Chapter 22: The Battle.
"Yahiko?" Jiraiya questioned the man standing before him.
"I have not gone by that name in a long time, I am Pein."
"How do you have the rinnegan? What about Nagato? Did you take it from him?"
"Those people are no more." He said and held his hand out. "Now be gone." He said Hurizen and Jiraiya launched towards him. "Ukojizai no jutsu." He said, they flinched as rain began to fall harshly down on them creating a thick blanket of rain on them.
"Heavy rain." Hurizen groaned struggling to move as the water slowed his movements down. He glanced back to see Naru laying there, he closed his eyes and sighed slowly. 'Let's use this rain to our advantage.' He thought and made slow hand signs.
"Doro Houshi." Hurizen said lowly, mud built up before shooting towards Pein, who grunted as the mud slammed into him and knocked him back, it built up up to his knees "Chikyū kōka no jutsu." The mud turned completely solid trapping Pein in the mud, he grunted trying to break free.
"What is your plan with the jinchuuriki?" Jiraiya asked.
"Interrogation?" He questioned. "Bad time." He said and glanced up. They looked up just in time to see blurs shooting down around them, they jumped back to see a woman with blue hair and golden eyes land in front of Pein, white wings behind her back that disappeared.
"Konan..." Jiraiya said. "You've grown into a beautiful lady." He said and smirked which she just blinked her eyes before shooting up in the air, her wings expanded before papers shot down.
"Shikigami no Mai no jutsu." She said, the papers smashed into the mud breaking it apart freeing Pein. Hurizen sneered at them both. A large blur shot past him, he watched Mamoru slice at Konan who dodged but his nails cut through the wings causing them to scatter. He snarled in anger kept swiping at Konan who jumped back and dodged the swipes.
Hurizen looked around and saw Sakura sitting in attack position in front of Naru, an explosion shook the area as Itachi and Sasuke came flying from the smoke spinning around quickly before skidding to a stop.
He watched Kakashi, Neji, Lee and Tenten jump back from the tentacles protruding from Kakuzu's body.
'We will win.' Hurizen thought standing up fully.
-o-
Tenten flinched as the ground rumbled and pebbles flew in the air from the hard hit Kakuzu delivered nearly missing them.
"Earth style.." Neji said panting. "But yet I can see more .. four more."
"You mean he has all five natures?" Lee asked in slight shock.
"It's more than that... I don't know how to explain it.." He muttered. "Its like there are five people inside of him... or at least five hearts."
"So what we have to kill him five times?" Tenten asked
"No. It means that you cannot kill me. I'm immortal, I've been alive longer than any of you. Your hitai-ate symbol reminds me when I battled the Shodai of Konoha." Kakuzu said and smirked. "He was just about the only one who came close to killing me." He chuckled. "A bunch of baby ninja don't stand a chance!" He said focusing and his chakra growing.
"Don't underestimate the newer generation, they may surprise you." Kakashi said. "Alright, let's do it." He said. "I've never really worked with your guys, but Gai is on his own little mission, so I'll have to do."
-o-
"Alright Sasuke, we're gonna have to work together in order to win, think you can manage?" Itachi asked looking at his young brother.
"Tsk... try to keep up." He said activating his sharingan, Itachi smirked and activated his own.
"Don't let him wound you. At all." He warned looking at Sasuke then at Hidan who had a twisted smile on his face.
"Too bad Deidara didn't stay, he's wanted to fight you forever Itachi. He's a scared little bitch and I'll be the one to destroy you!" Hidan screamed running forward swiping his scythe making the brothers back up. "The Uchiha great ninja's. Please! I'll slice to pieces then kill you!" He said. "Then your pathetic clan of bitches will really be eradicated!" He yelled swiping at them. He slammed his scythe into the ground making it explode, both brothers shot from the dust spinning around before skidding to a stop. Sasuke growled in anger, his sharingan shining brighter and brighter.
"Don't..." Itachi warned. "I have a plan but-"
"Then do it." Sasuke sniped. "When have you ever hesitated in an order or plan?" He spat, Itachi sighed at the jab.
"Oh sounds like a brother squable.." Hidan taunted.
"Shut the hell up you asshole!" Sasuke snarled.
"What did you call me bitch?" Hidan barked. "If you're so angry do something you pussy!" Hidan sneered.
"He's baiting you!" Itachi said. "Listen to me! You don't know his fight-"
"At least I'll do something!" Sasuke snarled ripping his blade out and rushing towards Hidan. Itachi groaned in annoyance and began to focus his chakra.
Hidan cheered and dodged Sasuke as he attacked trying to cut at the man as he dodging infuriating the young Uchiha more and more.
Sasuke sliced towards Hidan and missed him, Hidan smirked and brought his knee up connecting with Sasuke's stomach making him cough and slump over his knee. Hidan laughed loudly before pulling out a blade.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yelled out in shock.
"Die!" Hidan screamed bringing his weapon above Sasuke. He growled and shot his arm up, lightning shot from Sasuke's hand electrocuting Hidan and himself. Both screamed in agony before the chakra exploded knocking both of them back.
"Fuck that hurt you bastard!" Hidan screamed before coughing blood and stumbling to the young Uchiha.
"Stupid.." Itachi muttered and rushed forward swinging towards Hidan who dodged and swiped at Itachi with his own blade. Hidan screamed swinging his blade rapidly around, Itachi watched closely with his sharingan blocking each move making sure he did not get touched by the weapon.
Sasuke took in a deep breath letting out a series of fireballs making Itachi jump back and glare at his younger brother.
Sasuke smirked hearing Hidan's screaming, a blade shot out of the fire making him gasp in shock and turn to the side, the blade scratched his cheek and slammed into the ground. Blood dripped down his cheek, he wiped it away and smirked.
"You idiot." Itachi said. "I told you not to get cut!"
"I'm fine." He snarled back. "Stop looking out for me! I'm not the helpless little brat-"
"You're still a brat!" Itachi said, Sasuke frowned at him.
"You two girls done bickering?" Hidan asked, they turned to see him standing in a circle with a triangle in the middle.
"Sasuke destroy that blade!" Itachi barked, Sasuke turned to see the blade get yanked back towards Hidan, he shot lightning out that connected to Hidan making him scream in pain. A giant bolt of lightning shot from the side shaking the whole area making the stumble around, Sasuke fell to the side and panted.
"Die!" Hidan screamed suddenly, his image changed to the grim reaper image from before, Sasuke growled in annoyance then gasped as Itachi appeared in front of Hidan, his sharingan spinning quickly.
"Bastard..." Hidan whispered before his eyes became dulled out and his body went lax.
Itachi sighed and walked over to Sasuke and held his hand out, Sasuke took it with a small blush on his face.
"You're still too hot-headed."
"Hn." Sasuke replied.
"What do we do with him?" Sasuke asked.
"I need some time, but I have a way to dispose of Hidan for good. It takes a lot of chakra..." Itachi muttered and closed his eyes focusing carefully.
"Dumb assholes!" Hidan's voice sounded, they turned to see a hand connected by black tentacles with a blade in it's hand.
"Damn!" Itachi cursed.
"Feel the pain!" Hidan yelled and stabbed his leg, Sasuke screamed in agony as blood ran from his blade, he collapsed to the ground gritting his teeth.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura's voice sounded.
Hidan ripped the blade out and stabbed his stomach and let out a moan, Sasuke cried out again dropping to his knees holding his bleeding wound. Hidan yelled out with a smile and stabbed his arm, Sasuke moaned and collapsed to the ground, his sharingan fading away.
Itachi shot forward swinging his fist hoping to have Hidan jump back but instead he took the hit, Sasuke yelped as his jaw bruised.
Hidan swung his scythe and it connected to Itachi's stomach sending him crashing into the ground.
"Itachi..." Sasuke whispered struggling to get up.
"Hope you've repented! Cause you're gonna meet Jashin!" Hidan yelled swinging his scythe around and swung to his chest, Sasuke gasped and flinched in fear waiting for the pain but nothing came.
"What the fuck!?" Hidan snarled seeing Sasuke not collapsing in pain, his scythe stabbed through his chest. "Why aren't you dead!?" He screamed.
A small twitching on the ground drew his attention, they watched the symbol under Hidan's feet shift before disappearing. "What!?" He screamed and looked around.
"Gaara..." Sasuke whispered watching the boy appear.
"I made sure you didn't notice me, I had my sand under your feet harden and feel like pure stone, but your symbol is disrupted, so is your jutsu." He said holding his hands up, Hidan cursed as his skin turned back to normal.
The sand shot up around him and squeezed harshly with a loud pop, Hidan let out a string of curses.
"Hold him." Itachi said, they turned to see yellow chakra building up around him forming a humanoid form with locks of hair framing its face and an appendage on it's chin. More chakra built up around it creating a full armor around it that looked like a long nose tengu with magatama earrings. In its right arm that had two hands, one held a sake jar and another held a large glowing sword shape. It shot towards Hidan stabbing him straight through.
"What the hell did you do!?" Hidan screamed as his body was pulled forward into the blade and to the sake bottle before disappearing cursing them loudly.
"What did you do?" Gaara asked.
"Sealed him in a genjutsu world, there is no way to escape, ever." Itachi panted and covered his eye wincing in pain. "Let's aid the others, they need it." He said looking over at the others.
-o0o-
Lee let out a loud yell throwing a spinning kick to Kakuzu suddenly. "Lee! Wait!" Neji barked.
Lee and Kakuzu battled in taijutsu destroying the area moving farther and farther outside of the large cave.
Lee focused before giving a harsh kick towards Kakuzu who blocked with his arm before grabbing Lee's ankle and flinging him through the air before slamming him into the ground.
"Lee!" Tenten yelled in worry.
"Stay focused!" Neji barked.
"Too late!" Kakuzu barked, they turned to see his hand extended by black tentacles shoot towards them and grab their throats lifting them both up. Both groaned in pain struggling to breathe. "You're just kids, you have no idea what it means to fight." He said.
"How about this one?" Kakashi said appearing behind him slamming his lightning blade through his chest. Kakuzu coughed with his eye twitching before he fell to the ground, Neji broke free panting harshly and freed Tenten.
"Nice one Kakashi-sensei!" Lee said sitting up.
"One down." He said.
"Four to go." Kakuzu said kicked Kakashi back, he coughed harshly and sailed through the air slamming into the ground.
Kakuzu panted and pulled up slowly and pulled his akatsuki cloak off his body and focused, his back broke apart and four tentacle monsters with masks for faces. One with a green and white face cracked before collapsing to the ground disappearing.
"You killed one, but that is all you will do." Kakuzu said. "You caught my weakness of earth to lightning." He said. "Let's see how you handle real lightning style!" He barked and clapped his hands together. "Gian no jutsu!" He said, a giant bolt of lightning shot out towards the three destroying the cave in front of it.
'I have to use Hakkesho Kaiten, that may give us a chance!' Neji thought but saw Kakashi appear in front of him holding his hands out and the jutsu exploded.
Kakuzu peered through the dust and sneered as he saw Kakashi standing in front of them, his hands heavily burned but all of them were okay. 'He's lightning style, only way to get him is with wind … or water...'
He glanced over to see Idahoan's fight with the Uchiha brothers and scoffed at the sight of the man caught in Itachi's genjutsu. 'Dumbass...' He thought and slammed his hand into the ground traveling towards the man hopefully undetected. His hand broke through the ground by Hidan and stabbed his leg waking the man from his genjutsu.
"Got you now!" Kakuzu blinked in shock as he watched Tenten launch out pulling out two scrolls and focusing as they unraveled around her. "Soshoryu!" Hundreds of weapons all varying in sizes appeared from the scroll smashing into the ground all around some exploding sending fragments into his body. He cursed and ran to the side but instantly felt the ground mush, he looked down to see a mine. "Baku!" She said, the ground exploded under him sending him smashing into the ground.
"Nice one Tenten!" Lee cheered as he propped Kakashi up as he tried to temporarily heal his hands.
Neji turned dodging one of the tentacle monsters, he assessed his chakra and frowned seeing wind style coursing through its body.
He heard Tenten yell out in shock dodging a lightning bolt aimed at her. She stumbled slightly and fell to her knees panting. Kakuzu shot another bolt of lightning straight to her, she gasped and flinched but grunted as she was hit by a solid arm, she looked to see Kakashi holding her tight swinging from a wire.
"Kakashi-sensei.." She panted in shock.
"Are you okay?" He questioned.
"Yeah." She nodded.
"Set some more mines, I'll cover you, we'll blow him to pieces!"
"Yes sir." She nodded, they landed and skidded slightly and panted.
Neji dodged against the air bullets shot out at him tearing the ground apart slowly. He skidded to a stop and took in a deep breath and shifted his stance. "Hakke Rokujuyon Sho." Neji said and shifted forward before shooting towards him and began to strike at the monster quickly before giving an open palm thrust at its chest. He panted heavily and stood up right as the creature hit the ground and screeched before the mask shattered and it disappeared.
"Another down.." Neji said panting and looked over at Tenten and Lee jumping around as Kakashi shot out a large billow of fire at Kakuzu. 'Gotta aid the others...' He thought slowly stumbling over to them.
"What the hell did you do!?" Hidan's voice echoed drawing their attention from each other.
They watched as the man was sucked into Itachi's jutsu and disappeared with a curse.
"Fool..." Kakuzu muttered, a quiet chirping sounded and he turned just to see Kakashi with his lightning blade once again, Kakuzu smirked and shot his hand to him wrapping his hand around his throat in an iron grip. Kakashi choked and winced as he was slammed into the ground.
"Your heart will be the first." Kakuzu said landing above him, tentacles surrounded Kakashi and began to dig into his chest, he cried out in pain and struggled to free himself before it was too late.
Suddenly Kakuzu gasped and spit up blood, Kakashi sighed to see sand stabbing through Kakuzu's chest, he grunted as the man fell on top of him, he winced and pushed the body off of him.
"Thanks.." He panted and pulled the tentacles out of his chest.
"Let's get you healed-"
"No time, there are still two hearts..." Kakashi said.
"Itachi and Sasuke have the Water heart pinned down." He said looking over at both brothers jumping and flipping around shooting fire out at the beast.
"Where are the others? I mean-"
"I sent Kankuro and Temari after Gai who was chasing Kisame out. They are aiding him right now." Gaara said propping the jounin up. "The third Hokage and Jiraiya are battling Pein, Sakura is guarding Naru.." He said.
"Let's finish-"
"Sasuke!" Itachi barked. They turned to see a billow of fire slam into the young Uchiha that shook the ground.
"No.." Kakashi said in shock standing up, the fire died out and they were shocked to see Sasuke standing there with his arms over his face hunched over unharmed. Surrounding him were purple ribs that looked almost on fire.
"He's awakened a part of the susano'o..." Itachi whispered and smirked at his younger brother.
"Wha..." Sasuke said touching his cheek and sighed with a smirk.
"Let's end this!" He barked.
"No!" Neji barked, they turned to see both monsters jump into Kakuzu's body which twitched before standing up slowly and grunted.
"Little brats!" He barked in anger, they backed up slowly to one another.
"He's going to go all out now..." Itachi said.
"I'll finish and take all of your hearts-" He stopped and sighed in annoyance. "Tsk... damn..." He muttered and focused. "Zukokku no jutsu! Atsugai no jutsu!" He barked, a large ball of fire slammed out followed by a dome of pure wind that began to destroy the area.
"Get out!" Kakashi barked and with the aid of Gaara jumped out of the entrance with the others and watched with a muttered curse as Kakuzu disappeared into the treeline.
"Lets get him!" Sasuke barked.
"No! Leave him... we're here for Naru!" Kakashi said. "We need to aid Hokage-sama and Jiraiya." Sasuke sneered at the man and gave a 'tsk' letting his sharingan fade.
"Let's go." Gaara said jumping back into the hideout.
-o0o-
"Shinra Tensei!" Hurizen and Jiraiya cried out as they were slammed back by Pein.
"What is that?" Hurizen asked sitting up coughing.
"A power of the Rikudō Sennin... I think..." Jiraiya said panting.
"We need a high power jutsu to fight this... how is your sage jutsu?" He questioned.
"It'll take me a bit to gather."
"Give me a swamp to trap them and I'll hold out." He said.
"Yes sensei." Jiraiya said with a smirk. "Yomi Numa no jutsu!" Jiraiya yelled running through hands signs and hitting the ground, it began to melt and bubble before turning into a deep swamp. Pein stumbled in the muck and sneered. Jiraiya jumped backwards and Hurizen shot forward taking in a deep breath. "Doryuudan no jutsu," Hurizen said as a large dragon head appeared from the mud and opened it mouth, shooting balls of chakra powered mud bullets out towards Pein, who dodged and ran through the muck albeit slightly slowed down. He grunted when he got hit by a few of them.
"Ja no kuchi no jutsu!" Hurizen said, a large dragon pulled from the mud and shot with a roar, Pein jumped around and instantly noticed it following him around, he skidded to a stop and waited for it to get closer and jumped above it making it slam into the ground. He looked up and yelled out in pain as another one slammed into his body throwing him into the mud where he was grabbed and held down.
"Pein!" Konan yelled ready to launch to his rescue. Mamoru roared loudly and spun around quickly and sliced into Konan's side, she cried out and hit the ground and shook in pain. Blood stained her cloak and the ground, she struggled to move but the pain was too much.
"Pein... retreat..." She whispered.
"Shinra Tensei!" Pein muttered, the ground rumbled apart knocking all of them back, the walls and ceiling shook and began to collapse all around them.
Hurizen grunted as he hit the ground and protected his face. "Sensei! Watch out!" Jiraiya barked, he jumped to the side as a large chunk of the roof fell in his place.
"Let's get out of here!" He barked rushing towards the exit, Mamoru grabbed Naru's shirt throwing her on his back, Sakura followed and held on to him and Naru as they rushed out of the collapsing hideout.
They burst through the hole created by the battles, smoke shot up from the hole as the whole place caved in.
"Is everyone okay!?" Jiraiya barked.
"More or less.." Kakashi said.
"He's gonna need a medic." Kankuro said holding a heavily wounded Gai up.
"Where is Naru!?" Hurizen asked, they looked to see Mamoru to the side nuzzling Naru. "Naru." Hurizen said panting as he skidded to his knees looking at his almost granddaughter. Her skin was paled and bruised, her chest was barely rising.
"Can't you do something?" Gaara asked looking at Sakura.
"I've only have a few weeks of training from Tsunade-sama, but I'll see what I can do." She said and focused. She made a quick sign and let out a slow breath, green chakra built up in her hands before she pressed her hands on Naru's chest and began to exam her body.
Everyone stared at her as Sakura worked on her and tried to pull poison from her body. "I can only get a little out. This is powerful poison it's spreading fast and sticking to her insides. I … I..." She stuttered and gulped heavily.
"You can't do anything!?" Gaara snarled.
"I haven't had much training yet!" She said, tears welled up in her eyes and looked at Naru again.
Hurizen panted and stroked her cheek gently as his mind wandered through memories.
-Flashback
"Jiji! Jiji!" Naru said bursting into his office, he smiled as the little girl ran up with a box in her hands. She wore a purple kimono and black pants, her golden hair was pulled into twin tails. "I got a present!" She said running around to him showing the familiar box, he smiled gently and chuckled.
"What did you get?" He asked, already knowing since he was the one to buy it.
"Dunno!" She said plopping down and began to rip the wrapping off the small box. "Nail paints!" She said with a gasp. "They're so pretty!" She said and began to look at the paints of shades. "Can I paint your nails jiji?" She asked, he chuckled and looked as she gave him the puppy pout until he cracked.
-o0o-
"Why are people so mean to me Jiji?" Naru asked as the old man wrapped her arm that was scraped up from her falling in the street.
"Some people are just blinded by stupidity." He said.
"Well how can they get un-blinded?" She asked, he chuckled.
"Maybe see with their heart. Sometimes your eyes will show you things and you blind yourself to another view or the truth." He said. "You can see with your heart." He said. "And if you look at people and the whole world with your heart, that's all that matters." He said, she smiled at him.
-o0o-
Hurizen walked through the rainy night slowly calling out for Naru's name. The streets completely empty due to this downpour that covered Konoha for the past two days, the temperature was low and got even colder in the night. So not hearing from Naru in two days had him in a near panic. When Iruka reported that he hadn't seen Naru since their birthday ramen dinner, Hurizen knew something happened, something that was preventing her to come home or come to him.
He walked through the darker, dirtier side of Konoha, he walked past an alley and peered in the dark. "Naru?" He called over the rain, a small clatter sounded and an barely audible whimper sounded. He rushed in his heart beating hard, he looked around before spotting a head by a trashcan.
"Naru!" He yelled as he saw the girl huddled in a ball soaked to the bone. "Naru!" He said dropping to his knees in the mud.
"J...ji...jiji?" She said her teeth chattering, her skin pale and sickly, her eyes shut.
"Oh come on." He said pulling her close before lifting her up in his arms holding her close. "Let's get you somewhere safe." He said.
He ran through the streets to his home and went straight to the bathroom grabbing a towel wrapping it around her before grabbing his first aid kit and grabbed a towel and began to wipe her face watching her flinch. "Open your eyes." He said gently.
"I can't." She whimpered.
"What?" He asked.
"I can't open my eyes." She said, he gently set his thumb over her eyes and tried to pull her eye open but they refused to move, she whimpered in pain.
'It's like they're sealed shut.' He thought and sighed.
"Jiji?" She questioned.
"Tell me what happened." He said and began to bandage her wounds.
He balled his fists as she shakily told him her horrifying time. He wrapped gauze around her eyes and sighed pulling her close pressing a kiss on her forehead.
"I'm sorry Naru, I shouldn't of left you alone. It wont happen again." He whispered, she nodded her head holding him close, he sighed and picked her up again. "Lets find you some clothes and let you get some rest, we'll figure it out in the morning." He said.
-o0o-
"I've never seen anything like this Hokage-sama. It's like chakra has cut her eyes... or is blocking her sight." He said.
"What does that mean?" Hurizen asked looking at the Suna doctor, he sighed.
"She's never going to see again." He said, the girl stiffened as she sat on the table. "I got her eyes open, but this is beyond my experience." He said. "I'm very sorry." He said and walked out slowly.
Hurizen looked at Naru as she sat there in silence. "Naru?" He asked, she let out a cry and covered her eyes before screaming, he pulled her close and hushed her as she sobbed louder and louder.
-o0o-
"I want to be by your side to watch you grow into a superb ninja."
"But Saru-"
"It's already happening Naru, I want to be at your side and be there more for you than before." He said. "I can do that now."
Flashback-
Naru's smiling face, her laughter appeared in his head as he stared at her, he sighed closing his eyes tight before snapping them open, his eyes filled with determination. He moved closer and pushed Sakura's hand away making her stutter, he began to run through some signs.
"Sensei!" Jiraiya barked in shock.
"Hokage-sama! No!" Kakashi started but watched as the chakra grew for the jutsu and he placed his hands over Naru's chest.
"You're not dying." Hurizen whispered looking at her and sighed closing his eyes focusing.