I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.
Box of Paradise
Naruto glanced at the girl as she put her Bandanna back on, concealing her long white hair that hung down to her waist when let down. She had apparently been dressing so that she could pass as a male to the other prisoners, who seemed to be a few cards shorter of a full deck than Naruto was.
"Thank you for saving me," Naruto spoke up after nearly a half hour of silence since he had woken up in his underwear with his clothes hanging beside the fire to dry.
"You're welcome," the girl replied. "You were lucky. Had you been swept any further out, the current would have been too strong for me to save you. You remember what I told you in the holding cell?"
"About the hole?" Naruto questioned. "Yes."
"It was a warning to watch your step," the girl replied. "Didn't get through to you did it? You act before you think. That's why you keep getting into trouble. I mean, are you really a shinobi?"
Naruto was silent for a moment then said, "The reason I keep getting into trouble here, is because I am trying to leave so that you don't all die and to earn my village's respect. Outside this prison, leaping before I look has saved more of my friends' lives than I can count. It has also cost me a lot of friends. The metaphorical hole I am in is trying to kill the members of the Akatsuki. I can't beat them all and live. I know that. I can't even touch Madara. My attacks and me pass right through. But I'll keep digging because I'm not digging for myself. I'm fighting the Akatsuki because if I don't stop them, they'll kill someone I love, everyone I love. I won't let them hurt my friends, my family...Hinata. I can't. Even if it kills me, I will stop the Akatsuki. And no one has the right to tell me otherwise. Who are you anyway?"
"Ryuzetsu," the girl stated. "I belong to the Hidden Grass ANBU. We've done our research and we know all about you Naruto. The fact is that I infiltrated Hozuki Castle specifically because we received intel that you were to be imprisoned here yourself."
"What do you want with me?" Naruto questioned.
"I know who framed you," Ryuzetsu stated.
"Are you serious?" Naruto blinked. "Who?"
"The Lord of this prison, Mui," Ryuzetsu stated. "Mui is a Jonin of the Hidden Grass. He comes from a long line of Hidden Grass gatekeepers, who do just that, guard the gate."
"I never would have guessed," Kurama snorted.
"Sh!" Naruto shushed.
"And behind the gate, is a box," Ryuzetsu continued.
"I'm guessing it's not a Christmas present," Naruto said raising an eyebrow.
"It's called the Box of Paradise," Ryuzetsu stated. "And according to legend, it will grant the wish of anyone who can open it."
"Is that even possible?" Naruto questioned. "What if I wished to be able to use Lightning Style Jutsus in stead of Wind Style ones?"
"No one knows if the legends are true," Ryuzetsu stated. "But legend says that during the era of the Sage of the Six Paths, the Hidden Grass Village almost conquered the entire world after opening the box."
"I take it they got put down," Naruto guessed.
"That's right," Ryuzetsu nodded. "And from the survivors, two rival factions were formed. The Seeds of Grass faction seeks to revive the Hidden Grass through war and conquest, while we of the Flowers of Grass wish for peace. Mui is from the Seeds of Grass. They intend to use the Box as a weapon. According to the information we've received, it requires an enormous amount of chakra to open the Box. That's why you're here. They want the chakra you possess as a Jinchuriki so they framed you, knowing you'd be sent here."
"So the Seeds of Grass guys are the ones that got me stuck here," Naruto nodded.
"Yes," Ryuzetsu nodded. "And my mission is to keep them from opening the Box no matter what."
"Then why save my life?" Naruto questioned. "If I had died, that would have been the end of it."
"If I had let an innocent person die simply because it served my purposes, then I would be no better than he is," Ryuzetsu stated.
"He being..."
"Mui," Ryuzetsu spat, voice suddenly full of hurt. "He doesn't care what he has to do to open that Box. He was even willing to sacrifice his own son."
"How do you know?" Naruto questioned.
"I was there," Ryuzetsu stated holding back her emotions. "I saw. He used a jutsu that transformed his son's life force into chakra. All I saw was a blood red light shooting out of his chest and levitating him while shredding his scarf, a piece of which I wear as a bandanna, before his body floated into the air and into the Box, which glowed for a moment then did nothing. Even with his life as chakra, he didn't have enough. The only way I will ever fulfill my mission is by killing Mui. I will kill Mui."
"I take it you and Mui's son were more than just friends," Naruto noted.
"That's none of your business," Ryuzetsu stated. "Mui's jutsu must be broken. Only then can you use your power to open the gate and destroy the Box."
"Kill Mui to release the jutsu?" Naruto grinned. "Don't worry about the jutsu. I can handle this."
"Either way," Ryuzetsu sighed. "Are you willing to return with me to Hozuki Castle?"
"Absolutely," Naruto grinned. "But I'll need to get into Solitary one last time. And I'll need someone to keep watch over me while I'm there in case the Akatsuki decides to take me."
Ryuzetsu nodded and the two of them snuck back into the prison. Reaching their cells with no issues. The next day, Naruto called Mui out into the courtyard where he attacked him again, only to be beaten with ease, again. Three days later, the guard opened the door, not seeing the clone hidden behind it, collecting Sage Chakra and holding it. He left and found Ryuzetsu who filled him in on a discussion she had with Maroi regarding the Box of Paradise and him helping to get to it and kill Mui. They walked out to the middle of the courtyard and looked around. Naruto nodded toward Mui and Ryuzetsu returned the gesture. Then, they began to fight. Each time one pretended to be thrown away, they would hit whoever they crashed into angering them until it dissolved into an all-out brawl. Inside the cafeteria, everyone began to watch and cheer while Maroi quietly made everyone hit each other until there was a second brawl there.
While the chaos had the guards distracted, Ryuzetsu moved around behind Mui and Naruto left to find the Box of Paradise. After a few minutes, he reached Mui's office and began looking around. He followed Maroi's instructions to the bookshelf and the blue book that looked out of place among a shelf of black ones and pushed it inward. A section of the bookshelf just to the left slid in and to the side, forming a doorway. Naruto slipped through and it closed, jumping down the square stairwell until he reached a laboratory. He picked up a torch and saw a disturbing face set into the wall at the far end of the room that matched the one Ryuzetsu had described to him.
He set the torch down and pulled his jacket off grinning.
"Let's see if this plan works," Naruto grinned.
Before he could release his clone, the lights came on and four people wearing animal masks landed around him aiming at him with their first and middle fingers on one hand. Instantly he was unable to move. Mui picked up the torch walking over.
"Finally, we have ourselves a Jinchuriki," one of the four masked people sneered.
"You're such a fool," Mui stated holding the torch in Naruto's face before throwing it away, Naruto's eyes following.
Naruto looked back at Mui just as Mui hit him with several jabs, leaving him unconscious. When he opened his eyes again, the Celestial Prison Jutsu was gone but the seal on his stomach was glowing an angry red. At the same time, the eyes of the face in the wall began to glow. Kurama's chakra began to flow out of Naruto's stomach and into the face for a few moments before the face began to radiate darkness. Naruto managed to form a Rasengan and swung it at Mui but he leapt away as the chakra stopped flowing, already beginning to replenish itself.
"It's amazing, how much chakra you Jinchuriki possess," Mui stated.
"You bastard!" Naruto swore. "What kind of man sacrifices his own son just to open that damn box? Were you really that desperate to get what's inside of it?"
"It is all for the future of the Hidden Grass Village," Mui stated.
"Don't you dare talk about the future!" Naruto spat. "What about his future? That boy who trusted you and depended on you as his father!"
"Do you remember what I asked you, about having had to murder innocent people for the sake of your village?" Mui questioned.
"Yeah I remember," Naruto growled. "And I think you'll remember I told you that was a load of shit!"
"I agree with you," Mui stated just as the entire island began to rumble and shake violently.
Machines and beakers full of strange colored chemicals fell to the floor. The light dropped a few inches, flickering on and off as it swung around.
"We're similar, you and I," Mui stated as the face behind him began to crack before the wall around it crumble spinning and revealing three other faces, all showing different emotions. "That is the reason this box must be opened!"
The box began to rise, spinning faster and faster. The room began to collapse and the light fell, Naruto dove aside, barely avoiding being crushed. He stood and dashed out of the room as it continued to collapse. As he climbed, he quickly ran out of breath, being exhausted still from losing his chakra. As he got halfway, he looked down to see Mui leaping up the stairs. Just as Mui passed him, he grabbed a chain hanging down in the gap between the stairs and swung to the wall opposite Naruto then leapt to Naruto placing the Fire Style Celestial Prison on his chest again. Naruto was blasted out through the wall and began to fall. The prisoners that had been part of the riot were all standing around watching the center of the courtyard where the Box was beginning to break up through the ground. A massive beam of light shot into the air as it did, parting the clouds in a swirling circle.
Naruto crashed into a roof and slid to the ground then began to limp toward the courtyard. As he neared it, he heard Mui's voice.
"Here me Box of Paradise," Mui called out. "Open. I command you!"
The Box began to radiate darkness again. Naruto stepped into the courtyard and looked at Mui, eyes widening as he noticed tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Grant me this one wish," Mui spoke, voice shaky now. "Let me see my son, Muku. Box of Paradise, grant me this wish. I command you!"
"Mui, what have you done?" one of the four masked people demanded.
"Have you gone mad?" another demanded.
"I banished the Hidden Grass from my heart long ago," Mui stated. "Ten years ago. On the day I lost Muku!"
They all moved to kill him and Ryuzetsu moved to stop them. Before she could, several kunai on chains flew at them, stopping them but not harming them. They all froze seeing a second Mui holding a pair of sickles attached to the chains.
"Why are you here?" Mui questioned the new arrival. "I don't recall asking for your help."
"Oh shut up," the new Mui snorted. "Frankly I'm half looking forward to killing you myself."
He made the seal of confrontation and a cloud of smoke surrounded him, revealing a somewhat short man with a skin-bald head, a small pointed black beard, and a yellow kimono with green sleeves and red trimming.
"You, Kazan of a Hundred Transformations," one of the four masked people gasped.
"Impossible, we watched you die!" another stated.
Kazan explained how Mui had saved him then complained about him not letting Kazan join his son in the afterlife.
"Mui, you traitor!" one of the masked people spat. "Is this what you were planning all along you treacherous dog?"
"You're one to talk about treachery!" Kazan spat darting forward.
Suddenly the Box began to glow and everyone felt the evil aura coming from it, sensor or not because everyone froze, Kazan turning around to look as the face on front fell off in three pieces to reveal a bear-like animal's face with the mouth closed. Mui backed away as the mouth stretched open and the darkness around the Box faded and inside the mouth began to swirl like dark smoke. Everyone watched in shock as a very pale boy with black hair in a very long ponytail with a ripped grey gi, grey pants, and bare feet staggered out. Naruto could tell from Ryuzetsu's face that this was Muku. Mui walked forward, stopping a few feet away and smiling. Naruto, however, sensed something was off.
"Hello father," Muku spoke, voice even yet somehow off.
"My son, forgive me," Mui requested as Muku began walking forward. "I was so wrong Muku."
Muku suddenly pulled his right hand back, flattening and extending it as if readying it for a karate chop. Then, he darted forward and drove it completely through his chest, blood spraying across the ground behind him. Then, he wrenched it out, lowering it to his side and allowing Mui to fall to the ground as Muku stared blankly ahead.
"Mui!" Kazan shouted sprinted at Muku.
He leapt into the air, pulling his sickles back and Muku instantly bisected him with a chop from his left hand. Kazan fell to the ground and the four people in masks stumbled back, two falling from fear and dismay at the truth of the Box of Paradise.
"Yes Father, you were wrong," Muku stated voice now devoid of all emotion as he turned back to Mui, licking Mui's blood off his right hand. "You should have never let me out of that Box."
"What are you?" Naruto demanded. "You're not human."
Ryuzetsu held her hand up silencing him and pulled the bandanna off.
"Muku," she called out. "What happened to you in there? Something's changed. You are not the Muku I used to know!"
"It's not entirely Muku," Naruto stated. "Not anymore."
"There's a part of your soul you haven't lost yet," Ryuzetsu stated, ignoring Naruto completely. "It's not to late to return to what you were before the box took you!"
Muku suddenly bent forward gasping before leaning back and screaming in agony as his arms bent and bulged and twisted before two dark brown hands with claws and arms covered in black feathers exploded out of his hands. The prisoners and Kusagakure shinobi all watched in surprise and terror as black feathers covered Muku's body leaving his head uncovered. His torso expanded and grew as his rib cage became more pronounced. Then, his stomach began twisting and bulging at random spots as his body grew more. When it was over, a massive mouth opened in the middle of the rib cage, that was now his head, with several incisors, molars, and four tusk-like teeth, two per sides, extending from the top row and wrapping down around the bottom of his rounded chest, stopping somewhere behind it. Its stomach was now simply skin formed around his spinal column with his lower body much the same, skin formed tightly around bones but with the legs growing back to what should be a normal size for the general size of his now monstrous body. A pair of massive wings extended from his back. His feet were similar to his hands, like a monkey's would be. His hands rested flat on the ground on arms as long as his whole body was tall and his body now stood well over twenty feet.
Muku swung his arm across the ground as if brushing something off of it and the wind created hurled the four masked Kusagakure shinobi into the air before the still open mouth on the Box of Paradise began to glow red and the four were sucked in. The prisoners began to run and Muku moved to do the same to them, a couple at a time, the other three mouths now open as well.
"I don't know what he is, but the boy you knew is gone," Naruto stated sympathetically. "I'm sorry. But there's no time to cry now. I'll handle this."
Naruto made his clone hand seal, allowing the clone he had collecting Nature Energy to disappear, entering Sage Mode. Instantly, the red and black cloak that had been burned away when he used Kurama's Chakra the first time appeared on him making him smirk.
"He's gone into Sage Mode," Maroi, who Naruto and Ryuzetsu were now in front of breathed in awe. "He must have had his clone collecting Nature Energy all this time."
"Nature?" Ryuzetsu questioned.
"It's exactly as it sounds," Naruto stated. "Chakra taken from Nature. Since I'm not using my own chakra, the Celestial Prison is no use. And Sage Mode should give me the strength I need to break that Box."
"What are you planning to do?" Ryuzetsu questioned as Naruto formed a Rasengan the size of his head and torso.
"I might be able to get him back if I can break the Box," Naruto stated before dropping to the roof below before leaping straight at the box, a massive cloud of dust and debris exploding into the air behind him.
He slammed the Rasengan into the Box just above the opening Muku had walked out through. A moment later, the Rasengan exploded and launched Naruto backward, not harming the Box at all.
"It's no use," Muku stated landing on top of the Box, voice unchanged. "I tried breaking it countless times from inside. It's indestructible."
"Why did you kill Mui?" Naruto questioned.
"A man that would feed his own son to the Box," Muku snorted. "Should I have been grateful?"
"What he did to you was wrong," Naruto stated. "But he's been searching for a way to bring you back. Even though it meant betraying his own clan. His only thought was of you! He wanted nothing more than to get you back!"
He leapt forward with his clone but Muku avoided him easily at the same time as slashing the clone. Naruto leapt over Muku falling toward him with a punch. Muku once again avoided it, flying off the box while Naruto's fist crashed into the top of the Box.
"Save your strength," Muku snorted. "None of your attacks can hurt me. In fact, you can't even touch me."
"Fine, I'll fight a monster with a monster," Naruto growled biting his thumb. "Summoning Jutsu!"
Smoke exploded up around him as Gamabunta appeared below him, balancing on the box using only his two front feet.
"Who are you calling a monster you little monster?" Gamabunta demanded.
"Sorry," Naruto apologized. "Slip of the tongue."
"And why are we perched on the top of this little..." he trailed off as he looked down at what he was on before leaping high into the air away from the Box. "What's going on here? What's the Box of Paradise doing here?"
"You know about this thing?" Naruto questioned.
"The ultimate weapon of the era of the Sage of Six Paths?" Gamabunta questioned. "Of course I've heard of it!"
He landed then leapt again as three massive feathers stuck into the ground around him.
"Well well, Satori has appeared I see," Gamabunta noted.
"Satori?" Naruto questioned. "That's what this thing is called?"
"The Box of Paradise gives rise to Satori, moves Satori, and ends with Satori," Gamabunta recited. "He captures his enemies, and throws them and throws them into the Box. He does the Box's bidding, and he can read the hearts of men. I don't know if it's through the use of a seal formula, but once inside, it turns friends into enemies."
Just as he landed, Satori sent a wave of feathers at Gamabunta and Gamabunta drew his tanto, blocking them.
"Naruto!" Gamabunta said leaping forward and closing his eyes.
"Right," Naruto nodded.
When they reached Satori, Gamabunta swung at Satori as they passed, Naruto catching two feathers aimed for Gamabunta. Then, Gamabunta began leaping away on the tops of buildings.
"Wait," Naruto shouted over the wind. "Where are we going? Are you running away?"
"You're damn right I am," Gamabunta stated. "I counted on your anger to keep him from reading my intentions. There's no way on Earth or in Heaven that you and I can defeat that thing! The Box is controlling Satori. Satori is on a rampage. As soon as he gets everyone in sight, the situation will be beyond our control! When it's happened before, entire countries have been destroyed."
"How do we stop it?" Naruto questioned.
"Once a human becomes Satori, he can never be transformed back," Gamabunta stated finally stopping just short of the water. "Either we force him back into the Box, or we kill him."
"I knew there was no such thing as a box that can grant any wish," Naruto growled.
"You're right," Gamabunta nodded. "So, what would be your wish? Riches? Peace? The whole World? Whatever the wish it requires power. And that's all that comes out of the Box. Power. Evil power."
"But Mui only wished to save his son," Naruto stated.
"Let me put it this way, you naive little human," Gamabunta stated. "When you put an apple in a box and leave it for ten years, all that comes out is a rotten apple. You humans will believe just about anything. Here he comes."
Naruto turned toward the prison as Satori flew into the air, turning toward them. Gamabunta hurled Naruto forward and Naruto created a dozen shadow clones, all holding two Giant Rasengans. They began attacking Satori as they passed him but he easily avoided them all. When he reached Gamabunta, he drove his hand into the ground, fingers joined into a single spike. Gamabunta leapt over the attack and Satori followed. Gamabunta caught his hands and opened his mouth to reveal Naruto with a Rasenshuriken.
"Wind Style Rasenshuriken!" Naruto shouted hurling the jutsu at Satori at point blank range.
Satori shot into the air leaving Gamabunta behind and the Rasenshuriken exploded on the ground.
"Damn," Naruto sighed. "I can't even come close to him. What do I do?"
"I told you, he can read your heart, anticipate you," Gamabunta stated. "The only recourse is to not think of anything."
"Easier said than done," Naruto snorted.
"Here he comes!" Gamabunta warned just as four feathers crashed down around Naruto.
A dozen more crashed down around Gamabunta keeping him from moving as Satori shot toward him, kicking him in the face and crashing him into the ground before biting his foot and hurling him back to the prison. Naruto ran after him, arriving less than a second before Satori who instantly jabbed his claws at Gamabunta who blocked it with his tanto. Gamabunta shot his tongue out at him but still missed. Satori attacked Gamabunta with his tail but Gamabunta leapt over it and drove his sword downward at Satori, who had already moved out of the way. The tanto glanced off the top of the Box of Paradise before Gamabunta leapt aside, feathers slamming into the ground after him.
"He's still reading my every move," Gamabunta stated.
"Are you scared?" Satori laughed sensing the fear Naruto had about facing Satori. "Disappointing isn't it, that mastering Sage Mode doesn't free you from fear?"
Gamabunta leapt into the air, slashing at Satori who easily evaded the attack.
"Don't listen to what he says!" Gamabunta warned.
"Don't worry," Naruto growled. "I wasn't."
Naruto leapt into the air, creating a dozen clones but just as he did, his Sage Mode deactivated and the Celestial Prison jutsu activated. The clones all disappeared and he fell to the ground, as Satori grinned.
"Now die!" Satori roared as a ball of blood red energy formed over his mouth.
He roared again and the sphere shot at Naruto. Naruto couldn't move, especially not fast enough to escape the attack. Just as it neared him, Gamabunta appeared over him and took the blast to his back in a massive blood red explosion.
"Boss!" Naruto gasped.
"Ow," Gamabunta groaned. "That one did some damage!"
He disappeared in a massive cloud of smoke leaving nothing between Naruto and the next blast, held between Satori's feet. At the last second, several octopus tentacles covered him, blocking the blast.
"Yo ya fool, that ain't cool," B's voice rang out. "Caught in a box? I'll show ya how to box. Stand still Shorty and take on on the chops. Kapow!"
He slammed his fist into most of Satori's body launching him away.
"Whoa, Octopops!" Naruto breathed using a nickname he had given B.
"Hand off my bro, my homie Naruto," B rapped holding out a fist. "Word."
"Man am I glad to see you," Naruto grinned punching him in the fist as hard as he could.
"NARUTO!" a blessedly familiar voice shouted from below.
Naruto pushed himself out of the grip of the tentacle holding him and looked down surprise and glee spreading over his face. Standing below him, at the base of the wall was the entirety of the Konoha 11, Sasuke, Sai, Minato, Tsunade, Shizune, both captains of Team 7, Guy, Gaara, Fu, Honoka and her self-appointed bodyguard Aoba, Karin, Suigetsu, Jugo, Nagato, and Konan. They were all smiling up at him but Naruto's eyes were focused on Hinata, being as she was the person he was happiest to see.
He jumped down, Nagato catching him with Shinra Tensei and lowering him to the ground. Naruto rushed forward smiling and looking around at them all. Naruto had to admit that his mother and Tsunade both looked funny in full shinobi garb.
"What...what are you all doing here?" Naruto questioned.
"We're here to back you up on your mission, Naruto," Tsunade stated smiling as if it was the most obvious fact in the world.
"My...what?" Naruto questioned.
"That's right," Kakashi smiled ruffling his hair. "No one really ever believed you were an assassin."
"Sorry if you felt like we abandoned you," Tsunade stated pulling out his forehead protector.
"See, we thought if we told you you'd go berserk and do something stupid," Sakura smiled as if it should be obvious.
"You..." Naruto blinked as his happiness at seeing everyone was replaced by anger at them all acting like he was an idiot and couldn't do anything right. "You all lied to me? None of you trusted me to do my job right if I knew my village hadn't turned their backs on me?"
He curled his hands into fists and everyone seemed taken aback.
"Well..." Tsunade began but trailed off.
"No," Minato spoke up. "Hinata and your mother weren't told the truth until after you left. Nor was Fu. I favored telling you but we took a vote among those who knew the truth to not tell you. I'm afraid I had no part in it because I was away. We are sorry for deceiving you but it no longer matters."
He took the forehead protector from Tsunade and tossed it at Naruto. Naruto caught it and sighed putting it on then turned toward Satori only to see Maroi walking over.
"Glad to see you made it Mister Killer B Sir," Maroi greeted looking up at B. "Welcome."
"Come again?" Naruto said flatly.
"My mission was to keep an eye on the Box of Paradise and steal it if I got the chance," Maroi stated. "Meanwhile, I was supposed to make sure nothing happened to you. And I succeeded."
"I see," Naruto grinned. "Then thanks for the help...Nobody."
Maroi grinned and shrugged.
"Lord Killer B told me about the Akatsuki," Maroi explained. "I figured if I dropped that hint, you'd try to get the seal off in case the Akatsuki showed up but knew you wouldn't try to escape until your village said you could. If you made trouble, you'd go to solitary. They couldn't touch you there."
"Then why try to kidnap me out of my cell that first night?" Naruto grinned.
"Well I figured we should at least try to open that damn gate...You know...if..." Maroi trailed off. "But it doesn't matter. It's in the past now. And if anything had happened, I would have saved you!"
"By doing what?" Naruto smirked. "Whisper at him?"
"Doesn't matter!" Maroi insisted patting him on the shoulder. "It's a moot point! You're alright. That's the main thing. And right now, that monster's heading our way again. Get ready."
Naruto sighed and walked over to Hinata, turning toward Satori and putting his hands together as if in prayer, beginning to gather Nature Energy.
"Stop your squawking and bring it on Clown," B rapped. "Gonna shut you up, and then shut that box down! Lock you up and then throw away the key, bury you in the deep blue sea. Float like a butterfly, sting like a B!"
He sent his tentacles all at Satori who expertly weaved in and out of them before sending a few dozen feathers at him.
"That's whack," B stated smashing them out of the air. "You're a pain you know dat?"
Satori landed opposite B and everyone else watched from a nearby ceiling, Konan holding Naruto in a half cocoon of paper.
"It dodged every attack," Sakura breathed.
"It's able to read people's minds," Naruto stated concentration not wavering but slowed from him using his sensory abilities to see.
"Great," Kiba growled. "How do you beat that?"
"Give me a couple minutes and I'll show you," Naruto grinned.
Suddenly, Satori, who was reaching for a group of prisoners to throw to the box, stumbled back as Ryuzetsu ran into the way. He seemed genuinely surprised and Naruto noticed.
"Enough Muku, enough!" Ryuzetsu shouted as Satori took flight.
He can't read her mind? Naruto thought but then realized the difference. She doesn't want to hurt him.
"B, don't try to hurt him," Naruto ordered and everyone looked at him like he was nuts. "He doesn't read minds, he reads hostile intentions. Try to catch him out of a competition. Who ever can pin him first will get to learn one jutsu from me."
Everyone instantly decided which they wanted to know and sprung into action attacking Satori with the intent to pin him. B sent out his tentacles in a cage around Satori then swung them down but Satori slipped through a gap just as Sai and Sakura took to the sky on Sai's ink bird. Sai sent a cloud of ink snakes at Satori who began spinning, blasting through the snakes easily and then slashing the bird before spinning away from Sakura who had been about to catch both his wings. Just as she landed, Guy and Lee darted past leaping into the air. As usual, their strategy involved using brute force. They leapt into the air, both having their Fifth Gates active and Lee kicked Guy at Satori. Satori easily avoided them, flying directly into a massive hand made out of sand attached to Gaara's arm. Gaara closed his hand but Satori had already slipped out and into a massive hand made out of boiling red chakra extended from Fu's chakra shroud. Fu closed her hand but Satori blasted the chakra with a sphere of red energy then opened his mouth, swallowing a cloud of Shino's bugs. At the same time, Yamato sent out several massive beams of wood that crashed together to catch Satori but Satori had flown a bit closer and under Kakashi who leap t at him with two Lightning Blades. Satori avoided him just before he shot toward Nagato and into the waiting hand of Sasuke's Susanoo which was only a glowing skeleton at the moment.
Satori struggled to get free for a moment before firing a sphere at Sasuke. Instinctively, Sasuke blocked the blast with his Susanoo's hand, allowing Satori to escape. Suddenly, Naruto sensed the prisoners that had escaped the prison beginning to die one at a time as their Celestial Prison jutsus activated. Mui was still alive. A moment later, Ryuzetsu's activated as she used a Fire Style jutsu. both found its mark and missed entirely. Two of the spheres hit while the rest all caught the prison on fire. Naruto was aware of feathers flying at him and Tenten and Neji defending him as best they could, Konan, now attached to the cocoon to be able to move it out of the way of an attack when needed, moving it out of the way of several feathers. Maroi put the fire on Ryuzetsu out with a Water Style jutsu, deactivating the seal and saving her then berating her for using a jutsu. Ino, Tsunade, and Shizune were all healing the injured, like Choji who had been hit by a sphere when trying to catch Satori after expanding himself, while the others were still trying to hit him. Hinata was doing the second best behind the Jinchuriki, Sasuke, and Nagato who were all tied for first. They were all using exceptional abilities though. Hinata was doing that well just from having one of the others throw her so she could paralyze him.
Finally, Naruto leapt out of the cocoon, finally in Sage Mode again. Satori was flying at B but before he could get there, Naruto smashed both feet into the side of his head, launching him away. Then, he landed beside the Box of Paradise and took a steadying breath sending two clones behind the box to prepare, both placing a seal on the other. Satori stood and Naruto began to hit him with everything he had as far as physical attacks successfully before sending him flying into the main building of the prison, putting out the fires started by Ryuzetsu. Satori flew out of the building and over Naruto, landing on the Box of Paradise.
"Can you imagine what it's like inside this box?" Satori questioned. "There's no exit. You can't break it open. You're inside darkness, with one overpowering feeling swirling around you. It's big and black, as the darkness itself. It seeps into every cell in your body. That feeling honed me. Purified me. All the emotions that once petrified me grew fainter and fainter. When I killed my father with my own hands they vanished completely. Now I'm bound and restrained by absolutely nothing. It's wonderful."
"Doesn't sound that great," Naruto stated as his clones reached the roof they would wait on.
"Fear is the one feeling that remains," Satori stated. "My own fear of coming out of the Box. The fear in the hearts of those who attack me. It's not people's minds I read, it's their fears. And that's why I understands what's happened. You have no fear of me now."
"You killed your father just to be able to sense fear?" Naruto growled.
"By dying, Father gave me real strength," Satori stated. "Strength without doubt. That's true unwavering power."
Naruto leapt over to him and punched him, Satori crashing into the ground as Naruto landed on the Box of Paradise.
"Don't blame Mui for this phony power trip you're on," Naruto spat. "He tried to give you something alright but his isn't it! You call that strength? Being blind to pain? Deaf to your own name being called out to you? Is that really what you want? To kill everyone you ever cared about?"
"You really don't get it," Satori sneered. "It's with childish sentiments like that that the villages continue to pacify us and keep us easily under their thumbs. If you cut off those ties, free yourself from those emotions, then you can soar as high as I have."
"Sorry to break it to you but those ties are what give you true strength," Naruto stated creating a clone. "Wanting to defend those ties, and protect your friends, that is where true strength comes from. For all his mistakes, your father knew that!"
"That's exactly what I'd expect from a human content to remain weak," Satori spat.
"Muku that's enough!" Ryuzetsu shouted. "How can you even say such cruel things? Yes, your father betrayed your trust. But how does that give you the right to betray mine? You promised me Muku! You gave me your word! You said you would come back!"
She fell to her knees sobbing and Muku turned back to Naruto, fingers combining into a single spike. He flew forward in a blur and Naruto saw Ryuzetsu moving to stand in front of him. He instantly placed a seal on his arm and grabbed Ryuzetsu, dragging her behind himself as the clone standing behind the lead clone in the distance leapt into the air, level with the other's head.
"Wait, I know that jutsu," Minato muttered eyes widening as Hinata took a step forward.
He caught her arm and she screamed for him to let go. Then, Satori's arm spike exploded from Naruto's back. But it was no longer Naruto and Ryuzetsu standing there, it was the two clones. The lead clone was impaled but the second had barely avoided it with his jump. When the first clone exploded, the second landed on his feet, grabbing the spike then leaping forward, slamming Satori into the building behind it.
"Gotcha, you son of a bitch," Naruto grinned as he extended his left hand, Chakra Chains shooting out and binding him against the building, this time not harming Naruto. "NOW!"
Kushina instantly shot out Chakra Chains of her own. They wrapped around Satori seconds before Honoka's sealing jutsu. Satori roared in rage as he began to push himself up, despite the chains being anchored in the building and the ground to further hold him down. After a moment, Nagato held his hand out, slamming Satori back down with Shinra Tensei before Gaara's sand shot out of the ground, covering Satori except a small circle where Naruto could attack.
"We both know Satori can never be human again," Naruto spoke looking at Mui. "You said before that we're similar. If that's true, you should know what I'm thinking right now. Come on Lord Mui, he's still your son. And a son always wants to see his father standing tall and proud!"
Finally, Mui managed to get to his feet and everyone stared in shock.
"I knew it," Naruto grinned. "If the Celestial Prison is still working, it meant he had to be alive."
"This I can at least do to make amends, Muku," Mui mumbled. "We will vanish from this world together."
With that, he sprinted forward, leaping up to Satori and made a hand seal in midair.
"Fire Style, Celestial Fire Prison!" Mui shouted slamming his hand into Satori in the middle of the circle Gaara had made.
Satori was instantly covered in flames that made the sand glow. Naruto grinned and leapt over to the others with Ryuzetsu, landing in front of Sasuke. The fire went out leaving the glowing seal formula and Naruto raised a hand toward Sasuke.
"Let's do a full Lightning Style Rasenshuriken this time," Naruto grinned.
"You got it," Sasuke grinned holding both hands over Naruto's as a Rasengan appeared between their hands.
This one was a light blue with lightning flashing around inside as the four shuriken blades that it usually had were in the shape of the upper half of the same Lightning Dragon formed by Kirin, four in total.
"Kirin?" Sasuke questioned.
"That works," Naruto grinned. "Get out of the way Lord Mui!"
Mui turned toward him smiling and shook his head. Naruto nodded then pulled his arm back and grinned.
"Lightning Style Rasenshuriken!" Naruto shouted moving his arm forward.
The moment he released the Rasenshuriken, it flashed forward in a streak, appearing as a lightning bolt for half a second before it hit Satori dead center of the opening in Gaara's sand. The explosion was instantaneous and massive. Nagato created a barrier, shielding them from the concussion as they watched. First, the explosion was a massive column of blinding white light that reduced the building to a large ring of dust floating around the column probably two hundred feet in the air. The ring flew away after almost a minute at the same time as the concussion shot out of the column finally and obliterated the rest of the prison save for the section of building Nagato was shielding. Finally, the column faded and glowing white feathers began to rain down around them, all catching on fire and burning away as Satori's corpse, the only thing to have survived the blast, for the most part, burned away, leaving Muku who sat up, looking around. Only the Box of Paradise remained standing without having been shielded and he sighed seeing it.
"Damn box," Muku sighed.
"Muku!" Ryuzetsu cried out.
"Ryuzetsu," Muku smiled. "I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise."
"It's okay," Ryuzetsu sobbed. "You're back. You can come with us!"
"No," He smiled sadly, shaking his head. "He's still inside me. Fire Style, Demon Lantern!"
He squeezed his eyes shut while, instead of fire spheres appearing, his body erupted into flames. Then, the flames turned into a stream of flames and shot into the Box of Paradise which shone red for a moment before it closed. Naruto sighed exiting Sage Mode and looked to the others.
"Sorry I destroyed the prison and killed everyone," Naruto apologized.
"It's alright," Tsunade stated. "You didn't know what the new version would do. Let me see your hand."
He held it out and she checked it for injuries but found nothing, as with the normal Rasenshuriken when used in Sage Mode.
"Now what?" Kakashi questioned.
At that moment, thousands of small balls of flame floated out of the flowers around the ruins of Hozuki Castle and floated to Ryuzetsu who was sobbing silently. She stopped and looked up to see the spheres floating over the remains of the prison. She held her hand up, extending her pointer finger and a single sphere floated down to hover over it. She smiled and held it to her chest between her hands. After a few minutes, she walked over to them but kept her eyes down.
"I thank you for helping me complete my mission," Ryuzetsu stated. "And thank you for saving my life."
"We're even," Naruto smiled. "Where will you go?"
"Home," Ryuzetsu stated. "I must return to Kusagakure and report on what happened. After that, who knows. I suppose I'll just have to follow my orders. Like I always do. I can promise that if you need us, Kusagakure will be ready to aid the Five Great Nations against the Akatsuki."
Minato and Tsunade nodded and looked to Naruto.
"We'll head home too," Naruto stated. "See you around Ryuzetsu."
Ryuzetsu nodded and turned walking away and Naruto turned to the others. They all descended the cliff the way they had come and B used his full Eight-tails form to push the ships out to slightly calmer waters where they then sailed back to port and headed home, B and Maroi going back to the Hidden Cloud Village.
one day later
"So, Satori was indeed beaten."
"So it would seem. However, that certainly makes things much easier as far as retrieving the box."
"Yes. The Nine-tails Jinchuriki is truly a very helpful child. Come. We should take this and get back before our friends keel over and die."
"That would make things rather difficult."
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