A/N - Okey dokey, I know what you're probably thinking. Stop coming out with new fics and focus on your current ones! Well, somebody on a discord server I'm a part of made this challenge and I decided I'd accept the challenge. Sooo, here it is!
This fic takes place in the Elemental Nations, though many Fire Emblem elements will be in this story. I will also include a variety of characters from Fire Emblem and I think I'll make the harem more focused on the Fire Emblem franchise. There is one Naruto girl in the pairing, however. Sakura Haruno. The challenge stated that Sakura needs to be in the pairing, though it was recommended to be a harem as well. So I hope you're looking forward to that.
Anyways, I've been reallllly busy lately and I am TIRED. I need sleep. lol. So enjoy the chapter and I'll see you at the end. :P
EDIT: Okay, because somebody pointed it out to me and I felt the need to edit that part, Danzo's death has actually been written out for the most part. So if you want to see him die, feel free to read that part again. Hopefully it's not too bad.
Chapter 1 – Birthright
A young man, about 15 years old, groaned as he slowly regained consciousness. The last thing he remembered was being beaten by a mob of villagers. This was nothing new for him, unfortunately. This young man with blonde, sun-kissed hair, blue eyes, and whisker marks on his cheeks, was used to having to run and hide from mobs. Unfortunately, they managed to find him more often than not with the help of other villagers, as well as the occasional shinobi.
Sighing softly, the boy, whose name is Naruto Uzumaki, rolled over so he was lying on his back. Tilting his head to the side, he spat out a glob of blood. "Ugh." He muttered. He could taste dirt and grass on his tongue and grumbled irritably. Goodie. I wonder how long I've been eating dirt for this time.
Closing his eyes for a moment so he could collect himself, Naruto took in a breath and let it out slowly. After some time had passed, he opened his eyes again and looked around at his current surroundings. "Well, this is new." He said quietly as he pushed himself to his feet.
Wincing in agony, he clutched his side for a time before bringing his hand up to eye level. "Great. Looks like they stabbed me again. This is really getting old. Is this shit ever going to end?" he wondered aloud. After a moment, he looked around again and frowned slightly. "Yep, definitely new. I don't recognize any of this. Where the hell am I?"
Looking around for a while, he decided to just start walking. After all, he wasn't even sure if the Hokage knew he was missing yet. He also wasn't sure which direction led back to the village. Then he came to a realization. "Oh those bastards. They dumped me in the Forest of Death, didn't they? After all, if you want to hide a body, this'd be the place to do it."
Grumbling for a moment, he looked around once again and really took in his surroundings. It was almost pitch black inside of the forest. The only light was from the small beams of moonlight shining down through the gaps of the treetops. Thank Kami I can see in the dark or this would be pretty damn bad.
Pausing for a time, he turned and peered through the darkness all around him, trying to find some kind of landmark he could use to determine where he was. Unfortunately, all he could see around him was trees and a foreboding darkness. He almost gave up trying to find anything to help him along his way. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a glinting light deeper into the darkest reaches of the forest. Frowning in confusion, he proceeded to walk slowly towards the light.
As he grew closer to whatever the heck it was, he could feel something calling out to him. Or at least, that's how it felt to Naruto. Sadly, the more he walked towards the object, the further way it seemed to get. Frowning in confusion, he stopped walking towards it and brought a hand up to his head, massaging his forehead for a moment as he tried to make sense of everything.
After relaxing for a time, he began to approach the object again, hoping his mind was just playing tricks on him or something. When it looked as if he was finally getting closer, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Kami." He said.
When he reached the object, he glanced at it for a time before looking at his surroundings. The immediate area was well lit, which was a bit odd, considering that it was nighttime. A lot of the trees had smooth areas, as if the bark had been torn off and what remained was sanded down. Walking up to one of the trees, he pressed his fingers against a strange symbol scratched into the tree. "What the hell is all of this?" he wondered aloud.
Eventually shrugging it off, Naruto looked at the stone in the center of the clearing, or rather what was embedded in the stone. Protruding from the stone was a magnificent sword that gleamed brilliantly in the light. Looking it over carefully, he could tell that the sword was of peerless craftsmanship and looked as if it could cleave through anything and everything in its path. The handguard looked like golden wings and, right in the center, there was a large, red jewel.
Taking one last glance at the various symbols, or were they runes? Shrugging it off, he mumbled, "I really wanna know what the hell these runes mean." Looking back at the weapon, he reached for the handle and grasped it firmly in his hand. Afterwards, with very little effort, he pulled the sword from the stone and gave it a few practice swings. "Huh, it's a lot lighter than I thought it'd be." Looking back down at the stone, he saw a sheathe for the sword materialize as if by magic. Blinking a couple of times, he decided to just go with it and proceeded to sheathe the sword and slung the strap over his shoulder so the sword would hang neatly on his back.
Looking at the runes again, he walked over to them and traced his fingers along some of the runes. "Hmm…" Frowning slightly, he was about to just give up and leave, but then his mind became flooded with images and a whole slew of information. Clutching at his head, he screamed from the sheer pain he was in. When it had finally passed, he breathed heavily for a time until he eventually managed to calm himself down. Afterwards, he looked at the runes again and realized he could actually read the runes now. Blinking a couple of times in shock, he soon shrugged it off and began to read what they said.
Here slumbers the great blade of conquerors and rules past. The Hero King Marth was last to wield the mighty Falchion, and with it, he slew a great dragon. Guided by his staunchest allies and worshipped as the king of the known world, the Hero King brought an age of peace where once was calamity.
The great Hero King knew his death was nigh and, fearing for the future should the great evil return someday, he sealed the mighty Falchion away so that it might find its next true friend. Whomsoever pulls Falchion from the stone will be the next Hero King, ruler of all the lands. Falchion's new wielder shall unite the nations and bring an age of peace never seen before.
Should you draw Falchion from the stone, know that you are a direct descendant of the mighty Hero King. A fair warning: only you may wield the Falchion. Should anyone attempt to take your blade from you, they may very well perish. Falchion has chosen you and you alone. Do be careful not to let another soul touch the blade.
If Falchion has chosen you, be warned that it is a sign that a great evil has awoken and will attempt to plunge the world into an age of chaos and calamity. You must save the world before it can be destroyed. Best of luck to you and your allies.
Naruto blinked a couple of times and said, "Well damn. So, wielder of the mighty Falchion and future Hero King, hm? Marth…I swear I've heard that name before. Meh, I'll figure it all out later. Right now I need to get the hell out of this forest." Drawing the sword from its sheathe, he looked it over for a time before saying, "Damn glad nobody else can so much as touch you. It'll keep the likes of Sasuke away from you."
Replacing the sword back within its sheathe, he turned and began walking again. After some time, he reached the tower in the center of the Forest of Death. Sighing, he walked up to the wall and banged his head a few times. "I am so lost. If I go in the opposite direction, I should end up at one of the gates…right? Ugh. I really don't want to run the risk of bumping into any hungry animals or vicious insects. What the hell am I supposed to do?"
"I can help you." A woman's voice could be heard saying. When he jumped and spun around, a look of panic on his face, the woman giggled. "Relax. I mean you no harm. I only want to help you."
Naruto blinked a couple of times as he looked the woman over. She was wearing a red, leather top that extended a short ways past her butt. The sides were stitched together, though there were slits that left a log of leg showing on both sides. She wore knee-high red boots and under that she wore stockings that extended almost all the way up her legs. As his gaze went up her body, he saw that a generous portion of her cleavage was showing, which made him blush a bit. Looking further up, he saw that she had green hair and green eyes. Just looking at her, he could tell that she was different from anyone he had ever met. "Umm, my name's Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. What's your name miss?" Naruto asked.
The woman smiled kindly at him and said, "I am Tiki, a Manakete. I promise I shall explain that to you later, Naruto Uzumaki. Just know that I am a very old being and I am here to guide you as the next Hero King, just as I once helped Marth. For now, allow me to be your guide out of this forest."
Naruto smiled at her gratefully and said, "That sounds wonderful, Tiki-chan. Thank you."
As they walked through the Forest of Death on their way back to the village, Tiki decided to begin her explanation of various things. "As I said before, I am a Manakete. Essentially, I am what you call a dragon. My powers are kept in check in this form and I unleash my abilities through the use of something called a Dragonstone. There are many such beings out there. Taguels, Laguz, basically beast people. Like me, they can transform, but they are able to transform into a variety of beasts such as lions, small cats, birds, etc."
"Then there's people that specialize in the art of flying on creatures called Pegasi, which are essentially winged horses capable of soaring through the sky. Riding atop these magnificent creatures, people known as Pegasus Knights generally wield lances and attack from the sky. And of course, you have horses and people known as Cavaliers who ride atop them and wield a variety of weapons such as swords, lances, axes, and bows."
Before she could continue, Naruto interrupted her. "Sorry Tiki-chan, I don't mean to interrupt you, but a lot of these people and things you're talking about haven't been mentioned at all in any history class or anything. I haven't seen any Pegasi around, I've never even heard about people turning into animals, heck, you're the first Manakete I've ever met! These days, there's ninja, samurai, etc. Rarely does anyone fight atop horses, especially if they don't have to. While it all sounds awesome the way you're describing it, things are really different now as compared to back then."
Tiki blinked a couple of times before nodding her head in understanding. "I suppose that makes sense. However, they most certainly still exist. The Pegasi are hidden away so they may never be used for the art of war again. However, in times of need, they will return. As for the beast people, they are more than capable of hiding amongst civilization. They appear to be human, but they hide the fact that they are different. If you think about it logically, they might be afraid to transform and show what they really are. The reason for this is simple. Have you heard of the bijuu?"
Naruto sighed and reached down, touching his belly. "Of course I have. I have the Kyuubi no Yoko sealed inside of me, after all. I've been abused by the villagers countless times. They've tried to kill me numerous times. In fact, they tried to dispose of my lifeless body in the Forest of Death this time. That's how I came to be in the forest to begin with."
Tiki scowled and shook her head in mild disbelief. "How horrible people are. Then again, it is human nature. People are cruel and oftentimes heartless. But enough about that, lest I lose my temper and harm someone upon our return to the village." Breathing in and out slowly to calm herself, she continued with her explanation. "The man your people know as the Sage of Six Paths split the Juubi into nine separate beings known today as the bijuu. People grew to fear the bijuu simply because they existed. They were used by cruel people and were eventually captured and given away foolishly by your First Hokage. The bijuu should never have been mistreated in such a way, but Hashirama Senju was a fool. Simply for being different, the bijuu were ostracized and mistreated. The people of the world have come to loathe and fear those who are different from them, such as the Laguz. If people knew about them, chances are they'd either enslave them or attempt to exterminate their species as a whole, all for being different. Humans have become such a violent, horrible species. No offense to you intended, Naruto-kun."
Naruto shook his head and said, "None taken. Humans are cruel and they have been for as long as I've known them. And…"
Tiki frowned as she realized what he was about to say. "Do not worry about being accepted by them, Naruto-kun. You have a great destiny before you, and even if the village of Konoha does not accept you, I am sure the other nations will gladly join you in the end once they see your pure heart and soul. You are truly destined for great things."
"Thanks Tiki-chan. Oh! Looks like we've arrived!" Naruto exclaimed as he hurried ahead towards a nearby gate. "Finally!"
Tiki giggled as she joined her new friend. Without a word, she opened the gate and left the Forest of Death with him. Afterwards, she shut the gate again so that none of the beasties of the forest could escape and wreak havoc in the village of Konohagakure.
Looking at Naruto, she was about to say something when they were suddenly surrounded by Anbu. Taking a defensive stance, Tiki was prepared to call on the power of her Dragonstone, but paused when Naruto placed a hand gently upon her arm. "It's okay. They won't attack us." Tiki frowned, but decided to place her trust in Naruto.
A purple-haired Anbu approached and removed her mask. "Naruto-kun, are you all right? We've been searching everywhere for you. Hokage-sama has been so worried about you. What happened?"
Naruto scowled and said, "The villagers happened. They tried to kill me again and then dumped me in the Forest of Death to try and get rid of me for good. It's lucky I found Falchion and met Tiki-chan, or else I'd probably still be stuck in there."
Yugao's eyes widened as she chanced a glance at the sword strapped to Naruto's back. After a moment, she pried her eyes away from the legendary blade and looked to Tiki. "Thank you Tiki-san. For guiding Naruto-kun out of the forest. Come, we need to see Hokage-sama immediately." Tiki nodded and allowed the Anbu to take them before the Hokage.
Hokage's Office
Upon arriving in the Hokage's office, Naruto stared hard into the Hokage's eyes and said, "Hey Gramps."
Hiruzen frowned sadly at his surrogate grandson. "Where have you been, Naruto-kun? I feared the worst this time!"
Naruto scowled and said, "The Anbu you assigned to guard me this time didn't do their damn jobs. I was beaten and damn near killed by the mob this time, Gramps. They dumped me in the Forest of Death and left me there to die. I'd do something about the assholes that were supposed to protect me."
The Third scowled and said, "Anbu, bring me Kakashi Hatake and the Anbu that were on guard duty this time. I want to hear what their excuse is this time." When a couple of Anbu left to go and retrieve their targets, Hiruzen looked back into Naruto's eyes and said, "For what it's worth, I'm sorry this happened to you again, Naruto-kun. If I hadn't been involved in another council meeting, I could have done something to stop it, I'm sure. Sadly, it would seem they waited until I was busy to enact this plan of theirs."
"It's fine Gramps. I don't blame you. Though I do wish you told me a few things before things got to this point. Such as me housing the Kyuubi no Yoko…" seeing the look on the Third's face, Naruto nodded and said, "I've known for a while now. Kinda hard not to piece it all together."
"Sorry Naruto-kun. I truly just wanted you to have a normal childhood and grow up happy and strong. I didn't want your burden wearing you down. You deserved to live a better life…but plans like that have a nasty way of coming derailed." Hiruzen said, sighing heavily. "Naruto-kun, after I deal with Kakashi and the others that neglected their duty, I have something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now. I just wasn't sure how to tell you…"
"If it's about my parents, I know who my dad is. I don't have a clue who my mom is, but I think it's safe to assume I got my last name from her." Naruto said with a shrug. Afterwards, he walked over to the portrait of Minato Namikaze on the wall and stood beside it.
When Hiruzen looked at him, he couldn't help but facepalm. "Of course. I just wish the people would realize the truth. You deserve far better than the hand you've been dealt in life. I might have to take some drastic measures to get the truth across to everyone."
"Whatever you're going to do, you should make sure you're ready for the fallout. People are going to be in denial for a while after the truth is revealed to them. They're going to claim you're lying and that I'm the demon in human form and so on and so on." Naruto said, sighing heavily afterwards.
Hiruzen shook his head in disappointment. "You're right. But if it helps you even a little, it's worth a shot. Anyways…" Looking at the center of the room, he watched as the Anbu appeared with Kakashi Hatake and the other two Anbu he had assigned to watch Naruto. Narrowing his eyes on them, Hiruzen asked, "So what's your excuse for not guarding Naruto-kun this time?"
While Kakashi remained silent and shrugged dismissively, Hiruzen looked to the other two Anbu. The first one, a man, removed his mask and said, "My apologies, Hokage-sama. Kakashi insisted that we wait at HQ for a while. As he is our superior…"
Hiruzen scowled and said, "So you're going to pin all the blame on Kakashi, hm? Very well then. Kakashi, what do you have to say for yourself? Did you decide that it would be fine to arrive three hours late to your post so you could read your precious smut? Or was there another reason for your laziness?"
Kakashi simply eye-smiled at the Hokage and said, "Naruto's fine, so I don't see the problem. Besides, I wanted to catch up on my reading. There's really no reason to worry about him so much."
Naruto scowled and clenched his fists angrily. However, Hiruzen beat him to the punch, slamming Kakashi with a massive burst of killing intent. "Naruto-kun was NOT fine! The mob attempted to kill him, Kakashi! He was dumped in the Forest of Death and left to die. Do you not care that he's the son of your late sensei?"
Kakashi frowned deeply and said, "Honestly? No. No, I don't. I have more important things to do than look after the boy that killed my sensei. If Kushina hadn't become pregnant, they'd be fine. Besides, I refuse to acknowledge that creature as my sensei's son. It's his fault they're gone."
Hiruzen shook his head and said, "So you'd blame an innocent young man for what happened? His parents trusted you, Kakashi. They would have wanted you to look after their son. Naruto has done nothing to warrant such hatred from you. But fine." Sighing agitatedly, Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, glaring at Kakashi. "From now on, you are forbidden from reading your smut. You aren't even allowed to read it in the privacy of your home. You can't read it on missions. You can't read it in public. In fact, I'm having you banned from all bookstores within the village. Finally, I want you to bring all of your smut books to me so I can dispose of them in my own way. And if I hear that Jiraiya so much as attempts to gift you one of his smut books, I'll take that from you too and burn it right in front of you."
Eye widening in horror, Kakashi said, "You can't do that to me! They're such beautiful works of art! I need them!"
"I can't? Do you really think anyone would help you, Kakashi? The councils hold no power over me, so they can't save you from your punishment. I suggest you bring all of your books to me now, Kakashi. You're lucky I don't order your execution for neglecting your duty!" Hiruzen exclaimed angrily. Kakashi scowled, but hurried out of the office to go and do as commanded.
Once he was gone, Hiruzen looked at the other two Anbu that had neglected their duty. "As for you two, as you've proven you cannot be trusted to do your jobs, I am removing you from the ranks of Anbu effective immediately. You'll be stuck on gate duty until I deem you ready to go on missions again. You failed not only me, but yourselves and Naruto-kun as well. Now hand over your masks and get the hell out of my office. I suggest you report in early tomorrow for your new duties." The now ex-Anbu did as they were told before leaving the office. They were disappointed, but mostly with themselves rather than the Hokage's judgment.
Once they were gone, Hiruzen looked at Naruto and said, "Naruto-kun, we have much to discuss. Tiki-san, Yugao, I want you two to be here for this conversation as well. The rest of you are dismissed." Watching as the other Anbu left the room, the Third Hokage activated the silencing seals and began to speak. "Naruto-kun, you are correct that you are the son of Minato Namikaze. Your mother was a woman named Kushina Uzumaki. Konoha used to be allied with a village known as Uzushiogakure which housed the Uzumaki clan. You are perhaps the last Uzumaki alive."
"The Uzumaki clan were the true descendants of the ancient Hero King, Marth. However, none had ever been called by the legendary blade you now possess. Falchion was hidden away with powerful magic, the likes of which is unseen in this day and age. It would seem that Falchion has chosen you now, Naruto-kun. There is a legend that ties in with your new discovery." Hiruzen explained, a grim expression on his face.
"You are destined to lead the Elemental Nations, Naruto-kun. You are meant to unite the Elemental Nations under one banner. It is up to you to bring peace to a war-torn world. It will not be easy, as the nations are in a type of cold war. There's always the threat of war and there is always conflict of some kind. Absolutely anything can trigger a war that would ravage the nations." Sighing softly, Hiruzen looked sadly into Naruto's eyes. "If anyone can pull it off, I'm certain it will be you. You have my full support, Naruto-kun."
"Anyways, the legend says that the future Hero King will go through many trials and tribulations with his queen and friends at his side. According to the legend, you and your dearest friend were destined for one another. She will be your queen. Your allies will become your best friends and a type of family for you. Tiki-dono here is one of many allies you will make in your quest. If I were you, I would listen to her advice and take her words to heart."
"Naruto-kun, we will need to get in touch with the fire daimyo and inform him that Falchion has finally chosen the next Hero King. We will do everything in our power to guide you and ensure that there will be no opposition when it is time for you to take the throne." Hiruzen said. After a time, he sighed again and said, "I can only imagine how the people of Konoha will react when they learn that you are to be the next ruler of the Elemental Nations. Fire Daimyo-sama and I will tell the people the truth about you, your parents, and about your birthright. I know you wanted to be Hokage someday, but it would seem you were always destined for something far greater."
Tiki nodded as she looked into Naruto's eyes. "He is right about a great many things. There will be much opposition on your path to the throne. You will first have to win over the people of the Elemental Nations, though the people of Konoha will be far harder to win over than anyone else. One thing you should know is that your actions will speak far louder than any words ever could. Leave Konohagakure's people for last if need be. They are far more stubborn than others will be."
Hiruzen sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. "Sadly, she is right about that. You will have an easier time convincing the other nations to follow you than you would trying to make these idiots listen to you."
Naruto sighed as well and said, "Sadly. And my dearest friend, huh? Sakura-chan's my best friend. In fact, she's one of the only friends I have. I don't know how she feels about me, but I know how I feel about her."
Hiruzen chuckled and said, "Then perhaps you should talk to her about your feelings. She might just reciprocate them. Only one way to find out, after all."
The blonde chuckled a bit and said, "Sounds like a plan to me, Gramps. Still, I don't know if it'll be that easy. It's not easy to talk about your feelings, after all. I…I want to, believe me, but what if she doesn't feel the same?"
The Third simply smirked knowingly at his surrogate grandson. "I suggest you talk to her about it soon. You might be pleasantly surprised. But, if you're so afraid to, I suppose I could call her here and I could ask her for you. Buuut, I get the feeling she'd rather you confess to her yourself without me getting involved."
Naruto blushed and said, "Y-You have a point. I suppose I should talk to her soon. Umm…"
"Yes, Naruto-kun? What is it?" Hiruzen asked.
"There's a few girls in class that I know like me…and I kinda like some of them too. I'm confused…what do I do in that case?" Naruto questioned unsurely.
The Hokage frowned in thought for a time before saying, "Well, considering your status, it wouldn't surprise me if you end up in a polyamorous relationship with a large number of women. Besides that, you have expressed the desire to have a large family to me before. I think you deserve to be happy with those you love. But before you think about any of that, I want you to talk to Sakura and learn how she feels. Can you promise me that you'll talk to her soon?"
"Sure Gramps. I promise I'll tell Sakura-chan how I feel soon. I just need to build up my courage before I even attempt such a thing. I'm nervous as hell about it right now." Naruto admitted.
Hiruzen chuckled softly and said, "Just have confidence in yourself m'boy. Now…" looking at Yugao, he said, "Yugao, as of this moment, I am removing you from the Anbu ranks. You are to train Naruto-kun in the use of his new weapon. He needs to be prepared for absolutely anything that might threaten him and those he cherishes. Invite your boyfriend to assist you if need be. Tiki-dono, I'm counting on you to teach Naruto-kun everything he could ever need to know. He will need your knowledge if he's to achieve the dream of peace."
Tiki simply smiled and nodded her head. Yugao took her mask and placed it upon the Hokage's desk. "As you wish, Hokage-sama. If I need to for any reason, I'll bring in Hayate-kun, but for now I think I'll train Naruto myself. However, what do we do about the academy? Will Naruto continue to go to class?"
Before Hiruzen could say anything, Naruto scoffed and said, "Like I'm really learning anything there. Mizuki has been actively sabotaging me for years now and Iruka doesn't do a damn thing to help me. In fact, whenever I try to ask a question or answer one of their questions, I'm either ignored or they snap at me for daring to speak. Mizuki's constantly putting genjutsu on my tests and Iruka just lets him get away with it all. They treat me like I'm an idiot all the damn time and I'm fucking sick of it. I want to learn and get better, but I can't do that if they continue to sabotage me. On top of that, they should have helped me to learn a different Clone jutsu because I have waaaay too much chakra to perform the damn Clone Jutsu. It's frustrating as hell Gramps!"
Hiruzen scowled and asked, "Why didn't you tell me about this before, Naruto-kun? I could have done something about this! You're just two months away from graduation, so anything I might try wouldn't help you anywhere near enough. Wait…" as if a figurative light bulb went off in his head, he scowled and slammed his fist on his desk. "Is that why you failed the past two times?!"
Naruto nodded and said, "Yeah. Even if I answer all the questions right and do perfect on the shurikenjutsu test, taijutsu, two out of three academy jutsu, etc., it doesn't matter. They fail me anyways regardless of how good I do. That's why I've always been the dead last. On top of that, they favor Sasuke and are constantly helping him in class. Have you even seen his written tests? There's little hints here and there on the paper to help him get the right answers. On top of that, it doesn't matter if somebody does better than him on the physical exams, they still give him the top score. If you ask me, I think the civilian council is paying them off."
Hiruzen clenched his fists angrily and shouted for his Anbu to come to him. When they reentered the room, he growled out, "Call the council together. I also want you to drag Iruka Umino and Mizuki to the council chambers. Actually, make sure to drag Sasuke Uchiha before the council as well. I want to check something." The Anbu quickly nodded and disappeared to do as they had been ordered.
As soon as they were gone, Hiruzen looked around at the three standing before him. "Tiki-dono, Yugao, Naruto-kun, you're coming with me. Naruto-kun, Tiki-dono, you two will weigh in on this meeting in an official setting. Should anyone question your inclusion, I'll deal with it. I expect the two of you to remain calm and make rational decisions."
Tiki nodded and said, "We will control ourselves. We should hurry and prepare ourselves for this meeting."
Hiruzen nodded in agreement with that as he got up and led the way to the council meeting room. Once there, he directed Tiki to sit beside him while Naruto sat on her other side. Yugao chose to stand behind the Hokage so she could serve as his guard if need be.
After some time had passed, the various council members began to file into the room. The civilians were a bit grumpy and could be heard grumbling to themselves about being disturbed. The clan heads were calm, ignoring the civilians and all their complaints. Then finally were the elders, Hiruzen's old teammates. Looking around at everyone, he said, "I'm glad you arrived in a timely manner. I…"
Before he could say anymore, one of the civilians glared hatefully at Naruto and asked, "What the hell is the demon doing here? He has no right sitting amongst the esteemed council! He shouldn't even be in this room with us!"
Hiruzen scowled at the man and said, "Interrupt me again and I'll have your head ripped off and put on a spike! And for the record, his name is Naruto Uzumaki. If any of you dare to call him a demon again, I will eliminate you. As for his presence here, he is the last surviving member of the Uzumaki clan in Konoha. You remember them, they were our allies for many years! But no, you assholes had the Uzumaki clan wiped out of our history lessons. There are no more books in the library detailing the Uzumaki clan, nobody is being taught about them in the academy, there is no mention of them anywhere anymore! And yet our shinobi continue to wear the Uzumaki symbol on their uniforms. All because you didn't want to acknowledge Naruto-kun and his connection to the long lost clan. I should have killed all of you assholes the moment you dared to do such a thing! But no, I was too afraid to do anything."
Grumbling irritably, he decided to continue. "As the last member of the Uzumaki clan, Naruto-kun has a rightful place here as a member of the council. As for the woman beside me, she is someone very important. That is all I will tell you. She is to act in the role of advisor to me. As far as I'm concerned, her opinion and decisions are equal to my own authority in the village."
Danzo scowled distastefully at this and said, "That is ridiculous, Hiruzen. What makes this woman so important? She is an outsider and has no place in this village. I call for the removal of this woman, effective immediately."
Tiki frowned at the old cripple and said, "You have no authority here, Danzo Shimura. And for the record, he is Hokage-sama to you. You may not call him by his name in an official setting like this. You are an arrogant blowhard that should have been exterminated quite some time ago. After all, you are a great evil in this world that will need to be eliminated in order to bring peace to the world. If Hokage-sama doesn't deal with you right now, then I will."
Hiruzen nodded and said, "Anbu! Kill the bastard and let us be done with it. I will not have him taint the village with his presence any longer. And for that matter, kill his accomplices too. I'm tired of all three of them."
In an instant, Anbu appeared with their blades through Homura's, Koharu's, and Danzo's bodies. However, Danzo disappeared and reappeared nearby with nary a scratch on him. Seeing this, Hiruzen and the others scowled at him. "I see. So you have turned yourself into an abomination in your efforts to cheat death and take that which does not belong to you. Very well then, I will act in the role of your executioner." Tiki said as she rose from her chair and turned to face her enemy.
Danzo scowled at her and said, "You can't defeat me so easily. Besides that, do you really expect me to just sit still and let you do what you want to me? Root!" he called out, waiting for his soldiers to assist him. However, when nobody came to his rescue, he scowled and called out for them again. Again they didn't appear. "Son of a bitch! Fine, I'll just have to destroy all of you!" Sadly for him, he was surrounded by some of the most powerful people in the village, not to mention the mighty Manakete, Tiki.
As Tiki neared, Danzo attempted to use the power of Kotoamatsukami on her to make her obey him, but his power didn't seem to be working on her. Unable to fathom why that was, he prepared to go on the attack in another way, but was soon forced to leap away as the shadows themselves seemed to try and wrap around him. Scowling, he realized that he was trapped and likely didn't have much he could do to survive this fight. Still, he was a stubborn individual and refused to go down without a fight.
In an instant, Danzo fired a number of wind bullets at Tiki, forcing her to leap aside to avoid taking damage from such an attack. Seeing as she had fallen for the distraction, he turned his attention on Hiruzen and hurried towards him, preparing to end the decrepit old man's life. However, he soon felt disoriented and fell to his knees. Groaning, Danzo shot a quick glance off to the side to see Inoichi with his hands in some form of hand seal. "D-Damn…you…" It didn't take much longer for Tiki and the others to end Danzo's life.
Once he was dealt with, Hiruzen and the others retook their seats. Looking at the civilian council, Hiruzen asked, "Do I need to deal with you fools in the same way? I'd prefer not to kill you all if I can help it. But if you press the issue and piss me off, I'll eliminate you as well." The civilians nodded their heads in understanding, not one of them uttering a word. Seeing that they were remaining silent, Hiruzen called out, "Anbu! Bring in our three guests of honor."
The doors opened and in walked the Anbu with Iruka, Mizuki, and Sasuke. Taking them to the center of the room, the Anbu pushed them down onto their knees, much to their agitation. Seeing their precious Uchiha being disrespected in such a way, one of the civilians shouted, "Leave Sasuke-sama alone! He's done nothing to warrant such treatment!"
Hiruzen stared calmly at the civilian council member before saying, "I will do as I damn well please. And you have no authority over my Anbu. Try to order them around again and you will be dealt with appropriately. Now shut up and let's get this over with."
Looking down at Iruka and Mizuki, he said, "It has come to my attention that you fools have been sabotaging Naruto-kun. He is nowhere near as stupid as you would have people believe, and I know he could easily answer any of the questions on those written tests you're so fond of. However, it would seem you fools would rather fail him and ensure he never became a ninja of our village. Naruto-kun deserves a fair shot at becoming a shinobi, just as any other student. You have failed in your duties and are being removed as teachers. From now on, you live the rest of your days as regular civilians. If need be, I'll have your chakra sealed. And to make things worse on yourselves, you've been helping Sasuke Uchiha to cheat so he would be number one in the class!" Glaring at the civilian council at this point, he slammed them with his killing intent and shouted, "And you bastards were paying them off to do all of that, weren't you?! Just for that, I'm having all of you thrown in prison so you can rot in there for the rest of your miserable lives!"
"You can't! You need us!" a female civilian shouted.
"No. I really don't." Hiruzen said before snapping his fingers. When the Anbu appeared, he said, "Take them to Ibiki. I want to know about every crime they've committed. And get Iruka and Mizuki out of here as well."
The Anbu nodded and proceeded to follow through with their orders, disappearing with the specified people. Once they were gone, the Hokage turned his attention to Sasuke. "Sasuke Uchiha. I have a few questions to ask you. I expect you to answer me honestly. If you try to lie to me or you act out in any way, you won't like what I do to you. If you understand me, nod your head." When Sasuke looked up into his eyes and nodded, Hiruzen said, "Good. First question: have your teachers helped you cheat?"
Sasuke nodded once. "Yes. But they were only trying to ensure an elite like me stayed at the top of the class where I belong. Let me guess, you believe the word of that loser, don't you? I've done nothing to be punished for."
"Have you ever sought out therapy for what you went through? What happened to your family has left a wound that will never truly heal." Hiruzen asked.
"Therapy is for the weak! I am strong. I am an elite! We Uchiha are not weak simpletons that need to be pampered!" Sasuke exclaimed angrily.
Hiruzen sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "Sasuke, I am ordering you to seek therapy for what you've been through. If you refuse to show up for any of your appointments, I will see to it that you never graduate and become a shinobi of my village. Now, I have a few more questions for you. First, do you know the most important thing a shinobi needs?"
"Power. The only thing that matters is power. Power enough to kill all your enemies and make those who have wronged you pay with their lives." Sasuke said, glaring into the Hokage's eyes.
Naruto facepalmed and said, "Such a typical answer from an arrogant sack of crap like you. No, Sasuke, the most important thing for any ninja is teamwork. Nobody can win every fight on their own. There's a reason we're placed on teams of three with a jonin sensei. We watch each other's backs and we work as a team."
Sasuke scoffed and said, "Of course you'd think that dobe. You're a pathetic wannabe with no skills to speak of. Not like me and not like anyone in my clan. We don't need teams to be great!"
Hiruzen shook his head in disappointment. "Naruto-kun is right, Sasuke. Even other villages understand the need for teamwork. I can see you're too far gone. There is no correcting your behavior by this point. Sasuke, I am going to make one request of you. If you know what's good for you, you'll listen and obey. If I let you graduate with your classmates, I want you to agree to work together with whoever I assign to your team. If you agree to work as a team and get along with them, I will allow you to graduate. If you refuse, on the other hand? You'll never get the opportunity to kill your brother. Do you understand me?"
The Uchiha scowled and exclaimed, "You can't do this to me you senile old fool! We Uchiha never needed a team before and we sure as hell don't need one now! We are elite! We are invincible! We are perfect! We…"
Before Sasuke could say anything more, he was silenced by Hiruzen's killing intent. "You are nothing special boy. Your clan were mediocre at best. Itachi was one of a rare few, someone that had the ability to become Hokage someday. Your father and his comrades were planning to stage a coup to take the mantle of Hokage for himself. The Uchiha clan wanted to rule Konohagakure with an iron fist and ensure that only the Uchiha mattered. Screw everyone else. I gave the order for Itachi to kill your father and his co-conspirators. You see, Sasuke, Itachi is no traitor. Your clanmates, on the other hand? They were all scum. Nothing more. They were insignificant. Just as you are."
Sasuke glared into the Hokage's eyes and exclaimed, "You're lying! Itachi was a traitor! Itachi betrayed the clan and killed everyone that ever mattered to me! We Uchiha were always meant to rule over the pathetic masses! Once I kill Itachi, I might as well kill you and take the mantle of Hokage for myself! I'll succeed where my father failed!"
Naruto blinked and asked, "The hell, Sasuke? Are you really so deranged that you'd actually try to kill Hokage-sama?"
Hiruzen sighed and said, "Anbu, have Sasuke's chakra sealed and then place him under house arrest. He is no longer allowed to leave his compound for any reason. I'll assign a genin team to fetch his groceries so he can continue living in his compound in peace. You turned out to be one giant disappointment, Sasuke Uchiha. I'll assign a Yamanaka clansman to act as your therapist. I want you to talk to him or her and try to recover from what has been done to you. It's not entirely your fault that you turned out this way. Itachi and I had hoped you would be better than your clan was…but it seems that was a pipe dream." Before Sasuke could retort in any way, he was taken away by a couple of Anbu agents.
Left alone with the clan heads, Tiki, and Yugao, Hiruzen looked at each of them one by one. "Friends, something has happened that will change things in a drastic way. Naruto-kun has come into possession of the legendary blade, Falchion. You know the legend behind the sword."
Shibi's eyes widened fractionally before he nodded and said, "So Naruto-kun is the direct descendant of Marth. I had not expected this to happen."
Hiashi frowned deeply and said, "So Naruto is to be the one destined to unite the Elemental Nations? It's hard to imagine…"
Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Before any of you make an assumptions, Naruto-kun is far smarter and far more capable than he has let on. He has been held back by those that wished him harm. In truth, if his teachers hadn't been sabotaging him, he likely would have made rookie of the year. Besides that, you know who his parents are. Or rather were. Naruto-kun has always been destined for greatness, and this just proves it."
Inoichi nodded in understanding. "We'll do everything in our power to assist young Naruto-kun, Hokage-sama. Will you be informing Daimyo-sama of this?"
Hiruzen nodded and said, "I will contact him in a few days to inform him of what has happened. Whereas we can train him to become the strongest shinobi and ruler he can be, Daimyo-sama and his aides will teach Naruto-kun everything he could ever need to know about the politics side of things. However, in order to keep up appearances and help Naruto-kun to learn more about the world, we will have him graduate alongside his classmates. I just need to determine the teams and put him on one he will work well with."
Tiki smiled at the Hokage and said, "I would suggest putting Naruto on a team with this Sakura Haruno girl. Yugao would make for a good sensei. I will leave it up to you to determine who the third teammate will be. I trust your judgment."
The Hokage nodded before looking at Yugao, Naruto, and Tiki. "You three are dismissed. Naruto-kun, I want you to come see me later. I have some things to give you and a specific jutsu in mind that will help you deal with the Clone issue. For now, return home and take this time to relax. You will begin your training tomorrow afternoon after we are finished."
Naruto, Tiki, and Yugao all left the council chambers, leaving Hiruzen to discuss more politics with the clan heads. As soon as they were gone, the Third Hokage looked at his friends and said, "I expect you all to help guide him. Stress to your clans that Naruto-kun is meant to be protected and treated with the utmost respect. I will make a public announcement tomorrow to address certain issues. I swear that if I hear someone from one of your clans has attempted to attack him again or they turned a blind eye to his abuse, I will take it out on you. Do you understand me?" Each of the clan heads nodded as one, not one of them willing to piss off the Hokage any further. "Good. You're all dismissed." Don't worry Naruto-kun. I'll ensure that you and your loved ones will live a happy, prosperous life from this day forward.
A/N - And that's the chapter! I decided to end it where I did partly because I knew if I continued, it would end up being a pretty long chapter. I wanted it to be a reasonable length without adding too much in one chapter. That and I am tired. x.x
Anywho, as you can see, a lot happened in this chapter. I hope you like the inclusion of Tiki!
I'm so tired I can't even remember what else I wanted to say. I honestly hope you're looking forward to what comes next in this fic. I think this chapter turned out pretty well. Sooo...g'night everybody! lol
EDIT: As mentioned before, I wrote out Danzo's death scene. I wanted to fix that part so it wasn't dismissed so easily. Hopefully you enjoyed it. If not, oh well, what can ya do?