Thank you for the awesome support last chapter. Hope you continue it in this one as well!

Chapter 33

Rebellion is a Hero's Privilege


(The Forbidden City: Feudal Capital, Land of Water)

In a dark dungeon, lay a man bound in chains across a wooden cross. Torture scars marred his entire body as wounds turned his once pale skin dark. One of his eyes was missing yet the other burned with an unyielding fire that surprised the ones who had reduced him to this state.

"Lord Gengetsu, confess your treason and we can stop this madness" urged the young man in front of the former Kage,

"Never!You...can...tear...me...up...as...much...as...you...want...but...I...shall...not...betray...my...nation...like...you...have...Yagura...Karatachi" spat Gengetsu defiantly,

Two bone spears were pressed deeper into his shoulders courtesy of the Kaguya guards flanking him as the Third Mizukage watched in silence alongside Reika Kaguya.

"Stubborn fool! You already surrendered, why torture yourself?" asked Reika coldly,

"That was for the sake of my people. I didn't do anything wrong and for that I shall never accept the wrongful crimes you are forcing me to accept" refuted Gengetsu with a fierce determination in his remaining eye,

"You think they will be spared if you continue to resist? See reason, my lord. Kirigakure cannot survive without the support of the feudal lord. Why can't you see that? Your actions will lead to a civil war between the nobility and the masses!" implored Yagura,

"Is that what they told you, boy? That you would be saving this nation by continuing to support a tyrant that oppresses his own people for his benefit? Do you even know what being Mizukage means...or becoming Lord Third was just a step up for you and your tiny clan?" asked Gengetsu furiously,

"I am only trying to preserve the peace, Lord Gengetsu. This nation was built by establishing a peace between noble clans and commoners. If you tilt the balance too much in one's favor, it will only cause chaos. Why can't you see that?" said Yagura fiercely,

Gengetsu looked into those young eyes and saw the boy truly believed what he was fighting for. It made him sad...

"You have lost sight of what is most important. Gods help you, Lord Yagura- for you are truly lost"

Those words struck a chord inside the young clan head's heart as he gestured the guards who inflicted additional misery upon the disgraced Kage. Even then, that determined eye continued glaring into his very soul.

Judging him.

"Since you are not willing to accept your crimes towards our people and feudal lord. We shall have your son executed as soon as Lord Hiro Hagoromo defeats or kills Naruto Namikaze. We sent a 10,000 strong force to silence your loyal dog and all those that choose to stand with him. There is no hope for you, Gengetsu" warned Reika mercilessly,

She frowned when it only made the former Kage laugh even as he coughed up blood violently.

"You asked me why I chose him to be my successor over all of the other clan heads and didn't even consult you?" asked Gengetsu, earning a nod from the female clan leader.

"He understands what is most important and the heart of this nation. Most importantly, he's a good and honorable man with wisdom and strength. Something which you all lack" answered Gengetsu honestly,

"What nonsense! Power and the will to rule is required, something which you lacked sorely" reprimanded Reika bitterly,

"Good men don't last long in this world, Lord Gengetsu. The world is just too cruel for their kind" lamented Yagura, but was surprised when Gengetsu still shook his head.

"We have to still try" said Gengetsu calmly with a smile,

"Why? It only ends in tragedy for those that walk this path and all those who follow such people" said Yagura sadly,

"Because we have to show the people that not all of us are too far gone. That humanity still has good men and women willing to stand and fight for it even if it means losing everything they hold dear" answered Gengetsu with determination,

"Noble Ideals, my lord. If only the world worked like that..." refuted Yagura respectfully, as he placed his Kage hat back upon his head and turned towards the exit.

"Contemplate your actions tonight, my lord. For tomorrow, you shall be executed publicly" declared the Third Mizukage,

From the corner of his eyes, Yagura saw a resigned smile arrive on Gengetsu's lips as he lowered his head which made the new Mizukage walk towards the exit.

"Yagura..."

The new Kage stopped and turned back to look at his predecessor who looked him right in the eye.

"You may hand us all over to the executioner but very soon the disgusted and tired people of this nation will bring you all to justice and drag you alive through the dirt in the streets"

Yagura flinched upon those words even as Gengetsu screamed for Reika Kaguya hacked off his left arm.

With a heavy silence, Yagura walked out of the dungeon never again willing to meet that determined gaze.


Naruto unleashed Muramasa from his back as he watched Lord Hiro Hagoromo take command of his vast army. Many looked reluctant but the fear of their family's future made them raise their weapons against the Kiri General regardless and brought forth a satisfied smile on the clan head's face.

"You just dug your own grave, General" insulted Lord Hiro,

"All I can see is a loyal army led by a sheep. COME!" challenged Naruto with a fierce roar,

A thousand ninjas made the first move by clasping their hands together and unleashing a combined attack.

"Water Style: Death Rain!"

Dark clouds blanketed the entire sky followed by a heavy downpour of endless razor sharp needles. Naruto saw each and every one of the incoming attack thanks to his visual prowess and had already finished his own set of hand seals.

"Fire Style: Demonic Flames!"

Red hot flames erupted from his lips that seared across the sky and instantly raised the temperature of the entire battlefield by several degrees. Nearly half of the enemy's barrage was boiled away and the remaining clashed against the searing flames and met their end.

He didn't get any relief as from the corner of his eyes, he saw a sea of metallic weapons launched at him by the army on the ground.

"Wind Style: Destructive Wave!"

Manipulating the air around him, he made it clash head on against the wave of weapons dispersing them far and wide much to the chaos of the enemy army as they scrambled to protect themselves from the reversed barrage.

"My turn!" whispered Naruto with a grin,

"Lightning Style: Thousand Shards!"

The skies roared furiously as fierce lightning sparked across the clouds. Lord Hiro Hagoromo and many shinobi realized the imminent danger when they felt the wet ground beneath their feet and their own drenched bodies thanks to the earlier attack.

"Take Cover!" he screamed,

In less than few seconds, hundreds upon hundreds of dark purple lightning strikes rained from the skies hitting one fighter after another. Their screams echoed across the entire battlefield as they were electrocuted and fell to the ground.


"We should join him!" said Mangetsu bitterly,

"Those are not our orders. The General knows what he's doing, look he's not killing them!" pointed Haku patiently,

Mangetsu begrudgingly saw what his friend was trying to show him as the general electrocuted most of the non-shinobi fighters in the enemy army with his wide range lightning attack.

It was not lethal enough to kill them but sufficient to knock them out for a few hours alongside giving them some burns.

A part of him was happy when he saw the sheer look of horror on Lord Hiro Hagoromo's face as he watched the carnage being wrecked by a single man.

"Do you think we can together take on the General?" asked Zabuza curiously,

They watched the said man now focus his attention upon the remaining enemy army made up of shinobi led by Lord Hiro Hagoromo, many of whom were now backing off a bit in fear.

Mangetsu felt an enormous power being gathered and saw Naruto rapidly perform a quick set of hand seals.

"Water Style: Rising Thunder"

Lord Hiro Hagoromo felt the ground beneath his feet shaking tremendously, his eyes widened in horror when it started cracking apart and a haunting rumbling could be heard rising from the core of the very earth itself.

He jumped in the air just in time to see the earth break apart as a tsunami of water exploded towards the sky. Hundreds of shinobi were instantly swept into the new monstrosity while hundreds more who had jumped were struck further high into the sky as the wave continued charging upwards relentlessly.

Lord Hiro himself was struck and felt himself flying higher than anyone else in the sky only to meet the gaze of this jutsu's caster.

Before he could react, dark ash surrounded him and started consuming his entire body until he was covered in it completely except for his head.

Looking down, he saw his entire army floating in a new lake. Most fighters were unconscious, many were still dazed, the few still strong enough to resist were being swirled viciously in dangerous vortexes.

Even the Daimyo's civilian army which had been incapacitated in the earlier attack was floating over the lake with not a single one of their warriors drowning. It couldn't be a coincidence...

"You're not human..." whispered the clan head in fear, earning an ice cold smile from the blonde devoid of mercy.

"You made the wrong choice, Lord Hiro. Now prepare yourself for the consequences" declared Naruto without hesitation,

Mangetsu who had been watching the entire battle was further alarmed when the captured clan head was further uplifted higher and higher in the sky with the ash enveloping his entire body except his head.

"That's impossible!"

Haku's horrified whisper drew his attention towards the lake below as gigantic volumes of ash started rising from it which then moved towards the clan head now frozen in the sky.

"He's absorbing chakra from all those shinobi and transforming it into his own. Samehada is quite jealous" commented Kisame in surprise, as he patted his greatsword.

Zabuza saw the phenomenon with his own eyes as the still resisting enemy shinobi grew weaker and weaker until they joined their already vanquished fellow warriors in floating over the lake completely exhausted and devoid of power.

"It's the water. It is sucking all of their chakra" he pointed,

"I don't think we can win against him in a fair fight even if we all fight as a team" answered Mangetsu reluctantly,

The same realization was dawning upon the 501st warriors but more importantly across the vanquished enemy army as they saw their leader now getting cocooned into a tornado of ash which swirled wildly for several long moments.

Mangetsu's eyes widened in shock as he realized what was going on which made him turn towards the 501st and the other swordsmen swiftly.

"Get away from here!" he yelled,

Haku was the first to understand his fear as she remembered facing this familiar power once when they had all tried to take on the General together in a friendly battle within Kirigakure. He had showed them a glimpse of his true power then but many had not taken him seriously thinking it was a good thing considering he was on their side.

But now...

As she and the other swordsmen guided the 501st to a safe distance in the sky, they heard the General's declaration echoing across the entire battlefield.

"For betraying your Kage and this nation: Lord Hiro Hagoromo, you shall die here screaming!" said Naruto mercilessly,

"My clan will avenge me!" promised the bitter clan head with vengeance burning in his eyes,

"Then they shall all die screaming like you will today. Your name, your children, your families, your friends- they shall all disappear like you will today. I shall wipe out the Hagoromo and Kaguya clans alongside all traitors and the feudal lord's entire clan from the face of this earth!" declared Naruto furiously, as he clasped his hands together.

"NO!"

"Ash Release: Particle Annihilation!"

The swirling ash tornado surrounding the clan head condescend over him completely before glowing brightly.

Each and every fighter had to shield his eyes when a monstrous explosion rocked the entire sky. It launched a shockwave that swept across the land for several kilometres and vaporized the clouds in the nearby sky instantly.

The loyalist army trapped in the giant lake watched in horror as their clan head was executed in an explosion as powerful as a Bijudama from a tailed beast, whose flames were now spreading across the entire sky devouring everything in its path.

Not a single trace was left of him...he had simply disappeared just as the General had promised.

The same man looked at them with his red eyes boring into their very soul.

"Do you still wish to dance?"

A cold and satisfied smile came upon Naruto's lips as one by one the remaining shinobi raised their hands in surrender and they would more than spread the word of what had happened to their comrades and the Daimyo's fighters who were currently knocked out cold.


(Few Hours Later)

Ganryu found himself placed beside Commander Saji of the Daimyo's army. Both men looked at each other, being the highest ranked military commanders of their respective forces, in Ganryu case's he had been the second in command after Lord Hiro Hagoromo.

With the clan lord now destroyed at an atomic level, it left the Kirigakure Jounin in-charge of the shinobi forces.

He looked around and saw their respective fighters were being gathered in the same manner, those that had wounds of any kind were being treated diligently and even looked after by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. It was something Ganyru had not expected to see in his wildest dreams...

He looked at General Naruto standing in front of them and remembered the young man's words before the battle.

True to his promise, not a single shinobi or civilian fighter had lost his life. There were a few injured, but nothing a skilled medic and a few hours of rest didn't solve.

The only casualty of the battle being the Hagoromo clan head, who if Ganryu was being honest wasn't liked by most of the troops under his command. Not only was he arrogant and felt he deserved to lead because he was born in a noble clan, had been quick to anger and did not hesitant in threatening the families of his men should they disobey or betray him.

It was no surprise that he was the first to be crushed in the face of real power.

"What happens to us now?" asked Commander Saji loudly, drawing Ganryu's and everyone's attention.

"It's upto you to decide, Commander. If you feel the Daimyo deserves your loyalty then you and your men shall be allowed to return to him. But know this, the next time we meet in battle I will not be merciful to protect this nation's future" answered Naruto straightforwardly,

The middle aged bald man with dark eyes nodded respectfully at that answer before turning back to look at his own men. Hundreds of them nodded at him which made him turn back towards the Kiri General.

"What is your vision for this nation's future, General? If we join you and lose against the Daimyo, then not only will the Kumaon Brigade be known as a traitorous force but our families including our children will be publicly executed, our villages burnt to ashes" said Commander Saji seriously,

"I want some semblance of prosperity and peace in this nation. I want our people to be happy instead of constantly living in fear of their rulers, I want them to enjoy the crops they grow instead of paying 80% of it in taxes to fatten up greedy feudal lords. Less than 3% of the population which is the nobility hold more than 75% of this nation's wealth? Why are our royal armies focused on defending only cities ruled by noble families leaving smaller villages to the danger of bandits, pirates and rogue shinobi? I am fighting to give our people a better future than this!" answered Naruto passionately, his voice reaching each and every shinobi alongside civilian fighter.

"I understand the risk you all shall be taking if you join me but in my eyes a revolution is needed to change the destiny of this nation. My own wife died alongside my unborn child to protect this nation by weeding out traitors eating this great country from the inside! I know what pain is!"

Many Kiri shinobi were stunned on hearing that admission. They had known the General's wife had died recently, Gengetsu Hozuki had announced it personally alongwith acknowledging her bravery in saving Kiri's future by weeding out traitors from their ranks, but to think she had been pregnant...

Ganryu saw the respect for the General increasing in many shinobi's eyes and he had already been loved by a majority of their people to begin with.

"My goal is to destroy this corrupt system. I want our people to have an active voice in the destiny of our nation. I will build a nation with a single system instead of the current one where shinobi are kept aside. I will lower the taxes upon our people and use the unequal wealth amassed by the feudal clans under the Daimyo to help our people better their lives and develop our economy. The thousands that have no work will be allowed an opportunity to serve their country by joining the army which I shall create, an organization of both shinobi and civilian fighters. I will build a nation where our people don't go hungry, where they have a respectful living, where they can live in peace, where a warrior of any kind is honored, where a person no matter his origin can rise up the ranks if he has the skill and dedication to serve this great country!" promised Naruto passionately,

Commander Saji saw his trusted second in Command, Arashi to be the first to stand up. He had a spear in one hand and a shield in the other, coming from one of the fishing villages he had been one of the few lucky ones to reach where he had today despite the opposition commoner's faced in the Daimyo's army while rising up the ranks firmly held by the nobility.

Arashi was well respected by the men under his command and it showed when one by one many young ones stood up and joined their leader.

Commander Saji looked at the Kiri General in front of him carefully.

He was young but his power was unmatched. Having read his dossier out of curiosity when Osaka was conquered by this shinobi, Saji knew he came from the Kiri Blackops. He was the sole survivor of the now extinguished Namikaze ninja clan and a member of the infamous Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

Most importantly, he had killed the Lightning Daimyo by going behind enemy lines. It was a testament to his skill and resolve that not even many Kage could possess.

He led the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and the 501st, some of the strongest fighters of their nation.

He was young and handsome with a better vision for the future than their feudal lord.

"For a shinobi you have honor, General" commented Commander Saji, earning a smile from the younger man.

"Every human needs to have some" answered Naruto, which earned him a respectful nod from the feudal Commander.

The remaining feudal warriors saw their Commander himself rise to his feet and look back at them with a favorable smile. That was the last straw as the remaining warriors rose to their feet with Arashi clashing his spear against his shield. An action that soon became a war cry as it was repeated one after another by every fighter including their Commander.

Ganryu saw the General now looking at him with the leadership of the shinobi forces currently under his command.

"I would want nothing but to serve you, General. You have led our people well in this war and truly care about our shinobi. I only ask you to spare those among the rebellious ninja clans that surrender" requested Ganryu,

Naruto saw the reason for that as many among the shinobi were from noble clans.

"A commoner fighting to preserve the nobility. If only Lord Hiro Hagoromo could have realized and respected this loyalty. I am not a butcher, Ganryu. I may have said some words in anger during the battle but you have my word that any fighter that chooses to surrender shall not lose his life" promised Naruto sincerely,

"General!" protested Mangetsu, earning an understanding nod from the blonde who knew the boy's feelings very well.

"But no mercy shall be given in battle or to those that were actively involved in the coup or war crimes against their own people. We shall punish all those responsible for betraying our Mizukage-Lord Gengetsu and restore him as the ruler of this nation with full honor!" declared Naruto seriously,

Ganryu saw his own men were satisfied with that assurance and so was the previous Mizukage's son alongside the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

"You'll make a great Mizukage yourself someday, General" thought Genryu privately,

But he kept those thoughts to himself knowing where his loyalties had to lie from now onwards. The shinobi got up on his command and joined the feudal warriors.

Zabuza chuckled when the shinobi pledged their loyalty drawing a curious glance from Kisame.

"What is it?" asked his fellow Swordsmen,

"They should have sent fewer men. They would have faced fewer losses" answered Zabuza with a wicked grin,

Kisame smirked as he understood the cryptic message as he saw the 10,000 strong army made up of feudal warriors and shinobi alike pledge their absolute loyalty to General Namikaze.

"I can't think of anybody in Kiri who could have done something like this. Recruiting the very army that came to kill you" whispered Ameyuri jokingly,

"Lord Gengetsu chose well" agreed Jinpachi,

Haku placed a comforting hand on Mangetsu's shoulder.

"We will save your father. The General has not abandoned him and neither have we" she promised him,

"I only hope we make it in time...don't stop me from butchering those responsible for this" he warned her, earning a cold smile from his childhood friend.

"We will kill them all!"

Mangetsu smiled and saw the General stepping towards his new army and raising his hand victoriously earning a thunderous roar from the assembled warriors.

"Ganryu, who leads the rebel faction?" asked Naruto seriously,

"Lord Hiro Hagoromo and Lady Reika Kaguya launched the coup with the feudal lord's support. They later on appointed Lord Yagura Karatachi as the Third Mizukage with the council's support although it was far from a fair vote since the remaining clan heads had lost their true Kage and were threatened" revealed Ganryu,

"The Karatachi clan? I never thought their desire for power had been this strong..." admitted Naruto, for once even he was surprised by this treachery, after all Lord Yagura had never opposed him and Gengetsu publicly in the past.

"He shall burn just like the rest" promised Mangetsu icily, earning a firm nod from Haku as well.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at that threat and saw both of these warriors would not be satisfied without creating a river of traitorous blood. That however will do more harm to Kirigakure...

"Mangetsu..."

The Hozuki heir stepped towards him and while there was no disloyalty in those eyes, the thirst for blood was apparent and Naruto realized restraining him would not be possible for long.

"Except for Zabuza and Kisame, the rest of the Swordsmen will be under your command. So will the 501st and most of the 10,000 strong army here. I want you to take the Forbidden City and kill the feudal lord and his entire clan while rescuing Lord Gengetsu. Can I trust you with this?" asked Naruto seriously,

"Of course, General. But you will not join us?" asked Mangetsu in surprise,

"If Kirigakure currently under Yagura's leadership learns that we not only survived but are marching towards the feudal lord's capital, he will send another army to stop us. I'll take a small force alongside Kisame and Zabuza, together we will recapture Kirigakure preventing any reinforcements from surrounding your forces and take back the village so Lord Gengetsu can return as a Victorious Kage of this new nation instead of one that has to dirty his hands with traitorous blood" promised Naruto,

Mangetsu smiled readily after hearing the plan and surprised everyone including Naruto by hugging the Kiri General.

"My father is lucky to have a loyal ninja like you. We all are" said Mangetsu thankfully,

Naruto returned the hug and smiled but didn't tell the boy about the dark possibility of Lord Gengetsu already being dead or getting executed once the Daimyo came under attack. Either way, his survival was bleak and Mangetsu would slaughter everyone in that city if that ever happened.

Better that happened in the feudal capital instead of Kirigakure itself in front of all their shinobi which would only cause more mistrust among ninja clans for their own future.

Whoever killed the feudal lord and his family would be cherished by the common people, but it would forever make them a pariah among the remaining noble families. Ninjas and civilians alike.

It was for these reasons that he had chosen Mangetsu instead of himself.

If Mangetsu won and saved his father, he would be known as a hero among the loyalists but become a pariah among the nobility.

If he lost and got his father killed, he would be known as a martyr of this nation who laid down his life for their people's future and that of his father.

But Naruto's eyes were fixated upon the real target that would not only help them win this civil war, but also help him achieve his own ambitions.

Kirigakure.


Gengetsu wheezed painfully in the darkness.

He felt the stumps that were once his arms scream in agony but never once in his heart he felt any sorrow for himself or the decisions that led to this outcome.

Gods knew a part of him deserved this for all the sins he had committed in his own life.

In the name of power and personal gain.

His mistakes that led to the death of all the previous Seven Ninja Swordsmen and so many of his comrades while trying to start an unplanned war with Iwa for his personal revenge against the Tsuchikage.

In the name of upholding noble traditions, he had allowed young ninja of his village to kill each other all to become the next Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

He would have perhaps walked on that dark path had he not met Naruto Namikaze.

The boy had been the only one who stood up to him, showed him his mistakes, made him forcefully acknowledge the suffering and pain endured by their people due to selfish rulers like the Daimyo and Gengetsu himself.

A selfless soul who risked everything for Kirigakure's future.

"I...pray...you...meet...a...better...end...than...me...child" he prayed for the boy,

His throat longed for water and he may have whispered for it a few times in his stupor and watched a shadow emerge from the darkness.

It was a man with long hair wearing a traditional armor similar to a Samurai and those worn by warriors from the Clan Wars Era long ago. His face was covered behind a orange spiral mask with twin holes from which the man's gaze looked upon the disgraced Mizukage.

"Who..." wheezed Gengetsu,

The man came forward and brought forth a water pouch from his back. Wordlessly, he offered it to the tortured prisoner who accepted the small mercy with a grateful smile.

Once he was finished drinking the precious liquid restoring much needed energy into his maimed body, he was further surprised when the man mercifully washed off the blood from Gengetsu's face and upper body while also healing quite a few open wounds that eased his pain.

"Who are you?" asked Gengetsu once again,

"You are a good man, Lord Gengetsu. Very few if any could have dared to change the destiny of their nation...even if it meant risking everything one holds dear. It's people like you that gives me hope for humanity" answered the man respectfully,

"The flame that you have sparked shall soon spread across the world. Shinobi will soon rise to end this continuous cycle of suffering enforced upon us by the feudal system. Know this that you are not alone in this fight, I am truly sorry it had to come to this point for the people to truly awaken" he continued,

Gengetsu smiled and felt as if behind that mask the man returned that gesture.

"Is it true...they...sent...an...army...after...Naruto...and...my...son?" asked the Mizukage worriedly,

"They did. But I have faith in the General and all those who follow him. I am a ghost of the past but when I look at them, I truly believe this world can be changed if good men stand up. You sparked that flame and for that we'll ensure that the world remembers your sacrifice" promised the masked man,

"The Alliance with the Leaf succeeded?" questioned Gengetsu,

He got his answer with a surprise when the man's eyes awakened the famous Sharingan.

"He did it" whispered Gengetsu happily,

"Kirigakure's future is safe, you ensured it. I wanted you to know that" said the masked man compassionately,

"What happens next?" asked Gengetsu,

"It's almost impossible to get you out of here in the present circumstances. The Capital is locked down and heavily guarded but we can still try" proposed the Uchiha,

Gengetsu shook his head with a resigned smile.

"It's too late for me. Don't get yourself killed for my sake...disgraced and broken as I am, I can still help Naruto's cause. Don't let them publicly execute me, the rebellion against the feudal system in this nation will need martyrs. It's my fate to be the first one" answered Gengetsu resolutely,

"Are you sure about this, my lord?" asked the masked Uchiha,

"I am a shinobi even in this state. Don't let them execute me publicly like a common criminal tomorrow, it will only spread fear among the masses preventing them from overthrowing the feudal lord" requested Gengetsu,

The Uchiha looked at him for a long moment before giving a solemn nod.

"You are the third man whom I have come to respect. A true Kage and shinobi, I shall grant your wish"

Gengetsu's eyes widened in shock when the man removed his mask and his sharingan changed form into a strange new pattern.

"I, Madara Uchiha, grant you an honorable death. By the time this genjutsu is over, you shall be with your beloved wife and Kirigakure shall rise from your ashes"