Alright everybody, here's chapter 4. sorry if it's a bit later than any of my other chapters that you got in a day coughaplausecough

audience: "We love you Maelstromoflames!"

But guys I really am playing this by ear, I have no plot, not even sure where I'm goin with the story, so updates may be sparaodic at time, I'm thinking about putting the Akatsuki in here soon. Tell me what you think. So you read, you review, and I'll make the stories. Here we go!

Chapter four: The war.

Naruto cast a bemused glance at jiriaya. "Just like that? You sure?" Jiriaya nodded. "Wierd stuff always does seem to happen to you gaki, weird even by ninja standards." Naruto laughed lightly before taking a seat on his busted couch. He placed his feet on the coffee table in front of him. "So how come you're here sensei?"

A worried look crossed Jiriaya's face. "I've got some bad news for you. I've already discussed this with Tsunade-hime, but you need to know as well." Naruto nodded, taking his feet off the coffee table and leaning slightly towards Jiriaya, showing he was serious. "The thing is, Sasuke didn't go to Orochimaru like the snake had planned, so I have no doubt that he's going to come here and try to take him by force."

Naruto's eyes shot wide open. "But there's no way he can defeat us with just Oto, it's suicide, he'd be send thousands of men on a suicide mission there was no hope of completing!" Jiriaya shook his head, "I wish it was just Otogakure, nut Orochimaru knows that he has no chance of getting sasuke if he only brings sound. He's enlisted Kusa(grass), Iwa(Stone), and Kumo(cloud) to fight with him."

Naruto paled, he was not an idiot, even though he pretended to be, it had made his life easier. He'd read textbooks, geography, and politics, and knew that these were all enemies that hated Konoha and had farely large shinobi forces. "What about Kiri(mist), and Ame(rain)?"

Jiriaya shook his head. "They've taken no side so far, Kiri won't help us, We pride bloodlines and they destory them. And Ame, they've been cut off for a long time, I doubt they'll even take a side." Naruto shook his head, before getting up and slamming a fist into the wall. "Damn it! Suna will help us I know, but we don't have many other allies! We have small allies, taki(waterfall), andYuki(snow), but they have small military forces and will be of little to no help at all! " Jiriaya nodded, he had gone over these facts before he came here.

"I know, I hate to say it, but we might lose this war." Naruto slumped against the wall, sliding down until he sat on the floor. "What can we do then, against such odds do we have any hope?" Jiriaya smiled sadly. "We might be able to get Kiri to help us if we make ask correctly, but it's a very slim chance. I'm sorry but there's worse news."

Naruto looked up from his position on the floor. "Akatsuki's on the move again." Naruto eyes shot open. "That doesn't nesessarily mean they're after you. Kumo has it's own jinchuuriki, as does Suna, most likely they won't attack during the war, but they might and if they do, depending which village they attack, it may turn the tide of the war."

Naruto sighed. "But it's a two out of three chance that their attacks will weaken us, and if they take out Gaara Suna will lose one of their strongest shinobi and will eventually crumble under the onslaught." Jiraiya crouched down to Naruto's level. "These are rumors I got from my intellegence sources, the war will happen, but a country of more may back out of the deal, kusa being the most likely as they have no reason to attack us."

"Iwa and Kumo are the least likely to back out, Iwa because of their grudge against the fourth hokage, and kumo because they desire the Byakugan. But these armies haven't even begun to form yet, much less form battle strategies on how or when they're going to attack. We have a year at least and Tsunade-hime has sent ambassadors to try and ally us with Ame and Kiri, if we can do that we can stand a chance."

"But what can we do in one year that will help us, I know Kiri has great swordsman, but what does Konoha have?" Jiraiya smiled. "Konoha has two of the sannin, and you." Naruto's eyes widened. "What can I do, I'm the container of the fox, but if I use it I'll be more likely to attack our own armies than theirs."

Jiraiya placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Train Naruto, train and become strong, I have to collect more information and... I can't take you with me this time. Tsunade-hime with make an announcement about the war in a few days, it'll be your responsibility to take care of your friends and to make them stronger, you have to Naruto, to keep them safe." Naruto looked away, sadness evident in his eyes.

"But what if I can't do it, what if I'm not strong enough and they get killed because I couldn't protect them, and they die! I can't do it Sensei!" Jiraiya smiled sadly, saying five words before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

"I believe in you Naruto."

Hey guys, new poll, who wants there to be a timeskip to the day of the war with a stronger Naruto and who wants it to be a drawn out proccess with him training all his friends. It's a one or the other poll and whatever you pick will determine a lot in the story. His relationship with Tenten will increase either way but if we do time-skip you'll be hearing about it through flashbacks. But also if we do timeskip you won't have to read chapter after chapter of his friends slowly getting stronger and we can just continue with the story.

Sorry this chapter's so short but I gotta go places today and I wanted you guys to have as much time to decide on the poll as possible. The poll is open in my profile so vote if you feel like it, but if you don't vote don't complain how unfair it is that your choice didn't get picked. The poll will be closed in a week and then I'll start working on the story again.

Ja ne

-maelstromoflames