Valley of the End.
When he set out with the team to bring Sasuke back, Naruto was hopeful and fully prepared to do whatever it took to bring his misguided friend back. As always, he had given it all he had, without any regard for his health and the enemy he had to face off against, doing everything that was needed and more to get to Sasuke. Caring naught for the fatigue after the chase and fighting members of Sound Four, Kimimaro and then even a full squad of Sound Chuunins that Orochimaru had dispatched for the support of Sasuke, with the latter Naruto being forced to face off alone.
As the result, after all of this, Naruto had arrived exhausted and tired, having been forced to fight several members of Sound Four, Sakon, Ukon and Kidomaru, when his teammates were taken out and had caught up to him, not to mention the said squad. Sasuke had taunted Naruto for his fatigue and what appeared to be inability to even fight, as he had sustained a few wounds already, and yet Naruto had proven him wrong. Without any care for his fatigue and injuries, Naruto attacked Sasuke and proceeded to fight the empowered and merciless Uchiha survivor, and although he was outclassed and outmatched, Naruto still didn't make it easy for Sasuke. For a few instances, it appeared as if he would be able to win…
…But those illusions were dispelled when Sasuke had completely stopped holding back, and instead went on ahead with killing blows, burning Naruto and trying to break his neck and spine. The pain and agony were enough to make him black out for a second, and only Fox's chakra kept him going, for his own reserves were terribly low. As much as Naruto was hopeful and foolish, even he knew that he was not going to last long, especially with the way Sasuke was going at him, and he was right.
The moment Sasuke had created Chidori, Naruto knew that his luck had ran out, because he had nothing to offer against it, and as for Fox's Chakra, it had stopped supplying his organism. He did not know why or how, but that did not matter to Naruto at that moment. What did matter, was that his supposed best friend had ran his killing technique into his chest, right into his heart, and that was it for him.
"Is that all you had in you, dobe? I'm disappointed, but at the very least, I now have what it takes to beat Itachi, the same eyes that he…" Naruto heard Sasuke speak, as he looked with his dying gaze into the eyes of Sasuke, seeing that they were changing in form, before his eyes had finally closed.
Having removed the last thing that stopped him from obtaining the power that was rightfully his, Sasuke felt like a chain that stopped him broke, and freed from it, he discarded Naruto's corpse without a care in the world, tossing it into the river below. And after that he finally departed for Orochimaru, without even noticing as two figures watched the whole thing transpire, their gaze directed towards the floating corpse of one of the last Uzumaki. When they saw his supposed sensei finally arrive and pick up the corpse, the pair departed without a trace, knowing that it was still too early to do anything.
Several hours later. Office of Hokage.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the elderly Third Hokage of Konohagakure, was sitting in his chair with a grim expression on his face, as he read the mission report for one more time. To say that it was a failure would be an understatement, because it was a complete disaster, one of the worst possible outcomes that he could've imagined. Their last Uchiha was now gone from them, with Kiba Inuzuka dead and Neji Hyuuga on the brink of death, with others receiving various other wounds and injuries, with only the Sand Siblings managing to save them. However, what was even worse than that was the fact that Naruto Uzumaki was dead, presumably killed by Sasuke himself, and this single fact threw such a wrench into his and Fourth Hokage's plans, that it completely destroyed it.
Even Orochimaru's invasion with the betrayal of Suna was not as damaging to the grand scheme of things as this fact, for Hiruzen was able to survive thanks to Jiraiya being near him and evening out the odds against Orochimaru. He was still weakened and injured, hence why Naruto and Jiraiya had set out to bring Tsunade back, with Jiraiya also testing out Naruto to find out how strong and good he was. When they returned and Third Hokage was healed, Hiruzen learned that Naruto was far better than he had expected and wanted him to be, even with all the measures taken to hamper his growth and emergence of his talents. They didn't need Naruto to be powerful, intelligent and mighty like his father, nor was he even meant to live for long, for he was nothing more than a diversion against their enemies, a bait with only a small portion of the Nine Tailed Fox sealed in him.
Because of his disposable status, as well as for the sake of secrecy and the plan that he, Jiraiya, Minato and Kushina had made, Naruto abandoned and left to fend off for himself against the vengeful and cruel people of Konoha, who were subtly directed towards Naruto as the prime reason for Village's sufferings. A lie and a cruel one, but a necessary one for the survival of the Village and it's future prosperity, and he had gone even further, when he had the boy's mind forcefully altered and changed to make him far more susceptible and easier to control. It had to be done when Naruto showed signs of unnatural maturity and genius that Minato possessed, and this was far too dangerous to be allowed to remain, hence why Hiruzen had his Anbu make sure that Naruto was altered in a way that suited him.
Now, however, he was regretting his decision a little, wondering if he had allowed him to be as smart as he was, would he have survived this fight or not. Letting out a tired sigh and smocking his pipe, Hiruzen put down the report and closed his eyes, before speaking up.
"This is far too soon." He stated, before opening his eyes and looking at his former student Jiraiya. "Are you certain that the twins still haven't mastered Kyuubi's chakra?"
"No, and no matter how hard they had tried, and whatever Minato and Kushina had done, they couldn't control Kyuubi's chakra, and what's worse, because of Naruto being dead, the rest of Kyuubi's soul is either going to return back to the rest of him, or reform somewhere else nine years later as a completely separate entity." Jiraiya stated while shaking his head. "You shouldn't have sent that brat after the Uchiha, old man. We both knew that with the Cursed Mark and his training from Hatake, Naruto stood not a chance, so why did you dispatch him."
"Because that is what the Council had demanded, and unless we wanted to reveal to them the fact that we had lied and played them like fools, I had to go along with their demand." Hiruzen said with harsh tone. "And how do you think they would take to the fact that Minato and Kushina are alive and well in the Capitol, serving as Daimyo's personal guards and also training the real Jinchuriki, while their Village suffers and toils?"
"We've already made preparations in case it became known." Jiraiya reminded him, with Hiruzen shaking his head to him.
"Orochimaru and his invasion had changed that, and if before the people and the council were far more accepting of this sudden revelation, now they were made more extreme and angered, and they are far less ready to believe what we have to say." Hiruzen stated to him, before blowing his pipe. "As much as they had hated Naruto's existence, thanks to us, once their immediate jubilation subsides, they'll not be happy with the fact that they've lost their supposed greatest weapon- the Nine Tailed Fox, which had been in our Village since Hashirama defeated it and Madara."
"We are going to have to talk to Minato and inform him about what had happened. Chances are, though, in a few days he'll know what had happened, but in the meantime, what will you say to the Council about the mission, and what will you do about the Uchiha?" Jiraiya asked of him.
"I'll lay the blame with Naruto, since he did fail in capturing Sasuke Uchiha and preventing him from going to Orochimaru. The Council will be more than happy to make him the scape goat, and there is nothing to indicate that Shikamaru Nara and others will try to stand up for him." Hiruzen stated. "As for the Suna Siblings, I doubt they'll risk the newly reestablished alliance between Suna and Konoha just to preserve the memory of the now dead failure." Jiraiya nodded to him about it.
"And what about Uchiha?" Toad Sage asked of him.
"Leave him be, for now. We can deal with him and Orochimaru when we have the chance, for now your priority is to monitor those Akatsuki you reported the last time. We have far too little intel about them, and since it is clear that they are interested in Tailed Beasts, they'll no doubt be after Menma and Natsu, once it becomes known that they are alive." Hiruzen stated to him. "Focus your efforts on uncovering what they are really after and what are their members. Utilize the source I have inside of them, if you have to."
"Will do, but what about…" At that moment, the door into the office opened up, with Tsunade walking inside, forcing Jiraiya and Hiruzen seize their discussions, for Tsunade wasn't in on their plan. "Hey there, Tsuna. You are looking as beautiful as ever…" Jiraiya jokingly said, though the moment he saw her grim look, he shut up.
"Tsunade, what's the status of the injured?" Hiruzen asked of her.
"Chouji will make the recovery, but the extent of his injuries and internal damage will put him out of service for a few months, but Hyuuga didn't make it." Tsunade reported with tired and detached expression. "And as for Naruto…"
"I think we already know what had happened to him, hime. No need to talk about that failure." Jiraiya said, as he didn't want to discuss it, before Tsunade grabbed him by his collar and brought him close to her eyes. "Um, Tsuna, what are you…"
"How the hell do you have the gall or balls to talk about him like that, you worthless piece of shit!" At that moment, Tsunade let out her rage and anger by punching Jiraiya in the gut, nearly forcing him to puke and drop on his knees. "You took that kid under your wing, taught him that damned Rasengan, made him actually believe he had a chance at becoming the Hokage, and now… Now you call him a failure and dismiss him like a trash?!" Tsunade screamed at him and then kneed Jiraiya in his face, before preparing to beat him to death, had it not been for the Anbu appearing all around her.
"Tsunade, that is enough!" Hiruzen ordered her to stand down, with the Anbu disappearing. "What Jiraiya said was wrong, but what is done is done, and there is no point in talking about it." Tsunade wasn't satisfied with how he spoke and instead strode to him and looked him directly in the eyes, before talking.
"Strange how you don't seem all that concerned with the fact that Naruto is dead, more annoyed at this, like an inconvenience, as if his death threw a wrench in that scheme you and Minato had concocted." Tsunade's words were enough to shock and shake Hiruzen and Jiraiya. "Don't look so surprised, Sensei. I'm not that stupid as to not figure out a few things, and Minato with Kushina weren't as hidden as they liked to believe in the Capitol. I am a Senju, and my clan had made many friends at Daimyo's court."
"Since when did you know about them?" Hiruzen asked of her.
"Since the moment they've arrived, and when I heard about the kids and then a Kyuubi Jinchuriki in here, I put the two and two together and that is why I had refused to come back to the village when you've first asked me." Tsunade stated to him with anger. "The only reason I came here was because of Naruto, not because of you or this perverted idiot. I came here because I couldn't stand seeing him manipulated and used by you anymore, not after he had put his life on the line to save me… I had hoped to help him, at least fix all that damned damage you have done to him, but now… Now he is dead, because of another one of your fuck ups, and I'm done here."
"What do you mean by that?" Hiruzen asked of Tsunade, before she threw at him her old and battered headband that she had kept as a reminder of her service to the Leaf. "Your headband? Tsunade, you can't mean…"
"I mean it, and this time, there is no way I'll be coming back here, not after you've confirmed my belief that nothing good will come for me from this village. All this village does is take away those that are precious to me, first with my father and your teacher, then Nawaki, uncle, Dan, the whole of Senju Clan, then mother… and now Naruto." Tsunade's memories rushed back to her, and she fought off the tears, before turning away from Hiruzen and walking away from him. "Consider this my complete resignation, old man. Don't worry, I won't spill the beans on that plan of yours. But do know this, that if you or any of your cronies come after me, I'll send them back to you in pieces, is that clear?" Tsunade turned back to look at him for a second, before Hiruzen nodded to her and allowed her to leave.
"Ugh… Are you really going to let her go like just like that?" Jiraiya asked of him, as he picked himself up.
"There's nothing that we can do to stop her, and from what we've seen, Tsunade not only has recovered her fighting spirit, but grew even stronger than she was before. There is literally no one in the village who can take her down, and even if I send an Anbu squad after her, they won't be able to do a thing to her." Hiruzen sighed, as he understood that things were getting even worse for him and Konoha. "Better to let her just leave in peace and simply keep an eye out for her. I know Tsunade her whole life, and while she is worse of a gambler than her father Lord First, she is not someone to talk about things like these, especially if it would hurt the village in the process. She may hate it, but at the end of the day, she won't do anything to hurt it."
"If you say so, sensei." Jiraiya said with a pained sigh, before the two returned to their earlier discussion.
Later that night. Konoha's morgue.
Konoha's morgue was quiet that night, and although there were no windows in this particular section, even from here one could hear the celebrations that were erupting throughout the village. For the misguided and ignorant villagers, this was the day of the celebration, for the Demon who had plagued their lives was gone, killed by the hands of the Uchiha Sasuke. In the wave of jubilation and intoxicating elation, the people have completely forgotten the fact that said Uchiha had defected from the village and became a traitor. The Council and Elders, along with Hiruzen, reasoned that Orochimaru is controlling Sasuke, hence he is simply listed as a prisoner instead of a traitor and isn't placed in the wanted lists.
Such hypocrisy was nothing new for the village or it's leaders, and the two visitors who walked almost unopposed into the room where the dead body of Naruto Uzumaki was laying could only scoff at the way this village treated the boy. Especially the man felt indignation at the way these arrogant bastards acted towards the blond boy, with the attitude and actions that made them into true monsters. Even in the days of the Sengoku period, there were certain lines that one shouldn't cross, and this village and it's people, they've crossed many of them with Naruto. With a scowl present on his face, he spoke up more to himself, than to his companion.
"These people… This is exactly what I told Hashirama would happen if he went along with his ideas and listened to his brother. The people of this village have no Will of Fire, for they do not see the need of it, since in their mind the Will of Fire is what makes them so powerful, a belief in their superiority…" The man spoke with an irate tone, before casting his gaze down upon Naruto's still body. "I hope you are watching this, Hashirama. And if you do, take a good look at his boy, and see what this Village has degraded into. Your dream has rotten away and became a hollow husk, thanks to Tobirama and his cronies. It almost makes me want to end this whole thing right now, while they are addled and weak, just to finally put an end to this travesty."
"We are not here so that you may vent your rage, Madara." A regal woman with unnatural beauty, dressed in white and with flowing long golden silver hair and fiery golden eyes spoke to Madara Uchiha, revived and restored to his prime by her will, forcing him to look to her. "Remember why we are here."
"Oh, I do remember, but I can't help but wonder, for what reason are we not take our vengeance? Of all the people, you especially have more than enough reasons to wish for the devastation of this village, after it had abandoned and betrayed the Uzumaki Clan, your direct descendants." Madara stated to her, with the woman calmly looking at him, before he motioned to look at Naruto. "Take a look at this child, and see just how much Konoha and it's people actually value our bloodlines. They did not even bother to sew up his wounds and fix injuries, they did not even bother to clean his body or prepare a burial. They've simply extracted all that could be taken from him and now they either will throw to the dogs, or burn him like trash. And towards these people you want me to be tolerant, Amaterasu?"
"I said nothing of the tolerance, only that you do not forget about our purpose here, and starting a war here right now would only cause unneeded distraction and commotion." Amaterasu stated to him, as she gracefully walked past him and looked with sad eyes at the dead body of Naruto. "Of all of my children, grandchildren and descendants, very few possessed his kind of potential and such pure heart. He could have shaped the world in ways that not even my mother or Hagoromo could dream of, and instead… This world, this travesty that Hagoromo allowed to happen, destroyed him, as it did my children, simply for defying it."
"And this is the clear indication that Hashirama had failed with his vision, the moment he allowed his misplaced idealism blind him to simple facts of human nature." Madara huffed, as he thought about it, before he sighed. "But then again, it was once a dream that we both had shared, at least until he allowed Tobirama to take Suzuka from me and forgave him for it. And if only he had done just that, but he also took our son and deprived him all that made him Uchiha and Uzumaki, making him into a perfect heir of his Will of Fire." Madara practically spit it out of him.
"Will you abide by the conditions of our deal, Shadow of the Uchiha?" Amaterasu asked of him, with Madara nodding to her.
"For all my faults, I am a man of my word, and when I give it, I keep it no matter what. Of course I shall train him and teach him all I have learned. Uchiha, Uzumaki, Senju and all other Jutsu and techniques, I'll give it all to him." Madara assured her, before casting a look at Naruto, before a small smile came upon his face. "Even though his mind and body were damaged by this village, he still showed great promise and power in face of adversity… Once I am through with him, he shall be someone truly worthy to dance with me on equal terms."
"Let us hope that shall be the case. Now, let us be on our way." Amaterasu told him, as she created a portal into another dimension, while Madara created a Wood Clone and had it transform into exact copy of Naruto that was here and take it's place, while Madara picked up Naruto's body. "Will this copy not be found out?"
"It shall be sufficient, especially since none of them will have any reason now to check if it is him or not." Madara assured Amaterasu, with her nodding to him, and the two departing this realm and leaving Konoha.
A different dimension. Later.
Groaning and wincing from his body aching and being stiff all over, Naruto groggily opened up his eyes and looked up, seeing a wooden ceiling of the house that was clearly not his. Moving his head a little bit, Naruto managed to find out that he was not in his own house, but in the room that was far better than the one he owned. In fact, it reminded him of those houses where Clans live and where was never allowed to step into, or at least that is what Naruto had thought was where people had lived. Confused by the change of surroundings, he managed to lift up his body and sat on the bed, looking around and finding that he really indeed was somewhere he never have been.
It took him a few seconds to realize that he was actually alive after he sat up and looked around, and once the realization hit him, he looked at his body, examining it. Much to his shock and surprise, he found out that there were no scars or marks injuries left on him, in fact he was feeling even better than before. Even more so, it felt like he could breathe and think far better than before like something was stopping him, or rather, slowing him down. Getting acclimated to his new state, Naruto noticed fresh clothes neatly put near him, consisting of a black shirt, underwear, pants and shoes.
Once he finished up putting these on, Naruto carefully left the room, finding himself in the hallway of what appeared to be a mansion. After wandering around for a few minutes, he found an opening outside and went into it, and once he was outside, he saw beautiful rolling plains, with flowers and grass for miles he could see, as well as fields of rice and more, with the sky as clear and beautiful as it could get. Naruto was so transfixed on his surroundings, that he didn't notice someone who had been expecting him for quite some time now.
"So, you have awakened." Madara, who sat on the grass with closed eyes, spoke up, startling Naruto a little, before he opened his eyes and got up to look at him. "I expected you to wake up a bit later, but it seems you are made of tougher stuff than I thought."
"Um, not to be rude, but who are you, and where am I? The last thing I remember, I was…" Naruto spoke up, before trailing off and looking around. "Am I actually dead?" Naruto asked, once his mind caught up with his mouth, with Madara chuckling to him.
"You were dead, yes, but now… Now you are back to living, thanks to me and your ancestor. As for your other questions, this is not Heaven nor Hell, so you may breathe easy, but a different dimension. You may think of it as a completely different, separate world from the you came from, created by the one who had revived you." Madara explained to Naruto, who listened to him with clear look of shock. "And as for who I am, I am Madara Uchiha, once a leader of Uchiha Clan and one of the founders of Konohagakure and the man who named it. But to you, Naruto, I am your grandfather." Naruto's eyes widened up as he back away from the man for a second.
"M-my grandfather? But you don't look anything like me, a-and I'm Uzumaki, not an Uchiha! Even more so, Third Hokage always said that I was an orphan and that my parents had died when I was born because of the Kyuubi!" Naruto exclaimed in shock. "This doesn't make any sense!"
"Perhaps for now it does not, but soon enough, you will understand everything, but for now, let's see what the person who brought you back has to say." Madara told him, as he and Naruto turned to the portal which opened up, with Amaterasu stepping out of it and looking at Naruto with a small smile, before she spoke up.
"Hello, Naruto. I apologize for where you are and the confusion and I hope you are doing better than you were." Amaterasu spoke with a kind and warm tone, one that Naruto was definitely not used to. "Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Amaterasu, and this is my realm, known as Takamagahara. Madara and I had brought you, or rather your body here, to restore it and bring you back to life, after you were slain by that boy, Sasuke, I believe is his name." Naruto looked at her with surprise when she spoke like that.
"S-so, I really was dead then…" Naruto said with the realization in his voice, before he looked at Amaterasu. "But how did you manage to bring me back to life? And for that matter, why? Am I like one of those zombies Hokage, like the ones Orochimaru used against Lord Third?" At that moment Madara scoffed again.
"No, you are not one of those Reanimations that Third's fallen disciple had managed to summon, and even those were at best only pale imitations of their real selves. Had they been real, neither Konoha, nor possibly the Land of Fire would be left standing. Hashirama alone would've been more than enough to destroy that Village, without even breaking a sweat." Madara stated to Naruto. "So no, you are not one of those pale imitations of living beings. Instead, you brought back via the power of a far more powerful Ninjutsu, known as Rinne Rebirth. And as I am sure you have noticed, you were brought back without all those impediments that were forced upon your body and mind."
"You mean like I can think better and feel like I'm more myself?" Naruto asked, with Madara nodding to him. "Yeah, I've noticed that it's like I'm finally sober or something like that and I can think better, but what the hell had happened to make me like I was?"
"We will get to that eventually, for now it is time you learned who you really are, Naruto." Madara told him, with Amaterasu speaking up again.
"I am sure Madara had already told you that he is your grandfather, and he is correct, for he is your paternal grandfather. You hold in yourself the blood of Uchiha, Senju and Uzumaki, Naruto, with your paternal grandmother being from Senju Clan, while your mother is from Uzumaki Clan." Amaterasu spoke to him, with Naruto looking at her with shock. "And as for me and how I brought you back, I am a being that is not human in nature, though once I was close to those. I am what you could say a Kami, or a being that had achieved divinity, though before that, I was a child born from a union of a celestial princess and a human lord thousands of years before your birth. I shall explain more later, but the most important thing for you to know, is that you, Naruto, are one of my last direct and true descendants, one of the last of the Uzumaki."
"You are my ancestor? B-but you would have to be really old, I mean older than Madara here!" Naruto exclaimed in shock, with Amaterasu nodding to him.
"Like I said, I was born in days before Shinobi and before humanity had Chakra. I am a being that is immortal and can live for infinite number of years, but before I had ascended, I had a family and had many children. Those children would be the foundation of what would come to be known as Uzumaki Clan." Amaterasu told him, before a look of sadness crossed her face. "For millennia, my children and descendants lived in peace and prosperity, away from the wars and destructions that were brought by Shinobi, but now… Now my family is nothing but a dead memory, with what remains having forgotten their roots, or actively shun then in favor of their own ambitions and wishes."
"So if you are a Kami and have all this power, does that mean that you actually know who my parents were?" Naruto asked of them, with Madara and Amaterasu exchanging looks, before Madara spoke up.
"Yes, we do know, who they are, Naruto. However, as much as you wish to know about them, I must warn you, that this truth will hurt far more than you think and you may wish you had never heard it." Madara told him, with Naruto turning to him. "Now, do you really wish to know about them and the truth about yourself, what Hiruzen Sarutobi and others have hidden away from you?"
"I… Yeah, I want to know the truth." Naruto said with clear determination.
"Very well then." Madara simply stated, and then he and Amaterasu began to tell the truth to Naruto.
Instead of raging and denying everything, Naruto simply stood and listened to them as he learned of the fact that his life had been nothing more than a carefully orchestrated diversion and a ploy to distract the enemies of Konoha away from his parents and siblings, the real holders of Kyuubi's power. He heard how he was "a necessary sacrifice for the prosperity of Konoha", as Madara had called it, left by his parents and overseen by the Third Hokage. His entire purpose was to play the role of a Jinchuriki, be a scarecrow for the other villages while his siblings were being trained and raised to be what his parents believed to chosen champions of the world.
Apparently, they were following a prophecy that entailed the coming of a great hero, a child of destiny, that would change the world of Shinobi, and both Minato and Kushina, as well as others who knew of it, believed that it was one of their children, but not Naruto. Out fear for the man who had unleashed the Nine Tails before and the many enemies that Fourth had made, it was decided that they would go into hiding in the Fire Capitol, while training and teaching the children they took with them. And as for Naruto… His fate was sealed and he was left as a pawn in their grand game, one that had to suffer from misguided hatred and prejudice of the people.
Naruto listened for hours without saying a word, daring not to interrupt either of them, sitting unmoving and still, seemingly lost in the thought and act. It was only after they had stopped talking did Naruto finally decide to speak up.
"So my parents were alive, and they knew about what was happening to me all this time." Naruto stated, not asked, with Madara nodding to him. "And Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, is actually your son, but then why doesn't he look like you and what about his Sharingan?"
"Minato took after the looks of my wife Suzuka Senju, who was a cousin of both Hashirama and Mito through her Senju father and Uzumaki mother, having possessed golden hair akin to what Amaterasu has. Not long after our son was born, several members of Senju Clan, with the support of my other enemies, had attempted to kill me. They had failed, but as the result, my wife Suzuka… She died protecting me from a hidden attack, while our son was secretly taken from me, make it look like he too was killed." Madara said with a barely contained anger in him. "It would be long after my defeat at the hands of Hashirama that I would learn that in reality it was Tobirama who had orchestrated the entire thing, and that he took Minato. After my first death, Tobirama had studied the Sharingan and learned how to block it permanently, and so he eliminated Minato's ability to possess Sharingan, but wasn't able to get rid of his mother's genes and my other genes, hence his great prowess in all things related to Ninjutsu and battle."
"Then why he isn't known as Senju?" Naruto asked.
"Because in Tobirama's eyes, Minato didn't deserve to be part of his clan, hence he simply placed him into orphanage as another one of many orphans." Madara answered to Naruto. "As much as I may despise and hate Tobirama for what he had done, at this point I cannot bring myself to call Minato my son, not after he had trampled over all that Suzuka had cared and valued."
"And what about me then? If he can't have Sharingan, does that mean I can't too?" Naruto asked of them.
"No, Naruto. When I reincarnated you, I had removed all that had stopped you from possessing it. As the matter of a fact, you should have all the genetic prowess of Senju, Uzumaki and Uchiha at the same time." Amaterasu stated to him. "However, there is even more that you possess in you, for I used both my chakra to restore you, but also my blood to strengthen you even further, since your body was drained of both completely. In the way that all of it fused with you, it inadvertently had made you… It had made you my child in blood." Amaterasu stated to Naruto, who looked at her with surprise.
"So… Does that mean that I have no blood of those two in me?" Naruto asked of her, with Amaterasu nodding to him. "After all I had heard just now… All I have to say is good riddance."
"You are taking this way better than I had anticipated." Madara admitted.
"After all that had happened to me, what would be the point of trying to cry and rage about it all? I've long since learned that it never leads anywhere at least that was the case before my mind was altered." Naruto told him with maturity that once was part of him. "I died and was freed from all of the bonds to Konoha and them, and after all I heard now… I've got no doubts that it is for the best. Still, I don't get it, why did you bring me back from the dead?"
"Because of me, Naruto, or rather because of someone who had been using me and the Shinobi since their creation." Madara stated to him. "After my defeat at the hands of Hashirama, I had managed to cheat death and hide away, making plans to change the world and enact a plan that would finally bring peace to it. Unfortunately, it was only after my death that I had learned that all of my ambitions and plans were means for an ancient entity to come back to life again, and my dream was only an illusion."
"You see Naruto, the world as you know it came to be largely thanks to my brother Hagoromo, who is remembered as the Sage of Six Paths, and who's sons had began the Ninjutsu and paved the way for Shinobi and endless wars. But before all that, he and my other brother, Hamura, had fought and sealed away our mother, Kaguya, a celestial being that can be considered a progenitor of all Chakra in this world." Amaterasu explained to Naruto. "However, even from her sealed cage that is the Moon, she still somehow directs events to bring her back. The pieces of her power, the Biju, are the key for it, and now there are people who are actively looking for them, intending to collect all of them, formed thanks to Madara and his pawns."
"The Akatsuki?" Naruto asked of them, with both nodding to him.
"Yes, they were to be the pawns in my plan to bring me the Tailed Beasts, and after my death my subordinate Obito, who assumed my name and identity, carried on with the plan, though I now suspect he has decided to bring about his own vision. In reality, he doesn't even know the fact that all he is being used by Kaguya to bring herself back." Madara stated to him, before taking a sigh. "It was only much later that I learned all this, from Amaterasu, along with the truth about Shinobi, myself and everything that had been happening. Learning that all my life had been merely a play in someone's scheme and a continuation of ages old war between siblings… I've decided to help and finally break that circle, and with your help I shall accomplish it."
"And how do I fit in all of this?" Naruto asked of them.
"I am able to track down the spirits of my brother's sons, Indra and Asura, and I found out that you, Naruto, was the next reincarnation of Asura, while your friend Sasuke is Indra's reincarnation, hence why you were so drawn to fighting one another. Thankfully, after your death, your spirit was freed from Asura's, and you were reborn without him, so you are now fully free." Amaterasu told him with a small smile. "However, the Akatsuki and their puppet masters are still at large and they are trying to bring my mother back to life, and if they succeed, it would spell disaster for the world. Had I been able, I would have destroyed them myself, but I cannot for I am charged with protecting our world from others like her, who are eyeing up our world as a price. Because of that, I have decided that I need someone who can fill the role of the protector of our world on it, and also someone who could restore our clan. Hence, I chose you, Naruto."
"Me? You mean you want me to stop the Akatsuki and whoever is behind them?" Naruto asked of them, with Amaterasu nodded to him. "But I'm just a 13 year old Genin who only knows a few Jutsu and without the Fox, I don't have anything all that special in me, plus I've not ever been trained by anyone."
"Well, that is nothing that we can't remedy, can we?" Madara smirked a little at Naruto. "Amaterasu had revived me with the express purpose to train and prepare you for what is going to come next, and I intend to do just that. You possess in you the talents and potential of the three strongest Shinobi bloodlines and your personal potential alone is enough to possibly make you someone on the same level as your former father Minato, if not someone more powerful. Under my tutelage and training, Naruto, you shall be a Shinobi that even Hashirama would not be able to defeat." Judging by the tone of his voice, Naruto figured that Madara was already itching to get started.
"While I'm all up for the training, especially under one like you, but that could take years, and I doubt that Akatsuki would be sitting idly by." Naruto remarked.
"That is not something you need to concern yourself with. You see, in this realm of my creation, I control everything, even laws of existence and reality, like time. Right now, I've changed the time flow in here in such a way, so that one day in our world would equal a year in here." Amaterasu stated to him, with Naruto looking at her with surprise. "You will have more than enough time to learn everything there is to learn from Madara and me, and by the time you are done, you shall leave this realm not an untrained Genin, but the strongest Shinobi in hundreds of years, possessing the strongest bloodlines in history all at the same time."
"And all you want me to do is stop the Akatsuki from reviving Kaguya?" Naruto asked, with Amaterasu nodding to him.
"Yes, that is all I ask. After your training is complete, your life is yours and yours alone to choose what you may wish to do, even if it means you decide to not do what I ask." Amaterasu told him, surprising Naruto. "It is not my wish to make you obey my will or do my bidding akin to a slave. My only wish is to give you means to make your own path in life, Naruto, and to ensure that you will be able to make your life into whatever you wish it to be."
"You… You really mean that? That you will train me and that you won't make into your pawn or something like that?" Naruto asked, almost unsure of it, with both nodding to him.
"Yes, Naruto, I swear upon my wife's memory that I shall train you to the best of my abilities." Madara assured him.
"So do I swear, Naruto, that as your ancestor and now mother, I shall help you make your own way in life, yet not be someone who forces you to walk the path you do not desire." Amaterasu stated to him, with Naruto having tears in his eyes, and the rippling effect coming upon him, finally unlocking the first stage of Sharingan.
And from then on, Naruto Uzumaki was finally reborn anew and began his new life with his mother and grandfather, training and growing as the Son of the Sun and Heir of Shadow.
Eight days later in Shinobi world. Land of Water.
Mei Terumi grit her teeth, as she fended off another assault from the loyalist Kirigakure forces, fourth or fifth this day and this was only past midday. She, along with her forces, consisting of rebel Shinobi, Ronins, Mercenary and local Samurai and militia who had sided with her, were on the brink of collapse and exhaustion. She reflected on the status of her combined forces, and couldn't help but sigh at the fact that they had a very bad couple of months. Just half a year ago their combined forces would've been enough to defeat Yagura and the many warlords that now plagued the Land of Water, but the problems arose rather quickly in her forces, as infighting between nobles, Samurai and Shinobi made them vulnerable and indecisive.
As the result, Yagura and his forces were able to subjugate a majority of the petty warlords and local governors, forging an army that was a far greater threat than had they been disunited. Not for the first time Mei cursed at the weakness of Water Daimyo and his court, who had allowed their country to slip into chaos and war again, and who at this point were nothing more but figureheads and puppets in hands of Yagura. It wasn't long after Yagura had taken full control of those forces that he started dealing Mei a defeat after defeat, leading to mounting casualties and even defections by the nobles and samurai. Those who left her were more eager to profit from this chaos, rather than put an end to it, and yet those that stayed were among the most hardened and battle-ready warriors of Land of Water, and so instead of wasting their lives, Mei and her co-commanders decided to retreat and make their stand on the grounds of their choosing.
Initially, the retreat went as planned and even though they had many wounded and injured, as well fugitives and refugees, they were able to relocate to the northwestern island of Land of Water without a problem. It was here that the problems arose, for it turned out that Yagura was informed of their destination, had made a beeline here with his veteran troops, while also using Land of Water's fleet and samurai to block any potential escape route. Mei's forces were not ready for the battle, with most being tired and exhausted by the long march, as well as having many injured and ill, not to mention refugees.
As much as she and others would've liked to have found a way to get out of there, they were surrounded and the only option left was to fight, and so they gave battle to Yagura's forces, which initially went in their favor. But the moment Yagura unleashed his Tailed Beast and went on a rampage, the tide turned and her forces were forced to pull back and go on the defensive near the walls of the city of Kamakurawhich housed all of the injured and the refugees. Beset on all fronts and fighting to their last, Mei fought the hardest in her entire life, but a long day of exhaustive combat took a toll on her, and her senses dulled a little, and she missed one of Kiri's Jonins making his way to her, with intent to kill her.
Before he was able to connect his kunai with her throat, a swift slash by a blade ended his life and Mei looked at the person who had saved her, finding a tall woman with long dark purple hair and purple eyes of unmatched beauty, dressed in a dark suit of armor, with her long tachi brandished out.
"Thanks, Raikou. I owe you one." Mei thanked Raikou Minamoto, leader of the Samurai forces and one of the greatest warriors in the Land of Water.
"Think nothing of it, Mei. I simply returned the favor from the last time." Raikou responded, before she moved and slashed two more attacking shinobi. "Yagura is either getting hasty, or simply stopped caring about his men. He is throwing them at us without any thought or consideration."
"He has not been a man who cared for such things for a long time now." Mei responded, as she casted Water Jutsu and blasted away a group of attacking loyalists. "He seems to have simply stopped caring for the casualties and wants this war over as soon as possible." Mei said, before she kicked another Jonin away from her, before she and Raikou prepared for another assault, yet instead saw how loyalist forces began to pull back.
"They are pulling back? Why would they do that when they have the advantage in numbers and the initiative?" Raikou asked aloud, before she focused her vision on the far off ridge, and saw the reason for why they pulled back. "Mei, look…" She said with the hollow voice and her face paled, with Mei soon also gaining a paled complexion.
"Yagura… He is insane. Is he really going to use a Bijuudama on us?" Mei asked aloud, as she saw the Fourth Mizukage in form of the Three Tails gathering Chakra around his mouth for an attack. "He'll not only destroy us, but also level this entire area and turn Kamakurainto ashes."
"We have to evacuate everyone." Raikou spoke, snapping out of her shock and fear, but it was too late, as Yagura launched his concentrated ball of chakra at them.
The ball of volatile chakra traveled fast, leaving a trail of flattened earth underneath it and squashed people who were unfortunate enough to be on it's flight path. The whole battlefield went silent and still, and most looked at the incoming attack, yet Raikou and Mei felt a vibration of the air coming from above them and looked up, seeing something that they least expected. Yet before either of them could say a thing, the Tailed Beast Bomb connected and exploded.
The power of the blast knocked out the air and the sound, creating a pillar and wall of flame, dust and smock that turned the entire glassy plane into a wasteland and engulfed the city in it's products. This was already seen as the victory in the eyes of the loyalists, yet when the dust had settled and smock cleared, Yagura and his forces were greeted with the sight they did not expect to see. A massive moving ethereal wall of fiery red chakra separated the rebel forces and Kamakurafrom the blast, protecting them all from the blast. And near Mei and Raikou stood the caster of this mighty shield, and they looked in shock and awe at this man.
He stood at 181 cm, possessing a mane of golden silver with slight spikiness, which was made into in a tail behind him and reached his the middle of his back, with bangs framing his fine and attractive face and fiery golden eyes, which had a swirling ripple tone in them, with six tomoe in each of them. He stood dressed in a crimson samurai-like armor, with a white coat above, complimented with black shirt and pants, along with shoes, with symbol of Uzumaki on the back of his coat, with six tomoe dotting it along the line of a swirl from center to the edge. On his left hip rested a sheathed long straight sword with a white sheath and black and white handle, from which was seemed to come a glow. The man turned his gaze towards the two leaders of the rebels and spoke up in a carefree tone.
"Are you okay?" He spoke to them, as the two stood transfixed and trying to figure out what was going on, as well as mentally admiring the looks of this man. "Sorry if I had startled you, but it looked like you people needed some serious help, so I've decided to land a helping hand."
"Wh-what… Ah, y-yes, we are fine, thanks to you." Mei, with a healthy blush her cheeks, collected herself and spoke up.
"Y-yes, your help is most welcome, though I fear we do not know who are you, and why you landed us your help." Raikou too had collected herself and spoke up, with the man smiling to them and answering.
"I'm Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki, and I've decided to help you because you really looked like you needed it, and so I landed you a helping hand." Naruto told them earnestly, as he turned around and looked at the incoming forces of Yagura. "Well, looks like that mad Mizukage of yours isn't too happy with you still being alive. If you do not mind, please order your forces to pull back into the city, while I clean the house, so to speak." Naruto prepared for the battle, with both women looking at him with shock.
"Are you serious? There is over three thousand Shinobi with at least six thousand samurai over there, you can't possibly beat them." Raikou stated, with Naruto simply smirking a little, with Mei having a feeling that he was fully serious.
"Trust me, I don't intend to let them win today. Now, please move your forces out of the battlefield. They are tired and exhausted, with many injured and traumatized, so you would do better to take care of them instead of engaging your enemies right now." Naruto told her, as he dispelled the Chakra wall and began to walk towards the incoming enemy wave, while his eyes returned to normal.
"Raikou, let's not argue with him on this." Mei told her, gaining her attention. "This man, this Naruto… I had a look at his eyes, and this wall of chakra that saved us… They looked far too much like Sharingan, only distinct, unique in their own way."
"You mean he could be an Uchiha? But why then introduce himself as an Uzumaki, and dress up like that?" Raikou asked aloud, as she saw Naruto start to speed up towards the incoming wave of enemies, before creating twenty Shadow Clones and spreading them into the line. "Is he really going to…"
In the next second, the twenty-one Naruto Uzumaki clashed into a thousand of Kirigakure Veteran Shinobi… and they went through them like a hot knife through air, dispatching the incoming enemies with same ease as a man picks up a fallen leaf off the ground. The Clones and the original engaged the enemies without even stopping their run, swatting them away with kicks and fists, not needing more than two to deal with them, before they reached the center of the formation, and then they stopped. Surrounded and outnumbered, the newcomer and his clones then went to town at the enemies.
Mei and Raikou ordered a general retreat of their forces, while they observed as the literal one-man army was making Kirigakure's finest look like hapless lambs in front of the storm, as Naruto was crushing the enemies with his mere Taijutsu skills. They looked with shock and awe at the way this man fought, moving like he was in three places at the same time and not fighting, but beating the enemies with such ease that made them sorry for those who dared to stand in his way. And at the same time, there was not just simple power and might in his attacks, but also grace and even elegance in the way he moved, akin to a dancer who partook in a dance of death and enjoyed it. The two women couldn't help but feel a blush coming upon their cheeks upon gazing at this man, and not so pure thoughts began to creep into their mind.
Soon enough, Naruto and his clones were practically through with their enemies, and the moment he was about to finish off most of them, he sensed how another Bijuudama was launched at him. Forgetting completely about his enemies, Naruto reached for his weapon and then unsheathed it, unleashing a powerful wave of energy that he sent towards the incoming ball of Chakra. The two attacks met in the air, and in the end, Naruto's proved to be more powerful and destroyed the Bijuudama, splitting it into two and forcing it to explode. Once the dust had settled, Naruto stood outside the field with most of the enemies either dead, injured or running away from him, while he looked up at the giant turtle like monster who looked down upon him, with both of them now on the same ridge.
"Are you so eager to dance with me, that you are prepared to destroy your own men just for that?" Naruto asked of him with complete calmness, as he gazed with his eyes at him.
"Their lives are nothing but a resource I have to use as I see fit. A resource that has failed to deliver on what I had wanted, and couldn't even destroy those traitors, along with you." Yagura spoke with the voice of his tenant, with Naruto simply looking at them with a neutral expression. "I don't know who you are, but you have made a grave mistake coming here and saving them. Nobody who had seen this form has ever survived, and I'll make sure that you won't be an exception."
"I'm afraid you won't get a chance to correct that mistake, nor realize that all this time you were nothing more but a pawn in the hands of a misguided fool." Naruto simply stated to him, as his own Sharingan eyes came to life, and then changed to their Mangekyou Sharingan pattern. "You say that none who gazed upon your Tailed Beast form had ever survived. Well, then I shall answer with one form that is exactly the same way." And with this, fiery red chakra exploded from his body and immediately began to take shape and form.
Right before the eyes of the rebels and loyalists on top of the ridge, towering over the battlefield and surrounding area is a giant made out of fiery red chakra, a warrior with a horned Kijin head and dressed in ancient armor and clothes. With beads in form of magatama around his neck, with a small shield on his left hand and a large straight blade in his right hand, and from inside of it's forehead, Naruto looked down upon the Three Tailed Beast. Mei and Raikou had thought that at this point, nothing could effectively surprise or scare them, but now they understood just how wring they were.
"My grandfather and teacher would berate me for using this against such a lowly creature like you, but after all your crimes and atrocities, all you deserve is utter despair and merciless death." Naruto told him, as his Susanoo moved his arms with the blade above his head. "This Susanoo is the ultimate expression of destruction and death, and it has come for you, Fourth Mizukage." And with this said, Susanoo swung the blade down upon the Three Tailed Beast.
The Three Tailed Beast though is not considered to be the strongest of the Tailed Beasts, but it is considered to be one of the most well defended and protected thanks to it's shell which is said to be able to withstand even lava. However, Naruto's Susanoo and it's sword were nothing to scoff at either, and it could split the earth and heaven, and nothing could stand before it's might, and Three Tailed Beast wasn't able to withstand it's might. His hard shell split upon the contact of the blade and then all of his form was divided, and then the ridge and the ground beyond it, creating a ditch that stretched for miles until it reached the ocean and then began to fill it with the water. The ridge was split into two, and in the middle of the divide was the form of Yagura and Three Tailed Beast, dissipating and disappearing like a mist after the morning wind.
Once the dust was settled and the outcome was revealed to the world, the loyalist forces in a mere instant found themselves on the losing side and without their leader, while the rebels, just mere minutes beforehand were on the brink of defeat, found themselves victorious in the war they considered all but lost. And it was delivered to them by a man, or perhaps even a Kami, that in one single strike ended the terror and tyranny of Yagura, and now he had quite a few things to explain to those who wanted to know.
Hours later. Kamakura Castle.
After the battle was over and now deceased Yagura's forces surrendered to Mei and Raikou right after they understood that they stood no chance against Naruto and his just impossible power. It took them hours just to sort out this entire mess and even now, they were not yet fully done with the process, only through with the major things, like securing the commanders and nobles, as well as distribution of the prisoners and such things. The rest Mei and Raikou decided to leave to their deputies and other commanders, while they headed to KamakuraCastle in the center of the city, which now became the temporary hospital and house of refugees and wounded, as well as the place where Naruto headed right after the battle.
The two women expected to be celebrating or resting, but instead of doing anything of that sort he went on ahead to treat the wounded with Medical Ninjutsu, with his clones doing the same thing, having spread around the hospital. When Mei and Raikou saw the massive hospital and many clones of Naruto and himself at work healing and restoring the injured and battered people to full health, they once again were amazed at him.
Without asking permission or being told, he just did what people needed and did not ask for a single thing, instead earnestly working and healing their people. They watched in shock as the nearly dead Shinobi and Samurai alike were brought back to life by Naruto and his incredible Medical prowess. Both women could not help themselves but grow even more in admiration with Naruto, as well as admit that he is as good of a healer, if not better than Tsunade Senju is.
They had wanted to discuss certain things, including him, but when they saw that he was fully focused and engrossed in his work, they decided to wait until he was available and left him a message. Once he was finished with the work and received the message from Mei and Raikou, Naruto headed straight to them, finding them in what used to be Lord's private study, joined to his private quarters. There he found the two ladies having changed out of their battle garments into more comfortable and form fitting garments, with Mei donning her usual blue dress, while Raikou decide on a purple kimono, with both having cleaned themselves after battle.
Once all of them were settled, Naruto conversed with the ladies, revealing to them much about himself, from him being a grandson of Madara Uchiha to the circumstances of his death and rebirth. Some may question him for revealing such sensitive things to complete strangers, and while it was fully reasonable for Naruto to withhold or lie about it, but his entire first life was a lie and charade, and he had grown an aversion to lies. If he could tell the truth, he would do so, and from what he saw from Mei and Raikou, as well what his instinct and senses were telling him, he could trust them, and so he did. The two women listened and only asked him questions from time to time in order to clarify a few things, but other than that, they did not interrupt him in any manner.
After hours of talking and discussions, Naruto was finally finished with his tale, and after taking a sigh and leaning back on the sofa, he spoke up.
"That about covers it up. After my training was complete and I had mastered all I had to learn from grandfather, Amaterasu opened up a portal to this world and allowed me to leave." Naruto told them. "Though as it turned out, she was a little off with her directions, and so I ended up right near your battle and so I decided to intervene, knowing what was going on."
"You could've easily had slipped away or stayed out of it, yet instead you got involved like that, risking your anonymity, just because we were in danger of death?" Mei asked of him, still finding it a little hard to believe in this, with Naruto nodding to her.
"Yes, because that is how I am. Can't sit away something that is wrong without fixing it." Naruto admitted to Mei.
"All of this, and to think that Goddess Amaterasu is actually your mother, and even before all that…" Raikou sat as she processed all of that in her head, before collecting herself and looking up to him. "Naruto, if you do not mind telling us, what are your plans now that you are back in our world? Do you intend to take revenge upon Konoha and your parents for what had been done to you, as well as to your Clans and family?"
"In all honesty, I do not really know what I want to do. Aside from dealing with the Akatsuki, I've not really made any other plans, and from what I've heard from Madara and Amaterasu, tracking them down right now would be a waste of time, since most of them if not all will be underground and too spread out to deal in one stroke. And given the fact that the Three Tails is dead and will take at least three years to reform, I guess that means I'm either going to have to walk around and look for them, or find something else to do." Naruto said, as he thought about it, not missing a shared look between Mei and Raikou. "And as for Konoha and my parents, I did think about it, but after years spent in Takamagahara and talks with my mother, I came to a conclusion that it's not really worth the effort and time, plus it would only make things worse for other people."
"But that doesn't mean that you have forgiven them for all that they had done to you, am I correct?" Raikou asked of him.
"Naturally, while I'm not all that interested in destroying that place and everyone within it's borders, I'm not going to be forgiving them for all that had been done to me. I just don't want to get too engrossed in petty revenge and vengeance." Naruto answered. "Now then, since I have answered your question, could you please answer one of my own? Am I to assume that you have come up with certain plans for me, and if so, would you care to share them with me?"
"You are quite a perceptive man, aren't you?" Mei asked of him with a small flirtation smile. "With the appearance like yours and the way you saved us, while also ending our war, can you blame a woman for getting a few naughty ideas?" She asked of him while showing just a little bit of her hip to him, with Naruto not falling for this.
"Ideas is all well and good, but the moment someone decides to make those ideas into plans that involve me without my consent is when I get not so friendly." Naruto told them, with Mei understanding what he meant. "I am sure you can understand my defensiveness, given my past."
"Of course, Naruto. Please allow us to assure you that Mei and I did not intend to do anything of the sort." Raikou assured him in a polite tone. "We did wish to make you a proposition, if wish to hear it."
"Well, you were earnest with me so far, I'm all ears." Naruto told them.
"Thanks to you and your actions today, we had finally been able to end this war, but while it has ended, there is still the matter of rebuilding and restoring our Land, and the war hasn't been merciful to our country, not just Kirigakure. In short, we are currently the weakest Land and Shinobi Village, with most of the provinces and areas of Land of Water in disarray and chaos, making us a perfect easy target for our enemies and other countries." Mei told him in a serious manner. "Mei, Raikou and those who had supported us didn't fight this war just to see our country destroyed in another, and with the losses we've sustained and all but complete collapse of the government of Daimyo, we won't be able to win against any major nation or a coalition of those. It will take time and much effort to rebuild, and in the meantime, we need to show others, that if push comes to shove, we can defend themselves."
"In other words, you need some serious extra firepower to show to your enemies and make them think twice or thrice before invading, am I correct?" Naruto understood Mei perfectly, with the two women nodding to him. "While I am quite proficient in Shinobi arts, after my first try at being a Shinobi, I'm not all that eager to become someone's subordinate, even someone as beautiful as you two."
"Even our beauty will not compel you to submit? Are you one of those men who like to play hard to get, Naruto?" Mei flirtatiously asked, with Naruto smirking a little.
"No, I am just a man who sticks to his principals no matter what and doesn't surrender in face of adversity or seduction." Naruto stated. "And besides, something tells me that a man who so easily succumbs to such incentives is not all that worthy of the attention of one like you."
"Mm, I quite agree. Men like you are far more attractive to the women like me and Raikou, stalwart and loyal in their beliefs and principals." Mei admitted with a smile to him. "After what you did here, the whole world will know about you in mere days, if not already, and they will know about your power and strength you hold. What Raikou and I wish to propose to you is that you help us protect the Land of Water from our enemies, not as a Shinobi, but an autonomous protector of sorts, and equal to us in status. In exchange for your services Raikou has agreed to seed you Kamakura, it's surrounding lands and offer you the pledge of all it's people." Naruto was quite seriously surprised by this proposition, instantly turning his head to Raikou, who merely nodded to him.
"My family had been owners of this island and province for generations, however this war had saw the death of all my Clan members, safe for me, so I do effectively own this land. After your display of power and saving the people and the city, as well as what you did here today, many start to see you as someone sent to us as a savior by the heavens, and given your origin, there is a some truth to it." Raikou told Naruto. "I am prepared to give you Kamakura and it's people and acknowledge you as their Lord… b-but in order to ensure your new rule is legitimate, you will be required t-to take me a-as your w-wife." Raikou said with blush and small stutter, surprising Naruto even more.
"Raikou, I do not have any intentions to force you into any sort of arrangement like this, and I'm certainly not looking for an opportunity to take away your freedom and what belongs to you." Naruto immediately told her.
"Y-yes, I understand that, and no, I am not forcing myself into anything I wouldn't consent. I am already of the age where I should've been married off to a man, but I refused to be sold off like a pig on a market, and I resolved to choose the man with whom I would spend my life with." Raikou said with a deeper blush, causing Naruto to blush as well at the implication. "O-of course, I do not mean to force myself upon you, o-or to force you to do anything a husband would be expected of. If you would prefer, the marriage would purely a formality without any sort of responsibilities or duties, aside from ceremonial ones…"
"But I am quite sure you can see it clear as day that our dear Raikou would not make such an offer if she didn't see you as more than just some political asset." Mei told Naruto with a bit of a flirtatious voice, with Raikou not denying it. "She is just a bit shy to admit that she, like myself, are finding ourselves quite fascinated and enraptured with you, Naruto, and we wouldn't mind become more than simple acquaintances, or friends." Naruto was positively stunned when he heard it, even more so when he realized that their desire is genuine.
"Um… I-I will be honest with you, and say that my first experience with romance was… Well, it was not quite a good one. The girl I was crushing on saw me as an annoyance and often showed it in a quite violent manner, more often than naught punching me just out of either annoyance or because I was too mouthful in her eyes." Naruto admitted, recalling his experience with Sakura. "After all that had happened, I'm not too comfortable with such things, and seeing both of you taking such an interest in me… Is this really okay with both of you? I wouldn't want to become a cause of discord between the two of you." Mei and Raikou exchanged looks and stood up, before moving to his sofa and sitting either side, gently taking each of his hands into theirs and holding them.
"It is very sweet of you to ask of this Naruto, but you need not worry yourself with this. Raikou and I know each other quite well, and we've already established, that sharing you wouldn't be such a big problem." Mei assured him, as she leaned a little closer to him. "While Raikou claim the spot of your wife, there is nothing wrong for a Lord to have a concubine. In fact, it is quite expected of him in our society, and I can live with such a status, for I see you as the type to treat all your women equally."
"Like I said, if you wish, our marriage would be merely a formality and you may take whoever you wish to bed, should you find them to your fancy." Raikou said with dignity, but she squeezed his hand a little stronger. "H-however… I-I do wish for us to be m-more than mere formal partner, a-and for you to see me as a proper wife a-and lover. I-I am not opposed to sharing you with more women, b-but only if they truly care and love them, and they are not opposed to this kind of relationship."
"I… I don't know what to say… This is happening s-so fast and…" Naruto was quite shocked with the situation, but Mei put a finger to his lip and spoke in a caring and warm tone.
"You don't need to say anything. We understand that all of this is sudden and surprising for you, and we are not demanding an answer right now, and should you refuse our offer, please know that that doesn't mean that we would be averted from you. Our affections to you are not related to our offer, Naruto." Mei assured him, calming him a little. "If you wish for this, then we will take things slow, step by step, because we too want it, and while we do find you quite irresistible, we wouldn't be so cruel as to force you into something you are not comfortable with."
"Mei and I… We too do not have the best history with romance, s-so we would be exploring this a-along with you. I promise you, that we won't treat you like that girl you told us about, e-even if you are going to annoy us, I would never lower myself to mistreat you in any form or manner." Raikou assured him, as she looked in his eyes. "So, if you wish… W-we shall be in your care." At that point, Naruto closed his eyes and thought about it all for a few minutes, before opening it up and speaking up.
"Alright… I agree." Naruto said, pleasantly surprising both women. "However, I have certain conditions in addition to those that you've set before."
"Very well, name them." Mei immediately said.
"First, I don't want to be a simple figurehead and do nothing if I am to be a lord and let Raikou do all the ruling. I want to be able to help you govern this realm, and I want you to take part it, for it is your land and I am marrying you, so I wish to support my spouse no matter what." Raikou was surprised by this and the determination, making her blush even more and feel her heart pound even faster. "I mean to do good for the people of Kamakura and Land of Water, so I will rely on you to teach me how to do help them and you in governing."
"I… Of course, Naruto. I will do my utmost to help you in this." Raikou promised him with the smile.
"Second, I want you always to be honest with me, even if it means hurting me and saying hurtful things to me. I do not want to hurt you, if we are going to be in a relationship, so if I am doing something wrong to you or hurt you, please, do not hesitate and just tell me about it." Naruto asked of them, with both Mei and Raikou surprised and touched by this request. "And finally… I want you to not forget about yourselves and put yourselves before everything else. As your lover and consort, it is my responsibility to take care of you, and I shall do my utmost to accomplish it, but I do not want you to simply go along with all I do. If you do not like something, if you have something to tell me or something like that or like I said before, do not hesitate to tell. That is all I am asking of you." Mei and Raikou looked at him with surprised expressions, before they softened their gaze and smiled to him.
"Hm, those are quite severe conditions you put upon us, my lord." Mei said in a playful manner. "It will be quite a challenge to comply with them, especially seeing what a selfless and comforting lover we now have, but we will try." Mei said, as she leaned her head upon his shoulder, cuddling a little with him.
"I… I shall do so to, m-my husband." Raikou told him, as she repeated the notion and gently laid upon Naruto's shoulder, with him allowing it to happen.
For quite a while he and his new girlfriends simply sat like this in silence, enjoying a moment of closeness and intimacy that it brought to them, content and happy with what they had now, at the moment of the beginning of their relationship. And as for Naruto, he managed to gently wrap his arms around two women, bringing them closer and letting them rest and fall asleep on his shoulders, while he pondered and thought about what to do next. Although his goals were clear about the Akatsuki and he will stop them, Amaterasu has made it clear that he was first going to think about himself, now that he had his second chance in life, and that Akatsuki weren't going to be his end goal. He wasn't quite sure what he wanted for himself out of this life, but right now…
Right now he felt more content and happiness than he ever did in Konoha and at this moment, Naruto figured, that this was where he belonged, and where he shall stay.
Everybody hi, I am back after my seriously extended leave. For those who are new, I am Ronin, and in the February I had to take a leave of absence from fanfiction because of my health problems and having been diagnosed with Covid-19. Now I managed to overcome Covid pretty soon and easily, but due to my unstable blood pressure, I had to be hospitalized in the end of February and stayed there for ten days. I took some days to recover and get better, and my health had improved to the point where I again can write stories.
Unfortunately, as it happens, during my stay at the hospital, I lost my interest in the new story I posted earlier and my inspiration faded from it, and I came to a conclusion that story wasn't going to heading anywhere interesting. If you are reading this now, then know that it is canceled and taken off because of those reasons, my apologies to my readers, but I hope you will like this story and give it a shot.
I will keep it brief, since I am still recovering and I am not yet capable of working long hours as I used to. Basically, Naruto is Madara's grandson and has in him all the blood of Uchiha, Senju and Uzumaki, meaning he has all the ingridients for an ultimate powerhouse. He was trained by Madara for 8 years, so expect him to be as powerful as they get, and he did inherit certain mannerisms from Madara. Also, yeah, don't expect me to be merciful towards Konoha, even if I won't be as blatantly cruel towards it. Oh, and yeah, I changed a few timeline and continuity things to fit better and there were also changes to the story and events, since Third Hokage is alive here and all that. Oh, and as for Raikou, she is based off of Fate version of Minamoto no Raikou, with a few modifications of my own.
Now, to address a certain… issue. I am sure it is no secret that I am a Russian, however in light of recent events I can see how this can cause some problems. Let me make myself absolutely clear: I don't give a damn about politics, race, nations or any of that stuff, I am here because it is fun and I love making fanfiction. I am for peace and just want people to get along, so please do not spread hatred in reviews and messages because of what is happening. I didn't ask for what is happening, and I just want to end as soon as possible with as many people alive as possible, that is all. Please keep Fanfiction out of politics…
Now, with that out of the way, I hope that you support this story by a review, a comment, suggestions and questions, as well as follows and favors, since it helps me get better at my work.
Next time: Three years later; Konoha finally takes notice; Unwanted guests in Kamakura.
See ya soon!