said Madara irritatedly, knowing with the losses the 5th fleet and its accompanying ground forces had taken- it was a bitter reality he had wanted to avoid but was facing regardless.

"We are losing worlds, resources, populations and our military forces at a horrifying rate. My department's current analysis puts the Otsutsuki destroying most of the Inner colonies in the next ten years before nearing Earth itself. We need to turn this around fast. This victory has just bought us some time, nothing more" reported Orochimaru bluntly, without any consideration over the soldiers and sailors who had paid the price for this feat. Nothing unusual for the cold hearted man whom many considered a monster, but one humanity needed in this genocidal war.

"Do you have any solutions?" asked Madara with a tired sigh, making a cold smirk appear on Orochimaru's pale face as he presented a folder- an actual work of paper much to Madara's surprise.

The Supreme Commander of Terran Federation watched the first words upon the folder.

Operation Red Flag.

Reading through the proposal inside of it made the hair on the back of Madara's neck to rise up in alarm, he looked at Orochimaru with a mixture of shock and outrage upon his face.

"Hashirama will never approve of this and you are a fool for even bringing this atrocity before me!" growled Madara angrily, Orochimaru to his credit didn't even flinch inspite of feeling Madara's killing intent rising towards him.

"You asked me what shall turn the tide in our favor truly? Operation Red Flag is the answer" replied Orochimaru calmly,

"You fool! Those beasts were kept isolated for a reason! If the enemy captures them, our defeat will only be expedited!" warned Madara,

"It's already expedited, Supreme Commander! Half of our colonies are gone, very soon the Inner colonies will face their wrath and no amount of propaganda or information manipulation from my department will be enough to prevent crushing the population's morale then. Once that happens, we are truly done" said Orochimaru seriously, and looked straight into Madara's eyes.

The Uchiha clan leader gritted his teeth and fought against every fiber in his body that wanted to strangle the insolent brat in front of him. Even so, the bitter facts presented by the man could not ignored.

Orochimaru hid a pleased smile when Madara's anger and resolve melted into bitterness as he leaned back in his seat.

"This program will not only allow us to beat the enemy but also take the fight to them. I am willing to take full responsibility for it and any consequences that shall follow" said Orochimaru seriously,

"Hashirama will never agree no matter what argument you make" stated Madara with a weary sigh,

"Then it's best I came to you, Supreme Commander. Let Operation Red Flag be a covert initiative carried out by the Office of Naval Intelligence in secrecy. When the times comes for its revelation, I will take responsibility for it with Lord Hashirama. But I am certain my results will outweigh the cost" said Orochimaru confidently,

"I will have no part in this, but I also cannot deny the reality of this war. Do what you have to but know you are risking your own life if you go ahead" warned Madara icily,

"Aren't we all, sir?" retorted Orochimaru with blank face, earning another tired sigh from the Supreme Commander.

"What candidates do you have in mind?" asked Madara,

From the corner of his eye, Orochimaru saw the video feed the Supreme Commander had been watching alongside him earlier. More specifically, the form of a young boy saluting proudly and standing firm in front of Hashirama Senju despite suffering the greatest loss of his life.

In those blue eyes, he saw an unwavering resolve and a cry for vengeance that burned in every human's heart.

"I can think of a few volunteers, sir"

Author's Notes: End of chapter.

Hope you guys liked it.

You don't need to know Halo as this story will have a fleeting resemblance, but with its own unique lore centered in the Narutoverse.

I will dive more into the main characters starting next chapter, as well as the Otsutsuki alongside the slave races that fight to eradicate them.

Despite the Halofication style, you can see Naruto's origins have a kind of resemblance to his cannon counterpart.

Let me know your thoughts in your reviews, I'm especially curious to know about what you thought of Minato, Kushina, and Orochimaru.

Until Next Time,

Blackwolf501