Naruto understood.
He understood, because the communion brought into being by Weapon of the Soul was something so intimate, so transcendental, that it was simply impossible not to get it. When the presence of Sayuri, the existence that is Higashiyama Sayuri, invaded his body, extending tendrils of something into his ribcage and wrapping them around his heart, Naruto immediately understood.
Inside Sayuri, there was a flame. But the flame was Sayuri herself, and this was not some sort of weird existential riddle because both things were undeniably true. And the thing within her that was also her was not only her, but what she could and should not be, what she had been and what was offered for her to become. It was part of her, but also her totality and something much greater than her. It was her infinite past, her bound present and her potentially infinite future.
It was a flame, but it was not fire. It was not the harmless and meaningless comedy fire, nor the deep orange fire born of chemical combustion reactions, nor the nuclear fire that makes the stars. It was Destruction itself, in the guise of flame because it suited it the most. It was the concept, having taken a shape, yet infinite in its scope and significance. That flame, Naruto knew, could destroy everything, for that was what it defined and its only purpose. If left alone and unrestrained, it would consume everything in heaven and earth, and even after that, it would not be satisfied before devouring the ashes as well.
Ashes of ashes. That was the Void. Or, at least, what the Void should have been. And Naruto understood this, from looking at that flame. For it was The Flame Kindled By the First Motion, older than the world.
“Hmm…†He sighed, and it should not be possible because he was everywhere and nowhere, alone with that flame. “Yondaime really got it right. With sealin’ ya.â€
He had just lashed out at Yuri, but could he really expect that woman to even understand what her daughter truly was? What she could become? He barely got it, and he was staring at the center of Higashiyama Sayuri’s existence.
“I might have to apologize…ugh.†Not something to look forward to. “Whatever.â€
He looked at the flame, and its perfectly white body of light danced as if reveling in the attention.
“Look,†he said. “I’ll figure it out somehow. I’ll teach her to keep a hold of herself. I won’t let her burn things recklessly anymore. And if she…†He gulped, as the very idea scared him more than he wanted to admit. “…if she wants to become you in the end…well, that’s her choice to make, but…well, I think that’s a choice she’s gotta make when she’s all grown-up and smarter—wait, will she even grow up? I mean, she’s a Kyuubi already…â€
Realizing he was speaking in circles, Naruto released a pathetic groan of resignation.
“Aaaaah, whatever! I’ll figure it out! Somehow!†A pause. “I know, not very reliable! But still! I…†He finally allowed himself to ease down and soften his voice. “…I love her, and I want her to be happy. I’ll take care of her…I’ll take care of you. So…just, just listen to me…if only this time.â€
And the flame listened, because the flame was Sayuri, and thus loved him dearly. And it was also part of Sayuri, so it accepted becoming part of him. And when the flame filled him, Naruto found that he was no longer looking at Sayuri, but at himself.
He was not sure he liked what he was seeing.
*********************************************************
Those who witnessed the transformation saw Naruto being engulfed by flames. Those flames, orange and red and yellow, became brighter and whiter as they coalesced and swirled around Naruto’s unseen form. The color was different, and the heat, the heat was oppressive, completely unlike Sayuri’s natural ability to defy thermodynamics and prevent her flames from radiating such a sweltering haze. But the reason all of the present jumped away from the flames was not to escape from the heat. It was because of a feeling familiar to Sayuri’s relatives, and perhaps even to Hiruzen and Jiraiya.
The humans, they saw thirteen years ago being repeated. The invisible miasma that flooded their minds was exactly what they felt in the presence of the colossal beast that evening. It was perhaps even worse, for it now seemed to have a center and a purpose. If the evil presence from that night was like buckets of water flooding Konohagakure and its people, this time Sayuri’s chakra was a katana, sharpened and focused by the will of her summoner. But they, and the youkai close by, felt even more than “an indescribably dangerous presenceâ€.
This flame, it could not be called “evilâ€. It was about as evil as an earthquake or a drought. It was simply a threat; an inescapable question that should never be answered and a depraved lullaby that should have never been sung. This flame, they knew, could burn through absolutely anything: though light and darkness, through mortals and gods, through heaven and earth and even through time itself.
This was Sayuri, in all the magnitude of her no-longer misguided and childish belief. And the people there who knew her realized that, when she said she could burn anything, she really fucking meant it.
And the flames dispersed, revealing more flames. Nine tails, crafted painstakingly and awesome in their blazing radiance. The flames adorned his back like that, but they also danced along the skin of his arms like red and orange and white fur. But Naruto’s newest and most powerful Weapon of the Soul could not be flames. Even the Pyroninja could immolate himself.
There was a reason “Weapon of the Soul†had that name. In the many centuries of humans dabbling with youkai and making contracts with them, the result of this transformation technique had been a tool to inflict harm on others, without exception.
However, this Weapon of the Soul was a stone. The largest magatama in existence; a comma-shaped jewel the size of an adult man’s fist, embedded into the flesh of Naruto’s chest, right on top of the sternum. Strange things like vessels bulged underneath the skin around the red stone, as if it had grown roots inside Naruto’s body, or like a spider’s legs attached to its magatama-body.
“Chakra reactor-type Weapon of the Soul.â€
Inside the red stone, a tiny white flame merrily danced, and its joyful rhythm spelled the end of all things.
“Higanbana Sesshouseki.â€
Naruto released a long exhalation, as if he had been holding his breath for a long time.
“Man…†he then said. “I’d make, like, the shittiest Hokage ever.â€
Many people blinked. Sayoko, the only one who had not moved from her former spot two steps behind Naruto, sidestep a swaying flame tail to stand next to the boy.
“Well, you are a child, Naruto-sama,†she pointed out. “I would be more worried if you already held the mindset of a Hokage, if I’m allowed to be honest.â€
“Ah, no, I didn’t mean it like…†Another sigh. “It’s hard to explain.â€
Destruction is absolutely objective. The moment the flame became one with him, Naruto experienced that awful clarity of absolute objectivity, and saw himself reflected through that lens.
It lasted only for a vestige of an instant, but it was quite the eye-opening experience.
“Maaaaaaan…†Naruto repeated. “This feels really weird.â€
“Oh, how does Naruto-sama feel right now?â€
“Like…fire,†he confessed. “Like I can destroy absolutely anything and everything, until I snuff out and just…disappear.â€
“Yes, you might not want to keep that power for too long.â€
“Yeah,†Naruto agreed, not even bothering feeling surprised by Sayoko’s unexplainable wisdom anymore. “I feel it burning my soul as we speak.†It was a flame, after all. No matter how much it loved Naruto, its nature was to destroy things without restraint or discrimination. “By the way, Sayuri? Having your soul on fire? It really really hurts!â€
“Muu…Sayuri doesn’t mind…â€
“Because your soul is the fire!â€
“Mugyuu…but, onii-chan’s no angwy; Sayuri can tell.â€
“Well, no, I’m not really angry; I kinda asked for this.â€
“Ehehe~ Sayuri’s back inside onii-chan~â€
“Right. But this time you’re not staying too long, okay?â€
“Um!â€
Nodding to himself, Naruto then turned to Sayoko.
“So, how are we doing this, Sayoko-san? I defer to your ancient wisdom.â€
“Aah, mou! I don’t need your help to feel old, really. More importantly, how’s your compatibility?â€
Naruto wanted to laugh. “Sayuri’s been part of me for almost thirteen years. Her chakra’s pretty much engraved in my soul already.â€
Sayoko nodded. “So she’s your Avalon.â€
“Huh?â€
“Don’t mind me. In fact, I have to take care of our audience here…†Naruto and Sayoko glanced around, at the throng of humans and youkai watching the surreal scene of Naruto’s transformation and the pre-battle banter. “Things will get quite messy here and I cannot promise I can protect every person here. We cannot have our precious people here caught in the crossfire, right?â€
“Uh, right,†Naruto agreed. “So, what’s the plan—?â€
“Kuuton Kuchiyose,†Sayoko said, planting her hands on the ground.
“Kokuyou no Kurosaki no Saiden.â€
Like that, the crowd was reduced to four people, only one of them human. A gob-smacked Uzumaki Naruto was staring at the hole in the ground where Konohagakure no Sato had stood until a moment ago. The colossal dome of darkness had disappeared together with the Great Spirit Clan, revealing only a huge crater between Naruto and the far away Hokage Monument—or what was left of it.
Sayoko sighed briefly, like a housewife who has to clean her husband’s mess on a Sunday morning.
“Oooo-kay, you summoned Konoha away…somewhere,†Naruto said while shaking his head in a sad attempt at dismissing the unbelievable. “How does that work?â€
Naruto knew very well that Kuchiyose no Jutsu could not summon creatures against their will.
“It just does,†Sayoko dismissingly replied, and that was the end of that topic. Naruto took it as yet another step into the depths of Kurosaki Sayoko’s brokenness.
“So, where did they go?â€
“A safe place…as long as they do not wander off,†she said. “Not a place I wanted to show them, but I do not get to be picky. More importantly…â€
She presented the two Kyuubi to Naruto.
“There are two of them, and there are two of us. We are not familiar enough with each other to fight cooperatively, so…â€
Also, that would unnecessarily stretch the word count, so please spare me.
“I’ll fight Fubuki,†Naruto declared. “I won’t be satisfied if I don’t…â€
“Very well,†Sayoko accepted. “Your powers are not a good match for Kougon-kun, so I would have suggested you face Fubuki as well. Allow me, then, to offer you a piece of advice.â€
The purple-clad kitsune willed her shadow to swirl and twirl like black flame by her feet, and a piece of Void Flame jumped to the tip of her tail to the space above her open right palm. She leaned closer to Naruto, to make sure she was heard only by the young human.
“The Void is Nothingness, the absence of concept. Do you understand that, Naruto-sama?â€
Flakes of dying flame like cinders off a bonfire leapt from Naruto’s cheek when he scratched it nervously.
“Well, I kind of understand the words, but…†He said, frowning.
“The Void is Nothingness, yet it hungers, and actively seeks the end of all things,†Sayoko continued. “Think of that contradiction, and of what it implies.â€
“Yeah, yeah, I know.â€
That Sayoko did not expect. “You do?â€
“Sure,†Naruto said calmly. “I mean, I’m kind of an idiot, but even I get it when I get enough hints. I mean, it got me thinking when we talked with the other Sayuri at the Memorial Stone…â€
Sayoko’s eyes grew widely. Yes, that Sayuri from another timeline had said it…!
Naruto grinned. “The rest I got from watching Yuriyo. So, I’ve got the Void pretty much figured out.â€
Sayoko smiled at the boy’s unnatural confidence. “So, you think you can counter it?â€
“Ni-shi-shi~†Naruto chuckled mischievously. “Don’t you know, Sayoko-san? There’s nothing in this world Sayuri can’t burn!â€
“Yup!â€
With that said, Sayoko placed her attention of Shinkirou Kougon, who had seemingly used the time to restore his utter calmness and his complete lack of expression. Kougon’s tremendous presence still permeated the entire place, but none of the present would be subjected to its pressure.
“I had expected you to attempt to reeducate Fubuki, Kurosaki Sayoko.â€
“She will not learn anything more from me,†Sayoko sadly admitted. “But there are a thing or two she can learn from Uzumaki Naruto and Higashiyama Sayuri-sama.â€
“So, you intend to educate me instead?â€
“Hmm…†Sayoko’s smile retained its usual, natural placidity. “I think complete and utter defeat will be enough of a lesson for you. It is something everybody experiences at one point; it is about time you stop being the exception, Bodhisattva of Shinkirou.â€
*********************************************************
“You know the plan; right, Sayuri?â€
“Um!â€
“Just burn it the moment she throws something at us.â€
While Naruto showed himself to be acting natural and collected, the nine tails of flame betrayed his edgy nature by twitching and jerking nervously with the slightest sound and movement.
“Weapon of the Soul,†Fubuki pointed out the obvious. “A nine-tails should not debase herself to that level.â€
“Don’t ramble about things you haven’t even tried out,†Naruto retorted, and immediately paused to grimace. “Yes, I know this makes me a hypocrite for complaining every time somebody says or does something perverted. Bite me. But really, what do you know? Sayuri, how’s it feel in there?â€
“Aweshum! Evwythin’s, like, whoosh! And fire! And warm! It’s the best!â€
“See? She said it’s ‘aweshum’.â€
Seizing the initiative was impossible: Naruto had no doubts about who was the strongest, fastest and smartest of the two. He had one single plan on which the foundation of his entire assault relied. If it worked, he would have an opening for a decisive blow—or so he hoped. If it failed, well, he would be dead. Or annihilated, whatever.
At the moment, there was no difference between Higashiyama Sayuri and Uzumaki Naruto. He was effectively a ‘Kyuubi’. Thus, he would rely in his newly acquired ‘Kyuubi-level’ reaction speed.
“Do you honestly believe that flame can harm me?†Fubuki stated, gesturing towards the twitchy tails of flame growing out of the small of Naruto’s back. Void-stuff swirled out of her shadow, like ribbons of darkness manipulated by an invisible gymnast. “They’ will be devoured, just like everything else.â€
Naruto chuckled, doing his very best not to sound nervous. His body, however, was poised to leap at any time.
“Well, we can give it a try and see what happens.â€
Fubuki gave no warning. The ribbons of darkness shot towards Naruto, aiming to dice him to pieces before swallowing him and Sayuri into Oblivion.
They were set on fire.
And they stopped.
The Void spears were still there, unharmed by Sayuri’s flame, for how could even the Flame of Destruction destroy nothingness? So, yes, Sayuri’s flame did in no way diminish Fubuki’s attack. It simply stopped it, for a reason the Void Kyuubi could not understand at first glance.
“Wha—â€
“Kokonoe…â€
It was not the time to provide Fubuki with a detailed explanation of why her attack had failed to work.
“…Maiyouko.â€
She saw only nine flashes of red and orange flame before being consumed by the same number of explosions, as Naruto’s fiery form dash past the black nine-tails while unleashing his technique: Ninefold Dancing Spirit Fox.
“Waaaaaaaaai!â€
Wiggle, wiggle.