AN: This is the edited chapter and a lot has changed near the end and onward. Best advice would be to reread this chapter. Thanks, and I hope to get a chapter out by Christmas as a gift to you readers for waiting patiently.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, and I am not doing this for monetary gain. All rights go to Kishimoto.
ITALICS – thinking
BOLD – demon talk/jutsu
Arc Three: Home is Where the Heart Lies
Chapter Two
It was now close to dusk in Konoha, and although many were doing their nightly tasks, one group had just listened to one person's tale. A tale of pain, suffering, and heartbreak; a tale of war.
The Konoha 12 just looked at Naruto in disbelief at what he went through, but that disbelief soon turned into nervousness and fear. Nervousness at not knowing if their skills were up to par, and fear that their skills would lead to their or their friend's death. Of course, Naruto felt this through the small Ki pulses he subconsciously produced; the emotions on his fellow Konoha-nin made him smile. This smile led Kiba to give Naruto a tongue lashing.
"How can you be smiling?! Do you not care about us at all, do you not care that we will die facing armies twice, three times our own?!"
Naruto continued to smile, something which Shizuka joined in on. Tenten, thanks to reading about the samurai, as well as Naruto's tale, was the calmest out of all of them.
"Silence yourself, Kiba." Tenten started off. "Did you not listen to what Naruto just told us? Samurai follow a code of honor, which means they must care for others. We shouldn't fear, but breathe a sigh of relief that Naruto is here ready to guide us."
Naruto nodded; his smile now replaced with a serious grimace. "Tenten is right. You needn't fear for your lives as I will make plans which will reduce casualties on our end, and cause genocide on the other."
"Shock tactics…troublesome. But, aren't samurai supposed to fight face to face like you said?"
Naruto chuckled to himself, then took a breath before he began. "Now, now Shika, you're the smart one here."
The room went silent, and all eyes were on the Nara. Shikamaru closed his eyes, and remembered Naruto's war stories, his training, and what Tenten has told him about the samurai over the years. Two minutes later, the Nara's eyes snapped open, and he looked at his friend like he was crazy.
"No…I knew samurai were troublesome, but what you are going to do is suicide!"
The Konoha 12 was shocked by Shikamaru's anger filled tone, and they began to wonder what it was that Naruto would do.
"Ah!" Naruto replied in a sage like tone. "But, to die by the blade, or by your enemy's hand, is an honor."
Shizuka became worried, and grasped her love's hands. Both their eyes met, but hers was starting to fill with tears.
"I almost lost you once, please, don't make me suffer through that pain all over again."
Naruto sighed, grasped Shizuka's chin, and gave her a kiss on the lips. It was quick, but it helped calm his fair maiden down.
"I know, and that is why I am going to start trying to master my Ki elements. We each will live a long happy life together, I promise you that."
Shizuka nodded, and decided to rest her head in Naruto's lap. With a sigh, Naruto started to play with her hair which made her sigh in content. The Konoha 12 couldn't help but smile at the cute couple they made. But they still wanted to know what Naruto was going to do.
It was Sasuke who spoke up first, his tone like that of Itachi's; emotionless.
"What exactly are you planning, Naruto? I doubt you would just run solo into a massive army."
Again, Naruto chuckled to himself. "You will know in time, Sasuke. All of you will know." His gaze turned towards his first friend. "And Shika, mind keeping this a secret from the others for now. I want to finalize plans with the other Kage's first."
The Nara sighed, "Troublesome."
Ino smacked Shikamaru upside the head, the nervousness and fear now gone. "He means yes, Naruto."
Shino decided to interject with his usual tone. "We thank you for telling us about your time in Iron Country, but I believe it is time to go. Why? Your mate is sleeping, and we best get ready for tomorrow."
The Konoha 12 agreed with a nod of their heads. So, as they stood up, they thanked Naruto and wished him good luck on the battlefield. Naruto returned the favor and told them that he might be testing each of them in the future. The Konoha 12 smiled as they missed the spars they had with their blonde samurai.
Once everyone vacated, Naruto looked at Shizuka with a smile. Without a word, he got up, and carried her bridal style to the master bedroom. Once she was tucked in, Naruto kissed her forehead, then went downstairs to clean the dishes. It would be a late night tonight as he had a map to make.
A very large, detailed map of the Elemental Nations.
XxXxXxX
Following Morning
Shizuka yawned, and turned over in the bed she was sleeping in. The fact she was in a bed made her wake up, and wonder how she got here. The answer came quickly, but it also left one other question.
"Where's Naruto-kun?"
Shizuka thought, then decided to go to the bathroom to freshen up a little before she began her search. About five minutes later, she made her way out of the bedroom and was about to go to the living room when she heard snoring in a room down the hall. With a shrug, she decided to see if Naruto was inside. Sure enough, there he was.
Although shocked by the amount of scrolls in this library, Shizuka couldn't help but chuckle at how Naruto was sleeping. He was laying over a desk that had a massive, partly unrolled scroll on it. Around his person was multiple books on the Elemental Nations as well as information about the four main villages. As Shizuka walked up to the desk to wake Naruto, she took a gander at what he was working on; it made her eyes widen in disbelief.
"How long were you up making that, Naruto?" After a pause in her thoughts, she smiled. "Well, there's no doubt that the Kage's will be impressed with this."
Naruto groaned as he sensed someone beside him, then cursed at how he let his guard down. He knew that Fukui was scolding him right now; a thought that made Naruto chuckle to himself.
"Hey, Shizuka, is it morning already?"
"Yes, Naruto-kun." She kissed him on the cheek then smiled. "You've been busy…care for some tea?"
Naruto nodded as he was still too tired to talk, he did yawn though. And after getting the sleep out of his eyes, he stood and decided to mediate beside the garden he needed to replant. As Shizuka started making breakfast, Naruto was determined to get at least one of his Ki elements started. Just as he sat down to start, Kurama interrupted.
"We should also attempt a full transformation before the battle. There is no doubt that you will perish if you don't use it."
Naruto nodded, then yawned again. "Hmm, I suppose it would be for the best. Now, any idea on how to harness a Ki element?"
Kurama scoffed, "How should I know, you're the Ki expert here!"
Naruto shook his head with mirth, then mentally replied in an amused tone.
"Yes, but you forget that this is uncharted territory as not many samurai have fully mastered their Ki. I, being only the third if Masamune's records were correct."
The bijuu hummed in thought, then gave his container a place to start. "Try searching for that feeling you felt when you first accessed your elements."
Naruto smiled as he remembered what the book said about said elements. Wind was carefree, it blew when and where it wanted too, and thus cannot be controlled; simply guided. Fire was all consuming, a blaze that could run seemingly out of control, and incinerate anything in its path. It was the hardest Ki element to master due to its unpredictable nature. Knowing this, Naruto decided to start with wind.
Naruto closed his eyes, and started to mediate, but this was no ordinary session. No, this session involved delving into the deepest part of one's mind, and become one with the element they wished to master. For five minutes, nothing happened, but then Naruto felt that tug again. Letting himself go, he found himself in that white space once again where the cool summer breeze began to blow. As he reached out to try and feel the wind, to become one with it, Naruto was suddenly booted out of his meditation.
"Damn, so close!" Naruto sighed in slight frustration, and attempted again.
It was fifteen minutes later that Shizuka finally came outside to inform Naruto that breakfast was ready. The last thing she expected was to find Naruto levitating a foot off the ground, still in the meditative position.
"N-Naruto?"
Shizuka's worried and shocked tone brought Naruto back into reality. Of course, this made him fall back to the ground, but he was not sad, or angry. Naruto was smiling as he finally knew what he was looking for and how to grasp it; it was only a matter of time where the mediation wasn't needed.
"Something the matter, my fair maiden?" Naruto questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"You were levitating a foot off the ground!"
Naruto blinked in shock. "W-what?"
Shizuka nodded her head, "Yes, Naruto, you were floating. Did you not feel that at all?"
"No…I was trying to get a feel on my wind Ki. Hmm, it seems fully mastering my Ki will have great benefits. Flying…now there's a thought!"
Kurama chuckled while Shizuka just shook her head with a smile. The couple grasped hands, and walked inside for a nice breakfast. It would be a long day for both of them as Naruto had to look through records with Nagato, and Shizuka had to make sure the rebels were ready for anything that might come at them. Konoha was preparing to strike, but so were the others.
XxXxXxX
Iwa – Council Chambers
Tobi was seated at the front of the U-shaped desk as he looked at the people around him. Most was the new Akatsuki while the others were his pawns in a much larger game. These pawns were none other than Onoki and Yagura. Both were put under a mind-control genjutsu, something which Tobi planned to use to the fullest extent. Taking his gaze off his pawns, he shifted to his Akatsuki.
Orochimaru, Deidara, Sasori of the Red Sands, Kisame Hoshigaki, Raiga Kurosuki, Hidan the Jashinist, Kakuzu, Zetsu, and last but not least was a project years in the making.
A resurrected Hanzo the Salamander.
Yes, with Orochimaru's research on the Edo Tensei and fuinjutsu, the Sennin was able to bring the man back from the dead, and in control of his own body. Of course, the seal was not perfect as Orochimaru, nor Tobi, did not have the expertise like Jiraiya or an Uzumaki had when it came to fuinjutsu. Due to this, a kill switch was implanted inside the seal just in case Hanzo tried to rebel against them.
"When can I show Konoha my art, yeah?!" Deidara said, which Sasori replied with.
"Your art is fleeting, while mine is everlasting."
"Fuck art! When can I sacrifice these heathens to Jashin-sama?!"
Tobi interrupted before a massive art debate ensued. After he cleared his throat, he began.
"As you all know, we will be striking key targets in order to capture our prizes so that peace can reign in the Elemental Nations. Konoha may have allies, but our force far surpasses their own in terms of power."
Zetsu, who was hidden in the floor beside Tobi, decided to make his presence known.
"And what about the Uzumaki…I lost track of him after he crossed back into the Elemental Nations."
Tobi narrowed his eye as it was impossible for someone to avoid Zetsu, or so he thought.
"How, I need an explanation."
"His entourage suddenly lacked chakra, and I simply lost track."
"We missed a tasty snack!"
"Ignore my other half, but it would be safe to assume that the Uzumaki is back in Konoha."
Orochimaru made his presence known with his signature laugh.
"Ku, ku, ku, so Minato's gaki is still alive. I've heard many rumors come from Iron Country lately, and all of them don't bode well for us. Taking armies on twice the size of his own, and surviving a suicide attack, to name a couple."
"Who cares," Kisame interrupted, "Samehada and I just want to show the samurai brat who the real swordsman is!"
Onoki, although under mind control, still had his memories from the past shinobi wars. He shook his head, and clarified for everyone.
"You're too brash, and hot-headed, Kisame. It is something a samurai will use to their advantage…you would be dead before you knew it."
Tobi hummed in thought, then smirked under his mask. "Slight change of plans, we will still attack like normal, but I will meet Naruto personally. I would like to test his merit, if you will. Yes, taking the Kyuubi jinchuriki early in the game will be a great boon to world peace."
Kakuzu, the calmest one in the group, decided to add his two cents.
"I see your decision as rash, Tobi-sama. It seems you have a slight personal grudge against Naruto. You forget that I am over ninety years old; I have dealt with many samurai over my existence, and each one has lead me to near death."
Tobi waved his hand as he completely ignored Kakuzu's advice. "Samurai have no place in this world, they are outdated, and will be at a disadvantage due to not knowing our skills."
"Ku, ku, ku, but the war you started in Iron Country says otherwise."
Tobi clenched his teeth, "Of all the times, why now! What is your game Orochimaru?"
The room was silent, and Tobi noticed everyone was looking at him for an explanation. As Tobi began to explain, Orochimaru grinned to himself, and made discreet hand signs under the table. A figure in the shadows suddenly vanished, while the hidden seal on Hanzo glowed, and started to change.
XxXxXxX
Konoha – Hokage Office
The Uzumaki cousins were enjoying tea as they looked over the many reports since Naruto left for Iron Country. For now, they attempted to try and discern which reports could have been falsified by the enemy. But later, Naruto would use these reports to make a final battle plan and place it on his homemade map. The only trick was to convince the Kage that a samurai was a capable leader in a strictly shinobi conflict.
About ten minutes into their task, the cry of a hawk was heard which made Nagato confused, but for Naruto he knew that it was from Iron Country. Without a word, he got up from his chair and opened the window to let the hawk land. Once it did, the Uzumaki's noticed a small bag was attached to its back with something inside. What was inside was quickly answered as Yuki managed to peek her head out of the opening, and let out a happy yip.
"Yuki! Oh, I'm so sorry." Naruto said as he took the arctic fox from the bag, and held it in a loving manner.
"With all the hubbub in Iron Country, I seem to have forgotten you, my faithful companion."
Yuki gave Naruto many sloppy licks to the face which made him smile. After the fox calmed down, Naruto introduced her to his cousin.
"Nagato, this is Yuki. She faithfully served us in the war by gathering information about the enemy. Something we sadly cannot do as she would stand out like a sore thumb."
The Hokage smiled, "Hello, Yuki. My name is Nagato, a pleasure to meet you."
The fox let out a happy yip, jumped out of Naruto's hands, then proceeded to jump into Nagato's lap to take a nap. Of course, this action made both Uzumaki chuckle. Once they calmed down, Nagato decided to ask a few questions.
"Naruto, in order to gauge your skills, I must ask if you would tell me about the war you recently fought. Also, in order to judge your skills, would you mind if I set up a few spars?"
Naruto smiled, "Hai, spars would be lovely, but I believe that should wait until the Kage arrive to hear my plan. After all, a samurai fighting in a shinobi war does present questions on how capable I am."
The more Nagato thought about it, the more Naruto was correct. So, with a nod of the head, it was agreed upon that spars would be set after the briefing 4 days from now. There was one question however.
"And your opponents, my cousin?" The Godaime asked.
Naruto's smile turned into a huge grin. "Why, the other Kage of course."
Nagato's Rinnegan eyes widened slightly before they went back to normal. His tone, however, was still one of shock.
"Are you crazy?! They're Kage for a reason, Naruto. Trying to humble them will only lead to the opposite of what you hope to present."
Naruto sighed and shook his head sadly, "See, even you dismissed my skills as a capable fighter. Although you did not outright say it, the implication was plain as day. Yes, I don't possess what you shinobi have, but I have found a way around it as evident by the war I just went through."
Nagato cursed inside his head as he didn't mean to dismiss his cousins' skills; it just came out. It made the Rinnegan user realize that most, if not all, the shinobi in the Elemental Nations did not understand how powerful the samurai really were.
"I'm sorry Naruto, I…"
The Uzumaki put up his hand to halt whatever his cousin was saying.
"You needn't apologize, cousin, I understand. But you do not, so, I will gladly tell you my tales of war as I go over the rest of the reports. Just lie back, and listen."
Nagato did as told, but summoned his paths to help with the reports. Like the Konoha 12, Nagato was shocked at what Naruto went through, and how different the samurai were from Shinobi. It made him realize why his cousin wanted to go against the Kage. Even though he might not win in the spars, it would show the Kage how capable a fighter and leader he would be.
It was now late afternoon, and both Uzumaki had yet to get lunch. Since Naruto finished telling his tale, they both decided to take a break from what they were doing and enjoy a nice meal at the local dango shop. Before that, however, Nagato wanted to know what his cousin had found in the reports.
Naruto sighed then motioned to a pile he made to his right.
"Those, I have deduced to be falsified documents for multiple reasons. One, the language used in the reports vastly differs from what Konoha uses. While Konoha's is short and to the point, these are lengthy, and have unnecessary jargon added in. As to the real ones…well, do you want the good or bad news first?"
The Godaime didn't care, but hearing his cousin's serious tone at the end, "The bad if you will."
"The enemy is much closer than previously thought, and we might not have four days to get all of our plans set. According to the actual reports, Kumo, Ame, Suna, and Konoha, have all been strategically surrounded to the point where the smaller nations are at serious risk."
"And the good?"
This is where Naruto smiled, "Our daily patrols have made the enemy think our forces are much bigger than they truly are. Although Iwa, Oto, and Kiri, and possibly this elusive Akatuski, might have the advantage in firepower, we have something that they don't."
The Godaime smirked, and simply replied "You. They don't have a samurai on their side. Which begs the question, what exactly are you going to do, my cousin?"
"Ah, you will just have to wait and see until all of us meet. But, I suggest sending a missive to our allies that we need to convene as early as two days from now."
Nagato nodded, but was concerned if Naruto would be ready. "Are you sure that is enough time to prepare?"
"You underestimate me yet again, cousin. You needn't worry about me…come, let's enjoy some dango together. We still have much catching up to do."
XxXxXxX
Two Days Later
Naruto was attaching the remaining pieces of his armor when Shizuka came in, smiled, and helped him get ready. Ever since he and Nagato looked at the reports, Kumo, Suna, and Ame was contacted and they agreed to meet in Konoha. Of course, this was done very carefully as they did not want to notify their enemy.
Also during this time, Naruto pushed himself to finish his detailed map, a battle plan, and to have a basic understanding of one of his Ki elements. Naruto was happy with his progress on harnessing the wind as he could now become one with the element without the need of meditation. Sadly, his repertoire of attacks with said element was severely limited. However, Naruto did find out how to use the Ki element to his advantage when it came to speed and evasion.
"So, today's the day." Shizuka said with a frown. "How long until we have to fight again?"
Naruto gave her a kiss on the cheek, and replied in the same sad tone. "I am unsure, but thanks to many false reports being sent out along with what our allies got, it should buy us some needed time."
"You still haven't told me what you are going to do when the fighting starts." Shizuka crossed her arms under her breasts with a pout.
With a sigh, Naruto whispered the answer in her ear. Once done, her eyes widened in shock, but this quickly vanished and was replaced with a smile.
"I have faith in you, but I cannot help but feel that your mission will go wrong."
The couple kissed again, and once they broke, Naruto responded.
"It is just another obstacle in the way of my path; an obstacle which I will overcome."
Shizuka just shook her head with a smirk and motioned to the front door, "Go get em' tiger."
Naruto nodded then proceeded to walk to his personal library to pick up what he has been working on the past three days. Once it was in his hands, Naruto's face grew stern and focused. It would be a look which would continue well into the meeting of the Kage.
XxXxXxX
Council Chambers
At a circular table, six people sat as they waited for Naruto to arrive. There was A, the Raikage, Rasa, the Kazekage, and Konan, the Amekage. Also at this table was Shikaku, Inoichi, and Nagato. Out of all of them, the Kage that did not know Naruto had their concerns. Before any talk could start, the door was opened by the ANBU outside to let Naruto enter. Any concern the other Kage had about this young samurai was lessened due to the way he carried himself, and by the calm, yet stern expression on his face.
Naruto looked over each of the people and mentally nodded to himself, then bowed in respect to them all.
"Thank you all for gathering at such a short notice. Time is of the essence, and we cannot sit idly any longer…if I may, Nagato-san?"
"You may, Commander Harumasa."
Naruto gave a brief nod then walked to the table, and unraveled the scroll he had with him. Everyone gasped at the level of detail on the map. From every mountain which surrounded Iwa, to the many minor towns which dotted the Elemental Nations, it was all there. Not only that, there was what looked like a battle strategy written on the map.
"Troublesome, but I must ask if you made this yourself commander." Shikaku asked with his usual lazy tone.
Naruto nodded, "Hai, in three days no less…my master was a stickler for perfection, a trait he passed onto me."
Inoichi hummed to himself as he looked over the many arrows and lines which connected to their enemies. One village, Kiri, was not labeled to be attacked. It seriously confused him, something which Naruto picked up on.
"I understand your confusion, Inoichi-san. Please, let me explain."
Nagato motioned for his cousin to continue.
"Thank you. Now, as you can see, I have Kumo sending troops to attack Oto, and Suna to attack Iwa with Ame and Konoha supporting both. As to why I have nobody going after Kiri is that there is a civil war currently going on, so I expect the rebels will take advantage of this situation and thus put Yagura on the ropes. Hopefully, to the point where we have one less enemy to deal with."
Naruto paused to see if everyone was following so far. Seeing that they were, he continued.
"Before these attacks are done, however, I expect to be making a solo mission to shock our enemies into submission. Sadly, my intuition is telling me that this plan will not have the effect I originally desired due to something wanting to test me."
"The point, Harumasa-san?" Rasa growled out as he was growing impatient.
Naruto smiled, "Be patient Kazekage-san, good things come to those who wait."
Rasa grit his teeth; he was starting to hate Naruto. Then again, he wondered why a samurai was going to lead them. Naruto's voice broke him out of his stupor.
"From the reports Konoha has gathered, I expect Ame to be a prime target for Iwa to attack. With two jinchuriki at their disposal, there is no doubt that Ame will fall with two well placed bijudama. Worst case scenario is that Ame falls, and we are unable to stop Oto from advancing. If the rebels do not keep Kiri at bay, then Konoha will be attacked on three sides."
Nagato interrupted. "The leaf will undoubtedly burn as we still have no clue who the Akatsuki is besides one member. We simply cannot go against three jinchuriki, plus X-amount of S-rank shinobi. I may be Kami, but only Kami can do so much."
Konan suddenly gasped as she started to see what Naruto had planned.
"Commander, are you seriously thinking of trying to repel a wave of Iwa forces all by yourself?"
Naruto nodded with a smirk, "Why yes, I am thinking just that. Like father, like son after all."
The room suddenly went silent as the foreign Kage pieced together what those words meant. The blonde and red haired samurai standing in front of them was the son of Minato Namikaze. Thanks to this, they started to see Naruto as a capable leader, but doubt still remained.
"But how do you expect to do that, Kyuubi jinchuriki." A said with a smirk. "Unless you can…well shit!"
The slight pause the Raikage had was due to Naruto entering his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
"As you see, Raikage-san, fellow Kage, Kyuubi and I are on good terms and have been for a while. If wiping out a platoon of Iwa Shinobi doesn't work, and Onoki still wants to fight after I give him the chance to surrender…"
Naruto paused and started make tails grow. Within seconds, eight tails were present, and the wooden floor started to sprout small saplings. It was then, Naruto spoke; his tone emotionless.
"I will gladly wipe Iwa off the map."
Knowing a little about samurai thanks to reading up on them, as well as Naruto's tales, Nagato spoke with concern.
"But killing innocents would go against the Bushido code!"
Naruto deactivated his cloak, and smirked. "Remember my intuition about someone testing me…do you really think that they would allow me to do such a thing?"
Shikaku clapped and smiled, "Shock tactics and a bait…very well crafted commander, but you have been vague on what us Shinobi are supposed to do as we attack Oto and Iwa."
"There is a reason for that, Shikaku-san. I am a samurai, not a shinobi. I don't know all of your tactics, I can only assume what they are. I have simply gave you an outline to work with, but it is up to you to form the teams to make my strategies work. Besides, assumptions are just one of many fatal mistakes one can make on the battlefield."
For the next ten minutes, talking was had in the chambers. Most was Naruto answering questions about his plan and what if Kiri tried to attack Kumo. A managed to clear this up as he would use his adopted brother Killer B to wipe out the opposition. Another question that got asked was by Rasa.
"All this is well and good, but how can you all openly trust a samurai? Commander Harumasa just admitted he does not have our tactics, and likely does not have our skill set. Is this…eye sore in front of me really capable of such a feat?"
Once this question was asked, a massive pressure was felt in the room, but most of it was directed towards the Kazekage who started to sweat. All eyes turned towards Naruto, and they flinched at the coldness in them. Even more so when he spoke in a dead tone.
"Be thankful I am helping you at all, Rasa, fellow Kage. I just got through a civil war in Iron Country where I led fellow samurai against armies twice the size of my own. I have seen many comrades die, some due to my failures some not, and worst of all was that I saw my master take his last breath!"
Naruto paused to take a calming breath, but his tone still stayed the same.
"So tell me, do you think I am this eye sore you claim that I am? Or am I more than qualified to lead an assault which will likely save your sorry asses from the Fourth Shinobi War?"
Rasa tried to come up with a response as the pressure in the room receded. Eventually, he did manage to come up with an answer, though in his mind he was unsure if he would win.
"A spar, you and me, with all of Konoha present as well as the fellow Kage in this room."
Naruto nodded with a small smirk on his face. "Very well, I will accept this challenge. You will have one hour to prepare. May I be dismissed, Nagato-san?"
The Godaime simply motioned to the door as he spoke. "You may, but do you mind if we keep the map…it is most impressive."
"You may, good day everyone." Naruto bowed, and left the room.
Once the door was closed, all eyes turned to Rasa which made him nervous. The Kazekage knew that he may have just killed any chance at working peacefully with the samurai due to his outburst.
XxXxXxX
One Hour Later – Konoha Stadium
Almost all of Konoha was in the stadium wondering what was going on. All of them saw Naruto sitting seiza in the middle of the arena, his katana on his lap ready to be drawn at any moment. Before any conversation could be had, the Godaime and the other Kage appeared in front of Naruto. All but the Kazekage stayed in the arena; the rest shunshined up to the Kage box. It was here that Nagato confirmed everyone's suspicions.
"I thank you all for coming out to witness the spar between the Kazekage and Naruto Harumasa. This match was proposed by the Kazekage as he questioned whether Harumasa-san was capable of leading us in battle. Before the match begins, the rules are simple; no killing your opponent. Other than that, everything goes. Commence!"
The stadium was silent as everyone saw Naruto as crazy for going up against a Kage, but there was a select few that had faith in Naruto, and despised the Kazekage questioning his talents. In the arena, neither opponent moved, but it was Rasa who spoke up first.
"Perhaps my judgment was rash an hour ago, but before I make a formal apology; let us see who the better warrior is."
Naruto just nodded, and stayed in the position he was in. The Kazekage, not knowing much about samurai other than the stories he was told as a kid, decided to test the boy's reflexes. As Rasa slowly walked forward, the crowd watched in silence then gasped as they saw Naruto tense slightly before striking. If not for the Kazekage's gold dust, he would have surely been bisected at the waist.
"A foolish man you are, Kazekage. For a brief moment you felt fear…a fear of death. But, I must commend you on your reflexes with your Magnet Release."
Rasa's eyebrows narrowed. "How do you know that?!"
Naruto sheathed Honjo, and smiled. "Come now, my master had me read the entire Konoha library, including all the Bingo Books ever made. But enough about these trivial things. You wished to test my capabilities…so come, let me show you the strength of a true samurai warrior."
Naruto connected with his wind Ki, and suddenly vanished from sight. The speed at which Naruto moved at shocked Guy and Lee the most. For Rasa, he sensed something coming from behind and had his gold dust protect him. For a brief moment, Naruto could be seen before he vanished again. The Kazekage smirked as he knew what to do. After placing his hands on the ground, he smirked and screamed his technique.
"Gold Dust Imperial Funeral"
The ground underneath Naruto's feet suddenly turned into the Kazekage's infamous weapon. Not wanting to be caught in this, Naruto ran up the wall thanks to the speed he was going, then used it as a springboard. Once airborne, Naruto released his wind Ki, and activated his Nine-Tails Cloak. As Rasa raised his hands towards him, the gold dust following, Naruto held out his palm and started to collect multiple blue and black orbs. Soon enough, a small Bijudama was in his hands.
Naruto vanished just as the gold dust tried to engulf him, and he reappeared right in front of Rasa. Thanks to the Kazekage's quick reflexes, he managed to kick Naruto's hand into the ground which engulfed both of them in a good sized explosion. As the dust started to clear, the crowd was relieved to see that neither was harmed.
The two opponents looked at each other with a stern gaze, then they charged each other simultaneously. Just as the Kazekage formed his gold dust into multiple spikes, ready to impale the blond samurai, Naruto connected with his wind element and suddenly sped up. The reason? He noticed one open patch that was not protected by the Kazekage's seemingly impenetrable defense.
The gold spikes tried to find their target, but they soon dissolved as the Kazekage lost focus due to feeling a spike of pain on the left side of his chest. As he reached down, he felt something wet, and warm. As he looked at his hand, his eyes widened in shock.
"Blood." He whispered, then looked at Naruto who was behind him. "But how?"
Naruto slowly sheathed Honjo as he spoke, "There is no such thing as a perfect defense. No matter how strong one might be, there will always be holes."
Before Rasa could respond, Naruto closed his eyes, and did something that nobody thought was possible.
"You ready Kurama…let's show them how capable I really am."
The bijuu grinned, "Heh, I cannot wait to see the look on everyone's faces."
Naruto and Kurama fist-bumped in the mindscape which connected them, but on the outside a massive burst of energy exploded from Naruto. With seconds, an ethereal Kyuubi was standing in the arena with Naruto being seen in the head.
"Dear Kami above!" Tsunade said in shock.
In the Kage booth, A was holding his chest and laughing, Konan was too shocked to speak, and Nagato…well, he had a proud smile on his face. He always had a feeling Naruto was capable of this feat.
Back in the arena, the Kazekage gulped as he wondered how to get out of this mess.
"Feast your eyes, Kazekage, for you and all that are in attendance today are witnessing history. As I, Naruto Uzumaki Harumasa, am the first Kyuubi jinchuriki to accomplish this feat!"
Not wanting to admit defeat so easily, the Kazekage used every bit of gold dust he had, and attempted to subdue the perfect jinchuriki. Sadly, this would prove to be fruitless as Naruto made Kurama roar which sent the gold dust, as well as Rasa, into the back wall. Very harshly, I might add. For those watching, they all had to cover their ears due to the roar, and had to use chakra to stick to the ground as the winds produced by the attack managed to hit them. Though, this was far less than what the Kazekage felt.
With a groan, Rasa came out of the imprint he made on the back wall. He could tell he broke multiple ribs, and possibly slipped a couple vertebrae in his back. Luckily, he was still able to walk. Unluckily, he felt cold steel on his neck. So, with a heavy sigh, he admitted defeat.
"I concede, Harumasa-san. I clearly underestimated your skills due to my assumptions that samurai were weak due to their code of honor. You have humbled me this day, and now ask for your forgiveness."
Naruto sheathed Honjo, and held a hand out to the Kazekage, "You needn't apologize, Kazekage-san, as you have admitted your faults. Take these mistakes, always remember them, and use them to make yourself a stronger individual."
Rasa smiled, and grasped Naruto's hand so that he could be helped up. It was then the crowd started to cheer. Tsunade, Jiraiya, Nagato, Konan, and A shunshined into the arena to congratulate Naruto, but also to heal the injured Kazekage.
Jiraiya patted his godson on the back, "So, how does it feel to beat a Kage?"
Naruto shook his head with a frown, "It brings no honor as I knew that I would lose if he did not underestimate me."
"But it does show how much you have to improve on…right?" The Toad Sage said with a smirk.
Naruto looked at his godfather with a smile, "Hai, and from your tone, it sounds like you've been there a time or two…the fight with Hanzo being one of them."
Both Sennin groaned as they heard this, it was a part of the past they wished to forget. Before either could have a word with their godson, the Raikage made his presence known with a short laugh.
"You have shown great strength, commander, and you have demonstrated leadership during our briefing, but I wish to see something more."
Naruto smiled, "But of course, Raikage-san, perhaps we can set up a war-time scenario."
Nagato hummed in thought, but it was Konan who spoke first. "I have just the idea. Seeming that many still have the belief that samurai are outdated, I say that Naruto-san lead a team of samurai haters to a certain known objective."
Shizuka decided to put her two-cents in with a smile, "I will gladly help setup the scenario, in fact, I will base it on one of the many battles Naruto had during the war in Iron Country."
Nagato nodded, his tone was stoic, as usual. "I have no objections. Naruto, please stay behind while we gather your team. Once we are ready, we will give you the green light."
Naruto bowed, "So you say, and so it shall be."
Yuki yipped and jumped into Naruto's arms while Shizuka gave him a quick kiss. The three politely dismissed themselves and headed back to the Namikaze home. Within three hours, the test would be ready.
XxXxXxX
Forest of Death – 3 Hours Later
A team of seven random Konoha shinobi that ranged from genin to Jounin was chosen to be led by Naruto. All sat in a clearing waiting for their squad leader to show up for an emergency mission. This is all that they were told. It made them wonder who exactly would lead them on this shady mission.
In the Council Room, the Kage and various other shinobi watched as Naruto crept up to the team he was about to lead. To the Kage and the ANBU, this made them smile as they knew what Naruto was going to do. To the others, however, they wondered how much this samurai could do.
"Our leader was supposed to be here ten minutes ago!" One of the genin said in an irritated manner.
The jounin of the group scoffed, "Some leader he is…in fact, I might as well take command due to my rank."
Up in the trees, Naruto smirked at how clueless they were. "I drop my Ki, and nobody notices. This mission is going to be quite interesting."
Before anymore chat could be had between the squad, Naruto dropped in front of them which made their eyes widen in shock.
"I was above you for fifteen minutes, and could have killed each of you over ten times. I would have thought that the jounin would have detected me, but alas."
One of the Chunin broke out of his shock, marched up to Naruto, and poked him in the chest. His tone was filled with distaste.
"This is our leader! HA! Go back to Iron Country where you belong you pathetic waste of space."
Naruto grabbed the hand that was poking him, and used Ki to slowly crush the appendage. The Harumasa didn't even flinch when the Chunin cried out in pain, and dropped to one knee. The others just stood back in fear at the aura their leader exuded. In a cold tone, Naruto spoke.
"I do not take insubordination lightly…shinobi! Nor do I stand for people insulting the home which I fought to protect."
Naruto punched the chunin in the stomach hard then let the shinobi go. The chunin was now in the fetal position trying to get his breath back. With a sigh, and shake of his head, he turned to face the others. He clapped his hands, and his tone became warmer.
"Now, who wants to listen to what I have to say in order to come out of this mission alive?"
The other squad members nodded dumbly. The only sound in the clearing was the groans of pain of the Chunin on the ground. Naruto looked at the man then pointed at the jounin.
"You. You wished to take command right?" The shinobi nodded. "Good, take this man to the hospital as he will soon die due to internal bleeding."
Once the jounin grabbed his shinobi comrade and left, Naruto took a scroll from his kimono and opened it. Inside was the known information about the mission they were about to accomplish. Just as Naruto was about to talk, he looked to his left where the jounin appeared in a swirl of leaves.
"Good, just in time for debrief. Now, listen up while I go over what we know before I go into our course of action. Are we clear?"
The genin on the team nodded, "Hai, but what do we call you?"
Naruto smirked, "Oh, silly me. I am Commander Harumasa, the one who will lead you in the war you are soon about to enter."
XxXxXxX
In the Council Room, everyone had a smile on their face at what Naruto accomplished, but for the Kage they knew Naruto would not have a hold of his team for long. The mission Naruto was given was to infiltrate the main tower of the Forest of Death, obtain any important documents, extract the target which was given on a photo, and rendezvous back to a designated meeting point.
The information that was given to Naruto was that multiple shinobi was in and around the tower with possible traps, and that the rank of the enemies varied. An informant said that the target for extraction was at the top of the tower, and that he was heavily guarded. How many rooms were in the tower was not given, however, the dimensions of the tower was. It wasn't much, but the Kage, and Shizuka said it would be enough for Naruto to work with.
Naruto just got done explaining this to his now team of six. It consisted of one jounin, four chuunin, and one genin. After seeing that they understood their mission, Naruto went into tactics.
XxXxXxX
"As of now, the amount of enemies is unknown which is why I need someone to scout out before we commit to any sort of plan. Any volunteers?"
One of the chuunin stepped up, "I am a stealth and assassination specialist, commander, and would be best suited for the task at hand."
Naruto closed his eyes in thought, then nodded, "Good, you have your mission. I expect you to meet us here in 20 minutes."
The chuunin bowed then leaped into the trees. Once she was away, Naruto decided to get other matters out of the way. The five in the clearing knew the seriousness of this mission as was evident by their leader's stern tone, and emotionless expression.
"Genin, you would be the last they would expect to infiltrate the tower first. But I must ask, have you made your first kill?"
The shinobi in question gulped and shook his head which made Naruto sigh.
"Alright, a slight complication, but it is of no concern. Tell me, genin, will you freeze if you have to make a kill today?"
"N-no, Naruto-san." The gennin stuttered out.
Naruto smiled, "You are nervous, a good sign. This mission will serve you well before the actual fighting begins."
After a pause, he got into the meditative position, and explained to the others what their possible tasks were going to be. About halfway into explaining, the chuunin who scouted came back earlier than expected. And the news she gave was good as it would follow his plan perfectly. However, Naruto knew that with this bunch the mission would likely go to hell due to his samurai status. The six shinobi looked like they were following Naruto's advice on the outside, but the inside was a different story.
"I'm going to have to rescue these shinobi…aren't I, Kurama."
The bijuu snorted, "Remember…pathetic mortals."
Naruto mentally chuckled at this then replayed the scouting report in his mind. The chuunin deactivated several traps on the way to the tower in order to make a clear path for his team. Once she got close enough, she used her sensor ability to get an estimate on how many enemies they were facing. There was about 30 on the outside patrolling the grounds, and another 30 inside. More so on the top floor where the main target was at. This in mind, Naruto thought about the tasks he assigned everyone to see if they would work.
They did not; changes had to be made.
Naruto cleared his throat to gather everyone's attention. "Change of plans! Genin, you will go with the chuunin that recently scouted for us. Both of you are to escort the rest of the team, and take out hostiles in a clean, and silent manner. Whilst this is occurring, the jounin will command the rest to scale the walls, and conduct a breach and clear of the top floor."
Naruto paused to see if everyone was following. They were…for now at least. With a nod, he continued in his professional tone.
"Once you hear the explosion, the genin and chuunin will storm the ground floor of the tower and work their way up. This attack is meant to disorient the enemy to ensure our target stays alive for extraction, and that any documents will stay intact. Do I make myself clear?"
"Hai, Commander Harumasa!" They chorused in which Naruto nodded.
"Good, you have your orders. I will follow behind, but I will only act if the worst case scenario happens."
The team looked at each other and quickly headed to accomplish their task.
In the council room, everyone was impressed. The tactic was brilliant and, by all rights, should be successful. They were not concerned for the shinobi stationed at the tower as they were all shadow clones; the target, however, was not.
XxXxXxX
Shibi turned to Shizuka and decided to ask a question about Naruto's plan. His tone was that of every member of his clan; calm and collected.
"Shizuka-san, if I may, how this is similar to a battle Naruto-san had at Iron Country?"
Said person closed her eyes and sighed in sadness as she proceeded to tell everyone about the failed assassin guild mission. By the end of her explanation, everyone was gobsmacked. The looks on their faces made Shizuka nod.
"Yes, he lost his entire platoon that day, and if he hadn't met me after getting out of the hospital…"
She let the rest hang as the thought of it was still painful to her. Naruto almost died twice during the war in Iron Country, and now another was about to start here in the Elemental Nations. The whole situation pulled at Shizuka's heartstrings.
"How much more shall we suffer, my love. Will peace ever be found?"
XxXxXxX
Back with Naruto, he watched his squad from afar as they went about their tasks. The chuunin that scouted before led everyone through the path she made, and from there everyone split up to do their tasks. It was here, that things took a turn for the worse.
The genin watched some of the guards as they patrolled around the perimeter of the tower. As he took a kunai from his pouch, his hand started to shake, and sweat started to seep out of his pores. He was nervous, fearful even, of the action he was about to take. He gave one glance to the chuunin beside him whom nodded with a grim smile on her face. The genin took a deep breath, sighted his target, and threw the kunai.
The target didn't know what hit him as the kunai lodged into his neck. Afterwards, the guard dispelled in a puff of smoke which the other guards didn't see. For the chuunin, she was confused.
"Shadow Clones?" She murmured which the genin caught.
"Huh, just clones…this will be a piece of cake." Said shinobi smirked at this, but the chuunin shook her head.
"No, these clones act like the original. We need to attack together in order to complete the mission."
The genin scoffed. The decision he would make due to his arrogance would doom the entire mission.
"Please, like I trust that outdated waste that is called a samurai."
The chuunin glared at the young shinobi, "Dammit, I don't like him either, but his plan is sound and will work. Just follow my lead and follow his orders!"
Sadly, the unexperienced shinobi didn't listen, and promptly gave the bird to his partner.
"See this…this is what I think of our so called leader, and you for following his useless orders."
The genin put his offensive gesture away, and pulled out two kunai; one for each hand. Before he ran into the gang of enemies, he had one last thing to say. Something which infuriated the chuunin.
"Just watch and learn, let the real shinobi take care of things."
As the guards pointed to the genin and started alerting others, the chuunin palmed her face and sighed. Knowing the mission was now compromised, she had no choice but to ensure the genin was kept alive. Up in the trees, Naruto shook his head with a frown on his face.
"And here I thought the war-time academy would have gotten rid of that arrogance…"
Kurama let out a short chuckle before he responded in an amused tone, "Turning this into a lesson, I see."
Naruto mentally nodded, the frown still present. "Not just for these shinobi, but for those watching me as well."
It wasn't five minutes later that an explosion ripped through the top of the tower, but as they rushed in they met the fate as the two on the bottom of the tower. All were quickly apprehended, and put under heavy guard with the target that was supposed to be extracted. Said target, who was tied to a chair, smiled as he knew who was coming next.
"Let's see how far you've come, my surrogate grandson."
Naruto pushed out his senses and quickly closed his eyes to get a feel of the situation. Two minutes later, he snapped them open as a plan came to mind. With a quick whistle, which sounded like a bird native to the area, Yuki was found running towards her master with a quiver on her back, and a bow in her jowls. Naruto smirked as he was glad to have Yuki stay around just in case. The arctic fox dropped the materials in front of Naruto whom patted Yuki on the head with a smile.
"Good girl, Yuki. Now, be a good fox and stay in the shadows while I go to work."
The fox yipped and scampered off into the forest. As Naruto put the quiver on his back, and grasped his bow, he thought of how he could make Yuki battle ready.
"I have an idea." Kurama suddenly spoke, but knew now wasn't the time. "But, it can wait until you rescue those pathetic mortals."
Naruto chuckled at those last words, but that soon turned into an ice cold, war veteran like expression. With that, he took to the trees and soon found an area where he had a clear shot at some of the guards around the base of the tower. Ten guards patrolled this area, but there was only 8 arrows in the quiver. It was more than enough.
Like he was trained, Naruto fired off two arrows in quick succession, then jumped to another vantage point, and did the same. This repeated until the quiver was empty. Eight arrows, eight enemies eliminated. The remaining two guards didn't have a chance to put up their guard, as Naruto connected with the wind, and expertly decapitated them. Not wasting time, Naruto rushed to the tower door and kicked it down which brought memories from the failed assassin raid. Although put off by this, Naruto quelled them and quickly took account of how many were in this room.
There was 15, and all drew various bladed weapons hoping to cut the samurai down. Not wasting a moment, Naruto got into a half-seating position which initiated his Tatehiza no bu.
The enemies all charged at once.
From Urokogaeshi to Toraissoku, and multiple other kata the fifteen stood no chance. Naruto dodged, parried, and performed his attacks with utmost proficiency. And not once, did he move from his spot. A minute later, the floor was cleared and Naruto moved up to the next.
In the council room, everyone, minus Shizuka of course, was in awe of how flawless each movement and attack was executed. So much so, that they wondered if the same could be applied to shinobi. Shizuka smiled at the mix of emotions everyone was presenting, and watched the crystal ball as Naruto cleared room after room using what his master taught him. Soon, he was nearing the top of the tower.
Only five minutes had passed since Naruto's team was captured.
With feline like grace, Naruto jumped over a hail of kunai as he breached the door to the top room of the tower. Once on his feet, he added Ki to his hands to act as a blade since the room was too small for any kenjutsu. That, and his targets were nearby. Naruto glanced at Hiruzen, but gave no hint of emotion on the outside. Inside, however, he was happy to see the old man once again.
Like dancing to a waltz, Naruto twisted, and spun around various kunai lunges or taijutsu strikes. Not once was he injured, but it was a different story for Naruto's opponents. Once he ducked under a kunai lunge, he spun around and blocked a kick with his knee, and promptly cut it off. Once the enemy was falling, Naruto spun low and beheaded the person. No movement was wasted; all attacks hit their precise mark. The sign of a samurai who has truly mastered his craft. This was repeated over and over again, though occasionally Naruto had to add Ki to his feet and use it to do the beheading. As this intricate dance was being accomplished, the captives found the ropes that bound them to be cut. Not once did they notice Naruto make a move towards them; it baffled them greatly.
There was one enemy left who decided to charge Hiruzen in the attempts to end his life, but Naruto was quicker. He kicked the back of the enemy's legs which made him stumble back. Naruto took this opportunity to wrap his right forearm around the enemy's neck, and brought the center of his back onto Naruto's left knee. A sickening snap was heard in the room, but Naruto was not done. Just as the enemy's back snapped, Naruto crushed the man's trachea with a Ki enhanced punch. The most shocking part about this whole ordeal?
Not once, did Naruto break a sweat.
Hiruzen's amused voice soon filled the room, "It's good to see you again, my boy."
Naruto's emotionless expression vanished, and a much warmer one took its place. Grandfather and grandson soon reunited with a long awaited hug. Naruto smiled as he looked into the aged eyes of the Sandaime.
"Glad to see you as well, old man."
The former Hokage clapped his hands on Naruto's armored shoulders with a smile. "Well, shall we get these young-ins back to Konoha. The Kages are eager to talk to you now that the test is over with."
Naruto nodded, then set his sights on the genin who compromised the entire mission. As he walked up to the shinobi, said person closed his eyes and awaited the pain that was to come from his failure. The genin was now scared of Naruto as he never thought a samurai was capable of such feats. When no pain came, however, he slowly opened his eyes to see the concerned look on Naruto's eyes.
"Why do you not punish me, commander?"
Naruto placed a comforting hand on the young shinobi's shoulder before he began. "Everyone makes mistakes, and those mistakes lead to great life lessons. Take it from me, a person who trusted an enemy to aid us. An enemy that betrayed me which led to the extermination of my whole platoon."
The Sandaime closed his eyes in sadness, while the genin asked a simple, but powerful question.
"How many? How many died due to your mistake?"
"75" Naruto simply answered which produced gasps in the room.
The genin looked at the wooden floor of the ground with a frown. "I could have gotten us killed…I should have followed your orders."
Naruto smiled, "See, a life lesson learned. Now cheer up, as this sole action does not dictate your shinobi career, it only helps it blossom into something more." Naruto now stood in front of the six man team he rescued. "Like my master said to me when I first entered his shop. You are but an empty glass waiting to be filled."
Hearing this, Hiruzen opened his eyes and turned to the shinobi with a smile.
"Naruto is right, young ones. As a genin, you are but a piece of kindling which feeds the Will of Fire. As you grow in skill, and advance in rank, that piece of kindling only grows into something much larger which only bolsters the flames you carry in your heart. Use your experiences, your mistakes as your grow; a better shinobi you will become."
