Author's Note: Welcome back everyone! Based on Chapter 20's reviews, most of you had no problem reading it. Awesome! Still, I promised there would be a TLDR for anyone who felt the need to skip it so the highlights of Chapter 20 are just below!
Disclaimer: Naruto and Inuyasha belong to their respective owners.
Dialogue Legend:
"Unforgivable" – Normal dialogue
'Unforgivable' – character's thoughts/speaking to Inner Demon/Inner Spirit
"Unforgivable" – Jutsu name; Inner Demon/Inner Spirit/Supernatural Being speaking to someone on the physical plane.
'Unforgivable' – Inner Demon/Inner Spirit/Supernatural Being speaking to someone on or from within the mental or spiritual plane.
TLDR For Chapter 20
1) Naruto reveals to everyone watching the Chuunin Exams that he's Minato's son and the Acting Lord of the Namikaze Clan. Then, he invokes an ancient law of the Land of Fire - not Konoha - to turn his match with Neji into a deathmatch that no one can interrupt without being executed as a traitor to Konoha. After humiliating Neji, he tortures Neji to death to demonstrate that he's not to be fucked with.
2) Hiashi was not happy to learn that the other Hyuuga elders concealed Neji's attempted murder of Hinata from him and vowed to clean house once the Chuunin Exams are over.
3) Partway through the "match", Guy tries to stop Naruto but is restrained by Kakashi.
4) While he doesn't have any lines in the chapter, Sasuke's presence for Naruto's fight is implied by Kakashi being there as well. Him being late for his fight in canon was a massive plothole and only served to build suspense since Kishimoto wanted us to think that Gaara might have killed him before the Finals. Even with his laid-back attitude, it's OOC for Kakashi to let Sasuke be late for such an important event.
5) For the Chuunin Exam finals (especially Neji's death) Naruto's wearing Sesshomaru's armor and robes (which were in the same part of the vault as Tenseiga, Tokijin, and gray/black armor he's been wearing since the start of the Land of Waves arc).
Review Corner: Some of you have asked if Iruka is related to the Umino Clan. I don't mind spoiling that yes, he is distantly related to Yama and his daughters. Iruka descends from a branch of the Umino Clan that died out several generations ago. For reasons I won't spoil, any demigod traits/abilities Iruka has are currently dormant, which is how Mizuki was still able to nearly kill him in Chapter 1.
Chapter 21 – Countdown to Invasion!
Naruto gazed at the bleachers with a thousand-yard stare, silently daring anyone who opposed Neji's brutal execution to speak up. As they had for much of the past three hours, the majority of his audience met Naruto's gaze with stunned silence. Naruto had displayed cruelty that more than justified his title as a "demon", but no denizen of Konoha could deny the young Daiyoukai's resemblance to Minato now that it had been thrown in their face. Minato was a war hero, and – while most in Konoha would prefer to pretend otherwise – they all knew what that meant. Furthermore, the motive behind Naruto's barbarism struck a chord with many in the audience; Hinata was the sun to Naruto's apparent shadow, a gem to be avenged at any cost. Slowly and softly, at first, and then with increasing speed and volume, Konoha made her verdict known.
"Naruto, Naruto, Naruto, NARUTO! NARUTO! NARUTO! NA-RU-TOOO!" It took nearly half an hour for the cheering to subside, and Naruto's fellow Genin had their own opinions.
"H-How can they possibly applaud him?!" Sakura shrieked. "I get that he was avenging Hinata-chan, but to do it l-l-like that?" The pinkette nearly collapsed to the ground.
"Think of it like this, Sakura-chan," Ino grabbed Sakura's hand and hoisted her up. "Naruto-kun just said that anyone who wronged him would meet the same fate as Neji, but he also said that he'd protect everyone who respects him and those he cares about."
"Exactly." Kakashi chimed in as he released Guy. "On top of that, we can safely assume that most of the audience has genuinely acknowledged Naruto-kun now, if the near-riot that erupted once he publicized Hinata-chan's attempted murder is any indication."
"Hmph! I'm just glad the dobe didn't waste too much Chakra during all that. I need him in top form for our match!" Sasuke smirked.
Kiba had not joined in the mass cheering, as she was having more than a little difficulty suppressing the arousal that had manifested during the match. 'He's an Alpha among Alphas! Not only did he defend his mate's honor, but he also proved his dominance over Konoha's most powerful clan! Damn it all! Part of me wants to mount him right now, but that's just my instincts talking! I don't love Naruto-kun for real yet, but I want to; Kami-damn it I want to!' The Inuzuka princess now had even more incentive to befriend Naruto.
'Hmph! Couldn't have happened to a nicer bastard!' Tenten had no qualms with Neji's death. The Hyuuga prodigy was arrogance incarnate, always Fate this and Fate that! She was, however, concerned with what would happen to Team Guy now that both Lee and Neji were dead. 'Maybe I'll ask Guy-sensei if he'd be willing to make me a part of Team 7. Five-man teams are rare, but not unheard of in cases similar to what Team Guy faces now.'
"He is worthy, no – MORE THAN WORTHY!" Gaara howled. "Yes, Mother, today you shall feast on two great sources of blood!" Far removed from the bleachers, those seated in the arena's VIP section had their own thoughts.
"I see now why you wished to postpone any pleasantries until the end of this match, Hiruzen-dono. That was an impressive display of might, especially from a Genin." Ay gave a rare smile.
"While I find his methods distasteful, I can certainly emphasize with Naruto-dono's desire to see justice served." Mei relaxed into her chair and the tension that had been building up in her since the start of the deathmatch began to dissipate. "Wars have been waged in Kiri for far less, and I am pleased to see that another will not start in Konoha due to this."
"I agree with your sentiment, Mei-dono. Naruto-dono did not reveal his plans to me, but I knew he had something in mind for today from the instant Neji was chosen to be his first opponent for the Finals." Hiruzen sighed.
"The young man's display is commendable, but I must question the mental health of your citizens given how quickly they fell in line, Hiruzen-dono." Kazekage Rasa made his opinion known.
"Your concern is noted, old friend, but the audience's reaction is within reasonable parameters." Hiruzen replied. "Hinata-hime has quite the reputation among the common folk, and Naruto-dono has done much in recent memory to ingratiate himself with Konoha's citizenry.
Rasa narrowed his eyes but said nothing. 'As expected of Sarutobi-sensei; he knows!'
The audience's reaction to Neji's death forced an impromptu intermission that Naruto was spending in the secluded staircase leading from the stands to the arena proper. The Namikaze lord had no regrets, but he took the opportunity to address something that had been bothering him for weeks.
'Kurama-sama, you've been real quiet for the entire month outside of our training sessions. Are you all right?' Naruto was not prepared for the Chakra entity's response.
"'AM I ALL RIGHT?!' OF COURSE NOT! THANKS TO ME, YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN HELL ON EARTH! Jinchuriki are always ostracized by their villages, but I have never seen anything like what has happened to you! If not for Hinata, Iruka, and Koteru, you would have succumbed to madness years ago! And it's all my – '
' – NO! Never think that, not even for one second!' Naruto demanded. 'You were enslaved when you assaulted Konoha, and you've been asleep for nearly my entire life! How can you possibly be at fault for what the villagers did? Even if they were not manipulated by Danzo and the Council, all that grief, that rage, needed an outlet. It shouldn't have happened, and it may very well not have happened if Minato and Kushina's final wish had come to fruition, but I learned long ago not to dwell on what-ifs. You heard the crowd, and I know from the Uzumaki Clan records that you can sense negative emotions. So, tell me: was all that cheering earlier derived from fear, or respect?'
Kurama was silent for what seemed several minutes before answering. 'There was some fear present in the audience's reaction, but nearly all of those in the stands were devoid of negativity while applauding you. Their response was almost entirely genuine.'
Before Naruto could give any more encouragement to his Tailed Beast, a furious Guy stormed down the stairs. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Naruto-kun! First, you offer to revive Lee-kun, but then you kill Neji-kun in the most horrifying way imaginable?!"
Naruto felt no fear while facing down the wrathful Jonin. "Isn't it rather hypocritical of you to bemoan the murder of your student? You participated in the Third Shinobi World War; how many students have you killed? All I did was execute a traitor to Konoha."
"NEJI-KUN WAS NO TRAITOR!" Guy screamed.
"He tried to kill his own cousin in cold blood!" Naruto countered. "Does that remind you of another Konoha Shinobi, perhaps one whose name rhymes with Itachi Uchiha?"
"YOU MONSTER!" Blinded by rage, Guy threw a vicious right hook at Naruto's head, but the blow was blocked by a clawed hand!
"I have no illusions of being able to best you in combat, Green Beast of Konoha, but you're dead wrong if you think I'm so weak that you can kill me in an instant!" Naruto's Daiyoukai form shivered from the effort of blocking Guy's strike, but the grieving Jonin's onslaught was halted by a neck chop from Kakashi. Guy fell to the ground, barely conscious.
"I'm very sorry, old friend." Kakashi reapplied the ninja wire and Chakra-sealing tags that he had used during the deathmatch. "I know you're grieving, and I'm sure you'll regret this later, but Naruto-kun's a noble, which means hitting him outside of a sparring session – even in a fit of grief-fueled rage – can't just be swept under the rug." Kakashi signaled the four Anbu accompanying him to surround Guy. "Might Guy, I hereby place you under arrest pending a formal investigation and hearing regarding your actions today. Due to the circumstances, I expect a favorable outcome for your trial, but don't push your luck."
Guy glared at Kakashi but said nothing. The Anbu Shunshined Guy out of the arena as Kakashi turned his baleful gaze to Naruto. "As for you: you're not wrong, but comparing Neji-kun to Itachi Uchiha is twisting the knife far too much for my liking. The sadism you demonstrated in the arena served a valuable purpose; disparaging Neji-kun to Guy's face did not. When the Finals are over, you're on the most menial, belittling D-Rank missions the village gets for a year unless we need you elsewhere."
"So be it." Naruto replied coolly, reverting to his human form before returning to his fellow Genin.
"Round Two Combatants, come forward!" With the deathmatch over, Genma was now back in the arena to proctor the remaining matches of the finals.
"Proctor, I withdraw!" Kankuro had no desire to reveal any of Karasu's capabilities before the invasion began in earnest. 'Since Naruto-kun's deathmatch already ate up so much time, I'm sure Baki-sensei won't mind if I sit this one out.' As the young Puppet Master turned to look his field commander in the eyes, he was shocked by the Suna Jonin's murderous glare.
Baki most certainly did mind when a Genin under his command disobeyed a direct order without sufficient justification; the extreme length of Naruto's deathmatch was no excuse. Otogakure had given no concrete time table for when their summoning ritual would be completed. Naruto's sadism was a blessing that Kankuro had just wasted. 'Son of Kazekage-sama or not, I'll see you court-marshaled for this when we return to Suna, Kankuro-kun!'
"Very well," Genma said, "The third match shall begin immediately; Round Three Combatants, come forward!"
'Damn it, Kankuro!' Temari mentally hissed. 'The invasion is supposed to begin during Gaara's match; now – counting my match – only two rounds are left before Gaara's match and my opponent isn't someone I can drag out a fight against!' The Suna kunoichi fully unfurled her fan and used it as a glider to descend to the arena. Conversely, Tetsuisshi merely Shunshined into position, the aquatic bow created by her Yumiya no Jutsu already in her hands.
"My, my, this should be an interesting match, Kazekage-dono!" Mei sat straight in anticipation.
"Indeed," Ay agreed. "I was not present for the Preliminaries, but the reports I've read regarding those matches indicate that both Temari-chan and Tetsuisshi-chan specialize in long-range combat. A duel between snipers is often decided days in advance; which one's preparations shall prove superior?"
"Who can say?" Rasa deflected. "What sparks my curiosity far more is why either of you – Mizukage-dono and Raikage-dono – have come to witness today's matches. I mean no disrespect, but it is well known that Kiri has been devastated by its most recent civil war. Similarly, it is an open secret that Kumogakure and Konohagakure hate each other."
"It is because Kiri is ravaged that I have come." Mei replied. "The Elemental Nations must know that Kiri is still capable of performing the international duties expected of her despite her weakened state. In my absence, the current wielders of two of Kiri's Seven Swords – Hiramekarei and Kabutowari – are more than sufficient to repel most invaders."
"As for me," Ay continued, "the animosity you speak of has persisted for so long that only the most dedicated librarian could locate the historical records that contain its origin. Kumo has no need of such a grudge, and – if Hiruzen-dono is willing – I am more than happy to be rid of it!"
"The feeling is mutual, Ay-dono." Hiruzen confirmed. "Your contribution to the Chuunin Exams' second stage was most appreciated. When the Finals are over, it would be my pleasure to discuss the possibility of a permanent alliance between our villages."
Before Rasa could respond, the third match began.
"Kamaitachi no Jutsu!" Temari fired a volley of wind blades at the two water arrows Tetsuisshi had fired just a half-second earlier. The Suna Genin's attack proved superior but was severely weakened after colliding with Tetsuisshi's arrows. The Kiri kunoichi was able to evade the remaining wind blades but earned a gash to her left shoulder for her trouble.
"Juuha Shou!" (Beast Tearing Palm) Knowing she couldn't afford to let Tetsuisshi fire her bow again, Temari repeatedly clawed at the air between herself and her target. Several blades of wind streaked towards Tetsuisshi. Undeterred, the Kiri sniper dispelled her bow and flashed through a series of hand seals.
"Suiton: Suijinheki!" Tetsuisshi leaped into the air as she conjured her defense, and the circular wall of water became a sphere. Temari's tempest broke upon the sphere like so many waves, and Tetsuisshi took advantage of the sphere's flight through the air to land on the arena's wall, gaining a superior sniping position.
"Suikyoushoudan!" (Water Mirror Colliding Bullets) The water that had formed Tetsuisshi's protective sphere seconds before now reshaped itself into an aquatic mirror. Half a second after being formed, the mirror broke into several dozen water arrows that hurled toward Temari!
"Senpuu Goheki!" (Fan Wind Roaring Wall) Temari waved her fan toward Tetsuisshi's position and a whirlwind erupted from it. Tetsuisshi's arrows were consumed, but the process slowed the whirlwind just enough for her to complete the sequence of hand seals needed for the next stage of her plan.
"Mujin Meisai!" (Dustless Bewildering Cover) The water vapor in the air covered Tetsuisshi's body like a shroud, bending the light around her and making her invisible.
"Tsk! Fuusajin no Jutsu!" (Dust Wind Technique) Temari's latest sequence of wind blasts kicked up dozens of clumps of sand and flung them in all directions. Their intent was not to damage or disorient but to reveal Tetsuisshi's position. Unfortunately for Temari, they all missed.
"A prudent countermeasure, but one that I have encountered several times before; had I not learned how to evade it, I would be dead now." Tetsuisshi's voice echoed through the arena. For an instant, Temari saw her adversary's bow manifest on the arena's wall. Before she could capitalize on Tetsuisshi's momentary visibility, a gargantuan arrow was fired toward the sky.
"Yumiya no Jutsu – Dansan!" (Bow and Arrow Technique – Scattershot) The massive arrow split into hundreds of its normal-sized counterparts that streaked to the ground like lethal rain.
"Kamaitachi no Jutsu!" Temari held her breath and willed her wind blades to dance around her with such ferocity that they created a vacuum. The air surging out of the newly created void deflected all of the water arrows that would have otherwise impaled her.
"A commendable defense; but it was all for naught." Tetsuisshi had dispelled her concealment Jutsu and now stood atop the arena's wall. Her hands waved like twin conductor's batons, and the deluge of water that her scattershot had saturated the ground with conformed to her will.
"Suiton: Sei no Hebi!" (Water Release: Snake Den) The water covering the ground condensed into several dozen snakes. While not as powerful as the dragons created by the Suiryuudan no Jutsu, these aquatic serpents could be created much faster, consumed substantially less Chakra, and were far easier to control.
"SHIIITTTT!" Temari fired Jutsu after Jutsu in an attempt to disperse enough of the constructs to get a clean shot at Tetsuisshi, but the water snakes were legion and reformed almost as fast as Temari cut them down. When her Chakra reserves dropped just below one-third of her full capacity, the Suna kunoichi bowed to the inevitable. "I surrender!"
"Winner by forfeit: Tetsuisshi Umino of Kiri!" Genma declared. Temari walked out of the arena while Tetsuisshi ran along the wall and leaped back into the bleachers.
"Great job, Tetsuisshi!" Yama hugged his youngest daughter.
"If Temari-chan had not been holding back, I likely would have lost." Tetsuisshi grumbled.
"Don't put yourself down too much!" Arashi chided. "Fuuton Jutsu are powerful, but they typically lack the versatility and self-sufficiency of Suiton Jutsu. Even if Temari wasn't saving herself for whatever Suna has planned, it's unlikely she could have done much more than what she did without leaving herself open to one of your more powerful Jutsu!"
"She put too much effort into her match; here's hoping she can still contribute to the fun!" Kankuro whispered to himself. Sadly for him, Baki was right next to him and had excellent hearing.
The Suna Jonin grabbed the young Puppet Master by the ear and whispered with as much force as he dared into it. "Your sister followed orders, which is more than I can say for you!" Before he could say more, Temari rejoined her team. "Good work, Temari-chan; eat this." Baki handed his subordinate a food pill. "The backlash in three days will be hell, but we need you at full strength now." Baki whispered. Temari wordlessly complied.
'Now, only one match remains before the invasion will begin.' Temari couldn't help but worry as the food pill took effect.
"Round Four Combatants, come forward!" Genma called.
Shikamaru and Arashi both Shunshined into the arena.
"I sincerely hope you put up a better fight than Ino-chan did!" Arashi taunted.
"As a matter of fact, I need to thank you for beating her." Shikamaru countered. "Seeing my teammate lose to someone barely putting in any effort really hammered home just how troublesome a Shinobi's life can be. Starting last month, I decided to start putting in some real effort, for a change."
"Finals Round Four: Arashi Umino of Kiri vs. Shikamaru Nara of Konoha! Begin!" Genma declared.
"Suiton: Kyou Suisou!" Arashi's water claws manifested as rushed Shikamaru with triple the speed she used while fighting Ino.
'Fast, but within expected parameters.' Shikamaru coolly dodged the Kiri kunoichi's onslaught.
"Damn, Arashi's moving as fast as Lee-kun did with his weights on and Shikamaru's still keeping up with her?!" Though Naruto did not witness Lee's fight with Gaara, Sasuke and Hinata had informed him of the late Genin's true speed.
"Incredible!" Hinata had been discharged from the hospital two days before the finals and was – with Kakashi's approval – standing with Genin still participating in the Exams. "I knew Shikamaru-kun always held back during our Academy exercises and practical exams, but to think he was this physically gifted."
"You're half-right." Asuma interjected. "After Team 10 passed the true graduation test, I made it clear that Shikamaru-kun's laziness wouldn't be tolerated, and Shikaku-dono pushed his training into overdrive this past month. Shikamaru-kun's reaction speed has improved immensely these past few months; that's how he's able to keep up with Arashi-chan." As Asuma finished his explanation, Arashi froze.
"Success! Took longer than I'd like to weave the chakra for Utakata (Ephemeral) while dodging her, but now I can move to Phase 2." Shikamaru threw several smoke bombs toward Arashi. As the smoke slowly cleared, Arashi broke free of the Genjutsu that had paralyzed her. She coughed for several seconds, clearing her lungs of the smoke she inhaled while frozen in Shikamaru's Genjutsu. Just her coughing fit subsided, Shikamaru's shadow merged with hers!
"Kagemane no Jutsu (Shadow Possession Jutsu), success!" Shikamaru smirked.
"My father warned me of the Nara Clan's mastery over shadows, and I expected Genjutsu due to how you defeated Sakura-chan, but you still managed to catch me." Arashi sighed. "When did you cast your Genjutsu? I gave you no opportunity to weave hand seals, and I highly doubt a Shinobi of your age is capable of casting one without them."
"Then I'm happy to disappoint you." Shikamaru replied. "The Kagemane no Jutsu is usually a show-stopper, so most people don't know that the Nara are Genjutsu specialists as well. Yin Release is needed for both, and my clan has that in spades. It's not that hard for us to learn how to cast Genjutsu with a single finger. After all, our vaunted Ino-Shika-Cho formation isn't always an option."
"I see," Arashi's eyes narrowed. "yet even so, how shall you proceed? The Kagemane no Jutsu forces my movements to mirror yours; any action you take will result in mutual damage."
In response, Shikamaru performed a series of complicated hand movements that allowed him to grab several bomb kunai while preventing Arashi from grasping any of her ninja tools. Before the Nara heir could throw his bombs, a shroud of Suiton Chakra surrounded Arashi.
"With my inability to move, Jutsu is denied to me, but raw Chakra manipulation is not." Arashi smirked. "The smoke produced by your bomb Kunai will obscure the sun; your shadow will fade, and I will be free."
"Sure, if you're still alive, that is. Look closely at the ground around you." Shikamaru threw his bomb kunai. Arashi complied and her eyes widened in terror as she noticed fine black powder covering the ground all around her.
"You can thank Tenten-chan for inspiring this trap." Shikamaru leaped high onto the arena wall. "That powder is composed almost entirely of nitroglycerin. If you don't know, that's the main ingredient in dynamite."
"DAMN YOU!" A streak of cerulean lightning surged skyward from Arashi's position just before Shikamaru's bombs exploded. The descendant of Poseidon's body was momentarily converted to pure electricity as she rode her lightning current several hundred feet into the air. 'I can only lightning-travel once a day; it would have been the perfect ambush technique to end the match but I waited too long to use it!' Without knowing how potent the explosion would be, Arashi couldn't risk traveling anywhere but straight up, lest she potentially be caught in the blast even while moving at the speed of lightning.
Shikamaru had anticipated that Arashi might have the means to escape the explosion, and he also predicted that she'd be too flustered to consider using said escape mechanism for anything other than its intended purpose. The Nara heir had ensured that the secondary explosion from the nitroglycerin would have a much smaller area of effect than Tenten's reckless dust explosion, but the heat and concussive force of the blast would have been more than enough to kill Arashi if she had not managed to free herself from Shikamaru's Jutsu at the last second.
The lightning strike reversed course toward the ground, and Arashi reappeared in the flesh after the strike dissipated. She flashed through a long series of hand seals and lightning began crackling around her. "I commend you for forcing me to display my affinity for lighting, but your efforts shall be your doom!"
"Nope, I've already won." Shikamaru gazed lazily down at his opponent.
"Such arrogance! Raiton: Kiba no – " Arashi got no further before she began feeling incredibly nauseous; it took all her willpower not to vomit up her breakfast. Convulsions racked her body, and she could only glare at Shikamaru as he tied a damp cloth around his head and leaped off the wall.
"Nitroglycerin isn't just explosive; it's also highly toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin. You breathed in quite a bit of it while caught in my Genjutsu. Frankly, it's a miracle your symptoms didn't flare up immediately." Shikamaru turned to face Genma. "Proctor, call the match. Arashi-san's been exposed to a fatal concentration of nitroglycerin; I give it an hour – at most – before she dies.
"Winner by incapacitating his opponent: Shikamaru Nara!" Genma declared. Seconds later, Medical Ninja swarmed into the arena and rushed Arashi to the nearest hospital.
"Impressive," Mei said, "we don't use nitroglycerin in Kiri due to its instability and toxicity, so I'm not surprised Arashi-chan wasn't aware of the dangers, even with all her combat experience. She may be the strongest Genin on her team, but she's not quite Chuunin material yet."
"On the other hand, Shikamaru-kun has demonstrated that he's quite ready for the promotion." Ay commented. "He took advantage of his opponent's unwillingness to go all-out from the start. If Arashi-chan had utilized Raiton techniques from the beginning, she likely would have won."
"True enough," Mei sighed, "Arashi-chan has been warned previously that underestimating her foe would be her doom. Hopefully, the lesson will stick this time."
"Ah, the eternal conundrum of Shinobi combat." Hiruzen mused. "You should always keep at least one trick in reserve when fighting an enemy for the first time, but how much of your arsenal to reveal beyond that is a question even Jonin have difficulty answering at times. Arashi-chan should have paid more attention when Sakura-chan acknowledged Shikamaru-kun's high intellect during the preliminaries."
Rasa did not comment on this latest match; he was too busy reviewing his upcoming plans. 'Though they haven't commented on it at all, I must assume that Sarutobi-sensei has informed his fellow Kage of my presence. The strategy I have in mind for Sarutobi-sensei's death should still work, but I'll need to be on my guard.' The fake Kazekage's musings were interrupted by Hiruzen.
"Kazekage Rasa, my dear friend, before the next match begins would be so kind as to use one of your Fuuton Jutsu to cleanse the air in the arena? After all, the Shinobi of Suna are renowned for their high affinities with Fuuton Jutsu, and it would be such a shame if Gaara-kun and Sasuke-kun's match was affected by any traces of nitroglycerin that might still be present." The Sandaime Hokage had a shit-eating grin on his face.
'Curse you, old man!' Rasa complied, casting a Jutsu meant to purify the air. For good measure, he sustained his Jutsu for five minutes. 'Now, five percent of my Chakra reserves are gone, but Gaara-kun is a necessary asset at the moment and Sasuke-kun's health must be preserved at any cost!'
"Round Five Combatants, come forward!" Genma shouted. Sasuke smirked as he leaped from the bleachers into the arena. Gaara wore a psychotic grin as he slowly took the stairs.
'This is it, the invasion signal will be given during this match!' Temari's nerves threatened to get the better of her. Suna may have Gaara and Otokagure's summoning ritual, but the Raikage's battle prowess was legendary and the current Mizukage was an unknown factor. Baki silently placed a hand on his subordinate's shoulder. The Suna Jonin's gaze offered no reassurance, but it did contain some degree of empathy. No plan survived first contact with the enemy.
"Finals Round Five: Sasuke Uchiha of Konoha vs. Gaara of Suna! BEGIN!" Genma roared.
Gaara's sand all but jumped out of his gourd to ensnare Sasuke. The Last Uchiha wasted no time demonstrating the results of his month of training. Kakashi – with the aid of some Namikaze scrolls loaned to him by Naruto – had put Sasuke through a brutal training regimen designed to acclimate him to his Hanyou body as quickly as possible. And Sasuke had taken to the training like a duck to water! The wolf Hanyou's speed was equal, if not slightly superior, to Lee's speed after he removed his weights. Furthermore, some of the scrolls Naruto provided contained detailed accounts of the wolf Youkai Kouga's fighting style.
The powerful, rapid kicks and punches utilized by the Wolf Chieftain had amazing synergy with conventional Uchiha Taijutsu techniques. In a matter of seconds, Gaara's sand shield was overwhelmed and Sasuke unleashed a mighty roundhouse kick that sheared off nearly all of the sand armor protecting the left side of Gaara's face.
"HA-HA-HA! VERY GOOD, SASUKE UCHIHA!" Gaara laughed. "NOW, HOW SHALL YOU HANDLE THIS!?" Gaara's sand surrounded him like a cocoon. Sasuke attempted to shatter this newest barrier and nearly broke his hand on the highly condensed sand sphere!
'Tsk! Even as a Hanyou, I lack the strength to break through this condensed shield. Still, if you think your defense is absolute then you're dead wrong, Gaara!' Sasuke leaped onto the arena wall as the sand sphere began to pulse with dark-blue Chakra, causing many in the audience – even Gaara's teammates – to shiver in fear.
'No! Gaara's completely ignoring the plan!' Temari panicked. The dark-blue pulsations increased in frequency, and the sand in the arena began to swirl around the sand sphere.
"Monkey, Dragon, Rat, Bird, Ox, Snake, Dog, Tiger, Monkey; Chidori!" Sasuke didn't normally vocalize the names of his hand seals, but Chidori was by far the most Chakra-control intensive Jutsu he'd ever learned and he was still working some of the kinks out of controlling his Chakra-Youki. Speaking the names of his hand seals while creating the Rasengan-derivative technique forced him not to mold the Chakra needed for it too quickly, allowing him to produce the Jutsu despite his imperfect control.
Almost everyone watching the match had to cover their ears as the distinctive chirping sound tore through the arena. Typically, the noise would be irritating but not damaging to the ears, but Sasuke's Chakra-Youki amplified every aspect of the Jutsu. Even with his Sharingan, Sasuke nearly succumbed to Chidori's tunnel-vision effect as he impaled Gaara's sand sphere. If his Hanyou body didn't boast superhuman vision even without his Sharingan, the Last Uchiha would not be able to use Chidori at all.
"My, my, that's one hell of a Jutsu ya got there, brat!" A claw of sand intercepted Sasuke's Chidori but was cleaved in two. The mass of lightning succeeded in impaling Gaara's right shoulder. The sand shield dissolved, along with the claw, but Gaara's light-green eyes had darkened to the same dark-blue hue as his previous Chakra pulsations. "The show put on by the Namikaze brat did wonders for breaking the few barriers Gaara's managed to put in place over the years to keep me contained! Such a shame too; if you'd been just a hair faster in injuring him, you just might have been able to stop me from taking over!"
Sasuke hadn't felt killing intent like this since fighting Orochimaru, but he was no longer the weakling he'd been in the Forest of Death. "What are you?"
"Ah-ah-AH, not here little Uchiha; too much potential for interference! I want you all to myself; follow my host, and we'll see what you're really made of!" With that, Gaara's eyes returned to their normal color and he lost consciousness.
"Nehan Shouja no Jutsu!" (Feather Illusion Jutsu) While Shukaku spoke with Sasuke, Kabuto made his move; his Genjutsu rendered nearly four-fifths of the audience unconscious. The increased security of the Exams made it infeasible for him to kill most of the Anbu present as he'd originally planned, but the majority of those in the audience still awake more than made up for that. The "citizens" dispelled their Transformation Jutsu, revealing themselves to be Suna and Oto Shinobi. The Konoha Anbu leaped into action to kill invaders, while Kazekage Rasa Shunshined to the roof of the bleacher's VIP section. He was quickly followed by Hiruzen, Mei, and Ay; several Anbu members also attempted to land on the roof, but Orochimaru's elite guard had already positioned themselves on their master's chosen battlefield.
"Shishienjin!" (Four Violet Flames Formation) A rectangular barrier of purple fire snapped into place and incinerated the Anbu unable to halt their advance in time. Seconds later, the Sound Four protected themselves with secondary, triangular barriers.
"Do you like the site of your tomb, Sarutobi-sensei?" Orochimaru shed the late Kazekage's skin and robes "Don't think that your fellow Kage will be of any use to you; the preparations I've made for your death will be more than sufficient to deal with them!" The Snake Sannin began flashing through a series of hand seals and the three Kage standing against him did the same.
"Shuriken Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" (Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique) Hiruzen shouted after throwing three shuriken into the air. The original three were joined by hundreds of copies.
"Ranton: Reiza Sakasu!" (Storm Release: Laser Circus) Ay shot out dozens of laser-like beams of lightning from his hands!
"Youton: Youkai no Jutsu!" (Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique) Mei breathed a stream of lava!
"Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei!" (Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation) A summoning circle manifested around Orochimaru, and three steel coffins rose from the ground in a triangular formation with Orochimaru at the center. The coffin to Orochimaru's bottom right bore the number "1", the coffin to his bottom left bore the number "2", and the coffin in front of him bore the number "4". The coffins fully emerged a split second before the three Kage's Jutsu hit; within that instant, they produced a powerful barrier that absorbed most of the damage before dissipating. What little power remained of the Kage's onslaught was nowhere near enough to disrupt the summoning.
"Do you like my modifications to Tobirama-dono's Jutsu, Sarutobi-sensei?" Orochimaru smirked. "The biggest problem with using it during combat was how vulnerable the summoner is while the ritual is in progress. The barrier needs some fine-tuning, I'll admit, but – as you've seen – the results are already quite substantial."
Mei gulped in fear. "Hiruzen-dono, the numbers on those coffins; please don't tell me!"
"I wish I could." Hiruzen said gravely. "Mei-dono, Ay-dono, prepare yourselves to face my predecessors, and my successor!"
"Perfect!" Ay spat. "I've gotten much stronger than the last time I fought Minato-dono; now I'll get to see if my growth is worth a damn!" The lids of the coffins fell to the ground, revealing Hokage contained therein. Minato simply stepped a few feet out of his coffin while Hashirama and Tobirama walked in front of Orochimaru in line with Minato.
"Damn it, Tobirama! I told you Edo Tensei would cause nothing but trouble down the road!" The Shodai Hokage berated his first successor.
"Given our current predicament, I must concur." Tobirama agreed. "On one hand, it is good to see you again, Hiruzen-kun. On the other hand, I must warn you that Orochimaru's modifications to Edo Tensei extend far beyond a protective barrier. Anyone I resurrected retained – at best – twenty percent of their full power. I can sense that I am currently capable of double that maximum figure."
"Sorry to make a bad situation sound even worse, but no matter how much I try to do anything to defy Orochimaru, my body won't heed my commands." Minato added. "He's completely eliminated the need to suppress our personalities in order to keep us under his control. I'm sorry to say it, old friend, but you and the current Kage are in for one hell of a fight."
"Is it wrong that part of me wouldn't have it any other way?" Hiruzen flashed his opponents a predator's smile. "Shodai Hokage, Nidaime Hokage, you may have founded Konoha and mentored her people to think beyond their clans respectively, but Konoha is my responsibility now. I've sworn to defend it from all threats, even the two of you! Yondaime Hokage, before Death reclaims you, know that your son has matured beyond all reasonable expectations. I expect great things from him in the future."
"Thank you, Sandaime Hokage." Before Minato could say anything else, he was compelled to attack Ay. The Yondaime Raikage activated his Raiton armor and intercepted his Konoha counterpart. At the same time, Tobirama created an immense amount of Suiton Chakra without hand seals, forged it into a water dragon, and shot it at Mei.
"Hmph!" With just two hand seals, Mei overrode Tobirama's control of the Suiryuudan no Jutsu and sent it hurtling toward the flame barrier. With a thunderous hiss, the water dragon evaporated.
"Impressive!" Tobirama praised.
"I know this won't be easy, but knowing you can only fight at less than half your full strength brings tremendous peace of mind!" Mei replied.
"Our power is limited, yes, but our bodies will regenerate endlessly."Tobirama countered. "Furthermore, our Chakra will recover at an astronomical rate. Regrettably, you cannot win."
"Well, Sarutobi-sensei, while Minato and Tobirama-dono keep your friends occupied, why don't you, Hashirama-dono, and I get down to business?" Orochimaru cackled.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Hiruzen summoned Monkey King Enma and immediately ordered him to transform into his Adamantine Staff state.
"Excellent, my old master; let's dance!" While Hashirama created a miniature forest to ensnare Hiruzen, the snake containing the Sword of Kusanagi crawled out of Orochimaru's mouth. Grabbing the legendary blade's hilt, Orochimaru pulled the sword from its "sheath" and rushed at his former sensei.
In the Arena
Just as Orochimaru led the Kage to his chosen battlefield, Baki made the best of the current situation and gave Kankuro and Temari new orders. "Shukaku is in control and has made his intent clear; Temari, take Gaara into the forest and get as far away from the village as possible! Kankuro, when Sasuke follows, kill him."
"ARE YOU NUTS?" Kankuro roared. "Who knows what will happen if that thing doesn't get what it wants?!"
"We cannot openly defy Shukaku without inviting oblivion, but if Sasuke falls before he reawakens, the Tailed Beast's rampage will be directed to Konoha first." Baki countered. "That will give Suna time to prepare the Fuinjutsu needed to recapture him."
"Tsk! Fine!" Kankuro and Temari escaped the arena. "Get back here!" Sasuke began his pursuit but did not put his full effort into the chase. 'I have one more use of Chidori before my Chakra-Youki gets too low to be worth a damn. If I can drag this cat-and-mouse game out a little bit, it should recover enough for me to use more techniques before or after Chidori!'
"Genin, gather 'round!" Kurenai ordered. Naruto, Hinata, Ino, Sakura, Shino, and Shikamaru had all managed to resist Kabuto's Genjutsu. Kakashi had created a Kage Bushin to rush to Konoha's prison and temporarily free Guy. Now, he and Asuma protected the Genin who were conscious from the Oto and Suna Shinobi still in the arena while Kurenai gave them a new A-Rank Mission. "Naruto-kun, Hinata-chan, Shino-kun, and Shikamaru-kun: you four will depart immediately to back Sasuke-kun up! Ino-chan and Sakura-chan: release Choji-kun, Kiba-chan, and Tenten-chan from the Genjutsu, then form a squad with them and assist us in clearing out the arena! Once we're done here, go into the village and help wherever you can! We'll join you if we can't find a way to help Hokage-sama!"
"We accept this mission!" The Genin said in unison.
While Konoha's Genin received their orders, Yama gave his Tetsuisshi and Yuusen missions of their own.
Chapter End
And the Invasion has begun in earnest! Going into writing this chapter, I wasn't sure if Naruto's brutal execution of Neji would be met with praise, scorn, or a mixture of the two. Ultimately, I decided to go with the premise that, at this point, almost everyone in Konoha who outright despises Naruto is either dead, being closely watched by Hiruzen and/or the Anbu, or is too afraid to act on their feelings given what Naruto's already done to people who've wronged him. Minato became a hero by killing hundreds, if not thousands, of enemy Shinobi. Jinchuriki or not, it would be extremely hypocritical of Konoha's citizens to condemn Naruto for murdering Neji after accepting that he's Minato's son. So, for the most part, Naruto has been truly acknowledged by Konoha and he won't hold anyone's past actions against them unless they cross him again; he has too much else to worry about now to needlessly hold a grudge.
For anyone wondering how a 12-13 year old boy can fit into Sesshomaru's armor and robes, for this fanfic Sesshomaru's attire has the ability to magically resize itself to perfectly fit its current owner. The gray/black Shinobi variant of Sesshomaru's armor that Naruto's been wearing since the start of the Land of Waves arc can do the same.
A lot of the Jutsu used for Tetsuisshi vs. Temari came from either anime-only scenes/filler episodes or the games. Only two of them were made for this chapter.
Arashi vs. Shikamaru was the hardest fight to write this chapter. She's a close to mid-range combat specialist and I established in Chapter 18 that she was holding back a lot while fighting Ino. Shikamaru knew that, but even with Shikaku putting him through hell for the 1-month grace period there was no plausible way he could eke out a win against Arashi if she went all-out that didn't involve delving into asspull territory. So Shikamaru's only viable win condition would be to take Arashi out before she took him seriously. A non-lazy Shikamaru, with his canon-200+ IQ, had an entire month to prepare for this fight. Is it any wonder he came up with a much better version of what Tenten tried against Temari?
Utakata (Ephermeral) is the finger Genjutsu Itachi used on Naruto during the Kazekage Rescue arc. It's not named in the series/databooks but is named in the games.
Zeus is the god of lightning in Greek mythology but Poseidon is the god of storms, so it's not much of a stretch to assume that his descendants have the potential to manipulate lighting to some degree. Taking it one step further, teleportation is a near-universal ability shared by most gods of various pantheons/works of fiction, so Arashi having the power to essentially teleport by using lightning as a medium is plausible and imposing a once-per-day cap on it prevents it from being too OP.
In canon, Orochimaru is stated to have improved Edo Tensei from what Tobirama could do with it, but to what degree is never clarified. Kabuto is shown to have perfected Edo Tensei, so as long as I don't have Orochimaru revive dozens of Shinobi at once with all of them at nearly full strength, pretty much anything goes as far as Orochimaru's alterations are concerned. Minato is 100% fair game here since the Reaper Death Seal was not used to seal Kurama into Naruto.
Storm Release in this fanfic is derived from Thor, much like how Ice Release is derived from Kuraokami. Ay and Bee are descendants of Thor, so they can use Storm Release, as can anyone else in Kumo descended from Thor.
In canon, Mei's version of Lava Release is depicted as acidic mud. I wouldn't have a problem with that if her version of Boil Release didn't also have corrosive properties, making the fact that she has two Kekkei Genkai meaningless since they both do the same thing in different ways. In the games, Mei's Lava Release uses actual lava, so I'm sticking with that.
Thank you for reading!
Suiton: Sei no Hebi: Water Release: Snake Den (B or A-Rank) – A huge amount of water is formed into at least four dozen snakes. Each water-snake is roughly 10% as powerful as a water-dragon created by the Suiryuudan no Jutsu but their much smaller size makes them far easier to control, making them ideal for overwhelming a single opponent or distracting multiple opponents. The Jutsu is considered an A-Rank technique if the user can create and control at least six dozen water snakes at once.
Yumiya no Jutsu – Dansan: Bow and Arrow Technique – Scattershot (A-Rank) – An immense amount of Suiton Chakra is used to form a giant water arrow. Once fired, the arrow splits into hundreds of smaller versions. Even if the target(s) survive the barrage of arrows, the water used to create them can be repurposed for a follow-up attack immediately.