KG: You know, I decided to go back to school.
Wifey: And, here it comes.
KG: Education is really important.
Wifey: This is so stupid.
KG: I think everyone should earn a degree there.
Wifey: Please stop!
KG: GO TO LIGMA UNIVERSITY!
Wifey: Don't ask what it means please.
Music of the Week: Ain't No Grave by Hidden Citizens ft. Adam Christopher.
Quote: "Learn to forgive others. Don't forgive them because they deserve it. Forgive them because you acknowledge that what's been done to you will not dictate how you will live your life or interact with others."
Isaribi groaned and opened her eyes, the light from the sun getting in her face. Had she forgotten to put up the curtains? It was definitely possible. Afterall, she remembered she just cried into some strange boy's chest after exhausting herself trying to fight him. To be honest, she half expected to wake up to her mother and father in heaven. Clearly, not even that wish could be granted.
That said, she definitely felt more peace than she had in a few days. In fact, this was the best sleep she'd ever had. She didn't remember her house being so warm. She leaned up and rubbed her eyes. As her vision cleared, she gasped.
"What the…" the girl said as she saw beautifully constructed walls of wood instead of the cracked, rotten folds she was used to. The floor was made of precious wood that she'd never seen before. Everything was made out of wood. There were beautiful closets, a well-maintained bedroom and wonderful windows. Her rags for curtains covered the open windows, barely swaying in a light breeze.
The purple-haired girl quickly jumped out of her bed, the wood feeling amazing on her feet. She ran to the window and pulled the curtains away. What she saw nearly made her cry again. She was in a tall wooden house, capable of seeing far into the horizon. She could see the numerous fishermen sailing through Hahajima's Island. Trees with various fruits, and bushes of beautiful vegetation littered around her once decrepit piece of the island. A tilled piece of land for a wonderful garden laid in front of her house.
The young girl stepped back in surprise. Stunned, she observed every piece of her new house. Unfortunately, it was missing a few essentials from a regular house, but every piece of it could be filled in if she so desired. It even had stairs ranging from the third floor to the first. The second could be used as she wished, filling enough space to be a living room area, training area, or whatever she wished.
When she got to the first floor, beautifully constructed wood formed her kitchen, minus a refrigerator, stove, or any sort of power. However, there were beautiful candles just waiting to be lit whenever she wished. Overwhelmed, the girl dropped to her knees, sobbing, thanking Kami for whatever angel had blessed her. She didn't know what she had done to receive this, but it was more than she thought she deserved.
Curiously, she noticed a note on the front of her door. She grabbed it and pulled it off.
"No, rude girl who left me back the side of the sea, you're not dreaming. I hope you enjoy this gift I've presented to you. Such a cute girl shouldn't be living in such a manner. Therefore, I've taken it upon myself to reward your steadfastness so far. However, if you're suspicious, and you should be, you're indeed right. I didn't just give this all to you out of the goodness of my heart. You see, I do believe we had a bet yesterday. Seeing as how you never hit me, I'll take that to mean you work for me now. Now, before you ask, no you won't be doing any illegal work. Besides, judging from your previous abode, I think you can use the money. Do I expect you to trust me? No, not really. However, if you're willing to take a leap of faith and judge for yourself if I'm worth your trust or not, then come to Taro Island. I'm sure you have a way to get there. If you don't, then I'll come visit you at your house. Please, don't throw stones at me this time. Also, you'll have no need to fear being attacked. That's been taken care of. I'll see you soon.
- Naruto."
"Naruto? So that's the name of the boy who came into my house? That guy did all this? How did he do this while I was asleep?" Isaribi thought. These questions and more flooded her mind. Of them all, could she do as the letter said and take a leap of faith? She'd done that too many times already. As one could tell, her predicament hadn't changed. They always attacked her, made fun of her, or spoke badly of her. Not once had she had a true friend. She'd have to be an idiot to do that. Once he found out about her bandages, he'd run away just like all the others and hate her!
But… he didn't run away before when those other kids called her a monster. M-Maybe he could be different. But did she even want to take that risk? What would happen if she got there and there were just a bunch of adults waiting to gang up on her?
Isaribi sighed and looked back at the note. "Take a leap of faith…" she thought before she leaned against a comfortable and slid onto the equally comfortable floor. She definitely didn't have much of that these days. She only had faith in one thing, the cure that would return her life to normal. That was all she had to hold onto anymore.
"Besides, I didn't ask him to do this for me! I'll never work for those people! I… I…" Isaribi scowled. She crushed the letter and threw it out the window. She then saw everything she'd been given. She dropped to her knees and placed her head in her hands. Why? Why did someone nice have to come around now when she had no more kindness left to give? She didn't want to take another chance. She was tired of taking chances only for them to end up the same way!
The young girl sighed again and put her head in her hands. What was she supposed to do?
-x-
Naruto opened his eyes, his pleasant sleep disturbed by the smell of a wonderful fragrance. He saw a sea of black hair, and his arms were wrapped around a soft body. It didn't take long for him to realize it was his clumsy, stubborn, divine wife. It seemed his transformation had stayed through the entire night, allowing him to fully appreciate her entire body. If one were to take a picture, then they would see a normal husband and wife sleeping together. Out of sheer habit, he nearly leaned over and kissed her cheek, but froze.
"Heh, I'm like a young man again. Can't say the feeling isn't refreshing," he thought. He shook his head and slowly managed to untangle himself without waking her up. He then decided to ditch his clothes and enter the shower.
The sound of the bath woke up Tsukuyomi as she noticed the pleasant warmth of her husband was gone. She heard the cleansing room's water running and mumbled. "I actually slept with a man, and it was… pleasant. V-Very pleasant. What's happening to me?" the Goddess of the Moon said to herself.
Even now, she could still feel his firm embrace, his arms around hers and his legs with her own. His breath on her neck and the security she'd never felt in any temple or her own quarters. Even now, she couldn't deny she missed the feeling. Yet, she didn't know why. Why was the feeling of a man so nice? Was it a coincidence that it had to be one with such a peculiar existence like Uzumaki Naruto?
"This is ridiculous. It's just a reward for what he's done so far. Perhaps what I'm feeling is my own pleasure in the mercy I've shown so far. It's only natural that I enjoy the fruits of my mercies as well," she thought before she sighed. When was it going to be night again?
After a moment, Tsukuyomi saw her husband return… in nothing but a towel. She stared at him, her face red. She wasn't sure why she was oddly pleased by the sight. She'd seen him shirtless last night, but he definitely looked more put together now that she could see him properly. Then, there was the water dripping off his body. Why was it so stimulating?
"Alright, Dear Wife. When you're done ogling me, we can start your first lesson for the day. How to use the shower," he said.
The Moon Goddess gawked. "I-I was not ogling you! How dare you insinuate such nonsense?! You just looked like a wet, hairless monkey. T-That's all. Also I know how to use a cleansing room!" she exclaimed. Wait, did he just call her 'Dear Wife?'
Naruto smiled. "Really? Because from what I saw yesterday, you turned our hotel room into a resort's swimming pool. Sorry, but it's time for your lesson before we leave. Imagine if you did that when the moon was out. Knowing you, you'll sink the hotel into the ocean. We can't risk that," he said.
Sink the hotel?! Okay, she was not that bad! At least she didn't think so. However, she allowed the slight to slide and stepped out of bed. For a moment, Naruto shivered when he saw the strap of her gown fall off her shoulder. "My useless wife radiates unknowing sex appeal. Konan always said I should become a novelist, but I never entertained the idea. This shit writes itself dattebayo!" he thought before he looked away. He already had to deal with his little brother acting up in the presence of a gorgeous woman. Ah, there were the hormones that he thought he lost in his old age.
The two entered the bathroom and Naruto pointed. "This is the water handle. This turns on the water. The blue stripes here means the water will be cold. The red means it will be hot. This is the mouth. The water will flow out here. Then you pull this up and it'll come out of the shower head here. This here is the soap. Or if you prefer, the body wash here. You got all that?" he asked.
Well, no. No, Tsukuyomi didn't get all that. When he was busy explaining things, the Goddess was too busy trying to find her own explanation of why she was staring at her husband's ass. "Huh? Y-Yes, I got it," she said.
Naruto nodded. "Alright then. You enjoy your shower. I'll be outside the door if you need me," he said as he walked out.
"Wait, what?" she asked as the door closed. Oh, this wasn't good.
Meanwhile, Naruto sat outside and got dressed. "Three… two… one," he said.
"Ahhhhhhhhh! Too cold! Too hot! Husband, help me! This liquid foam is in my eyes! " Tsukuyomi shouted while Naruto rolled his eyes.
"You do know I'd have to go inside to help you right?" he asked.
He received no reply for a moment.
"I'll handle this on my OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWN!"
The blond frowned when he heard another crash. A roll of his eyes, he closed his eyes and walked to the bathroom. He opened the door and stepped inside. "Don't come in here! We have only been married for such a short time! My heart is not prepared for this! I have not been with a man yet!" she screamed before Naruto picked her up and brought her outside.
"Oh, shut up you useless wife! The only thing getting ravaged is the ROOT bank account from all the damages it's gonna have to pay! Besides, do remember I'm still twelve as you and the other gods have made me! If anything, gods and men will tell tales of the goddess that ruined the innocence of the young man. We've still got four years or so before we even think about fulfilling husband and wife obligations. If anything, I think this is worse for me. I know what it's like and I have to abstain! This is much harder on me than it is on you, useless wife!" he claimed.
"Did you just call me useless?! Did you just call me useless twice?! After all the help I've blessed you with?! You're lucky this foul substance clouds my eyes or I would rain down heavy rain upon you! Ahhhhhh! Don't just drop me!" she shouted as he unsympathetically dropped her naked form onto the bed. For her pride, and his own sanity, he kept his eyes closed.
Navigating the hotel room wasn't so difficult for one like him. He once walked around his entire empire with his eyes closed. A hotel room was like any other brief step. "Only a useless wife could fuck up taking a damn shower," he said as he grabbed a towel and began wrapping it around her.
"I-I can do it myself!" she exclaimed.
"And risk you somehow swallowing the towel? No way! Save your goddess pride for later. I'm surprised you've got any left!" he returned.
Once she was toweled, he opened his eyes and sighed. The redness, whether from anger or embarrassment, made his wife very cute. He could only chuckle as he watched her clutch the towel to keep it from falling. Her eyes were closed from the dense amount of soap around her face. He took another towel and knelt down. He rubbed her face.
"If you don't know, there's no shame in asking for a repeat. I'd rather you tell me you didn't know instead of lying to me," he said.
Tsukuyomi just stayed silent, embarrassed at another failure, yet oddly eased by her husband's words. Soon, her face was clean and she could open her eyes. She stared into his blue eyes and bit her lip. "D-Dear Husband, please show me again," she said.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki smirked. "With pleasure, my troublemaker of a wife," he said as he pulled her up and took her back to the bathroom. He then spent another few minutes explaining to her the mechanics of the shower. Soon, it wasn't long before he heard the wonderful sounds of the shower and the sighs of his wife.
After an hour or so, she returned and dressed herself. Naruto returned to normal. He'd need the remaining amount of his chakra in dealing with the ROOT agents for today. "Ready to go?" he asked.
She looked at him. "Indeed, I am. What is this reward you have for me?" she asked.
"You'll see," he replied mysteriously. He then pulled her up and they walked out the door. Once they were out, Naruto released a burst of chakra that would alert all the ROOT Anbu. He called for them all to assemble in front of the hotel.
As one might expect of brainwashed individuals, they followed his order to the letter and appeared in front of the hotel even faster than he did. He'd have been a little unnerved by the sight if he hadn't already been the leader of massive armies in his previous life.
"Alright, I hope you all had fun or enjoyed yourselves because it's gonna be a lot of work from today onward. We'll have a lot of work to do," he said.
Each of them, unmasked, wearing regular clothes, firmly nodded. "Yes, Sir!" They all said. He smiled with a nod, once again transforming himself that no one recognized him or the others. They then began their trek through Hahajima Island until they came up to the fishermen. Naruto paid them the money and the entire group sailed towards Taro Island.
Once they landed, the sailors spent their time checking their money. Meanwhile, Naruto informed the head fisherman that they would be here until the sun went down. If they could come back around sunset, then that would be perfect. The men agreed and began sailing away. Meanwhile, the group turned back to the area and continued walking.
"Alright, I set up our training area. This is where you'll be spending most of your time. I'll also be helping you. By the time you leave here, the difference between you now and the you in the future will seem like years apart," he said.
The Agents didn't respond. Instead, they all walked with Naruto and Tsukuyomi into the clearing. Once they were there, he slapped his hands together. Quickly, a seal appeared on the ground. The earth ripped up like two opening doors, revealing a well-constructed staircase descending further down than anyone could see. "Well, my cute Root Agents and Dear Wife, adventure waits for no man!" he said as he descended into darkness.
As soon as he did, a panel of flaming candles lit the way down. Tsukuyomi sighed, but followed her husband. The fifty agents then followed as well.
"Now then, let's get into a little lecture about what chakra actually is. As I told you before, get everything you think you know about chakra out of your head. It's wrong. Now, chakra is not something as simple as just the combination of physical and spiritual energies. While both are indeed essential elements in chakra creation, they are not the full measure," he said as they continued walking down. The ROOT agents silently listened. Interestingly enough, even Tsukuyomi paid attention.
"The formation of chakra is a utilization between, arguably, five separate energies. Three of these can be trained, one entirely depends on luck, and the last of these depends on you as an individual. Pay close attention. The first of the five energies is Physical Energy, which comes from training, physical effort, endurance, and genetics. Genetics is involved in physical energy because it is through genetics that the physical traits are made manifest. One can have greater physical energy depending on their family background." he said.
"The second type is Spiritual Energy. This is what we call knowledge, wisdom, knowing one's self and the world around them. This energy can't specifically be trained in the normal sense. It's not just about reading books, theories, or anything like that. It involves life experiences and how those experiences shape your understanding of how you interact with the world around you. That is where the academy stops teaching you, and where most stop attempting to figure out chakra all together. Unfortunately, they are missing the other three which are the most vital elements to combining chakra," he said as the group passed through a well-lit corridor filled with numerous rooms, training areas, and study lounges.
"The third type is emotional energy. This type of energy is one I think you fifty and others will have the most difficulty training. Emotional Energy is what gives chakra it's feeling. There are sensors who can describe a person's chakra by their emotional state. Some say it can feel warm, dark, gloomy, refreshing, damp, or even heavenly or evil. This is representative of the emotional energy the individual has cultivated over many years. Of the five, emotional energy is the one that is the most variable. There is a reason chakra is able to grow or shrink depending on the emotional state of the user. The emotional energy state is on an astute spectrum. This spectrum is very defined, but to simplify it would be the difference between evil and good. An evil emotional state denotes viler chakra. There are a few advantages to this however. This type of chakra contains much more raw energy thus making jutsu more powerful. As for those with a more pure alignment, their chakra is much more refined and tempered. It's not as powerful, but when trained correctly and cultivated right, it provides proper body enrichment and builds stronger control thus allowing for more powerful techniques to be learned. Naturally, these two can be interchangeable a little. There are many evil people with superb chakra control and good people who can't even cast a single jutsu, however the pattern is usually very simple to follow," he spoke as they all continued down.
"As for all of you, you all lay somewhere in the middle. That is where you don't want to be. Powerful though some of you might be, I would much rather you be one or the other. As you are now, you receive the benefits of neither and the disadvantages of both. Now, if you think there's a perfect alignment then you'd be wrong. Such a thing entirely depends on you and your own emotional state. Not having emotions doesn't make you more powerful. In fact, it's actually a limitation the further you go into your shinobi career," he continued.
The entire group continued down another light corridor, passing by various rooms, some with wooden doors.
"The next one is dependent on luck. This is the one that we'll be training you all in. This is an important component in the formation of your chakra. This is World Energy or World Chakra, the natural energy which circumvents the world around us. You might not have heard of this, but there is a term known as Senjutsu, or Sage Techniques. These are a field of jutsu that revolve around the use of natural energy. Now, unlike the other forms, this one is dependent on where you're born. For example, there is a reason why Konoha's population is generally composed of fire and wind affinities, while Suna is composed generally of wind and earth elements, Iwa composed of Earth, Kumo of wind and lightning, and Kiri of water. This is because children born in these regions, in the mother's womb, naturally start to absorb tiny portions of the world's energy. It is this energy that forms the basis of why certain types of chakra align to certain types of people. Now the beauty of World Energy is, because it's of the world, you are also capable of learning all five elements. Of course, the one you're aligned to will be more powerful since that's the one you've absorbed the most of. It is also world energy and genetics that hold the concept of kekkai genkai, the bloodline limits. Naturally, dojutsu are produced a bit different from physical kekkai genkai. This'll be one of the things you learn as we go through this month. Am I clear?" He asked.
"Yes, Naruto-sama!" They all chorused.
"Good, now. The last type of energy isn't even really an energy. There are some who would classify it as such, and others who wouldn't. The last thing needed to mold chakra is Will. This is a type of energy that cannot be trained. It is something you must discover on your own. What drives you forward? For what reason must you use chakra? Why do you exist upon this earth? What will you do with the power you've been given? Chakra is as much dependent on your own will as it is on how much you train your other energies. Before this month is over, all of you are gonna tell me what you plan on using this power for. If I don't believe you've given me a good enough reason, then forget ROOT, forget training, forget even having a shinobi career, you'll be a civilian for the rest of your days until you die," he finished as they all continued to go down.
After about four to five hours, everyone started to notice how hot the tunnels became. They also saw light green and dark blue strands of light, covering the stones on the wall. The further they went down, the less the candled lights marked their path and the more the green and blue light filled in for them. Soon, even the ROOT Anbu were in awe as they came into a wide area enough to fit all of them. The chamber seemed lined with beautifully lit stone walls, each of them with hues of green, blue, some yellow, and others orange or any other range of colors.
Tsukuyomi's eyes widened. She stared at her husband. She watched him walk beneath the underground lights. It seemed so strange. She'd seen phenomenal sights. She's watched a star being born, she'd seen suns explode, and black holes pull in countless dead planets, but this was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. When she looked into her husband' eyes, their blue color was the most beautiful piece of sapphire she'd ever seen. It was like his eyes themselves had absorbed the energy swirling around them. She wondered how those eyes would look on his adult form. If many minor goddesses saw such a thing, they'd all be slaves to his whims… just like in that novel she read.
Naruto smiled at his wife and turned around. "Hmmm, so they are impure. I've never seen this many colors before, but we'll change that right now. Time to bring this world up to speed," the blond said as he touched the wall.
"What you're seeing here are the first instances of this world's chakra veins. If we went any deeper, the chakra concentration would get stronger and stronger in conjunction with the heat of the earth's core. This is a good place for you guys who have never experienced pure chakra to start. Remember, this is going to hurt a lot. Do not hold in the pain. Scream out, that will make it easier for you. What the world has now, and the reason you all have not yet reached your full potential is because the world itself has impure chakra veins. I theorize something happened that made the world not evolve like it should. Now, I'm going to act as the catalyst that will further its development. You all shall be the birth of the new age. Follow me and I shall direct your path. Follow me and you will be granted a wider purpose than you'd ever known. We shall save the world," the blond said.
Rikai bowed on one knee. The other ROOT agents followed her example. "We are more than Konoha. We are not the Root that protects the Great Tree. We are the Root that expands beneath the entire world! Without it, no nation has substance!" They all said while the blond smirked.
"Without us, no nation has substance!" he said as he clenched his hand and purged a surge of pure chakra into the wall. Instantly, Tsukuyomi and the Root members saw tiny white orbs appear around the large cavernous dome. Silently, the latter members watched as a multitude of these orbs entered their bodies.
Even for the emotionless Anbu, they didn't know why, but tears fell from their eyes when they saw the beautiful white chakra pulse through the cavern walls. Their leader, Uzumkai Naruto, was bathed in its white glow, the wide, confident smile on his face letting them know that the mark he left on the world would never fade away. The ground beneath their feet cracked and crumbled, veins of white chakra stripped through the earth flowing all the way down to its very core.
The Heart of the Earth took in this chakra and quickly started rumbling. Naruto clenched and channeled even more chakra into the veins. The pure chakra seeped into the impure chakra veins, spreading far and wide at a breakneck pace. The ground rumbled like a mighty beast awakening from its slumber.
Tsukuyomi watched her husband in silence and amazement. Perhaps she'd been too quick to judge mortals. Her husband was simply amazing. Even if this power wasn't comparable to her own, she now understood what her husband wanted to show her. She held up her hands and touched one of the orbs as it bounced against her divine skin. It felt warm just like the embrace of him last night.
Meanwhile, on the surface, people from Kiri all the way to Iwa, stared up at the sky in stunned reverence. Religious men and women fell to their knees while scientists scrambled out of their laboratories. Every corner of the earth shook with righteous fury.
In Suna, the winds kicked up as pulses of white chakra moved through the sky. In Iwa, the white cracks appeared near every mountain wall. In Kiri, shinobi were left speechless when the seas glowed as if they'd been touched by some divine figure. In Kumo, the clouds shined as white lightning struck the ground. Upon every corner of the globe, shinobi and civilians alike bore witness to the amazing phenomenon. Pillars of white chakra exploded from beneath the ground.
Some people grew scared. Others ran into their homes. Some went mad as they thought this would be the day of Kami's divine retribution against humanity. A few took hold of the white orbs, feeling them enter their skin. One by one, the humans, animals, plants, mountains, and waters of the earth felt the surge in pure chakra. The skies grew dark, then light, then dark, then light again. No one had an explanation for what they were seeing, or what they were feeling.
Parents wept as their children were made strong again, bodies being strengthened and nurtured. Those with broken bones had their bodies repaired and enhanced. The elderly on their deathbeds cried tears of joy as they hopped out of the sheets, crying and thanking Kami for her wonderful blessings.
Meanwhile with Team Seven, Sakura screamed as Kakashi covered her with his body while the Naruto clone and Sasuke hid beneath a tree. The Konoha group they'd been traveling with scrambled as they saw accelerated plant life. One of them gasped when a rose slowly started sparkling, filled to the brim with the vital essence of life making its red color all the more profound.
"Stop gawking and get under something!" Shikaku screamed before everyone turned to see a man crying as he looked at his reflection in a dazzling pond.
"I-It's gone! My scar's gone! Hahhahahahaha! It's actually gone!" He rejoiced as he slowly picked up the orbs, watching them slowly settle into his body. Shikaku, Team Seven, and the others traveling with them gasped when they saw a white shroud of chakra come over his entire body.
"The chakra is so powerful it's visible in this amount?! Is that even possible?!" Kakashi thought as trees, who once had stopped growing for years, skyrocketed to a height he'd never seen in his life.
The Jonin looked at his blond student. "Naruto, what's going on? Was this supposed to happen?" he asked.
The blond turned to his teacher and shook his head. "No, no it's not, Kakashi-sensei. But trust me, you're gonna be pretty damn happy that it is. It seems I wasn't even needed. The world's chakra veins are evolving on their own," the blond lied. How was he supposed to tell them that he was one doing this?
Shikaku, having heard that, stiffened. It would seem they'd have to hurry. He'd never seen such a thing happen before. Neither had anyone else. Not even… those who laid in the darkness. They could only watch as well. Those with grand plans of world conquest, those who named themselves' god, or even those who had become criminals for the safety of their nation.
All humanity as one viewed the spectacle before them as one only a god might bring down, or so they thought. The earth continued to rumble. Buildings crashed into each other, death and destruction of the old to make way for the new. This was the pain of now to make the body grow immensely stronger. Like comets hitting the earth's outer surface, streaks of white chakra flew through the sky, stimulating every world vein not discovered.
Hiruzen stared out his window, watching as the white orbs entered his body as well. His skin quickly started to rejuvenate, an amazing de-aging process by at least ten or fifteen years. His once grey hairs turned back to a slight shade of brown.
Back in Sea Country, even Isaribi stepped outside, amazed at the sight before her. The white orbs of pure chakra danced around her before they were soaked into her skin as well. In a fit that nearly made her cry, and fall to her knees, she saw the green spots beneath her bandages slowly faded away. They had not been cured, they had been perfected, free to mix with her blood and skin. The purple-haired girl wept with unbridled happiness.
Back in the cavern, Naruto smirked. "And now, for the finishing touches," he thought as he held up a handsign.
"HA!" he shouted, pushing more chakra into the veins.
What happened next, no one would ever forget. People would tell their future children stories of the white banner that flowed in the sky with a symbol none of them could name. Artists and painters would weep as their minds would be burned with inspiration for the greatest art they'd ever seen. Scientists would study this phenomena for decades, no centuries as a white banner moved through the clouds. On its face, no one knew what the symbol etched into it meant.
All they knew was that as it dissolved, it covered the entire earth, soon to let them know that there would be no more Five Great Nations. There would be no more individual kingdoms and empires. There would only be one, one meant to build itself for the betterment of mankind. One filled with unity and the prosperity of an entire world. That would be… the world of desired peace.
That would be… the banner of the United Nation of Elements.
After about two hours, the earthquakes finally stopped. The world returned to normal, at least on the surface. In every corner people screamed, hollered, and searched for an explanation. Leaders gathered their forces to investigate what happened or to run damage control. Naruto took a step back and stumbled, a little short of breath.
"Heh, that was harder than I thought," he said as he sat on the ground, smiling as the multi-colored stones now surged with a bright whitish-yellow color. The walls pulsed vibrantly, never to fade again.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Tsukuyomi jumped when she heard the screams of fifty young mortals as they writhed in agony. Their bodies seemed to be stretched so painfully, even the veins were visible. Each of them seemed to claw at their faces, their eyes shut while every pain inhibitor was being broken and tortured one after the other.
"Ah, music to my ears," Naruto said before he slapped his hands together. The Goddess of the Moon looked at her husband in shock. This was music to mortals? No wonder their lifespans were so short! Clearly, they couldn't sense danger because they couldn't hear it!
"Fūinjutsu: Otōkesu Fūin (Sealing Jutsu: Sound-Cancelling Seal)," the blond then uttered as he held out his hand. Tsukuyomi watched a large bubble appear over the Root Agents, their cries muffled. Ah, now this was music to her ears, complete silence.
"What did you do to them?" she asked. The Moon Goddess had been a little unnerved by the blank expressions on the ROOT members. She wouldn't say seeing them in agony was better, but at least they were indeed humans. Hell, with their blank faces, they reminded her of another minor god that she really didn't want to speak off. She hated meeting with him.
Naruto summoned a small stone and sat on it. "Something they'll be grateful for later, but not right now. Currently, the pure chakra's removing the deficiencies placed in their bodies, removing impure chakra. Basically, what happened to the world just now is what's happening to them. Because of that, their bodies have to adjust to the pain. I bet their chakra coils are being stretched more than the worst aerobic exercise ever. It'll also help rewrite all the damned brain damage Danzo put on them. While it won't take care of everything, it'll be a good start," he answered back.
Tsukuyomi touched the wall, watching the stone pulse with a vibrant glow that she'd never seen in any other world involving Naruto. Like when a pebble strikes a stone, the ripples of energy moved in harmony with one another. "So then, what are your plans now?" she asked.
"Train them up. The Konoha team is still a week away. No doubt what just happened is gonna make them hurry. The world's gonna be in a large state of unrest from what I did, but that's what I'm counting on. This isn't gonna be like the chakra that they're used to. There's gonna be a lot of confusion out there. I assume some of the nations will try to take advantage of this power curve, but it won't matter. As long as Konoha has me, it'll always come out on top, that'll make it easier to unite the nations in the battle against the Otsutsuki," he answered his wife.
He then looked at her. "I assume this is all a little boring to you?" he asked.
The black-haired woman chuckled. "N-Not necessarily. It is very interesting. You please me with these spectacular light shows," she laughed, hoping to mask just how pleased she actually was. She had not expected too much from a cold, dark, dank, and smelly cave. She'd been pleasantly surprised.
The blond then stood up and walked over to her. "Then I hope you'll never forget this feeling nor what it means. This might not be what you might be used to, but I hope it'll still be a precious stone to you," he said as he opened his palm and revealed to the Goddess a beautiful stone more precious than white quartz.
Not used to such a meaningful gift, she just stared at the stone oddly unsure of what to do with it. "I… I accept your gift," she stuttered a moment as he opened her hand, dropped the stone, and closed it.
For herself, the Moon Goddess thought she should offer something as well. If nothing else, a nice sense of gratitude for what she'd been given. You could call Tsukuyomi a lot of things, but she never tried to be unfair or ungrateful. Well, maybe she was a bit much to handle, but ungrateful? Surely not.
As a Goddess of the Moon, she'd been used to receiving gifts related to harvest, good fortune, or the times of great change. She wasn't unused to gifts and she'd responded in kind with the blessings of those related to her domain, but… this wasn't one like that. Additionally, although a bit unwanted, this was her husband. She still hadn't forgotten yesterday. Moreover, she hadn't forgotten the wonderful sleep she had.
"Y-You please me well, Dear Husband. A-As an exchange of gifts, I shall grant you one as well. B-B-B-Be grateful! For I have not given this to anyone before! N-Now turn into your adult form!" she said.
Naruto gasped. "Dear Wife, you know I'm still physically twelve. The transformation does good work, but not everything can be replicated. However, I'm more than willing to try if you are. Though, I'll be honest, I never imagined our first time having an audience," he said with a smile.
F-F-F-F-F-First time?! In front of other people?!
"What are you thinking?! Cease your obscene thoughts and just do what I say! I shall s-say it again, i-it would take a lot for my mortal husband to satisfy me," she answered.
Naruto snickered. "I look forward to proving myself then," he said.
Before the Goddess could gawk at the crassness of her husband, the young man quickly revealed his adult form. He looked down at her, clearly taller than she remembered. Something about his height made her all the more embarrassed. "Good. Now c-close your eyes. Such a gift must not be seen by other mortals!" she answered.
"Well, how will I know it's a good gift if I can't see it? Sigh, I really don't get women," the former emperor thought before he closed his eyes, calmly waiting for this wonderful gift. He used the term wonderful loosely. She was probably gonna give him some moon dust or something. Then again, he had theorized the potential concept of moon dust and the doubling strength of chakra veins in the form of an elixir. Maybe he should ask her about that as…
Naruto stiffened when he felt something wet and sensual against his lips. So shocked, he couldn't keep his eyes closed, wondering if somehow he'd been given some kind of mistake. When he opened his eyes, he saw Tsukuyomi, his divine wife kissing him with her eyes closed as well. One of her hands rested on his chest. For the former emperor, he thought he felt something strange within this kiss. It felt like every single cell within his body had been fired up in an inferno of lust and passion that nearly broke his mind. He couldn't deny it. This was better than any kiss he'd ever received in his life.
That said, he could also tell something else. This had to be his wife's first kiss. Her technique was rather clumsy and she seemed to awkwardly purse her lips but, all the same, Naruto loved every second of it.
Unknown to him, so did Tsukuyomi. Never in her life had she thought she'd ever kiss a man. The very idea seemed so alien to her. Yet, she'd been reading some novels. She wondered if the kiss was just like it was in the books. It seemed to be a good way to test it for herself and give her husband a suitable reward as his wife.
Well, she could honestly say, it was nothing like the books. It was so much better. A rush of sensations moved through her divine body, making her shiver as her hands roamed her husband's adult chest. Even unknown to her, she unconsciously wished his body would match his mind, if only for her to kiss him more. She had assumed the kiss from a man would be violent, aggressive, and without patience. In nearly every world she'd seen, man and woman alike were violent creatures, the former usually more so.
Oh, this kiss was violent. It was like a violent firestorm bursting through her body, making her eager for more. She never thought it could be this wonderful. She didn't think she'd feel this way with just any man. Maybe it was because of the illustrious existence that was Uzumaki Naruto that made even a major goddess' knees tremble.
She felt comfortable in his arms when he placed one around her back and the other against her cheek. The single touches sent a mass of electricity through her body. She felt like she was soaring through the clouds within her little brother Raijin's domain.
The Moon Goddess then felt something warm, yet slippery poke her lips. Unconsciously, she opened her mouth and sighed when she felt her husband's tongue against her own. Unable to help herself, she wrapped her arms around her neck, feeling every corner of his firm frame.
"Mmmmmph!" Tsukuyomi exhaled blissfully. The two slowly parted with another quick kiss. The Goddess of the Moon opened her eyes and she saw the flames of sapphire in her husband's eyes.
Suddenly, she became aware of their circumstances. She just… kissed a man. "You were supposed to keep your eyes closed!" She exclaimed as she wiggled out of his grasp.
He laughed. "You don't seem to be complaining," he replied.
The black-haired woman said as she faced away from him, too breathless from the kiss and from the thumping in her own chest. She kissed a man. She actually kissed a man. Even more than that, she fully, honestly, and unequivocally enjoyed it. She could still feel his lips against her own.
"Of course, I'm complaining! I-I-I didn't say you could hold me!"
"You held me too though,"
"Don't try and t-t-turn this back on me! Teach your mortal students or whatever have you! I shall take your gift and I have rewarded you appropriately! S-S-S-Should you please me again, perhaps I shall bless you again! D-Don't get cocky! I shall not fall to your wh… Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" Tsukuyomi screamed as she tripped on a stone and crashed into the floor.
Naruto shook his head as Tsukuyomi growled and rubbed her forehead. "You alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine! I'll… I'll just check with Tsukune on that meteorite. Yeah, I'll do that! Y-Y-You… bye!" She said as she returned back to the hotel to commune with her second-in-command. She quickly snapped her fingers and vanished from her husband's sight. She couldn't even look him in the eye right now.
Naruto watched her leave with a shake of his head. Anyway, he watched the ROOT agents continue to scream and decided to busy himself with drawing a teleportation seal on the ground. The work was very slow. All he could think about was that kiss. He really wanted another one. His lower half certainly thought so.
"Please grow up faster!" He cried to himself as he continued to work. If he had gone outside, he would have seen the most spectacular meteor across the morning sky as stars ran through the space outside earth. For those outside, it was just another spectacle to be watched and enjoyed. However, for others, they saw it as an omen.
-x-
"Don't you get it? It's a sign! Kami is angry with us that we've allowed that thing to stay on the island, no live at all! Didn't you hear yesterday! It and some boy attacked some kids playing back the shore! How long are we gonna let that girl stay here before she takes anyone else? Maybe the only reason she returned from being spirited away! We have to take care of her now or our home will be dragged into Kami's fury!" a man said to the others that surrounded him.
Murmurs rushed through the crowd. Several others traded words of agreement and disagreement.
"Look, I ain't got a high opinion of the girl either, but she's just a kid. Sorry, but I won't stain my hands with the blood of a child, whether they deserve it or not. It ain't my call to make. I'm just a simple fisherman living his life. I don't got the strength those shinobi got to be hunting down monsters and the like. Besides, we've told those kids not to go around that area. If anything happens to them, that be in their parents for not putting some damn sense into their noggins. Now, if I've made the wrong decision and I got to stand before Kami judging that I didn't put down some demon child when I had the chance, then I will silently pay for my sins. However, until that point, ain't no child's blood gonna be on these honest hands. Find someone else," another man, his tone gruff and strong, said before he walked away.
"Truth be told, I just want her to go away. I don't want to kill anyone."
"Then you'll be the first one to die when Kami's wrath strikes us down!"
Arguments flourished, one after the other. In the end, many people walked away. Indeed, they hated the girl who had been spirited away, but to actually kill her unsettled many of them. If Kami could just end her life silently without any of them interfering then that would be best for everyone. However, there was a handful that didn't feel that way. They all grabbed pitchforks, hoes, and anything else they could find with a bladed edge.
Fine, they would be the ones to deal with the threat. When they stood before Kami, they'd proudly proclaim as such. They then began their march towards Isaribi's house. A group of at least twenty or so adult men and women made their way there.
Meanwhile, Isaribi opened her eyes and yawned. "Did I fall asleep?" She thought to herself. She looked around her new home and gasped. Yeah, that incredible event just happened. The scales hidden by her bandages had been healed. She ran out the door and stared into the beautiful, crystal clear waters. Even the sea was sparkling like it'd been changed.
She stared at her reflection. She tore the bandages off. Her skin looked better than ever, there was even a silky sheen to it that there hadn't been before. She also noticed some of her hair had grown out as well. Malnourished parts of her body had been restored to full strength. She actually thought she was living some kind of dream worried that she might wake up and return to the harsh reality.
Isaribi pinched her skin as hard as she could, enough to even make her cheek bleed, but she didn't wake up. She placed her head in her hands. "I'm cured! I'm actually cured!" She thought to herself.
She was also… very hungry. Her stomach growled and she looked back at the garden given to her. Wonderful fruits were just waiting to be picked. Well, she was in a good mood. She was in a very good mood! Maybe, she could hear that guy out at least one time.
Unfortunately, Isaribi's joy didn't last for very long.
"I told you! Look, the girl's built a place to capture those unsuspecting of her. Kami has given us a duty to slay this girl for the safety of Sea Country! We must kill her!"
The young girl shivered and turned around. She saw the crowd, all of them glaring at her with large weapons. A chill ran down her spine. Of course! Of course, it wouldn't last forever. She just wasn't meant to be happy!
The man at the lead stepped forward, holding a rusty blade at her. "We have tolerated you long enough! Kami has seen fit for us to judge you and we sentence you to death! May Sea Country know of our sacrifice in killing this vile creature!" The man hollered.
The crowd behind him hollered as well. They ran at Isaribi and the young girl merely closed her eyes. She didn't try to fight. She didn't try to run. She didn't even try to reason with them. Even with all the changes to her, it was clear that her treatment wouldn't change. That was fine. For once, she was actually at peace. She already got everything she wanted. At least, she could die as a human being.
"Ahhhhhh! What's happening! Let me go! Put me down! Someone help me!"
Isaribi heard screams and gasps. She opened her eyes and she saw her attacker held in the air by a wooden golem. It's menacing face glared at the man who was mere inches from sinking a hoe into the top of the young girl's head.
The golem then threw its arm back and flew the attacker through the air. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" the man screamed as he crashed into the sea. The rest of the crowd gasped as they turned back to the golem made of beautiful glared at them much to Isaribi's shock.
It was then, the young woman remembered the note on the wall.
"You'll have no need to fear being attacked. That's been taken care of."
"D-Did he do this?" Isaribi said to herself as the large creature stomped its way to the masses.
"B-B-Back! Back, you giant thing! Fuck, I knew this was a bad idea! I'm not dealing with this!" a woman screamed as she ran off, dropping her tools as she did so. It didn't take long before the rest of the mob, wisely, followed her lead and ran off.
Once they were gone, the golem turned around and Isaribi watched it sink into the ground. Soon, she was all alone, free to pick whatever she wanted whenever she wanted.
"You're actually very cute…"
Isaribi blushed, grabbing a piece of her lengthened purple hair. She… was cute? Even when he said it before, she didn't believe it. What would be cute about a girl with bandages? Still, it had to be him who gave her this house and that guardian. If that was the case, then maybe there was something about her that he liked? Or maybe she was just reading too much into it. There had to be a reason he would go this far for her. She had to find out why! In fact, this, the house, the spectacle she'd seen before, maybe they were all from him.
If she could learn how to properly farm, take care of the soil, fish, and whatnot, then she might never have to go near the islanders again. Would it be lonely? Probably, but she was used to that.
Isaribi walked over to the garden. She picked a few fruits and vegetables. They were a wonderful harvest. Yeah, they… they were so wonderful.
-x-
"What do you mean you don't know?" Shikaku asked.
The Naruto clone sighed and scratched his head. "Look, Shikaku-san, I understand where you're coming from, but this didn't happen in my time. I can offer you a number of reasons why this probably happened. Maybe I'm not the only one who managed to come back, maybe the Otsutsuki came back even earlier than I did, maybe it's because I've interfered so far. I can't give you an exact point," the blond lied which made the Head of the Nara sigh.
"Past, Present, or Future, you're troublesome, Uzumaki Naruto," he responded.
The former emperor shrugged his shoulders while Kakashi looked off to the side. "The scientists have been in a frenzy ever since that happened. Should we return to the village? Most likely it happened there as well," he spoke.
Inoichi took a step forward. "Kakashi, can you send one of your ninken back to the village. We'll prepare a note to Hokage-sama regarding the circumstances that've happened here. I think we should continue on with the mission and go from there. No doubt Hokage-sama's already swamped with work from what happened. Besides, we can't run the risk of the other nations learning to harness this before we do. I understand we have to be united to face this threat, but the other nations won't be so accommodating if they learn it before we do," he answered.
"Naturally. The one in power is the one who sets the stipulations after all. Besides, I told you before, this type of information was going to get out eventually. Nothing we could have done aside from killing every person on this mission would have prevented it. Actually, now that I think about it, not even that would help since this is happening now. It just got out earlier than I assumed," he replied.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You assumed this would happen?" he asked.
Naruto scoffed. "Give me a freakin' break! I was Hokage! Especially a Hokage in Wartime! You'd be fucking amazed at how many strategies and scenarios I had to come up with on the fly. Besides, me tampering with fucking time itself, something's bound to fuck up. It just turned out to be this!" The clone returned.
"Fair enough," the one-eyed sensei answered.
"Then we should hurry up and get to Sea Country. The medic nin have been checking us for the last half an hour. Also, I do feel different. Even Sasuke's feeling more energetic than normal. I'd say his chakra reserves have more than tripled since I tested them last. Naruto, is this the pure chakra?" Shikaku asked.
The blond nodded. "Yeah. I sense tiny traces of it in all of you. You all got stronger as well, almost double what you were before," he replied, shocking them all.
"Really? I don't feel stronger," Inoichi answered.
Naruto slowly sighed. "That's because you all got stronger at the same time in almost a short amount of the same. You'd notice the difference between you and a Konoha shinobi who hadn't inhaled the orbs. It's understandable," he answered back.
Kakashi, Shikaku, and Inoichi looked at each other. "So what now?" The first of the three asked.
The blond sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I'd recommend you not using chakra unless you really have to. I don't doubt your skills, but the control of pure chakra is very different. Your control of it will definitely be all over the place, but I have training exercises in mind for you. Don't worry, you'll all get back to where you were and go even further when we're done," the former emperor said to them.
Shikaku rubbed the back of his head. "Back to square one then. Well, is there any training you could give us right now?" the Head of the Nara asked.
"Well, I would, but I think you're going to have your hands full," the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki replied.
"Why's that?" Inoichi asked.
Everyone gasped when they heard an explosion in the distance while the clone pinched the bridge of its nose. "Because I think your Uchiha has quite the death wish. Tell him to stop training before he does something completely stupid, or worse kills himself," he returned.
Kakashi gasped and quickly ran to the Uchiha while Naruto rubbed the back of his head as he saw two or three trees crash to the ground. Yup, this was going to take a whole lot of work.
-x-
Back beneath Taro Island, Naruto opened his eyes from the training he'd been doing. He could feel the pure chakra swirling around just a few inches from himself. With a sigh, he stood up and released the seal that blocked the screaming of his ROOT Anbu. When he destroyed it, there was no more screaming.
One by one, the Anbu got up, shaking their heads as they did so. The blond stared at Rikai, a grin forming on his face. Once again, he hadn't chosen wrong. It seemed there would be a new legend within the realm of the Elemental Nations. He stood to his feet and walked over to the Anbu.
"Easy now. You/ve all been screaming for at least two hours. Your bodies are gonna be very exhausted. You're also probably feeling a little overwhelmed. Just take a deep breath. Inhale and exhale. Your brain's rediscovering old memories and trying to make sense of those with the ones Danzo's placed in you. Take a minute to collect yourselves and…"
"RAH!"
Rikai and the other ROOT Anbu looked up in shock as they saw one of their fellow agents shout as a burst of pure chakra ran through their body. The agent charged for Naruto, their speed even greater than what they were capable of previously.
Unfortunately, it wasn't long before they screamed in pain as Naruto stepped to the side. He dodged the rather obvious strike with a small yawn. When the agent turned around, the blond put a finger to the agent's forehead.
". . .try not to get a power trip. Also, don't shout out your assault. It makes you look like an idiot," he said before he pushed a small burst of pure chakra into the agent's head, thoroughly knocking them unconscious. He shook his head and picked up the agent. He then sat them down in a corner.
"Rikai, make a note for me. That one gets no dinner for the next two weeks. Seems he has a lot of energy to burn after all. Let's help him out with that," he commented.
Small Blade, despite standing on shaky legs, quickly saluted him. "Yes, Naruto-sama!" she said, struggling to keep from falling back to the ground from sheer exhaustion.
Thankfully, Naruto saw this and chose not to prolong her suffering. "At ease, Rikai. You may drop back to the ground," he chuckled.
For her own pride, the young girl tried to keep standing, but it wasn't long before her body won out. She fell on her back, huffing and panting like she was dying.
Naruto laughed to himself. "Yeah, I remember my first time with it too. Nearly died when it happened to me. I think you guys are pretty lucky. Anyway, let's get started with the lesson. It shouldn't take too much effort for all of you to sit up. While your bodies get used to their new chakra veins, we'll begin our lecture. I encourage you to ask questions. In fact, I'll almost certainly penalize you if you don't. Now then, our first lesson shall delve into something you already know. The Five Basic Elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Lightning, and Wind," Naruto said as the ROOT agents slowly leaned themselves up to begin their lesson.
For the next three hours, Naruto taught his cute little Root Agents the power of the five elements and how they corresponded with pure chakra. Just as he wanted, hands were raised and questions were asked. True to form, he answered every single one of them. He left no one confused on the matter.
"Now, pure chakra is much stronger than the chakra that you're used to. As such, the jutsu you craft will become far stronger than regular. Within every trace of an element, there are countless impurities that affect its use. Please take note of the examples shown here," the blond said as he lit a fire with some candles. The Root agents stared at its orangish-red glow.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki then sped through some handsigns and produced a flame from his palm. The agents quickly noticed this one was much more yellowish-white. "Note not only the color, but also the way it burns. This is fire without the impurities placed within it. The purest form of fire would be in two places. One would be the earth and the other would be the sun. The volume and center of both areas are so hot that very few impurities can survive there. However, as the earth adapts to is new chakra veins, you'll begin seeing more and more changes where even the toughest impurities can't last without certain conditions," he said.
"Naruto-sama, you make it sound like, because of pure chakra, since there's no impurities, then essentially the world would be perfect!" someone said.
The blond chuckled. "As nice a fantasy like that would be, unless you're a god, there's no answer for beating the Realm of the Shinigami. One of the main reasons for why the world cannot know true peace is due to its inherent greediness. Another is due to a matter that makes it so interesting, people's individuality. A wise man once said that as long as two men live on one world, there will be war. That is how strong the urge for greed and individuality is. One of the ways I believe peace might be achieved is if people understand the need for a unified purpose. The benefits of being together as one must heavily outweigh the benefits of separation!" he replied before he caught himself.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki chuckled. "Ah, look at me rambling about philosophy now. Well, there will be lessons for that as well. Anyway, to get back on point, it doesn't matter how much pure chakra you have or how we'll you've trained. Your body will grow old, decay, and then you will die. That's one thing pure chakra can't purify, the human-mortal condition. Unless the gods have a hand, you're gonna die one day and the pure chakra won't sustain you. That said, in a perfect environment the average human and shinobi lifespan would increase exponentially," he said as he turned to the flame in his hands. He then extinguished the flames.
"Now… we'll move onto water. After that, we'll have lunch. Then we'll end with training and some more lessons," he said.
"Yes, Naruto-sama!" Everyone said.
With that, the blond pointed to a seal at their feet, illuminated by the glowing stones in the cavern around them. "That seal has aligned to your individual chakra. You'll appear back in your hotel rooms. I expect you all back here in one hour. Once again, I want you to do what makes you happy, eat what makes you happy. Don't fight the feeling. Try to make sense of it slowly. Then, give me a report of why you ate what you did and what you liked about it," he ordered.
"Yes, Naruto-sama!" They chorused.
The former emperor dismissed his agents and, as usual, he saw Rikai stay around. "That includes you, Rikai," he said.
"I… would prefer eating lunch with you, Naruto-sama," she replied.
Naruto sighed with a chuckle. "Flattered though I am, you know I'm not the only living, breathing person down here. You should interact with your fellow operatives as well," he answered back.
The young Hyuuga opened and closed her mouth. "I… am unsure how to.I believe there may be feelings of animosity since I have become your right-hand. Is my presence unsatisfactory?" she asked.
Naruto scratched his chin. "No, I wouldn't say that. I meant what I said, you're actually very cute. I think the man who marries you will be very lucky. Then again, I'd say you Hyuuga and your genetics have made you a particularly… elegant people. Either way, I am proud of you. You've already begun to get acclimated to your emotions once again," he said.
Rikai stood, confused. "I… do not understand," she returned.
The blond patted her shoulder. "Why should you care how they view you or not? Even more than that, how have you come to recognize the feelings of animosity from those with heavily suppressed emotions? Your mind is clearing, Rikai. The lie is clearing and those repressed emotions are quickly building. It's made you more aware," he said.
Small Blade frowned. She stared at her hands. They were shivering. They'd never stopped since she'd stopped screaming. It felt like a pile of mud had been wiped off her eyes. A thousand memories separating themselves from others like a roll of film helped her distinguish real from fake. The memories Danzo implanted into her had been scrubbed away, but that left her feeling unsure, scared even.
"Then why don't I know my own name?" Rikai asked.
Naruto smiled. "It's not a race, Rikai. Perhaps something in you doesn't want to know. There is suffering, pain, and joy in discovering oneself. You'll learn all those things as you continue to live your life," he said and he patted her head.
Rikai shivered from the sudden warmth. It was a nice warmth, kinda like getting in the bed after a hot bath. Bits and pieces of her life did she remember. She remembered the warmth of a bed and the feel of something wet on her forehead. Some things were too blurry, but she had a full picture of meeting Danzo. He had instilled in her that she'd come from a Kumo shinobi having violated her mother, thus explaining her olive skin. This was to instill in her a hatred for Kumo shinobi and a desire to see their downfall. Now, the memories came that this wasn't true. Her mother and father were blurred images whenever she tried to look at them, but she recognized her father's strong arms and her mother's gentle ones. Though she couldn't see their faces, she could remember seeing the bodies of those who carried her as a child.
How odd that Danzo would instill these feelings inside her, always training her to control her anger just in case he used her in a diplomatic mission. For the supposed good of Konoha, he fostered hate within her for another nation. She'd bring it down in the name of The Great Tree. However, she felt the hate dissipating from the ostracized boy's touch. When she looked up to him, she stared into his blue eyes.
"If Danzo has spawned hate within you, then learn to counteract it with something you love, Rikai. So many people think that hate can only be solved with more hate. Sometimes, just one person has to say 'enough' and walk away. Fight not because of your enemy, but because of your loved ones who will fall if you don't. That's one of the reasons I continue to speak with all of you about doing what you love. You can't protect or serve anything to your best that you don't love," he said.
Rikai frowned. "Emotions are… a hindrance to the battlefield. They impair judgement," she said.
Naruto nodded. "Just as being professional has its time and place, so too do emotions have their time. There are times where we must do what is right even when our emotions don't think so. Just as there are times where our emotions are what guide us in the paths we ought to take. That is why the true warrior is one who knows himself. He knows when to use his emotions to his benefit, and when to restrain them when they aren't," he replied.
"How will I know?" she asked.
"That you asked that question proves you're on the right path, my cute little seeker. However, that's a lecture for another time and you've used up a portion of your lunchtime. Tell you what, you try to have lunch with your subordinates. If it doesn't pan out how you thought, then I'd be more than happy to have your company for dinner," he suggested.
Small Blade still didn't like this idea very much, but something told her that she ought to not push the matter. "Yes, Naruto-sama," the young Hyuuga said. She then bowed and walked away which left Naruto alone for a moment.
The former emperor leaned against the wall and touched his lips. What he wouldn't give to be kissed like that again. "Gods, eh?" he thought to himself. He thought about Tsukuyomi, his wife, this woman who seemed to not have interacted with men in her entire life.
He really didn't understand her. One moment she claimed she hated him, proclaiming she'd be more than happy when he was dead. The next, she gave him her first kiss. Then again, Tayuya had been that way a few times back when he was dating her. The girl couldn't be honest except when he proposed.
He just didn't know where they stood in this so-called marriage.
His thoughts were interrupted when a wooden mole burrowed through the ground. It jumped on his shoulder. It then squeaked to him. His lips turned upwards. "Is that right? Well, I'd be rather rude to not show up to a guest that I invited.
-x-
"What am I even doing here? I didn't ask for him to help me! This could all be some convoluted plot to get me to lower my guard! I bet he's got the adults just waiting to strike like before since I'm away from my new house," Isaribi thought as she gazed out into the plains of Taro island. He told her to meet him later tonight, but she wasn't about to meet him when he was expecting her. She'd meet him on her own terms!
The young girl found nothing of interest so far. She'd been to these islands a couple of times. A man, Amachi, had her perform various deeds on a few of them. However, as of late, he hadn't contacted her. Truth be told, after what happened to her, and her being cured, she hoped he never did again. She already got what she wanted. Now, she could live a life she'd always wanted. Maybe with time everyone would stop looking at her like a monster.
Isaribi searched around the perimeter of the island for a little while, but she found no sign of the blond boy. She actually wondered if she was being messed with at the moment. Then again, she'd been messed with before. That wasn't different.
"Where is he?! I've spent all my time searching around this island and I haven't seen hide nor hair of him!" Isaribi snarled.
"Sometimes, the things which one searches far are the things they have yet to see always laid behind them!"
Isaribi turned around in shock and saw Naruto smiling at her.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the young girl screamed.
Well, that was rude.
KG: So someone spoke about how slow this felt and I understand that, but this isn't an action fic. Action will be there when the story calls for it to be. Nothing more than that. This is about Naruto making the Elemental Nations stronger which involves a lot of lessons and interactions. That said, there will be an explosion of war from this sudden power increase that's come about. It would have been inevitable.
KG: CREAM SODA!