Do I Have A Purpose Anymore?
Chapter 24: "The Clash of Bankai's"
"Talk to Yoruichi and make whatever preparations you need to Shunsui to do this. But first, we'll talk to Kenpachi about the logistics of doing this. I don't want to take all the men and leave the encampment unprotected and vulnerable to attack while they are gone."
"As you wish." Shunsui politely bowed before setting off to find the Neko woman.
As Naruto watched Shunsui flash-step away he mused once more about the upcoming fight against the Akatsuki and of Shunsui's suggestion to help get his small army ready for that battle and thought with renewed hope and confidence.
'Maybe we will have a chance of winning this fight after all.'
Naruto mused about the previous day's conversation he had with Shunsui, before he pulled out the scroll given to him by Yamamoto. Now was as good a time as any to look at it. It was old and worn, but still held together somehow, as he opened it. Naruto's jaw went slack, then a small smirk spread across his face as a glimmer, just a tiny flicker of hope could now be seen, for the contents of this scroll and the information contained within, had given him an idea.
Within the scroll, were the details on how to achieve the final stage of Bankai. The second release, fabled to grant the wielder, should he survive, a power increase by a factor of ten or more. That small sly grin spread across Naruto's face, as he closed the scroll and set off purposely into the camp.
Naruto walked to the furthermost tent across the clearing in which the bandits had set up camp. Upon reaching it, he listened closely for any sort of sound and even announced his presence, just to make sure its occupant knew he was entering.
But upon entering, his face blanked.
'Oh for the love of Kami!'
There before him, her back turned, was none other than Yugito, still unaware of his arrival somehow, even though he'd been quite loud about his entry. However, that matter slipped his mind, for at the moment, she had let her long, silken gold hair out of the braided ponytail she often kept it in. With her headband lying there on the sleeping bag beside her, the long locks of her hair were free to fall down to her bare back, her soft brown eyes half open, and a small half smile on her face...
In that moment of vulnerability, she looked absolutely radiant. Just like that night when they'd walked together, yet on a deeper level. She'd still had some semblance of wariness up at that point, but right here right now, she was completely, totally...topless!
"Yugito." He called her name, but she didn't hear him, and instead, sat down on the nearby cot, to rummage through some of her personal belongings, which consisted of a small knapsack. That is, the few items she had on her when they'd met...
The first significant item she pulled out was small tattered photograph, one of a younger version herself with another young man. The boy had light brown hair, dark blue eyes, and a surprised expression plastered all over his face. At the time of the photo, Yugito had apparently leaned up on her tiptoes, and given him a kiss on the cheek.
"Who's that?" He found himself asking, even though he really knew it wasn't any of his didn't answer, instead she continued to look at the photo, and a small sigh escaped her lips. Sighing, he dared to walk up behind her and tap her on the shoulder, knowing the repercussions of such an action might result in a shallow wound at the very least.
Needless to say, her reaction was quite predictable.
"!" Immediately Yugito went rigid, sprang to her feet and reached for the kunai holster at her hip, a kunai already drawn and twirling in her fingers. Naruto would have none of that however, and pinned her the only way he could at short notice and grabbed her in an embrace.
"Yugito!" He growled in her ear and now, she seemed to hear him.
"What the Hell are you trying to do?"
"Naruto?" she twisted her head around to see him, then turned beet red less than a second later, as she realized just who it was.
"Hey! W-What're you doing in here, huh? I didn't hear you come in!"
"Then perhaps you should drop the kunai?"
Startled, she shook herself free, and reached to her ears. With a slight popping sound, the blonde pulled out a wad of cotton from each ear, the apparent reason for her deafness.
"Damn earplugs. This is what I get for trying to take a catnap...
It was then that she realized she was still topless, and with a small squeak of surprise, the Nibi vessel grabbed the first thing she could, her tattered flannel jacket...
Allowing the twin glorious mounds of ripe flesh to bounce slightly as they were released from the confines of her arms, which only made her even more embarrassed.
"Erm...damnit, sorry! I didn't hear you come in!"
Realizing he was starting to stare, Naruto at last turned away.
"Yugito, I need your help with something."
She'd barely processed the words before he spoke again.
"I need you to train with me."
"Huh?" Hastily she donned the shirt, trying to hide the burning pink blush.
"W-Wha?" Why was he asking this of her all of a sudden? Not that she wasn't eager to take up his request, it was just...this was so damn unexpected!
"I'm serious." He glanced down at Zangetsu, the prone steel strapped to his back in cloth, as he continued on.
"I need to achieve the 2nd level of Bankai and with Kenpachi and the others off training; you're the only one strong enough I can turn to."
Now he gazed at her with those matchless sapphire orbs.
"Please, you're the only one I can rely on for this."
A faint blush lit Yugito's cheeks.
"Well...
A few days later, Naruto was returning to camp after an intense sparring session that morning with Yugito to help him unlock the final release or Bankai of his zanpaktou. Naruto was about to sit down with Hinata for a pleasant lunch, when he suddenly jerked his head around and stared intently into the forest a few miles away. Growling with annoyance, he began to unravel Zangetsu out of its cloth sheath.
"What is it Naruto-kun?"
"Some uninvited and unwanted guests from our former homeland have arrived Hinata-chan."
Hinata grew nervous upon hearing this, as she feared it might be Anbu Hunter nins come to take her and Naruto back to Konoha. The blonde Jinchuuriki noticed the look of concern spread across the Hyuga woman's face and said with assurance.
"Don't worry my hime, if they are Anbu I'll deal with them. I promise you, no one is going to force us to return to Konoha, I swear!"
Sasuke and Ino were slightly nervous as they remained hidden in the tree tops. It had taken them a few days to finally pinpoint the location of Naruto's encampment. Now they were trying to decide how best to approach Naruto when the decision was made for them, as the subject of their discussion suddenly appeared in a field 100ft in front of them and yelled out.
"Either you show yourselves or leave immediately and never return your choice!"
Both Sasuke and Ino were surprised that Naruto had sensed them from such a great distance as they had been holding down their chakra levels to avoid detection. Ino nodded to Sasuke who had agreed to let the Yamanaka girl talk to Naruto first before he took any action. The Uchiha watched intently as Ino leapt from tree and landed in front of his old teammate.
"Anbu!" Naruto spat with disgust, as he eyed the masked ninja suspiciously while she slowly approached while taking off her mask. A cold visage swept over Naruto's face when it was revealed who the Anbu was and he snarled.
"What do you want Ino-san?"
Ino winced and tears slightly welled in her eyes at the icy glare and curt tone of Naruto's voice when he addressed her, as she thought to herself.
'I'm not even Ino anymore; I'm Ino-san, as if he doesn't even know me.'
"H, hi Naruto-ku…..Naruto, I'm here to talk to you and see if you would come back to the village with me?"Instantly she realized her mistake, his frown setting itself into a firm line.
"Well I don't want to talk to you and I'm not returning to Konoha. So you might as well take your friend and go!"
"Please Naruto just listen to me! There are many people back in the Leaf village who miss very much and want you to return. Tsunade-sama, Shizune-chan, and Iruka-Sensei a lot of people love you very much and want you in their lives again. I, I love you and miss you Naruto-kun."
Naruto glared fiercely at the blonde kunoichi when she said that and he spat with resentment.
"I've heard that lie from you before Yamanaka, remember?"
(Flashback: 2 1/2 years ago)
A bouquet of red roses was suddenly shoved into his arms, and he did a double take, as he saw the three words attached to the card.
"You're, you're kidding me." Naruto stammered in a hesitant tone of voice.
"N-no Naruto-kun I'm not, I, I love you."
Naruto's face took on an ashen appearance, as he tried to come to grips with what Ino had just declared. After a few minutes of muted silence, Ino couldn't take it anymore and pleadingly she spoke.
"Please say something Naruto-kun."
Naruto looked over to the beautiful blonde kunoichi and hesitantly stammered.
"I, I don't know what to say Ino. I've had two other people say that to me and both times I got my heart crushed in return. You've been a good friend to me since, since…..the wedding."
He shook his head to clear himself of the memory.
"I-I don't think I could have survived these past few months without you. I admit I've grown close to you Ino, quite fond of you actually."
Noticing how close he had gotten, he took a step back.
"But I don't want to jeopardize our friendship, by seeking something more, no matter how much I might want to."
Tears welled in Ino's eyes.
"But why Naruto-kun?"
Her lower lip trembled now, as she continued on.
"I want us to be more than friends and it sounds like you would like that too?"
"Be-because Ino, I'm afraid if I allow myself to love you and something was to happen to us?"
He shook his head rapidly, as if to drive away a negative thought before he answered.
"I don't think I can take that kind of pain anymore Ino."
"Please, I know you're scared of loving someone because of what's happened to you in the past, I understand that."
Naruto backed up as Ino stepped forward.
"But please give me a chance to show you that I can be the one you can love and that I can love you back, like I already do."
Naruto looked deep into Ino's eyes before softly asking.
"Do you mean it Ino-chan, do you really love me?"
"I meant every word Naruto-kun, and I promise I'll never hurt you." She whispered before closing the gap and claiming him with her long awaited lips.
(End of Flashback)
"Of course I soon learned what your words and promises actually meant!" Naruto spat at the blonde Anbu standing in front of him in that field.
(Flashback: 2 years ago)
Ino's heart was pounding in her chest, as she approached a lake of dark blue water with shimmers of moonlight reflecting off it. She nervously waited for her boyfriend of the past six months to arrive to the lake they both dearly loved. It had become a special spot for the blonde-haired couple, as Ino remembered many of the walks along its shore she and Naruto had taken in the past. A tear slid down Ino's cheek and she hated what she was about to do. But the Yamanaka heiress had made her choice and could only hope that Naruto would forgive her.
As if on cue, a blonde teen came strolling out from the shadows of the trees that surrounded the lake and approached the young woman.
"Hey Ino-chan" Naruto cheerfully greeted his girlfriend, his hands behind his back and he approached the blond kunoichi.
"Hey, Naruto-Kun" Ino said, her heart now pounding even faster at the sight of him.
"This is for you." Naruto said, as he handed a red rose to the girl.
"Thank you Naruto, it's beautiful."
Ino gazed at sight of the flower and tears began welling in her eyes, as she took it slowly from his hands not wanting to damage it when she heard Naruto state:
"Not as beautiful as you."
Ino stared into his magnificent cerulean eyes before her breath hitched in her throat, as Naruto bent down before her on one knee.
"Ino-chan." Naruto softly said.
"Y, yes." she nervously answered, fearful of what was about to happen.
"Would you, would you do me the honor of being your husband?" Naruto lovingly asked while gazing deeply into her blue eyes, as he pulled from behind his back and opened a small velvet box containing an engagement ring.
The proposal hit the blonde female like a ton of bricks.
"Uhh, Nar, Naru" Ino stuttered before her eyes quickly overflowed with tears which began streaming down her face.
Naruto rose up and took her hand into his and affirmed with certainty.
"I love you Ino-chan! I'm sorry I wasn't able to say those words to you six months ago when you uttered them to me. I was too scared and wrapped up in the pain of what had happened with Hinata. But you asked me to give you a chance and I'm so glad I did. Being with you has saved me from the pain and despair I thought would never go away. I know this seems sudden, but you were right Ino-chan, you are the one that I can love. And I do love you, Ino-chan with all my heart and soul."
Naruto then leaned over and gently placed his soft lips against hers.
This was difficult for Ino to resist; she liked how his lips felt when it touched hers, the way it lit a fire in her soul. But she couldn't do this; she couldn't, no matter how much she enjoyed it.
"Naruto." Ino coughed out in a choked voice while breaking off the kiss.
"I'm, I'm not in love with you anymore!" She cried out, tears running down her face.
Naruto stood rigid and motionless looking at her, the hurt in evident in his voice as he found the words.
"Wh, what do you mean you don't love me anymore? You, you told me you loved me! Did, did I do something Ino-chan? Please tell me what it is and I can fix it!"
"You didn't do anything. I'm, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you Naruto-kun, I still love you as a friend, but it can never be more than that.
"Why Ino-chan, please tell me why?"
"I'm in love with someone else!" Ino exclaimed, more in an attempt to convince herself rather than the now broken boy standing before her.
At that moment Shikamaru stepped out from the shadows of the trees and sheepishly walked over to stand next to the weeping kunoichi. Naruto glanced back and forth between his friend who couldn't look him in the eye and his now blonde ex-girlfriend before reaching down and placing her hand into the Nara boy's hand.
Ino was in taken aback when Naruto did this and she looked up and gasped in shock at the visage Naruto now bore upon his face. It was the same blank expression she had seen when he had opened that hospital door to Sasuke's room years before. Then when Naruto dropped the engagement ring onto the ground, the pain and guilt of what she had just done made the blonde kunoichi feel sick. Ino realized she was no better than Sakura, maybe even worse because she had done the one thing she promised Naruto she would never do.
'I promise I'll never hurt you.'
Ino gazed at Naruto once more and noticed a brief flicker of the pained betrayal she had just inflicted upon him flash through his eyes, before he was walking away into the night in silence. Leaving Ino to contemplate every single day for the next two years the consequences of what she had just done to him and what it meant to her own life.
(End of Flashback)
"You want to know something funny Yamanaka, I used to love looking at a red rose and thought it was one of the most beautiful things Kami had ever created. But since that night, I can't stand to look at one anymore. Because I realized if one gets enraptured in its beauty, they never see its thorns that will cause you pain."
Ino was standing before Naruto, her tears flowing freely down her face, before saying in a grief-stricken voice:
"I know I've hurt you in the past Naruto-kun and I know you must hate me. But I swear to you I'm not lying when I say I love you. The only lie I have ever told you was two years ago when I said I didn't. I was given a choice back then and I chose wrong, and I've hated myself for it ever since. This is why I'm out here. I love you Naruto-kun and I just want bring you home and be with you if you will have me? I don't know if you would still want me, and I can't blame you if you don't. And if it's the case that you don't love me the way I love you Naruto-kun, I still want to be a part of your life no matter what. So please, please come back to the Leaf village, if not for me than for the people who still love you back there and are waiting for you to come home."
"Damn it, I'm not listening to this bullshit anymore! If there are people back in the village who love me and want me to come home, it's only because they haven't had their shot yet to tear me apart like everyone else who has professed to love me has done!" Naruto angrily replied, still hurting from the memories that surfaced upon seeing and hearing Ino again before leaping away from the weeping kunoichi.
"I can give you a good reason to return dobe, because if you don't go back, I'll have to kill you." Sasuke stated, as he suddenly appeared fifty yards in front of the blonde male holding something in his hand that shocked Naruto.
'That's a zanpaktou? But where did he-'
Naruto's thought was interrupted; as he watched the blade itself seemingly vibrate in the air. A moment later, the sword erupted into a blade of pure lightning, crackling with immense energy. The Uchiha then swung his zanpaktou in a sweeping arc towards Naruto and shouted out with determination.
"Kaen Raikou no Jutsu!" (Blaze of Lightning Jutsu)
A second later, a wave arc of blue light came overflowing from the tip of the blade and ripped forward.
"Oh, that looks serious?" Naruto commented with amusement before scowling. Yanking upon the hilt, his own zanpaktou appeared in his hands and he swung Zangetsu towards his longtime rival effortlessly deflecting the electrical attack back at the Uchiha.
Sasuke eyes grew wide with astonishment at the appearance of Naruto's own zanpaktou. So much so the last Uchiha barely had time to knock his own attack away from himself before stumbling and falling to the ground in a heap. As Sasuke rose from the dirt he looked up dumbfounded to see a smug Naruto wading towards him while sarcastically asking.
"C'mon, did you think you were the only one with one of these?"
"Impressive." Sasuke replied with a small smile and added.
"I'd ask where you got it, but I recognize your blade now."
"Brings back memories doesn't it?" Naruto grinned, shouldering the massive cleaver.
"So what's the matter teme is that all you've got?"
Sasuke could only shake his head.
"That was the most powerful Raiton jutsu attack I've ever developed and you swatted it away like it was nothing." With a sigh, he waved the smoke away with his hand.
"Then again, Byakuya-Sensei told me that attack wouldn't work against another zanpaktou, but I had to try. He said only Kido based attacks and not jutsu attacks will work on another zanpaktou, so I didn't want to use this, but you've left me no choice dobe!"
"What the Hell are you talking about teme?"
"Just this," The Uchiha replied as he ran his index finger along the blades edge."…, Roar Zabimaru!"
Suddenly, Sasuke's zanpaktou was transformed into segmented blade with a pick-like protrusion on each segment. The Uchiha then swung his newly altered blade in an arc above his head and Naruto noticed the sword seem to elongate due to the stretchable threads giving it the pliability of a whip. Naruto couldn't help but be impressed by the incredible length Sasuke's blade achieved in its whip form and had to comment on it:
"An imposing zanpaktou teme, I don't recognize it, so unlike you I'll ask where you got it?"
"This blade once belonged to Byakuya-Sensei's lieutenant Renji Abarai." Sasuke explained with a small frown, reiterating what he had already been told by the man at the very beginning of his journey.
"He perished during the Arrancar wars and Byakuya-Sensei felt I was worthy to wield it in his place."
"Well teme," Reaching up to the clasp that held his cloak in place, the jinchuuriki removed the symbol, allowing it to unfurl.
"It's going to take a lot more than a sharp-edged whip to defeat me!"
"You dobe, you have no hope in defeating me now! My zanpaktou is unbeatable, I'm serious! Just come back to the village!"
Naruto snickered quietly and then his threw his head back and laughed.
"Heh, Sorry teme, but you said your sword's unbeatable, right?" Naruto spat this with derision as he began channeling power into his blade while the ground cratered beneath him, forming a small ditch where he stood.
"Since that's obviously Shikai, Let's put that to the test, your Shikai against mine."
Naruto then pointed Zangetsu forward, as he placed one arm upon his sword, while the other held the zanpaktou straight and true before boldly shouting out:
"Here we go, Zangetsu…..Getsuga Tenshō!"
"No way!" Sasuke exclaimed in shock, as he whipped Zabimaru towards the crescent shaped wave of spirit particles released from Naruto's blade's edge that was now streaking directly at him.
When both attacks impacted one another the resulting force of the collision blew both Naruto and Sasuke away from one another. As both former teammates skidded to a stop on the ground, Sasuke activated his Sharingan out of sheer frustration; the three tomes' forming all at once while he screamed.
"What...what the hell was that?"
Naruto answer to the Uchiha's question was an ominous deathly silence, as he swung the massive blade towards Sasuke once again.
Sasuke eyes narrowed as he realized this was no longer the same Naruto he once knew and the former hyperactive boy had now become a hardened man and was taking this fight seriously.
"Getsuga…" Naruto snarled as energy began to swell along his blade, "Tenshō!"
The blue crescent of energy arced forward from point blank range. It plowed onward, pushing the Uchiha backwards as he was forced to hold a block against the powerful attack. With a simple flick of his wrist, however, the Anbu slashed the fang of energy in half. As his vision cleared, Sasuke saw that Naruto already flying towards him in the wake of the attack; leaving him no time to use the long-range strategy he'd hoped for.
Their blades crashed against each other once more, as Naruto launched into a flurry of strikes. Sasuke dodged and parried perfectly, his movements appearing effortless in contrast with his opponent's attacks. Naruto suddenly jabbed forward with his zanpaktou, the silvery black tip of Zangetsu aiming directly for Sasuke's chest. The Uchiha leapt directly backwards and quickly swung Zabimaru to counter Naruto, who fell back and away.
With a growl, he lunged at Sasuke once more, who stepped back at the last second, thrust his hand forward, one finger pointed mere centimeter's from the blonde's chest and declared.
"Byakurai." (Pale Lightning)
"Wha?" Naruto cried, but too late, as a concentrated powerful lightning bolt slammed into him with the full force of a Chidori, powering him into the ground where he lay for a moment, before staggering to his feet with nothing more than singed clothing.
"Is that all?"
"You're an idiot!" Sasuke barked at him as Zabimaru returned to sword form before he screamed with frustration.
"I'll do it; I'll have to kill you if we continue!"
Naruto shook his head slowly, as red chakra was beginning to flow out from the seal.
"Do what you have to teme but know this, I ain't going back. Not now, not...EVER!"
As Naruto spoke, his eyes narrowed and began to change color becoming a deep shade of crimson, as the irises straightened into horizontal slits. Before the red chakra streaming from him began to form a Jinchuuriki cloak which swallowed him up.
"Moron." Sasuke stared at him for a moment longer, as the shroud went up to a single tail, and then stopped.
"Are you really that insane?" Sasuke asked before he then disappeared in a flicker of leaves, with Naruto replicating the move moments later.
Sasuke had thought himself prepared for his assault, but when it came, he realized just how foolish he, with his sword still extended, had been to remain in one place for such a length of time.
He hadn't been expecting this kind of speed.
Naruto Uzumaki snapped into view, his body blocking the Uchiha's, his eyes glaring out coldly, an ominous look adorning his face. With a hiss, he swung his zanpaktou, a Getsuga rocketing out from the tip of his sword and swallowing his nakama within the azure energy.
The blast picked Sasuke up, launched him bodily into the air, while his mind tried to process what'd just happened. A shadow fell over him, and he had enough common sense to look up, at the sound of whirling chakra.
The Rasengan drilled into his abdomen throwing him into the ground, where he remained, pinned by a trio of Kage Bunshin. With a roar, Naruto came down, driving his fist into the Uchiha's abdomen.
Sasuke cried out in pain, and Zabimaru lashed out in reply, slitting the blonde's cheek before he propelled himself away. Sasuke pursued while the armor chest plate he wore under his Anbu uniform was in tatters now, as he marched towards the blonde Jinchuuriki.
Using shunpo (flash-step), Sasuke was able to force Naruto down, pinning him to the earth, as the terrain splintered, cracked, and broke under the Uchiha's relentless assault.
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
Red eyes widened, as the energy fang struck full on, removing him from the wedged earth, before roughly depositing him into another tree. He snickered in amusement as he picked himself out of the debris.
"Nice attack." The Uchiha groaned while nursing his dislocated arm and weakly grasping the hilt of his sword.
Naruto didn't reply, instead, he launched himself at Sasuke again, stamped down on his chest, and prepared to drill Zangetsu home. But the effect was not as expected, for Sasuke was able to catch a direct line into his blonde opponent's eyes, as his own eyes widened, morphed, and began to spin signifying the casting of a Sharingan technique.
"Tsukuyomi!"
Naruto cried out in pain, dropping Zangetsu to claw at his head as everything became red, and in the hellish depths of his mind, his worst nightmares came back to life, ready to haunt and torment him once more. But with the pain, came rage, and this in turn annoyed the Kyuubi, who slowly began to stir, coming awake for the first time in weeks.
"Bah, what an irritating jutsu". With a little bit of effort on his part, the great fox demon pumped some of its chakra into the chakra pathways of his host, which in turn shook him, startling his mind out of the illusion.
"There. Now, just kill him already!" Kyuubi grumbled with annoyance.
As the spots cleared from his vision, something caught his eyes. Sasuke had somehow gotten behind him and even now, Zabimaru coursed through the air ready to split him in two.
"Getsuga Tenshō!" Naruto yelled once more, swinging his sword just as quickly, and then bringing it back around to guard. Sasuke took the hit, and Zabimaru barreled into Naruto, the synch of their attacks bringing forth another explosion.
Thrown off balance, the two combatants staggered back, coughing from the smoke.
Sasuke thrust a hand forward, obviously preparing another Byakurai spell. Remembering how easily he'd been decked before, Naruto rushed forward with another Getsuga already prepared, determined to prevent the use that technique again. As both warriors launched themselves forward and unleashed their attacks, a scream pierced the air.
"STOP!"
The two opponents wrenched their gaze away from each other, Sasuke to his left, Naruto to his right, suddenly aware of Ino, running towards them both. If she continued running, she'd be right in the middle of the blast zone...
To their horror, both men realized they couldn't stop their attacks. They had already gone past the point of pulling them back...
And now Ino was going to pay the ultimate price.
Authors Notes: Here is chapter 24 for everyone to enjoy. To be honest I changed very little in this chapter from the original, as the majority of it was Naruto and Sasuke's battle. I had co-written that battle scene with Neonzangetsu and quite frankly I think it's pretty good and required no significant changes. The flashback scenes with Ino I had originally done and once again I couldn't see myself making them significantly better. Although the last little paragraph of the final flashback is new. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and my next update will probably be on my "Supreme Genetics Bloodline" story. I want to thank everyone who did take the time to leave a review on this story. They really do help an author out in knowing what people like about it, as well as motivate them.
Thanks for your support of this story and take it easy!
Kingkakashi