It took several days for the group to reach the borders of Rain, and even longer to reach the capital city. The presence of two civilians significantly increased their travel time, and the injured blonde could not move quickly either. Still, they made do. They had pressed hard to get out of Earth before Iwa shinobi could intercept them. It had been a trying time. Days of Kisame and Karin taking shifts throughout the night, careful to avoid any possible search. Kurotsuchi had certainly gotten news to the Tsuchikage quickly. If they had been caught, they would have been ambushed by a massive force of Iwa shinobi. It was a battle none of them wanted.
By the time they reached Rain Naruto could travel on his own two feet. The Kyuubi's chakra had continued the healing process long after Karin had stopped, or rather Naruto forced her to stop. The blonde felt uncomfortable with her unique style of healing. The scars on her arms were...plentiful. No matter how much the redhead assured him that it was fine, Naruto refused to injure his family to heal himself. It made the process take longer, but he healed. He was certainly still not in fighting shape, but no longer was he a helpless man lying on the ground crippled.
The Kyuubi's chakra had not been perfect. His body had been scarred by his battle with the Ichibi, scarred in ways that would never heal. A series of lacerations on his chest, courtesy of the gales of the beast, scared his chest. If that was the worst of it it would have been fine. They, combined with the long scar across his torso that was already there, made him a grizzly sight to look at topless, but it was certainly nothing debilitating. In fact, one could argue it finally made his chest match the hodge-podge of scars across his back.
But that was not the only scar he received.
A massive scar crossed over his right eye, forcing it shut. Outside of his lost left arm, this was his most obvious sign of injury from the battle. He could still see through the orb, but not like before. The world was blurry, a haze that he could not make out clearly. Such a significant injury was usually crippling for a shinobi. Losing a limb in the same battle was a death sentence at worst and forced retirement at best.
The blonde felt like a cripple.
He was not the only one that felt change, although he was the only one that felt such negativity. Aika had clung to him like a moth to a flame the entire time they had traveled, eager to make up for lost time with the blonde. She was more attached than she had been when she had not known his true identity. It seemed any ill will she bore towards him upon realizing his identity had died in the battle against the Bijuu.
That brought a smile to Makino's face. The girl needed someone to look up to, someone younger than her. Naruto was like the brother she had never had, and it had hurt her deeply when she left. She had become quiet, unwilling to talk about her emotions. His return had helped the child heal. The elderly woman would never be able to vocalize her thanks to the blonde for that in a manner that truly represented the depth of her emotion.
And all of that paled compared to how much she thanked him for saving their lives.
For the first time in a long while, she felt like she had family again.
However, Naruto was not the only one Aika had taken a liking to. Surprisingly, the girl was rather interested with Kisame's unique biology. She had never seen a blue man before. The man had been more than willing to converse with her. It was an unexpected twist. Makino tried her best to not be biased, but a hulking behemoth of a man like that being able to be so delicate with children so something she had never expected. Of course, he was much more gruff than Naruto, his foul mouth would no doubt be a bad influence on her granddaughter, but the power held within that wall of muscle was never once exerted. He was as delicate as one would be with a flower.
She respected him for that.
She had taken more a shine to Karin. The Uzumaki woman was clearly pregnant, and Makino had instantly tried to help her through the process. It was quite the sight, a regular civilian assisting a shinobi through their daily life. She liked to think she was making herself helpful, but she was fairly certain Karin was just pretending to make her feel good.
Of course, Karin certainly did feel appreciative of the elderly woman, but she was unaware of it.
The group finally reached Amegakure in midday. They had traveled through miles worth of rain to reach the towering city. They were lucky that the shinobi could duplicate their ponchos with jutsu, otherwise almost everyone would have been soaked. On the outskirts of the city, they saw three figures fall from the sky, landing on the ground gracefully. Water parted around them, as if it were afraid to touch them.
"You're back," Yahiko stated. The man glanced at the two new additions with them. "With some tagalongs."
"I hope we are not intruding," Makino stated, bowing deeply. Yahiko waved her off, shaking his head.
"Not at all. Welcome to Ame. Names Yahiko."
"My name is Makino, and this is my daughter Aika. Say hi little one."
Aika peeked out from behind Naruto's leg, her lone eye peering into Yahiko's.
"Hi."
"Short and sweet," Konan stated gently. "How cute."
She turned her attention to the elderly woman.
"My name is Konan. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"And I am Nagato. Thank you for gracing our village with your presence."
Makino seemed taken aback by the man's words. "Ah, please the pleasure is all mine! I sincerely appreciate you taking us in!"
"We were wondering if they could get accommodations. Their town was destroyed by the Ichibi," Naruto stated.
Nagato smiled. "I'm sure we have something available."
Aika shook her head furiously, drawing the attention of the Amekage.
"No! I wanna be with Naruto-nii!"
Nagato raised an eyebrow at his cousin but gave a small smile.
"I'll be sure to make sure you're right next to him little one."
Nagato glanced at Konan.
"Please, take them to the compound. Also, give them some extra clothes to wear. I'm sure we have something lying around. Fuka will know."
Konan nodded, offering her hand to the civilians.
"May I?"
Aika looked up at Naruto.
"Will I see you again?"
The blonde smiled down at the young girl. His heart ached for her. The abandonment issues she felt were deep. She wanted to be around him all the time after they had reconnected. He could not say he felt much different.
"I'll be right over."
Aika frowned but took his word for it. Konan slowly led the granddaughter and granddaughter into the village, taking care to point out important places to them as they walked along.
"You look...worse for wear," Nagato stated.
"You look like you got the piss kicked out of you," Yahiko stated bluntly.
"I did," Naruto stated.
Yahiko frowned. The blonde's voice revealed an exhaustion he had never heard before. And he looked sickly thin. Whatever he had been through it had been serious. He wasn't even rising to his bait.
"He's lucky we got there when we did," Karin stated. "He'd be dead otherwise. So would they actually."
"I take it you three managed to defeat the Ichibi Jinchuriki then," Nagato questioned.
"Nope," Kisame stated. "Red head and I turned up after the fighting were all over. Stopped an Iwa kunoichi from killing the civilians and blondie over here. The Bijuu had dispersed already. Blondie killed its Jinchuriki after it was damn near fully released, despite our best efforts to reach him in time."
Nagato's and Yahiko's eyes widened in shock, both turning to Naruto.
"You defeated the Ichibi? Alone?"
"You sound surprised."
"I am," Yahiko stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Surprised may not be the best word," Nagato stated. "I believed you capable of defeating the Jinchuriki, but to defeat a Bijuu cousin...that is a feat of legend."
"Yeah, well I see why. I feel like shit."
Nagato eyes narrowed. "Your eye."
"Ha," the blonde stated. He moved his poncho with his one remaining arm, revealing the missing left one. The sight elicited cries of alarm from Yahiko and Nagato. "I wish it were just my eye. And I got off lucky."
"Holy shit," Yahiko whispered.
"Let's just say fighting a Bijuu is bad for your health."
Nagato's eyes narrowed and before anyone else could say another word he weaved through handseals. The King of Hell leapt from the ground instantly, its mouth wide open. Naruto's eyes widened.
"Step inside."
Naruto frowned.
"You can heal minor injuries sure, but this is a lost limb we're talking about here."
Nagato stared at the blonde.
"I stated it could heal any injury. I was not lying."
"It's not without cost," Yahiko interrupted. "The more grievous the injury the more drained you become in the process. The minor wounds you too suffered in combat with each other is one thing, but this is a limb. The cost is much higher. You'll be left drained."
Naruto's eyes narrowed as he locked onto Nagato.
"Is that true?"
"It is irrelevant."
Naruto frowned, turning to look at Yahiko. He was the only one who would answer him honestly out of the duo.
"How serious is the drain?"
"Dunno," Yahiko admitted honestly. "The most I've seen it restore is lost limbs. He was extremely weak the rest of the day and long into the day after before he recovered. I imagine it can heal more but the cost gets more and more deadly. It's more than just a chakra drain too. It's like his vitality is sucked from him."
"Enough," Nagato stated. "That is a small cost to bear to restore your body. You have lost your arm, and a significant amount of your vision no doubt. Let me heal you cousin."
"I'm good thanks," Naruto stated, staring at Nagato harshly. "I'm not sacrificing you to heal me."
"Naruto-"
"End of discussion," the blonde stated.
Nagato frowned but acquiesced, letting the King of Hell slip back into the ground.
"If you change your mind-"
"I won't," the blonde muttered. "Besides, it wasn't all bad. I learned how to control wind. Really control it."
Nagato's eyes widened before he smiled. "Oh? I would like to see it."
"Oi," Karin interjected. "Naruto needs to heal not fight you two meatheads. This isn't the time or place!"
The two Uzumaki men chuckled but acquiesced to her demands. They knew as well as she that this was not the appropriate time for battle.
"Come then, let's get you some place to sit and some food to eat."
The Amekage gestured for the group to follow.
It was not long before the group arrived at the Uzumaki Clan Compound. They found Konan, Aika, and Makino there, with the two newcomers having already introduced themselves to Fuka, Ashino, and Kamino. They seemed to get along well enough. Fuka had taken quite the shine to Aika. The girl relished in the attention, happy to have someone other than her grandmother clearly being so attentive to her.
Someone else did not take so kindly to their mother's affection being shared.
"This is my toy," Ashino stated, yanking a small action figure from Aika. The girl glared at him, grabbing it back.
"Fuka said you had to share!"
"I don't wanna!"
"But you have to!"
The argument quickly grew louder and louder before Fuka stepped in. The woman snatched the toy from both of them, her eyes irritated. Makino stood beside her, her soft eyes a gentle contrast.
"Mind your manners. You can share," the elderly woman stated.
Aika immediately cowed, but Ashino did not. He had just met this lady, why should he do what she said?
"Ashino..."
The redhead bowed his head, cowed by his mother's words. The two women shook their heads, muttering something to each other about children. That was when they noticed the group enter the building.
"You're back!" Fuka called, rushing over to Naruto. Her eyes frowned as she saw him.
"And...not in the best shape."
"I'll make you all some tea...herbal for you Naruto," Kamino stated.
The blonde nodded his thanks before he turned to Fuka.
"I'm alive, aren't I?"
"So, I see," she muttered.
Ashino walked up to his cousin, a look of shock on his face at seeing him so injured. Even Nagato had not injured him so.
"What happened?"
"Let's let him rest," Fuka stated. "I'm sure he'll have plenty of time to tell us what occurred in Earth later."
"It's alright," Naruto stated, sitting down on a nearby chair. He slumped forwards, his body clearly drained of energy. He was still exhausted but putting on a brave face for the children.
"I'll tell you."
"What do you mean the attack force was crushed," A stated, a frown on his face.
"There's no trace of them, or the Konoha fort they attacked sir," Samui stated. "I've contacted all our informants in Hotsprings, but they've reported the same thing. There's nothing left but a crater and snow where the battle should be."
A frowned. This wasn't making sense. He had sent a total of 2,000 shinobi to lead an assault towards the heart of Fire, and after their first battle they had completely disappeared. Not even a single survivor to tell the tale. He had thought Rangi had died in battle in their first engagement at first, causing a delay in the response. Then more days went by and still not a single report. That was strange. That was when he sent in Samui's operatives.
And apparently things were worse.
A 2,000-man strong force, completely gone. That was something that was impossible to think of. The logical conclusion, no, the only conclusion was that they were dead. Shinobi did not drop off the map with no explanation without death or going rogue. And a force 2,000 strong did not all turn rogue. No, they were certainly dead. But that raised another question.
What on Earth killed them?
He knew the rough estimation of Konoha's strength. They did not have the manpower to defeat such a force with no survivors. Not where he had sent the force. It was an ill-defended fort for a reason, it was harrowing to attack through the north at this time of year. Sudden snowstorms were a real possibility, which were not ideal marching conditions. That meant that Konoha would not expect an attack through there, meaning it should be an easy victory, especially with the element of surprise.
Did Konoha know about their tunnels through Hotsprings? No, that didn't make sense. The entire fort was gone. That was what made it stranger. An entire fort disappearing? Something had happened there, but what?
"Any traces of chakra detected by sensors?"
"Just one sir," Samui stated. A raised an eyebrow. One? At a fort?
That made no sense.
Her face contorted, as if twisted by the information. A frown creased his bronze skin.
"Out with it."
"We don't know who it belongs to sir, but whoever they were they were powerful. Incredibly so. Even the lingering effects of their chakra overwhelmed some of our sensors."
A's eyes narrowed. Chakra that strong was left behind? Who did Konoha have that was that powerful?
His mind ran blank.
They didn't have anyone. At least not anyone he was aware of. And to gain that level of strength that person would have been publicly known. It was impossible to reach that level as a shinobi and remain a complete ghost. Even Hashirama Senju was easily recognizable and feared, and he was the most powerful man to ever exist.
"Did you follow it?"
"I had them follow the trail for as long as possible sir. It disappeared up into Rice, but that's all we know. It disappeared once we crossed the border."
The man's frown grew more pronounced. Chakra that powerful disappearing instantly? Something was wrong. Something was horridly wrong. And he had nothing to go off. The man's fist clenched, frustration burning in his chest like a roaring flame. His master plan to finally break Konoha's back, to finally gain a strong position in the war, ruined.
He refused to let it happen.
"Samui...you're going to go back to Kumo and get the Heiki."
Samui's eyes widened.
"But sir they're still in development! We're not sure if they work!"
"I don't care," A roared.
"Something wiped our force from the map, and I cannot afford to miss my chance to capitalize on Konoha's weakness."
"But sir you've seen the news."
A's eyes narrowed, thinking of the recent article that was released.
"I don't care. It will take them time to mobilize their forces to guard their borders. We must strike by that time."
A's eyes flashed with rage.
"Come the end of the season we will burn the eastern side of Konoha to the ground."
He stepped outside of the tent, his final words whispering to Samui in the darkness.
"It's time to show the world what the next phase of war looks like, and why Kumo will reign supreme."
Itachi and Fugaku were angry. The two had just been denied the second request to go north and find their family. And once more they had been rejected. The duo of Uchiha had lost contact with the Sasuke and Mikoto completely. They were not the only ones. Many shinobi had come asking for news on their relatives ever since news of the crater where the fort once stood was delivered. Even the Sarutobi Clan, small as it was, had come asking for information on Konohamaru and were given nothing.
It was as if the entire force had disappeared off the face of the planet.
"What could have happened to them," Itachi whispered, his eyes angry. Fugaku did not answer, instead pacing back and forth. His mind rushed with thoughts of his wife and youngest son. He was panicking and he knew it, but there was nothing else he could do. They had disappeared and were likely dead.
The thought enraged him. It ached at him to no end.
He needed to be sure. He had to be.
A thought popped into his mind.
Perhaps there was something he could do.
The man quickly stormed off, gaining a confused look from Itachi. He came back not long after, a cloak draped over his form. Itachi's eyes widened as he quickly put the pieces together.
"Father you can't."
"I must," he stated. "You are expecting child, I cannot ask you to do this."
"And you are the Clan Head," Itachi countered. "If you do this you will be branded."
"And it is precisely because of that that I must be the one to do this," Itachi stated. "Heavy is the head that wears the crown."
"No," Itachi stated, standing up. His eyes were hard. "Remember what you told me about Naruto-kun. Public perception is all that matters. If you go rogue now to find them the village will brand you as a traitor that abandoned us during the war. The Uchiha cannot afford another Clan Head to do that after Madara, and certainly not after the Accords. And it most certainly cannot be you."
"I can worry about the threat Danzo and the public pose later. Besides, it is time you become the Clan Head."
"No," Itachi stated, shaking his head. The man approached his father, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"What the clan needs now is a uniting head. Stability. And you are the only person who can do that. Let me go."
"Your wife is with child!"
"I will not engage in combat," Itachi stated. "I swear to only do reconnaissance and not put my life in danger."
"You forget the words you've just told me."
"What can Danzo or the village do against one clan member leaving?"
"When the clan member is the Clan Heir," Fugaku countered, his voice hot.
The man shook his head.
"No, you have a family here. A family you must be there and raise and protect," Fugaku stated. "My family is out there, and it is my duty to find them."
The man's crimson orbs glowed.
"Besides, Danzo will not suspect you of anything while you are the Clan Head."
Itachi frowned. He could not force himself to leave his wife and child behind, not in a village ran by Danzo Shimura when their family was in such a precarious situation. Fugaku knew it. And he played that card, consistently. Besides, his father was right. Fugaku was a co-conspirator in a coup only a few decades ago. Danzo still did not trust him leading the Uchiha Clan. But if it were him, the peacemaker between the two sides, perhaps they could regain some semblance of freedom.
"I have no intention of being Clan Head while you're gone father."
"It need not be a permanent position. Who knows, maybe the old shit stain will die while I'm gone. I'm sure the next Hokage will be much more agreeable to the Uchiha Clan."
Itachi frowned, staring at his father.
"You don't know that."
"But I know I must find our family," Fugaku stated. "Mikoto and I are old. When I find her-"
"If."
"When," Fugaku insisted. "We can live away from the village. Not so far as to not allow you to visit. Sasuke can go back to the village free. It will be fine son. Believe in me."
Itachi stared at his father, before he sighed.
"There's no convincing you otherwise is there."
"There is not."
Itachi frowned.
"Fine."
Fugaku smirked.
"Then with that knowledge, with the power vested in me as the Uchiha Clan Head, I, Fugaku Uchiha, hereby name Itachi Uchiha the current Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan! Long may he reign!"
Itachi blushed, seemingly embarrassed.
"Not how you imagined this moment, is it," the older Uchiha questioned.
"Not particularly. I'm rather nervous."
"Just ignore everything the elders say. Oh, and don't plan another coup?"
The joke got a light laugh from his son.
Fugaku smiled, walking past him. He opened the door before he stopped, looking back at the child.
A smile crossed his face.
"I know you will make a fine Clan Head."
And with that he disappeared into the night.
Danzo stared at the test tubes; his stony mask almost cracking.
Almost.
But there was good reason for it. Today was a very good day. The man before him had managed to pull it off. Blank had successfully recreated a copy of one of the most powerful Kekkei Genkai to exist.
"The Sharingan," Danzo stated. He almost wanted to smile. "I presume the samples taken from the corpses of the Uchiha have proven themselves useful."
"Very much so sir," Blank stated. The one tomoi eye rested in the eye socket of the humanoid in the test tube, flickering side to side rapidly as if trying to process information. "It's quite miraculous actually! The first test-tube created Sharingan! Sakura Haruno's notes were incredibly impressive. It's a shame she was taken by Ame. Her expertise made this possible."
"Is it functional?"
Blank realized the error of his ways. Praising someone who was not under Danzo's direct command? How foolhardy. The man did not care for praise, he cared for results.
"I believe so sir, but the only way to know for sure would be to test it in the field. It's currently in the one tomoi stage, so it's not at its most powerful yet."
"When will the humanoid be ready for combat?"
"Hmmm...I would estimate three weeks sir?"
"In three weeks inform me. We shall send it out on its first test run."
"As you wish sir."
"What about the results on the Byakugan and the Mokuton (Wood Release)."
Blank frowned.
"Slower going sir. As you know samples of the Byakugan from corpses are incredibly hard to find thanks to the Hyuga's tradition. Alas, the Mokuton is as resistance as ever to any scientific breakthrough. I am quite curious as to how Orochimaru was able to replicate it in Kinoe."
Danzo frowned but said nothing. For a moment Blank wondered if the man was measuring his usefulness. It was not impossible for him to be replaced. A tool that could not accomplish its goal was a useless tool after all. And useless tools were discarded.
"You have one month to complete the Byakugan. See it done."
"Understood sir."
Danzo turned; eyes hard.
"As for the Mokuton, I shall procure the Uzumaki blood sample you require. I have all the excuse now to invade Ame with military might."
The Hokage's eyes darkened.
"We have a traitor after all."
The Kazekage's eyes glowered with rage. The puppets that were wrapped behind his back rattled with the flow of his chakra. The displeasure rolled off him in waves. His eyes snapped upwards, causing Sajin to freeze.
"You're sure?"
"It was posted by The Guide Kazekage-sama," Sajin squeaked out. "They've never been wrong before."
Kankuro bit his lip, frustration visible on his face. This was bad. This was very bad.
He looked at the headline. It was front page news. A photo of the man's head.
Naruto Uzumaki Rejoins The War? Ame Jinchuriki kills Gaara of the Sand, unleashes Ichibi in Earth.
Kankuro didn't know what to think.
On one hand clearly The Guide was partially inaccurate. The Ichibi would be dispersed upon Gaara's death, so the beast could not have been unleashed in Earth via Gaara's death. That much was to be expected. It was a civilian newspaper after all, their sources be damned.
On the other hand, the Ichibi was easily recognizable. Which meant Gaara had released the beast. And for Naruto Uzumaki to still be alive…
That meant he had defeated it.
That was frightening news. He had already known the blonde was strong. He had heard tales of his accomplishments as he grew older. It had quickly become apparent to the young puppet master that he should never fight the blonde due to the horrible matchup of their fighting styles. But for him to reach a level few kage's could reach was remarkable.
All of this from a man Kankuro had thought died in the Battle of Waves after his disappearance.
Apparently, he was alive.
Apparently, he was a shinobi of Ame.
And he killed Gaara.
Several problems were raised from that.
Suna now lacked a Jinchuriki. They were vulnerable and now the entire world knew. They would be pressed hard by shinobi across the world, but especially by Earth. They would demand either concessions or blood for Gaara's trespassing into their land. That was why he had desired to keep the matter an internal affair, but Naruto had robbed him of the opportunity.
That raised another problem.
He had promised the citizens of Suna that he would be the one to cow his brother. Sure, his brother cowed was the most important thing, but a failure to execute on a promise to a kage was dangerous. Military dictatorship or no, the kage relied on the goodwill of the populace just as much as the Daimyo did. Doing a good job was essential, and the blonde Uzumaki had ruined his chance to make a good first impression.
That would have to do.
That was unfortunate, but it would have to do. He had to calculate how to recover from this change in plans. Obviously, he had to have sensors spread across the entirety of Wind to notify him immediately of the Ichibi's reappearance. But he also had to solidify his position. He had wanted to play defense until they had recaptured Gaara but that was no longer an option.
They would have to lash out.
The only suitable target was Konoha. Iwa would come for blood, but all they had to do was repel their invasion force. Shira could handle that fine enough. No, they needed to lash out and regain power. And power was gained through manpower, technology, and economy.
Konoha had economic might to spare.
It was time he cut that off.
And in the process...perhaps Ame needed to be culled after all.
They couldn't have a threat as massive as Naruto Uzumaki on their doorstep after all.
The puppeteer sighed.
Yes, there was much to be done.
He looked up at Sajin.
"Dismissed."
Naruto sat down atop the Uzumaki Clan Compound, looking out at the city of Amegakure. It was a beautiful sight. A welcome one after the fierce battle he had just been in. For a moment he had wondered if he would ever see the place again.
"I'm starting to think you like this spot."
"Best place in the village."
"Ah, the view from the top of the tower is better."
"Oh, you like looking down on people?"
"I enjoy seeing what we've built."
Nagato sat next to the blonde, a smirk on his face. Naruto leaned back, a smile on his face.
"It's nice to be back here. I forgot how nice it is to look at all these metallic eyesores."
"Oh? And here I thought you loved them. Turns out you like to be as technologically behind as the rest of the world."
"Speaking of that, how is Ame so technologically ahead? Konan told me that the railroads give you a transportation advantage but there must be more to it than that. You've developed technology I've never seen before."
"Ah," Nagato stated. "That is due to our head of Research and Development Amado Sanzu. The man is truly a genius. He moved here from Kumogakure actually. Something about not liking the climate there."
Naruto snorted.
"And he preferred Rain? Weird guy."
"He is...different than most people. I think one must be to be as gifted as he is. But he is the one who developed who developed the technological weapons you saw Kamino using. The Scientific Ninja Tools as he calls them. I'm sure he could create a prosthetic arm for you if you would rather that then utilizing my powers."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. A prosthetic arm? He hadn't considered the idea. He had simply thought he would have to adjust to learning how to fight with one arm now. But knowing that wasn't necessarily the case gave him something to think about. Still, he was skeptical. Metal wasn't anything like real flesh and blood. It was malleable, failure prone. Kamino's technology was one thing, a responsive prosthetic was another. It wasn't something a shinobi should rely on, at least not in his opinion.
Nagato could see the conflict on his face.
"You don't have to make a decision now. I'll arrange a meeting for you to meet with him soon, after you've healed."
Naruto nodded. Meeting the man and seeing his work firsthand would give him more information to judge. Kamino's equipment was impressive, but certainly nothing that would be useful in fights at his level. But, perhaps the man could do more than what Kamino had access to. He shouldn't write off the help without at least seeing it through.
Nagato leaned back, resting his hands behind him as he stared up at the sky.
"We truly have created something special here."
"You keep saying we. I haven't built anything here."
"The Guide would disagree with you there."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, confused. Nagato slipped a hand into his pocket, pulling out a newspaper that he handed the blonde Uzumaki. It wasn't long before Naruto realized what the man was talking about.
"Oh no."
"I see you were unaware."
"That someone from The Guide was there? Absolutely. How the hell did they even stay alive in all that? And how did Kisame or Karin not notice them?"
"I do not know. I was hoping you could tell me."
"'Fraid not."
Nagato chuckled.
"This isn't a laughing matter Nagato," Naruto stated. "The called me an Ame shinobi. Konoha and Suna are going to be gunning for Ame now. One Great Power that can't fully dedicate its resources to you is one thing, but this? This article effectively drags us into the war."
"I'm aware," Nagato stated. The man stared up at the sky.
"You know, sometimes I wonder if it was ever even possible to stay out of it. We're situated in the middle of Iwa, Suna, and Konoha. Our country used to be a warzone because of its location. It was a miracle we remained unbothered so long this time around."
Nagato smiled sadly.
"Perhaps Jiraiya-sensei's dream of peace is not one that can be accomplished after all."
"Don't say that," Naruto stated. Nagato looked up at him, confused.
"You freed these people from Hanzo's tyranny. Gave them a safe refuge and developed your country into one strong enough to be recognized by the other Great Powers. You've protected Rain from being a battle ground for years now. You manufactured peace, even if for a little while."
Naruto smiled. "You've done more to create peace in this world than most. I'm the one you should be blaming. I'm the one who brought you all of these problems."
"It is not your fault."
"It is. Konoha would not be interested in Ame if I was not here, and Suna would not think I was an Ame shinobi either."
"I am the one who invited you."
"I'm the one who stayed."
The two men chuckled. Leveling their version of the blame game at one another alleviated stress. The settled into a comfortable silence for a moment. However, Nagato eventually broke it.
"I am not omnipresent," Nagato stated. "I am no god. Try as I may my countrymen will die in this war to come. I cannot be on every battlefield at once."
"You don't need to be," Naruto stated. "You have Konan and Yahiko. Kisame. Fuka."
"I do not wish to send any of them into the crucible."
"They're shinobi Nagato. They don't need to be sent into the crucible. It finds them. Trust me."
Nagato frowned, but acquiesced.
"I suppose I shall have to."
Naruto smirked.
"You all don't have to be the only ones to bear that burden you know."
Nagato turned, confused.
"What do you mean?"
"I learned a lot in Earth, fighting the Jinchuriki," Naruto stated. "I saw a lot. The death the Ichibi and Gaara caused. The power they wielded. That isn't something that should be levied at innocents."
Naruto looked up at Nagato.
"The people of Rain are innocent. They have been victimized by the Great Powers for far too long. That is the nature of shinobi. To kill, hurt, and harm the innocent in never ending power plays for our villages. To constantly claw at power and damn anyone in the way, innocent or no. I turned a blind eye to it when I was a Konoha shinobi. I refused to acknowledge it at all when I was in my isolation. I refuse to be blind any longer."
Naruto's eyes hardened.
"You asked me what my goal was? I know what it is now. My goal is to be a shinobi that fights against that. To defend the innocent from those that would victimize them, no matter where they are."
Hinata and Jiraiya flashed in his mind. Then Hiruzen. Then his parents. For the first time in a long time, he felt like they would be proud of him.
"That's the type of shinobi I want to be. That is the type of shinobi I believe you to be. And that's why I, Naruto Uzumaki, am pledging to you, Nagato Uzumaki, Shodai Amekage, that I will serve as your shinobi to the end of my days so long as you abide by your ideals."
Nagato's eyes widened. He truly had not expected such a change.
"You don't have to do this. You're under no obligation to me or anyone else-"
"I do," Naruto stated. "You've offered me shelter. You have offered me a family. And I brought trouble to your doorstep. To your family. To your citizens. I cannot sit idly by and watch that happen. I refuse to."
Nagato frowned.
"Are...are you sure about this? You will have truly cut ties with Konoha."
"I am aware."
Nagato stared before he slowly began to smile.
"Then I, Nagato Uzumaki, Shodai Amekage of Amegakure pledge to you Naruto Uzumaki to always strive for my ideals of peace. I will forever protect the innocent and instruct you to do the same. Not as your leader, but as your companion. With this pledge, I humbly accept you into the shinobi ranks of Amegakure as a Jonin and my advisor."
Naruto smiled up at his cousin.
"It's a deal."
The Amekage smiled nodding.
"That it is. I suppose now that Guide article is correct."
The words brought a frown to Nagato's face.
"That's something that doesn't add up," Nagato muttered. "Why say you're an Ame shinobi?"
Naruto frowned, tilting his head. Nagato continued.
"That information shouldn't be known. There's a limited number of people who know that you're even in Ame in the first place, and none of them stand to gain much from telling the world."
"I wouldn't say that. Danzo could gain quite a bit by revealing that I'm with Ame now. Earth can no longer blame Konoha for the civilians being injured and their shinobi dying when they tried to capture me so long ago. Suna also would put pressure on you militarily and economically, something Konoha cannot commit their full resources to. It takes away those threats."
"Perhaps, but he's also revealing that Konoha does not have ownership over the Kyuubi. Even if the world already suspected that you were out of commission, it was likely believed Konoha still had a Kyuubi Jinchuriki albeit younger than you. To fully admit they have been fighting without a Bijuu is a dangerous proposition."
"They're not losing the war though. To be able to fight off other villages that have a Jinchuriki with none of their own is a significant feat. I'm sure business is flocking to a country that is strong enough to still be on an equal playing field with other Great Powers without its most powerful weapon."
"Maybe...but from how you described him Danzo Shimura is not the type of man to willingly show weakness unless he stands to stab you in the back. And who can he stab in the back from this?"
Naruto was silent. There was no one. It didn't make sense. Whoever it was that knew this information and leaked it, it wasn't Danzo. Kurotsuchi maybe? No, he didn't see what she would have to gain from it either. She could have pinned the entire attack on him. The phrasing of the headline certainly indicated that, but any shinobi village would know it was impossible for a Bijuu to be unleashed simply by killing the host unless you shattered their seal first. Killing a Jinchuriki while a Bijuu was sealed simply dispersed its chakra. No, that wouldn't spark Suna's outrage. Besides, she was there with him. There was no way she could have taken that photo.
But she could have misrepresented the story to the person who did get the photo.
Pinning him as the killer and as an Ame Jinchuriki...that would get Suna's interest.
But would she lie like that?
Naruto wanted to snort.
He found it hard to believe she wouldn't.
"Kurotsuchi maybe," he whispered. He explained his reasoning to the Amekage, causing the man to frown.
"You think it's a ploy by Iwa to pin us between a rock and a hard place? Should we be expecting a three-front war?"
"I don't know. I doubt it. If anything, they'll use this to capitalize on another village while we're busy defending ourselves."
"A village that is lacking in protection since their Jinchuriki just died. A village that is commonly known as the weakest of all the Great Powers," Nagato whispered. "This is a play by Iwa to wipe Suna off the map entirely!"
"And we can't even create an ally with a Great Power to help defend them an secure our western flank because of this..."
Nagato wanted to laugh.
"Ah, the Tsuchikage is coyer than we gave him credit for."
Naruto looked at the redhead.
"You think we can come out on top through all this?"
Nagato looked at the blonde, a small smile forming on his face.
"We have no choice."
Kurotsuchi frowned as she looked down at the scroll in her hands. Things had certainly been better. Akatsuchi had chewed her out for leaving her post the second she reported back to him, before she had even had the opportunity to tell the man who had occurred in Earth. By the time he had finished she was thoroughly embarrassed among almost every Clan Head. It was humiliating.
And yet she persisted.
She had told him of what she had seen in Earth. She left the village to try and find and defeat the Ichibi Jinchuriki. She found Naruto Uzumaki and Gaara Kotarou engaged in battle near a town of Iwa civilians, the very same ones that had been held hostage by the blonde Jinchuriki not too long ago. She had left the battle, choosing instead to get the civilians to safety as much as she could.
Who said she couldn't embellish the story to make her look better just a little?
She then told how she wasn't there to witness a large majority of the battle, but she saw the terrible power of the Ichibi and how the blonde rose to meet the beast.
How he had defeated it.
How she had almost killed him, would have killed him, if it were not for the sudden appearance of Kisame Hoshigaki and some strange woman who protected him, claiming to be in service to Ame. That part had piqued the interest of the Tsuchikage in particular. Kisame Hoshigaki was not a name one just threw around. He had been a rogue nin from Kiri ever since the Civil War had started, and it was long over. She had a feeling that particular piece of information would be put to use with impunity by her leader.
Kiri would undoubtedly be hearing about this.
Iwa and Kiri weren't at war after all.
Yes, she had no doubt Akatsuchi would utilize this information to broker an alliance between the two villages.
By the time she had finished her tale Akatsuchi seemed to be deep in thought. The information he had received was valuable. So many new variables had been added to the equation. Ame, Kisame Hoshigaki, the fact that Ame now possessed the Kyuubi Jinchuriki. It was confirmation of hearsay and unreliable sources solidified into cold fact. But there was one thing she knew for sure.
Iwa wanted blood.
And it wanted Wind's.
A Jinchuriki wandering into any territory unannounced was an act of war by itself. One as unstable as Gaara was a guarantee that peace wouldn't be an option until lines on the map were redrawn. The fact that Suna had effectively launched an attack onto Earth was grounds for blood. The only reason Ame was not getting such an immediate treatment was the fact that Naruto had technically defended Iwa civilians from harm in his clash with the Jinchuriki. He would die, but for reasons other than trespassing.
Which brought Kurotsuchi to where she was, scroll in hand. Akatsuchi had been livid that she had left to go fight a Jinchuriki alone, especially one that, according to him, she could not defeat. It was a 'reckless and idiotic decision from someone who comes from a background like hers'. He had called her a shame to her forefathers! The nerve!
But he had been right.
As much as she did not want to admit it she was very aware of the fact that she would have died if she had fought either Jinchuriki on that battleground. She simply lacked the skills to keep up with him. This was the second time she had been completely useless on a battlefield since the war started. She refused to feel that way once more.
Her body tensed as her grip tightened on the scroll in her hand.
Akatsuchi had handed her the scroll after her had finished chewing her out. He said it contained coordinates, coordinates that led to teachers that would teach her how to become stronger. She had followed them immediately, desperate for any semblance of strength after the embarrassment that was her showing in the face of twin Jinchuriki's.
That had led her to a small house on the top of a massive mountain. She gently knocked on the door, only to receieve no response. She frowned, knocking again only to be faced with no response. She frowned. She waited a moment before reaching out and pushing open the door. She had been promised teachers and damn it she was going to meet some!
That was a mistake.
A massive clear cube shot directly at her head, forcing her to duck downwards to avoid it. Her eyes widened at the familiar shape, only for a man to shoot below her. His fist shot upwards, smashing into her chin and sending her flying backwards. She flipped, landing on her feet and spitting blood out of her mouth. She raised her hands, prepared to fight only to see another clear cube be formed in between the man's hands. There was no mistaking it.
'That's Jinton (Dust Release)!'
The cube shot forwards, but Kurotsuchi was prepared this time. She dodged it and threw a kunai that forced the man's hands to move, stopping the jutsu. She dashed inwards; eyes hard. She didn't know how this person knew her grandfather's Kekkei Tōta but she didn't care. She knew how to fight it, and she would not lose to it. She lashed out with a kick, only for the man to slip it and lash out with his hand. He snatched her by the throat, holding her up with contemptious ease. Kurotsuchi struggled, surprised he had managed to overpower her so quickly.
"Lackluster Kurotsuchi Tenbin. I expected more from Onoki's granddaughter."
"Y-you know me," she coughed out, barely able to breath.
"Of course I do. I knew you when you were born. Onoki passed on the secrets of the Jinton to me to teach to his descendants should he ever be unable to. Your father Kitsuchi failed to learn; I wonder how much better you will do."
The man tossed the woman to the ground, causing her to hiss in pain. Kurotsuchi quickly rolled to her feet, eyes on guard as she looked the man over once more.
"Who are you?"
The man tilted his head. "I am Kakō, second disciple of Onoki Tenbin. And I will be your master for the next month."
"I see...and I suppose that I'll be learning the Jinton?"
"You will be trying to learn it. Judging from first impressions you will fail more spectacularly than your father."
"How dare-"
"I dare do whatever I please," Kakō stated plainly.
The man gestured for her to rise.
"Now, get up. There's work to be done."
Naruto had been prepared to go to sleep. He was exhausted after the battle with the Ichibi and the travel back to Amegakure. He had been looking forward to the sweet release of unconsciousness and to face the next day.
But he had one last thing to do before he did so.
The blonde's eyes snapped open, looking through the gaps in the cage to see the monster that had been with him his entire life. Carmine red eyes glowed back at him, emanating a strange light. They were the only thing that was visible in the darkness of the cage. Something twinkled inside them. Curiosity. The beast had no idea why the blonde was here.
Naruto stared into them unafraid.
"You called the Ichibi Shukaku."
A deep sound came from the beast, stirring the water in the sewer. Naruto paid it no mind as it smashed against his face. Clearly it did not want to talk.
Too bad. Neither did he.
"Why?"
"Because I can."
Naruto refused to take that as an answer, and he made it known. The blonde walked right up to the beast, unafraid as he encroached on an area where the beast's claws could reach. They had been through that song and dance plenty of times.
"You called it Shukaku. Like how I would refer to a person. Like a name."
The Kyuubi was silent.
"Oh, come on, you were so forthcoming earlier."
"I thought you were going to die. It would not have hurt for you to have the information."
"So, I'm right? It is a name."
"Now that you are not, I see no reason to give you anymore."
Naruto snorted. So, the beast was going to pretend like he didn't exist? How ridiculous. There had to be some way to get more information from it.
"If the Ichibi's name is Shukaku then that would imply that other Bijuu have names as well."
The twitch was small and quick. Something most shinobi wouldn't have had the perception to pick up on. Unfortunately for the beast inside the cage, Naruto had lived with it his entire life. There wasn't a human alive that could read the beast better than he could.
"The Nibi, the Sanbi, the Yonbi, the Gobi..."
Naruto was rattling off the Bijuu now, pacing in front of the beast. He only looked at the beast out of the corner of his eye, but he could tell it was working. Its eyes were trailing him the entire time when it thought he wasn't looking.
Good.
"The Rokubi, the Nanabi, the Hachibi..."
Naruto paused, turning to look the red Bijuu in the eyes. A small smirk danced across his face.
"You."
That got the desired effect. The beasts' eyes were locked onto him, digging into his soul. Slowly the Kyuubi rose, its body becoming visible as the darkness that protected it bled away. It was not a natural light. Light bled off the Bijuu, a crimson light that wafted through the air with a sense of superiority. It was a terrifying sight.
Naruto called it a regular Tuesday.
He had seen the beasts command over light. It was an ability he found intriguing but nothing more. It wasn't like he could utilize it.
"Out with it boy."
"What's your name," Naruto stated.
The Kyuubi hissed, steam boiling up from its mouth.
"My name is beyond your comprehension."
"If Shukaku wasn't I highly doubt yours is."
The beast leaned down, its eyes leering at Naruto. The blonde could smell its breath. Unlike Shukaku's it didn't smell like death and decay. It was merely a waft of boiling hot air.
"Leave."
Naruto felt the rejection but fought back against it, gritting his teeth as the Kyuubi tried to force him out of his own mind. He held firm against the storm, causing the beasts eyes to narrow more.
Naruto stared up at it.
"I'm not leaving until you tell me."
"Then you are never leaving."
Naruto sighed.
"At least tell me something. If you were named that means somebody named, you right? Who gave you your name?"
More silence.
Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Okay fine, at least tell me why Shukaku was such a murderous asshole. Sure, most of you are murderous assholes but he seems distinctly different. I already know Bijuu don't take after the personality of their hosts, so don't give me that civilian crap either."
The fox's eyes flashed with rage.
"You believe us to be murderous?"
Naruto realized he had clearly spoken out of turn here from the tone in the beast's voice. Still, to his knowledge it was correct. This was dangerous ground, but it the fact that it was irritated also meant that it would be talkative, if only to make him feel like an idiot.
Talking could mean answers.
"You did kill my parents."
"And you insects have killed more," the Bijuu raged. "This is the fourth world war your kind has started. Over what? Marks on a map? Your kind is the most murderous creature on this planet."
The Bijuu snapped its jaws. Naruto knew it as a quirk it did when irritated.
"Besides, as much as I would have relished killing your parents sooner, they were not my immediate target at that time."
"Who was then?"
"The one with the eye," The Kyuubi stated. "That blasted Sharingan."
Naruto's eyes widened. Sharingan? But that didn't make any sense. All of the Uchiha were loyal Konoha shinobi, so why would an Uchiha have been there at his mother's birth? It must have been because the beast was fighting Konoha. He intended to make that known, but the Kyuubi was not so daft as to leave it there.
"I do not mean one that belongs to your pathetic village. I desired to raze it to the ground for holding me in slavery. I gladly would have. But my freedom was ripped from me once I was free by that accursed eye the second I got my first breath of fresh air."
Now this was interesting.
"An Uchiha bound you? But the only person who had the ability to do that was...Madara Uchiha..."
Light blazed off the Kyuubi, searing anything it touched. Naruto had to raise his arm to protect his eyes from the blinding light. A titanic roar shook the seal, sending the sewer water flying in every direction.
"That man," came the roar. "That man was my target."
Naruto lowered his arm as the light returned to normal.
"But that doesn't make sense. Madara died in the battle with Hashirama."
"He did not," the Kyuubi stated. "Because he was the one who thrust me into genjutsu the night you were born. And he was the one who ripped me from your mothers seal."
Naruto's eyes widened in horror. He had always suspected something had gone wrong during his birth. His father had hinted as much with the precious little seconds his chakra construct had remaining when he met it so long ago but the Kyuubi's words all but confirmed it. There was foul play the night he was born. His mother's seal didn't break for no reason.
Someone broke it.
Something flashed in Naruto, a hate like no other. Whoever that person was was responsible for the life he had lived. Responsible for him growing up a Jinchuriki, and responsible for him never having the opportunity to truly meet his parents.
That flash of emotion burned. It seared. The Kyuubi grinned as it sensed the hatred begin to roll off of him.
"Madara Uchiha is the reason your life ended up as it did. It would not surprise me if he were still out there...influencing it."
"He'd certainly be dead by now of old age."
"And you thought he certainly had died in the battle against Hashirama Senju, but you were incorrect. I wonder what else you could be incorrect about."
Naruto bit his lip, frustration on his face. He turned from the beast, his mind racing. It had given him quite a lot to think about.
"...I'll be going now."
The Kyuubi would have laughed at the emotional distress it caused if it too wasn't frustrated by its current predicament. Alas the blonde vanished and both Jinchuriki and Bijuu continued their night angrier than they had been before.
Naruto wandered the village for a long while afterwards, his mind filled with the revelations that Kyuubi had given him. Madara Uchiha had attacked Konoha the night he was born. Madara Uchiha was the reason his parents were dead, and the reason that he was a Jinchuriki. It was as if someone dropped a bomb on his whole worldview. The words Madara Uchiha should never be connected to him, outside of him being the first person to prove that Bijuu could be controlled.
Yet here he was.
The news rattled him to the core. Madara had chosen the exact date to attack his mother. She had been in a secret location as well. That wasn't something he could do off of rumors that the Hokage's wife was pregnant. No, the man had to have had informants on the inside to help him plan his attack and locate his parents. Which meant that this wasn't simply a one-man job.
Someone inside the village had planned to have his parents killed.
The thought was enraging. It made his blood boil.
And it was that thought that led him to where he was.
Something deep inside of him wanted to know who it was that had coordinated with their village's most vile traitor to kill his parents. He wanted to punish them. And there was one only person in Ame who he could turn to, to get leads.
The blonde opened the door to Sakura's prison. The pinkette's head tilted up, confused as to who could possibly be visiting her at this hour. Her eye brightened when she saw Naruto.
"Naruto!"
She seemed genuinely happy to see her childhood friend, even if they were no longer allies.
Naruto's eyes flashed from horror to a deep, seething rage.
"What happened?"
Sakura frowned, touching her face gently.
"Ah this? It's nothing truly."
Naruto didn't take that for an answer, marching up to her and gently placing a hand on her face.
"What. Happened."
It was not a question.
It was a demand.
"Oh, you know, I got caught up in the path of life."
Naruto's eyes seared and for a moment Sakura feared he would leak the Kyuubi's chakra unintentionally. The chakra he was emitting was certainly dark enough to be considered the Bijuu's.
Naruto stared at the woman. Perhaps he was asking the wrong question. It was quite clear what had happened judging from the horrid scars on her face. Her entire left cheek was covered in scar tissue, as if it was carved to pieces with a jagged blade. Her right eye was dull. A massive slash traced its way down her face to cover it, undoubtedly the source of her blindness. Jagged carvings crisscrossed along her lips, undoubtedly making it painful to talk.
The powerful healer looked mangled.
Injuries that normally would have been child splay for her to cure had scared, leaving them unable for her to heal. Someone had taken advantage of her in her weakened state. The only question was...
"Who did this to you?"
Sakura frowned. She didn't necessarily want to come between Naruto and his family.
But if it could sway his ties even a little...
A massive gale of wind blew the door from hinges of the Uzumaki Clan Compound. The projectiles flew through the house, spearing through the kitchen and back outside. Instantly the house was on high alert. Nagato and Fuka were instantly downstairs, their chakra roaring. Karin was also there, chains swirling protectively around her, Kamino, Ashino, and the two new Earth guests that were temporarily calling the place their home.
Nagato's eyes widened when he saw the culprit for the damage.
"Naruto?"
The blonde's normally violet eyes were a sickly shade of red as he stared into the house. He stepped forwards, his slitted eyes narrowing on a particular target. Nagato lowered his hands but kept his chakra at the ready. Something was off with the blonde. And why was Sakura Haruno sitting on the ground next to him?
"Naruto what's going on?"
"Ask your wife."
Fuka's eyes narrowed as she realized the situation at hand. She glanced at Sakura and then back to the blonde. Nagato however maintained the confused look on his face.
"Fuka, what is he talking about?"
The woman frowned.
"I did what needed to be done."
"What needed to be done?"
Naruto shot forwards, wind swirling around him even in his sickly form. Nagato reached out, instantly absorbing the swirling mass of chakra around the blonde and holding him back.
"Will someone please tell me what is going on right now?"
"You can look up Haruno," Fuka stated.
Sakura took the que, looking up to stare at Nagato in the eyes.
The man's face twisted in horror.
Makino's eyes widened and she quickly made to shield Aika's and Ashino's eyes from the sight.
"Fuka," Karin whispered. "What did you do?"
"I did what needed to be done! She hurt my boy, so I hurt her back!"
"She didn't want to do that!"
"What does it matter," Fuka screamed. "She had every opportunity to stop them, and she didn't. She only acted in the best interests of her village."
Fuka stared at Naruto, intensity in her eyes.
"I told you when you came here Naruto. I would burn Kiri and Kumo to the ground for revenge against what they did to my homeland. I can never forgive them. And I can never forgive her."
"You also told me that you respected Nagato's views. That you believed in him and followed him because of that. Well, he decided to let her live! He decided to protect her. And you spat on it."
Naruto looked at Nagato, infuriated even more by his silent gawking at his childhood friend.
"Or is this how Ame runs things?"
Nagato couldn't speak.
Naruto hissed, taking Nagato's momentary weakness to shove him to the side. He lunged at Fuka, only for her to swat his hand away. Her hands quickly flipped through a string of seals before she disappeared in a burst of speed. She collided with Naruto violently, throwing the duo outside into the thunderstorm that boomed overhead.
Naruto scrambled to his feet, his armor flying up around him violently. He sagged at the action. He was still clearly exhausted.
Fuka was determined to capitalize on that.
A bolt of flame left her mouth, smashing into Naruto's armor only for the flames to be dispersed from the gale. Fuka's eyes widened as Naruto shot in, a punch smashing into her stomach. The woman keeled over, spit flying from her mouth from the power behind the blow. This was the blonde weakened?
Naruto raised his hands to slam her to the ground only for the woman to react. She lunged in, ignoring the cuts that sliced into her body courtesy of the blonde's wind. She was lucky he couldn't activate his armor to his fullest ability. That luxury gave her time to grab by the throat. With a scream she hurled him into the ground, sending pain flaring through his body. Instantly his armor disappeared, his body locking from sheer pain. Fuka was glad for that. She could not have hoped to have subdued him as easily as she had if he was fully healthy.
She raised her arms, ready to knock him unconscious before a wave of force sent both of them flying away from each other. Nagato appeared between the duo, his eyes pulsating hard.
"ENOUGH!"
"Oh, it's certainly not enough," Naruto raged, getting to his feet. Streaks of red chakra poured from his skin and an oppressive aura slowly began to clash with Nagato's power.
"Why do you even care," Fuka screamed out. "She helped them kidnap Ashino!"
"She was my friend."
Naruto's words rang out, his crimson orbs locked onto Fuka's.
"And you hurt her."
"She didn't stop them!"
"Neither did I Fuka," Naruto screamed. "I'm the one who really failed to protect Ashino. I should have been able to fight all of them off and keep him safe, but I couldn't. I'm the one who made a desperate gamble that someone was paying attention to come save us. They came here for me!"
The blonde's eyes glowed with a strange light.
"So, if there's anyone that should be punished it's me."
The hairs on the kunoichi's body bristled.
"Fine."
The two stepped forwards, looking like they were going to come to blows again. Nagato raised his hands, ready to separate the duo by force if necessary.
"Calm down, both of you."
"How the hell can you ask me to calm down Nagato?"
"Why the hell can't you," Fuka stated. The woman's frustration built inside of her at the questioning of her actions. She was fully justified in her position. The girl had not only violated Ame's independence, but she also tried to kidnap her son. From her perspective, the Haruno was lucky she wasn't dead. The rage, the self-righteousness, it burned deep in her.
"Or was Yahiko right about you? Are your loyalities really to Konoha?"
Crimson chakra exploded off of Naruto. The earth cracked and the rain itself sizzled away into steam before it made contact with his skin. A wave of steam left his mouth as a deep growl erupted from his throat.
"They don't lie with you."
Fuka's eyes burst with power. She instantly began to weave through handseals that Naruto quickly made to replicate. However, before either of them could do anything a wave of gravity drug them both in. Nagato's arms reached out and he snatched the duo by the throat, quickly activating his Gakidō (Preta Path) to absorb their chakra. He slammed the duo to the ground, frustration on his face.
"I said enough."
Nagato snarled, looking down at Naruto.
"You destroyed our house and attacked my wife in front of me. Control yourself."
The powerful purple gaze shifted to his wife.
"And you? You dare harm her? After I promised no harm would come to her? You dare blind this woman?"
"She kidnapped our son!"
"And he was rescued," Nagato stated. "And I ensured that it would never happen again. I explicitly told the Konoha shinobi that we would not abuse her. And yet you have taken advantage of our guest."
Nagato let the duo go, raising himself to his full height. Lighting cracked above him, illuminating his body like he was a sun.
"There shall be no more fighting in my house."
Thunder boomed as he finished the sentence, striking both enraged shinobi with a sense of finality. If either continued they would not be fighting one another.
They would be fighting him.
The man walked towards Sakura. The woman was slumped on the ground, a defeated look plastered across her face that bellied the sense of superiority she felt inside. She had driven a wedge between the family as intended.
And she felt like Nagato knew that.
"Forgive me," the Amekage stated. He knelt before he bowed to the woman, his head touching the dirt. "My wife has wronged you. Please, forgive me. Please forgive her."
Sakura stared up at the man, a look of shock on her face. A leader of a foreign power, a man who could wield gravity at will, was bowing to her? It was a sight she had never expected to see. No kage bowed to their subordinate for wronging them. Sure, an apology could occur, but even they were rare. But to prostrate yourself before an enemy shinobi...caused a strange feeling to burst in her chest. She could only get out a small grunt.
Nagato seemed to take that as some form of an answer because instantly a massive head erupted from the ground, purple flames swirling around the base of it. Sakura scattered backwards, terrified. Nagato opened his eyes.
"If you would let me, this can heal your wounds."
Sakura stared ominously at the protruding head, looking it up and down. She had seen nothing like this before. It was a strange creature, with ringed purples eyes just like the man who summoned it. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to not step into the head's mouth.
"It will not heal your scars; I cannot heal what has already healed. But it can restore your vision."
"It will heal you," Naruto confirmed. The influence of the Kyuubi's chakra was still there, if his crimson eyes were any indication, but he had clearly calmed down some. Forcibly, but calmed down, nonetheless.
Sakura glanced at him. His eyes were warm. He wasn't lying. At least, not intentionally. This technique would fix her injuries.
But something about it still felt...wrong. She was a master of iryojutsu, and every bit of her teaching flared up at her telling her that whatever this thing was it did not heal. It did something vastly different. It did something far more integral to one's body than something healing could do.
Blindness in one eye was nothing to scoff at. It was a serious disability, especially for the career path she had chosen. Even more so when trapped in enemy territory. But some primal part of her told her to be wary of this...thing. This deity that stood before her. Whatever it did would see right through her, as if it knew every inch of her soul. For this was no iryojutsu, but something primordial.
And it scared her.
"I would like some time to think on this," Sakura stated.
Nagato nodded, letting the jutsu disappear into the ground. "As you wish. If you ever decide to heal yourself know that the offer stands."
The man turned back to his wife who was sitting on the ground, rage still simmering just beneath her skin.
"As for your cell...clearly it is not safe for you there."
Nagato looked at the blonde.
"I assume you will want her to stay with you?"
"She isn't leaving my sight as long as she's around," Naruto hissed. His words cut deep, biting something integral in Nagato. The man wanted to give a quip back, to defend his wife. To defend his dream of reuniting his clan, but he could not.
He knew just how important the bridge that was burned today was.
"I see. Kisame should take you in for the night. We can find you more permanent lodgings tomorrow."
"I want to go with Naruto-nii!" Aika yelled out. The girl ran over, grabbing hold of Naruto's leg. Makino walked over, apologizing to the Amekage for the girls lack of nuance. It was waved off. Children had little respect for the moment.
"If that is all, please get some rest. We can discuss this further in the morning, with level heads."
Naruto muttered something, something that the blonde was sure Nagato had not heard.
He still had.
"There's nothing more to discuss."
Naruto nodded, quickly picking up Sakura in his arms before he began the march to Kisame's house. He was followed closely by Makino and Aika. Meanwhile, Karin, Kamino, and Ashino watched as the Amekage and his wife stared at each other. Thunder boomed above and the sky opened to allow even more rain to clatter down on the duo.
Nagato looked back at the trio, a small smile on his face.
"If you would excuse me, I need to have a talk with my wife alone."
The trio hesitantly nodded, walking back upstairs. Ashino stared for slightly longer, worry on his face as he looked at his parents.
"I love you both," he whispered before Karin whisked him upstairs. Nagato smiled at the sound of his voice before he turned his attention back to his wife.
"What," she hissed.
"What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking about Ashino!"
"You were thinking about yourself!"
The booming words of Nagato made Fuka recoil as if she had been slapped. The man's eyes were icy as they bore down on her. She still had not risen from the ground.
"You were thinking about all the hate and anger you felt for the Konoha shinobi. For the village. And you directed it at her. You were not thinking about Ashino. You were not even thinking about punishing the woman. You just needed something to vent your anger on. And she was your canvas."
"And what about you," Fuka screamed. "Where's your anger? Our son was kidnapped. And you do nothing?"
"Anger?" Nagato whispered, his eyes looking up at the sky. He raised his hands, feeling the water hit his skin.
"You're just the same as always, cool, calm and collected Nagato. Well, what did that get our son?"
Nagato turned his eyes to look back at her and for once Fuka shivered at the sight of them. A horrible weight settled in Fuka's chest. The air felt tight, and she found it hard to breathe. A deep, primordial power burned in those purple eyes. They glowed in the night, pulsating rhythmically with power. For the first time in her life the woman felt small. Incomprehensibly small.
"I feel anger every time I think of it," Nagato stated. "I feel anger every time I think of Konoha."
Fuka was too scared to speak.
"But I cannot act without tempering my anger. Because if I do then I must face the consequences of my actions. I am more than a father. I am the leader of a country. I am a friend. I am a cousin."
Nagato knelt in front of his wife.
"Konoha shinobi killed my parents, so I killed them. I can rationalize that. Konoha shinobi kidnapped Ashino, so I cut them down. If it was just killing, I could rationalize that too. But I enjoyed it. I wanted them to hurt. I wanted them to suffer. I enjoyed cutting them down."
Nagato frowned.
"It was cold. It was calculated. I wanted them to fear me."
Nagato sighed.
"That is not how one should behave. You say I was not angry? That I was calm and collected? No. I wanted to murder all of them and then murder the Hokage. But I cannot do that. Because my actions impact more than just me. They impact the civilians of our country. They impact the stability and peace we worked so hard to build! I must think of the higher cause of my actions every day. I cannot solely be concerned with justice in isolation."
Nagato looked at his wife and his eyes seemed normal to her once more. The pressure in her chest disappeared.
"Because without a higher cause behind it, justice is just slaughter."
Tears fell from his eyes.
"And I cannot lead my people to the slaughter. So, you ask me if I was angry? If I too wanted revenge? Of course, I did. But I was reminded of my humanity by that girl and by Naruto. They each layed down their lives to protect those that they cared about, the same as I would. And sometimes that humanity requires that I forgive those who do not deserve my forgiveness."
Nagato lay his hand on his wife's cheek.
"I ask not that you forget. But that you too forgive her."
Fuka bit her lip, clearly struggling with the idea. It was a foreign one to her. Forgiveness. It was not one that she could easily do. It was not one that she thought she could ever do. But she had meant what she said to Naruto so long ago.
She did believe in Nagato. And as such...
"I'll try."
Nagato smiled.
"That's all I ask."
The world was shrouded in darkness as he opened his eyes. He groaned, trying to rise to his feet only to fall back to the floor once more. He groaned, ignoring the strange metal clang he heard whenever he moved. He closed his eyes once more. His body felt weak. Drained. Like he hadn't eaten anything in years. He could barely open his eyes. What had happened?
He turned his head to his side as he heard a metal clang once more, this one not coming from his body. He turned, just barely able to force his eyes open enough to look see what caused the commotion. He could just barely make out a dull gray shape and just beyond that lay a humanoid form that was sitting down. The humanoid was clearly struggling if its shaking arms were any indication, but it was propping itself up.
Where the hell was he?
"Well, you both have woken up earlier than expected. It seems it wasn't a mistake to bring you in."
That slippery voice, one that was more demonic than human, sent shills down his spine. Adrenaline shot through his body and the world became clear. Where he was became clear.
He was on the ground, with shackles around his wrists and ankles. Those weren't dull gray shapes but bars of a cell, and on the other side was Konohamaru who was glaring up at the person who had spoken.
Sasuke turned, looking up at the slender man whose head was buried in a book, writing something down.
Orochimaru.
They had lost.
And now they were captured.
Sasuke surged to his feet and lunged at the man.
"No Sasuke don't!"
His body to snapped to the ground in pain. It felt like fire was running through his veins. He crumpled to the ground, screaming in agony. Orochimaru gave a soft chuckle, not taking his eyes off of his notebook.
"Yes, your Sarutobi friend tried much the same thing when he awoke. I'm afraid the Keppan (Blood Seal) I gave you both won't allow you to attack me without my permission. Good to know your Uchiha blood isn't resistant to it like someone else I know."
"Bastard."
"Now, now, there's no need for such language Sasuke-kun. Us three will get to be such close friends after all. I'd prefer if we acted with civility towards one another."
"Konoha will find us you know," Konohamaru screamed out. "And when they do you're dead!"
"Oh on that we disagree nephew. To Konoha's and Kumo's knowledge, the fort simply disappeared into a crater. They won't connect the dots to me. You're mine for the rest of your days."
Orochimaru gave a soft chuckle.
"There's no escape here."
"I'll kill you," Sasuke hissed, glaring up at the man. "I promise it."
The Uchiha reached for his chakra, desperately trying to bring to life his crimson eyes. To utilize the power he had felt blossom during their last fight, but the pain he felt in his body only increased. He felt a strange pressure build at the back of his head and cried out, his chakra receding back to normal.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I've sealed off your chakra. I imagine you'll feel indescribable pain if you attempt to utilize it. Don't worry though. I'll permit you both to use your chakra if you assist me with my research."
"We'll never help you," Sasuke roared.
"Oh," Orochimaru stated. "Such a shame. You see, I was hoping you could help me unlock the secrets of a gift I recently received."
He snapped his book closed and stood, approaching the Uchiha. He stood in front of the Uchiha before he opened his eyes.
"You see, it's come to my attention we have something in common."
Sasuke wanted to scream in rage.
His mother's Sharingan rested in the man's eyes.
"Thank you all so much for coming! Let's keep reporting the truth to the world."
The Man smiled as the meeting ended. He exchanged quick pleasantries with the other guests in the meeting as they were filing out. Eventually they left, closing the door behind the last one. He smiled, turning to the strangely Pale Man who stood next to him.
"Ah. I'm sick of these meetings. They take so long."
"They're necessary, all of it is."
"Yes I know," the Man stated. He walked forwards, towards an open window. "We had to change our plans once we were rejected. This was the next best option, even if it took longer."
"You seem disappointed."
"You know me so well Zetsu."
"I am part of you."
The Man turned, and for a brief moment half of his body seemed just a tad lighter than the other. It was gone in a flash. The Man smiled.
"True."
He turned, walking towards the desk next to the window. He placed a hand on it and with a subtle application of chakra a mask appeared atop it. Before he could reach for it the door to the room opened.
"I've told you several times that you should knock."
"Everyone else always knocks. You know it's me because I don't."
"So disrespectful."
The Man turned, seeing a Masked Figure and a black and white thing enter the room.
"You're also entering through the front entrance."
"Not exactly."
"Doors are front entrances. You know this."
"It seems the news article was a success."
"Avoiding my point."
"You're avoiding mine."
The Man sighed, approaching a nearby chair and sitting.
"Yes, it was a success. It's easy to play off the fears of civilians when they know precious little about the shinobi world."
"You've changed that. I'm sure the kage aren't too happy with that."
"The Guide has been around far longer than I have," the Man stated. "I simply took over when an opportunity for new leadership presented itself."
"You let it reveal the truth it could only dream of knowing."
"Well, give the masses a half-truth and they're far easier to deceive. The Great Powers know this well."
"And yet I still get no recognition as a reporter."
"Zetsu does most of the work."
"It's true," stated both the mixed creature and the Pale Man. The Masked Man rolled his eyes.
"Yes, yes, whatever. I'm only one branch of this operation. How is everything else?"
"You're not asking about The Guide."
"No."
"She's handling the plan quite well. Her economic power is growing. Soon our goal will be achieved."
"Does that mean I can start hunting the Bijuu now?"
A flash of crimson sparked in the Man's eyes. He looked up at the Masked Man, his twin crimson eyes glistening in the light.
"You're so eager to fight them. Do you truly believe you can win?"
"Would you have trained me if I wasn't?"
"Training and the real thing are different. You saw for yourself with the Ichibi. They are titans of power. A Jinchuriki limits them."
The Masked Man tilted his head. Chakra rolled off of his body with such intensity that the floorboards cracked.
"It's what I've trained for. It's my purpose. That is my role. She is the economic power, you're the political power, and I'm the military power. I can't fail here."
The Man smiled, rising to his feet.
"I knew I gave you my mask for a good reason."
He turned, looking out the window once more.
"Now, let's go bring peace to the world."
Phew! And that's the conclusion to Another Word For Monster, at least for the first portion of the story! There's certainly a lot more to get into, but that can happen at a later date. I need a break from writing (and I'm resisting the temptation to write a Solo Leveling x Naruto or Fairy Tail story because I love Solo Leveling and the anime just came out). I hope you all enjoyed this story! The chapter that spawns the second part of this story will probably come out before the year is over. I want to have more chapters ready for you guys so I don't do that long pause I did during the holiday season last year.
Life got busy man.
Speaking of that, based on what you all said I'll be continuing the story here. There isn't a massive time skip or anything going into the next section, so here we shall stay.
Anyways, let me know what you all think! As you can tell the world is about to get a hell of alot bloodier because of Naruto's actions in Earth and Orochimaru's actions in Fire. No nation is particularly stable at this moment (I guess not counting Kiri. I haven't delved into them yet). Konoha is about to have one of their most powerful shinobi go rogue and they still don't have a Jinchuriki, Kumo has no idea about Orochimaru, Suna is struggling with the death of Gaara and their former Kazekage plus Iwa's rage at them, and Iwa's Tsuchikage and only active Jinchuriki are still out of commission.
And let's not get started on Ame.
The real question is, who the hell is gonna come out on top?
Oh and what the hell The Guide is.
I hope you guys enjoyed! Review, review, review! Let me know what you're thinking!