Disclaimer: The Naruto universe is NOT mine, I am NOT Kishimoto. So don't sue me, I'm just having some fun in the Elemental Countries and trying to level the playing field that Kishimoto keeps tipping in the Uchiha's favor!
"Ugh, where the hell am I?" Naruto groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. Above him was a stark white ceiling. "Great a hospital," the blonde muttered.
"Not quite gaki," an amused voice came from Naruto's right. He turned to see Jiraiya sitting in a chair by the room's only window, a notebook in his hands. "We're at a hotel on the outskirts of Tanzaku Gai. Nice job with the Kaguya and Kabuto, but you know that you got lucky."
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I had no idea that my plan with Kabuto would work," the blonde admitted.
"No, I'm talking about your fight against the Kaguya," Jiraiya said. "Tsunade took a look at the kid's body and found out that he had a lung disease that had gone untreated for roughly a year. At the rate the disease was spreading, it would have killed him in a couple months. The Kaguya was probably only at about 60% his full strength."
Naruto's head dropped to his chest.
"Don't look at it that way Naruto, the boy was plenty strong," Jiraiya said. "Even at 60%, the Kaguya was easily jonin-level. To beat him is an accomplishment."
"How long was I out?" Naruto asked.
"Two days," Jiraiya answered. "You had some nasty cuts and stuff but mainly it was chakra exhaustion."
"Where are Tsunade and Shizune?"
"They are here," a new voice came from the front of the room. Tsunade and Shizune had just entered the room. "Good to see that you are awake gaki."
"Thank you for healing me Tsunade," Naruto said.
"No problem brat," Tsunade waved off Naruto's thanks.
"So what now?"
"Well, we were waiting on you to recover before heading back to the village," Jiraiya explained.
"So you are coming back to be Hokage?" Naruto asked. Tsunade nodded. "Why?"
"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked.
"Why are you returning now? After all this time away, running from your problems, trying to bury your past in gambling and drinking?"
Easy there Princess," Jiraiya intervened before Tsunade could send Naruto back into unconsciousness. "He wasn't aware of what happened and doesn't know."
The older blonde sighed and sat down in a chair. "Look brat, while you were out, this old pervert managed to knock some sense into me. I have been just running from my past, trying to hide from it instead of accepting what has happened can't change. Also I realized that as long as I am alive, Dan and Nawaki live on and I vowed to fulfill their dreams."
Naruto nodded, accepting Tsunade's decision. "All right, then I can accept you as Hokage."
Tsunade's eye twitched. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"If you had just been browbeaten into accepting the position or just to not be labeled a missing ninja, I wouldn't have accepted you as my Hokage because were just using the position as another escape."
Tsunade huffed but nodded. "All right brat, I can understand that."
Suddenly the three elder shinobi tensed as they sensed the approach of several high-level chakra signatures.
"What's wrong?" Naruto asked, noticing the three ninjas' reactions.
"We have visitors," Jiraiya said.
A knock came at the door. Jiraiya rose from his chair and walked to the door and opened it. The others relaxed when they saw Jiraiya's shoulders loosen. The white haired man stepped aside to revel a trio of ANBU members.
"What do you want?" Jiraiya asked.
"The Daimyo is on his way to the village," the bear-masked ANBU said.
"What?" Jiraiya and Tsunade cried.
"How long until he is to arrive?" Jiraiya asked.
"Less than a day away," BEAR answered.
"Crap, all right, no time to waste," Jiraiya said. "Naruto get dressed, we need to high tail it back to the village and beat the Daimyo there."
Naruto nodded. "Um, can you guys give me some space to change?" the blonde asked with a sheepish grin.
The others quickly vacated the room. Naruto quickly pulled on some clothes and then joined the others in the lobby of the hotel.
"Let's go," Jiraiya ordered and the group leapt off into the forest.
"Why would the Daimyo be coming to the village now?" Naruto asked.
"The Fire Capital must have learned about the invasion and sensei's death," Jiraiya explained as the group raced through the trees. "When the Yondaime died, and sensei took up the Hokage seat, sensei went to the Fire Lord. For him to come to the village means something is going on. Now stop wasting your breath by talking and move your ass."
The trip back to the village took barely five hours at the pace that Jiraiya and Tsunade had set. The group saw the great gates of Konoha loom out of the forest as they reached the village.
"Jiraiya-sama, Tsunade-sama!" Kotetsu gasped as the two Sannin reached the gates.
"Has the Fire Daimyo arrived?" Jiraiya asked, panting slightly.
"No," Kotetsu said. "But he should arrive by morning at the latest."
Jiraiya nodded. "Do you know why he is coming to the village?"
"We have not been told," Izumo said. "But the Elders have been meeting everyday since you left Jiraiya-sama."
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed at the information. "Have they now?" he muttered. "Come on Tsunade, we better go find the Honorable Elders and tell them that you've returned."
Tsunade nodded and the two Sannin vanished.
"So Naruto, what happened to you? You look like you were dragged through a field of kunai and shuriken," Kotetsu asked.
"We ran into Orochimaru while searching for Tsunade," Naruto explained. He was still trying to catch his breath from the long run.
"You guys did what?" Izumo and Kotetsu cried.
"Jiraiya and Tsunade fought him not me," Naruto said. "I just got into a scuffle with one of the snake bastard's henchman, and the guy was seriously strong."
"Maybe you should go to the hospital?" Izumo suggested. But Naruto shook his head.
"I'm fine, just need some rest," the blonde said.
==================================================Scene Break===================================================
The next morning found the village on high alert as the Fire Daimyo's entourage was approaching the village. As they grew closer, the feeling of apprehensive that blanketed the village grew thicker and thicker.
"Naruto, you're back!"
The blonde turned to see Sakura and Sasuke leaping down from the rooftops to street level and their teammate.
"When did you get back?" Sasuke asked.
"Last night," Naruto answered. "Do you guys have any idea why the Daimyo is coming to the village?"
"No clue but my mom has heard rumors that a new Hokage has been chosen and the Daimyo has come for the coronation," Sakura said.
"But Tsunade is supposed to become the Hokage?" Naruto asked, his brow furrowing.
"Tsunade Senju, the Tsunade of the Sannin! She's back in the village?" Sakura cried.
"Well yeah, that was the mission that Ero-sensei brought me along for," Naruto said. "Sakura-chan, did your mom say anything about who is the new Hokage?"
Sakura shook her head. "No," she said. "My mom said that because she was only a member of the civilian council, she wasn't allowed in on those type of meetings. Its all being kept very quiet."
"That doesn't sound good," Naruto said. "Anyway, what have you guys been doing while I've been gone?"
"We've been training of course," Sasuke said.
"Sasuke-kun has been working with Kakashi-sensei on his Sharingan and I've been working with Kurenai-sensei on genjutsu," Sakura said, a note of pride coloring her voice.
"Cool, have you learned any new jutsu?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke nodded. "Kakashi showed me the Lightning Release: Lightning Ball and a Fire jutsu, Fire Release: Breath of the Dragon."
"Kurenai-sensei taught me a genjutsu, Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death, and I also learned Earth Release: Headhunter."
"That's great, both of you," Naruto said, giving his teammates a smile. A hawk's cry grabbed the trio's attention. "The Daimyo must be approaching."
"Why do you think that the Daimyo has come?" Sasuke asked, as the trio made their way down the main street toward the front gates.
Team 7 arrived at the front gates just as the Fire Daimyo's carriage came through them. Naruto saw Jiraiya, Tsunade and both Councils waiting for the Daimyo to appear. Naruto could see that the two Sannin were looking nervous, though they hid it well enough. All sound seemed to vanish as the carriage door opened and the Daimyo stepped out. The Lord of the Land of Fire was a thin, reedy man with brown eyes and hair.
"Welcome to Konoha Daimyo-sama," Koharu said with a bow. "You honor our village with your presence."
The Daimyo nodded. "I only wish that the situation was not so dire and tragic."
Koharu nodded. "Indeed my Lord, perhaps we should retire to the Council chambers." The Daimyo nodded once more and the procession moved off, into the Hokage's Tower. As the group did so, Naruto noticed several masked figures fading back into the shadows. At first he thought that they were ANBU but saw that the figures had sword hilts sticking up over their shoulders. Something about their appearances triggered something in Naruto's memory and he felt himself drawn into his memories.
Wavy Flashback Effect
"What can I do for you Shimura-san?" 'Naruto' asked as the bandaged man entered the Hokage's office. Minato knew that this man had protested his appointment to Hokage; the elder shinobi felt that the blonde was to soft on Konoha's enemies.
"Namikaze-san," Danzo grunted as he sat in sat in front of the Hokage's desk. "Congratulations on your ascension to Hokage."
"Thank you Shimura-san," Minato said. "Now what can I do for one of Konoha's Honorable Elders?"
"I have come to see how you are settling into your new position and to say that if you need any advice, you may always call upon me," Danzo said. "I am always ready to protect the great tree that is Konoha."
"I can see," Minato said. "And that is why you will be turning over control of your ROOT forces to me. As your Hokage, I will not allow someone to have control over any of my ninja."
Danzo's visible eye narrowed. "I don't know what you are talking…"
"Don't take me for a fool Danzo," Minato growled. "I know that you deified the Sandaime and kept it going. And I also know that your organization is a necessary evil, but it will be under my control, do you understand me?"
Danzo had lived during a very turbulent time, studied under the Nidaime Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and survived all three major Shinobi wares, so he had been in dangerous situations including when his sensei had sacrificed his life to insure that his comrades had survived an attack by Kumo forces. But facing down an angry Minato Namikaze sent a bead of sweat trickling down his neck, something that hadn't happened in years.
"Hai Hokage-sama," Danzo said. "I must say that I had feared you would be soft like Hiruzen. I am glad to see that you realize that the only true factor in this world is force, peaceful talks, mercy and diplomacy is for the weak."
"Don't take my acceptance of your ROOT as my agreeing with your policy of wanting to crush the other Shinobi Nations," Minato said. "You might believe that it is all for the Greater Good of the village but we both know that you are only thinking about yourself. Now I expect that roster and all your files on ROOT on my desk by tomorrow morning, and if you even think of trying to deceive me…" Minato vanished and Danzo gasped as he felt something burn on his arm. He looked down and saw that a jutsu formula had just been engraved in his flesh above the elbow. "Now get the hell out of here!"
Wavy Flashback Effect End
"My Lord, you can not be serious," Jiraiya shouted. "You can not name Danzo as Hokage!"
"Why not Jiraiya-kun?" the Daimyo asked. "Danzo-san seems to make several interesting points."
"My Lord, if you name Danzo as the Hokage, you would be totally reversing what the previous Hokages believed in," Jiraiya argued. "Also Sarutobi-sensei asked that either myself or Tsunade would become his successor. Danzo is as old as Sarutobi was, and his viewpoints regarding policy slap in the face of the previous Hokages' teachings. They all believed that peace could be accomplished through understanding one's adversaries."
"Hiruzen was too weak to do what was necessary to ensure that Konoha and the Land of Fire remained at the top," Danzo said. "His refusal to stamp out Iwa and Kumo after the Third Shinobi War, his refusal to demand compensation from Kumo after their attempted kidnapping of the Hyuga heiress, all show his weakness."
"Sensei was not weak!" Tsunade shouted. "He knew that just continuing the war with Iwa and Kumo would just lead to more bloodshed and death. And we had just finished one war and were still recovering from that and the Kyubi attack during the Hyuga incident. We could not afford being dragged into another war."
"That is another point against Hiruzen," Danzo said. "If he had given me the Kyubi container, we would have the strongest shinobi since Hashirama-sama at our beck and call. But Hiruzen refused to do what was best for Konoha."
"You would have turned Naruto into a weapon or war!" Jiraiya snarled. "And if you ever try something to my godson like that, I will kill you!"
"If the boy is your godson, then where were you for the first twelve years of his life?" Danzo asked. Jiraiya winced.
"My network needed constant upkeep and I trusted sensei to watch over Naruto," the white haired Sannin said, though his voice was as hollow as his reasons.
"And Hiruzen just shelved the boy into an orphanage instead of training him," Danzo said. "As I said, if Hiruzen had given me the boy, Konoha would have had its greatest protector and deterrent from our enemies."
"Danzo-san makes strong points," the Daimyo said. "I have grown weary of having to send funds to this village to help it recover from constant warring. If Danzo-san believes he had the way to stop this, perhaps it is time for a change in leadership."
"But my Lord…" Jiraiya began but he fell silent at a raised hand from the Daimyo.
"My decision has been made," the man said. "By official decree, Danzo Shimura will be the Godaime Hokage."
"Thank you my Lord, I shall endeavor to return the faith that you have shown in me," Danzo said humbly with a slight bow, though inside he was smiling broadly.
==================================================Scene Break===================================================
"What happened?" Naruto asked as Jiraiya and Tsunade exited the Hokage Tower, both in furious spirits.
"Danzo has been named Hokage," Jiraiya growled.
"What?" Naruto cried.
"Who's Danzo?" Sakura asked.
"He was the former teammate of the Sandaime and has always fought the Sandaime on his policies, believing him to be weak," Jiraiya said. "Danzo believes that one must completely destroy their enemies to ensure peace. He also believes that ninjas are nothing more than tools to be wielded by the Hokage or the Daimyo. In essence, he's a very cold man who thinks of human lives as expendable and only the mission matters."
Sasuke and Sakura frowned at the sound of the new Hokage.
"So what is going to happen now?" Sasuke asked.
"I do not know," Jiraiya said. Then a squad of ANBU appeared around the group.
"Jiraiya-san, Tsunade-san, Uzumaki-san, your presences are required by Hokage-sama," the bird-masked ANBU said, its tone making the group know that it was not a request.
"What do you want Danzo?" Tsunade snarled as the group entered the Hokage's office. They could see that Danzo was quickly making himself at home in the chair and office. Naruto blinked as the Hokage's office swam before him.
Wavy Flashback effect begin
"What the hell do you want you old geezer?" Naruto snapped, as he stood opposite a familiar bandaged old man.
"You would be wise to not anger me Uzumaki," Danzo said coldly. "While only a select few know of your condition, there is a very precarious balance that must be maintained if you are to continue your life here."
"Sandaime-sama would know if you said anything," Naruto retorted, his voice a high pitch than normal. "And he would kill you."
"Perhaps but your condition would still be known to the village," Danzo answered calmly. "Do you really think that your friends would stand by your side when they learn of what you hold?"
Kushina was about to fire back at the creepy old man but paused when her mind caught up with what he had said. Closing her mouth, Kushina settled for pining Danzo with a glare that the old man just brushed aside easily.
"I have come to you of offer you a chance to become the strongest kunoichi in history," Danzo said. "I have heard that you wish to become Hokage, well I can help you get there. I am the ANBU commander, and one of the Hokage's advisors. To become Hokage, you need to understand the underbelly of the shinobi world. You know that it was Iwa, Kumo and Mizu who attacked and destroyed your old village?"
Kushina's face twisted into a scowl at the reminder of the destruction of her home village and the scattering of her clan, at the hands of the three villages.
"You were brought to this village because of your special abilities," Danzo said. "You managed to escape the destruction of Uzushiogakure, and I am sure that you want to punish those responsible."
Kushina felt herself nod at Danzo's suggestion.
"I can help you gain vengeance for your clansmen," Danzo said, sensing that Kushina was leaning toward his way of thinking. "My intelligence network is quite vast, even more so than Jiraiya's. And I can quite easily find out who were the key players in the decision to wipe out your home and family. Do you not hear the voices of your clansmen crying out for vengeance?"
"What do you want in exchange?" Kushina growled. "You wouldn't be offering me this chance without getting something in return, so what is it?"
"All I ask for is for you to let me train you," Danzo said. "I can turn you into the most powerful kunoichi in the Elemental Countries."
"You just want to train me?"
"Yes, you could wield the most devastating weapon in the world and with it, you would lead Konoha to an age of peace and strength."
"You want me to use the bastard fox's chakra?" Kushina cried. "Hell no! I will never use that power!"
"Naïve child," Danzo snapped. "You would refuse the opportunity to become the most powerful shinobi alive, all because you are afraid to use that power."
"Why should I use that thing's strength," Kushina snarled, her long red hair beginning to wriggle and writhe like the tails of the demon that she held. "I will become strong without using that foul power. I will become Hokage by using my own strength."
"Foolish child, you reject my proposal because you are weak and afraid," Danzo sneered. "Emotions have no place in a ninja, they weaken one's ability to complete their mission."
"Get out of here Shimura-san," Kushina growled. "I will never use the Kyubi's power, and neither will you."
Wavy flashback effect end
"Watch your tone Senju," Koharu snapped, she and Homura were standing behind Danzo, their voices bringing Naruto back to the present.
"Sarutobi-sensei wanted either Tsunade or I to succeed him," Jiraiya growled. "I see that you three have disregarded the Hokage's wishes once more."
The two elders glared at the white-haired man, but a raised hand from Danzo kept them from speaking up.
"The Daimyo felt that a change of leadership was necessary," Danzo said. "He agreed that a strong leader was needed, someone who would take Konoha and the Land of Fire to new heights. Sarutobi was too weak to do what was necessary to protect the village."
"How dare you!" Tsunade roared. "Sarutobi-sensei was a wonderful Hokage, and an even better man. Don't you dare besmirch his name and memory!" Tsunade, while she didn't care for the village, wouldn't allow this man to desecrate her sensei's name and memory.
"Watch your tone Senju!" Danzo growled, his lone visible eye narrowing at the blonde haired woman. "I am now your Hokage, and you are one of my ninja."
"I am a Sannin, we have free reign to come and go as we wish," Tsunade shouted.
"True but your apprentice does not," Danzo said. "You have a choice to make Tsunade; do you abandon Shizune, and go on wallowing in your pity or do you swallow your pride and return to your village and do your duty?"
Tsunade looked over at Shizune, who was struggling to refrain from trembling while holding Tonton. The dark haired woman's eyes were wide and filled with fear. Tsunade turned back to Danzo, rage smoldering in her eyes, while the bandaged Hokage looked calmly back.
"Fine," Tsunade snapped. "I'll stay."
"A wise decision Tsunade," Danzo said. "Of course it wouldn't have mattered, as the Daimyo has revoked both of your traveling rights."
"What!" Jiraiya and Tsunade shouted.
"You can't be serious!" Tsunade roared, slamming her fist down on the Hokage's desk.
Danzo merely looked up at the enraged pair with nary a quirked eyebrow. "I am very serious, we are at our weakest point since the Kyubi attack, we need both of our loyal Sannin in the village, not gallivanting around the countryside gambling, drinking or perving! You are both active duty shinobi of this village and as such you are under the control and jurisdiction of the Hokage, which is ME! And as such, your lives are mine to wield as I see fit! Do I make myself clear?"
"We are not tools Danzo," Jiraiya snarled.
"You are shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato, and I am your Hokage!" Danzo growled, the first time he had allowed any discernable emotion to enter his voice.
"You might be the Hokage Danzo, but it takes more than the title to be a true Hokage," Naruto said, speaking up for the first time.
"Uzumaki, keep your mouth shut," Koharu snapped. "You are merely a genin, you have no business here."
"I might be a genin but that's not all I am," Naruto retorted, his blue eyes steeling over as he starred directly at the elder woman. "You three all know what I hold and what my lineage is, so unless you want the entire village to know exactly who I am or better yet the Daimyo himself…"
"Be careful there little jinchuriki, someone might take that as a threat," Danzo said. "And if I wasn't in a forgiving mood, I would be inclined to have you sent to the T&I Department for some reprogramming."
"I am sure that you would Hokage-sama," Naruto said, the title dripping with disdain. "But you don't know what might happen to the seal and you don't have another Uzumaki around to seal the fox into if something does happen."
Danzo and the two Elders glared at Naruto but they knew that the blonde was right.
"And so if you will excuse me Hokage-sama, Honored Elders, but it has been a long trip and I would like nothing more than to sleep in my own bed," Naruto said before leaving the office, feeling the glares of the three elders drilling into his back.
"Shit, how could this have happened?" Naruto shouted as he left the Hokage Tower. "Doesn't the Daimyo know what Danzo is?"
"Uzumaki, you will refrain from speaking about Hokage-sama in such a manner," a toneless voice said from behind Naruto. Team 7 turned to see a pale young man; maybe a year older than Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were, with black hair and eyes. The hilt of a sword was sticking out over his left shoulder, and he was wearing a black shirt that exposed his midriff.
"Who the hell are you?" Naruto snapped.
"My name is Sai," the boy said with a wide, false smile.
"Nice to meet you, now get the hell out of here," Naruto growled. "Didn't you know it's rude to eavesdrop on someone's conversation?"
"No," Sai answered. "But you will not speak of Hokage-sama with such disrespect, if you refuse, your insubordination will be met by force."
"So Danzo kept playing with little boys, he and Orochimaru would get along so well," Naruto said, turning his back on Sai. His hand drifted down to his kunai holster as he did so.
The scrapping sound of a sword being drawn alerted Naruto to an attack coming. Naruto whirled around, a kunai in his hand, and clang! Naruto's kunai caught Sai's tanto strike easily.
"So do you have any balls?" Sai asked, creepy smile still etched on his face. "Your block is weak."
Naruto blinked at the crude remark. "Then why don't you try this on for size," the blonde growled. Naruto's kunai became coated in chakra and with the ease of a hot knife cutting through butter, the kunai sliced through Sai's tanto. The black-haired boy's eyes narrowed as he dropped his tanto and leapt backward, pulling a scroll from his backpack as well as an ink brush.
Team 7 watched as Sai's hand darted across the scroll. A moment later, several black and white creatures burst from the scroll and charged the team. Naruto flung a kunai at one of the creatures and it struck true. To the blonde's amazement, the creature burst into what looked like ink. He heard three other splashes and knew that his teammates had taken care of the other creatures. Naruto darted forward as Sai's hand began to flash across the scroll once more.
"Stand down!" a commanding voice boomed and the five ninja froze and looked up. Standing on the rooftops were several masked ANBU members. "Genin Uzumaki, you are to relieve yourself of all weapons and come quietly," the lead ANBU said.
"What for?" Sasuke shouted as he, Sakura and Kakashi took up guard positions around the blonde.
"Uzumaki was attacking a fellow Konoha shinobi and using deadly force," the ANBU said, as the masked shinobi team leapt down to surround Team 7.
"Naruto was just defending himself from that guy," Sakura cried out, pointing at Sai, who was smiling (in that creepy false way).
"Uzumaki threw a deadly weapon into a crowd, using willful disregard to the safety of Konoha's citizens," the ANBU stated, pointing at the kunai that Naruto had thrown. It had ended up striking a middle-aged man with blonde hair in the arm. A member of ANBU was giving first aid to the man.
Naruto looked stunned as two members of the ANBU team appeared behind him and grabbed his arms.
"Hey let him go, it was an accident!" Sakura cried but a restraining hand from her sensei stopped her.
"As Naruto's sensei, I will take responsibility for my student's actions," Kakashi said.
"We have our orders Hatake-san," the ANBU said. "We are to bring the prisoner before Hokage-sama for disciplinary action."
"You can't do that!" Sakura cried. "Naruto was only defending himself."
"Control your students Hatake, or you might find yourself no longer a sensei."
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed.
"Sensei, let it go," Naruto said. "I'll go see what Danzo…the Hokage wants," the blonde amended when the ANBU holding him tightened their grips. Kakashi gave his blonde student a hard look but nodded slowly.
"Let's go," the ANBU said. Naruto and the masked shinobi vanished. Sakura and Sasuke looked at their sensei but Kakashi was just looking at the spot that his blonde student had vanished from.
"Why are you worried about Dickless?" Said asked. "As long as he listens to Danzo-sama, he will be free. A shinobi must always listen and follow their Kage's orders without question."
"Shut up!" Sakura shouted before slamming her fist into Sai's stomach, sending the black-haired boy flying down the street.
"Sakura," Kakashi sighed, rubbing the bridge of his masked nose.
==================================================Scene Break===================================================
"Uzumaki," Danzo said. "You have quite a decision to make."
"What do you want Danzo?" Naruto growled.
"You shall watch your tone in my presence boy, I can make your life very miserable."
"My life has been miserable," Naruto retorted. "All thanks to the idiotic civilians thinking I am what I hold."
"True, the majority of the village doesn't understand the intricacies of fuinjutsu," Danzo said. "However, I can make your life much easier. I am now the Hokage, I have complete control over the shinobi of this village, and what I have before me is the paperwork that will make you a chunin. You will be the only chunin of your class; the dead last is the first to be promoted. What do you think?"
"What is in it for you?" Naruto asked.
"Nothing too much, just your loyalty to the Hokage and the village," Danzo said.
"Don't you mean to you Danzo," Naruto said. "I will always be loyal to Konoha and the Hokage. But that isn't the question you were asking was it? You were asking for my loyalty, to you and only you. And what if I don't take that promotion?"
Danzo's visible eye narrowed. "Nothing much Uzumaki," he said. "You have the potential to become the most powerful shinobi since the Shodaime Hokage, Uzumaki, and I can show you the path to the greatness."
"I don't need your help Danzo," Naruto growled. "I will become strong on my own. I don't like how you carelessly throw away people's lives. People are not tools to be wielded and then tossed aside like trash. So thanks for the offer but I will have to decline."
"I see," Danzo said. "If that is your decision, very well you are dismissed." Naruto turned away from the bandaged man. "Halt Uzumaki, there is still the matter of your attack upon a fellow Konoha shinobi and the attack on a Konoha civilian. You are hereby under arrest, ANBU!"
"What?" Naruto cried, as two ANBU appeared from the shadows of the office.
"Take him away," Danzo ordered. "You will learn your fate in three day's time, perhaps by then you will learn some respect and how things now work. Get him out of my office."
Naruto felt a sharp pain at his neck before his vision went black.
===============================================Scene Break======================================================
In the three days leading up to Naruto's trial, word had quickly spread around the village. The majority of the civilians were cheering at the news that Naruto had been brought up on charges. The shinobi side of the village was stunned at the news, as most felt that something was going on. Team 7 had been hit the hardest, as the day after Naruto had been taken into custody, news had reached the village that Sakura's parents had been killed by bandits as they were making their way home from a merchant trip. The pinkette member of Team 7 was distraught, barely managing to function. Ino managed to convince her father to allow Sakura to stay with the Yamanaka's for the time being. Sasuke and Kakashi visited Sakura when they could but their attention was spilt between her and trying to help Naruto. However no one had been allowed to see the blonde since he had been taken into custody.
"I will now call this military tribunal to order," Danzo said. "We have convened to discuss the actions taken by one Naruto Uzumaki. Genin Uzumaki has been charged with willful insubordination, assault on a civilian of Konohagakure no Sato and the murders of two of Konoha's finest, Kizashi and Mebuki Haruno."
"What!" Naruto roared from the defendant's table.
"Silence Uzumaki, you will have your chance to defend yourself," Danzo said firmly from the high table.
"But why would I kill Sakura-chan's parents?" Naruto shouted.
"I said silence!" Danzo roared, his lone eye glaring down at Naruto. "Now before I was interrupted, those are the charges, Uzumaki. How do you plead?"
"Not guilty, believe it!" Naruto shouted.
"As the representative for Naruto Uzumaki, I would like to know how he is being charged with the murders of the Haruno's when he has been in custody for the last three days and reports state that the Haruno's were killed two days ago," the drawling voice of Shikaku Nara said from Naruto's right.
"Genin Uzumaki is proficient in the use of the Kage Bunshin technique," Koharu said. "That technique, as the court knows, enables the user to create solid copies of themselves. It would be child's play for a ninja to use such a technique to…"
"I was locked up the entire time, how in Kami's name could I use the Kage Bunshin to do that!" Naruto shouted.
"My client raises an interesting point," Shikaku said. "How is it that a genin, only six months out of the Academy, able to escape ANBU custody? And the accused was guarded by your personal ANBU, Hokage-sama, so if Naruto did manage to escape, you have your ROOT to blame for not doing their jobs correctly."
Danzo frowned. "Uzumaki has shown flashes of skill that lend credence to the boy managing to evade his captures, his pranks for instance."
"I would never attack or kill someone like that," Naruto shouted. "Let alone hurt Sakura-chan like that!"
"Do you have any direct evidence showing that Uzumaki committed these heinous crimes? Aside from your theory of Naruto using the Kage Bunshin technique to be in two places at once," Shikaku asked.
The members of the tribunal looked at one another. Naruto could read their faces, he had always been able to read people well; it was a necessary skill for him to learn growing up how he did. The blonde could see that they were discussing their next move. Naruto chanced a look over his shoulder at the gallery, his eyes locking in on his team. Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi were seated together in the front row next to Tsunade and Jiraiya, and the other Konoha 12 and their senseis. The pinkette raised her emerald gaze and caught Naruto's own eyes. The blonde flinched when he saw the pain and anguish radiating from those green orbs that he treasured so much but what he didn't see was anger, or at least anger aimed at him. It felt as if someone had just lifted an immense load off his shoulders. She didn't think he had killed her parents.
"Very well, in light of this lack of evidence, we have no choice but to drop the charges of murder against Genin Uzumaki," Danzo said though Naruto could tell that the bandaged man was not very happy about the decision. "However the charges of insubordination and assault still stand."
Naruto growled but a hand on his shoulder from Shikaku kept the blonde from speaking up.
"Uzumaki, how do you explain your actions leading to your assault on Sai Shimura and Yuri Kobayashi?" Homura asked.
Naruto looked over at Shikaku, who nodded at the blonde. "It was an accident regarding Mr. Kobayashi, I didn't mean to hurt him. But that Sai kid attacked me without provocation, and in the midst of defending myself; my thrown kunai struck Mr. Kobayashi, and for that I apologize immensely." The blonde turned toward the gallery and spotted the blonde man that he had accidently hurt. Naruto then bowed deeply. "I am truly sorry sir, for the pain that my actions have caused you."
The blonde man just sneered at Naruto and turned away. Naruto kept his face straight as he turned back to face the Council.
"An impassioned apology Uzumaki, however that doesn't mitigate your actions," Danzo said. "The Council will now confer on your sentence."
Naruto tried to keep a neutral face but his eyes betrayed the fact that he was deathly afraid.
After five minutes of intense discussion, which the room couldn't hear due to the silencing seal that Danzo had set up, the Elders turned back to Naruto and the room at large.
"Naruto Uzumaki, it is the ruling of this court that you did not purposely injure Mr. Kobayashi during the events that brought you before us," Danzo announced. Naruto's shoulders slumped slightly in relief. "However you are found guilty of insubordination and assault upon a fellow Konoha shinobi, Sai Shimura."
Shouts erupted from the crowd behind Naruto.
"Silence!" Danzo roared, flooding the room with his killing intent. Many of the spectators had adverse effects to the KI; some civilians even collapsed while the shinobi present faired much better. The genin were shivering while several of the older shinobi felt sweat trickle down their necks. Naruto felt a sense of doom begin to weigh down on him.
"You will be confined to the Konoha Maximum Security Facility known as the Scorching Quarry, for a period of no less than five years," Danzo answered. "Your status as a shinobi has been stripped from you and your chakra will be sealed. ANBU, take the prisoner away to be prepared for transport to Scorching Quarry."
Two ANBU members appeared behind Naruto and took hold of the blonde's arms. Without a word, the trio vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Naruto!" Sakura, Sasuke and several others cried out as the smoke dissipated.
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Team 8, Team 10, Team Gai and the two remaining genin members of Team 7 along with their senseis were seated at a back table of Ichiraku Ramen.
"How can this have happened?" Kiba growled. "Why would the Hokage arrest and claim Naruto as disloyal? Naruto would never purposely attack anyone!"
"Kiba, there is nothing that can be done," Kurenai said. "The Hokage has made his decision and nothing can change that."
"But sensei, Naruto-kun is innocent," Hinata stammered. "He would not have injured that man except for that Sai attacking Naruto-kun."
"We all know that Hinata," Asuma said. "But we can't change the Hokage's decree. He has said that Naruto is guilty of assaulting a civilian, and as a ninja, that is a very serious crime. The civilians look to the village's shinobi to protect them, and the Hokage must balance the needs of both shinobi and civilians very carefully or we could face a civil war."
"So what!" Sasuke shouted, slamming a fist down on the table. "Naruto was set up! Didn't you all realize that Sai's last name is Shimura, same as Danzo's! That has to be some sort of illegal, or conflict of interest."
"Sasuke, you know that the Hokage is the highest authority in the village," Kakashi said. "While the fact that they had the same name, there is nothing that we can do. As Hokage, Danzo pretty much is in complete control and despite him being related to this Sai. There is no way to overturn his ruling via that type of bias. The previous Hokage have all been part of clans, aside from the Yondaime, and there are no laws pertaining to relation-bias when it comes to military tribunals or trials."
"That's bull," Sasuke snarled. "We were all there Kakashi, we saw that this Sai attacked Naruto and he was defending himself."
"True but Uzumaki-san also threw a deadly weapon into a crowd of unarmed civilians," Shino said. "While he was defending himself, Uzumaki-san did attempt to injure a fellow Konoha shinobi, and did injure a Konoha citizen, and he must suffer the consequences."
"Are you saying that Naruto deserves to be stripped of his rank and thrown in prison for five year?" Sasuke demanded, his Sharingan flaring to life in his anger.
"Sasuke! Control yourself!" Kakashi barked, anger creeping into his voice. "As much as it pains me to say, but Shino is essentially correct. Naruto did commit a crime, and must deal with the consequences."
Sasuke looked at his sensei with disgust and betrayal. He looked to his teammate, Sakura, but saw that she was still seemingly in shock. The pink-haired genin had not said anything since Danzo had accused Naruto of killing her parents. Sasuke turned back to Kakashi. "So all that talk about those who abandon their comrades being less than scum was just that, just talk. Well then Kakashi, you are the worst type of scum!"
Kakashi reeled back as if struck.
"You know as well as I that Naruto never had a chance in that farce of a trial," Sasuke snarled. "That Danzo most likely set up the situation, I don't know what for but he was willing to set Naruto up like that to get his way. And I will not rest until justice is done."
"Watch what you say genin, you shouldn't accuse the Hokage of something like that," Asuma warned. "At least without any proof," the Sarutobi added. "For what it is worth, I do believe that the Hokage does have a plan regarding Naruto. My old man told me that there was no one who loved this village more than Danzo Shimura, and that his love for Konoha was so strong that the old man was afraid of what Danzo might do to protect it."
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Blinking rapidly, Naruto looked up and around his cell. The two ANBU members had dumped him here after taking him from the courtroom. He couldn't believe that he had been stripped of being a ninja.
'So you are just going to give up then?' a deep rumbling voice echoed in Naruto's head.
'Furball?' Naruto asked.
'Don't call me that brat!' the eons old fox demon roared causing Naruto to flinch.
'What do you want?' Naruto asked. 'Can't you tell I'm…'
'You're giving up meat bag,' the fox growled. 'The brat I knew would never give up, even in the face of death.'
'I haven't given up, I've just accepted the situation as hopeless,' Naruto retorted. 'It's over, Danzo is going to yank you from my seal and then toss my corpse aside while trying to reseal you. You'll most likely be able to escape then, isn't that what you want?'
'True, I long for the chance to be free but there is something that makes me uneasy around that man,' Kyubi said. 'Something that he is hiding that spells unease for us. Come on meat bag, what about your precious people? You know that this Danzo won't stand by and keep your friends safe. You have your damnable father's and mother's memories in your skull now, they dealt with the man. And you know that he will lead your friends to their deaths!'
'I know that fox,' Naruto shot back. 'But there's nothing I can do now, I'm about to die!'
'You have time now don't you?' the fox shouted. 'That seal they put on you is; we both know that you are not as much of an idiot that people think. Now use that prankster mind of yours to get us out of here!'
'Why are you trying to help me fox?' Naruto asked. 'Don't you want to get free?'
'Yes I do but I want to kill you more,' the Kyubi argued. 'I might be a demon but I have honor and you dying and me being released because I was forcefully yanked from here is not honorable. Now get to work brat. They won't leave you alone for much longer.'
'What are you asking for?' Naruto asked.
'The only way to free you and myself from that seal they put on is to flood it with chakra and overload it,' the fox said.
'How much chakra would be need to break the seal?' Naruto asked.
The Kyubi was silent for a moment as it considered the question. 'I would need to flood the damnable seal that you father put on you with enough chakra to overwhelm it, and still overwhelm the other seal,' the Kyubi said. 'I estimate that I would need to use at least two tails worth of chakra, more likely three to be safe and sure.'
'There's no way my body could handle that much of your chakra fox,' Naruto barked. 'That much chakra could just as easily destroy my seal or give you the chance to take over.'
'If that were true, I would have done it already and taken over your pathetic body and soul,' the Kyubi snarled. 'As much as it pains me to admit but I have never met a human who was so gifted with fuinjutsu as your damnable father, even members of that wretched Uzumaki clan were not so talented. I would need your permission to release that much chakra into your body.'
Naruto frowned. 'So much for the all powerful Kyubi,' the blonde muttered.
'What was that boy!' the fox roared.
'Even if your chakra could destroy this seal, how could I escape this place?' Naruto asked. 'There's no way these bastards would just let me waltz out, free and clear. And even if I did manage to escape, what would be the point? I've been stripped of my ninja status and sentenced to prison for five years.'
'So you are just going to give up then?'the Kyubi asked. 'So all your talk about never going back on your word was just talk? It seems that you are just like all the other weak humans, all talk and cowardly in the face of adversity.'
'I am no coward!' Naruto shouted.
'Then prove it!' the fox roared back. 'Allow me to break that puny seal so that we both can escape from this wretched place.'
'And what is in it for you if we did manage to escape? You could just as easily break free when they try and remove you from me.'
'I have already told you brat,' the Kyubi shouted. 'That Danzo is hiding something. He does not strike me as someone who would not have planned for all possibilities. I fear that this Danzo has some means of controlling either you or even myself at his disposal. His chakra reeks of malice as well as two scents that I despise more than anything.'
'I didn't know that the mighty Kyubi feared anything,' Naruto remarked. 'But what did you mean by two scents that you despise? How can one person have more than one scent?'
'One is much like your teammate's scent,' the fox snarled. 'The Uchiha, and the other is that of Hashirama.'
'Hashirama? You mean the Shodai Hokage?' Naruto asked.
'Yes him,' the Kyubi snarled darkly. 'This Danzo's scent reeks of the Sharingan and Mokuton.'
'How? The Shodai didn't have any relatives that gained his bloodline and Danzo isn't an Uchiha,' Naruto said.
'I don't know brat,' the Kyubi growled. 'I refuse to understand what any of you pathetic humans, all I can say is that this Danzo seems similar to your cycloptic-sensei.'
'Like Kakashi…' Naruto trailed off as he thought about what the fox had said.
Brat, if you don't make up your mind soon,' the Kyubi warned. 'It will be too late, I'll be dragged out of you, you'll be dead and Danzo will use me as a weapon. He'll kill your friends either just as an example or send them on a mission that will see them killed. You know that I am right, you have your damnable parents' memories of the man, and you have seen what this Danzo is like. If I didn't get such a feeling from the man, I would respect him for his brutality and deceptiveness.'
'Figures that a Biju like you would agree with a bastard like Danzo,' Naruto groused. 'You said that you would need to flood the seal with three tails worth of chakra, right?'
'Correct.'
'What effects will there be if I agree to this?' Naruto asked.
'Nothing serious, you would most likely feel the exhilaration of letting loose, your speed, strength and smell will be greatly enhanced,' the Kyubi said. 'Also you might succumb to my bloodlust,' the fox added in an undertone.
'If I do this, I'll never be able to come back to the village,' Naruto said. 'But if this is the only way to get out of here, fine. But you have to promise me that you won't make me attack my friends.'
'Very well brat,' the Kyubi agreed. 'I give you my word that I will not attack your 'precious people' should you lose control.'
Naruto narrowed his eyes at the immense demon before him.
'Do it,' the blonde said.
The massive demon bared its gleaming white teeth as a tidal wave of bubbling red chakra slammed into the large gates the separated the Kyubi and Naruto. The bubbling red chakra seeped through the gates and surrounded Naruto, all while the Kyubi chucked darkly in the shadows.
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"What the hell is going on?" a flat voice asked his partner as a wave of chilling chakra washed over the ANBU headquarters.
"It's coming from the jinchuriki's cell," another flat voice said. The two ANBU turned toward the end of the hallway where Naruto's cell was, just as the door was blasted off its hinges. Out of the dust and smoke stepped a recognizable figure.
"Uzumaki, you will stand down or we will force you to stand down," one of the ROOT guards ordered.
A bone-chilling laugh spilled from Naruto's lips. "Do you really think you weaklings can stop me?" Naruto asked. As the blonde stepped into the lit corridor, the ROOT guards saw that Naruto was surrounded by a cloak of bubbling red chakra. Two long tails of chakra thrashed wildly behind the blonde, scoring deep burn marks in whatever they touched. As they watched in growing horror as a third tail began sprouting from Naruto's back.
"Time for some fun," Naruto cackled.
The two ROOT ANBU didn't even have time to scream before their heads were shorn from their shoulders. Naruto idly watched the blood drip from his claws and fall to the ground. The possessed blonde's ears twitched as he picked up the faint approach of footsteps. Looking down at his still bloodied hand, a swirling ball of purple chakra bloomed to life in his palm.
"Rasengan!" Naruto roared as he slammed the jutsu into the wall of the prison. The seals that normally protected the walls of the prison couldn't hold up to the immense influx of demonic chakra, and buckled for a second before giving way. Sunlight streamed into the prison corridor.
"Uzumaki!" Naruto turned to see Danzo along with two squads of ROOT ANBU at the far end of the corridor. "You will stand down!"
"Please Danzo, why the hell would I listen to you?" Naruto snarled. "You are just wanting to rip the Kyubi from me and then reseal it into someone else. Later you bastard!"
Naruto leapt out of the hole that his Rasengan had caused and vanished.
"After him!" Danzo roared. The two squads of ROOT ANBU tore after Naruto through the hole and into the village.
The village hidden amongst the leaves shivered as the citizens felt a malicious chakra wash over them, a chakra that they hadn't felt in nearly thirteen years. Bone chilling laughter filtered through the streets of Konoha.
"Kakashi, that's!" Gai exclaimed as the two elder shinobi recognized the malevolent chakra.
"I know, come on," Kakashi snapped as the two raced through the village. The pair skidded to a stop as they rounded the corner onto the main street of the village, and starred in horror at the scene in front of them. Three tails of chakra were swirling around a feral looking Naruto, who was on all fours in the middle of the street. Bodies of ROOT ANBU were strewn in pieces all around the possessed blonde.
"Kakashi-sensei, what's going on?"
Kakashi froze at the sound of a new voice. Sasuke and Sakura appeared beside their sensei.
"Is that Naruto?" Sakura asked, her voice trembling.
"Yes," Kakashi admitted. "It seems that the Kyubi tried to take over Naruto."
A devastating roar tore through the village's center, shattering windows and ripping shingles off roofs for nearly a mile from the epicenter of the roar. Team 7 and Gai froze in trepidation as Naruto turned his head slowly in their direction. They saw Naruto's normally sky-blue eyes were now blood red with a red slit pupil. His whisker marks had darkened into nearly inch thick marks and fangs jutted from thin black lips. It was a picture that would haunt even the most seasoned of shinobi's dreams.
"Don't let it escape!" Danzo's booming voice roared from atop a nearby building. "We must subdue the beast!"
Naruto's head spun toward the shout and he roared once more, this time sending a concentrated blast of sound waves toward the Hokage. Danzo leapt clear, displaying agility far surpassing his advanced age, just as the building he had vacated exploded into slivers of wood and glass.
"Naruto, stop this!" Sasuke and Sakura shouted. Naruto turned toward his teammates and grinned madly. The normally charming expression sent shivers up the two genins' spines as their blonde teammate's face was stretched around Naruto's jutting fangs. He crouched down, seemingly ready to spring toward them, but suddenly froze and gripped his head. It looked like he was battling himself.
"You gave your word fox," Naruto's voice came out gravely and demonic but Sasuke and Sakura could hear their friend's regular voice underneath it. "You said that you wouldn't harm them!" Slowly the red bubbling chakra began to recede back into Naruto. When the chakra finally vanished, in the middle of a long crater stood a panting Naruto.
"Uzumaki!" Danzo roared as he surged toward the blonde.
"Taju Kage Bunshin!" Naruto roared. In a massive explosion of smoke, hundreds of Naruto clones burst into existence and scattered throughout the village.
"No!" Danzo cried as his ROOT ANBU descended upon the clones with a vengeance.
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It had been only hours since Naruto had escaped Konoha with the help of the Kyubi, and the village was still on lockdown due to Danzo's orders. Teams of ROOT ANBU were scouring the village for any sign of the blonde but so far they were having no luck.
"Citizens of Konoha I have an announcement to make," Danzo shouted as he appeared on top of the Hokage Tower. "The criminal, Naruto Uzumaki, has escaped custody and fled. If I find out that anyone aided his escape, you will be treated as a traitor to Konoha. Now Uzumaki will be marked as an S-rank missing ninja in all Bingo Books with a capture on sight order attached. You might question why this is so, Uzumaki is the wielder of the Kyubi no Kitsune. When the Sandaime said that the Yondaime defeated the Kyubi twelve years ago, he was lying. The Yondaime instead created a weapon out of Uzumaki, a weapon that would have put Konoha at the pinnacle of the village in this world. But the Sandaime would not let Uzumaki be trained as Konoha's ultimate weapon; instead he put Uzumaki in a rundown apartment and kept the boy ignorant of his purpose. And so, Uzumaki decided to flee the village as a coward instead of becoming the most powerful weapon that Konoha has ever had. So in turn, Uzumaki will be brought back to the village in chains and he will be made to become our ultimate weapon, and with it Konoha shall rise above all other ninja villages and we shall have peace!"
A/N: Well there you have it, the newest and final chapter of...this arc! Don't worry, I'm not done just yet. Hope you all enjoyed this revised chapter, it is pretty difficult trying to get the Kyubi to act all evil now. I have not decided whether the fox will be an ally or evil, so I'll leave it up to you. Leave me a review or PM telling me which I should do, I'll also put up a poll for more input. Til next time,
S.R.W.M.O