Naruto: War Shift!
Chapter 3: Konoha's New Leader!
"We must get Tsunade-Sama to the hospital!" The head Anbu shouted. "She's on her last breaths. If we don't get her any help soon she'll die!"
Naruto jumped off the bed and stared at Tsunade. "Granny, thanks. You didn't have to risk your life for me, yet you did. No one ever did that for me before."
Naruto left the building and followed the Anbu as they hurried Tsunade to the emergency room. Sakura was working at the hospital that night and admitted Tsunade into the hospital. "She's really low on chakra. She'll be out of action for at least a week and a half. It put a lot of strain on her mind as well."
"If she's out of action..then who will lead Konoha until she can?" The head Anbu asked. "We need a leader."
"That is not for me to say." Sakura sighed. "Didn't Tsunade-Sama say anything before performing the sealing jutsu?"
"No, she didn't." The Anbu spoke again with worry in his voice. He then faced Tsunade. Her face showed her pain. She could barely breathe.
With the last of her power she spoke. "Naruto...kun. You will lead Konoha until I can. Consider it training. Mess up and I'll kill you." Tsunade closed her eyes once more after that. She needed to rest up.
Naruto could hardly believe it. He was chosen to lead Konoha for a while. This would be great practice if he were to ever really become hokage. "Thanks, granny. I won't let you down."
"Naruto-kun, come with us then." The Anbu lead Naruto out of the hospital and back to the hokage tower. "We will announce Tsunade-sama's decision now."
The Anbu flicked on a microphone and rang a bell to signal that they were going to make an announcement. "Attention, Konoha citizens! Tsunade-sama is ill and will be out of action for a minimum of a week and a half. Her replacement for this amount of time is Uzumaki Naruto! He's been chosen by Tsunade-sama to lead Konoha so if you have any questions or concerns direct them to Naruto. And also, no missions will be handed out for this week and a half. We are to remain here and fight against the Akatsuki. They're on their way here as we speak. Naruto will announce the people to stand outside the Konoha gates now."
Naruto walked up to the microphone and became nervous as this was his first speaking to a crowd this large. He hoped he didn't mess up. "Thanks, Anbu and thanks, granny. I will take care of Konoha. And to defend Konoha at the gates are Hyuuga Neji and Maito Gai. Would those two please report to the Konoha Gates? We will need you there at all times."
Hyuuga Neji and Maito Gai left the crowd that they stood in and went to the gates. They wondered why they were chosen. Naruto had to have something planned for the Akatsuki. But what was it? Neither Neji nor Gai knew, but they knew one thing. They had to defend Konoha with all their power.
Naruto left the Hokage Tower and went to the hospital to check up on Tsunade. "Granny, even if the Akatsuki arrive I will not lose. Konoha is safe in my hands. I promise you that."
Tsunade didn't reply as she was fast asleep but Naruto left her that message anyway. He hoped that she could at least hear him.
A day passed with no sign of the Akatsuki. "This is strange. They should've been here already by all means." Naruto groaned as he walked past Ichigo Ramen. He wanted some ramen but was too worried and confused to eat. Why haven't the Akatsuki arrived yet?
Naruto decided to go investigate and so he told Gai and Neji that he'd be out of Konoha for some time. He had to find the Akatsuki soon. Something had to have stopped them, but what was it?
Inside Konoha there was a lot of commotion going on about the Akatsuki. "Are they really not hre yet?" was one of the more common questions asked. No one knew if they had come unnoticed or if they really did get stalled.
Naruto rushed through the Konoha forest searching everywhere for the Akatsuki. After a half an hour of leaving Konoha he heard some people speaking. "..So they're here? You really do hate them, don't you? But why?"
"That is for me to know and you to guess." Spoke another voice. "We must find and kill them at once."
"We will be able to defeat them that easily?" questioned the other person.
"Yes. Now we attack." The 2nd voice ordered an attack.
"Who are those two?" Naruto sat behind a large tree. "Those voices. Could they be...?"
