The twilight had deepened into a dusky violet as Kushina Uzumaki led the Five Kages and their elite subordinates through a dense forest on the outskirts of Akagakure.
The salty scent of the sea faded, replaced by the rich scent of pine and damp earth. The path, barely worn, wound through towering trees and illuminated by the dying light of the past day filtering through the canopy.
Kushina walked at the head of the procession, her black shinobi uniform- embroidered with the crimson Uzumaki swirl- blending into the shadows, her red hair a vivid contrast catching the dim light. Her black cloak brushed against the earth. She said nothing as they advanced; her silence was heavier than any insult or taunt. Nagato and Akinari flanked her closely, ever watchful, their sharp gazes sweeping over the assembled dignitaries.
Weeks ago, when the Five Great Nations sent their letter proposing this summit, Kushina had replied affirmatively, giving her ample time to prepare.
She had no intention of letting them into Akagakure proper, where a single misstep could undo years of her clan's rebuilding efforts or cost her people's lives. She would never allow it. Instead, she guided them to a secluded building she'd had constructed deep in the forest, far from the village.
This precaution ensured any potential conflict would spare her people and their hard-won progress.
The structure stood in a quiet clearing, a building of wood and stone bound by masterful Uzumaki craftsmanship. Though it lacked the size and grandeur of her Akakage building, its presence was commanding in its simplicity. The Uzumaki had built it to last.
It was large enough to accommodate the entire delegation, yet isolated enough to contain any violence.
Two dozen Uzumaki jonin stood guard at the entrance. They were fewer in number than the endless shinobi corps the other villages could field, but each bore the sharp presence of elite warriors. The spiral emblem on their cloaks glimmered faintly under the lantern light. Their expressions did not waver as the Five Kage and their retinues arrived.
Kushina felt a surge of pride; these were her people, whom she molded over the past two years.
When Kushina reached the door, she did not stop to acknowledge her men. Their silent nods were enough. She pushed the doors open and led the Kages inside.
The hall's interior was spartan, a circular chamber lit by flickering lanterns. The room's centerpiece was a round table, reminiscent of the Five Kage Summit, carved from dark oak and inlaid with intricate spiral patterns. Six chairs surrounded it- one for each Kage, including Kushina.
Hers was slightly larger, a deliberate act of pettiness she couldn't resist.
She took her seat first, her posture relaxed but her gaze piercing, projecting an aura of ice and steel. Nagato and Akinari stood silently behind her. Nagato's Mangekyo Sharingan glinted faintly, and Akinari's hand rested near his katana.
The other Kages followed suit. Jiraiya took his seat slowly, expression carved from stone- but a small amount of uneasiness slipped through. Ay dropped into his chair with a huff, impatience and anger radiating from him. Ōnoki floated down gently, his aged eyes sharp. Kohaku Yuki sat as well, icy and composed. Takumi sat last, his face weathered by Suna's deserts.
Behind each leader stood two shinobi- Sakumo Hatake and Hiruzen behind Jiraiya, the two Jinchūriki of Iwa standing like stone pillars behind Ōnoki, and the ever-loyal Bee looming at Ay's side. She didn't recognize the rest.
The others, the swordsmen of Kiri and other retainers, waited silently in the gallery off to the side. Their presence filled the chamber with an oppressive weight, every breath laced with tension.
Kushina spoke first, her voice flat but cutting through the tense silence. "What is it that the Kages wanted to discuss with me?"
It was Ōnoki who leaned forward, his hands folded before him. His gravelly voice carried through the chamber.
"I was chosen beforehand to speak for all of us, to put forward our united stance."
She scanned the other Kages- Ay's clenched fists, Jiraiya's somber gaze, Kohaku's unreadable expression, and Takumi's shrewd eyes- seeing no disagreement. She nodded curtly. "Then, go ahead."
Ōnoki's voice was steady, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of unease. "Kushina Uzumaki: for the theft of territory from the Land of Tea, for the near-genocide of Konohagakure and Kumogakure, for the murder and enslavement of countless civilians, the Five Great Nations charge you with crimes against humanity." His eyes hardened. "If you surrender peacefully and submit yourself to judgment, we will spare your clan."
The words hung in the air. Kushina's breath caught, her blue eyes widening in stunned disbelief. The pattern in Nagato's eyes rotated in alarm, his hands twitching, while Akinari's grip tightened on his Thunder Sword.
She hadn't expected such boldness. Since her devastating attack on Konoha, the Five Nations had tread carefully around her, wary of her wrath and Kurama's power. She'd assumed this summit would follow suit- a cautious dance of diplomacy, not an outright ultimatum. Their numbers, bolstered by their elite subordinates, had clearly emboldened them, their fear giving way to desperation.
"Say that again?" Kushina's voice was low, laced with menace, as she unleashed the full malice-filled aura of the Nine-Tails. The air grew heavy, the lanterns flickering as her chakra surged, a suffocating wave of primal energy.
She had no qualms about fighting if it came to that, but she'd hoped to bide her time, building Akagakure's strength for a future conflict on her terms. This display was meant to deter them, to remind them of who they faced.
The room shuddered under her aura. The Kages broke out in cold sweats, their faces paling. Some of the weaker Seven Swordsmen of the Mist collapsed, their swords clattering to the floor, overwhelmed by the sheer weight of her presence. Even the jinchuriki shifted uneasily, their tailed beasts stirring within them. Nagato and Akinari remained steady; they had experienced this more times than they could count.
Ay snarled and slammed a fist down onto the table, the crack of impact reverberating through the hall. The wood splintered beneath his strength, though it did not break. "Enough games! Will you surrender or not?! If you resist, we will wipe out your entire clan- for good!"
Ōnoki, beside him, nodded, his face pale and glistening with sweat. Though less brazen than Ay, his resolve was clear. The Kages had played their full hand, knowing that failure today meant their own destruction. They'd rather fight now than wait for Kushina to crush them one by one, as she had Konoha and Kumo.
Kushina's fury boiled. The very mention of sparing her people only if she surrendered ignited a fire inside her chest. Her chair scraped violently against the stone floor as she stood, her cloak billowing. The force of her movement sent the chair flying backward, crashing onto the ground with a hollow thud.
"I'll never surrender, dattebane!" she bellowed, her voice echoing with defiance, her blue eyes blazing like twin flames. "Not even if Madara and Hashirama were here right now!" Her words were a challenge. She and her clan would remain unbroken, no matter the odds.
The room fell silent, the air thick with the promise of violence. The Kages tensed, their subordinates shifting, hands inching toward weapons. Sakumo's eyes held a flicker of regret and Tsunade's a shadow of pain, but their resolve matched their leaders'. Nagato and Akinari stepped closer to Kushina, ready to attack at a moment's notice.
Her Tailed Beast Form activated, a cloak of burning crimson, with golden chains fused into each of her nine swaying tails. They shone in the low light. This time, she had a pair of wings. Something she got from Kurama absorbing the Seven Tails.
She unlatched her scythe from her back.
Nagato and Akinari flickered past her, toward the gallery. Their opponents were lower level; she would handle the real threats.
The five Kage spread around her, every one of them wary, yet bound by desperation. Hiruzen's gaze was grim, and Jiraiya's strained. Takumi's iron sand spiraled into a black storm above him. Bee dropped into a crouch, eight tails flaring in defiance.
"Don't think you can beat all of us at once," Hiruzen declared. His voice carried authority, but there was an undercurrent of dread already gnawing at him.
Kushina's lips curved into a sharp smile. "I don't think it, old man. I know it."
Her chakra surged, and the ground cracked. Instinctive terror radiated outward, born of the Zero-Tails' corruption. Some shinobi in the distance froze, unable to breathe. Even the Kage felt their hands shake.
The Raikage, Ay, moved first, his body a blur of lightning. He aimed straight for her chest, intent on breaking her spine with one strike. Kushina twisted, her wings snapped open, and two golden tails lashed out. They caught him mid-charge- an impact like metal spears piercing steel- and slammed him into the dirt with such force the ground cratered.
Ay roared, his persistence burning brighter, but Kushina didn't relent. The chains wrapped tighter, seals glowing, until his lightning armor flickered out. With a final snap, his ribs gave way, and blood sprayed from his mouth. His body went limp.
"One," Kushina whispered, voice cold, counting her kill.
Ōnoki destroyed the roof and soared above, stone skin hardened with Earth Release. "You can't outlast us all, girl!" he shouted, dropping down with a Dust Release cube forming in his palms.
Kushina answered with a dozen shadow clones bursting from her cloak. Each leapt skyward, their wings beating furiously and intercepting his line of sight. He tried to fire, but his hesitation- caused by the dark chakra of the Zero-Tails- cost him.
She appeared behind him in midair, golden tails snapping outward. He turned too slowly. The tails pierced through his back, bursting from his chest in a spray of blood. Ōnoki gasped, eyes wide, before his jutsu fizzled and his body plummeted.
"Two."
Takumi, the Third Kazekage, unleashed a storm of black iron sand, a deadly shifting sea that threatened to bury her. Blades formed midair and spears twisted; each speck of iron was honed to kill.
Kushina braced, wings curling inward as her cloak thickened, golden tails whirling around her like whips. The clash was deafening- sand grinding against her chakra, sparks flashing with every impact.
For a moment, Takumi's iron sand slowed her, pinning her cloak's tails under crushing weight. "Got you-" he hissed, pressing harder.
But Kushina's tails lit up and seals spread through the iron sand. In seconds, his own weapon turned heavy, sluggish, and bound. He realized too late. She surged forward, tails breaking free, and cut him clean in half with her scythe.
Takumi choked. "Uzumaki… curse-" His words drowned in blood.
"Three."
Kohaku, the Mizukage, summoned a vast amount of ice, exploding upward in a tidal wave. It rushed to swallow her whole.
Kushina didn't even dodge. Her chakra flared, and her tails curled around her. The potent chakra of the Nine-Tails first melted the ice, then evaporated it immediately. From the wall of mist, she lunged forward.
Her tail pierced Kohaku clean through, pinning him like a fish on a spear. The ice collapsed with him, and his final breath was lost in frozen blood.
"Four."
Hiruzen and Jiraiya stood together, faces grim. For a heartbeat, teacher and student locked eyes. They knew there was no making it out of this alive- they had been too arrogant before. So, both attacked.
Earth and fire jutsu surged, and from Jiraiya's lips, a torrent of oil that turned the battlefield into an inferno. Kushina burst through it all, wings shielding her, and her tails tore through the stone and fire alike.
Jiraiya tried to flank, summoning Gamabunta in desperation. The great toad slammed his blade down, only for Kushina to catch it with her tails and shove it aside like a toy. Her clones swarmed Bunta's legs, planting sealing marks that detonated. The summon disappeared with a furious croak.
She struck Jiraiya then, a Rasengan blooming in her palm. It tore into his chest, obliterating his ribs and lung. He screamed once, eyes wide with pain and disbelief, before falling silent.
Hiruzen bellowed in rage, staff striking again and again. "Monster! You shame the Uzumaki name!"
Kushina's cloak caught each strike. His eyes wavered, the fear and despair she poured into his heart growing too heavy. She coiled her tails around him, pulling him close.
"You should have protected me," she whispered. His eyes widened in horror before her tails crushed him.
"Five. Six."
From the rear, she heard a roar of grief. Tsunade broke free from Nagato and Akinari. Her eyes were wild, full of rage and sorrow at Jiraiya's body.
"Kushina!" she screamed, charging headlong. "I'll tear you apart for this!"
Kushina sheathed her scythe and met her head-on. Her fist met Tsunade's, the impact shaking the earth. Tsunade's blows were powerful, but Kushina's were faster, stronger, and unyielding.
A tail whipped out, coiling around Tsunade's waist. She tried to break free, but Kushina yanked her close, driving a Rasengan into her chest. Bone shattered. Tsunade coughed blood, her hand reaching weakly toward Jiraiya's fallen form.
Then she was gone.
"Seven."
From the smoke, another figure rushed forward. Might Duy, eyes blazing and body trembling as he unleashed the Eighth Gate. His skin split, and steam roared from his body as red flames consumed him.
"For Konoha! For youth!" His kick crashed into Kushina's jaw, snapping her head back. The shockwave ripped trees from the ground.
Kushina staggered- but only for a moment. Then she grinned, blood wiped from her lip. "Not bad, old man."
Duy pressed harder, fists and feet striking like meteors, each one powerful enough to kill. But her cloak endured, chains intercepting blow after blow. His body was breaking and burning itself to ash with every strike.
At last, she caught him mid-kick, tails binding his limbs. She pulled him close, "You fought harder than most." Then the chains crushed him. His body disintegrated into ash and was scattered to the wind.
"Eight."
Across the field, Nagato and Akinari's struggle reached its peak. The Seven Swordsmen were dead, Han and Rōshi were sealed, but it was Sakumo who stood alone, his blade flashing like lightning.
Akinari's chains finally caught his leg, dragging him down long enough for Nagato's flames to burn his side. Sakumo fell to one knee, blood dripping from his lips.
Kushina approached, her golden tails swaying behind her, their glow reflecting in his fading eyes.
He looked up at her, breathing ragged. "Kushina… it's… It's over now. I can't stop you." His hand trembled, gripping his sword. Then, softer: "Please… take care of Kakashi. He's… all I have left."
For a moment, her expression softened- just a fraction. She crouched, looking him in the eye. "I'll take care of him. Of that much I'm certain, sensei."
Relief flickered across his face before the light went out of his eyes.
Now, only Bee remained. He took the gap in battle to fully transform into Gyūki. His massive size shook the forest. His eight octopus tails lashed out, crushing the stone and earth.
Kushina answered in kind, her cloak swelling and her tails expanding until she stood in Kurama's full avatar. Nagato and Akinari fled while the two titans clashed, the shockwaves rattling the island.
Gyūki's strength was immense, but Kushina's sealing tails were merciless. They wrapped around him, binding, burning, and tightening until the great beast howled in agony. Bee fought with all his heart, but the fear, the pressure, and the raw power crushed him.
With a final surge, Kushina dragged Gyūki down, her chains driving into his flesh, and locking his chakra away. His roar ended in silence.
Her large form shrank, returning to a smaller state.
As the last echoes of battle faded, Kushina whispered the final number under her breath, "Nine."
The silence was deafening, broken only by the crackle of embers and the distant groan of splintered trees. She let her tails retract, golden light dimming, the battlefield heavy with the scent of ash and blood.
But then- her eyes snapped wide.
A surge of malice unlike any other, dark and suffocating, pressed against her senses.
Her heart clenched in recognition. That aura, colder than death itself, could only belong to one man.
"...Madara Uchiha."
The name left her lips as a whisper, but it carried like a curse.
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A/N: This battle was very tough to coordinate, so I broke it off into segments. Otherwise, I would go crazy trying to remember everything. Let me know what you think.
Thanks for reading.