Chap-24 Cadmean Victory

He saw enemies all around him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike him down. Their eyes full of anger, hatred and utter loathing. Their swords and sickles eager to taste his blood and their pitiful killing intent making a mocking effort to make him cower.

Glancing at the few allies he had left, he saw they were preparing themselves to die.

The responsibility of this failure lied on his shoulders for he should have known the Yamanaka could do something like this. If it had been Madara in his place, his brother would have butchered their top leadership making the remaining younger ones bend the knee.

But Naruto had done the opposite. He had went with his heart sparing all Yamanaka except for those who perished in battle, he had not even slaughtered any Yamanaka civilians and allowed them to go back to their peaceful lives. He had allowed his enemies to surrender instead of killing them all.

It was the good thing to do, the honorable thing.

But there was no place for such things in this world. He could already imagine his father's disappointed eyes looking down on him, the old man would have taught the Yamanaka a much harsher and bloodier lesson than his foolish young son.

And now his own clansmen had to die, their only fault being the fact that their leader was soft of heart.

His friends, his aunt, his clansmen, and even their Hatake allies were all in danger of annihilation because of him. It was burden that weighed his ever solemn heart. Even Kurama...

He watched his enemies that only continued to outnumber his forces, whatever his mistakes he was still the leader of his army and it was his duty to get them to safety.

No matter the cost.

"Tekka"

The said older Uchiha warily glanced at him but was surprised when Naruto pointed him in the opposite direction leading towards the Yamanaka town.

"Get our people and the Hatake's out of here. I'll hold the line" instructed Naruto,

"Tajima-sama and Madara-sama will have our heads if we leave you behind" pointed Tekka hesitantly, aware about the wrath they would incur should those two learn what happened to the Kinslayer.

"Are you disobeying me?"

Tekka Uchiha flinched when Naruto's cold eyes landed on him in full force making him gulp. He glanced at his own clansmen and the Hatake who looked quite relieved with the new option provided to them.

Still, a question lingered on Tekka's mind...

"They'll kill you, you know that right?" asked Tekka seriously, glancing at the Senjus and their allies who were now starting to get closer.

For his part, the Kinslayer merely glanced at his ancestral sword before looking back at the enemies with a cocky smirk.

"I've won more single combat than any of these tree huggers. I can handle them..." promised Naruto,

Tekka could not argue against that point, whatever sins the Kinslayer had committed in his life there was not a single Uchiha who doubted his fighting prowess. Seeing Naruto was not going to change his mind, Tekka glanced at him one last time while also giving a subtle signal to his allies to get ready to flee.

"Any last words?"

Naruto would have laughed if not for the situation because he remembered asking the same thing to many of his enemies before they died. Tekka, in his own way was asking him if he had any message for his family. His Father would not be much affected, but no words would be enough to console Madara or even Naori.

But still he wanted to humor Tekka nonetheless...

"I am a ninja. I shall die as one"

Tekka's eyes slightly widened, his lips parting to say something before he abruptly stopped himself. For the first time in his eyes there was an emotion other than loathing for this young boy.

"We will avenge you" promised Tekka, earning a loud laugh from Naruto.

"You speak as if I'm dead already?" mocked Naruto, his usual sarcastic grin present on his face.

Tekka could only grimly nod in understanding.

"Now go. Make sure the fox escapes with you"

With a fleeting nod, Tekka and his companions took off to the trees with great speed. The Senjus cursed and made to follow but Naruto got in the way and slammed his hand on the forest ground.

A monstrous shockwave was unleashed across the forests, majority of the ninjas sent chakra to their feet in order to retain their footing but a few weaker ones were sent sailing away. Dust and uprooted grass disrupted everyone's vision and when the brief storm settled they saw the Kinslayer raising his ancestral blade while also picking up another sword from a fallen Uchiha.

Tobirama acutely watched the Kinslayer twist both swords in his hands with practiced ease, his dark sharingan eyes challenging anyone to defeat him. But the killing intent he was unleashing was enough to make most of the Senju forces back away.

He considered his options, while he considered himself a good fighter the Kinslayer was a dangerous foe. He could take him on but at the same time he had the man cornered. Tobirama had the numbers on his side while Naruto was all alone. Even the Senju was surprised with the Kinslayer's decision to act as a sacrifice to allow his people time to escape.

It is far more...honorable of him.

Could there be more to this man than his stained reputation? Tobirama had only heard tales of Naruto's combat prowess, maybe it was safer if he saw some of it first before taking him on. It was the right move...

He gestured his troops to move forward and few dozen brave ones charged towards the Kinslayer who grinned.

Naruto stood rooted in his spot, his swords still swirling in the air waiting to claim blood. As his enemies came dangerous close, Tobirama's eyes widened when he sensed it.

''Water Style: Water Bullets!"

Dozens of sharp water projectiles escaped from the Kinslayer's mouth and being so close to the man, the Senju warriors had no room left to dodge and Tobirama grimaced when they were all hit in vital parts making their bodies crumble motionlessly to the ground with a sickening crunch.

Naruto walked over the corpses making every effort to further infuriate his enemies and was not surprised when the hot-headed ones took offense at the way he mocked their dead clansmen. Another dozen came charging at him with loud roars.

It was so pitiful.

Right before their very eyes, he disappeared in a flock of crows. Their worried eyes searched for him everywhere until he suddenly materialized in their midst, his swords hacking them all to death in twin fluent strikes.

His eyes narrowed as he immediately got up and brought his swords upwards to deflect the hundreds of kunai and shuriken being launched at him from all sides. He grinned and began his defense by deflecting every projectile with his twin swords.

Tobirama despite his hatred for this man could not help but be heavily impressed. All those people that talked about the Kinslayer's fighting prowess didn't lie or exaggerate. With his own eyes, Tobirama watched the Kinslayer deflect every kunai and shuriken thrown at him. Most of his accuracy was thanks to his sharingan that allowed him to predict the trajectory of those weapons, but his light feet, his hand movements, his moves which were almost like a fine crafted dance was a proof enough...

Naruto Uchiha was the finest swordsman Tobirama had ever seen.

His eyes slightly widened when one kunai came bouncing forward and lodged itself into a woman standing a few feet away from him. She choked as the blood leaked from her neck and only now did Tobirama see dozens upon dozens of dead Senjus. All of them hit by either kunai or shuriken that they had threw at the Kinslayer, and who had used his natural skill to send it back at them with thrice the force and speed.

The soldiers were bloody mad now for having so many of their clansmen and allies cut down so easily. Despite Tobirama's warning shout, those fools charged towards the Kinslayer from all sides.

Naruto quickly roared before slamming his foot brutally across the barren land making half the forest tremble.

The approaching horde of soldiers also struggled to balance their footing and were as such left defenseless when the Kinslayer twisted his twin swords in a 360 degree circular movement.

Horror crept through Tobirama as he watched dozens of head roll off cleanly from the dead men and women's shoulder. Those who had been lucky to be charging behind the first wave instantly backed away with fear evident in their eyes.

Tobirama made a quick count of the fallen and the wounded. More than 100 were already dead, with another two to three dozen sporting grievous wounds. He cursed himself again as he watched their Inuzuka and Sarutobi allies come charging in from the left and right flanks. Their appearance here could only mean the Uchihas and Hatakes from those flanks had fled the moment they saw Naruto launching that bright red flare in the sky.

And the Kinslayer had unleashed such a massive killing intent that must have forced Tobirama's allies to come charging here if only to save him and Itama.

But still that left for plenty of Yamanaka to chase after the retreating enemy forces. However, with the new addition of forces the Kinslayer despite his skill and prowess was overwhelmed. Still, he didn't even look winded despite the fact that he had been fighting for more than 20 minutes now. That playful grin still on his face...

"Is that all you've got?" asked Naruto mockingly, earning hateful glares from his enemies but none of them stepped forward to challenge him either.

"Surrender, Kinslayer" spoke Tobirama, for despite his urge to kill this man he had a feeling the Senju could gain even more if they captured Naruto alive. Even if the boy's father had disowned him, Madara dearly loved him and the thought of making that arrogant bastard worry was enough to make Tobirama smirk.

"In your dreams, pretty boy" retorted Naruto, and smiled when Tobirama scowled at the remark.

"Why fight for a clan who hates you? Didn't they leave you the moment the tides turned? Join us and Hashirama can see you greatly rewarded" suggested Tobirama, already willing to exploit his enemy's dark history against him.

Now it was Naruto's turn to heavy glare at the Senju who had the audacity to assume he knew everything about him.

"You think my life is some precious thing to me? As if I would trade my family for a few more years of what?" asked Naruto furiously, surprising the Senju for he saw nothing but truth and loyalty in those burning sharingan eyes.

Naruto Uchiha was definitely a strange man.

"Funny. For I think you only serve your family when it's convenient. Where was this loyalty and honor when you used those same hands to butcher your own people? The truth is Kinslayer...you're a man without honor" said Tobirama coldly,

He stepped forward ahead of his clansmen with his ancient sword unleashed and was quite satisfied when his harsh words made Naruto grimace. While the Kinslayer didn't retort back with his usual sarcastic remark or even angry words, the raw pain in his eyes was enough to make Tobirama see he had wounded the man.

For men like Naruto Uchiha could survive a thousand physical wounds, but the wounds to his character were the ones which hurt him most.

"Today, in front of my allies and the gods I shall deliver justice upon your cursed soul" promised Tobirama, unleashing a massive killing intent, yet Naruto looked at him with a mocking smile.

"If those gods are real, then why is this world so full of injustice?" asked Naruto bitterly, as he could see he was about to be killed either by Tobirama or the hundreds that had surrounded him. His death would be worth it if he managed to kill Tobirama, but the pain it would bring Madara made him ask that question.

Why was his family suffering more than the Senjus? What right did these tree huggers have to consider themselves physically and morally superior when they were just as worse as the Uchiha?

"Because of men like you..." spat Touka Senju hatefully, earning cheers and the same remarks from hundreds more.

Naruto looked at his ancestral sword and at his own hands. It was with them he had picked up a sword and killed all his clansmen that night. Despite his actions he had failed that night.

Just as he failed in saving his three brothers, just as he failed in giving something truly worthwhile to his clan.

Guilt and sadness crept across his heart as he remembered his life as nothing more than failures.

"There are no men like me...only me" whispered Naruto, but his words were not heard by any of these people.

Tobirama prepared himself as he watched all sadness and guilt vanish from the Kinslayer's eyes replaced by grim determination. The look in those sharingan eyes was the one of a man about to die.

But not alone.

"I am Uchiha Naruto, son of Tajima, brother of Madara, and loyal fighter of my clan"

An armor of lightning enclosed all over the Kinslayer's body as he raised his swords, one burning with the same lightning sparks and the other burning with pure chakra.

"I shall take no wife, have no family, hold no lands, inherit no titles"

He felt the power surging through his body, the guilt and fear washed away with a renewed courage as he remembered the oath he made to his Father the day he was disowned. An oath he had lived his life by even now.

"I shall live and die for my clan and our allies"

He could see his enemies taking a few steps back as he raised a single hand seal and created 10 shadow clones of himself that all turned to face their enemies bravely.

"I am the sword of my people, the shield of my allies, the nightmare of my enemies. And I pledge my life to kill every last one of you!"

Tobirama's eyes widened when the clones charged towards the Senjus and their allies creating a bloody carnage as the battle began. He himself had to brace as the real Naruto appeared before him delivering a bone crushing punch to his face.

As Tobirama was sent sailing away, Naruto willed a mass of crows to descend over the Senjus. As the black birds disrupted the enemies, he used the chance to charge forward plunging his sword through their hearts, heads and necks.

Touka Senju roared furiously and uncaring of the crows harassing her, she charged forward clashing her sword fiercely against the Kinslayer.

Only for it to shatter against the Uchiha's ancestral weapon, Dawn.

Naruto barely noticed the shock in the woman's eyes before he brought down his twin swords carving her up from shoulder to her navel. She gurgled and spat blood at his golden armor before crumbling to the ground.

It was then he saw the unconscious form of Itama slumped against the trees. Every bone in his body was begging him to kill the boy, however the strategist within him knew his end was imminent.

Even if the Uchiha's lost this battle, if they had Itama as captive then the Senju's could be forced to give up all they had gained. Tajima Uchiha might let his own son die if it gained him the alliance of two great clans, but Hashirama Senju would rather sacrifice those allies if it meant the life of his younger brother.

Naruto could see Tobirama rushing towards him but one of Naruto's own clones got in his way allowing the Kinslayer to create one more shadow clone who quickly grabbed Itama by his shoulders.

The enemy army froze when Naruto's clone placed a kunai at Itama's throat. Even Tobirama stopped with horror ever present in his eyes.

"Move a muscle and I'll cut his throat" warned Naruto, even if his mind was pulling him in two directions.

The hatred burning within him was screaming at him to kill Itama and watch the pain it would wreck on Tobirama. It might even make the cold Senju go berserk which Naruto could use to kill him.

But the strategist within him knew how valuable a prisoner Itama was. The boy was also Naruto's lifeline in this battle for no matter how strong he was, there were just too many enemies here.

"What do you want?" asked Tobirama icily,

"Take your army and go back to your lands. Get me a written order from Hashirama stating the Senjus parting with the Yamanaka and Hatake Clans both. Then I shall release your brother back to your family" replied Naruto frankly,

He watched as a sea of conflicting emotions passed through Tobirama's eyes as he glanced at his younger brother and then at his army that was watching his every move.

"No deal"

Naruto cringed when Tobirama raised a finger and instantly a mass of water erupted from beneath the ground destroying the shadow clone holding Itama captive while the injured Senju was quickly grabbed by his clansmen, this time being completely drawn away from the battlefield.

You used our conversation to gather time to make your move. Clever of you, Tobirama.

With his trump card destroyed, Naruto raised his swords again and watched the last of his clones getting destroyed. Still they had inflicted more casualties on their enemies which was a bonus in his books.

But now he knew his defeat was certain, even his death.

Still, one good thing was still left before him. A chance to avenge his dear brother for if he was to die today then he was taking Tobirama with him.

Both fighters stepped closer as the enemy army now formed a circle around them. Sensing Tobirama's furious gaze and killing intent, none of his allies tried to intervene which was a relief for Naruto.

"Ready to die, Kinslayer?" asked Tobirama coldly, raising his own sword which also now cackled with lightning much to Naruto's surprise.