INTRODUCTION
Welcome back to the End of Innocence. As always I like to start by stating that I do not own Naruto. Kishi = creative genious. Lol!
THANK YOU
A special thanks to those who reviewed my previous chapter: NarutoBigFreak; maxslayer10; airnaruto45; Kushina's Hell (you changed your name =P); newserkzzz; Shauni2420, xXbeautifullyshatteredXx; Codegeasslulu; XeroTail29; Diamond Man; InARealPickle; perfect beauty; Konoha's Crimson Fox; hideki4111; theshrewedshrew; Christina322; Ben Vilhaven; narutokurosaki & MyHikari.
RESPONCES
NarutoBigFreak - Aww, don't cry. But can I confess something...I kinda cried a bit writing this. So I knew I kind of had something...either that or shouldn't write next to a pile of chopped onions. =P As for what Happened to Naruto at the end...read this chapter...all is explained.
maxslayer10 - Thanks and yes, Naruto's death will indeed sadden many people.
airnaruto45 - Ummm, hate to break this to you dude...but he ain't in a Genjutsu. Naruto...he's...ummm.
Kushina's Hell (You changed your name!) - You know me, I like to get freaky. Lol! Wait...I mean...I like to keep it freaky...wait...umm...Damn!...I mean...that i'm a freak...wait...no that's not it...what I meant to say is that i like it for you to feel freaky...WAIT NO NO NO!...I meant...Oh well. Glad you liked the chapter.
newserkzz - Naruto knows, that Minato is his father. He's known it for years. As a result he knew Kushina was his mom. It was not something directly covered in one of my previous chapters however. This is just implied knowledge. All will be revealed about that moment in this chapter.
Shauni2420 - Anyone got any tissue? I'm all out. I really should have went to the store. Lol!
xXbeautifullyshatteredXx - The end of chapter was designed to confuse and intrigue the reader. Check and check it seems. I knew it would throw you guys. But don't worry. Many answers are revealed here.
Codegeasslulu - Lol! Thanks.
ZeroTail29 - Thanks.
Diamond Man - To saw that the whole planet is screwed is to put it mildly. But don't be quick to assume things will turn out fine for our heroes. Remember, my story is darker than the canon for a reason. Lol! And that reason is because I'm sadistic. Lol! JK.
InARealPickle - Don't be so sure of that. Have you tasted Uchiha ass? it's tastes like candy bro. Lol! But seriously I'm glad you're at least being tolerant of the Uchiha for the benefit of my story. Thank you. I hope I can redeem things in your eyes by the end.
perfect beauty - Is there really a good type of confusion? Hmm. Lol! Glad you like.
Konoha's Crimson Fox - Yup. Gone but not forgotten.
hideki411 - Thanks.
theshrewedshrew - Though I can appreiciate your review of the turn my characters have made, and though I can't disagree with you because your assessment is true I will pose this to you. It's a line from one of my all time fav movies: It is always darkest just before dawn. And now the dawn is coming. Think about it.
Though I'm not sure how you can say that with all the death and pain I've shown you can say my last few chapters are cheery. But fine. I can say that moods don't really affect a chapters tone. I have a vision for the story on a whole and vision for the tone of each chapter and what I'm trying to show. There are times I want things to be dark and then I like to break that tome with a bit of humor and light heartedness.
Christina322 - Hater is probably too strong a word. I don't hate him. He is only a fictional character after all. But I'm just one of those who believe he shouldn't simply be forgiven and allowed to return to Konoha without severe punishment if at all. I'd explain further but I don't think is the forum. You can find me at if you want to speak further. I alway have time for a pretty lady. ;)
Sorry that I ruined your fantasy but if you read this chapter I'm sure you'll find that Naruto losing the Kyubi will be worth it once you consider what he gains. And I will check out that manga if you wish. I also never turn down a ladies request. ;)
Ben Vilhaven - Of course I killed him. After reading my story are you surprised that I would? I'll kill any character if it improves the quality of the story. And I can tell you that Naruto didn't plan on dying. He's as gobsmacked as you are trust me. Lol!
And yes, this is a NARUSAKU fic. NS FTW! Just read this chapter. All will be explained. As for Minato, it is my belief that because he left a part of his sould within Naruto, that part of himself exists in the afterlife now. And Madara wasn't just letting Naruto hit him. Naruto is motherfreaking strong. Madara couldn't stop him.
narutokurosaki - Lol! Didn't I explain this earlier? In my story, Naruto can't use Hiraishin to the the extent that he can use it without the kunai. And the number of kunai he has is also limited. Minato could pul the seal on people or objects during battle. Naruto hasn't mastered it to that point yet. So you are right, that would be a ultimate combo jutsu. But my Naruto can't use it yet.
MyHikari - Virgin Islands huh! COOL! i bet you got an awesome tan right! Lol! And It upsets me that I caused the dirtying of an innocent cookie! OH WHEN WILL THE COOKIE VIOLENCE END! Glad you liked the chapter.
MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR
And then there were two. Wow, I can't believe that I'm nearing the end. Over two years of blood, sweat and tears, especially sweat, went into this story. It's kind of surreal actually. I hope you guys love this chapter. I burned my hand cooking and I wasn't sure if I was going to get this one out in time as typing was painfull. But here we are. And for the sake of my burned hand please make sure you review this chapter as best you can. If you don't review then me and my crispy hand will never forgive you. Now if you don't mind I'm going to get something to eat. I keep smelling fried chicken! =P
Naruto: Chronicles of the Seventh
Book III: End of Innocence
Chapter XXXVII: The Nightmare Begins! Jyubi Reborn!
******Land of Fire – Valley of the End******
Sasuke looked on in disbelief as Naruto's lifeless corpse floated on the raging water. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist so hard his nails dug into his flesh and blood streamed from his hand. On the surface of the water far below an emaciated and weakened Madara was on all fours breathing heavily and drenched in sweat.
Most of his hair had fallen out and the few strands that remained had turned silver. His skin was rotted and his eyes had turned yellow as death. Now more than ever Madara resembled a living corpse. Slowly Madara pulled forward and snapped the disruption blades from his back. Gedo Mazo then opened it mouth wide the nine dragons slowly wormed thier way out of its mouth and wrapped themselves around Madara and drew him into its mouth.
"What the hell," Sasuke said as he looked on. "What are you up to Madara?" Sasuke leapt down from the tree and down the cliff until he landed on the surface of the water and he quickly ran over to Naruto's body.
Naruto was pale and his eyes lay open and vacant. Sasuke kneeled next to Naruto's body and sighed as he closed Naruto's eyes. For a long time Sasuke remained silent until he began to hear cracking sounds coming from the statue. Sasuke looked up to see that the Gedo Mazo was moving. It was staring down at him with all nine eyes.
And then much to Sasuke's amazement he heard the statue speak with Madara's voice. "Ha, ha, ha! Sasuke! Don't tell me the Kyubi convinced you to give up your hatred too!"
"I was convinced of no such thing," Sasuke said as he slowly got to his feet. "My hatred is something I can never let go of. It is as much a part of my soul as anything else."
"Is that so," the Gedo Mazo said as it slowly began to stand. The statue towered over Sasuke casting a large shadow that covered the area.
"So is this what you wanted to become," Sasuke asked. "You wanted to become this….thing."
Again the statue laughed. "This is but the key," it said. "Now I shall open the doorway to perfection!"
The statue's eyes began to glow and nine individual beams of light fired into the sky and struck the moon. The moon turned pitch black and the sky began to turn blood red the moon began to shake violently.
Sasuke looked on in disbelief as the center of the moon began to crack and a large portion of the moon broke free and began a swift descent towards them. The wind began to howl as the water began raging even more wildly as the large mass of rock closed in.
******Meanwhile******
"What the hell is that," Shikamaru asked as he and the large group of ninja leapt through the trees. "Stop me if I'm wrong but is that a large rock the just broke from the damned moon!"
"It must be the Jyubi," Konan responded. "Madara must have summoned the Jyubi!"
"What," The Raikage yelled. "But if he's already summoned the Jyubi, wouldn't that mean that he has the Kyubi!"
Everyone looked at each other in grim silence and without anyone having to give the command everyone began to move even quicker.
******Meanwhile******
"Yes," the statue yelled joyously as it extended its arms to welcome the egg shaped mass of land. The statue opened its mouth and nine spiritual dragons flew out and wrapped itself around the large rock and began to pull it into the mouth of Gedo Mazo. "Yes," the statue yelled as it swallowed the large mass whole. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Sasuke stared in disbelief at what he'd just witnessed. Of course Madara had shared his plan with him. But Sasuke never actually believed the story. It was to him, the ranting of a man too old to grasp reality. He saw Madara as a man who had lost and was desperate to reclaim past glories. Madara…was a joke. To be tolerated until his usefulness had run its coarse. Never in Sasuke's wildest dreams did he believe he would be witness to something like this.
Then Sasuke heard cracking coming from the statue. Several cracks began appearing all over its body like a baby chick breaking free from its egg. Finally there was a massive explosion of light as the statue shattered and Sasuke was thrown back, his body siding across the water. Sasuke shaded his eyes from the light as it slowly died away. As the light faded Sasuke saw a figure standing where Gedo Mazo once stood.
The man wore the tattered robes of Akatsuki. His skin was bronzed and seemed to glow slightly and he was taller than any man he'd ever seen before. He made Jugo look like a child in comparison. In fact his body seemed completely perfect. No scratches or marks. Every muscle appeared perfectly toned and well defined. His body had a slight shine as though he himself was holding within himself a miniature sun.
The man's black hair was long down to the small of his back and shined with an unnatural glow. "Well," the man said. The voice coming from him seemed unnatural as well. It boomed slightly as though he speaking through a horn yet it had an almost hypnotic, musical quality to it. "What do you think Sasuke? What does it feel like to be in the presence of perfection?"
Sasuke cautiously walked closer to the man but stopped several arms lengths away. "Madara," he asked.
"Madara," the man said as he seemed to be searching his memory. "Yes….that was my name wasn't it?" Madara slowly opened his eyes and Sasuke took a step back as he saw them. Both of Madara's entire eyes were red with four ripple patterns like the Rinnegan and nine tomoe like the Sharingan.
"But from now on," Madara said. "Refer to me as God."
******Meanwhile******
Naruto walked down the stairs and stood in the foyer and took a deep breath. He then looked out the window and saw the acres of green grass and he could hear the tweeting of birds and he could hear the unmistakable sound of a flowing river somewhere in the distance. "Naruto," his mother called from the other room.
"Coming," he said as he walked into the dinning room where his mother was laying out the dishes. Sitting at the head of the table, as always, was Naruto's father who was waiting patiently for his wife to finish.
Naruto's father was fairly tall with fair skin, bright blue eyes and spiky blonde hair with jaw length bangs on both sides of his face. "Good morning son," he said with a bright smile. "Ready to eat?"
Naruto smiled and said, "I'm starved!" he then quickly pulled up his usual seat to the right of his father. Minato smiled at Naruto and then to his wife who was also had a bright smile on her face.
"So any plans today Naruto," Minato asked.
Naruto thought about it for a while and then said, "Nope. I can't recall if I had anything to do today. I guess I'll just go with the flow."
"Now that sounds like my kind of answer," said a person from behind Naruto.
Naruto turned and smiled, "Uncle Jiraiya," he said happily. "You're back from your travels?"
Jiraiya laughed a deep boisterous laugh as he walked in. "Yep," he said. "And do I have a bunch of stories to tell you!"
Jiraiya took a seat next to Naruto and placed his hand on his shoulder. "I have a whole new list of experiences I've got to tell you about!"
"Yeah, yeah," Naruto whispered. "But what about the girls? I bet the girls were hot right!"
Jiraiya smiled lecherously and whispered, "You have no idea! Let me tell you, there was this one girl that was so flexible that….!"
Suddenly both men heard Kushina clear her throat. When they looked up they say her staring at them with a look of fire and brimstone in her eyes. "Jiraiya-sensei," she said. "I've warned you about those perverted conversations with my son! How is he ever going to be an upstanding citizen if you turn him into a perverted letch like you!"
"Perverted letch," Jiraiya said as clutched his chest feigning injury. "Kushina, my darling you wound me! Is that really what you think of me! Minato, help me out here!"
Minato smiled and shook his head. "Sorry sensei," he said. "But someone once told me never argue with a beautiful woman who happens to have the strength of ten men!"
Jiraiya sighed and said, "Now you choose to listen to me huh?" Everyone laughed and began to eat.
******Meanwhile******
"God," Sasuke asked. "Hmpf! You think you're a God now? Like Pain?"
"Nagato," Madara said. "Nagato was a fool who was easily manipulated by his own petty loses. He was a petulant child rebelling against a world he deemed unfair."
"And you are not," Sasuke asked.
"No," Madara said. "My vision. My dream, goes far beyond changing the world. With this power I will reshape it into my image. This will be a world where the strongest rule. And under my rule, there will be no wars, no petty disputes. Only order. The order of the new God of this world. This will be a perfect world."
Madara turned his back to Sasuke and looked up at the shattered moon in the sky and raised his hand towards it. "You should be happy Sasuke," he said. "Under my rule the world will become just as you wanted. And you will be a prince of this world. Allowed to reshape the Uchiha as you see fit."
Sasuke suddenly felt a massive surge of force hit him and he nearly fell to his knees under the strain. Using his Sharingan he was able to see that it was chakra. Madara was releasing a chakra so dense he felt as if he were being crushed under the weight. Sasuke stood stunned as he saw Madara force the moon to stop moving, keeping it in its place in front of the sun. "Oh really," Sasuke said. His voice was cracking under the pressure. "How….do you….plan to do that?"
"Simple," Madara said. "I will initiate my Tsukuyomi on the moon and place all the people on the earth under my Genjutsu. I will then, over the course of time, strip them of their free will and mold them into the perfect people in my image. Then and only then, will I release the genjutsu allowing these people to live under my rule willingly and happily."
"I see," Sasuke said.
"Now," Madara said. "Let it begin." Before he could do anything however, Madara felt a sharp pain in his chest. Looking down he saw Sasuke's Chidori spear sticking out of his chest. It had pierced his heart. "Guh," he said as he spat up blood.
"Sorry Madara," Sasuke said as he glared at Madara. "But I have other plans."
******Meanwhile******
Naruto ate the last of his ramen and placed the bowl down. "Ahhh," he said happily as he rubbed his stomach. "That was delicious mom! You're cooking is the best!"
"I would say so," Minato said as he finished up. "This was my third helping and that was your fourth!"
"Yep, Kushina's specialty is ramen after all," Jiraiya said happily. "Which is surprising since you were one of he worst cooks I've ever met! You really came along!"
"Thank you Jiraiya-sensei," Kushina said sarcastically as she glared at him. "Naruto would you like some dessert?"
"No thanks," Naruto said with a smile. "I couldn't eat another bite." Naruto smile slowly faded as he began to remember some of the visions he dreamt of.
"Is there something wrong son," Minato asked.
"Well," Naruto asked as he took a deep breath. "It's probably nothing but I had the strangest dream last night."
"A dream," Kushina asked. "About what?"
"Well, it's hard to say," Naruto said. "It was just. I dreamt that I was fighting. Constantly fighting. I can remember…..there was pain and also sadness. But I could also remember that there were times when I was very happy. I could see smiling faces….but…..I….don't know who they are. I even recall…..some….animal. Like a large wolf or a fox. It gave me the creeps."
Jiraiya, Kushina and Minato glanced at each other in silence before Minato asked, "You don't remember any of it, do you?"
"Shhh," Kushina said to Minato with a disapproving look.
Naruto looked at the three people in the room and asked, "Remember what?"
"Nothing Naruto," Kushina said with a nervous smile. "Nothing at all."
"Kushina," Minato said. "we can't keep this from him. He needs to know."
"But….," Kushina said sadly.
"Minato's right Kushina," Jiraiya said sadly. "There's no point in keeping it from him."
"I need to know what," Naruto asked as he looked about the room at the sad faces that stared back at him. "Naruto, son, what do you remember before waking up this morning," Minato asked.
"I-I told you, I was…having a bad dream," Naruto asked.
"Yes," Minato said. "But before that what do you remember? Do you remember going to bed last night? Or what your mother made for dinner? Do you remember what you did yesterday?"
"I-I," Naruto said as he felt a sudden pain in his head. Naruto grabbed his head and suddenly pushed the chair back and got to his feet. His mind was on fire as he was suddenly assaulted by thousands of different images he couldn't make sense of. It was like he was seeing fragments of a life hat wasn't his own. He could see himself as a child, sad, alone. He could see people that looked at him with scorn and hate. And others who smiled at him.
He could see Jiraiya, but he heard a voice, his voice refer to him as Ero-senin. He could see a pink haired girl with a smile that made his heart skip. He could see another guy with spiky black hair that seemed to spend most of his time gazing at the clouds. He could see another guy, his eyes were strange looking. They were red and seemed full of sadness and hate. He could see himself fighting. He could feel the pain and desperation.
"What," Naruto yelled. "What's going on? I can't…! What's happening to me!"
Jiraiya threw his arm around Naruto's shoulder and said, "Sometimes it tough," he said. "Sometimes the traumatic way that it happens causes our mind to shut away the memories. Getting them back can be very painful!"
"Getting what back," Naruto said as he tried to fight through the pain.
"Your memories," Minato said. "Your memories of your past life."
"What are you talking about," Naruto asked.
"Naruto," Minato said sadly. His voice cracking as he said the words. "You…..You died. This is the afterlife."
Naruto's eyes widened as he heard the words. His entire body began to shake and shiver as though he were suddenly struck by a frozen breeze. A slight tear ran down his cheek. "N-No," he said. "I-It can't be. I'm not dead I…..I remember! I-I've lived here with you guys forever right? Mom?"
Kushina looked at her son with a look of sadness so great she seemed as though she'd crumble under the weight of it. With tears in her eyes she said, "I-I'm sorry Naruto…I…" Unable to speak she looked away and cried.
"Impossible," Naruto said. 'This is some sort of joke right! Stop playing games with me!"
Just as Naruto began to thrash about he heard a strangely familiar male voice, "Naruto, calm down!"
Naruto and the others turned to see someone walking towards them in the darkened hallway. As he entered the room Naruto could finally see him. The man was fairly tail with spiky white hair and a ling thin scar running down the center of his left eye down to his cheek. The man's face was buried in a book as he walked into the room. "Losing control will serve you no purpose now," he said as he lowered the book and looked at him.
Naruto looked at the man for a moment and then he said, "I-I remember." Suddenly all of Naruto's memories began to fall into place like a puzzle suddenly solving itself. He remembered everything, including his last moments.
"I remember it all now," Naruto said. "And I remember you as well, Kakashi-sensei."
******Meanwhile – In the Real World******
Madara spat up blood as he stood staring at the Chidori Spear protruding from his chest. "Right….though the heart," he mumbled.
"I warned you Madara that you too would pay for your role in the death of my people," Sasuke said as he slowly clenched his fist. He sent more power into his spear and multiple blades began growing from the one main spear like branches from a tree. Madara sat up more blood as more and more blades began growing from the spear and out from all over his body.
Blades shot out of his chest, back, stomach, legs and even several places on his head. Blood poured into the water as Madara's body began to convulse wildly and his eyes rolled up into the back of his head. "Feel the wrath of the Uchiha," Sasuke said as he poured even more power into his spear and every blade grew to massive size. He then released the jutsu and Madara's disfigured corpse fell into the water.
Sasuke took a deep sigh and turned to walk away when he heard Madara's voice behind him. "Excellent," Madara said as his body floated in the water. Sasuke turned with a look of shock on his face. To his surprise Madara was floating face up looking directly at him. "I wanted to test the power of the Jyubi and it's ability to heal. And this is more than I could ever hope for."
Sasuke took several steps back as Madara slowly climbed out of and stood on the surface of the water. His wounds were all closing up with incredible speed. Madara looked at his chest as the massive wound through his heart disappeared in moments. "But this is more than I could ever dreamed," he said. "Not only can I heal from such a fatal wound in seconds. I barely even felt the pain from your attack. This…..this is true immortality Sasuke!"
Sasuke glared at Madara as electricity began to surge all over his body. Sasuke attacked, creating and chidori and lunging at Madara. Madara quickly reached out and caught the chidori in his bare hand, stunning Sasuke. "Is this all you can do," Madara asked before he clenched his hand and destroyed the Chidori. "is it that you are too drained too do better than this? Or is it that the difference in our power is now so wide that all your efforts seem pathetic in comparison?"
Sasuke leapt back and stared at Madara. "Either way Sasuke, you'll have to do better than that if you wish to bring down a God," Madara said.
******Meanwhile – In the Afterlife******
"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto yelled as he ran up and hugged his former master.
Kakashi laughed and said, "It's great to see you too Naruto! You're a bit taller than I am now I see. That's surprising considering how short you were as a kid." Kakashi took a step back and looked Naruto over. "God its good to see you boy. Although I wish it were under better circumstances. I always hoped you wouldn't come here until you were old and had lived a full life."
Naruto let go and took a step back and looked at everyone. "So it's true," he said sadly. "I really am dead." Naruto sighed. "I…failed."
"You did no such thing," Kushina yelled. "You did more than anyone could ever dream! My son is no failure dattebane!"
"But," Naruto said as he looked at Jiraiya. "I failed to find the answer for breaking the cycle of hatred."
Naruto then looked to his father and said, "And I failed to fulfill the destiny you had hoped for me." Naruto looked down at the ground as if he couldn't bring himself to look them in the eyes. "I failed you all."
"You didn't fail Naruto," Jiraiya said. "You succeeded." Naruto looked up at Jiraiya with shock in his eyes.
Jiraiya smiled and said, "You found the answer boy! You just don't know it yet!"
******Meanwhile – In the real World******
Sasuke glared at Madara who smiled mockingly back at him. He then quickly made a hand seal and stood perfectly straight before suddenly sinking below the water. Madara looked down and tried to locate him when Sasuke suddenly leapt out of the water behind him.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu," Sasuke yelled as he spat out a large dragon shaped column of fire towards Madara. Madara turned and without creating a seal spat out a massive wall of water that extinguished the blast before it could strike.
Sasuke immediately appeared on the opposite side and attacked with his chidori spear. Madara surrounded his fist with concentrated wind and grabbed the spear and shattered it. Sasuke quickly leapt into the air behind Madara and said, "Amaterasu!" He released a blast of black flames at Madara. But Madara simply looked up and fired and even larger blast of black flames back. Madara's Amaterasu was massive and quickly consumed Sasuke's before striking Sasuke head on. Sasuke screamed in pain as his body tumbled down.
Consumed by black flames, Sasuke's body fell into the water before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Suddenly Sasuke leapt out of the water behind Madara with his sword drawn and swung it an Madara's head.
Without even turning to face him, Madara grabbed the sword by the blade, stopping Sasuke's attack immediately. "What," Sasuke said in shock as he witnessed Madara catch his electrified sword barehanded.
With a sinister smile on his face Madara looked back and said, "You didn't think I'd be fooled by a shadow clone did you Sasuke? Nothing escapes a God."
Sasuke smiled and said, "Escape this!" He quickly twisted the sword, causing it to snap half way up the blade and in one fluid motion he crouched and spun while charging his broken blade with as much electricity as he could and swung the blade at Madara's waist and sliced Madara in half.
Madara's upper body flew into the air and Sasuke quickly fired a blast of black flames that completely consumed it. Madara's legs and pelvis fell into the water while his upper half was quickly consumed completely.
Sasuke took a deep breath as his Sharingan disappeared. He stared at the legs of Madara that sat floating in a mixture of water and blood before turning around and walked away. After he took a few steps, Sasuke heard movement behind him and turned to see Madara's legs and lower half of his body begin to stand up on its own. 'What the fuck," Sasuke said as he stared in absolute shock.
The legs stood straight up and then, to Sasuke's horror, flesh and bone began to grow from the large open wound as Madara's upper body began to grow like a lizard re-grows its tail. Within a few minutes Madara's upper body, covered in a sticky substance, had completely re-grown. This is like Orochimaru's technique, Sasuke thought as he re-activated his Mangekyo Sharingan. But it's on a completely different level. Instead he's actually recreating living cells. This guy…..it's as if this is the true immortality Orochimaru sought.
Madara, now bare-chested and only wearing his torn pants and shoes, looked at his hands and body and laughed maniacally. "Yes," he yelled. "This is it! This is true perfection! This is the power of a God! Now all will be unified under this worlds true God!"
"But first," he said as he looked at Sasuke with an evil grin. "First I will teach you the respect you lack. You now will experience the true wrath of God."
Sasuke closed his eyes and dug deep within himself. He could feel the power of the Rinnegan coming to him, but it was not activating as quickly as before. Damn, Sasuke thought. Itachi is slowly locking the Rinnegan from me. I don't think I'll have much time!
Sasuke finally opened his eyes and they were now grey, with the ripple patterns of the Rinnegan and the tomoe of the Sharingan. "Ok Madara," Sasuke said. "This time I will destroy all of you until not one cell remains."
******Meanwhile – In the Afterlife******
"What are you talking about Pervy Sage," Naruto asked. "Nothing's changed! The world is as full of hatred as it ever was!"
"Naruto," Kakashi said. "You were so focused on saving the world that you failed to see the profound affect you've already had on it."
"How," Naruto asked.
"Look at all the people you've touched with your kindness," Jiraiya said. "You inspired them to grow. You inspired them to become stronger and to fight with all their might to protect what they love most. And those people took what you gave them, and they gave it to others and others still. And now, the world is seeing something no one ever thought possible: A unified world, fighting for one cause, for one purpose. Something like this, it could be the beginning of truly understanding one another. This is not something we could have see even in our time. And this is happening not though pain. But through the shared desire to protect and to love. That is what you gave them."
******Meanwhile******
"Shinra-Tensei," Sasuke said as he released an invisible mass of energy towards Madara.
Calmly, Madara raised his hand and said, "Shinra Tensei." Madara released a larger blast back towards Sasuke launching his body high into the sky and out of the Valley of the End. Sasuke crashed into the ground and his body tumbled to a stop.
After a minute or so Sasuke began to get up. "Damn it," he said as fought through the pain.
"Is that it," Madara asked. Sasuke looked up to see Madara floating above him. "Is that it Sasuke?"
Sasuke gritted his teeth as Madara floated down to the ground. "How disappointing," Madara said. "Hmm, I would have thought you'd provide me a greater challenge. No matter. I will still do you a great honor for your help to me. I will allow you, the last Uchiha, to be the first to witness God in his greatest form."
Suddenly Madara's eyes began to glow black as coal and his entire body was covered in a black chakra cloak. His skin began to tear and rip away revealing black fur underneath. Sasuke leapt back to create as much space between himself and Madara as he could and he quickly created Susanoo around him as a defense.
The cloak around Madara became so black and thick that Sasuke couldn't see the man and the chakra surrounded him taking the shape of an enormous black circle that began to pulsate and grow until it towered several stories in the sky. Within seconds the large black sphere began to crack and split like a chicken breaking free from its egg and then a massive black beast with one large eye emerged and roared so deafeningly loud that it could be heard for miles and amile around.
The beast was humanoid in shape with four fingers on each hand foot and long, razor sharp claws. It had several large horns on its head and its fur was a deep black. The beast stank of sulfur that made Sasuke gag and his eyes water. His lungs burned with every breath he took and the stench made him feel sick to his stomach. It was then he noticed all the nearby vegetation and animals began to choke, whither and die. Sasuke winced in pain as he felt the overwhelmingly foul chakra that emanated from the beast. He fell to one knee as the chakra felt as though it was this massive weight that would crush him.
The beast glared down with a look full of malice. Its one eye had four Rinnegan-like concentric circles, with nine Sharingan-like tomoe in the three circles closest to the pupil colored red. The beasts ten massive tails wagged behind it and every time one of the tails hit the ground the earth shook from the shock and made Sasuke lose his balance several times.
The beast leaned forward a little bit and bared its teeth. The beast had several rows of large razor sharp teeth on both the top and bottom and it had a large, black, leathery tongue. The beast then roared causing Sasuke to shield himself. "Oh shit," Sasuke whispered to himself.
******Meanwhile – Elsewhere******
Gaara moaned in pain as he remained doubled over on the floor. Opening his eyes he saw his brother and sister, Shikamaru, The Raikage, Hokage and the hundreds upon hundreds of Alliance Ninja all doubled over. Some were moaning while others were clearly unconscious. Some vomited while others mumbled and grasped their head as they seemed to be going mad. And others simply lay dead, succumbing to the pressure. A few moments ago they all saw a massive black orb rise into the sky before shattering and a large beast emerged.
Almost immediately they were all stricken by a foul and powerful chakra that caused them all to stop. Now Gaara and his comrades couldn't move. They couldn't speak. It took everything they had just to stay conscious under the pressure of this evil aura.
Even back in Konoha, the elders, Inoichi and everyone else in the village found themselves paralyzed by the foul chakra. "What is this," Ino moaned as she fought to stay awake. Neji crawled over to her and covered her as though protecting her from a fire. He then activated his Byakugan and, ignoring the pain of doing so, looked off into the distance. He could see the massive, foul chakra. It was ominously covering the entire horizon like the haze of the setting sun.
Back at the hospital Hinata and Sai were moaning in pain on their beds. Sai forced himself out of his bed and tried to slowly go to Hinata. "Sai….kun," she said, "Please don't…..s-stop." Sai just made it to her bed before he collapsed. Hinata tried to reach out but felt all energy leave her as she yelled, "S-Sai!"
******Meanwhile******
"Well," Madara said. "Are you not in awe of the power of your God….Ssssasuke!"
Sasuke's body shook as he fought through the crushing pressure of the fowl chakra until he was able to get to his feet. But even then his legs shook and partially buckled several times as he fought to stay up right.
As he fought through the pain, memories of his past began to flood his mind. He could remember his mother and father, his brothers smiling face, he could remember the Third Hokage and Kakashi. And then he remembered Sakura and Naruto. Both of them and Kakashi, they were with him, smiling and posing for a picture. And then Sasuke could remember Naruto's pale, lifeless face and his brothers' words suddenly came back to him: "Sasuke, if you can seek revenge for the sake of one brother, why can't you seek peace for the sake of another?"
"Hmmm," Madara said as he saw a massive swell of chakra envelope Sasuke's body as Sasuke stopped shaking and stood up, glaring back.
"Madara," Sasuke said. "You're fate….the only future you have now…..is to die today at my hands!" Suddenly Sasuke screamed as he created Susanoo and the massive creature became even bigger than before, growing to nearly equal the height of the Jyubi.
Madara looked at the massive Susanoo before him and then raised one hand. One of its massive nails began to grow out until it looked like a claw and then Madara swung out towards Sasuke.
Too fast, Sasuke thought as Madara swung and much too Sasuke's surprise the Jyubi's claw easily cut into Susanoo, and sliced Sasuke in the side, nearly cutting him in half.
Sasuke's body was thrown back and tumbled to the ground and Susanoo disappeared. Barely conscious, Sasuke looked up to see the beast towering over him. Sasuke found he was in a pool of his own blood and knew he was badly cut through his side and, worse yet, Sasuke's left arm had been completely severed from the elbow and he was losing blood. "Damn," Sasuke said before losing consciousness.
Madara laughed spitefully at Sasuke. "Sasuke," Madara said. "This is what awaits all who disobey God!" Madara then looked up at the moon which had, by his will, not moved from its place in front of the sun. "And now, the time has come for all to become one and for one to become all!" The eye of the Jyubi suddenly changed again to look like Madara's Mangekyo Sharingan and then the Sharingan was imprinted on the moon itself.
******Meanwhile******
Using her ability to heal Tsunade was finally able to slowly fight off the affects of the Jyubi's foul chakra and struggle to her feet. This feeling, she thought. This chakra feels like its attacking my very heart and soul. But I have to find a way to help everyone fight it. Tsunade looked around at the fallen army around her as thousands writhed in pain. Gaara was the closest to her and step by step she walked over to him.
Just before she could reach him Tsunade saw a massive image of the Mangekyo Sharingan on the moon and instantly she froze. The world she knew melted away and all around her there was silence.
Suddenly Tsunade found herself in a black world with a crimson sky. She was strapped to a cross and standing in front of her was Madara Uchiha, holding a sword. "I am Uchiha Madara. I am your God," Madara said. "You will love me unquestioningly. You will praise me. You will follow my every command. My word is law."
"Go to hell," Tsunade yelled. Madara raised his blade and stabbed her in stomach causing her to scream in pain pitifully. Genjutsu, she desperately tried to tell herself as she fought through the pain. This is just an Illusion. This is not real. I can break it if I just remember that….
Madara stabbed her in the stomach and again and Tsunade yelled in pain. "I am Uchiha Madara. I am your God," Madara said. "You will love me unquestioningly. You will praise me. You will follow my every command. My word is law."
Tears welled in Tsunade's eyes and she began to sweat profusely as she tried to fight the pain It was at that moment she looked up and she realized she wasn't in this world alone. To her left and her right, in front and behind her, there were hundreds, thousands and yes perhaps millions of people each strapped to a cross with a vision of Madara standing before them with a sword in hand. She looked to her left and right and people stretched out in both directions beyond the distance of her vision. Behind her and in front was the same as well. People were placed in an infinite amount of rows that each stretched for an infinity. It was then she knew. The world, the whole world was here. Men, women, children, even infants, were strapped and being tortured in this same way.
Again she felt the warm steel of Madara's sword embed itself deep into her stomach. "Know this," Madara said. "This world, much as your own, is mine. You will not leave this place until your allegiance is without question. For I am now and forever your God. You will love me unquestioningly. You will praise me. You will follow my every command. My word is law."
******Meanwhile******
All over the world there was silence. From Konohagakure out to the farthest reaches of the world every man woman child lay caught in the sleeping death of Tsukuyomi. The bodies of men, women and children lay scattered about, falling unconscious immediately all over the world. For the first time since the very dawn of man, the Earth was silent.
It was in this deafening silence where one person began to stir. Sakura moaned as she finally began to regain consciousness. The moment she did she could feel the world around her changing and the sky turning blood red. Immediately she knew this to be Tsukuyomi. Sakura instinctively made a hand seal. "Release", she said. She could feel the jutsu receding away only to regroup and attempt to place her under the spell again. "Release", she commanded forcing the jutsu back. But again the jutsu attempted to take over. It was like an insect swarm crawling into her mind. Unwilling to be forced back.
Gathering all of her available strength and using all the will power she could muster Sakura made the seal and commanded, "Damn it! I said release!" Sakura's chakra flared momentarily and instantly the jutsu was defeated.
Sakura grimaced and held her head in pain. She may have defeated the jutsu but it had left her with the mother of all migraines. Her body ached from the wounds she had sustained and her neck was stiff. Wait, Sakura thought as her memories came to her. What am I doing here? This isn't where Madara held me.
Sakura then noticed that she was holding a kunai in her hand. She instantly recognized it. "Naruto," she whispered. A smile crept along her face as she began to surmise what had happened. Sakura held on to the tree and began to pull herself up. Her legs were still weak and unsteady. It was only after she got to her feet did she notice the massive creature standing about a mile away.
"W-What the hell….is that," she asked as she stared in shock. Suddenly she felt the fowl chakra begin to overwhelm her and with a silent command she felt her body steel itself against it.
What is that that thing, she wondered when she noticed the large creatures tails swinging back and forth. Seven, Eight, Nine, she counted as she felt her blood run cold. Ten! Impossible! Could that…..?
Suddenly realizing the implications of what she was seeing Sakura quickly closed her eyes and tried to focus on Naruto's chakra. Nothing. Again she tried using every bit of focus and will power she could to find something, anything but still she felt nothing. Naruto's chakra was gone. Sakura began to tremble as she could feel herself beginning to panic. "Naruto," she whispered. "Naruto," she said again even louder. And then her voice grew to a scream. "Naruto!"
Sakura began to lose all self control when she quickly tried to calm herself. Ok, Ok, calm down, she thought. First things first, I need to find him. Naruto isn't dead. He can't be dead. Naruto is too strong to be beaten. Feeling strength come back to her legs, Sakura sprinted out into the clearing at the edge of the large lake and again tried to reach out to locate Naruto's chakra signature. Still nothing.
Sakura could feel herself beginning to hyperventilate as she looked around frantically for any sign of Naruto. He had to be close by. She looked up at the massive creature as it was completely focused on the moon and the Jutsu it was performing to notice her. Ten Tails, Sakura thought as she looked at it.
A moment later Sakura saw something floating in the middle of the lake. At first she thought it was debris but then she caught a hint of red. "Naruto," she yelled as she sprinted onto the surface of the water towards the object. As she got closer she knew it was Naruto and she quickly dropped to her knees and pulled Naruto's body out of he water.
"Naruto," she yelled as she immediately checked for a pulse. But he had none and he wasn't breathing. "No," Sakura said as she stared in disbelief. "No, no, no, no! Y-You can't be….!" Quickly she placed him down and frantically began to perform CPR.
"Come on Naruto," she said as she pumped as hard as she could and blew air into his lungs. Realizing it wasn't working she began to use her chakra to inspect his body. His heart isn't beating, she thought as she quickly inspected. Brain isn't functioning, lungs have stopped, no oxygen to the brain, some water in the lungs. Damn it!
Sakura stopped and simply stared at Naruto's face. He seemed so peaceful, as if all the burdens he had carried were now gone. She could feel her hand shaking as she reached out and stroked his cheek .His skin was cool to the touch, lifeless. She could still remember the warmth of his body as she held him earlier his morning. She could remember the smile on his face. She could remember his deep blue eyes that shone with such brilliance and optimism. He was her friend. He was her rock. He was the one person she could always count on. She depended on him. She needed him. She loved him. And now he was gone.
Tears began to fall down her cheek and onto Naruto's face as Sakura began to cry. And her silent cries became wails of anguish and she hugged onto Naruto like a vice and yelled his name over and over.
For a long time Sakura cried pitifully over the body of the man she loved until she finally sat up. And again began to stroke his hair. Naruto, she thought. You taught me so much over the years. You helped make me a stronger person. A better person. You taught me what it really meant to never, ever give up.
Sakura stared at Naruto for moment. Never give up, she thought. Suddenly she could feel strength coming to her body and she could feel her mind focusing. Never give up, she thought. You taught me to never give up. And, no matter what I won't give up. Not on you! Not yet!
Suddenly Sakura began going through every medical theory she could think of. Lady Chiyo had performed a reanimation jutsu. And though Sakura didn't know the technique, she had been able summarize and take note of some of the principals of it just by watching it.
First off, she needed to make sure Naruto's body was capable of supporting life, which meant healing any fatal wounds and removing the water from his lungs. Sakura began using her chakra to heal his broken bones and any other wounds she could find. Then, turning his body over and using a chakra scalpel she made a small incision in his chest and lungs and drained the water out using her chakra as a guide.
She quickly healed the cut she made and turned Naruto back onto his back and focused and healing and repairing the damaged brain cells Naruto must have from the lack of oxygen.
Now came the problem of reanimating his corpse. The problem with this as she had read in the medical journals she'd found on the subject, is that reanimation of a corpse is only possible with that persons chakra. A body will only respond to that body's original chakra. Anyone elses chakra would be immediately rejected.
Then it dawned on her as she remembered her conversation with Killer Bee.
******Land of Lightning – Several weeks ago******
Sakura sat with Naruto's unconscious body as everyone made final their preparations to transport Naruto's body back to Konoha. It had been two days since their confrontation with Sasuke and Naruto still hadn't woken up.
Someone knocked on the door. "Come in," she said as the door opened. It was Killer Bee.
"We should be ready to go soon girlie," he said. "Any change to his condition?"
Sakura shook her head as she looked at Naruto sadly. Both she and Killer Bee remained silent for a while before she decided to speak up. "Killer Bee," she said. "About that technique Naruto used on me. Can you tell me what you know about it?"
"Well," Killer Bee said. "As you know its primary purpose is to share a portion of the users chakra with a person, giving the target an increase to their chakra limit. But a secondary effect of the Jutsu is that he user and the person can now detect each others' chakra signatures, even over incredibly long distances they are permanently linked."
"The chakra the user gives acts as a permanent anchor between himself and the person the technique is used on," Killer Bee said.
"What if I performed the technique on him," Sakura asked. "could that heal him now?"
Killer Bee shook his head. "His injuries go far beyond a simple lack of chakra," he said. "If that was the case the Kyubi would have healed him already. Besides, even if I told you how to do it, it takes a massive chakra reserve to pull off the technique. Someone like you would be killed before the technique was complete."
"What if I could separate my chakra from Naruto's and just give his back," Sakura asked.
"Impossible," Killer Bee said. "His chakra is bonded to yours now. If you try to send his back, your chakra will be pulled in with it. In order to do what you're suggesting would require the ability to cut away the bond beteen your chakra and his. That requires a level of chakra control on a whole new level. No one has that type of chakra control. It's unheard of."
******Land of Fire – Now******
"Chakra control on a whole new level huh," Sakura whispered as she looked down at Naruto's corpse. "Well, let's see about that!" Sakura began to concentrate on her chakra like never before. She could feel her chakra, all of it, down to its most minute detail. And with one command, backedwith a will power and determination she never thought possible she forced her chakra to the surface.
Her entire body glowed purple as her chakra increased in intensity. Alright, Sakura thought. Let's do it! With another command she began to force her chakra to slowly separate from the chakra Naruto had given her. She was instantly stricken with a pain than enveloped her whole body. Damn, she thought as she winced. Every cell in my body feels as though it's on fire.
Blood trickled from her nose as she could feel her chakra slowly separating from Naruto's. The entire experience was excruciating as it felt as though she were ripping a piece of her own body away from herself. Eventually the pain was too great and Sakura stopped. Her breathing was heavy and ragged. She was drenched in sweat and her body hurt all over. She looked down to see Naruto's body and she gritted her teeth. He had always gone beyond his limitations for his friends, for her. She had promised herself that she would one day do something for him. Not just the little things. She had to do this.
Sakura again focused on her chakra and pulled it to the surface and began to isolate and separate Naruto's chakra from her own. She screamed in pain as she forced her chakra to pull itself free. Her body began to convulse as the pain grew and grew. But finally after what seemed like forever, the chakra separated.
Sakura nearly passed out but quickly used her chakra to heal herself as best she could. She could feel Naruto's chakra within herself now as if it were a separate entity. "This has to work," she said as she fought off her exhaustion. Sakura placed her hands on Naruto's chest and began to pump the body with his own chakra.
Sakura fought through the pain and the sudden exhaustion as she pumped more and more of Naruto's chakra into his body. She made sure a good portion flowed into his heart, brain and lungs. She could feel the chakra being reabsorbed into his body like a sponge. And then, to her amazement and glee, she felt it, the sudden and amazing feeling of a heart beat.
*******Meanwhile – In the Afterlife******
"Inspiration," Naruto whispered as he considered his masters' words. "But will that be enough," Naruto asked. "Madara has the Kyubi now. Who knows what's happening!"
"You could be amazed what someone can do when inspired Naruto," someone said. Naruto looked behind him and was shocked at the smiling faces behind him.
"B-Bushy Brow," Naruto said as he saw the bright smile of Lee. And standing next to him was Nagato and a person he recognized to be Yahiko. "Guys, it's you?"
"Of course," Nagato said. "Do you really think we'd miss an opportunity to speak to you again Naruto."
"So this is this Naruto you've been going on about Nagato," Yahiko asked as he regarded the man. "this is the guy you believe in now Nagato? The one who's supposed to break the cycle of hate? Heh. He doesn't seem all that impressive to me."
Suddenly Kushina appeared behind Yahiko with a furious expression on her face. She cracked Yahiko in the head and yelled, "You better shut up and not take my son lightly you idiot! Dattebane!"
Yahiko slumped to the ground, unconscious and drooling from the mouth as everyone continued to talk. "Naruto,' Nagato said. "You, I think found a way to move beyond pain. Your heart, your ability to believe in yourself, has infected so many others as it did me. That I think, is the answer. That it's not some quick fix, but an ability, by touching the lives of one person at a time, spreading a greater level of understanding throughout the world."
"Even my brother now has that light inside him once again," Itachi said as he entered the room.
"Uchiha…..Itachi," Naruto said dumbfounded.
Itachi smiled warmly at Naruto and said, "Your heart helped change my brother from the path he was on Naruto. That was something I couldn't have done alone Naruto."
"But what can I do now," Naruto asked as he looked around at his friends and family. "How can that help the world? How can that stop Madara?"
Suddenly Naruto saw that the walls of his home began to crumble as those around him smiled at him and paid it no attention. As the walls fell he suddenly saw he was in a large white space and he was surrounded by hundreds, thousands of people. People he knew, people he had known well or only briefly.
His mother, his father, Kakashi, Jiraiya, Rock Lee, Nagato, Yahiko (who had finally gotten up), The Third Hokage, Fukasaku, Asuma, Itachi, Kotetsu, Granny Chiyo, Zabuza, Killer Bee, Haku, Utakata and even people whom he'd recalled from the Konoha Army like the young genin, Katsu, who was smiling at him.
Naruto looked around to see dozens, hundreds of smiling faces. "Everyone," he whispered.
Minato and Jiraiya stepped closer to Naruto and placed their hands on his shoulders. Then Minato said, "Everyone you see here, like falling dominoes, have been touched by your heart and spirit. And those lives you touched went on to touch others. And we were but the few Naruto. There are so many more. So many you haven't even dreamed of."
"Never forget hat kiddo," Jiraiya said.
Suddenly everyone came in closer and Naruto could feel everyone reach out to touch him and those who couldn't simply touched the shoulder of those nearest to them. In the end Naruto was at the center of giant intertwined circle of his lost friends, family and those who had in some way been inspired by him.
Directly in front of him, was his mother, she had tears in her eyes as she smiled at him. It was a smile that reminded him so much of his own smile. "There was a time, when I first arrived here, that I was so worried for you Naruto," she said. "But seeing you now, I know Minato was right. He told me you would grow to be a great man. And you have, Naruto. You've become greater than I could have ever dreamed."
"And I know you'll become greater still," Minato said.
"W-What do you mean," Naruto asked. Before anyone could answer a beam of red light appeared from the sky above him and surrounded him. Suddenly he could feel an incredible pull as if he were a fish on a hook. "W-What is this," he asked.
"You're work isn't finished kid," Jiraiya said. "Go kick some ass ok! And give Tsunade my best. Tell her Dan and Nawaki are fine!"
"Guys," Naruto said as he looked around at all the smiling faces. Nagato and Yahiko smiled warmly and nodded.
The Third Hokage said, "The Will of Fire is strong in you Naruto. I know you will find a way."
Lee gave a thumbs up and smiled his usual bright smile before saying, "Naruto, show them the power of our splendid youth!"
"Help make a better future Naruto," Chiyo said.
"Hey yo, fight for what's right so you can make a future that's bright you little idiot, yeah," KillerBee rapped.
"If you see my mom," Katsu said. "Tell her I miss her for me ok?"
"Do it Naruto," Utakata said. "On behalf of all the Jinchuriki."
Naruto could feel himself slowly being lifted off the floor as his mother and father embraced him. "You've done well Naruto," Minato said. "As I expected my son to be. Now go finish the job."
With tears in her eyes Kushina put her hand on her son's cheek and said, "I-I really enjoyed the time we could spend together as a family even though it was brief. I love you, we love you, Naruto."
Tears began to run down Naruto's cheek as began to rise into the sky forcing his parents to let go. Naruto and his parents reached out to each other. He desperately longed for their touch. He could see the massive crowd of those who he had lost. Those that were precious to him. "No," he said. "Please….let me stay. I want to stay with you guys! Please don't let me go! There is so much I want to speak to you all about! Please mother, father, I don't want to do back! Let me stay! Please!"
"One day, we'll be together again son," Minato said as he hugged his wife to him as she cried. "But though we want you, others need you."
"Thank you for letting me be your mother," Kushina said as she choked back her tears. "Thank you for letting Minato be your father. And thank you Naruto, for being our son. Thank you!"
"Naruto fought to keep his body from shaking as he tensed his fist. "Mother, father, everyone," he said. "I will…I will find a way. I promise you! I will never forget the sacrifices you all have made! I promise you it won't be in vain! I will find a way to bring peace to this world!" Just as Naruto disappeared in the sky he yelled, "I will make you all proud of me!"
As the light faded Kushina buried her face into Minato's body and cried as Minato stroked her long hair. He could feel Jiraiya's hand on his shoulder and Kakashi standing on the other side. With a single tear running down cheek Minato said, "You already have made us proud…..my son."
******Meanwhile – The Land of Fire******
Sakura was at her limit. It felt as if someone was driving hot nails into her brain. Every cell in her body was on fire and her vision was fading. She knew she'd pass out any second. Deciding to make this her all or nothing move, she pumped the last massive surge of chakra into Naruto's body and to her amazement the body began to glow and she began to smile as tears began to fall from her eyes.
******Elsewhere******
Sasuke's eyes slowly opened as he moaned in pain. He was lying in pool of his own blood and his side ached. Yet his left arm was strangely numb. It was then he remembered why that was. Wincing in pain Sasuke activated his Eternal Mangekyo Rinnegan. He felt a piercing pain in his brain that nearly caused him to black out. If I lose consciousness again I'll probably never wake up, he thought. Sasuke raised his right arm in front of himself and a large apparition appeared in front of him. The apparition opened its mouth and large tongue snaked out and wrapped itself around Sasuke and pulled his body into its gapping maw.
A few moments later, a healed but clearly weakened Sasuke stumbled out of its mouth and the apparition disappeared. Sasuke tumbled to his knees as he gasped for air. He inspected his now healed left arm and side. Healed, he thought. But it cost me way too much chakra.
Sasuke slowly got to he feet and looked up at the massive creature that still seemed unconcerned with him as it focused on the moon. Sasuke began to float higher and higher into the sky until it was right in front of the beasts face. Sasuke glared at the creature whose gaze was fixed on the moon. Just as I thought, Sasuke thought. His consciousness is completely focused on Tsukuyomi. Well, perhaps it's time I woke him up!
"Shinra Tensei," Sasuke said as a massive blast of gravity slammed into the Jyubi slamming it to the ground with earth shattering force. The Jyubi screamed in pain as it was knocked back into awareness. "Hmm," Sasuke said with a sarcastic smile. "Welcome back my Lord. So it seems a God can still feel pain!"
"YOU," Madara yelled as it blasted a beam of pure chakra from its eye at Sasuke. Sasuke quickly flew to dodge blast after blast.
Sasuke flew about as Madara swung trying to punch him and grab him. Madara fired several more beams that Sasuke was able to dodge until he flew right up to him and said, "Shinra Tensei!" Again the Jyubi's body was thrown down to the ground, uprooting and flattening dozens of trees in its wake.
The Jyubi quickly got to its feet and Madara yelled, "I have had enough of your interference you insect! You could have seen incredible power as the right hand of God! Now you will just be the first to feel my ultimate wrath!" The Jyubi raised its ten tails high into the sky and then drilled them into the ground.
Sasuke remained floating as he wondered what the beast was up to when one by one, each of the ten tails pierced out of the ground like massive, sinister columns reaching to the heavens, making a perfect circle about a quarter mile in circumference around both he and Madara. Then black chakra began to pass from one tail to another and before Sasuke knew it he was now surrounded in a chakra wall. "Now there will be no escape," Madara yelled as he laughed menacingly.
The Jyubi then opened its mouth wide as it created a dense ball of chakra. "Shit," Sasuke yelled as he quickly floated to the ground and summoned Susanoo. Susanoo was pumped with as much energy as he could muster forcing it to grow massive. He then forced Susanoo to create a large shield. Sasuke then wiped his hand on the blood on his shoulder and slammed his hand to the ground, "Summoning Jutsu: Triple Rashomon!" Three large, ornate walls grew from the ground in front of Sasuke just as Madara fired the blast that engulfed the entire area.
As the explosion died away Madara remained in the large crater staring down at the smoldering heap below. He laughed as he saw the smoke but was surprised to see Sasuke on all fours coughing. The Triple Rashomon had been obliterated and his Sasanoo was almost completely destroyed with only the rib cage and part of it's left arm remaining.
Annoyed, the Jyubi pulled its tails out of the ground and one tail launched at Sasuke and wrapped around him and the Susanoo skeleton. Sasuke fought to push the tail off to no avail as Madara raised him into the sky. Another tail moved in front of the Sasuke as its tip pointed directly at his head. "This time, I will ensure I won't miss" Madara said.
Sasuke gasped as the tail reared back and launched at him. Suddenly a large Fuma Shuriken-shaped mass of dense chakra came flying up and sliced off the tail half way and then exploded forcing Madara to let go of Sasuke as he yelled and fell back in pain.
Sasuke fell to the ground as Madara looked about. "That attack," Madara said in amazement. "That was…? But who could have….!" It was then he heard the familiar voice coming from the distance. And looking down he saw something that though he could see, he at the same time refused to believe.
"Hey Sasuke," Naruto said causing Sasuke to look back in amazement. Naruto's clothes were ragged and he was dripping wet. But Sasuke could see a fire in his eyes he'd never seen before as Naruto stood with a Rasen-Shuriken in each hand. "Get your ass up! Let's get wild!"
End of Chapter Thirty Seven
Next Time: Team Seven
"I must do this," he said as he turned to leave. "I can't allow my fear to prevent me from protecting my people. And to protect my people, I must know the truth."
"Very well my young Lord," the old man said as the young man reached the door. "But know this. If you go, it will cost you much more than you may be willing to pay. And if you learn the truth you could unleash an evil far greater than the one you are trying to save it from. Heed my words, young lord. Some truths must never be known...Not even by you..."
The Curse...is coming!