Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its characters belong to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I create.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 273: Alarm
"I'm exhausted…" Ino laid back on the cushion after spending all her energy on their 'activities'.
"You need to work on your stamina." Naruto went to sit down at a nearby spot.
"Mmm… forget about my stamina, shouldn't you be doing some real training?" she asked.
"That was real training." Naruto responded.
"Naruto… we spent most of the day fucking…" Ino raised an eyebrow. "Not that I'm complaining, but…"
Naruto's chakra began to flare. "You may find it hard to believe, but I am capable of multitasking. I finished assimilating all the chakra I got from the Seven-Tailed Beast."
"Oh? I don't see any difference in your chakra." Ino commented.
"I'm still containing most of it. Let's see…" Naruto allowed his cultivation to burst out.
He was reaching the peak of the Nascent Soul stage now, and he had never felt so powerful before, not even during his previous lifetime, with centuries of cultivation as a foundation.
This went to show just how incredible his 'Cosmic Assimilation' cultivation method was. The product from the Golden Scripture was likely something outside the normal ranks used by cultivators.
His body became enveloped in a golden aura that resulted for the mixture of all the energies accumulated inside his body. The entire cave shook under the pressure that was being created by merely releasing some of his power.
"Kami!" Ino could only feel a fraction of the effects on herself, as Naruto was purposely shielding her, and it was still enough to make her entire body tremble. "Wait, slow down!" She shouted.
Naruto looked down at himself, it felt liberating to release his cultivation in such a way.
'This is further than I have ever reached… but I still have a long way to go. I won't stop… I cannot stop until I achieve my goal.'
He was approaching the Spirit Transformation Stage. At that point, the soul undergoes an important change, one that allows for memories of all past lives and reincarnations that the soul had experienced, to return at once, allowing the cultivator to learn everything that all their past selves had known.
Naruto had the feeling that he would finally come to understand many important things about himself when he reached that stage, and he was now so close… just one more Bijuu should do it.
"Naruto, the cave!"
He heard Ino's shouting and put the restraints back on his power. The golden aura surrounding his body began to diminish, and the ground stopped shaking.
"Phew… I thought we were going to be buried alive…" Ino huffed.
"Not a chance. I've made this cave sturdy enough to withstand much more than that. A bit of shaking won't collapse it," Naruto told her. "So… what did you think?"
"What did I think? That was scary as heck. But you know I don't understand much of that cultivation stuff. Compared to the ninja ranking, how far do you think you are?" Ino asked.
"The ninja ranking? That only goes to Kage level, right? Like Jiraiya, Tsunade, or Orochimaru… I'm already way past that stage," Naruto said.
"Well… it is said that the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara were on another level compared to the other Kages, but I don't know if there are still ninjas of that caliber left in the world." Ino was wondering if there was anyone out there who could face Naruto at this point, but she didn't want to word it like that.
"One should never get complacent and lower their guard," Naruto said firmly. "And I do believe there are still powerful individuals left in this world. In fact… one of them is about to arrive at Konoha."
"Wait… what?" Ino looked at him with shock at the sudden comment. "What are you talking about? Who?"
"The supposed Leader of Akatsuki, Pain. I've set up a perimeter with hundreds of clones. I've been receiving information about his appearance for the past couple of minutes. He is moving really fast…"
"The Leader of Akatsuki is coming to Konoha?! You mean the one who killed Lord Jiraiya?"
Naruto nodded. "That same one. He should be there in… thirty seconds."
"Then what are we waiting for? We have to go back!" Ino snapped.
Naruto glanced at her. "I'll come pick you up once I'm done."
Ino's eyes opened wide. "No… you can't leave me here! I want t—"
Naruto disappeared from the cave.
"Damn it… Naruto!!" Ino screamed.
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Konoha, Commercial District
"Give me another bowl of pork ramen, Teuchi." Kakashi requested.
"Comming up!" Teuchi poured the soup into the bowl and then carefully placed the noodles and toppings. "By the way, I forgot to congratulate you."
Kakashi looked up at the man. "What for?"
"Your promotion, of course!" He put the bowl down. "Aren't you like a big shot in the village now?. That's what I heard, at least."
"You heard that?." Kakashi was surprised he knew. This was not a commonly spread piece of information.
"That's right!" Maito Gai, who was sitting at Kakashi's side, jumped in to answer. "My rival has become part of the Elder Council of the village. In order not to lose, I will also have to become one very soon." He said with enthusiasm.
"Yeah… I don't see that happening," Asuma said before turning to the woman at his right. "What do you think?"
Kurenai chuckled. "Please… you're going to make me choke on my noodles." She could not imagine Gai as an Elder, sitting on the council and guiding the Hokage.
"By the way…" Ayame, the daughter of Teuchi, glanced at the four Jonin. "It's very rare to have four Jonin eating here together. Did something happen?"
"To be fair… many things have happened in these last weeks," Kakashi said.
"Ayame, don't be silly," Teuchi scoffed. "If something important had occurred, they wouldn't be able to tell you. Jonin needs to keep all sorts of vital information secret."
"I mean… yes, but there have been a lot of rumors lately." She didn't want to mention the war, but that was the most popular one. She hoped nothing else had occurred.
"Don't worry about those rumors," Kakashi could tell what she was thinking. "Whatever happens… we will keep this village safe."
"That's right!" Gai shouted. "The Blue Beast will never allow anyone to harm this place or its citizens."
Just then, they all heard a loud sound spreading around, it was similar to a siren.
Everyone present was familiar with that sound. It was the same one that sounded eighteen years ago… when the Nine-Tailed Beast was unleashed on Konoha.
"We're under attack," Kakashi said.
"I see some smoke near the Hokage building!" Kurenai exclaimed.
"Everyone!" Asuma stood up.
"Let's go!" said Maito Gai.
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