Yo!
How u guys doing? Goody good? Good.
Hope you're all safe and healthy, that's what matters right now.
I've read all of your reviews and let me thank you all for the kind and supportive words, but, and unfortunately, today I'm not replying like I use to do because It's already a little too late and tomorrow I gotta go to work early in the morning and blah blah, adult's life y'know?
As always, hope you enjoy this chapter. There will be more dialogue, well not dialogue per say, but there won't be much of action as per usual. Still, hope u like it!
Stay safe and have a good read!
Cheers!
Last time on Tempest...
"Many years ago, this Island was used to battle Ichibi before It could reach the village..." Kazeryū spoke out loud to no one in particular.
"It will also be known as the Kazekage's grave in a few minutes..."
[...]
The sound of lightning roaring to life made the Sandaime Kazekage, Kazeryū, tilt his head upwards, just in time to see the infamous Raijin no Ken descending upon him...
'I leave the village in your hands... Sabaku no Rasa.'
[...]
"I thought It wasn't gonna end... I know that a Kage's assassination is not supposed to be a simple or every day's mission, but still..."
"That's where you're wrong, Miko-chan. This is not the end, far from it actually (...) If one of them was assassinated, what is it stopping them from being the next?"
Senju Naruto: The Tempest
Chapter 8: You're not Alone!
Borders Kaze-Hi no Kuni
The small changes from the weather like the little greens here and there scenario were instantly noticed by the group consisted of two men and one girl as they welcomed the sight of the first trees meaning they were successful in escaping and bypass Kaze no Kuni's borders without anymore interference.
It would still take a few hours to reach their village at the pace they settled but It made them somewhat relieved that they were finally on known grounds.
The mission had take its toll, both mentally and physically. More so on Mikoto than the other two. The Uchiha heiress had finally come to accept the harsh world they lived in. The seeds had been implanted on her mind since the battle for Nami, but this last mission was the trigger for her mind to finally snap out of her naivety and come to terms that the world haven't really changed that much from the stories her father, Uchiha Kagami, had told her when she was younger.
Stealing a glance at the boy at her side told her that said person already knew the true reality of this world, she already knew that Naruto was amazingly strong but what surprised her was his resolve, the sheer mental strength she had seen in him was overwhelming. Mikoto, being an Uchiha, had been taught the importance of having and building mental toughness.
The ability to be resilient against unexpected stressors, the ability to stay strong, and function well, in the face of doubt, anxiety and unexpected turns of events that are outside of your control.
When you think about what makes a person a successful Shinobi, you might start by listing advantages and talents like Kekkei Genkais, high intelligence, amazing physical prowess and even luck.
But, success is more than just luck and the natural talents you were born with. In fact, those only play a small part in predicting success or high achievements.
Mental toughness means the ability to stay focused and keep the ability to stay focused and keep pushing to achieve short to long-term goals, despite setbacks.
She had heard him reporting his mission to Sakumo and with that, the unexpected battle between him and the Sandaime Kazekage. The fact that It was supposed to be an assassination instead of an one-on-one battle was a huge setback but even then, this bo-, no... man, being only 15 years-old, was able to adapt extremely quick instead of making any rash decision that would bring unthinkable consequences towards Konoha.
She was a bit miffed at how he ended the battle, but her mind suddenly remembered the true reality she was living in and brushed it aside. Though, her sharp eyes picked upon the signs of uneasiness when Naruto spoke where he had met the the now deceased Kage.
Her mind immediately started to piece everything together, their mission was top-secret and in times of war every Shinobi above Chūnin were daily-monitored to avoid setbacks like this, they wouldn't have time to relay their findings to whoever they had allegiance to. So that meant someone might have overhea-
"There's no doubt, someone summoned that Sparrow-"
Eyes wide in shock, Mikoto's mind turned blank as she heard that little detail. Sparrows was one of the summonings that a specific family of her clan had at their disposal, her mind was working in overdrive at these implications.
'No mistaking, that's Fugaku's family personal summoning, I should know since I'm the current heiress taught personally by my father, ans him being the Clan Head means he knows everything about the Uchihas like their heirlooms and wealth. Fugaku's family always had some political prowess since they are one of the oldest families within the Uchiha Clan and known for being the summoners of the vicious birds... The Sparrows. Shit!"
Mikoto could only guess what was going through Naruto's and now Sakumo's mind. It was common knowledge that the Konoha Elders didn't have complete trust over the Uchihas and if they even thought about someone from the same clan giving information about top-secret missions to the enemies... It would be catastrophic.
They could lose their privileges, political power and many other things... With her new mindset, she wouldn't discard the possibility of her clan being wiped out. The Elders wouldn't care if It was just one Uchiha that betrayed them, he could've followers and... for the good of the village... It was better safe than sorry.
'I have to talk with him before...'
Konohagakure no Sato
Poof!
A plume of smoke broke him out of his good mood as his eyes immediately settled on the bird in front of him.
"So...?"
There was a squawk before a distinctive feminine voice answered the unasked question.
"The Kazekage has been assassinated...-" The she-sparrow chirpped fearfully as her master's eyes turned blood red with three-tomoes spinning ominously, before continuing "... It appears that Senju Naruto is more skilled than you thought. He soundly defeated and killed their Kage. Right now, they are half-way through Hi no Kuni."
Fugaku gritted his teeth in frustration, another plan going downhill because of that damned Senju.
'I would never thought that an experienced Kage could lose against the brat, after the latter losing the element of surprise. Tsk.'
He took a deep breath before he made any rash decision that he would come to regret, Fugaku wasn't stupid enough to think that the damn Senju or Sakumo wouldn't connect the dots and come to the conclusion that there was or were spies in the village or that the now-deceased Kazekage wouldn't babble who notified him that they were coming to assassinate his person.
His summonings were well-known and eventually he would be found as the culprit for the betrayal. He had to leave the village while he had time otherwise he was a dead man. His revenge would come, he could wait. Also, now that he thought about it, It would be best and easier to make another type of approach...
Instead of trying to get the Senju personally killed... He would first make him suffer, make him lose his temper...
By killing him inside out...
Nevertheless, he had to leave the village... and fast! And so, making the necessary hand-seals, he disappeared from the Uchiha training grounds to pack everything and while speeding towards his home, a sudden thought went over his head.
'Now that I think about it... That woman... Senju Mara... Where did she came from...?'
Kumogakure no Sato
Raikage's Office
In the Raikage's office, the supreme leader of that same country was reading for what seemed to be the fifth time the reports over what happened in Sunagakure.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Report #23
Just as we reported before, we deemed worthy following three unknown identities that had infiltrated the village not too long ago and find their intentions. One of our members, Sora, immediately recognized them:
Hatake Sakumo, Uchiha Mikoto and Senju Naruto.
The first two henged as Kumo Shinobis, we planned to attack them right there and then but as the team leader I recognized that we would be destroyed and not just that, our cover would be blown up.
That hesitation 'cost' us and we lost sight of both of them before they left their hideout. Senju Naruto soon took off after a few minutes. We weren't able to follow him otherwise his known extraordinary sensor abilities would instantly pick on our chakra signatures so we decided to wait.
It took at least 30 minutes for the news of the Sandaime Kazekage's demise along with at least a hundred Sunagakure Shinobis soon after, reached us.
With the chaos that soon followed, I decided to lead our team out of the village and report this undoubtedly direct mission to infiltrate and assassinate the Kazekage thought and planned by the Sandaime Hokage.
Awaiting for your orders,
BOLT Captain of Squad 4
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
The Raikage was at loss of words to say at least, he didn't expect such blunt direct attack from someone of the likes of Hiruzen Sarutobi but if he had to guess, this was what made him the ruthless Shinobi no Kami in contrast to the peaceful Professor.
This was what made those damn Konoha-nins so dangerous, It wasn't just the quality of her Shinobis, they also have a cunning mind that made even him, The Raikage, take a step back and think twice before he made any moves. No one expected a direct assault towards any Kage, not just that but the confidence that the Sandaime Hokage displayed towards only those three - Hatake Sakumo, Senju Naruto and Uchih Mikoto, to perform this type mission that went almost without any flaw, shows that Konoha didn't sleep nor drunk in the fame after they won two consecutive Wars.
But,
As his mind concluded all of this: Those three didn't execute the mission flawlessly.
Like the report said, two of them had henged into Shinobis of Kumogakure which meant they had a secondary objective of blaming his country while they sat back and watched everything playing out.
'So, they underestimated Sunagakure... With this, everyone will know who was the culprit behind the Kazekage's assassination and turn their guns onto them.'
While Kirigakure is still out of the war, Iwagakure, who always shared a certain rivalry with Sunagakure would want to have a say in this. They were too proud to not to. He could use that pride and deal a devastating blow on the major threat, in his humble opinion, of this war... Konoha.
'I wonder what that damn arrogant fence-sitter Ōnoki's reaction will be after he gets knowledge of this...'
One Day Later
Konohagakure no Sato
Three figures blurs blitzed through the gates having already been checked and confirmed about their identity, one of them gave a subtle nod towards his leader who noticed and answered by doing the same gesture. The latter already knowing his pupil's intentions and actually agreeing with it had let him go while he gets to deliver the full-report to the Hokage.
'Well, not actually the full-report since I didn't get to see the battle fought between him and the Kazekage. Guess I'll just have to win him some time before he gets back.'
Still, as Naruto parted ways with them, both him and Sakumo noticed the worried glance that Mikoto sent his way.
~ 1 Hour Later ~
Uchiha's Residence
Throughout his life, Uchiha Kagami lost count on how many times he has dealt with betrayals but instead, he could count with his fingers the times his guard was caught off guard.
It so happens that this minor list has gotten updated.
'So you betrayed us, huh Fugaku...'
Caught off guard? Yes.
Surprised? Not really... He had seen the first signs of rebellion within the eyes of the young Uchiha but he choose to ignore it since he had been good and close friends with Fugaku's mother.
Kagami had inherited Hiruzen's way of thinking. You could say he was a pacifist like his good old friend even though he still had that thirst for battles that the Uchihas were so famous for.
He was not an idiot, far from it... He knew with Fugaku's betrayal, Konoha could potentially lose the war since the young Uchiha had important Intel that could be catastrophic if It reached the other major villages.
The fact that he was a member in-training to-be leader of Konoha Military Police Force didn't help things in the matter as It meant he could have gotten his hands in classified information.
This would be very bad, but turns out that the timing for all of this to occur made the situation even worse. War was already on Its way towards the mid-stage and this is where every Nation gather around to discuss what has and needs to change... Plans are made with the information that they gathered during the early-stage... and, overall, Fugaku's betrayal could be the catalyst to Konoha's destruction.
Kagami couldn't have that but he knew, by now, Fugaku was probably out of their reach. Also, if word got out that an Uchiha betrayed the village, It could mean the Uchiha's end of line or the starting of a civil war in worst case scenario.
In the end, both options would make Konoha vulnerable to any outside attacks and most probably... lose.
Looking into the eyes of the man in front of him confirmed that he knew all of this and more. Kagami couldn't be more grateful that he came to him first, It was one more proof that the decision he made since his eyes landed on the young Senju after so many discussions he had with his daughter was the right one.
''Dear, Koto-chan is in good hands...' Taking a deep breath, the Clan Head finally spoke for the first time since Naruto began his tale... "In the name of the Uchiha Clan, I thank you for what you've done for us. Don't worry now as I'll personally speak with Hiruzen and plan the best course of-"
It was a mere gesture but Kagami's veteran eyes easily picked upon the sudden stiffening form of Naruto in that millisecond... As soon as he saw the cause, his old body blurred showing that the wounds sustained from the Battle for Nami no Kuni were just that... puny wounds. His hand lit up on fire before he appeared behind the unknown figure that was trying to leave his facility, thrusting it through the enemie's back whereas the fingers that were still engulfed in flames could now be seen in the front and needless to say, the invader's organs were melted in under two seconds...
"... action." Katon: Ensaken (Fire Release: Flame Murdering Fist)
His now-blood red eyes once again landed on the Senju's stoic face, his mind already concluding many things 'I see, the rumours of his amazing sensory abilities aren't farfetched. To be able to instantaneously pick on that little burst of chakra... Just like Tobirama-sensei. Frightening.'
Turning his gaze downwards, Kagami immediately knew who this person or rather, woman, was. The Uchiha Crest proudly displayed on her back was all the confirmation he needed.
'Uchiha Kyara... Known for her unhealthy attachment towards Fugaku... A girl with good potential dying because she wanted to follow someone she loved... What a waste.'
If he didn't believe Senju Naruto before, now this was all he needed. Fugaku had just used the fact that she was in love with him since the academy days, a girl who showed great promise and had inclusive caught the eyes of Spy, Seduction & Assassination Konoha's Departments for her known ability to be able to surpress her chakra completely as well as for being good looking even among the Uchihas. Her weakness although not so known was that if she made any single movement like a step, there would be a almost unnoticed burst of chakra.
Meaning if It wasn't for the man in front of him, the girl would have been successful in whatever she was planning to do. She had underestimated the prowess of a not-so-well-known-yet sensor, It seems the arrogance still runs deep in this generation.
For Naruto, he just stood there. Since he had entered Mikoto's house he had been immediately aware that there was something watching every step he made. He had brushed it off since this was the Uchiha Clan Head's home, though he didn't let his guard down for even a second during the whole report of his findings.
Soon enough, It all came to this... He had to mentally praise this old man. He was, after all, a powerful and famous veteran Shinobi. To be able to react the way he did the second he had sensed that small activity of chakra was inwardly worth of praising.
He was broken out of his thoughts as the man continued where he trailed off "I guess this is it. I'll see you soon Naruto-san... Take good care of my daughter." The last part was a mere whisper but the red-eyed Senju was sure he heard it right but like everything else, brushed it aside.
"Thank you, Kagami-sama. Farewell."
~ Another Day Later ~
Senju Compound
Naruto was meditating, organizing his thoughts as well as balancing his large pool of chakra inside of him. While his eyes were close, above him the molecules in the atmosphere were being manipulated by the black-haired.
Unbeknown to him, he was creating another Water Manipulation's exercise. The act of unconsciously draw water from the atmosphere like a second nature. Had he completed this exercise, he would've noticed how easier It was for him to use the same jutsu he had in the last battle against the Sunagakure Shinobis that followed him and his team.
Though, that achievement would be for later date as his ears twitched at the sound of footsteps heading his way. Soon, his eyelids snapped half-open to gaze at the unmistakable form of his most precious person... Senju Mara, his...
"Kaa-san."
Charcoal orbs gazed upon the dark-red eyes of his son for a few seconds before she finally opened her mouth "Sochi-kun, what's in your mind?"
Naruto watched his mother lining up against some tree while maintaining direct eye contact with him. It would be something praiseworthy as his stoic face coupled with his blood red eyes would immediately make someone avert his or her gaze, but this was his mother they were talking about.
"This world... is dark."
Her eyes noticeably softened, she was the only person in the world who Naruto would open up. Not even that Uchiha girl or his Sensei could get him to show this many emotions. Soon, the Yuki Clan member walked in front of her son while bringing her soft hand and cleaning something that had came out of his eye...
Naruto realizing that, his eyes widened 'Tears...? Am I crying?'
Senju Mara had an understanding look on her face, her child albeit very mature was just that, a 14 years-old boy.
"You know, I met your father just after the end of the Daiichiji Ninkai Taisen (1st Ninja World War)... before that I was just your normal Kunoichi trying to survive a War. I lost my parents during my childhood and so I only had my clan to stand for. In the end, It was not enough for me as I wasn't happy even if I was hailed as one of the best controllers over our Kekkei Genkai, Hyoton, among our Clan. I left Kirigakure no Sato in search of that happiness, something to fill the hole that the death of my parents left..."
Naruto lifted his eyes to meet the charcoal's of his mother, entranced by her words and story that It was unknown to him.
"... Soon, I regretted that decision because of the chaos that the War brought over to the smaller Nations. There was blood everywhere you went and by then, I realized how selfish I was being. I realized that there were many others that suffered even worse pain than I did and so I started to help whoever I could. Multiple times I asked myself if there was no end to this bloody war as the only thing It brought was more pain and suffering, I started to lose hope..."
By now, some tears were welling up in her eyes and Naruto felt powerless seeing the person he cherishes the most in obvious pain. Though, his eyes widened seeing a small smile forming on the beautiful face of his mother as she continued.
"But then, I met your Tou-san."
His mother's hands that were now gripping his own tightened a bit more.
"In a random bar of a small village, by coincidence, I met the man that would bring the joy of my life and fill the hole that up until then was empty... you."
The Senju Heir had his eyes widened as realization of what his mother was trying to tell him hit full-force. Her mother's eyes gained a stern look as she gazed over his son.
"I was selfish in leaving my Clan when they needed the most just for the sake of my own desires and with that journey through the Elemental Nations I learned that alone we can't conquer anything just so that we can live happily. You need others by your side, a bridge doesn't support itself without its pillars. Sochi, you're not alone."
Those last words finally struck Naruto.
Flashback
A 9-years-old Naruto was training Bukijutsu, in this case, his Shuriken, Kunai and Senbon's throwing. Hitting bull's eye throw after throw at angles that would make even an Uchiha jealous, his aura was expelling huge amounts of smugness and arrogance.
Hidden in the trees two pairs of narrow dark-red and charcoal eyes were watching all of this with a bit of concern even if It was barely visible on the former.
Both of them made eye contact, a hidden message and decision occcured that both agreed with. Without any hand-seals one of the figure's body dissolved into puddles of water to reappear a few meters behind the young black-haired Senju.
"Naruto, fight me." By now, said boy had already sensed both presences of his parents but still, those few words surprised him. His small body tensed, his mind working in overdrive at the new challenge.
But not even his already capable mind or trained body could predict the shimmering form of his father's in front of him, a kick penetrating his guard like nothing and sending him many meters backwards.
Maneuvering his body with amazing flexibility, he balanced himself still in the air throwing a few Shurikens while going through a bunch of hand-seals, his eyes focused on the metal objects.
"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
He didn't stop there to observe the five Shurikens multiplying into hundreds as his feet touched the ground, his palms clapped against each other...
"Fūton: Reppūsho!"
Around him, the winds roared to life as a turbulent gust of air washed over the hundreds of Shurikens, picking up their speed towards the unmoving form of his father.
Tobirama watched all of this with an emotionless gaze, inwardly proud of his son's achievement in using a Nin-Bujikutsu combination seemingly without effort, but...
The metal objects struck his body without any remorse getting eyes narrowed from Naruto... 'It can't be THAT easy...'
He was about to close his eyes to focus on his advanced sensor abilities when a cold metal rested in front of his neck, his skin getting chills upon the cold touch.
"Can you identify your mistake?"
It was barely a whisper but the cold, unforgiving voice of his father met his ears getting chills down on his spine. His mind desperately trying to come with an answer until it hit him.
"When my eyes were focused on the Shurikens while I was still in the air... Still, you're not a Kage for nothing, you have way more experience than-..."
It destroyed Tobirama's heart hearing his son's almost-broken voice in the beginning after realizing his mistake but his eyes narrowed dangerously at the excuses that soon followed and that same tone he, himself, used to get when he wanted to find something else to blame on.
"Wrong!"
Tobirama noticed his son's wincing at the disappointment present in his tone, he continued nevertheless.
"That was just a clone to begin with.." On cue, the figure that got ruthless Shurikened dissolved into water... "You're sensory abilities are even better than mine when I was your age so I know you can notice since a Mizu Bunshin has 10% of the original's chakra."
Tobirama removed the Kunai from his son's throat and watched without any emotions as his sons dropped to his knees, head dropped in shame, his fathers words still registering in his mind.
"Your mistake was solely in your arrogance in thinking that because you've got many talents that no one can overcome them. Even Hashi-nii-san had his weaknesses, I do have weaknesses, everyone has. But It's up to us to recognize and accept our flaws. You can't turn weaknesses into a strength if you're busy denying the weaknesses exists..."
Naruto lifted his head, the same dark-red coloured eyes meeting that of his father's, pleading for guidance.
"Senju Hashirama was someone that not a single person outside of Konoha didn't fear, his name alone made their bodies tremble in fear... Even then, he couldn't take on the world alone. Even him needed a pillar to support him on his dreams to achieve peace. Unfortunately, he didn't have enough time for that and that shows how even the man that many called Shinobi no Kami isn't invincible... He acknowledged that even before he died, and do you know what he always used to say to me...?"
Tobirama didn't wait for an answer as he continued with a lesson that, unknowingly, would shape Naruto to be, one day, hailed as the strongest Shinobi to walk on Elemental Nations, surpassing the likes of Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara.
"He used to say that every time that he went against enemy armies alone he would always be afraid of the outcome even with the immeasurable strength he had. Thought, when he went to the battlefield with the backing of his wife, Uzumaki Mito, myself, or the village , he would always feel invincible, his heart always fueled with determination to come on top for his loved ones, to protect his family above all... I can verify that the man was a beast in the battlefield when alone, but with some trustworthy person on his side? He was a monster on a total different level..."
Naruto's heart was beating faster and faster, determination was fuelling his veins at the advice his father was giving him. His mind was imprinting every single word he was hearing and he had a feeling that one day, in the future, these same words would be very important for him.
"Naruto, one cannot conquer anything while alone, the glory and success aren't worthy when you can't cherish it with someone, you'll be no one if you don't have anywhere or someone to come back to, if you don't have a home to come back to. Cherish every relationship and every moment you have as if It was the last, don't try to shoulder everything even if you, one day, can take on a army by yourself. Trust your friends and loved ones and one day you'll achieve my brother's dream... Naruto, you're not alone!"
Flashback End
"You're not alone!"
Naruto gripped his mother's hands while standing up, the few tears that had leaked out of his eyes were now dry...
"I see... So that's what he meant..."
Senju Mara was now observing her son's reaction towards her words or advice, she really didn't want him to lead the path she had once walked, if she hadn't met Tobirama in that bar, she couldn't even begin to imagine what her destiny might have been. Soon, her own charcoal eyes widened seeing the fire behind those dark-crimson orbs gazing at her with absolute determination, a ghost-like figure took form behind Naruto with a hand on his shoulder while looking at her with a proud smile on his face.
"Thank you, Kaa-chan. I know what I must do... I've finally made peace with myself and no one will stop me from achieving my goals! With you, Sakumo-sensei and everyone else by my side, we will bring peace to the world... together!"
'Tobi-kun, even now you...!'
Kirigakure no Sato
Jento Hozuki, Sandaime Mizukage, was looking over the last reports about the small group that had tried to rebel against him, though unsuccessfully.
He was on his mid-thirties, pale skin with light-blue hair, violet eyes and average built.
While looking over the last file, his mind replayed the last few months after being elected Mizukage as per his father's, the deceased Nidaime Mizukage, will.
He had been hard-pressed when he took over the village, his military force was running low even if a good percentage of these Shinobis were between Elite-Jounin and Kage-level. Because of the fact that he was not very-well known throughout the Elemental Nations, his election was criticized by many and those that approved had but held their suspicions.
The fact that his father, Gengetsu Hozuki, made a mistake in taking only an army of three-hundred only to lead them and he himself into their death didn't help. Soon, many in the village started to question if he really had a capable mind and if he, too, was about to give more credit to the Bloodline users and disregard the achievements of the ones that didn't have any Kekkei Genkai in their blood.
It wasn't a secret that the Nidaime Hokage favoured those with special blood, and that implanted some evil seeds in the minds of those that didn't have any special talent. The fact that there was already some minor groups here and there arguing that his father wasn't worthy of leading Kirigakure only made them even more thirsty for blood after the grand mistake that would lead into his death even if he took with him seven-hundred plus the Nidaime Tsuchikage.
To calm them down, he had made several changes so that those without a Kekkei Genkai could prove themselves, starting with the academy graduation.
What he didn't know was that these very changes would lead Kirigakure to be known as the Chigiri no Sato (Village of the Bloody Mist) in a few years.
Another change he made was splitting the society per say. Kirigakure's society was already split into a form of caste system since the founding of the village. The highest ranking civilians were those whose family lineage originally stemmed from within Kirigakure, the second caste was for members of families who were allied with Kirigakure on the battlefields in the past while the last and lowest caste consisted of members of the families who were defeated on said battlefields and annexed into the village. From the early days on, the members of the third caste were handled with caution and had to complete the most perilous and dangerous missions for the village — thus keeping them occupied and preventing them from revolting and this is where he changed.
By sending a major part of the Shinobis without any Bloodline over to the third castle along with a minor group of Kekkei Genkai users, he had prayed that they would see this as an incentive and as a trusting decision seeing that they would be, literally, given the title of protectors of the Mist and being the ones that would be sent regularly to important missions.
It escaped him, however, the fact that the seeds had already been implanted too far deep in their minds and soon It escalated to a point where they would argue with the freaks, those with bloodlines, almost daily over any little detail that they didn't like.
Though, that was just it. Word had gotten out that they had been in a civil war but that too was only a rumour that couldn't be more wrong. It was just a few skirmishes between some groups but nothing that he didn't couldn't resolve.
The fact that they still hadn't join the war was purely because they had lost many Shinobis and a Kage and no village could just brush it off like nothing.
'Well, Konoha probably could...'
He always had the feeling that his Shinobis were very different from the other Nations, everyone originated from Kiri wanted to be given credit for their achievements, they wanted to be recognized within the village. Such emotions were a nuisance but that's what made them special and different from the rest.
Everyone wanted to be appreciated and if someone thought he wasnt being given the worth he deserved, there would be many problems. With this, came the competition. He wasn't afraid to admit that his village had the most competitor Shinobis from all the Great Five but that also gave him problems internally such as these rebels from time to time all because one group (non-bloodline) wanted to prove themselves superior towards the other (bloodline users) and vice-versa.
Though, seeing that that little faction of non-bloodline rebels were taken care of, he could now focus on the current war. He wasn't dumb enough to let pass such opportunity to gain more resources, that was what the war was for after all.
The village that comes out on top, would not just get the fame and glory but a huge boost when comes to economy.
'Guess It's time to show that we haven't been sleeping at all...'
Hi no Kuni
Valley of the End
On top of one of the historical monument, a figure sat there gazing over the river down blow. A pair of three-tomoe Sharingan swirled at a slow pace while the man adopted a thinking pose.
'What to do... Where to go... Hmmm, so many options.'
He had been waiting for some time now the girl he had manipulated before he left the village but even if he could acknowledge the skills the woman had in spy & infiltration, the mission was doomed to fail since the beginning.
Still, It was worth trying.
Though, that was not the only reason he has been waiting for who knows how much time. The main one was just about to arrive as his precious Doujutsu picked upon the use of chakra right in front of him, and not a moment later, water swirled around that spot before two figures appeared before him.
The Sharingan user widened his eyes after gazing over of who he guessed was the leader or captain. A pair of purple eyes, six concentric rings and a mop of red hair that looked awful familiar to one of his classmates.
It was the other man that took a step forward, his spiky orange hair flowing with the strong air current and brown eyes that currently were calculating him.
"Uchiha Fugaku, my name's Yahiko and this is Nagato. The leader of our village has informed us of your intention in joining Akatsuki. Though, I still want to hear it from you, the reasons I mean."
Fugaku's muscles relaxed after hearing that and seeing that this indeed were the people he was waiting for. Not wasting anymore time, he replied.
"I left Konoha on my own after seeing that the villagers are still too simple-minded. They aren't working towards a better future, quite the opposite actually..."
He trailed off but after seeing no response coming, he continued... "Just a few days ago, the Sandaime Hokage gave direct orders for the assassination of the now-deceased Sandaime Kazekage, not even once he thought to use other methods that didn't include assassination."
The former Konoha Shinobi had to surpress the smirk seeing a thoughtful frown appearing on the orange-haired man in front of him, though he missed a pair of narrowing eyes.
'Jiraya-sensei... That's the so-called peace you once wanted to achieve so bad...? I guess what Hanzō said about you and Konoha in general was true after all... You only want peace for yourselves.'
Those were the thoughts of Yahiko while Nagato too had a frown on his face but for a completely different matter.
'I can tell he omitted many things, even if It was true when he mentioned about the order given by the Sandaime, my Rinnegan picked upon the fluctuation of his chakra when he gave the first reason for why he left Konoha. What are you hiding, Uchiha Fugaku?"
He didn't and wouldn't speak, keeping his thoughts to himself until he had some time alone with his two most precious people since Hanzō had already agreed upon the inclusion of the Uchiha in their ranks.
After a minute of silence, Yahiko finally spoke "Alright, if that's all... Let's leave, Hanzō-sama awaits you."
Both newcomers didn't wait for a reply, immediately vanishing from their spot towards Amegakure no Sato, missing the dark smirk that came over Fugaku's feature as he followed them.
'Soon... Soon, I'll destroy everyone that's precious to you and just then, I'll kill you, Senju!'
~ Few Days Later ~
Konohagakure no Sato
Training Grounds #43
Namikaze Minato was currently going through a few Taijutsu Katas and while he was busy physically, his mind was thinking over the current war, his friends and the village.
Since he entered the academy he had always dreamed of one day be elected the Hokage and with the recent training Jiraya has been putting him through, that dream was not just a childhood dream anymore but something achievable.
He had the strength, mind and the kindness to lead this village. Even if he didn't admit out loud, he could almost bet that in a few years he would be probably one of the strongest if not the strongest Shinobi in the village.
Right now, he was lacking experience. Not just in the battlefield but leadership as well.
He had been field promoted to Jounin a few days ago thanks to his amazing efforts in the war so far even if It was still too far from the end.
Still, It gave him the motivation to keep going and right now he couldn't be more happier on how his career was going. Unfortunately, his romantical life wasn't so lucky. After being denied a date with his classmate Kushina, he had been frustrated ever since and by now, he could guess the real reason.
His mission success rate hadn't lowered though, he could easily brush aside his personal problems when It came to the village, after all, no one was more important than the village.
Maybe that was his problem, putting the village above Kushina, since she was an Uzumaki and time and time again she scolded him about family being more important than everything. He didn't and still couldn't understand, maybe It was because he was an orphan or maybe not... He was raised like that.
Seeing that their ideas didn't really match with one another, Minato had let go of his crush for Kushina even if It was a tad bit hard to do it.
His thoughts however were interrupted as his ears picked upon the footsteps coming behind him at a slow pace.
Turning around, blue eyes met dark-red and the former narrowed, even if he had already decided to let go of his feelings towards Kushina, the blonde-haired knew that one of the main reasons for that was because the red-haired teen held a strong crush towards this man.
This wasn't a grudge, he didn't hold any grudge towards the Senju heir but It still irked him a bit that the girl he liked choose another man instead of him. Even if he was thankful over the fact that Senju Naruto had been a tremendous instructor when It came to the Hiraishin no Jutsu, his pride wouldn't settle down until they both had an actual spar.
"Yo, Minato-san." The Senju heir started, his hands deep within his pockets. Minato noted something different about the aura around Naruto and even if he couldn't really tell what happened, It was like the man in front of him was at least two-times stronger than yesterday...
'What the hell...'
"You okay?" The black-haired teen couldn't help but ask, seeing that the older boy hadn't even greeted him back. He hadn't missed the narrowing of his eyes but he could almost guess the real reason behind that even if he didn't really care about it.
"Huh.. Oh... Hey Naruto-san." Minato finzlly founding his voice. He couldn't stop himself as he narrowed his eyes a but further, something was going on but he couldn't quite place it. The man in front of him held so much more... confidence in himself... It was terrifying. His own right hand shook unconsciously at this feeling. It was like being in front of someone who could kill you without breaking a sweat.
In the Shinobi World, having confidence in himself was not that simple. Arrogance, however, was way more common. Where many said that they've confidence in their skills, It was just something that they wanted to believe in but actually had no faith in, even if said person was acknowledged as a strong Shinobi.
That kind of confidence he was feeling coming out of this boy was eerily familiar to the confidence that many tales which spoke of Uchiha Madara had at his prime.
"N-Naruto, fight me. Right here, right now," Minato cursed the stuttering and judging by the raised eyebrow from Naruto, he too had noticed it. Hardening his blue eyes, he tensed his muscles as his blood pumped to give him the adrenalin needed to the upcoming battle.
Naruto still had his eyebrow raised as he looked over his friend, Minato, though soon his eyes gained a certain glint before his whole face turned emotionless. Faster than the eye could see, Naruto settled on the Senju Taijutsu Basic Stance which was instantly noticed by Minato who was almost about to ask if he was underestimating him but stopped.
No, he didn't stop. At least consciously.
'It's like he's forcing me to...'
"Hopefully you can play to my tune."
Minato only had time to move his right arm upwards to block a kick that would've broken a few ribs before he was sent flying backwards, he idly noticed some foreign chakra entering his body before the pain in his arm squashed that feeling. He let out one last thought before he let his battle genius mind take over.
'Fast!'
Minato skidded to an halt with the use of some chakra to stuck his feet to the ground, a sphere of pure chakra materialized in a second above his palm, rotating himself he thrust his arm forward as his gut instinct alerted him of the presence that had appeared behind him.
"Rasengan!"
As soon as the compressed ball impacted against the figure behind him, Minato immediately went alert as something was definitely not right... Eyes widened in realization, the Namikaze let out a burst of chakra.
"Kai!"
Sure enough, what he thought was the reality, literally, shattered before his very eyes before his blue orbs looked over the figure still in the same position where he had kicked him.
'Ho- When-... That kick...!'
"I see you've finally broke from my Shinkirō Kikku (Mirage Kick). Took you long enough, you were at my mercy over 5 seconds."
Minato gritted his teeth in frustration at the meaning of that last statement... 'Were it to be a real fight and you would've been death.'
"Your fighting style... It's different from before, you never used a Tai-Genjutsu combo... No, not differentbut slightly-"
"Expanded?"
For a second time, Minato's eyes widened as he felt a breath tickling his neck and those words coming from behind him before he he was encased in a orb of dense water that materialized out of thin air almost instantaneous, unable to move.
Suiton: Suirō no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Prison Technique)
Minato knew he was in a huge problem right now, even if he knew this specific jutsu's weakness therefore how to break it, the fact that It was Senju Naruto currently holding it, was what troubled him, he couldn't even twitch a single part of his body such was the strength and affinity towards the element. As he was about to exert a huge amount of chakra out of his body, his eyes caught the single hand-seal on the unoccupied hand of his opponent...
'Shit-'
Raiton: Sandā (Lightning Release: Thunder)
Sparks of eletricity soon conjured with the water prison, amplifying the damage all over Minato's body before the water technique broke free. Many burn Mark's were now visible on the blonde-haired, his new Jounin vest was trashed and the worse thing was that he couldn't even feel his arms...
'Numbness? It can't be possible, the technique he used to electrify the water wasn't even a B-Ranked...'
His thought's process, however, were broken as the voice of his opponent reached him. "Minato-san, I think we should stop for now. My advice? Replay this battle over and over again in your mind and only then, when you realize your mistake, can you have a rematch if you so wish to."
He wasn't given anytime to reply as when he looked over the spot where the Senju once was, was now empty. His mind was already working in overdrive, he wasn't claimed a prodigy nor a genius once per generation for nothing and so, It didn't take too much time to realization hit him.
'Basic Taijutsu Stance to get me to think I was being underestimated which worked in his favour as It got me so easily riled up, Not-so-Basic Genjutsu but basic enough for those who excel in chakra control, Basic Ninjutsu...'
"Damn, I guess... He wanted to put me down a few pegs for neglecting so much the basics over jutsus like the Rasengan and the Hiraishin. Even a Kage can fall before an ingenious Genin, huh?
Hidden and lined up in the trees with his arms crossed over his chest , Senju Naruto nodded proudly as his lips twitches upwards before he finally and definitely vanished from his spot.
His objective concluded.
He didn't want to lose anyone because they forget that a simple well-placed C-Ranked technique could turn the tide of the battle at any moment against any opponent, be it an Academy Student or a Bijū.
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And that's all for now!
I don't know which of the stories I'm updating next but It will probably be Uchiha Naruto. Idk why, but It's my favourite story among the three even if It doesn't get so much feedback as this one or the Banished's wrath.
Still, I like all my three stories though. They almost count as First Story since I began all of them practically at the same time. And well, even if I spend some time away, It doesn't mean I forgot about them. It's like THAT girlfriend we had. We never forget. Right? Made sense? Good!
Well, as always, hope you're all amazing and that the virus didn't stop u from achieving ur personal goals.
Stay safe,
Peace!