What is Uzumaki Naruto?
Someone that has had his mind toyed with by forces that he had no hopes of understanding for hundreds of years. Someone that has made peace with that.
Somebody that has had to shoulder too much weight, again and again. Somebody who will do so again.
Something a bit more than human, and something that won't accept a false god.
"Ever dear Tsugumi,
I was delighted to receive your affectionate letter and to know that I was not quite forgotten.
I should have answered it more speedily; other matters called to me.
At the time your letter reached my home, I was away, and when I returned, I fell sick; so that I could scarcely read it or do anything at all.
I am happy to say that I am well now and still in Yūgawa, our beautiful imperial city. Yours is the first letter which I have answered since I was sick. Surely you can forgive me this once!
I suppose that your stay at the palace is near its close, if it has not already closed. You cannot imagine how much I look forward to seeing you again!
Naotora and I have met the Savior and his sons, as Father wished us to. Their Ninshū truly is a marvel, and I have hopes that in it I might find a way to rid myself of my sickness. Perhaps it is a foolish hope. But enough with the sad drivel.
The eldest son is everything he is rumored to be; perhaps more. Perhaps a slight description of him might be interesting to my dear Tsugumi…
He is tall and rather slender, but strong, has a most witching pair of dark eyes - that look red under light - delicate complexion, never to have seen the sun's glare. Both sons are affectionate and lovely, certainly; but truly, Indra is mesmerizing, in a way I cannot fully understand.
Forgive my glowing description, for you know I am always very wordy when fascinated.
Yet, much as I am happy, it will be lonely and strange without my sister around.
I suppose you know that she is to be married, not to return to Yūgawa for the foreseeable future. It is indeed true, that she is to wed the youngest brother. In but a few months, she will be Ōtsutsuki Naotora. Although — do not tell Father I wrote it to you! — there are rumors that should she have two sons, one would bear our name, Uzumaki, and the other would carry on their name, Ōtsutsuki.
Perhaps something else even. Only Amaterasu may tell what the future holds!
Are you not astonished? She is to be married the first of next Spring, with the Savior's blessing. She seems to be very happy and I hope she will realize all her fond hopes.
I am glad Naotora is going to have a home of her own and a kind companion to take life's journey with her. All the same, I am sad that she is to live so far from us. It is going to be a long journey, to travel to see her, all three of us.
She will show us many delights when we see her again, I am sure — and you shall meet this Indra I wrote about, too. Do you ever hear from Natsuko and Rie? I have heard nothing from either of them in a long time. I sent them an invitation the other day. If they are so busy, maybe I will visit them, instead.
And so shall I visit you, as well!
Do write me soon — or better yet, meet me in two nights, I will help you find your way out of the palace!
Ever your friend,
Yoisen"
Uzumaki Yoisen - Letter to Uzumaki Tsugumi
Six days before the end.
The Land of Iron was an icy, snow-covered country located among three mountains called the Three Wolves.
Unlike other countries of the world, its military was made up of samurai, instead of shinobi.
Due to ideological differences between shinobi and samurai – as well as the fact that the Land of Iron's samurai were strong enough to make the country a hard place to conquer… There was an agreement among the shinobi countries not to interfere with the Land of Iron.
But what it was really known for was that it was frequently used as a neural meeting place for diplomatic discussions.
Such as the Five Kage Summit.
"I am Mifune, and I shall preside over these proceedings. Let the Five Kage summit commence!"
The tension in the air was thick enough to be cut through with a knife.
Only the bodyguards were allowed to bring weapons in here… officially. It didn't prevent any of the Kage from coming prepared of course, and not all of them relied on traditional means.
"So." Terumi Mei began, cheekily. "All of us in one place. It's been ten minutes already… and nobody is trying to kill anybody. As far as I'm concerned, this is off to a great start."
She was mostly unknown to Shikaku. She had become Mizukage very recently — even more so than he himself had become Hokage-Elect. If her relative inexperience bothered her, her amused smile didn't show it.
But then again, aside from Ōnoki, all of them had become Kage in the last few months. It was a strange time period, even for a war. The world was changing, but it was hard for Shikaku to tell in which direction the windmill was turning.
"Do the youth always speak so impulsively?" Ōnoki grunted with a hard expression. He looked old, and angry too.
"It is the privilege of the youth to do away with outdated concepts such as the ones your reign boasts, Tsuchikage." Nii Yugito said easily.
She had taken the hat very shortly before Terumi Mei herself had. And Shikaku knew where both of their loyalties lay. At the same time, Nii Yugito was not unknown to him. There were only three jinchuuriki left, but even if this hadn't been the case… she had been one of the strongest.
That she dared to come here herself was a message in itself. One that Iwa, as the village who had lost the latest jinchuuriki to date… didn't really appreciate.
"Should I expect more than bluster from you now, Raikage?" Ōnoki growled. "You were nothing more than a lapdog for a foolish man, months ago and now you—"
"Times change." Mei interrupted, a bland smile on her lips.
"Do they really?" The Kazekage, Hundred Hands Chigusa, showed a brief, sardonic smile. "Last that I've heard, both Kiri and Kumo answer to Uzumaki Naruto in all but name."
"We are allies." Yugito threw her a dark look, unwilling to elaborate.
"We do know this much." Nara Shikaku said dryly.
It had been the reason the Konoha-Kumo alliance broke entirely. Umi's shinobi claimed the murder of their previous Hokage. No alliance could be held with people who allied with the culprits. Konoha could not afford to look this weak, with so many vultures flying low.
Yugito simply nodded at him. There was no apology to be found in the motion.
"I am sure Uzumaki Naruto values your opinions." Chigusa said, as falsely as she could make it.
"Well." Shikaku continued. "Are we here to discuss… or to throw barbed insults at each other?"
Chigusa gave a displeased start at being called out so directly and Ōnoki grumbled something under his beard.
"Certainly. Let's get right to it. Is he really that strong…?" Chigusa asked, looking tense. "This Nagato. Could he really do what he says he intends to do…?"
"I think…" Yugito began. Her eyes were dark, but not necessarily because of what the woman had said. "That what happened to Kumo should be proof enough."
"It means one thing, only. He is strong, sure but… Is he truly the Sage reborn?" The Kazekage asked, with a fair amount of skepticism. "He claims to be a god, as well. Which is obviously a fabrication. But his eyes haven't been seen since…"
"Bah." Ōnoki snorted. "Any man is mortal. We just haven't found the right way to kill him yet."
"And how exactly are you supposed to attack a fortress in the sky?" Chigusa asked, as dry as the deserts she came from.
"We didn't have any sort of trouble moving—" Ōnoki retorted.
"True enough. Getting there was no trouble." Mei smiled genially. "A shame your Demolition troops never came back."
Ōnoki gritted his teeth.
"Enough of that…" Shikaku sighed. He hated the job. "The only solution to deal with our problem is to form an alliance."
Ōnoki shook his head. "Iwa won't ally with Konoha and the fight shall resume once this blows over. But we may join troops for the time being, as long as it is under my leadership."
"Your leadership?" Shikaku lifted an eyebrow. "I don't believe you are unbiased enough to do that. Who knows what might happen to our best shinobi… once we're done with Nagato…?"
"And you are?" Ōnoki grinned darkly. "How many Iwa ninja did you and your trio kill during the last war?"
"Many. But I can put my own feelings about Iwa aside." Shikaku said dryly.
"We refuse to ally with Konoha, too." Chigusa said, her arms folded. "But a cease-fire is necessary. Suna shall lead the strike force."
"Bah." Ōnoki snorted. "And what sort of experience does Suna have with aerial warfare?"
"More than you would expect, I assume."
"Instead of arguing which of you holds the deepest grudge, shall we maybe… work on saving our villages?" Yugito asked, something hot in her eyes.
"Easy for you to say, when all you have is a ruin." Ōnoki spat.
Yugito's face contorted, and the air became a bit drier. Terumi Mei tried to catch her eye, but to no avail.
"We won't ally with Kumo either, past this." Shikaku let out. "But it is unimportant, what we need to focus on—"
Footsteps echoed, coming from the hallway.
The Tsuchikage frowned. "Are we waiting for someone else…?"
"…We are not." Mifune said tightly. "My men should have taken care of this."
Mifune stood up. Then he froze.
"Oh, no." Yugito muttered, putting her face in her hands. Mei lifted an eyebrow at her.
The door opened and six people walked in. It was like opening the door to an oven, hot air rushing in and making your eyes blur.
Except it wasn't heat, but sheer pressure.
Mifune tried to draw his sword. Something prevented him from doing so.
Shocked, he let them pass.
Is this all that the samurai have to offer…? Shikaku wondered.
"Your prayers, answered." The only man of the group called out sarcastically.
Shikaku's knuckles tightened. He knew most of them. One of the women, in particular, gave him a long look. Then she steeled herself.
Guarded by five women, one man stood in the middle of the room, facing the Kage.
Yugito watched on.
He didn't feel like a man, though. Wry eyes, that looked much older than the rest of him, now. He stood tall, and power was exuding from his every pore.
Hairs bristled on Yugito's arms.
He didn't seem to be intent on attacking, which was probably the only reason — beside wariness — nobody tried anything.
"Waltzing into enemy territory like this…?" Chigusa asked, grinning darkly. "You've got guts, if not brains."
"Enemies…?" He blinked. "And here I thought this was neutral ground. I just came to talk with you."
Shikaku squinted his eyes.
"Greetings. You might have heard of me." The man facing them grinned. "I grew up as a Sarutobi, of course. I've been called a few other names, as well."
He marched on, grim determination obvious on his face.
"However. My name, this time around, is Uzumaki Naruto. Leader of Umigakure. We have much to do, in order to stop Nagato… and bring forth a lasting peace afterward."
Silence fell and tension rose. He continued.
"Now... I know some of you have other intentions." He shrugged. "If you decide to stand in our way, no matter who you are… Nation, Village or Individual. We will cast you aside."
"Will someone stop this foolishness?!" Ōnoki finally exploded.
According to rumor, Umi was responsible for killing his granddaughter, Yugito knew.
His two guards jumped from the shadows. One of them looked particularly angry. The Kazekage and the Hokage's soldiers appeared, too.
At the same time, samurai filed into the room.
The five women moved into defensive positions around him. Never in front of him, Yugito noticed. They protected his back.
"Are you going to attack us…?" Naruto asked curiously.
"And why shouldn't we?" Chigusa asked, the threat in her voice obvious. "You are an intruder… and an enemy."
"This is the Summit. You are no Kage." Nara Shikaku simply said, keeping his tone measured. His true feelings were clear. "It would have been wiser for you not to come."
"I am no Kage, it's true." Naruto replied. "But then again, I don't mean to stand with the Kage."
He let the silence hang in the air for a while.
Tension rose. Steadily.
"No, far from it." Naruto laughed, and he pointed to the ceiling. "I am going to place myself above the Kage."
"Preposterous!" Shikaku shook his head. Next to him, Akimichi Chōza and a Yamanaka woman Yugito didn't know prepared to attack.
A cube glowed in between Ōnoki's hands, and Chigusa's hands flashed, black threads following. A shadow stretched, quick as lightning.
They all moved at the same time. Uzumaki Naruto raised his right hand, almost lazily.
"Bow."
The command came simply.
The next instant, all of the people who had been ready to attack found their heads forced down.
Their jutsu blew away like candles in the wind.
"What…is…this?!" Ōnoki roared, trying to lift his head from the desk it had been pressed against.
They were held like this for a long, tense while. Yugito watched, her lips pinched… and Mei looked as though she was holding back a chuckle.
Uzumaki Naruto released them.
The pressure in the air didn't abate completely. He was obviously ready to do it again. Harder, if necessary.
"I always found a practical demonstration to be more efficient." He said softly. "You know exactly what this means, don't you? And now that we are all clear on where we stand…"
Naruto grinned.
"You may call me Shōgun. I've come to unify the land and its people."
"Namikaze… You arrogance knows… no bounds!" Ōnoki raged.
"We never will—" Someone began.
Uzumaki Naruto lifted his head up. The pressure abated.
Silence stretched.
"Oh… no." Yugito muttered again. Mei looked mostly amused. She likely had been warned already. Or she didn't care.
Yugito could smell the fear in the room, as well as feel the resigned acceptance. Apparently… they knew how things were going to go already. Yugito thought she heard someone weep, almost silently.
One more of them.
"Shall we talk, then?" Uzumaki Naruto asked, spreading his arms.
His irises — and only his irises — were a concentric set of spirals. They gleamed purple, and an otherworldly light came from them.