AN* Hello again everyone. Sorry for the wait on this one, was having a hard time deciding on what to do for this chapter since I needed one more before I get to some of the good stuff, and also beause I have just moved into my own apartment and have been too busy enjoying all the space to really have time or motivation to work on this story. Now I will be changing how I respond to reviews and only replying to the ones that are bringing up things I overlooks or are important enough to get a general explanation. or it is a guest review and I feel the need to reply to what they have said. Now before I get to the review section I need to rant really quick. WHAT GIVES PEOPLE?! I mean seriously with that freaking poll, I gave you quite a few interesting and more than one unique idea and almost all of you went for the cliched crap that just happened to there?! This is what makes me not want to live on this planet anymore... Wait I like this planet, you get off! Rant over, sorry about that it just really hurts to see such good ideas get brushed off like that. Anyways only a guest review to reply to, the rest of you will get private messages regarding the normal reviews I answer to.
Guest: Naruto and Naruko? You are one sick puppy my friend... First off they despise one another, disregarding the fact that they are siblings! Seriously what is with the idea of incest on these kinds of things... You are the kind of person that makes me lose hope in humanity.
Ok, get to reading folks.
Ripples
Naruto smiled as he read over the last of the reports that his slaves had been sending him. Almost everything was in place and all he needed was to wait for Orochimaru to make his move on Sasuke and he could really begin the finishing touches on his plan. As he stood up he motioned for Kin and Yagaru to follow him as he spoke.
"I have work for both of you to complete." he began "I am going to be sending you out on a solo mission to gather information on two potential new recruits while I go and check on the status of my new kingdom."
"Who are these recruits?" Yagaru asked with a frown hidden by his mask.
"Two Jinchuruki. Kin I am sending you to Takigakure to investigate the treatment of their Jinchuruki Fu and see if she might be converted to our cause. Kame, your mission will be to sneak into Iwagakure and observe the container of the Gobi. Do not bother with Roshi, the container of the Yonbi. Due to his age he will not be easily persuaded and he is incredibly loyal to the Tsuchikage, where as Han is more likely to defect and join us. Observe them and once you are certain of your decisions report back to me. If they are not suitable candidates than we will leave them for the Akatsuki to deal with, otherwise I will go and recruit them myself, understood?"
"Yes Master." the two nodded.
"Good, now go." Naruto stated as the pair left, heading for their resepctive destinations. Naruto only nodded as he walked away and made his own arrangements to get to Uzu no Kuni and check the progress of the seat of his empire.
In Konoha a meeting between Hinata and Neji was occuring, the two of them had gone to a private training ground on the pretense of practicing while in truth Neji was learning if what Yami had told him in The Maze was true.
"Were you given something to numb your pain?" he asked.
"Unknowingly I was." Hinata admitted "Yami said it was for my nerves."
"Then perhaps it wasn't an illusion..." Neji muttered.
"You saw Yami as well?" Hinata asked in shock. The older Hyuga nodded his assent at this and Hinata frowned in thought.
"He told me to try and make peace between us but I do not see how that would be possible." Neji admitted.
"We share a common goal, to remove the Cursed Seal from the Branch Family." Hinata reminded him "And I do have a few ideas as to how."
"Is that so?" Neji asked, clearly intrigued by this "Let's hear them."
"I plan on studying the seal that they use in greater detail and see how it is that it is deactivated and what elements are added to it compared to the older ones that were originally used by the Hyuga to prevent the Byakugan from being stolen." Hinata began "And once I have learned these elements I will start by removing your own seal and then we will begin researching new ways to protect our family while punishing those that would only further this hatred."
"Punishing them how?" Neji asked with a frown.
"By making them live the lives that they were forcing their own clansmen to live." Hinata replied coldly "We will place them under the Cursed Seal, a modified one that cannot be removed, and we will make them the slaves for the rest of their lives."
"What of when they have children?"
"We will take them to parents from the former Branch family and they will raise them. From there we will let this cursed tradition die with our parents." Hinata explained "By the time we are old and ready to die the Hyuga clan will no longer have a Branch Family and a Main Family. It will be a single whole with the Clan head being past down from parent to child as we have done it."
"It is a good idea." Neji said after a few minutes of thought "However we will need to discuss policy much more and make sure that any of the old writing containing this seal are destroyed once we have taken over."
"Agreed." Hinata nodded "It will take time but if everything goes as we think it will than we might have a chance."
"I will speak with my teammate Tenten once we really get started into the seals. She knows a great deal about them and actually Gai-sensei is talking about having Hokage-sama train her in Fuinjutsu to expand her abilities even further." Neji offered.
"She'd have to be sworn to secrecy and understand what would happen if anyone found out what we are up to." Hinata warned.
"I trust her."
"Very well then. Once we are beginning the sealing works we will bring her in and see what she can offer us." Hinata agreed. Neji nodded in turn and the two began discussing possible alterations that would need to be made to the seals.
It had taken less than a week for Kin to make her way into Takigakure, slipping in using the special invisibility jutsu that Naruto had her learn. Granted it didn't really turn her invisible it simply use a genjutsu to make it seem as though she wasn't really there by making the mind not register her presence. At the moment she was crouched on top of one of the buildings near the lake where she saw the mint haired girl training, working on her hand to hand abilities while also apparently trying to vent some frustration she was feeling.
"There's the monster." One of the villagers remarked as they walked past.
"Someone ought to put her back in her cage." the other laughed.
"I'm not a monster!" Fu shouted in rage causing the two men to jump before laughing at her and walking off, knowing that she wouldn't do anything to hurt them.
"I'm amazed you put up with that." Kin said, deciding to play on a hunch that was forming in her mind.
"Who are you?" Fu asked as Kin dropped the jutsu and was standing at the waters edge.
"Just a traveller getting some rest here." Kin replied calmly "But I am impressed that you didn't attack them."
"Hmph. I hate them, all people. But I would be in big trouble and probably executed if I attacked them." Fu replied.
"Why not leave then?"
"And where would I go you dumb bitch?" Fu sneered "This is the only home that I've ever known and they would hunt me down rather then lose their "precious" weapon."
"It doesn't have to be that way." Kin stated "What if I were to tell you that I could get you into contact with a person who understands your pain better than almost anyone on the planet? What if I were to say that this man would help you escape from this village, treat you with the respect that you deserve and help you get revenge on this place for what they do to you?"
"I'd say that there's some ulterior motive and I want nothing to do with it."
"It's your choice in the end, but let me ask you this. Do you know about the recent turn around in Nami no Kuni?"
"Yeah, everyone does. Some guy took over and now the country is doing booming business with that bridge finished and the industrialist gone."
"The man I represent is the new Daimyo. He liberated Nami no Kuni and is currently looking for strong capable people to join him." Kin stated "He doesn't care for past bonds or what nation you are from. If you are strong and want a fresh start he will give it to you. You'll have to work but in the end you will be treated far better than you are here." Fu's eyes narrowed at this information and before she could say anything she saw Kin start to disappear "If you decide that you really want to join him all you have to do is wait a few more weeks and he will approach you himself. He will make you the offer that will decide the rest of your life."
With those final words Kin was gone from sight and Fu was now deep in thought over what was said. Keeping those thoughts in her mind she resumed her practice and mulled over what her options would be and what this mysterious person could possibly want with her.
Han stormed though the village, ignoring the angry glares as he normally did. He detested these villagers, these shinobi and their old fool of a leader. He hated this place but knew that he couldn't leave since he had nowhere else to go, and knew that even with his great powers he would be killed by the number of shinobi that Onoki would send after him, especially if he sent Roshi to kill him. Stopping outside of the village gates he contemplated going up into the mountains to train some more, maybe work off some of his frustration.
"Not much fun is it?" a voice said from his left. Turning the armored nin saw a black cloaked figure standing there, clearly a younger person not much older than the average genin.
"Who the hell are you?" he snapped.
"Kame." he replied calmly "I've been in the village for a few days now and I have seen what these scum are like." Han frowned now, knowing that Onoki was usually very careful of who went into the village and if this kid had done so he might have a way out for him.
"How did you avoid the Tsuchkage's men?" he asked with a frown.
"This mask was created by a master of fuinjutsu. It is capable of masking my presence unless I wish to be seen."
"Where do I get one like that?" Han asked, a grin hidden under his armor as plans began to unfold.
"You would need to enter the employ of my master."
"Master?"
"Master. He is the Daimyo of Nami no Kuni, and sent me here to speak with you actually." was the reply.
"Why? Does this new Daimyo want a living weapon?" he snorted.
"No. He wants talented shinobi that will serve as his lieutenants in the coming war."
"What war?"
"The final one. The one that will reshape the entire world." Kame replied "He is massing his forces, preparing his generals and seeking the best of the best to serve him in this venture. You have been chosen to have the chacne to join us. Though this choice is yours alone to make."
Now Han was frowning at this. This Daimyo sounded like a madman, like some kind of power hungry fool, but something about the way that this kid was talking made him hesitate to flat out turn him down.
"There's more than you're telling me isn't there." he stated with a frown.
"There always is." Kame chuckled "It is not my place to tell you what my master has left out."
"Than why approach me now?" he asked.
"To let you know that while you may despise this place with every fiber of your being there is an escape if you are willing to take it. My master will come before you eventually, and make you his offer. The choice to accept it is yours but in the end I know that you will come with him, that you will seek the escape of this place and have your chance at vengenance." Kame explained as he turned and started to leave "Think on the matter and when the time is right you will know. Good day Han."
Before the armored shinobi could do anything else the kid disappeared in a splash of water and Han was left with the mystery of who this new Daimyo of Nami no Kuni was and why he was so intent on being ready for a war that not even the Kages were preparing for. Muttering to himself he turned back toward the village and headed towards their ANBU headquarters, intent on learning everything that he could about his man before he approached him.
In the land of his ancestors Naruto walked amongst his thralls as they labored on his capital. The outlying areas were all easily fixed and they had focused on this place first. The castle was being rebuilt from scratch as it had been destroyed by the combined Bijudama of three Biju, and there was little left that could be used. Black stone had been mined and shipped from overseas to build this massive fortress while the city surrounding the village was being built from the local mines that were now reopened and being used to make sure that there would be no rampant fires as there were last time.
"As you can see my lord the village is designed in a rising teir style built into the mountain face. This will allow you to place archers or other long ranged fighters on the roofs of building above the areas where your enemies might be attacking from." the project manager explained as he showed him the city from the bluff where they were now standing "The ledges are far enough apart and curved in such a way that shinobi trying to leap across the gaps to the next level will slip and fall of stumble as they reach the cuved spot, allowing your forces to dispatch them with ease."
"Very good. But what about the streets?" Naruto asked.
"Specially designed channels in the stones allow for you to use various fire ninjutsu to heat them to the point that they will burn through most sandals that shinobi tend to wear." the man explained "And in the everyday life this will allow rainwater to wash down and out of the city."
"Well planned." Naruto nodded.
"Thank you my lord. However that is not all that we are doing. The most ingenious part and one that we have tested on many smaller scale models is rotating levels of the city. You will be able, with the use of those with a strong earth affinity, to move the layers of the city around, blocking off intersections where an invading force may be trying to get to your citadel, or allow your own men to quickly strike at an enemy unprepared as they suddenly are being flanked from a street that wasn't open before. There is a pattern that we will show you and you may memorize it and teach it to those that will need it. I recommend a minimum of five shinobi with a moderate talent with Doton to be doing this, though the same amount of a higher caliber will be able to speed up the process signifigantly."
"Very good." Naruto smiled as he imagined the chaos an invading force would be put through with this kind of trap "Now what of the palace?"
"Made entirely of the finest materials, with the underlying structure enforced by the seals of your own design to negate any long range ninjutsu aimed at the palace." the man started "From there we have set up more than two dozen secret passages that you will be made fully aware of and with another dozen that only your chakra will be able to access, with the special metal plates that you unearthed for us from the ruins of the shinobi village. There are more than one hundred guest rooms, three different barracks located in different parts of the palace to allow for speedy reaction time should an intruder manage to slip in. A large dungeon that has been tailored to your specific requests and has a special passage leading to your personal quarters with one of those metal plates at both ends. The banquet hall is capable of holding more than a thousand guests with ease and the kitchens are large enough to handle such numbers. As you can see from the designs there are a number of towers that overlook surrounding areas and will have large war horns installed to alert you of coming attacks long before they even reach the outer wall surrounding the city."
"And how is the wall coming?" Naruto asked as he turned his gaze towards the edge of the city.
"We are mining the stone that negates chakra as you requested and are placing the first blocks underground as you ordered. The seals that you have given us are being placed onto each block and the wall with create a large half circle, encompassing the entire city. Every five meters there will be a guard post as you ordered and with enough room to hold five guards each. Once the final levels have been reached we will finished placing the last seals that will create the barrier that will defend the whold of the city from any airborn attack. The only way to attack the city will be through the gates, reinforced steel with the same seals that are on the stone blocks being placed upon them."
"Excellent. How long until completion on each area?"
"The palace will take another nine months to have all the supplies here and even as we work with the supplies that we are getting it will likely take an additional two months to finish everything. The city will be finished within the next six months and we will begin bringing more labors in to hopefully speed the proess up. The wall will take nine months to complete, there is no way around that my lord."
"And add in another few months to ensure that I am fully garrirsoned it seems as though I have a year before my capitol is finished." Naruto mused "Very well. Do not cut any corners on this matter, take as long as it takes to do this right. I will not have this place being destroyed a second time."
"Of course my lord. All will be completed to best of our abilities." the man nodded as Naruto turned and left, walking towards the road that would take him back to the harbor. As he entered the treeline and was out of sight of the labors he sensed the presence rising up out of the ground.
"Naruto." Zetsu said as the blond turned and saw the plantlike man standing there.
"Zetsu-sensei, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Our master wants a word with you, now." the black half said, clearly not too pleased with what was going on.
"Fine." Naruto nodded as Zetsu grabbed him and pulled him into the earth. This was excrutiatingly painful to the blond who had not expexted to be treated like this and knew that he would be thankful for the healing rate one they emerged. Dropping him onto the ground of a stone cavern Naruto vomitted blood as he knelt on the ground and felt his body repairing itself.
"Zetsu-sensei, if you decide to do that again I will kill you." Naruto said as his stomach calmed down and he stood up glaring at the man.
"There is no need for that." a voice said from a chair at the end of the room. Turning Naruto saw a man, his eyes were closed, likely blind Naruto mused, and his hair had gone completely white. Above him was a familiar symbol and Naruto's eyes widened as he realized who this was.
"Madara Uchiha." Naruto whistled "Still alive after all these years."
"Indeed young man." Madara rasped "Though you have thrown the plans that I have spent years working on into the fire."
"I would apologize but I am not sorry." Naruto stated calmly.
"So I gathered, which is the only reason that you are still alive." Madara chuckled, getting a raised eyebrow from the blond "You see I respect power and that is something that you have in abundance, however what you do not have is the understanding of the world that I do."
"Then enlighten me." Naruto grinned.
"This plan of yours, this enslavement of the world that you intened to do. It will only delay the ineveitable. You will eventually die, and when you do the world will slip back into the ways that it has since the days of the Rikudo Sennin. My plan will end this farce that we call reality, it will set free all these lost souls and in the end it will bring a true and lasting peace to the world." Madara explained "You have killed my agent, the man who would have set the stage for my revival. But that is something we can work past. You are far stronger than Obito was, far stronger than anyone that is still young and capable. Help me accomplish this plan, take up the mantle of Madara Uchiha and help save this world."
Naruto listned silently as the man talked and after a few moments Naruto started to laugh. The sound drew a frown on the older shinobi's face and Naruto soon spoke once his mirth had faded.
"The Infinite Tsukiyomi... A fool's ambition." Naruto stated as he saw Madara stiffen "That plan will only end all life on this planet, bringing the peace of the dead. No... I may detest most of what this world is and seek to alter the vary nature of it though my power but I do not deny the power of human potential. You plan requires the sacrifice of nine lives, and nine demons before you kill the whole world. Nagato's plan requires those same eighteen souls before he threatens the world with them and cows them into submission until his passing and then it all starts back up again. My plan requires thousands to die now, so billions may live later. I do not deny that of the plans mine is likely the most costly in the short term, but in the long term... Well let's just say that I know my mortality will be my end, but that does not mean that I have forgotten the true meaning of life. So my plan is not a guarantee, that just means that I will need to ensure that my successor is of the same mind I am. I will need to ensure that they will carry this empire that I am building and let it continue to thrive. Perhaps one day the world will fall back into old habits, perhaps one day things will return to this point in time again. But until that day comes I will not stop my plans, I will ensure that my empire rises and unites the world under MY command, under MY rule will these lands know peace, and under MY authority will the people of these lands bow and praise me for delivering them from their foolishness. They may be forced to bow to me but in the end they are free to live as they choose. That is more than we can say for you plan you ancient relic."
"Than it seems words cannot sway this matter any further." Madara sighed as he nodded for Zetsu to kill him. Naruto however had expected this and simply fazed through the attack that the plant being had tried to execute on him.
"Please Madara. I had Tobi trying to assassination attempts on me sicne I was twelve." Naruto laughed "Or did you say his name was Obito... That was the name of one of my father's late students. So that is what became of him... How ironic." Zetsu turned and glared at the blond "Do not bother Zetsu-sensei. I have no ill will towards you or your master. This is simply a race as I said to you before, the only problem is this though. You are competing against an opponent that is not following the same objectives as you, so how will you stop me short of killing me?"
"Zetsu... enough." Madara sighed, already realizing that the boy had been prepared for this confrontation.
"Thank you Madara. I will be leaving now and wish you the best of luck, because if you want to try and stop me you are going to need every scrap of it that you can get." Naruto laughed as he pulled himself into the Kamui dimension and from there into his hideout in Hi no Kuni, a grin on his face as he went to his desk to jot down a few notes on this new development and begin the slight alterations that would be needed to his plans for the now identified third player.