Naruto - Warlord
AN:
Hello everyone! I apologize ahead of time as this chapter is coming out a bit rushes, but if i don't post this now, chances are i wont be able to post another in several weeks, so here we go.
A user named "Reddolution" have been given my permission to translate this story for me to Russian, with the promise of crediting me for the story, so do not be alarmed if you see it: He has my permission. Big applause for him taking the time to make the story available to those who arent comfortable reading stories in english!
Last chapter got A LOT of review, which was very exciting for me. I'm guessing it's due to the fact that we've finally crossed the 100k word mark on the story, which appeals to new people. Also, absolutely NO negative reviews for the last chapter, which surprised me; I had been expecting some critique, but i guess not. Either way, i'm very happy you guys like the story so far.
Also, thanks to all of your well wishes regarding my family member. It means a lot.
I am fairly sure i've managed to reply to all account reviews, but i wanna mention something for all of you Guest profilers really quick!:
I read every word you write in your reviews and i am so, so thankful for it. Normally, i would take the time to answer some of your questions here, but i've got like 10 min til i've gotta run out the door in a panic. All of your reviews, be it advise to read up on history to apply it here or personal history which makes this story important to you, i read it all. Next time, i promise i'll try to not make it so rushed so i can actually respond properly in the AN.
ENJOY!
Chapter 19
Time seemed to fly by as Naruto and his flock followed the coast throughout the Fire Country. Their speed was slow and it took them another 2 months to reach halfway through the country, despite following the coast that provided an easy way to navigate the land. Foraging and living off the land was easy, as Fire had always been a blooming nation regarding the surrounding nature. The former slaves that had now integrated themselves within their society were filled with glee every single step of the way and the mood was contagious.
But not for Naruto.
Every moment they were there was excruciating for him. He was constantly battling paranoia and calming himself proved difficult. Had a shinobi taken the place of Shou, Ryu or any of the others? Anyone he knew there could be dead in a ditch somewhere, their identity usurped by an assassin who was merely biding his or her time.
He told himself that it was useless to worry about it, but he couldn't help it.
He'd opted to keep the matter of Konoha and the Kyuubi hidden from his people for now, although it was a conflicted decision. It would be better for them to hear it from his own mouth than through rumors or manipulations of others, but it was difficult. Such things like the Tailed Beasts were little more than myth and legend, usually told to scare children, rather than believed to be actually true by most folk. Even if his people were now using chakra at a fundamental level, granting them what others perceive to be inhuman abilities, demonic creatures the size of mountains may still be a bit outside of most people's comfort zone.
And he had one, the LAST one, inside of him. And he was now hunted by his former home for it.
He didn't even know where to start if he was to explain that.
As they traveled from village to village, city to city along the coast, Naruto made sure to announce their arrival to as many people as possible. Orphaned children were easy to persuade to come with them, but a surprising amount of people, both singles and families, were actually willing to join. The local nobles grumbled but dared nothing due to the army at Naruto's back and he welcomed them warmly into his flock, just as he expected the rest of his people to do. The more poverty that was present in the village or city, the more people usually abandoned their homes in order to seek their happiness with them.
While he was loath to think he took advantage of the people they persuaded, Naruto took solace in the fact that they made their own decisions. They were free to come and go whenever they wanted to, like the many others who eventually settled wherever they crossed.
More people joined than those who left though and they were now bordering on 4000 men and women. It was a slow increase, but always a welcome one.
Some issues had arisen however, as one of the former slaves had assaulted one of the few former 'masters' from 'The Ivory Dock's'. While no lives had been lost, yet, Naruto was forced to discipline the one guilty of the crime.
He'd never done so before. His people from before everything that happened in Wind had been unified in a common goal and thievery and inside violence within their group was practically nonexistent.
Now, they had more people from everywhere else than they had from Kisara. It was a wakeup call if anything, that the people from outside of Kisara did not have the same mindset as the rest of them. The issues that came with mixing different people with different backgrounds were starting to show.
Naruto had the man flogged publicly, ordering his men to beat the man within an inch of his life while taking some of his possessions as offerings to the victim. Naruto could understand that the former slaves had suffered beneath the former masters, but they WOULD obey his words as long as they followed him. There was a place for everyone among them, even the former masters, and they were just as protected as the rest of them.
Crime in general had also began to blossom, but Naruto and his officers had noticed it quickly. They had established policing routines to halt the flow of crime, but it would be impossible for them to squash it entirely. Punishment was harsh, as Naruto treated all thieves individually. Those who stole for legitimate reasons, such as that they were poor or they didn't know how to take care of themselves, were put to work and shown how to survive. Those who Naruto deemed thieves for nothing but their own want or greed were flogged and publicly shamed.
Naruto would respond with harsher punishment should the crime evolve to include murder among his people. Life would pay for life, since they had few other options as they were constantly on the road. They didn't have the capacity to keep prisoners while on the move as they were.
The people had grown wary of Naruto after the first few times he'd had someone flogged in public and rumors surrounding his supposed cruelty had began to spread, but Naruto thought it natural that the rose-tinted glasses came off sooner rather than later. He'd rather be viewed as hard than naive as acts of crime weakened the integrity of them all. As a precaution against dissent, Naruto had made a speech to a crowd regarding his reasons where he played their sense of unity to affirm his actions. His words were quickly spread among the flock and he hoped it would quell some of the resentment.
Ryu's horses had been distributed among the people, aiding as muscle rather than beasts of war, but Ryu's unit had adapted easily to the new regime. Instead of forming a cavalry unit, they were now the only unit of 'Rangers' within Naruto's army. They carried bows along with shields and hatchets like the time in Kisara, but the newfound use of chakra made them deadlier than before. While they were nowhere near the level of shinobi, Naruto had thought them the tree-climbing exercise which aided them in their role as rangers. Their day-to-day function were that of skirmishing and scouting the areas their people traveled through, ensuring they found their way safely. They would look for threats in the distance, warning the rest long before tragedy could strike as they secured their perimeter. They had about a 120 men and women, equally distributed between the 2 captains under Ryu's command.
8 of his officers, including Masaru, now commanded their own units of archers, equipped with longbows that were crafted with the use of chakra in mind. Their strings were wound up tighter and harder than what the common man would be able to draw, but for those who could use chakra it provided a deadly weapon at range.
The remaining 15 officers commanded his primary fighting force, although everyone including the rangers and archers had some proficiency in melee. They consisted of spears and shields with hatchets at their sides, as had become tradition among them. While the spearwall tactic that had won them the battle at Kisara would be archaic in itself against those who used long range jutsu's, Naruto and his officers were hard at work to figure out some new strategies that would aid them in the future.
En and his project had also bore some fruit. En had managed to push a measly 12 men and women through his harsh basic training, deeming them barely good enough for the honor of serving as Naruto's security. They used freshly forged naginatas from a blacksmith that had joined them after the Docks, as En had convinced Naruto that while using the same weapons for his main army was good, his elite would need some more versatility than what the spear and shield would provide. Their experience with spears would be valuable with a naginata as well though.
While Naruto appreciated his loyalty, his zealousness was a bit too much, but Naruto couldn't find it in himself to correct him. He'd long since resigned himself to his position among them.
The downside to En's project proceeding was En's absolute refusal to allow Naruto any privacy. There was ALWAYS someone following him, at least 2 guards at any given time and while they allowed him the privacy he needed within his own tent, they were always guarding him from the outside. Every time he peeked out the opening of his tent, sure as the rising sun, there they were.
Naruto was trying his best to adjust, but for now it gave him conniptions considering how he couldn't go take a bloody shit without them being within shouting distance.
The weapons, armors and the rest of the raw materials pilfered from Wind had been melted down and distributed among the enlarged army, providing some plates for the leather armors of the new soldiers. Weapons were also made, parts for both the spears, hatchets, bows and arrows switched out for iron instead of wood. It would do wonders for their combat capacity.
En had persuaded Naruto into allowing his security some extra materials for their armors and Naruto had grudgingly allowed it. He regretted it immediately as their armors were shaped in honor of his own, the one he still kept in storage from Isamu's donation. Their helmets didn't have a crown like his own, but they had similar masks for visors and their chest pieces were much simpler in design. Their armors had less plating than his own and had less protection, but it served as an acceptable medium between the armors of the rest of them and his own.
They had been named 'The Iron Guard', much to Naruto's consternation. En claimed he had nothing to do with the name forming, but Shou's poorly hidden smirk of amusement told Naruto otherwise.
They had also attempted to name Naruto 'The Iron Warlord', but he'd put his foot down on that title before it could stick. Just 'Warlord' was bad enough.
Shou had also been forced to give up his position as officer, since their army was now too large for him to function as both a unit officer as well as Naruto's second. At Naruto's behest, Shou had appointed a successor and officially taken his spot as Naruto's second in command, the one who would act in his authority if Naruto should not be present himself.
They made camp out in the middle of nowhere along the coast of Fire in order to prepare for a feast in Shou's honor. While the ceremony would be superficial due to Shou having already carried the responsibilities he was now being 'promoted' for, Naruto figured Shou deserved it due to his exemplary performance during the sacking of 'The Ivory Docks'.
It was going to be a night to remember.
The proceedings had began during the day and the entire horde of his people attended, although Naruto couldn't imagine those at the far back of the crowd had any fun trying to see past the enormous crowd.
The ceremony began in front of Naruto's tent, a long pit of fire dug down through the camp. Some of those who had experience within entertainment, specifically the former slaves who'd been forced to do so prior to their freedom, had happily organized a show with both dance, theater, music, acrobatics and more. Drinks were passed heartily between everyone and the crowd found themselves in a right good mood to enjoy the festivities. Even the former masters joined in and most seemed to forget their former occupation in their drunken stupor.
After the show, Naruto ordered silence which the crowd immediately obeyed. A blacksmith carried to him a vest of iron, engraved with elegant, sharp patterns that followed the lines and contours of the armor. Reverently, the blacksmith handed the vest over to Naruto who thanked him for his masterful work. The vest would be a symbol of Shou's status as a General and Naruto's second.
Shou was struck speechless by the vest and bowed deeply when Naruto handed it over. Applauding him for his deeds, all the way back to Kisara, had the crowd waiting in rapt attention while they waited for him to finish. Smiling at his friend, Naruto finally grabbed his wrist and raised Shou's arm in the air while turning towards the crowd. Roaring victoriously, the crowd followed his lead and gave a resounding cry that sounded like it reached all the way back to Wind.
The festivities continued before tables were brought out. The people complained with good humor when some light rain poured over them as the night settled, but they quickly raised some shelters above the dining areas and began to feast.
Naruto was seated in front of his tent, at the very end of the fire pit, with Shou at his right side. Hono had a makeshift seat beside him, as the rest of the seats around Naruto were reserved for his officers and those they wished to have at their side. The Iron Guard not on guard duty was elsewhere along with En, since En had insisted that they did not yet deserve to sit in the presence of their betters.
"You should have seen it!", Shou spoke loudly to Hono, swaying lightly as the enamored girl leaned up against him. He was retelling the battle of Kisara while the former slave girl gazed fondly up at him with a bright blush. Naruto didn't know nor did he care when they had grown so close, but he was happy for them both. "There we were, shaking in our fucking boots while the Daimyo's army came charging straight for us on their horses! I looked at our Lord and asked 'Now?', but cool as ice can be, he merely shook his head and said 'Not yet...'", Shou finished his sentence in a whisper, leaning close to Hono as if telling her a grand secret. He had been getting deep into his cups for many hours already.
Naruto snorted at his retelling.
"It was just a matter of focus.", Naruto claimed wryly, some of his officers chuckling at his response. There was a crowd around them, all listening intently to Shou's retelling. Some were a bit young to hear war stories in Naruto's opinion, but they were the parents responsibility, not his.
"And then!", Shou suddenly shouted as he turned about, flailing his arm with a silly smile, the cup in his hand losing most of its liquid as it was deposited all over their food. "And then!", he continued stupidly, grinning like a fool at Naruto who merely looked back with an amused expression. "Just when we're about to piss our pants and run straight back to the safety of our walls, the ground went SNAP!" Some children gasped at his sudden roar. "They went right into our Lord's trap! The ground collapsed and the riders met their untimely end in a spike pit!" Some eyes turned to Naruto at this, but he merely ignored the attention, patiently waiting for Shou to get on with it. He frowned as he realized his cup was empty.
"Did they all fall into the pit?", someone in the surrounding crowd asked.
"How big was the pit?", another asked and a multitude of questions were fired at once.
"Only the first line of riders fell into it.", Masaru answered the crowd a short distance down the table from Naruto with a girl he'd never seen before at his side. Giving his partner for the night a smile, he turned to address the crowd properly. "But it was wide enough for them, I think."
"Didn't hear them complain!", one of his officers barked with humor, making some of them chuckle.
"You must be hard of hearing, Ryuzaku.", Naruto ribbed good-naturedly, grinning down the tables at the officer in question. "I heard them complain just fine from where I was."
They roared in laughter and Shou began to shush them as he wanted to continue the story. A drunk Shou was an amusing sight if Naruto was honest with himself. It was rare that he let himself go like he currently did, which he deserved on his day of celebration.
A girl came up to Naruto from behind, easily passing through the 2 'Iron Guard' members that hovered behind him. She carried a wine jar of which she poured into Naruto's waiting cup. Glancing up at the girl with a grateful smile, he took another drink while he turned back to Shou. The girl quickly disappearing back into the crowd.
"And this was it!", Shou yelled to get everyone's attention yet again, Hono looking at him as if he was the entire world before her. "Our Lord turned to me and he said with a grin, 'Now'!" Naruto sighed in exasperation as the crowd switched its attention back to him again. "Our arrows rained down on them!", Shou continued drunkenly. "Barrage after barrage, those who still remained were pelted with arrows! When they finally managed to find their way around the pit, we were already running out of arrows!" The officers chuckled a bit at that. Naruto did as well, until he was interrupted by a small cough. He rubbed his chest as something churned uncomfortably within him. Frowning, he figured he'd had enough wine for that night. "Charging like mad, they ran towards us!", Shou leaned forward towards a pair of kids who were watching intently. They found his expression scary and hid behind the skirt of their mother who gave Shou a small glare. He didn't seem to notice though. "And that is when we let our javelins fly! Their first line crumbled, our Lord's javelin piercing 5 soldiers alone!" Naruto deadpanned at this, sharing a knowing grin with the other officers. Shou was talking out of his ass, Naruto's javelin had only claimed one soldier. "Forming a wall of spears and grim resolution, we-!"
Naruto's attention was dragged away from Shou's tale as a painful cough ripped through and up his lungs. Hacking painfully while his heart felt like it was on fire, Shou and everybody else eventually turned away from the story to look at him with worry as Naruto hunched over the table with a hand on his chest.
Confusion about what in the world was wrong with him was abated quickly when he noticed the bitter aftertaste of the wine he'd been served. Without his control, he felt the Kyuubi's chakra enter his body, healing whatever had began to damage him.
"...Useless monkey...", the Kyuubi hissed within his mind. "You take so much looking after."
Naruto ignored its words, focusing on taking deep breaths as the pain started to dissolve.
"My Lord?", one of his Iron Guard questioned, leaning forward over his shoulder worriedly. "Is everything alright?"
Grinning with amusement, Naruto raised his cup in front of himself and cocked his head.
A girl came up to Naruto from behind, easily passing through the 2 'Iron Guard' members that hovered behind him. She carried a wine jar of which she poured into Naruto's waiting cup. Glancing up at the girl with a grateful smile, he took another drink while he turned back to Shou. The girl quickly disappeared back into the crowd.
"...Son of a bitch...", Naruto chuckled. Giving his officers an amused, passing glance, he dumped the contents that remained in his cup at his side. "I was just poisoned."
The entire crowd around them fell eerily quiet. His officers around looked at him warily, gauging for a reaction and whether or not Naruto was joking.
As a thin line of blood began to flow down from one of his nostrils, the entire camp exploded into a state of panic.
In hindsight, Naruto realized he could have warned them differently.
"I assure you, I am completely fine.", Naruto grumbled from his prone position upon his bedroll. They were currently within his tent while 4 medics fussed over him, his upper body bared for easier access as they worked. The Iron Guard along with En himself hovered around inside and outside of the tent on high alert, En himself standing above Naruto while eyeing whatever the medics were doing with a critical eye.
"And I assure you, I'll knock your pretty face to the ground if you wont stay still, my Lord.", En rasped back at him. Naruto couldn't help but throw him a look filled with amusement.
"If I recall, you serve me."
"Aye.", En nodded, giving him a look so dry Naruto was sure he was seconds from catching fire. "And I'll still knock your fucking face to the dirt if I have to. Lay still."
Chuckling with a shake of his head, Naruto just complied and laid there while the medics fussed over him. They wouldn't find anything; the poison was already purged from his body, whatever it had been.
One of the medics in lead of his treatment, a girl of which Naruto didn't know the name of, eventually shook her head and rose from where she had been kneeling aside him.
"I do not know what to tell you, my Lord.", the girl frowned. "You were indeed poisoned, but whatever it was is already gone from your body. While I noticed some minor damage in your organs, it's healing as we speak and there is little we can do without the risk of making it worse."
"So he's in absolutely no danger?", En questioned critically, looking intensely at the young woman who refused to be intimidated.
"Like I told you.", the girl nodded, waving for the others to pack up. "He's out of the woods. There shouldn't be any danger left, but we'll remain nearby, just in case we missed something."
"Thank you for your hard work.", Naruto murmured before En could reply, smiling at the girl who bowed gratefully.
Minutes later, the medics were out along with everyone else except En and Naruto. He doubted that En would allow any of the other officers to visit him until he'd had a night full of rest.
"Tell the others I'm alright, yeah?", Naruto murmured tiredly. He felt bad for ruining Shou's celebration, but there was little that could be done about it.
"I will.", En nodded simply, looking down at Naruto who was still prone upon his bedroll. "So what the fuck was that out there?"
Glancing up at En with a wry smirk, Naruto raised a brow at him. It was...refreshing to have someone who wasn't stepping so carefully around him with their words.
"What do you mean?"
"Sod off.", En rasped, shaking his head with a scowl. "You know what I am referring to. Are you really going to pretend you don't know what the fuck just happened out there? Is this how we're going to be handling this?"
Naruto sighed. En had always had a keen eye. While not the most educated person, En's instincts were nearly unrivaled among them.
"...It's complicated.", Naruto whispered despondently, closing his eyes. He really didn't want to explain what was inside of him just yet.
"Yeah?", En groused, taking a deep breath. "Then uncomplicate it." At Naruto's snort, En's scowl deepened. "I'm serious. Your protection is my job and my direct responsibility."
"It's NOT that simple.", Naruto stated with a sudden harsh voice. En's insistence and probing had annoyed him, but the hot air disappeared as quickly as it had come. "Listen.", Naruto took a deep breath. "This is something that will affect everything. I've been meaning to reveal this for you and the other officers for a long time now, but its an extremely sensitive matter." His eyes grew dark as he remembered all of the things that Jiraya had revealed to him. "Although, recent events lead me to believe I no longer have a choice in the matter."
En frowned at him, before glancing to the side thoughtfully.
"You aren't just referring to the assassination attempt, are you...?", En muttered, more to himself than to Naruto. After a moment, En looked back at his Warlord. "There's something else, in all of this, yeah?"
Pausing briefly, Naruto gave a grave nod and patted the spot next to his bedroll. En lowered himself to his knees and waited patiently for Naruto to begin his tale.
Naruto told him everything.
Most of their people was up before the sun had risen. The atmosphere was grim and tense, despite the fact that the Iron Guard had tried to calm everyone, informing them that their Warlord was safe and healthy.
But where was he? They had not yet seen him since the day before when he was poisoned.
While the area surrounding Naruto's personal tent was by no means crowded, as the Iron Guard made sure that people kept a respectable distance, more or less everyone had situated them near in order to see Naruto as soon as possible, IF he left his tent.
A hush fell over everyone as En left the tent, having kept vigil over the Warlord throughout the night. With an assassin about, they were all on high alert.
As En pulled the tent flap aside to give room for the Warlord, Naruto left the tent fully armed with his armor from the arena. Halberd in one hand, Naruto held his crowned helmet in the other, smiling as the crowd chattered excitedly when they saw him. Many cheered and Naruto made sure to send a warm smile their way.
His officers were the only ones allowed to approach him and they embraced him like family. Ryu was angry with him for 'allowing his dumb ass to get poisoned' and Naruto couldn't find it in himself to take offence. Shou's reaction was as expected as he blamed himself for Naruto getting poisoned on his day of celebration, but Naruto put a stop to his apology by rapping him over the head with an armored knuckle and a stern talk to.
Having reaffirmed their bonds, so to speak, Naruto sighed heavily and glanced over his shoulder to look at En. En, who still kept Naruto under steely surveillance, nodded back at him and the message was clear.
"So that is how it is.", En snorted dispassionately. "A 'Jinchuurichi', huh...?"
"Yeah...", Naruto murmured from his prone position. It was late into the night now, as they had spent hours talking about Naruto's past.
"Well, one thing is clear.", En began with a sigh. "You're going to have to inform everyone about this. They have a right to know."
"In Konoha, I was reviled and hated despite it being out of my control.", Naruto responded with a severe frown. "Are you sure it is such a good idea?"
"You forget." En shook his head. "None of these people suffered an attack by the Kyuubi on the same scale as Konoha did, at least to our knowledge. Even if we were to ignore that, then what of the assassin?"
"The assassin?" Naruto raised a brow in confusion, unsure as to where En was going with this.
"Aye.", En nodded, looking at Naruto as if he was some special kind of moron. "The assassin, failing to kill you, might try to undermine you instead. Tell me, would you rather your people heard about all of this from you or someone who intends to use it against you?"
Naruto's frown deepened, his teeth gritting together.
Naruto couldn't help but nod back at En, before telling his officers to make a makeshift podium for Naruto to address the crowd. His officers were quick to bark orders at the waiting men and women who literally sprinted to fulfill their orders as quickly as possible.
Waiting for the task to finish, Naruto was kept under tight guard by his Iron Guard and his surrounding officers. A young girl came to offer him something to drink, but was nearly brought to tears when his Iron Guard demanded that the girl tasted her own serving, in case it was poison. Naruto quickly put a stop to their harassment as the chances that the assassin would try the same thing twice was null. He thanked the young woman as warmly as he could and she seemed to perk up somewhat, before she ran back. He would have to make sure the Iron Guard would not estrange everyone in their pursuit of keeping him safe.
Not an hour later, the morning sun was now creeping up over the treetops and the podium was finished. The entirety of their people had gathered around as close as they could, murmuring with worry and excitement. While they had probably figured out that Naruto would be making some sort of speech or declaration, they had no idea what was truly about to happen.
Stepping out unto the podium, another hush fell over the crowd as they expectantly gathered around where they could see Naruto. The Iron Guard was still present, their eyes set on the crowd with scanning, scowling gazes. En remained close to Naruto, behind him upon the podium with a gaze that mirrored that of his men and women.
Taking a deep breath to prepare himself, Naruto straightened his shoulders and concentrated his chakra at his vocal cords; everyone would hear what he had to say.
"I am sure you're all wondering what truly happened yesterday.", Naruto began with a loud boom, noticing the crowd following his every word with hungry curiosity. "I was poisoned, this is true, and had it been anyone else I would have probably died to whatever it was. However, the assassin obviously did not know who I am." Some of the crowd started chuckling, including a few of his officers, as they obviously took his words as some sort of a joke and an attempt at posturing. Naruto ignored the irritation that flared. "This is not a jest. There are some things that you do not know about me."
The crowd began to murmur now, and since nearly 4000 people were bunched up around him, the noise quickly got to such a volume that Naruto did not feel comfortably continuing. Before he could let his annoyance show, En stomped up next to him with a hand on his sword and a glare set on the crowd ahead.
"You fucking worms, listen!", En shouted angrily. Despite his lack of chakra enhancement for his voice, his shout carried across well enough, instantly hushing those who had spoken. "Your Warlord is speaking! Show some respect!"
Seeing the crowd properly cowed, Naruto glanced over at En with an amused smirk that went ignored by the other man.
"Long ago, I grew up in a village. A hidden village.", Naruto continued, pressing on before the crowd let their excitement get the better of them again. "It was Konoha, who years before had been attacked by the calamity known as the 'Kyuubi'."
"But that's just a myth!", someone called from the crowd and Naruto could see several others nodding along. Seeing En bristle in his place, Naruto decided to press on before he could fire up.
"I assure you, the great 'Tailed Beasts' are no simple myth." The people seemed to remain unconvinced, but it only made Naruto smirk; He had a plan to convince the non-believers. "I was hated, reviled and later exiled because of this beast." Naruto paused to take a deep breath. This was it. "I carry the 'Kyuubi' within myself. A 'Jinchuurichi'. That is what people like me are called." Before the crowd could say or do anything, a crimson cloak of chakra enveloped Naruto from head to toe, a formless mass of power that coiled angrily around him. A heavy and malevolent atmosphere fell over the crowd and everyone could feel it. Naruto could feel the tingling burn across his body and a soft haze fell over his mind as the raw, unbridled power whispered its sweet nothings into his ear.
He resisted its urgings and focused on the crowd before him, who all gasped and reared back in terror as they saw his reddened eyes and elongated fangs. "The beast grants me unimaginable power, which I will use to defend you all to my dying breath." At this, some of the people seemed relieved, but their wariness lingered. "Now, years later, an informant has told me that Konoha seek to imprison me and use the beast for their own, nefarious ends. While I doubt that the assassin who failed yesterday was sent from Konoha, our enemies are increasing in number. I will protect you for as long as you want me to, but I must ask of you all to stay vigilant."
Naruto placed his crowned helmet upon his head, before he continued, letting his eyes roam from man to man and woman to woman. He couldn't allow their sense of fear of what they didn't know regarding the Kyuubi to rule them; he needed to direct their fear towards something else entirely. "To the west, the Daimyo of Wind glares at us with anger and revulsion for daring to free the slaves of 'The Ivory Docks'. Perhaps he was the one to send the assassin? Surely, he's plotting the demise of us all, as the very idea that all men are born equal is an affront to his rule!" As he finished with an angry shout, he paused a moment to observe his people's reaction. As most of their flock was former slaves, he figured it would be wise to influence them first, hoping they would affect those around them as crowds usually tended to share mentality. "To the north, we have the Daimyo of Earth, who sent his soldiers to slaughter innocent men, women and children for daring to free themselves of a tyrannical lord, a noble who had for years treated us like slaves! The assassin may just as well have been sent from there!" It would be important for Naruto to ensure the continued loyalty of those who'd stayed with him since Kisara. They were the veterans, the ones with the most experience and thus filled most of his officer and captain ranks.
Taking a moment to observe his officers calmed him as those who he could see, like Ryu and Masaru, had expression of grim-determination. Now, he needed to look to those that had been picked up in between these two countries. "And of course, neither of these fiends have any care at all for common folk like you and I. When we traveled from Earth to Wind, we did so by walking through the pillaged and ruined carcasses of villages innocent of any blame regarding any wars that the noble lords and ladies wage between themselves. Our lives mean nothing to them. They will kill us just as soon as they will enslave us for their decadent nobles to use and discard us at their own leisure."
By now, the crowd did no longer look like they were afraid of him and the bulging power that whipped and coiled around him dangerously. He could see them nodding along with his words, murmuring between themselves as they agreed with dark expressions on their faces. Unable to help the smile that played on his lips beneath his helmet, Naruto threw his hands out and continued his speech. "Earth and Wind! Fire and Lightning! Are we to believe that any Daimyo along with his nobles are any different from one and another? We've had enemies of us, the common folk, no matter where we've been! Instead of sending their armies after us, they now send assassins to try and murder and cause discontent! How long until they come for your family!?", Naruto roared, pointing at a random man in the crowd, before pointing to another. "Or yours!? They sit on their golden thrones, eating the fruits of the people's labor and hard work! And what have we ever got in return? NOTHING!", Naruto roared, his enhanced voice thundering across the crowd. While his loud roar caused some discomfort to those close, the crowd roared in agreement.
Seeing as he had them all going now, Naruto continued to fan the fire. "Nothing, that's right! We have bled for nobles who would have us bleed even further for nothing but their own amusement! I say no more! No more will we ever accept the words of a voiceless Daimyo, no more will we accept the empty promises of a tittering nobleman! No more shall our children die for the amusement of those who think ourselves our betters! NO MORE!"
At his finishing roar, the crowd exploded. Everyone was raising their arms, roaring and shouting at the top of their lungs. Even En, who was normally stoic and unaffected by those around him, was standing at his side roaring his approval along with the crowd.
Smirking beneath his helmet, Naruto gazed over his people with pride and a sense of belonging, watching over them like a sentinel from his position on the podium.
If the Daimyo thought him a threat, then he would be a threat. If Konoha wanted him to be a monster, then he would become a monster. As a boy and a man, Naruto had been nothing. He could be brushed off or killed off and nobody would have ever have batted an eye. The only thing that would ever make anything right, was might. If he wanted anyone to listen to him, he would have to force them.
And so Naruto would become a symbol of power, and he would be damn sure that those who crossed him would suffer him for all that he was worth.
And that's a wrap! I WILL respond to your reviews, but please do not be alarmed if i don't respond for a little while, but i will eventually!
Gotta run now folks, MiNdZeRo here, signing out.