CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
Collateral
The final battle between Naruto and Mikasa was a harrowing spectacle of power and determination amidst the chaos of Konoha. Naruto, driven by grief and resolve, faced off against Mikasa, whose malevolent intent cast a dark shadow over the village.
As they clashed, Mikasa's eyes blazed with the Jougan and Kokugan, reflecting her twisted ambition. "Naruto," she sneered between attacks, her voice cutting through the chaos, "Do you know why you will fail to stop me?" Mikasa shrunk a statue in an instant, picking it up and launching it at Naruto before quickly expanding it to it's original size. "You're nothing but a pawn clinging to false hope."
Naruto gritted his teeth, evading a barrage of chakra rods aimed at him while he was preoccupied with catching the statue "You're wrong, Mikasa," he replied through clenched fists, his voice unwavering. "I won't let you destroy everything we've fought to protect."
Mikasa's laughter echoed ominously as she continued her assault, each strike testing Naruto's resolve. "Protect? Ha! You can't protect anyone," she taunted, her voice laced with contempt. "Just how many of your friends have you lost today?"
Memories of Sakura and Tenten ran through Naruto's mind, temporarily slowing him down and giving Mikasa the chance she was looking for. Creating a rod in her hand, she rushed towards him, almost successfully impaling Naruto who was lucky enough to parry her blow at the last minute.
Naruto! Get yourself together! Kurama barked at him in his mind. Don't let her get to you.
"Right, thanks Kurama."
Mikasa watched her opponent narrowly evade her attack and cursed under her breath. Testing his mental fortitude seems to be working, she thought to herself. I'll keep on trying to chip away at him, in no time he'll lose his composure and give me the chance to end this.
Opening several portals to launch dozens of ash bones at him, she continued her taunting "You're just a puppet of your emotions. Real strength isn't just decided by your physical abilities, it comes from within."
"What do you know about strength?" Naruto snapped back at her. "You only know how to steal from others, you've never worked for anything in your life!"
Naruto formed a hand sign, creating several clones in puffs of smoke. In sync, they each created a swirling ball of chakra in their hands, ready to attack.
[Rasengan barrage]
Mikasa readied herself as she saw the clones rush towards her. Using her staff, she expertly defeated each one, twisting away from their jutsu and impaling them as soon as she saw the chance. However, her preoccupation with the clones distracted her from the real Naruto who landed a fierce punch right as she was too busy to evade.
Mikasa crashed into what appeared to be an apartment, skidding on the floor till she hit a wall.
"Shit, I can't let him keep on hitting me," she groaned to her self as the sounds of hushed breaths directed her attention to the corner of the room she was in. Looking around she discovered she was inside a living room, and at the corner was a couple shielding their children behind them.
Just then, Naruto made his entrance, rushing to a stop and he caught the mischievous glint in Mikasa's eyes directed at the people behind him.
"No!"
Mikasa raised an arm towards the family, launching several of her weapons at them. But Naruto was faster, quickly creating a shadow clone that jumped in the path of the projectiles, disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Feeling anger well up inside him, Naruto launched himself at Mikasa, crashing through the wall and out of the building, into the main street.
In the Hokage's office, Kakashi was in overdrive. Naruto and Mikasa's battle had tore throughout most of Northern Konoha and as a result, the rest of the village was being evacuated.
"Direct everyone in the south into the south eastern bunker, no one should remain in their homes" Kakashi ordered Ino Yamanaka who was seated by his side wearing her communication apparatus.
"Once again, no Shinobi is cleared to engage Mikasa, we won't create any hindrances for Naruto."
"Yes sir."
Pacing back and forth, Kakashi watched the crowds of people below hurriedly making their way to safety. His mind went to Naruto who was once again tasked with battling the threat to the village.
Come on Naruto…..
"Hokage-sama!"
Kakashi was distracted from his thoughts by his secretary running up to him.
"Anri, what's the situation?"
The young woman adjusted her glasses and spoke, "Everyone has just about gotten to safety, it's time for the Hokage and his staff to get to the bunker too."
Anko who was seated in a chair stood upright at hearing Anri's words. "Kakashi, let's get-"
The sound of an explosion drew everyone's attention outside to a pillar of rising smoke. Mikasa flew up from the cloud, evading Naruto's chakra arms reaching for her from below.
"Everyone downstairs now." Kakashi ordered.
As all the staff made their way downstairs, a loud rumble could be felt throughout the building. Anko reached for Kakashi's hand for support, gripping it tight as he helped her downstairs.
"We'll get through this, we just have to believe in Naruto." She whispered to him.
Kakashi nodded and continued escorting her to the bunker, going over Anko's words in his head.
At that moment, believing in Naruto was all they really could do.
Naruto leaped on the roof of a building, evading spikes that erupted underneath his feet as she chased down Mikasa. Mustering energy, he zipped towards her in mid air, grabbing her in both arms as they crashed to the ground together. Suddenly, a portal opened below them as they fell, and when Naruto reopened his eyes, the presence of round, sand stained structures let him know he was in Sunagakure.
"What?" Naruto murmured to himself but the sight of Mikasa getting on her feet reminded him he was still in battle.
A small crowd began to form a circle around the pair as they stood staring each other down. Whispers could be heard from some of the bystanders as they began to recognize Naruto.
"Is that the hero?"
"It's Naruto!"
"Who's the other lady? Is she his girlfriend?"
Mikasa studied the crowd around them, doing her best to not lose sight of Naruto at the same time. A sharp pain at her side let her know she had broken a rib, and due to Naruto's persistent damaging of her chakra network, she was going to have to nurse the injury for a while.
"Why have you brought us here?" Naruto growled at her, getting ready to attack once again.
"To get a proper audience to witness you fail at the one thing you hold yourself to." Mikasa sneered, extending an arm outwards and creating a large portal above them. Naruto detected the buildup of chakra in the portal above them and felt his eyes widen in horror.
"No! Everyone run away!"
Mikasa grinned as she watched Naruto create a massive Rasengan and slam it into the mouth of the portal, destroying the rods that shot out of it. Seizing the chance, she extended an arm outwards to launch her ash bones at him.
Naruto sensed Mikasa about to attack him to the side while he was preoccupied with shielding the scattered crowd in the market they found themselves in. Quickly creating a shadow clone, he shielded himself from the ash bones with it and rush towards Mikasa with a raised fist.
Mikasa read him well, shielding herself from his attack and responding with three rapid blows of hers that sent him reeling backwards. Naruto picked himself up in time to avoid a dozen chakra rods impaling his position and launched a large chakra arm at her, but Mikasa simply opened a portal in front of him.
"I'd be more careful if I were you," she teased, watching Naruto slowly realize what his attack ended up connecting with.
"No…." Naruto felt goosebumps appear on his skin as he heard the sounds of panicked screaming coming from inside the portal.
"Well, it's unfortunate for them…wrong place, wrong time." Mikasa sneered, launching several ash bones at Naruto while he was still trying to process what he just did.
Naruto!
Kurama's voice snapped the hero from his slump, giving him enough time to narrowly evade Mikasa's attack. An ash bone grazed his side, but luckily for him the tip didn't pierce him.
With a roar, he launched himself towards Mikasa, dealing a powerful blow that she managed to block. Flying backwards from the force of his punch, Mikasa opened a portal behind her and Naruto followed suit, now finding himself in Kumo. As soon as he landed to get acquainted with his new surroundings, Mikasa rose up in the air, locking eyes with him.
"Mikasa! Why are you doing all of this?! I thought you wanted to save the world, why slaughter all these innocent people if you care about them so much?" Naruto called out at her.
"Because you're standing in my way!" Mikasa replied. "You're the only thing stopping me from carrying out my plan, and I have to cut you down if I want to do what I must do. It's unfortunate, but I'm willing to accept collateral damage if it means I succeed."
"But is all of this worth it?!" Naruto yelled, fixing her with a glare. "How far are you willing to go just to win this hopeless battle?"
Mikasa scanned her environment carefully. Returning her gaze to Naruto, she extended her arms outwards. "You want to see just how far am I willing to go, Naruto?"
Opening several portals in different locations throughout the town, Mikasa carried out her attack.
[Eighty gods vacuum attack]
Several hundred large fists made of chakra struck from the portals, obliterating multiple structures around the town. Naruto watched the ensuing destruction in horror, and the sounds of terrified screams rang throughout the hidden village.
"Why…..why is this happening?" Naruto felt himself begin to lose it, looking around for who to save first in a panic. "I…I can't help them…"
Up in the air, Mikasa's lips curled in a smile as she saw Naruto's state. It was beginning to look like she was successfully breaking his spirit, giving her more of a fighting chance.
"At some point, you have to ask yourself if endangering all these innocents is worth it, Uzumaki."
Naruto's breaths came in heavy gasps. There was nothing else for him to do but defeat Mikasa, he was sure of it. But the cost of doing so….
Naruto, it's tragic but you need to do what needs to be done.
In their shared mind plane, Naruto took a deep breath to calm himself down. He didn't want to admit it, but Mikasa was getting to him.
Focus on the task at hand, if you keep on showing vulnerability she will take advantage of it.
"You're right," he reluctantly agreed, steeling himself. "If I lose now, everything up till now will have been for nothing."
Channeling purple chakra to his hands, he decided to go all in.
"Can you feel their fear? Their despair?" Mikasa taunted Naruto, firing her chakra rods at him with reckless abandon. Naruto dodged to the best of his abilities, trying to get closer to her.
"Soon, they'll beg for mercy…..they can see that their hero can't protect them anymore."
She sent a giant fist of chakra at a building Naruto was running upwards, collapsing it with a single hit.
Naruto's fists tightened as he darted between crumbling buildings, shielding civilians caught in the crossfire with his shadow clones. Mikasa's words stung, fueling his determination to end her rampage. "I've heard enough," he growled, flying up to her in a streak of light and launching a barrage of his own attacks. Each blow carried the weight of Sakura's memory and Hinata's sacrifice, critically damaging Mikasa with each connected hit.
Clenching her teeth, Mikasa opened a portal and sent Naruto flying through it with a swing of her staff. Naruto landed on his feet, discovering he was back in the deserted streets of Konoha. Bracing himself, he studied Mikasa rushing towards him through the portal to parry her attack, responding with a succession of punches and kicks. Mikasa felt herself start to lose her bearings with each connected hit, fueled by Naruto's determination. She sent him flying to the ground with a chakra fist, and extended her arm towards him as he lay on his back.
Naruto reacted quickly, raising his legs up in the air to avoid a pair of chakra rods. Still on his back, he spun around in a wide circle and propelled himself to his feet with his hands. Mikasa sent an ash bone towards him but he evaded it, bolting in front of her to deliver an uppercut that sent her crashing into a building.
Desperate to turn the tide, Mikasa struggled on her Jougan to find Kakashi and teleport an ash bone towards him. In her mind, she wasn't sure it was going to stop Naruto but she had begun to see the battle was lost and was trying to leave her mark on the village before she went out.
Naruto detected a buildup of chakra in her eye and acted quickly, rushing towards Mikasa with a fierce kick that disrupted her while she struggled to create a portal.
"Damn you Naruto!" she growled as she charged towards him. But Naruto was prepared, deflecting her blows and countering with his. He targeted her vitals, each strike leaving their mark on Mikasa and destroying her ability to respond to his attacks. Crashing into a café, Mikasa gingerly picked herself up from the floor, wiping blood from her mouth and nose. She discovered she was unable to create portals anymore, and even her dojutsu had started losing their functionality. Attempting to take a step forward, Mikasa collapsed on her hands and knees, defeated and powerless. Helplessly, she watched Naruto make his way into the wreck of the café, walking towards her.
As Naruto stood over her, the echoes of their battle fading into the distance, Mikasa's words lingered in the air. "You…you've earned this victory," she whispered, a bitter smile crossing her lips. Defiantly, she raised her head to make eye contact with him. "Well, what are you waiting for?"
Naruto stood over her, his chest heaving with exertion. Anger and sorrow warred within him as he gazed down at the fallen villain. For a moment, the urge to end her life surged within him, driven by the memories of Sakura's death and the devastation Mikasa had wrought upon the hidden villages. Naruto raised his hand, chakra crackling around his fist….
But as he looked into Mikasa's eyes, he saw not just a ruthless villain, but a broken soul shaped by a twisted upbringing. He saw the emptiness, the madness that had consumed her. The memories of his own hardships, and the words of his friends and mentors echoed in his mind.
Mikasa raised her head again, impatiently waiting for him to make his move. As he looked into her eyes, he noticed they no longer held the fierce determination they once did. Instead, they were filled with a mixture of defeat and resignation.
"Do it," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Finish it, Naruto. I may not die right away, but I trust you to find a way to put me out of my misery."
In that moment Naruto saw a reflection of himself in Mikasa, a person driven by circumstances beyond her control. He saw the twisted path that had led her to this moment of defeat. And in that moment, Naruto made his choice.
"No," he said, his voice firm yet compassionate. "Killing you won't bring them back."
Mikasa was taken aback by Naruto's decision. "What? Don't you want your revenge, Jinchuriki? Finish the job!"
"No," came Naruto's reply again. "It's not who I am."
Mikasa's eyes widened in shock. "Why?" she asked, her voice trembling. "After everything I've done… after I killed Sakura, Shizune, and so many others… I killed your own lover Naruto… why would you spare me?"
Naruto knelt beside her, his gaze steady and filled with a compassion that seemed to reach into her very soul. "Because I know what it's like to be shaped by the expectations of others," he replied. "And I believe that everyone has the capacity for change. Even you, Mikasa."
Tears welled up in Mikasa's eyes, a rare display of vulnerability breaking through her hardened exterior. "You're just as dumb as you look" she said, her voice cracking. "How can I ever atone for all I've taken from you….from your people?"
Naruto placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch gentle yet firm. "You start by accepting responsibility for your actions," he said. "And by trying to make things right, even if it's just a little." To his surprise, Mikasa burst into laughter.
Mikasa's tears flowed freely now, even though her body was visibly shaking with laughter. "You…you are unbelievable, Uzumaki."
She adjusted herself to a seated position, doing her best to wipe away her tears. "I did what I did because I believed it was the right thing to do, but after seeing Kaguya betray my belief in her, I decided to take charge of the situation myself."
Mikasa bowed her head, recollecting memories of her childhood. "It's not the first time I've stepped in to do someone else's job my own way….."
Memories of her brother went through her mind and her tears threatened to resume their downpour. She stole a glance at Naruto. Here he was, giving her a second chance even after the lengths she went to trying to kill him just moments prior.
I was raised to believe that power and fear were the only ways to achieve peace. But... could I have been wrong?
She took a deep breath and extended her hand towards Naruto, who regarded her with a puzzled expression.
"Give me your hand Jinchuriki. I'll need a lot of chakra for this."
Naruto reluctantly agreed to her demand, although he didn't know why she made the request.
Drawing on Naruto's chakra, Mikasa focused on the villagers around the world who had perished in the battle. The Jougan in her eye glowed faintly until it finally faded away as she channeled the remaining energy within her. One by one, the fallen villagers stirred, life returning to their bodies as their wounds healed. Mikasa's own strength faded with each revival, and had it not been for her already enormous life force, she would've perished herself.
As the last villager drew breath, Mikasa collapsed, utterly exhausted. "It's done," she said weakly, passing out from exhaustion.
In a few moments, friendly Konoha anbu arrived on the scene, surrounding her with practiced efficiency. They quickly restrained her, ensuring she couldn't escape or cause any more harm.
Naruto stepped back, watching as Mikasa was led away, her fate now in the hands of Konoha's justice. The battle had taken its toll on the village, leaving destruction in its wake. But amidst the rubble, Naruto knew that the spirit of Konoha would endure.
As he stood amidst the wreckage, Naruto vowed to rebuild and protect his home. The villagers, though shaken, looked to him with renewed hope and gratitude. And with that, Naruto knew that he had fulfilled his promise to Sakura, honored Hinata's sacrifice, and ensured that Mikasa's reign of terror had come to an end.
Naruto stepped out and made his way towards the Hokage's office. The town was still deserted, an eerily quiet engulfed the streets. But as he made his way towards the Hokage tower, he came upon a growing crowd of people awaiting his return. Once again, he had saved them from ruin. The endless cheers brought him to tears as he made his way inside, a group of anbu clearing a path for him to take to Kakashi's office. And after several grueling days of persistent work, after crucial sacrifices made to ensure each other's safety, Naruto finally submitted his mission report.
One day later
Hanabi sat by her sister's bed in the general hospital, watching the monitor by her side beep rhythmically. She was still coming to terms with Hinata's blindness, and her inability to harness chakra anymore weighed heavy on her. Naruto had stopped by earlier that morning after spending the night by her side. He mentioned something about getting a gift for Sakura who had been immediately admitted into the hospital following Mikasa's sacrifice.
Hanabi smiled to herself, remembering the joy she felt once she saw Sakura's corpse begin to stir in the stretcher. It brought back memories of her witnessing Hinata's resuscitation following her death at the hands of Mikasa. Ironically, the same person was responsible for saving countless more lives the previous day. Till now, no one really knew why someone as profoundly evil as Mikasa would suddenly do something like that on a whim, but she guessed Naruto had something to do with it.
The door opened to her two teammates making their way inside the room. Konohamaru reached down to kiss her on the cheek as he settled next to her while Moegi sat across Hinata's unconscious body.
"How's she doing?" Moegi asked, watching the lines on the monitor.
"She's fine, doctors said she's just suffering from chakra drain mostly, everything else is minor."
Konohamaru sighed in relief. "That's great to hear."
Hanabi smiled to herself, taking Hinata's hand in hers. She was going to live, miraculously.
It must've been the Tenseigan, she thought. Still, it came at a cost to Hinata with her losing her eyesight. Hanabi felt a great urge to do something about her sister's situation. For some reason, she felt indebted to Hinata.
That afternoon, Naruto and the Sixth Hokage, Kakashi Hatake, met in Kakashi's office, the weight of the previous day's events hanging heavily between them. The room was quiet, the afternoon's rays of sunlight casting long shadows across the floor.
"The daimyo would like to personally invite you to a feast in your honour next week." Kakashi addressed Naruto in his office. News of Naruto's exploits had spread fat and wide, and once again he was the talk of the country.
"Consider it a personal thank you for you know, saving the world and all."
"I'm honoured, Lord sixth," Naruto bowed before adding, "But I have to stress that I didn't do it on my own, it was only possible through the sacrifice of everyone on that team."
"Of course, you all made us all extremely proud" Kakashi smiled at him underneath his mask.
"Thank you Kakashi."
A short silence passed between the two of them, each person going over what to say next.
"Naruto," Kakashi began, his voice calm but serious, "the elders are demanding Mikasa's execution. They're arguing that it's the only way to ensure she can't harm anyone else."
Naruto leaned forward, his expression resolute. "I understand their concerns, Kakashi-sensei, but Mikasa has already shown signs of change. She's accepted responsibility for her actions and even sacrificed her eye to revive almost everyone she killed. I believe she deserves a chance to make amends."
Kakashi sighed, running a hand through his silver hair. "You know how difficult it will be to convince the elders. They see her as a threat, especially after everything that's happened."
Naruto nodded, his eyes unwavering. "I know it's not going to be easy, but executing her won't bring back Tenten. It won't undo the damage. Mikasa needs to be held accountable, but she also needs a chance to atone for what she's done. Imprisonment and community service can be a way for her to start making things right."
Kakashi regarded Naruto thoughtfully, seeing the determination and compassion in his former student's eyes. "You've always believed in giving people second chances," he said quietly. "It's one of your greatest strengths. But we have to consider the safety of the village as well."
Naruto nodded again, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I promise to keep a close watch on her. If she shows any signs of reverting to her old ways, we'll take immediate action. But I believe she can change. She just needs the opportunity."
Kakashi leaned back in his chair, pondering Naruto's words. After a long moment, he nodded. "Alright, Naruto. I'll support your proposal. But we'll need to present a strong case to the elders. We'll need evidence of her willingness to change and a detailed plan for her imprisonment and community service."
Naruto's face lit up with gratitude. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei. I'll gather the evidence and work on the plan. We can show the elders that redemption is possible, even for someone like Mikasa."
Kakashi smiled faintly, his eye crinkling at the corner. "I trust you, Naruto. You've always had a way of seeing the best in people, even when no one else could. Let's hope the elders can see it too."
With a determined nod, Naruto stood up, ready to face the challenges ahead. Together, he and Kakashi would fight for a future where even the darkest souls could find a path to redemption.
