Cap 305: It began (1)
Cap 305: It began (1)
"Thank you... I needed that..." - Kurama murmured as a smile appeared on his face as he saw the stars shining in the sky.
"It's the least I can do for you, more with all the help you've given me and my family" - Sasuke replied as he closed his eyes, only to frown as he felt a presence approaching at full speed - "But let's save that for another time, we have company now..."
Sasuke quickly activated his Mangekyo Sharingan as he prepared for battle.
Kurama frowned as he felt that the aura and scent coming in his direction was familiar, but at the same time it was different, though he understood the reason when he saw who it was - "Are you really still alive?"
The newcomer only kept silent as he watched the two young men in front of him.
"Namikaze Menma..." - Sasuke said with a frown as he saw the new appearance of Minato's son - "I guess Kurama did kill you..."
Kurama also frowned at the new White Zetsu, only to narrow his eyes when he didn't notice how different he was to others of his same 'race'.
"Uzumaki Kurama... Uchiha Sasuke..." - Menma said neutrally as he watched the two young men before narrowing his eyes - "That's perfect, now I won't have to enter your base in order to talk to you..."
"Talk?" - Sasuke asked with a frown.
"Exactly, talk" - Menma replied coolly - "I want to make a deal with you, one that you won't want to miss out on."
"I know you well enough to know that your deals are bullshit" - Sasuke said neutrally.
"This time it's different, because what I'm looking for is the same as you" - Menma replied as he gave the Uchiha a glance, then looked firmly at the red-haired man - "The end of Akatsuki."
"Oh? What did they do to you, other than turn you into one of those things?" - Sasuke asked disdainfully.
"They used my mother as a sacrifice for the Edo Tensei they forced me to perform..." - Menma replied with cold, empty eyes - "I watched as she screamed for me to stop while my body was out of my control... her terrified eyes, her expression of utter despair, her last screams before the Jutsu began..."
Kurama's eyes widened in surprise because he never thought of this outcome, although he now understood the strong desire for revenge that Menma had towards the remaining members of Akatsuki. If he were in a similar situation, he would also go to great lengths to bring an end to the bastards responsible.
"That's why I come to talk to you, I will tell you everything I know, their plans and how they are carrying them out, the location of their base of operations, even some of their new techniques that I managed to observe during my 'hive mind' state" - Menma said coldly - "And the only thing I ask is one thing... the complete annihilation of Black Zetsu... I want to see him dead, that everything he managed to achieve during these years become nothing but an ephemeral dream..."
"What do you think, Kurama?" - Sasuke asked, who honestly didn't know what to do. If it were up to him, he would accept because he knew Menma was being sincere in his proposal because Midori was the most important thing he had in the world, with her off the map, Menma was not only broken, but also on the verge of insanity.
"We accept, I can even promise to kill him in front of your eyes" - Kurama replied neutrally.
A huge lunatic smile appeared on Menma's lips, though it disappeared as quickly as it came - "Thank you..."
"We don't need your thanks, what we want is the information" - said Sasuke seriously.
Menma didn't say anything else, he quickly told them everything he knew about Zetsu and Obito's plans, as well as Madara's current status. He also told them the exact location of the Akatsuki Central Base, even with its coordinates so the other members of the army wouldn't get lost, as well as all the techniques he had seen Obito and Zetsu perform, he even told Kurama about what the Uchiha would do and the places he would go to monitor with Yugito's body.
"Ok, this is valuable information, though now I have a question for you" - said Sasuke seriously.
"Speak" - Menma replied neutrally as he looked at the Uchiha with his now pupil-less green eyes.
"How do we know this isn't a trap?" - Sasuke asked with a frown - "Remember that those things called Zetsu have a hive mind, and they're all influenced by the original."
"It's because when I regained my consciousness, I lost the ability to enter the 'central information base'..." - Menma answered seriously - "I can't know what they think and vice versa."
". . ." - Kurama frowned because it still seemed very convenient to the situation, but he still decided to bet - "Ok, we'll take your word for it."
"Are you sure?" - Sasuke asked in surprise.
"Yes, besides, if what he said is true, then we will have to attack with everything we have" - said Kurama seriously - "Sealing a Bijuu is a short process, it only takes a few seconds, the problem is when you try to seal a Bijuu on an adult person, there things get complicated and need countless preparations to have a minimum percentage of success."
The reason why they did not seal Bijuus in adults even though they were the best candidates because of their already established loyalty, was because they could not adapt to the burden of the chakra of the beast inside them, that is why they always sealed the Bijuu inside an infant, because they still did not develop their Chakra Network and could adapt the energy of the beast without any problem. The only case that an adult could seal a Bijuu inside them and live to tell the tale, had been Mito and this was mostly due to the enormous vitality of the Uzumaki royalty who had regenerated their Chakra Network after the Kyubi no Kitsune's energy destroyed it time and time again.
"If that's what you've decided, then I'll go inform the others" - Sasuke said as he disappeared.
"Ok, I'm going to retreat too before Obito or Zetsu notices that I've disappeared..." - Menma said as he silently retreated.
Kurama narrowed his eyes when he saw this, so he decided to create a clone to follow Menma to make sure his information was correct.
* * * * *
"How long before we can start the sealing process?" - Obito asked with a frown as he watched the 10-tailed beast begin to shudder, showing that it would be a short time before it would awaken from its slumber.
"Soon we will begin" - Zetsu said with a smile - "Very soon..."
He could feel how Madara's aura was changing slightly, something that made him even more excited because the plan was coming together perfectly, although his expression changed when he felt how a huge concentration of life sources appeared nearby.
"How did they find us?" - Obito asked with a frown - "Anyway, we'd better prepare for the attack, but I want you to tell me how much time we need to gain..."
"Not much... I'd say about 30 minutes" - replied Zetsu with irritation - "But I feel that it will be even less time..."
* * * * *
The two armies had again clashed as the Kage began to wreak havoc on the enemy forces.
Sasuke was serious as he destroyed as many of the White Zetsu as he could, noticing that Kurama had again disappeared.
"Keep attacking!" - Kushina roared as all the Uzumaki clan members launched themselves at their enemies as if they were a group of thieves who had spotted a beautiful woman. Their eyes flashed fiercely as they threw their Jutsus with all their might.
"You should calm down a bit..." - Yugito said as she appeared in front of the Uzumaki group - "Seriously, the Kyubi should have knocked you out or something..."
"Obito..." - Kushina said neutrally as she saw the corpse of her former member being controlled by the traitorous Uchiha.
"Kushina-san..." - Yugito (Obito) replied with a huge smile - "It's good to see that you're okay..."
"Save your bullshit for another time, we have a lot to sort out and you better bring your body here, so we can give you the beating you deserve, you bastard" - said Tayuya neutrally while cracking her knuckles.
"As tempting as your plan sounds, I don't plan to..." - Yugito said, only to widen her eyes in surprise - "Shit!"
Yugito's eyes seemed to lose their focus for a few seconds, moments that Kushina didn't waste as she activated the seal she had been working on all this time - "Uzumaki Fuinjutsu: Sunpō Henka (Uzumaki Sealing Art: Dimensional Shift)!"