Here comes the next chapter!
First, I need you all to know the results of a poll I posted concerning how Kusano-chan will eventually see Naruto. The winner was "Eventual Lover (Naruto-kun)".
THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN!
Disclaimer: This FanFiction is a nonprofit creation using concepts and elements from source material that do not belong to me. All rights reserved for the creators of said source material.
\-/
A Fox and His Wagtails
Chapter Three: Dawn of the New Whirlpool
\-/
Tsunade smiled as she read the current letter from her loveable idiot, Naruto. It had been a little over a year since she had saw him in the Hidden Whirlpool and got her first impressions of the Sekirei that had bonded to him.
The letter was mainly a status update on the rebuilding efforts of the once revered village. Thanks to Naruto's heroics during his early years as a ninja, he had received help from various parts of the world from people who hoped to pay him back.
The Land of Waves, the Hidden Sand, the Land of Spring, and the Crescent Moon Kingdom all contributed to Naruto's self-appointed endeavor. With their support, Naruto's liberal use of clones and fūinjutsu, and the Sekirei themselves, the Hidden Whirlpool hit the ground running with its restoration. Some of the inhabitants of the other countries had even requested to live in the village, finding it to be a peaceful location to reside.
Thanks to Naruto's friendship with Gaara, the Hidden Sand was now allied with the Whirlpool and had started various trade agreements. Tsunade had also spoken with the Clan Heads that made up her Ninja Council, along with the three Elders of the Hidden Leaf. While the Elders were quite vocal about their disagreement, the rest of the Council believed that this decision on Naruto's part was one of his better ones.
It was only Naruto offering to refortify the Leaf's defenses with his fūinjutsu knowledge that eventually won the Elders over; Danzo being the only one not to budge. The man was a fantasist of the Leaf, and he refused to relinquish the "right" the village had over Naruto as their Jinchūriki.
Tsunade was never more grateful than when the Council shot down his proposals of forcibly bringing Naruto back or taking the Kyuubi from him.
"Another letter, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked curiously as she brought the woman a small pile of paperwork.
"It's from the brat. He's telling me about how far the rebuilding efforts have gone," the woman answered. "He also says that he'll be spending a week in the Hidden Sand to finalize another agreement between the villages."
"I'm still surprised how far he's come since you left last year. When you told me what he planned to do, I didn't know how to take it."
"I had a feeling he'd decide to fix up that place after I saw it for myself. It really drove home what could happen to even the strongest of places; especially with war and time breaking them down."
"Is he going to return to the Leaf at all?" Shizune questioned. "I'm sure that his friends miss him, and he must still have some things he's left behind here."
"I spoke to him about that, actually. Once he's done visiting Gaara, he'll spend a few days here so that we could finalize our own agreements and synergy."
A knock at her door prompted the Hokage to grant entrance to Sakura. "I have the files you asked for, Tsunade-sama," the pinkette declared, handing her leader the two stuffed folders. "May I ask why you wanted me to get the medical files for the Fourth and his wife?"
"It's nothing you need to worry about. The files are actually going to be sent to someone."
That made Sakura almost pout, not liking to be left in the dark when she does errands for her instructor for the past three years. "Is it connected to Naruto? The Fourth's wife had the Uzumaki name."
"Again, you don't need to worry about it," Tsunade repeated, her tone firm and telling Sakura to drop the subject.
"Yes, ma'am," she replied, showing her displeasure before excusing herself.
Shizune looked worried for a moment and asked, "Are you sure that was necessary, milady? She was one of Naruto's teammates, after all."
"A teammate that was part of a squad doomed to fail," the blonde shot down. "While Jiraiya and Naruto were gone, one of the things I spent a great deal of time on was reading the files concerning Team 7. To put it plainly, the team should've been dropped years ago."
"Surely they couldn't have been that bad?" Shizune tried to defend, only to receive a stern look from her leader.
"Trust me, Shizune; they were not a good fit. Sasuke had personal issues that he allowed to control his actions and critical thinking. His inferiority and superiority complexes made it practically impossible for him to develop any sort of bond with his teammates; especially when Naruto caught up to him in such a short amount of time. It was the reason for their fight years ago on the hospital roof."
The younger woman cringed at that. "But, what about Kakashi? Or Sakura? Plus, I doubt Naruto was the only effective member of the team."
"I'm not saying that the brat was innocent in the team's failings; but his problems were very minimal compared to the others. He was hyperactive and liked to argue with Kakashi, but he still followed orders and did his training; whatever little Kakashi offered him."
"Little?" Shizune repeated.
"According to the reports, Naruto and Sakura received minimal training from Kakashi. Now, I understand where the man was coming from about trying to instill a measure of teamwork between the three of them; but he still should've taught them more individually. From what I've read, Naruto and Sakura were only instructed on basic team building exercises and the surface walking technique for their chakra control. And when Sakura displayed such a high aptitude for control, he never capitalized on it."
"What about Sasuke?"
"I doubt I really need to say much more than the Chidori," Tsunade answered plainly, making Shizune wince and nod in understanding. "As for Sakura, she showed no drive or initiative to train or improve until the failed mission to bring Sasuke back. To be honest, I had high doubts that she would last as long as she did during my training; but, I suppose I shouldn't underestimate how far a foolish girl will go for a boy."
"So…in short, the synergy was never there for Team 7," Shizune summarized.
"It was there for brief periods; namely during the climax of their Wave Mission and during their confrontation with Gaara during the failed invasion. I could also give them the Land of Snow Mission since it was a beneficial success. But, other than those times, the teamwork was rarely there, if at all."
She started to count off, raising one finger.
"Kakashi barely instructed them and was never reprimanded for wasting their time being constantly tardy."
A second finger was raised.
"Sasuke was never a team player and was only focused on a foolish ploy for vengeance."
A third raised finger.
"Sakura showed no drive at all as a kunoichi."
And finally, a fourth finger.
"And Naruto was difficult; though, he put in the most effort."
Shizune frowned sadly at the facts laid out before her. "Is that why you've yet to tell Kakashi or Sakura about Naruto's decision to rebuild the Hidden Whirlpool?"
"Among other things, yes. I'll be speaking with Jiraiya more about this when he arrives."
\-/
Walking around the mostly restored buildings of the Hidden Whirlpool was Naruto Uzumaki, accompanied by two of his Sekirei; Miya and Kusano. As he passed workers and future citizens, he received warm greetings and friendly waves that he returned happily, feeling a sense of joy that he had longed to see back in the Leaf.
The village had bloomed from the weakened bulb it had become after the near genocide of the Uzumaki Clan. Where once there were ruins and overgrown wildlife, there were tall buildings that reached up to five stories, masterfully crafted thanks to Tazuna and his men from Wave. The markets were filled with merchandise generously donated from the Land of Spring and the Crescent Moon Kingdom, and the streets were being patrolled by volunteers from the Hidden Sand.
It was gloriously harmonious, and Naruto couldn't contain the mix of pride and gratitude welling up inside of him. However, the crown jewel of the village was the centermost building, where all his friends from other parts of the world had chipped in. That building was his Command Center, where he could watch over the village and defend both it and its people from those seeking to ruin her once more.
It was the tallest building of the village, ironically reaching nine stories with a large dish that rotated above it; a marvel of science and machinery that had been created when Matsu put Spring Country's top scientists in line. The dish was linked to a satellite that Matsu had developed with a perfect blend of the Sekirei ship and advanced technology from Spring Country.
The funds for the project were provided by the Crescent Moon Kingdom, the building's foundation was formed by Sand ninja, while the building and dish itself were built by Tazuna and Wave. The finishing touch was a seal that Naruto could link into, allowing him to send chakra from the dish to the satellite. The chakra acted like a battery, powering the Command Center and satellite for Matsu to use so that she could view the rest of the Elemental Nations.
And, if it really came down to it, the stored chakra could be sent back down from the satellite, acting as a missile battery. While Naruto was not a fan of that feature, he knew that he would use it if it meant he could save everyone in the village. But, for the time being, it was simply a monitoring area for Matsu's use.
Beneath the Command Center was the edited and finished Transportation Seal that had brought Naruto to the Hidden Whirlpool in the first place. Linked to the dish and satellite, it provided pinpoint accuracy for Naruto's travels; something he hoped would allow him to speak with the other nations and charter a path for potential peace.
He made a promise to Miya that he would give her and her fellow Sekirei a safe place to live; so, it shouldn't be much of a stretch to make the world safe. It wouldn't be easy, but Naruto knew that anything worth pursuing was never easy.
It only made it all the more satisfying when that pursuit succeeded.
Entering the Command Center, Naruto held Kusano's hand as he led her and Miya up to the second level and entered a large room where the leaders of his allies were waiting for him.
He offered them a sheepish smile as Miya led Kusano to the other side of the room. "Sorry for the wait. I was enjoying a walk with Miya-chan and Kusano-chan."
Koyuki, now the Daimyo of Spring Country, chuckled in amusement. "Nothing to worry about, Naruto. We've done well with this place, haven't we?"
"Damn straight, we did," Tazuna spoke up, sounding incredibly proud. "What else would you expect from a super team like us?"
Prince Hikaru, standing in for his father, sighed at the man's exuberance. However, he couldn't fight the smile he had. "I'm just glad that we could finally repay you for saving our kingdom, Naruto-nii. My father will be happy to hear about our progress."
"Be sure to pass along my thanks to him, Hikaru," Naruto requested, getting a nod from the young man. Turning to the others, he added, "That goes for the rest of you. I can't thank you guys enough for helping me with this. I know you think you owed me, but I never wanted to make you feel that way. The way I saw it, I was only doing what I felt was right. But this," he gestured to the windows that displayed the beautiful island village, "has put me in your debt. Thank you."
He surprised them when he bowed from the waist, showing just how grateful he was for their help and contributions. "You owe us nothing," Gaara spoke up, having been silent the whole time. When Naruto stood straight again, he offered the blonde a small smile and continued, "Just as you felt your actions were right, we felt that our help was in the same right."
The other leaders nodded, offering Naruto their own smiles. "I don't think I'll be able to wipe that action out of my head," Koyuki teased. "Naruto Uzumaki bowing to someone… It's almost surreal."
"Funny…" Naruto replied blandly, making the others laugh. He soon joined in while sharing a smile with Miya. "Anyway, if you ever need our help, don't hesitate to send a message."
"I'll remember that," the Spring Daimyo promised as she stood from her seat and shared a hug with the blonde Uzumaki. Stepping away from the man, she offered him one last smile and left the room, turning to share a look with Miya. 'You've won the heart of a real man, Miya-san… I honestly find myself wishing I had noticed whatever you did sooner. Maybe I could've been as happy as he obviously makes you.'
Hikaru got out of his seat and shared a handshake with Naruto, only to be surprised when the blonde pulled him into a brotherly hug. "Take care of yourself and your old man, Hikaru. You've made your grandfather proud; I can feel it."
He nodded with a determined smile. "I think so, too… I'll keep making him proud," he declared before he left.
"Well," Tazuna began, sliding his seat back so he could stand, "I'd better make sure the last buildings are on the right track. After that, I'll be heading back home."
"Give Tsunami and Inari my regards, you old drunk," the Uzumaki bid, sharing a firm handshake with the Super Bridge Builder.
"I will. Just know that our door is always open whenever you feel like visiting," the man replied before clapping the blonde on his shoulder and leaving the room.
With everyone else gone, Gaara got out of his own seat. "Whenever you're ready, we should get to the Hidden Sand. I need to let my Council know about the success we've had with this restoration effort."
"Plus, we still need to finalize those last few agreements," Naruto added, earning a nod from his pseudo-brother. He slowly grinned at the redhead and continued, "So…how have the Twins been settling in your village?"
Gaara's cheeks barely showed his blush, and he gave a small cough to compose himself. "They're…doing well. Though, they like to complain about the heat."
"They're happy, at least. And so are you, right?" Naruto asked.
At that, Gaara smiled faintly with a fond look in his eyes. "Yes… I can say that we're all quite happy together."
"Just be careful, Gaara-san," Miya spoke up, earning the attention of the redhead and her Ashikabi. "Hikari and Hibiki can be pretty stubborn at times. And like a flash of lightning, their emotions can spark without warning."
"I'll be sure to remember that; but, I still care for them."
She smiled at his sincerity. "That's all I can ask."
Turning back to his spiritual brother, Gaara said, "We should get going."
"Yep. Just let me send a clone to get Kara-chan and Akitsu-chan," Naruto replied, creating a pair of clones to find the Sekirei in question. With that done, he led his closest friend to the lower section of the building while pressing a finger to beneath his earlobe. "Matsu, Gaara and I are going to be using the Transportation Seal soon. Karasuba and Akitsu will be going with us."
"Roger that, Naru-tan. Bring back a souvenir!" the Wisdom Sekirei replied from her end.
He chuckled and asked, "Anything particular?"
"Ooh! See if they have any more of Pervy Sage's books!"
A massive sweatdrop formed behind his head. "…I refuse to actively look for that."
"B-But, Naru-tan~!" she whined pitifully. "I only wanted to experiment with you! You know that this hot body of mine can only be cooled by your DNA! And those books help me come up with more ideas~!"
His whole face erupted into a deep shade of red as he cut the connection. "Matsu-san again?" Gaara asked knowingly, smirking at his brother.
"…Shut up," Naruto answered, fighting his blush.
"I still find it interesting how one of your Sekirei is as perverted as Jiraiya-sama."
The Uzumaki sighed in comical defeat, a dark cloud forming over his slumped posture. "Sometimes…Matsu-chan scares me…"
This got Gaara to actually chuckle. "To think that one of the bravest men I know is afraid of a perverted woman."
"Keep going, Gaara… We'll see who laughs last after I share a few things with the Twins," Naruto warned.
"…You wouldn't dare."
"Try me."
Both Jinchūriki stared one another down as Karasuba and Akitsu entered the lower level. They watched with interest as their Ashikabi had a deadlocked stare with his brother, and Karasuba smirked at the slight tension in the air.
"Truce?" Gaara suggested.
Smiling victoriously, Naruto replied, "You read my mind, Gaara."
With that, they stepped into the center of the sealing array while the two Sekirei stood beside their Ashikabi. Akitsu, having not seen her Ashikabi for most of the day, hugged his arm and leaned against him. "Ah… I missed you, Naruto-kun…"
He gave her a smile as he started pouring chakra into the seal. "I missed you too, Akitsu-chan."
Karasuba huffed with crossed arms, only to blush when she felt her Ashikabi put his arm around her shoulders and pull her closer.
"I missed you too, Kara-chan. And don't worry; we'll have a spar when I have free time."
She kept her arms crossed and huffed again. "I'll hold you to that, Whiskers." He then heard her murmur, "It'd better be a private spar…"
He chuckled softly and leaned over to whisper, "I'll do my best."
She blushed brighter just as the seal finished powering up and swallowed the four of them in a space-time swirl.
\-/
"I was wondering why the Toads were so hush-hush about his location," Jiraiya sighed out as he accepted a dish of sake from Tsunade. "To think he had made such progress in fūinjutsu, and right under my nose."
"You weren't focusing on him enough; something this training trip was approved for," she reminded with narrowed eyes. "What was the point of taking him away from the village if you were more concerned about being on the move and checking on your spy network?"
"I was hoping to get him to master his basics and start seriously training him on using the chakra of the Kyuubi."
"Something you have zero experience in, I need to remind you. How could you possibly hope to train him to use something you've never had for yourself? You've only witnessed a Jinchūriki giving into their Bijuu on the battlefield; not them staying in control of that power."
"I would've figured out something. I could've used his attempts at control to develop a seal to support Minato's, allowing Naruto clearer access to the Kyuubi's chakra."
She snorted at that. "You're a damned fool if you really believe that. Kushina never used the fox's power unless she was pushed into a corner. That's why she worked her ass off all the time; so that she wouldn't need to be in that position ever again. Why do you think she redoubled her fūinjutsu studies when I told her she was pregnant with Naruto?"
"This is different! Kushina never had an organized group after her!"
"True, she didn't," Tsunade conceded, earning a firm nod from Jiraiya. "But…just as Kushina worked herself to the bone for those she loved, Naruto has done that and more. He rebuilt a village with people who believe in him, all for the sake of the people he loves. And he did all of this without relying on the fox at all."
"His own power will only get him so far, Tsunade…"
"Do you really have so little faith in him?" she fired back harshly, glaring at him. "If so, then I'm glad that he was able to get away from you. Someone with his level of potential doesn't need to be weighed down by the lack of faith of his so-called family."
He glared back. "Take that back."
"What? Can't accept the fact that you failed as his godfather?" she challenged. "I've accepted my own failures when he opened my eyes, and I'm doing all I can to make sure I don't fail again. What have you done?"
His glare deepened, and the two Sannin almost looked ready to duke it out in the village. Thankfully, Shizune walked in with a scroll, cutting the tension enough for them to back down.
"Where is he?" Jiraiya ground out.
"His location is none of your concern. All you need to know is that he's fine and safe," Tsunade answered, accepting the scroll from her first apprentice. Opening it, she looked over the message before nodding with a pleased smile. "Seems like the finalization of our three-way alliance is about to get underway."
"That's wonderful news, Tsunade-sama," Shizune replied with her own smile. "Shouldn't you be there, though?"
"I'll be leaving shortly, actually. Gamaharu!"
The toad in question leapt onto the windowsill at Tsunade's call. "Ready to depart, Tsunade-sama?"
The blonde Hokage ignored the surprised look on her old teammate's face as she replied, "Yes, I am. Please, escort me to the Hidden Sand."
"Right away, ma'am," the female toad saluted before she hopped onto Tsunade's shoulder.
"Jiraiya," the woman began, "I expect you to keep an eye on the village during my absence. Understand?"
He frowned at her, wanting to demand her to have him come along. However, the stern look on her face and the memories of how Naruto had lost trust in him cut down his voice. Instead, he straightened himself and nodded. "I'll take care of it."
She nodded back before she and Gamaharu left in a burst of smoke.
\-/
The evening following Naruto and Tsunade meeting with Gaara found the blonde Uzumaki sitting on the rooftop of the hotel he was staying at. It was amusing to him that Gaara had booked him into the very room he had attempted the first version of his Transportation Seal; the one that started his journey of building a sanctuary for the Sekirei people.
Akitsu and Karasuba were both asleep, waiting for him to return to bed; but he was too awake to fall asleep. Instead, he wanted to speak with the two women that had brought happiness to his brother's life.
'Speak of the devils,' he mused, sensing the women in question before they landed on the rooftop behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he offered them a welcoming smile and beckoned them over.
Sekirei #11 and Sekirei #12 were known as the Lightning Twins, according to Miya. The title was spot-on for they were identical in almost every way – save for bust size – and they both had power over electricity.
Both Sekirei were slender women with long black hair and hazel eyes. To help others tell them apart – so that people wouldn't have to check breast size to tell – Hikari (#11) wore mainly dark blue-violet clothes while Hibiki (#12) wore maroon-purple clothes. Both had a sharp wit and shocking personalities; something Naruto found ironically obvious.
"Thanks for coming to see me," he greeted. "I was hoping to ask how things are going here in the Hidden Sand. Gaara seems happier since the last time I saw him."
Hikari smirked at that while Hibiki smiled softly. "It's been an adjustment, for sure," the older twin answered.
"But," Hibiki continued, "we're just as happy as Gaara-sama that we reacted to him. We can tell that he has a great deal of respect for you, and that you were a major influence on changing who he used to be."
"I couldn't accept how someone like me could live a cold and lonely life," Naruto replied, remembering his fight with Gaara over three years ago. "It hurt to see him in the pain he was… So, I did everything I could to help him see that there were people willing to show him that he didn't need to be alone anymore."
The twins smiled at their Ashikabi's brother. "I think I can see why Gaara-sama holds you in such high esteem," Hikari noted.
"It's definitely easier to see compared to the memory flashes we saw when he first winged us. Right, sister?"
"Definitely."
They both regarded Naruto and stated, "Thank you, Naruto-san."
"No need for any of that. Gaara and I are practically mirrors of one another. I'm sure that if the roles were reversed, he would've done the same for me."
The nodded in agreement, turning to look at the nighttime desert sky alongside the blonde Uzumaki. "As much as I complain about the desert," Hikari spoke up, "I can't deny the view we get at night."
"It's gorgeous… I can see us really making a life here with Gaara-sama," Hibiki agreed.
"Almost reminds me of the view we get in the Whirlpool," Naruto mused, getting two elbows in the ribs by the Twins. "Oi! What was that for?"
"This is Gaara-sama's home," Hibiki began.
"Which makes it our home, as well, Blondie," Hikari continued.
They both then raised sparking hands and concluded, "So, we will defend it from naysayers like you."
Naruto sweatdropped at the dual front he was facing and backed down with an awkward chuckle. "N-No need for that now, girls. I'll keep my mouth shut."
They shared a look before killing the electrical charges in their hands; both Sekirei looking pleased with their "victory". This just made Naruto's sweatdrop double in size.
The Twins would've continued the banter, but they stopped short and turned to one of the walls of the village. Floating above some of the buildings was a large white bird with undetailed features; looking much too fake to be real. Narrowing their eyes, they both stood up and took off after the bird while Naruto frowned at it and had a clone go gather Karasuba and Akitsu.
Pressing the earpiece connected to the Command Center, he called out, "Matsu. Give me a reading on the Hidden Sand. There's a strange bird flying around that's way too big to be natural."
He heard her give a cute yawn from her end. "On it, Naru-tan… I wish you'd wake me up for other reasons, though…"
"I know," he replied with a faint smile. "I'll make it up to you when we get back home."
"You'd better, buster," she threatened non-threateningly. After a minute, she spoke again, "Looks like it's one of those Akatsuki guys that you and Tsunade warned us about. It's some blonde guy wearing their uniform."
"Any other Akatsuki in the area? They normally work in pairs," Naruto pressed as he started leaping towards the fight the Twins had started with the Akatsuki member. Based on the sand streams shooting across the sky, it was obvious that Gaara had joined in on the fight.
"Got him! There's a hunched Akatsuki member at the entrance of the village with one of the Sand Ninja. Possibly a traitor."
"Understood. I'll head over there now with Kara and Akitsu," Naruto informed his second Sekirei just as the Black Sekirei and Ice Sekirei landed beside him. "We got a fight coming our way, ladies."
"Really~?" Karasuba purred out, gripping the sword sheathed in her left hand excitedly. "About time I got to test this thing out."
"Ah… Dangerous?" Akitsu asked her Ashikabi.
"It's one of the Akatsuki. Gaara and the Twins are handling the other over there."
His two Sekirei briefly glanced at the aerial battle taking place nearly on the other side of the Hidden Sand. "Hmm… Let's hope they leave the bastard alive for questioning," Karasuba mused. "I doubt I'll be able to hold myself back in our fight."
"Try to, at least," Naruto requested as the three of them landed before the hunched Akatsuki member and the traitorous Sand Ninja. "Sorry, but I won't let you and your partner get your hands on my friend."
A gruff sigh was the missing ninja's response. "It seems I'll be wasting time with you and these women… How annoying…"
From beneath the cloak, behind the Akatsuki member, a long tail with a large blade snaked out and swayed behind him, poising itself to strike. The Sand Ninja would've joined in, but Akitsu literally froze him in place while leaving his head free.
"Ah… Traitor restrained, Naruto-sama," she declared softly.
"Nice job," he praised, never taking his eyes from the Akatsuki.
"An Ice Style user and Naruto, huh? As in the Uzumaki brat who Itachi told us holds the Kyuubi?" He hummed with a bobbing nod. "I see… Perhaps this won't be such a waste of my time after all. Allow me to inform you of who you'll be facing. I am Sasori of the Red Sands."
"And I'm Naruto Uzumaki of the New Whirlpool," the whiskered blonde returned, pressing his hand against his chest and activating a seal that covered him in a burst of smoke.
When it cleared, he was no longer in his orange and black clothes. Instead, he was dressed in a black bodysuit beneath segmented crimson armor that bore the Uzumaki Swirl in gold on the back. This was the standard armor of the Uzumaki Clan that was also used by the Senju Clan. And at his waist was a sheathed katana that he slowly withdrew.
Karasuba did the same, holding her own katana lazily in her hand while a bloodthirsty grin formed on her face. Akitsu didn't change her expression and simply lowered herself into a ready stance as the air around her cooled significantly.
"Well, let's not waste any more time," Sasori began, his bladed tail swaying behind him. "Let's begin, boy."
"Bring it, ttebayo!"
/-\
Heh… Cliffhangers. I'm just the worst, aren't I?
At any rate, that's the end of this third chapter! Hope it turned out well enough for you!
Just a reminder, Kusano-chan will eventually be involved with Naruto romantically since that option was the winner of the poll.
As for the "Satellite Chakra Cannon"… I'm guessing I may have mixed responses about that. Let me just say that Naruto is the kind of person who will do everything he possibly could for the people he loves. He would sacrifice his life for them; but he knows that it may not be enough.
This is why he and his allies developed the cannon. If Naruto's sacrifice wasn't enough, then the cannon would be the last resort.
However, that's not to say that it is the ONLY thing that was developed into the defenses of the New Hidden Whirlpool. After all, Naruto is an aspiring Seal Master who found the Sacred Scroll of his people.
Who knows what else he developed during his time in his ancestral home? *evil grin*
Until next time!
~pain17ification~
