The Point of Divergence Chapter 30: Konoha Epilogue, a naruto fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own any intellectual property or financial rights in the Naruto Franchise. That belongs to Mashashi Kishimoto, Shounen Jump, Viz Media, Bandai Inc. and other relevant parties with rights to the Naruto franchise.

A/N (Sorry that it's obscenely long in advance, I've got alot of people to thank and many issues from flames to address!):

First of all I want to thank several people who helped me with this chapter and many more before that. So kudos to Rasengan86, Grumpywinter, LD1449 and Jeremy who've helped me moderate and maneuver my plot on its rickety road. Also a special thanks to DarkHeroOrion for doing the same and also helping me by beta-checking this chapter and the last couple of chapters as well. However, I'm especially thankful for him slowly teaching me how to fix my grammar and syntax step by step and I hope he keeps on tutoring me on my way to improving in the future.

I want to also thank all the readers who stuck with me (and even those who lost interest and left their criticism and complaints for me to work with behind). You're all have helped me grow and improve as an author over the last 2 years. Any criticism was welcome once it was well explained and more than once I've conceded to my mistakes and fixed blatant stupidity in my story - so thank you readers and you're welcome to keep on criticizing me when it's warranted, I welcome the chance to improve and to argue my case (granted you're reasonable and just don't cuss me out because you don't like my plot)

Now, some plot related news: I've changed the prologue and chapter 1 to moderate and rationalize Sakura's disintegration a bit more so I hope that the newer version is more acceptable. Also, I declare in advance that I've read volumes 500-503 of the newest Naruto manga and while some of the plot devices have merit I will not be using canon as dictated. I will manipulate what we've been shown in canon up until now (and what will be revealed in the future) and try and 'retcon' / 'reconfigurate' it to fit my own ideas and story so be warned in advance.

Now, I want to address some complaints I've been flamed about over the years about my story and some of my plot devices .

Favorism and injustice amongst characters- I want people to understand that my ninja world isn't fair, there won't be any universal justice or good or evil. Everything is shades of gray so yes, Konoha favored Naruto for his pedigree as Minato's son and his Jinchuuriki status and pissed all over Sakura who is a no-name kunoichi who is mentally unstable and a risk to her teammates. It isn't fair, but life isn't either and favorism and injustice are rampant all around us - as they do in my story.

Yes, Naruto killed Sasuke by accident in a mission and instead of being punished he was prized but that is because Konoha needs him:

(1) he's the future, so they aren't going to break him or punish him and lose another asset
(2) Sarutobi covered up what happened and only a select few know the truth and nobody believes Sakura or would go against Saru's word
(3) They've learned from their mistake and see the need to change the way they deal with him now, so they have him tutored and fixed after years of neglect (As if our governments don't do the same by neglecting problems and only fixing them or trying when the shit hits the fan and people die or get hurt)

In Regards to Lee - I'll admit it may seem I hate Lee, but I don't! Please understand that I'm portraying a ninja world which is somewhat different than canon. And Lee is an unbalanced ninja and thus in my eyes a risk if he faces a superior foe. I have plans for Lee that are not all dark and hurtful, so please be patient with me and trust everything has a reason and that I hear your reviews and am taking them into consideration as I move along.

Naruto being whiny, arrogant and a hypocrete – He's 12-13 and even in comparison to normal young teens he's immature since his emotional growth was stunted by his isolation. So he is confused, pained, distraught and immature. What are you people expecting? For him to be mature and a genius all of a sudden? He's suffered but he hasn't been forced to grow up for real with the guidance of adults so his sensei and friends are breaking him so that he can rebuild himself and become a somewhat balanced ninja and person. So yes, Naruto can be arrogant and jack-ass at times, but isn't canon Naruto a whiny, idiotic and arrogant berk as well for most of canon? I for one don't think it's healthy he screens out the bad and always only looks at the positive, if he doesn't accept the darkness as well as the light he'll be unbalanced (like in canon) and I'm trying to have him deal and struggle and ultimately grow from his mistakes and adversity in the future.

Superior ninja being beaten by weaker ninja – In the attempts of making the Narutoverse more believable, power isn't everything. Cunning and experience can win and superior preperations can trounce sheer talent. It won't happen always, sometimes talent and potential will win out, and other times it won't, it will depend on the situation just like more believable battles (*cough* not like Sasuke crushing everyone with a blink or snort *cough)

Japanese Translation Glossary:

Uzushiogakure - Village hidden amongst the Whirling Tides
Sennin – Sage
Ichibi – One Tail
Gobi – Five tails
Kyuubi – Nine tails
Bijuu – Tailed Beasts
Jinchuuriki – Bijuu container dubbed as 'power of human sacrifice'
Sunagakure – Hidden Sand
Iwagakure – Hidden Rock
Kirigakure – Hidden Mist
Konohagakure – Hidden Leaf
Kumogakure – Hidden Cloud
Otogakure – Hidden Sound
Hi no Kuni – Fire Country
Mizu no Kuni – Water Country
Nami no Kuni – Wave Country
Raiton – Lightning Release
Shodaime – The First
Yondaime – The Fourth
Godaime - The Fifth
Youki – Evil energy
Irukauma – Dolphin-Horse
Fuuinjutsu – Sealing technique/s
Ero-Kyoufu – Perverted Godfather
Kekkei genkai – Bloodline limit
Nuke-nin - Missing/Defected Ninja
Tenshin no Hangan - Judge of Heaven's Will
Kage Bunshin – Shadow Clone/s
Hokage – Fire Shadow
Raikage - Lightening Shadow
Mizukage – Water Shadow
Kazekage – Wind Shadow

Now...without any further adeu, here is the final installment of 'The Point of Divergence', I hope you've enjoyed the ride so far and will continue to read the sequel whenever I get to writing it (I will post a promo/teaser once it's prologue is done to signal when it will begin).

Note that some plot devices have been purposefully left open or unaddressed so I have something to work with on my sequel, but I think I've covered the most important parts. So please Read, Review and most importantly, Enjoy!

(Several minutes after Orochimaru's escape, ruins of the arena)

Senju Tsunade was not a happy camper, and it took every shred and fiber of her self control not to strike the earth to vent her frustration. Said step would most likely cause only more damage to the already demolished arena around her.

That sneaky, smarmy son of a bitch had done it again and there was nothing she could do about it. She had sent ANBU to the Hokage Mountain to help clear the debris and save the civilians before they suffocated. She grimaced when she dared to look up at the monument, now scarred by Orochimaru's bomb. Her grandfather's face had been erased off the face of the stone forever

Before she could curse him any further, she turned to Jiraiya. "Go and find Naruto and the Ichibi Jinchuuriki, if they're still alive. There's no telling if there are any Iwa ninja lurking about, and we can't afford to lose him."

The toad sennin nodded at her and vanished in a blur of speed, leaving her with only a brief moment of contemplation before several figures appeared around her. Her eyes wandered over Hatake Kakashi, Maito Gai, Sarutobi Asuma and Yuhi Kurenai and one other Suna ninja she did not recognize.

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi coolly spoke, "this is Baki, the highest ranking survivor of Sunagakure's invasion force. Currently, he's ordered his forces to lay down their arms and hand themselves over to ANBU's custody. Our forces are rounding them now and herding them toward here. He requested an immediate audience with you to negotiate the terms of their surrender."

The Hokage frowned, a sliver of tension reaching her shoulders. Theoretically, she owed him and his forces nothing. The forty-third edict protocol was declared by those meddlesome old bastards, not her. But, it would probably be very bad for morale, not to mention their reputation to repeal her village's promise of parlay and mercy. "Tch…your Kazekage was a fool to trust Orochimaru and even more so for trying to blindside him and us by allying with Iwagakure and Hanzou."

She flicked a calculating gaze at Baki over her shoulder. He was sporting a calm face and wisely chose to say nothing until she allowed him to. Tsunade chuckled softly to herself and could tell he was nervous in her presence. After all, she could most likely kill him with but a flick of her fingers and his people were poorly outnumbered by their Konoha counterparts.

"Baki, you and your ninja have been given temporary immunity due to your change of heart. Granted, you only joined us in order to survive your own stupidity. Nonetheless, I am a woman of my word, so, at the moment, you and your soldiers will all be kept here in the arena, bound and within chakra repelling seals until we can negotiate the terms of your release with your own Daimyo and council."

Baki looked like he was going to resist, his face scrunching up with slight outrage, but she callously intervened before he could even utter a word. "I would watch what I say as I haven't forgotten that you turned on us. In that case, you can either agree to my terms, or, if you prefer, I could throw you into seal-enforced prison cells and contain you all in subpar conditions if prefer it, Baki-san. So think wisely before you answer me."

"No, that will be fine, Hokage-dono…"

Her smirk widened. "That's what I thought. Additionally, I will require your ninja to recount the ninjutsu and abilities of your 'allies' from Otogakure as well as those from Iwa and Ame that were used in the battles, and you will also describe to us how Orochimaru managed to sneak you into our country. Is that acceptable?"

"As long as we don't have to divulge state secrets, we will comply," Baki firmly responded and Tsunade was a bit impressed with him standing up to her with a fearless composure. She nodded stiffly, him having gone up a notch in her book.

She then turned to Kakashi, her face turning contemplative. "Kakashi, you're an expert Raiton user, right?" He nodded and she pointed at the Hokage Mountain. "Take Asuma with you and head for the Hokage Mountain, since wind and lightning charka will assist the rescue teams..."

The pair of jounin nodded and vanished, leaving the brooding Hokage to mull over just what a mess her village was and just how she was going to pick up the pieces. A sliver of compassion and guilt struck her at that moment, "Was this daunting helplessness what you felt...when Kyuubi attacked and Minato died, Sensei?"

(Later that evening, Hyuuga compound)

Hyuuga Hiashi sat on the porch, gazing at the setting sun. The golden-red light bled into his silver eyes, painting them like pools of flame. He had mixed feelings over the invasion's outcome. On one hand, he had received reports that Hinata and Neji had collaborated fabulously. On the other hand, he had once more been forced to shed the blood of his own kin.

His eyes narrowed, and he felt a surge of shame mingled with rage overwhelm him. His father's death, while covered up most carefully, had created ripples, nevertheless. His own cousin had tried to assassinate him while he was recovering from repelling multiple Iwa ninja.

He would have to consult with Tsunade on how he could deal with the schism threatening to tear his clan at the seams. It seemed he had pushed too hard and too fast, and now the more traditional faction within the Hyuuga began reacting violently. He had never dared imagine they would even descend to betraying the village in order to secure the clan's traditions and status quo.

"Hiashi," a voice spoke from behind him, the sound of the paper door sliding open disrupting his thoughts. He neither turned around nor did he give any verbal or physical sign of registering the man's presence, "we elders know what you did to your father. Your skills in subterfuge and deceit are superb, but our eyes see all. Know that your shameful acts cannot be pardoned or justified."

The formal clan head chose to icily counter those claims. "Has age eroded your minds to the point that you would put our clan before the village's safety? I will not tolerate these acts of treason any longer and neither will Tsunade, once she learns of it. You endanger our clan and our status within Konohagakure."

"This is internal clan business, and you will not involve our Hokage in your own shameful acts. It is you who are misguided, Hiashi. We will lay down our lives for the clan, and you know that. We could stomach your more…tolerant attitude toward the branch as it benefitted the clan, but murdering your patriarch is unforgivable. We elders lay before you the following ultimatum: you will step down and be exiled from our clan, or you will die, Hiashi."

"Your accusations have no basis in reality. I find your insinuations insulting and treasonous. My father was misguided in his actions, and I was forced to defend myself. Do you dare question our Hokage's own conclusion?" Hiashi grimly warned his elder, his Byakugan activating on reflex.

"Do not patronize me, Hiashi. We've been following your every move from the shadows. It is true the Byakugan is all-seeing, but in your arrogance, you seem to have forgotten yourself and we saw what you did. That is why you will keep this within the clan and you will obey our directive."

Hiashi knew he was cornered with his back against the wall. He stood up and he heard and felt the elder tense and cautiously stepped back. "Hinata is too young and inexperienced to assume the mantle, and if any of you elders were qualified, then father would've removed me from office years ago. What do you suggest we do about that, then?"

"She will assume the mantle and lordship over the Hyuuga. We will train her in politics, tradition and history and act as her regents when she meets with the Hokage. You will train her in the ways of the Byakugan and in the secrets only you know as clan head. However, we shall not let you corrupt her, so one of us will supervise your sessions and you will leave behind the mansion and your monetary and political influence, kin slayer."

"I will not step down from my position while she is underage. I will kill you all before you corrupt my daughter and destroy my family and clan." Hiashi moved and stopped his glowing fingertips from killing the older Hyuuga by a mere inch; the glowing appendages hovering over the man's temple.

"When Hinata is ready, having served our village and our Hokage deems her worthy, I will not only step down, but I will also surrender my life to pay for my sins. That is my final decision. That is the best you bastards will get out of me. Do you understand me?"

Hiashi then let the elder go and critically watched his nod and bow. "Very well, Hiashi, but I'm warning you: we are watching you, and if you go back on your word, there will be dire consequences."

The leader of the Hyuuga was left alone once more after his fellow Hyuuga departed. He now knew his days amongst the living were numbered, but, despite that knowledge, he honestly felt at peace. His life had begun spinning toward its end when his wife died and then took a turn for the worse when Hizashi was stolen from him. It was poetic that it would end for his children and nephew.

The flames of the sunset melted away into the silvery light of the moon and signaled the beginning of the end for him, but it was only fair he mimicked his brother's sacrifice and gave his life for the clan's future…his family's future.

He had failed Hinata and Hanabi for so long, but he would not do so in what was left of his life, and on that, he swore.

(Late at that night, Hokage memorial site)

Aburame Shino sat with his back against a tree, gazing up at the moon. He was tired but couldn't fall asleep for the life of him. The horrible task of clearing the debris and liberating the bodies buried beneath…friend and foe was too much for him.

He let out a shuddering sigh. After the dust had cleared, he had rushed to the hospital to see if his friends had survived. It was then that he saw a sight that would likely never leave his nightmares—Kiba's lifeless, broken corpse.

His father had always taught him to show restraint, to remain calm, even in the face of adversity, but he had failed. He had felt the treacherous sting of tears in his eyes and a horrible, bottomless self-loathing as he imagined his teammate's laughing, boisterous face twisted into such a lifeless pallor.

He couldn't form any words to properly describe what he felt, so he just let himself wallow in the desolate despair and sense of helplessness. His father had not spoken to him, but as always, the older Aburame seemed to understand and had dismissed him to go grieve.

"Shino-kun," a soft voice disrupted his dark thoughts.

He shifted his gaze to his left as his surviving teammate sat down beside him. He would never admit it, but her soft voice and subtle, gentle presence seemed to soothe him beyond what words or empty gestures ever could. "Hinata…"

They sat in silence for a while before the Hyuuga maiden gently surprised him by suddenly hugging him in a desperate embrace, all the while whispering in a tight tone, "I'm so happy…so happy you're alive, Shino-kun."

He tried to talk, and he should have said something in return, but his throat constricted and his eyes stung once more.

She didn't seem to mind. She never did mind his silent nature. "I-I don't know if I could handle losing you, too."

"I'm sorry…" Shino whispered out in a small, slightly hoarse tone. "I'm sorry I was so useless…if only I had..."

She held him tighter and shook her head against his shoulder. "Don't…don't, Shino-kun. It's not your fault. We were fighting chuunin and we were outmatched. We...we would've died, too, had reinforcements not arrived to save us. K-Kiba...died to buy us some time...to help us try and fight off the invaders..."

He smiled faintly. Hinata was sweet like that; always trying to console everyone around her. Alas, she was a terrible liar. He had some inkling on what happened to his friend. Her gesture warmed his heart some, and even though he believed he now knew the truth, he allowed himself to buy her lies about how Kiba died, for it was much easier to accept than the bitter, unforgiving truth.

Shino spoke words that bled from his heart with guilt and remorse. "I wish I was there to help you, and maybe then…" He thought, though he spoke otherwise. "He was brave to a fault. He faced every challenge with no fear. He would've done anything to protect us. He's a real hero, isn't he?"

He caught her flinch and subsequent sad smile as she whispered in a slightly tight manner, her tears silently falling and voice trembling. "He was our brother, and now he's gone."

Shino felt the burden of Kiba's loss lifting from his shoulders. He still had Hinata and his family, and as long as he had them, he could still prove himself useful. He could protect his own like Kiba's pack mentality always urged. "No, he'll never truly be gone. As long as we're alive and have each other and Kurenai-sensei, then team eight will keep his spirit alive, right?"

Hinata's voice was still shaky as she swallowed small gasps from crying. "R-Right…We'll make him and everyone else proud!"

(The following morning, Konoha hospital)

His head pounded hard and everything hurt. He tried moving but his body refused to abide him and so he instead focused all his efforts on opening his eyes. The only thought on his mind was: "Wh-where am I?"

He vaguely heard voices excitedly talking around him. It was hard to concentrate on words, but they sounded happy and relieved. He finally conquered his eyelids and his blurry surroundings revealed a familiar white ceiling he could never forget. "I'm in the hospital…again?"

His vision slowly came into focus, though his ears were still buzzing. He caught sight of Ino, in a hospital gown kneeling beside his bedside, her smile wide and eyes moist and affectionate. "Wh-why is she...what happened?" he started to wonder.

He tried talking, but all that came out was a raspy sound. His girlfriend hushed him and rushed to a nearby pitcher of water and poured him a glass. He lustfully devoured the liquid, a rush of relief overwhelming him and he smiled at her, even though it hurt.

Ino rambled something about being thankful and that she was afraid, but he couldn't quite make out her sentences. He felt something swell inside him as she wiped her tears with her arms and chided him for making her cry, though he also took note to her own injured state.

"What...happened to you...Ino-chan?" he managed to just barely grate out. He was still drowsy and somewhat breathless. On second thought, he added another inquiry that was bothering him. "And...did we…did we win?"

Even in his half sleeping state, he could see her eyes shift to a pained, angry gleam and how her jaw clenched. She tightly spoke and her shoulders tensed, "Sakura...she was about to kill me. Anko-sensei saved me and I don't remember much after that. She damaged my lung and kidney...and I'm still recovering..."

His confusion and curiosity momentarily abated in turn for a pure, primal fury that coursed through him. He gnashed his teeth and felt his tenant's youki twitch within him. He shut his eyes and pushed it down, though, inwardly, he vowed that if Sakura still lived, she wouldn't once he laid his hands on that bitch.

Then, as quickly as it came, it melted away as her hands soothingly smoothed through his hair. The tension broke away, and in its wake, all that was left was weariness melded with remorseful guilt. She was his responsibility, just like Jiraiya had warned him she would become if he wasn't careful. But, he had burned those bridges far too long ago, and by the time his arrogance and self-righteousness faded, he was far too late to fix the damage.

His dark thoughts were cut when Ino lightly tugged on his hair, eliciting a yelp. "Hey! I'm injured, so don't brutalize me more, Ino-chan!"

She didn't seem impressed by his complaint and instead leveled a glare at him and firmly spoke. "Well, don't zone out on me when I'm talking, Naruto!"

They glared at one another briefly, before they both smiled and chuckled a bit. "Idiot, you should listen to your girlfriend, especially when you go off and decide not to listen to the most important part! But, I guess you've grown on me, and I can't stay mad at you…too much. So, why don't you look to your left, Naru-kun?"

The Uzumaki obeyed mutely and his eyes widened. "Wha...what the hell?" he softly murmured as he glanced at an obscene amount of flowers and letters with his name on them. His eyes watered for a bit and a strange feeling tightly gripped his chest.

Naruto quietly stammered, shaking his head a bit. It was too much, too soon. He didn't feel worthy of this, because he didn't do anything. Hell, he lost, and he should be dead. What the hell was happening? Was this a dream? He pinched himself and muttered, "Wh…how…why?"

"That's what I was trying to tell you, dummy! You're the talk of the village! Everyone's buzzing about how you beat the Gobi all he way back to Iwa! Everyone could see you summon the toad boss and blast it to kingdom come!"

Naruto's eyes widened a bit, "B-but…" he stammered, overwhelmed. He shook his head in denial. That wasn't how it played out! Sure, he and Gaara gave Han hell, but the older Jinchuuriki won, and he was about to kill them both! How did they...?

He shook his head again and quickly replied, "But …"

Ino was about to comment when a sharp and icy feminine voice cut in. "But nothing, kid. You shouldn't be arguing with the facts, especially when spoken by such a bright and strong young woman and shouldn't be moving at all! Neither should you, Ino!"

"G-Godaime-sama!" Ino spluttered fearfully and whirled around. Naruto followed her with his eyes and gulped unconsciously at the very grim and angry looking woman whom stood with her arms crossed and her foot tapping.

Naruto felt his cheeks burn up and some indignation rise when she spoke next. "Shizune is waiting outside for you, Ino. If you're done making out with my other patient, perhaps you should go to your treatment...and tie up your gown, young lady! There are some parts a woman only shares with her lovers! Don't go giving every guy you pass a free peep show!"

Ino squawked and blushed prettily as she ducked out of the room while holding the back of her gown, too scared to talk back or explain what really happened and too mortified to imagine how much Naruto now saw of her.

Naruto's eyes widened and his mouth gaped at what he saw. At first, he was a bit upset she ruined the moment, but now he was just a bit fazed. The woman didn't seem bothered and she waited patiently for Ino to leave the room before she shut the door behind the genin. "Pick up your chin and stop staring into space, Naruto. That's the least of the naked flesh you'll see on a woman's body, so don't gawk so much. Anyway, it's good to see you're awake. We have much to talk about, but first, let me examine you…"

She stepped into his personal space, her hands glowing in green as she weaved over his upper body, not touching him physically, though her chakra invaded his body, replacing ache with soothing warmth. He was still a bit mesmerized by the vision of Ino's back and butt but Tsunade's cough pulled him back into attention. "You know, you did quite a number on yourself there, kid. You poisoned yourself with the Kyuubi's youki while exerting far too much pressure and damage on your body. You nearly did die…"

Naruto shut his eyes. "I know…and I had to...I couldn't let him destroy the village," he admitted a bit regretfully, "b-but he didn't die, despite all of mine and Gaara's efforts...I didn't win, Tsunade-sama! I should've died...but-but somehow, I'm alive. Who saved me?"

Tsunade sat down on a chair next to him, and that was when he noticed how spent and tired the elder woman looked. She must have been working tirelessly to heal patients and run a village and here he was whining and questioning her. He bit his lower lip and felt shame fill him. He kept on forgetting himself, and he had to grow up already. He was thirteen; he couldn't afford to keep on acting like a damned kid without regards to the rules…and with arrogance to boot!

She chuckled in a tender manner. "You're just like her," she muttered under her breath fondly and shook her head lightly. Naruto guessed who she was talking about but decided recalling memories would have to wait. "You always talk before you think…"

The last Senju heaved a sigh. "We don't for sure who saved you two, Naruto. We have our suspicions, but you needn't worry yourself over that at the moment. Only you and Gaara know the truth of what happened in that battle, and for all intents and purposes, you are going to claim victory over the Gobi, yourself..."

He couldn't help a frustrated question that kept on plaguing him. "B-but why?"

She snorted at him, her face scrunching up with obvious distaste. "In case you haven't noticed, kid, we just got invaded by Iwa, and even though we won we suffered losses, we've just lost our edge as being the one untouched hidden village. We've never been invaded like this, and if we want to keep Kumo and Kiri at bay, we need a symbol to put the fear of the vengeful kami in them..."

His eyes widened and his heartbeat started racing. He had always dreamed to gain acknowledgement, but now that it was attained, the price tag, he realized, was quite steep. On the other hand, his fear morphed into elation as his lips twisted in a satisfied grin nonetheless, and it felt good, despite the associated problems. "I'll make you proud, Tsunade-sama. I'll live up to it! I promise!"

She ruefully smiled at him. "I'm sure you will, kid. In fact, it isn't official, yet, but you've proven yourself in my eyes, and I plan on making you one of my chuunin as soon as you're discharged. But, before you let your head swell, don't forget it's more than glory and adventure!"

Naruto's grin threatened to split his face as he absently nodded. He couldn't help that he was happy. He had been working so hard to grow, to change and become worthy of his headband for the last couple of months, and now that he knew was making actual headway in the right direction, it gave him hope. He couldn't wait to tell Iruka, Kakashi, Jiraiya and Ino, too!

The door slipped open and Kakashi walked into the room, and he was about to step out when he saw Tsunade, but she stopped him when she motioned him to enter. "I've got more rounds, so if you don't mind, you can keep Naruto company…at least until his pretty little girlfriend comes back..." she teased him, smirking at his blush and Kakashi's chuckle.

His sensei bowed before the Godaime left the room and shut the door behind her. Kakashi sat beside Naruto and, unlike his earlier visitors, seemed more grim and solemn. Naruto factored a guess as to why he was here; to give him bad news. Kakashi was closest to him except for...except for...

Naruto's eyes widened and he tried to chase away the thought which now forcefully seized him. His breathing quickened a bit and he sat up. "Kakashi-sensei…you…are you okay?" he quietly asked.

The Sharingan wielder sighed heavily.

"You know why I'm here." It was a statement, not a question, and all the earlier euphoria exploded into shards of razor sharp fear and nervousness that cut into his soul.

"Who…?"

"Many chuunin and jounin died in battle, but of the people you know well amongst your peers, the only one who died was Inuzuka Kiba. He was cut down by the enemy while protecting the hospital with Hyuuga Neji and Hyuuga Hinata..."

Naruto bit his lower lip and averted his gaze. Out of his peers, Kiba was someone he could relate to on some primal level. They were both protective of their friends and family and both were loud, forward and liked to speak their minds. Damn, he was going to miss his jokes and antics. It hurt, but not as much as he thought it would. His bonds with Kiba were strong, but they didn't run too deep; not nearly as deep as his bonds with Ino, Shikamaru or Hinata, who were his closer friends.

Kakashi then put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I want you to know I'm proud of you, Naruto. You performed well in the exams and fought tooth and nail for your village against impossible odds and even befriend…well, more like allied yourself with a sworn enemy. I'm sure that..."

Naruto's heart grew heavy. Kakashi's words were touching, but he knew that, while they rang true, they were a stalling gesture. Someone close to him had died, and it was as plain as day, now.

"…he would be proud of you as well. You were his favorite pupil and I think something like his little brother or son..." Kakashi neutrally revealed before falling silent, obviously waiting for Naruto to melt down.

It was tempting to cry, to wail, to scream and curse everything and everyone, but he could not. All he felt was numbing, paralyzing emptiness spreading through him. He was furious with himself because he couldn't cry, and even though he promised himself he'd never cry again, for Iruka-sensei, he should've been able to shed a tear!

"Don't be upset, Naruto," Kakashi sagely intoned and lightly massaged his shoulder. "I find that the funny thing about tears is that they come naturally when you least expect it. They're rebellious things; they don't appear on command. We each grieve in our own way, but as long as you keep him in your mind and heart, he'll keep on living through you, and he won't fade away."

Naruto felt tension compress his chest and he nodded while gulping. His eyes began stinging and he sniffed as his breathing shuddered. "However, you should be proud of him, because reports say he sacrificed himself to protect retreating genin and civilians…He loved you kids. Heh, he even threatened to hurt me if I didn't treat you well..."

Naruto shut his eyes, one tear falling from his left eye. "He was the best…and he's the first person who really acknowledged me and I…I'll miss him. But, like you said…" he said more firmly and spoke a bit more passionately. "I won't ever forget him. I'll honor him by protecting the village and kids he loved…on that, I promise!"

Kakashi 'eye-smiled' at him and ruffled his hair. "That's the spirit, Naruto," he then absently spoke, though an edge of knowing laced his words. "You know what? I think I'll leave you to rest and recover. I'll come back and visit you later, as I'm sure there's a lot you want to talk about." He got up before walking toward the door.

He paused at the threshold and turned his gaze to Naruto that looked back at him with slight confusion. He wasn't tired. "Oh, and congratulations on your promotion, Naruto. You deserve it..."

With that, he left, and the door clicked shut. The blond was left in the suffocating silence when a thought dawned upon him. He made the rank of Chuunin, just like Iruka, but Iruka would only remain a Chuunin forever. He'd never get his chance to become a Jounin. He'd never get to see him as Hokage. He'd never share ramen with him or encourage him when he was down ever again.

Then everything piled up and he broke and for the first time since he remembered, he cried in earnest for missed opportunities and the brother/father figure he would never see again.

(Clearing beside the memorial stone, training ground three, later that same afternoon)

Lee gritted his teeth for the umpteenth time as he once more screwed up his practice kata. He couldn't help it; he just couldn't concentrate on his training, anymore. It had been two long days since he and Tenten had committed a dreadful mistake and unforgivable sin.

They hadn't talked about it, except one brief agreement: they had to come clean about what they did. Yet, they both kept on stalling, and whenever they were together, they avoided one another, since the excess baggage of their shared secret was too much to handle.

"It's no use, Lee," Tenten's voice called out to him from her vantage point on a tree branch above him. He tensed at the raw frustration and pain in her next words. "I can't get him…get what we did out of my mind. I don't know what to do, anymore!"

The green-clad ninja inhaled deeply. "We made a mistake, and we must accept it, Tenten! It's...it's our fault he's dead and we have to confess and accept responsibility for our actions. I...I'm sure T-Tsunade-sama might understand, since we're genin, and it was an honest mistake..."

Tenten dropped in front of him, glaring at him angrily. "No, she won't! We violated her direct orders to avoid combat zones. We jumped the gun like a couple of idiots and botched an ambush meant for the enemy, and the worst is that we killed a highly valued chuunin instructor. We stole him from generations of kids..."

The familiar knot in his chest returned at her words and, with it, the uncomfortable feeling that had haunted his sleep and waking hours ever since that moment. The crushing weight of his stupidity and mistake forced him to avert his eyes from his teammate's desperate, searching gaze. "Come on, Tenten. It's our duty. We have talked about this before…"

Her eyes watered and she pointed at him accusingly, apparently days of pent up fear and frustration finally exploding. "I've worked all my life to become a kunoichi! I've struggled endlessly to make something out of myself and now...now, I'm fucked! This is your entire fault, Lee! I told you we had to evacuate! I told you!"

"Tenten..." he stammered, having never seen his teammate cry, nor see her so furious and scared. She lunged and fisted her hands in his jumpsuit and shook him, tears falling from her eyes. His eyes stung and he felt immensely inadequate and ashamed as she started crying.

Her struggling weakened and she ended up sobbing against him while cursing harshly. "Damn it! Damn it all! All I ever wanted was to be a kunoichi like Tsunade-sama…to be someone…to be more than just a no-name war orphan, and now…now, I…"

Lee's guilt returned with a vengeance, so a horrible suggestion started forming in his mind. "Tenten, maybe we should...maybe we should just keep it between us…" he piped up in a small tone.

The kunoichi paused her crying and slowly looked up at him, searching his eyes with big, moist orbs of brown. "Nobody knows the truth but us, and we have not told anyone. I know it's...but, if it comes out, our careers will be in jeopardy and…we might even complicate things for Gai-sensei…"

Lee felt his heart breaking at the fear mingled with relief in those chocolate eyes. It was obvious such thoughts had not just crossed his mind at his weakest moments. It was the lowest form of treachery in Konoha, and there were consequences for mistakes, but they paled in the face of hiding the truth and lying to the Hokage...but it would be so easy to.

"It wouldn't be lying…" Tenten agreed in a meek voice. "It's just…withholding the full truth…"

Lee didn't feel any better with the alternative description but swallowed the bitter pill, though it broke many of his own beliefs and morals, but for Tenten, his precious friend and the only person beside Gai that stuck with him through thick and thin, he would break his own heart and code. For her, he would dabble in sin.

They broke apart and started to make their way back toward Konoha proper when they caught sight of a single figure kneeling in front of the newest memorial stone. He wore a pair of long black pants and an orange T-shirt, so he was apparently off duty.

It, like the other stones of old, was rectangular and had names carved into it. This new stone had been erected yesterday during the funeral service for the heroes of the invasion who laid down their lives to defend Konoha.

Lee's eyes squinted. "Is that...?"

"It's Naruto…" Tenten quietly reaffirmed.

The Uzumaki stood up once they breached the clearing and turned his gaze upon them. While he hadn't originally intended to disturb the blond, now that he was spotted, courtesy imposed that they, at the very least, greet him.

Naruto didn't turn towards them, but he did lift his arm in a greeting gesture. When they got close enough, he spoke in a somewhat subdued manner. "Lee, Tenten. I'm glad you two are all right…It's still hard to believe that all these ninja were alive yesterday...and now, they're gone."

Lee nodded solemnly and stole a glance at Tenten who stiffened a bit. "Yes, it's always horrible when comrades are lost and lives are cut short, Naruto."

Naruto simply nodded. "Yeah, Iruka-sensei was like a father to me, so to see his name on this stone is unbelievable and hard to digest. You know, he promised he'd celebrate with me once the exams were over…but that's neither here nor there."

Lee felt his heart tighten and felt Tenten's grip on his forearm constrict like a serpent. Naruto spoke in a casual manner, but his tone was muted and his eyes gleamed with the sadness his voice lacked. He seemed rather controlled for a ninja of his famed rowdiness.

The three were silent for a while and Lee felt increasingly uncomfortable and ready to leave before Naruto beat him to the punch and spoke up. "Look, I've wanted to talk to you two for a while now. I've been thinking about a lot of things, one of them is how I've treated you two..."

"Naruto, that doesn't…" Tenten protested, obviously not feeling well with the Jinchuuriki apologizing, considering her own guilt for what they had taken from him.

"It does matter," he protested firmly with a tone of finality. He turned around and looked at the two genin with a serious look. "I'm not a kid, anymore, and I shouldn't treat my comrades like dirt. I don't want to be that person who looks down on others and arrogantly thinks he knows best."

His voice tensed and he averted his gaze. Was that shame? "I'm...sorry for all the grief I gave you, Lee. I said I didn't want you to die, because I was still carrying the fears and regrets of getting Sasuke killed and was projecting my own disappointment in myself on you. But you're not me, and I'm not you, so I shouldn't have shoved that baggage on you. If I think about it, I wasn't helping you by putting you down. In fact, I was only making things worse.

"I wanna open a new page with you guys," he seriously finished and offered his hand to Lee. "I don't know what the future holds, but I fear it isn't going to get me to the destination I want. So, let's just forget about it and explore it and see where it takes us, okay?"

Lee felt a crushing weight settle on his shoulders. He couldn't look at Naruto as a horrible remorse exploded within him. This was what he wanted for months—for Naruto to admit he was being a jackass and out of line, but now, after proving Naruto's initial judgment was correct and his complacent and missing skill set bringing about Iruka's death, it was a bittersweet moment.

Tenten nudged him and he noticed Naruto's blue eyes were questioningly gazing at him. Lee started a bit, his eyes widening as he shook his hand. "Thank you, Naruto. I appreciate your candor." He honestly spoke.

A bit of a small grin fixed itself upon the blond's visage and followed suit with Tenten. "Kakashi-sensei may have taught me to look 'underneath the underneath,' but it was actually Iruka-sensei who taught me to always accept the people around me and look beyond my own beliefs before judging them. It seems I've forgotten his lessons for the longest time, and for that, I'm sorry, and I won't disappoint him by being an arrogant bastard like that. I promise."

A popping sound cut their chat short when a very unhappy and angry looking Shizune appeared in the clearing in her hospital attire. "Naruto, Tsunade-sama said you could leave the hospital so you could get dressed and then go straight to her office. You shouldn't be wandering around until you're fully recovered!"

Naruto sheepishly grinned and rubbed the back of his head, blushing a bit and looking a bit fearful. "Hehe…I'm sorry, Shizune-san, but I just wanted to catch a quick word with Iruka-sensei...dattebayo. I'll just go now!"

The medic nin glared at him before he took off running. Shizune shook her head and muttered something along the lines of, "That cheeky little brat, always making us worry." She felt two more presences, turned to the other two genin and smiled at them. "It's good to see you two are doing well." She then vanished in a burst of speed accompanied by swirling leaves.

Lee and Tenten shared a look as they were left alone. It wasn't enough that they now shared a tainted pact of secrecy, but they were now getting rewarded for it. Somewhere out there, fate was taunting them with a carrot and the question wasn't if, but when the stick would appear and bash in their heads.

(Hokage's office, Thirty minutes later)

Senju Tsunade was not a patient woman on a normal day, and she definitely wasn't patient when she had a pile of paperwork that was two feet tall to deal with and Kami knows how many meetings to attend. "Kakashi, I thought you said your tardiness didn't rub off on him..."

The copy-nin chuckled a bit nervously and rubbed the back of his head, making her eyes narrow dangerously. "He's never been this late before, Tsunade-sama…and I'm sure he has a reason." He trailed off and glanced at the door with hollow hope.

Jiraiya, the third occupant of the room, contritely chuckled, effectively diffusing her ire. "Lighten up, Tsunade. The kid's just been discharged from the hospital, so cut him some slack. I bet he's catching up with his little friends or maybe eating some real food."

The last Senju exhaled through her nose and, moments before she lost her patience, the door hurriedly opened up and one Uzumaki Naruto came rushing in. He was a bit winded and sheepish looking as he saluted at her and apologized for his tardiness. "I'm sorry I'm late, Tsunade-sama...I visited someone and lost track of time."

Both Tsunade and Jiraiya shot Kakashi a dirty glare and the copy-nin seemed to slightly fold into himself. But, she couldn't stay too mad at the last Uzumaki, because his grin was infectious, and, if his eyes were violet, she would've sworn it was Kushina looking at her with those mischievous eyes.

She dismissively waved her hand and shook her head. "Whatever. Just don't let it happen again, you little brat." Her voice belied more weariness than anger. "Now, sit down before I decide to rescind your promotion."

He quickly bolted into the seat, actually believing the empty threat, which elicited a smirk from the slug-summoning kunoichi. "Naruto, I wanted to explain some things to you, namely the ramifications of your Jinchuuriki and father's identity being revealed publically by Iwa."

Naruto seemed to sit up in his seat a marginal amount, his flinch visible on the first and some excitement filling him on the second one. But, curiously enough, he didn't explode with questions and was rather raptly listening for her judgment. "Looks like there's some of Minato inside of you, after all, Naruto..."

"Well, the Jounin already knew you were a Jinchuuriki and accepted you mostly, and the Chuunin and Genin would've been a problem, but now that you're the 'hero of the eastern sector' who defeated the Gobi no Irukauma, they've seem to lose their fear of you. You're way too useful to be harmed."

Naruto's eyes narrowed at that and he couldn't help a light bitterness that laced his words. "Well, ain't that just peachy? They ignore me half my life, wish for my death, and now, I'm too valuable to kill? I guess I shouldn't be surprised by now…though I…"

Jiraiya glared at him and cut into his words. "Stop complaining, you idiot. You should be thankful you're getting a chance. You should know people who hold prejudices don't change easily, so stop whining about it and look as it as an opportunity."

Kakashi nodded sagely at him. "We've talked about this before, Naruto. Life isn't fair, and people aren't very good at changing their views. I thought it would actually give you some hope and motivation to try even harder…"

Naruto sighed in his hands. "You didn't let me finish…I was going to say that guys are right and I am happy things are changing. Usually, it would give me hope that my dreams and ambitions are realistic, but...I-I just can't be happy and perky right now…not without Iruka-sensei. I only learned he died today, and it's too fresh...I'm sorry. I just don't feel like being excited or boisterous right now."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed a fraction and she felt a sliver of sympathy for the boy. "Understandable; however, I must stress the danger you're in. The Kyuubi's power is feared throughout the continent even more so than that of the other Bijuu, but more than the fox, your father's legacy inspired horror and fear throughout the other nations."

Naruto's eyes dimmed a bit but he spoke with resignation and understanding that was beyond his years. "So, what you're trying to say is...you're going to send me away to somewhere safe where I can train and become the weapon I should be...?"

Tsunade rubbed her chin. "You'd think that, wouldn't you? No, that's exactly what our enemies are expecting me to do and I don't play to anyone's fiddle, Naruto. I'm going to exploit your abilities just like any other chuunin, but with one exception; Kakashi and, at times, Yamato will shadow and at times lead you on higher level missions. Kakashi's mere presence will scare away most assassins and those that are brave enough will find it hard to deal with the both of you and Yamato to boot, at times."

Naruto seemed delightfully surprised by the way his eyes widened and he grinned. "Bear in mind that these measures are temporary. While you're here, Kakashi will continue training you as Jiraiya has to leave Konoha on an extended spying mission to gather information on our enemies and prepare us for war. When he returns, you will be leaving with him to train under his sole tutelage, just like your father did before you."

His eyes widened some at the implications but he nodded before grinning faintly. "That's great, and I thank you for giving me a chance! I won't disappoint you all. I promise!"

Jiraiya sighed and snorted as he shook his head as he murmured to himself. "Stupid kid, how many times have I told you not to make such presumptuous promises?"

Naruto glared at his godfather, much to Tsunade's amusement, who would've loved to spend time with the blond and her old teammate, but alas, she had much work to do. "Kakashi, why don't you and Naruto go catch up a bit? Jiraiya and I have to talk before he leaves..."

Naruto seemed a bit startled and suddenly stood up and seemed desperate, almost rushing toward his godfather, despite the formal setting. Months ago he might've actually done just that, but he seemed to have matured some and held back, and instead, he settled for pleading with his eyes. "W-wait! You're leaving already, Ero-kyoufu? B-but, I need to talk to you before you go! I have something important to ask you!"

Jiraiya glimpsed at Tsunade in a questioning manner and the Senju lightly gnarled her teeth. "Fine! Jiraiya, go deal with whatever has Naruto so flustered, but you march your ass back here as soon as you're done. If I hear you've been peeping in the onsen instead of reporting to me...there will be hell to pay!"

The blond practically dragged Jiraiya out of the room the moment he got approval, and Kakashi chuckled softly as he bowed his head to his Hokage. "I suppose I should go make sure they don't get into trouble, Tsunade-sama..."

She nodded distractedly and sighed as the door shut behind the copy-nin. "That kid…he seems to draw all the people around him with his spirit and antics, just like his parents. Tch, Minato…Kushina, your little squirt is going to be grand some day. But, you two already knew that he'd be the future of Konoha, didn't you? Tch, I promise I'll look after him as much as I can and warm this seat for him until he's ready. It's the least I can do after I failed to help you two on that horrible night and be there for Konoha during my shameful exile…"

(At the same time, Hotpot restaurant in the mercantile district)

Shikamaru marginally frowned as he scanned the people around him. The Jounin sensei had all but coaxed their teams to come to celebrate surviving the invasion. They all sat beside a long rectangular table which was now covered with various hotpots of seafood, fried vegetables and meat that carried a most enticing aroma.

Sadly, nobody had touched the food, and not even Chouji! Instead, each genin was reassuring him or herself that the others were alive. There was also a thundering silence and vacancies around the table, especially in one empty chair; the chair where Inuzuka Kiba would have occupied, had he survived.

The Nara toyed with the drinking saucer in front of him. Their sensei all told them it was tradition for anyone who survived war to drink something bitter to wash it all away. It was to celebrate the dead and to embark upon the future cleansed by the powerful beverage.

Shikamaru bit his lower lip. After Kiba was mowed down for his impetuous behavior, the four of them—Hinata, Neji, Ino and himself—had held off in the lobby through sheer tenacity and desperation and were fortunate enough the Jounin 'Yamato' had saved them from certain death.

He knew he would never be the same again. There was darkness inside of him now; a cold blooded imprint on him that came from seeing the vacant eyes of a friend devoid of life. He had seen a similar shadowed taint in his other genin. Was this what Naruto carried with him for months, now? He felt his respect for the blond grow; to carry such a burden for all this time and grow and change, despite the ache.

The moment the battle had ended, he had expected to feel relief and hope. Regrettably, all he felt was bottomless emptiness and a crushing sadness. They had all huddled together in the shelters, and Hinata had cried silently for Kiba while Neji consoled her quietly. Shikamaru, however, was worried for Ino, who he later learned had lagged behind and was ultimately betrayed and almost killed by that psychotic tramp, Sakura.

Chouji had had it easy in comparison and didn't seem as jaded and changed as the rest of them. His best friend was lucky; all he did was evacuate early and help shepherd and manage the civilians in the shelters. Though, he supposed having the shelters collapse and have to help evacuate people was difficult, too.

He didn't know what happened to Shino, Lee or Tenten, but they had obviously been through trauma on their own. It was the gleam in their eyes; it was different compared to several days ago. He didn't know why, but he felt an odd sort of comradeship with everyone, and he felt that it was a bond between warriors and survivors.

Whatever happened in the past—all the little rivalries and arguments—meant little to nothing, as of late. It seemed that everyone agreed to that, since even Neji and Lee, whom had been at odds for quite the while now, seemed to have buried the hatchet…or at least act amicably with one another as they were seated next to one another and hadn't argued and even appeared at ease.

Asuma finally broke the silence and lifted his saucer of sake. "To our fallen comrades, may their memories live forever."

Everyone repeated the toast in a murmur and Kurenai pitched in next. "To victory against all odds, may it bring us together and make us all stronger."

Before everyone could drink, Hinata and Ino shared a quick whisper before they nudged Neji whom composedly spoke up. "If all of us are gathered here to celebrate, shouldn't Naruto and Kakashi be here as well?"

Shikamaru had found that odd, but assumed Naruto was still hospitalized. The word on the street was that he had fought another Jinchuuriki—a Jounin, no less—and won. He assumed there was more to that story, but he didn't mind, because Naruto deserved some credit, and he had no doubt that if anyone could hold off a monster from Iwa and save Konoha, it was his tenacious and relentless friend.

"You are correct, of course, Neji-kun," Gai-sensei answered for him, "but Kakashi sent me one of his summoned familiars, relaying that Naruto has some business to settle with Hokage-sama and Jiraiya-sama. He will probably be unable to join us."

That seemed to raise curious glances around the table. There was a wild rumor mill around Naruto, lately. The fact the Iwa kunoichi had recognized him as the son of the Yondaime had sent shockwaves through Konoha, and the revelation of him containing the Kyuubi and could control its power to a degree hadn't helped the buzz around him, either.

"It doesn't feel right to celebrate without him," Shikamaru uttered in a low voice, to which most of the genin around the table nodded. "He's part of the crowd, and he did play a big part in our victory, if there's any truth to the rumors..."

"Naru-kun should definitely be here!" Ino stated passionately, and some people around the table chuckled at that.

Hinata surprisingly supplied a reasonable compromise. "We've already ordered all the food, and it would be an insult to them and this establishment to let it go to waste. Perhaps, we can go visit Naruto-kun tomorrow and celebrate with him. Besides, I'm not sure he'd want company now, all things considered…"

There was a solemn silence at the hint regarding Iruka's ultimate death. "Hinata-san is correct. Let us make most of the opportunity while the food is still hot," Lee spoke up to fill the pregnant pause, and Shikamaru noticed Neji glance at him rather skeptically at how eager the bushy-browed shinobi was to change the subject.

"All right, then, let's chow down!" Chouji declared, obviously salivating at all of the food. The tension and gloominess seemed to ebb away as they all drank the warm, bitter alcohol.

Shikamaru smiled a bit once he managed to overcome the pungent taste's initial wallop and he even chuckled a bit at how Ino and Hinata seemed to blanch and cough hard, a smirk finding its way to his lips.

Things weren't perfect; they weren't all buddy-buddy, but it was a start, and it seemed like the bonds between them would slowly recover. It gave the Nara heir hope, for he knew his father's words from before his genin test held true: as long as Konoha stood as one, they were legion, and they could overcome everything.

(Twenty minutes later, Naruto's apartment, Konoha civil district)

Jiraiya heaved a slow sigh as he sat down at his godson's table, Kakashi sitting across of him. The apartment had seen better days, but, considering how busy Naruto had been lately, it was no surprise his living quarters had been neglected…not to mention, the damage the building had taken had thrown things into disarray.

"Do you have any idea what's up with him?" Jiraiya quietly quipped as he heard his godson rummaging through his room in a frantic pace.

Kakashi shrugged. "Well, Naruto doesn't get this flustered most of the time. I assume he has something to ask you that regards Minato or Kushina, since that's how he acts when he asks me to tell him stories, or when he asks for help on learning one of his mother's ninjutsu."

The toad sennin quirked his brow at that when he watched Naruto rush back into the room with a large scroll in his hand. "Oh? That's curious; perhaps he'll ask me about his mother as he hasn't asked me about Kushina before. He usually asks me about Minato..."

The boy started talking, but nothing that he said made any sense. "Ero-Kyoufu, my mother left me a letter in case she and dad didn't survive. She said that when I felt the time was right, I should talk to you and ask about my inheritance. She said she told you there was a good chance she'd die in labor and that she left you with the knowledge of the Uzumaki and…"

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed in intrigue. "What did that woman do? She never confided with me about her medical situation…and she sure as hell didn't...leave me with anything." His eyes widened, and before Naruto could react, he snatched the scroll and unfurled it.

"Kakashi, restrain him. I have to check something..." Jiraiya calmly commanded as his eyes examined the scroll, immediately recognizing Kushina's handwriting. He heard Naruto complain, curse and struggle as the copy-ninja obeyed him, albeit reluctantly.

He examined the neat kanji and noticed that some of the characters were written in a different ink, their shade a bit darker. "What did you do, Kushina?" he murmured to himself, aloud, and brought the scroll closer to his nose and sniffed. "As I thought, these characters are written in blood...but then..."

Jiraiya dropped the scroll, unfurling it further and noticing the pattern only existed in the first passage that was directed at Naruto himself. "She obviously wanted me to see the pattern, and that means that she knew what needed to be done…and that it was my responsibility to do it. Damn it, Kushina, your son is going to kill me!"

He rummaged through his coat and removed a calligraphy brush. He ignored Naruto's confused eyes and slightly opened mouth before he suddenly sent chakra through his thumb and wounded Naruto's hand.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Naruto heatedly asked and the Sage felt a twinge of remorse fill him for he knew Naruto wouldn't understand…at first. Hell, Kakashi looked just as shocked and confused as Jiraiya suddenly poked Naruto's wound with his brush, dabbing the fabric in the crimson liquid.

Naruto was pleading, his struggling getting a bit more desperate as Jiraiya's brush hovered over the scroll. "No, please, Jiraiya-sensei…that's the only thing I have left. PLEASE!"

Jiraiya traced the pattern she left for him that he could already see in his mind's eye with the blood of Kushina's son. He then made several hand seals and his fingertips glowed in faint light before he slapped his hand against the seal now traced with Naruto's blood. "Patience, Naruto..."

A cloud of smoke exploded from the center of a seal, and soon after, two booklets and a scroll above them appeared from within the very well-hidden storage seal Kushina left behind. Whatever was contained within must've been very valuable to her as she protected it with blood seals.

He watched Naruto calm down visibly and smiled a bit. "Calm down, Naruto. Your mother left a storage seal hidden within her message to you. I have never talked to your mother about her medical condition, nor did she leave me anything for you. Obviously, she wanted you to ask me for just this purpose, so I would unseal this...for you..."

Naruto glared at him but didn't shout or whine. More readily, he heavily sighed. "You could've just told me! You didn't have to scare me half to death!"

"Where's the fun in that? You should've seen the look on your face!" Jiraiya jovially boomed and even Kakashi let loose a slight chuckle as he let go of Naruto. He watched as Naruto mock sulked before he moved to snatch the booklets, only to be stopped by Jiraiya.

"I'll read it aloud as there might be something important in there. I won't hold out on you, Naruto, though you can sit by me if you don't trust me..." Jiraiya offered, but Naruto didn't budge, looking a bit miffed at the insinuation.

He turned to the copy-nin before he flipped open the first booklet. "Kakashi, could you make us all some tea while we're at it? I have a feeling this is going to be...difficult."

He coughed into his hand and unfurled the scroll and started reading aloud.

"Dearest Naruto (and Kakashi and Jiraiya who are obviously there with you):

I'm sorry I had to deceive you all, but I'm afraid the information I'm about to share with you all was so top secret I could not take the risk it would fall into enemy hands.

The truth is the ninjutsu and taijutsu portions of my scroll were no heirlooms from my family or my home village of Uzushiogakure no Sato. What I left there was an abstract of my own ninjutsu and taijutsu styles which I've learned and developed over the years.

Now, what you must understand is that the Uzumaki clan were not feared or destroyed by Iwa due to our ninjutsu or ties with Konohagakure, though we do share blood ties and a common ancestry with the Senju clan.

We are, and always have been, known for three traits. First we are fuuinjutsu specialists of unparalleled skill and knowledge. Second, we are known for our longevity and chakra capacity and the last, secret trait very few knew of was that a select few of our clansmen have developed a very unique kekkei genkai which is similar to the Bijuu suppression abilities of the Senju clan: the ability to restrain/contain bijuu with chakra chains.

The reason Iwa wanted us destroyed, and the reason Kiri and they collaborated to eradicate our clan, was because they discovered our bloodline trait, and it threatened the pact of five's balance of Bijuu. Our village was not located near Iwa, like I was once told you; I lied to you to prevent you from seeking out the ruins of our home, Naruto.

Our village actually existed on a small isle north of what is known as Nami no Kuni. It was close enough that Konoha was supposed to protect us. Because Senju Hashirama and my great-grandfather, Uzumaki Kazuya, forged a secret pact after the betrayal of Uchiha Madara, one of the Uzumaki out of every generation who manifested our kekkei genkai was conscripted to act as a barrier or protection, should the Kyuubi or another Bijuu ever attack the village.

So, my father didn't send me to Konohagakure to protect me from the massacres, but he sent me to fulfill the pact and take the place of my dying great-aunt, Uzumaki Mito, who had helped she Shodaime Hokage defeat the Kyuubi and Uchiha Madara and later married him. That noted, now you know that you and Tsunade are actually related, and I know we share one hell of a temper! Konoha couldn't protect us because Kiri and Iwa attacked while Konoha was busy holding off Suna...and our entire clan was murdered.

I meant every word in my earlier words about my medical condition and gambling my life while putting my faith in you. I most likely didn't survive delivering you into this world. But, I have no regrets, except that I have to lie to everyone, and especially your father, who's so happy about us becoming a family together.

Kakashi, Jiraiya, I leave this burden of knowledge with you. I assume Naruto has—or will develop my ability to use the chakra chains in some capacity, so I ask you to protect him and help him assume his responsibility to protect himself and our home. Therefore, besides my knowledge that you've already received in the original scroll, I leave you the true heirloom of the Uzumaki.

I leave you all my family fuuinjutsu, the same secret seals I taught only Minato when we got engaged in the brown booklet. Please, teach my son the art of his ancestors and his father so he may carry our legacy onwards.

I've also left you a booklet with all what I know and remember about my family's true history and a map of our own home, so, one day, you may travel there and seek the ruins of our home. I have also left you with pictures of me and Minato, as well as my family recipes that you may pass on to your wife and children one day.

Live well, stand proud, and know that your mother will always love you, my precious Naruto.

I'll always be watching you and supporting you from beyond.

Your loving mother,

Uzumaki Kushina…"

Jiraiya found that, by the time he was done he felt a bit touched by the love in Kushina's last letter and felt humbled by the responsibility handed to him with the secret knowledge of the Uzumaki and Senju's pasts.

Naruto was holding back from crying, it would seem. He was a strong kid, and Kushina and Minato would've been proud of him without a doubt. He smiled at the kid and ruffled his hair. "Naruto, I'm sure wherever Kushina is, she and Minato are happy of how you turned out."

He ruffled his pupil's hair again and glanced at Kakashi, who seemed uncommonly somber and sad. He and Kushina had been close near the end; she was some sort of surrogate-sister which complimented Minato's big brother figure.

They all sat in some reverent silence for a couple of minutes, silently drinking tea. Then Jiraiya stood up. "Kakashi, you start teaching him fuuinjutsu while I'm gone. When I come back, I will take over and help him fulfill Kushina's wishes."

Kakashi nodded and saluted. "I'll take care of Naruto, so don't worry. You keep safe, Jiraiya-sama."

Jiraiya bellowed. "Don't worry, squirt. I'm far too stubborn to die just quite yet." He said dismissively before he exhaled a bit sharply as Naruto suddenly lunged and hugged him. He felt strange, and it was probably the whole emotional atmosphere. He coughed and smirked.

"Now, now, Naruto, keep your love for your pretty little Yamanaka girlfriend! Don't get all mushy on me, you hear? Now, I'm counting on you to get super strong by the time I get back and oversee your training. You take care and stay safe, kiddo. I'll be back before you know it, yes?"

Naruto grinned happily and saluted as he pulled back. "I will, Ero-Kyoufu! I won't disappoint you! I'll get super strong, so you can train me, and once we're done, you can brag about training two Hokage!"

Jiraiya smirked and turned around while lifting one arm in a parting gesture. "We'll see about that! Sayonara, kiddos!"

With that he vanished in a burst of speed, racing toward the Hokage office. "I have to report this to Tsunade, since this changes many things. Heh, it looks like I might have to stick around for a couple of more days after all. I might as well stay for the meeting in two days and in the meantime borrow that seal booklet as it may hold the answer for stabilizing the Ichibi's seal. Regardless, I'm pretty sure Tsunade will be thrilled to know she has a blood relative in the world after all."

He moaned as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop. It was going to be even harder to fulfill his mission with the knowledge of the burden Kushina asked of him (when and if Tsunade allowed him to embark on his journey), on top of his own promise to Minato to take care of his godson, should he and Kushina be unable to.

But, he was Konoha's 'wild man' and 'toad sage.' He would not fail the expectations of the village. He'd fulfill his duty and secure his home, and once that was out of the way, he'd turn that kid into a force to be reckoned with, because damn it, training two Hokage sounded mighty fine when Naruto put it like that!

(Two days later, somewhere in Nami no Kuni)

Haruno Sakura was tired; she had traveled hard and fast and fled like a bat out of hell from Hi no Kuni. She imagined the hunter-nin would be too busy to seek a small-fry like her, but that didn't mean Danzou's agents were not on her track.

She decided to stop at Nami no Kuni and exploit her past relations with Tazuna to get some assistance and rations before she headed for her ultimate destination: Mizu no Kuni. If there was one place nobody from Konoha would dare embark, it was that country.

Part of Konoha's status quo was to avoid the Mizu no Kuni entirely. It was the last place anyone would look for her because it was a huge gamble on her part. Kiri-ninja were notoriously xenophobic.

She trudged through the streets of the former impoverished nation, covered in a heavy cloak that concealed all but her piercing green eyes. She slipped through the streets, her mind reeling with the injustice of her life.

Even Nami no Kuni was evolving, changing for the better. Konohagakure had repelled the worst attack on it since the betrayal of Uchiha Madara and, of course, the center of it all was that crimson-eyed son of a bitch, Naruto, the 'Gobi Vanquisher,' as he was called.

"I can't believe that monster is the son of the Yondaime Hokage. It wasn't enough he was privileged and favored unjustly by manipulating all the ninja around him with his dark powers. Now, they would kiss his ass for being the son of Konoha's greatest hero! It's like fate has conspired to make sure that son of a bitch is pampered and protected!"

The mere thought of him made her blood boil and rage simmered through every fiber of her being. Her green eyes darkened with barely contained violence as murderous visions of her killing him most creatively filled her mind.

"They will all pay one day, Sakura-chan, but we can't make them pay if we're dead...so we have to be patient. We have to bide our time and grow strong…then we can pay them back with interest! After all, fate is on our side. Look what happened to that bitch, Anko! Hah! Betrayed by her slimy familiars…perhaps we're actually privileged ourselves, in some roundabout manner…" her alter-ego enticingly promised her and it did sound good; vengeance was, after all, a dish best served cold.

She had her ticket to freedom concealed deeply in her belongings, the documents she stole from Danzou that had little interest to Kabuto and his master, Orochimaru. Well, one man's garbage was another man's treasure, and her life depended on the importance of the knowledge written on those parchments.

She reached her destination, the familiar door eliciting a plethora of memories, some good, though most bad. It was here she slept under the same roof with Sasuke-kun's body and murderer after the horrible nightmare on the bridge. It was here Kakashi turned his back on her and the darkness started plaguing her life.

"Just a minute, please!" she heard the sound of Tsunami's voice and the innocent, melodious voice sounded like the sound of scratching a board. She shut her eyes to contain her murderous intentions and desires and smiled sweetly, removing her cloak when the door slid open.

The woman didn't recognize her at first due to her wet and weary look, along with the crimson hair. When she did, her eyes lit up in realization and she smiled."S-Sakura? Oh my, it's so good to see you! How have you been?"

Sakura wore a small smile as she made small talk. "I've seen better days, and I'm sure you've heard about the invasion. I actually need a little help. I'm on a mission, and I'm running low on rations and money. I wouldn't dream to impose on you, but it'll be a loan, and you can send your bill to the village. The Hokage will be thrilled that you helped one of her ninja in need."

Tsunami seemed a bit uncertain, but opened the door, regardless. Sakura entered the welcoming adobe and curiously surveyed her surroundings. They had some luxuries and food from the looks of it. It appeared that the rumors of the economic boom of the Wave Country obviously were very well founded.

Tsunami hummed to herself as she slid toward the kitchen to prepare some food. "So, Sakura-chan, what happened to your headband? Last time you were here, you guys kept on prattling about how it was treasonous to not wear it at all times..."

Sakura flexed her hands slightly and glanced at the old woman over her shoulder, noticing the air of suspicion in her eyes. "Ohhh...your weather here is so cold, and I've been travelling for so long. I decided to keep the cool metal off my body if I can help it, lest I contract pneumonia or something. Don't worry, Tsunami-chan, it's all here. What? Do you think I'm some kind of nuke-nin, or something?"

"Of course not!" The woman honestly protested, with her eyes wide with shock. "I was just surprised, and it was just so endearing how you three were so adamant about it back then!" She was packing food for the redhead, obviously concluding Sakura was in a hurry, due to the fact she was still standing and alert.

"How is Naruto-kun, nowadays, anyway? We've been hearing rumors he's done some pretty impressing things!" Tsunami jovially praised with optimism, the excitement and endearment towards the monster rubbing Sakura the wrong way, and it took quite a bit of her self control to hold back her rage.

Sakura casually spoke, though her eyes were smoldering with fury. Her muscles twitched and she had to screen out her alter-ego's raging to keep from inflicting bodily harm on the woman. "He's doing great. We expect great things from him, being the son of our famed Yellow Flash, and all that."

The door opened, and Tazuna and Inari went inside, laughing about some joke between them, interrupting her conversation with the older woman. Tazuna blinked when he saw Sakura and she caught the momentary flash of fear run through him and the hint of contempt with the side of his mouth twitched. "He knows…they must've sent word ahead since this is one of the first places I'm expected to go…Well, isn't that just peachy?"

Tsunami happily greeted her father and son and headed toward them. "Oh, Sweetie! Dad! Look who came to visit!"

Sakura locked eyes with Tazuna and shrugged off her cloak, revealing her attire and the chains wrapped around her wrists and arms. "I wasn't intending to kill any of you, but I'm afraid nobody must know I was here, and since you know I'm a nuke-nin, Tazuna..."

Tazuna's eyes began to bulge from his sockets. "Leave them out of this, Sakura. They don't know, so please, h-have some mercy!"

Sakura felt some remorse and sadness as her chakra resonated through the chains. She hesitated as she stepped closer and watched Tazuna and Tsunami hug each other in fear. "I can't do this...I can't just...this is wrong! They can't defend themselves..."

"You don't have to do this...Sakura-chan, sleep now, for I'll take care of it..." her alter-ego assured her, and it was so easy to shut her eyes and absolve herself from responsibility. So, she resignedly submitted, blocking out the world and letting that darker and inseparable part of her—the one that was always there to console and help her with her troubles—manifest and take control.

"Why, aren't you a brave little boy, Inari-kun?" 'Inner Sakura' voiced through their joint body, her tone amused and lips twisting into a more menacing grin as Inari charged at her, waving a knife. She ignored the fearful pleads by the grownups before her hand shifted and her chain and smashed into his neck.

The boy slid to the ground, gasping and clutching his throat. Sakura's darker side paid him no heed. "Naruto taught him well to charge blindly to your death. The sad part is…you don't have anyone to bail him out of danger. If it means anything, we're sorry it came to this. Well, she is, but I don't care as no loose ends are allowed to hint Konoha of my ultimate destination. Goodbye..."

(Several Hours later, Hokage's office)

Shimura Danzou frowned, his grip tightening around his cane. He sat on a chair in the office that should've been his many years ago, flanked by Koharu and Homura. Beside them, surprisingly, was the Godaime, Tsunade, who was skimming through various intelligence, resource and medical reports. The room was silent, save the sound of the slug woman scribbling and flipping through pages.

They were all waiting patiently while the Daimyo sat down at the front of the desk usually reserved for Tsunade. The middle aged man covered his face with his fan, observing his subordinates through narrowed eyes.

Danzou watched the fire lord in a calculating manner as the noble spoke. "We have much to speak of. Is it my understanding that you kept your word and made no decisions in my absence, Tsunade?"

It was Koharu who broke the silence, her deceptively soft voice carrying a steely edge. "Tsunade has indeed been keeping us in the dark, despite our many reservations. It's been four days, and we know nothing."

Danzou's lips twitched as he caught Tsunade's knuckles whiten and the grip around her pen tightened. Nonetheless, she remained silent for several more moments. She spoke in a somewhat controlled tone, glaring to her right at Koharu darkly. "Despite the severity of our situation, I am your humble servant, Daimyo-sama. I would not dream of usurping your authority, despite my colleagues' frustrations. I have merely been tending to the ninja and overseeing the reparations as you so commanded."

The leader of Roots faintly smirked as Tsunade slowly dropped her pen, her fist clenched. The younger woman's eyebrows furrowed and the shaking in her shoulders belied the violence to come. Chocolate orbs of fury narrowed on him.

"Now, now, don't hold it against her. I happen to believe in Tsunade-hime's judgment, so I let her act freely regarding the reparations, but I ordered her to not make any monumental decisions until it was safe for me to arrive and consult with you, all by myself. I trust that is acceptable, yes?"

It wasn't a question and everyone knew it. After a brief silence the wild toad sage appeared in the room, his face grave. His hands were discolored with dark blue and black ink stains, and he was somewhat breathless and sweaty. "I'm sorry I'm late, Daimyo-sama. I'm afraid that reinforcing the Ichibi Jinchuuriki's seal based prison was a bit more complicated and taxing than I thought."

"Ah, that's quite all right, Jiraiya. It's always a pleasure to see you. I can't wait for your next book." Danzou screened out the extraneous banter between him and Jiraiya. It always astounded the leader of Roots, to no end, at how easily Jiraiya wormed his way into the good graces of people.

"Tell me, Jiraiya. Is it true you've been training Minato's son?" Danzou's eye narrowed at Tsunade's tense façade at that, her eyes shifting towards her teammate. "Interesting…so she's attached to the Kyuubi's container, is she?"

"It's true, though I can't take all the credit. Hatake Kakashi deserves most of it as I've only taken him under my wing recently. He's a strong kid, you know, and he and the Ichibi's container teamed up against the Iwa's Gobi Jinchuuriki and somehow managed to not only survive, but win!"

"Do you mean to tell me that he managed to fight off Iwagakure's 'Tenshin no Hangan'?" Homura's voice was calm, but an undertone of surprise laced his words as he interjected, despite not being spoken to. Danzou's eye narrowed at the gleam in his colleague's eyes, and even slimmer when he saw to the Daimyo's right.

Jiraiya, despite his obvious weariness, smirked and his eyes gleamed with pride and Tsunade's smug smirk was even worse. "You don't give Naruto enough credit, old man. He's a tough kid; he's got his mother's guts and never-die attitude and his father's knack for pulling the incredible and the impossible at the most crucial times."

"Oh, I see...I see...I shall expect great things from him, then. If he's anything like Minato was, then he definitely won't disappoint me. Why wasn't I informed of this...progeny of the Yellow Flash's existence, though? I would've liked to know that we hold such an asset in our arsenal."

"Sarutobi attempted to hide it to protect the boy from Minato's enemies, but the resemblance is uncanny, and it took one glance from their ninja to identify him. Now, everyone on the continent will know, Daimyo-sama," Danzou darkly clarified. His visible eye held his displeasure. "He's an equalizing weapon. I suggest we have to keep him protected to hold our enemies in place. Regardless to the truth about his battle with the Gobi, he will be seen as a threat, and they will come for him."

Koharu nodded her head and Danzou's lips twitched. "Danzou is right. If his Jinchuuriki status wasn't enough to paint him a threat, being Minato's son will no doubt send a ripple in Iwagakure and Kumogakure. He must be protected until he is strong enough to protect himself and Konohagakure."

The Daimyo seemed contemplative and shifted his gaze toward Jiraiya and Tsunade. "What do you think then about hiding the boy from our enemies?"

"That's the worst possible thing to do right now," Jiraiya frankly retorted, "like Danzou so kindly pointed out. He's going to become an icon or symbol before long. People will expect him to be there for the village, and we need the morale boost more than ever. Besides, coddling him and keeping him locked away will only promise he'll be a horrible ninja in the future. He needs experience out in the field if you want him to become truly great."

Koharu cut into Jiraiya's words before he could continue. "No, we can't take that risk, because he's too important in comparison to the other ninja in the roster. Regardless of Minato's wishes, Naruto is our trump card, and thus, he must be honed to become our weapon of mass destruction. Put your feelings aside, and don't be a child. You know it is the right thing to do."

"I am the Godaime Hokage," Tsunade cut in rather frigidly and bowed her head respectively at the noble, but they both knew, regardless of any fact, that she had the last say regarding her ninja; that was part of the pact of the five. "I happen to agree with Jiraiya. Those three don't know Naruto like Jiraiya does. I admit that I've only observed him and spoke to him in passing, but even I know he is a social creature. He grows and evolves by learning and experiencing things alongside people. In order for him to grow to become the ninja we need—the ninja we want—he must bond with his peers and steel his mind and heart by being a ninja. If we hide him from the truth of our world, he will only break all that harder when he experiences it later."

"I disagree with Tsunade," Homura interjected. "Naruto's growth is a direct consequence of his teachers. He flourished under Kakashi's sole instruction and later Jiraiya's expert tutelage. His peers had nothing to do with his power or his potential. You are too enamored with Sarutobi's idealism and, like him, you make the same mistakes of putting too much stock in human emotion and nature."

It was Jiraiya once more who jumped to his godson's defense. "Wrong. He may have Uzumaki Kushina's compassion and fetish for Kage Bunshin, but he is like his father in terms of growth. He thrives under pressure; he grows out of adversity and challenge. He will not become half the ninja he can be if you don't let him build bonds and learn from his peers. And if you're so concerned for him, Kakashi or Tenzou can always shadow him on missions for his own protection."

Danzou's eye narrowed and he was about to speak when the Daimyo cut him in a serene tone. "I've heard enough. I agree with Jiraiya and Tsunade's judgment. Besides, Tsunade is the Hokage and holds the utmost responsibility for our military forces, so, as it stands, Uzumaki Naruto will not be hidden away and be isolated from our village."

Danzou knew when he was beaten, but he would not let her win the verbal joust. "Well, then, his blood is on her hands. Like Sarutobi before her, their compassion and idealism will be our undoing. I only hope Konohagakure will weather the depths of their arrogance."

"Nonsense, Danzou." It was Koharu who surprisingly disagreed with him, catching him somewhat off guard. "Naruto's growth is exponential; months ago, all he had to his name was his abnormal chakra capacity and ability to use Kage Bunshin. I must admit that I had never imagined his potential ran so deep, and I haven't seen such potential since the likes of Minato and Itachi..."

"He, unlike them, unfortunately shares the snake's thirst for acknowledgment and self-reassurance, though. Every report shows how desperate he is to be valuable and grow stronger," Homura cautioned in a somber tone. "I fear that, if you push him too far, we will have another disaster on our hands. However, this time, it will be with the Kyuubi on his side, and there won't be anything to stop him."

"All the more reason not to let him fall into the darkness, so your point only solidifies my resolve to side with Tsunade on this..." the Daimyo sharply declared, and along with those words, sealed the conversation. "It is my understanding that you activated the immunity protocol with the invaders from Sunagakure..."

"It was necessary," Koharu gravely explained. "We saw our forces struggling to contend with the sheer amount of enemies. Granted, it was a gamble, but it worked, and our village managed to defeat two of the five, plus two minor villages. That's good, isn't it?"

Tsunade cradled her cheek in her hand, leaning against it as she quirked her brow, her gaze pointedly falling on her. "I'm not sure if all of them shared such altruistic intentions, or if they meant to undermine me. But, the end result is that we have a throng of Suna Chuunin and Jounin in our custody."

Danzou derisively snorted, quite confident Homura and Koharu would back him up, this time. "What we did was give them hope and an enemy on which to throw their frustrations. Now that the dust has cleared, we owe them nothing. However, killing them all would be a waste of resources, so I suggest we trade their strongest ninja for members of their nobility, bloodline ninja and children to use as buffers against future attacks. Damages in form of monetary compensation would also be added, of course."

Tsunade shook her head, eyeing the Daimyo in a scrutinizing fashion as he seemed to darken at Danzou's words. "Even though I personally don't approve using lives as commodity, there could've been much sense in your suggestion had Sunagakure survived destruction by Kumogakure only two days ago. Consequently, I leave the details up to you, Tsunade, but I expect you to pardon those who wish to join Konohagakure and kill or cripple those who won't and might become a threat in the future. Their abilities may be an asset against Kumo in the future…"

Danzou's eye widened and his shock lasted quite a while, him only barely registering both Koharu and Homura were as surprised as he was, whereas Tsunade and Jiraiya weren't. "Sunagakure's gone? That bastard Ei…he used Iwa's invasion to weaken us right before erasing our ally amongst the five to assure we'd be left weak and isolated among enemies."

"On that note, the daimyo council has decided that any acts of war, any retaliation or assassination on foreign grounds will be seen as a grave insult to us five and will bring upon tight financial sanctions against the perpetrator. I know you want revenge, but you're just going to have to swallow your pride and deal with it. The situation is very unstable and I won't be the one having to explain why my country brought upon another world war!"

Tsunade looked like she'd just been slapped in the face; ostensibly, she had plans for future retaliation. The others also seemed quite surprised by the threat and the firm and icy tone the usually cordial and polite noble was showing.

Danzou allowed a ghost of a smirk to come and go across his countenance. "This is perfect. The ninja will be furious and discontented with being forced to hold back, and she'll be too busy pacifying them and rebuilding Konohagakure to worry about me. I can use the time to rebuild my forces, and when Konoha is at its peak once more, I will finally repay Tsunade what she's due..."

He barely registered the Daimyo and Tsunade agreeing she would send him reports and requests for funding which he would most graciously oblige. Then, the regal noble left and the five ninja were left alone in the room.

Tsunade seemed thoughtful as she dismissed them. Danzou had mixed feelings on the outcome of the meeting. He lost the battle for control over Uzumaki Naruto and the Kyuubi, but Tsunade now had to gather her war council and tell them they had to bite their lips and suck it up and that those ninja who tried to kill them would now be joining them as members of the village.

He smirked as he made his way out of the office, glancing at Jiraiya and Tsunade speaking in hushed tones, his smirk widening. She would need him; his network of spies and resources more than ever now, so the threats she leveled at him months earlier were now moot.

The Roots of Konoha would grow once more under his guidance, and when the time came, he would usurp the tree as well.

As Danzou walked towards one of his bases, taking the back routes which were hidden and protected, his mind wandered over the developments of the last couple of months.

Sakura was supposed to fulfill a specific purpose of being his mole amongst the future brass of Konoha, but unfortunately she was so damaged that she eventually fractured under his influence, instead of submitting like the others before her. It irked him that he erred so miserably in gauging the true depth of the child's mental trauma. He had wasted valuable resources into molding her and now instead of reaping his reward, his tool now ran loose and held a dangerous grudge against him and he would have to seek alternate venues in her absence.

But, that threat she held and her priority were minimal and paled in comparison to his gamble when he removed Sarutobi. He hadn't expected Jiraiya to convince Tsunade to return and become the Godaime. Nobody could've guessed the slug princess would overcome her fears and trauma and return and become such a fearsome and unshakable pillar of strength.

Unlike Sarutobi, he doubted he'd succeed in killing Tsunade and he wasn't sure it was wise to even attempt that at this point. She and Jiraiya cooperated very closely and he was already under their vigilant eye, an unexpected complication he felt was far too dangerous to ignore. He would have to take measures and plan on a manner to isolate Tsunade's power but that was neither here nor there.

He had to secure the village, first and foremost. Above all his ambitions, he was a patriot and would not let Konoha fall because of his quest for the mantle. There were two possible threats to Konoha he would have to monitor and prepare for.

Kumo's Yondaime Raikage had proven he was just as militaristic as Danzou was. He would stop at nothing to both secure his power and protect his village. Even Danzou had never imagined a scenario where he broke the pact of the five; it was unheard of and extremely risky. He had to tip his hat to the younger man for his enthusiasm and ruthlessness.

But that wouldn't help the one called 'Ei', since Konoha had two of the Sannin, Danzou and, surprisingly enough, Uzumaki Naruto, 'The Gobi vanquisher,' to keep him at bay.

It boggled the war hawk's mind as to how much the boy was improving and evolving. In all his years of monitoring the boy in secret, there were no hints or signs of such an untapped potential. Naruto was the son of the Yellow Flash and the last of that fearsome Uzumaki clan, but he had shown no signs of greatness…that was, until now. That oversight would indeed complicate things for Danzou—on that, he had no doubt.

However, even all these deterring factors did not assure Danzou when it came to the newer, far less tangible threat: Kiri. The ninja of Kirigakure were a force to be reckoned with and the only reason the continent was as 'stable' as it was before the invasion was the internal strife and complete disintegration of Kiri's bloodline abilities.

But now, rumors and reports of a new Mizukage, a bloodline ninja, no less, reuniting their village and their growing power as they reclaimed their nuke-nin and started recruiting deserters from various ninja villages posed quite a threat to the stability and future of his hidden village.

The Daimyo restricted them from committing acts of reprisal and war. He never said they couldn't commit acts of espionage and reconnaissance. It seemed it was time to rebuild his networks in Mizu no Kuni, and if—or when—the need would arise, Danzou would nip in the bud their revival, for Konoha…for the continent.

The world was changing; the balance was shifting, and all bets were off. Tsunade was restricted and cowed by the Daimyo's word; however, Danzou was not. He would take all measures required to secure his village's future and the best part was, when the fallout commenced, Tsunade would be the one to take all the heat…

Truly, there was some justice in the world…