TimeShifter: I see we're dissatisfied over the same thing with Konan. She always seemed like an interesting character, and I just wanted to do something with her. I have a feeling I may use her again in the future. Yes, 'natural energy' or mana feels like taint to Kanaeru, and you might still be surprised by the Kyuubi's chakra. I love surprising my readers. A clue about Gayt and Star, they are from a continent far, far away. I've also revealed enough about them that one could guess what universe they're from...and who they are. Sorry about forgetting Naruto's response. I was so focused on the fight that it slipped my mind. I hope this chapter fixes that. I also feel a sense of accomplishment releasing a cliffhanger that leaves my readers yearning for more. Ah, it just feels too good... I'm just truly and honestly sorry the 'forever' took four weeks instead of the usual two.
samueltm2: Oh, things are only getting started. Surprisingly, I wanted this arc to be short.
Chapter 26:
The Lost
"What?!" Hawk looked to Katsuyu on her shoulder and grimaced as she almost lost her grip on a bit of rubble. After a moment to recompose, she managed to lift the fallen chunk of wall enough for the ninja underneath to roll himself to safety. As he painfully checked his leg, she practically spat her anger at the innocent slug. "What do you mean Hinata-sama's facing that monster?!"
Katsuyu's voice was as calm and placating as ever. "Nobody ordered her out there." She pointed out as if the accusation hung in the air. "She saw Naruto in trouble, and she couldn't stay put. She moved before anybody could stop her, and Tsunade-sama has ordered her to return."
Hawk grumbled under her breath. She didn't mean to let her emotions get the better of her. "Sorry." Though through clenched teeth, her apology was sincere. Shaking her head, she decided to take stock of the situation. "Okay, tell me what happened. From the top." She wanted all the details, just in case Hiashi wanted an explanation when he returned from Suna.
Katsuyu blinked a few times as she communicated with Tsunade. After a few moments, she finally spoke up. "I'll tell you as you do your job. As ANBU, you should understand that much." When the female commander nodded and rushed to the next site, the slug continued. "Naruto's fight was impressive, and Hinata was watching it intently. In fact, everybody who could see it was impressed."
She bowed her head in thought. "As Pein's bodies were destroyed, one-by-one, he seemed to grow stronger. That's when Naruto started having trouble. Down to one body, Pein seemed to take the upper hand, and he took out the remainder of Naruto's frog summon army. Seeing him pinned to the ground and helpless, she sprang into action."
Seeing Hawk make short work of a fallen wall and pull several shinobi to safety, Katsuyu continued. "She vaulted over rubble and escaped the ruins of the Hokage tower to make it to the battle zone. When those present noticed she was gone, they saw her slide to a halt and lower into the juuken stance. She confronted Pein and made a surprising declaration."
Unseen, Hawk smirked under her mask. "The little princess finally confessed to that blond-headed idiot; did she?" The slug's surprised reaction was the only indication she needed. "What? The Byakugan really doesn't miss anything, and I was assigned to watch her while she was…supervised by Kurenai, in the academy, and when possible as a genin."
Katsuyu shook her head and relayed the information to Tsunade, who was almost unconscious she noted. She resigned herself to watching the ANBU commander rescue shinobi from under rubble as she recounted Hinata's heroism. "As I was saying, she confronted Pein after making her declaration. She used her Byakugan quite effectively, and she displayed Suiton mastery beyond what is reported in records. Her combat was swift and fluid, and she seemed able to…redirect Pein's 'gravity' attack."
Hawk nodded. "A time/space jutsu that seems to affect gravity… Nasty." She could sorta/kinda guess the mechanics behind Hinata's counter based on what she understood about time/space techniques. At the same time, the ability to affect gravity was at least A-rank or kekkei genkai.
Katsuyu bobbed her head in agreement. "It was, but she seemed to handle it well. She's still fighting him, and he doesn't seem to have a counter for her counter yet. It's actually quite perplexing, but we'll have to wait for her explanation later." The slug finished recounting up to current events, so she fell silent.
Out of curiosity, Hawk had one more question. "So, how'd he react? The blond menace, that is?" The touch of amusement in her voice showed a lack of hatred or killing intent. She was also genuinely concerned for the two young adults, probably more so for Hinata. However, such concern was understandable.
Katsuyu distinctly giggled. She seemed amused to retell his reaction. "It was probably the first time anybody could honestly say he had nothing to say. I believe Shizune's exact words were, 'The look on his face is priceless!' Well, at least that's what she thought. It's kind of hectic have idle chitchat like…" She paused, a tremor entering her voice. "…that…"
As the slug trailed off, Hawk skidded to a halt. "What?" She watched the slug blink and mouth form an 'o' shape. "What is it?" She watched more blinking and grew impatient. "Tell me what's going on already!" She barely maintained enough to control to keep from stomping her foot in protest, an old habit that had yet to die.
Katsuyu shook her head. "Oh my…" She fumbled for words. "Tsunade-sama gives you permission to come to the Hokage tower if you want, but no closer. Hinata is…in a tight spot." Her head jerked back when the ANBU commander took off before she was ready. She quickly recovered while silently communicating with Tsunade.
Within the ruins of the Hokage tower, the occupants watched in horror as billowing dust clouds obscured Hinata and Tendou from view. "Hinata!" Naruto bellowed out from the ruined field of battle nearby. Their hearts went out to him, but there was nothing they could physically do. They were exhausted to the point of chakra depletion, and Tsunade was on the verge of dangerously deadly collapse.
Sakura and Ino were fulfilling their duties as medic ninja along with Shizune, and Chouji was being used to safely transport or hold patients. In all, it was not the best situation for shinobi to be running in without thinking. They knew and understood the Hyuuga heir's intentions and feelings. They even supported her and quietly cheered as she showed Pein a thing or three. She just chose the wrong moment to show her growth.
Then with the suddenness of lightning, a thunderous boom shook the ruins and caused rubble to shift and collapse further. From the billowing dust clouds, Hinata's barely conscious form emerged near the top. At the apex of her flight, she her head and limbs lolled with autonomic reflexes and gravity. She landed with a sickening crack and rolled once, twice, three times.
As she came to a stop, Tendou utilized his control over gravity to push the dust back to the earth. He was near the center of the crater formed by his last Shinra Tensei. He tilted his head enough to look up at the girl's prone figure, hand hanging over the edge of one of the crevices stretching from the crater.
He turned his attention to Naruto. He nodded when he noticed the blond genin had come out of his stupor. In fact, his angry glower was powerful and filled with killing intent. To the bringer of pain, there was only one problem with his gaze. "You do not yet understand true Pein, but you are taking leaps and bounds towards that enlightenment. I can see it in your eyes."
He led the boy's gaze to the injured girl. "You care for her, and the sight of her fighting for you and hurting for you weighs on your heart." He returned his gaze to the boy's enhanced glower. "You should understand what I'm trying to do, yet you do not. You fight and struggle, but that strife has brought you nothing."
With a nod, Tendou drew a katana hidden underneath his black robes painted with red clouds. He shifted his eyes to Hinata one more time before turning to face Gayt. "There is nobody left to interfere, and you are in no position to stop me, Uzumaki Naruto. You will experience true Pein, and then I shall have the Kyuubi no Kitsune."
His gaze lingered on the armored warrior. The strange human-like creature that emerged from his sword was still recovering, panting as she glared angrily at him. Though, a light wind swirled the dust near her. The man was kneeling and, apparently, centering himself. His sword was held out from his body with the flat of the blade resting against one hand. It was an unusual stance, but he paid it no mind.
He hadn't heard the conversation moment's ago.
Gayt looked to Star; the glow of his eyes had already faded. She looked worn out, completely depleted of mana. She was fighting the protective globe from consuming her and returning her to a base elemental form. He only took his gaze off her to watch Hinata's struggle.
She had done well in confronting the monstrous warrior. Pein was not to be trifled with, and she stood up to him with straight back and pride. He was adequately impressed. He returned his gaze to his stalwart, if having questionable morals, companion. "It's time to use my mana."
She sighed disparagingly, and he blinked in confusion. "We are not draining your life force!" She smiled widely at him. "Did you forget why I asked Kanaeru to forge that armor for you?" Her expression turned serious as she lowered her gaze, bangs overshadowing her eyes. "We can't risk damaging the seals."
"Perhaps, but you are dangerously low on mana. If you don't revert into elemental form, you may damage you own body." He watched as Hinata was engulfed in billowing dust clouds. "I have another idea. Think you can gather enough mana for this?" He held his sword level with his chest and placed the flat of the blade against his outstretched palm.
She nodded with a devilish grin. "Oh yeah, that'll be a piece of cake! Just take me somewhere where there's lots of mana!" Her tail flicked as she concentrated on the thinning mana in the area. Naruto was still giving off plenty, but she couldn't rely on him as a source from so far away. As she concentrated, wind lightly swirled around her like an embodiment of power, and her age stopped alternating between child and prepubescent.
When Tendou finally noticed, he dismissed them as harmless. They physically felt like they deserved that, but one should never turn their back on an enemy until said enemy was dead. A devilish smirk found its way onto Star's face. She was going to make him pay for dismissing her master!
Kanaeru landed awkwardly on a collapsing roof. She struggled to regain her balance as a nearby shockwave threatened to cave in what remained of the ruined building. She managed to jump off as the building crumbled in on itself. Without wiping the sweat and grime from her brow, she took off to find her nephew.
Her eyes stung from sweat, but she strained to keep them open. She was going to find her nephew! She had to complete what the Fourth started nearly sixteen years prior. She also had a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach that something terrible was about to happen.
With the village in ruins, she would have gotten lost several times over. She found no landmarks, and she wasn't as familiar with the streets as the natural denizens. Instead, she concentrated on the steady, familiar flow of the chakra of her sister's son. When she finally arrived, she was opposite the former Hokage tower.
She looked around cautiously. There was no point taking risks as close as she was to accomplishing her goal. She didn't sense any nearby chakra, but she knew how skilled members of Akatsuki were. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw Tendou pointing a katana at Naruto. Her eyes went wide when she saw Hinata, possibly unconscious, at the top of the crater Tendou was in.
"Tell me, Uzumaki Naruto…" Tendou seemed to start without preamble. "…how does it feel to know you can do nothing to stop the destruction of this village?" He paused to direct the tip of his blade to the barely conscious heiress. "…of this girl?"
"Let her go!" Naruto bellowed at the top of his lungs. There was an edge to his voice, and he trailed off slightly in a growl. Though others couldn't feel it, Kanaeru could sense him forcing Kyuubi's chakra back down.
"It's pointless." Tendou practically scoffed. "Your village failed to protect you. Your summons failed to defend you. You failed to save your village. You failed to rescue this girl." He turned to look up where Hinata…used to be. His gaze traveled down to see her still unmoving form resting near his feet.
He slightly tilted his head to one side. He hadn't heard the ground give way, yet the ledge she was resting on had most certainly crumbled. He could see the evidence. Instead of dwelling, he bent down to… He stopped and stood erect when he heard a child crying. "That chakra…"
Naruto's eyes went wide as he felt the unfamiliar yet nostalgic chakra. He couldn't place the strange feeling, but he knew one thing for certain. The bijuu sealed inside his body was oddly still. He felt his own chakra flow return to normal, and his rage no longer clouded his judgment.
When he heard gravel shuffle, he looked up to see Tendou land just away from the crater his last Shinra Tensei formed. His hard gazed stared into the distance. Naruto tried to crane his neck to look behind him. Worry entered his mind as he realized the destination of their gaze, the ruins of the Hokage tower.
He felt his eyes widen further and pupils dilate when he heard a child's scream. With renewed vigor, he struggled against the rods pinning him to the ruined lot. Even with senjutsu, he felt weak. He was helpless to help his village. He was helpless to save the child the remaining Pein was suddenly fixated on. Then he heard a phrase he didn't know to hope contrary to.
"What is the Hachibi no Ushi doing here?" A small bit of confusion crept into Tendou's voice. It was obvious Nagato wasn't expecting to run across both Akatsuki's remaining quarry. The child's cry subsided slightly, and the weight of the bijuu's chakra lessened. Tendou nodded in understanding. "I see."
He looked to Naruto for a moment as if evaluating him. The moment passed quickly, and the monstrous entity leapt away with an intense push of chakra. The blond genin was pelted with dirt, gravel, and bits of buildings. As he spat debris, he felt another chakra approaching.
Kanaeru knelt down as she approached her nephew, skidding on bare knees the last small distance. She ignored jagged rocks cutting into her flesh as she wrapped him in a fierce hug. Surprised at her actions, his body tensed. "Are you okay, kit?" Genuine worry echoed her churning chakra.
"I'm fine." He blinked, surprised at his own calmness. "Don't worry about me. Help Hinata-chan." Despite his pain, his first priority was his injured friend. He cared for her greatly; though, her confession hadn't fully sunk in. As much as he hated to admit it, he had bigger concerns at the moment.
Kanaeru shook her head. It wasn't an adamant refusal; he noted. She managed to cut off any argument by placing a finger to his lips. "She'll live, and Pein will forget about her as long as he can get you out of here." She looked past him to see a shadow user pinning him down. It was a temporary solution at best.
"He threatened to kill her and everybody in Konoha!" Her attention snapped right back to him. "He wasn't kidding! He could do it, and there's not a thing I can do!" He shook his head. "He just keeps getting stronger, and I can't use senjutsu forever…" He looked into her eyes, tears already welling. "Save Hinata-chan and get her out of here. He might forget about her and Konoha if he knows he can't bring me that pain."
A loud crack echoed through the war torn lot. It reverberated through the crater the prone figure of Hinata laid. Naruto looked up, wide-eyed from shock, as his red cheek throbbed in dull pain. He couldn't rub his cheek, and his eyes were glued to the quivering hand which just struck him.
Kanaeru hung her head. Her bangs shadowed her eyes, and her entire body shook. "Uzumaki Naruto doesn't give up." His eyes fixated on where hers were, hidden as they were. "Uzumaki Naruto is unpredictable. Uzumaki Naruto is tough, but he's invincible when his friends are in danger." She lifted her face, tears digging trails through the dirt on her face.
She tilted her face to one side as she forced a weak smile to her lips. "Do you know where I heard all that?" She didn't need an answer; his eyes were enough. His wide, curious eyes begged her for an answer. "You idiot, those words are from your friends. Sasame and Isaribi had nothing but praise for you while I was traveling with them."
Naruto looked down, feeling a bit of shame. A true smile graced Kanaeru's lips when she felt understanding flow through his chakra. She looked past him again to see Shikamaru thrown across the street to another ruined rooftop. As Chouji engaged Tendou, she knew there was little time left. "If senjutsu isn't enough, use your guts, kit!"
As he blinked in confusion, she rose and bit her thumb. She spread blood across her broken and battered chain-whip. It glowed like magma as she concentrated her chakra into it. She focused and forced all elemental chakra from her technique then closed her eyes. With a twist of her wrist, her whip lashed out and dug into the earth.
To Naruto, her movements looked like a dance. From what he remembered training with Jiraiya, Kanaeru was definitely performing some kind of ritual. She etched seals into the ground, but he recognized some as runes and glyphs the eldest toads talked about. He had to wonder how any ninja knew such ancient secrets, but such thoughts were driven from his mind quickly.
He felt the bijuu sealed within him react to the power emanating from the seal forming around him. He felt animalistic instincts welling from the pit of his stomach. He felt the red chakra and associated transformation. He fought it, but the seals and ritual seemed to make it stronger. Very soon, the world around him blacked out.
"Kit, what have you done?!" Naruto blinked as the large, red fox bellowed. He was obviously irritated. His chakra was also erratic. "I can feel the seal changing! My chakra…!" He didn't continue as he clenched his eyes shut in pain.
The jinchuuriki was about to say something when a bright glow caught his attention. He looked down to see the same seal Kanaeru was drawing in reality etched into the granite under his feet and holding water in his mindscape. The water bubbled and steamed, but he felt no heat.
Angry laughter echoed through the sewer-like mindscape. The jinchuuriki looked to the sealed fox as his entire body shook with amusement. His breathing grew labored as a choker appeared and tightened around his neck, but his laughter only grew louder. The symbol for Fuuinkougi appeared on the front of the collar, and it glowed brightly.
A cloak of chakra appeared around Kyuubi no Kitsune. It bubbled and steamed, but he could feel no heat coming off the enormous chakra entity. The same carving appeared under the great beast, and his laughter burst out like a solid object, rocking the room violently.
Naruto almost fell, but he could only stare wide-eyed at the odd display. He was at a complete loss for words. Not only was his tenant acting weird, his concern had melted to mirth almost as quickly as he had appeared. He didn't know what Kanaeru was up to, but he was worried about the stability of the seal.
"Oh, now this ought to be interesting!" The bijuu managed to speak clearly even as he laughed. "Hey kit, that wannabe god hurt your friend; didn't he? She likes you a lot; doesn't she?" His lips slit into an impossibly wide grin. "Let me at him, kit. Let me rip him to shreds. Let me feast on his entrails."
His lips parted in raucous laughter as he awaited an answer. When none came, all laughter suddenly stopped. Deadly silence pervaded the tunnels as echoes simply ceased and tremors died. "Answer me, kit!" His voice bellowed and commanded an affirmative.
Before he could answer, the sounds of battle reached his ears. Just as quickly, his mindscape faded from around him. No, it shattered like mirrors, briefly showing reflections of his altered appearance. His canines were elongated, and his whisker-like scars were deep and drawn out. His face was slightly fox-like, and he noticed tufts of hair sticking out like ears.
When shards like glass fell and shattered, he saw Kanaeru fighting Tendou. Her chain-whip was all but shattered, and she was covered in cuts and bruises. She held an arm limp at her side, and it bent at an awkward angle. Her breathing was heavy as she held back her last resort. She couldn't risk it while he was holding an innocent life under his arm.
Somehow, the girl was still fully aware as she was held aloft. Her face was covered in blood not her own. Her red hair was matted by blood, sweat and tears. Her eyes were wide with fright, and her dilated pupils spoke volumes of her distress. Seeing her in such a state, Naruto stretched out his senjutsu-enhanced senses.
Shikamaru was barely alive. He wasn't sure he could feel Chouji. Sakura and Ino were nearby, but their chakra flickered weakly as they applied their medical techniques. Tsunade and Shizune were unconscious, the former too close to death for his liking. Rikka's chakra was weak, but she was definitely alive and conscious.
Hinata's condition was unchanged.
"I never expected to have to kill one of your clan here." Tendou said calmly as he slowly approached Kanaeru. Naruto didn't know when it happened, but she was standing in front of him. Her jaw quivered as she tried to retort, but the last Pein continued without paying any heed. "I suppose you came for the bijuu inside that boy, but I'm afraid I need them for my own plans."
He closed the gap between them quickly, and she didn't have time to utter a reply. Naruto's eyes went wide when he saw a katana emerge from her back. As blood dripped off the tip, he heard her laugh. "Even if you can take me out, I'm not letting you take my family!"
Tendou jumped back, katana in hand, as a fist impacted the ground he once stood on. A crater formed and spread out from the force. Kanaeru attempted to follow through, but her strength gave out. As she fell face first into the dirt, she released a broken breath. "I'm sorry…my Naru-chan…" She tried to move her good arm to force herself up, but her muscles refused to listen to her.
Tendou and Naruto looked to the red-headed child as she screamed at the top of her lungs. "To have to kill a child…" He wiped the blood from her face with his cloak and spoke as she sobbed. "Do not fret for your sacrifice will bring peace to this world."
Naruto struggled against the rods, but he was so enraged he didn't notice that one at a shoulder had been loosened. "Let her go!" He bellowed. His voice was already at a lower-pitch as a growl stretched out his words. The fringe of his hair was highlighted red, but it was hard to tell if it was from chakra or something else.
Tendou only watched as the lines of the boy's face hardened. He idly noted that he didn't just look feral; he looked ready to kill. He sighed with a hint of disappointment. Was this apprentice of Jiraiya really as stupid as he sounded? The boy's struggle was completely pointless.
After a long moment, he finally shook his head. "Why should I do that? I hold all the pieces, and you are paralyzed and helpless." He paused to stare pointedly at his quarry. "You are in no position to make demands. Very soon, I will have the Kyuubi no Kitsune and Hachibi no Ushi, this village will be gone, and the world will be one step closer to peace."
Naruto's face contorted into confused anger. "'peace'?! How's any of this supposed to bring peace?!" He struggled against the rods pinning him down in a vain attempt to point out the state of his hometown, not even noting one moving with surprising ease. "All you want to do is use the accursed bijuu for some weapon of yours!"
Nagato knew the youth was Jiraiya's apprentice, but he was still mildly taken aback. It didn't matter to him how much the boy knew, however. Instead, he found himself mildly amused that the boy already knew his lot in life. Still, he didn't understand pain. As a fellow apprentice of Jiraiya, he wanted to know what the boy thought of peace.
Tendou shook his head. "This world of ninja is rotten, and I will tear it down and build it anew. I am the deity this world has been waiting for to deliver it into an era of peace." He sheathed his katana as he listened to the blond rant.
Naruto was unimpressed. "Yeah? Well I ain't buying it! You want to build a weapon to make it impossible for anybody to oppose you! How's that peace? That's just ruling people with fear!"
Tendou nodded. "Perhaps, but people can live without fear of losing their lives to war. In the end, people will be happy living lives of peace devoid of war." He paused only a moment to evaluate his quarry's expression. "No matter how much you or anybody else might despise it, I have a plan, Uzumaki Naruto. Tell me, do you? Did Jiraiya?"
Naruto opened his mouth to protest, to say he had an answer. Not even a breath escaped his throat. His gaze fell and he searched his mind for something, anything, to say. He knew Hinata remained in danger and Kanaeru was near death because of him, and he couldn't answer such a simple question! Worse, an innocent child was going to be made a pawn of his sick plans! There had to be something Jiraiya taught him!
"I see." Tendou said after a long moment of silence. "You disappoint me, Uzumaki Naruto. I was told you were quick on your feet and loved your friends more than your own life. If you can't even think on your own…" He paused to turn around. He continued as he walked to the crater he left to retrieve the child. "You've forfeited this girl's life." Though he held the red-haired girl, Naruto knew who he meant.
Tendou walked leisurely into the crater and picked Hinata up by her head. He observed her for a moment as she struggled against his grip, but she was too weak to really oppose him. Still, he was curious why she wasn't more defiant. He had seen shinobi of the leaf defy logic and fight on pure guts. As much as he hated Konoha, he was forced to acknowledge that many did fight for others, like Jiraiya.
He walked out of the crater. Hinata's limp figure swung like a pendulum under his harsh grip. He adjusted the red-haired girl once he passed the crater's ledge. She continued to sob, but she was much quieter than earlier. However, red chakra was slowly seeping out of her. He noted tufts of her hair darkening and hardening into bullhorn-like protrusions.
He shook his head. She was in no condition to run. Her emotions were boiling beneath the surface, but she didn't know how to control them properly. She didn't even have the necessary training to control chakra. Without the essential training, her nature was wild and untamed. He set her down; she was no threat.
He drew his katana and carefully scrutinized the Hyuuga he held in his grasp. She was young, and her eyes spoke something of pain. He empathized with familial loss, but he could feel pain he wasn't familiar with. Was it abuse? Her pain was still less than his. She couldn't understand the purpose of pain, and she didn't see him as a deity.
He was about to draw his katana back to take aim when he felt a chakra bearing down on him. The intent to kill was intense enough to startle him. He turned and parried the first strike. He tossed his captive before the second, and he jumped away as a third came from an impossible angle.
He cut down the Kage Bushin before the attacker had an opportunity to capitalize on temporarily outnumbering him. As he analyzed his new opponent, he was forced to wonder where she came from. She was definitely ANBU, and he smelled Hyuuga on her. He had no doubt she was from the prideful clan, but she attacked with such rage and power he almost, almost, doubted it.
Hawk stared down her opponent. Her mask was badly cracked, and slivers were falling from her face. Beneath, a scarred visage could almost be scene. One eye and her scarred mouth were clearly displayed, and her lips curled angrily as she spoke. "Put. Hinata-sama. Down." She punctuated her words with spikes of chakra, strained and stressed chakra.
Tendou shook his head. Were all shinobi of the leaf as dense as the blond jinchuuriki? Instead of letting her take his gesture as an answer, he spoke aloud. "She is necessary to show this boy true Pein. Nobody, including you, can stop me." He paused as he considered her features. "Don't worry, you'll join her soon."
She was about to rush him when she heard a tiny voice. She paused in her reckless charge, instantly recognizing the voice she could never forget. "Tsuba-chan…?" Hinata's voice was strained, small and weak. She was exhausted, and her chakra reserves were low. Even if she wanted to, she had no fight left in her. "Tsuba-chan…is that you?"
Hawk nodded. She had hoped her name, face, and presence was long forgotten. She closed her eyes remorsefully as she pushed the lump out of her throat. When she opened them, they were locked onto Tendou's in a resolute glower. "Yes Hinata-sama, I'm here. Tsubaki will always be there for you."
Ignoring the warning signs her body was giving her, she rushed in. Tsubaki, Hawk commander of ANBU, ignored her training. She ignored her orders, directly from Tsunade to stay away from Pein. Her eyes focused on the remaining Pein instead. He was tormenting Hinata. "He is tormenting precious Hinata, and he is going to pay!" Reason was lost to her.
She thrust a traditional juuken strike to his chest, and she immediately knew she didn't stand a chance. A simple maneuver allowed Tendou to slice a tendon from her elbow. Tsubaki spun madly, and an Achilles tendon was bisected. She fell to one knee and drew her katana from her scabbard. He planted her face in the dirt.
"I will allow you one final honor. After I send your mistress to the next world, I'll send you to join her. You won't have to tell your clan head of your failure." He calmly walked to where the adult Hyuuga laid the teenage heir. He ignored protests to put her down, leaver her alone, et cetera… He simply picked her up by her head again.
Before turning to face Naruto, Kanaeru, and Tsubaki, he sent a quick glance to Gayt and Star. They hadn't moved in a while, but something else was bothering him. In the back of his mind, something felt a little off. It went against logic, but he almost thought he heard Hinata call to the ANBU captain from two, different directions.
He analyzed the captive heir. She had no strength left to fight. She merely swung helplessly under his rough grip. As he fully faced the audience for the execution, he drew his katana back. He wondered how a torturous soul, like Orochimaru, might feel at such a moment. The warmonger would probably feel unduly proud. He would feel pleasure in causing pain.
Nagato scoffed at the very notion. Pain wasn't something to find pleasure in. It was something to use to cause growth. It was necessary to ascend to a higher plane of enlightenment. It was necessary for him to attain godhood, and it was something the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune needed to understand.
He took careful aim to ensure a quick, painless death. He stretched his senses out to ensure he wasn't going to be interrupted again. He wanted no more surprises, even if finding the Hachibi no Ushi's jinchuuriki was a pleasant one. The strange armored warrior and his human-like creature hadn't moved, and nobody new was near by.
Apathetically, he thrust his katana forward. Without resistance, it cut through the back of her neck and emerged out of her throat. She twitched momentarily as her spine was severed, halting motor functions. She couldn't gurgle a last breath or scream as her esophagus was also severed. He held her aloft for a moment as her body swung ominously like a pendulum from both breeze and final muscle spasms.
Then unceremoniously, he released his grip from her head and let her slide off his blade. He noted the lack of resistance he felt, but he was more interested in his quarry's sudden and drastic change. He watched the rage-filled entity with the same impassive gaze he had as he snuffed out life.
Naruto pawed the ground as he stood on all fours. Six tails erratically swung behind him as a pelt of red chakra boiled and sizzled. The self-proclaimed god didn't seem impressed by the display before him. He didn't back away or prepare for battle. He stared dispassionately at the rage-driven chakra entity.
Karin's eyes went wide as her head jerked back. She stared into the distance, dumbfounded and stammering for the right words. Sasuke noticed the change in her mood immediately, and he was short of patience. "What is it, Karin?"
She opened her mouth to open, but promptly shut it with a click. She concentrated on the feeling she just had. "Well, I don't know... The Hyuuga that was fighting...I can't sense 'em. It's like...whoever it was...just disappeared." She didn't like the idea of being perplexed.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes dangerously. As he focused chakra to his legs, Madara decided to speak up. "That's not what we agreed to, Sasuke-kun." He didn't even turn to face the teenage shinobi as he continued. "If the Hyuuga your interested in dies, it's all part of the game. We'll see what Pein does from here." An amused undertone entered his voice. "Besides, isn't there another Hyuuga you can use?"
Sasuke hated to admit it, but there was little he could do against his ancestor. If he didn't have Naruto and one of only two Hyuuga he knew, reviving his clan was going to be more difficult. He could do it himself with a female, but revival would be slow. He forcibly calmed, and relaxed his muscles. As his chakra returned to normal, he concentrated on Karin. "Is she dead or not, Karin?"
She nodded, slowly. "Yeah… I can't sense her chakra anymore. Naruto's chakra spiked, and it's…tainted. I can…sense the rage and killing intent in it." She waited for Madara's reaction. She knew Sasuke was well aware of her abilities. When she received none, she continued with only a slightly annoyed pitch to her tone. "I think his bijuu is taking over. He has a lot more chakra than a moment ago." She looked to Sasuke. "He's mad. I don't mean just normal mad; I mean intense enough to permeate his chakra."
He nodded. "That's enough, Karin." He glared vehemently at his elder. "I'm certain whoever Pein killed was close enough to that idiot for him to dig deep into Kyuubi's chakra." He couldn't guarantee it was either Hinata or Neji, but he couldn't take changes. "Suigetsu, initiate our secondary plan."
Before Madara could say anything, he dispersed into water and absorbed into the ground. The Uchiha elder merely chuckled. His revealed eye remained focused on the village in the distance. "Very good, Sasuke-kun. You're surprisingly prepared." He nodded in interest. "You continue to intrigue me."
Sasuke knew better than to take his back-handed compliment as anything more than an insult. If Madara was intrigued, it was for his own benefit only. Hawk was in a great deal of danger if the Uchiha elder ever decided they were of no more use. He narrowed his eyes. It wasn't a new realization, but he had the feeling a new mission was coming their way.
The pressure was intense, and the shockwave that followed was something they were not ready for. Even Gai was thrown from the tree branches they were racing across to the ground. Most managed to land on their feet, but some were forced to roll to keep from eating dirt. They looked back to the village in concern.
"What was that?!" Kiba nearly yelled in surprise. Beside him, Akamaru yelped in concern. The canine-like shinobi felt his eyes go wide, and he nearly bit his tongue when he translated what his partner said. "That's Naruto?!" He whistled. "Man, musta gone off the deep end."
"I suspect a horrific event has caused his transformation." Shino quietly observed as his insects relayed the same information he was sure Akamaru gave Kiba. He turned to curious onlookers who did not share such astute senses. "Naruto draws on tainted chakra. He may no longer be in control of his faculties."
Inoichi heaved a sigh. "What's that kid gone and gotten himself into, this time?" He shook his head. Releasing the bijuu's chakra inside the village was not going to do any good for his reputation. As he was about to continue, he felt Katsuyu tense on his shoulder. He looked to the fraction of the great slug awaiting her words.
She began carefully and slowly. "Tsunade-sama has passed out from chakra exhaustion. It is strange, but I have new casualties to report." She paused. "I'll get to that later. For now, Yuuhi Rikka will update us on the situation." She went silent and blinked her eyes as she waited.
"I'm afraid I have some bad news." Rikka started hesitantly. A sad tinge echoed through her voice. Strangely, she was quiet and solemn. She continued before anybody could interrupt. "Hinata fought bravely to defend Naruto, but…" They felt more than heard her sob. It was like a physical slap to the face.
They felt the odd urge to look to the sky, and there they saw a worrisome sight. The midday sun was stained red as crimson blood. "Naruto…" Rikka paused to collect her thoughts. "Naruto jumped into a six-tailed state." She waited for surprised gasps to work their way out.
"Pein is having a hard time defending against him in the village. You guys should hurry up and find his main body. I'm not sure how long Naruto can last." Again, her sob was like a physical slap to the face. Her emotions seemed to be breaking partway through her chakra limiter. "Katsuyu says…says his body's breaking apart!"
"Please!" They felt the weight of her plea like added pressure, and their breathing became labored. "Hurry! Find and punish the man responsible! Hinata… Hinata…" They felt her heartfelt tears. "She's dead!" Unaware, she pushed her emotional state through her chakra limited. The full weight of her sadness and despair pushed their way onto each of their minds.
Then they felt the rage. Rikka was enraged, but they felt another's… They were certain they didn't feel Naruto's rage through the chakra link Rikka and Katsuyu created. Instead, they were certain the rage was familial in nature… They looked up in recognition.
Not too far away, they felt a team catching up to them. Team Gai wasn't very far away, and they were gaining at breakneck speeds. Neji led the way as he tore through foliage. His countenance was the definition of rage. His eyes seemed to boil with rage, and his scowl was deep and filled with hate. The Hyuuga prodigy was on the warpath.
Behind him, Tenten and even Lee barely managed to keep pace. They were falling slowly behind, but they were admirably not falling too short. Before they could fall further behind, Gai leapt into the trees and grabbed Neji out of midair. He was not about to let his students rush into certain death.
He didn't say anything as the usually stoic prodigy squirmed and threw insults. He remained silent as Tenten and Lee stared at him questioningly. He simply continued to hold his student aloft as the rage boiled out of him. He knew, knew, his students would come face-to-face with the shinigami if they continued forward.
It pained him, but they could not avenge a gentle shinobi's life.
Shikaku and Inoichi approached and gently rubbed the shoulders of the teammates left to watch. It was a hard sight to behold. They knew how it felt to watch a friend and teammate go through the throws of pain, regret, remorse, guilt, hatred, denial, and manic desire to maim, kill, and destroy.
Kanaeru held her bleeding gut as she forced herself to sit and watch. She glared harshly at Gayt and Star, who remained unmoving. Unflinchingly, they returned her gaze. She elected to watch her nephew struggle with Pein and with himself. Soon, very soon, he would face a different kind of trial.
Naruto could no longer be considered Uzumaki Naruto. He was something else entirely. The red chakra around him was thick enough to take on a physical presence. It was like a thick pelt, an impenetrable armor. If anything, he was like the Kyuubi no Kitsune reborn. The human was lost under the poisonous, rage-filled chakra. Every negative emotion known to the blond genin was brought boiling to the surface.
Tendou was forced to retreat. He couldn't touch the chakra. His first attempt to quell the raging beast nearly burned his arm off. He was lucky to get away sleeveless and with first-degree burns on his hand and wrist. He wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.
He twisted and dodged until he was directly between the beast and Hokage tower. He wondered if enough humanity was left to stay more destructive tendencies. As the beast gathered charka into a dense ball, he knew his answer. He held his hands out, fingers outstretched, and concentrated on his powerful technique.
The beast swallowed the dense ball of chakra and grew plump. For a moment, the fat beast sunk into the ground. Its density was too great for the ruined lot. With a ferocious bellow, it shrank to normal size and grew a seventh then eighth tail. Tendou felt a foreign emotion touch his mind from Nagato, fear. Nevertheless, he stood his ground.
The great beast leapt at him, and Tendou felt his pupils dilate. His eyes did not widen in his surprise, but he sent out a pulse of Shinra Tensei. He was certain the great beast would be blown away. He was surprised when it instead hung aloft far too close for comfort. It could easily rake his entire body.
"You think that would work on me?!" The Kyuubi bellowed within the shared mindscape. His words still couldn't reach reality, but he felt in perfectly control of the situation. His host felt unadulterated rage, and the dark, negative emotion allowed him to creep in and take control of his muscles and reactions. It was odd, and it made him seem like a mindless drone attacking misguided.
Tendou suddenly felt pressure on him. It was familiar and not at the same time. He had only pushed it out before, never received it. With a renewed push, he was sent sailing threw the air and into the distant cliff face. He barely missed slamming into the shelters hidden behind the First and Second's faces. The Third's were unoccupied and freshly revealed to the world. There was nothing behind the Fourth and Fifth's.
"I underestimated you, Kyuubi no Kitsune. You took whatever that Hyuuga girl did and repeated it." He leapt out of the newly formed crater in time to avoid two claws dissecting him. He watched as the remains of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth's faces fell to the forest below. "However, you still cannot win like this. Perhaps you have come to understand true Pein, but you are no deity."
He leapt from where he was standing as the great beast pounced on his position. He turned and fled into the forest. "Unfortunately, I can't beat you here. I must get closer and draw even greater power. You will see my ability to create a moon. You, Kyuubi no Kitsune, will soon know your place. Come, become a tool for peace instead of war."
"Come back here, human! Let me feast on you until there are only bones left! Let me sip the marrow from your discarded corpse! Don't be afraid! I'll make your death as painful as you so seem to enjoy!" Kyuubi laughed haughtily from within the mindscape. "To think that little vixen would show me such a useful jutsu. I'll remember you. I'll burn your image into kit's mind, if he survives this."
They moved deeper into the forest, and the great beast only relished in the pursuit. His prey was easy to follow. His sent was unique, and his chakra was not suppressed. He didn't even try to disguise his trail. It was like tracking a human toddler. "Who'd have thought Suiton was so useful. It was her primary, but her eyes gave her a distinct advantage."
The Kyuubi analyzed the situation surprisingly well for moving at a maddening pace. Unlike humans, he didn't succumb to adrenaline so easily. His mind was still lucid even if the body was not. He felt Naruto's heart pump furiously to keep up the pace, and his muscles quaked with pain. Still, he continued to chase his quarry with little else on his mind but to end the pain and suffering.
"She actually took a mind/space jutsu and moved it through her own body. Doton, however, prevented her from any kind of control. She was forced to ground the unnatural energy. Fuuton, however, was much more accommodating. I just had to hold it down until the direction was just right and force was taut. Foolish human, you didn't even see your own weakness!"
Finally, he saw his prey enter a clearing and come to a complete stop. "Oh, you realize your destiny and have come to face it head on? Well, come at me human! Give me a party I'll remember!" He forced instinct into Naruto's muscles. The great beast pounced at Tendou with maw wide and claws outstretched. The glorious hunt was at an end.
The last remaining Pein stretched his palms out, but he did not take aim at the great beast approaching. "You have sunk to new depths of stupidity, Uzumaki Naruto. You let the beast control your mind without even attempting to tame it. You fall at the hands of the great deity of peace, Shinra Tensei!"
Deep grooves carved into the earth. Trees around the clearing heaved to and fro as the earth was rent beneath them. Great lesions surrounded the shadow of the great beast, and Tendou was lifted high into the air by a sudden pillar of earth. From the swaths, chunks of earth hurdled at the airborne chakra entity.
The great beast bellowed and yowled as earth pelted and surrounded it. The human encased within the charka armor remained unharmed by the technique, but he was under constant pain from the poisonous, negative chakra anyway.
Tendou looked on unremorsefully. "Look, beast, as this deity creates a new moon of peace."
I am terribly, awfully, agonizingly sorry this chapter update is so late! Yes, I realize it is two weeks late! I had several things come up, and an omake was impossible to come up with. I explain all of it in my new forum. I promise it makes a lot more sense explained there than I ever could here. I also have a new poll out, and I'll be running it until the end of the year or an overwhelming majority votes for one of the choices, whichever comes first.
Anyway, a lot happens here. Yes, I am still Dragon Against Evil. My account was not hacked to bring you this update, and I will be hiding in a hole for the next two weeks...or until I can get a new update out. I might be persuaded to release an update early to make up for my absurdly long absence, but flames will not help. Though, I have a feeling some may well figure out whatever I have up my sleeves. Um, enjoy!
As always, reviews are appreciated, and flames outright ignored.
Story Word Count: 8,003
Story Page Count: 16.5
Terms and Jutsu:
shinigami - death god: Basically, you're one touch away from death if you meet one.
Version 2.0: I carefully come of hiding to deliver upon you...horizontal rulers! I have absolutely no idea how I missed those, but the flow is terrible without them. No other major changes!