Konohagakure
After the storm, a calm. Withered, but very much alive. The dread and hopelessness that had filled the Leaf had dried up. Civilians and shinobi still mourned the dead. No more were they picking up the losses and searching for lost things within the debris. Even in the grieving period, the village was now rebuilding.
A cry for help had been sent out to allies.
Mei imagined the Raikage would be baffled if he arrived and found the village in such a state. They were still lifting out large boulders from the village! The fate of Konoha was beyond comprehension. Had she not experienced it herself, Mei would have had a hard time trying to grasp how this was even remotely possible.
For those who feared the Leaf, it was a sigh of relief. She imagined even Kisame would be happy. People had died. Innocent lives had been lost. There was nothing to rejoice. Konoha's strength wasn't even damaged that much. As in many tragedies the village has faced, it would rise. Still, this was worse than anything. The Kyūbi rampage couldn't even be compared to this tragic turn of events.
Mei stood inside the small one-room house made for her use by Yamato, peeking through the entrance to look at the village. She'd realized that she would have to stay in the village far longer than she'd expected. Chouji and Houzuki had already been sent back to Kiri to get more shinobi to help out Konoha.
The village had the tools, but money would be needed to rebuild. A building company from the Wave was coming. Shinobi would be compelled to do more missions than ever before.
"You always think you're secure, but once again, life reminds us that we're all mortals, living a fleeting life that can end at any time," Mei said in a bitter tone.
Shisui leaned against the wall, one foot away from the door. His hands were folded across his chest, and his eyes were closed. Konoha had suffered. The best thing he did was to ensure the hospital was one of the few buildings that remained standing.
"Tragedy befalls anyone. Not matter how powerful."
"Alas."
"You don't have to stay here, you know?"
Mei shook her head. "I hate my heart in such moments." She said with a chuckle. "You've helped me out. I want to be of assistance. My effort might earn me some favour with your people. When my people arrive, our bond will only depend."
"You've done enough already. You saved lives."
"Not enough." Mei said bitterly. She walked over to Shisui and stood in front of him. "All well?"
"I never thought I'd see something like this. When the Uchiha planned to revolt, this kind of scene was one of my greatest fears. Despite all my powers, I couldn't avoid it." The bitterness in his voice wasn't hidden on his face.
There wasn't really any furniture in the small room. A small table and a bottle of sake were there. Mei walked over to it and sat down gracefully. She motioned for Shisui to sit across.
"I'm sorry there are not glasses."
"I don't think you'll find any in the village."
Mei stared at him and giggled. "Your clan compound wasn't touched much."
"Still touched."
Mei nodded. "But what else could you have done? Protecting the hospital was a great service."
"I know." Shisui sighed deeply and stared at Mei. She was truly a kind-hearted woman. Even in times of need, she was here. He was able to talk to her. She offered her help to the Leaf. He smiled warmly at the thought.
"Something good?" Mei asked with a sly smile.
"I'm just grateful you're here for us."
"A pity." While Mei spoke with disappointment, her expression did not match her voice. "I thought you were thinking something naughty."
"I don't have such thoughts!"
"Eh... really?" Mei asked, staring at Shisui intently, and a smile twirled on her lips.
Shisui opened his mouth but then shut it. "You're trying to make me bite my tongue."
She laughed. "If you're confident, you won't."
"I'm not confident."
"That's not manly."
It was Shisui's turn to laugh. "I know," he said. "Situation is tough. And I'm not quite used to this kind of situation."
"I know."
"But you'll still press me."
"Why not?" Mei said innocently. "Your clan survived. The village has survived. That is the most important thing. You can play your role in ensuring that the rebuild is smooth. At the end of the day, you'll look back and see a building, think, 'I helped lay the foundation of that.' I think for now, that is the most important thing."
Shisui knew that. But he wanted to believe that if he hadn't gone blind, he would have done more. Maybe if Itachi had someone to back him up, things wouldn't have been so bad.
Naruto had yet to return. It was days. He'd left with Riku and Kouseki, but that didn't mean Shisui couldn't worry. After all, the opponent wasn't a Kage; it was Madara. Life had a way of showing them flames, or humbling them. Nothing was guaranteed. If anything happened to those three, it would be doom for the Uchiha clan.
"I know... I know..."
"Then drink."
"I'm not much of a drinker. And I'd like to stay sober. We don't know what will happen tomorrow."
"And here I was thinking I'd get you drunk and take advantage of you. Maybe see what I'm getting myself into before the wedding..." She said in a sly voice.
It didn't take long for Shisui to comprehend the sexual innuendo. He blocked all naughty thoughts from entering his mind and getting him excited.
He covered his mouth and cleared his throat. "So, you're still going ahead with it. I was afraid you'd reconsider because of what Naruto did."
"I'm still going to confront him." Mei said firmly. She smiled warmly. "But, I did not decide this for him. I want to be happy, to fulfil a lifelong dream."
Shisui shared her smile. "Nothing would make me happier," he said.
Nobody really wanted to bring children into a world of suffering. Too many shinobi have been traumatized by the cruelty of their world, so they don't think about having children. It was different for him. He was Uchiha. But it wasn't simply for the sake of having children; he wanted to enjoy the best life had to offer. The world was heading toward the right direction.
He chuckled at the thought. It would have made sense if Konoha hadn't just been destroyed.
Well, he could have a drink. He grabbed the bottle and took a sip, and then another. This was living. For some, it was a daily thing. But for others, it was to be intoxicated.
"How long will you stay?"
"I don't know. But after my men have settled, I'll leave." She still had Kiri to look after.
"Maybe we should prepare a wedding before you leave."
Mei stared at Shisui. "You want to give the village something to celebrate?"
"Yeah," Shisui said. "But, I also want to have this part."
Mei folded her hands across her bust. "let me think about it."
Shisui nodded. "Can we have dinner later on?"
"Are there any restaurants open?" Mei asked with a raised eye brow.
Shisui chuckled. "Uchiha Compound. I'll cook."
The Mizukage cocked her head. "You're not planning anything, are you? Well, it's not like I'll complain."
"The thought didn't cross my mind."
"That's a little disappointing. You just have to have dinner?"
"Who knows where the night will lead?"
Mei blinked. "That did not come from you."
"Unfortunately, it did." Shisui said with a laugh. And then stood up. "I have to return to work. 8pm?"
"7."
"That's fine."
"How are things proceeding?" Mei asked regarding the rebuilding process.
"We're still counting the loses. Once noble clans are done, they'll be meeting. A meeting with the Fire Lord is to be held tomorrow. I suppose, Konoha's streets will be redrawn. You'll be given your land."
Land of Lightning
Madara was dead, sitting like that. The man was full of himself. Yet, he still went out in true Madara fashion. He didn't go out pleading or on his knees. But this was just another path to his success, toward his cherished dream of bringing his mother back to life.
He could see victory. Never had it been so close. The Rinnegan was there. Once he took Naruto's body, and the Rinnegan, he'd be able to summon the Gedo Mazo. There was no need to fight. He'd just put the collars on their necks and send them back to where they belonged. And then, this world would come to an end. It would become the world designed by his mother.
Black Zetsu allowed himself a moment to feel the weight of his achievement. Nothing happened, but he was there.
He stared at Naruto's unconscious body and pulled out both his hands. As soon as he did, two hands phased through Naruto's body and grabbed him. Before he could even comprehend how, the all-too-familiar swirling vortex of Obito's Kamui came to life and started warping him away from his goal.
Zetsu wanted to shout angrily. He wanted to curse the Uchiha. They'd been his little puppets since they came to this world. And they were his undoing. He should have plotted to wipe them out of existence if they hadn't been so useful. Yet, they had become too useful. Too useful to even catch him by surprise.
"You're not going to get what you want." Riku said in a stern tone.
Attacks were much more effective when they were a surprise. But Zetsu had never been surprised by much of what humans did. After all, they'd all danced on the palm of his hand. Yet, it was Obito who came back to haunt him. He should have known the Uchiha would make good use of Obito's ability. Kamui was a good jutsu and useful.
Victory was snatched from his mouth. He'd worked hard for it to end like this. Yet, he didn't have the speed of the Yellow Flash to avoid the effects of Kamui. Nor did he have any other ninjutsu in his arsenal that he could use to escape. It was frustrating that even with all his years, he could feel this hopelessness.
"You will not deny me from reviving mother." He warned before being fully warped into Kamui's dimension.
Lightning crackled as soon as Zetsu was flown into the pocket dimension. Two black rods hit him, and he was nailed to one of the structures in the dimension. He couldn't move—the lightning left him numb, affecting every inch of his being.
"Cool, huh?" Kouseki said, a wide smile on his lips, walking up to Zetsu.
"Cool?"
"Yeah, well, the jutsu. It is not just any other Jutsu. It's a sealing Jutsu. That's why you can't move."
Zetsu ignored Kouseki. If they were doing this, they just wanted to capture him and get information out of him. As if he was going to tell them anything. They were too young to compel him to talk.
Zetsu glanced behind Kouseki when the ripple took effect. He glared with contempt. He was so close. But, now was not the time to panic. He could always get out of this situation if he were alive.
"We should prepare for the Kumo company. Can't trust them." Riku said to Kouseki.
He stared at Zetsu and scoffed. To think this was the thing that destroyed Konoha. Powerless, yet able. Raw strength isn't always the answer. A silver tongue and the availability of information can control people and narratives. It is now more important than ever for the Uchiha to develop an effective intelligence network.
"How did you know about the Uchiha incident? Nobody should know about it outside of Konoha." Riku questioned Zetsu as he stopped beside Kouseki.
"I know everything."
Kouseki cackled. "Yeah, and you knew about this one and it is all part of your plan," he said sarcastically.
"I should have had the Uchiha clan wiped off the face of existence when I had the chance."
"Hmm... well, if you had, you wouldn't be stuck here..." Kouseki smiled a little wickedly. "Do you think he'd die if he was burnt by Amaterasu?"
"He doesn't have a heart. Most likely doesn't even bleed. So stabs can't kill him. He could potentially live forever..." Riku said. "Well, he could try that or just seal him into the Sword of Totsuka." He grabbed Kouseki by his shoulder and they warped away from the dimension.
Naruto was up, sitting in a meditative posture, with his remaining hand holding a single hand sign. He was obviously gathering chakra, but his hand wasn't healing. Tsunade would have to work her wonders to restore his full functionality.
Throughout the battle, Riku had been afraid that Naruto would lose. He landed some hits, but Madara had made him so "normal". If Madara had known about the unique ability, he probably wouldn't have lost the battle. Riku doubted that Naruto would have gone the path of sacrificing both his eyes if he didn't have a backup plan to restore his sight.
He was happy; his clan's leader had succeeded. Still, looking at his fragile form, blind and weak, he wondered if he could defeat Naruto. It was nothing more than a twisted thought.
"I thought you'd be out for a while."
"Take Madara's body." Naruto said sternly, his voice betrayed his tiredness. "Lying here with my back exposed? I was frightened."
Kouseki laughed. "Well, Kumo people will be here soon enough. Should we wait for them?"
Naruto shook his head. "No." He said. "Let's go back home. I want to lie down."
"Are you avoid tempting the Raikage?"
"There is that." Naruto said.
Riku stopped in front of Madara. The man had a gaping hole in his chest, yet he sat there, head rested on the palm of his hand as if he were just resting. How did he die like this? Normal people would have fallen over. Riku was even afraid that his eyes might even snap open as he got closer.
"Man was truly legendary."
"Makes you wonder just how powerful Hashirama was."
"Hashirama never fought him at this level." Naruto said and then chuckled. "But even at this level, I'm not more powerful than him, nor Madara, even if I won."
"But once you take his eyes..."
Naruto experienced nothing but grief over the fact. There would be no more battles if relics from the past had to come now to give him a worthy battle that threatened his very existence. Unless another threat arose from the ashes, or the sky, there would be no more battles for him.
He'd walk blind if he just wanted to have some fun. But his thrills meant nothing compared to the future of the Uchiha clan. Their numbers were dwindling. In this destruction, they had to face reconstruction and cement their place within Konoha and the rest of the shinobi world. With his power, he would be able to force things until the Uchiha were able to handle things without his existence being a factor.
"Well, things should be fun. The Feudal Lord will be too busy in diverting funds to restoring Konoha to care about the Uchiha's little misadventures. Military Police has shown its effectiveness." Naruto said with a smile as he slowly stood up. "Another man's loss is another man's gain."
"Let us just hope the Village Council doesn't play tricks. The other clans will be weakened. If the Sandaime gives Itachi the reigns, they might be inclined try to stifle our growth for their own protection."
Naruto snorted. If he could roll his eyes, he would. "That's just an expectation. But we're in a position where we don't need to be pressured by political powers. In times of emergency, military power is all that matters."
"Hopefully none of them gets to say, 'Well, this is the fault of the Uchiha.' The man who destroyed the village was a clan head.'"
Naruto shrugged. "It wouldn't be an irrational thing to say. It is a fact."
"I hate you can say something like that." Kouseki said with a sigh. "It makes me feel a little bad."
Naruto chuckled. "Facts are facts, even if we don't like them. But of course, even if I accept this. I also accept that Madara founded Konoha... if he wanted, well, he could... we who are living there don't have to accept it."
Minutes Later
C whistled from the side, amazed at how the earth had been damaged.
"It's good we came late." Darui unashamedly said with a sigh of relief.
The best he could possibly do with his Ninjutsu was to burn a body to crisps and maybe cause some craters, but nothing of this scale. Konoha wielded monsters who viewed Tailed Beasts as tools to be given away to others, as the First Hokage did. The world was truly unfair and the scales always balanced in favor of the Leaf.
"How could you say that?" C asked of Darui. "We lost Yugito."
"We'd been lost to if we joined the battle."
"We don't know that. We have A-sama and Bee-sama."
"Fool." Bee started with a shake of his head. "Not even I could have helped, you hear?"
Did they stop or continued with the journey? But to where? Where could they go? He supposed it was easy. They just had to figure out who their enemy was fighting. But given the scale of the battle, it was easy to figure out that Konoha was involved somehow. The Leaf is always involved in disasters that fall on others.
"We can't stop now. We're already in a far worse position compared to Konoha. Lose Yugito and we will be forced to 'listen' to them."
He knew Konoha had already defeated Iwagakure and taken control of it. It was a tragedy he simply couldn't allow to proceed. But he would be mute if Kumo's military strength were diminished. He wouldn't even want to fight a battle he knew he wouldn't win. Especially against an enemy who was without mercy.
"We're already listening to them."
A ignored Darui. He didn't take orders from the Sandaime Hokage. He wanted to get along to avoid a needless war. But it didn't mean he was in the same position as Kirigakure. He would not allow the spine of his village to be broken. The Cloud would never become subservient to any other village as long as he was alive and he hoped whoever would succeed him would keep the same spirit.
"You two return home. C and I will head to Konoha. There is an event we were supposed to attend anyway." A said, turning away from his brother.
Of course, he still just wanted to protect Bee. He was much safer in the village than walking around with him. At the same time, the Cloud was much safer with Darui and Bee. At the moment, it was without protection. Given the circumstances, it was a dangerous move. But he'd been forced because of the loss of Yugito.
Konohagakure
There was one person missing, but Hokage Hiruzen felt it necessary to have a meeting. Certain things couldn't be decided. How far things would go between Madara and Naruto wasn't known yet. There was no chance of the two teaming up together—especially since a member of the clan had been killed. It was still no reason to celebrate.
Inside the wooden room, a rectangular table was sat in the centre. Shisui and Jiraiya sat on one side. Hiashi, Chouza, and Shibi were on the other. Itachi sat at the far end of the table.
"I understand you have had some issues to deal with within your clans, but we have matters of importance to discuss." Hiruzen said in a stern tone.
"Shouldn't we wait for his return?" Hiashi asked.
"If he returns." The Third said in a hardened tone. "His opponent is Madara, we cannot forget that. We must make preparations in case something happens."
Naruto had seemed confident, but there was no error in being cautious. It would be a fatal error to simply believe he'd succeed and not take measures in case he failed. The Leaf would be in a serious disadvantage if that were to happen. They'd lose their grip on Iwagakure and the Cloud may return to its old tricks once again.
"He took some members, I assume he knows the task that he faces. He was never the one for stupidity." Shikaku said, and then turned to face Itachi. "What do you think?"
"The fact that he took others means he has made plans in case he fails. Regardless, we'll have to be ready for anything." Itachi said.
"How do we even prepare against someone like Madara?" Chouza asked, without any confidence in their ability to fight the infamous shinobi.
"As we do with any challenges." Jiraiya said. "I'll be the first to charge ahead."
He was still bitter, for once again, he was too late. It seemed some kind of life's twisted way to screw him over. Despite his power, Jiraiya could never quite use it to gain what he wanted. He was always late. Perhaps it was his punishment for refusing to be Hokage.
"You'll make those plans with Itachi," Hiruzen said with a smile. "I'm officially resigning. I wanted to go out in a better situation. But I feel that Itachi should lead the village. There must be a projection of strength in this time. Itachi can offer this much. If we can navigate through this, with our help, it will provide him with great wisdom to deal with troubling situations ahead."
Nobody complained or disagreed with it. The Sandaime was old. He could help out by advising Itachi, but fresh blood was needed in this situation. Besides, this was to be expected.
"Congratulations." Shikaku was the first to say to Itachi with a warm smile. He had confidence that Uchiha would do well.
"Thank you." Itachi bowed his head slightly in appreciation.
"Well, Hokage-sama, we have a lot." Jiraiya began. "I do want to get around to knowing what is happening. But I'll be here. The Raikage will be coming here anyway. We'll have all the remaining Kage. It will be better to see where we stand."
"That's good." Hiruzen said of Jiraiya's decision not to leave the village. "The Mizukage has sent message home. We expect some of her shinobi to arrive in a about two weeks. Tazuna will arrive any time now. But we can't start building structures without redrawing the village's map."
"Last time things were not so smooth," Chouza said with a shake of his head. "That was the beginning of some our troubles...and we never even knew."
"We'll have to ensure we don't repeat the same mistakes." Shibi said.
"Do any of you want to move from where you clan grounds are located?" Itachi asked around the table.
They all said they were fine where they were.
"I'll call a meeting with the other clan heads to locate the clan compounds. The Uchiha clan will not move. Military Police HQ and the Prison will have to move, however. I propose we build the prison in an underground facility, below Military Police Academy. And then have HQ moved to the centre of the village where it will be more accessible."
Itachi thought it was better for the Uchiha clan to remain where it was. The clan grounds were large and convenient enough for their training needs. If they were brought in the middle, they would have less land than they did. As long as HQ and the prison were moved, be thought it would be well.
"I don't see a problem with that." Hiruzen said. "But an underground facility will require work."
"I know."
"Your father was against the idea of moving Military Police away from the village. Do you still want your former land?" Hiashi asked curiously. "I don't want the same problem. You are the Hokage, but not the head of the Uchiha."
"There is no need to worry." Itachi said. "Once we have spoken with the other clan heads. We can draw up the maps."
"I don't think any of them will want change," Shikaku said. "I can have a map drawn before the end of the day and present it to you. You can speak to them then with a map."
"That is fine."
Shikaku nodded with a smile. "I think it will be fine now because Military Police is not just with the Uchiha, but with shinobi from around the village. We have more members now."
"Working too well, If must say," Chouza said. "They have been well trained. I understand why that man makes a mockery of our Anbu."
It was the first time they had seen Military Police in action on such a large scale. The officers handled their duties well. A little cold, but they were efficient.
"Makes me nervous." Hiashi said. "They are too good."
Hiruzen laughed. "First time I hear someone complaining about shinobi being too good at their job."
"He is just concerned about their power. Once everything is settled, they'll expand and become strong enough to even subdue an entire clan, without involving any of the Uchiha." Shikaku said. "Military Police has grown aware that the Uchiha don't even take normal duties but act as overseers."
"The village has to take in more mission requests than usual to help out." Itachi said, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "We will let some members of the Military Police leave for the Wave. It will generate the money we need in such times."
Itachi understood the need for shinobi to take on more missions for the sake of the village's finances. Without them, the village would be staring at a black hole. Dangers would increase, and shinobi would die. But the village needed them for its survival. They were in survival mode after all.
"It will be much easier to deal with the Fire Nation regarding the military police deployment..." Shikaku said with a smile.
Jiraiya agreed. "This creates a distraction from the Uchiha's transgressions."
"But more importantly," Shibi added in a firm tone. "The Feudal Lord can be convinced that more than ever, he needed to protect his borders and towns now that Konoha is in a weakened position."
"We cannot even afford a war, no matter how small." Hiashi added to the severity of their situation. Military power had to be focused on sustaining the village's finances rather than fighting unnecessary battles.
"It will mean I can't be gone for too long," Jiraiya said with a deep frown. No more research in the unknown lands, meeting new people and spreading the legends of the gallant Sannin.
"Yes. We'll need your strength in the village." Itachi said with a nod of his head.
Area 44
"War turns children into warriors. It changes everyone. Some for the better and some for the worse. This was not a war, but you had to face tragedy head-on and make decisions. You can stand proud. You have served your duties. You have saved lives."
It was an army of two hundred strong men and women; members of the Military Police. The elite shinobi of Konoha. And they had shown just how elite they were. Shisui was proud of their efforts. He was sure, even Naruto would be proud.
They weren't done, of course. There was more to be done. In such situations, opportunistic criminals preyed on others. Petty criminals would get up to no good. People had to remain vigilant. While some were weeping, others looked for opportunities to steal. Tragedy always represented an opportunity for others.
"We still have more to do. Some of you will be sent to the Wave. Some to Towns across the Fire Capital."
"Should we be leaving Konoha at this time?"
"You're not being kicked out." Shisui replied with a smile. "It is a mission. Rebuilding requires money. Nobody gives that away for free. We need that money towns will pay for the Leaf to be rebuilt."
There were already volunteers. But he understood that some might want to keep the village protected at this time of need. Duty comes before preference.
"For those who remain, we'll be on duty. Everyone will be on active duty. There will be no one in reserve. Those who have been in training, consider we will have one final push in the coming days." Just because they were in an emergency didn't mean standards had to drop. Naruto would rather have ten highly trained shinobi than a thousand of mediocre shinobi.
After the small meeting, Shisui dismissed everyone except Naori and Isamu. Looking at the two, he realized just how much one loss had truly devastated the Uchiha. He couldn't wait for the children to grow. He too, had to partake in this, for the future of his clan.
"Where is Izumi?"
"Watching Itachi, or something..." Naori replied with a smile. "Poor thing is fawning over him."
"You mean 'worried'." Isamu said, rolling his eyes.
Naori shrugged. "Must be nice of her... she is going to be the wife of the Hokage. I think, she is going to quit shinobi duties and focus on taking care of Itachi."
Shisui sighed. Izumi has always worried about Itachi. Now that he is Hokage, she will worry even more. But will Naruto allow her to quit ninja duties? He doesn't think so.
"The only way Naruto-sama will allow her to quit is if she's carrying a child." Isamu said with a straight face.
"Definitely." Naori agreed. "Can't wait for my belly to get bigger." She said, rubbing her belly.
"You're pregnant?"
"No." Naori replied with a laugh. "But I should try it. I think I won't mind dropping off a few babies." She said with an air of indifference.
"You say it like it's simple."
"How hard is it?"
Isamu sighed. "I'm starting to worry about them..." he said.
Shisui faced the sky for a moment and then put a hand over Isamu's shoulder. "Let's return to clan grounds. They'll come back soon."
Uchiha Compound
"You're back!" Naori had jumped him as soon as she saw Naruto within the Uchiha Compound, flanked by Kouseki and Riku. She embraced him in a tight hug. "I was so worried about you."
This was part of living—to be missed. To have others worry for your survival. Naruto had never actually worried about his own life. If dying meant securing the Uchiha clan, he'd gladly do it. His own life held little value compared to the prosperity of the clan. Yet, each day, he was reminded that there were people who'd be sad if he perished.
It was a nice feeling that made him smile warmly. He'd have returned the hug if he had both his hands. As he smiled, Shisui stood in front, grinning ear to ear, with hands folded across his chest. He was apparently amused that even he could smile like that.
Kouseki cleared his throat to get Naori's attention. "I also survived."
Naori slipped away from Naruto and stared at Kouseki. "You want a hug too?"
"Why not? I was also there to face Madara. Didn't you feel the tremors from here? We weren't even sure we'd survive."
"Have some shame." Riku said to Kouseki in a stern tone.
"I wasn't even going to give him a hug. He can get it from his own wife." Naori said, and then spread out her arms. "But you can come here and feel my chest. I know you did well, compared to him."
Only Naori would say something like that with a straight face. She even put one of her hands across her breasts while inviting Riku. Kouseki stared, but Riku looked away for a second and then looked directly into her eyes. Naori was a beautiful woman. But she'd always had eyes for Naruto.
"I value my life."
Naori laughed, and waved her right hand in a dismissive manner. "He isn't going to kill you. We're short on numbers."
"Regardless, I know boundaries." Riku did not move.
Naruto glanced at Riku for a second and then stared back at Naori. He'd never actually considered seeing her with another man. The very idea was inconceivable. He couldn't even imagine her saying she didn't want to live with him anymore.
"You'll find out that this is one of those situations were I act like just anyone." Naruto said to Naori.
"But you can't be jealous." Naori stared at Naruto. It was only then that she noticed his left hand was missing. She closed the distance and put a hand over his shoulders. "You're not missing anything else, are you?"
"Well, took you long enough to notice." Kouseki said.
"What else do you think I'd be missing?"
"Manhood?"
Kouseki laughed.
Naruto shook his head and nudged off Naori before walking past her. He stopped by Shisui's side. The Naka Shrine was fine. Being on this location had been the saving grace.
"I'd expected you to have turned the clan grounds into a refuge camp."
Shisui smiled. "I considered it. But Yamato-san was quick."
"Ah, well, at least he is useful for something." Naruto replied and then walked past Shisui. He stopped by the stairs and then settled down. He let loose of a huge sigh of relief. "Finally home. I must admit, there was a point I thought I was going to die. Without the Kyubi, I probably would have died."
"You lost an arm, it must have been intense." Shisui said.
Even if it couldn't be replaced, Shisui didn't care. The most important thing was that Naruto had returned home. He was back home to them. To where he belonged. Even if he was missing both arms, he'd still be Naruto. Shisui cracked a wide smile.
"It was Madara."
"Well, good thing is that you're back. Naori isn't the only one who worries about you. The whole clan worries about your well-being. I can't quite imagine a future without you."
"Shisui-san is correct." Isamu said, making appearance at the stairs. He knelt before Naruto and bowed. "It is good you have returned to us, Naruto-sama. It is just unfortunate, we lost one of own."
The mood deflated with those simple words from Isamu. Hikaku was dead. A good man had died. It was a tragedy far greater than any life that has been lost in Konoha—at least Naruto thought so.
"We must prepare a burial for him. He was our brother. We must honour his sacrifice and service." Naruto said in a heavy tone.
"I will make arrangements." Shisui said in a quiet tone. "Your eyes are different."
"Ah yes... Madara's eyes." Naruto said with a shake of his head. "I don't have replacements for when my son awakens his Mangekyo. I'll have to rely on a normal Sharingan."
"His?" Naori asked. "Who said we're having a boy?"
Naruto glanced at Naori and then shook his head. "We already have you... I'd rather not raise your twin. Fugaku-sama had two boys. That is my preference."
"Got something against women?"
"Yes."
"How can you just say yes like that?"
Naruto rolled his eyes and then faced Shisui. "What has been happening?"
"Itachi became Hokage!"
Naruto didn't express the same happiness as Shisui. He simply just nodded his head. "And?"
"An Uchiha finally became Hokage. Can't you express a little more happiness?" Naori asked him with a stare.
"If it was a surprise, there'd be something. But this was merely a case of when." Naruto said with a shrug. "Anything else?"
"Military Police will be deployed away. But you'll talk to Itachi about it."
Naruto nodded his head and then stood up. "I'm going to rest. I almost died today, and my eyes need rest." He said.
"Please let him rest, Naori." Kouseki pleaded. "It was an intense battle. He really did nearly die. That missing arm is nothing compared to having a hole ripped through his chest."
Naori ignored Kouseki and followed after Naruto.
"We don't have a house." She said to him.
Naruto turned to face Naori. "What?"
"It was destroyed."
"Well, that's a shame." Naruto said. "Mikoto's house?"
"Still standing."
Naruto nodded and then changed directions. Naori locked arms with him. "You know I just have that one arm, right?"
"That's why I'm holding it." Naori said with a grin. "To show you belong to me. With the war over and Itachi Hokage, I'm sure you'll now be focused on restoring the clan. I won't be surprised if you get a few kunoichi and bring them over to the compound to give you children."
"You're being ridiculous."
"I wasn't being ridiculous when I said I would not share you with anyone. And I mean anyone."
Naruto glanced at Naori with a smile. "You know something that I don't?"
"Maybe... but I'm watching."
"I'm still your clan head, you know?"
"I know." Naori smiled. "Did you really nearly die?" She asked with concern.
"Yeah."
Sasuke may as well be jumping up and down. He was too happy. The air of superiority and arrogance elevated him above the ground. It didn't take a genius to figure out why. No doubt, the teen was going to be insufferable to his teammates. Did he even have friends? Itachi just became Hokage, and his head just became gigantic.
Naruto wanted to beat up the boy, strangle him and remind him that Itachi's strength was not his. At this rate, Sasuke wasn't going to surpass his brother. A hugely disappointing prospect since he had the skill to do so.
"You're better off training," Naruto said, standing in front of Sasuke, who was standing by the entrance of his house.
"Nothing you say will get me down."
Naruto poked Sasuke on the forehead, pushing him slightly. He fell on his back, and immediately got up, looking angry. "I can just do that and you're down."
"You bully him too much," Mikoto said, appearing at the entrance. She had a warm smile on her lips.
"He asked for it." Naruto said with a shrug.
Mikoto shook her head and fully appreciated his appearance. After a moment, she glanced at Naori and greeted her. "Naori..."
"Mikoto-san."
"We're going to need a room. My house is gone." Naruto said to Mikoto.
Her smile brightened. "Would be good if you stayed for a while," she said, motioning for them to enter the house.
"With Itachi and his girlfriend? There'd be three women seeking to control the house." Naori pointed out.
"Why would you want to control a roof that is not yours? As long as I am here, this house is mine."
"Don't mind her," Naruto said, waving his right hand. "I'm going to get some rest before I get dragged into meetings. I'm sure the village has a lot of questions."
Later
There was calmness throughout the village. The dark cloud still hung overhead, but the fear was gone. They were alive; they could hope to rebuild and return to their former glory. For now, the streets would not be 'civil'. Kids would still be kids. The adults would go about their business trying to rebuild.
Naruto stopped in the midst of the rubble and stared into the heavens. The path couldn't be any clearer. There were no more obstacles to the Uchiha's hegemony. He would establish, build, and cement a legacy that would be impossible to uproot.
The good thing about this tragedy was that the villagers had more to think about than worrying about the Uchiha's past transgressions. Nobody would be asking about the revolt. They had better things to do. Naruto wasn't going to thank Madara, but he would make use of this opportunity for the sake of the Uchiha.
Itachi was located in his temporary office, just where the partially destroyed Hokage tower was situated. Within the office, he had the Sandaime and Shikaku with him. They were sitting in wooden chairs around a round table.
"You look human," Shikaku said to Naruto with a smile. He would have appreciated it if the Uchiha had greeted them upon his return. Regardless, they had received a report from Riku that Madara was no longer a problem.
"I'm sure there are many who would rather I stay like this," Naruto said, sharing a smile with Shikaku. He sat between the Nara and the Sandaime around the round table.
"It makes things a little fair."
Naruto laughed. "You'd think," he said. "But I'm just a little more deadly this way."
"I've never known you not to be deadly," the Sandaime said. Naruto was ruthless in battle. Fooling around? The Uchiha had it in him, but he would still break his opponent apart if he didn't end up destroying them.
"Mercy I do not have," Naruto said with a shrug and then faced Itachi. "Congratulations, Hokage-sama," he said with a smile.
It felt weird to Itachi hearing that from Naruto. But then again, Naruto had always shown respect to 'authority,' at least on most occasions. But it was what it was. It would have been better if his father was alive. But Naruto seemed genuinely happy for him. That made Itachi happy.
"Thank you," Itachi said earnestly. "Riku already explained to us what happened in your battle with Madara. Details are not that necessary. What is important is that the threat to the Leaf is no more and you're back home."
Now more than ever, the Uchiha's power was relevant. The villagers couldn't even gossip about their treacherous history because they needed the Uchiha's power to protect the Leaf in this dreadful time. They didn't even have to work behind the shadows to change the views.
"Jiraiya told us that he wanted to gather the Bijuu. Were you able to discover why?" the Sandaime Hokage asked.
"Some grand goal about enslaving the entire shinobi world in Genjutsu," Naruto stared at Itachi. "Tsukuyomi. But on a large scale and there would be no escape. He was disillusioned about the state of the world and sought to bring his own peace. Trapping people in an eternal Genjutsu where people live their best lives."
Tsukuyomi made Itachi the most powerful Genjutsu user in the village. At least Shikaku thought so. As far as he knew, Itachi was able to manipulate the five senses.
"Everyone has their own view of what peace means and how it must be gained. The Shodai thought of sharing the Bijuu for this peace. But it didn't bring any peace. We have seen nothing but destruction. The world is less bloody than it was during the warring times. But there is still no peace..." the Nara said with a slight shake of his head.
Shinobi and their obsession with the idea of peace. Looking around, Naruto realized he was probably the only one who didn't care about it. The Sandaime naively led this village into turmoil because he wanted peace. Itachi was a pacifist and with him being Hokage, there would be no more chaos and destruction. Itachi would rather have Shisui manipulate the other Kage than fight a bloody war.
"Conflict is part of life. Because we think differently, our ideas will sometimes clash. But maybe that is just my twisted view of things," Naruto said with indifference. "What Madara wanted is irrelevant because he has been stopped. It is the aftermath we must worry about."
"We have received word that he went to Hidden Rivers. The village still stands but the loss of Gaara is huge and detrimental to its existence." The Sandaime Hokage said.
"Did he capture any other Jinchuriki?"
"One of Kumo's." Naruto smiled as he spoke. "The Raikage will arrive soon. Once he finds out we defeated him, he'll be demanding his Jinchuriki be returned to him."
A weakened man. Even if Konoha was down, it was still fully capable of trampling on the Cloud. A would search for his Bijuu, to ensure there was some equilibrium. Otherwise, he would live in a state of constant fear—if he harboured negative thoughts toward Konoha. But then again, it was human nature to be wary of greater power you couldn't control.
"Can we get it back?" Itachi asked Naruto.
"I don't know. He sealed them. I could try, but I'm not too motivated." Naruto said with a slight shrug. "There will be some demands, of course. Without question, he'll be demanding that we release Iwagakure."
"That is entirely predictable." Shikaku said. After all, Kiri and Konoha have shown to be true allies. The Cloud would need another ally to balance things out. And in case there was war, they'd want an ally to fight on their side. "But holding onto Iwagakure is unnecessary if it just creates problems. We have our own problems."
Of course, these people would think like this. They'd do anything to make these alliances work.
"I will handle the Raikage and the Iwagakure issue." Itachi said. "Military Police will play an important role in ensuring the village is safe as well as the Fire Nation. We'll have a generation of shinobi who don't want to be normal shinobi but members of Military Police. For this reason, I think, the head of Military Police should be part of the village Council. I know you'd voluntarily stepped down. And there were plans to create a Council to oversee Military Police. A simple chain of command makes things run smooth."
Given the surprise on the Sandaime's face, Naruto realized Itachi hadn't taken this with anyone.
"This is a time we need to be together. We can't grow Konoha if we're worried about one clan holding on to too much power." Itachi added.
Shikaku smiled. "Well put," he said. "It will be good having you in the Council."
"I'm not going to enjoy it."
"I take it you accept?"
"Why not?"
Itachi nodded. "Once we conclude things with the Feudal Lord, you need to be ready to send out teams to Towns around the Leaf."
"That will be done." Naruto said. "I want to change the way I recruit. I'll pick those skilled from the academy... but I don't want children in Military Police. Military Academy will pick from Genin, and they'll be trained for three years. They'll he grown and thrown into the force."
"I see," Shikaku looked thoughtful. "But you'd want the standards of the academy to grow a little bit."
"Why the change?" The Sandaime asked.
"To be a member of the force, you need to be at least a Jonin. I don't want thousands of men. I want quality."
"That is fine, but I'll reserve the right to take some members from you if I believe it will be good for the village to have them doing missions."
"Or, you could just train better shinobi."
Itachi ignored this. "The Uchiha Compound won't move. But we will move Military Police HQ and the Prison. The Prison will be built under Police Academy. Are you fine with that?"
"Yes."
"I want to give the land that bridges the rest of the village and the Uchiha to Kirigakure. Especially were Military Police was."
"That is also fine." Naruto said. "Remember, I said I'd change my recruitment methods, but I'll still take children I value highly and begin training them at a young age."
Following day
Sora's potential with Ninjutsu was unmatched, even to his fellow clansmen. But Naruto really didn't enjoy teaching Ninjutsu. He figured students would be able to get the gist of it once they learned the fundamental basics. But not showing Sora Ninjutsu was just limiting his potential and wasting his large chakra reserves.
"Rarely, do we release jutsu in condensed forms. It's a rather complicated effort, of course. Fireball can be large, depending on the user."
"Well, it would depend on the element. Explosions are always condensed." Sora said. "But, large scale jutsu mean precision is not really a requirement. Condensed mean small, you need to be targeted. I suppose for you, since you have the Sharingan, it's not an issue." Sora explained with a deep frown as a deep realization dawned on him.
Naruto could easily target objects with his spear because of his Sharingan. The spear required precision to be effective. If Sora couldn't be precise, then it wouldn't be effective. He could only use the weapon if he was hitting something in a certain distance. Naruto could strike long distances without problems.
"Indeed. But it doesn't always mean you need to be precise. If you're not precise, your opponent will still be caught within the explosion. However, faster opponents will have that split second to run away."
"Waste of chakra."
"Yes." Naruto said with a nod of his head. "But condensed jutsu are much more deadly." Naruto said and then held out his right hand. Flames formed on the palm, creating a small orb.
It was so small, but Sora could still feel the heat. Naruto flicked the small orb into the air and snapped his fingers. The orb exploded in a loud bang. A sizable column of flames spread above them.
"That is just nasty," Sora said smiling happily. "The explosion is much more dangerous than normal flames. Nobody survives that"
"You'll be surprised," Naruto said. "You'll have to eventually learn to release condensed flames from the mouth. It is actually much easier than when you create it on the palm of your hand. After all, it is kneading as much chakra as possible, converting it into flames and then releasing it all at once."
Sora blinked. He imagined a fatal mistake in the process. He'd have to choose a single point where he would gather the chakra and then condense it. The stomach could hold more. The mouth, a little less. However, a simple mistake and he would blow himself up. He shivered at the very thought.
"So you start with the hand to understand the jutsu better before going to your stomach. One mistake and I'm dead."
"Yes." Naruto said with a nod of his head. "It is the same process as with the Rasengan. Instead of gathering pure chakra on the palm of your hand, you gather chakra that has been converted into flames. The second step is giving that chakra shape. The Rasengan works by making the chakra rotate until it becomes a sphere. Of course, you'd not be done. You can either gather condensed chakra or condense it while you try to give it shape."
"How do I shoot then?"
"Fire works with both Wind and Lightning. It's your choice."
"You're not really giving me much."
"I'm not suited for this." Naruto said with a smile and then put a hand on Sora's shoulder. "With Yuto, I'd just slowly do it while he watches with his Sharingan. He'd be able to copy and practice. But you're smart." Naruto said and then jumped away from the boy.
Mei was sitting on the rooftop of the Military Police Force academy. She'd left the Uchiha Compound with Shisui training the young Uchiha. Area 44 was a clash of battles among members of the Military Police in battle. While others patrolled and helped out with rebuilding, the training continued. Was there no rest? Did he not think there was a time he'd end up saying, 'we've made it' and put down arms?
Then again, the Military Police Force was a unique body. This was nonetheless a reminder that she couldn't blink and think there would be no more troubles ahead. There might not be wars, but conflicts would arise. Because even if they wanted peace, they had to admit that humans would always clash in ideas. There would always be bad people who needed to be taken down. Without a strong Military force, they would be swept away by darkness.
"Mei-san."
Naruto greeted her respectfully as soon as he landed beside her. She watched as he settled on her right side, his right knee raised, eyes scanning the training grounds.
"It always annoys me how respectful you are."
Naruto turned to her with a smile. It dawned on Mei that despite his merciless nature, he wasn't exactly heartless. There weren't a lot of emotions he displayed. But when he smiled, it was always a real smile. None of those fake smiles hiding the dark, calculating minds of vipers.
"Would you rather I simply call you Mei without any formality?"
He was amused, but Mei wasn't. It really annoyed her. "No. But you could if you wanted and there would be nothing I could do about it."
"If I lorded myself around you, would you be comfortable with talking to me?"
"No... But I still get anxious talking to you," Mei admitted with a wry smile.
Naruto laughed. "Why? I've never threatened you with harm."
"I know it takes one mistake for you to turn on me." Mei stated her fears in an even tone. As usual, the Uchiha head just smiled. He didn't immediately respond. But it gave Mei enough time to gather her thoughts.
"To say I don't like the Sandaime Hokage is an understatement. Danzo led our clan to a dark path, but the Sandaime permitted it. He simply folded his arms and allowed Danzo to usurp his authority. If he had been 'Hokage' the incident wouldn't have happened. The Uchiha clan would be whole. The village Council ordered members of my clan to be slaughtered. I know some wanted me to be murdered as well. But they are all still alive. One day, you'll tell me why. But I'm not as merciless as you'd think. Of course, if you try to harm my clan, even if it is to protect your village, I'll destroy everything."
Naruto knew how to hold grudges, Mei had come to accept this much. But she also learned he was rational about anything. He didn't act on whims, or with vengeance. In fact, it was safe to say he did nothing out of vengeance. He was truly a complex kind of person, but some would argue he was simple.
"As for being polite, one must understand an order to this. There is decorum, proper etiquette. I am a clan head, there is a way I must act. Just because I have no respect for you doesn't mean I'll disrespect the position you occupy." Naruto then smiled. "But there is also another simple reason. You become God, people fear you. When they fear you, they cannot approach and there is an incentive to act against you."
"All part of a calculated façade, huh?" Mei smiled bitterly.
"Partially." Naruto said with a smile.
Mei fell silent as she gathered her thoughts. She'd admit, it was easy to talk to Naruto, because he wasn't going to be offended or prone to emotional outbursts. But, the dark cloud over his head made him a very dangerous person.
"Did you kill Ao?"
Mei asked with a straight face. Once more, he turned to her. His lone visible eye held nothing. But his lips twirled up a bit into a smile. He cocked his head and then spoke. "You wouldn't ask if you didn't across some information. But, yes, I did kill him."
As expected, he did kill Ao, and he didn't deny it. But Mei felt something was missing. She'd expected him to give her a look that clearly asked, 'so, what if I killed him?'
"Why?"
"The Byakugan."
"Hyuga clan?"
"Maybe." Naruto kept his stare and Mei didn't falter. "Are you displeased?"
"Of course I am!"
"I see."
"You murdered one of Kiri's strongest shinobi! And all you can say is 'I see?' Mei didn't shout, but she had to hold herself from doing so. "To be honest, when I heard, I considered your reaction and had decided that I wouldn't want to be married into your clan. Why would I marry under someone so dismissive of others and willing to murder allies without a second thought?"
"And now?"
"If you don't give me a good explanation and don't come to an agreement on how we will deal with this, I'm sticking to my decision of not marrying into your clan." Mei said resolutely.
"I captured the Three and Six Tails for you. I could have kept them If I wanted. But I gave them to you."
End of chapter
The reaction to the battle was absolutely awesome. Thank you all!
I'd said the story would end around chapter 34, but that is obviously not going to be the case. We are however, on the last leg.