Chapter 32: The Beginning of the End
Jiraiya stepped in front of the genin and the two women. "You want to get to them you'll have to go through me."
He looked back behind him. "Tsunade do something about my body as soon as you can."
"She's in no condition right now, Master Jiraiya," Shizune told him even as she wiped blood off her mistress. "Even if she were though, that drug just has to run its course."
"Wait what? No way!" Jiraiya exclaimed.
Orochimaru smirked, having heard the whole thing. "So, Tsunade drugged you huh?"
Kabuto looked at his master. "Perhaps she was thinking of helping us earlier, we did say we required a sacrifice."
"To think she would be willing to sacrifice Jiraiya," Orochimaru chuckled. "Still as ruthless as ever I see, Tsunade. Well I suppose that will level the playing field between us Jiraiya."
He showed his former comrade his blackened arms. All those on the other side cringed at the sight.
"I can't hand seals, or even lift objects," Orochimaru said. "Even moving my arms takes effort. But I take it you have been drugged. Does it slow your reflexes and hinder your chakra buildup?"
Jiraiya's frown deepened and Orochimaru smiled wider. "Good. We'll see which of us is able to fighter better even with our respective hindrances. Kabuto! Take Naruto alive, try to convince him to come over to our side."
"Wait what?" Naruto exclaimed. "I'd never join you! You damn snake!"
"Kill the others," Orochimaru concluded ignoring the boy.
"As you wish Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto said as he ingested a plasma pill to replenish some of his blood. "I believe its time to take the bandage off your arm.
Orochimaru smiled and brought his arm up, biting into the bandage and yanking it off with his teeth. Blood leaked from his arms and Kabuto took some on his fingers to use as a catalyst. Summoning often required a bit of blood to use.
"Summoning Jutsu!" Kabuto said.
A giant snake appeared in a puff of smoke beneath him and his master, it lifted its head which they stood on up high overlooking the enemy.
"Alright, I got this," Jiraiya said as he prepared his own summoning. "Summoning Jutsu!"
A puff of smoke appeared, but instead of a giant toad it was… a little orange one.
"Hey," Gamakichi said. "I've been summoned again!"
"Ah! I was trying to get your dad!" Jiraiya said in embarrassment.
The three genin were embarrassed as well. Naruto looked at his friends and up at the giant snake where Orochimaru and Kabuto sniggered down at them.
"Let me try," Naruto stepped forward, knowing he had to do something to avoid all of them getting killed. "Summoning Jutsu!"
He too failed, a toad even smaller then Gamakichi appeared. It was yellowish orange and had a stupid looking smile.
"Hello, you got any snacks?" he asked.
"Gamatatsu!" Gamakitchi exclaimed. "Why'd you pop up?"
"Oh hi big brother Gamakitchi," Gamatatsu said. "I just got summoned isn't that great?"
"Yeah, it would be terrific if either of us could actually fight!" Gamakitchi said looking above in fright. "And we have to deal with giant snakes!?"
Orochimaru watched in triumph as his enemies could not summon help. He then looked at the snake he stood on.
"Prepare to kill all of, except the little blonde boy," he said, repeating his order to Kabuto, then an idea occurred as he looked at Sasuke as well. He turned to Kabuto. "Get Naruto out of the way, and Sasuke too."
"My lord, I thought you had decided to get Naruto as a vessel?" Kabuto asked.
"Yes, but I might be able to transplant Sasuke's eyes. Then I would have both the sharingan and the most powerful of the tailed beasts under my control," Orochimaru elaborated. "That will make me truly invincible!"
"Right," Kabuto nodded.
"Now," Orochimaru ordered to the snake.
The snake hissed and lunged out with its enormous fanged mouth. It destroyed a portion of the ground where the group had been before and the ninja leapt into the air to safety. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura went in one direction while Jiraiya and Shizune (who supported Tsunade) leapt in the other. The snake turned its attention to the genin in the air and before they could even hit the ground. With a quick swing of its tail it hit Naruto who yelled in pain.
"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed as she watched her boyfriend fly away.
When she turned her attention back to the snake, she saw it open its mouth and prepare to swallow them.
Oh dear, Orochimaru thought as he saw them about to be eaten. It seems I might not get the eyes after all. Ah well, the raw power of the nine tails is likely even stronger!"
The snake's mouth closed around-
"Sakura! Sasuke!" Naruto yelled in horror as his teammates vanished.
…
Sasuke grabbed Sakura by the waist with one arm and formed a seal with the other hand. It wasn't a perfect tiger seal but it did allow him to release just enough to save them.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
His fireball wasn't nearly as strong as it was when he used two hands, but it was enough to make the snake cough them out. They fell from the mouth before they could be swallowed down the throat. Though they were still covered in snake saliva.
"Ew gross!" Sakura said as she flung her arms to get some of it off.
Orochimaru smiled. Seemed he may have an opportunity yet.
"Go after the adults," he told his pet. "Kabuto, deal with the kids would you?"
"Certainly," Kabuto said as he leapt off the snake.
Jiraiya saw the minion leapt off Orochimaru's snake.
"Shizune, go help them!" he ordered.
"Right!" Shizune said as she supported Tsunade.
Naruto approached his comrades in relief.
"Sasuke, Sakura! You okay?" he asked.
"Aside from being covered in this gross stuff?" Sakura asked sarcastically. "Yeah we're great!"
They noticed Kabuto a few feet away. They assumed a battle stance, it was three against one, but Kabuto knew he would win, even against all of them. Then Shizune was there as well she set her mistress down nearby and looked at Team 7.
"Look after her, I'll deal with him," she said.
Naruto wanted to fight, but the others followed suit and he reluctantly followed.
"You won't harm these genin," Shizune said as she faced Kabuto who still smirked.
They stood looking at each other.
…
Several hundred feet away, Jiraiya had managed to create a pool of mud that slowed Orochimaru's snake down. He and his fellow Sannin now faced each on the reptiles body. Orochimaru focused mainly on kicks since his arms were damaged. But he also had chakra he could run through his neck and tongue to expand them like a snake.
He charged at Jiraiya who performed a hand sign to do a jutsu.
"Ninja Art: Needle Geesle!"
His long silver hair turned into sharp silver spikes that could protect him and skewer enemies that got close. Unfortunately thanks to the drug Tsunade had given him he couldn't use the jutsu to its full potential. Orochimaru kicked onto the spikes, which didn't pierce him. He then expanded his neck and brought his mouth down to Jiraiya's ear. Had Jiraiya not been drugged he could have impaled his enemy right there.
"Even if we're both impaired you havne't a chance against me," Orochimaru said.
He jumped off and looked at Jiraiya in a taunting manner.
"I suppose I should thank you for bringing Naruto all the way here. It will save me the trouble of having to get him later."
"What exactly do you want with him?" Jiraiya asked. "I always thought you wanted to learn every jutsu in the world."
Orochimaru smirked. "I do believe that the number of jutsu can use makes them powerful. But one must also have strong chakra as well, the more chakra a person has the more jutsu they can perform. It was quite a choice, the being who had the tailed beast with the most powerful reserves of chakra, or the one with the potential to copy almost every jutsu there is. But I decided to go after the one with raw power."
"You'll never him," Jiraiya said. "He'll never serve you! His heart burns with the fire of a true shinobi of the leaf."
Orochimaru smirks. "Even if he refuses, all Kabuto has to do is capture him."
…
Shizune battled Kabuto to protect the genin as they guarded Tsunade. With three of them they might be able to put up a good fight but she didn't know the exact extent of their abilities so it was better not to take chances.
She sent a poison needle set at Kabuto who dodged it, she followed up with a poison gas jutsu that would kill him in one breathe. But when the gas cleared she saw he was gone. Shizune looked around in full alertness, checking behind her and above. But then the ground at her feet opened and his hands (engulfed in chakra) popped out, grabbing hold of her ankles. She screamed as pain shot through her. Kabuto was using a chakra scalpel, which turned his hand into a sort of blade. His range was short but if used effectively he could disable or even kill his opponent. He'd disabled her ability to walk, and it would take her a while to heal these wounds, if she lived.
Kabuto grinned at her as she lay on her knees helpless before him. He raised his hand to deliver the kill blow.
…
"We have to help her!" Naruto said.
Sasuke and Sakura followed him as they all left Tsunade who was still trembling from the sight and feeling of blood even though she'd been cleaned up most of the way.
Team 7 charged at Kabuto who heard them coming and turned his attention to them. Naruto was first quickly followed by Sasuke, but Kabuto kept Naruto in front of him, knowing that Sasuke was the real threat. He blocked Naruto's punch and then hit him with a hammer fist that send him off to the side.
"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed as she ran over to help.
That left Sasuke to battle Kabuto alone for a moment. The rogue medical ninja threw chakra scapels at Sasuke who could tell that if he to be hit with that it would be a deadly blow. He managed to dodge thanks to his sharingan and speed training from Kakashi, but he couldn't maintain it for long. Kabuto was still slightly faster then him as well.
He leapt back, and performed a quick set of handsigns. His arms had healed the worst of the damage from his humiliating defeat at the hands of Itachi, though it still hurt. He had no choice though.
Chidori lit up in his palm. His sharingan was able to tell him what his opponent would do. The same had applied to Itachi last time he now realized, Itachi's sharingan had told him the area Sasuke would attack and he'd reacted accordingly. Kabuto would have no such advantage though. Sasuke charged at him and he suddenly drew something from his pocket. A smoke grenade, something Kabuto used in the case of things getting sticky. He rolled and dodged Sasuke's attack while throwing the grenade. Smoke erupted around them. Sasuke looked around, his sharigan could still see chakra. He saw Kabuto as he turned, only for him to vanish underground like he had a moment ago. He looked down, the ground blocked his vision unfortunately. Then Kabuto reappeared behind him, Sasuke managed to leap up before the traitor could grab hold of his leg and drag him underground or disable his legs like he'd done to Shizune.
"Fire-style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke said as he blew out down at the whole.
His fireball struck, Kabuto couldn't dodge quick enough. But then there was a popping sound.
A Shadow Clone! Sasuke realized.
The real Kabuto leapt out behind Sasuke who didn't react fast enough. Kabuto's chakra scalpel pierced Sasuke's leg. The Uchiha gritted his teeth in pain as he fell.
Sakura helped Naruto his feet and he gritted his teeth.
"I have to use the rasengan!" Naruto said.
"But you haven't perfected it yet!" Sakura objected. "You've tried for over a week using both hands but it just doesn't seem to be enough!"
Naruto looked at her. It was true, her required both hands to create the jutsu. But it still wasn't working. Then an idea occurred to him.
"If two isn't enough, maybe three will do it," he said with a smile.
Sakura looked at him in confusion as they looked and saw Sasuke go down. Kabuto then kicked Sasuke away toward Shizune who was still trying to her herself. Kabuto then turned to Naruto.
"Naruto," he spoke. "Join us."
"Why would I ever do that? You killed the Third Hokage and tried to destroy the Leaf?" Naruto asked angrily.
"Come now Naruto," Kabuto said. "You really want to spend the rest of your life in that feeble village? The village that has hated you your whole life. Lord Orochimaru respects strength and power. He worked to acquire it so he could bring his parents back to life and acquire immortality. But the Third Hokage tried to stop him. That's why he left. He would offer you a place in the Hidden Sound Village, no one would go against him there. He simply says the order and you would be respected, anyone who doesn't follow that would be put to death."
Naruto's frown faltered. It was true the village had hated him. At times he'd wanted to even kill them. Maybe it would be better to simply leave and start a new life somewhere else.
"Naruto, don't listen to him!" Sakura said. "You want to become Hokage! The villagers might still hate you in some parts but they are starting to care for you! Remember what happened in the Chunnin Exams."
Naruto remembered. The crowd calling his name after he defeated Neji. He had been praised, looked up to.
"They were just sucking up to you," Kabuto tried to counter. "That's what the crowd does when they see a victor. They don't love you and they never will!"
"Shut up!" Sakura snapped. "Even if some of them stay hating him, I'll love him forever! Even if he annoys me every so often! But he is the best man I could ever hope for!"
Naruto looked at her. He'd feared she regressing back to Sasuke, but he now realized that had just been his jealousy with them spending time together training. He then turned back to Kabuto.
"Yeah! I'm the man that Sakura loves! And I love her! I'll never betray the Leaf! And I will become Hokage! Believe it!"
Kabuto sighed. "I'd hoped you'd come of your own free will. But it doesn't really matter. I just have to capture and then you will serve Lord Orochimaru whether you like it or not!"
Naruto formed his usual hand seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Ten clones appeared around Naruto and Sakura as Tsunade watched a ways away. She could still see her loved ones in him. But they had always died.
"No Naruto! Run!" she shouted. "Both of you get out of here!"
"No way," Naruto said. "Get ready, Granny Tsunade, cause that cursed necklace of yours is about to become mine!"
Shizune had told them the rumor that the necklace Tsunade had bet with was cursed. Anyone Tsunade had given it to had died. Of course it had only been two people, and ones that wanted to become Hokage like Naruto.
"You will serve Orochimaru, after I kill your girlfriend, teammate and that pathetic hemophobiac Sannin!" Kabuto declared. "Come at me, Naruto!"
"You got it!" Naruto declared in eleven voices.
Nine of the Shadow Clones charged. One stayed by the real Naruto's side however. He raised his hand, and the close used both above that hand to rotate the chakra while Naruto added the power with one hand. It worked, a perfect rasengan formed. Well, almost perfect, Naruto had required a clone to do it while everyone else who'd ever learned the jutsu could do it with one hand.
The clones were easily defeated by Kabuto with simple taijutsu. But as he looked back he saw Naruto coming with the rasengan. Sakura meanwhile, knowing Naruto would need back, also charged alongside him.
"Blinding Light Jutsu!" she said using the same jutsu that she'd against Haku at the battle of the bridge.
Light shined in Kabuto's eyes and he winced before putting his hands in a seal. "Release!"
The light vanished. But it had been just enough for Naruto to get close enough.
"Rasengan!" Naruto said as he struck.
Kabuto was sent flying back as the sphere of chakra exploded. He landed on his back, defeated and heavily injured. He hadn't had time to put up a defense that could shield him from the worst of the effects. But by some luck he'd managed to survive. But these injuries might prove fatal if he wasn't given proper treatment in time.
Naruto grinned. "I did it!"
Sakura smiled. Sasuke, Shizune, and Tsunade from their various locations were stunned. He'd done it. Orochimaru looked down and his eyes flickered in irritation as he saw Kabuto down. He leapt from his snake and approached his wounded comrade.
"Kabuto!" he exclaimed.
Working through the pain of using his arms, he reached into pocket and pulled out a healing pill. This would prevent Kabuto from dying. He put it inside his minions mouth.
"Well, seems you at least have some care for your subordinates," Jiraiya said as he watched. "At least your high ranking ones."
"Kabuto is very useful to me," Orochimaru said. "But it seems he couldn't handle the power of the Nine Tails. I suppose it rests to me to capture you myself then."
Naruto and Sakura gritted their teeth. They knew they no chance against Orochimaru themselves. But they weren't alone. Tsunade got to her feet.
"You will not take him," she said. "I will fight you myself!"
Her eyes showed with determination that her teammates and Shizune had not seen in a long long time.
"I am the Fifth Hokage!" she declared.
Okay, just two more chapters to go. Battle with Orochimaru and conclusion. Wait and see what happens. Once again the offer stands for anyone who might want to make a sequel in my place. I'll make an edit to the final chapter when and if the sequel comes out and would happy to advise you as best I can. PM me if you want to.