Naruto - Warlord

AN:

And here we go again. This chapter was actually more of less finished yesterday, but due to work i had to push the release to today, since i wanted to spend more time rereading it. Hopefully i got rid of most of the pesky grammatical errors, but dont be hesitant to tell me if you find any. I'm a former army boy, i dont mind the critique really, got that thick skin long ago.

And also, holy shit, there was a lot of reviews for the last chapter, especially regarding the pairing. Thank you so much for all of your kind words and lets raise an important point for the future:

- The pairing. I had hoped for some peace of mind when i asked you readers for what you wanted to see regarding Naruto's paring or pairings, but it's honestly more difficult for me to decide now than it was before. Sooooo many of you have written a review or sent me a pm regarding this matter, and while you guys have some insanely good ideas for the pairings, you're also extremely divided on the matter. One half wants harem, the other does not, one half wants to introduce OC's as the love interest and the others wants canon characters. Now i had an idea for what i wanted to do before writing, but now thats completely up in the air. I have so many ideas now for how different characters could be so perfectly implemented into the story and a part of me wants to just make it a harem and include them all, but that would be a mess. Introducing just one would be a much safer option after all.

So here's what's going to happen:

I have NOT made a decision yet. Vexing, i know, but i need to keep thinking on this and make a decision as i write and go along with the plot. No romances will be introduced just willy nilly, and that gives me time to consider what i think would be best for the story. Do not be afraid to keep sending your ideas though. It cant hurt to give one's opinion.

Also keep in mind, im going to be introducing more and more characters into the story. I swear, if i introduce a female character and you folks immediately assume she is the new love interest and start screeching your dislike at me, i will write you a very, very angry pm (not really).

Anyways, ENJOY!

Chapter 9

Naruto's people and advisers had watched, wide eyed and shocked, when Naruto returned to their camp the evening the day after he'd first left. He had been covered in the blood and guts of the men he had killed, but calmly ordered those with horses to ride hard for the village he had saved. They would bring aid to the villagers while the rest of them came as quick as they could after them.

After the battle, Naruto had made sure not a single one of the Daimyo's men were alive. Having ensured this, Naruto ignored the surrounding villagers who began to slowly return to their village from the forests or out of the sanctuary of their nearly ruined homes. Many of them, having seen Naruto fight the soldiers who intended to harm them, attempted to speak with him, but Naruto hadn't been in the mood for conversing much. He made sure they were all alright and told them his people would be on the way to provide whatever aid they could before he quickly left.

Naruto ignored his folk when he returned, still angry and sickened from the battle he'd went through. Part of him wanted to say fuck it and go off on his own, but he knew he couldn't. He wouldn't throw his position away just because of a tantrum. He went to clean himself as the rest of the flock packed up and got ready to move.

It took them nearly a bit more than one day as they arrived during nightfall the day after. Naruto, in the lead as always, had pushed his people onward without any rest. Those that grumbled were quickly reminded by Naruto's harsh words that if they had been in these villagers position, they would have wanted the same of them.

The day of travel had been one of intense silence. Neither Shou or any of his advisers had dared to speak any more than what they had to Naruto or asked for a meeting. Shou especially seemed ashamed and Naruto felt some childish satisfaction from it, but he did his best to push it away. It was unbecoming to be petty like that.

As they arrived at the outskirts of the exhausted village, his flock nearly crumbled from exhaustion while the locals ran with joy to greet them. Naruto, not having had a single rest for the last 2 days, kicked his people back up and ordered them to aid the villagers. Clothe them, feed them, whatever they needed, they would provide. Naruto really wanted them to join his flock and increase his numbers after all.

None dared to oppose him and it seemed news about his advisers opposition to his wish to aid the villagers had began to make itself known among the people. It had the unfortunate effect of his advisers loosing much respect within their community, but they would eventually work it back up. It was a fitting punishment as far as Naruto was concerned.

The locals also shared stories with Naruto's people of what they had seen of him during his battle with the samurai who sacked them. These stories were shared ear to ear as his people mingled with theirs. Naruto tried to not pay attention, but the awestruck eyes of both the villagers and the locals were hard to miss and Naruto found himself avoiding eye contact as often as he could.

Naruto ordered that they would stay for a month. They needed to salvage as much of the former army's gear and smelt it to their purpose and Naruto didn't want to wait any longer to outfit his men with the best they could make. Naruto sent out all his scouts, two by two as was the rule, to inform all the villages along the border in the country of 'Earth' that the 'Wind' was sacking all villages along their borders. Those who wanted, would have some time to join their flock and travel south to warmer lands. They would of course have the option to leave at any time, as was the right of any within their growing group.

Days passed this way, as most of the locals in the nearby village integrated themselves within them. Some left to join their distant relatives in nearby villages, but most decided to stay with Naruto and his people. There had been some discussion of having the village rebuild, but most had been damaged down to their foundations. It would take much longer to stay and build than what Naruto wanted to so most locals eventually gave up on the idea, not keen of staying behind when Naruto and his folk left.

The security of their armed and trained men was also a pitch most hooked onto very quickly.

They were lucky with their location, as most villages were put where life would be as easy as possible. A river that ran nearby would satiate all of their thirsts, as well as what they needed to ration for the dessert crossing. The farms had been full as well as that of their storages, so whatever was left and undamaged from the army's sacking was shared among the united people.

As his advisers trust among the people had taken a hit, and not exactly leaving left a good impression on the newcomers, it became very clear that the seam which held the now 600 and more people together, was Naruto and his reputation. He was treated with the sort of reverence that not even Naruto had seen regarding any noble lords or families.

He supposed killing 200 trained and armed soldiers would do that.

It was only after a couple of days that they had settled when Naruto allowed himself to rest. He had exhausted beyond belief, but refused to show it to his people. Now, he could sleep in and nobody would have to wake him; everyone had clear orders for the next weeks. They would wake, craft and train, eat and sleep and repeat while they waited for word from his scouts. One month would be more than enough time for the scouts to get word out and bring whoever was willing to travel with them. While none of the scouts were of noble blood or especially smart as far as Naruto knew, Kisara Valley and their former village had been known far and wide as far as Naruto knew. He hoped that name would at least mean something, maybe enough for some to come and put their security in his hands. If they stayed, chances were that they would die over the course of the next year.

Naruto attended the training of both the old fighters and the new. The sudden influx of people had made organization difficult, but with some careful planning and aid from Nobu's journal, Naruto had it figured out before the week was out. They now had over 400 fighting men, both archers and spearmen.

The only ones who wouldn't fight in any capacity, were the children or the infirm. It didn't matter to Naruto if you were a woman or if you were old, if you could fight, you would and if you could shoot an arrow, then that was what you would do. The people grumbled as they always did, but when Naruto reminded them of the Daimyo's army and their actions, subsequently what would happen to them should their fighting men fall, most shut up fairly quickly.

Naruto didn't expect them to fight in the frontlines after all, no. Only those who were young, strong and capable would do so, but someone needed to hold back lines and protect the rest, should a larger force flank them.

And you didn't need to be capable to be able to shoot an arrow into a large crowd of people in order to hit anyone.

Over the course of the first week, no scouts returned, and Naruto spent whatever free time he had to plan his people for training the use of chakra. While Naruto hadn't much experience teaching anyone in its use, Naruto still remembered how they were taught within the academy. The first few weeks would be spent in rigorous meditation, before any chakra exercises what so ever. This was something his people could do before and after bed.

Hell, they could do it IN bed for all he cared like he had done as young, but they WOULD learn even if it was the last thing they did.

"Just in time for supper.", Ryu grinned widely at his friend as Naruto seated himself on the blankets in front of Hina, Hiroto and Ryu's fire. It was night, the crispy air feeling good in Naruto's lungs, but despite the furs and leather he cloaked himself in, Naruto really hoped they would be south in warmer regions before winter came.

"Aye.", Naruto grinned back at his friend before putting his prepared meal, a rabbit he'd caught himself, upon the fire. "Thought id join your miserable company for once."

"You're miserable enough on your own i think.", Ryu chortled back, chuckling at the admonishing slap Hina threw at his shoulder.

"Be nice...", Hina murmured from her comfortable position at Ryu's side. Hiroto didn't seem to care any longer after all, having resigned himself to Ryu's presence. Naruto was just happy they seemed to be doing alright together, despite their relationship having such a turbulent start.

"...S'pose i deserved that one.", Naruto chuckled with a shake of his head, pulling out a waterskin from his side to get a drink. "Haven't been much of a talker lately."

"More of a grunter, i think.", Ryu smiled and turned his own rabbit to roast it on its other side. "Or a growler. Hard to tell with those noises, really."

Naruto gave a short laugh at that, not offended in any way. A week had passed and so had his foul mood, but his tetchy attitude had made most who didn't know him a bit nervous to be around him. It didn't help when said person was a giant of a man, nearly a head taller than anyone else and carrying a halberd with the size to cleave a man in two.

And he wore it usually with one arm.

"Yeah well.", Naruto shook his head, glancing at the cute couple ahead of him. "You two are looking well. Any plans for making it official yet?" Naruto couldn't help but smile as they blushed. They were clearly intimate and comfortable enough to have shared a bed a few times, but still so easily embarrassed.

"That's your job.", Hiroto grunted from his prone position on the bedroll next to them, a cap laid over his eyes as he rested. "Ain't it?"

Naruto blinked at this. He hadn't thought about it so far, but... The last person who had to bless someone's marriage within a village was... Well, it was Nobu. Considering their now similar positions, Naruto supposed that responsibility fell to him.

"I suppose it is.", Naruto chuckled and looked to the couple, now blushing furiously at the attention. "So? How about it?"

Ryu frowned, but Hina looked thoughtful at the question.

"...Could we...?", Hina questioned in a near whisper, looking up at her other half. Ryu frowned with worry as he met her gaze.

"Well, sure, i want to, but don't you want to wait or something? Until we have the opportunity to settle again?"

"I actually like this as it is...", Hina trailed off for a moment. "I mean, i think the entire ordeal with the Daimyo's men is scary to think about, but as long as i do not have to fight in the front, with all those capable and more willing than i, i don't think i would be much safer in any other village, considering how the armies are such a plague upon the common folk and such and-"

"Love, you're babbling again.", Ryu drawled with a fond smile. Hina blushed and Naruto very nearly teased them on the dynamic between them.

"Well, i like this.", Hina said again, blush receding. "I think it's exciting to see new places and such. I wouldn't mind living like this. At least for a while."

"...What about kids?", Hiroto grumbled curiously from his position.

He regretted it immediately, Naruto figured, when Hina shrieked in a scandalized manner and struck her father over his head with her waterskin.

"Dad!", Hina huffed, her cheeks red as she glared at Hiroto who gave her the stink eye from beneath the cap over his eyes. "Don't talk about that!"

"Gotta talk about it sometime." Hiroto threw a thumb over at Ryu. "This idiot's probably gonna get himself killed sooner or later. Too late to think about it then."

While the joke was more serious than what was appreciated, both Ryu and Hina seemed to take it in stride. It was probably normal behavior from Hiroto.

"Would...Would you like to marry?", Ryu asked warily as he watched his partner warily, as if fearing her answer. Hina smiled brightly and nodded with a flush to her cheeks that Ryu mirrored before they both turned to Naruto with hopeful smiles.

Naruto merely gave them a warm grin and nodded.

The news of a marriage quickly spread among the people and everyone began to prepare for it. The day would be theirs and they would be the center of the attention for all and everyone would attend.

They sat out on wild hunts the day they got the news to prepare a feast and people went into a frenzy to craft tables and chairs from the nearby woods to make it a proper dinner. Hina had some of her friends work together for a dress and Ryu received some help with his own clothing from some other folk. Naruto didn't have anything traditional and opted to wear one of the more simple and black linen clothing from his time in Nobu's palace. Whatever he had from that time would still be better than anything the other townsfolk would be able to make for themselves, so he wasn't afraid of looking like a fool when he was to wed them.

As the day and hour arrived, they all found themselves within the middle of the camp, in front of the fur and leather tent Naruto resided in whenever he worked and planned. Tables were put together and spread out across the entire camp for all to join, apart from a few who would stand guard as some always did.

Naruto had been surprisingly calm as he had the couple in front of him, the entire people staring at him as he said his words and made Ryu and Hina swear their vows. Naruto hadn't had much experience with weddings, but he knew the notions of one and thus made up vows that would fit their people and new lifestyle better than from when they lived in the village. Nobody seemed to care either way as the groom and bride received his blessing and declared man and wife. Sharing both kiss and cups, it was finally official and the crowd applauded with wide smiles and laughter.

The rest of the day, the people ate and drank. When the evening arrived, the tables and food were cleared to make fires where they would dance and sing the night away.

It was late at night when the festivities were still in full bloom that Naruto found himself leaning onto one of the poles that held up the entrance to his tent, watching the party with a delighted smile.

There was just something very soothing and calming at watching his people let themselves loose like this. Hina and Ryu were dancing around one of the fires with the rest of the folk, smiling and laughing away. Hiroto was nowhere to be seen, but Naruto had caught a couple of smiles even from the stoic father at several points throughout the night.

"They make a good couple.", a voice called out from his side.

Naruto wasn't surprised by the voice, despite not knowing that Shou had snuck up on him. He'd been too engrossed in watching the festivities in front.

Naruto glanced over at Shou, whose shoulders were tense as he had his hands clasped together at his back. While he smiled at the sight of the newly married couple, it was clear he was nervous about the conversation with Naruto.

"They are.", Naruto nodded with a fond look towards his friend. His resentment towards Shou and his other advisers were long forgotten.

Silence grew between them as the folk in front changed song and burst into another bout of dancing, the girls fitfully giggling around the many young men who seemed interested in them, falling over themselves to dance with whoever had their attention.

"My Lord...", Shou began and Naruto could tell by the grave tone of his voice what he was going to say even before he started. "I want to-"

"You have nothing to apologize for, my friend.", Naruto interrupted, his smile turning somber as he glanced at his friend. "I could have presented my intentions much better than what i did."

"Even so, i am expected to follow.", Shou grimaced. Naruto sighed on this and shook his head.

"I was honest, when i said that i am not like any of the Daimyo's, Nobu or any of the noble families." Naruto rubbed his neck tiredly. It was getting late after all. "I don't need nor do i want blind loyalty. I trust you because our people knows you have their best intentions at heart. But i need you to have my back when i need it and you know these people had every right to be helped in their most dire hour."

"I know.", Shou sighed. "But i was not willing to risk our people for theirs."

"'Our people'.", Naruto tasted the word, almost in distaste. "What is our people Shou?", Naruto asked seriously and looked to his friend who looked surprised from the question. "We have no lands and no homes. Not anymore. The Daimyo of 'Earth saw to that."

Silence fell between them yet again as they watched the dancing crowd in front.

"...What are we then?", Shou muttered somberly. "I don't understand your thoughts on this. I want to, i really do, but i don't. There's so much about you i do not know. Like how you were able to leap the distance of an entire village, i have no idea." Naruto nodded. He'd obviously seen him when he followed Naruto, irate as he was, out of the tent before he chased down the Wind's army. Naruto decided to ignore that for now.

"What do we share with the people of the village i saved, Shou?", Naruto questioned, his morose gaze going to the far away horizon. Shou merely frowned in thought for a minute before shaking his head. "We are now both a people without lands or homes." Naruto took a deep breath, before finally turning towards his friend who looked at him with a tentative expression. "It's no longer us or them, Shou. It never really was to begin with. It doesn't matter to the Daimyo's if our people are from here or the 'Kisara Mountains'. They will treat us like shit all the same." Shou nodded at this, bringing a smile to his face. "These people will cry, they will hurt and they will bleed the same as us. I stood idle for years in our village, forcing myself to believe that it was for the best. I never want to go back to that."

Shou frowned, but nodded again. He looked at Naruto with a curios stare after a short moment of pause.

"Forgive me for asking.", Shou began, biting the inside of his mouth in a nervous gesture. "But how... How did you learn to...?"

Naruto chuckled at Shou's silence.

"'Learn to jump across the width of a village', that it?" Shou nodded. Naruto took another breath as he thought about his answer, not particularly comfortable in giving it. "I was raised in a hidden village." Naruto ignored the muted gasp from his friend and continued. "Like many others i learned to fight and kill at a young age. Climbing walls and jumping across roofs in our city was a game we began to play even as young." Naruto chuckled and rubbed his chin with a faraway look as the memories washed over him. "As i grew up, i began to learn more and more about using the power we all have deep inside. Eventually, because of the duty i fulfilled, they decided to banish me as a reward for my mission." Naruto pursed his lips at that. "I was a child still, without family or anyone to take care of me. My training kept me alive, but it was difficult for many years. I decided i'd keep my abilities hidden and unused for as much as i could."

"Why?", Shou questioned and Naruto shrugged.

"Shinobi are naturally twitchy and most shinobi outside of their village without a headband will be suspected as a missing nin." At Shou's questioning glance, Naruto waved it off. "Traitors. It doesn't matter. My fear was that either the other hidden villages would act maliciously against me if they found out or traveling shinobi would act against me if they though i was a missing nin. Traitors aren't very welcome by any villages after all."

"I see...", Shou frowned deeply. "And during the battle for Kisara?"

"What do you think would have happened if the Daimyo got word of someone with the ability to use chakra among us?", Naruto chuckled. "We would be neck deep in shinobi already, plotting to either poison us or slit our throats in the middle of the night. That may still happen, you know."

Shou seemed to accept that answer easily enough as they fell back into another bout of comfortable silence.

"I wanted to follow you, you know."

At Shou's words, Naruto already knew he was speaking of the decision of whether or not to go and help the other village a week ago.

"I know.", Naruto sighed. "But i need you behind me even when it inconveniences you, Shou. We will have to do things we're not proud of, things that will put our loved ones in danger. We will do this, because we cannot afford to sit idly by and live comfortable lives while so many suffer. We will never be safe, no one will be safe as long as the Daimyo's continue to do what they will with the smallfolk such as us. One day we will return to Kisara." Naruto smiled softly at the thought of his home. "But i would like to do so, knowing i did what i could. For the good of all people."

"...'For the good of all people'...", Shour mirrored his words almost breathlessly. Glancing at his friend with curiosity, Naruto saw a moment of reflection and realization in his eyes before he fixed Naruto with a determined expression. "If i can have your trust again, i will prove myself worthy of it."

"You already have." Naruto gave his friend a sardonic smirk. "And you never lost it."

Sharing a nod, the two friends watched the festivities with somber thoughts.

And there it is. Next chap is almost ready and it MIGHT be up tomorrow if everything goes well. And if i feel like it i suppose.

MiNdZeRo here, signing out.