Disclaimer:
-I Do not own Naruto
-English is not my first language
-This is not beta readed (No beta readers)
Author Note:
-Gai in this story can stand and not on wheelchair
-Everyone are promoted to Jounin after their involvement in the war
-Set Four years after war and the last movie
*Enjoy and leave a review (Openly accept them)
It had been four years since the Fourth great Shinobi war had ended. The War allied all the five great Shinobi countries with the purpose to protect the two remaining Jinchuurikis, who later one of the two saved them from world distraction and later saved them again from the moon falling to Earth.
Uzumaki Naruto had been famous throughout the 'Five Great Shinobi Countries'. His will were passed by the young ones that admired his determination and his strive to be known considering he had a struggling childhood. It was lonely, but he had gain and lost friends on the way, each teaching him great lessons in life, and each putting their trust on him.
Now as the world is at piece, Naruto strolled around the busy afternoon street of Konohagakure, stopping midway to stare up at the Hokage Rock. The once fives heads, now sixth with the addition of the sixth Hokage's face, Hatake Kakashi, team 7's Jounin instructor. Naruto grin, memories flashes back in the war.
The legendary Team Kakashi, a legacy that dubbed them for their heroic acts in saving the whole world from Kaguya's hunger for Chakra. Though it wasn't really unexpected since they were once taken under the wings of 'Konoha's legendary Sannin' and their teacher Hatake Kakashi whose infamous for his Sharingan and the sole survivor amongst the team Minato 'the Yellow flash ninja' and the Fourth Hokage.
Though in the beginning the team were off-form with him and Sasuke's constant bickering or should he say 'My usual challenge to the last heir' and Sakura's scolding to where their Sensei just pulled out his 'make-out paradise' book to block all the noises. They were wild and yet were always on each other's back.
They also had dramas within the team, with Sasuke leaving the village to where Orichimaru at and to stronger and Naruto finding out that he was a Jinchuuriki and left the village to go under training with Jiraiya, Sakura went to Tsunade in hopes to catch up with Naruto and Sasuke leaving Kakashi alone. But the war had them reunited and separated once again as the team disbanded. Kakashi taking the seat as the Hokage, Sasuke leaving the village to find his resolve, and Naruto and Sakura carries on taking missions, with Naruto personally promoted as Jounin by the sixth Hokage.
"Naruto-kun!" a soft shouted snapped the blond from his thoughts as a familiar sound and figure came running to where he was. Hinata waved to him making Naruto smile widely. It had been a year since Naruto had realized and confessed his feelings to the once heir Hyuuga, of course with the help of Sakura's nagging and all. Naruto felt sorry for the years of him not noticing the now young and beautiful woman's feeling. He had to admit, he was an idiot back then and till now.
"Hinata…" He hugged the raven haired once she was close enough; a tented blushed on her face. It might have been a year that they had started dating, but her constant shyness was still there, a treat that Naruto love about her.
"No need to be lovey-dovey in front of us" Kiba commented, his voice clearly read with annoyance. Naruto pulled away from his girlfriend to find not only Kiba but Shino and Sakura was there, all were in their mission gears.
"What are you guys doing here?" He asked, now holding Hinata's hand much to Kiba's annoyance.
"Hokage called us and asked to pick you up as well" The pink haired said, gesturing everyone to follow her as she lead them to the Hokage tower.
"Is Kakashi-sensei giving us a mission?" Naruto enquired, even after Kakashi took the hat and became sixth Hokage, Naruto still calls him by Sensei to which Kakashi was delighted about it. Naruto wasn't a person to show proper addressing anyways.
"Hm… Probably" Was Sakura's only reply.
As they entered the building, Naruto was constantly greeted by fellow Shinobis that pass by whom Naruto greeted with a smile. He had grown out the constant attention.
Once at the Hokage door, Sakura knock the door three times and was answered by a "Come in" A voice belonging not to their silver haired lazy eyes sensei, but of the woman whose age was of an old hag already but still stayed young.
"Tsunade-sama?" Sakura said or more likely wondered, and indeed it was Tsunade seating on the Hokage chair upon entering, not only was the Godaime in the room but Team 10 and the remaining members of team Gai were there too, heck even Kurenai was in the room too and no sign of the Rokudaime.
"Ahh… You're late and you're the remaining members to have arrived" Tsunade said, both elbows placed on the table and hands joined together supporting her chin.
"We got lost in the road called life" Naruto and Sakura said in unison, a running joke within the team 7, a remainder of their Sensei. Tsunade merely shock her head.
"Where'd Kakashi-sensei go?" Naruto asked closing the door behind him, Hinata and her team greeting their Sensei. Kurenai had resume taking missions after making sure that she could leave Mirai for a proper babysitter.
"Something came up that needed his presence and I have to be his stand in" She briefly explain, Naruto wanted to ask further but choose not to as the Godaime pulled a scroll in the table's drawer and handed it to Kurenai.
"It's an invitation?" The genjutsu mistress asked looking up to Godaime, Tsunade merely nodded as she untied and open the scroll.
"I personally invited the Five Kages of the five great Shinobi countries to attend the Phoenix flame festival to hold and lighten the flame of the torch in honour for the Fourth Shinobi War last three years ago. It is to honour the lives of the dead and the blessings for the living. I humbly wait for your acceptance. The Emperor of the Land of Flames Hotaru" Kurenai read out.
"The Land of Flames? Aren't they the sister country of Fire?" Shikamaru voiced out after hearing the invitation.
"Yes… Our Daimyu's heritage had a long relation to the flame's emperor but to personally direct the invitation to us Shinobis means that were really required too" Tsunade explains leaning back to her chair.
"Is that a bad thing? I mean the invitation?" Tenten said, hands lifted in wonders.
"No… It's an honour actually" was the Godaime's answer.
"The Land of Flames is the largest monarch country. History has it that it is where the greet Phoenix had resides and given birth to a human who later became the founder of the Land of Flames. Said Founder had lives for centuries due to him possessing the flame of the Phoenix, a power that rebirth him every decades. Though the flames also give lives to the dead and steal the lives of the living. Eventually it was passed down to his two children where one possessed the power to resurrect the dead and one to remove their lives. But piece wasn't always present, one of the Founder's children wanted to possess both powers, thus he challenge the other and divided the lands into two clans. Fenikkusu Clan the descendent of the one who possess the power to steal lives and the Tekunorojī Clan the one that can restore the dead's soul. They are complete opposites but are about equal in strength and as centuries had pass, both clans eventually came to an agreement by marrying their heirs and created an Empire called Han. And in honour for the many lives that had lost during their civil war, the lighting of the Phoenix's Flames was created" Tsunade said, Naruto's ears or on her.
"Ehh… So their like the Sixth Path Sannin's children then?" He said, Tsunade nodded at him "Yes, in a way. But the Sixth Path Sannin is the one that had created the Ninjutsu, as of the Phoenix, he is the holder of both living and dead"
"Going back to the invitation… The Rokudaime is out and his returned is still unknown, so I will be attending in his stand and you" She pointed at them, eyes sliding from left to right "Are coming with me…" She then gesture for Shizune who was holding a roll up map, placing the map on the table, she unrolled it.
"The festival will last for a whole week and it will be the next week after this, so we are to be expected at the end of the week to arrive there" Tsunade stood from her seat as she gesture all them to come closer " We will be traveling by sea" She traced the map, pointing first at the south of the land of fire and traced it towards to the left to where the land of flames "The Kazekage from Sunagakure had informed me that there are strong sand storms at this time of the month"
"Is that why we're taking the sea?" Shikamaru said scratching the back of his head "This is troublesome…" Tsunade sigh at him "I know, it's a long routine, but it's the safest"
"I've already informed Yamato and Sai, they'd head down first at the port to prepare, and we will be leaving tomorrow at dawn, Understand!" Everyone straighten as a collection of 'Hai' chores. Tsunade then dismissed them but let Kurenai, Gai and Shikamaru linger.
"What is it Tsunade-sama?" Shikamaru asked, as the Godaime sigh out tiredly. She sat down massaging her forehead. "It's best that you are aware of our situation right now" She said looking up at them.
"Kakashi had been ambushed"