Chapter 29: Cleaning Up
Naruto, along with Tai, Kakashi, Sakura, and Sai, led a small team of ANBU and builders back to the Leaf Village. Once Vallen had been defeated, the Sound ninja, having no Otokage, dispersed, heading back to their own village. Vallen had been right. His jutsu had literally reversed Sasuke's death. He was still alive, and even the most experienced ninja could find no seal or chakra signature besides Sasuke's own. He appeared to be staying alive. Sasuke had been detained by the Stone ninja for interrogation, though Naruto had left Shikamaru to help. Sasuke seemed to know little, if anything, about Vallen's plans. Also, the Alliance laws prevented anyone from dying twice from his crimes.
Naruto and Sakura took some time to survey the damage alone. He was heartbroken. The village had been utterly destroyed. The builders were searching for anything that they could salvage, but there didn't seem to be much. Naruto and Sakura stood at the top of the Hokage Mountain, the only thing that appeared to be left. Naruto felt a tear fall down his face as the builders pulled out a young girl from the rubble. She was around thirteen, and she wore regular clothes. Her light blonde hair was covered with dirt, and her clothes were tattered and torn. Around her head was the Leaf headband. Naruto remembered seeing this girl. She had graduated from the Academy only days before the attack.
Sakura leaned over and kissed his cheek. "It's not your fault, Naruto."
"I know, but why did she have to die. She was so young."
"I understand." Sakura returned to watching as the builders continued to dig. Naruto felt a sudden sense of depression overtake him as he watched the remnants of his village be excavated.
Suddenly, he heard a thump and a cry of pain next to him. He turned to look just as Sakura fell from the mountain. Naruto leapt into action. He jumped from the mountain, caught Sakura, and cradled her in his arms as he landed gracefully at the foot of the mountain. Several ANBU converged on him, anxious to protect their leader, but none could find the source of the attack. Naruto was the first to spot Vallen, who was walking down what was once a major Leaf Village Street. His eyes shown of fury, and he smiled an evil grin. The ANBU moved to attack, but Naruto stopped them.
"No. He's mine. You take care of Sakura."
The ANBU knew better. Getting in Naruto's way now would be like a small robin trying to stop a lion from eating meat.
Naruto disappeared, but Vallen was ready. The second that Naruto appeared behind Vallen, he was elbowed in the gut. Vallen turned, grabbed Naruto's hand, and threw him away into a nearby pile of rubble. Then, Vallen formed a hand sign and used the Fire Dragon Jutsu. The dragon flew toward the pile of rubble and Naruto. Naruto summoned his sage chakra and countered with a Water Dragon, courtesy of his training with Kakashi. The two dragons met and fizzled out. Then their owners met with such force that their respective kunai broke. The separated and threw the broken weapons away. Then, each drew a new kunai and repeated the process. These kunai were stronger, however, and held up to immense strain of the battle. Naruto and Vallen continued to break apart and collide, each time with more force. Each collision shook the ground. Tai and the others watched in amazement as the ANBU worked to heal Sakura, who was now unconscious.
"Incredible," Tai said to Kakashi and Sai. "Naruto-sensei is furious."
Sai and Kakashi only nodded as the two ninja continued to go for the kill. Naruto jumped away and prepared a Rasengan. Vallen responded by forming a few hand signs and inhaling deeply. Naruto recognized that he was about to use a Wind Style jutsu and mentally readied an air shield. Vallen shot a massive blast of air straight at Naruto, whose air shield took the attack. Naruto kept his Rasengan formed and charged it with a combination of water and wind chakra. The Rasengan took on a cold nature and turned snow white. Naruto slammed the attack into Vallen's chest. Ice immediately began to form all over Vallen, spreading from his chest outward. Soon, his entire body was covered in ice. Naruto leapt back and admired his handiwork. His admiration was short-lived, however, as the ice began to crack and Vallen emerged, appearing unscathed from the attack.
"What?" cried Naruto. "How?"
"I can't be beaten so easily. Seriously, between the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha, your attacks are like child's play." Vallen formed another hand sign and shot a fireball at Naruto, who wasn't fast enough to get out of the way. The attack hit Naruto in the chest, propelling him back into the Hokage mountain.
"Should we get involved?" asked one of the ANBU who had left Sakura, since she was now stable, though still unconscious.
"No," replied Tai. "I honestly think that we'd just get in the way if we did."
Meanwhile, Naruto had gotten up and was forming hand signs. "Ninja Art: Hokage Style: Shadow Clone Mode!" Though nothing appeared to happen, the jutsu's effect was evident when Naruto threw a single punch in Vallen's direction. Another hand appeared, extending from his own, then another, and another, and another. This continued until the fists reached Vallen. Vallen knocked the fist aside, then formed a single hand sign. His left hand became engulfed in flames. He charged toward Naruto, who jumped into the air and sent a barrage of fists raining down upon Vallen at super speed. As each new fist appeared, a new set was already extending from that one. Instead of a straight line like before, Naruto's fists now doubled in number each time a new set appeared. By the time the attack reached Vallen, there were about two hundred fists. Vallen was unable to dodge and was crushed by the attack.
"How do you like that?" asked Naruto.
Vallen slowly got back to his feet. "Still not enough."
"Then take this!" said Naruto, a new Rasengan forming in his hand. This one was different from his common Rasengan in that it was slightly larger and was orange.
"I'll hit you with my newest jutsu! Orange Flash Rasengan!"
Fire and lightning began to encircle the orange Rasengan, increasing its size. Vallen could feel the energy surging off the attack. He knew that if Naruto hit him with that, it would all be over. As Naruto got closer, he tried to dodge, only to find Naruto waiting for him. Naruto slammed the attack into his face, causing the Rasengan to explode. Smoke and debris flew everywhere, and when it cleared, Naruto stood on a thin pillar of ground in the middle of wide, deep crater. There was no sign of Vallen. Naruto entered Sage Mode, but even Vallen's chakra was gone. He increased his field of sense, but there was nothing. This time, Vallen was truly gone.