𝑾𝑯𝑬𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑾𝑰𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑾𝑺 •𝒃𝒙𝒃•

Genesis

"Madara got him." Gaara answered, looking ahead.

"Then how do we save him?! What do we do?!" Sakura asked, desperately searching for an answer, "Akashi! You also have the Nine-Tails inside of you, is there any way for us to save Naruto? Anything?!" She could only watch as he shook his head and his body trembled.

"I don't know... I don't know." Akashi mumbled out, gripping onto Naruto's hand as if that was the only thing which kept him grounded.

"We're going towards the Fourth Hokage, he might know something!" Gaara sped up.

_

A few minutes later, they reached to where Minato was.

He was there alongside Kakashi, facing down Obito.

"Kakashi sensei!" Sakura called out as Gaara lowered the sand onto the ground.

"What happened?!" Kakashi asked.

"The Nine-Tails was extracted from Naruto!" Sakura glanced down at Naruto, "At this rate he'll-!"

"Naruto..." With heavy steps, Minato stepped closer to the blond.

"Minato... Is there anything we can do?" Akashi's quiet voice resounded, "Is there anything I... can do?" Minato looked at the redhead's hunched over form. Just from one look, he could see.

Akashi was destroyed.

His, paler than usual, hands were holding onto Naruto for dear life. His head laid on the blond's shoulders and Minato noticed that his own shoulders were trembling.

"Dad..." Akashi sobbed out, "Dad..." his whole body shook as the words left his lips, "Dad... Help him... Please," the boy's plea invoked harsh pain in Minato's chest, "Help me, tell me what to do... I'll do anything I can, I'll gladly give my life for his own... Please," he watched as Akashi slowly raised his head to look at him and the breath was knocked out of his chest, "If I need to die so he can live, I'll do it," a tear slipped down the boy's dirty cheek.

Minato couldn't do it.

There was no way he could do it.

Both of them were his sons.

There was no way he could choose one.

As if his internal conflict was noticed, Akashi spoke up, "Don't mind me, please... Naruto needs to be saved... If one of us needs to survive, we all know it's him."

Nothing was going to change Minato's mind.

And Akashi saw that, so he took it all upon himself.

Akashi! What are you-?!

Knowing what the redhead was about to do, Kurama tried to stop him, but he was only a voice inside his head.

Silver chains burst out of the boy's body, knocking everyone around him away, leaving only himself near Naruto.

"Akashi?! What are you doing?!" Kakashi yelled out as his feet touched the ground, "Whatever it is you're planning to do, stop!" There was no use in trying to stop him.

Akashi had made up his mind.

He reached a hand towards Naruto's cheek and laid his palm atop it, "Otouto... I know I've failed you... I know I've failed mom and... dad, I know I've failed everyone I've ever had the chance to know, but this time... This time I won't fail you," his fingers slipped down the blond's jaw, before they settled onto the area above his heart, "Not this time."

"Akashi! Stop it!" Minato desperately yelled, but he couldn't get closer, the chains blocked his way, "Please! We'll think of another way!" He tried... He really tried.