Here's the latest edition to Kojin no Kotei

Okay I lied about this getting into the summons because I found there was too much from here and there to put in so that will have to be for the next few chapters.

Enjoy!

Legend of the Kōjin no Kōtei

Chapter 6: Return to Uzushiogakure

'I want you to remember something Naruto, in this world we live in where War is an everyday occurrence. I can be the only one to tell you this not as father and son, but from Clan Head to Clan Heir. When the Oda Clan enters the battlefield we are expected to overcome all obstacles, there can be no defeat nor slight victory. There can only be the drive to win, the overwhelming force to win without anything stopping us.

We Oda are as you know a Warrior Clan, but we are so much more and as such we must always keep our mark in history. We must strive and survive during these times of conflict, if we are persecuted to be monsters then so be it. Nothing else matters, but the Clan's survival and honor. I've taught you this since you could walk, and you've grown to know these words enough so that I am sure you understand the severity in these words.

But, when it comes to us, the highest echelon of leadership for the Oda Clan it falls upon us to lead our people into battle. As the Clan Head it is expected of me to determine our battles, when and where to strike, how and when to utilize our strategies. As such I know our people will die in War that is a given, but as the Head I aim to empower our people and raise their morale with our overwhelming power to face the limitless odds stacked against us.

Yet, when it comes to you my son it befalls upon you as not only the heir of the Clan, but as my personal successor to lead our people into the thick of battle. To plunge into the sea of fire that is War, to be the scythe that reaps our enemies and lays waste to all of our foes. You will spearhead our forces, you will be the one to show the world the true might of the Oda Clan. I have seen your power for myself, and already you have surpassed my expectations by leaps and bounds, and still you've yet to reach your full potential. Your power as it is now, is the perfect example to show the entire world the Clan's true might.

I expect nothing less then perfection from you, the armies of the arrogant daimyo's dare to march upon our soil, the dregs and demons of Hell threaten our borders and the stability of Heaven is weakening with each passing day. The War of all Wars is coming, and as such I expect you to be the one to face these threats with all the power you possess. You must muster up every morsel of power within both your body, mind and soul for you to stand on top of all these threats, and when you have achieved this only then can I allow you under go the Rite of Ascendance between Clan Head and Clan Heir.

However I must warn you my son, with all the power you have and the power I expect you to obtain in the far future. I must impose that you never under any circumstances lose yourself to your own power. With as much power as you will come to eventually possess not even the Gods themselves will dare to oppose you, but with such power comes great responsibility. That responsibility will be yours and because of this you must never let your own power consume you and devour you.

You are your power's master, you are the King whose authority keeps your overwhelming power in check, You are the God of your Soul and as such you are the only one who can truly master and control your power. I say this, for where I failed...I expect you to succeed in doing this and once you do. Only then can you ascend to your full potential.

Do not fail me, my Son...'

Icy blue eyes creaked open only to see the darkness the engulfed the room he slept in. The slight snoozes of his redhead companion was all that he could hear as he sat leaned against the wall with his katana propped against his right shoulder. The blonds eyes honed in on his surroundings before he looked out to the shoji screen that was creaked open giving a slight glimpse of the night sky and the moons brilliant radiance to shine through. Letting the light hit his face Naruto stared up at the midnight sky peering directly up at the moon hanging directly above the earth.

'You're words ring true father, but it seems it is much more complicated then that.' reaching into his robes he pulled out his necklace. Turning his gaze on the centerpiece jewel encased in the glass like structure. Holding the jewel at eye level he stared into the mystical morphing of colors of the jewel which gleamed in the light of the moon. Upon his gaze he saw the glass structure around the jewel was solid as ever, but just by holding the orb he could feel even locked away as it was gave off its majestic mythical powers in small intervals of pulses.

This was the source of his predicament over his own power...

When the blond felt the pull to his soul he narrowed his eyes and clenched the jewel in hand with his decision made. Picking himself up from the floor he put the jewel back under his robes before making his way to Kushina's sleeping form he stopped to look down at the redhead for a moment and doing so a look of care crossed his face. The Uzumaki Heiress was asleep with the little Kitsune toy hugged to her chest which made to be an amusing sight.

It had taken some time, but he was able to console the redhead after what she did. Her confession understandably surprised him and his respect for her rose after that. Still he was conflicted about this. However he decided to trust in his partners words and would try to give this a chance. He'd never been in a romantic relationship before since his time was always taken up with the War. But it would seem the chance to have one was presenting itself, and in his own student nonetheless.

Looking at the redhead he glanced down at his hand and narrowed his eyes at the fact his skin was turning paler as the minutes passed.

'Before anything else, I must regain control over my own powers so I don't endanger those close to me.' looking down at the redhead he place his hand on her head and rubbed her hair in a soothing manner. Then he puled his hand away only to point his index finger to Kushina's forehead.

''Sleep well Kushina'' he muttered while putting a small spell on the redhead to keep her asleep for the next few hours. With that done he turned towards the shoji door and slid it open and walked out before sliding the screen back. Then with a mental command he planted his hand on his and Kushina's room.

'Bakudo #90: Hachigyō Sōgai' with the command sent, the entire room on the outside of the Inn he and Kushina were staying in was suddenly engulfed into a golden barrier. Taking a moment to check the spells hold the blond nodded in satisfaction since he knew those not attuned with the spiritual world as powerful as he would not be able to see this spell and would be caught under its effect. So if they came near it they would only make them think in the depths of their consciousness that it wasn't there nor was the space of which the room took apart from he main building wasn't there as well.

And by chance someone like Obake tried to get in Naruto would be alerted by the ill intent or intrusion of his barrier, and would be able to get back in time.

Knowing Kushina would be safe for the time being, Naruto turned around before vanishing in a soundless shunpo with a destination clear.

It took a bit, but once the blond found himself out of the village and somewhere he recognized to be close to the borders of Kawa no Kuni he stopped to survey the area. Upon finding a suitable deserted clearing in the forest he came upon it so he was standing at the very top of a waterfall. Looking among the forest the blond shook his head knowing that once he was done the effects would be glaringly seen.

Sitting down he placed his katana over his lap and got into a Jinzen meditative stance. Closing his eyes the blond delved into the thick of where the turmoil was taking place.

Naruto's Inner World

''Been some time since I was here...'' Naruto commented as he opened his eyes to see the world of his soul, the representation of his powers manifested into a world of its own. His eyes looked on to see his inner world, the familiar scorching atmosphere hit his body like a tsunami as the explosions and rumbling of the countless volcanoes that spanned his inner world reached his senses. Looking at the ground he saw the blackened soil crack and wither under his feet. Looking into the sky bypassing the black smoke and the smell of sulfur in the air the blond could see the 3 suns hovering in the sky.

The biggest of them all was the dark red sun hovering over the majority of his inner world the intensity of its heat scorched the skies and burned at the atmosphere itself. The wind itself felt as if it were burning under the suns intense heat. Then there was the second sun shining a dark shade of azure which was considerably smaller in size to the first. Then there was the final sun which was the smallest of all which was a jet black sun with an intense heat wave engulfing the outer rim of the sun with what looked like a mix of green, purple and crimson.

Naruto felt nostalgia hit him at seeing his inner world after so long, but when he felt the disturbance in the air, the irregular spikes of reiryoku made his eyes narrow. Turning his attention to the source the blond vanished before appearing quite the distance. It was here the blond looked down at the edge of what was a crater with molten crag which let the lava of the volcanoes flow within. He glared down at the center of the crater before he felt the rumbling of what felt like a giant coming up to him.

Looking to his left he saw the source which in any other situation would be a good sight to see, but this was too serious for anything else to matter.

It was a Dragon...

The ground cracked and cratered under the beasts immense weight, lava pooled at its gigantic claws not even bothering the creature in the slightest. It's size alone dwarfed that of Moryo by 10 times, its crimson scaled gleamed and its four wings furled up as they were still shadowed much of the area. Spikes ran along the spine of the beast up to its head where a total of 4 horns curved backwards and pointed up were seen. More spikes ran along the jawline of the dragon and with the slight opening of its mouth its razor sharp maw of fangs. The beasts eyes however were a stark contrast to the rest of its body as they were a pair of glowing azure orbs that radiated both power and wisdom.

Eyes similar to that of Naruto's own...

''I've held back the influence from spreading any further in your body, but I've reached my limit. I hold no power over this side of you, and that jewel not only seems to be reawakening him, but its making him stronger as well.'' like Naruto the spirit within him also felt the disturbances happening within the core of his soul. The cause was the jewel that much was for certain, but the effect it was having on the blond is what sent alarm bells ringing in the spirits mind.

Naruto's eyes just narrowed even more before he turned his gaze back down to the center of the crater. ''I see, your efforts are appreciated, but I'll deal with it now.'' with that said the blond jumped into the crater missing the look he got from the dragon just before its gaze shifted to the crouched figure in the center of the crater. Seeing the irregular spikes of reiryoku tearing the ground apart and the essence o the reiryoku filled his inner being with a sense of anxiety.

'You may be able to best it now, but when the true test begins there will be no definite winner Naruto. This is a premature beginning to what you will face when the test begins. But I believe you know this already, don't you?' after all he and Naruto was one and the same and while he knew the blond has faced difficult challenges in the past. The Test set for him with that jewel would be one he would need to be prepared for.

Naruto's feet hit the blackened soul with a thud with his gaze staring resolute at the crouched figure before him. His jaw tightened, and his arms crossed his chest as he looked upon the form of what could possibly be a man. Only the figure was sealed into the ground with a multiple variety of spiritual swords and javelins stabbed through its spine, neck, heart, and legs completely grounding the figure to the ground. Most of its body was wrapped in white cloth with parts of it missing or was burning away into ashes. Metal prongs were stabbed into several points of the figures body with the most prominent being around its collar bone, lungs and center of its ribcage. Finally was a giant chain wrapped around the figures body several times over, but the chain were slowly rusting.

However upon closer inspection the seals could clearly be seen to be eroding away in ash. The javelins were slowly turning a dark rusty brown as were the chains while the bandages were burning away faster by the minute. The body itself was bulging causing the metal prongs to get pushed one by one causing them to hit the ground.

Naruto took this all in with a impassive gaze before he glanced down at he figures bandaged face with only its mouth being seen.

''So, the jewel's power although considerably suppressed has weakened my seals to this degree in such a short amount of time. It's only been a few days since I found it too. No matter...'' the blond grabbed hold of his katana before flicking it outs of its sheathe. Positioning the blade directly toward the increasingly active figure bound to the ground the Oda heir's eyes narrowed into cold determination as azure flames started to come off the entire form of his body. His sword suddenly lit into a bright flame of azure as the heat among the atmosphere suddenly went up to incredible degrees.

''Now, awaken and face me, Akuma!'' with that said, the blonds body erupted into a pillar of azure flames. The figure in question actively bulged from the seals before they shattered in a explosion of the exact same of azure flames as the blonde that is before a same pillar of blue fire erupted dissipating the smoke on the spot. The figure just gave a cruel smirk as its sinister gold eyes glowed with power as it voiced its words after so long.

''It's been so long, but for this...I've been waiting for this, Maō'' the man spoke, his appearance could clearly been seen to reveal a man that looked nearly identical to Naruto in every aspect down to his hair, height, muscular physique. He was dressed in the same clothing as Naruto only it was all inverted, and was just two shades of black and white. His hair unlike Naruto however was silver while his skin was pale as a corpse. All in all he looked like the inverted twin to Naruto himself.

However his presence was very different to the blonds, it absolutely reeked of malicious malevolent intent, barely restrained hate and rage gleamed behind its sinister golden eyes. Not only that, but as it stood its power rose more and more until the ground beneath it cracked and melted under the intensity of its presence. It's cruel smirk revealed its longer then average canines which looked more like fangs then anything.

''Now, let's have some fun, neh?'' its voice was distorted yet carried a cold merciless edge that promised untold amounts of eternal pain, suffering and anguish to any and all those that dared oppose him. Bringing down his pale hand the same katana like Naruto's materialized in a small column of blue fire in his hand only inverted in color. The figure took a step forward which was the universal sign for the two to dash toward one another where their swords met.

Then an explosion rocked Naruto's inner world before the world was engulfed in a sphere of azure flames incinerating everything in its path.

Same time-Kusagakure

In the lands of Kusagakure a country that was caught in the middle of Tsuchi no Kuni and Hi no Kuni, was known for many things ranging from its forests of overly large tree's and mushrooms that dotted the country in such a way those that held no experience in passing its treacherous forestry could forever be lost in the thick brushes. However it was also known for the two bridges that let many cross the river that split the lands apart. The first was the Tenchi Bridge that spanned the great ravine separating the the country from Hi no Kuni while the second was the Kannabi Bridge that connected the two lands together. In the midst of day and night this bridge was still used as a means for a major trade route for caravans and mobile merchant guilds alike. It was one of the major structures of Kusagakure and was severely protected by the countries militant forces. However if one were to look at the bridge you would see the results of the Second Shinobi World War was taking its toll

No longer was the bridge being used for its primary purpose to let merchants and other sources of trade to travel countries, but now it was mainly used for the allied forces of Konoha-nin and Kusa-nin to travel back and forth to get deeper into enemy lines they used the ridge as a means to get by undetected and it allowed the vast shinobi forces to save their energy for the eventual infiltration into Iwa's borders. Even in the dead of night the forces of Konoha past the bridge to gather their forces for another assault.

True some forces have tried to take out the bridge in a tactical strike so enemy villages could cut off Konoha's way of transportation through countries, but they were always met with enough resistance. Giving enough time reinforcements would come in time to defend the bridge and safeguard the bridge for the next battalion to cross between the two lands.

However, what many didn't know was that below the Kannabi Bridge where the river channel flowed to the west was alongside the base of the cliff which was connected to the mainland of Hi no Kuni was a slight walkway just big enough for someone to walk along.

It was in the night, that on this very edge directly under the lookouts guarding the village that a disfigured apparition was walking along the edge. It stopped at the end of the edge under the bridge before the apparition ended to reveal Obake in all his black clothed presence. Staring among himself through the eye holes of his mask he wordlessly brought his hand and tapped his finger on the landmass at his side. The caused a single seal to light up in a bluish glow before the area before Obake shimmered like a waters surface would when a rock was tossed in.

It ended only to reveal an underground cavern with the edge going inside the cavern. Going inside he sealed the entrance back before he followed the edge. Unknown to many, directly underneath the Kannabi bridge where it connected to the Hi no Kuni mainland was a vast network of underground channels that spanned all over the country which came out of nearing every point one could think of in the country. Potentially it was the perfect route for a quad of sabotage shinobi to infiltrate Hi no Kuni so they could get in closer to Konoha so they could attack behind enemy lines.

That is if they survived the entire web of traps and seals that were set to be triggered if a foreign presence tried to get in besides those that made them.

Obake easily bypassed these seals as he made his way through the darkness with the only light being the dim torches running along the walls. His stride was slow and balanced he had enough time for a leisure stroll because after all the next stage of his shishou's plan was still a bit ways away. He was only here to get that plan ready with the key to that plan being sent out into the field.

Turning a few corners, Obake finally found himself before a pair of two giant set of wooden doors presumably made of Oak. His eyes scanned the door for a moment before he pushed it open revealing an enormous chamber. Standing at the entrance of the chamber, Obake was instantly blasted with an oppressive and dark presence which he would admit to only himself was quite powerful.

'But still nowhere near as powerful as Shishou's or Oda-san's.'

''Ah, the pet of the old man has come to greet me after so long. Tell me, why are you here you hollow husk?'' a cold voice spoke from within the darkness. If Obake was offended he didn't show it as he simply responded to the entity within the chamber.

''Shishou has tasked me with telling you he has need of your capabilities, and since you owe him you must and will obey him.'' Obake suppressed the shiver that went down his spine when the full force from before slammed down on him with even more force then before, but he remained still so he didn't reveal a sign of weakness. To do so would not only slander the name of his Shishou, but to do so before this entity would spell his untimely demise no matter what he tried to do.

A mirthful chuckle escaped the chamber before the presence spoke in kind, ''While I admit I owe the old man that debt it does not mean for a second you have any sway over me. So it would be best you mind your words lest I rid you of your existence.'' Obake just stood there before a chuckle of his own escaped him.

''Perhaps, but I do think you will find what he has tasked for you to be to your liking. The Uzukage has demanded a summons of the Sandaime Hokage and the Fire Daimyo for a meeting concerning the incident of the failed invasion on Uzushiogakure.'' Obake's eyes caught the slight shift of the entity shadows directly before him, and he could tell the slight surprise in his form.

''….I see, but I fail to see what he would need of me about such a matter best left to the current day shinobi.''

If Obake was in a better mood he would have smirked behind his mask, but no this was serious and as such remained serious about the matter at hand. ''Here's the reason, Shishou thinks that at the summons, the Uzukage will have with him as a bodyguard the same man who we've been waiting for.'' There it was a bigger shift in the figures form with surprise more prominent, and like that the air became even more tense when the figure let loose a chuckle.

''Oh? Now this is interesting, so the man your master has spoken so highly of has awakened at last? Finally, the infamous Oda Heir himself makes his presence known then. Let me guess he wants me to be there to fight the Oda?'' Obake merely nodded his head in confirmation.

''That's correct, he wishes to assess the power of the Oda, and seeing as there are rare few in the world you are the only one capable to come close to his level. Whether you live or die is none of his concern only that you prove to bring out some of his stronger abilities.''

''…...I could careless for the purpose for this, but now that I know this then I accept if only to finally fight someone to give me a challenge. Tell your master I will be there rest assured, now begone from my sight you wretch.''

Obake merely nodded while mentally he scoffed at the entity's nerve, but he just became intangible before vanishing without a trace.

In the darkness the figure slowly stood before walking forward to the doors. Doing so he spoke as he readied himself for the battle ahead.

''So I finally get to face someone strong in this day and age? The shinobi of this era are too weak minded, to pitiful to even be called Shinobi. Hopefully this man, the Oda Hei of the highly esteemed Oda Clan can perhaps rejuvenate my urge to fight again. But I do know this without a doubt my return will shake the shinobi world. Now I wait to fight the man worthy of such praise that even the Juubi fought and lost against.'' his steps echoed amongst the chamber as he came closer to leaving the massive room.

''I will show the world, The True Might of a God...''

A pair of fully matured Sharingan eyes pierced through the darkness as a chuckle echoed amongst the chamber.

With Naruto

Slowly Naruto's eyes opened which were for a split second smoldering with an immeasurable amount of power while being entirely gold soon faded back into his normal azure. The blond sat there for a moment as his vision focused on his surroundings which let him see the results of the battle in his inner world had on the real world around him.

He wasn't disappointed...

What was once a forest thick with wildlife and running rivers was now just a barren wasteland as far as the eye could see, the ground beneath him was cratered while the en tire wildlife and forests were burnt to complete and utter ash. There was no life present nor would their be any possibly life to be alive after the effects Naruto's body would unleash during such a battle in his inner world. Squinting he could see that thankfully the entire country wasn't destroyed in the process.

''How long has it been since I saw the aftermath of when I go into those battles, and what they do to the world around me?'' giving a sigh the blond up before looking at the sky, and thankfully it was reaching dawn meaning Kushina should still be asleep when he got back.

'Hey, keep an eye on Akuma for me, I doubt he will be active for some time until I've accumulated the missing pieces to this necklace. But to be sure...''

''Understood''

Giving another sigh, he stood up while sliding his katana back into his sash, taking one last look around him the blond vanished.

Konohagakure-Hokage Tower

Sarutobi Hiruzen was having one of the worst days he's ever had in his life, the pressure of the Second Shinobi World War was one thing he could handle. He could could handle village matters and planning his shinobi teams for whichever location needed for the war effort it came with the position. This he could handle...

What he couldn't handle was a multiple variety of problems that just seemed to stack on one another in sheer days. The first and most shocking of them all is the fact that his own student, Senju Tsunade, the last living Senju alive and the Granddaughter of his sensei and founder of Konohagakure, Senju Hashirama had abandoned Konoha! The sheer audacity of such a thing sounded too impossible to believe, but when Tsunade wasn't present for a summons for a mission and he sent Jiraiya to look for her he found nothing.

She wasn't at the Senju Compound nor was she anywhere within the village. Desperately, Hiruzen thought that maybe she was kidnapped, but soon that idea was tossed out the window. Not only because the fact anyone that tried to infiltrate Konoha under its current war protocol would be found, but Tsunade was just too skilled for such a thing. This left only one thing that made Hiruzen theorize why Tsunade was gone. She somehow found out about something she shouldn't have, and in her emotional state of distress coupled with the recent death of Nawaki pushed her over the edge. The fact Jiraiya found her headband crumpled up into a ball and lodged into the portrait of Hashirama only solidified Hiruzen's fear. Thankfully, he was able to stop the political backlash and mass loss in shinobi morale by saying she was on a long term mission behind enemy lines.

Still the consequences were far too staggering for him to count, with Tsunade gone meant the loss of one of his three students which crushed the perfect teamwork they possessed on the battlefield. Then there was the fact without Tsunade in Konoha he lost a major advantage over his enemies in terms of overall power since she was well renowned not only for her medical skills, but also for her infamous strength that was said to topple mountains. Something she most definitely inherited from her grandmother Mito no doubt. It wasn't a technique taught through just immense chakra control, but a natural talent Tsunade shared with Mito since the woman was said to be a complete juggernaut with her overall strength with her chakra induced attacks.

Then there was the loss of her slug summons which was also an advantage he had because she was able to split the slug into multiples to heal an entire army of shinobi in mere minutes. Some from even life or death wounds and that right their hurt even more due to such a loss in power. They were also a deathly summons due to their lethal acid that could kill off an entire platoon of shinobi due to the intensity of the acid that could melt through the most strongest of Doton jutsu.

Truly her leaving the village was hurting him more so for his students especially Jiraiya, but he just hoped and prayed even while his shinobi mind stated clearly that it was what he thought wasn't true. That Tsunade did indeed overhear something she shouldn't have and fled the village. But then came the question, where did Tsunade go? Where could she go amongst this time where war is prominent in almost every country and was spreading by day. Nowhere was safe besides the major villages, and he still expected Uzushiogakure was repairing itself after the invasion so she couldn't possibly have gone their even if she had it would be an automatic death sentence since the Clan's Uzukage was out for Konoha's blood.

Speaking of Uzushiogakure, that was another problem he was dealing with after a few days of Tsunade's departure he finally received word from Kenshin, and what he found was not the least bit good. Apparently, Hiruzen's knowledge on Kenshin Uzumaki being a very affectionate man for his Clan was spot on since he worded in his letter which was more of an official document was demanding a summons of him and the Fire Daimyo at the Hi no Kuni Palace. He was even using the ancient laws of set forth between the Shinobi and Daimyo back during the Clan Wars into affect.

Kenshin had used the Kizoku no shōkan, a move any Kage or Daimyo are able to use under extreme situations to demand a summons without anyone able to say a word about it. The Gokage Kaidan, wasn't nearly as important as this type of summons as it involved not only a Kage of a respective shinobi village, but also a Lord of an entire Country and Hi no Kuni being one of the greatest countries in the Elemental Continent only made this more important. With the Kizoku no shōkan, one could summon every daimyo of every country if the severity itself threatened the Elemental Continent altogether.

Of course such a thing had yet to occur, but still the power in such a summons proved how severe this really was...

He nor could the Fire Daimyo back out of the summons, this wasn't just a simple summons, Kenshin was utilizing laws long since nearly forgotten into effect to get it underway. If they DID try to ignore the summons it would look bad in the eyes of the daimyo, put Konoha in a state of even more backlash for ignoring such a ancient law set forth by their forefathers and that was something he couldn't allow. But just by reading the document Hiruzen could literally feel the hate and loathing Kenshin put into it and that made him extremely uneasy about how the summons would go.

Hiruzen made sure to destroy whatever evidence he may have left behind, but still he was not confident that Kenshin dug up some dirt to at least make a move that could potentially destroy Konoha's reputation and more so harm the war effort for their side. The man was incredibly resourceful, and when push came to shove would literally drop a bomb on you for the sake of his Clans safety.

At one point in time, Hiruzen would have compared Kenshin's attitude concerning his clan to that of the Legendary Uchiha Madara himself since it was no secret the man loved his Clan immensely just before his downfall. The two shared similarities, but they were completely two different people so he only thought of it as being Clan Heads of respective world renowned Clans.

Even still it did not erase Hiruzen's worry of how the summons would go, and if he knew the Hi no Kuni daimyo like he did then it could either go really good for Konoha with the daimyo threatening to unleash his entire force that tripled the size of Konoha's own and crush Uzushiogakure for its accusations. Or it could go really really really bad for not just Konoha, but for all of Hi no Kuni. He'd seen firsthand the power the Uzumaki Clan wielded, they were not to be trifled with, and the way they repelled an invasion force of three major shinobi villages combined spoke of how powerful they were.

That is of course not excluding the unknown element that aided the Uzumaki Clan in repelling the main invasion force on his own mind you which was a feat only the likes of which Uchiha Madara or Senju Hashirama were capable of doing.

And there came his other and possibly most troubling problem, his best scout and saboteur Obake had come not a day ago with his mission report. Least to say the information he got was indeed very troubling. From his report, the unknown element was seen in the company of Uzumaki Kushina a major surprise since Hiruzen was sure Kenshin would have kept her in Uzushiogakure.

Obake was able to give a full description of the man which was a tall male around 6'3. He was dressed in a assortment of clothing meant for one of nobility with his most notable features being his long golden spiky hair tied in a ponytail similar to Jiraiya while his eyes were a deep shade of azure. This made Hiruzen think of one other person who had such features which was the apprentice of his student Jiraiya, Namikaze Minato. Could their be a link? Their were rare few people with such gold hair and blue eyes as these two. Minato was after all an orphan with no recollection of who his parents were so perhaps a possible relative?

'Then again he may be an enemy so best not to get the boys hopes up.'

From what Obake said the blonde was also seen with a few pieces of armor with a chestguard and two shoulder pieces. In addition he was seen carrying a katana at his hip a normal one from what was seen, but Hiruzen had lived a long life to know appearances could be deceiving especially if the mysterious man was being trusted with one of the two Heiresses of the Uzumaki Clan's safety and well being. And Hiruzen's caution was proven correct when Obake told him that the man was heading for Oni no Kuni, and explained to him in detail to exactly what transpired there.

Now, Hiruzen was no fool he knew there were things in this world that defied logic and mortal understanding just look at the Nine Bijuu for example. They were nine supernatural masses of chakra that were centuries old if not more with power to destroy mountains and change the very landscapes in less then a day with the strongest being able to cause natural disasters with a flick of its tail.

But when Obake told him that this blond man fought and faced a demon of legend, Moryo and defeated it in battle which resulted in triggering an eruption of a sleeping volcano was just shocking. And the way Obake mentioned the blond using a technique that overpowered the demons own attack which looked similar to a Bijuu's Imari was just plain terrifying. To think there was someone out there that had a technique that held such devastating power was both frightening and proved how dangerous he was to the world.

Obake unfortunately was not able to dig up the circumstances as to how the blond got into battle with the demon, which the old Hokage forgave him for. Knowing more about the man's capabilities were more of a priority and all else was secondary. Now Hiruzen knew enough from being a child and reading books on the demon who was said came close to plunging the entire world into darkness, and the fact this blond was able to best it in battle spoke volumes of his power.

From what he could conclude so far, the blond was at the very least a Kenjutsu specialist with how Obake said the blond wielded with such skill he was able to decapitate two of the three heads of Moryo with just a swing of his blade. He was incredibly fast much to fast for Obake to catch, and his strength alone frightened him. Obake told him that the blond had killed the demon by grabbing hold of its last head and literally body slammed it from the sky. Even then, Obake was able to watch from a safe enough distance to see the blond tear the demons last head clean off just before he was nearly spotted and had to flee.

Then came his skills with Katon, never before in all his life had Hiruzen ever heard of someone wielding or manipulating fire to such a degree. Not even the Uchiha Clan the most talented shinobi in the world when it came to Fire related techniques was able to do he things this blond could do. The only one Hiruzen knew that even came close was Uchiha Madara and only then he never saw Madara engulf an entire island in a barrier of fire, or unleash waves of fire with a swing of a sword that could decimate battalions and platoons of shinobi and boats alike.

It was frightening, it was downright scary to think someone was walking out their in the world with such power and not being watched or put under control. There was so many questions about this man though, was he an ally of the Uzumaki Clan? Was he an enemy? Would he become a threat to Konoha? There were too many variables and not enough answers for Hiruzen to accurately make a move. Hell he didn't even have a name for the man yet!

After Moryo was defeated Obake was able to report the duo was heading back towards Uzushio which put Hiruzen in a bind since this would possibly be the only chance he would have at getting Uzumaki Kushina. However with the summons being less then 2 months from now he couldn't risk sending out any shinobi especially his most powerful ones out to confront the man. He needed all able body shinobi in Konoha to defend its walls with his absence which included two of his three students Orochimaru and Jiraiya along with Hatake Sakumo.

So the only thing Hiruzen could do right now was get ready for the summons since that took priority above all else for it depended on Konoha's safety and hold on the War and presence in the world as a whole. But he knew Kenshin wasn't crazy enough to do anything at the Hi no Kuni Palace so there wouldn't be no incident while he was there.

Still, the old Hokage sighed as he rubbed his temples all these problems ere affecting him more then he would like. Headaches and migraines were becoming common, and the pressure of dealing with the other duties as Hokage would making it harder for him.

''I just hope that I can get out of the summons with Konoha's safety intact.''

However like the saying goes What goes around, Comes around

And all the lies, betrayals and deceits made by Konoha was gonna come back to tear them a new one.

2 Week's Later-Uzushiogakure

''What in the world happened here...'' Kushina spoke as she looked upon the Isle of her home as she and Naruto were being taken across the ocean. Unlike last time though the two could clearly see the entire island militarized to the teeth. Kushina being trained as she was could easily see her kinsmen scouting and watching from the forests of Uzushio. Last time there wasn't nearly as much patrol when she came back with Naruto the first time they met.

Naruto just looked ahead for a moment before looking back out at the ocean, ''I would imagine your father has decided to prepare Uzushio for the War. Not surprising since the village was attacked by three shinobi villages at once. He must have been hard at work putting up the defenses needed to protect the village from such an assault and this time he and the village would be prepared.'' he said causing Kushina to give a nod of understanding now that she thought about it.

'I can't wait to see you Erza-nee, Kaa-chan, Tou-san! You won't believe how much has happened since this trip!'

Looking to the blonde Kushina felt her cheeks heat up for a bit when she saw him just gazing out at the ocean as the two traversed the ocean. The last two weeks traveling back to Uzushio had been to her surprise very enjoyable and nowhere near as awkward she thought it would be since the night she confessed to him and sealed her virgin lips with his own. The very thought made her cheeks flush bright red, but not as bad as they did when they left the village two weeks prior. Naruto had consoled her the night she did and more so during the trek back to Uzushio, although she did notice he was more affectionate with her from just rubbing her head. At times when they made camp would keep her strictly at his side which resulted with her falling asleep against him more. She even remember him pulling her into a one armed hug during one cold night and when she near asleep carried her to her tent and covered her up.

Honestly, she didn't know how Naruto would take to her confessing like she did, but to her surprise he wasn't disgusted by her nor repulsed by her actions if anything he was more open with her then he usually was. Although she still had much to learn about him she still felt as if she made a huge step in understanding the mysteries that surround Naruto. She didn't know much of his past besides the fact he was from the same era as the Ancestor of the Shinobi, The Rikudo Sennin. An era that to this day most of the shinobi world still thought as a myth besides the select few being her Clan for example. The era itself was still shrouded in mystery and not much was known about it besides it being a time of constant warfare that was worse then even the Clan Wars.

She grimaced at the thought of what Naruto must have went through during those times, but she could see the blonde had been tempered and carved for such a time. Being the Heir to the Oda must have been a huge responsibility for him to carry yet in the end she could see it is what made him into the man he was today. The same overwhelming force she came to know who saved her from a fate worse then death, the same man who helped save her Clan and Villages destruction and the same man who has trained her to be as strong as she is now. The very same man who taught her the lessons of life and what was expected of her with being a warrior on the battlefield.

The very same man who she confessed too and gave him her first kiss.

A soft smile graced her face as her gaze stayed on the blond. Even though she was completely certain for how she felt for him she still felt that she needed to speak with her kaa-san about it. If only to have her wisdom on what she could do to help with how she felt for the blond and what she could do to strength the bond she shared with him.

Naruto caught her gaze and spoke, ''Is something the matter Kushina?''

Shaking her head, Kushina just sat down beside him while placing her hand in his own intertwining her fingers in his. Raising an eyebrow but remaining quiet he did the same making her smile widen.

''Nothing at all Naruto-kun just happy is all.''

Uzushiogakure-Uzukage Tower

Uzumaki Kenshin suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine making him stop his current work with signing documents. He didn't know why, but for some odd reason the Uzumaki Clan head felt like he needed a serious talk with Oda-san which involved deathly threats, katana's, ninjutsu and a very lethal amount of kunai and shuriken.

He also felt the urge to safeguard Kushina's innocence!

''What the...? That was weird...probably nothing...''

Yes, it was nothing...

Nothing at all...

End

There we have it! Naruto and Kushina have finally returned to Uzushiogakure! WOO!

Not much I can say besides that Yes I am an evil bastard and that Yes I take sadistic enjoyment watching you all suffer! MWUAHAHAHA!

All kidding aside, Next Chapter: Meeting with Kenshin, Tsunade, The Mysterious object from Mito and more!

I have Naruto's inner world and spirit linked on my profile if you want to have a visual image of what it looks like.

So, did you Like it? Hate it? Love it? Despite it? Tell me in a review, would you kindly?

Kizoku no shōkan: Summons of Lords

Maō: Devil King

Now I'm off!

Ja'ne!