A/N: Update Date - 7/12/10
READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is NOT the last chapter of the story. Even if it were, I have a sequel planned. I'll let you know all about it here when the time comes.
I hope I satisfied you guys with this chapter. I'm no writing god or even a professional, so excuse me if I use some fridge logic to further my story. That said, read every bit, because otherwise you will miss some key explanation or event.
Now for personal responses:
Zashire: Well just don't kill off either of her parents. Understand? :p And no, I don't mind, I'll be glad to help you out.
empire14: Next day soon enough for you?
SilverRedBlossom331: Thanks :)
Smiley-sama: There are at least two more chapters left in this story. And a sequel is on the way. Stay tuned.
Anake14: Thank you :) Though I do beseech you to review for at least this and the last chapter. I worked hard on them.
baltz00: While you certainly could write a successful chapter with those ideas, I'm trying to do something original here, which means mirroring the Pain Invasion is not an option. Plus Nagato/Konan/Yahiko have a country to run, they aren't here. Even if they were, Nagato is too young to be able to resurrect the dead. That's canon.
Shinigami: He does realize that his possible death would be painful for his family and friends, but it's pretty much ingrained in his psyche to sacrifice himself for others. He has very little self worth, and when someone he cares about is in danger, there's no question who's life is more important to him.
1ryeguy8: All I can say is read this story until the end (this is NOT the last chapter), I won't just leave it at this, and I hope you'll be satisfied at the end.
Enjoy!
Chapter 17: I Don't Go Back On My Word
A deep breath. Fire, demonic chakra, fear. Another breath. Anticipation, excitement, uncertainty. Naruto opened his toad-like eyes to stare out upon the past version of the beast that resided in his belly. This was the day…the day he was born, the day his life was ruined, the day his family was destroyed, and the day that he remembered as Konoha's direst hour. The day his parents sacrificed their lives to save his.
The beginning of the end. The beginning of his end.
The citizens had already been evacuated, as had most of the shinobi. Rin, Obito, and Kakashi-kun had insisted upon fighting, but a stern look from Kakashi-jisan forced them into compliance. His meaning was obvious: 'I will not lose you all a second time.' Standing alongside him were his parents, his sensei, the remaining Sannin, Hiruzen, Shima and Fukasaku, his teammates, his love, and a small force of Konoha's best jounin. Asumi, the girl who would have the Kyuubi sealed into her, was safe inside of a bunker which both he and his father could access at a moment's notice through Hirashin. He looked out at the Kyuubi, knowing that he was definitely going to die this night. Was this what my father felt? he mused. Was this what he was going through the night he died? I think I finally understand…Dad.
He turned to look at them. "Leave the Kyuubi to me. When I'm fighting it, you guys will just get in the way. Once I've weakened it, Kushina will move in to restrain it while she, Jiraiya, Minato and I will seal it into Asumi. Sasuke, Kakashi, and the rest of the jounin will fight Madara. Any questions?"
No one raised their hands. Naruto walked over to his parents. "In case I don't make it…" Kushina cut him off right there.
"You're going to make it, baka. We're all here to help. It'll be fine." He couldn't deny the fire in her eyes. He knew right away that she would make the sacrifice in his place without hesitation…which is exactly why he couldn't tell her or anyone else about his plans.
"Still…if I don't make it, I want you to know…I love you. I don't blame you for anything. Remember me with a smile on your face. Can you do that for me?" he asked.
Minato, sensing Naruto's emotional need, nudged his wife before she could assure him that he would not be dying tonight. "We will, Naruto. We love you too."
After a short but close embrace, Naruto continued down to Hinata. There was no need for words at this point. They simply held each other, smiling as they looked into each other's eyes. With a final kiss, he moved on to his team. "Do me a favor, Sasuke, Sakura?"
They nodded. "Kick Madara's ass for me, will ya?"
Sasuke smirked and snorted. "With pleasure, dobe. Be sure to do the same for the Kyuubi. And Naruto?" The blond looked at his old friend with a tilted head. "Don't you dare die on me. It would piss me off."
Naruto managed to mentally pull himself together enough to laugh off his demand. He knew how death affected people. He knew exactly what it was like to lose the people that you love. But he could bear the guilt of causing them that pain, knowing that in return they'd all be safe. "Well," he said, turning to face his tenant's counterpart, "I guess it's time. Shima! Fukasaku! Tsunade!"
The toad sages lept over the wall, summoning three giant toads that Naruto was very familiar with: Gamahiro, Gamabunta, and Gamaken. Tsunade followed suit by summoning Katsuya, her longtime companion. The plan had been well rehearsed and discussed beforehand. Naruto's Kyuubi actually lent some advice along the way, telling them that techniques like Amaterasu and Susano'o would not bring him down, for many reasons. He also warned Sasuke that trying to use his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to control his past self wouldn't work so long as Madara maintained his control. In the end, Naruto decided to leave the Uchiha to their respective battle while he dealt with his old friend.
Leaping on to their respective summons, the team went out to meet the enemy.
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Almost immediately, Naruto knew something was wrong. As he raced towards the Kyuubi, a man he recognized blocked his path. Blue skin, shark-like appearance, and a giant bandage-wrapped word slung over his shoulder. "Hoshigake Kisame."
The man laughed in return. "You know me? I'm flattered. Though I'm afraid I can't let you pass."
Though Kisame was distinctly younger, Naruto knew that this would be a fight he couldn't afford. Luckily for him, someone else was thinking along the same lines. "Go on ahead, Naruto. I'll take him down."
Turning to face his mother, protest stopped at his throat when he saw the look in her eye. "Okay. That guy's sword absorbs chakra like crazy, and he specializes in water based jutsu. He has a ton of chakra. Be careful."
Flashing through a series of seals, chakra chains flew out of Kushina's hands as she attacked the nuke-nin. "Go, Naruto!"
Not waiting a moment longer, he sped towards the fight of his life. Nearing the Kyuubi, he now realized just how large the beast truly was. It was almost enough to make him scared. Almost.
"COME HERE, YOU BASTARD!"
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Having encountered a similar problem, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Minato confronted Madara while the other jounin engaged the nuke-nin Madara had coerced or hired for the occasion.
They found him casually walking towards them, but staring at the Kyuubi as it began its rampage. "Magnificent, isn't it? Such power, malice, and eminence all wrapped into one ferocious being. A demon of destruction." He turned to look at them, Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan staring into their souls. "And it's all at my fingertips."
Sasuke stepped forward. "Madara." The word came out as a curse, like the name was a disease. "You made me into an avenger. You massacred my clan, destroyed my family, and ruined my brother's life. It's taken me a long time and many mistakes to understand who I should direct my hatred towards, but now I know. MADARA!" he yelled, his own Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan coming to bear. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
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Dodging a swipe of one of its tails, Naruto leapt up from beneath the Kyuubi's head, uppercutting it with a Rasengan twenty times his own size. Before the beast could recover, Naruto formed a clone as a platform to jump off of, and formed another two clones at his side. Now in the air above the Kyuubi's head, he created two Rasenshurikens and hurled them at the beast's neck. The impact and resulting explosions were enormous, but Naruto knew just how tough the Kyuubi could be. The first clone he had formed followed up with a giant Rasengan uppercut, just as he had done before.
Before falling, Naruto created fifty more clones, whom each sported a giant Rasengan of their own and initiated a non-stop barrage of swirling chakra balls.
Feeling his sage mode running out, he quickly dispelled one of his backup clones and the natural energy returned. The Kyuubi was reeling, but was by no means significantly wounded. It shook its head and then stared at him with pure hatred in its eyes.
Its roar shook him to the bone. Not wanting to let his fear get the better of him, he charged forward to continue his assault.
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Had Minato not been renowned as the fastest shinobi in the world, he would not have been able to dodge the black flames that shot out at him without warning. Sasuke and Kakashi took this cue to jump into action. Sasuke immediately unleashed Amaterasu of his own, forcing Madara to counter, drawing his attention away from Minato, who aimed to deliver a quick backstab.
Just as he plunged the kunai into his heart, he felt his hand phase through the shinobi, and instantly Hiraishin'd to safety. Kakashi unleashed a lighting-based hound on the Uchiha, who burned it down with more black flames. Madara locked his eye with Kakashi's, and the two became enveloped in a world of surreal surroundings.
"I think it's time you experience the true power of the Sharingan, you Uchiha-wanna-be." Thousands of swords formed around Kakashi from all directions, and began to descend on the silver haired jounin.
"Not this time!" He activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, which spun furiously to counter. The swords stopped, but the illusion was not yet broken.
Sasuke noticed the situation right away and struck his target with Amaterasu. Madara howled in pain, but he quickly phased out of the flames, appearing relatively unscathed.
Madara lept into the air, grabbing the large fan off of his back and swinging it down after blowing a giant fireball out of his mask. The inferno heading towards Kakashi was as intense as it was enormous, but Sasuke acted quickly, leaping in front of his sensei and activating a Susano'o to counter.
"Thanks for the assist, Sasuke," said a panting Kakashi.
Minato flickered next to the group. "What now?" he asked.
"I think my Kamui might be able to give us an opportunity to strike him, but the window will be very small. Can you aim for that?"
Minato and Sasuke nodded. "Good, but you better get it right. I've only got three shots left."
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Damn it! He had just dispersed another of his clones, leaving only one left as the natural energy once again filled him. Even if he had unlimited natural energy, he knew, it would be too exhausting to fight at this level for long. Even he had his limits.
The Kyuubi roared as it slammed its fist into the ground where Naruto had been standing a moment prior. It seemed to be waiting for this, however, and shot a stream of intense fire out of its mouth. Before he could try to dodge, huge water bullets slammed into the fire, cancelling it out. Naruto glanced behind him to see Gamabunta and Gamahiro joining the fight.
They charged into battle, swords drawn, but were forced to dodge constantly. Naruto knew that he and Sasuke were quite literally the only ones capable of going on the offensive against the Kyuubi, but the distraction was proving helpful. He leapt above the Kyuubi's head, forming a Rasengan fifty times his own size. The beast's eyes widened in surprise before he slammed the swirling ball of chakra straight onto the fox's head, sending it crashing into the ground. Smiling with satisfaction, he allowed a hole to open at the end of the Rasengan that was in the fox's face, causing the chakra to explode directly at the Kyuubi's head.
Now's my chance! Naruto formed a shadow clone before weaving the seals for the Shiki Fuujin. Before he could finish, the Kyuubi slammed its fist into the ground, getting backup with a look of fury that frightened even him. It certainly looked worse for wear, but not weak by any stretch of imagination. Shit.
The toads moved in once again to try and distract the beast, but the Kyuubi swatted them aside with its tails. Looks like I'll have to go all out!
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Obito stood atop the Hokage Monument with his teammates and many of Konoha's citizens as the unbelievable battle raged out in front of them. He had known that his sensei was powerful, but this…this was beyond his wildest imagination. And as his friends would attest to, he had a pretty wild imagination. The Kyuubi itself was terrifying, a seemingly unstoppable force of malice and chakra. But Naruto and his toad summons continued to battle it with incredible power and scale. He idly wondered if he would be showing this to someone through the memory room from his perspective, many years later. As another blue explosion racked the forest, Obito could only stare in wonder.
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After hurling four more Rasenshuriken at the beast's head, Naruto was forced to use his last clone, entering sage mode for the final time. There was no holding back now; he would have to go all or nothing. He leapt into the air along with two shadow clones and began to form his ultimate technique. Beginning as a Rasenshuriken, he then added Kyuubi chakra en masse and piled on water element into the technique; the result was a giant—fifty times his own size—red Rasengan with an enourmous whitish-blue elemental chakra shuriken rapidly spinning around the ball.
"EAT THIS YOU BASTARD!"
He could only maintain the technique for a matter of seconds, so he quickly slammed it straight into the fox's face and then directed it to explode all over the beast. The explosion was colossal, and it threw both the Kyuubi and Naruto flying back—the Kyuubi into a nearby mountain and Naruto into the village wall. His impact formed a small crater as he fell down to the forest below.
His body was hurting all over, both from the extreme strain he was putting on it and the sudden collision. Grunting in pain as he stood up he quickly found some high ground to survey if he had put the Kyuubi down for the count so he could finally perform the Shiki Fuujin.
But out of the rubble of the once-mountain came the beast once again. Blood triclked down its head and neck, and it looked very much worse for wear…but it wasn't enough. The beast slowly began walking back towards Konoha. Damn it! DAMN IT! I can't even weaken it enough to perform the Shiki Fuujin myself! He needed something. He was exhausted; he had used more chakra and power than he ever had in one go, and his body was aching from the strain. His own chakra reserves were getting low. Damn it! What do I do? What is the answer?
"You have to find the answer yourself. I don't know the answer."
His eyes widened a fraction.
"But that's not fair! If you and Ero-sennin couldn't find the answer, then how can I? I'm stupid! And I'm not a good ninja! And—"
"You will find the answer. I believe in you…"
Naruto gasped in realization.
"The reason I sealed the fox's chakra into you is because I believe you can use it…because you're my son. And there's another reason, too. When the fox attacked the village 16 years ago, I realized something. There was a man, a powerful shinobi who was controlling the fox. Without some kind of special power, there would be no way to defeat him…"
The epiphany hit him like a ton of cold bricks. Of course. Some kind of special power. His father had hoped that Naruto would hold the trump card to defeat Madara by being the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. And here it was. Everything became clear.
Retreating into his mindscape, Naruto went straight into the fox's room.
"Kit? I thought you had a fight to finish."
He looked up at his tenant, gloomy but determined. "I can't beat him. I've tried everything I've got, and it's not enough. But…there is another way."
The fox looked down at its host, perplexed. "I thought you already considered every possibility."
"Everything except one. We're going to defeat your past self with all of your power."
"I thought we went over this already! You can't even effectively control half of my chakra! What makes you think you can control all of it? Especially in the state you're in!"
The blond paused, smirking to himself. "I'm not going to use it. You are."
The Kyuubi's head lurched in understanding. "You're going to release the seal?"
"Yes. Your past self is already weakened, so you shouldn't have too much trouble."
Its tone softened, teetering on disbelief and confusion. "But you'll die!"
At that, Naruto actually laughed. "Isn't that already set in stone? I came to terms with that a while ago."
The beast almost seemed…panicked now. "And what makes you think that I won't turn around and finish what my past self started! Huh? You can't be that stupid! So WHY?"
"Because you're my friend."
It reeled back, stunned. It had never, at any point, ever thought of hearing someone say that to him. He was the most powerful of the bijuu! A demon whose legends brought nightmares to children and adults alike! How could a human possibly consider him a friend? But the gears were already spinning in the fox's mind. The strange feelings it had been getting over the past few months…was this somehow related?
"If you do this for me…if you defeat your past self so that my family can seal it into my sister, and you leave Konoha alone…then you're free to go without any regrets. Any debt you owed me or anything like that…you can leave it all behind. You'll have earned your freedom for sure. Please…"
The Kyuubi looked at its host, for once too puzzled to think of anything to say. Strange emotions welled up from its gut as it looked down on its host…who was offering to set it free in exchange for protecting his village just this once. And his host trusted him, knowing that he would die in the process, because he was the boy's friend? There had to be another reason…there had to be…
"I want my parents to live more than I want to live. My sister will not grow up an orphan like me. If that's what it takes, then I'll die with a smile on my face."
"You'd rather die than let your father take your place?"
"Of course. I don't even belong in this time. I owe my parents my life. It's time I repaid that debt. Besides…I promised myself that I'd never let my precious people die. And I don't go back on my word."
"I thought you humans cared about your own survival."
"I stopped caring about that a long time ago. I'd give my life to save any of my friends without hesitation. And it looks like that's exactly what I'm going to do in a few months."
So the boy had planned this all along? He was so desperate to save those he cared about that he held his own life as unimportant? The kit really trusted him?
"You know," he said, pausing at the doorway, "I would never have lived this long if it weren't for you. Nor would have I been able to make it back in time to save everyone…so…thank you. You've been with me from the very beginning, through thick and thin. I…" He paused, unable to find the words for his feelings. "…thanks."
He did. He trusted him. Normally, the Kyuubi would laugh at such naivety and take advantage immediately…but this was different. It wasn't trust out of stupidity or idealism. It was…earned. There was an understanding. There was…actual trust. Naruto lived by keeping one's word, and for him to trust a demon known for exploiting it…knowing him full well and yet still believing that he would be true to his word…for some reason the beast couldn't fathom, such an action meant something to him. For the first time in a long time, the Kyuubi felt something, a sense of purpose that existed beyond his own needs. And it…liked it. "Very well. You…have my word."
Naruto looked up at his tenant, momentarily surprised, but smiled bittersweetly. "Well, I guess this is it." He lifted up his shirt, revealing his seal. His palm glowed white as his hand hovered over the markings. "It's been a pleasure…really, it has. Goodbye, furball."
The Kyuubi bittersweetly smiled back at him. "Goodbye, kit."
Naruto turned the seal, fully opening it. A torrent of chakra rushed out of his body, blinding his vision in red.
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Madara slammed his palms into the ground as dozens of large spikes protruded from the dirt, nearly impaling Kakashi and Minato. Sasuke swung the sword of his Susano at the traitorous Uchiha, who allowed it to phase through him.
Sasuke quickly followed up by shooting arrows from the bow mounted in his Susano's arm, which passed harmlessly through Madara…yet again. Damn it! He won't let Kakashi get a shot off!
A massive release of demonic chakra stopped all actions and thought as every combatant turned to look at its source: the mass of chakra quickly formed into a second Kyuubi. Kushina looked on in shock as the beast stood up on its hind legs and roared. Having been briefed in detail about jinchuuriki, everyone realized that Naruto must have established a high enough level of control to fully transform and fight. "Kick its ass, Naruto!" shouted Kushina.
"Im-impossible!" shouted Madara. "Two Kyuubi's? What is the meaning of this?"
Kakashi took his chance, firing off a Kamui as Minato flickered behind Madara with a kunai. Madara was far too experienced to fall for such a blunder, however, and slammed Minato's face with his elbow while dodging the blow.
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The Kyuubi felt alive. After 18 years, he was finally free! Landing on all fours, he saw his counterpart approaching him maliciously. Undoubtedly still under Madara's control. Madara…that bastard. He was the reason the beast was sealed away in the first place. Remembering his part of the deal, he looked back at his dying host with a pang of sadness. Naruto met his eyes…and smiled. And he smiled back.
It was high time to kick some ass. The Kyuubi rushed forward, swiping his past self in the face. The beast howled in pain before growling back, settling into a defensive position. Deciding to go on the offensive once more, the fox swiped at its counterpart with its tails, spinning around him and grabbing his counterpart by the neck. He swung the younger fox all the way over its head before slamming it back down to the ground, making a small earthquake felt by all of Konoha's citizens.
But it wasn't done. He kept his hold and swung it around in a circle before throwing it into another mountain. The younger beast scampered out of the rubble, bleeding profusely and absolutely pissed. It held its head up to the sky with its tails pointing towards its mouth. A giant black ball of menacing chakra began to form, four times the size of the Kyuubi itself.
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Sasuke looked at the ball in absolute horror. Personal experience with the Hachibi told him that a menacing chakra ball the size of his head would be enough to nearly level half the village. A ball a hundred times larger…
There would be nothing left.
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Obito stared at the scene before him with his Sharingan. He could see the nature of that chakra ball. Something like that… "Oh Kami…"
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The future Kyuubi snorted in amusement at his counterpart's actions. So you're going with that, eh? He copied his past self's pose, forming his own menacing chakra ball equally large. If that's how you're going to play it! The two blasts collided, sending out a titanic blast of whitish-red light…
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Masaru, the Yondaime Kazekage, stood on his balcony with his wife, Karura, and their newest son, Gaara. Admiring the sight of his wife carrying his son, the new Ichibi jinchuuriki, he was reminded of the great debt he owed that time-traveling blond. Placing an arm around Karura's shoulders, he viewed the brilliant night sky from one of Suna's highest points, which he repeatedly boasted as the best view in the world.
The moment was broken when a bright whitish-red light shone on the horizon in the direction of the Land of Fire, startling even the Kazekage. "What's that?" his wife whispered, fearful.
"I have no idea…but it almost seems…demonic…"
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Killer Bee stood out on night watch with his partner, Nii Yugito. Their plight as fellow jinchuuriki helped them forge a very strong bond from an early age. When a bright, whitish-red light appeared on the horizon in the direction of the Land of Fire, they turned to each other, knowing exactly what it was.
"If that can be seen from all the way out here, then…" Yugito didn't finish the sentence. The meaning was obvious.
"Yeah…" Bee looked at the light warily. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.
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The blast wave was stronger than anything Minato had ever felt. It threatened to knock him off his feet and send him hurtling into a tree, despite being as firmly rooted into the ground with chakra as he possibly could. Thinking fast, he flickered to Kakashi, grabbed him, and flickered to the inside of Sasuke's Susano for cover.
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When the blast wave hit Kushina, only her stubborn nature and special chakra kept her rooted into position. Kisame, however, was not so lucky. His back was to the blast, so he was surprised when he was sent flying straight at her…which she promptly took advantage of by grinding his head into dust with a Rasengan.
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Before the smoke could clear, the Kyuubi charged forward and grabbed his staggered past counterpart by the neck and slamming him into the ground. He maintained the choking grip as he formed another, smaller menacing chakra ball right above his younger self's face—point blank range.
His past counterpart looked on in terror as the blast slammed into his head.
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The second blast cleared the dust away from the first one, revealing a heavily wounded and nearly unconscious Kyuubi on its back. Kushina sped towards the scene, activating the seal on her arm.
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Minato winced as the seal on his arm activated. The signal! "I've got to get Asumi to Kushina. I'll be right back!" he shouted to his allies. In a flash, he appeared in the bunker, picked up a sleeping Asumi, and flickered right next to Kushina. "Here! I've still got my fight to finish. Though it looks like Naruto has his end completely under control!" he said, smiling with pride. Kushina returned the smile before taking her baby. "Be back in a flash!"
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The Kyuubi held down his counterpart until Kushina, Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Tsunade arrived to initiate the sealing process. Confident that it would succeed, the Kyuubi turned its head towards the object of its revenge. Madara.
Reaching him only took a matter of seconds for the giant demon. The poor little Uchiha looked up in shock when he arrived. "MADARAAA!" it yelled, roaring at the top of its lungs. He slammed his fist into the ground where the Uchiha stood.
Phasing out of the fist, Madara looked up at the beast's eyes in fear, seeing nothing but pure hatred in them. WHAT?
It was in this moment of shock and terror that the oldest shinobi alive let his guard down…for Kakashi fired off his final shot of Kamui just as Sasuke and Minato flickered in, delivering a Chidori and Rasengan straight through his chest. Madara seemed to scoff at the attempt at first before realizing that his phasing ability had failed him…and then looked at his attackers frightfully.
"It seems your mortality has finally caught up with you, Madara." The man in question looked at the blond, his mouth agape.
Sasuke pulled his Chidori-infused hand out of Madara's chest, much to the latter's pain, before stepping in front of the man. "This is for my clan, my family, my friends, and most of all…my brother. Rot in hell!" he yelled as he slammed the Chidori right through the man's head, straight through the brain.
At long last, the man who refused to let go of revenge had been put to an end.
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Gathering around Asumi, the group—including Naruto's Kyuubi—observed as the last of the chakra of the past Kyuubi was sealed within the baby. Now began the process of finishing the design of the seal itself.
To everyone's surprise, the future Kyuubi began walking away. "Naruto!" shouted Kushina. "Where are you going?"
The fox turned around, confused. "Since when were you under the impression that I was Naruto?" It turned its head back forward, and continued walking away.
Everyone's mouths and eyes went agape. Realization dawned on Minato's and Kushina's faces. "Oh no, no…no no!" She looked at her husband, who caught her meaning immediately. Before he could flicker away, the blond in question stumbled into the clearing. Kushina ran over to him, catching him before he could fall. "Naruto! Oh Kami, no…"
He looked up at his mother, weakness plainly evident in his face and eyes. "It's…okay," he croaked. "This…was part…of the plan…"
Sakura rushed over to her friend, beginning diagnostic techniques. "Plan? What are you talking about?" asked his mother.
The pink haired kunoichi lifted her hands away, sadness and disbelief plasterd all over her face. "His body is shutting down…he's…dying…"
"Then heal him!" yelled Kushina, tears spilling down her face.
Sakura began crying too. "I can't! His body can't function without the Kyuubi inside him! It's too integrated into his body! I…" she sank to her need, holding her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do…"
Minato looked desperately between his wife and son. "Well if his body can't function without the Kyuubi, then we just have to get it back…there's still time!" Naruto recognized the panic and desperation in his voice.
"…no…" All eyes turned to Naruto. "This was…the deal. He helps us…he goes free…even then...it wouldn't work..."
Kushina wasn't having any of that. "Naruto," she said through the sniffles, "we're not…we're not going to let you…"
"Die?" he asked. "I've been…prepared for that…for a…long time. It's okay…this was…the way it…had to be."
They were all too stunned to say anything. "Please…take me…to my…sister…"
Unable to think of anything to say, his mother complied. He knelt down next to her small form. "Dad…can you…help me finish…the seal?"
Tears flowing freely, Minato nodded. Naruto began channeling his chakra into the intricate seal. "I made this choice….months ago…I'm sorry…I couldn't tell you…"
Hinata looked her love, too heartbroken to say anything but his name. "Naruto…"
He looked up at her, giving a weak, strained smile. "Hinata-chan…I'm sorry. I tried to find….another way…but I couldn't. I promised that…I would never let...my precious people die….and I don't…go back on my word…"
No…no! This is all wrong! Hinata screamed at herself mentally. This was the opposite of that day…their places were reversed…
"I've left…letters for everyone…in my room." He snorted, giving a pained laugh. "I've had…months to prepare for this…but I can't think of anything to say…damn…"
And neither, apparently, could anyone else, as several of them began sobbing openly. "I…love you guys…remember your promise, Mom…Dad…remember me with a smile." He looked around at each of them meekly. "This…was my choice. It's like I said…Hinata-chan…we can't save everyone…"
Naruto stared at the fading chakra at his palms. Was this how Chiyo felt? Was this what his parents felt like as they finished his seal with their dying breaths? "Just like Chiyo…eh, Sakura…?"
His pink haired teammate looked at him, her face a mess from tears and mucus. "Hinata-chan…I…love you…goodbye…" The last of his chakra faded, and he collapsed backwards into his mother's arms. For the longest time, no one could move from their spots as they grieved, many of them bawling their guts out. Asumi was the loudest of them all.
Naruto was true to his word to the very end. He died with a smile on his face.
00.000.00
Two miles away, the Kyuubi looked back, feeling an unrecognizable kind of pain in his chest as he contemplated his host's death. He felt...bad about it. But the kit had told him that he was free to go without any regrets. He had earned his freedom, and was given the right to walk away without a care in the world.
And that was exactly what it was going to do.
A/N: Hate me now?
This is NOT the last chapter. But yes, Naruto truly DID die. As for Kakashi using Chiyo's tensei jutsu...remember, just seeing it won't allow you to perform it. Kakashi has never shown any healing abilities whatsoever, so a tensei jutsu is likely beyond his capability.
Even so, his body can't function without the Kyuubi. Bringing him back to life with that technique probably wouldn't work for long.
I'm going to be covering all of the letters Naruto left behind, including a certain surprise he left as his legacy. You'll see.
Please stay tuned! You won't regret it.
