In the aftermath of a sudden and unexpected explosion, the dust clears to reveal a White Zetsu on his back. He stares into the darkness with a mix of shock, confusion, and fear written all over his face. He tries to crawl away, but his injuries won’t allow him to do so.

“Why?! Why does it have to be like this?!” Zetsu howls.

Walking out from the blackness, a young man states, “With these new powers… I can see clearly in darkness…”

The young man has dark-gray skin and long, gray hair with a blue tint. He wears dark blue pants, over which hangs a blue cloth that covers him from his stomach to his knees, which he secures with a purple rope belt; as is common to Orochimaru and his followers. He compliments this with a gray zippered, high-collared, short-sleeved shirt and blue wrist warmers.

“You…! You won’t get away with this!” Zetsu yells defiantly.

The young man opens his eyes, revealing a straight tomoe Sharingan pattern and stares down at Zetsu. “My path is only for myself. You have no right to stop me.”

Zetsu is unable to react as he finds himself impaled by a large purple sword made of chakra and subsequently incinerated by black flames. Remaining cold and stoic, the young man makes his way to the outside. As he exits the hideout, his dark-gray skin turns fair and his hair grows short, turning black.

“Time to go.”

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In the rocky, barren desert of the Land of Lightning, the Allied Shinobi forces are in the heat of battle against four reanimated kage. The Fourth Kazekage has already been sealed; the bulk of the Fourth Division splinter battle against the Second Mizukage and the Third Raikage separately, leaving Gaara and Onoki to deal with the Second Tsuchikage.

Hovering vigilantly, Onoki narrowly dodges a Particle Style beam. “Where’d that come from?”

“Behind you, Tsuchikage!” Gaara warns his ally.

Onoki prepares to counter, but has to descend due to his back acting up again. Gaara goes to protect Onoki as the reanimated Mu prepares another attack. He hovers above both the young and elderly kage with his hands stretched out.

“Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!”

At this moment, Gaara eyes widen; he sees a familiar face charging at the reanimation from behind in a surprise attack with a Planetary Rasengan. However, Mu weaves to the side evading the attack.

“Dammit!”

“Lord Mu is a sensory shinobi!” Onoki warns the new arrival.

Naruto calls out, “Gaara! Sand!”

The Fifth Kazekage heeds the call and sends his sand to flutter where Naruto is about to land. The Hero of the Leaf cleverly uses the sand as a platform to launch himself back toward Mu.

“Dodge this, my jutsu's faster than yours!” The reanimation prepares to fire.

Naruto makes up for the difference in distance by having a chakra arm thrust out of his hand, plowing the reanimated Mu with his jutsu. An explosion occurs, sending Mu hurdling straight through a rocky outcrop. Colliding with the ground below, Onoki swiftly moves in behind Mu.

“Earth Style: Super Weighted Boulder Jutsu!”

The ground craters under Mu’s new found weight, his added weight even causes a light dust cloud to stir. Gaara slowly approaches and proceeds to seal away the reanimated Tsuchikage in sand.

“Don’t let your guard down yet. I’m still…” Mu is unable to finish as he has been completely sealed.

“Nice! Way to go Gaara!” Naruto says as he leaps over to them, giving a thumbs up. “And you were pretty awesome too, Shorty-Gramps!”

Onoki winces in vexation. “I am the Tsuchikage, you know? Have respect.”

“What are you doing on the battlefield, Naruto?!” A frustrated Gaara shouts.

“Well… I-I… I was… able to convince Old Man Raikage to let me go. Now we’re here to help.”

“”We?”” Both Kage ask in unison.

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“It’s my Water Balloon Jutsu, defend yourselves!” Gengetsu Hozuki, the Second Mizukage warns as bubbles begin to form and slowly orbit his body.

Scores of the reanimation’s bubbles fly off in the direction of the Fourth Division who all brace themselves for imminent impact. Suddenly, crystals burst up from the ground and shield them.

Rito appears behind the reanimated with a both smirk and crossed arms. “I’m told you guys need a hand.”

“A crystal jutsu user? And a young one at that. It's been awhile since I last encountered one of your kind… I can tell you have talent, child, but that won’t be enough to beat me.” Gengetsu stares at the new arrival with a crestfallen look.

“ I wouldn’t underestimate the child if I were you… considering he has the geographical advantage.”

Confused, the reanimated Mizukage cocks his head to one side. “Geographical advantage? How so?”

“All things crystal fall under my domain, you’d be surprised at what counts as crystal--obviously gemstones, but there’s also sugar, salt, ice… sand.”

The Second Mizukage looks over to where his clam is hidden, he gets wide-eyed for a brief moment when he sees sand covering it. Standing on an outcrop near the clam is Ayanami; her irises turn yellow, her pupils become toad-like, and orange pigmentation forms around her eyes. She even activates her Byakugan while in sage mode.

“I see you…” The kunoichi can’t help but smile. She crouches down for one giant leap.

Gengetsu’s attention returns to the boy. A grin takes shape. “I see. You were already searching for it with the sand… FINALLY! I get to face a worthy foe. Now, hurry up and defeat me already!”

Ayanami jumps high into the air; she balls up her fist and dives downward, delivering one mighty right hook. The ridiculous strength behind her punch causes the clam to crack and shatter on impact. The real reanimation appears before Ayanami, signifying the clams genjutsu is undone.

The Mizukage holds up his hand like a gun toward the young Hyuga. “Huh--Hey, hurry up and escape! This is the Hozuki clan’s Water Gun Jutsu!”

“Aww… don’t worry about me, Lord Second--I can take care of myself.” Smiling with confidence, Ayanami takes a fighting stance.

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“Honestly… in the Allied Forces, there isn’t a stronger Wind Style user than me.” Temari informs Dodai as she and the Fourth Division stare down the reanimated Third Raikage.

“You, the strongest? Don’t make me laugh!” Jin shouts, landing between the reanimation and the Ninja Alliance. “That’s MY job!”

The ninja behind Jin all have widened eyes with surprise due to his sudden arrival. Jin leaps into the air and holds his right hand up; chakra violently rotates in his hand, forming into a shuriken. The light from Jin’s Rasenshuriken is so bright, the reanimated Raikage and the Allied Forces all have to cover their eyes.

Realizing the danger, the Raikage activates his Lightning Style Chakra Cloak. As Jin reels his arm back, he uses the Body Flicker to immediately close the gap between them and plows his attack into the reanimation’s stomach.

Hey, wait a minute… Did I just… do what Goku did to Cell? Hell yeah! An ecstatic Jin watches as his jutsu hurdles the Raikage away.

After flying over a dozen yards away, the Rasenshuriken detonates in a brilliant fashion with the Third Raikage at the epicenter. The Allied Forces all have to brace themselves from the massive explosion’s shockwaves.

Jin creates a Rasengan and infuses it with sage chakra. “Temari! Tell the others to stay out of the way. He’s mine.”