Chapter 50 Razors Edge

The sun had not felt like showing itself yet as a now, heavy rain started falling over the village of Shimagakure as Ino Yamamaka worked out in the indoor training field. The field was located in the side building located right behind her freshly planted garden, the rain was great for all the plants she had placed down however it was preventing her from doing any of the other garden work she wanted to do. So instead, she decided to work out a bit with her new toy, because she was the Daimyo of the Land of Granite she was not a member of the ninja core however, she still kept up her ninja training. She had even followed Naruto's new requirement that every ninja master at least two more weapons. Behind her built into the far wall where locked glass cases where they kept the weapons.

She was dressed in only a black sports bra and pair of shorts as sweat ran down her body as she spun the heavy ash-training spear around in her hands with grace. She was still mastering this fighting spear, which was taller than her. She was still moving slower then she liked but since she was not going to see again combat any time soon if ever it did not matter much. Instead, she did it as a heavy workout and the amount of sweat which ran down her back staining her sports bra proved that. While the spear spun around in her hand, her mind turned.

Flashback

The wild follower smell of scented candles still dominated the small room as Ino opened her eyes only to see their master bedroom. She could feel a hand resting on her hip while one of hers reached behind her rested on someone's skin. Slowly she straightened herself and sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she looked at the scene around her. Naruto was lying in the center of the bed to her right with Hinata and Sakura lying beside each other. All four of them where either naked or dressed in whatever scraps of clothing they had picked up at some part of the night.

"I am not even sure I can walk right now," thought Ino as she looked around the hardwood floor which was currently covered with different bits of clothing and toys. She saw the fuzzy handcuffs rested on top of black sleeveless shirt and other toys spread out over the floor. She lowered herself back down and prepared to go back to sleep.

"Morning." said a solft voice as a chill went down her spin as she felt one of Naruto's fingers ran down her side as he forced himself up. Suddenly she felt her head being lifted up by Naruto's other hand as he moved in for a kiss. "I see you got that back on for some reason."

"Well." Laughed Ino as she felt Naruto pull a little at the strap of the blue silk lingerie which he had taken off her last night. "I wanted you to take it off me again."

"Really." said Naruto as he made a move to take off the silk only to suddenly stop as an alarm went off. "You have to be kidding me."

"Damn it." cursed Ino as she reached over to the nightstand and turned off the alarm, which meant Naruto, Sakura and Hinata would have to leave her and begin a military operation.

"Don't worry we will be back." confirmed Naruto as he gently kissed her lips again before turning off the alarm. "I better take a shower before you three start fighting over it."

"I'll just take a long bath after you three leave," noted Ino as Naruto headed toward the shower leaving what he nicknamed his three vixens alone. She turned back toward the sleeping pair of Hinata and Sakura only to see that when Naruto left the two of them had moved to cuddle together.

"Hard to imagine that they where at the point at yelling at each other last night. Then again that is foreplay for the two of them, I think." Thought Ino as sat up in the bed stretching a bit before moving toward the upper patio to look down at the empty plot of land, which was their backyard. Instantly her mind was filled with images of her idea for the area. The plants had been growing in her greenhouse all winter and now it was time to plant them. "Maybe a few days by myself is for the best I need to get the yard landscaped and everything else in place."

The sound of movement from the bedroom caused her to spin around to see Hinata sitting up in bed rubbing sleep from her eyes. Slowly she sat up and got out of bed, dressing herself from some of the cloths on the floor. At about the same time that Hinata was finishing getting dressed Sakura woke up and got dressed as well.

"Morning you two." Said Ino with a smile on her face, before either one of them could say anything Naruto stepped into the bedroom as well.

"This is my family." Thought Ino as she looked at the three of them as her smile grew even wider.

End Flashback

"I hope they are all ok." said Ino out load as she moved to put the spear away back in its case just as was placing the spear away a knock at the door caused her to jump.

"Sorry." said a familiar voice as Ino turned around to see Shizune standing there. The older woman was already showing a slight baby bump. "But I thought you would be back here."

"Is something going on?" inquired Ino as she looked at her friend. "Is it Naruto…Sakura...Hinata?"

"No, we have no word from the land of animals, but someone arrived in Nadeji today," explained Shizune as she took a breath "Shikaku Nara arrived today."

Ino's deep blue eyes widened as she heard the name of the man which was like a second father to her.

"What is he doing here?" inquired Ino

"From the report I got from Nadeji's mayor is that he is doing a search for the demons." explained Shizune as Ino nodded her head. "Luckily most of our people are either on the island here or in combat in the Land of Animals."

"How are people treating him?" asked Ino

"From the report I have seen, it is a cross between cold curtesy and downright curse." explained Shizune "I don't think we have to worry about anyone spilling the news to him about us."

"I pray that you are right, we are far from ready." Prayed Ino "Has Shikamaru been informed?"

"I sent the message myself," confirmed Shizune "What should we do if Shikaku discovers us?"

Ino instantly found herself in a no win situation, if Shikaku discovered them then war would start and if she ordered his death the Leaf would sent more ninjas and war would start anyhow. A memory removal would normally be the best option but the Nara clan had so much experience with the Yamamaka clan's mind Justus they had developed a kind of resistance to it.

"We could cover up their deaths and we would have time to prepare for any other Leaf ninjas who come to investigate." Offered up Lydia as the demon fox spoke up.

"But he is like a father to me, I can't kill him." countered Ino as she tried not to chew on her long hair like she did whenever she was nervous as a little kid.

"How many fathers, mothers and children will die if we are discovered before we are ready?" countered Lydia as Ino lowered her head.

"Shizune if we are discovered I want them dead, but it has to look like it was natural causes or at least an accident," ordered Ino as Shizune nodded her head. "At least Shikamaru is out of town."

Back in Nadeji Shikaku Nara walked down the cobblestone streets he and his team had enjoyed a rather good meal at a fish restaurant however even though the food was good and hot the looks they were getting was not welcoming. After giving orders for his dozen men to spread out in pairs to study the city he and his best living friend Choza Akimichi started heading toward the massive bridge building project at the far end of the city.

"Well this place is nice, if only the people where nice." noted Choza as he took a deep drink from a bottle of water which he had flavored grape with a homemade powder.

"The people have had nothing but trouble from the Northern nations, during the 1st Shinobi war, the Mist landed forces down here and pretty much turned this whole nation into a war zone as bands of ninjas from the Mist and Sand fought each other down here." Explained Shikaku as he remembered his history "The ninjas burned so much of the nation that there was no reason to fight anymore so they left."

"That was almost an 125 years ago." noted Choza "They can't hold that against us now."

"And if the Leaf village was burned five times in seven years we may remember it more then hundred years later." countered Shikaku as the two of them reached the edge of the public area, in front of them where multiple large barriers which blocked off the construction site.

"They are building big." noted Choza as he looked up at the two giant towers which rose up high over the ocean span. Already giant cables could be seen between the two towers and the land on either side of the straights. "I wonder how tall those things are?"

"920 feet off the surface but they go all the way to the bottom of the straights." Said a voice as both veteran ninjas turned to see a man dressed for construction with a hard hat hanging off his tool belt standing there. "You two new in town or something?"

"Yes, we are from the Leaf village." Confirmed Shikaku as the man nodded his head.

"I see most of my coeworkers and myself are from the Land of Waves." confirmed the man "Part of Tazune's bridge crew."

"Tazune isn't that the man who built the Great Naruto bridge?" asked Choza

"Until they changed it." Corrected Shikaku as placed his hand under his chin and thought to himself "Naruto has history with this Bridge builder maybe that is why he is here."

"Tell me who ordered this bridge to be built and why?" asked Shikaku as the man tilted his head a bit.

"I don't pay much mind to pays me I just build, it is for some Lady Daimyo with brown hair who wants a bridge between the village and the mines and factories on the island." said the worker "Lady…Lady something starting wit think, I have only seen her once."

"Factories?" asked Shikaku as he looked over to the other side of the straights to the multiple low lying buildings which sat on the small plain between the bridge and the mountains.

"They have some gold smelting operations and steel making there." explained the man as the two ninjas nodded their heads as suddenly a whistle blew. "Now my lunch break is over, I have to get back to work."

"Wait have you seen the demons?" asked Choza hoping that the answer was yes, since his son was among the missing.

"Hell no, I don't care how much money I got paid I would report those inhuman creatures." Explained the man as he turned his back to the ninjas and headed toward the bridge with a smirk on his face. He knew the truth and enjoyed lying to these people.

The rain was finally stopped as Shikamaru Nara lifted the ear protection back up a few moments before a series of explosions went off filling the air with black dust. Once the all clear siren went off he took them off before turning back to laminated blue print of one of the most massive structure ever attempted by man. This project in Black Snake Pass was only one of five major s construction projects, which fell under his oversight as chief architect for the land of Granite. In truth, Shikamaru only really had to worry about three of them since the village wall was almost done apart from the installation of heavy weapons and the bridge was being taken care of by Tazune and his team.

"Are you sure these blue prints are right?" asked the project manager as he looked over the massive blue prints. "It will take at least a decade to build this."

"That is where you are wrong." Reported Shikamaru "Instead of bringing in blocks of Aldhard and letting placing them one on top of the other we are going to pour liquid Aldhard and let them set in place."

"So we are going to treat it like concreate?" asked the project manager

"In a way, we are going to build a form and support beams out of Aldhard steel and then pour the heated pure Aldhard in it." explained Shikamaru as he showed a blue print of the plane, it showed multiple open cubes of Aldhard Steel contained with steel sides. "This will also allow us to build the rooms we need very easy, we just pour around it."

"And how long will it take to set?" asked the manager

"Pure Aldhard sets fast and is the hardest material known to man." explained Shikamaru "Just be careful when you pour it, it will be over 3,500 degrees when you pour it."

"We will be careful." answered the manager "However even with this plan it will take at least two years to get done."

"And we have three years before a meeting of the Daimyo and Kages where we will be discovered so this has to be done by then." ordered Shikamaru as he thought about everything that had to be finished before that date. He had the defense line here at Black Snake Pass, then another one at the eastern coastal road and the harbor defense point at Spear Point. "So many projects so little time."

"Sir we have a message for you." said the radio opperator as he handed Shikamaru a piece of paper at first he paid it no mind until he saw his father's name on the paper. He opened the paper and read the message without a word he crushed the paper into a small ball. "Sir?"

"It's nothing I'll worry about it later." answered Shikamaru even as his mind was racing trying to figure out how to deal with his own father.

Hundreds of miles away from the Black Snake Valley Naruto sat in tower looking over the remains of the samurai camp. Almost 20,000 samurai had packed themselves into the half-finished castle at the center of the walled off area. Normally that would not be a major problem since the army could spread out over the open area but since Naruto's ninjas and archers now controlled the wall they had to fall back or be shot with an arrow. He had taken off his armor and had instead dressed in a jonnin vest and a pair of pants. There was no risk of being discovered in this room since the only window was nothing more then an arrow slit which narrowed the view.

"The field is muddy so I wouldn't expect any actions by the samurai." noted Temari as the sound a lightning bolt crashing across the sky deafen everyone for a moment. Outside the almost mile wide space between the wall and the half-finished castle was pure mud and growing worst as the rain kept falling.

"Won't the rain limit arrow range?" asked Sai as they were currently having a meeting to discuss the military situation in the city.

"Yes, but the Samurai are mounted and in heavy armor which do not work well on soft muddy ground." Explained Temari

"Has the samurai from the Land of Iron left?" asked Naruto as he put his arms behind his back. He wasn't even looking at the table where everyone was gathered and instead he kept his gaze out the window.

"There ship was escorted outside the ring of my ships," stated the Green Sea Dragon Captain Amund "Most of my men have returned to the ships or have taken over some of the smaller city strongpoints."

"Good." Answered Naruto as he took a breath "How many men did you lose?"

"About two hundred but most of those where when a lucky shot from one of the cities catapults smashed two of my ships." explained Captain Amund "Maybe once we rebuild our fleet with that same Aldhard armor that you have that will change."

"The first prototype is still being built and needs to be tested." explained Temari as Captain Amund nodded his head.

"And I can't wait to captain her." added Amund

"We still have two enemy castles under siege maybe we should worry about them before we talk about new ships." Interrupted Sakura

"I don't expect them to hold out long." Laughed Captain Amund

"Well the older castle will not hold out long." Corrected Temari knowing that castle was likely held mostly by the local city defense force and their families where currently under their control in the rest of the city. "The fact that we didn't burn "most" of the city and that we are not executing people means they are likely to surrender the castle."

"The only part of the city which burned was some of the docks and some of the homes by the gates considering the samurai burned almost every building in the city when they took it we did good." Defended Amund

"Doesn't matter now, in the morning we will send messages to each of the castles and demand their surrender. In return for that they can live and any samurai who wants may return to the land of Iron." Said Naruto

"Naruto the samurai will never accept that, they are third sons and those who have lost their honor back home. They came down here to make new lives knowing that they couldn't go back home." explained Temari "Unless whoever ends up ruling here wants to integrate them into their forces they will die here either by our hands or in mass suicide, Samurai do not surrender."

"I remember those samurai from earlier surrendering." Countered Sakura

"That could be seen as a tactical withdraw since we let them go, the samurai will die before they are captured." explained Temari "It's all about honor in that way."

"Still the offer has to be given," ordered Naruto "I just want those armies to arrive so we can go home."

"Agreed, my new nations needs to focus on building homes instead of warships." added Amund "Don't worry we will still build warships so when war comes we will be there to help you."

"Alright I think all we have to do now is wait." Said Naruto as slowly one by one everyone but Sakura left the room.

"Naruto-kun is something wrong?" asked Sakura as she watched him rub his temples. "It's Mifune isn't it?"

"Yes and no." confirmed Naruto "I know I had to kill him to save everyone and buy us more time but to look him in the eyes as I killed him with a blade isn't something I am used to."

"If you had used any of your justus they would have known it was you and we would have been discovered," explained Sakura as Naruto lowered his head.

"I know." admitted Naruto "But I don't have to like it."

"Naruto when was the last time you slept?" inquired Sakura knowing that while they had shared a bed on the way here that he hadn't slept as far as she knew anyhow.

"Seems like forever ago, maybe the night we left home." answered Naruto as he sat down on the cot in the corner of the room. Slowly Sakura moved over and sat down beside him resting her head on his shoulder letting her longer pink hair drape a little down his back and front.

"Naruto-kun you can't put everything on yourself and if you don't get some sleep you will be no use to anyone and it will be days before anything can happen. So let's get some sleep." explained Sakura in a voice that calmed the most hyperactive ninja. "I kind of wish everyone else was here, I miss them, even though I enjoy having you to myself for a bit."

"Even Hinata?" asked Naruto with a laugh "I know you two tend to fight a lot."

"Couples fight all the time." Defended Sakura as she looked at the camping cot they where sitting on. It was just wide enough for the two of them to lie down together if they pressed their bodies together but nothing more.

"The cot would likely break if we did any more." thought Sakura

"Hell ya, it would." added Inner Sakura as Aella added her own words of agreement.

"Maybe some sleep would be for the best, never know when I'll get another chance." Laughed Naruto

"True most of all when we have kids." Added Sakura as Naruto's eyes widened as he looked at her.

"Sakura-chan are you?" stuttered Naruto as Sakura fought the need to laugh at Naruto's face.

"Naruto-kun, if I knew that I was pregnant would I be out in the field?" laughed Sakura "I ran the test on Hinata and myself before we went out in the field just like we did for every woman who took part in the attack."

"Sorry I forgot you did that," admitted Naruto as he lied down as Sakura beside himself resting her head on his chest. She pressed her head down and listened to his heartbeat as his hand ran down her back. Suddenly his hand stopped rubbing her back, she did not even have to look up she could tell from his breathing alone he was sleeping.

"Good he will need his sleep." thought Sakura as she closed her eyes and followed him into sleep.

Night was falling in Nadeji as the leaf ninjas returned to their hotel, all dozen of them gathered together in one of the meeting rooms which on top of the fitness room and free breakfast was one of the benefits the hotel gave. Most of the ninjas where on the older side it was a sign of how much

"Well I am impressed with this village," stated one of the jonnin as he leaned back in his chair "All the streets are clean and the shops are full of people buying and selling stuff."

"The harbor has a good number of ships loading and unloading goods," stated another jonnin

"And has anyone seen any signs of the demons?" asked Shikaku

"No." answered all but two of the jonnin.

"Sir I did see a pair of ninjas on the rooftop watching us but they had masks over their faces and goggles over their eyes so I can't confirm who they are." said the first Jonnin

"I talked to one of them, they are mercenary ninjas." explained the last Jonnin "Called themselves the Black Swords."

"Not a mercenary group I have ever heard of." stated Choza

"Mercenary groups are formed and disbanded everyday." countered Shikaku as he placed his hand under his chin.

"So sir what is our next move?" asked a jonnin

"We spend the next couple of days scouting the village I have scheduled a meeting with the village's leadership in three days, we will leave after that." Explained Shikaku as the meeting came to an end. "Who knows maybe I can get a conference with this Lady Daimyo."

Well I hope you liked this chapter, soon there will be a time skip. Other than that I hope you keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75.