Disclaimer: Refer to chapter 1.
AN: Full chapter title: CONFLICT BEGINS! The Wave Campaign Commences!
Also, another two chapters. Just remember 1 and 3 are irregularities.
"I see then." Naruto looked at the picture laid before him of a happy family of three. A beautiful woman stood next to a man with a young boy in her arms, one reaching out with arms he could not yet fully control for the smiling man in the picture with them.
Inari.
Tsunami.
Kaiza.
Three names were all they were supposed to be to the blonde haired Genin looking at them but they had so quickly become something more. Somehow three names had become something precious to him and he didn't know how to feel about that. His Legate stood with him, the centurion of his Praetorians stood with him, his lovely Sakura-chan stood with him and all three were expecting him to do something.
"Like I said before Naruto, it's you call since it's your army." Kakashi played the role of the dispassionate Jonin. His tone was somehow lethargic with every word he spoke, his hands were in his pockets like always, and his single visible eye looked around the room without interest. He never did look at the picture on the table.
"The Orange Legion…" His voice trailed off before he could finish. The Genin brought a hand up to his face and rubbed at his eyes. "I'm sorry, I am tired."
"A decision can always be reached later in the morning." Sasuke spoke his piece. It was one short and simple. The Orange Legion already had plans to destroy Gato's funds and the man himself, the unexpected nature of Kaiza's situation would not change any of those plans in his eyes. The merchant baron would still fall before the might of the Orange Legion of the Uzumaki Empire. "Plans must be made regardless, troops must be moved, supplies gathered, and attacks planned. No matter what choice you make Praetor it is unlikely to take effect tonight." He also could still lie, something perhaps made better with so little words.
"I know that very well Legate." Naruto looked towards the picture again. It was something that was like a siren to him, unable to pull away from the call it had on him. He wanted nothing more than to break the frame and torch the photograph inside but his body would not follow his commands. He found himself gingerly holding the image in his hands instead of smashing it to pieces as he wished to do. He did nothing to it despite wishing to see it destroyed and the plague it was on his mind erased. "Do not think to question how well I know the capabilities of my own army."
"Of course Praetor, forgive me." Sasuke seemed to understand he had stepped out of line and retreated half a step behind the undisputed leader of the Uzumaki Empire and all facets of it. "I meant no disrespect with my words towards you or your great Orange Legion."
"I am not petty Legate." Naruto's words were distant as he turned indecipherable blue eyes to the bridge builder they were to protect with their lives. "You, Tazuna, tell me why I should devote my forces to rescuing this Kaiza from thugs? Why should I not order you to have your workers, his comrades, do such a thing?"
"I won't lie to you, not anymore at least, but those men aren't the best." Tazuna was surprisingly not drunk. He hadn't touched the bottle since they had crossed the border into Nami no Kuni. "The best, the ones we used to have in droves, are scared in their homes. They're trying to provide for their families while this old man tries to build something to get Gato's hands out from around our necks. The men that were here were only here for a few more days at the most since I was going to bring in real builders to help me but…" He stopped as he rubbed at his throat. No doubt he knew about the kill order. "I figured an old man's got to do what he's got to do but I'm not as dumb as I look. Half the folks who mean well wouldn't know how to read a blueprint without me there and those that do probably couldn't do much. Kaiza's the only man I can trust in this place to keep the project on time once I'm gone. He'll be the only hope to make sure Gato doesn't have control of Nami no Kuni forever."
"I see." Naruto allowed something to enter his eyes then. Tazuna had once again worked his way back up the ranks in his mind. "Legate." The single word instantly brought Sasuke to attention, his hand fell to the hilt of his sword and his free arm came up to his chest. "Centurion." The leader of his Praetorians was the same as the Uchiha. The tone Naruto spoke with let both know he was about to issue an order they would have no other desire than to complete. "Tell the Third to prepare themselves in full. We shall face battle soon."
"I shall do as you wish Praetor." The centurion left the room to the camp at that. He had work to do to get the men of the Third in fighting shape.
"Legate, you are to begin your operations as soon as possible." Naruto's eyes held an intensity that made Kakashi silently approve. "Show the filth of this land why they will not stand to the might of the Uzumaki Empire and the mighty Orange Legion. Show them all how we shall not tolerate their presence any longer."
"I shall do as you command Praetor." The Legate of the Orange Legion spoke no more as he turned and left the room. His black and red eyes were focused on the task at hand as he brought a hand up to the hidden communication device in his ear. "Praetor has approved the plan. Begin the attack."
Finally Naruto turned to Sakura.
"Remain here Sakura-chan. My Praetorians and I will soon bring Kaiza back here." Naruto's hand fell to his sword as he walked towards the door. "Your Blossom Guards shall watch over all in this home for tonight as long as you remain within."
'Naruto, what happened to you?' It was a strange thought to have as she grazed at the orange cloak at his back as he walked away. It was still difficult to see Naruto as anyone but the worst student from the Academy but that stance had gradually changed the more and more she saw of the blonde. He wasn't an idiot. He wasn't as loud as he was every day when they were being taught by Iruka-sensei. He was just as confident judging by the way he lead his 'Orange Legion' day in and day out. He was smarter than he ever let on judging by just how well coordinated his troops were, how well they functioned as more of a machine than individuals at times. He cared for her despite everything she had done to him when they were at the Academy. He had trained a century of his Orange Legion to protect her without even knowing she would accept them in the end, he just wanted to make sure she was safe. 'What happened to you?'
"Sakura-chan." One of her Blossom Guards snapped her out of her thoughts, he offered his arm to her as two others sealed the door to the house behind Naruto once he walked out. More stood around the house and she knew more gathered outside and watched them all. "Praetor wishes you to remain safe during this night. Come with me to your rooms."
"Of course." Her emerald eyes focused on the door for a moment longer before they met the identical blue eyes of her guard as the Genin on her mind. "Make sure to watch Tsunami-san and Inari too."
"We shall." She heard the clinking of steel against steel outside despite how much the walls dampened the noise. Kakashi heard it too judging by the way he focused Chakra to his ears to hear the movements of Naruto's men better. Most of them were probably moving out in every direction while some would stay here to set up a true camp for war.
"LEGATE PRESENT, HAVE SOME PRIDE BOYS!" The centurion Naruto had selected to lead his century in his absence stood at the ready, his shield on his arm and his sword at his side with the majority of the clones in his personal force with him. Ten stood apart from the rest, the clones he would personally lead into battle against the scum plaguing Nami no Kuni.
"Centurion, take the majority of our forces and run through the nearby town. Draw them away and have our archers pick them off as you do so. I'll come in behind them and while the fools are in disarray send what you can to finish the job. Take the rest with you and look for stragglers while you establish the perimeter as is protocol. I'll gather any of the men you send and sweep within the formation. Once we meet up we'll move forward to the next." Sasuke's plan was simple. A century was moving in a general area of Nami no Kuni, assigned to them before they had left Hi no Kuni, and had divided themselves in half for the most part. Each area could be cleared of the majority of bandits, low-lives, and thugs in several hours by the divided century as they marched to link up. Eventually, their movements would funnel them together to take down larger concentrations of bandits which would already be in disarray thanks to the Praetorians of the Third that would have already begun attacking.
In short, by daylight, Nami no Kuni would be the territory of the Orange Legion's Third Cohort.
"Everyone ready!" Sasuke looked to the clones of the Third. Eyes of steel and anxiousness for battle answered him. He drew his blade with a grin as he pointed it forward. "March!"
"HOO!"
"Orders have come in from command." The centurion stood among the leaders of the conturberniums of his century as he removed his finger from his ear and he grinned. "Move out immediately. No mercy! Show this filth the might of Praetor's mighty Legion!"
"HOO!" Each saluted with a clenched fist over their hearts before drawing their swords and bearing their shields on steady arms.
"Let's go!" He took up his own arms in his hands and quickly his soldiers rose from where they sat in waiting and followed after him eager for battle.
The bandit encampment below them would never have a chance.
"Fan out! First, Second, and Third on me! The rest of you encircle and enclose!" He quickly barked out his orders and while never breaking stride they seamlessly fell into formation around him. They rushed forward and broke the tree lines as the others moved around, encircling the camp with pilum in hands and shields held in firm grips. The fleeing bandits would crash upon steel like water on rocks and their bodies would crash into jagged stone in the pilum they held at the ready.
"HOO!"
They clashed their arms together before beginning a march forward, gaining the eyes of many of the already terrified bandits on them. One step after the other. A man who stood in ranks was to never stop moving forward as a soldier of the Orange Legion. It was a pattern that had been drilled into them in training and something they could do instinctively be in in battle or just upon awakening. It was all part of their final test after all. Twin rows were wordlessly formed, each man of the great Orange Legion knew precisely where they needed to be in their formation and fell into it without question. Half were placed in the front in the first row and half were placed in the rear in the second row and both held their arms at the ready. Pilum were vicious things in trained hands and accurate even in relatively untrained ones.
"PILUM!" At the order they threw the weapon forward and a line of fleeing bandits rushing out from the camp was ruthlessly torn down as a new projectile appeared in each of their hands without a moment wasted. It was also a thing accomplished through training. "PILUM!" Another wave of pilum traveled through the air launched by both waves and the field was dotted with them this time but no new bandits were claimed in name of the Uzumaki Empire.
"FIRST! Draw swords!"
"HOO!"
The two rows were used for a reason. Another wave approached and was cut down to half across the distance as shields were jammed into the ground and pilums impaled where they stood while their hands flew to the hilts of their blades and drew them forth. Shields were returned to their place on the arms of the man it belonged to and they hunched over slightly.
Excitement ripped through the ranks despite any attempt to suppress it and remain clearheaded in the heat of battle. It was an impossible thing to do to the Third despite any training they received before deployment in Nami no Kuni. It was hopeless to numb the desire for glory, the pride they felt every moment they stood in ranks, the exhilaration they felt the moment before every clash of blades. To take those things away would destroy what made the Orange Legion a soon to be feared force. To destroy those things would make them nothing more than mindless puppets.
The Orange Legion was as based on individual independence as it was based on the power of many joined to one.
"SUBSTITUTE!"
"HOO!"
The first row vanished as the second stepped forward, wordlessly accepting the extra pair of pilum to each from the first. They drew back and awaited the order to fire once again.
The orange cloak of the centurion was visible to all as he withdrew from combat. Three men instantly moved to stand as a wall of steel with their swords at the ready before him as his sword was exchanged for a unique pilum issued only to centurions. It was thrown into the air and lit into a blazing orange flare that was a new order. Swords were drawn as the pilum in their hands and before them disappeared. No time was wasted before the second row charged forth across the distance and joined the first in battle.
"The battle goes well?"
"Indeed Legate." The centurion overlooked the corpses being piled by his century. A dozen bandits had been easily waylaid into a trap by a handful of shouting men and had paid for their foolishness to commit such acts on lands soon to be held by the Uzumaki Empire. "We've killed five dozen of the filth by now."
"Good. Continue."
"As you wish Legate." The centurion removed his hand from his ear and instead turned to the men awaiting his orders. He gave them with his bloodied sword drawn and a grin on his face. "March!"
"HOO!"
"This is it?" The centurion in charge of a century of the Third looked on with distaste as his men held the dozen or so bandits holding the town before him. The Uzumaki Empire was great and unknown for now but the level of opposition to their attack was pathetic. Any attacker, no matter the words spoken by them, should be met with the same force as legends would be. To think any less of the Orange Legion simply because word had not already spread to them was deserving of only one sentence. "Slay them and we'll continue onward." He could handle his disgust as long as glory laid with the Orange Legion and the lands belonged to the illustrious Praetor by dawn.
"HOO!" Swords were drawn, screams were ignored, and blood ran. The centurion had already stepped forward to the front of the column and issued his order. The men of the Orange legion began their march anew and soon the next bandit camp would fall to their blades. Soon Nami no Kuni itself would belong to Praetor and the Uzumaki Empire.
"HALT!" Far away, deeper in Nami no Kuni, a centurion rose his clenched fist into the air and the column he marched at the head of instantly came to a halt. He looked upon the defenses arrayed against him and his soldiers of the Orange Legion and felt a strange combination.
It was made of two things. One was simple pride at the men of the Legion for it being so ineffective and the other was rage at the nature of the barricade to his progress.
"What shall we do centurion?"
"Bring down that gate. A single piece of artillery should do."
The centurion could hardly find it in himself to simply shake his head at the meager defenses arrayed against the soldiers of the mighty Orange Legion. A shack had better defensive walls than the village in front of him, a wooden fence that had long ago succumbed to the cruel passage of time. Where once it was undoubtedly great, it was now nothing but a pathetic obstacle to stop him and his men in their campaign. The wall was plated in rough iron but its hinges were laid in now rotted wood. A single piece of artillery tore it away without much opposition.
"FORWARD!" Precautions were still in place despite anything they may feel. Ranks were held and a detachment with the centurion at the head charged forward into the smoke hanging in the broken frame. Shields were held at the ready, swords held as they were trained to hold them, and the ranks closed swiftly behind the last men to rush through them. Pilum were raised behind the first line and armed. Artillery was readied in the front and another century would already be smashing into the back of the large if poorly defended bandit town. Reports showed hundreds would be inside the walls and so the intent was not to take the den of filth in a single charge. A staging ground was needed on each end for both centuries to sweep through the town. The gate would be one and a rear wall in disrepair would do the same for the other century once the attention of the bandits was on them alone.
His sword bit into flesh and his shield knocked away spears that could do nothing against his armor even if they were allowed to pass. He was the first on through the breach in the gates of course, his shield blocking blow after blow against him from the awaiting bandits as he pressed onward. A centurion could not stop, could not hesitate in battle with the enemies of the Uzumaki Empire. All must fall to them or the century would fall, the Cohort would fall, the Legion itself would fall if they fell. A centurion only ever pressed forward without doubt. His sword cleaved through the shaft of a pitchfork and cut into the chest of the man wielding it without hassle. The bandits did not wear armor. They fell quickly to his second strike before his shield was risen to throw aside the strike of two when he threw himself forward and into his next lunge. He turned suddenly, two swords dotting over his back as he crouched down and felling two bandits with the blades slipped through their throats. A pull back and a three man line was formed to weather any storm thrown against them. Pilum surged forward as the two stepped to the side to allow them through and burst through the flesh of more bandits. They were left there as the arms withdrew and with a mighty bash from their shields they were tossed aside without issue. Hissing filled the air moments later.
"SHIELDS!" Three shields were embedded into the ground and three followed on top, two followed on either. A dome was created that withstood the numerous blasts that followed.
If the attention of the filth weren't already focused on him and his men, it was now.
"Ready yourself for the next batch of trash men." The centurion took hold of his shield as the one placed on top was withdrawn and the ranks expanded to a single curved row of ten. The curve laid inward and towards the gate behind them. Ten shields and with them ten blades was all that would be needed to hold the breach they stood before as the men of his century laid ladders on the wall and surged up them.
"HOO!"
A great number of pilum soared silently over the treetops before cascading down with the only sound they brought the gentle whisper of death to the thirty six bandits that had been discovered by scouts. A centurion observed from the branches of a tree as the bandits that had made camp in the forest were slain down to the last before he rose his fist up. A dozen of his men stood around the branches with him and wordlessly they vanished without trace. The rest of the century would be informed and told to advance forward. He silently took up and fired a pilum when one, a drunk, staggered back in and would have sobered at the sight of the dead. In the end he died as he lived, nothing but a filthy wretch.
"This trash is unworthy of the Legion's blades." He spoke more to himself than someone else and wordlessly exited the trees in a single leap and landed before the marching column of his century. Immediately they came to an abrupt stop, lowering shields slightly to salute with a clenched fist placed over their hearts. He returned it as he rose to his feet and looked towards the soldier he left in charge. Without the need for verbal prompting he began his report.
"My centurion, the men are ready to march and word has reached us of the movements of Legate nearby. Do you wish for us to join him?"
"The Legate is capable." He didn't speak to a single men, he spoke instead to nearly a hundred as he turned to face the road. "We will move and make sure he does not come under assault from cowards trailing behind our mighty Legion."
"HOO!"
"Is this all they have?"
Naruto looked towards the forces arrayed against him and his Praetorians. It was a pathetic sight to see such poorly armed bandits stand against the gleaming armor and razor sharp blades of his most elite soldiers. It was something that was almost sickening to know he would need to waste time here with such pathetic excuses for warriors. Most of them had seen fit to spend their time terrorizing children without end and some were simply bullies. The sight of his Legion had sent them running for the hills until they had come to believe they outnumbered him. He had sent half of his Praetorians around the village of course and they would slaughter them from the rear once the attack began in full. The bandits of course did not know that or else they would have tried to at least take a better position instead of the main road. The idiotic filth didn't know and so didn't think of better tactics and Naruto felt his rage grow.
"We must fight such filth to truly claim these lands as our own. How sickening to believe these creatures once held the fear of the people in their hands." He turned to his men without another moment wasted and looked into eyes that were identical to his own, faces that carried the same features, and the same soul dwelled within them all.
He saw a will few could even dream of boasting of having and determination none but he himself possessed in this world. It made him forget his distaste for now as he focused on what needed to be done above all else. Parasites must be removed from the lands he had claimed as his own. A black mark here was a black mark on the Uzumaki Empire and such a thing could not be allowed.
"Nami no Kuni is a diseased land. A cruel rottenness has spread through it at the speed of rampaging beasts because of one man, the source of this great infection on our land. He is a parasite that commands power through the material things. He holds no true strength not purchased by his vast wealth. He holds fear because of his paid thugs. He lies like a rat on the land which has been claimed for the Uzumaki Empire! He is little more than trash, filth not fit to even march through!"
"HOO!"
"Nami no Kuni is diseased because of the man named Gato!"
"HOO!"
"He holds lands of the Uzumaki Empire in captivity through fear and terror but no longer!"
"HOO!"
"He faces the wrath of the mighty Orange Legion! He faces the wrath of the Uzumaki Empire! He faces each and every one of you!"
"HOO!"
He placed on his helmet and drew his sword with a grin. His Praetorians mirrored it as he turned and rose his shield up and held it at the ready.
"Let us show him what it means to face our great Orange Legion! Let us show him what it means to face death!"
"HOO!"
"FORWARD!"
Death came for those before the Legion and mercy was a beast foreign to the specter none may see until the end of their days. The halls of its home would shortly be filled with the unworthy souls before the gathered men of the Legion until they were all cast off to the depths where they belonged. The Orange Legion would see to it as they fought towards the ever distant dream of glory.
Shields were raised and blades held in eager hands as the first bandits were bled and fell. Before they could rise as the men at the head passed over, blades from those behind pierced their flesh and sent them to the halls of the dead. A dozen pilum soared over head, explosive tags trailing behind them and sending the lines of bandits scurrying. The dead were ripped apart and the living turned to the dying as the Praetorians advanced without pause. Naruto lead them at the front, his blade eager and thirsting for the blood of even such impure foes. His blade darted forward, past his shield, and ripped forth more blood from the trash before him as their throat was opened. He drew back and he felt his shield be struck by a thrown rock of all things.
He laughed at such pathetic projectiles.
"PILUM!"
"HOO!"
His sword was sheathed for now and as one those who held blades replaced them with the projectile of the Orange Legion. Aiming took no more than a second, the act of drawing back one's arm was well practiced and his Praetorians would not accept any degree of slowness. Their targets were selected and now they all merely awaited his order.
"FIRE!"
"HOO!"
Death surged forth by the might of their arms and more bandits fell to the might of his Orange Legion. The sight of such devastation of the enemy made him grin as he heard more scream or beg for mercy. Some even tried to bribe the men who saw them as little more than trash already. They could not even face death with dignity. Bandits were scum the Orange Legion would not tolerate and the way their blades never ceased showed the conviction every men he commanded held. It was near music to his ears.
"Is this all they can muster Praetor?" His centurion stood next to him, chuckling at such a paltry resistance and he found himself doing the same.
"Let us hope they may fight better when we stand before their doorstep!" Naruto drew his sword once again and his eyes cast back to look at the forces arrayed behind him. "Move out!"
"HOO!"
Their march swiftly turned into a run down the bloody streets. His men were well trained and his Praetorians were better as swift minute movements of his arm directed the men to separate, take different paths to further smash the bandit's presence in the town and leave them without a foothold for what would become the center of his control of Nami no Kuni. The Uzumaki Empire would not accept filth like this in the lands they held under their control.
"SHIELDS!" His centurions strode forward as he spoke, a line of men separated him from the front as shadows fell when steel was raised from above to the face the sky. He felt the heat of the flames as flaming bottles were thrown, their contents failing to pass through the shields of the Orange Legion's Praetorians as they defended their Praetor. More objects pounded the shields but none could pass through the barrier of steel and, if it was ever needed, flesh, to reach him.
"HEAVY ARTILLERY!" His centurion's voice rose above the roar and crackle of the flames and instantly his orders were followed as the shields held strong the formation shifted to open in the center where three of the more precise throwers threw forth three pilum. Explosive tags once again trailed behind them but much more than ever before. They sizzled as they soared through the air and fell onto the bandits responsible for the flames just as the formation closed. The blast was truly massive by the centurion knew it would be so.
Praetor had already been pushed back deeper into the formation, shields were embedded into the ground through their spikes and braced with the body of Praetorians. Those above lowered into a solid ceiling above as they were connected through mechanism placed along the edges of the shields. He himself stood in the middle, his flesh would be the last line of defense for Praetor if the shield would fail but it would not. They had practiced the formation dozens of times. They had yet to allow Praetor to be struck by shrapnel at far closer ranges.
The blast washed over them and they did not falter.
"RETAKE SHIELDS!"
"HOO!"
The formation was shattered as the shields that had become interlocked were pulled away and returned to the arms that held them. Praetor returned to the front as the men stepped back and rejoined the centurion and, despite the look in his blue eyes, he offered the centurion a pat on the shoulder.
"I am not made of glass my friend."
"Praetorians are to protect you always Praetor."
Humor flowed at the surface but the Praetor did not like their protocols still and it was clear to them all in that moment. He had allowed the creation of the Praetorians to ensure his safety in battle but did not like just how much he was prioritized in battle above all others. At times he feared that the very standard of the Orange Legion fell second to the man that created it.
Praetor never wished to find out if he was right.
"FORWARD!" A voice called out from ahead of them, the Praetorians sent around through the alleys must have made it to the headquarters of the bandits as the sounds of battle, swords striking out, shields absorbing blows meant for flesh, and the calls of men aiming to kill each other, reached them and Naruto forgot his current thoughts. They had better things to focus on for now.
"Let's join our brothers!"
"You heard Praetor, FORWARD!" Swords were drawn forth and the charge was retaken. The filth before them would pay the price with their blood.
"Is that all?" The screams and din of battle had faded quickly once his century had joined the conflict with three others. The last scouted bandit stronghold before them was burning to the ground as the treasures within were piled high outside by the men of the Legion under their command. Five centurions stood observing the scene and could not hide their distaste at such an easy campaign. Already dawn was beginning to break and Nami no Kuni was no longer under the control of Gato and his army of bandits and thugs. It fell to the Legion with all his assets now their own with the cost extracted from the blood of the coward's men. Inventory was being taken now of the spoils of such a short war and word spread through the Legion of the Legate's movements deeper in the country. "This is what we looked forward to facing in the great contest for glory?"
"It seems we had too great of hopes." Piles of corpses would be burned later as warning. Any stragglers would eventually fall prey to the scouts spread across the land and would face execution for their crimes against the Uzumaki Empire by the soldiers of the Orange Legion. We should have never gotten so excited to battle filth like them."
"Regardless we must report to the Legate." The centurions briefly locked eyes with each other. "Who among us will report our successes?"
"I shall abstain from glory this morning." One centurion bowed his head as he stepped back.
"I am content with blood for now and words are not with me now." Another merely raised his bloodied sword.
"I will begin our patrols across our new lands. Do not await a swift return from me or my men." A third stepped away with a brief salute to them all with his fist over his heart.
"I simply do not wish to speak to him." The last stated the truth they all held in their hearts.
"Then I shall do it." The same centurion who had asked for volunteers now accepted his own offered task as he stepped away from the remaining centurions and headed towards a tent set up for their use. He removed his helmet as he did so and tucked it under his arm before he threw aside the tent flaps.
A centurion stood within the tent, looking over a map with two fingers pressed to his exposed ears with his helmet laid on the table the map rested on.
"I will advise against this rash action Legate. Legion scouts have yet to report back to any of our posts on what lies within or what opposition you shall face. Reports indicate bandits have drawn further and further inland the more our Legion advances in this land. I advise you await reinforcements from nearby a nearby detachment of the Third. No matter their numbers, the bandits will be crushed without mercy with such a great force under your command."
Something was said that made him grind his teeth in response before speaking again.
"I understand your reasoning Legate but it is not a wise decision."
Silence from the centurion followed for only a moment this time.
"I apologize Legate. I was out of line. I will contact the centurions nearby and direct them to follow your march deeper into Nami no Kuni."
Silence once again greeted him from the centurion.
"I understand. They shall establish a rally point for your glorious return."
He pulled his fingers away and hate burned in his bright blue eyes as he brought one of his fists down on the wood of the table. His teeth were bared and seemed to elongate as he held back the desire to growl at the audacity of the Uchiha Praetor had given such a distinguished and powerful rank as Legate. He answered to no one but Praetor himself and now such power had gone to his head. He was committed to foolishness and his pride would not allow any spoken words make him reconsider his actions.
Like many others of the Orange Legion, ranging from the First to the Fourth Cohorts, the centurion joined them in questioning what precisely motivated Praetor to gift such a rogue element as Sasuke Uchiha the distinction of Legate of the Orange Legion of the Uzumaki Empire. He had shown himself incapable of following advice from more experienced centurions and refused to consider any views but his own when he entered the battlefield. His men were well trained, some of the best in the Legion, but a single century stood little hope against thousands. No matter the individual skill, the foolish pride of the Legate would lead to endless death among them.
The core of the dislike many of the centurions held for the Uchiha was rooted there actually. It was only a matter of time until his arrogance lead to something similar to the Decimation of the Third and if such a thing came to pass then the Legate would need to perish. The Orange Legion was not a place where the pride of a singular soldier could come before the great dreams of Praetor. The Legate seemed not to understand such a thing and every command he issued held the danger of forsaking the dream Praetor strived towards.
"I hate him."
"We all do."
"I will guess that you're here to report a tale of success to our great Legate?"
"Indeed though it seems he is not easy to reach now."
"You would not be wrong as of now. He leads a campaign none of us would support deep into unknown territory and will shortly be out of signal range." He paused as an idea came to him as he drew his helmet up and placed it on. "Let us do this, leave a written report with me and we shall call it at that. While you do so I will look to save our Legion from defeat and rally nearby centurions to direct their forces to rescue our Legate from this folly of his."
"Or you could not." The centurion paused at the words from the man of equal rank and as he looked at him and saw that blue eyes held the light of cunning. "As you said, he will be out of signal range shortly. Praetor himself will not know of his location due to his rash actions. Neither will any centurions wishing to assist him. They will of course rally at the camp he will abandon and await his return or await future orders." A smile slowly crossed his face as he stepped forward. "Sadly, our scouts were waylaid by an unknown hazard and could not establish transmitters in such territory. The Legate was left with only his century and we could only eagerly await his return to us."
"Yes, of course. We established a post for the Third to replenish itself before entering such foreign lands and our Legate wished to advance further to see what lied ahead. He did not expect a great opposition nor did he expect us to follow him into the darkness."
Within that tent the two had come to a decision.
The Legate of the Orange Legion would either fall in unforgivable disgrace within the darkness or rise back to the light bearing true glory upon his shoulders.
Silently one left to conduct his report as he had entered the tent after such words with the Legate and the centurion and had only been directed to compile a record of their successes in Nami no Kuni. The other stepped away and headed to gather a number of scouts and messengers to relay orders from the Legate to the rest of the Third scattered across the new lands under the standard of the Uzumaki Empire's magnificent Orange Legion. Neither would be guilty of what occurred within the darkness of the unknown lands.
Neither would see their heads roll either way.
"Well, that was simple." Naruto returned his sword to his side as the last of the bandits were gathered by his Praetorians and put to the sword. Their attempt to lure the Orange Legion into a pyrrhic victory by burning the town before them to cinders was lost when his reserves appeared. Archers made short work of such deceitful strategies and those that remained from the initial bombardment were rounded up and quickly put to death before they could flee or reinforce the failing defenders. "Centurion, gather the men and tell them to begin patrols. I will be elsewhere as I wish to speak with my Legate and see his progress." He removed his helmet and observed the sun rising higher and higher in the sky. "He promised me this land would be that of the Legion's and, with it, the Empire's by daybreak."
"Your orders shall be done Praetor." The centurion he placed in charge of his Praetorians brought his closed fist to his heart and stepped away to issue out assignments.
Naruto headed forward while at the same time pressing a finger to his exposed ear.
"Silver Fang, how goes your stay at a humble abode?"
"I've had worse places. This is about your campaign I gather?"
"You would be correct with such thoughts Fang. Nami no Kuni has been purged of filth unfitting for lands held by my glorious Empire."
"I don't remember telling you to conquer Nami no Kuni, Naruto."
"You did not tell me not to conquer this place either Hatake-sensei." His grin was audible and the Jonin let out a sigh.
"I suppose I didn't. You'll be explaining it all to the Hokage regardless. I'm naming you Team Leader."
"You have made a great decision this day Fang." Naruto spoke no more and cut the connection between him and the Jonin that held command of Team 7. It was a well-practiced motion to switch to another channel as he stepped into a building that was once great and would soon be so again. "Legate, how goes your campaign?"
Only the howl of static answered him and his face quickly set into one of distaste.
"Legate, how goes your campaign?" He tried again.
Static did not leave his senses and it was with a near growl that he went to a new channel.
"Centurions, this is your Praetor, where is my Legate at the moment?"
"Reports indicate he has advanced into the darkness Praetor." The voice of the centurion he had placed in charge of strategy while he did battle came to his ear and Naruto did not know if he should feel pride or annoyance at the information given to him. "Centurions have established a base camp for the Third where he departed and await his return."
"Belay such nonsense." Naruto set his helmet down on the table before him and unrolled the map. Part of Nami no Kuni laid in swirling shadows on the map but it was already shifting as scouts reported back with more and more information every moment. A pulsing orange beacon laid somewhere within the darkness and his eyes searched for it. "Draw our scouts back and march forth into the shadows. Find my Legate and tell him my orders as I speak them to you all now."
"Cease your advance. Withdraw to camp. Await my appearance."
"Am I understood?"
"Of course Praetor."
"Good." He removed his finger from the wireless communication device. His good mood at such conquest was ruined by the rash actions of his Legate but despite it all a small smile tugged at his lips. "You were truly the best choice for my Legate, weren't you Sasuke Uchiha?"
His centurions needed a man to revile as much as they needed a leader to admire above all others. His centurions and his Legion needed something to hate even when battle was not upon them and the enemy arrayed before them like lambs to the slaughter. Without such a force ever present among them, divisions he could not police through vigilance or terror would arise. Neither he nor his Legion, needed such matters of frivolous pride interfering in campaigns. So he presented a force to them to draw them off of such a path. Sasuke Uchiha was given power high above them all as Legate, unquestionable beyond he himself demanding he explain his actions. The Legate encouraged hate from all those below him. It was a fact of life in many ways. His centurions would forever hate whoever held the position of Legate even if it was one of their own. He named an outsider as Legate because he needed their hate focused as much as their blades.
His forces needed internal strife among them as much as it needed foes to destroy in combat.
AN: Review responses will be in next chapter.