Demon of the Elemental Nations

Chapter 12

It didn't take long to reach the meet up spot, which was the untouched Uzumaki compound that was only safe due to the seals protecting the area. To get into any of the sealed buildings you'd either need a Bijuudama to blow up the entire house or the blood of an Uzumaki who knew how the seals worked so it was a perfect place to meet up at.

Naruto let out a tired sigh as he, Utakata, and Karin landed at the compound near the others and smiled as Samui and Kurotsuchi ran to him and hugged him.

"Naruto are you okay?" Samui asked with a frown as Kurotsuchi nodded.

"Yeah are you okay? We felt your killing intent and demonic energy all the way from here. You nearly made the little ones pass out" Kurotsuchi said as he frowned and rubbed their backs.

"No, I'm not okay. I fought Orochimaru, kicked his ass but he got away" he said as Samui frowned.

"Then what happened to get you that mad to let out your Trigger?" Kurotsuchi asked as he tossed Pandora onto the ground with a groan.

"The fucker revived my mom!" he yelled as his eyes flashed red and for a second everyone saw his Devil Trigger form appear before flickering away.

"He did what?" Karin asked in shock as Pandora started to glow until it turned into the form of Hope.

"Orochimaru not only revived Kushina but he also revived Hashirama and Tobirama Senju. Those two souls I have already sent over to the Shinigami due to my connection to it from my death form" Hope said as she sat down on the ground with a frown.

"I honestly didn't hold it against him to revive some powerful shinobi but to revive Kushina is going too far" Aye said with a glare as Mei and Onoki nodded as Kurotsuchi and Samui tried to calm Naruto down.

"I swear next time I see him that fucker is losing more than his arms and no fucking snake will let him escape" Naruto growled out until he saw his sister walk up to Hope with tears in her eyes.

"I-Is my mom still with you? C-Can I meet her?" Karin asked as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Yes but she has no body so she must borrow mine and she can't stay for long" Hope said as Karin frowned.

"Why can't she stay!? T-There has to be a way to let her stay" Karin cried out before her brother turned her around and hugged her tightly.

"Karin she is dead. The dead must stay that way. You know I would like nothing more than to bring her back but it can't be that way. At least not now" Naruto said as his sister pushed her way out of his arms and ran off.

Kurotsuchi was about to run after her until Naruto stopped her. "Why aren't you running after her!? She's your sister!" Kurotsuchi yelled as Naruto sighed.

"She needs to blow off some steam. She is upset that she can't have back the mother she has never met so I understand her anger" he said as he looked to Hope.

"Can you go talk to her for me, I think she will like it better if you let her talk" he said as the Devil Arm in the form of a small girl nodded and walked after Karin.

"Why did you let the Devil Arm go and talk to her? Wouldn't it be better if you did?" Mei asked as Naruto sighed and sat down on the back porch of the house they had arrived at.

"No, right now she needs to hear from the one person she wants to most and right now Hope is the only one that can let her talk" Naruto said as he ran his hand though his hair with another sigh. "I just hope she can handle saying hello and goodbye to her in the same sitting" he said as everybody's eyes widened in shock as they realized what he meant just as a flash of silver light shined in the direction that Hope walked off towards.

-Karin-

Karin pulled her knees up to her chest as she cried in trees behind the house they were at. "I just want my mom back. Why can't I have her" Karin mumbled to herself as she tried to wipe the tears out of her eyes until she heard footsteps nearing her.

"I don't want to talk Nii-san! Not until you can let mom return!" she yelled as she buried her head into her knees.

"Oh sweetie, I am so sorry for not being there for you" a melodic voice spoke out behind her as she quickly turned and let out a gasp as she saw who it was.

From the long vibrant red hair that she shared to the purple eyes that she had seen every time her brother looked at her. It was someone she had only seen in pictures as she shakily stood up in shock.

"M-Mom? I-Is that really you?" she said as tears poured down her cheeks as the woman nodded with a frown as she wiped the tears off her cheeks.

"Yes Karin and I am so sorry I wasn't there for you when you were growing up" Kushina said with a frown as her daughter nearly knocked her down in a hug.

"I-I don't care mom! You're here now, now you me and Nii-san can be a family" Karin said as she smiled up to her mom who frowned back at her.

"Karin, my dear little girl, I can't stay and you know it" Kushina said as she stroked Karin's hair with a sad frown.

"But your back! We can find a way to make it permanent! I know Nii-san can do it. His Devil Arms have to have something that can help" Karin rambled on until her mother set her hands on her shoulders and calmed her down.

"Honey, I'm dead and borrowing this body. I can already feel my soul being pulled away to the Shinigami so please let me have this time with you" Kushina said while she held Karin close to her, letting her daughter cry into her chest.

"I just got you back Mom…I don't want you to leave again" Karin choked out in between sobs as her mother pet her hair.

"I know sweetie but I will always be watching over you and your brother. Is he doing a good job at raising you?" she asked as Karin lifted up her glasses and wiped her eyes while nodding.

"Nii-san is really good. H-He always looks after me and worries about me. He helps me train whenever he can and helped me get the Kyuubi to calm down" Karin said as her mother chuckled and smiled down at her.

"Does he tell you he loves you? When he found out I was pregnant again I was worried about the Kyuubi being released I asked him if anything were to happen to me he was to give you all the love that you missed out on" she said as she stroked her daughter's cheek.

"H-He does it all the time" Karin said as she let her mother move her so she sat on her lap. "He gave up his bed at his house for me and he always cooks our meals" she said as she felt her mother's arms wrap around her waist.

"He's a good boy but I want to hear more about you Karin before I have to go" Kushina said as she hugged Karin close to her.

Karin put on a sad smile as she talked to her mother about everything. From being raised, if you could call it that, by her father, how she was taken by her brother to the Land of Iron after he escaped his sealed state and how her life living with him had been wonderful.

She enjoyed the hour or so she spent with her mother before she saw her mother's right arm start to fade away.

"Mom are you okay!?" she asked worriedly as her mother frowned before the arm reappeared.

"It just means my time is almost over" Kushina said as Karin shook her head vigorously.

"N-No you can't go just yet Mom! I-I just got you back" Karin cried out as her mother stroked her cheek.

"Sweetie I may not be here but I will always be with you. You are growing into such a beautiful young lady and I know you will continue to grow. I want you to live happily with your brother, make friends, eat well and maybe fall in love" Kushina said as her form started to flicker more.

"I love you Karin, so very much. When I learned I was pregnant with a girl I wanted to raise her with so much love and care but even if I can't your brother will do it more than enough to make up for it" she said as Karin frowned and sniffled as she started to cry again.

"I-I love you too Mom. I-I'll be strong and live happily for you. I promise" Karin said as her mother kissed her on the forehead as her body faded away leaving Hope behind who hugged her softly.

"I'm sorry Karin, I kept her around longer than normal so you could finish your time together and at least say goodbye" Hope said as Karin nodded and wiped her tears.

"T-Thanks. We should probably get back to Nii-san and the others" Karin whispered out as Hope held her hand and led her back to the group.

-Naruto-

Naruto sighed as Samui and Kurotsuchi rubbed his back, trying to console him for basically giving up his once chance to say goodbye to his mother in turn for letting Karin have all the time though he didn't care.

He had childhood memories of her while Karin had no memories so it only made sense for her to get all the time with their mother. She also needed the closure more than he did since he'd be fine as long as she was back at rest.

He was brought out of his thoughts as he heard someone exit the forest to see Karin being led out by Hope who sent him a look that he instantly understood as he stood up. "Are you okay Karin?" he asked as he put Hope, in her case form, onto his back.

"Y-Yeah I got to meet and say goodbye to Mom" she said as he frowned and picked her up in his arms, letting her rest her head against his shoulder. "Let me down Nii-san, I'm too old to be carried."

"Nonsense, you are tired. Just rest Karin, trust me I know how you feel and you need this" he said as she grumbled and wrapped her arms around his neck before closing her eyes with a smile.

"So what do we do now? The invasion ended and things are going to be hectic" Naruto asked as he rubbed his sister's back with a slight smile.

"Soon Minato will most likely call for us Kage to either ask us for help rebuilding or to ensure our treaties with Konoha are still valid so we don't try and jump at their weak state" Aye said as he crossed his arms with a frown.

"You all should return to the hotel and wait there for us to return as we will refuse the rebuild effort" Mei said as Naruto nodded.

"Yeah though it might be longer than expected as Minato should be in the hospital right now" Naruto said as the Kages looked at him in shock. "What? I didn't send him there, fighting with the first and second Hokage was too much for him and he lost an arm in the process" he said as they nodded.

"Well anyway it would be best for you to return to the hotel. We will fill you in on what happens when Minato calls us" Onoki said as Naruto nodded as Bee picked up Omoi and Samui picked up Karui as the two of them had passed out under the force of Naruto's killing intent.

"Sounds good, be sure to keep your feelers out for if the council is rooting for a new Hokage" Naruto said as he adjusted the now asleep Karin in his arms.

"Whys that?" Kurotsuchi asked curiously as Naruto chuckled.

"Well if I was the council for Konoha and the village's Hokage recently became less able to fight I would want to remove him from office and get a more able bodied person in office" he said as the other Kage nodded.

"And you have a plan if they plan to do just that?" Mei asked with a giggle as he nodded.

"Let's just say it is what I am hoping for" he said as he started to walk towards the exit of the compound.

"That boy is very smart" Onoki said with a chuckle as they too left the Uzumaki compound.

"Yeah, I'm just glad he's on our side" Aye said with a smirk as they dashed off towards the Hokage's office as they figured they would be called very soon.

-Hotel – A Few Hours Later-

A small smile grew on Naruto's face as he tucked Karin into the hotel's bed which thankfully hadn't been destroyed as the Oto and Suna ninjas apparently found no need to attack a random hotel.

"She's been through so much. Poor thing" Dante said with a frown as Vergil nodded.

"I do hope young Karin will be okay. Meeting and saying goodbye to your mother in one sitting can be very taxing" Vergil said with a sigh.

'She'll be fine. She has mom's resilience' Naruto thought as he kissed Karin's forehead softly before setting Pandora on the nightstand to make sure Karin would be safe.

"So why exactly are you wanting a new Hokage to take office?" Kurotsuchi asked as she and Samui sat down on the sofa in the hotel suite lobby.

"Well when you think about it a new Hokage would be for my best interest. I currently hold the highest ever bounty in the history of Konoha and all other villages so if a new Hokage is put into office there is a chance of that being removed" he said as he plopped down onto the sofa between the two women.

"But there is no way to know if the new Hokage will take it away" Samui said as she leaned against him with a soft smile on her face.

"Well it is if they choose the person I am hoping they choose to. Especially seeing that the only choices for the new one are a lazy scarecrow, a perverted sage or a woman who has leadership in her birthright" he said as he smirked at his two lover's looks of shock.

"Wait you think they will choose Tsunade? Even if she is known to dislike the village" Kurotsuchi said as he nodded.

"Knowing the council's most likely view they will not choose Kakashi due to his immense laziness, they won't choose Jiraiya, despite his strength, for obvious reasons but Jiraiya will most likely recommend Tsunade. Jiraiya might even make a mission of it" Naruto said as he smirked and leaned back, wrapping his arms around his two girls.

"How will you get her to even agree to it? She hates the village and would never go along with it" Samui said as Naruto nodded.

"Oh I know which is why the real one doesn't have to, only a clone strengthened to near real human likeness with a bit of demonic energy that never runs dry" he said with a smirk. "Trust me, I've thought of everything, now I just need to wait."

"I have to say brat you are much smarter than I thought" Aye said as he and the other Kage walked back into the hotel.

"Oh did my little guess about Minato possibly being fired look like it's coming true?" Naruto said with a smirk as Onoki nodded.

"The entire time we were in there the council, or at least the elders, were taking charge and almost silencing Minato every time he talked" Onoki said as Naruto chuckled.

"Figures since a one armed Hokage would embarrass them, making them not want him to embarrass them, even if the wound was delivered by their previous Hokage" he said as he stood up and cracked his sore joints.

"So what's the next plan for you Naruto? You got a large chunk of your Arms back but some of them are still missing" Mei said with a frown while he rubbed his chin.

"Karin and I are going to stay nearby Konoha for a bit. There are a few things I need to wait on here before I return to the base." he said as he looked to Samui and Kurotsuchi. "You two can stay if you are able to."

"They can stay, they aren't needed right now back at the village and we'd feel safer if you had more people with you" Onoki said as the others nodded along with him.

"We were told to leave the village in the next two or so days so they can start repairs so you will have to leave with us then before you go to wherever you are planning to keep an eye on them" Mei said as Naruto nodded.

"That should be fine. I shouldn't be here for more than a week or so and by the end of it I should get some interesting things to tell you all" he said with a chuckle as the other Kages frowned lightly.

"Well we should get our things together for the trek back to our villages. We will alert you when we leave. For now just relax, we know you need it" Aye said as they went off, most likely to tell their villagers to be ready or to possibly help them.

"So what do we do now?" Samui asked as Naruto smirked and kissed her cheek softly.

"Relax like they said. The fight with Orochimaru tired me out more than I thought" he said as Kurotsuchi and Samui smiled as they helped him up and towards their bed.

-Next Day-

The Kages were able to get their villagers ready to depart surprisingly fast as they were all able to leave for their villages by the early morning.

He walked with Mei and the villagers from Kiri until they exited the area around Konoha. As they reached the area where he could split up from them he turned to Mei with a smile. "I should probably split off right here. Samui and Kurotsuchi are probably waiting for me at the meet up" he said as Mei smiled and nodded.

"Yes, you wouldn't want to keep your women waiting" Mei said with a giggle as she hugged him with a smile. "You will have to visit Kiri soon and install one of those phones for me if I ever should need you."

"Of course. Once things calm down I will definitely come down to install it" Naruto said as he hugged her back with a smile. "Remember if you ever need me you have my special tag" he said as he pointed to the dark purple tag in her hand.

The tag was essentially a storage seal. Once it was placed down it would release one of Nevan's electric bats which were able to communicate with the Devil Arm no matter the distance so essentially it was a one way long distance call.

"Of course. I hope you have good luck on getting the rest of your arms back, I really do" Mei said as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before trotting off as he rolled his eyes at the every flirty Mizukage.

He chuckled as he quickly ran off towards the meeting point with Karin close behind. About five minutes into the run his eyes went wide as he quickly had to grab Karin and pull her back into the trees.

"Nii-san what's wrong?" Karin asked confusedly before he covered her mouth with a frown before pointing towards the road in front of them.

"Trouble, major trouble" he whispered to her as they both saw two figured walk by in black cloaks that had red clouds on them.

Naruto didn't know what the Akatsuki were doing heading towards Konoha but if they were near then he needed to watch over Karin even more. "Stay by my side at all times and don't wander off" he whispered as he watched the two figures walk out of view.

"Who were they? Are they the Akatsuki you were talking about?" Karin asked as her brother had told her about them a bit but not much.

"Yes and I think they are going after Menma as they think he is the jinchuriki as you are MIA in everyone's books" he said as he and Karin dropped down to the road. "We need to get back to Samui and Kurotsuchi now and warn them so I'm going to have to pick you up to make it there faster" he said as she nodded before getting onto her brother's back.

"Hold on, this is going to be fast" he said as Karin nodded before he burst off towards Kurotsuchi and Samui.

Whatever the reason for the Akatsuki being there was, he just knew they were going to be a major pain. As long as they didn't find him or Karin then it would be fine but trouble always had the habit of finding him.

He just hoped this time would be different.

-Chapter End-

I hope you all liked the scene between Karin and Kushina. I made it short because it needed to be. It needed to be short so it could be more touching and tender.

I still plan to have Tsunade be Hokage. It will either be the real her after her getting tired of how Minato is running her grandfather's village into the ground OR the demonic energy powered clone that will be as stable as the real her.

Either way she will be Hokage.

Also I plan to have the Sasuke retrieval mission still go down as that will allow Naruto to get two more Devil Arms as well as knocking some sense into Sasuke and stopping him from going to Orochimaru.

Plus I still plan on having Sakura leave Konoha soon to train/live with Naruto.

I have A LOT of stuff planned for the next few chapters. It'll be very fun to write and the fight scenes will be even more interesting.

I hope you all liked it

Until Next Time

Rate and Review

Buh-Bye!