On the night before they were to face Susanoo-Arashi, Naruto learned that Sasuke had never managed to make rice balls before he was seventeen.

"For real?" He asked, squinting his eyes in a way that made him look slightly too much like Kage nearby, nearly vulpine.

Sasuke shrugged self-consciously. "What's the big deal about it?" He countered. "It's just rice."

Sakura took a long drag of her pipe. "Yeah, you're type of person I would have pegged—"

"Phrasing." Toru said neutrally.

Sakura scowled. "Not this sort of pegging, for fuck's sake. You're the type, too, Toru, by the way."

"My parents were dead." Toru supplied helpfully, mostly so that Sakura's next attempt at a joke would fall entirely flat. "I had to make my own rice balls."

Jinsuke, sitting nearby, nodded solemnly, his eyes reflecting the fire's glow. Toru could almost imagine the man's very own theme song playing, and it was a sad song. Then, Jinsuke grunted.

"Ah." Toru said in understanding. "Yes… I burned the first few ones too. And I remember crying about it."

There was only silence.

Hanabi shook her head. "…You two really are buzz-killers."

"Do we want to go there tonight?" Boruto asked slowly.

"Go where? And tonight?" Mitsuki asked, frowning. "I thought we were to fight the Destroyer of Gods tomorrow. Did anything change?" He turned to Naruto, as though he held all the answers.

"Nothing changed, Mitsuki." Naruto said.

Mitsuki nodded. "I see. Thank you, my Lord."

"Mitsuki." Naruto said, and the name sounded more like a weary sigh.

"I will do everything in my power to assist the cause, of course." Mitsuki said. "That is my sworn promise. Although I remain unsure how much of my full power I will be able to draw out, I remain at your command—"

"He gets it." Sarada said. "Move on."

"You're right. Of course he does." Mitsuki nodded, with barely hidden admiration.

A very pregnant Hermione, nearby, shook her head. "We don't really want to go there either, do we?"

"No. We really don't." Sarada nodded.

A few meters away, Kage was scowling at something entirely unrelated.

"Please get that fact checker orb away from my face, Sakura." Kage muttered. His plea was met with muffled snickers.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Maybe if you didn't keep speaking in exaggerations, I wouldn't need it."

"But I did summon a toad this big on my first try." Kage continued, stretching his arms wide to emphasize its size. The snickers grew louder.

"Sure you did." Sakura said. "This, right here, says the largest Toad summoned in your world by a summoner under fifteen on their first try was half that size. Oh. It was your father, actually. It's all public record."

From the sidelines, Kage's wife chimed in, unable to watch this ongoing accident. "Dear, perhaps we should not insist."

"But—" Kage began, and then conceded. "Alright, alright." He said, with a sheepish grin that soon became infectious. "Maybe it wasn't that big. But it was still a pretty decent try!"

Sakura shook her head, with a wry grin. "That's still not what the fact checker says."

"…Whatever." Kage grumbled good-naturedly, and his wife rubbed his arm soothingly.

"Ah, this was such a good initiative." Naruto chuckled, and not just because it made debating rather simple. "If I had this thing growing up, I'm pretty sure I would have given the old man the respect he deserved."

"…Old man Third?" Kage paused. "Is that a good or a bad thing?"

"Depends." Naruto shrugged. "Good for whom?"

Another ten meters away, Ino and Yoisen sat on a stony outcropping.

"Do you remember?" Ino asked, holding out the bottle of umeshu to her.

Yoisen turned to face her, but she had no particular desire to drink any more, time compression to recover or not. "What is it?"

"The day we first met."

"Ah." Yoisen did. "…Pass me the bottle, then."

Ino nodded, and Yoisen took a rather fair gulp of it.

"…I do remember that boat, yes." Yoisen said, and hoped it wasn't going in the direction she thought it might go. It had been so long since they had a real fight that she had nearly forgotten. "And I believe I have already apologized several times for that event — as well as the Nagato situation."

Ino laughed. "I know. That's not where I was going with this." She shook her head. "I don't want any apologies."

"No?"

"No. You do too much of that, already." Ino said, and it was a truth that she had taken a long enough time to realize. "None allowed, in fact." She added lightly. "Back then… Those were difficult times, weren't they? For you, as well."

Yoisen said nothing for a moment. Then, slowly, she nodded. "…They were, yes."

"But…" Ino began, almost tentatively. "In spite of all the…"

"All those terrible matters?"

"Yes." Ino said, feeling a slight shiver. "Well. It always felt as though there was some glimmer of hope anyway."

Yoisen's smile was tinged with melancholy. "Hope was a luxury I scarcely afforded myself back then."

Ino winced, a hint of regret flickering across her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean—"

"That is fine." Yoisen shrugged. "I do have it now. What was it about those times, then?"

"Well, what I really wanted to know was…" Ino trailed off. "Are you in for our next trip? Once we're done with that kami, I mean. I heard that there are massive worlds submerged in water, teeming with strange lifeforms — vast oceans beneath unknown skies, in Sector N112. Normally peaceful, but there is the potential to find some danger."

Yoisen paused, and said nothing for a moment. "…Are you inviting me?"

"Maybe I'd feel safer with a decent swordswoman by my side, who knows?" Ino shrugged, but didn't really look her in the eye. "Is that a no? Or perhaps we could go for something less—"

"No." Yoisen said, with a small laugh. "No, it's a yes. I am with you, Ino."

"Good."

Sitting near the lake, a little bit further, were Karin, Anko and Orochimaru. And Kaguya. The latter was staring at the sky.

"I never thought things would stay this familiar forever, that's all." Karin said, then frowned in thought. "Well, they changed a lot… and they didn't."

Anko, ever pragmatic, shrugged off the philosophical bent. "Metaphysics isn't really my thing." She quipped, nodding towards Kaguya. "Someone else might be more your speed for that kind of talk."

"…You do realize I can see you, do you not?" Kaguya asked.

"Does it matter?" Anko frowned. "You were busy staring at the night sky anyway."

"I was." Kaguya admitted.

"She was always able to see Tsuki before." Orochimaru pointed out, even as Kaguya glared at him for saying it out loud. "…Was this some sort of secret, perhaps?"

"…No. It wasn't a secret." Kaguya relented. "But I still am unsure what to think of its disappearance. In spite of everything."

"Do you want us to bring it back?" Karin asked.

Kaguya faced Karin, a mix of surprise and skepticism in her eyes. "And what would you gain from such an endeavor?"

"Not much, honestly." Karin admitted. Humanity did have access to what amounted to infinite amounts of chakra, however. "But it seems as though you miss your homeworld."

Kaguya's denial was swift. "I do not."

Anko couldn't resist commenting. "That's exactly how she sounds when she's in denial."

"Thought so." Karin nodded.

"I do not miss my cold homeworld and my foolish kin." Kaguya hissed. "If I did, I would simply travel there to conquer them."

"…Right." Karin nodded, and wondered, once more, whether Otsutsuki truly saw the world differently. "There's a difference, though, between missing and wanting to conquer."

"How so?"

Karin considered answering it, thought of Orochimaru, and then decided against it. "…Take the time to think of it, anyway. If they play nice, and that means no conquering anything, I see no particular reason to leave them trapped out there."

Besides, humanity had more than caught up to them, now. Perhaps coexistence would be possible, someday.

Coexistence. It was a beautiful idea.

And speaking of it, a few minutes later, Hyūga Hiashi tried to invite himself to the party to speak with Hanabi.

He was promptly sent back home, however. Hanabi only rolled her eyes: she didn't have much use for the thoughts, the words of the man who had branded her a slave, really.

Hanabi went back to her true family.

Yūshirō, who observed the group with a worried expression, seemed to sense the undercurrents of emotion and unspoken thoughts swirling amongst them.

Sakura noticed him staring at her and shook her head gently. "I'm sorry, demon child, but you can't have my pipe."

Yūshirō blinked. "I don't want your pipe!" He didn't need to blow water bubbles tonight anyway.

She nodded solemnly. "I'm sure, I'm sure." She still moved slightly away from him.

"You are the worst." Ino decided, muttering. "The literal worst."

"That's not true!" Yūshirō rushed to her defense. "Auntie's not the worst! Take it back, auntie!"

Sakura chuckled quietly. "Please take it back, Ino."

Ino sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine. Your auntie is not the worst. Happy, now?"

Yūshirō was slightly happier. Still worried, however. Even more so when he glanced at his mother's expression.

Naruto seemed to notice. Or perhaps it was Karin, who made herself beam, and clapped her hands. "Let's begin with the party, before these downers manage to pull us with them!"

Strangely enough, it was one of Gama's lighthearted jabs at Toru, who took it in stride, which broke the somber atmosphere.

And a beautiful party, it was.

An extravagant feast, brimming with delights that made the table groan under their weights. Roasted meats, steaming rolls, and a variety of plates from various worlds. Desserts were not spared either — cakes, pies, and bowls of sharp raspberries ready to be softened in cream.

Music filled the air, tunes from the past, from far-away places, noise that hardly any one of them could understand, not being in possession of the right type of ears. Killer Bee spun record after record, ensuring the music never lost its pulse.

The gathering was graced by an eclectic mix of guests, ranging from Shinjiro to Rock Lee, Tayuya to Konohomaru, Mei to Hebi, Tsunade to Madara, Harry to Aruni, Nacchan to Kurosaki, Gojō Satoru to Kaguya, Chigusa to Son Gohan; friends to strangers; many others to many more.

They laughed. Laughed until their eyes watered and their sides ached. As the sun began to set and Naruto kept the storm at bay, they laughed some more.

Yugito was wiping tears away when Toru and Jinsuke began to sing together.

They ate and drank and danced, all of them, allowing themselves to be selfish, or perhaps just to live, for a few more moments.

Some would soon depart for the timeless realm to rest, one final time.

Two hours later, the first drops of rain began to fall again.

BEFORE THE DAWN

Footsteps in the palace's hallway announced yet another guest.

The party was over, and this was an entirely different sort of gathering.

Naruto had no idea if they were invited or not. He didn't pull his eyes away from the great window. Outside, a storm washed the Palace's walls with rain. Even here, aboard the Ring, supposedly far away from the kami's influence. If anything, the rains only seemed to intensify as time went on and the time of the battle approached. He had no hopes that they would stop for a long, long while, if they failed. If ever.

But failure wasn't an option.

The wind was sharply chill, and the waves down below were violent. Furious. As though boiling blood coursed through them. The skies were somber, and turning darker still. The air smelled wet.

Somber was what the mood in the room was like, as well.

All of the people who were to fight had slept already, and still, they looked tired. Everywhere he could see, from the upper levels of the palace to the lower ones, men and women worked. Warriors coated armor that did not need any more coatings in Created oils. Smiths sharpened high-frequency weapons that were already impossibly sharp, and enchanted beyond that. Psychics sat in meditative trance. Commanders went over plans they knew they would not alter. Food was served by chakra constructs to people who were not feeling particularly hungry.

It was the last moments of calm before the storm.

Naruto extended his senses beyond the palace. The trees held on, seeking the sun and the soil. The heartless seas continued to rage. Birds still hummed. Fishes still swam. Humans still lived. Most of them did not care about the dawn.

Naruto opened his eyes.

Rulers from the Rings, rulers from other worlds and their immediate entourage filed in, many of them with sorrow on their faces. They assumed him to be walking to his death, then.

It was hard to blame them.

"Any last words?" Sakura asked.

Toru and Sasuke, sitting to either side of her, arms folded, glanced at her. They had been pretty silent, ever since they woke up. Well, no, the contrast was more jarring in Toru.

"I blame Naruto for this mess." Toru said, but there was no heat in it. "And Orochimaru."

"Not me, for getting captured, then?" She asked. "Why, then? Because he formed a pact with Susanoo in the first place?"

"Nah, although that's classic Orochimaru shit. Or Naruto shit." Toru sighed. "But because not going to face the destroyer of gods would make me feel like a terrible friend."

Sasuke hummed softly, in a noncommittal answer. "In that man's wretched defense… He tried to tell you off. To tell all of us off. Many times."

Sasuke had been gathering and releasing natural energy for a while now. Filling the air with its soothing presence, perhaps in an effort to assuage the people's frayed nerves.

"Well." Toru said. "I can't be seen agreeing with Naruto, can I, now?"

"Fair, fair."

"And you, Sasuke?" Sakura reiterated her question.

Sasuke only shrugged. "It's not even the first time he caused my untimely death, really."

"Nice." Sakura nodded. "I'll have Sarada write that on our graves, then."

There was a slight tension in Sasuke's jaw. Not even irritation at her usual brand of offensive humor, however. A tremor of worry. "…Much appreciated."

"What about you, Ghostgirl?" Toru asked. "Unworried and unwrinkled?"

Sakura smiled flatly. "What is there to say?" She shook her head. "We're going to cut that bastard's divine head off. And it's going to look great above the palace's fireplace."

Yoisen looked up as Karin approached the table she and a few trusted companions were making preparations on.

"I trust you are finished, Yoisen?" Karin asked easily. There was a bandana wrapped around her right bicep, a keepsake from Akemi, who hoped that someone reasonable would keep them all out of trouble, and bring them home safely. Because she wasn't entirely sure whether Toru would care about his own safety, for one.

"I am nearly done." Yoisen lied. "Just tying up a few loose ends."

Karin shook her head. "You are worse than Ino." She said.

Yoisen gave her a mock glare. "These were fighting words, once, my dear."

"Prove me wrong, then." Karin challenged, her eyes sparkling. "Step away from the planning table. Overthinking about what we already overthought about and doing it over again won't change anything."

"But—"

Yoisen's aide, Susumu, elbowed her out the way. Yoisen shot a glare but to no avail; her authority was seemingly slipping.

"…Fine." Yoisen sighed. "I suppose we can step away from this, Karin."

Karin's smile brightened the room. "Come, I've been meaning to ask you something."

Yoisen matched her pace, curiosity piqued. "I am all ears — is this how you say it?"

Karin nodded. "When we return, will you marry us?"

Stunned, Yoisen collided with a wall.

Karin rushed to her side, concern etching her features. "Oh no — I didn't mean to startle you."

Yoisen raised a hand. "I'm fine, this is only a wall."

Regaining her composure, Yoisen straightened up, brushing off the incident with a forced chuckle. "Well, that was unexpected. When shall I… officiate your wedding to Yugito?"

Karin only stared at her with an amused smile. "I think it would take actually winning the battle against Susanoo for her to even consider it for real."

There was a confused mess of emotions in Yoisen's stomach. Well, it wasn't the end of the world, in any case, she forced herself to think. There had been an order to all this, perhaps—

"But no." Karin said, shaking her head. "Haven't asked her in a while, actually, thinking of it." Yoisen, slightly dazed, stared at her. "No." Karin laughed. "I meant for you to marry us."

Yoisen's eyes widened.

Ino and Hanabi walked in the middle of a troop of soldiers, establishing and reestablishing the needed bonds.

Keeping a link active with the others as they did so was child's play to someone with Ino's ability in the mind arts. Soothing the emotions warriors didn't want at the same time was barely any added difficulty. No, the hard part would come later.

Boruto, down on one of the lower levels, made sure the needed connection held. He was a dutiful young man, that one, Ino thought with a smile. Perhaps it was something they should have expected from Kage's son. But the same went for either of Boruto's teammates, as well as his witch partner, although they had other roles to fulfill, today.

Outside the palace, lightning arced.

Ino didn't let her mind stray on it. Hanabi's eyes, on the other hand, perceived it in more detail than needed. She hadn't deactivated her Byakugan once since she had woken up. But she could afford such a thing. And their focus, after all, was making sure that they all lived through today's battle.

If such a thing was even possible in the first place.

Orochimaru, the one from Umi, stood on an external balcony, staring at the moon.

Kaguya stood with him, watching the storms outside, and both of them were wearing the Ring's battle fatigues, even though she wouldn't be able to participate. Whatever it was that they were saying, Gama didn't listen to. It seemed all too soft, too private.

Gama's thoughts drifted to his adoptive father, Jiraiya, who was likely engaging in deep (or not) conversation with either Tsunade or Kikuchi in the lower levels of the palace. He reflected on the farewells exchanged earlier; Toru and his friends had bid their families goodbye already. Gama himself had done the same, aware that while he and Jiraiya might be fighting, his AI lover Ryūko would not.

Gama made his way through the palace that he knew well, by now. There were a couple hours left, and he would spend them well. Passing a massive archway, he climbed down on a ledge to sit on.

There, with the storm flickering overhead and the rain falling against his face, he began to meditate.

He was the river, and the mountains. And everything in between.

Ah.

There was a presence close by. Of course.

"…What do you want?" Gama inquired, his tone tinged with annoyance.

"Nothing." The other said, carefully neutral. "I only wanted to look at the storm."

"Couldn't you have found anywhere else in this massive palace?"

"I could have." She acknowledged.

Gama sighed, and then turned to face her.

There were dark bags under Hebi's eyes; she looked pale and drawn. Her eyes themselves seemed dark, even, just as her nose was red.

"You look like shit." Gama pointed out.

Hebi glanced down at herself. "I suppose I do."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"Couldn't sleep much?" Gama finally asked.

It was a while before she answered. "I told you I only came to see the lightning, didn't I? Why are you still talking?"

"I'm sure you'll see enough of it soon." Gama said. "Why rush it?"

A genuine laugh escaped Hebi, a rarity that caught Gama off guard. She quickly stifled it, and a thoughtful quiet returned.

She shifted slightly, her gaze lingering on the stormy horizon before turning back to Gama. There was a certain heaviness in her eyes, a depth that spoke of unvoiced thoughts and memories. Then she looked away again.

They continued to stare at the torrential downpour.

"Well." Gama said. "I suppose now is a good time."

"…What for?" Her voice was cautious.

"To apologize." Gama met her gaze squarely. "I'm sorry."

She stiffened. "Are you mocking me, now?"

"No. I'm not." Gama shook his head. "I'm very sorry for forcing you to stay with me, back then in Tokyo. It was one of the dumbest things I've done, and that's saying a lot."

"It's not funny."

"Usually, apologies are not supposed to be." Gama said mirthlessly. "That's no excuse at all, but I was — Ah, well. I suppose I was feeling rather lonely, back then."

"I don't want your excuses. I don't care—"

"That's fair, too." Gama nodded. Then he faced away.

"Are you kidding me?" Hebi glared at his back. "Finish it, now."

"I thought… Oh. Whatever. I saw myself in you. And I suppose I didn't want you to go." Gama concluded, then scratched his chin. "Don't hit me for saying it, there's a battle coming."

But Hebi only remained silent, processing his words.

Then, softly, she confessed. "I hate you."

Gama chuckled. "That is fine—"

"But I'm sorry, too." Hebi interrupted, her voice barely audible.

Gama blinked in surprise.

"You're a piece of shit, don't get me wrong." Hebi added.

"Right." Gama said slowly. "I suppose I am."

Silence.

"…I am one myself." Hebi said. "I… I think that two wrongs don't make a right. I am sorry for using you like that." She added. "I meant to hurt you, and I…"

Gama stared at her silently.

Hebi paused, before resuming. "I knew your vulnerabilities, just as you knew mine. I exploited them, and that was cruel of me. Then I did it again, many times over, solely to try and wound you."

Gama still wasn't saying anything.

"We were both wrong. And again, I hated you." Hebi repeated. "Not just for your insufferability — both then and now."

"Thanks." Gama said wryly.

A ghost of a smile flickered on Hebi's lips. "I'm sure you understand the feeling."

"Absolutely."

"Well...?" Hebi prodded, locking eyes with him. "How else was I supposed to react, back then?"

"Are you asking me?"

"No." Hebi said, trying to smother a smile. "No, I suppose I shouldn't."

They stayed there for a little while longer.

"Hey, bastard." Kage's voice echoed across the room, breaking the heavy silence.

'Too loud, as usual. Is there no off setting on his voice?'

Jinsuke, his focus having momentarily been elsewhere, turned sharply at the sound. His gaze landed on Kage, only to be met with that infuriatingly familiar, childlike grin. Both of them had made their temporary goodbyes to their families already — the ones who wouldn't fight, at least.

Jinsuke stared into his blue eyes. He wasn't fooled by his friend's casual manner — no one who could work that well with the ten-tailed Kurama, who had an ego to match, could be taken casually. Just like he himself shouldn't be, not with his Rinne-Sharingan and his own Jūbi.

'As expected of my rival.'

"What do you want, dumbass?" Jinsuke shot back, his tone laced with a mixture of annoyance and resignation. Fondness, too.

"Nothing much. I was just wondering…" Kage's voice trailed off, a mischievous twinkle lighting up his eyes.

Jinsuke's patience was wearing thin. "What about?" He pressed, bracing himself for yet another absurd claim about Kage's supposed superiority. "Is it going to be some stupid joke about how much stronger you've gotten since our last spar — or that I'm looking a bit rusty—"

"No." Kage interrupted, shaking his head with an exaggerated seriousness, only to break into a wider grin. "I was just wondering if Sakura is a better kisser than me."

There was silence.

"I can't believe it." Jinsuke muttered under his breath. "All these years and you're still the same idiot. Is this really how you want to go and face that thing?"

"Sure." Kage nodded with a grin. "Facing it with a grin is exactly how we'll win. It always worked for me, didn't it? You should try it sometime."

"…You're such an idiot." The words left Jinsuke's lips almost involuntarily, yet the corners of his mouth twitched, betraying a reluctant amusement.

"You didn't answer me."

Jinsuke snorted. "She is, of course."

Kage frowned. "You sure? Do you want another kiss, just to see? I've gotten much better—"

"…Just shut up."

Still, both of them were grinning.

"You shouldn't be here." Yūshirō's father said gently.

He was kneeling in front of him, one of his large hands pressed against the top of Yūshirō's head, fingers ruffling through his hair, which was softer than his own. Naruto glanced at Yugito, who only managed a silent shrug, as though saying 'what should I have done?'

It wasn't her fault that Yūshirō had dragged himself out of bed — he was becoming quite the escape artist.

"I was worried."

His father said nothing. Then he smiled. "…Well, Yugito was supposed to give you this anyway. Here. Let's call it an early present."

Naruto's other hand, the one not ruffling his hair, pressed something into Yūshirō's hands. It was a red and gold staff, and it felt terribly heavy in Yūshirō's hands. It was a tool he had seen his father use before to channel lightning during a spar with his mother. A recreation of one Naruto said he had used when he was very young. His fingers wrapped around it tightly.

"Why?" Yūshirō asked, before he could help it. "Won't you need it—"

Naruto laughed, and then scratched the back of his head. "I was never much of a staff guy. I tried to be, though." He said, with a hint of wryness. "But I guess some things run too deep for that."

Yūshirō did not understand this, either.

"I'll… tell you all this when I get back." Naruto simply said, noticing his expression. "You're still a bit young for that."

He would get back — of course he would. He was the strongest person Yūshirō knew, and he wasn't just saying this because cousin Jiraiya said the same of his own father. Although Sasuke was powerful, everyone knew who was the strongest of them all, him included. Yūshirō hoped to be like him some day, to wield thunder and wind and the strongest swords like his father did.

He just hadn't expected to be given anything like this so soon.

"Will you be away for long?" Yūshirō asked, and hoped the words didn't sound like an accusation. His mother stiffened slightly behind him. Naruto's eyes softened.

"No." Then he paused. "Well, I will return once I have dealt with… some problem. You take care of it while I'm gone, alright?"

His father's hand reached forward to settle upon Yūshirō's own. And his mother's hands were on his shoulders, trying to soothe him. Yūshirō wasn't sure he wanted the weapon anymore.

It felt heavy, and not because of its actual weight, because the weapon was enchanted to be lighter.

And he especially did not want it if it meant his father was leaving.

'What about us?'

His father, as usual, seemed to read his thoughts. He wasn't truly doing it that often anymore, but he seemed to know all the same. There was a slight silence, something cloying that filled the air between them.

And then Naruto wrapped his arms around him, just as Yugito did.

Neither of the three were particularly big on hugs, in general, so perhaps it felt more important than it should have.

Yes, perhaps it was that.

"You will be fine." Naruto said. "You have each other."

Yūshirō didn't want to hear this, especially not now. It felt like the sort of thing Sasuke would say to his sons. And he didn't want to hear about clones or Shadows, either.

"And me, too." Naruto concluded, with steel in his eyes. "That's a promise."

And, much like moments of great significance approached with a paradoxical blend of haste and delay, the awaited hour arrived. It came, as such pivotal instances often did, sooner than anticipated yet later than desired, with the gentle, inevitable force of destiny.

Naruto walked in front of his most trusted.

Only then, standing in front of them, did he open his eyes.

"Why do you look so damn scared?" Naruto finally asked, his voice cutting through the quiet like a blade. His gaze swept over them, fierce and unflinching. "Are you going to a funeral?"

His eyes locked with each of theirs in turn, piercing.

Karin shifted, exchanging a glance with Ino.

Naruto's features grew stern. "Susanoo-Arashi this. Susanoo-Arashi that." He said dismissively, his words laced with a hint of scorn for the fear that the mere mention of their enemy invoked in some of the troops. "Destroyer of worlds, killer of gods."

He let the silence fall for a moment.

"We've done all that ourselves before, haven't we?"

Naruto's rhetorical question hung in the air, unanswered.

Then, unexpectedly, a chuckle broke the stillness. It was rough, more a bark than a laugh, but it was unmistakably Toru's. The tension began to crack, as another joined in with their own hesitant laughter. Then a third person, followed by another. Then others, cheering. Until the roar of the crowd filled that entire silence.

Naruto's stance became more determined, his eyes blazing with an unyielding fire. "When we get out there, put on your fighting faces." He commanded, his voice resonating with confidence.

He moved closer to his friends, his presence at once comforting and empowering. "We've faced darkness before. We stared into the abyss and fought our way back. This is no different." Naruto continued, his words piercing the lingering shadows of doubt. "Susanoo-Arashi is formidable, yes, but so are we all. Time and again, we've triumphed over insurmountable odds." His voice rose, filled with unwavering strength.

"What's one more battle?"

In the crowd, fear turned into resolve.

"Today, we fight not just for ourselves, but for all those who believe in us, for the worlds we cherish. Today, we show Susanoo-Arashi the strength of our bonds, the power of our collective will."

Clenching his fist, Naruto's resolve seemed as unbreakable as steel.

He lifted his clenched fist high. "Let's remind that god who we are."

Inspired, ten thousand fists rose in response, a sea of unyielding spirit and solidarity.

Toru's backslap landed with a resonant thud against Naruto's armor.

Naruto glared at him. "This is supposed to be a hand-stack."

"What of it?" Toru cocked his head, an impish grin playing on his lips. "I meant to slap your back. Decent speech out there, my Lord. I see Kage has rubbed—"

"Don't start." Naruto warned, but his tone lacked real heat.

"Well done, my Lord." Ino chimed in, her voice dripping with mock solemnity.

Yoisen, ever the embodiment of grace, offered a low bow, her voice sincere. "Well done indeed."

Naruto's nostrils flared slightly, a telltale sign of his growing impatience, but before he could articulate a response, Anko stepped forward. She extended her hand in the center of the circle, above Naruto's.

"It's good enough for you too, Toru." She said, glaring at him.

"See?" Hanabi asked, with a slight smile. "She gets it."

Toru let out a resigned sigh. Under Shisui's insistent gaze, he finally placed his hand atop Anko's. Sakura was next, her slap on Toru's hand a bit too enthusiastic, eliciting a wince from him. Then Sarada, Boruto and Mitsuki. Shisui followed suit, then Orochimaru, Karin, and Ino. Hebi. Hanabi's hand joined gently, followed by Yoisen's touch. Gama. Roku. Itachi, Yugito, and Sasuke added their hands. Kage and Jinsuke followed, with Kaguya placing her hand last to seal the pact.

Sarada's dad gave the mother of chakra a strange look, but kept his mouth shut, and his thoughts hidden behind a stoic facade.

"One for all—" Toru began.

"You got it wrong." Hanabi said.

"You don't even know what I was about to say."

"I don't need to."

Naruto masked his amusement. Behind them, many of the warriors had elected to do what they just did, gathering in smaller groups, banding together in circles.

Naruto waited until he deemed them ready. He closed his eyes again, focused his mind. Opened them again. His face turned to stone.

"We got this."

This time, there was no need for the Ark.

"Born of the divine Amenonuhoko…" Naruto began. "Bakuseiken."

The realm in between, once again, was nothing but frozen wilderness.

Ten thousand men and women traveled down its valleys, toward the gateway to the inner world, the true home of the kami. This time, cold set as they went. Freezing winds blew, taking with them any remaining warmth. Night set, and still they walked. Day came and night set again, a pale imitation, or perhaps the original inspiration, of the mortal worlds.

They passed the torii gate, and slowly, steadily, they walked up the rainbow path.

Ten thousand men and women strode up to its gate, and the guardian, a being in perpetual flux of radiant light, motioned for them to enter. It remained there, alone, giving its assent.

Dawn was breaking as the humans entered Takamagahara.

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i/pkNudr : Before the Dawn

Next chapter: Takamagahara