Alright, I tried doing this right before Christmas - but I failed. So here is the Christmas chapter I rebooted also.

The regular chapter is in the making, so no need to wonder. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Enjoy

1516

Shinobi Continent

In the midst of the Elemental War, with the first year of that war close to an end, winter had arrived as it now had brought its thick layer of snow across the large landscapes of the torn war zones.

One of those was the Central region of the Land of Fire, a long distance away from the Hidden Leaf Village that was just west from their position now, with that village only like eighty miles away from their current position - with the 9th Damned Raiders on the frontline.

This land was now filled with the large and complex trenches that stretched out miles and miles long, with tens of thousands of men residing here, eating, surviving, and occasionally shooting at their enemies at the opposite side of the snow-covered empty fields that formally were farmlands, with destroyed crops and the carcasses of dead animals.

The ground once lush with life had turned lifeless, the ground a mixture of ice, mud and blood. And the cold wasn't helping much either as the temperatures were below zero.

And it all happened to be Christmas Eve, not exactly what many in these trenches want to experience during a normally lovable time of the year.

One of those men in those trenches was Naruto, he was sitting inside his shelter that gave him little to no warmth anyway, seen as he had his coat on and with a small burning candle on the table, barely burning as it was trying to withstand the cold.

Right now he was writing. A letter to be exactly as he was intended to do so. Given it was the season and that the postal service was about to do a run at any moment, the seasoned officer took the moment to write not only one, but two letters back home - well both of his homes.

'Pretty cold, isn't it?'

Naruto sighed, the cold breath was visible as he was nearly finished writing. He responded.

"It is, but nothing I can handle."

'Yeah, I guess so…so who are you writing to now?'

"My family."

'Which one?'

Naruto smirked as he just finished writing, putting his pencil away as he started folding the handwritten paper.

He pulled out then another folded piece of paper, also handwritten as he then laid down two unused envelops with both of them already having addresses on them.

One was for to Fishman Island…the other to a old man in the seas…

Smiling, Naruto had then put both these letters inside their envelopes, and sealing them off by closing them. Just then when one of his men entered, saluting.

"Sir, postal run." The runner spoke, holding out a package. "This came for you."

"Thank you, private." Accepting it, Naruto felt it a bit and noticed the weight of it and turned to the soldier. "Anything else?"

Then the runner pulled out from his jacket a small note, holding it with his tipples woollen gloves

"A report…from Headquarters." The runner informed him. "Latest updates, sir."

Naruto nods as he was expecting this, but then says. "You collecting letters for the men by any chance?"

"Yes sir."

"Good," Naruto said giving him the envelopes. "Mind taking these as well? They are for my family."

"Of course, sir." The runner saluted as he accepted the letters. "Good evening, sir."

"You too, private." Naruto sat back down, about to open the report.

"Sir."

"Yes?"

"Merry Christmas."

Naruto heard this and nodded back saying. "Merry Christmas to you too."

The runner saluted and walked out the shelter, leaving then Naruto by himself, but then it happened to be that another servicemen, wearing an beige coat over his uniform with an ammo bandolier across his chest and a dark gray helmet that wasn't the norm to Naruto's men, carrying a SMLE rifle slung around his shoulder.

"Corporal Deme Cisse, reporting for duty, sir." The man spoke in a broken accent.

Naruto turned around to face one of his men. Coincidentally one of the few dark-skinned men. A volunteer from his country, but he wasn't from the Hidden Cloud village. He instead was a volunteer Colonial soldier from Frauce dubbed as a Tirailleur who were sent overseas to serve.

"Corporal Deme." Naruto stood back up from his seat. "Any reason why you came here?"

"I was sent here by my sergeant, sir." The Tirailleur responded in his accent. "He said he needed you to come over."

*TCHK!*

After leaving the shelter, Naruto was seen walking with the corporal behind him, right through the trenches. With his pipe lightened up, the smoke might warm up his insides for a moment as he walked through the trench halls with men saluting him as he passed by them.

The trenches were filled with men and equipment that was either laid or nailed against the wooden structured trenches. With some men even seen still building up the trenches for future attacks or bombings as dirt-covered shovels and boarded up walls of mud were held back by the wood.

For those who weren't working, they were resting around small fires that they held their hands around to; as the freezing cold wasn't helping now that night had come. With some even trying to heat up their cans of food above the small campfires.

When they weren't fighting the enemy on the opposite side, the hunger, cold, their clothes in knee-deep mud or disease - they'd be fighting the rats to keep them away from the daily food rations that would be brought from the rear.

This was the reality of Trench Warfare.

"Let's go."

A few hundred meters down, a couple of men were sitting nearby an MG nest that held an Hotchkiss Mle machine gun that was covered with sandbags and some wood.

Sitting behind that cover were two men, one was a white young man whilst the other was just like Deme, a black colonial soldier of the Frauce Kingdom, both of whom were observing the battlefield.

No Man's Land was it called, and it was a scary place to look at, as the only thing present in that area was just dead, the Dead was a staying presence that can be easily seen.

Idrissa was his name, and sergeant was his rank. One he in reality he should've earned a long time ago given his record of good service, but only recently was given this due to recommendation by his superior officer.

"Sergeant."

The black skinned soldier turned around and saw it was Naruto, who he saluted on the spot.

"Lieutenant Uzumaki." Idrissa spoke. "Sorry to interrupt whatever you were doing."

"No need to apologize, wasn't doing much anyway." Naruto said walking by and asking. "Your corporal told me there was something you wanted me to show?"

"Just look with this." The white soldier said handing Naruto his binoculars. "Look at their trenches."

Naruto took them and watched what was there: and what he saw was quite unusual, especially in a region like this:

There were holiday decorations of small lights in small bushes that were being set up, with even some laughter could be heard what was also raising suspicion.

But then it was that the white soldier tried to speak, but instead got sidetracked by Haku, who came out of nowhere, asking them up.

"You think they are celebrating Christmas?"

"I thought nobody here celebrates Christmas." Deme wondered, readying his rifle. "Let alone do it here…"

"Well, maybe they are foreign volunteers."

"... Tell the men to hold their fire." Naruto told them as he removed his binoculars. "I doubt they will try something now. But keep an eye on them. Two sentries."

"Yes sir."

One hour later

With night now fully illuminating the sky, the frontline trenches were experiencing a unusual calm that these seasoned fighters haven't experienced.

Christmas in the trenches, as now small fires were set up that the men were allowed to make, with cookouts ready and soldiers seen warming up their food or drinks, with some even given some presents from the rear.

"Cheers!" One of the cooks smiled while pouring warm milk into the tin cups. "Fresh milk from the cow, boys. With some cocoa powder."

"Cocoa powder?" One soldier looked confused as he was eating a sandwich. "What's that?"

"experience and enjoy." The cook said pouring some brown powder into the filled cup and giving a spoon. "Roar it up a bit, and then drink it. Be careful, it will be hot."

This group was already seen eating while one man, A raider to be exact, was seen walking through the trenches while seen carrying a radio box on his back. With a noticeable one-side folded Slouch hat, making his way towards the members of his unit.

Behind him, a couple of people with white coats with 'Justice' written on them.

…

Instead of sitting in the shelter, Naruto was seen outside with a few of his men around a warm fire that certainly beats that little candle that might be still burning now. As he was accompanied by Haku, the Lieutenant of Idrissa and Deme's group of servicemen.

"So you are a man or a…" Deme asked but was halfway already confused. "Excuse me, Lieutenant, but this is confusing."

"I'm a boy, Deme, no need to apologize." Haku just smiled. "I believe the term you might need is that I am 'Trans'."

"So you have a penis-Ouch!" Deme got hit over the head and turned to his friend. "Pourquoi?!"

"You don't ask that, have some privacy." Idrissa said shaking his head as he then turned to Naruto who was reading something. "What are you reading, sir?"

Naruto pushed out the smoke from his mouth as he responded to his comrade's question. "It is a message from headquarters, Major Whitehall to be exact."

"What does it say?"

While that question was being asked, a few figures with coats were seen approaching their position.

"We're getting some reinforcements." Naruto said with a smile as he spoke. "Long way from your ship, Smoker?"

"Says you, kid."

Turning back around, Naruto was met with fellow Lieutenant Smoker, seen wearing his normal attire without even a shirt as he and Naruto shook hands.

"Good to see you."

"Good to see you're still breathing, kid." Smoker said with the cigars in his mouth. "I heard you were here instead of the capital alongside your men. What gives?"

"You mean Vic and the others? They have asked for leave, and they were granted that, they're in the capital now but I stayed with these guys." Naruto said as he turned to his men. "Meet Corporal Deme Cisse and Sergeant Idrissa, members of the Frauce Tirailleur."

"Colonial troops?" The blue-haired female marine, seen wearing an winter coat and glasses asked, seen holding onto a sword. "I heard some of the Kingdoms send them here - mainly as orderlies and some sort."

"Yeah, but we're here to fight, ma'am." Deme said standing up and offering his hand to shake it. "Welcome to the trenches."

"Tashigi, my name's Tashigi, Petty Officer." She introduced herself nervously. "Nice to meet you, corporal - wait, does this mean I outrank you?"

"In here, experience outranks everything." Idrissa stated, seen pouring in some warm coffee that was being prepared and handed metal cups over to the two Marines. "Here."

As a few more hours passed by, it was close to midnight as snow started to pour over the countryside and even fall down into the trenches where the men were still sitting in large groups around the fires, still enjoying the silence of the frontline, a prepared calm as their rifles were still next to them.

And also enjoying it was Naruto seen opening up the package that held a box, and he opened that box to see that in it was a bunch of cigarette packs and a few ramen cups. With a note that was left in it.

'Happy Holidays. Q.O - M.S'

'Queen Otohime.' Naruto smiled at this and was happy to see this.

'Queen gave you the ramen, Shyarly the smokes. Of course.'

"My oh my, Lieutenant got himself a lot of presents." Deme said pointing out. "You're going to eat that all by yourself?"

"Nope." Smiling, Naruto turned his head to the others and said. "Deme, Idrissa, I got a job for you two."

"Yes sir?"

"Distribute them to the men." Naruto threw each of them a box of the sweets. "As Christmas presents, alright?"

"Will do, sir." Deme said as he walked off with a few packs into his own pockets. "I'll go southwards."

"I'll go northwards." Idrissa said as he stood up. "See you all later."

As the two Tirailleurs went off, Naruto was left alone with Smoker and Slouch hat wearing Raider. With Haku having gone off earlier to take a nap and Tashigi having tagged along.

"Good to see you're still taking care of your men." Smoker said puffing some smoke out.

"Just doing what I was taught in the academy." Naruto said opening up his cup of ramen with a pair of sticks. Eating it. "That Tashigi girl…"

"She's my second-in-command, if you want to know." Smoker responded. "Shy, but hardworking, in her own way of course. She's got a good eye for swords."

*Sigh*

The sigh got both Lieutenants to turn their heads to the Slouch hat man, seen with a sad expression that he gave after having read the note.

"What's wrong, Foster?"

The young Foster removed the hat from his head and ruffled a bit through his hair with his hand, before he then responded to his superior officer.

"Mum send me a letter, about Vicky."

"Vicky?" Naruto asked, remembering. "You mean that girl sweetheart of yours?"

"Yeah….mom told me she caught her with some nobleman…" Foster said slightly frustrated and defeated. "Confronted her and basically she confessed she's engaged to him."

"Ohh…"

That was one of the reactions that could be heard from the nearby men. As this wasn't the first time someone in a committed relationship found out their significant other was cheating.

"Sorry to hear."

"Yeah, appreciate it." Foster waved it off but said. "Guess everyone was right - she was a slag."

"... She's a fool…" Smoker commented, surprisingly voicing his opinion in as he looked at Foster and said. "You deserve better, kid. Just so you know."

Foster smiled and nodded. "Thank you, sir." He then raised up his hand that held a big chocolate bar. "I got this from my ma, so I might just share it, lads."

Many of the men around laughed and raised their hands up in agreement, with some even seen already having lit up their first cigarette from the packs that were distributed.

…

A few minutes had passed since midnight, and the trenches were still quiet, with now many of the men just busy doing their daily chores or asleep.

That was now what Naruto wasn't doing neither, as he was reading the details of the report in front of the sleeping presence of Smoker which was a sight rare as a Devil Fruit itself. With Foster seen cleaning his rifle, the two of them were about to experience something that never happened before.

"Hmmmmm…."

A hymn was suddenly heard, a loud one. And it got both men to look up.

"Silent night, holy night"

"All is calm, and all is bright"

"Round yon Virgin Mother and Child"

"Holy infant so tender and mild"

"Sleep in heavenly peace"

"Sleep in heavenly peace…"

The sound of singing got Smoker to even wake up hearing it, looking understandably baffled.

"What's going on-"

"Shhh..." Naruto husshed him and pointed. "hear."

Singing, that were men singing that they were hearing, and it was a Christmas carol, the last thing that they expected, and it wasn't over.

"Silent night…"

Foster spotted one sentry gunner singing along, with the others just watching.

"...holy night"

Another soldier was seen singing, huddled up with a blanket covered in snow. This time spotted by Naruto…

"All is calm, and all is bright"

Smoker watched as more men were heard joining the carol, seeing it was growing and growing.

"Round yon Virgin Mother and Child"

The sound of the two sides suddenly singing a duet, was astonishing to hear, and nobody was stopping it.

"Holy infant so tender and mild"

Naruto and Smoker looked at each other, with Naruto just shrugging it off apparently as he gave a small smile.

"Sleep in heavenly peace"

The amount of men singing was so surprising that it almost sounds like thousands of men had joined it, with even officers unable to join in on the carol. As it was a solemn short moment that felt like peace had returned to their lives.

To the point even Foster was seen ending the carol, smiling as he finished it along.

"Sleep in heavenly peace…"

The front by the end of that song, went fully quiet and so was the Front itself.

Next morning

As it now was Christmas Day, the early morning was lightening up, with the early birds were seen chirping and flying or landing on the trenches.

Walking out of one of those shelters where the men slept, was Foster, as he looked to his right and saw that he was perhaps the only one awake, with even the sentries napping out.

*Chirp!* *Chirp!* *Chirp!*

The sound of chirping got Foster's attention. And he saw it was a small, blue bird that was seen wandering its little head around like it was curious.

"You're a curious little fella, aren't you?"

The bird flew off towards the fields and Foster stared at it - until it landed on one of the piles of dirt, and saw something that he did not expect.

"What…"

…

Waking up shortly afterwards, Naruto was joined then by Smoker who already had his cigars into his mouth, unlit of course, and the first words being spoken:

"Where's that kid Foster?"

"Foster's out of the trench!"

That shout got both officers' to quickly stand up and look over the trench, seeing that Foster had entered No Man's Land - without a rifle and with his hands out.

…

…

…

But nothing was happening, no shots were fired. From neither side as this only made confusion among the ranks.

"What's going on - why is there nobody shooting?!"

"Hey look!" One sentry shouted. "Foster's approaching somebody from the other side!"

A shorter person with a black cloak with red clouds was seen walking up to Foster, also with hands up and slowly approaching with no ill-looking intents.

'Naruto, next to you!'

*Click!*

Naruto turned his head rightwards and saw it was Deme aiming his rifle at the field - seeing to go for the unknown enemy-

"Wait." Naruto held his hand in front of the rifle. "Hold your fire."

"But-"

"Listen to your officer, kid." Smoker ordered, seeing he was equally curious on what was happening, he said. "Look around…"

The black soldier did so and what he saw was staggering to watch. As slowly every rifle was slowly being pulled back and even the MG nests operators were staring with shock at what was happening.

"Lieutenant! Lieutenant!" Sergeant Idrissa was seen running down the trenches to try and warn them. "There's something going on, some idiot is"

"Its Foster." Naruto said. "Foster is walking up there."

"Merde! Is he trying to get himself killed?"

"Wait! There are more coming out!"

And by that Naruto, Idrissa and Smoker turned their attention back to the fields and saw that another person was entering No Man's Land, from the enemy's side, also unarmed.

*Creeeck!*

Smoker and Idrissa then saw that Naruto was climbing up the ladder, and fully exposed himself to any snipers, all while seen wearing his officers' uniform. Going to stand out of everybody for sure.

'Kid, whatever you are planning, you know that once word gets out - you will be in big shit.'

'That, I am fully aware of.'

Once planting both his boots on the frozen ground, Naruto proceeded to hold his hands up as he started walking up to the middle of No Man's Land. Being the first officer to have entered, he wouldn't be the only one.

In less than ten minutes, the unthinkable happened as now hundreds of men were standing now on opposite sides of each other, with nervousness being the top thought on everyone's mind, but one thing was that they were shocked.

In front of them were members of the Akatsuki Revolutionaries, with many of them being foreign volunteers. They stood out with their weaponry and also uniforms that mostly was recognizable by their black cloaks and red clouds.

"I thought we were fighting Pirates in this area."

"Pirates? I thought it were bandits, what's going on here?"

The soldiers were understandably confused as they were given bad intel, but it was then that Naruto stepped forwards by making his way through the crowd, going right towards where Foster stood.

Literally in the middle of the field, speaking with the first Akatsuki member to have walked up the field. The person started to put his hood down, and revealed to be a She. With purple onion-like bun hair, the girl had She had light green eyes with black pupils.

"Wow… I didn't know the person I walked in was-"

The girl gave a glare. "A girl?"

"... Yeah…" Foster extended his hand out. "Name's Jack Foster. May I know what your name is?"

"Ajisai, Hidden Rain Village." She said smilingly, accepting the hand and shaking it. The two began to have small talk as the people surrounding them slowly but willingly also started to greet and meet their enemies.

It was at this point that Naruto was watching and got then approached by a man with a beard, also in an Akatsuki cloak, saluting him.

"William Read, commander of the 1st Akatsuki Foreign Volunteers." The commander saluted as he asked. "My guess is that you are The Cunning Fox, Naruto Uzumaki?"

"That is me, correct." Naruto stated as he looked around and noticed something. "Is this all? your men I mean."

"Yes, we're an group entirely build up from volunteers from around the globe." The commander confirmed. "We're not taking in any bandits or pirates into our ranks."

"What do you wish, commander?"

"A truce, at least for today." The commander suggested. "I know that your men also consists of mainly men from outside the Shinobi continent… So I thought why not?"

"Even when you know when this comes out, this can get bad ramifications for the both of us, right?" Naruto asked, wanting to know an answer. "Fraternization can cost both our heads."

"Is that much asked? Even for Christmas?"

Looking around, Naruto thought for a moment as he watched how everyone else from both his Raiders and the Revolutionaries, were waiting for an response, with even seen being nervous.

Then turning back, Naruto held his hand out at the commander.

"I find it okay."

They both shook hands and right there, officially began the Christmas Truce.

…

In a matter of moments, people were running back and forth to get some stuff from the trenches, and it weren't their rifles, pistols or knives. But instead their working kits, food and chairs.

As of now those were used to basically fraternize on a mass-scale, with experienced barbers from the Expeditionary forces seen cutting the hair of the Akatsuki fighters. Or how some of the Akatsuki cooks were seen preparing some warm meals for the Raiders who were exchanging recipes. Some were even seen taking photos with their cameras, either looking professional or goofing. Some were also seen playing poker or exchanging some goods or medical equipment like what the doctors were doing.

But the main thing that was getting organized and getting people together, was when someone kicked a football on the field, and before anyone knew it, goalposts were made out of winter blazers and teams were already being made.

"LET'S GO!"

An hour in, the game was in full swing, with the two teams were running over the frozen field to try and score the ball in the opposite' side. With Foster seen running up front with the ball as he passed it to Deme who was a good player also.

On the sidelines watching was Naruto, seen smoking his pipe as he was inertly smiling at the whole ordeal of a moment of peace. Something he felt his men were needing.

"Got a lighter?"

Naruto heard that and saw it was the Akatsuki Commander who asked for a light for his cigarette, to which Naruto pulled out his lighter for him to light the stick up.

"Thank you."

"No problem." Naruto said as he puffed himself out some smoke as he walked alongside the pitch where the football match was taking place. "What's the stand?"

"2-2, apparently." William said smirking. "You got some good strikers, I'll give you that."

"PASS IT!"

Idrissa kicked the ball through one of the Akatsuki players legs and passed it to Deme who then passed it to Foster. It was then that Foster tried his luck-

"SHOOT!"

He kicked the ball and it was stopped by Ajisai who was the goalkeeper - and she defended greatly. Getting cheers from her comrades.

The clapping and cheering was heard across the field, until then-

*Bang! Bang!*

From afar, artillery shots could be heard and it ended the cheering in silence, and by that the fun was cut short.

Good times were over.

"Back to the trenches!"

As soon that was heard, everyone was gathering their belongings and their equipment, walking back towards their positions as Naruto and the Akatsuki commander were seen waiting for their men to return.

"Too bad…" William said, saddened by it. "...Merry Christmas."

Naruto nodded as he gave the man a handshake and said. "Merry Christmas to you too."

Both men were the last to be seen walking off the fields, ending the good times.

Jumping back into the trench, Naruto was met with then his men who were seen going back to their posts while he puts out his pipe and was confronted by Smoker and Tashigi who was more frantic.

"Do you know that what just happened might cause a scandal?" Tashigi asked. Seeing she was panicking about it. "It can end up bad, how do we explain that?"

Naruto turned to Smoker and said. "I'll come up with something. It will be fine."

"I'll take that. Just make it look convincing" Smoker said, not much bothered by it as he then pulled out a folded letter. "Have a report for you, came in just when the truce started.

…

Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, in the trenches of the Akatsuki, Ajisai was seen lurking and sad while sitting, tapped a few times by her comrades for the goalkeeping.

A strong believer in her leader's cause, she was also struggling with what just had happened. If this war was even necessary. Seeing those people she played against were just like her.

And that Foster guy - she was really confused.

"Hey, Ajisai."

She looked up, seeing it was her commander, William who threw her coat at him for her to catch.

"Good keeping. Have some rest." He smiled as he left.

Standing back up, Ajisai decided to put her coat back on, but then she felt something in her pocket and felt something poke, so she pulled it out and was surprised to see what it was.

A chocolate bar, one from outside the Shinobi Continent, it then got into her mind how it got in there and the purple haired girl smiled.

"Thank you…"

…

Sitting back in his own spot, Jack Foster was seen staring at the empty letter that held the chocolate bar he just gave away, feeling a little bit better now after last night.

"Foster."

He looked up to see Naruto was approaching him and tapped him on the shoulder, right before he sat on the opposite side of him.

"I'll need you to prepare a report to Major Whitehall, about what happened and downplay it as much as you can." Naruto said to the runner and radio operator. "Think you can do that?"

Foster nodded. "Yes sir." He pulled out a note pad and a pencil. "Will do it now."

"Good, also, good work." Naruto smiled as he got to give it to him. "You gave everyone in this place a few hours."

Foster smiled until then he and Naruto turned around to see a runner walk up to them, with what looks like urgent news.

"Emergency report, from Major Whitehall." The runner, the same one from yesterday, gave it to Naruto. "Need to read it now."

Wasting no time, Naruto took the report and read it at once. And once he was done reading it, he couldn't help but feel all the happy times felt really to be done for him.

"Another breakthrough, people." Naruto said. "Pack your stuff and prepare to regroup with the Raiders alongside Captain Bishop. We've got a new stopping point."

Foster asked then. "What is it?"

"Konoha - The Village Hidden in the Leaves."

'Home sweet home.'

Review, follow and peace.

Till next time.