Naruto - Warlord

AN:

Hello again everyone. This chapter is quite a lot shorter than the other ones, but the reason is because this chapter is closing the... i suppose we can call it the "arch" of the plot that has been the main driving force of the story from the start. During this chapter you're going to see the next direction of the plot and i hope it doesnt upset too many of you. I know many who have written reviews have given their thoughts and wishes upon another direction than what i had in mind, but as i explained in the last AN, this is what i had in mind since before i even started writing. It's difficult to just change that since then i wouldnt know where the hell i'd point the plot.

On the topic of reviews, THANK YOU SO MUCH! Thank you so much for all of your kind words and encouraging comments, it makes me so happy to see so many like the story, your comments about which parts you liked the most and telling me your hopes for what you want to see of the story in the future... Thank you. All of you. You're what drives me forward regarding this story so thank you.

Someone raised a very good point that i wanted to address. This is namely people's capability of learning how to use chakra and i realized that in chapter 3 when i wrote "While Naruto had once been a shinobi, he had no intentions of making that known or teaching them to fight like one; there was no time for that nor would most of them be capable to learn.", this could easily be construed as some people not being able to use chakra at all. What i meant here though, was that some people just arent able to, the same way that i have absolutely no talent nor motivation to learn football. I imagine learning how to use chakra is difficult and many people just doesnt have the patience, talent nor motivation to learn, otherwise most civilians in a shinobi village where the knowledge of chakra and its use is more widespread would be able to know and use it.

The use of chakra will be more prevalent from now on. Children in the academies spend years learning a basic usage of chakra, while the people under naruto had 2 months before the Daimyo's men arrived. After this chapter, they will have time and Chakra may have a growing importance for them as both a millitary strength and a function within society.

Chapter 7

Ash crumbled beneath Naruto's feet as he walked across the barren wasteland that had once, just a day before, been a lush valley, filled with forest and wildlife. Embers still wafted the air with heat at some parts of the valley, but the end result was the same from one edge of the valley all the way across to the other.

There was nothing left but ashes and cinder.

Walking over the empty field between what had once been the forest and their village, Naruto looked to the small group of his people that picked through the ruins of their village, looking for anything to salvage before their journey. Most had been burned down completely by the samurai, but whatever had been made of either stone or metal could be used again.

Looking around himself, Naruto could see all the way in every direction in the valley as far as the roots of the mountains around them. Before, the thick forest had blocked such a site, but now Naruto could really see how huge their valley were.

And now it was all burned away to nothing.

Naruto grimaced, a tight coil churning in his stomach. This had been their home, his own home, for a long time. The thought that there was nothing left for them now was sobering indeed.

After they had killed of the last of the Daimyo's men, Naruto and his fighters had met up with the people deeper into the 'Vein' where they had been fearfully waiting for news of the results of their battle. Their victory known, the people had roared with righteousness, but as they set camp for the night, knowing they wouldn't sleep in their own beds...

Many hadn't slept so well. Including Naruto.

As morning arrived, Naruto had tiredly risen and gotten those capable to return for the valley in order to salvage whatever they could. Naruto had been especially interested in the Daimyo's weapons and gear; they didn't have any swords themselves, so the katanas the Daimyo's men had left in their demise would be important to them in the near future.

Naruto sighed and moved towards the remains of the charred village. He would help pick through whatever was left, then they would have to take stock of whatever they had left to work with.

His body, while healed due to the monster inside of him, had still left him psychologically exhausted. Naruto just wanted to rest.

"So, food should keep us going for at least a few weeks.", Naruto sighed in relief, Shou nodding as they and the rest of his advisers rested on blankets in the middle of their makeshift camp, their people milling about around them as they tended to their wounded loved ones.

They hadn't found any survivors throughout the night, but they had most of their warriors left from after they escaped the village. A few had succumbed to their wounds during the night, but most seemed like they would pull through. Some were permanently mutilated and would never be able to fight again and Naruto would make sure they were taken care of. It was the least he could do for their loyalty and sacrifice.

Evening was nearing now, as they had spent the entirety of the day picking through the salvage as well as treating their wounded. Some weren't yet ready for travel and they would wait for them to be stable enough for such before leaving. They would camp in the 'Vein' for at least a day before moving on, if their wounded allowed it.

"As of this moment, we have with both archers and spearmen, about 110 fighting men left when all wounds are healed. Some may still perish from their wounds, but most seems to be pulling through the worst of it.", Shou murmured with a somber expression and Naruto nodded sadly.

"I want the names of those that die.", Naruto muttered, receiving a nod from Shou. "So i can remember them."

He remembered many of them already. Jin, Tomoya, Akio... So many had lost their lives throughout the night.

"We have 23 carts.", Ichiro began, looking to Naruto for his attention on the matter. "Whatever we cant put in those, we will carry in backpacks and rolls."

"Good.", Naruto smiled. "How many horses do we have?"

"About 70, i think.", Ichiro trailed off with a thoughtful frown, ignoring Naruto's surprised expression.

"That's more than we started out with.", Naruto muttered, looking to Ichiro for answers as he nodded.

"We managed to take some horses from the Daimyo's men yesterday, those that ran wild." Ichiro suddenly grinned and threw Naruto an impish expression. "On that note, we have a lot of meat from the wounded horses."

They all shared a laugh at that. A good meal would do their people good before setting off towards their future.

"Jiro.", Naruto said and looked to their blacksmith. "Do we have any tools left from your workplace?"

"Aye.", Jiro rubbed his auburn beard. "But we ain't got much left of a forge, you know."

"I know.", Naruto nodded, but he wasn't worried. His travels had taught him a lot and he'd seen several times how traveling folk had set up a makeshift forge along their travels whenever it was needed. Whatever Naruto didn't know himself, perhaps Nobu's journal who Naruto had managed to bring along with him could be conferred for answers as well. "But we will work something out. As long as we have most of your old tools."

The shaggy looking blacksmith nodded, before going back to the jerky he had been gnawing on. While Naruto was fond of the man, even he had to admit that Jiro was a bit of a simpleton at times. Hell of a good blacksmith though.

"At the very least, we have a lot of new weapons now.", Shou groaned as he leaned back against the rock he was seated next to. Naruto's most trusted and loyal man didn't have a tailed beast to heal him, so his body was still suffering from nick's and cuts from yesterday. His sister had done her best to help, but one could only do so much for a battered body. Shou had risen to the responsibility Naruto had given him however and worked on despite his tired and sore state. As the commander of the 'People's Guard', rest never came quickly for Shou as he would always have to be an example for them.

"How many swords did we salvage from the battle?", Naruto questioned, noting the smug smirk on Shou.

"About a 120." Naruto's eyes widened in shock, tempting a chuckle from Shou. "Yeah, i had the same reaction. We also have about 20 longbows, the others burned along with their owners in the forest fire."

Naruto considered this. The longbows would be useful, but he hoped they wouldn't be necessary in a while. Naruto would choose a good hunting bow over a longbow if they needed food, but for a fight there was no denying that the longbows had given them a good scare during the battle.

"Arrows for those can be fletched easily enough.", Naruto muttered thoughtfully as the group nodded.

"Also.", Ichiro began, a worried frown thrown towards their leader. "Our people have been voicing their concerns towards the future of our people." His words brought a silence upon them as they all looked to Naruto with worried expressions. "What do we do now, my Lord? We have no lands and no homes, and the Daimyo is sure to come knocking if we stay within his lands. Our crimes are still known to him despite the utter destruction of the army he sent."

Naruto noted their expectant eyes and nearly grimaced, but kept his emotions under lock and key. He was their leader and he would lead them. It wouldn't do to show them his worries. If he expressed confidence, that was what he would inspire within his people and that was what he was going to do despite the torrents of worried emotions within him.

"Winter isn't far off now.", Naruto began slowly, as he looked and gauged his adviser's reactions. "There's already a nip and chill in the air, especially at night. I have a plan for our people, if you are all willing and i will speak on it tonight before our people. For now, we will have a victory feast tonight and celebrate our continued survival and the sacrifice of our honored dead. We will begin with a memorial for the fallen and then we will eat after making my plans clear. Do everyone find this acceptable?"

While his council were a total group of 13, everyone deferred to Shou, Jiro or Ichiro. They had the most respected positions among their people and it was their voices Naruto would have to be worried about. His deductions were strengthened further as everyone looked to the 3 in question to gauge their reactions, but as they nodded their agreement, the rest followed. Naruto knew he had their loyalty, now he only needed to keep it.

Naruto smiled as the group broke into a chatter of small talk as the meeting was obviously over. As the group conversed, Naruto nodded and looked like he was paying attention to whoever was speaking to him, but he was already thinking of the words he would have to speak at the memorial. As their leader, it would be expected of him to decide the memorial's proceedings and he needed to say his words with great care. Naruto was responsible for many being alive, but he was also responsible for the deaths of those that were no longer with them. Anger could easily be provoked by the families still stricken by their loss.

He smiled and nodded along to the words of his comrades, showing none of the turmoils within. He had long since made peace with the lonely existence of his position, and he would carry it with an iron will for as long as he was able to.

Night had finally fallen and the entire people of the former village of 'Kisara' stood gathered before Naruto on his elevated position from the minor ridge above the road in the 'Vein'. Beneath the ridge and his position, before the crowd, stood a large bonfire a distance in width. The few dead they had left from the battle laid on it, while the families of those they hadn't been able to reclaim the bodies from had made an offering, something of meaning that had belonged to the dead in life to burn in stead of their bodies.

Shou stood at Naruto's position with a torch in hand, while Naruto waited with the stature of a watchful guardian with halberd in hand. The people watched with somber and worried expressions towards Naruto as he began his speech.

"We fought.", Naruto spoke, his voice calm yet resounding for them all to hear as his people of nearly 300 watched and listened. "And we won. Despite our victory, we sacrificed so much only to be left with the bitter taste of loss." Many lowered their heads at this, but Naruto pressed on. "The Daimyo sent his men to punish us, yet we remained strong. His army charged us with superior training and weaponry, yet we remained strong. His army burned our home and everything we owned...", Naruto trailed off, letting his eyes travel from man to man and woman to woman. They gazed back with expectant expressions. "...Yet we remained strong. And as i look upon you now, i see a people who still remain so after everything the world has thrown at them." People smiled at this, many nodding. They had everything to be proud of after all. "I know many of you are worried for our future. Worried we will go hungry and worried about the Daimyo's men. You are right to worry." Naruto paused to let his words sink in. The people looked worried again, but calm as Naruto still had their attention. "The Daimyo will have our heads for what we have done. And chances are, we will experience the pangs of hunger that many of us are already familiar with. But you know what i know?", Naruto grinned, brimming with confidence. "I know that we will remain strong! We may be a people without a home, but i promise you this; we will remain strong! Our dead gave their life for us to have this burden, the burden of life. Honor our dead! Honor our dead and bear our burden with pride!"

"Honor our dead!", Shou roared from his side, raising his torch to raise the people's morale.

"Honor our dead!", the crowd roared out as one, their voices resounding between the mountains around them.

"I will not tell you what to do!", Naruto shouted and drew their attention again. "I am not Nobu nor am i the Daimyo. I wasn't given the responsibility of your lands and homes to do with as i wished, you chose me to lead you. I will do so for as long as you want me to and until my last breath. Therefore, if any of you wishes to strike out on your own then you may do so at any point in time." Falling silent for the moment, Naruto watched his people throw glances at each other. They seemed apprehensive at the idea, despite there being nothing tying them down materialistically. That was good. "However...!", Naruto began with a loud voice, drawing their concerned stares back to himself. "If you intend to stay, then i will continue to lead you as i have until now. I will train you and teach you in the things i know. Whenever you fall, i will carry you and when you rest i will watch over you. I will take us south!", Naruto yelled as he finally revealed his intentions to the surprised crowd. Despite their surprise, hope had blossomed in their eyes. "I will take us south towards warmer lands where the winter cannot harm us, not like here. I will take us to lands that are rich with opportunity and where the Daimyo of 'Earth' cannot reach. Our people will be strong, as we always have, and we will continue to grow. While we may be merely in the hundreds now...", Naruto paused with a smile. "...I intend for us to become thousands!" The crowd gasped in shock at this, but Naruto's conviction never wavered. "And when we are thousands! When we are thousands, i intend for us to return to our home! To 'Kisara Valley' where we will rebuild! And when the Daimyo comes...", Naruto trailed off with a snarl, raising his halberd into the air. "...When the Daimyo comes, hiding behind his armies of men to oppress us, we will rip them apart with our fury, as we will against ANYONE, who intends to break us!"

The crowd roared in approval and Naruto let out a breath of relief that he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. His people was with him, at least most of them. While he still expected some to change their minds over the course of the next few years, he hoped most of them would stay.

How he had given them a peace of mind as well as that of a goal. A destination they would strive for. Now, it was time to say their goodbyes to the dead.

Stretching a hand towards Shou, his 'right hand' man dutifully gave him the torch that Naruto rose in the air.

"Honor our dead!", Naruto called out to his people.

"Honor our dead!"

At the crowd's roar, Naruto threw the torch down into the bonfire. The dry grass lit on fire easily, and within minutes stood in a roaring fire.

As their dead burned away, Naruto looked down on the crowd from above the fire. They were still mourning their fallen, but something had changed within them from just minutes before. His people had been hunched and many with hollow, hopeless and worried eyes. Now, while many were still sad, they stood with raised postures and a glint in their eyes. Naruto hoped it would remain so in the times ahead.

Naruto knew difficult times were ahead of them. They would be put in many situations were they would have to chose between right and wrong in order to survive. They were a people without land or home now. Unwanted. Naruto suspected they had more fights ahead of them before the end.

As the memorial came to a close, people returned to their makeshift tents and fires, a feast spreading out among the people. The mood was high as the people drank and ate.

Naruto did not allow himself to partake in the festivities. He walked among the folk and smiled and laughed as he spoke with the families around the camp, but in his mind he was already making plans for the future. He greeted Ryu, Hiroto and Hina at one point, as well as that of Shou who finally introduced him to his sister Nao. Poor girl had been very intimidated by Naruto, especially since he still carried his halberd which he never parted with. He greeted the rest of his advisers throughout the night and that of their families as well, but he never stayed at one place for too long.

He continued to walk among them, smiling, greeting, talking... Thinking.

At first light, Naruto was already up and packing his bedroll and equipment. Waking his 'People's Guard', he put them to work in getting his people ready to move. While many were still tired from both the escape and the feast, they couldn't afford to linger longer than what they had to.

Seeing his guards in work, Naruto nodded to himself and brought out the map he'd brought with him. While he had the journey ahead of them planned for now, he wanted to be absolutely sure he would lead them in the right direction. He wouldn't trust anyone else to navigate or lead them and Naruto felt it was his responsibility to do so.

Looking at the map on the ground in front of him as he crouched, Naruto narrowed his eyes.

They were in the southernmost region of the 'Land of Earth', far away from the 'Hidden Village' as well as the capital, 'The Spire'. To their direct south were the 'Land of Stone', a minor and small country between them and the 'Land of Wind'. To the east of 'Stone', were the lands of 'Rain' and 'Grass', another two minor lands between them and the 'Land of Fire', his old homeland.

Naruto would take them south, through the 'Land of Stone'. They had a hidden village, the 'Hidden in Stone Village', but this was a minor shinobi settlement and not to be confused with the village in 'Earth' that had a similar name, the 'Hidden Stone Village'. Since this settlement was small and most likely independent from any lords as the 'Land of Stone' didn't have any lords or Daimyo's, it would be fairly safe for them to travel. Brigands and bandits would be a threat however.

From there, Naruto would move towards the capital of 'Land of Wind' with hopes of finding trade and people to join them. There were many villages between them and there and Naruto would of course make stops at every one of them in passing with hopes of the same.

They did have a desert between them and the capital as well, so his people needed to forage and ration both food and water for that crossing. Travel would be slow because of this and Naruto suspected to spend at least 3 months before they would reach the capital, not counting any unforeseeable accidents.

Spending a last few minutes to memorize the map and their chosen route as his people readied themselves, Naruto packed away his map again when they were almost ready.

When his people were finally moving, the mood was silent yet confident as they marched through 'The Vein' with Naruto in the lead. He was flanked by his ever loyal Shou and several guards, the rest spread out around their flock to protect them from any would be threats.

After a good half an hour, they finally made it to the exit of the 'The Quiet Vein', where the road led them away from the 'Kisara Mountains'. To their west, the sun had long since risen and cast its warm glow over them as they marched down the road towards the forests of the 'Land of Earth'.

The nip in the air that had plagued them within 'The Vein' were quickly cast away by the sun and brought an uplift to the people's mood. Naruto himself smiled as he heard people begin to talk more and more as they marched.

They would be south in warmer regions long before winter came and Naruto couldn't help but be hopeful for their future.

They would survive for now. One step at a time.

And done. I hope to get the next chapter out sometime this coming week, but if my luck strikes something will probably come up. Even so, know that i will do my best to get out another chapter before long.

MiNdZeRo here, signing out.