THE GENERALS – UNNACCEPTABLE
The Hertz Compound
Yuuki Terukatsu enters the small abode looking at the sole inhabitant of the room, Uzumaki Naruto. Minato and Kushina were right, he is recovering quicker than ever before. He is strong now, stronger perhaps than Terukatsu himself. It was only a few hours ago that everything changed for him, that his greatest victory turned into his greatest defeat. Back then Naruto was zapped of all energy, unable to move, unable to help his allies in such a desperate moment. Normal people would be out for weeks, but he regularly reminds everyone that he is no ordinary person.
"Naruto, we have to get moving soon."
"Why? Can't we just sit still for a while?"
"The thing is Naruto, it's the Imperial Guard. They will come to take this place back soon with numbers greater than before. You have just destroyed the Foundry; dealt the greatest blow the empire has ever taken. They were taking you seriously enough before, but now this won't just be a rebellion to them, this is a war."
Terukatsu is sure that the destruction of the Foundry will not be the only thing on the empire's mind. Most of the Imperial Guard already have divine abilities, and while they will need to add to their numbers, Furst will likely be more concerned with the power the rebellion demonstrated. The pocket-worlder and the Crown Prince fought shoulder-to-shoulder and survived a direct confrontation with a royal. Now their potential is beyond question, if left alone for long enough they will obtain the power to fight the royals.
"What will we do now?" Naruto asks.
"The plan is the same as it always has been. You recruit people. You and Princess Hinata are beacons of hope, people will rebel if they see you, because they will believe that we can win. I will direct the rebellion, targeting key positions and risking as little as possible. We will make things as difficult for them as possible, then, when you and Hinata are ready, we will take the fight directly to the royals. When you are ready, we will take our world back."
"Right now I'm not feeling very hopeful about that."
"Well you have to Naruto. They all look to you these people, just like they looked to Akashi. Our fight doesn't end with a single defeat, no matter how great, it ends when they lose faith. So, get up, dust yourself off and keep going like you have been, because I believe in you just as much as they do."
Naruto does his best to smile, a feeble effort compared to his usual self. He places a reassuring and grateful hand on Terukatsu's shoulder, sharing an earnest look with him. Hope may be a hard thing for Naruto to think about right now, but his ninja way never has and never will change. Forward, onto tomorrow.
"Let's get our people out of here."
Minutes Later, the Hertz Compound
Philip and Theresa approach Naruto. The two of them, as usual, are dressed impeccably, as if attending an upper-class function. They each shake Naruto's hand in turn, a handshake with mixed emotions of warmth and sorrow.
"It has been a pleasure to work with you Uzumaki Naruto," Philip says.
"We look forward to seeing what you will achieve in the future," Theresa says.
"Can't you two see what will happen in my future?"
"It is as we told you before, we know that your greatest moment will come not when you save everyone else but when everyone else saves you," Theresa answers. "There are also a great many things about your future which are unclear, even to Seers as powerful as us."
Philip smiles. "While we are not warriors, we are also not blind to the power you wield, both in battle and beyond it. We know that you will live a life of excitement, that you will do many good deeds and help countless people. We are excited to hear about it and to see if you can succeed in your goals to take this world back from Furst."
"Do you want me to take the two of you with me? Won't Erik be upset that you helped us? We are supposed to be enemies of your clan. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen because you told us what to do."
Theresa looks around and smiles, pointing things out to Naruto. She points at the temple which Hinata has been using, at the grand residence that the King himself uses, to famous buildings named after great warriors where royals and even imperials have stayed.
"This place is filled with the great history of our clan," Theresa explains. "Once upon a time we had a member of the Muto clan stay in that building. That one over there is one of the best libraries in the world. The people who live here are all destined for greatness. All of them either go on to become great warriors or are gifted with the ability to see things like we can. These people are our family, they depend on us and our gifts, and even if they venture onto the wrong path, we will stand by them."
"If you care about someone you should fight for them, you should help them with all the energy you can muster, right Naruto?" Philip asks.
"I understand, and I respect your loyalty. Will you be safe here?"
"Erik wouldn't hurt us; you can trust me on that."
Naruto nods. "I will do my best to help your family, no matter what happens in the war. As far as I know a few people made a bad decision, but the rest of the Hertz clan is fighting for Homeworld."
"Thank you."
"I hope that I can meet the two of you again."
With his final words to them spoken, Naruto leaves the Seer Twins. Philip and Theresa have been nothing but cooperative and friendly to the rebels since visiting. If he can help Hinata return to the throne of Homeworld, he vows to himself that he will not only keep the two of them safe, but that he will make sure they are recognised for their contribution to Homeworld's freedom.
Elsewhere, The Hertz Compound
Naruto walks until he finds Hinata who is helping to organise the resistance. The two of them fail to look the other in the eye for a good few minutes, each feeling that they have failed their counterpart. What happened to Sakura has hurt them both a great detail and that pain will likely not subside for a long time.
"We're going recruiting again, yes?" Hinata asks.
"That's the idea. The main army goes with Terukatsu, you and I go our own way."
"I'm bringing Mana and Michel with me of course. I heard that Sasuke left."
"Yeah, Sasuke left."
"Who else should come with us then?"
"My mom and dad will want to come. Hannah should remain with me so that I can continue her training. Claude will go wherever Hannah goes, he's loyal like that. I believe that we should take Ming Dai and Shao Chin with us too. Ming Dai should start taking on more responsibility, and Shao Chin's tracking ability will be helpful."
"Sounds good."
Naruto pauses, watching the many members of the rebellion's largest army pass. Shortly he will find his father and ask him to gather the others so they can head east. Right now there are still words unspoken between him and Hinata, words that he cannot find.
"Hinata… they left because—"
"Let's not go there Naruto, not today. We all made mistakes in the mission to destroy the Foundry. Right now is not the time to attribute blame. Let's move forward. We'll keep fighting, then maybe one day we can look back on this pain and at least say it was worth it."
"Is anything worth this much pain?"
"I don't know. But if there is, it's our job to find it."
The Imperial Palace, Okarin
Head General Safura takes a deep breath as she waits for her cue from a servant. These people are mighty warriors working to perform menial tasks. Those responsible for the running of the Imperial Palace are strong, even if they are not employed as guards but instead as staff. She looks into the eyes of the gentleman minding the door witnessing the terror in them. These people are continually at risk of upsetting the emperor, something they really don't want to do.
She smiles at the doorkeeper, putting him at ease for just a few moments. She is one of the most powerful people in the world outside the royals, but that doesn't mean she cannot be kind. As far as she is concerned, she has gotten this far in life thanks to the help offered by those around her, she knows that alienating people will not help her in the long run.
The doorkeeper opens the door to the throne room and gestures Safura inside. She takes a moment to nod to him, thanking him for letting her pass as she approaches the throne. Upon reaching the throne, Safura bows politely and addresses the emperor formally using his title before working her way around to asking him a question. Why has he summoned her here?
"I am sure word has reached you about what happened to the Foundry," Furst says.
"Yes my lord, I heard that Uzumaki Naruto navigated his way through the void to destroy it."
"That would seem to be the case. Not only was he able to travel through the void, but when he reached the Foundry, he fought with Erik. The pocket-worlder used the time limitations the situation presented to survive; a clever tactic given the parameters."
"He is as powerful as the rumours suggest," Safura says.
"Erik has embarrassed himself and all the royals by failing to defeat Naruto. His defeat, and the destruction of the Foundry is a failure that will not be tolerated Safura, is that understood."
"Yes my lord, I understand that something must be done to remedy this situation immediately."
"I will deal with King Erik myself. When we have spoken, he will fear the consequences of making such a mistake again and his fear will be a warning to everyone else. While I am dealing with the royals, I need someone to end Uzumaki Naruto. I am tasking you with this personally."
"He's a class 8 warrior now, I may not be able to defeat him."
Furst gestures to the most elite of his guardians. A group of personal protectors all class 8 in power, their abilities falling just short of the generals in the Imperial Guard's official ranks. They each charge Safura, striking at her in turn, working at first alone then in teams. Furst watches as the seconds tick by and before a minute has elapsed each member of his elite guard has been defeated.
Safura smiles knowingly at Furst, understanding exactly what point he wishes to demonstrate. Safura is not just any class 8 warrior, even the other generals cannot compare to her. She has created countless techniques and forms to boost her prowess in battle, more than anybody else in the Imperial Guard. It doesn't matter if Naruto has become a class 8 warrior, it doesn't matter if Princess Hinata, the Crown Prince or the Blaze Princess have reached that level either.
Head General Safura is the strongest class 8!
"He's a hard man to predict," Safura says. "If he uses clever tricks and has numbers on his side then I cannot make any assurances, he may have the power to defeat me."
"I am giving you a free pass to take whatever resources you want. Ignore the usual structures of the Imperial Guard. If you want to find Naruto and march the army against him, you have my permission. Crush him Safura, that is the task I am giving you. End him and this rebellion no matter what it requires of you."
"Very well my lord, I will summon my mightiest and most trusted warriors and we will put an end to this man. I promise you; I will eliminate Uzumaki Naruto."
The Cheqitori-Seblix Border, Several Days Later
Seblix is known for many things. It is the nation controlled by the shrewdest royal of them all, Queen Hirsch Nadia. It is the largest country in Homeworld, even larger than Okarin, thanks to all the territory that Nadia took from Erik. More than anything though, it is known for the Beast Clan. This is the nation where the Beast Clan resides, where the vast majority of its members remain, and where the most powerful beasts in Homeworld call home.
The Beast Clan is a strange phenomenon, animals that have broken through in an element and whose intellect has boosted to match that of a human's. It is unusual for a beast to break through and understand an element, but animals vastly outnumber humans, a statistic that once upon a time allowed the clan to compete with humanity for control of this world. However, that time has long since passed, and the Beast Clan has weakened greatly in this time.
Occasionally there are still incidents, almost always in Seblix, where members of the Beast Clan stray from the areas which they are safest. Some like to go to the jungles of Jakka, where Shao Chin learned to hunt better than anyone else in the world. Some like to roam the rest of Seblix, attempting to make names for themselves by battling with humans. That is what this group is hoping to accomplish.
A bear, a wolf, and an eagle, a deadly trio of Beast Clan members, have surrounded a group of twenty human warriors. They are stronger than the humans, it is their turn to go hunting. This is a mountainous jungle area, and they have trapped the humans with nowhere to go, pushed up against the edge, stuck between vicious animals and a long fall.
The beasts believe they have their pray in the perfect trap, but they have been dealing with someone with far more experience than themselves. All this time they have not realised that someone has been following them; them, and the humans, creating an even more ideal trap.
An arrow lands on the ground between the bear and the wolf. They look back to see a man with long white hair and a beard to match. They have heard rumours about this man, one of the Beast Clan's worst enemies, the hunter of the Jakka forests, Shao Chin.
At first the trio relishes the opportunity to fight Shao Chin. Surely bringing him back would earn them fame and glory back home. But they have underestimated the challenge in front of them, Shao Chin is not alone.
As the eagle swoops towards Shao Chin, Claude watches from above. He has learnt much about fighting stronger opponents than himself in recent times. Eagles are better suited to battle than owls normally, but right now he is looking down on his fellow bird, both literally and figuratively. The eagle's attack would be all wrong, even if Shao Chin were the true threat in this situation. But Shao Chin is not the true threat, someone much more deadly is awaiting behind him.
Just as the eagle is about to hit Shao Chin it is stunned by what catches its eye. Normally its superb vision would make it immune from surprise, but someone is moving forward with such speed the eagle can't help but be shocked. A man clad in yellow and white energy bursts forward from behind Shao Chin, grabbing the huge bird and wrestling it to the ground with a single powerful motion. As the eagle's back strikes the ground tremors move throughout the surrounding area as the monstrous energy it was struck by spreads out.
The bear and the wolf are now fighting without their airborne comrade, but they do not realise what they are up against. There are several humans who have earnt respect over the years, humans that the Beast Clan has learnt to fear, humans who have earnt reputations as great warriors. News takes time to reach the Beast Clan though, and this man is one of the newest powerhouses in Homeworld.
Of course, it is Naruto.
Unlike the beasts, the humans recognise Naruto and begin to whisper among themselves. He has a reputation with them, the greatest hope for freedom in a world gripped by tyranny.
"You fools should give up," a voice tells the beasts.
The bear and the wolf are surprised to see a fellow beast emerge from the jungle behind Naruto. This is an infamous member of the Beast Clan, Michel the Horse. He is the famous villain who betrayed their clan and sided with the humans' imperial family, he is the most hated beast of all.
"You really don't stand a chance against him," Michel explains.
However, the bear and the wolf are overcome by hatred. They begin to rush towards Michel, knowing that he is another of the great targets for the Beast Clan. They are being foolish. When they see the glowing of Naruto's arm, they don't know what to make of it, but they should be retreating. Instead Naruto uses his divine oddity to power-up his right arm and throw a punch into the palm of his left hand. The sheer force of the impact creates a gale that stops the two of them in their tracks.
"I'm not an enemy of the beast clan," Naruto says. "Perhaps we could put our differences behind us and agree to work together. That is the only way we can all come out of this happy."
The beasts are in no mood to listen, they charge towards Naruto once again. The 7th Hokage gives a nod to those hidden around him and they execute the quick plan they prepared ahead of time.
Minato teleports to the edge of the mountain, using the nine-tails' chakra to bind himself and all the trapped humans together. Then he uses the flying thunder god technique to teleport them all back to safety. Once this is done, Ming Dai punches the ground with all his might, with his almost unrivalled strength. The impact of this strike is even greater than Naruto's and after just a couple of seconds the mountain crumbles. Ming Dai's estimates were perfect, preserving the mountain where his allies were stood but sweeping away the ground beneath the enemy beasts.
Claude dives down from above, catching each of the beasts in turn and lowering them safely to the ground. When they are down below, unable to reach the people they were attacking previously, the bear, the wolf, and the eagle look at Claude who rescued them and recognise that even he is more powerful than they are. Whoever those humans were, they never had a chance of defeating them.
At the top of the mountain, Hinata introduces herself to the humans they rescued from the beasts and begins the process of recruiting them to the rebellion.
Meanwhile Naruto looks from the mountaintop into the distance. He can't quite understand the precise details of what is happening, but he can see 'fate' energy shifting around him. He has started to recognise patterns like this. He is heading towards something; he is on collision course with the empire once again.
Uzumaki Naruto.
Head General Safura.
The rebel with the greatest potential.
The strongest class 8.
The man who started the rebellion.
The woman who leads the Imperial Guard.
Each day that passes they draw closer to their inevitable confrontation.
In Response to vellisavet's Question
Asking if Sakura will appear again in the story
You're right, it would be spoilers if I told you.
Sorry, I can't say.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to rasengan1245's Question
Asking if 'spacetime' is 'space' and 'time' combined
It's not quite the same as the two of them combined.
It does have the uses of both 'space' and 'time' energy but it is one element.
It is understood in a different way, so in theory you could understand all three.
Sasuke only understands 'spacetime'.
Thanks for reading.