WHIRLPOOL COUNTRY| UZUSHIOGAKURE

"Sorry son but this looks bleak" stated the older Uzumaki

Arata shook his head in protest as he looked over the table sized map in front of him and saw the hopeless plight one of his friends/commanders. Was about to endure but more realistically along with his subordinates die in.

"I knew we should have moved on to better things" said Hiro listlessly

A few eyes looked over to the impossibly confident borderline arrogant Hiro Fuma.

Shuji seeing his student from his position was beginning to look even more depressed at the situation spoke "Haruo is strong and his Lt was able to alert us of this before the battle's start so we know that at least they maybe faring a bit well"

"The last communication from them was interrupted by the fighting. We have heard no word from them since. Nor could we tell them of the other problem they have coming their way. They're finished" supplied the Fuma man with finality

Arata the third sighed at the hopelessness that had invaded the room and the occupants hearts'.

"There is no end till things are done. All we can all do now is wait to hear from our comrades out there. Surely one embodying the ways of Uzushiogakure will make it out and get word to us"

Huffing Hiro spoke "Not likely. Haruo ran that division with an iron fist. Even if they were extended an offer from Haruo himself to leave, they wouldn't. Call it blind loyalty or insane admiration. . ."

"Even outnumbered as they are. Someone at least someone has to survive" countered Arata the third. Trying desperately to keep morale up.

Feeling even lower at his father's choice of word's the General looked to the map featuring the lands and countries that made up the continent that was the Elemental nations. Frost country was at the center with small blocks that represented the Uzu forces that were in the country.

Except what was once lone Uzu forces with a country between them and Kumo forces now surrounded by the enemy.

As hopeless as the easy to see on the map but ongoing and being fought in real-time battle was. It was obliviously underestimated by those who fought unknowingly a few squads of ninja around them.

Yet from their north many miles away without possibly knowing; there was another division of Kumo forces sitting viper-like and waiting to strike. A division that Lightning country had somehow like magic erected that contained not only ninja but also from the Daimyo's own force; samurai. With many hired supplementary mercenaries.

This fact made Arata and all else around the table pale in dread as they were at a lost in a way to warn the commander, they knew would try to fight what was the first ambush. Then fall for another one that was essentially trying to entirely wipe out any presence Uzu had on the mainland and make a smooth transitional take over of Hot Water country.

"Shuji. . . is there?" trailed off the teen leader looking slightly hopeful at the possibilities of what his teacher could do.

The F.O.A.M. commander shook his head a damning no. "Even if we were able to get there now or even if we told Aki's squad to try to get to Frost country it would not make much of a difference. By our count the battle has been in full swing for an hour now. It would take me and you even traveling by air a few too many hours to arrive. We can only plan a counter attack and defense against Kumo from Yu village now"

"I agree" said the past old leader "That is what is best. With the mercenaries that are aiding Kumo's fighting force they will no doubt fight hard for the spoils of Hot Water country which I bet the Lightning Daimyo or Raikage promised in payment."

Grudgingly Arata nodded his head at the suggestion knowing he now had to think to the future. Although captivated at the thought of helping his brother-figure he looked to the door of the room and saw Shuji somehow had moved in front of it as if discouraging him from running out of it to go fight.

"General-sama" called the Ryoudoin clan head."What about securing our waters?"

Looking at the escape route one last time then towards the map that had several thousands of other forces he was responsible for, Arata sighed tiredly at his predicament.

'Sorry. . . I couldn't help. . .bro'

FROST COUNTRY

Daichi hurriedly scanned the battlefield that was increasingly growing larger and larger.

He along with many others had stayed nestled deep underground in HQ so that they could act as the logistic support of the army that was fighting over head.

The Lt. though feeling useless, knew he along with the others were what kept the orders that came from the commander himself to instruct the other squads on what to do, was what kept the smallest inkling of sanity in this chaotic battle. Plus it was his eye that ensured the enemy's moves were read and counteracted against.

Though what little help he was he knew not, as he saw another of his comrades die and had not received an order from the Commander since he'd instructed on what the formation the army was to take.

"Daichi-sama how is it going up there?"

Addressed the man looked over with his non-telescoping the battlefield eye at the young man before him. He like many others that were sent to the underground HQ was of lower level and not combat oriented.

The boy being a genin and more so oriented to making traps like so may genin were. Had no purpose in a battle like this where your own trap was more likely to kill you or a comrade then the enemy. An the lack of skills as well as power that most genin did not posses would make them senseless cannon fodder.

Putting on his Lt voice he informed the genin along with the many others who were looking at him "The battle is progressing fast"

Now even more interested the boy asked "We are winning right?!"

Looking around at the hopeful and even after seeing the horrors of war still child like faces of the genin. Daichi wanted to sugar coat the truth. But he saw the other more hardened faces of several chunin who not truly combat-oriented had seen their fair share of battles, prompted him with their looks of seriousness to tell the truth.

"It is bad" he announced then continued over the many gasps "The formation the Commander has put the squads in is compensating for us being out numbered but the O shape formation has us getting attacked and surrounded on all sides."

"Wha-" gasped the boy only to be chastised

"Kin!" said a grizzled chunin gaining everyone's attention. "This is war! there are destined to be winners and losers! Don't bother the Lieutenant as he instructs on the battlefield!"

The boy, Kin. Nodded apologetically before going back to the solid steel doors of the underground room to stand watch.

Daichi however did not know what to do as he still saw the many eyes looking at him as if wanting some type of good news.

Sadly he knew he had no good news but the possibility of having to call a full retreat for those underground. Subsequently using those above them fighting as a diversion to get away. An that was even worse than bad-news.

A second later the same grizzled chunin limped himself over to Daichi and asked in a whisper "How is the commander doing? He is turning the tide right? He's a zanpakuto user. . . they are said to be uneatable!"

Disappointingly Daichi informed

"You can't last much longer!" roared Kinkaku trying to cleave his opponent in half with his legendary sword.

Haruo hurriedly dashed out-of-the-way of the sword and went to strike out with his own dangerous weapon but was blocked as he almost breaking his back bent over to avoid an attack from a arm wrapped in a glowing yellow rope.

Jumping back away from his two opponents Haruo recovered easily as he stared the two down.

Kinkaku angry spoke to his brother "What the fuck is with this guy! Why ain't he dead yet! Everyone else is already dead by now!"

"He is the right opponent for us. That sword he has could easily break our weapons. Yet if he messes up he will die. Alas we can't go further to enjoy that" signaled the man pointing to the battle that was raging on between the Uzu and Kumo forces far away.

A battle in which the Uzu ninja were slowly losing and being destroyed in.

"Though it does not matter. We won anyway. Let's just enjoy a worthy kill" reckoned the grey-haired man as he channeled more chakra in to the legendary Golden Canopy Rope that entangled his arm than picked up the large Amber Purifying Pot of legend.

Haruo kept a clear view of the legendary tools of the Sage of Six paths. They were far more dangerous than the two men before him but they were proving to be rivaled by the grey and blonde haired ninja. Though kept a good lead on the pair who wielded them exceptionally.

"Alright, let's go again!" yelled the burly man charging forward and throwing the yellow rope out that made phantom formed chakra like extensions of itself.

The zanpakuto wielder stayed mounted in his position as he cut through every rope of chakra sent at him and kept non-respondent to the large brown colored pot with a kanji for lightning that was opened up and positioned toward him.

"Eh you!" called the Kumo ninja waiting on any type of response from his target.

Ginkaku seeing the target wouldn't take the bait that would ensure their destruction. Surged forward quickly and attacked with lightning that thundered in quick flashy bolts from his mouth.

Every bolt of lightning the Uzumaki was attacked with he deflected with a swing of his sword; disintegrating the lightning all the while keeping silent. For he knew of the powers the two wielded in sealing via their weapons as well as their weakness and how to not get trapped inside of their strategy.

A strategy that was very unique but had beaten countless foes. Haruo understood that the pair like before were steadily trying to touch him with the Golden Canopy rope to bind his 'word soul' then as it was to be bonded, than cut in half with the Seven Star Sword. Where his 'word soul' would be recorded on the sword and if he uttered the word he would definitely be sealed inside of the Crimson Gourd.

Fanatically the duo had tried that strategy but ever so often mixed in the Amber Purifying pot. Hoping to catch him off guard with a word or even grunt to get him sealed in the powerful weapon.

A process the Uzumaki had avoided using his sword that effectively stopped the rope or any attack from getting close to him. But like the two brothers he too was sure that the battle between them had not exposed all of each others' secrets.

"This has been going on for too long!" yelled Ginkaku getting impatient

Taking the opening at the ninja's discord the Uzumaki spoke "I"

Immediately the Amber purifying pot erupted in a vacuum of air that swirled then angled to suck the responded Uzumaki in. Ginkaku went alight in gleeful chuckles at his opponent's downfall "Gotcha!"

Catching on quickly to what the Uzumaki had thought of in the moment. Kinkaku yelled to his laughing hardily brother "Fool! You don't have him!-"

Seconds from being sealed Haruo let loose his sword that was coated in grey chakra and watched it before him fly in to the confines of the pot that instantly stopped its vacuum effect.

Ginkaku at first shaking the no longer active pot looked at its bottom and saw the hole before glaring towards the picking himself back up from the ground commander.

"You bastard!" Ginkaku spat before racing forward trying to end the unarmed man.

Reaching out with the rope on his arm Ginkaku was almost surprised that he was able to finally land a hit on the red-haired man but regretted it instantly.

Haruo took hold of the whiskered man's arm and swiftly grabbed his wrist then moved his free arm towards the man's shoulder where the rope did not cover; abruptly he channeled grey chakra in to his hands and pulled.

"Brother!" Kinkaku yelled taken aback as he saw his sibling's arm be torn completely off.

Kicking the man backwards Haruo gave a smirk when he saw the holding in his agony filled screams man finally give a cry of pain when he rolled to a stop in front of his brother's feet.

Unwrapping the rope from the severed arm Haruo tied it around his own. "You draw out the soul word of anyone this thing touches then sever it with that sword. But I wonder if my destructive chakra will work just fine?"

The Gold and Silver horns of Kumo both glared at the Uzu ninja before simultaneously they became alight in red hazy chakra.

"So we are down 60% of our forces?! That can't be true" gasped the older chunin

Daichi confirming nodded in despair "Haruo-sama has tied up the major heavy hitters. Those two; Kinkaku and Ginkaku but it is clear what they are doing in keeping him occupied, it's a numbers game and we are loosing w-. . . . oh God. . . "

"What?" inquired the man trying to keep panic from his face.

A moment later the man did not need to ask as everyone felt the malevolent release of chakra that was as legendary as it was powerful but the latter far out classed the other.

Many a shinobi began collapsing to their knees inside of the vault like room at the sheer power the twin evil chakras with their killing intent were exhibiting. Life itself seemed sucked from the very fabric of existence and only dread was imminent.

"Get them to a medic!" yelled Daichi seeing his comrades suffer in fear and even some try to take their own lives.

With cold indifference Haruo stood in the presence of two behemoths covered in red and black streaked chakra. Both sporting multiple swishing tails of evil chakra behind them.

He viewed the strangely large abnormal tail of six that each chakra beast attained but was drawn in by the white bottomless pits that were now the eyes of the duo and how just like the evil presence they possessed.

Both were endless.

"So. . . .this. . . . this is the power of the legendary Gold and Silver Brothers" stated the Uzumaki without emotion.

The larger of the twin beasts gave a super-sonic roar that was directed to the red-haired man and easily pushed him from his feet and meters back.

Spiraling through the air Haruo tried to get his balance but was blind-sighted as a crushing elbow sent him cratering in to the ground where he landed harshly.

Knowing that staying down in the ground imprinted with a life-sized crater of himself, was the same as suicide he got right back up and luckily avoided with a jump backwards the clawed hand of the larger beast.

As quickly as they had given him his one second break the duo took it away as both chakra beasts came rampaging towards Haruo; fists ready to take his head off with a single hit.

Dodging backwards with a quick flip than deflecting barely, a few swipes at him Haruo was able to slightly brush against the destructive cloaking chakra of the smaller beast with the stolen golden rope on his arm and for the first time spoke the words "Bind and Draw out!"

In disbelief the smaller of the two monsters saw his cloak of red and black chakra be pulled from his body in a thread like stream towards the yellow rope.

Now completely shocked the man's mouth went wide when he saw the grey glowing hand cut the strand of red chakra in two making the red energy become wisps of grey smoke.

"Impossible!" gasped the Kumo-nin as he felt his chakra pool for the first time since he'd faced off against the Nine-tailed Fox, and be defeated but gain some of its power, run low. 'He's found a way to rip my cloak off!'

With a small smile the Uzumaki remarked "Tch I didn't think that would work" but quickly focused all his attention to not falling over as the cost of chakra for using the treasured tool was almost too high for him to handle. And the gamble of using the sacred weapon along with his volatile chakra that surprisingly held against its dangerous properties was now slightly back-firing as he felt the rope become heavier.

Standing in front of his brother in defense the still covered in chakra beast asked concerned "Are you alright Kinkaku?"

Nodding the pseudo-jinchuriki replied "We are leaving. Forget about him, we have better things to be doing. We aren't the Raikage and Daimyo's dogs let them fight for what they want not us"

"What!" interrupted Haruo confused "We ain't finished here!"

Ginkaku morphing slowly back in to his old form gave a smirk to the irate commander "Our battle is over. Though we will meet again, if you can get past the obstacle coming your way Uzu-nin" swore the man as he looked to the healed stump where his arm used to be.

With a glare Ginkaku added "Take care of my rope I will be back for it"

Watching with an intense disbelief the Uzumaki saw the two gather what treasured tools they still possessed then flee away until moments later send a flare in to the sky that sparkled brightly.

Haruo figured that would stop the attack but at the same time was well aware of another threat. And now the dieing words of his scout comrade had been confirmed by the fleeing pseudo-jinchuriki. There was another enemy division to deal with.

Calling mentally to his sword. Haruo became insistent on being ready for what would probably be his final battle. Though as he looked over in the distance at the shambling to regroup ninja that were his army he saw it clear he had to retreat back.

"Where is back-up when you need it?" he murmured as he ran to his devastated comrades all the while fighting collapsing urging exhaustion.

THIRTY MINUTES PAST| WHIRLPOOL COUNTRY COAST| EAST SEA

Arata ran quicker then he had ever run in his life.

It was moments ago he was still in a very important strategical meeting when he had gotten word that Haruo's division was heavily damaged but retreating to fortify themselves in Yu village but Kumo forces were quick on their heels.

That missive of information was all it took for him to burst through his office window and race towards Hot water country. Speeding across the ocean while ever so often when he'd get tired from the continuous flow of chakra he'd channeled to his feet to keep him afloat was wearing on his reserves he would pop a chakra pill to keep going.

"You could have waited!" shouted a voice

Arata looked to his left and saw his flying sensei who gave him a tired glare.

"No! they need help now! It would have taken too long to mobilize a ready army!" reasoned the teen running even faster

Shuji exasperated asked "Then what is that?" looking behind him as he turned his body in mid-air to sail in the air on his back

Arata looked behind him and was flabbergasted to see the catching up with him slowly battalion.

"You shouldn't be so hasty kid! They were just as on edge as you were when they found out what was happening in Frost country. You know you aren't the only one who cares"

Feeling foolish the teen replied "It is just. . . it seemed everyone had written them off just because the circumstance looked bad. . ."

"What!?, you would lead an army in to an ambush for people who may be already dead? C'mon Arata you knew all of our hands were tied! The stakes were too high and a lot of things could have gone wrong if we went in to this blind!"

Accepting the facts Arata then stated "Tell them to hurry up!"

With a sigh at the teen's impatience the man waved his hand to the battalion that had still not fully caught up and signaled for them to run faster.

"They will need rest on the next island we come across, there is miles of ocean still ahead of us"

Annoyed the General said "If they have to rest then they must rest. I don't care but know I will be leaving them behind!"

"Tch now you are just being hard-headed. We will get there in time. If Haruo regrouped with the forces in Yu village he will be able to fortify the already well defended village until our arrival. There is no sense in we getting there tired and unable to fight"

At the words the Leader's speed tripled as he ran even faster leaving the airborne man meters behind him and counting.

FROST COUNTRY | BORDER

Haruo ran at the forefront of a battered division. Behind him kunoichis and ninjas who'd been injured or ragged from the high-speed pursuit that was upon them. Kept up with him at a slowly increasing length.

Meters ahead the commander ran beside his Lt. who methodically scanned around the area they traveled knowing he could make no mistakes. While the mismatched eye man scanned, Haruo did something he thought he would never be doing in his life and knew many who knew him would laugh at him if they saw him do it.

But this was a desperate time and he had turned to desperate measures. As in his hands flapping in the wind caused by the sailing jumps and leaps he did in the trees. Was a scroll while in the other was an ink brush with automatic ink reservoir.

Haruo had taken to his clan's old ways of getting things done as he relied on the stuff he once thought as a too complicated way of doing things but now gave praise to the many who kept the traditional seal oriented ways of the Uzumaki alive.

Making a few more kanji on the seal encompassing the scroll then one final brush stroke. He was done.

Quickly he rolled the scroll up and looked behind him for a being that was not as injured or more rested then any other but it was a hard find so he settled on a genin he saw.

"You!" he yelled at the startled genin that almost fell out of the tree when he addressed him. "Oh. . . jeez" sighed the man at the jumpy genin

The young boy after recovering quickly traversed the distance to the commander then saluted "Yes sir?"

"Take this" he commanded to the young boy who instantly grabbed the scroll. "Now channel chakra in to it, as much as you can but be careful"

Just glad to be of assistance to his leader the boy naively and like a fresh academy student poured his chakra in to the scroll and quickly realized the scroll easily could take all of his small chakra supply.

"Don't pour all of-" began the Uzumaki when he saw the scroll go ablaze in blue chakra that quickly died out like the light in the boy's eye's as he passed out from the incredible drain.

Catching the kid from falling from the stories high tree by the nape of his plate armor he tossed him over his shoulder and carried him while also retrieving the scroll from the limp hand.

From behind him the commander heard "Don't the boy know to listen closely to a Uzumaki with a scroll?"

Looking back the teen smirked at the observation given from an older black-haired man carrying an unconscious bloody comrade.

"This is our ticket out" Haruo informed the black-haired man who just smirked back with the same identical small rising of the lip.

Checking the scroll in his hand to see if it had sufficient chakra; that he due to his own destructive chakra could never supply the scroll with. But overcame that disability with using the boy's chakra. Nodded when he saw the sealing jutsu he had made was primed and ready to go.

Winding his arm back then furiously tossing the scroll in to the air and watching it unwrap as it rolled open Haruo waited patiently for what he wanted.

As the last roll in the scroll hit the ground, the many seals inside of it sparkled with a white light before a giant plume of smoke erupted and disappeared a second later to show a sudden erected chain of colossal mountains now blocked anyone heading south paths'.

"Ah!" chimed the older man "The old Uzumaki Sealing Style; Imaged Mountains. . . that will work. You have learned well from the Uzumaki clan"

Haruo nodded at the appreciation of the older warrior then was first to meet the mountain range that he simply jumped right through. Showing that it was in fact just an image and not truly there.

"I may not be able to do genjutsu of the sneaky kind like this because of my chakra, old man but fuinjutsu makes up for it big time." retorted the teen knowing that this would be a great obstacle in their pursuers path that the best genjutsu-users would never even be able to dispel or realize it was not even there which would make the Kumo force waste time moving around it.

When he did not hear the black-haired man's response Haruo looked over his shoulder and no longer saw the older man.

Looking over to where he saw the unconscious bloody form of the warrior the man had carried now being carried by a kunoichi he grew confused.

"Where the old man go?" he inquired

Looking to her commander the woman informed quietly "He. . . said if the illusion had some. . . rock behind it. . . it would slow them down more."

Stunned Haruo asked almost yelling "He went back?! BACK THERE?!"

Seeing her leader was easily getting upset by the news she calmly said "Gao is from the old generation. . ."

Haruo nodded solemnly knowing immediately what she had just said was true but found it hard to process or want to accept it. Knowing of the old generation and how they were was something that explained the man's actions fully. It was highly known the old generation were warriors of loyalty and almost insane self-sacrifice when ever the time called for it.

They were always the ones that were quick to die for anyone younger than them with what they called 'their future ahead of them' or for a comrade.

It was an ideal not lost on the younger generation but one that left them heart-broken to see someone just give their lives as if it was the simplest thing to do.

Haruo looked back ahead knowing that man probably gathered a few of the others who selflessly and wordless followed his example and went back to make sure that everyone else got away.

A action he knew he probably couldn't stop even if he ordered those ninja not to do it. 'Those guys. . . they've seen too much war. . . even before this one. . .'

"Heroes. . ." he whispered aloud as he heard from his Lt who informed him.

"They. . . have encountered the enemy and are. . . acting as a diversion. . ." said Daichi as he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to look away from what he had seen then opened them back wide.

Nodding at the information Haruo himself kept leading from ahead as he knew his comrade's were pulling up the rear and were making sure he and everyone else escaped for a new day.

"Father. . ." he mumbled hating how he could barely say the word that symbolized something that meant so much to him.