Chapter 73
Naruto and Killer Bee raced through the dense forests and jagged cliffs of the Land of Lightning, their strides relentless as they ascended toward the elevated terrain where Kakashi's Third Division and Gaara's Fourth Division fought valiantly. The brisk mountain air stung their faces, but neither slowed, their focus sharp and unyielding.
"Naruto," a voice echoed in his mind. It was Ino's, her psyche a familiar presence in his head now thanks to her Mind Transfer link.
"Ino?" Naruto's mental reply was immediate. "Everything okay?"
"I... I need to inform the Kage that I've spotted you," she admitted hesitantly, her voice wracked with guilt even inside his head. "I've delayed as long as I can, but they're going to notice soon."
Naruto felt a pang of remorse but masked it with his usual upbeat resolve. "Don't worry about it, Ino. You've already done more than enough for us. Thanks for buying me this much time."
Ino hesitated. Her psychic voice trembled, "Naruto... it's overwhelming. All the death, the pain—being connected to every battlefield like this, it's too much sometimes. I feel every single life snuffed out, every scream, every burst of anguish. And I can't do anything about it."
Naruto slowed for a moment, Killer Bee glancing back curiously but saying nothing. Naruto focused his thoughts, his voice in the mental link uncharacteristically gentle. "Ino... you're doing more than anyone else could. You're keeping all of us together. You're saving lives just by being there for the Alliance. And me? You've saved me more times than I can count. I don't know if I can repay you."
A soft mental laugh came through. "You'd better survive this war, Naruto. That's all the payment I'll ever need. Just... be safe, okay? I can't lose you too."
Naruto grinned, his chest warm despite the cold air. "You've got it, Ino. And hey—same goes for you. We'll both make it through this. Promise."
The connection faded, and Naruto picked up his pace, racing to catch up to Bee. For a moment, despite the war around them, the bond of friendship steadied his spirit.
Within the dreary confines of the Alliance Headquarters, Ay slammed his fist on the table with enough force to send papers and wood splinters flying, his fury palpable.
"They escaped? You mean to tell me that all three of our Jinchuriki are out there, running loose, with the war escalating by the second?" His voice boomed through the chamber, his lightning-charged aura crackling faintly around him.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed. "Calm down, Raikage-sama. If you want to blame anyone, blame me—I knew Naruto would never stay put if he thought he could help."
"That doesn't justify it!" Ay retorted. "If they're captured, the Akatsuki gets their hands on the Nine, Two, and Eight Tails, and this war is over. I should have personally kept their impudence in check."
Mei Terumi, the Mizukage, interjected smoothly. "Perhaps their leaving is a blessing in disguise. Kabuto's Edo Tensei has already proven far more widespread than we anticipated. Plus, their location was compromised anyway. Having them join the fight might be our best option at this point."
Konan nodded in agreement. She sat as the representative of Amegakure. "The scale of this war exceeds anything we imagined. Between the relentless Zetsu swarms and the resurrected Kage infiltrating the Land of Lightning, we're running out of time and options. We will need the three Jinchuriki before the night falls, mark my words."
Ōnoki, the Tsuchikage, grumbled as he stroked his beard. "Loathe as I am to admit it—Konan's right. We can't afford to play it safe anymore. The reanimated Kage reported by Gaara are a threat I'll handle personally, but the rest of you need to mobilize too. We can't afford to hold anything back anymore."
Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples. "Fine. But if we're doing this, we're doing it smart. Ay and I will confront Naruto and Bee ourselves. Mei, you'll reinforce the First Division. Ōnoki, you're headed to the Fourth Division to assist against the reanimated Kage. Konan, Shikaku, and Ino will remain here to coordinate."
Ay crossed his arms, a scowl still etched on his face. "And what happens when we find Naruto and Bee?"
"We bring them to their senses without wasting resources," Tsunade replied sternly, her voice leaving no room for argument. "We're not here to punish them; we're here to win a war."
Ay begrudgingly nodded, and the Kage dispersed, each steeling themselves for the battles ahead. The war was far from over, and the fate of the Shinobi Alliance rested on razor-thin edges of resolve and strategy.
Naruto and Killer Bee slowed their relentless pace as the rising sun cast a warm glow over the jagged cliffs of the Land of Lightning. The journey had been grueling, with hours of running, no rest, and no meals. Bee leaned against a tree, munching on his bland ration bar with a stoic expression, while Naruto guffawed down nearly an entire week's worth of rations in one sitting.
"You eat like a starving dog, bro," Bee said, his voice calm, though his words carried his usual cadence.
Naruto grinned through a mouthful of food. "I gotta fuel up if we're gonna fight some more reanimated douche bags, right?"
Bee chuckled but said nothing more, watching as Naruto plopped himself down on the grass. Naruto crossed his legs, his face settling into a meditative serenity as he entered his Toad Sage Mode. The abundant nature chakra of the surrounding area permeated him, sharpening his senses and attuning him to the world around him.
Suddenly, Naruto's eyes snapped open, his irides gold and orange with toad-like pupils. "Bee, we've got company!"
Naruto rolled to the side just as Ay, the Fourth Raikage, burst through the trees in a blur of speed, his Lightning Release Armor sparking fiercely around him. Ay's Lariat narrowly missed Naruto's torso but sent a violent gust of wind coursing through the clearing. The ground where Naruto had been sitting moments earlier cracked and split from the sheer force of the melee attack.
Naruto sprang to his feet, his Senjutsu-enhanced senses allowing him to narrowly dodge Ay's subsequent flurry of blows. "Kurama," Naruto thought, his demeanor urgent. "I might need your help for this fight."
Kurama's voice growled in his mind. "About time, kid. Don't hold back."
The translucent red chakra cloak of Naruto's nascent Jinchuriki form enveloped him, bubbling with volatile energy. Nine chakra tails swayed behind him as his aura intensified, the pressure cracking the stone below his now quadrupedal form. His eyes, pupils crossed from the combination of Senjutsu and Kurama's chakra, locked onto Ay's. Determination radiated from his form in waves of boiling demon chakra. Ay's attacks were relentless, his lightning-coated fists moving faster than most could track. But Naruto's enhanced reflexes allowed him to weave through the onslaught with astonishing agility.
Ay's voice boomed, filled with both anger and resolve. "You should've stayed hidden, boy. I wonder if the only way to keep you out of Tobi's hands isn't to end you here now!"
"That's enough!" Tsunade's commanding voice rang out as she landed with perfect poise between the convergence of combatants. Her presence momentarily gave Ay pause, but before he could respond, Killer Bee entered the fray.
"Yo, big bro!" Bee's tone lacked his usual playful rhythm, replaced by a rare seriousness. "You gotta calm down!" His fist glowed with chakra as he delivered a devastating Tailed Beast-powered Lariat to Ay's side, sending the Raikage tumbling across the ground. Ay flipped to his feet in one fluid motion, dust and dirt cascading from his battered armor. Despite the impact, his defiance burned brighter than ever.
Killer Bee stood firm, his own red, eight-tailed Jinchuriki cloak enveloping him. "We ain't your enemies, Ay. You gotta trust us."
"Two perfect Jinchuriki's good, better is three," Bee continued, his cadence softening as genuine emotion broke through his words. "We got a whole plan, ya see?"
Naruto stepped forward, his chakra tails swaying ominously behind him. "We're here to help, Raikage-sama. You can't stop us—please, because this war isn't just about saving the world; it's about saving our friends, our homes. You'd do the same to protect Bee, wouldn't you?"
Ay's gaze flickered between Naruto and Bee, his fists tightening. "The safest way to stop Madara's—or Tobi's—plan is to take you out of the equation permanently."
Tsunade took a step forward, her voice sharp. "Don't even think about it, Ay. Naruto is a shinobi of the Leaf, and I won't countenance your threatening my shinobi."
"You'd kill Naruto to stop the war? Then why not me, big bro? Same logic, right? You really think this is what's best?" Bee's face hardened and his words grew exasperated.
Ay hesitated, the weight of Bee's words grounding him. He unclenched his fists, his lightning armor diminishing to a faint flicker. "Fine," he growled, his tone reluctant but resolute. "You've made your case. But you're both on thin ice. One misstep, and you'll regret it."
"Thanks, Ay. Now let's take care of business." Bee nodded, his expression softening.
"You ready to reform the A-B Combo?" Ay's gaze settled on Bee with pride and affection. We've got a score to settle with the reanimated Third Raikage."
"Always ready, big bro." Bee grinned, his confidence returning.
Tsunade clapped a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Good work convincing him. Now, you and I need to head to reinforce Kakashi and the Third Division."
Naruto nodded, his grin returning. "Let's do this."
The four split up, each group determined to turn the tide of the war in their favor. The battles ahead would test them all, but for the moment, hope burned brightly in their hearts.
The dawn broke over the war camp as Yugito approached with purposeful strides, her presence stoic despite the tumult around her. The camp, a temporary refuge for Darui's First Division, was alive with the quiet murmurs of recovery and strategy. Shinobi tended to their wounds, their expressions a mix of determination and exhaustion. Yugito noted the weight of the previous day's battle on their shoulders but wasted no time dwelling in her own sense of loss.
Itachi slipped into the shadows as they entered the perimeter, his movements calculated and surreptitious. He would wait, concealed, to avoid creating unnecessary panic until Yugito explained the circumstances of his defection. She nodded briefly to him before making her way through the rows of tents, each one a testament to the lives intertwined in this fragile alliance.
Yugito approached Sasuke's tent with an uncharacteristic sense of urgency, her heart pounding harder than she'd ever anticipated. She cast aside the flaps of the tent, her words poised on the tip of her tongue—only to halt at the sight before her.
Karin was pulling her jacket back on, her expression caught somewhere between defiance and surprise. For a moment, Yugito's heart clenched painfully. Her sharp eyes caught the fresh bite mark on Karin's arm, and her mind raced. Then it clicked—Karin had been healing Sasuke. Relief relaxed her chest.
"Hello, Karin," Yugito's voice was smooth, sharp, and accentedl. "So good to see you. It is a shame you were leaving, no?"
Karin hesitated, her crimson eyes flashing with defiance for a fleeting second before she thought better of it. She gave a slight bow, her movements stiff, before brushing past Yugito and disappearing into the camp.
The tent fell into silence, the air thick with tension as Yugito turned her gaze to Sasuke. He was on his feet, despite the evident strain his body was under. His movements were unsteady, but he met her gaze with something that resembled relief, a quiet strength in his dark eyes. Yugito stepped forward instinctively, catching him as he stumbled. They sank onto his bed mat together, the world outside the tent fading into irrelevance as they met eyes.
At last Sasuke broke their comfortable silence, his voice soft but firm. "Yugito. I'm glad to see you free again. Like you deserve to be."
His unexpected words disarmed her, shaking the walls she'd built around her heart. For a moment, she struggled to find her moxie. When she finally spoke, her words were laced with an edge she didn't mean to wield. "You look well, Sasuke. Karin's healing power is useful, yes, only… I did not think to find anybody else in your tent."
Sasuke didn't respond with words. Instead, he leaned forward, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that was both tender and vulnerable. His actions spoke louder than anything he could have said—an apology, a reassurance, and a declaration all at once. Yugito melted into his embrace, her barriers crumbling in the face of his earnestness. She returned the kiss with equal fervor, her fingers tangling in his dark hair as time seemed to stand still.
After what felt like an eternity and yet only a fleeting moment, they broke apart, their foreheads resting against each other's. The silence between them now was comfortable, charged with unspoken understanding.
Sasuke's voice broke through the quiet, soft and sincere. "Would that you had arrived last night, my love." He helped her stand, his movements careful and deliberate. "But today, we have a war to survive."
Yugito nodded, her resolve hardening as she pulled herself together. The world outside the tent came rushing back—the sounds of the camp, the weight of their shared mission. Together, they stepped out into the dawn, their hands brushing briefly before falling to their sides. There was no time for lingering sentiment now. The battlefield awaited them, and they would face it together.