Disclaimer: Refer to chapter 1.

AN: Full Chapter Title: Praetor Arrives At Camp! The Orange Legion Is On The March Again?

Well...here's number two (chapter 7).

"It'll be anytime now." Kakashi spoke to himself more than anyone else. He continued his watch from the trees where he crouched within and awaited the moment the mission became a mission. "He'll be here anytime now."

"Praetor is advancing." The voice came from next to him, a centurion that had positioned himself in the trees with Kakashi. The clone pulled a hand away from his ear and blue eyes locked with the sole visible one of the Shinobi. "He is bringing Kaiza with him."

"Of course he is." Despite himself, the Jonin couldn't help but grin beneath his mask. "I never doubted him for a second."

"None should doubt the glory of Praetor." The centurion spoke no more to Kakashi, the Jonin more than fine to merely sit in silence among the leaves and branches around him as he awaited the inevitable.

"Praetor!"

"HOO!"

As one, the assembled Blossom Guards rose from their formations and turned to face the Praetorians escorting the one who would see the Uzumaki Empire flourish across the lands. The man with him, one most of the Legion now knew to be Kaiza, looked on in shock at the vast numbers arrayed around the widened clearing to his house. His thoughts were going mad as he tried to piece together the strength of the boy in front of him, younger than him by a significant margin yet powerful beyond his wildest imagination.

"If you're not a Jonin yet…what can your teacher do?" The man could only ask such a question to try and understand exactly what kind of monsters Shinobi truly were. Sure, he had heard all the stories of the ones like Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju making a valley but he always thought that was something people blew out of proportion. He heard about a guy named the Yellow Flash who made his name from war and being fast enough to wipe out entire armies but he again thought it was just a fluke. He even heard about how a kid killed an entire clan of ninja just because he wanted to but all those things had to be fake, they all had to be exaggerations about what Shinobi could really do. No one could make valleys, no one could take on armies by himself, and a child couldn't kill hundreds of people in a single night.

He had thought he understood how things worked.

Now? Now his opinion was vastly different. If one kid, one of the lowest rank at just a Genin, could create an entire army than what could a Jonin do? What could the Kage do? What could all those S-Rank Missing-nin do to get such massive bounties on their heads? How many monsters lived in the world that he still didn't know about? These thoughts and more swirled in his mind but Naruto began talking and disrupted them.

"Silver Fang may face a portion of my forces before he is inevitably destroyed but my clash with him was a thing of great tragedy and greater glory." Naruto's blue eyes shined with pride, the stunned awe of Kaiza a thing of beauty to him. It was all merely a sign for how truly incredible his great Orange Legion was and the grand Uzumaki Empire the men within it served. His awe spoke of what he would find when he looked in the eyes of those who doubted his dream, who doubted his men's true strength, those who believed he was nothing but talk and boasts would learn the error of their ways when he unleashed his forces like they were presented now. "This is hardly my full muster either. I've spread the portion of men I brought with me across your lands with my Legate. I'll be speaking with him soon and order a detachment to march back with us to show you how powerless a man like Gato has become in lands ruled by the Uzumaki Empire and protected by its Orange Legion."

"Shinobi are terrifying." Kaiza could only offer a rueful smile and shake of his head as he stepped forward and looked towards the small home surrounded by ring after ring of men identical to the blonde he had been talking with for so long. "Mind if I go and see my family Praetor?"

"You have not yet fully assumed your role as my Vicarius of Nami no Kuni. There is no need to be so formal Kaiza." Naruto stepped forward, his Praetorians opening up the formation around him fully and letting him pass through them without issue. A clone marched forward from the house and stopped in front of Naruto and offered him what Kaiza recognized as the standard greeting of Naruto's troops, a fist over his heart. "You may do whatever you wish. One of my centurions I have stationed here will be the one to answer any questions you may have while I deal with something else."

"Going out again already?" Kaiza seemed anxious to approach his home but curiosity got the better of him. "What are you planning to do now, go off and rule the world?"

"Hmmm, that is the plan." Naruto offered a grin before he vanished from sight.

"Well, I can get behind that." Kaiza's smile didn't leave his face as he turned and walked towards the clones that Naruto had guard his home. "Now…it's time to face my wife." Kaiza was not afraid of Gato and his thugs but his sweet Tsunami terrified him to no end. She would be glad to have him back but he had a feeling she was more than angry at him. She was most likely pissed at everything he had done from continuing to work on the bridge to refusing to even listen to Tazuna's offer to stay behind and let him go to Konoha for the Shinobi. "She is going to be so angry with me."

The soldiers moved aside as one unit, sealing the formation behind him as he walked past them and Naruto's Praetorians remained at the front while someone began barking out orders about a camp. He eventually stepped too far away to hear what they were saying but he had gotten the gist of it all. They would be setting up a camp for Naruto to return to with his Legate and whatever troops he brought back with him. He actually found himself curious as to what numbers Naruto would be bringing back.

"You are nervous." A centurion had stepped out of the house to greet him, ten men spreading out around him and Kaiza and forming a half circle with their shields and swords held at the ready. "That is good." The centurion turned and knocked on the door. "The Uzumaki Empire shall be made great here if you keep such a thing close to your heart."

"What?" Kaiza could ask no more as the door was opened and he saw, for the first time in too long of a time, his wife and the boy that was his son no matter his blood.

"Tsunami! Inari!"

"Kaiza!"

"Dad!"

His smile was wide as he caught hold of the running Inari and lifted him into the air, holding the small boy and both had equal grins on their faces. Tsunami only smiled as she walked up to him. He set Inari down after holding him up for a moment longer and that was when she kissed him.

"I'm glad you're back, Kaiza." She smiled at him. Then she slapped him, her face suddenly grim. "Never do something so stupid again."

"I promise I won't." Kaiza didn't take offense to the strike. He had it coming after what he had put them all through. He smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her simply to hold her. "Where's the old man?"

Silence greeted him from Tsunami. It didn't even take him a moment to know what she was going to say. Her silence, the way she seemed to use him to support herself, everything screamed the truth he didn't want to hear. It screamed of only a terrible future that he thought he could somehow stop. He thought he could prevent anymore tragedy and despair from plaguing the small family he had found in Nami no Kuni.

He was wrong.

"He headed off to start working on the bridge."

"Damn that old drunk." He wanted to go but he couldn't. The thought of not going filled him with rage but the idea to just stay here, to stay here while Tazuna willingly went to his death was enough to make him want to vomit with his disgust. "I can't let him do this."

He wanted to pull away but Tsunami held him back.

"Kaiza…he wanted to go alone." She did not let him go. He couldn't let her go either. Holding her let him remember why he had to stay. Holding her, seeing Inari so happy, both made him want to stay because he had to just like Tazuna had to go. He had to stay for them just like he had to leave for them. Tazuna wanted them happy. He wanted Nami no Kuni free nearly as much.

"Damn you old man."

"You know…I can go get him if you want." Sakura had silently appeared behind the three reunited family members. She had heard everything. She wanted to hit herself for everything she had said to the man before he left. She felt like such a fool. No, she felt worse than any fool.

She had insulted him when he had walked off to die. He cared for the people who lived in Nami no Kuni enough to not even consider running anymore. He knew he would die the moment he went to the bridge and didn't bother with thinking up a way to escape death. He wanted to put his faith in Kaiza, he put his faith in all the people of Nami no Kuni to finish building the bridge.

"Really?" It wasn't Kaiza who spoke, it was Inari. He was suddenly in front of her, ignoring the way the hands of the two centurions with her fell to their weapons as he grabbed hold of her at the waist. "You can bring back grandpa?"

"Of course I can." Sakura knelt down and offered him a smile. "Naruto gave me my Blossom Guards to fight…and a Kunoichi from Konoha never fails her mission." She held out her hand to the small child. "What do you say Inari, want to give me my mission?"

"Yeah!" He took her offered hand and Sakura grinned at him.

"Alright then." She smiled even if she wanted to do anything but this but she knew she didn't have a choice after what she had said. She never wanted any of this to happen when all she had wanted was some privacy for once from the clones that constantly hounded her.

'I wish I didn't have to act like such a bitch with those clones around.'

"Legate Sasuke." Naruto stood before the Uchiha. His Praetorians stood at his back, the centurion in charge of them at the head and Sasuke's own century was assembled behind him. The difference was that their weapons were at their sides and each of them had fallen to a single knee before Praetor. The Uchiha remained standing with his arms clasped behind him. His weapons were the first things taken upon Naruto's arrival to camp. His helmet rested at his feet. The rest of the centurions stood on either side with their century standing at attention behind them. "You have brought glory to the Orange Legion by disobeying my orders."

"I did." Sasuke's red and black eyes did not leave the twin blue abyss that Naruto's own had become as he stared at the Uchiha. "I await judgement from you, Praetor." One hand came from his back to his chest and he saluted Naruto.

"I should strip you of your rank. I should even kill you for marching into the unknown as you did." Naruto's words brought forth no response from the Uchiha. He could only wait for the inevitable judgement that the blonde would pass on him. "I should have you executed publicly for such a thing." His hand rested on the hilt of the sword at his side. "I could demand you fight before the Legion you sought to disgrace with defeat, without arms and without sight. A blind fool stumbling through darkness would fit you perfectly Legate." At his words, the centurions of the centuries around him stepped forward. Their hands fell to the weapons at their backs and each looked to Praetor. "You know the dagger all centurions carry, correct Legate Sasuke?" Naruto was not met with words. "Answer me now."

"Yes Praetor." Sasuke's eyes did not leave Naruto's own. "It is not given a name because it has not yet drawn the blood of all those foolish enough to stand in your path to glory and make enemy of your glorious Legion."

"Yes." Naruto stepped forward and the centurion at the head of his Praetorians followed each of his steps. "Every centurion carries this unnamed dagger so that they may bring glory even in death. It has not yet drawn blood of any kind so I have not given it a name. There is a ghost of one through." Naruto's hand left his blade and settled at the hilt of the weapon at his back. "Some of my more unruly centurions have seen fit to call it a name I see some value in now. Senjusatsu. Thousand Armed Murder."

A silver of the blade was exposed to the world in that moment. It promised death if it was to be fully drawn. Its thirst for blood would be fulfilled before it was placed away again. Nothing could stop it. Nothing would stop it. Blood would fall. Flesh would be cut. Death would come from the blade parched of it and it's thirst would at last be quenched.

His hand fell away as swiftly as it gripped the handle.

"It will go unnamed for today." Naruto abruptly turned and the orange cloak at his back flared out behind him. "Your command will remain Legate Sasuke. Your full power will be reinstated at a later date but until then you shall command none I do not directly assign under your command. For now, until this campaign is over with, the men in this camp are yours to command. You're power shall remain limited. The men do not leave the camp unless I order it. You may assign drills to run alone unless we fall under attack. You shall provide counsel while I plan the counterattack. The enemy will be crushed and pursued by my Legion if it deemed necessary. If such predictions come to pass, the centurions of the Third Cohort of my Legion will take orders from either myself or my Praetorian centurion." The centurion stepped forward. "He is named Praefectus Castrorum of this camp. If you disobey him, he may kill you if he so wishes."

"Am I understood?"

"Of course Praetor." Sasuke fell to a knee and hate shined within the Sharingan his eyes remained locked in.

"Good. Begin training spars at your leisure within the next thirty minutes."

Naruto departed to his tent without another word. The newly named Praefectus Castrorum did not spare the Uchiha a single glance as his focus turned instead to the organization of the camp he now resided over. Sasuke remained where he had been when Naruto dismissed him, unmoving as rage consumed his entire being.

'Uzumaki…' His teeth were tightly clenched and his hands balled into fists at his side. He wanted to do nothing more than to reject this punishment but did not have the power to do so against Naruto and the vast force before him, a force he had once controlled with great authority. He was too weak to fight such numbers alone. He remained too weak to do anything to prevent his punishment. 'Uzumaki…' He still didn't have enough hate. He didn't have enough power. 'Uzumaki!'

"Clear your eyes Legate as they seem to be clouded by insanity." His centurion stepped up to him, his arms crossed over his armored chest with his sword at his side. "The Third will not stand to see you die of such a vile thing but neither will any of us stand such disrespect towards Praetor and his glorious dream."

"Tch." The response hardly counted as such as the Uchiha rose from where he had knelt and collected his helmet from where I rested on the ground. It laid underneath his arm as he turned to the centurion and hateful red and black locked with the same blue eyes that had sentenced him to his current fate. "Order the Legion to begin training by century. The First and Tenth of the Third will start. Second and Ninth will follow an hour later. Third and Eight, Fourth and Seventh, and Fifth and Sixth will follow in that order for every additional hour that passes. When they finish, send them to rest, once the next group arrives send those waiting-" He stopped himself.

He no longer held the authority to say such a thing.

"I believe the centurions of the Third will wish to see you before you depart from Nami no Kuni, Legate." The centurion spoke no more. He had left and with him the century that was supposedly Sasuke's own rose to their feet and filed away after his flowing orange cape.

"Bastard." It was a more vocal response to what he was feeling than before. He retrieved his weapons, his sword hanging from his side and his shield strapped to his arm, and moved towards the edge of the camp. He would take a watch and clear his head of the hate he felt at the moment.

"You should know to watch yourself Legate." Two of Naruto's Praetorians stood in his path and he felt more than saw two others approach him from behind. Their helmets were off, sitting on a table nearby and not one of the clones let their hands fall away from the hilt of their swords. "We have sworn to protect Praetor with our lives and we are always watching."

"The Sharingan sees more than your eyes ever will." His retort was simple, a statement born of both pride and facts. He had known the position of the hidden Praetorians now behind him long before they had sprung from it and manufactured this confrontation. "Do you want to see what else it can do?"

"You wish to spar?" The Praetorian looked surprised even if only for a moment. The clone quickly brought his expression back under control and offered a grin to the Uchiha. "You wish to battle me?"

"I wish to battle the four of you." Sasuke's grin matched those of the four Praetorians. "As Legate, it is my duty to ensure the Orange Legion's standards are met. The Praetorians of course must be held to an even greater standard than all others for they stand with Praetor in battle."

"You would not like the outcome."

"Yes. You would probably sob with a splinter from the training swords." The narrowing of blue eyes did not change the taunting light in his eyes. "True steel is the only option if you hold such a fear."

"We accept." Four voices spoke as one and they went to retrieve their helmets and shields and Sasuke's grin became far less mocking and more honest, at least at the moment. He had gotten something out of this, he had lost much of his power over the Legion while the Third remained in Nami no Kuni but the battle he now faced was worth it. The four Praetorians were no doubt highly skilled, well-coordinated, and motivated to leave him defeated at their feet. It was the best test to see how far he had come since his last spar with Naruto.

Word spread swiftly in the Orange Legion's Third Cohort. A crowd had gathered around the ring set aside for sparring of such a small degree and the four Praetorians entered behind the Legate of the Orange Legion. He rolled his shoulders as he turned once reaching the center. The four spread out into a line and with a bang their shields were raised and swords drawn from their sides with the song of steel. Sasuke did not follow their examples at the moment.

He settled his helmet over his head before drawing his sword with a shout. He rose his shield up and let the flat of his blade strike the solid metal that was his greatest defense. The Praetorians responded in time as they began a slow march forward. It was in unison, one foot moved forward for one and the other three followed. The width of their steps differed through, two in the center lagged behind the two on the outer edges of their formation. Sasuke stepped back as they approached, his Sharingan dancing from one to the next with no rhyme or reason to it. His gaze shifted abruptly from one side, to the center, to the other side. Right, center, left. Left, center right. Right, c-

He charged forward with a shout, his shield used like a ram to strike at the center right and the two shields clashed. He didn't remain for long. His sword lashed out, parrying the blow of the second Praetorians in the center and his eyes followed the left Praetorian as he moved to flank him. He shoved forward again before quickly disengaging and moved his shield to the right. A sword did not draw blood or scratch his armor as it was blocked by his shield before his blade once again lunged forward and clashed with the blade of the leftmost Praetorian as he surged forward. His own shield was used to break the clash of blades and Sasuke spun away, his shield coming close to his body as he brought his arm against it as he did so. He created distance for only a moment before he banged his sword on his shield and readied himself for a charge.

Two Praetorians, those on the left, answered his challenge for battle and their blades swung at him with intent to kill. His shield blocked the blows of both and both lunged forward with their own shields to no doubt throw him to the ground. Sasuke did not let them get the chance. He freed his arm of the shield but did not relinquish his hold entirely. He used the strap to drive the shield into the ground before he rolled to the side and around it. Their shields dislodged a spray of dirt when they upturned his own that neither allowed to impair them before the Legate was upon them. His sword clashed with one, his shield raised in defense before he swung out and turned it to the side. The blow missed as Sasuke leaned back to avoid it. He was nearly thrown onto his back when the shield filled his vision as it was thrown forward by the Praetorian. He darted around to the Praetorian's side and his sandal struck out at his exposed side and knocked him aside and into his fellow clone.

The soldier of the Orange Legion was batted to the side and to the ground by the shield of the other and the Legate was once again engaged. A shield met his blade and he did not stay in place long enough to be struck by the two Praetorians that approached him from behind. Their blades slashed only air as he backed up and held his sword out in front of him, the sharp point all the challenge his foes needed. The fallen Praetorian had risen to his feet at this point, holding his side as he glared at the Legate, and joined the other three.

Once again four stood against him and Sasuke's hands loosened and tightened their grip on the hilt of his weapon. He swallowed and darted forward. A solid wall met his charge but he did not expect to break through it for even a moment. His foot impacted the center of one of the shields and his second followed above it. He ran up the shields of the Praetorians in a suicidal maneuver. Four shields were moved away as the Praetorians folded their line into a tight box and four blades shot upwards to impale him upon his descent when he vanished.

His discarded shield took his place and the Praetorians broke their formation to avoid falling prey to any trap he had set with it. The Legate did not follow up with a counterattack from where he now rested on a single knee on the ground, his sword impaled next to him.

He only took a moment to breathe. In and out.

'Tiger. Ram. Monkey.' He brought one closed hand up to his mouth, two fingers raised.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" Flames spewed forth from his open lips, a fireball surging through the air and aiming to incinerate the Praetorians that stood against him.

"Shields!" Four shields were rammed into the ground before all four fled back from them. Only their swords were now in their hands.

The fireballs crashed against the shields and washed over them. Flames licked at the ground, at the steel, it hungered to consume but could not. Sasuke did not bother with waiting for it to dissipate before he once again made use of his shield, he took its place and his sword rushed to meet those of his four foes with a grin.

"That is enough Legate Sasuke." Silently Praetor had approached the training grounds and amusement shined in his eyes as he took in the scene before him. The five combatants and the soldiers of his Legion observing the bout between his Legate and Praetorians had frozen and given him their undivided attention. All had fallen to a single knee, heads bowed in his presence, and saluted him in the customary manner of his Orange Legion with a clenched fist over their armored heart. "My Praetorians will return to their duties as you will yours."

"As you wish, Praetor." All five spoke together, bowing their heads as their armored hearts were covered by a closed fist.

The Legate's grin did not leave his face.

"Sakura-chan, I insist you return to the house!" The centurion continued speaking even if she ignored him. He followed her regardless of what he wanted her to do and the Blossom Guards followed after the two with some nervousness. They did not care about themselves but Sakura-chan marched into what could be only death for the best of the Orange Legion, perhaps even Praetor himself. None feared their own deaths but the idea of Sakura-chan joining them was enough to bring fear to their hearts.

Such failure would not even allow death as an avenue of escape from Praetor's wrath.

"Centurion Uzumaki and his men remain silent." A centurion near the two spoke up as he removed a finger from his ear. "We will not have anything the scouts do not provide for us."

"Curses." The centurion once again turned to Sakura. "I do not do this lightly." He drew his sword and placed himself in the way of the marching Sakura. "Return to the h-"

Sakura's emerald eyes glared at him and he was silenced. He felt incredibly, insignificantly small when looked upon by those eyes. He felt as if he was truly less than nothing. He felt as if he was a waste to even exist, a plague to the dream of Praetor. As he looked into the twin pools of furious emerald he felt worthless before such might. His sword fell to his side, his arm limp and his grip only maintained through instinct born of the intense training he had gone through for his rank. If not for his body's natural inclination to hold the blade he would not be able to do so.

"Get out of my way." She spoke only five words and he listened. His sword was wordlessly returned to his side as he stepped aside. As Sakura passed him he pressed a numb finger to his ear.

"Praetor."

"I know already centurion." Naruto's grin was audible as he chuckled. "Sakura-chan is marching to the drunk's aid I imagine?"

"Yes Praetor. I was unable to stop her." The centurion remembered the abyss he had foolishly stared into and trembled. "She marches with her Blossom Guards."

"Good. I shall assault from the opposite side with the majority of the Third Cohort. If Zabuza Momoichi truly is there then I shall have his head before this day is over with."

"Your glorious leadership will see such a thing become reality Praetor."

"Of course it shall, of course it shall. Regardless, I am issuing an order as of this moment Centurion Uzumaki. As always, you are not to allow Sakura-chan to come to harm. She is to be protected above all others on the battlefield. In addition, the Third on the other side of the bridge shall be alone. Keep your forces on the opposite side. We shall crush Momoichi and obtain great glory this day."

"I shall eagerly do so Praetor."

'I'm not going to let someone die when I can stop it.' It was the thought that made Sakura move. It was that thought that allowed her not to tremble. It was the fact that she had been so self-absorbed to not see what was right in front of her that motivated her to take each new step. She would make sure she didn't fail the mission Inari gave her. She would be sure to bring his grandfather home to him no matter what.

Far away from the centurion and Sakura, a mist slowly drew across the water. Soon it would engulf the bridge that an old man worked on and a dark chuckle abounded within it. Soon, so very soon, the demon would be unleashed. Soon death would come.

AN: Well, didn't this get interesting?

Also: Quick reply here.

King of Konoha: I'm happy you've enjoyed Orange Legion so far. As for Sakura? Her status will be cleared up within the next two chapters I post. Trust me.

Peace.