Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Shades of Crimson	By : Onileo Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 2074 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; that honor belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. My fanfiction is for entertainment only and is not intended for financial gain.

Chapter List
- 23
- 24
- 25
Chapter 24
          Kisame ran his thumb absently over the leather bindings of Samehada's hilt as he took off after Hidan and Sakura. They were already forging ahead, weapons drawn as they raced side by side towards the forbidding nine-tailed fox. Not surprisingly, one of the fox container's bunshin was tagging along behind, bright orange and black standing out sharply. The shark-nin's nervous habit abruptly ceased as he spotted the three-tailed turtle lumbering towards them. Pushing himself to run harder, Kisame moved to intercept the beast. It saw him and shifted direction, apparently satisfied with the appearance of a clear opponent.
          There wasn't much room to fight in the tree littered clearing, so he would have to be precise with his jutsu to avoid hitting one of his allies. The three-tails evidently didn't have the same consideration; moments later an unnatural mist was sent curling Kisame's way, shrouding over the six-tailed slug as it came. The other beast let out an unnatural shriek before moving out of the turtle's range. Recognizing what was coming, Kisame brought Samehada in front of him, closing his eyes as he held his breath.
          It might have looked like an ordinary attempt to reduce visibility, but he knew better. Before he left Water country, he had access to the restricted files on the three tails' development while it was sealed inside their leader. This particular jutsu created a hallucinogen in the mist that, when inhaled, took advantage of whatever the opponent disliked most about themselves and reproduced it via genjutsu. And it was a good thing he could hold his breath for a long time, because the jutsu lasted several minutes. The last thing he needed was to fight with himself as well as the beast in front of him. Once was enough already.
          Counting down the time in his head while keeping a proverbial eye on the chakra around him, Kisame tried to recall as many details about the turtle as he could. He wasn't sure how much direct control Madara had over it at the moment, but he was sure that it would know better than to use water based jutsu on him. Luckily, that reduced his known available jutsu considerably. As long as he avoided being hit with a physical attack, he should be fine. The turtle might be better defended and have more chakra, but Kisame was faster. Now all he had to do was find a weak point in the beast's armor.
          Unlike most turtles, this one didn't seem able to retract its head, so there wasn't any kind of opening in the shell. The crab-like underbelly was just as hard as the top, so attacking there wouldn't work either. He wasn't allowed to ponder on it further, because Samehada started quivering, and he felt the three tails' chakra close in on him. Opening his eyes, he threw himself to the left just in time to avoid a slash with one of the shrimp-like tails. The mist cleared and Kisame took a deep breath. The reptile glared at him out of his red-orange flecked right eye. It then swung its head forward again and opened its mouth, forming a large, white ball with its chakra.
          The chakra shockwave was sent his way, and Kisame's target was temporarily lost from sight. Releasing Samehada's energy absorbing ability, Kisame swung the weapon in a wide arc. Bits of bandage scattered as the wall of energy passed harmlessly around him. Stilling, he noticed that the turtle was staring at him with his right eye again. He had a feeling there was something he was missing. Some weakness he was overlooking. Maybe another viewpoint would help.
          Using the break in attacks, Kisame drew in the heavy moisture around him and created a shark missile, sending it straight towards the three-tails. He knew it would have virtually no effect, but he took advantage of the distraction to use a replacement jutsu. The henged tree branch took the brunt of the return attack as Kisame watched from the left. The turtle lowered its head as the trick was revealed, anger showing in its right eye.
          Kisame smirked from his position behind a tree as the turtle swung its head in the opposite direction, trying to locate him. His hunch had been correct. The turtle's left eye was closed, a jagged scar running across it. It had somehow been injured previously and couldn't see on that side. There was his opening. And with Madara's concentration in so many places at once, taking the turtle out would actually be easier than the previous battle with Shukaku.
          Adjusting his grip on his weapon, Kisame waited until the three-tails was facing away from him again. Then he charged, sword raised. He had almost made his target when a clattering of hooves warned him out of the way just before a large blur reached the position he had previously held. When it rumbled to a halt and turned to face him, Kisame recognized the form of the five-tailed dolphin-horse. Although somewhat smaller in comparison to its biju brothers, the dolphin-horse made up for it with speed and accuracy. And combined with the three-tails' strength, it would be nearly unstoppable.
          Kisame's smirk widened into a full-blown grin. So, Madara was taking him seriously enough to send another chakra beast to fight him. Good. He'd hate to be underestimated.
          The battle picked up speed from there, with Kisame using physical attacks on the turtle, and sending jutsu to the dolphin-horse. With twice the attacks coming at him, he barely had time to form hand seals before he was blocking one or the other. But despite his large size, he danced around the majority of the jutsu with ease, and Samehada fended off tail slashes, enraged charges and the occasional field-encompassing jutsu. The problem was, between the turtle's strength and the five-tails' speed, his attacks were nullified just as easily.
          The minutes dragged by as both sides did their best to wear the other down without compromising their own strength. Never before had Kisame had to fight with such large-scale jutsu for such an extended period of time. Twice he had to partially merge with Samehada to replenish his chakra. Eventually, he thought to himself with amusement, he would have the turtle completely absorbed. It would just be too bad he couldn't recall the entire amount of chakra at once. Now that would make for some interesting fighting.
          At last the dolphin-horse was pushed back and the turtle had his blind side exposed. Now on the offensive, Kisame charged forward, sinking Samehada deep into the turtle's neck. Forcing through the tissue barrier with a squelch, he tried to behead the turtle. The skin and muscle was too thick, however, and the sword stopped halfway. Withdrawing it, he watched in satisfaction as blood and chakra poured from the wound. Kisame lifted the weapon to strike again, before it could retaliate.
          Out of nowhere, the five-tailed dolphin-horse slammed into him, sending Kisame flying through the air. Pain ripped through his body as he crashed into a tree, the impact sending stars dancing behind his eyes. He landed in a heap on the ground, upright, with his legs stretched out in front of him. Struggling to fight through it, he tried to bring Samehada up to block the next attack, only to find his hand empty. He must have dropped the sword when he was hit. He tried to locate it, but his eyesight was blurry, and it was difficult to focus. Plus, when he moved his arm, a sharp stabbing pain drove itself into his back. At least three of his vertebras were either broken or crushed. He heard a pained scream from Konan somewhere nearby, the sound cutting straight into his animalistic instincts and forcing him to focus. His vision cleared a minute later and the pain momentarily subsided. He spotted his sword on the ground where he had been standing moments ago. Damn, he didn't have enough chakra left to draw Samehada to him, and the dolphin-horse was standing between them, preparing to attack, so he couldn't just get up and go get it either.
          So, why wasn't the sword coming to him? Peering closer, he saw that Samehada was quivering on the ground, attempting to move forward. It edged its way sideways, then stopped as if it hit an invisible barrier. That was it. The sword was being suppressed by the five-tails' chakra, and without Kisame to aid it, it couldn't eat its way through. Frustration hit the shark ninja for the first time in the battle. His sword was gone, he was out of chakra, laid out on the ground like a weak genin, and the dolphin-horse had just started forward to finish him.
          Well, he wasn't just going to stay here and take it. Fuck dying on his ass. He was an elite missing ninja from Bloody Hidden Mist, he told himself, and former member of the Seven Swordsman. More than that, he was an Akatsuki, and there was no way in hell he would disgrace himself like this. Drawing upon the iron will that made him a relentless fighter, Kisame gripped the fallen tree behind him and forced his body upright. Pain shot up his destroyed spine again, making him clench his teeth hard just to stay conscious through it. Blood welled up in his throat, and he spit it out, despising the coppery taste left behind.
          It was funny, he thought as he watched the chakra beast bear down on him, how calm and focused he was, knowing his time was up. He should be terrified of the oblivion that awaited him, of the darkness, but he had never been afraid of anything in his life. He had met the challenges of his existence head on, and that's the way he would end it. No excuses, no regrets. That would be the way the world remembered Hoshigaki Kisame.
          He stared down the dolphin-horse as it charged him again, yellow eyes blazing with defiance. He would have ran to meet the beast, but his body wouldn't allow him any more than standing. So he waited patiently as the five-tails neared, head lowered, tails streaming out behind. Just as it reached him and started to bowl him over, Kisame let out a roar and wrapped his arms around its neck, twisting with all his might.
          A sickening crunch sounded as the beast's neck snapped, and both bodies went crashing to the ground, the momentum carrying Kisame and the five-tails several yards backwards. He felt his skull shatter as his head hit the ground hard, and everything flashed a bright white before the world went black.

          Konan watched the monsters in front of her, trying to figure out in which order Madara would send them in to attack. If there was anything that life had taught her over the years, it was that strategy was just as important as strength. The three-tailed turtle was already in action, and currently being engaged by Kisame. The rest of the chakra beasts stood at the ready, their fanned out tails swishing in anticipation. She hoped the horned beetle would be sent out next. Against it, she would have a decent chance with her ability to become airborne.
          Luck was on her side. The seven-tails rose into the air, intent on attacking Hidan and Sakura from above. Flying through a set of hand seals, Konan released her slips of paper. They rose into the air before lying flat and interlocking. A domino effect was started, creating a paper barrier between the beetle and the shinobi on the ground, blinding it to their movements. Manifesting her paper wings again, Konan rose into the air, easily sliding through her shield to face her chosen opponent.
          The beetle had circled higher, and was preparing to dive through the barrier. While the shield would take some abuse, it wouldn't hold against him. Konan had to draw its attention to her. Launching herself forward, she flew towards it, swiftly folding several paper kunai as she went. Throwing them as hard as she could, she found her target. The kunai hit the beetle between the neck and body segments, but did not penetrate. She did succeed in distracting it though, and the seven-tails righted itself in the air as it stared her down.
          Then with a flap of wings, it was gone. Not wasting any time trying to find it, Konan tucked her shoulder inward and rolled to the right. A whoosh of wind sounded a second later as the spiked seventh tail narrowly missed her, slicing through the air where she had just been. Turning her head to see where the attack had come from, she was once again met with empty sky. Flapping her wings in front of her, she sent herself sailing backwards just as the beetle charged her from below.
          Damn, it was fast. At this rate, she would be in trouble if her chakra started running low and she couldn't use her wings to dodge. She had to find a way to slow it down. But she had no time to come up with something when it was bombarding her with attacks so fast she couldn't even see them. An idea suddenly struck her. Creating a paper clone, she dropped below the paper barrier, emerging several yards away. The beetle was above her clone, diving down at an incredible speed. Forming several hand seals, she held her breath and waited for just the right moment.
          The beetle sliced through the clone, sending a shower of paper whirling across the sky. Releasing her jutsu, Konan took control of her chakra infused paper. The sheets straightened until they were stiff, and were drawn to the beetle like a magnet. Layer upon layer, they wrapped around the beetle until it was covered. But it wasn't going to be enough. Two of the tails were nearly free already, and it looked like the restraints would burst at any moment. Releasing the barrier below, Konan used that paper to completely encase the seven-tails. Without its wings to keep it aloft, the chakra beast fell towards the earth like a stone.
          The seven-tails landed right on top of the six-tailed slug, which let out a gurgling shriek at the sudden assault. Hoping to finish them both off before they could counterattack, Konan brought her wings forward and pelted them with paper projectiles. Unfortunately, not very many of them penetrated the slug, and all of the projectiles bounced off the beetle. She would have to get in close for her attacks to be even remotely effective.
          Creating a paper spear, she dove towards the six-tails, leaving the incapacitated seven-tails for second. Hope swept over her as the tip of the spear penetrated the slug's head. She just might be able to do this. But there were no bones to slow her descent, and as her weapon sunk deeper, Konan landed face first on top of the slug. Slime coated her from the slug's body, and when she tried to draw back, Konan found herself unable to stand. The sticky fluid clung to her, holding her in place. Her wings were stuck as well, leaving her with no leverage to use. Her breath caught as panic tried to creep its way into her mind. Refusing to give in, she angled her body so she would roll off of the slug and onto the relative safety of the ground.
          Just as gravity was starting to work for her, the seven-tails broke free of its bond. Konan didn't even have time to look as the long, seventh tail of the beetle pierced her abdomen from behind, tearing a gash almost the length of her stomach. A scream was ripped from her throat as she fell, landing in a puddle of slime. Fighting through the pain, she tried to stand. If she didn't get away so she could collect herself, she would be killed for sure. That was when she felt the burning on her hands and face. Looking down at her blistering skin in horror, she realized that the puddle she had landed in was acidic.
          Drawing up strength she didn't know she had, Konan fought her way out of the puddle. The acid was eating her clothes, so she took off her cloak as quickly as she could, wiping her face and hands with the inside before tossing it away from her. Her eyes started burning, and she closed them to produce tears and keep the acid from blinding her. From behind, she could feel the combined chakra of the two beasts pressing down on her. Unable to continue the fight, she turned to the side and took off towards the tree line. She was running blindly, but at least she knew where the tailed beasts were by their chakra.
          Konan didn't see the beetle as it lifted its tail to score another hit on her, nor did she see the slug as it spewed more acidic slime in her direction. And she didn't see the edge of the hole that had once been the cave ceiling as she ran straight towards it. But she did know when her feet hit open air, and with another scream, began to fall.

          Pein pressed himself to run as fast as his body would allow him. Hopefully, the ninja on patrol had seen the coming threat and was raising the village's defenses. He already knew that the force of regular shinobi he commanded was inadequate to deal with the attack, but if they could hold the tailed beasts off long enough to evacuate the civilians, it would be enough.
          As he caught up with the ox and monkey, Pein tried to draw their attention to him. They ignored his threats, and the meager kunai he threw as he ran did nothing. It was the village Madara wanted, not him. He knew Pein would die defending it, and was delighting in hitting him in one of the few vulnerable spots he had left. The beasts came to a halt just outside the entrance. Pein ran past them, knowing he had mere seconds before they started unleashing concentrated chakra attacks. There were nearly a dozen shinobi standing in front of him, weapons drawn, a mixture of awe and determination on their faces.
          "Evacuate the village, now!" Pein shouted sternly at them as he came to a halt and turned to face the chakra monsters.
          Half of the shinobi scurried to do his bidding, while the other half ran to stand behind him. "What do you want us to do, Pein-sama?" one of them asked.
          "Attack with everything you have. Once your chakra is depleted, leave with the rest of the villagers."
          "Yes, sir." a unison of voices answered him.
          Shouts sounded from the streets as the alarm was raised, and several screams erupted as the civilians caught sight of the tailed beasts. Pein ignored the commotion, and focused on the four-tailed monkey, who had just punched a large crack in the earth, sending lava spewing into the air. Steam hissed and rose from the molten earth as it met the rain. Pein waited until the lava was making its descent toward the village before lifting his hand.
          "Almighty Push!"
          The fireballs were sent sailing towards their maker, hitting his massive forearms and chest. The monkey roared in pain and charged forward in a swaying gallop, bent on crushing them with his huge fists.
          While they were distracted with the four-tails, the eight-tailed ox launched a giant ball of chakra at the closest building. The collision was nearly deafening as the walls crumbled under the force of the blow. As if it were one of Konan's paper creations, the whole thing toppled over, crashing into the building across the street. The second structure held, but a giant hole was left where the building hit and it groaned heavily under the sudden weight placed on the foundation. The screaming coming from behind grew in intensity, and more than one of the shinobi with him glanced behind them. The eight-tails lowered his head and charged towards another building.
          "Take care of this one, I'll go after the ox." Pein said as he took off again, not waiting for a response.
          Behind him, the rain shinobi attacked the four-tailed monkey, the taijutsu users going first, giving the ninjutsu users time to prepare their attacks. Despite their coordinated efforts, they fell one by one, the power difference between them and the four-tails too great. At last only a couple of shinobi remained, fleeing through the village behind the civilians, too low on chakra or too afraid to continue the battle. Unhindered, the monkey resumed his attack on the village, destroying whatever it could lay its hands on.
          Ahead of Pein, the eight-tails had sensed his approach and paused, swinging his horned head towards him. "Puppet." the ox spat.
          "So, you've retained enough intelligence to speak. Impressive." Pein replied coolly, ignoring the intended insult.
          The ox grunted. "Not as impressed as you'll be when I rip you apart."
          With a howl reminiscent of his former jinchuriki, the eight-tails lowered his head and charged toward his opponent. Lifting his hand, Pein repelled the attack, forcing the biju back. Several of the ox's tails stretched to the sides, wrapping around poles and the corner of a building to slow himself down. Using the leverage like a slingshot, the ox launched himself forward again in a charge. Unable to use his jutsu just yet, Pein tried to dodge out of the way.
          As he barely cleared the space between the hachibi's side and the surface of a building, Pein found himself cursing Madara's foresight in keeping him limited like this. Then he cursed himself for not seeing it coming. Even though he knew better than to trust the older shinobi, he didn't figure he would betray the Akatsuki so quickly. He was just glad that the majority of the other members took his side. Not that they had much choice, but they could have fled for their lives, leaving him to deal with the outcome of his mistakes.
          As he passed the side of the beast, he threw a handful of shuriken at the opening created by his charge. They imbedded in his side, not doing much damage, but producing another howl anyway. Before he could land, one of the octopus-like tails wrapped around his body, slinging him back in the opposite direction. Luckily, there wasn't anything behind him, and Pein slid to a halt in the middle of the street. Changing the angle of his attack, Pein jumped to the right, and lifted his hand.
          "Almighty Pull!"
          The ox had already headed towards him again, and the force of Pein's jutsu pulled him ahead faster than his legs could keep up. Ducking out of the way as he neared, Pein watched as the massive creature crashed headfirst into a restaurant, toppling the chairs and tables set out under an awning. It didn't take him long to recover, and shaking his head to clear it, the beast rose and turned back to face his opponent.
          "You'll pay for that, puppet." he sneered.
          Rising up to his full height, the hachibi braced himself as a massive ball of black chakra started forming from his opened mouth. Unfortunately, what had saved Pein before was now a disadvantage. There was nothing close he could use to shield himself from the attack and he wouldn't be able to run fast enough to dodge it. He could only crouch down defensively as the ball was released. Using what chakra he had left, he tried to deflect the attack.
          It was too soon, and he only managed to keep himself from being decimated as he was sent careening backwards. He hit the building on the opposite side, landing in a heap on the sidewalk with a muted thud. The force of the blow stunned him, and as he staggered to his feet, he was hit with one massive fist and was sent flying through the air again. This time he landed on his side, and he heard the crunch of bone before he felt it as his left arm was crushed by the impact.
          Reacting on instinct, Pein rolled out of the way as a fist came crashing down, cracking the sidewalk where he had lain moments ago. Regaining his feet, he took off, pelting the ox with kunai and shuriken as he went. He was on the defensive now, one of the few times he had to since achieving this state. He ducked behind a stray table just as the hachibi's tail lashed out, nearly catching him in its grip again. The table was demolished instead, and Pein used the momentary confusion to change positions and charge, kunai in hand. Darting in a zigzag, he managed to keep the hachibi off balance enough to allow him to jump clear of the tails and land squarely between the ox's shoulders. He plunged the knife deeply before he was knocked to the street by another sweep of a tail.
          Pein landed with a rib-breaking crunch, the jar of the impact stunning him again. Lying there for several seconds, he listened to the sound of the eight-tails trying to dislodge the kunai, and the roar that followed when he succeeded. By that time, he had regained enough strength to roll to a sitting position and assess the damage to his body. He wouldn't last much longer now, and if something else wasn't done, the village would be lost. He would fail, as leader of the people of Rain, as leader of the Akatsuki, as Konan's friend, partner and protector. Well, that would never do. He had ascended to a divine incarnation of suffering, and a god never failed. Forcing himself to his feet, he gripped his last remaining kunai in his good hand and waited for the hachibi's next attack.

          Nagato lifted his head and opened his eyes, staring into the darkness that surrounded him. The sounds of the buildings falling in the village reached his ears through the thick walls. Ame was being torn to pieces, and there was little he could do about it. Yahiko's body was badly damaged. If he didn't pull him from the battle, there would be nothing left to save and Konan would be alone. That, he would not allow.
          Reaching out to her, Nagato found that Konan's chakra was weak but still there. She must have been defeated, but was still alive. Directing Pein to return to her side, Nagato straightened as much as his body would allow, and willed the machine that contained him forward. He could use his most powerful attack to repel the beasts and still have enough chakra for his final jutsu. But he couldn't do it at a distance, it would drain him too much and he would fail if he tried. Reaching the doorway, he pushed forward, crashing through the flimsy false wall and into the office. Bright light assaulted his sensitive eyes, and they automatically tried to close for protection. He forced them to remain open, even as they watered and burned, trying to adjust to the change.
          Turning toward the nearest window, he released the illusion jutsu protecting the lift that had been hiding there. When he was situated over the middle, he sent his chakra to the receiver lying over the switch. The resulting vibration activated the lift, and he was soon lowered into the room below. There were no windows, and only one door, leading to the outside. It too, was protected by a jutsu. Letting it drop, he forced his way through, and onto the street outside. He couldn't see the tailed beasts from where he was, but he could hear them. They were a couple of blocks over, tearing into what used to be the building that housed the Akatsuki's meeting rooms and guest suites. They never trusted anyone enough to bring them to their base, unless of course, they were in their custody, or were going to be disposed of immediately afterward.
          The metal legs beneath him clanked and whirred as he headed towards the monsters destroying his village. The closer he got, the heavier the devastation around him became. Chunks of buildings were everywhere, along with various articles of furniture that were caught in the blows as well; desks, beds, broken chairs getting soaked in the driving rain. Bodies were strewn about too, the unfortunate victims of bad timing and chance. Rivulets of rainwater ran red as they made their way across the sidewalks and into the drains below.
          Nagato pushed the sights from him as he rounded a block and he could finally see his targets. The four-tailed monkey was on the roof of one of the larger buildings, laying waste to the houses around it with a combination of chakra-infused boulders and fireballs. The eight-tails was closer, flooding the streets with inky black water as giant waves slammed into what was left of the market district. Luckily, Pein was well away from the flooding, so wouldn't be caught in it trying to reach Konan.
          Closing his eyes, Nagato concentrated on his chakra. Upward into the clouds it went, halting the downpour and merging with the droplets of water waiting to be released as rain. He felt the change take place, and soon his jutsu was ready to be unleashed. Anyone left behind would be killed almost instantly, but it was a sacrifice he had to make in order for those who had already escaped to survive. He had little doubt that Madara would pursue them should he fail here. Opening his eyes, Nagato found himself face to face with the eight-tails, who had seen him and was now towering over him, huge puffs of breath stirring Nagato's heavy fall of red hair.
          "You emerge at last. Time to die, Nagato!" the hachibi bellowed.
          "Not before you." he replied. "Kami's Tears of Pain!"
          The clouds above burst, sending a shower of acid rain rocketing downward. Nagato quickly moved under the shelter of the nearest overhang as the first drops made contact with the ground, pitting the concrete and sending green vapor dancing into the air. One hit his shoulder, searing the flesh and sending pain coursing down his arm. He ignored it, watching as the rain intensified until it was coming down in sheets. The acid rain that hit his machine began eating away the metal, pushing him further against the building next to him.
          For once, the biju's massive size was their weakness. The monkey and ox began bellowing loudly as the rain found its targets, driving them from their positions towards the edge of the village. The four-tailed monkey never made it to safety. The acid driving into his flesh ate at him until he collapsed in the street, his body exploding in a shower of chakra, fire and earth. The eight-tails made it out, but four of his tails were burned completely off and two of his three horns were melted to the side of his head from the acid. The will to fight fled him, and he retreated to where Madara was fighting with Hidan and Sakura.
          More relieved than he would ever admit, Nagato waited until the jutsu ran its course before stepping back out into the street. As he made his way to the edge of the village, he took in the destruction around him. Over three quarters of the buildings were either destroyed completely or would have to be torn down and rebuilt. The number of dead was nearly countless. He might be able to claim victory, but it was a bitter one. But then again, he had always known that everyone lost in a fight. That was why he had tried so damn hard to find peace for the world. But instead, he had brought war to a place that had already seen far too much of it.
          Nagato's attention was drawn to where the training ground once stood and he shoved his dark thoughts aside. Chakra flared and rolled as jutsu after jutsu was summoned and repelled. It was strange seeing this place with his own eyes instead of another's. But he had other things to worry about than his sight. What was left of the village was safe for the moment, but Madara was still out there, battling the Akatsuki. He might not make it in time to save them from death, but he still had one last trick up his sleeve that Madara would never see coming. He would win in the end, and the proud Uchiha would be left with nothing.
          As his metal legs worked to keep him upright over the uneven ground, Nagato made his way to where Pein waited with Konan. The soft earth was rutted and split in numerous places, and the trees that weren't outright destroyed were scarred with gashes from blows that failed to reach their targets. Green slime now covered the ground in places, withering the vegetation around the treacherous pools of acid. He almost missed seeing Kisame's body, lying face down in the mud. If it hadn't been for the wide track of disturbed dirt leading up to him, he would have passed by without noticing the mud covered form. He continued towards his destination, more determined than before. He would repair the damage caused by Madara's deceit. He owed his shinobi that much.
          And then he reached the edge of the cavern roof, just in time to see Pein jump out of the hole, Konan cradled in his arms, despite his injuries. She looked just as battle-worn as he was, covered in dirt, slime and blood. Her cloak was gone, the skin on her arms and face burnt and raw. The strong chakra that once surrounded her almost constantly was so feeble now he could barely detect it. The wound on her stomach was severe, the swelling of her abdomen indicating that she was bleeding heavily internally. Her breathing was shallow and rattling, more blood oozing from her lips with each breath. Her eyelids were parted slightly, the irises beneath clouded and glassy with pain. When he neared and her gaze rolled over him, she didn't even focus on his face. Nagato's heart sank.
          She was dying.
          With precious little time left, Nagato directed Pein to bring her closer. He did so, stretching her out on the ground before reaching inside his cloak and retrieving the wood box from its pocket. Pulling out the vial of blood he had been keeping, he uncorked the stopper and knelt down. Nagato closed his eyes and concentrated on building his chakra. This would be very risky. He had to perform two complicated jutsu, one right after the other, and if the timing wasn't exact, all three of them would die. His only comfort was that if he failed, none of them would be alone. For better or for worse, this was the end of it all. The Akatsuki, the shinobi from Hidden Rain, three close friends trying to find peace in a world of war. It was over.
          In the dark recesses of his mind, the god of pain faded away, allowing the lost boy who had stayed sheltered there for so long to emerge. With the thrust of a kunai and a friend's dying words, he had hidden himself away from the world. Now it was time for him to return and set things right. To pull the kunai back before another hand grabbed it and forced him to hurt the people he loved. This time, he would save them both. Lifting his head to let the cooling moisture fall down his face and mingle with unbidden tears, Nagato began releasing his chakra as Konan's heart stopped beating.

          Hidan and Sakura raced towards their target, weapons at the ready. Naruto's clone followed right on their heels, kunai drawn. They skirted the three-tailed turtle's mist, grateful that it also blinded the slug's movements from them. A flare of chakra above alerted them to Konan's jutsu, and Sakura glanced up to see the paper shield fall into place, blocking the rain and the seven-tailed beetle from sight. The five-tailed dolphin-horse was too far away to reach them, and the other two had kept on course towards the village. Madara watched their progress, red eyes narrowed. His brow creased in concentration as he directed the seven chakra monsters while trying to anticipate Hidan's first move at the same time.
          Beneath him, the kyuubi was gathering chakra for his first attack. The fox demon bared his teeth before lifting his head and releasing an ear-splitting shriek. The force of the sonic attack nearly drove the three oncoming shinobi to their knees. Sakura lifted both hands to her ears as she slowed and sent her chakra inside, surrounding and protecting the delicate hairs that controlled her equilibrium. Hidan merely ignored it, relying on his ability to heal quickly to counteract the blow. The clone had blood dripping from his ears, but it evidently wasn't enough to destroy it.
          Hidan was the first to retaliate, rushing forward, scythe swinging as he attempted to hit whatever part of the fox was closest to him. The serious look on his face was replaced by a wild smirk as his violet eyes practically danced. Finally, he was doing what he did best. And he didn't have to hold back for anyone. He didn't have to stop at almost dead. He didn't have to do things any way but his own. His and Jashin's. He nearly laughed out loud as he dodged around a tail that was deceptively fast for its size. He was on the verge of sending Madara to a judgment that was long overdue, and he was feasting on the anticipation.
          In contrast, Sakura hung back, face a stern mask of concentration, trying to figure out the best method of attack. In terms of chakra, they were outmatched and outclassed, and no jutsu they could perform could hope to change that. She watched Hidan dodge a swipe from a front paw as she pondered the physical aspect of it. The size difference between him and the fox was so great, he looked like a cat trying to attack an elephant. But size wasn't everything. Maybe the fox's body wasn't as strong since he had virtually unlimited chakra. There had to be balance somewhere. Sakura's face softened slightly. It was a long shot, but it was a place to start. And being immortal gave her the advantage, thanks to Jashin.
          Directing her chakra to her fists, Sakura tried to skirt around to the side. She wouldn't be able to attack from behind, the tails would be in the way. But if Hidan kept his attention forward, maybe she could land a blow to his soft underbelly, damaging his vital organs.
          Suddenly, there was an opening. The kyuubi had stopped his thrashing and was gathering chakra for a menacing ball attack, leaving his defenses down. Rushing forward, Sakura aimed for the massive ribcage. But the closer she got, the harder it became to move forward. The chakra surrounding the fox was thick, and soon it felt like she was trying to run through water. She didn't make it in time, and the opportunity was gone as a blast of chakra went speeding towards Hidan and several of the deadly tails were sweeping towards her. She ground her teeth in frustration and backed out of range. She would have to help Hidan until another opportunity for attack presented itself.
          Naruto's clone stopped on the fringe of the battle. He wanted nothing more than to jump right in and help his friend, but to do so would be a waste. He could only take one hit before he went down, and he had to wait for an opportunity that would give Sakura a clear advantage. He watched helplessly as time dragged on and one attack after another was repelled. Both Sakura and Hidan had several wounds on their arms and legs from glancing blows delivered with a lightning-quick paw or tail. If they had been any slower, they would have taken the hits full force, pulverizing them.
          Then Sakura went down as she took a blow to the side from a tail. She rolled and landed right between the fox's front legs, on her back. Clutching the wounded side, she staggered to her feet. Noticing her there, the kyuubi drew its clawed paw up and prepared to take a swipe at her. That was when the clone noticed the look on the fox's face. The rage he normally held was there in his gleaming, slitted eyes, but there was no satisfaction, no wicked grin signaling his pleasure at the carnage he was creating. He wasn't happy about what he was doing, and that was when Naruto's bunshin knew he had found his opening. Because if there was one thing he knew about the nine-tails, it was that the fox had a will as strong as his chakra. If he could break Madara's hold on him for even a few moments, things could turn in their favor. Rushing forward as Sakura braced herself for the inevitable blow, the clone started waving his arms to get the kyuubi's attention.
          "Stupid fucking fox! Help us already!" he yelled at the beast, hoping the familiar words would jar the fox's consciousness.
          Sakura heard Naruto's voice, and opened her eyes. For barely an instant, she saw the fox hesitate, paw frozen in mid-air, tails lashing behind him in agitation. It was working. He was fighting the hold Madara had on his will. The others saw it too, and Hidan and the clone raced forward to attack. Sakura rolled backward, rising swiftly as soon as her feet met the ground. Then the moment was gone and the claws that were meant for her imbedded themselves into Naruto's bunshin, who had intercepted the blow. The force sent the clone sailing sideways, knocking it out of existence with a pop and swirl of smoke.
          Sakura didn't relax for an instant. She might have been saved, but as the smoke dissipated, she saw that Hidan had jumped up, aiming to land next to Madara. The kyuubi had lunged at him simultaneously, mouth open, fangs bared. There was no way to avoid it and she could only watch in horror as the attack succeeded, and Hidan was caught in the massive jaws below him. The snapping of bones could be heard as the fox's teeth closed around his body. He cried out, a mixture of glee and pain lacing his voice. Then, with a vicious shake, Hidan was sent flying through the air, blood spraying after him. He had dropped his scythe on the ground, and landed somewhere behind her. But Sakura didn't have time to look back and check on him. The kyuubi was open to an attack, and she had to take it now. The pain coursing through her from Hidan was almost overwhelming, but she found that if she concentrated on holding the sensation to her, she could move through it just as easily as if it weren't there at all.
          Grabbing Hidan's fallen scythe, Sakura charged forward, right between the front paws of the kyuubi. Directing her chakra to her legs, she launched herself upwards, swinging the heavy weapon forward as she was racing towards the furry chest above her. The blades made contact, ripping through flesh and bone until it found its target. The fox's heart was sliced through, and an ear-splitting howl shattered the air as the nine-tails lost its balance and fell over. Madara was sent flying off its head, landing on the ground in a heap. Sakura was caught by one of the massive paws, and was rolled to the left, tumbling roughly over the ground until a boulder stopped her flight, crumbling under the force of the impact as if she had punched it with her chakra. Her vision dimmed, and she thought she was going to lose consciousness. Blearily hanging on, she looked ahead to see that the kyuubi's head was directly in front of her, eyes wide. If she didn't know any better, she would have sworn he was grinning at her.
          "Not so foolish after all." the nine-tails whispered before he exploded in a blinding burst of chakra, sending Sakura, Hidan and Madara flying further backwards.
          Once the world stopped spinning so much, Sakura pulled herself to a sitting position. The pressure of the chakra around her dissipated and it was then the full impact of the last few seconds sank in. They had defeated the kyuubi and she was alive! One down, one to go. As quickly as she could, she assessed the damage to her body. She was still cut and bleeding, but it was healing fast and she was otherwise unharmed. She could still fight. With the nine-tails gone, things were starting to turn in their favor.
          Her celebration was short lived, however, when she saw Hidan. He was half-sitting, half-lying against the base of a tree. Blood was splashed across his chest, highlighting the wound in his stomach from the kyuubi's teeth. More blood flowed from his arms and legs as they hung limply around him. Climbing to her feet, she made her way over to him, keeping one eye on where Madara had landed several yards away. He was conscious still, and seemed to be gathering his wits.
          Reaching Hidan's side, she sent her chakra into his body. In the confusion of the fight, he had managed to break the bond they had established, saving her from the brunt of the pain he was now going through. She was more dismayed to discover that his spine was crushed. He physically couldn't walk even if he wanted to. And she didn't have enough time to heal him before Madara's next attack. Praying that his body regenerated in time to help her, Sakura returned to her feet to face Madara, who was closing in on her, his face a mask of complete calm. The confident way he walked told her that he had already dealt with the loss of the biju and was just tying up loose ends before moving on to his next objective.
          She was just about to rush forward to meet him when a loud roar from the direction of the village caught Sakura's attention. Her eyes widened when she took in the skyline of what had been a fairly peaceful village hours ago. Jagged holes in buildings stood where window and walls had once been. Several rooftops were on fire, smoke fighting its way skyward through the driving rain. Green vapor rose from the streets, creating an eerie halo around the figure of the eight-tailed ox, who was heading their way, his gait wavering as if he were heavily injured.
          Horror and shock filled her. What about the civilians? The attack on the village had been swift, and there would have been little time to evacuate everyone. There were definitely casualties, and most likely, large numbers of them. Her vision of the previous day came back to her. Instead of shinobi lying on the ground, it was the villagers of Ame. Men, women and children that she had seen on a near daily basis since the first time she was allowed to leave the base. A pain-filled anger swept over her as her gaze returned to the village. Madara was responsible for this. And he couldn't give a fuck less, as long as he got what he wanted.
          Well, she would put a halt to his stupidity right now. Never again would the innocent suffer at his hands. With the others' help, she would succeed.
          Her anger froze over as a grim realization hit her. What had once been their training grounds was now eerily quiet. The others...
          Sakura's insides twisted as she desperately tried to locate her allies' chakra. Kisame's was gone; she couldn't find Konan's either. Pein's was very faint, but still there. Hidan was nearby, but after the nine-tail's assault, he could barely move, let alone fight. She was alone.
          Hidan's voice reached her, cutting into her cold panic. "Sakura, snap the fuck out of it! You have a job to do!"
          Taking a deep breath, she reached to where her things had fallen, her fingers closing around Jashin's gift to her. Clutching it tightly, she chided herself. She was wrong to despair. She wasn't completely alone. Jashin had provided her with everything she needed to defeat Madara, she just had to believe it would work. It had to. After all, didn't the entire world run on faith? It was the embodiment of hope, and without it, humanity would be forever lost in the darkness. Breaking the seal, she unrolled the otherworldly document, holding her breath in anticipation as she looked for the set of seals that would bring Makoto to her aid.
          The scroll was blank.
          Sakura's fingers trembled slightly as she stared down at the pristine parchment. Panic threatened to overwhelm her again. Everything was riding on this moment, and if she failed now, it was over. This had to be the right time. There would never be another opportunity like this. Madara knew she was his enemy now, and he would never let her close enough to attack him a second time. Not to mention the fact that with all of the biju concentrated on her, she didn't stand a chance. If Jashin wanted Madara so badly, why would he abandon her now?
          Her eyes automatically sought out Hidan. He just gave her an encouraging nod. She stared back down at the scroll. She was beginning to wonder if her new-found faith was actually a byproduct of insanity. Or maybe Jashin took the 'mysterious ways' concept way too literally. But who was she to complain about his methods? They were immortal and had just defeated the most feared chakra monster in the world. Why wouldn't the scroll that held their trump card be blank?
          Pushing her jaded amusement to the back of her mind, Sakura focused on her task. Swiftly, she retrieved her kunai and brought the tip to her palm, cutting a deep gash diagonally across the soft tissue. Fresh, clean blood immediately welled up, and she made a fist to keep it from falling to the ground. Lifting the parchment, she reopened her hand and swept it across the scroll.
          "Summon Technique: Jashin's Fury!" she called out, pouring all of her willpower into her voice. She wasn't sure how she knew which name to call it or what to do to activate the scroll, it just came to her.
          Sakura watched in amazement as the blood smears left behind were immediately absorbed, leaving no sign that the paper had been touched. A moment later it reappeared, swirling with some unknown force across the parchment. It lifted upward, forming a small blood red tornado just before the whole scroll burst into flames.
          A violent wind picked up, catching the ashes in Sakura's hand and sending them dancing into the air. Sakura's hair was whipped into her face and goose bumps broke out on her arms as the already leaden sky darkened to black. Above the rushing wind, she heard a chilling howl, followed by another. The noise intensified as the mass of clouds above began spinning. A funnel was created, spiraling down until it touched the ground in front of her. Sakura could make out two solid shapes hovering within the tornado. She squinted to see what they were, when they suddenly sprang forward, landing between Sakura and Madara. As soon as they were clear of the twisting wind, it retreated back to the heavens, remnants of black clouds spinning off in all directions. She now had a clear view of the pair of wolves standing before her, ears laid back as they growled at Madara, who had stopped several feet away to assess this new threat.
          Sakura instantly recognized Makoto. She couldn't see his blood red eyes, but his massive size and midnight fur looked exactly as they did when she encountered him in Jashin's garden. Standing beside him was a slightly smaller female, her white coat pristine against the darkened surroundings. It could only be Yume. She caught a glimpse of one ice blue eye before both wolves charged forward in unison.
          Madara stood his ground, a confident smirk plastered on his face. Even after the defeat of the nine-tails, he had no fear. The wolves lunged, jumping off the ground, their mouths opened wide as they aimed for the Uchiha's arms. Just before they reached him, Madara's body grew transparent. Both wolves seemed to fade as they continued forward, undaunted by the jutsu. Teeth clamped down, and Sakura could hear the crunch of bones as Makoto and Yume successfully found their target. Madara grunted in pain as panic fleeted across his face. He shook his arms hard, trying to dislodge the beasts as all three went crashing to the ground. It was no good. The wolves weren't letting go, their jaws clamped like vises, bodies too heavy for Madara to dislodge.
          "What is the meaning of this?" Madara asked angrily, still trying to phase his body away from the wolves, but was unable to do so.
          Sakura smirked, and when she spoke, all traces of her uncertainty fled. "Makoto and Yume are servants of Jashin. Like Hidan and myself, they are not bound to the laws of the natural world. Wherever you send your body, they can follow."
          From his position on the ground, Hidan watched Sakura stalk forward, kunai gripped firmly in her fist, palm still dripping with blood. Her lithe gait closed the distance between her and Madara quickly, and as she stood over him, Hidan could feel the murderous intent pouring off of her. Kneeling down, she grabbed Madara by the throat, and pulled his face close to hers as she lay the tip of the kunai against his heart.
          "You've lived a long time," she hissed at him, her voice holding a sweet note that mingled with the venom "but death comes to everyone, and today it finds you. But first you'll pay for every sin you've committed in this world. I'm going to fucking make sure of it."
          Hidan watched on, eyes wide in amazement. He had never heard Sakura talk this way, not even when she was mad enough to tear a building down. Her look was as deadly as the wolves on either side of her, holding their mistress' prey, and he was spellbound by how utterly beautiful she was in this moment. Bloodlust was filling her until it overflowed, sweeping away all vestiges of her previous morality. She was purified, and he felt desire well up in him, overshadowing the pain that kept trying to assault him. He wanted to touch her, hold her, join her in her ritual until they were both reeling from the pleasure of it.
          Remembering the bond he had broken, Hidan forced one of his arms to move in spite of his injuries, and using two fingers coated in his own blood, recreated Jashin's symbol on his chest. As soon as it was completed, her emotions filled him, a combination of hatred and glee. Mixing with his contribution of physical pain, it created a heady concoction that made him want to moan from the sheer force of the feeling. Instead, he worked to control himself. Now was not the time to wallow. Sakura needed him, and the faster that asshole on the ground was dead, the better. Pushing his arm for more movement, he began to draw on the ground, his eyes never leaving the pink haired goddess in front of him.
          She created a long gash in Madara's chest, moving slowly until he gave up his bravado and winced. The wound wasn't very deep, the only evidence of bleeding was the slight darkening of the material of his shirt and the thick liquid coating the tip of her weapon as she pulled away. Finally releasing his neck, she stood and backed up several steps. The wolves released Madara's arms, Makoto giving a forceful shake before he let go.
          Sakura met Madara's eyes as she brought the weapon up to her lips. His gaze only held anger as he met her hard eyes and he laughed at her. "Are you trying to scare me, kunoichi? I know you can't do anything to me without creating Jashin's symbol first."
          "What makes you think she doesn't have one, asshole?" yelled Hidan from where he lay.
          Glancing over to him, Madara was shocked to see that Hidan had shifted his position, and was now sitting up, surrounded by his own blood. He had used it to draw the outer circle of the circumscribed triangle around him, and was now finishing the last leg of the inside. Not bothering to ask for an explanation, Madara jumped to his feet and tried to phase to Hidan to pull him out of the circle. When he materialized, he was met by the white wolf, who immediately jumped on him, knocking him back to the ground.
          Not wasting any more time, Sakura brought the kunai to her lips and licked the blood from the tip. It was immediately absorbed, and she nearly cried out as a rush of adrenaline poured through her. It filled her until she felt heady and light. She glanced down at herself to see if, like Hidan, her skin had changed to resemble a skeleton. The flesh had indeed darkened to black, but instead of stripes of white bone, an elaborate network of tiny white lines appeared, resembling a pathway of blood vessels.
          Turning to face Madara fully, Sakura brought the tip of the kunai to her shoulder. Striking deep, she let the blade go all the way to the bone. Madara clenched his teeth against the pain as the curse took effect, and glared at Hidan, who was smirking gleefully at him, one hand pressed to a matching wound on his shoulder, fingers dug deep to make it more painful. He too, was affected by the curse, his skeleton markings standing out sharply against his black skin. Noticing the hatred directed toward her earthly counterpart, Yume growled low in her throat until the Uchiha averted his eyes.
          "A brave fucker, huh? You'll be begging me to end it soon enough." Hidan taunted him.
          "Not likely." Madara snorted as he tried to jump to his feet and away from the wolf standing over him. He wasn't quite fast enough, and quickly found out that wolves are deceptively heavy when standing on a human chest.
          Hidan's smirk never wavered as the next wound was made, this one on the left arm. He felt it a fraction of a second before Madara did, and laughed as the Uchiha squirmed while blood poured down his arm. Wanting to help a little more, Hidan took over embracing the pain for Sakura, so she could concentrate on her ritual. She must have been using her full knowledge of anatomy, because each slice she made was designed with the most pain and least bleeding possible. Waves of it coursed over him, and soon he could barely recognize his former leader writhing under the coating of blood.
          Since Hidan was maintaining the circle of Jashin for her, Sakura was also free to move around. With blood dripping off her like water, she slowly made her way to where her victim was lying on the ground in front of Hidan. Yume moved back so she could get to him, and Makoto followed along behind. Finding his shirt beneath the blood, Sakura dragged him up until he was forced to look at her. Pulling back with her free hand, she punched him in the face. His head snapped back and she could feel herself grow lightheaded as the pain echoed back to her. Dropping him back to the ground, she stared down at him, eyes blazing. "That was for the Akatsuki and the village, you sadistic fuck!"
          Shifting all her weight to one foot, she kicked him hard in the ribs, effectively breaking at least four in the process. "...and that was for Konoha!"
          Sakura backed up until she was standing in the circle. Kneeling down in front of Hidan, she raised the kunai to her heart. She hesitated for the first time, as apprehension washed over her. This was it. She was about to plunge a kunai straight into her chest and share Madara's death. She tried again, and her hand seemed to resist, trembling with effort. Suddenly, she felt Hidan behind her, wrapping one arm around her and gripping her hand. On his knees behind her, he pressed against her back and leaned down to kiss her neck. Before she could react, he sent the kunai into her chest up to the hilt.
          "...and this is for Jashin." Hidan growled into her skin, hard violet eyes boring into the Uchiha's now fearful ones.
          A scream was ripped from Madara's throat as they both started to convulse. Sakura's heart fought against the invading object, each heartbeat causing more damage and widening the wound. She grew lightheaded again, and it seemed like a fog had settled on the world around her. Then she was engulfed in a wave of pain so intense it blocked everything out. Her whole body seized up as she toppled over backwards, taking Hidan to the ground with her. At last she screamed herself, as an equally intense wave of pleasure relaxed every muscle in her body and her heart stopped beating. Before the sound had died in her throat, the world flashed white and she was gone.
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Shades of Crimson