Н‘¾Ð‘¯Ð‘¬Ð‘Μ Ð‘»Ð‘¯Ð‘¬ Н‘¾Ð‘°Ð‘Μ𝑫 Н‘©Ð‘³Ð‘¶Ð‘¾Ð‘º €¢Ð’Ƒ𝒙Н’Ƒ• Phenomenon

He knew what needed to be done.

The water rippled as Akashi stepped away from Hagoromo, eyes staring at the reflection beneath his feet.

He knew what needed to be done.

His reflection grew bigger as he lowered himself down, palms resting atop the water’s shallow surface.

He knew what needed to be done.

So, he closed his eyes and the chains ripped out of his back, diving straight into the water as if the shallowness of it was only a facade. They extended past their normal reach and they just kept on going and going, “The fate of the world rests on your shoulders… It is your decision to make… Be it salvation or destruction.”

The words resounded around him, echoing through the sewers.

“I know,” the chains took hold of something, “I’ve already made up my mind.”

And down he went, the surface breaking as his body slipped through, pulled by the silver chains deep into the dark depths.

_

He burst through the water’s surface and opened his eyes.

The place he found himself at was similar to the one he was a few moments ago.

There, not even ten feet away from him, stood he.

“Naruto.” Akashi said, not moving an inch.

Hearing his voice, the blond turned around. Akashi really shouldn’t be surprised, but he was. Naruto’s eyes had lost their light as he stared at the redhead in front of him.

“I thought you had died.” The words left his lips and Akashi shook his head in reply.

“I’m still here… somehow,” his footsteps were noiseless in the water as he approached his little brother, “And so are you.” His heart throbbed inside his chest at the sound of Naruto’s breathing.

Before… While they were on Gaara’s sand, his breathing was so weak… His heartbeat was so weak…

He felt how his chakra threatened to flicker out of existence.

“I heard you speak… I heard what you said…” Naruto said in a voice so soft, it was almost a whisper, “I heard you… wished to give your life for my own?” The blond averted his eyes, almost as if he was afraid to look into Akashi’s own, “You said… that if only one of us was to survive… it should be me?” Unconsciously, Akashi’s fists tightened at his sides.

“I did…” He saw as Naruto’s jaw clenched and those blue eyes of his finally looked into his own.

“Why?!” Naruto exclaimed, his shoulders tense in anger, “You shouldn’t say something like that!” He violently shook his head, teeth peeking out as he harshly grit them together.

“Why not?!” Akashi bit out, not able to hold back his voice, “Why shouldn’t I say it?!” They stood at a small distance, but it was enough… They were close enough to not be able to hide anything from one another.

“Because you’re my nii-chan!” Naruto yelled at him, eyes widened.

“And you’re my otouto!” The blond flinched as Akashi’s voice cracked, “Isn’t it my responsibility?! I’m your older brother, I should protect you, right?!” He gripped the area over his heart, feeling the throbbing worsen.

“You said you failed me… nii-chan, you’ve never failed me…” Naruto’s whispered in a quiet voice, “Not once did I think you failed me… Not once did I wish you ill… Not once did I want you out of my life.”

“You should’ve… You should’ve given up on me long ago, why didn’t you?” His eyes clenched shut as he asked his question, “Why didn’t you?!” Akashi’s voice cracked even further, “Why didn’t you give up on me?!”

A warm chest pressed against his own and arms wrapped around his shoulders, “Because you’re my precious nii-chan… You’re my only family and I don’t want to lose you.” Naruto mumbled into the side of his neck.

Precious nii-chan? He still thought of him as that? As someone who was precious? As family? As someone who has too much worth to be lost?

He stood frozen still, staring into the infinitely stretching darkness ahead of him.

“I’m not the only one who thinks of you as precious… Kakashi sensei had never given up on you either, even after the fight, even as he laid in the hospital, writhing in pain, he never gave up on you… He never wished to hurt you… He desperately wanted you to come back to Konoha… To come back to your home, our home…” the blond’s arms around him tightened, “There’s dad… You’re his son, of course you’re going to be precious to him…”

Akashi stayed silent, blankly staring ahead of himself.

“There’s also… Sasuke,” Akashi still didn’t say anything, “When we were younger, I was stupider than I am now and I never understood what was going on between you two… Even now, I barely understand… The two of you understood each other more than I thought I understood him… and perhaps even you.”

“You never change,” slowly, Akashi raised his arms, carefully placing his palms on Naruto’s back, “You really never… change.” He lowered his head into Naruto’s neck, feeling his eyes sting.

He didn’t cry…

There was no need for his tears.

All he needed now… was silence.

So, they stood there, still, as if dead, and held onto each other.

“Little one.” Akashi blinked and pulled away from Naruto.

“Kurama?” He asked out loud, surprising the blond in front of him.

“Kurama? Where?” Naruto asked, stepping back.

“Over here.” The two boys looked off to the side and were met with the giant fox.

“So the transfer was a success?” There was a hint of relief in the redhead’s tone, which didn’t go unnoticed by the two other occupants of the sewers.

“It was, but… what are you going to do now?” Kurama came closer, “You gave me away, without my consent and now what?! You’re just going to let yourself die?! What were you thinking?! Even if you inherited more Uzumaki traits than Naruto, you cannot survive an extraction!” He roared at him, pupils dilated into slits as his crimson irises gave off a faint glow.

“I’ll survive.” Kurama was taken aback at the nonchalance in his tone.

“What…?”

“Kurama, you know what I’m thinking, don’t you?” Akashi stared at him, “Look inside my mind and you’ll see.”

Kurama’s eyes narrowed at his words, “What are you…?” It was then, that those eyes of his snapped wide

“You see, right? What I want to do? What I… will do?” He questioned.

“See what? Akashi?” Naruto jumped in, staring between Kurama and the redhead.

“Akashi… this?” Disbelief dripped from Kurama’s words.

“Do you think it will work? The first part?” Akashi ignored Naruto’s question and stared at Kurama.

“It hasn’t been done before… But, it is possible.” Kurama slowly answered.

“That’s all I needed to hear… Naruto, give me your hand.” The blond furrowed his brows, but did as he was asked, gingerly reaching his hand towards Akashi.

“What are you planning?” Akashi took his hand and gripped it with both of his own, “Akashi…?” Naruto whispered, glancing between their hands.

“Don’t worry.” Was Akashi’s answer.

Naruto watched as Akashi closed his eyes, the brilliant violet hidden behind pale eyelids. He wondered what he was planning…

He didn’t have to wonder for long.

Chains burst out of their intertwined hands and Naruto felt them wrap around his body, “Akashi?!” He exclaimed, watching as they also wrapped around the redhead.

“I told you not to worry.” He still hadn’t opened his eyes.

The chains got tighter and Naruto could barely take in a breath, “Akashi…” he mumbled, out of breath.

“Just a little more,” Akashi’s eyes were clenched shut, a bead of sweat slipping down his temple, “Just a little bit more…” The chains stopped and Naruto almost breathed out a breath in relief, “Bingo!” Akashi’s eyes snapped open and Naruto’s slipped shut, the world going dark around him.

_

Akashi stood still as the sight before him changed. He could see what Naruto was seeing… Feel what Naruto was feeling… Smell what Naruto was smelling.

It had worked.

The sealing had worked.

He had done it.

He managed to seal himself within Naruto.

Naruto was standing still, looking around himself in confusion, before his head snapped in the other direction. He bent his legs and took off, quicker than ever before. He raced forward and jumped in the air, kicking an approaching black orb away.

Akashi could see what was going on.

Madara… Looked almost like what Obito looked like when he had the Ten-Tails inside of himself. Did he do it? Absorb the Ten-Tails and its powers? Really… Luck wasn’t on their side.

The black orb sailed through the air and slammed somewhere behind Madara. From what Akashi could see, Guy seemed to be lying on the ground… Skin blackened and smoking. He could sense it. His chakra was soon going to be extinguished, never to be lit again.

Had he fought against Madara? Why? Why did he start a fight he could not win?

“Bushier Brow sensei…” Naruto mumbled out and crouched next to the unmoving Guy. He reached his hand forward and Akashi saw something he didn’t see before.

A white circle on Naruto’s palm, one which resembled a full moon or was it supposed to resemble the sun? Now that he thought about it, Naruto’s chakra seemed different from before… He hadn’t realised it immediately, but he realised it now.

It was different.

Had the… Sage of Six Paths had anything to do with that?

His thoughts were interrupted when Naruto laid his hand atop Guy’s heart. A pulse of chakra left Naruto’s palm and the most unusual thing happened… Something Akashi didn’t know could happen.

Guy’s chakra was born anew.

Kurama… Did the Sage of Six Paths do this?

That may be the case… That man was unpredictable. Kurama said nothing else, choosing to stay silent.

“Naruto? You seem a little different from before.” Madara spoke up, addressing the young blond in front of him.

“Yeah… I’m still trying to figure it out myself,” Naruto turned around, facing Madara, “But I think I can change everything now!” He declared, staring the man down.

Naruto kicked off and Madara barely had any time to block his chakra coated punch.

Using the opportunity to test some things out, Akashi willed the chains to come out.

Bingo. He thought as the chains burst out of Naruto’s body and wrapped around Madara, keeping him in place.

“What?!” Madara exclaimed, eyes widening as the chains tightened around him.

“Sage Art: Lava Style Rasen Shuriken!” Naruto yelled as the Rasen Shuriken in his hand grew into a size much larger than his own body.

Lava Style? Since when could Naruto do something like that?

It’s made out of chakra from the half of the Tailed Beast’s chakra within Naruto. Kurama explained.

That makes sense.

Naruto prepared to throw it, but something knocked into Madara, pushing the man away from them.

Surprised at the sudden pull, Akashi lost concentration and the chains returned back into Naruto’s body.

What the hell?! Something had pushed Madara out of the way, which allowed the man to escape the chains which bound him. Damn it! He wasn’t used to using chains like that, that’s why his concentration was so easily broken.

Nonetheless, Naruto chased after Madara. There was a brief moment in which Akashi sensed something approach them and it seemed that Naruto did too, since the blond moved out of the way, successfully evading whatever it was that lunged at him.

Naruto looked back at Madara and threw the Rasen Shuriken, “All right!” He said as it collided with Madara and pushed him away, “Burst!” The Rasen Shuriken exploded, throwing Madara away and cutting the giant tree which had grown. Naruto quickly turned around and went to get Guy. After he placed him on his back, he jumped away. Not even a minute later, he reached Lee and Gaara.

From behind them, back at where the tree was starting to collapse, Akashi could sense something else. The tree’s chakra was disappearing and Madara’s own was rising.

Was he absorbing it?

Naruto gently settled Guy onto the ground and Lee immediately ran towards the man, “Guy sensei!”

“Bushier Brow sensei is gonna be okay! He’s not gonna die!” Naruto assured the boy.

“Naruto, you healed him?” Surprised, Lee asked, “But I thought he had activated all Eight Gates…” Eight Gates? What was Lee talking about?

Then, a memory flashed through Akashi’s mind. Lee’s and Gaara’s match at the Chunin Exams… Lee had used something which tremendously increased his power… Were those the gates he was talking about?

“I feel like I can do all sorts of things… the way I am right now!” Naruto said, before he glanced back, as if he sensed something.

Sensed something? Or someone?

Akashi could sense Sasuke’s chakra from here and… the situation was the same as with Naruto.

His chakra had changed… Something inside of it had changed…

The Sage of Six Paths? Did the man have any hand in what was going on?

“Bushy Brow and Gaara, take care of Bushier Brow sensei.” Naruto straightened up, prepared to leave.

“Naruto… Thank you for… Guy sensei…” Lee’s eyes watered as he thanked the blond, tears threatening to spill at any moment.

Naruto nodded and turned to leave, “Naruto… When you become Hokage, let’s have a drink together.” Gaara had stopped him, causing Naruto to turn around.

“You got it!” With that, Naruto jumped away and left the three of them behind.

Naruto, Sasuke is on his way. Akashi informed him.

I know. The blond replied.

He knew, eh?

As they neared the cut down tree, Akashi felt the full power of Madara. His chakra… Had changed… It had changed too much… It was so much different than before…

Luck seriously wasn’t on their side.

Naruto landed in front of Madara and stared up at the man.

“You cannot take me down,” Madara announced, “Essentially, I am completely immortal now,” he clenched a fist in front of himself, a disturbing expression on his face, “I have obtained eternity!” He declared, sounding too sure of himself.

“You idiot!” Naruto reached back to tighten his forehead protector, “I’m not taking you down…” His chakra spiked and he entered Tailed Beast State, one which was different than before. Akashi could see the black orbs, one which Madara also had, float around Naruto. The blond held two long, black rods in each hand as he stared at Madara.

Then, Akashi felt Sasuke’s chakra besides Naruto.

He had arrived.

“We’re gonna take you down!” As if on cue, silver chains burst out of Naruto’s back and hovered above his head.

“Where is Akashi?” Sasuke questioned, not taking his eyes off Madara.

“He gave me his side of the Nine-Tails and then sealed himself inside of me, as you can see from the chains… He’s with us.” Seems like that was all that Sasuke needed to hear, since he spoke up a moment after that.

“Your time has come, Madara.”