A/N: So it's been a long time since a new update. Sorry about that. A lot of stuff happened which kept me from writing but I'm back with a new chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and its characters.

Battle of Uzushio Begins

Uzushio- Konoha Camp (Former Root Camp)

The squadron from Konoha took over the Root base at Uzushio as soon as they arrived. All the Root nins surrendered and were assimilated into the main forces quickly, though there was still some weariness between them. As for Kiri and Kumo, they agreed to negotiate terms but there were still some problems. One of them being jet lag...

"This is ridiculous!" Okami grumbled as he entered the main tent, "A shinobi shouldn't be exhausted so easily."

"What? Another one caught sleeping on duty?" Kakashi asked.

"Fifteenth..." Okami said, his scowl hidden by his mask, "I sent the brats to take a dip in the river to freshen up."

"The river is frozen," Masaru said, "All throughout the year."

"Precisely..." Okami said in a sadistic tone.

"You should really take it easy on the youngsters," Shikaku said, "After all the negotiations will not commence before tomorrow."

"That is no excuse to relax," Okami scoffed, "Letting our guard down even for a second could prove disastrous."

"I suppose you're right," Shikaku conceded, "We can't even be sure if the negotiations will succeed."

"I don't see why we have to negotiate at all? Even if Kiri and Kumo combined forces they would still be outnumbered," Masaru said, "They should just leave with their tails between their legs."

"I agree," Okami said, "By negotiating we are only lending Kiri and Kumo enough time to react."

"Both of you are correct, but if Kiri and Kumo allied, they would have four jinchuurikis against our one," Shikaku said, "And all four of them can control their bijuu while Tsubasa-kun has yet to master his. At most he would be able to take one of the jinchuurikis leaving us to take care of the other three and the two armies."

"And what's stopping them from joining forces and attacking us?" Kakashi asked.

"Two reasons," Shikaku replied, "One, our numbers, and two, our heavy hitters. Between you, Gai and Kushina alone we could easily match the other jinchuurikis. Even then a fight like that would cost a lot of casualties."

"And even if an absolute victory were possible, I would not jump directly to conflict."

"Hokage-sama!" Everyone stood up and greeted the Sandaime who raised his hand gesturing them to relax, before entering the camp and taking his seat.

"In such a scenario, while routing Kiri and Kumo by force would ensure Hi no Kuni's right over Uzu, it would earn ill-will from other villages and possibly spark another war," Hiruzen paused taking a puff from his pipe, "A shinobi must learn to see the big picture rather than short term goals."

Tsubasa's Mindscape

Tsubasa stood in front of the cage that held Kyuubi, much to the demon fox's amusement.

"Well boy, how can this humble demon lord be of service to you?"

"Kiri and Kumo each have two jinchuuriki who have mastered their respective bijuu, the strongest of which is second only to you. If the negotiations fail tomorrow those four jinchuuriki pose a serious threat to Konoha-"

"Speak no more boy, I know what you want. But can you handle the next stage?"

"My body has been trained to handle amounts of chakra that equal the kage, and my mind is free of all emotions it cannot be effected by your malice. I will not succumb to your chakra."

"Ha! I don't know what's more hilarious? Your belief that your puny body can handle my might or that your empty mind can shield from my malice?"

"I have done so, for the past twelve years of my life."

"Foolish boy! What you have experienced is only a fraction of my strength!"

"Yet you are reluctant to lend me more, are you afraid that I will control all your power?"

"Fine then! Tomorrow if a war breaks out, and my three tails are not enough to subdue my kin, I shall lend you my fourth tail, perhaps even fifth. Happy? Now go back to your momma!"

Tsubasa faded into the shadows.

"So the soldier boy thinks he can handle my might? We'll see..."

Tsubasa's Tent

As soon as Tsubasa opened his eyes he found Kushina standing by the entrance.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean to disturb your sleep."

"I was not asleep," Tsubasa said, "Any word from Hokage-sama?"

"We'll accompany him at the negotiations tomorrow," Kushina replied.

"I see..."

"So... have you been here before?"

"Yes," Tsubasa replied, "Masaru-sensei brought me here to teach me the Uzumaki techniques."

"Oh. So... did he bring you here very often?"

"No. He only brought me once for a year long training to learn the arts,"

"Did you two ever talk about this place?" Kushina asked.

"Not much," Tsubasa admitted.

"You know, this island wasn't always so cold, the mountain was much smaller, surrounded by even smaller hills on separate islands. We would have long winters but we would also have summers. During the summers, it rained most of the time, but there were many sunny days as well. At such days, me and my siblings used to go fishing or swim in the river or even at the beach-"

"What is the point in all this?" Tsubasa asked.

Kushina smiled ruefully before kissing her son's forehead, "I suppose there isn't."

Kiri Camp

Yagura stood with Utakata besides him, silently watching each and every shinobi gathered before him, while the ten shinobi that would meet the party from Kumo and Konoha stood behind him.

"Yondaime-sama!"

"What is it?"

"Pardon my directness but what are they doing here?" a hunter nin asked, pointing at the people behind Yagura and Utakata. They wore Kiri's jounin and hunter nin uniforms but only one of them was ever from Kiri while the rest were unknown.

"They will be assisting us today," Yagura replied.

"Can we really trust them?" The Hunter nin asked.

"You can trust no one," Yagura replied, "Not even yourself. Now is everyone prepared?" Yagura asked.

"Yes!"

"Let us move on!"

"Yagura-sama, please reconsider," Tsurugi requested.

Yagura stood still, took a deep breath and then sliced Tsurugi's head off his body, "There, that's my final decision," Yagura replied, "Does anyone else want to question my decision?"

No one answered.

"Good. Now let us move on," Yagura said before they marched.

Kumo Camp

"Yo! I am the cool! Yo Yo! I got eight tool! Don't be a fool! Just go to school!"

"Shut up Kirabi!" A scolded a dark bulky man with long blond hair and beard wearing goggles.

"Okie-dokie nii-son! Serious mode-on!"

"Ugh! What am I going to do with you?" The Raikage groaned,.

"You can't really blame him you know, you barely ever let us out," A young blonde jounin with cat-like eyes replied.

"It's only to keep you both safe, Yugito-"

"I understand," Yugito replied stoically though her dichromatic eyes gleamed with contempt.

'Oh Yugi-chan, why do you have to be so hard-headed?' A sighed internally.

"Darui I'd like to take you along but you're the only one I can trust with keeping the troops in line while I'm gone," A told Darui.

"Just promise you'll not lose your cool," Darui said.

"Just who do you think I am!"

"Samui-san sorry for leaving this to you but you're the only one in this group who can keep a cool head," Darui told a blonde jounin with bob haircut.

"Cool with me," The blonde girl replied coolly.

"Atsui! I am depending on you to watch our backs!" A told two blond jounins, one had asymmetrical bowl cut and a tattoo in kanji for 'netsu' or heat on his left shoulder.

"Yes Raikage-sama! Let's show Konoha and Kiri just how hot we are!" Atsui replied causing an awkward silence, "What?"

"That was just so wrong..." Another blond Jounin remarked, "On far too many levels."

"You got no heat C!" Atsui retorted.

"Ahem! We got no time to waste! Everyone move your asses now!"

"Yes sir!"

Konoha Camp

The shinobi gathered to see Hiruzen and his entourage off. Going with Hiruzen were Tsubasa, Kushina, Okami, Gai and Tenzo.

"Kakashi, I would have brought you with me but the Raikage was adamant about there being no Sharingan users during the negotiations. The same goes for Itachi-kun and Shisui-kun."

"We understand," Kakashi replied, "We'll take care of the base instead, you will be fine with Kushina-san and Okami-taichou... Though you might be better off with someone more subtle than Gai."

"Hatake Kakashi, have you no faith in your eternal rival?" A muscular man in green jumpsuit and bowl cut hair asked with a toothpaste ad grin, "Need I remind you that I, Maito Guy, the Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha, am currently in lead against you in our rivalry, eighty five to eighty four."

"Uh? You said something?" Kakashi asked.

"QUIT BEING SO HIP AND COOL!" Gai yelled as everyone laughed at his expense.

"Alright! Alright! Let us not lose our heads now," Hiruzen calmed everyone down, "We need to leave right away."

"YOSH! LET US SHOW KUMO AND KIRI THE POWER OF OUR YOUTH!" Gai cheered before the group left the camp in a blur.

"Best of luck," Kakashi muttered to the now empty space with a frown.

"Sempai, anything bothering you?" Shisui asked.

"Just a bad feeling in my gut," Kakashi replied and his instincts were rarely wrong.

15 Minutes Later

The Hokage's team moves in a five-point formation, with Hiruzen surrounded by his escorts and Kushina leading them as their sensor.

"Stop," Kushina whispers and the everyone stops taking defensive position around the Hokage.

"How many?" Okami asked Kushina.

"Six," Someone else answered, everyone turned to find a young Kiri jounin with slick black covering his left eye leading five hunter nins, "Us six against you six."

The team switched positions, standing in straight line each facing the attackers.

"Boy, do you really want to settle in bloodshed what can be settled on the table?" Hiruzen asked Utakata.

"That decision is not in my hands, you'll have to convince Mizukage-sama," Utakata drew out his bubble blower, "That is if you reach him first."

"The boy is a jinchuuriki," Kushina notified her team mates, "The others are elite level."

"The boy must be here for Tsubasa," Okami noted.

"Yosh! That leaves the rest to us!" Gai said.

"Very well," Hiruzen sighed before remove his cloak revealing his black armour, "Do not cry later that you weren't given a chance."

And so the teams from Kiri and Konoha charged at each other.

Meanwhile with Raikage

The Raikage and his team found their path blocked by Yagura and five hunter nins.

A spat, glaring at the Mizukage, "So you want to settle this the hard way? Sure, why not?" A and his team charged the attackers.

Kumo Camp

"Enemy spotted!" A Jounin with dark hair reported to Darui.

"Kiri or Konoha?" Darui asked.

"Kiri!"

"Secure positions 2 and 4, send team Alpha to retrieve Raikage-sama's team! Now!"

Konoha Camp

"Enemy spotted!" One of the Anbu's on watch yelled before firing a red flare.

Shikaku started barking orders as the whole camp prepared for battle.

"I hate being right," Kakashi cursed as he saw red flares fire up all over the camp.

A/N: So yeah, not much to see here but there's a lot of action in the coming chapters.