Chapter 10:
There was an unseen foulness in the air, suffocating him.
Naruto disregarded it and walked forwards, stilling in the middle of the field. He folded his arms and closed his eyes and a moment later, dark pigment formed around them.
A spray of weapons came at him, almost immediately and Naruto deflected them without even looking. He concentrated all his senses on finding the intruders.
He tilted his head and looked up suddenly, "you shouldn't have come here," he murmured dangerously, "now, you'll be dead within the hour... Zetsu."
A low mocking laughter sounded and a second later a hundred black plant bodies rose all around him. Naruto raised a brow and considered them coolly.
"are you sure about that, Uzumaki Naruto?"
For a brief moment, Naruto stood in absolute stillness. Then he charged forwards in a blur of orange and yellow attacking danger head-on, the only way he knew how.
He wanted to end this fight quickly and effectively. Zetsu was amazingly skilled at gathering information and running away. The way he had easily entered the village despite all the barriers was troubling. Zetsu could not be allowed to reach Madara again. For that he needed to find the original Zetsu body and eliminate it first. That would make the extensions without guide and easy to take out.
There!
Up in the opposite tree was the original. Naruto made a seal, surrounded himself with clones, planning furiously. He charged suddenly again, ignoring Sasuke's voice in his head yelling Stop and THINK, you idiot!
He waited for an opportune moment, a small distraction and when it came he flew to slam a Rasengan into the original Zetsu with such force that they smashed the tree into half.
The Rasengan bore into the original, draining the life out of Zetsu. For a minute the eerie plant-man was still, then suddenly his hand protruded out to crush into Naruto's shoulder, smiling in triumph. Naruto ignored the pain, intent only upon eliminating the enemy.
He took a step back when sudden silence fell.
Darkness.
There was utter darkness surrounding him. Naruto frowned...this was not logical. After the original body is killed all the extensions were supposed to become weaker. That's what happened with white Zetsu.
His senses strained for any indication of movement around him. The forest was still as a grave.
"Kyubi-junchuuriki," Zetsu's voice seemed to be everywhere, "you can't sense me now...I learnt a special trick just for this. In case you didn't notice, you're senses are numb."
Naruto cursed. A trap was set for him and he had walked into it!
Naruto managed to dodge a kunai at the last instant, but a full dragger got him squarely in the back, forcing him to use a replacement technique. He fell on his knees as sudden paralysis hit him.
"the more you use chakra, the more your senses die, " Zetsu backed up smiling...Madara wanted Naruto alive, but he wasn't the one to stop when he started a slaughter, did he?
Kurama-sama! I could really use your help right now!
Naruto widened his eyes as he met with a void in the place of the kyubi. Sudden knowledge flased in his brain. He abruptly realised that the reason he could'nt reach the nine-tails was because the demon was injured.
The kyubi was hurt...possibly outcold.
Then he felt the poison slowly seeping into his heart. He saw the crowd of Zetsu blare weapons and charge at him. He fell down barely conscious, dimly calculating the seconds his clones needed to get to him and that Sasuke would definitely kill him if he broke a bone over this.
A Rasengan came out of nowhere and sent bodies flying. In the same instant, with an almighty roar, the kyubi burst, engulfing him with red chakra. Naruto wearily opened his eyes to the Fourth's concerned face.
"I'm...fine," he gasped, "Eliminate...every body...go. Don't let any escape."
The Yondaime nodded grimly and disappeared.
Kushina pumped her chakra-seals into Naruto and he slowly regained his full conscious. He straightened, intending to follow and help the Fourth...he froze as his eyes fell upon the battle.
Naruto stared.
All ninja dodged death, but the Yondaime seemed to be dancing with it. Soft nimble movements, just close enough to tempt the enemy yet far enough to flicker away and cut them into half.
Naruto had never seen anything so incredible.
So beautiful.
The Yondaime fought just like an artist painted or a geshia danced, with enough beauty and grace to sting the eye and mesmerise. The Fourth faced a hundred opponents with only a single kunai, flying soft as a feather killing before the enemy had even perceived the threat, before they even panicked, before they even blinked.
It was all over in seconds.
The Yondaime stilled suddenly in the middle of the battle-field, eyes darting everywhere, his kunai poised in pure style. As if on cue, the hundred bodies fell, in heaps of severed limbs and lifeless forms.
Naruto resisted the urge to whistle and clap.
Kushina finished breaking the minute poisonous seals and smiled at his enthralled face, "they were using forbidden Uzumaki seals to hide their presence. It works as a numbing poison and that is why you didn't sense anything," she gently examined a deep cut, "this red chakra is the kyubi's I assume?"
"hai," said Naruto, straightening a bit when his father flickered over and knelt beside him as well.
The Fourth ran his hand through Naruto's hair and held it, "Are you hurt badly?" he demanded softly.
Naruto shook his head still staring at him in amazement, "no. Sir. Not me, the Kyubi is hurt."
"The kyubi's hurt?" Kushina asked perplexed, "How can that be?" .
"Kaa-chan, his name is Kurama," Naruto said, pointing at his stomach with his free hand.
His parents looked thunderstruck.
"He spoke to you?" his mother demanded eyes wide with disbelief.
"Yeah," Naruto grinned at her, "he's a chatter box, but he knows a lot of stuff."
The Yondaime's hand tightened in his hair and he asked keenly, "Does he like you?"
"hai," Naruto smiled, "he is one of my best friends," he frowned, "he got hurt, when I crossed over the void. I didn't realise it at that time...I didn't realise the silence meant that."
"Well." The Fourth removed his hand and tapped Naruto's nose, "you must do everything to help him recover in that case," his eyes snapped towards the forest, "but, we'll talk about it later. Kakashi is coming. Naruto, Kushina, remember to hide the truth, and if in doubt, scratch your nose, I will intervene with something."
"I can't scratch my nose, Minato! Do you have any idea how unladylike it is?"
"Well, then there is this move you can do your arms-"
"oh, stay silent," Kushina sighed in exasperation, "I will lift my left-eye-brow like this, and then you will intervene."
"Hai hai." The Fourth agreed, rolling his eyes at Naruto.
Naruto grinned and nodded as well and the Yondaime gestured to Kushina and they quickly stepped back. He slowly shifted to rest on his heels, still feeling wobbly and woozy.
He frowned in mild distress when he heard the low grumble of the kyubi. All his life, he had never known a situation where the mighty Kurama was hurt. This was the first time the kyubi was using his chakra to heal itself, not the other way around.
He needed to float inside his mind to talk face-to-face with the nine-tails.
But not now. Straining his brain could trigger a relapse...and with the Kyubi hurt too, Naruto didn't want to test his luck.
The Fourth is concerned about you too, Kurama-sama.
The answering growl that met him nearly burst his ear-drums. Naruto patted his stomach in fond amusement. He had been stunned to learnwhat the nine-tails felt towards the Fourth and he couldn't wait to tease him about it.
A twig snapped somewhere and a second later Uchiha Sasuke burst from the trees.
"Took you long enough," Naruto mock growled. He regretted saying it almost immediately.
Sasuke stood frozen and pale like a white ghost. His creepy red eyes were raking in every inch of Naruto, taking in the poison, the slime and the various cuts on his body that were still healing.
"Are you alright." Sasuke murmured in an extremely deranged tone.
Although he was not moving, the amount of chakra and tension circulating in him was putting even the kyubi on the edge. There was a lot of blood on Sasuke's chest and Naruto was sure none of it belonged to him.
"Sasuke," Naruto said, forcing his stance to be deliberately casual, "are you alright?"
His voice seemed to jolt Sasuke. He glided towards Naruto with a stride that seemed unstoppable. A wild untamed dark force increased around him with every step he took. There was a look on his face that made Naruto panic a little.
"Who are you?" Sasuke purred the question at his parents, eyes still looking at Naruto.
A chill ran over Naruto's limbs. Sasuke was in one of his moods.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Naruto saw his mother narrow her eyes into slits before she wiped out all expression from her features. The Fourth stood beside her, his body motionless and relaxed, but the gleam in his eyes sent ice down Naruto's spine.
"They are my people," Naruto said hastily, stepping in between, "under my protection. And this," Naruto told his parents, "this is Uchiha Sasuke. My team-mate and best-friend."
Sasuke ignored him. His sharingan shifted and focused on the new-comers. Then they blared into pretty pin-wheels.
Mangekyu sharingan!
Naruto flickered in front of Sasuke, "What the hell are you doing, teme! Stop!"
Sasuke's presence was growing steadily cold, he was unleashing chakra at an alarming pace, twirling it to form a protective barrier around him. The currents of untamed force were strong enough to push Naruto back a few paces.
Susanoo!
Naruto narrowed his eyes, "Sasuke, look at me!" he shouted, grabbing his shoulders through the purple barrier.
Sasuke took a step forwards, sliding Naruto bodily back, "look at me, you bastard! " Naruto growled, "They are allies, I was poisoned in the middle of the fight, they helped me kill Zetsu."
Sasuke's chakra was spiralling out of control.
"Don't make me hurt you Sasuke, stop!" Naruto shouted, "they saved my fucking life!"
The words seemed to register. Sasuke turned his head and stared at him with absolute stillness.
"Stop." repeated Naruto again, panting at the effort to hold Sasuke back.
At last, Sasuke's posture relaxed and he stepped very close in front of Naruto. The purple barrier faded, but he still continued to look positively demented, "You could have died," he murmured, again in that strange low tone.
Naruto shook his head calmly, acutely aware that his answer was going to either hurl Sasuke over the edge of whatever abyss he was balanced on or anchor him down and tie him still to this world.
"I die by your hands and you die by mine," he said softly, earnestly, watching Sasuke watch him talk, "we have a deal, Sasuke. Remember?"
Naruto locked his eyes and simply held it. Sasuke's fists clenched tightly at his sides, his spine strained giving the impression of a deranged animal prepared to pounce in any moment. Finally he bowed his head and nodded.
Kakashi, Shizune and a group of ANBU appeared, immediately surrounding Naruto from all sides.
"Late as usual, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto greeted them, removing his hands from Sasuke's shoulders, but not stepping away.
"Looks like you took care of matters here," Kakashi sighed.
"Sasuke-kun," Shizune turned grimly, "you eliminated all the rogue-nins...we could have learn a bit more about Madara's plan."
"They attacked the village?" Naruto asked in alarm.
Kakashi shook his head, "just few rogue-nin followed Tsunade-sama at the borders.. I'm not sure if Madara was involved...Sasuke... didn't let us interrogate them."
"ah."
His single eye travelled over to Minato and Kushina, "and you are?" he asked lazily, raising a kunai and betraying absolutely nothing.
The ANBU raised their weapons at them as well.
"They are my guests, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto explained hurriedly, "they helped me clean up this."
"Hoh?"
"Hai," said Naruto and gestured for his parents to come closer. The Fourth stepped into the light his sharp cold gaze fixed on Sasuke. Kushina glided beside him, eyes closed regally and not even a hair out of place.
The crowd of Konoha ninja stared at her.
Shizune stepped forward and bowed, "Welcome to Konoha. May I enquire to your name and place of birth?"
Kushina opened her eyes and regarded Shizune coolly, "I am Lady Uzumaki from the lost land of Whirlpool. And this is my husband."
Shizune gasped, "That can't be possible."
Kushina's lips curled into a slight sneer, "This mark on my forehead is proof of my heritage, silly girl," she rolled her eyes in irritation; "Now, what is your name, surely it cannot be as important as mine."
"Shizune."
"hoh? The legendary Kato Dan's niece?"
Shizune nodded in amazement, "how did you know?"
Kushina laughed, her armour of hostility dropping, "well well. The last time I visited Konoha; he was courting your Godaime and making a fool of himself."
"But how can-"
"Like many Uzumakis, I am a long-liver," Kushina interrupted her in a long suffering voice, "I was around since the Sanin were children and the Third a young man."
"That's really a long time ago," Kakashi said his voice laced with suspicion.
"Yes, it is...son of the White Fang," Kushina smirked," ...you have grown well."
Kakashi raised a lazy white brow, but Naruto could read amusement in that gesture.
"Don't overwhelm them so, my wife," the Fourth reminded her, "save some for the Hokage-sama as well."
"ah," Kushina smiled up at him, "yosh. Little girl, I require an audience with your Hokage since Naruto-chan informs me he has yet to take his vow?"
Shizune nodded, "Tsunade-sama will be delighted to meet you."
"Wait." Sasuke ordered. His black eyes roved over Kushina, probing and distrustful, "They are hiding something."
"They can't hide anything from me," Naruto told him.
Sasuke whipped around, "you are such a dumbass that even a child could fool you."
Minato felt his shackles rise at such deliberate defiance and he kept himself in check by effort. His fingers hovered over his concealed kunai and beside him; Kushina's eyes were raging on Sasuke.
"Her chakra levels are too high, too sinister," Sasuke continued coldly, "I wish to interrogate her, she could be enemy."
"Funny," Kushina replied flatly at once, "I am having the same notions about you."
They glared at each other.
Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously. He jerked his blonde head at Kakashi, silently begging him to intervene and do something.
With an utmost blank expression Kakashi stared back at him, and when Naruto's incessant jerking didn't stop, he rolled his lazy eye and slouched forwards.
"This is so fun, Naruto-sama," Kakashi purred, "boyfriend gets to meet the parents at last."
A moment of stunned silence fell while Naruto widen his eyes and blanched. And then-
"KAKASHI-BASTARD-SENSEI!"
The copy-ninja raised his hands in a gesture of amused surrender dodging the sea of weapons thrown at him, "Gomen gomen" he said not looking sorry at all, "sensei is sorry!"
"I'LL KILL YOU AND YOUR PERVERTNESS RIGHT NOW!"
Sasuke silently moved out of the way of the explosion of Naruto's kage-bunshins. He gave Kakashi a fleeting glance, removed his katana and offered the hilt to a clone.
The hoard of ANBU collecting Zetzu's corpses, paused and cast the male members of team 7 vaguely amused looks.
Shizune smiled sheepishly at Kushina's startled expression, "uh..Lady Uzumaki, please disregard their behaviour...Kakashi-san is crazy, yes, but he is a very respected ninja. As are Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun."
The new-comers nodded at her absently, their attention solely on Naruto.
"Naruto-kun!" Shizune shouted, "Tsunade-sama is waiting for you. Please calm down and concentrate."
Her words were lost in the confusion. She turned and appealed breathlessly, "Sasuke-kun? "
Sasuke did not move for a long second, and then he nodded once and glided away. The Fourth watched with growing unease as he fluidly entered the shouting brigade of Naruto's clones, grabbed the real Naruto by his back collar and dragged him over to her.
Minato exchanged a troubled glance with his wife, both of them noticing at once the easy fluency between the two boys.
"Shizune -neechan," Naruto said, straightening and trying to look important and unaffected, "let's get them to the village, "he said, waving a hand at his parents, "the ANBU will take Zetsu into the T&I. Inform Yamanaka Ino that I am putting her in charge of this."
Ever the diplomat, Shizune bowed gracefully, "I understand, Rokudaime."
Naruto nodded and turned to go.
"Sasuke," Kakashi called, "stay back and assist Ino," he gave a meaningful look to Naruto; "he is more helpful to the village this way."
Sasuke shifted his gaze to Kakashi, deadly and ready to strike, "fuck the village."
The Fourth narrowed his eyes and the ANBU shifted menacingly.
"Calm, soldier," Naruto growled softly. Everybody immediately paused.
His parent's attention was pressing against his senses, demanding attention, but Naruto didn't dare to look at them. He titled his head towards Kakashi and said in an uncompromising voice, "Sasuke stays with me, sensei."
Kakashi sighed, "aa."
"Lets go."
.
.
Godaime Hokage Tsunade had always been fond of Uzumaki Naruto.
It was a strange and tenuous sort of fondness, for the brat remained her of her precious ones.
Precious dead ones.
Fondness turned to respect, whenever he stood in defence of Konoha and her people. It burst forth as admiration whenever the brat got up after every blow, and it intensified as love when he saved her and the entire world, smashing evil with his bare hands.
Jiraiya would have been bursting with pride, had he been alive. Tsunade knew this...because she was too.
Tsunade also knew that just like the night stars disappearing outside, she was fading fast. That was one of the many reasons she'd been dedicated on Naruto's leadership. Although the reasons were changing daily, she never once regretted her decision.
But danger was looming again.
The masked Madara.
Tsunade-sama bit her lip and scowled ferociously.
The lone wisp of the war remained, still deadly and poisonous and heading straight for Naruto. Tsunade-sama intended to deal with it immediately and effectively.
The more time Madara got to plan his next move, the more trouble it would be for Konoha.
Not that Naruto needed help to defeat any enemy. He was an unstoppable force when it comes to the things he loves and no one is going to stop him. He was officially the messiah of peace and the leader of the new world. One signal from him and the five nations would appear instantly to stand in his defence.
Moreover, Naruto has Konoha behind him now.
Tsunade turned around her cup of steaming tea, watching the rising sun thoughtfully. Although invincible, Naruto was still a boy and prone to making mistakes. It was up to her to guide him through whatever little he had still to learn about leadership and power tactics.
She took a sip and cast her eyes around the room.
Despite the early hour, all the clan-heads and prominent shinobi were present in the conference, trying to determine their next step.
Tsunade-sama smiled inwardly, for most of their strategies were mainly focusing on keeping their village hero safe, rather than laying traps for Madara.
"...and who gives a damn?" Nara Shikaku drawled lazily, "Madara is just one defeated weakened old man...let him come and get killed for it. Our main objective should be keeping Naruto-kun secure and here...where he belongs."
"Hear! Hear!" Akimichi Choza yelled," Here! Here!"
"Will you two shut up?" Yamanaka Inoichi sighed, "Naruto-kun cannot concentrate on developing the village if he is constantly worried about Madara. Unlike you two morons he has brains and knows he can't under-estimate the enemy."
"That is true, Tsunade-sama," Hyuuga Hiashi murmured, blinking his pale eyes, "Distracted as Naruto-sama is, he has still managed to drill out such unique and exceptional economic policies...just imagine, how brilliant he will be if he is focused solely on the village and his... people."
"Agreed, Hyuuga," barked Inuzuka Tsume, "just say the word Hokage-sama. Me and our Sixth will go hunting, kill the son of a hyena and be back in Konoha in what? One? two weeks tops."
"This is an ideal plan, Tsunade-sama," Aburame Shibi murmured, "I do not doubt Naruto-kun's abilities even for a second. Just look at what he's done in your absence."
Indeed, the air all around the village pounded with the steady rhythmic sizzle of Naruto's unique mix of red and blue chakra. Along with his unfathomable Barrier seals and hundreds of clones, the Rokudaime had effectively made the village utterly impenetrable to anyone outside of Konoha's origin.
Tsunade-sama steeped his fingers and smirked.
One thing was certain; Naruto's will of fire had managed to win the unflinching loyalty of all the clans.
She turned and looked up moments before the door banged open. Naruto walked in, with his hands at the back of his head and eyes dancing as he was being thoroughly reprimand by both Shizune and Sakura.
Tsunade raised her brows. The brat must have done something very interesting to have them both on his case at the same time.
A familiar dark shadow materialised on the roof outside the window immediately. Tsunade scowled.
Uchiha Sasuke...Irritating mosquito.
Naruto ran his eyes over the large room and there was an abrupt shift in the atmosphere. Tsunade-sama couldn't quite stop the smile on her lips when she noticed the entire room sit up straighter, pleased as ever to see their blond hero.
"Tsunade-no-baachan!" Naruto shouted his greeting at her. Tsunade-sama's eye twitched.
"I step out for three days, Uzumaki , THREE days and you turn my office into a billiard, and have the nerve to disappear and leave my men in hysterics."
"I missed you too, Hokage-sama ,"Naruto grinned, "and I didn't disappear...I was fighting black Zetsu," his grin turned feral, "He's dead."
A hushed silence fell.
Tsunade-sama laced her fingers and eyed Naruto for a long time. Her gaze shifted from Naruto to the copy-ninja, casually leaning against the wall and back to Naruto again.
"Report."
In a few short sentences, and a little help from Shizune, Naruto briskly explained the attack on his home by the Zetsu clones and his subsequent dismissal.
"I didn't do it alone," Naruto told the silent room, "I had help from- "he turned to the door and called out, "actually, why don't you guys come on in," he jerked his head at Kakashi who went and opened the door.
There was a soft rustle and two figures stepped in.
Tsunade stared.
The weight of the stunned silence turned heavy with inquisitiveness. Out of the corner of her eyes, Tsunade-sama noticed the entire room staring at the guests with open interest.
"Senju Tsunade," the woman greeted her softly, "you are exactly as you were when we last met," her green orbs studied Tsunade with concentration, and she smiled, and it reminded Tsunade of another long forgotten motherly face. Her seal tags gleamed and the familiar diamond shaped mark on her forehead crackled with power.
"Who are you?"
Shizune hurried to her side and presented Tsunade-sama with a detailed written scroll.
"I am Lady Uzumaki, "she bowed and her posture was immaculate, "from the lost land of the Whirlpool."
Tsunade-sama resisted the urge to stand up and bow back. Although her pulse was racing she carefully kept anything but a mild curiosity in her voice, "you do look...familiar."
The man stepped forward then, drawing the attention of the whole room at once. He was tall and thin and utterly remarkable for his triteness. His white locks shook in neat waves as he bowed.
He straightened and his eyes touched hers. Tsunade-sama almost gasped.
The blue eyes!... so similar and yet...his entire aura burned like a flame. Zealous, noble and determined.
This was no ordinary shinobi. Anyone could see that.
"What is your name?" Tsume murmured.
"I have many names," replied the man," but please refer to me as Uzumaki-dono. I am keen as my wife to keep the great Uzumaki legacy alive."
Tsunade-sama arched an eye-brow.
All they learned was that they were from the Uzumaki clan. Asking would get them nowhere. Clearly they were hiding something, but it was not threatening to Konoha in anyway, otherwise the seals would be booming by now.
"Tsunade-hime," spoke the lady, "You would not remember us, but we remember you, well. I and my husband have been in hiding from the world since that terrible night...but three days ago we were found and attacked by a masked man. Naruto-chan saved our lives and offered asylum."
"I see," Tsunade-sama murmured, straining her senses against the traps in the tower, designed to detect falseness and hatred.
They remained silent.
The man smiled and his blue eyes turned amused, as though he knew what she was doing, "Tsunade-sama, we request to be granted permission to remain in Konoha as its citizens, under Naruto's protection."
Tsunade shifted her gaze to Naruto's earnest face. Deliberately, she leaned back into her chair and raised a delicate brow.
The brat was too trusting for his own good. It was up to her to verify every truth. But she needed a bit more information before she decided on her course.
If Madara had indeed attacked them, it was for a reason. That meant he would attack again. It could be the perfect opportunity to take him out.
Moreover a potential descendent of the great Uzumaki clan would be a brilliant thing for the village right now. Naruto could learn so much from her and her seals.
Tsunade-sama gave a fleeting glance to Inoichi and across of him, Shikaku immediately bent forwards.
"We can't just allow anybody citizenship," he drawled," as you can see, we are at war."
The husband didn't move, but something shifted, making his smile sharper. His eyes moved over to Shikaku, "your Rokudaime himself offered us asylum Nara-san..." he grinned at everyone's surprise at this recognition, "he believes our talents will serve Konoha well."
"talents?" Choza scoffed, "Konoha is filled with talent at every corner-"
Stunned silence fell when the Minato suddenly disappeared in a flash of white, appearing behind Tsunade-sama in the same instant, with a drawn kunai to her throat.
So fast!
Tsunade-sama's green chakra fist was posed against the man's lower abdomen, but everyone knew it would have been too late.
There was something about him, which made senses tingle and jump to the very edge.
He's dangerous.
The man cast an almost cocky look at the ANBU and the clan-heads and disappeared again, this time appearing directly beside Naruto. He very nearly smirked...something that could be very attractive; had the situation been different. Lady Uzumaki glided to Naruto's other side and together they offered a united front to the Hokage-sama.
"Uzumaki Naruto is my direct descendant, Tsunade-hime," Lady Uzumaki purred," Our loyalty to him is fierce and total."
Tsunade-sama frowned severely when the security seals refused to blare, yet again.
"As impressive as your ability is to Naruto," Kakashi's voice broke the stunned silence, "all decisions are still to be taken by our current Hokage Tsunade-sama."
"I can wait," Kushina said and grinned, "Besides, Lady Mito was my great-great-grandmother. I have strong familial bonds to your current and next Hokage. By all accounts I am already a Konoha shinobi."
"If I may ask, Lady Uzumaki," Kakashi continued, "how are you are related to Naruto?"
Kushina drawled out, enjoying herself immensely, "Uzumaki Kushina was my father's brother's cousin's mother's sister's second son's second daughter. So clearly, Naruto-chan is closely related to me. He is practically my son."
"Then you have every right to remain in Konoha, Lady Uzumaki," Hiashi murmured, "Permission could be granted for you to remain as Konoha civilians-"
Kushina's eyes narrowed dangerously, "I am a shinobi, Hyuuga-san. Regardless of what you say, I will fight to protect Naruto-chan."
"Then do we have your consent to evaluate you in a fight?" Shikaku asked immediately, "we need to know where to slot you in the system and how well you can fit in our village."
"Sure," Kushina smirked challengingly, "My husband is hurt, but you have already seen what he can do. And expect for Naruto-chan, I'm ready to fight anyone."
Kakashi's gaze met Naruto's in a flat stare. He frowned, recognising the signal.
It's a trap!
"Alright," Tsunade-sama spoke finally, her soft voice falling like an axe. She leaned back, hands poised regally," if you're so adamant to remain here as shinobi... you will fight one of the strongest shinobi in this village. If you can survive that, I will decide whether or not to give you a leaf's headband."
Naruto jumped in between them, "There is really no need-"
"No, Naruto," Minato interrupted him, "Only in a fight a shinobi's true intentions are known, emotions are set aside and purpose is clear. The Hokage is perfectly right to make this request."
"Tsunade-sama," Shizune asked curiously," Who is going to be Lady Uzumaki's opponent?"
The white headed Uzumaki-dono watched Tsunade-sama, as though he knew what she was about to do. For the first time, his eyes seemed pleased and he chuckled silently, as if finding the situation funny.
Instinct told Tsunade that he more powerful than he let on and that he knew her entire plan from the start. She very nearly smiled back at him in challenge.
Instead, she shifted her gaze and looked over to the window. The room exchanged glances and faint anticipatory smirks. Naruto widened his eyes in alarm.
"You will fight...," Tsunade-sama rested her face on her hands and gave Kushina a guarded look, "Uchiha Sasuke."
Author's note :
hope you like it, dear reader.
please don't forget to review...it makes me eager to write more :)
next chapter as you can guess, is epic...and funny.