KG: Man, it's already July. Half the year has gone by. While there is still a lot of violence, I also see a lot of blessings still bestowed upon us. May we all try and have a good second half of the year!
Wifey: Since when did you get so sentimental?
KG: Since I've been around you.
Wifey: Very funny.
KG: Love you!
Wifey: Shut up.
Music of the Week: Wake Me Up by Avicii.
Quote: "If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." by Bruce Lee.
Naruto quickly glanced at Yura. She remained seated, continuing her own training. That said, he couldn't prolong this battle for long. She was still human, and she could freeze to death all the way up here. Not to mention her lungs still hadn't fully acclimated to the thin air all the way up here. Though, the golden flames continued to circulate around her body. He thoroughly prayed to Shin that she'd survive while he completed his trial.
Then again, that presented him with another idea.
"Given this limited space, I don't want to fight here. Come here and merge your spirit with mine. We'll fight in the best way that is an advantage for you. If I lose here, my body shall be yours to do with as you please. I think we both know what'll happen if I win though," Naruto said while Madara's eyes narrowed.
The Uchiha head snorted. "And you think I need an advantage to take you out, boy? I can't tell if you're looking down on me or not. If I recall, this didn't go well for you last time," Madara responded. The smirk on his face continued to grow before he cursed himself when he felt a shiver run through his body from the gaze of Uzumaki Naruto.
Uchiha Madara did NOT shiver. NOT FOR ANYONE!
"...I wasn't asking you. Get over here," Naruto ordered.
As a spirit, Madara clenched his fists and walked over to Naruto, his body unwilling to deny an order from the summoner of the Shinigami. Not even he was immune to such an order, especially not under such a mighty presence.
When Madara stood in front of Naruto, the young summoner touched his shoulder. Almost immediately, the rival of Senju Hashirama was pulled into the mindscape of the Uzumaki patriarch. When he found his senses returned, Madara immediately noticed the feral glare of the Kyuubi bearing down upon him.
Madara smirked. "It almost seems like destiny that you would wind up as the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi. You've long since surprised that of Mito's pedigree. Unsurprisingly, the Kyuubi's grown in strength. There's even more power in it than it had in my time," he answered as the Kyuubi scowled.
"I ought to devour you right this second, Uchiha. Your stench is enough to make even my nose burn. Brat, you better finish this quickly before I finish it myself," the Kyuubi exclaimed.
Somehow, Madara managed to hold his surprise. He hadn't known that the Kyuubi could communicate. He'd managed to take it by surprise before forcefully enlisting its help against Hashirama. The Uchiha turned around when he felt the focused gaze of Naruto upon him.
Madara turned around, fully facing his summoner. Naruto rolled his neck and beckoned the Uchiha to him. It was then that Madara noticed the crowd watching them from afar. He absently spotted the younger brother of Hashirama observing them. As always, the gaze of a Senju made the Uchiha's blood boil with excitement.
Madara also spotted a sort of hydra-like beast, its multiple heads swirling about like a tempestuous sea. He never thought he'd feel such a presence from something not of the bijuu. There was a lot of power behind that beast. Perhaps by utilizing it, he would be able to defeat Jashin on his own, adding that to the Kyuubi's power and his own, there was no telling what he could accomplish.
"Try to keep the greed out of your eyes at least when you're in my head," Naruto answered, breaking Madara out of his stupor.
"You've gotten a bit of a mouth since the last time as well. You have no idea what I was like at my peak. I've only grown stronger since I've stood next to you. Do you really believe you can stand a chance against me? I'll offer you one last chance, you're hardly the most capable, but your power is undeniable. Give it to me and I will give you the Hokage position denied to you. It will never be yours without me," Madara offered, extending his hand.
The others wordlessly watched as Naruto glanced at the hand for only a second. Finally, he closed his eyes and turned around. "I don't need a position that small anymore," Naruto replied as he inhaled and exhaled slowly.
The waters under his feet rippled and Madara took an unconscious step backward, even if it was a small one. "...And even if I did agree, someone like you wouldn't be able to handle the weight of that chair," Naruto said as his hair and eyes turned silver. His body exploded with the power of Honshou.
Madara snorted. "Someone like me? Well then, show me how you'll conquer someone like me," the Uchiha replied, quickly unleashing the full might of the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan.
With Naruto on one side and Madara on the other, the waters rippled for only a second before the two blasted toward each other. "Show me why the Shinigami chose you of all people to wield his divine summoning seal, Uzumaki Naruto. Show me if you can't surpass Hashirama. Give me the fight I desire!" Madara exclaimed as the two crashed into each other.
Immediately, Naruto and Madara alternated between a fierce storm of kicks and punches. The waters beneath their feet were pushed apart as the two shinobi traded blows. Naruto threw a right punch and Madara easily countered with his own. The Uchiha raised a kick and Naruto blocked it with a raised knee.
For Naruto, he couldn't deny it. Uchiha Madara was powerful, insanely powerful even. Each blocked strike was like a thundering ripple of pain through the core of his body. He was easily superior to Sasuke, especially after their battle two years ago. Yet, there was an advantage for Naruto.
He didn't have to fear looking into Uchiha Madara's eyes. While the genjutsu of the Uchiha was legendary, mythical even, there was no way Madara could take control of the essence that kept Naruto superior to him. It was simply not in the Shinigami's design. Just as Madara couldn't control the Shinigami through such techniques, he couldn't begin to control one who the Shinigami favored. How aggravating that must have been for the Uchiha.
Well, Naruto quickly got that question because a rack of pain rattled his head when Madara punched him. That swiftly lead to the Uchiha beginning his assault. He followed with a hit to Naruto's gut. "I don't know what taijutsu they taught you in the academy, or from your clan but it's clearly third-class when compared to that of the Uchiha," Madara said, using Naruto's shoulder to flip over him.
Landing on the other side of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, the Uchiha clan head fired a kick at his neck. Naruto swiftly recovered and grabbed the Uchiha's ankle. "You're an Uchiha. I thought you guys were the strong, silent type," Naruto said as he summoned the strength of the Shinigami, burying his fist in Madara's torso and striking at the very heart, the very spirit of the Uchiha.
Pain exploded through Madara's body before he was blasted away. In spite of the pain, he managed to right himself and slide on the wet floor with his feet. "That blow, there's no way it did that much damage. What happened?" Madara questioned before he looked up.
He stiffened when he saw that Naruto was already in front of him, his fist ready to explode. Madara swiftly blocked the blow, so why was the pain still there? It shouldn't be there. He shouldn't feel his legs shaking just from one punch. He shouldn't feel his eyes blurring from one blow.
Madara quickly spared a glance and it was then that he noticed Naruto's hands were burning with violet flames. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki launched another fist which Madara parried with a palm, deciding that blocking the blows would do him no good. "Those flames. It seems whatever those are they can still inflict injury when you come into contact with them. Not so dissimilar to the Amaterasu of the Uchiha clan, though it doesn't seem to burn forever like our flames do," Madara said as he Naruto continued to pepper him with a flurry of blows and kicks.
The Uchiha heir countered what he could, his eyes moving the Sharingan every which way to keep track of any movements. If there was anything frustrating about this, it was that even with his reactions improved, it was actually fairly difficult to intercept the Uzumaki patriarch.
Finally, Madara found an opening and grabbed Naruto's arm. With a shoulder charge, he bashed his shoulder into Naruto's face. The blond groaned before Madars followed through with an open-palm strike to the blond's chin, nearly breaking Naruto's neck from the force. It hurt, and it hurt a whole lot. It was worse than any blow he received from any member of his Hinoken team. In fact, it was easily the second-worst blow he'd received after Jashin.
Madara then kicked Naruto away. The blond flipped through the air, landing more than twenty feet away while he glared at the Uchiha head. Madara turned back to him, clearly no longer amused by what was happening.
Naruto stood up. It took him a minute for his vision to clear from the strike. When he brushed his lip, he spotted a trail of blood on his knuckle. "So… this is what the top of the table fights like," Naruto thought before he noticed Madara blaze through a series of handsigns.
"Katon: Gōkakyū: Enryukyū (Fire Release: Great Fireball: Blazing Dragon Ball)," Madara chanted before he fired a blast of white-hot flames out of his mouth. The flames swiftly formed into the tongue of a dragon, sprawling over the mindscape as it came upon Naruto.
Acting quickly, Naruto dashed to the side as the flames crashed into the ground, rumbling the mindscape. Madara's eyes followed him, turning his head and the flaming dragon's tongue after the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.
Cursing, Naruto moved. He jumped over as the flames swept at his feet. He then rolled across the ground, forming a kunai with the powers of honshou. Slamming his hand on the ground, and dancing away from the fire, Naruto threw the kunai at Madara.
The Uchiha grunted, deflecting the kunai without much care before his instincts kicked in. Immediately, he stopped the jutsu he'd been using. When he looked over his head, he noticed Naruto behind him. In his hand was a rasengan that got constantly larger and larger, yet there this was different. Encased around the sphere were the large violet flames that hurt Madara before.
"Jigokuen: Rasengan (Hell Blaze: Spiralling Sphere)!" Naruto hollered as he hurled the large ball of spinning chakra at the co-founder of Konoha. The blond slammed it down and the others watching covered their eyes when the ground shattered. Between the cracks, the violet flames exploded like a tower of fire into the air.
"Is this even ninjutsu?" Dan questioned.
No one else answered him. Tobirama watched the battle with a critical eye. Of course, he and no one else believed Madara would be defeated so easily. As much as Tobirama detested the Uchiha, he would never deny that the man was at the pinnacle of shinobi prowess. He truly was a talent that appeared once in a lifetime.
Everyone was proven right when they saw Naruto crash into the ground far off.
Naruto staggered to his feet, his eyes narrowing when he felt Madara's chakra amidst the violet flames. Surrounding the Uchiha head was a dark blue skeletal frame. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki observed it, watching it tank the blow of the flames that he'd used with his rasengan.
"Guess Sasuke wasn't kidding about the defense on that thing," Naruto thought as Madara walked out of the flames, the Susanoo shielding him from their soul-rending effects.
Meanwhile, Madara glanced at the Susanoo's ribcage. He frowned when he saw the cracks from the blow given to him by Naruto. "To do that to the Susanoo with just one attack," Madara thought. He also noticed that the violet flames continued to burn on the armor, continuously breaking the ribcage. If Madara left it like this, it wouldn't be long until nothing of the Susanoo defense remained.
"Alright boy. If you truly think you can stand on the same platform as me, then I hope you're ready to demonstrate that," Madara hissed. Unfortunately, he spotted Naruto slam his hands on the ground.
Immediately, the Uchiha felt his senses flair, but they came too late. Beneath his feet appeared the complicated formula of a sealing technique. Madara easily recognized the seal before his entire vision became a towering pillar of fire that overcame his body.
On the far side, four Naruto clones sped through their handsigns. A fifth one snarled as it held up the spiraling form of the Rasenshuriken.
"Katon: Gōkyūbi Rasenkyu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Nine-Tailed Beast Spiralling Ball Technique)!" Each Naruto hollered, blasting a stream of flames resembling the blazing fury of the Kyuubi's nine tails into the burning pillar of fire surrounding Madara.
"Futon: Rasenshuriken!" The fifth Naruto hollered as it threw the spiraling shuriken of Honshou into the unyielding flames of his own technique. Each collided with the burning flames and those watching closed their eyes when a shattering like they'd never felt before rolled through the depths of Naruto's mindscape. Hell, though it pissed the Kyuubi off, he used his tails to make sure no one was blown away from the sheer force of the explosion.
Tobirama's frown deepened as he watched, clenching his fists every now and then.
On the battlefield, Naruto felt the heat from the flames he'd expelled, yet he never felt a drop in Madara's chakra. In fact, his eyes hardened when he saw the Uchiha head, once again, step out of the flames. There was nary a scratch or even a burn on him. In fact, he conceitedly passed down his clothes.
"The Uzumaki would be ashamed of such sloppy sealing techniques," Madara said.
Rather than rise to the taunt, Naruto summoned hundreds of shadow clones instead. Ordering them to attack, the mindscape came alive with the sound of screams.
As Madara watched them all advance on him, he swiftly flew into the advanced forms of the Uchiha taijutsu. A punch here, a kick there, Madara parried and blocked the assault of Naruto's clones. Some proved easier than others as the Uchiha was forced to put his sharingan into overdrive. The eyes of the Mangekyou Sharingan spun over a thousand times a minute, watching the movements and parrying others.
"If you think exhausting me with numbers will work, then truly you will never be Hashirama's equal," Madara thought before he stilled as every clone popped into smoke. The Uchiha tried to jump back from the blinding smoke, but his eyes widened as the ground beneath his feet broke apart. Silverish-white chains sprouted out around him and immediately ensnared his arms and legs.
Scowling, Madara glanced back to see Naruto already in front of him. With the sharingan, he was helpless to only watch as Naruto pulled his enemy to him and crashed his fist into the side of Madara's face. A thousand jolts of pain ran through the face of the co-founder of Konoha.
Naruto then punched him again with his right fist. The chains around Madara continued to sap away his chakra as Naruto assaulted him with every blow possible. Pockets of air, like the bursting sounds of drums and thunder, cracked against Madara's face and body. Nevertheless, he withstood the onslaught, gritting his teeth and glaring.
Naruto launched his fist and it crashed into something heavy. Frowning, the blond saw that he'd collided with another part of the Susanoo armor. Then, before he even realized it, he was blasted away from Madara by a mere tap of the man's hand on his chest.
The Uzumaki patriarch slid along the ground, groaning in pain as he rolled on his side. Slowly, standing up, his eyes and mind rattled from the shock, Naruto watched the chains fall off Madara's body as he stepped forward again. The ribcage of the Susanoo started to become more defined, gaining a humanoid upper body with two arms. Within each arm was a sword made of pure chakra.
"I think it's time for you to learn some respect," Madara said while Naruto wiped the blood from the side of his lip. He stood up and exhaled. Balling his hands into fists, he slammed them together. He then slowly pulled them apart revealing the long blade of a sword and its handle. While the body of the sword was that of golden fire, the hilt was saturated with the might of violet fire.
"I'd say the same for you. Even though he hasn't told me, I know Shin's required a settling of accounts with you for a long time, especially after the shit you've pulled," Naruto replied.
Madara smirked. "And what might that be?" he questioned, enjoying the anger that spread through Naruto's eyes.
Rather than answer, Naruto summoned three clones and charged at Madara. The blue Susanoo raised its swords overhead and flew the blades at the Summoner of the Shinigami. The blond swiftly dodged to the side as the left blade sliced into the ground. The clones narrowly avoided the sword as well, jumping to another side from the original. As the second sword came down, the third Naruto clone clashed its sword with the Susanoo's.
Naruto and the second clone sped past it, continuing on their way to Uchiha Madara. The Uchiha grunted, speeding through his handsigns. "Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku (Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame)!" Madara exclaimed.
Naruto frowned as he watched a sea of fire explode over the mindscape. Bright orange flames with a white-hot center seared everything in his direction. Yet, Naruto didn't stop running. In fact, he charged even faster into the flames much to the confusion of everyone watching him. As expected, he and the clone were overcome by the flames, resulting in a thundering explosion.
Madara didn't stop with that. In fact, he pumped even more chakra into the fire technique. Meanwhile, the ribcage of the Susanoo quickly formed four sets of skeleton arms. The two on the left formed a handsign. The two on the right formed another. Lastly, Madara glared into the flames, his Mangekyou straining itself to its limits.
"Amaterasu: Rasenhitō Tenka (Heavenly Illumination: Spiraling Fire Tower)!" Madara called out next. His orange flames quickly turned black, spiraling about like a collective dome of exploding energies bashing off each other without end. Soon after that, four stone pillars erupted from the ground, closing in the flames before they erupted. Black flames as dark as the void itself roared into the sky as Madara watched.
From far off, the Kyuubi narrowed his eyes as did Tobirama. The same could be said of Dan and the others. They all watched with apt attention, making sure that nothing of the battle was missed.
Back at the battle, Madara continued to watch the black tower spiral within the confines of the stone pillars before he started to notice something odd. The flames started to bend and twist like a spiraling whirlpool. One by one, Madara noticed the Amaterasu's fleeting embers protect a violet piece of flame like a precious jewel. "The flames of the Amaterasu are fading? They shouldn't be possible!" Madara thought.
After that, the Uchiha heir frowned when he then saw the stone pillars crack. His fists tightened when the pillars exploded into pieces with such force that they started launching themselves toward him. Madara was forced to defend against them, breaking them rather easily with a blow from his fist.
However, nothing could have prepared him for when Naruto instantly appeared in front of him. His fist cocked back. Madara couldn't even defend in time before his Susanoo's ribcage was broken through in one blow. The Kyuubi Jichuuriki's fist then launched straight into the Uchiha Clan Head's cheek.
"His blows, are they getting stronger?!" Madara questioned. The pain was utterly dizzying and his spirit felt like it was being overcome by a wrenching vileness that threatened to tear him apart. He noticed the dark violet flames begin to spread over the rest of his body.
Cursing, Madara grabbed Naruto's arms and flung him over his shoulder. "Don't get too confident, boy. It will not be that easy to fell me!" Madara challenged. With this, he'd easily cave Naruto's head into the ground.
Of course, it wouldn't be that easy. The blonde slammed his hands on the ground and wrapped his legs around Madara's neck. Flinging him off, the Uchiha slid across the ground. He barely had the time to right himself before Naruto was back in front of him again. With what time he had, Madara girded himself with a firm stance.
When Naruto cocked his fist back, Madara did the same. The two clashed together, the water kicking up around them. Naruto fired blow after blow while Madara did the same. The Uchiha panted as a pocket of air blasted next to his face. He then blocked a strike from Naruto's leg. He grabbed the Uzumaki Patriarch's leg and slammed his fist down into his chest. As soon as Madara did so, he frowned.
There was pain, a lot of pain, pain that shouldn't even be there. "Is he getting stronger? How?" Madara thought. He growled from the searing pain of the black flames. His face was then blasted up from the foot of Naruto's other leg. The Uchiha's body was brought off that ground.
Naruto rolled over and sucked in his legs. A snarl, he flew into the air and grabbed Madara's face. His grip tight and his strength unyielding, Naruto soured himself and MAdara high into the air. He then threw the Uchiha down, submerging him beneath the waters of the mindscape.
Madara scowled, his vision was oddly blurry and his body screaming in pain that he hadn't felt since the time of the Warring Clans era. His very spirit felt like it was being turned to ash from each touch of the Summoner of the Shinigami.
"Tch, it's quite clear that I can't face the bow in taijutsu. Whatever he's doing, every contact with him only makes the pain worse. It seems I'll have to concede there. However, I was known for much more than just that. That will not be enough to…"
Madara suddenly paused before, through the veil of waters that he'd been plunged into, he spotted Naruto with a giant ball of golden fire in the palm of his hand. With his sharingan, Madara widened his eyes as he saw the numerous threads of divine essence clashing and thundering together in unrestrained passion and intensity
"Kinen: Rasengan: Wakusei Ryūya (Golden Flame: Spiralling Sphere: Planetary Dragon Arrow)!" Naruto hollered as Madara noticed ten arrows of water spiraling around the golden flame orb. Madara balled his fists as he watched Naruto hurl the sphere into the ground, straight into his waiting body.
Cursing, the Kyuubi and Mōryō were forced to add their power to the structure of the mindscape lest the devastating blow that blinded them from afar cracked the corners of the realm beyond repair. Tobirama and the other covered their eyes, such a brilliant burst of power shaking the very edges of their bodiless spirits. Their legs trembled, and the force of the explosion pushed them back even further away.
"Surely that should be enough, right?" Kimimmaro questioned.
No. No, that was not enough. Though Tobirama's praise of Naruto's prowess was undeniable, save for a few glaring flaws, that still wasn't enough to fell Uchiha Madara. Tobirama had been one of the few, save for his brother, that had fought Madara in the glory days of the clans. He knew the power that was behind that man. As much as Tobirama loathed the Uchiha that couldn't overcome the Curse of Hatred, even he had to admit that Uchiha Madara could have ruled the world if he tried hard enough. There was more, more just waiting to be unleashed.
Of course, Naruto knew that as well. Despite the blow, he knew he hadn't made contact with Madara's body. It was much too hard and there was much too resistance. The young Uzumaki watched as blue flames coursed through the underwater depths. He gritted his teeth as he was pushed back. The Kyuubi and Tobirama narrowed their eyes, each for a different reason. They'd been on the receiving end of the fullness of that technique.
The full might… of the Susanoo.
Jumping back as his technique finished. Even Naruto couldn't without a small amount of surprise as a tower of dark blue fire roared over his head. Within its midst, Madara stood glaring down at the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, his eyes formed in the very likeness of Pain, whom he fought before.
"So he has the Rinnegan too. I can feel the Kyuubi's anxiousness. Those were the same eyes used by the Rikudo Sennin. How did he get his hands on something like that?" Naruto asked, lifting his head up as he stared at the complete body of the Susanoo. Sasuke, Itachi, the two of you had some fucking catching up to do.
The Susanoo was tall, almost insanely tall. Naruto felt like barely even a child in front of it. Its eyes glared down upon him while its armor boasted a foreboding presence. It even had wings of dark-blue fire and a sheath for a sword. Hidden behind its armor were an extra set of hands.
"To think that you would make me use this. You have my recognition, Uzumaki Naruto. Despite your idiocy from time to time, you're indeed a talent that the world births every hundred, no thousand years. Perhaps even more than that. I thought you as nothing before, but you might still be a platform below Hashirama, and two below me. No one has cracked my Susanoo just as I've spawned it," Madara said.
Truth be told, that was praise the Uchiha didn't have any joy giving. He glanced at his Susanoo's armor for a moment. The shoulder pads of the armor were already broken, and the left leg was also cracked. Even the flaming wings weren't bursting with their usual vibrance. Madara had to use them to reinforce the rest of the armor. All for that one damned attack. Not to mention, but Madara was also feeling more tired than usual. It was like his energy was draining twice, no thrice as fast.
Naruto's eyes narrowed before he gained another smirk. It was then that he poofed out of existence. Madara stiffened and so did everyone else.
"That was a clone?!" Dan questioned.
"But when did he…" Gari inquired.
The others looked for answers to this question, but Tobirama glanced back at the stone pillars. Indeed, he remembers two clones rushing into the flames before they were overtaken. Even he'd assumed that the one fighting had been the real Naruto. Though, if that was all the blond had planned, then he'd chastise him for releasing such a plan too early. As one of the people who created the Kage Bunshin technique, Tobirama knew its many strengths. One of those was to waste the enemy's energy. However, Tobirama had gotten used to observing Naruto ever since he'd passed the trial. While some might not think so, the blond clearly didn't do things without thinking them over. If he released the clone, then he definitely had a reason for it. Now, what that reason was… the Nidaime Hokage had no idea.
As for Madara, he honed in on Naruto's unique power, coming from the stone pillars. It was then that he saw the real Naruto, or who he assumed was the real one anyway. He walked out confidently, almost like there was no reason for him to fear.
The patriarch of the Uzumaki Clan gazed upon the Susanoo and exhaled slowly. "You definitely are powerful. I concede that had I not had Shin's power, you would have beaten me. You would have beaten me a lot. However, this fight is over. It actually took me some doing, but I'm glad that I got this experience. Thanks to you've learned something more important, something that'll maybe let me give Jashin the punch to the damn face that I owe him for all that my family has suffered from. You don't know it, Madara, but I've already knocked you off your platform. I won't waste any more time here since Yura's still outside. So I'll make this quick, if you can avoid, stand against, or even… deflect this new technique of mine, then I'll concede my defeat. If I win, you won't have to concede. You won't be conscious for it," Naruto boasted.
That bold declaration even threw Tobirama for a loop. That Susanoo was one of the most powerful in all of recorded shinobi history. Of the few Uchiha who could manage to use even a part of that ability, they'd gone into the legends of history. What could Naruto possibly use that could break down Uchiha Madara so quickly?
"For all his prowess, Madara can be incredibly vain when he wants to. It's an aspect of the Uchiha that many aren't able to overcome. I'm not sure whether he will accept this challenge or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did," Tobirama thought.
The others watched with bated breath as they turned to Uchiha Madara, the one who'd been orchestrating almost everything from the very beginning of the shinobi history. What would make Naruto that confident?
As for Uchiha Madara, he felt insulted. He felt incredibly insulted. He'd never been more insulted by anyone up to this point. That made him angry. That made him very angry.
"...I won't be conscious for it? HeheheheheHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Amusing. Amusing, boy. No one's dared talk to me like that since Hashirama. However, I'll make my own stipulation. Not only do you concede, but your body shall be mine until time itself withers away. There shall never be another. Swear it. Swear it by the God of Death that you serve. Only then shall I accept," Madara claimed.
"I swear by the Shinigami, the God of Death, that my body shall be yours until the end of time," Naruto said instantly, stunning all those present. Even Madara was throne off. He clenched his fists.
"This boy is that confident? What could he possibly use that would make him so confident?!" Madara thought to himself. Nevertheless, he looked forward to witnessing it. Fine, Uzumaki Naruto. If you thought you had the strength to knock him off the platform, then let's see it!
Using the Susanoo, Madara far away from Naruto and smirked. "Though, nothing said I couldn't use my own techniques. If you're going to send your best at me, then I shall extend the same courtesy," Madara said as his Susanoo sheathed its blade. It then slammed its hands together. The Uchiha Head performed the same action, cursing as he felt the drain on his energy.
Nevertheless, the Susanoo produced over thirty magatamas, each bigger than even the Susanoo itself. "Uchiha Hijutsu: Yasaka Magatama: Sen no Kōkoku (Secret Technique of the Uchiha: Eight Slopes Curved Jewel: A Thousand Principalities)!" Madara hollered as the Susanoo reared back its arms and launched the massive jewels of blue energy in Naruto's direction.
"...I think it would be best if we moved back," Yahiko mentioned. Yet, no one seemed to hear him. They watched the whole area turn into a bright color of blue that would put even sapphire to shame. The Kyuubi and Mōryō just silently observed as Naruto held out his hand.
"Perhaps Neji was right. There are indeed people destined to become Hokage. Maybe… maybe there is something like fate out there for everyone. Maybe iI wasn't supposed to become Hokage. Maybe… I was supposed to become more than that. Become… better!" Naruto thought, holding out his hand. Closing his eyes, his sword materialized in his palm. With a dark violet flaming handle and a blade of golden flames, Naruto raised the sword into the air.
"Honshō: Jikūyugami: Sokusha: Mugen no Rasenryōiki (Power of Life: Time-Space Distortion: Rapid Fire: Endless Spiraling Realms)!" Naruto said as one dark purple portal appeared. Then came a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth… twenty… thirty… a hundred… five hundred… no, even more than that.
The Kyuubi and Mōryō stood stunned and so did Yahiko, Dan, Gari, Kimimmaro, and Tobirama. "Is… this really ninjutsu?" Dan questioned as rasenshurikens, numbering the innumerable portals, blasted out of the portals. They flew towards the jeweled beasts while Naruto exhaled. Then, with a shout that could wake even the dead, the blond slammed his sword down, releasing a blast of mixed gold and violet fire. Paradise and Hell danced together, crowning each rasenshuriken in their embrace.
When each rasenshuriken crashed into each other, the entire space began to shake with a trembling not felt before. Like the releasing of pressure from a volcano, the wind chakra empowered the flames with so much pressure that the flames seemed like a combusting mass on a war path toward the sacred jewels.
When everything collided, Madara stilled as the jewels were immediately blown away without an afterthought. In fact, he dared say that the energy he used to power his technique had been sapped away by Naruto's own energy. Before he could even prepare himself, the Susanoo was overrun and Madara couldn't even begin to describe the pain he felt. Yet, in that pain, there were colors, many colors. His rinnegan allowed him to see them all slowly.
Wordlessly, turning his head, he saw the cracks on his Susanoo begin to show more and more.
"Enjoy this victory, boy. I shall comply for now, but at the surest sign of weakness, I will exploit it!" Madara said as the light overcame him.
On the other side, even with the protection of the Kyuubi and Mōryō, the group screamed as they were blown away by the explosions. They crashed into the ground, a few even screamed as they were sure the mindscape would be torn apart.
…and it stayed like that for ten minutes.
Once the cataclysmic explosions finally stopped, Tobirama was the first to open his eyes.
When he found his voice, Naruto spoke again. "...what does it mean to be a Kage? What is a village where a person's dreams can get trampled on for the sake of others?" the young chunin asked.
The Nidaime Hokage, though the light was still harsh, covering every inch of the mindscape so that no darkness could rear itself anywhere, stared at Naruto. The blond's white cloak blew in the wind of the fading explosions, his white hair gleaming with might. What was his gaze like when he saw the result of his own power?
"Even then, he controlled the power so that it wouldn't ruin us all. It has the capability to be even stronger than this. A jutsu that could wipe out the entire world if he so wished it. Yet, there he stands. He stands amidst the explosions while others are forced back, gazing upon him with awe, envy, and respect. Uzumaki Naruto, you have become the Hokage, whether publicly or not," Tobirama thought.
Finally, the ground stopped shaking and everyone else was granted their sight again. Afraid to even speak a word, they stood to their feet. As the lights faded, they all gazed upon the fate of Uchiha Madara. Far from Naruto, with no Susanoo, no sharingan, no rinnegan, and… no consciousness, still stood the Uchiha Clan head.
As much as it cursed the Kyuubi, even he had to give the cursed Uchiha a modicum of respect. Not many could still stand under such circumstances. He stood as a testament that even though Naruto had indeed won, the Uchiha had not forfeited his pride as a warrior. He'd not fully bended to Naruto's will, but even half-bent was enough for now. At the very least, he couldn't doubt his summoner's strength.
"He still stands in even when he's unconscious. He truly deserves his title as the Shodaime's equal," Dan commented as Naruto made his way over to the Uchiha. Everyone waited with bated breath for one the young chunin might do.
To everyone's surprise, Naruto slowly returned to normal. The regal glow of his silver hair died away, leaving him in his regular blond hair. Yet, nearly everyone shivered when his usual blue eyes remained a sharp silver color. When he looked at them, he exhaled. With the matter finished, he left his mindscape.
Opening his eyes, Naruto blinked as the cold continued to hit his face. The frown on his face deepened. "Bushy Brow, you're just like Madara. Good thing he hadn't figured out my strategy in time. I doubt it would have changed the outcome, but it definitely would have taken a lot longer. Though I hate to think about it, I wonder if I could have beaten him so easily if not for the special circumstances surrounding the both of us," Naruto hummed to himself.
To be honest, he wasn't even sure if he could be satisfied with such a victory. Then again, he was a little out of honor at the moment. Allowing the cold to settle his body from the battle, Naruto walked over to Yura. As expected, she was still sitting on the ice and snow. Both started to cover her body, but the flames of violet fire kept her from being overwhelmed too severely. In fact, just like before, Naruto noticed that odd seal-like runes started inscribing themselves onto the ground. Were it not so dangerously cold Naruto might not have minded letting her sit here just to see where these lines would go.
Unfortunately, that curiosity wasn't going to be revealed now. Instead, when Naruto touched her, the lines immediately stopped. In fact, they retreated back into Yura's body making the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki a little concerned. Nevertheless, Shin had told him that this wouldn't be a bad thing for her. All the Uzumaki patriarch could do was have faith in his summon.
Picking his lover up, Naruto swiftly continued his travels up the mountain. Admittedly, this one wasn't very far. The mental exhaustion had taken its toll on him and he quickly holed them up in the first cave he found. Slowly, Naruto laid Yura's head against the wall. He then slumped next to her. He struggled to center his breathing. His lungs continued to burn and sometimes he wondered if he might actually pass out. It was only through the controlled, regenerative properties of the Kyuubi and the Honshou that he kept himself steady. Even then, the higher he climbed, the more power he needed.
Once the both of them were settled, Naruto went back into his mindscape. He noticed the others there, talking about his battle before they took notice of him. He spotted Madara still standing far off in the distance. He then looked back at the others.
"So are we going to work, or are you guys just gonna keep looking at me?" Naruto questioned.
"What would you have us do then?" Kimimaro questioned.
Naruto glanced at the member of the Kaguya clan. He then glanced at Gari. The jonin stiffened before the blond turned to the Kyuubi. "You look like you have something you want to say," Naruto mentioned.
Surprised, all eyes were then on the Kyuubi. Of them all, Tobirama was the most suspicious and that made the Nine-Tailed Fox rather angry. To be so close to a Senju and a wretched Uchiha, yet not be able to snap them between his jaws was gut-wrenching. It also didn't help that Naruto had gotten quite perceptive of him as of late. Not to mention, but any hatred that the fox might have had for his jailer had more or less dissipated much to the Kyuubi's irritation.
Sure, the Kyuubi had a rather interesting time teasing Naruto about the blond affairs with his mother, even if the Kyuubi hated her too, but he never thought there might come a time when he'd not sought to make the boy's life as miserable as possible. They'd gone through numerous challenges together, and the Kyuubi had watched Naruto grow from a brat to a man or a bratty man in the fox's case.
The maturity within the young chunin was one that couldn't be denied. He'd grown so much, almost scaringly so. "Yeah, I do. This'll be even more training for you, one that'll make even be groan, but if we're working on getting you as strong as possible, then now isn't the time for personal grudges. However, send the others away. I can already see where this might be going and I'll allow no one but you to see it," The Kyuubi said.
Confused, Naruto stared at the Kyuubi skeptically. Of course, that didn't stop him from ordering the others away. They stepped away from him, disappearing far into the mindscape which left Naruto and the Kyuubi alone.
There was a brief silence between the both of them, the only sound being that of the Kyuubi's tails swaying through the air. After a while, the Kyuubi spoke.
"We had known each other a long time, brat. You were just a snot-nosed little shit back when you first had access to my power, haphazardly charging at any problem with that bull-headed attitude of yours. No one competent would call you a shinobi," The Kyuubi said which made Naruto a little annoyed.
"You wanted us alone so you could just insult me? I've gotten better!" Naruto argued.
The Kyuubi snorted. "That's a relative term at best. Had it not been for me, I doubt you would have survived half as long as your gutsy attitude makes you think you would," the Fox said. The grin on his face fell when he saw the brief flash of anger pass through Naruto's face. Anyone else might have missed it, but not the Kyuubi. He'd known the chunin too long to not see it. Clearly, he was still angry about being left alone in his battle with Jashin.
Nevertheless, the Kyuubi stilled as Naruto exhaled. "Yeah, you did, didn't you? Even if our relationship was complicated, you still helped me. Even after decades of being in a cage, being controlled, and having your powerful forcibly taken, still you conceded and helped me. Yeah, it might have been for your benefit if I lost control, but… I can't deny that I might not be who I am without you. Maybe I'd be happier, maybe I'd be sadder, I'm not sure. I don't think it matters either way. I know I've never said it, but thank you for what you've done not just for me, but also for my family. I'd like you to stay around, but if ever you feel ready to return to the outside world, merely say the word and I'll let you go," Naruto said.
The Kyuubi glared at him. For so many years, freedom was what he desired. It sounded like honey to his ears and tasted like candy on his tongue. Nevertheless, even after all this, he remained skeptical. "Your village would never allow it. Neither would the rest of the world. You'd be making an enemy out of everyone if you tried that," The Kyuubi said.
Naruto chuckled. "Technically, I'm not a Konoha shinobi anymore. Plus, by your own words, you feel more powerful than before. I bet it won't be so easy to bring you down. And… if anyone tries, I'll be there to help you," Naruto answered.
"Keh! So you think I'm still weak enough to need your help?" The Kyuubi asked.
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Would it kill you to ever just take the damn compliment? Even though I'm angry, you… are my friend. No, maybe even more than that. I'll always help you just as you've always helped me," he answered.
The Kyuubi stood silent after that. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Naruto's small frame. A thousand thoughts and past memories moved through the Demon Fox's mind. Finally, he laughed. "You always say sappy shit sometimes. It actually makes me sick. You should be grateful. I'm gonna help give you the means to make a promise like that. I don't know how much of a leap you'll have against that bastard, but… with your natural prowess, the jump will be immense. We can then start working on it as you climb. If you're wondering why I never offered before, well there wasn't a good time and I have no doubt that under the stress it would have failed. Link your Honshou with mine. Our energy shall create something greater than anything we've ever done," The Kyuubi said.
Something greater than what it was before? The thought sounded almost too good to be true. Of course, Naruto highly doubted the Kyuubi would lie to him at this point. Still, what would a power like that become?
"Getting help from the mightiest bijuu in the world, The Kyuubi? I'll do my best to live up to your expectations then," Naruto said.
"...call me Kurama."
Naruto looked at the Kyuubi. The Fox's giant eyes stared back at his own. "Kyuubi was a title given to me by the humans. My name is, and has always been, Kurama. I was birthed from the Old Man and I have lived for many years. That name and no other shall you address me," Kurama said.
"Understood, Kurama," Naruto said as he jumped onto Kurama's head. Ordinarily, Kurama would feel insulted to have anyone sit atop his head. However, that would never be the case for Naruto. He and no other would Kurama welcome to sit there.
In silence, bijuu and jinchuuriki sat together as their Honshou connected together.
On the outside, oblivious to everyone, Naruto's hair immediately turned into its white color. However, like before, it continued to lengthen until it slipped down to the ground like a luscious curtain. The whisker marks on his face immediately became thicker, a defining measure added to them.
When Naruto exhaled, his breath sparkled like cosmic dust, spectacles of the stars evidenced from every wisp of air. The black shinobi attire that he wore was instantly overtaken by the familiar coat of the Shinigami. However, it didn't stay that way for long as Yura's hair started to blow from the steadily rising force of Naruto's power.
The white cloak started to shine with a glow that would turn mortal men blind. Every glimmer of the constellations beyond the ice-cold realm or even earth itself surrounded his body. When the light faded, the Shinigami cloak had split its base in nine, not so different from Kurama's nine tails. If one were privileged to stare upon his cloak, they would have marveled at a cornucopia of stars and celestial bodies residing within the cloak, each one dazzling more brightly than the rarest jewel on earth.
When Naruto opened his eyes, they were filled with divine silver might. His pupils had grown into slits and horn-like protrusions appeared out the roof of his head. Dense seals like those from a forgotten age marked every line of his body beneath his clothes. Runes and markings of the Shinigami burned into his body, no burned into the very crevices of his soul. The Honshou which burned in his veins quickly doubled… tripled… no, perhaps even quintupled in might.
Around the Kyuubi jinchuuriki's neck appeared a necklace blessed with numerous beads of the God of Death. Outside, the realm of ice grew angry again. As all the land surrendered to the vast might of the God of Death, silver orbs floated throughout the entire realm.
Those back in Konoha watched as Kushina and Yuri meditated amidst the orbs, gathering them into their bodies. As the Summoner of the Shinigami's soon-to-be wives, they were blessed and found worthy enough to receive the might of not only the Kyuubi, but the Shinigami as well. While their coats weren't as defined as Naruto's, none could deny their might as the ground trembled beneath their feet. Some had even fallen unconscious just trying to stay near them.
Yet, of course, it was only the members of the Uzumaki Clan and Hinoken that were privileged to stay close to them. For anyone else, they were pulled away before they could fall into unconsciousness.
"This is our first union. It's not gonna be perfect. We'll be working on this every day so we can use it indefinitely until we face that bastard. No doubt, we're both feeling very powerful right now. Be aware that you'll be feeling some soreness once this matter is over, but the adrenaline is an intoxicating feeling, isn't it?" Kurama questioned while Naruto smirked.
Instantly, the blond stood up and flew out of the cave. Landing on a platform with a violent crash, he immediately summoned the rest of his spirits. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel when they looked at him in shock. Hell, Dan and Yahiko took unconscious steps back while Tobirama's gaze hardened.
"We're training, all of us right now. Hold nothing back on me," Naruto said, feeling the surge of the cosmic forces of death swirling violently inside him. They needed release and it was more strength than he felt when he faced even Jashin.
"I'd advise you to not get overconfident," Tobirama warned. While the new power was impressive, almost overwhelmingly so, Tobirama already knew the limitations of unchecked power.
"Then best you help me not to be that way…" Naruto fired back. Immediately his summons readied themselves as the blond charged at them. The mountain quickly came alive with the sounds of violent combat.
-x-
Back in Konoha, the maelstrom of divine powers slowly started to settle down as the various shinobi of different nations finally breathed sighs of relief. The Kage had gone to numerous lengths to get their people to safety, well all except one. Mei had been in the midst of that powerful swell as well as the others. When it was finished, Kushina released them all from training.
"Holy shit, you're hair is glowing!" Tayuya shouted as she pointed to the Mizukage.
"So is yours," Mei said, glancing at her hair in small surprise. When she looked at her hair, it still maintained most of its auburn color. Yet, there was a white outline around it that covered not just it, but the rest of her body as well.
"What the fuck!" Tayuya hollered as she glanced at the white shreds of her normally red hair.
Karui and Omoi investigated themselves, finding that they too were glowing as well. Risa looked over her body in a bit of surprise and so did Fuuka.
"It seems we're no different," Mikoto said, pondering the glow surrounding her body as well. She then spotted her son, he too was enchanted with the power bestowed upon them by Naruto.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he patted his body down. Indeed, he felt different. The chakra in his body seemed even more condensed than before. It had been a few days since he, Itachi, Yuna, and Mikoto had gotten out of the hospital after their surgeries. Shizune warned them to take things easy as they allowed their eyes to heal. Of course, they had been a little stubborn in the end.
"Sasuke, are your eyes alright? It's best not to push them since you only took them off recently," Kakashi warned, feeling the same effects as everyone else.
Sasuke snorted. "I'll be fine. This is nothing. In fact, I feel stronger than before. I'll admit my eyes used to be very stiff after the surgery, but there's actually no more pain," the Uchiha admitted, trying not to stare at Kakashi's glowing hair. Then again, he was sure that if the others were glowing, then he was as well. Hell, even Yugao, his teammate, was glowing.
"The only question that remains is if we'll stop glowing like this at some point," said teammate mentioned, glancing at her hair while the others looked at her.
"Well, I imagine this has something to do with our illustrious cousin. Who else glows like him?" Fuka inquired.
At the mention of Naruto's name, the others swiftly began to understand where she was coming from. However, that also made them all the more confused. "And what could our shithead of a clan head be doing that it would affect us too?" Tayuya asked.
Now that was a question that no one seemed capable of answering. "Whatever he's doing, I think it's for our benefit. After all, I can't imagine what would happen had he done this near the village. Just look at the others. They look like they can't even approach us," Risa commented.
The group glanced at the shinobi who'd been their allies for the last two weeks. They stepped back in fear, covering their eyes from the blinding excess of energy swirling about the members of Hinoken and the Uzumaki Clan.
"So does this stuff stay on us forever?" Karui asked.
"It might, but it looks like those two don't seem to care," Omoi said, pointing toward Kushina and Yuri. As always, the two were in the midst of the light training without much of a care. In fact, the others had to squint because those two were even brighter than they were. Yet, when they did, everyone noticed strange symbols started appearing on their faces.
"Do you… Do you think we'll be able to beat that bastard with them as powerful as this?" Karui asked hopefully.
Mei stared at her cousin. She balled her fists and closed her eyes. No, no it still wasn't enough. Grown in strength and might though they were, there was still something more separating them from the realm of Jashin. The Mizukage had felt that pressure and never had she felt so afraid and so vulnerable. If they fought Jashin now, they would still lose. It was both a humbling and humiliating fact that only continued to add to her worry.
The only unknown variable was Naruto. If Kushina and Yuri had grown this strong, then how much more powerful had he become? Could he contend with Jashin now? These were questions she really wanted to know.
After a long while, the members of Hinoken and the Uzumaki Clan decided to continue their training. It didn't seem like they could do much without pushing the non-glowing residents of the village so they decided to use their time productively. Of course, it didn't take much time for news of the phenomenon to spread throughout the village.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of men and women came out to observe the situation. Even the Akatsuki weren't immune to the surprise.
Nagato scowled, forced to close the Deva Path's eyes. The Kage looked at him curiously. "What?" Kurotsuchi asked.
"Their chakra is very… bright. In fact, it's almost overpowering. I've never felt anything like it," the head of the Akatsuki said. Even from where he sat, in his dark room, just glimpsing at the light for long periods of time had caused him something of a headache.
Meanwhile, Obito scowled in frustration. He glared at Kakashi and it was just as shocked. He could feel his former teammate growing stronger by the hour. His chakra levels had already risen to those on par with a Kage. If he continued unperturbed, it was likely that he'd even surpass Kisame's levels of chakra.
"As always Kakashi, you continue to stand on a grander stage than I. Reality seems to favor you often the most. And yet, I can only watch you from the sidelines. You in the light, and I in the dark," Obito thought before he noticed Rin looking at him with great concern from amongst the masses. Over the past few weeks, Obito had been making himself scarce around the village. Obviously, through word from Zetsu, Rin had been actively looking for him. Their last conversation hadn't gone very well. In fact, it was fucking awful.
Yet, the worst thing of it all was the fact that Rin still sought him out. Even with his dismissal of her, even with his claims that this changed nothing, she still pleaded for him to talk to her. What was he supposed to talk to her about? Should it be that just because she was revived that all his feelings and thoughts that he'd cultivated throughout the entire ordeal were now supposed to be gone? Was he supposed to forgive Kiri for forcing Rin to put kill herself on Kakashi's attack just to protect the village? Was he just supposed to forget all of it?
"Uzumaki Naruto, you think everything can simply be wiped away by undoing the mistakes of this wretched reality? It… can't! I will find a way. Even if Rin exists here, she'll fall again to the same cycle of violence that plagues this world. Just look at where we've headed with the Jashinists! The world will never get along in this reality, but it will in mine! This alliance is only temporary, as will be the rest down the line. All you've done is delay the matter, you've yet to properly answer it!" Obito thought.
That said, he remembered that Konan had told him that the plan for the Akatsuki had all but been dusted away with the Kyuubi apparently having been changed in some way. However, there was still another way he could work out. The only question was whether he felt confident at incurring the wrath of the Shinigami. As he suspected, these gods weren't to be underestimated. Obito had never been a religious person, but perhaps it'd be time to start reevaluating those beliefs.
For six hours the group trained together until the light finally started to settle down. Kushina slowly opened her eyes as did Yuri. The others followed after them. "We will stop here and rest. Take a few days off and then we'll begin our physical training," Kushina said.
It seemed that the Uzumaki matriarch wasn't as concerned as the others were about the might of her glowing power. After all, she'd experienced it before having fed off the source of it all. Even Yuri didn't seem perturbed, more than likely having grown used to it as well.
"No training at all?" Yuri questioned.
Kushina laughed, patting her shoulder. "Resting is another part of training, Yuri. Besides, you still have sealing jutsu training and lessons to take. We'll do that together until Naruto returns," the older redhead responded.
Yuri grimaced. She already dreaded having to stay awake for those. While she sulked over this, Yuri noticed the thousands of onlookers glancing at them. "It seems we've drawn a crowd," she commented.
Kushina stared at the eyes upon them. She frowned when she saw more than a few of them stare in utter fear. Others looked on in awe, but it seemed like an almost shivering awe. Kushina had met that gaze before as had her son. Of course, Konoha hadn't known that she contained the Kyuubi when she migrated there, but many weren't quite so welcoming of her, especially as a foreign shinobi.
"Let them stare if they want," Kushina said. Then again, as the woman thought, it might be a softening blow if the Mei, Karui, and Omoi were with them. The foreign shinobi might be more lax if their own people were a part of this little spectacle.
Either way, Kushina walked over to the other Kage. It almost seemed rather funny that she would be the one to meet with these powerful village leaders on such a daily basis as this. Or maybe it was better to say, they were the ones waiting to meet with her.
Kushina noticed that when she was close enough, she took a step forward and the shinobi behind the Kage took steps back. Her lips thinned, but she made no comment on the matter.
"Kushina, what happened?" Tsunade inquired.
"I can only imagine my son's doing what he said he would do. He's getting stronger and the rest of us are just reaping the aftereffects of it. However, I believe that if Naruto can handle Jashin then with this power those corrupted humans of his will be much easier to handle for the rest of us," Kushina replied.
Kurotsuchi folded her arms. "You really think so? Keep in mind that not all of us have the blessings of a god bestowed upon us to help us like you do. Are you sure you can handle them?" Kurotsuchi questioned.
Kushina glanced at her for a moment before Mei came from behind. "It is possible. Kushina was able to hold Jashin's amusement for a little while. Given what we know of him, he won't deny a battle with Naruto. I'd even guess that he could come after us right now, but he's waiting for us to entertain him further. If Naruto can hold him, then the power supplied to us should be sufficient for taking down his forces. I can't say for sure that there won't be casualties, but our chances are much higher than they were," Mei replied.
"...I'm gonna fucking hate myself for asking, but how much higher?" Kurotsuchi questioned.
Kushina turned her gaze away, staring at the multitude of stars in the outer space of the realm. "Perhaps five, maybe ten, percent," she answered.
Ay scowled. "And what were our chances back on earth?" he asked.
"Zero," Kushina admitted.
As much as she hated bringing down the morale, she couldn't answer such a question wishy-washy. They were shinobi and they had to deal with these types of stresses. After all, these circumstances were as much their fault as the Jashinsts.
"A question. If this happened to the members of this Hinoken group, and the Uzumaki Clan, then why didn't the Godaime Hokage receive the same thing?" Gaara inquired.
Tsunade immediately bristled from Kushina's harsh glare. Behind her eyes seemed to be a thousand sparkling stars like they held the very fabric of divinity behind them. "I think you'll have to ask my son for an answer to a question like that. In any case, I decided to put a pause on the training for a few days. I think it would be good for the forces to recoup from the strain of the training. It'll also help me as well, exuding my presence on so many spirits through so many people to make sure no one's overtaken has been very draining. I'd like to spend these few days getting used to this power so it doesn't run out of control. Just look behind you, it's taking all I can to keep my Honshou down," she said.
In response, the Kage turned around. Indeed their men were shivering under Kushina's presence. Some of them had already passed out in fact, held out of the snow by others.
"She has a point. I believe a break would be due," Mei said.
Ay scowled. "Fine, but you better realize that we're not working with a lot of time here. If that brat doesn't return soon, we will all die in here," he hissed lowly.
As much as Tsunade wished the Raikage was more delicate on the matter, she couldn't disagree. She'd been receiving numerous reports that Konoha's food stores were starting to take a dent, especially with its main facility for food still back on earth. Civilians clamored for food and water, some even devolving into fighting with each other. That fighting then leaned into a lot of hateful words being said. Honestly, sometimes Tsunade wondered if humanity just existed to hate itself, a sin of its own pride and hubris.
Of course, Tsunade didn't want to forsake her citizens, but this wasn't just about them. It was about the very future of the world.
The Kage relented, allowing Kushina the time that she needed. Deciding to keep the peace and maintain the authority of the Kage, she thanked them for their decision. She then dismissed the others. Once the group dispersed, Kushina sent one last look to Obito. To his credit, he looked away guiltily. The mask had been so much easier. She watched him stomp off.
Shaking her head, feeling the sudden exhaustion swarm her, Kushina decided to head home. When she made it, she opened the door and chuckled. Clearly, it hadn't taken Tayuya long to fall asleep on the couch. She was already snoring the day away while Risa covered her daughter with a blanket.
"You know, she bitches about it, but she keeps asking whether Naruto's alright or not. Doesn't sound like a warrior for Orochimaru, does she?" Risa asked.
Kushina smiled. "No, I suppose not, but my son definitely has a way of changing people. I never imagined a family like this would be formed, but we have him to thank for it. No, not just him. He might have used it, but the Shinigami granted him the power to do so. Perhaps we should thank him first and foremost," the matriarch answered.
Risa laughed. "Yes. We definitely should. You better get some sleep. You've been pushing it for many days. Let's make sure you don't reopen any more wounds," the mother of Tayuya joked, making Kushina laugh in turn.
"Don't worry. I'd actually enjoy the feeling of my bed now. I'll just melt some snow, boil it, cool it, and wash my body with it. Not the best solution, but it's all we've got. No hot springs around here. And what about those two Kumo shinobi? Are they around?" Kushina questioned.
Risa smiled. "Yeah, I set them up in some rooms. By their own words, they wished to stay here in honor of Shi. It seems they were also family members of ours. I'm not sure how far our blood goes with them, but since when have we cared about that?"
Kushina tiredly shrugged. "If we cared about that, then we sure wouldn't have accepted Yukimaru-kun. I suppose I'll have to greet them at some point," Kushina said stiffly. She still had a bit of a dislike toward Kumo shinobi, especially from her own experiences with them. However, she'd long since wondered if she should just let the matter go. The men who'd kidnapped her were already dead, as was the leader who ordered it. Who was she hurting holding onto any more anger accept herself?
The Uzumaki matriarch walked upstairs and returned with a large bucket. She scooped up some snow and took it inside. When Kushina came into her room, she heated the pail with a fire technique. The snow quickly melted and bubbled. She then washed herself with the water, using whatever products lay around her bathroom.
"Naruto, please hurry. The village is getting worse. Much as I'm upset at her, I know Tsunade's got her hands full keeping the peace. We need you, our family needs you, I need you," Kushina said to herself as she exhaled.
After washing herself, Kushina changed to a nightgown and sat on the bed. Her feet touched the cold floor as she thought in silence. After a little while, she shook her head. She then slipped off the bed and fell to her knees. Just like Yura, she offered a prayer to the Shinigami, thanking him for blessing their family and her son. She prayed to him for her son's safe return and that he might be with them when Naruto fought Jashin.
After that, Kushina stood up and climbed into the bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow, Kushina would have gone to bed if not for a knock on the door. She struggled not to groan.
"Come in," she said, almost tiredly.
The door opened and Kushina noticed Yuri come through. "At the risk of sounding like a child, I… would you mind if I slept with you tonight, Kushina? I… don't wanna be alone tonight. I'd ask Nii-chan, but I think he's doing his best mountain-climbing impression right now," Yuri said.
Despite her exhaustion, Kushina laughed at the joke. However, she saw the crestfallen expression on Yuri's face. She just didn't have it in her to turn her away. Kushina pulled up her covers and Yuri walked over. The younger redhead slipped in and sighed. "Thanks," she said.
"Just don't be upset if I hug you. Apparently, I am one according to my son," Kushina commented.
"I'll try to handle the punishment," Yuri said, quickly yawning. The two Uzumaki fell asleep in the master bedroom as their day drew to a close.
-x-
Yura panted as she continued to crawl on the ground. She snarled, gritting her teeth as the pain and pressure threatened to snap her bones in two. She had no idea how long she'd crawled in this perpetual darkness, but it was the worst feeling she'd ever felt. If there was any positive to this, she never felt hungry nor thirsty. She didn't need to sleep either. She just had an uncontrollable urge to suffer through this trial.
Her lungs burned and she was sure that if she stopped she'd be consumed by the great void, the great nothingness, the great… hell. "Is that what it is? Those flames, are those the flames of The End? The place where nothing lives and everything dies. It is, the abyss where nothing, not even the spirits dwell. All that one is, all that one has been, all that one will be… shall be consumed here. To walk through here without divine help is… impossible!" Yura thought.
As soon as that thought came to her, Yura stilled. The pressure was gone. Slowly standing so that she wouldn't fall off, she looked up. Her face caked in sweat, she stared at a large black door. There was a horrid presence behind that door. Yet, it was an incredibly powerful one as well. It was more than she'd ever felt before. It was more than anything she'd felt even from her lover. Were she to open that door, she wondered how fast she'd survive. Would it be an hour? A minute? Perhaps, a second?
Scared, Yura grabbed the handle. Swallowing her thoughts, she tried to pry the door open. It creaked and that was the most dreadful creak she'd ever heard, but the door refused to open. The redhead wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.
"You are not that permitted, girl. Take your hand off that handle."
Yura jerked in shock as a voice like thunder and deep like the depths of the ocean pierced through the void. She looked left. She looked right. She looked up.
"See not with your eyes. See with your senses. See the might of The End."
The voice spoke firmly and Yura felt herself slowly calm down. She closed her eyes and breathed in the suffocating pressure. It made her chest burn, but she continued on anyway. When she settled herself, she opened her eyes again. There was a man in front of her, or at least it seemed to be the shape of a man. He was easily double, no triple her height. His form was as pure black as the space around them. The only way she saw him was by the contrast of his color to the door.
She wasn't sure what she was supposed to say, but every word died in her throat. In fact, the being practically forced her into silence. He seemed to be looking at her critically. Despite the dark holes in his eyeless face. She knew that she wasn't hidden from him.
"Though you are not worthy to open the door. You have been found worthy to peer inside it. Peer inside and learn of The End. Fear not for I shall keep you safe for your stay here. When you cannot take anymore, when your spirit feels like it shall break, you shall be sent back. Should the wait of The End stir you to distress, then shall you walk the path of Paradise. There shall your soul be renewed," he said.
Seeing as her voice died in her throat, Yura settled for nodding, albeit shakingly. The dark being faced the door and opened it, only slightly. Yura then, through no power of her own, stepped toward the crack in the door and peered inside.
Uzumaki Yura peered into The End and her spirit was immediately overwhelmed. The young redhead almost swiftly fainted as boundless might beyond the workings of the Shinobi World rose before her.
"This… this is how to beat Jashin!" Yura thought in shock as she fell back and her world became blacker than the void she was in.
KG: While I'm hesitant to say how long this whole 'training' arc will last. I will say that it should be set to end pretty soon with Naruto confronting Jashin once again. Yura's basically training in some real endgame stuff. Though so someone asked me where this whole thing will end up, and while I'll try not to spoil it too much, I will say that it'll be at a conclusion that I think best represents what I believe Naruto should be.
KG: Thank you! Enjoy the rest of July!
KG! GIMME CREAM SODA AND CHEESECAKE!
