Shikamaru took eight kunais from his pocket and flung them at the eight sound nin, however, they were all deflected.
"So that's where he is..."
"It's useless. We know how your technique works. It seems as if you have reached your limit! Prepare to die!"
"So this is it, huh..." thought Shikamaru. "I used to want to be an average shinobi and make an average living...marry a girl who's not super pretty or super ugly...have two kids, a girl and a boy...retire when my daughter got married and my son became a successful shinobi...then spend rest of my days playing shogi or go...a carefree and leisure retriement...dying of old age before my wife...and yet I exerted myself then find myself ending up in such a troublesome situation like this."
"It's time for you to come out, and take that kid's head off while at it!" ordered one of the sound nins.
Shikamaru's eyes widened in shock as he felt someone touching his back. It was Asuma! And he was hoisting the ninth sound nin over his shoulder!
"Finally caught up to you!"
"Asuma wh—"
Before Shikamaru could finish, Asuma had already knocked out all the sound nins.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sasuke was thrown against the tree and Gaara laughed as he saw him defeated.
"You're too soft. Your hatred isn't strong enough. To hate you kill. To kill you avenge. Your hatred is weaker than mine! You know what that means?! It means that you're weaker than me!"
Sasuke ignored him and charged at him again. His head was pounding and his whole body was shaking and it seemed as if he was going to be obliterated by Gaara's sand arm but...
BAM!
Gaara was kicked away...by Naruto.
Sasuke fell onto the ground. Quickly, Sakura and Kimi tended to his wounds. Gaara didn't care that someone kicked his face. Uchiha Sasuke was the one he wanted and he lunged at Sasuke, but Naruto was to fast for him and kicked him back again.
"I'll give you a battle, brother," said Naruto calmly, going into a stance.
Gaara growled. "What are they to you?" he asked, glaring at Naruto.
"My precious comrades!" exclaimed Naruto resolutely.
Gaara transformed even more.
"Sand shuriken!" screamed Gaara as Naruto dodged them with ease.
Seeing that he failed, Gaara pulled out another jutsu out of his arsenal: "Wind Release: Great Infinite Sand Blast Breakthrough!"
Naruto teleported behind a couple of trees with his special Hirashin kunai until the attack was over. It was silent.
"Where are you?" growled Gaara. "Are you scared to fight me?!"
"Not at all."
Naruto came flying out of the trees with a bunch of shadow clones. As Gaara tried dispelling every one of them, the real Naruto pulled out a senbon from his pocket and plunged it into Gaara's rear. Gaara roared in fury.
Finally, it was the final form. "Desert Coffin!" he screamed.
Naruto smirked. "Summoning Jutsu!"
Sasuke, Sakura, Temari and Gaara stared at him in surprise: Naruto was standing on top of a giant russet fox with nine tails.
"Kurama-sama!" exclaimed Kimi happily.
The large fox stared down and caught sight of Kimi, then smirked. "Nice to see you again, Kimi," he yawned. "Anyway, Kit, is that Shukaku I sense?"
"Yeah," replied Naruto. "He's tenant has gone insane and bloodthirsty because of him. We need to bring him back to normal. Konoha's in a state of trouble now, because of Orochimaru and his new village. Suna has betrayed us and allied themselves with Orochimaru."
Kurama sighed. "What a bother, that Shukaku was always the troublesome one, ruining my sleep again. Kit, you owe me one."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, that's not the point right now. The red-haired boy is his medium. Just defeat Shukaku and he will be back to normal," said Naruto.
"Alright, let's do this Kit!" said Kurama in a fake encouraging voice.
Naruto sighed. "Shukaku is wind element which sucks because my natural affinity is wind. I guess we have to go all out on fire then," concluded Naruto.
Kurama didn't mind. After all, he was a fire-user.
"Fire Release: Demonic Fire Blasts!" roared Kurama as flickering balls of black fire sailed through the air and aimed for Shukaku who blew them away.
Temari, Sasuke and Sakura watched in amazement. They had never seen a serious shinobi battle let alone a fight between two of the tailed beasts.
The fight dragged on.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Naruto sighed in frustration as he and Kurama dodged the spiralling wind gusts from Shukaku. The battle was going nowhere. Naruto had to think of a plan, fast.
"Kit," said Kurama to Naruto in the mindscape, "We have to make a plan, NOW."
Naruto hissed in annoyance. "I know, I know, let me think of something."
Shukaku smirked as he saw Kurama and Naruto stop fighting as they were trying to think of a way to defeat him. It was his chance to attack.
"Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullets!"
Naruto cursed as he saw Shukaku blast another wind jutsu at him. Quickly, Naruto teleported him and Kurama behind Shukaku.
"Kurama, I've got a plan!" exclaimed Naruto. "You distract him while I summon Bunta. He will also help you to defeat Shukaku. In the meanwhile, I'll wake Gaara."
"Alright, Kit," grunted Kurama grunted as leapt towards Shukaku and started engaging in close combat with him.
Kurama's claws raked Shukaku's face and he screeched in pain, whacking Kurama's face with his tail in the face. Kurama roared as the spikes scratched his cheeks.
Naruto leapt off Kurama's back in desperation and spun through the for summoning Gamabunta, the toad chief.
"Summoning Jutsu!" he shouted and before he could land on the ground, he found himself standing on top of Gamabunta's head.
"Oi, it's you, brat, whaddya you want?" grunted Gamabunta.
"Long time no see, Bunta. Running short of time for the pleasantries I apologise but could you help Kurama distract Shukaku while I defeat his tenant?" asked Naruto.
Gamabunta grunted again. "Always, always summoning me for these dire, dire situations. Never a friendly visit. Fine, what's in it for me?" he asked.
"Sake," stated Naruto blankly, sweatdropping.
"Deal, but your such a pain for not drinking it with me. You have to enjoy the sake in life!" said Gamabunta as he made his way to Kurama and Shukaku while Temari, Sasuke and Sakura stared at Naruto in shock. Where did all these animals come from?!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Water Release: Gunshots!" bellowed Gamabunta as blasts of water came shooting out of his mouth.
Shukaku dodged them with a sand wall but the water penetrated it and hit Shukaku who roared in anger.
"Fire Release: Coiling Flames!" growled Kurama as a wreath of flames travelled its way to Shukaku and encircled him.
Shukaku snarled in fury and whipped his tail which blasted back Kurama and Gamabunta and subdued the fire.
"Sand Waterfall Funeral!" screamed Shukaku.
Gushes of sand rolled down Shukaku and it flowed onto Kurama and Gamabunta. They struggled to escape from the sand but eventually, they managed to get out of it, but not before suffering a few minor scratches and sand burns.
Naruto, seeing that Shukaku was fully intent on killing Gamabunta and Kurama, took the opportunity to attack. He rushed out and teleported beside Gaara. Feeling something on his head, Shukaku shook his head wildly but Naruto simply applied chakra to his feet to stay on.
Naruto punched Gaara on the head. Gaara jolted awake, screaming. Shukaku shrieked in rage. He let out a low groan and felt himself being suppressed before going back to Gaara's body.
Gaara stared at Naruto with crazed eyes. He punched Naruto but it was met with Naruto's fist. Gaara jumped up and rushed at Naruto, who did the same.
Gaara was about to give Naruto the final blow but Naruto dodged and pushed Gaara to the down to the ground, where he lay in defeat.
Kimi, Kurama and Gamabunta, seeing that their job was done, went back to their respective realms.
"My existence won't be put out. It won't be put out!" screamed Gaara. "D-Don't come closer!"
Naruto walked a few more steps towards Gaara. "To be alone. To be despised and mocked. What you feel...I understand. But if you are going to hurt my precious people, I will stop you. They rescued me from being alone. They made me strong," explained Naruto.
Naruto then paused and gave a small smile to Gaara. Then he walked over to Sasuke and Sakura and started tending to Sasuke's injuries.
Temari and Kankiro walked over to Gaara's side warily. This was the first time they had seen Gaara defeated and tired out. As they approached him, Gaara gave them a tiny, tiny smile
Temari and Kankuro looked at him in shock. This was the first time they had also seen Gaara give a genuine, non-bloodthirsty smile.
"Temari, Kankuro...I'm sorry..." he said, eyes closed.
They widened their eyes in shock. In just one day, they had seen Gaara defeated, smiling and apologising. After letting all of this process, they hoisted Gaara up and started walking away, giving a little nod of respect and gratitude to Naruto. Perhaps Gaara had changed, for the better.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Old man! Give me back my arms! Argh! My arms!" roared Orochimaru angrily as Hiruzen, with blood trailing out of his mouth, smirked at him.
"You're foolish, Orochimaru. They are destroyed and they hold no more jutsu. My apprentice...we'll meet in another world. The place the leaves dance...The fire burns...The fire of the shadow illuminates the village and the will of fire will burn on..."
Slowly, life was drained out of Hiruzen. He was dead.
"Orochimaru-sama!" called one of the four people who was holding up the barrier as he saw Orochimaru's disfigured burnt arms.
Orochimaru groaned in a pain. The searing sensation in his arms was unbearable.
"The plan is over. It's all finished...let's go back," he said as the four sound shinobi disabled the barrier and flickered away.
The Konoha Crush was officially terminated.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Two days after Konoha was attacked, the whole village had turned up to mourn for the Sandaime at his funeral. The skies were dark and the rain was heavy. It was as if even the heavens were grieving for him.
Konohamaru sobbed quietly and buried his head in Iruka's clothes. Naruto looked at him, his eyes full of pity. But death was part of life's cycle, and it could not be changed.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kurenai, Asuma and Kakashi widened their eyes when they were forcibly rooted to the spot by the famous missing-nin, Uchiha Itachi.
Kakashi groaned and dropped down to his knees when Itachi cast a genjutsu on him. Over and over again, he would relive his most heartbreaking moments.
Just as Itachi was about to cast it on Kurenai and Asuma as well, he was knocked to the ground, by Naruto, who flickered in along with Gai. Itachi stood up quickly, eyeing Naruto's actions.
Naruto made a blood clone and started tending to Kurenai, Asuma and Kakashi with the help of Gai while his real self stood calmly opposite of Itachi, giving him a wistful smile.
"Itachi..." he said.
Itachi stared blankly at Naruto but Naruto could see through his exterior. Beneath those eyes, there was layers and layers of pain and sadness.
"Naruto, I see..." said Itachi, taking in Naruto's new look. "You have...changed..."
Naruto gave him a tiny smirk. "So have you, Itachi. I never thought you'd be the type rocking out straw hats and big cloaks. Anyway, what is your business in Konoha along with your friend, Hoshigaki Kisame, once part of the seven swordsmen of the Mist?"
"Ever so perceptive, Naruto," replied Itachi. "You—"
"Get to the point Itachi," said Kisame. "Don't care about you brat but we need you, or should I say, what's inside of you."
Naruto laughed. "I see through your plan. Collecting tail beasts to make something bigger and of more power out of it...it's hard and full of flaws if I say so myself."
Kisame couldn't contain his urge to fight any longer. Swiftly, he took out Samehada but before he could attack, he was stopped by Itachi who flickered in front of him.
"Let's, go, Kisame. We will not win this battle," said Itachi plainly.
Kisame stared at him, surprised as Itachi claimed that he couldn't beat Naruto but he kept silent nonetheless. They flickered away. Naruto helped teleport Kurenai, Asuma, Kakashi and Gai to the hospital and then he flickered back to the Uzukaze estate.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Why is Kakashi sleeping?" asked Sasuke as he saw Kakashi lain on one of the hospital beds, exhausted.
Gai was about to answer but he was interrupted when a frantic shinobi came running into the room. "Is it true that Uchiha Itachi has returned and that he's chasing Naruto?!" he asked, panicking.
Sasuke's eyes widened in shock and he ran out of the room. He ran throughout the whole of Konoha, looking for any signs of Naruto. But it was harder than expected. Naruto wasn't at the Hokage tower or Ichiraku Ramen. Where could he be?
Finally, ran to the Uzukaze state. He sensed Itachi nearby. Sasuke hid behind the bushes as he saw Itachi and his companion talking with Naruto outside of his house.
"You come to pursue me again...Why do you not give up?" asked Naruto. "Itachi, you know the extent of my abilities."
Itachi stayed quiet. Sasuke couldn't contain his curiosities and came running out.
"Uchiha Itachi...I will kill you!" he said, activating his Sharingan.
Kisame chuckled. "It's a special day today, don't you think? This is the second time I've seen the Sharingan."
Naruto smirked. "And maybe the third," he said cryptically while Itachi, Kisame and Sasuke stared at him in confusion. No way he could have the Sharingan, could he?!
"Sharingan..." said Kisame. "You seem to seem familiar with Itachi. Who are you?"
"He's my younger br—"
"Names or relations do not matter! You're going to die!" screamed Sasuke as he charged at Itachi who stood there calmly. Before Sasuke could land a blow on Itachi, he was stopped and pulled into a headlock by Naruto...with the Sharingan?!...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hey reader-chans! Happy Easter! Hope you enjoy your Easter holidays! I went to a camp so sorry for not updating.
Hope you like the story so far! Naruto's secrets and lineage are unravelling! Thank you for all the support and all the reads for my first fanfic.
The plot twist with the Sharingan though...ohhhhh~ Sasuke going to be jelly!