Chapter 10: A Believer

Tsunade listened to Terumi Mei's story.

"They call themselves the Purists," she explained, giving a name to the shady group that had tried to kill her. "They rose to prominence after I defeated Yagura and took command of Kirigakure."

"Who are they? And why did they attack Tsunade?" Naruto asked, steel in his tone.

Mei sighed, rubbing tired eyes. "They're a group of separatists that see themselves as loyalists to the previous Mizukage and his regime," Mei continued. "They despise me, a usurper in their eyes, as a Bloodline Limit user. They want the village to go back to the old ways, where people like me were persecuted and slaughtered for just existing."

Tsunade remembered vividly the bloody past of the Land of Water.

"But why would they attack Lady Tsunade?" Konohamaru asked from behind her, standing next to Naruto. She was seated across from the Mizukage, two shinobi at her back.

"It's still just speculation, but I suspect it was to spark conflict between our villages," Mei answered, looking far too tired than she should. "If the alliance falters, we'd be alone if an internal conflict broke out again…"

Tsunade rubbed her temples. No matter what efforts anyone made, conflict seemed to be inescapable.

"I understand if you want to cut your trip short and leave early…" Mei said, slightly hesitant. Tsunade could tell that the woman didn't want them to leave at all.

"No," she said, crossing her arms definitely. "I won't run away. I'm not afraid of these people." Honestly, Tsunade thought these "Purists" would be terrified to attack them again, after Kurama's little joke.

Mei smiled brightly. "I'm glad to hear that." She stood from her seat, looking apologetic. "I'm very sorry that this happened on my watch," she said, bowing slightly.

"It's not your fault," Naruto said, sighing, his shoulders finally relaxing. "I won't let a few losers mess up everything we've all worked so hard to build," he promised, sounding more and more like the Naruto she loved. "I'll help you put an end to these… Purses, or whatever they call themselves."

Yup. He was back to normal.

Everyone laughed—except Naruto—and Mei smiled.

"Thank you, Naruto-san," the Mizukage said, genuinely happy that Naruto wasn't furious anymore. Whether anyone would admit it or not, her idiot was the linchpin that held the alliance together.

If Naruto stopped believing, the alliance would crumble, and everyone knew it.

"I'll beat some sense into them, just like I did to Sasuke!" The idiot gave the Mizukage a thumbs-up.

Thankfully, Naruto was nothing if not a believer.

| A Believer |

Naruto wouldn't leave her side for the next two days.

He was like a mother hen, following her around wherever she went, even to the bathroom, the idiot.

But she didn't mind. The failed assassination gave them an excuse to be seen together at all times, allowing them to even sleep in the same room, though most people thought he was crashing on the floor or a couch, not with her in her bed.

They spent several days stuck like glue, Naruto's impressive presence a shining beacon at her side at all times.

| A Believer |

With someone like the Great Uniter showing up, their plans were forced to change. The Hero of the Fourth wasn't a simple pawn, but a piece that changed the game entirely.

Schemes were altered, plotting aflutter. The very presence of Uzumaki Naruto had made Kirigakure shake—literally. And while taking his life would definitely be the catalyst they needed to dethrone the Pretender, it would certainly demand steep sacrifice, for how could peasants strike down a god without it?

"This technique was salvaged from the ruins of that nation," a cold, shadowy figure intoned, his features hidden in the darkness. "You understand the consequences of using it, do you not?"

"I do." His name didn't matter, not anymore. He was a simple tool, to be used as his superiors saw fit. His life had ended a long time ago. He was now but a whisper of a man, his body moving on instinct alone.

"Good," the mysterious voice said, uncaring. "It will be your name forever on the lips of our people when we take back the motherland."

He sighed. He didn't care about any of that. He simply wanted it all to end. He just wanted everything and everyone to be quiet.

"Long live the Bloody Mist," the hidden-in-darkness man said, expecting him to say the same.

"Long live the Bloody Mist," he parroted, without much gusto.

He had been a believer, in what seemed like a lifetime ago. He had proclaimed the words with the kind of conviction only the youth, so naïve of the brutalities of the world, could muster. But not anymore. He stopped believing a long time ago.

It didn't really matter, after all. After he used that technique, two souls would leave this world, one of no importance, the other…

Uzumaki Naruto, the Great Uniter.

| A Believer |

She thought it would be difficult to focus on giving her lectures with him there.

It wasn't. The opposite, in fact.

It wasn't a secret that her idiot wasn't a very studious individual, avoiding anything that reminded him of school or homework like the plague. But she didn't have that same effect on him, it would seem.

Because he was nothing but enthralled as she explained the intricacies of the Chakra Pathway System and how it related to the Cardiovascular System when healing internal injuries with medical ninjutsu.

He didn't try to goof off a single time, his beautiful blue eyes staring up at her with wonderment, listening to her every word like an excited puppy. She doubted he understood everything she described, but he still tried to follow the advanced theories she was proposing, and that meant the world to her.

He was trying, showing an interest in the field of work she had devoted her entire life to. There was no better feeling in the world than when the person you loved tried to understand the things that interested you.

As she droned on and on, she kept stealing glances at her lover, wondering how, so late in life, she managed to find true love again…

| A Believer |

Konohamaru took Naruto's orders very seriously.

"We have to protect Tsunade," Naruto explained, pulling him aside the morning after the attack. "Nothing can happen to her, do you understand?"

Konohamaru blinked, slightly taken aback by the intensity in his self-proclaimed master's tone. He looked deep into the blond's eyes, realizing that all signs of humor had vanished.

He stood a little straighter, raising his head. Naruto, his idol, his big brother in everything but blood, was assigning him a mission.

"I do," he confirmed, nodding, eyes matching his hero's.

"We got lucky last night. I…" He flinched. "I was faster than that assassin, but I might not be next time. Will you help me protect our Lady Hokage?"

Konohamaru saluted. "Of course!" he exclaimed, fire roaring in his eyes. "You can count on me!"

Naruto smirked. "Good."

Ever since that conversation, Konohamaru had been vigilant in his role as Naruto's second pair of eyes. He followed Lady Tsunade everywhere, sneaking through the shadows like a true shinobi, nothing at all like the dumb kid he used to be, using fake—not to mention square—rocks ineffectively.

His eyes scrutinized everyone and everything, utilizing his senses masterfully.

Unfortunately, for Naruto and Tsunade, Konohamaru had become very, very skilled in the art of stealth.

| A Believer |

He made excuses when he saw them holding hands. It was weird, yes, but nothing concrete. He was only fifteen and they were older than him. Adults did all kinds of strange things, maybe this was just one of them.

He pretended he didn't see the way they looked at each other when they thought no one was around. Their eyes didn't look just like his parents' when they hadn't seen one another for an extended amount of time.

He even managed to convince himself that he was hallucinating from exhaustion, because there was no way that they were kissing whenever they were behind closed doors. It just wasn't possible… right?

Sarutobi Konohamaru sighed, rubbing his forehead. What the heck was his master doing with Lady Tsunade?

| A Believer |

Konohamaru looked into his master's eyes, awe flooding his entire body.

Gone were blue eyes, and in their place, molten gold. "This is what I'm trying to teach you, Konohamaru," Naruto said, orange pigment appearing around his eyes. "With the Honorable Sage Mode, you'll be in a class all your own—a Sage."

Konohamaru blinked rapidly, slightly nervous. Sage Mode was several orders of magnitude more complicated than the Rasengan. It wasn't a technique, but an enlightened state of being. To connect with the world around you, enhancing your senses and physicality… not to mention what it does to your actual techniques…

"Are… Are you sure I'm ready?" Konohamaru asked, unsure.

Sage Mode had made Naruto strong enough to face down the leader of the Akatsuki in single combat. It was with Sage Mode that he took his first steps as a hero of the people, and led him down the path of savior. Was Konohamaru really ready for such awesome responsibility and strength?

"I've known you since you were a little brat, Konohamaru," Naruto started, smiling at the younger shinobi. "You've grown a lot since then—we both have. I wouldn't be teaching this to you if I didn't feel like you were ready to learn it." He stood from his sitting position, closing his eyes and inhaling. And for some reason, Konohamaru felt like Naruto could still see everything and more. "We're just starting with the basics. You need to learn how to sit perfectly still. Only when you're perfectly still will you be able to sense natural energy."

Konohamaru nodded slightly, still nervous but trusting in Naruto's wisdom. He sat down on the slightly misted grass, the two of them sitting under a tree on a hill just outside of the village. It was close enough that Naruto could be at Tsunade's side in an instant, but far away enough from prying eyes.

Closing his eyes, Konohamaru inhaled deeply, willing his body to be as still as possible. It was a lot harder than it seemed. When he put so much focus on the act, it became infinitely more difficult.

"You have to clear your mind. Don't think about it too hard," Naruto said, still standing.

Konohamaru had to clench his jaw to keep quiet. He couldn't help but think—his mentor and idol was messing around with Lady Tsunade, the former Hokage of their village. How could he not think about… that?

"Is something wrong?" Naruto suddenly asked. When Konohamaru opened his eyes, Naruto was squatting right in front of him, mere inches away from his face. "You feel… conflicted."

Konohamaru cursed how perceptive Sage Mode made Naruto—it wasn't fair how he could perceive others' emotions and feelings.

He thought about lying, about keeping what he saw a secret, but this was Naruto. This was the person he admired the most in the world—the shinobi all other shinobi were compared to. He couldn't lie to Naruto.

"I saw you…" Konohamaru started, his voice a whisper. "You and… Lady Tsunade…" He was looking away from the blond shinobi, but peeked back at him after a moment. "I know you're…" He hesitated, and instead of saying the words, he held out his left hand and raised his pinky.

Naruto was silent for a moment, standing over his student with unreadable emotion in his eyes. The seconds ticked by so slowly Konohamaru thought time had distorted. And then, when Konohamaru thought he had made a terrible mistake in telling Naruto, the Uzumaki burst into laughter.

Konohamaru was confused. Why was he… laughing?

"That's why you've been so distant?" Naruto chuckled. "I thought you didn't want to be around me because of that little incident the other night," he admitted, referring to Kurama's killing intent flooding the island.

"What!? No!" Konohamaru shouted, shooting to his feet. "That was kinda shocking since I was asleep, but it's not like I was avoiding you because I was scared or anything…"

Naruto's smile turned from amused to something softer. "I'm glad to hear that…" he said, his voice so gentle it didn't even sound like Naruto at all. "I don't ever want you to be afraid of me."

Konohamaru puffed out his chest. "Me, afraid of you? Psshh," he said, chuckling at the thought. True, Naruto was almost unreachable in terms of raw power, and could essentially take over the Elemental Nations if he really wanted to, but he was still Naruto, and taking over the world wasn't a very Naruto thing to do.

Naruto chuckled, some of his earlier amusement returning. He turned his golden eyes to the sky, sighing contently. Silence fell over them for a minute before Naruto started again, turning to face the younger shinobi, eyes once again cerulean.

"So you saw us together?" he said. "Me and Tsunade?" He waited for Konohamaru to nod before continuing. "You've gotten a lot better at stealth techniques, huh?"

"I learned from the best prankster in my village," Konohamaru replied softly, smirking.

Naruto returned the smirk. "I guess you did," he chuckled. "Look, Tsunade…" he trailed off, rubbing the back of his head, thinking how to best put it into words. "I…"

Konohamaru saw it enter his eyes in an instant. In a single heartbeat, he saw in his master's eyes conviction and absolute faith—belief.

"I love her."

Konohamaru was only fifteen, and had never loved another person romantically in his whole life. But that didn't mean he couldn't recognize love—real love—when it was right in front of him.

He had seen it in his father's eyes every time his mother walked by. He saw it in Shikamaru's eyes whenever Temari visited the village. He had seen it in his uncle Asuma's eyes whenever Auntie Kurenai was with him before he died.

And now, he saw it in Uzumaki Naruto's eyes.

For the next few minutes, Konohamaru merely looked into those eyes, so full of conviction, and marveled at the sheer magnitude of Naruto's devotion to the woman he loved. Konohamaru had respected and looked up to Naruto for years, but right now, in this moment, Naruto wasn't just his goofball "boss."

For the first time, Konohamaru looked at Naruto and saw a man.

He didn't need any more explanation. He didn't need to be convinced. Those three words—"I love her"—and that look was all the proof Konohamaru needed.

Instead of a response, he simply sat back down on the damp grass and closed his eyes. He inhaled deeply through his nose, smelling the humid environment. He focused his hearing, listening to the gentle breeze, the way it rustled through the tree leaves and brushed against the grass. He crossed his legs, feeling the ground underneath him, blades of green reaching up to sweep against his exposed flesh.

He had been worried that he wasn't ready for this. That Naruto was rushing through his new training recklessly. But Naruto wasn't a kid anymore.

Naruto smiled at… He had taught Konohamaru a lot, hadn't he? The Kage Bunshin. The Rasengan. And now, Sage Mode.

Naruto looked at the younger ninja, and for the first time, saw him as an actual student.

A disciple.

"Clear your mind," he said, sitting down next to the Sarutobi. "Don't focus on yourself, but everything around you. Nature doesn't talk—it whispers, so you have to carefully listen for its voice."

Konohamaru nodded. "Yes, sensei."

Master and student would sit there, perfectly still and listening for Mother Nature's soft whispers, for hours.

| A Believer |

Tsunade decided that this was her favorite spot.

Laying with—and on—her idiot was her favorite pastime. When she was cuddled into his side, his arms wrapped around her, or when she was atop him, head snuggled into the crook of his neck, she was the most comfortable, the most at ease. It was the latter that was her favorite.

Why? Because her lover always—always rubbed his fingers through her hair. Each soft stroke of her scalp made her purr in content. A hard day's work no longer ended with her getting drunk off saké. Now, there was something she enjoyed much more than alcohol, and his name was Naruto.

"I have something to tell you," Naruto said, his fingers still running through her blonde hair. "About Konohamaru."

"Hmm?" she hummed, so relaxed she could barely keep her eyes open. Laying on her lover's chest as he played with her hair was almost too relaxing.

"He found out," he said. "About us."

Tsunade blinked, silently contemplating what Naruto had just said.

"How?" she finally asked, still calm despite her heartbeat quickening. It was probably because he was still playing with her hair.

"He's been shadowing us since the assassination attempt," Naruto explained. "He, uh, got really good at it, apparently…" he finished, chuckling.

Tsunade snorted. "Apparently," she replied, not as amused as her idiot. "What did you tell him?" She sounded unfazed, but in truth, she was incredibly nervous and embarrassed. What had the kid seen…?

"I told him the truth," he said, his fingers stopping, making her look up at him. Their eyes met, and Tsunade's worry melted. "I told him that I love you, and he understood."

She stared into those eyes that made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the whole world, and smiled. "I see."

Naruto nodded. "Yup," he said matter-of-factly. "And I told him that we're keeping the relationship on the hush-hush for now, and he promised he wouldn't say anything."

Tsunade couldn't hide her smirk at the way he was speaking. Like a man who had made up his mind and that was that.

"What?" he asked when she started to laugh. "What's so funny?"

Instead of answering, Tsunade leaned forward and kissed him.

He was really cute when he tried to act tough.

| A Believer |

Tsunade exhaled. Tonight was the night.

"You're going to be great," Naruto said, his voice a beacon of support. "I've heard some of your speeches already, and if they can keep me interested, trust me, they're gonna be hooked."

She smiled, so happy to have someone in her life that was so devoted to her.

"Thank you, Naruto," she said, trying to express her love for him in a single look.

"Get a room..." According to Konohamaru, it worked.

Tsunade rolled her eyes. Kids, she thought, strangely content with Konohamaru knowing about them. It was the most terrifying feeling, when someone was about to discover her relationship with Naruto. But then, when they finally did find out, it was… almost liberating.

Naruto grinned and winked at his student. "We do have a room, kid," he said, laughing at the way Konohamaru scrunched up his face. "I gotta go greet people," he said, turning to her and placing his hand on her check, cupping it gently. "Do your best!" he cheered, and she could have sworn that she felt his warmth enter her entire body. Then he turned to Konohamaru and held out his fist. "Protect my girl while I'm gone."

It was Konohamaru's turn to roll his eyes. Naruto was going to be in the crowd while Tsunade gave her last speech, not outside of the village or even the building. Regardless, he reached out and bumped his fist against the Uzumaki's.

"Of course," he said, his attention breaking from Naruto's face to where their fists met. He wasn't sure, but it felt like something warm had shot up his arm. It wasn't unpleasant, just strange.

"Everyone's about to show up—gotta go," he said, waving at them over his shoulder as he left to be a glorified doorman, greeting the guests as they entered the building.

Tsunade's last speech would be massive, an entire stadium full, actually. People could meet and shake the Hero of the Fourth's hand, and attend a medical lecture by the most prominent medical-nin in the world.

People arrived in droves.

| A Believer |

Naruto greeted damned near everyone in Kirigakure that night.

Shinobi and kunoichi of every caliber came to meet him and listen to Tsunade speak. He'd even seen a handful of Hunter-nin show up.

The village elders, two elderly women who made up Mei's small council, came as well. One of them, Hiromi, he thought her name was, even tried to grope him a little.

The Mizukage herself even attended, Chojuro and Ao at her side, excited to hear Tsunade discuss the fundamentals and importance of medical techniques and knowledge.

He shook each person's hand, greeting them with a smile that made them all disregard the warmth that seemed to enter their bodies at his touch.

| A Believer |

The Sannin's lecture was the perfect opportunity.

While heavily fortified, it was the only time so many of the Pretender's supporters would be gathered in one place. The Pretender herself was there, alongside her guards and council, not to mention several jonin and Hunter-nin.

There was more chance of catastrophic failure, but if they succeeded, the outcome would be immeasurable. In one fell swoop, the Usurper and her regime would fall, alongside their alliance with the foreign devils.

And their most dangerous enemy, Uzumaki Naruto, would be wiped off the bored.

Checkmate.

| A Believer |

"—is why the sharing of knowledge is so important. The Ninja Alliance allows for us not only to slow the cycle of war and pain we've heaped upon one another, but to break it entirely."

Lady Tsunade, the former Hokage of Konohagakure, gave a lecture that enraptured the entire audience. She spoke of the value of shared knowledge, and how it would help further peace and prosperity for all.

"By sharing medical treatments and techniques, we can improve daily life for every person in every nation."

She explained her desire to help people. Not just the people of the Land of Fire, but all people. She spoke like a true Kage, and held everyone at the edge of their seats.

"The seeds have already been planted. The doctors and medical-nin have already received some of my personal—and most useful—techniques and theories. Soon, they'll be able to put those teachings to good use."

Her voice was full of hope, her desire to heal not only the physical wounds of the Elemental Nations, but the longstanding psychological scars that they inflicted on themselves. She painted a picture of a better world.

A unified shinobi world.

| A Believer |

Naruto was inspired by Tsunade's words.

She explained the importance of medicine, and how it improved everyday life. And while he wasn't a medical-nin, he found it interesting, at the very least.

Then she detailed her vision for the future, a place where the nations shared more than just medical knowledge. She discussed why the Ninja Alliance was so important, and why it would take everyone, from every nation and village, working together to see that vision manifest.

She told them why working together was so crucial, and the potential benefits of that cooperation.

For Naruto, it was like she was reading the words Jiraiya-sensei had all but inscribed on his heart. She had put his dream, Jiraiya's dream, into words that even an idiot like himself could understand.

He hadn't appreciated just how lucky he was to have such a smart, passionate woman as his lover more than at that moment.

He was so enthralled in her speech that he almost missed it.

It was like the hiss of a snake in the distance, so faint he almost didn't hear it. He wasn't sure it would happen, or what it would be, but he was glad that he had taken precautions.

Seconds after he heard the hissing, the entire auditorium exploded in an angry white light.

| A Believer |

He watched from a safe distance as the explosion was triggered, the entire auditorium swallowed up in an instant. The higher-ups knew that something as rudimentary as an explosion wouldn't kill someone like the previous Hokage, never mind Uzumaki Naruto. It just wasn't enough to kill monsters of that caliber.

But the others? The genin, chunin, and councilors, those too young or too old to protect themselves? They would certainly be destroyed. The regime would crumble after this night.

He felt the heat against his skin and the vibrations through his entire body at this distance, and he couldn't imagine the kind of thing that could survive such a powerful blast.

But it wasn't his place to make decisions. His opinion didn't matter. With that in mind, he approached the rubble, eyes burning from ash and smoke. He neared the epicenter and prepared for the bodies. Explosions of this magnitude did a decent job of eradicating the mess, but there was always leftovers—broken and charred body parts strewed.

Horribly burned bodies didn't bother him anymore, however. After… after losing so much, life and death seemed meaningless, which was probably why he was chosen for this task.

He passed through the threshold, and stopped when he saw… something stand from the rubble in the distance. He had to squint, but he recognized it as a person. A girl, in fact, with light blue hair. Judging by her looks, she couldn't have been older than twelve… a young genin…

Clinging around her form was what had led to his confusion. There was… a vermillion substance, something akin to plasma, clinging to her form. It shaped two… ears?... atop her head, and a single… tail… at her back…

Another figure rose, this time closer and to his left. It was an older man with a scarred visage, most likely a jonin, and he, too, had the same vermillion plasma wrapped around him, almost as if…

Another person rose, and another and another still, each one from the rubble with a cloak of the deepest vermillion upon their bodies, like a protective blanket.

He had heard the tales of the Jinchuuriki, those with bijuu housed within their own bodies like vessels. And he had heard the legends of the Hero of the Fourth, the greatest Jinchuuriki of all time…

Like phoenixes rising from the ashes, each and every single person who should have died in the explosion stood to their feet, just as confused and shocked as he was to still be alive.

Panicked, he searched frantically for his target, for the person he had come to this place for. His eyes darted across the false graveyard, trying to find his mark. If he waited too long, the mass confusion would die down and people would begin to realize that he was the odd man out, the only person not wrapped in vermillion chakra.

He found the target fretting over a blonde-haired woman he knew to be Senju Tsunade of the Sannin, a look of worry etched into his face. She, like everyone else there, was encased in red/orange chakra, though, for some reason, there were two tails coming out of her back.

He stalked across the ruined auditorium, keeping his head down, slipping passed jonin and Hunter-nin and even one of the Pretender's personal bodyguards. He reached the target without delay in seconds. He was insignificant, a fly buzzing around the unsuspecting elite.

The Uzumaki was too busy attending to the Sannin to notice him. He was no one, a ghost in the wind, and now, after a few hand-seals, he would be even less than that.

Snake, Boar, Ram, Rabbit, Dog, Rat, Bird, Horse, Snake

He pressed his hand up against the back of the Great Uniter, and finally, after so many years of noise, he readied himself to greet the silence.

| A Believer |

It felt like something so cold that it was hot had touched his back. He hadn't paid any attention to the world around him, only her, only Tsunade. He knew his chakra cloak had activated. He could feel everyone now, their life force and chakra signature. He knew he had saved them all, even Tsunade, but he had to make sure. He didn't know how to live without her now…

She was fine, of course. His devotion and love for her had bled threw his subconscious and added more power to her cloak. He saw the second tail, could see that she was in a better condition than anyone else around them, but love did strange things to logic and common sense.

He would curse himself later at his environmental awareness blunder. There was no time for it now.

"Shiki Fujin," he heard a voice say, and saw Tsunade's horror streak across her face.

Naruto turned, coming face to face with… a stranger. A person he had never met before was trying to kill him, was willing to use that technique to do it…

"Who…" he said through clenched teeth. "Who are you!?"

"I'm no one…" the man said, his voice as cold as steel. He took a few steps back, holding his hands like he was praying.

He felt something rip into him, yet not through flesh and bone. It was a familiar feeling, like when Nagato had tried to rip his soul out of him during the war. It sent cold chills throughout his whole body, and made his heart ache.

He could feel his soul slipping, being pulled away, and a sense of wrongness deep inside. He could also feel the stranger's feelings, and was surprised. The man felt nothing; not hate, or joy, or even triumph. All Naruto could feel from the man was… resignation?

"Naruto!" he heard Tsunade scream at his back. Her voice was so thick with fear that he almost didn't recognize it. That sound, that fear that she felt, angered him.

He went to move, to try and reach the man before he could finish his technique, and could hear Tsunade doing the same. But the moment he tried, a bright light exploded from the ground, huge sealing arrays coming to life in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, he couldn't move at all, and he knew that he wasn't the only one.

"It's a Wide Area Paralysis Seal," the stranger explained, his movement also constricted. "They didn't want me to be interrupted."

"Don't do this!" Naruto yelled. "You'll die, too!"

"Of course I will," he replied, voice monotone. "Then everything will be silent."

Naruto grimaced. This man… he had lost the will to live. Naruto could sense it… He was staring at a hollow husk of a man, a void of nothingness. What had happened to him? What had he been through to get this way?

"Naruto!" he heard Tsunade shout again. She was struggling against the seal as well, trying to break through it with brute force. But even she wasn't that strong.

"We both leave this world tonight, Great Uniter," the stranger said, and Naruto felt the pull of his soul strengthen. "Long live the Bloody Mist."

The world went cold, losing all its heat and color in an instant. Numbness began to take over, and it was no longer the seal keeping him motionless. Death had come for Uzumaki Naruto, and it was mere seconds away from claiming his soul. He closed his eyes, and focused on the most important thing in his life.

"I love you, Naruto."

Tsunade's voice rang through him, warming his cold heart and splashing the world with vibrant colors and comforting warmth. Memories of holding her close, of kissing her and loving her and belonging to her, flooded his body, giving him strength.

His eyes snapped open, vermillion slits heralding his Jinchuuriki status. He felt Kurama's fury deep within, and like a massive tidal wave of rage and power, a roar ripped through his throat.

His body exploded in bright light, his skin turning into golden fire. His presence inflated, demanding everyone near to look his way. Kirigakure had felt Kurama's hatred the other night, but now, they were feeling his glory.

He took a step forward.

"Wha… What…?" the stranger said, stumbling on his words, fear leaking into his emotionless tone.

He took another step.

"That's… That's impossible! No one should be able to…"

Another step.

Naruto was close enough to reach out and touch him. He looked into those fearful eyes and sneered.

"You lack conviction," he said, Kurama's voice bleeding into his own. "You don't believe in what you're doing. I doubt you believe in anything at all anymore." He looked up, above the man who was trying to kill him, and growled at the… thing that had its disgusting hand pierced through the stranger's body. That same hand was currently trying to rip his own soul out of his body.

"I'll give you something to believe in," Naruto said, his golden hands reaching down and gripping the spectral arm of death. "You can believe that…" he said, pulling the arm away. He felt the power of the Shiki Fujin, the overwhelming strength of entropy, the unrelenting pull of the seal. It was nearly too much. "I will never let the alliance crumble!"

He focused all his strength into his arms, the golden light that was Kurama Mode receding from his face, torso and legs, leaving only his arms alight. With a final grunt, Naruto broke the grip on his soul, feeling it snap into place like a rubber band.

Then he reached out and grabbed the man's arms, and pulled them apart forcefully. In the next moment, the spectral image of death crumbled into pieces. At the same time, the Paralysis Seal deactivated.

Immediately, the stranger fell to his knees, eyes full of awe and reverence.

He had seen the true conviction and limitless willpower of Uzumaki Naruto. He had seen how far a single person would go for the Ninja Alliance, for their personal beliefs.

And so, the nonbeliever had lost to…

A believer.