Chapter 44: Chapter 44
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(Hokage Tower; Two Years Later)
"Naruto, are you done filing those reports from Suna?" Shizune asked, setting another large stack of papers down next to the tired looking shinobi. "Because if you are I need you to take these papers to Kakashi right away. Hopefully this will be the last batch for today."
"Sure thing Shizune, I'll get right on it." Naruto said in an exhausted tone. The blonde jinchuriki had been up since five in the morning, and it was already well into the afternoon. Hinata would likely be preparing dinner soon. Naruto began to drool slightly as he envisioned himself eating one of Hinata's delicious home cooked meals. Unfortunately the tower had been unusually busy that day, keeping Naruto and Shizune constantly busy and moving.
"Thank you Naruto. You've been such a big help." Shizune said with a warm smile, as she slumped down into a nearby chair. "We've been absolutely slammed lately, and there's been little time to relax. Once you're done you can head on home. Your family is probably waiting for you." Releasing a light sigh, Shizune longingly gazed down at ring on her finger. When Shizune next spoke her voice was barely above a whisper. "It's been all work lately...we haven't had much time to spend together."
"Have you and Kakashi-sensei had any luck with...you know...having a baby?" Naruto asked, picking up the stack of papers. The blonde was immediately caught off guard by the paper's weight and nearly dropped them, but he managed to recover just before the stack toppled over. "Because I know you've been trying a lot lately."
"Yeah...we've been trying...but we haven't had any luck yet." Shizune replied, as a slight blush spread across her face. The dark-haired woman avoided Naruto's gaze and stared down at her lap. "All this work lately hasn't been helping either. By the time Kakashi gets home at night he's too tired to do anything intimate. I don't blame him though, because he does work all day. But...it's just a little frustrating, you know?"
"I understand." Naruto said, smiling brightly at Shizune. "Just hang in there, all this work will blow over eventually. When it does you and Kakashi-sensei will have more time to be alone together. Well I better get these to Kakashi-sensei."
"Thanks again, Naruto." Shizune said quietly, as she played with the ring on her finger. "I always make you listen to my problems."
"It's no problem Shizune." Naruto said, opening the door to the room with his foot. "I like helping wherever I can, and if talking to me helps you I'm happy to listen." Flashing Shizune one last toothy grin, Naruto exited the small office.
"Honestly..." Shizune muttered, as a small smile graced her face. "That boy is too nice for his own good." Releasing a light sigh, Shizune looked up at ceiling and closed her eyes. "Kushina...Minato...you would be so proud of your little boy. He's grown up to be such a great young man, and he's the pride of the village. We're forever in his debt for all the things he's done for us."
(Two Minutes Later; Hokage's Office)
"Kakashi-sensei! I've got some more paperwork for you, so I'm coming right in!" Naruto called out, forcing the door to Kakashi's office with his shoulder. When Naruto entered the office, he saw an exhausted looking Kakashi lazily stamping a piece of paper on his desk. The silver-haired hokage had visible bags under his eyes and looked as if he would pass out any minute. "Sorry Kakashi-sensei but I got one more stack for you. But the good news is that Shizune said this was the last of today's paperwork."
"Thank kami, set it down on my desk." Kakashi said, as he ran a hand down his face. "I swear this huge influx of work is gonna be the death of me."
"You and me both." Naruto groaned out, sinking into one of the chairs in front of Kakashi's desk. "I know all of this is apart of my hokage training, but all this desk work is a fucking nightmare. I don't know how Tsunade-baachan and the other hokage did it."
"Well Tsunade-sama usually just passed the paperwork along to Shizune." Kakashi said, as he scanned over one of the new papers on his desk; the ring on his finger reflecting light from the setting Sun. "So..." Kakashi set down the paper he was reading and looked up at his former student. "How have things been lately? How are the girls? Are your kids doing well?"
"Shouldn't you be focusing on your work right now?" Naruto asked with a light chuckle. "I mean you were just complaining about how busy we've been."
"It's fine." Kakashi said, as he clasped his hands on top of his desk. "I'm not the hokage right now, I'm just a sensei who wants to check up on one of his students. We haven't been able to sit down and talk lately and I want to know how you're doing. Plus, I haven't seen your little ones in a while."
"If you put it that way..." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head. "Everything has been pretty great actually. You know Sakura-chan was made head surgeon at the hospital when baachan retired last year. Ino-chan and Anko-chan are the heads of the IT department, but to be honest it's been pretty slow for them lately."
"Our relationships with the other shinobi villages have never been better, largely in part thanks to your help." Kakashi said, a smile hidden behind his mask. "Of course there's still the occasional rouge ninja and stray bandit groups, but all-in-all we're in times of peace."
"Yeah, that's why most of missions lately have been peacekeeping missions to the other villages." Naruto said, scratching his cheek.
"Well you are quite famous throughout the shinobi world." Kakashi said with an eye smile. "It's only natural we'd make you our primary diplomat."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy that there's peace in the world right now." Naruto said, before releasing a heavy sigh. "But..."
"You miss the action." Kakashi finished, which caused Naruto to nod his head. "Don't worry Naruto, you'll get your chance to do some fighting. Tell you what, next time we have a mission to take out some bandits the mission is all yours."
"Thanks sensei, I really appreciate that." Naruto said, smiling at his silver-haired teacher.
"So what else is happening? How are the other girls?" Kakashi asked, as he leaned back in his chair.
"Konan-chan was recently made headmaster of the academy. Temari-chan is now a full time teacher at the academy, and the kids are always shocked to find out she's the Kazekage's older sister." Naruto replied, laughing when he remembered the awed looks on all of the kids face. "Even though we're in peacetime there's no shortage of kids who want to grow up and be ninja." Naruto released a light sigh and gazed out a nearby window at the Hokage Monument.
"Well they have a great role model to look up to." Kakashi said with a light chuckle, which caused Naruto to slightly blush in embarassment.
"Anyways...Tenten-chan, Hinata-chan, and Ryuuzetsu-chan are all still active shinobi. But they try to take less missions so that they can spend time with the kids." Naruto said, turning back to look at Kakashi. "The kids have been great too, but they're quite the handful. They just love to yell and run all around the house. Minato, Boruto, and Hikaru are the most energetic...and troublesome of the bunch. All three of them love to run off and get into places they're not supposed to be. Tenten-chan actually caught Boruto in her armory one afternoon. Luckily she stopped him before he could possibly hurt himself. Then there was the time Hikaru snuck out of the house and somehow wandered all the way Aburame compound. I swear Anko-chan was going to have a heart attack if Shino hadn't shown up to drop Hikaru off."
"Sounds rough." Kakashi said, as he leaned back forward.
"It was really rough for the first few months. But once we got into a routine things got a lot better." Naruto explained, smiling as he remembered all of the late nights trying to get all of the kids to fall asleep. "Aside from those three, the rest of the kids are pretty well behaved. Kushina, Shinachiku, Himawari, and Reiji are so easy going and well mannered, compared to the other kids. Especially Kushina, she loves to help Sakura clean up or set the dinner table. Sachihiro, Yūdōtō, Ame, and Amanokaze are somewhere in the middle. Sometimes they're really easy, but other times they're almost as bad as Boruto or Hikaru."
"How have Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama been doing? I haven't seen either of them in a few weeks." Kakashi asked, as he got out of his chair and walked over to the window.
"They've been pretty good." Naruto replied, getting up and standing next to Kakashi. "I'm so glad they don't mind babysitting the kids. If me and girls weren't so busy we would watch them more often, but like I said we try to make as much time for them as possible. But I don't think the kids mind, because Tsunade-baachan just loves to spoil them all. Plus all the kids love listening to Ero-sennin's stories. Don't worry, baachan always makes sure his stories are child appropriate." Naruto released a light sigh and put his hands in his pockets. "It must be hard for her, knowing that she can't have kids of her own. But I am happy that she can enjoy spending time with my kids. She always has gets biggest smile on her face when we drop the kids off."
"What about your booty calls in the other villages?" Kakashi asked in a teasing tone.
"Oi! They're not 'booty calls!' I care about all of them, but they can't stay here for various reasons." Naruto snapped, as he glared at Kakashi in annoyance. The blonde jinchuriki didn't take kindly to people insulting his girls, even if they were joking. "To answer your question, they're all doing very well. Yugito-chan is one of the strongest and most respected kunoichi in Kumogakure. She's still very loyal to Kumo, but she tries to drop by whenever she can to talk with the girls and play with the kids. Mei-chan told me that she's planning on stepping down as Mizukage within the next few years. She already has a pretty good idea of who she wants as her replacement, so she won't have to worry about that. Once she retires Mei-chan plans to leave Kirigakure and move in with me and the girls. Kurotsuchi-chan is still working hard to become Tsuchikage, just like I'm working my ass off to be Hokage. But she told me that it's very likely that she'll get the job once her grandfather retires. Fū-chan has become the strongest shinobi in Takigakure, and Shibuki is allowing her to leave the village more often and go on more solo missions. She's also fully mastered Chōmei's powers, and the two of them have apparently become great friends. Once Shibuki allows it, Fū-chan plans to move here and live with me. Lastly, Shion-chan is still the priestess of Oni no Kuni. But she's often kept busy by little Fumiko." Naruto softly smiled as he pictured the beautiful little red-haired girl's smiling face. Shion had picked the name, because she thought that the little girl was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. "I try to stop by at least twice a week to visit and spend time with them. If I can I drop in more often I do, but we've been so busy lately that I can barely manage two times a week. Heh, Shion's already getting Fumiko ready to take over as priestess. Nothing too hard right now, just a few simple lessons a few times a week."
"Hmm, that good to hear." Kakashi hummed, walking back over to his chair and sinking into it.
"So..." Naruto said, as he took a seat as well. "I told you all about myself...how are things with you and Shizune?"
"To be honest..." Kakashi replied, rubbing the back of his head. "Things have been rather...strained...between us ever since we started getting swamped by all this work. We don't have a lot of time to sit down and talk, eat together, or do anything that married couples should do. You know that Shizune and I have been trying to have a baby, right? Well, by the time I get home after work I'm usually too exhausted to be intimate with Shizune, and I can tell that it's starting to irritate her. I know she understands the situation, but that doesn't stop her from being disappointed."
"That stack of papers is the last of your work, right sensei?" Naruto asked, as he glanced at the large stack of paperwork on Kakashi's desk.
"Yeah, and if I'm lucky I'll be finished with it before midnight." Kakashi replied, releasing a heavy sigh. "It was nice chatting with you Naruto, but you don't have to stay any longer. You should go home and spend time with your family."
"You know Kakashi-sensei, if you don't mind I can finish that paperwork for you." Naruto said, which caused Kakashi's eyes to widen. "All you really need to do is stamp your signature, right?"
"Well...yeah, but you don't have to do this Naruto. You should go home and spend time-"
"And you should head home and spend time with Shizune." Naruto cut his sensei off and got out of his chair. Walking over to Kakashi, Naruto gently ushered the Hokage towards the door. "Don't worry sensei I'll explain everything to the girls when I get home later. I'll finish everything here, so go home with Shizune and relax." Naruto smiled slyly and nudged Kakashi's arm. "Maybe even work on that baby you two want."
"Naruto you don't-"
"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer." Naruto said, pushing Kakashi into the hallway. The blonde jinchuriki smiled brightly at his bewildered sensei. "Goodnight Kakashi-sensei, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Wait!" Kakashi called out, as he stopped Naruto from closing the door. "*Sigh* Fine you win, I'll let you finish up here and I'll head home early. But..." Kakashi placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and gave him an eye smile. "Come by my office early on Monday, I have something important to discuss with you."
"Sure thing sensei." Naruto said, pushing Kakashi back into the hallway. "Now get on out of here!" When Naruto was sure Kakashi was gone, he formed a familiar hand sign. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Two clones popped into existence next to Naruto. "Alright guys let's knock to paperwork out and get back home quick as possible!"
"YEAH!" Both clones cheered before the three Narutos started finishing the rest of Kakashi's work.
(The Following Monday; Naruto's Home)
"AH!" Naruto yelled, as he bolted upright in his bed. The blonde jinchuriki was panting slightly and a thin sheen of sweat coated his body. Pressing a hand to his forehead, Naruto took a calming breath. "What the hell was that dream?"
"Ugh, what's wrong Naruto?" Sakura asked in a tired voice, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. The pinkette brushed her long pink locks out of her eyes as she sat up next to Naruto. "It's not like you to scream like that."
"Yeah, what's got you so worked up Naruto-kun?" Hinata's exhausted voice came from Naruto's other side. The Hyuuga stifled a yawn as she hugged Naruto's arm. "Did you have a bad dream or something?"
"I did, well it wasn't a nightmare or anything...but it was such a strange dream. Everything just seemed so wrong." Naruto replied, as he ran his hands down his face.
"Tell us about it." Sakura said, as she gently rubbed Naruto's back. "It will probably help to talk about what you saw."
"*Sigh* Okay, I'll tell you..." Naruto said, taking a deep breath. "The dream seemed like it was taking place in an alternate universe and it seemed to follow me several years of my life. It looked like the dream started around this time in our lives, after the war had ended. But things were different from our world. First off, I wasn't married to any of you girls, in fact it seemed like I was a complete dumbass when it came to emotions and couldn't tell the difference between love for food and romantic love."
"Well that's just stupid." Sakura said, as her brows furrowed. "You're the smartest person I know when it comes to judging someone's emotions. I mean you were able to make Zabuza, a hardened assassin, cry because you understood how much Haku loved him. Then you were completely connect with Gaara, because both of you had gone through similar hardships." Sakura suddenly turned her head and spoke very softly. "And at Tetsu no Kuni you were able to tell that I wasn't completely honest with my feelings for you yet."
"Yeah, I knew you still had lingering feelings for Sasuke back then..." Naruto said, kissing the top of Sakura's head. "But I knew deep down that you were starting to love me and all that I needed to do was be patient and keep winning your heart over piece by piece."
"And you definitely did that, you baka." Sakura said, as she smiled warmly at Naruto.
"What else happened in your dream, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked, gently tugging on Naruto's arm to get his attention.
"Oh yeah...well aside from being emotionally stupid it seemed like I was still village's hero. Heheh, I even had a bunch of fangirls." Naruto continued, as he rubbed the back of his head in embarassment.
"For the love of kami never mention fangirls again." Sakura groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm so ashamed of that part of my life and I want to completely forget it."
"No problem Sakura-chan...hey, do you remember when I asked if I should cut my hair shorter?" Naruto asked, which caused Sakura to quirk an eyebrow.
"Yeah. I said I'd slap you if you ever did something so stupid." Sakura replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "You'd look terrible with short hair. Why do you ask?"
"Well apparently the version of me in my dream didn't get that message...You were absolutely right Sakura-chan, I looked horrible." Naruto said, as he shuddered slightly. "Aside from that most of the dream during that portion of my life is rather hazy, but I do remember a few details. There was some creepy looking guy named Toneri who was related to Kaguya and...he lived on the Moon." Both Hinata and Sakura looked rather confused when Naruto said this. "He was trying to kidnap you Hinata-chan, but he took Hanabi by mistake and ended up taking her Byakugan." Hinata gasped and hugged Naruto's arm tighter. "Most of the rest is really fuzzy, but I do remember that Toneri wanted to crash the Moon into the Earth or something like that. Then...we ended up going to the Moon to stop him."
"Naruto, this dream is getting stupider every second." Sakura said with a deadpanned look. "It sounds like some really bad story that a child wrote."
"I know, that's why it's confusing me so much, because it felt so...real." Naruto said, gazing down at his hands. "But that's not all, during this whole thing with Toneri you were constantly knitting this red scarf, Hinata-chan. Even when we were going to save Hanabi you were still focused on finishing that scarf."
"What! I would never do something so selfish and stupid!" Hinata exclaimed in a somewhat offended tone. "I love my little sister and all my focus would be on saving her."
"I understand Hinata-chan, you'd risk your life to save Hanabi. You're a kind and loving big sister." Naruto said, as he patted Hinata on the head. "But if remember right, you wanted to use the scarf as a way to confess your feelings to me. You'd give me the scarf as a gift and confess." Hinata blushed slightly and buried her head into Naruto's shoulder. "Then I remember you said something really strange during the mission, Sakura."
"Me?" Sakura asked, gesturing to herself. "What did I say?"
"Yeah...you said...that the only reason I loved you was because I was trying to compete with Sasuke, and that my feelings for you weren't genuine." Naruto explained, causing Sakura's eyes to widen. "I know it isn't true but-" Naruto was cut off when Sakura gently slapped him on the cheek.
"Don't you ever doubt my love for you Naruto Uzumaki! Or your love for me!" Sakura exclaimed, feeling tears sting the corners of her eyes. "Saying that your love for me was because of your rivalry with Sasuke is the stupidest thing I've ever heard! If your feelings for me were because of your competition with Sasuke, why didn't you go after Ino or any of the other girls who liked Sasuke? Why did you still try to earn my love after Sasuke was gone, when he wasn't around to compete with? Why would you reject my confession in Tetsu no Kuni if your love was just for some childish competition? I know you better than anyone else in this world Naruto Uzumaki, and I know you'd never fake your love for anyone, ever."
"Thanks Sakura-chan, I really needed to hear that." Naruto said, as he smiled brightly at Sakura. "You really do know me best."
"Did anything else happen in your dream, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked, tugging on Naruto's arm once again.
"Well...we did end up defeating Toneri...and then I started dating you Hinata." Naruto replied, which caused Hinata to quirk an eyebrow in confusion.
"Me? What about Sakura and the other girls?" Hinata asked, glancing at Sakura; who was awaiting Naruto's answer.
"That's the thing..." Naruto explained, as he rubbed the back of his head. "In my dream Sasuke was still alive." Both girls gasped when they heard this. "Sakura-chan ended up marrying Sasuke and I married you Hinata-chan. Ino-chan was married to Sai and Temari-chan was married to Shikamaru-"
"Ino married Sai!?" Sakura exclaimed in a shocked tone. "That makes no sense! I mean, Ino mentioned that Sai was kinda cute once, but she was never interested in him that way. And Temari and Shikamaru were still together, even after that big fight they had? AND I MARRIED SASUKE!?" By now Sakura's yelling had woken the other girls. "I would never even think about marrying him after all the shit he's done to me!"
"Oi, what the hell is all the yelling for?" Anko asked in a sleepy tone, doing her best to stifle a yawn. "The kids aren't even up yet for kami's sake."
"Yeah, I was having such a good dream." Ino complained, as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "What's got you all worked up Forehead."
"Naruto is telling Hinata and I about a dream he had, and it's seriously screwed up." Sakura explained, releasing an annoyed huff. "Even if it was just a dream set in an alternate universe, I would never marry Sasuke."
"Forehead marry Sasuke?" Ino repeated, as she quirked an eyebrow. "That is a really strange dream."
"But that's not all..." Naruto said, getting everyone's attention. "Little Sarada was your daughter in my dream Sakura-chan."
"What? But she's Itachi and Karin's kid." Sakura said in a confused tone.
"I know, that part confused me too..." Naruto said, before he turned to face Hinata. "Boruto and Himawari were in my dream as well, but they were...different."
"Different?" Hinata parroted, as she slightly cocked her head. "What do you mean Naruto-kun?"
"Personality wise they were about the same...but they looked different." Naruto explained, scratching his chin. "First off Himawari didn't have her Byakugan. In fact neither of them had it."
"Well that doesn't make much sense." Hinata said, as she crossed her arms underneath her chest. "The Byakugan is an extremely aggressive gene. I guess if we only had one child that it's possible for them not to have it. But since we had two children that's very unlikely."
"That wasn't the only thing different about their appearance." Naruto said, running his hands through his long blonde hair. "Both of them had two whisker marks on their face like mine."
"Now that's impossible." Sakura chimed in, as she rubbed the marks on Naruto's cheeks. "The only reason you have those markings is because your mother was Kurama's jinchuriki while she was pregnant with you. So unless Hinata was somehow Kurama's jinchuriki it'd be impossible for your children to have those markings. Because they're not something that can be genetically passed down."
"Oi, enough about those two..." Anko said, suddenly sitting in front of Naruto. "What happened to me in your dream?"
"Yeah, I wanna know too." Tenten said, as she scooted closer to Naruto. "Did anything special happen to me?"
"Well you were running a weapons shop Tenten-chan." Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head and smiling nervously at Tenten. "But...you didn't exactly look too happy. I guess the world was pretty peaceful like it is now, so you weren't getting much business."
"Huh, that's pretty boring." Tenten said, as she rested her head in her hand.
"What about me gaki?" Anko asked, causing Naruto to tense up, something that wasn't missed by Anko. "Gaki..." Anko's tone was eerily calm as she leaned closer to Naruto. "What. About. Me."
"Heheh...well...you see...Anko-chan...you were..." Naruto began to stutter uncontrollably as he searched for a way out of the conversation.
"Uh, I'm gonna go check on the kids." Konan said, sliding out of the bed. The bluenette could tell that situation was likely about to get rather ugly.
"I might as well check up on Amanokaze." Temari said, as she practically jumped out of the bed.
"I'll go with you." Ryuuzetsu said, quickly following after Konan and Temari. All the girls, and especially Naruto, knew that Anko could be very scary when she wanted to be.
"Go on Naruto..." There was something about the way Anko said his name that caused a shiver to run down Naruto's spine, or maybe it was the sickly sweet tone she was now using. "I'm waiting..."
"Umm...Anko-chan...in my dream...you were..." Naruto said, as he audibly gulped in fear. The blonde jinchuriki knew that there was no way out of this, so he decided to just face the music. Taking a calm breath, Naruto steeled himself for what was about to happen. "Anko-chan...in my dream...you were...you were...fat..."
"Huh?" Anko said, tightly balling her fists. "Care to repeat that gaki?"
"*Gulp* I said you were fat in my dream, Anko-chan..." Naruto said, as he noticed that Anko's brow was now twitching in irritation. "It looked like you had spent the last few years doing nothing but eating dan-" Naruto was cut off when Anko suddenly kicked him the chest, sending him flying across the bedroom.
"Like hell that will ever happen!" Anko exclaimed, fiercely glaring at Naruto. Konoha's snake mistress got off the bed and stormed over to her still dazed husband. With one strong pull, Anko yanked Naruto onto his feet. "Listen here gaki! This body..." Anko grabbed Naruto's head and shoved it between her breasts. "Will always be tight and toned for you. Don't you ever forget that." Anko suddenly pulled Naruto into a deep kiss, before she drop the stunned man on his ass. "I'm going to check on Hikaru."
"What...the hell just happened?" Naruto muttered, as he watched Anko strut out of the room, with a considerable sway in her hips.
"I will never understand that woman." Sakura said with a sigh, sliding out of the large bed. "Well that sure was an interesting dream you had Naruto, thanks for telling us about it." Sakura turned and gently grabbed Hinata's hand. "Come on Hinata, let's start on breakfast."
"Oh, uh sure thing Sakura." Hinata squeaked, as she let Sakura lead her out into the hallway.
"Wait, I'll help you guys." Ino said, running after Hinata and Sakura.
Naruto released a heavy sigh once he was all alone in the bedroom. "I know it was just a dream...but it felt so real. It almost felt as if it was something that could have happened but didn't...but there's no way that could have been me..." Naruto grimaced as he looked down at his balled fist. There was one part of his dream that he couldn't bear to tell his wives. "There's no way I would ever hit my own kid, no matter what he did. I would never be such a terrible father..." Releasing a light sigh, Naruto began to ready to meet Kakashi. After he got dressed and tied on his forehead protector, Naruto began to walk out of the bedroom. However, he stopped when he passed a certain picture on his dresser. It was a picture of Team 7 back in there genin days. Naruto's eyes saddened as he gazed at Sasuke's image. "Even after two years and all the terrible things you've done, I still miss you and consider you my brother...I...I wish things could have turned out differently between us Sasuke. I wish we could have brought peace to the shinobi world together, working side by side. Maybe when we meet again in the next life we'll be able to patch things up between us and be friends again."
(Two Hours Later; Hokage Tower)
"I wonder what the furball thinks of my dream?" Naruto asked himself, as he walked up the steps towards Kakashi's office. "Oi Kurama, can you here me?"
"Yeah, I can hear you loud and clear Naruto." Kurama replied, cracking a single eye open. "What did you want?"
"Were you listening this morning? When I was talking about the dream I had?"
"Yes I was. It was an intriguing topic, so I made sure I paid close attention." The Kyuubi suddenly let out a deep chuckle. "It was quite funny when your mate kicked you across the room."
"Well aside from that, what did you think of my dream?"
"Hmm, if what you said is true then that was quite a strange dream." Kurama said, before he grunted and closed his eye once again. "Some people believe that there an infinite number of universes that run parallel to ours. That every little decision we make creates a new universe based on what you decided."
"Wow, that sounds amazing...An infinite number of possible universes huh? Do you believe in that Kurama?"
"Who knows..." Kurama said, shrugging his large shoulders. "There's real way to prove that those parallel worlds exist, so I try not to think about it too much. Live in the here and now, you know."
"I guess that makes sense..."
"Hey, you might want to get your head together, because you're right in front of your sensei's office."
"Oh, thanks Kurama." Naruto thought, as he reached out to knock on the door to Kakashi's office.
"One last thing Naruto..." Kurama muttered before he went back to sleep. "Don't worry about what you saw kid, we all know that you're a great dad."
"Thank you Kurama." Naruto said under his breath, knocking on the door. "It's me Kakashi-sensei! You said you wanted to see me!"
"Oh Naruto! Come on in!" Kakashi's voice called out from within the office. "We have something very important to discuss!"
"What did you want to talk about Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked, as he walked into the room. "You said it was something important."
"Yes, it is very important Naruto." Kakashi replied, clasping his hands on top of the desk. "What I want to discuss with you has to do with what you've been working so hard for the past two years." Naruto's eyes slowly widened as he caught onto what Kakashi was talking about. "All the work you've been doing the past two years has proved to me, without doubt, that you're ready to take over as Hokage."
"But sensei!" Naruto exclaimed, as he shot up from his seat. "You've only been Hokage for three years, and I'm still so young and-"
"Your father wasn't much older than you when he became Hokage." Kakashi said, smiling underneath his mask. "To be honest Naruto I never really wanted to be Hokage in the first place. Don't get me wrong I'm honored that I was even offered the position, and it certainly had its moments. However, Tsunade-sama convinced me to take this job because she felt you weren't quite ready when the war ended. But she told me that when I felt you were prepared, that I could step down and let you take over. And I am ready to step down Naruto, because I want to focus on starting a family with Shizune. So it's time for me to start easing out of the shinobi life."
"Sensei...I...I don't know what t-to say..." Naruto stuttered out, as he felt tears of joy form in his eyes.
"You don't have to say anything Naruto." Kakashi said, walking over to his former student and placing his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I can't think of anyone more worthy to lead this village. Naruto, you've almost single-handedly united all of the shinobi villages. Because of you we haven't had any problems with the other villages since the war ended. Your parents would be so proud of everything you've accomplished."
"T-Thank you Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said, as he pulled Kakashi in for a tight hug. "You've always looked out for me and done so much for me. I could't have asked for a better sensei."
"And I couldn't have asked for a better student...even though you were a real handful sometimes." Kakashi said with a chuckle, patting Naruto on the back. "So, congratulations Nanadaime-sama."
"Man I can't believe it..." Naruto breathed out, as a stupid grin began to spread across his face. "I'M GONNA BE HOKAGE!"
"Alright, alright...why don't you head home and tell your family the good news." Kakashi said with an eyes mile. "I'll make the formal announcement in a two weeks, so try to keep your mouth shut until then."
"Sure thing sensei!" Naruto cheered, as he leaped onto the windowsill. "I gotta get home fast and tell everyone!" Then with a childlike yell, Naruto hopped out of the window.
"That kid..." Kakashi said in an amused tone, sinking back into his chair. "I don't think I could leave the village in more capable hands."
As Kakashi returned to his paperwork, he never noticed a cloaked figure sitting just outside his window. The cloaked man had an evil smirk on his face as red Sharingan eyes glowed from underneath his hood.
"So the dobe is finally being made Hokage, huh?" Sasuke mused to himself, staring at the expanding village before him. "Two weeks? Sounds like the perfect time to strike."
(Two Weeks Later; Naruto's Home)
"Today's the big day." Naruto muttered, as he checked his appearance in the mirror. Once he was satisfied, Naruto began to get dressed. "Kakashi-sensei is naming me the next Hokage in a few hours, so I should try to relax and go over the speech Sakura-chan helped me write." Naruto sat at the edge of his bed and pulled a folded sheet of paper from his pocket. As the blonde jinchuriki went over his speech he could hear the house bustling with activity. All of the girls were busy getting themselves and the kids ready for the inauguration. Naruto lightly chuckled when he heard Ino and Sakura begin to argue on how to do their hair. But Naruto was interrupted from his practice when there were a few knocks at the door. "Come on in!" When the door opened Naruto was surprised to see Konohamaru step in. "What's up Konohamaru?"
"I know you're busy getting ready for today boss, but..." Konohamaru replied, nervously rubbing the back of his head. "There's been another one."
"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, shooting up from the bed. "When?! Where!?"
"We just found it now and it was located about a mile north of the village along besides the main road." Konohamaru explained, as he stared at the floor. "We can handle this alone boss and you can keep getting ready. I just thought you should know-"
"Take me there now." Naruto said, tying on his forehead protector. "This is the fifth time in three months. We have to get to the bottom of this."
"Alright I'll take you there, but we have to hurry. You have to meet Kakashi-sama in an hour." Konohamaru said, as he walked out of the room.
"Yeah I know, let's make this quick." Naruto said darkly, closely following behind Konohamaru.
(Five Minutes Later; Main Road North of Konoha)
"Here it is boss." Konohamaru said, as both shinobi arrived on the scene. "Kami it's a fucking mess like usual."
"Who the hell is doing this?" Naruto asked, crouching down next to a dead Konoha shinobi. The blonde jinchuriki frowned when he saw the gaping hole in the shinobi's chest. "It's just like all the other ones."
"Murders like this have been springing up the past two years." Konohamaru said with a heavy sigh, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "And we still have barely any leads on who the killer is."
"Where are Moegi and Udon?" Naruto asked, scanning the surrounding area for possible clues.
"They're both searching through the woods nearby for any leads." Konohamaru replied, as he crouched down next to Naruto. "This is really starting to worry me boss."
"I know, I'm getting a little spooked too." Naruto said, running his hand down his face. "Have you guys searched the body for any evidence yet?"
"Not yet." Konohamaru said, as Naruto stood back onto his feet.
"Then you do that, I'll see if I can help Udon and Moegi." Naruto said, running into the surrounding forest.
"Okay, let's see if we can find anything..." Konohamaru said, as he began to root through the shinobi's pockets. Pulling out the man's wallet, Konohamaru's eyes saddened when he saw a picture of the what looked like the man's wife and two kids. "Poor bastard...leaving a family behind. *Sigh* I'm gonna have to let them know when we get back." After securing the wallet in an evidence bag, Konohamaru began to dig through the shinobi's flak jacket. Konohamaru eventually found something after a few moments of searching. But what Konohamaru pulled out caused his eyes to widen. "Boss! You need to check this out!" Within seconds Naruto, Moegi, and Udon were next to Konohamaru.
"What did you find?!" Naruto asked, coming to a skidding stop. Konohamaru didn't reply, he simply handed Naruto what appeared to be a small picture. But when Naruto saw what the picture was of his eyes shot open in both shock and fear. "What the hell?" It was picture of his entire family, but that's not what worried Naruto. On the back of the picture was a short message.
"Beautiful family you've got here dobe, it would be a shame if something happened to them. If you want to keep your family safe you'll come and settle things. You know where to go."
"The killer is calling me out..." Naruto said, as he crushed the photo in his hand. "He placed this photo on the body knowing we'd find it..." Naruto growled as he tightly balled his fists. "There's no doubt anymore...Sasuke is definitely alive somehow and he's been killing people to get my attention. But this is going to far...No one threatens my family and gets away with it!"
"Boss, have you figured something out?" Konohamaru asked, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"Yeah, I know who the killer is..." Naruto replied, as he turned to face Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon. "And I'm going to stop him...alone."
"But boss-"
"No arguing!" Naruto exclaimed, cutting Konohamaru off before he could say anymore. "This is something I have to settle personally. The killer has a grudge against me, so I have to be the one to stop them. But I have an important job for you three. Moegi and Udon I need you two to explain the situation to Kakashi-sensei and stall as long as possible, don't worry he'll understand. Konohamaru, I need you to keep my family safe and make sure they don't find out what's going on."
"Yes sir!" The three chunnin yelled, before the ran off to complete their assignments.
"Alright Sasuke, it's time we end this..." Naruto said, activating his Bijuu Chakra Mode and sprinting towards where he knew Sasuke was. "For real this time."
(Ten Minutes Later; Back at Naruto's Home)
"Where is that baka!?" Sakura yelled, as her and the rest of the girls frantically searched the house for their husband. "We have to meet with Kakashi-sensei in ten minutes!"
"Mommy, where's daddy?" Kushina asked, closely following behind her mother.
"We don't know sweetie, that's why everyone one is looking for him." Sakura replied, as she smiled down at her daughter. "I swear when I find him I'm going to kick his as-"
"Mommy was gonna say a swear!" Minato laughed, running past Sakura and Kushina.
"No swearing mommy!" Shinachiku said, as he followed right behind his brother.
"Yes I was honey, thanks for stopping me." Sakura said, ruffling Minato's hair, much to the young boy's annoyance. "Mommy is getting a little flustered right now, so why don't you two go help your brothers and sisters look for daddy."
"Okay!" The three children cheered, before they ran off to join the other kids.
"I'm going to wring his fucking neck." Sakura hissed, letting out a heavy sigh. Taking a calming breath, Sakura sank into a chair in the kitchen. "This is the biggest day of his life and he's going to be late. I mean this is the dream he's been fighting and working so hard to achieve, the dream that I want him to achieve as well." Just then the front door to the house opened. Expecting it to be Naruto, Sakura rushed over to give her idiot husband an earful. "Where the hell have you be-" However, Sakura stopped dead in her tracks when she saw that it was Konohamaru. "Oh, it's you Konohamaru."
"Hey Sakura!" Konohamaru cheered with a forced smile and an awkward wave. Both of which Sakura picked up on almost instantly. Naruto was never a good liar and Konohamaru wasn't any better. Konohamaru almost immidiately began to sweat from Sakura's intense gaze. "Why did the boss have to pick me for this job!? I fucking suck at lying, especially to girls! Why didn't he send Moegi instead!?"
"You know where that baka is don't you?" Sakura asked in a deadpanned voice, causing Konohamaru to squeak in surprise.
"N-No, I have no i-idea where the b-boss is." Konohamaru stuttered out, as he turned back towards the door. "Whoops! I forgot there's something I need to do! See you la-"
"Konohamaru..." Sakura said in a menacing tone, grabbing ahold of the chunnin's shoulder. "Where. Is. Naruto." Konohamaru yelped when Sakura's grip on his shoulder tightened considerably. "I'm only going to ask this one time before I start really hurting you."
"Okay! Okay! I'll tell you! Just don't break my shoulder!" Konohamaru exclaimed, as Sakura loosened her grip on his abused shoulder. "You know about all those mysterious murders that have been popping up the past two years, right?" When Sakura nodded her head, Konohamaru released a light sigh. "Well I guess the boss figured out who's been doing the killings, so he went after him."
"He what?!" Sakura yelled, spinning Konohamaru around so that he could face her. "Where is he going!? Who is the killer!?"
"I don't know, the boss didn't tell us before he left." Konohamaru replied, as a frown spread across his face. "He just told me to try and keep you guys from finding out, but I guess that plan failed immidiately."
"Son of a bitch..." Sakura hissed, quickly pulling off her heels and jewelry. "That damn baka...running off on his own..."
"Uh Sakura...what are you doing?" Konohamaru asked, as he watched Sakura tie her hair into a ponytail. The young chunnin had to quickly avert his eyes when Sakura stripped out of the dress she was wearing. When Konohamaru looked again Sakura was dressed in her normal shinobi attire, and appeared to be packing a small pouch with supplies. "Sakura?"
"What do you think I'm doing!?" Sakura yelled, whipping her head around to glare at Konohamaru. "I'm going to help my stupid husband and make sure he doesn't get himself hurt!"
"But the boss said he can handle-"
"I don't care!" Sakura shouted, as she slammed her hands onto the table, causing it to slightly crack. "He's my husband Konohamaru and I have to make sure he makes it back home safe...plus...I just have a really bad feeling about this." Strapping the supply pouch to her waist, Sakura walked towards the door. "Don't try and stop me."
"Sakura-" Konohamaru was cut off when Sakura slammed the door behind her. "Damn, the boss married such a hothead." Rubbing the back of his head, Konohamaru released a light sigh. However, Konohamaru soon felt several pairs of eyes on his. When Konohamaru turned around he wasn't surprised to see the rest of Naruto's wives staring at him. "*Sigh* I'm guessing you all heard that, right?" Seeing all the girls nod, Konohamaru groaned in annoyance and hung his head. Before Konohamaru could say a word the girls were all rushing to change into their shinobi attire, ready to join Sakura. "I fucking suck at this type of stuff."
(Two Minutes Later; Karin and Itachi's Home)
"Itachi! Are you almost ready!?" Karin called out, as she gave herself one last once over in the mirror. Satisfied with her appearance, Karin put in her earrings. "We've gotta hurry if we wanna make it to the Hokage Tower in time! I will not be late for Naruto's Inauguration!"
"We're coming." Itachi said, suddenly appearing next to Karin with Sarada in his arms. "Sorry Sarada kept fussing when I was helping her change."
"We'll you both look great." Karin said with a smile, as she kissed Itachi on the cheek. "And you little missy, you be on your best behavior tonight, okay? This is a big day for your uncle Naruto."
"I'll be good mommy." Sarada said, messing with the bow in her hair.
"I know you will." Karin said, as she gave Sarada a quick kiss on the forehead. "Because you're always such a good girl." Seeing that everyone was ready to go, Karin clapped her hands. "Alright everyone let's-" Karin stopped when there were a few frantic knocks at her door. Quirking an eyebrow, Karin went to open the door. "I wonder who it could be?" The last thing Karin expected to see was a panting and frantic looking Sakura Uzumaki on her doorstep. "Sakura? Why are you here? Is something wrong?"
"I need your help Karin!" Sakura replied, grabbing ahold of Karin's shoulders. The pinkette's voice was fast and frantic as she spoke. "Naruto is missing! He went after some serial killer by himself and I have no idea where he went! I need you to use chakra sensing skills to find Naruto so I can go after him and help him!"
"Whoa! Whoa! Calm down Sakura!" Karin exclaimed, as she tried to ease the pinkette. "Now slow down and tell me what's going on."
"Naruto is missing." Sakura repeated after taking a deep breath to calm herself. "He's apparently going after some serial killer and that baka went by himself. So can you please use your chakra sensing abilities to find Naruto?"
"That moron..." Karin muttered, as she absentmindedly shook her head. "Of course I'll help you find him Sakura. Come into the living room and I'll see if I can sense his chakra."
"Thank you so much Karin." Sakura said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Of course, Naruto is a part of my family." Karin said with a smile, as she lead Sakura into the living room. Both kunoichi took a seat, with Itachi standing behind Karin. "Alright, let's get started." Taking a deep breath, Karin closed her eyes and began to search for Naruto's chakra. Because Naruto had such a large and unique chakra signature it was very easy for Karin to locate it, so only after less than a minute she had found him. But there was another distinct chakra signature that Naruto was rapidly approaching. The chakra felt oddly familiar to Karin and caused a chill to run down her spine. "I found him Sakura. He's moving North extremely fast towards our border with the Land of Sound."
"Thanks for your help Karin, I'll find him on my own from here." Sakura said, standing up from the couch. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go help my idiot husband."
"Wait, before you go Sakura..." Karin said, as she grabbed ahold of Sakura's wrist. "Please be careful. I sense another chakra signature that Naruto was heading towards...it was so cold...and evil. Whoever's he going to fight is very strong and strongly desires vengeance."
"Vengeance..." Sakura thought, her mind beginning to race. Suddenly Sakura's eyes widened when she envisioned who Naruto was going to fight. "Sorry Karin, but I have to go now!" Before Karin could say anything else, Sakura was sprinting out of the house towards Konoha's gates.
"I hope they all come back okay." Karin muttered, as she watched Sakura leap onto a nearby rooftop.
(Two Minutes Later; Konoha's Main Gate)
"Okay, one last equipment check." Sakura said, rifling through the pouch on her waist. "Kunai...shuriken...smoke and flash bombs...alright that should be everything."
"You don't think you're leaving without us, do you Forehead?" Sakura spun around to see Ino smirking at her, with the rest of the girls standing behind her. "Naruto is my husband too."
"Ino...why are you here?" Sakura questioned, as the platinum blonde walked up to her with her hands on her hips.
"We overheard you talking to Konohamaru, so we're all here to help you find our stupid husband." Ino replied, flipping some hair out of her eyes.
"But what about the kids?" Sakura asked, as she suddenly became worried about the children's safety.
"Don't worry, I had Konohamaru take them over Tsunade-sama's house." Ino said, walking past Sakura towards the gate. "Well let's get to it. You know where Naruto is, so you lead the way Sakura."
"Thanks you guys, I knew I could count on you all." Sakura said, as she wiped a tear from her eye.
"We'll always have each other's backs." Ino said with a grin, wrapping an arm around Sakura's neck. "Now let's go help our husband take out an evil serial killer."
"Right!" Sakura exclaimed with a bright smile.
(Same Time; Remains of the Valley of the End)
"Alright I know you're here teme!" Naruto yelled, as he landed in the center of the destroyed valley. "Come out and face me!"
"Seems like you got my little message dobe." A cool, yet mocking, voice said from behind Naruto. Whipping around, Naruto's eyes widened when he spotted Sasuke sitting atop a pile of rocks. "It's been a while Naruto."
"So you are alive..." Naruto said, spotting several cracks in Sasuke's skin. But the most noticeable thing was the black sclera surrounding Sasuke's pupils. "No you're an Edo Tensei."
"Bingo." Sasuke said with a smirk, as he hopped down from the pile of rocks. "Seems like the old snake wanted to use me as a secret weapon until Otogakure could properly build up its defenses."
"So it was you who destroyed Oto." Naruto said through clenched teeth, tightly balling his fists. "You killed all those innocent people."
"Innocent? Otogakure was full of killers and thieves, and it was a stain on the map." Sasuke said, as he dismissively waved his hand. "You should be thanking me for killing all those scum."
"You bastard!" Naruto yelled, unconsciously tapping into Kurama's chakra, which turned his eyes blood red with slitted pupils. "Orochimaru was trying to turn the village around! Sure he did some unforgivable things, but he was trying to change and atone for his actions! He was even trying to reconnect with Ero-sennin and Tsunade-baachan!"
"So?" Sasuke asked, which further flared Sasuke's anger. Naruto's increasing fury wasn't missed by Sasuke. "Oho, looks like I'm starting to push your buttons."
"Why are you doing this?" Naruto asked, trying to calm his raging emotions. "You destroyed an entire village and have killed dozens of people the past two years."
"Well I destroyed Oto because it was an obstacle on my path to revolution." Sasuke replied, as he shrugged his shoulders. "And I killed all those people to try and keep you on edge the past two years while I bided my time."
"Bided your time for what?" Naruto questioned, causing a smirk to spread across Sasuke's face.
"To kill you of course." Sasuke answered casually as if it were nothing. "I've been observing you for the past two years, waiting for the perfect time to strike. You're still the greatest obstacle blocking my revolution, plus I have a score to settle with you now."
"Please Sasuke, give up on this revolution you're fixated on!" Naruto pleaded, trying desperately to convince his best friend. "The shinobi world has been at peace ever since the war ended! There's been no conflicts and relations between villages have never been stronger! Please just come back to the village! I'll vouch for you and make sure you aren't mistreated! If everyone can forgive Obito, they can forgive you too! You're bro-"
"I already know my brother and Shisui are alive once again." Sasuke cut Naruto off, as he locked eye with the blonde jinchuriki. "I must say I'm kinda hurt you didn't bring me back as well Naruto." Sasuke's mocking tone caused Naruto to grit his teeth in irritation. "You forget dobe, I've been watching you the past two years. I know you've started a family, have a big house, and...that you're being named the next Hokage today."
"You bastard, you picked today on purpose." Naruto said, playing fiercely at Sasuke.
"Of course. What better time to kill you then when you're about to achieve one of your lifelong dreams?" Sasuke said with an evil smirk. "I knew all I needed to do was threaten your family and you'd come running."
"I'll give you once last chance Sasuke, either come back with me peacefully or I'll take you down and seal you away." Naruto said, activating his Bijuu Chakra Mode. "This is your only warning teme."
"I think I'll pass." Sasuke said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'd much rather kill you then drop your corpse at Konoha's gate before I destroy the village...along with your precious family."
"You son of bitch!" Naruto roared, activating his rinnegan and teleporting in front of Sasuke. "Ranton: Rasengan!" Naruto slammed the raging, condensed storm cloud into Sasuke's chest. As Sasuke flew backwards the dark clouds swallowed him and engulfed his entire body in fierce storm. Piercing wind and powerful lighting assaulted Sasuke's body before he crashed into the rock wall on the other side of the valley.
"Seems you've adapted to my rinnegan very well." Sasuke said, as he fell out of the cloud of debris. The raven-haired shinobi's body was already in the process of repairing itself. "And you've gained some powerful new abilities. But this fight is in my favor. As an Edo Tensei I have unlimited chakra and I my body automatically heals itself. All I need to do is keep you fighting long enough for the poison in your body to cripple you."
"How do you know about that?!" Naruto yelled, his eyes widening in shock.
"Who do you think poisoned you?" Sasuke replied with an evil smirk. "I found an experimental poison in Orochimaru's lab before I destroyed it. He had developed the poison while he was still in the Akatsuki, and it was designed to weaken jinchuriki so they would be easier to capture. But Orochimaru left the Akatsuki before he could give them the poison. But he must have always kept a sample just in case he'd ever need it. So after I destroyed Oto I began to search for you. Then when I found you in Kumogakure I spiked one of your drinks while you partying with the Nibi jinchuriki."
"You bastard..." Naruto growled, already beginning to feel the poison's effects. "I haven't taken any of Tsunade-baachan's pills since this morning and using Kurama's chakra is making the pills' effects wear off quicker."
"But I must admit I was rather surprised when Tsunade developed a suppressant to counter the poison's effects for a while." Sasuke said, as he carefully eyed Naruto. "But by the looks of it, it's been a while since you've had your last dose. Good, that makes my job even easier."
"Is there even a cure for this?" Naruto asked, forming a fresh rasengan in his hand.
"Of course there is." Sasuke replied, as he pulled out a small vile full of dark green liquid. "Orochimaru developed a cure in case he ever used the poison to capture a jinchuriki. Once he had the jinchuriki's allegiance he'd administer the cure and have a new powerful weapon at his disposal." Suddenly a taunting smirk spread across Sasuke's face. "Maybe if you beat me again I'll give this you, but I really doubt you'll be able to beat me in your current condition."
"I have to end this fast and get that antidote!" Naruto thought, pumping elemental chakra into his rasengan. The rasengan quickly changed into a rapidly spinning sphere of ice in Naruto's palm. "Hyōton: Rasengan!" Naruto shot forward and pushed the ice rasengan into Sasuke's chest. The raven-haired shinobi grunted as the ice began cover his entire body. Once everything except the arm that was holding the antidote was frozen, Naruto approached Sasuke. "Sorry teme but this stupid game is over. I'm getting that antidote and I'm sealing you away forever." But right before Naruto could grab the vile, Sasuke's entire body became engulfed in inky black flames. Naruto had to leap backwards to avoid the intense flames. "He managed to use amaterasu?"
"You didn't think it'd be that easy, did you dobe?" Sasuke asked, now completely free from the ice.
"I was hoping it would be, but I didn't get my hopes us." Naruto said, his breathing starting to become slightly labored. "Shit, I'm running out of time. Better turn off my rinnegan to help conserve chakra."
"Be careful Naruto, our connection is starting fade rapidly." Kurama warned, as he already began to sense their link being severed. "It might be a good idea to retreat and get some back up."
"No! He'd just chase me down, so running away his useless, and there's no way I could involve anyone else in this." Naruto thought, gritting his teeth to fight off his growing exhaustion.
"Oh, you're not using the rinnegan anymore?" Sasuke asked, as he stalked towards Naruto. "Then you must be getting really close to your limit. It's only a matter of time now." Suddenly the air was filling with loud chirping as lighting danced off Sasuke's arm. "How about I speed up the process?" Without warning Sasuke shot towards Naruto. "Chidori!"
Naruto immediately leaped to the right to dodge the attack, but Sasuke didn't relent at all. Sasuke kept up the pressure and easily managed to keep pace with Naruto. The blonde jinchuriki ducked and weaved, trying his absolute best to avoid Sasuke's deadly attacks. With each step Naruto took he became weaker and his vision got blurrier. Naruto tried to fight back, punching, kicking, and countering whenever he could. Naruto had to avoid using anymore jutsus, because he didn't want to further drain his diminishing chakra. But Sasuke blocked each weak and slowed attack. Eventually Naruto was on the verge of exhaustion and his movements were becoming sloppy. After a particularly close call, Naruto stumbled on the landing and fell to the ground. The blonde jinchuriki was completely exhausted by that point and was having trouble breathing. Sasuke was on top of Naruto in an instant and stabbed his chidori through Naruto's left shoulder. Naruto howled in pain as the electricity seared his flesh and blood gushed from the wound.
"Looks like you're just about finished." Sasuke said, as he retracted his hand from Naruto's shoulder. The raven-haired shinobi crouched next to Naruto and pulled out a kunai. "Well it's time we end this little fight. Looks like I won this one dobe." Sasuke raised the kunai and was about to slit Naruto's throat, but several approaching chakra signatures caught his attention. "Actually..." Sasuke smirked as he put the kunai away and pulled out his katana. "Looks like we'll have some company soon. I think I'll make an example out of you before I take them out." Naruto winced when Sasuke pressed the cold steel against his cheek. "I think I'll take MY rinnegan back..." Sasuke then lowered his blade down to Naruto's right arm. "And I believe you owe me an arm as well."
(Five Minutes Later; Path Approaching the Valley of the End)
"Are you sure they're here Sakura?" Ino asked, following closely behind the pinkette, with all of the other girls in tow as well. "This place was pretty much destroyed during the war. Why would Naruto be here?"
"Karin said that Naruto was heading North toward the border with the Land of Sound." Sakura replied, her mind focused on saving her husband. "This is the only place that makes sense." Sakura turned away from Ino so that she could face Hinata. "Have you see anything yet Hinata?"
"Not yet..." Hinata replied, as she kept scanning the area ahead of them for any signs of Naruto. But before Hinata could say anymore she suddenly caught sight of Naruto. "Wait! I see Naruto-kun!" Hinata's exclamation immediately got everyone's attention. "He's sitting against a large rock in the middle of the valley...and...Oh kami he's hurt!"
"What?!" Sakura exclaimed, running up to Hinata. "How bad is he!? Can you tell?!"
"N-Not really..." Hinata said, as she searched for any noticeable injuries. "His heart beat is very slow...and I can see a large stab wound in his left shoulder..." Hinata's eyes widened when she saw Naruto's right arm, or lack of one. "His right arm...it's...gone."
"What?" Tenten breathed out, cupping a hand over her mouth.
"Someone cut off his right arm." Hinata explained, as tears formed in her eyes.
"Son of bitch!" Sakura exclaimed, sprinting towards where Naruto was.
"Sakura wa-" Ino tried to stop Sakura so they could come up with a plan. But Sakura wasn't going to listen, she had to get to Naruto fast. "*Sigh* Well let's go after." All the other girls nodded and followed after Sakura.
"Naruto!" Sakura shouted, jumping down into the valley. Seconds after she landed, Sakura spotted Naruto...and he looked far worse than anything she had expected. He was currently sitting a large pool of his own blood, his clothes drenched in the crimson liquid. Just like Hinata had said, there was a gaping hole in Naruto's left shoulder and his left arm from the elbow down was completely gone. But Sakura also noticed that Naruto's face was stained with blood as well, especially the left side of his face. "Naruto! Oh kami, what happened to you?!" Sakura was at Naruto's side in seconds, her hands glowing green as she did her best to heal him.
"S-Sakura-chan...w-what are you...doing h-here?" Naruto asked in a weak tone, as he cracked open his right eye. Tears began to pour from Sakura's eyes when she heard the pain in Naruto's voice and anguish in his eyes.
"Konohamaru told me you went after some serial killer!" Sakura exclaimed, pumping as much chakra she could into her hands. "What were you thinking do this on your own?!"
"Heh, I k-knew I c-couldn't trust K-Konohamaru...I should have s-sent M-Moegi." Naruto chuckled dryly, before he coughed up a mouthful of blood. "I'm sorry S-Sakura-chan. I didn't want to get any of you involved."
"You baka..." Sakura sobbed, chocking back a sob. "I'm your wife. I want to help you with anything I can. I'm not some little girl that you need to protect anymore. I can help you now."
"I know you're strong Sakura-chan..." Naruto said with a weak smile, as he wiped a tear from Sakura's eye. "You're the strongest woman I know..."
"Naruto...oh my kami..." Ino gasped when she saw the state Naruto was in. Immediately Ino was next to Sakura, her hands glowing green with healing chakra as well. "Don't worry Naruto we'll heal you and get you out of here."
"No..." Naruto said, which shocked all of his girls. "You all need to get out of here-"
"What are you saying!?" Sakura exclaimed, glaring fiercely at Naruto. "There's no way we'd abandon you!"
"You don't understand..." Naruto explained, as he stared at all of his girls. "This isn't some ordinary killer...it's-"
"Oh, looks like the gang's all here." An all too familiar voice said from behind the group. Sakura froze in place when she heard the voice she never wanted to hear again. Everyone turned around to see Sasuke smirking at them, rinnegan back in his possession. "Hmm, now I know Madara did this after he was revived..." Sasuke could feel his blood once again pumping through his veins and his heart beating in his chest. "Being alive is much more enjoyable then being an Edo Tensei."
"S-Sasuke...how are you alive?" Tenten asked, as she took a fearful step back.
"Orochimaru foolishly revived me so that I could be a weapon for Oto until it properly built up its defenses." Sasuke explained, clenching and unclenching his fists. "But I killed that snake and destroyed the village."
"You're the one who destroyed Oto?!" Ino exclaimed, as she was filled with a sudden rage. Her mind immediately went to the trauma patients she had performed a Mind Walk on. "You killed hundreds of innocent people!"
"And I'm about to kill a few more." Sasuke said coldly, unsheathing his sword, as it began to crackle with electricity. "After I finish all of you off I'm going back to Konoha and taking the title of Hokage by force. Then I'll truly begin my revolution."
"I was hoping I'd never see your face again." Sakura said in an eerily calm tone , not turning to face Sasuke. "After what you did to me, you became a stain on my life that I wanted to forget." Sakura stood onto her feet when she managed to stop Naruto's bleeding and stabilize him. "But you've badly hurt my husband and threatened my children and my village. I can't ever forgive you for that. I'm going to destroy you Sasuke and then I'm going to forget you ever existed."
"That's some big talk from you Sakura." Sasuke taunted, as he smirked at the pinkette. "Even if you were trained by Tsunade we all know you stand no chance against me."
"I know by myself I stand no chance..." Sakura said, turning to face Sasuke. The raven-haired shinobi was surprised to see that Sakura's eyes were no blood red with slitted pupils and her teeth had become more fang like. "But I'm not alone right now." One by one the rest of Naruto's eyes opened their eyes, all of them resembling Sakura's. Even Hinata and Ryuuzetsu's eyes had taken on a red tint. Blood red chakra flared off Sakura's fists as she glared at Sasuke with eyes full of fury. "This ends now Sasuke, and I'm gonna be the one to kill you this time."
"I'd like to see you try." Sasuke shot back, as he smirked at Sakura and the other girls. "I'll take you all on at once."
"I'm going to enjoy this Sasuke..." Sakura said, cracking her knuckles, which the caused chakra to flow wildly of her fists. Suddenly the seal on Sakura's forehead released and began to snake around her body. "Ino, Temari, Ryūzetsu, and Konan you guys hang back and attack at long range."
"Right!" The four girls exclaimed simultaneously, as they retreated back to a safe attacking position.
"Hinata, Anko, and Tenten you'll attack him with me at close range." Sakura said, earning nods from the the three girls.
"We have you're back Sakura." Hinata said, as she activated his byakugan. Chakra exploded of Hinata's hand, taking the shape of two blood red lions. "My Jūho Sōshiken will tear him apart."
"Yeah, we'll be with you the whole way." Tenten said with a grin, unrolling one of the miniature scrolls on her wrists. After a small puff of smoke a katana appeared in Tenten's hands. Suddenly the blade became imbued with sparking electricity. "Sasuke isn't the only one who can use his chakra nature to power up his weapons."
"Let's do this pinky." Anko said, as she pulled out a kunai and licked her lips.
"Oh, I must say I'm rather scared now." Sasuke said in mocking tone, beginning to advance towards the girls. "Well let's make this quick."
"Raghhhh!" Sakura roared, as she leaped towards Sasuke. The pinkette's fist smashed into the ground where Sasuke hand been standing, missing him by only a few inches. The earth underneath Sakura's fist literally exploded, showering the area in debris. "You're not getting away!"
Tenten was on Sasuke in a second. Both shinobi clashed swords, lightning sparking off both of them. With the extra strength provided by Kurama's chakra, Tenten was easily able to match Sasuke. Sasuke and Tenten grit their teeth as their blades grinded against each other. However, Sasuke's eyes widened when Tenten suddenly reached into her pocket, only using one hand to hold him off. Tenten pulled out a kunai, the blade already electrified, and swung at Sasuke. But Sasuke reacted quickly and used his rinnegan to teleport away from the attack.
However, Sasuke had teleported right in between Anko and Hinata. Both kunoichi immediately began to ruthlessly attack Sasuke, putting him the defensive. Sasuke was forced to dodge lightning fast strikes from Anko's snakes and incredibly powerful and precise attacks from Hinata. Each time Hinata's attack miissed, Sasuke could feel the chakra stinging his skin. "I can't let Hinata's attack hit me or it will begin to drain my chakra." Sasuke's train of thought was cut off when he had to dodge a flurry of ranged attacks. Paper shuriken, blades of wind, kunai with exploding tags, and Ryūzetsu's Katon: Onidōrō all rained down on Sasuke simultaneously. Sasuke was forced to fall back to dodge the hailstorm of attacks. This continued for several minutes. All of the kunoichi's attacks were perfectly synchronized. Sakura's group would engage Sasuke at close range, attacking and countering any moves he used. Then Sakura's team would wordlessly back off and allow the other team launch a barrage of ranged attacks.
After yet another volley of ranged attacks, Sakura decided to try something bold. With projectiles still raining down, the pinkette charged through the smoke and debris. Sasuke had just dodged several of Konan's paper shuriken when Sakura burst out of the smoke next to him. Sakura cocked her fist and struck Sasuke in the chest. All the air left Sasuke's lungs as he sent shooting backwards, crashing into a large pile of rocks.
"Did you get him?" Tenten asked, landing next to Sakura with her sword still at the ready.
"There's no way he survived a punch like that." Anko said, as she placed her hands on her hips.
"No, he's still alive." Sakura growled, glaring at the thick cloud of dust ahead if them. "I didn't feel my fist hit flesh."
"Well I must say I'm rather impressed." Sasuke voice echoed out from within the dust cloud. Suddenly the dust cloud blew away, revealing Sasuke had used susanoo to protect his chest. "If I hadn't used susanoo right there I would have been turned into a bloody paste. But..." Sasuke frowned when he saw several large cracks in susanoo. "You've become extremely strong Sakura, even stronger than Tsuande herself. Despite using susanoo I still felt some of the power behind that attack. But I think it's time I finished playing with you all..." Sasuke's susanoo began to morph, taking the shape of a massive armored warrior. "I'm going to kill you all here and now."
"How are we supposed to beat that thing?" Tenten hissed, as she grit her teeth in irritation. The rest of the kunoichi gathered around Sakura and awaited orders.
"You saw that I managed to crack that thing before, right?" Sakura asked, causing all of the girls to nod their heads. "Okay, then I need you all to cover me. I'm going to take that thing down."
"Alright, we'll provide covering fire." Konan said, as she formed several paper bomb shuriken in between her fingers.
Sakura bit her thumb and slammed her hand onto the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" In a large puff of smoke Katsuyu appeared in front of Sakura. "Katsuyu I need you to take Naruto to safety and further heal him.
"Yes ma'am." Katsuyu said, before she slithered over to where Naruto was.
"I'm counting on you all." Sakura said to her fellow wives with a small smile, before she turned to face Sasuke. "Let's do this." Rolling her shoulders, Sakura charged towards Sasuke's susanoo.
"Interesting, so just Sakura is coming after me." Sasuke muttered, as he equipped susanoo's bow. "I guess she wants to be the first one to die." Sasuke readied the bow and fired a massive arrow at Sakura. But kunoichi easily put her medic training to use and dodged the attack. Chunks of rock and earth whipped Sakura's skin as the arrow missed her. But the wounds instantly healed themselves, causing Sakura's skin to smoke and hiss. "Looks like she has some fight in her. But this one will finish her off." Sasuke prepared another arrow, this time lighting it ablaze with amaterasu. But before Sasuke could fire several objects hit susanoo's arms. Down below Konan snapped her fingers and the paper bomb shuriken exploded, causing Sasuke to briefly stumble back. "That bitch!"
"Ready Temari!?" Hinata yelled, gathering chakra in her palms.
"Yeah, let's do this Hinata!" Temari replied, as she prepared her fan.
"Hakke Kūhekishō!"
"Fūton: Kazekiri no Jutsu!"
The large wave of chakra and blades of wind raced towards Sasuke and struck him in the chest. The raven-haired shinobi grunted as the attacks shook his susanoo. "These girls are really starting to irritate me!"
"Let's rain hellfire girls!" Tenten exclaimed, unrolling both scrolls on her wrists.
"Sakura's almost there, we have to cover her!" Ino exclaimed, as he readied the last of her exploding kunai.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Anko shouted, firing a massive fireball at Sasuke.
"Katon: Onidōrō!" Dozens of ghostly balls of fire formed around Ryūzetsu, before they flew towards Sasuke. The skulls of fire were much larger than usual thanks to Kurama's chakra.
Next Tenten unleashed an absolute storm of explosive kunai. Ino used every last exploding kunai she had and hurled them at Sasuke in rapid succession. Tenten on the other hand unraveled her scrolls and summoned a stunning amount of explosive kunai. The explosive kunai seemed to temporarily block out the Sun as they rained down on Sasuke. The raven-haired shinobi was forced down onto one knee by the sheer amount of explosives and ranged attacks that were hitting him.
"This is it!" Sakura roared, leaping into the air above susanoo. A massive amount of Kurama's chakra flared off Sakura's fist as she descended towards Sasuke. "Ōkashō" Sakura's fist rocked susanoo's entire body and immediately began crack its armor.
"This isn't possible!" Sasuke thought, as he watched the cracks spread further and further. Then with one last defiant roar, Sakura's fist crashed through susanoo. Sasuke was stunned when he saw susanoo disappear from around him.
"Hinata now!" Sakura yelled, rapidly falling towards the ground.
"You're now within range of divination." Hinata muttered, as she gracefully slid into her Jūken stance. "Hakke Rokujūyon Shō!" Hinata suddenly shot forward, her strike shutting off two of Sasuke's chakra points. "Two palms!" Then four more rapid strikes. "Four palms!" Followed by eight much faster strikes. "Eight palms!" Sasuke howled in pain as he felt his body slowly shutting down. "Sixteen palms!" Hinata's strikes seemed to become a blur. "Thirty two palms!" Then with one powerful step forward, Hinata finished her attack. "Sixty four palms!" Sasuke coughed up a large amount of blood as he collapsed to the ground. Because all of his chakra points had been shut down, Sasuke was completely immobilized.
"Nice job Hinata." Sakura said, patting her on the shoulder. The pinkette growled as she kicked Sasuke over onto his back. Sakura began to rifle through Sasuke's tunic and eventually found a small vile full of a green liquid. "So you did have an antidote. I knew you were the one that poisoned Naruto the second I saw you were alive."
"Tch, if you're gonna kill me just do it already." Sasuke said, as he glared up at Sakura.
"Gladly." Sakura said in cold tone, cocking her fist back. Then with one final strike, Sakura smashed her fist into Sasuke's spin, killing him instantly. Sakura wiped the sweat off her brow and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Sakura crouched down next to the dead Uchiha and gently extracted the rinnegan from his left eye. She then took the sharingan from his right eye and promptly destroyed it. "Looks like it's finally over."
"Man we sure caused a mess." Ino said, as she looked at the further destroyed valley around them.
"Come on everyone, let's go help Naruto." Sakura said, leading everyone over to where Katsuyu had taken Naruto. When the group found Naruto, Katsuyu was gone and the blonde jinchuriki was conscious. He was still covered in blood, but he didn't look like he was at death's door anymore.
"So...I guess you all finished Sasuke off?" Naruto asked, but he already knew the answer. The blonde jinchuriki sighed and hung his head. "I'm sorry girls, I thought I could possibly convince Sasuke to come back. I should have known the teme wouldn't listen...and I should have asked you all to help me."
"You're damn right you should have!" Sakura exclaimed, as she pulled Naruto into a hug; being careful not to agitate his injuries. "You're lucky that Konohamaru is horrible at lying."
"I guess I am..." Naruto said with a dry chuckle.
"Here." Sakura said, pulling out the antidote she had taken from Sasuke. "Drink this."
"You managed to get the antidote." Naruto breathed out, as his one good eye widened. Sakura raised the vile to Naruto's lips and help him drink it.
"So...how do you feel?" Sakura asked after Naruto had finished drinking.
"Better." Naruto replied with his usual grin. "I can already feel my chakra returning and I'm starting to sense Kurama again."
"Well that's a load off our backs." Ino said, as she smiled down at Naruto. "I'm glad you made it out alive, you baka."
"I'm so glad you're okay, Naruto-kun." Hinata said, wiping tears from her eyes.
"Alright everyone." Sakura said, as she hoisted Naruto his feet. It took her and Anko to support the injured jinchuriki. "We need to get this idiot back to Konoha fast so we can heal him." Sakura smiled brightly as she placed a kiss on Naruto's cheek. "He's still gotta be named Hokage."
"I don't know what I'd do without you girls." Naruto thought, a few tears escaping his eye. "My life would be a mess without you all. I promise that when I'm Hokage I won't put my job over my family and I'll be the best dad ever."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone