For the Village

A year had passed since Naruto had become a chunin and he was enjoying his new position immensely. He was given many solo missions, something he enjoyed quite a bit. The solitude could be quite nice after being in the village for too long. He also got a mission or two with his old team, all of them now being genin. Best of all, he had yet to kill anyone on any of his missions. It was a little odd but he chalked it up to good luck.

He was on his way to report another successfully completed mission. Opening the door to his father's office Naruto greeted his parent before reporting his success. His dad didn't seem at all surprised that Naruto had returned earlier than expected, it was something rather common. Naruto felt that the level of missions he had available to him simply weren't challenging enough.

"Naruto-kun, could you stay for a minute? I have something I wish to discuss with you." This was odd, usually his father waited until they were both at home to discuss anything with him. Unless he was already being sent out on another mission, Naruto had no idea what his father might want to talk about.

"Have you considered what you're going to do in regards to your career?" Naruto was surprised by the question. His father had dropped hints about it every now and again, but he was never so direct.

"No, I haven't really thought ahead yet. At the moment I'm simply content with where I'm at." It was true, he hadn't thought of what his next step was.

"Well you need to decide soon. You do realize that your little sister has begun her training in the academy. You keep taking your time and soon she'll be a jounin-sensei and you'll still be a chunin." They both laughed a bit at that. "Seriously though, you have the skills to either join the Anbu, like Itachi has, or be promoted to jounin."

"You're right; I just don't feel the need to continue climbing my way up the ladder at this point. I get plenty of time to spend with my family and train at my current level. If I was promoted I'd be away a lot more."

"That's not true. If you became a jounin you could specifically become a jounin-sensei. That way you would still be able to do those things and be promoted at the same time." Naruto saw the logic in that. A jounin-sensei wasn't usually that far from the village as they were meant to train the newly minted genin. He'd have to admit, it was a pretty tantalizing prospect.

"I'll have to think about it tou-san. Is there anything else you wished to talk to me about?"

"No, you may go." Minato couldn't help but smile. It seemed as though his son liked the idea of becoming a jounin-sensei. He couldn't help but feel optimistic about the future.

A month later and Minato was no longer feeling optimistic. In fact, his current situation was sucking any positive feelings right out of him.

"This is an outrage!" Normally Minato would have severely reprimanded anyone who dared speak to him like that in his office, but considering the circumstances he didn't think it would be wise. Contrary to all the other meetings Minato had had with Fugaku, this meeting was rife with discontent.

"I agree completely Fugaku-san, but you must remain calm. Now is not the time to blind ourselves with anger." Fugaku visibly calmed down at this, remembering exactly who he had been talking to.

"Forgive me, but this is extremely stressful. My clan is livid and I share their sentiments." Minato frowned, this was going terribly. Everything that they had been doing to improve relations between the Uchiha clan and the village could be undone by this.

"Do not worry, I too am outraged. This is an ugly situation and I would like you to know that I had nothing to do with it." It was something that Minato felt he couldn't stress enough. He truly had no idea that this was going to happen and he desperately hoped that no Uchiha believed that he was actually the one who had commanded the deed.

"I know that you would never do something like this, it might just destroy any hope for peace we have. That's exactly the problem we face though, the Uchiha clan demands blood and I do too. We will see justice for the crime that has been committed against us. I beg you, do not deny us this!" His plea was one of desperation. If he was denied, he wouldn't be able to hold back the tide of vengeance that would sweep forth. His clan would have their revenge and were willing to go against the wishes of the Hokage to achieve it.

"You wish to avenge your fallen clan member? Do not worry; I have no intention of denying you justice. However, you must realize that this is a complicated situation, something that will take time to plan." The tightening of Fugaku's body easily showed his discontent for what Minato had said.

"How is it complicated? Danzo has killed one of our clan members in a disgusting attempt to steal his eyes. He deserves death for what he has done to Shisui." Fugaku's anger blinded him to the potential dangers. Had he been of sound mind he would understand exactly why Minato didn't simply have the man killed for his treasonous actions. It was up to Minato to help him see what was in front of his face.

"Don't be so rash! Danzo knows that he has failed and that we are closing in on him. He has hidden himself in his base, readying for our retaliation. The problem is, Danzo has been secretly recruiting orphans and training them into his own personal Anbu operatives. He calls this group ROOT. We cannot simply barge in without proper preparation." Fugaku had never heard of this ROOT organization, but they certainly seemed to present a legitimate threat if they were real.

"If that's true than we will need your approval for an invasion of his base! We will not remain idle while that madman is still alive. The Uchiha clan will crush him and his pathetic group." It seemed as though bloodshed on a massive scale was unavoidable. Of course, Minato couldn't simply allow the Uchiha to fight alone, he had to give them his support.

"Do not think that you will be alone in this fight Fugaku-san. The Uchiha clan has the support of Konoha in this issue." Minato knew that he'd have to offer more than just simple support. This was a major breach of trust between him and the clan and he had to rectify it.

"Thank you very much for your support Hokage-sama." Minato knew exactly what he was going to have to do. The Uchiha clan was likely to be very angry at everyone in general, so he'd have to make a personal appearance to help calm the situation. Of course, that might not even be enough so he'd have to show them that he was truly committed to aiding them.

"Don't think that that is the extent of my support Fugaku-san. While my shinobi will be aiding you, I will be personally lending my support. I will take to the battlefield and personally lead the attack to destroy this traitor. As a personal show of support, my son will also be taking part in this raid." Fugaku was stunned by the show of support. He had expected to gain some shinobi to aid him, but Minato himself? Not only that, but Minato had promised that his son would help. It was clear that the Hokage was in full support of the Uchiha in this situation.

"Words cannot convey my gratitude Hokage-sama."

"Don't worry, it's the least I can do." Barely a year had passed since he decided to better protect his children and already he was throwing one into the fire once again. Naruto had been given simple missions, nothing that would require deaths and was oblivious to the fact that it was purposeful. Now he would be joining an incredible dangerous mission. Perhaps it was naive on Minato's part to think that he could prevent his son from dealing with any more death.

Naruto had just returned from another mission and the first person he met when he reached his house was his sister.

"Oni-chan!" As always, Naruto was treated to a flying tackle disguised as hug. Gently putting his sister down, he ruffled her hair and gave her a bright smile.

"It's great to see you imouto-chan, what've you been up to?" His sister beamed at him before grabbing a leaf from the ground. She put it on her forehead and when she removed her hand, the leaf fell, much to her disappointment.

"No, I was hoping I would get it this time! How am I supposed to graduate if I can't even do this?" Naruto knew exactly why she was unable to perform the simple chakra control technique. She simply had a massive reserve from the Kyuubi. That was exactly why she was being told to practice, if she didn't start early her control would only get worse. If he had to hazard a guess, he'd say her reserves were almost the same as his when he had been in the chunin exams.

"Why are you talking about graduating already imouto-chan? You know that you can stay there for a full six years." He hoped that she would stay in the academy for six years. At least that way she wouldn't be doing any dangerous missions.

"I'm going to graduate super quick so I can join you on missions! Me and you will go around beating up all sorts of bad guys." Naruto smiled at her exclamation. On the inside though, he was worried. His sister had shown to be a rather promising kunoichi and she would likely be graduating from the academy rather early.

"Yeah I can't wait... it'll be great." Masuyo didn't notice her brother's hesitance and promptly tackled him in another hug. She looked up to her brother and was excited at the prospect of going on missions together. He was always gone from the village now and she missed him when he left. If she passed she'd be able to go on missions with him and she wouldn't be so lonely.

"Naruto, I need to talk to you alone." Turning around, Naruto caught sight of his father beckoning him to join him. Turning towards his sister, Naruto gave her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry imouto-chan, but tou-san is calling me."

"What's so important that we're being so secretive tou-san?" It was rather unusual for his father to talk business when they were at home. Any and all missions Naruto received were through the official channels or in his father's office.

"Naruto, there is a mission of great importance that I'm going to need you to participate in." The seriousness of his father's voice gained Naruto's undivided attention.

"What do you mean participate? Am I going on a joint mission?" Naruto hadn't been on a team mission in a while and he wouldn't mind the change in pace.

"Yes, you will be a part of a 'team'. Earlier today one of our shinobi turned traitor. He killed an Uchiha and tried to steal his eyes before he was confronted and forced to flee. This crime is extremely serious as it could have dire consequences for our village. The Uchiha are ready to wage civil war if need be to get revenge." Naruto was shocked. This was an extremely serious situation. The last time something like this had happened there was a massive fight that affected even some civilians.

"The problem is, this man has access to a small army of shinobi. He abducted them as children and brainwashed them into following him. So, I am gathering as many powerful shinobi as I can to take on this army while I personally deal with the traitor. That's where you come in. Not only are you powerful, but you are my son. The Uchiha clan will see this as a great offer of camaraderie from us." Naruto had become aware of his father's efforts to patch up the relationship between the Uchiha and the village. This situation could very well undo all those efforts, so if Naruto could help his father in this he would.

"Don't worry tou-san, I'm honoured to be a part of this mission." Minato gave his son a sad smile. He was proud that his son was willing to serve the village like this, but he wished that it wasn't needed.

Naruto stood alongside many others, all waiting for the command of their leader. There were many jounin and Anbu, but a large portion of the fighting force consisted of Uchihas. Looking around, Naruto recognized a few of those present. Itachi stood not too far away among his clan members, looking as serious as always. He also noticed that his old academy sensei was standing beside his jounin sensei. Apparently they had decided that every single member capable of fighting was to join the battle.

Among the Anbu was a silver haired man, easily recognizable as Hatake Kakashi. Naruto had met the man in passing a few times, but the older shinobi was constantly on missions and almost never within the village for more than a single day.

Turning to look at his father, Naruto couldn't help but be awed. It was no longer his father, or even the kind but firm Hokage. Here was the man who had fearlessly faced down impossible odds and came out as the clear victor. His mere presence could clear a battlefield faster than jutsu could ever hope to aspire too.

"Within these tunnels lies our objective. The traitor Danzo has attacked and killed a member of the Uchiha clan, a member of our village, in an attempt to steal their eyes. This is unforgivable Shimura Danzo will lie dead by the end of this night. He knows this and has hidden himself behind an army of brainwashed shinobi. Under this madman's rule, this army present a very real and very dangerous threat to our village. It is our duty to rid the village of this threat and it's master. Let us fulfill our duty." With his piece said, Minato walked through the entrance.

The entire attack force began to swiftly follow him, all the Hyuugas out front using their eyes to search for any traps or enemies. Everyone was tense, the silence and relative darkness putting them all on edge. The fact that they hadn't met anyone yet merely added to their paranoia. Naruto kept vigilant, but mostly watched the Hyuuga, because if anyone was going to see something, it'd be them.

It wasn't too long before one of them signaled that he had visual confirmation of their enemy. Using a series of hand signals, he communicated that they were simply waiting within a rather large chamber. Danzo wasn't among those who waited; it seemed as if he was hiding like a coward. No matter, he would be flushed out rather quickly after his minions were destroyed.

"Attack!" At Minato's shouted command, all the shinobi began to surge forth into the room. Those with an earth affinity went first, using their jutsus to protect everyone from being pushed back into the tunnel and getting bottle-necked. As the group pushed deeper in, Naruto and others with a wind affinity began to send sweeping winds, knocking their opponents back. With the opposing force in disarray, the loyal Konoha shinobi moved into close quarters combat. As the two sides clashed, Minato continued on, easily taking care of anyone who tried to stop him.

Naruto found himself facing off against a kenjutsu user, so he quickly unsealed a katana from his right hand. Meeting his opponents blade, Naruto couldn't help but notice a lack of strength behind his opponents sword. Pushing back hard, Naruto moved in and took advantage of his opponent being knocked off balance. Unfortunately, Naruto couldn't bring himself to completely extend his slash, so it wasn't fatal.

Noticing his opponent's hesitation, the ROOT member went on the offensive. His slashes were wild and fast, uncaring of his own safety. He knew that he was outclassed but his opponent clearly had a problem with finishing the fight. If he wasn't going to die, than he might as well fight as if he were invincible; hopefully it would overwhelm his opponent.

'This is for the village. If we don't succeed here than this could spill out into the village and become a full-fledged civil war.' Naruto continued to dodge the attacks from his opponent and ignore the openings the man had. 'If killing can ever be right than it's to protect this village and the peace for which we stand.' Sidestepping an attack, Naruto's assailant was left over extended. 'For the village!' The sound of a blade sliding through flesh was barely heard over the din of the surrounding fights.

Watching the life drain from the eyes of his opponent, Naruto couldn't help but feel disgusted. He had taken another person's life. 'For the village!' Repeating it continuously, it became a mantra. Slowly it helped him overcome what he had just done. Although what he had done was terrible, it was necessary and just. He had protected his village. With a renewed determination, Naruto jumped back into combat.

Finding an opponent cutting down one of Naruto's allies, Naruto quickly moved to engage. This opponent was obviously more skilled than the previous one, his attacks were far faster. He was also a much better kenjutsu user than Naruto was. However, Naruto held the advantage in speed, something that he made good use of. Moving into his opponents guard, Naruto landed a palm strike before quickly jumping away. Throwing a kunai to maintain the distance, Naruto closed his eyes as the explosive tag he had placed on his opponent exploded.

He might be trying to overcome his distaste for killing, but he wasn't ready to see something like that. Even now he still felt horrible for what he had done, especially how he had done it. Unfortunately there was no time to dwell on it as there were still enemies to fight.

Engaging with a third one, Naruto quickly readied his weapon. His opponent was a longer range fighter and Naruto wished to test himself. Trying to close the distance, Naruto had to jump back as spears of earth tried to kill him. Frowning, he threw a few kunai only to have them stopped by an earth barrier. As his opponent broke the line of sight, Naruto charged forwards, creating a clone to help.

When the earth wall fell, Naruto was already almost upon his opponent. Noticing his predicament, the ROOT member once again called forth spears of earth. Using his clone as a spring board, Naruto easily jumped of the attack and landed within striking range of his opponent. Moving in to engage, Naruto found out that his opponent wasn't really used to fighting close quarters. Naruto's flurry of strikes quickly overwhelmed his opponent and a clean stab through the heart ended the battle.

Hearing cries of victory, Naruto turned from his latest opponent to see his father standing triumphant. He had been successful in hunting down and exterminating Danzo. If the death of their leader affected them, the ROOT shinobi didn't show it. They continued on fighting, something that was utterly futile. With the Yellow Flash back on the battlefield, the fighting was soon ended.

Uncomfortably numb, Naruto took stock of the battle. Looking at all the death and destruction around him, Naruto knew that he couldn't let his sister be forced into situations like this until she was much older. She was nearing the age that he had first seen death and he would make sure that she passed that age without being scarred. Thinking back to when he and his father discussed possible promotions, Naruto decided that he would become a jounin. Then when his sister graduated he'd become her sensei and be in the perfect position to protect her from the world.

Sorry about being a day late, I had left a bit of writing and the proof-reading for Sunday. Unfortunately I ran into a problem with my house that had to be fixed immediately and it took a lot of my time to fix it. That's what happens when you procrastinate; something comes up and then you're sitting there looking like an idiot. So if you're on FF reading crappy stories like mine instead of doing what you have to do, shut off the computer and get going!

I'm not sure if anyone feels as if I've been neglecting this fic, but just in case, know that I intend to give each fic equal attention. The only reason my other story is being updated faster is that I wished to give readers a bit more. That and The Twins' chapters are shorter at the moment. Btw, I've reached 10k views in a month, not a lot I know, but to someone like me it's pretty cool.

Finally, I will now post replies to anon reviews on my profile. This way I can still give you the reply you deserve while not publishing a chapter with half the content being replies. Just please give me about a day to respond.