Author's Note: Welcome back! Sorry for the wait on this one.
This one is for JackBlaze123 for reading through the whole story in a few days and leaving me like 30+ reviews. You're the best!
Interlude 4 is on the shorter side, but I hope you enjoy it regardless.
My writing progress is always available on my profile page. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I try to answer all of the questions I get.
Leave a review and let me know what you think! Feedback is one of the most important things you can give to a writer!
Enjoy!
Interlude 4: House of Cards
Book 1, 'The Weight of the World,' was a global success that became a best-seller for all ages in the five Great Nations. The enthralling story depicted a tragic hero shunned by those around him for reasons out of his control. He was born attached to a terrible and erratic power never quite seen before. Ignorance breeds fear, and fear breeds hatred. This cause and effect are one of the forces that keep the cycle of violence in constant motion.
Despite all the resentment and hatred he received, Menma chose to instead rise above the unbreakable cycle and become someone those very same people could rely on. He did that while defending himself against those that wanted to use him and his abilities for their own nefarious purposes. With the help of friends and allies he connected with along the way, Menma became the symbol he strived to be and helped change the world for the better.
A happy ending, right? Well… that was the original plan.
The sudden release of the sequel novel shocked the world. Thematically, it was far different from its predecessor. Critics and fans alike were torn by the darker and more gritty themes presented in it. While still excellently written, the shift left everyone scratching their heads. Most importantly, its parallels were so blatant that you could not miss them even if you tried. Almost like… the author wasn't trying to provoke thought or discourse.
To many, it seemed like a message directly to the reader…
Tsunade's heeled sandals tapped roughly against the ground as she briskly walked through the halls of the Hokage Tower. She did not look pleased.
"If it's not one thing, it's another!" She muttered angrily under her breath. Reports and attestations of civilian and Shinobi's uproarious protests flooded her office early in the morning; chaos ensued immediately after and had only escalated since, making it difficult to discern the root of its cause .
It was only fitting to fear the worst… another enemy infiltration was her immediate guess. Their enemy was well-informed, whoever they were. With Jiraiya, Naruto, Kakashi, and Might Guy out of the village, they were vulnerable in a multitude of ways.
'We'll find them and show these cowards the might of the Leaf Village….' The Fifth Hokage internally declared. Within seconds she reached the tower's rooftop and peered over the edge.
It was about as bad as she feared.
There were hundreds of people protesting against the team of ANBU Black Ops and Jonin that blocked their advancements into the building. Was this some kind of Genjutsu cast on the masses; was a technique even possible on such a large scale? No one knew, but it was one of the only explanations they had at the moment.
"Lady Hokage!" Uddo landed behind her with urgency. His fingers twitched in anxious anticipation. "I have a report. We believe the cause of the outrage has been… identified." He finished slowly.
"Who - or what exactly are we dealing with; is it Zetsu and the Akatsuki again?"
'Shizune…' She couldn't stop herself from thinking about what she had lost.
"No… it's not an enemy; at least, we don't think it is." There was something in his tone that made the Hokage raise an eyebrow. Uddo sounded both sure and unsure at the same time.
Tsunade blinked. "What?" If it wasn't an enemy… then what the hell was going on? She turned around to face her subordinate for the first time. "What do you mean you don't think?"
Her look of utter confusion made him frown underneath his mask. He reached into his cloak and presented her with the evidence collected from one of the many protestors. The Fifth Hokage felt all of the color drain from her face.
It was a book set in a deep purple binding.
'The Weight of the System' by Naruto Uzumaki.
Onoki closed the book and set it firmly on his desk. Three of his most trusted Shinobi stood in front of him and waited patiently for his thoughts on the matter. While none of them looked like it, they were inwardly anxious. The protests outside were bad enough; to have to deal with an angry Fence Sitter at the same time was just too much to ask of them.
The oldest looking of the three was a tall and brawny man. He had dark eyes and short, dark-gray-colored hair, a beard, and a bulbous nose. The stern man wore the standard red Stone Shinobi uniform with a left sleeve and right lapel. His forehead protector was wrapped around his head in a bandanna style, and white bandages were tied around his right arm. His name was Kitsuchi.
The only woman of the trio had short, black hair and distinctly pink eyes accentuated by her eyelashes running upwards at the corners. She had on the standard attire of Shinobi hailing from the Land of Earth, consisting of a red uniform with the right sleeve missing and a lapel over her right leg, a brown flak jacket, fishnet tights with a skirt over them. She also wears regular shinobi sandals and a pair of gloves. She was the daughter of Kitsuchi and granddaughter of the Tsuchikage, a young Kunoichi named Kurotsuchi.
The third individual was by far the largest of the three; a young man with dark eyes and dark hair that spiked out at the back from underneath a bandanna-styled forehead protector. He had large cheeks and a plump nose. His jovial features were accentuated by a friendly smile. He wore a red Stone Village uniform with both sleeves, a flak jacket over the top, and a long yellow scarf wrapped around his neck. He was Onoki's 'shield,' Akatsuchi.
The old Kage lightly brushed his fingers along the book's cover. "Naruto Uzumaki." He read bitterly as he felt the indentation in the leather where the letters were etched into it. That surname brought back decades worth of foul memories that he did not want to relive right now. "I can't believe there is still a member of the Uzumaki Clan alive today that so openly uses that name."
"Never hear of 'em, Gramps," Kurotsuchi spoke up. "What's so important about this clan, anyway?"
"The Uzumaki was a formidable clan allied with the Leaf whose history goes back nearly as far as the Senju and Uchiha." The Fence Sitter explained. "They specialized in Sealing Jutsu powerful enough to bind and seal away Tailed Beasts… among other things. As a result, they were deemed too dangerous by the other nations, targeted, and subsequently eliminated. There were bound to be survivors, but I never imagined one would be bold enough to brandish that surname for the entire world to see on the binding of a book."
"That must mean he's really strong." Kurotsuchi said with an excited grin. As the granddaughter of a Kage, strength was paramount; such a thing was ingrained in her DNA. The prospect of testing her strength against a formidable opponent drove her to continuously develop her own skills.
"Do you think he's trying to send a message to us and the other nations with this over what happened with his clan?" Kitsuchi asked the room.
"It's possible, but I'm not convinced of that." Onoki admitted. "I skimmed through, and it doesn't read like it's targeted at any particular person, event, or even nation. No… it seems to be much grander than that."
"What do you mean?" Kurotsuchi asked.
The Fencer Sitter grimaced. "Naruto Uzumaki is setting his sights on the entire world."
A young man paced restlessly in a long hallway while waiting to be called in. The unnamed Shinobi had dark eyes and short, blond hair parted in the front. His attire was consistent amongst those affiliated with the Hidden Cloud Village and Land of Lightning; a sleeveless, black shirt with a one-strap-over-one-shoulder white flak jacket, black forehead protector, and black elbow-length arm-guards, and red and white shin-guards along with a pair of sandals.
Sweat accumulated at his brow, but it was unclear if it was due to nerves or his fervent pacing. The man forcefully exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in.
Most likely a mixture of both.
Suddenly, he turned his attention towards the door. A few seconds later, it opened to reveal a beautiful woman in her mid-to-late twenties.
She had dark skin and green eyes. Her attire was very formal, consisting of a long-sleeved, high-collared dress shirt and skirt, a pair of long earrings, and high-heel sandals. Her light gray hair was pulled back into a bun with two bangs falling on either side of her face.
"C," The woman said in a tone that matched her serious demeanor. "The Raikage will see you now."
"O-Okay." C stuttered. "Thank you, Mabui." No matter how many times he's been around the Raikage when he was not happy, it still made him feel a bit anxious.
Unruly Ay was an intimidating man.
C walked through the door into Ay's office and stood at attention. The mood of his Kage could easily be discerned by the state of his office. His dumbbells and barbells were strewn around the room haphazardly, and his desk was split in half.
'I'm sure Mabui has already ordered him a new one….' C thought in exasperation. Of the Five Kage, Ay's temper was even more legendary than Tsunade of the Legendary Sannin.
The man in question stood with his back against the broken desk. Instead, he chose to stare out the window with a view that overlooked the village. The scene before him was nearly identical to what was occurring in villages across the world.
"C." The Raikage spoke with authority and anger. "I assume you haven't come to me with nothing to show for your efforts; what do you know about all of this? Why are my people protesting in the streets?"
"As you know, the culprit is none other than the author of this." C held up the purple-bound book that recently took the world by storm. "This book… spreads anti-government sentiments and suggests that the Great Nations do not act in their people's best interests. It's causing quite a stir throughout the Land of Lightning, and reports are coming in that say the same thing is happening across all nations. Civilians and Shinobi alike, across all lands, believe the words in this book to be true and are demanding change. From what I gather, it seems Naruto Uzumaki was simply the catalyst for a problem that was already festering for a long time."
Ay's grimace intensified, but he held back his flaring temper. "And what written in that book made you come to such a conclusion?" He asked.
C opened the book and flipped through to a few marked pages he deemed essential. "The book is laughably straightforward in its depiction of the real world. Five dominant domains closely mirror the Lands of Lightning, Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire. They are the countries of Storms, Mountains, Isles, Plains, and Forests, respectively. The world also seems to operate in a similar way to ours, with the militaristic forces of these Five Lands acting as checks and balances to discourage conflict. If that wasn't enough, this Naruto Uzumaki even depicted certain… real-life events."
"Like what…?" The Raikage assumed the worst.
"The Country of Storms," C cleared his throat awkwardly before continuing. "Attempted to kidnap a princess from the Country of Forests and threatened to start a bloody war over the dispute… The Country of Isles practiced ethnic cleansing and other atrocities within its borders and was infamously known as 'The Red Isle.' Even The Country of Forests has a shady underground organization that eerily resembles the Leaf's Root led by the Shinobi of Darkness, Danzo Shimura. There are several things written here about all Five Great Nations that the general populace has no knowledge of; you can see why this is especially problematic."
"Damn him!" Ay grunted out in frustration. He'd have slammed his fist through his desk if he hadn't already done so earlier this morning.
"What are we to do, Lord Raikage? I don't think the people will stand for our silence for much longer on this matter; they are restless as it is."
"Can we pull all the remaining copies off of the shelves so we can contain this madness?"
C shook his head immediately. "I'm afraid the damage has already spread too far. If anything, doing something like that will only draw more unwanted attention to us."
"Fine; I will have to address the public later today." Ay said begrudgingly. "I need you to go find Bee. I want him by my side when I give my speech. The admiration the village has for him will work in my favor."
"Yes, sir!" C turned to leave but was stopped by his Kage one last time.
"And leave the book here." Anger rose in his chest just thinking about the reason behind this mess. "I want to skim through it beforehand to better understand what we're dealing with."
His subordinate nodded and placed the novel on the remains of the splintered desk and solely made his way for the exit; seconds later, his hand was resting on the doorknob but didn't make a move to exit. A voice in his head was screaming for him to stand his ground and ask the difficult questions on his mind, consequences be damned.
"C?" Ay noted the odd behavior. "What's the matter? Was there something else you needed to say?"
"Sir…" C didn't dare turn and face his leader as the words left his mouth. "Would we have actually plunged into a full-scale war over the Hyuga incident even though it was entirely our fault?"
"What was that?! Don't tell me this book is getting to you too, C." Ay didn't seem to be apologetic in the slightest, which only further conflicted C's thoughts.
C audibly gulped. "I just think about all the lives that could have been lost on both sides… what would have happened if the Leaf Village called our bluff?"
"That would have never happened. The Third Hokage was a weak-willed man that avoided conflict at any cost. If the Yellow Flash of the Leaf had still been alive at that point, I would have acted much differently. Hell, if Danzo held more authority than he did I might have even thought twice about it."
"Right… of course." C nodded his understanding and left. He suppressed the feeling of disgust he felt and continued through the halls of the building. His initial take on Naruto Uzumaki's depictions of the Great Nations was what you'd expect from someone loyal to his land.
The other nations are the bad guys, but we're the good guys… right?
And yet, his conversation with the Raikage only complicated that assumption. Would the 'good guys' risk countless innocent lives on both sides instead of owning up to their misdeeds? Even now, the Raikage justifies his actions with zero remorse in his eyes.
C's perspective was quite different than it was just a day before.
'Why even take that risk in the first place?' It was on repeat in his mind the entire way back home.
Perhaps the author was right; maybe there were no good guys after all…
"This is unacceptable!" The Mizukage paced back and forth behind her desk.
"Lady Mizukage, I-"
"Who does this boy think he is?!" She continued her verbal tirade. It was very likely that she had forgotten her subordinate was even in the room. "Never in my life have I seen someone act so foolishly bold!"
Lady Mizukage." The man said more forcefully.
Mei stopped her pacing and turned to look at him. Her wide eyes made it evident that she had forgotten she wasn't alone. "Oh, Ao, I apologize. What were you saying?"
Ao was a middle-aged man with blue hair styled up. His left eye was blue, and his right eye was covered with an eye patch. A talisman dangled from each ear, the kanji for a humble form of "to hear" written on them twice on each side. He wore a striped, gray suit with a green haori jacket with white trimmings that stopped halfway down over them.
Ao cleared his throat and read off the written report clutched in his hands. "As you requested, the ANBU Black Ops have been deployed to suppress the riots; they aim to do this without violence or aggression, of course." The Mizukage nodded her acceptance. They would be very cautious to ensure the Mist Village did not regain its infamous title through the mistreatment of its people. "A team has also been sent off to investigate the business dealings and other matters involving Jaaku prior to his death."
"I doubt they'll find anything on the matter. I knew Jaaku rather well; he was one of my first appointments as Mizukage and seemed like a good and honest man." The only reason she had mobilized an investigative unit was due to pressure from the Feudal Lord of the Land of Water. An urgent message tied to a messenger hawk had been placed on her desk that morning; the town of Kaiko, the place in which Jaaku Monsuta ruled, was practically under siege from the residents due to the allegations about Jaaku written within the Uzumaki's novel. "I am fairly confident the claims in that book are completely fabricated! Jaaku's murderer simply wants to save face and divert the attention away from themselves. He must have been made aware of his entry into our Bingo Books."
Ao didn't look entirely convinced. "I'm not one to trust a Leaf Shinobi, but his claims do not seem entirely untrue. The name rang a bell, so I dug up some reports from a couple years ago." He pulled the loose pieces of paper out from his haori.
"And what exactly did you find?" Mei wondered.
"As a Genin, Naruto Uzumaki was one of the Leaf Shinobi responsible for bringing down Zabuza. Zabuza, as you know, had been hired by Gato to assassinate the bridge builder from the Land of Waves. I am told the bridge they successfully built was even named in his honor; The Great Naruto Bridge."
"And his novel alludes that Jaaku was in business with Gato for that very same thing…." The Mizukage finished Ao's thought and pursed her lips together. "Only Jaaku succeeded in the elimination of the bridgebuilder after Gato's eventual demise."
"I think there is more to Jaaku than we realize, Lady Mizukage." Ao couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. Being a grizzled veteran who had seen one too many conflicts, he wasn't one to side with unallied nations. This was a special exception, however. The facts and circumstances didn't line up in Jaaku's favor. The only reason it was difficult for the Mizukage to see that was because she had appointed Jaaku to his post, which meant her reputation and integrity may come into question if what the Uzumaki said was true.
Mei winced slightly at the possibility that her intuition was wrong. Regardless, there was more at hand than simply the politician's true colors. "That may very well be the case; however, this was not a matter for the Leaf to get involved with. This should have been reported to us so it could be handled domestically. Enforcing law and order across political and legal jurisdictions is a borderline act of war." That point Ao could definitely agree with. "I'm not sure if this was an order made directly by Lady Tsunade or the result of her renegade subordinate, but it matters little. With this book, he has effectively made enemies around the entire world... perhaps even within his own village."
"What shall we do then, Lady Mizukage?"
Mei didn't want to say what came next, but she had no other choice. They could not allow such actions to slide any longer. "I wish to convene a Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron. These actions cannot go unnoticed by the other Kage or me. Whether it be the Leaf or the Uzumaki himself, someone will pay for these actions!"
Gaara sat alone in the dark in his office. He was well aware of the state of things in his village but refused to see anyone. His sister, Baki, and the Elders, all came knocking, and all were turned away. His Kage duties would be relegated to Temari and Baki for the time being. They would have to figure out how to contain the madness the infamous book has caused. His heart and mind weren't in it today, which could ultimately affect his decision-making.
It was at times like this where he'd look to his older brother Kankuro for guidance. The realization that such a thing was no longer possible only drove the metaphorical stake further in his chest.
Gaara read the book, of course. To say it shocked him would be a colossal understatement. Naruto's thoughts and feelings about the state of the world and Shinobi flowed off the page like a fist to the jaw. While there were certain things written in it that the Kazekage couldn't help but agree with, there were some instances where his friend crossed a line. A line he never thought the blond would cross.
To allude to the Sand Village's failings through the re-telling of Sasori and Chiyo's story was one thing, but to write about the traumatic things Gaara's father put him through was an entirely different issue.
That was not something a friend should do. And as Gaara's first and more cherished friend, Naruto's exploitation of his childhood to get a reaction from the public hurt him deeply. This was not something the Naruto he first met was capable of. No... something had changed in him during their time apart. Gaara had noticed his friend was different someone but was too busy grieving over the fate of his elder brother to think about it too much.
'Naruto… why?' How he wished he could see things from his friend's perspective, or even sit down and have a conversation with the teen. 'Is all of this truly worth it for what you are trying to accomplish?'
Those questions would stick with him until he had the chance to ask the author directly.
Menma's path to bring about world peace was a noble but naive dream. As he traveled across the world, humanity continued to paint a clearer picture of the challenges he faced to achieve his goal. He witnessed cold-blooded killings, lying, manipulation, and subsequent justifications for these atrocities. Humans would lie, cheat, steal, and kill to get ahead in life, and society would perpetuate the belief that these acts were necessary to survive. These were not isolated instances in one or two places; they were among the few commonalities between all the different lands he visited.
To rise up, you have to step on the shoulders of others and push them down.
Every country had skeletons in their closets, and he had little qualm about exposing them, but what stuck with Menma the most was a disturbed man named Kumo, whom he met along the way. Kumo was a monster who killed people, modified their bodies, and added them to his sick collection of 'trophies.' Despite being irredeemable, in his last moments, he showed Menma a shred of humanity inside him that should not have been there. Unable to understand how someone who had done such terrible things could be capable of that, Menma sought out any and all information he could about Kumo. His home, friends, family; anything that could lead him closer to the truth, he would find.
And find out he did.
Kumo grew up a kind and gentle child; the sadistic criminal he became later in life was simply an unfortunate product of his circumstances. He lost his parents at a young age, and the hatred created by that tragic event was fostered and molded by his nation's military to create a heartless killing machine to aid them in war. And yet even after that, Kumo still desperately held onto the last bit of his younger self until the day he died. An innocent boy betrayed by his homeland to perpetuate the never-ending cycle of violence that plagued the world. That was when Menma realized that people were not inherently bad like he thought, and, instead, the systemic culture of hate and selfishness in place made it impossible for peace to be achieved. That meant there was only one way to change the status quo. Yes, it was simple… he needed to uproot it all.
Revolution, if you will.
"If we just snuff out all of that hatred, no more innocent people would have to die like this. Wouldn't that solve all of our problems?"
Author's Note: Finally, (after who knows how many chapters) we catch a glimpse into Naruto's sequel novel. I know, I know, I also seem to put these interludes in the most frustrating spots. I hope you'll forgive me.
Naruto looks to shake up the established order, and with Sasuke & Company alongside him they have the ability to make massive waves.
Next Chapter: Team Jiraiya engages in a heated battle against the Akatsuki duo of Deidara and Tobi, and Team Hebi strikes. See for yourself next time in Chapter 45: Revolution!
Leave a review if you're feeling generous and I will see you next time!
Lilthug - Neji could see through the mask. He noted that Tobi's entire right side was disfigured. Glad you enjoyed and sorry you have to wait longer for Sage Jiraiya!
ThousandDaysOfLaziness - I love the Naruto and Sasuke Dynamic as well. And I agree, they're a dangerous pair.
Spellbat - Now you know. (;
TrenchcoatMan - Deidara the least powerful? I disagree. I personally put Deidara above Konan and Hidan (Sasori is a tossup). I think you also underestimate Tobi. Kamui is completely broken imo.
Ky111 - Very interesting thoughts. I hope to answer a lot of your points soon!
RageSage - Thanks!
mr. cloud - You are a prophet, sir! You predicted Inari would come back, but did you think he'd be a puppet? Let me know.
JackBlaze123 (there are so many reviews but I will try top answer a few)
Chapter 2 - I'm just giving an incredibly broken ability some drawbacks. Even with those drawbacks it's still OP in Naruto's hands.
Chapter 5 - Pairings are an afterthought for me. I have a couple potential ones in mind, but nothing set in stone.
Chapter 20 - It's been a while since I wrote this chapter but I'm pretty sure I time skipped over some of his wind training. We were getting close to his return to the Leaf, so I wrapped things up without showing everything.
Chapter 21 - I have one that a reader (now friend) did for me that looks decently accurate. I don't think FFN lets you send links though.
Chapter 25 - Team Guy is more important in my opinion. If anything, Team Asuma can be shelved temporarily while Shika is gone.
Chapter 38 - Kabuto getting his shit kicked in might be in my top 5 scenes I've had the pleasure of writing. Lol.
Chapter 43 - Giga Chad Naruto is just a different breed. And yes, the Sasori-Ibiki dynamic is iconic.
There just hasn't been a good place for the Uzumaki stuff. I don't want to get too bogged down with subplots.
Chapter 46 - I'm glad that you liked it!