3,838AN: This is the final Chapter of Ninja Gamer, when I started this story, I was admittedly homeless and without work, this story was a way for me to focus myself, working on it let me set my fear and depression to the side and gave me the outlet to actually get up and change my situation. The support this fic got over the years encouraged me to get off the streets, find work and continue writing even when my anxieties and depression wanted to overwhelm me.
Thank you, thank you all for joining me on this journey, it's been a hell of a trip and while there are several things I would change these days (no, Roshi is not one of them, you know who you are) I am still proud of the work that I have accomplished at that I have completed this monumental fic.
As a final plug, I do have a Ko-Fi page under the name of ThomasJ, please consider supporting me as I will be taking steps to work on original work in the future.
Again, thank you all, and I hope the completion of this fic is as good for you, as it is for me.
And a final thank you to Seerking for all the Beta work he has done over the years!
One Year Later
Kabuto cursed as the alarm sounded throughout the complex, the third time this month that one of their 'hidden' bases was being raided, likely by Konoha once again. He quickly sealed away some of the more vital research he had been trying to work on before grabbing his supply stash and began making his way towards the exit. Really, why had he stayed with Orochimaru this long? The man had no sense when to duck his head and lay low, especially after Konoha so soundly defeated the Akatsuki.
But nooo, the sannin thought this would be a wonderful time to keep poking the proverbial dragon by targeting the Hokage's daughter. Really, he should have bailed after the botched invasion, but no, he felt like he still owed the man for freeing him from Sasori.
Maybe it was himself that was the idiot?
"You seem like you're in a rush somewhere, Kabuto," an amused voice made the scientist freeze, his eyes widening as he slowly turned his head to see the figure of Aoi Nanase, bodyguard to one Yuriko Uchiha leaning against the wall with an amused grin on his face.
"Fuck," the silver haired shinobi hissed out as he leapt back from the other shinobi, pulling out a hooked kunai as he glowered at the man who snuck up on him.
Aoi raised an eyebrow in response, letting out a light chuckle as he pushed himself from the wall. "So that's how it's going to be then? Alrigh' fine," he said, rolling his neck as he walked forward, stretching out his arms. "I can spare some time to beat the blood out of you."
Kabuto kept his guard up, keeping himself from responding to the man before him. Yes, he was vastly overshadowed in reputation by the person that he guarded, but he was still trusted enough to guard that woman. Before he could even form a plan of action he was forced to dodge out of the way of Aoi's fist as he suddenly blurred forward.
Kabuto cursed as the strike collapsed the wall his back had been to, the resounding blow sending out shockwaves as Aoi suddenly pivoted, his leg swinging out Kabuto's eyes widening as he suddenly felt the force of the blow, even though the kick was far from reaching him.
Letting out a ground he scowled as he slammed against the wall, his eyes narrow as he glared at the Jounin across from the wall, spitting out some blood as his chakra began working to heal his damage. "Trying to figure things out?" Aoi questioned with a grin as he bounced on the soles of his feet. "Well, you can figure it out later, cause I won't give you the time!"
He rushed forward again, forcing Kabuto on the defensive as the Konohagakure shinobi leapt into the air, bringing his leg down in an axe kick that left a large gouge through the ground and wall where Kabuto had been standing, his own counter attack with the Kunai being easily blocked and deflected before Aoi surprised him with a blow to his stomach, blood and spittle mixed with a bit of stomach acid as the fluids and air rushed from Kabuto's lungs.
His eyes widened as he felt the sudden pulse of chakra explode from his fist, sending Kabuto flying back. The medic-nin groaned as he rolled himself away from the next follow up strike as he threw himself back, trying to get any kind of space from the taijutsu specialist, either to attempt some mind games - which were unlikely to work - or start using his scalpels - which were also unlikely to work given that he was teammates with the woman wrote the book on their usage in combat.
But the man would just not relent! His strikes came in rapidly with the… chakra echo that followed his attacks destroying the environment if he managed to dodge them, but he kept throwing the timing off, sometimes releasing them early, other times late, sometimes not at all!
"What's wrong kid? Having trouble keeping up?" Aoi called out with a mocking grin as he flipped over Kabuto's attempt to cut his tendons before slamming down with another axe kick that Kabuto had to scramble out of the way of. "Ain't you supposed to be the right hand of the snake? Thought you would be able to keep up with me then."
Kabuto scowled in response as he pressed his back against the wall, trying to find the switch for the hidden exit without tipping the man his escape plan. But yet again, Aoi didn't give him a chance to set himself up, he didn't give him a chance to trigger the false wall as he was forced to dodge his blurred fist as it crashed through the wall, revealing the hidden tunnel. "Ah, that's what you're aiming for, trying to escape huh?" Aoi questioned with a chuckle. "Don't think it'll do you much good this time around, boss lady is rather… insistent about ending you and the snake."
Kabuto's eyes narrowed for a moment, like she hadn't been before? ANBU had been hounding them for years ever since Yuriko became the Hokage. His eyes widened as his blood went cold/
Aoi, one of the Hokage's Bodyguards was here.
"And there's the realisation," the smug jonin commented with a chuckle as chakra began to visibly wrap around him. "But, well, I'm getting bored, so, time to say goodbye."
Kabuto's eyes widened as his hands came up to form seals before he suddenly felt himself smashing through several walls as he vomited up blood, his ears ringing as he struggled to get himself up to his feet, feeling like the ground was violently shaking as his nervous system spazzed out on him from the pain of the single blow.
Vomiting up another mouthful of blood Kabuto cursed as he desperately tried to heal himself, staggering to his feet before being thrown back to the ground as it did buck violently. Looking up towards the rush of noise his eyes widened as he saw Orochimaru's Eight Headed Snake form futility trying to battle against the [Complete Susano'o] of Yuriko Uchiha.
The tapping of feet behind him brought his attention towards the casually strolling Aoi, his chakra shroud swirling around him as he walked towards Kabuto. "Yup, your whole little enterprise is done," he chuckled as Kabuto struggled back to his feet. "Don't worry, not gonna drag this out though."
Kabuto tried to defend himself from the incoming strike, but after a brief moment of pain, darkness enveloped him as Aoi's fist crashed through his skull, leaving his body to drop to the ground as he looked up to the sight of Yuriko's [Complete Susano'o] ripping Orochimaru's body from within the monstrosity he transformed himself into.
Letting out a snort as his boss began incinerating the monstrous body with an excessive amount of fire, Aoi shook his head in amusement. "Always gotta go hard, eh boss?" he questioned himself in amusement before moving to link up with her and the rest of the team.
Time to clean up the remaining shinobi and put an end to the plans he no doubt had started.
I frowned as I stared down at Orochimaru, the snake sannin scowling as he thrashed against the grasp of two of my Paths. "There is no more escaping this, Orochimaru," I stated bluntly, locking his gaze with my Rinnegan. Rather than the usual Deva Path, I was instead channelling the Human Path as I placed a hand on his head.
I didn't give him any final words, I didn't gloat before him, instead, I ripped his Soul from his body with the power of the Human Path, a final desperate scream of defiance ripped from the sannin's throat as he struggled against me, trying to keep his soul from being pried away. In the end, it was useless. It didn't matter his struggle, it didn't matter his strength, or how many jutsu he had collected in his search for immortality. Soon enough, his soul was torn from his body and ripped to shreds, putting an end to the threat he presented to my family and village.
Letting out a breath, I let his body drop as I dismissed my summoned copies, Aoi, Chika and Genma appearing next to me. "Kabuto's dead," Aoi informed, wiping blood from his fist. "Tried to escape several times, but his head is just a fine paste now."
"Secured the assorted test subjects that willingly surrendered," Chika informed with an easy shrug as a senbon danced between her fingers. "There was one, his name is Jugo, apparently Orochimaru had promised to help him control his kekkai genkai that can make him go berserk, but we managed to get him to agree to come with us."
"Found an Uzumaki woman acting as a warden for his prison," Genma sighed, scratching his scalp. "Had to knock her out, but she's alive, not sure if we can turn her or not, even with the snake killed."
"She's Naruto's cousin, apparently, so I want to at least try to," I replied as I began walking away, signalling the ANBU to begin clean up operations. "Find and secure any research materials you can find, ANBU will be going over it and see what can be kept and what needs to be destroyed or sealed away when the operation is complete. If it can't be secured for transportation, destroy it."
"Right!" my guards saluted before vanishing in a blur of speed as they moved to fulfil my orders.
I took a moment to check the notification on Orochimaru's death before dismissing it for now, I had more important things to focus on for the moment.
Ten Years Later
I let out a sigh of contentment, smiling as I placed the Hokage's hat on Naruto's head, my little brother soon standing up, standing taller than me with a broad grin on his face for me alone before he turned to face the cheering crowd of Konoha, allowing me to step back, next to Roshi who placed an arm around my waist. "He'll be a fine leader," Roshi murmured as we listened to Naruto speak to the crowds, Sasuke and Sakura next to him as his advisors. "The people love him already."
"I have no doubt about that," I murmured back, pride welling up within me at the sight of the three of them standing shoulder to shoulder before the village. "They've all grown up so well."
"Plus, Madoka's sounding like she wants to chase after that position as well," Roshi informed with a chuckle, the two of us looking over to our daughter who was the loudest cheerer in the crowd for her 'big brother'. "Which is surprising considering she's seen how much paperwork the job has."
I huffed out a laugh, leaning into my husband. "Because unlike you, I taught her proper time management skills," I teased him lightly, making him pout in response.
"But how could I say no to teaching her Lava Manipulation when she looks at me with those wide eyes of hers?" he whined playfully, drawing another laugh from me. "Besides, she's going to have a sibling to protect herself soon."
I smiled as his hand rested on my stomach where a new life grew. "And, we have all the time we will need now," I sighed out in contentment as the crowd's cheers reached their apex at the end of Naruto's speech, my little brother promising to protect Konoha like those who came before him. "We get to watch as they bring forth a lasting peace."
"Don't sell yourself short, Yuriko," Roshi murmured into my ear as he kissed my temple. "They're building it upon the foundation you laid out for them."
I hummed in response, relaxing as various dignitaries stepped up to start talking to Naruto, offering their congratulations for becoming the Hokage as handshakes, hugs and smiles were passed around.
The future was now in the hands of the next generation, and I felt confident that they would far surpass anything I had accomplished in my life and with my blood soaked hands. I had complete faith in them and the future they saw.
?
This place was… familiar, familiar in a way I could never possibly explain, something that had resonated deep within me for so long, but only now, standing before these gleaming gates of golden light was I able to recognise what it was.
"Welcome, Yuriko Uchiha," a warm, compassionate voice stated, pulling my attention away from the gate to the figure that guarded it, blazing red hair fanned out behind her, the light of the golden halo blazing with light behind her illuminating it and reflecting off of the golden armour she wore overtop of the royal purple bodysuit that hugged her every curve.
The light, while bright and nearly all encompassing, was not blinding. Rather it was soothing as the woman approached me, her voice suddenly clicking in my mind. "Etain," I breathed out the name for the being that had given me the Gamer System, that had placed me in the world of Naruto.
"Indeed so, allow me to properly introduce myself, I am Etain, the Goddess of Hope and Heroes, keeper of the Key to the Throne of Heroes," the woman before me announced as she reached out and cupped my face in her gentle hands, warmth and peace flowing through me at her touch. "You certainly have surpassed all my expectations of what you could accomplish."
"But… I had thought you weren't Divinity…" I breathed out in confusion, drawing a giggle from her as she grinned.
"And I never confirmed, no denied that theory of yours," she counted with a wink, her grin becoming a bit cheeky in response. "But, that is neither here, nor there. For there are many, waiting to welcome you to the Throne, and I shall not keep you from them any longer."
Turning, I faced the gateway that seemed to open up before us, my eyes widening a bit as tears began to well up as familiar faces smiled and waved at me. The Goddess laughed as I ran towards the welcoming embrace of so many friends and family, smiling and laughing as we embraced, the sound of family filling my ears as the gates began to close behind me.
I was home.
THE END
Post Note: And thus, it ends, I may eventually come back to rewrite this fic, changing some things around, smoothing the edges and just... doing better at it with all that I have learned, but I won't make any promises on that.
For those wondering about the ending part, look up Living up to a Legend on Questionable Questing, my first completed fic on that sight. It is in the NSFW section of the sight and will need an account to read
But, for now, I hope you all well, and wish you the best in your future!