A miracle
"Nee-san, wait!" Slightly tripping over the scorched, Hinata leaped after her sister-in-law.
Reaching the cave entrance, a loud cry of sorrow coming from inside stabbed her heart. 'No, please gods, not Nee-san again! She has lost too much already!'
The wail arrested Hinata in place, but something inside her heart dragged her feet inside. Before her pale eyes adapted to the darkness, young Hyūga was covered by a cloud of dust blown from inside.
"Uh-" she felt the ground shake two times in quick succession, filling every corner of the den in thick dust. Veins around Hinata's eyes strained, "≤Byakugan>!"
As her sight penetrated the dust, the first thing she saw was a massive opened maw with a row of pointy teeth in front of her, "
'It's not moving?' She stopped, 'What's this? Where is Nee-san?'
"
'A demon of some kind? No, think of it later, baka!' She jumped over the head. The sound of a silent sob hit her ears. She saw Kaname kneeling on the ground, lightly caressing Hinata's brother-in-law's cheek. Tears escaped her eyes. The young woman was drawn to the unmoving body. Passing next to broken up palms and fingers belonging most likely to the same statue as the demon's head, she stood behind Kaname and put her hand on the woman's shoulder.
"Nee-san..."
Kaname didn't react and continued to caress her fiance's cheek.
"I'm so sorry, Nee-san. Ugh-" Hinata was lifted by her neck. She looked straight into a pair of black eyes.
'Don't be scared - she won't hurt you.' She reassured herself. "It's okay, Nee-san. It's me, Hinata." She breathed out, swiping the black tears from Kaname's cheeks. "Wake up, we're waiting for you."
"Uhh- Hina-chan?" Kaname released her, dropped onto her knees, and started wailing.
It was heartbreaking for Hinata, her role model - a woman that was confident, funny, and strong was bawling her heart out. "I'm so sorry, Nee-san."
Hinata felt the woman in her arms trembled in grief, panting for breath. In such a situation, Hinata couldn't do anything but give a tight consoling hug.
"No, why him?! Why Utakata! Gods! Please!" Kaname wailed. "No..."
The dam of held-back tears broke, spoiling Hinata's cheeks.
"Utakata..." The woman in her arms panted.
"Shh."
"Fuck! Not him, take me!" Hinata tightened her hug, attempting to support Kaname even a tiny bit. "All over again! Because of me!"
"No, it was because of Akatsuki! Don't you dare to put it on yourself!" Hinata replied quickly.
"I... I was wrong. My beliefs... Gods, all this time! Utakata died because of me!" Kaname shook Hinata off.
"Nee-san?! What?!"
"I-I thought that the skirmish between... Akatsuki and me wouldn't touch my family and the civilians. I was so wrong. They-they won."
"What happened in Konoha?"
"I'm talking about the civilians in Amegakure! I don't care anymore, aiming for and..." Kaname took a long, arduous breath, "... killing him will have dire consequences." She raved.
Hinata jumped back to her, trying to stop her train of thought, "Nee-san, destroying a village between the borders would start a war. It's not like you."
"I don't care anymore. I will make them all pay. If Iwa has a problem with that, I will destroy it too! I have the power to do that - it's time to use it properly!" Kaname hiccuped between her sobs.
"Nee-san, is that what Haru and Kushi would want?" Hinata caught her in another hug.
After a moment of calming down, Kaname whispered. "No..."
"So?"
"Ugh, you- you're right. I can't give my children what they would want anymore. But... I can leave them with the second-best option..."
"Leave?!" Hinata gasped. Kaname vanished from her hands. Not even a second later, she felt someone pinching the tenketsu on the back of her head.
"Why-?" Hinata's consciousness started slipping away.
"I'm sorry. Take care of Naru-chan for me. I will fix all of this. Goodbye, I love you." Kaname whispered into her ear.
"No, sto-" Hinata fell asleep into Kaname's hands.
"Hmm, so another Uchiha falls to darkness, eh?"
"Hah, speak for yourself, Chiyo-baachan." Kaname laughed it off, delicately setting Hinata on the scorched ground.
"It's only natural for people as strong as you. I heard what you said, girl. Sasori-chan's words were similar to yours. I recognized the seal they used on the boulder. Nothing short of S-rank jutsu could overload it." Chiyo replied.
"I admit, I was closer to become just like them than I would like to. Hina-chan stopped me." She swiped the tears off her cheeks.
"Huh? So what are you going to do?"
"Watch me."
So Chiyo did. Kaname walked up to her lover, whimpering after kissing his cold lips. After a moment, her palms flashed with pale blue light, "
"Ugh..." The light on Uchiha's hands instantly flickered in strength.
"Stop this, girl. This technique will kill you!" Chiyo caught Kaname's arm, but before she pulled the black-haired female away. A pair of distinct glowing red eyes glared into her soul, freezing her in place.
"Utakata is worth it. I don't want to be the one that destroys our world, and he is the only one that can stop me indefinitely, Chiyo. I would love to let my children have both of their parents, but if I'm going to hurt them by starting a war, then it's better if Utakata lives instead of me."
"But... This jutsu? How do you know one of Sunagakure's secret jutsus, girl?"
"Suna's? You must have taken it from Uzushiogakure. Uhh-" Kaname faltered, feeling her chakra being siphoned out from her body, "They were the only clan that could survive the use of this technique."
"That... That would explain some things, Karura-chan's grandmother was half-Uzumaki. Haah... Alright. Move over, girl, I will do it!"
"Huh? Why? You don't know Utakata or me."
"Bahaha!" Chiyo laughed out, sitting next to the man's corpse, "I've lived a long and fruitful life. If this Akatsuki can control someone with the strength of my Sasori-chan like a puppet, then we can't dillydally here. I would like to punish that group myself, but the time of my former glory has long passed - it's time for the new blood. They're scared of you, girl! All of this happened because they wanted to hurt you personally. Bahaha, if this boy can keep your Uchiha tendencies in check, then it's worth a try! You're the huntress. Pity, I won't see how you obliterate Akatsuki."
"I..."
"Just shut up and let me concentrate! As if I would let a young mother sacrifice herself while I stand back and watch!" Chiyo's hands glowed in the same pale-blue light, taking Kaname's place, "Ugh~ Giving chakra to my puppets is much easier..." her chakra instantly waned in intensity.
"Heh, you're a little cooler than I thought, Chiyo-baasan." Putting her palm over the wrinkled one, Kaname lent her chakra to reanimate Utakata.
"... This will knock you out, girl. Looking at this boy's wounds, he will need immediate assistance."
"Utakata is tough. A simple blood loss won't kill him. And I sense Naru-chan running towards us - he will take care of everything."
"Heh, that loudmouth? You believe in that boy, don't you?"
"He will be a Hokage. I know it." Kaname smiled confidently in reply.
-----
"Guy, take your team and run towards the border. We will pave the way!" An old, mustached man on a wheelchair ordered loudly.
"But Pops?!"
"No buts, Guy-kun. Duy-san is right." the retired Hokage summoned his trusty black staff into his hand and jumped into the air.
"None will survive God's wrath!" One of the purple-eyed bodies proclaimed loudly, from description Hiruzen instantly recognized him as Yahiko. A bald purple-eyed man leaped towards Neji - for the old Sarutobi, his speed resembled that of Kaname's. Two mantis-like blades sprouted from Nagato's puppet arms.
"ENMA!" Hiruzen groaned out. Just a moment before the man reached Guy's student, Hokage's trusty staff extended and impaled the attacker to the ground.
"Fufufu. Now that's the sensei I remember! I always knew you still had a knack for it in you, old fool."
"I may be retired, but I'm still the Hokage! I won't let you touch them!" Hiruzen stood on the side of his staff like a monkey. "Guy-kun, it's an order. Go."
Duy noticed his son looking at him, visibly torn. But after a nod of the head, Guy shouted out, "Team three, retreat!"
"You'd think I'd let you leave, Guy? Nothing short of a miracle will save you!" Obito teleported next to the young weapon mistress of Konoha, attempting to choke the life out of her.
"RAAH!" a wheelchair crashed into the Uchiha's body, making him take three steps back.
"Wha-?" Obito turned towards the source of a rather unique projectile. From all the reports, the man standing there shouldn't be able to move even a muscle without his wheelchair.
"YOOOOOUUUUUUTTTHH!" Everyone stopped looking at the man roaring, willpower overcoming his agony. Lee and Guy had tears in their eyes, running away but still looking over their arms at the impersonification of their way of life. The pure power of youth, optimism, and strength.
"But his bones-" Orochimaru gasped.
"You forgot what's the will of fire, Orochimaru?" Hiruzen replied to him, jumping to strike down his student once and for all.
"Tsk... Tsunade-chan and Kana-chan, huh?" The Snake Sannin casually slithered around his teacher's swipe.
"And you call me the fool? It's not only those two, Orochimaru. Fighting one of us is like taking the entire village onto your head!" The old man used his staff to bounce himself upwards, dodging one of the Pain's bodies. "
"..." Nagato watched how the frail-looking old man effortlessly took care of two of his Paths of Pain.
Orochimaru laughed out, "Fufufu. Getting worried, Nagato-kun? The title of God of Shinobi was one you gave yourself. This old fool earned it."
"There can only be one god!" As Yahiko's body proclaimed those words. Two, previously destroyed bodies, stood up behind him.
'So this is the one I should aim at.' Hiruzen's eyes turned towards the stern-looking man standing furthest away from him.
"Resistance is futile." Pain's main body pulled out a long black rod from below his skin and aimed it towards Team Guy, "
----
Discerning a black rod heading towards the team, Guy put his palms along the course of the weapon protecting Tenten's head. The pointy spear blasted through them, crushing the bones in his hands and continuing on its path.
"TOU!" Lee jumped in to block the rod.
The rod burst on contact with Lee's ankle weights, but the pure power behind the attack send Guy's successor crashing into the ground.
"Lee-kun!" the kunoichi instantly leaped towards her downed teammate.
"How is he?" Neji inquired.
"He hit the ground hard! Looking at the bruise forming, I believe his ankle is broken." Tenten reported.
"We don't have the time. Neji-kun, give me a bandage." their teacher ordered, quickly taking care of his own wound. "
Guy summoned a large red-shelled tortoise with a yellow underside and swirls on the top.
"Ningame, I need your help!"
"You always do, Guy. You summon me once per year at most, and only if you're at greatest peril!" his partner criticized him.
"There is no time for that. Lee-kun and I are injured. While Neji-kun and Tenten-chan stay as our defense, I want you to quickly take us back to Konoha."
"And you summoned a tortoise for that job?"
"Ah." Guy had an epiphany, "Whatever, I really could use your help."
"Haah... Where is Duy when you need him..."
"Ningame-sama." Tenten replied sadly, "Duy-sensei is... covering our escape."
"... I see. Hop-on, Guy, I will take care of the rest. Any you boy, put your friend on top of me." With the approval granted, Neji hoisted up his teammate's unconscious body and set it on top of a ninja turtle's shell.
----
"YOOOOOUUUUUUTTTHH!" Obito took a step back in fright from the roar.
'Wait! He's only trying to scare me off! I saw the report that his bones were smashed beyond repair. He can't-' His train of thoughts stopped when Duy ran towards him. The old man wasn't fast - each step must have put his body over insane amounts of pain. It was clearly visible by Sharingan, as his whole body was trembling in agony. Yet, despite all of it - the man prevailed. And by pure willpower, this funnily-looking old man continued to race at him.
"You should have stayed on your wheelchair, old man." Obito teleported to Duy's side, throwing a kunai at his neck.
Konoha's missing-nin didn't expect the taijutsu master to abandon any forms of defense. Duy's neck muscles were too compact for the kunai to do anything more than scratch the skin. Obito's right hand was caught in a steel-like grip. A fist already was on its way towards his elbow.
The power behind the punch was brutal. The Uchiha surprisingly heard something crack. He knew that the right side of his body didn't have bones as it was a Zetsu-based replacement enhanced by Madara. And as expected, bones in Duy's fist broke apart, but not before his hand speared through it.
The Akatsuki teleported away from the danger, 'If his bones didn't break apart, he would tear it right off!' he looked at his flailing appendage, 'What a freak! Madara-sama made sure I can punch through boulders with that arm!' Obito twitched while looking at the man walking towards him like a bulldozer.
"Time to end this, old man. Just die - I have to take care of your son.
Distorted roots sprouted out from the soil beneath Duy's feet, impaling his flesh. Two seconds later, Konoha's taijutsu master was covered between hundreds of warped spears.
"Haah. He was tough... for a Konoha's clown, good that I took care of him before Akatsuki had to fully invest into invading Konoha." Obito turned towards the team of shinobis retreating from the battle. As he began unwinding his Special Sharingan teleportation, he heard a groan from behind him.
"Don't... call..." Duy's voice grunted in his tree prison.
'Oh, come on! Die already!'
"me an... OLD MAN!!!" The thorny roots were getting ripped apart bare-handed.
'That's what makes you angry?!' Obito deadpanned, "Face the facts, you're old! Start acting your age and die!
'Ah, the blissful silence after the flesh was ripped apart by Mokuton Technique...' The Akatsuki gasped pleasantly.
"I... won't... flicker out... like an old man." he heard a soft whisper coming from the burial pyre.
"Gods... Just die!"
"My heart... burns with the fire of YOUTH!
"Fu-" Obito fled into Kamui's dimension, but before the swirling portal closed, a scorched hand came after him. His face was caught in lava-hot steel-like grip and pulled back through the portal. For a split second, Obito looked into the eyes of a scorched-black fire demon. The world blurred in front of him as he became a lightning-fast projectile, shot towards the woods.
-----
"You're a bigger threat than I thought you were, Hiruzen Sarutobi." Pain looked at the massive wall created of copies of the retired Hokage's staff.
"As a Hokage, I have to stop you. They're Konoha's future - I won't let you touch them, Nagato." Hiruzen stood atop the barrier.
"Fufufu. You're always so full of surprises, sensei."
At this moment, a black figure shot past them. Skipping on the ground from time to time, it quickly disappeared behind the horizon.
"Obito-kun?" The Hokage asked, "Then? Oh no, Duy-san..."
"Fufuhahaha! One old fool down, one more to go!" They watched a still standing tall, unmoving, scorched corpse, skin but burned into a crisp.
"Died standing... Fighting to the end. Even if he was an enemy, I do respect a show of tenacity of true shinobi." Nagato replied, as all his bodies did a small bow, acknowledging the fighting spirit of a dead ninja.
"... Thank you, Nagato-kun. At least he died protecting what was most important to him."
"Blah-blah... I don't care! I won't get anything from his body in the state it's in. The time has come, sensei."
'You have fallen so low, Orochimaru-kun.' Hiruzen looked at his student with pity, 'It's time to seal you with the Shinigami's seal.'
"Oh no, you don't." Orochimaru chuckled, "I won't get trapped inside the Death God's belly."
'Huh? He can read my mind?' Hiruzen gasped, 'Orochimaru, what's two plus two times two?'
"You thought of something stupid? It shows on your face. I can't read your mind, old fool." his student laughed.
'Good.' Hiruzen scanned his opponents, 'I need to destroy Nagato's body that he uses to reanimate his other ones as well as his true body. If I use clones and all five natures of chakra, it should slow Orochimaru for long enough for me to get to Nagato.'
"All five of them? Yes, it could work, sensei." Orochimaru smiled sadistically at him.
"Ugh? How?"
"Nagato-kun, sensei will attempt to use shadow clones to slow me down while he attempts to attack you - oh, he changed his mind, pity, that was pretty epic."
"W-what?"
"Fufufu, you would like to know, huh, sensei? Let's say I'm no longer a human shinobi. I became something... more."
"What have you done? Shi-!" At the last second, the retired Hokage noticed a camouflaged house-sized chameleon leaping towards him. Jumping off the wall, he was struck down by a human-sized tongue.
Hiruzen crashed into the ground. Groaning, he slowly got himself back up, only to notice Orochimaru already waiting, standing above him, smiling sadistically. His student's sword pressed at his body next to the heart.
"That-that eye..." Orochimaru's right golden eye had a distinct darker gold design of three dots and three-bladed warped shuriken in the middle.
"You should have listened to Kana-chan and kill Mizuki-kun, sensei."
"That design, Fugaku-kun?" Orochimaru pushed the katana into his teacher's heart.