"Oh no…"
Naruto was in shock. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. A top the main wall, directly above the main gate, he could see everything.
Konoha, his home, was burning. Buildings were shattered, blown to absolute hell. Bodies of villagers and shinobi, alike, laid dead in the streets.
What happened here?
"Naruto!"
Ino landed next to him. She stumbled, making Naruto move to catch her. She was in bad shape. Her arm was in a sling and her body was covered in burns.
"Ino? What the hell happened here?"
The calmness in his voice betrayed the fear in his soul.
The poor girl could barely hold in. She immediately burst into furious tears.
"Ino…" Naruto simply held her. He didn't know what to do.
"…The Akatsuki…they stormed the village. Fū…she…" More tears, no words could come through the sobs.
Naruto's heart sunk through his body. His legs felt weak. His arms lost feeling, becoming heavy.
"Rōshi too?"
Ino nodded against his chest. She couldn't stop crying.
His world was spinning. Everything had just changed. The odds that were stacked in his favor were now crumbling and building into favor of his enemies.
If they came after Rōshi and Fū…the Three-Tails must've finally come back.
The Three-Tails was captured. Rōshi was captured. They've had Han in their custody since Kumo and Iwa's attack. The Six-Tails was just captured, according to Sasuke. And now, Fū, too.
Five of us…just gone like that. In the blink of an eye.
"We're in a losing game now."
Naruto could hear the slight deviation in Kurama's voice. He sounded…sad. Those were his brother and sisters. Despite the history of the Tailed Beasts, Naruto believed he still cared for the others.
"But there's still time."
What do you mean?
"Boy, you're smarter than that. Tell me, how many Akatsuki members are there left?"
Naruto hadn't confirmed the remaining, but he assumed the numbers were extremely low compared to when they started.
I'm not sure. Only a few left, I think.
"Less than what they started with. It doesn't matter what the exact number is. It took a full Akatsuki group to seal the One-Tail in three days. There's less now and five beasts. There's still time for a rescue."
There's still time…
Naruto's numbness dispersed and the strength of his legs returned.
There's still time!
"Ino…" Naruto held the poor girl at arm's length. "How long ago did this happen?"
Ino sniffed. "C-Couple hours. The Akatsuki were in and out quicker than we responded. They blindsided us."
"Good." Naruto looked out over the village, searching for something.
Ino wiped her tears away. "Good? Did you say good?!"
"There's still time." Naruto found the building he was looking for. The hospital. It was still intact. "But I gotta move fast."
"Hey!" Ino pulled Naruto to make him look at her. "What the hell's going on?!"
"There aren't many of them left, Ino. It's gonna take 'em weeks to seal all five of 'em. But we gotta go after 'em if I wanna have a chance." Naruto grabbed her by the shoulders. He could see the wheels turning in her head. "…I can't let them take her Ino. I just can't."
"Naruto…"
"I gotta go after them, Ino. Trust me on this."
Trust Naruto? Ino was confident that Naruto was the only person she fully trusted. Without question. She understood what Sakura saw in him.
"I'm coming with you."
"No." He adamantly refused. "I'm not letting anyone else fight this battle."
"You can't fight all the Akatsuki by yourself! That's suicidal!"
"Ino! Look at what happened!"
All her efforts to avoid the view of her home on fire, Ino couldn't stop herself. Konoha was in ruin once more. The Akatsuki leader had laid waste to Konoha because they stood in his way of his goal.
Nothing is gonna stop them. Is no life scared?
"Ino…I have to put an end to all this. For Konoha…for us…for everyone."
Ino could feel the weight of the world sitting on Naruto's shoulders. She understood the importance of this fight and what the outcome would be if not intervened soon.
"People have fought and died. There will be no more loss of life."
Ino just couldn't let it happen without something. A clause. A failsafe. Reinforcements. Something.
"If you aren't back in a week, we're coming for you. Got it?"
He could live with that. Naruto worked better under pressure.
"I'll be back in five."
-Konoha Hospital-
Naruto sprinted through the shattered halls, running past groaning, injured shinobi and stressed, overworked nurses. He needed to make sure they were okay before he did anything else.
"Baa-Chan!"
Naruto ran faster.
"Baa-Chan!"
"I'm here! Quit yelling!"
Naruto stopped on a dime, turning quickly to his godmother walking out of a nearby room. Even pregnant, Tsunade couldn't stand by and let people die.
Thank goodness.
The relief that washed through the two when they locked their eyes. Mother and son were reunited once more, both concerned for each other's safety.
There were no words. A quick hug to truly make sure the other was living and breathing.
"Baa-Chan…"
"Now is not the time for emotional distress, Naruto." The woman held her godson. "There's plenty of work to be done." She squeezed tight. "But I'm so glad you're safe. I feared the worst after this attack they would come after you."
"I'm still breathing, Baa-Chan." Naruto back away. "I just needed to make sure you two were okay."
Tsunade smiled warmly. "We're fine. ANBU are keeping a watchful eye around here."
The woman could see the anxiety in Naruto's body language. He wasn't scared, but motivated. He had something planned. And it wasn't too hard for the Sannin to figure out.
And it made her worry.
"You're going after them, aren't you?"
Naruto understood her worry. He'd be worried too if roles were reversed.
"…Yeah. I am. If they came after Rōshi and Fū, then that means they finally have the missing beast. If they seal Fū…then there will be only two of us left." The determination was alive in Naruto's eyes. "I can't let that happen."
The wound of Jiraiya's death was still there, fresh as could be. Hell, Tsunade still held hope that he would somehow return. Even though she knew that to be impossible and a dream of grief, she still believed it.
Jiraiya's driving force of their battle was to protect Naruto from ever having to handle this. He wanted to protect his son from the evil that was coming for him. Maybe, at the end of the day, it was never his fight to have and that's why he lost.
And now, her son was going off to do the same thing. To protect someone precious to him from the evils of this world.
She wanted to scream at him, berate him for even thinking about this. She was willing to tie him to a chair and lock him in a dungeon to keep him safe.
But that wouldn't do anyone any good. Jiraiya believed Naruto to be some prophetic savior, much like he did with Minato. And, as much it went against her own logical reasoning, Tsunade believed it too.
You were right, you stupid frog.
"I know there isn't much I can say to stop you. So, I just gonna say this…" She pulled his headband off and kissed his forehead. "…I love you, Naruto. We both do."
Tsunade pulled her son back in close, hoping this wouldn't be the last time she did.
"And give them hell. Take down every last one of those bastards."
That's all he needed. The approval. Now, there was no one stopping him from going after the Akatsuki.
"Thank you, Baa-Chan." Naruto retied his hitaiate. "I'll be back. I promise."
"You'd better. This kid's gotta have a godfather."
Naruto smiled. "I know."
-Main Gate-
There was an odd feeling setting in. Naruto was unsure what to feel about it. Or even what to call it.
It wasn't dread for the coming battle. In fact, he was excited to finally put an end to the Akatsuki threat once and for all.
Nor was he stressed for Fū's safety. It was going to take time to seal the amount of Bijū's they had in their captivity. And he was confident in his judgment. Kurama even agreed with that.
"You're confident. Something you haven't truly known."
Naruto landed atop the main gate, the smoke of his home behind him.
Confident?
"Your power has become something truly extraordinary. Even without my assistance, your abilities are in classes of their own. Truly, you're carrying on the legacy of your father."
My father…
The superficial weight of his father's knife was something he could always feel in his pouch. Holding it, he could feel a connection to his father. Something he had never felt before.
You told me once you made a promise with my father about the truth of that night.
The beast remained silent.
Tell me, was my father as bad as I've always thought him to be? Has my anger all these years been misplaced?
"No. Not misplaced."
You didn't answer my first question.
"I know."
With all the commotion and fallout, Naruto thought it would be easy for him to slip out of the village unnoticed. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who had this idea.
"Naruto Uzumaki!"
Below him, Danzō Shimura called out. His entourage of his operatives surrounded him.
"I am no mood for games!"
Flipping, Naruto jumped off and landed before the interim Hokage. He kept his distance, Itachi's warning filling his actions.
"What is it?"
"You're leaving the village again, no? Please, tell me I'm wrong because this is a bullshit time to do so!"
Danzō was usually a calm and collected person, hardly showing emotion or stress in the face of adversity. With his frustrations mounting to this point, it just proved how vulnerable he and the village were.
"We've got a chance to save them, sir. It takes time to extract and seal a Bijū. If I leave now, I'll catch them off guard."
Just because Naruto didn't trust Danzō, he wasn't going to disrespect him openly. This wasn't the time or place to be insubordinate.
The irony of him trying to leave on an unauthorized rescue mission was lost on him.
"Boy…you have no idea what you're going up against." Danzō approached the jinchūriki. "And you're out of your god damned mind if you think you can heroically save them."
"I'm not being a hero, sir. I'm doing what's right." Naruto answered. "You probably know, just as much as I do, that the Akatsuki are the biggest threat to our lives. Much more than this war we've been fighting. If we don't act now, there will only two jinchūriki left."
"And the one wants to dive headfirst into enemy territory to save the rest. Strategically, that is the dumbest thing ever."
"They have to be sealed in order. I'm going to be the last one standing. And it took all nine of the Akatsuki to seal the One-Tail in three days. How long do you think it'll take them with even less members? And, I can only imagine that the more tails, the more time it takes."
It was a strong hypothesis. Naruto hoped he was on to something.
"Sir, this is the best chance we've got to put an end to the Akatsuki."
"No. This is your best chance at revenge." Danzō retorted. "Believe me, I was not thrilled with Jiraiya's death. Despite our differences, I held nothing but respect for him. But I'm convinced this isn't fully about saving your little friend. It's about acting on revenge for your fallen master."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Then why'd you send him into enemy territory? It was under your mission's directive that he and Tsunade go after them." The grudge would never go away. "As far as I'm concerned, this is no different. They went to protect me. I'm going to save Fū and protect everyone."
"Then you're a damn fool, Naruto Uzumaki. Absolutely idiotic."
Naruto smirked. "Well, if abandoning my friends is smart, then I'll be a fool for life." He turned to leave. "I made a promise to be back in five days. See ya then."
The jinchūriki vanished from the Warhawk's sight.
One of his operators approached him, standing just behind him.
"Shall we pursue, sir? He's disobeying a direct order."
"Leave him." Danzō quickly subverted his operators. "The consequences of his actions will be far worse than some cat and mouse game. Besides, there's not much of a downside to this."
"Sir, I don't understand."
Danzō was never one to be completely unprepared. Contingency plans were made to handle such issues. While not as specific, anything can be modified.
"You will. Soon, everyone will understand."
Danzō's time had come. Nothing would stop him.
Dark times lay ahead. Darker than anyone had ever known.
-Amegakure-
"Let me go!"
Fū had aggressively struggled against her binds the entire way. There wasn't a moment of silence. She didn't give them the satisfaction of an easy capture.
"Silence jinchūriki." The robotic voice of the Asura Path powered through the pouring rain. He had carried her the entire way, never wavering from her attempts to wiggle free.
"My name is Fū!"
"How dense are you?"
Rōshi's seemingly carefree attitude about his current situation only further cemented his position on this plan. He was ready for extraction. Ready for death.
"Ugh." The girl groaned. "Not this again."
"Why do you continually try to convince these people of who you are? They don't care what your name is. All they want is that beast inside you."
The girl glared at the man. "I really don't think you're in any position to say anything to me. You hunted me down to help these guys."
"Silence!" The Asura Path demanded.
Soon enough, Fū and Rōshi found themselves dangling by glowing purple chains in a dungeon-like area. The other jinchūriki that had already been captured were held alongside them.
"Master Rōshi…" Han called out to his mentor. "If you're here now…then, that means…"
"Yes, Han." Rōshi's calmness oddly soothed his longtime friend. "Our time has finally come."
"You must be jinchūriki if you're in this place." Utakata had regained consciousness a few days ago. The last thing he remembered was battling that Uchiha and his teammate. "They told me that we're all going to have our Bijū extracted."
"Good deduction." Rōshi sarcastically responded.
"Well, is there any way out of here?" Fū questioned.
"If there was, do you think I would still be here?" Utakata retorted. "These chains are chakra enhanced. Probably near impossible to break. And you'll notice soon that they drain chakra. So, even if we somehow manage to break free, we'll be completely wiped out from chakra exhaustion."
Fū huffed. "There has to be something we can do! I'm not gonna let them take Chōmei from me!"
Rōshi chuckled. "I remember being so young. So…naïve." The chuckle disappeared. "It sickens me to see it again."
"Little one." The surprising gentle voice of Han came through. "There is nothing for us to do. These people have captured us for the sole purpose of extracting our Bijū from us. Just give in and allow this horrible cycle to come to an end."
Utakata raised his head up. Despite the constant heavy rain, he no longer felt cold. "What do you mean by cycle? What are you referring to?"
"The jinchūriki cycle. This never-ending story of hatred, abuse, and violation for the sole purpose of war and death. We've been used for decades. It's time for it come to an end."
Utakata processed the elder jinchūriki's words. "So, you want this to happen."
"I actively aided the Akatsuki in bringing us here today." Rōshi glanced at the girl beside him. He could feel the anger behind her glare. "We share the same feeling of jinchūriki linage coming to an end. It needs to."
Utakata continued to think about the cycle. Basing off his own experiences, he was able to agree with the idea in theory.
"The world powers at be will never allow such a thing. As much as I understand your position, the jinchūriki cycle, as you've called it, will continue on because the Great Nations won't allow their deterrents to be taken from them." Utakata still held a grudge against those who crossed him. "Even in isolation, jinchūriki will never be alone."
"That's my point." Rōshi held his head high, rain dripping of his fire red beard. "Bijū and jinchūriki have been the focal point for war and destruction for generations. Countless men, women, and children were used to keep the beasts jailed. Even more so, countless have died trying to take the beasts for their own greed. How can I be the only one thinking of the future?"
"Because these maniacs have a plan, and it can't be good for the world!" Fū's voice echoed through the rain. "If you really wanted to put an end to the jinchūriki cycle, then you wouldn't be giving yourself up to the Akatsuki!"
Rōshi chuckled, shaking his head. "So naïve the young can be. Sometimes, I envy the bliss of ignorance and the hope that comes from it."
"I'm not naïve!"
The hours passed with painful boredom, knowing the eventual outcome. With each passing hour, the dread of death loomed like a crow overhead. They had been left to watch for the impending fate that awaited them.
And soon enough, that fate was standing before them.
"Yonbi." Pain slowly pulled Rōshi down to his level, staring into the man's eyes. "Your time has come."
With a slight wave, the chains disappeared. Rōshi collapsed, his legs were weak, and his arms were numb.
"It's about time."
There was nothing in Rōshi's voice. No emotion. No urgency. Blank noise that came from his mouth.
Rōshi was ready to die. He greeted death like an old friend.
The Asura Path hoisted the jinchūriki onto his shoulders.
Fū could only watch in horror as the man was carried to his welcomed death. The untold nightmare that awaited them all had arrived.
"As for the rest of you, your cooperation will be appreciated. The more you fight, the more damaged you become. We do not wish to harm anyone."
"Then why hunt us?" Utakata snickered. "What's the meaning of all this?"
"Peace. That's been the Akatsuki goal since the beginning. Unfortunately, none of you will be able to experience it."
Pain followed the Asura Path. He left a stagnant feeling of despair and wonderment. How could peace be achieved by capturing beasts?
Domination.
Fū felt as if she was dangling between life and death. A limbo between the reality of her situation and the hope that she would somehow survive this.
"You can be that change, Fū."
Naruto…
Fū had been truly inspired by him. He has become the main driving force for her. Naruto fought so incredibly hard for the ones he cared about. His own demeanor had completely changed since they first met.
Time and time again, Naruto Uzumaki had been there to save Fū from the mud. He said that she was the change. But she was starting to believe that he would be the change. Not her.
Fū was no longer scared. Naruto would come for her.
Change was coming.
-With Naruto-
The rain poured harder than Naruto had ever seen. Each drop left ripples in the water below him, only for the several thousand other droplets to drown out each other.
I suppose it's called the weeping country for a reason.
But that's the curious thing. It only started raining heavily when he approached the ocean. Amegakure was in the center of the mass body of water that was in the middle of the country.
There's just something ominous about this place. That I can feel.
Amegakure was a towering society from a distance. The high-rise buildings were visible from miles out. But as Naruto approached, he could tell the mechanized nature of the buildings. Metal over standard wood of his own home.
"That ominous feeling isn't something to ignore. Quit thinking about the difference in architecture. We're being watched."
Naruto ascended and descended with the rushing waves, his chakra holding him firm to the water.
How do you figure? There's no way they could see him out this far through this heavy rain.
"I know when someone is watching. It's too quiet."
Heeding the warning, Naruto remained vigilant. There was no such thing as being too careful. He made his way towards the towers, moving with the ravishing waves.
His eyes drifted to the top of the buildings, wondering what the field of vision was like up there. Through the skyline, an object rushed through and glided towards him.
Is that a bird?
"Suiton: Suikōdan no Jutsu!" (Water Style: Shark Bomb Jutsu)
The water erupted in a massive explosion from below, propelling the young jinchūriki into the air. Naruto was able to angle his body just into for the that bird to pierce him with it's beak.
"Art is an explosion, Nine-Tails!"
Deidara leapt off the bird, igniting the clay bird for a beautiful eruption. The young Akatsuki member held against the surface tension of the raging water, admiring the beauty of the explosion.
"Don't get a hard on from that." Kisame rose from the waters below. "While I'm not one to judge, your attraction to explosions is rather odd."
Deidara shook his head. "Beautiful is in the eye of the beholder." The smoke was quickly wiped away from the heavy rain, which disappointed him. "I hate the rain. It ruins the aesthetic."
Kisame still couldn't believe they were last standing members of the Akatsuki, outside of their leader. He was convinced Deidara was doomed for an early grave because he thought Deidara would get caught in his art.
Personal feelings aside, they had work to do.
"This kid is no joke. There was a reason Kakuzu lost to him."
"Ahhh. So that was Naruto Uzumaki." Deidara chuckled. "He was easy. Hm."
"Don't underestimate him. He's a master in the Shadow Clone technique. Never assume he's dead until his head has been severed from his body."
"Nahhh. You worry too much, shark breath."
Deidara reached into his hip pouches, using the mouths of his palms to mold the clay into the shape he needed.
"These babies will snuff him out!"
Two massive clay dragons appeared from Deidara's hands.
"Jumping to C2 right from the start, eh? At least, you're taking this seriously."
"I'm just eager to get this over with!"
The two flight-capable dragons took to the skies, scanning the ground below for any possible signs of their target. The raging waters made peering below the surface practically impossible. But Kisame had the waters covered.
Looking down, a lone kunai knife roughly drifted against Deidara's foot.
Kisame instantly realized what was about to happen.
"Shit!"
Samehada was drawn to thwart the coming attack, but it wasn't quick enough.
Naruto transformed from the kunai, latching onto Deidara with unbeatable strength before Kisame could bring the hammer down.
"Hey! Let go of me!"
"Bushin Daibakuha!" (Shadow Clone Explosion)
The clone detonated, ripping through the water. Kisame was able to escape by diving into the water. But Deidara took the full explosion, losing his entire left arm and burning over half his body.
Before he could even try to process the pain, Deidara was pulled underneath the surface to the water. There was nothing. No enemies. No currents. Just below the raging surface was a calm body.
But it didn't remain calm.
Reacting quickly, Deidara threw our dozens of clay spiders. They prematurely exploded but still put a halt to Naruto's attack.
They weren't supposed to explode that quickly! What gives?!
Kisame swam in with Samehada ready to strike. He slammed his sword into the belly of the jinchūriki, resulting in the clone's death.
Shit! Where's the real one?!
Deidara was swimming to the surface as fast as he could for air. His low stamina getting the best of him.
There was a sudden surge through the right side of his body. Deidara had lost feeling in his right arm, much like his left.
Naruto had sliced it off. A clean cut.
Deidara was now surrounded by his blood floating around him. Adrenaline kicked in; all his strength funneled into his legs to propel him to the surface for air.
The raging waters had calmed. The heavy rain turned into a slow drizzle. Kisame pulled his partner out of the water like a newborn fish, flopping and gasping.
"Wow…he fucked you up."
"Shut it, shark fucker!" Deidara struggled through the pain. "My explosive clay…they detonated early. Why did that happen?"
Leaping out of the water, Naruto held his sword at the ready.
"You! What did you do?! How'd my clay explode prematurely?!"
Naruto smirked. "Saturation. Get clay wet enough, I'll mess with the properties of it. Explosive chakra clay, I believed, would be no different."
"Then why'd you cut off my fucking arms?!"
"Added measure. If I was wrong about your clay, taking your arms out of the equation was the obvious solution."
Kisame couldn't help but laugh. It was a solid plan. He approved. "You've certainly grown up. I remember when I first encountered you. You were nothing but a little brat with no idea what he could do. Now? You've become a worthy opponent."
Samehada's scales burst through the tightly wrapped gaze, trembling with excitement.
"Even Samehada agrees. This…is going to be one for the ages!"
Tojin and Samehada clashed against one another. Two living entities bound into weapons. Power barely contained.
"You've become the shinobi I knew you could."
"You have no idea."
"Overconfidence is the biggest downfall of a shinobi."
"It's not overconfidence." Naruto's eyes changed. Senjutsu had entered his system. "I know how I'm going to win."
Objects shot from just below the surface of the water. Clones by the hundreds threw each other high into the air, gathering chakra in their palms.
Kisame could hardly believe it.
"Fuck me…"
The Swordsman of the Mist cut off his chakra and immediately slipped into the water below. He sunk deeper into the depths to avoid the ripples from the explosions that were free falling towards the surface.
Kisame couldn't help but smile wickedly.
I knew he'd become strong.
But Kisame couldn't foresee what was coming next.
Hundreds and hundreds of more clones were waiting in the same depths, primed with swirling chakra orbs in their palms.
There was no avenue of escape. Kisame had been sandwiched in from all sides.
Oh, he's good.
Kisame had no choice but to resort to his failsafe. Samehada began to fuse into his body, morphing into a more shark-like appearance.
All abilities were enhanced greatly. Kisame's swim speed, raw strength, and overall power had increased.
Attacking like a shark, Kisame ripped through dozens of clones in mere seconds. Leaving only clones of smoke to be immediately saturated with water.
There! The real one!
With teeth like a great white, Kisame sunk into Naruto and wouldn't let go. Breaking through the surface tension of the water, Kisame ripped off and pulled Naruto's arm with it.
"AHHHH!"
Red blood disappeared into large blue water.
Kisame spit out the arm with vicious ferocity. "An arm for an arm."
He held the wincing boy up, making him dangle.
"Why am I shocked you can transform into a shark?"
The armless Deidara approached.
"And you're welcome. I used my C2 dragons to blow those clones to hell. Saved your ass from being minced shark meat. Hm."
"I merged with Samehada. This isn't natural, even for me." The sword slowly detached from Kisame and morphed back into its original form. "Let's go. Pain's waiting for us to bring him in."
"…Hold on…"
The large Akatsuki member pulled the boy higher, holding him face to face. "Somethin' to say?"
"…An arm for an arm…"
The clone exploded in a 'poof'. Simultaneously, the real Naruto came jumping out of the water below, his sword slicing clear through the arm of the shark man.
The Akatsuki reeled in defeat as the real Naruto gracefully defied them, sword dripping their blood.
Despite all this, Kisame couldn't stop smiling.
"You're brutal kid…just brutal."
"I don't have time to waste on you guys. Where is she?"
"Ah yes. The girl." The shark chuckled. "You may have put us on the ropes, but you'll never get to her. Not while Pain is here."
His grip tightened around the sword's hilt. Naruto wasn't just here to save Fū, but to avenge his fallen master as well.
"Right now, the first one should have been finished. That stupid dolphin-horse hybrid is next." Deidara hated the look of that one. He was glad to see it go.
Rōshi…
Son Gokū…
There was still time. But there wasn't room for mistakes.
Two down. There's still three left.
"Deidara…Kisame…"
A woman carried by angelic paper wings glided overhead. Konan graced her landing with simple movements.
"I expected more from you both."
"Hey! We tried our best!"
"It wasn't enough, obviously." Konan would face their opponent herself. "Return to your chambers. Pods will be brought for your recovery and limb reattachment."
Kisame was in no mood to argue. This had been the first lost he suffered since his bout with Itachi many years ago. He needed to reflect and learn from his mistakes of his battle.
"Fine."
"Hm."
With their tails between them, the two Akatsuki retreated.
Naruto noted the paper-like appearance of Konan's body. "You must be a new member. I don't know anything about you."
"You've become a great threat, Naruto Uzumaki. One we no longer can delay capturing."
Naruto twirled around his sword elegantly, showcasing his skills. "What's the end goal here? Why does the Akatsuki want to capture all nine Tailed Beasts?"
As the paper began to slowly rip off her face, Konan couldn't help but notice the similarities between not only their shared master but her fallen teammate. Personality traits and mannerisms. It was like she was momentarily stepping back in time.
"The Akatsuki's goal has always been to achieve peace. That's all that's ever been for us."
"What kind of peace can be achieved with them? Dictation? That's no peace."
"War is the byproduct of greed and the goodwill intentions of protecting those who and what we love. The end result is a hatred that results in the cycle being started once more."
Cycle…
"I've heard that word a lot lately. A cycle this…a cycle that. It seems that's how people see the world we live in. An endless cycle."
Naruto brandished Tojin for a second battle.
"All I want, right now, is to save my friend. And if you stand in my way…you'll leave me no choice."
Angel wings sprung from her back. Konan was ready for a fight.
"You aren't the only one fighting for something important."
As the two sides prepared themselves for the incoming clash, a hooded individual landed between them.
The wings lowered. "You…"
"Enough Konan, let this one take him." The hooded man faced the intruder. "The others will be here shortly. Safeguard the remaining assets. We don't need any more setbacks."
The wings sprung again, ready for flight. "As you wish."
Konan flew high into the air, using the ocean gusts to propel her higher. That way, it would make her reentry into the tower easier.
Naruto held his stance. "You must be their leader…Pain."
"We are all Pain. Pain isn't a living entity or a single person. Pain is something we all experience. And all shall come to...know pain."
"To accept pain." Another body rose from the water.
"To feel pain." A third body descended down upon a winged creature.
A total of seven bodies appeared around Naruto, surrounding him like a pack of wolves.
"Pain is inevitable."
"Capture is inevitable."
"This world will not only know pain…but peace as well."
"Everything is learned through pain."
Surrounded and outnumbered, Naruto figured the best option wasn't to wait for them. This was the guy that killed his master and nearly killed his godmother. Surrender wasn't an option.
A second sword manifested into Naruto's free hand.
There were no words uttered. The silence of the looming battle hovered like a butterfly drifting through a breezy field.
Naruto dashed to his left, engaging the one closest to him.
The first thing you need to know is that the vision between them is linked. They see what each other sees. Makes it almost impossible to sneak up on them. Your best bet is to either separate them into one-on-one fights or overwhelm them with numbers.
Tojin was met with the serrated, vibrating blade from the Asura Path's waist. Sparks flew wildly as the blades continued to bounce against one another.
"Tajū Kage Bushin no Jutsu!"
Dozens of clones burst into existence, charging at all opponents.
Diversions. That'll be key. That's one thing I wish we could've done better. But no one has the chakra levels you do. Shadow clones will aid more than ever in this fight.
It was a ten to one ratio.
And Naruto liked those odds.
But his plan was cut short by a strong, unrelenting push that destroyed all his clones and sent him flying back across the water, skipping like flat rock.
What…the hell was that?
The seven bodies stood together, unwaveringly watching their prey.
Another thing to note is each one of these Paths of Pain have their own ability. One can summon all kinds of different creatures. Another is mechanical in nature and extremely durable. One can absorb all ninjutsu based attacks. Figuring out each one's abilities is just as important as separating them into single battles. And just as difficult.
As much as he didn't want to go all out right from the start, he deemed himself without the choice. Naruto signed for his clone, the second and final one, to dispel and all that senjutsu to transfer.
Man, that surge is one hell of a feeling.
That sensation of power thrilled Naruto's senses into overdrive, able to sense the slightest movement or signature from miles away. But staring at his opponents, something was glaringly obvious.
There's something radiating around them. It almost looks foreign.
"Pesky senjutsu." Pain outstretched his hand. "I'm in no mood to dance with such abilities."
A strong force overcame Naruto and he was suddenly thrusted towards the group of Akatsuki.
I'm being pulled?! What is this?!
"Fūton: Reppūshō!" (Wind Style: Gale Palm)
Attempting to break away from this almighty pull, Naruto fired off powerful gusts of wind. The Paths of Pain dispersed in different directions.
Naruto engaged in singles combat, trying to deduce which ones had certain abilities.
High above, two of the paths, Animal and Human, had taken flight on a long beaked bird.
That must be the summoner. The other must be an important piece if they're being protected like that.
The Asura Path pulled off its forearm, exposing the dozens of missiles that were ready for launch.
Mechanical in nature? That one is what Baa-Chan was talking about. Durable.
Explosions erupted as Naruto dipped and dodged through them, carefully avoiding the fireballs.
A Rasengan appeared in his hand, ready to strike down the nearest one. Aiming for the stomach, his technique smacked against an invisible barrier that quickly sucked every ounce of chakra from his hand.
This is the one that can absorb ninjutsu. Perfect.
"Shinra Tensei!" (Almighty Push)
Another repulsive force launched Naruto across the water, effectively skipping him like a rock once more.
Pull and push? Unreal.
Naruto had figured out four of the seven abilities that these Paths of Pain held. It was no surprise that Orochimaru's book said nothing about their powers. Meeting these guys in battle would certainly result in defeat. Orochimaru was tough, but even he would be outclassed by them.
Pervy Sage and Baa-Chan couldn't beat these guys together. I doubt Orochimaru could've by himself. Maybe even all three together couldn't have.
"You've been quite the surprise, Naruto Uzumaki." Pain spoke through the Deva Path. "You've been taught well by our master."
The way his brain froze caused Naruto to shutter. "Our master?!"
"I was once a disciple of Jiraiya as well. You and I, trained by the same person. We should be able to understand each other in ways that others can't."
Fury raged through Naruto's voice. "You want me to understand this?!" Rage funneled his chakra, forming into a powerful force. "Don't make me laugh, you rotten bastard!"
Pain couldn't help be impressed by the forming technique. Strong winds pulled the falling rain into a swirling vortex of a screeching siren. The all mighty Rasenshuriken.
"This isn't peace! This ain't nothin' like you say!" Rage fueled into the shuriken, increasing the size and color. A blood red. "My master wanted peace through understanding! Not domination!"
"You can't see the forest for the trees. You can't underestimate what it takes for peace to be achieved. Just come quietly. Your death…will lead to peace."
"FUCK OFF, YOU MURDERING PYSCHO!"
With the fury of his beast aiding his attack, Naruto threw his technique harder than ever before. To the naked eye, it was a blur.
But to the Rinnegan, the path was clear.
The Deva Path readied his counter, an almighty strike.
But then, the trajectory changed instantly. Completely avoiding them, the Rasenshuriken flew high and chased the winged beast in the sky.
He can control the shuriken's direction?!
The speed and velocity were too much for the bird to outrun. The Animal Path summoned the three headed dog to absorb the initial explosion.
Expand!
The Rasenshuriken expanded in size tenfold, slicing through the dog and the two bodies behind it. The resulting explosion completely ripped through and utterly vaporized the two.
I hope that those two were essential pieces. Five to go, now.
Pain watched the two torn bodies fall into the water, drifting into the darkness below. He noted the location and would send for them later. The Naraka Path would fully revive them.
If this drags on any longer, the remaining three might try and revolt. That will be a problem.
"Sensei…" Pain stood side by side with the seventh body. "Let's see how your abilities transferred."
The hooded body approached their target.
Naruto remained vigilant, ready to react.
As the two engaged in hand-to-hand combat, Naruto quickly realized that their fighting styles were extremely similar. He recognized patterns and movements because they resembled his own.
"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu!"
Fire style?
"Katon: Endan!" (Fire Style: Flame Bomb)
I'm getting a really bad feeling.
The clashing flame ball extinguished each other, leaving only smoke to cover the area. Hiding within, Naruto couldn't shake the horrifying idea in his head.
God, I really hope I'm wrong.
The smoke to be swirl, drawing towards a singular point. A familiar glowing blue orb appeared through the light smoke.
No…
Naruto's own blue orb appeared and smashed against the enemy's. The same technique clashed, resulting in a huge backlash of force. Both users were thrown back from the sudden pressure.
Naruto's sleeve had been damaged, leaving his hand burned from the Rasengan's unrelenting power.
The seventh body faired similarly, revealing the face hidden under the hood.
Naruto's knees buckled. He couldn't believe it. "…Master…"
Jiraiya's body stood before. His face was filled with smaller black rods, his eyes had been replaced with that of the Rinnegan.
This was no longer Naruto's master, but a puppet used for horrific acts.
"Jiraiya is no more…only Pain remains."
The Asura Path quickly appeared behind Naruto and subdued him. There was no escaping the mechanical grip of the Asura Path.
Naruto couldn't muster the strength to fight back. He couldn't knowingly fight against his master. His father.
With the resolve broken, Pain had succeeded in where many had failed before. Peace was all but within grasp.
The Nine-Tails was captured. Only one remained.