Hinata's Sensual Adventure - The Chronicle's End [Part D]

But Madara found both that and the alliance almost comical. "The Allied Shinobi Forces Jutsu, eh? Don't you think that's a bit of a stretch?"

"We're going to beat you with that jutsu!" Naruto asserted.

"You're wrong," Obito interjected sharply. "Why won't you realize that it's meaningless for you to stop us here? After this war, even that jutsu will disintegrate. Then someone from your side will attempt to do exactly what we're doing now. There is no victory, no matter how much you struggle," he spat angrily. "Get it through your head: there's no such thing as hope anywhere in this world."

Naruto lowered his head, muscles flexing in his jaw. "I don't care," he simply said, his words — although frank — washing over his comrades like a salve. "I'll make sure there's hope."

Madara blinked his eyes closed, his patience wearing thin. "It's meaningless to argue whether something exists or not during a war. How about we settle this now?"

Naruto stood his ground against the man's intimidating aura, the straps of his forehead protector fluttering in the wind. "When there is a difference of opinion, isn't the usual way majority rule? So what do we do?"

"That's a good suggestion," Obito responded flatly. "Then... we'll call it after we've erased all of you."

"I knew you'd say that," frowned Naruto, his tone of voice igniting the fire of conviction that dwelled in the hearts of each and every individual that supported his cry for peace and justice.

The Allied Shinobi Force heaved a hearty battle cry before hurling themselves into the fray.

Thanks for buying us some time, Naruto, Shikaku said via Inoichi's telepathic jutsu.

Don't mention it; I need to buy myself some time, too. So, did you manage to come up with a strategy?

Thanks to you, I was able to relay it to everyone!

Kakashi told us the masked man is Uchiha Obito, Inoichi added. But there's no time to be shocked. For this fight, we need to take and maintain the upper hand and not give them any opportunity to counter.

According to the intel we received, Shikaku began. Our enemy has impressive eyes. First, we'll impede their movement by destroying their vision.

Hidden Cloud, Inoichi announced instructively, replaying the command to the elemental group. And the shinobi heeded the call, forming their seals in union and triggered a blinding flare that accomplished the intended purpose. Even the Jūbi squinted its eyes in the face of the overwhelming light.

Hidden amidst the light were hundreds of projectiles that assaulted the enemy, their radiance rivaling that of the flare. Using the power of the Rinnegan, Madara allowed one of the beams to make contact, which he then absorbed to analyze and determine its nature.

"I see," he concluded judiciously. "Their true aim is to blind the Jūbi ."

Hidden Sand, now! Inoichi relayed his second command. And the wind-natured shinobi stepped up to the plate, evoking a complex current of wind that completed encased the monster.

With the two jutsu from earlier — Hidden Mist and Beetle Jamming — along with the large volume of airborne dust stirred up by the Kumogakure shinobi, we'll not just destroy their vision completely, but thwart them from even sensing us at all. And, since their sheer bulk prevents them from hiding, we'll be able to take full advantage of the situation.

We only revealed our jutsu to him a short while ago and he's already incorporating them into the battle plan, Temari thought amusingly. Leave it to Shikamaru's dad — like father like son!

Channeling chakra to his eyes, Obito evoked the power of his Sharingan. But, try as he may, he couldn't see passed the wall of wind, dust and decoy chakra signatures presented by the beetles.

"This makes it impossible to sense them," Madara admitted openly, and yet his decorum didn't waver.

"We'll wipe them out with a single attack from the Jūbi ," Obito concluded.

Hidden Stone, Inoichi continued. Proceed immediately.

"We're on it!" Kitsuchi exclaimed, leading the charge.

"Earth Style: Vast Mobile Core!"

The ground rumbled in defiance, but conceded to the collective will of the shinobi. Before the Jūbi and its masters could react, they found themselves sinking into a perfect square precisely cut from the earth. Dark, rough walls enclosed them on all sides. The beast dug its claws into either sides of the towering walls, but still it would not stop sinking.

After shutting down their senses, Shikaku narrated. We'll immobilize them! And, as soon as we bring down the Jūbi , pour in quicklime!

The group did as instructed, showering the fiend with a mountain of the chemical compound. And the Hidden Mist village was close behind, a deluge doing quick work to stir up the quicklime.

Konoha — let's finish this! Inoichi called.

The Sarutobi Clan stepped forward.

"Fire Style: Majestic Flame Technique!"

We'll rapidly dry the mixture with the heat from the jutsu, Shikaku declared vehemently as the searing heat from the flames performed its duty magnificently.

"Unbelievable...," Madara murmured above the sporadic crackle of the hardening cement-like compound. "Who would've thought that the shinobi from the five villages could work so cooperatively."

Obito didn't care. Struggle as they may, all their efforts would, inevitably, be in vain. No level of hope, cooperation or divine intervention would be able to twist the true salvation that the Uchiha had so thoughtfully prepared.

Unless we stop the Jūbi , we don't have a chance to go after Obito or Madara, Shikaku clarified sternly. The Jūbi is merely a tool for them to aid in activating their jutsu. If we cut off the head from the body — namely those two — Infinite Tsukuyomi cannot be activated. But keep in mind that we won't be able to suppress the Jūbi 's power for too long.

Only physical attacks work on Madara — so shinobi who are skilled in taijutsu will go after Madara! Obito can slip through all moves and jutsu but, according to intel, that only lasts for five minutes. Coordinate with the Medical Unit and keep attacking him for more than five minutes. Do not let up!

Naruto, that's right... it's time for your...

"Allied Shinobi Force Jutsu!" he took the liberty of finishing the sentence in what sounded like a battle cry, leaping off the edge with a powerful Rasenshuriken in tow.

And the hardened warriors followed suit, the teenager's fiery roar bolstering their morale, the high-pitched whistle of his weapon reverberating throughout their bodies. Like a dark avalanche, the shinobi spilled into the large cavity, darkening the night's sky, intent on defeating their enemies.

"How pitiful," said Madara, his nonchalance unwavering.

Obito confirmed with a similar level of calm. "This hope that they're clinging to doesn't exist. Just like their very lives, at this point."

"Looks like the Jūbi is ready," Madara pointed out as the fiend's legs and tails began spreading open like a blooming flower, fracturing the cement-like prison.

But the shinobi were already activating their abilities, looming ever closer.

So, this time, they're coming after us, not the Jūbi , Madara discerned with a smile. Well, taking out the enemy's brains is a fundamental strategy...

Naruto didn't miss anything — they may not be in the same league as the Sharingan and Byakugan, but Sage Mode gifted him with a descent pair of eyes. He noted Madara's devious smile, and even the Jūbi 's subtle beginnings of a full-on transformation. But, despite the enemy's looming retaliation, it was far too late to cease their charge.

Madara's grin widened. If you want to get rid of the masterminds, you have to first stop the Jūbi .

As if his words were a trigger, the beast that the alliance assumed incapacitated uprooted its ten tails and shot them upwards, effortlessly neutralizing their united assault. Painfully mixed in with rubble and debris, the valiant soldiers were sent flying into an high arch like rag dolls.

"What tha?!" one man exclaimed. "I thought we had immobilized the Jūbi ?"

"Are you okay?" another man tended to another whose injuries were more severe than his own. "Damn it!"

Sustaining little damage courtesy of a body hardened by Sage Mode, Naruto watched with a snarl as the mountainous beast used its ten tails as an anchor to fluently lift itself out of the man-made tomb. Its transformation complete, the fiend no longer sported a large, bulky frame but a lanky design that allowed it to stand upright when needed.

Old man Shikaku, Naruto called, fortunate enough that the Inoichi still had the line open. After what we just pulled, I'm sure Madara will have the same tactic in mind. Again, I'm urging you guys to evacuate. Either join us here on the battlefield where we can protect each other or seek shelter elsewhere.

Both Inoichi and Shikaku allowed a wanly smile. We appreciate the consideration, Naruto... but it's our responsibility to effectively lead and guide the soldiers — and there's no place better than HQ to perform that role, clarified Shikaku truthfully. We can't abandon our post under the assumption that we may be targeted. The time we take to flee could be used to formulate a strategy to permanently change the tides of the war.

Naruto clicked his tongue flippantly. You stubborn old geezers.

They laughed softly. Naruto... thank you.

"Look at the Sensing Water Sphere," one of the five operators exclaimed as the bubble of water separated into two — one bigger than the other. "It's practically like a small planet."

"But that's... impossible," another man panicked.

"So we didn't immobilize the Jūbi , after all?" Shikaku said calmly. "It merely stopped moving on its own in order to amass power and undergo transformation?"

"How are we going to be able to stop it?" wondered Inoichi. "And now we can't target those two, either!"

But we have to stop that thing... or else it's over for us, Kakashi thought mentally, his reasoning coinciding with those of Inoichi and Shikaku.

"I'm about to pee myself," Kiba murmured.

Akamaru growled at its partner's cowardice.

And Kitsuchi added to the canine's reproach. "Instead of freaking out, infuse your chakra! Be ready to move as soon as we get the plan from HQ!"

Shikaku gazed at the smaller sphere that represented the Ten-Tail's otherworldly power, picking at his brain for a solution to their latest predicament. We must immobilize the Jūbi ... or else we can't go after the brains that are controlling it — but how? Even with the jutsu of my clan who specialize in immobilizing... the effect would be minuscule compared to the amount of chakra expended.

One chain of thought led to another until, finally, Shikaku's eyes snapped open with a solution. "Inoichi!" he called, loud and urgent. "Link me to Kakashi!"

"Roger!"

Kakashi — it's me! the strategist began. There's something I want to confirm regarding the Intel from the last battle sequence.

In the same beat, despite its masters, the Jūbi stood upright intently and began flailing its ten tails, a single eye looking from the insects at its feet to the lesser insects scattered across the globe.

"It's going to start getting more difficult to control the Jūbi soon. Reinforce your bond with it using Hashirama's cells," instructed Madara, an ivory appendage spilling from their body to merge with that of the rebellious beast. "Don't you want to check out the Jūbi 's power in its current state?"

Naruto couldn't hear what the villains were discussing, but he did note the peculiar gleam that lit Madara's eyes. And it was evil — the musings of a man who had seen more conflicts than a moral should. This had groomed him into a strategist even more impressive than Shikaku — and he was about to play his hand.

Obito's eyes snapped open, like a man gone mad. "Let's show them... despair!"

Reacting to the man's deep-seated hatred, the Jūbi 's jaw snapped open and a lethal Bijuu Bomb quickly took shape — target: the alliance.

The shinobi flinched.

Shikaku-san, Kakashi returned urgently. I'm going to hang up for the time being!

What's wrong? the question left his mind just moments before he could sense the impending chaos through his telepathic medium. But he wouldn't be able to weave a plan much less to convey it in time.

Kakashi clasped his hands together, attempting to infuse chakra. This is bad! My Kamui won't make it in time! "Displace it upwards using an Earth Style technique!" he managed to instruct a capable Kitsuchi who was luckily right next to him.

The man quickly did as told, flawlessly achieving the desired effect by raising a pillar beneath the monster's foot, throwing it off balance.

Standing atop a mound, Neji watched in abject shock as the nuke flew a few dozen miles away and completed destroyed a landscape that exceeded the diameter of the current battlefield.

"That far away?" Kakashi murmured, breaking out into a sweat. "It's so much greater than all the previous Tailed Beast Bombs! What power!"

"It's wobbly from just that little counter," said Madara. "It's control isn't perfect yet."

"Next!" Obito's voice was the trigger for another nuke that landed in the sea.

The Jūbi fired off another before completely regaining its balance, the repercussion sending it toppling onto its back. But, even grounded, its head snapped around like a marionette, firing off another bomb. It landed short of its destination, utterly wiping out a remote residential area.

"Unbelievable!" Hiashi muttered in shock. "Such a far-off city destroyed in an instant!"

"AAAGH!" someone screamed.

Inadvertently causing destruction by merely repositioning its large mass, the fiend pushed itself onto its knees and a single arm, instantly charging another Bijuu Bomb.

"It's been acting strange for a while," said Ao, facilitating his sensory abilities with the aid of the Sensing Water Sphere. "It seems to be aiming far away!"

"So all the cities and people are within its range of fire?" concluded Shikaku frustratingly.

Inoichi's lips pressed to a displeased line. "Then that means the evacuated Feudal Lords, everyone protecting the villages... plus all the citizens of each nation aren't safe?"

"Our shinobi on the battlefield are fighting to protect everyone else... those two are trying to eliminate our reason for this war." his eyes narrowed pensively. Should we have evacuated the villages, like Naruto suggested?

Finding equilibrium despite a missing arm, the Jūbi locked keen, compass-like eyes in the direction of its target. And, as it generated the pure destructive force that was a Bijuu Bomb, there was a distinguishing air of calm in comparison to its previous attempts.

Neji followed the line of the nuke's trajectory. "That's the direction of—"

Ao flinched, noting the same thing the Hyūga had. T-This is..."

"What's wrong, Ao-dono?" asked Inoichi nervously.

The man lowered his head, mustering the courage and strength to convey his findings. "Please listen to me calmly."

Shikaku turned his attention to the ceiling of the facility, weaving the strings of one last strategy he hoped would turn the tides of the ensuing battle. Based on Ao's tone of voice, he didn't need to wait to be briefed on their current predicament. He knew the weapon of their destruction was en route to their location — and there was little time left.

"Shikaku... what do we do?" Inoichi asked as calmly as he could manage.

"Just keep doing what must be done," the man didn't need to consider, eyes burning with undeniable conviction. "It will be our last act. Put me through to everyone on the battlefield; I have a plan to stop the Jūbi ."

Shikamaru's heart sunk as he listened to his old man, deep lines of distraught etched beneath quivering eyes. But, no sooner had the crippling emotions started to spill out, than he suppressed them. If he truly wished to honor his father's final gambit, he couldn't allow grief to cloud is judgment. If he failed here, he would undoubtedly lose the rest of his family, too.

Ino also understood the truth of this. She allowed but a single tear to trickle across her cheek before hardening her resolve.

Madara regarded the towering explosion with evident satisfaction. "Finally got them," he said with an open smile. "We've now eliminated the brains of the Allied Forces. Like I said before: it's fundamental strategy."

"Shikamaru...," murmured Chōji, incapable of finding the right words that could possibly pacify his dejected comrade and best friend.

"We're in the middle of war right now," he responded with impressive composure. "Don't waste any words on me... or on Ino. Like dad said: we just have to do what we have to do."

"What are you all doing?" said Madara above the shrill of another charging Bijuu Bomb, effortlessly winning everyone's attention. "That was just the appetizer; the main course is just about to begin!"

Before anyone could rebound from their shock to intervene, the mountainous fiend fired off four more nukes — all of them bigger and more powerful than the last. The alliance didn't need to be physicists or geographers to figure out what the man's intentions were; what his targets were. It was evident on the twisted and sociopathic expression smeared across his face.

And the shinobi watched him in disbelief.

"Suna. Iwa. Kumo. Kiri — I just wiped these villages off the face of the planet!" the man declared with no remorse or pity, just a face-splitting grin befitting a mad tyrant. "With absolutely no leadership nor family or kin to protect, then what's the use in continuing this meaningless struggle? Submit yourselves to the Infinite Tsukuyomi."

"Exactly," Obito agreed empathetically. "You will be reunited with your friends and loved ones in a great utopia where there is no strife or violence. Robbing and killing to make ends meet would be a thing of the pass. This is the only way to stop the cycle of hatred and revenge that has plagued humanity since the beginning of time."

"Iya...," a kunoichi muttered, her lips quivering.

The thought of losing her five-month-old child had her legs buckling beneath her, and she slumped to the ground with a heartbreaking cry. The sorrowful outburst reverberated throughout the alliance like a cold storm, shattering what little hope to which the shinobi clung.

The promise of paradise from a pair of monsters held no solace. In reality, people just lost everything they had ever known and loved. The fire that kindled their motivation, dosed, in but a matter of seconds.

Devoid of emotion — seemingly broken beyond repair — the warriors looked on unseeingly into the darkness of night. Some desperately looked to one another for emotional support, but they too were caught in the web of despair. Others dropped to their knees and prayed to their God for a miracle. But those who had a greater bond with Naruto looked to the Child of Prophecy for strength and guidance.

They watched him — studying the calm decorum that looked alien amongst the grief-stricken alliance. Even as Madara regarded him challengingly, Naruto's expression never wavered.

"I'll leave Konohagakure for last," said the Uchiha with a menacing smile. "I want both you and Hashirama to helplessly bear witness as I slowly crush his legacy and your dream."

Naruto's nonchalance remained uncompromised. Instead, he heaved a lopsided grin when a familiar voice dawned in his mind through telepathy. And a tad of light returned to the widened eyes of the dejected alliance.

Everyone! Sorry to make you worry! said Shikaku repentantly, his voice washing over the shinobi like a refreshing breeze.

Shikamaru's eyes snapped open. "Oyaji? But how?"

"Dad!" Ino cried.

And Inoichi chuckled awkwardly.

As confused whispers and ecstatic outbursts erupted across the battlefield like wildfire, Kakashi looked to Naruto who seemed none too surprised about this unforeseen miracle.

Listen carefully, as I'm sure you guys don't have a lot of time. Don't worry about us; everyone at HQ survived. One of Naruto's clones teleported everyone out before the explosion.

A spell of relief spread across the alliance.

It took everything he had to get everyone away safely, so the clone disappeared shortly afterwards. But he wanted me to let you guys know that you can go ahead and fight without any worries.

Anticipating this turn of events, Naruto had already gone ahead and evacuated everyone from all four villages into Konoha. Leave it to the Number One Unpredictable Ninja to pull of something of this magnitude.

For a brief moment, the men and women of the alliance completely forgot they were on the front lines. They couldn't suppress the swell of emotions that took hold of both body and soul.

Tears. Laughter. Prayers. Song — for a moment, humanity abandoned their moral coils and allowed rich emotions to completely envelope their entire being. Then they turned to Naruto and showered him with exuberant words of gratitude and praise.

Needing no explanation, a disgruntled Madara looked away from the rejoicing masses into the distant mountains. Focusing his eyes — like a machine, a powerful telescope — his vision covered thousands of miles in an instant where he saw the village of his birth.

He didn't need to check what was left of the other villages to know that they were deserted. He could sense that the population that currently inhabited Konoha far exceeded its capacity — and the chakra signature of the residents were as diverse as that of the shinobi alliance.

Going back on his word, Madara fed the coordinates to the Jūbi and launched a Bijuu Bomb at humanity's newly found haven. But a clone protecting the village managed to teleport the warhead away, and the alliance watched in shock as the nuke detonated in an entirely different location.

"Tch!" Madara clicked his tongue angrily, turning the full force of his malevolent gaze onto the tenacious brat. "You definitely dance better than the five Kage managed, I'll give you that."

"To capture the Kyūbi is to truly break the spirits of the alliance and win this war," informed Obito. "It's imperative that we incapacitate him right now before he can rally everyone."

Madara sighed, tousling his pitch-black hair. "I suppose it's better that I didn't eliminate the villagers; we may need extra chakra to sustain the jutsu."

Anyway, Shikaku continued, feeling the tremors from the blast where he was in the village. Kakashi, Shikamaru... you will both have to take the reins and lead everyone in my stead. We no longer have the equipment necessary to adequately assimilate information and churn out battle strategies as we did before.

I know this is sudden, but you both have more than proven that you have the proper skills necessary to pull this off. Naruto has the power to, not only change the course of this war, but to alter the very way we lived our lives before.

Everyone please, I implore you, steel your resolve and become the pillars that hoists this young man to victory! Let's end this war!

Collectively, the alliance gave a hearty battle cry. But the Uchiha paid them no heed. Instead, they turned their attention to the individual who held everyone together like a perfectly woven spider web. As Obito rightly mentioned: it was imperative that they got the Jinchūriki out of the picture first.

To that end, one of the Jūbi 's massive tails went in to sweep the sage away like a capable broom, but Hiashi and Neji were already on the scene — repelling the appendage with a perfectly synchronized rotation.

"When we last spoke, you boldly told me that you would change the Hyūga Clan, after becoming the Hokage," Hiashi said with a rare smile. "If there was even an ounce of doubt left in my heart, it's entirely gone now."

Holding a defensive posture beside his kin, Satoshi regarded Naruto like a pouting child and then his lips eased into a rueful smile. "To be honest, ever since your fight with Hiashi-sama, I've detested you, Naruto. You not only bested the man I glorified, but you whisked away the woman I admired, too. But, despite the way I feel, you've continued supporting and protecting people without prejudice. You've changed both me and the Hyūga Clan — and I have no doubt you can change the world as you proclaimed."

"The world has already begun to change," Hiashi informed huskily. "I never thought I'd lived to see the day when all five nations would join hands like this — and it's not solely because we face a common foe. It's because you have the power to change and connect hearts, Naruto."

Neji studied the sage's chakra circularly system, noting that he was infusing an astronomical amount of power — both him and the Kyūbi. "How much more time do you need?"

"Just a bit longer," he admitted with a nervous grin, his eyes never leaving the calculating villains mounted before him.

"Your power is crucial to the plan, Naruto. So, until we execute it—"

"We'll protect you!" Satoshi finished.

"Know this!" Hiashi asserted, his vision sharpening. "The Hyūga are the mightiest among Konoha!"

"I was hoping to attack them before they could finish talking but... I can't control the Jūbi well enough," Madara prompted softly, his face perfectly composed despite his dilemma. "It should be fine until the next transformation... but next is —"

Obito's eyes narrowed with enlightenment. "It seems that without becoming the Jinchūriki, we cannot gain mastery over the Jūbi ."

"In order for me to become the Jūbi 's Jinchūriki... I need a living body, not just a corpse of Edo Tensei."

"It's slightly irrelevant," Obito began. "But with your Edo Tensei body, you could just aim right down at the alliance and use yourself as a suicide bomb. The only reason why you don't is that I'd be sucked into it, too. And the reason why you can't have that is, in order for you to fully revive and become a Jinchūriki, you need me to give away my life and use Rinne Tensei." he suddenly cast the man a shrewd stare, and his voice hardened. "In other words, you're at my mercy. You'd be wise to remember that," he warned.

"Quite the attitude you have now," Madara returned, his face calm, as if representing the fortitude of his unyielding conviction. It was the countenance of a clever man sure to have his way.

"I've had it since I met you... I've never thought of you as an ally."

"Hmph... fine," Madara yielded to his kin's ambition, though his eyes foretold of no compromise. "Well then, why don't you decide our next course of action?"

"Next," Obito held his hand forward, his fingers unfurling. "We slowly cripple them with despair."

The gigantic beast upon which they stood roared, stretching its arm forward toward the apprehensive population, in an echo of the Uchiha's gesture.

"Wood Element: Piercing Wood!"

The sky went dark and ominous.

The heavens were blanketed with thousands of wooden projectiles. They came raining down upon the dumbfounded shinobi like a great and divine cataclysm. Pointed projectiles pierced people through like something out of a nightmare, but most were able to evade certain death with quick, nimble responses such as Sakura and Kakashi.

"There are too many of them," Neji exclaimed as Hiashi, Satoshi, and himself struggled to protect Naruto and a few others in their field of defense using their rotation.

"We'll just have to try and evade them!"

That's what his uncle said, and yet the count of projectiles started to increase with each passing second, making that alternative seem utterly and hopefully impossible. But still the Jōnin persisted.

CLANG!

One of the wooden projectiles struck Neji's headband, ripping the accessory from his face. There are so many! Kaiten... won't make it in time! he murmured mentally, lines of distraught distorting his face.

Suddenly, in the nick of time, Kitsuchi erected a colossal wall that served as a barrier against oncoming spears. But, in the face of the unrelenting onslaught, the earthen defense could only withstand so much before it crumbled away.

As if hoping to capitalize on this development, the creature threw its hand down upon the ground — annihilating unfortunate souls upon impact. But Hiashi managed to reduce the number of casualties with his Air Barrier Palm. These humans, however, weren't the only one's with spirit. The vile demon raised its forefinger despite the Hyūga's counter measure, rapidly firing a column of deadly spears toward the immobilized sage.

They're fast! uttered Satoshi as he rooted himself before the man he only recently ceased despising, eyes gleaming with earnest resolve. He may have hopelessly failed at winning Hinata's heart, but at least his sacrifice would preserve her happiness — and Naruto would surely preserve everyone else's, in turn.

Damn, a pinpointed attack, Hiashi flinched, fearing the worse for his subordinate. There's too many! Neither Satoshi nor Neji's Air Palm can—

Just mere moments before the projectiles could run the man through — readily claiming him as a sacrifice in place of the mediating sage — he felt the aura and glimpsed the shadow cast by the Hyūga's young prodigy as he heroically threw himself in front of them .

Widening his field of view, Neji eased into a defensive spin. Time seemed to slow to this perilous moment — or perhaps it was his adrenaline that sped up his consciousness.

Trained eyes foretold a tragic end; there were just too many spikes. But he didn't let up. He continued going around, his chakra deflecting what it could. Then one... two... three — many projectiles found the chink in his armor, intent on skewering him where he stood.

Suddenly—

CRACK!

A mighty barricade wrought of ice prevented the projectiles from reaching their mark, blatantly wrenching fate right off course.

As the thick slab shattered, the surrounding air grew frigid. Flurries of ice whisked passed undulating dark blue hair and kissed downy cheeks.

"I won't let this nightmare repeat itself," Hinata said by means of introduction, saving his cousin from the grim fate that haunted her dream just weeks passed. And shocking everyone in the process.

"You beat me to it," Naruto challenged with a sweet smile.

And Hinata regarded him tenderly, a hint of challenge lighting her own eyes.

I just finished assimilating everybody's chakra signature, said Akiko professionally, like a dedicated secretary. You can go ahead and start casting spells, whenever you're ready.

Cure! Hinata chanted mentally with a gentle sweep of her hand. And, as if she had called upon a aurora polaris, a colorful curtain painted the sky, raining down upon the Allied Forces like pixie dust.

"Wh-What's this?" Sakura couldn't contain her shock when a light blue aura — warm and ethereal — engulfed the man she was currently healing, quickly and effortlessly closing up his wounds as if the sorcery literally turned back the very hands of time.

And it wasn't just this one shinobi, either. Everyone injured — thousands of people — were immediately cloaked by the mysterious aura and underwent rapid regeneration.

Unbelievable! Is this all Hinata's doing? This ability is far more impressive than the Creation Rebirth and Katsuyu's healing combined. She's not even making contact with them. How is any of this even possible?

Hinata whipped her head around. The sudden frosty glint in her crystalline eyes foretold of an imminent attack — and a simple tap of her foot summoned a screeching ice serpent that rose beneath the Jūbi like a gigantic uppercut. Torn between its own rebellious nature and the reins of its masters, the clumsy beast toppled backwards upon its back. Then Kitsuchi followed up back clutching the fiend between two colossal slabs of rock.

Hiashi's eyes quivered in astonishment as he peered down upon the celestial magic layering his hand, filling his body with renewed vitality. Then he looked up at his daughter. Is this... really Hinata?

"Lady Hinata has another Kekkei Genkai?" said Satoshi in disbelief. "That's never been heard of in our long line of ancestry. How is this even possible?"

"Very impressive. I owe you one," Neji smiled gratefully, reaching for his headband.

"She got stronger again," sulked Kiba.

"First Naruto, and now Hinata's overpowered, too," Ino began. "This has to be some kind of cheat! And I want in!"

"We should definitely gang up on her at the bathhouse once this war is over," Tenten entertained with a mischievous smile. "Speaking of bathhouse, as anyone seen Kurama?"

Naruto approached the Hyūga Princess, his customary crooked smile etched in his beautifully sculptured face, eyes a molten sapphire. "Hinata," his mouth formed her name, lingering affectionately on each syllable. "Very impeccable timing. How's he doing?"

"H-He's passed the worst," she informed meekly, her warriors spirit melting before his steady gaze. "All he needs now is a bit more rest—"

"Naruto! Do you really believe that you can prevent your friends from dying?" Obito exclaimed sinisterly from atop the restrained Jūbi . "All you're doing is delaying the inevitable! You may have healed everyone, but all it will take is a single strike to render them beyond saving, just like what I did to Konan!"

The sage's eyes snapped open at the news of the woman's death.

"Those words — I'll never let my comrades die — let's see how long you can uphold them," he continued furiously, feeling a bitter sting of jealously at the couple that stood oppressively before him. "We will continue bombarding you with attacks until everything you hold dear is wiped clean off the face of the earth. And then your flippant words and ideology shall become nothing but lies — this is the end result of hope and ideals. This will become your reality; I'll personally make sure of this!

Naruto... what is there for you in this reality? Your mother and father are gone, as well as your master, Jiraiya. And, if you keep standing against us, you'll continue losing your friends one by one — including that insufferable woman standing by your side!"

Both Hiashi and Kurama frowned angrily.

"This shall soon become a world where no one who acknowledges you will exist," the man relented assertively. "The only thing that awaits you... is your worse nightmare, which you know quite well — solitude!"

The words rung out across the battlefield, like a toxic miasma. And everyone stilled, waiting to see how their savior would respond.

Naruto hung his head, remembering the neatly arranged bouquet of paper flowers he'd received from the Konan. He was a fool to believe she wouldn't be targeted for deserting Akatsuki, and for safeguarding Nagato's eye. But what could he have done differently to prevent her death?

SLAP!

Hinata gently cupped his cheek after reeling him in, and much to the surprise of Obito and Kakashi who watched intently. "Naruto-kun... you hold more than one life in your hands," the princess explained softly. "Do you understand what I mean? I'll never let my comrades die — neither those words nor the conviction behind them are lies! It's not just you, Naruto-kun... we all hold those words and feelings in our hearts; it's what binds us together and makes us comrades. If we all give up and discard those words and feelings, then all the sacrifices we have made during the course of this war will have been for nothing.

And that is when... your comrades truly die! For you are then no longer comrades! That's... how I feel. So, stand with me, Naruto-kun. Because never going back on one's word... is my Ninja Way, too!"

"That's enough!" Obito bellowed with undisguised rage, the woman's words evoking emotions he would rather keep stifled.

Thrusting his arm forward, he gave the Jūbi a silent command. And the creature gave a dark shriek, it's ten tails coiling around its body like a protective cocoon. The movement was enough to send violent tremors rippling across the battlefield.

"Don't be hasty," Madara warned. "You're going to harm yourself, as well as the Jūbi !"

"I don't care!" snapped Obito, the beast generating a Bijuu Bomb as if from the sheer magnitude of the man's anger. "The Jūbi 's hide is tough!"

"Brace yourselves! They're gonna to hit us!" shouted a panicking shinobi.

In the same beat — perched upon an airborne familiar — Sai released Bee into a free fall. And the Jinchūriki quickly transitioned into Tailed Beast Mode. "Recharging complete!" he declared obnoxiously, knocking the Jūbi 's nuke back into its mouth and then detonating it with that of his own.

KABOOM!

The fiend's body expanded many times its size, and then deflated like a punctured balloon. Bee was hopelessly knocked away like a stray bullet in the process, painfully crashing into the ground.

"Bee-sama!" Karui called worrisomely, running over the edge of the massive crater the Bijuu's fall opened up in the earth.

"Please don't overdo it!" Omoi chided.

"There's no need to worry... protecting the alliance is my territory!" he rhymed despite his grave injuries.

With a breathtaking smile, Naruto took Hinata's small hand from his face and kissed the soft pads of her fingertips. Then he hooked his arm around the small of her spine and brought her against the wall of his chest.

Hiashi coughed awkwardly and turned his back.

Satoshi turned pea green with envy.

And Neji smiled.

Despite their audience, a familiar hunger arrested Naruto in a searing pillar of flames — blood and desire inflamed together, twin needs that centered on the goddess who felt so right in his embrace.

"Hinata... thank you," he whispered into her mouth as he kissed her, long and deep. All around them, their friends, along with the Shinobi Alliance — having received his answer — shared a cheerful roar as they pushed forward to meet destiny, to induce change.

"You guys are pretty open about your relationship now, aren't you?" said Ino teasingly, truly grateful that Naruto had saved her father, keeping her family whole.

Tenten laughed.

"Tch!" Kiba clicked his tongue angrily. "That damn show off!"

Kakashi signed. "Leave it to the number one Unpredictable Ninja to make out in front of the enemy."

Sakura laughed awkwardly.

"Well, with the abilities both of them have demonstrated, they're the only ones who could get away with pulling such a stunt."

Naruto took a step back from Hinata, feeling the gap of space like a sudden gust of chilled air. But he kept her hand in his, turning to face the Jūbi that had already rebounded from the vicious attack.

Still feeling the lingering trace of his kiss, Hinata regarded the uplifted sage with a warm smile. Naruto-kun... I've always... always... always been chasing after you. Finally, I was able to pinch the hem of your jacket and desperately try to keep up behind you. Now, we walk hand-in-hand and I am able to keep up with your pace.

I promise that I'll keep us both safe until the real you gets here. And I'll try to keep anyone from dying. You can count on me!

"Let's do this, Hinata!" Naruto roared confidently, both of them suddenly flaring with Kurama's chakra.

"U-Hn!"

The princess took a moment to marvel at the intense power churning through her body, the red cloak clinging to her form. A-Amazing... Naruto-kun is able to use such chakra...

Everyone looked on in shock. Even Sasuke and his group, hundreds of miles away, could distinctly feel the surge of power emanating from the Jinchūriki. And Obito and Madara wasn't enthused.

Nice work transforming and transferring my chakra, Naruto, Kurama complimented, regarding the boy with a wolfish grin inside their mental scape.

"I've gotten the hang of it," he replied gleefully. "Work with me, Kurama!"

That damn Nara shinobi..., the Bijuu thought to himself amusingly. He analyzed my chakra exchange capabilities extensively.

"We'll stand a better chance to beat down the Jūbi , if everyone gets a big boost," Naruto contemplated openly, disposing himself to the task.

We've kept them waiting for a while, Kurama continued. A few shadow clones should be okay.

Obito and Madara watched from atop their lofty mount as those three clones went around imparting the Kyūbi's chakra onto every single shinobi. Within just mere moments, thousands of flaming red balls dotted the battlefield as per the initial phase of Shikaku's strategy.

"That brat, Naruto...," Madara said. "Is he giving them the Nine-Tail's chakra?"

Obito responded by channeling more of his commanding chakra into the Jūbi , forcing a single tail to seek and destroyed. But Hinata managed to stave it back with a single hit from her Air Palm.

"That girl...," Madara regarded her closely. "She's gotten even stronger after getting power from Naruto. I've never seen a Hyūga with a second Kekkei Genkai before. Most impressive."

Employing a Kyūbi-ed up version of the Ino-Shika-Cho maneuver — along with the assistance of their respective clansmen — Team 10 was able to bound both Obito and the Jūbi in place. Then the alliance followed up my cleaving through the fiend's defensive tails and severing the Uchiha's connection in one fell swoop.

As the beast toppled over from the unified strength of thousands of men and woman — and a single dog — Obito and Madara were forced into a tactical retreat, their backs against a lofty rock formation. And before them stood a serious Naruto, backed by his comrades who had had more than enough of this ceaseless bloodshed.

But the villains had no intention to concede. And they did what any other animal would do when cornered — they lashed out.

"Fire Style: Majestic Flower Flame!"

Madara retaliated — launching a blistering fireball at the presumptuous insects. And Obito performed his own fire-based jutsu in tandem, both attacks covering a large area — melting rocks and burning the very air . But the shinobi didn't back down, not when the Orange Knight was among their ranks.

Naruto held his ground as the incinerating flames drew closer. Clasping his hands together, fortifying his chakra control, the Jinchūriki was able to strengthen the Kyūbi's defensive cloak, protecting both him and his comrades from the fiery assault.

Chōji looked down at his hands in disbelief. If we didn't have Naruto's Chakra Cloak, we'd be crisper than a roast pig!

Kurama grinned, looking down at his Jinchūriki who had undoubtedly transcended all others before him. Looks like things have gone your way, Fourth Hokage. Until now, the only one who was able to link their chakra to mine was Naruto, because he possesses Kushina's blood — and because he has been my Jinchūriki for many years.

And Naruto has matured to the point where he's skilled enough to sense and transmute my chakra to be compatible with other shinobi, and then hand it over to them. Though I can also help or use Naruto as an intermediary to give my chakra to anyone. The same exact way you handed over and inserted your own chakra into Naruto, Minato.

He's already... surpassed you both a while ago. The amount of chakra he's linking and delivering is on a completely different scale. Kushina, Minato... you're both pathetic; you both pale in comparison to your brat Naruto. Though, this is probably the power you wanted to give him all along.

Fierce glowing eyes peeked out beneath the fringes of dark black hair. The cursed Uchiha weren't deterred by the alliances' seemingly impenetrable defense. Instead, they upped their game — bombarding the shinobi with even stronger and more consecutive attacks. Naruto followed suit — strengthening their cloak in turn. But the exchange was steadily becoming a defensive battle on their part. And, while Naruto and Kurama were powerful, they were merely reflections of the originals; their chakra had a limit — and it was fast approaching.

As the battle intensified, Kakashi succeeded in pulling Obito into their shared dimension where a clash of love, friendship, dreams and ideologies ensued.

Madara, on the other hand — despite being constantly assaulted by resentful shinobi — managed to zero in on the distant chakra signature of his archrival. The man had somehow made it back to the land of the living, and he could feel the truth of it pulsing through every fiber of his being. A fierce and desperate battle to the death between the world's strongest — nothing excited him more than the chance to unleash his full potential once again.

The Jūbi feasted on the man's dark desire, empowering itself to break free from the earthen prison erected by an amped up Kitsuchi. Doing a quick regeneration of its missing arm, the untethered beast gave a deafening roar as it summoned its dark and ancient power.

Bad news, Naruto! Kurama exclaimed urgently. The Jūbi is planning to do the Cataclysm! The land's about to be ripped apart!

Even tucked away inside his pocket of space and time, Obito could still vividly feel the creature's devastating power. It can't be controlled anymore, because they cut the link between the Jūbi and myself. Although, I guess it's about time I became its Jinchūriki.

"The real fun... is just beginning," Madara mused, encasing himself inside his absolute defense — Susanoo.

As if the beast was the conductor of natural disasters; the progenitor of oblivion, the atmosphere destabilized, heeding its dark decree. The skies darkened, hurling down lightening bolts upon the barren land. Fierce winds spiraled into destructive tornadoes, peeling away at the bedrock — and even the sea intervened, swallowing up parts of the crumbling landscape.

As the Jūbi 's dark bellow rose to a fevered pitch, the destruction intensified, as if it was intent on enveloping the entire world. But no sooner had the storm extended its reach than it dissipated, culminating with the Jūbi 's silence.

"That should have cleared most of them out," said Madara maliciously as the dust subsided.

But he couldn't be anymore wrong. While the cataclysm was enough to knock them off their feet, not one shinobi had perished in the chaos — not when they were sheathed by the Kyūbi's cloak.

Naruto, on the other hand, took serious damage from the entire ordeal. He had bestowed most of his own protection upon his comrades — now, he was running on mostly fumes, his Kurama-Mode deactivated.

"Nice try pretending to be tough," accused Madara condescendingly. "But it seems you've reached your limit. You've given me something to look forward to... but I think it's high time you made your exit."

"Everyone!" said Hinata courageously, making her way by her fiancés side with the alliance in tow. "Let's join together and fight as one!"

"Right!" they all give a hearty roar.

And Naruto couldn't help but beam with happiness.

"Time for you to heal," said Sakura, her hands already resting on his back. And, with a flick of her hand, Hinata was healing him, too.

Madara frowned, unimpressed. "Such a futile demonstration."

The Jūbi was upset, too — stirred by the presence of the other Bijuu it sensed within the tenacious Jinchūriki. Without hesitation, the fiend began undergoing another transformation toward its original form, intent on crushing the insects that stood before it with greater force. And the size of the Bijuu Bomb it started charging was definitely in another league.

With their beacon of hope out of commission, and his protection temporarily unavailable, the alliance couldn't help but question what worth could be salvaged from their efforts in that critical moment. Before their morale could crumble beyond repair, another familiar hero made his way onto the battlefield, effortlessly teleporting away the Jūbi 's attempt at utter and complete annihilation.

"Am I late?" the stranger asked upon his speedy return, his cape lightly descending behind him like the breath of liberty and justice.

"Nah. You're actually right on time, dad," Naruto responded coolly.

Hinata's eyes widened in surprise as she assessed the perfect sculpture from which his son was inspired. "So he's Naruto-kun's..."

"Who's he?" Sakura still seemed confused.

"My name is Minato Namikaze," he greeted neatly over his shoulder. "Brace for an impending explosion; I sent the Jūbi 's attack back toward the sea."

A fierce blast followed his words. And powerful winds rivaling those of the tornadoes assaulted the unsuspecting alliance, throwing them into a panic.

As his golden, Naruto-like hair fluttered in the wild gust, Sakura couldn't help but ponder the color of his eyes. She was alarmed to find the characteristics of Edo Tensei etched in them — and the man could evidently note her anxiety.

"Relax. I'm an ally," he reassured with a polite smile upon turning around. "Thanks for healing Naruto; we'll need his strength if we hope to end this war."

"...Sure."

The man's eyes softened as they assessed the other kunoichi beside his son, and the princess couldn't help but blush. "You must be Hinata; I heard about you from Kushina."

"F-Father...," she responded with an awkward but cute bow.

"FATHER?" Sakura exclaimed in a drawl.

"Yeah — my dad is the Fourth Hokage," Naruto informed, scratching the blush that crept into his cheek.

"EHHH?"

Minato smiled awkwardly, then turned his attention back to the Hyūga princess who was the polar opposite of his wife. "Kushina deeply regrets not being able to spend more time with you — but the little time you shared together made a deep impression on her."

Hinata's cheeks reddened even more as she reminisced about bizarre encounter.

"So, why did this happen so suddenly?" Sakura asked, looking down at Naruto who knelt before her. "It seems like you knew?"

"I'm not sure who summoned them..."

"Them?"

Both Sakura and Hinata shared the question.

"Yeah — I sensed their chakra while I was in Kurama Mode. The others should be arriving soon..."

"Minato, you're as fast as ever," Sarutobi complimented as he made his grand entrance, garbed in his customary light armor.

"T-Third Hokage-sama?" Sakura uttered in surprise. "And also that's..."

"Fourth... you're better at teleporting than I am," said the second Hokage challengingly upon making his own cool descent.

"All right, let's do this!" the First said by means of introduction.

"No way."

"I don't believe it..."

"The First... The Second... The Third... and even the Fourth... Minato-sama!"

"I see... so you're the ones who stopped the attack, Hokage-sama!"

The alliance felt a renewed air of confidence in the wake of their latest reinforcements. With the former Kages' aid, they were bound to take down the evil that sought to bend their world askew.

"But who reanimated you?" one shinobi had the gall to ask.

"Orochimaru summoned us," Sarutobi informed curtly. "We need to stop this war quickly."

"What?" Sakura poked her head up. "Didn't Orochimaru die?"

"This is amazing!" one guy interjected excitedly. "The previous Hokage are going to join us in battle!"

"Now that's reassuring!"

"I don't know what's going on anymore," groaned Sakura.

"There's still more help coming," Naruto informed with a nonchalance that rivaled his father's, his wounds just about healed.

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Madara landed on a nearby cliff, like a crashing meteorite, eyes dilated in uncontrolled excitement. "I've been waiting for you, Hashirama!"

The founding Kage thrust an accusing finger at his archnemesis and best friend, his expression almost dreary. "I'll deal with you later! I have to stop the Jūbi first."

The man's face did a quick morph from comical disappointment to cool indifference. "He hasn't changed a bit; we're never on the same page."

Naruto's eyes shimmered like an eight-year-old when his father activated a form akin to Kurama Mode. Then, after making the proper arrangements, teleported the Second and Third Hokage at different locations necessary for their strategy.

Forming a square around the crazed beast, the former leaders quickly sealed the creature within an extremely powerful version of the Crimson Ray Shield. And then the First employed the use of his Sage Mode to restrain the fiend even further. And, boy oh boy, the Jūbi wasn't pleased one bit. But, squeal as it may, the creature couldn't readily free itself from its binds.

The sudden appearance of another shinobi tore Sakura's attention away from the horrid beast — and, for a moment, she couldn't even hear its ear-splitting screech. All that mattered was the lovely dark knight who allowed her the privilege of basking in his presence.

Hinata's eyes widened. S-Sasuke-kun!

Naruto grinned. "You sure took your time getting here, Sasuke."

Sakura's eyes quivered, her lips parting. "Sasuke...kun?"

The Rogue Ninja casted Naruto a sidelong glance before briefly regarding the woman who would bear his child; the woman who firmly held his heart captive. He tried to feign indifference but Naruto could see straight through the brittle mask.

"Sasuke-kun! Why?"

Sakura's exclamation won the attention of the other six rookies, and Ino quickly began closing the distance between them for a warm welcome. But Shikamaru and Chōji quickly intervened, cutting the reunion short.

"He's an enemy!" Shikamaru reminded curtly.

"Ino... you better keep your distance," Chōji warned.

"You're all still as noisy as ever," said Sasuke in a rather aloof tone.

"Why the hell are you here, bastard!" barked Kiba.

In the presence of her friends, Sakura betrayed her emotions and fostered an expression of discomfort, instead. "Why are you here, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, her eyebrows descending about emerald eyes.

"A lot of things happened," he simply said. "I've decided to protect Konoha. And then I'll... become Hokage."

...

His face and tone of voice was so serious that everyone took a moment to process his words. But they just couldn't register — and the whole sentiment just threw everyone for a loop, their faces twisted in utter shock.

Sakura even more so. "EHH?"

"You can't just come back all of a sudden and crack a lame joke like that, you Rogue Ninja!" shouted Kiba, more animalistic than his canine partner. "Do you even know what it means to be Hokage?"

"I don't know what happened to you, but that's not possible," Shikamaru contributed sternly. "Do you even realize what you're saying?"

Sasuke thought about that for a while.

Through Orochimaru's use of Edo Tensei, he managed to receive an audience with the former Kage who each explained what they tried to accomplish as leaders in the time of their rule. Essentially, it was to preserve the integrity of the First Hokage's legacy — the Will of Fire. But what exactly was it?

According to Senju Hashirama — the founder of the village — it simply meant loving, believing and cherishing everyone in the village as family. Despite being from rivaling clans, a young Hashirama and Madara were able to forge a bond through the shared understanding of what it meant to lose their siblings.

While their kin were enslaved by an insatiable thirst for revenge — and a egotistical urge to reign supreme among the ranks of men, the boys simply desired an end to a bloody and unrelenting war. Through their own experience, they knew if people tried to understand each other; if they shared their happiness and burdens, they would truly be capable of achieving peace and unity. But fate was a fickle and unpredictable thing.

As the warriors paved the path to realizing this dream, Madara ended up losing the one thing he held especially dear — his younger brother — and falling from grace, as a result. This gave birth to twisted ideologies that utterly veered the man off the rails of morality.

If Hashirama hadn't hesitated in eliminating him when the chance had presented itself, Sasuke was certain the world of today would be significantly different.

As opposed to the founder's acts of idealism, Sasuke would govern the world with an iron fist. And he won't hesitate to eradicate variables necessary to facilitate this goal. At this point, it was no longer possible to mend the world with methodologies that could be weighed on a morality scale. A more unorthodox approach was necessary.

"Do you think we can just forget all the things you've done?" Shino accused bluntly, following up on Kiba and Shikamaru's verbal attack.

"Yeah, I realize you probably can't," Sasuke replied coolly. "However, it doesn't matter what you guys think of me."

Naruto frowned.

"All of the previous Kage created these current circumstances. So I will become Hokage and change the village."

— You don't become Hokage in order to be acknowledged by the village. The one who is acknowledged by everyone, is the one who becomes Hokage. I leave Sasuke to you.

Leave it to me, Naruto responded to the distant memory, as if Itachi was still within his midst. Pushing to his feet following the end of Sakura's treatment, he made his way toward his eternal rival and best friend. "The Hokage is going to be me," he corrected confidently.

Hashirama regarded the hatchlings over his shoulder. "I'm glad there's so much interest in becoming Hokage... but you guys are taking too much time! Start infusing chakra right now! We'll take down the Jūbi with an all-out attack!"

Naruto donned his battle-ready face, golden eyebrows descending above oceanic eyes. "Hinata. Sakura-chan... thanks for looking after me," he said gratefully. "Please look after each other."

Both kunoichi watched — a tad disgruntled — as their man hurried off toward the entrapped beast. And, Sakura, in particular, wasn't having it.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto began, surprised she had followed them.

"So do you see me as some sort of weak woman who can't keep up with you two?" she said in an undertone, her words saturated with indignation. "Do you think Tsunade-sama would be the only one out of the Legendary Sennin to inadequately train her student?"

Naruto and Sasuke watched her wordlessly.

"I'm almost there," she pleaded earnestly. "I'll be at full capacity in a little bit. Then I can output my true power. Just like you, I'm a member of Team Seven... and I'm a student of one of the Legendary Sennin!"

WHOOSH!

Another participant appeared, as quick as Sakura had, and her cheeks were pouted in her own indignation.

"I-I may not be a member of Team Seven... nor was I a student of one of the Legendary Sennin, but I'm a mother-to-be, just like Sakura-san."

They all blushed fiercely at that fact.

Kurama grinned.

Hinata gathered her bearings and frowned confidently, cute fists pressing against her chest. "I won't allow our baby's father to go off to war without the proper support!"

"Hinata..." Sakura was impressed by her straightforwardness.

And a slick smile soon stretched Naruto's lips. "Okay then!" he exclaimed, driving a hand into his fist. "The Inseparable Five is assembled and ready to go!"

"Right!" everyone gave a hearty response.

"That sight sure brings back memories, doesn't it, Shikamaru?" Ino regarded the couples with a smile. "And to think Hinata gets to stand up there with them. She's undergone a huge spurt in growth, herself."

"Well, if Sasuke's willing to help us defeat the enemy, I won't turn him away," he responded wearily. "Even though I don't want to accept him..."

"It's been a long time since our class has been back together," Chōji was more optimistic and cheerful than his best friend. "I haven't felt like this since the Chūnin Exams."

"I'm going to become Hokage!" Kiba shouted, desperately trying to win everyone's attention. But he failed miserably. "Hey, are you guys even listening?"

"Kiba...," Shino began condescendingly. "No one's paying attention right now... and it's pitiful. Stop it. It's because the impact of Sasuke's sudden appearance and his declaration to become Hokage are much too great."

The boisterous roar of an infuriated Jūbi dismissed the rookies' conflicted reunion. Displeased with its confinement, the creature molded another destructive projectile, and much to the horror of the bystanders. But, the Kage and the fortitude of their barrier wasn't to be underestimated. As powerful as the nuke was, it didn't prove strong enough to break the shield. And, thus, the blast was contained, with the beast suffering damage, instead.

The Allied Forces roared in triumph, their morale swiftly returning. Now that the Kage were rooted among their ranks, nothing was impossible. The tides of the war had shifted. They could feel it.

Capitalizing on their fiery spirit, Hashirama spawned five clones that led fractions of the shinobi into the barrier at its four angles. The fifth made his way before Madara, but the Uchiha wouldn't be patronized. He found a comfortable boulder against which to lean, opting to wait for the original to face him one-off, without any distracts.

But what of the Jūbi ? Wasn't the beast a crucial part of his plan? Or was the power of his eyes able to foresee a future that no one else could perceive?

The ground trembled as the alliance converged on the motionless beast. Beneath the weight of the First Hokage's sealing technique, the creature was helplessly bound and subjected to the shinobi's vengeance. But that didn't stop the fiend from striving to protect itself.

Shifting its enigmatic power, the Jūbi began propagating — chunks of elephant-sized flesh fell from its body like worker bee's spilling out from a hive. Before the lumps of mass could reach the ground, they morphed into quadruped and humanoid monsters sporting menacing blades and spikes. They barreled toward the oncoming forces, intent on decapitating and skewering them.

Naruto and Sasuke took the lead.

And Sakura and Hinata couldn't help but gaze at the backs of the duo who were constantly playing the vanguard in their countless battles. Compared to them, both kunoichi had always been damsels in distress — constantly burdening the boys with weaknesses that seemed far too many to count.

But this time was different.

The first step to achieving any goal was to first believe in it — and they believed. They craved change and labored for it, securing a power to prove their worth and preserve the bond they managed to build with the one they loved.

Locked in combat with an enemy brandishing sharp, scythe-like appendages as its arms, Sakura heaved a confident smile following the mark of Creation Rebirth appearing on her forehead.

"I just now reached full capacity. I can finally unleash it!"

Power surged throughout her body, the likes of which she had never felt before. And that smile stretched into a nasty smirk when she planted a right hook into the fiend's gut, sending it violently blasting passed a startled Naruto and Sasuke like a stray bullet.

The creature plowed into a few dozen of its advancing counterparts, like a bowling ball crashing into pins. Then Sakura leaped into a high arch, bringing down her fist like Thor's hammer of justice.

CRASH!

The earth and bedrock yielded to the mighty assault, mountainous-sized boulders crushing the grotesque bastards into oblivion.

"What monstrous strength!" Hashirama exclaimed excitedly. "It might as well be even greater than Tsuna's!"

Shizune agreed, watching her junior intently. Amassing chakra at a continuous rate over three years requiring extremely delicate chakra control. Rebirth Creation — the technique that I couldn't even achieve.

"And I have no need to keep up a youthful appearance," Sakura gloated openly, thoroughly savoring the flabbergasted expression smeared over the boy's faces.

Unbeknownst to them, however, was the larger beast that had silently encroached upon the girl from behind, cloaked by the cover of dust and debris. But nothing could breech the acute prowess of the almighty Byakugan.

SHINGG!

A serpent wrought of ice emerged from the underground with an enchanting hum, gripping the creeping fiend in its gaping maw, freezing it solid. The Allied Forces looked on in awe as they both shattered overhead, hailing down glittering shards of ice that skewered unsuspecting monsters. The malicious creatures shrieked in alarm as the fragments proceeded to imitate their quick morphing performance earlier — transforming into snow-white wolves with piercing blue eyes.

"Protect!" Hinata chanted crisply, evoking a large-scale spell that enveloped the entire alliance in a silver aura that augmented their defense. "I'll take care of the smaller ones," she announced confidently. "Everyone else can focus on the others. I've given you some of my power!"

Disposing themselves to the will of their alpha, the pack of ferocious wolves pounced into action, corning the beasts as they would prey in the wild. One fiend squealed and flailed as a bite on the leg had its entire body undergoing a quick freeze. Another wolf bit down on a Rasengan, the resulting explosion engulfing a score of the grotesque creatures. And the wolf's destruction sent a wave of ice shards flying in every direction, skewering surrounding enemies and ultimately freezing and shattering them.

"This must be the power that Kushina unlocked," Minato smiled amusingly.

"W-When did Hinata master such abilities?" Hiashi stuttered in shock. Then he looked down at his hands which radiated the power bestowed by his once incompetent daughter.

Neji's lips pulled into a smile of veneration. "Hinata-sama... you've undoubtedly surpassed me now. Naruto has had a great impact on you, as he did on me."

"If you ask me... my girlfriend is way more badass than yours," Naruto challenged with a lopsided grin.

"Tch!" Sasuke clicked his tongue flippantly.

Then all three shinobi joined the kunoichi in her glorious spotlight, their backs against each other.

"Awesome job out there, Hinata!" Sakura praised exuberantly.

"Umm... Sakura-chan, we're here too, y'know."

"At this rate, the boys will be watching our backs from now on," Hinata chimed in with a rare display of challenge.

"She's right," Sakura added. "Keep complaining and Hinata and I might just grab the title of Hokage away from you."

"Eh?" Naruto exclaimed. "Not you guys, too!"

Drunk on the impressive flair displayed by their classmates, the other rookies threw themselves into the fray — demonstrating skills and techniques they had developed and refined over the years, while others surpassed their limits. But, no sooner had they eliminated one wave of monsters, than another was summoned in their wake.

It was unrelenting.

And the fiends grew larger in size by the moment, gradually overwhelming the shinobi despite Hinata's divine protection.

Hoping to secure a preemptive strike by air, Sai quickly closed the distance between himself and the Jūbi 's main body. But he was quickly shot down with a projectile by a watchful fiend.

"Naruto, can you share chakra with everyone again?" he asked breathlessly upon being rescued, noting that the orange-haired shinobi had donned the Kyūbi's chakra again.

"I can't right now," he replied regrettably. "Kurama hasn't finished amassing chakra yet."

"In order to take down the main body, we need to mow down the big ones and slip passed them. The distance is too great to make a single leap for it. We also need time to weave signs and repel the enemy's attacks. Without your chakra — and if Hinata's protection wavers — it's very likely we'll suffer heavy casualties. And the Medical Corps can't come up to the front."

Instantaneously, Team Seven bit the corner of their thumb and dropped their hand to the ground.

"Mow down and slip past? Easy."

"This guy has the power to clear the distance in a single leap and repel enemy attacks."

"I can now stay nearby and heal anyone who suffers serious injuries at all times."

"And I'll do my best to slow down the enemy's movements."

Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura summoned their beastly comrade, while Hinata conjured over a dozen lions wrought of blue chakra.

Feeling as those the proportions wasn't quite right, Naruto glimpsed downward and also noted that the color of his amphibious comrade was quite different from what he knew. "Wait... you're Gamakichi?"

"Pops was tied up with some negotiations," he explained in a husky voice that was a far cry from his youthful cords. "So I came in his place. Disappointed?"

"Nah," Naruto allowed a cool grin. "I'm just surprised you got big so damned quickly. I'm even more shocked than I was about Akamaru."

"You humans grow too slow, that's all."

"You made be right about that..."

"Anyway — what's happening?" asked Gamakichi, noting the restless horde marching toward them.

"See that big guy in the back — think you could get me in close?"

"Consider it done."

"Sasuke-sama, your desire?"

The deep voice came from a snake almost rivaling the size of Manda. But the difference in their temperament was like night and day.

"I need you to just keep advancing forward," the Uchiha commanded prestigiously. "I'll get the real body in the back."

"Sakura-chan," Katsuyu greeted cheerfully. "You're finally able to invoke the Creation Rebirth Mark! Tsunade-sama would be so proud!"

"Katsuyu-sama, we don't have much time," Sakura explained politely. "Please divide and attend to each person in the Allied Shinobi Forces. Our role will be to heal everyone."

"I never expected to see the Three-Way Deadlock Summoning again," said Minato with his customary smile.

And Sarutobi chuckled, the man's words bringing back the memory of his former students and their impressive accomplishments throughout his lifetime. It's a new era!

Suddenly, one of the fiends gave a pained shriek, with many other desperate howls following suit. It was Hinata — through her ferocious legion of lions, she was paralyzing the monsters by attacking their tenketsu (pressure points) with her chakra. And Team Seven registered this as their signal to charge.

Sasuke and his partner, Aoda, quickly started weaving through the forest of aggressive monsters. Naruto and Gamakichi made a leap over their ranks, effortlessly deflecting the same type of projectiles that had downed Sai before. Sakura formed her seals and started synchronizing her power with Katsuyu, who, was already dispersing and making her way to every soldier on the battlefield.

In the same moment that she started healing the shinobi, Naruto and Sasuke got within range.

"Wind Release: Ultra-Big Ball Rasenshuriken!"

"Inferno Style: Susanoo Flame Control!"

The Second Hokage watched as both projectiles hit their mark, a rare grin splitting his face. I don't recall ever seeing a Kagutsuchi of that magnitude. And they combined jutsu with matching chakra ratios. "That's difficult even for a seasoned duo."

While Naruto and Sasuke watched as the Jūbi shrieked and squirmed under the unrelenting torment of the hellish black flames, Orochimaru, Karin and Suigetsu were en route to the Kages' deathbed.

Under different circumstances, this would have been a golden opportunity for the rogue Sennin to eliminate the national leaders in one fell swoop in order to spearhead his own agenda. But, if humanity had any hopes of winning this war, they would need all the help they could get.

Whatever the case, Orochimaru had pushed his ambitions onto the back burner at this point in time. Right now, he was curious to see what path Sasuke would take. With the wind of countless ideologies filling his sails, what answer would he come to at the end? Will he ultimately plunge the world into an inescapable darkness, or would he usher in an era of peace and prosperity? Only time would — and Orochimaru wanted to bear witness.

BOOOM!

In a quiet dimensional corner of their making, Kakashi and Obito collided. The horrific chorus of breaking bones, ripping flesh and spewing blood assaulted the atmosphere.

Obito coughed, blood gushing from the corners of his mouth. Kakashi had an electricity-coated hand through the man's torso. But, in return, the Jōnin's chest was also punctured by a large shuriken.

Both men stood their ground, locked in a silent battle of endurance. Blood pooled in their clothes, the scent of iron filling their nose — such was the realism of the genjutsu that gripped Kakashi. But it wasn't enough to pin the man down. On the contrary, he only grew weary of his former comrade's roundabout way of fighting.

A few heated exchanges culminated in a genuine will to fight. And their duel ended on the same note as the genjutsu with both warriors suffering a wound through the chest — Obito's more severe and life-threatening than Kakashi's. But the Uchiha wore a grin of a man who tasted victory. It was suspicious, even more so when he made no delay to teleport back to the battlefield, mounted atop the immobilized Jūbi .

Sensing his return, Madara sprang into action and quickly dispatched of Hashirama's clone who didn't even remotely held a candle to him. Looks like that's of no use to me anymore, he concluded stoically, noting Obito's fatal injury. I wanted to fight Hashirama before I became a Jinchūriki... I guess I have no choice.

A simple hand sign had Obito's body entirely under the man's control. It's time to make him bring me back with Rinne Tensei. "Obito," he said coldly. "You're just a backup that I had cultivated for my rebirth."

— You saved me, Gramps? Thank you.

— It's too early to thank me. I intend to have you... repay your debt.

"The time has come," Madara grinned maliciously, shrugging off the distant memory of the crippled boy he rescued years passed.

Well aware of the monumental threat a fully resurrected Madara would bring, Hashirama dispatched a few more clones, even as he alerted the strongest amongst his ranks of the looming disaster. Naruto, Sasuke, Tobirama — everyone quickly raced toward Obito, but it was a clone of Minato who closed the distance in time and managed to inflict a fatal wound.

"A Flying Thunder God marking never disappears. I didn't teach you that, did I, Obito?" the man's words were low and sorrowful as he looked down at his former comrade and student.

But the Uchiha sought neither reminisce nor pity. And the wounds inflicted upon his body weren't enough to douse the flame of his ambition. Following a dark grin, the Jūbi began seeping into his chest, like a black hole devouring a planet. And Minato and Sasuke would have been consumed, as well, if not for Naruto's intervention.

"What? What's happening?"

"Is the Jūbi changing form again?"

Minato and Sasuke looked from Naruto to the Jūbi whose gigantic form had now shrunken down to an orb less than a fraction of its original size.

"No, that's not what's happening," denied Naruto urgently, feeling a familiar resonance emanating from the tightly wrapped cocoon. "He shook off Madara's control and was weaving the signs to do this from the beginning!"

CRACK!

A single uneven line slithered across the pallid orb before it shattered like glass, light reflecting off the fragments as they plummet to earth. But the contents of the glass cocoon didn't fall, as well. He simply flexed his fingers, his chest rising as he took in a lungful of fresh air — and a pair of contrasting eyes blinked open with renew zeal and intent.

"That's the Jūbi 's Jinchūriki...," Naruto informed slowly, his words cautioning against any rash actions.

Hinata broke out into a sweat, recalling the few seconds leading up to the Uchiha's transformation. "The Jūbi was completely absorbed into that man," she replied to a curious Sakura.

Feeling a spell of anxiety, the Allied Forces gazed up at the shinobi who was inexplicable floating in midair. The upper and lower back of his scaly silver skin featured five parallel appendages tipped with a pink flame. The center of his back depicted a Rinnegan-like circle above nine magatama, and he wore a dark garb below his waste.

W-What is this? Tobirama stuttered, his eyes locking with the monster whose power seemed almost unfathomable.

This is bad, Hashirama thought gravely, keeping a tight lock on his section of the barrier. Jinchūriki, huh?

Willing the complexities of his Wood Element in coordination with Sage Mode, the Hokage dropped a series of tori gate-like barriers onto the newest born villain. But Obito promptly shattered the feeble attempt at binding him, and went on to effortlessly destroying the Four Crimson Ray barrier erected by the Kages.

"Is it just me," Bee began, breaking out into a sweat. "Or is he stronger than when he was gigantic?"

Before, it was just throwing its power around, replied Gyūki. But now it's learned to focus it.

Hiashi rallied the soldiers to brace for whatsoever the godly tyrant might throw at them. But Obito didn't even spare a momentary glance in their direction; he, instead, made his way in front of the boy who was the youthful reflection of his younger self.

Mounted atop his amphibian comrade and flanked by his father and best friend, Naruto looked down assessingly at the silver entity. Countless people may perish if his clone got vanquished, but it was imperative that he engaged and analyzed Obito's newly attained powers so that his original stood a chance.

The Hokage had the same idea in mind, and they quickly appeared between Naruto and the mastermind, locking eyes with the emotionless fiend. As opposed to a single clone that was susceptible to dismissal after taking heavy damage, or expending all of their chakra, Edo Tensei soldiers were immortal and wielded an unlimited supply of chakra. It was more ideal if they played the part.

"I'll be blunt," Hashirama said with a critical frown. "This guy is stronger than me."

"No offense, but it appears so," Sarutobi replied.

"Even if you reabsorb your remaining clones, you're no match, Elder Brother," Tobirama added regrettably.

"I know. However..."

Hashirama knew his power better than anyone — and it paled in comparison to the monster that stood before them. The objective, however, wasn't to overwhelm but to pressure the enemy into revealing his abilities. And a fierce three-on-one battle ensued to that end, while Naruto, Sasuke and Minato observed from a safe distance.

As expected, Obito was completely out of their league. Hashirama's clone being quickly dismissed was evident proof of that. Tobirama and Sarutobi bombarded the man with an impressive arsenal of jutsu, but the otherworldly monster came out unscathed, his stoic expression never changing.

Hoping to turn the tides before the situation became dire, Hashirama — the original — made an attempt to join the battle. But he was abruptly impeded by a scheming Madara. And once the Second and Third Hokage were incapacitated, Obito turned his attention to Naruto and Sasuke, quickly taking to the air to close the distance between them.

But something unexpected happened.

Obito's stomach suddenly grew ten times its size, sending him plummeting to the ground like a boulder.

"W-What's going on?" Naruto exclaimed.

Sasuke wasn't quite sure, either.

I get it... Minato deduced judiciously. The Jūbi hasn't completely synched with its Jinchūriki yet. This is our chance to take it down!

Summoning his original, the duo charged toward the immobilized villain with a Rasengan combo in mind. But Obito wasn't just about to lay down and accept the beating — his ascension to Sage of the Sixth Paths opened up a plethora of capabilities, and he intended to make use of them.

"Gamakichi, below you!" Naruto warned urgently.

Sasuke's head snapped around in tandem to the toad driving his massive knife into the ground. But his retaliation was futile, and the enemy's assault connected, sending him flying backward into a high arch and slamming onto his back.

Minato pivoted his head around, shocked to find Obito's upper body slithering around on the offensive, Orochimaru-style. He passed underground? It's just his upper body!

Using the Truth Seeking Balls equipped in both hands — malleable orbs of black chakra that encompasses the power of all five basic natures — Obito launched an attack at Naruto who was still airborne. Just before he teleported to safety, Sasuke thwarted the strike by spawning a single one of Susanoo's hands.

"You're not the one... who's going to sever the past," Sasuke said with a nasty scowl. "I am!"

Disregarding the ramblings of a delusional child, Obito lunged forward, faster than they could react, and clutched their faces in an iron grip. He was intent on ending them both. No longer did he care about pitting them against one another; all that mattered was commencing the ultimate jutsu. And that meant exterminating all those who opposed him.

Minato pushed to his knees after taking a crushing hit from Obito's bottom half. I must make it in time... he urged inwardly, forming his seals. What? My marking on Obito disappeared?

Just before the robotic Jinchūriki could blast their heads right off their shoulders, Naruto, almost instinctively, extended his chakra arms and grabbed ahold of both Sasuke and his father, instantly teleporting them all over to Gamakichi's location.

Sasuke gritted his teeth upon gathering his bearings. He was infuriated by the way Obito brushed him off, and even more so, by the fact that he was hopelessly saved by Naruto, who, was supposed to be beneath him.

"Y-You can use the Flying Thunder God Technique?" Minato exclaimed in both surprise and excitement. "How did you—"

"You can thank Ero-Sennin for that," Naruto returned with a smile.

Minato chuckled inwardly. Looks like my boy is as accomplished as Sasuke — and to think this is just his clone.

Obito uprooted his body from underground, his eyes never leaving his target. But, in his attempt to right his body proportions, the power inside of him went rampant. The Jūbi was relentless in its effort to rip the man asunder and reclaim its place on earth as a natural disaster. It preyed upon its host's consciousness like a ravenous beast, eating away at his memories, his very humanity.

Just before that precious fragment that held the memory of Rin — the woman of his dreams — was entirely consumed, however, Obito asserted his will. The Jūbi found itself gradually losing the little influence it once wielded. And even the nine Bijuu sunk even deeper into the abyss of the man's absolute control.

Having set up the field for a multi-faceted attack, Minato charged in for a decisive blow. But his target had changed. The once stoic expression that the tyrant wore softened into that of a condescending human. And now he wielded nine Truth Seeking Orbs, instead of two, with one fashioned into a staff. His physical appearance was mostly the same, except for a few subtle changes, which included a pair of horns jotting out from his forehead.

Minato didn't waver. He pushed forward, clashing with his kunai that broke into half against the power of the man's staff. In the next instant, Obito brought his hand down, like an edged blade, effortlessly taking the Kage's right arm before be managed to bolt.

"He got me, but I'm okay!" Minato said upon rejoining his comrades.

"You sure about that?" Obito pointed.

Everyone blanched at the sight of a Truth Seeking Orb attached in place of the man's missing arm. And the blinding light it began radiating spoke of an imminent explosion. But Tobirama was suddenly there, the clone bringing both the nuke and its master to another location where the man could solely experience the byproduct of his own creation.

KABOOM!

Susanoo brought his sword down in one fluid motion. It was caught between the palms of a wooden titan that rivaled the size and strength of the chakra-forged warrior. And a shockwave rippled outward around them.

Madara and Hashirama were entirely engrossed in their own personal war — an unfinished grudge dating back over a hundred years. The earth trembled as they exchanged blows, and the Allied Forces look on in dread.

"A-Amazing!"

"They're on a completely different level!"

"So this is the battle capacity of our predecessors..."

Shikamaru noted as the ongoing battle ate away at the shinobis' morale. Hashirama's words and leadership had instilled hope and courage before, but now the intensity of the man's personal battle was inadvertently robbing them of what little confidence they had left.

Even a small power... can be helpful, Shikamaru announced to the alliance through Ino's telepathy. We may not be of any help now, but there might come a time when we'll be needed. So don't take your eyes off the battlefield. For, if such a time arrives, our power could change the course of this world. We can't afford to relax and let our guard down, even for one second.

Temari looked around quietly, observing as the dejected expressions that hung on everyone's faces changed to determination. And her own lips curved into a smile. Shikamaru... you would make a great Hokage. The ability to sway people's hearts is practically a requisite of any Kage.