Shadow of the Empire

by PLPanda

After the Pein invasion, Konoha is slowly rebuilding. Amongst that destruction, a delegation from a faraway Empire arrives. The diplomat makes an offer the Hokage just can't refuse. And so, a team is deployed to help the Empire deal with a group of rebels known as Night Raid with Naruto as part of the party. But The empire is certainly far from innocent and corruption is everywhere

10. Monster of the Opera

Shadow of the Empire - chapter 10/The monster of the Opera

=/\/=

Kakashi put a plain-looking book on the table, flipped it around, and pushed over to the gathered Jaegers. Naruto picked it up and started to go page by page quickly.

"Not this one… That one has too much muscle… Huh… Nah, I'm pretty sure it was a guy. This one has the wrong hair color… Again, not a guy… The boobs are too big here…" Comments like that kept coming out until finally, he slammed the book down. "This one! I'm sure! He looks exactly the same!"

Everyone looked over his shoulder at the portrait. Even Kurome, who was ignoring him, decided to check. Kakashi also gave it a one-over and groaned.

"Naruto, are you sure?"

"Yeah. Oh! It even mentions slugs."

"Fuck."

"Who is it?" Wave asked. "I don't get almost anything on this page. What's so bad about him?"

"Utakata. Former Kirigagure jonin, deserted during the Bloody Mist period, choosing to become a Nuke-nin instead of siding with Yagura. Now that Mei Terumi is in charge, his status as a missing-nin has been revoked, but there is still a substantial bounty on his head." Kakashi looked at Naruto for a moment. "He's also a Jinchuriki." The blond's eyes widened.

"A what now?" Wave scratched his head. "Have you guys ever heard about those?"

"The power of human sacrifice." Run supplied. "The term was mentioned once or twice in some history books, but there was never any definition beyond that given."

Naruto stayed silent. He tried to not move at all, to the point an outsider might suspect he tried to enter Sage Mode.

"A Jinchuriki is a term for a person who has a demon, specifically one of the nine Biju sealed inside them. They almost universally have access to at least a good portion of the Biju's power. A Jinchuriki is normally considered the village's most powerful weapon." Kakashi explained.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Esdeath noticed the evident discomfort her boyfriend was exhibiting.

"His mother was a Jinchuriki. It's a bit of a touchy subject for him." Kakashi came to the rescue. He would have preferred if the Empire didn't figure out just what kind of power Naruto had.

The blond's eyes widened.

"Wait, wait, wait! Let's go back a step!" Wave yelled. "You guys go around putting demons into people! What the fuck is wrong with you!?"

"It's often unavoidable." Kakashi's lone eye bored into the sailor. "Biju are the forces of nature personified and unless imprisoned, they would spread untold destruction beyond anything you could imagine. And since they are essentially just a mass of sentient chakra, there is nothing that can kill them. If they were to 'die', a Biju would simply reform a few years later."

"But why make them into a weapon!? I mean… Uh… surely they could live in a monastery? Or-"

"They aren't weapons. Jinchuriki are people like everyone else!" Naruto glared at the sailor, who backed away.

"Sorry… uh… It's just… my Ma always told me not to tangle with the demons. And in the navy, there were a whole lot of tales about sea demons and stuff and how they would always try to kill a careless sailor."

"Jinchuriki aren't the demons. But it doesn't stop them from accessing at least some of the power inside them. And even just what they can get is enough to destroy this entire palace in just a few shots." Kakashi shook his head. "From what Naruto said, Utakata has shown mastery over his Jinchuriki powers. He can access transformation into the Rokubi."

"So… what do we do about the Utakata guy?" Wave scratched his head. "Sounds like he's completely out of our league. I mean… Maybe the General could fight him but us normal people…"

"None of us would stand a chance against a Jinchuriki that could freely access the Biju powers." Kakashi cut that train of thought. "Out of everyone here, Naruto is the only one who can match Utakata."

"Aren't you being overly dismissive, Master Kakashi? General Esdeath is a peerless fighter with many victories to her name." Run offered, but the Jonin shook his head again.

"A Jinchuriki has the ability to take on the true form of a Biju. Naruto's summons can fight it on equal footing, but no one else here has anything that can match a beast the size of a mountain that has near-inexhaustible chakra reserves and regenerative capabilities."

"So if we encounter him, our only hope is to run and call for Naruto?" Bols asked.

Esdeath bit on her lower lip, considering the situation. "Retreat on sight. There is no purpose in any of you dying a pointless death."

"If we happen to kill him, would it be possible for me to study his body?" Dr. Stylish requested.

"If we are lucky, now that Utakata knows he's been found out, he might leave the Empire or at least no longer support the Revolutionary Army." Kakashi ignored the Doctor. He would burn the body and kill any witnesses and/or documents should that happen.

"Since we're all here, maybe we could address the other issue at hand?" Run offered.

"Yes." Esdeath took the front stage now. "The Emperor's birthday is coming soon and for the first time, his Majesty has elected to celebrate it outside the castle. In addition to the party, the Emperor is going out to watch an Opera, in the company of Chancellor Chouri, Chancellor's daughter Spear, and Spear's boyfriend, the young Police Captain."

"What about the Prime Minister?"

"Honest rejected the invitation, citing a sudden influx of work after some issues among the ministers." When Run was saying the second part, he eyed Kakashi. The shinobi appeared completely ignorant of that and instead was looking at Naruto and Esdeath.

"Indeed. This will also be the first time the Emperor is out in the open. With Night Raid suffering a string of defeats, they might get desperate."

"General, are you suggesting that they might attempt to assassinate the Emperor?" Dr. Stylish exclaimed.

"Yes. This is their best chance. Probably their only chance."

"D'you they will use Utakata?" Wave's accent showed up just for a second.

"We can't ignore the possibility, but I doubt they would go that far. To unleash a Biju in the middle of the capital… I don't believe the Revolutionary Army could survive such a move. They rely on the general discontent with the current establishment and present themselves as the morally right option. The destruction that a Jinchuriki would cause in the capital would take all that away. But we can't discount it all the same. Utakata was a Jonin, so he can't have been a one-trick pony."

"So… what's the plan? Sensei?" Naruto's expression was unusually serious for the normally cheerful blond.

=/\/=

To ensure no one sneaks in, we will check IDs at the entrance. That's Wave's and Kurome's job.

The two Jaegers were now dressed in their finest suits (that totally did not hide armor underneath). No one was allowed to enter the building without showing proper identification. Bags were searched and several people were detained. The Police officers, handpicked by Tatsumi, helped manage everything. There were no exceptions. Especially with the shapeshifter on the loose. Once the guests entered, the doors were locked and barricaded. The police officers were also tested for their identity. Wave and Kurome tested each other.

Run will run the aerial lookout through the entire show. He can rapidly move to check all entrance points.

The former teacher prepared a schematic beforehand, making sure to put it in as random selection as possible while also minimizing the time when he would have each potential entry point out of his sight. In the days preceding the show, the Jaegers and the Shinobi ran several trials just to be absolutely certain that there was no easy entrance and every possible way inside would take some time to get through.

The Night Raid had access to the Extase, scissors that can cut through everything, so the workaround was to spread the alarm system with ninja wire in a way that any breach of the perimeter would send a signal to one central point, one that Run could almost always check.

Dr. Stylish will coordinate patrols along the corridors. Should they manage to get inside, it will be up to him and the police officers under his command to call anything suspicious in.

Stylish was perfect for the task of coordinating it. He set the patrol routes and complimented them with some of his inventions to keep track of the police officers. Among them were remote heart monitors. He would instantly know if any guard died and raise the alarm. Inside the security station of the theatre, he led everything like a puppet master.

If the Night Raid hoped to get to the Emperor, they'd have to slaughter everyone, thus alerting the Jaegers and the Shinobi and giving them time to evacuate the Emperor. If they hoped to infiltrate the theatre undetected, there would be no killing witnesses. That would be a tall order.

Their best hope to somehow get past the guards is to get inside with the Theatre Troupe. We've already verified each member, but we can't exclude impersonation. Henge no Jutsu is one of the most basic techniques available to a shinobi and we can't ignore the possibility of Utakata aiding them in some way. Thus, Bols is going to join the actors.

It might be surprising to some, given his shyness, but Bols had an impressive singing voice. And, as the actors collectively decided, a lot of passion. The script required some changes, but the troupe was very willing to accommodate when they got to know him a bit. The role of the old mentor was added. The man always wears an iron mask to hide his scarred face and hide from his sins. He would have a supporting role in each act, guiding the main protagonist through some issues and offering the insight of an old veteran with a lot of life experience.

Rubicante was secured in specifically prepared props that Dr. Stylish fashioned into quick-deployment tools. Bols would have to move his Teigu between them in between the acts, but that was a non-issue.

General Esdeath secured first-row tickets for Bols' family, specifically so his daughter could watch him perform. His role might not be groundbreaking, but it wouldn't hurt to maybe help him break out of his shell just a bit.

She blushed at the thousand-volt smile Naruto gave her when she presented the news to the masked man.

And finally, the booth itself. The Emperor will get the best seat, with Chancellor Chouri to his right. Spear and her boyfriend will sit one row above him, providing some protection in a pinch. Naruto will sit directly to his left. He's directly responsible for ensuring that the Emperor is safe. Esdeath will join him to his left. She can oversee the theatre room and should the situation call for it, cut the booth off with a wall of ice.

On any other day, Naruto and Esdeath would consider this a great setting for a date. The play was supposed to include both impressive action sequences (the weapons were checked several times to ensure they were safe) and a rather expansive romantic subplot. As it was, they both had more important matters on their minds that made enjoying the show only an afterthought.

For all her flaws, Esdeath knew better than to flirt during such an important mission. She would have time later tonight. A walk in the palace garden to the light of the full moon, only to end in her private chambers where she would finally get what she wanted from Naruto.

Those were the thoughts for later though. Now they had to focus. She turned and sent a look to Kakashi, checking if the shinobi was still in place.

"What about your role in this?" Wave asked.

I shall remain in the back of the booth, maintaining the watch of the doors. Anyone trying to enter through the doors will immediately be put under a genjutsu.

"Can you do such a thing?" Run said, slightly hesitant.

He could. Kakashi took a position that would allow him to both watch the doors and react should anything happen with the emperor in the front. He didn't lift up his headband for now, but he preferred to conserve chakra for the potential combat.

=/\/=

The Emperor took his seat with all the royal pomp that was expected from him. His neutral expression remained only until artificial mist covered the stage. The special effects were something he never had a chance to experience before.

As the first act began, he was mesmerized by the actors' colorful dance. The play was called "The Prince of Thieves". A tale of the son of a humble merchant who, after his father's death, was wrongfully imprisoned by the evil Vizier. The Vizier desired the book that the boy inherited and schemed to take possession of all his fortune.

Makoto followed with bated breath the first part, watching how the boy was beaten and dragged away.

To light amusement of those in the booth, the Emperor almost leaped to pardon the boy and cry foul on the Vizier. Chouri had to explain that this was not real and only a play. The Chancellor compared it to a book that is read out loud by different people at the same time while they act out the actions described therein.

The young Emperor still made comparisons to his daily encounters in the court. In a crushing scene where the young merchant's son, now a teenager, is begging before the Sultan, telling him of the Vizier's machinations as the guards drag him away.

"Chancellor… does… do things like that happen outside the books also?" The emperor asked when the curtain of the first act fell, signaling a break.

"Well, your majesty… I cannot be certain. As you have witnessed, not all is always exactly as presented. The sweetest words might hide the poisoned dagger aimed at your back, and the truth can be covered by a layer of mud. It is your job as the Emperor to find the truth and rule in accordance with what you consider just."

"Stealing from that boy wasn't just at all!" Makoto protested. "He… he lost his father just moments ago and now all his work to prove the treason was literally stepped on!" He referred to how one of the guards, with extra-dirty shoes, stepped on the documents that were supposed to prove the corruption of the Vizier.

In the second row, Spear and Tatsumi were shocked. While they were enjoying the play, it was ridiculous to see the Emperor get so emotional over the show. It seemed so out of the blue that it felt unnatural.

Kakashi and even Naruto could see a different story. The emperor, surrounded by sycophants and manipulators since he was little, came to associate the signs of lies and acting with genuine emotions. The actors, who were overplaying certain gestures and words to better express the inner thoughts of their characters, just happened to play right into what Makoto considered real.

Naruto had seen this several times before. His missions led him to help misguided royals more often than average shinobi and the princes and princesses had this tendency to not understand the life of their subjects until they experienced it for themselves. Makoto was lucky since he could just see this from an outsider's view.

The curtains rose, opening to the scene in prison. Bols was now teaching some hard truths to the teenage protagonist. Such lessons as 'the ones in power will not care unless it is them who are affected', 'the cries of the masses will go ignored when the rich hold Sultan's ear', or 'the key to being heard is to either reach the top or sink so low that your words echo through the cries of your enemies'. These lessons were all accompanied by training in the art of fencing, or in stealing, breaking locks, or sneaking around.

The Emperor was once more engrossed in the tale. However, with each new line, he was more and more uncomfortable. He wiggled in his seat and started to try to look away from the play and look at Chouri, who gave him a gentle smile.

"Your majesty. It might be hard to hear, but there is no lie in the words of the masked prisoner." The Chancellor whispered. "Though he is not also saying everything."

"Please, explain." The emperor sounded small, compared to his usual absolute confidence.

"It is true that people in power forget about the little ones. The ones suffering on the streets or in mines. But it is so only when they themselves feel forgotten. Those with power, unless guided and kept in check, will work to their own benefit and detriment of others. You as the Emperor have authority and power to keep them in check. The revolutionary army wishes to replace you with the voice of the people. They want the masses to keep the powerful in check through the threat of overwhelming them should they betray the trust they receive."

"But… how can I know if the people who I trust should be trusted?"

"While I cannot resolve this for you, Your Majesty, maybe the fact that the people are rebelling against you could be your first signal that there is something wrong. Listen, learn, ask questions. Like a brilliant young man that you are." Chouri finished and returned to watching the show.

Naruto couldn't keep the massive grin off his face. The Emperor could change. The Empire could still be saved. Maybe Run was right all along?

The second act ended with the protagonist stealing staff from the Vizier, which was supposed to hold some magical powers and was the source of his influence. He was faced with a choice to use it or discard it.

The thief stared into the audience and broke the staff over his knee.

"What!?" The Emperor leaped out of his seat. "Chancellor! Why did he break such a powerful artifact?" Makoto demanded.

"Your majesty. Remember. This is just a tale. It was merely a replica."

"Right. Of course." The boy flushed pink at the reminder. "But why would he not use it? If he wanted to get back at the people who hurt him, wouldn't that be a great help?"

"Maybe it would. Or maybe it would not. I think it was General Budo's father who said 'Those who live by the sword should always expect to die by it'. The staff might've had amazing powers, but it was also a tool. And since he stole it, perhaps he feared that it would be stolen."

"I see… so he was afraid that someone would take it from him?"

"Perhaps. But there is also another thing. He is trying to change his country. If he used the same method as the ones he is opposing, it would be meaningless. Nothing would change. Sometimes, winning is not about just defeating your opponent, but what you do with their defeat."

"Truly?" The Emperor wiggled in his seat. "I will have to think about it."

"I'm here to serve, your Majesty."

"Thank you, Chancellor." Makoto's words this time lacked the usual pomp.

"No problem." Chouri chuckled as the curtain rose to reveal the beginning of the third act.

The tale progressed, showing the young man revealing the truth to the Sultan. Naruto kind of lost track of the plot when a shiver went down his spine. There was this foul smell in the air.

His head snapped to the small, round window in the center of the rooftop. A skylight that technically pointed at nothing. No one could look through it, right?

No one was visible there and none of the others raised any alarms.

This vague sensation still remained as he tried to see in the distance. He considered entering Sage Mode to maybe scan the surroundings.

It felt as if someone stabbed his back with a burning rod.

"Get down!" He yelled as he tackled the Emperor to the ground. He didn't think, merely acting on his instincts alone. He grabbed Chouri on his way, making sure to protect the elderly Chancellor as well.

For about a second, it seemed nothing had happened. Nonetheless, Esdeath didn't question him. She swiped her hand, creating a wall that would cut off the booth from the rest of the theatre.

Naruto looked up from the ground. He could've sworn that the time almost slowed down. He could only watch as the skylight he looked at a moment ago exploded in a shower of sparkles and a flash of yellow light descended on them. The ice slowly formed but the beam of light was an order of magnitude faster. It would have seemed that the disaster was averted when he tackled the Emperor.

The shot went higher.

It wasn't aimed at the Emperor. Or Esdeath. Or Naruto. Or Chouri. Or Spear. Or Tatsumi.

Kakashi tried to move out of the way, but it was all for naught. He only managed to seal his fate as the beam seemingly went exactly where he was dodging. It was a mark of his prodigious skills that he still shifted just enough to avoid the worst outcome.

The beam of light cut through his left eye, piercing a part of his skull and the wall behind him.

The sound of the crashing glass echoed across the theatre, sending the audience into uproar.

"Kakashi!" Naruto jumped to his sensei. He saw the hole where the Sharingan used to be. His skull was burned and the headband was tossed aside, with half of it torn to shreds.

The jonin made no response.

"Tatsumi!" Spear cried. "Call for a medic!"

"Right!" The teen rushed out of the room.

Spear went to grab her weapon, but an oppressive feeling filled the booth, pinning her in place. No one was able to move. Even Esdeath felt apprehensive. This wasn't killing intent. It was more primal. A part of her brain that she suppressed under normal circumstances was suddenly coming to life.

Naruto let out a wordless roar. At the same time, a red aura surrounded him. A fox, with a single tail swiping to the sides. The carpet eroded under his steps and the ice wall shattered under sheer pressure.

He took a sniff of air and his head snapped as he stared into the distance.

With a growl, he launched away. In a single leap, he covered the distance from the booth to the skylight. He hanged on the edge with his hands, awkwardly climbing up. There was no finesse to his movements, only raw, primal fury.

Outside, Run hovered over the theatre, watching the shinobi claw his way out through the small hole. Every step the blond made left a charring track in the wood.

Naruto didn't pause even for a moment. As soon as he got to the rooftop he launched away, toward the horizon. He ran across the capital with mindless abandon. Sometimes leaping over the rooftops, sometimes charging through the street. His aura of fury gave every civilian a good warning to not stay outside. It was as if a blanket of terror descended on the capital. Naruto's rampage wasn't so much witnessed as experienced through senses foreign to your average civilian.

He didn't care.

Two tails tore the roof tiles away when Naruto launched away from one side of the street to the other.

Wave and Run approached him for a moment, being the only two members fast enough to even try to keep up, but the Shinobi gave no signs of recognition. Or even noticing them. When they seemed to try and get in his way, he merely snarled.

It was enough to have them reconsider.

They witnessed as the third tail slowly formed behind Naruto as he sped up even more. He neared the aqueduct that cut the capital in half. Without even a pause he launched himself at it, clawing at the support pillar while he made his way up.

Run and Wave retreated a bit, to not get in his way or attract his attention. Even just staying too close was making them ill and their Teigu were starting to malfunction.

The Aqueduct was wider than the support pillar, but the Jinchuriki simply tore through the bottom of it. A stream of water powerful enough to normally sweep even the strongest men and women crashed onto him, but in his animal fury he held on to the pillar. Slowly, he powered through the raging current. A step after step. Each one left a burned impression of his limb in the pillar.

The water merely slowed him down for a moment. He broke through the surface on top of the aqueduct, standing on all fours on the surface. The water now steamed under his corrosive chakra. Four tails swiped wildly, tearing the construction apart.

In the distance, a woman in pink screamed as she redoubled her efforts to run away. To escape. To do anything.

She fired a salvo from her Teigu at the beast, hoping to delay him maybe. Her aim was impeccable as always but it didn't matter. Anything she sent at him was corroded before it could pierce the chakra cloak.

Mein swapped the attachment with almost inhuman speed while Naruto covered the distance between them faster than a human eye could see. It was as if the monster just blurred and appeared in a different place. No technique involved, just pure speed.

As it leaped at her, Mein discharged a final desperate shot from Pumpkin. The beam of yellow light shone across the evening sky. The clouds that were gathering dispersed and sheer force sent Naruto flying away. The Teigu let out smoke as the metal that made it up melted. The girl discarded it before it could burn her.

She heard a screech in the distance but had no time to watch for what was going on. She ran, hoping, praying that it would at least knock that monster out.

The foreigner finally revealed his true colors. A monster, the likes of which the Empire has never seen before.

The oppressive feeling redoubled. She didn't get far when the sidewalk she was using, as well as the entire water stream next to her froze. In a single wave of cold, everything seemed to freeze.

The monster shook himself when he landed on now now-iced surface. His empty, black eyes snapped to the side, where Esdeath stood on the edge, with her pet dragon eyeing the Jinchuriki. The danger beast seemed to not want to stay near him.

Ice was corroding under his very steps, but Naruto didn't care. He could walk on water just fine even in this state. He snarled at the General, who grinned. The oppressive aura doubled once again, making Mein freeze in place. The sniper was unable to even twitch as all her muscles cried in terror.

"Naruto." She made a step forward, but the beast leaped at her.

Esdeath had a lot of experience with danger beasts. And while Naruto's transformed state was orders of magnitude faster, the rules didn't change. She acted on instincts well enough to trip him and toss him over. She pinned him down under her hill.

The corrosive aura started to burn at her, forcing her to keep reapplying a thin layer of ice over her legs.

The beast seemed to calm down just a bit when she stared into his eyes. The red aura rescinded back into orange form, revealing Naruto underneath the layers of chakra. Four tails stopped lashing out so much.

"Let me go! I'll tear her to shreds. I'll rip her spine and break her bones. I'll chew on her remaining arm until there is nothing and then I'll stuff her own torn legs up her ass until she can taste her shoes!" The shinobi raged.

"Yes. Yes! Yes!" Esdeaht laughed. "My dear Naruto. I didn't come to stop you. I want to join you. Let us destroy her together. It will be glorious." She continued to laugh, cheeks flushing red at the images Naruto's ranting brought to her head. She stepped back and let him up. At the same time, she slammed her hill into the ice, sending another wave of cold that caught the assassin in a set of binds. Her legs were encased in ice all the way to the middle of her claves. Two pillars of ice rose and caught her hands.

The shinobi rose from the ground, still wary of his girlfriend. A small part of his brain still expected, and hoped that she would try to stop him. That part went ignored. He wanted to tear the bitch apart. Break her. Make her cry. She hurt Kakashi. Make her bleed.

He gave a side glance at Edeath, who was smiling as she looked between him and the assassin. She was all flushed. It was as if she barely held herself back from something. Her thick perfumes were affecting him a bit but a single shake of his head dispelled it and made his way toward the assassin.

The General waved her hand and the ice turned and bent, forcing Mine to her knees as she was pulled down. Her arms were then forced into an eagle spread while more ice held her legs down to lock her in place.

Naruto stood in front of her. The air was heavy. Mein couldn't breathe as his red eyes bore into her face.

"Why? Why did you kill Kakashi?!" He snarled. Two sets of sharp claws flexed instinctively.

"Why? You monster dare to ask me why!? You killed Akame! You killed Luboc! You took away my arm." At that, Naruto noticed that the arm he tore away when they first met was now replaced with a mechanical prosthetic that someone painted pink. "And that other monster killed Bulat! You're both Honest's attack dogs and should be put down. You and your traitorous village! Hotaru told us how you abandoned her clan! I hope you die with a knife between your ribs when Honest gets bored of you! I only wish I could've shot someone better. But you just had to use your monster power to see me! I had to adjust my target on the fly. That bastard got what he deserved anyway!" She raged as she tried in vain to break free. There was no use as she still had no chance to escape alive, but Mein refused to die without struggling.

"So all this because of revenge!? Because you're just too focused on the pain to even try to talk things over?"

"Monster! I hope your parents abandoned you the moment they saw your ugl-" She didn't finish the insult as Naruto, with one swipe of his clawed hand, tore her head off and sent it rolling into the ice.

The Jinchuriki let out a wordless roar. He put all his anguish, hatred, pain, desperation, and grief into it.

The Jinchuriki cloak slowly rescinded, revealing Naruto's normal appearance. He fell to his knees, tears falling down his face. The body before him was still held upright by Esdeath's ice contraption.

His skin was completely burned off everywhere and there were some burns on his hands and legs. The clothes he was wearing were similarly burned off, revealing the mesh armor underneath.

Esdeath rushed to catch him as the world around Naruto turned black.

=/\/=

Naruto found himself inside the seal. By now, he was familiar with the sewer-like walls and the giant gate that held the fox back. The seal seemed more tattered now than when he first saw it after the Fourth reapplied it.

"I killed her, huh…"

"Brat. So you finally come to visit me again?" Kyuubi snarled

"Not out of choice, bastard fox!" The blond was in no mood to talk. "Go suck on your tail or something."

The beast's laugh reverberated through the seal. "So. You've tried to avoid unleashing my power and all it took was just one stray shot to have you rampage all across the city?"

"Shut up! I… I could control it! I didn't hurt Esdeath! Or anyone else…" Naruto drifted off.

"Whatever, brat. At least you're finally no longer acting like a brain-dead retard." The fox grumbled and looked at the young shinobi. "You've finally given up on that childish belief of saving everyone."

"What? No! I…" I did. Naruto realized. In the beginning, he wanted to try to save the Night Raid, but with time he just… stopped. He killed Lubbock because it was mercy. And then Akame died in their battle. To this day, Kurome has refused to even acknowledge his presence outside missions. The girl didn't show any outright hostility, remaining somewhat civil. But it was clear she tried to stay away from him.

And today… he went for the kill. If Esdeath didn't arrive, he would've probably killed the sniper before she could even speak. Not that the short exchange held any meaning… other than to remind him how many people he killed.

"I won't. I will still try to end the cycle of hatred. But Esdeath and Kakashi were right. Sometimes trying to save people means that I'll have to kill. How can I be a Hokage if I am unwilling to protect those I care about with everything I've got? And that means your furry asshole too!" The blond declared, facing the fox. "I'm not a monster. I'll never be a monster like they used to say. I'm a shinobi, and I will become the Hokage!"

"Impressive. You've accepted your darkness without even realizing it. But tell me…" Naruto saw the fox grin. "What are you going to do with that accursed Uchiha when you finally meet him again, on the field of battle?"

"What?"

"Will you still try to save him? Bring him back? Even if it endangers everyone else you care about?" The Kyuubi's harsh laughter echoed through the sewers. "Who will you choose? Everyone, or the Uchiha?"

"I won't have to choose. I will become strong enough to bring him back. And then… then if he tries to destroy everyone I love… I will ensure he won't have that kind of power…"

"So you're still delusional. The Uchiha will try to destroy until he has nothing to destroy but himself!"

"Then I will kill him!" Naruto yelled. Only after the fact did he realize what he just said. "No… I… That is… I mean…"

"Heh. We will see, brat."

The world turned dark again.

Naruto sat up ramrod straight, tearing away multiple IVs and knocking over the glass of water.

"Naruto!" Esdeath was immediately by his side. "Are you alright?"

"Oh…" He was in a hospital again.

"After you killed that assassin, you dropped unconscious. Your skin was burned off and it appeared as if all your bones had fractures." A third voice spoke. The shinobi looked to the side to see Run standing by the doors.

"I… uh… Kakashi! What about-"

"Master Kakashi is… alive. Dr. Stylish has managed to save his life and most of his health. I'll let him tell you more."

Naruto collapsed back onto the bed, feeling as if all energy left him in an instant.

"That's… Amazing. Thanks."

"No problem." Run nodded. "You're a Jinchuriki, aren't you?"

"W-what?" Even with his rampage, he still somewhat hoped that they wouldn't realize it. That fear was probably somewhat irrational, but with how Wave reacted when the topic was first introduced he couldn't be sure. "I… yes." No point in denying it really.

"How much of the demon can you control?" Esdeath asked, leaning closer.

"No… I'm not sure. I used to be able to handle at most three before it overwhelmed me, but now… I think I might be at five or six…" Naruto pulled out the that were still in his arm. "Where is Kakashi? Can I see him?"

"Sure, we can go there in a moment." Esdeath stood up. "But first…" She walked over to him and slapped him. Hard.

"Wha-" He didn't get to finish.

"That's for breaking formation and causing chaos in the capital. As your superior officer, I cannot overlook your rampage." She then pulled him into a searing kiss. It lasted for a while until finally, they were out of breath.

"Wha-" She did not give him a chance to finish yet again.

"And this is because you're alive. And you've killed yet another member of the Night Raid."

"So… You're not mad about the destruction I caused?" She was giving him very mixed signals.

"Naruto." She got a very serious look. Esdeaht leaned forward so they were facing each other closely. "When I watched you tear apart that bitch, I wanted to jump you and ride you until we both fell unconscious right on that waterway." She whispered it all, but Naruto couldn't have been sure if Run didn't hear her. He seemed somewhat… concerned.

The shinobi swallowed with an audible gulp.

"Let's go see Master Kakashi." She helped him up and together with Run had led him two rooms down.

Kakashi was… alive. His left side of the head was now bandaged tightly. He still wore his face mask, but he traded his usual shinobi uniform for some more casual clothes. He now wore a black shirt with a white robe over it. His right arm was held in a bandage over his chest. Next to his chair, there was a sleek black cane.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Naruto. Good to see you awake."

"I… I thought you would still be unconscious."

"Oh? Are you not happy to see me?" The man's expression was unreadable as always.

"I am!" Naruto protested. "But… hey, how much time has passed since the theatre?"

"About four days, from what I gathered." The older shinobi shrugged. "Dr. Stylish is a miracle worker. And with his Teigu, he's not far from Tsunade-sama's talent."

"So… you'll be back to normal, right? Baa-chan would've put you together without issue so I'm sure-" He stopped when Kakashi raised his hand.

"Naruto. While my being alive and conscious is already thanks to a miracle. And a lot of drugs. The truth is… my career as a shinobi is over. The damage to my brain was simply too extensive. I will never regain full use of my right arm or left leg. I might experience cramps at most inopportune moments, or temporary paralysis of limbs. Right now I can't even get to the bathroom without collapsing at least thrice just to get there."

"No… But… I'm sure Baa-chan could…"

"If she was here during the attack… maybe. But by the time we could've reached her, I would've been dead. Dr. Stylish did what he could." Kakashi tried to placate Naruto. "I can worry about my career later. For now, Naruto, I need you to finish this mission alone. The Night Raid has been weakened significantly and the revolutionary army is getting desperate. I predict they're gonna act within a few weeks. Then, you must finish them off. This mission is taking longer than expected already."

"Got it, sensei. I'll do everything I can."

Kakashi looked at him for a moment. "Good. It's… amazing to see how much you've grown up since we came here. You're a true shinobi now and I couldn't be prouder."

"Thanks…"

"Go entertain your girlfriend now. Don't worry about me. Also… I think the drugs are finally running out…" The cripple leaned back on his bed and drifted off within seconds.

"Esdeath's not… Okay, she is but still rude."

=/\/=

Dr. Stylish led the Honest deeper into his lab. They passed shelves filled with jars that contained body parts suspended in some unidentifiable liquid. The lights were dimmed, but even what little was visible easily indicated that they were all modified in some way.

"Stop wasting my time, Stylish." Honest growled after they went past yet another shelf.

"Forgive me, Prime Minister. I had to take some additional precautions to ensure that none of the mercenaries found my research. The older one seemed like the snooping kind."

"Just tell me what you've got." The bigger man grumbled.

"Very well. As you know, despite their best effort I managed to secure some samples and bodies of chakra users. Interestingly enough, they are not different from average imperial citizens on a fundamental level, at least barring modifications or individual genetic traits. Meaning that anyone in the empire holds the potential to employ chakra. What is different is their predisposition to use it. Essentially, any shinobi I had a chance to inspect had been born with a capacity at least an order of magnitude greater than what we can find in the Empire. A simple fact of evolutionary pressure from the environment. Large chakra capacity means they survive long enough to procreate."

"Doctor. I am uninterested in your theories. This is not academia. Have you managed to get anything useful?"

"At first, no. The genetics are beyond even my Teigu's capabilities. But everything changed when I was delivered that white monster. The fishermen, unknowingly, pushed my research decades ahead! For reasons I'm unable to determine, its DNA is the most malleable I've seen. It can adapt to mimic almost anyone else while retaining the core properties. The only downside is that the capabilities it holds in itself are… underwhelming." Dr. Stylish smiled. "But there is now a solution. When Master Naruto finished his rampage, he was transported to the hospital to receive medical attention. I was able to acquire all the samples I could need from him without any risk. When I combined some of them with the white cells, I reached a breakthrough. Instead of simply mimicking the new material, the white cells were absorbed into the cells from the Shinobi and merged permanently. The result can be implanted into anyone granting them almost instant regeneration and chakra capacity beyond even the Jonin. There is one more thing. The side effect of… something in these cells is that it will allow the receiver to be compatible with any Teigu."

"Brilliant, doctor." Honest's booming laughter echoed across the hidden laboratory. "Tell me, what are they called?"

"Well, I wanted to honor the main… donor. So I believe that an appropriate name would be Naruto Cells."

"What about side effects?"

"There don't seem to be any debilitating ones that I could find. The cells adapt perfectly to the selected host. There is the fact that in time they will replace the other cells in the body, but to my knowledge that is a non-issue. Then there is the fact that, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't change their colors. They seem to be genetically-enforced to be orange."

"That seems like a small price to pay for all the power it offers. Are you sure there are no other downsides?"

"None that I am able to find on the test subjects."

"Very well. Terminate all of your live experiments. I will provide you with volunteers to test this in practice. Also…" Honest paused. His brows scrunched for a moment. "Save one dose for me."

"Are you sure, Prime Minister?"

"Yes. If you are correct and it will allow the use of all Teigu, it's going to be very important for the future."

Why serve the Emperor when you can be the Emperor?