Naruto - Warlord
AN:
Hey again, finished the chapter quicker than what i expected. Got a burst of motivation seeing all of the followers of the story, so i wanted to push this out quicker than what i had intended. Next chap however WILL take longer, just fyi.
Pretty happy with the response so far, a couple of people who didnt like it for valid reasons, but most seem to like the story which makes me very happy. I wanted to address a couple of points though that someone had critique for and made me realize i perhaps should have made clear in the beginning:
- If you think it seemed like Naruto was almost struggling because he's a shinobi, and he shouldnt have struggled because shinobi are almost gods compared to normal men, then sure, i can make a couple of counter arguments like that he hasnt been a shinobi for years, i could compare Zabuza as wounded as he was were eventually taken down by Gato's henchmen who didnt have chakra, bla bla and on and on, but im not going to do that. I do not intend for shinobi to be a vital part of the story, and while they will eventually be included it's a long time until then. In the same manner which the original story barely scrapes over life outside of the shinobi, i will barely scrape over the shinobi themselves in this story. They are NOT a vital part here even if they will eventually be included.
I have also no intentions of writing this story like an anime, where the fighting is completely over the top and people can be cut almost in half and continue fighting. If someone gets stabbed in the shoulder here, i will describe in great detail the debilitating pain the character feels and how it renders anatomically his limbs to be useless. I will do my best to describe things as realistic as possible in a manner that i find attractive in a story. The fighting will be more anchored and realistic, not people flying through the air like demi-gods.
I dont really think i need to make this story in any way similar considering how chakra works or how shinobi or the rest of the world works compared to the original Naruto universe. Its why its a fanfiction, is it not?
In any case, im sorry for not making this clear in the beginning, but now its out of the way. Hope you like the next chap, so please enjoy.
Chapter 2
Naruto walked somberly through the former leader's home. It was finally quiet now, the people's rage having subsided after hours of reckless rampage. It had been fairly easier than what Naruto had expected, despite the few townspeople that had died. Most of the guardsmen in Nobu's pocket had either fled or been killed, leaving the town on foot or on horse. A few, along with Toushiro, Nobu's son, had been captured by the angry mobs. Despite having no weapons the townsfolk outnumbered the guards 10 to 1, armed with tools meant for utility, yet dangerous when applied with wild abandon. As Naruto paced slowly through the former leader's home, it was Obvious that Nobu had been a well traveled individual. Hanging like ornaments on the wall were blades of different shapes and sizes from different cultures around the world, the floors lined with exquisite carpets and large paintings on every wall in every room. Satin curtains separated many rooms, silky pillows used for chairs. Naruto figured these were all trinkets and souvenirs from his time abroad as a soldier, probably looted through conquest.
Everything laid strewn about, the larders emptied of all food by the mob who had raided the house. Naruto imagined the house having been in perfect pristine order before their rebellion, but now it was a shadow of its former self. This place was a palace, having been used for only Nobu and his family. Every winter Naruto had lived there thus far had resulted in refugees from the south dying from the cold and the starvation in the streets, yet all of this space could have easily housed many them, effectively saving their lives.
Naruto sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. It had been a long day, the sun almost about to fully set outside. It had all gone out of hand, yet Naruto couldn't find it in himself to be unhappy about it. Nobu deserved to die and all of his sworn Samurai with him. Naruto had restrained himself for so long, keeping his desires to protect the villagers from oppression in the deepest pits of his mind, yet today had finally forced his hands.
Was it worth it?
Naruto went over to a window, leaning onto it tiredly as he watched the celebrating villagers roam the streets of their village. They were all drinking and eating with wild abandon, despite winter being few months away. There was little one could do to stop them, now that all the Samurai were gone, but that wasn't Naruto's problem any longer. He would have to take to the road in the morning, resting for tonight.
After awhile of thought, Naruto finally left the palace, entering the outer gardens which led to the entry gate. The second he left, a familiar voice interrupted him in his path from behind.
"Thank you, by the way."
Stopping in his step, Naruto smiled and turned to give his friend a sidelong glance.
"Its alright.", Naruto shrugged at Ryu, who stood a couple of feet away with an apprehensive expression. An awkward silence fell between them, before Ryu approached, questions already dancing in his eyes.
"So what are you gonna do now?"
Naruto frowned. It wasn't the question he had expected, but an interesting one none the less. He'd given it a fair share of thought.
"I will rest for tonight i believe.", Naruto murmured, smiling at a young couple who amorously made their way passed them, too lost in each other to notice him and Ryu. "Tomorrow, i will travel south."
"Where?", Ryu frowned, obviously not liking what he heard.
"Good question.", Naruto joked and they shared a chuckle. "Wherever the road takes me i suppose."
"You don't have to leave though." Ryu stepped closer and laid a hand on his shoulder. "You have a place here and there are no more Samurai, no more Nobu or his son to worry about."
Naive. Ryu was still so innocently naive, but Naruto couldn't find it in himself to rain of his parade. He couldn't find it in himself to tell him that the Daimyo would merely send another to tax their village, as was his right as ruler of the lands of Earth. Before Ryu could argue further, Naruto held up his hand defensively with a smile.
"No need to discuss this tonight though. Shouldn't you be celebrating tonight?"
Ryu blushed, much to Naruto's confusion.
"Yeah, well, that's kinda why i was looking for you to begin with.", Ryu sighed. "During the battle, i made sure Hina was safe before i rejoined the fight. I met up with her family after, when the celebrations started and got invited to celebrate with them." Naruto smirked, which Ryu noticed as a scowl came over his expression. It was ruined by his blush though. "Shut it. I wanted to ask if you wanted to join, but if you're going to be an idiot about it-"
"No no, I'm sorry!", Naruto interrupted with a laugh, apologizing sincerely. "I wont tease, in truth i am happy for you. Ill join you, if only to make sure you wont make a fool of yourself."
Ryu grumbled as he began to lead the way. Naruto supposed they would be celebrating at Hina's family home since the inn had burned down. Shame that, considering the building had been passed down throughout her family for many generations. If he remembered correctly, it had been one of the first buildings erected in the village many years ago.
As they walked along the rowdy street they passed many villagers, some mourning their fallen yet most in celebration. Many recognized Naruto, praising him as he passed with Ryu. It was a new experience for him, considering he was used to being reviled for the thing he contained. Despite having been admired by some before the day's events, this was something of a whole new level. Naruto found himself liking it as villagers loudly praised him and clapped him on his back in passing. They eventually arrived at a more quiet part of the town, allowing Ryu and Naruto to talk in peace.
"So where did you learn to do that?", Ryu asked.
"Learn what?", Naruto murmured as he trudged alongside of his friend, allowing himself to relax at the peaceful silence. The stars and the moon was up, lighting up the unlit parts of the town. It was a beautiful night as far as Naruto was concerned.
"You know what.", Ryu elbowed him in the side, ignoring the scowl Naruto threw him. "Where did you learn to fight like you did? I've never seen anyone move like that."
Naruto pursed his lips. He had no intentions of revealing much of his past, since it would only raise more questions he was in no way prepared to answer.
"... I wish i didn't have to.", Naruto began truthfully, continuing when Ryu looked like he wanted to protest. "What i did was something i learned during my misspent youth. It's not who i am any longer.", Naruto murmured softly.
Ryu looked like he wanted to push, but let it wisely rest, seeing that his friend was unwilling to answer. They eventually came upon a decently sized house, two floor and long in width. The dirty windows were lit up in ongoing celebration, people yelling and singing inside.
"We're here.", Ryu mumbled, looking nervous as they stepped up to the door. Naruto smirked, but refrained from teasing his friend. He was happy for him, even if it had to take him risking his life stupidly for the girl of his affections for him to actually begin to interact with her.
Knocking on the door, the celebration inside didn't lower in volume at all, but after a minute someone finally opened the door. Hina greeted them warily at the door before a bright smile lit up her face upon seeing Ryu. Giving the boy a hug which set his face aflame, Ryu was promptly pulled inside by an eager Hina.
Looking at the drunk crowd inside, Naruto was left outside in a moment of reflection. Hina either had a very large family or they had invited their neighbors over to join the festivities. Taking a deep breath, Naruto stepped inside.
Naruto woke with bleary eyes, the taste of dry cotton in his mouth. Blinking, his vision was swimming as he took in the dim lighting in the room, his head pounding fiercely. It was dark and dusty, the smell of old wood filling his nostrils as he sat upright tenderly.
He was in a small room without windows and no lighting. He could barely see enough to make out a door at the wall next to the bed. Frowning, he glanced down at the bed he had awoken in, noting with a sense of relief that he was without company. He couldn't remember much from the day before, other than that Hina's family had been quite festive and willing to share what they had. He remembered Ryu and Hina conversing by themselves while Naruto entertained the rest of the adults. A mug of...something, quickly evolved into another, and before Naruto knew it he'd been in a right good mood to make a fool out of himself.
Naruto snorted with amusement of himself as he carefully stood, minding his shot balance; He'd been singing and dancing like a madman like the rest of them. He couldn't for the life of him remember seeing neither Ryu nor Hina for the rest of the evening. He reckoned Hina's father had probably thrown a fit if he'd been in a proper state of mind and not neck down into his mug like everyone else.
Nobody could blame him. His daughter had escaped a horrible fate twice in a day and their food hall burned to the ground. It would have been a surprise if he hadn't been drinking.
After a moment of disorientation as he stood, he regained his balance enough to move for the door. Entering the hallway he was greeted by the sight of the corridor in the second floor, the stairs to the living rooms and the exit below right in front of him. The house was old, but not run down as it was clearly taken very well care off, but one could see and smell the old wood in its foundation. Peeking out of the window, he noted it was incredibly early in the morning, the sun still below the mountain tops that framed their valley in the far distance.
Moving slowly down the stairs, he grimaced at the pounding headache which protested each step. While he had never truly experienced a 'hangover' like most due to his incredibly high metabolism, he was more dehydrated than he could remember ever being. He was usually never able to get drunk due to his physiology either, but Hina's family had been generous with their alcohol and filled his cup every time before he could empty it. They poured it fast enough for him to get affected when he downed the cups as quick as he did.
He didn't even know what it was that they had served him. Probably something foul and strong they'd made themselves. It made sense considering what he could remember from the taste and the smell.
As he entered the living rooms, he quickly noted Hina's father, Hiroto, cleaning the dishes used the day before by their kitchens. They got eye contact almost immediately and froze in an awkward standoff.
Naruto's sense of decorum came after a couple of seconds and he quickly bowed in apology.
"I'm sorry, Hiroto. I had hoped to take my leave before anyone was awake."
"It's no trouble.", Hiroto muttered, smirking tiredly at him and continued to clean the dishes. "You look like shit."
Naruto was surprised by Hiroto's manners for a second, but brushed it off quickly. They'd spent a night drinking together, he supposed it shouldn't surprise that they could be informal now.
Naruto snorted, quickly regaining his thoughts.
"Feel like shit too."
Hiroto chuckled in response, shaking his head as he moved to fill a mug with water.
"Sit.", he commanded, moving towards the closest table where he put down the glass, obviously expected Naruto to seat himself. "Drink. They way you were knocking em back yesterday have got to have left ya dry."
"That's putting it mildly.", Naruto grinned shortly, looking at Hiroto warily. He wasn't used to people treating him so kindly. "I really don't want to be a bother, i-"
"It's rude if ya don't drink when offered."
Naruto closed his mouth as he was interrupted, but couldn't help the amused smile that came over him.
"I remember you saying so yesterday too. I'm regretting listening to you now."
Hiroto barked a laugh as he moved to fill a mug with water for himself.
"Brat."
Hiroto moved to seat himself across from Naruto so he quickly moved to accommodate his wishes. Would be rude after all. Naruto thought it best to not mention that he could barely even remember them talking yesterday.
After a couple of sips, Naruto leaned heavily onto the table, holding the cool mug onto his temple between drinking. He breathed deep and looked at Hiroto who currently ignored him in their comfortable silence.
"Sorry about taking up space throughout the night."
"S'okay.", Hiroto grunted. "T'was i that put ya there anyway."
"Oh.", Naruto frowned. Again, he wasn't used to such kindness.
"Don't be so ruttin' surprised.", Hiroto grumbled with that sardonic smirk of his. "Least i could do, considering what you did for us yesterday."
Naruto sensed an uncomfortable topic in that, quickly clearing his throat in search for another.
"Any idea what happened to Ryu?"
Hiroto's eyes got filled with dry amusement as he glanced at Naruto.
"He and Hina disappeared to her room last night.", he shrugged, ignoring Naruto's shocked and widening expression. "You were deep in your cups, so i ain't surprised you don't remember."
"Oh.", Naruto muttered dumbly, wondering if Ryu had lost his mind.
"Yeah.", Hiroto snorted at Naruto's expression.
"If you don't mind me asking, you're fine with that?", Naruto frowned at Hiroto. When the father's eyes darkened into a scowl, Naruto couldn't help but feel smaller in his chair.
"Hell no.", he grumbled. "But the tyke risked his life for her, despite not knowing which order to put his feet in front of the other. Cant help but respect that, so if Hina wants to...spend time with him, i ain't gonna say anything."
Naruto nodded warily at his dark expression. It obviously still rubbed the father wrong.
"Soooo..."
"So nothing.", Hiroto nearly barked. "I still expect that little cunt to take responsibility. Ain't right, spending the night together the way they did. Least he can do is make them both honest about it."
Now Naruto couldn't help but snort, barely restraining his laughter as his head ached. He merely shook his head at Hiroto's questioning glare. He didn't think Ryu would be too torn up about that demand, but that was his problem now.
"So.", Hiroto continued after a couple of more minutes of comfortable silence. "What are ya gonna do now, hm?"
Naruto was in the middle of drinking as he heard the question. He took his time, carefully thinking over his answer. His decision from yesterday was still in the front of his mind.
"...I'm thinking of leaving."
Hiroto nodded sharply after a moment of silence.
"Where?"
"South.", Naruto muttered. "Somewhere. Haven't figured out where yet."
"Smart.", Hiroto muttered, standing up to return to his other duties, continuing to clean the house after yesterday. "Cant say i blame ya."
"Really?", Naruto lifted a brow.
"Nah.", Hiroto shrugged. "Unlike the rest of them fools around the village currently eating away at our winter storage, i know what's coming for us."
Naruto closed his eyes with a grim expression of understanding upon his face.
"So you know the Daimyo will send another to take Nobu's place."
"Obviously.", Hiroto muttered. "Its his lands, after all. Whoever he sends will bring soldiers. Soldiers with the intent to punish us when they find out what we did to them last ones." Hiroto sighed, a dark look in his eyes. "Wont matter who did what or who didn't do what, they will punish us all alike for what we did to Nobu and his samurai. News about what happened are bound to spread."
"And then they'l come.", Naruto murmured, a haunted look in his eyes. He couldn't help but feel responsible for the situation the village was put in.
"And then they'l come.", Hiroto agreed, wiping a glass clean harshly. "Thundering down the road from 'The Quiet Vein', with horses, swords and bows and the intent to kill."
Naruto sighed. 'The Quiet Vein' was the single path through the mountains around them which separated them from the world outside the valley. As far as Naruto knew, there was no other way into the valley unless you fancied a deadly climb. It had been given its name due to its eerie silence through the narrow mountain pass, the path riveting like a vein all the way down to their village as it was created naturally through many years of usage by travelers.
"...We still have some time until then.", Naruto murmured. It was a hollow comfort, one Hiroto obviously didn't care to hear as he shook his head with contempt. While not aimed at him, it still stung.
"Are you going to attend at the very least?", Hiroto questioned after a little while. Naruto looked at him questioningly. Hiroto sighed with an emotion present on his features that Naruto couldn't decipher. "The execution?"
Naruto sucked in a sharp breath of air. He had forgotten about that.
The crowd was hollering fiercely as Naruto pushed his way through. A makeshift stand had been put up in front of the burned down food hall, a symbol of the atrocities that had been done against them by the noble family and their samurai.
Coming to the front of the crowd, Naruto stopped to observe the event.
A young man, his own age most likely, with a sharp face, brown, long hair kept in a ponytail stood on the stand. He wore typical light brown linen clothing like the rest of them and watched the crowd expectantly as they hollered and jeered loudly. After a minute, he lifted his hand and the crowd fell to silence.
"We all know why we're here!", he yelled out and the crowd roared its approval. Naruto remained quiet as he watched the proceedings. "Nobu's dead! Struck down by our champion!" Naruto frowned at those words. While the praise would normally make him smile, he didn't think anyone deserved praise for the bloodshed that occurred. "His wife, along with what little samurai we didn't get our hands on, have disappeared to the winds!" Naruto drew a relieved breath at that. While Nobu's wife had been just as guilty as the husband and son, Naruto didn't trust the townsfolk in making her death clean. Nobody needed to see the result of that. The young man leaned down to yank free a woodcutter axe that had been lodged in the wooden stand. Raising it to the side, he roared out to the crowd yet again. "Now. Only the despicable son remains. Bring him forth!"
The crowd roared to life again, this time with vengeance as some more young men brought Toushiro, Nobu's son, forward. His hands were tied up behind his back, eyes sunken and tired, lips busted. His feet dragged unresponsively along the ground and it was clear that he had been beaten within an inch of his life. As sympathy welled up in Naruto upon the sight, he forced himself to remember why they were there. Why he had risen up against them to begin with.
Neither Ryu nor Hina would be there if Toushiro had his way.
The young man on stage was charismatic, no doubt about that and the young men dragging Toushiro up were obvious followers. Naruto suspected he'd probably led a part of the riot yesterday, gaining a lot of respect among his peers; no other way they would be following someone their own age with such devotion.
The young men dumped Toushiro at his feet on top of the stand, but the young man had to step away as the crowd hollered and took the opportunity to throw things at Toushiro.
Naruto pursed his lips with dislike. Couldn't they just get this over with?
The man catered to the crowd and let them have their way for a short while until he raised his hand again to demand silence.
"Toushiro Fujita. For your crimes against our village, we sentence you to die.", the young man spoke, a sense of apprehension clearly seen in his body language, though he hid it well to everyone but Naruto. It was clear the boy had never done this before and Naruto found it reassuring that one with such respect had second thoughts about what he was about to do. "Do you have any last words?"
Toushiro was silent for a moment, shivering like a leaf. He muttered lowly, refusing to lift his gaze, but Naruto would assume he was pleading for his life. The young man on stage merely wrinkled his nose in disgust before shaking his head.
The crowd stilled in expectation as he lifted his gaze to look over the crowd, maybe to gauge their approval. To Naruto's dismay, the young man's eyes fell on Naruto and widened, a smile growing on his lips.
"Naruto.", he smiled, saying his name almost reverently. The crowd quickly followed his gaze, murmuring and cheering Naruto's name as they realized his presence. "Our champion. Would you join me?"
Before Naruto could even open his mouth, the crowd behind him shoved him forward. Naruto apprehensively made his way up although he didn't want to, but he recognized the opportunity to say his piece to the crowd... After Toushiro had been dealt with.
Finally, Naruto stood before the young man and the quivering Toushiro, apprehension on every inch of his face. The young man in front of him smiled brightly, almost reverently at him as he approached.
"Naruto.", he bowed, reaching the handle of the axe in his hands towards him. "Would you give us the honor of sending the worm on his way?"
Naruto very nearly said no, but the words halted in his throat. While he didn't want to kill Toushiro himself as he'd grown bloodsick as it was, the sight of the axe in the young man's hand made him change his mind. Naruto wanted it over quickly, but a woodcutter axe was no executioner's weapon. It would take the young man several attempts to sever head from body, prolonging the brutality longer than necessary. Naruto on the other hand...
Sighing, Naruto nodded and grasped the handle.
"...What's your name?", Naruto murmured, observing the green eyes of the young man in front of him. He blinked in surprise as he relinquished the axe.
"Shou.", he said uncertainly, still in a half bow as he regarded Naruto. He couldn't understand the deference in his manners, but Naruto would respect it none the less.
As they separated, Naruto grasped onto the handle tightly, ignoring the eerily quiet crowd that watched. Refusing to think on it longer than he had to, Naruto raised the axe above his head, pushing chakra into his muscles in preparation for the strike.
With a single blow, the head was separated from its body and Nobu's line was gone forever.
The crowd screamed joyously, as if now all of their problems were gone forever. Naruto felt hollow with guilt as he dropped the axe, disgusted by himself and his actions.
Was this what he had become now? An executioner for the public's amusement?
"Sir?", a voice called out to him among the roaring crowd, pulling Naruto out of his dark musings. Snapping to the side, he saw Shou looking at him with worry, but Naruto's mind stuck with the honored title he had addressed him with.
Sir? It was something you addressed the man of a house as when you intended to court his daughter. He was much to young to be called something so silly, but Naruto refrained from commenting. He wouldn't step on the respect he was given.
"Shou.", Naruto murmured, throat suddenly dry. Seeing as he had Shou's rapt attention, he nodded towards the crowd. "Id like a few words.", he said, trusting Shou's ability to quiet the crowd.
True enough, as Shou nodded and raised his hand, the crowd stilled and looked at him expectantly.
"Our champion wishes to have a word."
The crowd's gaze fell on Naruto and he swallowed in discomfort. This was so far out of his comfort zone as one would get, but it needed to be said.
"My friends.", he began, pausing to take a deep breath and wearing a grim expression. "I know you have felt the need for celebration, perhaps even more now, but i implore you all to pause and think." The crowd muttered in confusion at him now, noting his grim features, but Naruto continued. "Nobu and his men may be gone, but these are still the Daimyo's lands. He will be incensed when he hears of our rebellion. It is only a matter of time until the news reach him." Horror could be seen in their faces now as realization dawned, silence growing. Naruto continued before anyone could stop him. "He will send another to take Nobu's place, but before that, i promise you, he will send samurai, men of war, to cow and punish us."
He let his words sink into the crowd. Silence first, then low murmurs. People began to whisper frantically to each other, rising in volume until their worries eventually directed their way towards Naruto.
"What should we do!?"
"What about our homes!?"
"My family!"
"Our livelihood!"
Louder and louder they yelled, eyes fixated upon Naruto as if he had the solutions to all of their problems. His eyes were widened in shock as the people, HIS people, were screaming at him for a solution.
This was not what he had in mind at all. Why did they expect him to have the solution to their problems?
The thought and doubts made him nearly panic, but Shou eventually managed to calm the crowd. As they quieted down, Shou walked closer to Naruto, worry in his eyes.
"What should we do?"
Naruto nearly snapped at him due to stress and the fact that yet another voice asked him to help them. It wasn't why he was there, he simply wanted to warn them!
As Naruto turned however, he saw the look in Shou's eyes as he stared at him.
Trust.
No matter how misplaced it was, Naruto could easily see the complete and blind trust in Shou's eyes as he looked to Naruto, as if knowing that Naruto would have the answers to aid their people.
Seeing that trust made the snarl disappear before it had appeared and stopped the words about to burst from his lips. That trust was something completely new, something he could have never remembered having been given before.
That trust brought forth a surge of doubt to the answers Naruto thought he knew. Taking a moment to think, Naruto looked out towards the crowd and with dismay saw the same trust in their eyes that Shou had in his own gaze.
Steeling his nerves, he did his best to not let his inner turmoil show.
Taking a last, calming, deep breath, he addressed the crowd.
And here we go. As i said earlier, expect a little while until the next chapter.
Hope you enjoyed the read, see you next time!
MiNdZeRo here, signing out.