Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, its characters, or its OSTs in any way. Those rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I do own the techniques I add and any OC I may choose to create for the betterment of the story.
A/N: Been a while, sorry about that, school has been a bother. I'm on break now though so yay to that. And with that, I bring you another chapter. It's more of a teaser, but I promise the next chapter will be better. Enjoy, and please don't forget those reviews!
CHAPTER 08: Confirmation of war
Clang.
Naruto and Tenten crossed kunai, sparks flying. Both children spotted grins on their faces as they were stuck on their stalemate.
Over the week they have been training together, it became clear to Naruto that Tenten was stronger than him. No matter how much he tried, he just couldn't find a way to counter her strength, but that did not mean that he was at a big disadvantage. While Tenten was stronger, Naruto was faster. One would've thought that his superior speed would've easily handed him the match, but Tenten's solid stances, her height, and eerie precision with weapons were things Naruto could not counter.
Naruto would never say it to her face, but it was one thing that Tenten was good with Kunai, but for her to be good at every weapon she touched, it was scary. She was a titan, and he was in her shadow. No matter how much he pushed to catch up, Tenten pushed harder to extend the lead. It was something Naruto admired about Tenten.
And not only that, but every time they stepped on the battlefield together, she always felt different. Sometimes, Tenten could pull off spontaneous moves that he never thought she would ever pull off, like some other part of her is awakened in battle.
Naruto was beginning to falter under Tenten's strength, so he slipped into her guard by letting her attack through.
Tenten walked into an uppercut that landed on her abdomen. She could feel her breath leave her as a glob of saliva was expelled from her mouth. While she was stronger that Naruto, it didn't necessarily mean that Naruto was a slouch either.
Tenten staggered back but Naruto yanked her back by her elongated right hand, that held her kunai, causing her to stumble back towards Naruto as the blonde was preparing to knee Tenten in the stomach. If only it was that simple. Tenten had faked the stumble and she brought her left hand to intercept the knee, and she used the momentum of the backlash of the attack to push herself up, using her hand that was on Naruto's knee, to knee Naruto in the face.
All Naruto could do was widen his eyes as the knee sailed towards him with no way to stop it. A crack was heard as the knee landed, and Naruto staggered back. Tenten did not wait for an invitation to go for his exposed jagular.
Reiko appeared between them, grabbing Tenten by her wrist before she killed Naruto, and she yanked Naruto by the scruff of his shirt before he fell down.
"Naruto is dead, and the match ends with Tenten's victory." Reiko said, letting each of the chidren go.
Tenten landed on the ground, grinning to herself, "A well-deserved win."
Naruto was pinching his nose, as an effort to stop the bleeding, when he replied, "I almost had you."
Tenten giggled at how weird his voice sounded. "Yeah, almost."
It was true too. Every time they fought, Tenten saw that Naruto was improving, and at an alarmingly monstrous rate. She would never admit it to his face, but she knew that Naruto would catch up. But in the time he hasn't caught up, she was going to do her best to extend how long it takes for him to catch up.
Reiko smiled at them. Starting their training a week ago, Reiko was a little worried that Naruto would have a low self-esteem because of constantly losing to Tenten every time they sparred, but it turned out to be the opposite. While Tenten gloated about her victories, she was always mindful not to undermine Naruto's strength either, which led to the two forming a bond deeper than Reiko expected.
Speaking of bonds, Naruto was comfortable enough with Reiko to at least call he woman by her name full time. And upon discovering who was always responsible for the delicious meals that were always on his plate, Naruto took to referring to Kakashi as big brother, much to Reiko's jealousy. Naruto and Tenzo... Well... At least Naruto found Tenzo's wood release cool. Besides that, Tenzo and Naruto did not get along because Naruto found the teenager scary.
"Alright then, now we move on to chakra control. Are you both ready?!" Reiko asked.
She was not surprised by the replies she got from the kids. They both deflated the moment chakra control was mentioned. Rightly so, children did not take kindly to just sitting around and doing nothing.
Reiko has been having each of them stick a leaf on their forehead. Naruto was able to stick the leaves just fine, but the problem was that he burnt them with his potent chakra. Tenten, on the other hand, had a problem making the leaves stick to her forehead.
Two days after starting the exercise, Tenten was able to stick the leaf for ten minutes before it fell. Naruto came a day later, able to make the leaf stick without catching fire for a solid minute, which was tremendous progress considering his vast chakra pool. From then on, they just kept improving together. Now, they can hold their leaves for an hour before it fell, in Tenten's case, or caught on fire, in Naruto's case.
And while they deflated, Reiko knew that they trained their chakra control in secret because it was where Reiko complemented them the most.
"What? Not good enough for you?" The older woman asked.
Tenten sighed before she replied. "No offence sensei, but it is really boring. I know that Naruto and I have become faster and stronger because of being able to control our chakra better, but it's just not enough."
Naruto nodded next to Tenten.
"It's not enough is it?" Reiko scowled, making the children flinch. The killing intent the woman was emitting made the children shake. Then Reiko smiled all of a sudden, the killing intent vanishing like it was never there. "Great! That's what I love to hear!"
Both children were taken aback by the fluctuations of Reiko's emotions. So taken aback that they just stared at the older woman like she had just sprouted a second head on her shoulders.
"Okay sit down, both of you."
Naruto and Tenten complied with order, sitting cross-legged in front of Reiko.
"Why do you want to be Ninja?" Reiko asked.
"I want to be a ninja because I want to be strong like Tsunade of the legendary sannin, so that I can protect my loved ones." Tenten was the first one to reply.
"At first, I wanted to become hokage so that everyone will respect me, and stop treating me like garbage. Now..." Naruto was hesitant to speak. He took in a breath to gather his courage, then he let it out before he continued. "... now I don't know why."
"A good answer, and an honest answer, I like that." Reiko nodded to herself, smiling. "Do you want to know why I became a ninja, and why I'm still a ninja?"
Tenten and Naruto nodded.
"I became a ninja to spite a man who was hellbent on hiding me away. Fighting, getting stronger, and coming back alive from every mission was my way of rebelling agaist him. But one day, that need died."
"Why?" Naruto asked.
"Tenten, you say that you fight to protect. But to want to protect something means to wish danger upon it. That is why I fight to kill." Reiko's skin seemed to deepen into an intense brown color that was almost red. "To have the overwhelming strength that makes the knees of my enemies shake when I enter the battlefield." Yellow-orange like lines started to form over every visible part of her body. "To have the aura that prophesizes your death the moment you decide to stand against me." The transformation was reminiscent of puddles of lava sipping out of volcanic rock. "To have the power to slay even gods, should they ever defy me." Her steel-grey eyes had turned to a menacing scarlet. "To have the power to destroy the world if I wanted to." She took in a breath, then let out a rather steamy sigh, "The power to burn everything to cinders, then rebuild from the ashes." Then she grinned, exposing her sharp fangs. "I have that power."
"Now then..." A poof of smoke engulfed Reiko. When it dissipated, she was back to normal, "... who's ready for chakra control?"
"I am!" Naruto beamed. "I want the power to slay gods!"
Tenten climbed on her feet a moment later. "Silly Naruto, it's clear that I will be the one to have that power."
"Calm down children, there's only one way to find that out." Reiko pulled out two sheets of papers that were the same size as a normal playing card, "These are chakra papers. If you run chakra through them, you will be able to tell which element you have an affinity to. If the paper catches on fire, then you have an affinity for fire, if it crumbles to dust, you have an affinity for earth, if it dampens, you have an affinity for water, if it crumples, you have an affinity for lightning, and if it slices apart, then you have an affinity for wind." She held out the sheets of paper. "Here, give it a try."
"I'll go first!" Naruto practically ripped the paper out of the older woman's hand. He ran chakra through the paper. It was sliced in half, then one half crumpled up, and the other dampened.
"Whoa! What does this mean?!"
"It appears that Naruto has a strong affinity for wind, then lightning, and water." Reiko explained.
"I'm so awesome!" Naruto beamed.
Tenten ran chakra through her paper. One half was engulfed in bright light, while the other was engulfed in flames.
Reiko grinned. "It appears Tenten has strong affinity for fire and yin release."
"Aw, only two." Tenten pouted.
"What's yin release?" Naruto asked, "You did not count it in the elemental affinities."
"Yosh! Good question, Naruto! I love your awareness!" Naruto blushed at the praise. "Yin release is a special energy of creation. It is what allows me to assume that form you saw earlier." Reiko explained.
"Then that means..." Naruto deflated.
"... I get to be the slayer of gods!" Tenten jumped in the air in victory.
"If you want that power, then you need to control your chakra to absolute perfection."
"I will, sensei!" Tenten bowed.
"What about me?" Naruto asked, his bottom lip quivering. His blue eyes were also glassy, as if the blonde would bawl at any given moment. It was the most formidable puppy dog no jutsu Reiko has ever went up against.
Being the type of person that she was, Reiko did not fall for it, at all. "As for you, Naruto." Reiko's hand was engulfed in smoke, then she chucked whatever it was, at Naruto.
It was a clumsy throw that the blonde side stepped easily. Then it happened, with a streak of yellow lightning, Reiko vanished before their eyes.
"... You get this." Reiko said, holding the kunai to Naruto's neck.
'How did she?' Both children wondered, dumbstruck, eyes wide, and mouths agape as they stared at Reiko. 'I didn't even see her move.'
"This is a teleportation technique that uses lightning as a base. It's called Hiraishin or Flying Thunder God." Reiko answered the unasked question.
"What's my technique called?" Tenten asked.
"Yin-Fire Release: Blaze Aura."
Both Naruto and Tenten's eyes were sparkling as they memorised the names of the techniques they would be able to use in the near future.
"I'm glad to see that you are both excited." Reiko said, walking towards a tree, "You'll need it." She placed one foot on the stem, then another, as she walked up the tree. "Because I'm going to teach you how to climb trees."
"This is so cool! How do we do it?!" Naruto exclaimed, not bothering to hide his giddiness.
Reiko jumped from the tree and landed on the grassy ground with grace befitting a shinobi of her calibre. "It's the same concept as when you were sticking a leaf to your forehead, so..."
"If we use too little chakra, we'll slip..." Naruto started.
"... and if we use to much, we will be blown off the tree." Tenten finished.
"Precisely." Reiko nodded, then she started walking away. "We'll cancel your spar with me for today, and I'll see the both of you home by sun down."
"Yes, sensei!" Naruto and Tenten bowed to the older woman's retreating figure, once Reiko was out of sight, they stopped bowing and started with their tree climbing exercise.
Reiko walked deeper into the forest. To onlookers it would seem like she was taking a stroll, but she knew that they were most likely waiting for her at the rendezvous point.
'I'm close.' The chattering water she could hear from a distance told her that she was almost there.
Brushing past the foilage that was in front of her, she came to a clearing that had a waterfall in it. It was a beautiful scene, and she could probably write a poetic scene about it, but the author of this fanfiction was lazy, so she focused on the matter at hand.
Three figures landed in front of Reiko. They were anbu of the hidden leaf.
"Arise." Reiko gave her command.
Inu, Weasel and Yamato rose to their feet.
"Report."
"The peace negotiations fell through," Weasel was hesitant to say, "War is unavoidable."
"I see..." Reiko nodded, the resigned look on her face not missed by the three black ops agents. "... so we proceed with our own plan as it is?"
"Yes." Said Inu, "But what of Hiruzen?"
"He shall be allowed to live."
"But lady Reiko!" Protested Yamato.
"I know, but the village would be better in his hands than Danzo. We are merely choosing the lesser evil."
Yamato sucked his tongue at that, unable to rebuke the facts.
"What about you, milady?" Weasel asked.
Reiko shrugged. "What about me? I'm going to die, that's how it is. It may seem unfair to you, but that is the reality we were all born into. This peace in the elemental nations that I built with an iron fist, it will fall apart when I'm gone. It's up to you maggots to surpass me, and usher in an era of peace of your own."
Inu pulled of his mask, revealing Kakashi's drooping eyes. "Sounds like too much work. Can't we just have you destroy the other nations?" The tone Kakashi spoke in made it hard to tell whether he was joking or not.
Reiko's lips broke into a thin, cold smile. "I could do that, but I don't want to. Look Kakashi, Tenzo, Itachi, I'm not cut out to bring peace to the world." Yamato was about to say something but Reiko silenced him with the raise of her hand. "As someone who's only known war her entire life, peace without conflict, that world would leave me dissatisfied."
"Even if it means leaving your only daughter behind?" Itachi asked.
"Yes, that's right."
"You're a cruel woman." Said Kakashi.
Reiko grinned. "I'm a woman birthed by a cruel father, what did you expect?"
All three anbu were silent at that.
"Thank you for your report, you are dismissed."
Weasel and Yamato disappeared the moment they got the order.
"Even if you are a cruel woman..." Kakashi slipped his mask back on, "We love you. I wish you would just be honest with yourself, and accept the glory you deserve. Thank you for dying, just so we could have a fighting chance." Inu's form glitched like a CD before it scatched, and he was out of sight.
Kakashi was right, and Reiko knew it, but the peace she brought to the elemental nations was too brittle, and figures like Madara and Orochimaru were just waiting her out. The other nations were waiting her out too, because no one wants peace unless it was on their terms.
Senju Hashirama had tried it, but the peace he built disappeared the moment he died. And it was he same thing with Reiko. She had the overwhelming strength, but it only brought fear instead of a sense of security.
"Meh, guess I'll go home and make dinner."
A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you continue to follow this story, and I await your reviews.