Chapter 25: A giant's shadow
It's been almost two weeks since the affair with the Hyuuga ended and so far Naruto has been travelling through the now joyous southern lands of Fire. Every town he walked by were still having some sort of celebration and already signs of improvement could be seen as roads were watched and towns returned to a regular routine.
Naruto had decided to avoid getting himself involved with the following celebrations and just make his way towards the last clan of Fire, the Sarutobi.
From what he managed to remember, the Sarutobi was one of the most ancient but powerful clans of Fire. Their approach was an inclusive one where the skilled were handsomely rewarded with status and rank.
The most peculiar aspect of this clan Naruto read at the Library of Three Peaks was that the Sarutobi managed to keep its rather colorful collection of ninja under a philosophic / religious banner in the form of something called "The Will of Fire" which was first brought by the first Sarutobi and later on, formally established by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen, according to Hinata was an old kind ninja who reminded her of a nice granddad, but according to what the Uchiha relied to him, an invincible ninja who had fought in nearly every war from the past century and had come often victorious though not so lucky as conquerors of other lands.
Naruto was having a hard time trying to decide exactly what kind of character really was Hiruzen, the most ancient surviving ninja in the world by all records.
One thing was certain; from previous experiences the best bet would be to remember that this man was the most experienced Ninja.
As for what Kitara had mentioned so long ago, the Sarutobi were currently in the process of passing leadership to a new generation, but to a clan that has always been under the same guidance it can't be an easy thing to process.
Naruto just huffed away such things, if lucky things should go better than with the Hyuuga and if not; well it would hardly be worse or any more difficult.
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Finally crossing the last checkpoint the landscape changed dramatically as the lands were now less warm and drier. Still very tall trees framed most of the road ahead though the carefully built roads of the Hyuuga were no more to be enjoyed and so Naruto prayed so he didn't get lost on the dirt road he stepped on.
Fortunately for him the road was just one and extended as far as he could see; so the journey would be a long one before the first settlements came into view.
"Weird no border patrol was in place since the situation with the Hyuuga was so grave" thought Naruto as he came about a corner following the road.
Right ahead there was a mid-sized cart with a horse resting close by and three colorful tents in front of it and a warm fire in the middle. Naruto didn't saw anyone near and wondered why have a fireplace? When night was still some hours away?
"Hello? Is anyone around?" said Naruto out loud expecting someone to come out and greet him but no one did.
"Guess they went out to find some food. Well it's not like I have any urgency to get into more trouble" thought Naruto as he decided to take a place by the fire and wait for the owners of the caravan.
The scenery was strangely calming and relaxing, the fire was warm and inviting to seat closer and the wood fragrance of the forest soothed his senses to a point in which he was getting very sleepy. But right before his eyes finally closed a rustle on the nearby tree line woke him up and got him into guard.
Expecting a beast or something he was surprised to see three young maidens in colorful and revealing clothes (gypsy style). The three stumbled out of the woods carrying wood and some fruits they picked to eat but apparently it was too much for them so Naruto moved in quickly to help them.
The three grateful ladies unloaded their cargo on Naruto's strong arms and went their merry way to their caravan. Naruto placed the wood and the food where the ladies pointed him and later invited him to take a seat by the fire and spend the night with them.
Naruto took the last part in the wrong sense and tried to excuse himself and leave but one of the girls told him to stay for the night as to protect them from wild beasts or bandits. Naruto cursed himself over his now twisted morality and agreed.
Taking his seat back by the fire he took a good glance at the three travelers. One had long purple hair combed straight and wore similarly colored attire; she had a decent figure though she wasn't as impressive as the other two, her name was Yugao Uzui and was of a rather silent nature barely speaking anything and when she did it was in whispers and only to the other girls.
The other one was of curled black hair and a couple of mesmerizing red eyes placed on a mature looking face. From the three she looked like the eldest but her elegance was clear and the makeup she applied on herself made her look even more womanly. Her figure was quite decent and clearly revealed the maturity of her years, her name was Kurenai Yuhi and she always casted an aura of gentleness and concealed wisdom.
The last one though was by far the most outspoken of the trio. She laughed hard and spoke loud, she had velvet eyes similar to those of the Hyuuga but with a different color. Her hair was combed into a spiky pony tail that rose above her head in several spikes. Her body was the most lascivious and had no shame in showing it giving Naruto several "service" glances of it. Her name was Anko Mistarashi and her aura was that of confidence though Naruto felt that there was something else under that…
"So tell us, what is a handsome man like you doing on the road at such hours?" asked Kurenai passing a bowl of soup to Naruto.
Feeling somewhat trusting Naruto spoke honestly though hiding certain elements of his story "Well I am a traveler and got caught up in a nasty business over the Hyuuga clan lands. It was too dangerous to travel the roads so I stayed put in a small village until times improved"
"Right! I heard those spooky eyed freaks where at each other throats not too long ago! But haven't they already settled down and removed the stick from their butts?" loudly asked Anko as she took her seat next to Naruto.
"Anko! Watch your mouth in front of guests! I am so sorry for her behavior" said Kurenai sounding apologetic.
"No problem, it's nice to have some company from time to time" replied Naruto with a smile as he carefully tasted the soup not wanting unpleasant surprises.
Seeing that it was good he dug in without a care and was pleased to see it tasted really good "Wow! It's really good, who made this?" asked Naruto.
"Yugao did, she is really good at cooking" said a proud Kurenai as Yugao hid her face in embarrassment.
Naruto flashed her, a broad smile making her blush intensely.
"As to answer your question Anko, they did settle down and apparently they are quite happy about it. It was party after party as I left the country" answered Naruto feeling a bit uncomfortable with Anko's proximity, who had just started to invade his personal space.
"Oh, and did you got some fun too?" asked in a sultry tone making Naruto blush a bit remembering what he did with Hinata.
"He did! Hah! Guess a man is always a man! With how many girls did you do it?" asked Anko clearly wanting to make Naruto even more embarrassed.
"Anko, behave yourself! That's private you know?" said Kurenai not being able to hide some of her interest.
Yugao whispered something to Kurenai and she yelled back "I am not going to ask if he did it with more than one girl at a time!"
Naruto nearly spit his soup as the remark brought images of his time with the Senju and the quite unforgettable time he had with Sakura and Tsunade.
Anko's eyes never left his face and she recognized that look "Boy! Are you not a dog? Well can't blame you, you seem to pack some muscle and a lot of stamina if you are walking instead of riding a coach or a horse"
"Now that you mention it, the next settlement is still some ways from here, how do you manage to walk all this way? Are you some sort of ninja or anything?" asked Kurenai with some concern in her voice.
Naruto got a bit nervous over that question; foreign ninja weren't exactly popular among ninja clans, particularly during these troubled times. So Naruto decided to play safe and say "I did got some training but nothing great, I have been travelling all my life so I can't say I belong to one land or another"
The girls seemed to relax and continued eating without further commotion.
Later…
Night had already settled in fully and after having dinner the three girls were preparing to go to sleep in their own tents while they offered Naruto to sleep on the cart with a few blankets. Naruto refused saying that he would keep watch for the night and went to pile some more wood.
The three girls nodded and Kurenai and Yugao retired for the night while Anko waited by the fire for Naruto to return.
Naruto was surprised to see Anko sitting by the fire moving the wood with a stick "Is anything wrong? Can't sleep?"
Anko smiled and turned her eyes towards Naruto "Nah, just don't feel like it yet. Say, do you want to do it?"
Naruto was a bit confused over the question but was rectified quickly when Anko stood up and began to pull down her top revealing her breasts little by little.
Naruto quickly jumped towards Anko and held her hands in place "Are you mad? We would wake up the others! Besides, I don't think it's a good idea" said Naruto awkwardly placing Anko's clothes back properly.
"Oh, a gentleman I see. Fine, but you are missing out a lot!" said Anko winking and starting to turn.
"But you see, I am quite turned on and in the right mood, so would you mind to at least give me a kiss so I can settle down?" asked Anko biting her lower lip.
Naruto gulped and got a bad feeling about it but feeling a bit aroused over the entire situation he got close to Anko and whispered "Just a kiss? Nothing else? A simple kiss?"
"A kiss is enough but if you want more…" replied Anko in a low voice while guiding her fingers on top of her breasts.
Naruto quickly said "Alright, just a kiss then"
Naruto then got in front of Anko and lowered his face to Anko's level as she was quite shorter than he.
"Come here baby!" excitedly said Anko as she grabbed Naruto by the hair and gave him a furious kiss getting her tongue into Naruto's mouth clearly surprising him with the intensity.
It didn't took long for Naruto to get into it and start reciprocating her kiss, but clearly she was the expert a she kept dominance and her long tongue gave him a pleasure unknown up until this point.
Naruto finally relaxed and decided to allow Anko take the lead as she was giving him more than he could offer back. As his hands were about to roam on Anko's body he felt something hard going down his throat and making him involuntarily swallow it.
Naruto pushed Anko away as the drug started to work on him dulling his senses and weakening him severely. Anko walked close to him in full confidence only to be surprised when Naruto took her by the neck and lifted her from the ground "What the hell did you do to me?" asked an irate but weak Naruto.
Anko felt how his grip began to get tight and cut off her breathing but she knew that Naruto was close to collapse due to the powerful drug. Before Anko received any significant damage Kurenai's finger touched Naruto's forehead casting a sleeping genjutsu on him and given his current state he wouldn't be able to counter it.
Effectively Naruto loosened his grip on Anko and let her go as he began to collapse only to get caught by Yugao and gently placed on the floor "You think he would have come if we asked?" asked Yugao in a formal stern voice.
"We couldn't take any chances; Lord Hiruzen was right to send us here, I wonder how he knew this character would come?" replied Kurenai watching Naruto sleep making certain he was alright.
"Don't know, but it was totally worth it! He is more experienced than his face lets you know!" said Anko turned on by Naruto's rude behavior and the excitement of the kiss.
"Slut" thought Yugao.
"Let's pack things up and secure this guy on the cart; it's a long way to the capital and Lord Hiruzen requested haste" said Kurenai as she began to put shinobi restraints on Naruto.
"Alright, alright; always so bossy" said Anko as she went to pack things.
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Naruto woke up to a sudden move that threw him to a side of the cart; he immediately tried to get up but the many restraints placed on his body made it near impossible to move around. He rolled around to see that he was inside a mid-sized cart and resting on top of a travelling mattress; his coat and weapons were neatly placed by his feet.
With a groggy voice Naruto called "Hello…" still somewhat affected by the powerful drug and with his throat severely dried due to the long time since having a sip of water.
Anko's face showed through the front of the cart and then disappeared back in the front, the cart came to a stop not long after that and once again Anko came through the front of the Cart and knelt by his side.
"Good morning lover boy! Enjoying the ride?" asked a happy looking Anko who was now dressed in very different attire. She was now wearing a mesh shirt and a very short dark orange skirt, her upper body was covered by a khaki trench coat and her legs were covered in two red armored leg braces (Basically her same attire from the manga/anime except for the color of the braces).
Anko bent in front of Naruto and he could see that she wasn't wearing anything under the mesh shirt so he could perfectly see the full silhouette of her breasts and with a bit of luck her…
Poking his eyes she laughed and said "Only in the third date pervert!" and sat back watching Naruto recover.
"Water..." demanded Naruto as he regained his sight.
Anko grabbed a small gourd and knelt besides Naruto and holding his head she placed the gourd on his lips. Naruto started drinking desperately until the gourd was empty.
"Why are you doing this? What do you want?" asked Naruto in a more normal voice as he tried to get free from the restraints.
"Because those are our orders; catch a blonde fellow with a red coat and goofy expression and haul him over to the capital" replied Anko placing Naruto's head over a pillow.
"Couldn't you have ask me to come over?" asked an irate Naruto frustrated of not being able to break free and for some reason he couldn't mold his chakra to escape.
Anko smiled wickedly at Naruto and straddling him she got very close to his face and licking his cheek said "Would you have? We were told you would be unwilling since you are prone to get in trouble…besides, don't tell me you didn't enjoy what we did a few days ago?"
Naruto laughed nervously as Anko kept stimulating him but "D-D-Days? How long have I been asleep?" demanded Naruto.
Getting up from him Anko took her seat across him and said "For around three days, that drug was supposed to knock you out for a week, but you kept stirring to consciousness so I kept giving it to you…in the same way I gave it to you first stud!"
Naruto went red as this was the first time a woman dominated him in such a way, unlike every other this one was a true predator, not just more experienced than him but truly seeking absolute dominance over him using every weapon in her arsenal.
Just as Naruto was about to reply the cart come to a stop "Looks like we finally arrived! Now, I will release you but you better promise me you will behave" said Anko
"Fine, I promise to behave; but where exactly are we?" asked Naruto as he rolled so Anko could remove the restraints.
"In Gran Fire, the capital city of the Sarutobi clan!" replied Anko as she got to free Naruto.
Moments later…
Naruto stepped out of the cart with help from Anko as the effects of the drug were still hindering his movements. Upon stepping out he was met by the other two females who accompanied Anko when they met a few days ago.
Yugao was in full battle dress (Anbu armor without mask) and Kurenai was in a short white, red, and black dress (Her regular outfit from the series), but the main distinction was that both of them wore headbands with metal plates similar to the one that Jiraiya uses except these didn't have horns but a humble symbol of a flame (The one from the Sarutobi graveyard).
Naruto noticed that Anko also had one though her hair covered it almost completely, of course you can't blame the young sage as Anko's forehead is not the first thing you look on her.
"You done with him slut?" asked Yugao in a stern voice making Naruto miss the cute display she used the other day.
Anko didn't seemed offended at all and just replied "Not at all, but for the moment I am; and please don't get all grumpy on me, just because the only guy you managed to bag is as sickly wimp who spends half his time in bed, you have to unleash your sexual frustration on others"
"What did you say slut?" said Yugao grabbing her sword while Anko replied "Bring it!" with a kunai already in her hand.
"Settle down you two!" screamed Kurenai bonking both on the head with a closed fist "Our mission isn't over! You can tear each other a new one once we are done!"
Both girls held their heads in pain as they nodded and got behind Naruto, while Kurenai got in front making a triangular defensive line that surrounded Naruto.
Smiling tenderly Kurenai said "If you will, we shall escort you to the one who sent us looking for you; please feel free to ask us anything about the city but do refrain from making questions of our lord"
Naruto nodded and feeling that his strength was quickly coming back to him decided to play along a little longer.
The three walked across several solid rock formations that seemed be formed in waves or layers of walls. Going across them through the slim road the first buildings of the city came into view, very tall pagoda style towers rose to the sky with a wooden symbol of the Sarutobi at its every peak.
Getting closer Naruto saw that the city was at a depression on the ground making a bowl at the heart of it and the tall rock walls formed an escalated defensive wall that protected the city. The city's main color was red and every building had religious decorations of the will of Fire as Kurenai was kind enough to point out for Naruto. Though several buildings seemed burned and its blackened surface the symbol of a skull was painted in white.
Naruto was about to ask about those buildings but was silenced as the main palace rose into view, tallest than any tower or temple, painted in white walls and red roofs it stood majestically as the dominant structure of the city, an on its peak a golden symbol of the Sarutobi that shone brightly with the midday sun. (Like a grand Japanese castle)
"That's where we are headed" pointed out Kurenai as Naruto was still marveled with the sheer size of the building and its majesty.
As the three moved forward a loud growl made them stop and realized that the noise came from Naruto's stomach "I don't suppose you would allow me to eat first, right?" asked Naruto a bit embarrassed over his loud proclamation of hunger.
Kurenai was going to say no at first but after the second growl made her shake a bit she decided that such a performance in front of their master would probably get him upset "Fine, we will get to a food stand and grab something"
Naruto bowed thankfully as he was truly hungry but as they moved to the restaurant's quarter he got wind of the most delicious fragrance he has ever experienced; and so as if he were hypnotized he almost glided to the source of the fragrance while the three girls were unable to stop him as he just dragged them effortlessly.
Following his nose like the best hound Naruto found the food stand he was looking for; the place was comparatively smaller than the surrounding ones but it had a warm atmosphere that no other could rival. Getting under the small binders that hung from the roof Naruto took a seat on one of the several empty stools and waited to be serviced.
From the kitchen, a young girl just a few years older than him came wearing a white cook's uniform with a white scarf on her brown hair. She was fair to look at and though she lacked the unique elements from the many girls he has encountered so far, she radiated a unique aura of comfort and peace that immediately made Naruto forget about his current predicament.
"Hello there stranger, what do I serve you?" asked the girl with a godly smile.
"Hi! Sorry but I just got following the delicious smell, I don't even know what you serve…" said a strangely embarrassed Naruto.
"Oh, don't worry sweetie, actually I am quite glad you did. We serve Ramen, the best in the Land of Fire if I may add! We have several kinds and all at good price!" replied the smiling girl.
"Oh, sorry but I have never tasted it before. Please serve me the one you cook best" asked Naruto still feeling giddily on the inside.
Observing Naruto and his fine looks, the girl made a thinking gesture and clasped her hands "I know the kind that will fit you better! One pork Ramen coming right up!" and disappeared into the kitchen.
Soon enough the other girls entered the food stand and got seated as well while keeping a silent watch on the carefree Naruto who just had a dumb expression as he waited his meal.
Not long afterwards the girl brought a large bowl of steaming Ramen and placed it in front of Naruto and addressed the other girls "Oh! More customers! We don't get this many at midday; what do I get you?"
The girls replied almost at unison "We aren't hungry; we are just accompanying this fellow"
"Oh! You sure are the ladies man…no way!" said the girl with a surprised expression as she stared at an empty large bowl of Ramen and the blissful expression on Naruto's face.
The other girls were also impressed and disgusted by the celerity with which Naruto finished that bowl of Ramen, especially since it was recently cooked and scalding.
"More!" Naruto demanded startling the cooking girl who immediately jumped back into the kitchen and began to cook more Ramen.
"And bring of more flavors!" Naruto added as he had an expectant look about him.
The girls were about to tell him that it was time but as soon as Yugao tried to pry away the chop sticks from his hand, she was scared by an animalistic growl from Naruto and decided to seat back and wait until he was done.
One after another, large bowls of Ramen were almost instantly devoured by a bottomless Naruto who just kept asking for more. The girls had to seat at a corner as the counter started to get filled with empty bowls piled on top of each other.
The exhausted girl finally brought the last bowl of Ramen and dropped to her knees sweating and panting, not even in her training days did she worked so hard "That's it, that's the last bowl of Ramen; I don't have more ingredients so please let it be the last one!"
Naruto slurped the last noodles from the bowl and let out a very content sigh "Man that has to be the best thing I have ever tasted in my entire life!" Naruto proclaimed loudly and not caring who listened.
As he patted his now full stomach, he jumped to the other side of the counter and lifted the girl in his arms in a bridal style "What's your name?" asked with a bright smile while looking directly into her eyes.
At this the girl finally took into the man's attractive looks and the compromising situation she was into, making her blush like a tomato "Ayame Ichiraku sir, glad you enjoyed your meal"
Smiling even more Naruto said "Enjoyed? That was a whole new experience! If I had only known something like this existed I would have looked for you since I stepped out of my home!"
This made Ayame blush even harder and start to stutter, sure she have had her fair number of suitors but she knew the best and most attractive guys out there always looked for the strong and beautiful of the clan, not the Ramen girl
"That's very gracious from you sir…" replied the poor girl as Naruto finally set her down on her feet.
"My dad told me not to without his approval but if I did, I wouldn't mind marrying you!" said Naruto in a joking sense though the little Ayame got stuck in the word Marrying, which made her make a couple of unidentifiable sounds and pass out over the shock.
"Oh! Guess she was very tired after all that cooking" said Naruto placing her comfortably against the counter and leaving five of his prized gold coins.
"Hope those coins are enough to pay for the whole meal, well I'll make sure to come back some other time!" said Naruto placing the "Closed" board on the counter and stepping out of the stand stretching.
"Alright girls I am ready to see this master of yours!" exclaimed a very satisfied and carefree Naruto as the dumbstruck girls followed in his joyous wake.
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The rest of the journey went without much trouble as Naruto in higher spirits stopped at every turn to try and peek at something interesting as the city was by far the most diverse and strange. Kurenai stated proudly that given the inclusive nature of the clan, people from all over the Land of Fire and other elemental lands had contributed to the clan's greatness and diversity.
Yugao said that her ancestors came from the warring clans in the Land of Lighting while Anko and Kurenai's ancestors were from the small Samurai lands between the great elemental nations.
Naruto nodded eagerly at this information for it truly was amazing and he had to admit this clan seemed by far the most likable so far. Here people moved on in life according to their merits and everyone managed to keep their own traditions from old. This as well also brought the question from where did his mother hailed from.
As they approached the palace, Naruto saw again in the dark of the alleys more white skulls painted on the walls and the words "The Truth of Jashin shall set you free!" scribbled beneath them. But when he tried to ask, the three girls seemed rather upset about it and evaded to answer.
Crossing the courtyard Naruto noticed large obsidian stones shaped like Kunai, and closer inspection showed the countless inscriptions on them. Kurenai said that those were monuments where the names of every warrior who perished in service of the clan were placed as to be remembered as heroes. Every name was written together and without distinction of rank or fame.
Upon entering the palace Naruto was once again struck with away as the walls were richly decorated with paintings and the halls filled with statues of past heroes of the Sarutobi painted in the now classic red of everything in this land.
The three girls escorted Naruto deep into the palace when they finally reached the throne room where an empty large throne stood with wooden flames behind it.
Naruto just stood in the middle of the grand salon while Yugao split to ask an attendant for her master's whereabouts, but before she gave a few steps a servant told them that the Lord would meet them at his office.
Kurenai nodded gratefully while Anko mumbled "Lazy old man!" drawing Naruto's attention over what kind of relationship they had with their commanding officer.
Walking behind the throne they were directed towards a false door that would be invisible unless you were really close and even then, only a trained eye would see the splitting on the wall. The false doors slid without making a sound and were received by a rather strange sight for such a grand and solemn palace.
A cozy office with a large and much worn out desk full of papers thrown here and there and a mug of coffee which apparently was made by his grandson given the poorly written message on it and it's uneven sides. The man behind the desk wore white and red robes which covered his entire body and on a hook by the wall was a funny looking hat with the word "Will" written on red.
In front of the desk there were other two elderly looking persons who directed their old but sharp eyes at the new arrival scanning him thoroughly. They nodded to each other and excusing themselves left the room, not without sending a scornful look at Anko who in turn just stuck out her tongue like a child.
The old man was starting to go bald though he still held much of his hair, which was now grey and turning white. He had a goatee of the same kind and marks under his eyes like three black lines sprouting from his eyes towards his aged cheeks.
The man clearly had sharp eyes but unlike many experienced ninja Naruto have met, there was also a lot of life, kindness and mercy in them. But then again, there was also a lot of weight in there.
The man eyed Naruto from head to toes and back again as if he was uncertain about something; but shrugging that away he smiled brightly and said "Welcome young man, allow me to properly receive you among the Sarutobi. My name is Hiruzen Sarutobi, the current clan leader and apparently going to be so until my death since they won't let me retire!"
Naruto wasn't exactly sure of what to reply to the last comment of the aged leader and just extended his arm to greet him "A pleasure sir, I can't say my first days among your people were exactly the best but I have had worse"
The old man laughed heartily and invited Naruto to take a seat as he sat back and lit and old wooden pipe. The three girls stood firmly behind waiting for an order or a dismissal but Hiruzen just told them to wander around in his office if they pleased, as he wasn't done with them and apparently didn't cared that his conversation with the him was heard.
"If I may, how do you know me? I haven't introduced myself yet" asked Naruto still feeling somewhat uneasy of Hiruzen's friendliness.
Taking a blow from his pipe Hiruzen replied "Well, you have made quite a name for yourself young man, not every day does a Sage wander around and decides to start fixing everything that is wrong in the Land of Fire! Swaying the Senju princess and her apprentice, stopping foreign criminals, saving a neutral land and setting peace among the Hyuuga is no small feat I tell you!"
Naruto became even more embarrassed as the three girls directed surprised looks at him, apparently they didn't knew who he was and the news came as a shock, seeing how young he was.
"I only did what my duty calls for, there is no need to be so impressed" said Naruto trying to diminish his feats, after all many of them were while in company of great and fine ninja.
"Humble too! This is almost too good!" said the man between laughs "Apparently Jiraiya raised a good man after all…" finished saying in a now calmed tone.
"Jiraiya?" asked in unison the three girls as if Hiruzen just said something forbidden.
"You know my father?" asked Naruto making the three girls drop their jaws as once again began to inspect him as if looking for something in his face.
"Know him? I trained him since he was a little boy! He wasn't exactly my brightest student but he was certainly fun to have around!" said the old man remembering when Jiraiya first invited him to his "research" journeys at the sweet age of twelve years old.
"He was a Sarutobi ninja?" asked Naruto with honest eagerness.
"He was going to…but something happened; during a training to teach him about summoning creatures he didn't signed the contract and still performed the signs. He was summoned to the Myoboku Mountain, home of the Toads, and there he was taught the arts of the Sage. He kept training under my wing for some years but eventually he decided one day to dedicate fully to his duties as a Sage, thus he abandoned the clan" spoke the old man between blows from his pipe.
"Wow, he never told me he belonged to a clan, it was always he and me, and the toads that is…" replied Naruto.
"Can't believe that pervert had a son!" said Anko breaking the solemn mood that had settled making the old Hiruzen laugh slightly acknowledging Anko's true words.
"You must have inherited everything from your mother if that guy truly is your father! And she must have been quite the looker!" added Anko earning modest nods from Yugao and Kurenai.
Naruto then realized something and quickly asked Hiruzen "By any chance was my mother too from this clan?"
Seeing the hopeful gaze in Naruto's face, Hiruzen was heartbroken to say "Sorry but no, your looks are very unique Naruto and the only ones with traits like yours live far in the north at the Land of Lightning. And your father never told me who your mother was; he only said that it was too painful to speak about her…"
"Is she even alive?" added Naruto.
"Don't know, Jiraiya just told me he now had a son and was training him to succeed him. Beyond that he always remained silent about anything I asked about you and it has been almost ten years since I last saw him" spoke Hiruzen calmly.
"Oh well, guess she is gone too then" said Naruto earning uncomfortable looks from the girls and a sympathetic one from Hiruzen.
"It has been good and all, but I think it is time we talk business Naruto. Since you have the goal to fix everything that's wrong on this land, then I have a request for you" said Hiruzen turning his pipe down and getting into all seriousness changing his demeanor completely.
"If it's within my power then of course I'll help" replied an also serious looking Naruto.
"Then I want to ask you to take my place as the future clan leader of the Sarutobi…" said Hiruzen waiting for his words to fully set in.
The three girls stood frozen as they just couldn't believe he was offering the most important position to a stranger. Sure he was Jiraiya's child but a foreigner nonetheless and one who barely knew anything about their clan.
Naruto on his side was rather surprised but after listening to Hiruzen's account of his father he remembered the succession issues the Sarutobi were facing.
"Is this because of the succession issue? Because I am a Sage and that would be to renounce my vows as such" replied Naruto returning an equally serious look to Hiruzen.
Sighing a bit, Hiruzen sat back on his chair "It seems that our woes are heard of even among the troubles of others. I am afraid that it is true, our clan is based on a meritocracy where the skilled are promoted to positions of power and leadership. And that so far has been a system that works and has brought us a lot of victories and much importance, but sometimes the truly talented are the worst kind of person's for a charge"
"As you know I am a living relic of the ninja age and my years are growing shorter by the minute, my health is no longer what it used to be and though I have been fortunate many times, I am afraid I am no longer capable of holding back the passing of time. This past ten years have been of peace, but all around me new talents have sprouted and grown very strong, Tsunade has an apprentice that already knows almost as much as she does, the Uchiha were blessed with truly talented children and the Hyuuga aren't that far behind. I considered relenting my position and allow the new generation to take the future for themselves, but…" stopped Hiruzen as if pained by a memory.
"But I am afraid the Sarutobi has not been so blessed, my son had talent and the heart in the right place but given we live in a meritocracy, my son wasn't necessarily the next leader. Another ninja made the claim to lead the Sarutobi and my son recklessly challenged him for that right" continued Hiruzen looking even more somber.
"My son severely underestimated this ninja and lost his life in the duel…After that I interviewed the ninja who won the duel and decided that such a man can never claim the leadership of the Sarutobi. So I have been postponing my decision for about a year now, waiting for someone strong enough to make the claim…" finished saying Hiruzen.
"And you want me to take the challenge and rid the clan from him…But even if I accept to defeat him, I am not a Sarutobi, I can't take your place" replied Naruto sadly knowing that a father would ask for vengeance but a leader can't indulge in such things.
"You are Jiraiya's child and though he abandoned us, I never removed his name from the records. Perhaps in hope that he would return someday, but still that makes you one of our own by a technicality. People may not accept it but a victory against this man should suffice to quiet down his followers and give me time to prepare a better leader" said Hiruzen.
"Does this have anything to do with the burnt buildings and the writing on the walls?" asked Naruto.
"So you saw them; yes this man claims a religion based on an old god of destruction and death called Jashin. Though the clan seems peaceful and going on with life, the truth is that a lot of people is scared of a future without me; And its very understandable, three generations have seen me as their leader for almost sixty years and given the short life span of a ninja during the wars, I am all these good people has known. This man is offering certainty with the message of death and destruction which has been a constant throughout the wars in the Land of Fire, this gives them solace on the face of losing me" continued Hiruzen making the three girls cast looks of sadness.
"But this man is a deranged monster who bases his strength in a forbidden Jutsu! And so he must be stopped from plunging this clan into madness and chaos! So if only for now, please take an old man's request and consider it for tonight…" pleaded Hiruzen as he clearly didn't have much options.
"And why don't you use other means to get rid of him?" asked Naruto casting an inquisitive look to Hiruzen.
"He had, and we failed miserably! His forbidden Jutsu makes him nigh immortal! No poison or weapon worked with him, we barely made it out with our lives from that attempt" exclaimed Anko.
Naruto turned to look at the three girls who redirected their sight back at him.
"You do realize the implications of a Sage joining with a particular clan? No one would trust me or welcome me again as they would fear me a spy…and I have made many important acquaintances among them as to guarantee that conflict would be first negotiated at least" replied Naruto reminding Hiruzen his duty as a Sage.
"I see…I won't force your hand Naruto but do take into consideration that if that madman reaches my position he will unleash his lunacy all over my beloved clan and soon afterwards upon the rest of the Land of Fire. The truce I worked so hard for ten years ago would shatter and it's unlikely it would stop this time, with or without your help" spoke Hiruzen slumping into his chair.
"Let's say I remove this man from the equation, what then? If people hear I had something to do with it, I won't be able to show my face in this clan again. His followers would riot and others within your clan would feel that your system works to a certain degree, it could generate you a lot of trouble to keep ruling…" said Naruto more wisely than Hiruzen expected.
"True, but even then, I would relinquish my position to someone of better heart. Besides I offer you to make certain no one know of your deed…" replied Hiruzen with a steely gaze.
"I'll have to think about it…" said Naruto getting up from the chair he was seated.
"Please do…" answered Hiruzen as he nodded for the three girls
"Please escort our guest to the guest room at the observatory of the palace…"Hiruzen finished as he turned around on his chair to stare at the setting sun.
Naruto walked out of the room without addressing the girls, the girls looked at each other and followed Naruto out of the office.
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Naruto walked slowly as he followed Kurenai through the now darkened halls of the palace, the other two girls followed him in their escort formation though the atmosphere was less joyous and more somber given that few people refused the kind leader.
"Sage boy...we truly need your help with this thing...we tried our best and we couldn't bring that beast down" said Anko breaking the silence as they approached Naruto's room for the night.
"Call me Naruto, and I do realize how dire your situation is, but thinking ahead is a very valuable advice a friend gave me some time ago…I want to help, but I must take into account the possible repercussions of me getting involved in such a way" replied a smiling Naruto trying to reassure the troubled Anko.
"Maybe I could convince you…" said Anko caressing Naruto's arm in a suggestive way.
Naruto took her hand gently off him and looking directly into her eyes said "Don't give yourself so lightly, It's beneath you...Instead have faith that things will work out"
Anko felt somewhat ashamed for some reason and was the first to break formation and leave.
"Please excuse her behavior lord Sage, she hasn't have an easy time among our clan and is prone to such acts" apologized Kurenai as they kept walking.
"Why? I noticed the other elderly people saw her with some contempt" replied Naruto interested in Anko's mystery.
"Let's say she was unfortunate in her upbringing as a warrior from this clan…" added Yugao clearly worried about her teammate.
"Don't mind her too much sir, this is your room; dinner will be brought shortly" said Kurenai bowing a little and going back.
"Thanks, and please just call me Naruto…" said Naruto as he entered the room the dark room.
The girls nodded and went in Anko's direction.
Upon entering the room, Naruto felt he wasn't entirely alone and to his suspicion a candle was lit on a small table revealing a heavily bandaged old man with a steely face and a young extremely pale man standing behind him in absolute stillness.
Not losing his cool, Naruto drew softly his tri pointed kunai and remained close to the door.
"That won't be necessary lord Sage, if I wanted to do any harm to you I would have done so when the kunoichi were bringing you here; as we stand we are hardly a challenge to a fabled Sage" said the old man inviting Naruto to take a seat across him as the young man served them both green tea.
"And who you might be?" asked Naruto as he cautiously sniffed his tea and proceeded to drink it.
"My name would be Danzo Shimura, and I am the chief advisor of the Sarutobi clan" replied the man drinking calmly from his own cup.
Naruto's expression shifted very little as he remembered Hinata's warning about this man and the bad vibe he emitted. Sadly Hinata only said that this man gave her the creeps without further sustention.
Danzo began speaking "From your reaction I could tell you have heard of me before; that's hardly good for a ninja if you ask me"
Naruto was slightly surprised that Danzo managed to catch his own reaction in such a dim light and when he had been careful not to give it away so easily.
"Guess that depends on the ninja…" carefully replied Naruto, choosing his own words.
"True, it is to my understanding that Hiruzen already gave you a formal welcoming to the clan and most likely requested you to rid us from our current predicament. I am here to offer you further assistance in this matter" Danzo said signaling the man to bring something.
The man grabbed a notebook from his small pack on his leg and opened it on two pages, one had the drawing of a mad looking man with his hair combed back and the other had his face covered and though it clearly had dead eyes on him.
Thinking the drawings were superb, Naruto quieted down his admiration for the young man's artistic skills and added "Who are they?"
"Hidan, the self proclaimed prophet of Jashin and killer of Asuma Sarutobi, currently Hiruzen's and mine's headache. The other is called Kakuzu, a much more sinister man who barely allows himself to be seen but I have confirmed he works with Hidan" said Danzo.
"Are they Sarutobi ninja?" asked Naruto.
"Hidan became one at the end of the last war, as for Kakuzu, we don't have any record on him or anyone with such a name among our ranks. But he has been dodgy at best and no one has seen him fight so far, though we suspect he is a ninja as well" continued Danzo as he signaled the young man to step back.
"Why are you showing me this? I haven't decided anything yet" said Naruto.
"I understand your duties as a Sage better than anyone in this clan, and given that Hiruzen is a more emotional man, he may have failed to convey the proper measure of the threat these two men pose for the entirety of the Land of Fire" said Danzo.
"And why are they such a threat? Even if they reach power they wouldn't be able to do much without everyone else's approval, no one would follow a mad man" replied Naruto sipping his tea.
"Ideally that would be true, but he has been quite smart by using that religion of his. As you know the ninja of Sarutobi are united under doctrine since our inclusive nature denies the family ties the other clans of Fire share in common. So to have a common identity Hiruzen adopted an old tradition of his clan and made it clan wide so everyone had a common banner to rally under" explained Danzo taking away the more noble aspects of the Will of Fire and explaining its use as a tool.
"The Will of Fire has seen us through grave times and several wars but now that its strongest advocate is old and close to retirement, people are uncertain of what to believe anymore and this confusion brings much fear to the general population and our warriors. Hidan has come up with this new religion of his and after his victory over Asuma it acquired a lot of followers who have been causing much unrest among the nonbelievers" continued Danzo hoping the severity of his words to settle in the mind of the Sage.
"As I said to Lord Sarutobi, if I intervene, my position as an agent of order among the clans would be shattered, I would be seen as a Sarutobi and thus treated like one. Even if this is a grim possibility for your clan, he made the claim of leadership within your own clan's rules, I can't do anything about that" replied a tired Naruto.
"You don't understand how religion works do you Lord Sage? Philosophies and religions transcend borders and clans, if Hidan reaches the position of clan leader, he would use the clan's resources to spread his religion to the rest of the Land of Fire!" exclaimed a slightly irate Danzo.
"And what makes his religion so bad or different to your Will of Fire?" asked Naruto with renewed interest for the two battling ways.
"Many years ago, Hiruzen inherited a much smaller Sarutobi clan than it is today as many ninja families had claimed small portions of land for their own and they would band together when faced with a common threat, like the Uchiha incursions or territorial claims from the Senju or the Hyuuga. The Sarutobi would then rally them together and lead them as the biggest clan around, but that way would ensure that we would never truly become a power on these lands; so he took an ancient Sarutobi belief and taught it to the other ninja families" started to tell Danzo.
"The many families that inhabited these lands liked the proposal and the merit system Hiruzen brought with him, and upon seeing his strength as a ninja very few had anything bad to say about his belief. This unified the clan and gave us a powerbase like never before which allowed us to expand our territories and treasury in an exponential manner" continued Danzo.
"Under his skillful leadership and bright ideas the Sarutobi rose in power greatly and soon enough was accounted among the great clans of Fire" said Danzo as he stopped to drink some more tea.
"His philosophy proved to be our strongest weapon as our clan lacks kekei genkais of its own unlike the other great clans. The Will of Fire to fight for our homes and our right to be free compelled our warriors to fight harder and in more creative ways thus giving us an edge on the troop morale" explained Danzo with a tint of contempt as he clearly didn't commune with the philosophy.
"On the other hand the cult of Jashin speaks of two great certainties in life, death and destruction. By becoming instruments of both, one no longer has to fear or doubt, you only embrace this two elements and bring them to everything around you. A Philosophy of conquest and war in a few words, driving people into blood frenzy…" continued Danzo with a small hint of praise over the simplicity of such belief.
"A blood frenzy that would drive our entire nation to war with the other powers of Fire, as Hidan would probably want to unify the entire land through his faith. Speaking coldly, he would unleash a war of faith from which there is no real settlement or goal but total domination, a senseless conflict to bring everyone into his fold and destroy the rest. As a Sage your work would be to stop this while it is still a minor conflict within the clan's borders" finished Danzo.
"And how exactly do you suppose I do this without being labeled a Sarutobi ninja? Or be deemed a puppet of Hiruzen? This is still an internal conflict about succession not religions, even if I wanted to help, how I would keep my status as an independent factor?" replied Naruto.
"A mere technicality, all you need to do is prevent Hidan from reaching the position of clan leader, not kill him, as for this Kakuzu person, he has been acting from the shadows all this time, it's likely he won't do much to help Hidan unless he discovers himself first" added Danzo with a creepy smile.
"What do you mean?" asked a puzzled Naruto.
"As a Sage and the son of a former Sarutobi, your word would hold much weight with public opinion. Also if you happen to sponsor another candidate to lead the Sarutobi, people wouldn't mind much since you would only be showing a sign of friendship and good will towards the clan, as you have for the other great clans of Fire" continued Danzo.
"But who among your clan has the strength to overcome Hidan's strength and popularity? He has followers I presume" continued Naruto intrigued by the option Danzo presented to him.
"We have many strong ninjas and leaders among our ranks, people flock to Hidan because he offers certainty and power, but if a Sage, a man of great strength and wisdom were to appease them and offer them a better candidate I am certain they would flee from Hidan in moments" finished Danzo still with that creepy smile plastered on his face.
"Do you have a candidate in mind?" asked Naruto with a pensive look.
"Why yes, one that would certainly reach to most of our population though I would like you to speak with him first. He is rather young and quite the troublemaker, but he should be a fine candidate" said Danzo with a satisfied smile as he ordered his aide to refill his cup with hot tea.
AN: Done!
Hi everyone, long, long time no see my good readers!
I am so sorry it took me so freaking long to update but after the Hyuuga arc I was spent and had no idea of what to write for the Sarutobi, and new ideas flooded my mind to write new stories.
Some probably noted that I started to write a NaruSaku/NaruHarem story inspired by Rosario+Vampire and so far I am in chapter 6 and its having a great reception so I focused my energies there for a while.
But since I made a promise to finish everything I start, I managed to come up with this chapter for The Wandering Sage and know that I am already writing the next one. Though don't expect this arc to be particularly long as I already want Naruto to start travelling the rest of the world and forward the main story.
I want to thank you all for your patience and devotion for this story and ask you all to don't give up on me as I am going to finish this!
As always…
Read, Enjoy and Review!