Do I Have A Purpose Anymore?
Chapter 32: "The War vs. The Akatsuki Part.4"
Both Naruto and Sasuke were getting frustrated, as each of them fought against two wood clones of Madara, while the elder Uchiha was currently in the process of gathering his chakra and running through a series of hand seals getting ready to unleash…..something?
"Damn it, we need to take care of these clones before Madara completes whatever he's planning to do next!" Sasuke shouted in irritation, as he parried a swipe of the clone's gunbai scythe fan with his own kusanagi sword.
"I know that teme, but these clones are proving more difficult to get rid of, since we're conserving our chakra and just fighting them hand-to-hand!" Naruto replied, he dodged a swing of one of the clone's weapon.
"Well we need to something fast, because I don't think we've got much more time!"
Suddenly, the air was filled with the sound of a thousand birds chirping and a voice rang out.
"How about I render some assistance!"
A moment later, Kakashi appeared behind one of the wood clones Naruto was fighting, his chidori already activated, as he drove it straight through the back and out the chest of the clone. As the silver-haired Jounin did this he quickly threw four kunai with exploding tags attached at a clone Sasuke was fighting. This forced the clone to bring his gunbai around to knock the kunai's away, but this allowed Sasuke to sweep in and cut the clone in half with his blade. The remaining two clones jumped away to regroup, as they faced not two but three foes now. However, before anyone could move, the wood clones suddenly dissolved away, as Madara announced with confidence.
"I'm ready now!"
Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi looked nervously at one another, before they turned their attention back to the elder Uchiha who declared with malevolence.
"You three shall be the first to see the instrument of the world's destruction! It's something you've witnessed before, only this time you won't have the help of Konoha's previous Hokage's to stop it!"
Madara then slammed his hands onto the ground and began channeling his chakra into it. A moment later, the earth beneath everyone's feet began to quake. Suddenly, much to the horror of the three Leaf village shinobi, a giant monstrosity of a bijuu tree erupted from the ground and began to rise high into the sky. As the trio looked up, they could see the distinctive black spheres begin to form within the misshapen branches and they knew what the tree was creating…..bijuu bombs.
"I see you all remember this tree and with it I shall unleash one bomb after another until the surface of the earth is nothing more than a burnt wasteland!"
"We took out that tree before Uchiha-teme and we'll do it again!" Naruto shouted defiantly.
"Not this time Kyuubi-brat, I won't allow it!"
Madara then began to merge his body into the tree, while calling forth his Mangekyou Sharingan Susanoo defense to appear and engulf the bijuu tree within its skeletal frame. So now Madara had not only taken refuge within the bijuu tree, but now he had his own Susanoo now protecting both himself and the weapon he was going to use to bring forth the world's destruction, as he declared confidently.
"Try as you might fools, but you will never be able to overcome the power of the bijuu tree and that of the ultimate Uchiha Sharingan technique protecting it!"
As Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi stared at the tree now encased within Madara's Susanoo, it was Sasuke who finally voiced the question all of them had at that moment.
"How the hell are we supposed to take that thing down now? It took the power of the four Edo-Tensei Hokage's in the Fourth Great Shinobi War to help us do it last time!"
"You just answered your own question teme." Naruto calmly replied.
"Huh, what are talking about dobe?"
"He's saying Sasuke that were going to need help to take down that monstrosity once again and we're going to need it from people who are just as powerful as our Hokage's were." Kakashi spoke up in answering his former student's question.
"You mean we need the current living Kage's, but there isn't enough time to gather them before Madara starts unleashing the bijuu bombs!"
"You're right teme, there isn't enough time, but the current Kage's is not who Kakashi and I are talking about."
"Then who are you talking about dobe?"
"The Shingami's…..we're going to need the shingami's to win this battle and save the world."
"You, you're the one that's going to fight me? What a rip off, Naruto told me I'd get a good fight. You look like a damn mummy that's been buried way too long." Kenpachi said with a sigh of frustration.
Kakuzu stared at the large warrior in front of him and was unsure what to make of him. The man seemed more like a giant brute than a fighter with his torn and ragged cloths and chipped sword. That he had a small kid of his shoulder was even more confusing.
"Don't worry Ken-chan you can beat this guy really quick and then go and fight someone else!" Yachiru said with a wide smile.
"I guess you're right." Kenpachi replied, as he shooed Yachiru away and turned to face Kakuzu again.
"Are you the one that's going to fight me should be my line. I've faced dozens of opponents at the same time and walked away without a scratch. I doubt you'll be able to cut me at all with that dull blade of yours." Kakuzu stated.
"Is that a fact? Let's test that shall we!" Kenpachi said with a wide sharp toothed filled grin, as he dashed forward and swung his sword at Kakuzu.
Kakuzu raised his arm and blocked the one armed strike. Kenpachi's lone eye narrowed at failing to pierce Kakuzu's flesh. The skin on the arm that blocked the blade was a dark black and something underneath began to ripple and he jumped back to avoid the two long black tendrils that tried to go through his skull. However he did get a small scratch from one that began to bleed. Kenpachi put a hand to his wound and saw the crimson blood and his smirk turned into a full smile, but it was no less menacing.
"Well, well you might be more fun then I first thought." The former Gotei 13 Captain remarked, as he rushed forward to attack Kakuzu again.
'What is he thinking? He should already know that he can't hurt me.' The Akatsuki member thought, as Kenpachi struck him across the stomach, but again failed to cut him.
Kakuzu moved forward with impressive speed and punched Kenpachi in the face. The force of the blow pushed his one-eyed foe back a few feet, but the giant thug of a man was back in moments attacking again.
"Just what do you think you're going to accomplish? You should already know that you can't cut me!" Kakuzu said irritably, as he attempted to kick his one-eyed opponent in his thick head.
The former shinigami grabbed the limb and slammed Kakuzu into the ground. Kenpachi brought his sword up and tried to put the tip of his sword through Kakuzu's eye. The Akatsuki member quickly rolled out of the way and got to his feet.
"What's wrong? I thought that you said I couldn't cut you. The fact that you dodged means that you're afraid and if you're afraid then it means I can cut you." Kenpachi said with an amused chuckle.
"Don't misunderstand; it's a natural human instinct to avoid a strike from a sword. You still can't cut me!" Kakuzu said as he raised his arms and several black tendrils shot forward, destroying the ground in front of them and flying towards Kenpachi.
The swordsman showed unexpected quickness and he avoided them with surprising ease, even grabbing onto one and pulling Kakuzu to him. Kenpachi struck again for the head and Akatsuki member quickly moved his head to the side only allowing his cheek to be grazed. Kakuzu jumped away and raised his hand to feel that his cheek had been cut.
'Impossible! Are his strikes becoming more powerful?' The Akatsuki bounty hunter thought to himself, as he saw Kenpachi swing his sword a few times. The last time caused a small crack in the ground in front of him.
"It's been a while since my fight with Naruto and that crazy Yoruichi. Sorry about that, but my sword got a bit lazy with the lack of powerful opponents I've been fighting lately. All I've had as sparring partners lately are those maggots of the Crimson Blood army I've been training." Kenpachi stated, as he leapt forward in a burst of speed that put Kakuzu on his heels, before he sent more and more tendrils against his foe only to fail to contain the man.
Kenpachi spent the next minute or so dodging as well as slicing through any and all of the deadly wire like weapons until he got close to Kakuzu. The Akatsuki member raised his arm, but unlike last time he didn't send more of the thin black tendrils. Instead his forearm detached from the body, held together by more black strings, and shot forward. The hand grabbed Kenpachi by the throat and pulled him high into the air before slamming him back to the ground. Kakuzu moved to pull his arm back but found he couldn't. Kenpachi had gotten a hold of the appendage and held in his vice like grip.
"You shouldn't throw things you are prepared to lose." Kenpachi sarcastically said, as he pulled Kakuzu to him and pierced him through the heart.
"Is that all? I knew you were a waste of my time." Kenpachi spat with disappointment, as he pulled his sword out and Kakuzu fell to his knees.
"How annoying." Kenpachi declared in frustration, as he turned to walk away. He stretched his senses to find another opponent and was a bit confused when his senses told him that a powerful enemy was still behind him. Kenpachi coughed up blood suddenly and looked down to see a hand sticking through his lower abdomen.
"Are you still bored? Please forgive me. You are stronger then I initially believed. To take out one of my hearts in one blow is something that hasn't happened to me in years." The newly revived Kakazu said as he threw Kenpachi away from him. The giant of a man slowly got to his feet and turned his single eye at Kakuzu.
Kakuzu untied his Akatsuki robe and let it fall to the ground. His body was crisscrossed with black stitches and on his back were four masks, one of which had a large hole in it. The masks all ripped out of his back and formed into giant beasts whose bodies were made up of innumerable tendrils. The one mask that had been struck by Kenpachi's blade cracked and fell apart and subsequently the beast it formed also disintegrated.
'That was the one that he took out with one strike. Still the others will be more than enough to finish him off.' Kakuzu thought to himself as he turned to look at the other three masks.
Each mask represented a different heart that Kakuzu had pulled out of an opponent in a previous battle and each one had a specific elemental affinity.
The mask that held a heart with the fire affinity took the shape of a demonic tiger. The lightning mask took the shape of a deformed biped. Lastly, the wind mask took the form of a strange four legged body with thin wings.
"With that wound of yours I doubt you'll last that long against my pets. Any last words?" Kakuzu asked, as he stared at the man that had to be contemplating his death. What he heard in response sent a chill of fear down his back, as it was an emotion that he hadn't felt since he'd fought the first Hokage decades ago…..fear.
Kenpachi was laughing.
The booming, joy filled sound that came from the man seemed to shake the very ground and the former shinigami lone visible eye seemed to be glow with power and the rows of sharp teeth that were visible with his smile showed nothing but joy, seemingly oblivious to the situation.
'Ken-chan's starting to enjoy the fight.' Yachiru thought to herself with an easy going smile, as she felt Kenpachi's energy begin to climb.
"There's something special about seeing your own blood on the battle field don't you agree." Kenpachi said, as he raised his hand that had been covering his wound and looked at the crimson covered appendage.
"You're insane." Kakuzu said with a snort, trying to shake off the feeling of dread that had settled on him. There was no way someone with that kind of wound could last against his creatures.
"Attack! Rip him to pieces!" Kakuzu cried out, as the three masks charged at Kenpachi.
"Come on!" Kenpachi said, his smile never leaving his face as he met his attackers head on.
The fire mask opened its mouth and shot a small ball of fire at Kenpachi. Listening to his instincts the swordsman flash stepped away as the small ball hit the ground. The resulting inferno swept across the area setting trees ablaze and turning grass into ash.
Kenpachi jumped down and prepared to slash the beast apart when the wind beast slammed into him and took him into the air. It tossed the man down to the ground and shot a wind ball after him, hitting him immediately after he crashed into the ground with crushing force. The lightning beast wasted no time sending a burst of electricity through the resulting cloud of dust at the former shinigami. The blast of lightning was halted in its path and Kakuzu believed that it had pierced Kenpachi's body. When the dust settled Kenpachi was indeed bloodied but not from the lightning blast that he was currently blocking with one hand. He redirected the blast away from him and his smile never wavered.
"Not bad at all, they might even have enough power to kill me." Kenpachi said as he sped towards the beasts. He jumped over the lance of lightning the beast sent at him and punched it in the face, sending it flying back. He turned and ducked under a ball of fire sent by the beast before him and he dodged the following attacks and slicked the fire beast from shoulder to hip, letting it fall in pieces to the ground.
"Or maybe they're nothing but trash." Kenpachi proclaimed, his smile fading at how easy it had been to best one of them.
He turned his eye up to the wind beast that was still circling over head and almost didn't catch the slight shifting sound behind him. He jumped up just to avoid being caught in a wave of flames. The fire beast had reformed itself completely unharmed from the blow. Kenpachi turned and blocked a clawed hand from the wind beast. He grabbed its arm and turned the monster, jumping onto its back and slicing its wings off and throwing it to the ground. The wind beast landed directly on the fire monster and both were sent sprawling across the battlefield.
The former Gotei 13 Captain landed and began to dodge the wild yet powerful blows of the lightning beast. The mask opened and sent a lightning bolt at the hulking giant of a man who raised his zanpaktou and blocked the attack, thought the force of it pushed him back. Kenpachi deflected the bolt and moved to attack again when he felt his arms and legs becoming entangled in numerous thin black tendrils. He turned his head, the only part of his body he could move and saw Kakuzu behind him.
"Why the interference? I thought your beasts would be more than enough to defeat me." Kenpachi mocked at the Akatsuki member.
"I grow tired to waiting for them to finish you off. I have more important things to do like defeating the ninja that actually have bounties on their heads and collecting it." Kakuzu stated.
"Don't tell me you're one of those guys that fight only for money. How pathetic, a good fight is its own reward." Kenpachi said with a smirk, as the three beasts all stood together a few feet away from him and readied themselves to attack together.
"Spoken like a true brainless barbarian, it's time for you to die now." Kakuzu darkly proclaimed.
"You first!" Kakuzu looked up only to be engulfed by a fire ball courtesy of Yugito. The container of the two tailed cat extended her claws and sliced through Kenpachi's bindings.
"Kenpachi-san I am here to help you. I can handle this guy. You take his beasts." She said, never taking her eyes off of the still burning flames that encircled Kakuzu. Yugito moved to follow up her assault only to be stopped short when she felt a hand grab her shirt. She was lifted up face to face with a very irritated Kenpachi.
"I told you before kitty-cat, I will gut you like a fish if you try and help me in my fight! Now, go get in someone else's way, before I change my mind and do away with you for butting in!" Kenpachi spat menacingly, as he threw her to the ground.
Yugito got back up and the rage on her face could have set Kenpachi ablaze had it been able, as she growled out in fury.
"Naruto-kun told me to backup anyone who needed help and from where I was standing you definitely needed me to step in."
"Please. I could have broken out if I wanted to. I was curious as to how strong all three of those beasts' attacks would be at once." Kenpachi said.
"You really are crazy!" Yugito said with bewilderment.
"Whatever, find someone else to bother. I don't need nor do I want any help."
"Fine, have it your way!" Yugito hissed as she flared her demonic chakra at him.
The former Gotei 13 Captain didn't even flinch, as he gave off a brief burst of his own, that dwarfed hers. Yugito took a step back and truly looked at the man before her. She knew he was strong, but Naruto had been able to best him and his presence then hadn't frozen her completely like it just had.
'How much stronger did he get and how much of that is he hiding?' Yugito thought as she saw Kakuzu emerge from the fire, the only damage he seemed to have taken was the loss of his shirt, hat and facemask.
"Ahh, the two tailed demon cat container. You are a very valuable prize. I'll have to be careful not to kill you. I think I'll just take off a leg or arm." Kakuzu announced in threatening tone of voice.
Yugito immediately took up an attack stance and readied herself only to stop when Kepachi's blade came up to her throat and stopped her.
"I told you to leave girl. I'll take this guy out without any help from you. If I wanted someone to fight with me Yachiru would be at my side." He said with a smile on his face as his opponent had risen again so easily after being blindsided by Yugito.
"Fine then but don't come complaining to me if you get your butt handed to you." Yugito muttered as she left the battle field and stood next to Yachiru. The beasts ignored her just as they had Yachiru, as Kakuzu hadn't given them an order to attack.
"Don't worry kitty-chan, Ken-chan just doesn't like to share when he's in a fight." The pink haired little girl happily stated, when Yugito walked by her.
"I can see that, what an idiot! He and Naruto-kun truly are hard headed sometimes. I guess that's why they get along so well." Yugito said as she left to assist someone else in battle.
"Glad you're back on your feet and I apologize for the interruption. Let's continue." Kenpachi said as he pointed his blade at Kakuzu.
"You deny help despite the fact you were only a moment ago in my grasp and facing death? You truly are as stupid as you look." Kakuzu said as his three beasts came to stand beside him.
"Finish him off." Kakuzu ordered, as all three of his masked creatures attacked at once.
"Bring it on!" Kenpachi shouted as he raced towards them as all three masks opened up and attacked.
He ducked under a ball of fire and redirected a bolt of lightning behind him, however the compressed wind ball hit him in the chest and pushed him back a few paces. With a cry of joy he rushed forward again, hacking and slashing at all of them. However each of his attacks that landed didn't keep them from regenerating and coming for him again. Meanwhile Kenpachi was taking more and more hits and wounds began to appear all over his body. However one thing that failed to change was the wide grin on his face.
'What kind of man fights this way? He fights without any set style or strategy, simply wildly slashing at anything close to him.' Kakuzu thought, as he watched Kenpachi continue to fight.
Kakuzu had met many men over his long life and each had their own reason to fight. Most did it out of obligation, either to a village, loved one, or master. Others like himself, fought for money. And yet some fought even because "it was the right thing to do". He had yet to meet someone who fought for the sake of fighting and it confused him. And things that annoyed or confused Kakuzu he killed, personally.
"Enough! Come to me." Kakuzu shouted to his beasts. The three monsters, which had been slowly but surely losing ground to Kenpachi jumped back and returned to Kakuzu. All three masks flew into his body and he began to transform.
Black tendrils began to pour of out of Kakuzu from every joint held together by the black stitches that criss-crossed his body. He looked like a giant rag doll and all three masks were present in the black tangled mass. Kenpachi stared at the new opponent with a detached expression.
"Why'd you have to go and do that? Three on one was something of a work out now you're just one big target." Kenpachi said, clearly upset and not even breathing hard despite his wounds.
"Still such a fool." Kakuzu snarled and he launched himself at Kenpachi.
Kenpachi avoided the mass of tendrils that came his way, but swiftly had to block a burst of electricity from the lightning mask. Kakuzu took advantage of this and wound his black tendrils around the spiky haired man and threw him into the air.
"Dodge this!" Kakuzu said as the fire mask opened and shot a giant fireball at Kenpachi.
Kenpachi smiled as he swung his sword and bisected the flaming projectile the two pieces harmlessly moving past him. He fell to the ground like a missile and slashed Kakuzu's right arm completely off, taking a large mass of tendrils with him. Kakuzu jumped back and his chest exploded with innumerable black projectiles that sought to skewer Kenpachi. He simply smiled and slashed down causing a large explosion of power that destroyed them easily.
Kakuzu quickly opened the fire and wind masks and the two combined their powers to send a white hot inferno racing to Kenpachi. The swordsman neither dodged nor blocked the coming assault. He calmly walked into the coming wave of fire and slowly raised his hand towards his eye patch.
"Let me show you what true power is." Kenpachi said softly, yet the words seemed to reach Kakuzu's ears all the same. Kenpachi removed his eye patch just as he was engulfed in the white hot fire Kakuzu had sent his way.
Kakuzu saw his opponent get swallowed up by his attack and relaxed for the first time in the battle. It had taken a while but the fool hadn't even attempted to defend himself and he knew from experience that when he combined the attacks of his wind and fire masks that the resulting flames were hot enough to melt steel and turn humans into nothing more than ash. Kakuzu began to laugh at the stupidity of the man and turned to the small child that he had brought with him.
"It seems you are all alone now girl. I suggest you run away unless you picked up on your former comrade's stupidity and seek to fight me." Kakuzu said with a chuckle.
"I can't fight you." Yachiru stated simply.
"Then you are already wiser then he was." Kakuzu said as he turned from her.
"No the reason I can't fight you is that Kenny is still playing with you." Yachiru chirped joyfully with a smile.
"What?" Kakuzu said in confusion. The girl must have been as insane that the man that was even now surly nothing more than a pile of bones that would quickly be burned to ash. A pulse of power went through the battlefield and Akatsuki member whirled around in shock at the inferno that was still burning.
"What is this? It's not possible." Kakuzu said as a figure appeared in the fire. The flames seemed to flow over and around the man. It was as if they refused to touch him. To Kakuzu the flames looked like the fires of hell and the smiling figure was a demon straight from its fiery depths.
Kenpachi swung his sword and the force behind it extinguished the flames completely. Both of his eyes were now visible and his power had escalated to a level Kakuzu had never felt before from anyone short of Pein and the First Hokage and even he was unsure if they could match this man's power. The yellow energy that flowed from Kenpachi seemed to be playing tricks on Kakuzu's mind for he swore that he could see the shape of a skeleton take form behind the man, no this monster in front of him.
"You look a little shook up. What's the matter?" Kenpachi said and he took a step forward. Kakuzu unconsciously took two steps back.
"Running scared? How disappointing." Kenpachi said as a frown appeared on his face. He'd hoped the man had another ace up his sleeve to keep the fight interesting but it seemed he was mistaken and the man was at his maximum power.
"You're boring me again. Guess I'll take out the trash and be done with it." Kenpachi said as he raised his sword and swung down.
Kakuzu had all three masks open and launched the combined fire, wind and lightning attacks at Kenpachi. The resulting blast of energy from the swordsman overpowered Kakuzu's in seconds and traveled at Kakuzu so fast that he was only just able to move out of the way and even then he lost his right arm and leg and the fire mask was destroyed. The missing ninja turned and saw a giant gash in the ground from the strike and knew he was no match for the man in front of him.
"You're still pretty nimble for a dead man." Kenpachi said.
"I'm not dead yet." Kakuzu said with as much conviction as he could despite his injuries.
"Give me a second." Kenpachi said from behind in annoyance.
He had moved so fast Kakuzu hadn't even seen a blur, as he turned to bring the full brunt of his remaining power to bear against Kenpachi.
Kenpachi slashed Kakuzu with his sword.
The resulting explosion of yellow colored energy would have blinded anyone watching but the results after it faded were clear to see. Both of Kakuzu's remaining masks had been destroyed as well as a majority of the black tendrils that had been spilling out of his body. Kakuzu, or what remained of him, fell to the ground. Kenpachi walked away without a word.
"W-wait." Kenpachi stopped and turned to the downed ninja.
"Why didn't you kill me?" Kakuzu weakly asked.
Indeed Kakuzu wasn't dead. He was critically injured but not fatally so.
"I don't kill weaklings." Kenpachi stated simply.
"Don't look down on me." Kakuzu said in a rage, as he somehow got back to his feet.
"A piece of filth like you has no right looking down on me!" Kakuzu declared, as he used the rest of his energy to attack Kenpachi.
With a sigh of frustration Kenpachi finished off what he considered a pathetic man off by cutting off his head. As the body fell to the ground Kenpachi resumed his trek towards Yachiru.
"He wasn't any fun was he Ken-chan?" the pink haired girl said as she jumped back onto his shoulder.
"I don't know about that. I could have been in trouble there for a second."
"Don't be silly, you could have killed him as soon as the fight started!' Yachiru said with a pout, as she swatted him on the head.
"Whatever." Kenpachi said as he continued to walk towards where he hoped someone was fighting a strong opponent.
With his sense of direction, however, Kenpachi would more than likely miss the opportunity to join anyone else's battle. However, the fates were kind to the battle-scarred shinigami when Yachiru looked up and pointed, while asking her former Gotei 13 Captain.
"Ken-chan, what's that funny looking tree growing in the distance?"
Both Yoruichi and Shunsui were racing through the forest heading towards Naruto's position when they suddenly stopped in a small clearing. Neither shinigami said a word, as their heightened senses were on high alert. After a minute, they both looked to one another and Youruichi asked.
"Do you feel that power?"
"It's kind of hard not to."
"It's such a dark power and it's coming from…over there." Yoruichi commented, before pointing to a large deformed tree rising high into the sky."
"That's where Naruto-sama is located."
"Shunsui dear, we need to kick it into high gear, for as strong as Naruto is, he's still going to need our help to take down that thing."
Shunsui nodded his head in agreement, before both former Gotei 13 Captains flash-stepped away towards Naruto's battle.
However, it wasn't just the two former shinigami's that felt the intense power coming from Madara. The Medical platoon had just reached its new location roughly a couple of miles from where Naruto was battling the elder Uchiha. Everyone gazed at the ominous looking bijuu tree with a feeling of dread. None more so than Hinata, Kurenai, and Sakura, as they had seen a similar tree years before in the Fourth Great Shinobi War and they remembered the awful destructive power of it. It was Sakura who finally voiced the silent question they all held.
"Is that what I think it is?"
"Hai Sakura, I fear we are looking at another bijuu tree." Kurenai stoically answered.
"This one doesn't appear to be in its final form, but there is some sort of strange black skeleton surrounding it." Hinata commented, while her Byakugan pulsated across her temple.
"A black skeleton?"
"That's the only way I can describe it Kurenai-sensei."
"Do you think Madara is trying to create the Infinite Tsukyomi again?"
"I don't think so Sakura, as Hinata said the tree is not in its final form and it's the wrong time of the month of the cycle of a full moon to reflect its Tsukyomi off of." Kurenai replied to her fellow kunoichi, before grimly adding.
"However, you and Hinata should remember that even though the bijuu tree isn't in its final form. It's still a very powerful and deadly weapon that can cause massive destruction unless we stop it!"
It was at that moment, Ino arrived with Yumichika and surprisingly Princess Kazahana Koyuki following behind.
"Ino-chan!" Hinata exclaimed, as she embraced her best friend in a hug.
When the two kunoichi's broke apart, Ino turned to Kurenai who ordered with authority.
"Report Ino, was your mission a success?"
"Hai it was, Zetsu is dead and as you can see Princess Kazahana Koyuki has been rescued."
"But why is she here? I thought the plan was to leave her secured in her castle until the battle was over?"
"They tried, but I refused to sit idly by while others are risking their lives to free my country and its people from this Akatsuki scum. Even as we speak, my military commanders are gathering the remnants of our forces and are preparing to march to aid all of you in defeating Madara Uchiha." Koyuki contritely answered, as she bowed in respect to Kurenai.
"Princess Kazahana, there is no need to bow to me, you are the royalty here not I."
"I bow to you out of respect Miss….?"
"Kurenai Princess Kazahana, my name is Kurenai Yuuhi. I'm a Jounin of the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
"So you and the others here are all from Naruto-kun's village?"
"Not all of us… Yumichika, why is Ikkaku not with you?" Kira sternly questioned, as Momo looked on nervously.
Yumichika could only lower his head a bit and shake it sadly at his fellow Gotei 13 officers, before he declared in admiration and certainty.
"Let us not mourn Ikkaku, because he took a lot of bastards with him into the afterlife and you know that's just the way he would want to go out."
Both Kira and Momo nodded their heads in agreement, but were still saddened by the loss of their longtime friend and comrade.
"I am sorry for the loss of your friend. I promise you he will be remembered and honored by my people, as will all of you in helping to free the Land of spring from Madara and the Akatsuki. Princess Koyuki declared, as she bowed to the three shinigami.
"I thank you for that Princess Koyuki, may I ask how many men are your military commanders marshalling?" Kurenai questioned in curiosity.
"Unfortunately, Madara and his forces killed many of my soldiers when they invaded my country. If I had to guess, I would say we maybe have 50 to 60 warriors left who are capable of fighting."
"Hmm, I was afraid of that. Princess Koyuki, while I appreciate your motivation in wanting to help to defeat Madara, I'm afraid you cannot help us."
"I don't understand, we want to help?"
"Like I explained to Commander Daisuke here, the power and skills being unleashed by Madara are extraordinary and only a select few individuals will be able to help stop him. The power Madara is able to wield is beyond the strength and skills your soldiers. If they were to engage in Naruto's fight against him they would be overmatched and slaughtered by the elder Uchiha. Your men would be better served to link up with Commander Daisuke's forces and help protect the Medical unit."
"I see, I do not wish to sacrifice the lives of my men foolishly, so I will heed to your judgment and do as you ask Kurenai-san."
"But Kurenai-sensei, we have to do something to help Naru-kun!" Hinata vehemently declared in a tense and worried voice.
"I know Hinata and we shall."
Kurenai then looked around the gathered people and announced.
"Ino, Yumichika, Kira, Momo, I want the five of us ready to move out immediately to help Naruto and the others battle Madara. I believe we also need a skilled Medic-nin to accompany us to the battle."
"Both Hinata and Sakura's faces perked up after hearing this, as each of them hoped it would be themselves that Kurenai chose.
"Sakura, I want you to be that Medic-nin."
Hinata's face became crestfallen upon hearing this, which Kurenai noticed and walked over to the Hyuga girl before saying in a comforting and soothing tone of voice.
"Hinata, you know I'm right in taking Sakura with me. I cannot and will not risk the health and safety of your unborn child, by placing you in battle."
"I, I know Kurenai-sensei, it's just that I want to help Naru-kun so badly."
"I know, but the best way you can help him is to keep your child safe and out of harm's way."
Hinata nodded her head in agreement, before Kurenai turned to Daisuke and ordered.
"Commander Daisuke, I want you and your men to protect the Medical unit and I want you personally to watch over Hinata."
"Hai Kurenai-sama, it shall be done."
"Princess Koyuki, when your soldiers arrive, you will have them bolster Commander Daisuke's forces in protecting the Medical unit."
"Yes Kurenai-san, I will give the order to do that."
"Alright, let's get set to move out!"
"Not without me!" Nelliel announced to everyone present.
"Nel, wouldn't you rather stay here with your momma-hina?"
"No Kurenai-san, I wish to help my Naru-kun and in my Arrancar adult form I've now attained the power to be able help him in his battle."
Kurenai looked to the former shinigami, as they understood the nature of what an Arrancar is better than she and it was Kira who spoke up and said.
"Nel does hold tremendous power in her adult form and we might need that power if we are to defeat Madara."
Kurenai thought about it for a moment, before she exhaled a small sigh and said.
"Very well, you may join us if you so choose Nel."
Nel, nodded her head in understanding, before she turned and hugged Hinata goodbye, followed by Ino. As Ino and Hinata hugged one last time, the Yamanaka girl whispered into her friend's ear.
"Don't worry Hinata; I'll make sure nothing happens to Naru-kun, I'll bring him back to both of us I promise."
Hinata tightened her embrace on Ino a bit, before she let go and smiled at her friend. Hinata's stomach tightened a bit, as she watched her friends and comrades sprint away towards where Naruto was battling Madara. A lone tear rolled down her cheek, as she silently prayed to Kami for all of them to return to her safe and unharmed along with her beloved Naru-kun.
Meanwhile, a 200 yards away in a nearby forest, two eyes peaking through its dense foliage narrowed in anger and frustration. Kiba gritted his teeth in fury, as he glared at Hinata in the distance, while keeping himself hidden from her view. After a minute, the Inuzuka heir spat to himself with disgust.
"Damn it, I can't get anywhere near Hinata, not with that big guy with the axe following her around. I'll have to wait to settle things with that slut later. Oh well, I guess it's Naruto who will die first, but I have to be careful. Hopefully, whoever that wife-stealing asshole is fighting can fuck him enough that I can sneak in and deliver the final killing blow. Then I'll cut his head off and bring it back for Hinata to see before I kill her and that bastard she's carrying inside her. I'd better head out and pick-up the trail of my former whore of sensei. I'm sure she's heading towards where Naruto is and judging by the direction they went, I'd say they are all heading for that freaky looking tree a few miles from here."
Kiba retreated into the dark forest and sprinted away to follow Kurenai to lead him to the one he so dearly wished to kill, his former friend and comrade…Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze.
"Damn it, what are we going to do? We have to stop Madara before he unleashes those bijuu bombs!" Sasuke exclaimed in apprehension.
"Foolish kinsman, there is nothing you three can do to stop me! Even with your combined power, it still won't be enough against the awesome might of the bijuu I now control." Madara replied derisively in smug confidence.
"Then how about we throw our power into the mix asshole!" Yoruichi declared, as she and Shunsui suddenly appeared next to Naruto.
Madara glared down at the
slender, dark-skinned woman who had arrived with companion and insulted him. He noted that she was average height, with golden-colored eyes and long purple hair, which she kept in a ponytail. This strange woman's attire consisted of a black, backless, sleeveless undershirt, with an orange over-shirt with two white straps on each shoulder. She also wore a large beige sash around her waist and black stretch pants with a pair of lightweight brown shoes. Upon first view, this woman appeared to be of little threat to the elder Uchiha, but Madara could sense that she held great power within her. However, the power she held was nothing in comparison to her straw hat wearing companion, as Madara turned his attention to him.
The man standing beside Yoruichi was tall, light-skinned, and with high cheekbones with thin facial hair around his mouth and on his cheeks, grey eyes and long wavy brown hair. His hair was tied in a long ponytail and he had long bangs that framed the left side of his face. He also had a noticeable amount of body hair on his chest, feet, and arms. However, the attire of the man confused Madara, as it was not something a warrior would wear. The man wore a straw hat and a pink, flowered lady's kimono, which he draped across his shoulders and over a simple white shitagi undershirt, a black kosode overshirt, and a black hakama kimono skirt. Madara's eyes narrowed, as while Shunsui's attire was odd, he could still sense the tremendous the former shinigami held. However, Madara concluded that even with the additional power added to what Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi held, it was still insufficient to the power of the bijuu he could call upon and he spat with arrogance.
"Bah, I don't know who you two interlopers are, but it matters not to me. If you choose to side with the Kyuubi brat, then you may join him in death as well."
Madara then unleashed one of the bijuu bombs he had created, sending it towards Naruto and everyone around him. Suddenly Naruto stepped forward and shouted while flashing through a series of hand-signs.
"Makaze Suidou no jutsu!" (Evil Wind Tunnel technique)
Instantly a swirling vortex of wind laced with telltale sign of the Kyuubi's red chakra erupted from Naruto's hands. As the tornado of wind rose in the air, it quickly swallowed not only the the bijuu bomb Madara had unleashed, but also the other three around the tree. The column of swirling wind rose higher and higher, as Naruto silently spoke to his tenant.
'Pour in as much of your chakra as you can Kurama, we've got to contain the explosion of the bijuu bombs within my wind tunnel!'
"I'm doing it kit, but did you really have to name this jutsu evil? I'm not really that evil anymore!"
'Sorry, I'll think of a new name later, right now I need to redirect the explosion into the sky!'
As if on cue, the four bijuu bombs within Naruto's wind tunnel exploded with monstrous force. However, Naruto's Kyuubi powered jutsu was up to the task and contained the blast, while at the same time redirecting and funneling it up and out of the tunnel into the sky. Still the power of the blast could still be felt, as the concussive impact of the explosion literally shook the ground for miles around. Naruto dropped to the ground on one knee panting, before Kakashi asked with genuine concern for his former pupil.
"Naruto, are you alright?"
"I'm, I'm ok, I just need a minute to recover. I had to use a lot of Kurama's chakra to redirect the explosion away to protect us."
"Who is Kurama?" Sasuke asked in confusion
"Kurama is the true name of the Kyuubi no Youko within me."
"I have to compliment you Naruto that was ingenious on your part on how you saved us. Using bijuu power against bijuu power was very clever." Kakashi offered up in compliment.
"Th-thanks Kakashi-sen…..Kakashi."
"Oh yeah, now that's what I'm talking about!" Kenpachi shouted in appreciation, as he stepped out of the forest with Yachiru still sitting on his shoulder.
Everyone turned their attention to the large hulking man walking towards them, who continued express his joy of the situation.
"Can you just feel the power coming from that guy Yachiru."
"I sure can Kenny; it feels real dark and powerful."
"Yeah it does, I think this guy might actually be able to kill me. It's perfect, he's just the strong opponent I was looking for to fight, a lot stronger than that Kakuzu asshole I finished off a little while ago!" Zaraki declared with glee in his voice.
"You killed Kakuzu!" Madara exclaimed in disbelief.
"Yeah I did, and I can't wait to kill you!"
"You can scratch off Orochimaru and Kabuto as well." Yoruichi announced with pride.
"Obito won't be coming to help you this time either Madara!" Kakashi declared with a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Neither will Deidara, you Uchiha bastard!" Yugito spat with malevolence towards Madara. As she emerged from a nearby forest.
"Zetsu is pushing up daisies as well!" Ino proclaimed, as she arrived along with Kurenai, Yumichika, Kira, Nelliel and Momo.
"Your Akatuski followers have also been eliminated Madara!" Kurenai proclaimed for everybody to hear.
Everyone soon formed up with Naruto and all 13 warriors readied themselves to battle Madara and end his life once and for all.
For his part, the elder Uchiha could only glare with fury at this baker's dozen of fighters standing before him. He remembered how they had stood defiantly against him during the Fourth Great Shinobi War. It infuriated Madara that some of these same people had helped in his defeat during that war. And he silently vowed to himself that he would not let that happen again, as he spat in angered fury.
"So you managed to take down all of my Akatsuki, even my followers, you bastards! I guess it's my fault, I obviously overestimated their power and capabilities in being able to defeat mongrels like you!"
Madara then flashed a sizable amount of killing intent at his opponents, before he declared with unbridled confidence and certainty.
"No matter, I guess I must follow the old adage."
"If you want something done right, then you have to do it yourself!"
Madara then grinned wickedly, before he announced.
"And what I want done right is for all of you to...…DIE"
Author Note: Well, as you can see the story is building to its ultimate climatic finale. First, I need to gratefully thank my reader Kyuubi123 for once again crafting another amazing battle scene. This time between Kenpachi Zaraki and Kakuzu. I have to say I think he did an incredible job writing that fight, as it was action-packed, exciting, and entertaining. My meager contribution to the battle was purely of a grammatical nature for the most part. Once again, I can't thank enough Kyuubi123 for his help on this story and the remarkable work he provided for it.
I do wish to thank everyone both old and new readers who took the time to review my last chapter. You all had a lot to say about it and I'm pleased that this story has such a strong fan base with readers who actually write out well thought-out reviews. Because of that, I enjoy reading many of your reviews, so please leave lots of them, as they do help a writer get a sense of the thoughts and opinions of the fans of a story. They also can help lift the spirits of an author as well. Also, to any readers who are staff members to any C2 communities, please feel free to add my story to your community if you feel it is worthy of it. I won't mind, I swear. I'll even pinkie swear if I need to?
Important News:
A couple of my fellow authors on this site dracohalo117 and Leaf Ranger informed me of something that could affect all of us in the future. ...SOPA is back! That's right people, the bill that is threatening to take away our freedoms on the internet and beyond is BACK, and not only is it back, but it is trying to be passed quietly so nobody notices, SOPA will guarantee that anybody who streams a video, whether it be on youtube, a walkthrough for a video game, or a kid singing a song that is 'copyrighted' they will be treated as a felon, that is right, a FELON, do you understand me? YOU will be treated like the highest form of criminal for uploading a video game walkthrough on youtube, for singing a song on karaoke, hell, you could be arrested and treated as a felon for posting a screenshot...
Now, why am I telling you this? Because this is only just the beginning, how long until Fanfiction is being attacked, how long until a fanfiction writer is being carted off to a maximum state prison for writing a character from Naruto into their fanfic, or a character from Bleach, or a character from Sekirei or Seikon no Qwaser, Highschool DxD, Trinity Blood, Witchblade, how long until THAT crap is happening? I assure you that if this passes, it will not be long, oh no, it will not be long at all, because once this passes, then ANYTHING goes, Fanfiction will be attacked for using canon characters in a fanon manner, authors will be arrested for writing a book whose main character has glasses, just like in another series, artists will be arrested and confined for using sapphire blue in the iris of one of their characters like another author. We CANNOT let this happen!
You can find several petitions to stop this oppressive bill on ipetitions . com
In 2010, my fellow author brown phantom initiated a poll asking the following question.
Who is the best Naruto fan fiction writer on this site?
Upon completion of that first poll I finished a very respectable 8th to which I thank all of you who voted for me on that poll very much for making that happen. Now brown phantom has decided to run a second poll asking that same question. So I humbly ask if you feel I'm worthy of being one of your 10 author picks to please place a vote for me on brown phantoms second poll. I thank you in advance for your support and normally I would provide you the links to the profile pages for brown phantom for you to use. However, one of the "oh so wonderful" changes FFnet has recently made is making it more difficult to list a link anywhere even if it's a link on their own freaking site. So just do a quick search for the author, brown phantom. As I said I finished 8th on his first poll and I would be ecstatic if I could improve on that showing, but I will need all of your help to achieve that.
End of News:
Thanks to everyone for your support of this story!
Take it easy and be good!
Kingkakashi