Author Note:
Hi All.
Guess what, I just so happened to be very bored today.
So you lucky people get another chapter.
As for you unlucky people who don't like this, why are you still reading after more than 30 chapters.
As always, Thanks for Reading,
Cbehrills
THE BATTLE FOR THE EARTH – OUR DETERMINATION
The Hidden Leaf Hill
The hut has slightly damp inner walls, but in general it is dry. This construction is, after all, the result of Senju Hashirama's hard work. It is poorly lit, with candles and torches being the only option as far as lighting goes. There is no shortage of fire though, the hidden leaf village takes route in the land of fire ultimately. Indeed, the use of fire is a specialty for the shinobi of this village.
This hut is the one set aside for the Uzumaki Family. It had been created with enough space to sleep four people, Naruto, Hinata, Boruto and Himawari. Though, as per usual, Hinata had gotten nervous and ran away from Naruto, something that bemused both Boruto and his younger sister. This leaves just the Uzumaki trio in the hut, namely, Naruto, Boruto and Himawari.
Their gathering had been disrupted shortly as Boruto had gone outside to check on what the invaders were doing. They all agree that it is important to make sure they are playing no underhanded tricks. As Boruto satisfies himself that this is not the case and that General Clyde's men truly are playing fairly, he returns to the hut, opening the door to be greeted with a surprising scene.
Himawari raises a piece of paper from the table beneath her and shows it to Naruto. Boruto guesses the paper must be a diffused paper bomb as there has been little time to source any since fleeing the village. "And it was like this" Himawari explains as she points to the drawing on the paper.
Naruto bursts into laughter, his arms and legs waving as he points at the picture. "Look at that terrified look on his face".
Himawari's back is to Boruto so he cannot see what she has drawn. "What are you…" he begins as his curiosity gets the better of him, he walks around to the other side and looks at the drawing. "What is that!" he shouts as he points at the picture.
"This was the face you made when I awakened the Byakugan".
Breathing heavily as he tries to keep calm, Naruto rests his arms on the table, holding his head in his hands. "That is too funny".
"Too funny" Boruto shakes his head, "I was fine at the end of that day, "It was you who went down in one hit, Lord 7th". Naruto's son does his best to emphasise Naruto's position as Hokage, sounding as sarcastic as one could in that situation. From that moment on, taking Naruto's strength seriously had always been a bit of a struggle.
Naruto scratches the back of his head as he gives an awkward grin, "I probably wasn't expecting a fight".
Naruto takes the paper from his daughter, inspecting it more closely. "Still, this drawing is amazing Himawari".
Naruto does not make this statement without basis, the drawing isn't just something anyone could produce. The 7th Hokage has teamed with an accomplished artist before and can tell from that experience that this drawing is special. The realism behind it, the little details that reflect the terror Boruto must have felt. The light bouncing off his glass-like eyes. In addition, from the background of the drawing, Naruto sees a beautiful family home, a home he and Hinata would have raised these two in one day.
"I was considering taking up art as a profession, that is before the war started" Himawari explains as she leans back slightly. The war had ruined so many things for so many people, everyone has lost a loved one, most people have lost their village and everyone has lost their homes. Himawari considers that this, this is a relatively small thing to lose.
"You never told me that" Boruto says, joining the other two in sitting at the table.
"I was considering it" Himawari nods, "I don't have a unique style like Sai or Inojin but as a shinobi, I was brought up to protect things. Still, everything dies eventually but when I draw it, when I draw it, it is immortal. Art can never die, art is eternal".
Boruto smiles at the thought, "So my terrified face is going to live forever huh".
"You have a strange way of looking at it brother" Himawari closes her eyes and smiles, "Still, it doesn't matter. I won't be able to go back to drawing for a while".
Naruto smiles, looking into his daughter's eyes as he points to his head protector. "Don't worry Himawari, after this is all over we are going back to the village. And I will have plenty of drawings I want to see.
"Perhaps this time something a bit less embarrassing" Boruto suggests.
His sister chuckles to herself, "If you say so".
Naruto switches his gaze to rest on his son. He has heard about his daughter but has yet to hear about what sort of person his son was before the war. He regards this as his greatest opportunity yet to understand Boruto.
"So, Boruto, do you have many hobbies?".
The 'shadow Hokage' scratches his chin as he contemplates. "I play the guitar from time to time" he answers.
Boruto had a lot of time options when he was young, there were far more things you could do than when Naruto was young. Perhaps, the range of choices was due to the hard-working father he had. Not only that, the family had the money to pay for their children's hobbies, with Naruto being the Hokage, their income wasn't bad. If that wasn't enough then the Hyuuga clan was always very generous towards Boruto and Himawari.
"You're a musician" Naruto asks with an intrigued smile.
"Yeah" Boruto nods as he starts to move his hands across each other, "Though, my main forte is rap, yo".
"Rap?" Naruto is far from an expert in the genre but he does know the basics.
Boruto decides to demonstrate his 'talent'.
"While the enemy is over there, preparing for bed. I am getting ready, to stamp on their head… oh, yay".
Naruto sweatdrops as he hears the unconventional tunes. "Where did he learn such awful rap?".
Kurama shares the thoughts of his host, "I only know one person who could have taught him that".
That person was the shinobi who had brought the two of them together. A man who had brought great happiness into their lives but on this occasion made their ears bleed. In unison, they say his name.
"Killer Bee!".
Unlike Naruto, Himawari claps her hands as she smiles widely. "That was great" she declares, "You're so good at rapping brother".
Together, Naruto and Kurama's level of shock raises to an even greater level.
"She likes it!" Naruto screams internally.
Kurama agrees with his disapproval, "Don't tell me that Gyuki's host actually became popular as time went on".
As the evening goes on they continue to talk and laugh together. Slowly but surely, Naruto begins to fulfil his desire, his wish. He begins to learn just who his children have become. He begins to learn what it is that he so desperately wants to protect. He begins to learn, just what he is fighting for.
'Uzumaki Himawari, Uzumaki Boruto' he recites their names in his head, 'You two really are incredible'.
Tsunade and Dan's Hut
Tsunade and Dan's hut is positioned near the centre of the others. That is because of Tsunade's role here at this contest. Not only is she hear to watch, to support her grandfather and her great-uncle. She is here as the medic. She acts as the doctor that will support the hidden leaf village's team while Naruto and Hashirama focus their attention elsewhere.
Right now, Tsunade and Dan are not alone for this very reason. Someone desperately needs medical attention following the beating they received in their match today. That someone is her successor, the 6th Hokage, Hatake Kakashi.
Dan looks on in amusement as he watches Tsunade lecture the injured Kakashi about how he should have been more careful. Though, the Hokage who would take over from her seems very nonchalant about the whole incident. His blasé expression quickly disappears though, that is because another person enters the room. Senju Tobirama.
Tobirama explains to the others about his encounter with Hashirama and his brother's recent change in attitude.
"Lord 1st huh" Dan tuts as he holds his chin in his hand, "He was the Hokage I always aspired to be like".
"I knew that he was acting differently when he came back" Tsunade frowns as she looks down at her feet. "But I just thought he was still sad about grandmother, I didn't think it was anything so fundamental".
Tsunade had joined Hashirama on the day that Naruto woke up, that day where they agreed he should keep trying despite everything that had happened, because that is what her grandmother would have wanted. Though it would seem that day, that the will of fire woke up Uzumaki Naruto and put Senju Hashirama to sleep in his place. Indeed, the person who has returned is not the same 1st Hokage who has gone down in legends.
"I sympathise with you all" Kakashi begins, "But don't you think there is something more important to worry about".
"Kakashi…" Tobirama breathes out.
"Can Lord 1st win with this attitude?".
Tobirama takes a moment to contemplate this. With the exception of Naruto and possibly Sasuke, his brother is the mightiest shinobi he has ever encountered. His brother had risen from a time of great war, a time when his family would die around him constantly. He had been the one to change all that, he had been the man who made the first great step towards peace, the 1st Hokage.
"If he truly believes in what he is saying, then he can win" the 2nd Hokage eventually answers.
"And does he?" Kakashi presses.
"Of course, he doesn't" Tsunade says angrily, under her breath, "This is the man who the will of fire originated from. It's a force that drives all Hokage, no, all shinobi in the hidden leaf village".
The 6th Hokage sighs, "In that case, we are probably all going to die here".
Dan steps forward. "What do you mean?". Perhaps the 1st Hokage's attitude change may have hindered him slightly, but that is all, surely that one change to their strongest competitor, with the exception of Naruto, should not lose them the entire contest.
Kakashi explains his logic. "If Hashirama is to lose then we will have to win all of the other matches. That may be OK for you Tobirama, it is also possible for Sarada and Naruto".
Tobirama understands where Kakashi is going with this. There is one more competitor on their team. "The other competitor is Boruto" he reminds Dan and Tsunade.
"Yeah" the leader of team 7 nods, "Unlike the rest of us, Boruto did not train for this contest".
Dan starts, "He spent all of his time training Sarada".
"Yeah. I lost because I didn't gain Obito's strength fast enough but Mirai, Mirai was strong and she lost anyway".
Tobirama shakes his head regretfully, "Then I guess we will just have to hope my brother wins".
Kakashi looks into the eyes of Tobirama. Since coming to the past, Tobirama has worked hard to support him mentally. Perhaps he believes that Kakashi's path is one that he should have taken. Many of the mistakes that lead the hidden leaf village to suffer came from him, the 2nd Hokage. Kakashi was the first Hokage, after himself, to have the same attitude, to adopt a logical approach and not an idealistic one. Yet, their paths do differ, Kakashi was said to have made none of those mistakes, he had learnt from the people in his past, while Tobirama just took inspiration from them.
"Either way" Kakashi says, "One thing is constant Tobirama, you have to win".
"Naturally" he nods in reply, "I'm going to show my brother it's power".
"The power of the will of fire that he passed on to me".
The Next Morning, In the Valley
Looking left and right, a smile on his face, Clyde complains to Naruto. "That woman, Sarutobi Mirai, she created a real mess of this place with her explosion".
"Sorry" Naruto replies, "But just because of that, we have no intention of holding back".
Clyde laughs as he looks back towards Naruto. "I should hope you wouldn't, we'll be having another two matches today. I hope you guys win one of them… or else…".
Clyde is right in his observation. This is a best of seven contest. Two matches have already been lost by the hidden leaf village. If they are to lose both matches today that will make four losses, the fatal amount. To lose both matches today would be their death, it would be the end of the will of fire, the end of Naruto, the end of his children. It would be an end for Shinobi.
"Well" Clyde tilts his head, "If you lose both matches you'll be forfeiting your lives, do you understand that?".
"I understand that perfectly well" the blonde shinobi nods, "And, we won't be dying today".
"You can't be more than 17 years old and yet you are so determined" the General smiles at his counterpart, who he notes is significantly younger than him, "It's a pity that you are my enemy, you would have made a formidable ally".
"What nonsense are you talking about" Naruto screw his hand tightly into a fist, "A formidable ally, you've invaded my homelands, you've killed my friends, you've tormented my family. It is you, not I, who is unworthy of an alliance".
Clyde considers Naruto's heartache, it is not something he is often forced to recall. Still, he knows it to be true, everything that he has done since getting here, it piles up the hatred that is felt for him. For every life taken, he is resented by another, it's a cycle of hatred, only this one is different. This cycle has gone on for so long that it has become impossible to resolve. It's a cycle that eventually breeds a world filled with hatred, a world that can no longer be cured. Yes, curing such a world should be impossible.
But there is something he is overlooking.
The man he is stood facing, is Uzumaki Naruto.
Frowning he says what he can, "My circumstances are more complicated than you would know, Naruto. Some things are inevitable, some things are unavoidable".
"Everything is avoidable" Naruto retorts, "You've just chosen not to avoid this".
Clyde hesitates, resorting to his old habit of stroking his sideburns, "I suppose you are right".
"Let's get on with it shall we" Naruto says as he turns and walks towards his own hill. "Battle number three".
"Yeah" the General sighs, "Battle number three".
On the Hidden Leaf Hill
"You exchanged a lot of words" Kakashi relays his observations to his student. His team 'captain'.
"I did my best to let him know that we aren't afraid" Naruto explains, "That we are going to win".
If there is one thing that the 7th Hokage has come to understand since being brought to the future it is the importance of belief. Even if you don't believe that you can do it, you should make as many people as possible believe that you can. Whether that means deceiving your enemy or encouraging your friends, they are all important. An enemy who doesn't believe he can win, is an enemy who is easy to defeat, an ally who believes you can win, they could be enough to light a fire inside you.
"Naruto. You're not even an adult yet and you are captaining our team, you're begin so mature about it" Kakashi smiles, "Just like a Hokage".
"It's only the two of us left now" the sensei continues, "So let me say this to you. When I was made a sensei, and put in charge of team 7, I was incredibly luck".
"We were the lucky ones Kakashi sensei. Nobody else could have taken us as far as you did". After paying this great compliment to the only other survivor of team 7, Naruto extends his fist towards his teacher, "Neither of us had become Hokage in the past yet, so let's do our best as Hokage in the future".
Kakashi extends his own arm, bumping fists with his student, "Of course".
Minato smiles watching the exchange between the student he taught and the son he never was able to raise. 'Kakashi, thank you for taking care of my son. Your team, it truly shares an incredible bond'.
Kushina also thinks to herself about their situation. 'Kakashi, you learnt so many things from so many people, I'm really glad that you passed it on to Naruto'.
"Old man 2nd" Naruto rudely addresses Tobirama, "It's your turn now, go give them everything you've got".
Tobirama's neck twists as he exchanges a glance with his brother. "Of course," he says as he begins walking towards the centre of the valley, "I will show it to them".
"Our determination".