BiG Konoha

by Opa-sensei

OP smart prodigy Naruto. I'm bad at summaries, Naruto is part of a clan, has a harem. it's pretty sick. Read it. Now.

8. Deviant

AN: I wish people would just try to give this story some patience. I know I've made it seem far progressed considering it has 200k words already but believe me this is barely the beginning. I just like my chapters long and detailed, cuz I can remember there were times that all I wanted was a long fic to keep me distracted from all the bs that life gives you. I'm trying my best to make this a story that caters to most Naruto fans likes.

That being said, don't assume things will happen before a certain kind of way, before even giving me the opportunity to progress these events. Like Naruto's skirmish with the Inuzuka. I tried to do this from a mature child's point of view as much as possible. I'd stressed in the same chapter that Naruto intentionally did things that are otherwise considered as unacceptable with the belief that if he does it right he would be praised rather than punished.

Notice how uncaring he was to the Inuzuka clan's feelings when they confronted him. He had already made his calculations and anticipated how the situation would go. He knew Konoha's top brass would lean towards shielding him rather than punishing him. So he didn't care. Naruto is still a child, so he obviously doesn't grasp the concept of everything. He doesn't realize how detrimental it is to the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan that they should offend another clan.

Kotohime's words to him have played a big role on his decisions. Take for example, his words and behavior towards Hyūga Kai. He didn't have any fear no respect for the Hyūga because in his mind, the Uzumaki/Uzuki are bigger. When Naruto doesn't feel like a person is on his level he is likely to treat them like nothing. There are clear hints at this in his actions and words. The way he brushed aside Namikaze Kimiko is another example.

Please, pay attention to the minor details, as you might miss the hidden aspects that lead to Naruto or other characters doing and reacting to the things they do.

I know people are eager to see what's going on with Kakashi, but it's not time for that yet. Also as regards to Mikoto, patience. Not everything will be revealed at once.

With that let's go for the eight chapter. It was delayed a day cuz I had to do a lot of corrections by myself. Thanks for the patience.

I never did this before cuz I assume readers already know what fonts represent what. But if you're confused by them this will help. (If you want me to do this for every chapter tell me in the reviews.)

"Human Speech"

'Human Thoughts'

"Bijuu/Summon/Beast Speech"

'Bijuu/Summon/Beaat Thoughts'

Emphasis

'In Quote Statements' (Either to be taken as non-literal, sarcastic or completely false)

Flashbacks

Chapter 8

Deviant

Yu no Kuni

It took Naruto roughly three days to dash from the eastern exit of Konoha to Yu no Kuni. He was just a young shinobi in training but he prided himself in his speed.

While Naruto's running speed wasn't as fast as your average chunnin, he was still comfortably faster than any gennin. So it was no surprise he was able to get to Yu in the official estimated time for travel. Being a sheltered heir and jinchuriki, Naruto had never left Konoha before. It was too much of a risk to the village as well as his clan to let him beyond Konoha's territory, so Naruto had no idea how long it would take him to get to his destination. The Uzumaki was relived that he was able to get to Yu without wasting much time.

Since he was ignorant of most things outside the village, Naruto's travelling information mostly came from the scrolls in the Uzumaki and Uzuki clan library. He couldn't ask any of his clansmen about this, for fear of incurring suspicion. So, Naruto had a rough understanding of the terrain of the checkpoints he marked out on his journey. He memorized the stand out qualities of the area, written in the scrolls, as well as the description of patrol officers.

The last thing he wanted was to run into somebody who recognized him.

Patrol officers were said to be very meticulous individuals, who closly followed the current affairs of various villages. This was a necessity. Often, important figures would move through borders without forewarning of their arrival, or sometimes the officers weren't alerted in time by their superiors. To avoid embarrassment and conflicts, a patrol officer was expected to be able to recognize high standing or important figures even without them giving their names.

Whether Naruto liked it or not, he was an important person. If a patrol officer recognized him as the Uzumaki heir, surely they would capture him and immediately return him to Konoha.

Thus Naruto had to avoid these people. It wasn't hard actually. The chances of running into a patrol officer was extremely low unless one went through the checkpoint. Naturally you couldn't expect an officer to patrol over a large expanse of land so easily. From time to time officers would patrol round their designated shares of the entire border to see if anything was amiss.

If you actually ran into one then you could only blame your bad luck.

A single round could last an entire day.

The patrol officers were a lazy bunch when it didn't come to following current affairs. They wouldn't put much effort into surveillance. Their job was to keep an eye out. The defense of the region was the responsibility of other factions within it.

Naruto avoided the checkpoint and easily infiltrated Yu no Kuni. Pretty much anybody could do the same.

The Uzumaki contemplated disguising himself with henge, but eventually decided against it. While patrol officers might be able to recognize him, the people of Yu on the other hand wouldn't. Naruto only changed into a less expensive attire. His shirts always had a big Uzumaki crest designed on them, so wearing them was out of the question. Not to mention they were made from one of the finest silk. And silk spoke a certain language only scumbags and robbers could understand. Naruto didn't want to stand out.

After thinking about it again, Naruto had to use henge to change his physique and hide the unique whisker marks on his cheeks. Now Naruto had the appearance of a twelve year old version of himself. Without the whiskers. Naruto walked into small village without much trouble. This village was about two percent of Konoha's size, so just walking into it, Naruto could already see the opposite gate. Passerbys often stopped by this small village to recuperate from the travels, so no pass or token was required for entry. The security was lax here. Naruto guessed than in such a place power was the only law required.

It could be financial or physical power, either way the more you had the better your stay in such a place would be.

This was the place he told Bonnie to wait for him in. Naruto sighted a bar and brothel just a few steps into the village. The road was extremely busy and it would be quite easily for one to get lost in such a place, if the place wasn't so small.

Naruto caught a sight of three shady and suspicious looking men huddled in a corner whispering with a small paper bag in one of the men's hands. All their eyes were bloodshot. A few women's coquettish laughter rung out as they flirted with a relatively wealthy looking man. The man tried to put up a haughty front, but after one of the women said something to him he beamed and hastily followed the women into a building. Four rough looking youths about the same age Naruto was pretending to be hurried out of an alley, dark expressions on their face. The kid in the forefront stuffed crumpled ryō notes into his pocket while the one in the rear quickly hid a bloody knife in his jacket.

Naruto instantly regretted having Bonnie wait in such a place by herself. He cursed whoever put such a dim description of this village in his clan's library. The writer described the place as just a little unwelcoming due to the lack of good inns.

'I have to find Bonnie quick.' Naruto thought worriedly.

Though he told Bonnie to wait here, he had no clue exactly where she was. However, this village was quite small so it wouldn't take much to find her.

According to the novels he read, the best place to get information was a bar. Unfortunately even his disguise was underage so Naruto had to settle for the streets. The first few people he tried to question either ignored him or shoved him aside. For the latter, Naruto had an almost irresistible urge to tail and murder them, but Bonnie took priority. Lucky bastards. Finally, Naruto was able to get a girl of about sixteen years to stop. She had a tomboyish appearance and unkempt hair. From her dressing and mannerism it was clear she lived on the streets. Still Naruto felt she was a little cute.

''Want her to pop your cherry?.' Kyuubi asked. After days of silence the bijuu finally spoke up, and of course this was the first thing it said.

'She's not a harlot.' Naruto found himself defending a girl he didn't even know.

'Please. With how loaded you are everybody in this village would become your harlot if you will it.' Kyuubi said with a cackled.

Naruto tried to argue but found no words to say back. The bijuu was right. Just a few minutes here and Naruto had already seen people using wealth to get or get away with things they normally wouldn't. Still, he felt weird seeing this girl in the same light. If she knew what he was thinking she would undoubtedly feel insulted.

Naruto ignored the cackling fox and spoke to the girl. "Could you please help me I'm–" Naruto started but his words were swiftly interrupted by the girl.

"No." The girl said so straightforwardly Naruto was left speechless.

He had been blown off again. This time the person actually went out of her way to stop and listen a little before blowing him off. Compared to the bunch of rude men who pushed him aside, Naruto wasn't sure which of the incidents annoyed him more. When he saw the smirk on the girl's face he decided it was the former. Naruto growled. Everybody in this godforsaken village were pricks. He didn't understand it. It was like it hurt them to be slightly civil with others.

Naruto was about to cuss out at the girl when something dawned on him. The girl was still standing there. The annoying smirk was still on her face, but for some reason she didn't leave. When a person blew you off then it was expected that they would walk off. But for some reason this girl remained put. Naruto calmed himself down and reassessed the situation.

He hadn't been blown off.

The girl stopped him from making his request yet she didn't leave. That told him she was interested in what he had to say, yet she would not act on that interest unless...

Naruto had the urge to facepalm. Perhaps he underestimated just how sheltered he was. He actually went into an unfamiliar village expecting people to be nice to him. Why would anybody want to help him out?. Many of them were just passing by and none of them knew him, so why would they go out of their way to aid him?. A good lesson learned, Naruto pulled out a thin wad of ryō and handed it to the sixteen year old girl. Better put she quickly snatched it from him.

The girl grinned showing off a perfect set of white teeth. In contrast to her hair her teeth were very well kept. "Now I can help ya kid." She said.

Naruto resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I'm looking for someone." Naruto said.

"Your mommy and daddy?." The girl teased.

Naruto gave the girl a dry stare. Naruto didn't rise to her taunts and instead brought out a sketch he had made of Bonnie. Being a fūinjutsu trainee meant he had to deal with a brush most days of his life. Naruto picked up a few hobbies related to the brush. Most fuinjutsu experts and trainees did. His drawing o Bonnie wasn't lifelike, but it still depicted her nicely. It was a good drawing.

"Have you seen this girl?."

"Wow nice drawing kid. You got talent, I might just have a business proposition for y–" The sixteen year old girl started speaking in her usual sassy way but suddenly froze. She didn't pay much attention to the person in the drawing rather how good it was. When she did she was left shocked.

Naruto watched a flurry of emotions flash through the girl's eyes. Shock, fear and finally vigilance. Before the Uzumaki could say anything the girl had lunged a kick at him.

Though he was caught off guard by the sudden attack, Naruto's were sharp so he easily dodged the kick. The girl didn't seem to care if he was hit or not and immediately sped off. She was fast for a civilian. Naruto stared at the quickly shrinking figure of the girl in confusion. Why did she try to kick him after recognizing Bonnie?. Naruto had no idea, but he decided not to focus on that. What was important was that that girl recognized Bonnie. He disappeared in a burst of speed.

It didn't take long for Naruto to catch up with the girl. She seemed to sense his close proximity and turned to glance backwards. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Naruto was right behind her, appearing to be casually jogging.

"You're a shinobi!?." The girl yelled in surprise.

Naruto ignored her question and asked one of his own. "Why are you running?."

"You're the one who's chasing me!." The girl said in annoyance.

"You ran first." Naruto deadpanned. "Do you know the girl from the picture?." He asked.

"No!."

"Like I'd believe that!."

"Believe what you want!."

The girl made a turn into an alley and athletically scaled over a mesh fence. She was surprisingly agile. Like a cat. The girl didn't waste anytime, knowing Naruto could easily jump over the fence since he was a ninja. She continued down the alley. However, before she was able to make a turn and escape a pair of arms from both sides emerged blocking her path. The girl was clotheslined into the ground. She moaned in pain as she looked up at her attackers. Her countenance turned to one of anger when she realized who they were.

"Sunny! Bobo!." She yelled.

Two boys her age revealed themselves. One was quite thin and taller than the other. His hair was cut into a Mohawk and he had an angular grin and sharp looking teeth. Whether it was as a result of genes or customized was anybody's guess.

The other boy was a rotund individual with black hair that almost covered his eyes. They were both dressed in leather outfits and had wicked smiles on their faces.

"Long time no see Aya. Where are you off to?." The thin boy asked, his sharp looking eyes glaring at the sixteen year old girl revealed to be called Aya.

"Since when did where I go become your business!?." Aya spat. She was nervous. Not just because of these two, but mainly because of the ninja chasing her. If it was just these guys then she was confident she could escape. But that ninja they had with them was a different matter altogether.

"Since you started sticking your nose into mine!." The thin boy yelled back, looking equally irritated. This girl was just like a rat. Sticking her nose where it didn't belong, making life difficult for him.

Aya growled. To think he was actually shameless enough to say such words. This guy had truly sold every bit of his soul to the devil. "Scum!." Aya could only cuss him in hatred.

"Whatever." The thin guy ignored her insult and gestured at his partner. "Grab her, we're talking her back to boss." He said.

Aya's face paled in fright. "W-what?." She mumbled out in fear.

The thin boy grinned wickedly. "Scared now?." he mocked. "Boss said you were ruined goods but you became such a thorn in our side he's decided to give you another chance." He said with a chuckle.

"No no no..." Aya quickly tried to stand, but the fat boy was faster and swiftly pounded his fist into her back sending her crashing back into the ground. She coughed from the impact and wheezed in pain.

"You should be happy Aya." The fat boy finally spoke. "Boss is gonna fix you up." He said with a grin.

"Both of you... go to hell." Aya glared at the duo with hate filled eyes.

She should've known that ninja was luring her to be captured. She shouldn't have taken this route so carelessly. These two knew she always took this route to lose her pursuers when she stole some cash from a passerby. They were waiting for her and now without much struggle she was being captured.

"Dumbasses." Aya suddenly said.

"You still have the guts to talk shit?." The thin boy said with a glare.

"Why wouldn't I?. My days from now on might not be good but yours won't be any better." Aya mocked with a smile.

"What the fuck are you talking about?." The thin boy narrowed his eyes at her.

"Heh." Aya chuckled. "You were always dumb. I'm not surprised you don't realize it." Aya mocked him. The boy frowned but only glared at her, waiting for her to elaborate. "Since that demon has a shinobi in his ranks now, how long do you think he's gonna need your services for?." Aya said. The two should understand her meaning now. With a formidable shinobi as a henchman these two would eventually lose their value to their boss and soon become disposable pawns. If they weren't already.

"Shinobi?." The two said in confusion.

Aya stared at the two and saw that they were confused by her words. This in turn made her fall into a state of confusion as well. It was clear that they didn't know about any shinobi, so how could they be working together. If that was the case then who was that shinobi and why was he looking for her?. Aya was flabbergasted.

"Oi Aya, did I hit you too hard or something?. What shinobi are you talking about?." The fat boy asked. However Aya as well was at a loss at who that shinobi was.

"She's probably just saying nonsense to throw us off our guard." The thin boy deduced. "Stay sharp, we can't let her escape this time."

"Trust me, she didn't have to try. Your vigilance sucks." A voice resounded just behind the thin boy. He almost jumped in fright. He and his partner quickly turned and found Naruto standing behind them, casually leaning against a wall. "Still think staying sharp is gonna make a difference, Sunny?." Naruto asked with a smirk.

Aya looked up and found the shinobi she was talking about standing in front of her now. She wasn't surprised. She was expecting him to show up a while ago, but he appeared to have suddenly disappeared. Now it was clear he intentionally delayed his emergence to listen to her conversation with those two. It was also clear he wasn't working with Bobo and Sunny.

"Who the hell are you?!. And I'm not Sunny, he's Sunny!." The thin boy said pointing at his partner.

"I'm the– Wait what?." Naruto stared at the thin boy in surprise. "So you're telling me you're Bobo?." Naruto said with a weird look on his face.

"Yes. I'm Bobo." The thin boy said.

"And I'm Sunny." The fat boy said.

Naruto stared at them for a short interval. "That just sounds wrong!."

"What are you saying I can't be called Bobo?!." Bobo yelled. He appeared very self-conscious about his name.

"No that's not what I'm saying. It's just... He... With a fat partner by your side people would assume you're Sunny and he's Bobo." Naruto said matter-of-factly.

"Says who?." Bobo gritted his teeth in annoyance. This wasn't the first time someone acted as if his name didn't suit him. It was more infuriating because they never picked issue with Sunny. It was as though both names suited him, while Bobo's name sounded weird on him.

"Says literally everyone." Aya said. Now she confirmed the shinobi wasn't in cahoots with these two she felt a little at ease.

Bobo glared at her. "Shut up we've already captured you!."

"So I can't talk cause you caught me?." Aya rolled her eyes at Bobo.

"Yes!. If you talk again I'll have Sunny beat you!." Bobo declared.

"How can you have yourself beat her?." Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I said I'd have Sunny beat her not myself!." Bobo fumed.

"I don't care what you say, that fatso is Bobo to me and you're Sunny." Naruto said with a shrug.

"You bastard!." Bobo almost popped a blood vessel from his anger. "Bobo crush him!." he yelled.

"Got it Sunny!... Wait." Sunny stopped in his tracks.

Bobo roared in frustration. "I meant Sunny crush him!."

"Got it." Sunny was about to charge but suddenly stopped again.

"Why did you stop?." Bobo asked.

"One question. If I'm Sunny then who's Bobo?."

"I'm Bobo you moron!." Bobo almost blew his top. "I'm Bobo you're Sunny. I'm Bobo you're Sunny. I'm Bobo you're Sunny. I'm Bobo you're Bobby. I mean I'm Sunsun your Bobo!. No, I'm Bobo!. I'M BOBO!. I'M BOBO, NOT YOU, ME!." Bobo appeared to have lost his mind in a short amount of time. He pulled his hair in frustration roaring 'I am Bobo' over and over.

"Then who am I?!." Sunny was on the verge of tears

"Shut up! just crush that guy!." Bobo ordered.

"Right." Sunny turned to Naruto who was staring at them like they were crazy. He felt a little embarrassed. "You're going down!. But first... Who are you?."

"Naruto."

"Then who the hell is Sunny?!."

A huge vein bulged out on Bobo's forehead. 'Why did boss have to pair me with this idiot?!.' Bobo lamented. Sunny made no move to attack the foul-mouthed blonde guy and instead stood there like a complete moron.

"Whatever!." Bobo sighed. "If you want something done right, do it yourself." Bobo murmured to himself and was about to turn to the blonde when Sunny collapsed. Bobo watched is shock and confusion as the chubby boy crashed into the ground head first. 'What the hell...'

Aya top was taken aback by the sight of one of her attackers just abruptly collapsing like that. Sunny was asking those dumb question then suddenly went silent. After a few seconds he collapsed. Aya had no idea what just happened but she was certain it worked to her benefit. With one less pursuer her chances of escape were much better. Aya was knocked out of her thoughts by the voice of the blonde ninja. He was still leaning against the wall.

"It was funny the first few times but it quickly got annoying." Naruto said, planting a light gaze on the unconscious Sunny. He turned his eyes to terrified looking Bobo and then the surprised Aya. 'It appears they're at least a little quick-witted to connect me to Bobo's current predicament.' Naruto thought. "Your name's Aya right?." Naruto asked.

"Y-yes." Aya stammered out, suddenly finding out this young boy had a very intimidating presence about him. Just staring at her like that made her feel like she was being choked out.

Perspiration covered her forehead and made goosebumps allover her body. Her lips quivered from nervousness and freight. 'Is this the power of a shinobi...?.' Aya asked herself.

She had ran into many shinobi, though she tried her best not to offend them or even get involved with one. Still, out of all the shinobi she had interacted with, this one left the greatest impression on her. Most of the shinobi she had met were adults, so how could this kid's presence be so superior?. He would not be the first odd shinobi child Aya had seen, but there was just something different about him.

Aya couldn't understand, yet she couldn't deny it either.

Unbeknownst to Aya, unlike most of the shinobi she met, Naruto didn't exude a single bit of chakra to suppress or intimidate her. "And you recognize the person in the picture I showed you, right?." Naruto asked.

Aya hesitated a little, but her state of mind was currently in chaos so she still answered him in the end. Too terrified to dare to lie to him. "...Yes."

"Then why did you run away if you know who I'm looking for?." Naruto questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I... I-I thought you wanted to capture her!." Aya confessed.

Tears accumulated at the corner of her eyes. She couldn't believe she was spilling the beans so easily. She didn't want to rat out her friend. A few minutes ago she was sure that no matter what nobody would be able to force her into giving information on her. But in the face of this shinobi she didn't dare lie.

"Huh." Naruto said in mild surprise.

Just as he guessed this girl had a connection to Bonnie and ran away so that he wouldn't get any information on Bonnie out of her. Naruto wondered what sort of relationship Bonnie had with this Aya. He also deduced it had something to do with Sunny and Bobo. Which was why he knocked out the fat boy.

Whatever the relationship between Bonnie and this girl was, she tried to protect her. To Naruto that made her not an enemy, so he took down the guy who hurt her. If it wasn't that then why else would he bother about a civilian boy?. Shinobi and civilians live in completely different worlds. Most shinobi looked down on them and wouldn't bother to be mixed up with the affairs of civilians.

For shinobi who did, they were looked down on like scum. Chakra gave them an unfair advantage over civilians. So only a shameless shinobi would still actively associate with the civilian world. Shinobi world wide had an unofficial code.

Aside from when on missions, shinobi are not to lower themselves to civilian affairs.

Yes, lower.

Because no matter how humble many a shinobi tried to be, deep down they all knew civilians were lesser than them. People they could kill with a single hit. Families that could be murdered with a single temper tantrum. Also when one became a shinobi, the affairs of civilians became less appealing the higher they advanced.

For a high ranking clan member like Naruto it even felt more demeaning to involve himself with civilian affairs. But he had to find Bonnie and quick. It was already four days to the time limit.

"Alright, take me to her." Naruto said, pushing himself off the wall.

It took Aya a few minutes to get her bearings before she stood up. When she was up she realized Naruto was already out of the alley. Aya stared at the back of the small but intimidating boy and contemplated making a break for it. Aya quickly put aside those thoughts. If she could really escape from him, then he wouldn't give her an opportunity. He was a ninja after all. What were the chances she could outrun him?.

As if sensing Aya's thoughts, Naruto spoke out. "Don't think about running."

Aya gulped and quickly followed after the blonde. She almost jumped when the blonde appeared behind her. "No funny business." Naruto warned. "Take me to the blonde girl."

Aya gulped in nervousness, feeling a sliver of regret. She led the blonde back to the noisy street in silence.

---

Hinata struggled against the urge to hop fidgetily from one foot to the other, or the urge to poke her fingers together like she usually did. Whatever small action that would distract her from the piercing gaze of her father.

From Hinata's memories, she didn't recall ever seeing her father openly scowling before. While his regular expression was dangerously close to one, Hinata could still tell that her father wasn't making an angry face. Even when he was angry, somehow, Hiashi managed to maintain a calm exterior.

Hiashi's poker face had an equal reverence to his strength in Konoha. Today however, somebody had breached his expression barrier. Hinata had no idea but right now her father was confused. He was left with a bittersweet feeling, not sure whether he should be relieved it wasn't one of his enemies that had accomplished this feat or ashamed that it was a barely nine years old boy that did.

Hinata gulped for what she felt was at least the seventeenth time. Why were they just standing here?.

She asked herself, but she knew the answer to that question. Her father was a man of few words and relied on actions more than words to make a point. Her father wasn't those kind of parents who scolded their child for hours when they did something wrong. In her short nine years of life her father had only scolded her once. So even now she knew Hiashi wouldn't have much to say to her.

That wasn't to say he was a lenient parent. Much like the public thought, her father was a strict parent and he wasn't a stranger to the values of properly disciplining a child. It was just that his way of disciplining Hinata was different. All he had to do was stare at her and the effect would be similar to a rogue Inuzuka child going through 'retraining'. The longer it lasted the more severe Hinata understood her offense was.

Counting from when she arrived her father had been staring at her for almost ten minutes now. Hinata's offense would fit into the 'very serious' category with ease. Thankfully her father's ghost-like stare finally moved from her and settled on the woman behind him. He didn't spend much time 'disciplining' her before he said his first words since gathering everybody here.

"Hyūga Rōha, do you know your offense?." Hiashi asked, his face settling back into it's usual state of serenity.

"Yes Hiashi-sama." Rōha said without hesitation. She was expecting it to come yesterday but it didn't. She grossly underestimated the significance of Naruto Uzumaki fleeing the village.

Delegates from the central city showed up and the entire village was in chaos. The Inuzuka were expectantly displeased with the events of that faithful day, and many of them that had completely recovered their lucidity charged to the gates of the Uzumaki and Uzuki compound demanding and explanation.

As expected Kotohime didn't take too kindly to having semi rabid Inuzuka and nin-ken barking at her front door and sent them packing immediately. The feud wasn't put off so easily and soon both matriarchs were directly involved. Obviously, Kotohime had nothing to fear in Tsume picking a fight with her. It wasn't like Tsume could beat her. Unfortunately for Kotohime though, the Inuzuka woman had instead made it her mission to get vengeance the weaker Uzuki that she could beat. Now there were constant fights between Uzuki and Inuzuka clan members out in the streets.

Their clan relationship was steadily turning abysmal.

For now Kotohime pretended not to notice what was happening. Many, including Hiashi feared what would happen should the woman grow enraged. An angry Uzumaki woman was never good news.

Right now however, Hiashi didn't have the luxury to worry about the Uzumaki and Uzuki clan head. His own clan was in a state of disarray already as it was. Hiashi stared at Rōha's serene eyes. Even faced against the entire Hyūga clan elders she didn't appear the slightest bit pressured. He was sure she knew what was coming her way yet there wasn't a single indication of fear on her beautiful face.

This level of fearless told Hiashi that she wasn't remorseful for her actions either. He found it quite admirable. Unfortunately not only he had the right to reprimand Rōha.

"impudent!. Immediately get on your knees!." One aged Hyūga elder ordered.

"You endangered the clan heiress and still dare to stand?." An elderly Hyūga woman spat in disdain.

"You deserve death!." Another Hyūga elder rebuked. His fingers were itching to form the seal but he didn't dare. It was one thing to reprimand Rōha and another to mete out punishment without the head's blessing.

Rōha appeared not to have heard their words and didn't so much as blink. Her eyes remained on Hiashi.

"I beg you elders, please calm yourselves." Hiashi said, waving his hand at the row of furious Hyūga elders. He turned back to Rōha after the regaining order. "Rōha. According to the reports of witnesses, you were present when Uzumaki Naruto arrived and assaulted our clansmen. Is this true?." Hiashi questioned.

Rōha didn't hesitate. "Yes."

Hinata frowned slightly. The way her father worded it made it look as though Naruto beat up Kai and his protectors without any justification whatsoever. In Hinata's mind Hiashi was already biased against Naruto.

"You are a jonin while the parties involved were all chunnin and a single academy student, why didn't you intervene before matters escalated?." Hiashi continued his line of questions.

"Because it would've been disadvantageous to the clan if I had Hiashi-sama." Rōha answered.

The elders couldn't hold themselves back after hearing such a flimsy excuse.

"Rubbish!."

"Truly preposterous!."

"Who are you to say what is disadvantageous to the Hyūga clan girl?."

Hiashi almost sighed. He ignored the elders and focussed on Rōha. "Elaborate."

"I would like to point out that I am but a mere bodyguard to the heiress, thus my words don't carry much weight." Rōha said, not minding admitting to the self deprecating words. "So as much as I wanted to use words to diffuse the situation I knew it wouldn't work." Whether Rōha words were meant to come out as sarcastic the elders and Hiashi would never know. "I had two opportunities to ignore the statuses of my superiors and directly involve myself. I did not use them, with reason."

"What reasons?." Hiashi said quickly, not giving the elders the opportunity to start another round denouncement.

"The first being when Kai-sama attacked the Uzumaki heir. The reason I did not interfere is because elder Watari has explicitly warned me not to contradict or impede Kai-sama as long as it didn't endanger Hinata-sama." Rōha said.

Sure enough all eyes turned to the elder who was struggling not the make a handseal earlier.

He was the grandfather of Kai and an influential part of the clan's council. He had returned from restraining the crazed Inuzuka in the street after being dragged from his favorite art theatre. It was hard enough trying to restrain rabid Inuzuka clan members, but faced with news that his grandson had a psychotic breakdown he didn't know how to react. After spending a long day alone in his chambers, he enthusiastically joined the other elders to participate in the meeting. He was sure death was unlikely, but Watari wanted Rōha to suffer dearly for what was done to his grandson.

To think now Rōha would shift part of the blame of the incident on him. Didn't she know that she was more or less saying he assisted Uzumaki to beat his grandson to the point of mental disorder?. How revolting!.

"I was following orders. I also trusted Kai-sama to benevolently show restraint, but alas..." Rōha trailed off, leaving the rest of the sentence to imagination. It wasn't hard however to guess that she was implying Kai was an impulsive idiot.

Since she didn't say it out loud all the elders could do was glare at her. Watari was more especially enraged but managed to stay silent.

"The second time I was unable to intervene when the Uzumaki heir retaliated. The child turned out to be smarter than anticipated and highlighted his innocence and how Kai-sama was the one to start the fight. He made clear how he was within his rights, and adding his status it would've been anticlimactic to deter the Uzumaki heir who was only seeking to defend himself and his dignity." Rōha said. She was only lacking the exaggerated righteous expression to make her look like the wily and evil bitch she was. Seeing Rōha spit out (in their opinions) dishonest drivel with a calm and innocent made the Hyūga elders fume even more. Some of them contemplated suicide.

How infuriating!. They gathered here to pressure and poke Rōha for faults, but in the end they were the ones getting infuriated to death.

"Granted, I let my guard down because he was a simple academy student and I believed Kai-sama could easily handle him. Who would've thought..." Rōha trailed off again. Her permanent pouty face couldn't look any more annoying to the clan elders.

For Watari, Rōha's last statement was the last straw on the camels back. She was just too much!. Highlighting the Uzumaki boy's lesser rank to make his grandson appear to be the villain in this story. Worse of, the villain ended up getting his ass beat so hard he developed a mental disorder. Rōha even dared to call the Uzumaki a mere academy student.

'Academy student your sister!. What normal academy student has killed a f*cking chunnin from Kumo, beat several of our chunnin and escaped the village?. Even if you want to f*ck with this old man, there's a limit to the f*cks you can f*ck!. Do you think you can just f*ck whenever you want?. I am unresigned. F*ck me, I'm a monkey's grandfather. Kai you motherf*r!. I'm being ridiculed by a branch member because of you empty head!. Why did Kami poison my generation with such a useless grandson?. F*ck...'

Old man Watari was known for his eloquence and hardly ever cussed. But this time he couldn't help but unleash his inner sailor. He was losing it.

(AN: Guess it runs in the family lol.)

The aged Hyūga elder had to take a breath to calm himself. There was already one too many mentally unstable people in family. Old man Watari had no intention of adding to that number. He resigned himself to glaring at Rōha in the end. Whatever game this girl thought she was playing was pointless. Even if she didn't get the deserved punishment this time around, he could easily find an excuse to discipline her.

Rōha understood this as much as the elder's. That however didn't mean she would take a different approach. As a part of the branch of the Hyūga clan that had been oppressed their whole lives, Rōha understood the value of small victories. Nine of ten times she could easily defeat any of these elders in a fight, yet she had to bow and be submissive to them. That was just the order of how things worked in the world, sometimes strength wasn't everything.

She was born as part of the side branch, so despite her obvious superior combat ability Rōha was forced to endure series of biased decisions. Even when she was in the right, a main branch member could twist the facts and make her the wrong one. In such a life one had to learn to take glad in the small victories.

On the topic of victories, the elders had already conceded this bout to Rōha. It was her victory. With the explanation she gave, they couldn't find a way to fault her. The elders glared at elite jonin in annoyance and gritted their teeth.

Hinata could barely stop the smile from reaching her face. 'Take that you oldies!.' Hinata cheered internally.

Hinata's and Rōha's victory was a short lived one however. Unlike the rest of the elders, with their ulterior motives and vying for Rōha's punishment, Hiashi could see things clearly. What had gone down between Hinata, Kai and Naruto blinded the wise elders from what was truly important.

While it was true that the instructions they had given Rōha had ended up coming to bite them in the collective ass, it didn't mean Rōha could be spared of all responsibility just based on that.

So, Hiashi began speaking. "Rōha, we you or were you not aware of the implications of letting Uzumaki Naruto leave the village without impedance?." Hiashi asked.

The elders perked up at his words. Notably, Watari's frowning face turned several shades brighter when he heard the clan head's words. They had been taken off track due to their bias, but that did not mean this group of individuals were foolish people. Far from it. These were the wisest and most experienced group the Hyūga clan could muster. They had no problems catching on with what Hiashi was doing.

Hinata on the other hand was left confused. Why was her father following this line of questioning?. Wasn't it clear that Rōha wanted to stop Naruto and would've if not for her direct order?. Yet, aside from a lengthy glare, her father nor the elders made an attempt to reprimand or question her.

It was as though she had been a mere bystander in the entire event and had no active role in Naruto fleeing Konoha.

In the end Hyūga Hinata was still a ten year old girl, thus naïve and simple minded. To even consider thinking she was the reason Naruto was able to leave the Hyūga compound was beyond naïve. While it was true that Hinata had given the order the made Rōha abandon her attempts to stop Naruto from leaving, nobody with half a brain would try to place the responsibility on such a huge offense on a ten year old.

Rōha was Hinata's bodyguard, and it was normal for her to take orders from the girl and do her bidding. She was her servant in the most literal of senses. A servant and not a tool. Rōha while a servant to the main branch still possessed a mind of her own. She could still discern what was right and wrong, what was smart and advisable without being told.

Rōha trying to hide behind the orders of a nine year old and an aged elder was like saying she wasn't capable of making a rational decision. Of gauging the importance of one task from another.

Much like the order Hinata and Watari gave her, Rōha had received thousands like it. Being a shinobi of her caliber, it was only natural she would be trusted with many tasks. Rōha's stunt had not only defiled that trust, but her words now were like a mockery to her superiors.

When given an order one was expected to carry it out to their best ability. Missions nor tasks ever went according to plan, and to trust an individual with a mission meant trusting them to make the right decision should a wrinkle or issue arise. Rōha pretended as though she was incapable of deciding what was more important between respecting the orders of the Hyūga heiress and stopping the village's jinchuriki from fleeing.

It didn't even have to be asked which one took priority. Hinata while the rightful heiress was still a child. She was liable to making unwise and irrational requests. Rōha, as her guardian, should know when to and not to give heed to her demands.

If she obeyed every single one of the girl's thoughtless requests then the Hyūga clan would only be raising a spoilt brat and not a heiress. Hinata being a heiress especially made it obvious that not all her wishes could be granted. After all there existed a figure of greater status and standing in the clan.

Rōha's decision to prioritize Hinata's feelings over the welfare of the village was her decision alone. And while in the end the Uzumaki was granted passage by the Hokage, sparing the Hyūga clan from any possible blame or sanction, Rōha had let down the clan and the village. That was a truth that could not be contested.

Rōha knew it was coming eventually. Hiashi wasn't a man to act with bias on anyone's behalf. Even if it was his daughter. Though Rōha was certain the clan head was secretly thankful that her actions had assisted Hinata's long awaited attempts of finally coming out of her shell, it didn't mean he wouldn't hold her responsible for her misdeeds.

He was the Hyūga patriarch first and a father second.

"I was aware." Rōha said. Her words were like a cue for the previously brooding elders to explode into an excited jeering.

"So she knew!."

"That still wasn't enough to stop her from doing the deed."

"Disgraceful!."

"Little girl, are you intentionally trying to harm our clan?!."

"Hiashi-sama, permit me to mete out punishment!."

Hinata stood back helplessly as the Hyūga elders verbally tore into the cute jonin like a pack of hungry hyenas. Her inexperienced eyes could easily make out the foul pride and relish in their eyes as they threw strings of never ending curses and rebukes at the woman.

Hinata was often on the receiving end of the elders snares and rebukes. And more often than not she was far too intimidated by their snide and hateful remarks to even dare to look up from her fingers. Hinata despite being one of the most scolded people in the clan had never truly seen what the Hyūga clan's elders looked like when they ganged up together in indignation like that.

Hinata frankly found the sight repulsive. A group of elderly men and women joining voices to speak down on a single individual. For a clan hailed for its nobility, class and poise, wasn't this a little too low for the Hyūga clan.

Naturally thinking it was a lot easier than saying it out loud. Hinata was slowly becoming more and more outspoken, but that didn't mean she had no issues saying her mind whenever. Especially now, considering she was facing the very group of people that molded her into her soft-spoken and timid self.

Hinata could only clench her fists and look away from the repulsive sight.

Hiashi raised a hand to calm the elders. "Since you've admitted to it then there's nothing more to be said. Hyūga Rōha, you are declare guilty on the crimes of insubordination to Konohagakure and disregard to your duties as a member of the Hyūga clan." Hiashi declared.

Hinata clasped her hands over her mouth and gasped in shock. A number of elders could not stop the smug smirks from reaching their face. Out of everyone but Hiashi, it was the one being charged with the crime that maintained a level expression.

Rōha had the same expression from start to finish. When she was called in for the mini trial. When she was wrongfully accused by the elders. When she turned Watari's words against him and even when Hiashi stated that she would be temporarily taken off the shinobi roster and banished to solitary confinement until Konoha's jinchuriki safe return.

Rōha wore her trademark obliviously cute expression the whole time. She arrived with it in silence and was taken away with it in silence.

---

Shodai District - Uzumaki/Uzuki Compound.

Present time.

The indistinct sounds of dogs barking was a quality that was universally known to be privy to the Inuzuka compound. It was a part of the Inuzuka reputation, and a thing of joy for every one of them.

Ask an Inuzuka if he would prefer an Inuzuka compound without the sounds of dogs barking and making all sort of noise, and they would first slap the snot out of you before answering with hard no.

It was the life of the Inuzuka and they had grown used to it.

However, for the past three days the Uzumaki/Uzuki had to endure the burden of this new reputation. They had to endure what was customary in the Inuzuka compound, and not by choice. Far from it. No Uzuki or Uzumaki in the clan asked for this development or wanted it. It was unfairly tossed on them.

At least that was their opinion. A majority of the village would argue that the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan were more than deserving of this punishment.

Right now, Uzuki Yūgao wouldn't mind pounding on a majority of the village just to prove otherwise. It would do wonders for her frustration too.

Who does this?. Seriously who?. Yūgao had been asking herself questions on those lines ever since the first Inuzuka and his dog showed up to their clan gates. Yūgao had a lot of respect for Inuzuka Tsume and was good friends with the woman's daughter, Hana, but after today Yūgao could not say she felt the same way as before.

It all started when Tsume and a group of the Inuzuka clan's elite brazenly tried to barged into the clan compound. They claimed to want an explanation from Kotohime and demanded audience with her.

Obviously the gatekeepers wouldn't let them through, so an impulsive muscly Inuzuka elite went up and beat the men into a vegetative state and made to swagger into the clan compound. Unfortunately for the brash Inuzuka, the gate was merely a mental barrier, what really kept intruders out of the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan were fusions upon fusions of powerful seals.

In his attempt to swagger into the clan, the man only succeeded in losing an arm and quarter of his lifespan to a few of the seals. The Inuzuka were sufficiently spooked by the the seals, thus wisely made not another attempt to scale the fences or break into the compound.

The Inuzuka were wary of the Uzumaki/Uzuki guard seals, but were equally filled with righteous anger. An anger that only burned brighter in their hearts as they watched one of they're strongest being rushed to the ER. The Inuzuka were left feeling even more bloodthirsty they were than when they came.

They were angry, yet unable to vent their anger. They hated the Uzuki, yet were unable to take a swipe at them. Aside from the gatekeepers, the rest of the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan were either out of the village or holed up inside the clan.

Left with no means to quell the anger in their hearts, the Inuzuka decided on the the most childish ways of expressing their hatred. Noise making. Littering. Egging. Literally anything that came to mind, no matter how dumb, Tsume gave her clansmen the go ahead to do it.

The villagers were gifted with the rare and strange scene of what would be hardened Inuzuka shinobi yelling profanities at the Uzumaki/Uzuki compound, throwing eggs and other cooking ingredients at it. Some threw whatever they could find, like stones, wrappers, bras and others. Some Inuzuka even went as far as inviting ninken that had been having stomach problems the previous day to go right in front of the Uzumaki/Uzuki compound.

There were rumours going around that a handful of Inuzuka men decided to skip the middleman and emptied their bowels in front of the Uzumaki/Uzuki gate.

Whether or not it was that rumour, the noise or the pungent smell of dog (or was it human) feces that inspired Kotohime and some Uzuki elites to charge out of the Uzumaki/Uzuki compound and drive away the unwanted guests. In other words they severely beat them until they had to return home for medical treatment.

Little did Kotohime know, that would be the last of it. Now Inuzuka elites made it their mission to ambush and beat any Uzuki of the same rank they found alone or on the lower ranked ones.

The Inuzuka didn't stop there. Tsume had a group of her clan's youngest and loudest stationed to practice their katas not far from the Uzumaki/Uzuki compound. This group of Inuzuka ranged from eleven to six year olds, so Tsume had no fear of Kotohime storming out again to deliver an asswhooping.

Some might call her tactics hateful and pathetic, but she didn't care when they were effective. Kotohime and her clan were having sleepless nights, while the Inuzuka could focus on their lives and beating on any stray Uzuki they could lay their hands on.

It wasn't close the the vengeance the Inuzuka clan sought but it was close.

Yūgao was amongst those who cursed Tsume's tactics as childish and pathetic. Ranging from the defecation tactics and using the young to fight their battles, Yūgao wasn't sure how low the Inuzuka moral standards were, if they even had one.

Yūgao wasn't the only one who shared this opinion and was pissed at Tsume's shameless strategy. "I wish Okami-sama would just give me the go ahead. I'll send those brats crying home to mommy and daddy." Saya said. The blonde haired woman was angrily chewing on a chocolate bar.

The two Uzuki women decided to take a snack break in the garden to distract themselves from the situation outside the clan compound. Alas, their efforts bore no fruit. The annoying voices of the young Inuzukas and the barks/yelps of their pups had no problems reaching them and ruining their moods further.

Yūgao wouldn't go so far as indulging in child abuse like Saya, but she would be a liar if she said she wasn't tempted to look the other way and let Saya do as she pleased. She felt like she had a little devil version of her self on her shoulder, and the noise from the Inuzuka children were making its argument sound more and more compelling.

Yūgao took a sip from her glass of apple juice and sighed. "Why isn't okami-sama saying anything?. It's not like her to stay silent in these kind of situations." Yūgao said.

At least that was what she would like to think. Yūgao couldn't claim she understood the woman's thought process, she wasn't sure there was anyone who did. Yūgao wasn't sure how the woman would react in many occasions. Sometimes she made what would seem like impulsive decisions, and there were other times where she was painfully patient and slow to act.

At the end of the day, Yūgao always found that Kotohime's reactions were all key for the success of whatever she set out to achieve. She always had the bigger picture in mind, and seem to see things more clearly than any Yūgao knew. Only those who saw the big picture all the time the way Kotohime did could make sense of her decisions.

Loathe her to say, Yūgao was not one of these people.

"Ever since she returned from Suna she has been acting weird." Yūgao muttered.

It was true. Since returning from Suna, aside from sending Naruto and the Inuzuka off Kotohime hadn't been her usual self. The latter was only possible due to a coincidence. Kotohime was on her way to the Citadel when she caught the stench of feces lingering in the air. She didn't wait or ask for an explanation. Instead, she gathered the clan's strongest proceeded to remove the unwanted individuals from the premises.

After beating off the Inuzuka the woman returned to self imposed exile in her quarters. Yes. Kotohime had spent the better part of the entire three days Naruto had been gone in her quarters. With no connection to the rest of the clan aside from Tate, who periodically visited her quarters.

"I've tried asking onee-san about it but he wouldn't talk. All I got was a halfhearted 'okami-sama is fine', before he ran off to run some errands or something." Saya said, her voice laced with clear annoyance.

Saya hated when things were being kept from her. Clearly something was going down, and it must be quite something to get their okami so out of it like that. She was positive Tate knew what that something was and was keeping it secret. Likely on the okami's orders.

Saya understood that she couldn't be in the know for everything that concerned the clan. She and Yūgao only made jonin three years ago, they were still green all things considered. While they had no problems climbing the ranks of shinobi due to their talents and the invaluable training they received from the clan matriarch, that didn't mean that they were ready to be involved in every aspect of the Uzuki clan's affairs.

Granted they were powerful, but they couldn't offer much in terms of clan politics and diplomatic affairs. Truth be told Saya could just barely claim to be on the wakate's level in terms of politics. Yūgao was hopelessly behind, and had no clue how to finesse anything that wasn't bladed.

Whether or not Kotohime trusted them, their contribution leaned mostly towards the field. So, though Saya and Yūgao were frustrated in their hearts, that couldn't bring themselves to hold a grudge. If the problems the okami was saving had nothing to do with a ninja affairs, then the two couldn't contribute much of anything.

It was a different case if it had something to do with Naruto. Then regardless they would feel like they had a right to know. They had been in the blonde's life from his second day on Earth.

If it was about Naruto then they had a right to know.

"I wonder what wakate-kun is doing now..." Yūgao said, staring at a nothing in particular in thought.

Saya's mind drifted to the blonde. She couldn't stop her lips from curling into a small smile. He was gone three days and she already missed him to death. "Probably beating the crap outta some bandits. You know how excited he gets at the prospect of real combat." Saya said.

Yūgao smiled. "He is an Uzumaki after all. Kushina-senpai loved to fight more than anyone I know."

Saya's mind was drawn to her memories with the red-haired Uzumaki woman. Most of them were memories she wasn't so proud of.

She had done a LOT of silly things to try to get the woman to notice her. In the end it was Yūgao who turned out to be the one Kushina favoured the most. That wasn't to say she ignored every other of her fan club for Yūgao. Kushina always made time for them. But from their interactions, one could tell Kushina connected better with the purple haired girl.

Saya put aside the depressing thoughts and smiled. In any case that was a long time ago. She got a second chance with Kushina's son, and in her opinion she had a better relationship with him than Yūgao did. She was perhaps the only person Naruto could be his true self with, without trying to be more childlike or calculating.

"The squirt is a lot like her when you think about it. The same verbal tick." Saya said.

"The obsession for ramen, though wakate's is a modified version." Yūgao said.

"The same hyperactive tendencies when it comes to things they like." Saya said.

"The same great big heart." Yūgao added.

"The squirt does not have a big heart. Heck, he's closer to being heartless." Saya laughed.

"Wakate-kun does have a good heart!. The stuff he does are so obviously bad, it's clearly a guise to hide his soft and squishy goody goody side."

"That's how you want to see it. Fact is that kid is the type to give a eulogy in the burial of a guy he murdered."

"That's a lie!."

"Oh, really?. Imagine the squirt was here, now imagine I told him that. Would he, A. Smile like a degenerate, or B. Say yes while smiling like a degenerate."

"He uh..."

"That's what I thought."

---

Kaminari no Kuni - Kumogakure no Sato

3 days after the attack on Kumo.

Silence.

For a shinobi village as large and as busy as Kumo, the sounds of busy streets, people chattering and and all kinds of noises from both living organisms and machines.

Out of the five great villages, Kumo could be said to be the most advanced in terms of technology. They boasted of the best refineries worldwide, had machines that could process and purify near any kind of mineral.

This was one of the reasons the denizens of Kumo felt they they were more deserving of the title 'number one hidden village'. The world just overlooked their accomplishments, they attributed this to the bias of the Elemental Nations. The current holders of that title was none other than Konohagakure. A village filled with pretentious busybodies that made the business of another man their own.

Obviously public opinion will be on the side of the 'righteous heroes' of the world. Konoha had interfered in a record number of conflict, and most of the times came up with an acceptable compromise for all the parties concerned. Konoha was the single only great hidden village that appeared to always be on the side of the weak.

On several occasions they had reason up as guardians and come inbetween or to the rescue of the weaker parties. They offered aid in military, healthcare, finances and even hosted shinobi seminars in ignorant villages. Konoha was seen as saints of the shinobi world. The upholders of justice and the defenders of all who could not defend themselves.

As far as Kumo and the other three great villages were considered that was just a load of hogwash. Konoha were not righteous people, far from it. Those who believed Konoha were the heroes in any fairytale were hopelessly ignorant or in complete denial. Kumo nin knew as much, which was why they were especially disgusted by Konoha nin.

That was not to say Kumo would claim to be the true heroes in anybody's shinobi story. Not in the slightest. What good shinobi story required a hero?. Being a shinobi meant having to soul your hands and souls with the blood of the innocent. In no way that noble. There was hardly any nobility in their line of business, and it was stupid to expect to find any in it.

Shinobi were trained professional killers, not heroes. From a tender age shinobi hopefuls were raised to view the world from a particular perspective. A perspective that would be seen as immoral and ignoble in the eyes of society. The perspective of gain. Whatever the situation, wherever they found themselves, shinobi were taught to pursue benefits more than anything. As long as an opportunity to progress their mission arose, shinobi were expected to make everything else secondary.

The mission took priority. Young shinobi were educated on the importance of fulfilling a mission, no matter the cost. With ideals like that, it was hard to imagine the average shinobi as a socially acceptable person. An entity, created and nurtured to kill, steal, and use every advantage to their benefit. How could such a thing be perceived as dignified or saintly?.

Alas, despite the rules society had erected, and the stigma towards the ones who defied it, power reigned supreme. Regardless of whether or not the works of shinobi had a positive effect on the word or could be described as socially acceptable, the masses hailed and praised them. It was easy for people to lose track of the means and get caught up in the results.

Shinobi gave results. They interceded in wars, stopped conflicts, were the greatest deterants to banditry and crime after correctional facilities. More often than not, shinobi were perceived as the heroes in the story of civilians. This was why a majority of civilian children had the dream of becoming shinobi.

Being a shinobi was the same as being a superhero to the masses.

A notion hugely fueled by the actions of Konoha.

A notion that had plagued the minds of a majority of Konoha nin. Now, they really couldn't tell the difference between a shinobi and a hero. They acted, reliant on a flawed moral compass. Their ideals were closer to a knights than a shinobi, and their actions were increasingly getting more and more civilian-like.

This was the new mentality of the shinobi of Konoha, and the main reason other great villages looked down on them. A village with shinobi who believed such flawed ideals as Konoha was unworthy of the title 'top great village'. They did not represent what shinobi were meant to be. They were a disgrace, and the other villages were repulsed at the thought that a village with so many gullible fools could claim superiority over them.

Kumo had all the makings of a fine shinobi village. Their infrastructure rivalled that of Konoha, and even edged them in industrial development. Kumo had also raised many outstanding shinobi throughout the years, and while they had no Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, they had seen the emergence of monstrously powerful shinobi in their own right.

Their shinobi understood the true ideals of a shinobi, and captured the essence of what a true shinobi village should be. Though they were behind in a historical sense, the people of Kumo felt they more than deserved to be at the summit. Over Konoha and all other villages. The history was in the past, and the past was gone. They were in the present, at the cusp of heading into what many considered as their golden generation. It was their time.

No matter how frighteningly powerful the Senju and Uchiha clan were in their prime, those days were gone. There were no Hashirama or Madara in this era. This was a new era, and though Konoha started off the era ahead of everyone as usual, they had seen and experienced so much loss and setbacks, it was only natural that they should be replaced.

Konoha's time was over.

Kumo's time was nigh. It was their time. That was what the denizens of Kumo believed.

It's our time.

However...

Konoha roared back into life at what appeared to the last moment. Right at what Kumo thought was the deciding moment, the turning point for Kumo. The time they finally seized the reins and crowned themselves the prime of the Elemental Nations. So close, yet so far.

Kumo didn't understand how they did it. Konoha, everytime it appeared like they were finished, they somehow managed to rise from the ashes. Like the bird of legends, The Phoenix. It was as though fate was on their side. As though there was some biased god hiding in the shadows pulling the strings of fate to support Konoha.

The kyuubi attack. A rampage of the king of bijuu that begun right in the middle of Konoha. Somehow they survived that. True, they lost a kage, another S-rank shinobi and hundreds of shinobi, yet they survived. Not only did they survive, they did so with minimal damages. Only a few hundred lost their lives. Konoha population ranged in the tens of thousands. That was merely a fraction.

If the kyuubi no yoko rampaged in another village, could they say that they could weather the storm the way Konoha did?. Could they even?. Aside from Konoha, Kumo understood the terror of the king of bijuu the best. And even they couldn't claim to be able to survive an attack from the nine tailed demon.

After the attack, adding the loss of their Yellow Flash, Konoha was left standing tall despite it all. They lost two S-rank shinobi and one returned to hold the forth. If other villages lost an S-rank shinobi they wouldn't even know where to begin. Konoha had not one but two S-rank shinobi in reserve.

If that wasn't enviable enough, Kumo had found out the hard way that when Konoha nin boasted that they had two S-rank shinobi in reserve, Jiraiya of the Sannin was not considered to be in reserve. They meant the Slug Sannin Senju Tsunade and whoever that man was.

A slammed his fist into his desk in anger. Unlike the one he turned into bits in Konoha, this one managed to stand firm. Courtesy of the reinforced materials used to craft this piece of furniture. The desk ended up getting firmly pinned into the concrete floor. Clearly its durability wasn't on the same level of the desk.

A was not having a good day today. In fact, it wasn't a stretch to say he was having a terrible week, or month, or year. Maybe even a terrible life. Days ago he was rushing to Konoha with hidden excitement, convinced that no matter how the meeting went Kumo would end up being the winners. A couple hours and huge revelation later, Kumo were the ones at a disadvantage. complete losers.

His village had been invaded. Their research had been compromised and A's father's statue had been defiled. Filled with indignation and determination to save his village A and his brother risked their well-being to return to Kumo the fastest way they knew.

They came with a propelled by a kinjutsu and fury. You could kill a man, but never disrespect him to that extent. To shame the dead, their heroes, their forefathers. They couldn't accept it. Couldn't tolerate it. Couldn't forgive it. So, the AB combo rushed home with a single goal in mind. Kill Hatake Kakashi. Salvage what was left of the pride and dignity of Kumo. Gain retribution for those before them.

When they arrived in Kumo they were met with a heart shattering reality. Pride could never win over power. No matter how inspired or willful a man was, in the face of a storm he could only pray to survive. Hatake Kakashi was like a storm. He gave them no time to gather their bearings. He struck hard and fast, dismantling Bee before he even knew what was happening.

It was as though he expected them to come when they did. Like he foresaw their arrivals and prepared for it ahead of them. With Bee restrained and out of the equation, the disorientated A could barely stand against Kakashi's onslaught. Powerful jutsu after powerful jutsu were unleashed on the raikage until he could bare no more.

As for Bee, he was left like a puppet without its strings. Knocked unconscious and suppressed before he could put up a fight.

Just like that Kakashi left. Disappearing into nothingness. He exited Kumo just as abruptly and effortlessly as he had entered it. With that, the most disgraceful day in Kumo's history officially ended.

"Please calm yourself raikage-sama." Mabui said from her perch, a safe corner in the office. One could never be too careful these days. The raikage had been in a foul mood all week.

A turned to glare at the woman briefly before snorting and looking away. No matter how angry he got he couldn't take it out on a subordinate that meant well. After all Mabui was one of the few that still had faith in him even after everything that happened. The woman was loyal.

The raikage grunted and made an inviting gesture, calling Mabui back to the table he thankfully hadn't succeeded in breaking. Unfortunately, he did succeed in making a mess of the report files that Mabui had worked so hard to compile. He felt a little bad in his heart. Of course he would never say such words out loud. He still had a reputation to keep.

Mabui wordlessly picked up the scattered sheets of paper from the floor and placed them back on the table. She did her best to return them to something near their former orderliness and was successful for the most part. If only she could retrieve the ones that had been pulverized by the raikage's powerful fist.

While Mabui went on with her work, A spoke out. "We sent out over a hundred operatives. A hundred of our best hunter nin, field investigators and trackers and we couldn't find even the slightest signs of Hatake?." His voice was filled with a mixture of frustration and dregs of anger.

"Do I need to hand this to the Daimyō's lot?." A said. He could guarantee that saying those words was as hard as swallowing his own tongue. He preferred to rely on Kumo's resources when he could and wasn't a fan of how the Daimyō operated. However, when you were stuck you were stuck.

A wasn't going to wallow in denial and petty pride and stop himself for enlisting the help of Daimyō if it meant finding Hatake Kakashi. Nothing was more important than it, nothing else took precedence.

"I doubt they'll have any luck. The Thunder Squad aren't exactly known for their tracking ability, and even if they were stellar in that field of practice, having witnesses who claim to see the man disappear as their only lead would be beyond challenging." Mabui said.

Multiple people had claimed to see Hatake Kakashi make his escape, and all of them claimed the man miraculously vanished into thin air. Not into a cloud of smoke or a swirl of leaves, but into thin air. Even the sensor nin amongst the witnesses claimed to be unable to feel Hatake Kakashi anywhere the village after he disappeared. A range that shunshin couldn't possibly traverse.

A frowned in memory of the witness reports. "You'd think the man was the Yellow Flash with the descriptions they've made." A said. As soon as the words left his mouth his eyes went wide. He turned to Mabui who wore an equally stunned expression. A's face suddenly turned stern. "No. Don't you dare say there's a possibility Hatake mastered his sensei's jutsu."

It sounded dumb but that was how he felt. The Hiraishin was easily the most formidable technique A had come across in his life. When Minato died he was more glad that Konoha had lost the Hiraishin rather than a Hokage. In his opinion that formula was worth two hokages... No, ten.

"It is possible though." Mabui said.

"Possible, but not likely." A crossed his arms across his chest as he spoke. "After the Yondaime hokage's death the hiraishin formula and all of Minato's fūinjutsu research were sealed away by his clan. Konoha had a meeting about it which stirred up quite a bit of ruckus. The Uzumaki vied for part-ownership, claiming one of their own had aided the Yondaime hokage in creating the seal and many others, but they were denied in the end." A explained.

Mabui was not surprised that A had such high level information on Konoha. He was the raikage after all, and it was to be expected that he had spies deployed to watch over the inner workings of Konoha. The same could be said about the other villages and even big clans. Having men in enemy territory was a no-brainer.

"If Namikaze Mina is still the same person my father said she was then I highly doubt that she would release the Hiraishin to him. If she would ever hand out her son's greatest achievement to anyone then it would be naturally a clan member." A said.

"Then her student should be our concern?." Mabui asked. Ironically she picked out the boy's file right when he was mentioned. She briefly went over it and clicked her tongue. 'How do they do it so consistently?.' Mabui asked herself. Konoha shinobi program was quite something, she had to admit.

"He's just a brat." A scoffed, waving off the thought that a twelve year old could be a threat to Kumo.

"The same was once said about you raikage-sama. Now you're the strongest in the village, our raikage and one of the greatest figures in our history." Mabui handed off the flattery with a flat expression. She wasn't trying to butter the man up. Everything she said were irrefutable facts.

A cupped his chin in thought before sighed. "Fine. Make sure to keep an eye on Mina's brat."

Mabui nodded. "Raikage-sama, when will you leave for the Shiōin compound?."

A scowled. "When did I say I was?!." A yelled. The mere mention of the surname made his stomach turn. 'A clan dedicated to protecting the people of Kaminari no Kuni'. What a load of crap. They stood back with their hands behind their backs while a foreigner threatened and disgraced their great village.

"I understand that raikage-sama is upset–"

"You have no idea how upset I am!. The Shiōin clan yet again did nothing in Kumo's hour of need. That wench, Yoruichi, stayed behind to have a chat with the enemy while one of their own had our village by the fucking balls!." A fumed.

Mabui bit her lip in nervousness. She was unsure of what to say to the raging S-rank shinobi. While the raikage never let his temper tantrums land any innocents in the hospital she wasn't willing to try his resolve. In the end Mabui could only meekly squeak out "The Shiōin are still the Daimyō's clan in the end, raikage-sama."

The words were enough to quell A's anger and silence him. The man still had a deep frown on his face though. "Unfortunately." He spat out in disdain.

The Daimyō was a Shiōin. Even without a member as the Daimyō the Shiōin were still easily the most influential clan in all of Kaminari no Kuni. Their reputation was huge, rivalling clans like the Senju and Uchiha. They were not a clan even a kage could overlook.

While other clans vied for power in the mineral rich sector of Kaminari no Kuni, which was now the land Kumo was erected on, the Shiōin spent their time amassing power. They focused on the less attractive areas in Kaminari no Kuni, prizing quality over quantity. Mines, farms, mills and ports, the Shiōin engaged in various businesses and trades and slowly worked up their wealth.

Before the other villages knew it the once average Shiōin clan were already a gargantuan. The profits they made, they reinvested in other businesses and their clansmen. They hired retired mercenaries that participated in the many bloody wars in Hi no Kuni to train their clansmen. They purchased slaves with high profile kekkai gekkai and integrated into their clans through any means possible.

The single goal; increase battle power.

In a short time the Shiōin clan had been completely transformed. They boasted of capable shinobi, had a wide range of influence in trade across the entire continent. The Shiōin blew far ahead of the other clans, it was as though they had no rivals. And they planned on keeping it that way.

In a single month, the Shiōin took advantage of their enormous wealth and influence to build an army that swept through the entire Kaminari no Kuni. All their former rivals and potential competitors were wiped out in a span of weeks. The Shiōin achieved hegemony through the great war.

The spoils of war?. Naturally it was the land the other clans had fought each other over for years. After all their efforts and the blood shed, the land fell into the hands of the ones surnamed Shiōin.

"The Shiōin are formidable. I don't mind asking for their assistance in finding Hatake. After all it's only normal for a kage to ask his Daimyō for assistance. However, going to that clan compound is a different story." A said adamantly. "I will not go to the house of the man that killed my father." A said firmly.

Mabui sighed. She could clearly see the determination in the man's eyes. She was sure that nothing short of Kumo's destruction could force the raikage to go running to the Shiōin compound. It was expected, and if she were in the man's shoes she wouldn't be reasonable enough to go on tolerating the Shiōin clan.

People often took it for granted due to his frequent outbreaks but the raikage's mental fortitude was something to behold.

"Understood, raikage-sama." Mabui said. She adjusted her glasses before going on. "Then we must find another means to learn about the mysterious S-rank in Konoha other than the Shiōin clan." Mabui said.

A nodded. He appreciated the woman's tact. She was smart. She knew when to give him to necessary push and reminder, when to bring him to his senses and tell him to look beyond his rage. Most importantly, she understood when to back off. "Shinji." A said. With the Shiōin out of the picture, there was only one other person he knew that could answer his questions.

There was the council as well. Certainly one of those old fogies would be able to tell him something of value. A wouldn't be meeting them though. He wasn't in the mood to deal with politics right now. He had to focus on Kumo.

After their humiliation in Konoha and Hatake Kakashi's actions, naturally there were people calling for his dismissal already. If not for his and his father's stellar war achievements, A was sure he would've already been kicked out of this office by now. The people had lost a great deal of faith in him, his shinobi too.

Finding out that the raikage had sanctioned something as low as kidnapping, and that under the guise of a treaty. It was a big blow to the people of Kumo. Though it was always fake, A had convinced the people of Kumo that a treaty with Konoha was what they needed.

Initially the people were in an outrage. All things considered Konoha was at its weakest, but instead of taking advantage of this and moving forward, the raikage wanted them to shake hands with Konoha?. They were in perhaps the best moment of their existence. They had a perfect jinchuriki, they lost their superman the third raikage but he quickly was replaced with his formidable son. They were rewarded with talent after talent for all. their years of perseverance. Things were finally shaping up for them.

So, the people of Kumo shot down the raikage's words. They called him all sort of names; a Konoha lover, undercover tree hugger, a disgrace, weak. There were shouts for a new raikage to be instated.

Such a thing would never happen of course.

It took A and his cabinet a lot of effort to finally convince the people that a pact with Konoha wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. It took a lot of time, a lot of public statements and a lot of deception but in the end they succeeded.

The news of Konoha's dirty deeds came. The public opinion did a complete 180 in a mere instant. The top supporters of the alliance with Konoha were on the raikage's neck. The people were furious.

'We knew this would happen.'

'That's what we get for trusting those Leaf bastards.'

'The raikage has shamed us.'

'War!. That's all we need to hear.'

'Konoha must pay.'

The people were outraged at the raikage's 'foolish' decision, yet they were united in their anger over Konoha. They cheered on the raikage's group as they set off to get retribution for their fallen.

Many Kumo shinobi didn't have an idea who Kay was, however they were willing to pick up arms and slaughter the entirety of Konoha for his sake.

A Kumo nin was a Kumo nin. A brother was a brother.

A's cabinet had chuckled over this in their free time. They had convinced even the hardest of Kumo nin that an alliance with Konoha was beneficial. Was the way forward. Everyone was convinced that they had made a mistake, that Konoha had disgraced them. How would they feel when they found out a few days later that everything was a ploy and now the Konoha they 'needed' had been trampled underfoot, the byakugan taken as the spoils of war?.

Safe to say the elders didn't get to find out how the people would feel about that.

Now, yet again, Kumo was calling for the head of the raikage. He was being cussed in the streets and there were already protests against his rule popping up everywhere. They wanted him out.

The shinobi council had earned more than a fair chunk of the blame in this. It was their idea to send in Yurui and a student of Doma. It was their thoughtlessness that led to the raikage miscalculating Konoha's military strength. No matter how irresponsible any of the elders could be, not one could say they didn't deserve blame with a straight face.

So they avoided A like the plague. He was a dependable raikage, with a rock like reliability. They could always lean on him. They were content with letting the mountain of a man weather this storm. When things blew over and the Kumo denizens were less bloodthirsty they would emerge from their havens.

A snorted at the thought of those old fools. They thought they were smart?. When things calmed down a bit he would make it his mission to teach them the importance of solidarity and loyalty.

Mabui crinkled her nose at the mention of Hirako Shinji. If she was being honest she found the man extremely disturbing. It was hard to believe such a person was one of the most iconic characters of their generation. "I'll send out a mission to fetch him–" Mabui began to say, but was interrupted by a person suddenly barging into the office.

"RAIKAGE-SAMA BIG NEWS!." A masculine voice yelled out. It was a blonde haired dressed man dressed in the traditional Kumo jonin flak jacket. A and Mabui immediately recognized him. as Jay. A hotblooded shinobi that A they both used to run errands. He was also the brother to one of the three kids Bee had taken as his understudies.

Regularly A would not waste words with the airhead and proceed to beat him to a pulp, however the sentence that left his lips was enough to put off any potential physical assault. A shared a look with Mabui before turning to the panting blonde. He obviously came here in a hurry.

"Report." A returned to his seat and said expectantly.

And it was. Jay took deep breaths before speaking. "Uzumaki Naruto has fled Konoha, raikage-sama!."

A and Mabui weren't sure what they were expecting, but it wasn't that. That boy, the same boy that they confirmed to be the kyuubi's container. The very one that scammed them so ruthlessly six months ago. The heir of the Uzumaki clan had fled Konoha?. The two could not even begin to fathom how it happened. How he was able to get passed all the high ranking shinobi, the ANBU, Konoha's security system...

Just how?.

So, the raikage asked. Jay wasted no time and unloaded all the information he received from one of the raikage's contacts. A man the raikage had him deal with many times.

A listened to the words of his shinobi. A couldn't call himself a cheerful person, but with every single word Jay said A could feel the urge to jump out of his seat and do dance his ass off increase. Who was the bitch that said karma was a bitch?. He wanted to find that person and beat them to death. Karma was a stunning damsel as far as A was concerned.

What a gift. Was it Christmas already?. His birthday?. A didn't know but he was in the celebratory spirit, no doubt. Though he would never admit it, A felt a great concern lingering in his heart whenever he thought of his promise to Uzumaki Naruto. The boy was just a child for the time being, but he would grow.

He potentially let a fully matured kyuubi container into his home with little to no restrictions. Though he could work around the level of surveillance, nothing could change the fact that he had potentially invited an S-rank enemy into their borders.

A was rightfully concerned. But now, lady luck had granted him the opportunity to right his wrongs. To wipe the slate clean. What better way to settle scores with Konoha than killing off their jinchuriki?. The deal with the boy would no longer stand if he was dead, would it?.

Still, A wasn't that much of a dirty bastard. He still valued his honour. He swore on the graves of his predecessors, and that meant a great deal to him. He couldn't in good conscience try to renege his deal with Naruto and plot to kill him behind his back.

"Jay." A started. The blonde jonin perked up. "Go have a drink with Himaya." A said.

At first Jay was confused at the raikage's words. He just havegave him such valuable information about Konoha, and he wanted him to go have a drink?. Was this a way of rewarding him for his good work?. Then it hit him. Almost immediately Jay's face split into a broad smile. "With immediate effect, raikage-sama." Jay said with a deep bow before disappearing in a burst of smoke.

Mabui watched the man leave, then turned to the raikage who was doing his paperwork in silence. There was a small smile on his face. Mabui turned away from and returned to her own work. Truly the raikage's intellect was overlooked. Using Himaya was nothing short of brilliant.

'Is this what they call killing with a borrowed knife?.' Mabui thought to herself.

Wherever the kyuubi container was he was in grave danger. The only question left to ask was how much longer he had left. The oldest disciple of the war legend Doma was coming for him.

Himaya was coming for him.

---

Night time

Naruto followed Aya a long distance into the woods in silence. They were already a good distance away from the small village they had met in. Naruto had questioned the girl continuously and was met with the same answer.

"This is where the person you want to meet is hiding."

At first Naruto had thought she was leading him into an ambush. Still he followed her without any hesitation. He doubted anybody in this obscure place could actually threaten him. He was bored anyway, and badly needed to fight somebody.

He envisioned his first mission as an eventful one, filled with twists and turns. He knew should maintain a low profile but it would be really great if somebody jumped him right about now.

Eventually Naruto was convinced the girl wasn't luring him into an ambush and was left sorely disappointed. No normal would lead a person for so long into an ambush. Unless of course Aya considered his arrogance and was hoping to take advantage of it?.

If dreams were horses.

After a few minutes of walking, Naruto and Aya found themselves in front of a small cave. The cave's opening was camouflaged by shrubs and greenery. It didn't stand out at all, and the blonde would have completely missed it if Aya hadn't led him directly to its mouth.

"In there?." Naruto asked. It was a question that he didn't need to ask. Surely Aya wouldn't lead him all the way to this cave if Bonnie wasn't there.

'Maybe it's an ambush?.' Kyuubi spoke out from Naruto's mindscape.

'Don't get my hopes up.'

Aya nodded affirmative to Naruto's question. The girl eyed the strange 'twelve year old' before leading him into the cave. Sometimes the boy seemed like a regular kid, like someone she could easily outsmart. Then there were moments he was like a different kind of person. No longer a child but a bloodstained shinobi.

'Is this guy really friends with the boss?.' Aya wondered.

Naruto felt his jaw drop the second they walked into the 'cave'. No, this couldn't be described as a mere cave. The exterior made it look like one of the most unremarkable caves out there but the interior was poles apart from what one would expect.

It was more of a secret underground facility than a cave. First and foremost, the space inside was several times bigger than what one would expect. The cave's interior had been graded, likely by a dōton jutsu. Though the techniques required to do this were not high ranked, it was clear whoever did this was quite skilled.

There were large pipes running through the top and sides of the wall. Naruto would assume they carried water if it were anyone else. If it was Bonnie then without a doubt those pipes were puffing full with crude. The pipes led to a large vibrating machine. The machine was visibly at work and would give off a loud humming sound if not for the privacy seals that were activated around it.

At another end there was an open space with a line of lockers, a boxing ring and some along with some weighs, a punching bag and other gym equipments.

Another thing that caught Naruto's eyes was a large tin box, what Naruto assumed to be a furnace in another corner of the cave. Around it were large tables carrying varieties of equipment and parts. Bonnie was seated behind one of the tables, dressed in a oil stained overall and welding goggles. She was using an angle grinder to smoothen out a large piece of metal.

She looked comical holding the large device in her small eyes. The goggles also appeared a size bigger. Naruto couldn't help but smile fondly at the sight of the girl.

"Bonnie!." Naruto yelled.

The loudness of an angle grinder at work could not be underestimated. For Naruto and Aya, they couldn't hear much thanks to the privacy seal that drowned out the sound. But from Bonnie's side it was as noisy as ever. She hadn't heard them coming, and was so engrossed in her work she hadn't realized that someone came in.

It wasn't a surprise that Bonnie was caught by surprise. The girl yelped in panic, mistakenly throwing the still active angle grinder into the air. Whether still out of fear of the sudden intruder or the spinning blade falling straight towards her head, Bonnie yelled at the top of her lungs again.

Fortunately for her where she panicked Naruto stayed calm. The Uzumaki heir swiftly moved into action and speared the girl out of the way of the descending spinning blade.

Krrriiinng

Sounds of metals tearing into metal and sparks flew indiscriminately as the edged side of the blade landed squarely on the metal Bonnie was working on.

"Boss!." Came Aya's belated scream as Naruto and Bonnie tumbled together, knocking down a few of Bonnie's 'toys' in the process.

Naruto made sure to wrap his arms protectively around the girl just in case. The last thing he wanted was for her to break something. Fortunately for them, neither of them appeared to have sustained any injuries.

Aya rushed to the two. Her eyes were filled with concern, clearly for one party alone. Naruto groaned, feeling a good deal of pain in his back. That wasn't his cleanest landings all things considered. He quickly looked down to see if Bonnie was fine, and if the goofy grin she had on her face was any indication, she was.

"Boss, you saved my life!." Bonnie said.

Her voice was so excited that Naruto begun to wonder if she was the same person who just had a close brush with death. It was normal for her to be appreciative, but in Naruto's eyes it seemed as though she was more happy to be saved by him rather than to be saved.

Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but he was beaten to the punch by the single teen in the vicinity. "That was too close!. You were too careless!." Aya berated.

Naruto let go of Bonnie (much to her dismay) and adjusted himself to a sitting position. He nodded in agreement with Aya's words. "She's right you know." Naruto said.

"I am. But I wasn't talking to boss, I was talking to you!." Aya said, leveling an accusatory finger at the whiskered teen.

Naruto blinked. 'Huh?.' Now he was confused. "What do you mean me?. I'm the one who just saved her life." Naruto said. He was taken off-guard by the girls words. Since when did people get scolded for saving lives?. On the other hand he was a little surprised at how fearlessly the girl was speaking to him now. He could have sworn he put the fear of Kami in her not too long ago.

"Of course you!." Aya snapped. Trust a shinobi to ruin things. They were just trouble, the whole lot of them. "Who goes interrupting a scientist when they're using dangerous equipment?." Aya demanded. "Didn't you see she was working, don't you know not to yell in a lab you brat."

Naruto's expression twisted into a scowl "Who are you calling a brat you street trash–"

"Okay okay okay, everybody calm down." Bonnie quickly intervened when she saw that Naruto was genuinely offended by the girl's accusations and insults. She swiftly placed herself between the two. "As you both can see I'm perfectly fine so there's no need to fight over whose fault this is." Bonnie said.

Aya opened her mouth to argue but Bonnie raised a hand to stop her. "Drop it Aya." Bonnie said in a rare serious tone. The older girl gritted her teeth in annoyance but did as she was told. "I'm sure he probably didn't tell you about himself, but this guy is the one who funded all my experiments." Bonnie said, gesturing to Naruto who still looked like he was ready to kill.

Clearly he didn't like being called a brat.

Aya's eyes went wide. She had to do a double take of the blonde now revealed to be a rich kid. All he looked like to her at first was a dumb kid, then a bloodthirsty shinobi after the ordeal with Sunny and Bobo. Now she really looked him she could find the subtle indication of a high society child in his appearance.

He dressed in plain looking clothes and his hair was seemingly unkempt, however that was just how he looked on the surface. The quality of the clothes were probably something he considered poor, but in these parts they were reserved for the rich alone. Nobody would waste fine material like that making plain shirts and shorts. Unless they were astronomically wealthy. His skin was a tinsy bit tanned, and one would assume it was due to being constantly exposed to the sun. However, on closer observation she could make out the near flawless smoothness of Naruto's skin, the lack of any blemish or scars made it clear that he took very good care of his body. A luxury a regular person wouldn't have time for. The tone was evenly tan, it was natural and not due to the sun.

As for his 'wild' hair. While the locks were without a doubt looked untidy, that fair bright color of his hair told her that this guy ate very well and fed his hair just as well. The wildness must have been a natural thing.

Aya was left to wonder what a kid rich enough to sponsor a genius like Bonnie was doing in these parts. Also, she was under the impression that all these rich kids were pampered brats that only knew how to get themselves into trouble and needed somebody to protect them at all times. Naruto was completely different. He appeared to be a lot more mature, responsible and was plenty strong enough to protect himself from the look of things.

Aya couldn't help but see the blonde boy in a different light after Bonnie said those words.

"You too boss. Aya is someone I'm fond of so don't bully her." Bonnie said.

Naruto eyed Bonnie and then Aya but said nothing. Thankfully, the murder in his eyes considerably lessened.

Bonnie wasn't sure whether the silence was a good or bad thing. The girl scratched her head. She could never tell with her boss. The guy was unpredictable. "Uh, so when did you get here?." Bonnie asked.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the freckled girl. "I was supposed to arrive here today, just like you were supposed to wait for me in the village and were supposed to keep a low profile." Naruto said with a glare.

Bonnie shrunk back like a turtle hiding inside its shell. "Uh..." The girl started, unsure of what to say in response to the blonde. 'I definitely can't say I lost track of time. Boss is a hardass when it comes to scheduling.' Bonnie thought.

Unfortunately for her, Naruto wasn't even close to done chewing her out. "Go on, lie to me that you're not doing anything that'll draw attention." Naruto said. Bonnie gulped and looked away nervously. That confirmed it. "For starters, what the fuck is all this?." Naruto gestured at the oddities in the cave. Naruto then pointed at the ground. "This place." His hand waved to point at Aya. "This common street thief."

"Hey–"

"Shut up Olivia Twist." Naruto hushed the teenage girl. He regarded Bonnie once again. "And don't you dare say you connected with her you two have similar backgrounds."

Bonnie adjusted her goggles with a crooked smile. "Funny as it is, that's exactly how it went." Naruto rolled his eyes at the girl. "No, for reals boss. I'm serious." Bonnie said. "I'm hanging around with Aya because we're alike and I wanna help her. You know a thing or two about helping the poor and–" Bonnie started with a smile but was swiftly interrupted by Naruto.

The blonde wore a dry expression as he spoke. "I helped you out because you have value to me. Futuristic value. You are a genuis, a once in a lifetime mechanical mad scientist and I plan on taking full advantage of that big brain of yours to make us millions. We both know that." Naruto said. Bonnie deflated a little bit but smiled at the last part of his sentence. Naruto ignored her then turned to glare at Aya. The girl wore an expression of a harassed bystander. "This one however has no value. There's nothing marketable about a pickpocket with dreadlocks."

'He's such a dick.' Aya thought.

Bonnie quickly shook her head. "Not true boss. Aya has a lot of qualities. She's really good at recon and can get you info on anything you want to know about in this place." Bonnie argued.

"This place is a dump." Naruto said bluntly. "What could possibly be here that I'd want?." Bonnie opened her mouth to speak, but he didn't give her the chance. "Nothing. That's what." Naruto declared. "The plan Bonnie, was to stop here so we could meet up, before hightailing for our main destination, which need I remind you is frigging countries away from here!."

"You don't need to re–"

"Silence." Naruto hushed. "Now, I've already wasted a day looking for your freckled butt. I won't waste another minute playing whatever the heck this is with a street thief and Sunny and Bobo the clowns." Naruto declared. They were already behind schedule. The more they wasted time the more dangerous it was.

By now news of him leaving Konoha must have already reached rival villages. Naruto wasn't foolish enough to think his status as wakate of the Uzumaki clan would protect him and Bonnie in the real world, nor was he naïve to to the point of believing he could take on whatever the villages threw at him.

Assassins would definitely be coming his way. And regardless of who the sandaime and his obassan sent to protect him, he would undoubtedly be placed in situations where he had to fend for himself. Worse, he would have to protect Bonnie in the process as well. Realistically there was hardly anything he could do if jonin were sent to claim his head, so the game way avoid and evade.

He was itching for a fight, so he wouldn't shy away from tussling with chunnins, but if a jonin came his way he would have no choice but to run. So it was imperative that they didn't lingering around in one position in one place. That would only increase the number of enemies tracking him.

Bonnie didn't have all the facts, but she knew that Naruto wasn't the kind to blow things out of proportion. When he showed concern then it was likely that something deeply concerning was lurking in the shadows.

Bonnie was the same. Which was why she still rose to argue with the blonde. Something she hardly ever did. "I know you have your concerns boss, but you have to hear me out. We can't leave yet!." Bonnie insisted.

"Concerns?. They're a little more than that." Naruto scoffed. "This conversation is over. I won't even ask how you built this place so fast. Get your stuff. Carry only what you need. We're leaving." Naruto said with an air of finality.

Aya watched in horror as the blonde proceeded to gather a few of Bonnie's things and threw them into a seal. The dread head turned to Bonnie, only to find that the girl wore a reluctant but helpless expression. She looked like a wife that had been told to drop a matter prematurely by her husband.

Severely unwilling but not daring to contradict.

Aya knew that if she stood back and watched then everything would be over. Her friends, her family, those she lost. She wouldn't be able to do anything for them. Much like how Bonnie was feeling right now, Aya felt helpless not so long ago. Faced against the reality of her situation she unwilling to concede to incapable to overcome.

Everything changed when this blonde genius walked into town. Aya couldn't lose her. Not now. Not yet. So, the girl who knew to be afraid of shinobi and to avoid them like a plague suddenly tackled the whiskered shinobi by her side.

"You won't take boss away!." Aya yelled in desperation. Her hands wildly swung at the blonde boy, a both fearful and thoughtless attempt to beat him up.

Bonnie watched the scene with an incredulous expression. Never in her life did she expect to run into a civilian that was gutsy enough to tackle her boss into the ground like that. The girl didn't stop there either. From the looks of it, she was trying really hard to beat him.

Bonnie burst into laughter. For some reason she felt really good watching this. Maybe she carried some lingering annoyance for her boss in her heart without even knowing it. He deserved this 'beat down'.

Naruto never expected that his attempts to take Bonnie away would inspire a civilian to try to take him down. Naturally, Naruto could have easily avoided that tackle if he wanted but he didn't. He had no idea why he didn't.

Whatever the reason, that was why he was just laying there like a log while Aya tearfully unleashed a flurry of blows on him. Naruto only avoided her strikes when she aimed for the face, everything else he left to land. The girls blows didn't hurt so much, compared to the ones he'd take in spars with his clansmen. Or at all if compared to Anko's punches. Still, it wasn't fun being punched no matter what.

'Why am I lying here and letting a civvie beat the snot outta me like some idiot?.' Naruto wondered.

'Maybe it's because you feel like you deserve it.' Kyuubi supplied. 'Let's be honest you were being a dick.'

'...I guess.' Naruto admitted.

'A royal ass wipe if you ask me.' Kyuubi snickered.

'Hey, watch it.'

Naruto wasn't going to lie to himself and say he hadn't acted very insensitive towards Aya's and Bonnie's feelings. He couldn't say he cared anything for the girl but common courtesy demanded that he showed her at least the appropriate level of respect. He hadn't.

He wrongfully took out his annoyance at the people in the town on her. Intimated and bullied her into leading him to Bonnie then wanted to toss her aside like used goods. Naruto knew in his heart that that was not okay. And while many people in his life would not care if he acted that way towards a civilian, he could count multiple other important people to him that wouldn't appreciate his attitude towards Aya.

Hinata, Yūgao, the Sandaime, Tate and Eri most definitely wouldn't be impressed with this side of him.

Naruto sighed. Damn his guilty conscience. He looked up at Aya with a calm expression. The girl had straddled him so she could hit him better, and finally the blows had stopped. She panted heavily, struggling to control her breathing. Though she was glaring at him, Naruto could make out the fear and dread in her eyes.

"You done?." Naruto asked in a level voice. Though he was the one who had gotten beaten Aya ended up looking more disheveled than him. There wasn't even a bruise on him.

"I..." Aya panted. She didn't know what to say.

"You wanna get off?." Naruto asked.

Aya stared at the blonde momentarily before getting off him. A lot was running through her mind right now. She stole glances at the blonde who was now dusting himself. Bonnie had gone to help him up.

Despite her valiant attacks, he didn't appear to be the least bit damaged. Aya sighed. That was just the way with shinobi. They were different.

Aya wondered what was going through Naruto's mind. She had just assaulted him, though he hadn't suffered any injury from it. From what she'd seen from shinobi, they weren't exactly the kind and forgiving type. Though most wouldn't let her straddle and punch them to her heart's content, Naruto was still a shinobi and should he decide to get revenge there was little to nothing she could do.

"Tell me about what's going on in this place, and what it has to do with those two clowns we met in the alley." Naruto suddenly spoke out.

Aya blinked. She wasn't sure what she was expecting the blonde to say, but it most definitely wasn't anything on those lines. "Huh?." Aya said dumbly.

Naruto casually brushed the dirt from his hair with the aid of Bonnie who had a big smile on her face. "Your problems. Spit 'em out." Naruto said. However, Aya still regarded him with a confused expression. He sighed.

"The way your village is was completely off from the descriptions I read in books. While, that may mostly be on the author's account, I have a strong belief that other elements were at play in the issue. Plainly put that place is a dump. Just stepping in there I caught sight of multiple crimes taking place. Drugs, theft, prostitution, child abuse and even murder." Naruto said. Aya's face turned downcast but she didn't interrupt him. What he was saying was an unarguable truth.

Naruto nodded. At least now the teen was on the same page as him. Naruto waved off Bonnie who was taking much longer than necessary fixing his collar. The blonde strode over to a table and hopped on a free space on it. He ignored Bonnie's shouts of 'careful'.

"Though I didn't spend much time in the place, it's pretty small so I should've at least seen a law enforcement agent or at least something relating to one. I didn't. That makes it obvious that there's definitely something up with this place. A land without the law to organize and control it would've already imploded by now. That place hasn't. Though it isn't in the best of states, it's still surviving."

Naruto's eyes lit up passionately. He enjoyed moments like these. Where he was able to show off his analytic capabilities. He couldn't do it so often since he only solved tough cases in the presence of his obassan, and the woman was a great deal more intelligent than he was.

"–Nothing can survive without order." Naruto continued. "Chaos and crime are a necessity of life, but all they do is kill and destroy. Without order, society can not be sustained and will eventually crumble." Naruto said, making a gesture of things crumbling.

Bonnie giggled at the blonde's hand movements. He looked so unnaturally passionate. She didn't know he was passionate about anything other than fūinjutsu. She found this side of him very cute.

Aya didn't share Bonnie's thoughts of Naruto's cuteness. She was instead shocked by his perceptiveness. A twelve year old with this level of observation and analytic prowess?. Who could walk into a place and get a complete grasp of it's situation. It was freakish to say the least.

'I guess it should be expected. Boss is a freak so it'd be weird if he friend wasn't freaky.' Aya thought.

Naruto had no clue what was going through the minds of the two girls and continued. "Since your town is still standing then I assume there's something taking the place of the law to maintain order." Naruto said. Aya's face dropped to a frown as soon as the words left his lips. "Judging from your expression you're not a big fan of whoever this person is."

Aya growled at the mere thought of the person. "His name is Zankoku." Aya spat out the name with venom. "He came into our Shirubāsheru (Silver Shell) village about two years ago. He came under the guise of a doctor during a disease outbreak in our village that left our doctors helpless. As you'd expect the people were extra welcoming and respectful to him. Who would've guessed, Zankoku was a miracle doctor –" Aya said with a snort.

"Miracle doctor?." Naruto raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"She means a nin that practices iryōjutsu. A medical nin." Bonnie explained.

Naruto mouthed a silent 'oh' before gesturing Aya to continue. The girl nodded and did so.

"Zankoku tackled the plague swiftly, and as you'd expect my people were a very appreciative of him for this. Just few days after entering the town he instantly became a man of great importance. The elites of the village clamoured in front of his home, seeking his medical expertise. There were even people who called him a divine creature. They believed he was an angel sent by the heavens to save us from certain calamity." Aya said, shaking her head at those people's foolishness.

"With Zankoku's medical superiority, it didn't take long for him to put the village hospital out of business. Zankoku made the people believe he was a noble man, he refused to cater to the needs of the village's elites though they offered him huge sums of ryō. He conned everyone into believing he was a good person."

"It didn't take long before the hospital itself had to lower their heads to kiss Zankoku's feet. They surrendered control over all their facilities, workers and budget with hope that Zankoku would take Shirubāsheru's medical centre to the next level."

"That didn't happen. It turned out that was exactly what Zankoku was gunning from the onset. With the village's people and parliament on his side, Zankoku could act liberally. He was an unofficial leader of Shirubāsheru just a few months of stay. The people were so in love with him they didn't even see it from his subtle actions that he had other motives."

"First it started with making medical care free for orphans and street kids. Then he led and operation to 'clean Shirubāsheru of crime' and take the children off the streets. Those idiots... they praised him for his 'kind and loving heart', gave awards and honours in his name too. While they were licking his booth, that bastard was shipping off children to his lab where he experimented on them."

Aya gritted her teeth in anger. "That monster made my people capture their own in broad daylight and without knowing it sent them off to be prod and tortured."

Bonnie comfortingly placed a hand on Aya's shoulder. The girl turned to give her a smile and a nod. An indication that she was alright.

"After a while some elders caught on with Zankoku's true motives. After the kids were retrieved nobody had any idea where they were sent to. Zankoku claimed it was a safe haven that he had erected before he came to Shirubāsheru, however, refused to tell anyone where it was. A few under the book investigations later, those elders found out what Zankoku had been doing over the months."

"They wanted to expose him, but were fearful of the instability telling the villagers the village's Head Doctor was a psychopath who experimented on children would cause. So, instead they hired an assassin to take him out. They figured the assassination of the Head Doctor would be a better way of riding Shirubāsheru of its malignant tumor. That way even after his death the village would still be united, more so to find the 'traitor' amongst them."

Naruto nodded. There was sense in such an endeavor, however things could easily go sour if a scapegoat wasn't presented in due time. Likely those elders understood it and were willing to sacrifice either themselves or somebody else to give the masses a swift 'justice' for the death of their hero.

"The elders were too full of themselves. They saw Zankoku's true personality yet still looked down on him as a mere doctor. When they realized that Zankoku had never been the naïve doctor he made himself out to be it was already too late. Their assassin was caught and I assume tortured into giving up their identities since Zankoku immediately went after them after it."

Naruto rubbed his chin in thought. The elders made the rookie mistake of not using a middleman when hiring a hitman. That in itself made them deserving of death as far as Naruto was concerned. They were way too careless for the title they gave themselves. "They were foolish to meet the assassin in person. I'm guessing Zankoku made the assassination attempt on him public knowledge and used that to usurp the position of those in power."

Aya blink. What an accurate guess. 'Is it that he's just that smart, or what do they call it...?. Like minds think alike?. Damn it Aya, don't think like that. Don't make the scary shinobi that's friends with boss an enemy in your mind.' Aya scolded herself. "That's very perceptive shinobi-sama. That's actually what Zankoku did, how did you guess?."

Naruto realized that he hadn't given the teen his name. "Name's Naruto." He said. He wasn't going to have anyone calling him shinobi-sama. "How did I guess?. Well I just thought, 'what would I do?'."

Aya sweatdropped. 'I was right, he and Zankoku are like minds!.' Aya thought. This troubled her a little. If the blonde wasn't connected to Bonnie then she would already be considering killing him with poison by now. The last thing Shirubāsheru needed was a another Zankoku. However, despite her suspicions towards Naruto she could still see the advantages of having someone like Zankoku on Shirubāsheru's side.

Since Naruto saw things from the same angle as Zankoku, then Aya could use him to get a better understanding of the man and perhaps predict his next move?. "What other things can Naruto-sama guess?." Aya asked with badly hidden expectation.

Naruto smirked. He could easily read the girl's thoughts from her expression and eyes. He knew she was suspicious of him and to tell the truth he was glad for it. This at the very least meant Aya was competent, and that meant Bonnie didn't pick her friends carelessly. "Not much. Tell me, after taking over the village, did Zankoku lead a witch hunt on the parliament?."

Aya was left disappointed by Naruto's first words, but quickly put it aside to answer his question. "No really. He probed them, but aside from the two elders that he exposed, the rest of the old bags are still out there. They're still in their original political positions too." Aya said. Now she thought about that, it sounded a little odd.

"I see. Then we can assume that Zankoku has no experience with running a village." Naruto deduced. "He likely left them in power because he knew without them Shirubāsheru would collapse and he wouldn't be able to get a steady supply of test subjects anymore."

Aya's crinkled her nose at Naruto's words. The way he said 'test subjects' sounded too casual, too unsympathetic and emotionless. It was like he was talking about rats and rabbits and not actual human beings.

"Another question." Naruto said, not minding the judgement in Aya's eyes. Now wasn't the time for emotions, he was working. "Did Zankoku execute the two elders publicly?."

Aya didn't understand why that was relevant. She shook her head in response.

"Was it confirmed that they were dead?." Naruto asked. Aya opened her mouth to speak but he stopped her before she could. "Before you answer that think about it really carefully. Don't let what Zankoku told the people define the reality of Shirubāsheru. We've already established he's a liar."

Aya went silent. Naruto was right, Zankoku was a liar. Most of everything he said were lies. Perhaps the only truthful thing he said were his first words coming into town.

'Let me through, I'm a doctor.'

Aya thought about it for a moment before answering. "Zankoku told the public that the two elders were caught trying to cross the border and were killed by patrol officers. He claimed he already informed the Daimyō of their deeds and had an official bounty put on them." Aya explained. "I believed it cuz one of my sources confirmed that the elders rushed out of the village the very night of Zankoku's failed assassination."

Naruto nodded. That was an understandable reason. "What do you think now?."

Aya narrowed her eyes. "It's suspicious. Zankoku claimed they were caught trying to cross the border, but if the elders could flee our tiny village without alerting anyone why would they have issues avoiding patrol bums?."

Naruto chuckled. He could confirm that the patrol officers were indeed bums. Not that he could blame them. It was nigh impossible to safeguard such a large amount of space. Even with various watch towers across the borders they would still be hard-pressed to guard the whole thing.

"Not to mention why would the Daimyō care about our tiny Shirubāsheru?. Also I didn't see any bodies so..." Aya added.

Naruto nodded in approval. "Then the second thing we can assume is that Zankoku kept those elders alive. Possibly so he could find out who else was plotting against him. I highly doubt the elders would keep such information about Zankoku to themselves. Yet they were the only one's who attempted to stop him. This leads me to believe that they were either elected by the rest of the cabinet to do so, or were the only ones with the guts to make a move, or..." Naruto trailed off. "You're not gonna like how this sounds." He said to Aya. "It's possible that they didn't tell anyone else actually..."

Aya raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I thought you said there's no way they would do that?."

"I said I doubted it. I never ruled it out. It's careless to rule out any hypothesis from the start before coming to a final conclusion." Naruto wagged his finger at the teen as he spoke. "I saved this one for last, cuz like I said, you ain't gonna like how this sounds."

Aya frowned. That again?. What exactly was he suspicious of that would make a cold hearted shinobi like him show concern?. "What are your suspicions Naruto-sama?." Aya asked. It was like he said. No hypothesis could be ignored.

Naruto sighed. "You said the people even aided Zankoku in his fake 'save the children' movement?."

"Yes."

"Who exactly did?." Naruto asked.

"A few of our leaders. They were under the impression that they were saving those kids." Aya explained.

"And those two elders suspicions started from that point in particular." Naruto said.

"Yes." Aya confirmed. 'Where is he taking this?.' She wondered.

Naruto saw the confusion in Aya's eyes. "Haven't you seen the connection?." He asked. The girl looked even more confused by his words. Naruto turned to Bonnie in expectation. The blonde had the urge to facepalm. "Zankoku might be the devil in your eyes, but he's still one man. No matter how evil he is, he can't encompass the sky with one hand. He would need helpers." Naruto said.

Aya still didn't get it. "He has goons. People like Sunny and Bobo."

Naruto shook his head. "I ain't talking about goons." Naruto said. "If you want to ship off children to a make-believe haven, then you're gonna need a lot more than just the muscle to do it. No matter how popular he is, Zankoku has only been in your village for two years. There's no way the elders would put the lives of so many citizens in his hands without a bit of assurance." Naruto said.

His expression turned a shade darker. "At the very least one or two members of the village's council should have gone to confirm if the conditions of living in the mystery place was to an acceptable level. Since the haven never existed then those members likely–"

"Lied." Aya completed in a hollow voice. She could see things clearly now. Everything made more sense. She always found it curious how easily Zankoku managed to convince the council to sanction each and every of his operations and projects. It must have been quite easy when he had allies hidden in the council.

"They were in on it." Aya said. Of course they were. The council men and women, were they ever good people?. Did they not take advantage of the masses to enrich themselves?. They were never noble. They were never decent. They were never good. So why should she be surprised?. 'Why didn't I think of this sooner?.' Aya asked herself.

It was not like she wasn't suspicious. She was always suspicious, always paranoid. That was what got her so far So, why?. Why did she give the assholes that had failed the village time and time again the benefit of the doubt. They would do anything for a quick buck. Anything for benefits. They were snakes. That was just their personality. So why?.

Why lie to herself?.

Why pretend?.

Why?.

'Don't tell me... I...' Aya trembled. 'I was so stupid...' She clutched her mouth to stop the sound from coming out. 'To believe in you, I was so stupid...' Aya's knees trembled and buckled. She fell to her knees. Tears streamed down her cheeks. It was as though a dam had been broken in her eyes. '...Why did I believe that we were all on the same side?. Why did I believe that we wouldn't stoop so low to selling off our own people?.'

"I'm s-so stupid..." Aya wailed out. It hurt. She never trusted anyone of them, but it still hurt. She never had faith in them, but there was still a searing pain in her heart. Finding out your friends and loved ones had been sold off by the very people that swore an oath to protect their lives and interests. It...

Words couldn't describe.

Naruto patted Aya's back lightly. "I and Bonnie will be outside." He really sucked at consoling people he wasn't close to. He was at a loss on what to say to make the girl feel better. All he could do was find out more about the situation so he they could take Zankoku as swiftly as possible.

He didn't think Zankoku or whoever he had with him could stand in his way should he decide to lead a massacre this night, but that would not be an acceptable end to Aya's and Shirubāsheru tragedy. He could see it from the girl's eyes that she didn't want Zankoku to be remembered as a hero by the people of Shirubāsheru.

She wanted him exposed.

Naruto planned on doing exactly that. He wasn't a noble person, far from it. But there was just something about seeing a woman cry that didn't sit well with him. He had an unexplainable urge to console Aya, and since he didn't know how he would at least give her the retribution she wanted.

Naruto dragged Bonnie out of the cave, leaving Aya to her tears and thoughts. She needed some time to gather herself.

As soon as the two were outside, Naruto dropped the henge and his expression turned stone serious. When Bonnie saw this, the concerned look she had on her face while he pulled her away from Aya disappeared.

"I have several questions. Answer them honestly." Naruto said.

His voice sounded a lot more immature, but for some odd reason Bonnie found it more intimidating.

"I would never lie to you boss." Bonnie assured.

Naruto nodded. He valued Bonnie for two things. The first her brain, and the second her loyalty. He knew she would never turn on him and that was why he felt at ease trusting her with so many things.

"Who is she?, she looks like a street kid yet knows so much." Naruto asked. It was beyond strange how much Aya knew. And the way she talked so intimately about people in the high places of Shirubāsheru was suspicious. Why would a street child speak of the village's leaders with so much familiarity?.

"She's the daughter of the former ruler of Shirubāsheru. He was lost to the plague along with Aya's mother and three siblings. She was the only survivor. One of the elders took her in as a ward, that's how she was able to keep track of everything happening in Shirubāsheru." Bonnie explained.

"If she's the ward of a council member and the daughter of the late ruler, why is she posing as a street kid?." Naruto asked.

"After the death of her father, the elder that took her in was wary that the late ruler's competitors would try to use her to springboard themselves to the seat. So, he faked Aya's death and lied that she died along with her family in the plague. He hired a shinobi to place a henge on her and changed her name. It was Aya who decided on the transformation and to pose as a street kid. Her reason, I'm not entirely sure."

Naruto stroked his chin. 'Casting a long lasting henge on something... That's quite the skill. I wonder who the shinobi was.' Naruto thought. He nodded at Bonnie, he was satisfied with her answers. "The plague huh..." Naruto murmured.

"Huh?." Bonnie said.

"It's nothing. Second question. How did you build this place so fast?."

Bonnie smiled. "Actually boss, most of what's in there was already pre-made in Konoha." Bonnie puffed her chest out in pride. "Boss, you surely didn't think all I did for the past months was try to work out a formula for your super metal, did you?."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the girl. She was always looking for an opportunity to brag. She more than earned her bragging rights so he couldn't even stop her without sounding like a hater.

"Aya's lot helped me assemble most of it. The interior was done by a shinobi I met on the way to Shirubāsheru. I helped him out with some cash at an inn and he ended up owing me a favor." Bonnie explained.

Naruto shrugged, not really caring about the doton user. If there was anyone from the stories he wanted to meet it was the shinobi that cast a two year and still going henge on Aya. Compared to it, the henge he learnt from the Kyuubi was complete and utter trash.

'Ungrateful!.' Kyuubi said and clicked its tongue.

Naruto ignored the beast. He watched Bonnie continue to rant about how easy it was for her to 'set up shop' here before waving the girl to calm down. "Final question." Naruto's face turned serious once more. "Why are you really helping Aya, Bonnie?." Naruto asked.

The smile on Bonnie's face turned wry. 'Plain 'ol boss. Can't fool him.' Bonnie thought. Naruto could see through her, like he could most people. He got q grasp of her personality in a few days and after then Bonnie couldn't say she knew somebody who knew her better than Naruto did.

Since Naruto knew her he could tell she was not necessarily a nice person.

Bonnie claimed that she wanted to help Aya because they were alike, and while that was true to an extent, it was not the main reason why she was so adamant about aiding Aya. True, she was a street kid, but that was exactly why she shouldn't be that much sympathetic of Aya's situation.

Aya was a former princess-like character that lived a lavish life. She only recently had to play the role of a homeless street kid, and even that was fake. She had a wealthy caretaker behind her until recently. She was never truly one of 'them'.

Even if she was, Bonnie wasn't the extra sympathetic kind that would just help people out of the goodness of her heart and nothing more. No. She grew up with nothing and no-one. She had learnt long ago that you had to be getting something out of anything you did, good or bad, else that thing would have no meaning.

At the very least to yourself.

So, when Naruto asked her that question she didn't take offense. It was to be expected that she had ulterior motives for helping Aya.

"There's uranium in Shirubāsheru's territory." Bonnie answered. Naruto's eyes went wide momentarily, but he didn't say anything. "I don't think they've notice it, since it's the chakra infused type that's dark brown and they mistake 'em for common rocks, but it's there. I'm sticking around cuz I wanna make a machine that can mine and process it, and a nuclear reactor so I can harness it's energy for my future experiments." Bonnie said bluntly. "The only way that's possible is if I win favor with Aya. If I can rid them of Zankoku, then I can take a piece of land I confirmed is the richest in uranium in this parts that was owned by her father."

Bonnie spoke with a level expression. Even though she was aware that she plotting to take advantage of another's tragedy to make a gain. She didn't appear to be bothered by the thought. Naruto eyed her briefly before smiling lightly.

"I'm happy you didn't lie." Naruto said. He didn't fixate on the wrongness of stopping one inhumane experiment to conduct your own. While Bonnie's wasn't nearly as terrible as Zankoku's, if she did build a nuclear plant here then the whole of Shirubāsheru would be in danger of radiation poisoning. Without a doubt Bonnie would tell them this, conveniently after the deal had been struct, the facility built and the land poisoned. That way they wouldn't be able to evict her and would be the ones forced to relocate. Then Bonnie would not only gain the most uranium concentrated area in the territory of Shirubāsheru, but all the uranium in their territory.

It was a dastardly brilliant plan. No casualties. No lying. Just a bit of secrecy and deception could potentially win them billions in profits. Not to mention it was frightening what a genius like Bonnie could achieve with processed uranium powder.

"What's the atomic number of this chakra infused uranium?." Naruto asked. He wasn't a chemistry genius but he knew a bit. The atomic number was the main reason why uranium was so valuable.

Bonnie's expression turned excited in an instant. "You won't believe it boss, it's so much better than the other types. It's a whooping 102 boss!. It's madness that this thing can still undergo fission, madness I tell ya!. Perfectly matched protons and electrons, a hundred and two a piece, insanely higher neutrons than the regular uranium 235. This baby has 153 all in a single cell. So much energy just waiting for me it exploit." Bonnie said. She was practically bouncing on her feet. "It's the frigging god of fuel. If I can process this bad boy then the possibilities are limitless!. I can become... everything!."

Bonnie went on ranting without cease. She gave all sort of explanations, all in terms that Naruto could barely understand. All he heard were numbers. Though he couldn't process what Bonnie was trying to convey he could see the enthusiasm in her eyes. So, Naruto made no attempt to stop her and attentively listened to her words with a small smile on his face. If his friend was happy then he was happy.

---

Next Day

Uzumaki/Uzuki clan compound

Kurenai stood in front of the gates of the Uzumaki compound and took a deep breath. From the outside the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan didn't appear as illustrious as it usually was. Which was to be expected when numbers of Inuzuka basically camped here throughout the day and night. Kurenai would be surprised if the front of the Uzumaki/Uzuki compound didn't look this bad.

'The Inuzuka didn't hold back, they really gave it to this place.' Kurenai thought.

Despite her thoughts, Kurenai's still held the place in a high regard. Appearances weren't always everything, and it wasn't like the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan compound was always in this state. This was a rarity caused by a chain of events. Kurenai understood that the shinobi living within this compound weren't the common kind that you could find anywhere.

Fūinjutsu users were rare. More so fūinjutsu users on the level of the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan. Aside from, perhaps the Namikaze they didn't exist a single other clan that could claim to be on equal footing with the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan in terms of fūinjutsu.

Even compared to the Namikaze the Uzumaki/Uzuki still slightly edged them in present time and were levels ahead historically. No fūinjutsu specialist had come close to the founding fathers of the Uzumaki. Not even the awe inspiring Minato Namikaze could be said to be on equal footing as those men of legend. Then there came the era of the Uzumaki women. Powerful and wise women in the calibre of Uzumaki Mina, Uzumaki Mito and Uzumaki Kotohime proved that the skill of an Uzumaki was ingrained the blood and not the sex.

Currently the Uzumaki was a shadow of its former glorious self. They had come a long way from a mighty clan-village with multiple Seal Masters to a joint clan existing within another great village. The Uzumaki had fallen.

And yet, despite their deterioration they still managed to make strides in the shinobi world. They still maintained the title of supreme in fūinjutsu though they had but a single Seal Master left. It was as though it was part of their heritage. A title that none could rob them off. The children of fūinjutsu, born and bred to create, break and mend seals.

Joint in hands and now family with the Uzuki, the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan boasted of having the most fūinjutsu experts worldwide. Beating the Namikaze clan by a number of three more fūinjutsu experts. The Namikaze were a behemoth in their own right, possessing five certified fūinjutsu experts, only losing out to the Uzumaki who had eight.

Kurenai didn't have much interest in the fūinjutsu so she didn't know all the fūinjutsu experts in Konoha by name. Just the popular ones like; The Sandaime Hokage, Uzumaki Tate, Uzumaki Saya, Uzuki Joshiro, Namikaze Kato, Namikaze Mira and Yūhi Kaname to name a few.

The three Seal Masters in the village being; Gama Sennin Jiraiya, Namikaze Mina and Uzumaki Kotohime.

Konoha was without a doubt the village the most blessed when it came to fūinjutsu.

However, Kurenai wasn't here to admire the residence of the top fūinjutsu clan in the world. She had a much more personal reason coming here. The red eyed woman stared at the large egg covered gates of the Uzumaki/Uzuki, multiple thoughts running through her mind.

Flashback

Sweat dripped down from her chin in a steady tip-tip sound. Her muscles bulged from under the crop top vest and tights she wore. The vest itself had been long soaked by the perspiration copiously oozing out of her skin. Her skin had turned red, whether from the strain she put on her body or the hellish heat, she wasn't sure. Her hair glistened in the dark, the thin rays of light from the old florescent lights were perfectly captured in the shiny raven locks. It was the same for her entire body.

She had the appearance of a delicate yet powerful otherworldly entity dancing across multiple blades of light. Her deft movements were like poetry in the eyes of admirers. Her athletic body bend into angles that most would have to dislocate joints to replicate. She moved in an aggressive frenzy, with purpose and ferocity and yet... She was still beautiful.

Even with the clear signs of strain, the bruises in her skin, her caked up bloodied bandaged knuckles and the exhausted look on her face could not take a single luster from her glowing beauty. She was a stunning woman. Always had been, and it did not matter what angle she was gazed at from. Kurenai Yūhi had the appearance and likeness of a goddess in the flesh of a mortal.

Today, however, this goddess was far from pleased with her own natural splendor. She was far from satisfied with her entire being. A being that most of the denizens of Konoha would hail as flawless. Kurenai had found yet another flaw in her kata.

"I'm too slow." Kurenai groaned in frustration, sending a power punch into the punching bag she had been hitting for over four hours.

She was frustrated. Kurenai had been made to realize in the most painful and humiliating of ways that she had to change her ways. She pursued specialization to the point of mentally and physically handicapping herself to a single means of combat.

Kurenai felt incredibly foolish for not looking past her own pride and realizing sooner that she needed to do things differently. There were times she felt like she deserved the way in which her flaws were exposed. Defeated by an academy student.

In hindsight, Kurenai should feel even more thankful to the blonde. Had he not clashed with her when he did, who knows she may have had to pay for her over-specialization with her life. Though she wouldn't say it out loud, Kurenai was thankful of Uzumaki Naruto and felt indebted to him for his eyeopener.

That was a Kurenai that was thinking straight. On other times, times like these, Kurenai hated the blonde more than anything. He had been the one to open the damn but most of the damage was done by herself. Kurenai was a very self critical person. She would do herself no favours, nor ignore any flaws once they were brought to her attention.

That was why she despised Naruto. He had sent her looking, now she wouldn't stop until she found every single flaw in herself. Every single thing that held her back from being the kunoichi she knew she could be. The more the red eyed woman found the angrier and frustrated she got.

It was like finding cans of worms amongst the tin food you had been saving for days. Like realizing a trophy you spent so much effort to earn was actually damaged. It was painful for Kurenai to come to terms with her flaws. She knew she had to, but it was difficult.

'I spent so long training to get this far, only to realize I haven't been working the right way.' Kurenai sighed. She always tried to live a life without regrets, but now she couldn't help but long to go back and re-do everything. She was still very young for a shinobi, however she had long molded herself into the shape of the kind of shinobi she thought was best for her.

She could improve, but would hard-pressed to change. It was far to late to try to reshape herself. The few days of training she endured made that painfully clear.

Yūhi Kurenai didn't what to admit it but she had wasted a great deal of her potentially pursuing a childish dream.

"It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks." A voice permeated from a corner of the room.

Kurenai shook awake from her thoughts and immediately turned to the direction of the voice. The speaker was a tan skinned and purple haired man. Kurenai couldn't make out his face but she was certain that the man had his eyes shut. Naturally he was Yūhi Kaname, the head of the Yūhi clan.

"Kaname-sama." Kurenai got over her surprise and quickly gave the man a deep respectful bow.

Somehow the blind man was able to tell what action Kurenai had taken a gave a nod of acknowledgement. "At ease." He said with a waved hand. Kurenai rose from the bow. After that he didn't say anything, he stood in place like a statue.

Kurenai knew he wasn't standing. He was using his chakra sensory. He was trying to gather the smaller details of what was going on in this room. She had seen him do this, on a much grander scale and it was incredible just how much detail shinobi missed when they heavily relied on their sight for perception.

Knowing what he was doing, Kurenai was left feeling uncomfortable. To an extent this was intruding. He had let himself into her training room and was now surveying every nook and cranny of it. Kurenai felt like a teenager whose parent had suddenly barged into their room. Royally pissed off but incapable of saying they were out loud.

Kurenai had to remind herself that she was not a teenage anymore and was a lot more mature for someone her age. She was a jonin. Though she wasn't as powerful as she thought, she was still a bona-fide jonin with a flak jacket and certificate to prove it.

A jonin had no reason to be scared when asking her superior a harmless question. "What can I do for you, Kaname-sama?." Kurenai asked.

The man turned to face her. He wore the same unreadable expression on his face as usual. "There's nothing I require you to do for me." Kaname said simply. After that he returned to his silent observation.

Kurenai almost burst a blood vessel. She, like most members of the clan, hated when he did that. When he used his blindness as an excuse to openly do what he shouldn't then pretended like he didn't know what he was doing.

"I came to speak with you."

Kurenai was taken aback at that. The clan head was a man of few words. He hardly spoke, even when he was expected to he kept his words to himself. Kurenai's expression then turned, because she knew the few times Yūhi Kaname did speak it was because he had something very important to say.

"What would you like to speak to me about, Kaname-sama?." Kurenai asked, already quite curious.

Kaname didn't waste time. He didn't like speaking so he preferred to get over it the few times he did have to speak. "Your parents came to me."

With just one sentence, the curiosity on Kurenai's face was wiped clean off. It was replaced with annoyance in an instant. She didn't need to hear more. She already knew what this was about.

"They're worried about you, Kurenai." Kaname went on saying. "They told me you've been working yourself hard, almost recklessly, since Uzumaki-dono left the village."

Kurenai sighed. She loved her parents. Kami knew that she did. However, there were moments she wished they would just try not to be so parents so much. She was a full grown adult, a woman entering her prime and a jonin. Yet she was still getting told on by her parents.

Kurenai felt embarrassed that she had to have such a discussion with the clan head. To think the busy man had to make time in his busy schedules to put her parents at ease with –what was this?. An intervention?.

"They are worried that you blame yourself for Uzumaki-dono's 'escape', even though it was Hokage-sama that gave the order to let him leave." Kaname said. He was still taking the stand of as an outsider in this. He didn't want to involve himself in this until he was sure there were reasons to be concerned.

"It was my fault though..."

Kaname was able to make out Kurenai's whisper and exhaled. It was as her parents feared. There were two ways he could go about this. He could be a soothing superior and spend hours convincing the young lady that she wasn't at fault. He could make her see things from the right perspective and get her to understand that self pity was just as destructive or even more so than failure.

He could do that. But he didn't want to. He had a feeling that that wouldn't be enough in the long run for a person with Kurenai's personality. So he scrapped that idea for the second.

"Perhaps it was." Kaname said. He assumed Kurenai had a shocked expression on her face at that point. "It's an irrefutable fact that had you stopped Uzumaki-dono in the Hyūga compound then Hokage-sama would not have been forced into letting him leave the village." Kaname said.

He had to be brutally honest for a person like this. If he tried to sugarcoat his words then the chances were that she would not take them to her. People like her, with an inferiority complex would misunderstand his intentions as trying to cuddle them. She would think he was sparing the facts to protect her feelings.

When she decided on that line of thought then it didn't matter what he said, all it would sound like were mockery. Like he was saying that she was too weak to handle the truth.

"So it is understandable if you blame yourself for what happened with Uzumaki-dono. I would blame myself if I were in your shoes–." Kaname said.

His words were interrupted by Kurenai's emotional and adamant voice. "But you wouldn't have, Kaname-sama!. If it was you in my place in the Hyūga compound then Naruto-san would definitely have not escaped!."

Kaname listened to her words and stayed silent a moment. She sounded so sure. Of course, he would not be so humble to say he would have a problem restraining Naruto. While he wouldn't say he could without any doubts like Kurenai did. That boy was a Kyuubi jinchuriki and the son of the strongest husband and wife duo he knew after all. Still, he was confident restraining Naruto wouldn't pose any problems to him. Kaname was also a little flattered by the strong sense belief and faith Kurenai had in him. It was heart warming to hear a trusted subordinate speaking of you with such confidence.

Kaname felt like a dependable rock and had the urge to offer Kurenai his unyielding support. But, he knew he couldn't do that. "If it were me, would Uzumaki-dono have not escaped?. Perhaps... perhaps not." Kaname said. He heard a sharp breath of disbelief permeating from Kurenai's direction. Skepticism. Expectedly so.

"Whether or not I could have stopped him isn't important. The reality is that it was you who was in the Hyūga compound and it was you who let him slip." Kaname said, pushing aside his previous comment. He preferred not to elaborate why he would consider letting Naruto escape at the risk of his reputation were he in Kurenai's place.

"I've disgraced the Yūhi clan..." Kurenai said sadly.

"You have. Which is why you should be trying to repair our image by proving to the village that you are not the incompetent kunoichi they think you are. That our Yūhi clan are not weak."

"But that's what I'm do–"

Kurenai started but Kaname interrupted her. "No. You're punishing yourself. That is what this is, and if you truly believe otherwise then perhaps you want the whispers of the villagers to become your reality." Kaname said firmly. Kurenai went silent. "I was able to speak with Hyūga Rōha briefly a day ago. She gave me a better understanding of what happened in the Hyūga compound."

"I..." Kurenai started but trailed off. She didn't know what to say.

"I don't blame you for leaving it out of the report. It was irrelevant at that point. And I'd like to believe Uzumaki-dono said those words for your benefit alone. So, I offer my sincerest apologies for intruding." Kaname said with a slight bow.

"Kaname-sama!." Kurenai panicked. She waved her hands frantically, unsure of what to do. The clan head was bowing to her!. That was something that absolutely should never happen. If the elders saw this then she was afraid they would probably die from a heart attack.

Kurenai didn't think to stop him herself. She knew the man didn't appreciate being touched by others. She could count the amount of times her and the clan head had touched each other on one hand.

"It doesn't take a lesser man much to posture like one who stands above others. However, it takes a great man to lower himself to others." Kaname said, still bowing. He raised his head to stare straight at Kurenai's face. "Remember this, Kurenai."

Kurenai was left speechless by the words. She felt like she completely understood it but at the same time she felt like she had no idea what he was saying.

"I want you to go to the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan and ask for an audience with their clan head." Kaname suddenly said.

"Huh?." Was Kurenai's incredulous response.

The man didn't respond right away and instead made a single ram seal. In a puff of smoke a small scroll, ink and brush appear in the air. Naturally, gravity took effect and the objects descended down to the ground. Kurenai had already prepared herself to swoop in catch them, however she wasn't given the chance. The scroll, ink and brush oddly suspended in the air when they reached Kaname's midsection area. A yellowish hue outlined their forms.

'That's chakra...' Kurenai thought. She quickly recognized the yellowish ethereal form as the Yūhi clan head's chakra. 'Suspending things in the air with a mere thought... Just what level of chakra control has Kaname-sama reached?.' Kurenai thought. 'And I thought I was close to perfection...' Kurenai thought bitterly. It appeared that she was lacking even in the areas she prided herself in.

Kaname unfurled the scroll with a thought and gingerly picked up the brush from the air. The yellow hue didn't disappear from it when he did, instead it seemed to have become even brighter. Kaname wrote the same way he picked up the brush, in an extremely delicate manner.

Kurenai was left mesmerized watching the man right. A small blush appeared on her face. She, like most people in Konoha, often disposed of the fact that Yūhi Kaname was one of the few fūinjutsu experts in the village and the world. Naturally his calligraphy skills would be something to behold. Kurenai wondered if Uzumaki Naruto wrote anywhere as beautiful as this. It was hard to believe that the wild boy was one of the most promising students of fūinjutsu in the entire village. 'Well he is an Uzumaki.' Kurenai thought.

Most of Naruto's ratings came from her friends Anko and Yūgao so it was likely that it would be biased. In Anko's words, Naruto was well on his way on surpassing all the Seal Masters in Konoha, a hefty praise but the snake summoner handed it out without hesitation. Yūgao's estimation of the blonde's prowess was a lot more reasonable, but even she rated his skills highly.

Kurenai wished she could get the opinion of the third young jonin woman in Naruto's life; Uzuki Saya. The lady did not seem like the type to overestimate or overrate people's qualities. Also she had recently graduated as a seal expert, so she would be better qualified to estimate Naruto's abilities, rather than the seal illiterate Anko and odd Uzuki Yūgao.

"Take this to Uzumaki/Uzuki compound. Have them give it to Kotohime-dono."

The voice of the clan head knocked Kurenai out of her thoughts. She turned a bit dumbly to the dark purple haired man, it took a moment to register what he had said. "What's it about?." Kurenai asked and immediately gasped at her own thoughtlessness. It wasn't in her place to ask the contents of the clan head's letter to another clan head.

Surprisingly, instead of ignoring or reprimanding her, Kaname replied. "It's a letter of recommendation."

"Hm?." Kurenai raised an eyebrow delicately in confusion. 'Letter of recommendation for who?.' Kurenai wondered.

As though Kaname had read her mind, he answered; "It's a letter of recommendation for you." He said. Kurenai was taken aback by his words but was still confused as to what she would need a letter of recommendation for. "If what you're doing is any indication, I assume you have decided to take Uzumaki-dono's words to heart and are trying to start afresh." Kaname said, gesturing at the punching bag and other training equipment in the room.

Kurenai blushed in embarrassment but still admitted to it. "Yes."

"It's more easier said than done. For a shinobi of your age, while I can't say you've reached maturity you're still a long ways from the primary stages. And it is those very stages that we shinobi shape who were are in the future." Kaname started. "Trying to go back to the primary stages with an already fully developed body is nearly impossible and you'll have more success at harming your potential than improving it." Kaname said.

"Your chakra coils have already fully matured, your chakra system is already wired to transfer chakra at a particular rate. Your muscles and bones can be strengthened but it will take longer and will be a lot more difficult. Your entire being has already adjusted itself to act, respond and react in a set pattern. Breaking that pattern is not only difficult, it is dangerous as well."

"–It's not a stretch to say you have a better chance of changing your sex by yourself than changing your 'pattern'." Kaname said. It was a crude example, but that was the reality. Kurenai had to understand it.

Kurenai looked down at the floor in with a bitter smile. Hopelessness. She had already figured as much. The training sessions she tried had already given her answers and she had already told herself it was impossible. Trying to get her body to do things differently from what it had been doing consistently for over a decade was no easy feat. It was practically impossible. She had already adapted to this pattern from childhood, and like Kaname had said that was the ideal time to make the adjustments. Now in adulthood it was a thousand times more difficult, making it practically impossible.

"Do you understand the reality of what you face when you try to force yourself to change?." Kaname asked.

"Hai, Kaname-sama." Kurenai said weakly.

"Are you interested in doing it still?."

Kurenai looked up at the man. "Hai, but I–"

"A simple yes or no will suffice." Kaname cut her off. "I'll ask you again. Are you interested in doing it still?."

Kurenai was confused by the line of questioning. If he said it was impossible and not worth the risk, then when was he asking all these questions. Kurenai sighed. 'I'm thinking too much.' She told herself. Yes. Her clan head just wanted to know how she felt. It didn't matter if it was possible or impossible, he wouldn't ask unless it was important. So, Kurenai wouldn't lie. She wouldn't hold it back.

She would honestly tell him that "–I still want to do it!." Kurenai yelled.

Kaname gave a rare thin smile. "I see." He pointed the scroll in his hand at Kurenai. "Then take this." He said.

Kurenai took the scroll. She peered at it briefly before looking at the man questioningly.

"It's impossible for most shinobi to break their pattern, it's dangerous and I wouldn't recommend anyone to endeavor to do it." Kaname started. "There are still those who try, and while many fail a handful manage to succeed, and when they do, they emerge far more powerful than they had ever been." Kaname looked up in memory of a few of these kinds of people. "Deviants are what they are called." People who were unresigned to their potential and sought to break the flow and rebuild themselves from scratch.

"For example, the Sandaime succeeded in breaking the pattern multiple times." Kaname said, a tad absentmindedly.

"Hokage-sama?." Kurenai's eyes widened in shock.

"Yes, but that's a story for another day." Kaname said with a wave of his hand. Telling her the Sandaime's story now would do her more harm than good. It wouldn't be anything less than suicidal should she compare herself with Kami no Shinobi while she took this new path.

Kurenai felt disappointed but didn't fuss over it. Stories would come later. She was more excited knowing that there was a feasible way that she could correct all her many faults. It sounded like a path riddled with risks and danger but she was willing to take them all on. No pain no gain.

"How do I break the pattern?." Kurenai asked in excitement.

"I don't know." Kaname said, bursting her bubble. "However, all deviants had one thing in common. Which was they were either connected to a Seal Master or an individual close to that level or were one themselves. Uzumaki Kotohime is a woman of seemingly endless knowledge, I am sure she can lead you on the path of deviants." Kaname said. 'I would have preferred to send her to the less scheming Seal Master in Mina-dono, however Kotohime-dono is undoubtedly more experienced in this aspect.' Kaname thought.

He didn't even consider sending her to Jiraiya. Kurenai was a treasured member of the Yūhi clan and could be said to be their future. He wouldn't sell their future out to prostitution.

Kurenai caught up with Kaname's intentions and felt a little hesitant. "Going to the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan for help surely won't do wonders for our reputation. I'm sure Kotohime will make sure everyone knows she's teaching me just for the bragging rights." Kurenai said worriedly. She wanted to get stronger, that more than anything, but she wouldn't do it at the expense of her clan.

"Kotohime-dono is petty enough to do that." Kaname said, causing Kurenai to smile at the small joke. "But I assure you, she won't. Let's just say she owes me. She will know well to keep this under the wraps. It's convenient that you have friends in the Uzumaki/Uzuki. You can use that as an alibi."

Kurenai nodded. She felt a lot more at ease knowing she wouldn't be harming the clan further with her actions. She wondered what Kaname meant by 'friends'. Anko no longer lived with the Uzuki so the only friend she had there was Yūgao, an ANBU vice captain with odd working hours.

Surely he didn't mean Saya?. She and the piercing loving woman didn't get along much. Kurenai suspected it was because they were similar in character and completely different in interests.

The things Saya liked she was repulsed to and vice versa. For example, she wasn't a fan of heavy makeup, Saya was. She hated dark and twisted things, Saya enjoyed most things dark and twisted. She despised perverts, Saya was a closet one. She respected tradition and etiquette, Saya had no care for the two. She was opposed to murder, she accepted killing was part of the profession but didn't enjoy it. Kurenai killed when she had to. Saya on the other hand made killing her go-to problem solver. Kurenai had seen her once on a mission and it was clear as day that she enjoyed it.

'I suppose that's why her lot are called war dogs.' Kurenai thought.

After clearing her on a few matters, the clan head took his leave. Kurenai took a shower and prepared a few things before going to have a talk with her family. She made sure to convince them that she was alright and not on a path of destruction like they thought. She told them she was going to see Yūgao before leaving.

For the cover-up to be a believable one, the rumors had to start from the very day she left for the Uzumaki/Uzuki compound. And so she set off.

Flashback End

'I wonder what the secret to breaking the pattern is.' Kurenai thought. She made walked up to the Uzumaki/Uzuki compound gate.

Kurenai didn't bother trying to knock. She knew that way didn't work, especially so after what the Inuzuka had been doing over the past few days. Knocking on a fūinjutsu clan gate was a lot different than others. Knowing how paranoid and diligent fūinjutsu users were, it would be foolhardy to carelessly touch anything associated with a fūinjutsu user without confirmation that it wasn't booby trapped.

Some would call it paranoia. Kurenai would invite those people to go find Inuzuka Yinu. He was one of the people who thought the rumours of fūinjutsu clan gates were nothing but an urban legend. He was in the ER now.

(AN: Yep. It's that Inuzuka guy from earlier)

Speaking of which, Kurenai didn't see any Uzumaki here. She wondered if the clan had called it quits.

Back on the gates. The ideal way of getting an fūinjutsu clan to open their gate would be to ask the gatekeepers kindly, arrive in the company of a clan member and lastly send a courier bird to inform the clan of your arrival ahead of time.

Kurenai didn't see the gate keepers, nor did have an Uzuki with her nor a courier bird. That left only one option. Compromise. Kurenai took out a piece of paper from her pouch. She wore a wry smile as she stared at the paper in her hand.

It was funny. This paper was a seal. A seal fūinjutsu experts used to practice crossing the border to become a Seal Master. Before taking their Master's, this was a compulsory seal that all fūinjutsu experts had to possess. This was a seal that Naruto had used to summon the shinobi council.

Kurenai laughed a little to herself. When Naruto had said he would leave a big impression on her she laughed it off. She thought it was nonsense. Yes, she had lost to him, but Kurenai didn't believe she would spend her free time thinking about him. Sure, she would think about her loss, but not Naruto specifically.

It was a stupid lie she told herself. He was still just a nine year old boy, why would she let a brat rule over her thoughts?. Denial. In the end all she could think about was him. Those unholy blue eyes, that beast-like grin, her blood dripping down his hair and sword. Always him. Kurenai didn't want to admit it, but Uzumaki Naruto had traumatized her.

"Well then, Kurenai, you'll have to learn how to get over your fear of that nine year old brat. No matter how pathetic it sounds." Kurenai said as she wrote a few letters into the small sheet of paper in her hand. Her handwriting wasn't nearly as good as Kaname, but she managed to pick up a bit of fūinjutsu knowledge from the man during their lessons. She at least knew how to use the this.

Bright red sparkling characters shot into the sky and expanded to a considerably large size. It wasn't nearly as big as when Naruto used it. Kurenai saw no need in being excessive. She wasn't intentionally trying to rile people up like the blonde whiskered boy.

A short sentence shimmered high in the air, in front of the Uzumaki compound. Kurenai made care not to let it encroach into their compound. The last thing she wanted was to cause a chain reaction with the security seals.

The kanji read; 'It's Nai, Yūgao. Open up.'

A very simple message.

Kurenai didn't have to wait long for an answer. In a blur a figure appeared atop the compound's fence. Normally this action would've triggered a few protective seals, however nothing happened as the huge figure feet touched the fence.

The figure waved his hand casually, and Kurenai's fūinjutsu message disintegrated in an instant. The person then turned to look down at her with a childlike oblivious expression. Kurenai immediately recognized this man as the second elder brother Uzuki Saya.

Uzuki Tate.

Kurenai didn't know much about the man, and her interactions with him had been limited. She wasn't able to form a proper opinion of the man. Though she could say from what she'd seen he was the most normal amongst his siblings.

"Kurenai Yūhi, you're here to see Yūgao correct?." Tate asked in friendly voice.

"Actually no, I only made it seem that way because I have a private message from my clan head to yours." Kurenai explained.

"A private message?." Tate cocked his eyebrow.

Kurenai took out the scroll. "Yeah. Kotohime-dono has to see this."

Tate nodded in agreement. "Yes." Tate stretched out his hand, beckoning her to toss the letter over. "If you still want to meet Yūgao, then I'll–" Tate paused. Kurenai didn't throw the letter over like he wanted, instead she shook her head at him. "What are you doing?." he asked.

"I can't give it to you." Kurenai said.

Tate's face turned confused. "That is a letter for okami-sama, correct?." Tate asked.

"That's correct." Kurenai confirmed with a small smirk. Messing with this guy was a little fun.

"Then why are you refusing to deliver it?." Tate asked.

"I'm not." Kurenai said. Tate's face turned to one of confusion again. Kurenai almost laughed. His expressions were so honest, much like a child's. "I was instructed to give this to Kotohime-dono personally."

"Ah." Tate's eyes lit up in realization. He cupped his chin in thought before answering. "Go back."

"Huh?." Kurenai had already prepared to walk into the compound once Tate gave the order for the gates to be opened. She had not expected the large jean clad man to turn her down. No. He wasn't just turning her down, he was turning her clan head down, the entire Yūhi clan down. Kurenai narrowed her eyes at the man. "Excuse me?."

"Go back Yūhi-san. Okami-sama is not seeing guests today, so you can't possibly meet her. I can pass the letter to her if you want, but I'd advise you don't contradict your clan's patriarch's instructions." Tate advised. He spoke in a brotherly fashion, like he was addressing a little sister.

Kurenai wasn't having a good week everything considered. She was already testy about losing to an academy student and disheartened over the loss of reputation she brought on the Yūhi clan.

Tate's words were like a sharp slap to the face. It was like he was already taking a dig at their loss of reputation and seeking to further insult them. Kurenai could not stand for such disrespect.

"Whether or not this is important enough for her to make an exception should be decided by her, Uzuki." Kurenai said, her voice edging with hostility.

Tate raised an eyebrow before settling into an apologetic expression. "Please don't take it the wrong way Yūhi-san. I was given direct orders not to let anybody in. You've seen what the Inuzuka did out here and they're trouble enough." Tate said, gesturing to the walls and front of Uzumaki/Uzuki compound. "I had to work really hard to send them packing. I even had to deactivate our protective seals to avoid another 'unfortunate incident'." Tate scratched his cheek in embarrassment, recalling the unfortunate case of Inuzuka Yinu. "Even after I did all that I still got a scolding for letting one get on top the wall." Tate lamented.

He felt wronged but didn't know who to complain at. Kurenai was a great listener at least.

Kurenai on her part was shocked by the. man's words. According to reports over twenty Inuzuka children gathered here throughout the day in shifts. Most expected that the Uzuki/Uzumaki wouldn't be shameless enough to attack children, however the Inuzuka weren't willing to chance it. So, they sent in a guards to ensure the safety of their young. From what Kurenai heard they were all seasoned chunnin and one guard was deployed per child.

That meant that exactly twenty chunnin were present on these grounds. Twenty chunnin, it wasn't a force most jonin could contend with. Statistically, it would take about four experienced chunnin to fell an ordinary jonin, about two more for standard ones then a dozen for outstanding jonin.

'Are you telling me this guy defeated twenty chunnin by himself?.' Kurenai thought, just barely stopping herself from gaping.

In a fight every added chunnin was as precious as silver and gold. One more chunnin could make a huge difference even in a S-rank fight. No number of chunnin could be discounted. A jonin may be able to fend off three chunnin but when an extra one is added then they could easily be oppressed to death.

The strength required for a single jonin to fight off a dozen chunnin was enormous. Kurenai knew she wasn't capable enough to defeat a unit of twelve chunnin. Perhaps her friends Yūgao and Anko could preserve through but just barely.

Naruto had only been able to defeat those Hyūga chunnin mainly because they were retirees and their fierce underestimation of his ability. He took advantage of the psychological impact watching an academy student defeat two of their comrades in quick succession to fell the rest. That was how Uzumaki Naruto fought, and not many could fight the way he did.

Kurenai stared at Tate in new found respect. 'I'm not in his league.' She thought as she stared at the oblivious looking Uzuki. To think someone that looked so slow could be so ridiculously powerful.

Tate hadn't merely defeated twelve seasoned chunnin. He had defeated twelve seasoned Inuzuka chunnin. Being from one clan would boost their combat power several levels at least. Not to mention the average Inuzuka chunnin had at least one ninken at their side. So, in reality Tate hadn't fought twenty seasoned chunnin. He had fought and defeated at least forty seasoned chunnin.

'Kami... Is this guy still human.' Kurenai thought. There wasn't even a bruise on him, meaning he achieved the feat with considerable ease.

"Bro!."

A female voice interrupted Kurenai's thoughts. She looked up and found two figure running on the Uzumaki fence. The one behind was her friend Yūgao. The purple haired woman turned to wink at her with a smile. The one ahead was the speaker. It was Tate's little sister, Saya.

Saya stopped just in front of her brother. She sent a light glance at Kurenai before addressing Tate. "Okami-sama said to let her through." Saya said.

Kurenai sweatdropped. 'Say it with a little more reluctance why don't ya.' She thought. For whatever reason Saya didn't seem to like her. It was one of the reasons why Kurenai didn't visit Yūgao in the Uzuki clan like she used to when they just became friends.

The times she met Saya at her friend's place were beyond awkward.

Tate had a much different reaction to the words than one would expect. The man suddenly turned alert and swiftly looked over at the compound. "Where did she give you this order?." Tate asked in a serious tone. Saya appeared to be confused at the question but still answered it. With a soft 'let her through.' Tate activated the shunshin technique and disappeared.

The three women stared at the spot Tate had just been in–in confusion–for a few moments. Yūgao was the first to get over her daze, she made use of the shunshin no jutsu as well and appeared at Kurenai's side. She pulled her into a hug as soon as she did.

"Nai, it's been so long since you came to see me!. What's up?. Is something up?. Is there a guy bugging you?, I'll kill him. Why did it look like you and Tate-nee were having a fight?. Did you come over so I could teach you kenjutsu?, I'll get my wooden swords. Did you wait long for me?. Sorry we took so long, we didn't take so long, did we?. S–"

"Gates open." Saya's voice permeated, interrupting Yūgao's rambling. Yūgao released Kurenai and turned to her and was about to say something, but she didn't give her the chance. "Yūhi isn't here to see you, baka. Did you really think okami-sama would make an exception to her order just so you could see an acquaintance?." Saya scoffed.

Yūgao glared at Saya. Referring to Kurenai as her acquaintance was an obvious jab. Yūgao turned to Kurenai with a questioning expression. "Why are you here then?." she asked.

Kurenai held up the scroll with a serious expression. "It's because of this. I have to give this to your clan head, personally."

Kurenai payed no heed to Saya's cold attitude towards her. It wasn't important. Nor was the revelation of Tate's strength, nor his strange reaction. Even her friend Yūgao would have to wait. The important business lay with this scroll. Her clan head was willing to spend an important favour from a powerful clan matriarch, just to give her a shot at becoming stronger.

Kurenai knew couldn't waste his sacrifice. She wouldn't. Every other thing aside. She had to meet Uzumaki Kotohime, so she could finally take the first step to proving to her clan that the sacrifice was worth it.

---

Yu no Kuni

61km west of Shirubāsheru

Morning

Bodies were riddled all over a large encompass of land. Bloodstains, pools of blood and trails of blood decorated the fields. What used to be a beautiful spot for a picnic for the locals had now been turned into death zone. The earth had been decimated, craters ranging from different sizes were scattered all across, spiderweb cracks covered the parts of the soil that had not sunk in. The fields were up in flames and smoke billowed into the air, painting the horizon a mournful black.

This place had suffered.

This place... off a small village, at the edge of a small rice farm a battalion of over hundred mercenaries marched through the fields, their direction set for another tiny village. The crime central of the lands. Shirubāsheru.

These men and women were heavily armed in modern edition rōnin armour, sharpened edged swords and other bladed weapons made in Kumo. Their bags were packed full with Namikaze edition paper bombs and other combat theme seals. They came ready for it, seeking it. Rearing to kill.

Each of these men was a blood soaked killer in his/her own right. They had spent their whole lives killing. They had killed more than they could remember, people of different kinds. Men, women, children, the unborn. Many had fallen to the blades of these mercenaries. Those people had suffered.

Each of these men were combat specialists in their own rights. Their ranks ranged from former outstanding bandit gang leaders, nuke nin and rōnin. If they were to estimate their individual combat power, they would all agree that they were at least high chunnin level. A few would claim to be as powerful as jonin.

Each of these men were ready, willing to accept whatever life threw at them a muscle through it, no matter how difficult it was.

So they thought.

But, in this life some things were beyond difficult. They borderlined unachievable. And then some... Impossible.

Yes, that was the word for it. For the 'thing' they had run into in this rice field. Impossible. An impossibly powerful opponent. An impossibly ridiculous combat prowess. An impossibly lethal weapon. An impossibly quick slaughter.

Nothing they tried had an effect. Not on the impossible. He carved through them like a hot knife through butter, and that too in the most literal of senses. Their weapons that they had spent so much proved far insufficient for the task. Their armour was like tissue paper, their blades like twigs, their seals were useless. Everything was.

The hundred over men powerfully matched into these fields. It took them thirty minutes of steady pace walking to get here from the last village. They died in less than a minute.

A figure sat atop a pile of corpses. Blood covered his entire frame. It wasn't his blood. There wasn't a single cut on him. He sat casually in the blood mist that hung in the air, not minding the pungent smell of burnt corpses mixes with the stench of fresh blood.

The figure picked his teeth with a small knife, an expression of disinterest on his face.. He looked bored. The death of so many was not enough to count as entertainment to this man. Even though he was the one that butchered this lot he didn't find a smidgen of emotion from it. Not joy, not regret, not sadness, not accomplishment. Nothing.

Though he killed them he wasn't thankful of it. He brought hell to them but he didn't mind it. None of it mattered. They were dead they were gone. That was it.

The man stood up with a sigh. He tore out a clean patch of cloth from one of the bodies and cleaned his face with it. It was Ha. The blade of the Uzumaki/Uzuki clan.

After he wiped his face as clean as he possibly could with the small piece of cloth, Ha turned to leave. He didn't spare a single glance at the pile of corpses he had been sitting on once he did, nor the dozens more around him. He treated them like passing objects, inconsequential. Nothing.

Even though it was him that did that to them. And what he did, was not a thing that he did mercifully. He was quick, he was brutal, he was effective and he was unforgivingly ruthless. Now he walked, leaving behind the men he had killed. The men he had made to suffer.

Those men had sufferered.

---

Back in the Uzumaki/Uzuki compound

Kurenai was directed into the Uzumaki main house by Tate. After getting the gate open and saying those words Saya left. Tate returned not long after, the usual oblivious expression on his face. He said Kotohime had sent him to bring her. Kurenai spent a few moments assuring Yūgao she was going to be fine before going with Tate.

The Uzumaki main house wasn't far so they didn't have to walk long. Kurenai payed no mind to her surroundings, she was far too focused on getting to her destination. Deviants. That was all that was on her mind.

Kurenai found herself in front of door. She wasn't conscious of herself and hadn't even realized when they walked into the building. Tate didn't wait for her to get her bearings and slide the door open. He stood inside by the door before gesturing her to come in.

Kurenai looked forward. The room had the appearance of a traditional bedroom. This was likely Kotohime's personal quarters. There was a silhouette of a figure seated cross-legged on a large bed, veil-like bed canopies covering her.

(AN: Bed canopies are those curtain like things for beds)

'Uzumaki Kotohime...' Kurenai thought.

"Well then?. Come in or do you want a special invitation?."

Kotohime's voice resounded. Kurenai smiled apologetically, though she was unsure whether the woman saw.

"Take a seat." Kotohime instructed.

There was a single cushion ahead of the bed. Kurenai obliged and took her seat.

"Tate, close the door." Kotohime gave another instruction.

Tate did as he was told. Kurenai immediately felt on edge. While it was unlikely the Uzumaki/Uzuki would harm her when she had made sure near the entire district was aware of here presence here, she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable being in a sealed room with two of Uzuki/Uzumaki's strongests.

"Are you afraid, child?." Kotohime asked.

Her voice sounded amused. Kurenai wanted to frown but didn't let it reach her face "No." She replied.

"Good. I assume only a fearless person would demand seeing me even when my right hand informed you that I am not seeing visitors." Kotohime's voice rang out again.

'Right hand?.' Kurenai thought. She assumed the right hand of the Uzumaki woman would be the strongest beneath her; Uzuki Ha. Kurenai would admit Tate was freakishly strong however, he was a long ways from being compared to his elder brother. She had seen the man in action during her chunnin days. The man was... different.

"A bit of advice, child. If you want to kill, kill with your left hand and not your right." Kotohime said.

Kurenai was hit with that feeling where she felt like she understood the words said and at the same time did not understand them. Kurenai could only nod in thanks, unsure of what to say.

"Why are you here?." Kotohime asked, in a serious voice this time.

Kurenai sighed in her mind. Finally, down to business. She took out the scroll for the second time today. "I have a message from my clan head, Kaname-sama." Kurenai said politely.

"And it's one I have to read in front of you." Kotohime said.

It wasn't a question. It more of an annoyed statement but Kurenai still answered. "Hai."

Kotohime sighed. "Tate." She said. The large man responded immediately. He walked to Kurenai and respectfully requested for the scroll. This time Kurenai complied. The man surveyed the scroll briefly before taking it to the Uzumaki woman and turning to return to his spot by the door.

"Hold on." Kotohime said.

Tate stopped in his tracks. Kurenai could make out the woman opening the scroll from her silhouette. After a few seconds a chuckle resounded. It was a short, unamused sounding one. Kotohime's silhouette turned to face Kurenai briefly before turning to Tate. She handed the scroll to him.

"There's a storage seal hidden in the letter. Unseal the contents and be careful, they're fragile." Kotohime said.

Tate's expression became visibly excited. "Is it–"

"Yes. It's the ingredients for the cure I need." Kotohime said in an assuring voice. Her tone then turned cold. "That damned Kaname's sensory has improved more than he let's on. Tch, to think he was able to tell I had been poisoned just by looking at my chakra... He was even able to discern the type of poison it was. What an annoying brat, trying to take advantage of me."

Kurenai was confused by the exchange between Tate and Kotohime, but when she heard 'poison' she couldn't help but shout in shock. "You were poisoned?!."

Kotohime's silhouette turned to Kurenai again. The red eyed woman was about to apologize for her outburst when Kotohime instructed Tate to get rid of the veil. The man seemed reluctant but did as he was told.

The image of a pale, disheveled haired and shrivelled up Kotohime was revealed. Compared to her usual appearance she looked several decades older. There were multiple extra lines on her face, her body had a tinge of an unhealthy green and her hair looked scanty, like it had been failing off. All things considered she would have the appearance of a dying old woman had she not had such lively sharp eyes.

Kurenai was horrified by the sight. The woman spoke as though it was a minor poisoning but visibly it was anything but that. Kurenai could tell from the symptoms that a normal shinobi would've died by now. Kotohime, however, was not only alive, she had the strength to hold a conversation. And from what Saya had said earlier, enough strength to walk by herself.

'No wonder Tate rushed away when Saya told him she was outside her room. Wait... Only Tate looked concerned. Don't tell me Yūgao and Saya don't know about her condition?.' Kurenai thought.

"I assure you it's not as bad as it looks." Kotohime said. "It's worse." Kotohime chuckled in amusement. "I got careless fighting a poison expert on my trip about a week ago. This is the result. I've had people scouring Hi no Kuni for a cure ever since but I came up with no luck. I had already begun to consider resigning myself to purging it out naturally. That would've taken months." Kotohime clicked her tongue. "Lucky me, your clan head found just the ingredients I needed for an antidote." Kotohime said, gesturing at the herbs in Tate's hands.

Kurenai turned to the large man. She found about seven mysterious looking herbs on a furled out scroll. Tate meticulously drew an intricate web of seals around the herbs. Those herbs were sealed in the scroll Kaname gave her and she had no idea. Kurenai now understood what he meant when he said Kotohime would know better than to refuse her request. He was offering her a cure to what looked to be a deadly toxic. Of course she would have to listen to her request then.

To Kurenai's surprise the herbs lit up along with the seals Tate was drawing. The man's brush didn't stop, though he begun to mumble something under his breath as he went on. Kurenai was entranced by the mystical scene and watched on with interest. In a few minutes the seals dimmed back to their original state, while the herbs had been transformed into a single red pill.

Tate carefully picked up the pill and took it to Kotohime. The woman graciously accepted the pill, mouthing a few compliments at Tate. The man's response was an embarrassed blush.

Kotohime faced the confused Kurenai. "What you just saw Tate performing was an ancient fūinjutsu art. So ancient that the people of Shodai's era could hardly tell you anything useful about it." Kotohime revealed. She turned to Tate who was now revising the flaws in his seal. She smiled. "Tate has a gift. He's quite skillful in both iryōjutsu and fūinjutsu, which makes him perfect for this path of fūinjutsu." Kotohime said.

"...Medicine making fūinjutsu?." Kurenai said.

"An unflattering way to put it, but that's the gist of it." Kotohime chuckled.

"That's remarkable." Kurenai exclaimed. She turned to look at Tate who was steaming red, looking like he was about to pass out from embarrassment. 'Hinata has a new challenger.' Kurenai thought in amusement.

"That it is. I found a scroll detailing about this lost art when I was a young sap. As at then, I wasn't sure this path would lead to Seal Mastery so though it intrigued me I didn't dare practice it." Kotohime said. She then gestured at Tate. "Then came along Tate, an Uzuki oddly skilled in an art most of us are terribly incompetent at; Iryōjutsu. He posssesed the necessary talent for fūinjutsu as well so I handed him the seal. It was fate that led me to that scroll, so I could pass it down to the rightful inheritor. Now, I'm sure that Seal Mastery is achievable through this path, and without a doubt Tate is the only one that can do it." Kotohime said.

"Okami-sama is too kind. My talent is far inferior to our wakate. He'll surely make Seal Master before I do." Tate said humbly.

"Naturally Naruto is an anomaly, but that doesn't mean you should slack off and let him become a Master before you do." Kotohime said sternly. "Don't forget, Tate, our wakate is pursuing a path that has never been ventured before. You have those notes to depend on, while he is forging his own formula. You can't lose to him." Kotohime said.

Tate nodded in determination. "I'll do my best."

Kotohime nodded in approval. She analyzed the pill in her hand briefly before throwing it in her mouth and swallowing.

Kurenai watched in silence. The exchange between the two clansmen. She perked up at the mention of her blonde nightmare. She was yet again forced to admired the boy. A person as talented as Tate was having a difficult time attaining Mastery through an ancient fūinjutsu art with the help of notes for reference. It appeared yet again, Anko and Yūgao's estimation of the blonde was nothing but accurate. Naruto who was far younger than Tate dared to pave his own way, relying on nothing but his own means to create his own path. That level of self confidence... She wondered how she got it.

Kurenai stared at Kotohime. 'Where else would he get it from?.' Kurenai thought. Then her eyes went wide in shock. She had thought Kotohime taking the drug would cut short her recovery time in half or maybe a little less, it was just a pill after all. Never had she expected the pill's effect to be instant.

Kurenai gaped at the sight Kotohime's visibly recovering right before her eyes. The extra wrinkles on her face vanished as though they had been a genjutsu, her hair regained its original color and the unhealthy color faded out of her skin. Though she didn't instantly add the weight she had lost, she was practically completely cured. Her skin was now a healthy red and to an extent she seemed to be glowing. Gone was the old shaggy appearance, replaced with a thinner but still beautiful original form of Uzumaki Kotohime.

"A-amazing..." Kurenai said.

This art was amazing. She hadn't thought much about it, aside from being awed by the flashiness and history behind it. Kurenai didn't realize until now how much of a cheat code this kind of fūinjutsu could be in a practical sense.

If med-nin found out that there was a way to use fūinjutsu to make pills that could instantly heal the sick without any procedures or surgery they would; A. Try their best to kill Tate so he wouldn't force them to irrelevance. B. Try to acquire this knowledge by all means.

If Konoha could add medical pills like these to their stock then the possibilities were limitless. Kurenai didn't doubt that this pills included recovery pills for injuries that were just effective. With such a thing being mass produced Konoha could lead a march across the entire Elemental Nations and subdue every single village, usurp all Daimyōs and become the crowned rulers of all the lands.

If only.

However, that was unlikely as this art was far too obscure. The requirements far too high. Where would one get a children with fūinjutsu expert and jonin med-nin potential in numbers?.

Kurenai knew that in the entire Konoha Tate might be the only one with the ability to learn this kind of fūinjutsu, with perhaps the Sandaime and Kaname barely making the cut. The former two were far too advanced to even consider branching out to a new study.

A single Tate would be unable to mass produce enough of these super pills to support a war even if he worked his whole life. It was a reality that left Kurenai a little disappointed. She was an advocate for peace, but if Konoha could rise up above the rest of the world she would be thankful and happy for it.

"Don't get too jealous, child. Tate won't be the only one tinkering with an ancient forgotten art so you won't feel left out." Kotohime said.

Kurenai looked at the woman in confusion and curiosity. It was obvious she was referring to what Kaname wanted her to help her with. 'Deviants are ancient?.'

"Don't look so surprised. Did you really expect an art that literally sheds the old shell for a new to be something that was developed this century?." Kotohime said with a raised eyebrow. "Of course breaking your entire chakra system and reforming it as you see fit is not something of this era." Kotohime said.

"Destroying my chakra system?." Kurenai repeated in confusion. She then turned to Kotohime in complete horror. "You're joking... please tell me you're joking."

Kotohime smirked. "If the risks were any less then people wouldn't be so opposed to practicing it, and it wouldn't be an extinct art." Kotohime shrugged.

"S-so you're saying if I fail t-to complete this secret art then I'll become a glorified civilian?." Kurenai stammered out.

Kotohime giggled. "No."

Kurenai sighed in relief.

"You'll become worse than a civilian."

Relief left the chat.

"Why are you glaring at me?. You're the one trying to be a deviant shinobi. Of course there would be risks you'd have to take." Kotohime said. She adopted a teacher-like tone as she went on speaking. "Our chakra systems are connected to every single organ and nerves in our bodies. So obviously breaking that system is very risky. Do it carelessly and you can end up cripple, or blind, or deaf, or dumb, or paralyzed, or have a failing kidney, or liver, or heart. Hell, you can end up having a little of everything or worse instantly die. Most cases I've witnessed ended up in death. And not the peaceful kind of death."

Kurenai paled. "Is it that dangerous?."

Kotohime snorted. "You can literally implode and die if we do this wrong. There was a man who tried to do this and ended up wiping out his entire clan in an explosion. It was an extremely miserable way to die and he damned his people as well."

Kurenai almost fainted. That bad?. Compared to Tate's ancient art that just required a rare talent, this one's difficulty was a little too exaggerated, right?. Kurenai didn't know whether she should leave as she cried or cry here before she left. Would she still proceed?. Kami no. She wasn't mad. She wanted to increase her strength, but she wasn't going to risk instantly dying for it.

She was ready for a lethal danger to this deviant shinobi thing, but she didn't expect it would be instant death. Meaning she wouldn't even be given the opportunity to struggle or try to turn things around. If she didn't get it right once then it was instant death or blindness, paralysis and other things Kurenai didn't want for herself.

It was a risk too big to take. More so since she was a part of a clan. For top talents such as herself, they had to live with the burden of knowing their lives didn't belong to themselves alone. So, before risking it they would consider a lot of things.

"You look disheartened." Kotohime said with a smirk.

Kurenai sighed heavily. "I had no idea it was this difficult. I wonder how Hokage-sama did it."

"He could because he had the help of the Nidaime on the first time, then Mito-sama joined in for the following other times. After their demise he depended on me for his final steps." Kotohime said.

Kurenai felt even more depressed. "So not one, but three Seal Masters are required for deviants?." Kurenai asked. Hard luck. The Sandaime lived in an era where the Seal Master's in Konoha were borderline family. She on the other hand existed in the era where there were three Seal Masters but two hated each other with a passion and the other was a raging pervert she wouldn't dare risk training under.

"No, you nincompoop. Hiruzen-kōhai was the only person I know who required more than one Seal Master to break the pattern. That madman sought to break the pattern a total of ten times. One for every path of shinobi he wanted to master." Kotohime said, shaking her head in disapproval. That old goat was lucky to be alive. If not for Mito he would've keeled over and died. 'I blame you Tobirama-sama. You enabled that madness.' Kotohime thought.

"Huh..." Kurenai said weakly. She still hadn't caught up with what Kotohime just said.

"Breaking the pattern can be done multiple times, and the more times you do it the more dangerous it gets." Kotohime started. "Hiruzen-kōhai was obsessed with knowledge, so he wanted to master all aspects of shinobi and saw this ancient art as a means to achieve his dream. He succeeded on the first try with the aid of the Nidaime Hokage, and successfully mastered dōton style ninjutsu. However, a chakra system can only take so much abuse. Breaking and recreating it means that the shinobi's chakra system would need some time to heal. I've estimated it to be ten years at least."

Kotohime took a pause to allow her words to sink into Kurenai's mind. "Hiruzen-kōhai was foolish, he thought himself powerful enough to break past the limits of his own body. After but a single year he tried to break the pattern again and almost died as a result. Had it not been for the intervention of Mito-sama, he would've died." Kotohime revealed. She thought back to the scene of the woman rescuing her kōhai with pride. There wouldn't be another Uzumaki woman as special as Mito. "For whatever reason, Mito-sama sympathized with Hiruzen-kōhai and instead of stopping his madness she joined him and the Nidaime in it." Kotohime shook her head. She had tried to be the voice of reason but three were hell bent on challenging the natural order.

'That group was one Orochimaru short of a global terrorist group.' Kotohime thought.

"After Mito-sama and the Nidaime died I thought that would be the end to Hiruzen-kōhai's madness. But alas, I was wrong." Kotohime's face turned annoyed and she glared at nothing in particular she spoke. "That punk knew I'd seen the entire procedure and was confident I could replicate Mito-sama and the Nidaime's feats. So, he conned me into helping him five more times until he achieved his goal."

Kurenai, and Tate as well; who was listening from his spot in the room were intrigued. It was shocking to find out that the current Hokage was once an impulsive old man. Not to talk of the Shodai's wife and brother who aided him despite the risks. They were characters of legend but with how Kotohime portrayed them in her stories they sounded like stubborn nerds that wanted to prove they could do something.

Kurenai specifically was more than anything intrigued by Kotohime's revelation that she had assisted the Sandaime to break the pattern five times. "You really helped him to break it five times?." Kurenai said, the lost hope reignited in her eyes.

Kotohime smiled lightly. "If not me who else?."

Kurenai chuckled uncomfortably. 'Damn this woman. Tried to trap me. Had I said Namikaze Mina I would be kissing my chances to become a deviant goodbye.'

"Since you only require to do it once it shouldn't be a hassle for me. Though, you'll have to put in a lot of training before you can be considered ready to even attempt to break your chakra system safely."

Kurenai nodded in determination. "I understand."

Kotohime smiled in approval. "If that's the case then I agree. I will train make you into a deviant shinobi of your choosing."

Kurenai felt elated. She agreed. She actually agreed to aid her. The same woman that helped the Sandaime break the pattern a total of five times would help her, a mere jonin, break her pattern. Kurenai had her pride but she still smiled widely. She couldn't pretend, this was a privilege. She was sure many who knew of Kotohime's skill begged her to aid them only to be refused. While she... she got the woman's tutorship, just like that. It was unbelievable. It was–

"On one condition."

Kurenai's elation immediately turned to caution once Kotohime's words reached her. "Ah..." Of course. Of course there would be something. 'Kaname-sama said she would never agree to do it without extra payment. I guess this is what he meant.' Kurenai thought.

Though the man had given her the antidote for the poison that plagued her, she didn't feel it sufficient to exchange for her fūinjutsu expertise and tutorship. Probably, how she saw it, Kaname's antidote only covered for one of those things. Unfortunately both were essential to Kurenai's goal. She couldn't do without the other.

So Kurenai took a breath, bearing in mind not to agree to anything that would badly affect her clan. "What is the condition."

Kotohime gave an innocent smile. One would think she was about to ask for something reasonable like cash payment, deeds to some of their bookstores, the secret detailed maps that Kaname only gave to the Hokage or Jiraiya. Roughly anything of value that the Yūhi would willing part with for her sake. Little did Kurenai know that Kotohime had no desire for the treasures and possessions of her clan.

They were never her target she was. So in hindsight Kurenai shouldn't have been so surprised when Kotohime said;

"I want you to bear a child for our wakate when he's of age. If you can do this then I will not only break and help you reform your chakra system and yourself, I promise that I will make sure you become the most fearsome genjutsu mistress in shinobi history. That's my condition and it's non-negotiable."

The devil doesn't bargain.

End.

AN: Bare in mind Deviants lose all their abilities and techniques when they break the pattern, however they retain a familiarity with it so attaining it is considerably easy. It's just like losing your saved data in a game then having to start from the beginning. Getting back to your former level would be considerably easier (Unless it's DMC lol).

That's why Kotohime promised to make Kurenai a legendary genjutsu mistress, because she knows she will be able to regain her genjutsu techniques without much trouble and possibly improve it further.

Now, what do you guys think Kurenai will focus on now she's decided to pick a different part than genjutsu specialization?. Ninjutsu?. Taijutsu?. Kenjutsu?. Fūinjutsu?. It'll be a surprise, but you can guess.

Also we need to do something about these piss poor amount of reviews. I'm putting in the work, let's try to bump that a bit.

PS: Kurenai considers herself an outstanding jonin. Notice that I never used the word elite when referring to the jonin/chunnin strength comparison. Elite jonin are on a completely different level than most jonin, just like in canon.

See y'all next time. Peace. Review and follow!. I'm not about to be the guy with damn near 300k words and 19 reviews. Don't do me like that :'(

For the time being it's all BiG Konoha. TWITAUP readers you'll have to wait.