Starting over

#94 Old Friends Help Each Other

Naruto POV

I found myself dodging a barrage of Rockets and smaller projectiles, courtesy of the Asura path. Jumping around, I circled around my opponents, while thinking about a way to get to them. Pain knew, that he could not underestimate me another time, since already had cost him three of his paths. As I started my second round around the trio, I took out a few of my hiraishin kunai and threw them at the paths. I saw that the Deva path was looking at the sealing formula on my kunai with interest, as the pains almost effortlessly deflected them.

I kept throwing kunai at them, until finally the Preta path had to deflect one of them in such a way, that it landed in the ground next to them. I immediately stopped throwing kunai and took out my sword. I appeared in the middle of them with an orange flash trailing behind me. I swung my sword at the Asura path until I felt the world around me condense. I couldn't move anymore. No matter how much chakra I poured into my muscles I was not moving an inch. I cursed mentally, before I pushed chakra into the hiraishin formula, that I had engraved into my sword's hilt. I teleported to one of the kunai that had landed far away from the trio, my sword at the ready. I could see the paths looking at me with intrigued eyes. I saw the Deva path smirk. I jumped up just in time to evade the missiles that came flying at me. I realized that I practically had no chance against the trio. I knew, that they were only doing so much as to entertain themselves and I also knew, that they would end me once the other Akatsuki members had finished their fights. I couldn't let that happen so I was thinking about a way to get out of this, without giving the council up. That proved a fatal flaw, as I didn't see the next attack of the trio coming. I had to jump once more to barely evade a few missiles, before I felt the air around me condense once again. I felt myself being pulled towards the three paths. I couldn't react fast enough to do anything as the Preta path took out a kunai and put his arm out, letting me fly right into the kunai. Then I got pushed upwards, turned in the air, so that the kunai, that was sticking in my stomach was pointing to the ground. I had lost my sword, when my belly was cut open and thus couldn't teleport anywhere, so I closed my eyes as I saw and felt the ground coming closer.

Screaming I felt the kunai being pushed deeper into my intestines, until my body was pressed against the ground. I knew this was the end. I had failed on my mission and I had failed my promise to Rasa and to myself. I could only imagine, what would happen to the rest of my team, once pain joined in their fights. With a single tear rolling down my face, I closed my eyes.

What do you think you are doing?

What? How am I not dead? I couldn't possibly have survived such an injury. Kurama, what is happening.

Do you really think, I would let you die so easily? I am your friend, you will not die like this!

It doesn't matter. I can't defeat Pain and I can't use your power, since he would just pull your chakra out of my body with his rinnegan. It is hopeless.

I suddenly found myself in front of the giant fox, looking up into furious eyes. "Didn't you say something about a seal that would be able to prevent that?", Kurama said, his voice silent yet tense. "Yes, I have been working on such a seal, but I had no chance to test it yet, I have no idea, if it works., besides, I can't put it on my body, without being able to move, and the last I checked, Pain had me in this crazy lock down jutsu.", I basically screamed at the beast in front of me.

"Ok, listen. Let's first address the issue at hand. You are dying. Now I can save you, but it would take almost all of my chakra and I could not help you in this fight anymore. Also I can not guarantee you, that you will be able to get out of this hold that he Deva path has on you.", Kurama offered. I smiled sadly at the bijuu. "It wouldn't change a thing. I can't defeat pain so it would basically only delay my death by a few minutes, at most.", I began. Then I remembered a conversation I had with Kurama a few years ago, where he had told me, that he used to be able to change into a humanoid form, before he was sealed away into humans. In this form he was able to use jutsu and basically fight like a shinobi, while still being able to draw upon his giant chakra reserves and the ability to heal himself infinitely.

"Kurama, I am dying, there is no changing that. But at least, my death can be beneficial for the mission. I am going to set you free. That way you can battle Pain and you can let this seal appear on your body, so that pain can't simply take your bijuu chakra.", I said, while drawing a complex seal into the bottom of my mindscape.

"What? No! You can't do that. What would I even do out there? I mean, it would only be a question of time, until I was sealed again and I don't want that. And what would happen with Temari? Or Gaara or Suna? They will be devastated, especially Temari!", Kurama yelled apparently angry, that I would even dare to propose something like that.

"Listen! I am going to die, there is no changing that. But, with me freeing you, I can at least ensure that Temari and the others will survive this fight. I only want one thing from you. I want you to protect Temari as long as she lives. After that you can do what you want, but please do me this one favour. Protect Temari.", I pleaded. I saw Kurama's eyes soften, before he was envelope in an orange cloud. Once the cloud was gone, I saw Kurama in his humanoid form walking up to me.

"I will miss you.", he said, giving me a long hug. "Me too Kura, me too.", I whispered, sadness clogging my throat. "Tell Temari, that I love her.", I asked, tears running down my face. Kurama nodded with a sad smile before, holding his arm out. "Check if the seal is how you wanted it to be.", Kurama said, as an intricate array of seals appeared on the arm of the redhead.

I nodded, when I couldn't find anything wrong with the seal. Although it was only a theoretical seal, I was certain that it would work. It had to work, because if not, Temari would die, and I could and would not stand for that. "Thank you.", I said to Kurama as he put his bracer back on.

"Don't mention it. After all, old friends help each other."