A/N: As ever, reviews keep me and the gang alive. Without them, we just...fade away.

*EDIT*

Yes, this is short.

Why, you ask? Because I'm still terribly sick, working seven days a week, and with next to no time for myself. Not to mention the glitches screwed up what I was writing, meaning I hat to start all over again. If I had my way "Partners in Crime" would have been updated today, but its not ready. I don't want to rush it.

Sorry for vanishing like that. Surgery will do that to you.

I could say more, but I'll let this chapter do the talking for me. This Naruto is...well, not evil, but he's ruthless and doesn't shy away from bloodshed. Hope you like it. Hopefully folks like this. We worked hard on it.

As ever, I own no references, themes, or memes.

Gods, I'm so tired...gonna take a nap...

"An Eye for an Eye.

Tooth for a Tooth.

Evil for Evil."

~A Future Scene.

A Most Unlikely Coup (Prelude)

Coups were so uncivilized.

Really, if you had to wrest power from someone then you'd done something wrong. One should always be in control of their life -their destiny!- at all times. Surrendering one's fate to someone else is an ill-advised idea at the best of times, downright foolish at worst. Naruto knew this of course; he simply hadn't any say in the matter at the time. Now he did, and he was making changes. Darnic died easily enough. Really, if anything he perished too quickly.

Therein lie the problem.

With his passing having had already destabilized those of the Black Faction, there was a matter of come...contention as to who would lead in his absence. Harsh words were exchanged. Negotiations broke down. Weapons were drawn. Yes, I killed him. What of it? The rest of the clan didn't take kindly to this revelation. In short? They put up a fight, ill-advised though it might be. They should have known better than to entrust their futures to that snake, let alone mourn his death.

Naruto had four high-class Servants on his side. Nobunaga, an Avenger. Altera, a Saber. Valkyrie, as Lancer. And finally Nero, serving as Caster.

The outcome was never in question.

Caules and Fiorre were intimidated into submission and yielded quickly, as did the Servants they'd summoned. A quick exchange of words was all it took for them to forsake Darnic and swear their loyalty to them. Thanks to his machinations, each had summoned none one, but two servants. That brought their allies to eight. Eight servants in total.

As said, dear reader, the outcome of this coup was never in question. It was only a matter of time.

Still, the remainder of the Black Faction put up some semblance of a fight.

"Filthy traitor!"

"Really?" he sighed. "We're still doing this?"

Naruto's head snapped to one side as clenched knuckles barreled into the side of his face. The ex-shinobi didn't budge. Didn't step back. Didn't even bat an eyelash. Blazing eyes narrowed upon his opponent, some fat fool whose odd name he couldn't be bothered to remember. The man balked at him, and squinting, he remembered. Aha! Gordes! That was it, wasn't it? Gorger, more like. Poor sod was just the wrong shade of overweight and already gasping for breath. They'd only fought for a few minutes now at that.

"What," he croaked, "What are you?"

Such a silly question. Still, he supposed he owed him an answer.

"The solution."

Taking another blow head on, he swatted aside a wild haymaker and lunged forward, tearing through his defenses. Five fingers formed a taut point as they slammed into the mage's chest. Clawed digits tore through flesh and bone to find his frantically beating heart within. They grasped it, and the man made a choked noise, left to balk at the bloody arm sheathed in his chest. With the other the blond reached around and grabbed at Gorde's right arm, the battered limb still bearing his command spells. Said limb tore like wet tissue paper, but the hand in his chest steadied him, preventing him from pulling away.

Too late, the magus realized what he intended. He tried to beg in his final moments.

"N-No." he gurgled, blood frothing at his lips. "Wait! Stop! I can help you!"

Naruto blinked at him slowly. "You already have."

"Please...!

He ignored Gordes and tore the still-beating organ free, killing him instantly. A pulse of fire raced up his palm as he absorbed the Command Spells. Really, it wasn't all that difficult once you knew how to do it. Just a quick grasp of the man's magic circuits -and his heart!- told him all he needed to know. Red veins crept up his arm as he took them for himself. Pitifully easy, really. To think, he'd hesitated only a few hours ago. It felt good to cut loose. Freeing. Morals meant nothing in war. There could only be a winner and a loser.

And he wasn't going to lose. Never again. Even it meant making himself a monster. Poor Roche. Valkyrie and Nero had been ruthless. He'd never stood a chance.

"Master!" someone cried.

Even as a shadow fell over him, the blond didn't even deign to look back. "Altera, intercept Okita, would you kindly?"

A sonorous clang of metal answered as the sickly Saber found herself intercepted and drilled through a wall. One less enemy to worry about. Altera was nothing if not strong. Best they take their battle outside. The throne room was already damaged enough.

Naruto turned just in time to see the last of the resistance fall.

Only yards away, Celenike squealed like a struck pig as Nobunaga ran her through with a blazing blade. Pale fingers grasped at the searing weapon protruding out her back, only for the redhead to tear it fee and send her slumping to the floor. Like the rest, she'd summoned two Servants as well. That would have been worrying...if Avenger didn't have one of them by the throat and the other all but trapped beneath her heel. Avengers truly were a force to be reckoned with. Hers, for all their exotic appearance and myriad skills...were not. Still, he couldn't let her kill them. They needed her Servants.

"Nobu, stop bullying Ushiwakamaru and Tamamo. We need them alive."

"Tch." the redhead scoffed. "No fun." Still, we'll be taking those command spells."

Her blade flicked out again and found flesh, carving the woman's arm away before she could expire. A quick kick sent the arm sailing in his direction.

Naruto caught it nimbly as he walked and bound them to himself with but a thought, adding yet another series of red lines to the many he'd already stolen. Heat crept up the length of his arm and shoulder as he flung Celenike's ruined arm away, veins of hot and raw red mana creating pulsing red lines against his neck. He ignored the pain that followed and sauntered his way toward Darnic's vacant throne. Five quick strides carried him up the step to the dais, where he spun and sank into the chair.

"That's enough bloodshed." he called down into the mad melee below. "Everyone stop. Cease!" he raised his voice. "No more fighting!"

Fiorre and Caules obeyed and knelt quickly, causing their Servants to do the same. Good kids. He didn't regret sparing them. The rest, bar a growling Roche -still trapped by Nero's heel!- didn't answer him. Of course not. Dead men told no tales. The guards were silent as the grave and silent they would stay. Any homunculus knew better than to dare involve themselves in a battle like this. He ran his mind through a quick checklist, making certain he'd not forgotten anything.

Masters dead or subjugated?

Check.

Servants acquired?

An explosion rattled the walls outside. Check. Mostly.

Throne and leadership acquired? Check. Well, alrghty then!

"I'm in charge now." Placing one hand beneath his chin, he sent out a subtle pulse of chakra. "Anyone still alive and not liking it? You can leave."

Tamamo squeaked as she clawed at the Nobunaga's hand around her throat. "Oh. Well, that's actually quite reasonable. I'll just be-

"I'm being sarcastic, of course." Naruto's mouth set itself in a thin line. "You're all mine now."

His eyes flashed a ghastly shade of red.

"Lets get started."

A/N: Well, you were warned~!

Yes, I'm holding back on the identities of some Servants...because its going to be one hell of surprise.

It wasn't fun writing this with only one hand, and my eyes are a mess right now. Might need surgery for that too. Blasted defective body. Feels like I'm wasting away. Nevertheless, the gang and I will do our best to persevere. Stay safe out there! Things are crazy right now.

Reviews are love. Reviews are life. Reviews keep me alive.

Despite the flamers and trolls trying to keep me dead.

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review...Would You Kindly?

Aaand enjoy the madness!

Including previews!

They're...intense.

(Previews!)

"We'll annihilate the Red Faction. That's all there is to it."

"And after?" Altera posed the obvious question.

"We'll burn that bridge when we come to it.

This mustn't register on an emotional level this war. War demanded sacrifices.

Naruto blew out a sigh. "Hello, old friend...

He crushed the Servant's throat.

...and goodbye."

R&R~!