Hey everyone, Wulf here! I'm baacckkk from the dead. I know it's really only been like a little longer than a week, but I want to give you guys this chapter to ring in the new year! Also after this chapter, the older Naruto WILL be called his new name, since there's going to be interaction with the younger nar starting next chapter. Anyways, I have been dying to give everyone this chapter! New people! New things! Also, at the end of each chapter, I will be adding war diaries from the previous timeline for everyone's enjoyment. This is the warning for those, there will frequently be gore or other things of that nature involved.
Chapter 5
Deidara whistles a low tune as she walks through the empty streets of Iwa. She had received a summons from old man Onoki[—in the middle of the night, as fate would have it—]though she couldn't be too upset. Truth be told, he was up late writing haiku instead of sleeping
The light from the moon reflected off the large window of the Tsuchikage's tower, pooling on the dark gravel beneath it. Deidara steps near the entrance of the tower, her shadow casting in the moonlight. Two Jonin step in front of Deidara, the one on the right moving in front to block her path.
"Kamizuru-San. What business do you have at the tower this late at night?" The Jonin stretches his hand out in front of Deidara.
"The old man wants to see me for some ghastly reason, Kimyru Leinen-San." Deidara hands over her shinobi ID to the now identified Leinen. Leinen nods to Deidara as he hands her ID back, before stepping aside and letting Deidara enter.
Deidara makes his way up the stairs, shoving his hands inside of his long haori with dark red roses trailing down the sleeves. His footsteps echoing throughout the empty stairwell. Lights dimly illuminate the stairwell, casting a small shadow of Deidara along the stairs.
It feels so weird being in the tower when nobody else is here. There's almost always people running up and down these stairs.
Deidara arrives in front of the Tsuchikage's door. He knocks on the wood lightly. A grunt is his answer. He opens the door to see Onoki sitting at his old stone brick desk, an oil lamp being burned to Onoki's right as he signs the paper currently in his hand. Onoki glances up from the stack of paperwork to see Deidara standing in the doorway.
"Bah, Deidara it's about time you showed up." Onoki moves his stack of paperwork to the side of his desk.
"Jeez old man, it takes some time to walk to the tower from the compound ya know. Anyways, what's so important you had to call me here in the middle of the night?" That's when Deidara finally takes in the look on Onoki's face. Onoki means business. Deidara sub-consciously straightens her posture, before realizing her hair is a complete mess. Deidara looks to the side as she sweeps her freakishly long hair out of her face, before looking back up at Onoki.
Onoki glares at her for a moment, before sighing. He stands up and motions for Deidara to sit down at the Kotatsu as he sits down as well. Onoki pulls a specific black folder from his desk with chakra strings, guiding it onto the Kotatsu.
"Look Deidara, I will be the first to admit it. I am getting up there in years, though I still have quite some years left in me. Mu-Sensei first started grooming me when I was about your age. I believe it is time I start to groom someone for my seat as well." Deidara stares at Onoki in disbelief. She can't believe what she is hearing.
The old man just admitted that he's looking for someone to replace him eventually. Wait, could this mean that he is choosing ME? Calm down Deidara, it's not like your life long dream is possibly coming to be true, Deidara gets pulled from her thoughts from a cough from Onoki. She gasps slightly and brings her full attention back to Onoki.
"Look Deidara, I won't lie to you. This is most likely going to be one of the most difficult missions you have ever undertaken." Deidara gives Onoki a skeptical look.
"What mission is this important that it couldn't have waited until the morning anyways old man? Like what could honestly make you pull me out of the compound in the middle of the night anyway?" Onoki just gives her a look before closing his eyes.
"Deidara just look in your file once you get back to the compound." With that said, Onoki motions for Deidara to leave. She nods, picking up the black folder, before getting up from the Kotatsu and leaving.
On the way out of the tower, Deidara takes one last look up at the window, to see Onoki staring at the moon. Jeez, the old man thinks way too much. I doubt this mission is that important. I mean, what kage in their right mind gives a super important mission to a fifteen-year-old girl? With that thought, Deidara quickens her pace back to the clan compound.
Deidara gets back to her room, throwing her door open and jumping into her bed while throwing her headband onto a little peg above her door. She sits up in her bed, before opening her black folder. Normally the old man just hands out mission scrolls so for him to actually hand me a folder must actually mean it's important.
She opens the scroll to read Ambassador to Konoha and promptly faints onto her bed, the folder landing on her face.
The old man is making me an ambassador? To Konoha of all fucking places! Deidara shoots up in her bed, then throws the folder across the room. The folder smacks into the wall, before slowly sliding to the floor. Deidara flips over, burying her face inside of her pillow.
Why is he giving me such a hard fucking mission? Doesn't he understand what Konoha has done to us? Deidara sighs into her pillow in defeat. She glances at her clock with one eye covered by long strands of hair.
"It's only two in the morning. Guess I should get some sleep, since I will be leaving in the morning anyways." Deidara slowly closes her eyes as the chime on her clock strikes two exactly.
Sun seeps through the open window in Deidara's room, pooling across her face slightly. She squints as the sun peeks into her eyes. Trying to swat the sun away, she flails her right arm lazily, before shooting up in bed upright in shock.
Shit! The old man's ambassador mission to Konoha! I have to leave! Frantically running through her room, Deidara throws together a suitcase of clothes, as well as a bag of equipment. She slams it all together in a storage scroll, before running downstairs, stopping and grabbing a brush from her stand, before continuing to run back downstairs while brushing her hair out.
She runs into the kitchen, where her mother and father are preparing breakfast. They glance up from cooking to see Deidara in full mission gear.
"You have a mission already this early in the morning, Deidara-Chan?" Deidara nods as she swipes a piece of toast that pops out of the toaster, sprinting to get her shoes on. She turns to her parents.
"Yeah, also I'm probably going to be gone for a long time on this one. I can't say what it is because it's classified, for now, I will try and write letters back to you guys when I can though." Deidara runs and hugs both her parents, who have small smiles on their faces.
"We knew this time would come eventually where you get high-level missions, Deidara-Chan, so don't worry about us. Just come home safely ok?" Deidara nods as she steps back from her parents. She turns from them before they can see the tears in her eyes, stepping outside the door. Waiting outside, is a group of Golem anbu, as well as Onoki in a soft grey kimono.
"Deidara, this group of Golem will be accompanying you on your mission. I will also be sending an aide with you later on, they are currently on their way back from a mission as we speak. Everything you need to know is in your folder. Any questions?" Deidara shakes her head, running up and giving Onoki a firm hug. Onoki chuckles and pats her head.
"You will do fine Deidara, this is honestly not going to be as bad as you think." Deidara nods her head, turning away from Onoki so that way he can't see her misty eyes. Taking off towards the gates with a gentle push from Onoki, Deidara and the Golem squad proceed to leave Iwa.
Konoha… Look out! Here comes Deidara Kamizuru, the future Godaime Tsuchikage!
Naruto rushes through the dense trees of the land of fire, having had to run across the length of the ocean by himself wasn't particularly an enjoyable experience. Although having Isobu in his mind was a rather soothing experience, especially compared to his furry tenant.
"Fuck you to kit. My sincerest condolences for not being as calm as my younger sibling." Naruto snickers at Kurama, giving his furry brother a playful stick of the tongue. Kurama just sighs, before going back to sleep with a huff of arrogance.
Naruto sends out a chakra pulse, finally able to sense Asuma and the others.
I'm not sure how I was able to catch up to them, but I do suppose I haven't stopped once and they probably stopped during the nights. Naruto speeds up slightly, covering the remaining distance between the group and himself.
As Naruto approaches the group, Asuma and the other visibly relax once they see it is just Naruto. Naruto gives a small nod to everyone, before going to the front of the group with Asuma. Asuma is covered in lots of tightly wrapped bandages that peek out from beneath his vest, as well as a splint being held in place by wind chakra on his left leg.
It must be difficult for him to even move. Though he was one of the Guardian Twelve so it's not that surprising he is keeping up. Though the use of wind chakra holding the splint up is ingenious.
"Sarutobi-San." Asuma nods to Naruto as he makes some room for him in the front.
"We should be close to Konoha by now. Maybe a day's run at most." Naruto glances up at the slowly setting sun, the sky faintly turning a dark orange. "We should more than likely camp for the night. There should be a small clearing up ahead we can camp in." Asuma nods his head, signalling for the group to stop. The group hops down onto the soft, earthly floor. The three Uzumaki kids come running up to Naruto, tackling him to the ground. Naruto cracks a small smile as he pats all of them on their heads. They beam up at him as they clamber off of him.
Naruto stands up, brushing himself off, before starting to unseal his camping equipment from a storage seal on his left bicep. He unfurls his sleeping bag onto the soft grass, looking up to see Hayate, Asuma and Yuugao unfurling theirs as well. Naruto pulls out three more sleeping bags from his seal for the three kids. They each happily take one, before going right to sleep after unfurl their bags as well.
Asuma walks over to Naruto with a slight limp, who is now starting a small fire.
"Uzumaki-San, may I ask what happened to the Sanbi?" Naruto pauses as the flames from the fire slowly rise in height, the small clearing instantly becoming warmer. Naruto's shoulders slump downwards as he turns to Asuma while on the ground.
"I have sealed the Sanbi if that's what you're asking about, Sarutobi-San."
Asuma shakes his head. "I presumed you would. I mean where did you seal the Sanbi?" Now Naruto is sweating in the back of his mind while Kurama is rolling around in his head laughing his ass off.
"Sorry Sarutobi-San, but anymore information about me will have to be cleared from Lord Hokage first." Asuma stares at Naruto for a second, before shrugging his shoulders and returning to his sleeping bag.
"I can take the first watch, Yuugao will take the second. Asuma and Naruto, you two get some rest. You both fought the most." Naruto nods gratefully to Hayate, slipping into his sleeping bag. Sleep soon claims Naruto as the wind starts to pick up around him due to his high affinity in the element. Naruto's bag is soon floating in the air slightly, creating a small cocoon as well. The only sound is the wind and Hayate sharpening a kunai.
Morning comes fairly quickly, with Naruto getting up just as Yuugao is waking the kids and Asuma up. Naruto hops down onto the ground, scaring the living hell out of Yuugao. He seals his sleeping bag into his storage seal, before nodding to the others. Once everyone is ready to go, with a still slightly shaken Yuugao, thanks to Naruto simply coming out of nowhere, the group heads to Konoha, each of them with a kid on their back.
The dense fog brings the group into sight of the Northern Konoha gate. Standing on the little ridge overlooking the path, Naruto and the others sigh in relief at the sight of the gate. As they get closer, they notice a young girl with very long blonde hair that has been braided back, arguing at the gate with Kotestu and Izumo while a group of anbu ninja surround her. The company of ninja are dressed up in long dark maroon trench coats, with Iwa head protectors giving off a reflection in the midday sun.
Naruto lets Kin down, squatting so that way she simply steps off from his back, before he walks up to the group at the gate. Kotetsu visibly brightens as Naruto walks through the group, stopping in front of Kotetsu.
"Sarutobi-Taicho and his company have returned." Naruto states as he hands over his shinobi ID from a seal on his left wrist. Izumo whistles at the display of fuinjutsu as Kotetsu hands Naruto his shinobi ID back. They nod, as Asuma and the others pass through the gate.
"Sarutobi-San, I will report to Lord Hokage for you, while you go get some rest and see someone at the hospital." Asuma gives Naruto a grateful nod as he lets down Tayuya from his back, before making his way to the hospital.
Naruto turns to the group of now identified Iwa shinobi, before he recognizes a young, and female Deidara arguing with Izumo over being let in.
I wonder why she would be here? With a group of Iwa GOLEM no less to boot.
"I swear to you I am here on diplomatic business! I must meet with your Hokage right now!" Izumo merely sighs at the young girl's frustration.
"As I have already said, we got no letter you were coming from your kage, therefore until Lord Hokage or someone high enough rank comes and escorts you to our Hokage, I can't let you into the village." Deidara's face turns slightly red in frustration as Naruto walks up to the pair.
"Izumo-San, I can escort this young woman and her contingency to Lord Hokage. I am heading there anyway to give my mission report." Izumo nods gratefully as Deidara slowly starts to size Naruto up. She takes note of the small wear and tear on his long haori, before giving him an approving nod, before motioning for him to follow.
Naruto dips his head in acquiescence as he leads the group through the main street of Konoha. Naruto turns his head to see that Dediara is currently taking in all ok Konoha at its rush hour of the day. Numerous market stalls line the street as ninja and civilians alike rush from stall to stall, leaving a wide path for the group of Shinobi.
"So Iwa-San, may I inquire your name and what you're doing here?" Deidara looks up at Naruto in slight surprise at the lack of malice in his voice.
"You don't hate me?" Naruto stifles a laugh as a small smile adornes his face.
"Young girl, there is very little to hate about Iwa. Our nations were at war, yes, but that was then. This is now, let bygones be bygones." Deidara gives Naruto an appreciative smile as she reaches her hand out.
"The name is Deidara Kamizuru, future Yondaime Tsuchikage!" Naruto shakes his head as he shakes her hand gently so as to not crush her hand.
"The name is Reizen Uzumaki, at your service, Deidara-Chan." Deidara blushes as she retracts her hand, slightly fidgeting with a stray strand of hair.
Stupid handsome red-haired Uzumaki making me blush. He's got to be barely twenty!
Deidara is pulled from her thoughts as she notices they have arrived at the entrance of the tower. A Konoha anbu shunshins in front of the group.
"Young girl, Uzumaki-San, you two may enter the tower. The rest of you will wait outside." A round of nods is the gravelly voiced anbu's answer as both Naruto and Deidara proceed to enter the tower. Upon reaching the top, a young woman with dark brown hair tied back in a bun nods to the two of them with a smile on her face.
"Lord Hokage isn't busy currently, so go right on in." Naruto gives the young secretary a grateful nod as he eases open the large oak doors, revealing Hiruzen to be smoking from his pipe while looking over some paperwork. He looks up gratefully from the bane of his existence to see Naruto and a young woman he is unfamiliar with entering his office.
Hiruzen smiles regardless as Naruto gives him a nod.
"Lord third, this is Deidara Kamizuru, she states she is a delegate from Iwa here on diplomatic intentions." Now, this gets Hiruzen to raise an eyebrow.
"Kamizuru eh? Tell me young one, what's your relation to old Onoki?" Hiruzen empties his pipe into a small ash bowl on his desk.
"I'm one of his granddaughters, my father is Renji Kamizuru, Sandaime-Sama." Hiruzen nods.
"Ah yes, Iwa's "Righteous Renji" is certainly a formidable young man. No wonder Onoki would trust you with a mission like this. Now tell me, why exactly are you here?" Deidara nods as she pulls out a black folder and places it on the large desk. Hiruzen takes it gratefully before opening it, skimming through its contents. Hiruzen's eyes open in surprise.
"I presume you are familiar with the contents as well, young one?" Deidara nods. "Then I presume you were made ambassador then. Well then, we shall discuss the details at a later date. For now, I will let one of my anbu lead you to a hotel until we can find somewhere more suitable for you. My apologies." Deidara nods as an anbu materializes into existence, before walking out behind the anbu. Hiruzen turns to Naruto.
"What happened." There was no playfulness in the old man's voice either. Good. This isn't a time to be serious. Naruto takes a seat on the floor with his legs crossed.
"This will take sometime. Code Phoenix, old man." Hiruzen gives a stiff nod as he motions for his anbu to leave the room as he raises the privacy barrier. Naruto launches into detail about the beginning of the fourth war, not telling Hiruzen everything quite yet.
Hiruzen's face turns darker and darker with each passing detail about the war and with Naruto's past. Eventually, Hiruzen puts a hand up to stop Naruto from speaking further.
"I will hear more of this later Naruto-Kun, for now simply tell me. Is there anything I should be immediately concerned with?" Naruto ponders at this, tapping a finger to his chin in thought.
"The only thing that happens remotely soon is the invasion at the Chunin exams. Other than that, I merely need to keep an eye on some spies that are lurking in the village that I know of." Hiruzen nods and opens his mouth to speak before Naruto beats him to it.
"Old man… The timeline has already changed." Hiruzen's jaw snaps shut with a resounding 'click.' His eyebrows furrow in shock.
"Explain." It's not a question.
"I have the Sanbi now sealed inside myself, found it while we were in Uzushio. So that means Yagura is more than likely not being controlled. Which is probably why the civil war in Kiri is starting so late." Hiruzen nods.
"Can you take the Sanbi out from you and seal it in someone else?" Naruto sighs before entering his mindscape.
Isobu-San?
I would not mind being sealed into someone else besides yourself, Naruto-Kun. Though it must be that young redhead with the healing chakra that I felt earlier.
So Karin then? Isobu nods in consent.
"Isobu said he wishes to only be resealed into Karin, a girl we rescued from those Kusa nins." Hiruzen nods.
"We will shelve that for the time being then. I see no reason to rush it when your younger counterpart still has his Kurama as well." Now, this raised Naruto's eyebrows significantly.
Interesting.
"For the time being, will you take the young three Uzumaki children in with you?" Naruto nods. "Good, then here you go." Hiruzen throws an old pair of keys with a small red swirl inscribed on them.
"The Uzumaki compound. It's on the northern end of the village, by training ground thirty-three." Naruto nods, catching the keys, and stands up.
"We can continue this conversation later, jiji, for now I'm going to go to the hospital. That's where Asuma and the kids are. Also jiji…. You should really talk to Asuma soon." Hiruzen sighs.
"I know I need to. It seems like he just wants nothing to do with me." Naruto nods as he walks over to the large window, watching the sky turn a lovely soft orange as dusk settles upon the day.
"Your family is the tree jiji, and the members in it are the roots for the tree that make it up and give it life. You can't let the roots die out." With that said, Naruto leaves a contemplating Hiruzen in his office, making his way to the hospital.
Naruto walks into the room to see Asuma with his leg up in bandages on the bed, surrounded by the three Uzumaki sisters. The three sisters rush to Naruto, clinging to his leg. Naruto shushes them out, so as to not disturb the sleeping Asuma.
Once they reach the Uzumaki mansion, Naruto puts the key in the front gate, hearing the iron grate on the ground. The compound is spotless, like it has been cleaned every day, The three sisters immediately bolt inside the house, no doubt to likely go and find rooms to claim as their own.
The amount of seals I see littered about are astronomical. Not to mention they are all barrier or security seals at least at level eight. Man, mom was crazy with seals. Naruto smiles as he walks into the house, the maroon wood flooring nice and sparkly as Naruto leaves his sandals at the door along with the three young sisters. He walks into the main room where the dark oak kotatsu is, as well as a marble kitchen with forest green cabinet finish. Naruto nods happily.
I never got to come here back in my own time. Now that I am here, as well as having a chance to save everyone…. Maybe I can start a family too. Kurama gives a small smile to his brother from inside the seal.
This is another chance to fulfill your other dream kit. Naruto nods to his furry brother mentally.
Yeah… though it won't be with her… She would want me to move on. Naruto moves to claim a bed of his own as he wills a few shadow clones into existence to go move everything else from his apartment over to here.
War Diaries 1
"God fucking damnit, move your ass!" Naruto flashes to a nearby Iwa nin, before flashing back into the trench as a flurry of Kunai fly overhead.
"Why the fuck did Taki and Kōri ever ally with Madara anyway?" Naruto asks as a severed hand lands near him, courtesy of Sasuke having relieved the offending man of the hand when he had tried to grab Sasuke and pull him out of the trench. Sasuke shrugs in response to Naruto, flying through seals before spitting a Katon: Gōkayuku no Jutsu over the trench at the enemy nin.
"Beats me, though it might be because you suck at politics, dobe." Sasuke grunts as he drags Naruto down from being relieved of his head from his shoulders, before Naruto whirls and slices the enemy Ice nin's jugular. Naruto flips Sasuke off, before flashing them away. They flash to a nearby cliff, the last of their forces having already fallen back. For once, the casualties would be under one hundred of them. Naruto forms the ram seal, and the whole encampment glows a brilliant blue before erupting in orange flames. The entire enemy camp was charred to nothing.
"We got Kiba out of there camp in time thankfully." Sasuke jerks his thumb to a still unconscious Kiba, with a finally at peace Akamaru. Naruto sighs. This rescue had been risky. Kiba and Kurotsuchi as well as C had been captured in a raid the previous night. So Tsunade sent both Sasuke and Naruto, as well as a platoon of two hundred men to save the three generals. Only fifty were either injured or dead. That was a low number considering how fucking shit the war had been thus far. Naruto signals for the platoon to move back to Hisahi Castle. Their campaign in Taki has been at a stalemate ever since they got through the first thicket of marshes on the Konoha side of the country. Now, they are stuck fighting both Taki and the Ice nin from the Land of Rivers. They need to get through Taki in order to make the supply line to Iwa and Konoha more readily available.
As the platoon leaves, Tobi materializes, stabbing C through the heart. Naruto flashes in front of Tobi, blocking a kunai thrust from his left hand with his own Kunai, before planting his boot into Tobi's stomach. Tobi is sent flying, though he manages to stop himself from flying off the cliff. Sasuke grabs C, who is bleeding profusely. Naruto throws a mie kunai to Sasuke, who nods and flashes to Tsunade.
Only she can save C now. Tobi stands up, dusting himself off before glaring at Naruto.
"Double time it out of here everyone! Now!" The platoon takes off down the cliff, with Naruto standing in front of Tobi with one kunai in his hand, a Lightning style: Rasenspear in his other hand.
"Naruto, you continue to stand in my way once again. How many times have we done this now? Yet you still can't kill me, because you know what it will do to Kakashi." Naruto glares, before hurling the spear and the kunai at Tobi at the same time. Tobi narrowly dodges the spear, not even bothering about the kunai that had been thrown over his head. That's when he sees the sealtag on the kunai. Shi- Naruto pummels Tobi's face into the ground, sending him skidding down the cliffside roughly. Naruto nods, before sending a chakra pulse out around him. Feeling that his platoon is far enough gone, he flashes away just as Tobi materializes with his Kamui back on the cliffside.
I will kill you Uzumaki, slowly and painfully you will die beneath me once we extract that damnable bijuu from you. The sound of space parting is the last sound on the cliff as the wind picks up in the area.
And done! I'm hoping to get the next chapter out before I go back to college, but we shall see how far along I get in that regard. Anyways, Happy holidays and stay healthy everyone! Please leave reviews and like and follow the story!