❝𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑲𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒉𝒂❞

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 22: 𝑹𝒆𝒃𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒕

Blue and gold were locked together and hatred from both sides began to make the air heavy. The killer intent that poured from them began to physically weigh down the surrounding people. People began to collapse as a fear of death made many civilians and even many shinobi tried to crawl away from what could easily be a source of death for all of them. Naruto seen Sakura holding a terrified and screaming Minato while slowly moving away from the dangerous man staring down the father of her child. Naruto stood up and prepared to attack.

"So it seems my cousin has become too relaxed during my little vacation. Well no matter I'll be sure to use that to my advantage." Tenzou smiled and grabbed the hilt at his side. What confused Naruto was when he drew the hilt to find it had no blade. Using Naruto's confused state Tenzou lifted his lift hand towards Naruto.

"Bansho Ten'in!"

Naruto reacted too late as he tried to stick to the ground with chakra. He was pulled towards Tenzou who began pumping chakra into his weapon. Slowly the chakra began to form a blade which Naruto realized was the same blade that impaled Sakura. He quickly countered by transforming his right hand into a chakra cannon.

"Asura Attack!"

The beam shot forward and Tenzou was forced to break the pull on Naruto to avoid the attack. Naruto rolled to his feet and fired several more shots before sprinting forward while drawing his own katana. He returned his hand to its normal before pulling his staff out. As he closed the diatance Tenzou flipped over Naruto and swung at his head trying to remove it. Naruto dropped to his knees and used his momentum to slide forward under the slice. He jumped back to his feet and brought his blade behind his back to block Tenzou's slash before kicking his foot backwards to create space. The blonde spun around and pointed the staff at Tenzou to send him airborne.

"How did he do that without speaking?" Sasuke asked Sakura while still looking for an opening to help.

"He's been practicing so much that he is now able to use the Bansho Ten'in and Shinra Tensei without speaking." Sakura answered.

Tenzou sat up suddenly and fired several shots from a chakra cannon at Naruto who simply absorbed the attacks when they reached him.

'This isn't going good. I didn't expect him to have both the sword and the staff of the Rikudo Sennin. I need to make an escape route for myself for when the time comes' Naruto still waited for Tenzou to do something but the gold eyed Uzumaki stalled for time.

"Not very chatty are you?" Naruto gave no form of response instead he remained completely still except for his eyes which were constantly following Tenzou. After a few moments of silence Tenzou shrugged his shoulders and charged. Just as he reached his target, Naruto parried his sword and spun around Tenzou while swiftly bring the staff down on Tenzou's back. He inhaled sharply from the stinging contact. He leapt into the air and spun around with the intent to deliver a viscous kick to Naruto's head only for his foot to be evaded. Naruto pressed his palm to Tenzou's chest causing him to go spiralling backwards. The brief moment was all Naruto needed to execute his plan.

"Kuchiyose: Gedo Mazo!"

Now Naruto had this all planned out. From the summoning to Tenzou's inevitable defeat. Well everyone knows how plans go...

As soon as the Statue was free several things happened. Naruto discovered the bijuu were fully regenerated. He also discovered that the statue decided HE was their new host.

Naruto found himself suspended in midair by 8 red masses of chakra. Before he could react the chakra all swirled together before slamming into the seal on his stomach. The pain was substantial as the mass forced itself into the seal. When the last trace disappeared into the seal Naruto collapsed on the ground while fighting with the new massive amounts of energy that felt as though he was being torn apart.

Tenzou stared at his cousin in shock after witnessing and understanding what just happened thanks to his Rinnegan. He quickly got up and aimed a chakra cannon at his head knowing if he didn't kill Naruto now the Rikudo Sennin would truly be reborn. Just before he fired a shockwave flew out from Naruto's seal. His shirt was shredded and everyone watched as the design from his robe began to form on his back. The process was slow but as one tomoe formed on his seal another would form on his back. After all 9 were present the seal on his stomach shifted into the shape of a ripple pattern with 3 tomoe on each level. The design on his back also had a ripple pattern form above it. After several minutes Naruto's screams of pain died out instantly.

Tenzou seen Naruto had fallen unconscious and was about to take the shot that would blow his head clean off when Kakashi, Gai, and Yamato all appeared around him. At the same time Sakura and Sasuke had moved to Naruto's side in order to defend him. Ino had taken Minato to safety and Tenzou, realizing he was outmatched for now, disappeared by sinking into the ground.

"Naruto! Naruto wake up!" Sakura gently touched his shoulder when he suddenly went into a fit of seizures. Sakura and Sasuke did their best to keep him from hurting himself until the fits had passed. Once they were done the two quickly and gently lifted him and swiftly made their way to the hospital.

Naruto found himself in what was normally the Fox's room but he was confronted by not only an uncaged Nine Tails but 8 other bijuu.

"What's going on here?!" Naruto found himself slightly intimidated by the sight before him but stood his ground. The Kyuubi grinned and answered.

"Naruto Uzumaki you are to fight all of us and beat us in order to begin the rebirth of the Jyuubi. We will not be fully merged. Instead for each one you beat the loser will give up a portion of their chakra for the revival. Also one more thing" The Kyuubi gave Naruto a malice filled grin, "you will not awaken until you have beaten all nine bijuu."

With that The Kyuubi attempted to smash Naruto with his paw.

"I'll start."

Tenzou stared into the one visible eye of Madara Uchiha while he waited for the masked man to consider his offer. In the shadows to Madara's right a figure stood with a large hood drawn over their head to hide their features.

"So you wish to help me achieve my plan. What's in it for you?" Madara stared at him intently while waiting for an answer.

"I only wish to be the one to remove the head of Naruto Uzumaki from his shoulders." Tenzou felt slightly unnerved by the chuckle from the hooded man but said man didn't say or do anything else. Madara's voice refocused his attention.

"You have a deal."