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Chapter 49
Retribution
(Uzushiogakure: Few Hours Earlier)
Commander Reika Uzumaki had been a veteran of two Great Ninja Wars and through her skill had ensured her elevation to Uzu's top military command. She had now been chosen as the aging Uzukage's successor, it was truly an honor she didn't think herself worthy of but most importantly one she didn't want.
For she had stayed long enough by Hanzo Uzumaki's side to learn many of his questionable decisions that he had taken in the name of protecting their nation.
The most revolting had been his choice to create the Spartan program...she had understood their circumstances during the First Great Ninja War were extremely dire, but to experiment on their clan's young children and turn them into lethal killing machines...
She had been among the minority who had vehemently opposed subjecting those young ones to such a miserable life but one whose opinion was not considered.
An entire generation of their brightest and most powerful children had their innocence stolen away, their bodies forever altered by brutal experiments, and thrust into the most chilling conflicts which even their clan's adults had no hope of winning.
Victory after victory they had won earning glory for their island nation only to meet a tragic fate at the very end.
She had seen those Spartans in action personally, with her past company acting as their opponents in their very first real battle simulation exercise. A task which they had beaten her men by a truly admirable margin, each and everyone of those Spartans fought as a unit and had defended each other's backs.
The battle strategy of their Captain had been efficient and unlike some of the leaders she knew including the Uzukage, the young boy had always fought alongside his men and lead from the front in every battle. It was why she was still unable to accept that he would make decisions for his personal glory that would get his entire company killed in the war.
She had been present at Minato Namikaze's trial, if it could be called as one. He had confessed to his crimes, but she had seen the look in his eyes.
Broken.
He had wanted to die and most of the Uzumaki had wished for it after hearing his testimony only for the Uzukage to deny that demand. As it turned out, the boy took his own life a few days later which put an end to any future conflict between the Uzukage and those that wanted to see the boy punished for getting their village's most capable and youngest shinobi's killed for his personal glory.
It had been one of the reasons as to why she had agreed to become the next Kage of their nation so that she could prevent such tragedies from ever happening again.
She blinked in surprise when she saw Daisuke and Ukina, two of her veteran Jounin's appear outside her apartment's window.
"The Uzukage wishes to see all available Tobeketsu Jounin's and you Commander" said Daisuke seriously,
"All of them?" asked Ukina in surprise, but was already half way across her room to grab her gear.
"We don't know the details, but if he is calling all available Jounin's then whatever this is...could be serious, Commander" replied Ukina calmly,
Reika smiled on seeing the girl's composure and was sure Daisuke was content with the way the newly promoted Jounin carried herself. Like them, Ukina had been a veteran of two great wars with one of her most toughest fights being the Battle of Fujima Mountains where she had fought as a young chunin under Daisuke's command.
The Uzumaki Commander paused briefly as she remembered how their unit had been understaffed by their leadership and would have been annihilated had the Spartans not come to their rescue that day.
The wars had taken a toll on their island nation, their military strength had dwindled considerably. While they had progressed leaps and bounds in technology and economy, Uzu had less than 4000 shinobi to defend its borders...with only one tenth of them being veterans of any battles. The rest simply had not survived the constant warfare of the shinobi world.
It was why experienced veterans like the three of them were extremely precious and the fact that their leader was summoning most of such warriors currently available within the village and not away on some mission clearly meant he was expecting trouble.
Whatever it was, Commander Reika Uzumaki was determined to face in order to protect her nation.
She owed it to the Spartans and all her comrades that had died in the service of their homeland.
(Uzukage's Tower)
Hanzo Uzumaki was a man well into his late seventies and had been serving as his nation's Kage for more than two decades now. He had seen the turmoils of the clan wars era, the madness during the foundation of the shinobi system, and two great ninja wars that followed after.
But only now he was close to fulfilling his desire to raise his nation's status...to be considered as a true power of the world including in the eyes of their ally-Konoha who considered them to be rowdy islanders despite the sheer knowledge and talents of the Uzumaki clan.
He would not rest until his people were shown the respect they were owed and years of his efforts was finally on the verge of paying off.
Glancing at the two dozen Jounin alongside him made him more confident as he addressed them by getting up from his seat.
"I have a mission for all of you. One that will require all your talents" he stated frankly,
"What is it, Lord First?" asked Reika calmly,
"It's a Rescue Operation. One of our deep cover operatives has managed to seize a high value asset and is on her way to bring it to our village. Her actions have not gone unnoticed however and she has enemy shinobi in pursuit" stated Hanzo without hesitation,
"What kind of forces and approximate strength?" asked Daisuke quickly,
"A dozen hunters from Kirigakure"
The Uzukage was not surprised upon seeing the shock on the faces of his veterans as most of their countrymen had quite a favorable opinion of Kirigakure, made only more stronger after their act of destroying Kumogakure and the Land of Lightning's feudal dynasty which had been Uzu's prime enemies.
"Why on earth would we pick a fight with a power like that?" asked Commander Reika urgently,
"It's madness, Lord First. Aren't we trying to end the Second Great Ninja War with Konoha's help? Through them, Kiri is our ally. Such an act will not go unpunished!" warned Daisuke worriedly,
"The Fourth Mizukage will not let this go lightly!"
"Which is why you all are summoned to prevent that from happening. Take our operative into custody before their men do, leave the politics to me" ordered Hanzo sternly,
He saw quite a few of his shinobi didn't like that order or the course of action that had led them to this point, but none raised further objection when he glared at each and everyone of them.
"What kind of asset is our operative carrying?" asked Commander Reika seriously,
"Tailed beast chakra"
Commander Reika couldn't hide her shock and disgust at what she just had heard, her comrades looked no different as each of the veterans knew that their Kage had for years wanted for their nation to have a Biju to secure their future. However none of the other nations would ever allow him to fulfill that ambition without destroying Uzu completely.
Despite knowing that, he had still taken such a dangerous decision.
"Lord First, do you have any idea what this will do?" asked Reika fiercely,
"We need this power if our nation wants to survive. Konoha is getting extremely close to Kiri and with peace now being discussed with Iwa, I'm not sure where we stand on their priority list. What if they decide that it's best to annex our small nation and consume all the knowledge and skills of our clansmen?" retorted Hanzo coldly,
"We have an army to prevent that from happening!" said Captain Daisuke angrily,
"We'll die before we ever let anyone take our freedom!" promised Ukina with determination, earning nods from the other veterans swiftly.
"As much as I admire your devotion and respect your skills, I can't let our clan's future hinge on that alone. And most of our shinobi are not veterans like you all, against trained and vast armies of the three great nations we will never stand a chance. The Spartans were our ace in the First Great Ninja War, but during this war we survived because Konoha bore the brunt of the fighting and we acted in support. We need to have our own ace to survive this new world" explained Hanzo honestly,
Commander Reika had a bad feeling within her heart as she looked at her Kage with all color draining from her face.
"You're going to create the next generation of Spartans..."
Hanzo Uzumaki grimaced as his chosen successor said those words making every shinobi in the room flinch as the fate of the first generation of those warriors was remembered by everyone.
"Not necessarily. We can use the Biju chakra to create tactical bombs that can flatten any invading army before they reach our homeland. But you're right, that is a crude strategy that the enemy can overcome. We need a new generation of warriors, more powerful than an entire legion and every special forces in this world. With Biju chakra in their veins, each of these warriors would be worth more than a thousand common shinobi. Reika, if you are to succeed me then you need to be willing to make harsh decisions to safeguard the future of our clan and this village" admonished Hanzo,
Before any further argument could continue, the First Uzukage slammed his fist on the table making his men flinch.
"If we don't rescue our operative then we would definitely have a war on our hands. What happens next can be decided later, I'll lead this mission personally since you all seem to lack resolve" chastised Hanzo,
"Lord First..."
"You have your orders, Commander"
Commander Reika and the other veterans flinched when the full killing intent of their Kage rained down upon them, it was more than enough to bring many to their knees and a testament to his power even at this age.
She looked at Daisuke and Ukina who were also opposed to what was happening but knew it was not the right time to start a fight.
If their operative was captured by Kirigakure forces, then this treachery would come to light which would definitely start a war in which they would have no allies, for she doubted Konoha would risk fighting a war against a power like Kiri, certainly not after what Uzu had done.
She clenched her fists as she realized their Kage had already committed them to this course of action and for the sake of her clansmen, she had to salvage this situation to the best of her ability.
Hanzo watched his shinobi followed the command given to them as they exited out of the room.
"I hope this satisfies you, boy"
The Uzukage bitterly grimaced when from the shadows of his office emerged a hidden Naruto Namikaze with a satisfied look on his face.
(Few Moments Later)
There were only a few times in his life that had rendered Hanzo Uzumaki speechless, and as he listened to what the Fourth Mizukage confessed made him tremble in fear and worry instantly.
Tremble for the fact that the young man knew what Hanzo had done to Kushina, how he had forcefully ordered her to expose Naruto to Kiri forces should he not follow his motherland's orders and somehow the crafty Namikaze had been able to break the control the Uzukage had gained over the last remaining Spartan comrade of his.
And worry for the sanity of the man before him for no one in their right mind would believe what he was revealing.
"You are many things but not a liar, Naruto. Atleast to me, or that's what I like to believe" said Hanzo with a heavy frown,
"Kushina doesn't know I'm here, nor does anyone else" replied Naruto honestly,
"Except Madara Uchiha"
Hanzo still hesitated even as he whispered that dreaded man's name, to think the bastard was still alive and had been pulling everyone's strings from the shadows. But it also explained quite a lot of mysteries...
The Sharingan was one of the rare powers that could have freed Kushina from his control, if Madara had truly been controlling the Land of Lightning from the shadows in this war then he had weakened it from within making it easier for Kiri to crush it completely, the fact that he had managed to convert the Mizukage himself to his cause was already a defeat for Uzu and its allies, even for Kirigakure as well as Kumogakure.
"The bastard played us all" cursed Hanzo, which only made the Kage before him smirk.
"He has been around long enough to know how this world works" replied Naruto simply,
"And so do you?" taunted the Uzukage,
"To an extent. Now that you know everything, what do you say to my deal?" questioned the blonde Kage,
"You ask for a heavy price, boy"
Hanzo Uzumaki was surprised when he received a merciless glare from those cold blue eyes and felt a fraction of the power radiating from the Mizukage.
"It's nothing compared to what you have taken"
The Uzukage sighed but gave a reluctant nod for even he could see the Kage before him was not going to back down.
"If I do this, my legacy will be ruined forever" said Hanzo sadly, only to receive an even harsher glare from the former Spartan Captain who got up from his seat and now stood before the aged Kage.
"Your legacy is a stronger Uzushiogakure that none shall dare try and invade without thinking a hundred times. I'll give you what is necessary to make it happen, even fulfill the mission you set me upon. Alliances may rise or fall but any nation no matter how strong could never ignore a frightening power. The village is all that matters...even in death and after that" said Naruto coldly, as he offered his hand to his counterpart.
"It is what we owe our dead"
Hanzo smiled ruefully as he remembered these to be the very exact words he had said to the blonde before him years ago. It made him get up on his feet and look at the young man before him...
"Do you truly think the path you have chosen shall lead to peace? Bring an end to the countless wars between our race?" questioned Hanzo seriously,
"It shall. Whatever the outcome, humanity shall be victorious. I'll make sure of that" promised Naruto without a flinch even when the Uzukage glared deeply into his eyes.
"Do the others know about this? Kushina?" asked Hanzo gently,
Silence was his answer.
"She'll follow you into hell even if you don't ask. So shall the Spartans if what you say about their revival at the hands of Madara is true" said Hanzo kindly, making the young Kage before him to offer a faint smile.
"I promised to bring them all home and I'll honor my word. They are the future of this nation...they cannot follow where I am going" he whispered,
Hanzo Uzumaki nodded gravely as he shook the younger man's hand with a heavy heart.
He was not surprised when the Mizukage summoned a large scroll inside the room and Hanzo realized it had what he had always wanted for the future of this nation.
Tailed Beast chakra.
"Will you be able to bear this burden? Answer me truly" he whispered hesitantly,
"War is something which I know very well, Lord First" answered the young Kage calmly,
"Yes, that you do. I'll play my art and put on a good show" promised the Uzukage,
"That is our deal. This tailed beast chakra is from the Two and Eight tails, I doubt the clan will allow you to do human experimentation with it after this. Develop tactical weapons if you truly feel it is necessary to protect our country from other powers. Although if I succeed there will be no need for that" said Naruto seriously,
Hanzo nodded heavily before giving one last smile to the blonde before him.
"I wish you good fortune in your war, Minato. And I'm sorry for doubting your loyalty to our country"
A solemn smile was all he received from the young Kage in return.
(Few Hours Later: Kamine Island, Few Miles Away from Uzushiogakure's Border)
Commander Reika and her men had completely secured the tiny island which was to be the rendezvous point with their secret operative. She saw their Kage openly standing at the beach with a patient gaze.
"Commander, this could be a trap" warned Captain Daisuke,
"Possibly. If our operative was captured, she could have spilled our secrets under Kiri's infamous torture and interrogation. If that is the case, we would be facing their Navy instead of a few dozen hunters chasing a spy" Reika whispered with a heavy frown,
"The bait may seem too obvious but it did manage to get the Uzukage himself to show up" said Daisuke worriedly,
Before she could respond, one of their spotters brought their attention towards the sea where on the far horizon Reika could now see a lone figure running towards their location at rapid speed.
More figures followed after them and she readied her men upon the Uzukage's signal.
Together they unleashed the whirlpool storms across the ocean which stopped the pursuers dead in their tracks and swallowed them swiftly, allowing the lead figure to close the distance.
Reika's eyes widened in disbelief as she got a better look at their operative, beside her Daisuke alongside nearly all of their veteran warriors watched in shock as they saw a kunoichi in Spartan uniform now approaching towards them.
"It can't be...they are supposed to be dead!" whispered Daisuke in alarm,
Commander Reika glanced at the Uzukage and saw the man didn't share their emotions, in fact he looked very displeased but there was no doubt that he knew exactly what was happening...
She had to find out just what the hell was going on!
Kushina Uzumaki didn't betray a single emotion across her face as she walked towards the man that had made her life a living hell. She was not surprised to find he had brought back up to protect himself and his prized steal which she was supposed to be carrying across a large scroll on her back.
She narrowed her eyes when a few of the Jounin's marched towards the Kage lead by another female redhead in her late thirties. The woman looked far from pleased and shot off a few rapid questions to the Uzukage who silenced the dissenters with a harsh warning before glancing back firmly at Kushina as she neared the bench.
"Why are you in that uniform, Ghost?" asked Hanzo Uzumaki with a heavy frown on his aged face,
"It is who I am, Lord First" she answered calmly,
"I didn't see much of a pursuit honestly. Either you were exaggerating or Kiri's Hunters are nothing but a joke" said the Uzukage suspiciously,
"I killed most of them, the rest were just weaklings. Or have you forgotten our power?" she challenged fearlessly, if only he knew the 'pursuers' were merely her clones dressed as Kiri Hunters whom the Spartan kunoichi killed.
"We will deal with this breach of protocol later. Hand over the package" commanded Hanzo impatiently,
He frowned when Kushina gave him a cold smirk as she pointed her right hand up towards the sky.
"I have a package...just not the one you wanted"
Commander Reika and the rest of the Jounin looked in the said direction only to freeze in their spots as from the clouds in the sky came familiar figures long thought lost.
"Impossible..." whispered Hanzo in disbelief
Every Uzumaki shinobi couldn't understand the sight of the Fourth Mizukage himself dressed in the uniform of the Spartans and leading those lost warriors right towards them from the sky.
None of them could move as the Spartans surrounded them from all sides as they descended upon the island but made no move to initiate hostilities just yet.
The Fourth Mizukage landed beside Kushina and on his hip, Reika saw a hauntingly familiar Fox mask.
"It's been more than ten years, old man"
Hanzo clenched his fists even more painfully.
"Why are you here?" he asked knowingly,
"I promised to bring my comrades home. Although it took a very long time..." answered Naruto somberly,
"We don't want any bloodshed, Hanzo. Confess and we can end this peacefully" said Kushina honestly,
"You deserve to die for what you did to us and our Captain and Ghost. Still for the sake of our clan, confess and walk away with your life without destroying any more lives for your ambition!" warned Nagato coldly, even as he alongside the rest of the Spartans had firmly aimed their weapons at the Uzukage and his followers.
Hanzo Uzumaki looked at the Spartans surrounding him and even now he could still remember many of their names...and faces. Unlike Minato and Kushina who were adults now, the others looked the same age as he remembered.
Hayate, Kasumi, Matsuri, Kido, Jiang...all eyes that once had respect for him were filled with nothing but hatred now.
"You truly are the embodiment of vengeance incarnated" whispered Hanzo with a wry smile, as he looked at the former Spartan Captain.
"It was you who taught me to keep moving forward and destroy my enemies" answered Naruto calmly,
"And is your own motherland your enemy now, boy?The Great Conqueror finally here to enslave his own people!" roared Hanzo furiously,
He was relieved when the outburst finally made the Jounin's around him to raise their own weapons if only to protect themselves and not their Kage.
"Still the manipulating bastard until the very end" cursed Kasumi furiously, and was about to attack the Kage when Nagato stopped her.
To his surprise, Commander Reika and Captain Daisuke also signaled their own comrades to maintain the uneasy peace. The said woman then marched forward again to stand near the Uzukage.
"What the hell is going on here? Answer me!" she asked angrily, forgoing all respect that she usually addressed her leader with.
"Hanzo..."
The First Uzukage was quite surprised on hearing the Mizukage calling out to him respectfully and despite the situation, he saw a genuine plea in the blonde's eyes as he pointed at the Spartans around them.
"Hanzo, both of us are devils and selfish minded. We deserve to be punished, but not them. They fought long and hard, never wavered until the bitter end. For clan and country they sacrificed their future, if you truly want our nation to have a bright tomorrow then we need to cherish our children instead of turning them into killing machines. Please let me bring them home" urged Naruto sincerely,
Hanzo remembered the final battle of these children quite clearly from his interaction with the blonde before him years ago. It was one thing to hear about it but quite another when he looked at their young faces and truly saw what they must have felt back then...
Most would have surrendered but even when they were betrayed by their Kage and nation, these children had fulfilled their mission and saved their country and its future.
"If this is to be my reckoning, what is yours?" he asked quietly, earning a sad smile from the blonde Kage before him.
"I can never come home"
Hanzo's eyes widened as he understood the pain behind those words and realized just what path he had set this boy upon.
"I'll never get to live in my motherland again, never get to enjoy life alongside my friends and countrymen, never see the future we dreamed of together. I must keep walking through this hell until I get what I deserve. That is my punishment"
Commander Reika and the rest of the Uzumaki shinobi watched the Spartans lowering their weapons upon hearing those words. They watched the Mizukage walk forward until he was standing in front of the old Uzukage and offered the man his hand.
The irony wasn't lost on the Uzukage which made him offer a cold and ruthless smile.
"And should I resist?"
"Then you shall face the wrath of the monster you created"
"Lord First! Tell us what you have done that has brought this calamity to our shores!" demanded Commander Reika urgently,
Hanzo Uzumaki was many things, but in his opinion everything he had done was for the sake of the island nation behind him. Knowing what was in front of him now and the implications for his country and people should he make the wrong choice was truly frightening.
Even so he had to make one.
"I chose young children with great talent and physique, but more importantly with a keen sense of justice, bravery and loyalty towards their nation. I made them into ruthless shinobi and robbed them of the future they deserved. I threw them into conflicts that terrified even our adults, yet they never complained and achieved victory after victory for us. They became our hope..." confessed Hanzo solemnly,
Commander Reika and the rest of the Uzumaki veterans remained silent as it was for the first time they saw their leader like this while glancing at the Spartan children with guilt evident in his tired gaze.
"In the end, I sent them on a suicide mission with false promises of reinforcements should they face any grave threat to their lives. Kumogakure had captured Hashirama and our only ally-Konoha was at the brink of surrendering to save their leader, if that had happened then Uzu would have been doomed and left at the mercy of Kumogakure. The Land of Fire didn't have the right shinobi who could go deep behind enemy lines and save Hashirama to prevent such a future" revealed Hanzo,
"You sent our clan's children on a suicide mission?" asked Commander Reika furiously, the disgust on her face was met with a stoic glance by the Uzukage.
"They were the only ones who could do it, I sent them to their deaths after my former advisers also agreed with the decision. We didn't think success could be achieved given the odds, and yet we were proven wrong" said Hanzo silently,
"They crushed the Kinkaku, slayed hundreds of Kumogakure forces, dragged Hashirama hundreds of miles towards the safety of his homeland while suffering mounting casualties. In the end, they were surrounded near the border by Kumogakure's Raijin Battalion and the two tails...instead of surrendering in the face of overwhelming force, they made a valiant last stand and allowed their Captain to get their rescued hostage to safety. They died devoting their hearts for our future"
Silence stretched across the small island as that confession sank in across every person. For the Spartans, it was a fulfilling moment as their tragedy and betrayal was fully revealed by the man responsible, where as for the rest of the Uzumaki adults...it was a painful truth that made their own hearts heavy with guilt for driving their young clan children to such a tragic end.
"If they died...then how are they still here now?" asked Captain Daisuke hesitantly,
"Edo Tensei. It's a forbidden jutsu developed by the Second Hokage that brings the dead back to the world of living. I allied myself with another person who knows this technique. With their help, I plan to bring my comrades back to life once again so they could see the future that was robbed from them" warned Naruto coldly,
Whispers spread across the Uzumaki Jounin's as the implications behind the revelation were quite dire.
"You're Captain Fox...the leader of the Spartans. I thought you took your own life" said Ukina Uzumaki sadly, earning a faint but rueful smile from the blonde.
"In a way I did. Minato Namikaze- the boy I once was did kill himself"
"And that is another unforgivable crime of yours, Hanzo" said Kushina icily, earning a nod from the aged Kage.
"In order to hide my own decisions as well as save our ally's honor in return for steep reparations, I alongside the high Council coerced Minato to take the blame for this tragedy in return for promising to look after the families of the Spartans who still had loved ones in the village and honoring their sacrifice. I made him a Spy, asked him to infiltrate Kirigakure to serve our interests there by forging an alliance with them. I turned him into a disgraced shinobi and ordered him to leave his motherland, tarnishing his memory forever"
The Uzukage looked at the hand being offered by the very same man and then looked into his eyes even as his supporters turned their weapons towards him instead of the Spartans led by the Mizukage.
With a resigned smile, the aged Kage shook the offered hand and felt a great burden being relieved from his shoulders.
"You play the bad guy next" whispered Hanzo calmly,
Naruto's eyes widened in shock for a moment before understanding dawned upon him as he saw the Spartans, the Uzumaki, his motherland...
Remembered his wife and children back in Kiri, his family in Konoha and all the people that looked up to him.
The Kinkaku, Kumogakure, Land of Lightning and the Uzukage...they were all defeated.
But the greatest enemy of all was coming and all of his people...all of humanity was not ready.
"Yours is a path of pain and suffering, Minato. But you have a strength which no one else has, the fate of your country, your comrades, your family and all those who follow you depends on how you lead them. Keep moving forward and I pray you make better decisions than I did" said Hanzo sincerely,
"I will" promised the Fourth Mizukage,
Hanzo nodded solemnly as the Jounin's led by Commander Reika arrived beside him and took him into custody. As the disgraced Kage was led away, Reika stayed back and looked at the Fourth Mizukage who she was still not able to believe was her countrymen in reality.
"I don't know what to say or what to call you even" she whispered hesitantly,
"Are you his chosen successor?" asked Naruto curiously,
"I am. Although I never wanted to be one, certainly don't after what happened" she confessed with a mirthless chuckle,
"Konoha is an ailing power and one that will always look after its own interests" warned Naruto,
"What happens after you are gone or your true identity gets exposed? That's what worries me, if history is to be accepted...our nation's strategic location and our clan's intelligence and resourcefulness will always be a threat to other great nations. However, we will never have the strength necessary to thwart those powers should they turn hostile" said Reika worriedly,
"Not with the Spartans or whatever secret power that Hanzo must have kept hidden. If worse comes to pass and I am truly exposed, then you must denounce me. Call me a rogue out for vengeance, expose my hand in this coup. Anything to protect Uzu" said Naruto seriously, much to Reika's dismay.
"After everything you have done for us, after what the Uzukage forced you to do...we won't abandon you. Uzu shall stand behind you!" promised Reika fiercely, only for the Kage to sigh in frustration.
"Don't be naive, Commander. I won't let everything I have fought for get destroyed just to save my life. You will do what is best to protect our beloved nation. That is your role as the Second Uzukage" explained Naruto seriously, earning a hesitant nod from the older woman.
"I don't know about that honestly. I'll need to consult others in the clan, things will be run much more democratically from now onwards if we are to avoid the mistakes Lord First made. After our people learn of what happened here, I doubt they would be in favor of anointing a candidate chosen by Hanzo as their next leader. I can already see a succession crisis..." said Reika frustratedly,
"I will not interfere with that decision, however if you are looking for a leader then Kushina will be a good choice. She is strong and has devoted her entire life for our nation's future. More importantly, she is not a war hawk and knows what's best for our clan" said Naruto, as he gestured towards the said Spartan operative.
Reika looked at the said woman and could see some merit to that suggestion. Still, it was a decision for their clan to make...and not her.
"Lord First...what did he say to you at the very end?" she asked hesitantly, earning a sad smile from the Mizukage.
"The very reason you must keep the Jounin's present here from ever revealing my true identity or of my presence here to our people. Honor the memory of the boy I once was if you wish, gods know I don't deserve it after what I have done. In the near future, you may need to wash your hands off me completely. All I ask is that you welcome my comrades back as heroes of our nation and look after them"
Reika looked into those determined eyes and could only offer a solemn nod as she understood his reasons.
(Two Days Later)
Madara looked at the young Kage in front of him, or rather the clone of that man who was looking at him expectantly to hold his end of the bargain.
"I'm surprised this ended peacefully. Although you did cut a crafty deal" said the Uchiha honestly,
"For once, we are glad that blood was not spilled. Hurting one's family and nation is not easy, no matter how much pain they inflict upon us" answered the Mizukage's clone somberly,
"Do you wish to stay with your family? Live the dream that was stolen from you?" asked Madara curiously, but Naruto's clone shook his head.
"It is a dream I can never be a part of. I want them to live long lives in peace and for that I must fight"
Zetsu looked at the young Kage with an unreadable expression on his face upon hearing those words.
"I hear the Kage Summit will be organized soon, Tobirama and his cronies are pushing hard for that based upon your request. Are you truly prepared for that and what needs to be done?" asked Madara seriously,
"I am, for only I can do this. I'll honor our deal as long as you give me what I want" answered the clone with determination,
Madara nodded respectfully as he felt a tentacle emerge from the Gedo Statue behind him and attach itself to his back. He grunted when he felt the sheer chakra and lifeforce he was now connected to which was necessary given he was about to bring so many back from a realm none had ever returned from.
"Gedo Art: Rinne Rebirth"
(Uzushiogakure)
Kushina couldn't believe what she was seeing as a strange green light enveloped all of her Spartan comrades standing together at the beach. Everyone of them looked surprised and were soon overjoyed as they felt life returning back to their cold corpses.
She looked at her side and saw a relieved smile visible on Minato's face...
"You did it" she whispered gratefully,
"We did it" he corrected her gently, and it was all it took for her to lose control over the dam of emotions she had controlled for more than year.
He was not surprised when she hugged him fiercely even as tears fell freely from her eyes.
"Don't go, Minato. We have everything we need, we can finally live the dream we shared. All of us" she pleaded desperately,
She felt him wrap his arms around her but couldn't see the tears that arrived in his eyes.
"I wish I could, so much so that it hurts. But you of all people know that I can't" he whispered sadly,
"Then I'll go with you. Till the end, remember?" she asked tearfully, and this time she did hear him fight back a sob and tighten his grip around her.
"I release you from that promise, Ghost. This island, our comrades, my brother...I entrust you with them"
Kushina gently broke the hug so she could look him in the eyes and her heart broke into a million pieces on seeing his determined yet saddened gaze.
She knew he was saying goodbye and it broke her heart.
Even so, she stepped close and kissed him fiercely, pouring everything in her heart for him and was content when he returned the gesture with equal passion.
(Few Hours Later)
Nagato had a wide smile on his face as he truly breathed fresh air even as he stood at the beach of Kamine Island. The rest of their comrades had went back to the mainland under Kushina and Commander Reika's honor guard.
But he had stayed back and now saw his elder brother walking towards him.
He was intrigued and barely managed to catch a couple of scrolls which the Mizukage threw at him.
"What's this?" he asked curiously,
Naruto simply smiled and gestured him to open it and as he did so, Nagato's eyes widened when he saw it had several volumes of his favorite manga. One that he never got to read when he died...and had asked his brother to read in his place for both of them.
It even had a final volume marking the end of the story.
"You remembered, Elder Brother" he whispered in a tearful voice,
"Of course I did, moron. Consider it as part of my gift to you for a new life" said Naruto happily,
"You can't stay, can you?" asked Nagato somberly,
"No. Our paths are different, Brother. I am only returning what I took from you in my quest for vengeance. Now I entrust you with living our dream. Find happiness and peace, Nagato" requested Naruto,
"Still bossy as ever. I wish Mother and Father were here to see us like this" said Nagato wistfully,
He didn't understand the strange expression that came upon his brother's face on hearing that before the taller blonde came forward to hug him.
"Farewell, Brother. I wish you a good life"
"I'll find a way to come and see you from time to time. Maybe get to meet my niece and nephew if I'm lucky" said Nagato desperately in an effort to avert the tears arriving in his eyes.
"Someday, Brother. I'll make sure you get to see them"
Nagato nodded as he returned the hug with a heavy heart. A few moments later, the Mizukage broke the hug and stepped back to look at the younger redhead with a smile.
"Take care of Kushina, the Spartans and Uzu. And I'm truly sorry for what I made you guys go through" said Naruto honestly, with one hand pointed towards the ocean making his brother look in that direction.
Nagato was about to reply but froze when he saw two familiar figures approaching towards their island nation, he couldn't hold back his tears at the sight of Yahiko Uzumaki and Inoue Namikaze- his parents now alive and breathing...a wish he never thought would be fulfilled.
So this was the rest of your gift to me, Elder Brother.
Understanding dawned upon him as he realized the significance of what his sibling had done for him personally and for their broken family, he turned back to look at the said blonde only to see he was already gone.
He clenched his fists painfully and wanted to cry but couldn't when those familiar voices called out to him...
"Is that you, Nagato?"
(Few Miles Away from Konoha)
Ino Yamanaka didn't understand when she had been summoned in the familiar forests near her village with the help of Edo Tensei. She was even further surprised when a strange light engulfed her moments later and her eyes widened when she felt life returning back to her cold corpse.
It didn't take her long to understand what was happening and she couldn't help but look at the Mizukage who appeared before her in a dark flash with disbelief, happiness and sadness at the same time.
"Why go so far, my love?" she asked gently, as he shook his head defiantly.
"You made your choice. This is mine" answered Naruto,
He was surprised when she walked forward and embraced him within her arms. He felt her laughing and sobbing at the same time, felt her warmth and heartbeat which made all the suffering he had endured for this moment worth it.
A part of him felt guilty as well for he loved this woman more than anyone else.
Kushina still saw the boy she had grown up with when she looked at him, a boy that had died years ago. Their future which could never be achieved with the path he was walking...
For Mei, it was worse. She didn't know his true self, she was the Fourth Mizukage's wife and successor...the mother of his children. For her he was the Great Conqueror, a fine Kage, a war hero and maybe a decent father to their children...
But no one knew and understood the real Naruto Namikaze- the man he truly was...except for the woman in his arms.
He felt her requesting permission to see his memories, to understand what had happened since they last met...one which he granted her without hesitation for he was so tired of bearing it all on his own...
Ino was truly amazed to learn that it had been longer than a year since they had last seen each other and all that had happened.
She was pleased to know that he had atleast honored some of her wishes...and worried over the arrival of the first Otsutsuki's.
They were both sitting next to each other holding hands and watching the night sky full of stars above them.
"I'm going to reveal about the Otsutsuki at the Kage Summit, in a way the other Kage understand what we face in the near future" he confessed,
"And if they refuse to believe?" she asked pointedly,
"Then I'm the bad guy, one who must destroy this messed up shinobi system. Madara still believes I'm being naive and foolish in choosing the peaceful approach, trying to reason with short-sighted men. But I must try" said Naruto earnestly,
"If you truly become the devil they think you are...would that truly be a victory for humanity?" she asked sadly, even as she squeezed his hand affectionately trying to impart what little strength she could.
Her eyes widened in surprise when he looked back at her and the answer she sought was there for her to see.
"There was a time when I fought out of loyalty, followed by one out of guilt, and vengeance thereafter. Do you understand what I am fighting for now?" he whispered, earning a solemn nod from Ino.
"Your children...everyone you love or care for including those that don't know the real you but still follow" replied Ino with compassion in her softened gaze, earning a firm nod from the Fourth Mizukage.
"They must be set free from the cycle of violence, horrors and hatred that has plagued us till this day. No matter the cost" declared Naruto resolutely,
"It won't come to that. I believe that us-mankind are like a pack. We may stray from each other but when faced against a common enemy, we always unite" encouraged Ino,
He didn't respond to that and instead kissed her gently before getting back on his feet.
"You should return to Konoha if you wish although it will raise its own hell once Tobirama and the others discover it" he warned,
"I don't want to cause trouble for anyone. To be honest, I fulfilled my oath as a shinobi...even gave my life in the service of my nation. Now that I have received this gift of a new life...I don't want to waste it" said Ino seriously,
"What are you proposing?" he asked curiously, as he turned to face her.
"I don't know yet...I need time to decide my own path" Ino answered nervously, only to have him place his hands comfortingly upon her shoulders and offer a warm smile.
"You're free"
Her eyes widened as she couldn't believe just how much he cared for her, even after everything her actions put him through. Even now, he had been through hell to bring her back and was still content to let her live in peace instead of asking her to be by his side...a right which he had earned dearly in her heart.
However before she could say something, he vanished in a dark flash making a lone tear fall from her eyes.
"And I'm truly sorry that you are not, Naruto"
Author's Notes: End of chapter.
Hope you guys liked it.
Wow, we crossed 300K with this update and there is still a long way to go. This might just end up as one of my top 3 longest stories!
Sorry for the late update, facing lot of issues in personal and professional life at the moment. Hell, I am even getting married soon which has reduced my writing time but nonetheless this story will be finished.
Let me know your thoughts on this chapter!
PS: Ino's finally back! Now people can stop getting dismayed that she died too soon and roast me over it! I never intended to kill her off permanently...hehe...fooled you guys, didn't I? She's our MC's true love in my opinion. Something which this chapter explains I hope, Kushina and Mei are close to his heart but don't hold the same place as Ino does...
Until Next Time,
Blackwolf501