Chapter 36: Circumstances

"I'm kinda surprised you came." Darui chuckled as he stepped out of the shadows.

"I am too. The Raikage would murder me if he knew what I was doing." The dark-skinned man sighed. "So I'm here. What is it that you're after?"

"Peace I suppose. A way to end this war for now." The blonde replied quietly. "Why is Hidden Cloud fighting this war?" DO you have some kind of grudge against the Leaf?" Darui shook his head.

"No, nothing like that. Well the Raikage may or may not want to fight you, but that's besides the point. We simply...have no choice." Naruto gave him a strange look.

"No choice? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Naruto asked angrily. "There has to be a better reason than that to send men to their deaths." Darui sighed.

"We couldn't stay out of this war. For one it would make us look weak, especially after the incident at Hozukijo." Naruto twitched slightly. "And we could never pass up a chance to knock you guys down a peg. We hold no grudges, but everyone wants a shot at the mighty Hidden Leaf." Darui rolled his eyes. "At least that's what the public thinks." NAruto's brow rose. "Look, it's really not my place to say. If you're really that curious then you can go ask the Raikage yourself, although I dunno how the hell you could pull that off." The blonde sighed.

"So basically you can't help me." Darui shrugged. "Fine, then I'll be paying your Raikage a visit tomorrow night." Darui cringed.

"I wouldn't recommend that, but I guess I can't stop you. Just don't be surprised if he knocks your head off."

XxX

The Raikage's palace was certainly different than the Hokage tower Naruto decided. For one it was much more lavish; almost as if it was built for a Daimyo. It was also a lot larger, which led to more confusion. He had already gotten lost twice.

He finally found a door that the Raikage was definitely behind. He took a deep breath and prepared himself. For all he knew, the Raikage was waiting for him behind that door, ready to turn him into paste. He cracked the door open and poked his head in. It was completely dark in the office except for a strip of faint moonlight that illuminated a bookcase on the wall. Naruto padded in silently and dropped his invisibility technique, shutting the door behind him. It was silent.

"Is he really not here?" Naruto asked himself aloud. "You've got to be shit-" It all happened very fast, even for Naruto's standards, and if he hadn't been Naruto Namikaze, he would certainly be dead. As it was, he definitely had a separated shoulder. The Raikage had him pinned to the wall with his massive forearm, the only thing between him and Naruto being a thin layer of wind.

"What the fuck are you doing here Namikaze?" Naruto winced as the Raikage increased the pressure of his arm.

"Just here to talk man. Your boy Darui told me something interesting." As soon as Darui's name was mentioned, fury flashed through the Raikage's eyes. He grabbed NAruto by his throat and slammed him through his desk, which shattered into a million pieces.

"What did you do with Darui!" Naruto hacked and coughed as he tried to suck in a breath. "Out with it Namikaze!" A blast of wind exploded from Naruto, propelling the Raikage backwards. Naruto stood slowly and rubbed his neck.

"Fucking christ that hurt! And Darui is fine! We just talked!" The blonde rasped as loud as he could. "Man I think you popped my shoulderback into place..." In a second, the Raikage's fist was in Naruto's face, but he was ready this time. He caught it, and they both stood there for a moment, glaring into each other's eyes. "Will you stop attacking me dammit. I'm not here to fight you." The Raikage's brow quirked slightly.

"You said Darui is okay?" Naruto nodded at the Raikage's question.

"Yea. He's a good guy. Kinda reminds me of my teammate." The Raikage hesitated for a moment before dropping his arm to his side. He grunted.

"Alright. Now, what the hell are you doing here Namikaze?" The blonde scratched his head.

"Well, like I said, I had a few words with Darui." Naruto's gaze turned serious. "Why are you fighting this war? And I want the truth, not some political bullshit." The Raikage seemed a little surprised, but he sighed in resignation.

"Damn you Darui." The Raikage turned around and stared out the window. "My secretary, Mabui, was kidnapped not too long ago, right around the time we heard about a war brewing. From right under my nose too. It's funny, I've come all this way as Raikage, but I still can't protect the people I love." Naruto's eyes widened.

"Love? Then you..." Naruto trailed off, but the Raikage's nod was all he needed to understand. "I'm sorry." Ei chuckled.

"Don't be. That man was powerful. I'm not sure there's anyone in this land that could fight him and win." He said regretfully. "And that's just a feeling I have. I didn't even have the chance to fight him he was so...so many steps ahead of me."

"Tell me more about him."

"There's not much to tell. Not like I saw him. He wore a black cloak. He had me subdued before I knew he was here. Scorching green fire..." The Raikage didn't notice Naruto's jaw drop as he looked down in shame.

"Did you just say green fire?" The Raikage nodded. "That's the man who killed my Uncle!" Naruto started to pace back and forth, and the Raikage looked at him oddly.

"What are you babbling about?" Ei asked.

"When I was young, my Uncle Jiraiya was assassinated by three cloaked assailants. One of them had the ability to produce green fire, something I've never seen to this day. It has to be the same guy." The Raikage took a moment to analyze the information.

"That's some coincidence. Well then boy, what do you want to do about it?" Naruto pondered the question for the moment.

"We need to stop fighting each other and work together." Ei shook his head.

"Can't do that. You see the guy who kidnapped Mabui was sent by Hanzo. And if I don't continue to harass the Hidden Leaf and keep you occupied, they kill her. The worst part is I can't do shit about it. I've had my best BOLT operatives scouring all five Elemental Nations for any sign of her, and I got nothing. So I've basically gotta suck Hanzo's dick until this war is over." Naruto chuckled.

"I guess that's a good way to put it." The Raikage glared at him. "RIght. Well then there's nothing we can do for now. We'll continue to fight each other until one side can't go on. In the meantime you continue your seach and if you find anything figure out a way to contact me. Our villages may not be allies, but you and I certainly are. The Raikage scrutinized Naruto for a moment and nodded slowly.

"You're a lot like your father. Trying to do the impossible and still act like everything is normal. You know I had a very similar experience during the last war with your father in the last war. Some of my men had kidnapped the woman who would later become your mothe. Suffice to say he was not happy." Ei chuckled. "We came to an agreement that it would never get personal again. We would settle it on the battlefield." Naruto smiled.

"Thank you. Many people say that...but it's still nice to hear it." He sighed. "I just don't want you to go through what I did. Losing someone you love...I don't even know how to describe it. It just fucking sucks." Naruto stated, causing the Raikage to crack a smile. "It also causes you make bad decisions, like taking on the Raikage after a giant mythical creature puts a hole in your stomach." The Raikage cocked his head.

"That was why you attacked me that day at Hozukijo?" Naruto nodded.

"I see. I guess it makes sense now. So that girl..." Naruto nodded again. "Hmph. I'm sorry." Naruto was a little surprised he had actually gotten th Raikage to say those words.

"It's dust in the wind now. I've...come to terms with. As much as I ever will anyway. My only advice for you is don't give up on Mabui. I'll help you search for her if I have to, and we will find her." The Raikage observed the searing determination in the blonde's eyes, and he knew he was one hundred percent serious.

"Your aid is appreciated Namikaze. If anything pops up, you can expect a visit from Darui." The young general nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, it's been a tiring day. Apparently someone destroyed a few of my battleships and they have to be refitted." Naruto smiled sheepishly and scratched his head before disappearing in a brilliant orange flash. "Hmph, show off."

XxX

"There she is, Fort Tsunakan. This is going to be one of the toughest battle yet y'know?" Kakashi stated as he and his former Genin charges observed the fort from afar.

"I'm not really sure how it could be worse than the last time I was here." Sasuke mumbled.

"Bet we'll find out though." Shikamaru drawled. "As long as there are no Jinchuriki..."

"You just had to say something didn't you?" Sasuke questioned with a glare. Shikamaru just shrugged.

"We're bound to have bad luck regardless." The Nara stated. "Anyway let's get back to camp. Now's as good a time as any."

XxX

Chaos. Utter Chaos. Now Sasuke truly understood why Fort Tsunankan was impregnable.

"His first mission here had been a minor massacre compared to the bloodbath that painted the ground red. Hidden Rock and Hanzo's rebels easily outnumbered them two to one; a large step up from the fifty men Sasuke had fought. The element of surprise was another factor they were missing from this fight. Rock had been expecting them. Eagerly apparently...

It's not that the battle wasn't going well; hell for all Sasuke knew they were winning. Either way this was by far the bloodiest battle of the war so far, besides Naruto's miracle of course. Sasuke had long ago stopped caring about stepping on corpses, simply because it was impossible not to.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kakashi engage Aoi and was about to tep in when he felt the insurmountable urge to turn around and make eye contact with whoever the hell was staring holes through him.

He almost lost his grip on his sword as he made eye contact.

Sasuke had no idea who he was, for he wore a mask similar to Kakashi's, but he didn't care either. Because staring back at him were two very evil eyes; one normal and one Sharingan.

"You!" It seemed like the man cracked a smile under his mask, but Sasuke wasn't sure. He would never find out either as the very space around the man began to warp and twist, until he suddenly vanished.

Sasuke quickly gathered his wits and defended himself from an Earth Style technique before flickering away to where he felt Kakashi. As he arrived, Kakashi's Raikiri was clashed against Aoi's sword, sending powerful arcs of electricity carving through the ground.

"You can't hope to overpower me Kakashi!" Aoi shouted frantically.

"You don't mind if he has help then?" Aoi had no time to react as Sasuke flashed next to him and kicked him away. "Pussy." The Uchiha turned to Kakashi. "You and I need to talk." Kakashi eyed him strangely and looked around.

"It can't wait?"

"The man who's responsible for the Nine-Tails attack was here."

"Oh...shit."

XxX

Aoi cursed as he rolled across the ground. The brat Uchiha had caught him off guard again and made him look foolish. The nerve...

"Aoi." As he came to a stop the rogue Rain ninja looked up to see his Commander and Master.

"Hanzo sir." Aoi greeted respectfully as he was helped to his feet.

"We are withdrawing. The Fort is lost...it won't be much time now. Also, there has been a minor setback." Aoi cocked his head.

"What do you mean? Hanzo grunted.

"The Leaf are now aware of my Master. which means that blonde boy will be back any day now. We must prepare to fight the full force of the Nine-Tails." Hanzo flickered away. Aoi smirked.

"So the cat's outta the bag huh?"

XxX

"Naruto." The blonde snapped out of whatever trance he was in.

"Yes Tenzo? Sorry." The veteran ANBU commander chuckled.

"It's alright, but what has your attention, if you don't mind me asking?" Naruto seemed to debate for a moment whether or not to say when he shrugged.

"I paid a visit to the Raikage last night." Tenzo stared at him blankly then blinked once, twice.

"Remind me not to ask next time." Naruto snorted. "May I ak...actually I don't even know what to ask. Just don't get yourself killed, alright?" The blonde smirked.

"I can't die yet Tenzo. You should know that by now." Naruto stood. "We're continuing our march. If everything goes as planned we should be able to push through Loki Gai and Girumatsu port, and the Hidden Cloud Village should be a stones throw away. Have the men ready by dusk."

XxX

"He was there? On the battlefield? I swear if one more ridiculous twist rears it ugly head during war..." Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome. Where's the weed?" Kakashi reached into his pocket and pulled a baggie out. He tossed it to the Nara, who caught it in surprise/ "Wow really? Definitely kidding but I'll take it." Shikamaru sat down at Kakashi's table of planning and pulled out a pack of rolling papers. "So what do we do? I personally don't fancy taking on the guy who was on par with Minato Namikaze, and I bet you don't either Sensei." Kakashi shook his head.

"Not really. It's hard for me to even comprehend that someone was as strong as Sensei. He never lost." The Hokage turned to Sasuke. "I think it's time to reunite Team 7. How do you feel about a trip to the Land of Lightning?"

"I suppose it will be a nice vacation. But isn't Naruto leading the force up there? I can't just take him away," The Uchiha stated.

"Then help him win. Fast. I'm sure if you mention the guy responsible for his parents' death he'll speed it up a little. Anyway you should get moving. The less time we wait the better."

XxX

"Bee, I have a request for you." The man known as Killer Bee looked up from his notepad.

"Couldn't think of any lines anyway, save it for another day. What can I do for you brother, do I need to go undercover?" The Raikage shook his head.

"No, nothing like that. It's a simple task, well sort of. You've heard of the Namikaze boy right?" EI asked.

"You mean the son of the Yellow Flash, the one that's been kickin our ass?" Ei sighed.

"Yes Bee, the same one. I spoke to him last night. He broke into the palace." Be laughed.

"That boy is like a ghost, a ghoul, hell he made you look like a fool!"

"Shut up Bee! There's a reason I needed a new desk this morning." Be scoffed, causing Ei to growl. "Anyway...I need you to test this boy. He has intrigued me...but I need to know if he's the man he says he is. So take Yugito and I want you to test his limits. Do not kill him, but I want to see how he fares against two Jinchuriki.

"Yugito and I? But that boy will surely die!"

"You forget that he is a JInchuriki as well, of the NIne-Tails no less. No, he will not die. If I'm correct...he'll be the victor of that battle." EI explained. Be just shook his head.

"Whatever you say bro, there's something I don't that you know." Ei chuckled.

"Not this time Bee. I'm as clueless as you. It's just a feeling I have. Now go. By now he should be getting close to Loki Gai, so meet him there. And good luck Bee, I think you'll need it."

XxX

"Do you feel that Tenzo?" The Co-Commander stopped and looked back at his General, who seemed to be staring past everything in his view.

"No I...oh. What...what is that?" It was more power than Tenzo had ever sense before. It was...suffocating.

"It's coming from Loki Gai...Tenzo you have new orders."

"Sir?"

"Take the men and evacuate the city. I don't care if you have to scare people out of their homes, but get them the fuck out." Tenzo had no time to quetion Naruto as the blonde whipped out a kunai and hurled it into the air towards Loki Gai, disappearing in a flash a few seconds later. Moments later in Loki Gai an orange handled kunai landed in front of Bee and Yugito. Naruto appeared in all his glory, his cloak billowing out wide. "Any eason the Raikage sent the two fo you?"

"You're too dangerous for a regular man, so Yugito and I are the plan." Naruto cocked his head.

"Did you just rhyme?"

"Don't question my rhymes bitch, I'll kill you and leave your body in a ditch!" Naruto blinked.

"Not touching that with a ten foot pole..." he muttered. He turned to Yugito. "Do you have a semblance of sanity?" She actually chuckled.

"Bee's just enthusiastic. It's been awhile since we've had a real challenge. I just hope you can rise to the occasion." She crouched low, almost like a cat. "No more talk. Now it's time for you to leave the Land of Lightning." A cloak of blue chakra erupted around Yugito, two tails waving violently behind her, like flames. Be just grinned.

"Not today. Today will be the day that I sent two Tailed Beasts home with their tails between their legs." There was an explosion of power, and Yugito could not stop her jaw from dropping. Naruto was cloaked in a veil of golden chakra, with nine glorious tails whipping around gracefully behind him. His eyes showed the Mark of the Sage, but his eyes were tinted red and slightly slit like his tenant's. "Good, my men have evacuated the city." He smirked. "Then we have no reason to hold back."

XxX

A/N: And done.

So I couldn't think of an EC for this one. I have one for the next one but it has to do with things that were revealed in this chapter, so I'm saving it for next chapter.

Bit of a short chapter, but it's still moving along nicely. Next chapter will be an awesome fight. And that's probably pretty much it. We'll see though.

So Jiraiya's murderer is back! Told you he would return. Naruto will get his revenge eventually. And on the man with one Sharingan eye.

Anyway I hope you guys enjoyed. Got 10% battery and I wanna get this up so thanks for reading. Peace.