Chapter 10: Pain and Despair

This in not my book BUT I have asked for permission from the author but he still hasn't replied if anyone can get in touch with him let him know if he wants me to I can remove it from here

go check out the book at https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13522981/1/Reincarnation-Ok-Pal-The-Story-of-Kenta-Yamanaka-Book-2

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HI EVERYONE! SURPRISE!

Told ya I'd drop a second chapter this week.

It's much shorter than Mondays, but no less impactful.

I just realized that saying an 8k chapter for me is short, when for most an 8k chapter is considered long.

I may have a problem.

Don't care.

Please enjoy Chapter 10 of Kenta Yamanaka vs. The World.

Wait, that's not right.

I stopped listening to Lord Fifth as something had just flown overhead and landed in the center of the village. I focused on the general location.

My heart stopped momentarily, as I recognized the chakra signature immediately. It was a chakra signature I would never forget, even after I was long dead. A chakra signature that sent me jolting out of bed in a blind panic.

A plume of smoke erupted in the center of the village. All eyes immediately turned in the direction of the disturbance. The cloud quickly dissipated, revealing a two-headed summoning of some kind. It turned its gaze towards the large group of us gathered on the southern wall.

My breath caught in my throat.

Rinnegan eyes stared back at me once again.

This time, it wasn't in a dream.

My heart rate increased and my frantic gaze began to search the crowd. I found who I was looking for, relief coursing through my veins. I closed the distance between us in a few quick strides. I bent down slightly, placing both my hands on the side of Fú's head, our foreheads met and I began to frantically whisper.

"I swear to you love, I won't let him take you. I will fight tooth and nail until my last breath leaves my body to make sure you stay safe. He will not have you." I whispered urgently. I quickly thanked the gods and my ancestors that Fú was part of the medical unit assigned to check over the commanders of the previous battle. I began to kiss her over and over, doing literally everything I could to try and soothe the waves of fear and panic that were pulsing from the love of my life.

"We need to get Fú out of here. Naruto is safe, but Fú isn't. I won't let him have her." I said out loud, never breaking contact with the slightly shaking girl in my arms.

"We won't let him have her. Fú is ours." Sasuke growled out, surprising me enough with the pure hatred lacing his voice that I turned his way. Sharingan eyes met mine, and a small amount of tension left my body.

'Sasuke is right. It isn't just me this time. It's all of us, the entire village. We can do this.' I thought to myself, the panic and fear slowly ebbing away as more reassuring thoughts began to force their way to the surface. I looked down once more at my beautiful soon to be wife and smiled.

"Sasuke is right. He won't get you. We won't let him. It is over ten thousand versus six." I said in a confident voice.

Fú seemed to relax as my words sunk in. She smiled shakily in appreciate at my words.

"Excuse me, Gentleman. I believe I have a solution." Honoka's voice called out.

"What is your plan, Lady Uzumaki. Time is short." Lord Fifth answered, quickly taking charge of the situation.

"There is a ritual room that I have been preparing for years. We can take Fú there. Once the seals in the room are activated, not a single soul can get in or out. Not even a space-time technique can break these seals. Naruto could place an anchor in the middle of the room and the second that the room is in use, he wouldn't he be able to feel it." Honoka explained, smiling warmly in reassurance at Fú.

"What is the purpose of such a room?" Shibi asked as soon as Honoka finished.

She turned towards the Clan Head. "For Fú. Not in a situation like this, but when she is ready to give birth. A female Jinchuriki's seal weakens significantly during childbirth. I do not believe that Lady Chomei would attempt to escape as she and Fú have a strong bond, but many believe that the act of giving birth tends to push the bijuu out as well. It is to prevent a rampage."

Impressed murmurs greeted the end of Honoka's explanation.

"There is… Once small problem." She interrupted the crowd.

"What would that be?" Lord Fifth asked.

"The first, how do we get her there? The room is located beneath the Uzumaki compound. Fú will be exposed until we get her inside the room and activate the seals. The second, because of the nature of the room Fú and Lady Chomei will be completely cut off from one another. This will be an advantage as this Akatsuki leader would no longer be able to sense her, but it severely weakens Fú should the worst happen. It is also known to be a very traumatizing experience; losing the connection so abruptly."

"I'm sensing that your final point is the true roadblock we will face." Itachi said with a slight grimace.

Honoka nodded. "These seals are absolute Chakra hogs. Tayuya, Karin and I working together can keep the seals running for about an hour. All three of us are full-blooded Uzumaki…"

Many more grimaces met Honoka's last words. That was a lot of Chakra. The three Uzumaki girls each had more chakra than all but four people in the village. Lord Fifth, Lord Jiraiya, Fú and Naruto.

Many voices began muttering, attempting to find a solution to our problem.

Genma was the first to step forward. "Honoka, I'm assuming there is at least one anchor in your compound? Or, since you moved in, one that would land right outside the gate?"

Honoka nodded. "Naruto has an anchor right in front of the entrance gate. Why?

Genma grinned. "My team and I were appointed as Lord Fourth's bodyguards. He taught us a technique that would allow us to be either by his side or his wife's in a… flash."

"The Flying Thunder God Formation." Commander Nara said, eyes widening slightly. "You can use that to connect to one of Naruto's anchors?"

Genma nodded. "Lord Fifth had us test it out as soon as Naruto arrived back in the village."

Shikaku nodded thoughtfully. "That solves the first problem." His gaze met Fú's. "Would you be alright being cut off from your bijuu?"

Fú bit her lip and nodded hesitantly. "Sis Chomei and I talked about it. If it will keep that man away from us, we will endure no matter what. It isn't permanent, right?" She asked the last question to Honoka.

She shook her head, her cascading crimson locks gently shaking with the motion. "No, dear. As soon as we cut the connection, you and Lady Chomei will be able to feel and hear each other once more."

Fú nodded much more confidently this time. "Then we will persevere. But… what about you all? You will be in danger while I simply hide away. Maybe it would be best if-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Fú Uzumaki-Yamanaka." I growled out in anger. "Every single person would gladly give their life to make sure you don't get captured. Even if they all didn't see you as family, they know the consequences if Akatsuki collects all the Bijuu. I don't ever want to hear you say something so stupid and selfish. You told me once I have no right to be a self-sacrificing white knight. That goes double for you."

As soon as I finished my angry rant, every person in attendance began to vehemently agree with my words. Fú's eyes welled with tears. She gave a watery smile and attempted to speak, but no sound except a wet sob escaped her lips. I instantly had her wrapped up in my arms once more.

"That's two issues solved, what about the third?" I asked as I gently rocked my weeping fiancé.

"Leave that to the Akimichi Clan!" Choza's jovial voice boomed. "Our Clan technique is perfect to be used as a chakra battery. It would be our absolute honor to be the fuel to ensure Lady Fú's safety."

"Choza, you are sure?" Itachi asked.

Choza laughed heartily. "But of course, Lord Uchiha! I will assemble a dozen of my strongest clan members and meet you at the Uzumaki compound. Chochuko!"

A burly teen appeared before Lord Choza. "Yes, Uncle?"

"Go to the warehouse and grab the crates of high calorie ration bars. Take this scroll, grab them all, and meet us at the Uzumaki gates. Off with you, boy!" Choza boomed. The young man snapped a quick salute and began to body-flicker towards his destination.

"Will this satisfy your needs, Lady Uzumaki?" Itachi asked as his attention turned form Choza's retreating form.

Honoka nodded vigorously. "Yes, Lord Hokage. This will work perfectly. We should get moving, there's no telling when they will strike. I will not see my family member harmed."

Itachi nodded in agreement. "Genma, get your team ready. Once you see them safely into the ritual chamber, report back to this spot. You have a second mission."

Genam snapped a salute and began to make his way over to Fú and me. I pulled my arms back until they were resting gently on Fú's arms. She was scrubbing furiously at her face, trying to get her tears under control.

"What's wrong, love? Why are you crying?" I asked gently.

"Y-Y-Y-You," She took a shuddering breath. I frowned, wondering what I said or did to make her so upset. Was it because I called her idea stupid? "Y-You called me Fú Yamanaka." She finally managed to choke out.

I smiled brightly and chuckled, realizing these were tears of joy, not sorrow. "Sorry if that was too presumptuous."

"NO!" She yelled out, red-rimmed eyes narrowing dangerously at me. "No. It…" Her gaze dropped and her face turned a bright red. "It made me feel happier than I ever have been in my entire life." She whispered.

"Good. Because one day that will be your name. Glad you don't hate it, Fú Uzumaki-Yamanaka." I smiled brightly as her face darkened further. She mumbled something. Even leaning in close I couldn't understand her. "What was that, Fú-Bear?"

She took a deep breath and made direct eye contact with me. "When you all drive this threat out, can we get married? I don't want to wait any longer. We can have the big ceremony and the formal event at the scheduled time next year, but I don't want to wait any longer to be your wife." Her eyes never broke contact, even as the blood rushed to her face yet again.

I smiled warmly and nodded. "I've told you a thousand times. Anything you ask of me, it is yours."

She huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "You'll have to tell me a thousand more. Remember, I'm the dumb one in this relationship. You're the nerdy bookworm." She shot me a playful smirk which only caused my own smile to widen.

"I will write a reminder every day on my calendar for the next two years and eight or so months. I'll work out the exact math tonight as you and I celebrate our victories." I said in a playful tone.

"Idiot," She muttered, leaning into my chest once more. "Promise?" She asked in such a quiet tone that I barely heard her.

I leaned down, giving her a long kiss, uncaring of the dozens of eyes trained directly on us. "Promise." I whispered as I pulled back.

She pushed herself out of my arms with reluctance. She pinned me once more with those gorgeous eyes. "Come home to me, Kenta. I swear on The Sage, if you die I will resurrect you with Lord Second's technique and beat you every single day until I am old and grey."

"Promise?" I asked, waggling my eyebrows. Fú's eyes narrowed, clearly not in the mood for my jokes. "I won't die, I swear on my Father's memory and my Clan's pride." I told her seriously. That did the trick.

She nodded and made her way over to where Cpt Genma and his team were waiting with Honoka. She glanced once more over her shoulder, sending me a blinding smile. "Love you, Big Idiot."

"Love you, Little Bug." I said smiling fondly. I watched Genma lean down and whisper a few words. Fú burst out laughing and glanced over at me, eyes twinkling with mirth. Genma was giving me a shit-eating grin. "OI! The hell you say to my woman? I know where you live, Shiranui!"

I opened my mouth to continue to fling more insults but with a cheeky wave, the small party vanished in a flash of yellow. I grumbled angrily to myself. I glanced around, noticing the group of men and women gathered around Lord Fifth. I meandered over, quickly forgetting the entire incident with that annoying lout, formerly known as my favorite mentor.

"Good, you decided to join us." Lord Hiashi drawled.

My temper flared once again, but with a great amount of effort I pushed down the annoyance at the smug bastards face. "Get over it, Lord Hyuga. My senses are better than your eyes. It's okay to be second best."

Okay, maybe I wasn't really the best at holding my tongue.

Lord Hyuga bristled but Lord Fifth cut him off. "You two can continue your exchanging of insults at another date. My crows informed me of what we are facing. All six members that create the persona of 'Pein' have been summoned. They are now fanning out in separate directions. This is good for us, as we know that these creations share vision between each other."

"According to the intel gained from Lord Jiraiya and Kenta Yamanaka, at great personal cost to both, these six people are not in fact living humans. They are corpses being controlled by a single man. His identity has been revealed as Nagato. From the clues we have collected over the years, as well as Lord Jiraiya's testimony, it is highly likely this man is a member of the Uzumaki Clan. This could put us at a huge advantage."

"Lord Fifth, do we have any idea why this Nagato character did not jump on the opportunity to infiltrate the village and abduct Lady Fú while we were fending off the Oto and Root invasion?" Uncle Inoichi asked abruptly.

"I can answer that." Jiraiya's raspy voice spoke up. "At least I have a solid theory. I believe that Nagato controls his puppets with some type of machine or device or… something. The black rods you see piercing the faces of not only the humans, but the summoned animals are able to somehow transmit and receive chakra. They can also disrupt a person's chakra if he impales you with one. My theory is that Nagato and Konan, another Ame orphan I trained, needed time to transport Nagato and his control center. If he could command them at will, we would all most likely be dead as the Six Paths of Pain would have certainly joined in the fighting while one of them located Fú."

"I see. Is there a reason that he uses these 'Paths' to fight his battles?" Uncle mused out loud.

"My guess? His real body is frail. Since my encounter with Nagato and Konan, I have been doing a lot of digging and research. Real research." Lord Jiraiya sent the crowd a conspiratory smirk. "No one has seen Nagato since the day that Yahiko, the third orphan I trained, was killed by Hanzo. The information is spotty, but many people thought that Nagato had died that day as Hanzo was seen grievously wounding the boy. Clearly he survived, but the damage was so great that he had to find other means to continue his crusade to end Hanzo's rule. It wasn't for years after Yahiko's death that Hanzo was finally killed. Simultaneously rumors of Ame's 'God' and 'Angel' began to spread like wildfire. Those rumors are what set off my investigation into the secretive country and where I first learned about the Akatsuki."

"Knowing all this, I have arranged a plan that gives us the best chance at finishing Nagato off. I have already sent two of our youngest and brightest trackers out in the surrounding land. Kiba Inuzuka and Neji Hyuga are actively searching for where the real body of Nagato is hiding. We can assume that he must be within a certain radius to control his Paths. We have also narrowed the search down to heightened elevations, as this would help provide greater control over longer distances. While those two search, we will strike hard and fast, destroying these corpse puppets to significantly weaken Nagato."

"A wise plan. They are already separated. Why have they left us alone this entire time though?" Shibi asked out loud.

"He believes we fear him and are allowing him to continue his search unimpeded." Lord Fifth replied. "When mortals gain more power than they can control, they begin to believe their delusions of grandeur as fact." He paused for a moment. "It might also help that Lady Uzumaki has set up numerous seals around our perimeter that hide our presence."

"So what's the plan, Lord Fifth? The sooner we take this asshole out, the sooner I can decide if I actually have to poop, or if this is just my stomach tied in knots." I called out.

Every single pair of eyes turned to me, either widened in disbelief or narrowed in disgust.

"What?! Don't look at me like that! It isn't your fiancé he's actively trying to hunt down! Of course I'm a nervous wreck!" I said, matching the gathered shinobi glare for glare.

"We begin the operation as soon as… Ah, here she is. Is everything in order, Lady Tsunade?" Itachi asked the female Sannin who had just appeared.

She held up a rather large scroll before securing it to the small of her back in near perfect imitation of her teammate. "Yup. They're all in here."

"What is that?" Jiraiya rasped out.

"Lord Fifth ordered me and my medics to seal every single person who wasn't fit to travel inside patient transport scrolls. I sealed all of them inside this big boy." Tsunade replied, smiling at Lord Jiraiya.

"Thank you, Tsunade. If I call your name, pleasure join me over on this side of the wall. Sasuke Uchiha. Sakura Haruno. Kenta Yamanaka. Ami Kogure. Shino Aburame. Might Guy. Rock Lee. Kakashi Hatake. Genma Shiranui."

We all moved to the designated spot as our names were called. I smiled at all the familiar faces surrounding me. Once Genma joined us, Lord itachi turned to the rest of those gathered.

"The rest of you will fall under the command of Lady Tsunade and Lord Jiraiya. You are all evacuating."

Cries of shock and outrage filled the air before Lord Fifth had even finished speaking.

"You cannot do this, Lord Fifth! We will stay with you and fight!" Tsume growled out.

"She is correct. Konoha is our home. If we combine the might of all our men and women who are not injured, we can easily crush this false God." Hiashi's haughty voice said.

"Silence." Itachi hissed. "You are all powerful Jonin, I understand this. However, your lives are more important than the ones I have chosen specifically to combat Nagato's puppets. They all can counter the unique abilities each of these Paths possess. You are all Clan Heads. If you die, your clans will be thrown into disarray. Finally, and this is no slight to the power that any of you possess, but these young men and women have long surpassed you. They have the greatest chances of overcoming Pain."

Silence fell over the gathering as everyone processed exactly what Lord Fifth was saying.

"We will see it done," Lady Tsunade suddenly called out. She glared in challenge at all those gathered.

"Thank you, Tsunade. Since I am keeping Kakashi, I hereby announce you as my second successor, in case both of us fall this day. I trust no one will disagree with my decision?" Not a single soul dared to even breath too loud as each of us felt the swiftly changing feeling in the air. "Good. Tsunade, Jiraiya. Take the rest of the Shinobi and head for Suna. I will send word if we succeed here today. Or someone will. If you do not hear anything within a week, expect the worse."

Lord Fifth scanned the small crowd once more. "Buildings can be rebuilt. Trees and flowers can be replanted. Human lives cannot be regrown. Konoha is not a place, it is her people. Our civilians are safe, soon nearly our entire army will be on their way to safety as well. As long as you all survive this day, no matter what happens to us or the village, Konoha will live and be just as strong as she ever was. Remember this. Now go. Make sure everyone activates their seal or Pain will descend on your group in seconds."

The men and women of the Shinobi Council all snapped crisp salutes towards Lord Fifth before quickly turning on their heels and rushing down the side of the wall.

Tsunade was last. She stopped at the edge, turning to face us all once more. Her eyes glistened in the now waning sunlight. "You all better survive today," and with that she jumped off the edge.

I ran to the edge, cupping my hands to my mouth. "YOU GOT IT LADY SIXTH! I'M TOO HANDSOME TO DIE JUST YET AND I STILL NEED TO SEDUCE SASUKE!" Mad cackling could be heard as the army quickly mobilized and made a break through the hole in the wall from earlier.

I turned back around, smiling brightly. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"What the absolute shit is wrong with you? Did you take a blow to the head? We're about to face off against the leader of the Akatsuki, the organization after Fú, and you're cracking jokes?" Sakura asked in disbelief.

I shifted my gaze in her direction. "I can crack jokes because I faced off against this man six on one and survived. Barely, yes. But I did. Facing a single Path in one on one combat is something I am extremely confident in. Besides, going into battle tense will cause you to make poor decisions and slow your reflexes. Relax, Sakura. We're all going to see our friends and families soon." I smiled her way.

Sakura sighed heavily. "I just don't understand you. Not even ten minutes ago you looked like someone had just kicked your puppy, now you're grinning from ear to ear. Insane. That's literally the only explanation."

"Naw. I can relax because I know that Fú is safe. There isn't a clan I trust more than the Uzumaki Clan. Well, besides my own. You know what I meant."

"Enough. I have your assignments. Some of you may have noticed that we have ten people, but there are only six paths. Some are much more dangerous than others. Kenta, can you transmit images of the Paths I assign to either each pair or single person?" Lord Itachi asked.

I nodded.

"First, Sasuke and Sakura. Your target is the one known as the Asura Path. It can create numerous mechanized weapons from various parts of the body, including high powered cannons that can fire concentrated blasts of pure chakra. In terms of raw strength, it is the most dangerous. Work together to take it down."

The teammates saluted as I stepped back from flashing them memories of the Scorpion Dude.

"Next, Ami and Shino. Your target is the one known as the Animal Path. Unfortunately, we do not have an image to show you. Kenta, show them the other five, process of elimination. This one is capable of summoning multiple creatures with various abilities. Ami, the snake clan is one of the most versatile summons out there. Work together with them to keep the summons at bay. Shino, your job is to take out the actual summoner."

They both saluted. "Lord Fifth, why do we not have an image of our target?" Shino asked.

"Lord Jiraiya defeated the original body and was able to seal it away. As you can see," He pointed to the twin-headed dog that was prowling the streets hundreds of feet away, "He has already created a new path."

"I see. Thank you. We will accomplish our mission."

Lord Fifth opened his mouth but I cut him off. "Sorry, Lord Fifth, but I think I can help Ami and Shino out."

"You have a different assignment, Jonin." Itachi said in a dangerous voice. He was not in the mood for any of my shit.

"I mean reinforcements." I said, nicking my thumb and swiping crimson liquid across my palm. I gathered my chakra, slamming my palm to the ground.

"Summoning Technique: Owl Clan of the Aokigahara!" I swayed as I felt my chakra levels plummet to near zero. I withdrew a special pill that Auntie Aya had created for moments like these. Instantly, my chakra was back to full.

Auntie Aya discovered a unique method of creating our newest pills. After creation, a person can infuse their own chakra into the pill. Upon consumption, all negative side effects were nullified.

She was such a genius when it came to alchemy.

Gods, my family was just full of geniuses! Shinobi and Civilian alike!

I snapped myself out of my internal bragging of my family before I died. The Owl Clan was not one you ever wanted to insult. They had more pride in a single feather than the entire Hyuga clan combined. I waited for the smoke to dissipate, thankful that Honoka's camouflage seals seemed to hide my intentions.

As soon as enough of the smoke cleared, I bowed as deep as I could without falling over, holding the position, and waiting until I was acknowledged.

"Young Master, youuuuuu better have an excellence exuuuuuuse for summoning the entire clan." A melodic alto seemed to sing from within the smoke.

"Yes, I do agree. Youuuuu disturbed my bathing time." This one was a deep rumbling bass.

"Great Lady Cardea. Great Lord Aeolus. Konoha is in dire need of the clan's entire strength. The leader of the group known as Akatsuki, the man known simply as Pain, has breached our defenses. He is now searching for my soon-to-be wife, Lady Fú. Their goal is to capture the Jinchuriki of all nine Bijuu and create a weapon that they will use to control the world with fear. We cannot allow this!" I called out, still bent at the waist.

"Oh, dear. That is a most dire predicament." Lady Cardea said.

"Indeed. Does he mean to revive the Jyubi? We cannot allow that." Lord Aeolus replied.

"We will lend you our strength, Young Master." Lady Cardea said kindly.

"You must grow in strength though. The Sages of the Owl Clan do not usually involve themselves in human affairs." Lord Aeolus said sternly.

"Oi, ease up, pops! He's after Fú! We can't let that happen!" A familiar voice chirped from behind the two towering Owls. Tetsu appeared, hopping along the top of Lord Aeolus' head. He raised a wind. "Yo. Long time no see, Kenta. Why do you never summon me anymore?"

"Can it, you!" I snarled, remembering the last time I summoned Tetsu to help me on a mission. Long story short, Owl Shit does NOT come out of finely woven mesh armor.

Large crocodile tears began to drip down Tetsu's face. "Why do you hate me, Kenta?! I thought we were friends! I'm your personal summon, we're bonded for life!" He wailed in despair.

"YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHY NOT! A COMMON HOUSE CAT JUMPED OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND YOU GOT SO SCARED YOU SHIT ON ME! WHAT KIND OF BATTLE SUMMON DOES THAT!" I screamed in blind fury. I fucking hated Tetsu so much. How did I get stuck with him? He's so god damn dramatic.

"Oi! I told you I wasn't scared, I just ate something that didn't agree with my stomach. It wasn't my fault!"

"You screeched, puffed up your feathers, shit on me, and then reversed summoned yourself back home." I snarled through gritted teeth.

"That's in the past, man. Let it go! I'll make it up to you today. Who am I killing?!" He spread is wings, puffing up in pride.

"That." I said, pointing at the monstrosity that was at least four times Tetsu's size. I smirked in satisfaction as his entire countenance seemed to droop at seeing his opponent.

"A Cerberus?" Lady Cardea said in surprise. "This is most troubling indeed. It was wise of you to summon us."

I tore my gaze away from Tetsu, silently laughing as he stared wide-eyed at the now identified Cerberus.

"What's a Cerberus?" I heard Ami's voice call out from directly behind me. I tensed, turning quickly and forcing her to bow.

"You idiot," I hissed. "These two Owls can kill you with a look. Do NOT speak anymore. If you insult them you are dead. Do you understand me?"

Ami shoved my hand off her, rubbing the back of her neck. "Jeez, Kenta-Dear. What's got your thong in a knot? They can't be that ba-"

"Little Girl. I suggest you prostrate yourself before my greatness and beg for forgiveness. I am not in the mood to deal with humans and their lack of respect." Lord Aeolus growled out in a menacing manner.

Ami didn't even hesitate.

"You only live today because I can sense that you are a friend of my clan's summoner and that he had to summon us in haste without notifying you all of what is expected of you when you deal with my wife and I." Lord Aeolus said, eyes still narrowed in contempt at the tiny form of Ami who hadn't moved from the spot she dropped down to.

She may have also just died of fright. It's not out of the realm of possibility.

"That's enough blustering and threats today, husband. We must begin the ritual if we are to help cleanse the human world of the demons." Lady Cardea said, giving her husband the look. It was literally the same look Fú has given me on numerous occasions. Man or animal, it didn't matter when you were on thin ice with your girl. They all had the same power over us men.

"I apologize for my friends' slight on your honor, Great Lord. As Lady Cardea said, I did not have time to explain the rules." I mentally flipped Lord Aeolus the double bird. He and his 617 rules can go kick rocks.

"Forgiven." He said without hesitation. I noticed that Lady Cardea was still pinning him with her owly glare. "To answer your question, human girl. A Cerberus is a demon conjured from hell. They are a tenacious bottom feeders that don't know when do stay dead. I see the Rinnegan in its eyes. That is not a good sign. The Demonic Statue has been once again summoned to the human world. The prophecy is fast approaching."

"Wait, what? What do you mean, Great Lord?" I asked, my mind absolutely racing now.

"The Rinnegan is known as The Eyes of the Gods. They have unfathomable power. One of the powers is the ability to summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. That Statue has been sealed inside the moon for over a millennia. Now that it has been unsealed, the rift between the human and demon world has thinned. This man, this… Pain. Using his Rinnegan he forcefully tore open that rift, summoning and enslaving the Cerberus. Though the summons may look somewhat like their counterparts here in your world, I assure you… They are not."

I shut my eyes, cursing myself for even asking.

'First, a vengeful Uzumaki spirit begins to rattle off about multiple worlds and threads, destiny and whatever else. Now, my summons are telling me that hell is real and our opponent can literally summon demons….. FROM HELL!'

I squeezed my eyes shut as tight as possible, praying furiously I would wake up from this horrible nightmare. I cracked open one eye and cursed. Still here.

"Do not worry, Young Master. We will deal with the demons. We just need a few moments to prepare. Let us know when you would like us to engage." Lady Cardea said kindly. I opened my mouth to thank her before my lips peeled back in an animalistic snarl.

"Yeah, Kenta! Count on me! I'll have that oversized mutt dead in no time!" Tetsu said, now mere feet from me bouncing up and down in excitement.

"Get away from me, worthless creature." I spat in hatred.

Tetsu immediately took to the safety of his father's head, fat fake tears streaming in his wake.

I took a deep breath. "Thank you, Lady Cardea."

Her melodic chuckle reverberated in the air. "Oh. You and Tetsu are so precious together. It warms my heart how much you two care for each other."

My smile froze. Flashes of ruined uniforms, getting lost on missions, being chased by bandits while wearing a corset, heels and dress all came and went. "Yeah. Of course. He's greeeaat." I laughed awkwardly.

Lady Cardea hummed in amusement before closing her eyes. "Continue your talks, humans. This won't take very long."

"What are they doing now?" I jumped at hearing Ami's whisper literally in my ear.

I turned to her and sent her a reproachful look. "Gathering Nature Chakra."

"Wait, the Owl Clan can use Sage Mode?!" Ami nearly screamed in surprise.

"Yes. Didn't you know? They were the first sages. They taught all the other clans who can use it Sage Arts. Why do you think Owls are known as stewards of knowledge and wisdom?" I scoffed at Ami's lack of basic knowledge.

"Holy hell…" Ami said breathlessly, eyes wandering back to stare in awe at the two Great Owl Sages who stood over one hundred feet tall. "Wait, so are they going to teach you Sage Mode?"

I scoffed again. "No. They do not teach humans the practice. They do not believe we are worthy enough to harness nature."

"Seriously?" Ami asked in disbelief.

"Seriously. Stingy bastards." I muttered lowly under my breath.

We arrived back with the group. "Sorry about that, Lord Fifth. I tried to hurry the process along as quickly as I could."

"It is quite alright. That was quite impressive. This will indeed make our jobs much easier. Now, let us continue. My crows have informed me that Nagato is getting impatient. We will need to move soon if we wish to keep them all separate."

He turned towards the Green and Blue Beast. "Guy, Lee. You two will be charged with taking out the one known as the Preta Path. It is capable for summoning a barrier that can absorb any and all chakra that comes in contact with it. You two should make quick work it."

"YOSH!" The Beasts cried out in unison, both flashing their nice guy poses in perfect sync.

"Do they share a single brain or something?" Sakura whispered from beside me.

"It sure does seem that way." I said, chuckling at the eccentric student and teacher combo.

"Kenta, I'm sure you've already figured out which Path I am assigning to you. For the rest of us, it would be a dangerous foe. For you, it shouldn't prove too much of a challenge."

I nodded, instantly envisioning the face of the man who had attempted to rip my soul from my body. "Does it have a special name?" I asked.

"Yes. The Human Path."

"How lame." I sighed.

"Kakashi, Genma. Your target is not particularly dangerous. I'm sending the both of you though to ensure this one is destroyed utterly. It is known as the Naraka Path and one of its abilities it to completely revive and restore its comrades. This one must be taken out before all others. If he is allowed to live, we will continuously have to keep cutting them down. Do you understand the importance of your target?"

Both men saluted. "Yes, Lord Fifth."

"So, you're taking him." I said in a low voice, shuddering at the memory of flying through the air, completely helpless.

"Of course. I am Hokage. It is my duty to take on the strongest opponent." Itachi said, a rare smile in place.

"Be careful, Lord Fifth. That one is leagues above the others. His strange abilities of attraction and repulsion are strong."

"I thank you for your concern, Kenta. I will be fine. Focus on your own fight."

I nodded.

A wave of pure power smacked me right in the face. I looked over, smiling at the beautiful sight. Where once stood two titanic owls, there now stood two much smaller yet much more regal owls in their place. While normally adorned with feathers of greys, browns, and whites. There were now patterns of purples, blues, and pinks creating beautiful designs along the bodies.

I bowed deeply once more. "Great Lord and Lady, you both look beautiful as always when you enter Sage Mode and adopt your true forms."

"Yes, I am rather beautiful, aren't I?" Lady Cardea giggled.

"You, Uchiha boy. You are the current Hokage, yes?" Lord Aeolus called out.

Lord Fifth stepped forward, bowing just as deeply as I had previously. "I am, Great Lord Aeolus. It is a pleasure to stand before your glorious form."

Aeolus hummed in appreciation. "You know our ways. I am impressed. Do you have your marching orders delivered?"

"I do, we are ready to begin our operation."

"Good. Who are the ones charged with killing the corpse summoner?"

"That would be my subordinates. Ami Kogure, who you have already met, and Shino Aburame, heir to the Aburame Clan." Itachi said, indicating the two he was speaking about.

Both teens dropped into low bows at once.

"I see. Consider yourselves blessed by the Gods on this day, humans. You get to ride atop the majestic forms of my wife and I. No other human alive can claim the same."

Ami was sent into a stuttering mess, Shino simply nodded.

"I suggest we leave. The release of our power shattered the barriers and seals that were once keeping us hidden. Your quarry are all rushing to this spot as we speak." Lady Cardea cut in.

I cursed, stretching out my senses. "Her Ladyship is correct. We have to go!"

"My children will see the rest of you safely to your targets and watch over you. They will not involve themselves in your fight, but they will get you safely to and from your target." Cardea said, motioning with her wings.

The Anemoi swooped down.

"Young Master. It is goooooooood to see youuuuuu again. Shall we?" Zephyrus' quiet voice asked.

"Of course, Lord Zephyrus. Let us take to the sky. I will point you in the direction of our prey."

******************************Tetsu is a fucking MESS************************************

I dropped down, the lithe figure halting in his tracks.

Teal eyes met Rinnegan Eyes.

"You survived." The man across from me stated in a dead tone. "The medics of Konoha must not be all talk as I once presumed. It matters not. Where are the Seven and Nine Tail Jinchuriki?

"They have names, you know? You'll never find them. Not in a million years. Didn't you notice, everyone is gone. You're in a ghost town. You revealed your hand much too soon. Did you think to take us by surprise after being exhausted from our battle with the traitors?" I sneered in contempt. The fear I had once felt on seeing these legendary eyes was much more manageable when it was only one set and limited to a single ability. An ability that, as Lord Fifth boldly claimed, I could counter perfectly.

"Is that what you think? No, we were slightly delayed in our initial arrival. Upon traveling towards the land of fire, we happened to come across a rather large caravan of people. Men, women, children. Old and Young. Rich and Poor. My companion donned a rather mundane disguise and began to question what we had assumed as refugees. Imagine our surprise on finding out that the tens of thousands of people were fleeing from the same city we were heading towards."

The man reached behind him and began to rummage around. I tensed, a creeping sense of dread beginning to chill my very bones. He withdrew a simple storage scroll.

"We questioned them, of course. None of them knew where the Nine-Tails was. It was the same story over and over. No one had seen the boy in weeks. He was apparently out on a top-secret mission. It was then that a lone Jonin confronted us, demanding our surrender."

A felt the small burst of chakra and smoke erupted from the scroll.

"I searched her mind. While she also did not know where Naruto Uzumaki was, I did learn more than I had ever dared hope to dream when stumbling upon that caravan by pure happenstance. This Jonin's son was engaged to our other target, the seven-tails. I learned quite a bit about you, Kenta Yamanaka. As well as your lovely bride-to-be. I know how much you love your village, your clan, but most importantly… Your family."

He tossed the unsealed object forward. My eyes immediately snapped to the spherical object.

I fell to my knees. Mind blank.

"I also know how you struggle with the darkness inside you; especially when you lose someone you consider precious to you." The man said in the same dead voice.

I didn't hear him. The only sound I heard was my own internal voice whispering the same word, over and over again.

No…

No….

No…

"No, no, no, no… please Gods, no." I whimpered, crawling forward on all fours. I was barely able to pick up the object as my hands were shaking so badly. I ran my fingers through the light brown locks, the shade as familiar to me as my own. I turned the object over slowly. Anxiety, fear, and dread threatening to consume my entire existence.

"Despair…" The man's voice seemed to drift along the breeze that had just kicked up; a death rattle caressing my ear.

I finally finished turning the object.

A mouth, frozen open until the earth began to reclaim the flesh.

A face, forever frozen in the scream of agony that tore from the lips as the spirit left the body.

Eyes, wide with fear, panic, and pain staring up at me accusingly.

Teal Eyes.

Eyes the same shade as mine.

"No…" I whispered. "This can't be real. It's an illusion."

I haphazardly gathered as much chakra as my panicked mind could control.

"Release!" I yelled.

Teal eyes stared back at me.

"Not enough chakra," I muttered to myself.

I tried once more.

"Release!"

The eyes seemed to be asking me a single question. Why?

"Not enough. I know this isn't real. It CAN'T be!"

"Release!"

Your fault.

"Release!"

You didn't protect us.

"Release!"

You promised you'd always be there.

"RELEASE!" I screamed in pure agony.

I folded over, agonizing sobs wracking my body.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" I fell to the ground, curling into a fetal position. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so, sorry!"

My wails of despair and apologies fell on deaf ears.

The dead cannot hear the apologies of the living.

Kono would never hear the tormented wails of her brother's voice again.

Kono's teal eyes, glassed over in death, held no mercy for the older brother who failed her.

She was dead. She couldn't forgive him even if she wanted to.

******************************I'm not crying, you are*************************************

"What is that?" Sakura asked, pointing down at the ground below.

Sasuke squinted his eyes, but from this distance even his Sharingan couldn't make out the fine details.

"Lord Eurus, can you take us in closer over there to the two shapes in the road?" Sasuke called forward.

"Of course, friend of my summoner."

"Thank you, Lord Eurus."

Eurus banked to the right and began to descend at a moderate pace.

"Is that… Kenta?" Sakura asked unsure.

"I… think so. What is he doing?!" Sasuke said, now getting close enough to make out the details.

"What's going on Sasuke?" Sakura's panicked voice called out.

"Kenta is laying on the ground, clutching something and crying. Did he get caught in an illusion or something? Lord Eurus, please go faster."

"At once, young man."

Eurus' began to rapidly beat his mighty winds before tucking them and diving down.

Sasuke's heartbeat began to increase rapidly.

"Hold on, Kenta. We're almost there." Sasuke said out loud to no one in particular.

"What is that man doing? What's he doing, Sasuke?!" Sakura's voice began to rise in pitch, her panic for her friend taking over.

"His hand is just resting on his head and he's saying something into Kenta's ear. We'll make it." Sasuke said in a confident tone. Whether for himself or Sakura, he would never actually know.

"Sasuke, NO! That is the Human path! Fast Lord Eurus! Your summoner is going to die!" Sakura's voice shrieked out.

'I don't understand. We've been circling the village, looking for this Asura Path. According to Kenta's memories, he should be easy to spot, yet we haven't seen hide nor hair of the man. And now Kenta is… no, this is definitely some insane plot he came up with. The only thing this thing could do is… Wait, what was the Human Path again?' Sasuke turned around towards Sakura.

"What does the human path do again?" Sasuke asked in confusion. What was wrong with him? His eyes felt fuzzy. Maybe he had overused his Sharingan too much today. Could that explain the cobwebs that had suddenly decided to take up residence in his brain as well? Possibly.

"Sasuke… If we don't get there in time… Whatever that man did to Kenta broke him. If we don't get there before he takes his hand away, Kenta's soul will be ripped from his body. He'll die, Sasuke."

************************************LSKJDSLKFJS***************************************

"No, no. Kono…. Why? No….. Not my baby sister. Anyone but her. No, no, no." I wailed my sorrow to the heavens. I tenderly clutched Kono's head to my chest, stroking her hair. "Shhh. Kono. It's Okay. Big Bro is here. He'll make the booboo go away. Here I'll kiss it and make it better."

I buried my face in the matted brown locks, my entire body wracked with sobs.

"Why her…? Why not me? Take me instead! Give me back my little sister!"

Human placed a hand gently, almost lovingly atop my head.

"This. This is what true pain is. Soon, the entire world will know pain that is similar." He whispered into my ear.

I continued to rock back and forth on the ground, clutching Kono's beautiful head close to my chest. I didn't care what happened anymore. I didn't care about the world. My world had already ended. I was an idiot to think that we ever had any hope of defeating this monster.

"Would you like to see your sister again?" Human asked.

My frantic and wild eyes snapped open and locked eyes with the man. "You can do that? I can see my baby sister?"

"Of course. Just relax. Let your mind wander. You will see her very soon."

"Thank you…" I whispered as I felt his hand slowly leave my head. I smiled as the darkness claimed me, happy that I would get to see Kono's happy and smiling face once again.

************************************adfadfj;lahd;f**************************************

A scream of pain and despair cut through the silent village like a clap of Thunder.

Human looked up, squinting his eyes against the bright sunlight.

Atop a large Owl stood two teenagers. One was a young woman. Tears rolled down her face as she covered her mouth with her hands. She fell to her knees, screaming the name of the boy at his feet.

Good. She felt Pain. She understood Pain.

His gaze locked with the other teenager standing atop the large nocturnal bird of prey. He too was crying.

Unlike the girl though, he did not cry tears of water.

He cried tears of blood.

"Amaterasu!" Human heard the boy scream.

Black Flames erupted all around him. He glanced down, noticing how quickly the unnatural flames were greedily consuming his flesh.

Human did not panic. Human did not scream. Human did not feel anything.

His job was complete.

The broken mind of the Yamanaka boy granted him many secret.

Even the Yamanaka boy did not know where Naruto had been sent to. However, he did know who did know.

Naraka was already tailing the group of Shinobi that had fled less than twenty minutes ago. He would bide his time, and strike when the opportunity presented itself. The King of Hell would get the answer he needs.

Human wondered idly if consuming his ashes would be enough for The King of Hell to repair him.

Human doubted it. He glanced to his right at the corpse of the Yamanaka boy. If Human could remember how to smile, he would have at that moment.

He had found his replacement.

The irony of having the strongest Yamanaka in recent memory become his Human Path was almost enough to make even him smile.

Human glanced once more at the direction he now knew housed the Seven-Tails.

His lips actually did quirk slightly as a mushroom cloud erupted on the horizon.

Asura had found the house.

Human's job was complete. He closed his eyes, and the black flames finished their feast.

… To be continued.