Chapter 32
The past month has certainly been different, if Naruto could say.
Things has been working differently, but he could say it had to do with the changes that have imposed themselves upon his life since the whole issue with Mikoto started. Things were not bad to say the least.
They were actually good, far much better than he would have expected.
His mother was getting along with Mikoto but most of their talk was baby this and baby that. Kushina was just excited as Mikoto was about the pregnancy. His mother had calmed down a bit, so Naruto appreciated that part.
She was even willing to leave him in a room with Mikoto without trying to eavesdrop on them.
It could be argued that she had worked out her anger issues about Mikoto's betrayal. There was no other way that she could have gone about things anyway. She had to accept it.
The only person who seemed to be struggling was Yugao. Whilst Naruto hasn't talked to her about it and didn't want to entertain the thought too much, it was apparent that she had some less beautiful thoughts about the fetus inside Mikoto. Trying to understand those emotions would complicate things for Naruto. He wasn't actively ignoring them as he would before; it was something that he needed to deal with before it became a major problem.
Ino punched Naruto on his left shoulder, seeing him lost in his thoughts once more. The two were walking within the streets of the Hidden Leaf, coming from a good restaurant that sells nice food. She often pulled Naruto into those shops to avoid eating ramen for lunch every day when she was with him.
Since Sai was away, he was sticking around her a lot to account for her training.
Ino wasn't complaining about it.
She was just happy that he was at least fulfilling his promise to train her. Even though this time around, it was for his purpose, she was still being trained. Besides, this kind of job wasn't all that bad at all. She had accepted the offer at first because she realized it would get her closer to Naruto again, just as they were before other people came into Naruto's life.
That had not happened, but she had ended up enjoying her little time with Sai and a few moments with Naruto.
"You're getting lost in your thoughts again." Ino said to Naruto with a look on her face. "Thinking about becoming daddy?" She asked with a smile–it was a somewhat bitter smile.
"Something like that." Naruto said. "I'm a bit concerned about Sai though. It has been a full month and there has been no contact at all. Well, not really, but the contact has stopped. Considering that we had already narrowed down Orochimaru's hideouts, tracking him shouldn't be all that difficult if Sai was also working with Jiraiya's people."
Really, he hadn't expected this silence from the black haired shinobi. He was thinking of going out himself to see what was really happening. He could follow Sai's trail and hunt him down. It would be a problem if he has been captured by the snake Sannin. Naruto was positive that the snake already knew that Sai worked for him and given the last encounter, the snake would probably take measures to meet him.
Well, it wasn't a problem because he wanted to see the snake. The danger was that it would be on Orochimaru's terms. Well, he just hoped that if things came up to that, Orochimaru would allow his arrogance to get the best of him. It was within reason to believe that Orochimaru would assume that he would come with Sasuke and taking into account the snake's fascination with the Uchiha, he would use that opportunity to make his move.
"Are you worried about Sai, Naruto?" Ino asked with a shocked look on her face.
Perhaps a little bit dramatic but she thought it was deserved given that the blond hardly showed he valued Sai's life to the point of worrying about his safety. If there was anything Naruto worried about concerning Sai, it was what the black haired knew about the blond's activities.
Naruto turned to look at Ino, giving her a look.
"Sarcasm?" He asked rhetorically. "Sai is an important part of things and I cannot afford to lose him. I doubt Orochimaru would kill him if he captured him though. The snake is the type of vermin that likes to keep his toys alive, just so he can dissect them to see what makes them tingle."
"Well, your dislike of Orochimaru is something I can confirm." Ino said. "It's really surprising that you can hate though. Aren't you afraid of losing yourself?"
Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly. "What are you getting at?"
"What?" Ino asked with a smile. "You think Sai doesn't tell me the 'little' things about you? Besides that, how long have I known you, Naruto? When did I even term you my black knight?" Ino paused before saying. "You have stopped yourself from hating because if you do, it could trig-"
"Ino." Naruto said, cutting off the blonde Yamanaka. "You should join us on that mission. It will show you a couple of things about just how corrupted some humans are. We will take you through some of Orochimaru's hideouts so that you can see the world in the same eyes that we do. You need to understand the reason we do the things that we do."
"What else don't I know about this world?"
"So many things, Ino." Naruto said in a firm tone. "I need to get my mission with Tsunade done, though."
"I wish I could leave with you. I've gotten used to being in your company these days besides, I'd like some fresh air and the site of the sea. When are you going to take me there anyway?" Ino asked.
"Soon. I'll be gone by tomorrow morning, are you going to cope with everything on your own? You will be dealing with those people since Sai and I won't be available. Well, you don't have to worry about your safety though. They were difficult to understand, they good people." Naruto said.
Ino rolled her eyes. "Good people? Don't you think I have dealt with them when with Sai?"
Naruto shrugged. "I'm just saying. We don't want anything going wrong because of your inexperience." The blond said.
"Come on; we don't have all day. I must be home a bit early today."
Later that day
"How long do you think you can keep the truth hidden?" Yugao asked Naruto. She was staring at the blond, they were in their room within the Senju compound.
Naruto didn't have to ask to know that Yugao was talking about Mikoto.
Anyone who cared to know would soon find out what Uchiha Mikoto was pregnant. The only question that would need to be answered would be who the father of the child is. Once it becomes known, it wouldn't take long for people to start making calculations and come up with some wild guesses as well as correct guesses that would be treated as rumors.
It would not be a good thing for Mikoto. Given his experience with the villagers, Naruto was certain that the woman would suddenly find herself alone within the village. Yes, he could see her walking along the streets with whispers starting behind her. People would be looking at her with so many questions, but nothing would be said to her.
At least that would be the only difference between her and him and Mikoto's whispers would not be out of hatred but curiosity getting the best of people.
Naruto had thought that it would be possible to keep his part in it a secret but it seemed unlikely, not with the way things were going. He already had an existing relationship with the woman. It wouldn't take long for people to start making conclusions and gossip to fill up the streets.
One person who will be disgusted by the rumors will certainly be Sasuke. Well, at least now that he was busy with Anbu, he wouldn't have much time to spend on the streets to hear about it. Anbu worked differently and since Naruto has graced that world before, he was sure that those people would not react in the same way as the people in the streets.
"I'm not trying to hide it. I had thought of it, but it is impossible. I'm just not going to announce it to everyone." Naruto said in a calm tone. "Should this really be something we ought to discuss?"
Yugao stared into Naruto's eyes for a long minute. "Maybe not, but it bothers me. So, I can't help myself."
"Is this why you pushed for my mother to suggest that Mikoto and I stop our relationship?" Naruto asked. There was no emotion in his tone to suggest he was either mildly angry or just disappointed about it. He didn't leave anything to reveal his thoughts on the matter and Yugao couldn't read anything from his expression.
"You were going to end it, so what is the big deal?" She asked.
Naruto shook his head. "Don't get behind my mother like that. You shouldn't even feel threatened like that. You know you will always be a part of my life. I don't have the guts to kick you out because of my fears. To be honest, if I was thinking of cutting you off, I'd have to kill you in the process because I'd be afraid of your revenge, even if you show no signs of it, but chances can't be taken. In any case, this is it. Mikoto isn't going anywhere but neither are you. The difference is that she is carrying my child. I care for you and this shouldn't make you feel anything contrary."
"The first words you said don't make me happy." Yugao said. "I don't even want to know what those words suggest because I don't think you understand them clearly." She said with a shake of her head. "I do feel a bit unloved these days though. You spend your days getting all close to Ino with her training and when Mikoto comes, you're all quick to bring out the red carpet for her."
Naruto raised an eyebrow when he digested those words fully. "Do you hear yourself, woman? Ino is temporary and I even asked you if you were willing to join us in the training to teach Ino Kenjutsu since you're better at it than me. I have not even been giving Mikoto any special treatment, but things have not been the same, that I can admit. You can't expect me to treat her the same way as before, anyway."
Yugao smiled. "You're quick to give reasons. Well, the fact that you're willing to reason is a good thing." She said with a nod. "How long is your stay in Kiri going to be?"
"Not long." Naruto said. "I'm going with Tsunade, so she won't take much time away from the village. My return will depend on what I learn along the journey. I still need to deal with Orochimaru. I cannot be at peace with myself knowing that he is still out there."
Yugao was silent for a few moments before speaking. "Your intolerance of his existence has reached a new level." She noted.
"Well, I don't like him either. He does despicable things. If you deal with him, what will be left?"
"A few loose ends…" Naruto said.
He still needed to get his hands on the Uchiha bastard as well as work around a few things with Nagato. The man needed to be given some sort of an assurance for his dream or otherwise, they would be looking at another Akatsuki fight.
"We can finally settle down if you do that, right?" Yugao asked. "No more talk about killing someone, just normal lives…We can have that, right?"
Naruto wasn't going to lie, thus he did not respond.
It was never going to be normal for him.
He was a shinobi living in a world infested by flawed and corrupted humans who could do no right. They never learned from their mistakes. Well, if he does manage to get things flowing in the way he wants, he could rest, but that wasn't for now. It would take years for his dream to materialize, but he wasn't impatient.
The following day
Tsunade could not tell what had possessed her to say that Naruto alone was enough for her protection. She wasn't travelling with her personal guards but just the blond.
She didn't think that Naruto would do anything bad and with the knowledge that the Akatsuki was no more, she felt that the world was a little safe. Besides, she had been roaming around the Elemental Nations without any guards before no one had dared attack because of her status as a Sannin.
She was more than just a Sannin now.
Safety wasn't an issue, she was most concerned with working out things with the Mizukage. She wanted to hold talks that would be fruitful for both Kiri and Konohagakure. Naruto may have other reasons, the Godaime wanted to form an open relationship with other Kages.
This journey interested her more as a medic because of what Kiri could offer her. the village was rich in natural herbs that could be used for medical purposes. Tsunade wanted to get her hands on that and not only that, but form an alliance with the Hidden Mist. Perhaps she could form a strong relationship with the woman as she has with Gaara.
Her thoughts aside, the Godaime was hopping through the trees with Naruto just beside her. Thinking of the blond, Tsunade came to an abrupt halt causing Naruto to do the same.
Naruto looked at Tsunade curiously. he could not say that she had sensed something because he could sense anything and there was no feeling of danger within the atmosphere which made him curious as to why she halted in their movements. They had a ship to catch, so they could not take any unnecessary stops.
"If I was a paranoid person, I'd be on my guard now, thinking this was all a ploy to get rid of me. Who better of a bait than the Godaime Hokage…" Naruto said looking directly at the blonde Hokage.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow when Naruto said those words. "The fact that you even thought of something like that means you are paranoid…"
Naruto tilted his head to the side. "Perhaps, but I'd to think of myself as a careful person." The blond said. "Why have we stopped? You can't be tired; it has only been a couple of hours since we departed from Konoha."
Tsunade stared at the blond. Was he even hearing what he was saying?
A couple of hours?
Tsunade almost laughed. A normal person would be worn out from running for a couple of hours and he was saying that running for a couple of hours shouldn't tire her? Not everyone was a stamina freak.
There was no balance with him, was there? Uzumaki were already energetic people and much more stamina than normal people and he had to become a Jinchuriki as well. How abnormal could one become? Tsunade wasn't going to complain how unfair it was for other people, but she had the urge to remind the blond that he wasn't like other people.
"Unlike you some of us have normal bodies…" Tsunade said. Besides, she wasn't getting any younger.
She wasn't as active as she had been in her youthful days.
Naruto was still a teenage boy–he had a lot of energy to spare.
"You're recognized as the best medic in all of the Elemental Nations, one would think you'd come with a way to keep your stamina level ups by burning less energy when you run. When you have better control over your chakra, you learn of ways to use less of it even on the things that would normally drain you. I'd think for a medic, you'd think of many ways to make yourself super…"
"I'm not Orochimaru." Tsunade said.
For something like that, she would have to experiment, not on just herself but on other people as well. Tsunade wasn't that kind of a person. Orochimaru wouldn't have a problem. Tsunade could not even begin think of how many experiments the snake has done to himself all in the name of living a longer life.
"I didn't say you were…" Naruto said with a wave of his hand. "There are many ways to go around that issue without experimenting on people to get results..."
He paused for a moment before asking a question he asked earlier. "Why have we stopped? I'm getting the feeling that it isn't because you're tired."
Tsunade was a little tired but she could still go on for another hour or so. In any case, that wasn't the reason she had stopped. There was something that had clicked in her head when she thought of Naruto and his abilities. "Why are you wasting time travelling all the way to Kiri when you can just teleport?"
Naruto stared for a moment; it wasn't that the thought was just crossing his mind. He knew what he could do and what he could not do. He was just surprised that it had taken Tsunade this long to bring it up. She had knew he could use the Hiraishin and had been to Kiri before–she could have thought of this before they even left Konoha. In fact, when she made the decision to go to Kiri with him, she should have thought of it.
He had thought the reason she wasn't bringing any of her personal guards was because she had planned on them teleporting to Kiri instead of travelling like normal shinobi, not normal people.
"You're becoming complacent on your safety because you think that the Akatsuki is gone, so there is no more threat." Naruto said.
It was a thought that just came to is mind thinking of the current situation; there was no other reason that could explain why Tsunade would be fine with just him in a journey across the Fire country.
"All should be fine unless there is something both you and Jiraiya are not telling me." Tsunade said.
"Don't be naïve, Tsunade." Naruto said in firm tone. "You were not born yesterday, so you should know that the world was still trouble before the Akatsuki came along. there is always someone plotting something. As long as Shinobi continue to be easily corrupted by greed and the thirst for more power, you can never stop looking over your shoulder. You should be the one teaching me this, Godaime, between you and me, you're the one with the most experience."
After listening to those words, Tsunade shook her head.
She didn't like that Naruto could still talk to her like a child. But she had not forgotten the kind of world she was living in. She could not forget not when she had lived past a bloody war and lost so many people.
"The threat I considered when taking my decision was on my person. Not everyone will be willing to attack me. Besides, I'm not weak as the Feudal Lords that I need someone else to protect me. Not mention that you are a capable shinobi yourself…" Tsunade said calmly.
"There is still some mystery about just how powerful you are really. Sasuke I know can cause much destruction, but you are a different matter altogether. I know you can use the Kyubi's chakra, wind element is your best and you can still use other elements; you have large amounts of chakra and you use Kenjutsu, genjutsu and Fuinjutsu. Tell me, what can't you do?"
Naruto tilted his head to the side. "A lot of things." The blond said but didn't divulge much details about it.
He took a step closer to the Godaime and held out his right hand. "We are only skipping the seal. Once we reach the Land of Water, we will still have to travel to the Mist as I did not mark anything in that village."
"Why not?"
"I did not learn this jutsu to make travelling easier." Naruto responded calmly.
"Shall we?"
Later that day
Kirigakure
This was the first time Tsunade was stepping into the Village Hidden in Mist.
She had travelled to many nations in her gambling days but never to this side of the Elemental Nations. Perhaps it was because it was never safe to come to this side. There were always bloody troubles that were within this village due to its massive bloodline users.
It was much better than what she had expected to see from this village. For a village she thought to be only stronger than Sunagakure, it was in a much better situation than the Sand. It also felt rather peaceful, a bit cold, but the atmosphere was wonderful.
"This village is rather pleasant." Tsunade managed to say.
"Had it not been embroiled in a civil war back then, you'd have found a perfect safe haven in your days of self-exile. Well, that would be until you're in massive debt and everyone else in the village is looking for you. With its bloody history, I doubt you'd have survived…" Naruto said to Tsunade as they walked towards the Mizukage tower, flanked by two shinobi from the Hidden Mist and Ao leading the way.
Tsunade shot a glare toward Naruto for a second before shaking her head.
"You're not funny."
"I wasn't trying to be funny. Your past actions do amuse me though. Nothing is funny about it considering the circumstances, but thinking of your stature, it seems a little amusing." Naruto said calmly. "Jiraiya wouldn't agree with me on that note, but who cares anyway?" He paused before changing the subject.
"How long do we have in this village?"
"It depends on how things go but it won't be for longer than three days." Tsunade said. "You in a hurry for something else?"
"I need to find Sai, fast, and sort out this Orochimaru issue. The more the days pile up, the more something inside of me grows. I find his existence slightly intolerable, and as the days go on, something inside of me twists and turns."
Tsunade shook her head. She did not mind that the blond was talking something like this in front of Kiri shinobi – it wasn't like their business was a secret anyway. Naruto's dislike of Orochimaru was something that she was familiar with. He handled himself well, and a foreign person would not tell that the resentment went so deep that to say he hated Orochimaru was a massive understatement.
If Orochimaru does disappear, the shinobi world would be a little safer and there wouldn't be more people suffering because of his actions. Her sensei should have done something when he had the chance, but he could not do anything against his beloved student.
"Is it simply because of your dislike of him?" Tsunade asked.
Naruto adopted a thoughtful look for a couple of seconds before responding. "Well, you can say that it is something I owe the Sandaime. Regardless of how much I grew to resent his manipulation, the old man was still important to me. Orochimaru was responsible for everything. It isn't revenge, I feel that the old man failed to do something about him, so I will do something…And you add your own cents into the equation."
Tsunade shook her head. She could never fully understand the blond. There were parts of him that she understood but some parts were just a mystery. The problematic thing went with his planning. With growth, he was involving from thinking about other things rather than just his mother. Tsunade reckoned it to be a problem.
He would have been much better in his little bubble, thinking of only his mother.
Well growth wasn't entirely a bad thing.
The Slug princess didn't say anything else as they neared the Mizukage tower. Naruto didn't say anything either. The rest of the walk was just silence along the way. Tsunade didn't mind the silence, it actually gave her some time to organise her thoughts before meeting Mei, the Godaime Mizukage.
Tsunade smiled when the warm smile of the her host greeted her as soon as she entered the office of the Kage.
"Hokage-dono." Mei said with a smile. "It is a pleasure to finally see you in person. I didn't think that you'd actually come to me though, given my village's standing."
There could be no doubt that Konoha was the strongest Hidden Village – it has reigned since its formation as the strongest village. Mei hadn't thought the leader of such a village would be willing to leave the comfort of her office just to try to talk her into an alliance when there were other players out there.
Kiri would be the one to gain more from the alliance, so why had the woman decided to come here instead of waiting for her to appear in Konoha? It couldn't be because of Naruto, could it? There had to be some reason behind this move. Mei was nevertheless glad that the Godaime was here.
"As powerful as Konoha is, it still needs other villages to survive." Tsunade said before passing on her greetings to the Mizukage. "Besides, with the likes of him lurking in the shadows, you cannot be too careful." She said pointing at the blond beside her.
Mei looked at Naruto for a moment before laughing. "Well, you're certainly right about that." She said before showing Tsunade where to sit.
"He is an interesting person who likes moving things."
Tsunade nodded. "I thought I'd pull my weight this time around just to make sure he isn't running another game. Well, I doubt he will do that now anyway." The Godaime said, smiling. "Aside trying to get away from the Leaf to get some fresh air, I also wanted to see another Kage as well as venture into your mountains to look at some plants."
Mei tilted her head to the side. "You're a medic…Not surprising you'd go for that." She said before looking at Naruto. "A pleasure to see you again, Naruto."
"The pleasure is mine, Mei." Naruto responded with a smile of his own.
"I'm sure you're tired… I would be willing to have someone show you a hotel to rest for a while and someone will fetch you later on for dinner at my place. You can also use the time to see the village. Tomorrow, I can take you where you want to go before we get to discuss matters…" Mei suggested in a calm tone.
"Is that acceptable?"
Tsunade nodded. "Yes."
"One more thing; I'm curious about his abilities. I figured last time around he would not agree to it if I suggested it but since you are here…How about a sparring session between him and one of my own? We can say this is a match to start a friendship between Konoha and Kiri." Mei said.
"Not a bad idea." Tsunade said with a nod.
Naruto shook his head; Tsunade has certainly grown too comfortable around to say anything that came to her mind. Well, she had no reason to worry and this was something that he wished for when he started his interactions with her. It wasn't actually a bad thing, but he didn't like knowing where her confidence came from.
It really felt as if the woman had a hold on him, but of course, Tsunade wasn't like the Sandaime or that crippled he got rid of with Itachi. She would not try to pull strings to get him to do certain things. She must know that the moment she tries something like that, he was going to stop smiling with her, who knows, he might consider her an enemy and put her in the same position as Danzo.
Thinking about this, Naruto realized that it wasn't really easy for someone to handle him.
He was trouble.
Well, as long as people respected the boundaries, all would be well.
Everyone agreed that Danzo was a corrupt junky who could not be trusted with Konoha. That war-loving maniac would have turned Konoha into an oppressing empire that sought to control every nation…The thoughts trailed when Naruto reflected on himself.
He was actually trying to do the same thing, wasn't he? Well he was being subtle with it and would not do it through blood shed. There was a difference between what he was trying to do and what Danzo would have done. Naruto nodded inwardly, comparing himself to that man was just wrong. He would not deny being a hypocrite, but he was still not doing the same as what Danzo tried to do.
Naruto would not say his reasons were just and good for the Elemental Nations. It would be a l-
The blond was pulled from his thoughts by Mei's voice. "Lost in thought? I wonder, what are you thinking about?"
Naruto stared at the woman for a second before giving an honest response.
"I was just thinking about what influences my ideals: I'm certainly not a just or righteous person and my decisions are not always objective. I am highly subjective in my decisions. Well, I have people like you to pull me into line when I stray…"
The Following Day
Naruto looked at his royal cloak for a moment, thinking about whether to take it off or fight with it. Deciding, he took off his beloved cloth and sealed it away before looking at Ao with an expressionless face. He didn't say anything to the man but turned towards the Mizukage.
"Just one?" He asked. "Is this going to be enough?"
Mei blinked before shaking her head. "For now, yes. If you get by without any trouble, I wouldn't have any problem in joining in as well. It has been long since I moved about the battlefield anyway. I would also like to show the Godaime Hokage a bit of my skills. I think if it is against someone like you, I cannot be accused of fighting someone lesser."
Naruto smiled. "You think too highly of me but I will try not to disappoint you." He said before turning to Ao.
"This is a sparring session, but I will not take it easy. This meaning that you will spend the rest of the day in the hospital."
Ao scoffed.
The brat was underestimating him. He did since that the blond was strong, but to underestimate him like this was an insult to his abilities as Mei's right hand man and his pride as a shinobi. He could not allow the blond to talk like that and get away with it.
"I will allow my skills to do the talking for me." Ao said as he took a stance.
Naruto tilted his head to the side before addressing Mei while staring at Ao. "I know I said I won't hold back, but what are the limits?"
If they did not put limits to him, he would be allowed to let loose of the Kyubi's power. It wasn't his power but he was still able to use and he could crush opponents with it. If they put limits on him, he could avoid using. Well, he hasn't always used the power unless a situation really called for it. He would not really need to go that far unless he wanted to end the fight in a second…
"You're a Jinchuriki, so no using your Bijuu's power…"
"I doubt that is going to make a difference." Tsunade said. "I have read records of all his major fights. He doesn't normally use the Kyubi's power and in most cases he has used it, it was either he needed healing or when he was facing a mountain that could not be taken down by normal means. Aside from that, he depends on his own power."
Upon hearing that, Mei smiled. It was a rare trait from a Jinchuriki. Most of them depended on their Bijuu's power. Well, it wasn't foolish. Why keep an explosive power that could wipe out an entire army when you could use it? It wasn't like using it killed the host anyway.
Naruto held out his right hand and waved it twice. Small gusts of wind picked up for a couple of seconds, but nothing happened. He was merely just testing the wind around him. It wasn't as strong as in other lands, meaning he would have to use more of his chakra but it wasn't a problem.
His sword appeared on the right hand in a puff of smoke and then he lunged head on toward Ao with the blade cutting through the ground. It was done purposefully to draw Ao's attention. The man merely readied himself by taking out a kunai and standing his ground as the blond charged toward him.
When Naruto got closer, the blade drifted from the ground, heading upwards on the blond's right side. Ao didn't need his Byakugan to see the sword coming–it was made obvious to him. He aligned his kunai to block the sword. However, in the last second when the sword was about to collide with his kunai, wind chakra flashed through the sword.
The wind-enhanced sword cut through the kunai and as it was cutting through, Naruto's left hand was forming a Rasengan – the Rasengan was charged the man's head.
Ao jumped back as soon as he sensed the danger, but the wind blade was still able to cut through his chest. It only cut his cloth, not the flesh.
Naruto didn't attack again, he merely stood still as his Rasengan dispersed as well as the wind on his blade.
"You're a sensor. Coupled with your Byakugan, you're really something else…" Naruto stated. "However, you're not who fights on the front lines are you?"
Ao blinked before shaking his head. "How can you tell?"
"I allowed my sword touch the ground on purpose."
Ao was silent for a couple of seconds before responding. "So, you wanted to test my concentration, reflexes as well as my senses. All three …"
"What I have realized with a fight is that it isn't always won by those with better physical prowess but at times those who use their heads in a fight can win. You won't normally throwing me jutsus just for the sake of it, and I know a couple of them. But I don't usually show them because they are often not necessary…" Naruto paused.
"I'd like to show you something…"
The moment those words left his mouth, Naruto's sword disappeared in a puff of smoke and the blond started doing fast hand seals.
Naruto stopped doing hand seals and then held out his right hand, it open palm facing his opponent. It didn't take long for Ao to widen his eyes when his Byakugan viewed the nearly invisible swords floating in front of Naruto. They swords were undoubtedly wind based and he could see at least 30; the swords were long and doubled edged.
"I don't boast about my abilities, but I don't think there is anyone who manipulates the wind element to such an extent as I can." The blond stated calmly.
"It isn't the first time that I have seen ability like that." Ao said firmly.
However, truth be told. The abilities he saw before were usually just the formation of wind Shurikens and enhancing multiple blades with wind chakra. This appeared slightly different but it was still nothing shocking. If someone could make Shuriken out of wind chakra, then it wasn't impossible for someone else to create blades out of wind chakra.
"The key word there is 'like'" Naruto said with a shake of his head. "You have not seen this, and I will show you why."
The moment he said those words, five swords sped towards Ao. The words were moving at an incredible speed but they were not impossible to dodge. Ao didn't try to dodge them because he really didn't know what he was dealing with. In response, the man held out a single hand seal and summoned a water all to try to block the swords.
However, the moment the swords neared the water wall, the suddenly changed path's; two went to the left, two more to the right and the last one took the upward direction. Naruto snapped his fingers and the swords multiplied in the blink of an eye. When they did that, they halved in size, they that didn't make them less of a danger.
Naruto waved his right hand and the swords charged at Ao once more in all directions, not giving a chance to escape. The swords seemingly charged pierced through the man, but Ao suddenly exploded into a puddle of water.
Naruto didn't appear concerned.
Ao appeared from the side, dashing towards Naruto's left hand side. Naruto didn't give the man a look, not even the slightest did he look as if he had sensed the man. Ao was upon him within seconds, the man drove a hard punch towards the side of his head. Naruto's left hand blurred to the side, waving along a blast of wind as it moved. The wind slammed into the side of Ao, knocking him towards Naruto's front.
Naruto motioned for the blades behind Ao to move; six blades sped through the air in the blink of an eye before piercing through Ao's back and knees, causing the man to cry in pain as he fell down the ground. Ao cursed the blond as the pain hit through his body, bloody starting to leak out.
Naruto snapped his fingers allowing the wind blades to disperse. "I didn't need to move to do that. Of course, there are limits and it cannot work on every opponent."
Ao didn't offer a response, he was busy trying to stop himself from bleeding to death. the wounds were not fatal to kill him, but if he kept bleeding, he would suffer from blood loss unless he chose to take one those soldier pills.
Tsunade stepped forward and knelt beside the man, helping him with his wounds. Mei also closed the distance, she didn't appear as if she was going to fight; her hands were folded across her burst with a curious masking the look on her face.
"It takes time to cast the jutsu and the concentration required must be high." Mei stated after she had analysed the jutsu the blond had used. "I didn't think it isn't that you didn't have to move, it could be that you could not move when that jutsu is activated. That would explain why you say the jutsu cannot work on every opponent."
Naruto smiled. "That is an interesting analysis, Mei." The blond said but he did not go as far as to confirm whether what the woman was saying true or not; he left that for her to conclude. He wasn't that simple to give answers about his abilities in such a careless manner, even if Mei wasn't an enemy.
"Are you satisfied?"
Tsunade was quick to respond. "Of course, not!" She said in a loud and firm tone. "You took a short cut to the fight. I was expecting you to move about a little and throw a bit of fireworks."
Naruto tilted his head to the side. "You said you have read my battle reports, so you should know that I don't spend too much time in a fight unless the opponent is proving to be troublesome. If I get a chance to drop you down just in the first move, I will take it. You should know; I don't fight for the thrill of it."
"With such power, why not? People don't struggle to gain that much power and never use it without enjoying themselves. I have to say, I sometimes enjoy a good sparring session."
Naruto looked up into the sky for a moment before responding. "There are certain things I have limited myself from experiencing because of the dangers that could appear if I go through that. I have so many reasons to fight or even cause destruction. I have the jutsus to do so, but I limit myself from using them because I know myself. Besides, I have learned that it isn't necessary to use force in every situation. Words are just as powerful, depending on who is saying them. Regardless, words can have a deep impact, an impact that jutsus cannot have. I don't have to be a force of nature for my message to get through."
Tsunade stared at the blond for a couple of seconds before shaking her head. Naruto was a strange person, but at least she was beginning to understand parts of him and getting along with him seemed to be moving ahead just fine. She didn't even have to hide anything from him–they were open like that or at least trying to be like that.
Even with those thoughts, Tsunade knew that there was a frightening darkness within Naruto. She wasn't the only one who was aware of that darkness and by the look of things–her new 'friend' seemed to be aware of it as well. Well, at least with his family safe in Konoha, Naruto could be kept in check.
There was no need to worry about him losing it.
The Godaime prayed for the sake of Konoha and the rest of the Elemental Nations that no one gets a crazy thought to attack those close to Naruto. Because if someone decides to do so, Naruto's resentment towards other people or as he would say 'humans'...
As if he wasn't a human himself.
Would become apparent for all to see.
Later
Naruto had not gone around to the mountains with the two Kages–he had remained behind, viewing the Village Hidden in Mist once more.
It was always an interesting thing trying to study humans of a different land. He always wanted to know more about other humans. They were a peculiar specie that had varying masks and often a complex behaviour that often left him baffled. Sometimes humans did some things that he could not just fathom, and such actions made it hard to fully understand some humans.
That didn't mean that he didn't get why people do what they do. Humans were predictable in the way that you knew the reasons they did some things. It could either be love, hatred, jealousy or even a spare of the moment thing. There were people who could stab someone in the back simply because they felt like it at that moment. Such people were heartless.
Naruto would not judge anyone because he too had his flaws and some of them were just blatant for all to see. Well, he did not try to the perfect person for anyone in this world. The humans he saw outside of his cycle would be irrelevant if their actions didn't affect him or the mood of the Elemental Nations. If it was possible to just ignore them, still being a shinobi, Naruto would have done so a long time ago.
Nevertheless, he could not just brush them aside because everywhere he went; they were there with their thoughts–good and bad.
At least things appeared to be moving in the right direction; he was moving closer to casting his imposing shadow around the leaders of the Elemental Nations. If he could do that, he could manage the flow of things with humans and then try to ensure that they behave in a fitting way.
At this stage, humans were still some nasty creatures that could not be trusted. Of course, there were good people out there. His travels had taught him that much. Even so, with humans you could never know. People's emotions could flip within seconds. He just needed to be in a position to 'influence' how things work in the Elemental Nations.
Naruto wasn't too worried about the other people though. There were still some humans whose were truly intolerable.
"Who are you thinking of killing?" Mei asked as she walked towards Naruto–who was sitting at the rooftop of the Kage tower, by himself.
The Mizukage quietly sat down beside the blond.
Once settled, she cast her eyes over to the village she led.
Naruto glanced over to the Mizukage for a moment before staring into the empty space ahead. There were times he wished he were one of those creepy humans who liked to keep their eyes closed to avoid other people looking into them.
Naruto was very capable of hiding his emotions, but he had his moments, and for someone who knew the darker parts of him, it was a little problematic in dealing with them.
Then again, people who knew about that side of him knew because he had allowed them to see it. Other people saw nothing. Whilst he was no saint, the darker side of Uzumaki Naruto was a much more frightening part that could bath this world in darkness if provoked to do so.
"I'll have you know that my thoughts are not that bloody."
Well at least these days.
Back then, when his faith in humans was close to non-existent, there had been many bloody thoughts. He had entertained the thought of going on a killing spree to reduce the human population after all.
Mei smiled upon hearing that response. "Well, surprising…But I can somewhat understand." The woman said. "So, what was his Majesty thinking about?"
Naruto glanced over to the woman once more. "His Majesty?" He asked. "I don't believe I have done anything that warrants such, Mei. I will admit I treat myself a lot better and behave in a different way, but there hasn't been anything I've done to suggest I see myself as a king."
"No, not yet." Mei said in a slightly serious tone. "It has all been in your thoughts. I don't know much about you, but I can understand that you at least see yourself as more than just a flawed human. Meaning, you are above 'humans.' From what Tsunade said to me, I guess you have given yourself that position to lord over us as our King because we are flawed creatures before your sight and thus must be shown how to live right."
Naruto's response wasn't immediate. "You appear to have talked a lot with Tsunade." He said but said nothing more about it. Instead, he responded to the Mizukage's earlier question. "I was thinking about things…My eyes see far ahead than what most people see. Maybe your eyes are only seeing just after the borders of this village, but for me, there is no limit. Every area in the Elemental Nations concerns me. There may be lands I have no affiliation with whatsoever but I still feel what happens in them concerns me." He paused for a second as he thought of what Mei had just said. "Oh, maybe you are right. But I haven't looked at things as I have a superiority complex. I certainly don't these other people as my subjects."
"Perhaps not…" Mei said before falling silent for a couple of seconds. "We ended up sorting things with the Godaime Hokage. I think what is left is just holding some formal negotiations. She has said you will complete those, but we have talked over everything."
Naruto wasn't surprised. "I guess that is one part done."
And this was the easiest part.
There were other major overwhelming forces that he needed to think about. Dealing with Kumo would be slightly difficult since he didn't talk nicely to the Raikage the last time out. Well, it couldn't have been helped, the man's arrogance that just bothered him that much. in any case, a clean conversation with the Raikage wasn't impossible.
He could put his mind to it and work out a way to deal with the Raikage. At least the man was reasonable unlike the Tsuchikage. Naruto wasn't even going to try to talk to that old man.
Yes, talking to such a stubborn old man wouldn't make him hold back his tongue. He was likely to say something that would have the old man sending delegates to the Hidden with demands for him to offer his most humble apologies.
Tsunade wasn't likely going to cave for that; she wasn't someone you could push around. Well, he could not say like the Sandaime. Naruto had learned never to underestimate the old man. Every move was a calculation. So, even if he could cave in to such a situation, there would be no telling what he was plotting inside the manipulative head of his.
"What is the next part?" Mei asked curiously.
"I need to have some existence removed from this world. then I will think of what to do next." Naruto said.
"You thinking of killing some people…" Mei said.
Well, she hadn't been wrong to say that he had been thinking of killing someone when she appeared. At this stage, Mei didn't want to know who the blond wanted to kill.
"Is that the kind of path you want to follow?"
"Orochimaru is hardly a path…" Naruto said, knowing where the woman was going. "I know what I have said, but don't take everything I say and think I will apply it. I sometimes say some things just for the sake of saying them or because it is what I am thinking. In any case, this is really nothing compared to my past thoughts; there had been times I thought this world would be much better if there were only a couple of humans living within it."
For a moment, Mei lost the colour in her face. Naruto didn't have to spell it out for her, but she understood that it meant genocide. There were millions of people in this world and with Naruto saying 'a couple of humans' was truly a major downsize of the population, hence she thought of genocide.
Well, if she had any doubts about the dark side of the man, those doubts were now cast to the side. When Naruto said he did fear the other side of himself he meant it. It was a little frightening since nobody even knew just how powerful he was.
Perhaps that was the thing with him–most of his dangerous abilities remained hidden, the harder it would be to deal with them should he become an enemy.
"Do you think a day will come where you will be my enemy?" Mei asked in a curious tone.
"I don't know, but from the bottom of my heart, I hope such a day never comes."
"Me too." Mei said with a smile. "I like these little moments."
"Me too." Naruto said with a nod of his head. "You're the only one I can talk to freely. Perhaps it is because I think I am safe with you or because I think of your history when growing up in this village and the fight you had to fight to save this village from the bloody reign that had gripped it."
Comfortable silence settled in for a couple of minutes.
The silence was broken by Tsunade. "I was wondering where you'd be." The Slug Princess said to Naruto.
Naruto faced the Godaime before responding. "Been here, sitting with the Mizukage…The talk was so lovely we ended up admitting that we like each other and since Konoha and Kiri are going to be formal allies, we thought, why not throw in a marriage as well?"
'Marriage? It wouldn't be such a bad thing' Mei thought mildly.
Tsunade blinked and then stared at the Mizukage; the woman merely smiled–a bit too sweetly.
The Godaime turned to Naruto once more.
"You turned down a marriage with Temari even after both villages had agreed to it…" Tsunade said.
Naruto tilted his head to the side as he responded. "Temari cancelled that one."
"I'm not an idiot." Tsunade said in a firm tone. "She cancelled it because that is what you wanted. If you didn't want it to be cancelled, you wouldn't have permitted her to do so. Since Gaara didn't have a problem with you marrying his sister, he wouldn't have opposed…" Tsunade paused for a moment. "One with Kiri would be a beneficial one, though."
"No; a beneficial one would be with the Tsuchikage's granddaughter." Naruto responded calmly.
Once more, Tsunade blinked. "You were joking about the marriage with the Mizukage." She realized.
"You were?" Mei asked.
Naruto stared at the woman for a long minute but didn't feel like responding and so, he didn't respond to her question.
"When would you like to depart?" He asked the Godaime Hokage.
For some reason, I have been sitting with this chapter for more than a week. I don't really know why, but today, I have finally decided to upload it.
Don't have much to say except to say that I blame the lack of frequent updates on my new job. I was previously working with someone who had work at month end, like closing the books and doing your management accounts, but now I have been shipped to supply chain. That is one department you don't want to work in, the workload never ends.
Anyway, enough about that; next chapter? Somewhere next month.
Seriously. None of my stories will be updated until next month.
Once again, thanks, Freestyle 763 for the edit.
