To the Future

by cbehrills

Uchiha Sarada is the 9th Hokage. A legendary shinobi, the first Uchiha to have become a Hokage. However, her reign is not easy, the village is under attack from a threat greater than any that have come before. When even the Five Kage cannot stop the incoming threat there is only one person who could, Uzumaki Naruto. There is but one problem, he is dead.

278. Fauna Blight

AFFLICTIONS AND ROYALS – FAUNA BLIGHT

West Seblix

Naruto travels between his various allies. First he heals Nina, then he goes to Hinata, Sasuke and Ming Dai, freeing each of them. Shao Chin approaches Naruto, patting him on the shoulder and telling him what a remarkable thing he just did. Uzumaki Naruto has just become the most powerful class 8 warrior, he has just moved one step closer to the royals, and he has just moved one step closer to freeing Homeworld.

"What now?" Nina asks, looking at Nero. "Are we going to finish them off?"

"I thought you would know me better by now," Naruto says. "Do you really think they want to be in this situation. They are just doing their best to survive."

"It's us against them."

"And if we win then nobody needs to die, we can all live free. Isn't that what we're fighting for?" Naruto asks.

"If I tried to finish them off myself would you stop me?"

"With my words, not my fists."

Nina smiles. "You are incredibly naïve, Uzumaki Naruto. I can see why Sora accepted you into the academy, you really are just like the former emperor."

"Some people like his naivety, right princess?" Ming Dai teases.

"I don't recall giving you permission to reveal that Dai," Hinata replies.

Dai smiles. There was truly a moment when it looked like not even Naruto could defeat Head General Safura. He is a different kind of person though, one Homeworld has not seen in many years. Someone who uses a divine oddity pushing it to this extent, only Furst Jonas has done it before him. Whether Naruto was delivered by fate or destiny, chance or luck, circumstance or divine plan, he was exactly what they needed for the rebellion. News will spread of what happened here, that the Imperial Guard can no longer defeat the rebellion without royal intervention. Numbers in the rebellion will surely grow faster than ever before.

Naruto looks to Sasuke.

"Is everything OK between us?"

"What happened here changes nothing," Sasuke says. "I held Sakura during her last moments. After Itachi I thought I would never have to feel that sort of pain again. Also, what I said was true, your ability to make people believe in you is dangerous. But that doesn't mean I can do anything about it. I believe in you Naruto, whether I want to or not. You have always stood by me, no matter what I did, because you are my friend. I could never face her again if I didn't stand by you."

"Thank you."

"However, if I hear news about our daughter—"

"I wouldn't keep you away."

"Good."

Hinata is the next to reluctantly approach Naruto. She tentatively places her hand on his shoulder, a rare moment of gratitude. Since the princess met Naruto there has always been an awkwardness between them. He knew the other her and they were close, but that artificial closeness has only made things harder for the very independent imperial. Nevertheless, in this situation she cannot hide from reality. Today the rebellion survived thanks not to her powers, or any power from Homeworld, but thanks to the talents of Uzumaki Naruto.

"Thank you," Hinata says.

"I will always run when you need me Hinata."

The princess is reluctant to meet Naruto's gaze. She hates the feeling of failure that this gives her, the anxiety. Every second she is in his presence is a reminder that he has done more for the rebellion than she has. She was taken to his pocket-world to learn their power, to reach a new level where she could compete against Furst Jonas, but it was a level she never reached. She has failed to reach the expectations she placed upon herself, but instead they are being met by a strange man from that very same pocket-world. What she hates most of all is that when their eyes meet she loses that anxiety and feels at ease. For her the powerful desire to become stronger is much easier to handle than the calmness he makes her feel.

"What will you do now Nina?" Naruto asks.

"There is no point in hunting down Nero anymore. I may not have done much, but this time I did what I set out to do. I protected my students."

"Then will you join the rebellion?"

"I will seek out Muto Enri and Yuuki Terukatsu. They may have leadership skills and power but there are things I know which they do not. I have seen the dark side of Homeworld. There are actions we can take that only I can begin and places we can go that only I can take us. I will find out the war situation, and I will stand with your rebellion Naruto."

"Thanks Nina. But if you want you could come with us. You are the best teacher in Homeworld, and I know there is still a lot you can teach us."

"Oh moral support, I don't think you realise what you just did. Look at your fallen foes and realise the elite group you have just joined. Very few people throughout history have been capable of defeating Head General Safura. Almost every one of them has had a royal title at some point in their lives. You think you still need me to teach you? No, from this point forward you must learn lessons that even I cannot teach.

"But you don't need to worry. Uzumaki Naruto, I consider you the 9th of my students, the 5th of my sons, and you are the first to surpass me. You don't need my help anymore."

"Then this is goodbye for now," Naruto says.

"Yes it is goodbye for now," Nina says. "But I am sure that we will meet again in the future. When I teach my next student I am going to tell them how I was there when my 9th student defeated the emperor. Goodbye, moral support."

As Nina begins to leave, Hinata stops her.

"Nina!"

"Princess?"

"I know you have problems with my family. Thank you for joining the rebellion."

Nina smiles. "I didn't do it for you princess."

Several Days Later, The Imperial Palace

King Weiss Max has started to hate going to the Imperial Palace. Once upon a time he came here as the only man Furst considered worthy to discuss science with. That made him feel important. In these days of rebellion every time Max visits he feels that he only comes to this place to receive his leader's rebuke. There have been very few success stories in their struggle against the rebellion and it seems like every time they hear about Uzumaki Naruto or Endou Hinata the duo have done something incredible.

As Max enters into the throne room he forces himself to bow politely before Emperor Furst Jonas.

"You said you have urgent news," Jonas recalls.

"Yes my emperor, Fauna Blight has been observed in CheoCho by one of my subordinates."

"It is unusual for members of the Beast Clan to roam so far from their home, but it is not unheard of. Why have you brought this news to me, is there something that we failed to notice about the affliction last time?"

"No, it's not that—"

"Then what?"

"It wasn't observed in a beast, it was observed in a human."

Jonas rises to his feet. He watches Max for any signs of hesitation, pacing back and forward in front of his own throne as he does so. King Max doesn't waver in his conviction, he truly believes what he just said. Jonas gently paces down the steps in front of his throne, slowly approaching his scientific subordinate. He is confident in his ability to intimidate people, moving like this has never failed to scare Max in the past. When Jonas reaches the King of Aturia, he realises that Max is definitely scared, but he is still holding true to his previous statement.

"That isn't possible," Jonas says.

"I didn't think so either."

"Are you saying that you messed up?"

"No—"

"Then are you saying that I—"

"No my emperor!"

"Then you made a mistake. If you observed Fauna Blight why are you in the Imperial Palace? Why should I not end you here? It would be treason of the most serious order."

"I didn't observe it, it was one of my better assistants," Max reveals. "He alerted me with a communication stone that what he saw was Fauna Blight. I normally don't trust an observation like that unless it is my own, but if there is anyone I trust to recognise the affliction it is him."

"You are absolutely certain?"

"Yes, Fauna Blight is in CheoCho. Humans have it too."

Jonas sighs, returning to the steps at the bottom of his throne. He sits on the second step and presses the tips of his fingers together. He thinks, exercising his scientific knowledge more than he has needed to in some years. In his youth he was obsessed with knowledge of all kinds, but science was his main interest. He was chosen as a scientific advisor by Endou Akashi himself. He was certain that this eventuality was impossible, that his work was flawless. How could this have happened?

"We are the best at this," Jonas says.

"Yes we are."

"Fauna Blight only affects the Beast Clan, we worked long and hard to ensure that would be the case. I predicted that your work would be perfect Max, but I checked everything myself and I was certain there were no mistakes. It was one of my most brilliant schemes. I always thought I would be a god and that was one of those moments I could prove it."

"I felt the same power you did back then," Max says. "I was certain that we were right. There were no mistakes I could feel it. For years everything went perfectly. Perhaps this is the effect of Enri's 'fate' energy of Sora's 'enhancement' energy."

"This hurts the rebellion just as much as it hurts us," Jonas says. "No, there is no way Enri or Sora would have done this. Uncontrolled Fauna Blight will throw all of Homeworld into chaos. Humanity is supposed to be immune."

"Not anymore."

At this moment the door opens, and another powerful member of the empire enters. With a battle-damaged uniform and scars from the battle she has endured, Head General Safura enters the throne room of the Imperial Palace.

Max frowns at Safura's approach. He doesn't recall seeing Safura like this since she ascended to the rank of Head General. He concludes that the only opponent who could have done this to her is Exiled-Empress Muto Enri. That leaves a question unanswered though, why would Muto Enri be willing to spare one of her most powerful enemies?

Safura bows her head.

"I apologise my emperor, I did find Uzumaki Naruto, but I was unable to defeat him."

"What!? How dare you enter here in that uniform having lost," Max shouts at her. "You are supposed to be a symbol of the empire's strength. You are the great warrior who separates the peasants from the royals, who shows our subjects that there is a chasm between them and us that they could never cross. Did you come here expecting forgiveness? Your sin is unforgiveable, I will do everything in my power to make sure you never hold a position of importance again."

While Max continues to rant at her, Safura watches the emperor, sat contemplating something on the second step up towards his throne. She hasn't seen him like this for a good while. Having heard her admission of defeat she expected him to be just as angry as the King of Aturia, instead the emperor is sat calmly. What has happened to make him like this? She thought that today would mark a changing of the guard for the empire's defenders, but instead he doesn't seem angry at all.

"My emperor," Safura begins. "I understand that this is the end for me. I request that my subordinates are spared. Since I was unable to defeat Uzumaki Naruto they should not be expected to in my place."

"You left him alive?" Jonas asks.

"Yes, I'm afraid I did."

"This isn't the end for you Safura," Jonas says.

"My emperor?"

"Normally the consequences of your failure would be severe, but for now there is something much more serious to concern ourselves with. I want you to deploy as much of the Imperial Guard as you can spare, you know the war situation as well as anybody. You will send all the available guards to CheoCho in Aturia. You will create a perimeter around CheoCho and nobody will be allowed in or out."

"A perimeter. Any specific requirements?"

"You take all the guards you can get your hands on. If they are not essential to the war effort they are yours. You form a circle around the city, make it as big as you can manage. I want you to spread your sensors among that circle. If anybody tries to leave the city they must be dealt with before they get within one mile of your guards. If anyone gets any closer than that there is a serious chance of the affliction spreading."

"What has happened? What affliction?"

"Fauna Blight," Max answers.

"Fauna Blight? Are we worried about the Beast Clan now? I don't have any beasts in the Imperial Guard, there is no risk to us."

"The humans of CheoCho have Fauna Blight. The risk to your guards is now very real."

Safura's hands begin to shake when she receives this news. Fauna Blight, the real thing. She has read many reports about this affliction and how it has been used to control the Beast Clan. That has never been her problem in the past, but now that it is present in humans it is likely to cause real difficulties. It makes the war with the rebellion seem insignificant, for even if they defeat Uzumaki Naruto and his supporters what would be the point if Fauna Blight remains? It is an affliction which will change Homeworld forever if it isn't contained.

"What about the guards already in the city?" Safura asks.

"We need to keep them there," Jonas answers.

Safura nods. "I will contact General Rana and ask her to setup a perimeter immediately. I will ask the other generals how many guards they can spare and I will send them all to CheoCho. In the meantime what will we do? That perimeter won't hold forever."

"I don't have time to work out a countermeasure for Fauna Blight," Max admits. "I am ready to do whatever you ask my emperor, but for now I don't know what I can do."

"There is nothing you can do," Jonas says. "There is nothing I can do either. Fortunately the contingency may still work."

"Contingency?" Max asks.

"I theorized that this may happen," Jonas says. "I waited a few years to see if it was possible that our Fauna Blight safeguards may not work. They worked so I proceeded with my original plans. However, if our safeguards didn't work my plan was to ask the previous emperor to fix the situation."

"But you usurped him," Max says.

"Of course, and when you first gave me this news I thought all was lost. However, Safura's mission was a failure. That means that there is still one 'life' user who can fight this affliction."

"Are you suggesting we use the rebel?" Max asks.

Jonas nods. "Of course. Fauna Blight is an enemy we cannot defeat. There is only one man who can save us now. That is Uzumaki Naruto."

---

Author Note:

Hi All,

Thanks for being patient. I have planned all but the final part of this story and have very nearly completed that as well.
As such I hope to be updating more frequently and continuing to plan the final part simultaneously.

A note on the affliction mentioned in this story given the current health situation worldwide. I have been preparing for part 13 (Afflictions and Royals) of this story since part 6 (A New World) which I wrote over two years ago. The timing of the affliction in this story is a coincidence. This part was always intended to be about the affliction Fauna Blight long before this virus became a global issue.

I apologise if my timing in beginning part 13 is insensitive, but given the groundwork I have been laying for some time I couldn't realistically remove the Fauna Blight affliction from the story. In this trying time I hope this story helps people to escape from the current difficulties of everyday life. To assist with this I will be using language such as the word "affliction" to try and distance the content of part 13 from the current crisis.

I hope that you and all your loved ones remain safe and healthy.

Thanks for reading,
Me