KG: Well, there really isn't much left to say. Here is my present to you! Right on Christmas, of all things! WOOOOOO!
Music of the Week: Unity by Soundcritters.
Quote: "It is amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares who gets the credit," by Harry Truman.
Quote(2): "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools," by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Naruto fell to his knees, screaming in utter agony as the veins in his body pulsed with dark purple fire. Amid the great void, he shouted out with none able to relieve him of his suffering. The pain was severe, even more severe than anything he'd ever felt before. It felt like every piece of his body was burning from the inside out, pulling itself in different directions.
Naruto might have sworn that even his spirit was being burned away. He fell to the ground, clawing at the void around him. He struggled to try and get himself to his feet, to continue persevering, to continue to deal with the pain, yet it was hard. It was so hard!
Finally, the pain was alleviated when the Shinigami separated his divine spirit from that of his summoner. Naruto released a heavy breath, rolling over on his back while tightly closing his eyes.
"You shall not last long if this is all you're capable of," The Shinigami said, staring down at the writhing blond. While the sight was rather amusing, it was also quite sad. Then again, perhaps this was something the God of Death should have expected. It wasn't like too many mortals, whether human or otherwise, had the opportunity to perform such a feat as this.
"A-And how long was that?" Naruto asked.
"Knowing would only make you frustrated. As I have warned you, this is a very dangerous power. Not even you would be exempt from its consequences. You are focusing too much on the pain and not on the reasons that you require the power. Remember what I have shown you. Do not fear being overwhelmed. I shall see you through it," The Shinigami said.
Naruto slowly rolled over until he was on his stomach. He didn't even have to see the blood to know that his face was bleeding. "I'm trying to remember. It just… it just hurts! It always hurts!" the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki exclaimed.
The Shinigami looked upon his summoner, his eyes narrowing. "I believe there is a saying upon your world. If it should be easy, then it shouldn't be worth doing. I charge you, Uzumaki Naruto, to stand up. If you don't, then I shall be forced to seek out your mother and she shall endure even greater pain. I have not afforded her my blessing as my summoner. I have granted that to you. Our merger shall be four, if not five times more painful for her than for you. Once she fails, I shall move on to the Uzumaki Sisters. Shall you wish them to feel this pain as well?" The Shinigami inquired.
Growling, Naruto forced himself to stand up. Even when he was up, his knees buckled and he fell back down. Nevertheless, he did what Uzumaki Naruto did best. He gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and shakingly stood back up. He remembered the suffering they'd all endured, and he caught glimpses of what his mother and Yuri were enduring in the frozen realm.
The pain was intense, but it was always intense. It was always nigh suffocating, nigh overwhelming, and nigh spirit-crushing.
First, it had been the insults, jeers, sneers, and murmurs. Second, it had been the loneliness. Third, it was the isolation. Fourth, it was the training. Yet, Naruto persisted. He always persisted. He never stopped persisting. Even when others called him stupid, a failure, or told him to quit, or give up, he would always rise to the occasion.
Uzumaki Naruto made the impossible possible!
Standing up, Naruto huffed. "That's really mean, you know. Using Kaa-chan, Yuri-chan, and Yura-chan to make me quit complaining. You know damn well I'm not gonna let them go through this. I… I'm gonna be their husband one day. If a wife can't rely on her husband, then who is she supposed to rely on? A-Alright, let's do it again!" Naruto said.
Amused, the Shinigami nodded. "Very well. However, I shall cease should your spirit burn out too quickly. Remember, your spirit and mine were never meant to come together. Once you have battled Jashin enough, this shall be the way in which you close the battle. Once you summon me…
-x-
"...fight as if you shall not return to them! Fight as if… you shall never see them again!" The Shinigami said as Naruto slammed his fist into Jashin's face.
The God of Slaughter staggered back. His legs shook like a pile of cold snow had been dropped on him. When he looked up, the cloaked Uzumaki Patriarch was already in front of him. Pulling his fist back, Naruto fired it forward. Jashin raised his arm and blocked the blow, the ground snapping in two from the impact.
While the Kyuubi, Madara, and Kagura battled with the Gedo Mazo and the other bijuu, Naruto and Jashin weaved back and forth in a violent assault that forced even stars to fall from the heavens themselves.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki buried his fist in Jashin's stomach, firing the Slaughter God into the air. Sucking his legs, Naruto launched after him. Grabbing the god, Naruto assaulted his face with more blows. Each of his fists flew faster than the other. Jashin scowled, disorientating Naruto with an elbow to the jaw. He followed through with grabbing the blond's head and slamming it into his knee.
He then grabbed Naruto's shoulders, driving them down toward the earth. Through the clouds, through the air, they crashed into the ground, and through the various rock settlements therein. Naruto looked at the God of Slaughter, his body stuck within the rubble. Yet, his face was calm. The pain was immense, yet he dared not show it. He dared not show the pain from this continued erasure of his very soul for this amazing power.
And that was something Jashin couldn't stand. The God fired a fist, yet it flew into Naruto's palm. The Summoner of the Shinigami breathed through his nostrils and blew the same air out of Jashin's lungs when his other fist crashed into the side of the god's face.
Even within the recesses of a deep cave, the trading of blows pushed pockets of air into the floor and ceiling. Leg blocked leg, and arm danced with another arm. Jashin fired a punch that blasted past Naruto's face and into the rock wall behind him. That punch alone was enough to make the entire cavern tremble before Naruto followed through with an even faster blow.
Jashin knew not what to say. He staggered back when Naruto's fist collided with his face. Believe him, he tried to persevere, yet it had been eons since he'd felt pain such as this. He couldn't help but reel when Naruto grabbed his shoulders and blasted the both of them through the cavern and back into the horrid, tainted air outside.
"Do it, Kurama!" Naruto hollered, wrestling with the God of Slaughter.
Jashin turned his head and noticed the Kyuubi open his mouth. Around his two Susanoo-armored heads, two orbs appeared. The swords formed by Madara and empowered by Kagura burned with the flames of the Amaterasu. The Kyuubi blasted the full force of a bijuudama toward them both.
Jashin tried to move. He bashed Naruto's face over and over, cursing the blond's name as they were both overcome by harsh, white light.
"T-These attacks. It's not a coincidence. My authority is dying. Piece by piece, blow by blow, it's getting harder to control the Realm of Slaughter. Brother, why would you help him?! What do you see in this mongrel of a mortal that you would risk such a wrath?!" Jashin inquired, feeling the blast from the Kyuubi cursing his both with even more seals of the Shinigami. Every second, every burn, every mark slowly stripped Jashin more and more of what had been his territory for billions of years, if not more so.
As the two fell out of the blast, Naruto and Jashin noticed the Rokubi flying towards them. The slug beast wailed through the air. The two warriors pushed away from each other. Landing on the Bijuu's body, they ran over it as the tailed beast fell, crashing into the ruins of what was once Kirigakure.
Landing on the ground, Jashin panted and so did Naruto.
"Kekekekeke… Hahahahahahahahaha! So this is your answer, Uzumaki Naruto? A gamble where we both bet our ruin? Very well, then let's see where my sisters, The Fates, shall send us. I take it back! You're the most amusing mortal I've ever battled. Take honor that you have made a god feel fear, and that fear excites me to no end. Never had I imagined that I might be slaughtered. Come and… GUAUGH!"
Jashin's monologue had been brought to an end when his head was turned to the side courtesy of Naruto's hand. The blond slammed the god into the ground and crashed his fist into his back. In pain, Jashin snarled as the ground imploded.
Slamming his hand on the ground, Jashin summoned countless black spires. Each of them seemed ready to tear through Naruto's body. Thankfully, Naruto had a handle on what to expect. Eons of the Shinigami's knowledge flowed into his brain, enabling him to understand Jashin's tendencies. For a supposed god of Slaughter, Jashin was one of the laziest gods in Kami's realm. He wasn't like his brother, Raijin, or his sister, Amaterasu. The Shinigami had more than enough time to see how his brother fought from his numerous conquests.
Naruto jumped away, backflipping as spires broke through the ground, barely grazing strands of his glowing silver hair. When he landed, he waved his arm. Immediately, Tobirama, Suiren, Kimimaro, and Yahiko were launched out.
Flying through the air and weaving through the spires, Tobirama slammed his hands together.
"Suiton: Kyomu no Suijin (Water Release: Nihility of the Water God)!" Tobirama, Yahiko, and Suiren exclaimed blasting a roaring ocean from their mouths.
Meanwhile, Kimimaro unleashed a flurry of bone bullets from his fingers. The shower exploded into the water, crashing into Jashin's body while the god summoned a shield of black malice. The clattering sounds of dinted metal over the ocean became apparent.
Jashin marveled at their force, noting the way they shoved him back over the face of the white ocean. Though he loathed to admit it, Naruto had a very talented group of soldiers dedicated to him.
Having had enough, Jashin swung his arm. A wave of energy from the Realm of Slaughter flew through the air, blasting through the bone bullets with ease. Kimimaro quickly flew away while the other spirits sped through numerous handsigns.
Above Jashin's head, he noticed Naruto floating in the air with his palm toward the sky. Immediately realizing what was happening, Jashin tried to move. He jumped up, yet tendrils from the sea bound him and cursed him. Each rope-like piece continued to drain his authority while he struggled to muster up the strength to free himself.
Though the bonds could only hold him for two seconds, that was all Naruto needed. Jashin seethed with anger as a large door appeared. When it opened, a tower of spiritual fire rained down into the pure white ocean. Flames and water mixed, almost like it was choreographed by Naruto's hands, a regular maelstrom of vengeful tides, violent storms, and furious fires.
The resulting explosion thundered the earth, releasing ripples into every corner of its planetary shape.
Far off, Jashin crashed into the side of a mountain and fell. Meanwhile, Naruto landed on the ground a few feet from him. The Summoner of the Shinigami continued to glare at his adversary. The God of Slaughter couldn't help grimacing from the excruciating pain. When he looked at his body, he was covered in the vile embrace of his brother's might, a power that superseded even his own.
"Hehehehe, look at you. A mortal challenging a god. Who would have thought this was what you'd become?" Jashin inquired.
As for Naruto, he looked at Jashin. He looked at his bleeding foe. He long had he been punching the god of Slaughter, firing off technique after technique trying to strip away the authority that granted him his godhood. Truth be told, Naruto lost count. Everything seemed to hurt and he could have sworn that had it not been for Shin and Kurama, he would have died over a thousand times by now. In fact…
"Naruto-sama? Naruto-sama! Wake up! You must continue! Don't stop now!"
One by one, voices seemed to pierce through the empty vale in his mind. Yet, he couldn't really remember what he'd been doing just now.
"Uzumaki Naruto, you must focus!"
Focus? Focus on what? A man was laying there a few feet away. He seemed really hurt. For some reason, Naruto knew he hated that man. He never thought he could hate someone so much as that man in front of him. However, he didn't remember the man's name. He thought he was supposed to be fighting him, yet he didn't really remember what for. It was for something important right?
Yeah, it was definitely something important. Naruto… had t-to…
The Summoner of the Shinigami took a step forward, and that step was all it took for his sense of balance to collapse. His right leg buckled and Naruto fell to the ground. His chest burned and a violent cough forced itself through his lips. Through the blurry haze clouding his vision, he noticed that he spat blood on the ground.
"Hehehehehe, seems you weren't as prepared as you thought you were, Uzumaki Naruto. Does it hurt? Having your very soul burned away merging with a god?" Jashin asked.
Naruto panted, trying to catch his breath. A group of voices called out to him, each of them more frantic than the others. Unfortunately, before he could identify them, he doubled over in pain as a fist buried itself in his stomach. Before he could drop to the ground, his face was grabbed, the back of his head slamming into the ground. Through the eyes of his mask, between two fingers, he saw the large grin on the stranger's face.
It hurt. His grip hurt worse than anything Naruto remembered. It hurt worse than even… even…
Wait, where was he going with that thought? He remembered a time like this, or at least he thought he did. Someone named Sas… Gaa… Ne… no, who was it? Who?
"Losing yourself?" Jashin inquired, breaking apart Naruto's thoughts. He looked toward the God of Slaughter, watching as the seals of the Shinigami slowly withdrew from his body.
"Don't look so confused. It's not your fault. After all, no matter how a lion bellows, no matter how a wolf howls, no matter how fast the cheetah sprints, though some call them kings, queens, and princes, they are still sacks of meat and bone. In the grand scheme of things, your soul is no different from anyone else's. Isn't that right, Shinigami?" Jashin taunted, his grip cracking Naruto's mask.
Naruto gritted his teeth, something within him forcing him to keep his mouth shut lest he scream in agony as he felt the bones in his skull crackle like a rock in Tsu… Tsuna… that person's hands!
Air and blood were blown out of Naruto's mouth as Jashin punched him in the stomach, the ground rupturing beneath him. The god then lifted the summoner of the Shinigami into the air.
"It's different in reality, isn't it? The weight of the world and the power to lift it. It takes more than such a short amount of time to comprehend the full power of a god's realm, especially in not losing yourself to it as well. Such intensity, so many techniques, too many distractions. It's not like training is it? Luckily for you, I'm something of a teacher myself. Here is your first lesson: I am a god. You are a mortal. Learn. Your. Place!" Jashin claimed.
Naruto didn't remember much after that. He could have sworn that he'd gone unconscious for a second or two. He knew he was in pain. He was in a lot of pain. He was also… in the middle of the air. Everything was spinning this way and that, various explosions from the other battles rolled through his eardrums.
Naruto's head then whipped to the side when he was punched. He barely saw Jashin in front of him, the god laughed as he threw blow after blow, each of them landing with ruthless efficiency into the body of the Uzumaki Patriarch.
"Brat, what the hell are you doing?! Get your act together!" Kurama hollered. He, Madara, and Kagura saw that the Bijuu and the Gedo Mazo had been growing in power. The armored fox blocked a full body from the Yonbi while the Nanabi created violent tornadoes that would make the Elemental Nations seem like they reached the very end of the world.
Kurama could barely turn his attention away from the battle. Even from some far away, he heard the shockwaves resulting from the battle on the other side of the world. It worried him. It worried him greatly.
It also worried Kagura but for separate reasons. She would not allow herself to be bested right now, especially not with the statue of her sister's body so very close in front of her. She would most definitely not lose to that thing.
"I have had enough. Fox Creature, I shall handle these other beasts. Go help the boy," Kagura said.
Kurama scowled, swinging the swords of Madara's Susanoo through the air. They clashed with the Ichibi's body, knocking the tanuki over a myriad of large mountains. Extending his hand, Kurama fired over a hundred blasts of the bijuudama, tearing the lands that had once been Iwagkaure.
"Oh? And how are you gonna do that?" Wolf inquired with Kurama letting the insult pass as there were graver concerns to consider.
Kagura didn't respond. Instead, she put her hands together.
"Dai Chokurei: Otsutsuki Ishi: Chiyo no Rin'netenshō (Great Edict: Will of the Otsutsuki: A Thousand Generations of Reincarnation)," Kagura said. She flew out of the Susanoo-armored, Kurama avatar and raised her hands into the air.
One by one, the bijuu were forcefully suppressed and pulled into the air along with the Gedo Mazo. Though they all squirmed, black orbs encircled them like miniature moons surrounding a planet.
Kagura raised them all high above the clouds. Black lightning, purple lightning, red lightning, and so many other different colors of the realm of thunder struck the orbs over and over.
"I shall keep them here. They will not escape. Now leave," Kagura ordered.
Though Kurama frowned, he couldn't help marveling at what he'd seen. So this was an Otsutsuki, just one of them could suppress six of his siblings with one technique, as well as the body of the Juubi. While he was under no illusions that this wasn't hard to maintain, Kagura's expression of indifference made the fox wonder just what else she might be capable of.
The same could be said of Madara. Not even he'd be capable of such a feat, at least not if he was alive. While it was a rather humbling experience, it was also an exciting one. That there might be stronger opponents out there beyond even the Elemental Nations was an interesting prospect, one that he'd have to explore later.
For right now, Madara, the Kindred, and Kurama dissolved the Kyuubi-Susanoo avatar and returned to Naruto's body.
"What the hell is happening?!" Kurama asked, shuddering when he saw Naruto lying on the ground. He panted and his face was bruised beyond belief. It took all the Kyuubi's concentration to even begin healing his injuries. Broken ribs in one area, a fractured skull in the other, swollen eyes, busted lips, broken arms and legs, how he was living was a damn miracle.
All eyes turned toward the Shinigami. However, the God of Death provided no answers. He merely looked on with a hardened gaze.
"Someone say something!" Kurama roared, shaking the mindscape with his formidable power.
"Naruto-sama's soul is unwinding under the rising power of the Shinigami. He just can't handle it with all of this fighting. He's also tired. We've all been fighting for two days straight. The Shinigami can't exert more power because it would only hasten Naruto-sama's death, a death with no chance of an afterlife," Suiren explained.
Kurama snarled as Jashin dived down through the sky, his body descending in a fiery blaze of glory before he crashed into Naruto's body. Everyone turned away as Naruto was buried deep in the ground, a massive crater of a hole his only view into the outside.
"We've all tried talking to him, but it's like he's not hearing any of us," Dan replied, gritting his teeth.
The white-furred fox clashed his sharp teeth together. "Did you know this was going to happen?" Kurama asked.
Though he didn't look at the Shinigami, everyone present knew that this was who the fox was addressing. The God of Death looked at his bruised and battered summoner. He watched as Jashin stabbed a spear right through the seal on Naruto's right hand. He watched his brother torment his summoner.
The Shinigami didn't bother answering. His indifferent expression angered the Kyuubi greater than anything he'd felt before. He was angrier than when he was wielded by Madara. He was angrier than when he was wielded by Obito. He was angrier than when all the humans attacked him repeatedly in fear of his might.
"Shinigami-sama, what must I do to help him?"
Amidst all the indecision and the angst, all eyes turned and looked at Pakura. Surprisingly, she hardly looked worried. She looked resolute, resigned to the Shinigami's realm itself.
The God of Death looked upon her. She looked back unflinchingly.
"It will be very painful for you," he said.
Pakura nodded. "If that's what it takes," she said, staring back at her summoner.
Meanwhile, Naruto's nails clawed into the dirt. He struggled, everything blurry beyond recognition. Voices kept calling out to him, but against the numbing ring of his own heart and breath, they might as well have just been loud puffs of wind.
"Why? What did I do to deserve this? Why am I going through this? Why does everything hurt?" The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki inquired, the burning of his soul continuing to burn away the very essence of what… or rather who Uzumaki Naruto was.
Finding a reprieve of sorts, Naruto fell off an underground cliff and crashed into a puddle of murky water. He clenched his fists. "Why do I even have this sword? It's so heavy, and yet I can't let go of it. I don't want to fight anymore. I just wanna go home," he said, rolling on his back and closed his busted eyes. After a second, he opened them again.
Horror filled his body when he saw Jashin standing in front of him. The God of Slaughter looked annoyed. No, he looked furious. His eyes glanced at the sword in Naruto's hand. While Jashin enjoyed pummeling the resistance out of the last hope of the Elemental Nations, he recognized that somewhere in this young man's fleeting soul, the will to not give up, to not stop fighting, to never back down still burned within him.
It was enough to make a god wretch.
"Do not leave us yet, Uzumaki Naruto. I have not permitted you to die yet. Only when I drag the corpses of your people and your family through the rotten ground shall I allow you to follow after them. Imagine what joy it shall be when they find you defeated and kneeling before me. That is a sight I want to see more than anything else."
With that, Naruto saw Jashin's fist come down.
The next time Naruto was aware of himself he was back outside, staring at the rotten sky. What… was he supposed to do?
"Naruto-sama? Naruto-sama, it's alright. Don't focus on anything else. Just close your eyes. Close your eyes and listen to the sound of my voice,"
It seemed so strange. He was sure he remembered this voice. He wasn't exactly sure where he'd heard it, but it resonated with him. It was like water in the middle of an arid desert.
"Who are you?" Naruto asked. Jashin quickly appeared in front of him.
"Talking to yourself, Uzumaki Naruto? That's rather unbecoming," Jashin said, lifting his foot. He then slammed it down on Naruto's face, burying him deep into the ground. Yet, strangely enough, Naruto didn't feel the blow. Oh sure, his body was racked with pain and he felt like his very body was being torn in ten different pieces, but he found himself focusing on the woman's voice.
"I'm… I can help you. I know it hurts, and I know you don't want to fight, but you have no idea how many lives depend on you. Some people need you. Listen to me, your soul is fading away because of your merger with Shinigami-sama. I… I'm going to repair your soul, but it won't work if you're not in sync with me. I know I'm asking a lot, but I swear it's necessary," Pakura said.
Naruto blinked. People were counting on him? Who would count on someone like him? Even more than that, why should he help them? He never got help. He never got respect. He never got attention. Maybe someone else should deal with this instead of him?
Unaware that Pakura heard his thoughts, he barely found the time to turn his head from being impaled by Jashin's spear. Of course, that didn't stop him from landing in the ruined lands of Sunagakure. His face bloodied, his robe torn, Naruto leaned up.
"Naruto, you once wanted to be the Hokage. You, more than anyone, knew how impossible that dream was, how staggering the odds were against you. You knew how many times people tried to deter you from that path. You know why they did? Because they knew they couldn't do it. They knew they didn't have what it took. You did. No, you do. You're not one to shove work onto someone else. That just isn't you. When you see a problem, you punch it until it's gone. While others complain, you confront. You aren't like everyone else. In fact, you are even better than the Kage. I ask you, just one more time! Be different!" Pakura pleaded.
Naruto's lungs burned as he listened. Her words sounded so strange. She sounded like she was talking to a hero on a novel. Sometimes, heroes just didn't win in stories, and yet… he didn't want to be that type of person. Hero or not, he stopped caring about that. He just… wanted to win!
"A-Alright. Do your think. I trust you," Naruto said.
He didn't receive a reply. Instead, he inhaled and immediately his eyes were opened. "What the hell happened?" Naruto asked.
"A minor concern, Uzumaki Naruto. Focus! There is still more to do," The Shinigami said, glancing at Pakura being fatally tended to by the others.
Unfortunately, Naruto wasn't allowed to delve deeper into the issue before he saw green lightning flash through the sky. "Do not leave the battle yet, Uzumaki Naruto! There is still much I must reveal to you and my brother!" Jashin hollered, a large piece of energy collecting itself at the tip of his spear.
Naruto's eyes narrowed, putting the mysterious problems at the back of his mind for later. He stood up and held out his hand. "Kurama, where is Kagura?" Naruto asked.
"She subdued the other bijuu and the Gedo Mazo. She's keeping them held there while you deal with this bastard," Kurama explained.
Frowning, Naruto held out his hand. Around his arm, appeared the jaw of the Kyuubi. In his palm, formed a rasengan made of golden fire with a sapphire center. "Fine. Then let's end this quickly," Naruto said, his mask reforming over his face.
From afar, Jashin saw this. The grin on his face widened before he turned his spear toward Naruto. A large blast of divine eldritch horrors fired itself in the blond's direction.
Acting quickly, Naruto slammed his hands into the bloodied sand and summoned five spiritual doors of the Shinigami. By his arm, that rasengan quickly turned into a rasenshuriken combined with numerous elements thanks to the hands of Dan, Yahiko, Madara, and Suiren.
Moving his arm back, Naruto threw the spiraling blade through the five doors. One by one, the rasenshuriken became imbued with more and more divine power from the Shinigami. Hundreds of thousands of souls wailed around it as it collided with the blast of eldritch horrors. From the outer sphere of the Elemental Nations, the stars themselves were pushed back and the moon cracked as the earth rumbled.
Jashin smiled while Naruto glared.
"Tell me, Uzumaki Naruto, how many people and creatures do you think have been slaughtered since my mother first created this world? I'd dare say it's an almost insurmountable number, and yet… I'm sure it pales in comparison to how many people and creatures have died and found their way into my brother's domain. However, do you know the difference?" Jashin inquired.
The frown on Naruto's face deepened, the weight of malice around the world steadily increasing in vast quantities. "It's because I know for a fact that even with the power of my brother by your side, I am a god. And you, you are just one mortal man," Jashin claimed.
It was then that Naruto noticed thousands if not millions of black beasts tear themselves out of the ground. Each of them seemed to be brimming with malicious energy. From Suna to Kiri, as far as the east was from the west, the lands were littered with demonic beasts taking the corrupted forms of humanity and its numerous sins.
"What the hell! Why are there so many?!" Yahiko inquired, clenching his fists while
"I'll admit that you have taken much of my authority over the Slaughter Realm. It's been a long time since I've been forced to dip into the second realm beneath me. Be honored. You're the first one aside from my family to be tested against it. Try not to shrivel in front of the Authority of Malice!" Jashin claimed, his armor changing once again.
The very skin of the beasts decorated his body and his hair, turning it as black as his twisted divine soul.
"Shin, be honest with me, can we kill these things?" Naruto asked. Ordinarily, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki wouldn't care so much about numbers. Hell, he was the one who usually tried to overwhelm his opponent with numbers. He ought to know about it more than anyone else, yet… even he sensed the evil in the air. There was much of it and it was even beginning to pierce through the veil of his protected mind. Had this been what Kurama suffered from for so many years? Bearing the weight of the malice of potentially billions?
"You know what must be done, Uzumaki Naruto," The Shinigami said.
Scowling, Naruto swung his sword. From his blade, Kimimaro, Dan, Yahiko, Suiren, Madara, Tobirama, and the Kindred came forward. Additionally, the towering forms of the Kyuubi no Yoko and Mōryō appeared, snarling at the creatures while Naruto exhaled. The horns on the head of his mask glowed, one with gold fire and the other with sapphire fire.
Immediately, Naruto frowned, taking notice that Pakura was absent.
"Pakura, where are you?" Naruto asked.
He received no answer.
"Pakura!" Naruto exclaimed.
Again, there was no answer.
Naruto would have called out again, yet the voice of the Shinigami urged him to focus as the skies rained blood. Fire and brimstone fell to the earth and rivers turned to oceans of blood. Jashin's power continued rising, the malice in the air hanging heavily. It… even made Naruto shiver.
-x-
"Then why don't you go! You Kiri shinobi were always good at fighting wars! Go do what you're best at!"
"How fucking dare you! It's because of you Kumo shinobi that we couldn't prosper in our lands! Every sort of trade we've tried, your people have killed and sieged us relentlessly! Even your treaties aren't stabbed as high as your mountains are!"
"Then why don't you Konoha shinobi go? All your fucking good for is boasting your peace, your talent, and your strength! You go and get yourselves killed then!"
"And leave you Iwa shinobi in the lands that the Shodaime-sama bestowed upon us? We've seen how you act with our citizens! You kick them out of their homes! They weep, too scared to even sleep because they don't know if an Iwa dog will snatch their children and slaughter their fathers!"
Kushina closed her eyes as she and the rest of her family watched the remaining forces of Iwa, Kiri, Suna, Konoha, and Kumo attack and berate each other like wild animals.
"...The world's gone on hating itself for so long. It almost seems hard to let it go. Selfish desires, wanting to protect others, not being able to sympathize, where did we go wrong?" Mikoto asked.
It was a question no one was able to answer. Even the Kage found themselves ashamed as they watched their soldiers interact. What made it even worse was when the Akatsuki watched, some of them cackling and laughing at the unsightly display.
Following Yura's words, Kushina, Hinoken, and the rest of the Uzumaki Family spread out and assembled everyone outside the village. It was then that Kushina told the Kage and the people that they would all be returning save for the civilians, and Kushina warned that there'd be a likelihood that many would die in the battle. At this point, she felt it was better not to mince words.
Of course, that got Tsunade to inquire about Naruto and the battle. Many feared the worst, yet Kushina eased their worries that he was alive. Yet, that begged the question, what could they do if even he couldn't do anything to stop Jashin? Why did they have to do anything? None of them asked for this!
"K-Kushina-san, are you sure this is a good idea? Just look at them. They don't look ready at all" Rin claimed.
It was true. There was nothing Kuhina could do to refute her former lover's student's words. If not for Yura's proclamation, Kushina wouldn't have even considered asking these people for help. Like monkeys arguing in the densely forested jungles, their hollering was even louder than the wind outside.
On one side, Karui and Omoi were struggling to restrain any of their Kumo comrades that they could get their hands on. Temari and other Suna shinobi tried to restrain their more irate countrymen. Sakura, Shikamaru, and Tenten, with their fellow Konoha associates, held back even their friends. Iwa shinobi and Kiri shinobi even tried to hold back their own. Like a mob looking to slaughter itself from the inside out, what remained of the Elemental Nations was still ripe with anger, sadness, fury, and a desire for peace, yet with no answers to any of those wants.
"The people are normally the result of the irresponsibility of the leaders," Sasuke said, staring down at the masses.
"We can blame each other later. How are we gonna get these guys to work together? Look at them. They all hate each other's guts!" Fuuka said.
"Well, where the hell's Yura? No offense, Kushina, but the two of you are still glowing like fucking night lights turned to the damn max. It's a little hard to keep standing next to you without shaking. If we're gonna go, I'd like to do it at some point," Tayuya expressed, folding her arms.
Yuri and Risa turned to Kushina. Rather than speak, Kushina closed her eyes. She then inhaled and exhaled. Without a word, the others were surprised, stunned even, when Kushina released her hold of her divine power. Her white hair turned back to its beautiful shade of red. She then walked toward the crowd.
"Kushina, what are you…" Mikoto called out.
Growling, Kakashi grabbed his sword as did Sasuke and Mikoto.
Luckily for Kushina, it wasn't so easy for the energy to leave her body so quickly. As soon as she stepped closer to the multitude, they all knew it. One by one, all shouting turned quiet. All violence ceased. The Kage, the shinobi of every nation, her family, her teammates, everyone watched as Kushina continued to walk toward them.
Then to the shock of everyone, Kushina laid her sword on the ground. She then bent down on her knees, sinking them into the cold snow. She then prostrated herself before the masses, her forehead touching the snow.
"Please. I'm begging you. Please help my son. Please help my son… help all of us. I know it's scary. I know no one wants to die. Even more, I know what it's like to harbor so much anger to someone and their homeland who wronged me or my family. Right now, I'm tired. I'm tired of feeling angry, feeling scared, feeling spiteful. My son is over there, fighting with his life on the line, and… I don't know how I'm supposed to help him. I know what you're all feeling, the pain, anger, and frustration of a broken heart. How many of you had to receive a report that your parent, lover, child, or friend had died in battle? It's more than soul-wrenching. Sometimes, you feel like you don't even want to live anymore. You can't breathe, you can't sleep, you can't even eat…" Kushina said.
The people continued to look at her, some even clenching their fists before she continued speaking.
"My son is fighting a guy over there who thinks that we'll be so afraid we'll just kill ourselves rather than face him. He'll laugh when he sees our blood splattered in the snow. Please! If not for each other, please help me, help my son for your friends, your families, and loved ones. If we win, I… I don't know how, but my son will fix this! We will regain what we lost. Just one time! Please have faith in him. As his mother, it's the only request I can make. Please help me, I can't do it without you," Kushina said.
There was silence amongst the masses. Even the Kage were strangely quiet. Oddly enough, no one felt cold. All of their senses, all of their attention had been centered on understanding, not with their minds, but with their hearts the words that she had spoken.
Shakingly, an Iwa shinobi released a Kiri shinobi. Others dropped their arms and held their heads down.
"Why us? There's nothing special about us at all. What can we even do? Just look at you guys. You were glowing, piercing the skies like gods. We can't do that," a Suna shinobi said.
"And you won't need to…"
Everyone stilled. The Raikage was immediately on edge. Even Gaara found himself unnerved by the voice that seemed to spread itself over the masses.
As for Kushina and the rest of the Uzumaki Clan, it would have been impossible for them to not know this voice.
"Yura-nee!" Yuri exclaimed happily.
In front of Kushina, two bright pillars of light appeared. Their radiance was so harsh, it seemed to melt the snow and warm the ice. People were forced to shield their eyes until the glow of the light receded.
Once it did, no one spoke a word for fear of breaking the silence.
"T-That's Yura? What is this pressure? It feels like my insides are on fire just looking at her," Kakashi thought.
Before everyone stood Uzumaki Yura clad in golden flames with hair of violet sapphire.
Next to her, kneeling on one knee, was Yugao. Even though she was bright as well, many could make out some sort of armor covering her body. A cape of light silverish-blue light flapped in the frozen wind.
Yura looked at them all, turning back to her family. She smiled at them briefly, her eyes burning like the flames of a fire pit. She then turned back to the crowd.
"To fell an empire, not everyone scales the walls. Not everyone fires the arrows. Not everyone raises the charge. Not everyone commands the troops. And, not everyone… takes the head of the emperor. Yet, when all of these things are done together. When the army works together, even the mightiest empire crumbles in the face of proper unity. I know what you're all thinking…" Yura said, stepping forward through the crowd.
Unknowingly, people stepped away from her, giving her all the space to walk. "You think you're being asked to go to your deaths. You think you're being asked to be shinobi, to die with your comrades for the mission. That is not what you're going over there for. You're going over there to live. You're going over there so that our families, our friends, and all those who suffered with them will live, and if you won't go for that reason. Then go simply so you can tell Jashin what you really think of him. After all, he thinks he knows you so well, he shouldn't be surprised if you give him a piece of your mind," Yura claimed, her voice reverberating through the crowd.
"And when Nii-sama wins, you can tell your children, and your children's children how you stood there in the face of a god and you laughed as he cowered in fear. You can tell them that when the god shirks, he fears your might. You can tell them that to this god, you need not kneel! Instead, it is he who shall kneel BEFORE YOU!" Yura hollered.
There came a deafening roar from the soldiers of the Elemental Nations. Mei smiled as she looked at Tsunade. The Godaime turned to Gaara, who turned to Kurotsuchi, who turned to Ay. The Gokage each nodded firmly.
"Ready yourselves for battle! We attack now!" The Raikage commanded.
At that moment, no non-Kumo shinobi cared if it was the Raikage. The flames of Yura's passion ignited their souls. Kagura's frozen domain thundered with numerous footsteps. The soldiers ran back into Konoha while Tsunade approached Shikamaru.
"Shikamaru, I apologize for the last-minute order, but we shall need a plan quickly. I want you to coordinate with the war advisers from Kiri, Kumo, Iwa, and Suna quickly. Try to have a plan before we leave. Trust me, we're all going to need it," Tsunade claimed.
Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head and sighed. "Well, after that speech, I think I'd be doing Yura and Naruto if I didn't try my best for a change. It'll be a drag, but this'll be one I don't mind," The Nara clan heir claimed.
Tsunade smiled, patting his shoulder while Mei addressed the medical ninja corps. "All of you, prepare whatever supplies you can and make ready any tents. We'll be going in hard and heavy. I'd like to leave someone here to protect the Konoha citizenry, but we're going to need every available person that we can get!" Mei ordered.
"HAI!" The gathering of medics claimed. Sakura was then placed in charge of them all and she led them back to the house.
Yura watched them go before she staggered back, falling into Yugao's arms.
"Yura-nee!" Yuri exclaimed, the others rushing off as the light faded entirely from Yura and Yugao's bodies.
"S-Sorry, still not used to doing that. It takes a lot more focus than even I can handle sometimes," Yura said, smiling when she saw the concern on everyone's faces.
Though Yura tried to stand, it became evident to everyone that Yugao was the only reason she was even still standing. The others quickly joined in and slowly let Yura down into the snow. Of course, once she was seated Yura groaned rubbing her head when Risa punched her over the head.
"OUCH!" she exclaimed while Risa folded her arms.
"Believe me. You deserve a lot more than that, you fucking stupid idiot. What the hell were you thinking going out into the snow and ice by yourself? Did you ever think that maybe you wouldn't come back?! We've already lost so much. Did we really need to lose you too?" Risa chastised.
Yura continued to rub her head while Yuri laughed at her misfortune. The older sister glared at the younger before she finally exhaled. "Well, I suppose you're not wrong. That was very reckless of me, but… I did think about that. However, it did what I had to do for Nii-sama and for the rest of us. Nothing was going to change if I stayed here," she retorted, not withering in front of Risa's intense gaze.
"Speaking of that, where did you even go?" Fuka inquired.
As expected, that seemed to be the prevailing question amongst the others, especially Kushina and Yuri. Well, Yura had been expecting it and had been coming up with some type of answer for such a question when she knew it would come. Thankfully, the Shinigami blessed her with an answer to the predicament.
"I can't tell you that," Yura answered.
"Say what?! You fucking left for weeks, disappear with that bitch over there, come back glowing in light like the fucking sun, and you're telling us you can't even tell us where the fuck you've been?!" Tayuya asked, irritation threatening to spill out over her body.
Had Risa not been so upset with Yura's answer, she might have reprimanded Tayuya for her language. Nevertheless, Yura sighed.
"Yeah, that's… what I'm saying. Even if I could tell you, I'm honestly not sure how I could explain it. The things I'd seen, experienced, or even heard, it… it's not even something I fully comprehended. All I do know was that Shinigami-sama told me that it's not for our family to know, at least not yet. Not even Nii-sama can know about it just yet, but when he does… I think we'll all see something different about the Elemental Nations and everything beyond it," Yura reasoned.
The others looked at her evenly until Yuna turned her gaze to Yugao. "And what about her? What did you need her for? Naruto-sama told us you took her away. Surely, you can talk about that," Yuna mentioned.
Following that, all eyes landed on Yugao. Yura followed their gaze, smiling when she remembered just how long she and the purple-haired kunoichi had been together. How would her family take such a matter?
"Well, that might be a little easier to answer. I guess I needed an aide of sorts. Maybe it's better to call her a guard. Without Yugao, I think I wouldn't have returned as easily, and I asked things of her that I'm not sure many other people would agree to. Yet, she did and for that, she's become one of my best friends!" Yura said enthusiastically.
Yugao also smiled. "And you have become one of mine," she replied.
Kakashi, Kushina, Sasuke, and Mikoto looked at their teammate. It became clear to them all that Yugao had changed. While Mikoto, Sasuke, and Kakashi sensed a more diluted version of her might, it was Kushina who sensed all of it. There was power behind Yugao's eyes, perhaps not nearly as much as her own, but it became clear that Yugao too beyond the threshold of the Kage. Then, there was her gaze.
Even though Yugao called Yura her friend, there was clearly a tone of utmost respect for Yuri's older sister. Hell, Kushina would say it bordered on reverence.
Unfortunately, Kushina knew she had to let the matter go. Given that Yura's silence was from the Shinigami himself, then it mattered not how much prodding Kushina did. It seemed they weren't ready to know whatever Yura had been doing. Besides, now wasn't the time. Decisively, the Matriarch of the Uzumaki Clan turned to the rest of her family.
"We'll discuss this later. All of you get ready!" Kushina ordered.
The others agreed and while Kushina focused her gaze on the other observers. "And that includes you," Kushina said toward the remaining members of the Akatsuki standing on the other side of the field.
Nagato glared through the Deva Path's eyes while the other members of the Akatsuki looked to him for an answer. Even the Regent was strangely silent, not bothering to offer his opinion on the matter. If anyone could have seen his face, however, they would have seen an amused grin on it.
Back in the hotel room, Nagato clenched his fists, his mind constantly tormenting itself over the information he'd been given. Everything was a lie. He knew not what he was supposed to believe in. His thoughts of godhood merely turned out to be him being used as a tool to further another's agenda. It seemed no different from when Yahiko stabbed himself on Nagato's kunai to save Konan.
As it turned out, Konan had been right. All her warnings, he had stubbornly refuted and denied. Now, he was left at the crossroads of how best to handle this supposed tragedy. Then, there was the guilt on Yahiko's face when he appeared in front of his old friend. Nagato never thought he'd have to confront Yahiko on what he'd done with his best friend's body.
However, even amid all this, Nagato knew one thing. Yahiko was fighting an enemy and, while he still had no love for any nation aside from Ame, he wouldn't leave his best friend to fight alone and risk his life for a second time.
"The Akatsuki will join you," Nagato said through the Deva Path.
Zetsu, Kisame, and the Regent looked to him, no one offering any complaint.
"And Obito?" Rin questioned.
"...I cannot speak for him as he has not…"
"You do not need to worry. I will be there."
All eyes turned and they saw Obito approaching. Unsurprisingly, he looked a lot worse for wear. Bags laid under his eyes and his face was still shaken with despair. He glared at Rin and Kakashi.
"And don't call me Obito. This is an alliance of convenience, nothing more. Even… even if you have returned, it changes nothing. I will find a way. I will find a way to fix this broken reality. Even if you live in it, there will come a time when you won't. Face it. Your peace is only a dream meant for idealists. It has no place in the real world," Obito said, making sure his eyes were focused on Rin when he said this.
Yet… his face nearly tore for the third time when he saw the heartbroken expression she wore. As for Kakashi, he held his head down. "Do you really believe that, Obito? After all these years, is that really the only thing you can think of to say to Rin? The same Rin that you loved for so many years?" Kakashi asked inwardly.
Meanwhile, Rin stepped forward. "Obito, I…"
Whatever Rin was going to say next died away when Obito turned around and marched back to Konoha, throwing his hood over his head to shadow his face. The others comforted Rin, slowly leading her back to the Uzumaki Compound.
Kushina watched Obito leave and closed her eyes. For once, she thought of Minato and shook her head. "Minato, he's your student. I knew him when he was still that stubborn boy just like my son. Yet, I also haven't forgotten it was because of him that my real chance with my son was ripped from me. However, I think it's time I let it go too. I have my son back in my life and I have more than I could have dreamed. Though it was painful, maybe it all turned out better in the end, and that stupid boy's suffering just like we did. Would you still help him?" Kushina wondered.
Finally, she looked out into the air. She still felt her son fighting valiantly. Frowning, she hurried back home.
-x-
As Kushina suspected, that was exactly what Naruto was doing. Around him and Jashin, meteors rained down from the sky courtesy of Uchiha Madara's might. Kimimaro, Dan, and Suiren blitzed through the millions of demonic beasts that Jashin had summoned, cutting them down wherever they stood.
Tobirama and Gari furiously worked together, releasing tremendous volumes of exploding water over the ground. Gari surfed over the ocean, touching any demon he might come across. With that second touch, explosions ran through the battlefield.
Lamb stood far off, firing arrows from one of the few mountains still capable of supporting any type of weight. Over and over, she pulled back her bow and released a shot. Each one blew apart body after body, never had she known such effort, and never had Wolf's teeth known such troublesome prey. Lamb's arms burned and she had to constantly reposition once the beasts got too close. Some of them she even had to fight off herself. Try as she might, they were a lot tougher than she'd ever anticipated.
Surprisingly, she almost got overwhelmed. Had it not been for Mōryō saving her by blasting a handful of them into oblivion, Lamb truly wondered what might become of her.
As for Yahiko, just like Pakura, he was no longer able to participate. Naruto had nearly lost himself for a second time and Yahiko offered his own spirit next. The pain was greater than anything he'd remembered, yet he would allow neither Konan nor Nagato to die even if they had wronged his dream of the Akatsuki. They were his friends and he would gladly do anything to make sure they kept standing.
Naruto, with the power of Kurama and the Shinigami flowing through him, charged at Jashin over and over. Pockets of air like a thousand drums thundered through the air. Yet, what infuriated Naruto was that no matter how much power he exerted, no matter how many punches he threw, no matter how many techniques he fired out, he had yet to put nary another scratch on Jashin following the use of the god's second authority.
In fact… Jashin even turned head, allowing Naruto to slam the full weight of his fist into his face. The blow was ear-piercing, shattering even the ground that lay beneath them. However, Jashin felt no pain. Instead, he looked at Naruto in amusement.
"Do you not understand, Uzumaki Naruto? You cannot beat me. Your soldiers cannot beat me. It won't matter who you summon or call to your aide. My servants shall not perish and neither shall my grip upon this world. To beat me is to overturn the very laws of Fate itself. And you know that, don't you brother?" Jashin asked.
The God of Malice then fired his fist into Naruto's throat. The air blew out the Uzumaki patriarch's lungs and Kurama was forced to conjure a cloak of chakra to protect his partner from the world-trembling kick Jashin sent their way. Naruto crashed through the ground until he flew into the dust and dirt of a former canyon's riverbed.
In agonizing pain, Naruto rolled over and panted. "K-Kuso! Is my Honshou falling off? Why can't I hurt him?!" the blond questioned.
"It seems you have forgotten what I had spoken to you before. All of my siblings have a second authority with our mother has bestowed upon them. I am the only one without one. While lesser than mine, it is still a formidable one to erase. You might say it is impossible to erase such an authority without the help of my mother. The Authority of Malice takes every bit of malice formed throughout the entire creation of existence and Jashin controls it all. All the hate that every mortal has ever experienced, even by you Uzumaki Naruto, is being used by him. With such free power, he shall never run out of might to use," The Shinigami said.
Naruto struggled to his feet, yet his legs staggered. His nails clawed into the stone of a rocky wall. "What?!" Naruto asked. He sure as hell didn't remember going over that with Shin. He was pretty sure he wouldn't have missed something as fucking important as that!
"You are not to blame. It is much information for any mortal to process in one lifetime. The only thing that is fortunate for you is that my brother was not allowed to reach the full extent of his power. At his current best, he is isolated to all the malice upon this world. Yet, you can see for yourself… even that is too large to fathom. You might battle him from tens of thousands of years, and you will still not draw close to besting him," the Shinigami said.
Snarling, Naruto turned over. "T-Then what the hell am I supposed to do? There has to be some way of beating him!" Naruto claimed.
"Indeed there is a way. However, it is not for you to partake in. You must wait and you must hold on. Without me, you shall be able to kill those beasts. However, Jashin shall not grant you the opportunity, and attempting to do so with your clones shall only split your spiritual might further. You shall need it all against Jashin. You know what must be done," The Shinigami said.
Naruto growled, tightly closing his eyes while he sensed Jashin's malicious gaze upon him. "Is there really no other way?" Naruto inquired.
"Of course. There are in fact over a thousand ways that you might best him on your own. However, you are not ready for those methods. However, do not mistake this for a failing. You have exceeded my expectations, however even you cannot hold up the world by yourself. Share the burden, share the responsibility. Though you shall hold up the most, let them hold of their own parts," The Shinigami said.
Unfortunately, the conversation had to be cut short as Naruto sensed a large swirl of elements compounding against each other. He looked up and noticed Jashin with his hand in the air. "Try not to lose your breath, Uzumaki Naruto. Your suffering is only beginning!" Jashin taunted.
Around his arm formed a large orb comprising every element of the natural world and the stars beyond them. The air blew with such intensity that Naruto was sure Jashin might be trying to bring about the world's largest hurricane.
Exhaling, Naruto slammed his hands together. Kurama did the same and the Shinigami empowered them both with divine might.
Shisenpō: Shin Shinigami Fukoku: Shūnkanyugami (Death Sage Mode: True Death God's Edict: Instant Distortion)!" Naruto roared, pulling his hands part as large ball-shaped blackhole. He then launched it toward Jashin.
At the same time, The God of Malice summoned a tower of celestial bodies upon the blond. Naruto stretched out his arms and the black hole steadily got bigger and bigger while the Shinigami summoned a massive door behind the orb. Both techniques collided sucking in everything around them. Even the very air itself seemed to distort before all turned white.
When Naruto was aware of himself, he shivered when he saw chunks of rock floating in the space beyond the elemental nations. Sometimes, he couldn't help but chuckle. Seriously, when did the shinobi world turn so complicated?
Turning his head, Naruto felt his soul burn again. His breathing was hot and he found himself standing once again. Unfortunately, he found himself alone standing against hundreds of thousands of other beasts.
"S-Sorry, Naruto-sama. The spirit aura is too corrupting for even us to endure. The malice in the air, it can even corrupt spirits. J-Just give us some time," Suiren said, trying to catch her breath along with those who remained.
"That is something we sure as hell don't have," Kurama claimed.
Kimimaro, Gari, Tobirama, Madara, Suiren, and the Kindred stared out into the army of demonic beasts, corrupted from the hatred of humankind since the world's very existence.
"They are indeed formidable," Tobirama stated, attempting to control his haggard breathing.
Madara scowled, angry with himself. Never had he been pushed to such a limit as this. He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all. Never had he thought he'd be pushed so hard after Hashirama, especially not by mindless beasts.
"And yet there are still so many. I dare say they are growing more durable than before. We could dispatch them easily before. Now it feels like we can't even take down ten without nearly getting overwhelmed," Suiren claimed. Even now, her thoughts were steadily being filled with anger, contempt, rage, and every other wicked emotion. All she could think of was how best should could perform the vilest acts upon these creatures.
"It is my brother. While he has never truly had to make use of the power within this realm, that makes it no less formidable. Just as my summoner, and the rest of you that serve him, gain your strength from my own, so too do the vile spawns which Jashin has made. They are powered by the malice which had consumed this world for so long. Additionally, they have gained in might from your own frustrations, and the angrier you grow the more my brother shall take control of you. Why would you think even vengeful spirits sail through my realm? Even they are not free from my brother's wrath,"The Shinigami said.
"And what happens to us then?" Kimimaro inquired, staring down at Pakura and Yahiko's unconscious forms.
The Shinigami remained silent for a small while."You shall become little more than the beasts which you combat until you have become so warped that you shall even maliciously take the souls which float near you. Should I leave you to your own devices, you would even feast on the soul of the living until they are little more than dried husks,"The Shinigami then said, making the others scowl. They looked upon the remaining beasts, millions littered what was once their home planet.
"Can… can we really win?" Gari asked.
That question seemed to pierce through the veil of everyone's mind. When they looked at the former Iwa shinobi, they couldn't even be angry at the question. They looked at themselves, all of them burning away from being in such close proximity to the God of Death and the God of Slaughter. They even felt the declining strength of Naruto's own soul. Pretty soon, one of them would have to sacrifice themselves again to make sure he'd keep fighting.
Was this really all they could do, whittle themselves down until there was nothing left of them? What.. what would happen to Naruto when he ran out of people to help him maintain his spirit?
"Shinigami-sama…" Suiren said, turning her gaze toward the god in question. Even now, she shivered when his gaze fell upon her. Just out of fear of what would happen to her if their gazes met, she stared at his chest instead.
"Even now, would you still believe that we have a chance at victory?" She asked.
When the God of Death looked at her, he found himself oddly enough amused by the question. Rather than answer her, he looked back at his summoner. Though no one would ever know, his eyes gleamed with pride when he still saw his summoner holding his sword in his hands.
Immediately, the others gasped as they felt their nervous minds grow steady. Their trembling bodies stood still and even the fading of their bodies stalled.
"We will win!" Naruto suddenly said, breaking up their crestfallen spirits. Suiren looked upon her saw, watching as her spirit found itself invigorated by golden flames.
Following her, Tobirama, Madara, Gari, Kimimaro, Yahiko, and even Pakura were strengthened. The latter of them all opened her eyes and leaned up, much to the utter shock of everyone else.
"Pakura, but… how…!" Gari uttered while Pakura immediately looked toward her summoner, her master, her friend. Meanwhile, the Shinigami focused his gaze. How interesting.
On the outside, when Naruto exhaled through his nostrils, two blasts of golden fire expelled out. When he inhaled and exhaled through his mouth, violet flames became his breath. Upon the Uzumaki Patriarch's forehead, gold and violet flames danced in complete unison. Both flames decorated his robe and mask.
Far off, Jashin couldn't help but frown, watching when Naruto set his gaze upon him."Heh, so that's your answer, is it? You should see that it's hopeless. What keeps you fighting? What end goal do you see with your mortal gaze? The pain you're under must be tearing you to pieces. Even if you, however minute your chances, best me and save the world. Dare you to think what that means for you?" Jashin thought to himself.
Well, that was fine. After all, Jashin had faced a few pitiful resistances during the eons that he'd reigned as a god.
"How unsightly. However, that's to be expected from a race such as yours. Very well, we'll…"
"Yeah, we'll end this. From here on out, I won't let you interfere. Remember this moment. It shall be your last!" Naruto said.
…Sometimes, a god one learned to put up with disrespect. After all, there had been many mortals, human or otherwise, that liked to boast of godhood and liked to think they were more than they truly were. For as much as Jashin liked to mess around, he couldn't help finding himself trembling with unspeakable rage upon his opponent's interruption.
"It seems I haven't taught you enough. Yes, this shall be our last lesson, Brother," Jashin thought to himself. He raised his hand in the air. Once he let it go, his creatures would descend in all their beautiful vileness.
However, before Jashin could lower his hand, he noticed a large portal appear next to Naruto. The blond briefly turned his gaze to the portal, no different from what he'd used to send the entirety of the remaining populace of the Elemental Nations away.
"Better late than never, Kaa-chan," Naruto thought as he saw Kushina step out of the portal, her hair just as silver as his. Her body was cloaked with the might of the Shinigami while her sword rested in his right hand.
"Did you wait long?" Kushina asked.
"Waiting was never my strong suit, Kaa-chan. I think I got that from you after all," Naruto mentioned.
Kushina smiled before she turned his gaze toward the demonic masses. After her, Tsunade, Ay, Mei, Gaara, and Kurotsuchi stepped out. Yet, there was something different about them. While not boasting power even a fraction of Kushina's, their eyes glowed with the power of the Shinigami, merged together with spirits from their training.
Following them, Kakashi, Mikoto, Sasuke, and Yugao walked out. One by one, the ruined lands of the Elemental Nations were flooded with the bodies of every able-bodied shinobi from Konoha, Iwa, Suna, Kiri, and Kumo.
Naruto spotted Tenten, Shikamaru, and even Sakura. He watched as the remaining members of his clan stepped forward. They looked at him briefly, yet they were quickly forced to avert their gaze lest his power blind them. However, of them all, he noticed Yuri and Yura.
They noticed him as well. When Naruto looked at Yura, she smiled. She then slowly nodded as more and more people stepped out, each of them gathering some form of power from the realm of the Shinigami. Naruto felt the power spread through the thousands of men and women, each of them firmly tying their headbands over their heads.
"Well, if this isn't some bullshit to come into," Tayuya said, glaring at the masses while Fuka laughed.
"They're just a bunch of grotesque monsters. If anything, they make your flute beasts look like calm pets. You sure you've been training recently?" Fuka asked.
Tayuya snarled. "How about I fucking test them on your ass?!" she fired back, making Fuka laugh.
On the other side, Karui and Omoi stepped out. "We're so fucked," the latter said until his teammate punched him in the shoulder.
"Too late to run now. Besides, I've got weeks of frustration to work out!" Karui exclaimed, not forgetting what these demonic beasts that were once humans had done to Samui and Atsui.
Her sentiments were shared by everyone else, whether she knew it or not. They all had not forgotten and even to this day some of them shivered when they saw the vast numbers bearing down upon them. No doubt some of them used to be friends, family, and countrymen, no longer recognizable by their deformed monstrous appearances.
"How are you feeling?" Yura asked.
"Scared. Angry. Unsure. Happy, kinda. Take your pick," Yuri replied, feeling her sister touch her shoulder.
"Yeah, me too. Did you ever think you'd be facing down gods when Nii-sama rescued us those years ago?" Yura then inquired, never taking her eyes off the monsters that seemed as endless as the Kirigakure oceans themselves.
"No, but I'd kinda always hoped for something crazy. That said, I'd like to stick to fighting gods and other crazy things in adventure novels. I never thought I'd say this, but I've had enough excitement for one lifetime," Yuri claimed.
If not for the situation, Yura might have not believed those words. "Oh my god, it almost sounds like you're growing up. I never thought I'd see the day," Yura sobbed.
"Shut up, Yura-nee. Technically, I'm more of an adult than you. At least one of us got a pleasant night with Naruto-nii. I still remember how tightly he held me," Yuri replied, smiling as she watched the blush on her sister's face.
"Having sex isn't the only criterion of adulthood!" she exclaimed. Yuri simply shrugged her shoulders.
"Ay yo! You siblings, no fight! Those enemies, we show our might! Three and Eight. We'll be ready to annihilate. Four nations, one for all. Now is the time, we no longer stall! YEEEEEEEEEAAAHAAHAAA!" Kirabi exclaimed,
"Bee-sama, please quiet down," a Kumo shinobi said while Yura chuckled.
"Well, that's the life waiting for a jinchuuriki like you," Yura teased, very much aware of the glare thrown her way from her sister.
Yuri snorted. "I'll sooner kill myself before you see me acting like that. Even I've got standards, Yura-nee," Yuri huffed, folding her arms.
"I had not thought it possible that you might have standards, Yuri-san."
Ignoring the slight, Yuri turned. "Not the time, Konan-san!" Yuri exclaimed, making the paper-wielder chuckle as well.
On the far other side, Shikamaru glanced at Sakura and the rest of the medical ninja. "There's certainly a lot more than I thought, but remember to stick to the plan. Unfortunately, I don't we're gonna be setting up any medic tents, especially in an environment like this. At this point, everyone here's a field medic, and, judging by our opponents, we're not gonna have much of a choice otherwise," he claimed.
Sakura tightened her headband on her head. She then fastened her gloves. "Understood," she returned. The medics behind her swallowed nervously.
"And Tenten…" Shikamaru called, making the weapon user glance at him impatiently.
The Nara heir saw this and exhaled. "Don't throw your life away," he said.
"I wasn't planning to," Tenten growled hardly intimidated by the force in front of her.
From within Naruto's blade, Pakura and the others watched in silence as more and more stepped out of the portal Kushina created. Even Yahiko stilled when he saw Nagato's Deva Path step out alongside the remaining members of the Akatsuki.
"Kehahahaha never thought I'd find myself standing next to you. Hope you don't drop your guard. I'm still gonna kill you after all," Kisame said, taking a confident, if not arrogant, step next to Gai.
"...Have we met? I don't really remember you," Gai answered.
Not even Zetsu could keep the chuckle out of their mouth when they saw Kisame snarl in annoyance.
Far off to the west, Yuna and Itachi gazed across the vast nothingness. "Did you ever think you'd live to see a day like today?" she asked.
"No. And while the circumstances are undesirable, this is an outcome I'd always hoped for. I just pray that when we are victorious this might put an end to everything," Itachi answered. He looked at Sasuke and his mother. If anything, he never thought the day might come when he'd be standing behind them.
"Sasuke, you might not realize it, but you've long since surpassed me. Now, I think I aspire to be like you," The older brother of the Uchiha heir claimed. A pleasant smile graced his face while Yuna rolled her neck.
Far forward, Tsunade took as close a step to Kushina as she could. "Are… are you feeling alright?" she asked. While the Hokage and Kushina had a very tense relationship as of late, Tsunade knew they were still family. Also, while she didn't know the ins and outs of gods and all this spiritual power stuff, she'd rather not lose herself to the spirit she was currently merged with.
"I am better than I've been in a long time," Kushina answered. The redhead then looked at her family. Risa, Tayuya, Karin, Fuka, Karui, and Omoi stood strong. Jugo and Suigetsu stood amongst them. She then locked eyes with Yuri and Yura.
With a hand, Kushina beckoned them forward. They pushed through the crowd until they stood next to her. The two sisters breathed in and out slowly. Yura's hair turned into violet fire and her body became as gold flames dancing in the sky.
Just like Kushina and Naruto, a cloak of Honshou spawned around Yuri's shoulders. "Are you both ready?" Yuri inquired.
"Always, Yuri-san," Shizune said. Standing next to her in a void of nothingness, Ebisu nodded.
Temari walked over to Gaara, her body energized by the spirit merged with her through Kushina. "It's… a lot," she said.
"Yes," Gaara answered, staring at Naruto. Even just standing here, the Kazekage realized that every person standing on this corrupted soil had their soul, their very spirits strengthened just standing by standing next to the Uzumaki Patriarch.
"Never would I think that the boy I fought two years ago would turn into this. Uzumaki Naruto, indeed even the Kage themselves stand behind you. Though I am sorry that your dream shall not come to pass, in the end, it was true. Such a position was much too small, much too limiting… for someone like you," Gaara thought.
Naruto surveyed the Shinobi Alliance and he heard Kurama chuckle. "I must be getting old if I find myself comforted seeing the ugly mugs of those humans. This was your grand plan, wasn't it?" The fox questioned the Shinigami.
The God of Death didn't answer, yet the gaze of all of Naruto's summons was upon him. They all stared at the masses in awe. The Four Elemental Nations working together; it sounded like something out of a really bad fanfiction. If they could produce tears, then they'd surely be bawling their eyes out.
Dan beamed with pride, watching Tsunade take the mantle. "It seems she really did inherit her grandfather's greatness after all," he answered.
Jashin clenched his spear in his hands, the stars themselves falling in response to his rage. Even meteors and distant planets were pulled from their fields and appeared as balls of fire, tearing through the space beyond.
"Very well. A live execution is must better anyway," Jashin claimed until he saw Naruto point his sword at the god of Malice.
There was no epic speech, no motivation for where the forces stood, and there was no call to be better. There was no recall of loved ones. There wasn't even a speck of reflection on the children and noncombatants they'd left behind.
There were only three words.
"Bring them death," Naruto ordered.
Following that, there was a roar that the Elemental Nations would remember until their dying days. The Shinobi Alliance roared as the spiritual might from their bodies flooded into Naruto through the Shinigami. The God of Death focused this power back into Kushina, Yuri, and Yura, making them amplify the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki's already immeasurable strength.
With fear in their hearts, yet bravery in their spirits, the rest of the global force of the Elemental Nations, charged toward the masses. Spit and saliva flowed from their mouth while Jashin's demonic army descended upon them.
"Hmph, pointless mortal bravado. I shall do away with you before the day even draws long," Jashin said. Unfortunately for him, he had yet to recognize the fist coming for him before it was too late.
Naruto slammed his fist into Jashin's face. With the force of hundreds of thousands supplying him, the blond shouted enough to shatter the ground on his own. The blow lifted Jashin off his feet and blasted him through the air. The God of Slaughter screamed in pain before he crashed through the moon itself and into one of the falling meteors beyond the scope of the Earth.
The meteor cracked, thousands of seals from the realm of Death empowering it until it was illuminated by a harsh, white glow. Unable to bear so much divine power, the meteor exploded with Jashin at its center.
Naruto stood on the ground, hearing the battle behind him. "Who's unsightly now, Jashin?" The blond asked, watching the burning light from the explosion he'd caused.
KG: ...I'm not apologizing.
KG: Have a Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year. May next year, prayfully, be better than last year!
KG: CHEESECAKE!