Chapter 6
Blanket disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Ninja Gaiden or DOA
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Back from vacation. I looked over maps of Nagoya and the Atsuta Shrine to construct this part of the story but it's sketchy at best so use your imagination to fill in the details. Notes at bottom.
Last time:
Naruto made several clones and said. "Gather up all the disarmed traps for use later. I'll strip the body of anything we can use. I'll seal it all up afterwards." Naruto's clones all set to work and Naruto retrieved his kunai from Jiro's corpse. Used to Naruto would have been squeamish about this but recovering all the bodies at the Hayabusa village hard hardened his outlook as a ninja. It saddened him that part of his innocence had died.
Kasumi watched as the multiple clones quickly and efficiently dismantled all of the traps in the area. She saw Naruto had finished with Jiro's remains and hid them out of view. She was glad Naruto handled that part. Although Kasumi had killed as a kunoichi many times, sometimes mercilessly, she hated stripping corpses. She said a small prayer for Jiro and Naruto's work was soon done.
"So tell me about this Atsuta Shrine and the Kusanagi…." said Naruto.
The train to Nagoya
Naruto and Kasumi watched as the train towards Nagoya City rolled by under them. They'd been fighting small groups of Black Spider ninja the whole way and Kasumi suggested they ride on top of the train (Ninjas don't pay for tickets) so they could relax. Thing went fairly smooth until a rain squall blew in and drenched them. I n the midst of this storm that two Black Spider Ninjas decided to attack them….
Naruto looked ahead. "Well, shit! Two guys just hopped down from that overpass. They can't be friendly!" he yelled over the wind to Kasumi.
Kasumi would have ordinarily pulled out her small pair of binoculars she carried for scouting but with the rain pouring down it was pointless. Regardless, a wildly fired crossbow bolt shot past them which answered their question.
'I'm really beginning to hate these guys….' thought Naruto. "Let's move up behind those ventilators on the next car to get some protection. We're sitting ducks out here unless we find cover." Kasumi nodded and took off in a zigzag pattern to throw the enemies aim off but the Black Spider Ninja's crossbow bolt's trajectory was off anyway because of the high winds that were battering them. She finally slid to a stop behind the forward ventilator on the car they were on. Seeing Kasumi was safe Naruto shot forward to the next car's rear ventilator. There were still two cars between them and the enemy.
A fireball ninpo shot by Naruto's position showing the second ninja was a mage of the Black Spider Clan. In spite of the rain and wind the fireball remained intact (and on course) so they would have to be careful. Kasumi charged in and attacked the ninja with the crossbow covering the distance at incredible speed. Kicking the crossbow out of his hands she teleported past him and cut him down from behind with her wakizashi. Naruto got ready to make his move and saw the crossbow land by his position. He snatched it up and charged only to find the (former) crossbow wielder was already dead and Kasumi was battling the mage.
The mage kept teleporting around but Kasumi was simply too fast and the mage's luck finally ran out when Kasumi took his head with Shrouded Moon. Seeing the man's head roll off the side of the train Naruto felt pretty useless. 'I didn't do a damn thing….'
'Well, no doubt about it, she can kick your ass. I like her!' said Kurama sounding impressed.
'You're not helping at all Kurama.' thought Naruto as he gathered the crossbow gear off the body of the first ninja before kicking the corpse off the train's roof. 'You know, this crossbow is kind of cool. I think I'll keep it.'
He saw the sopping wet Kasumi coming over to him. "Going to keep that? They're handy sometimes." she said smiling. He nodded and the two took shelter by the nearest ventilator to avoid what little of storm they could. The storm eventually blew over and the two ninjas allowed themselves to be air-dried for the remainder of the trip….
Atsuta Shrine
Naruto and Kasumi arrived at the West Torii Gate of the Atsuta Shrine just after dark. The gate was surrounded by lush trees which was ideal for two ninjas to hide in. "If we head straight in we will come to a crossroad. Directly across it is the Treasure Exhibition Hall which is where they'll probably strike if they're looking for artifacts." said Kasumi. "The shortest exit route without backtracking is the East Torii directly beyond the Treasure Hall or if that way is blocked we can head to the South Torii but it's a further distance and there are open spots on the path we could be spotted on."
"So pretty much we're looking at a big plus sign from above with the Treasure Hall in the center." said Naruto. At Kasumi's nod he asked, "You covered the east and south exits and we entered through the west; what's up north?"
"That's where the main shrine is." explained Kasumi. "It is open 24/7 unlike the rest of the buildings so there will probably be innocent civilians there. We would want to avoid combat there at all costs."
"I understand; let's move in quick and silent." replied Naruto. They moved quickly through the trees and were soon on the roof of a multi-floored grey slatted building, the Bunka-den or Treasure Exhibition Hall. "It a shame we don't have a floor map of the place; it would make our jobs much easier." Naruto grumped.
Kasumi sweat-dropped. "It would also make it easier for potential thieves. There are 4,000 treasures stored in there including the legendary Kusanagi Sword. They don't just hand out maps."
"I understand that Kasumi-sama, but we don't know what our enemy is even looking for." said Naruto. "I'm going to sit down and use my Sage Mode. I should be able to sense anything alive or containing chakra or ki in the building."
"Sage Mode?" she asked puzzled.
"My eyes will change color and look like a toad's but don't worry. This is a lot better than my normal sensory ninjutsu." Seeing the questions in her eyes he said, "I'll explain it all later." She nodded and he closed his eyes and gathered natural energy. It wasn't long before he sensed something was off inside the building and opened his toad-like eyes that startled Kasumi a bit.
"I sense six large concentrations of ki inside and two more guarding outside at the public entrances. Two of those inside and the two outside that are unnatural. They must be fiends to feel that foul." Naruto said in a harsh whisper.
Kasumi found herself staring at Naruto's strange yellow eyes as they glowed in the dark. She felt a strange aura of peace and harmony emanating from him and suddenly had a million questions but now wasn't the time. "How do you believe we should proceed Naruto?"
"We kill the fiend guards simultaneously." he answered. "If we take them out silently we can slip in without causing an alarm. The fiends inside will probably sense their comrade's deaths but they won't be able to react to it."
"….And how do you think we should enter?" she asked.
"After those fiends are dead we'll look for a service entrance." said Naruto. "I figure they've already entered that way since the main entrances would be too secure. What do you think Kasumi-sama? I'm playing this by ear here."
"Let's go with your plan. We'll need to be careful if they left traps for us –and just call me Kasumi out here on missions." she said with a soft smile.
Naruto nodded. "Alright." He created two shadow clones. "Check the backsides of the building for entrances and check for traps. Dispel once you're done." Turning to Kasumi he stood up and asked, "Do you want the fiend at the front or the one at the side entrance?"
"I'll take the one at the front entrance. It's better lit and your blond hair would stand out." Naruto groaned slightly and she giggled at his flat look as she took off.
'Everybody's a critic.' lamented Naruto in his head as he positioned himself above the side entrance. He dropped behind his human appearing opponent, covered its mouth and slit its throat silently with a kunai. Dragging the body back out of sight he was going to hide it and –it got back up!
'Shit, it isn't dead!' Moving rapidly he drew his chakra blade and split it vertically in two as it began to assume its true form. The body dissolved into mystic ash….
Kasumi had experience killing fiends disguised as humans before. She cleaved her target in half with her wakizashi on her first strike and rapidly withdrew into the shadows as her target likewise dissolved. Her job done; she darted over to the side entrance where she saw Naruto putting away his chakra blade. He was breathing a bit heavy and she wondered why. He turned to Kasumi rapidly but realizing it was her he relaxed himself.
The two withdrew into the dark and she asked, "What happened?"
"I slit its throat and it didn't kill it. I panicked a bit thinking it would get a signal off before I killed it with my chakra blade." he explained.
She rubbed his shoulder as he calmed down. "When they change shape sometimes you end up slicing a tail when you think it's their head. You never can tell. You are best off killing them by totally dismembering them."
Naruto nodded in understanding. "Thanks Kasumi." Suddenly he blinked. One of his clones had dispelled. "Looks like we found the entrance; let's go."
The pair soon met his remaining clone at a back entrance. "It's some sort of key-card entrance and they hot-wired it to get in." said the clone pointing at an open panel on the wall the obviously was tampered with. I'm not going to pretend I understand how they did it but we need to learn how boss."
Naruto agreed and then asked, "Did they set any traps?"
His clone shook his head. "Not a one boss. I don't think they were expecting company." Then the clone dispelled giving the knowledge of what areas the clone already scouted.
Kasumi and Naruto entered silently and started exploring. They stopped at a security door that also had its security bypassed and was ajar. "The main exhibition hall is to the front of the building from what we saw from the outside." said Naruto in a whisper. "There are two Black Spider ninjas up there looking around. I'm assuming the back is the storage vaults. The two remaining fiends and two ninjas are there. My guess is whatever they are looking for is in the back. What do you think Kasumi?"
Kasumi looked at Naruto's sage eyes again and said. "Can you sense objects with mystical properties? That might lead us somewhere."
"Sure, there's a ton of them here but the really powerful ones are in the back. I figure the fiends can sense that too to some extent or they wouldn't be back there." Naruto pulled out a scroll. "I've got it. We'll trap this door with razor wire. If any of them try to get in or out they'll be in for a nasty surprise." Unsealing what he needed Naruto set a nasty double trap and showed Kasumi both how to set it off from a safe distance and how to disarm it.
'This must be some of the materials he picked up from that Jiro guy.' Kasumi thought. After seeing Naruto's explanation of the trap she was astounded at how deadly it was despite it being virtually invisible. 'He really is brilliant at these traps. I guess he wasn't exaggerating about all those pranks he pulled.' Deciding they should sneak up on the four in the storage areas, they figured the other two would be slowed down by the traps. Once Naruto was done Kasumi took point and the pair silently glided amongst all the boxes and crates that the artifacts were hidden in.
They saw one Black Spider Ninja leaning on some boxes and pacing occasionally. He looked bored and muttered "….Hurry up guys…." under his breath.
Kasumi whispered to Naruto, "Is he completely alone?" Naruto focused his senses for a moment and the nodded affirmatively. Kasumi waited until the enemy was facing away from them and then darted in for the kill. She snapped his neck with a crack and then gently lowered the body to the floor without making a sound. She rapidly pulled the body back into the shadows where she and Naruto were hiding. The pair quickly searched the corpse in the low light and found nothing out of the ordinary except an earpiece radio which Kasumi set to 'receive' only.
Naruto silently motioned her to wear the radio. He had his sensory ninjutsu to give him an edge, Kasumi now had the radio. She was listening carefully as they moved amongst the narrow pathways.
"….Why are we searching for a couple of old scrolls and a statue as well as the Kusanagi sir?"
"First of all, the Kusanagi was said to have been destroyed during the bombings in World War 2…." said another.
"Obaba thinks otherwise Hideki…." said a deeper voice.
"What do you think Saru?...Saru?"
"The lazy bastard's probably asleep somewhere, don't worry about him. We'll find him on the way out." said the deeper voice again.
Kasumi sighed in relief. Saru must have been the one they took out. The one with the deep voice seemed to be the leader from the way the others talked to him.
They soon came upon the glow of a flashlight and three people. Two were standing and one was squatting obviously working carefully on something. The squatting one was speaking in the deep voice of the leader. "You're sure it's this box? It's awfully big for a little statue."
The first one standing said "Yesss…." in a snake like voice.
The second one let out a hissing sound and shifted shape into a large lizard on all fours. It started tasting the air with its tongue and hissed louder at the other one.
"You're sssure?" Another agitated hiss. "It ssseems we have company."
"Are you positive?" asked the leader.
"Yesss…."
The leader got on his radio. "Hideki, Saru, Goro; get back here. One of our friends detected something."
"Yes sir!" the remaining two acknowledged.
Kasumi got wide eyed as the odds were five to one but Naruto created two shadow clones that made a slight sound and ran off in the direction of where they'd left Saru's body. The lizard fiend darted off on all fours in that direction rapidly….
Suddenly Kasumi heard a cry over the radio that echoed throughout the warehouse. "OH SHIT, HIDEKI!"
"What the hell is going on Goro?" asked the leader.
"Hideki's head, his head is gone!" said Goro panicking.
The leader said in a calm but commanding voice. "They must have set a trap. Be cautious and get back here Goro. Leave the body and we'll pull out as a group."
"Yes sir, I –ARRGH!" screamed Goro.
"….Goro? Goro!"
"….My legs, they're gone….give back my legs…." wept Goro.
'Naruto's traps were far more deadly than I imagined.' thought Kasumi. 'He'll bleed out with no legs.'
She heard the leader speak to the fiend still with him. He sounded desperate. "I've got the case open! Here's the statue. Find the Kusanagi. It's all that's left. Grab the case and we'll get out of here."
"Yesss…." The fiend changed shape into a gecko like creature and agilely leapt up the boxes bringing a long narrow one down wrapped in its tongue.
"Is that it?" The creature bobbed its head up and down eagerly. "Let's get out of here then-" The leader hit the floor dead courtesy of a kunai in the back of his head from Naruto.
The gecko looked up in time to see Kasumi coming down with Shrouded Moon raised above her head. It moved quickly to avoid being killed but lost its tongue and the box with the Kusanagi in the process. Naruto leapt down to help but the large lizard fiend had returned and dispelled his two clones in the process.
Caught in the narrow passage between the very occupied Kasumi and the lizard fiend Naruto had to bear the full brunt of the creature's onslaught before he could draw his chakra blade. The monster was all about brute force but Naruto was in sage mode and met the creature head on with a punch to the face. The stunned creature staggered back spitting out teeth and its slow brain wondered what to do. It had never been overpowered before….
The gecko and Kasumi were circling each other. She saw pure hatred in its bulbous eyes as what was left of its tongue bled profusely. The two charged simultaneously and claws and blades clashed in a battle of pure speed. She took a bad slash to the arm but gored the gecko's rib cage in the process. The pair both stood up simultaneously with her holding her bleeding left arm. The Gecko seemed unaffected and charged. She landed as scissor kick into his neck and chin causing the creature to fly back and land against the boxes behind it. For a moment it looked as if the creature would attack again but then it noticed its ribs sticking out from being brutally stabbed earlier. With realization that it was already dead the monster collapsed and exploded into mystic ashes….
Naruto and the lizard had been doing there best to kill each other with crushing blows. The passage was simply too narrow for any other kind of attack so it was a battle of attrition. Naruto was cut up a bit when the lizard opened its jaws and tried to rip his throat out. The creature didn't expect Naruto to catch its gaping upper and lower jaws with his bare hands. Using the strength only his sage mode could grant Naruto ripped the top of the lizard's head off in a spectacular shower of gore. The creature exploded into mystic ashes seconds later….
Releasing his sage mode Naruto turned to Kasumi to see if she was alright. Unsealing some medical supplies he quickly bandaged her arm that was bleeding badly. 'We need to get this looked at quickly.' he thought. She wanted to check his injuries but he waved her off and sealed up the two scrolls, the statue and the box that contained the Kusanagi that were the goal of the Black Spider ninjas. "We need to leave. It's a miracle no alarms were set off during the fighting." he said.
Kasumi still wanted to fuss over his many injuries despite him repeatedly saying he healed fast. Agreeing to put that off until they were in the clear the two ninja maneuvered their way back to the security doors and found the headless Hideki and the dying Goro. He moaned out in delirium to Kasumi, "….Please help me…."
She sadly drew her wakizashi and said "I'm sorry…." before she ended his pain forever.
The two left rapidly through the East Torii before Kasumi started lagging behind from blood loss. Naruto redressed her wound and on Kurama's recommendation shot off carrying her through the night to the Hayabusa Village and more importantly to Hinata.
….
Kasumi awoke and felt her body was immersed in warm water and was being washed. She opened her brown eyes and saw the face of the shrine maiden Momiji who had trained at the Mugen Tenshin Village on occasion with Ryu-sama….
"Are you awake Kasumi-sama?" asked Momiji. "You've been fading in and out of consciousness from the blood loss but I had to give you a bath. You're very lucky Naruto-kun brought you here to be healed."
"Where am I?" asked Kasumi.
"You're in the Hayabusa Village at the Castle of the Dragon. Naruto-kun brought you here and Hinata healed your arm but you still are going to be weak and anemic. We sent a message to Hayate-sama that you are safe and being cared for."
Kasumi looked at her left arm that was all slashed up. Instead of the bloody and bruising gashes she expected her arm was covered in fresh, pink skin. There wasn't even a scar! She gently touched her arm, testing it for soreness and found there was none. "How…?"
"It is Hinata's mystic palm technique she uses with her chakra. Your arm is completely healed." explained Momiji. "She and Naruto-kun have amazing abilities. He brought you here at unbelievable speed by using chakra to enhance his movements. Naruto-kun is truly an incredible guy." she said dreamily.
"What about all of his wounds? He was all cut up and didn't even bother to bandage them." asked Kasumi.
"Well, his chakra makes him heal fast. He got a major cut sparring with Ryu-sama and the next day he was completely healed. I wish I was that lucky." pouted the shrine maiden.
"Does Hinata-san heal that way too?" asked Kasumi amazed.
"No, but she has the ability to heal herself and others." explained Momiji. "I'm sure we could have stitched you up but those gashes would have left some nasty scars. Many villagers here owe their lives to her healing abilities. Since you seem coherent now let's get you dressed. After that I'll get you some juice to replenish your fluids and we can talk to Genjiro. He'll be glad to report you are well to Hayate-sama."
The Sacred Wilderness
The boar mononoke Razorback eyed the open field warily. It was the very place where he met the toad sage some months ago. Now though, he was looking at a dangerous and potentially hostile creature. It might not be as powerful as the sage was but its kind was known to cause untold destruction. He was trying to decide whether or not to confront it when it turned to him.
"Come out boar, I mean no harm today." she said in a soothing female voice. Her violet colored eyes held no malice but rather amusement at Razorback's trepidation.
Razorback narrowed his eyes at the human looking woman. There was one notable difference though. She had black wings on her back. He said respectfully, "What would bring a lady of the tengu tribe here Tengu-sama? I can tell by your adornments and your aura that you are no mere commoner."
She smiled and laughed in an unsettling way. "You have good eyes to have recognized my status –for a pig anyway. We sensed something here on this very spot and I came here to investigate. Judging by the energy that remains here and it's concentration I would conclude it was a sage –and yet none have existed in my lifetime except in legends. Only Moauson Kuramason-sama was old enough to remember the sensation and he is the leader of the Tengu Tribes and is the oldest and wisest. Tell me, do you know something of this sage? The scent of you and your kind is all over this meadow. I'm sure if you prove uncooperative I could find a pig that is willing….
For his part Razorback kept a stoic façade up but her unspoken threat to him and his family frightened him. "The sage you seek is a Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku. He has the same accent as you; that of the old world. He used chakra and spoke of the nine spirit beasts as if he'd met them. He was an enigma to me. I would wonder why the mighty tengu would have interest in such a person."
She looked shocked at the mention of chakra. "I will tell you since it will cause no harm. It is written we tengu were descended of a sage with a bird contract. Where is this sage now and what name does he go by?"
"He is named Uzumaki Naruto and I assure you he would overpower you if you mean him harm. His aura dwarfs yours." said Razorback. It was an exaggeration but the boar mononoke wanted to protect the friendly sage somehow.
"Hmmm….and where is he now? Did he claim this forest?" she asked seemingly unperturbed by a possible threat.
The boar simply replied, "He left the area and staked no claims. He acted as if he planned to explore the lands."
"Interesting. I read sages were prone to wandering." she said. "If he returns here tell him Nyotengu is seeking him."
"Nyotengu? Is that your name or a title?" asked Razorback.
"It is what I go by." she answered. "Farewell pig. I said I meant no harm today and I will keep my word."
With that, the female tengu left leaving a puzzled and concerned boar mononoke behind….
The Hayabusa Village
Naruto had slept in as had Hinata. Naruto was drained from carrying Kasumi all through the night and Hinata was likewise worn out from the all-nighter she spent patching up Kasumi. She could honestly say that had it not been for the jutsu scrolls and all the practice on the wounded villagers Kasumi would have had scars but Hinata simply improved that much in the last months.
It was around noon the pair dragged themselves out of their tent and Hinata excused herself to go catch a bath in the newly rebuilt bathhouse. Naruto laid there thinking about his situation. The whole idea of multiple wives made his head spin but hearing Hinata returning he resolved himself to talk to her about it. He promised himself if she wanted to run away together he would go with her even though it would be dangerous.
She had a soft smile on her face when she saw Naruto was up and dressed. She grew a bit concerned when he motioned her back into the tent and said in a worried tone, "Hinata-chan, there is something we need to discuss." She followed him back into the tent and grew even more apprehensive when she saw he had silencing seals set up and was channeling chakra into them. She sat down across from him and waited until he was done.
After he finished his task, Naruto said, "Hinata-chan, you will probably be very angry and upset at what I have to say but I need your opinion on an important matter that will affect our futures. Please promise me you won't leave until I've finished."
Hinata was very worried now but agreed not to leave. At this point, Naruto started by saying, "I was asked to visit with Shiden-sama who is Hayate-sama's father. He and Jô-sama discussed our chakra abilities and he invited me to the Mugen Tenshin Village to live. I told him I was going to stay here as I promised Jô-sama and Ryu-sama to protect the Hayabusa Village but he seemed happy with that answer."
"Then what is the problem Naruto-kun?" Hinata questioned. "That sounds harmless enough. Did he threaten you in some way?"
Naruto shook his head and gulped. "No, he asked me how I was going to revive our clan and if I was starting a new village." Seeing Hinata's questioning look he continued. "Shiden-sama said that both villages would support me but I would need to form blood ties with both villages. He told me I would need to take multiple wives to repopulate and form political alliances…."
Naruto awaited the explosion but got a worse reaction. He saw the pain in Hinata's pearl-like eyes and hot tears flowing down her face. The look of betrayal on her features tore him apart. She sat there in silence shedding tears for several minutes as she let out the occasional stuttering breath. She was no idiot. As a clan head's daughter she knew the laws of Konoha. It was long out of date but there was a law to protect clans from dying out. The only surviving male heir would take multiple wives to protect his line from extinction. The Clan Restoration Act hadn't been used in generations when they left. It seemed a similar shinobi law existed now.
Hinata hiccupped as she cried. What a fool she was! She should have seen this coming….thoughts of their political situation rapidly went through her head and she came to the same conclusions Kurama had. To leave on their own would be dangerous and to not marry into one village or the other would be precarious. There were also considerations to take into account. If they left, would they be considered nukenins? A life on the run was no life. Furthermore, what about future children? But she HATED it! The idea of sharing her Naruto-kun angered her to no end. It wasn't fair! That brought the chilling question to her mind; did Naruto even want her as one of his wives?
Finally she spoke. "N-Naruto-kun, would you want me to be one of your wives?"
Naruto embraced her quickly and held her as if she was more precious than life itself. "Hinata-chan, if you want to run away together we can. I want you to be my wife whether I have other wives or not. You are my most precious person and I, I love you. Please tell me what to do. I'm not as smart as you are and I don't have all the knowledge about clan laws you do but if having other wives means you'll leave me I'll run away with you consequences be damned!"
Hinata didn't know when Naruto started crying but the two held each other for a long time before their quiet sobs finally subsided. "Naruto-kun, running away would be too dangerous. Who knows about these laws?"
"Shiden-sama said he had consulted Kureha about the laws." Naruto explained. "He indicated that Ryu-sama and Jô-sama were aware but didn't say they were involved."
"Let's wash up and go see Kureha then." said Hinata sounding exhausted. "I doubt it but maybe there are other options. Did Shiden-sama have any candidates in mind for you to marry since he suggested it?"
"He gave me formal permission to court his daughter Kasumi-sama." answered Naruto.
Hinata sighed, "The girl you brought in injured last night?" Naruto nodded. 'Great; a clan head's daughter. She probably holds high status in her village like I did.' The pair washed up and though they still looked haggard they went to see Kureha at the shrine.
Kureha was looking over the partially rebuilt shrine. There was still a lot of work to do (She needed to get those clones back to work!) but it was now in good enough shape to serve its purpose as a house of prayer. On the positive side, none of the underground levels were damaged so no artifacts of huge importance were lost (save the Dark Dragon Sword that Ryu was going to retrieve). That's when she saw Naruto and Hinata drag themselves in looking like hell. "You two look exhausted!" exclaimed the shrine maiden. "Shouldn't you go back to bed or something?"
"We have a very important matter to discuss with you Kureha." said Hinata in a curt tone. "It cannot wait. Do you have somewhere private to talk?"
Kureha raised a delicate eyebrow and said, "Follow me." She led them to a back area of the shrine that hadn't been damaged. "This should be plenty private for us to visit. What can I do for you two?"
"Wait." said Naruto as he set up silencing seals. "Now the room is soundproofed and we can talk freely."
Kureha was about to say something when Hinata spoke up. "Shiden-sama informed Naruto-kun that he would have to take multiple wives to rebuild our clan and to form ties with both the Mugen Tenshin and Hayabusa Villages. He said he consulted you about these laws Kureha. We would like to see these laws for ourselves to decide what we will do. Shiden-sama has already told Naruto-kun he has permission to court Kasumi-sama and I for one am not happy."
Kureha wasn't expecting this. 'What the hell is Shiden-sama thinking trying to push that through so soon?!' Speaking calmly, Kureha said, "Shouldn't Naruto be more concerned than you Hinata? I know you are dear friends but ultimately it's his decision, yes?"
Hinata's fearsome byakugan glare frightened the priestess. She'd never seen Hinata this way. "I am to be Naruto-kun's first wife whether he marries any other women or not! He asked for my guidance in this matter as I am a clan heiress and have been trained in matters of Shinobi Law. Naruto-kun and I-"
Naruto took Hinata's hand in his. "Calm down Hinata-chan. We're not here to fight."
Hinata closed her eyes and the veins around them receded. "I am sorry Kureha but the idea of having to share Naruto-kun with others is emotionally overwhelming. We want to see if there are ways around these laws aside of becoming nukenins."
"You would go that far?!" asked the shocked Kureha. "I cannot believe you would leave a place of safety over such an issue!"
"It is just an option. Having been thrown into this against our wills is not something we take lightly." said Naruto in a cold tone.
Kureha wanted to panic. "I ask you to please reconsider that course of action. I and many of the villagers owe you our lives and consider you two to be our greatest protectors after Ryu. You are also my friends. I would not wish the life of a nukenin on anybody. You would never know true peace or happiness."
"But we would avoid being pawns in political games." said Hinata. "Please let us see the laws in question please."
"I will get the old books of laws but please understand we wish for your clan to grow and flourish. This isn't some political power play." Kureha said in as soothing a tone as she could.
"Tell that to Shiden-sama." Naruto replied sarcastically.
Kureha nodded feeling that arguing about the point would just aggravate the couple further and went to get the books in question. She couldn't believe Shiden-sama actually offered Kasumi-sama to Naruto. What had Naruto done for the older clan head to put forward his prized daughter? Everyone knew Kasumi was his pride and joy. They also knew he chased would-be suitors away with extreme prejudice. Finding the three books in question she brought them up to the still tense couple to look over.
Kureha pointed out the specific laws and saw Hinata read and questioned her about every valid point possible. The shrine maiden felt like she was being cross examined in court of law. She suddenly realized just how smart and determined Hinata was to find a loophole. 'If Hinata ever decides to quit being a kunoichi she'd make a truly vicious prosecutor in a courthouse.' thought Kureha to herself. Hinata and Naruto went over every law and sub-article with a fine toothed comb. Anything Naruto did not understand Hinata would explain to him in terms he would comprehend.
After nearly two hours Hinata sighed. "It seems the law is not voluntary and because Shiden-sama has recommended his very own daughter that Jô-sama would have to follow suit to prevent a political backlash. In a nutshell Shiden-sama has forced the deal through. The only caveats in our favor is you do not have to marry a woman that you do not love and as I would be your legal wife I would be able to exercise some control over the others because by law they are concubines. The only other things I see in our favor is the clan head or heads involved will have to pay for a suitable compound to be built and you would receive the title of 'Lord' and I would be 'Lady' though I already hold that title.
"What about the children?" asked Naruto.
"All children would be treated equally under law. You could choose any of your children by any one of the women in your household to be your heir but traditionally you would choose one by your head wife according to this." explained Hinata.
"….And Kasumi-sama?" he asked.
Hinata sighed. "I have a feeling that unless she is violently opposed to it there would be no way to refuse her without deeply insulting this Shiden-sama."
Naruto looked like he needed a drink even though he didn't drink (alcohol had no effect on him for that matter. His body just burned it up before he could get drunk). He had his face resting against his palm as if to fight a terrible headache. Hinata didn't look much better,
Kureha was a bit shocked at how the two deduced the situation so quickly but the looks on their faces were ones of grief. "Ummm….please don't get me wrong Naruto but as a guy you're being granted the chance to have several women with you. Doesn't that excite you even a little…? I mean, most men would be jumping for joy at the possibility of having a harem." Naruto's flat stare told her he didn't feel that way at all. "Wait, is it Kasumi-sama? I assure you that she is a kind kunoichi. I've visited with her several times over the years and I'm sure she would make a good and honorable wife for you….Besides, she's a beautiful girl. Is there something about her you dislike that much?"
"It has nothing to do with Kasumi-sama." said Naruto crisply. "It is a matter that I am a simple man and don't have wealth, fame or status to offer her or any woman. I'm extraordinarily lucky that I have Hinata-chan and we've known each other for years –since we were children. What am I supposed to tell Kasumi-sama? Oh, by the way, your old man set you up to be a concubine of mine. Forget being a princess of the village. You've just been reassigned to make babies for me while living in poverty. I'm sure she would be thrilled to hear that."
Kureha looked a bit ill at Naruto's assessment of the situation. She knew Momiji had a crush on Naruto and hoped maybe things might work out for them….The normally upbeat and friendly Naruto now looked like he'd just been diagnosed with a terminal disease. "Naruto, I'm sure it's not that bad. Shiden-sama is supposed to help provide money for a compound and to support you so it isn't like you'll be living in the streets."
Hinata suddenly got a wicked gleam in her eye. "Since this was all Shiden-sama's idea let's let him explain it to Kasumi-sama. That way if a murder or some serious blood-letting is involved we won't be there to take the blame."
Naruto grinned ferally. "That's an elegant solution to a sticky situation Hinata-chan. If she kills Shiden-sama in a fit of rage then we'll be free of this situation and come out smelling like roses."
Now Kureha's eyes were big as saucers. Were they serious? On the other hand it was only fair that Shiden-sama take the heat. It seemed that the kind and selfless Naruto and Hinata were a far more dangerous combination than she realized.
"Likewise, it seems appropriate that the situation be explained by you since neither of our absentee clan heads is available to do so Kureha." said Naruto. "I'm sure the village maidens will come flocking to me after hearing they'll have to be concubines."
Kureha wanted to faint. 'Gods protect me! What have I got myself into?' Explaining that to Momiji would not be a peasant thing. Her little sister rarely lost her temper but when she did it wasn't pretty….
The shrine maiden saw Naruto taking down the silencing seals. "It seems this conversation is over. Thank you for your time Kureha."
They heard Momiji calling from the front of the shrine for Kureha. Momiji was relieved to see her sister and her two friends. "There you all are. Genjiro has asked for your presence now that Kasumi-sama is awake and recovered. He wants to discuss how your mission went in Nagoya. He said he would like me there also since it may require the input of us shrine maidens."
"Let's go then." said Naruto walking with Hinata in tow.
"You two look worn out." said Momiji in a worried tone. "Maybe after your debriefing with Genjiro you should both lay down." She turned to Kureha. "By the way, what were you doing in the back shrine office Kureha?"
"We had to consult Kureha on a matter of shinobi law." said Hinata succinctly.
"Really? Well, my big sister is the foremost expert on shinobi laws so you asked the right person." exclaimed Momiji patting her sister on the shoulder. Kureha looked fearful when Hinata looked at her with a gleam in her pearl like eyes but turned back saying nothing.
They went to the old dojo at the end of town on the lake that Genjiro was using as a shelter for those whose homes were yet to be rebuilt. It was also an impromptu mission hall and they found Genjiro waiting along with Kasumi. Kasumi's face lit up seeing Naruto was there. She wanted to show him her gratitude for his actions. "Naruto, I'm so glad to see you! Thank you for saving me." She looked at Hinata. "Are you Hinata-san? I was told your eyes looked like pearls by Naruto. Momiji-san said that you healed me using your chakra skills. I am eternally grateful to both of you." she said bowing to them.
"You are very welcome Kasumi-sama." said Hinata. 'At least she doesn't seem stuck-up.'
Naruto said, "I would have done the same for any of my comrades Kasumi-sama. But I promised Shiden-sama to protect you better."
"Nonsense! We were trapped between two particularly vicious fiends." Kasumi replied with a happy smile. "And just call me Kasumi! There is no need for such formality between us."
Genjiro said, "Well, you two look tired but I need to write out a report and you need to open this scroll Naruto."
Naruto nodded and applied chakra to the seal. Opening the scroll it had two smaller scrolls within it along with the statue and the box containing to Kusanagi.
"That is the box containing the legendary Kusanagi?" asked Genjiro with a bit of awe in his voice.
Both Kureha and Momiji's eyes widened to comical proportions. They could both feel the sword's aura.
"Might as well open it up." said Naruto nonchalantly. At the shocked looks on everyone's faces (except Hinata's) he said, "Hey, I was stabbed with this blade when Orochimaru wielded it. It's not like I haven't seen it before."
"You were stabbed with the sword of the God Susanoo? When? How?" asked Kasumi in total shock.
'Oops….' thought Naruto.
It would take a great deal of explaining about time-travel among other things to insure Kasumi understood about Naruto and Hinata's backgrounds. It was also Momiji's first time hearing of this first hand so she had many questions as well. After explaining things to the girls Naruto expected to get on with things but then Momiji asked, "So this blade actually stabbed you? How did you survive? I mean, it's a sword of the gods!"
Naruto shook his head. "The legendary Kusanagi is a double edged Tsurugi that was said to have belonged to Susanoo but whether or not it truly belonged to a god I don't know. My experience with this Kusanagi is it was wielded by one of our greatest enemies Orochimaru. It can extend and retract at the user's will and has the ability to channel chakra. It can cut through just about anything short of diamond. I don't know what other powers it has."
"Why didn't it kill you then?" asked Kureha.
"My spirit beast Kurama protected me. Anyway, it's the same sword; I can tell by its aura. Let's just open it already. I sense it's intact." said Naruto getting tired of explaining.
Given the others in the room were a bit wary of the legendary blade; Naruto opened it and examined the many talismans on it to protect it. Removing them (They were elementary work for someone who knew seals) he drew the Kusanagi out of its sheath for the first time in centuries and saw it appeared worn and pitted. Everyone looked disappointed at what they expected to be a perfect blade. Naruto said, "Hinata…."
Hinata nodded and activated her byakugan. "Clever. It has a genjutsu cast over it. Channel your chakra through it Naruto-kun. It should dispel the image." Naruto's blue chakra arced up the rusted edges of the Kusanagi which totally shattered any illusions on it. He now held a gleaming tsurugi that those in the room were nearly blinded by.
To all in the room it looked as if Naruto was indeed holding a sword of the gods. Naruto eyed it carefully and said, "Yep; it's just as I remembered it."
POSTSCRIPT:
Okay, a couple of notes: The Kusanagi blade used by Orochimaru is the one Naruto has. Whether or not it actually was the same as Susanoo's Kusanagi is never really clarified in Naruto so I'm going with the assumption that both blades are one in the same. Regardless of whether it's of divine origin or not the blade is legendary. How it fits into the story with the fiends and all remains to be seen….
About Nyotengu: There's very little background on this character but while she is described as being very arrogant she isn't necessarily evil. Also, the name Nyotengu literally translates into "Female Tengu" which apparently hasn't been too popular in the west (and is pretty boring in my humble opinion). The DOA Wiki said there's been consideration for a name change so I'm keeping the name/title Nyotengu a little ambiguous in case they do that. I don't want to randomly come up with my own name for the character to inevitably be proven wrong later. Blue out. 9/7/14