Naruto: The Crimson Error

26

Ch 26- Unbelievable

The battlefield was silent, nobody made a move. Sora's last words, along with his fallen and unmoving body, and his blank eyes, were enough for people to know. Naruto was in denial, his mind refusing to accept what his eyes were telling him. The vibrant, red-headed boy who had become like a little brother to him couldn't possibly be gone.

Then, unexpectedly, Sora's remaining one-handed clone near Tsunade began to weave hand seals. It aroused the attention of all the people present on the battlefield. Even Orochimaru paused, his serpentine eyes narrowing with interest.

Sora's clone spoke, his voice tinged with fascination despite the grave situation. "Damn, I am losing control of my chakra, especially the mental energy aspect. Is it because my soul is leaving my body?"

Even after death, Sora's intellectual curiosity seemed undiminished. Orochimaru, in particular, found himself intrigued by this development. The snake Sannin's mind was already racing with the possibilities such a phenomenon could present.

In the next instant, lines of seals originated from Sora's main dead body, streaking across the battlefield towards the reanimated Rasa. The Fourth Kazekage, bound by Orochimaru's jutsu, found himself unable to react as the seals enveloped him.

"Hehe, I have already anticipated in case I died," the clone said smugly to the indifferent Rasa. "This seal would be activated by my clone, that is me, sealing you. I win, old man." This time, there were no unexpected twists to turn the tables.

The clone then quickly weaved another set of hand seals with its single hand and summoned a scroll. "To be honest, I don't want to die," it continued, its voice carrying a hint of fear beneath the bravado. "And seeing that some jutsus exist that can bring the dead to living, I don't want to be controlled, like this old man here."

As the clone completed the seal, it enlarged, covering the entire battlefield. Soon, all the blood and the corpse of Sora were dragged by the lines of text towards the clone. It was a grotesque sight, one that made even the hardened shinobi present flinch.

"I wonder if my memories after I dispel will go to the original's soul or not... not like that it matters," Sora mused aloud. Then, to everyone's surprise, particularly Sasuke's, the clone began weaving hand seals that were extremely familiar to the Uchiha.

Sasuke's eyes widened in recognition. "That's-"

"Well, I am using this jutsu for the first time, and I don't need Sharingan to copy it," Sora's clone said, his gaze meeting Sasuke's. The clone grinned, and in the next instant, a massive fireball erupted from its mouth, engulfing Sora's blood and body in flames.

As the flames consumed what remained of Sora, the clone looked down at its own body. "This is it," it said, its voice carrying a mix of resignation and determination. "I'm not going to say the last words again. It's embarrassing, dattebayo!"

With one final look at Naruto, the clone dispelled itself in a puff of smoke.

The finality of the act seemed to snap Naruto out of his denial. Tears began to flow freely from his eyes, quickly replaced by a look of unbridled rage. Anger at Rasa, at Kabuto, at Orochimaru... at everything. With a primal roar, Naruto lost control of the Kyuubi's chakra.

A malevolent red aura enveloped Naruto, his features becoming more feral by the second. His nails elongated into claws, his canines sharpened to fangs, and his eyes turned a burning crimson with slitted pupils. The killing intent radiating from him was palpable, causing even the experienced shinobi present to take an involuntary step back.