serialkeller: That they did.
AAG: Yeah, some of them have felt off to me even. Sometimes the chapters just don't want to be written, sometimes they come fairly easy. Hopefully this final chapter is good enough for people.
Foxstar: You'll just have to read to find out.
Chapter 30
(Konoha)
Three days had passed since Menma returned. Surprisingly the civilians evacuated from Suna had arrived that day. Three days, a pace normally only achieved by ninja. Perhaps it was their fear that drove them to such speeds.
When the allied force had originally left for Suna they had left roughly half of their ninja behind to police the village. Each day more of those that were left behind were called out.
Few of them ever returned.
(Suna - Near Konoha Border)
"It's troublesome, but all we can do now is delay it," Shikamaru said.
"But what they're doing is suicide!" Chōji shouted.
As the trio watched a group of Akimichi grew to gigantic proportions and latched on to the beast, pulling it back into the desert and away from Fire Country. The beast's corrosive aura was decaying their bodies as they dragged it away. When one would fall, he would be quickly replaced with another. Chōji's father, Chōza was in front of the beast, pushing it back by the shoulders.
Shikamaru frowned and adopted his thinking pose. The moment he closed his eyes he heard a cry of "Father!" as Chōji dropped down from the cliff they were on and raced forward. He jerked his eyes open to find Chōza had been bitten by the creature. They could see his strength finally beginning to fail as he decayed from the legs up as well as the neck down. The rest of the clan members that had been helping had all succumbed, allowing the beast to make its way forward again.
"Chōji! Damn it!" Shikamaru was unable to latch on to his friend with his shadow and stop him from doing anything stupid. He and Ino jumped down the cliff after him. Shortly after a gigantic Chōji slammed into the beast right next to his father, causing it to stagger back.
"You... shouldn't be here..." Chōza gasped out.
Chōji turned and opened his mouth to speak but instead coughed up blood. Looking down he saw one of the beasts tails piercing his heart. He collapsed without being able to respond to his father. Chōza collapsed right after him, the strain of the corrosive aura and his son's death too much for him.
As he collapsed countless shadows flew out and latched onto the Jūbi. Shikamaru and Ino stood at the base of the cliff stunned. "Chōji..." Shikamaru said in shock.
Shikamaru grit his teeth and again took his thinking pose. As the shadows from the Nara clan bound the creature the members of the Yamanaka clan tried to invade either the creature's mind, or the woman's standing on top. Neither would work. They were both too alien for even Inoichi to invade. They cursed their uselessness.
The Jūbi seemed to become annoyed that it was being constantly restrained and pushed back. Taking a moment to seemingly inhale it let loose a roar that blew everyone off their feet. The ranks of Nara and Yamanaka were broken from the roar. Ino and Shikamaru were blasted backwards into the cliff behind them.
After the dust cleared Shikamaru groaned and propped himself on arms. Looking around he found Ino laying nearby with a growing puddle beneath her. Ignoring the pain he crawled over to her.
"Shi..ka..." Ino said, blood flowing from her mouth.
Shikamaru looked her over and silently cursed. She needed immediate medical attention. Gathering her up in his arms he tried to stand. "I'll find a medic right awa-aagh!" he collapsed as soon as he stood, the previously broken bone in his leg tearing through the muscle and skin.
"Sor...ry..." Ino managed to say before the light faded from her eyes.
"Ino! INO!" When he checked and found no pulse he quietly laid her back down. "Goodbye... you troublesome woman," he turned his head to look out to where his other friend fell, tears streaming down his face. "Goodbye... Chōji."
(Konoha)
It was late at night and Menma was taking a walk. He walked through the previously abandoned sections of the village that now house civilians and still some ninja from around the Elemental Nations. He had spent much of the day watching the people. Just a few short weeks ago these people had been bitter enemies. Most of them would have happily watched the others die.
It was only now that the world was ending that they came together.
Menma's walk had taken him to a place he didn't know of. It was a fairly good sized clearing in the woods with a pond. As he approached he caught sight of the moon hanging in the sky. He stopped as he reached the edge of the pond and stared up at the moon.
'Nearly full. How much longer? One day? Two?'
He brought his gaze down to his reflection in the pond. His long shaggy black hair covering his Rinnegan eye. If he were wearing armor and still carrying that giant fan he would look just like Madara.
He thought back on what Honoka had told him about her past and how she met Madara.
'He was the one that set all of this in motion. He started it all, and now Honoka-sensei wants to end it all.' He suddenly didn't like the fact that he resembled that man and came to a decision.
Tomorrow he was getting a haircut.
He hurried back to his apartment. He had slept with Tayuya again that night and she would worry if she woke up and he was missing.
(Fire Country)
The Aburame clan had been breeding their insects to resist demonic chakra since Kurama attacked the village all those years ago and they were ready to test them out.
The Nara that hadn't died from the roar or from the flying debris it caused had returned to bind the creature again.
In an effort to reduce casualties and find out if the insects worked, all Hyūga were taught the Hakkeshō Kaiten and stationed with the Nara and Aburame members.
With how many of the Nara had been killed they couldn't do much more than slow the creature down, but it was enough. As the insects started to pile on to the creature, Honoka flew up into the air, watching. Any insects that came for her were quickly blasted away.
When the beast was fully covered in the insects it screeched in pain before wrapping itself up in its tails, creating a cocoon. Shortly after the insects all died as the cocoon quickly filled with the beasts corrosive aura. Everything began silent for a few moments, leaving everyone on edge.
When the Jūbi yanked its tails out of the way it shot a beam towards the gathered ninja. It started to its left and swept across the field destroying everyone. Some of the later Hyūga to be hit attempted to block it with Kaiten, but the beam popped their rotations like bubbles. Everyone caught within the beam was vaporized, leaving nothing behind.
Behind the wave of destruction stood Gaara. He glared up at the beast. It had waltzed through their defenses at Suna like they didn't even exist. His home was gone, and it was time for some payback. He had moved closer to Konoha and had spent every second waiting for the beast and grinding sand.
When the beast reached the point where he had been grinding sand the earth beneath it crumbled and revealed a giant sand trap. As the beast sank into the sand a giant tsunami appeared in front of Gaara and crashed down on the beast. When it was completely submerged in sand he clenched his fist to crush the creature.
Instead he felt something ominous rushing through his sand towards him. At the last second his gourd was cut off and he was snatched away from it by the Mizukage. The sand had all turned a sickly black color, like the miasma that poured off the beast.
"Are you alright?" Mei asked him, getting a nod in return. The two of them quickly fell back to the next defensive line.
(Konoha)
It was late once again. Menma had gotten his hair cut that day. He had decided to go with a hairstyle similar to his fathers, and was amused by the odd reactions he received to the Rinnegan eye that was no longer covered.
He had spent the last several hours cleaning up his desk. Rolling up, tying, and replacing all the scrolls he had on it. There was no real reason behind it, he just wanted to keep his hands busy, as he had finished his preparations earlier.
A moan from the bed pulled his attention to the naked girl. She had apparently kicked off the covers sometime during her sleep. He smiled before walking over to the bed. After pulling the covers back up and giving her a kiss on the forehead he moved to the window.
He looked up at the moon again. 'Not quite there yet. Probably... tomorrow.'
He felt guilty. How many people were out there fighting and dying because he was being indecisive? His plans were all made and ready, so why did he hesitate? He frowned. He knew why. Even if they weren't related by blood. Even if she wanted to destroy everything. She had been the first one there for him. She had raised him.
The only way to end this nightmare was to kill his own mother.
(Fire Country - 1 day from Konoha)
Jiraiya had decided to join in the Inuzuka's defense line, despite Tsunade's protests.
"Let's show this thing what Inuzuka are made of!" Roared out Tsume.
The rest of her clan also roared out before they all transformed into giant multi-headed dogs with their canine partners.
Jiraiya summoned Gamabunta and stood on his head. "This is our last stand, 'Bunta. Let's show them what toads can do."
The toad grunted and placed a hand on his tantō. The two followed as the Inuzuka members became giant drills and flew towards the Jūbi.
These too seemed to be effective as the beast screeched and flailed with each drill and sword strike. The group was warily watching the tails to see if it would try to cocoon itself again. They were so focused on the tails that they didn't bother with what they assumed to be blood landing on them. The beast seemed to be twisting and turning with each hit to make sure the attacker was sprayed with it.
It wasn't until they started feeling sick that they realized their mistake. Resigning themselves to their fate they decided to attack in one large final push, driving the creature back before they all fell.
The survivors turned to flee but were confused to see the Uchiha brothers step forward with looks of grim determination on their faces.
"Avoid that blood," Itachi told his younger brother.
"I know."
Giant yellow and violet man-like constructs formed around the two.
"I'll support you from here," Sasuke said. Itachi nodded and moved into melee range.
Sasuke's Susanoo began firing arrows at the beast. The first couple of arrows it simply tried to block with tails, but they were pierced, causing the beast to shriek. It then changed to knocking the arrows to the ground when they came within range.
When Itachi closed in the beast tried maneuvering Itachi into Sasuke's line of sight to prevent the arrows. It partially succeeded, allowing it to devote some tails to blocking and parrying Itachi's strikes.
When Itachi managed to cut off one of its tails the beast screeched and latched on to his Susanoo with all of its remaining tails, pulling him in front to block Sasuke's arrows. While he was being used as a shield the beast pummeled his Susanoo with its arms and started charging up an attack. As it neared completion it hurled Itachi and his Susanoo out of the way and fired at Sasuke.
Sasuke brought up the shield to block the attack but found Itachi had managed to get in front of him in time to block the attack. Sasuke stood stunned for a moment before grabbing him and hurling him aside, but the damage had already been mostly absorbed. The beam had destroyed Itachi's Susanoo and only did minimal damage to Sasuke.
Dispelling Susanoo he rushed over to Itachi to find him barely alive. When he was tossed aside the beam had broken through his Susanoo and destroyed the lower half of his body.
"It's... up to you now... to create a new... Uchiha..." with those words Itachi passed away.
The call to retreat was sounded.
The final defense had been broken.
The Jūbi's path to Konoha was clear.
(Konoha - 1 day later)
Menma sat at his desk, cleaning up the last scrolls. Only two remained. He looked at the one he was holding. It was a scroll on the bijū and jinchūriki.
'Human sacrifice, huh?' he rolled up the scroll, tied it securely and dropped it back onto the desk.
He picked up the last scroll and shook his head. 'A sign maybe?' He tied it as he stood from the desk and tossed it down as he walked over to the window before jumping out.
Had he been paying attention the string might have been tied properly and kept the scroll shut. Instead, it came undone and the scroll slowly unfurled.
Menma moved up the side of his apartment building and sat on the roof. As he glanced around he noticed several exhausted and defeated looking ninja arriving in the village. He glanced up and could see the Jūbi approaching in the distance.
He glanced up at the moon. 'Figures it would arrive when the moon was full.'
He turned his gaze to the Hokage Monument, specifically his father's face. With a sigh he stood.
Sacrifice had worked in the past, why shouldn't it now?
"I just hope they put me on the Memorial Stone."
He dropped inside and gave the sleeping Tayuya a kiss. "Goodbye."
He quickly gathered up what he would need and teleported away. He never noticed the tears on Tayuya's cheeks.
(Jūbi's Head)
"So, you've finally come," Honoka said without turning to face him.
"I have."
"And? Have you made your choice?" She turned to face him.
Menma nodded. "I have," he paused. "I'll join you."
Honoka's face broke out into a smile and she walked forward to wrap him in a hug. "I knew you wouldn't leave me alone."
Menma nodded and wrapped his arms around her... and placed an improved paralysis seal on her lower back. He stood back and looked at her.
"I'm sorry," he frowned. "But you're right. This is a one-way ticket for both of us. We'll be together forever."
He placed a hand on her and teleported the two of them away before turning to face the Jūbi.
He brought his hands together and focused his energy until he had an orb the size of a melon between them. After releasing it he muttered out "Chibaku Tensei." and slammed his hands together.
"No! Why are you doing this?!" Honoka cried out.
Menma watched on impassively as the Jūbi, standing around confused without it's controller, was immediately sucked up towards the sphere. "Because the world doesn't need people like us anymore."
"That's why we should destroy it!" She shrieked.
"Is that the only option? Besides, with the damage you've already caused people will have a tough time just surviving after this."
"W-what?" Honoka asked confused.
"Just because it rejected us, do we have to destroy it? Why not just leave it?" He frowned, this was draining a lot more chakra than he had anticipated.
Honoka who's paralysis was beginning to wear off just looked at him. "We... can we leave?"
He looked back and gave her a sad smile. "I told you already, one-way ticket."
"Why is it one-way?"
He turned back to the moon in creation. "It's one-way because you don't have the ability and with how much chakra this is taking, it'll kill me."
"You would go so far for them?"
Menma nodded. "I told you before that I had people that acknowledged me. It's never been that many, but I only ever needed just the one. Everyone else was a bonus."
"Then why are you letting me live? I've caused them pain and suffering!"
"Because you were the one. I always thought of you as my mother. What kind of son would I be if I killed you? Although, to be fair, I will be sealing you in a dimension by yourself with the Jūbi. That's not really any better."
Honoka stared at him. "You're really not going to kill me?"
"Nope. I don't think time passes in there either, so you'll live forever. A present for raising me, I guess." The moon completed and he staggered before dropping to a knee. He took a few moments to catch his breath before placing a hand on her and teleporting the two of them on top of the moon.
Menma took a moment to gaze down at the village. He could make out all the people staring up at the moon.
Honoka remained motionless like the seal was still working as she studied him. 'He would really go so far as to sacrifice himself for me?'
Menma turned and walked over behind her before crouching. He placed one hand on the moon and the other on her foot. "I just... wanted to say thank you. Thank you for feeding me that night, for caring. Thank you... for raising me... mom."
He focused all of his chakra into his next technique. A distortion appeared on the far side of the moon that appeared to be a vortex. It slowly enveloped the moon as more and more of Menma's chakra was fed into it. When the vortex reached about a quarter of the moon Menma began breathing irregularly, blood trickling down his nose.
Honoka looked down at him. 'Mother? He...'
The seal on his left forearm broke. Kurama's chakra flooded into him and the vortex reached three-quarters.
'Can I really just let him do this? He... he was the first to acknowledge me too.'
The vortex slowed and nearly stopped. Blood started trickling from his other nostril and his breathing turned into panting. 'It's not enough. Shit.' Menma grit his teeth. His vision blurred and darkened. Just then he felt chakra flowing into him from his shoulder. He jerked his head up to find Honoka's hand on his shoulder and tears streaming down her face.
"What kind of mother would I be if I let my son sacrifice himself alone?"
Her raven hair turned white as she withered and aged before his darkening vision. Just before he collapsed the vortex consumed the moon and they were gone.
(Konoha)
The entire village had witnessed the Jūbi sealed up into the new moon before it vanished. Tsunade had sent Kakashi to Menma's apartment immediately that same night to tell him whatever his plan was that it worked.
All he found was an unresponsive Tayuya staring lifelessly out the window at the moon that had been created and vanished.
It wasn't very hard for them to put the pieces together. Tsunade had spread news to the village the next day. She revealed Menma's heritage and how he had defeated the Jūbi.
Namikaze Naruto, along with his mother, Namikaze-Uzumaki Kushina, were buried next his father the following day. The Namikaze name would become renowned as the greatest family of heroes to grace the village and even the Elemental Nations within a week.
Konoha had survived. The Elemental Nations had survived. With the Fire Country being the only untainted land and the numbers that had died during the Jūbi's trek across the land, life would be difficult for many years to come. People would have to work together just to survive. But there was a silver-lining to it all.
There were no more countries to wage wars against each other. Everyone was gathered in a single country, a single village. Everyone shared the same pain. Everyone had lost friends and family. There were no more bijū to fight over or against. Ninja turned their jutsu from destructive powers to constructive. Water and earth to help grow crops. Fire to clean out tainted forests. Lightning and wind for power generation.
It wouldn't be long before Fire Country and Konoha were renamed by its new unified people. They had come together and broken the cycle.
They had a bright new future ahead of them. A future where their children wouldn't know war. A future where they would no longer maim and kill. A future where they worked with their neighbors instead of against them. A future of peace.
A future without hatred.
~Fin~
A/N:
If people are interested enough I'll do a short epilogue. Tell you which characters all died, which survived, what they're doing, and all that. Otherwise you can imagine whatever you want for them and this story is officially over.
As I've said numerous times in notes and reviews over the course of this story, this was my first time writing. I've got an idea of some of my flaws that I need to work on now, but still, please review. If you can point anything out that I can work on, it'll help me improve.
I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. (At least certain parts. I liked Wave, that was fun. I felt I sucked it up on some of the other arcs.)
I'm still on the fence about writing anything else. I have a few other ideas, but none of them are really fleshed out well enough yet. I might post what I have on my profile in case people want to see them. If they want me to try writing them, or want to take them on themselves as a challenge or something.
I started this story out at a quick pace and decided I wanted to keep that pace up. Some of the chapters of the story suffered because of it. So, any future stories I write won't be updated nearly as often as this one was. I'll only post chapters once I feel they are done, which could lead to big gaps between them.
And a little something extra for those that actually take the time to read the notes and followed through to the end...
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Two weeks had passed. Kakashi had taken it upon himself to look after Tayuya. He would stop by every few days to make sure she was eating properly and try to convince her to leave the apartment once in a while. When he arrived, it was the same as every other day so far.
Tayuya sat by the window, staring out with soulless glassy eyes.
Kakashi frowned and sat in the chair at the desk. "So, feel like going out? We can get ramen. You know... since his..." He frowned, bad choice. "How about some some music?"
Tayuya remained unresponsive.
He sighed and looked over at the desk. All but one of the scrolls had been rolled up and neatly stored. The one that remained was open and laying out where anyone could see it. He pulled the scroll over to him and looked it over curiously. It was a scroll with a technique on it.
"Kamui, huh?"