Yo...

Time for another chapter, and there have been a few changes in the chronological order of this arc. I'm also glad you liked the previous chapter, it may have felt like a valiant end for Iwashi's character, and it was indeed. However, every death that occurs in this story has long term effects...

And now you can see, that while the blood clones are strong but there are ninja who can kill them. There are people who will fight till their last breath, and sometimes that's the only thing needed to win...

Enjoy the chapter...

Chapter 86

The Shattered Mask

Loud sirens could be heard all across the leaf village. Everywhere people could be seen swarming the streets, the ninja were rushing towards the Hokage tower where Hiruzen could be seen standing beside Jiraiya.

Tsunade Senju was currently assembling all the medic ninja at the hospital.

Several chunin and genin were assisting the civilians in escaping to the newly built settlement through the secret tunnels. Panic, fear, confusion could be clearly seen on the faces of the people of Konoha.

The village was shifted to high alert mode, and every available Anbu unit was searching the borders for any enemy forces.

Meanwhile, in the Namikaze clan compound Naruto had just finished his last preparations. Dressed in his Jounin attire, and his Konoha headband covering his left eye. He quickly put his face mask on, and stashed his sword on his back.

He was surprised when he saw Itachi dashing out of his room, the boy was currently wearing the Namikaze clan armor and a dark black shirt beneath it. He was also wearing light blue pants and had Naruto's old tanto strapped on his back.

"He looks like one of those kids mentioned in the clan war's era..." said Mikoto lightly,

Naruto's gaze shifted towards his mother, who was also wearing her Jounin uniform but had a special "Chief Medic" tag on her uniform.

"I want to keep him away from the front lines..." said Naruto seriously, and Mikoto just smiled on seeing her son's desire to protect his brother.

"He's a shinobi like you, and unless Hiruzen-sama orders genin like Itachi to fall back, he will stick with you." suggested Mikoto patiently,

However she was a little troubled when Naruto's gaze shifted towards the moon shining in the sky. And judging from the frown on his face, it was certainly not something good.

"Kaa-san, I feel a strange kind of chakra..." said Naruto in confusion, as Mikoto came forward and looked at the sky.

"I don't feel anything strange..." replied Mikoto, although she didn't doubt if something was wrong, Naruto was a good sensor and if there was something that was troubling him...then it must be investigated.

"Nii-san, Kaa-san...I'm going to rendezvous with my team. We'll assemble at the Hokage tower..." said Itachi quickly,

"We'll be there, just don't get into any trouble..." warned Mikoto, but sighed when Itachi just smirked.

The proud Uchiha watched happily as her brave younger son ran out of the house. Naruto saw Itachi linking up with many other young genin and chunin from the Namikaze clan...until,

Mikoto could not understand the terror that appeared in Naruto's eyes, just before he stormed out of the house. Sensing some trouble, she followed her elder son quickly.

(Namikaze Clan Compound: Outer District)

Naruto hurriedly rushed through the streets, he could feel his mother's presence behind him, but his mind was only focused on two chakra signatures.

An extremely strong chakra, and low fading chakra.

And he knew these two chakra very well.

His worst nightmare came true, when he arrived in the outer district only to witness several dead bodies of his clansmen. Genin and chunin ninja.

The ninja who went out with his brother...

"It's been a while, Naruto..."

Mikoto had just finished catching up to Naruto, she was just about to yell at him but freezed in fear when she saw a badly wounded Itachi currently held beneath a strange masked man foot.

"Itachi!" yelled Mikoto, and rushed towards him but was suddenly stopped by Naruto who stopped her by raising his hand while still looking at the masked man.

"Leave my brother out of this, Madara..." said Naruto in a very cold deadly voice, the fact that his sharingan came alive just brought a smirk on Madara's face.

"Madara? Uchiha Madara?" thought a terrified Mikoto, and the fact that her son was living on this man's mercy was making her feel more miserable.

She was just about to attack the man, when a simple sword being placed on Itachi's neck was enough to stop the terrified mother. Her gaze shifted towards Naruto, she knew very well that no one loved Itachi more than Naruto...and watching his wounded brother dying on the ground, what was he going through?

"He's the very reason you betrayed us, Naruto. This boy is the last link that is keeping you connected with this world..." said Madara bitterly,

"He's just a child, Madara. Leave him alone or I will kill you right here..." threatened Mikoto, when she saw Itachi coughing up blood but the man just chuckled.

"Kill me? There is no Konoha ninja who can kill me or even has the power to defeat me and my comrades, except for the person standing beside you...Mikoto" explained Madara without any doubt in his voice, and Mikoto saw the person who was being referred to was none other than Naruto.

"What do you want?" asked Naruto stoically, his face devoid of any feelings...but Madara could clearly feel the turmoil in the boy's heart.

"I'll let your brother live, even spare your village...if you join me. Naruto, you are the chosen one...the one who is destined to destroy this cursed ninja world. Just imagine, how much change could we bring if we join our powers?" offered Madara,

"Don't listen to him, Naruto" warned Mikoto, but Madara sensed the conflict in Naruto's heart and decided to accomplish his objective.

"You're the only one that knows the true power of the Akatsuki, my power. Nothing good can come in a fight against us, you and I want the same thing- Peace. The more you resist the more people you love will die. A few have already died..." said Madara slyly, and activated his Mangekyo.

Mikoto took a step back in fear when a badly mutilated body appeared from Madara's pocket dimension and crashed right beneath Naruto's feet. It was a young boy, he was severely stabbed all over his body...not to mention the battered state of his body indicating he must have used a suicide technique.

And judging from the devastated look in Naruto's eye, was the only thing needed to prove that the body lying beneath his feet was someone he cared about.

Itachi hazily saw his brother kneeling on the ground, shakily closing the deceased boy's eyes as a few tears slipped from his eyes.

"Iwashi..." said Naruto sadly, and Madara was relieved when the predicted effect was visible on Naruto's face.

"He sacrificed himself in order to protect Konoha, believing you could bring true peace to this cursed ninja world. Another one of your friends died and you still couldn't do anything..." taunted Madara, and for the first time Mikoto saw something in Naruto's eyes.

Something which she had never seen before...

Defeat.

"I'll never let my comrades die...isn't that what you told me? Look around you, and say that to me AGAIN!" yelled Madara,

Watching Naruto look at the bodies of his Namikaze clansmen, brought a painful memory in Madara's heart too. What he was doing right now was not only necessary for complete victory of Akatsuki, but also a necessary step to show Naruto who he was.

Perhaps, Naruto was one of the few people in the world for whom Madara truly cared about. Despite, putting on a fake mask of happiness for his family...Madara knew what Naruto felt deep down in his heart.

The boy was trying hard to convince himself that he could create a reality which could never exist in the ninja world, and by making him see Iwashi's body only made him realize how futile Naruto's efforts were. How could he even dream of opposing Madara, when he didn't have any faith in anything?

Meanwhile, Mikoto was completely shocked on seeing this side of her son. So fragile, so weak, so vulnerable...because right now she was not seeing the hero who saved the village, but only a boy who was completely broken.

Was this the reason, why Naruto was so distant, so aloof?

Were all those smiles fake?

"One by one more and more of your friends will die, your family will die. For me, the current you is only an impostor who couldn't even protect the ones he loved and cared for..." said Madara honestly, as Naruto's fists clenched tightly to the point when blood started to seep through them.

"You can never understand how I feel towards these people..." said Naruto defiantly, but even the dying Itachi sensed the doubt in Naruto's eyes.

"Ask yourself why all this suffering is happening? It's because of this cursed ninja world, even your father's life is at risk right now..." said Madara seriously, as the Namikaze family was shell shocked.

"I'll kill you..." said Naruto furiously, however Madara just chuckled.

"You can try, but you know very well if you fight against me, then many more of your comrades will die in vain. But if you stop fighting and join me, then I give you my word no one else will die. You despise the ninja world, but if you join me...then I will create a world where you won't have that whole in your heart" said Madara in a kind voice,

Mikoto's heart broke when she saw a giant hole in Naruto's chest, even if this was a genjutsu it still proved the pain that was burning in Naruto's heart.

"I'm the only one who can truly understand your pain. This hole in your heart was created by this hellish world, a place which turned young innocent children into killing machines. In the past, I too felt the same pain as you...what does that mean?" questioned Madara patiently,

If Naruto understand the realty of this world, then "Tsukiyomi" plan of Akatsuki would get accomplished in no time. The Namikaze was the only person who had the strength, cunningness and tactics to counter Akatsuki.

And yet Madara only wanted him to accept his fate, and not be forced to become an enemy.

"I don't know..." said Naruto in a sad yet honest voice, completely breaking Mikoto's heart as tears emerged in her eyes.

"You've been suffering all this time, haven't you? Standing at Armin's grave...

Kotetsu's grave...

Commander Fox's grave...

Yugao's grave...

Hisana's grave...

Aoba's grave...

Bird, Eagle, Hawk's graves...

And now Iwashi's grave..."

To prove his point Madara showed him the scene of standing in front of all the graves, looking at a depressed Naruto standing in the cemetery made Mikoto and Itachi realize just how much their son/brother had suffered...and was still suffering while looking at the newly formed grave of "Iwashi"

"Naruto, is this how you really felt all this time?" thought Mikoto sadly, now she understood why he was so distant?

In a way he was trying to keep her happy, trying to hide what the war had truly turned him into. For her sake, he was faking a mask of the "old" Naruto for several weeks, but now...

She was his mother, and yet the one who truly who understood Naruto was their enemy. Madara knew more about Naruto's feelings than either her or Itachi, the only one who had an idea about Naruto's feelings was Minato...and she realized why Minato always advised her to give Naruto sometime.

Madara raised one of his hands towards Naruto, giving him a sympathetic look...

"Naruto...enough already. You don't have to suffer anymore" said Madara sadly, and removed his sword from Itachi's neck but still pinned the boy with his foot.

Mikoto saw the genjutsu changing again, and was surprised when she saw two young boys standing around Naruto. She recognized one of them as Armin, but couldn't identify the other ninja...

"You're trying to live in a false dream where you can live without your friends, that you can move on and make your pain go away...but it will never go away, and with time it will only grow more and more as many other precious people of yours will die. But in my world, you can have everything. Your best friends are right beside you in my world..." offered Madara happily, as Naruto painfully saw Kotetsu giving him a thumbs-up.

"We are going to have a fucking awesome party!" said Kotetsu cheerfully, bringing a smile on Naruto's face.

"I'm gonna be Hokage!" said Armin proudly

Mikoto didn't miss the gleam in Madara's sharingan when he saw Naruto's resolve breaking...

"Naruto...you cannot defeat me, not without sacrificing everyone you love. But if we end this pointless fight and join together, then no force in this evil ninja world can stop us. Come on..." said Madara smartly, and extended his hand towards Naruto a little more.

And to everyone's horror, Naruto raised his own hand...

"No (cough) Nii-san..." said Itachi in protest, making Naruto stop.

"Itachi!"

"Do not be deceived by him (cough) (cough)..." requested Itachi, and Madara saw some resolve being born inside Naruto's eyes.

"Have you forgotten that this bastard (cough) killed everyone, all our Namikaze brothers!" yelled Itachi furiously, before collapsing on the ground.

That did it, and seeing Itachi lose conscious was the final straw as a monstrous KI spread across the entire area. Mikoto saw Naruto's Mangekyo activating, while he raised one of his hands towards Itachi.

Madara was stunned when the younger Namikaze was mysteriously pulled towards Naruto in a flash, he focused his own Mangekyo towards Naruto's hidden eye and saw a strange chakra glowing in it.

"Is that-?" thought Madara in shock,

Meanwhile Mikoto had appeared right beside Naruto who was holding his dying brother in his arms...

"Kaa-san, do whatever it takes to save him. Inform Hiruzen-sama, I'll handle things here..." said Naruto seriously, his voice full of anger and determination.

"Come with me..." said Mikoto urgently, she just couldn't leave him to fight against Madara Uchiha himself!

Naruto slowly lifted his headband that was covering his left eye making Madara take a step back, he also casted an apologetic glance towards Iwashi and the other deceased Namikaze.

"I lost sight once...but I won't let your sacrifice, Itachi's sacrifice be for nothing!" promised Naruto, Mikoto wanted to argue but seeing his entire body getting covered in chakra only showed her he had made up his mind.

With those final words, Naruto stepped in front of a fuming Madara whose own Mangekyo was glaring at Naruto.

"You've made a big mistake, Naruto. And all the deaths that will happen tonight will be on YOU!" said Madara furiously, just before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"A shadow clone?" asked Naruto in surprise,

BOOM!

A powerful chakra shock wave passed through the entire village leaving dust and dirt flying everywhere. Mikoto focused her sharingan and saw something huge standing in the middle of the village.

She freezed in shock, when the smoke cleared and Madara could be seen standing on top of a giant nine tailed fox!

"Kyuubi..."

Author's Notes: To be continued....