EDIT and a PLEASE-READ NOTE: This has been thoroughly rewritten, and as such shares little similarities with its original version.
ALSO, writing is my HOBBY, I will always sacrifice it for more focus on schooling and work. As such, there are multiple month or even year long hiatuses. This is the reality of my life. Sorry, and I hope you still enjoy.
So, enough about me:
!WARNING TIME!
1. Ages are moved up in this fic to make it at least somewhat plausible and to fit in my AU version of the Narutoverse. Most of the main cast is moved up by five~six (i.e. graduating Ninja Academy at 18), but others are moved up by more, such as Konohamaru and Naruto himself. And some are aged down, too. And some aren't changed. You'll see. In general, it's an AU so roll with it.
2. Maybe this is self-explanatory, but with AGES MOVED UP, if Naruto is 12 at the start, the world's status (aka, what's happening out in the world) is the same as (or similar to) when canon Naruto was 4~7 (cause some dates got moved around as well). Again, just roll with it. It'll be mostly explained, or simply irrelevant.
3. ALSO: NO BASHING (Though Konoha is depicted as a bit more cruel than canon, but not obnoxiously so), NO CIVILLAIN COUNCIL, NO POMEGRANATES, AND NO NO NO H-A-R-E-M. That goes for you, wild commenters. Ship is -[It's a Secret!]-
~As the Mist Settles~
For as long as Naruto has existed, he has known pain. Suffering. He had known sadness in so many forms he could not recall them all if you asked. Loneliness, emptiness, hunger, thirst, insomnia, brutal migraines, rejection, humiliation, searing cuts, pulsing bruises, and the hell that was breaking every bone in one's body. Some of it was his fault... some of it wasn't. Most of the people in the village didn't hate him; but that 'most' was a lot less than it was for other children. 'Most' in his case being 90%, whereas it meant 'All but a few, if not all' for any average child. And of those 'most' that didn't loathe his existence, very few actually cared for him.
This world was cruel: no one could or would deny that. But children should not experience the fear of knowing their neighbor might try killing them in their sleep, without it being entirely irrational. Children should not be told they are 'sub-human' and 'worthy of hell.' Children should not be beaten by adults for, well, acting like children.
Was Naruto the only one to experience this cruelty? No. Was he the only one to experience it to the extent he had? Quite possibly not. Were there more than a handful throughout the world who had pasts that could compare to his traumatic youth? No, there weren't. He had experienced a lot.
Though, out of all the situations he'd been in, this had to be among the worst. Not just because of the serious nature of what was happening, but because of who he believed was attacking him: the Hokage. His adoptive grandfather had ordered him killed. All because he'd attempted the graduation exam to be a Genin early.
And failed.
But his teacher had told him of another way: to take the Scroll of Seals from the Hokage Tower. In hindsight... this was an obvious trap. In fact, even in the moment he heard it, Naruto knew it probably was too good to be true. Foolish though he was at times, and childishly innocent in others, he wasn't stupid... he was just that desperate for acceptance. He expected retaliation if things went wrong; he expected to be scolded or punished; he expected to be beat for this. What he didn't expect was a bunch of ANBU to begin chasing him down with intent to kill; all of that, as Mizuki had said, ordered by the Hokage. Because he stole some big scroll of jutsu! Nothing too serious was in there! The Old Man had said it held 'nothing important, just history' when showing Naruto around the Hokage Tower! But the ANBU confirmed, in his mind, that it had been Sarutobi's command that Naruto be hunted down. They said it was the Hokage... It had been 'Jiji'...
Whom had branded Naruto a traitor. A 'Nukenin.'
His only dream, Naruto's one dream and goal, was shattered in an instant. He'd never be Hokage. He'd never get the recognition he desired. He would never prove his tormentors wrong. So he ran. The ANBU chased, but he had lived his life on the run. His existence was made up of sleep and training. Running from ANBU, exiting his apartment when an aggrieved ninja or aggravated business owner broke in before the ANBU could neutralize them, running from punks that wanted to hurt him for fun, and sometimes just straight up physical training to be a Ninja. And, of course, it helped that he didn't need sleep like they did. The ANBU lasted 54 hours- impressively long -but he kept running for well over a week straight. He never did need sleep: and he was thankful for it. It was one gift he always prayed thanks to the Sage for. It had saved his life multiple times already in his short existence. He never knew why; until Mizuki had revealed, smiling wickedly with those snake-like pupils of his, the secret of the Leaf, hidden behind a high-priority silencing order.
Uzumaki Naruto, Son of the Yondaime and Uzumaki Kushina, was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.
That bomb had nearly left Naruto dazed in the moment. The son of the Yondaime, and the container of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox. Now it... almost made him mad. His own father had sealed the beast into him, his own father had cursed him. The people of Konohagakure had scorned him because of something out of his control, despite being the child of two of their heroes. The village knew who he was, the Old Man knew! And yet... he had been treated like filth. It hurt. He could understand his father, but the village... He had cried for days in his hiding place near the border of the Land of Forests and the sea leading to the Land of Water. This area was rarely entered, and the ANBU would most certainly not chase him here.
And for good reason: The Land of Water had been in a civil war for a number of years by now. The Yondaime Mizukage's reign had been one of terror and pain. Marked by genocide and violence. He earned the nickname "Devourer of Bloodlines" and solidified his country as the 'Bloody Mist' with his Kekkei Genkai Cleanses.
As it was, Naruto had been hiding here for the past few months surviving off the forest and ocean. He'd also been trying out the Jutsu in the scroll he'd stolen. The Scroll of Seals was, well, incredibly unhelpful. It gave the basics required for the Jutsu's, but it didn't include instructions at all. As such, he had mastered only the three simplest of the lot: Shadow Clone Technique, Shadow Clone Shuriken Technique, and Explosive Shadow Clone Technique. They required few handsigns, and little technical skill to pull off. The Explosive Shadow Clone required knowledge of sealing, but that seemed to come naturally to him. However, the biggest setback any wayward learner would face was that they required immense chakra capacity. If there was one thing Naruto had, it was chakra capacity.
At the moment, Naruto was using his clones to fish. Even though he only had the barest idea of how to fish with his bare hands, having multiple sets of said hands sped up the process. In fact, the clone technique was a literal lifesaver! With it, he could catch at a hundred times the speed, and he himself could relax with the knowledge that eventually he would get something from the small lake he stood in. As he worked to catch his meal, he let himself get lost in the task. Minutes faded into hours, and morning changed to afternoon.
He felt the breeze against his back, the water lapping against his shins. The smell of salt and sea mixing with the sweet aroma of pine and cedar. It made for a truly singular experience.
"This place is beautiful."
He did not know to whom he spoke. Perhaps to no one. Perhaps to everyone. Perhaps to himself. It did not matter; he couldn't stand the silence much longer anyway. He had to speak his mind, to state what he held within himself. The land he found himself in was foreign, yet familiar. Nostalgic and melancholic in a way he could not place. In a way that made him long for a time he could not remember. A land of his dreams, far from the pain of his past.
'Is this freedom? Is this the 'peace' the Old Man always spoke of? Is this what he wanted so bad?'
He did not speak aloud this time, yet it mattered not; there was no one there to answer him. Nothing but the whistling of the wind and sound of struggling clones. Birds, bugs, toads... the lot you'd expect. It was noisy, and yet it wasn't at all noisy like the village was. It was a natural sort of chaotic symphony. It had no rhyme or reason or meaning, but it was better that way. Less grating.
"I don't ever want to go back! Who needs 'em!" He shouted, defiant against his invisible audience, "I'll make my own way! My own village! Believe it! Believe me!"
The wind stopped, the sound of the clones died down. The buzzing of insects ceased, and the croaking of the toads silenced. It was calm.
Too calm...
The quiet was pierced by the whizzing hiss of a kunai sailing through the air, jabbing into Naruto's shoulder. The boy flinched as soon as he heard the blade, disappearing immediately after its impact into his arm, its momentum carrying him down into the water. He suppressed a yelp as he pushed himself up. He needed to get out of here. Immediately. His clones that were hit with kunai exploded in puffs of smoke, while the remainder scrambled to protect him, rushing at in the direction the ninja weapons came from. Using this distraction and forgetting the fish, Naruto ran full force away from his assailants, water barely slowing his desperate flight. The world had exploded into movement, and ANBU dropped down from the trees all around him, instantly in pursuit. They were tired, their sluggish movement evident even to Naruto, and it was this tiredness that was saving him. Wind whipped around the hunter-nin as they moved to surround their target, to cut the chase short. This tactic was not often used, as it could lead to the formation falling apart, friendly fire, or could push a target to desperate and last-minute destructive measures, putting the company at risk of losing coordination. But against a faster and better-rested target? It was all they had.
Naruto barely avoided the blade of one of his pursuers, using a substitution jutsu to get out at the last second. A shuriken landed in his back, joining the kunai and stinging like hell. Naruto ignored it, but he knew he couldn't for long. He was bleeding quite badly now but removing the offending weapons would result in even more blood loss. He couldn't fight, and now he couldn't run. Despite their exhaustion, the Leaf nin operated together like clockwork. All in an attempt to kill him, held off only by his frankly absurd number of clones. A number of clones that was rapidly decreasing.
Panic set in, and he refocused despite his previously morose mindset. He blasted off with all his force, whipping past an enemy shinobi. Something in him, a voice screaming in his mind, told him to look away, to avoid eye contact of any kind with the ANBU operative. So he turned his back to the weasel-masked shinobi, and received a cut to his shoulder for his efforts.
'Another cut. But.. I CAN'T STOP NOW!'
He redoubled his efforts, pain no longer had a meaning, no longer registered in his mind. He twisted around and blasted off one of the many massive pine trees around him, his inner compass telling him where to go. Guiding him. The voice in his head whispered of freedom, and peace.
He wanted that.
A shinobi blocked his path, but he didn't care. He cocked back his arm and smashed it forward with all his strength and speed. His fist, overloaded with chakra, landed a lucky shot on a younger looking ANBU, the boy collapsing in a heap as he was hit at what felt like Mach 7. Naruto's arm turned to putty after that. But the ANBU hesitated around them, the boy no longer even showing the pain he was in as he rushed towards the sweet sound of salvation that now reached his ears. A single handsign, and more clones appeared. And then disappeared almost as rapidly. But they only had to hold for a moment. One moment...
'The ocean!'
A shinobi appeared in front of him, but in an instant a cloud of smoke obscured both their visions. Naruto burst from the smoke a moment later, tightly hugging the enemy shinobi, who called out in shock, before the Naruto hugging him began to violently glow.
"A CLONE BOMB! WHAT THE-!"
The explosion echoed behind the real Naruto, who was nearing his target. The trees thinned, the evening sky shown through the canopy, salvation awaited as he neared the cliff's edge, and, at the last minute, he leapt.
Free. That's how he felt in that moment, as his body turned to face his pursuers. His tormentors. He was free here. He'd die a free man, on his own terms. He was at peace.
And then the kunai impacted, and the world turned red.
And then everything went black.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was having what might be the worst night of his life. Might, because there were quite a few contenders for that title. The night he lost his parents, the night he lost his friend and his sensei, the night of Uzushio's fall, the night the Kyuubi attacked. All of them were terrible. This night was right up there on that list.
According to reports from his remaining ANBU, a certain blonde jinchuuriki had stolen the god-damned Scroll of Seals. His grandson- his beloved grandson -had stolen Konoha's National Treasure. Okay. That was… okay. He ordered his ANBU to track him down and intercept, to learn who had set the boy up, and then to violently exorcise said individual from this plane of existence.
"But sir, we already have begun pursuit on your orders, sir!"
Hiruzen could swear up and down that he felt his soul shatter in that instance. He had not made any orders. He knew who did.
"What were the orders." He said, his voice barely a mumble, mind whizzing about through possibilities, and soul cracking at the seams.
"To incapacitate, and to kill Missing Nin Uzuma-"
He didn't finish the statement, a kunai flying past his head, impacting into someone behind him. Another, invisible ANBU fell to the ground in a heap, blank ROOT mask cracked where the small blade had pierced it.
"Bring me Shimura." He whispered harshly, "Bring her here now. This has been a grave overstepping of my authority. She is not to give any orders on my behalf anymore!
"You." He spun on another one of the ANBU in the room, "Gather a squad and immediately go to intercept the previous group: Uzumaki Naruto is to be returned alive. Make sure Inu is on your group, you'll need him.
"Again, he is to be alive. Am I making myself clear?"
"YES SIR!" The operative said with a salute, blinking out of the room with a shunshin.
"The gods are not smiling upon me today." He muttered as he finally began to make his way back to his room to get changed into official gear, out of his nightrobes. He had been interrupted only minute ago from his sleep, confronted with all this… this NONSENSE!
'How could this happen? Shimura… you have truly damned us if Naruto is not returned alive and well. Even then… the damage to trust, to security and peace of mind… Will it be too extreme?'
'Will he still trust me? Call me jiji? Want to be-!'
It was then that Hiruzen realized something terrible. The ANBU had mentioned it only briefly, but he had mentioned it clearly:
Uzumaki Naruto… Hiruzen's Beloved Grandson… was a missing nin, and because of that, could never be Hokage.
Momochi Zabuza was not a man of many words, nor was he a man that could be so easily surprised. But, despite this, he found himself quite shocked at the sheer stupidity and brilliance of his most recent... disciple. And also having to do a ton of explaining to said disciple.
"What do you mean 'horrible form'!? This is the academy's basic style!"
Zabuza barely resisted the urge to rub his temples, instead drawing in a deep breath in an attempt to cool down.
"WERE THEY TRYING TO INTENTIONALLY SABOTAGE YOU, MORON?" The masked man shouted, appalled by his student's casual use of an almost fatally flawed taijutsu 'style.' If 'style' could even be applied the abominable combination of overly flashy spin attacks and haymakers, "Training someone in the ninja arts is a difficult task, retraining someone in the ninja arts is a whole other beast, kid!"
When Zabuza looked back, Naruto was frozen, stuck suddenly standing and staring into nothing, blank faced and distant. Realization had struck the older shinobi. They... they probably had sabotaged him. The eye, the scars, him being thrown in the ocean… He was probably a bloodline user. Like his daughter. This changed... everything.
He had fought against Yagura, and he had lost. Then he fought again. And lost again. And again. And again. He kept fighting. He had killed over and over. He killed for his title, for his sword, for his reputation, for his country. For his daughter. He threw himself unto the fray over and over just to scrape out the little that he had. All because he truly, genuinely despised what Yagura had done. He'd lost so much just to bring that tyrant down. Because what that thing that wore the face of boy had done, had sickened even the Demon of the Mist. And here stood another victim.
"Kid? Somethin' wrong?" He asked, though Naruto was too lost in thought to hear.
"Yo. Kid. I said it was uh, ya know, difficult and all, but... I didn't say I wouldn't continue trying..." Zabuza's gruff voice came, finally cutting through the haze of the young Uzumaki's thoughts.
"Yeah. You haven't turned on me yet." He responded, glumly throwing his hands in the air, an empty smile on his face, "Apparently unlike everyone else I've ever known!"
Mizuki's betrayal was something Naruto knew about. But Mizuki hadn't been the only teacher. Hell, Mizuki was only an assistant! But… Iruka? Big Brother Iruka had tried to sabotage him?! One of the only people he trusted had stabbed him in the back over and over again?!
A little more of Naruto broke in that moment, and all the cracks that had formed spread like tears within the fabric of his soul.
"Kid…" Zabuza winced at the boy's dramatic reaction.
Despite the layers of bandages covering his face, and despite years of living through the harsh reality of war, and even in spite of his dismissive tendencies, anyone could tell that the man had softened in that moment. A cord in his soul struck by the boy who had, through a stroke of luck, become his apprentice not but a few days prior. Who he had saved not but a few days prior.
"Yeah, I know how you feel kid... Naruto." The older man murmured, getting back into his basic stance, silently instructing the boy to follow, having no need for words, "How many people gave up on me? How many gave up because of me? Life throws... well, uh... life throws... lots of curves at us. Challenges. Like punches. Like strikes. And while I don't admit to knowing a lot about emotions, I do know how to fight like hell, through hell."
He took a few slow and predictable swings at his disciple, followed by some kicks and a simple wind jutsu. At first the boy didn't move, but the wind jutsu forced him from his own pity, and he quickly took stance. Anger marred his face in grim determination.
"You can't just avoid 'em all." He said, taking two kicks in rapid succession, the second nigh-upon unavoidable, "You can't push through 'em all, either!" Naruto blocked, but the force from the kick knocked him off balance, "YOU HAVE!" He followed up with a chop, "TO!" Another kick, "HAVE!" Naruto scrambled to get to his feet, only to have them knocked out from under him in a moment's notice, "A PLAN!" Naruto wildly kicked for the back of Zabuza's knee, landing the hit before the man could get in another strike, allowing him to get back. But he stumbled, not expecting the attack to land, and in turn it was Zabuza who recovered this time. Thus, Naruto found himself on the ground once more, face twisted in frustration.
"Without a plan you... you-..." Zabuza trailed off, finding himself stuck in contemplation, searching for the right words, "You drift. You... drift. And the current carries ya wherever it wants, and ya never have control. You never have a home, or a place to be. You have nothing but what life allows ya to take. Nothing but the scraps others throw ya, rotten or not.
"I've been there. I know what it is to drift through life. After..." He paused, debating on how much detail he should give, ultimately deciding that only a little would suffice, "After what the Mizukage demanded of me, I lost myself. I felt sickened by my own village. I hated everything they did. To me, to others. And I let myself drift for a long time.
"Lost myself, until Haku. Until, finally, I was forced to be something more than a mercenary doing work I despised for people I hated. There came a day where I looked at my reflection and hated what I saw, despised how I had let myself be pushed around by the world. That was ten years ago. For ten years, I have worn these bandages, my mask. Not because I need to, not because I hate my physical appearance- been told I'm handsome, though I think I'm quite average." He joked, chuckling awkwardly as his student stared blankly, "No. It's because it gives me control."
Naruto's glare broke, and he stared up at the man who had become his mentor, eye filled with tears. He met the older man's own eyes, stopping to stare into them, becoming enraptured by his tale.
"Control?" He questioned weakly, receiving a rigid nod in response.
"I define my own image. I decide who I am. No one else, not even life- mother nature herself. People know the mask. It doesn't matter what anyone else says, kid. Nor what they do or think. YOU decide! As for you... you've decided to push on. You made a promise to me that you'd learn ALL I have to show! SO! GET BACK TO TRAINING! STAND UP, KID! I will do my hardest, it will break you in every way and in the end... I promise you... you'll one day surpass me!"
Naruto was outright bawling his eyes (eye?) out at this point, crying and laughing at the same time. No one had ever believed in him. No one had supported him. Not the Hokage, not his teachers, most certainly not the villagers. No one.
No one, but one old man who had no duty to do so. One man, who could have very well gone on with his own life. Zabuza... he had made a promise. Naruto had made a promise in turn. And he would see it to completion. For his sensei! For his sister!
'Zabuza! Haku! I-... I promise! I'll return your homeland to peace! I'll... become the greatest Mizukage ever! Believe it!'
A spiraling gale of wind whipped across the water, tearing through its once calm surface, leaving a trail of waves in its path, before, as suddenly as it appeared, it vanished. Then another gale took its place, and the pattern repeated. Over and over, time after time.
"Not using shadow clones today, hmm?" A girl with long black hair said, sitting next to the source of the wind jutsu that disturbed the small lake.
"No, not today. Head hurts if I use them too much, and they can't build the muscles for using the jutsu or help develop my chakra pathways. Good for theory work, bad for practical study." He responded, smiling, "If I use clones, I'll know how to swing a sword, but not be able to actually swing it. Then there's the additional fact that, if I'm not already proficient in a technique, they can embed the wrong application of it and that's… bad. Having to relearn those basic stances for a week straight taught me that."
The girl beside him laughed at the memory. After he had started training with her 'father', Naruto had learned the grand trick to his Shadow Clones. And then immediately found out why they were rarely used in that application when he practiced incorrect kenjutsu stances thousands of times in the span of a few hours. That resulted in Zabuza berating the young man, before forcing him to re-practice the correct stances. With weights. And then while Water-Walking. It was humiliating and brutal, but he got the techniques down and learned his lesson. Never again.
That was almost five years ago. Time had flown by, and he learned much the whole time. Zabuza was not considered a High-A-Rank shinobi and a competitor for the title of Mizukage for nothing; the man was a beast on the battlefield and one of the best- if not flat out the best -swordsman in the Elemental Nations. As it turned out, it was because of his background in so many styles of sword fighting- both shinobi and samurai variants.
During his ten years away from Kiri, he had entered Iron Country to seek training in their special form of sword-fighting, as part of a way to extend his breadth of knowledge. Many refused, most on principle that he was a shinobi, but eventually it had been an older woman that agreed to teach him. A retired samurai herself, descended from a long line of swordsman, she never had any children due to her work and the many injuries in battle. Along with… another reason. That being said, Zabuza had enjoyed both her and her long-time… 'housekeeper.' Both he and the retired samurai had been fanatical about the art of wielding a blade, and both her and her partner had enjoyed a young Haku that he had brought with him. In the end, for teaching him the techniques, he had agreed to pass them on to his own students, and specifically to Haku, to continue the traditions of her family. He kept the promise, passing her scrolls to Haku, and training her in those techniques.
Contrary to popular belief, samurai did, in fact, utilize chakra in most of their techniques; it was only that they tended to use pure-chakra, yin and yang in tandem, in order to enhance them, instead of the elemental chakra normally utilized in shinobi variants of kenjutsu. This had the effect of making their attacks devastating upon impact, ripping not only flesh, but severing chakra pathways as well. Though, in turn, they tended to lack the widescale damage that elemental chakra infusion afforded the user; it was a more refined and almost elegant style in comparison to its shinobi sister-art.
It was also the first style he taught Naruto, for though it was by far the most complex, it formed the basis for every other style. If one could infuse a blade with pure, refined chakra, then one could infuse it with their natural, elemental chakra. Which proved true: though harder to learn than any elemental manipulation alone, it afforded Naruto the luxury of easily grasping every other infusion technique that followed it, and a more in-depth knowledge of the functions of chakra infusion and its application in sword fighting.
It was also brutally difficult to counter if utilized correctly. In fact, it was nigh-upon impossible to truly negate if utilized perfectly. Elemental chakra can easily be neutralized or blocked. It can even be destabilized if you know what you're doing. Pure chakra is (in theory) impossible to destabilize, and beyond difficult to block due to its incredibly focused, refined, potent, and destructive nature. In practice, though, one could not truly create and manipulate pure chakra, but only something close to pure.
The method involved sending yin chakra into the blade, followed by yang chakra in an alternating current, simulating true pure chakra. This is because manipulating true, pure chakra is equivalent to provoking an element into criticality with your bare hands. Which is, to say the least, absurdly dangerous. Case in point, the only things capable of using pure chakra were chakra entities like the Bijuu, those with the literal Eyes of God that were the Rinnegan (and the other various Otsutsuki dojutsu), and sages. That's why a Bijuudama is, even at the same chakra potency, many times more deadly than the Rasengan. It's also why there have been less sages throughout history then there has been two hundred plus year dynasties, so, you know… it's kinda difficult to do.
Regardless, the only way to stop true, pure chakra would be to physically block it (with matter or a whole lot more elemental chakra than there is in the pure chakra technique), or to absorb it with senjutsu or incredibly advanced sealing techniques. One is less than ideal, and the other is literally impossible for all but a select few throughout all the history of the Elemental Nations. Even when examining artificial 'pure chakra', it is extremely difficult to block, and near impossible to truly neutralize. Case in point, the Rasengan functions on this type of chakra.
That also being said, it was taxing- both mentally and physically -to use 'pure' chakra, so… that was the tradeoff. It was also much less efficient against unskilled or significantly weaker combatants, and less effective against multiple opponents. This was ultimately the reason why samurai are excellent in one-on-one combat against shinobi, but weaker in group battles. This fact also led to techniques used by samurai tending towards a focus on isolating opponents, cornering them, and subsequently disarming or eliminating them. It was a highly aggressive, forethought heavy style reliant on constant vigilance and knowledge of positioning.
Naruto found the phrase used to describe the technique in the scroll hilarious; the author referring to it as 'honorable deceit.' This was especially funny when the author went on to describe the reasoning as to why it was honorable compared to 'the shinobi's brutish and heavy-handed treachery.' The idea was simple: use your opponent's 'pride' and instinct to position them into single combat. It did not utilize smoke cover or flashy techniques to force someone into a one-on-one in the way similar shinobi techniques did. Which presented the second advantage to learning this style first: Naruto did not become overly reliant on ninjutsu.
At least, that was an advantage according to his teacher.
In fact, he was only recently focusing on how to apply ninjutsu in battle, having first learned kenjutsu's, taijutsu's, and even genjutsu's application in both single and group combat. Genjutsu was, in fact, first after learning basic swordsmanship, complimenting the style utilized by samurai. After genjutsu, he learned Zabuza's traditional Kiri kenjutsu style; then basic taijutsu; then elements of both Fire Country and Lightning Country kenjutsu styles in application with his previous two in depth sword techniques; then how to utilize taijutsu and genjutsu in combination with all the sword styles he'd learned; then, finally, he began to learn ninjutsu in the last four months or so.
Or, rather, focusing on its application. He knew many techniques, but hadn't practiced how to or when best to perform them in battle. He had also learned the absolute basics in fuinjutsu and its sister art, jutsu shiki. Seal working was… not Zabuza's specialty.
"So, Naruto, you perfect that 'Blinding Clone' of yours yet?" Haku questioned, looking over at the now blushing Naruto, embarrassment on his face.
"No…" He meekly spoke, "It… Well, it can blind, stun, and deafen just fine… It's the 'non-lethal' aspect I'm struggling with."
She nodded sagely in turn, humming in agreement.
"That is the hard part, isn't it? Especially for brutes like you." She mocked, receiving an indignant 'HEY!' in response, "Ahhh… one day you'll figure it out. I have faith in you.
"I believe it."
Naruto smiled at that, happy for her support. Until it washed away at her mockery of his catchphrase. Though, he knew she was telling the truth. Fuinjutsu just seemed to come naturally to him. Sure, the Uzumaki were known for their skill in the art, but that didn't come from natural talent. Really, it came from their love of the craft and their naturally long lifespans. One Uzumaki Seal Master was noted to have lived to 146 years old, having trained in the application of fuinjutsu from the age of 8. The Uzumaki Clan also had the largest library of fuinjutsu scrolls in the world before their demise. Afterwards, what was left was destroyed, pillaged, or as was the case with most of the surviving work, salvaged by Konoha and given to Uzumaki Kushina. With her death, it was copied down into the Hokage Scroll Vault, and then the originals were placed, quite fittingly, within the Scroll of Seals.
Which was the basis for the name. Not that it contained fuinjutsu seals, but rather that it had numerous additional scrolls sealed within it. The original scroll only held around 170 or so techniques, and the rest of the space was utilized by storage seals forming over 800 sub-compartments, over 450 of them filled with additional scrolls. When Naruto stole the thing from the Hokage tower, he had inadvertently stolen one of the single most comprehensive libraries of High-Rank, forbidden, illegal, and/or outright cursed techniques in the world. Which was probably why a massive manhunt had been formed looking for him. Besides the fact that the Hokage was concerned for his safety and his status as the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. Ultimately, the hunt wasn't successful due to the Hokage's resistance in allowing any shinobi near the border with Water Country, fearing them getting entangled in the civil war and thus cascading into another world war all over a beloved but most likely dead Jinchuuriki.
That and he deemed it 'highly improbable' that Naruto was alive anywhere within that area, despite it being his last known whereabouts, due to the ongoing cival war, and the state he was last seen in. Unfortunately, Naruto tended towards 'highly improbable' as a default.
"You know, Haku, I was thinking…" Naruto said as he sat down beneath a tree with her, looking at the clouds.
"Oh no. This can only mean trouble. I should run as far away as I can, shouldn't I. 'Naruto' and 'thinking' don't mix." She joked.
"Har har har." He mechanically replied, "Very funny.
"Anyway, as I was saying: I was thinking that- you know… maybe we could take a short break from training. Go and see a bit of the world, ya know? We could use the break, and Zabuza needs to wind down a little. Stop being so cranky, ya know? Like, he's just been so- "
"Been so what, Naruto? What have I been like?"
*Gulp*
"Oh, Zabuza-sensei! How, uh, nice to see you!" Naruto said, looking back up at his teacher's grinning face, "We were just talking about- "
"Wanting to see the world. I know." He responded, sighing, "But that'll-… that'll have to wait. I-… I have a chance, Naruto. A chance to see my dream fulfilled. And I'm taking it. Now."
Naruto stood, the gravity of the situation weighing down on him. Haku quickly followed, a barrage of questions from the two of them quickly being silenced by the man they had come to see as a father and mentor.
"I don't know when I'll return. I don't even know if I'll return. But… If I perish, I want ya to keep moving on. I-… I-…" He paused, wiping his eyes, "I am beyond proud of you. These few years, I have grown to care deeply for you. It's why I must go. When I'm done, Kirigakure will know peace. With, or without me."
He knelt and hugged Naruto in an unnatural showing of affection, before pulling something out of a pack on his side.
"Naruto. When we first met, you were a young and- though not entirely your fault -unskilled shinobi prospect. I thought in those first weeks that you would give up on this path long before ya made anything of yourself. But ya stayed determined.
"I once knew a man like you. Called him a brother in all but blood. I loved that man as a brother would, and his death shook me to my core. Drove me from Kiri. It left me empty, and for lack of his guidance I drifted like a damned fool for so long.
"But I never lost what he said ta me! How he asked me to live on. I took this from him with no intent ta ever give it away. But here I stand, before someone worthy of it."
He took the item he grabbed from his pouch and wrapped it around Naruto's forehead.
"With this symbol, I declare Uzumaki Naruto… an official shinobi of Kirigakure no Sato! I declare him the official heir to my blade, a position as a member of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist!" He shouted, before taking out a small tanto, similar in shape to his main sword, including a small whole through the middle of it, "This is the Kubrikiribocho's brother blade, given ta those who are marked to inherit this mythic weapon."
Naruto found his face being tilted upward, forced to stare at his sensei's smiling (though still bandaged) face.
"Learn all you can, Kiri will welcome ya when I'm done. You'll know of it, I promise. Look for Terumi Mei. She'll know what to do."
"And what if I wish to go with you?" Naruto asked, Zabuza's smile dimming.
"I would not stop you. But I beg that you reconsider. I want you safe. Naruto, more than anything, I want you safe. Guard yourself and Haku for me. I promise you'll... you'll see me again."
He stood suddenly, leaving Naruto in shock, and taking Haku off for a chat alone.
Haku would return half an hour later, in tears, with a headband of her own. Zabuza… would not come back. Not for a long while
THROOM!
A huge wave of force ripped through the forest, collapsing trees in its wake before the projectile smashed into the ground with an explosive rumble. Naruto jumped to his feet, dispelling his clones as he used one of the only earth techniques he knew: a simple Earth Wall Creation jutsu. He peaked over his self-made barricade, looking to the crater, only to see that a certain man covered in bandages was crawling out. He had found him.
In an instant Naruto was rushing over to him, knowing that his wall wouldn't really protect him from something strong enough to do that to his sensei. He had to-… he had to fight or flee if he wanted to survive. Though he knew then already what he would do.
"Zabuza! Old man! Zabuza-sensei! What the hell happened here!?" he shouted, the man turning to look at him with bloodshot eyes. Crimson was dripping from the man's mouth and the numerous cuts on his body, the oozing ichor staining his bandages. He wielded the Kubrikiribocho- a massive buster sword with a hole punched in near the angled tip of it, and another semi-circular notch near the handle. Seeing it out, being wielded in actual battle, filled Naruto with a sense of dread. He had never seen his master wield that thing in battle. In the years he had trained with him, he had never, once seen it used outside of practice. Who or what had made him use it now?!
"What the- *cough!* -hell are you- *guh* -doing, kid?" He vomited out, spitting blood all over his outfit, "Is Haku safe!? Is she- *cough!* -nearby?! Get out of-"
THROOM!
Another man shot out of the forest like a bullet, launching a tidal wave of coral at Zabuza, and almost impaling him. The bandaged swordsman launched himself into the air to dodge, before shooting water bullets at his opponent. Said opponent was barely fazed, however, and blocked them by summoning a mirror made of water, deflecting the projectiles, and launching them back at his assailant.
"A traitor like you... must be put down. All dissent must be quelled." The new arrival said in a hoarse yet boyish voice, face as blank as fresh washed slate, breath coming out in panting heaves, "For there to be peace... there must be... unity in command... and control. To attempt to kill the leader of your own village... is the ultimate crime against peace. It is the... ultimate betrayal and dishonor."
The new arrival was clad in a green suit and wielded a large staff. On his head sat a large, blue hat with the kanji 'Mizu' on it. The Yondaime Mizukage. The Bloodline Eater. The Genocidal Monster of the Mist. Naruto, at this point, knew he was almost assuredly dead if he didn't run. And yet he stood his ground. He had made his choice. Even as the rather young-looking man slowly walked towards his opponent, he exuded a sense of calm and control, like a practiced dancer moving across the stage. But Naruto didn't run. Out of fear? No. Out of a need to help his sensei? Somewhat. No, it was because today... today they were going to see their vision through.
"Surrender now and-"
Suddenly the man fell forward, clutching his stomach tightly as he vomited a massive amount of blood onto the beach, giving Naruto a moment to truly appreciate the will of the boyish kage. On further inspection, Naruto noticed that the man's outfit was cut in various places, and his mid-section had a deep wound through it. His skin was covered in bruises, and it seemed as if his right leg might be broken judging by the way he fell to the ground. He looked barely alive, much less battle-ready. But still, the man moved with such speed and power, dodging a blow from behind, moving faster than Naruto could track.
Behind the Mizukage, another swordsman stood, having smashed a massive, fish-like blade into the ground where Yagura had collapsed, forcing the man to jump quickly, and cough blood once more. The sound of a second fight rung out in the background to this, somewhere in the forest. It was clear the individuals partaking in that one were just as destructive, as Naruto could see the trees collapsing in the distance and hear the screams of some unknown shinobi. Maybe he had a chance! He could escape and save Zabuza, a part of him whispered! Especially with the other swordsman's assistance.
And yet, he would not run. They would take down the man that his sensei hated the most...
"Damned... you too… Kisame? A traitor?" The Mizukage rasped, spitting more blood, turning his face to the sky, "Attacking me as I was... about to eliminate the head of the rebels. So close to total control... CURSE YOU ZABUZA! BLAST YOU, TRAITOR KISAME! Do you realize what you've done? We were so... close... to peace..."
Anger barely showed on the boyish kage's face, nothing but cold radiated from him. Zabuza, however, had no trouble showing his anger. The man's face contorted with rage, even showing through the bandages over his mouth.
"You are the one who-"
Coral erupted from the ground again. A mountain of it appearing from almost nowhere. It was clear that it was a bloodline of some sort. Which was ironic considering who was wielding it. Naruto would've laughed, had he not been in such danger.
"SILENCE! Those with power... above the rest will wield it with... impunity. Bloodlines are the epitome of this fact of life; using their powers... to further their own causes, dragging others... petty conflicts between their clans; their tribes. Tribal. Like… primitives. So… subhuman. Unfair. Disgust is..." The Mizukage grumbled, rambling on near-incoherently as he began launching Water Style jutsu again and again at Zabuza, while holding off the other, shark-like swordsman using Earth Style and his coral.
"Like primitive man... all they know: the close-knit sub-communities they belong to. Outside of that... is a threat, or a tool." Yagura continued his ranting, fending off the two Mist swordsmen's counter attacks with his mirrors, before turning to Naruto, "Hmm? I do not recognize you... are you with him? Maybe... disciple? Never mind. It doesn't matter... You'll die anyway. Control must be upheld, along with image. I must be the leader... and to be the leader I must never falter in my grasp of the nation; never show weakness."
The man appeared behind Naruto in a flash, quickly went through a few handsigns, and thrust his hands to the ground before the same coral, aided by water and a wave of wet sand, was sent hurtling towards Naruto. He couldn't get away. It happened so, so fast. He heard someone call out in warning, but it was too late. There was nothing that could be done to stop it, in the end Naruto froze. He could not do anything. He should've moved, he should've fought. And yet, he did not run. But maybe... if this would aide Zabuza, then so be it. He could accept his death.
He would go with purpose, he decided as he reached for his scroll of explosive tags.
'Goodbye, Haku. Goodbye, Zabuza. It was- '
But the wave didn't hit him
*GURGHK!*
Instead, the wave was stopped. By Zabuza. His sensei: the only man who cared for him; the only one who believed in him; the man Naruto almost considered a father. And now he lay dying in front of Naruto, body crumpled at his feet. He had cut most of the wave with his sword, or repelled it with a jet of water, but the rest of it he simply blocked with his body. This man, who didn't know Naruto more than a few years... had saved the boy's life a second time by sacrificing his own. He'd shown a greater kindness to Naruto than anyone else, and now he lay dying before the young Uzumaki. It was as if the gods were mocking him. An eery calm came over his face, and anger welled within him.
"Run... kid. I wanted... to end his reign... for you and Haku. To save this war torn... nation. But above everything I couldn't... let you die" He ground out with his last breaths, crumpling to the sand soon after, "Go... take Haku far away from this... cursed land. I know my dream... will be seen... to... completion."
The world stood still. Wind and wave being the only things to dare pierce the melancholy silence. And it was here, in the stillness of loss, that Naruto felt a pain incomparable to all before: the all encompassing torture of true loss.
He heard those words once more.
'I want you safe. Naruto, more than anything, I want you safe. Guard yourself and Haku for me. I promise you'll... you'll see me again.'
And in a way that no other pain had, it broke him. It cut deeper than any blade could.
"No, Zabuza. Not this time. I will refuse to run." Naruto growled lowly, staring with wet eyes at his savior's corpse, "I'll stand and finish this fight… for you, my sensei. For the man that dared to stand up FOR MY DREAM!"
Tears were now falling en masse, his face contorted with anger. His hands quaked, and the ground shook with them. This was his rage! This was the plight of Uzumaki Naruto! This was what those like Yagura shall come to fear! A cloak of red, demonic chakra formed around him, his eyes glowing slits, and a tail swinging out from behind him. That voice he had long forgotten rose back once more, screaming for blood. For vengeance.
"I PROMISE TO LIVE ON FOR YOURS! FOR YOUR DREAMS! FOR MINE! FOR SHOWING ME THE GREATEST KINDNESS I'VE KNOWN IN MY SHORT LIFE! THE ONLY TRUE KINDNESS!" Naruto screamed, picking up the Kubrikiribocho, "I WILL ACHIEVE THAT PEACE... BUT FOR NOW: YAGURA! YOU SHALL KNOW MY PAIN!
"Shadow Clone: Clone Army Technique!"
Clones of Naruto appeared all around the wounded kage, all of them wielding the same massive sword as the original, causing the near-dead man's eyes to widen. No more than seconds after they had formed, all of them descended on the man like sharks in a feeding frenzy, lacking Zabuza's refined technique, but making up for it with numbers and brute force.
Yagura swung his staff with precision, blocking and parrying the clones' wild slices before popping them. Spinning like a tornado, his every move screamed of style and power. He flew around in a frenzy, casting ninjutsu in every direction, and dodging the clones. But it was only a matter of time. His body was giving out; a corpse puppet on failing strings. A dead man fighting for his life, and his beliefs. He fought hard, though, water bullets spraying left and right, not one clone getting through.
He flipped gracefully through the air, his staff catching on the blade of a clone and, forcing it from the clone's grasp, sent it flying through another five of them. He landed and redoubled his efforts, blocking and redirecting blades before throwing an explosive kunai into the middle of his wild adversaries. They didn't stop coming, but he wouldn't stop fighting. And he was by far the better fighter here, utilizing the clones' hesitance to attack their compatriots to his advantage. They couldn't go all out, and numbers wouldn't overwhelm him. None could sneak up on him either.
The other swordsman, however... he snuck up from behind, popping up with a smirk and swinging his sword at the distracted Mizukage.
And what a swing it was, cracking the earth as his blade struck the hard-packed sand, wind blasting from his might alone, and a wave of chakra flew from the blade.
"GAH!" Yagura shouted as he was forced to block the surprise blow from behind with his chakra encased hand, a deep gash straight to the bone rending his right arm worthless and causing a blast of pressure to explode out from his form as he blocked the mighty swing of the Samehada, "Curse you..."
Naruto pressed the advantage, more and more clones surrounding him, cutting Yagura off from taking advantage of their leader's proximity, and aiding Kisame. The wounded state of the Kage was beginning to show, not necessarily in speed, but absolutely in style. The clones Naruto created descended once more on the enraged Kage, but Yagura only increased in intensity, despite lacking a limb. He wasn't done. He was the Yondaime Mizukage of Kirigakure, dammit! He had fought so hard! And a damn brat and traitor were undoing it all! His style completely forgone, he was now a wild frenzy, spinning and twirling in a deadly rage. A maelstrom of death. Water mirrors blocked the clones, coral impaled them, and his staff tore through them with the aid of Wind Jutsu. Kisame pressured him away from Naruto, unleashing numerous Water Jutsu to distract the dying Mizukage, but not once going in to finish him. He wanted to see this boy fight! The Yondaime had his back to the wall. He was like a cornered animal: trapped, but more deadly in his fading desperation. But this kid… Zabuza's kid… he was interesting.
"I refuse to die... to a whelp like you!" Yagura spoke, his voice monotone as always, though still angry, "Your clones are mere tricks! Eventually, you'll run out of-"
A couple handsigns and then the clones began to explode on death in a flash of light. Naruto's last 'trick', so to speak. He had used everything against the kage. Everything. Luckily for him, his last trick was, unfortunately for Yagura, the end. It was only a moment's distraction. A bit of shock from the deadly Flash-Bang clone combined with his fatigue that led to a clumsy dodge. But it was the end, nonetheless.
Kisame blasted the man backwards with an explosive stab with Samehada, forcing the Yagura into the open, his back to Naruto, who leapt into the air above the injured Kage. The angered jinchuuriki descended from the heavens, screaming in rage, cloaked in bloody red chakra, as his blade ripped through the man's left shoulder, down through his bones and clipped his lungs. Blood spilled from the man's mouth, and he fell back into the arms of his blonde killer as they crashed into the earth. The Mizukage was forced to his knees, and his body loosened despite the pain. His eyes seemed different now, clearer. Free. Blood spilled from the man's mouth, and he leaned back on Naruto for support.
"You... bested... me... tradition... you... Mizukage." He babbled, blood obscuring his speech, but it didn't matter: Naruto knew what he meant as the man clumsily placed his hat atop the boy's head, "Beware... one-eye... man. Mask... man. Guide Kiri... to greatness. To peace. Save... her. Like I... never... Sorry for... done."
He slumped to the ground, before Naruto removed the blade from his corpse. And dropped it to the ground. He was in shock. He'd... He'd killed. And he was now the Mizukage. His dream... it wasn't perfect but, it was as close as he could get.
'Zabuza... Haku... I've done it. We've done it. Our dream.' Naruto thought, staring at the heavens as he wept, 'Our time together was short, but it... was the best part of my life. Goodbye, old man. And thank you.'
He rose slowly, pacing over to Zabuza's corpse, closing his mentor's eyes, and praying silently. He would not be disturbed. The world moved peacefully now, the wind whistling through reeds and grass, waves crashing against the shore. The smell of salt, sulfur and blood permeated the air, but so too did the odd smell of burning pinesap. He felt as the bitter, salted air stole what little heat was left in Zabuza, now that the fire in his soul had burned out. Rough flesh, rotting in the sun, attracted the flies that stuck close to the shore in search of beached fish. The stink of death would set in soon if he didn't seal the body or bury it.
"Mizukage-sama?"
He would not be disturbed.
"Mizukage-sama?"
Not now.
"Mizuka-"
"Silence." He spoke, "Please, just give me another moment of silence."
And so the voice did, and in turn he took his moment of peace. He let out his emotions as he tried to process what had happened, sealed his mentor's body, and finally stood. He stumbled as he rose, drawing his new blade up in a shaky, awkward grip, and sheathing it in the sling he had taken from his mentor. After he had risen, Naruto took a moment to take stock of the newly arrived masked woman staring at him, along with the shark-like man.
"I overheard the end of this fight, Lord Fifth. As is tradition, for beating the Mizukage as a citizen of Kiri, you are awarded his position." The woman said in an almost hissing voice, before bowing deeply, much to Naruto's shock, "I congratulate you and await your orders, Honorable Mizukage."
'Okay. So... I am now apparently the head of a hidden village, and I promised my savior I would lead it to peace... and I never break promises.' He thought, 'Got a lot ahead of me. A lot...'
"Must say, kid, that was quite the show for a rookie." The man said, laughing despite the somber mood hanging over the trio, "Took down a Kage, got his hat... avenged a hero... yes, I can respect that sort of entrance. And was that the Shadow Clone Technique? You clearly aren't a Konoha nin... How do you know that jutsu, huh? Nevermind, I know prying into a shinobi's secrets is... taboo. Bwahaha!"
The man laughed again, this time with the woman staring at him, ire in her gaze.
"You're full of surprises, kid! Wish I could stick around, but..." He looked at the woman, and then his sword, "I'm needed elsewhere."
He turned at that, strapping his now wrapped-up blade to his back and attempting to walk off. The masked kunoichi, however, had other ideas. A delicate looking, but most definitely not delicate feeling hand barred his path, and an aura of killing intent told him he wasn't leaving free-of-charge.
"I will not let a missing nin leave without attempting pursuit and neutralization." The strange, masked woman said in an authoritative monotone. Seriously, could she not sense that neither she nor Naruto weren't in any position to fight an S-Rank missing nin?!
"How about you ask the Mizukage there what you should do, huh?" The man responded, his smile thankfully unfazed, but his eyes and tone taking a concerningly darker turn, "I believe that me leaving, and my killing of the previous wielder of Samehada for his treachery was and is well founded... don't you agree? Especially since the one who called me traitor lies dead at our Mizukage's hands."
Kisame turned to face Naruto, the woman following his example reluctantly a moment later.
"So..." the woman said, still monotonously, "I suppose I am to await your orders, Lord Fifth."
Okay, this was a bit pressuring; the tension seeming thick enough to cut with a kunai. He had no plan, no experience, and he had no clue about what 'Kisame' had done, and he needed to come up with something. So, to abate some pressure, he raised his hand in a placating manner, and gestured that it would be a moment, hoping to deescalate the situation. As Naruto pondered what to say and do, however, he took some time to take stock of the woman's appearance. Her face was covered by a mask, the design of which was simply the symbol for Kiri drawn on the front. Her outfit was also simple, with a black short-sleeved ANBU shirt and vest, along with black shorts and ninja sandals. Her entire left side, however, was covered in black bandages, and white bandages were wrapped around her neck. A needle-like longsword strapped to her waist alerted him to her probable status.
'She's one of the Seven Swordsmen! Or at least an apprentice, considering her blade is a bit short…' Naruto thought, before speaking, "My orders...? Umm... tell me your name and assist me in getting back to Kiri. I believe that... Kisame... has earned the right to leave. It was Yagura and the, uh, previous wielder of Samehada who failed him; it was the Mist that pushed him out. And still, he returned to save it from a tyrant. And... I think... we-... he deserves, well, this little piece of... respect? Maybe..."
Naruto's voice suddenly got confident and authoritative at the beginning but petered out as he neared the end. The kunoichi, however, listened intently and reacted immediately and obediently as he made his order. It was lucky that she accepted the change in leadership so suddenly. Maybe it was just her, but he hoped it wasn't. Because he had to admit to himself that the shift in power was going to be massive, and attempting to emulate the Hokage was hard. Though, he now frowned at the reminder of that man... and of the betrayal his memory represented.
The wielder of Nuibari's brother blade let the shark-like shinobi jump off, after he gave the Godaime one last bow. Her killing intent abated finally and gave Naruto some time to rest. Though, only for a moment.
"I am Kuriarare Kusabi, daughter of Kushimaru, last in a line of wielders of the Nuibari, currently the wielder of Nuibari's apprentice blade. I am a faithful servant of the Mizukage. Whoever they may be." She said doing as he commanded, bowing before grabbing Naruto's hand, "Follow me and I shall lead you home, we have much to do."
The odd kunoichi tugged him along, moving down the beach, ignoring the sounds of distant battle as Naruto lurched behind her, barely keeping up, but refusing to fall behind. He only took one detour. To collect his... sister. There would be time to mourn. For her, and for himself. But not for now.
After all, they had a new goal to strive for.
Afterthoughts: This has been an excellent rewrite I think, I'm surprisingly proud of it now that it's been reworked. Much more cohesive. The original felt rushed and nonsensical at times, and Naruto's relationship with Zabuza was barely touched at all. You don't feel anything when Naruto loses him when he has no time in the story to develop. Even now, I feel this was minimal, but making this chapter any larger would be absurd.
Anyway, please review and follow or whatever.
Explanations So You Don't Get Confused:
1. Why did Kisame not do more? He could've completely wiped the floor with Yagura!
a. You're right! Canon Kisame by the time we meet him could wipe the floor with Yagura… but remember: this is effectively the Kisame of around a decade prior to that. In addition, there's two other reasons I try to illustrate here: One, that he needed to escape afterwards, so going all out wasn't an option; and Two, that he was intrigued by Naruto, both wanting to see him get revenge, and to judge Naruto himself. And then, to point out: Three, he would've been named Mizukage and he just isn't about that life. So, yeah.
2. Why didn't the ANBU catch Naruto?
a. They thought he was dead, and he went into a Warzone. Sending what amounts to the Secret Service into a warzone, especially one involving a civil war, would be a MAJOR faux pas and a possible instigator for a World War. If Konoha was seen involving themselves in Kiri's civil war, then it could be guessed that they could be trying to install a puppet government and-… you get the point.
3. Why so little on Naruto's time with Haku and Zabuza?
a. This chapter is 10k+ words. Any bigger and it would be ridiculous. I average around 2000~3000 words per chapter. This is more than triple my average. Another chapter is coming soon, don't worry.
4. Zabuza got thwumped by Yagura, but you said he was High A-Rank and possibly the BEST SWORDSMAN IN THE WORLD? He seems weak.
a. He lost having to defend Naruto, and previously went toe-to-toe with one of the strongest fighters of the mist ALONG WITH THEIR ENTIRE ENTOURAGE! Kisame helped, but only near the very end, and there were rebels there, but it was mostly Yagura + Entourage vs. Zabuza for a while. You'll get Zabuza's perspective eventually, but for now, this is what I'll say on it.
5. Why did Shimura order Naruto's death?
a. This is one I can't answer yet, just know that there is a reason for this. As well, YES Danzo is a woman in this AU and YES there is also a reason for this, it does serve a purpose to the story. DANZO DOESN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT A REASON. This remains true regardless of gender.
6. CAN YOU MAKE NARUTO HAVE EPIC HAREM WITH 42069 WAHMEN IN IT?!11!
a. No. This story =\= Romance. This story =\= Smut. This story = action/drama/adventure. Like, seriously. This question and 'gay SasukeXNaruto smex? OwO' are the worst. It's made even weirder when it's a drive through order for smut pairings "I'd like, uh, an order of fem!Itachi with a side of, ummm, Tsunade, and a big helping of Hinata, please" WTF people. Seriously. If you want a romance heavy fic, try my BNHA fic "One, Two Punch!", it is seriously one of my favorites I've made. It isn't smut, it is 100% fluffiness, but it is romance heavy. "World of Predators" for a rare pair comedy fic edit: fic is being reworked as "Inverted", or just read "Kill Them With Kindness" for a plot driven fic like this one, set in the universe of RWBY. Warning, though, it NEEDS a rewrite.
Summaries for my Other Stories Mentioned:
One, Two Punch! (BNHA)
- Izuku x Nana Shimura fic set in the past. Izuku is sent back in time, falls in love with Nana, and has a grand old adventure trying to stop her horrible death! Lots of fun is had along the way
World of Predators (Percy Jackson) edit: Being re-written!
- Chaos torments Percy in the best way she could; by turning him and all his friends into the very things they tried so hard to fight against. Watch as he struggles through his Daily Life with Monster Girls (and Guys) all while figuring out how to tame his hair when every strand is a fully grown viper!
Kill Them with Kindness (RWBY) [Needs Re-write Desperately]
- RWBY and JNPR. Two legendary (debatable) teams filled with mighty heroes (also debatable) that fight for the side of humanity! Except, this time, they aren't exactly heroes. And they sure aren't fighting for humanity. A story in which RWBY and JNPR are children of Salem and are quite happy to be so, thank you very much! If you ever read "Children of Remnant" by Selene Sokal (Good author), then imagine that, but Jaune, Ruby & friends actually like being Grimm. And written by Me (A Much Worse Author)