Chapter Three - Planning and Unlikely Ally

The rest of the walk to the village was peaceful, thankfully, as it seems Gato thought hiring three missing-nin would be enough to kill the bridge builder. It wasn't until they neared Tazuna's house that Naruto decided to speak up to his sensei and teammates. "Zabuza Momochi is still alive."

"WHAT?!"

Naruto raised an eyebrow as he looked at his female teammate who screamed in horror with their client, but he was glad she was out of the rut that she found herself in. Maybe she can finally find it in herself to take this more seriously, or critically think about quitting as a kunoichi. "You heard me correctly."

"B-but we saw-"

"We saw him get taken by a kunoichi of Kirigakure, who happened to have tracked us just in time for when we were finding out what to do with him," Naruto interrupted Sakura before she could say any more of her assumption. "It's not hard to kill for or even steal the headband of a village, especially one that you were formerly a part of, and that kunoichi seemed a little young to be a Hunter-nin and her chakra wasn't even on the same level of young prodigies like our sensei or even Itachi Uchiha."

Sasuke twitched at the mention of his brother but said nothing and scowled to himself.

"He's right," Kakashi nodded, almost proud of his student's observation. "I actually wondered if any of your realized it or not."

"I may be blonde but I'm not blind," Naruto gave a blank glare to the white-haired man.

"But there was senbon sticking out of his neck," Sakura told them with a weak voice, looking ready to faint.

"There are certain parts in that area of the body that can put someone into a death-like state," Kakashi told her, rubbing his chin in thought. "It is extremely difficult to do and requires immense accuracy, so whoever is working with Zabuza is clearly trained as a kunoichi."

"And a Chunin or Jonin level one at that," Naruto affirmed with a nod. "That and when I was feeling Zabuza's accomplice I was able to feel her chakra and it was very much not to the standards of an elite shinobi like Hunter-nin are claimed to be. I just knew that with how exhausted we were and how unknown they were to us that it was not smart to attack them."

"Why didn't you use your overpowered burning seal," Sasuke asked, speaking the thought everyone else had at that moment.

Naruto was quiet but by the smirk on his face and the distant look he had at the forest, it wasn't something he was willing to share. "Let's say that my motives are my own for why I didn't just kill her."

"Tch, you really are a pervert," Sasuke huffed with a shake of his head.

Naruto ignored the comment, neither denying nor affirming the claim, which only infuriated Sakura but she took a few calming breaths.

"How much time do you think we have until Zabuza comes after us again," Sasuke asked Kakashi the million ryo question that was on everyone's minds at that point.

"Hm," Kakashi hummed again as he pulled out his book to begin reading. "I give him three weeks, that should be enough time for him to recover to satisfactory strength to come for Tazuna-san. That will be enough time to start our training and stake out Gato's forces."

"If it's alright with you, sensei, I'm going to go for a walk around the perimeter. If Zabuza knew our route into the village I'm not putting it past him to have any other accomplices in hiding to strike us with our guard down," Naruto told his team leader, getting a nod from the man.

"Okay, don't wander too far off."

Naruto waved the man's concerns off as he walked away, believing that anyone who worked for the Demon of the Mist wouldn't be as strong as him. However, he also needed the time to talk with the fox again as he wanted to ensure he was ready to use a tail or two for what he was planning to do.

After clearing a small area next to a creek, he created five clones and ordered them to continue with the perimeter sweep. With them gone he took off his pants and shirt, setting them to the side, before making his way to a small rock in the middle of the stream with only his boxers on. It was partially submerged in the cold water, which served Naruto's preferences nicely.

Sitting down with a shiver at the water's temperature, he made the seal of confrontation and closed his eyes before reaching within himself. Like always, he noticed two oceans of chakra within himself, but to compare them would also be like comparing a lake to an ocean. His is a large amount as it is, but compared to the Kyuubi, the strongest of all Biju, it was hard to call himself an equal in sheer quantity.

The Kyuubi's chakra felt like Konoha's forest during a particularly sweltering summer day, feeling warm to the touch and he almost recoiled at the sudden feeling. Nonetheless, he grabbed hold of the chakra and felt it envelop his own chakra, letting a leak through the dam to allow a sufficient amount into his system without eliciting the One-tailed transformation.

Drip

"It's been a while, brat," Kurama greeted as he sat back.

"How's it goin', Kurama," Naruto greeted with a small bow, giving his fox companion some respect. "I felt that this conversation would be better for us to have face-to-face rather than just exchanging thoughts."

"Understandable," Kurama nodded his head and sat next to the young blonde. "What is it you wish to discuss, kit?"

"How much of your chakra do you think I am ready to handle?"

Kurama blinked his eyes at the sudden question but instead of questioning the young boy's motives or reasons for asking he looked down in thought. "Depends on your willpower and control, to be frank, kit. There's a reason why none of my containers before you have been able to utilize my chakra efficiently, other than thinking of me as a mindless beast of course."

Naruto shook his head in amusement at the grumbled afterthought as he knew the Kyuubi felt sour after all these years that Naruto's mother and Mito looked down on him to the end.

"But I believe you are coming along nicely and would be able to utilize a single tail effectively. The problem with trying to control more, which we will have to do eventually to get you to use more, is intent. My chakra is a very emotional one, unlike the other Biju."

"So it's not normal for Jinchuuriki to go on rampages using their Biju's chakra?"

Kurama shook his head instantly. "It is, and that's because a Jinchuuriki is not establishing trust between them and their Biju so this allows the Biju to filter only negative emotions into the transformation, such as frustration, anger, and bloodlust. Those who are able to work with their Biju, such as the Hachibi Jinchuuriki in Kumo last I heard, are able to completely transform into their Biju and not lose themselves."

"Why are you so different?"

"Because I am the strongest," Kyuubi boasted and smirked down playfully at the chuckling blonde. "I jest, but it is true. Even the Hachibi, with eight tails of power, does not hold a flame to me. But I am specifically embodying the negativity of the world. Every malicious thought, every selfish kill, every bad deed. So when you tap into my power, you feel my emotions; my anger, sadness, rage, and despair."

Kurama paused as he decided on his next words. He hasn't talked to a mortal like this in his thousands of years of life and it was jarring for him, but he felt something pressing against him and he looked to see Naruto resting a hand on his front leg with a small reassuring smile.

Kurama was grateful for the kit. "But for someone like you, who is a mortal, an Uzumaki mortal granted but a mortal nonetheless, it is overwhelming to feel thousands of years of negativity. Compared to me, who has had the time to see it and process it as it happened."

"Then what can I do to control it?"

"Remember what you are fighting for," Kurama answered with a serious stare. He raised a paw and pointed a claw at Naruto's chest. "Do not lose this. Remember why you want to be strong. Remember those you care about, those you want to protect. Latch onto that with every aching fiber you have, because it will bring you back from the edge. Lose that and you will lose yourself, and I can't guarantee you will come back."

Naruto was stunned silent and mulled over Kyuubi's words. Don't forget what I'm fighting for.

With a determined nod, Naruto got to his feet and hugged the leg of the large fox, getting a surprised look. "Thank you, Kurama. For everything."

Kurama's face relaxed with a small sad smile and he leaned forward for his head to be next to the young child. Even with all the responsibilities he has given himself - returning his fallen clan, finding the family he has left, and preparing for those who would threaten him - he was still a thirteen-year-old child with no family to call his own.

And through everything they had been through together, Kurama can say that Naruto is the only one he has ever been able to raise and call his own. A friend. A son.

I know why the distance between your sons hurt you so much now, father.

"You are welcome, kit."

After a few more intimate minutes, Naruto left his mind and found himself back in the creek but this time he was surrounded by thick steam. Knowing that it was because of the raised body temperature when encountering the aura and chakra of the Kyuubi, he didn't pay any mind other than a small grumble of how humid it was. Seriously, he was used to shaded, moist forests, not this.

Getting to his feet, he made his way to where he left his clothes and slowly started redressing. However, he felt a new presence in the clearing and he paused in buckling his belt but finished doing so in case there was going to be a fight. This individual he could sense is powerful, easily as powerful as Kakashi, and someone like that isn't just in a small land like Wave.

"I know you're there," Naruto decided to say after not feeling the figure approach for a bit. "Come on out if you're not here to hurt me, or if you are just get it over with and make the first move."

The chakra seemed to crumble like a rock in angst before settling back down and they began their approach once more. Not completely lowering his guard, Naruto picked up his shirt and finished dressing before turning to see who had approached him. What he found gave him pause and he had to fully take in the stranger's appearance.

She has short black hair and black eyes, fair skin with no blemishes, and a small frown on her face. She wore a red shirt under a brown flak jacket, fishnet tights under a red skirt, and brown sandals. She has the headband for Iwagakure, which confused Naruto further as to his knowledge Iwa was not allowed to operate in any of the Land of Fire's lands or territory. That included Wave.

"What's your name?"

Naruto blinked at the girl's demand and raised an eyebrow. "Last I checked, you are the one operating in Fire lands so it is I who should be asking you to state your name and business."

"Tch," the girl shifted into a more combat-ready stance as she regarded the blonde. "I am Kurotsuchi Kamizuru, Chunin of Iwagakure."

"What is an Iwagakure Kunoichi doing in Wave?"

"I am here on a mission. Someone who slighted my village is hiding here."

"Assassination mission then," Naruto hummed to himself in thought but noticed Kurotsuchi looking at him expectantly. "Ah, forgive me, I did not introduce myself despite you doing so. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, Genin of Konohagakure. I am here on an escort mission that escalated from C to A rank."

Kurotsuchi raised her eyebrow in surprise. It was not unheard of for missions to escalate in rating as parameters often changed but what did surprise her was that this Konohagakure team decided to stick with a mission that was very well out of their expertise. But considering how many Kekkei Genkai the village boasted, and that this blonde carried himself with enough poise to warrant her caution meant that they weren't some green grunt team.

What bothered her was his uncanny appearance to the one man that made Iwa shake in fear. A man who should be dead.

"Now while it is a problem to find an unallied shinobi in our territory, I believe we can benefit from each other," Naruto interrupted her thoughts with a kind smile. "My personal mission is to help this village with their problem, who happens to be a very greedy entrepreneur by the name of Gato. Me killing him will cause many problems in the wider world politics as he keeps plenty of influential people in his pocket, and I may find quite a few of them against me, but I believe that it is the price to pay to help these people."

Kurotsuchi nodded her head in understanding as she would do the same if the village was as bad as it sounded. Undue suffering made her upset and oftentimes…very violent against the perpetrators.

"Now, my team ran into Kirigakure missing-nin and I believe that if you are looking for a shinobi then it is probable that they are hired by Gato if they are here."

Kurotsuchi indeed was looking for a shinobi from her village. Someone who had been excommunicated following evidence that he was selling secrets to their neighbors. "And you propose?"

Naruto chuckled and waved his hand off, "oh, while you are beautiful Kamizuru-chan, I am much too young to be getting married."

Her face lit up like a cherry and she began angrily sputtering.

"Haha, I am just joking, Kamizuru-chan," Naruto laughed lightly which seemed to make the girl angrier. "What I propose is that we work together in scoping out the forces of Gato and plan out our offensive in taking down our respective targets. I help you and you help me, so to speak."

Kurotsuchi stared at the blonde for a few moments, but a few warning bells were sounding in her head. "There's more to your offer."

Naruto's smile widened and he chuckled with a nod. "Indeed. I want you to spare two of the ninjas hired by Gato. Zabuza Momochi and an accomplice working under him. They should be unable to do anything for three weeks after my team's fight with him so we have time to plan and make our move."

Kurotsuchi pursed her lips in thought. Being able to kill the Demon of the Mist and secure his sword for her village would bring her honor and plenty of prestige, but decided that out of respect for her temporary partner she would agree. "Done."

"Awesome! Do you have anywhere to stay or would you like to stay outside the building where my team is residing?"

"I would rather the rest of your team not know I am here," Kurotsuchi suggested, prepared to be denied. It was much to ask a shinobi to keep details from their compatriots.

"Alright," Naruto drawled with a hesitant look. "So long as no one sees you and questions me about you I will keep our meetings private."

"It is appreciated, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto nodded and looked into the sky. "Ah, it is getting dark. I should go meet back with my team. We can meet back here tomorrow, Kamizuru-chan, and if I can't slip from my team I will send a clone in my stead to let you know about a change in times."

Despite her embarrassment at his choice of an affectionate honorific, she nodded her head in understanding. "Okay, have a good night, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto whistled as he approached Tazuna's house, gaining the memories of his patrol clones slowly until he knew of every nook and cranny within a hundred or so yards of the client's family. It's mostly wooded, but closer to the shore of the ocean is a small fisherman's cabin that is currently uninhabited. It'll be a good place to get some fish with the supplies - and Naruto considered himself a pretty decent harpoon fisher - and since a lot of the Wave inhabitants seemed to be starving he planned on making a lot of fish soup for them to eat.

It's not a lot, but Naruto planned to rob one of the food warehouses owned by Gato to give to the people as well. If asked about it he will just say it's to "test the response of his hired thugs" or something like that. It's not a complete lie, but it's never going to be the sole reason. And if any approach him aggressively while handing out food, well…let's say that self-defense due to reasonable evaluation of a threat to one's life is a very legal act. And if the problem is ever brought up to the Hokage or Fire Daimyo, they will side with their shinobi over a few bandit deaths.

Approaching the house, Naruto saw that Kakashi was waiting outside on a chair while reading his porn. You gotta admit, it's decent literature.

Naruto shook his head and rolled his eyes at the comment of Kurama. Of course, you would think so. Kakashi looked up at Naruto and lowered his book. "The area is secured, and I didn't get back earlier because I had a conversation with the old fox."

Kakashi nodded his head but seemed to watch Naruto as if expecting more. "Anything else interesting?"

"What do you mean," Naruto prodded as he wasn't completely sure if his sensei was asking what he thinks he was asking.

"Meet anyone, like another shinobi?"

Naruto nodded his head in understanding. "How would you tell that someone is trained? Could have just been someone born gifted."

"Naruto," Kakashi interrupted the boy with an exasperated stare. "Give me some credit and be honest."

"I can't tell you everything, but they're not hostile and as far as I have learned their objective aligns with ours," Naruto looked back at his sensei. "Trust me, Kakashi-sensei. If anything happens, I will take full consequences. They do not know where we are, and I will make sure they don't find out. "

Kakashi just sighed. Why did he trust the blonde so much?

Looking at the tattoo on the blonde's arm, a horned dragon head with the Uzumaki Spiral above it with ten connecting lines, he remembered the kid's trump card. His family's companions.

It seems a consensus has been made. Characters from other anime will be incorporated into Uzushiogakure only, to refrain from getting the story cluttered. I will choose them but so far I have included: One Piece, Bleach, Fairy Tail, Kuroshitsuji, (maybe), and Tokyo Ghoul. With possible incorporations being characters from: Mushoku Tensei, Solo Leveling, Eminence in Shadow, and Mahoutsukai no Yome.

So far, anime characters who are related close enough to the Uzumaki clan will be: Shanks (One Piece), Flare Corona (Fairy Tail), Renji Abarai (Bleach), [possibly] Cross Marian (D. Gray-Man), [likely to change] Angelina Dalles (Kuroshitsuji), and Ito (Tokyo Ghoul).

Nothing will change about demons in the world, and a distinction will be made between those who had been born and those created (i.e. the Biju). That will be revealed later but not too late. I really appreciate the interest people have and I hope you continue to enjoy the story, although I still do it out of personal boredom/imagination.

Atengawchok: I shall ponder that but now that other anime are being added I might not and instead add other characters. We shall see.

LordDarkFluff: You are not the only one who does not like Hinata, and to be honest I don't blame anyone as it is an overly, and canonical, pairing so I most likely will.

CygnusFang: I apologize, the first chapter is usually the worst for me as I struggle to start a story most of the time. The chapter was started on my phone and late at night when I can't sleep so the most I did without rewriting the entire chapter was clean it up. I appreciate you pointing it out I will try to go back and fix it.

SamsonofOld: Bye-bye

Netto Hikari1: This Hinata is more modeled after the alternate Hinata from the Road to Ninja Shippuden movie. As I mentioned earlier I looked into anime that I can add that will fit moderately into this story and don't want to add too many different anime. I will look into that character, however, and see what I could do.

Thank you as well to SPark681 and Kurokawa Uzuna for leaving reviews about liking the story so far. I appreciate it :)