Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto (either manga or anime!); the wonderful Masashi Kishimoto-sensei owns all rights. However, the plot and Namiko Uzumaki are mine!

Chapter 64: Repentance

Silence filled the cave. Sasuke stood still for a long moment, absorbing everything. The air was heavy, the weight of finality pressing down on him, but he couldn't afford to dwell on the loss of his brother once again. He had work to do.

He turned to Kabuto, who was frozen like a statue, still caught in the throes of the Izanami's loop. His eyes, once sharp with arrogance, were now deadened, searching for something he may never get back.

Sasuke didn't spare him another glance. Instead, he turned and walked away just as Suigetsu and Juugo ran toward him. "What are you two doing here? I thought I told you to stay put."

"You did, but Juugo got worried when we heard all the noise." Suigetsu's eyes widened when he saw Kabuto. "What the hell is he doing here?" When he realized Kabuto wasn't moving, he waved his hand in front of his face. "Is he alive?"

"Unfortunately." Sasuke scoffed as he started back toward the exit of the cave. He tossed a kunai over his shoulder to Suigetsu. "Cut off a chunk of his flesh, we may need it if we resurrect Orochimaru."

"Whatever you say, boss…wait—WHAT?!" Suigetsu caught the kunai and ran up to Sasuke, grabbing him by the shoulder to turn him around. "Are you crazy?! You want to resurrect that psycho?! You were the one who killed him!"

"I realize that, but he may be necessary in this war."
Suigetsu just stood in shock. "When the hell would he be necessary?"

"He could give the Allied Forces their own reanimated shinobi."

"That makes sense," said Juugo quietly.

"Hey, I was the one asking questions! Wait your turn to talk!" shouted Suigetsu, which Juugo ignored. "How would you even resurrect him when you can't do the Reanimation Jutsu?"

"I don't need to. The curse marks are a type of senjutsu that react to his chakra and can bring him back, but since I no longer have the curse mark, we'll have to get the only other person who still has one."
"But…why do you need Kabuto's flesh?" said Suigetsu as he scrunched up his nose in disgust.

"Because Kabuto absorbed what was left of Orochimaru's chakra, which would provide us with said necessary ingredient."

Juugo walked over and transformed his arm, ripping out a chunk of flesh on Kabuto's chest and wrapping it in cloth before putting it in his satchel.

Suigetsu eyed him warily. "Why are you okay with this? You didn't like Orochimaru either!"

"No, but Sasuke's will is Kimimaro's will and I will abide by it," answered Juugo. "Is that all you need, Sasuke?"

"That should be sufficient. Now let's get back to the Allied Forces base." Sasuke motioned for the two to follow him out of the cave, leaving Kabuto locked in his mind.

"You're going to wear a hole in the ground that way," said Naruto's clone with a snicker.

Namiko shot him a glare as she paused her pacing. "I might not hurt my brother on purpose, but you're just a clone. You only get one warning…"

The clone grimaced and backed away with his hands raised in surrender. "…sheesh…"

"Namiko, worrying about them so much isn't good for the babies or your blood pressure," said Hinata, watching Namiko continue to pace back and forth in her tent.

"I realize that Hinata, but it's hard not to when both my husband and my brother are out there fighting."

"Come on, you know I'm super strong! I'll be fine! And not that I'd ever admit it to Sasuke's face, but he's pretty powerful too. It'll take a lot to take either of us out," the clone said, flexing an arm.

Hinata giggled. "He's right though. We know Naruto-kun is okay as long as his clone is here. As for Sasuke, he's only facing Itachi, right?"

Namiko finally paused her pacing and nodded. "If the reanimated version of Itachi remembers their last conversation and is in control of himself, Sasuke should be okay." She sighed as she rubbed the small of her back. "I know I should have nothing to worry about, but until I see them physically in front of me, putting it into practice is a different story." She pointed to the clone. "And I mean the real you."

Suddenly, Namiko paused as Inoichi's voice permeated her mind: "Mission was successful. Recall Naruto."

A bright smile spread across her face as she reached over to the small table and grabbed the small vial of Naruto's blood. She placed a single drop on her palm, recapped the vial, and (ungracefully) pressed her palm to the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"

A puff of smoke appeared and Naruto stood before them, dispersing his clone. "They're gone," he said, semi-bewildered, as he kissed the side of Hinata's head. "All gone…"

Namiko furrowed her brow. "Who's gone?"

"Everyone who was reanimated." A slow, large grin spread across his face."It wasn't me or Octopops or Kakashi-sensei, so it had to have been someone else and my guess is probably Sasuke."

Namiko blinked a few times, trying to process the information. "How do you figure?"

He shrugged. "Call it a hunch."

"So you're okay?" Hinata asked hesitantly, scanning him with her Byakugan before letting it recede when she found nothing alarming. "What happened out there?"

"I'm fine, it was just intense. Madara, Kabuto—whoever is pulling the strings—reanimated some of the previous jinchuriki, so Octopops and I fought against them. They were super tough and some of them even went into tailed versions. They were really strong and I was kinda worried we were gonna have to retreat." Hinata bit her lip nervously as he continued, "Next thing I knew, Kakashi-sensei and Gai-sensei showed up to help."

Namiko slowly sat on the edge of her futon. "So was that when the Reanimation Jutsu lifted?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, actually it got worse. They all were ripped out of their jinchuriki, leaving their bodies behind, and turned into their biju, like full biju, and then the yonbi ate me and—"

"What?!" shouted Namiko.

Naruto held up his hands defensively. "Calm down, imouto, I'm okay. I'm here, aren't I?"

Namiko put a hand to her head, forcing herself to take a slow, deep breath. "You are not helping my blood pressure…" she mumbled before straightening her posture. "Sorry, continue."

"So as I was saying, the yonbi ate me—his name is Son, by the way—and for a moment I thought I was screwed, but I ended up in Son's mind-space and got to talk to him. He said Kurama trained me well."

Hinata pressed her lips together in thought. "…Kurama?"

"That's the kyuubi's name! Kurama!" declared Naruto happily.

"You mean he actually has a name?" Namiko asked, blinking in surprise.

"Of course he does! All of the biju do and I got to learn them all!" Naruto replied matter-of-factly. "Anyway, it turns out he and the other biju were being controlled by Madara. He was chained up, kinda like the ones you use, and at first, he wasn't exactly friendly. But once I convinced him that I wasn't the enemy, he warmed up to me and told me how to free them. They all had those black rods that Pain used embedded in their necks along with being surrounded by chakra chains, and Tobi, Madara—whoever—was using them to control them from a distance and yanked them back just after I freed them. They disappeared as fast as they came."

"It was pointless then…" Namiko said dejectedly. "He still has all the biju."

"No! Not at all!" said Naruto with a big grin. "I know it sounds bad, but I think I made progress with the tailed beasts. Son gave me his chakra, in fact, they all did…even Kurama."

Namiko's eyes snapped to his. "Wait, what? Willingly?"

Naruto nodded, his grin widening. "Yeah, Kurama and I finally saw eye to eye! I think he kinda likes me now." He tapped where the seal was on his stomach with pride. "He's still kinda grumpy, but we're working together now."

Namiko stared at him in disbelief. "You mean to tell me that the kyuubi—our kyuubi—just stopped being a stubborn asshole and decided to cooperate?"

Naruto laughed. "Pretty much! And not just that, he let me use his full power."

Hinata gasped, her lavender eyes widening. "So you were able to be like Killer Bee and hachibi?"

"His name is Gyuuki, but yeah, I went full biju mode, just like them! It was incredible…" Naruto clenched his fists with excitement, the energy practically radiating off of him. "Kurama told me he's been waiting for me to acknowledge him, and once I did, he lent me everything. I've never felt stronger!"

Namiko opened and closed her mouth, trying to process this information. "You're telling me that after all the years of hostility, he just…gave up?"

Naruto's expression softened and he shrugged slightly. "I think he was just lonely. I mean, he's been sealed away for so long, passed from person to person, treated like a monster. No one ever tried to talk to him like a person, not even kaa-chan. I just had to prove that I saw him as more than a weapon or a tool."

"He's not a person though, Naruto." Namiko's brows knit together in anger and irritation. "He's made my life, and yours, a living hell…or have you forgotten that entirely?"

"It's not his fault, just like it's not ours. He was as much a victim as we were when we became jinchuriki." Naruto tilted his head. "You should talk to him too. You could become his friend too, ya know."

Namiko gave a skeptical laugh. "Yeah, I don't think he wants to hear what I have to say. You are far too forgiving. While he may be your 'friend' now, he's not my friend."

"You could at least try," urged Naruto. "It would probably help you out."

"Whatever." Namiko rolled her eyes. "I'll pass for now."

Sensing the tension, Hinata tried to bring the focus back to the matter at hand and cleared her throat gently. "What matters most is that you're back safely, Naruto-kun. And if the reanimation jutsu has been undone, that means Sasuke should be on his way back too."

Namiko exhaled sharply, her hands unconsciously pressing against the swell of her belly. "He better be. If he took out Kabuto, that means he was facing both him and Itachi at the same time," her voice wavered slightly despite her best efforts to keep it steady.

Naruto folded his arms. "You seriously think Sasuke would lose to that slimy bastard?"

"That's not the point, Naruto." Namiko shot him a look. "Even if he won, he could still have gotten hurt."

"If Sasuke did get hurt, it would be minor. Honestly, imouto, he'll be fine!" He patted her arm gently in an attempt to calm her. "Look, it's nearly midnight, why don't you try to sleep? I'm sure he'll be back by morning."

Namiko glanced at Hinata who nodded in agreement, and she sighed in defeat. "…okay. I'll try."

Naruto laid a hand on her head, ruffling her hair slightly. "Good. If you need me, I'll be in my tent right next door." He and Hinata headed for the tent's entrance and he paused and looked back at his sister. "I promise, Sasuke is going to come home safely. Night, imouto."

"Night, nii-chan, Hinata," Namiko mumbled as she leaned back on the futon, rubbing tiny circles on her stomach with her finger, smiling when she felt a small kick. "Okay, you two, guess it's just us tonight…please for all that's holy, let me sleep, okay?" When she didn't feel another kick, she took that as a sign the twins would actually let her rest and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

May 22

Despite the twins being mostly calm, Namiko's sleep was extremely restless and she spent most of the night tossing and turning or getting up to use the bathroom, unable to get comfortable or relax. And in the wee hours of the morning, she finally fell into a fitful sleep. The repeated nightmare of Sasuke and Naruto dying echoing in her mind as she suddenly jerked awake, breathless and sweaty, holding her hand over her heart.

When she woke, she met familiar dark eyes as Sasuke sat at her bedside. Relief flooded her body as she threw her arms around him, bursting into tears. "You're here! Thank God! Are you okay?" She immediately began scanning his body for any injuries and found nothing more than the dried blood on his cheek from using his Mangekyo Sharingan, which she gently wiped with her thumb.

"I'm fine." He smiled softly, turning his head to press a kiss to her palm before cupping her face in his hands and kissing her deeply. "Though how are you? It looked like you were in pain."

"Just a nightmare, but I'm better now that you're here," she replied with a contented sigh, her body visibly relaxing. "What time is it?"

"Almost four in the morning. I just got back. The Kage wanted my report immediately or I would've been here an hour ago. Suigetsu and Juugo are staying near HQ for the night."

"Were you the one who…?" she trailed off as she saw him shake his head.

"It was Itachi." He pulled away, rifling through his clean clothes in the corner of the tent, pulling off his dirty shirt in the process. "He was the one who found Kabuto and used a specialized Sharingan jutsu to put Kabuto into a stupor so he could force him to undo the Reanimation Jutsu with genjutsu."

"So…Itachi is gone again?" she asked timidly.

Sasuke nodded solemnly, looking away from her. Namiko grunted softly as she stood, walking up behind him, angling her body to rest her cheek on his bare back, and wrapping her arms around his chest. "If you want to talk about it, you know I'm willing to listen."

"I know." He paused and turned in her arms, bringing a hand up to cup her cheek as his thumb stroked her cheekbone. "He knew," he said with a soft laugh. At her puzzled look, he continued, "He knew you were pregnant. Way back when he died all those months ago."

"Wait…what?" Namiko blinked several times as she tried to process what he just told her. "How on earth did he know? I was almost out of my first trimester by the time we found out!"

Sasuke chuckled a little louder. "I asked him the same thing. He recognized the change in your chakra."

"Go figure. You Uchiha are always ahead of the rest," she said with a laugh. "So what else happened? How'd your debrief go with the Kage?"

He let go of her, quickly changing his pants but leaving his torso bare. "Uh…it could've been better. They weren't exactly fans of the suggestion Itachi made and that I passed on to them."

She cocked an eyebrow curiously before beginning to walk back to the futon. "Did he suggest something to help with the war?"

"He thought we should resurrect Orochimaru so he can use the Reanimation Jutsu on the previous four Hokage."

Namiko froze mid-step, before turning as fast as she could to look up at him with a shocked expression. "What? You want to resurrect the snake that nearly killed me?"

"I'm not thrilled with it either, but he's the only one who can perform Reanimation Jutsu. The Allied Forces could use him." He took a large step forward, grabbing her hand. "Look, you know I don't take what he did you and me lightly, but if we want to end this war, we may need to consider it a possibility. As I explained to Tsunade and the other Kage, we could always control him with chakra limiters."

"Oh, I'm sure ba-chan was just thrilled by that idea," sarcasm poured from her tone. "He is the most conniving and disgusting person I've ever known! He's the very definition of untrustworthy." Her face slipped into distress. "Not to mention, you're talking about reanimating my father! How would you feel if Orochimaru were to reanimate your parents?"

"I wouldn't be happy about it, but if it would help win the war, I would."

Namiko hesitated. Would she be willing to accept such a risk for the sake of ending the war? She understood the strategic advantage—no one knew Madara and the enemy forces better than the past Hokage. But the thought of bringing her father back, even temporarily, made her stomach twist.

She pulled her hand away and rubbed her temples. "This is a terrible idea…"

Sasuke exhaled, knowing her well enough to recognize the conflict in her tone. "You don't have to like it. I don't like it either. But it's not about what we want and what's comfortable for us—it's about what will give the Allied Forces a chance to win this war."

Namiko clenched her jaw. The logical part of her knew he was right. She had spent enough time in the medical tents to know they were losing too many good shinobi too fast. Their forces were stretched thin, and Madara was still hiding in the shadows. She could only imagine the nightmare he'd cause when he actually showed up.

"…fine," she finally muttered before taking a deep breath. "I don't like it, but I can deal with it if the Kage give you the go ahead."

"Thank you." He pulled her into his arms, placing a kiss on her forehead.

She sighed and let herself lean into his chest, exhaustion weighing on her more than before. "You should sleep," he murmured against the top of her head. "You look like you barely got any rest."

Namiko huffed. "That's because I didn't because I was too worried about you."

"Well, I'm here now," he reassured her as he led her back to their futons. "Rest."

For once, Namiko allowed herself to listen as she tried to make herself comfortable. He crawled in facing her and she laid her head on his chest as his hand went to rest on her belly. With Sasuke safe beside her, she finally let her eyes drift shut, allowing the sound of his heartbeat to lull her into a dreamless sleep.

June 4

The White Zetsu had been coming on strong and the Allied Forces were beginning to struggle against the onslaught. Moments for levity and relaxation were far and few between, often resulting in having to mix pleasure with work, which led Hinata and Naruto to often use training or sparring as their time together.

It was nearly sunset as Hinata stood in the open area in the Medical Division, her lavender eyes wide and Byakugan fully focused as she watched Naruto effortlessly form a Rasengan in his palm. The swirling ball of energy pulsed with raw power, radiating light in the dimming afternoon sun. She had seen him use it countless times but today was different. Today, he was teaching her.

Naruto grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright, Hinata, it's pretty simple—well, not that simple, but ya know what I mean! You just gotta focus your chakra and keep it spinning in every direction at once, kinda like Neji's Palm Rotation."

She nodded, gripping the water balloon he had handed her. "I'll do my best, Naruto-kun."

His smile softened. "I know you will."

She drew in a breath, channeling her chakra into the balloon. The water inside shifted, but she pushed too hard too fast, and with a soft pop, the balloon burst, splashing the cool water onto her hands.

He let out a chuckle as he grabbed another balloon. "Heh, that's what happened to me my first few tries too! But I think having your Byakugan will give you an advantage."

Hinata bit her lip, cheeks dusted pink. "I need to work on controlling the rotation better…"

He nodded and moved closer, crouching down beside her. "Here, lemme help!" Without hesitation, he placed his hands over hers, his warmth enveloping her fingers.

Hinata's breath hitched. Sometimes the smallest gestures made her heart soar. Naruto's hands were rough from years of training, yet his touch was gentle with her.

"Try to make the flow of your chakra more fluid, don't force it," he murmured, his voice unusually soft. His golden hair fell into his eyes as he watched her intently, causing her to blush softly. "Focus on trying to get it to spin more this time before it pops."

Hinata swallowed and slowly nodded, barely managing to focus as his warmth pressed against her. She inhaled, forcing herself to concentrate. They were supposed to be training. She couldn't let herself get distracted by how close he was, or the way her heart pounded in her chest, or the way his thumbs absentmindedly rubbed small circles over her wrists—

Pop!

Naruto blinked as the balloon exploded between their hands, splattering water over both of them. He stared at his soaked shirt, then at Hinata, before bursting into laughter.

"Haha! That was better this time!" He beamed at her, droplets clinging to his face. "See? I knew you could!"

Hinata giggled, tucking a damp strand of hair behind her ear. "You're all wet, Naruto-kun…"

Naruto pouted, dramatically shaking his arms. "Well, so are you! You totally just ambushed me with that balloon!"

She laughed, her cheeks glowing. "I couldn't help it. You were distracting me!"

Naruto blinked, then grinned sheepishly, scratching his cheek. "Guess I was, huh?" His eyes softened, and for a moment, he just looked at her—really looked at her. His usual loud enthusiasm gave way to something quieter, something fond.

He pulled her to his chest and kissed her slowly, every movement intentional. Her heart stuttered as they pulled apart, and she quickly looked down, hands twisting in her damp sleeves. "Naruto-kun, what if someone sees us?"

"Let 'em look, cause then they'll know how lucky I am to be with you." He tilted his head down, capturing her lips once again for a deep kiss. "Now, you ready to keep going?"

Hinata's breath caught in her throat. His touch lingered for just a second before he pulled away, smiling at her like she was the only person in the world.

She squeezed the next balloon in her hands, her determination renewed. "I'll keep trying."

Naruto grinned, nudging her playfully. "Good, 'cause I'm not letting my girlfriend give up that easy!" Hinata giggled, shaking her head.

They continued the exercise several more times before their fun was cut short as Inoichi's voice rang clear in their minds. Naruto listened carefully to his voice, "Madara has been spotted along with a gigantic creature. Head to the battlefield at once."

Naruto traded looks with Hinata, they had no idea what awaited them, but if Madara had finally shown his face, things would get intense. "You got it, Inoichi!"

"And Naruto? Be careful, we're counting on you."

Naruto and Hinata took off toward Namiko and Sasuke's tent first. Naruto poked his head in through the flap, seeing Namiko and Sasuke in deep conversation. "Sasuke, are you coming?"

Sasuke shook his head, trying to keep his face neutral but Naruto could tell there was irritation boiling beneath his friend's facade. "HQ wants me to stay here and protect Namiko. With Madara showing up, there could be the possibility of him coming after her, so Tsunade wants me to stay put."

"I told him I'd be fine though," interjected Namiko, turning her attention to her brother. "I don't want him to leave, but if Madara is there, you might need his help. You're stronger when you work together. There are still plenty of shinobi here to protect me."

Naruto stepped fully inside the tent with Hinata close behind. "I get what you're saying, Namiko, but Tsunade-baa-chan probably has a point. If Madara really is after you, Sasuke needs to stay."

Namiko huffed, clearly frustrated. "But he's needed out there too! If something happens to you—" she cut herself off, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

Sasuke placed a hand on her shoulder, his grip firm but reassuring. "No." His voice was gentle but absolute. "Naruto will be just fine." He glanced at his best friend, a small smile tugging at the corner. "I have the utmost faith in him to handle this."

Naruto gave a cheesy grin. "Aww, you really do love me…" he teased, earning him a glare.

A watery laugh escaped Namiko as she wiped her eyes and nodded, smiling at her brother and her best friend. "Just promise me that you two will come back alive."

"Absolutely," replied Naruto with a thumbs-up.

Hinata quickly hugged Namiko. "I promise, we'll be just fine." She then reached for Naruto's hand, tugging lightly. "We should go."

"You two stay safe as well," Naruto said, his gaze lingering on his sister for a moment before he turned on his heel and disappeared with Hinata.

As they arrived at the battlefield, both were wide-eyed at the scene before them. There were no White Zetsu this time, only a monstrous creature wreaking havoc. Killer Bee and Gyuuki were trying their best to hold back the creature on their own but were obviously struggling.

Before continuing forward, Naruto gripped Hinata's wrist firmly, pulling them to a brief stop. "I love you…be careful, Hina."

"I love you too, Naruto-kun. You can do this! Be safe!" Without another word, she pressed a quick kiss to his lips and took off in the direction of her division where her father and Neji were.

Naruto took a deep breath in before charging straight into the thick of things, charging up his kyuubi chakra mode as he headed toward the beast. "What is that thing?" he asked hesitantly.

"That," said Kurama, "is the juubi…"

"The juubi? Does it have a name too?"

"No, it is not one of us. It is an abomination that does nothing but cause destruction in this world. It has no soul."

Naruto let Kurama out into his full form before leaping inside the glowing fox, so they could move quicker. "Okay then. Kurama, let's take this ugly bastard down!"

"Agreed."

The juubi had a large, bulbous body with long arms ending in clawed hands. It almost looked plant-like in nature, its tails long and thick like vines. A singular red eye sat in the center of its face, a cross between the Sharingan and the Rinnegan. However, the most surprising feature was its size; it dwarfed both Gyuuki and Kurama.

They joined up with Killer Bee and Gyuuki who stood facing the juubi as it let out a fearsome roar. The juubi folded into itself before charging up a Biju Bomb.

Gyuuki and Kurama worked together to shoot back several smaller Biju Bombs, like artillery shells, but it didn't make a mark. The juubi just kept charging its attack.

Gyuuki let out an audible gulp. "This is—"

"—not good," finished Kurama.

There was no stopping the massive laser-like Biju Bomb that came towards the Allied Forces that were approaching the fight, so Gyuuki and Kurama rolled into defensive positions, taking the brunt of the blast and disbursing it to keep the shinobi safe. However, the attack was too strong and caused both biju to lose their forms and retreat into their jinchuriki.

"Kurama, how could you fall apart at a time like this?" yelled Naruto.

"I'm sorry, but I'm at my limit…he's too strong," answered Kurama, letting his chakra fade.

Gyuuki echoed his sentiment, "I'm sorry Bee, I can't take anymore either, we need to rest and recharge our chakra."

Killer Bee was too breathless to speak and Naruto tried his best not to panic. 'What the hell?! That was one shot! How can we possibly defeat this thing if it takes us out in one freaking shot?'

The juubi roared again and the bright light of the Biju Bomb filled its mouth again. Naruto's eyes widened. 'No, no, no…there's no way out of this!'

The juubi let the bomb loose and it shot past them, blowing up several mountains instead. Naruto blinked several times in confusion. "Did it just miss on purpose?"

"It appears so," called out Kakashi as he along with several other shinobi ran up to the jinchuriki, and tens of thousands more behind them awaiting instructions.

Hinata was with them and rushed to Naruto's side, her voice dripping with worry, "Are you okay after that?"

He tossed her a practiced grin. "Of course I'm okay! This stupid thing won't take me down so easily!"

Kiba and Akamaru landed right behind them. "Just because Hinata's here doesn't mean have to act tough, Naruto."

Suddenly, the juubi's sinewy arm raised up high before slamming into the ground and sweeping toward the shinobi below. Hiashi yelled out, "Neji, rotate clockwise!" Neji nodded and the two instantly used their clan's jutsu.

"Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation!"

The creature's arm bounced off the two Hyuuga members with ease, leaving Naruto to stand with his mouth agape. "Amazing…"

"Don't just stand there, Naruto," called Hiashi as he took a defensive stance in front of Naruto, "This is a battlefield and we're in a war. If we're defeated and lose this war, people all over the world will die. You cannot lose focus!"

Naruto's brow furrowed in concentration. "I know that!"

Neji stood next to Hiashi. "Your power is essential to win this war, so until you're able to use the kyuubi's power again…"

"…we will protect you!" continued Hinata as she stood next to Neji, guarding Naruto.

"Hinata!" breathed out Naruto, both touched and concerned by their actions.

"Know this, the Hyuuga are the mightiest in all of Konoha!" shouted Hiashi.

The juubi let out another mighty roar, raising its hands high. Without warning, giant wooden stakes launched from its palm, blasting like a machine gun and taking out thousands of shinobi in an instant. Those shinobi able to use shield-type jutsu blocked as many of the stakes as possible, but the onslaught was overwhelming.

Neji blocked as many of the stakes as he could, but one slipped through his Palm Rotation and cut off his hitai-ate. A Rasenshuriken flew right over his head, destroying the incoming stakes like a miniature bomb. Neji's head whipped around to look at Naruto who had a grin on his face. "Thanks, Neji! I can use Sage mode now. I can't keep relying on you geniuses! Now I've got your back."

Neji smirked. "Good to know."

Naruto and several clones launched dozens of Rasenshuriken at the juubi, the offensive motion acting almost like a shield by destroying the stakes before they could reach them. "Take this, you bastard! And a few more!"

But Naruto's attacks ate up too much of his chakra and he wavered on his feet before sinking to his knees, utterly exhausted. Hinata ran to his side, kneeling in front of him. "Naruto-kun! Are you okay?"

He weakly nodded, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath. "I'm fine…just…need a minute…"

Hiashi looked up just in time to see the juubi launching more stakes, and aiming directly for Naruto. His eyes widened, there was no way that his daughter could possibly block all those to protect Naruto and herself. He saw Neji running toward them, but knew Neji wouldn't be able to block the incoming attack either. There was no other choice.

"Hinata! Neji! Watch out!" screamed Naruto, internally begging his legs to move and failing, watching helplessly as the stakes moved closer to them.

But the stakes never hit them.

A sickening squish, followed by a thud, was all they heard as Hiashi collapsed against Neji's back, three massive stakes stuck through his torso.

Neji caught his uncle before he hit the ground completely, eyes wide in shock. "Hiashi-sama!" His voice cracked, but he gritted his teeth, adjusting his grip to keep him steady as he lowered him to the ground.

Tears instantly filled Hinata's eyes as she turned to her father, refusing to let them fall. "Otou-sama…why?"

"Because you three are the future of the shinobi world." Hiashi coughed, blood trickling from the corner of his lips as he gave his daughter and nephew a sorrowful look. "Neji, I am so…so sorry I let your father take my place. He would be so proud of you now…" His gaze then shifted to Hinata, his expression softening despite his pain. "Hinata, my eldest…I'm so sorry for the way I ignored you and focused on Hanabi…you…deserved better. You are stronger and braver than you think. I'm proud of you…and I want you to know that before I die."

Hinata shook her head frantically, pressing her hands to his wounds as if she could stop the bleeding through sheer will. "No—no, otou-sama, don't talk like that! We'll get you to the medics, I can—" Her hands trembled, her Byakugan fading away as she tried to think of any way to help him.

"Don't…bother." Hiashi lifted a shaky hand, cupping her cheek briefly before his strength gave out, his arm falling limply to his side. "Just know I love you. Both of you…and Hanabi too…"

Naruto, still kneeling on the ground, clenched his fists. This wasn't supposed to happen. He forced himself to stand, staggering on weak legs, but determination burned in his gut. "Hiashi-san, I'm sorry—"

"No," Hiashi cut off Naruto. "Don't apologize. Just promise me you'll protect my daughter and…love her. When you marry her one day…know you have my blessing…"

Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat. "Yes sir."

His breathing grew ragged, his body growing heavier in Neji's hold. "Hinata, Naruto, you are my witnesses…Neji…you are to be the head of the Hyuuga. No more 'main' and 'side' branches…no more…cursed seals."

Neji clenched his jaw so tightly he thought his teeth would shatter. He could feel the life fading from his uncle, the man who had once been the symbol of everything he resented—only to become the father figure he never thought he'd have. "I proudly accept."

With that, Hiashi's chest stilled and his head tilted to the side. His lavender eyes distant and lifeless. Hinata couldn't hold back her tears any longer and she buried her head in Naruto's chest.

"I swear," Naruto said, voice trembling with rage as he wrapped his arms around Hinata, gently stroking her hair, "I won't let his sacrifice be for nothing."

Hinata wiped her tears, her hands shaking as they gripped his shirt. "Neither will I."

Neji carefully laid Hiashi down, his expression unreadable. But when he stood, his Byakugan flared to life with a sharp intensity. "We finish this. Now."

A/N: Yes, Neji is still alive! He's honestly one of my favorite characters and I couldn't just let him die. And yes, things are slightly "out of order" from canon…which is why this is canon divergent. And yes, we still haven't seen the real Madara, but don't worry, he's coming next chapter. The next two chapters are going to be especially tense! (I am still planning on a total of 70 chapters, so we're in the home stretch now!)
I hope you all enjoyed the little bonus of Naruto teaching Hinata Rasengan. I also have gone back and finally added recommended listening for each chapter. Normally these songs are ones that have inspired a chapter or I just think fit a chapter super well.
Thank you all once again for your love and support! Next chapter should be March 15-16, but we'll have to see as my daughter's birthday is coming up so I'm not sure how much typing I'll get done.
Love, Eriisu
PS: Comments are my tip-jar!