Awooh…

A giant snow wolfappears in Izuna's vision. The snow wolf has three cubsbeside it.

'It's a female wolf.'

The snow wolf feeds its cubs as it stares at the sky.

Rumble… Rumble…

A giant meteor falls from the sky and crashes nearby.

Grrr…

The wolf growls as it retreats into a nearby cave.

Boom… boom…

Multiple meteors fall from the sky and devastate the land.

Hmm…

Izuna curiously stares at the scene.

'Is this a meteor shower?'

Rumble… Rumble…

The ground trembles from the impact as shock waves travel through the ground.

Awooh…

The snow wolf howls and hides away its cubs. The wolf slowly walks out of the cave and stares at the sky. One of the bold, smaller cubs follows her.

The wolf raises her head andstares at the sky.

Hmm…

Izuna raises his head to follow her gaze.

"What the hell?"

His eyes widen as an unbelievable phenomenon appears in his vision.

"This is… what the heck is this? Is this what I think it is?"

A gigantic mass of rocks and rubble is floating in the air. The floating mass dwarfs everything as it blocks the sunlight. The satellite of dust and debris slowly rises in the air.

"Don't tell me it is the 'Moon'."

Rumble… Rumble…

Many cracks appear on the surface of the moon as a giant grotesque earthen-colored humanoid entity with a mummified appearance and many spiky protrusions break free from it.

Roar…

The grotesque figure releases apowerful shock wave from its body.

Grrrr…

The snow wolf retreats in fear as it hides inside the cave.

"That's the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path: the husk of the ten-tails."

Izuna recognizes the statue.

'So… it seems this incident is before the formation of the moon and during the battle between the Rikudou Sannin and the Ten-tails.'

Roar…

The statue roars again as it desperately attempts to get free from the Chibaku Tensei.

Bam… bam…

Multiple rocks fly from the ground and slam into the statue further sealing it inside the core of the satellite.

ROAR…

The beast releases multiple bolts of chakra from the protrusion on its back.

Swoosh… swoosh…

The bolts destroy a portion of themoon and travel towards the cavern of the snow wolf.

Boom…

The chakra bolt destroys the cavern and buries it underground.

Sigh…

Izuna takes a deep breath as he stares at the scene of destruction with his eyes.

'This scale of power is almost god-like… the ability to terraform a planet and create satellites. I could only imagine such things in my previous life.'

Whoosh…

The scenery changes as another memory flood Izuna's mind.

Rumble… Rumble…

The cavern collapses as a large snow wolf escapes from it.

AWOOH…

The wolf howls in sorrow as it stares at the dead body of its family.

'Hmm… so this is that little wolf cub.'

Purple chakra rises from the wolf's body as it consumes its mind.

Awooh…

The wolf howls in agony as the chakra mutates its body.

'So that's how it is.'

Whoosh…

Izuna exits from the mindscape of the beast.

'Poor guy… the power of the Demonic Statue of the outer path killed his family and overwhelmed his mind. The demonic statue absorbed the vitality of hundreds and thousands of humans.

The hatred, fear, and the helplessness of so many people together with the potent chakra of the ten-tails created the negative chakra which influenced the mind of this snow wolf.'

Sigh…

Izuna sighs and caresses the head of the beast.

"Don't worry, I will free you soon."

The wolf calms down and stops its rampage. Izuna continues to drain the negative chakra from its body.

"You beast… I can't allow you to rampage anymore. I will reseal you once and for all."

The leader of the Kodon clan jumps towards the wolf and throws a talisman at it.

"Sealing Technique: Roen Kodon"

He claps his hand as the sealing talisman floats in the air.

"Stop…"

Izuna yells at Tenma.

Whoosh…

The talisman flies towards the wolf. Various fuinjutsu seals crawl out of it and wrap around the wolf.

Bzzt…

Red lightning crackles from the talisman as it creates a powerful suction force.

Awooh…

The wolf howls in anger as it gets pulled towards the seal.

"This idiot… I was so close to nullifying the corruption."

Izuna curses the Kodon clan leader as he jumps from the top of the wolf.

AWOOH…

The wolf howls in anger.

Swish…

It swipes its claw at the sealing talisman and destroys it.

"No way… how it can be? This sealing formula was supposed to seal the beast forever. How can it destroy it so easily?"

Tenma has a terrified expression on his face as he stares at the wolf.

Sigh…

'There is no cure for idiocy.'

Izuna shakes his head.

Awooh…

Dark black chakra rises from the body of the wolf and covers its entire body. The fur of the beast turns black and its eyes turn red as the beast enters into an enraged state.

It releases a shock wave from its body, which pushes the Kodon clan leader away and slams him into a boulder.

The Kodon leader passes out from the attack.

'Looks like… he thinks that I betrayed him. My goodwill was a trap meant for his sealing.'

Crackle… crackle…

Izuna cracks his knuckle as he walks towards the enraged beast.

"It was never meant to go easy. But I prefer it this way, at least I won't have to train you in the future."

Whoosh…

Izuna flickers in front of the beast as he clutches his fist.

"Eight Gate Release: Sixth Gate: Gate of View Open"

"Power Release: Asura's Robe"

Izuna opens the sixth gate and coats his body with the power release chakra cloak. Red lightning flickers from his eyes as his fists blaze with fire.

"Ora… Ora… ora…"

Izuna releases a rapid barrage ofrapid-fire punches at the enraged wolf.

Various dents appear on its body as the wolf struggles to fight back.

'In terms of fighting capabilities,this wolf is comparable to two-tails or three tails.'

"ORAA…"

Izuna performs an uppercut which sends the wolf flying towards a small hill.

Bang…

The wolf slams into the hill and passes out. The black aura around it vanishes as its fur turns white.

Izuna walks towards the wolf and inspects it.

Black fumes rise from the wolfand seep into the ground.

Hmm…

'So, this is the so-called malevolent negative chakra. The chakra which can overwhelm the emotional state of any being.'

Whoosh…

The Sin Grimoire floats out in front of the wolf.

Swoosh…

It starts to suck the dark black negative chakra.

"…"

"Just because you can eat it, doesn't mean you have to eat it… you glutton."

Izuna shakes his head and allows the grimoire to do what it wishes.

"Now for you…"

Izuna turns towards the snow wolf.

"It would be a hassle to subdue you here. I will deal with you later."

'Kamui'

Izuna activates his Kamui and sucks the beast into his pocket dimension.

"Now with him out of the way, allthat is left is to deal with the villagers."

Pitter-patter…

Sounds of footsteps fall in his ear. The villagers warily approach the hill.

'Time to cash my benefit.'

Izuna walks up to Tenma and wakes him up.

Ugh…

"Where am I? What happened?"

Tenma clutches his forehead as he looks around.

"Where… where is that beast? I haveto seal him at all costs."

Tenma jumps in a frenzy and warily looks around.

"Well, you don't have to worry about the beast… but you better get ready for them."

Izuna points towards the approaching villagers.

"This… It was my fault. So many people died in this battle… in a moment of folly… I released that monster in the village and killed so many people. I don't deserve to live anymore."

Tenma is overridden with guilt as he drops on the ground.

"Well… well… looks like you finally gained some consciousness."

Izuna walks towards the oncoming villagers.

"Where is that beast?… where is he?"

The Kumanoi clan leader leads the villagers and stops in front of Izuna.

"Oh… the monster… I was having a hard time fighting against that beast… but clan leader Tenma arrived right on time and used a secret technique of his clan to seal the beast."

Izuna points towards Tenma.

"Eeh… who me?"

Tenman looks in confusion.

Ahem...

Izuna clears his throat to signal Tenma.

"Ah yes… I sealed him using the secret sealing technique of Kodon clan, which was used to seal the beast a few centuries ago."

Tenma nods his head.

"Is that so…"

The Kumanoi clan leadree suspiciously stares at Tenma.

"Then you have our gratitude, Clan Leader Tenma."

The Clan leader of the Kumanoi clan nods his head and leads the rest of the villagers towards the village.

"We would conduct an emergency meeting to discuss the details of the incident and the aftermath of the fight. Be sure to join the meeting."

He informs Tenma before departing for the village.

"Clan Leader Tenma… we have some things to discuss."

Izuna adopts a serious expression.

--

That was a steal."

Izuna walks towards the guest room as he remembers the deal with the Kodon and Kumanoi clan leader.

Kumanoi clan leader agreed to supply him with a constant supply of blue fire powder at a very discounted price.

'Well… it is better than nothing. I have to gather all the resources I can to prepare for the war. As for the Kodon clan leader…'

A smile blooms on Izuna's face as he remembers the deal.

"Uchiha clan will get a free supply of medicine and herbs for the next fifty years. Also… a free supply of Kotaro."

Izuna takes out a vial from his pocket.

'This medicine is really mysterious. It can slow the degradation of optic nerves caused by the Mangekyo Sharingan. I hope Tsunade had made some progress with the medicine. I want to cure Itachi before his illness flares up.'

Swoosh…

Izuna pockets the vial and enters the room.

Zzzz….

Naruto is deep asleep as he snores.

"Well… he is sleeping soundly. So… it is all good."

Izuna shakes his head as he checks the fuinjutsu seals.

'I can't blame him… after so many reinforcements and silencing seals, this room is as fortified as a castle wall.'

Izuna activates his Mangekyo Sharingan.

"It's time to talk with that wolf."

Whoosh…

He opens a swirling portal and disappears from the room.

Inside the Kamui dimension,

Whoosh…

Another portal opens up as Izuna enters the dimension.

"Woah… that's nasty."

He notices several claw marks carved on the various platforms floating in the dimension.

Growl… Swish…

Izuna performs a backflip and avoids the claw attack.

"Hooh… looks like the previous beating wasn't enough. Care for more!"

Izuna cracks his knuckles as he turns towards the wolf.

Grr….

The wolf growls at him.

"I have lived long enough to know that… I can't trust anyone in this world."

A deep voice addresses Izuna.

"While trapped in the darkness… I saw all the negative emotions and memories of the humans.

How they were betrayed by the very God they worshipped? All of their hatred, grudge, fear, and helplessness… I felt all of it. After watching all of these memories… how can I trust a human like you?"

The wolf walks out of the darkness to reveal itself. The wolf has white fur with black stripes running vertically across its body, parting at one of its tail.

'That's quite a wonderful ability. To be able to hide in darkness… looks like after the purification of corruption, he has gained some unique abilities.'

"Hmm… so you mean, you don't trust humans."

Izuna folds his arms as he stares at the giant body of the wolf.

Growl…

"You are strong… stronger than any human I have seen during all these years. I can sense it; your abilities are even greater than the person who sealed me here.

But that doesn't mean I would submit to you. I finally regained my sanity, I can't allow myself to get shackled again."

Izuna nods his head in agreement.

"Fair enough… but I can't allow a powerful beast like you to wander across the shinobi world."

Izuna denies his request.

"Growl… Then there is nothing to talk about anymore."

Whoosh…

The wolf dives into the shadows and disappears from the vision.

"I can't allow you to roam the world on your own… but what about under my observation."

Growl…

"What do you mean?" The wolf talks from the shadows.

"What about a contract? A summoning contract… Sign a summoning contract with me and you can watch the world with me."

Izuna stretches a hand towards the shadows.

Grrr…

"There is no place for me in this world. I am an abomination made of hatred and darkness, why would you want to form a summoning contract with me?"

The wolf questions him.

"Well… that's what makes it more fun."

Izuna smiles at the shadows.

"Huh… so you will set me free just like that."

"Yes…" Izuna nods his head.

He makes some hand signs and slams his palm on the ground. A giant fuinjutsu seal appears on the ground.

"This is a Summoning Fuinjutsu seal. Drip your blood on the seal to form a contract." Izuna instructs the wolf.

"Alright…"

The wolf jumps out from the shadows. It swipes its claw and drips some blood on the seal.

Whoosh…

The seal signs brightly as it rises in the air.

"Time for a new contract."

Izuna takes out a giant scroll from his storage and infuses chakra on the scroll.

The summoning seal fuses with the scroll.

Snap…

Izuna bites his thumb and drips a drop of blood on the top of the seal.

Shoom…

The seal shines for a while before fading out.

'Hmm… I can feel the connection with the Wolf. Now he is my summon.'

Whoosh…

The Sin seal on his right hand activates and releases some chakra on the scroll.

Shoom…

The seal shines with a purple light. A giant magatama symbol appears around the wolf's neck.

Hmm…

Izuna inspects the magatama for a while before shaking his head.

'I still don't have any clue about it. This sin seal is as mysterious as ever.'

"With this… you are my summon."

Awooh…

The wolf howls in happiness.

"Roen… call me Roen." The wolf speaks to him.

"Very well, Roen… Let's get out of here."

Izuna opens a portal out of the Kamui dimension.

"But… before that… can you manipulate your size? With this enormous body, I don't think you could roam freely with me."

"Yes…"

Roen nods his head as he infuses chakra in his body.

Whoosh…

His body shrinks as he turns into a normal white snow wolf with black strips over his body.

"That's much better. Let's go."

Izuna nods his head and walks out of the portal.

Swoosh….

Roen dives into Izuna's shadow.

--

Next day,

Awaah…

Naruto yawns as he lazily stretches his hands.

"That was a very good sleep. It has been a while since I last slept so well."

Naruto stands up from his head and walks out of the room.

"Ramen, I need some ramen for breakfast."

Naruto orders the nearby servant.

"Ah!… dear guest… I don't think it is healthy to eat ramen this early in the morning. Why don't you eat breakfast with Izuna-sama?"

The servant leads Naruto towards the dining room.

"Oh!… Naruto, you are awake."

Izuna waves his hands at Naruto.

"Nii-san… I am hungry."

Naruto hurriedly dives at the table and chomps down the food.

"Naruto… eat slowly. The food isn't going anywhere."

Izuna tries to calm down Naruto.

Chomp… chomp…

"But… Nii-san… it has been three weeks since I last ate something good."

Naruto continues to swallow his food.

"What do you mean, Naruto? You mean to say that, you didn't like my steak dishes, which I cooked for you."

Izuna hangs down his head in sadness.

"No… no… they were delicious… really delicious… but… but… we had steak for every breakfast… lunch and dinner… so I am fed up with it."

Naruto hurriedly denies it as he shakes his hands.

"True… but… I can only cook steak dishes."

Sigh…

Izuna sighs and continues to eat breakfast.

"Naruto… today we will meet with Tsunade."

Izuna points towards a large mansion located on top of the Three wolf mountain.

'That place is a treasure trove for medical-nin. It has a record of all known medicines and herbs of the shinobi world. Any clan or village… no matter where… always seeks the Land of Medicine for medical supplies.

Part of the reason Hanzo wanted to get hold of this place so badly. Well… I can't blame him either… other nations feared this place because of the presence of Roen, but Hanzo was bold enough to attack this place.'

"Get your stuff ready, Naruto… we would move out soon."

Izuna finishes his breakfast and strolls through the Kodon clan compounds.

"Izuna-san… here is the medicine you needed."

A tall young boy offers a scroll to Izuna. The boy has a frantic expression on his face, as if he is meeting an idol.

"Oh… that's good."

Izuna accepts the scroll as he notices the similarity of the boy to Tenma.

"You are…"

"I am Reishi Kodon… the elder son of Tenma Kodon. I am the new pharmacist of the Kodon clan." The boy introduces himself.

"Mhm…"

Izuna nods his head.

"… we will see each other often in the future."

"Yes…"

Reishi frantically nods his head.

"Izuna-san… I am a great fan of yours. I have heard all the stories regarding you. You are my idol."

"…"

'There are stories about me… when did that happen?'

Izuna turns to Reishi and asks him.

"These stories you mentioned… where did you get them from?"

"Oh… here it is… the recent issue of the Icha Icha series: Innocence."

Reishi passes a book to Izuna. Izuna hurriedly grabs the book and skims through it.

An ugly expression appears on his face as he turns the pages.

"Damn you, Jiraiya… don't make me the protagonist of your hentai series."

Izuna tightly clutches the book.

"Next time I see you… I will beat that old ass of yours."

Nii-san… do I have to do it again?"

Naruto helplessly stares at Izuna.

"Yup… your training isn't over yet and this will be an excellent opportunity for you to train."

Izuna nods his head.

Haah…

Naruto lifts a giant boulder and places it on his shoulders.

"Good…"

Izuna and Naruto walk out of the Howling Village as they ascend the Three wolf mountain.

--

Inside a guest room,

Hicc…

Tsunade chugs down a cup of sake as she lies on the table.

"Gimme more… I want more."

Tsunade slams the cup on the table as she demands more sake.

"Tsu… Tsunade-sama… it is still early in the morning. You shouldn't drink this early."

Shizune tries to stop Tsunade.

Oink… Oink…

Tonton jumps around Tsunade, agreeing with Shizune.

Hicc…

"I don't care… I need more sake."

Tsunade waves the cup at Shizune.

Sigh…

Shizune sighs to herself and refills the cup.

Gulp… gulp… Haah…

Tsunade chugs down the sake.

"I am so sleepy."

She slams the cup on the table and falls asleep.

"Sigh… Tsunade-sama has worked hard."

Shizune gently covers Tsunade with a blanket. She picks up the stacks of paper scattered around the room and arranges them in order.

"I have never seen Tsunade-sama pushing herself this hard in a while. She is giving her all for Izuna-kun's sake."

Shizune picks up a paper and reads through its content.

The paper has a detailed diagram of the lungs with tenketsu points and a chakra network.

"Incredible… I always wondered how Izuna-kun has such detailed information about the human body."

Shizune reads the details of the paper as she wonders in amazement.

"While studying under Tsunade-sama… I always had a feeling that Izuna-kun already knew a lot about medical ninjutsu."

She places the paper on the table and walks out of the room.

"Let me fetch some breakfast for Tsunade-sama."

Shizune walks out of the room.

"Miss Shizune… the breakfast is ready."

A sweet and gentle voice greets her.

Shizune turns towards the owner of the voice.

A fair lady with blue eyes, purple hairs framed in a ponytail with two bangs parting on each side of her face appears in her vision.

The lady is dressed in luxurious clothes with the insignia of Land of Medicine carved on her robe.

"Oh… it's you, Lady Hanyu. Good Morning…"

Shizune greets the newcomer.

Lady Hanyu signals one of her servants, who carries over the dishes.

"I have some matters to attend in the Howling Wolf Village… there was quite a ruckus yesterday… so I would have to visit the village."

Lady Hanyu nods her head and walks away.

'I wonder what happened there.'

Shizune shakes her head and carries the breakfast.

--

"Just a little more, Naruto… we are close."

Izuna cheers Naruto, who struggles to carry the boulder.

Huff… Huff…

Naruto breathes heavily as he carries the shoulder.

"I am close… I won't give up… Dattebyo."

Naruto pumps up his chakra and dashes forward.

"That's the Naruto I know…"

Izuna nods his head and follows him.

Haah…

Naruto throws away the boulder as he lies down on the ground.

Huff… Huff…

"I did it. Dattebyo!"

"Good job… Naruto."

Izuna praises Naruto.

"With this, the first part of your training is over… we will continue the second part later."

Izuna uses Sage Chakra to rejuvenate Naruto.

"We are here… Let's meet with Tsunade."

Naruto stands up and dusts his clothes.

Both of them enter the mansion. Izuna takes out an insignia from his pocket given to him by Tsunade to get entry into the mansion.

'This place is well-guarded.'

Izuna raises his eyebrow as he notices many shinobis hiding in the shadows.

'These shinobi aren't a problem.'

He turns towards the walls of the mansion.

'Quite a sinister trap… if I have to say it. To use blue fire powder cylinders as landmines. Just a light step and it will start a chain reaction and blow away the entire buried Blue fire powder.'

Izuna raises his head and notices various cannons mounted on top of the outer wall.

'Quite a fortified place. This place is like a medieval-era castle with a hint of modern technology.'

Both of them continue to walk through the courtyard of the mansion as Izuna inspects his surroundings.

'Shinobi World has a mix of all cultures. Amegakure has fortified iron walls and houses. Takigakure is similar to a resort city and Konoha is like a pre-modern era village.

Anyway… I have to look for Tsunade.'

Izuna closes his eyes and senses Tsunade's chakra.

"Found her."

"I am so excited to meet her. I will show her my new jutsu."

Naruto jumps in excitement.

"Ok… ok Naruto… calm down. Also, did you buy any gift for her? It has been a long time since you met her; so you must buy her a gift."

Izuna asks Naruto.

"Gift?… I haven't bought anything."

Naruto scratches his head with an awkward smile.

"Naruto… whenever you visit someone, you have to bring some gifts for them. Like a bouquet, especially when you visit a girl."

Izuna advises him.

"But… granny is an old hag. She is not young anymore."

Naruto shakes his head.

"Oye… kid… what did you say?"

A shrill voice falls in their air.

Clomp… clomp…

Sounds of heavy footsteps close upon them.

"Naruto… you are on your own. It's not my fault… ok!"

Whoosh…

Izuna flickers away from his position.

Bonk…

Tsunade appears in front of Naruto and bonks his head.

"Oye… kid… what did you say just now? Who is an old hag… who isn't young anymore?"

Aww… Aww…

Naruto clutches his head and rolls around on the ground. He has tears in his eyes as a large bump appears on his head.

Hmph…

"That's what you get for being disrespectful to a lady?"

Tsunade places her hands around her waist as she stares at Naruto with an angry gaze.

Haha… Haha…

Izuna chuckles as he remarks.

"Naruto… I warned you beforehand."

"You are not much better than him."

Tsunade snorts at him.

"Naruto-kun… are you fine… Naruto-kun?"

Shizune walks out of the room. She uses the 'Mystic Palm Technique' to heal the bump on his forehead.

"Aren't you happy to see me after such a long time?"

Izuna walks up to her.

Hmph…

"Who would be happy to see you? Anyway… did you bring something for me? Earlier, I heard something about a gift."

Tsunade rubs her hands in excitement.

"Of course… I did. How can I not bring a gift for you?"

Whoosh…

Izuna takes out a scroll from his pocket and takes out a wine bottle from it.

"It is the frosted dew wine from Kirigakure. I got it from the collection of Terumi clan leader. That guy is quite grateful for your help."

"Yes…"

Tsunade hurriedly snatches the wine from his hands and enters the room.

"Let's talk in the room."

Her voice fades away as she enters the room.

"This alcohol addict…"

Izuna shakes his head and follows her.

--

Inside the room,

Gulp… gulp…

Tsunade drinks a mouthful of the wine.

"Ah… such a fine wine. It has been a while since I last had something like this."

Gulp…

She takes another mouthful of the wine.

"So… how is it? Any progress…"

Izuna asks her with an excited expression.

Gulp… slam…

Tsunade slams the cup as she signals Shizune.

"Shizune, bring those papers."

"Yes… Tsunade-sama."

Shizune pulls out a stack of paper and passes them to Izuna.

Izuna inspects the papers as Tsunade explains.

"Earlier, last year… I read your detailed report of the illness of the Terumi Clan Leader…."

Mmm…

Izuna nods his head as Tsunade continues.

"… so… I researched it in detail and found some similarities with Itachi's diseases."

"Can you treat him?"

Izuna nervously asks her.

"For now… no…" Tsunade shakes her head in denial.

"No…" Izuna gulps his saliva as these words pour a bucket of cold water on his hopes.

'Seems like I have to hurry up and learn Sage of Six Paths Senjutsu. That's the only way to save Itachi.'

Izuna clutches his fists.

"… but I think I would be able to… I just need some more time. I am near the end of my research."

Tsunade takes the papers from his hand.

Phew…

'At least… there is still hope." Izuna takes a deep breath.

"Anyway… I don't think your purpose to visit me is to just talk about this."

Tsunade adopts a serious expression as he questions Izuna.

"No… I want you to return to the village and take over the position of Hokage."

Izuna straight-forwardly reveals to her.

"No… I don't have any interest in that position. It is a position only meant for fools."

Tsunade shakes her head in denial.

"Hokage… did you say Hokage?"

Naruto jumps down from the bed and stands in between them.

"You mean to say that… granny will be the next Hokage."

He asks Izuna.

"Well, yes… but no… Tsunade denied the position and I am helpless to convince her."

Izuna raises his hands in submission.

'No matter what… Naruto is the protagonist of the story. I am sure his Talk-no-jutsu is still better than mine. Let me see how it plays out.'

Izuna backs down as Naruto turns towards Tsunade.

"Granny Tsunade… 'Fight Me'… if I win, you will become the next Hokage."

"…"

Izuna and Shizune silently stare at Naruto's bold remark.

'Well, too much for the protagonist. He is still the old Naruto.'

Well… who am I even kidding?… It's Naruto who we are talking about?"

Izuna shakes his head and walks towards Shizune. He picks up Tonton and rubs her head.

"It's turning quite meaty and juicy all these years."

Oink… Oink…

Tonton struggles in his arms.

"Oh, brat!… looks like you have developed some guts in all these years."

Tsunade cracks her knuckles and walks towards Naruto.

"You can't undermine the position of Hokage… Dattebyo! I will become the Hokage in the future."

Naruto makes some hand signs.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu"

He makes two shadow clones and dashes towards Tsunade.

"I will prove to you… that my dream to become a Hokage is not a shallow one."

"Hoh!… you haven't even graduated from the academy and you want to challenge me. Come then… Kiddo!"

Tsunade lifts her hand points a finger towards Naruto.

"Though I may not look like it, but I am also one of the Sannin. One finger... I will use just one finger to beat you."

Tsunade taunts Naruto.

"Don't underestimate me, granny… I have trained hard in these past few years."

Naruto clutches his fist as he signals his clones.

"Let's show granny, what are we made of? Dattebyo!"

Naruto and his clones take out kunai from their pocket and throw them at Tsunade.

Flick… flick… flick…

Tsunade flicks out the kunai with her finger.

"Kid… if that's all you got, then you don't stand a chance."

Crunch… crunch…

Izuna crunches popcorns as he watches the fight.

"…"

Shizune silently stares at Izuna.

"Izuna-kun… you aren't worried about Naruto. Tsunade-sama is a Sannin, there is no way Naruto who hasn't even graduated from the academy could beat her."

Crunch… crunch…

Izuna fills his mouth with popcorns as he answers.

"Just wait and watch… you might be surprised to see Naruto's growth. He is their son after all."

"Uhm… if you say so, then I believe you. Even so, it is Tsunade-sama we are talking about…"

Shizune has a worried expression on her face.

"Relax… just sit back and watch."

He offers her some popcorns.

"Haah… take this."

Naruto closes the distance and attacks Tsunade with a kunai.

Swish…

Tsunade flicks the kunai with her finger and staggers Naruto.

"It's over."

She points her finger near Naruto's forehead and flicks it.

Poof…

Naruto's body disperses in a puff of smoke.

"What?" Tsunade's eyes widen in surprise.

Poof…

The kunai turns in Naruto and attacks her.

"Eat this… Rasengan."

Naruto makes a Rasengan and attacks her.

"This technique…"

Tsunade sobers up as she hurriedly kicks the ground and jumps up in the air.

Boom…

The ground beneath them shatters and Naruto tumbles over it as he slams the Rasengan on the ground.

BOOM…

The Rasengan expands and creates a crater on the ground.

'Woah… I never expected Naruto to unknowingly add Wind Chakra to the Rasengan. Looks like he is learning at a very quick pace.

I guess… he has inherited his father's genes for quick learning.'

Whoosh…

"I almost got her."

Naruto bites his lip in frustration.

"It's not over yet."

Whoosh…

His clones act like a catapult and toss him in the air.

"I will get you this time."

Naruto makes some hand signs in midair.

"Wind Style: Pressure Breakthrough"

Naruto exhales a blast of wind pressure from his mouth.

"Good try kid, you almost got me."

Whoosh…

Tsunade appears behind Naruto and flicks his forehead.

"It's still too early to fight and win against me."

Boom…

Naruto is sent flying by the flick as he tumbles over a large distance.

"Kid, you sure have grown a lot, but it is still not enough to beat me."

Tsunade slowly walks towards Naruto as she praises me.

"Now tell me… why do you want to become the Hokage?"

Tsunade places her hands around her waist as she questions him.

"I will become a Hokage no matter what! Because Hokage is my dream! Dattebyo!"

Naruto proudly raises his head.

"What…"

The image of Dan and Nawaki overlaps with Naruto as Tsunade enters into a trance.

'She is a bit off her guard. This is my chance…'

Naruto clenches his fists.

'Oye… Nine-tails give me some chakra.'

Hmph…

Nine-tails snorts at him.

'Here brat... take it and don't bother me again.'

Whoosh…

Naruto enters into a one-tail cloak chakra mode.

"Now is my chance, Rasengan…"

"What the…"

Tsunade's eyes widen as she looks at the new form of Naruto.

"Oh! I never expected Naruto to use this form. Looks like he really respects the position of Hokage."

Izuna dusts his hands as he flickers in between them.

Boom…

A large cloud of dust and debris rise as Izuna is holding Naruto's arm with his bare hands.

"Now, now… Naruto… I warned you to not use this power recklessly, much less against the family."

Whoosh…

Izuna disperses the chakra cloak as he scolds Naruto.

"Naruto… you should be careful with this power. As punishment, I will double your training."

"No… nii-san. No!"

Naruto hugs Izuna's legs.

Aah…

He slumps on the ground and passes out.

'This guy… he overexerted himself."

Izuna shakes his head and places Naruto on his shoulder.

"Hold on… I have a few questions for you."

Tsunade stops him.

"Well… I will answer all of them. Let's talk in the room."

Izuna scratches his head.

--

Inside the room,

Bam…

Tsunade slaps her hand on the table as she questions Izuna.

"Was it you, who taught him the Rasengan? Besides Minato, Jiraiya, and Kakashi, you are the only person who knows how to use that jutsu. Minato is no longer with us… Jiraiya is out of the village and Kakashi is in Anbu, which only leaves you.

Tell me, why would you teach such a powerful jutsu to an academy student like Naruto."

Tsunade angrily questions him.

"Tsunade, when I was at Naruto's age; I had already made a name for myself in the Shinobi war and joined anbu. Compared to that teaching a jutsu is nothing."

Izuna argues with her.

"You idiot! Things were different back then. Now we are in an era of peace."

Tsunade angrily places her hands around her massive chest.

"… also what was with that Nine-tails chakra? Don't tell me you are training Naruto to control Nine-tails chakra."

"Well, about that…"

Izuna scratches his head as he explains.

"It was Minato and Kushina's wish to allow Naruto to get hold of this power. I am just helping them fulfill it."

"It's still too early for that. Let him grow first. He is still an academy student."

Tsunade argues.

"Tsunade…"

Izuna holds Tsunade's shoulder.

"… remember how I told you about an imminent threat on the shinobi world. I have to prepare Naruto for that threat."

"Well… if you say so."

Tsunade calms down and sits down. She opens the sake bottle and chugs down a mouthful.

"I trust your decision."

"So, what are your thoughts about the Hokage position?"

Izuna refills her cup.

Hmm…

Tsunade lifts her eyebrow as she stares at Izuna.

"I will return to the village. It's for Naruto's sake, I wanted to see how far can he grow for the sake of his dream. He is a fool."

"Well, at least he is a determined fool."

Izuna chuckles and pours more wine.

"I would be waiting for your return to Konoha. There is still something which I need to take care of."

Izuna grabs Naruto and stands up.

"See ya…"

Whoosh…

He disappears from their vision as he teleports out of the room.

"This guy... he is always in a hurry."

Tsunade shakes her head and chugs down another mouthful of wine.

"Shizune, we will party all night."

"Hai… Tsunade-sama."

Oink… Oink…

--

Whoosh…

Izuna reappears in Konoha. He places down Naruto on the bed and flickers towards the Hokage's Office.

Knock… knock…

Izuna knocks on the Hokage's office door.

"Come on."

An old voice greets him.

Izuna enters the room. He takes out a scroll from his pocket and places it on the table.

"Hokage-sama… I have completed the mission. Orochimaru is building a new hidden village in the Land of Sound. His motives are still unclear."

Hmm…

Hiruzen picks up the scroll and skims through it.

"Orochimaru… what are you up to this time? I hope I won't regret my decision."

"Tsunade is on her way to the village; she would return in a few weeks," Izuna informs him.

Sigh…

Hiruzen takes a deep puff from his pipe and exhales it out.

"So… it's about time for me to retire. The Will of Fire shall be passed to the future generation."

Izuna silently departs from the office, leaving Hiruzen alone.

Haah…

Hiruzen pulls out a drawer and takes out a crystal ball. He gently rubs the ball as he whispers.

"Goodbye, old friend! It's about time for us to part ways."

Hiruzen covers the crystal ball with a cloth and closes his eyes as he reminisces.

Six months passes in the blink of an eye.

Tsunade is inaugurated as the Fifth Hokage.

Inside the Hokage Office,

Tsunade is sitting on the Hokage chair as she skims through some paper works.

"Damn… I hate this paperwork. I should have never agreed to become Hokage in the first place."

She clutches the paper tightly.

"Tsunade-sama, the position of a Hokage is a big responsibility. You shouldn't slack while working."

Shizune rebukes her.

"Haah… I need a break. I want some booze."

Tsunade stretches her arms and grabs the paperwork.

"Hmm… chunnin exams are close. Konoha signed a peace treaty with Sunagakure during the Third Shinobi War so it is an excellent opportunity to further improve the relation."

Tsunade takes out a scroll from the drawer and scribbles something.

Snap…

Tsunade snaps her fingers as a messenger eagle appears on the window.

"Deliver this to Sunagakure."

Whoosh…

The eagle disappears in a distance.

Sigh…

"I have to write more letters. If only Izuna was here, I could dump some paperwork on him."

Tsunade stretches her arms and relaxes on the chair.

"Did someone mention my name?"

Whoosh…

Izuna teleports in the middle of the room.

"You are back Izuna-kun."

Shizune grabs all the papers to prevent them from flying around.

Swoosh…

Izuna tosses a scroll to Tsunade.

"It's done."

Hmm…

"That was fast."

Tsunade nods her head and opens the scroll as she reads the content.

"I never expected someone would be gutsy enough to break free a prisoner from the Hozuki Castle."

Tsunade throws the scroll on the table.

Sigh…

Izuna takes a deep breath as he closes his eyes.

'Kara is on the move already. They broke free one of their future inners from the Hozuki castle.'

The scroll rolls open to reveal the picture of the prisoner.

The picture of a tall man with a heavily built frame appears on the scroll. The man has blue eyes and a mustache.

"Boro is a rogue ninja from Iwagakure who deserted the village a few years ago. He massacred a dozen Jounin while escaping from the village. He is an expert user of the Lava Release. That old fool Onoki has to personally make a move to capture him.

Later, he was imprisoned in the Hozuki castle to never see the dawn. I wonder who freed him from the prison. The culprit must be quite skilled to be able to jailbreak Blood Prison."

Tsunade reads the details of the scroll aloud.

"Kusagakure signed an alliance with the Konohagakure during the Third Shinobi War. So, when they requested help, we had to deploy our most powerful shinobi."

Tsunade folds the scroll and places it on the table.

"I will take my leave if there is no mission for me."

Izuna opens the window and jumps out.

"Wait… I have a job for you."

Tsunade stops him.

'I could dump the responsibility of Chunnin exam on him. This way I could take a breather.'

Ahem…

Tsunade clears her throat.

"I want you to deliver this letter to Kirigakure. I heard you are 'quite' close to the Mizukage so it will be convenient for you to deliver this letter."

Tsunade smiles at him as she teases him.

"Yes, I am dating her. It has been one and a half year since we started dating."

Izuna nods his head.

"Tch… you are no fun."

Tsunade clicks her tongue.

"Then I will be on my way."

Izuna grabs the scroll and teleports out.

Haah…

"So much work to do."

Tsunade complains.

"But Tsunade-sama, Izuna-kun has been running lots of errands for you in these past six months." Shizune remarks.

"That's true, if not for him, I would be struggling with this much paperwork. Shizune let's go to Yakiniku Q tonight. I want a break."

Ahem…

"Let me check your schedule first."

Shizune clears her throat as she enters her secretory mode.

"Tsunade-sama, you have to attend the graduation ceremony of the academy in the afternoon. Then in the evening, you have an appointment with the merchants. Later at night, you have a dinner arrangement with the wife of Fire Daimyo.

So, with the schedule in mind. Tsunade-sama you don't have any free time."

Haah…

Tsunade depressingly drops her head as she mumbles.

"It's not fair. I have no free time, why did I agree to this position in the first place?"

"Tsunade-sama, Naruto would graduate today. Don't you want to see him become a genin and take his first step towards his dream?" Shizune asks Tsunade.

"Yes, I would also like to see his growth. If not for him, I wouldn't even agree to this position."

Tsunade stretches her arms and gets up from her seat.

"Let's go."

--

Inside the academy,

Naruto is lazily resting on the table with his eyes closed as he listens to the conversation.

"Hey, today is the day we graduate from the academy. I can't wait to become a Ninja."

One of the civilian boys clenches his fist and raises it in the air.

"Yes, I am pumped up. Finally, I will be able to use those cool jutsu and impress some girls." Another civilian raises his fist.

Humph…

Sasuke snorts as he calmly closes his eyes.

"A bunch of delusional kids who think the life of a Ninja is easygoing. Soon, they will understand the harsh reality when they will take their first step outside the village."

"Yes, it is very rough outside the village. Dattebyo!"

Naruto nods his head as he reminisces his experience.

"Last year, I tagged along with Izuna Nii-san on a mission. But I was kidnapped by the enemy ninjas and was held hostage."

Naruto narrates his experience to them.

"Naruto, are you okay?"

A timid and sweet voice asks him.

"Oh! nothing happened to me, Hinata. I beat those bad guys up and escaped from their grasp."

Naruto smugly folds his arms.

"Hmph… who will believe that white lie. Right Akamaru?"

Woof… woof…

Another kid with a small puppy on his head walks up to them.

"What do you mean, Kiba? You want some beating."

Naruto cracks his knuckles.

"Anytime, you knucklehead."

Woof… woof…

"Cut it out, you two. Don't bother Sasuke-kun" A blonde girl pushes them back as she approaches Sasuke.

"Ino you pig, stop hogging Sasuke for yourself."

Another girl with pink hair and a broad head pushes them.

"Damnit… why Sasuke gets all the attention."

Naruto complains.

"Shut up, Naruto." The blonde girl and pink-haired girl shouts at him.

"Shut up, you billboard brow."

The blonde girl shouts at the blonde girl. Both the girls start a verbal fight.

"Calm down, you two… Ino and Sakura."

A fat boy with a rotund build and some markings on his cheeks tries to calm them down.

"Shut up... you fatty."

Both Ino and Sakura shout at him.

"Fa… fatty… did you call me fatty?" Choji enters a trance and expands his body.

"CUT IT OUT… EVERYONE."

A loud voice interrupts them.

"Any more noise and I will kick you out of the classroom."

The newcomer yells again.

"Iruka-sensei… it's Iruka sensei."

The hustle-bustle dies down as everyone takes their seats.

Ahem…

Iruka clears his throat as he takes out a paper from the drawer of the table.

"All of you have been a part of the academy for almost three years. Now the time has come for you to finally graduate from the academy and take your first step as a Ninja."

Iruka pauses as he stares at the class for their reaction.

"I am all pumped up." Kiba raises his fists.

Woof…

"What a drag…"

Another boy raises his head for a second before closing his eyes and resting lazily on the table.

"…"

Iruka silently stares at the boy.

'All the Nara clan members are the same.'

"Ahem… anyway before you take your first step as a Ninja you have to clear the academy's graduation exam and prove your strength. Then only would you be able to wear the shinobi headband."

Iruka shakes his headband.

"Come on… Iruka-sensei, stop with your flexing and start the exam."

Naruto remarks.

Tch…

A tick mark appears on Iruka's face as he clenches his fists.

'Naruto… this boy. Though his grades aren't top-notch… he is still ranked in the top ten. As for his taijutsu and Shurikenjutsu skills, he is only second to that Uchiha boy Sasuke.'

Ahem…

"So… wasting no more of our time. I will start the first part of the exam."

Iruka takes out a stack of paper and places it on the table.

"The first part is the written-exam followed by a test of your Ninjutsu skills."

"Not this again…"

Naruto drops down his head.

"I hate this part."

"But didn't you diligently study for the past few months?"

Sasuke questions him.

"My dream is to become the Hokage and Izuna Nii-san told me to study books if I want to become the Hokage. So, I won't give up… no matter how boring these books are."

Naruto clenches his fist as a fire burns in his eyes.

"…"

"Well... if you say so."

'He is too easy.'

Sasuke nods his head.

At Kiri borders,

Whoosh…

Izuna teleports outside Kirigakure.

Hmm…

Izuna looks in a certain direction and nods his head.

"There is no need to hide."

Whoosh…

A tall figure in a black cloak flickers in front of him.

"I have something to report, Master."

A female voice falls in his ears.

Sigh…

Izuna rubs his forehead as he rebukes her.

"Wrath… just call me Captain. You don't have to call me Master."

"No…"

The figure shakes her head.

"I have nowhere to belong to. The village which I considered as my home betrayed me… the people which I considered my family backstabed me. It was at such a time that master stepped in and saved my life."

"You know, there are other ways to repay the gratitude. You don't have to pledge your life to me."

Izuna questions her.

"No… my resolve for revenge has never been this strong. A searing fury burns in my heart and it is this resolve which makes me strong."

The figure clutches her fists.

"I am Wrath."

"Well, if that's your choice, then I won't stop you. But remember this, the day you even think about betraying me would be the day you breathe your last."

Izuna's expression turns serious as he threatens her.

"That day would never come."

The figure reassures him.

"I hope so."

Izuna nods his head.

"Now, for the report."

Swoosh…

The figure passes a scroll to him.

"Master, this is what you asked me to collect."

Hmm…

Izuna makes some hand signs and infuses some chakra in the scroll.

Whoosh…

A dark red orb of chakra appears in front of him.

"Sharingan"

Izuna activates his Sharingan and inspects the chakra orb.

"Hmm… there is nothing wrong with it."

He turns towards the cloaked figure and nods his head.

"Well done, it was a wise decision to send you to Sunagakure to collect the chakra of One-tails."

Whoosh…

A dark red diamond mark appears on Izuna's palm.

'Dark Release: Chakra absorption'

Swoosh…

He absorbs the red chakra orb through the diamond mark.

"Seven down… two more to go."

He turns towards the cloaked figure and orders her.

"Wrath! Your next task is to visit the Land of Sky and monitor Ancor Vantian: the famous flying city of the Ninja world. I want you to steal a sample of chakra from the zero-tails sealed within the depths of the flying city."

Izuna tosses a scroll to wrath.

"This scroll contains the intelligence collected by the Pride. Unfortunately, he can't accompany you for this mission, he is on another important mission."

Wrath grabs the scroll and makes some hand signs.

Whoosh…

She disappears in a puff of smoke.

'I have to recruit more members. I still have no clue about Kara besides the name of their members."

Izuna rubs his forehead as he thinks about the looming threat.

"Anyway, it's time to meet with Mei."

A smile blooms on Izuna's face as he flickers towards the Kiri's entrance.

--

Inside an underground hideout,

Thump… thump…

A giant chakra tree with a giant red flower is pulsating with chakra.

"What a beautiful sight?"

A man in his early thirties with black hair and a thick beard walks in front of the tree. He has light green eyes and wears a thick glass frame with orange lenses. He is dressed in a dark-colored collared shirt and wears matching pants.

Puff…

The middle-aged takes a deep puff of smoke from his cigarette as he curiously inspects the tree.

"Wonderful"

The man readjusts his spectacle as he curiously stares at the pulsating node of chakra.

"It is still in infancy."

A deep hoarse voice breaks him from his thoughts.

Hmm…

The spectacled man nods his head and turns around to greet the newcomer.

A tall man of light complexion walks in front of the tree. The tall man sports a shaved head with a long mohawk of long black hair tied in a ponytail reaching his lower back. He has pronounced eye ridges void of brows, a broad nose, and large black eyes.

He has a diamond-shaped mark on his chin and a Roman Numerical "IV" tattooed below his left eye. He also wears five red earrings on top of each ear and an additional at the bottom of each ear.

His body is covered with a black hooded cloak with marron lining, along with the light-colored capri pants and sandals.

The man touches the tree and closes his eyes.

"I have waited so long for this moment. The God tree shall bloom once again."

The man removes his hand from the tree and turns towards the spectacled man.

"How is your progress with the body modifications coming along?"

The spectacled man adjusts his spectacles as he reports.

"I have successfully gathered the genetic material of most of the powerful shinobis. I have to perform more experiments to test the feasibility of cloning their abilities."

Hmm…

The tall man nods his head.

"What about the project involving the transfer of Kama seal? Did you see any progress?"

"Unfortunately, no…" The spectacled man shakes his head in denial.

"The body of these children is too weak to handle your power. Also, I am not an expert when it comes to ninja anatomy. There are only a few people who have the necessary knowledge to perform such a feat."

The spectacled man takes out a folder from the table and passes it to the tall man as he explains.

"There are only four people who have such knowledge. The first person is Tsunade Senju: one of the best medic-nin of the shinobi world. The second person is Izuna Uchiha: he is one of the disciples of Tsunade Senju."

He adjusts his spectacles as he continues.

"The third person is Orochimaru: one of the Sannins and the fourth and the last person is Hiruko: one of the missing-nin of Konohagakure."

Hmm…

The Tall man nods his head as he makes a Ram seal and brings it to his right eye.

"Release"

His right eye changes as eight spokes appear in it. He concentrates some chakra in his eye.

After concentrating for a moment, he turns towards the spectacle man and orders him.

"Amado… offer some benefits to Hiruko and trade for his research. If he doesn't comply, then you know what to do."

Amado nods his head and walks out of the chamber.

The tall man sits on the throne as he muses to himself.

"Kaguya, it has been almost a millennium since you betrayed me. You left me on the brink of death to die in this nameless dimension."

He clutches his fists in anger.

"A thousand years, it took me a thousand years to recover to my current state."

Huh…

Tears flow from his left eye as he touches them.

"Weak, you are nothing but a weak human, and yet your will still linger within this body. I even hate to call you as my vessel."

Bam…

He slams his palm on the armrest.

"Kaguya, did you honestly thought you would get rid of me? You thought that this entire world is dancing on the palm of your hands."

The tall man stretches out his hand as a projection of God tree appears in it.

"You are nothing but a sacrifice meant for the sake of clan."

Thump… thump…

The dark red chakra continues to pulsate through the veins of the God tree.

The tall man stands from his seat and stands in front of the tree.

"The chakra fruit was meant to be harnessed with your sacrifice."

The tall man lifts his head and stares at the moon.

"Pathetic… you are sealed by the power of your very own creation."

Thump… Thump…

The God tree continues to pump more chakra.

"But the plan has to continue and what makes a better fodder than your very own descendants."

Haha…

The tall man laughs hysterically as he places his hand on his right eye.

"Release"

Eight spokes appear in his eye as he stares at the God tree.

"Otsutsuki clan don't need any bastards in such a remote place. All of them are nothing but fodder in my eyes.

The Senju clan, the Uzumaki clan, the Kaguya clan; all of them turned into fertilizers for the God tree. I failed to do so with the Uchiha clan, but there will always be an opportunity.

Once the God tree blooms and bears a chakra fruit; the Otsutsuki clan shall be the only supreme clan. Until then…"

Whoosh…

The tall man disappears from the underground chamber.

--