Kapitel 8: "The Will Of Fire"
"BOOM!" The ground shook as a fiery explosion tore through the battlefield, shattering the barrier. Dust billowed into the air, and a shockwave rippled across the terrain, making even the elite shinobi step back instinctively. The earth trembled beneath them, and an oppressive silence followed, broken only by the crackle of fading flames.
Naruto and Sasuke had finally reached the battlefield, their eyes wide as they took in the chaos before them.
"That was so cool, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed, fists clenched in excitement. "When I become Hokage, I'll be that strong too!"
Sasuke's gaze lingered on the destruction. His mind, however, was elsewhere. "Is this the heights I have to reach?"
Naruto's thoughts were less heavy. "Kakashi-sensei was cooler though, breaking through those shields. Why doesn't he teach us those thousand jutsu? Dattebayo!"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, his usual smirk slipping into a dry retort. "With your intellect, you'll be lucky to master two techniques, Naruto."
Naruto puffed up indignantly, but before he retorted, he vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Huh?" Sasuke blinked. "Did he just leave me behind?"
---
Meanwhile, the Konoha shinobi collectively exhaled. The weight of the battle had eased for a fleeting moment, yet their bodies remained tense, ready. Each of them was elite, trained for moments like this, but the growing unease was palpable. As the smoke cleared, revealing their mysterious foe once again, their expressions turned grim.
"What is that? A summon?" one shinobi muttered, eyes narrowing at the massive figure before them.
"No," another replied. "It's made of wood."
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, stood silent for a moment, taking in the magnificent construct. With his voice grave, heavy with the knowledge of the past, he announced "That's the 'Wood Dragon Technique'... one of the First Hokage's most fearsome abilities. It can absorb all ninjutsu."
A ripple of disbelief ran through the ranks. Not many knew about the First's broken abilities.
"WHAT? Isn't that cheating?!" Might Guy shouted, eyes wide with shock.
A ripple of hopelesness ran through the crowd. Not because of the dragon, but because of its implications. Wood release, As powerful as the First. This was no mere imitation. The First Hokage's overwhelming power was back. But this time, it was in the hands of a stranger. Fang Yuan's wooden constructs had only grown more fearsome as the battle wore on, and now, with this new technique, despair clung to the air.
Guy's fists clenched. He was ready, ready to unleash the Eight Gates if it came to it, even if it meant sacrificing his life.
Suddenly, a faint sound pierced through the tension. It was soft at first, almost imperceptible, but it grew louder, more urgent, a scream.
"AHHHHHHH!"
The shinobi glanced upward, confusion written across their faces. Then, Kakashi's lone visible eye widened in realization. "No way..."
From the sky, a blonde figure hurtled toward the ground, crashing into the earth and leaving behind a small crater.
Emerging from the dust, Naruto stood tall, his wounds quickly healing and after a second completely unharmed. "Naruto Uzumaki has come to aid! Dattebayo!" he announced with a grin, radiating unshakeable confidence.
Everyone stood in silence for a moment.
"Naruto-kun," Hiruzen muttered, a mix of concern and affection in his voice.
But Fang Yuan's cold, detached voice sliced through the air just a moment later "Anyways."
His gaze swept over the Konoha forces, dismissive yet calculating. "Get ready to face the full might of your founder, Konoha's shinobi."
Naruto's eyes flared with indignation. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'ANYWAYS' DATTEBAYO?! And what do you mean by our 'founder'?" Naruto demanded, his curiosity piqued.
"ANBU, remove Naruto from the battlefield," Hiruzen ordered, urgency lacing his voice. The village couldn't lose the jinchuriki.
Before the black-clad shinobi could move, Fang Yuan interrupted with a simple, chilling word. "Wait." Despite his simple words, his chakra surged, making even the elites of the elites hesitate.
He studied Naruto for a moment, eyes narrowing as if seeing something beyond the physical. "This brat, his soul... it reminds me of Senju Hashirama."
Hiruzen's eyes widened at Fang Yuan's cryptic words.
Fang Yuan's expression remained unreadable. "Fine. I'll entertain him for now. Perhaps I'll learn something about this strange soul of his." He thought.
He turned his gaze and answered Naruto's earlier question. "I meant your founder, The First Hokage, brat. How do you not know even that?"
Naruto wasn't satisfied. "You don't look like the First Hokage, dattebayo."
"Naruto-kun," Hiruzen began, but Fang Yuan's voice cut across him like a knife.
"Shut up, Hokage. Speak again and I'll wipe the civillians out."
The blatant disrespect left Hiruzen speechless. The Hokage clenched his fists, his pride wounded, but he stayed silent. He had to trust Danzo to find a solution. Maybe call the Sannins back?
Fang Yuan continued, addressing Naruto. "I'm not the First Hokage, but I have his abilities, brat."
"My name's not brat! It's Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm going to be Hokage, dattebayo!"
Fang Yuan let the name roll off his tongue, almost mockingly. "Uzumaki Naruto, huh? Why do you want to become Hokage?" A perfect situation to see how his soul fluctuates.
Naruto grinned, full of confidence. "So that everyone in the village will have to acknowledge me!"
Fang Yuan's eyes narrowed, his voice turning colder. "Why do you care about being acknowledged by a village that has hated and discriminated against you?"
Naruto blinked, momentarily thrown off by the question. He knew what Fang Yuan meant but was confused how he knew that. "Huh? What are you talking about?" He feigned ignorance.
Fang Yuan pressed on, his voice emotionless. "A place where you're treated like a monster can't be your home, Uzumaki Naruto."
Naruto's eyes dimmed a little. "But not everyone treats me like that!" His voice momentarily wavering, then getting it's luster back. "My friends are in Konoha. As long as they're there, it's home, dattebayo!"
Fang Yuan regarded him with icy detachment. He had enough. Even if reincarnation was possible here too, he wasn't going to die anyways. "I don't care about your twisted sense of belonging, nor will I argue with a fool who thinks becoming Hokage is the solution to his problems."
"Hmph, don't you also want to be Hokage too dattebayo?" Naruto countered.
"Why in the world would you think that Uzumaki Naruto" Fang Yuan couldn't read this brat at all. Such unpredictability.
"You use the techniques of the First Hokage so you probably... want to become like him." Naruto said, a little confused.
"Dumb brat, I and the First Hokage couldn't be more apart. He created Konoha and I will destroy it."
The glint in Naruto's eyes grew dimmer, more serious.
"You will destroy the hidden leaf?"
"Yes, Uzumaki Naruto. I will."
Naruto's fists clenched. "Then why do you act like the First Hokage? That doesn't make sense, dattebayo!"
Fang Yuan stared at Naruto, momentarily taken aback by his stupidity and the simplicity of the question. "I just wield his power, the power that created Konoha, and I wil..."
"It wasn't The First Hokage's power that made him create the village!" Naruto's voice was fierce, his words fueled by his unshakable conviction. "The First Hokage wanted to create Konoha, so he did. It was his 'will' that created the village. The 'Will of Fire' Grandpa Hokage told me about! Power itself doesn't make you Hokage, your will also matters dattebayo!"
"And with his powers, my will is to destroy the hidden leaf, Uzumaki Naruto" This brat could talk.
Naruto answered, his voice resolute. "Just because you have the First Hokage's power doesn't mean you can match his will you bastard. We've got our friends and comrades, and you're all alone. You'll never beat us when we're fighting to protect each other, to protect our home, to protect Konoha!"
For the first time, Fang Yuan was silent.
The battlefield was still, the weight of Naruto's words hanging in the air. Even Sasuke, who had just arrived, was left speechless by his friend's unexpected maturity. Kakashi smiled behind his mask, pride swelling in his chest.
The shinobi around them felt a surge of renewed hope. They believed, no, they knew they could win. The First's power wasn't unbeatable, it was the man behind it that had made it legendary.
Hiruzen, who even teared up a little, whispered to himself, "As expected of Minato's son. He will be a bearer of the Will Of Fire."
Fang Yuan's cold gaze bore into Naruto. "Let's see if the extent of your will then, Uzumaki Naruto."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein