A drop of water rang in Naruto's ears as his eyes flew open, their sky blueness seeing a black abyss in front of him but with a dark twinge of red mixed in. His entire body, especially his chest. His eyes widened and he sat up, ignoring the pain he felt in his chest but saw no physical wound.
He looked under his black shirt and removed the leather armor he had underneath his shirt and saw his stomach and chest smooth and unharmed, bare of any damage that he remembered Madara had done.
Meaning. . .
"Yes," An elderly yet firm voice spoke up. "You are not on the battlefield at the moment, your body may," Naruto turned his eyes and found an old man floating in the air crisscrossed with six truthseeking orbs behind him along with a staff that had an incomplete full moon and on the other end a ring with several other rings dangling off of it.
He had pale brown hair that reached to his shoulders with a braid in front of his left ear. He had a long goatee that went down to his lower stomach. He had deep wrinkles on his face and his mouth was pressed into a thin line with glowing dark purple Rinnegan eyes and a red Rinnegan-styled marking on his forehead.
"But your spirit is not." The man said.
"Who are you?" Naruto immediately lashed out, standing up. "Why did you bring me here? I'm needed out there!"
"My name is Hagoromo Otsutsuki, but you may know me as the Creator of Ninshu, the Sage of Six Paths. It is a pleasure to meet you, Naruto Namikaze. As to why I brought you here, I saved your life." Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"Sage of Six Paths? There's no way, you can't. . ." He trailed off as he saw the cloak he was wearing with the similar tomoe markings Madara's cloak had, and half of the staff was identical to Madara's along with the truthseeking orbs. "You are. . ." He whispered breathlessly.
"Yes I-"
"Oh father," Indra spat out in disdain as he walked from behind Naruto. "You truly are pathetic, trying to reconnect with my reincarnate so he can help the world you helped create?"
"Indra. . ." Hagoromo muttered under his breath, annoyance lacing his voice. "What are you doing up?" Indra grinned and held up his hands in the air.
"I woke up pops! It's great, isn't it? Usually, I sleep whenever I get reincarnated, but since my little brother is here too, that conflict woke me up!" Hagoromo sighed.
"Yes, it is the first time you two have been reborn in the same person. Your last reincarnates are on the battlefield fighting even now, the hatred you left between them is still fueling long after their time."
"Hashirama and Madara?" Naruto guessed correctly. "But still, why did you bring me in here?"
"I wanted to talk," Hagoromo admitted honestly. "I want to know more about you, what you've done and the reasoning behind it, as well as everything else. Then, I want you to tell me your plans for the future. From there on I shall decide."
"Decide what?" Indra was seething on the inside, he knew. He knew exactly what his father was referring to.
"On whether to give you my power or to let you die." Naruto shook his head. "I'm already dead," Naruto spat. "My heart was destroyed, my organs put in the blender, and my body was made into a pin cushion by those shitty chakra rods that Rinnegan so helpfully creates." He finished with a bit of a glare.
"Besides father," Indra continued. "You need him. Despite what he says you'll give him your power, even if it's just a fraction. You need him to get rid of that Madara fellow." Hagoromo frowned.
"Listen," Naruto began, giving Indra a pointed glare. "If you want to know my past fine, if you want to judge my sins, you're free to do so. However," Naruto's eyes hardened as he met Hagoromo's. "My world is on the verge of being permanently destroyed."
"Come, my child," Hagoromo said, gesturing for Naruto to come closer. "Allow me to feel what you've felt." Naruto took a step forward, letting Hagoromo place a single slightly-wrinkled hand on his head. He closed his eyes and felt Hagoromo's presence in his mind.
"Ah," Hagoromo whispered, his Rinnegan eyes glowing slightly, watching Naruto's life play out like a movie. "I see." He took his hand off the dark-haired man's head and closed his eyes. "You've led a troubled life."
"Understatement of the year," Indra drawled out sarcastically. "My little apprentice walked down our little path of darkness hand in hand with me." He was about to reach out and pat Naruto's head, but Hagoromo's hand shot out, grasping Indra's wrist tightly.
"Don't lay another finger on him, Indra!" He roared angrily, suddenly standing on his two feet, his staff in hand and his truthseeking orbs hovering around him, ready to move at any sign of action. "You've done enough!"
"W-What?" Indra cried out in shock, pulling his wrist away from Hagoromo's iron-like grasp. "Don't touch me!" He growled with a glare.
"Influencing his thoughts, pushing the darker ideas, manipulating him into destroying the Hidden Mist! I'm appalled Indra, but then again," His nose twisted downward. "You've been disappointing me ever since you tried killing your younger brother."
"You bastard!" Indra shouted, purples flames engulfing his right hand as he shoved it forward. Hagoromo only shook his head, disappointment flooding his body as he used the back of his wrist to hit Indra's own wrist, making the fire attack shoot up into the air and into nothing.
"You've learned nothing even after all this time," Hagoromo whispered. "You're just a shell of who you used to be, turned into a different kind of monster due to all this hate." Indra grit his teeth, his eyes closed as fury roared in his chest.
But he held it back, trying his best not to explode. He would not lose his cool.
"We're similar," Naruto spoke, surprising both of the Otsutsuki. "I was consumed by my hatred. . ." He looked down at his empty open palm. "A part of me still is, I can feel it, bubbling deep inside me like a disease, ready to sprout at any sign of weakness." '
"Then you understand the destruction such hatred can cause." Naruto nodded.
"But it shouldn't be suppressed," Naruto spoke again, surprising Hagoromo and getting an eyebrow raise from Indra. "Hate is part of everyone, just like love. It's yin and yang. Light and darkness. We can't erase hate, we've always tried but circumstances always push forward and create new love, as well as new hate."
"Wise," Hagoromo commented. "It seems you've learned plenty through your. . ." He stopped to think of an appropriate word. "Experiences."
"Yes," Naruto spoke. "I've learned that his world is wrong, the world of shinobi killing each other in a constant cycle is wrong. I also learned that certain aspects can be beautiful," He trailed off, thinking of his friends and family. "And that our feelings are too strong to be suppressed fully. But maybe if we could just understand one another, all become one instead of being divided, the hate in our hearts could dwindle down to the smallest of flames."
"And you believe you could accomplish that?" Naruto met his eyes.
"I . . ."
"You. . ." Obito whispered, his Sharingan eyes widening as the chakra rod in hand dropped to the dirt with a soft thud. He ran over to Naruto, shoving Sasuke aside roughly as he took the chakra rods out of Naruto's chest.
He placed his hands over Naruto's now exposed chest, the holes in his body revealing the dirt he laid on, covered in his blood. "No no no no," He spoke frantically, his hands glowing a light lime green, using the minuscule amount of knowledge he had on his younger brother.
Sasuke, Shisui, and Itachi watched Obito hover over Naruto, his face filled with shock and grief as he tried futilely to revive his brother. "You killed him." He said between gritted teeth, tears sliding down his pale cheeks as he squinted his eyes shut, trying to trap the tears from falling but to no success.
"He was a threat, Obito," Madara called out with no sympathy. "He, like the rest of them, had to be dealt with. I merely took out an obstacle." Obito slowly stood up.
"I'm sorry, Rin," Obito spoke softly as he opened his eyes, looking at Naruto's face, the blood still pouring out of the side of his mouth. "I couldn't protect him. I couldn't protect our little brother. I failed."
"Obito. . ." Minato whispered, the feelings of despair clenching his undead heart. He had watched his son die. No parent should ever have to witness that. . .
"I'm sorry," Obito said again, this time with anger. "But I don't think I'll see either of you ever again. Not with where I'm going. . ."
"Obito?" Madara asked in a confused tone.
Realization dawned upon Itachi and Shisui at the same time. Itachi grabbed Sasuke by the shoulder, tugging him back slightly. The younger Uchiha looked up and saw the look Shisui was wearing and nodded, following his brother and cousin back a few yards away from Naruto and Obito.
Obito used Kamui to teleport Naruto's body to the Kamui Dimension. "Hey!" Sasuke shouted, only to be stopped by Itachi.
"Don't," Was his older brother's hiss. Sasuke's eyes widened as he saw Obito, who had his back turned to Madara, with his eyes wide and his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan activated, his eyes bloodshot and filled with fury.
"You killed him," Obito repeated. "My last precious person to walk this earth, and you killed him. My little brother," Obito was suddenly flooded with a blue chakra, his form flying up in the air slightly, a perfect Susanoo encasing him as he spun around at speeds Minato could barely follow.
"AND YOU KILLED HIM!" He roared, his voice amplified by the Susanoo as the ground shook underneath everyone, the air vibrating under the sheer intensity. He charged Madara, two shuriken forming in his hands, one in each hand, and flung them towards Madara, everything between the two Uchiha getting sucked in by the swirling vortexes.
"Another dull tool," Madara commented as he vanished from Obito's sight, the shuriken missing him completely. "If you are going to try and attack me, at least be faster. I've grown stronger than the Sage of Six Paths, Obito. Naruto couldn't do anything to me in his Susanoo, and we both know he's stronger than you."
"Don't speak his name!" Obito shouted as he landed a punch on the pale-skinned Rinnegan-wielder. "You aren't worthy!"
"Heh heh heh," Madara chuckled as he wiped the dust off his chakra cloak. "You think that hurt? A single Susanoo can't defeat me!"
"Then how about four?!" Sasuke, suddenly standing next to Obito's Susanoo within his own Susanoo. Shisui and Itachi emerged on either side of him, each of them in their own Susanoo. Itachi's was a dark red, Sasuke's a bright purple, and Shisui's light green.
"You aren't ending this world, Madara!" Shisui shouted, disappearing from the Sage's view before a green, tornado-like sword, pierced his chest from behind. "Because with the combined power of four pairs of the Mangekyou Sharingan, even you are vulnerable!"
"How fascinating," Madara spoke, taking himself off of Shisui's Susanoo sword. "Alright then." He pointed at the ground and shot a seed into the ground, it already sprouting into a little stem. "You have until the Divine Tree blooms under the moon to defeat me. If it blooms and I am still alive, then," He smirked, a truthseeking orb hurling back and hitting Shisui back within his own Susanoo, the giant light-green chakra figure sliding slightly.
"This world will be enslaved within the Infinite Tsukuyomi! Now, dance with me! Show me what today's Uchiha are like!"
"I. . ." Naruto trailed off. Indra smirked. He knew this boy would falter even now! He had worked hard to distort Naruto's mind so he would always do his bidding and succumb to the darkness inside of him.
Ashura was asleep forever now, he had already won. His eyes shifted to his father, who was staring keenly at Naruto as he struggled to think. How foolish, Indra thought, the old man would give all his power to Naruto and then Indra would break free from this boy's body and conquer this world.
Just as he intended.
"I will conquer my darkness and my light, and stop feeding the flames this world has been engulfed in oxygen!" Naruto suddenly said. "I want to unite everybody within the shinobi world and tear down the system and create a new one, a better one. Not erasing shinobi themselves, but their names!
"No more Leaf, Stone, Mist, Sand, or Cloud shinobi! Just shinobi! I want to create a unified shinobi world where we aren't divided by names and are just a single nation! We wouldn't have to worry about war, I'd be strong enough to dissuade any enemies! I once wanted to end wars with a single thought, end conflicts with a pluck of a finger, and I think I can do it."
He flexed his hand. "I have limitless potential being the reincarnates of both Ashura and Indra! Their power is technically mine! I can stop any threats, foreign or internal, I can do it." He met Hagoromo's eyes with a determined look. "I will bring peace to this world by ruling it and destroying the corrupt system!"
"I see," Hagoromo whispered. "It is different from how I would do it, but seeing your memories, it is a logical choice. Very well, my son."
"What?" Indra whispered. "What did you just call him?" Naruto and Hagoromo looked over to the seeth child of Hagoromo.
"He is Ashura's and your reincarnate. Technically in spirit, he is my child. Don't get too worked up over it Indra." Indra turned around and stalked off.
Naruto didn't question the man he once called master. He knew where they stood. Indra was no longer his master and he was no longer anyone's tool or disciple. He was his own person from now on. He was Naruto Namikaze.
"I will give you my power," Hagoromo said, placing his hand upon Naruto's head. "You have your goals and dreams, as well as your skill and power. You are one of the strongest humans to ever exist, and your dream as a child is now at the tip of your tongue.
"You are strong. You are smart. You are wise. You are my successor, you are the next Sage of Six Paths. I grant you all of my power and knowledge." White chakra poured from Hagoromo's hand, entering Naruto's body as he began glowing. "And now, my child, you must go fulfill your destiny and bring peace."
"I will succeed, Hagoromo Otsutsuki." Naruto said with a small smile, bowing as the man disconnected his hand from his head.
"I have no doubt you will. Madara Uchiha has reached new heights. It will not be an easy battle. But I believe you will manage." Naruto smirked.
"You got it, gramps." With that, Naruto faded from view. Hagoromo took a deep breath.
His work was done.
". . ." Madara stood over Itachi and Shisui, both having been pinned to the ground by his chakra rods while Obito and Sasuke laid on their knees, panting, sweat pouring down their backs as Madara turned to them. "It's almost sad. You four danced well, but even the combined strength of four perfect Susanoos I still beat you." He looked down at his staff. "Then again, the Ten-Tails is quite the power-source."
He walked over to Sasuke and Obito, who were struggling to stand up, their energy and chakra almost up. "It's a pity neither of you will make it to my new reality," He said, faking empathy. "But I think I'll enjoy killing you both here now rather than you give me a headache while I'm absorbing the Divine Tree."
He held up his staff and swung it down, only to suddenly stop as a burst of chakra caught his attention. "What are you going to my older brother and my apprentice?" Naruto said, tearing off the shirt and armor he was wearing, revealing his bare chest to the world.
White chakra glittered off of the edges of his body and clothes, flickering like a candle in the wind. His eyes were closed and his hair had turned into a snow-white. "How are you alive?" Madara shouted, pointing his staff in Naruto's direction.
"Naruto. . ." Obito whispered in awe. He looked the same besides the white chakra, but also different?
"Sensei," Sasuke cried out. "It's really you! You're back!"
"One step closer and I'll kill them both!" Madara shouted, panic in his voice slightly. This was new.
It wasn't an Edo-Tensei, the lack of cracks of marks on his skin ensured that. Then what? How could someone come back to life after their organs were completely destroyed? Or his heart? How?!
It was new. He didn't like new. New meant he didn't know. He didn't like what he didn't know. In fact. . .
He feared it.
He held two orbs to Sasuke's and Obito's heads. "One step closer, I dare you," Madara warned. Naruto chuckled and shook his head, his bangs covering his eyes.
"I remember saying I don't fear you Madara. . ." Naruto opened a hand. "Universal Pull!" Madara's eyes widened as his body shot across the battlefield and found his lower jaw, including his mouth, in the grasp of Naruto Namikaze.
Naruto looked up, revealing two Rinnegan eyes with six circles. There were three tomoe on the inner-most circle, and then three more tomoe on the one after the first. His dark pupils met Madara's own.
"Then Rinnegan? But how?" Obito whispered.
"Naruto was always destined for greatness," Itachi spoke loudly, still under the chakra rod. "While a shock, it should be no surprise he could evolve his eyes fully just as Madara did, but this time, even further."
Naruto felt Madara kicking him and released him, spinning around and planning a kick in the old Uchiha's stomach and sending him back several feet. "I said I'd save this world," Naruto said, his body suddenly lighting up completely white, a white chakra cloak settling onto his shoulders as tomoes littered his collar and hems.
In his right hand he held Hagoromo's staff and six truthseeking orbs hovered behind him closely. Two of his bangs flew up, resembling horns as his glowing white hair flickered like fire, a warmth spreading over to the battlefield.
"And now, with this power. I will defeat you and bring peace to this world you've thrown away," He manipulated Hagoromo's staff into a sword. "A world you will no longer be allowed to live in." He pointed the sword at Madara.
"You, Madara Uchiha, who has sworn to destroy this world and all its inhabitants, will perish." Madara smirked, hiding his nerves behind a confident pose.
"You can't defeat me, I've surpassed the Sage of Six Paths!" Naruto chuckled, shocking Madara.
"You may be stronger than that old goat," The earth below Naruto cracked as he glared freely at Madara.
"BUT YOU ARE NOT STRONGER THAN ME!"
And done. How was it?
I hope the fight was good. Plenty of good moments! Also, is this Naruto's final battle in this arc? Maybe? Maybe not! Who knows but lil ole me! HAHAHAHAHA!
Anyway, yeah. I hope you liked it and I hope I pulled everything into one place as it should. I didn't forget about Kushina yet so let me get to it!
A handful more chapters left and we'll be set!
Til next time my lil demons!