A/N - Okay, I know, it took me forever to update this fic. I've been rather busy and I've been dealing with a LOT of problems as well. I've been battling severe depression for a while now, and on top of that I keep hallucinating and hearing voices in my head. It's been under control for a while, sort of, but it's been getting harder and harder to deal with everything.

Anywho, this chapter took a while to finish writing. I kept getting distracted. x.x Still, I think it turned out alright.

Now, before you read, it was pointed out a few times that, towards the end of the first chapter, Naruto admitted that he shouldn't make an enemy of Konoha if he can help it. Thing is, nobody knows that he killed Jiraiya. However, if he were to kill Sasuke, that would definitely cause some serious problems. That's really all there is to it.

Alrighty, with all of that out of the way, read on and hopefully enjoy!

Chapter 2 – Revenge

"Do tell me something, Sensei. Who was it that killed that fool? Sure, Jiraiya was pathetic, but that doesn't mean he was so weak as to die fighting someone." Orochimaru questioned as he stared down his old sensei.

Hiruzen scowled for a moment before saying, "I have my suspicions, but no concrete proof. I believe it was Naruto Uzumaki. I'm sure you saw it. He possesses a strange, new power. I have never seen the likes of it before."

Orochimaru quirked a brow and briefly glanced down into the arena, watching as Naruto casually began to chase after Sasuke and the duo from Suna. "I highly doubt someone as unskilled and inexperienced as Uzumaki could have pulled something like that off. He's a no talent boy pretending to be a ninja. I defeated him easily and can do so again. So what if he's different now? That changes nothing. No, Sasuke-kun's the best this village has to offer and I'm eager to run away with him." He said before cackling maniacally.

The aged Hokage shook his head in disappointment. "Then you're a fool, Orochimaru. You're my biggest disappointment. I should never have let you escape before. It's time I fix that mistake."

The Snake Sannin scowled at his old sensei. "I'm your biggest disappointment?! You were a terrible sensei! Just look at your team! Jiraiya gave into his perversions and neglected his own godson! Rather than do his duty and manage that spy network of his, he would have much rathered peep on women no matter what they were doing at the time."

As both he and his sensei prepared to begin their fight, the Sannin continued on. "Tsunade is pathetic. Oh boo-hoo, her brother and fiancé died, so she had to run away and drown herself in booze and gambling, despite the fact she sucks at it. She chooses to wallow in misery and self-pity, thereby dishonoring the memories of her grandparents, her fiancé, and her stupid little brother."

"Then you have me. I'm probably the least screwed up out of the three of us. I'll let you in on a little secret, Sensei. Danzo has been working behind your back to usurp you and take the mantle of Hokage by force. I gave that rotten excuse of a person the means to do so, too. Do I expect him to succeed? No. No, I do not. He's an old fool, perhaps even more foolish than you. All that monster has done is make more enemies for Konoha. In fact, how do you think I managed to persuade the people of Sunagakure to help me? It's because he screwed you over and made an enemy out of your supposed ally! Maybe, after I've killed you, I'll pay a visit to that monster and end him as well. Actually, now that I think on it, where do you suppose he and his Root are right now?"

Hiruzen's eyes were wide as he listened to his traitorous student. "Danzo has no intention of defending the village. He's hiding like a coward! That rotten shit!" Glaring into Orochimaru's eyes, he said, "If you manage to kill me today, then do me one last favor, Orochimaru. Kill Danzo Shimura!"

Orochimaru smirked and said, "I already planned to. But…" Finishing with his hand seals, Orochimaru placed his hands on the ground and called forth three coffins labeled with the numbers 1, 2, and 4. "perhaps I should kill that foolish boy for daring to strike Sasuke-kun. How do you like the sound of that, Sensei?"

Seeing the coffins rising, Hiruzen quickly threw three kunai, hoping to stop the coffins from rising. However, while he managed to stop coffins 1 & 2, number 4 continued to rise after Orochimaru caught the kunai. Cursing under his breath, the aged Hokage prepared himself for what was sure to be a dangerous fight. "You foul abomination! Desecrating the dead like this!"

Rather than respond, Orochimaru simply smirked evilly as the lid of the coffin fell, revealing the man within. As the figure stepped out of the coffin, all those in the immediate area were stunned to see the Fourth Hokage standing before them. When Orochimaru went to insert a kunai with a seal tag wrapped around it into the back of the blonde man's head, Minato turned and smashed the palm of his hand into Orochimaru's face, breaking his nose and forcing him to drop the kunai. "How?! Why aren't you obeying?!"

Minato shook his head in disappointment and said, "The only reason you could even summon me like this is because Shinigami-sama permitted it. I must follow his orders. And right now, Shinigami-sama wants your life. Farewell, Orochimaru." And with that, Minato began to do battle with the Snake Sannin, though there was a huge gap in skill between the two of them. And Minato had the advantage right from the beginning. Whereas Orochimaru was only human and therefore did not have an infinite supply of chakra, Minato didn't have to worry about that particular problem.

Rather than leave everything up to Minato, Hiruzen went on the attack as well, putting Orochimaru into a rather precarious situation. The Sound Four were watching in horror at the battle taking place. However, they knew that if they were to release the barrier, they'd be overwhelmed by not just the Anbu, but two Hokages! However, some of them were willing to risk it just to save their master.

Dropping the barriers, the three men of the Sound Four rushed in to save their master, only to be stopped partway. As the Anbu finished them off without even a shred of mercy, Tayuya, the lone female of the group, didn't even try to resist as they restrained her, tying her hands behind her back with ninja wire. Sorry, Orochimaru, but I'm not dying for your sake. I really hope they don't kill me…

Orochimaru scowled as he realized he was likely doomed. So, because he couldn't defeat Minato Namikaze, he turned his sights on his old sensei and regurgitated the Kusanagi blade, catching both Hokages off guard. Before anyone could stop him, he lunged forward and pierced Hiruzen's skull and into his brain.

Once his old sensei collapsed, dead as can be, the Snake Sannin turned and grinned at Minato and the various Anbu surrounding him. When he went to escape, that is when Minato struck, finishing Orochimaru off.

As the Sannin's lifeless body dropped, Minato scowled and glanced at Tayuya, who was simply watching the proceedings with an apathetic stare. I can sense it. There's a fragment of Orochimaru's soul in that curse seal of hers. I am sorry, Shinigami-sama. I don't think I can fully remove this man's blight on this world.

The people watched as Minato's undead body crumbled to dust. Once he was gone, one of the Anbu stepped forward and said, "Take the girl to T&I. Tell Ibiki to get everything he can from her. The rest of you, go and remove the invaders. Kill them, take prisoners, I do not care. Just deal with the problem. Go!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" they exclaimed before they hurried off to repel the invaders.

Once they were gone, the lone Anbu removed her mask and knelt down beside the Hokage's body. Were you serious, sir? Did you really think Naruto was behind Jiraiya's death? If he was…what should we do? He has no reason to remain loyal to the village. Naruto is a serious flight risk already. We can't just remove him, however. He's our jinchuriki and he is needed here. I wish you and Fourth-sama could have stayed long enough to give us our orders. As it stands…Danzo is likely to take over. We can't just let that happen! So, what do we do?! The answer would not come easily.

Naruto

Naruto frowned as he looked at the woman below him on the ground. He had been hopping from tree to tree in pursuit of Sasuke and the Sand siblings, only to suddenly sense a presence nearby. Coming to a stop, he scowled as he listened to the sounds of combat up ahead. While he would love nothing more than to go and watch Sasuke get thrashed, he had a more pressing problem to deal with.

Hopping down to the ground, the Lord of Calamity looked hard into the woman's eyes and said, "Lailah. I didn't think you would still be around."

Lailah was a beautiful woman with long, flowing silver hair, though it had a bit of red and green mixed in. She has green eyes and wore a small dress that was red, white, black, and lavender in coloring, though red and white tended to stand out the most. She also had a headband atop her head that acted as a ponytail holder and kept her hair in place. As she looked into Naruto's eyes, she couldn't help but note the similarities between Heldalf and Naruto Uzumaki in terms of their appearance. Frowning deeply at him, the fire seraph asked, "Just who are you? You aren't Heldalf…"

Sighing, Naruto reached up and scratched an itch behind his ear. "I am not Heldalf, no. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and as you have likely already surmised, I am the new Lord of Calamity. Let me guess, the Sacred Blade is hidden nearby, isn't it?"

"And if it is? What is your goal, Naruto Uzumaki? Do you plan to sow the seeds of chaos throughout the world as Heldalf once did?" Lailah questioned, trying her best to remain calm in the face of the dark being before her.

The blonde sighed and said, "Lailah, I do not care much for this world. The people are cruel and those in charge of the Hidden Villages are corrupt and power-hungry. Believe it or not, I was once a Human, a being known as a jinchuriki. I held one of the nine bijuu within me, known as the Kyuubi no Yoko. I was technically killed by the one known as Jiraiya of the Sannin. However, a deep, powerful darkness entered my body and revived me into what you see now."

"Nobody cared for me, Lailah. Did you know that the people of this village actually celebrated my death? I know things weren't perfect back then when Sorey, the Shepard, was still around. But people have fallen far since then. It's as though the people have become corrupted by the overwhelming darkness of the world. Finding someone pure of heart in this day and age, someone worthy to be called the Shepard…is likely impossible. I am sorry, Lailah. However, you really don't need to worry so much. I am no more evil than Sorey was. I have simply been reborn as a being of ultimate destruction. I was content to simply pass away and be done with this world, but now? Now I will shape the world in my image. People will die, but only those whose hearts cannot be swayed. This world is consumed by evil men and women and I have taken it upon myself to purge the world of such evil. I have no interest in killing innocents. Whether they be children, animals, or even the men and women that haven't given in to the darkness, it does not matter. Innocent lives shall not be stolen away by my hands."

Sighing softly, Naruto rubbed the back of his head and said, "I know you would like to see the good in everyone, and I shall not fault you for it. However, these people are not worthy of your time. You won't find anyone in this village pure enough to take up the Sacred Sword." Looking deep into the woman's eyes, he said, "Lailah, I do not wish to be enemies. I mean you and the other spirits no harm. In fact, if you wanted me to, I could go in search of someone pure enough to wield your blade. Someone that would free you from your prison and allow you to roam free once more. A Shepard would make for a good ally in my quest to save this world from those that only wish to sow the seeds of chaos. All the senseless war and violence…"

Looking back towards the village, Naruto said, "I'm not sure if you are aware, but a great battle is taking place in Konohagakure right now. We are being invaded by rival villages." Turning back to Lailah, he said, "People these days are so quick to go to war and take people's lives. Even if they cannot see you, there is still the chance that you and your fellow spirits could be hurt. I want to prevent that."

Stepping up to Lailah, Naruto reached up and cupped her cheek, gently running his thumb over it. "Lailah, I want us to be friends. I want us to be allies. I may be a being born of darkness, but…"

The silver-haired woman shook her head and said, "Naruto…you may not be as evil as your ancestors, but…I still cannot trust you. As you are the new Lord of Calamity, it is my duty to stop you. Please try to understand…"

Before the Seraph of Fire could say anymore, Naruto pressed his lips to hers, kissing her for a short time. When he pulled back and looked into her eyes, he said, "Mmm. Soft. You really are quite the beauty, Lailah. But, I suppose if we must be enemies, then I'd ask that you be the one to end me. Quite the fair deal, is it not?" he teased.

Lailah was a blushing, stuttering mess at this point. Then, before she could say anything, Naruto was gone. Blinking a couple of times, she reached a hand up and touched her lips. Was…was that a kiss? He kissed me! But…why did it feel so nice?

Naruto

Naruto chuckled darkly to himself as he thought over his conversation with Lailah. Corrupting that woman and making her mine; I will have you and your love, Lailah. You will be mine. I'm looking forward to making you scream my name as you writhe in ecstasy. How fun that will be.

The new Lord of Calamity frowned deeply as he came across the body of his advisor, lying against the trunk of a tree. Going to her, he knelt down and felt for a pulse. When he felt nothing, he scowled and said, "Sasuke. I will kill you for this. But first…" Staring solemnly at Temari, he proceeded to focus his darkness and pressed his hand to her chest. As the darkness consumed her, she began to change just like he had when he was revived. When the process was finished, he waited a few minutes, hoping that his actions would revive the woman.

Temari's eyes suddenly shot open and she let out a long, loud gasp. Looking around in a panic, she soon locked eyes with the Lord of Calamity. Blinking a few times, she said, "He…he killed me! Did…did you revive me somehow?"

Naruto nodded and reached up, gently brushing some of her hair back behind her ear. "I did. You are my advisor and a friend. I do not wish to lose you. You are the only one I truly care for now. I promise you this now: if Gaara doesn't kill Sasuke, then I will. I cannot forgive him for daring to kill you."

The pigtailed blonde hugged Naruto tight and began to sob. "Thank you, Naruto-sama. Thank you for saving me."

"Of course, Temari. But, in order to save you…I had to make you like me. You are technically now my servant. However, I value your input and will listen to your advice, just as I promised. You…are also immortal now, just like me. I do not know if you have gained powers similar to mine, but we shall see." Naruto explained.

Temari looked into her master's eyes and said, "It's okay, Naruto-sama. I'm not upset. But we can't sit here talking. That asshole's after Gaara! I'm sure he'll be okay, but letting my brother run rampant throughout the village wouldn't be doing either of us any good."

Naruto nodded and helped Temari back onto her feet. "I'll stop your brother from going on a rampage. I assume you'd like a little rematch with Sasuke, my beautiful advisor?"

Temari blushed prettily before quickly shaking it off. "I know you said you'd like to end him, but I'm feeling pretty pissed. I couldn't stop him, and he fucking killed me! That guy's a damn psychopath! So you're damn right I want to kick his ass."

Naruto smirked at her and said, "Good. I believe in you, my advisor. Come." And with that, the two of them hurried off in pursuit of Sasuke and Gaara.

When they caught up to Sasuke and Gaara, Temari's eyes widened in horror as she saw Sasuke's arm through her brother's chest. "Gaara…n-no! You rotten bastard!" she shouted before commanding the darkness to take hold of Sasuke and throw him aside. Leaping after him, she shouted, "I'll fucking kill you for what you've done!"

Leaping up to Gaara's side, Naruto frowned as he looked at the wound. It was slowly closing, but he could easily see that Sasuke had nicked Gaara's heart with the Chidori. When the redhead coughed up blood, Naruto supported the jinchuriki and said, "You'll be okay, Gaara. Here, let me help you."

Gaara watched with deadened eyes as Naruto used the darkness to begin sealing his wound. However, the longer he used said darkness, the more pain Gaara felt. When it was finally over, he collapsed to his knees and almost fell off of the tree branch he and Naruto were on.

Catching the redhead, Naruto looked into his eyes and asked, "Gaara? I can make your pain go away. I can even get rid of Shukaku if you desire it. I can grant you something precious that your bijuu has taken from you: sleep. If you allow me to exterminate that creature, you will be able to sleep again. But, in order to help you…I will need to grant you the powers of darkness. They are far more powerful than the sand you currently control. However, you'll still have access to your chakra and the ability to use your sand and more."

The redhead stared warily into Naruto's eyes. "You…you would take the voices away? You could grant me sleep? What would you ask for in return? I was warned to be careful with you."

Naruto smirked at Gaara and said, "I would ask for your friendship and your loyalty. If I get rid of your problems, then I would like for you to simply be my friend, my ally. That's not so much to ask for, is it, Gaara?"

The redheaded jinchuriki frowned for a time before saying, "Very well. She says not to trust you, but I am so…so tired. I'm tired of hurting. I want to be free."

"Very well, Gaara." Placing his hand over the now closed wound, Naruto focused on his power once more and began to change Gaara to be like himself and Temari. Once he was finished, Naruto ripped out the bijuu and destroyed it, listening with glee as Shukaku screamed until it was finally no more. "There. It is done."

As Naruto stepped back to give him some space, Gaara looked at his hands before he began to pat himself down. After he had finished, he looked into Naruto's eyes and said, "You did it. But…how?"

Naruto patted Gaara lightly on the head and said, "Aiding my allies is a simple matter, Gaara. I simply used my power over darkness to pull off a miracle, let's say. Now, you are like me…and your sister. Sasuke killed Temari, Gaara. For that act alone, there can be no forgiveness. Go and do what you must. Assist your sister in ending that prick. Then…we shall see."

The redhead frowned deeply and said, "Very well, Naruto-sama. Your will be done." Nodding once in reverence to his new master, Gaara quickly joined his sister and began to do battle with Sasuke once again.

Turning to watch his underlings do battle with the arrogant 'avenger', Naruto smirked wickedly to himself and thought, You brought this on yourself, Sasuke. Perhaps if you had been a better person, you wouldn't have to die. Too bad. Looking in the direction where he had left Lailah, the Lord of Calamity frowned in thought for a time. Then there's you, Lailah. I said that I would find someone worthy of the Sacred Blade, but the truth is…I cannot touch it. Finding someone pure of heart in this day and age, one who can see spirits such as you…will not be easy. I do not even know where to begin my search. But I assure you, I will free you from your earthly prison. But, for the time being, I'm perfectly happy to corrupt you and make you my bride.

Meanwhile, Sasuke snarled as he looked between both of his opponents. "I killed you both, goddammit! How are you alive again?! Why couldn't you two just stay dead?!"

Temari glared at the Uchiha and said, "You're right, you did kill me. But you won't live long enough to find out what happened. Suffice it to say, my desire for revenge against you helped me to survive."

"Tch. You know NOTHING of vengeance! I cannot die, you fools! It is my destiny to kill the clan slayer! I will kill my brother!" Sasuke shouted as he allowed the curse mark to spread throughout his body. "Before that, I will kill the two of you. I don't care what powers you've gained or who gave them to you. You will die!"

"Not before you, Uchiha." Gaara said as he raised his hand.

Sasuke smirked and leapt away from Gaara's attack. However, where he expected sand, he saw nothing but a sinister cloud of darkness. Blinking a couple of times, he activated his Sharingan and stared at the pitch black cloud as it began to disappear. There's no chakra in that technique! What the hell is that?!

Before he could think on it too much, Sasuke was suddenly sent flying by an unseen attack. Grunting when his back impacted a tree behind him, the Uchiha scowled angrily to himself. I won't lose here! Destiny is on my side, dammit! I can't be killed before I exact my revenge against that monster! If that means I have to draw on more of this damn seal's power, then so be it!

When Sasuke pulled on all the power he could from the seal, he blinked before his eyelids began to close. "W-What…?" Before he lost consciousness, Sasuke saw someone standing before him, defending him from Gaara and Temari. Not…good…

The Sand siblings glared at the one who had rescued Sasuke from certain death. "Kabuto Yakushi. Why am I not surprised?" Temari questioned as she glared at the bespectacled individual.

Kabuto watched them for a time before saying, "Sorry, but I'm afraid someone needs Sasuke alive. Farewell." Quickly grabbing Sasuke, Kabuto began to flee. He knew that if he stayed to fight, he would likely perish at the hands of the two freaks of nature. If I didn't need you alive, Uchiha, I'd have left you there. But Orochimaru-sama needs you.

Once Kabuto and Sasuke were out of sight, Naruto appeared beside the Suna duo. "So, they escaped. Not entirely unexpected. We'll just have to get them next time. You two fought rather well. Tell me, how do you feel?"

"Pissed. I wanted to kill the little shit. But…" looking at Naruto, Temari smirked and said, "I like this new power. It'll take some getting used to, but it feels good. If I had more control over the darkness, I could've probably captured the both of them and done away with them."

Gaara nodded and said, "It is the same for me. I still have control over sand, but I wanted to test out my new abilities. My apologies for letting those two escape, Naruto-sama."

Naruto shrugged and said, "It's fine. It's not unexpected, after all. Besides, they are no threat to us. Once they resurface, we'll kill them then. For now, let's return to the village and deal with the annoyances that dared to invade Konoha."

Temari frowned slightly and asked, "I thought you didn't care about Konoha. What's changed?"

Naruto shrugged again and said, "Nothing. I would love to watch Konoha burn before I reshape the village in my image. However, I want it done on my terms. I'll destroy Konoha when it's the right time. I'll kill all those who wronged me. And no, I'm not doing it out of anger or revenge. They're monsters that celebrated my death. Tell me, are they good people if they're so willing to celebrate another person's death?"

Temari scowled and said, "You're right, Naruto-sama. It reminds me of how Gaara's been treated back home. It's not right. I'll help you, Naruto-sama. I'll help you however I can."

"Thank you." Sighing aggravatedly, Naruto began a casual pace towards the village. "Once we return without Sasuke, I'm going to get all kinds of shit, I just know it. Damned assholes."

"They'll blame you, won't they, Naruto-sama?" Gaara questioned, a deep frown on his face.

"Yeeep. Then, they'll likely put Danzo in charge as the new Hokage. If he has his way, Konoha will always be at war until they're the last ones standing. He's a warmonger and an evil son of a bitch. I think we need to find Tsunade and drag her ass back here to become the new Hokage. If they appoint Danzo as the new Hokage…I will kill him. No hesitation, no remorse. I do not care if that marks me as a traitor and a monster." Naruto said.

As they walked along, Temari couldn't help but frown sadly. "You deserve so much better, Naruto-sama."

"Thanks, Temari-chan. But it's okay. I am quite used to this kind of shit. Before we get to the village, though, I want to introduce you to someone. You should be able to see her now that I have given you both the power of darkness." Naruto said before he moved slightly off the path.

Gaara and Temari looked at each other quizzically. When they realized that they didn't know who the heck their new master was talking about, they decided to follow him and see what it was he wanted to show them.

When Lailah came into view, Naruto smirked as he approached her. When she turned to face him, she broke out into a fierce blush. Stepping up to her, he waited for his subordinates to arrive. "Gaara, Temari, this is Lailah. Technically, she and I are on opposite sides, but I would much rather we be friends. Lailah, these are my new friends and allies: Gaara and Temari."

Lailah frowned slightly before looking into the Lord of Calamity's eyes. "You have changed them. I assume there is some reason for what you've done?"

"Yes. My teammate, Sasuke Uchiha…murdered Temari and gravely wounded Gaara. In order to save their lives, I used my power to revive them. Temari has volunteered her services as my new advisor. I trust her to give me sound advice." Looking deep into Lailah's eyes, Naruto wrapped an arm around her and held her flush against his body. "Lailah, I said it before, but allow me to say it again. I do not want us to be enemies. I want us to get along and be friends. I'll even search for a pure hearted person to take up the sword and free you. If that means you will be creating a new Shepard, so be it. But…" Tilting Lailah's head up slightly, the Lord of Calamity leaned in and captured her lips with his. When she slowly began to return his kiss, Naruto smirked inwardly as one of his hands snaked down and began to massage her butt.

Lailah gasped before she started to moan from Naruto's gentle ministrations. No longer in control of her mental faculties, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, deepening the kiss and moaning in delight.

When they separated this time, Naruto leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "Naughty Lailah-chan. Are you allowing the great Lord of Calamity to corrupt you? For shame."

The Seraph of Fire blushed fiercely and hugged him, resting her head against his broad chest. As he continued to massage her butt, she let out quiet moans and smiled happily. Looking back into his eyes, she said, "I…I can't help it. Your kisses feel like magic. Your touch…your touch makes me melt. You make me feel beautiful."

"That's because you are beautiful, Lailah. And I'm going to make you mine. You shall be my bride and we will rule these lands together as husband and wife. Tell me, does that sound so wrong? I can even grant you children if you accept my love. It is entirely up to you, my dear Lailah-chan." Naruto said.

Unable to truly think clearly, Lailah smiled happily at the idea of having children of her own. Looking into Naruto's eyes again, she offered him a beauteous smile before saying, "That…sounds wonderful. But…"

"We are mortal enemies, I know. I'll win you over somehow, Lailah-chan. For now, I shall search for the right person to take up your sword. I just hope you're ready to bear my children when the time comes for us to consummate our love." Naruto said, smirking inwardly.

Nervously poking her fingers together, Lailah found it harder and harder to look into the Lord of Calamity's eyes. Unable to utter a word, she blushed deeply when Naruto tilted her head up again and kissed her passionately, taking her breath away. Clinging to his shirt, she returned his kiss, unable to help herself. This feels too good. Is…is being with him so wrong? This feels wonderful. I…I want more.

When they separated this time, Naruto began to place tender kisses on her neck and collarbone, then upwards, kissing her chin, her jawline, her nose, and then finally her lips once more. As she melted like putty in his hands, he grinned and whispered to her once again. "Someday soon, I'll make you my bride. You'll come to love me, Lailah-chan. That's a promise. And one thing you'll quickly learn about me is that I never break a promise."

Before Lailah could say anything more in response, Naruto looked at his underlings and motioned for them to introduce themselves to the lovely spirit. When they stepped up beside him, Temari looked at her new master with a slight frown on her face. Just who is this woman to make Naruto-sama behave in such a way?

Gaara bowed his head to Lailah and said, "I am Gaara. I have sworn to serve Naruto-sama for the rest of time. I…choose to be his friend. I will not betray my lord."

Temari looked hard into Lailah's eyes before saying, "I'm Temari. I'm the oldest child of our father, the Kazekage of Sunagakure. Gaara is the youngest while Kankuro is the middle child in our family. Our mother perished when she gave birth to Gaara. I have sworn to serve as Naruto-sama's advisor and shall not betray his trust. Tell me, Lailah-san, will you betray Naruto-sama like so many others have already done? He has been hurt quite enough and I will not tolerate anyone trying to use him or hurt him in any way."

Lailah shook her head and said, "W-We're enemies. I…I can't…" Looking into Naruto's eyes, she frowned sadly and said, "I…I don't want to hurt him. But…oh dear. What do I do now?"

"You don't have to find the answer right away, Lailah-chan. Take some time to think on it and you'll reach the right decision, I'm sure. Whether that means you wish to remain enemies, or if you want to be with me and become my bride, it's okay. I will not fault you for your decision, no matter what it might be. Buuut…" Wrapping his arms around Lailah, he pulled her flush against him once again and said, "Should you ever want me to, I'll make love to you and make you the happiest woman alive. I want you bad, my darling Lailah-chan. I will make you scream my name as you writhe in ecstasy."

Lailah was a blushing mess and began to stammer, desperate to respond in some way. However, when Naruto claimed her lips once again, she practically melted against him. I…I can't control myself! I've never felt like this before! What do I do?! What can I do?! I…I need to resist… Unfortunately, all the strength seemed to leave the seraph as she clung to him again and returned his kiss with as much passion as she could. Her mind was struggling with her body, trying desperately to get herself under control. However, her body just wouldn't listen to her.

Slowly, one of Naruto's hands snaked its way up, under Lailah's top until he found his prize. Gently massaging one of her breasts, he used the other to keep her close. When she began to moan again, Naruto grinned and intensified the kiss even more.

Eventually, the two of them separated. As Lailah gasped for breath, she looked at Naruto and, before her mind could catch up and stop her, she said, "I won't be your enemy. I…this…it all feels too good. I just don't care anymore. I'm yours, now and forever. Just…free me from the seal. Free me, and I'll give you whatever you want. I'll bear your children proudly."

As Naruto smirked devilishly at her, Lailah's mind was screaming at her to start thinking rationally once again! However, try as it might, Lailah couldn't find it in her to resist. After a short period of time, she thought, No. I'm his. I want him too much to even think about harming him. Even if a new Shepard is chosen, I just don't care anymore. Please, just let me have him.

Almost as if sensing her thoughts, Naruto smiled kindly at her as he thought, Good. She's losing herself to the pleasure. I really need to help her. She doesn't deserve to be shackled to that blasted sword any longer. And once she's free, I'll give her everything she desires and then some.

Seeing Naruto's smile, Lailah wrapped her arms around his neck and began to kiss him again. She just couldn't find it in herself to resist anymore. When they parted again moments later, she asked, "When will I see you again, Naruto?"

"I'll try to visit you as frequently as I can, Lailah-chan. However, I may end up traveling for a time, searching for the next Shepard. I will free you, Lailah. For now, please stay safe and take care of yourself." Naruto said.

Lailah pouted cutely and snuggled against him. "Don't keep me waiting too long, Naruto. I'll be lonely without you." What has gotten into me?! Why can't I resist? What's happening to me?

Smirking devilishly at her, he said, "I'll definitely visit you as frequently as I can. Can't have my future bride be lonely now, can I?" And with that, he kissed her once more before he and the Sand siblings left.

Left on her own, Lailah walked to a nearby tree and sat down against it. Clutching at her chest, she could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest. Naruto is powerful…and incredibly dangerous. I couldn't resist him at all! If he comes back, I don't know if I can resist giving myself completely to him. Please, if you can hear me, Kami…help me! Help me before it's too late!

Naruto

Temari scowled as she walked at Naruto's side. "What was that all about? You two were all over each other."

Naruto sighed and said, "Temari, that woman is the Seraph of Fire. She is a spirit that resides within the Sacred Blade. If someone pure of heart takes up the blade, they will become the new Shepard. The Shepards have the ability to hurt me, perhaps even kill me, if they're lucky enough. So, in order to protect myself and my allies, you two, it is best that I corrupt Lailah and make her fall madly in love with me. She wouldn't dare strike me down if she falls in love with me. Live and let live, as they say." Glancing at his advisor, he asked, "Why? Are you jealous?"

Temari huffed and looked away from him. "Maybe a little. Not entirely sure why exactly. Still, I can tell that she's dangerous and shouldn't be underestimated. Are you sure it's wise to get so close to her?"

The spiky-haired teen shrugged and said, "I've already explained myself. I shall not do so again. Suffice it to say, Lailah will be mine."

Shrugging her shoulders, Temari said, "Very well, Naruto-sama. I won't question you any further. But, if she tries ANYTHING, I'll strike her down where she stands."

"Noted. Now, we appear to have some company. Let's greet them appropriately, shall we?" Naruto said with a chuckle.

In an instant, they were surrounded by a squad of Anbu. Looking them over, Naruto smirked to himself as he looked straight at Cat. "Hello. How can I help you today?"

Removing her mask, Yugao frowned at him before glancing at his companions. "Naruto, why are these two following you? What happened to Sasuke?" Before Naruto could respond, she shook her head and said, "Hokage-sama and Orochimaru of the Sannin are both dead. We had hoped to welcome you and Sasuke Uchiha back after your victory over these two, but…"

Naruto quirked a brow in curiosity and asked, "So, the old fool and his wayward student have both perished. How interesting." Shrugging it off, the blonde looked her in the eyes and said, "These two have agreed to serve me. They are my friends and important allies. As for Sasuke…" Pointing a thumb over his shoulder, he said, "Sasuke was taken away by Kabuto Yakushi. I assume he was working for Orochimaru, but what they want with Sasuke is beyond me."

Yugao scowled at this and said, "Dammit. The people won't like this. Now what do we do?"

Naruto shook his head and said, "There honestly isn't much that you can do. The village's golden boy is gone and the village pariah, the most hated person in the village, was the only one to return from the mission. I think the best thing to be done right now is find some way to prevent Danzo from taking over as the Fifth Hokage. Hunting down Tsunade and dragging her back here is probably our best bet. Otherwise…"

Yugao nodded in agreement with the new Lord of Calamity. "Agreed. Come along, Uzumaki. Most of the enemy forces have been routed by now. All that's left is a few stragglers that didn't have the sense to flee with their allies. As for these two…"

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Yugao and said, "They remain with me. I will not tolerate anyone trying to harm my new allies. Anyone who so much as tries to touch them will have to answer to me."

Frowning slightly, the purple-haired Anbu quickly shook it off and motioned for the three of them to follow her. When they arrived at their destination, the council meeting room, Yugao looked at the three of them and said, "Be honest with the council, Uzumaki. Explain the situation and your intentions. And do be careful."

The blonde shrugged and said, "Very well. We'll just have to see how this meeting goes, then." Yugao simply nodded before she turned to her team. "We remain here to guard the council, just in case. Be ready to act at a moment's notice if things turn sour."

Naruto simply stared apathetically at the chair where the Hokage would sit. He wondered if Danzo would be so bold as to try and claim that seat. If he dared to try, Naruto would deal with him in his own way.

When the council began to file in and take their seats, Naruto easily noticed the many looks he was receiving. However, rather than let it bother him, he stood there waiting, his eyes never leaving the Hokage's seat. When Danzo stepped into the room and sat down in the Hokage's chair, Naruto smirked sinisterly to himself and said, "You do not belong in that seat, Danzo Shimura. I will give you to the count of five to get out of that chair. You are NOT the Hokage, nor will you ever be. One."

Danzo scoffed and said, "It is simply a matter of fact that I will be elected as the new Hokage, boy. I do believe I have earned this spot."

"Funny, considering you hid away while the rest of our forces fought to repel the invaders. Why is that, you old fossil? By the way…three. Four." Naruto said, a sinister grin on his face.

Danzo scoffed, but didn't feel the need to deign Naruto with an answer. Instead, he tried to use his hidden Sharingan to manipulate Naruto's mind in order to make him comply with his orders. When it didn't work, his visible eye widened in horror. Sadly, for him, he wouldn't live to understand why that was.

"Trying to utilize that hidden Sharingan of yours to manipulate me, Danzo? Very well. Five. I gave you your chance, and you blew it, Shimura. Farewell." Naruto said before he casually raised his hand and began clenching it into a fist. As he did so, the darkness swallowed Danzo whole before turning his body into paste, never even giving the man the opportunity to utilize his hidden Sharingan to save himself.

Once Danzo was no more, Naruto glanced around at the various council members. However, before he could speak a word, one of the civilian council members shouted, "That monster just murdered Danzo-sama! You, Anbu, kill the bastard!"

Yugao scowled at the man and said, "You do NOT control the Anbu. You do not have that authority. Try to command us again and I'll send your head rolling. As for Naruto Uzumaki, he gave Danzo ample warning. It is not his fault that Danzo was arrogant enough to sit in the Hokage's seat as if he owned it. Now, with Danzo out of the way, we can get the discussion underway. Who would like to begin?"

One of the civilians stood up and slapped his palms upon the table. "What are those two doing here? And where's Sasuke-sama?!"

Naruto sighed irritably before staring coldly into the man's eyes. "Gaara and Temari have agreed to serve me. As for Sasuke, Kabuto Yakushi made off with him before I could stop him. I don't know where Kabuto has taken him, but it's my suspicion that he was working for Orochimaru. They could be anywhere at this point."

"Liar! I bet you were trying to kill him and Kabuto saved him from you! And you just watched as Sasuke was taken, too!" the same civilian exclaimed angrily.

Facepalming himself hard, the blonde decided to ignore the fat bastard and look at the clan heads. "Okay, since they're a bunch of idiots that aren't making any sense, what do you all think of our current situation? We need to appoint a new Hokage, and I think Tsunade is our best bet."

Hiashi spoke up at this point before the civilians could continue shouting at Naruto. "You are correct, Uzumaki. However, finding Tsunade to bring her back is a problem that we don't know how to solve. Jiraiya was the only one with any chance of finding her, and he was killed. So we have no way of finding her. It would be more logical to appoint someone else Hokage until Tsunade can be found. The question then becomes: who could we appoint as our temporary Hokage?"

Naruto shrugged and said, "If need be, I'll take my new allies and try to find Tsunade myself. Someone needs to hunt her down, so I might as well try."

"You're just trying to run away instead of facing your punishment like you should!" one of the civilians exclaimed, interrupting the proceedings in the process.

"Seriously, do you idiots EVER shut up? The adults are talking. Children like you should just shut up and behave." Naruto said, casually waving the civilians off. Turning back to the clan heads, he asked, "Do you believe I should be punished for some reason? I already said it before: I couldn't stop Kabuto from making off with Sasuke. Hopefully something happens soon to ensure you can get him back. Until then, I think it would be smart to send me in search of Tsunade. I might just be able to find her."

Hiashi narrowed his eyes on the boy and said, "Before we even think of sending you in search of Tsunade, there are things we need to discuss. You've changed, Uzumaki, and NOT for the better. You murdered my nephew in cold blood! Do you really expect to get away with that?!"

Quirking a brow at the man, Naruto said, "He tried to murder your daughter first, Hiashi. From the sounds of it, you obviously don't give a shit about your daughter. Really father of the year material, there. Congratulations, Hiashi. You're a shitty parent! If you were going to treat your own daughter like trash, then what exactly does that make you? Oh, I know! A pathetic, washed-up scumbag! Such a wonderful job."

When Hiashi went to snap at him, Naruto glared into the man's eyes and said, "I killed your nephew in an official setting. I cannot be punished for killing my opponent in the finals. He knew the risks and he paid the price for his arrogance. Besides, think of it as revenge for your daughter. If she wanted, she could have easily subdued Neji in her fight with him. All she had to do was utilize the curse seal on his forehead until he passed out and she would be named the victor. Buuut, she cares about her family and never wanted to hurt him. She's too good a person to be your daughter. Then again, you're an abusive piece of shit that has only put her down and made her feel like shit, juuust because you can. How's it feel to know you're a sorry excuse for a father? I bet your wife is rolling in her grave, wishing she could kill you for daring to harm your daughter!"

Before anyone could react, Hiashi leapt over the semi-circular desk and charged towards Naruto. Seeing this reaction, Naruto grinned evilly before he disappeared from sight. As everyone looked around for the ex-jinchuriki, they soon heard Hiashi screaming in pain. Looking back at him, they saw that Naruto had Hiashi's beating heart in his hand. There was a large, gaping hole in Hiashi's body, as well, showing that the blonde had thrust his hand clean through Hiashi's body. However, when they got a good look at Naruto's outstretched arm, their eyes widened in horror. It had transformed into a truly wicked-looking abomination.

Naruto grinned sinisterly again as he crushed Hiashi's heart. Afterwards, he gave Hiashi's body a little push and watched with glee as his lifeless corpse fell to the ground face first. Once that was over and done with, he looked around at the council members and asked, "Would anyone else care to test themselves against me? Hiashi was scum. That bastard abused his own daughter and supported the application of the curse seal to turn the branch family into a life of servitude. I'm afraid I simply couldn't allow that horrible practice to continue."

Inoichi frowned deeply and asked, "Was it also necessary to provoke him? Don't bother answering that, it's a rhetorical question. The truth of the matter is that you just murdered Hiashi in cold blood. For your actions, there can be only one solution to the problem." Looking at the Anbu, the blonde mindwalker commanded, "Arrest him and lock him up until we can decide on his punishment. If we have our way, he'll be put to death for his crimes."

Naruto shook his head in disappointment. "I see. How disappointing. I suppose I'll simply have to leave then. I do hope you come to realize what fools you've been." Taking hold of his allies' hands, Naruto commanded the darkness to swallow them whole before the darkness faded away.

Once Naruto and his friends had vanished without a trace, Shikaku sighed and said, "Find him. Despite his 'good intentions', the fact is that he is now a criminal. This is all so troublesome, I swear."

Yugao frowned to herself as she slipped her mask back on. Personally, I agree with Uzumaki. Hiashi was a monster. Sighing softly, she motioned for the other Anbu to follow her as they set off in search of Naruto Uzumaki.

Once they were gone, Choza stepped up to Hiashi's body and said, "Do we bury him? Or do we destroy the body?"

Shikaku frowned and said, "Remove his eyes and seal them away safely. Afterwards, burn his body. We can't afford to let our enemies take Hiashi's body, just in case they have some way to glean some information on us."

Choza simply nodded before lifting Hiashi's body into his arms. Without another word, he left the council meeting room and made his way towards the hospital to have his eyes removed and stored away safely.

Once he was gone, Tsume frowned deeply and said, "Everything has spiraled so far out of control. Do you think we should have taken Uzumaki up on his offer to hunt down Tsunade?"

Shikaku shook his head and said, "No. There is no way to track her down, so he would likely be searching for her for a long time. We couldn't afford to have him out of the village for so long. However, he proved to be an unstable creature. Sadly, it's unknown if he still has the Kyuubi sealed inside of him or not. Still, he would serve as a deterrent for war. Now, however? He's too dangerous to leave alive. So, while the Anbu are searching for Uzumaki, we need to determine who should be the next Hokage. I am open to suggestions."

The others in the room frowned in thought before they began to discuss the situation at hand. Finding a new Hokage would not be easy, and things would be even worse if they let Naruto escape.

Naruto

The Lord of Calamity frowned as he and his allies used their powers over darkness to make their way back towards Lailah's location. When they finally reached her, they rose up out of the darkness before Naruto approached the beautiful fire spirit. "Lailah, I'm afraid I have bad news."

Frowning slightly, Lailah asked, "What's wrong, Naruto?"

"My allies and I have to leave for a while. The council, in their 'infinite wisdom', have decided to have me executed. It would not work, but that doesn't change the fact that we must leave for a time. I do not know when I might return to set you free. We would have left already, but…" Naruto said before he wrapped an arm around Lailah and pulled her flush against him. "I couldn't leave without saying goodbye. I'll miss you, Lailah."

Lailah blushed before she decided to be a bit bold. Leaning in close, she placed her lips to Naruto's and moaned into the kiss. When they parted, she looked past him at his vassals. "Umm…Naruto? Can we be alone for a time?"

Naruto nodded before turning slightly to look at his allies. When they seemed to get the message and vanished mere moments later, Naruto turned back to Lailah and grinned. "Trying to get me alone, hm? Let me guess, you want to do away with me? But, you're warring with yourself inside, trying to determine what exactly you want to do. Your body has betrayed you, but your mind is still your own. So I will give you a choice. You can turn me down and I will be on my way. Or, I can give you what you desire and make love to you here and now. It is entirely up to you, my lovely Lailah-chan."

Lailah couldn't help but let out a quiet whimper as she practically melted into Naruto's arms. "I…I…" she found it incredibly hard to formulate a proper sentence. However, she managed to take hold of some of her paper tags and prepared to strike him down or chase him off if she could. Sadly, as Naruto had pointed out, she was struggling to regain her mental faculties. I…I can't. What should I do?!

As he waited for Lailah to make a decision, Naruto thought, I wonder what you'll decide. Either way, it doesn't matter. I'll eventually make you mine, no matter what it takes. For now, let's see what you choose to do. This should be amusing, at the very least.

A/N - And that's the chapter! As you no doubt noticed, Naruto is gradually seducing Lailah. Things might be moving pretty quickly in that regard, but he is doing that for a reason, which was mentioned in the chapter. If you have complaints about it, feel free to gripe and whatnot. It's okay.

Hiashi's dead, the council has decided it is wise to execute Naruto, yada yada. Should be pretty dang obvious that he has no reason to stay in the village any longer. He'll only return occasionally to visit Lailah and, once he finds someone worthy to wield the Sacred Blade, he'll free Lailah and allow her to make a rather important choice. *shrugs*

Okay, I'm kinda groggy, so I'm ending this here. I think I'll take a little break and play The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III for a while. Probably. lol