I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.
One Last Goodbye
Naruto looked up as Shikamaru marched Temujin into the cave using his Shadow Possession Jutsu. Naruto tied him up and reinforced the ropes with his chakra then stood in front of him.
"Care to explain why you massacred the people who were nothing but kind to you and saved your life?" Naruto growled.
"I have nothing more to say to you," Temujin stated.
"Really?" Naruto smirked.
"Hold on Naruto," the elderly leader of the now destroyed caravan, Kahiko, interrupted. "Let me speak with him for a moment."
"It never occurred to me that you'd know anything about the stones," Temujin stated.
"Never mind that," Kahiko ordered. "Why are you after them?"
"The are essential to our cause," Temujin stated.
"You don't know the horror those stones carry with them," Kahiko stated. "They, must never be returned to this world, you understand me?"
"Save your lecture for someone else," Temujin grinned as the mark on his chest glowed and an image of a stone that looked to have tentacles inside of it appeared in front of him.
"It's just as I thought," Kahiko muttered.
"What's that light?" Sakura questioned.
"This is a Crystal of Gelel, the source of all life energy," Kahiko stated awe clear in his voice, as well as a hint of sadness.
"I know more about the stones than anybody," Temujin sneered.
"That explains your power of recovery," Kahiko stated. "How exactly did you come by it?"
"It was given to me," Temujin stated. "By my master, Haido."
"I see," Kahiko said thoughtfully. "And is that the only stone you have in your possession?"
He got his answer fro the confused look on Temujin's face.
"That's peculiar," Kahiko mused. "If you're a descendant of our clan's ancestors, who traveled across the sea, why wouldn't you know that I wonder?Was the book of Gelel lost then?"
"What in the world are you talking about?" Temujin demanded.
"In the days of old, it was only the Royal Family members that led our clan who were able to fuse the stones of Gelel with the flesh of the body," Kahiko explained. "Naruto, I spoke to you of this the other day. How some of our people took to the sea, after our country was lost."
"Oh, now that you mention it..." Naruto said the conversation pushing to the front of his mind.
"According to legend, it was the Royal Family itself that left, taking the Book of Gelel and the last of the remaining stone across the waves," Kahiko explained. "Temujin, wasn't it? You haven't come to a new land, Boy, you're returning home! You and I are of the same people, both descended from a single clan. We know little of the Stone's origin, but it seems that in very early times, a mysterious vein or mineral was discovered. Our ancestors were able to refine it, in a crystallized form, and they named the mineral Gelel. A vast empire was built on this continent, with the precious stone as its foundation. Wells never ran dry, livestock multiplied overnight, and trees continually bore fruit. It's even said that they looked for ways to stop all life from aging."
"First I ever heard of it," Shikamaru stated.
"This was a very long time ago," Kahiko stated. "But as is often the case, great power brought with it unimaginable catastrophe. People fought and quarreled shamelessly over the stones. And in the end, their power was used to wage a massive war. mountain and Earth were ripped asunder. Until, eventually, the battle obliterated the Empire altogether."
"How awful," Sakura commented.
"Only a handful of the young survived," Kahiko continued. "Our ancestors sealed away the coveted mineral deep underground, and vowed never to revive the stone again."
"If it was really that dangerous, why didn't they try to get rid of it for good?" Sakura questioned.
"Because the stones can only be destroyed, by those of royal blood," Kahiko stated. "But with the Royal Family lost to us forever, we can only watch over them, guarding their secret with every generation. The legends have slowly faded away, and one day the story of our past will just die out all together."
"Die out?" Temujin snorted. "Fade away? Hearing all that, my resolve is stronger than ever before. Nothing will stop me from getting those stones now."
"Were you even listening?" Naruto questioned.
"Power is power, nothing more," Temujin stated. "The only thing that matters is who's wielding it."
"The stone is too dangerous to the world of men," Kahiko stated. "It must never be woken from its slumber."
"Whatever power it may hold, Master Haido will use it justly," Temujin stated. "War breeds only suffering, but without someone guiding us from above, there can be no end to bloodshed. This is what my Master teaches. The truth of his words is etched into my heart. In the fog of war, my village fell prey to brigands. Those of us who survived were orphaned. But Master Haido took us in. I want to grant his wish, to free this world of war. My comrades and I feel the same. No sacrifice is too great. That is my only dream, and I need the Stone of Gelel to bring it about!"
He stood, moving his arms away from his body and breaking the rope easily. Then he did a back flip, landing behind Kahiko and putting his sword to Kahiko's throat.
"He was faking us out from the beginning!" Shikamaru stated.
"No way," Naruto said sarcastically. "Ya think?"
"Alright," Temujin growled. "You're going to tell me where the Mines of Gelel are hidden."
"I will not," Kahiko stated firmly.
"Then you leave me no choice," Temujin sighed before smashing the butt of his sword into the back of Kahiko's head, knocking him out.
Then, he threw a small ball onto the ground which exploded into a blinding light and dashed out of the cave taking both Kahiko and the girl he had saved with him. Once their vision had cleared, they all looked around and Naruto growled in frustration.
"Emina," Sakura asked turning to Kahiko's granddaughter. "Do you think you could tell us where the Mines are hidden?"
"I would if I could," Emina sighed. "But only my grandfather knows where it is."
"We could really use a ninja hound right now," Shikamaru stated as Naruto looked over to the exit to see Nerugui scratching at the stone Temujin had put in front of it.
"We have something better," Naruto grinned nodding toward it. "Shall we?"
Shikamaru and Sakura smiled and nodded and they all ran to the exit, Naruto kicking it out of the way as they ran out following Nerugui, who was actually rather fast for a ferret. After a few hours, they reached a temple, carved out of a mountain with a canyon carved around it with fog below and around it, with a single path leading to one side. They ran inside, following Nerugui through the twists and turns of a maze of hallways, jumping over some cross-roads and taking others until they finally ran out of a doorway and off a cliff. Naruto instantly created a dozen clones who pulled them all back up to the top of the ledge and Naruto looked down to see Temujin and Kahiko walking through a doorway below them. Naruto looked left and saw Nerugui look out of another path at them then retreat and Naruto chased it, Shikamaru and Sakura following. Finally they caught up in a large open round room with dozens of paths entering the room but their paths all destroyed. Below them, the one intact bridge led to a platform made up of three circles making it look like a three-leaf clover with the path being a stem.
"Follow me," Kahiko sighed.
"Stop right there!" Naruto shouted jumping down and drawing his swords. "Let Kahiko go. We're going to settle this, right here, right now."
"Stay out of this!" Temujin ordered reaching for his sword.
Just then, the entire temple began to shake as massive stones began to break free from the ceiling and fall around them. Just then, the bottom of Haido's castle crashed into the room, raining massive pieces of rubble to the floor.
"Haido," Naruto growled as the bottom of the castle began to lower, revealing Haido, the woman that Kankuro had fought, another woman who Shikamaru said could turn into a wolf, and several suits of armor.
"Master Haido," Temujin said kneeling. "The Mines of Gelel lie below."
"Thank you Son," Haido smiled. "I'm in your debt. Because of all your sacrifice, our utopia is finally near at hand."
"Yes My Lord," Temujin nodded.
"Very well then everyone," Haido said turning around. "Let's get going."
"Hold on a second," Shikamaru said catching him with his signature jutsu. "Sorry, I hate to be rude and all, but I had a couple of questions."
"Master Haido," the woman from Suna said stepping forward.
"Easy, Kamira," Haido calmed her. "I'm fine. A bit unsettling though. Good manors are such a rarity. Not a friend of yours now is he, Naruto? I'm a little puzzled my boy. We made a promise to each other, did we not? We swore to do our best to make this world a better place."
"You should have mentioned that you massacred people in the Land of Wind and tried to kill my friend Gaara, and me," Naruto stated. "Bet you didn't know I was there for that fight huh? You attacked them without warrant, without cause. You didn't ask for a surrender, you didn't offer mercy. You just attacked with the intent to kill. You say you're trying to make the world a better place, a world free of war and violence, but instead you attack and kill without even offering mercy or asking for a surrender. You just show up and murder everyone there!"
"What do you plan to do once you get the stone?" Shikamaru questioned. "What's your endgame?"
"What'll I do?" Haido questioned. "Why I'm going to create a utopia. A world without war, where the weak will be free of the weight of oppression."
"It's funny though, you know?" Shikamaru chuckled humorlessly. "Cause it sounds like you're doing the exact opposite of that."
"All that I do is in the name of true justice," Haido stated.
"Then why attack an innocent caravan?" Sakura questioned. "Is that justice?"
"It couldn't be avoided," Haido stated smugly. "My children and I have made great sacrifices you see. Noble sacrifices, necessary to finally create a world free of war."
"You do know that people have given their lives for your lie right?" Naruto questioned. "Do you even care about them?"
While everyone was distracted, Kahiko began to back away from Temujin.
"In your book, they were just a means to an end, right?" Naruto continued. "Is that all your fallen comrades are to you now?"
"This is what it means to accomplish something," Haido stated.
"So you don't mind that all these 'noble sacrifices' are your friends!?" Naruto spat.
"That's right," Temujin spoke up. "I have accepted it, as the rest of my brethren have done."
"It can't be helped," Haido stated. "We share a common vision. Each of us dreams of a world where peace, is finally possible!"
"Then they're not really your friends are they?" Naruto spat.
"And why's that?" Haido questioned.
"A friend is someone you would give your life to protect!" Naruto shouted. "Not someone that you accept as a 'Noble Sacrifice'! You should fight tooth and nail to keep them safe, not throw them into harm's way just to cover your own ass! Even with my parents, I was alone for a very long time. But then I made friends, real friends, who I would give my life to keep safe. I want to be Hokage to protect them! And I will protect them, even if I can't be Hokage! This utopia you talk about, who's it even for? By the time you're done, none of the people you claim to be trying to protect will even be alive because you used them as Cannon fodder!"
Suddenly, Kahiko turned his right foot ninety degrees, along with the stone circle below it, and the section of platform he and Temujin were on moved away from the others.
"Old man, what do you think you're doing?" Temujin demanded.
"It's time this thing was eliminated from the world, once and for all," Kahiko stated. "Even if it means our doom!"
He slid the circle backward a bit and the platform they were on dropped into the floor.
"Shit!" Naruto swore sprinting forward to jump after them only to see the entrance be sealed by a massive slab of stone.
"Eliminate the Stone?" Haido shouted in rage as a blinding flash went off and Shikamaru's jutsu was cancelled, Haido pulling out the book he had been reading and leafing through it quickly. "That cannot be possible!"
After a moment he growled in rage and slammed the book down.
"He must know something!" Haido raged before jumping down to the platform unharmed.
He walked over to Naruto and backhanded him, sending him flying into the wall, forming a crater. Then, he dropped down and walked over to the slab, punching it lightly and shattering it like glass.
"Hurry, I'll catch up to you!" Haido ordered.
"Master Haido!" Kamira called out. "Return to the stronghold!"
"We'll never make it in time!" Haido shouted. "Bring the stronghold with you!"
Suddenly, four red orbs appeared behind him then turned a dark blue and opened into wings. Haido stepped forward and dropped into the hole with the three suits of armor behind him.
"Hey!" Shikamaru shouted just before Kamira appeared in front of him in her bat form.
"Sorry little boy," Kamira sneered. "But you're gonna have to deal with me!"
As the other woman began to walk into the stronghold, Sakura threw a shuriken past her, getting her attention.
"You've got some nerve," the woman growled.
"Naruto!" Sakura shouted. "GO!"
"Right," Naruto groaned leaping out of the wall and into the hole, sliding down the inside of the tunnel.
"Don't stand in the way of my target," Haido advised.
"Master Haido?" Temujin questioned, unsure.
"You heard me boy, get out of the way," Haido repeated.
Just as he fired, Naruto entered the room, leaping over the soldiers and throwing a kunai to Kahiko then teleporting to it and pulling both Kahiko and Temujin out of the way of Haido's blast. As he landed, he eyed Haido's black glove and Gelel Stone. He knew now how Haido had been so strong and why he would be hard pressed to win the fight. And it would definitely be a long one.
"This is becoming so tiresome," Haido sighed firing several more blasts at Naruto. "Huh? Temujin! What are you just standing there for? Are you going to kill them or not?"
Temujin stood, his face blank and Naruto raised an eyebrow, grinning.
"You call this...a noble sacrifice?" Temujin questioned.
"What's wrong?" Haido questioned. "Take care of them like you always do! Hurry up!"
"No," Temujin muttered. "I've had enough. I can't."
"Temujin," Haido sighed. "I'm very disappointed in you. You're an inferior individual. No different from your parents."
Temujin looked up at him in shock and Naruto looked over at him too and shivered at the pure evil smile on his face.
"You really are a pathetic little brat!" Haido spat, still smiling.
"But that's...impossible," Temujin stated, clearly speaking his thoughts.
Haido laughed for a moment before saying, "That's right, it was me! Such blindness. Latching onto the very person who murdered your parents. What an adorable little pawn you are. But-"
One blast at Temujin, deflected off his sword.
"-now that I know where the stones are-"
Another blast, also deflected.
"-I really don't need you anymore, do I?"
A third blast, blocked but blasting his sword away. As Haido continued walking, his Gelel Stone began to glow and his cloak and robe tore off flying away and revealing him, thankfully, wearing pants under it. The shock came from the fact that his abs, upper arms, and chest were all grey and splinted like bio-organic armor, and likely harder than metal. A moment later, his hat ripped off and he changed. His hair turned white, his skin grey, the bio armor black, and his eyes were completely red with slit pupils. A half second later the red spheres that turned into his wings reformed but stayed as orbs. As he reached Temujin, he grabbed him by the cape, lifting him into the air.
"Mas...ter...Haido..." Temujin struggled to say.
"Die, you good for nothing mongrel!" Haido said driving his right hand into Temujin's chest, firing a blast directly through him and out the other side.
"No!" Naruto shouted. "Temujin!"
Haido ripped the Gelel Stone out of Temujin's chest then threw him aside.
"Naruto, you have to stop him!" Kahiko pleaded.
"No shit," Naruto growled crouching. "Fine. Let's try this then."
"Worthless trash," Haido sneered, completely oblivious to the seals spreading from Naruto's hand.
As he turned to walk to the key to the mine, Naruto finished spreading the seals to the entire room, walls and ceiling included and teleported to stand between Haido and the key.
"Where do you think you're going?" Naruto questioned drawing his Double-Edged Sword and extending his Garian blade. "We're not done."
"Everywhere I look there's garbage," Haido sneered.
Then, he disappeared and reappeared smashing his fist into Naruto's stomach. As he moved to punch Naruto again, Naruto teleported across the room only for Haido to appear there and smash him across the room as if they had never moved between punches at all. Naruto bounced across the room and crashed into the wall. As he stood, he created a dozen clones who all teleported to Haido swinging their blades at him. Within seconds, the clones were gone and Naruto crashed into the wall again. One last clone appeared behind Haido hurling shuriken but the spheres grew into a black cage behind him blocking them like they were metal then into a massive column shooting out and hitting the clone, destroying him.
"Multi-"
"Too slow!" Haido stated appearing in front of Naruto and kicking him across the room again then appearing beside him. "Why don't you give up already...boy?"
"Not a chance," Naruto groaned beginning to stand.
Haido chuckled and kicked Naruto, sending him flying through the air into the wall less than ten feet from the hundred foot high ceiling. Naruto fell to the ground beside Temujin and groaned. He rolled over, coughing from his broken lungs and tried to move.
"Come on," Naruto coughed standing slowly. "Are you just gonna...give up...here?"
"Wasn't it you dream...to make some sort of utopia of this world?" Naruto questioned.
Naruto charged forward again, sending a hundred clones at Haido, who easily tore them to shreds just in time for Naruto to slam a Rasengan into this stomach. Haido crashed into a support, destroying it and then crashed to the floor, a section of the ceiling crashing down on top of him.
"Got you...you mother..." Naruto doubled over coughing for a moment as Temujin finally began to push himself up.
As he expected, Haido exploded up out of the rubble less than a minute later, his head, arms, and legs twisted around backward. Suddenly, his limbs began to snap back around into place as green energy began to flow through the hole in the ceiling, healing Haido.
"This is wonderful!" Haido laughed.
"It's the Mine of Gelel!" Kahiko cried in despair.
"My wounds are healing!" Haido shouted in glee and triumph. "So much power!"
"Temujin!" Naruto said urgently. "Come on get up! I can't handle this guy on my own!"
"You mean, you still..." Temujin began but trailed off.
"Of course," Naruto nodded. "I don't ever back down. Now get on your feet and help!"
"I've heard enough of this pathetic blathering," Haido sneered. "Let me deliver you to your utopia."
He lifted his hand, firing a single massive stream of Gelel energy at Naruto and Temujin.
"Naruto!" Kahiko shouted.
"Temujin!" Naruto shouted turning to him.
Just then, the blast hit something and Naruto spun back around to see one of the suits of armor standing in between Naruto and Haido, and two between Temujin and Haido. After a moment, a spirit rose from each, one of those in front of Temujin being his best friend who had been in his village when it was destroyed.
"Everyone," Temujin muttered, tears leaking from his eyes. "What have...what have I done?"
All three suits of armor fell to the ground, dead, and Haido rolled his eyes.
"Foolish children," Haido spat. "I told them not to interfere, but I guess they're at that age. Well, no matter, I'll take care of you myself then."
"Temujin!" Naruto shouted.
Temujin pushed himself up as Haido began charging another shot. Finally, Temujin reached his feet, grabbing a shard of his Gelel Stone that Haido shattered and staggered toward Naruto, his limbs all numb.
"I...I'm going to..." Temujin said with extreme difficulty.
"Let's go Temujin!" Naruto shouted sprinting forward.
Temujin shouted through the pain as he broke into a full sprint after Naruto who created a clone to help gather extra chakra and condense it into a Rasengan, which turned red as Kurama helped. A moment later, Temujin held the shard out and Naruto formed a Rasengan in that hand as well, the Gelel Stone fragment powering it and turning it green.
"Let's put an end to this!" Haido shouted. "Time for you to join your ancestors!"
He released a massive wall of Gelel Energy at them and when it reached them, Temujin held out the Gelel Stone fragment which began to absorb the power. The force of the blast began to tear his armor apart as he did.
"Temujin!" Naruto said.
"You were right Naruto," Temujin stated. "There's no point to a dream that sacrifices your friends!"
"You're finished here," Haido sneered closing his fist and increasing the power, throwing Temujin backward and destroying Naruto's clone.
Naruto instantly teleported to Haido, slamming the red Rasengan into Haido's fist, the blast destroying the Gelel Stone in his glove and throwing him back. Then, he slammed the Gelel Rasengan into his chest.
"This is for Temujin!" Naruto shouted.
"That isn't going to...What?" Haido shouted feeling the Gelel energy. "NO!"
The Rasengan exploded creating a green vortex of energy that blasted through Haido, throwing him into the key to the Gelel Mines. Haido stood and raised his hand to collect more Gelel Energy again but then fell forward, finally dead as the key exploded. Then, the entire room began to shake and collapse. As the ceiling fell away, the ground began to separate into several sections around the sealing jutsu in the center of the room.
"Oh no!" Kahiko cried out looking up at a boiling liquid where the ceiling had been. "That's the Mine!"
"Feel like filling us in?" Naruto questioned.
"When the key that unlocks the mine was destroyed just now the seal was broken!" Kahiko stated.
"So, what does that actually mean?" Temujin demanded.
"It means the Mines of Gelel are spiraling out of control!" Kahiko shouted.
Suddenly, the ground shook again and the liquid began to fall.
"What happens when it goes out of control?" Temujin questioned now standing on one of several floating pieces of stone with Naruto and Kahiko in a massive chamber that had no visible entrance or exit.
"I don't know," Kahiko stated. "But given the size of the empire that was lost, I wouldn't be surprised if it takes out half the continent!"
"What?" Naruto gasped.
"How do we stop it?" Temujin questioned.
"There is no way to stop it!" Kahiko stated.
"Then what were you doing before?" Temujin questioned. "You know of a way don't you? Just what does that seal do?"
"There's no way to bring it under control again," Kahiko stated. "Although, there is a way to destroy them."
"Then tell me!" Temujin ordered as more of the liquid began to fall, faster now.
"Place your hand in the center," Kahiko instructed. "This is an ancient means of summoning, bound by the royal blood of our clan."
"Yeah, but what are you going to summon?" Naruto demanded.
"A space-time rift!" Kahiko stated.
"Well why didn't you say so?" Naruto questioned. "That I can handle."
Naruto threw a kunai to the summoning circle and took hold of Temujin teleporting to it and leaving a clone.
"Wait!" Kahiko shouted. "Whoever summons the rift will be sacrificed!"
Naruto smirked as his clone placed a seal on itself and picked up Kahiko. Temujin knelt placing his hand in the seal and the symbols all turned black as the liquid above them began to fall fully. Temujin's other hand threw the Gelel Stone Shard above them and it began to absorb the liquid keeping the seal clear. After a moment, the ground was covered by black smoke and Temujin and Naruto fell into the rift. The rift extended to outside the temple, filling the canyon and swallowing the temple and Haido's castle. Naruto's clone landed beside Sakura and Shikamaru, setting Kahiko down then turned and created several hundred clones, all of whom had the same seal on them that he did. They formed a chain, stretching into the rift while the first clung on to the ledge. Naruto grabbed his arm as his clones arrived and teleported to the bottom one, using the last of his strength. His clones caught him and Temujin and began to haul them back up, barely, and Temujin knew it.
"Stop, you're going to get yourself killed!" Temujin shouted.
"We're fine!" the clone grinned. "Just pipe down and hang on!"
Finally the rift closed and a single massive beam shot into the ground before trees began to erupt everywhere, tearing the cliffs apart until they all looked several centuries old. The assembled shinobi all reeled in shock as the children who had all been dead woke up, Nerugui climbed up the cliff to Kahiko, and the once barren wasteland was filled with life.
Deep inside the ruined temple, Naruto and Temujin were waking up as well.
"Where are we?" Temujin questioned sitting up.
"The temple, I think," Naruto groaned looking around. "My clones are gone so I can't tell. Hey look, pictures!"
Temujin looked and saw the same wall carvings as in the shrine where they had killed Haido. Just as he saw the black carving, the black shattered, revealing an image of cooperation, rather than destruction.
"Nice green eyes Temujin," Naruto grinned. "You absorbed some Gelel, you lucky bastard."
Temujin grinned and shrugged then stood and helped Naruto up. Together, they climbed out of the ruin and Gaara used his sand to lift them up out of the canyon.
Several days later, they all stood on the shore as Temujin and the surviving children from Haido's stronghold and last remaining ship were on the ship preparing to leave with volunteers from the caravan survivors, Nerugui sitting on Temujin's shoulder. As the ship finally left for warring lands so that Temujin could help find peace there, Temujin threw his final gift to Naruto. He caught it and couldn't help but grin. It was Temujin's sword and a newly restored Stone of Gelel, made from the fragment Temujin had shielded them with. However, just as Naruto caught it, it fused with him, the symbol appearing on the back of his hand as proof. He looked to Temujin who bowed and Naruto couldn't help but grin. It would help him heal and make his right handed jutsus stronger. Aside from that, he doubted it would do much. But he was thankful.
Once Temujin's ship was gone from view, Naruto sighed as Jiraiya appeared behind him.
"Now that that's wrapped up," Jiraiya stated. "We're leaving."
"You were watching the whole time right?" Naruto questioned.
"Of course," Jiraiya scoffed. "You were right. That was far better for you than fighting me."
Naruto rolled his eyes and said his goodbyes to Sakura and Shikamaru who promised to pass on Naruto's best wishes to the others, then he and Jiraiya left, once again.
Read and review. The Gelel Stone is only so that Naruto's Rasenshuriken doesn't harm him, and helps with his Kekkei Genkai.