Author's note – Kishimoto Masashi owns Naruto while Guyver is written by Yoshiki Takaya.
I make no claim to either, I am merely playing in their sandboxes.

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Chapter Sixty-Six

Threat Increasing

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The campfire lit the faces of the few ninja who were still awake. Their low-voiced conversations halted as Naruto strode into the firelight.

"I've done a full patrol sweep, no sign of any enemies within six hours travel of us." He stated even as he dropped into a sitting position and accepted the mug passed to him by Fu. "So… Yoromaru, right?"

"I am." The chunin nodded. "Until today, I thought I was the last of my old team. Fu was dead and Hoki vanished after the Elders decided to use him to create a new weapon for Takigakure… I find myself missing his outlook. At the time, I looked down on him, but in retrospect… I still have no idea of where he went."

"Land of Demons." Fu supplied. "Met him. Uzumaki Hoki now Fu's newest brother in Konoha."

Yoromaru blinked several times as he processed the offhand statement.

"…oh. Is he happy?"

"He is." Naruto confirmed. "He's settling in nicely. Hang on…"

Naruto closed his eyes and put his hands in what a knowledgeable ninja would have recognized as a variant of the Kage Bunshin seal, one which Fu copied. An instant later, a waist-high nine-tailed fox and an arms-length six-winged bug burst into existence.

"So, this is the third member of your old team, huh?" The fox said, causing Yoromaru and the other surviving Takigakure ninja to stare at it in shock. "You try anything against the partner of my sister and I'll rip your entrails out."

"He means Fu. Kurama and Chomei are siblings." Naruto explained before taking another sip of his tea. "All of the Biju are siblings as they are the children of the Sage of the Six Paths. Long story."

"He existed?" One of the other genin asked in shock. "I thought he was just a myth!"

The genin shrunk back as both Kurama and Chomei turned their full attention to him. "I'm sorry! It's just that the things I heard about him, they seemed to be beyond anything that a ninja could do!"

"He has a point." Naruto pointed out and Kurama sighed before reaching out and grabbing one of the fish skewers cooking over the campfire.

"Yeah, dad was the greatest." Kurama admitted before biting into the fish. "Of course, his brother was almost as good."

"His brother?"

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Itachi stared at the quartet of armored figures standing in front of him.

Aburame Shibi and Inuzuka Tsume also stared, Tsume's eyes wide while Shibi's eyebrows were raised above his sunglasses.

"There's… more?" Tsume finally managed and Hinata stepped forwards.

"Shion and Hoki have become part of the Uzumaki clan." She stated.

"Well, this both simplifies things and makes them more difficult." Itachi sighed. "The Uzukage has selected his new ambassador and wants one of you to bring her here from the usual site… his words. He also has a message tube ready for delivery to Kirigakure…"

"Shion and myself will head out, with your permission." Ino said. "Shion can bring the ambassador back while I take the tube directly over to Kiri."

"That would be the most efficient way of doing it." Itachi mused. "Very well. Hinata, you and Hoki head out to rendezvous with Naruto and help provide protection until the teams I sent catch up."

"Yes, Lord Hokage. With your permission?"

"Go."

The armored Quartet vaulted out through the window and Tsume shook her head.

"That clan is the scariest I've ever encountered. Once they've grown for a couple of generations, they'll be able to rule the world if they want."

"I do not believe that Uzumaki-san would allow that to occur." Shibi mused quietly. "His loyalty to Konoha is unparalleled, as proven by the fact that when he first gained the armor, he chose to use it to aid Konoha instead of striking out at it."

"But what happens after he dies?" Tsume shot back.

"Let us hope that that day does not happen for a long, long time." Itachi half-whispered.

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The chakra-forms of the Akatsuki formed above the fingers of the giant statue.

"The land of Hot Water is now secure." Orochimaru reported. "However, my scouts report that Uzushiogakure may be tougher to crack than we anticipated. They seem to have an intent-based fuuinjutsu defense system covering the better landing sites… I've never come across anything like it before."

"The Land of Grass no longer resists." Pein stated. "I am withdrawing half my forces ready to strike at the Land of Rivers."

"The Tsuchikage is reinforcing his border while preparing to launch an assault at Ishigakure and from there, the Land of Wind." Deidara smirked. "Kisame and I are keeping an eye on him."

The figure looming next to him nodded.

"All resistance in my area has been quashed." Madara said, although he seemed distracted. "The tree that once held Takigakure… is interesting."

"How so?" Pein queried.

"The plant that supports the statue we use to communicate was grown out of the remains of the God Tree." Madara said and several of the Akatsuki members glanced down. "The tree that Takigakure was based under… grew from a seed discarded by the Rabbit Goddess.

"It may be possible to awaken the statue and open the Moon's Eye after all."

"That… is indeed interesting." Pein finally admitted. "Very well. Hidan, Kukazu, you will travel to what was once Takigakure and lead the Zetsu Army while Madara concentrates on his discovery."

The two members thus addressed both nodded in understanding, then all the figures vanished, leaving the statue in the dark once more.

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Uzumaki Karin looked up as unfamiliar chakra impinged on her awareness. Her gaze following her awareness, she soon spotted the armored duo swooping down towards her.

"Your ambassadorial staff will join you in a week." Her escort stated. "Getting you to Konoha as quickly as possible takes priority."

"I know." Karin sighed as she re-adjusted her glasses. "I've been told this often enough. Stay with my kinsmen until the embassy is built and keep on their good side no matter what… I know."

"Just checking you were up to date with things." The Jonin replied with a slight shrug, then he stroked his segmented armor. "Heh, this may not be up to the level of the mainline Uzumaki suits, but I'd hate to be the person going up against us."

Karin smirked. "My cousin did good work with that."

"Indeed she did." Said the first armoured figure. "Good morning, I am Ino and with me is Shion. Am I correct in thinking that you are the new ambassador for Uzushiogakure?"

"I am." Karin agreed. "But… why are there two of you?"

"Shion is the one who is going to carry you to Konoha." The purple-suited one stated. "I myself have been tasked with courier duty, carrying the message tube to Kirigakure."

"That makes sense." Karin agreed. "I've got all of my things sealed and I have the tube… hold on."

Karin rummaged through the small pack by her feet.

"Clothes scroll… ryo scroll… weapons scroll… furniture… books and picture albums… aha!"

With a triumphant expression, she straightened up and held out a plain metal tube almost as long as her forearm.

"Here we go." She said. "Unlike the ones used in Uzu and Konoha, this one is carefully constructed to hide all the seals underneath the outer layer. Any attempt to peel it off to look at the seals will trigger a self-destruct that melts the tube."

"I'll make sure to tell them that." Ino said, shedding her armor as she reached out to take the tube.

"Wow, that's just awesome!" Karin whispered as she stared at Ino. "I've never seen an armor that can just vanish like that before."

"It was a gift from my fiancee." Ino shrugged as she pocketed the scroll. "Shion, just like I told you?"

Shion nodded and turned to face away from Karin, dropping to one knee and leaning forwards. Karin grinned and, slinging her pack across her back, scurried forwards to wrap her arms around Shion's shoulders.

"I'm ready!" She laughed. "Honoka-neesan told me about what flying was like, I can't wait!"

"Alright, just hold on tight as you take off." Ino said before she threw herself off the cliff. "Guyver!"

Shion rose into the air, carefully angling herself to lie flat even as Ino zoomed up to rejoin them, clad once more in her armor.

"You secure? Excellent, then go!"

Karin's joyful laugh echoed as they raced inland while Ino hurtled towards Kiri.

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Sasuke blinked at the sight before him. To one side, Kiba snickered quietly while two Aburame Shinos stood staring at him emotionlessly.

"Bug clone?" Sasuke asked and the left-most Shino shook his head. Kiba's snickers increased and Sasuke face-palmed.

"That's one of the puppets seized from the Suna ninja during our previous battles, isn't it?"

"Actually, it is one of the puppets seized from Sasori, repaired and modified." The right-most Shino stated. "His puppets were designed to be operated with minimal chakra expenditure. My entire clan are working on duplicating and learning to control the puppets."

"Shino's got a set of secondary hives in there." Kiba supplied.

"I am still learning to control my puppet." Shino admitted as the puppet started to wobble, only to snap back to attention in response to a sudden hand-twitch. "It is less logical than I would like. Attempting to logically deduce the course of action required, taking all the variables into account, is… complicated. I am having to retrain my reflexes instead."

"I don't know if I could do that." Sasuke admitted. "Learning new moves for kenjutsu is one thing, learning new reflexes that need to be applied through chakra threads? No…"

"It is challenging." Shino admitted.

"What my son has not told you is that he is currently the best puppeteer in the clan." A new voice said and Shibi stepped onto the training field, followed by a duplicate of himself.

"Father, your puppet is complete, I see."

"It was completed this morning." Shibi nodded. "I can make it walk, but at the moment…"

Shibi paused as his duplicate toppled over and twitched for a few seconds.

"…at the moment, I would appreciate any advice." He finally finished before glaring at Kiba, who had fallen over with laughter.

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"Incoming." Naruto announced, causing the Taki ninja to look round worriedly, then Yoromaru pointed up.

"There! South-south-east high! Two of them!"

"Friendly."

The ninja relaxed slightly but kept their guard up and Naruto smirked under his helmet. The approaching duo slowed as they swooped down, landing twenty paces away from the group. A long, tense moment passed, then their armor seemed to fragment and vanish.

"Hoki?"

Yoromaru's shocked shout echoed across the silent clearing and Hoki glanced round.

"Hello, Yoromaru." Hoki said, his face stoic but laughter twinkling in his eyes. "How are you?"

"How am I? How am I?" Yoromaru repeated in shock. "You vanish for ages then show up with… with… with whatever the hell that armor is and then you ask how I am?"

Hoki nodded and Yoromaru face-palmed.

"Dammit, Hoki. Back for only a minute and already stressing me out… good to see you."

"Good to be here." Hoki said. "And it's Uzumaki Hoki now."

"I adopted him as my younger brother." Naruto interjected, earning a glare from Yoromaru.

"We passed over the others on our way here." Hinata said as she walked up and gave Naruto a kiss on his cheek. "they should join us sometime tomorrow."

"Excellent." Naruto replied, taking the opportunity to return Hinata's kiss, causing her to blush. "However, we need to keep moving. The further from Taki we get, the better."

"Agreed." Hinata sighed. "Hoki'll probably want to catch up with his friend while you and Fu have been splitting over-watch between you and could probably use a rest, so I'll head up to keep an eye out."

"Thank you." Naruto whispered. Hinata smiled, then stepped back.

"Guyver!"

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Madara appeared in a swirl and stepped up onto the balcony where Nagato was looking down over a large map set into the floor of the hall below. Several ninja were moving tokens in response to barked orders and Madara smirked as he looked at the proof of their success.

"It is almost time for stage two." Nagato noted. "Once Rivers and Wave fall, then the Land of Fire will be surrounded and we can begin tightening the noose around it."

"The land of Water could be a problem." Madara noted and Nagato snorted.

"They will need to get a message there to get help and they will be unable to co-ordinate with each other once we cut across there." Nagato explained, using a low-level genjutsu to highlight the border between Fire and Water. "We take the archipelago and they will not be able to communicate without us being able to intercept their messages and alter them to whatever we want."

Madara nodded in satisfaction.

"Why are we doing this if we can open the eye of the moon, though?"

"Because we do not know that it will work." Madara replied. "If you have multiple plans which do not interfere with each other, then run them all. If one will give victory but may not work, always keep other plans in operation in case the best plan fails. No true ninja relies on a single weapon, no true leader relies on a single plan."

Nagato slowly nodded, his rippled eyes still fixed on the map spread below.

"Soon, peace will come, either through unification or the Moon's Eye." Madara stated. "Soon. We just need to stay strong and focus on winning."

"I am a god to my people." Nagato stated. "I know about strength and focus."

"Yes." Madara agreed. "Indeed you do. Indeed you do."

Both men continued to watch the movement of the tokens on the map.