Chapter Five: Conquest and War

"So, that's it, then?" Sasuke asked. Kakashi nodded. He had just finished explaining the situation to the Uchiha. "And Naruto's part of this whole thing?"

"We're pretty sure Datenshi wasn't lying about that," Kakashi grumbled. He sat down in his chair and spun it slowly while he considered what to do. "Naruto's away from the village right now on a wild goose chase while we evacuate. There's not much we can do right except wait it out."

"How is he going to do it?" Mikoto asked quietly.

Kakashi shrugged. "We don't know. Naruto hasn't been able to get him to spill that."

"Are you sure I'm not part of this as well?" Sasuke asked. Kakashi spun his chair to face the Uchiha. He lifted an eyebrow. "I mean, Naruto and I seem to be a pair for things like this."

"There's only four," Kakashi said. "You aren't one of them."

Sasuke sighed and leaned against the wall. "So that's the plan? Just wait it out?"

"Right now, yes. We can't capture Datenshi or the children."

Sasuke gripped the hilt of his sword. "I'll take care of that," he said. "One look at my Sharingan and that man will be singing his plans for us."

"I don't think it will be that simple," Kakashi said, but he didn't stop Sasuke as he started for the door. "You should stay here, Mikoto," the Hokage said. "There's a lot that we have to talk about, and I'd rather you evacuate with us."

"Is that safe?" Sasuke asked from the doorway. "Should we be treating the dead like the living?"

Kakashi clenched his fists. Sasuke had a good point, but he didn't admit that. "We'll figure it out," he said quietly. "But, Sasuke… If push comes to shove…"

"Then I'll kill him myself," Sasuke growled before slamming the door behind him.

Naruto stared at the expanse of woods and frowned. How were they supposed to find an ancient scroll here without even knowing where to look? He hated that he was doubting everything, but there was hardly anything to go on. They literally had nothing. "Hey, kid, keep up!" Tenten called. Naruto frowned and stood on the branch he was crouching on. The brunette landed next to him and smiled. "You're uncharacteristically down today."

"That comes with finding out that you apparently are to end the world with three strangers."

Tenten smiled softly. "You know, you sound an awful lot like Neji way back when."

Naruto frowned. "Neji was right," he said. "All we do is our destiny. How can I disagree with him when I myself have fulfilled a prophecy?"

"Is that what you believe?" Tenten asked.

"What else am I supposed to believe?" Naruto snapped.

"You're supposed to believe that it's only your destiny if you want it to be," Tenten retorted. "You wanted to save the world, so you did. Who cares about some prophecy? You made that choice, Naruto!"

Naruto looked down at his hands. What could he say to make this better; to make this work? "Did I?"

"Did you?" she returned. Naruto didn't answer. He hadn't wanted the world to end in that false peace, so he fought against it, prophecy be darned.

But was it? He asked himself. Was I really in control of my thoughts, or did some predetermined force tell me that I didn't want the world to end, so I didn't? And if that's true, what will happen this time? Will my mind be swayed? Will I start to see it his way? Does the world really deserve to keep on living? Naruto shook his head and shuddered. Even if Datenshi wasn't there, he felt the man's presence and influence in his head. "I don't know, Tenten."

"Well, until you do know, help us defy your fate," she said and then she jumped to another branch to catch up to the others. Naruto followed. He stayed silent until they found themselves in a clearing.

"Stop!" he called to his group. He felt something. "It's here! The town is here!"

Hinata and the others landed in front of him. No one questioned how Naruto knew that. "So, we start digging?" Minato asked.

"Looks like it."

Naruto nodded and created multiple Shadow Clones and Sai painted several creatures with shovels. Minato frowned. "We don't want to destroy anything. I know we're in a hurry, but we should respect this place. Naruto, I want you to dig in the center, Hinata to the North, Sai to the South and Tenten and I will dig East and West. Dig slowly. We don't want to miss anything."

Naruto frowned. He didn't like his father taking over, but he also didn't argue. There was no point. He stood in the center with his clones and took a deep breath, trying to find what he was looking for, but there was nothing. He shrugged and started digging with the help of his clones.

They dug until the sky started turning dark crimson as the blood sun finished its daily arch, but they still had found nothing except for a few pots, but nothing to indicate a city had once been there. "I thought for sure it was here," Naruto whispered. They had all but destroyed the clearing, but to no avail. They had nothing for their efforts.

"Is this how you choose to spend your last days on earth? Playing in the dirt?"

Naruto gasped and spun. Datenshi was there with the two children. Everyone in the clearing stopped and grabbed their weapons. "What do you want?"

"To check the progress of your attempts to stop my apocalypse. So far, it seems I have nothing to worry about."

"Have you come to gloat?" Naruto asked.

"Why would I want to gloat?" Datenshi asked. "Victory is nothing. This isn't a fight, Naruto, it's a struggle you all face, but will eventually lose, like a child drowning in the middle of a great ocean. He may be a strong swimmer, and he may put up a good effort, but it is no fight. His end is inevitable and his fate has been sealed. He will tire, he will grow weak, he will grow disheartened and eventually he'll stop struggling and he will let the water rush into his lungs and he will die. That is what awaits you all here."

Naruto clenched his fists, but it was Hinata who stepped forward. "Who are you to tell us what we can and cannot do?" she snapped. "You don't decide when we die!"

"On the contrary, little Hyuuga, that is the one thing you have very little control over. Very few actually decide the moment of their death." Kiga spun suddenly and Datenshi smirked as a sword impaled his throat. Naruto frowned.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke?"

"Taking care of your problem," Sasuke snapped. He yanked the weapon from Datenshi's neck. "Though I have a feeling that if I could do that so easily, then it was worthless." He stared down at the body, studying it. The two children backed away from Datenshi and Sasuke.

"Yeah," Naruto grumbled. Sure enough Datenshi stood after the moment and smiled.

"When will you ninja realize that killing me won't work?"

"It was worth a shot," Sasuke growled as he backed away to stand with the group. Naruto glared at him. He didn't want anyone else involved in this. "So, little idiot, you're going to end the world?"

"I'd rather not," Naruto said.

Datenshi sighed with impatience. "I don't have time for this! Seifuku, please stop fighting me!"

"My name is not Seifuku!" Naruto shouted.

Datenshi waved his hand. "Why? Because they all call you Naruto? Because that man-" he pointed forcefully at Minato "-named you Naruto? If that's all the name is to you, then I will annihilate anyone who upholds the belief that you are Naruto! You are Seifuku, child, and you cannot deny your fate any longer!" He lifted his hand and smiled. "I am War," he hissed dangerously. "I am here to take peace from the earth!" He clenched his fist. "Men will slaughter men! Brother will turn against brother!" He screamed. Naruto's eyes widened and he turned to his group. They all had their weapons but they were no longer glaring at Datenshi. They were facing each other. "Now, wage your war!"

Naruto gasped and jumped out of the way as they turned on each other. He began shaking as they attacked, lunging at each other with murderous intent. Naruto was frozen for just a moment, his eyes wide. What had happened? What had changed? He clenched his fists. "Stop!" he shouted, but they didn't listen. Naruto spun to Datenshi. "What did you do?" he growled.

"I am War," Datenshi answered evenly. "I create conflict in others."

Naruto cursed and lunged into the fray. He grabbed Sasuke's arm to prevent him from striking Hinata. "Enough!" he snapped. Sasuke turned on him and Naruto gasped. He had fought Sasuke many times, and had even faced death at the Uchiha's hands, but he had never seen such lifelessness in Sasuke's eyes. There was an animalistic rage in them that not even his own beast forms had. It was the basic of instincts; kill or be killed.

Naruto jumped back away from Sasuke to avoid a deadly blow. This was Datenshi's power? Naruto's body began to tremble and he dropped to his knees. This wasn't a thing he could combat! This wasn't genjutsu, this was madness. "Stop…" he whimpered. The earth beneath him began to tremble slightly. "Stop…!" he said even louder. The earth shook. "STOP!"

Suddenly the earth cracked and everyone in the clearing stopped in mid-swing as dirt and rock shot forward, grabbing their wrists and encasing their feet. Time itself seemed to slow at his command for everything to stop. He gasped for air, panting. Power flowed through his body and into the earth. He hadn't felt power like this before; not even the fox, or the Sage power had engulfed him in such ecstasy. He thought he might should fear it, but it filled him with such a sense of peace, like he could control everything and, in that, everything would be alright.

He shut his eyes and visions flashed through his mind. A white horse, the earth shattering beneath the hooves the powerful beast. Naruto gripped the ground beneath his hands. The dirt buckled. The horse was now in front of him, its red eyes staring down at his kneeling form. What's happening? He begged the animal, reaching towards the white snout. The animal moved forward to meet his hand.

Naruto opened his eyes with a gasp. Instead of the horse, Datenshi was standing in front of him, holding his outstretched hand. Kiga and Haka also stood beside the man. Naruto stood slowly to face the three as his body shivered with power. He felt an odd sense of purpose and peace as he stood with them; as if this was what he was meant to do and this was where he was meant to be. He felt a sense of belonging that he had never felt. His shoulders relaxed and for a moment, he forgot what was happening. He sighed and his eyes rolled back as his eye lids slid closed again.

He breathed in. He could feel the earth around him. He could hear it and it was his to command. He could feel the minds of those around him, but he ignored them. This is what it means to conquer, he thought absently.

"I am Death," the male child whispered in the dead language that Datenshi had used upon their first meeting.

Naruto nodded slowly.

"I am Famine," the girl echoed in the same language.

"I am War."

Naruto opened his eyes and his pupils dilated as his eyes glazed over. A small part of him fought against the power that flowed in his veins, but it was quickly being overpowered. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the earth and all he felt. A soft smile spread across his lips.

"I am Conquest…"

Land of Fire: Prehistoric

The Harvest Festival was well underway while Sodi sat in a tree with a bird mask over his dark green eyes. Tomorrow he would head out with his father for moons at a time, learning the trade of being a merchant. It was an odd job. He had always doubted it. The whole purpose was to buy something for a little bit of money and then sell it for more. Sometimes they worked for commission, but he never understood the point of money. Did it matter who died with the most money? Weren't you dead in the end?

He had asked his father this once, but his father had dodged the question, saying that money may not sustain life, but it sure made life easier. Sodi loved his friend, Haniel, but deep down, he hated him as well. Haniel would live a life that wasn't constantly threatened by death. He would never have to fight for money or status. He was born into it while people like Sodi and his father had to work so their families didn't starve to death. Life wasn't fair.

"Why are you up there by yourself?" Haniel called from the ground. He was never good at climbing trees. Haniel was never particularly good at anything. He wasn't a natural speaker like a leader should be, but he wasn't a fighter, so he could never be a warrior. He wasn't good at cooking, and being a blacksmith would require too much effort. He had no talent for the arts, and was not smart enough for the sciences, practical or of the mind. He was a very average human being.

Sodi smiled and jumped from the tree to save his friend the trouble of trying to climb it and ending up hurting himself. "Did you see that deer they brought in?" Sodi asked.

"I did! It was massive! How much do you think the skin is worth?"

Sodi smiled. His trade required him to appraise an item at a glance. "It will be worth a lot. Father and I will get a hefty commission for it, for sure!"

"That's great!" He smiled and stared up at the night sky with the dark orange moon. "You know, I don't want you to go, but I'm jealous of you."

Sodi blinked and looked at Haniel through his bird mask. "Jealous? But why?"

"You get to see the world," Haniel admitted softly. "I'll never really see what's outside this village, but you'll get to travel all over and meet all sorts of people. That's exciting."

"Leading a village is also exciting," Sodi grumbled. Truthfully, he'd rather have the security of knowing his family would survive the winter than the joys of traveling the world.

"Yeah, but it's not a trade," Haniel said. "It's something that was handed to me! I didn't have to work for it, and even if I'm no good at it, it won't matter! I want what I do to mean something."

Sodi frowned. "You think being a merchant will mean anything a hundred years from now, Han?" he asked. "Because I don't think it will."

"Yeah, but at least you'll live a life," Haniel argued.

"I didn't ask to be born into a merchant's family."

"And I didn't ask to be born into royalty."

Sodi cocked his head in thought. He had always been too busy trying to figure out the benefits of being the leader of the village that he had never considered that Haniel was trapped in his own destiny as well.

"It's stupid to be jealous of my situation," Sodi grumbled finally. "We're from two separate worlds, Han, and that will never change."

Haniel clenched his fists. "I know it won't change, but why shouldn't it?! Why should we accept that?"

"Because that's who we are," Sodi growled. He didn't understand why his friend was still talking about this. They knew that this day had to come. They were from two different walks of life and eventually their paths had to diverge. It was that simple! Why couldn't they all just accept their fate?!

"Well, what if I don't want to be what the world tells me I should?" Haniel snapped angrily. "It's not fair, Sodi!"

Sodi clenched his fists. "You are so petty!" he snapped. "You have a charmed life! You will never have to worry about food shortages, or being killed on a trail at night for the wagon of goods you are carrying! You get to stay here and be safe while people like my uncle go out there and give their lives, but for what?! A measly few coins to line his purse for a few days?" Sodi yanked out three copper coins. It was all he had to his name. He had sold a squirrel pelt to a young girl so she could make her sick mother a doll. He wanted to throw them to the ground; to stomp on them and prove his point, but he simply couldn't. "Consider yourself lucky," he said angrily.

Haniel let out a soft whimper and Sodi cursed himself. He hadn't meant to be so angry at his friend. "I didn't mean anything by it," Haniel muttered.

"I know…" but the damage had already been done. Sodi pocketed his coins and started walking away from his friend.

"Hey, So…" Haniel called. Sodi stopped without looking back. He was glad that his mask was covering the tears falling down his face. "Come back, okay? Please."

Sodi didn't know what to say. Haniel did have a skill. He was hopelessly optimistic. Sodi smiled slightly. He couldn't deny that his friend was entertaining at least. It was hard to break that kid's spirit. "Y-yeah. I'll come home, Han… I promise."

Present

Day Two: Hour 19

What's going on?

What's happening?

Naruto opened his eyes, but he was in darkness. A forest surrounded him, engulfing him. His senses were muted. He couldn't see. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think.

Who am I?

He shook his head and stumbled forward in the dark forest, his bare feet leaving bloodied foot prints in the snow. He could hear screaming in the distance; the call of a horse, the desperate pleas of a man. Naruto hugged his body as he pushed forward, shivering though his body was numb. He didn't even notice the wounds on his body and the bloody trail he was leaving. He was bleeding too fast. He'd never make it to those calls.

Where am I?

He fell to his knees, too weak to continue. He crashed in the snow and stared forward, his blue eyes blank and expressionless. He reach forward towards the screams of the man and horse. He shook his head. It didn't make sense. He had to get to them. He had to bring them home. He had to live. "I… promised," he whispered weakly.

Who am I?

"Naruto!"

Naruto gasped and his snapped opened. He looked around, confused for a moment. He wasn't sure who had called that name. Is that my name? he thought, but he shook his head. They were still in the clearing. Hardly any time had passed at all. The sun had set, though, leaving the night sky covered in red dots. He looked at the three ninja in front of him. They were blocking his line of sight. They were not the ones that had called that name.

He felt the power leave him. The earth that was holding the rest of group crumbled, setting them free. Naruto stumbled back weakly as the three ninja were attacked by the others. He stood, dumbfounded as the fight broke out. He shook his head and didn't fight as a girl grabbed his shoulders tightly. "Naruto?"

He studied her for a moment. She was beautiful, but there was no recognition in his eyes for her, but she seemed to care for him. Her violet eyes were laced with worry and fear; fear for him. He reached forward to stroke her cheek. Was she crying? "What's going on?" he asked in the dead language. She shook her head, not understanding his words.

"Naruto, do you know who I am?"

"No." he answered, but she couldn't understand him. He shook his head slowly. He felt possessed, but was this his body, or was he the one possessing it?

He was suddenly pulled into a tight hug. The others were fighting, but none of that mattered. "Come back," the girl whispered shakily. He felt the heat of her face on his neck and he blinked. She was blushing. Odd.

Suddenly his vision went white and he went limp in her arms. The power left his body as quickly as it had come, leaving him weak. When he could see again, he was still being held by the girl. "Hinata…?" he whispered weakly. She gasped and pulled away from him. "What happened…?"

"I don't know," Hinata confessed. "You were talking in some weird language and you just seemed… dazed."

He felt dazed.

"No!" Datenshi shouted, throwing Sai away from him. He ran at Naruto and Hinata. Naruto moved quickly to step between the man and Hinata. "You had come back!" the man screamed angrily. "Where did you go?! You were here!" Naruto blinked, confused. "You were here, Seifuku! Why are you fighting?! This is fate! This is what you were born to do, child! Stop fighting! Didn't you feel the power of the earth?!"

Naruto nodded slowly. He had no fight left in him. "What was that?"

"You are the Conqueror, so you must conquer! That is you destiny, you little brat!" He grabbed Naruto's shirt and lifted him up. "Your powers are awakening, child! You can't deny it anymore. This is the destiny that has been thrust upon you. Stop fighting it. We only do what we were born to do! Together we will end this pathetic world!" He threw Naruto to the ground and addressed the rest of the group. "Struggle all you want, mortals, but don't deny him his fate!" And with that, they were gone.

Naruto fell back onto the dirt and stared at the sky. He had felt it. He's right… I am Seifuku, Naruto thought. But that doesn't mean I will end this world. He closed his eyes and slipped into darkness as he was lifted from the dirt.

Author's note: Well, that was fun!