Explosions detonated in multiple locations around Konoha, collapsing buildings and destroying the overall landscape. Villagers that weren't immediately swallowed up by the fiery detonation ran for their lives as the air was filled with blood curdling screams and dense black smoke.
Konoha guards immediately sprung into action, aiding the injured and fighting off the attacks. Iwa and Kumo shinobi had effortlessly infiltrated Konoha and caused instant havoc. Within minutes of the strike, the northeast corner of Konoha was occupied by the invaders. Giving way for the rest of the invading force a clear entry point into the village.
The Fourth Shinobi War had reached inside Konoha's walls.
The Tree was under attack.
The Will of Fire was threatened to be extinguished.
Will the Tree fall?
Will the Fire be extinguished?
Not if Kakashi and his fellow shinobi had anything to say about it.
"Raikiri!"
In a flash that resembled a bolt of fierce lightning, the son of the legendary White Fang cut down multiple enemies in the blink of an eye.
Not to be outdone by his eternal rival, Gai laughed gallantly as he used his superior taijutsu skills and techniques to easily dispose of the invaders. A single punch from the Noble Green Beast could easily knock a person out like a light switch.
"Mokuton: Shihon Bashira no Jutsu!" (Wood Style: Four Pillar Jutsu)
Yamato called forth the equally as legendary and powerful Mokuton to grab ahold of a large number of enemy shinobi. Once in his grasp, more smaller arms grew from the main pillars and ripped the shinobi apart. Leaving only blood and body parts to be scattered.
Terrifying.
The three came together, backs against one another for safety. Kakashi closed his Sharingan eye to preserve as much chakra as he could. This was going to be a long, enduring fight.
"How on earth did this happen?!" Gai shouted.
"We can worry about that later, Gai!" Yamato shouted back. "We need to worry about holding off the enemy until the villagers can reach the catacombs. Then the offensive can begin!"
Like his rival, Kakashi was also curious as to how this happened. How could this large number of shinobi already be inside the village? Didn't the sensory barrier detect them? Something was wrong here. "The evacuation routes are heavily covered. The villagers will be fine. We can do our own recon."
Gai was with Kakashi no matter what. He would follow his rival to the gates of Hell and back. Yamato was a bit reluctant to follow Kakashi but do so. He needed to trust his fellow shinobi to do their part so they could do theirs.
"Then let's go!" Gai shouted, blocking kick from an Iwa.
"Right!"
Following Kakashi's lead, the trio of jōnin jumped off to investigate.
-With Naruto and Sakura-
The sudden explosions rocked the building through to the foundations. Pictures and hanging objects fell and cracked on the ground. Reacting quickly, the two Chunin jumped off the balcony and into the fray of the chaos.
"What's going on?!" Sakura questioned.
Naruto could smell the sulfur in the air. "I think the village is under attack."
Sakura glanced at the boy. "Under attack?" Running through the possibilities of who it could be, the likely hood was pretty good. "Iwa? Kumo?"
Naruto shrugged. His arm was suddenly uncomfortable in the cast and sling. "Both, probably." It was itching. Itching to break free and fight.
"We should find Kakashi sensei or Captain Yamato." Sakura stated. She suddenly felt out of place, like she did when Konoha was invaded by Suna three years ago.
"They are probably busy with the civilian evacuations." Naruto ripped the sling in two, his elbow cracking from the sudden movement. "Let's just engage the enemy and hold them off until the offensive begins."
Sakura watched Naruto removed his sling. "Is your arm better?"
Rolling his elbow to work out the stiffness, Naruto shrugged. "It'll have to do now." This was no time to make excuses. The village was under siege. The plastered cast was roughly ripped off and Naruto's hand was freed. He flexed and moved his fingers and wrist, cracking and working out the stiffness. "It's go time, Sakura!"
"Right!"
The pair jumped into the air, ready to defend their village from invaders…
WHAM!
A steam-powered punch to his stomach rocketed Naruto through multiple buildings and caused devastation in his wake. It wasn't until he smashed against the base of the Hokage Stone Face Mountain that he came to a halt. Sakura could barely register the attack before the enemy was directly in front of her. And Han towered over her.
The Jōki no Ninja bellowed a strong steam from the furnace on his back, raising the temperature in the immediate area gradually. "Remove yourself from my path. I have no quarrel with you, woman."
The condensing tone infuriated Sakura more than the comment. "Fat chance! I won't let you destroy our village!"
"Konoha is not my mission. The Fourth Hokage's Legacy is. Today, I will kill our greatest enemy's son. And then, I'll finally be recognized!"
Despite her curiosity, Sakura jumped back. She immediately noticed the sweat that formed on her brow. Sweat dripped feel from the tip of her nose and her hair was already soaked. Was it that humid? Her vision was blurry. A genjutsu? Delusion? No. It was just steam. Where was it coming from?
Sakura retied her hitaiate around her forehead to keep the sweat from dripping down her face. This steam was continuous, and the heat was immense. It was like a dense fog. It reminded her of the fog that Zabuza created. She kept her senses on high alert. The enemy could be anywhere.
"Funsuiken!" (Erupting Propulsion Fist)
Han released another bellow of boiling steam from his furnace and his fist propelled forward with great power. Sakura was sent flying back from the impact, crashing through an entire foundation. It hurt like hell, but Tsunade had trained her to deal with pain. Especially pain of crashing through a few things. She may have learned her master's strength, but she was certainly not proficient like her master.
Sakura used the debris as cover to heal herself. The impact spot on her ribs burned. That punch was powerful and hot.
'He uses steam to enhance his strength. And that thing on his back is a furnace. That must be the key to his armor.'
Sakura finished healing and briefly thought about Naruto. The force that Naruto was hit with must've been enormous for him to be down this long. She wished she could get to him. But her opponent definitely wouldn't allow it.
But his physical strength was no joke. Just because it was possibly enhanced meant nothing. Sakura noted she needed to avoid another hit.
Sweat soaked her headband. It wouldn't be long until she would get dehydrated from sweating too much. Eventually, she'd stop sweating and that was bad. Sakura needed to end this quick. Or retreat to Naruto. She tied her headband back to the usual position in her hair.
"You can't hide!"
Sakura's cover exploded from a powerful kick. Han stood before her, towering over her uncovered frame. She reacted with a violent uppercut, releasing her chakra upon the moment of impact.
But nothing happened. Pain shot through her hand. Broken hand. Without doubt. What the hell?
Sakura crumbled to her knees, clutching her hand. But she didn't remain on the ground long. Han grabbed her long ponytail and held her above the ground. Sakura was too distracted by her broken hand to register her hair being pulled, causing her headband to fall out of her hair.
"Weakness in a human disgusts me. Weakness in a woman is utter filth." Steam bellowed from the furnace once more. Han reared a fist back, determined to blow clear through her chest. "Die!"
But the cloud of smoke left nothing for Han to kill. Small square papers drifted slowly around like a gentle snow fall. Miniature explosive tags. But held the same effect as the regular sized. Sakura now towered over Han; headband fastened to her forehead. It was a clone.
"It's the small details in a battle that win. Those aren't weaknesses." Sakura ignited the explosive kunai in her hand. "Sakura Blizzard Jutsu! Enjoy!"
Tossing the kunai down, the dozens of mini tags exploded with the main one. Armor or not, a massive explosion like that would hurt. The intent wasn't to kill but disable. Steam disappeared with the eruption, dropping the temperature almost immediately. Sakura waited to see the damaged she caused.
Oh, come on…
Han emerged uninjured, armor only slightly scratched and covered in black soot. Steam bellowed from the furnace, forcing the soot. But Sakura noticed the furnace. It was cracked. The armor was strong but apparently not strong enough to take on an explosion potent enough to blow a face off the Hokage Mountain. Sakura saw her target.
'But that amor seemingly absorbed my punch. I know I released my chakra perfectly. I have to keep that in mind. That armor…how is steam generating that type of power? I've never seen anything like it.'
Jumping to a level field, Sakura charged and dodged through Han's punches. Steam filled the area as each bellow fueled his attacks, trying to reshape Sakura's face. A massive kick missed Sakura by centimeters, embedding himself into the wall. And Sakura saw the opportunity.
Jumping on Han's back, Sakura continued to lay haymaker after haymaker on the furnace. She focused on the crack, trying to make it bigger. Each fist was filled with chakra, enhancing her explosive power.
But the armor was strong. It took every hit and then some. Han yanked his leg from the wall and thrashed wildly. But he couldn't shake Sakura off him. She has her legs wrapped and she was using all her strength to stay on.
"You won't break my armor!"
"Watch me!"
Another furious strike and the crack expanded. Steam bellowed out just as strong and covered Sakura's face. And it burned.
"AAHHH!"
Sakura fell back, covering her face from the steam but it was too late. Han threw her across the way. Steam bellowed out of the crack on the furnace. Han growled.
'Not good. That crack is letting out the built-up steam. I've lost a lot of my power.' The armor immediately became harder to move in. 'What?! My movements are directly correlated with the steam buildup in the furnace?!'
More steam continued to freely fly out of the furnace. Han needed a way to plug the crack so he could hold the steam. He noticed a burst water pipe spraying water everywhere.
Mud.
He packed it hard and heavy, ensuring that every inch was covered. The heat from the steam would harden the mud, practically creating concrete. A quick fix. He would have to repair once this was over.
Her eyes were swollen instantly. There was no way she could open them. Sakura's entire face felt like it was on fire. Once the throbbing and burning calmed slightly, Sakura's mind was able to overcome her adrenaline and assess her situation.
She couldn't open her eyes. Period. She might be able to heal herself if she had the appropriate time to do so but the enemy was near. That wasn't gonna happen. Her face was radiating some serious heat. Second degree burns easily, she deduced. Sakura was going to have to rely on her other senses if she wanted to survive.
Great.
She thought about her surroundings, trying to figure out where she was at the time the steam smacked her in the face. Sakura felt around for something, anything that could be helpful. She hated this. A kunoichi taken out by some steam?
Pathetic.
Han grabbed a handful of pink hair and held Sakura up. He ignored her yelps and screams of pain.
"You cracked my armor. I'll admit, for a woman, that's impressive. But I have business with the jinchūriki here. I have no time for weakness."
Sakura heard the steam bellow out from the furnace. How he fixed it was beyond her but that wasn't her concern at the moment. She kicked her legs rapidly and in every direction she could, trying to free herself from Han's grasp. But it was no use.
"Pathetic."
WHAM!
"Now Neji! Tenten!"
"On it!"
"Right behind you!"
Like a well-oiled machine, Team Gai flew in for the rescue. Rock Lee executed a precise kick to weaken Han's arm so that Tenten could grab Sakura. And Neji followed his 'youthful' teammate and hit all the chakra points in the arm, effectively disabling it. Tenten jumped back with Sakura in her arms. Han disappeared into his steam to recuperate.
"Sakura?! Are you alright?"
The teenager groaned in pain. "My eyes…my face…"
Neji knelt next to them while Lee stood guard. "She has burns on her face and her eyes are swollen shut. Did you come into contact with extreme heat?"
Sakura nodded slightly. Her bearings were slowly coming back to her. She still couldn't open her eyes and her face hurt like hell. "His armor…is powered by steam. It somehow makes his attacks stronger. It knocked Naruto down in a single hit."
"Wait a minute! Naruto's down?!" Lee shouted in shock. His two teammates were just as shocked. Naruto could endure the most punishing of attacks.
"Stay focused, Lee!" Neji commanded. The Hyūga generated chakra to eyes. He saw what the normal could not. "I see…this isn't normal steam."
"What do you see, Neji?" Tenten questioned.
"There's chakra fueling this steam and the temperature. It's almost like we're inside a boiler." He wiped his face clean of the sweat buildup. "This must be a kekkei genkai. No armor can do this." He examined further with his Byakugan. Han was still staggered from the attack. Deep inside Han's core chakra network, Neji saw something eerily familiar. "No way…!"
"What, Neji?!"
"That chakra…and it's placement…it can only be one thing…he's a jinchūriki."
The word jogged the memories of the group. Chiyo's words echoed in their minds and the gravity of who their opponent was weighed on them. Despite their bouts with Naruto in the Chūnin Exams, Neji and Lee had never fought an actual jinchūriki in a true battle. Tenten was in the same boat. This was going to be a completely different battle.
"Tenten, guard Sakura. Me and Lee will fight him."
"Hey, wait a minute! We'll have a better chance fighting together!"
"Sakura's injured and can't defend herself. If you can get her to a safe place, like the field hospital, then you can gladly join the fight." Neji moved next to his partner. "Go now."
The convection in Neji's voice was hard to dispute. And she knew Lee would back him up in a heartbeat. Lee would always get on Neji's nerves, but they were true friends and partners. They were the two she would trust with anything on a moments notice. Teammates forever.
"I'll be back. Don't you die on me."
Lee channeled his Maito Gai impression. The shining smile and trademark thumbs up. "We'll be here when you get back!"
Tenten hoisted Sakura up in her arms and jumped away. Standing back to back, Neji and Lee waited in the boiling steam for their opponent to show himself.
"Can you see him, Neji?"
Neji smirked. "I've never taken my eyes off of him."
"Good. I need some payback for what he did to Sakura."
"Are you fully healed? It hasn't been long since your discharge."
"I am Rock Lee! The Noble Green Beast of Konoha! Nothing can keep me down!"
Instantly annoyed by his teammate's antics, the Hyūga and taijutsu specialist jumped into the fray and engaged the enemy, the Gobi Jinchūriki.
-With Naruto-
After struggling to move from the surprise gut punch, Naruto finally dug himself out of the rubble of rock. He dragged himself from the pile and forced himself to his knees. From his position, he could see the blanket of steam that now covered the area he was launched from. Sakura was fighting in there.
He heard her scream of pain. That was the trigger.
Slowly moving his arm in to position, Naruto channeled chakra into his right hand to create the Rasengan. The sphere formed for a moment but disappeared just as quick. He did it again, channeling more chakra into it. Maybe he didn't do it right. Again, the sphere formed and maintained a spiral.
'Yes!' Naruto cheered. 'My arm is back to full strength!'
Boom!
The jutsu exploded and shoved Naruto to the ground. And he was filled with the worst physical pain of his life. Agonizingly searing pain filled his right arm, practically paralyzing the rest of his body.
"What the fuck?!" He screamed in pain.
"Your arm was never fully healed." The Kyūbi's voice rang though Naruto ears.
Naruto gritted through the pain. "I can see that now!" He tried to breath through it. "Can't you do anything?!"
"I've done what I can. Chakra networks are tricky to piece back together. That slug Sannin, or that pink haired girlfriend of yours, needed to physically heal the veins. I can do the rest."
Naruto pushed his body to stay upright. He struggled greatly to keep his body under his command and not submit to the pain. He legs shook violently as he planted his feet on the ground, forcing himself to stand.
Naruto's ear perked and hot rage filled his body. Sakura scream of pain echoed throughout his body.
"Sakura…!"
His body wasn't responding to his commands.
"Damn it!"
A single punch? Absolutely pathetic.
Naruto fell back down to his knees. His body was giving out. Darkness was beginning to take over.
That jinchūriki needs to be destroyed.
Jinchūriki? Not this shit again. He didn't want to fight another one. Would this fight end?
There's only one way for it to end. Destroy the opposition.
He was barely hanging on. His face was mere inches from the ground. Dirt drifted across his lips.
You aren't allowed the fade away. Get up and take it.
But how? The pain was too much. He could hardly stand; he was about to lose concentration and pass out.
I'll show you how.
The light shined around his right hand. Tojin manifested, instantly relieving the pain. He felt control again. The sword restored his power. His magnificent power. Eyes flickered. Blue to red. The beast awakened.
Go show them our power.
-With Tsunade-
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
In the space next to the Hokage Mansion, Tsunade's slug summon appeared in only a fraction of her true size. The woman herself was surrounded by her ANBU guard squad and her lifelong assistant.
The massive slug immediately realized the village's situation. "Lady Tsunade! How can I help?"
"Defend the villagers as they make their way into the bunkers!" The Hokage ordered.
"Oh my…I'll what I can." Katsuyu's body trembled and burst into hundreds of smaller clones of her original self. Like waves of water, the hundreds of Katsuyu clones drove into the village to protect the villagers from harm.
"There. That should help with the damage." A single clone of Katsuyu crawled her way up and onto Tsunade's shoulder, keeping her up to date with everything.
"Lady Tsunade, Lord Jiraiya and Lord Danzō have arrived." Her ANBU Commander called out to her.
The Fifth Hokage turned and greeted the two men. She was rather surprised to see them together, considering the history between them. It could have been purely convenient. But knowing them, and their history, it was never convenient.
"What's the status, Princess Tsunade?"
Even during the crisis, Danzō would never cease to call her that. Respect or habit? Who knew. "I just sent Katsuyu out into the village to support in the evacuations. We'll know more about the situation here in a few moments."
The Warhawk looked out over the village. "That'll take too long. Fu!"
A ROOT Operative suddenly appeared next to the man. "Yes, Lord Danzō?"
"Deploy the Garrison. Divert Sections Zulu and Lima towards the evacuations. All others mount a full-on assault against the invaders. Defend the Tree!"
"Consider it done!" The operative disappeared as fast as he came.
The two Sannin stared at the man. It was rare for Danzō to be so concerned. Could it possibly be that he wasn't as prepared as he thought? An interesting thought to ponder, no doubt.
"There. My forces will aid in the evacuation efforts. That way, all shinobi will not have to hold back in consideration for nearby villagers. You can thank me later."
Tsunade approached the Elder and stood next to him. "I just hope you aren't using this a ploy to gain control, Danzō. This isn't the time for something like that."
Danzō smirked. "It's smart of you to not trust me. But I assure you, my intentions are to protect Konoha. Right now, the Tree's survival is all that matters to me."
Tsunade's narrowed eyes tore through Danzō before deciding to trust him. Just this once. "Fine. Let's take these bastards out!"
A squad of ANBU jumped into the air and landed on the roof. Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka had been escorted through the turmoil and brought to the Hokage Tower. Tsunade brief them on all the information she had on the situation. Clones of Katsuyu had already attached themselves to the two commanders before they jumped back into the fray to lead Konoha's forces from the front.
Konoha would not fall on this day. The Tree will stay standing. The Will of Fire will continue to burn.
-With Kakashi-
He had cut down so many Iwa and Kumo shinobi that he had lost count by now. He pulled villagers from fires and saved them from certain death. They ran for their lives, screaming in terror, as he charged into another fight. Was he tired of the fighting? Definitely. Was he going to stop? Hell no. His home was under attack once more. He would protect this village like his father before him.
Honor.
Gai smashed through a rock wall with pure strength alone, pulling the Iwa shinobi back though and snapping his neck simultaneously. He tossed the body aside and jumped over to another Konoha shinobi fighting, saving them from the death she was about to meet. The Noble Beast was absolutely tearing apart the enemy.
Yamato summoned Mokuton and pierced multiple enemy shinobi at once while supporting a family to escape their collapsing building and saving another comrade. The ANBU Captain was using the legendary ability perfectly and he still wasn't using it to its full potential. The only person who could do that was the creator, Hashirama Senju, and he could tame Bijū. Yamato was proficient with the technique but nowhere near the First Hokage's level. Frankly, there wasn't a person who could ever match his strength, Yamato believed.
The trio continue to absolutely devour the enemy until there was only one left. A young chūnin, female type. She hid in an alleyway, hoping they wouldn't find her. She prayed to her god that she would somehow come out of this ordeal alive.
"Hi there." Kakashi's calm voice and smiling eye gave no calm to the girl. He turned serious like a switch. "I have a few questions for you."
She tired to run but Gai and Yamato blocked her path. There was nowhere for her to run.
"Don't do anything rash and we won't harm you." Yamato's ANBU side was coming out. No emotion. And it only frightened the girl more.
"What my partner means is that you won't end up like one of your friends." Kakashi didn't make it any better.
The chūnin trembled as she tried to look into the man's different colored eyes. Once she made contact with the powerful dōjutsu, it was over. She immediately began entranced with the Sharingan and stood there motionless, caught in Kakashi's genjutsu.
"There ya go. Now, tell me, how did your forces get inside the village sensory barrier?"
"…We gained the jutsu formula that bypassed the barrier."
Both Gai and Yamato reacted in shock. "That's impossible! The formula is classified information. There's no way they would've learned it."
"Easy, Yamato." Kakashi warned. He turned back to the girl. "Where did you obtain the jutsu formula from?"
"…The Mizukage…she sent it via messenger bird to Lord Darui and Lord Kitsuchi. Captain Kurotsuchi acquired the information from a captured Konoha shinobi…"
The three Jōnin glanced between one another. Something wasn't right. The newly appointed Fifth Mizukage specifically sent out a letter of declaration of independence for this Fourth Shinobi War. Kirigakure would have no involvement in it. Furthermore, who was the captured Konoha shinobi?
Kakashi grabbed ahold of the chūnin's face. "Who is the captured shinobi?"
"…A Chūnin from Konoha…Mizuki…"
While both Kakashi and Gai were slightly confused by the name, Yamato's eyes widened. That name was all too familiar with him. He silently cursed himself.
"You know of him, Yamato?"
The man nodded. "I do. He's a former instructor at the Academy. The Third Hokage relieved him for adverse actions against students and moved him back to regular duty. I was tasked to watch him for traitorous behavior. We had reason to believe he had aligned himself with Orochimaru. At the time, Orochimaru's betrayal was fresh. So, I kept a close on him. He exhibited no such behavior and my mission was terminated."
"Adverse actions against students? What do you mean by that?" Kakashi had a decent idea what he was referring to.
"Giving false tests, changing answers, and outright failing them simply because he didn't like them."
"What students?" He asked further.
"…Naruto Uzumaki."
Of course. It always led back to Naruto somehow. It seemed that's how the world was working these days. He was the epicenter for Kumo and Iwa's rage against Konoha. The sins of his father came back to haunt him.
It seemed that's how the world worked.
"Well…it seems I'm the one searching for you this time…Kakashi."
Looking up, two figures stood atop the building overlooking the alleyway. One carried a large cleaver-like sword while the other was a wildly buff man.
"…Darui…!"
-With Neji and Lee-
"Kaiten!" (Rotation)
Han came flying in with Funsuiken (Fury Fist) but Neji was able to protect himself quickly with his clan's secret technique. He redirected Han's momentum and launched the jinchūriki in a different direction.
"Now Lee!"
With power and speed only possible through unleashing the Eight Inner Gates technique, Lee kicked Han high into the air and repeatedly pounded Han with heavy strikes. With each strike, a shockwave echoed the area. And with one final attack, Han was sent hurdling back to the ground.
"Ura Renge!" (Hidden Lotus)
Lee appeared next to Neji, technique deactivated. "All my attacks were direct hits!" Lee proudly proclaimed.
With his Byakugan active, Neji could see the jinchūriki slowly pull himself out of the rubble. "No good. He's still moving."
Lee wasn't the least bit surprised. He recalled his fight with Naruto. Jinchūriki were durable beyond belief. Him and Neji knew that firsthand. "What can we do?"
Neji examined the armor that protected Han with his dōjutsu. There was no chakra intertwined with the metal. A good thing. Chakra infused armor is extremely difficult to crack, let alone break completely. And usually, chakra infused armor uses the persons own chakra to heal itself. That crack on the furnace on Han's back was still cracked, thanks to Sakura.
Sakura's chakra enhanced strength was able to crack the armor but Lee's strikes blew them to pieces. Despite the broken armor, Han was still able to stand with minimal injuries.
"Inferior ninja…pathetic!"
Malicious intent filled the air as red chakra appeared around the jinchuriki. The bubbling shroud of chakra took shape of beast-like creature with five tails. Out of frustration, Han ripped the armor off his body and tossed it aside.
"I am the stain of the earth! Feel my wrath!"
With malicious chakra, the temperature rose even high than it was. Neji had stopped sweating and Lee was on the verge of passing out. Both signs of extreme dehydration.
Not good.
Neji knew when they were outmatched. "We need to regroup, Lee." He deactivated his Byakugan to preserve what energy he had left.
"N-Not yet!" Lee forced himself to stand again. "We can fight!"
"No Lee!"
Whatever Lee had planned, he never executed it. The battle shifted as Naruto came flying in with a powerful kick of his own, sending Han hurling. With Tojin in hand, he turned to his comrades.
"Where's Sakura?"
Both ninjas were astonished to see the Chūnin, but knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. Neji noted that Naruto had a different aura around him. Something changed within him. Just by a simple glance, Neji noticed the change in him.
Something else had taken over. And it wasn't the Kyūbi.
"…Tenten took her to the field hospital for treatment. The enemy hurt her pretty bad."
The steam and heat instantly disappeared. Naruto's new aura turned cold, dropping the temperature in the immediate area. Another testament of the difference within him.
He turned towards the jinchūriki emerging with the cloak flaying wildly around him. "Leave now while I still have some control left." The two remained a moment too long. "Now! Before it's too late!"
With no hesitation, Neji and Lee jumped to safety. Whatever was happening to Naruto, it was safe to assume they did not to be near him. His warning was evident enough.
The blonde turned towards Han. Tojin hummed a melodic tone as the jinchūriki approached. The chakra of the Gobi flayed around him, taking no distinguishable form. But a resemblance of five tails could be pointed out individual.
"So, you're the Kyūbi's jinchūriki."
The eyes of the beast flashed a brighter red in Naruto's sockets. "I am. And this is your only warning. Leave this village now or suffer the consequences."
Han chuckled. "Even if I wanted to, I would never be allowed to leave on my own. Naïve little boy."
There was no question in Naruto's mind as to what was being said. "We may be jinchuriki and our purpose is to destroy…but we do not belong to them."
"…You know nothing. I am dirt. A stepping tool, a building block for their foundation. I am the weapon and they pull the trigger."
Naruto dashed forward and clashed Tojin with the steam armor. Using his forearm guards, Han dueled Naruto as well as he could. He certainly wasn't the best but the steam armor protected against strikes that he couldn't block.
Han thought he was doing well but the tide fell in Naruto's favor when another sword appeared and began to attack in tandem.
'What the hell?! How is that possible?!'
The shadow Tojin and Naruto attacked in perfect harmony. The steam armor began to chip and break apart from the pure strength the swords were carrying. Han created an opening with a steam powered kick, thrusting Naruto into the air.
Energy gathered around the swords.
"Mikadzuki Nami!" (Crescent Wave)
A crescent wave of red and blue energy shot from Tojin. The wave smacked Han and his steam armor shattered on impact. The breast plate broke off from his body and was completely destroyed. All that remained was a few shards from the forearms and the mask that covered his lower face.
The shadow of Tojin reformed with the true one as Naruto gracefully landed back on the ground. The chakra of the Gobi still protected Han, but it was clear that the chakra was the only thing keeping him conscious. The large jinchūriki stumbled back to his feet, the chakra pulsing through his veins.
"I am Han, the steam ninja! I will not allow this defeat me!"
Naruto's eyes narrowed as he watched in curious surprise. The chakra began to change shape and darken in color. The winds picked up and carried the chakra in it. A sinister aura filled the air as Han was surrounded by the dark red chakra like a protective bubble. The Bijū was forcing it's chakra through and taking control of the host.
A wave of energy shoved Naruto back, forcing him to slam Tojin's blade into the ground to keep upright and stay in place. 'This energy! It's stronger than the Two-Tails!'
The bubble disappeared and forth came the Gobi jinchūriki, coated in a dark red humanoid cloak. The five tails that whipped wildly breathed terrifying power. The sinister aura was intense and utterly chaotic. Naruto had trouble finding the air to breath.
'Is this the true power of a jinchūriki? Have I been underestimating the Kyūbi?!'
"Yes. You have."
The winds calmed but the power did not. Almost like radiation, the world around them was saturated in the power of the jinchūriki. And that power was beginning to affect Naruto. He could feel the Kyūbi's chakra bubbling to the surface. And that was about to burst wide open.
Gripping Tojin tight, Naruto took his stance. "You've allowed yourself to be twisted by their beliefs for you. You call yourself dirt. Then you become dirt. They call me a weapon. I will never call myself that. Once you've given in to their words, you've lost."
Han gathered the negative and positive chakra near his mouth, creating the same attack that destroyed the Land of Waves. Once fired, there would be no running. An explosion of unthinkable proportions would ingulf everything. Despite the difference in power between the tails, this bomb was on a much smaller scale. Naruto hoped that meant it wouldn't be as powerful.
Naruto stood his ground as the bomb was fired. He used Tojin to fend off the bomb.
Everything turned white.
Why were they fighting?
-Outskirts of Konoha-
"Man, I hate long hikes. This shit is so boring!"
"…Hidan, shut up." Kakuzu agreed with his partner, but he'd never admit to it out loud. "If you keep on with this incessant whining, I'll kill you."
A full, hardy laugh echoed through the area. "I'd like to see you try, money bags!"
Despite their directed mission from Konan, Kakuzu would gladly take the man up on that offer. But a large explosion that rippled past them gathered their full attention. And it carried Tailed Beast chakra.
"It seems we are closer than we thought. Come, Hidan. We have a jinchūriki and bounties to collect."
Hidan's sadistic smile was made even worse because of his shiny teeth. "Konohagakure…Jashin has wanted your souls for a long time…"
Hey everyone
Just a little update, after the fact anyway, I've come to the realization that the next chapter is going to take some time to finish. There will be A LOT happening to it'll take a while completely write then comb through it and all that jazz. So, as a little nugget to keep everyone interested, I've written up a scene that I've had in my head for a while now and it'll show the tease the way the story is going to go. The core scene will remain relatively the same, minus a few creative changes here and there.
Enjoy this preview.
Ino watched Naruto. He was sitting alone at a small table in the center of the debris, a single bottle of sake in his hand. He had been drinking excessively as of late. But she had never seen him drunk. Not even tipsy.
"You don't have to hide, Ino. I know you're there."
Crap. Sai was right. It's impossible to sneak up on him. She walked up and set the other fallen chair across from him. She could smell the alcohol on his breath, but he wasn't even buzzed, by her judgement. And he knew she was examining him.
"Being a jinchūriki, we are capable of amazing things. Baa-chan said because I was conceived and grew next to the Kyūbi inside of my mom, my body and chakra were going to be strong regardless of him being sealed inside me. But because he is, my body kicks into overdrive. I heal overnight. I have a sense of smell and hearing that dwarf Kiba's. And my metabolism is roughly four times that of a normal person which means…"
"…You can't get drunk." Ino finished. "I've noticed that lately. With the amount you've been drinking, it would put Lady Tsunade to shame."
Naruto snickered. "Jiraiya said that too…"
Ino readjusted herself. The Sannin was a tough subject. "Look, Naruto…I'm sorry about Master Jiraiya. He was a great shinobi and even greater person. He'll be missed by a lot of people."
"Yeah…I know."
Not easy getting him to open up either. She wondered how Sakura was able to do it so easily. It helped that Naruto was head over heels in love with her.
Or was. Who knew at this point.
From her observations of Naruto, Ino realized that he had a sixth sense towards others. Like how to understand their feelings and help them through their inner problems without even realizing he did it. It came natural to him. But only one could help him. And she was no longer with him.
Naruto, on and off the battlefield, helped so many. Risking his life to pull injured from the field all the while being bombarded by the enemy. He went up against countless enemy shinobi for the sake of others because he didn't want them getting hurt.
Or, at least, that's what she first thought.
From an early age, Ino was trained by her father to take over the Yamanaka clan once it was her time. One of those training sessions involved a mental health identification program that taught her to spot those who hide their problems by masking their pain and silent suffering with their actions. And once her father had tasked to watch Naruto, he checked every box on the list.
Those fights he'd take on for others? He tried to get them to kill him first. The Kyūbi and muscle memory wouldn't let him die that easily.
Pulling his comrades to safety? He hoped for an enemy to take advantage and kill him with a lucky shot.
Everything he did that she thought was for others was only because he wanted to die.
"Naruto…why did you get the Kazekage to order a retreat while you charged into this town?"
"…I didn't want anyone else to get hurt."
A lie. A damn good one. But still a lie.
"Naruto…what's really going on? You've been distracted. Distant. You're putting yourself in no win scenarios and pushing everyone else away. I've never met someone like that. Either your just really that kindhearted or…"
"I'm not suicidal, if that's what you're getting at."
Ino remained quiet. She dared not to interrupt this rare opportunity.
"I don't wanna fucking die. I just wanna be able to close my eyes at night and have everything feel okay. But everyday I feel like dying. And I can't stop myself from jumping in and fighting until I can't anymore."
There was a slight quiver in his voice. Bottled up anger, frustration, and depression were slowly coming loose.
Was it that easy? Or is he just that broken?
"Sakura fucking hates me because I became the monster everyone said I was. Jiraiya died directly because of me and my failure to kill every last one of those Akatsuki bastards. Baa-chan lost her job as Hokage because I couldn't keep the Kyūbi's chakra at bay. And now, I'm stuck in a fucking war against two villages who want me dead because of my fucking father! And we all now why I fucking hate his guts!"
Naruto grabbed the bottle of booze and launched it across the destroyed building. It shattered completely. And, of course, it was bone dry.
Ino was slow but she approached Naruto placed one hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand. Listening to him finally un-bottle some of his feelings made her realize Naruto thought he had become the very thing he hated.
A weapon.
A monster.
Naruto tried so hard to shake the stigma of a jinchūriki. He never waited this life. All he wanted was to be accepted for who he was. To be with Sakura without fear of judgment. To have friends.
But that was taken from him the day he was born. Barely used to being outside his mother's womb, Naruto was set on this path.
Sympathy didn't even come close to how Ino was feeling for him. She wanted to take the pain away. To do whatever she could help him through his darkness. Through his pain and suffering.
Not long after their deployment together began, Ino considered Naruto to be a good friend with a rough exterior. Like Sakura had told her. He helped a lot to people as their conquest brought them through the lands.
"You've been saving everyone, Naruto…but who saves you?"
Naruto's heavy breathing turned into soft sobs as Ino pulled him into a warm, comforting embrace. She needed to let him know that he wasn't alone. That not all hope was lost. In whatever form that took, she was willing to go for it.
And probably deep down somewhere in the pits of her mind and soul, this was a little form of payback at Sakura for down right refusing his act of kindness and plea of forgiveness and jumping in that Suna shinobi's arms like she did.
She sort of understand why. But that didn't mean she agreed with it. She certainly understood why Naruto used Hinata like he did. And all the other girls in between.
Ino lifted Naruto's chin so that he stood to his full towering height. Her forehead was just below his eyes. Pushing up on the tips of her toes, Ino pressed lips against his.
Whoa.
Okay, maybe she secretly wanted him too.
She pulled back. "Can you do this?"
He pressed his forehead against hers. "If she can…I can."
She just wanted to help him stop hurting. Even for a little while. She was happy to do this. She wanted to.
"I'm here for you. You can talk to me."
He heard that one before.
"…I know…"