Hi,
Time for a new arc, the last few chapters have been about major character developments. A little peek into Mikasa's past, her time with Naruto and Armin during training, Minato and Mikoto's reconciliation, Itachi's entry, Naruto's struggle to prove his loyalty to Madara.
So, slowly the plot has moved forward and we have entered the final stages of this war.
This war is the foundation on which the pre-shippuden arc will take different routes (Meaning new arcs which are entirely different from Cannon for the most parts), and perhaps even Shippuden (If Blackwolf wants to write that much...I want him to continue, but then again it's all up to him)
Enjoy the new arc..
Chapter 42
Sayonara...
He curiously looked at his reflection in there, his face still looked the same as before but something was different. He was different...
Naruto couldn't understand why was he feeling so different, it was like a totally different person that before...as if he was whole again,
A small tear escaped from his eyes as he realized what had happened. So, that was what he was doing...
"You were always so secretive, Ikiryo..." said Naruto tearfully, and he desperately waited for a taunt...but alas none came.
So, he was really gone...Ikiryo was gone,
He peacefully stared at the sky from his window, everything felt completely different. His guilt, his pain, his anger...everything had been reduced greatly, it was as if Ikiryo took it with himself.
"All this time, you only wanted to be accepted...and finally you achieved your dream" said Naruto in a satisfied voice,
By allowing Ikiryo to handle the mission and leave the future of Konoha and his comrades to him, Naruto had shown the ultimate acceptance to his alter ego. For all these years, Ikiryo had tried numerous ways to make Naruto accept him...by torturing him, helping him, taunting him and finally understanding him.
It finally led Naruto to accept him, fulfilling the reason of Ikiryo's existence. He now understood the tearful "Thank you" that his alter ego had said before disappearing in a bright flash.
He was gonna miss him...
"But then again, you're me...and I'm you. I finally understand and I promise you I will create our dream world, even at the cost of my own life. I will create a world of peace and prosperity...it won't be easy, and there would always be problems but it would be far better than the world we lived in. Sayonara...Ikiryo" said Naruto calmly, and deep inside his heart he felt a small tuck as a satisfied smile came on his face.
However, he also felt certain changes in his pride and ego. He didn't have any regrets now, by accepting Ikiryo he had forgiven himself for all his sins and no longer cared about what others thought of him.
Only Kami had the power to judge him...
"And there is no Kami in this world..." thought Naruto cunningly, as his Mangekyo activated quickly.
"It's a war to create a new world. Madara, you have ruled over us through your schemes...manipulating us against each other, turning good people against each other. You are evil, and in order to create my world I will be the one who shall guide this world...and in order to defeat an evil person like you, I would become a person you would fear even greater than your worse nightmare. As of this moment, our battle begins." said Naruto in an evil tone, as a maniacal smile came on his face,
He had never met such a strong opponent, it was a clash of power, ideologies, the entire system. It was a battle of the past with the future, and he was prepared to face Madara. By accepting Ikiryo, Naruto had gained the part of his soul that helped him in being emotionally stable and be more cunning than his enemies. And most of all he didn't feel as much regret as he felt before...
He was proud to be Namikaze Naruto, Nidaime Taichou of Blacklight's 1st company. He was proud of himself...
For a moment he saw Madara's reflection on the moon, with the Uchiha glaring at him with his Mangekyo through the small hole in his orange spiral mask.
He pointed his finger at the moon, as his dark red Mangekyo glared at the white celestial object...and the man who was his real enemy and opponent.
"I will kill you, Uchiha Madara" said Naruto murderously,
Till, this day he had been lying...
His life was a lie...
His actions were half lies...
His emotions were half lies...
All lies...
He had grown tired of the unchanging world, but just wasn't able to bring himself to give up his lies as he was incomplete.
"But now I am my real self and possess my true power..." said Naruto victoriously,
"So...let's dance,"
In another corner of the base, a red head was currently sitting worriedly in her bed. It had been 2 days since she had 'killed' Naruto and brought him to this base effectively making him a pawn of Madara. Although, Naruto had asked her to do this it didn't ease her guilt, as she believed that every bad thing that must have happened or happening with him was all due to her fault.
"I should have done something more...I-" thought Kushina regretfully, albeit Naruto didn't leave her any choice by forcing her to go along with his plan.
For Kami's sake she was the adult here, and yet a 15 year old boy was calling the shots...and oh the irony was that he probably didn't even remember that he was the one who planned this mission and is an important part of it. She still could not understand how easily he was willing to sacrifice his life to stop the war, in a way Naruto didn't even care whether he lived or died...he just wanted his nightmares to end.
But there were still so many things which she didn't know about him. Just like his father, Naruto was a mystery too. Hell, Kushina never found out that Minato really loved Mikoto and not her until it was too late, what was to say that his son was not the same...they were practically father and son. She didn't know why but deep down in her heart, she had a feeling that Naruto had another side of him of which she had seen a little preview at the beach...when he had ducked her blood from her neck.
Her hands unconsciously went to that spot where a dark reddish colored hickey was still visible. It didn't cause her any pain, but quite surprisingly it made her feel good...to have his hot breath and soft lips on her-
"What the fuck am I thinking, dattebane!" yelled Kushina frustratedly, as her cheeks went bright red in embarrassment.
No matter how hard she tried, Kushina still couldn't stop thinking about that physical contact. Naruto was the spitting image of Minato, albeit a little more handsome with his silky blonde hair and dark black eyes. He was kind, caring and understanding, hell he was even willing to sacrifice his own life to save his comrades and didn't hesitate in defeating his enemies.
In a way, he was just perfect...
"And yet it does not change anything..." thought Kushina sadly, as she gently twirled her beautiful red hair between her fingers.
She would be lying to herself if she said she didn't have any feelings for him. He was the only one who believed in her, he brought her back from the deepest pits of darkness and rescued her from enemies. And most of all he considered her family...
"It's kind of ironic, a few years back Minato did the same thing...it seems history is playing a cruel joke on me" said Kushina bemusedly,
But the situation was still the same, her life was a mess. Even if Naruto's plan worked and she was somehow able to return back to Konoha, what would happen?
She would most probably be executed or imprisoned for life on charges of treason unless someone vouched for her. Minato was bound to punish her as Hokage, and she was not going to garner any support from Mikoto or Jiraiya either since they believed she 'killed' Naruto.
The only one she could trust was Naruto, he was her last hope...
She still didn't know anything about him, and since the past 2 days he had been following Madara around. A few hours ago, the Uchiha took Naruto somewhere and when they came back she sensed a disturbance in his chakra. Being a Jinchuuriki she had the ability to ascertain what feelings a person was going through for the most part, although a few tricky ones like Naruto or Madara were really hard to configure.
Kushina had sensed the presence of another entity or persona inside Naruto, but an hour ago it just vanished like it never even existed in the first place. Did Madara do something to him? What was going on?
"I'm not going to leave him alone...I can't let him fall into Madara's scheme, I won't" said Kushina with firm determination in her voice,
She quickly got up from her bed and put on her Akatsuki cloak, there was something going on. Ever since Naruto came back with his field trip with Madara his emotions were clear. There was no disturbance in the pattern like before where there was always variations. He was like a totally different person, she could feel positive emotions from him, but the negative/dark emotions were there even stronger than before.
There was something going on, now that she thought about it this was all too easy. Naruto was a Blackops commander, the best among the best...he had proved himself as one of the best war strategist/commander in history through his amazing victories. And he just willingly gave himself up to Akatsuki?
What kind of fool would do that? Unless...
"So, that's what your plan is. I should have known..." said Kushina furiously, how dare he keep secrets from her? They were supposed to be partners...
She quickly put on her Akatsuki cloak and hurriedly went out of the door of the room.
Kushina quickly moved through the corridors of the base as she neared the door of his room. If she was going to continue this mission, she had to be sure...and that meant no more secrets, no more lying.
She took in a deep breath as she now stood in front of his room's door, why the fuck was she nervous?
"Probably because he fooled you and the entire Akatsuki...and could be using you to destroy them from within,"
Kushina blatantly ignored this thought of hers, Naruto was many things, but he was not evil like Madara. He wouldn't sacrifice her...he couldn't,
BANG!
BANG!
She continued her loud knocking on the door, she had to know now...or else she would just freak out from all of these possibilities and the only one who could satisfy her doubts was...
"...Naruto"
The door to his room slowly opened and he was standing in front of her...
Naked!
His silky blonde hair were shining more brightly and had shadowed one of his eyes, his well toned chest still had drops of water on it. And that...that...
"KYA!"
Naruto watched in amusement as Kushina's cheeks went bright red, the blush on her face was even redder than color of her hair. She stood there in shock gaping at him like he was the most beautiful thing in the world...just before flowing back and crashing into the wall.
He slowly walked towards her unconscious form, and he chuckled a little when he saw a heavy nosebleed along with a dreamy look on her face.
"Well, that'll shut her up for a few minutes..." said Naruto bemusedly, as he gently picked her up bridal style and moved back into his room.
(Few Minutes Later)
She groggily opened her eyes, her vision was still a bit hazy but she felt something soft beneath her. As she looked around, she found herself inside a room. Soon, memories of what happened came back to her mind and she quickly jolted up only to found herself sitting on a bed and the person she was looking for was standing in a corner of a room cooking something.
"You're awake..." said Naruto calmly,
Kushina quickly rubbed her eyes as her vision cleared, he was wearing his pants now and his trademark face mask although he wasn't wearing any t-shirt and was bare chested bringing a light blush on her face.
"What did you do to me?" asked Kushina suspiciously, as he chuckled lightly.
"Nothing that your overactive imagination is thinking right now..." said Naruto teasingly, as he gave her a small wink adding more to her embarrassment.
"So you didn't do anything to me?" asked Kushina silently, and he looked at her briefly for a few seconds before returning to his cooking.
She could still feel the scent of his body combined with the food which he was cooking, and it was making her quite uneasy seeing him like that.
"You sound disappointed...that I didn't do anything to you," said Naruto mischievously, and he was proved right when her eyes went wide while she was gaping at him trying to say something...but nothing was coming out of her mouth.
"It's not like that...dattebane!" said Kushina hurriedly, as he raised one of his eyebrows in mild curiosity.
"Dattebane?" thought Naruto curiously, he had heard this word quite a lot now. Maybe it was her habit...
"And why were you naked? Don't you have any shame?" asked Kushina furiously, as he looked at her bemusedly
"Nope"
"W-what are...you saying?" asked Kushina in shock, as he just waved his hand nonchalantly.
"Oh, come on...it's not like you haven't seen a dick before" said Naruto casually, but he was surprised when she averted her gaze from him and her cheeks became crimson red.
He hurriedly walked towards her and quickly grabbed her shoulder. She was a little taken aback by the mischievous glint in his eyes...
"So, you really are a virgin..." said Naruto bemusedly, and started laughing but he was shocked when a demonic expression came on Kushina's face as her red hair flowed wildly in the air.
BAM!
He was sent flying straight towards the other side of the room, courtesy of Kushina's devastating punch. She looked at him menacingly as she cracked her knucles...
"You won't say this to anyone, understood?" said Kushina demonically,
"Hai!" said Naruto hurriedly, his voice sounding like a scared child.
He quickly went back towards the stove in order to save himself from Kushina's wrath.
"She's really scary..." thought Naruto nervously, as she went back and was now sitting on his bed as if nothing had happened.
Kushina watched patiently as he brought two bowls of noodles and placed it on the small table in front of her. Then without a word, he picked up a chair from a corner in the room and sat on the opposite side of the table. After giving her a welcoming look, he picked up one of the bowls and started eating.
"You should eat it, Kushina. I'm not that bad of a cook..." said Naruto lightly, as she picked up the other bowl.
As she ate the noodles, she found Naruto looking at her expectantly. Realizing the unasked question she quickly started eating the noodles...
"They're really good..." said Kushina honestly, who would have thought he had some other skills besides killing people?
She was surprised when he smirked a little, as one of her eyebrows ticked in irritation.
"I didn't ask..." said Naruto calmly, as a small twitch was formed on her left eyebrow as she glared at him.
"Well, you weren't asking too loudly..." said Kushina flatly, as he placed his bowl back on the table before raising both of his hands in surrender.
Both of them busied themselves in eating their food while glancing at each other once in a while. The atmosphere was not at all awkward, she felt as if she knew him for years. His casual taunts, his understanding nature...she really liked it.
"They are really nice..." said Kushina truthfully with a smile, as she gestured her finger towards the bowl of noodles.
"Well, I asked Zetsu if they had any food...this was the best they had. I would have made something more fancier..." explained Naruto briefly, as she silently shook her head and for a moment he was really mesmerized with her beautiful red hair.
Accepting Ikiryo had changed him totally. He was feeling attracted to her, she was clumsy, funny, but most of all she was honest. A very rare trait for a shinobi in their world.
"It's fine, I'm just really surprised you can cook" said Kushina patiently, as she finished eating her share.
She watched silently as for a brief second a pained expression could be seen on Naruto's face, in those few seconds she saw the pain in his eyes...just before it vanished and was replaced with a fake smile.
"A friend of mine taught me how to cook..." said Naruto happily, and it was the truth as it was Armin who taught him a few tricks.
He still remembered those years in that forest where they went through the gruesome training of Blacklight. Fighting with criminals, missing ninjas, prisoners of previous war, surviving in the jungle. Everyday their life was on the line, but he didn't care because he had Mikasa and Armin with him.
A bitter smile came on his face as he remembered the day when Armin fetched an old cup of noodles in the forest.
Nor him or Mikasa knew from where he got it, but they didn't care as it was the best thing they had eaten for weeks.
He could still hear their laughter in his head now, after eating the delicious noodles which Armin had cooked for them.
"Armin.."
"Whatever the others or anyone else thinks I think you are a great shinobi...that's how I really feel"
His fists clenched tightly as those words came back in his mind, even after all this time, even after accepting Ikiryo this pain...
"That is why I will change this world...so that there won't be any more sacrifices like you guys. Armin, Kotetsu..." thought Naruto with sheer determination,
He felt a soft pair of hands on his face, as he shifted his gaze back up only to find Kushina looking at him worriedly.
"You remember everything, don't you?" asked Kushina knowingly,
He looked in her eyes for a few moments, he knew this question was going to arise. Naruto had seen her eyes when she was standing in front of his door, those eyes had discovered the truth of his actions...and there was really no point in lying.
Rather, he didn't want to lie anymore. Not to her, or to himself...
"Hai"
"Then why did you lie to me?" asked Kushina patiently,
"Because I wanted Madara and Zetsu to believe that you were still under his genjutsu. Even the slightest change in your emotions would have blown your cover, resulting in our deaths. I don't care whether I live or die, but I promised to get you back home and I will do it," said Naruto honestly, as her eyes moistened a little on hearing those words.
"Naruto, I'm truly grateful to you...you were the only person who believed in me and rescued me from darkness. I would like to help you...but the truth is I don't know much about you, I don't even know what your plan is. But I do know that you are not doing this just for revenge...I will follow you to hell itself, but I just want to know why you are doing this..." said Kushina hesitantly,
Both of them looked at each other for a few more moments, their eyes searching for the truth until Naruto gave a brief nod as his Mangekyo sharingan activated.
"I'll tell you the story of my pain..."
(Miyasato Island)
Hana slowly walked through the beach, her eyes were briefly observing the waves from the sea that were crashing on the shore. The air was cold and the winds were still as fast as ever.
Who would have thought that just 2 days before this beautiful place was a war zone?
It had been 2 days since they lost Naruto, the morale of the company was extremely low. They were barely maintaining order among the troops, everyone was on edge as now they didn't have Naruto to protect them. And knowing Baku and the Blacklight high command, they would probably send them on another suicide campaign soon.
Hana knew that their superiors didn't care if they lived or died, as long as they achieved victory. All this time it was Naruto, and sometimes Mikasa who stood up for them and protected them. She had not forgotten how Naruto and Mikasa almost killed Baku when he ordered them on a suicide run on this island.
The only reason they had survived on this island was due to Naruto, Mikasa, Anko, Shizune and Iwashi's sacrifice.
Naruto was dead, and the other 4's survival was almost impossible. They needed a new leader, a person whom they could trust, someone who really cared about his comrades.
Commander Fox and Naruto were excellent leaders, they had shown courage, determination, honor and sacrifice in the face of overwhelming enemy forces and even in the face of death. Considering the chain of command, the closest person who was worthy of being the "Sandaime Taichou" were either Mikasa or Izumo.
Mikasa was a tough blacklight, many people in their company respected and admired her. Some feared her, while some disliked her as a person but every soldier in Blacklight agreed that she was a good soldier...but her survival was unlikely.
That left Izumo Kamizuki. He was a man of honor, while not as strong as Mikasa he was a good strategist. Izumo was the one who had kept this company together since Naruto fell in battle, and he was respected by every soldier in Blacklight. He was considered a loyal comrade...
But it was also true that he was barely holding it together, Izumo belonged to a group of friends consisting of Naruto, Mikasa, Armin, Kotetsu, Shizune and himself. He had practically lost all his friends and was the last of his group.
Hana was really worried about him, she had already sent Genma to take care of Rangiku...that girl was a mess. Hana had seen Naruto and Rangiku getting closer after Armin's death, he had been her pillar of strength. She was also aware of their romantic attraction towards each other in the recent days, the kiss which was broken due to Izumo's interference and Rangiku's crush on Naruto during their training days.
It was a known fact, Naruto was a womanizer. There was hardly any female in their company whom he hadn't flirted with, including Hana herself. Although he never tried to become intimate with any of them. He was handsome, caring, attentive, intelligent and brave. All the traits a girl desires in her potential partner...the only thing he was bad at was being ''attached''.
One moment he could make a girl feel the most special person in the world, only to forget about her existence itself the next day. Hana clearly remembered how special Naruto had made her feel just before he died. He was a really strange guy who always did what he wanted...only Mikasa was able to control him.
She was broken out of her thoughts when she discovered a person standing in the sea water, a little further away from the shore staring at the morning sun that was rising in the sky.
It was a boy, he was probably just wearing his boxers as the rest of his body was naked.
"Those brown hair..." thought Hana sharply, as she recognized who it was.
She edged closer towards the water, as the person she was searching for was right in front of her.
"IZUMO!" shouted Hana at the top of her lungs,
The said person turned around, looked at her for a few moments only to disregard her and resettle in his position of watching the rising sun.
"You..." said Hana jealously, as she channeled chakra towards her feet and ran towards him. How dare the stupid mutt ignore her?
After a few moments of running across the sea water she finally reached beside him, as he still stood inside the sea water continuing to ignore her and watch the sun.
A tired sigh escaped from her lips, just like the others in his group Izumo was stubborn too.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" asked Izumo silently, as Hana's gaze shifted towards the reflection of the bright sun in the ocean as it continued to expand.
"Yeah..."
"You know, this place could become a really good tourist destination. A good beach, cool water, it's practically heaven..." said Izumo calmly,
"Izumo, they are going to name you the Sandaime. The funeral's tonight...though I'm shocked Baku is allowing outsiders to attend it" said Hana in confusion,
"You mean Kurenai and her men, and Naruto's family?" asked Izumo seriously,
"Hai"
"Well, he doesn't have a choice. Naruto was the Hokage's son, and the heir of the Namikaze clan. He was practically royalty back home...so it's not a surprise he is given a grand farewell, besides he deserves it after everything he did for us" said Izumo sadly,
He watched silently as Hana stepped inside the sea water and now stood beside him, as both of them spotted a flock of birds flying in the sky.
"Are you okay?" asked Hana worriedly, as he scoffed a little.
"My father was a Blacklight, when he didn't return home a few years back I knew he was dead. Mother tried her best to raise me, but I always wanted answers as to what happened with my dad. I knew he was a Blackops, his entire personality and his disappearances from our lives were a clear indication. We were never given any answers as to how he died, so I joined Blacklight when I was given the opportunity against my mother's wishes to get some answers" explained Izumo briefly, as Hana listened intently to his story,
This was first time Izumo was opening up to her, guess he just needed someone...
"I bet your mother didn't take that well..." said Hana sympathetically, as he chuckled a little.
"It's the one thing me and Naruto had in common, we both joined Blacklight against our mother's wishes. When Naruto found out about my quest, he used his status as a commander to access classified files and revealed that my dad was a part of an undercover mission that was involved in reporting the battle plans of the Heavenly Alliance. It was a behind enemy lines operation, and my dad along with his comrades sacrificed their lives to get us this information. He died a hero, Naruto gave me peace in a lifetime of war" explained Izumo sadly,
Hana now understood why Izumo and Naruto were so close and why he was willing to sacrifice his life for Naruto. They were really close friends...
"He and Mikasa always used to get Kotetsu out of trouble due to his motor mouth. Shizune would berate him and sometimes me when we did something stupid, she literally beat the shit out of me and Kotetsu when we peaked inside the female bath house...while Armin was the peacemaker of our group. While I was just a normal person in that group...I had finally found a place where I belonged, they meant the world to me" said Izumo remorsefully,
"Izumo..." said Hana worriedly, as she gently grasped his hand inside the water.
"They're all gone, Hana..."
He felt a soft hand being placed on his cheek as Hana etched a little closer to him, and for the first time he realized she had beautiful chocolate brown colored eyes.
"You don't know that, Mikasa and Shizune could still be alive..." comforted Hana, as he gave her a weak but hopeful nod.
"But I still can't be a leader..." said Izumo seriously,
"Why?"
"How am I supposed to lead you guys, when I couldn't even protect my best friends?" asked Izumo frustratedly, as for her part Hana just gave him a small smile.
"This is war, Izumo. No one can protect anyone, you need to understand this truth. Even Naruto himself was not able to save Armin and Kotetsu, despite being the strongest among us. Who lives or who dies is not up to us, you told me this when Yugao died. She was my best friend, and I almost gave up on living until you told me to fight for the living...so I'm asking you to keep on fighting" pleaded Hana gently,
"What should I fight for? There is nothing left to fight..." said Izumo in confusion,
"Fight for the dream that your friends died for, fight to end this war. Fight for me..." said Hana lovingly, as Izumo's eyes softened on hearing that.
He looked at her for a few continuous moments, he didn't know what these feelings were...the only thing he wanted to do right now,
Hana was surprised when he smashed his lips against her lips and started kissing her slowly. His eyes were closed and both of his hands were gently grasping her cheeks, as his tongue continuously requested her to grant him access.
So, she did the only thing which she felt was right...
Hana kissed him back!
"Kuso!"
Genma cursed his luck for the 100th time as this location also turned out to be a disappointment. Where the fuck was this blonde chick? And why the fuck was he doing babysitting?
It was bad enough being around so many depressed assholes, he doubted he would be so much depressed like the others even if he lost the war.
Yes, Naruto was dead and they had lost a valuable comrade and a good leader, but for Kami's sake this was not the end of the world. They had survived even after Commander Fox's death as Naruto took charge, and he was sure one way or another a new leader would arise who will take this company forward.
He took a sharp right turn and was now standing in front of the ruined forest which Naruto had formed during his fight with the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.
"Well, shit...this is fucking big!" said Genma sarcastically, how was he supposed to handle Rangiku.
He was barely a social person, he had only joined this shitty blacklight because it offered more pay than the regular forces. People considered him a hardass, asshole and many other things...but fuck them, life was not easy and not everyone had a fucking clan or the Hokage as a family. He belonged from a poor family, his parents were shinobi but had suffered wounds in the previous war making them unfit to be a shinobi.
Plus, they were under a huge debt and were running a small grocery shop during an era of war. Hardly a promising occupation to pay of debts...
"And that's my story...my big secret goal behind serving the great fire nation and Konoha!" said Genma frustratedly,
This was why he was great friends with Aoba, at least before he got killed too. Aoba was also like him, belonging from a poor family but more importantly he didn't care if Genma had shitty manners or if he cared only about his survival. Aoba understood him, and didn't antagonize him like the other soldiers in his company...
He didn't hate people like Naruto or Hana, who belonged from clans or were children of the Hokage. The only thing he ever wanted was to educate himself, becoming a businessman, get fucking rich and spend the rest of his life drinking and whoring.
But no, he became a Blacklight...the soldiers who protected from the shadows.
"Fucking shadows, my ass. Where are you, Rangiku?" yelled Genma angrily, he just had enough of this.
"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu(Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu)"
He quickly spotted a large fireball being fired around the left end side of the forest, so she was there. Fucking finally, and she was performing ninjutsu?
Genma quickly jumped through the sea of destroyed trees, and after a few moments he saw Rangiku standing in an open field performing another set of hand seals.
"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu(Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu)"
He was quite amazed when she launched a large, perfect fireball from her mouth which headed straight towards a portion of destroyed trees ultimately reducing the entire section to ashes.
"Oi, what are you doing?" asked Genma curiously, as she tilted her gaze towards him.
"Training..." said Rangiku seriously, as Genma quickly jumped down from a tree and was now standing right beside her.
"For what?" asked Genma flatly,
"None of your fucking business,'' said Rangiku angrily, why wouldn't just they leave her alone?
Genma just chuckled loudly on hearing that, all the women were the same. Here, she was telling him to go away and leave her alone...but deep down she secretly wished someone would understand her and support her.
It was always the fucking guessing game...
"Well, it is my fucking business...since you are part of my squad now. Baku's rearranging the squads," said Genma seriously, as he passed on a official paper to Rangiku, and she became even more angry on reading that order.
"But Naruto made perfect squads, our formations have worked so well...why?" asked Rangiku furiously, as he just scoffed a little.
"Well, for starters Naruto is dead. Baku wants to kick all our asses...so you can get the picture. Look, I'm not asking you to be my friend but I do want you at your full capabilities- both physically and mentally," said Genma stringently, as she was a little taken aback with the seriousness in his voice.
"I'm fine..." said Rangiku nonchalantly, as she tried to turn away from him but was stopped when he put a firm hand on her shoulder.
"If you're fine, then I'm a saint...look Rangiku, I know you loved him. Everyone knows you loved him from the first day of base camp, even after you and Armin got together you still loved him. But he's gone now..." said Genma calmly, as her fists clenched tightly and the dam of tears in her eyes was almost close to breaking.
"What do you know about love? Have you ever loved someone for years only to be ignored every time?" asked Rangiku in a painful voice, as a bitter smile came on Genma's face as he remembered a certain girl.
"As a matter of fact, I do know what it feels like...believe it or not, I know it hurts and it's painful watching them with some other person but that's just the way of the world. But you have to move on, we cannot stay in the past forever...you don't know what future holds for you, maybe it's something better" explained Genma in a hopeful manner, as her stern gaze softened a little.
"He was finally returning my feelings..." said Rangiku sadly,
"Those memories will stay in your heart, Rangiku. Cherish them, but don't throw your life away in revenge...he wouldn't want you to do this. Besides, you have a family back home, before doing something suicidal think about them...because believe it or not you're all they've got and they love you even more than Naruto could ever do" said Genma patiently,
"Hai"
"Well, the funeral's tonight and Baku's going to announce the next suicide campaign...so be there or even better don't be there, as it will really piss off that old geezer," said Genma jokingly, as even she laughed a little on hearing that remark.
As she watched him walking away, she realized he was more than an asshole. Behind that hardass mask that he used to show, was just a simple boy...and she really needed a friend.
"Hey..."
Genma stopped walking when he heard her voice, he turned around and saw her looking at him calmly.
"I could really use your help in fire style ninjutsu..." requested Rangiku politely, as she knew he was skilled in fire ninjutsu and maybe he was not as bad as people said he was.
Genma looked at her for a few more moments, his eyes searching for any hidden agenda behind this sudden request. But in the end, he didn't find one...and it was better to help a kunoichi train than being around depressed soldiers.
"Troublesome..."
(Akatsuki Base)
"Armin and Kotetsu were dead...and my view of this world changed"
Kushina had tears in her eyes as he finished showing her his story with the help of his Mangekyo, to think this generation had gone through so much pain during this war was unbelievable.
Now, she could really understand his reasons for changing this world...
"Even though I was becoming stronger, nothing had changed. It was the same as when Commander Fox and Hisana and her team died. I was wrong...I noticed that my dream of a peaceful world was just bullshit" said Naruto bitterly, as his fists clenched tightly on remembering those painful memories.
"I owed them my life, they were my dream. They were my irreplaceable friends for whom I would have gladly given my life to protect" said Naruto sadly,
He looked her straight in the eye in order to tell the final truth of his life...
"Their deaths are the source of my pain..."
A small tear slipped from her eyes as he finished his story, she knew all about him now. His past with his family, his inner demon Ikiryo, his friends, and the pain he suffered during the war. Everything was crystal clear to her now...as he had revealed every dirty little secret to her.
"I have told you everything...now let me hear your answer," said Naruto seriously,
"How do you plan to change the world? Tell me your way..." said Kushina truthfully, as he smirked a little on hearing that.
"After accepting my darkness everything became clear to me. The person standing before you is the real Naruto Namikaze...and I have my own ambition" said Naruto proudly,
"What is it?" asked Kushina curiously,
"History is written by the victors. Every thousand years humanity undergoes great changes, a new era emerges from the corpse of the old one. This pattern has repeated itself again and again from the Rikudo's era, to Clan Wars Era, and now the Shinobi Era. But in this world, humans have too much power and due to this power wars happen frequently. Today the situation is so much worse, that the existence of mankind is at threat if this war does not end quickly" explained Naruto briefly, and Kushina didn't know why why...but his words were reaching her heart.
"Humans need a power to guide them, people need to believe in something. Just as they believe in Kami, I will create something in which they could channel their power and place their faith in" said Naruto ambitiously,
"And what is this thing?"
"Nippon no shinsei teikoku (Holy Empire of Japan)"
Kushina was shocked to the core after hearing those words, did he really have such a dream or was he joking? However one look in his Mangekyo sharingan and his unflinching gaze proved that he was speaking the truth.
"Do...you really mean what you just said?" asked Kushina doubtfully, as she wanted to hear his consent.
"Yes, I will create an empire by uniting the ninja villages and the entire world. I will give the people a chance to gain a better future, those who could understand the need and importance of this dream will be welcomed with open arms regardless of their actions in the past" said Naruto calmly,
"And those that oppose you? Those who would be against this new world?" asked Kushina skeptically, as she narrowed her gaze at him.
For his part, Naruto was not at all unnerved by the question. Instead he looked at her seriously,
"They will be annihilated..."
"What!"
"I'm not saying my way is the right or just way. I'm not a messiah or a savior either, but this is the path I have chosen for myself. Humans always do what they want, this war was started by a few old geezers who were fooled by Madara but even then they truly desired war. That world won't be perfect either, there will always be problems, but it will have a system far better than the current one. And in order to create that world I need your help..." said Naruto honestly, as Kushina was a little surprised on hearing this.
"My help?"
"Yes, after I expose the Akatsuki and Madara...I will leave enough evidence to prove your innocence to the Hokage, you can return back to Konoha or help me in creating this new world. You are the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, and a extremely powerful ninja. But most of all you know true pain...I would like to make you my second in command, should you chose to accept." said Naruto happily, as he gave her a small eye smile.
Kushina was really taken back after such an offer, this could be the defining moment of her life. She had the choice to choose her path, she could return back to Konoha and live a normal life devoid of family and just a few friends. Or she could be a part of something bigger, something that would forever be remembered in history and there was something about Naruto that made her want to believe in him.
He was honest, and didn't deny that he was not a savior of the world or any such thing. He was just a man with a dream...
"Holy Empire of Japan..." thought Kushina hopefully, it really had a nice ring to it.
Plus, she had seen two great ninja wars and the current world was heading towards self destruction and most of all they treated Jinchuuriki like trash. But Naruto was different, he didn't discriminate her...he was wise, kind, brave, strong willed.
All the qualities that are required in a good emperor.
But there was still one question...
"But don't you want to return to Konoha? Back to your family and friends?" asked Kushina worriedly, and his gaze softened on hearing her question.
"The Naruto they knew died on Miyasato island, I am not the person they knew. Besides they would not be able to understand my dream, and I would only bring disgrace to the family because if I return to Konoha after exposing the Akatsuki...I still don't have a future," said Naruto remorsefully,
"I don't understand..." said Kushina in confusion,
"I was a Blacklight commander and entering the Akatsuki was my choice. I have abandoned my post during a crucial stage in a war, even if I expose the Akatsuki...my career is finished. I will be court-martialled and stripped of all ranks, achievements. Even my father can't stop this as I have broken all the rules. I will be branded as a deserter, no matter what reasons I had. This would really damage my father's reputation...Kushina, I have severed all ties with my past. The only path left for me is creation of my dream...this is my destiny," said Naruto gently, this was not easy for him too...
Kushina came forward and enwrapped him in a warm hug, as he hesitated for a moment but alas in the end returned the hug too.
"What about Itachi?" asked Kushina curiously, as he chuckled a little.
"I'm sure he'll find his own way. He has dreams just like me, perhaps someday we'll face each other..." said Naruto jokingly, as she smiled on hearing that.
Kushina slowly broke the hug as she looked him straight in the eye, and he was mesmerized by her beautiful violet eyes. Both of them looked at each other for a few moments, until Kushina gave a firm nod indicating her consent in his crusade.
Her heartbeat increased greatly when he removed his face mask, he really was handsome. But her cheeks went bright red when he edged closer as his lips came near her own, as she prepared herself for that contact.
However something unexpected happened, as instead of kissing her on the lips he kissed her cheek.
"Thank you..." said Naruto happily, as the shell shocked Kushina could just give him a small nod.
He slowly started walking back towards the window of his room, as Kushina realized she had another question which she wanted to ask.
"But you will need an army for your dream..." said Kushina seriously, as a sly smile came on his face.
"Oh, I already have an army..." said Naruto confidently,
"Huh?"
"You'll find out my plan in due time. Just trust me..." requested Naruto politely, as she gave him a wide smile.
Naruto's gaze shifted towards the outside world, what he was about to do could change the destiny of the entire world. Although, his plan had a great risk and he could be killed too.
"Only those willing to be killed should think about destroying evil..."
His own words rang inside his mind, as a proud smile came on his face and his Mangekyo started spinning wildly. Kushina watched silently as he pointed his finger outside...
"Naruto Namikaze commands you...obey me, world!"
Author's Notes: Woah, so this is the real Naruto.
Damn, he (Blackwolf) really fooled me by telling that Naruto was like Hashirama. I should have known, damn it...I should have realized he was lying. There were so many pointers in the story that suggested what Naruto truly was, after Ikiryo's revelation it should have become truly clear.
We got some good IzuHana romance, beginning of Genma and Rangiku's friendship. Izumo and Genma's past, it really made me understand their characters more clearly...as to why Izumo was so close and loyal to Naruto, while Genma disliked him due to his status and *cough* Mikasa's infatuation with him.
Holy Empire of Japan...that's a FUCKING huge dream!
This chapter totally blew my mind away, I think I love this new Naruto. His goals are clear, Hana was right...Naruto is really a bad boy and a womanizer. He showed up naked in front of Kushina!
He doesn't care what the world thinks of him, and doesn't consider himself a savior. So, this story is really a clash between two brothers which changed the world. From what I've read so far, Naruto is the protagonist (A anti-hero whose beliefs were formed though the war)...while Itachi is the deuteragonist.
I deduced from where he gained the inspiration for this story, and who Naruto truly represents (And this time I'm damn sure)
He's based on Blackwolf's favorite character of all time (Guess who?)
Ciao,
Stana