I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.
Zero
Naruto and Sakura walked through the fog, passing several ruined buildings and pillars. It was beyond creepy and beyond foreboding but Naruto's sense of foreboding was justified. Kurama was getting extremely agitated. After a while, they reached an area that was wide open and they saw Amaru standing in the middle of the road, face partially hidden by shadows as she stared at Naruto and Sakura. She was now wearing Shinno's bandanna and as they saw her, began to walk forward.
"Amaru?" Naruto questioned. "What are you doing here?"
Amaru looked at him and her eyes glowed red. Naruto took a step back holding his arm out to the side gritting his teeth.
"I am the Zero-tails," Amaru stated, voice devoid of emotion. "When conflict raging in the world and men's hearts are overtaken by darkness, I am born anew."
"What are you talking about?" Sakura demanded.
"Stay back," Naruto growled. "Amaru's being possessed."
"I consume the darkness of men's souls," Amaru stated as a shadowy figure formed around him solidifying into a massive purple leach with five red hair-like tentacles extending from its head which was a Noh Mask with the kanji for 'Zero' on the forehead. "Rise up and grow gathering limitless strength."
The last two words weren't spoken with Amaru's voice. The voice changed to one much deeper and more gruff. Just as it finished speaking, the leech fully formed and grinned wickedly. Sakura instantly rushed past Naruto to attack the Zero tails and it shot forward, three feet of the front of its body opening into a massive mouth with large blocky but sharp teeth. She threw a punch at him but he grew a pair of hand and caught her fist then punched her, launching her away painfully.
Naruto darted forward swinging at him with his Double-Edged Sword. The blast of wind blasted the Zero-Tails away but it landed lightly and shot toward Naruto again. It extended several arms out of its sides wrapping them around Naruto. Suddenly, his seal throbbed painfully and his eyes turned red with slit pupils as Kurama fought Naruto for control.
"You have something very interesting inside of you," the Zero-tails stated. "Why won't you just release that power? Why keep it hidden within you? I want it!"
He squeezed Naruto hard enough for Naruto's bones to begin to crack and separate.
"Never," Naruto growled. "I'd rather die than be controlled by him."
"Surrender to it and expose your evil to me," the Zero-tails ordered. "Show me the darkness you hold in your heart."
"No way," Naruto snapped. "I'm going to save Amaru with my own strength."
"That's impossible," the Zero-tails stated. "You of all people should know that by now. Just as impossible of you ever being rid of your curse or accepted by her."
"What'd you say?" Naruto growled.
"You will always be a monster," the Zero-tails stated. "And she will always fear you. You know this."
Naruto doubled over just as blood red chakra exploded off of him forming the Nine-tails Cloak at three tails, the explosion destroying the Zero-tails' arms.
"Yes," the Zero-tails said happily. "Show me your rage. Show me the evil inside of you."
Naruto stared down at his hands then looked up at the Zero-Tails and shot forward slashing him before leaping away as several spikes extended from the Zero-tails' side, driving themselves through Naruto and beginning to absorb the chakra. Then, Naruto smashed them as a black sphere formed around them and the fourth tail formed before he shot forward, tearing into the Zero-tails. After a moment, the Zero-tails pulled back and shot his hands forward. Naruto crouched, ready to dodge then froze.
"Naruto!" Hinata's voice screamed in his head.
The Nine-tails Cloak instantly vanished, leaving Naruto completely unharmed thanks to Kurama fighting to keep the Zero-tails out, rather than trying to simply take control. Naruto looked around then closed his eyes as the Zero-tails wrapped its arms around him.
"GIVE ME YOUR DARKNESS!" the Zero-tails shrieked furiously.
"No," Naruto stated eyes still closed. "I said I would stop you with my power. And you were foolish to keep physical contact with me for so long."
Just then, teleportation seals spread across the Zero-tails' body and he retracted his arms looking at the seals in surprise.
"Die," Naruto ordered forming a Rasengan then teleporting to the Zero-tails' back and slamming the Rasengan into it.
Then, he jumped down as the Zero-tails sped away, curling up and glaring at him as the section of his body that was curled up turned transparent and Amaru appeared inside surrounded by darkness.
"Amaru, wake up!" Naruto ordered teleporting to the Zero-tails. "I thought you were Shinno's apprentice! An apprentice has to honor their master's teachings. I thought Shinno always taught you to save lives! He said he was proud of you! Don't disappoint him now!"
"Doctor Shinno," Amaru muttered eyes suddenly flying open as the Zero-tails disintegrated.
Then, Amaru collapsed and Naruto barely caught her. He set her down on her knees and moved over to Sakura, picking her up gently and using a pulse of chakra through his right hand to heal her and wake her up.
"You okay?" Naruto questioned.
Sakura responded by slapping him across the face and sending him flying.
"What...the...hell..." Naruto groaned, certain he had at least a disconnected jaw.
"You were trying to make a move on me!" Sakura shrieked.
"He was not, he just healed you!" Amaru snapped.
"Oh," Sakura said blushing. "Sorry. What happened to that worm thingy?"
"It was a leech, demon, and tailed-beast all at once," Naruto groaned sitting up and massaging his face. "And it's gone now."
Just then the ground began to shake and Naruto looked at the ruins. Hinata's voice had sounded panicked and his sense of dread wasn't gone, as he thought it should be with the Zero-tails gone.
"Sakura, take Amaru and head back to the Leaf Village," Naruto ordered. "I'll find the villagers, and I suspect that Hinata might be with them. I think they're inside the ruins."
"Right," Sakura nodded. "Come on Amaru. Let's go. Amaru? What's wrong?"
"I won't!" Amaru shouted making Naruto and Sakura both look over at her in surprise. "I have to honor Doctor Shinno teachings. I have to save my people."
"So you were listening after all," Naruto smirked. "Alright, let's go."
"What?" Sakura gasped. "Naruto, wait!"
"Don't worry," Naruto yelled back as he and Amaru headed for the stairs leading into the ruins. "I'll watch out for Amaru."
Just as they got inside, the entire ruin began to shake violently making them both fall to the ground. And then, it was over, and Sakura was shouting to Naruto from far away. Naruto looked out to see that the entire ruin was a giant flying fortress, and they were moving toward the Leaf, if his judgment of direction was good.
"Come on," Naruto muttered. "This way. and stay quiet."
They began to creep through hallways, careful to avoid the Sky Ninja patrolling the hallways of the massive fortress. Each was armed with the machine that they used to rapid fire kunai.
"Naruto?" Amaru whispered after a while. "Is this real? I mean, these ruins are flying, this is nuts!"
"No kidding," Naruto stated. "They must have someone or something incredibly powerful giving this place power so it can fly."
His mind instantly turned to Gelel stones or the Zero-tails.
"This whole day has been nothing but one surprise after another," Naruto muttered. "But don't worry. I'm sure we'll figure this out."
Amaru was silent and lost in thought so Naruto knelt placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Amaru," Naruto muttered snapping her back to reality. "Let's move."
"Yeah," Amaru nodded as they stood then began to run through the halls as quietly as they could while still moving fast. "If this place was built by humans, there has to be someone controlling it."
"Right," Naruto nodded. "And if we find them, we can send this place back down to Earth."
After a few more minutes, they saw light at the end of the tunnel they were in just around a corner.
"Look," Amaru said pointing forward for a moment as they ran.
They both stopped as several Sky Ninja walked into the hallway and Naruto sent several clones at them, quickly knocking them out. A moment later, they ran out into a large, round, well lit room with white walls that looked somewhat like circuit boards, massive rocks set against and into them to partially hide them, a blue floor with a thick hollow red diamond around the center with a thinner white diamond just inside and a large, round, gold, metal seal circle in the center of the room that was probably six feet across. On the opposite side of that from Naruto and Amaru a large black column rose through the room with thick roots wrapped around it. In front of that, sat a throne. And in the throne, sat Shinno.
"I'm so very proud of you two," Shinno stated smiling.
"You...I knew it!" Amaru cried running forward. "I knew it!"
Shinno stood as Amaru hit him with a flying hug and he sat back down again laughing kindly.
"I believed...I believed in you," Amaru sobbed happily. "I knew you were still alive. I knew you wouldn't leave me!"
"Old man," Naruto began walking forward suspiciously. "What's going on? Why the hell are you here? How are you alive?"
"Well, let's see, that's a tricky one," Shinno stated. "Even if I explained it I doubt your small minds could fully grasp it. We're inside a flying fortress called Ancor Vantian. It looks like ancient ruins but it's been painstakingly developed and constructed over several decades by ninja from the land of sky. It's the ultimate weapon of destruction."
"I know a few people lining up to challenge it for that title," Naruto smirked Shukaku and Seimei coming to mind. "Ancor Vantian, huh?"
"That's right, it means 'Fortress of the King.'" Shinno stated.
"So," Naruto stated turning back to Shinno finally beginning to understand. "You still haven't answered as to why you're here...sitting on the throne. Did those kunai hurt? Because it looked like a pretty painful way to fake your death."
"Well," Shinno grinned. "It was child's play to convince the likes of Sakura and Hinata that I was dead. Then I revived my damaged organs with my Body Activation Jutsu."
"Jutsu?" Naruto questioned as Amaru leaned back to stare up at Shinno in confusion, something Naruto mirrored when he saw the smug look on Shinno's face. "What the hell are you talking about? You're not a ninja anymore, remember? Who are you?"
"Let me put it this way," Shinno stated standing while grabbing Amaru by the top of the head and lifting her off the ground. "I'm not about to bring harm to my closest allies."
And with that, he hurled Amaru at Naruto.
"Amaru!" Naruto shouted catching her but being thrown back on impact.
"Fourteen years ago, I posed as a doctor and traveled the world," Shinno stated crumpling the bandanna which he had pulled off of Amaru's head. "All the while gathering knowledge on how to control the Zero-tails."
"You've been tricking us this whole time!" Naruto spat.
"It took thirteen long years to find the scroll that enabled me to revive the beast," Shinno stated. "But find it I did. It was hidden, in the Leaf Village. And at last I have mastered the Zero-tails, and it's vast power of Dark Chakra!"
"Dark Chakra?" Naruto spat.
"Wait, Naruto!" Amaru pleaded turning to face him. "He's not behaving like himself. He's got to be sick, right? Maybe we could cure him somehow. Please!"
She was begging him to tell her that lie. But Naruto couldn't make himself answer.
Naruto looked up in surprise making Amaru turn to look as Shinno began tearing the bandanna into pieces, laughing all the while.
"Wrong diagnosis Amaru," Shinno chuckled mockingly. "If you think I've lost my mind you are sorely mistaken. If anything is unnatural, it's how I've been acting until now."
He laughed, the same condescending, mocking laugh that Amaru and Naruto had both heard so many times.
"When darkness exists in people's hearts, the Zero-tails can take a hold of them, and turn the darkness of their hearts into actual chakra," Shinno stated. "Once I understood that, it was simple. It just took me fourteen years to learn."
"Define darkness," Naruto growled.
"Despair," Shinno stated. "When sadness washes over them, people focus great anger and hatred at the source of their misery. And in doing so, create the darkest of chakras. I ordered the attack on your village so the Zero-tails would possess you."
He stared at Amaru grinning.
"No, you're lying, aren't you, Doctor?" Amaru pleaded. "Master?
"Master," Shinno spat. "Apprentice. Who cares about such stupid titles? To me you were nothing more than a convenient pawn in my plan."
Shinno began to laugh while Amaru began to sob.
"Trust me, after you've saved a person's life, they will never doubt you about anything at all," Shinno snorted.
"Amaru!" Naruto growled as Amaru began screaming, holding her head in devastated denial. "Snap out of it will ya?"
Suddenly, darkness began to roll off of Shinno and he grinned.
"Ooh, there it is," Shinno grinned. "Dark Chakra. I can feel it coursing through my body."
"You're gonna pay," Naruto growled standing. "I won't forgive you for this!"
Naruto charged forward and leapt at him but suddenly a blast of wind stronger than he could make shot out of Shinno and launched him away. He crashed into the wall above the door and fell to the ground landing hard.
"Dark Chakra isn't only used to reawaken the Zero-tails my boy," Shinno sneered. "It has other uses as well. For example, it can do this!"
He spread his feet, bending his knees and holding his fists at his sides as chakra began to roll off of his body in waves, lifting his hair over his head. After a moment, his hair and beard began to turn grey then black as the signs of his age began to fade. Then, a vortex of smoke appeared around him for a moment before exploding off along with his shirt and robe, revealing a heavily muscled torso.
"That was the Body Activation Jutsu," Shinno stated. "In this form, with this colossal body I can open up all eight of the chakra gates, including the Gate of Death."
Naruto paled a bit remembering Lee explaining how the eight gates worked then calmed himself and walked forward. He created a dozen clones who all charged forward with their kunai, deciding to fight with speed. When the clones reached Shinno, he killed the clones all within two seconds then spun and drove his fist into Naruto's stomach.
"Are you starting to understand boy?" Shinno questioned. "What this ultimate form, born of the Body Activation Jutsu can do?"
As he finished his sentence, he smashed his elbow into the back of Naruto's head and smashed him into the ground.
"Oh sorry," Shinno snorted. "I'm still having trouble getting used to this incredible strength."
And with that, he kicked him across the room into the rocks against the wall. Then, he walked back to his throne and sat down, the throne now fitting much better.
"Ah I see," Shinno smirked. "This throne must have been created for someone with the ultimate body. Someone strong enough to be called a king."
Naruto leapt into the air, creating several dozen clones, all of who created a Rasengan. Shinno opened his eyes and his eyes turned completely black with his pupils shining a bright yellow. A moment later, a wave of darkness shot off of him, destroying half of them. Then, he waved his hand across his field of vision, sending out another wave of darkness and destroying the rest. Then, Naruto exploded out of the smoke and smashed his fist into Shinno's face, knocking him back and landing over him, beginning to beat him as hard as he could.
"You think you're a King?" Naruto spat beating Shinno across the face so fast he couldn't see his unimpressed face. "You're just a murderer!"
Finally Naruto created a Rasengan and slammed it into Shinno's chest. Then, he leapt backward when the Rasengan exploded.
"Amaru," Naruto muttered landing beside her.
"In the human body, muscles are strengthened by a process of damage and recovery," Shinno stated as the smoke cleared revealing him standing with chunks missing from his body and his entire body minus his head rumbling and moving like water being punched repeatedly and quickly. "Therefore, I need only apply the basics of Medical Ninjutsu. Through this process alone, my body can become massively powerful. Capable of nearly anything!"
"Monster!" Naruto spat.
"And when my ultimate body releases chakra," Shinno muttered appearing behind Naruto. "It unleashes its most supreme attack!"
A sphere of red and black chakra with two rings crossing around it formed in his hand.
"Super Activation Fist!" Shinno said as his eyes turned completely white and he smashed it into Naruto's back.
The sphere exploded and launched Naruto into the throne, cracking it and breaking several of Naruto's bones.
"What a nice surprise," Shinno sneered walking toward Naruto. "You can still move after that kind of punishment. However, I still haven't paid you back for damaging my throne. It's gonna hurt."
He picked Naruto up by the hair just as another Naruto appeared behind him, swinging a kunai at his head. Before either Naruto saw him move, he had jumped and driven his knee into the second Naruto's stomach.
"Were you trying to sneak up on me?" Shinno sneered. "That's not very nice."
He spun kicking Naruto back to the ground where he smashed through the clone, crashing into the throne head first then falling to the ground.
"Come on, hit me!" Shinno ordered. "Hit me with the dark power inside you."
"No," Naruto growled standing. "I've got a better idea."
He formed a Rasengan and sprinted at Shinno then teleported to a seal on his back, thrusting the Rasengan forward. Before he could hit him, Shinno spun kicking him sideways into the wall.
"Why do you resist?" Shinno questioned. "The Zero-tails told me, you have something inside of you. Something that would bring me great entertainment."
"I said no!" Naruto shouted teleporting to the seal again and swinging a punch at Shinno only to have his catch it then punch him in the stomach followed immediately by a knee in the stomach.
Then, Shinno held hi hand out, palm facing Naruto. A moment later, a blast of Dark Chakra sent Naruto flying backward into the wall.
"My power, I must test it," Shinno stated. "I must know how powerful Dark Chakra really is."
"I'm going to kill you," Naruto stated. "And I'll do it without that power. I don't need it!"
He stood, not having the energy to teleport so he sprinted at Shinno instead. Shinno stood perfectly still and allowed Naruto to smash his fist into the side of his face. Shinno caught Naruto's hand before he could jump back and lowered it from his face.
"Now, you listen to me," Shinno stated calmly as Naruto tried to pull away unsuccessfully. "That's it. That's as strong as you'll ever be. How long you try or how much you give that's all the power you'll ever achieve. In the end, that's as far as you got."
Shinno's bruise, which was all the damage Naruto could do, began to heal.
"Humans are weak," Shinno stated. "They have no fangs or claws. Why, they're only unique skill is crying. And yet, somehow, they managed to conquer the entire world. Do you know why? Because among all living things on the planet, humans..."
He sent three lightning quick punches to Naruto's stomach, launching him back and then chased him, readying another much stronger punch.
"Are the most cruel!" Shinno smashed his fist into Naruto and sent out a pulse of Dark Chakra, launching him backward.
Naruto landed hard, sliding to a stop beside Amaru.
"Am I wrong?" Shinno questioned. "Unlike every other creature, humans try to improve their condition. They joined together and now they've achieved a higher status. And what power did they use to achieve it? It most certainly was not the power of love!"
Naruto pushed himself up and sighed.
"You've got to be kidding me," Naruto spat. "Just 'cause you've got some freaky jutsu that puffs up your muscles, it doesn't give you the right to be all high and mighty."
He began limping forward wincing against the pain.
"Look," Naruto growled. "I know I'm gonna sound very cheesy here, but, my Sensei, and all my friends who fight beside me, heck, even Pervy Sage. I love them, you hear me? And I'm not letting you hurt them!"
He sprinted forward but just as he neared Shinno, Shinno sent out a pulse of Dark Chakra and launched him backward.
"Okay enough," Shinno sighed. "I get it already. What was I even thinking? I tried to explain myself. But a fool like you couldn't possibly understand. Master. Love. Answer me this. Where did Amaru's so-called love get you?"
Amaru's eyes snapped open as he said her name and she looked up as Naruto was smashed backward again.
"In the end, that's what created this whole mess!" Shinno stated.
"Shut up!" Naruto shouted sprinting forward yet again.
Again Shinno blasted him with a pulse of Dark Chakra that sent him flying.
"Naruto!" Amaru gasped. "It's...my fault. My power...did this."
"It'll take more than that!" Naruto shouted jumping up and sprinting at Shinno.
Shino punched Naruto in the stomach, bringing him into the air, then the face, then twice in the stomach, then blasted Naruto with chakra.
"Activation Fist!" Shinno shouted as Naruto flew away, bouncing once, hard, then crashing into Amaru who caught him before glaring at Shinno. "That's it Amaru. Don't lost that hatred of yours. Never forgive me for the evil I've done."
He laughed as Amaru set Naruto down and drew her scalpel. She moved to attack Shinno with it but froze as Shinno's own words echoed in her head about blades that can save people and she fell to her knees again, tears streaming down her face.
"Amaru," Naruto groaned pushing himself up. "I can...still fight. All the sadness you feel...all your pain...It's okay. It's not your fault. You can't help it."
His legs gave out and he fell to his knees holding a hand over his rib cage which must be just about dust by now.
"It's okay," Naruto breathed. "I'll take it...the pain...I'll take it all on myself."
Naruto stood again, right arm not working and began shambling forward again.
"You stay right there," Naruto growled. "Because I'm going to kill you!"
"Naruto," Amaru cried holding her scalpel to her throat. "I'm sorry. Doctor."
As she jabbed it at her throat, she felt it stop shot, driving itself into something. She opened her eyes and saw Naruto's arm wrapped around from behind her, the scalpel stuck into his forearm.
"You can't," Naruto smiled. "It's not the way. Don't you get it? You have to live. And that's why...that's why, you have to say goodbye. You never, told him. Never had the chance. Isn't that right? You have to tell him...how you feel. Right?"
He pulled his arm away, taking the scalpel as Amaru sat frozen before nodding. Suddenly, Amaru caught his arm, tearing the sleeve open.
"The first time I was praised, he was the one who praised me," Amaru stated trying his sleeve above his wound so she could treat it. "The first time I was taught, he was the one to teach me."
She pulled a roll of gauze out of her bag and beginning to wrap his wound.
"The first person to guide me," Amaru stated.
"Keep going," Naruto smiled.
"The first time I wondered, if I was pretty," Amaru stated blushing. "And the first time, I ever cared what someone thought of me. He was my world."
She finished wrapping Naruto's arm and simply held it for a moment.
"All I could think about," Amaru said beginning to cry, "was the Doctor. It was my first time wanting someone's heart."
Amaru turned toward Shinno before continuing.
"I wanted to be loved!" Amaru sobbed. "The truth...is that...I always loved you Doctor!"
He instantly burst into fits of hysteric laughter but stopped when Naruto teleported to the seal and smashed his fist into Shinno's cheek, launching him away.
"Shut it Dirtbag!" Naruto shouted before teleporting to the seal again and sending come clones above Shinno. "And do me a favor!"
He drove his knee into Shinno's teeth launching him at the clones.
"How about keeping-"
"Your freaky ideas-"
"To yourself!" the three clones shouted before pummeling him for a moment before Naruto stepped forward.
"And quit forcing 'em on us!" Naruto shouted as Shinno flew at him and Into Naruto's fist. "Because you may believe that a person's love leads to darkness, but you're wrong!"
Naruto teleported to the seal one last time, appearing over Shinno and putting his hands together over his head.
"You can't destroy love!" Naruto shouted smashing his fists into Shinno's back. "Never!"
Shino crashed into the ground, bouncing once before two clones kicked him at a swarm of clones who began to pummel him.
"You are nothing!" Naruto shouted as he made his way through the clones. "But a worthless scumbag!"
His punch sent Shinno flying straight through his throne then into the wall without touching the ground once. When the smoke cleared, he was sitting in the rubble of the rock.
"My...my chakra is getting," Shinno began before his head snapped up in surprise.
Naruto had formed a Rasengan and was glaring at him.
"I told you I would never forgive you," Naruto stated. "Rasengan!"
Before he could kill Shinno a bolt of lightning hit the Rasengan and launched it out through the roof. Naruto turned to look where it had come from and saw Sasuke sitting on the root wrapped around the black stone column grinning.
"Sasuke!" Naruto said smiling. "You're a little late. Why are you here?"
Sasuke dropped to the ground and grinned back at him.
"Lord Orochimaru would like some assistance from him," Sasuke stated.
"Oh is that the case?" Shinno questioned standing and grinning. "And what if I should resist you? I assume you'd have to take me by force."
"What do you say Naruto?" Sasuke questioned. "Should I take him by force?"
"Only if you're only taking a corpse," Naruto stated.
"Don't underestimate me kid," Shinno laughed. "Do you think I'm all out of Dark Chakra? Ridiculous! The world is teeming with darkness from people's hearts. And with my Body Activation Jutsu-"
"Go ahead and try it," Sasuke invited before appearing behind him. "I won't stop you. Be my guest."
He punched Shinno sending him flying into the column in the middle of the room where he sunk to the ground.
"What are you waiting for?" Sasuke questioned. "Show it to me."
"Trust me Sasuke," Naruto spoke up. "It's not something you want to let happen. It would be like giving Danzo the power to manipulate time."
Shinno stood, beginning to use his Body Activation Jutsu but before he could, he collapsed shouting out in pain as his hair began to fall out as his body aged past what it should be.
"What's the matter?" Sasuke questioned walking forward. "Can't heal yourself?"
"Wha...what have you done?" Shinno demanded, voice as weak and frail as his ancient body.
"I took a good look at your chakra, and saw its entire flow," Sasuke stated. "Guess you didn't notice my Chidori Senbon."
"No, you mean you somehow undermined the control of my chakra points?" Shinno gasped. "But when did you..."
He trailed off as realization set in with the memory of feeling several small pinches while he was fighting Shinno.
"Don't worry, I won't be taking you to Orochimaru," Sasuke assured him. "But I am going to kill you."
"I highly doubt Orochimaru wants me," Shinno stated. "He's probably trying to get his hands on this."
He ran his finger down the column and revealed a slot with a scroll inside.
"I stole this scroll from the Leaf you see," Shinno stated tossing the scroll at Sasuke then instantly reaching into the slot and gripping a handle concealed there.
He pulled it out just as Sasuke caught the scroll and the floor opened below Shinno and he fell from view. After a moment, they both heard his voice shouting about not being finished.
"Cocky son of a bitch," Sasuke snorted.
Then, Sasuke was gone.
"Amaru," Naruto whispered kneeling in front of her. "I'm going to try and find him. It's like you said. There might be a way to cure him."
She looked up at him in surprise.
"It's worth a shot right?" Naruto smiled. "I mean, you can always give up later. Right now you've got to go save those villagers. That way, you're honoring the teachings of your Master."
Amaru sniffed and nodded standing and running back through the hallway they had entered through. Naruto stood and ran through the opposite hallway following slashes on the wall that Sasuke had made, finally catching up with Sasuke as he cut a door to ribbons.
"Sasuke!" Naruto called. "Wait up! How much of the fight did you see?"
"Enough to hear your angry speech," Sasuke grinned as they came to the end of the hallway which opened into a massive room with seals and strange symbols lining the walls. "Whoa."
"What is...shit," Naruto breathed seeing the Zero-tails encased in a glowing white chakra cocoon suspended from the walls and ceiling in front of a massive glowing column similar to the black one they had seen above.
Below the Zero-tails stood Shinno.
"You followed me down here?" Shinno laughed. "How stupid can you be?"
"Who are you calling stupid?" Naruto demanded as Sasuke formed a Chidori only for it to be absorbed by the Zero-tails which glowed for a moment.
"Look at that," Shinno sneered. "Can't use your Chidori down here can you? And Naruto, I meant to say this earlier but you truly are an idiot. If you can't break love, if love is all powerful and is always a good thing, what are you so afraid of? The truth is, love is fragile and false. It is among the most cruel things any human is capable of. Everything you believe is wrong Naruto. You know that."
"What is that thing?" Sasuke spoke up, seeing the hurt on Naruto's face.
"This is the Zero-tails," Shinno stated. "Its seal absorbs chakra collected by the Zero-tails and converts it to power. Now that you two are here, any chakra that you release will be used as more power for Ancor Vantian which means that you can't do a thing!"
"Would you shut up?" Naruto demanded dropping to the floor. "I don't need chakra! I'm going to take you down bare handed!"
Sasuke landed beside him and rested a hand on his hip impatiently.
"If that thing absorbs all the chakra around it, we're all at the same disadvantage," Sasuke pointed out.
"You're both a bit slow to catch on aren't you?" Shinno questioned holding a hand over his injured stomach. "I didn't bring you all the way down here, to the core of Ancor Vantian just to shut off your puny chakra. Behold!"
He held his arms out as Dark Chakra began exploding off of him and reaching up to the Zero-tails. Suddenly the cocoon around the Zero-tails shot out wrapping around Shinno and dragging him into it.
"What did you think Ancor Vantian was?" Shinno questioned. "Some kind of fancy flying fortress? You think I would meddle with something as dangerous as a Tailed-beast just for that? It's bigger than that! Why, it can obliterate the Five Great Nations! It is equipped with the ultimate weapon of destruction! Just watch!"
Suddenly, he was dragged entirely into the cocoon and it began to shine blindingly bright and an image of the outside world in front of the fortress appeared. A large circle on the front of the base began to glow before firing a massive beam of energy which blasted the top half of a mountain into dust before continuing into the distance, blasting the remains of the Sky Ninjas' fleet. Then, the light and the image faded.
"You see?" Shinno's voice shouted from the Zero-tails. "That is the power of the Land of Sky! And after I've destroyed each of the Five Great Nations, I will reign supreme over a vast, sky empire!"
"You're insane!" Naruto stated as he drew a pair of kunai and Sasuke drew his chokuto. "You think we're gonna allow that?"
They sprinted forward as Shinno laughed.
"What fools!" Shinno scoffed as massive arms began to shoot out of the cocoon.
Sasuke leapt over them running along the tops while Naruto leapt higher to give himself time to switch his kunai for his Double-Edged Swords, separating them. After a moment, Sasuke was swarmed by hands and slashed two of them before another grabbed him from below and shot into the air. Naruto slashed the arm holding Sasuke then began spinning and slashing anything that approached him. Then, one shot up from below him, catching him too as a second grew out of its side and caught Sasuke as he fell.
"Let us go you son of a bitch!" Naruto ordered.
Shinno merely laughed smashing them together before holding them in the air.
"What's the matter?" Shinno mocked. "Can't fight back without your chakra? You puny brats!"
"That's rich coming from you!" Naruto snorted. "You couldn't even handle us 'puny brats' without merging with a Tailed-beast! You think you're so strong? Come prove it!"
"Aright fine then!" Shinno shouted as a dozen fist crashed into Naruto. "You just don't know when to shut up do you?"
"No," Sasuke snorted.
"Do not resist the power of the Sky Emperor!" Shinno roared.
"This is painful to watch," Sasuke snorted. "To think someone who doesn't even know the extent of their own power could be the Sky Emperor. I mean that's beyond pitiful, it's pathetic!"
As he finished speaking, he entered his Curse Mark Level Two form and began pumping his chakra into Shinno.
"What are you trying to do?" Shinno snorted. "Speed up your own death?"
"So that's the play, huh Sasuke," Naruto questioned sitting up and grinning. "Alright. You want our chakra so bad? Have at it!"
He began pumping the Nine-tails chakra into Shinno too and soon the Zero-tails began to swell.
"What?" Shino gasped. "Too much chakra for the Zero-tails to absorb?"
Just then, the hand holding Naruto exploded and he began to fall, creating dozens of clones that ran at the Zero-tails as dozens of arms shot at and through them. As they did, Naruto created a Rasengan out of the Nine-tails' chakra that had rings of Chakra spiraling around it. He leapt over the clones and the Zero-tails sent several arms at him but he held the Rasengan out in front of him and it obliterated them. Just as Naruto reached the Zero-tails, it held two hands out that formed a large glowing shield that blocked his Rasengan. The impact sent out waves of chakra that destroyed the other arms, freeing Sasuke who activated his Sharingan and looked at the two combatants.
"So that's how it works," Sasuke mused drawing his sword and entering his Curse Mark Level Two form.
He flew into the air over Naruto then flew straight down, channeling his Chidori through his chokuto as he cut Shinno's shield in half. The top began to reconnect but before it could begin to work at full power again, Naruto compressed the chakra in his Rasengan, the rings sinking into it as it lit up and began to glow a bright orange. Naruto smashed it through the shield and into the Zero-tails. The explosion slammed the Zero-tails into the wall, destroying the cocoon, and he stuck there.
"You were right about one thing," Naruto growled. "You damn-sure don't deserve to be called a doctor!"
"I didn't think it would come to this," Shinno groaned rising halfway out of the top of the Zero-tails' head. "But no matter what, I refuse to die."
"What the hell are you yacking about now?" Naruto demanded.
"Destroying that seal releases the Zero-tails, and its accumulated power, from any sort of control," Shinno stated as he began to stretch toward them, first Sasuke then Naruto. "You might very well be the strongest member of the Uchiha clan, and you may be the Nine-tails Jinchuriki, but you're a couple of kids that can't understand a thing."
"What are you blathering about?" Sasuke demanded.
"Now that you've released the Zero-tails from my control, I don't know what will happen," Shinno sneered before falling forward as chakra arms exploded out of his sides.
They began to flood the room and destroy it. Naruto and Sasuke began to avoid the hands as much as they could but after a minute, Sasuke leapt up to the exit. Before Naruto could follow, he was encased by the hands. After another minute, he blasted the hands with a Rasengan then blasted his way out through the wall, crushing a group of Sky Ninja a moment after Sasuke had jumped over them. Naruto chased him seconds before the hallway behind them was flooded by hundreds of the Zero-tails' arms. After a few minutes, they split up at a fork and Naruto reached the outside, arriving at one of the docks where the villagers and Hinata were in one of the air ships. Amaru was beside it and Hinata told her how to launch the ship so Amaru ran toward the lever but Naruto threw a kunai at a piece of loose rubble in front of Amaru making it fall in her path and stop her.
"Hurry up!" Naruto shouted. "Get on Amaru!"
"Naruto!" Hinata shouted smiling.
Naruto smiled back then turned to Amaru who still hadn't left.
"Naruto...the...doctor?"Amaru breathed.
"Amaru," Naruto said with a voice devoid of emotion, confirming her fears. "Get on."
"But what are you gonna do?" Amaru questioned. "Can you fly?"
"I'm gonna stay," Naruto stated. "There's something I gotta take care of. Just go with the villagers."
"No!" Amaru shouted. "If you're staying, I'm staying too!"
"Forget it!" Naruto snapped.
"I don't care what you say!" Amaru shouted. "I'm staying with you no matter-"
She was cut off by Sasuke appearing behind her and throwing her onto the ship where the villagers caught her.
"Sasuke!" Hinata gasped.
"Naruto, say your goodbyes," Sasuke ordered and Naruto pulled the lever, lowering the runway and sending the ship shooting away.
As the ship shot down the runway, two of the Zero-tails arms exploded up in front of them but Sasuke slashed them before the ship got there, allowing the ship to get away.
"Thank you, Sasuke," Naruto smiled forming a Rasengan.
Sasuke spun around as the runway was blasted by Naruto's Rasengan breaking it off. Sasuke leapt to the ship, landing and looking back, his Sharringan active and his words playing through Naruto's head. He sat down as Sasuke's words brought memories forward, making Naruto smile. Sasuke turned and entered his Curse Mark Level Two form and flew away. Then, Naruto stood.
"Get up Naruto," Naruto growled. "You've got to stop this thing."
Naruto spread a hundred clones through the fortress, each one forming a Rasengan with five times the normal amount of Chakra packed into it. After a couple of minutes, they began to blast anything they could reach with the Rasengans. After less than a minute, a fourth was blasted off all together and fell into the water below. Soon, several other massive chunks exploded off as Kakashi, Sai, Shikamaru, and Shino all watched from the beach.
"He's not stopping is he?" Kakashi questioned.
"Because he's stupid," Sai stated.
"It's coming straight for us," Shino noted.
"We should probably run for it," Shikamaru stated making no attempt to move.
"Eh, probably," Kakashi shrugged, also not bothering to move.
Inside the fortress, Naruto was blasting his way through the base at random as his clones blasted toward the center of the base where the Zero-tails was waiting. Pieces of the fortress began raining down rapidly and began to crash down both in the sea and on land as Neji, Sakura who had finally gotten reinforcements, Choji, and Yamato arrived on shore.
"What is that?" Neji muttered.
"Neji, can you see anyone?" Yamato questioned.
"Heh, don't go wasting you Byakugan on this one," Shikamaru snorted now lounging on a rock watching the show, the others all seated on the ground around him, just as content to watch.
"Oh yeah," Kakashi nodded. "He always did do collateral damage well."
Suddenly, the massive face taking up most of the front of the fortress lost its left eye in a massive blast as Naruto stood just inside grinning.
"Finally found the way out," Naruto grinned. "Now I just have to wait for the clones to blast the Zero-tails."
Just then, he turned to look back as he heard the fortress's thrusters quit and his eyes widened.
"Rasengan!" a clone's voice shouted. Seconds later, almost a hundred Rasengans exploded in the core and Naruto leapt out just before the entire fortress turned into a massive fireball easily a mile across.
Then, Naruto fell. He passed out of the smoke in seconds, unconscious as Sasuke's words returned to him.
"Naruto, you're not wrong. Love cannot simply be broken. It can leave, and it can erode, but it never truly abandons a person. You are right, in the end. You just aren't brave enough to believe that it applies to you as well. You will understand. But you should tell her soon. Before something bad happens and one or both of you end up dead."
"Naruto!" Amaru's voice reached him waking him up but he was falling too fast to open his eyes.
Suddenly, he felt someone catch him, wrapping their arms around him and making them both spin for a moment.
"Amaru," Naruto smiled. "You're crazy, you know that?"
"I guess," Amaru smiled back. "But so are you. Idiot."
"It's funny," Naruto smiled. "Someone once told me that I would die trying to save one of my friends. They never said anything about them dying with me. Guess I should have been more content back when I was alone. Less people would have been hurt that way."
"But you're not," Amaru smiled holding him a tinny bit tighter. "You're not alone. Because, I'm right here with you."
"I can feel them," Naruto smiled. "I can feel my friends. Hang on. One of them is right below us."
Amaru's eyes widened then she squinted as she looked down and saw a massive toad below them. It inhaled, its stomach stretching and they landed on it, unharmed as it exhaled so it didn't pop.
"Another one huh Naruto?" Jiraiya smirked watching Naruto and Amaru slide off of Gamabunta before he disappeared.
As they landed, Naruto passed out from lack of chakra and Amaru gently lay him down just as the ship landed and Hinata dropped out of it running toward him but stopped when she saw his head resting in Amaru's lap.
"It's alright," Amaru smiled standing. "I know how much he means to you. I have no right to try to stand in your way."
Hinata walked over and knelt quickly checking for signs of life then for any major injuries finding several broken bones from Shinno and the Zero-tails but nothing life threatening. A moment later Sakura arrived and began to heal him.
"He'll live," Sakura reported. "He should be awake within fifteen minutes anyway."
Sasuke handed the scroll, a fake, to Orochimaru and turned walking toward the door.
"So, this is the scroll in which the forbidden regeneration jutsu is written," Orochimaru smiled.
"You weren't able to bring Shinno back alive," Kabuto noted. "What an uncharacteristic failure. Are you sure you were trying your hardest?"
Sasuke ignored him and continued to the door.
"Did something good happen?" Orochimaru questioned. "For some reason, I get the feeling something did."
Sasuke walked out through the door silently holding the real scroll up and burning it as he walked. After a few minutes he reached a river with a waterfall and walked out onto it.
"Chidori Light Blade!" Sasuke shouted driving his chokuto into the river while channeling his Chidori through the blade.
Lightning shot across the water, evaporating it as it went. It reached the waterfall and began to climb it but after a second, it ended and the waterfall, only one fifth of the water up from the ground, fell to the ground and rushed past Sasuke who jumped onto it sighing.
"Almost time now," Sasuke stated looking up at the line of targets he had set up at the top of the waterfall. When he was able to evaporate the entire waterfall, river below it, and destroy the targets, he would be going after Danzo. And sending a letter to Naruto and Itachi.
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