Chapter 70

The sun filtered through the lush canopy of the Land of Fire, casting dappled light over the trio of Jinchuriki as they darted silently through the forest. Sakura had dropped them off near the shoreline, the gravity of her parting words lightened by a kiss on Naruto's cheek before she disappeared in a pink flash of chakra. Despite the weight of their mission, Naruto's cheek still tingled, and he couldn't suppress a small smile.

Yugito rolled her eyes at him as they raced across the treetops. "Eyes on the mission, hero. We've got bigger things to worry about."

Naruto gave a sheepish laugh but nodded. They moved in silence for what felt like hours, the rhythm of their steps a testament to their shared resolve. Then, without warning, Naruto raised his hand. The trio skidded to a stop on a wide branch, their breathing synchronized as they crouched, poised for any threat. Then, Naruto settled into a cross-legged seated position.

Yugito crossed her arms. "Really, Naruto? Now's not the time for meditation."

Naruto ignored her, closing his eyes and slipping effortlessly into Sage Mode. His body absorbed the natural energy around him, and when he opened his golden, toad-like eyes, they locked onto Yugito's with a newfound intensity that made her flinch.

"We're not alone," Naruto said, his voice low. He gestured toward a clearing not far ahead. "Three powerful chakra signatures. Think I recognize them. All three of them."

Yugito and Bee stiffened, their gazes following Naruto's pointed finger. They silently stalked forward through the treeline. There, in the nearby clearing, stood three figures. The first was a man with crimson hair, his mythical Rinnegan eyes glowing faintly. Beside him stood another man, tall and composed, his dark eyes framed by the intricate design of the Eternal Mangekyōu sharingan. Both were clad in dark robes. The third figure stood apart, leaning casually against a tree. His serpent-like yellow eyes glinted with malevolence beneath his hood.

Naruto's breath caught in his throat. "Nagato… Itachi… and Kabuto." His voice was barely a whisper, laced with disbelief.

"Nagato and Itachi?" Yugito echoed, her eyes narrowing. "But they're—"

"Dead," Naruto finished for her. "I killed Nagato two months ago. And Itachi… Itachi died fighting Sasuke. This isn't right."

The three dropped into the clearing, their presence acknowledged by the other group.

"The three of you approach us from the shadows and yet… you are surprised far more than we." Kabuto's serpent-like grin widened as he pushed off the tree, his voice hissing through the tension in the air. "Don't worry, Naruto-kun. Everything will become clear soon."

"What have you done, Kabuto?" Naruto tightened his fists. His enhanced perception detected something aberrant about Itachi and Nagato. Something impure.

Kabuto gestured grandly at the two resurrected figures beside him. "Behold my greatest achievement: Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation. A forbidden jutsu passed down by Orochimaru-sama. These two? They're my finest works. Nagato, the leader of Akatsuki, and Itachi Uchiha, the prodigy of the Uchiha clan. Both reborn in bodies that will never tire, with chakra reserves that will never deplete. Perfect weapons for the war to come. And I have so many more."

Nagato stepped forward, his eyes meeting Naruto's. His expression was solemn, almost regretful. "Naruto… We are not your enemies, but we have no control over our bodies. Kabuto holds the strings, we are his marionettes."

"We are bound to his will. Whatever happens here is not by our choice." Itachi nodded slightly, his expression unreadable but his voice calm.

Kabuto's laugh echoed through the clearing as he took a step back. "I'll leave you three to entertain my creations. I have other matters to attend to. There is a world to conquer, you know. Do try to stay alive, Naruto-kun. Your Nine-tails will be an excellent prize."

With that, Kabuto's form melded into the earth, leaving Nagato and Itachi standing before them, their fearsome eyes fixed on Naruto's group. The air grew thick with tension, the weight of what was to come pressing down on them.

Naruto clenched his fists around a Wood Release staff he'd materialized, his golden eyes blazing with determination. "We'll stop this. Both of you. Whatever it takes."

The three Jinchuriki moved in a blur, their cloaks of chakra glowing with a single tail each, their movements primal and precise. Yugito, Bee, and Naruto darted across the battlefield on all fours, each step shaking the ground beneath them. Their collective force surged toward Nagato and Itachi like a storm of fury.

"Don't look at his eyes!" Naruto yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos. He felt his power, a fusion of two overwhelming chakra, radiating from his form. His face bore a fierce determination, framed by toad-like golden eyes that reflected the wisdom and raw nature chakra of Senjutsu. His features were more animalistic now—feral yet noble—with his whisker-like markings more pronounced than usual, a sign of Kurama's chakra surging through him. The criss-crossed pupils of his eyes stood out against the intensity of his gaze, sharp and predatory, shifting between Itachi and Nagato.

"I fought the Rinnegan before, but that was against his Six Paths. I don't know everything Nagato can do directly, but be ready for All Mighty Push and Pull—and watch for chakra rods. They'll cancel out your cloaks! He can also absorb any chakra based attack that he has time to react to—he can absorb Demon chakra too."

Yugito and Bee nodded, their focus sharpening as they flanked Nagato from both sides. Their initial charge was met with a simple palm of Nagato's outstretched hand. "All Mighty Push!"

The force erupted from Nagato like a tidal wave, sending the two Cloud-nin flying backward. They hurtled toward a thick tree trunk, but Naruto's clones appeared in a flash, catching them before they hit.

Before they could regroup, Itachi materialized between them in a swirl of crows. His voice was calm but commanding. "Look at me, Naruto."

Naruto clenched his jaw and immediately averted his gaze. His hands flew through seals. "Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"

The ground rumbled as massive, sinewy tree limbs burst forth, surging toward Itachi with ferocious speed. Itachi responded with the black, irrepressible flames of his Amaterasu, incinerating the approaching stalks. Naruto followed up, leaping forward with a Rasengan that flickered with intermingling tendrils of blue, sea-foam green, and scarlet, but Itachi sidestepped with preternatural ease. His sharingan glimmered as he turned to counterattack—only to be struck by a Frog Kumite punch, sending him skidding backward.

Nagato's calm voice cut through the dust and destruction. "Brace yourselves. I will now unleash my most powerful force. This will be comparable to the attack that destroyed your village, Naruto." Naruto's heart clenched at the memory, but there was no time to dwell. Nagato raised his arms. "All Mighty Push!"

The air itself seemed to collapse inward before exploding outward in a devastating wave of unrelenting power. Trees splintered, rocks shattered, and the very earth caved in, leaving a massive crater in its wake. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the battlefield.

When the dust settled, everything within a square kilometer had been obliterated. Nagato stood at the epicenter, his Rinnegan gleaming. But three colossal forms loomed on the edges of the destruction. Yugito, Bee, and Naruto had each transformed into their full Tailed Beast forms, their massive chakra-coated figures radiating defiance. Opposite them, Itachi's fully realized Susanoo stood tall, its ethereal form unscathed by the destruction.

When the dust fully cleared Nagato stood atop his largest summon, a Giant snake-tailed Chameleon. Naruto's full-sized simulacrum of Kurama, the Nine-Tails, stood towering and imposing. The massive fox shimmered with an ethereal orange hue, its body composed of chakra-hardened fur that pulsed like a heartbeat. Kurama's nine tails whipped through the air like massive serpents, smashing aside Nagato's summons with thunderous force. A giant centipede lunged at him, its mandibles wide and venom dripping, but one of Kurama's tails snapped forward like a battering ram, sending the creature sprawling into a distant mountain.

Kurama's glowing eyes burned with fury, their slit pupils locked onto the multi-headed dog. With a roar that shook the heavens, Naruto lunged, his claws digging into the monstrous dog's flesh. He tossed it skyward with a flick of his massive head and Killer Bee sent a Bijudama careening towards its airborne body, the black sphere of chakra obliterating the creature in a spectacular explosion.

Naruto, from within Kurama's body, coordinated the battle, his voice echoing through the colossal fox. "Yugito, Bee! Let's finish these guys off!"

Yugito's form as Matatabi, the Two-Tails, was a majestic, blazing feline of cobalt blue fire. Her chakra fur burned with an intensity that lit up the battlefield, and her glowing heterochromatic eyes gleamed with predatory focus. Yugito, as Matatabi moved with feline grace, her movements fluid yet devastatingly powerful. The giant centipede coiled and struck at her like a whip, but she dodged with a flash of fire, her speed a blur.

She unleashed a torrent of azure flames, engulfing the centipede in an inferno that left it writhing in agony. As the multi-headed dog charged her, snarling and snapping, Matatabi pounced with claws wreathed in fire, slashing through its many heads in a blaze of blue destruction. Her tails lashed out in synchronized movements, creating waves of fire that scorched the ground and burned away the smaller summons trying to flank her.

From within, Yugito's voice carried calm authority, her connection with Matatabi perfectly balanced. "Don't let up, Bee. Naruto and I have your back."

Killer Bee's transformation into Gyūki, the Eight-Tails, was a terrifying sight. The colossal octopus-bull hybrid loomed over the battlefield, his muscular frame rippling with chakra. Gyūki's eight tentacles coiled and uncoiled with devastating power, smashing through Nagato's summons like wrecking balls. When the Giant snake-tailed Chameleon tried to flank him, Gyūki lashed out with a tentacle, grabbing one of its heads and slamming it repeatedly into the ground. Nagato floated to the ground as if weightless.

The Giant Rhinoceros attempted to ambush him from behind, but Gyūki pivoted with surprising agility for his size, catching the creature in his massive hand-like tentacle. With a triumphant bellow, Gyūki hurled the rhinoceros into the remnants of Nagato's other summons.

Amidst the chaos, Naruto's eyes widened as he briefly, accidentally, locked eyes with Itachi's. He cursed under his breath. "Crap!"

The world around him shifted. His surroundings blurred and reformed into a nondescript field. Naruto found himself standing face-to-face with Itachi, his Eternal Mangekyōu sharingan glowing faintly.

"Nice eyes. Kabuto gives you Sasuke's, like he gave Sasuke yours? Probably his goal the whole time, the rat bastard." Naruto's intensity was cracked by Itachi's genuine smile.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," Itachi said softly, his voice sincere. There was no malice in his gaze, only gratitude. "You've saved me."

Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, he doubled over, a sudden, violent sensation overtaking him. He gagged and retched, and an enormous crow burst from his mouth, materializing from an amorphous shadow. The bird's single Mangekyōu sharingan spun wildly as it appraised Itachi.

Naruto's vision snapped back to reality. He was once again in his Tailed Beast form, staring down at the small form of Nagato below. But before he could act, Itachi's Susanoo moved. The Sword of Totsuka descended with impossible speed, piercing the unaware Nagato. The Rinnegan wielder's body froze as the sealing blade began its work.

Nagato's eyes softened. His voice was barely a whisper. "I'm sorry… Naruto."

The spectral gourd on the Susanoo's armored back sealed Nagato away. Itachi stood still for a moment, his Susanoo dissolving. He turned to Naruto, Yugito, and Bee, his expression unreadable.

"It seems… I still have a role to play," Itachi murmured before stepping forward to join them, his gaze now resolute. "Let's end this war."

Bee and Yugito glanced at Naruto, who simply nodded. Collectively, the gargantuan forms of the three Tailed Beasts reverted into three comparatively small human bodies.

"Explain," Yugito eyed Itachi with an innate distrust born from her love of Sasuke. Her beloved had explained everything about his brother's true motives, and his unwillingness to hurt his precious younger brother that he upheld to his death. But that didn't mean she forgave Itachi for the trauma, the torment, the tortuous and sleepless nights. "Quickly."

"Okay, I will try to be as concise as possible while retaining the relevant facts." Itachi nodded as he eyed Yugito with an unreadable expression. "When Naruto was a child, I confronted him under the guise of an ardent Akatsuki member. In doing so, I was able to transmit a covert message to his teacher, Jiraiya of the Sannin, explaining what I knew of the Akatsuki's motives. By this time I feared for Sasuke's wellbeing. I knew my actions had left a trauma on his psyche, and I feared he would turn against the Village Hidden in the Leaves if he learned the truth behind the slaughter of the Uchiha clan. So I imparted Naruto with a gift, a summon of mine containing Shisui's other eye. The one Danzo didn't manage to acquire."

Yugito and Bee shared an incredulous glance. Naruto's demeanor betrayed no suspicion. That alone credited Itachi's outlandish claims.

"Shisui's eyes, as you've seen, possessed within them the capacity to cast permanent, irresistible genjutsu commands. I commanded the crow to activate Shisui's power as soon as Naruto encountered Sasuke's Mangekyōu sharingan, fearing that he would use it to destroy Konoha. At that point the crow would impart Sasuke with the mandate to protect the Leaf Village."

"I see," Yugito clicked her tongue in what might have been irritation. "So since Kabuto gave you Sasuke's eyes, your technique activated when Naruto saw your Mangekyōu sharingan."

Itachi nodded. "And protect the Leaf Village I must."

Naruto's hands moved with precision as he shaped the earth with his chakra, carving out a proper grave for Nagato. The air was heavy with an unspoken solemnity, and the only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the soft scraping of dirt. Yugito stood nearby, her arms crossed, her usual detached demeanor tinged with respect for the fallen shinobi. Bee hummed softly under his breath, his rhyme subdued in reverence for the moment.

Itachi watched silently, his crimson eyes dim as he contemplated the body of his friend. When Naruto finished, the four stood together, gazing at the burial mound. Itachi took a step forward, bowing his head slightly.

"Nagato and I had a plan," he began, his voice steady but heavy with the weight of memory. "We knew we might be summoned back with this cursed technique. We discussed it as soon as we were summoned, using my sharingan to bridge our minds together—we would do what we could to stop it. I'm sorry, Nagato. I wish there had been another way."

Naruto glanced at Itachi, his eyes blue again. "He understood, Itachi. You both fought for what you believed in. He would've wanted it this way."

Itachi nodded, though his expression remained distant. "Perhaps. But Kabuto's ambitions are far greater than any of us anticipated. He has raised an army of the dead to bolster the Akatsuki forces." He turned to the group, his gaze sharp. "The strongest shinobi in history are now his pawns. The Akatsuki, the Third Raikage, the Third Hokage, the Second Mizukage, the Second Tsuchikage, Konoha's White Fang, Jiraiya..." He hesitated at the last name, his voice faltering for a fraction of a second. "Even the Uchiha clan—though eyeless. Most of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist and countless others. This war will be unlike any the world has ever seen."

Naruto clenched his fists. "Jiraiya..." he muttered, the uttered name a dagger in his chest. The thought of his sensei being used as a weapon against the people he loved made his blood boil.

Itachi's voice cut through the tension. "This war is no longer about just defeating the Akatsuki. It's about breaking Kabuto's hold over these souls and putting them to rest once and for all."

Suddenly, Naruto froze. A familiar voice echoed in his mind.

"Naruto?" It was Ino, her voice sharp and filled with urgency. "What the hell are you doing? You shouldn't be anywhere near a relay station! The war is about to start—where are you, anyways? Are you okay?! There are 100,000 White Zetsu marching for our position as we speak!"

Naruto spoke aloud, though he knew Ino could still hear him. "It's already started, Babe. We just took out Nagato and Itachi." He glanced at the others, then added, "Tell Sasuke that Kabuto—who would've guessed—betrayed him. He's the one pulling the strings with this Reanimation Jutsu. He's raised an elite force to support the Zetsu army."

There was a pause before Ino's voice returned, more composed but no less urgent. "Understood. I'll pass it on. But you need to stay safe, Naruto. We need you. I need you."

Naruto grinned despite the grim situation. "We'll be fine. Send Sakura back when she can. We'll pass on all the details from Itachi."

The telepathic link faded, and Naruto turned to his companions. "This war isn't just starting—it's already here. Let's make sure we're ready to meet it head-on."

Bee clapped a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Then let's show them, true, what we Jinchuriki can do, little bro."

"No more running, no more hiding. It's time to fight." Yugito nodded, her expression steely.

Naruto looked at the grave one last time before turning away. "Rest easy, Nagato. We'll make sure your sacrifice wasn't in vain." And with that, the group vanished into the trees, ready to face the storm.