10: Civil War Pt.1-Unleashed

Laughter echoed across the Uzumaki compound as Jiraiya made his way to the main house, the lights bright from the windows, and shadows dancing as the people inside moved around. It had been a long time since the aging sage had actually felt frightened of anything, the last time being when he faced down Tsunade after peeping on her.

Now? It was his godson's birthday party. He took at deep breath and moved up the path to the door, a small wrapped package in his arms. He raised his hand to knock, and hesitated only a moment before taking a deep breath and steeling himself. He knocked on the door, and heard a woman's voice shout, "Coming!"

Jiraiya didn't have to wait long for the door to open as a woman that could only be Pakura opened the door, smiling, "I'm sorry for the wait, but we...oh..." Her eyes went wide as she recognized the man standing in front of her.

"Good evening," he said in greeting, and the woman promptly stepped outside and closed the door behind her, not looking happy. "Um, look, I - "

"I know who you are, and the answer is no!" Pakura snapped, poking the man in the chest, "I don't care if he's you godson, I'm not letting you - "

Jiraiya held up his hands in defense, "Hey, hey, easy, Pakura-san!" He said hurriedly, "I didn't come here to take him from you!"

Pakura huffed, and placed her hands on her hips, glaring, "Then why, after six years of that poor child's life, are you here!?"

Jiraiya grinned in a friendly manner, "Well, for starters, I do have a gift for him," he said, holding up the package with Pakura eyeing it suspiciously, "I-it's a little frog wallet I happened upon in the market, and I thought he'd like it! I promise it's not something stupid or remotely perverted!"

"It had better not be," Pakura mumbled, "What was the other reason for coming?"

Jiraiya sighed and tucked the package under his arm, "Pakura-san, I know that Sarutobi-sensei told him about me, and that he wants to meet me, and believe me, I dearly want to meet him, but the next reason I came here is because I'm afraid Danzo may try to harm the boy tonight." Pakura growled in response as he explained, "Sensei explained that he intends to start a coup sometime tonight, and unleash the Kyuubi to do so, or so his spies have heard. I'm here to prevent that if I can."

Pakura nodded, "I understand. There've been attempts on both of us this past year." She said, grudgingly, then gave the man an imploring look, "You really won't try to take him from me?"

Jiraiya shook his head, "There's nothing in heaven and earth that could separate the two of you while I'm around, not even myself." He said, smiling, and then bowed to the woman low at the hips, "I can't tell you how grateful I am that Naruto had someone there for him...thank you from the bottom of my heart." Pakura stuttered as the man, someone she knew was far stronger than herself, even with the aid of her Kekkei Genkai, bowed to her.

"Ma," the door slid open again, revealing the little blond boy that she had come to love so much in the past year, grinning like a loon, "is someone else here?"

Pakura turned to him and smiled, "As a matter of fact, there is, Naruto-chan." She said, and stepped aside as Jiraiya straightened, "Your godfather decided to pay us a visit."

Naruto's little eyes widened as he saw the man, grinning bashfully and scratching the back of his head. "Uh, hey there, Kiddo?" Jiraiya said uncertainly, "Man, you sure have grown! I - " He never got the chance to finish as a blond blur tackled him to the ground, laughing as the child hugged him.

=x=

Danzo made his way through one of his laboratories, his cane tapping the ground loudly. "Kido, how are preparations coming?" He asked, his voice echoing, "We move out in only a few hours."

Kido, a man in his late twenties, poked his head out from one of the rooms, a wide grin on his face, "Oh, I'm more than ready, Sir."

Danzo entered the room, holding his sleeve over his face to block the smell of decaying flesh. The room was a mess with blood, new and old, while a body lay on an operating table, split open from groin to throat. From the dark hair, and pallid skin, the person had obviously once been an Uchiha. Beside it was another body, this one an Hyuuga, the eye sockets empty.

"I see you've been busy?" Danzo droned, "I hope this means that you've been able to perfect your new medication?"

Kido grinned at him, "Oh, yes," he held up what looked like a simple bottle of pills, filled with small white tablets. "However, the effects are only temporary, and I can only guarantee that the user will only gain a matured Sharingan only. I wasn't able to replicate a Mangekyou for lack of subjects."

Danzo accepted the bottle, smiling thinly, "Excellent, we only need a little time before the village is ours...how long will the effects last?"

Kido sat back with a sigh, "That's the bad news, see the effects only last about an hour. If I had more time to rework the formula for the Kekkei Genkai, I might have been able to buy more time, but as it is, the drug induced Sharingan will fade away within an hour at the most, and will also leave the subject blind." He said, and reached for another bottle, "The Byakugan is the same, I'm afraid, but it has a little more of a nasty surprise. Anyone that takes one of these won't survive the come down from the Doujutsu. Apparently, the child I was brought had the seal on it, and that effected the drug somewhat. I wasn't able to get a pure strain of the Kekkei Genkai."

Danzo pocketed the first bottle, "It matters little, things will turn out well for us once the Nine-Tails is unleashed once more." He said, smirking, "Orochimaru-kun should be waiting for you once you leave. Have him help you with your research, and further your studies."

"Gladly," Kido grinned, "I'm honored that Orochimaru-sama willingly asked for my research."

Danzo scoffed, "As if he would turn down the chance to research the fabled Doujutsu of Konoha." He said, and moved out of the room, "Be sure to be out of the village when the battle begins. I wouldn't want that brilliant mind of yours going to waste because the Kyuubi runs rampant."

Kido nodded, a sneering smile on his face, "Have fun, Danzo-sama."

=x=

Fugaku sighed as he surveyed his squads. A good number of his own clansmen were there, this time, even a few younger ones that he knew had fine gifts as far as their visual prowess went, including his own son. Itachi had forgone his mask this time, and stood as he was next to a young girl around his age. The girl was Izumi Uchiha, a most fortunate girl in his opinion, having survived the Kyuubi attack while her parents perished.

Next to the pair was Shisui, another of his finest, and one gifted with Mangekyou Sharingan. Or cursed, Fugaku thought sadly, seeing as the young man had seen a female teammate murdered in front of him while on mission. Apparently, she had been more than a simple teammate to him.

Along with his own men were members of the Hyuuga and the Inuzuka clans, each paired up with a Jonin of one of the three clans, all of whom he knew could be trusted.

"You all know why we're here," Fugaku grumbled out, "Sandaime-sama has made it known to us that Danzo will finally be making his move," he said, gaining a few growls from the feral Inuzuka shinobi. "According to his sources, he intends to unleash the Kyuubi once again, or at least control Naruto's transformation. We don't yet know what else he intends to do, but as it stands, it is crucial to the village's safety that Naruto be protected from any and all sources of danger this evening without fail."

"Why don't we just kill the brat and be done with it?" Someone grumbled.

Fugaku glared at the man, further offended when he saw it was one of his own, "Taiko, remove yourself from my force!" Fugaku roared angrily, "Naka, see to it that he's restrained until this mess if over. I want a word with him!" He yelled as one of the few Mangekyou users hauled the younger man out. Taiko struggled as the older man pushed him out of the group, and into the cell area.

Fugaku turned back to his men, "I expect the rest of you to remember one thing: Uzumaki Naruto is to be protected from all danger, including ourselves." He growled, "Remember who our real enemy is. Danzo, even though it cannot be proven, has ruined the lives of many of us here. Children have been stolen from us. Friends and loved ones corrupted by his malice." He said, looking over all of them, "Tonight, we will finally find closure for those lost to us. Danzo and his men will either be driven from our village once and for all, or many will die trying."

Naka returned a few moments later, "Orders, Sir?"

Fugaku nodded, "I want all those with Mangekyou Sharingan and their squads to head over to the Uzumaki compound. You will be the last line of defense should Danzo's force get past the rest of us. Meanwhile, the rest of us will take down any and all members of Root with extreme prejudice. The Sandaime will be fighting with us as well, engaging Danzo directly, so do not interfere unless you must. ARE WE CLEAR?!"

"Sir!"

=x=

The evening was quiet all around the village as night began to settle in over Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed from atop the Hokage Tower. It was, in all honestly, a fine evening for watching the sunset as he once did with Naruto in his lap. Naruto so loved sunsets. It was a shame, he felt, that such a fine evening would soon become anything but.

The October eve brought with it a chill in the air, bringing signs that winter would soon be upon them as the leaves began to turn their colors. Beneath those leaves, however, he knew, that the Roots would need to be tamed before the village could prosper without fear again.

His Anbu had long since evacuated the civilians that would likely be in the line of fire, but many more were with Naruto at his birthday party, where he knew Roots members as well as his Police Force would soon clash for the boy.

Kakashi, Kinoe, and the other Anbu shinobi in his service were scattered across the village, waiting for the time the battle would inevitably begin.

The tapping of a wooden cane against the stone roof of the tower brought him out of his musings as Danzo made his way toward him. "A fine evening, isn't it?" His old colleague said by way of conversation.

"It is, indeed," Hiruzen sighed, taking a long drag from pipe, letting out stream of smoke, "Seems a shame to waste it on what's to come, doesn't it?"

Danzo sighed and took up a position beside his old friend. "If it's any consolation, Hiruzen, I truly am sorry that it had to come to this."

Hiruzen gave a humorless chuckle, "Danzo, if you were truly sorry, then this would never have happened." He said, "Be honest, you've been planning this since I was appointed as Sandaime, haven't you?"

Danzo shook his head, "No, not so long." Danzo said, sighing, "I will admit, I answered Tobirama-sensei wrong that day, and you earned the title of Hokage. Had I answered that I would stay behind to fight, perhaps we wouldn't be having this conversation?"

"Perhaps," Hiruzen relented, "But too many things have gone sour between us, Danzo." He said, "Aiding Orochimaru, trying to turn Kakashi-kun against me and have me killed. You even destroyed an entire clan that we had strivved to aid. The Iburi clan would have been great allies to us, and you murdered them all down to the last child."

"One escaped thanks to that dog of yours," Danzo smirked, "A little girl, I believe, so she should be living quite happily now if nothing else happens."

Hiruzen glared at him from the corner of his eyes, "That does nothing to comfort me. I also know of your involvement with Hanzo, the Salamander of Ame. Just how many have you manipulated over the years? Koharu and Homura?"

"Idiots, both of them," the Shinobi of Darkness said with disgust, "When we became civilians, they forgot their pride as former shinobi, and let their chakra fall into ruin, their jutsu as weak as if they were lower Genin. All they wanted was to profit, and if that meant getting in your way, then that is what they would do."

Hiruzen huffed, "Baring their utter betrayal, what is it you plan on doing to Naruto-chan?"

"I will be doing what you should have done a long time ago, Hiruzen," Danzo said in a matter of fact tone, "As a Jinchuuriki, he should be made in the village's ultimate weapon against our enemies. I will nurture and mold him into that very thing once you and that woman are out of the way."

Hiruzen's eyes turned cold as his pipe fell from his grasp as he reached for his robes, "Then you and I have nothing more to talk about!" He whipped off his robes, revealing his old battle armor beneath. His Nyoibo staff gleamed in the rising moonlight menacingly.

"It seems not," Danzo said, pulling a kunai from his arm sling, "Futon: Vacuum Blade!" He breathed out a breath of condensed air over his blade. Removing his arm from the sling, Danzo took a stance across from his former comrade. "Let the dance begin."

Hiruzen held up a single hand, running through seals faster than normal eyes could follow, "Do not think that I will give you the chance to best me, Danzo! Katon: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!" He grit his teeth as three streams of flames lept forth from his lips, twisting and winding into the heads of fearsome dragons, each one with gleaming yellow eyes, looking balefully at Danzo.

"Even wind can cut through fire, Saru!" Danzo roared, and lept forth, his blade slashing down on the first dragon. The other two converged as Danzo indeed struck the first head down. "Futon: Vacuum Serial Waves!" He took a deep breath, and, seeing the danger, Hiruzen lept away, even though his dragons attacked. Danzo let his breath loose, the waves of air slicing through the heads of the remaining dragons.

"Doton: Earth Dragon Bullet!" Hiruzen roared as the massive head of a dragon rose up from the roof, and roared out multiple balls of mud bullets at the older shinobi.

Danzo began knocking them away with his Vacuum Blade, advancing. "That's not going to be enough to stop me, you old monkey!"

"I know." Hiruzen smirked, "That's why I brought backup. Enma!"

The roof burst as the giant white monkey rose from up to strike, backhanding Danzo clear across the roof. "Took you long enough!" The summons growled as he lept to Hiruzen's side, "What would have happened if he'd bested you before I could help?!"

"Lucky for me he didn't," the aged Kage smirked at his friend, sealing away his staff, "Shall we, old friend?"

The white monkey grinned, and Transformed into another Bo staff identical to Hiruzen's own, an eye appearing on the shaft, "Just like old times, eh, Saru?"

Danzo staggered to his feet as the pair turned to face him, "Too much like old times, my friend, far too much." He said, twirling the transformed summon around as he took his stance, "Danzo, I will give you one final warning," Hiruzen said evenly, "Stop this madness now, or I will destroy you!"

Danzo sneered at him, "My forces will have overrun the village by now, Hiruzen," he snapped, "It's far too late to try to talk your way out of this!"

"Think again," the aged Kage smirked, looking out over the village, "My forces are far more capable than you give them credit for."

Danzo smirked knowingly, "That may be true, but what can they do against over one hundred Sharingan users?"

=x=

Fighting had indeed broken out over the village. Danzo's men had moved across the residential districts of all the clans in hopes of waylaying their leaders for hostages as Danzo had planned, but the heads of each clan were not to be taken likely.

But neither were the Root Shinobi under the influence of Kido's drug.

The forces that attacked the Hyuuga clan were easily dealt with the pseudo Sharingan users, as they were barely coming into the power the eyes provided.

Meanwhile, the Yamanaka clan were having trouble regarding the men, their mind walking techniques becoming ineffective once the Sharingan copied them. However, that was until Hiruzen's men arrived.

The team of Might Gai, and Kakashi Hatake easily dealt with them from the element of surprise as Inoichi used his clan's techniques to shatter their minds, making them useless in battle.

Kino, one of Hiruzen's more secretive Anbu proved to be far more troublesome than even Kakashi as he made use of his Mokuton to ensnare and trap his opponents.

"This is ridiculous," Kino grumbled as he trapped another squad, "How do all of these men have Sharingan?!"

Kakashi slammed another man into the ground, twisting his arm behind his back, "We can question them later, but for now, no Jutsu, or else they'll turn it right around on you!"

"Speak for yourself, Copycat," Kino smirked, and created a wooden cage for the captives. "Don't forget that Kekkei Genkai can't be copied by the Sharingan."

While he was talking, one of the Root shinobi attempted to blindside him from behind, but Gai came up and roundhoused him to the ground, knocking him clean out. "A most youthful point, Kino-san, but perhaps we should keep such youthfulness to ourselves until after we have claimed the victory!" He said, giving a gleaming smile as he tossed his victim into Kino's cage.

"Right," Kino sweatdropped, "Thanks, Gai."

Fugaku came unto the scene a moment later as the three finished rounding up the Roots, "Has anyone seen Danzo, yet?"

Kakashi shook his head, "No, but I have a feeling that Sarutobi-sama is dealing with - "

BTOOOOM

" - him," Kakashi finished as the roof of the Hokage Tower erupted into flames and smoke. He reached up and scratched the back of his head, "Oh, boy, seems like our Hokage isn't pulling his punches today."

Fugaku chuckled as he saw the flames mold themselves into a three headed dragon, "I'm certainly glad he's on our side." He said, touching the radio in his ear, "Fugaku to watch squad, how are things over at the Uzumaki compound?"

"Quiet as the grave, Sir," Shisui's voice said, "Something's strange. If Danzo was planning to unleash the Kyuubi, I'd have thought he'd send someone after him while our main forces are dealing with his men?"

"That's true, but things haven't gone south quite yet for him, so keep your eyes peeled, and keep an eye on my boys," Fugaku said, smiling when he heard Itachi sigh over the radio.

"Father, I'll be fine, really." Itachi said.

"I know," Fugaku smiled, "But what more can a father do besides worry?" He said, "Keep an eye on your brother, as well."

Kakashi smiled behind his mask, "You've sure changed since Sarutobi-sama helped your clan out," he said, chuckling.

"I owe him a great deal of honor," Fugaku said, looking at the cage, sneering as he noticed the Sharingan eyes, "Now, how did you come to have a perfectly natural set of Sharingan when I know for a fact that you're not of my clan?"

The shinobi didn't answer.

Fugaku growled, "I'm being quite patient with you as it is," he said, and reached into the cage, pulling the man against the bars roughly, "Now, answer me, or I'll show you just how the Uchiha exchange eyes." He reached his other hand in, his thumb, middle, and forefinger hovering over the left eye of the captive.

"Fugaku," Kino cautioned.

"Your master has taken many children from all of the clans," Fugaku said, ignoring the younger man, "From my own clan, some from the Hyuuga, I'm quite sure, and from the Yamanaka...so, why not make this easier on yourself, before I pluck out those eyes of yours?"

The man remained quiet for a moment, then began to chuckle, making the Uchiha leader frown, "You find something funny?"

"You really think these eyes are important to me any more?" He asked, his Sharingan beginning to fade, "What we did to gain these eye will wear off in only a few more minutes, and we will all be blind. Taking my eyes means nothing to me!"

Fugaku smiled darkly, "I suppose it wouldn't, but Sthen again, I'm betting that I can cause you more than enough pain to gleam some sort of information out of you." He pushed his thumb, middle and forefinger into the man's socket, and slowly tore out his eye while the man screamed.

=x=

Danzo staggered back from the Hokage, wounded, and bloodied, clutching a kunai in his good hand, "Don't think this is over, Hiruze," the old man sneered, "My men still have the advantage over yours!"

Hiruzen remained quiet as he advanced on the man, his bo staff gleaming menacingly. Danzo took another weary step back from him, wary of the staff, having seen him decapitate someone more than once with it during a battle.

"Stop," he snapped, raising his hand in the ram seal, "I'm warning you, Hiruzen, one more step, and I'll unleash the Nine-tails!"

That proved to stop him, the old man leering, "If you could do that from here, then you would have done it by now long before you were in this condition."

"Have it your way," Danzo smirked, "Release!" The glow of a seal took his attention as the man stepped back, "So sorry we couldn't finish this fight the way you wanted."

Hiruzen growled and turned his attention toward the Uzumaki compound as a titanic roar filled the air.

Danzo's plans for the village have been unleashed as the seal upon Naruto is activated, and Kurama seems to be coming for a second round through the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

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