3,438KG: Reality is often disappointing. Fucking Overwatch 2 man!
Music of the week: Buy Dirt by Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan.
Quote: "Being strong is having the wisdom when it is necessary. Being strong is to being gentle when it is most needed. Being strong is using flexibility when it is required. Being strong is about being there when it is a must for you to be there. Being strong is not really about being strong…" by Sameh Elsayed.
"How's this?"
"Fine."
"And this?"
"Fine."
"...and this?"
"...Fine."
"Kushina…" Tsunade said as she looked up at the redhead who continued to look out the window. The Hokage had been checking the Hinoken Leader's joints and pressure points. Throughout the whole process, Kushina had only given her one-word answers. It became quite clear that there wasn't going to be much to say between the both of them. Kushina was being as respectful as she could to the Hokage while making sure nothing beyond that seeped through.
"Are we finished now?" Kushina questioned, not bothering to look at her leader.
"Well, as your doctor, I'll have the final say on if you're ready to be discharged or not. Just be patient," Tsunade replied while she continued to feel around Kushina's knees, legs, arms, and shoulders.
"I've been in here for three days already, Tsunade. The longer you restrict me, the higher our chances of getting killed by Jashin are when we go back. I don't know who you think my son is, but I'm not going to put all the pressure and responsibility on him to fix our mess," Kushina said.
Tsunade glanced up at her. "Our?" she questioned.
"This broken system. This life of shinobi. Killing each other over and over like animals. Maybe that's wrong, I think we treat animals better than we treat each other. When did we become so intolerant of others that we share this world with? Now we have to rely on my son to fix it. My son whose dream you crushed," Kushina said while Tsunade stopped her check-up.
"Kushina…"
"You banished my son, Tsunade. Now he's gotta saves our lives when all we've done is abandon his. What would it take for humanity to get along? How many of us are we gonna have to kill to feel at peace?" Kushina asked, not really expecting an answer.
Tsunade finally sighed. "Kushina, I have lost almost everyone I've cared for. I've abandoned Shizune, and my lips haven't touched a shred of alcohol to take the stress away. I haven't gotten a total of maybe twenty hours of sleep over the time that we've been here. If you believe you can do better as the Hokage, then please. I'll let you take the damn position away from me. For now, I've been dealing with enough shit that I don't need anymore. I did what I thought was good for the people of Konoha. I won't be shamed for what I did!" Tsunade argued back.
Neither said anything for a little while until Kushina answered. "I'll be sure to remember that," Kushina finished while the two continued in relative silence. Tsunade wrote on a notepad while Kushina continued to look out the window.
Finally, the Godaime stood up. "Alright. Everything seems to check out. I'll have you sit out today and then you'll be cleared. Truth be told, you're so damn healthy I'm tempted to release you right now, but I suggest one more day in case you feel any different. You don't have any illnesses and no lasting pain, so I don't think I need to prescribe you any medication. I'll assign a nurse to you for the day. Tell her if you have any questions or concerns, and I'll get to them when I can."
"I'll try not to waste my breath," Kushina answered, attempting not to roll her eyes. If there were any reason as to why the redhead was entertaining this, then it'd probably be that it'd do to show at least some unity amid the chaos of so many people flooding the village.
Though Kushina had remained in the hospital room, she'd used Sasori, Deidara, Asuma, and Chiriku to look out and over the village. As expected, even with the human race nearly driven to extinction, hate seemed to have a way of rearing its ugly head. Sometimes, it seemed people just lived to hate each other. Maybe it was the only way the rest of them could escape the grief or the horror. Yet, that just seemed to breed more of the same. Much as it pissed her off, Jashin definitely had a point. It almost seemed to be humanity's proclivity to violence, rage, anger, and… slaughter.
"Kushina, regardless of our relationship, I'm not your enemy," Tsunade said which got a chuckle out of Kushina.
"No, I suppose you're not. Usually, all my enemies are in front of me," Kushina replied before flaring her aura, dictating that this was the end of the conversation. Tsunade felt the divine power flourish through the room, and in her mortal flesh, she couldn't do a thing to stand against it. Hell, she thought she might go blind from the shining light.
Fed up, Tsunade just backed away and closed the door. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Why did nothing seem to be going right these days? Of course, Tsunade wanted to put her trust in Naruto. She had when she gave him her necklace. She also knew what she'd done to crush his dreams. There was a lot of guilt regarding that, but he'd nearly ruptured through Konoha. Even Komachi, when she'd been alive, reported that Naruto threatened to kill her.
How the hell was Tsunade supposed to take that?
She hadn't planned on the banishment being permanent! Naruto just wasn't a safety measure for the village. Yet, she also knew what that banishment meant. Dammit, nothing was going the way it ought to!
"Jiraiya, why when I need you around would you die now? If there was nothing else about you I loved, it was your way of always knowing what to say. Even to me," Tsunade thought before she noticed Sasuke approaching her. She seemed a little surprised since Sasuke never seemed the visiting type, at least alone.
"Visting hours are over, Sasuke. Besides, you came earlier today already. I don't think you…"
"I'm not here for her. I'm here for you. I wanted to wait for when you'd be less busy, but I can see that was a rather stupid thought. I've been talking with my mother, Yuna, and my brother. I'd like to request a medic to do an eye transplant for Itachi and I," Sasuke interrupted, getting Tsunade to raise an eyebrow.
After a brief moment of silence, she guided Sasuke to a corridor no one was in. "You're thinking of completing the Mangekyou Sharingan?" Tsunade asked.
Perhaps Sasuke shouldn't have been surprised that the Godaime knew about that. After all, one of her former teammates had been obsessed with the Sharingan. There was also a lot of war during her time, no doubt she'd treated quite a few Uchiha agents.
"That's right. Over the course of our time, I've noticed that my eyes are indeed starting to grow dim. It definitely started taking effect after that battle back on Earth. It will incapacitate Itachi and I for a little while, but the benefits are too large to ignore, especially when we're trying to acquire strength as quickly as possible," Sasuke returned.
Tsunade thought on the matter for a little while. As the granddaughter to the Shodaime, her history with the Uchiha clan could never be denied. Though she was young, she remembered the stories of her grandfather's battles with Uchiha Madara. The power of the Sharingan couldn't be underestimated.
"I always assumed it was forbidden for Uchiha to do this," Tsunade responded.
"As my mother told me, there is definitely some dark history with my clan that can't be ignored. However, with only five Uchiha currently alive, I don't think there's much left that's forbidden from us. Besides, I'm no longer the last Uchiha. I'll soon become the patriarch of the Uchiha clan with Yuna as my wife. I will do what I must to protect the place that she's in," Sasuke uttered.
Believe Tsunade when she tried hard not to chuckle. Ultimately, she failed which got a glare from Sasuke. "Sorry. Having read your profile, I thought there wouldn't be a single romantic bone in your body. Still, it definitely looks like you've matured a lot since the time you were under Orochimaru. It also seems that you and Itachi have spoken about this a lot. Well, I can't spare many men at the moment, three or four maybe, but I know Shizune… now works under the employ of the Uzumaki Clan. I suppose you can speak to them and I'll assign you a room with available personnel. I don't think I have to tell you to take it easy after the operation," Tsunade warned, but Sasuke rolled his eyes at her.
"I'm not stupid," he answered.
"That's up for debate, but I won't press you further. Good luck with your matter," Tsunade said as she left the Uchiha Clan heir to his own devices. Sasuke watched her go before a smirk came onto his lips.
-x-
"And just what did you need from me that it couldn't be said outside?" Yuna asked, sitting on her and Sasuke's bed with Itachi looking at her. The brother of her lover stared out the window, watching the frost stick to the glass and the snowfall.
"You know what Sasuke's attempting to do in order to gain more power to protect the world. He's grown a lot since he's come into a relationship with you. He tries to hold it off, but I can see the amount of joy you bring him, even with a bit of your stoicism mixed in," he answered which made Yuna snort, putting one leg over the other.
"Ha… ha… ha. Well compared to the rest of our family I thought I was pretty expressive. I love Sasuke too, in spite of his flaws. He's more stubborn like Naruto-sama than he cares to admit. But my love for Sasuke aside, what else do you want?" Yuna asked.
She tried not to sound so bold and upfront, but she was very tired. Last night had been the last time she'd gotten almost any sleep in the last two days. She'd been going throughout the village quelling tensions between the different nations' people. She'd stopped a fight between an Iwa and Konoha shinobi, Suna and Kiri seemed to have their own problems, and of course, there was the occasional Kiri shinobi going where they shouldn't.
Then there were the civilians. If she had to hear one more civilian complain about foreign shinobi, she would retire her headband. It'd bore the hell out of her, but she'd be more than willing to become a housewife to never deal with civilians again. All they did was complain.
"Sasuke spoke of an interesting matter which I believe warrants some attention. He said that it was a shame that we couldn't get you and Mother the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan as well. I've seen your abilities with it, unorthodox as they are. I know of no Uchiha who has formed dust release with it. However, I then remembered there is a way to give it to you. Perhaps Fate does indeed work in strange ways," Itachi said as he held out his hand.
Yuna slowly watched as the former Akatsuki member summoned a crow in his hand. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the sharingan implant in its left eye. "I assume there's something behind this. The Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan can only be transplanted… supposedly by those with strong blood ties," she said, tapping her finger on her arm while Itachi nodded.
"...I always knew Sasuke would learn the truth eventually. I just never knew how he'd take it. Implanted in this crow's eye is Shisui's Sharingan. I always knew Sasuke would uncover the truth of the Uchiha Massacre at some point. I just didn't trust that he'd make the right decision concerning it. Shisui gave me this eye before his death, hoping that I'd keep it out of Danzo's hands. It would only be one, but one is more than enough…" Itachi paused for a moment to gather his thoughts.
"...as for mother, I'm unsure of how close the two of you are. Shisui and I were perhaps very far-related, but giving her your Sharingan will at least offer her eyesight back from the dead one. It would still be an advantage for us," Itachi finished which made Yuna glance at the crow a little more. She had to admit that Itachi's words made sense, especially at a time like this.
Yuna studied her lover's older brother for a moment or two before responding. "And you didn't think I might need to know this before everything turned out like this?" she asked further.
Itachi met her gaze head-on, unwavering in his resolve. "Indeed, the thought had occurred to me. However, Shisui had entrusted it to me and you hadn't shown a propensity to obtaining power. In fact, I dare say you wouldn't do it unless the situation was this dire," he answered.
Yuna shifted her gaze between Itachi and the crow. Slowly, she exhaled.
"Fine."
-x-
Naruto slowly opened his eyes, shivering from the violent cold. Ever since his encounter with Pakura, he'd found another cave to huddle himself in. Of course, he wasn't sure how much better this was. He was still freezing cold, his divine power granting only the minimum amount of warmth to make sure he didn't freeze to death.
How long had he been sitting here? He really didn't want to go back outside. He'd just gotten to the point where his fingers warmed up. He actually started thinking this was a very bad idea. Never had Naruto felt more alone than now. It seemed to be so surreal. In the end, he was right back where he started.
Alone.
He always seemed to be alone. Even with family around, even with great power, even when fighting insurmountable odds, it almost always seemed to be him alone. When he looked up, he saw the lightning and thunder crash outside while snow and hail flew outside. It actually reminded him of his apartment. He laughed. "The heater broke that one winter. Everyone complained, but the landlord couldn't do anything about it. We were without heat for the whole of winter. Jiji bought me that heater. I'll never forget it," Naruto chuckled with a hard shiver.
The smile on his face slowly fell as he exhaled, watching his breath fade into the icy air. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki held out his right hand. Focusing, he did as the Shinigami instructed. He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. He thought about the concept of Paradise. He thought about the concept of Hell.
He thought of paradise. He comprehended the glory of the heavens and the realms created by Kami. He thought of those resting in the warmth of her divine embrace. For those blessed to be there, there was no cold. There was no pain. There was only the purity of she who governed the universe. In the flames of her glory, none tire, and none waver. For a woman who claimed to love so much, Naruto didn't understand why she allowed so much suffering, yet… that was a sense of paradise in and of itself, a reward for those who'd endured for the proper cause.
In Naruto's hand, a small flame came into view. However, it was unlike the white flames of Honshou. It was golden with something of a ruby center. It wasn't hot to the touch. Hell, it wasn't even warm. It was just there, floating in the midst of his palm. He tried to make it grow steady and feed it, but the process was painful. It was more painful than the cold. It felt like his very soul was being crushed under the immense weight of power. He tried to hold it up, but the flames swiftly vanished away, releasing him from their hold.
Naruto fell forward. Though the ground was cold, he didn't care. He touched his forehead and found himself sweating. Blood seeped from his eyes and his skin felt like it was about to burst into flames. "If that's paradise, I really don't wanna know what Hell is," Naruto thought to himself.
Still, there wasn't much else Naruto was gonna do until the storm passed. So, he decided to spend time contemplating the concept of Hell. This one seemed to be a lot easier. With his thoughts already chaotic as they were, it wasn't hard for him to imagine a place meant for the wicked, a place where they suffered for their heinous acts, a place where every Jashinist ought to go. Yet, even they were shown some measure of mercy as their souls were burned until nothing remained.
When Naruto opened his left hand, there was a dark purple flame with a blue sapphire center. Unlike the gold flames, these were much easier to maintain. In fact, there seemed to be no difference in the powerful feeling. In fact, it was easy to feed this one as well.
"Perhaps you synergize with this one so well because you know that's where you ought to go! Why don't you do all of us and yourself a favor and do that?!"
The smile on Naruto's face fell when the voice pierced his thoughts again. His thoughts distracted, the flames dispersed from his hand. Naruto looked up and he saw that the storm had lessened considerably.
Breathing a sigh, he stood up and walked out. Of course, the snow and wind blustered against him, but it wasn't nearly as unbearable as before. When he looked down, he swallowed. It was a far way down, one he wasn't sure that he'd survive. Not to mention, the air was very thin. He took large inhales of it just to keep himself conscious.
"Okay, I got this! I have to get this!" Naruto exclaimed as he summoned two clones. He then sent them inside the cave to cultivate the powers of Paradise and Hell. He wasn't sure what this was supposed to teach him, or how it was supposed to help him face Jashin, but… Naruto was willing to try almost anything at this point.
So the young Uzumaki continued his climb. He climbed and climbed, pushing himself and his body further than he ever had before. All his training over the years of his life seemed like a far cry from this moment. More often than not, his grip slipped from the rough edges making him fall back down. The thin air made him shake and it took the Kyuubi shouting at him to keep him from going unconscious.
In every cave he passed, Naruto left clones to start training in the two flames the Shinigami left to him. He then continued his climb, passing by Suiren, Yahiko, Kimimaro, Dan, and Gari. Unwilling to merge his soul with any of them, he persevered. He persevered as fucking hard as he could, gritting his teeth and biting his cold lips to keep himself awake. He braced himself against the harsh winds that threatened to throw him off.
After hours of climbing, a voice tormenting him, accusing him, threatening him, and overwhelming him, Naruto grabbed another ledge. With bleeding nails, he pulled himself up and rolled over. His lungs burned and his muscles ached.
"I was wondering how long it'd take you to get up here. Still, I shall offer you credit where it's due, Naruto Uzumaki. I've never seen such a tenacious spirit since my elder brother. Still, with as much respect as your position allows, I must call you an idiot who surpasses even him. Continue on this path and you will never make it to the top."
Naruto turned his head. There was a platform covered in a large blanket of ice and snow. A big frosty mist covered the field, but Naruto managed to see Tobirama through the frozen haze. As expected, the Nidaime Hokage wasn't perturbed by the harshness of the cold. He just stood there like he found his home in the frozen nothingness.
Struggling, Naruto stood to his feet. "Good to know. Though, I think that's pretty damn easy for you to say," the blond fired back as he noticed the Nidaime's eyes on him. He seemed to be analyzing him. When Naruto looked back at him, he could feel a wall of pressure, nowhere near as high as the one he faced when battling Jashin, yet he knew it was a testament to the Second Hokage's power.
After finding whatever he needed, Tobirama shook his head. "I suggest you go back down the mountain and try again. As you are now, you're no match for me. You're exhausted, your soul and spirit are torn, and your body can't stand much more. You still haven't learned what's needed," Tobirama advised.
Naruto always knew he was an emotional person. Sure, his mother had trained him to have a better grasp on his bullheadedness to further his career as a ninja, however after everything he endured, he was starting to get fed up. "I'll take my chances!" Naruto said, the white flames of Honshou encompassing his body.
Tobirama faced down the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, sighing disappointedly. "Perhaps, Tsunade was right to take away your dream of Hokage. With such an attitude, the village would have surely met its end under your leadership. Why don't you understand, boy? It wasn't on your own that you made it this far. I wonder if you should have been born of the Uchiha instead of the Uzumaki," Tobirama muttered to himself before he acquiesced to Naruto's desires.
Unleashing the full might of his fury and power, Tobirama made the ground crack to pieces around him. The mountains shook as the cold winds started to pick up. Between Naruto and Tobirama the might of Raijin roared through the skies above, dividing the heavens from the earth. Ice and snow crumbled down the sides of mountains, roaring like the hooves of a hundred thousand horses.
With his fists balled, and his resolve steady, Naruto charged at Tobirama. The Nidaime charged at Naruto as well. The mountain then exploded as their fists clashed against each other, releasing ripples of divine might through the entire dimension.
-x-
"Naruto…" Kushina thought as she looked out into the frozen wasteland. The blizzard around Konoha had gotten stronger as the chaos in her ears got louder. Kushina felt her son's power over the great distance between them. She'd honestly like nothing more than to be at his side, giving him the words of encouragement she knew he might need.
Unfortunately, that wasn't meant to be her role this time. Instead, she turned back to her opponents, the Five Kage stood against her with her power in full bloom. Behind them, over ten thousand battled together against a multitude of powerful spirits summoned by Kushina. Of course, the spirits were barred from killing their opposition, and there was no way they'd feel pain from their opponents. It was a perfect training environment.
In particular, Kushina eyed Yuri. The young woman was already at two tails of the Sanbi's power with the Hachibi jinchuuriki right behind her. She was currently in a fierce taijutsu battle with a spirit that excelled at hand-to-hand combat. Try as she might, even with all her power, she was countered at almost every turn. The frustration was starting to show on her face.
"Do you have the luxury to look away from us?!"
Kushina noticed a pile of sand beneath her feet. With it holding her in place, Ay appeared behind her faster than she could blink. He then slammed his fist into her face, releasing sprawls of lightning over the field.
After him, Tsunade came next. With a hard shout, she shattered the ground beneath their feet, colliding her fist with the other side of Kushina's face. Yet, the two Kage stiffened when Kushina faced the full brunt of their might without much concern. Flaring her Honshou, she blasted Ay and Tsunade away. Even the sand that was supposed to restrain her had been blown away.
Gaara sucked his teeth. "The sand in the gourd isn't enough. Plus, it's hard to get more from beneath all this snow. I'm at a large disadvantage," Gaara thought to himself, trying to keep himself from trembling before Kushina's might.
Immediately, Kushina appeared in front of him. Gaara stilled. His sand hadn't even managed to react to her presence before she started trading blows with him. Gaara was forced back, each strike from Kushina making his arms tremble. Though he was loathed to admit it, he should have seen the signs from his time with Rock Lee back in the Chunin Exams. Taijutsu was a weakness of his. He'd become too reliant on the abilities of his sand to keep him safe. Even when the sand did block, it wasn't enough. Kushina just punched right through it. Then came the pain. There came a LOT of pain.
Gaara was tossed away next which opened up room for Mei and Kurotsuchi to come in. They fired globs of quicklime and acidic mud at the Uzumaki Matriarch. The redhead danced out of the way of each assault. She ducked her head from a kick from Ay, blocking Tsunade's fist. "Dammit, it's just like those beasts back on Earth. No matter how hard I hit, I'm not getting anywhere!" Tsunade scowled. She threw out another punch, but Kushina absorbed the impact, burying her own fist in Tsunade's gut.
The Godaime skidded back from the mother of Naruto. The Gokage looked at her, watching her stand amongst them. Kushina rolled her neck and exhaled. "Continue. This is as much training for me as it is for you. We're not stopping until we're all bruised," Kushina warned.
Yes, even for her this was training. While it felt good to smack the Gokage around, especially Tsunade, Kushina had to remain professional. These battles weren't just for their benefit but for hers as well. It was actually harder than she thought to keep so many spirits under control amongst the battles with the army of shinobi below. Many of them were unruly, just ready to usurp her orders at any sign of weakness. Anticipating everything was making her head hurt and draining her power faster than even she thought possible. Then there was the battle with the Five Kage, the best of the best. Kushina didn't like this any more than anyone else.
The training continued for hours and hours, whether in the intense wind or the still snowfall, they all trained. They trained hard. The battlefield was alive until the very depths of night. By the time Kushina called it quits, everyone was on the ground panting. There wasn't a single person not riddled with injuries. Even Kushina herself struggled to keep standing. Her coils burned from overuse. The strands of her hair flickered between red and white until red finally won out.
Exhausted though she was, Tsunade leaned up and watched Kushina fall back. "I hope you have an… idea… for… all this!" the Godaime wheezed, pushing her chakra to heal her wounds.
Kushina turned her gaze to the Hokage. Cursing herself, Tsunade couldn't help the shiver that rolled through her body. Kushina still had that commanding aura of divinity around her that could force any mere mortal to lower their head. Tsunade really didn't like the feeling, but apparently, the purpose of the training was to try and get them used to fighting with such an aura around them.
Sure, Kushina's aura wasn't anywhere near the level of Jashin or Naruto's, but any resistance to the pressure could only be a benefit to the shinobi forces.
The redhead inhaled, her nose burning from the cold. "You haven't seen anything yet," she replied, grinning in a manner that even her son would be proud of. Finally, Kushina clapped her hands which got the attention of all those around her.
A few people gawked. "She's up already? We've been fighting for the last ten hours. I can't even move!" a kunoichi said.
Karui was inclined to agree. She was thankful for the combat because it got A LOT of frustration out of her and Omoi for what happened to Samui and Atsui, but it became clear that anger could only make up for a difference in power for so long. Against her opponents, Karui found herself wanting. She thought she knew a lot about kenjutsu, however, when Kushina pit her against a warrior from another world with blade techniques, Karui realized just how much she still had to learn.
It was humbling and fucking infuriating all the same.
"I see a lot of you are tired and exhausted. Now is where the real training is going to start. However, before that, would anyone like to take a break? Obviously, we've been going at this for a long while. I think you've earned… it! I can pick up with you later" Kushina said, gritting her teeth from the pain.
Risa frowned, already aware of what her cousin was doing. "Kushina, you've become a lot more cruel. I never thought you'd have it in you," the mother of Tayuya said while she silently observed the rest of the shinobi populace.
Kakashi slowly chuckled to himself while Yugao glanced at him. "I see you understood her purpose as well," the purple-haired woman said which made Kakashi slowly nod.
"I think she's been hanging out with Ibiki when none of us were watching," he answered, his teammate quickly agreeing with him.
On the other side, Tayuya and Yuri watched as shinobi and kunoichi breathed sighs of relief. One by one, they started collecting their things, staggering off the battlefield much to the disgust of Tayuya. Sucking her teeth, she growled. "Fucking pricks! Glad to see you've got the time to laze around!" she hissed in her thoughts.
Yuri merely continued to watch, mainly in disinterest. Fuka shook her head, deciding to ignore the masses in favor of getting some of the snow out of her hair. Not even the Kage spoke, instead choosing to observe the actions of the people under their command. Though disappointed, they wondered if they could hardly blame them.
Once all the snow had settled, only about two to three hundred men and women remained. Kushina glanced back to those who remained. "You do know this is only gonna get worse right?" she asked.
"Spare us the intimidation tactics, tree hugger. I'll take a damn break when I'm back in my world and all this fucking hellhole is nothing but a bad dream. Whatever you have for me, I can take it!" an Iwa shinobi said, slamming his fist into the snow.
Despite the disrespect, Kushina didn't care what anyone called her at the moment. Instead, she stood amongst the masses and sat in the snow. "Usually, this would be next to impossible and even I'm not going to have perfect control over it. I'm not the one with a contract to the Shinigami. However, I've been granted certain authority and I now realize that there is a method my son and I missed. With us as the anchor, we shouldn't be the only ones who can merge with spirits," Kushina said as she tried to focus.
In spite of her injuries, her red hair turned white. Her cloak surrounded her body and she clapped her hands together. "Surround me, all of you. I warned you. This is where the real training starts," she said.
Yuri was the first to get up. For Yukimaru's sake, she sure as hell wasn't going to run away from an attempt to get stronger. However, she had an idea of what Kushina meant by this training. Yuri had already done it before when she faced that woman Tokiwa back in those caves. Granted, the separation of her soul from Shizune and Ebisu's was even more painful than she thought.
Yet, Yuri sat in front of Kushina. Karui and Omoi were next. Both had enough of the nightmares and the tears, since coming into this land of frost and ice, they'd been training relentlessly to make Jashin pay for the hell they'd been put through. They wouldn't stop here. They couldn't afford to.
"Don't you dare think of leaving us out," Karui said, taking a seat next to Yuri with Omoi right after.
Then came Fuka, Kakashi, Yugao, Karin, the Five Kage, the Akatsuki, Konan, Fujikaze, Darui, KIrabi, and hundreds of others gathered in the snow with Kushina as the center. Finally, Kushina inhaled and exhaled. The Matriarch of the Uzumaki clan had never been one for prayer, but she figured she needed all the help she could get. "Please let this work!" she pleaded as she started to spread the power of Honshou over the shinobi populace around her.
Of course, humans weren't meant to take in Honshou. Such power of the gods was enough to burn their bodies away until not even their ashes remained. However, Kushina focused on finding a tether where they might be able to partake of the power just long enough to not kill them. It had happened with Kakashi, Yugao, Yuri, and many others, though that was after months and months of being exposed to the smallest amounts of it.
While they didn't have that luxury, Kushina suspected that she could bolster their defenses so long as she acted as the link, turning the power of Honshou into something that mortals could use. Were she to cut the link, she'd have to take all the Honshou with her. If any of it was left inside the masses, they'd be dead before they ever opened their eyes again.
The thought of so many lives in the palm of Kushina's hand was a humbling, terrifying, and exciting experience. Yet, she had a deep responsibility for all of these lives. She couldn't fail now.
Then, Kushina spoke. By the authority of the Summoner of Death, she called the spirits to appear before her. Three hundred spirits did so and, with Kushina linking them, connected their souls with the mortals around her.
Immediately, Karui bit her lip. "Fuck! Is this what it's like? I feel like I'm being torn in half!" she grimaced, not knowing that others were having the same thoughts. Even Kushina was no different. However, into the cold night, with Kushina's power keeping them warm, everyone trained within the depths of their minds, battling and learning under warriors the likes of which the Elemental Nations had never seen before.
In the meantime, Kushina stood in her own space, breathing slowly as a man stood in front of her. "We shall try again," he said.
Next to Kushina stood Deidara, Asuma, Chiriku, and Sasori. All of them didn't much like this idea, yet they stayed their tongue as the man walked over to Kushina and merged her soul with his. A trail of blood slipped from Kushina's lips, but she kept herself focused even as the spirit connected to her. Veins pulsed in the corner of her eyes. With a grunt, the Matriarch of the Uzumaki clan opened her eyes, the full force of the Byakugan appearing within them.
-x-
Yura exhaled slowly, kindling a fire from a few stray pieces of wood she'd gathered on her journey into the frozen wasteland. She had no idea where these pieces came from. Perhaps it wasn't all ice at the start. She imagined a forest, a civilization long gone away, people going about their lives until a never-ending age of ice came upon them.
Still, she wasn't about to complain. This was a string of luck that she needed. She'd been walking for so long and she'd still seen neither hide nor hair of her lover, Naruto. The spirit leading her seemed to be a weird one. Whenever Yura stopped walking, the woman would fade away. She only appeared when Yura bothered to start walking again. In the day, she was like a barely visible wisp in the wind. At night, she was a barely flickering piece of fire.
Yura looked at her hands. They were riddled with frostbite, making her thankful for the fire. She'd been sitting here for an hour at least trying to warm herself up to continue her trek. The mountains continued to roar and tremble in the distance. In an odd sense, they sounded like blows of thunder, shaking the very foundation of the realm she and everyone else was in.
Yura breathed warm air on her hands. "Really, what am I doing out here? Maybe Kushina-san or Yuri would have been better for this. But, it's not like I can turn around now. I don't even know where I'd turn around to," Yura thought.
Her eyes grew heavy and she nearly stumbled into sleep. Forcing herself to stay awake for a moment longer, she stoked the flames with a wayward stick. She then offered a small prayer to the Shinigami. Once finished, her eyes closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Yura wasn't sure when the frost and ice melted away into nothingness. A black void surrounded her. When the young Uzumaki opened her mouth, there was no sound. Either her ears didn't work, or her voice didn't. Both were horrifying prospects.
Luckily, her eyes were still working. Like the light at the end of a tunnel, it was too far away to be recognizable. Yet, there was a lot of warmth to be had there. It was a warmth she longed for.
Yura started walking.
She walked. And walked. And walked. AND WALKED, yet she never got closer to the light. "I have to be going insane," Yura thought.
After what she thought was an hour or two of walking, Yura finally stopped, frustration welling within her. She wanted to scream, but nothing came out into the soundless void. She couldn't even hear herself scream even though she knew her muscles were working overtime to produce the chorus of her anger.
When Yura managed to catch her breath, she looked up. Stiffening, she saw the forms of Yuri and Kushina. The two look down at her, they smiled yet they didn't speak. To say Yura was happy to see them was an understatement. She stood up, ready to greet them before the space around them rumbled.
Yuri and Kushina looked up. Yura followed their gazes. In silent horror, she stared at Jashin combating her lover, Naruto. Blows struck through the air and jutsu flew about like wind and rain. She watched Jashin blast Naruto's head to the side with a ferocious punch. Yura gasped, watching her crash into the floor.
Yet, still, there was no sound. Jashin seemed to be laughing, mocking her lover while Kushina pushed Yura away. The young redhead took a step back in shock, watching as her sister covered herself in the chakra of the Sanbi. Meanwhile, Kushina's body exploded with divine might. Both charged at Jashin.
Aside from the sounds of violent battle, nothing else could be heard. Yura trembled as she watched. Her sister and Kushina tried to combat Jashin as well, but they were brought down even easier than Naruto was. In the end, Yura watched helplessly as Jashin walked past them without a thought. He stood in front of Naruto.
Yura's feet remained glued to the floor, shaking and unwilling to move. She pleaded that they moved, begged even. Yet, the power and pressure were too much for her to handle. Gritting her teeth, she found herself moving until she stood right in front of Jashin.
"Great. I'm here and I've got nothing to fight him with!" Yura exclaimed. Quickly glancing to her side, she noticed a kunai on the black floor. Shakingly reaching for it, she pointed it at the God of Slaughter. The cruel smile was plastered on his face, his eyes not even deigning her worthy of notice.
Each step was like thunder. Every second one where she felt her soul was being ripped to pieces. It was at this moment that Yura realized just how weak she was. She couldn't call for help. Her best chances of surviving this nightmare were gone. All she could do was grit her teeth.
Unfortunately, her pride was crushed when Jashin walked past her. "I-Is he ignoring me?!" Yura questioned. Her eyes followed him and she saw the glee in his eyes. He mocked her. She was not worthy. She was no more than a buzzing fly in his space. If it got too close, he might swat it, but usually left alone and barely worth notice.
When Yura turned around, Jashin was gone, Naruto was gone, Yuri and Kushina were gone. Everything was gone except for her. Even the light she'd been following… was gone. Yura was alone. Alone with her thoughts, alone with her fears, alone with her broken pride, that was all Yura was left with.
Startled, Yura opened her eyes. She looked out into the ice storm from the shelter of her cave. The fire had started to go out. Yura looked at the slowly dying embers and became aware of her restless pants. "A-A dream?" she questioned, noticing the trembling of her hands.
She thought this might be from the cold, but sweat had lined her palms. The cold air also seemed colder on her face. When she touched it, she realized her face was soaked in sweat as well. Yura rubbed her eyes and looked out into the frost. She picked up her stick and stoked the flames, trying to keep the fire going.
Unfortunately, the flames were gone before long, leaving Yura with nothing. Breathing out cold air, she figured that her break was over. With that being the case, she picked herself up and exited her abode.
Once Yura stepped out, the frosty wind greeted her, buffeting her efforts. However, as usual, once she was ready to leave, she saw the woman floating in the distance. As always, she waited for her just barely into the horizon. Her form was like a bright flaming beacon, no different from a lighthouse.
"How… How am I going to make this? I don't know if I have the strength to do this. I… don't have any power anywhere. I need to get stronger. But I don't know how! I told Yuri this is what I thought I was meant to do. Heh, just look at me, always acting like I know better. Now look where I am. I'm out here away from everyone, looking for Nii-sama when he probably doesn't even need my help" Yura thought, chuckling hopelessly.
Even in her dreams, she couldn't begin to change the outcome of what she'd seen. She still remembered that terrible trembling, the fear of encroaching death and lifelessness. She'd thought she resolved that matter after so many times trying to raise Yuri, yet… like blood, it seemed to stain her body no matter how many times she washed it.
However, for whatever pride remained, Yura didn't wish to turn around. She already knew the heckling she'd get not just from Yuri, but from the rest of her surviving family. Well, it was a good thing she wasn't a shinobi of Konoha anymore. At least she wouldn't have to worry about Tsuande stopping her.
One foot in front of the other, Yura continued over the hills of ice and the mountains of cold. Days passed her by, yet she still kept walking. Following the light of the woman guiding her, Yura hadn't slept much. Every time she stopped, she feared going to sleep lest the dreams persist. The few times she decided to go to sleep, the dreams were too much, only serving to beat down her worthlessness all the same.
At this point, she wondered if it was better to just lie in the ice and die. Yet, she persisted. She kept walking, the fire a light for her path. Every night, Yuri prayed to the Shinigami for strength. Though the dreams persisted, she found herself unwilling to turn back. Her legs were cold and her hair was laden with snow. She knew not what she could provide, she knew not if she even had the strength of will to provide it, but… she didn't want to do nothing. She too was a member of a powerful clan that had become a fierce existence upon the Elemental Nations. She desired that strength. No, she needed it to prove herself worthy to stand at her lover's side.
If he felt he wasn't strong enough, she would be one of the guiding pillars that would prove him wrong. She'd be one of the ones to reassure him. She'd be the sheath that held his strength, keeping it steady until he was ready to unleash it upon their enemies.
Yura growled as she took one step too much. Her legs buckled and she fell face-first into the snow. "Why does it hurt? When did everything start hurting so much?" Yura questioned as she felt the cold sting her fingers. Snow continued to fall on top of her. She panted heavily, feeling the last vestiges of her chakra slowly slip away. She'd long since run out of soldier pills.
"Does it always hurt like this, trying to be strong?" Yura asked, not getting an answer. Once again, her vision was blurry. It would be so easy to fall asleep right now. The snow actually felt kind of nice, almost like a blanket and pillow. Even if it was cold, even if it hurt, it was kind of nice.
Suddenly, a brief flash of Naruto's broken body ran through her mind. Scowling, she lifted up her head. Violently brushing the snow off her head, she exhaled.
No. Not yet. She'd allow herself to fall unconscious when she saw Naruto safe. If she were blessed with just that much then she wouldn't complain. If it were him, he wouldn't have stopped till he found her. To stand at his side, she'd make sure to sacrifice the same for she loved him. She loved him so much. Even if she was weak, she loved him.
Picking herself up, Yura saw the woman floating in the air. She wasn't nearly as far away this time. The young Uzumaki wondered why. Nevertheless, she pulled herself up and climbed over the hill. Once again, she felt she ought to hurry. The storm was starting to get worse… again!
Hurrying, Yuri stared over the ridge. Stunned, she saw a giant hole at the base of a giant mountain, one easily dwarfing all the others. In fact, it reached so high into the sky that Yura couldn't even see the top of it.
Finally pulling her eyes away from the majesty of the mountain, she looked down at the crater-like hole in the ground. The woman was floating over it.
Yura wobbled and stumbled her way to the hole and looked down it. Stunned, she gasped. "Nii-sama!" she shouted as she stared at the unconscious and battered form of her cousin.
"What happened to him? I've got to get him out of there," Yura thought. She spared a quick glance to her guide, but it became clear she was already gone. Yura was alone with Naruto with no one there to help them for miles.
A blast of lightning and drum of thunder rolled through the sky. Yura felt an icy blizzard soon to come upon them. With the ice would come more snow. It would bury her lover and leave him with no way to escape. While she was always comforted with the fact that he'd never stay dead for long, she'd rather not see it either way.
Grabbing a kunai and some rope, she repelled down slowly until she reached him. Walking over to him, she touched his bruised face. His lips started to turn bluish-purple. Taking a moment, she kissed him to push warm air into his mouth. "Come on, Nii-sama. Lets get you out of here," Yuri said as she groaned, picking up her considerably stronger lover.
Then came the hard part, Yuri pulled herself and Naruto up. It was hard. It was even harder than the journey to him. "Nii-sama, ramen diet. We're doing it when you get us out of this!" Yura swore as her muscles burned. Did she forget to mention that her hands were freezing cold?! She felt like she ought to mention that.
Truth be told, Yura had no idea how she made it out of the hole with Naruto on her back. She'd actually fallen back into the crater at least twice and had to do it over. Yet, she persevered and stood out into the harsh winds.
Anxiously, she searched for a place for them to stay. She dragged Naruto as far as she could along the side of the mountain. The storm grew in strength as the snow started to come up to her knees. Luckily, the blessings of the Shinigami must have been on them because there indeed was a cave.
Tiredly, Yura dragged him inside. Once they were in, she fell down and couldn't get up. Instead of doing more, she lay there with the whiskered blond. She brushed the snow from his hair and touched his cold cheek. "I… don't know what happened to you, Nii-sama, but I know you're working hard for all of us," she said.
Yura kissed his cheek and finally allowed herself to pass out again from exhaustion. At the very least, the storm outside did wonders for helping her fall asleep. Surprisingly, there were no nightmares this time.
As Naruto and Yura rested in the hidden cave at the base o the mountain, neither saw the Shinigami Summoner's body lit up with white flames. The fire covered his body before slowly moving onto hers, healing and sustaining them both. From the entrance of the cave, the woman who had been guiding Yura smiled wide.
"Leave your life with no regrets, my small rose. I'm sorry I couldn't stay with you longer, but at least I got to guide you one more time. Shikyō-sama, I'm trusting you to look after our daughters. You'll have your hands full," The woman said before she faded away, called out of her duties by the Shinigami.
The storm outside the cave raged until the very depths of the night. Slowly, Naruto opened his eyes. Cursing, he touched the side of his face. Every part of his body was raked with insurmountable pain. It was enough to make him pass out again.
"Dammit! Why can't I beat him?!" Naruto questioned angrily. He'd not thought the Nidaime was that powerful. This had been the second time that he'd been sent down the mountain. This try seemed more tiring than the last. Perhaps it didn't help that the clones he left kept dispelling, transferring all exhaustion into him.
Like the Hokage he used to be, Tobirama took advantage of any and all weaknesses that Naruto exposed. He wasn't like Jiraiya in the slightest. Every measure was taken and the only lesson learned was a harsh one with a blow to the side of the head. There was also no mistaking it, he was even stronger than his mother in regards to Taijutsu. Then again, he was amongst the few who survived the warring states era as a child.
"You know what you have to do, Naruto. There is only one way that you'll beat him," the Kyuubi said which made Naruto frown.
"I'll find another way," He replied with a hard glare.
The Kyuubi remained silent, though he shook his head as he and Mōryō observed their host. Same as the first, the second time Naruto climbed he'd ignored Pakura and the others.
"You can't keep running away, Naruto. You'll save no one with that attitude," the nine-tailed fox said, closing his eyes as his white tails swirled about in the air.
Meanwhile, Naruto groaned and he felt a weight on his shoulder. Turning his head, he stilled. "Yura-chan, what is she doing here?!" he questioned as he saw one of his lovers resting her head on his neck.
Immediately, all attention and concern shifted to her. He held her close, fearing that she might succumb to the cold. Thankfully, she wasn't as cold as he thought. That said, he looked at her arms, fingers, and legs. Same as him, she was in the throes of frostbite. He grabbed her hands and warmed them up, getting her as close as possible.
"Damn, I've got to get her back to the village. She'll freeze to death if she stays out here with me!" he exclaimed. Had he not been so drained on Honshou he would have opened a portal to the village at this moment. Unfortunately, he was too banged up. In fact…
"Did she drag me all the way in here?" he asked as he saw lightning strike the snowy ground outside. He then looked down at her, his heart swelling with love for her. He kissed her cold hands and shifted her close. While he didn't like her being out here, he was more than happy for her presence.
With great pain, Naruto shifted himself so he was behind her. He leaned against the rocky walls while resting Yura against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, hoping to keep her warm while she rested.
Throughout that time, Naruto thought about what the Kyuubi said. It was true that he couldn't keep doing this. He'd already lost days of progress and he couldn't afford that. This was bigger than him and his issues with Pakura and the others. Try as he might, he couldn't bridge the gap between himself and Tobirama like this.
Of course, how many could say they got a few hits off on the Nidaime Hokage? Naruto was happy he could count himself in that group now. Still, it wasn't like it was all bad.
Holding out his hand, Naruto held up the Golden Flames that represented the powers of paradise. They were much clearer and stronger than before, illuminating the cavern with its light. Still, Naruto hadn't exactly had the chance to use them against an opponent. He knew not what they were supposed to do.
The same could be said of the Hell Flames. The dark purple flames danced around the palm of his hand, burning bigger and brighter than the paradise flames. Don't ask Naruto why, but he enjoyed the look of the flames. He also needed no guesses as to what they were capable of. A blazing inferno of torment wrought on the deserving for all their wicked deeds until their souls turned to cinders. Perhaps he could make use of these against Tobirama.
No, it might be better to use them in conjunction with Pakura and the others. Naruto didn't wish to waste any more time on failed opportunities. "Alright. We'll try it your way," the whiskered blond said.
"Glad to see you're waking up to common sense, brat. Now rest. We shall deal with the matter of your adventurous girlfriend tomorrow," Kyuubi advised.
Had Naruto not been so tired, he would have offered a retort. Instead, he closed his eyes, sharing his warmth with Yura in the cool of the storm outside. Finally, there were no voices. There was just peace.
The next time Naruto stirred from his deep slumber, it was from a wonderful touch on his bruised cheek. Groggily, he grabbed the hand and smiled. It took his mind a bit to catch up, but he remembered last night. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but I think you owe me some answers, Yura-chan," Naruto said as he opened his eyes to see Yura clearly out of sorts.
The young redhead chuckled nervously. "Y-Yeah, I suppose I do, don't I?" she asked. Truthfully, she hadn't gotten this far. All her energy had been put into just surviving the journey over here. Sometimes, she wondered if she'd even make it. Now, she knew not what to say. The only thing she could do was… be honest.
"Listen, Nii-sama, I… m-mmmngh!" Yura gasped as Naruto kissed her. A wave of tension that had been building slowly melted away as the warmth of his lips made her body shiver against the contrasting cold. She turned to face him as his tongue wrestled with hers. She touched his chest, feeling the strength of his arms pulling her into him. She loved him. She loved him so much.
When they separated, Yura took a moment to let the pleasure settle from her brain. The fog was heavy and she almost didn't want to leave. Nevertheless, she felt a lot more relaxed from before. "W-What was that for?" she asked breathlessly.
"I know you relax after we kiss," he answered, a cheeky and smug grin on his face. Yura didn't like it, but she couldn't deny the result. She also didn't like it when Naruto stole one more quick kiss from her.
"Stop doing that!" she fired before her lips were taken once more. Naruto laughed as she punched his chest. He then did it again which she didn't even try to stop, instead, she kept growling after.
Once the contest of lips had passed, Yura sighed and looked out into the storm. "I… I really don't know why I'm out here. It's funny. Back in Konoha, it seemed like such a good idea. Even through the tragedy, I saw how many people have lost themselves even with friends close by. Yet, you had no one, isolating yourself from the rest of us. If there's anyone that shouldn't be alone right now, I thought it was you. I want to help you, Nii-sama, even if I don't know how. However, I think I'm supposed to be here because I was led here," she said.
This made Naruto surprised. It equally made the Kyuubi and Mōryō surprised. The two beasts looked at each other. Mōryō slowly nodded which made the Kyuubi growl to himself.
"Someone led you? Who?" Naruto asked. A fair question, Yuri assumed.
"Would you believe me if I said it was my mother?" Yura questioned.
Naruto looked at her incredulously. However, the more he thought about it the less he thought it was impossible. "What was her name?" he asked.
Yura looked at him for a long while. She already knew where he was going with this. "Namine," she said.
Naruto closed his eyes. He summoned the spirit of Namine Uzumaki to appear in front of them both. Soon enough, Yura gasped as her mother appeared in front of her. There was a wide smile on her face.
"Greetings, Shikyō-sama. It is good to see the head of our clan alive and well. It's also good to see my daughters' future husband. Yes, I am the one who led my daughter out here. However, forgive me that I cannot speak further on the matter. Shinigami-sama specifically forbade me from mentioning more than this," she said.
Naruto blinked. "Did he say why?" he asked.
Namine smiled. "I wasn't told. However, you need not be afraid that she's out here with you. Everything… will be as it should be. Though, it was still her choice to come out here. She's a stubborn young lady, just like her mother," Namine said while Yura's face scrunched up in tears. Her mother noticed and smiled.
"Yura, your father, and I understand. Everyone has their time and unfortunately, we couldn't be there to watch you both grow up, but I see that you both have become more than we could have ever dreamed. You've grown into a beautiful young woman, and a very strong one at that. Know that we will always be proud of you, and Yuri," Namine said before she started to fade away, a wave of her hand.
Naruto noticed his lover tremble. "Yuri's still a pain in the head. She still reads those trashy romance novels. She tends to stay up late and she still gets into trouble. She tends to be unreliable and emotional too many times, but… she works hard. She's responsible with her money. She never complains about the chores. When we fix this, she'll become a chunin and then go on to being a jonin. She'll become a splendid kunoichi. Just… just like I will!" Yura exclaimed as Namine's smile brightened.
"I'll be sure to tell your father," Namime said before she was gone, leaving Naruto and Yura alone.
Naruto held to his lover as she silently wept in his arms. Had he not had the Shinigami contract, he wondered what he might say to his mother and father if he saw them. What would he tell them and what would they say to him?
After some moments, Yura calmed herself and wiped her face. "W-Well, it looks like you're stuck with me," she said, trying her best to smile.
Truth be told, Naruto still didn't like this but it seemed Shin felt he needed her. Naruto wasn't about to claim he knew more than Shin did. "Look, Yura-chan, do you really want to be out here? I'm doing something I've never attempted before. I don't even know if it's going to work. I could take you…"
"Nii-sama, if you think I fucking walked through an entire tundra, almost died to the cold for you to turn me back around then I'd sock you over the head harder than that damned god did!" Yura exclaimed while Naruto stared at her like he wasn't staring at his usual lover.
"Noted," he replied before he started to share his plans with her. Yura listened attentively, nodding every now and then. By the time Naruto was finished, Yura had a good understanding of what he meant. She also thought he was fucking insane.
"And you really think this is a good idea?!" Yura asked while Naruto exhaled slowly.
"No, I don't. But I think I don't think I have the time for good ideas. I'm well aware that I can't keep Konoha and the others here. We'll run out of supplies eventually. I need to use all the time that's available to me and this is the best idea I can come up with," Naruto argued.
Yura opened her mouth, but then closed it. She didn't like this even if she agreed with him about the circumstances regarding Konoha. She didn't have the heart to tell him that they'd nearly started killing each other if she'd not stopped it. Tensions were already high even when Yura was there. She had no idea what could be happening now.
"So… we're climbing a mountain, one that reaches so high into the sky that our lungs might collapse?" she asked.
"Yup!" Naruto exclaimed.
Yura put her head in her hands. Great, just great.
The two Uzumaki waited one more day. In that time, Yura watched her lover continue to work with two flames, one gold and the other violet. Surprisingly, though the flames weren't hot to the touch, they were still warm as they pushed the cold out of the cavern. Yura questioned what the flames were used for, but Naruto wasn't even sure. That's what he was learning as the Shinigami taught him.
Once the morning came, Naruto left two clones inside the cave while he and Yura looked at the mountain. For Yura, she shivered, and not from the cold. The mountain was enormous, it almost seemed like it ascended into the very realm of eternity itself. To say Yura was not looking forward to this was an understatement. In fact, she was REALLY not looking forward to this.
"Last chance to turn back," Naruto said, taking notice of Yura's unsurety. He hoped she decided soon because the cold was blasting snow and ice at them. It wouldn't be long before the entire area was covered in more snow, burying them where no one would find them.
"I'm good. I'm… good, yeah. I got this. It's just like the cliff training grounds in Konoha, only bigger, thicker, and longer," she said.
Despite himself, Naruto chuckled unable to take Yura's words. She looked at him strangely, but he waved her off. Now wasn't the time to go laughing at jokes that even the Pervy Sage would find funny.
Naruto exhaled and grabbed an open groove of the mountain. Yura swiftly followed him, watching him dig his fingers to the sharp stones. He pulled himself up while Yura blew a breath of cold air from her lips. "Please let me be right," she thought as she too grabbed the mountain's side and climbed, following her lover wherever he might lead her.
KG: So I realize some people didn't understand what I was doing. Basically, this will make Naruto confront some rather unpleasant things about himself that not only he deals with, but also what many people deal with in their daily life. Such as what will you do when you make promises you can't keep or when the world ruins your dreams. How will you pick up the pieces after that? As he runs this gauntlet up the mountain, this answer that he finds will not only help him against Jashin, but also against the final villain of the very last arc, which should be coming up rather soon... maybe. However to anyone wondering, yes, we're gonna be here a while.
KG: CREAM SODA!