The next chapter of Son of The Serpent. The aftermath of the attack on This, developments are made and rewards are given.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Naruto stood beside his father who was seated as they stood in the chamber. Right now, Naruto was trying to keep himself entertained as he listened to the man from The Land of Cloud went on.
Leading a country in war was one thing, delegating and politics that came from ruling was another he found out.
An emissary had arrived from Kumogakure today, a week after what had happened at This and the man had come offering a wedding alliance between their two villages.
It was not uncommon, and Naruto saw the benefits from it, in times of peace and in war for clans and countries would offer marriages between them in order to bring support between them. Plus they would insure that the other would not try anything against them due to being related by marriage and would be considered betraying and treason against your own family if you did.
The Emissary had come offering a wedding agreement from Kumo, they wanted Kimimaro Kaguya to wed one of their kunoichi. In return they would give aid for Oto in times of war. After having been quiet since being duped by The Jashinists and the disastrous battle against Suna, Kumo was making noise for the first time in years.
Naruto watched on as the ninja finished his offer and waited for his response.
"Denied…" Orochimaru said plainly and bluntly without even pausing to consider it. This surprised the emissary who stumbled over his words trying to find his tongue.
"But Otokage, surely you see the-"
"You expect me to send my finest soldier and bodyguard to Kumo thus robbing me of one of my strongest men and have him bed one of their Kunoichi's thus giving them access to Dead Bone Pluse?" Orochimaru replied snidely to the ninja. "I knew A spent all of his time lifting weights but even I thought he had some grasp of intelligence. This is similar to their attempt to obtain the Byakugan years ago in Konoha by offering a marriage allegiance to them. I reject this offering to them as I see no benefit to it. They are the only ones who would and I don't do something unless I gain something there." Orochimaru told him plainly.
"You are gravelly misunderstanding-"
"There is nothing to discuss here, this is over with, take your leave. Tell The Raikage to actually think for a change if he expects to outsmart me." Orochimaru ordered him and Naruto hid his smirk. "And don't try to kidnap Kimimaro like the one who tried to do so to the Hyuga girl years ago. He's known for lopping off the limbs or heads of those who antagonize him."
The Ninja tried to compose himself and left trying to hold onto some of his dignity has he had been humiliated.
Naruto snickered as he left the room as Orochimaru had embarrassed him and made him look like a fool. "You know why I did this?" Orochimaru asked his son after he had left.
"The deal was no benefit to us, Kumo would have gained access to his Kekkai Genkai giving them an extra weapon."
"Correct, when you make a deal with a person you must know what you are getting but also what they'll be getting as well. This one was easy to see that they'd be the only who benefited from it so I turned it down. Although I must admit, I may have to agree to a political marriage sometime to strengthen us. Perhaps I'll have you married off."
"Tayuya would kill every female in the world if she heard about that to keep that from happening." Naruto replied and Orochimaru chuckled.
"I believe that she would." He said to his son. "Go on, I'm sure you have things to do." Orochimaru told him dismissing him and Naruto left and went to the door when he heard his father call back to him.
"Naruto," Orochimaru told him looking him in the eye. "Whoever wields the chains of command must never let himself be weighed down by them." He said to his son. "That is an important lesson you must learn quickly."
At Spring…
A piece on the table was moved to another side of the board.
"Good move." The Princess said as she looked on at the pieces on the table pondering her next move as she was playing chess.
"I'm sure Princess Koyuki, that you have heard about what has happened not only in The Land of Wind but This as well." Sima Zun said seated across from the table said to her. In the room with them was Mitsunari Chono and Shi Saika looking on.
"I've heard the reports. Destruction and death by the sound of it." She replied as she made her move.
"This has been destroyed, it is now ruled by The Land of That and The Kazekage was nearly slain as well." He informed her as he studied the board.
"You must understand that even though these are far away from us, their ripples are being felt." Sima Zun said as he positioned his knight. "A pebble can cause a wave to merge and smash against the land battering it." He informed her. "Threats can be anywhere, especially in this time with Peace being frail as it is."
"I see," Koyuki replied to him as she positioned her Rook to block him.
"You need not worry Princess," Shi spoke up. "No one shall harm you so long as I am here." He said comforting her.
"You might but others may not be so willing to protect her." Sima Zun told them.
"W-What do you mean?" Koyuki asked a bit confused.
"A Country's strength comes from that of its ruler. A Ruler must be strong in order to gain his peoples' support as there is no benefit in following a weakling. Mitsunari," He mentioned to the one eyed Clan head. "Had his peoples' support in The Fourth War and followed him as he was a strong ruler. It did not work out the way he planned but they wouldn't have followed him if he appeared weak. Nadara may have been the first of many rebellions against you if they deem you inefficient."
"Are you questioning my strength?" She asked him and he smirked at her.
"You need to be a strong person not only to your enemies but to those who call you friend. They perceive you to be weak and they shall be glad to put a dagger in your back and follow someone else." He said as he knocked over a piece. "A person needs to appear strong, and they also need to listen to those who tell them what to do. Your Father was a weak man, hence the reason your Uncle slew him taking control of your family and you went on the run for ten years portraying an actress. Strength is important but Wisdom is more important as well in fact. For those who listen will outlive those who don't. Those who ignore good advice from councilors will often find themselves betrayed." He said as he positioned himself ready to deliver the final blow.
The Princess was finding that she wasn't liking him right now as his eyes unsettled her.
"Come let us continue." He told her and she reached to a piece to play the game.
Meanwhile In The Red Light District of Konoha Sai nervously stood outside a building. He had never been to this part of the Village. He looked and pried his eyes away from a poster of a woman with her chest barely covered by a thin cloth.
"Sai!" A voice said and he looked and saw Jiraiya. The Toad Sannin had gave him a message telling him to meet him at this address. Sai had looked for it until asking Ino Yamanaka about it for advice and for some reason she had slapped him across the face when he had asked her.
"Good you made it," Jiraiya said to the ninja who shifted a bit. "Come on, let's go inside." He said and lead him inside.
The room was lit with a red glow inside and as Jiraiya lead him Sai's jaw dropped when he saw a Geisha dancing in one of the rooms and take off her top exposing her bare back to him. "Careful you almost hit a wall." Jiraiya told him with a smirk. "You know why I have brought you here?" He asked him.
"No Jiraiya-sama. If you please I'd rather not be here, I have duties to attend to." Sai said and looked on as he saw another Geisha who smiled flirtingly at him.
"Nonsense, I'm rewarding you." Jiraiya told him as he dragged him along to a large room. "You saved my life back in This." He told him.
"I was just doing my duty sir." Sai said matter of factly.
"No, you saved me back there from them and I always reward those who I am in their debt." Jiraiya said and walked forward to a curtain. "Have you ever spent much time with a girl?"
"I've spent time with Sakura on missions and working on tasks when we are assigned to them. I've also helped some elderly women with tasks that they are-"
"Not that kind of time, a more intimate kind of time." Jiraiya said and Sai slowly shook his head. "Figured, for that, I'd like to introduce you to Kasumi." He said and removed the curtain revealing a Geisha with long auburn hair dancing gracefully around a long pole. She stopped as she spun and turned her head and gave a lustful smile to him who blushed hard as he never saw a woman this bare before.
"She's gentle with first timers." Jiraiya informed Sai who stood there nailed to the spot as Jiraiya walked toward a covered bed. "Also since you used your bird drawings to help discover bombs that they were using you helped stop more damage from happening. For that, I've arranged for Ina who's also an artist herself to meet you." He said and the beads on the bed were parted revealing a second geisha with dark hair and purple eyes twirling an umbrella and wearing a two piece bikini outfit was seated on it. She pursed her lips together blowing a kiss at Sai.
"You didn't say he'd be so cute." She said to Jiraiya as she got off the bed and along with Kasumi walked towards Sai who nervously backed away.
Jiraiya snickered in amusement and walked to a dark corner of the room. "And Karoon," He said and a third Geisha one with blue hair stepped out of the shadows of it her robe barely hanging onto her body. "Is famous for her ability to turn men made of stone into jelly with a simple touch. I'd like to introduce you to her for your loyal and continued service to Konoha and to also persuade you to stop Danzo from trying to interfere in matters that don't concern him." He said to him as she stepped forward Sai as well. Jiraiya watched on as the girls playfully placed their hands on Sais' body caressing his figure Sai unable to speak a word.
Jiraiya produced a pouch full of money and laid it on a table. "I'll leave you be." He said and exited the room leaving him with The Three Geishas who were feeling him up.
Elsewhere…
"So what's our next agenda?" One asked as The group of figures were communicating with each other via holographs in a cavern. "We've been making plenty of noise lately." The shark man said looking on.
"Enough for now, we've done enough." Pein The leader of the Organization stated.
"We haven't done nearly enough, the land is weak and ripe for the picking ready to fall in one swoop." Muta Daidouji argued. "This was destroyed easily enough, let us attack another target, let us gather our full forces and destroy one of The Great Villages."
"Enough," Pein ordered turning his eyes on the one who hated Naruto the most. "There is plenty for us to concentrate on for the time."
"Agreed," Zetsu replied speaking up. "It would be best for the benefit of Akatsuki to lay low for now, let the land fell back into a false sense of security. That would be the best way to achieve our goal."
"The more we wait the stronger our enemies will become." Tobi, the newest member standing beside Deidara who had new arms stitched to him by Kakuzu said speaking up.
"We continue now and we'll reawaken the beast." Konan said to them all. "The Coalition of Suna, Oto, and Konoha will be reformed and poised to face us." She told the group. "Imagine facing The Three Sannin once again as well as the finest and most powerful ninjas the three villages. Oto, the smallest of the Great Villages itself played a pivotal role in winning The Fourth."
"That's a bet I won't take." Kakuzu sourly said.
"Agreed, until further notice we shall not engage any of the three anymore. The Three Tailed Turtle is without a host and our spies will soon find the beast, then we shall collect it." Pein informed them. "When The Kyuubi Jinchuurki is engaged, he shall be meet with one who possesses his own power and uses it against him."
"That's impossible," Kakuzu said. "The Fox is sealed in The Traitor's Son. No one can use The Kyuubi aside from him."
"No one except this one." Pein said and a boy stepped into view beside him and Konan. The group looked on surprise evident in many of their eyes even Itachi's at what they say.
"What?! What's he doing there?" Deidara shouted in shock. "How do you have The Jinchuurki!" He exclaimed as what looked like Naruto Uzumaki stood there.
"Since when do you ever leave your throne? I thought you were bonded to it." Kisame muttered.
"It's not," Itachi said speaking up suddenly. "It's not Naruto. It looks like him and has his appearance but it's not. There's something different about him." He told the others who looked on
"Correct, this is Raidou Asakura." Pein said to them all dubbing it the moniker Naruto had taken three years ago in The Exams. "It shall deal with The Vessel for us. This Clone has all of his moves and abilities as well as The Kyuubi's power sealed inside."
"You've hid all this from us?" Tobi said looking on curiously.
"For the pass three years I have gathered data and blood and skin samples from the boy, obtaining his DNA and creating a copy of him, and I added a portion of The Kyuubi's power into it giving the clone access to the Fox's terrible power as well. He will deal with him and defeat him using his own moves and tactics." He told them.
"That's why you didn't want us doing anything these past three years." Kisame said eyeing the figure between him and Konan. "Hmph, a copy can't beat the real thing." He said dismissing it.
Itachi looked on with interest in his Sharingan eyes staring at The Clone, or Raidou. It seemed as if Pein, who believed himself to be a God, had found a way to create life. "What do you plan on doing with it? Even with access to The Fox Demon's chakra he'll be overwhelmed when facing the full power of it should The Uzumaki unleash it."
"It will not fail." Pein said anger in his voice. "Akatsuki's time is coming. The world is weak, soon all will bow before us, those who don't will be slaughtered. A plague of destruction the likes of which The Bloody Mist could not produce shall soon be unleashed with the power of The Bijuu. A New Era is approaching, those who do not declare, shall be declared and they shall know the true meaning of the word Pain."
At Otogakure…
Kabuto was going through medical notes and books when he heard a noise. "What now?" He mumbled to himself in irritation. "Knowing those idiots they are probably playing their music at full blast again." He said with a scowl thinking of Zaku's band.
He went to go but soon heard another noise, and he detected that it was coming from Orochimaru's chambers. Confused he went to go there and when he opened the door to it was surprised at what he saw.
Hunched over seated on the floor his back to the wall was The Otokage. He sat there a broken look in his eyes as he had a bottle of Sake in hand. Looking on the silver haired medic stared at the man as he had never seen him like this. Always Orochimaru had been in control, now he seemed like a wreck as if he had lost everything.
"Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto said not understanding. Orochimaru solemnly brought the bottle up and took a deep swig of it.
"The Gods are a mocking sort." He said bitterly. "They lead you around filling you with false hope and then at the last second pull the damn rug out from underneath you!" He said shaking his head.
"That is why they are Gods and we aren't." Kabuto said with a smirk as if thinking he was humoring him. Orochimaru flashed him a look that told him more than enough that he wasn't joking.
"Kushina," He said and took another long drink. "It's been fifteen years since she died. I have not slept or laid with another woman, or even meaningfully looked at one in that entire time. She was the one for me, the only one. When I first met her, I deemed her another pawn I could use. A tool for me to use how I see fit and discard in the trash once I had no further use of her. But she, she did something to me. Something no one else was ever able to do. She reached into my soul and lit something that had been dormant in me for years, not since the death of, my mother and father." He said and went to take another drink but saw that it was empty. Scowling he set it down beside him as he sat on the ground thinking of the one woman he had ever loved.
"Oro-kun." He faintly heard her voice in the back of his mind. The nickname that Kushina had for him. "I hear her voice, and I expect her to be beside me as I was going to wed her after Naruto was born. Yet whenever I look for her, she's not there."
"Minato, he won in the end. He got Kushina, and turned Naruto into a Pariah before he died." Orochimaru lamented. "Every night I've dreamt of killing him. Tearing and ripping out his heart for what he did to us. He had no right to take Naruto away from her! He could've saved her that day! He let her die! And to spite me turned Naruto into a Jinchuurki before he died himself!" He shouted and threw the bottle and it smashed against the wall breaking apart. "He got what he wanted, made himself out to be a beloved Hero, got to have Kushina in the next world and everyone else believing me and Naruto, we're nothing but monsters." He said bitterly as thinking of Minato Namikaze drove him into a rage of anger over what he had done. An image of the two locked in combat days before Naruto was born appeared in his mind. Minato and Orochimaru glaring murder at one another, each man hating the other with every fiber of their being.
They broke apart and Minato formed the Rasengan and Orochimaru countered by forming the Kurai Rasengan his own version that he had made, they each threw it at one another aiming for the kill as that was how much their hatred for another had grown.
"What about Edo Tensei? Can't you resurrect-" Kabuto started to say but Orochimaru waved it off.
"Edo Tensei is imperfect, whenever I brought someone back they only listen to my command, they have no ability to think for themselves on their own, their just dolls you have to pull the strings on for them to move or else they'll just stand there. I've tried to perfect it but each time ended in failure. I resurrected my father and mother when I first learned it but had to send them back as they couldn't do anything, just a hollow shell of themselves. Naruto would never forgive me if I brought Kushina back like that. A husk with no means to do anything on its own, an unthinking puppet and little more than a Golem. I'd never forgive myself either if I did that to her. That's the price you pay, you kill someone to bring someone back to life, but they are only half alive. They don't eat, they don't sleep, they are barely functional. Perhaps when Tobirama Senju made it, he knew someone like me would use it. A mocking jest." He lamented as he had thought when he first learned it as a teenager that it was a way to bring his parents who he desperately wanted brought back to him.
But it turned out to be for naught, as they were just shadows of themselves. He had made improvements on Edo Tensei for the past thirty years since he learned it but he could never truly perfect it, each time ended in him having to send it back. He had sacrificed numerous lives over the years in his attempts. Justifying himself with believing that by perfecting it, he could find a way so that Human Sacrifices would not be required.
Kabuto looked on at his Master watching him sat there wallowing in despair, it was most uncommon and unwelcoming sight to see him like this with how he always presented himself. Despite having gotten back his son, his soul was only half filled. Did Naruto as well go through such bouts having never having his Mother? Having never known Kushina and felt the some emptiness that his father had over the hole in their soul?
"Leave me." Orochimaru ordered him and Kabuto slowly closed the door to the chambers and left.
(Perhaps Edo Tensei isn't The Forbidden Fruit I believed it to be when he first told me about it)
Elsewhere at The Training Yard the sound of battle cries was heard. Naruto was shown at an empty field all by himself. He was surrounded by the Aura and Chakra of The Kyuubi as he was using The Nine Tailed Foxs' power. Strengthening his blows and attacks to were he was capable of knocking a training dummies head off with a half hearted punch.
Naruto couldn't believe that Muta was still alive, he could've sworn he had killed him back at Sekigahara three years ago during that battle. That he had slain him during it, yet Muta was still alive and now was a part of Akatsuki, and he had become stronger and even more dangerous in the three years since then as well. The two hated foes each having sworn to kill the other. Naruto had lost track of the times they had fought and battled weapon against weapon. From when they first meet on the outskirts of Oto, to The Exams, to The Battle with Gaara and in The Fourth War and seeing one another last week. It seemed as it was their destiny to battle one another.
Naruto took a deep breath and focused as slowly the red chakra around him evaporated and his eyes went back to normal. The training over the past three years he had undergone with Jiraiya had been beneficiary to controlling His power. He could go up to three tails and still have the presence of mind of where he was and what was going on. Even just using the power beforehand nearly made him an enemy and threat to all around, even his allies. Temujin in his home country had a special place there where he trained for a month that enabled him to grasp better control. He while walking with Jiraiya to the next place, had taken the habit of being in a tailed form that way he could harness it and his body would get better used to it.
Naruto sensed someone nearby and he turned his head and saw Haku and Tayuya standing there looking on at him. "Haku, Tayuya? What's goin' on?" He asked the two looking on at him.
"We've sensed your chakra here, Tayuya's told me all about what happened at This with meeting a enemy you thought was dead." Haku said to him as they walked forward.
"What happens between me and Muta is between the two of us." He told the two. "I don't want you guys doing something and causing him to use you as a way to get to me. That's just what Muta would do if he knew it would affect me" He said to Tayuya and Haku. The Swordsmen if given the opportunity would try to use them against him just so he'd have an advantage over Naruto.
"Naruto," Haku said to him. "Remember you are not alone in this. We will be by your side forever no matter what happens in this world and the next." He told his sworn brother.
"Yeah, don't think that you're by yourself. Let us help carry the damn burden for you." Tayuya said to him placing her hand on his shoulder. "We're with you till the end. Don't think for a second in that thick skull of yours that you gotta do this all by yourself." She told him and Naruto was about to say something. "Don't even give us any of that damn 'this is something I gotta do myself' garbage." She cut him off. "We're with you whether you like it or not."
Naruto smiled for the first time in a week at the two. "I could never ask for more stubborn people to know, or better friends to have." He told them truly thankful that they were going against what he wanted him to do and staying with him.
At Konoha…
Kakashi was with Jiraiya at his apartment in Konoha that The Toad Hermit was living in. The Copy Nin and Sannin speaking to one another about all that had happened.
"Three years, and already it looks like war will once again be upon us soon enough." Jiraiya said shaking his head. "Peace is something that will constantly evade us it seems."
"Akatsuki is a powerful foe no doubt about it," Kakashi agreed with him. "They may even have hidden bases in Fire if we're not careful. Especially since Itachi is apart of the group."
"They've got S Class Ninjas from just about everywhere, as well as mercenaries who fight and spy for them as well."
"You've informed Tsunade about this?"
"Way ahead of you, I've already done that, she recognizes The Threat as well." He told him as he had talked to The Godaime about the threat. "She knows when she's sober that this Red Cloud is something not to underestimate. Orochimaru was once a member as well, he knows what they are capable of. One of them, Sasori is dead but that was just a setback for them. But there's something else involving The Otokage." He said and saw Kakashi nod his head realizing what he was talking about.
"I'm sure you've noticed Sasuke's actions over time, how more willing he is to kill. To inflict pain, as if he's being taught by a certain someone who would do similar things." Jiraiya said to him and Kakashi grimaced.
"I've heard the rumors. That Orochimaru has been training Sasuke in secret these past three years. Why?" Kakashi asked
"Orochimaru although he may have changed for the better, a part of him is still obsessed over obtaining The Sharingan, perhaps he wants it so he can master all Jutsus like his dream he had. Perhaps he wants it to combat Akatsuki, who knows but nine times out of ten the things he does aren't good for everyone else." Jiraiya replied to him.
"Does Naruto know?"
"I wouldn't see why he would not, I wouldn't doubt he likes it either. At one point in time him and Sasuke may have become like Brothers if things had gone differently in life."
"Perhaps." Kakashi said with a sad tone.
"The two are on a collision course I'm afraid, only a matter of time."
"Just great, this is going to cause a strain on the relationships between Konoha and Oto. Last thing we needed, especially with Sasuke's attitude as of late."
"The Uchiha is descending further into madness with his obsession that I doubt Orochimaru is doing little to quell, Danzo is trying to stir things up, and who knows what else is going on." Jiraiya said with a shake of his head "But I have an idea, and I'm going to talk to Tsunade about it later on."
They heard footsteps and turned and Sai walking into the room having returned. "Ah, the return of the conquering hero." He said good naturedly. "Kakashi it is just me or is there a jaunt in his step?" Jiraiya teased with a smirk.
"He's practically skipping." Kakashi said smirking under his mask as well as he had heard about how Jiraiya had rewarded him for saving his life.
"You've been gone for quite some time," Jiraiya said to Sai as he came into the room "I trust you got your monies worth with the girls, or my monies worth." He said and Sai wordlessly tossed a pouch onto Jiraiya's table. The same pouch of money he had given him when he left him with The Geishas.
"Sai, it was a gift." He chastised him shaking his head. "Use it as you see fit, if you don't want to spend it on girls buy yourselves a damn set of clothes or something. This is more than you get in a month doing Ninja work."
"ROOT doesn't get paid," Kakashi spoke up. "They're housed for but don't receive money."
"Than its much more than you get in a year." Jiraiya said sourly that Sai had refused to use it. "What's the matter with you? Those three Geishas know the true secrets of unlocking passion in a mans' body."
"They didn't take it, Jiraiya-sama." Sai said to him and Jiraiya looked at him a bit confused and Kakashi raised an eyebrow in amusement. "They said they didn't want it."
"Perhaps The Geishas thought you'd be peeping on them." Kakashi said barely hiding his laughter. "Or maybe their trying to curry favor with Danzo."
"Have you ever known a Geisha to refuse Ryo? When I come by their happy enough to flock to me." Jiraiya asked dryly to him and looked back at Sai. "Did you tell them anything?"
"N-No Jiraiya-sama…I didn't say a word." Sai said sheepishly.
"What happened there? What'd you do?" Kakashi asked interested for the first time.
"…Lots of things." Sai stated to them.
"And they enjoyed these things?" Jiraiya asked and Sai quickly nodded his head.
"Of course they liked it, Hostesses and Geishas are paid to pretend they enjoy being around you." Kakashi said snarkily.
"Only they weren't paid." Jiraiya replied holding up the pouch of money. "Those three are some of the most expensive in The Red Light District."
"What're you saying? Those three Geishas enjoyed what Sai did so much they entertained and gave him their time for free?" Kakashi said skeptically but turned to look at the standing boy who shifted nervously.
"Is that what you're saying Sai?" Jiraiya asked him and Sai didn't say anything in response but looking at his eyes, Jiraiya saw…smugness. "Sai, sit down!" He ordered standing up and Kakashi now was interested and made him sit in the chair. Jiraiya got a bottle of rice sake and poured three cups for the three of them.
"We're going to need details." He said handing him a cup. "Plenty of descriptive and copious details."
A/N: That's it for this chapter. Next chapter to strengthen the alliance between Konoha and Oto, Jiraiya gambles his plan with Tsunade to wed Sakura. While The Sound Trio in the midst of performing discover a potential threat. Please review.