Chance for a Prophecy

Chapter 33 - Under the mask

Disclaimer: Naruto and every character of the Naruto universe belongs to Kishimoto Masashi and companies I don't know.

Applause goes for my precious beta readers and friends: ImaginationJunkie1412, Duesal Bladesinger, Minatochan2 and also a big thank you for the Awesome Authors Coalition members.

Original upload date: 18th of March 2016

Last update: n.a.

Chance for a Prophecy

Chapter 33. – Under the mask

Something cracked deep under the chamber, deep enough to shake the Earth's very core as Naruto roared through the middle of the thick dust cloud towards Obito at the other end of the cave. His mind was empty, focusing on nothing but the envisionment of a limp body in the middle.

Everything stilled around him as he dashed through the previously fighting groups. Jiraiya paused in the middle of choking an underdeveloped clone, his eyes flickering to where Naruto's golden figure blurred past him. However, he was too slow to truly track the boy's movement, too slow to keep up. Before he'd even turned, Naruto had already passed by Killer Bee as he stood in the middle of the chamber, mouth dropped open as Kurama's chakra licked his side for a millisecond.

Even though Naruto wasn't aware, someone was able to follow his movement. Barely, but still able to stay close to heel. Minato hurtled past the Kumo Jinchuuriki only a second later than his son, but he was still able to recognize the familiar expression on Bee's face: stunned realization.

Minato pushed more chakra into his already straining muscles with a grunt and sprinted toward his son's blurring form. It had been awhile since he had to push his limits, and his endurance had been stretched more than ever before in the last few seconds.

His son finally breached the dust, and the thick cloud shrouding him concealed the golden light which had been illuminating the whole chamber. Without the warm light, Minato's soul weighed heavier in the ominous atmosphere. He reached the border of the fog a second later than Naruto, and with a swift jump, he followed his son into the unknown.

There was a flicker of chakra, shrouded by the unsettling of soft dust and debris. It was painfully familiar, but still different from what he remembered. The last time he felt it, it was cheeky, restless and warm. But now... the warmth was nowhere to be found. Instead, Obito's chakra felt sticky, disturbing and colder than a glacier. There was another spike, dangerously close to the other murky one, but it was the opposite to Obito's. Naruto's essence flared once more, reminding Minato of the first beam of sunshine after a long, dark storm—warm and full of life. The two life essences burst in unison in the next millisecond, and Minato heard a thud. Then suddenly their chakra signatures were gone, completely erased.

The Kage blindly dashed toward where he'd last felt the two presences collide, but he only found an empty crater. Minato let out a growl in frustration and swept his head to the right where something clattered — probably two kunai. But it was gone again. He dashed to the left where the two presences flickered back to life, and this time he was able to see a glint of Naruto's golden fire, feeling its heat as he immediately reached out to grab his son. He curled his fingers but only managed to grab empty air. Minato let his nails dig into his fist, his arm dropping to his side in defeat.

He dashed forward again, but the result was the same as before. With every passing second and each failed attempt, it reminded him more and more of an insane game of tag, feeling less like a life or death battle between shinobi.

He wanted nothing more than to join his son's side, and he was failing miserably. He was afraid, afraid of Naruto's reaction since he couldn't predict what he would do to Obito. First he'd been shouting that he wanted to speak to him, save him, lead him out of the shadows, and his eyes shone with the same determination he was declaring. But in the next moment that resolve cracked, and Minato could clearly see the doubt seeping through.