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Chapter 36

Breaking Bad


(Imperial Capital)

Mangetsu watched the heavily fortified and completely sealed off Imperial Capital in front of his eyes. His plan to draw the enemy outside of his fortress had quite frankly failed miserably.

The enemy General had not fallen for his trick, granted he had tried to send a thousand men from the Imperial Guard to save the besieged port of Ming where the Daimyo's favorite consort's family resided, and one which was currently surrounded by Ameyuro's two thousand strong force. The reinforcement in the form of one thousand Imperial Guards however fell into Mangetsu's trap and Jinpachi's warriors decimated them all losing 300 of their own in the process.

What drew his attention in this brief victory was the enemy troops loyalty and courage towards each other and their cause as not a single one of those thousand Imperial Guard surrendered even when they were completely surrounded by an enemy army. They fought till the bitter end taking as many of Mangetsu's men with them to the afterlife.

They didn't even try to flee back towards the Capital which could force their General to either drop the sealing jutsu protecting the city in order to save them and risk the enemy breaching the impregnable fortress, or make the rest of his men inside the walls watch miserably as their comrades were slaughtered right before their eyes.

"It's just like you said, Commander Saji. The Imperial Guard is something else" he couldn't help but praise despite the fact that these very men were holding his father hostage in that city.

The leader of the Kumaon Brigade had a somber look on his face as he watched the sea of funeral pyres in the field leading towards the sealed capital. Each one bearing a fallen Imperial Guard member.

He watched Mangetsu give a signal making his men light the pyres at once giving the fallen enemy warriors an honorable farewell while also sending a startling message to their surviving comrades inside the sealed city of what was to become of them should they continue to resist.

"Mangetsu, while we have the city surrounded. Our lines are stretched thin, the Imperial Guard will wait for us to weaken or slack off or wait for reinforcements from the hinterland. Once they have a decisive edge, they will punch through our lines to annihilate us. This will only make them even more motivated to kill us" warned Saji, as he pointed at the thousand funeral pyres.

"Then should we break the siege of Ming and call Ameyuri and your man Arashi back with 2,000 of our men. It will bolster our numbers and strengthen our defenses" suggested Jinpachi,

"And leave our rear completely open? It's too risky!" objected Haku,

"There is nothing in our arsenal that can break that barrier. It's just too strong, I've already lost five scouting teams and our lone frontal attack was repulsed with heavy casualties" reminded Saji, making the two swordsmen grimace.

The Imperial Guard inside the city were most probably 15,000 strong and added with the Daimyo's personal force the numbers could be increased to 16,000 fighting men. Well fed, trained and highly motivated to slaughter the enemy.

While Mangetsu had a much smaller force of 9,500 men- less than half of them shinobi.

2,000 of them were already deployed in a siege of Ming port led by Ameyuri.

Discounting the 100-200 he had lost probing the capital's defenses and the 300 lost in the first ambush with the Imperial Guard burning before him, he barely had 7,000 men surrounding the capital not including the 501st aerial force.

His position was weak and the enemy knew it.

"We should consider using the 501st, they may have sealed off the skies above the city but we can still try to find a weak spot in the barrier" suggested Haku, drawing a sharp glare from her childhood friend.

"Not at all. Those are our best troops and only aerial fighting force of this nation. I will not risk them like that otherwise I will never be able to face General Namikaze or my father even if we win the Capital" answered Mangetsu resolutely,

Haku hesitantly nodded, clearly understanding why her friend felt that way. The 501st was the dream of General Namikaze, one blessed by Gengetsu Hozuki personally. Both men had played a key role in its formation and it held the finest ninjas from Kirigakure.

Losing it would be severe blow to Kiri's military power and more importantly it's historical legacy and prestige.

"Then how do we breach that barrier before we are annihilated?" asked Commander Saji honestly,

"He's right. We need to come up with something" agreed Jinpachi,

Mangetsu looked at the burning pyres and pondered over the very same question before looking back at his comrades.

"Keep up the guard but let the men take some rest whenever they can. Tomorrow we make our move, I'll let you know how soon enough"

His comrades wanted to ask him quite a few questions but he had already turned around and marched back towards his makeshift command center.


General Abe watched the sea of funeral pyres of his martyred men burning in all directions across the capital. Standing on top of the mighty walls, he saw the fury in the eyes of the rest of his men.

"This can't go unanswered for long, General" advised his second in command,

"They will pay in time for this act. When the time comes, I will unleash our fury upon them. But until then, we must wait" he said loud enough for the rest of his men to also hear.

"We will kill them all, General. Just say the word!"

"We outnumber them!"

"The Imperial Guard doesn't flee. We meet our enemies headfirst in battle!"

The veteran General raised his hand acknowledging the points raised by his galvanized men and looked them straight in the eyes.

"Three days. Reinforcements will be here by then or even before that and together we will slaughter everyone of them!" he promised them all

The resounding wave of ferocious cheering further bolstered his confidence that this course of action while slow would lead them to a complete victory in time.

They just had to be patient and hold their ground a little longer.

The enemy wouldn't risk destroying the Capital completely in order to get to the Daimyo and his family. Not only would that lead to the deaths of hundreds or thousands of civilians thereby destroying their moral cause for continuing this foolish rebellion but it would also lead to the death of their imprisoned Kage. Of course, they didn't knew that Gengetsu Hozuki was already dead and resting in a coffin.

His scouts had told him that the former Kage's son lead this enemy force. Mangetsu may not care about the city's inhabitants unlike the more honorable General Namikaze, but he would not lay the city to waste if it placed his father's life in danger.

It was why Abe had tightly controlled the news of the former Kage's demise to only his few trusted advisors and the Daimyo himself.

"What will you do next, young Mangetsu?" he wondered,


Mangetsu looked at the stunned faces of his comrades as he finished explaining his strategy to take the Capital.

"General Namikaze won't like it. He practically forbade such a drastic move!" protested Commander Saji, vehemently,

"Mangetsu, it places not just the innocents but your father's life at risk" pleaded Haku,

The Hozuki clan heir looked at his last comrade who looked at him curiously.

"This might just work. Nobody would prefer being lord of the rubble!" agreed Jinpachi, drawing incredulous looks from both Haku and Saji which only made him glare back at them.

"Do you geniuses have a better plan? In a matter of days or maybe less, reinforcements from the hinterlands will be here. Do you want us to be surrounded and butchered? We have to take the Capital before that!" he practically yelled making them both flinch.

"But still, General Namikaze-"

"Haku"

She looked at her friend who looked right into her eyes without any hesitation or doubt.

"This decision and its consequences are mine. Are you all with me?" asked Mangetsu simply,

He was pleased and relieved when she nodded albeit a little less enthusiastically than he had wanted her to which also made Saji sigh and give a nod of consent. Jinpachi gave him a challenging smirk...

"You'll lead the attack yourself?" he challenged, drawing a smirk from the Hozuki clan heir.

"That's what a true General does" replied Mangetsu straightforwardly,

"Too risky. General Abe wouldn't do the same unless it was absolutely necessary" suggested Saji, earning a smile from Mangetsu as he picked up his sword.

"Then I'm glad I didn't learn from General Abe"


(Next Day)

When General Abe stepped out of his personal quarters in one of the watch towers near the foremost areas of capital, he found a thick mist had completely surrounded the Capital from all directions, kept from getting in only because of the barrier around the city.

"How is our barrier?" he asked quickly,

"Firm, General. We haven't detected any attack yet in any of our sectors" reported his second in command,

As if the man's words had been just a bit too early, the next moment a rumble started to spread across the entire city. The minor tremors soon transformed into a full blown earthquake that shook each and every hut, house, tower and the royal palace itself.

The Imperial Guard sprung into action and manned their positions but many were forced to rush into the streets in order to help the panicked civilians.

Abe had to stabilize himself by grabbing a nearby wall as the earthquake started to become even worse with many of the weakly built civilian houses collapsing upon themselves burying its occupants alive in a gruesome end.

"ABE! Hide behind your walls coward! We shall lay waste to you right here!" yelled a murderous voice from all over the mist,

"Hold your ground! Do not fall for their tricks!" warned the Imperial General in an iron clad voice,

"General, the earthquake is becoming worse. If this goes on, we will all be buried alive. The Imperial Capital will be lost!" warned his second in command,

The General was about to reply back when a crushing tremor passed right beneath their tower and he watched two of his men on the edge lose their footing and fall to their deaths.

It became worse as the huge bells inside the palace started ringing urgently.

"The Daimyo wants us to stop this attack!"

Abe gritted his teeth in frustration but didn't budge much to the shock of his second in command.

"We hold!"


Mangetsu flew across a huge column of Kirigakure shinobi currently concealed perfectly in the heavy Mist he and his fellow Swordsmen had created to obscure their presence from the enemy.

"Good work, men! Keep it going!" he encouraged thunderously,

Four thousand battle hardened gazes increased their focus on his words and continued unleashing devastating earthquakes all across the area.

He saw the sheer look of surprise on Haku's face which made him smile and remember their conversation last night.

"What the hell?" she had whispered,

"Abe won't come to us willingly. He has enough resources to last a siege for months and will wait for more reinforcements to come from the hinterlands before finishing us off. Which is why Earth Style will help us force him out" advised Mangetsu with an infectious grin,

"Earth Style? Most of our shinobi are terrible at it" replied Jinpachi with disappointment evident in his eyes for such a stupid plan but Mangetsu only smiled.

"I know. I'm not looking for a quality attack that can help crush the barrier protecting the city because frankly nothing in our arsenal can do that. But when 4,000 shinobi combine their powers- we can definitely unleash a gigantic man-made earthquake. Those waves can pass through the underground and reach the Capital without us having to deal with the barrier, the more we intensify our attack-the greater the damage to the city which will force the Daimyo to scramble the Imperial Guard to meet us in open battle or risk getting his prized dominion reduce to rubble without even putting up a decent fight. Abe may not want to meet us in battle on our terms but he will have no choice if the Daimyo orders it!" explained Mangetsu seriously,

"Still innocents will die in this attack, Mangetsu. General Namikaze had asked us to do the opposite of that" reminded Haku hesitantly,

"I am not him and I will not lose my army here for the sake of honor alone. I am getting into that city and saving my father-your Kage at all costs! The Daimyo and his entire clan shall pay for their actions...the question is will you follow me in doing what's right for this nation's future?" asked Mangetsu harshly,

He was satisfied when Haku nodded her consent as did Jinpachi on being reminded of their oaths to Gengetsu Hozuki and Kirigakure even if it meant adopting dirty means to protect what they were sworn to.

"How will we deal with the Imperial Guard once they attack us in full force. They do outnumber us 2 to 1 and are better trained than most of our forces" reminded Commander Saji of the Kumaon Brigade, earning a cold smile from the Hozuki heir.

"My strategy has not changed. Deception, Diversion and destruction will be the main pillars of our attack"

As his shinobi fighters continued intensifying their attack, he could feel more and more chakra signatures disappearing inside the Capital. Most of those were very weak in nature...Civilians.

For a moment, he felt remorse for his actions until he remembered that these people still served a monarch that held his father captive...had probably tortured him.

No, this was the right course of action...it had to be.


General Abe watched in silent horror as a few more buildings inside the Capital couldn't withstand the terrifying earthquake and crumbled to dust right before his eyes. The screams of all those people inside the city and the pleadings of his second in command finally broke his resolve.

"Sir, we won't have anything left to protect if we don't stop the enemy! The Daimyo ordered-"

Abe paused the young man by placing a hand upon his shoulder and giving him a determined look.

"Clear the Mist with the help of the shinobi from the Daimyo's Personal Guard. Then have the Imperial Guard march out to face the enemy" he ordered,

Abe watched his men rush forth in order to carry out his new orders and thought about his next move. The enemy may have forced his hand through their ruthless action but he still had a few advantages on his side.

He had to engage the Imperial Guard but couldn't let them exit outside the city walls and the barrier through multiple points as that would increase the probability of the enemy getting through even one of them by forcing their way.

His best choice would be to fortify one opening point heavily, have the Guard fan out across the battlefield quickly under the cover fire provided by the archers on the wall. He would also have to use a portion of the Daimyo's Personal guard made up of shinobi mostly to protect the Imperial Guard's flanks. If he could just keep his forces near enough to the barrier and the walls, near his vicinity...he could deal the enemy a devastating blow and pull his forces back to safety afterwards.

But for this plan to succeed, he had to be present on the battlefield.

With a determined look, he grabbed his ancestral sword and marched towards his men.


Mangetsu saw hundreds of men arrive at the barrier protecting the main entrance of the Capital. Moments later, the gigantic gates opened and the very ground started to tremble even more than before as a massive column of men walked out in a highly disciplined march.

Those men were wearing traditional armor worn by the Samurai, but theirs was pitch black in color. They had a heavy shield in one hand with a lion's maw imprinted on it. What caught his attention even more was the metal on that defensive weapon.

The Kiri Commander looked at his own sword-Kabutowari and found some startling similarities. He then glanced at the ten foot long spear held by each Imperial Guard and found its end point composed of the same metal.

"So their weapons and probably armor are made up by the same blacksmith that created the Seven Holy Swords of our village. The swords on their hips might be made for fighting shinobi as well...guess the Daimyo didn't just hire the best to protect him in case the Kiri shinobi turned hostile...he gave them the best equipment" thought Mangetsu with a grudging respect,

The barrier started to disappear in one specific portion, its opening protected by a phalanx of the Imperial Guard.

Mangetsu quickly gestured the 501st and Haku to take cover among the forest as a few dozen warriors jumped outside the barrier and performed a set of hand seals. Soon enough the mist started to disperse.

The earthquake stopped as the 4000 shinobi now found themselves directly in the line of sight of the Imperial Guard.

It was now or never.

"Jinpachi, now!" he ordered,

His fellow swordsmen charged through the woods with Commander Saji and the Kumaon Brigade right on his heels. Thousands of Kiri shinobi soon joined the fray as an army now attempted to steam roll over the small opening in the barrier protected by the Imperial Guard.


Seated atop his horse, General Abe watched the charge of the enemy army and signaled his own troops to get ready. Looking up, he saw his archers and artillery teams were also ready to deliver hell as soon as their targets were in perfect range.

The enemy were aiming for the sole opening in the barrier he had given them which was firmly defended by an entire phalanx of the Imperial Guard whose own flanks were covered by shinobi from the Daimyo's personal unit.

He saw an eye patch wearing swordsmen leading the charge and gave the signal moments later.

The swordsmen looked up to see a hail of arrows and explosive tags launched from the city walls aiming right towards him. Much to everyone's surprise the projectiles passed right through the barrier making Jinpachi raise his mighty sword swiftly.

"Bomb Blast!"

A hail of explosive tags flew from his own sword and ignited mid air reducing the entire volley to ashes.

Few of his own shinobi had surged forward and started their own attack.

"Water Style: Water Bullets!"

The Imperial Guard roared as one and brought their shields together giving rise to a shimmering field of energy. As soon as the water bullets hit the energy field, they were deflected right back at their casters who couldn't even whisper their shock before they met their end.

The Kumaon Brigade took over the first shinobi attackers that fell and continued leading the charge.

"Engage!" commanded Abe,

A hail of long spears were thrown by the Imperial Guard in the front making the Kumaon Brigade soldiers form their own defense by forming a quick shield wall.

Their frontal line was cindered to ashes when the spears made contact with their shield wall resulting into a devastating explosion that rained shockwave and shrapnel everywhere.

Commander Saji tried to reform his lines as soon as possible but he already saw General Abe giving the signal to launch a second barrage of arrows and explosives from the city walls.

He saw hundreds of Kiri shinobi launch multiple types of jutsu at the Imperial Guard with each and everyone of those attacks repelled with a terrifying ferocity.

"Chakra deflector shields?" Mangetsu thought worriedly,

It seemed his enemy had been quite smart in keeping the knowledge of such devastating arms and equipment hidden until necessary. The fact that Abe had not equipped such tools to the thousand martyred Imperial Guard he had sent out earlier to relieve Ming was a proof of his abundant caution and resolve to not give his adversaries any edge.

Commander Saji was more than surprised when he heard the bugle for retreat from the rear where Mangetsu was hiding in the forest alongside the 501st.

The same shock and surprise was visible across their entire army but he knew Mangetsu must have sensed the enemy's defense was too strong for a frontal attack so he gave the order to retreat to his men as Jinpachi did the same with his shinobi forces.

If only they had General Namikaze with his teleportation powers here...the battle would be going in a completely different direction.

He was stunned when the Imperial Guard roared once more and actually gave chase led by General Abe himself.

In response he accelerated the retreat of his own forces but a few units and wounded troops just weren't fast enough and were mercilessly slaughtered by the disciplined Guard and their shinobi comrades, some personally slain by General Abe himself.

However they didn't purse Saji and Jinpachi's forces into the forest, content to stay in near vicinity of their mighty barrier and cover fire from the city walls.

General Abe had been in the process of ordering his vanguard to rejoin their lines inside the barrier when he felt a sharp pain erupt in his back.

"General!"

That was all one of his alarmed officers could cry out before he was silenced with a kunai to the head.

It was as if the gates of hell were suddenly opened as a hail of kunai rained down upon his Vanguard mercilessly. The speed of the projectiles were beyond human and dozens of Imperial Guards fell before they even got a chance to defend themselves.

Abe was struck with another kunai in his arm before his troops literally threw themselves in the line of fire to defend their General, many regretfully paid the ultimate price in the task as Abe was forcefully dragged inside the barrier by his remaining officers.

Looking back, he saw the enemy fire died down as soon as he was back inside. His second in command ordered it to be closed immediately despite the fact that nearly two dozen of their own men lay wounded in the battlefield.

They were soon put out of their misery when a hail of kunai was once again fired from the forest that ended their pain.

It would seem his enemies had impressive secret weapons of their own, one which they had kept well hidden.


(Next Day)

Heavy rains fell from the skies much to the surprise of the Imperial Guard that were still stationed outside the city walls but within their strong barrier. The enemy had not made any fresh attacks since their last failed attempt which was a relief and point of worry at the same time.

Many of them looked at their veteran General who still held the field alongside them despite being wounded previously. The wounds thankfully had not been too deep, the General's armor had blocked the kunai from penetrating too deep but he had lost blood resulting in his pale face.

"Rain shouldn't be falling at this time" commented General Abe with a frown,

"Another shinobi trick?" suggested his second in command,

"Maybe. We need to hold our defense-"

Before he could even finish his orders, the ground trembled once more as the enemy army marched in unison and emerged out of the woods in a disciplined manner.

Once again their shinobi took up positions and knelt towards the ground as a white haired young boy with a unique sword emerged from one of the large water puddles right in front of the barrier protecting the Capital.

It didn't take Abe more than a few moments to recognize the new arrival as the son of the former Mizukage, having met him in passing during his visit to Kirigakure a few years ago.

"Mangetsu Hozuki-Commander of this army" he introduced himself loud enough for every warrior on either side to hear,

Few of the Imperial Guard were about to attack when Abe ordered them to stand down as he rode up to the frontlines, even stepping outside the barrier if only slightly to look at his enemy counterpart.

"Surrender, General. You have a fine barrier and good men defending this city, but if we can't get in then we shall reduce it to rubble" warned Mangetsu,

"I highly doubt that. Doing so would result in your own father's death" rebuffed Abe calmly, earning a grim nod from the young boy.

"It's a risk. But he'll be well protected, probably inside the safest place in the city-the Daimyo's palace. We shall destroy the rest of the districts in time. When forced to choose between death or continue serving a feudal lord unable to protect their families, I wonder who the people will side with?" asked Mangetsu with a cold smile,

"Dishonorable, to think you would involve innocents-"

Abe was literally blown off his horse by a powerful chakra that exploded from Mangetsu's body as the boy's killing intent touched alarming levels making even the Imperial Guard take a step back.

"Don't talk to me about honor! I know who I am and don't pretend to be something I am not. You serve a lord that exploits innocents and allows pirates to infest our lands and have the gall to talk to me about honor? I wanted to negotiate with a reasonable leader but seeing how blind you are...I shall give you and everyone who follows you-DEATH!" declared Mangetsu furiously, raising his fist high in the air making the shinobi following him roar in unison.

"Earth Style: Earthquake!"

Abe quickly gave the order unleashing a volley of arrows, explosives and artillery barrage from the city walls straight towards the enemy army.

Mangetsu was even further alarmed when the ground started shaking even more than expected and his eyes widened when hundreds of horsemen emerged on both his flanks and rushed towards his army in a fearsome cavalry charge.

The Imperial Guard also roared bravely and marched outside the barrier in a phalanx formation protected by their own shinobi on their vulnerable flanks.

He was now being attacked on three sides on the ground and also facing aerial bombardment with the enemy just not in a position to allow him to carry out further damage to the city, most probably on the Daimyo's orders.

General Abe was not surprised when he watched the young boy grimace and quickly give the order to retreat once again.

"Don't let them escape!" he commanded loudly,

Mangetsu ran for his very life as the Imperial Guard on his heels gave a fearsome chase on their General's command. He watched his troops also repeating his action whilst trying to save themselves from the bombardment from the city walls while the royal cavalry closed in on their flanks.

He had not anticipated a Cavalry force to box him like this...the enemy had a few tricks up their sleeves it would seem.

No matter...so did he.

As he reached the border of the forest, he smirked and raised his hand upward.

"FOR KIRI!" he yelled,

Right on cue, the 501st emerged from the forest and took to the skies much to the shock of the Imperial forces. Without wasting a second, the Para-Special forces task force split in half and flew towards each of the flanks where the royal cavalry was charging through.

The Imperial horsemen found themselves to be sitting ducks and were torn to shreds as the 501st launched explosive kunai from their custom made kunai launchers right in the middle of their attack formation sending men and horses flying in pieces. More than a handful simply vaporized in the explosions, others were critically wounded and flew across the battlefield, the remaining tried to retreat or fight back depending upon their courage but were massacred in less than a minute.

General Abe clenched his fist in absolute fury as his men were torn to shreds right before his eyes. What alarmed him more was the fact that majority of the Imperial Guard was now outside the safety of the barrier.

His heart skipped a beat when Mangetsu turned around with a vicious smile on his lips while simultaneously finishing a unique set of hand signs.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

The Hozuki clan heir now stood upon a giant clam that created a large plume of smoke upon its arrival. Without hesitation, the young boy pointed his hand straight towards the approaching Imperial Guard.

Abe had already given the order to retreat upon realizing just what the boy had summoned, having previously heard tales of this beast's powers from mercenary shinobi in the Daimyo's retinue who had talked about Gengetsu Hozuki's battle prowess. This was the summon of the previous Mizukage, one which he had also shared with his son and clan heir.

Haku who had been flying alongside the 501st immediately sped towards the retreating Imperial Guard and quickly performed her own set of hand seals instantly.

"Makyo Hyosho (Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals)"

Thousands of Imperial Guards suddenly found themselves completely surrounded in all directions in a maze of crystal ice mirrors that spanned as far and wide as their eyes could see.

Mangetsu then performed the dog sign making the giant clam unleash a torrent of mist that raced towards the Imperial Guard trapped inside Haku's series of ice mirror mazes.

General Abe quickly ordered the barrier to be closed once again despite heavy protests from the remaining forces of the Imperial Guard that wanted to help their trapped comrades on the other side.

The battlefield turned eerily silent as the Mist spread across the entire area until Abe and his remaining forces could not even see anything beyond the barrier.

His second in command who was at the edge of the barrier jerked back in shock when a dozen Imperial Guards came crashing out of the Mist, a crazed desperation in their eyes as they started attacking the barrier with their spears in a frenzy attempt to get back inside, soon they were joined by more and more of their breatheren as well as mercenary shinobi comrades.

"General, we have to help them!" begged his second in command, earning a sharp glare from the veteran General.

"They are under a genjutsu! I have learned about this from Gengetsu Hozuki's history. The clam releases a Mist that places anyone that comes into contact with it under a very strong illusion. The caster can manipulate their targets sense of awareness to dangerous levels. The more stronger the caster's will and prowess, the more dangerous illusions he could trap his enemies in" explained the General seriously, but could not help but feel anguished on seeing thousands of his own troops literally dying to get back inside.

Some even getting seriously injured when they tried to use their bodies to break through the barrier which was pure suicidal.

Abe was further horrified when a merciless hail of kunai starting raining down upon his trapped men killing them by the dozens right in front of his eyes.

If that was not a horrifying sight, the enemy started using explosive kunai making his men literally explode to shreds right before the eyes of their comrades.

The trapped members of the Imperial Guard tried to defend themselves from the incoming attacks, but the Mist prevented anybody including the shinobi from seeing anything before it was too late.

The screams became more desperate and painful, as did the efforts of the remaining survivors to breakthrough the barrier.

"General, these are our men! We cannot allow them to be slaughtered like this anymore!" begged his second in command,

"As much as it pains me, we cannot! You open that barrier and we are all dead!" reprimanded Abe harshly,

"You won't have an army left to fight with if you let them die!"

"Enough of our comrades have died right before us in this siege!"

"General!"

"It's my BROTHER out there!"

"Are you seriously ordering us to watch them die right before our eyes?"

"Open a small window atleast for them to pass if nothing else!"

General Abe watched the remaining few thousand Imperial Guard start to fiercely protest against his orders as the situation started to become more desperate as more and more men continued to die right before their eyes.

He still didn't budge until suddenly he found himself surrounded by spears pointed by his own men!

"Let us open the barrier, General!" ordered his second in command, regret clearly present in the young man's eyes for taking this course of action. The same feeling was present in the eyes of his supporters as a few of Abe's loyalist raised their own weapons against the rebels in order to defend their leader.

"You'll have to kill me to give that order, son" answered Abe honestly,

A swift and brutal strike to the back of his head made him fall off his horse as a desperate scuffle broke out amongst his own forces. The few still loyal to him engaged the rebels in a desperate melee whilst dragging him away to safety.

Abe felt blood trickle down his face and his vision was extremely blurry and he may have imagined the barrier actually being opened by his impatient second in command and his followers.

No sooner had that happened, the trapped Imperial Guard on the other side stormed inside and the very first thing they did was stab those who had just tried to save them.

What came next were a series of explosions that completely obliterated hundreds of men in an instant as Mangetsu Hozuki breached their lines from the sky alongside the 501st shinobi.

"PICK UP THE PACE!" yelled the Hozuki clan heir fiercely,

His army that had been following on his heels bulldozed over the disarrayed Imperial Guard with brute force by streaming in through the opening in the barrier.

As darkness started to overtake his senses, General Abe knew it was over.


Mangetsu landed upon the city walls alongside the 501st as they started engaging the archers, artillery crew and few dozen Imperial swordsmen in melee combat.

He parried an attack from one of the men before kicking him harshly sending him crashing down towards the ground. Three more charged towards him but were struck down by ice needles courtesy of Haku who was following right on his heels.

He looked at the outer gate where a brutal engagement was taking place between the remaining Imperial Guard and his own army. Jinpachi and Commander Saji were leading the charge which was going pretty well.

"Mangetsu, we must avoid higher casualties on our side! Spare me a few men, gather the rest and capture the Daimyo and General Abe if possible. The Imperial Guard will throw down their arms if we have them in custody!" advised Haku, as he finished stabbing an terrified archer in the neck.

"Will you be able to neutralize the defenders on the wall?" he asked seriously, earning a firm nod from his friend.

Mangetsu nodded back as he ordered fifty men from the 501st to continue aiding Haku while he took to the skies with the remaining few hundred.

Their aim being the Royal palace at the far end of the vast city.

As he flew towards his target, he watched the devastation unleashed upon his orders personally.

Broken buildings, shattered houses, dead people lying in the streets, the wounded crying out in pain, and the bereaved weeping inconsolably over the bodies of their loved ones.

One image of two young boys clutching the body of an older crushed male struck his heart more deeply than any blade ever had.

He had done this.

It was for the sake of the mission, for the sake of victory, for the sake of protecting his army, for the sake of saving his father...and for the sake of this nation's future.

However watching the destruction and misery he had inflicted for those dreams made him truly hate himself somewhere deep in his heart. His own father probably would disapprove...but Mangetsu could live with that as long as he could achieve his goals, letting the Shinigami judge him for his actions in the afterlife if need be.

Is this how you felt when you destroyed half of Osaka, Naruto? Were you trying to prevent me from experiencing this pain?

Maybe that had been the General's key reason behind ordering him not to take drastic measures which would lead to exactly the collateral losses he was witnessing right now. Actions that would stain his soul for the rest of his life, as a shinobi he was trained to kill all his enemies...but this was just pure slaughter.

"Commander...we're approaching the palace. Orders?" asked one of his 501st commandos, bringing him out of his guilt ridden thoughts.

He saw a limited amount of resistance waiting for them in the form of the Palace Guards preparing to make a final stand against the airborne invaders.

Maybe it was the grief over his actions or the fact that he had seen enough death for today, his next words shocked most of his men.

"Give them a chance to surrender. Eliminate those that still resist and capture General Abe as well as the Daimyo alongside his family. Maybe it's too late to honor Naruto's wishes...but avoid unnecessary bloodshed" whispered Mangetsu sadly,

As his men went forward to carry out his orders- warning the remaining defenders to surrender and keep their lives in return, Mangetsu expanded his sensory powers in order to locate his father's presence inside the palace.

All of this...pain and suffering, his sins would be worth bearing once he saved his old man.

He had to believe in that...as anything else would surely break his heart.


(Kirigakure)

The first sensation he felt was something soft beneath his back making him gingerly open his eyes only to be assaulted by the stark white walls making him groan in displeasure.

As his vision slowly cleared, he silently cursed when he found himself back in a plain hospital room.

He looked at himself and found nearly two tubes attached to his arm and quite a few of his body parts wrapped in bandages.

"Fuck..." he cursed in a hoarse voice,

A light chuckle made him go on an instant alert as a man emerged from beneath the hospital floor with his familiar but haunting red eyes staring directly at him.

"You..." he whispered hesitantly, and glanced at the door to his room but neither of the twin guards stationed outside were alarmed by the intrusion.

"Do you really think I'll let children interfere?" asked the older man with a smirk, which made Naruto sigh.

"How long was I out?" questioned the blonde seriously,

"More than a week actually. Impressive battle, taking down two Biju at once. Not an easy feat and much better than your past performance but still there is a lot of scope for improvement" commented Madara, earning a raised eyebrow from Naruto.

"High and mighty, are we?" taunted Naruto, making Madara chuckle once again.

"Not at all. There will always be room to grow more stronger, it applies to me as well since the enemies I seek to destroy are in a league of their own. You are good but not invincible" advised Madara frankly,

He saw Naruto didn't say anything and sensed the lingering sadness in the blonde's heart.

"So you know the truth...about your wife and child" said Madara sympathetically,

"I guess you are happy to be proven right!" retorted Naruto bitterly, only for Madara to lower his head solemnly.

"I don't cherish it, boy. I know what it's like to lose family to this cursed shinobi world...it's why I want to change it" admitted Madara without hesitation,

"I made a lot of mistakes in my life...if only I could go back in time and change things" whispered Naruto wishfully,

"Even if you can bring the dead back to life...they'll still be coming back to this cursed shinobi world and suffer in time sooner or later once again" pointed Madara, earning a hesitant nod from the blonde for the first time.

"I want to understand your plan and whether you can truly give me what I desire" declared Naruto,

A genuine smile arrived on the Uchiha's face as he stepped towards the boy to take up a seat near his bed.

"First we need to break the one nation-one village shinobi system across the world. I started this war and helped fan the previous one with that objective but have met with limited success honestly. I control the Land of Lightning's political leadership and most of their top shinobi command, and while they are a great military force they simply lack the brilliance and sheer audacity to break the Land of Fire-the originator of this system" explained Madara seriously,

Naruto attentively listened and was further intrigued on learning that Madara had played an important role in forming an alliance between the Land of Lightning, Earth and Wind by manipulating their leaders from the shadows.

Yet even the combined might of those three great villages was struggling to crush the Land of Fire and Konoha's sheer might thanks to the Uchiha, Senju and many other noble ninja clans, their Daimyo's vast wealth, army and resources and good leadership.

The Land of Fire had suffered great casualties and lost some territory but they had formed an alliance with Kirigakure and were preparing for a counterattack on their enemies to go deep into their lines and crush them completely.

"You may not be the strongest shinobi but are a brilliant General and a man of honor. Your tactical brilliance, your courage and the determination to succeed against all odds makes men follow you into hell itself. Instead of a ninja world crushed under the dominance of the Land of Fire, I want you and Kirigakure to take up that mantle. Unite all shinobi and warriors of the world under one banner, stop letting Daimyo's and politicians use us for their personal gains. Show the world a new path!" encouraged Madara sincerely,

"You're stronger than me, your name inspires fear even now. Why not take up the mantle yourself?" questioned Naruto, earning a faint smile from the Uchiha.

"I am not fit for it. Not even my own clan trusted me when I told them about the dangers of living under Senju rule would bring for them. No, a role in the shadows suits me better, most of all there is a limit to how much a human being can be motivated by fear. True respect and loyalty will make them go till death and beyond, something which I see you can inspire in nearly anyone. The fact that you make me want to believe in you is a testament to your brilliance, the Uzukage was a fool to let such a gem go to waste. You would have made a fine Uzukage...but now you'll be an even better Mizukage!" confessed Madara,

"Did you play a role in this coup? What happened to Lord Gengetsu?" questioned Naruto suspiciously, making Madara sigh.

"I did fan the flames for I believed it's you and not Gengetsu who could lead Kirigakure to its true destiny. Gengetsu is dead, killed by Yagura and the Kaguya matriarch, I had no desire to kill him but gave him a merciful death when those fools were torturing him and preparing for a public execution" admitted Madara frankly,

Naruto narrowed his gaze at the rather candid confession, his thoughts lingering over the former Mizukage who had been a far better mentor and leader to him than his own Uzukage. He could not stop some bitterness and mistrust to be born in his heart for Madara, something which the man caught sight of easily.

"Idealism won't get you anywhere. As long as Gengetsu ruled-you would never be allowed to do as you please completely. If you're so repulsed by my actions...then tell me what is your plan to bring peace and unity to this war torn world?" questioned Madara in an irate tone,

"I want to unite all shinobi of this world under one banner. Even if it means crushing and merging all nations...I will do it" declared Naruto, earning a surprised look from Madara.

"Pretty ambitious. Some would say uniting all shinobi would end most conflicts but if there is no conflict there would be no need for ninjas to exist" countered Madara, but the blonde in front of him shook his head.

"Their talents would still be needed. Shinobi can create lands, irrigation, electricity, solve water crisis, make even the most harshest and inhabitable lands suitable for settlement. We can act as the guardians of mankind that we were supposed to be instead of indulging in endless conflicts for limited resources and political ambitions of feudal lords" explained Naruto honestly,

"Pretty logical and admirable dream. But there will always be many shinobi who live to ignite conflicts, they would prefer a never ending saga of wars instead of a peace lasting forever. Even if you unite mankind under one banner through your brilliance and power, even if you are able to somehow make everyone understand your vision for your humanity...you will die someday. Will your successors be able to sustain your legacy that you built? What if you die before achieving your dream just like the Sage of Six Paths did, who shall carry your dreams forward then?" asked Madara frankly,

The Uchiha watched the boy struggle for an answer to those serious questions only to avert his gaze when he couldn't come up with any.

"I say this from experience. I had a dear friend once, one who also wanted to stop wars and unite shinobi. He tried his best and did manage to bring temporary peace only to be betrayed by shinobi themselves in the end. His successors unable to sustain his legacy and carry forward his dreams of maintaining a peaceful world. He was a God amongst men, no shinobi including myself were not his equals...and yet he still failed. I see him in you alongwith some part of my own younger self" confessed Madara honestly,

The blonde looked up at the older man, having a very good idea of whom he had been referring to. Remembering the history of his past, he couldn't help but feel those words were true to an extent.

"How do you plan to bridge the gap in my plan?" asked Naruto hesitantly,

Madara smiled as he projected his visual prowess making Naruto appear inside a plain white dimension. Before he could ask further questions, he saw both him and Madara appear high in the sky as a very realistic ninja world map was created below them.

"For my plan to succeed, the ninja system and the five great nations need to collapse first. It is why I started this war and need your help for in you I see a true conqueror. Not just in power but also the mind and heart- you are an exceptional shinobi, a great general and always lead from the front. The kind of a leader any true warrior would love to follow"

Naruto watched a great army led by him march from Kirigakure to first invade the Land of Lightning crushing Kumogakure and unifying the smaller ninja villages around it eventually. The conquest continued gloriously as his new larger army eventually marched into the Land of Earth and Wind while taking over the remaining smaller ninja villages.

The journey ending with the final conquest of the Land of Fire and Konohagakure.

"Unite every nation under one banner with my help, but more importantly help me capture all the tailed beasts or major portion of each of their powers. By combining their powers with my visual prowess, I will reawaken the Ten Tails and become its Jinchuuriki. When that has happened, I will use its power to join every human being to each other by interlinking their connection to a new hive chakra network. I will then order humanity to cease its infighting and co-operate under the new world you shall create. No man would ever be able to attack another for any purpose. An end to all wars" explained Madara seriously,

"But that's..." whispered Naruto hesitantly,

"Too extreme? How is it different from you imposing your own will on this world by crushing all nations to create a united one? You can try to control this united nation that you shall build with your own power alone. Continue fighting endless conflicts for there will always be quite a few who just wouldn't accept your rule, those battles would make you suffer the loss of more friends and family. Your descendants doomed to repeat that cycle again and again until eventually your legacy and dreams get destroyed with time. Sometimes to expect the best from everyone is arrogance. Hashirama made that mistake...would you repeat the same?" questioned Madara, his gaze boring into the blonde's eyes.

"What is to stop you from taking over the world? With the Ten Tails power, you could possibly control every human including myself. A puppet ruler?...You are just the same as the Uzukage and the others!" accused Naruto bitterly, earning a furious snarl from the Uchiha.

"Fool! I have no desire to rule or control everything humanity does! I just want an end to all wars, to create a lasting peace and unite mankind so they could face the Otsutsuki threat once they arrive. You can rule the world for as long as you live followed by your descendants, I just want to achieve my dream!" reiterated Madara fiercely,

"And I have to believe your word?" retorted Naruto, distrust evident in his gaze making the older Uchiha growl in frustration.

"There must be something that can make you trust me. Is bringing your dead wife back to life a good reason?" asked Madara frankly, and saw the resistance in the boy's eyes diminish greatly.

"How can you do that? And what about my unborn child?" asked Naruto hesitantly, the hope clearly evident in his softened gaze.

"The Rinnegan and a special statue under my control gives me the power to bring the dead back to life. Although I am not sure if I can bring your unborn child back since it died before it was born" admitted Madara,

Naruto had expected something like this but it still came as a heavy blow regardless. A part of his heart had hoped to see his first born child...but now it would never be possible. All because of this cursed world and shinobi system.

Madara pressed on seeing the boy's sorrow.

"Help me achieve my goal, the more you succeed the more I shall help you regain all you have lost. Crush the Land of Lightning and I shall bring all your Spartan comrades including your beloved younger brother back to life. Conquer the Land of Earth and Wind while subjugating the smaller villages-then I will help you correct the injustice done to you by Uzu and its Kage, maybe even bring your mother and adoptive father-Yahiko Uzumaki back to life if you wish. Finally dissolve the Land of Fire and I shall bring Ino Yamanaka back to life so you can finally live with her in a truly peaceful world" said Madara passionately,

Naruto watched images of all those people flash before his eyes in this genjutsu. Everyone who had believed in him...everyone whom he had failed.

He saw their smiles and the happiness in their eyes as they got to live the life they all deserved...something which this cruel world took away.

Hadn't he fought his entire life for his beloved ones only to lose them and be betrayed by his own superiors and shinobi system he had fought for so loyally?

Madara watched a lone tear roll down the boy's cheeks as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He walked forward and stepped in front of the blonde, extending his hand towards the last Namikaze.

"Will you fight for the lost? Will you help me destroy this world of lies and help me create one of victors and truth?" questioned Madara seriously,

A pair of dark red slit patterned eyes gazed back at him, a sea of determination and ruthlessness burning in them as a firm hand gripped his offered one making the Uchiha truly smile.

"From this day forth, the world shall remember you for eternity as...The Black Flash" declared Madara proudly,

"A world of peace...a world of truth and harmony. We shall create such a world" promised Naruto fiercely, earning a firm nod from the older man in front of him.

"Yes, as the descendants of the Sage of Six Paths, as the heirs of Uchiha and Senju clans...we shall destroy this world of lies and make mankind reach its true destiny. One that was stolen from us" agreed Madara readily,

The vision disappeared and he found himself back in the hospital room as Madara got up from his bed.

"I know you dislike Tobirama Senju which is also one of the reasons why you were so keen to recruit me" said Naruto frankly, receiving a slightly surprised and even more respectful look from Madara.

"Perceptive, but then again you have your father's intelligence" commented Madara carefully,

"You are not to harm him or the Senju clan personally or through any of your aides. Should they choose to stand in the way of our goals, I shall be the one to deal with them" proposed Naruto seriously,

"Do you still feel some loyalty towards them since they are family?" questioned Madara with a heavy frown arriving on his face,

"Not likely. Not after what happened...but there is no need to be unnecessarily cruel. Even to our enemies, after all they shall too exist in the new world we shall create" answered Naruto honestly,

Madara was genuinely surprised upon hearing those words and made him look at the boy in a different light.

"Even if they don't show you the same kindness?" he questioned, making Naruto smile.

"Yes, even then. Leave the Senju to me" answered Naruto,

"You're way too kind for your own good just like Hashirama was" whispered Madara with a heavy sigh,

"Or maybe I am too tired being merciless"

The Uchiha couldn't help but see a shadow of his deceased best friend in the young boy. His next words also making him feel the resemblance he beared to Madara's own younger self...

"I couldn't protect my family or friends...yet I have still someone left to care for. Someone who knows the real me before I became what I am today, help me save her first" requested Naruto sincerely,

He received a gentle and understanding nod from Madara in return.


Kushina Uzumaki slowly opened her eyes to find herself seated in an uncomfortable chair. Slowly regaining more of her vision, she found herself to be currently present in a hospital room.

Trying to recall how she ended up here only made her come up with absolutely nothing. What had she been doing that made her land up here?

"Till the end?"

She blinked in surprise upon hearing those familiar words and found an old friend seated in another corner of the room. Tears welled up in her eyes as she glanced at his state even as she dashed towards his bed.

He engulfed her in a fierce hug and she clung to him as if her life depended upon it. She remembered how she alongside the rest of the Kiri villagers had been forbidden from assisting the 'Rebels' in the battle by Yagura. She had watched those two Biju nearly kill her oldest and sole surviving friend.

Gently breaking the hug she looked at his injuries and thankfully most were healing at a steady rate. His chakra however felt weaker than before and some of his once shiny blonde hair had grayed out which only made more tears fall from her eyes.

"I'm not dead yet, Kushina" he reprimanded her gently,

"I wish I could have joined you in that battle" she whispered, regret clearly echoing in her voice.

"That would blow away your cover here. I don't want that to happen to any agent, especially you" answered Naruto, the fate of his own wife-Ino still fresh in his heart. If only her cover had not been blown...

She looked at the twin guards stationed outside the room but he told her an ally of theirs had ordered them to simply ignore the happenings inside this room.

"We have a lot to discuss" he said carefully, and tried to reach for the water jug on a table nearby.

Kushina quickly got up from the bed and handed him the same earning a grateful smile in return.

"How did your mission go?" she asked once he was finished drinking his water,

The somber look in his eyes did not give her much hope and her worst fears were proven true when she heard the entire tale. It started with the events at Nagi Island and his meeting with their deceased Spartan comrades through Edo Tensei, a forbidden Reanimation Kinjutsu developed by the Second Hokage.

Kushina's face lost all color as she heard of what really went down and just how the revived Nagato now felt towards Uzu after what it had done to his two best friends.

"They...how..." she whispered in a trembling voice, tears welling up in her eyes on remembering their lost comrades.

Naruto's own eyes were moist as he grabbed her hands gently to take into his own, the two last surviving Spartans taking solace in each other. He was the only one in the entire world who could exactly understand her feelings towards their martyred comrades. Both of them had chosen different paths and yet deep in their hearts they did what they did to get justice for their friends. She could only imagine how seeing them after so many years must have felt like...

"I know what the Uzukage did to you, Ghost" whispered Naruto sadly,

"What?" she asked confusedly,

"I asked you to go and live a peaceful life in Uzu after our meeting in the Land of Lightning. You honored my wish and went home only to end up here in Kirigakure weeks later. Why is that?" questioned Naruto,

Kushina froze when Naruto pointed at a large scar on her left arm. The skin there was hot red and recovering from whatever wound she had suffered, gingerly touching it made her shiver as faint echoes came back in her mind.

A cold dark room, distant voices, and a familiar voice whispering in her ears.

"Nagato and Madara told me what the Uzukage did to you when you tried to clear my name and reveal the truth about us Spartans to our people. He placed a curse mark upon you that forced you to do his bidding and manipulated your memories to drive you away from the village and keep an eye on me. Maybe even use you to take me out should I step out of line killing two birds with one stone" explained Naruto seriously,

"I don't understand...Madara...as...in...Madara...Uchiha? And...why...would...the Uzukage-" she said hurriedly, but he placed his hands upon her shoulders comfortingly.

"I'll tell you everything"

And he did.

By the end...Kushina was left speechless.

Her mind literally spinning after discovering so many shocking truths: Tobirama being her best friend's real father, what Uzu did to her, Madara's interest in her friend and his grand plan for the world.

Her heart however broke and wept for what her friend and the man she loved still had endured all on his own.

The death of his beloved wife and unborn child, the betrayal by his own nation and family, the turning of his last true friend.

It made her understand exactly as to why he had now joined Madara in his grand plan to change this cursed world.

"I'm so sorry, Minato" she whispered tearfully, using his birth name without hesitation as whatever he was today or would become in the future...she still saw the same boy whom she grew up and fell in love with.

"I'll make this right somehow...everything. No matter how long it takes or what pain I may face, I shall keep moving forward until my enemies are destroyed. I'll bring back everyone we lost and then maybe..." he stopped himself, but she clearly felt the unsaid hope in his heart.

"I'm with you!" she whispered earnestly, making him look at her in shock.

"No! I don't want to get you involved in this, it is my sin to bear. All I ever want is for you to live free and be happy...you have already been hurt enough in your life because of me" he argued, but she shook her head with tears welling up in her eyes once more.

"Yet being away from you is much worse, Minato. I left you twice-once on my own decision and the next time on your wish and was never truly happy either of those times" she replied back fiercely, making him growl in frustration.

"Everyone I loved or care for-dies! The path I have chosen will only increase the dangers...I won't risk your life for the sake of my ambition!" he protested angrily,

A tight slap to his face sent him reeling and made him look at his redhead childhood friend hesitantly as tears openly fell down across her cheeks.

"And I can't lose you! What you desire is also something I seek myself now after having lost nearly everything. If Madara can help us bring back our friends and end this war torn world...then I want to be a part of it too. I may not be a great general like you or a beast like that Uchiha, but I can still be useful. I'll keep the Uzukage off your back now...and be your protector in this village full of strangers!" proposed Kushina earnestly,

Kushina saw some of his opposition melt away and a genuine smile arrive on his lips which made her push on by placing her hands upon his cheeks.

"Till the end, remember?"

A lone tear slipped from his eye as he leaned into her touch completely, a relieved sigh escaping from his lips as she caressed his cheek and came closer.

He looked into her eyes and saw a person who knew the real him, what he truly desired and didn't judge him for it.

His heart truly melted upon seeing her resolve and affection for him, someone who wanted to stand by him no matter what. Someone whom he could be completely honest with, a woman who chose him over everything else.

Even Ino had chosen to protect her nation by sacrificing her life alongside their child's, even Tobirama had indirectly or directly decided to protect his village and comrades no matter how wrong they were.

But not her...

In this world full of lies and betrayal...she wanted to be the one who stayed true to him over everything else.

"Why go so far, Kushina? For someone like me..." he whispered somberly,

"The same reason you stayed true to me in this world of lies"

His eyes widened in shock upon hearing those words and her beautiful smile which made him lower his gaze.

"I have loved you more than anything, Minato. You are my family....and even if the entire world turns against you someday, I will still be your ally" she promised him, repeating the words he had said to her before she left the Land of Lightning to return to Uzu in order to honor his wish.

She watched him struggle for a response which made her smile and hide her own sadness when he didn't reciprocate her feelings...

Her eyes widened when he came forward and kissed her lips passionately, blending everything he felt for her in his actions even if no words ever escaped from his lips.

She returned his feelings by kissing him back, content in having this moment of bliss in a life full of suffering and tragedy.


Author's Notes: End of chapter.

Hope you guys liked it.

Damn, a pretty long ass chapter in my opinion. Took me nearly three weeks and multiple rewrites to complete, especially the battle! Plus I was busy binge watching Breaking Bad and Dark (I know I am too late to watch that), but damn what masterpiece they were, I was simply blown away. Yeah the chapter title is kind of a tribute and irony at the same time.

In other news, still searching for a suitable job in the crappy market in my country while enjoying my mini-vacation.

Coming back to the story, a lot of major developments in this chapter. Would love to hear your thoughts on the same, so spare a minute or two, would ya?

Don't come at me with pitchforks especially for the pairing and romance just yet, it's complicated! It shall play out according to my plan soon enough, so be patient though I'll not mind hearing if you guys have anything to say on that.

IMO, Kushina's kind of like a soulmate, Ino someone who has his heart and Mei...we'll get to that soon enough.

Anyway, review or PM if you wanna discuss further.

Regards,

Blackwolf501