PLEASE READ
Author's Note: I was told by a very good friend of mine that Naruto was very out of character in the last chapter and even though I had to make him that way in order to make his becoming so strong so quickly believable I will concede the point. He's a little less serious or at least a little less omniscient in this chapter. Also, if anyone truly has a problem with Sakura no longer being a part of his life, please turn back now.
Warning: This chapter and probably the next few will have some pretty violent and disturbing situations. Those who are squeamish try to keep a bucket handy as I wouldn't want you to miss anything!
Sneakyfox, your reviews are ambrosia and silk and chocolate, all that is worth praising in this world.
ItaNarulover, that is exactly the kind of look I was going for, as close to the manga as possible except at a slightly faster pace and with small concessions to make Naruto fit a more noble mold, not that I don't love how he is in the manga/anime. I'm glad you took notice and appreciate it.
As always, thank you to Cupricanka, lovely mistress of all things plot, without whom I would be pelting out 1500 word chapters with much less flair than they deserve.
Oh, and a little request. Parts of this chapter were written while I listened to tracks from Metal Gear Solid (or, maybe it was Gears of War) and The Last of the Mohicans. So, to get the full experience I suggest you pop in Requiem for a Dream (yes, I know it's overplayed) as well as The Last of the Mohicans - royal Scots dragoon guard, just like it is written. I promise you won't be disappointed if you do! Also, for those of you who have actually read through this author's note, because god knows I rarely do when I encounter them, you get a piece of my world famous zucchini bread (okay, so, not world famous, but it should be, damn it!).
And now, brace yourselves!
Behold; the beginning of the fall of the dogs of war and the rise of something wholly different!
Chapter 4
Ride the Wind, Own the Earth
"Shit," Naruto exclaimed as he parried two more thrown kunai and swiped his leg forward and down to kick out the legs of the nameless enemy ninja before him. They had come in droves all wearing different hitaite bearing scratches. They were all renegade or enemy ninja from all five of the main ninja villages as well as a few of the smaller ones. Naruto saw a few from Iwagakure about a dozen from Kumogakure and whole contingents from Amegakure, and they were still coming. Unbelievable; that fucking coward had brought an army to capture just him? Or, wait . . . are they here for more? More blood, more death, more power? What? Naruto couldn't stop his mind from swirling down into warped imaginings of just what Pain wanted with him or the other demon beasts. Frankly, he didn't really care as long as his home remained intact and the people he came across every day were safe.
"This isn't working. We're no closer to taking down Pain and the rest of those Akatsuki bastards than before," he growled out, frustrated.
"Stay calm, Naruto," Kakashi murmured at his left side. Naruto glared at him.
"There are too many for just us. Konoha needs to be informed of this new threat," Sai droned at them from behind Naruto.
Arranged in a four point star pattern the four of them were trying to hold their own against dozens of renegade ninja, and they were failing.
No, this cannot happen. Damn it, I did not spend all that time and effort on that mountain or traipsing through Godforsaken fields with that pervert Sage to have to stop now.
Pulling his clones in to watch the surrounding greenery, he flicked his gaze over to Kakashi.
"So, how are we supposed to take all them on and still have enough chakra left to rip apart those dead clones?" Fire glinted in Naruto's eyes as he spoke; he wasn't angry, oh no. This was rage. He could also see surprise flicker in Kakashi's eyes for an instant before it flitted away to be replaced by emptiness. I'm sure he's wondering how I know all that they've surmised using that code when I haven't been here. Too late to tell him that part of my training allows me to now focus in on any one all the way to a dozen clones from a far greater distance than ever before.
Narutocould not sit still, his eyes darting to mark the position of each enemy surrounding them, his fingers twitching to reach for kunai or shuriken taking them as swiftly as they had crept upon him and his three comrades.
"We are not going to be doing anything of the kind. We will hold the advantage here while one of my clones sends for reinforcements."
Kakashi told them the clone was already on its way. But, they had to separate from the group. There was just not enough space to fight in this formation, and as they had nothing other than themselves to protect, it was pointless to stay in it, regardless of Naruto's strong wish to keep his teammates in sight and make sure that they were alright at all times. Kakashi was apparently thinking the same thing, as he gave them the sign to separate.
Naruto fought his way through a number of opponents. He tried not to give any killing blows when he could help it, but sometimes it was necessary. At any case, he had to make sure not one of them is capable of standing up again, and that effort was testing Naruto's patience. He had more important things to do right now, this was nothing but wasting his time and energy; but then, of course, that was what all those renegade ninja were here for.
Kicking the last one in the immediate area first in the knee to lose his balance and then in the back of the head, a place that was sure to leave him unconscious for a while, Naruto grabbed a moment to take a quick look around. Sai was doing pretty well, the area around him was almost clean; but then, Kakashi sent him into the part of the battle field that was not as heavily flooded with enemies then most.
Yamato seemed hurt from the way he was bending to one side, but he was still fighting, rapidly going through hand seals that lead his wood right on through the softest body parts he could target. From the expressions on the enemies' faces, Naruto could tell they wouldn't be able to move around again for a while.
Suddenly, an explosion rent the air at their right. Naruto thought it was aimed at them and was about to make a crack about the renegade's lack of proper aim, when he heard a chuckle from behind him. He knew that laugh. Kiba was here. Turning to face his wild child friend, Naruto caught a glimpse of shining straw. Ino, Kiba and Chouji were facing the tree line in various positions on a nearby branch of a yew tree, the leaves cloaking their attire.
"Yo, Naruto," Kiba saluted him breezily while flashing his teeth in a wide grin.
"Naruto," Ino and Chouji said at once.
Naruto grunted then responded, "She sent only you? We're dealing with an invasion here. Did she think Kakashi was kidding?"
"Whoa, cool it. Shikamaru and Neji are here, too. Plus, we brought along about half the Chunin and Genin teams and two ANBU squads."
Naruto tried to do the calculations in his, but it frustrated him and he gave up, sighing. Let's hope it will be enough, for all our sakes, he thought. He turned to rejoin his teammates in battle, repositioning his clones until they caught sight of all his other comrades. Kiba, Ino on his left and Chouji on his right fanned out to encompass the right flank of enemy ninja that was beginning to push through Naruto's mass of clones. His clones, Naruto could see, were slowly being replaced by Konoha ninja of various ranks. There were still more enemy ninja pouring out of the void and, suddenly, Naruto gasped. His eyes widening, he rushed to Kakashi's side, blocking a roundhouse kick from an enemy while simultaneously slashing him with a kick to the chest, sending wind chakra out in a slicing arc. Blood seemed to spurt in a pressurized spray covering Naruto with thick drops and smears as the ninja's chest split down to the spine.
"Kakashi!" he cried.
"I know. I see it," his sensei responded.
"I don't know that we'll be able to close it. I'm not sure what's keeping it open," Kakashi continued.
The void, no, the portal they now realized, glared darkly at them from across the blood-stained grass. Grinding his teeth, Naruto fought the urge to boost Kyuubi's power and tear the whole contingent of enemy ninja down a peg or three. The images of their torn flesh, ribbons of skin and muscle, bone spearing through in places, missing limbs and heads, were enough for him to want to keep the demon at bay a little longer. But, if he had no alternative, Kyuubi would run free and all that power would pretty up the darkest of hells. Naruto smiled and for the first time in his life the expression did not reach his eyes, eyes that burned and sputtered malice.
Naruto's immediate thoughts were for his teammates and comrades, but he began to see that not one of them would get out of there alive without more help than they had at the moment. Sucking in a breath, Naruto formed the seals to summon, hoping that his old friend would be enough to halt the onslaught of enemies. Anything to stop the slaughter he knew had to be coming. Pressing his hand to the ground after collecting a bit of blood from his swollen, cut lip, he prayed that it would be the right one.
What appeared before him was not Gamabunta as he'd hoped, but a much smaller, oddly shaped frog. Naruto frowned in frustration then exploded at the diminutive form.
"What the hell are you?! Where's that jerk of a boss, Gamabunta? I didn't ask for this!"
The strange frog creature turned to face Naruto and cleared his throat.
"Yes, Naruto-chan, you did."
Naruto gaped at him.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I believe you have come across a very old technique, one forbidden from use though I think we could make an exception for you. It has to do with the Kyuubi and the key Minato entrusted to me and Jiraiya."
"Huh, what? What key? How do you know about that technique? Do you know what it does? And, why did you come now of all times?! We're in the middle of a battle that could mean the end of Konoha, you jackass!"
"I'd be very interesting to learn what this is all about as well, but unfortunately we have more pressing matters at hand. For instance, there are hordes of nasty enemy ninja trying to cleave their way into our village by way of many of our ninja," a very serious looking Kakashi interrupted them. Dodging an attack from poison tipped senbon, Kakashi darted to the left to take out three ninja with a variety of kicks and a water dragon jutsu combined with a rock hand slapping down to crush two more.
Naruto had seen that look before and it had not meant good things for the ninja that Kakashi had used it on. After all, he was buried under the eave of a bridge in Wave Country now and Naruto fully believed that look to be partly responsible. Growling he picked up the misshapen frog and flew to the trees. This thing was going to explain and Naruto would not sit for anything less than that.
"Talk," he ordered as he placed the frog on the branch beside him. The frog gave Naruto a measured glance before speaking.
"I'm not sure you're ready to hear all of this, but I see we don't really have a choice now.My name is Gamayouki and I hold the key to your ability to release and control all of Kyuubi's transformations. I would give it to you, but it seems you've found your own way of gaining control over that accursed fox." The frog said all this as if he and Naruto were having a lesson followed by tea on Mt. Myouboku. Naruto felt his jaw dropping before irritation had him swallowing the frog's throat with his fist and hoisting him into the air.
"Don't give me that. There are people dying here! Help me!" Naruto had not meant to say the last part. He gulped and looked uneasily at the frog's brilliant orange eyes. His lime green skin glowed in the soft light stealing its way through the trees. Gamayouki flicked a pink tongue out to snatch at some errant, flying insect and Naruto had to choke down the bile rising in his throat. Enemy ninja at the gates or not, eating still breathing things, and bugs at that, was just plain creepy.
"Alright."
Naruto blinked. Did he just . . . ?
"Did you just . . . ," he asked
"I said alright. I'll give you the key that will allow you to call forth all of Kyuubi's power, but you must use that technique right after if it to work. If you try it while you are any lower on chakra it could have consequences graver than allowing those ninja free reign through Konoha." Naruto recognized the frog meant business with the last statement though he didn't get why. Maybe he'd ask later.
"Show me."
The frog opened his mouth impossibly wide. Naruto knew they could do that to release their freakishly long tongues but this was ridiculous. A wisp of blue light began to emanate from the frog's throat until it trailed out in front of him when, suddenly, it began to change. Coalescing into a ball, it hovered right in front of Naruto's face and Naruto had time to register that it was really quite pretty before he grasped the frog's next words.
"What?" he blinked dumbly up at him.
"I said you need to swallow it, or place it against your chest until it is absorbed into your body. That way is quicker but very painful."
An image of Sasuke at the Valley of the End, angry, crazed eyes laughing as he speared Naruto through the chest with Chidori came to Naruto unbidden.
"I can take pain," he replied, and he forced the ball of weird incandescent light into his chest until it had all been absorbed. Pain exploded and ravaged its way through his chest cavity and up his throat leaving Naruto sputtering for breath.
"Shit."
"Yeah, well, I did warn you."
Naruto fell to his knees, trying not to wheeze as he struggled to breath through torrents of mindless pain. He felt it beginning to burn his throat and then the fire spread to the very edges of reality itself. Naruto felt as if he were floating, floating in a world of grand darkness and hollow pain and wondered if this is how it might feel to die. He heard Kyuubi's menacing laughter in his head and the dull tones of weaponry in the back of his mind. Numbly, he closed his eyes to the pain wishing it to go faster so he could get up and fight.
"Human, do you realize what you have done?" the fox murmured in his head.
"Shut up, damn fox." Naruto cracked an eye open and an achingly bright light hazed the trees in the distance. He realized, belatedly, someone had blown something or someone up. A swarm of flying, buzzing pins of darkness swam toward the explosion. Must be Shino, Naruto thought. Immediately, Naruto turned his attention back to himself as a fresh wave of pain had him gasping and sucking in air only to hold it back. Trying to concentrate on anything else but the searing hot stabbing in his chest, he melded with some of his clones. There were enemy everywhere he looked. He found it hard to locate a familiar face, or even a familiar headband. He saw that Shikamaru was having trouble pinning a group of five ninja while keeping an eye out for others. Naruto saw the problem. He moved one of his clones to Shikamaru's side and whispered in his ear.
"To the right; move your shadow capture to the right a little and you'll catch the shade of the yew tree there." Shikamaru clucked his tongue. Naruto was sure he was prepared to tell him that the yew tree didn't have enough shade the way it was when he heard a cracking of dry wood. The branch Naruto had indicated slipped down and twisted enough to cast the longer shadow Shikamaru had needed. Smiling laconically, he had captured the shadow and reflected it back onto his quarry and used it to lengthen all the others. All five necks snapped with a satisfying crack as Shikamaru again turned to his friend. But, Naruto had already sent the clone off to join Kakashi and Yamato fighting a very powerful Iwa ninja.
Shikamaru could see Naruto hunch down at Kakashi's side and then the surprise lighting the single eye briefly before it disappeared. Kakashi and Yamato then took up different vantage points with Naruto taking a low course through the underbrush. Shikamaru had no time to watch more as an explosion and a scream reached his position from the west. The smell of blood was cloying. Naruto and his team, meanwhile had turned the small pond they'd lured the Iwa ninja into red with their blood, the frothy liquid lapping at the shores as wine will kiss the rim of a glass when disturbed. It was all disturbing to Naruto.
Closing his eyes again and gritting his teeth, the real Naruto was finally able to take a deep enough breath and began to test out his limbs. They didn't feel any different nor did he feel the burning surge of power like he had when releasing the fox's power during his years of training with Jiraiya or the fights he'd called upon it to win. When he opened his eyes, however, he saw exactly why he had an empty feeling inside, as if some part of him had been ripped out though he could still feel a thread connecting the two halves of . . . himself? Naruto took in a jagged breath and held it, opening and closing his eyes a few more times. His mind could not adjust to what he was seeing, especially since he had not even graced the edge of that barred prison.
Kyuubi, thousand year old demon who had menaced an entire village and caused the deaths of countless citizens, was glaring at him, full on glaring at him from his perch on a parallel branch of the same tree.
"Right, my job's done," the long body of Gamayouki, somewhat resembling a scroll tube, disappeared in a haze of smoke with Naruto shouting at him to come back.
"Stupid, good-for-nothing frog. Now, what am I supposed to do with you?" he edged closer to the demon cautiously. He might not be as smart as Sakura or Sasuke, but Naruto knew how dangerous the situation had now become. The fox grinned at him wickedly and opened his mouth to pant at him. The smell of sweet leaves and meadow grass reached him and Naruto's brow furrowed.
"Hello, Naruto." It seemed to Naruto that Kyuubi's voice was the same on the outside as it was in his head. Suddenly weary, tired of fighting and tired of being toyed with, Naruto snapped.
"Hey! You stupid fox! What the hell do you think you're doing? I didn't give you permission to leave! Go back!"
"No," Kyuubi replied shortly as he sat back on his haunches.
"No? What do you mean no? We have a pact remember? You come when I need you and you get to choose your freedom." Naruto huffed angrily, crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from Kyuubi.
"That's right, we have a pact. Now, I suggest you do as that frog told you so no more of your little 'friends' get into trouble." The screams Naruto had been, until then, pushing to the back of his mind suddenly reached the foreground, death, dismemberment, incredible amounts of pain were all around him. That could stop, but he would be making a rookie mistake if simply let the fox do as he wished.
"You follow my orders and my orders only. Betray me, and I don't care if it would mean the death of half a country, I'll waste you."
The fox peered at him with an expression close to admiration before sighing.
"Fine. Do it, now!" And, Naruto still unsure of what he might be condemning himself or his fellow ninja to, starting making hand-seals.
A red fog enveloped Kyuubi's form and spiraled up to turn the graying light a rosy color. Naruto could feel his chakra draining to almost null and that scared him. Super-powered Kyuubi, or nor, they would need everyone they could get to cover Konoha from disaster. The fog began to lift and Naruto could feel the air shift almost as if it was breathing life into the surrounding area again, whatever that meant. Naruto looked at the furred creature before him, momentarily stunned. Where the hell had the fox gone? But, there were a lot of tails. Huh, nine tails and that same stupid grin but that fur. Kyuubi's fur had gone pure white, not a single hair different from another except for the hollows of the eyes and the tips of his tails and feet. The fur there was a bright, garish red, much like it had been at the beginning. Naruto could feel the surge in the Kyuubi's chakra as well, not only from the increased pressure in the air but from the tightening pit in his stomach too.
The form of Yahiko, now called Pain, turned to inspect the increase in chakra from the south. A huge increase like that could mean only one thing, he mused. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki had tapped into that power. He chuckled without mirth. This was going to make his effort more interesting than all those sad little humans could ever hope to have accomplished. The chakra seems off though, more oppressive but at the same time lighter. What did that boy do? Shrugging, he turned to one of his other forms and gave the command.
"We will retrieve the Jinchuuriki. Leave Konan to play with whomever she likes." The other body nodded and slipped off to join the others. Yahiko Pain made his way down to the edge of the battlefield but stopped when he heard a piercing roar and saw white and red streaks of color materialize before his army. His eyes widened a fraction more as he realized what actually lay before him
"No," he murmured.
"NO!" he cried out more forcefully. The demon that was Kyuubi was now free but changed. Pain couldn't understand it. This wasn't supposed to be possible. The white furred ruff of the fox's neck was rapidly changing back to red as the creature fiercely dug in with claws and teeth, rending flesh and snapping through bone. He collapsed a whole brigade of his fellow renegades, highly skilled as he'd made them, with just one swipe of his tail imbued with a massive amount of wind chakra. Wind chakra? Then, the boy was still alive. Now, Pain felt sure he was dreaming, for no one could remove an inhabited being without killing the host. It just wasn't possible. But, there it was and here he was staring at it. . But, he was not dreaming and was not trapped, and there it was, the last piece in the puzzle, the last obstacle before he could make this world a peaceful place for everyone. There it was, free and here he was staring at it.
Pain gnashed his teeth in anger and bit down on the flesh between his forefinger and thumb.
"Fine, that boy wants to play this game, I can let him. But, it will cost the lives of everyone here."
Kyuubi let out another colossal roar as Pain slammed his hands onto the ground calling out the King of Hell statue that housed all the other biju, including the recently acquired eight-tailed beast that Sasuke had captured. The stone rose up and the earth underneath it rumbled in protest of the added weight. His mouth thinning out in barely checked anger, Yahiko-Pain curled his fingers around the beginning of the blinking eyes and swiped a bloodied hand across all of them at once. All eight monsters of legend began to appear as vapor then hardened into true flesh and bone and blood. They glared empty, glazed eyes at
Pain and stood dumbly, waiting for instruction.
"Kill the last Jinchuuriki; bring me the last one of your number." He spoke calmly, hiding the aggravation that was building every passing second his army fell victim to that monster. It was when he heard derisive laughter from behind that he finally realized his mistake.
Sasuke Uchiha stepped out from behind the King of Hell Statue to appraise him openly. Pain had already been caught in Sasuke's genjutsu and had been forced to open the Statue to release the demons. He realized it now. Sasuke smiled at him full of malice and hatred.
"I can't stand puppeteers," he said calmly. Pooling chakra into his fist and molding it into a more powerful version of Chidori than Pain had previously seen, Sasuke Uchiha took away the thing he'd worked so hard to create. The King of Hell Statue crumbled at the touch of electricity in Sasuke's hand and with it went Pain's ability to house and to control the demons.
"Are you doing this out of some residual emotion for that boy?" he questioned. Sasuke stared at him neutrally.
"No."
"Then, why? I thought you wanted them all dead."
"I do, but . . . I just hate puppeteers." He glanced at Pain with every confidence showing in his posture that he would be victorious. Pain had other ideas. After all, the demons were still under his control until the residual effects of the Statue wore off. He called for two of them only to realize they were not answering. Risking a glance back to where they'd drifted through the mist and tree branches he could see why. Something that Jinchuuriki was doing to them. But, he was not dreaming and was not trapped, and there it was, the last piece in the puzzle, the last obstacle before he could make this world a peaceful place for everyone. There it was, free and here he was staring at it.
It was some kind of ninjutsu, only he was emitting so much chakra Pain thought the boy should drop where he stood instead of moving to the next. Growling, he had actually forgotten about Sasuke until he moved forward only to blocked by the glistening sword the boy carried on his back
"Move," he bit out.
"No, your opponent is me," he answered calmly.
"Fine," Pain declared as he moved forward to wash the forest floor in more blood, that belonging to Madara's dear nephew.
Naruto turned from the last demon and nearly fell over from exhaustion. Kakashi had appeared beside him to offer a welcome shoulder to lean. Naruto was expecting a massive blow-out tirade, even if it was Kakashi-sensei.
Instead, all he got was, "Naruto, what did you do?"
Naruto looked up at his former teacher's form. It was phasing in and out of color like a bad copy of an old movie.
"I freed them. They should never have been used that way. They are nature and they are Gods and I have made them whole. Isn't that better than leaving them to suffer for our greed and their own anger?"
Kakashi blinked and then smiled at his student. Naruto really was very sensitive, he knew. He then turned back to the newly formed God-beasts, Kyuubi leading them all. He had told Naruto in between battling all those bastard ninja that he had once been a God of the Underworld and had lesser gods, subordinates, to help him balance the different levels. The other Demon Beasts had also been Gods once, mostly to do with nature, until humans had interfered trying to acquire and then abuse their gifts to human kind. The gods had tried to punish the ancient civilizations with distance but that had only made them more power hungry. Out of greed and immense hubris, they succeeded in developing a way to pull the Gods souls from the various realms they'd called home and place them inside beasts. Because of the caustic and incredible amount of power the Gods had wielded the bodies of those animals had undergone various changes until the forms they now saw before them had been long twisted and forgotten even by the Gods themselves.
Kyuubi turned to regard Naruto who had just begun to get a second wind. He smile and for the first time since seeing the demon – no, the God – Naruto was not afraid; he was in awe.
"You have remade us." The other Gods crowded the space around them, also peering at Naruto with great interest.
"We would do much for this gift," one of them, Naruto thought it was the reincarnated version of Ichibi, said.
"You should not be made to fight for us, but if it is your choice than, please, protect them as much as you can and one of you . . . the village not ten miles southeast of here will need a barrier." They all smiled, well, as much as Gods could smile. Some of them looked to be leering but Naruto couldn't sense any ill intent from any of them anymore. Neither could any of his fellow ninja as they had all hung back to watch the display, most of them with mouths hanging to the forest floor. The enemy had not pressed their advantage. Naruto suspected it had something to with the way the Gods were looking at them. All those years spent inside other people's bodies must have had a massive affect on their hunger. As the gods took over the majority of the battle, Naruto's shoulders slumped a little and he leaned his weight against a nearby trunk scored by massive claws. Kakashi, still watchful, crouched down and settled on the balls of his feet, his hands steadying his pose. It was only when Sai and Yamato joined them that Naruto looked up.
"Hey," Sai stated breathlessly. He'd gotten a lot better in the time he'd spent on the team, Naruto mused. He was no longer doing creepy things to try to understand relationships or emotions and his voice had more . . . Naruto didn't know the right word, so he'd settle for feeling. Sai's voice had more feeling in it, yeah. Naruto tipped his head to the side feeling that something was missing and then it hit him.
"Where's Sakura?" Sai looked over at him and Naruto could se a flash of guilt. Yep, he was definitely getting better. Then, he narrowed his eyes; guilt?
"I kind of lost sight of her when I took that fat clone of Pain's fir a run. I lost him, too, just now. She's probably headed here since this is the rendezvous point." Sai found himself talking to dead air. Naruto had already shot off in the direction he'd last felt Sakura's chakra.