Sealkeeper: He Who Binds
Chapter 94 – Ready the Wolves
Her door closed with a soft click, leaving her standing in the dim hallway with a small bag slung over her shoulder. Her mask did little to hide her smile and she was sure her entire being radiated with the lightness in her heart.
There were no words to describe the relief she felt at being free from her biggest regret.
Below her cloak, her new favorite Kunai slowly dripped the blood of her spawn onto the floor.
"Hm? Heading out, Tobi-chan?" The voice startled her slightly and she turned up to see the tower blue figure who was Kisame looking down with her. He looked somewhat puzzled but the soft smile on his dark lips showed he was happy to see her.
No surprise, really, almost everyone here was happy to see Tobi, she was the best of good girls.
"Ah! Kisame-senpai!" She clutched her chest in mock distress. "You startled me!"
He gave a deep chuckle, it was hard to frown around Tobi and he had no idea how Pein and Konan managed it.
"Sorry, sorry." Kisame apologized. "So, heading out?" He used his chin to point towards the bag slung over her shoulder.
"Ah, yes. Tobi-chan has some things to take care of and it may take some time. She's going to miss Kisame-senpai while she's gone." It wasn't exactly a lie, either. For an S-rank Daimyo-Slayer Kisame was actually pretty good company, though that may have been a matter of comparison in this case. Kukazu and Sasori weren't exactly fun to hang around and she spent as little time near Pein or Zetsu as possible.
She supposed Konan might not be bad company but she typically avoided everyone so Mikoto hadn't managed to spend much time with the woman.
"Ah, good luck then. I'll see you when you get back."
Mikoto frowned slightly behind her mask. Kisame was the most easy-going of the Akatsuki and was really just here because he had nothing better to do. Maybe Naruto would have use for him.
"Tobi-chan is afraid it may be a very long time until she gets to see Kisami-senpai again."
"Ha! In that case how about a goodbye kiss?" He stooped down and presented his cheek.
She cocked her head to the side in thought for a moment before giving a nod and removing her mask. She was able to see the Daimyo-Slayer's eyes widen more than a little, obviously having expected her to just press her mask to his cheek.
Mikoto gave him a quick peck and took a second to return her mask so that he could see her face.
"Hehe, you're full of surprises aren't you Tobi-chan?"
"Kisame-senpai was right, he needed a kiss to hold him over because he can't watch Tobi-chan's hips anymore."
He gave a deep laugh and reached down to pat her head. "You're a good girl, Tobi-chan. Stay safe out there, alright?"
"Tobi-chan will do that Kisame-Senpai, Tobi-chan is the goodest of girls!"
"Heh, yes you are. Say, have you seen Itachi? That bastard's been avoiding me."
Mikoto rocked back and forth on her feet, hips swinging side to side and even though her mask was back in place she gave Kisame the largest most beaming smile she could. "Oh, Itachi-Senpai is in Tobi-chan's bed at the moment, Tobi-chan was too much for poor senpai."
A faint purple colored Kisame's cheeks. "Oh, so Itachi gets that before you leave and I just get a kiss?"
"Oh, no, Itachi-senpai didn't even get a kiss, he didn't even manage to get his clothes off before Tobi-chan finished him. Tobi-chan was too good."
The idea of a premature Itachi was far too much for Kisame as he broke down into laughter. "He...he.. Bwahahahaha!"
"Bye, Kisame-senpai!" Kisame gave a wave, clutching his stomach and trying not to fall to the ground in his laughter. By the gods, that was probably the greatest thing he had ever heard.
It wouldn't be until later that Kisame noticed the drops of blood on the floor or that Itachi's body was discovered. When asked, Kisame would say that he and Itachi had wished Tobi a safe trip and it wasn't until later that he had found the Uchiha in his room.
Naturally, most of them were more upset by the news that Tobi was going to be away for awhile rather than the death of their 'comrade'. Kisame couldn't blame them, she was one hell of a good girl.
It hadn't taken much time at all, Guren noted, before they had reached the country of Nami no Kuni. That didn't sound like much until you realized they had to cross the majority of Hi no Kuni to reach it. As old as this snake was- and despite having claimed to be blind earlier- it was damn fast and very good at avoiding just about everything.
Guren had a feeling that the things it didn't avoid had instead been crushed very much on purpose, but she wasn't going to bring that up to the snake. After all, who the hell was she to question the Great Elder Serpent?
She thought he might stop when they reached the water, or maybe would have continued on the bridge if he was really set on continuing into the city of Nami but instead he continued straight into the sea without hesitation.
Guren wondered exactly how far the Elder Serpent was intending to carry them. Gods above, she really did not want to cross the southern Kaizoku Sea on the head of a giant blind snake. She was also aware of a few Wolves following along as soon as they reached the land of Nami no Kuni, keeping a careful eye on the absolutely massive serpent passing through their territory.
She was slightly comforted by the nod she received from one of them, it didn't seem like they were taking this as an aggressive or hostile action which was good. The last thing she needed was to be caught between a misunderstanding between Orochimaru and the Wolves. No matter what she did she was likely to end up in a lot more trouble than she cared to try digging herself out of.
After a while the snake slowed and eventually stopped, curling its body in its chosen resting spot. It took almost two minutes for the rest of the serpents' body to catch up.
Kidomaru and the Kon twins were off as soon as they could, obviously having absolutely no desire to wait on the Great Elder's head while she found Kabuto. The Wolves that had followed them likewise came to a rest in the clearing, watching cautiously. One of them stepped forward slightly before stopping indicating it was he who they should approach when ready.
Guren appreciated not being rushed.
Hopping from the serpents head she turned back to it and offered a bow. "Thank you, Great Elder Serpent, your aid has been most valuable in reaching more aid for the High-Priest."
Almost as if he could sense the question she bit back- and she would not be surprised if it could – the snake's dim golden eyes turned to her. "I will be here," he promised. "I would not have the High-Priest wait longer than he has for your aid."
Well, that answered that. Damn, she had really been hoping they could just take a boat instead.
"You have our gratitude, Great Elder."
It stared at her for a few seconds more before replying. "And should your team provide aid to the High-Priest you shall have mine, little human."
She gave another bow- to which the serpent inclined their own head- and spun on her heel to approach what she assumed was the lead Wolf.
Giving another bow- she wasn't fond of it but these were the forces of the prince and Orochimaru had made it very clear that she- no, he. Goddamnit, she was going to have to get used to this shit again – placed himself below the prince. While that didn't necessarily mean that Orochimaru's forces would likewise be below the Wolves she highly doubted she was above them. She was, after all, not Orochimaru.
"My apologies for the unannounced visit but we are in a hurry to answer the call of Naruto-sama." She was technically supposed to refer to him as Ō-sama but while Orochimaru had made that abundantly clear among her on forces Guren had no idea if the Wolves were aware of it.
She figured the sooner she mentioned the Prince's name the better, once that was established she could do what was...proper. Not that anyone would tell on her, she could probably get away with just sticking to Naruto-sama. Sounded better in her opinion and didn't feel so damn weird to say. Gods above, nobody used such archaic terms anymore outside of Orochimaru himself and, perhaps, the prince.
Guren didn't even know if the prince did, though the though that all of Orochimaru's servants were calling the prince things he didn't even understand was certainly amusing. She was getting distracted.
The Wolves surrounding them seemed confused- from what she could read of their body language- but the one who had stepped forward didn't seemed phased in the slightest. Now that she really examined them they seemed to be wearing fur around their neck, the mark of a high-captain.
"You seem to have missed him, then. He's already left towards Mizu no Kuni by ship."
Guren spared a glance back at the serpent laying in what little sun was able to pierce the clouds of this wet and dreary land. "I don't thin that will be a problem."
The High-Captain gave a shrug. Who was he to say otherwise? If they had transportation they had transportation. "So, may I ask why you've stopped in Nami no Kuni?"
"Orochimaru has ordered that Liaison Yakushi is to join us in supporting Ō-sama, we stopped to retrieve him on our way."
"More support? Excellent." The High-Captain gave a satisfied nod. "We'll retrieve him for you, please wait here."
It was Guren's turn to shrug. Sounded good to her, she had no problems if someone wanted to do her work for her.
Kabuto turned the page of his book and took a sip of his tea. The cafe had outside seating but who in their right minds would want to be outside in this sort of weather? Of course, this was pretty much the standard day in Nami no Kuni and just one of the reasons he loathed this country.
A sudden, inexplicable feeling of dread washed over him. Things were, he suspected, about to get a lot worse for him. His hunch was only supported as he peered out the window to watch one of the Wolves' High-Captains walk up to the cafe and enter the door with the tinkle of little bells.
"Welc-" The young woman behind the front counter went quiet as soon as she realized who- or perhaps what- had entered the cafe. The Wolf- either oblivious or uncaring- still gave a nod of greeting to her as he walked straight for the medic, spy, laboratory assistant, and otherwise right hand of Orochimaru.
"Liaison Yakushi, Orochimaru has a task for you."
He hadn't done something to upset the Wolves evidently but that did little to reassure him- whatever Orochimaru needed was probably going to be worse.
With a great gulp he drained the rest pf his tea, ignoring the way it scolded down his throat. That pain was nothing compared to whatever this was going to be because he highly doubted he was being sent back to Konoha and its lovely weather.
It was only a few minutes after the High-Captain left that he returned with Kabuto in tow. Judging by his confused expression the High-Captain hadn't told him what was going on just yet. A small, wicked grin tugged at Guren's lips. Perfect, she wanted to be able to see his expression when he learned where exactly it was they were being sent by Orochimaru.
Kabuto's dislike for wet environments was by no means a secret among Oto Shinobi.
"Ah, Guren." It was also no secret that she didn't really like him and the feeling was pretty mutual from what she understood. Despite this, he seemed somewhat relieved to see a fellow servant of the Snake Sage. That would normally be considered quite odd but considering he had been spending so much time around the Wolves having to be very careful about every word spoken and every action taken she could understand that he would be slightly relieved to be able to interact with someone familiar. "Perhaps you'd be so kind as to tell me what's going on? I understand Orochimaru-sama has a task for me?"
"For us, really." Guren was able to pinpoint the exact moment he noticed her smirk as dread began to show behind his glasses. "You are to join my team-" She wanted to make sure that was clear at the beginning to limit misunderstandings later. "- as we join O-sama to support him during his war."
"I see." That didn't sound too bad but the feeling of dread had not left him. He also hadn't been kept very well informed about the dealings of Orochimaru or the prince while he was here. With the two of them having been in each other's company for so long he really hadn't been needed. This was the first time he had heard about any sort of war, though he had been able to watch the forces of the Wolves mobilize twice now. "And where is Naruto-sama's war?"
Guren's wicked grin did not comfort him. "Oh, you know..." She started sweetly "Mizu no Kuni."
Kabuto didn't even try to bite back the groan that tore itself from his lips. Just his luck, one wet hell for an even wetter one. Why couldn't he just go back to his beautiful Konoha?
"You know what's even better?" Guren asked, rocking on her feet in twisted delight. "We get to travel there on the head of a snake."
Kabuto's eyes were drawn to the massive white serpent coiled in the distance. That was going to be how they reached Mizu no Kuni? He hadn't kicked any puppies recently, had he?There was no way his luck was this bad all of a sudden.
"I'm going to end up completely soaked, aren't I?"
Guren's wicked grin grew larger. "Uh-huh." Because if they weren't all drenched by the waves on the way there or caught in a storm she would still make sure he arrived soaked to the bone- even if she had to push him off the great Elder Serpent's head herself.
She hadn't wanted to take the Serpent Express, but now it didn't seem too bad at all.
At least one of them was going to enjoy the trip.
And it most certainly wasn't Kabuto.
Kakashi and Anko stood at either side as he watched the approaching landmass that was Mizu no Kuni in a silence interrupted only by the crash of waves and the shifting of Wolves checking their equipment. The crew had cone completely silent after he had sorted out payment with the Ship Master, further reminding him that he had been wrong about how the Wolves were perceived by the world.
If his efforts to negate their bad reputation had failed then he would stop expanding the energy to try changing the way the world saw them. They were Wolves, it was only right the world be wary.
"Inu..." Kakashi had been standing much more properly- his regular slouch left back in Konoha- but upon hearing his name from a lifetime ago he snapped to attention.
"Hai, Naruto-taicho?" He wasn't a Wolf, nor one of Naruto's other agents. He was Hatake Kakashi, loyal student of the Yondaime Hokage and surrogate brother of Naruto- even if he thought he was better suited for another role- and he would stand fast by Naruto until the end of time.
Naruto may not have been his lord, but he was the one calling the shots and that demanded a certain level of respect.
"Ready the Wolves."
The Wolves were already preparing for their...landing...
They weren't going to be reaching the shore by boat, were they?
Turning back to the mass of Wolves on the deck- there were less than two dozen but the ship wasn't exactly large- he barked his orders. "Cease check!" The Wolves' snapped their attention up to him. Kakashi didn't wait before continuing. "Secure your packs!" Realization dawned on the Wolves just as it had for Kakashi and they scrambled to obey, finishing just soon enough to comply immediately with his next order. "Squad up, attention!"
The Wolves all jumped to their feet and stood at attention in distinct squads ready to go. Their excitement was palpable.
"Squad leaders, sound off!"
"1-1, Ready!"
"1-2, Ready!"
"2-1, Ready!"
"2-2, Ready"
Kakashi gave a satisfied nod at the four squads before turning back to Naruto. "The Wolves are ready, Taicho."
"Good, good." He fell silent again, watching the ocean split before the ship. "Kakashi, team 1 is yours. Anko, team 2. If anyone gets in our way tear through them. I don't care if they're rebels, civilians, or a goddamn Greater Daimyo on vacation. We're heading straight for Kirigakure to meet up with the Wolves and so I can get a better idea of our situation. If we pass any Wolves bring them with you, Yagura's orders be damned."
"Understood, Taicho."
"You got it, boss-man." Anko gave him a cheeky grin, unable to be anything but happy with the current situation. Despite that, he knew she would take the command of his children seriously. He wouldn't have entrusted them to her otherwise.
"Then you both understand, good." Naruto fell silent again, Mizu no Kuni drawing closer.
"If I may, Taicho?"
"Proceed."
"If we have lead of the Wolves, where will you be?"
"...I will have words with the Ship Master about what has happened here and then I will follow, make sure all the Wolves have been gathered by the time I reach Kirigakure."
Kakashi gave a slight frown. "Shouldn't we have someone with you? Just in case?" He really didn't like the idea of Naruto following behind on his own, even if he was a capable Shinobi. There was a reason Shinobi operated in teams, after all. "I can take command of teams one and two if you need me to, that would free up Anko to stay with you." Kakashi proposed. "Or we can take one Wolf from both and Anko and I can join with 2-1 and 1-1 respectively."
"That won't be necessary, Kakashi." Looking over his shoulder his exposed purple eye met Kakashi's. "I'm more than capable of making it to Kirigakure on my own."
"It's not that I doubt you, Taicho. I'd just be more comfortable knowing that you had someone to watch your back."
"Mmm, me too." Anko spoke up from his other side. "Better safe than sorry."
"I will be following you alone." The tone of Naruto's voice told them that his decision was final. "If you wish to make sure my passage to Kirigakure is safe simply clear out all the threats on your way there." Both older Shinobi knew he had just placed the responsibility for his own well being upon their shoulders even though they wouldn't be traveling together and they shared a look between them.
"As you command, Taicho."
"If that's what you want, Naruto-kun." Naruto gave her a pointed look at the address but she just stuck her tongue out at him.
It was only the mask that hid his smile.
The silence returned unbroken for a precious few moments. "Inu..."
"Squads, steady!"
"Kakashi, Anko,"Naruto spoke just loud enough that they could hear him but the wind would be able to keep anyone else from knowing he had so much as opened his mouth. "As soon as your sandals hit the soil of Mizu no Kuni you are doing the will of Tsukuyomi. Do not forget, do not fail."
"Yeah, sure. You don't need to worry about me Naruto-kun, your lovely Fang never disappoints."
"You can count on us, Taicho."
"And both of you," He paused for a second. "Stay safe. I don't want to lose anymore if I can help it."
"Hai, Taicho." Kakashi gave him an understanding nod. Anko was noticeably less professional as she launched herself at her lord and wrapped her body around him.
"Oh, you're just so adorable Naruto-kun. I can't wait to ride you on the Mizukage's desk later."
Kakashi sent her an odd look. "The Mizukage's desk?"
"Oh yeah, I'm going to screw his brains out on the desk of each of the five greater villages. I was going to start with Konoha but this is too good of an opportunity to pass up."
"...So it is." Kakashi was just so damn proud of that boy, it was almost enough to make him cry.
"Focus please, Anko. I'll see to your needs later."
"Mmmm, yes Naruto-sama."
It had broken the solemn mood, Kakashi noted, but he wasn't sure if she had done it on purpose or not. When she winked at him he thought he had a pretty good idea.
"When you're ready Inu." Naruto gave the permission and turned to walk towards the wheelhouse as Kakashi gave the order they had waited so patiently to hear.
"Wolves, move out!"
Eighteen Shinobi launched from the deck, running over the water as if it were paved ground. It would be a fearsome sight from the mainland, he was sure.
With slow, almost leisurely steps Naruto continued on his way. He was already well aware how these sailors saw him but it wouldn't hurt to remind them exactly whose business they were keeping their silence on. As far as they should be concerned, the Wolves had never been here.
He was sure it wouldn't take too much convincing, especially when they had to return to Nami for their payment. The presence of Wolves there would do well to remind them that their reach was long and their bite deep.
It was not wise to deal with Wolves, it was even less wise to try crossing them.
"Morning, Naruko!" While she hadn't been half asleep or in anyway groggy Naruko still found Sakura to be far too energetic this early in the morning. She stared at the pinkete for a moment, taking in the faint makeup and carefully brushed hair, before offering a distracted "Mornin'".
She wasn't imagining it, was she? There was no sign of Sakura's signature dress...thing...instead she was wearing a short black skirt and a fishnet top, under which Naruko could barely make out a sports bra in a color very close to Sakura's skin tone. Pink stockings ended mid-thigh and sensible Shinobi sandals had been replaced by slightly less sensible Shinobi Sandals with a defined heel. A short-sleeve black jacket had been thrown over her torso- probably because it was staring to get cold out- but hadn't been zipped up at all.
It took Naruko a moment to realize that she had seen a similar outfit before on one Mitarashi Anko. Her teammate, apparently, had put her own twist on the look.
Naruko was two parts confused, three parts suspicious, and one parts jealous. Why hadn't she based her own outfit off an older Kunoichi? As strange as it was to admit Sakura was pulling it off pretty well, though Naruko noted it would probably work better if she were...erm...more developed. In a few years she was going to look fantastic.
"Sakura?"
"Hm?"
"Was there a reason you've changed your outfit?"
"Oh? Ah! No, I just thought it was time for a change, you know?"
"On the day we're stopping by Naruto's house?" Naruko was sure her voice couldn't infer any more skepticism if she tried.
"It seemed as good a time as any," Sakura shrugged in a faux-innocent manner. "He hasn't seen us since that last mission anyway, might as well have made the change before he sees us again."
It almost made sense, almost. Naruko wasn't buying it but with a sigh set it aside. If her teammate wanted to pretty herself up for Naruto then there wasn't much she could do about it. As awkward as it was, at least Sakura was around the same age opposed to Anko who was a good eight or more years older.
Naruko didn't actually know Anko's age, and she didn't know Sakura's birthday either now that she thought about it. Depending on where it was, however, she knew Sakura couldn't be more than a year separated from her brother. They were in the same class, after all, which means the only age difference would be caused by the cutoff for registration.
That was a far more comfortable difference than the cradle-robbing Tokubetsu Jōnin. She wasn't just cradle robbing, either. The bitch had definitely made off with some of Naruko's spoils from that mission, she knew it.
"Well, are we going to get going? Don't want to be late..." Sakura was obviously very excited to learn where her brother lived and for a moment Naruko considered just saying there wouldn't be a meeting today due to the new Icha-Icha book so that she could avoid it.
In the end she still wanted to pay her brother a visit and if he was bothered all the time by Sakura maybe he'd try hiding at the Uzumaki compound. Well, that was unlikely, but if she was obsessed as she seemed to be these past couple days maybe Sakura would be taking the whole Kunoichi thing more seriously. Naruko really couldn't see a downside to that.
As long as Sakura didn't start gushing about Naruto as she used to with Sasuke than Naruko would manage. Somehow. It was still going to be weird.
"Don't worry about being late," Naruko shut the compound gate and waved off Sakura's concerns. "He doesn't even know were coming." She didn't even know if he'd be up, either, but there was bound to at least be a Wolf there who could let them wait in the kitchen or sitting room or something.
Sakura didn't seem to have her Shinobi equipment on her but that was fine, Naruko hadn't really grabbed anything more than a Kunai pouch on her thigh. Sakura had probably been to preoccupied with looking good for Naruto that she overlooked them but knowing there wouldn't be any training today- from what was quite literally a sign from above- Naruko hadn't bothered.
Still, her mother would chew her ass out for leaving the house unarmed. Then she'd go on about "being a damsel in distress" and how "one of her peers would have to rescue her" and how she'd end up falling for him before he sacrificed himself for the good of the village.
Naruko didn't consider herself the most intelligent, but even she could tell that her mother was talking about herself and her father the last time she had been given that lecture. She still didn't think it was fair, either. She had just gone out to get the mail that day and they kept a set of Kunai by the gate, she was fine!
"Is that okay?" Sakura looked nervous at the idea of dropping in unannounced, like she was going to anger Naruto somehow by stopping in for a visit.
"It's fine, if he's busy we can just make some tea and wait for him in the kitchen or something." Naruko shrugged. "It's not like we have anything better to do today."
Reassured, Sakura's smile returned and she happily began following her fellow Kunoichi.
Tsukuyomi- or, he supposed, at the moment Naruto- sat behind his desk as if nothing was wrong and he wasn't currently hundreds of miles away about to wage a war against the Bloodline Rebellion and all those who would threaten the safety of his children.
Aside from the occasional sounds of pen on paper or the movement of paper across his desk the room was completely silent. That was fine, the thoughts running through his head were loud enough. It was inevitable, really, that he would be plagued by his own worries for his children. He and Naruto were the same, after all.
Well, he and Tsukuyomi. Same thing, really.
Mai had left him with the reports from Sai and his forces in Mizu no Kuni so that he could get a better picture of what happened before retreating again. She may have been at the den, helping the Wolves prepare for a security breach, or perhaps in one of her offices – either here in his apartment or back at the den- but wherever she was she had wanted some space between herself and him.
Understandable, really, she probably expected him to be furious.
She was right, he was.
But not at her.
In the end, it was his responsibility. He was the one to give the orders, he was the one to structure the Wolves, and he was the one who failed to even take into consideration that his most trusted Wolves would try to hide something from him. He understood why, of course, they didn't want him to worry or blame himself for the losses. He appreciated it as Naruto, he really did, but as Tsukuyomi it was something he had to know in order to provide for his children.
Tsukuyomi did not have the luxury of being allowed peace of mind, there was far too much at stake to be making plans without being fully informed.
Which was why he was here, alternating between old reports with nothing but historic value and jotting down ideas to restructure the Wolves. It was far past time to do so, anyway, they had been operating in a very similar manner since he had first became a Genin.
Much had changed since then. You know, like the fact that they now controlled a country. He needed to reorganize everything to make sure nothing was being wasted and all the assets under his control were being used to their fullest. It was going to be no small headache.
First he would need to get a full measure of the Wolves under his control, taking into account those being trained from some of Orochimaru's forces and the second generation being trained from scratch in one of her unused bases.
He was supposed to have a full record of all the Wolves, as agreed with Iroh and the Imperial Fire Court, but he couldn't help it if some of them had managed to...slip through the cracks. Besides, those being trained still didn't count yet and if they had to go through a few years of 'practical' training before officially becoming Wolves than he would take advantage of that.
He was also supposed to have more Wolves left in Konoha and Nami no Kuni, but the one thing those records had been good for was to tell him that the majority of his forces had been committed to Mizu no Kuni. He had not been pleased to learn that, not at all.
Yes, a large portion of his forces had been committed to Mizu no Kuni by his command but no more than what was necessary to enter into a partnership with Yagura. It was never a good idea to commit all of your forces to a single venture and likewise it was foolish to stretch them too thin lest you find yourself needing to reinforce one of them but having no one to spare to do so. In this case Mai and Sai had taken whatever forces they could- that Naruto wouldn't notice- to support their siblings in regaining control.
When Naruto had gone he took whoever was available to ensure the mess didn't turn into a battle of attrition, one of the very reasons they had joined Yagura's side. Had Naruto- Tsukuyomi, rather- known what Tsukuyomi- Naruto. This was going to drive him crazy, he was sure- now knew he probably would have gone alone.
It was probably best, then, that he hadn't been informed of just how much of his Wolf forces had been committed to this.
But the Wolves and their eventual new comrades were only the beginning of the forces he had to restructure. And he not only had to bring the new Wolves in but had to find a way that kept Mai's favorites accessible to her while allowing him to have informants of his own so this didn't happen again.
Beyond that, he still needed to account for the entire Hyūga clan, his tentative allies in Yamanaka Inoichi and Yamanaka Ino, the Inuzuka clan, and all of Otos' forces including Orochimaru of the Sannin. Even then he still had Shizune, her team, Hanabi- she was probably going to be molded to be Mai's assistant, he really liked that idea- Mikoto, Kakashi, Kurenai, Hana, and probably even Danzo with his ROOT if he were to seek the old Warhawk's aid.
Hell, he had a lot of Suna's remaining forces either in the Den as prisoners or over in Nami as 'guests'. The Kazekage and his children- including the former Jinchuriki of the Ichibi- were probably there too. Well, he assumed so. He couldn't recall whether or not he told them to make their way there but with Orochimaru offering her help in getting the Kazekage's loyal Shinobi and the reasonable civilians out of Kaze no Kuni he was fairly certain they would have ended up there by now.
All in all, it was a massive clusterfuck.
It might be easier if they were all centralized but some of those groups had no idea the others even existed so he was going to have to decide who knew- and answered to- whom. He still wanted those trains from Yuki no Kuni, too, but with the mess in Mizu no Kuni he wasn't sure if there was going to be a way to get them that didn't involve underhanded methods.
A pity, he would have liked to maintain strong relations with a country that made such advances.
More than once he had considered moving all those under his command- or influence- to Nami no Kuni so that it was all together but the island of Nami was not that large and he'd rather use that space to take full advantage of the economic potential the country held. Rice country, where Orochimaru's favorite bases were- was out of the question too. Again, too small and he'd rather not be seen as taking over other minor countries so soon.
He'd give it some time before doing that again.
Maybe.
If the opportunity presented itself he'd go ahead and take it.
Both he and the Wolves were opportunists, it was simply in their nature.
Were he to target somewhere else, though, he would probably go for Cha no Kuni. Not that he had been considering it or anything. No, not at all.
But if he had thought about it he would have considered its size and the fact that it was close to both Hi no Kuni and Kaze no Kuni allowing them to remain close to their allies. Udon no Kuni was smaller, which might make things a bit easier, and it was also close to Nami no Kuni. That could be really important if the small but valuable country was ever in trouble and, again, it was close to Hi no Kuni.
Of course, he was also no moron. Or, at least, liked to think he wasn't. For whatever reasons – moral, financial, or otherwise- Konoha had moved in to aid the rebellion which was indirectly against the House of Wolves. Should relations continue to be...strained...it might be better for there to be some distance from Hi no Kuni and, by association, Kaze no Kuni. There was simply too large a presence in the land of Wind for any problems not to be exacerbated.
In that case, Umi no Kuni would make for a rather defensible position a the cost of easy movement. Cha no Kuni and Sora no Kuni also looked pretty good. They were separated from Hi no Kuni and Kaze no Kuni by a considerable amount of distance but could still easily operate throughout most of the Elemental Nations.
He tried to avoid the temptation of the obvious Ookami no Kuni, but he couldn't deny how absolutely fitting that would be. They didn't seem to have a Hidden Village- as far as he was aware- either, so maybe he would be able to...persuade the lesser Daimyo to surrender it without too much trouble. The closest aid they'd' be able to call on would be the Shinobi of Numa no Kuni and after that Mizu no Kuni across the Kaizoku Sea. With Mizu no Kuni his future allies- possibly- there was a higher likelihood of Ookami no Kuni's Daimyo caving into demands.
Well, they could try calling on Oni no Kuni but it wasn't all that close and neither was Kumogakure.
The more he thought about it- from a purely hypothetical thought-exercise point of view, naturally- the more attractive a target Ookami no Kuni became.
He made sure to scratch down a note to look further into the Land of Wolves and its current situation. He'd also have to be on the lookout for any opportunities that wanted to present themselves. Keeping a small group in Mizu no Kuni would be a good idea should something arise. Naruto- got it right that time- supposed it all depended on how everything went, really. Who knows? Maybe they'd end up with the entire country of Mizu no Kuni or the country would cease to exist.
Both were equally likely.
Countries Quick Reference;
Nami no Kuni – Land of Waves
Yuki no Kuni – Land of Snow
Mizu no Kuni – Land of Water
Hi no Kuni – Land of Fire
Kaze no Kuni – Land of Wind
Udon no Kuni – Land of Noodles
Cha no Kuni – Land of Tea
Umi no Kuni – Land of Sea
Sora no Kuni – Land of Sky
Ookami no Kuni – Land of Wolves
Numa no Kuni – Land of Swamps (Marsh)
Oni no Kuni – Land of Ogres (Demons)
I used the same map I have available on Eyazahrid-dot-net for Naruto's thoughts on possibly relocating the Wolves. Ookami no Kuni, while shown on that map, is apparently non-cannon as I could not find it on the Wiki. Despite learning that I've decided to keep it due to its presence on the map we're utilizing.
For those with questions or who want to know my thoughts about Naruto being the High-Priest of Aū I did post "Naruto: High-Priest of Aū" on Eyazahrid-dot-net, which was announced via Twitter on August 15th. There are possible spoilers in the post, so be warned. Skip to the second bold paragraph to avoid them. Or not, it's up to you.
If you haven't already, follow me on Twitter at Eyazahrid for notifications about chapter progress, streams, and posts on my website.
If you would like to see my responses to the feedback I received for the last chapter, Commentaries – Sealkeeper Chapter 93 is available at Eyazahrid-dot-net as of last night.
Until I next have your attention,
–Eyazahrid