Flashback
The desert was a graveyard for the weak, and the strong who lacked the means to survive its heat and thirst. No wonder Sasori had been able to paint it crimson with the blood of his enemies.
Perhaps Konoha's caution was due to the home advantage the Sand held, especially during the windy season. The desert would swallow an army. Itachi believed that to successfully disarm the Sand, one had to force it to come onto the battlefield. And a few select shinobi could launch attacks on the village itself.
He glanced at Pakura, wondering what thoughts were flashing through her mind. To be betrayed by your own village was the worst thing that could happen to anyone.
Pakura said to him, "Come." She continued, "They already know we are here."
She wasn't supposed to come, nor was he. Hiashi should have been here. Changes were made owing to the dangers of the mission. A strong team of a hundred Jonin awaited orders in the River Country. Suna knew her strength and she knew the desert.
Rasa wouldn't risk anything by trying to capture her in the village.
Itachi nodded and then continued towards the entrance. The Kazekage, Baki and more than a hundred shinobi were at the gates. The majority of the Jonin were spread across the huge rocks that surrounded the Sand.
"They're not going to let us into the village," Itachi said.
"It's risky. They know Konoha might be trying to pull off an intelligence operation."
There went his secret mission. He couldn't take a risk now that they wouldn't allow him in. It wasn't a scandalous behaviour; he was positive the Kazekage didn't want Pakura walking through the streets of the village. He'd be surprised if the man even told the rest of the village that she was here.
Before they got closer, someone shouted.
"Stop right there. Take another step forward, and you'll be met with hostility."
Itachi thought Naruto would dare them in such circumstances. He'd happily take couple of more steps and bait them to attack. Once they made that mistake, he'd have an excuse to reform the landscape of Suna.
But, Itachi wasn't his clan head. They didn't come here to spark flames of war. Both he and Pakura stopped; Baki and Rasa moved closer.
"Traitor," Rasa spat, as if he were spitting out poison.
Pakura smiled. "This is the first thing you say to me after all these years, Rasa-sama? After everything I've done for the village?"
"You betrayed us. Is there anything to say to a traitor?" Rasa said, his expression unwavering.
Pakura laughed. "I should have known you wouldn't accept accusations."
She laughed outwardly, but inwardly, she was seething. She had given everything for this village. Her life had meant nothing as long as Suna was safe. But they betrayed her. Now they stood to accuse her of the betrayal. Did they have no shame? Was this how Suna treated its heroes?
Pakura felt intense hatred for Rasa. She felt disgust toward Baki.
"From where I stand, this could have been a ploy by the Leaf, and you ended up betraying us. A pity, men lost their lives." Rasa said with a shake of his head. "But if you come back, we will forgive this. Won't we, Baki?"
"Indeed," Baki nodded in agreement. "We just have to convince the villagers that you were being misled by Konoha, and maybe they used the Sharingan to manipulate you."
"The Sharingan explanation would work, indeed," Rasa said with a nod of his head.
It would be stupid to even admit treachery, even if they all knew what had happened. As long as Pakura was willing to move past it, Rasa could do that as well. Her strength would be needed in future battles against the Leaf.
"The fact that you don't even have the guts to admit your treachery sickens me. I will never forgive you for what you did to me. I gave everything for this village, and you thanked me by trying to have me killed!" she said through tears of anger in her eyes.
"I don't know what you're talking about. You're mistaken, Pakura. Konoha has fooled you!"
"I'm not stupid."
Itachi was impressed she hadn't lost her cool. It was perhaps why Naruto liked her. With the anger in her voice, anyone else would have exploded.
"But it's fine. We're not here for that. I came here representing Konoha."
Rasa's mood shifted, and he glared at her with contempt before spitting.
"As long as you wear a Konoha headband, there's nothing to discuss. We also have nothing to discuss with the Leaf as long as it doesn't return missions sent to it by the Feudal Lord; we have nothing to talk about."
Itachi spoke for the first time. "Konoha has concerns that it appears the Sand is preparing for war with us. And in doing so, you have been making contacts with Iwa. We know that you've also been working with Orochimaru."
It was honestly troubling that Sunagakure was amassing strength at an unprecedented rate. Konoha should be on war mode, preparing its military for an attack; however, the Sandaime still held the idea that a war could be prevented. From where he stood, it didn't seem like the case.
"Who we work with is none of your concern," Rasa replied sharply. "Konoha has yet to even return Pakura to us, despite our repeated demands."
"Konoha cannot return someone who is not lost. She came to us for refuge. We will not betray her trust." Itachi replied in an even tone. "You should think what is best for Sungakure, Kazekage-sama. There is no need for war. It will only lead to needless bloodshed, and both sides will suffer. We can always negotiate in good faith to find a solution. We do not seek you or anyone harm. And we don't want to be harmed by anyone."
"Unless our demands are met, there will be no negotiations."
"Is that your final answer?"
"I've made myself clear," Rasa said. "What even stops me from capturing Pakura right now? As far as I am concerned, she is just a rogue Suna ninja. We would be well within our rights to attack her. If the Leaf deems it an attack on itself; that is your problem."
What was wrong with these people that they wouldn't blink before leading their country into war against Konoha? If Konoha demanded it, Itachi would sacrifice himself to reduce Sunagakure's military power to the point where it could no longer wage war and could only negotiate. As long as they felt they had the upper hand, there would be needless bloodshed.
The very thought of war filled Itachi with images of what his father showed him during the Third War. He didn't want to relive those experiences again. He didn't want Konoha to suffer again.
"If Pakura is attacked, I will defend her."
Rasa snorted. "With what army?" he asked.
"An army is not needed to protect her. And I do urge you against staging an attack in the desert and then blaming it on bandits."
They were dismissed and went away without trouble.
There was no need to start fighting. Maybe the situation could still be salvaged. But as Pakura could testify, Rasa clearly intended to wage war with the Leaf and was never going to admit to his treachery.
The Leaf had a single cause of action in this matter; to prepare for war.
"Rasa isn't stupid," Pakura said. "He has questionable morals, but he wouldn't be so steadfast unless he had something he believed could help him succeed against the Leaf." She shook her head.
"I'm thinking the same thing. The question is what."
"Indeed. Without being able to get in, we can't know."
"There are ways." Itachi said. It was easy for him to manipulate a civilian into gathering Intel. "His alliance with Orochimaru has benefited him. Even if Suna is no longer fighting for survival, he has reached a point where he can't go back."
"It's a shame... Do you think I'm the one who is bringing war? If Konoha sends me back, it could be the start of negotiations."
It was the easy way out, and if there was a chance of it actually succeeding, even Itachi would favor it. He'd have turned her. But Suna and Konoha's troubles preceded Pakura. Sending her back wouldn't achieve anything but simply embolden the Kazekage to make more outrageous demands knowing that the Leaf would do anything to avoid war. Even if he wanted to avoid war at all costs, Itachi didn't think that would be the right way to go. It would ultimately lead to Konoha's destruction.
"I don't think even you believe that."
"One tends to think so in such circumstances."
Konohagakure, Hokage Office
"Come in."
The office door creaked open as Naruto slid in. For some reason, Hiruzen had expected the door to burst open when the Uchiha returned to the village. It was strange enough that Naruto had decided to come straight to the office rather than returning to the Uchiha compound.
"Sandaime-sama."
"Naruto-san." Hiruzen smiled.
Naruto stopped in front of the old man's desk and asked if he could sit down. The old man shook his head and then stood up.
"I'd rather we spoke while I walk you to the Uchiha compound."
Naruto simply stared in question.
"The villagers are conscious of what happens around this office. There appears to be a great divide between the clan and the village leadership. I want to dispel such impressions, for the sake of this village."
What did they expect to happen when they pushed the Uchiha clan head aside and embraced Itachi? Naruto didn't stand on their doorstep begging for acceptance; he stood in his yard and did what he could only do. Whatever happened afterwards was merely a consequence of the choices made.
"It is an interesting development, isn't it?"
"You've worked hard for it."
Naruto smiled. "I can't take the credit. But it is a fresh breath of air. The clan was once treated with suspicion and the village Council took deliberate steps to isolate us. But now, they think of us and are proud of what we achieve. Well, it does seem Uchiha blood was not shed for nothing."
Hiruzen stared for a moment. He'd come to learn that getting along with Naruto was quite easy. The Uchiha was often blunt and hated it when people spoke in riddles.
"I had some time to write my report while in the Land of Hot Water," Naruto said, removing a small scroll from his right pocket.
Hiruzen took the scroll and placed it in one of the drawers of his desk. He stepped out from behind his desk and walked over to the window. He asked Naruto to join him, in observing the streets.
"I've been in this office much longer than I wanted," Hiruzen said. "Minato should have still been Hokage, but things didn't go as planned. I would have selected Orochimaru to become Hokage, but he was evil and only desired it to further his own agenda.
"It is always the Hokage's duty to select their successor, but that must always be someone who can lead the village better. We always choose someone we think can share our values. Perhaps I was afraid of the negative reaction from the villagers when I decided to name Tsunade as my successor. The Uchiha were still under a huge cloud of suspicion from the village because of the Kyubi attack. If I had chosen Fugaku to succeed me, despite being respected, the village wouldn't have found peace. At least I thought this much. I never told you why I chose Tsunade; that was my thinking."
There wasn't usually freedom when he was with the Hokage. But Naruto felt free enough to stand beside the Sandaime and stare down at the streets from the window. His body frame now towered over the frail old man. He tried to make things better, and Naruto played along. He wasn't about to be unreasonable; he wouldn't push an old man down the stairs when he was already on crutches.
Besides, even if Naruto thought the Third was a bad Hokage, he didn't have any ill feelings towards the Uchiha. And so, there was no need to do anything.
It was only a matter of time before the Third died. He was growing a little impatient, but he wouldn't do anything. Konoha needed a new leader to move forward; the Sandaime Hokage was a relic of the past and needed to step aside. If he had ill feelings towards the Uchiha, Naruto would have already pushed him down the stairs.
"You always seemed honest, even to Fugaku-sama. I used to hate it. Sometimes I thought you were as bad as them all, maybe even the worst because you pretended to be nice. But now I see why Fugaku-sama trusted you." Naruto said. "Thank you for your explanation. I suppose you're telling me because you've chosen who you want to succeed you?"
"Indeed." Hiruzen said with a nod of his head. "Do you have no interest in becoming Hokage?"
"Even if I were interested, you would not choose me."
"That is true." Hiruzen made no attempt to deny it. "You don't seem offended."
"Why should I be?"
"Despite everything, I choose Itachi over you."
"That was always a given." Naruto replied with a shrug. "You can ask me what you want, Sandaime-sama."
Hiruzen was hesitant because he didn't know how Naruto would respond. Staring at his reflection, he saw an old man. His lasting reign was perhaps a reflection of how much Konoha loved him, but in all truth, it was simply a reflection of his failures.
"Our relationship has been strictly professional. But, you've been a little personal with the villagers."
"A bothersome task." Naruto said. "But, we have no place in the village if the villagers do not accept us. We do not have the best reputation as being social creatures. I sought to dispel that."
"And not to force us into action?"
"Don't think too highly of me. I'm not that strategic."
"You have no desire to become Hokage but you wield terrifying power. What is it for? Where does Konoha fit in all that?"
"Ah, so, you want to know what is my goal and whether it will be good for Konoha. I suppose putting Itachi is also a way to negate my influence. You trust Itachi will only do what is best for the village, even if going against me."
Anyone else would be uncomfortable. But perhaps it was fine like this. "That's about right." Hiruzen said.
"I mere wish to fulfil my role as clan head and duty as a shinobi. Aside from that, there is no other ambition."
"The fine detail is how you define your role as clan head and what your duties as a shinobi entail."
Naruto smiled. "That is indeed the fine line. Does it worry you?"
"You've made the villagers love you. You've also fostered a good relationship with the Hyuga. I only worry because of who you are."
Naruto laughed. "I just love my clan." He said. "Was there any other candidate?"
"It was a matter of choice between Shisui and Itachi. But Shisui is much like me. Konoha cannot go through another phase of someone's leadership qualities similar to mine. I have decided, Itachi will succeed me. I haven't communicated this to anyone, not even the Council."
"Konoha could have certainly been better. Certainly without the Uchiha, the situation would be bleak. It is also quite amusing for you to admit Konoha cannot afford someone like you." Naruto said. "But, Itachi will do well. He's earned it. If he is willing to murder his own family for this village, he'll do well for it."
Hiruzen didn't miss the contempt from Naruto. It was for the idea that someone could turn his sword against his family.
"There are a few things we must go over before it becomes official." Hiruzen said. "You will return to the village Council. However, your presence in the Council will only be valid until Itachi becomes Hokage. Having two Uchiha on the Council would give your clan too much power and could cause jealousy among other clans. Every Hokage has the right to choose their own Council members. For the sake of maintaining peace, I believe things should follow this order."
"I understand. The discomfort that would arise would destabilize the village and make Itachi's reign difficult. When you retire, I will step back from my position." Naruto had every intention of doing so. He figured the Sandaime was asking because he didn't want to put Itachi through the trouble of asking his clan head to resign from the village council.
"I cannot figure you out. Someone else would be disappointed. You show deep understanding of how humans behave, and yet, you can act with complete lack of empathy."
"There is nothing to figure out. What I want is what is best for Konoha." Naruto said. "Nothing will change, so there is no harm in saying this much. Tell me, why did you think the Uchiha refused to go with Madara?"
"They believed there was a better life in Konoha."
"I have a different answer; he wasn't able to convince them."
Hiruzen chuckled. "That is simplistic, at least on the outside. If you look deeper, you ask questions. Why was he not able to convince them? I suppose that is a game of politics."
"If you treat it is purely a game, it leads no where. I love my clan. Every Uchiha knows I love them. I have demonstrated this and above. If I told them they were better suited outside of Konoha, they'd follow me. I was chosen to lead because they knew I cared for them. Itachi may been the most popular, but they didn't trust him. I have no interest in quick gains that last a day. I'm interested in a lasting legacy. Simply being powerful doesn't create that. You can be forgiven. As Madara is."
"I see." Hiruzen said and then fell silent.
"Orochimaru was a stain on my name. I am partly responsible for the crimes he committed because I failed to stop him."
"You've always been quick to take the blame for things, Sandaime-sama."
Hiruzen smiled. "I let a lot of things happen."
"Sometimes, you'd want someone to always accept blame. You want them to do right that things don't blow up."
"That is true." Hiruzen said. "Shall we?"
Naruto didn't mind taking a walk with the old man, but he had thought he would be greeted by tense questions. The Kyubi was a huge elephant in the room that needed to be discussed. The Sandaime hadn't even been a willing participant in Naruto's crusade against Orochimaru. What happened to the Sound wasn't of the orders of the old man, but he did it anyway.
Konoha was rich and prosperous, and so, the streets filled up with civilians. Anbu shadowed them from the rooftops, remaining unseen. The civilians were oblivious to their presence; they went about their business, unaware of the shinobi watching over them.
"While I was in the Land of Hot Water, Kumo's jinchūriki came and invited me to a conversation with the Raikage."
"Not surprising," Hiruzen replied. "You're not exactly the type of person one can ignore when you're camped on their borders." He then waved his right hand at the villagers with a warm smile. "What did he want?"
"Serious talks."
"Last time he sent people and nothing came out of it."
"He just realized that his position isn't as strong as it once was," Naruto said, glancing at the sky. "The Cloud doesn't have any allies." He looked back at the Third and asked, "You intend to make peace with him if he is serious this time?"
"Yes."
A logical solution, but any alliance would've to come with some strict requirements. Then again, A wasn't the kind of person who'd lurk in the shadows and stab you in the back—he would tell you with a straight face that the alliance was over and why.
During Naruto's silence, Hiruzen spoke again on a different matter. "We spoke to White about the Kyubi. We spoke with Itachi as well about it."
"I did not inform him."
"He was kind enough to concede this," Hiruzen said, his voice gaining some steel. "You owe the village an explanation. Shikaku assumes there's much we don't know about the night Minato died."
"Perhaps. But that is history. The Yondaime did what he thought was best to protect the Leaf." Naruto replied with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "Fugaku-sama gave me the contract some years back. I decided to keep it a secret. And he couldn't have revealed it to the village when we were being suspected of sabotaging it. Worse, had he revealed it, the clan would have tried to wrestle it from him and use it to make the village leadership submit.
"My reasons were different. It has to do with avoiding a confrontation. I was weak; I would have had to abide by whatever the village demanded. But now, the village cannot make unreasonable demands."
Hiruzen chuckled at the fact that Naruto could say such things straight to his face.
"You intend to keep it as a summons of the Uchiha?"
"Yes."
"I have a request. And you have the option to reject it."
"You know very well when you say it like that, I can't say not." Naruto smiled. "But that just tempts me to say no just to see what you'd do. A pity the village is peaceful and the Uchiha are just finding their feet. I can't take needless risks to amuse myself."
Hiruzen smiled. "Let us form an agreement that will bind future generations. The Hokage should also sign the contract and must have the ability to summon it in battle."
"Fine."
"People really love you," Hiruzen said, smiling at the villagers who waved and greeted them with respect.
"People will love anything lovable. You simply have to become a good shinobi and prove yourself to stand out, and they'll cherish you. It is the same with villages' obsessions with prodigies." Naruto said with indifference. "But, this kind of position makes it safer for the Uchiha. We haven't had this in a long time. I've always believed that something lasting has to be built up like this. Force and fear bring absolute obedience, but it only lasts as long as the power remains constant."
"Fugaku taught you well. You could have been a great Hokage."
Naruto laughed. "Without question," he said. "But it's not something I desire."
"Oh?"
Naruto glanced at the sky, and the sun glared back at him, forcing him to look away. "I wouldn't want to be stuck in an office all day."
Hiruzen honestly thought if Naruto ever became Hokage, there's no question the Leaf would reached heights it never reached while the Uchiha and Senju were at the peak of their powers.
Without a doubt, the Feudal Lord would not be the dominant force. Hiruzen was certain, if Naruto became Hokage, his first order of business would be to go to the Fire Country and tell the Council that he would not be taking orders from them, but they were still obligated to send their money. The second, of course, would be to overhaul the shinobi academy. He knew, the Uchiha viewed it with contempt.
"You'd do well for Konoha. But for the rest of the shinobi, it would be chaos." Hiruzen said. "Itachi would be different. But takes action when necessary."
"Indeed. That is something to celebrate. An Uchiha became Hokage during my lifetime."
"Not yet. I still have to announce it to the Council, alert the Feudal Lord and inform Itachi himself about this."
"Of course."
"What is your opinion of me?" Hiruzen thought he might as well ask since Naruto seemed to be in the mood. Then again, they'd always spoken well, without any hint of animosity. "You've seen what Orochimaru did. And I allowed it. I could have ordered Jiraiya and the Anbu to deal with him the second I heard he founded Otogakure. But I did nothing."
"I've worked with you over the years because I decided, you didn't cry with us and then slander us when you returned to your office," Naruto's voice became cold as he continued. "But, it is also a fact that the catastrophe to the Uchiha clan resulted because you lacked the will to do anything, and chose to let others decide for you. You're always lamenting failure, yet do nothing. Had you not allowed the Council to be Hokage for you, the worst day in history wouldn't have happened."
In his eyes, Hiruzen may have been the longest serving, but he was not the best Hokage. In fact, Naruto thought the old man was the worst, simply because he was spineless despite once wielding great power that allowed him to be called a God of Shinobi.
Uchiha Compound
Naruto slumped down on his throne beneath the Naka Shrine and closed his eyes. He felt relieved to finally be home. However, there was still more work ahead of him. He had students to train, clan matters to attend to, and political manoeuvrings from the clans to navigate. The Hyuga were particularly vocal about their concerns over prestige and power. For now, Naruto wasn't concerned with those issues; he wanted to build a lasting dynasty, not a temporary one.
His face or emotions may not show it, but he was happy. Truly happy. He could even call for a celebration tonight and buy drinks and food for everyone. The Uchiha would no longer be in the shadow of the Senju. No more would they be suppressed. Their ancestors who had chosen to stay behind when Madara implored them to leave would welcome this generation in the afterlife with open arms – for finally fulfilling their dreams.
"You do an awful job of trying to sneak," Naruto said without opening his eyes as he sensed Naori's presence within the room.
"At least pretend to be surprised just once! Just once for my sake!" She exclaimed with dismay. Try as she might, she could never sneak up on him. She'd tried it even when he was sleeping and found herself kissing the ceiling with her body being slowly crushed by Susanoo.
"It wouldn't do you any good."
"I'm not one of your students."
"The point still stands."
Naori stopped in front of Naruto, and then sat on his right leg. His eyes flashed open. She put on a sly smile, and ran her hand over his face, removing his hair from his face to get a full view of his beautiful yet stern face. "You're hurting your face by not smiling."
"If Isamu comes here and finds you in this position, he'll have the whole clan gossiping."
Naori giggled, just thinking about it. The first thing he would do upon catching them would be to apologize and then bolt away. He'd go around telling anyone who cared to listen to his ramblings. He was truly a strange Uchiha. Then again, so was she.
"It wouldn't be so bad. It would put you under pressure to make me your wife."
"No."
"You're the clan head, and the clan is short on numbers. You must lead by example."
Marriage and having children were things Naruto hadn't even considered. He was busy training students, and over the past year, he'd been busy trying to kill Orochimaru. The children could grow stronger and raise children of their own. It wasn't a necessity for him. However, he'd told the men they needed to consider marriage. He had nightmares about the extinction of the clan.
Naruto sighed and closed his eyes. He was not inflexible and understood the demands of life.
"Are you perhaps thinking of adopting that woman into the Uchiha clan?"
"That woman?"
"Pakura."
"Why would I do that?"
"What is she to you?"
"An occasional partner… a friend, maybe. It isn't something I've bothered to term."
"You've never thought of her as a woman?"
"She is a woman."
Naori hit him on his shoulder. "I mean, naked and all."
"No." Naruto said. "She is not even Uchiha."
"She is a strong kunoichi, even better than I am. If she is adopted into the clan, her children will be Uchiha, and they could potentially become dual-bloodline wielders."
"A sin if they take after their mother."
The clan's extinction and the Uchiha blood being too diluted for future generations to awaken the Sharingan were things Naruto dreaded them most.
Naori laughed. "Sure." She said. "But, have you really not noticed her? She spends an awful lot of time with you whenever you're in the village. We even joke about it, saying you're having an affair with her."
"No wonder you're not improving that much. You spend your time gossiping instead of trying to improve. Do you have no shame in admitting that someone outside of our clan is better than you?" Naruto said with a shake of his head.
"Why should I be ashamed?"
"We're descendants of the Sage."
Naori shrugged with indifference. "So?"
He stared at Naori, and she stared back — a woman. She was such a fascinating creature. The blood boiled in his veins at her presence. Despite his nature, he had come to learn that men and women were meant for each other. They were a pair. Humans populated because of this pairing. Love and happiness came from this pairing. Such were the mysteries of life Naruto often tried to ignore.
But he had felt it; the heat that arose in his body when a woman was naked or touched him in particular places. The pleasure that came with being in bed with a woman. He wasn't crazy enough to be a pervert like Jiraiya — but he could understand.
Hell, even the stoic Itachi smiled with warmth when he was with Izumi. Honestly, it annoyed him a little that he once considered telling her Itachi would have murdered her on Danzo's orders. That he could even think such thoughts had shocked him. He felt embarrassed but kept it all to himself.
He lifted his right hand and caressed her cheeks. They were warm. Her scent was different. Her skin was soft. In battle, Naruto made no distinction between those who had breasts and those who didn't; they were all shinobi. But in this environment, there was a clear difference.
He pulled away, removing his hand from Naomi's before pushing her off him.
"How are things?"
"I want to be taken out on a date."
Naruto stared at her with an expressionless mask that clearly told her he wasn't indulging her anymore.
Naori sighed. "The kids are doing fine. It's the adults that bother me. They are trained well. But power can be corrupting. They were trained too well and Shisui is being too nice about disciplining them. But overall, things are working out just fine."
"Hopefully, Shisui never changes, but he bothers me sometimes." Naruto admitted. "I'll see the children tomorrow. Shisui can handle the military police affairs. For now, I want to rest. The past few days have been rough."
"You gonna tell me your secrets?"
"Secrets?"
"Shisui is almost blind. So too Itachi if not for the Eternal Mangekyo. But, what of you?"
"I'm blind."
"Yeah, right," Naori said sarcastically. "But you do have to think about the future. A wife and children. You're clan head. You can't be single forever."
"I'm still young," Naruto said. "The way you switch topics still surprises me."
"I can never get anything out of you unless I do that."
"You just have to ask."
"I just did."
"And I told you."
"Lies!" Naori said. "You only answer things you want to answer. You usually forthcoming about anything. Even if it was true you were blind, you'd still tell because you really don't care about anyone trying to exploit your weaknesses."
"Naruto shut his eyes. "Go back to your duties, Naori. I want to rest. I haven't had the time to do so while away. I'm exhausted here. If I had to fight now, I would only face humiliation."
Later that day
The toughest opponent wasn't the battle-hardened warrior with zero defeats and godly powers; it was the heart of man. For much of his life, Naruto had always fought a demon inside of him. It had wreaked havoc within him. He wrestled it, but every now and then, it would knock with taunting whispers. To avoid it, he'd worked night shifts in the military police force, so he wouldn't have to realize just how lonely his life was.
He was now clan head. He spent his days surrounded by children, and clansmen, but at the end of the day, he was often alone. Shisui's duties took much of his time and Anbu worked Itachi to the bone. There were days he wondered into Mikoto's house. She was a pleasant company that tried to 'mother' him whenever possible. Even though he always denied it, the job of clan leader was not an easy one and it placed a burden on his shoulders.
Overall, he was a lonely demon. That much, he could admit. It was not the life he wanted. He hated the feelings in his heart. But change was a challenge. He had to climb it and become human. The work kept him busy enough he didn't have to think about it.
While sitting on the rooftop of his house, watching the moonless night, he felt a presence leap onto the roof.
"Itachi?"
The Uchiha, wearing his Anbu mask, walked over to him but didn't sit down. "I heard you returned."
"Leaving?"
"Yes."
"I see."
A comfortable silence settled in.
Itachi seemed to think for a couple of moments before sitting down beside him. "There is an issue I wanted to talk to you about. But there is something that I've always ignored." Naruto didn't say anything, but kept quiet. "You told me that my father wanted for you to have his eyes. But that would leave me without the Eternal Mangekyo… unless of course, my mother has those eyes. If my mother has those eyes, then we are sorted, when Sasuke awakens, he takes mine.
"But we all know EMS only works on blood. You weren't the only one without parents. I have looked, only your grandmother is in the registry, but nothing else. My father has always been there for you, ever since you were a child. He raised us together as brothers — we just never got along."
"Some things should be left as they are, Itachi. I never asked your askes father such questions. And he didn't explain. We are what we are. If your father was my biological father, he would have said so. He was an honest man."
"That just brings more questions."
"There's a lot about the Sharingan that's unknown. It's always been trial and error. People once believed that you had to kill someone close to you for your eyes to awaken the Mangekyo. Madara took Izuna's eyes to gain "eternal" eyes. We have yet to determine if taking the eyes of an uncle will result in awakening the eternal form. These mysteries must be solved. I've made it my quest to uncover all the powers possible through the use of the Mangekyo."
"We've always been brothers. Nothing changes. I bear no ill will. What I want is the best for the clan. We can focus on that and let history be history. Don't you think so, Itachi?"
He should have expected Naruto to give him this response. But then again, even he didn't know everything about the Mangekyo. He knew forbidden abilities, but those were the only ones recorded. Not a lot of people in Uchiha history had been able to get to the point of using a perfect Susanoo. But they were here. For their clan, the current generation surpassed the old. Or maybe they were simply learning from what Indra was able to achieve.
"Do you know who your parents are?"
"Yes."
"What is special about your Sharingan?"
"There is nothing special about it."
"How nice." Shisui said as he appeared on the rooftop.
"Just the person I wanted to see," Naruto said. "You said there was something, Itachi?"
"I don't know if I should share this, but I recently took a mission to Sunagakure, and it became apparent that they are really preparing for war against the Leaf. My concern is that the Sandaime still hopes for a peaceful resolution. I spoke to the Kazekage; he wasn't interested in peace."
"If it makes you feel better, the Uchiha have been reinstated in the village council," Naruto said. "The Sandaime should really resign. It all started during the Third War. We should have pushed forward when we had the upper hand. If we did, we wouldn't be in this situation. Iwagakure might just join Suna. They were forced to the negotiating table; that must have stung."
"In this moment, we should be preparing for war. But no, the children are still being treated with kid gloves. When the village goes to war, they will needlessly die. Suna has all but declared war on Konoha; we should be responding to this instead of waiting for it to make the first move."
"I would normally disagree with you on this matter, but in this case, I do as well," Itachi said. "We should not wait for things to escalate into a full-blown war. There are methods that can be employed to quell the fires of conflict."
"This is curious," Shisui said with a smile. "Both of you agreeing the Third isn't doing the right things. Then again, Itachi was prompted to work with Danzo because of it."
Itachi being proactive was nothing surprising. He was a pacifist, and he wanted to do anything within his power to avoid war. He certainly didn't want his brother seeing the bloodshed of war. Itachi wasn't arrogant enough to think Konoha would come out of the war without any drastic loss to its military power. But Naruto was arrogant enough to believe that it could easily happen.
After all, it was just a little desert village.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"You should speak with the Third."
"He'll listen to me?"
"He'll consider it." Itachi said. "I'm also willing to do anything to avoid a collision."
"You really are suicidal." Naruto said with a shake of his head. "Commendable that you want to protect Konoha, but you won't be sacrificing yourself. I'd rather you be a cripple with both eyes than sacrifice yourself. Sasuke has lost his father to the village. He must not lose his brother as well. He'll learn to hate the village, thinking all it does is take away from him. We cannot have that. Your future is too bright." Naruto said. "I will speak to the Sandaime."
But not at the Council meeting. He'd do so in private. He couldn't begin the power grab just after returning to the Council.
Shisui said in a teasing tone, "Izumi-chan will be sad, Itachi."
Itachi hesitated for a moment. "I have."
"But what is important is that Konoha is safe," Shisui said. "We understand that. Be selfish for just once, Itachi. There is still time to sort things out. Before you sacrifice yourself, I should be going. You all forgot about my ability."
"Nobody has," Naruto said with displeasure. "The Sandaime is too afraid to use it. I'll be speaking with him soon about some discoveries I made when raiding Orochimaru. The Kiri's Bijuu are troubling. To be without concern over them, is to be reckless."
"I hope you have some luck."
"You spoke with him?"
"I did. Pakura-san told him that the Kazekage was indeed planning for war." Itachi said. "I have to go," Itachi said as he stood up. "My team is waiting for me."
"Be safe out there." Shisui said.
Itachi nodded and then leapt away.
Shisui lay beside Naruto and gazed into the dark sky. They didn't do this often. Their busy schedules sometimes prevented it. Occasionally, Naruto would camp out with his academy students at night, teaching them practical lessons he often claimed were more useful than theory for shinobi.
"Are you happy now?"
"I'm still the same. I've just removed a stain on the Uchiha name."
Killing Orochimaru was not done out of enjoyment; he had long since soothed his heart once the child was returned. He hadn't been going around recklessly destroying things without a thought. He'd been naturally calm about it. One could even say he was methodical.
"I was asking about your general health."
Naruto didn't immediately respond. He sighed with disappointment as he spoke. "I'd thought seeing the clan moving in the right direction would fill me with happiness. I am happy dreams are about to be realized. But, there is still something missing. My heart hasn't changed."
"Itachi is dragged into dates with Izumi."
"You shouldn't talk when you do nothing."
"I socialize at least," Shisui shrugged. "I go out with friends for drinks. You never do that. After work, you're just you. I would have thought Naori would have cracked the shell by now."
Naruto smiled. "Maybe she has," he said and then chuckled bitterly. "I don't even have anyone I can call a friend aside from you. Even Fugaku-sama wasn't like that. Sometimes, I envy that."
"But you get along with your Anbu friends."
"There was a distance between them now. Perhaps since he had become clan head. Or maybe it was the way he carried himself. They had invited him out for drinks and training. He had rejected it all. It was a disappointing life, he thought. People outside would praise him for what he had accomplished, but they didn't know he felt like a hollow shell with no excitement."
The bitterness in Naruto's voice made Shisui flinch. It was as sharp as a double-edged sword. "Isn't Pakura your friend?"
"I've actually not considered anything like that. We talk. Often train together and the occasional lunch… But that is about that."
"I'd say you're friends." Shisui said. "You should let Naori take some of this off your shoulders."
"I fear I may not be me after that. If I become like you, I fear I will lose my drive to usher the Uchiha into a new era. It is nevertheless clear to me, I can still usher the clan without making sacrifices." Naruto said. "People like Kakashi are too miserable to even think about having children. He has seen war and can't imagine bringing someone to this world. But without question, if Tsunade had loved Jiraiya, he would have started a family with her. What stops me then?"
"Mysteries of the heart," Shisui said, putting a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I'm going to Kiri for talks with the Mizukage. When I come back, we'll see what we can do."
"I come back and everyone leaves?"
"I should have left some time ago. But I couldn't because of your absence. The village doesn't want all of us to be away from the village at once. But how about we go out to the village for drinks?"
"I'm not a drinker."
"Neither am I. But occasionally, I do have one when with others. Socialization is good."
Naruto thought about it for a second before sighing. "Why not," he said. "But I prefer Anbu hideouts. They're more respectful and don't have the chaos you find in normal places."
Shisui laughed. "I forgot you know very well how things work since you worked the night shifts."
The following day
Shodai first thought of handing over Bijuu to other nations as power equalizers when nations were constantly fighting over them. His main reason was simply to find peace. He died. But peace has always been a fleeting dream. Hiruzen wondered if it was even possible in this day. Each day took a bite off his belief system and his faith. He still hoped, but he wondered for how long.
Since the Third War, he'd tried to steer Konoha away from bloodshed. Even if it meant taking a weak position. Nothing changed. The reprieve was always only temporary. Once the dust settled, a new storm picked up.
The clouds that gathered on the outskirts of the village kept him awake some nights. Hiruzen hoped it never rained again in his lifetime. He didn't want to witness another war. He knew, taking pre-emptive steps could help them avoid the whole issue, but it would mean they had deliberately launched an attack on another village. He wasn't sure history would judge him fairly on that regard.
As Shisui walked into the office, he smiled, washing away his deep worries.
The relationship with Kirigakure was important; he'd sent the Hyuga as they were a clan appointed to handle political treaties, but the Mizukage preferred to deal with Shisui. And so, he'd been occasionally sending the Uchiha to the Mist.
"Are your preparations complete?"
"Yes."
"Good. You'll be traveling alone this time around. You must be careful on your journey. Our enemies may attempt to attack us one by one in order to weaken us. We cannot allow that to happen."
"I'm prepared for anything."
His blindness aside, there were few shinobi who would even consider facing him in battle. But if it was Sunagakure, they wouldn't care. They'd be suicidal, knowing that if they died, they'd have done a great service to their village. Shisui had ways to avoid fights and even escape from danger.
"You shouldn't leave without knowing how to summon the Kyubi. It may come in handy."
"It shouldn't be a difficult task," Shisui said. "Naruto showed me the required hand signs. I just never practiced it." Shisui explained. Summoning was easy; he just needed to put the right amount of chakra and introduce himself to the Kyubi. Naruto had mentioned it was hostile and hated the Uchiha. If he blinked, it would try to attack him.
Controlling it was possible, but Naruto thought there was no fun in dealing with a mindless beast.
Hiruzen accepted Shisui's response. "There is something I want you to discuss with the Mizukage. I received a letter from the Raikage, and he wants to discuss conditions for an alliance. He'll be sending a team in the weeks to come, and we will have a discussion with them.
"As we finalize our alliance with Kirigakure, I want you to urge the Mizukage to consider reconciling with the Cloud. I understand it will be dependent on the Cloud actually coming to the table. But I believe that we need to unite these two in order to create a strong alliance. If we are able to do that, we may be able to deter the Sand."
Mei Terumi would get along with the Third. She was different because she was still willing to do what needed to be done. But she was a kind woman who had a great vision. She'd done well to create a new Mist, one that was not infamous for bloodshed. People's memories were long. It would take time to erase that past, but she was building a foundation that would make it possible for Kirigakure to forget its past and embrace a new reality.
"You're free to discuss my formal meeting with her. We can do it at a neutral location. I'd invite her over, but I don't want her to feel small or get the wrong impression."
"With Suna around, you cannot possibly take the long journey to the Mist," Shisui said. "How about the Wave Country as a neutral location?"
"The Wave has some problems."
"I will sort them out on the way to the mist. When I return, I'll make sure everything is well."
"We are still a shinobi village. Generosity is good. But we need missions to survive. Remember that, Shisui."
What the Third was telling him was that, even though he knew about the troubles in the Wave, he wouldn't do anything. First of all, the Wave was not an ally. Secondly, unless they received a mission request, Konoha wouldn't do anything. It was the same with the village keeping a blind eye to bandit camps until there was a request. If the village simply sent shinobi, it would suffer a financial strain and those shinobi would go rogue to make a living.
It was a cold, harsh world, but Shinobi had learned to survive this way.
At least, the Sandaime wasn't telling him he shouldn't do anything. But, while he could help, he had to make sure the Wave repaid them somehow.
Shisui replied, "I understand."
Training Ground 44
Naruto admitted, a part of him rejoiced when he imparted knowledge and skill to his students. He loved them. They were not mere tools to be equipped to be loyal to him and his goals. He was simply training them to be fine shinobi who would uphold the values of the Military Police. He would accept criticism for not teaching them about the nonsensical idea about the will of fire.
He didn't think anyone had to be taught to love their village. But people had to be taught the values of such a village. The Sandaime could have people teach that. He was training the Military Police Force officers. They had to respect their uniforms and uphold the village's values without question.
His class had fifty-four students. There were one hundred and seventeen when he began, but he sent the others back to the academy after the first year. His class was not for the lazy or weak; he could tolerate those without skill, but he would not tolerate the lack of effort. People were different, but he expected dedication from all his pupils.
Among the fifty-four, there were thirteen Uchiha children. Young bloods who would one day make the Uchiha clan proud.
The entire class was in its third year. In a few months, they would graduate and begin their duties. However, they would continue receiving training until they became fully-fledged members of the Military Police Force—and that would be when they achieved the rank of Jonin.
"I've said this repeatedly; the military police have the duty to enforce the law. You must know what the law is to enforce it. Some things may be questionable, but if they are not wrong in terms of the law, you can only offer words and try to solve things between the complainant and the accused.
"You'll deal with criminals. The Anbu normally deals with threats to the village. However, that is also your duty. Your duty is to enforce the law and protect Konoha. During war times, you won't be sent to the front lines, but will serve as Konoha's last line of defence. Some more skilled shinobi may be sent to the front lines."
"Sensei…" one of the students raised a hand. "Are we going to war with Sunagakure?"
"That is a possibility."
"Why is there even war? What would it be like?"
"Wars are fought for different reasons. Conflict is part of life." Naruto said. "If you're in conflict with your parents at home, what do you do?"
"Shout!"
"A child with no respect to elders. What have I taught you?" Naruto shook his head. "But the answer is about right. You can't fight your parents, so you shout. But your parents can beat you because they can. Shinobi are trained to be violent. If there is a conflict, how do they solve it?"
"Violence?"
"Indeed." Naruto said. "But such are lessons for another day." He said, waving away any other questions. "I've taken you through some various scenarios, today, I will teach you another; a hostage situation. This occurs in many scenarios. Say you catch someone spying and when you try to talk to them, they flee. Seeing that they are being overrun, they grab a civilian and threaten to kill him or her unless you step back." Naruto paused, and looked at his students in the classroom. "What do you do? What is even more important?"
"Wouldn't it depend on what the spy has?" a student asked.
"If the spy has information that could threaten the village, the civilian's life is not more important." Another student said.
Naruto raised his hand when they began to speak one by one. "What if you don't know whether the information is vital or not? What if the spy didn't even manage to get anything but was caught before?"
"Saving the civilians are obviously more important."
"You'd let the spy get away."
"Dear students, please listen to me very carefully. The moment you even allow someone to take a hostage, it means you have failed. You've done something wrong. Or, the criminal has simply been ahead of you. But that is also wrong. You cannot let that happen.
"But what if it happens even when you do everything right? I asked you earlier, what is more important? Well, both are important. To be given options by a criminal is offensive. You do not negotiate with criminals when they have a knife at your throat."
He asked once of the students to come forward. A black-haired girl was all too keen to jump into the line. The others complained that she always jumped first. Her name was Fubuki; she was always eager, skilled, dedicated, and didn't come from any clan.
If she was Uchiha, he'd carry her on his shoulder back to the village at the end of lessons.
Naruto created a clone. It transformed into the same height as the girl. Without warning, the clone walked behind her, wrapped its arms around her, and placed a kunai at her throat.
He asked for another hostage. He did the same, but this time, the clone slapped an explosive tag on the hostage's chest.
"There are two scenarios. The second one is tricky. The criminal might tell you to step back and they'll let the hostage go. However, they will then push the hostage towards you and set off the bomb. The explosion creates a diversion, and you've lost a civilian. You've failed to protect them. Uchiha will not partake in this. Can someone explain why?"
A couple of hands were raised.
"The Uchiha have the Sharingan. With the Sharingan, both scenarios can be solved easily through the use of genjutsu."
"Is there anyone who has a different answer?" .
"Good. I was going to kick out anyone who had a different answer. For Uchiha, the task is simple… we can simply trap the criminal in a genjutsu. But, understand you must still be in range. It is not just a matter of eye contact. I've not come across anyone immune to Genjutsu. Some are skilled at detecting it. As a result, it will take them a second. However, Sharingan Genjutsu is very powerful. When used effectively, it can paralyze a person, even for a second. In that case, it should be all you need to cover the distance and free the hostage.
"Now, you're not Uchiha and you don't know Genjutsu. How do you go about this? How do you free the hostage and manage to keep the criminal from escaping? You always want to keep your suspects alive for interrogation."
"We can't use Ninjutsu because it will hurt both the suspect and the hostage."
"It depends on the jutsu." His star student said. His name was Sora. He was thirteen. He had no bloodline, but he was smart. It was honestly a stain that it wasn't one of the Uchiha who was the smartest. "If you're quick, and use a wind jutsu, you could blast both of them. The hostage would suffer minimal damage. But it would give you time to move in quickly. The jutsu would still need to be fast. Unless it is, it's not recommended. If the jutsu is lightning, then yes. You can simply release one that travels through the ground. It doesn't matter if it hits both, as long as it isn't meant to kill."
"I favour the approach of using either a kunai or a senbon. You'd have to be fast and accurate. You must always know when to hit. Target pressure points."
Naruto nodded approvingly. "However, you should always make sure you strike before the suspect has a chance to say anything."
He took out a kunai and asked the clone to let go of the first hostage. He asked her to run toward the door. As she ran, the clone chased after her, grabbed her, and then swiftly turned around. The second it turned around, Naruto hurled a senbon at it. In the blink of an eye, he was tackling the clone and throwing the hostage to the side.
"Why did I attack him immediately?"
"If you give time to the suspect, he will have time to adjust himself and hide any pressure points you may be able to exploit."
"Here is another solution," Naruto said. "Work in teams. Never go after a suspect alone. If the suspect grabs a hostage and turns around before you can do anything, you're in trouble. If you can use genjutsu and the suspect leaves a pressure point, you live. But what if they don't?"
"This is where teammates come into play. You stall for time while your teammates move in. You surround the suspect. If you're fully equipped, you have multiple options. But if you arrive in that situation without backup, you'll only have two options: letting the suspect go or killing the suspect and the hostage.
"Under no circumstances should you let a suspect go; you can always arrest them later. However, if the stakes are high and it's a spy, you have a duty to protect Konoha. You'll live with the failure. Nevertheless, it must never come to that. We're trying to equip you so that there is never a situation you can't handle. And if you can't, you have teammates who can."
"Sensei, can I not be a hostage during the practical exercises?" Fubuki asked.
Naruto smiled. "Everyone will have a chance to be a hostage, and a pursuer. We're going out now. I've made some preparations with my Anbu friends. You'll have three tries. If you fail all three, I'll graduate you as a Genin, and send you to the Sandaime Hokage to be assigned a team.
"This is an exam that tests your reaction speed, quick thinking, skill with the senbon, and your Ninjutsu skill. You've all been taught these skills over the past year. It is now time to test them. Any complaints?"
"Sensei, the Uchiha have an unfair advantage. Can't they get a more difficult test? It wouldn't be fair for the rest of us normal people."
"I could restrict them from using the Sharingan and leave them with the same options as the rest of you. It would actually make things fair."
"You got it, sensei. And the Hyuga as well. The Byakugan has a good field of vision. They would obviously react much faster than the rest of us."
"That is not even the worst part! With the Byakugan, they can hit pressure points us normal people wouldn't be able to precisely target."
"Indeed. But, life is not fair. So, deal with it."
Hokage Office
He'd been a goofy idiot, but Jiraiya turned out to be Konoha's most loyal student. No matter what, he'd never do what Tsunade did. He wouldn't have even considered the inhumane experiments Orochimaru conducted. If he had to, Jiraiya would have faced Tsunade in battle, all for the sake of Konoha. In that respect, he was like Itachi.
Whenever the Sage turned up, Hiruzen smiled with happiness. Tsunade was back. But she had to be dragged back. She didn't do anything out of the ordinary. But she was back.
There was a saying that a man's legacy was through his students. Hiruzen's legacy was one of failure and disappointment. But at least, he had Jiraiya.
"You're smiling more than usual, sensei," Jiraiya said, staring at his sensei with raised brows.
Hiruzen chuckled. "I'm just happy you're back. Without you, I don't know where I would be. I must admit, my other students are failures, and I haven't always shown my appreciation for you."
The Sannin stared at the Third for a long moment before walking over to the window in silence. "Something happen?"
Hiruzen shook his head. "No, I've just been thinking."
"I came back with a lot to think about. You won't be smiling when I tell you about it." Jiraiya said in a serious tone.
"What is it?"
Instead of responding to the question, Jiraiya asked. "I heard Naruto finally killed Orochimaru."
"That is true."
"I see."
Jiraiya had given up on his fellow Sannin a long time ago. He never had the chance to save Orochimaru. He was always dark from a young age. Perhaps the suggestion of killing the Ame orphans should have been taken seriously with him. If he had known how his friend would turn out, he would have smothered him when they were children.
It would have saved so many lives from being ruined. With each new discovery of Orochimaru's cruelty, he felt like he was responsible. He'd never made any real effort to destroy Orochimaru, even though he knew his nature.
Knowing that he was finally dead brought him neither joy nor sadness; he was simply relieved that it was finally over.
"We can finally put this chapter behind us. I know what was discovered in his hideouts was dreadful. Don't blame yourself for allowing it to happen; I let him go."
"Sensei," Jiraiya gritted his teeth in anger. "He massacred entire villages and sometimes kidnapped some of them for his experiments. He killed off an entire village just to take one girl. It's horrible what he did. Thousands were murdered by him, and many more suffered. We did nothing."
Yes. That was the cold hard truth. They did nothing. They could have done something. Naruto had hunted him down, found him, and destroyed him. Kabuto was still telling them more.
"With Kabuto, we will be able to get more and erase the memories."
"How is he even cooperating?" Orochimaru's loyal followers never betrayed him. He would brainwash them in a manner similar to genjutsu.
Hiruzen couldn't reveal that Shisui had manipulated Kabuto with his Genjutsu. It was an ability that needed to be kept secret from everyone else; otherwise, there would be panic and mistrust.
He simply said without going into details. "Genjutsu." He said. "Some parts Inoichi and his team have worked overtime on though. The amount of details he has given us is enough to make even Ibiki look sick... at least, the matter is sealed. Now, what is it that sounds worrying?"
"About two or three months ago, I came across Naruto. He told me about the Six-Tails and the fact that the Jinchuriki had fled the Mist. Immediately, I went to look for them. My search led me to Tsuchigumo Village. However, what I found was that it had been completely destroyed.
"On further investigation, I found out that the former leader was still alive. He told me that the village had suffered greatly and he chose to go into hiding. The majority of the villagers stayed behind. Orochimaru went there looking for their forbidden jutsu. He killed everyone when he couldn't find it. However, he did find their location. He took the Jinchuriki who'd been staying with them, protecting his granddaughter.
"He revealed that the forbidden jutsu was sealed into his granddaughter, and she was kidnapped along with the Jinchuriki. Orochimaru most likely handed them over to Suna. But we don't know for sure."
Fury was a powerful jutsu capable of wiping out an entire village. For that reason, Hiruzen had it branded a Kinjutsu, and if the Sand managed to get their hands on it, it would be disastrous for the Leaf.
"Rasa-san is really preparing for war."
"I'll leave in a day or two to track down the granddaughter. We have to find her and disable the jutsu before it is used against us."
"I'll have Ibiki question Kabuto about this. But it is not something he mentioned before," Hiruzen said with worry.
Hiruzen had been avoiding Suna's intentions and hoping for the best. But Pakura had told him, Rasa wouldn't be doing this unless there was something valuable at stake. The Earth must know something if it was also willing to join. Onoki wouldn't take the risk of confronting Konoha unless Suna showed it had the ability to fight its own battles.
He still didn't know if Iwa had decided to participate in the war. He really needed to prepare for war.
"I'm worried."
"So am I," said the Third. "So, am I, Jiraiya." His voice was grim as he repeated. "This is indeed worrying. We have to take steps to protect Konoha. I've been avoiding it, hoping we could talk, but if Rasa has gathered the strength, then there might not be another way." The Third's voice was even grimmer. "At least there is another half of the Kyubi we can use." He then explained the half Naruto had in his possession.
"This adds greatly to our military power," said Jiraiya. "We now have something to match the fire power. But it means nothing if Iwa joins." He turned to face his sensei. "Now is the time for tough decisions, Sensei."
Hiruzen sighed. "I've decided to send Naruto and Shikaku to Iwa for talks." He said. "To send a message."
Jiraiya said confidently, "Naruto will be fighting the Tsuchikage."
The Uchiha did not mind diplomatic protocols. If Onoki was being an idiot, he'd say so. He was going to go there and tell the Tsuchikage if he wanted to wage war against Konoha, he would face destruction. Jiraiya had spoken with the Uchiha enough to know how he handled things.
He would even remind the Tsuchikage of what had happened during the last war.
The Sandaime smiled, despite the situation. "I'm sending him there precisely because he is Naruto," he said. "But Shikaku will be the one talking, if all goes well. Naruto will be the show of force. There is no one in the Sand that can match his power. Iwagakure needs to be reminded of this."
"Knowing the Tsuchikage, he'll take it as a threat."
"There is no other way of handling this. We know he is in conversation with Suna. If he joins them, it will be a threat… but a real one." Hiruzen smiled sadly.
Nobody could question the power of the Uchiha. Except those who had yet to experience it. But Onoki had. He had lived long enough after all.
"I'm going to see Tsunade and handle some business before leaving. I won't speak to you again."
Hiruzen said, "I want to tell you something." He looked at Jiraiya. "He is still young. So, I'll have to remain Hokage for a little while. I have decided to name Itachi as my successor. He is mature enough. I'd have chosen Kakashi, but Itachi is more powerful and less burdened. I know he will make a fine Hokage."
"I cannot fault you on that. Itachi is a fine shinobi. Young, but he shows wisdom beyond his age. He is someone all men can respect. I still do worry about his age though."
"That is why I will be Hokage until the time is right. Of course, you can still replace me until Itachi is ready."
"You can carry it for ten more years," Jiraiya quickly said. "He is loved by many. But this will be a first. An Uchiha Hokage."
Hiruzen said. "But things are as they are. I've already sent Anbu to deliver the message to the feudal lord. I don't want surprises in case something happens to me. The council will be informed. If you have any other objections, please let me know. I want to be sure I've made the right decision for the future of this village."
"You've made the right choice, Sensei. I didn't actually think you would choose an Uchiha as a successor."
"Things change and no one else deserves it."
"But?"
"There is also Naruto. I have moved quickly to ensure he doesn't get a chokehold on the politics and get himself made Hokage."
"I didn't take him for politics."
"He'll say he doesn't care for it. But he knows how to play it. Spend some time in the streets and you'll know what civilians say about him. It isn't just the civilians, but Shinobi value him."
Council Chambers
If the chairs were any more comfortable, Naruto would have slumped down into them with contentment. He felt, finally, he had returned to where he belonged – the Uchiha's rightful place. It was temporary, but it mattered not since Itachi would assume the higher position. But of course, knowing Itachi, he wouldn't want another Uchiha to succeed him. He was sure to choose someone else. To counter this, Naruto had been provided with opportunities to train the next generation of shinobi. Academy graduates couldn't surpass anyone in his class.
Therefore, he was sure to have a lasting impact on the village.
"I thought you'd be smiling ear to ear," Hiashi said as he sat beside Naruto, around a large rectangular table.
"Childish."
Hiashi shrugged his shoulders slightly. "But you're happy to be back here among us. It just means the Uchiha have become that significant in Konoha once again."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "The Hyuga will never be greater than the Uchiha, even if there's only one of them left." After all, he alone could take on the entire Hyuga clan.
"I'm offended you'd say that to my face."
Naruto smiled. "Facts are facts."
"But some things need not be said loudly."
"Why? To nurse feelings?"
"Nice to see you two getting along." Chouza said, "There was no doubt some hostility between Fugaku and Hiashi-san. This seems a bit friendly."
It would only be for the benefit of the Leaf when its two most powerful clans were getting along. And in circumstances where they were looking at a potential war, unity was the only thing that could get them through.
"Maybe it's because we don't play politics," Naruto said to Choza. "A good thing that nobody seems offended that we are present here today."
"We were warned," Shibi revealed. "And there was no other reason. You've been loyal to Konoha and have served it well." The other clan heads nodded in agreement. "I do wish you showed a little restraint when dealing with the Sound." He added with worry in his voice. "Was it really necessary?"
"Yes."
It was amazing that the Sandaime hadn't been consulting with his Council as much as he did before. The entire debacle with Orochimaru never reached this stage as far as Naruto was concerned. And nobody complained because they sat down when the Hokage pleased. They served at the pleasure of the Hokage, and had no locus standi to demand to be consulted on various issues affecting the village.
The power of the Council wasn't within its individual members, but the collective. Individually, they had no power, but once the collective had gathered, their voices meant something.
The Sandaime walked into the chamber before Shibi could respond. The Anbu commander wasn't present at the meeting.
The Third sat down gracefully and then smiled as he spoke. "Everyone is here," he said. "Naruto-san has assumed the Uchiha's seat on the Council. That is why you see him here. Is there anyone with questions?"
They all shook their heads.
"Good," Hiruzen said, adopting a stern expression. "You know we had a mission to get rid of Orochimaru, which was spurred by his kidnapping of a child from this village and Yamato, who is a Mokuton user. While raiding his hideouts, Naruto captured Kabuto. It was through Kabuto that we discovered that Orochimaru wanted to create a perfect host for himself. He believed that if you combined the powers of the Senju and Uchiha, one would have access to the powers of the Sage of Six Paths. You must all know that both the Senju and Uchiha are descendants of the sons of the Sage.
"The shocking thing we discovered was that Orochimaru was working with Sunagakure to empower it for its planned attack on Konoha. We discovered that once the Sanbi came back, Orochimaru captured it and possibly transferred it to Suna. Jiraiya returned with information that Orochimaru also captured the Six-Tails and had acquired the Kinjutsu of the Tsuchigumo clan. You will remember that the Kinjutsu has the power to wipe out an entire village."
There was complete silence in the chamber after the Sandaime had spoken.
Naruto spoke first, knowing everything from the beginning.
"Can the jutsu be given to multiple people?" Naruto asked.
Hiruzen shook his head. "It seems the device was planted on one person who has gone missing. We don't know where she is, but fortunately, we do know her. We should be able to track her down. Jiraiya will work on getting his spies into Sunagakure to gather more intel."
"She can't be allowed to get anywhere near the village," Hiashi said.
"Indeed," Hiruzen said. "I made preparations yesterday. The military police will be given orders to be on the lookout. We will be strict on people coming and leaving the village. Someone with the Byakugan will be stationed at the gates at all times. It is possible that they might remove the Jutsu from her and place it on someone else."
Shikaku said, "That makes strategic sense." If Suna knows Konoha has the Intel, or even suspect, they won't want to leave her in the open like that. They'll implant it on someone else, if possible.
"This just means we're going to war." Hiashi said, his expression devoid of any emotion.
Hiruzen said. "It seems that way." He sighed. "At this rate, the Sand might have three Jinchuriki in its possession. It's a frightening military power. We can't simply ignore it."
"We are still running in peacetime, while our enemies are arming themselves," Naruto said with a shake of his head. "The Cloud, Sand, and Iwa have all been building their military strength since the Third War. We never recovered, and we have lost a great deal. It is unacceptable. In any military confrontation, we will be at a disadvantage. In the last war, we had the Sannin, the Yondaime, and the Uchiha. We have none of that now."
But of course, that was only accurate insofar as it didn't include the Uchiha.
Chouza said, "You were able to kill Orochimaru; you're more than a Sannin."
"That may be true. However, a village cannot rely solely on one person. I would be displeased if I were the only powerful person in my clan. It just means if I get taken out, the whole clan falls. This cannot be so."
Hiruzen said, "Naruto-san is right." He continued, "It has been a failure on my part. After the Third War, I took a relaxed approach as we enjoyed peace. But the same cannot be said for those who seek to destroy us. Kumo was even able to take advantage of us because it realized this weakness. However, I still believe Konohagakure is in a position to defend itself."
Defend. Defend. When would they launch their assault? This passive attitude bothers Naruto. Konoha has no right to be so passive under these circumstances.
"Only if Iwagakure does not join. If they do, despite our overwhelming power to flatten a battlefield, we do not have unlimited energy."
Hiruzen said to Naruto. "I'd originally decided to send you and Shikaku to Iwagakure." He paused, then continued. "But with the Cloud sending people, I have decided to keep them here. They will return to Kumo with its delegation. They sent their Jinchuriki to us. They want an alliance. It seems this time, it is different. With more friends on our side, it will be difficult for Iwagakure to join Sunagakure."
"I thought when they first made contact a couple of years ago it was all a ploy," Chouza said, shaking his head. "But if they've sent people again, it must be serious."
"Indeed," Hiruzen said. "We have to take it seriously as well. I want to reconcile them with Kirigakure as well. If we can create a three-way alliance, the Leaf will be better off."
Shibi said, "Suna is obviously arming. We cannot just look the other way."
"Jiraiya is collecting more information. Once he has collected enough information, we'll create a cause of action. Unless Suna takes direct action against us, we will not act. Iwagakure must be warned nonetheless," Hiruzen said. "You must show Onoki that Konoha is not weak."
"Of course," said Naruto, all too happy to hear that.
"What if it just makes them want to join?"
"We're already at that point. Any decision Onoki takes will just confirm what he has already decided secretly. We don't want to go to war thinking it is just Suna and then Iwa attacks our flanks. It would be disastrous for us." Hiruzen said. "It is not a decision I would normally take, but circumstances force us to take drastic measures."
There was really nothing drastic about what the Sandaime was saying. A drastic measure would be sending him or Itachi to the Sand. With the Kyubi, he could flatten that village in minutes. He didn't even have to take a step into the Sand – he just had to summon the Kyubi from a distance and let it unleash a Bijuudama. If Suna couldn't stop it, everything would go up in smoke.
And Konoha's problem would be solved.
With a single swing of his perfect Susanoo, he could easily clear out that entire village. There would be nothing but silence and no noise from a weak village that thought gathering Bijuu would make them just a little bit stronger. If he were to go to that village, Naruto would openly laugh at their arrogance and audacity to think they could threaten Konohagakure.
The Uchiha hegemony was about to begin; he would not allow any village, or anyone, to threaten it.
Thinking about this, Naruto realized he didn't need the Sandaime to give him an order. Naruto decided then and there, there would be no war with Sunagakure unless they moved much faster than he did.
"The Tsuchikage is stubborn and overprotective of his village. Anything I say to him will be deemed a threat." Naruto said, yet still smiling despite his words. "But I'm more worried about Sunagakure's pursuit of destructive powers. Even without Iwa, they will attack. But Iwa won't attack us without Suna. The village is lifeless anyway... we have to take serious deterrence action, even if it means a pre-emptive strike. Threatening Konoha cannot be tolerated under any circumstances."
"There will be no attack." Hiruzen said with finality. "Your mission is to Iwagakure. And I do urge you to go in with the mind-set of how the Tsuchikage will react. We want to show him we're not weak. And if he decides to wage war against us, there will be consequences — that is all."
More than ever, Naruto wished he could make the old man disappear. He was standing in the way. No attacks unless the enemy first engaged them? What nonsense was this?
It was no wonder Itachi trusted Danzo to protect the village. They were just waiting for their enemy to gather all the tools necessary to destroy them. This weakness in the Third disgusted him.
"I hope Jiraiya confirms both Bijuu are in Suna," Naruto said. "It will give us a little boost to do what we need to."
"If they are in Suna, what would you do?"
"I'd march to the village and make some noise with the Kyubi. They will have no choice but to bring them out. Of course, it could simply give them an excuse to say we attacked first and draw Iwagakure. But it doesn't matter. No matter what we do, we go into war. It is a question of whether we want Konoha to suffer more when it could sniff out the danger and inflict maximum damage to Suna and send a message to others, Konoha will destroy those who seek it harm."
"You really don't see Sunagakure as much of a threat; rather, you view their pursuit of great power as dangerous."
"You alone?" Hiashi scoffed. "Not even Fugaku was this arrogant."
"Hiashi-san, you are limited by what your Byakugan gives you. I can stand above all and look far beyond. Call it arrogance if you must, but that is the truth."
Shibi decided to speak before the two could say anything else. "I still think sitting back and allowing the enemy to strike first is dangerous. What if they hit where it hurts the most?"
"Worse, they dictate everything," Chouza said.
"We will wait for Jiraiya's information. What if we launch a strike and Fury has already been brought to this village and activated?" Hiruzen asked. "We will wait. But we will take measures. The village will prepare for war. The military police will begin evacuation drills."
I was able to respond to everyone who reviewed. Thank you all once again.
I don't know when I'll upload the next chapter. I'm having some difficulty piecing scenes together. Hopefully, I'll sort it out and upload by the seventh of next week.
A/N after posting: I've added this note because an idea hit me as I was responding to one of the reviewers. Chapter "17" will be a "Filler" the entire chapter will showcase the capture of the child, Yamato, Naruto's pursuit, and some of Naruto's politicking. I think, if I show that, it should cover a bit of what is missing in the time skip.
The Omnipresent Sage