Tensions were high in Rain since the night of Naruto's impromptu clash with Fuka. The two could scarcely be seen in the same room as another. They could never be seen in public with one another. It was as if a world separated the pair of Uzumaki that had once been closely knit. The discomfort extended beyond the two of them. Nagato struggled to talk to Naruto, mostly hearing about his cousin from Kisame. The blonde had refused to come to his attempt at creating a peacekeeping meeting.
Fuka had only gone because he had forced her to.
The woman had clearly wanted to live by her promise to Nagato. But it was one thing to say she wanted to try and forgive Sakura for her role in Ashino's attempted kidnapping. It was another to try and live by it. As such the coldness extended to the entire Uzumaki Clan. Karin couldn't find the strength to look at Fuka after she had harmed the Konoha kunoichi, but at the same time she felt it hard to blame her for her actions. She sympathized. Her maternal instincts would have forced her to do the same if any harmed the child that was still within her. She understood it was wrong, but some things that were right were wrong.
Kamino remained the odd ball out. The man, perhaps because he was not blood related to any participants, was able to move among the iciness in the clan with relative ease. All tolerated his presence. Internally he could not help but wonder if it was due to his station. The other members of the clan, children or not, were all shinobi or shinobi-in-training. He, as the only civilian, was always the odd man out. He was undeniably the weakest, and his lack of experience in their world made his opinion inherently disregarded in such matters. None would ever know it. His face was far too composed for his internal thoughts to be read by any of them, even his wife. He was a stone wall. Ever polite. Ever still. But internally he was a storm. He had never known such cruelty, yet he could rationalize it. Despite that, he also could rationalize Naruto's position as a former Konoha shinobi himself. And for the first time the man felt the distance between him and the other members of his clan.
Nagato. Ever the peacemaker, the man kept trying to bring the family back together. He could not help but feel responsible. Sakura had been hurt in his village, after he had promised to protect her. In turn, that made her wounds his fault. For the wounds to have come at the hands of his wife no less, well, the mans was certainly conflicted. His own feelings towards the girl were complicated, but he knew that once he gave his word, he would always attempt to honor it. And he had failed. That was what bothered him the most. His own failure to keep his own promises had torn apart the family he so desperately was trying to build. For the first time in a long while it felt like his family was whole, and his inadequacy had ripped it apart once more.
Naruto was quiet. The blonde scarcely left the Haruno's side anymore, and when he did, he left a clone to watch over her. He was a silent guardian, and ever-present protector. A cold one. He outrighted ignored Fuka, and despite his agreement to become a shinobi of Rain, even Nagato got quite the cold shoulder from the blonde. Sure, they could hold a conversation, but the blonde was terse. He did not blame Nagato for what happened, but at the same time he did not absolve him. Nagato was not responsible for Fuka, she was her own person. But she had assaulted his friend right under his nose. He knew more than most that kage were fallible.
But he did not appreciate it.
Ashino, as the primary cause of the dysfunction, was for much of it the same. Or at least, he was on the surface. The child took after Kamino more than he knew. Externally most could not tell anything out of the ordinary. He was still as inquisitive as he ever was. But on the inside, he felt the distance from his family and it bothered him. He wanted them to be close once more. Not out of some childlike innocence, that had been robbed of him by Sakura and her allies when they invaded. No, but rather out of fear. His family had been separated when he was taken.
And now they were separated once more.
That was why he was here now, desperately trying to talk to his uncle.
The boy knocked on the door of the house, his eyes staring at the ground. It opened slightly, revealing a man staring down at him, blonde hair blowing in the harsh winds.
"Ashino! What the hell are you doing outside while the weather is like this!"
Naruto beckoned the boy inside the house, closing it and sealing the house from the thunderstorm overhead. The Uzumaki child was soaked, with his red hair left splashed haphazardly across his face. Naruto frowned.
"Come on, let's get you dry before you get sick. What the hell were you thinking?"
The blonde quickly led him down the hall, leaving Ashino to stare at the decorations on it. The Uzumaki had moved into his own place after the first night he had spent at Kisame's. Something about too many shark teeth hanging everywhere. He had bought a nice house towards the outskirts of the village. Far from the Clan Compound. No one had said anything about it, but Ashino knew it was intentional. The further he was from the Clan Compound the further Sakura was from his mother.
The safer Sakura was.
The blonde quickly snagged a towel, quickly rubbing Ashino down with it. The boy recoiled from the feeling of his damp clothes hitting his skin, but Naruto kept going. When he was finally finished, he quickly shifted through his closet, laying down a new set of clothes before the child.
"They're oversized but change into those."
The blonde left the room to give him time to change. It wasn't long before Ashino returned, stumbling as he walked in the oversized black pants and white shirt. A pile of still wet clothes were in his hands that Naruto quickly snatched.
"Why are you here Ashino? Do your parents know where you are right now?"
"No," he whispered. "Tou-san's at the tower and Kaa-chan isn't at home."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. So, he had snuck out, at least to the best of his ability. Fuka might not know where the boy was, but Nagato most assuredly did. Anyone who stepped into this thunderstorm would be struck by more than just the natural rain, but also the rain caused by Nagato's jutsu. The man could sense any who were in it. He knew where his son was.
"Well, why'd you come," Naruto questioned. The blonde led the boy through the house, finding the kitchen where he quickly grabbed a bag of chips. He offered a bag to the child who politely declined. Shrugging, Naruto took one for himself.
"It's not like you have school today."
"I wanted to talk to you...about Kaa-chan."
Naruto tensed. His eyes snapped to Ashino as he opened the bag. Nothing was vocalized but Ashino understood the message. Tread carefully.
"I...I wanted to know why you were so protective of her. And why Kaa-chan wasn't."
Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his head. Ashino was a strong kid, to have gone through what he had. He was even stronger to weather the unique abilities that had awoken in him due to the experience. But he was still a child at the end of the day.
"Sakura is my friend," Naruto stated. He sat on a chair, looking at his younger cousin. "I've known her since I was your age. Younger actually."
Ashino's eyes widened with curiosity. It was a strange sensation for Naruto. He had never viewed himself as old, being only in his mid-twenties. He had lived through wars. To Ashino and his perception of time, colored by the bias of youth, he was ancient.
"Imagine growing up with some of your friends at the academy. And then someone you know, someone you call family, hurt them. Imagine I hurt them."
Naruto frowned, leaning his head in his hand. "It's not like I don't understand why Fuka did it. Part of me cannot blame her. I'd by a hypocrite too. When someone killed my sensei when I was fifteen...I felt nothing but hatred."
"What did you do," Ashino questioned.
Naruto looked Ashino dead in his eyes.
"I killed the person responsible a year later."
Ashino's eyes widened in shock. No fanfare. Just hard fact. There was no emotion in his tone. But that wasn't what he sensed. The Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of Kagura) wasn't quite an emotional detection jutsu but it was the next closest thing. Ashino was sure something sparked in the blonde's chest when he spoke, but he wasn't sure as to what.
"So...do you think Kaa-chan will kill Sakura?"
"No," Naruto stated. "She had her opportunity and didn't. Besides, she would have to get through me to do that now-"
Naruto briefly remembered who he was talking to.
"And I'll stop her before I let her."
A lie. Ashino did not call him out on it.
"Is that all you wanted to know?"
"Well, um..." Ashino seemed to struggle to speak. "I was wondering..."
Ashino looked up at Naruto, a sparkle of something in his eyes.
"I was wondering if I could meet her?"
Naruto titled his head. "Meet her? Do you...do you mean Sakura?"
Ashino nodded.
"Are you sure? She did help kidnap you."
"Yeah but..." Ashino frowned, seemingly struggling to find the words to say. "If I can forgive her maybe Kaa-chan can too. And then you'll move back in with us?"
Naruto's eyes widened as he realized what this was really about. The blonde gave a soft smile, ruffling Ashino's still-wet hair.
"Sure."
The blonde led the boy upstairs, knocking on a door. A muffled "Come in" could be heard before he entered, Ashino right behind him, hiding behind his leg. Sakura raised an eyebrow at the sight of the young child.
"He wanted to meet you."
"Oh, did he now?"
The woman knelt in front of the child and a small smile danced across her face.
"Well, hello there."
Ashino gave a hesitant wave, struggling to meet her in the eyes. Sakura frowned. Slowly she moved, reaching her hand out and bowing her head. Ashino's eyes widened at the sight.
"I never truly apologized to you," the woman stated. "What we did...what I didn't do...was wrong. Our mission was to bring Naruto back to the village, not kidnap an innocent boy. I was too weak to speak up and stop the plan then. I should have been stronger."
Ashino tentatively reached out, touching Sakura's hand. Naruto raised an eyebrow. Ashino paid him no mind. This wasn't childlike innocence. This was his technique. He could feel it with his jutsu.
She wasn't lying.
"It's...not okay," Ashino stated. "But...I understand. Kaa-chan always tell me that to an Uzumaki nothing should be more important than family. For a shinobi...the entire village must be family, right? And the kage like a dad. I wouldn't want to disappoint my dad either."
Sakura paused, processing the words before a light chuckle escaped her lips. "I see. Well, unfortunately that is not what Konoha is like. Not anymore. But I appreciate your kind words."
"I'm sorry too," Ashino stated. That got a look of curiosity from Naruto and the pinkette.
"My mom shouldn't have done that."
Sakura smiled.
"Your mother felt wronged...it is understandable. I do not blame her."
Ashino frowned. There was something else there. The woman didn't truly blame his mother, at least not in the sense that she could find fault in her for her defensiveness over her child. But there was some other emotion buried deep that he couldn't quite tell. A frown glossed over his face before it was gone, faster than even Sakura could detect. He lacked the tact to dig and figure out what it was.
The child pulled his hand back before turning to look at the elder Uzumaki.
"Can I stay here with you two until it's time to go home?"
Naruto smiled.
"Of course."
It wasn't long before Naruto was called in to Nagato's office. The man had been in meetings all day but had asked for the blonde's presence. A war council was occurring. The blonde left a clone with Sakura and Ashino before he went over, led by the Ame kunoichi sent to retrieve him. He opened the door, thanking the woman before she closed it behind her. In the room it was simply Nagato. Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"I was told this would be a war council meeting?"
"It is," Nagato stated.
The door opened once more, revealing Yahiko walking into the room. He was dragging two men behind him. One was restrained, and the other seemed...strangely still. Yahiko threw them both onto the ground, a frown on his face.
"Who are they?"
"Konoha spies," Yahiko muttered. "Nagato detected them trying to sneak in and sent me to handle them. You can't hard chakra signatures as long as theirs from Nagato with simple suppression."
Naruto glanced at Nagato.
"I hope you don't expect me to torture them for information. That's not really my forte."
"Not at all," Nagato stated. "But I think you would know most about the information they would tell us."
Naruto shrugged. It was a possibility. He hadn't been in the village in a long time. Many war strategies had likely changed, but he could infer reasoning from it better than anyone else in Ame except Sakura and she wasn't exactly going to help them in their war effort unless absolutely forced to.
For obvious reasons Nagato did not do such a thing.
"There is one problem though," Yahiko stated. He kicked the still one.
"This guy's dead."
"You killed him already?"
"Nope. He had a cyanide pill in his mouth."
Naruto frowned. Yahiko stepped forwards, opening the man's mouth. His tongue rolled out, revealing a strange seal on it. The man glanced up at Naruto.
"You ever seen this?"
"No. It looks like some type of cursed fuinjutsu."
Yahiko turned to look at the restrained man. The man's eyes glared hotly at him. Yahiko snatched the stick from his mouth that didn't allow him to talk.
"You bas-"
The man's talking was quickly stopped when a punch from Yahiko smashed into his cheek. He spat blood onto the floor. Nagato frowned at the action.
"Yahiko..."
"I don't need him mouthy," he stated calmly. "Now. Fuinjutsu. You ever seen it?"
The man glared back at him, but there was no hint of recognition in those eyes.
"Heh, either you're better than most at hiding your emotions or you've never seen it before. Don't worry, we'll have our answers soon enough."
Another punch smashed into the man's chin, forcing a tooth loose.
"Yahiko enough!"
Yahiko ignored Nagato.
"Now, have you ever seen this fuinjutsu before? What does it do?"
"I'll die before I help you Rain trash," the man stated. His eyes snapped up to Naruto, anger on his face. "Especially when they're working with a traitor like you."
Naruto stared coldly at the man. Yahiko raised a hand to hit him, only for Nagato to grab it.
"Enough. We are not going to abuse people in Ame Yahiko. I will not allow it."
"How else do you plan on getting information out of him?"
"We will figure it out."
"Well, I have," Yahiko yelled. "Use your jutsu."
Nagato's eyes bristeled and his chakra briefly spiked.
"No."
"Oh, come on," Yahiko screamed. "It's an even better technique than Karin's at interrogation!"
Nagato glared at his childhood friend, rage burning in his eyes. Rage and betrayal at the suggestions. "Is that why you didn't invite her here?"
"We need answers, Nagato," Yahiko pressed. "While we've been preoccupied here Konoha is sending spies into our country. Your jutsu forces people to tell the truth to you."
"It comes at a terrible cost."
"Can someone tell me what's going on here?"
Nagato and Yahiko turned to the blonde. A frown rested on Nagato's face.
"Do you remember when I told you that the Rinnegan gave me more than just combat abilities?"
A curt nod.
"Two of my techniques allow me the ability to gain information from someone. However, they are...unrealistic."
"Unrealistic my ass," Yahiko stated. "You don't have to use the Ningendo (Human Path) on him. Use the Jigokudo (Naraka Path) and he can live."
Naruto's eyes widened. He was able to interpret what they were alluding to.
"You can gain information from people...but at the cost of their lives?"
"The Jigokudo does not necessitate death," Yahiko stated.
"But it is the most likely outcome," Nagato insisted.
"And that wouldn't be your burden to bear," Yahiko insisted. "I understand your reservations about the Ningendo because it requires killing the victim. And I know how you feel about killing unless it is absolutely necessary. You're a pacifist at heart Nagato and I respect you for that. You don't kill unless you absolutely have to. But Jigokudo can get information from someone, and they won't die."
"Only if they tell the truth."
"So, he tells the truth," Yahiko insisted.
"And if he doesn't?"
"Then he dies!" Yahiko roared, as if the answer were obvious. "Newsflash Nagato, we're at war. Konoha is sending spies at us, and we've already had some of our border patrols come up missing. It's not just spies they're sending, but military forces as well."
Yahiko snapped his eyes at Naruto.
"Ever since blonde here took down the Ichibi..."
His attention turned back to Nagato.
"They can redistribute their forces, and some are coming here. Our previous strategy of sitting here and waiting isn't going to work against a threat like this. They can actually strike out at us. We need this information, damned be to our own personal morals. They are coming and we need to be prepared. If he dies in the process, so be it, because they won't hesitate to kill us."
"We cannot sacrifice what we have built to fight against them," Nagato stated. "If we do that, we are no different."
"We are different," Yahiko yelled. He threw his hands up in frustration. "Damn it Nagato how many times do I have to tell you, the person who punches first is the aggressor, not the person who punches at all! The moral difference matters. They punched first. They have always punched first. Now is the time to strike back at them and force them back into their fucking forest."
"We can do that without unnecessary death."
"His death is a necessary one!"
Naruto stared at the arguing duo, feeling like he almost didn't belong here. It was like the two were rehashing an argument they had had several times in the past and this was his first time to truly bear witness. He had always known the two's ideals didn't line up perfectly. They clashed. Nagato was too idealistic, and Yahiko was too utilitarian. For these two to embody the political power of the village, it was no wonder Ame was always a reclusive nation. Beyond their global position upheld mostly by Nagato's sheer indomitable power, they had political strife of their own to handle.
And he had signed up for it.
"Do you remember how Rain became recognized as a Great Power," Yahiko insisted. "It was because of you. The Sage Priests, the quarreling bastards, all looked to you and said that you were a holy figure. A savior sent by the Sage. Those bastards cannot agree on anything, much less the canonicity of different stories! But they agreed on that. But that wasn't the only reason."
Yahiko swung his arms toward the window, gesturing to the whole of Amegakure and Rain.
"It was because of this."
The thunderstorm outside boomed.
"Because your power made Ame, no, Rain impenetrable. When Suna tried to force their army through Ame to attack Konoha after they took Kusa, you were the one who forced their army to heel. Your power alone is what holds up this village. This nation. Your power is what protects our citizens from the tyranny of the other Great Powers. If you don't use it to protect them, you've failed them."
"I can use my power in other ways," Nagato stated. "I can repel the Konoha invaders without killing unnecessarily."
"Well now you can't," Yahiko stated. A smirk danced across his face.
"What are you talking about?"
"He knows about your abilities," Yahiko stated. Nagato frowned. The smirk grew into a full-on smile.
"What did you think you could just release him back to Konoha when the war was over? That we could win this battle bloodlessly? That might work on the battlefield where no one can even touch you, but that's not how espionage works. That is where wars are decided. So sure, you could release him back to the Hokage, but then he tells him about your jutsu. You already let those Konoha shinobi from before go. Part of the reason why Rain was so well defended was because no one knew how your techniques worked. The more people you let live, and you have let many live, the more people have time to analyze your techniques. It will not be long until the world understands how your jutsu functions. And they will develop counters, just like they always have."
Yahiko shrugged.
"So fine. Don't kill him. Let him report it back to the Hokage. And when Konoha has figured out all of the flaws in your jutsu they'll come back with a kill squad and wipe all of us out."
The man's eyes burned into Nagato's own.
"Like it or not we're in an arms race now. We cannot afford to stop developing our military, nor can we afford to let information leak to our enemies. We are in a war Nagato. It's time you started acting like it."
"Alright that's enough," Naruto stated, stepping between the two men. The tension in the air was palpable. The blonde had no idea their disagreement ran this deep. Yahiko had completely told the man off in front of an enemy shinobi. Naruto had no doubt it was intentional. The more he made Ame appear weak the more he forced Nagato's hand to take action. It was a dirty tactic, one that Danzo would use, but Naruto could not deny its effectiveness.
He also could not deny that Yahiko had a point.
"Bah, whatever," Yahiko roared, stomping towards the door. "Let him do what he wants! Let's see how far that gets us!"
The man stormed out.
Naruto and Nagato frowned but said nothing. Naruto glanced at Nagato, but the man was staring absently at the door, completely oblivious to the Konoha shinobi present. Yahiko's words had left a mark. Unable to find the words to comfort his cousin, especially with the resentment towards his wife still burning in his heart, Naruto turned his attention to the Konoha shinobi that was smirking up at the trio through blood-stained lips.
"He's the matter of attention now. You're a spy, right? So was the other guy. But he wasn't in Jiraiya's spy network, and I don't recognize you. So, either you're new or Danzo created a new spy network after Ero-Sennin's and jiji's death."
The man frowned but said nothing.
"Now it doesn't make sense to uproot all of Jiraiya's work. Danzo's egotistical, but he is a pragmatist first and foremost. He'd cut off his own arm if it was to help Konoha. So, you have to be in Jiraiya-sensei's spy network."
"A traitor talking about a village savior like that, bah. You're a disgrace."
"A disgrace? I stopped an Iwa invasion from piercing Kusa's borders, after I conquered the nation by the way. I'd hardly count that as a disgrace."
"You turned your back on the village! You joined Ame."
"When have I ever acted out at Konoha?"
"It doesn't matter what you've done in the past," the Konoha shinobi stated. "You're doing it now. Naruto Uzumaki. Student of the Sandaime Hokage. Student of Jiraiya the Toad Sage. Son of the Yondaime Hokage. A lineage of shinobi that trace back to the Shodai. You disgrace your legacy."
Naruto could not speak. His mouth pressed into a thin line and his eyes burned with resentment against the man.
"Enough," Nagato interjected. He tapped his foot and the kunoichi from before entered the room.
"Take him to the cells. Have Karin interrogate him later if you would."
"Sir!"
The kunoichi dragged the man out, heading towards the cells. Meanwhile Naruto turned to look at Nagato. A storm of conflicted emotions rose up in him before he finally settled on one.
Acceptance.
"Coin for your thoughts?"
Nagato frowned. A look of exhaustion flashed on his face for less than second, but it went back to the same regalness it usually held.
"Yahiko...his hatred of the Great Powers is understandable. He suffered when Ame was a battleground. We all did. But the solutions to this problem...it is not what Jiraiya-sensei would have wanted."
"You really look up to him huh," Naruto questioned. "Ero-Sennin that is."
"He saved us. Took pity on us when no one else would. Gave us the skills to defend ourselves. Everything that Rain is is owed to him. What is there not to look up to?"
"His perverseness."
"That is an exception."
Naruto chuckled, shaking his head. "Are you sure that's not clouding your thoughts? Jiraiya-sensei was anti-war, but he knew death was a necessary part of the life of a shinobi. He ran a spy network. Everyone knew the risks, himself included. Getting caught often did mean death."
"I understand his mission," Nagato stated. "I understand the complications with which he had to work under. But I will not follow that path. One need not live like he did. One need not use deception. I intend to prove that. I will create peace with Konoha without killing spies."
"Yahiko was right you know," Naruto stated. The statement got a look of astonishment from Nagato. Naruto shook his head.
"There are two clear flaws with that plan. First, the spies know who you are and they're slowly learning about the Rinnegan's powers. Konohamaru doubtlessly told Danzo about the Rinnegan's powers as well. The more people who live to tell your tale, the more your techniques get known. And the more your techniques get known, the harder it becomes on the field of battle."
Naruto rubbed his chest, remembering when Kakuzu had taken him by surprise and nearly killed him.
"Take it from me."
Nagato frowned. There was no rebuttal for that. The Uzumaki was right. Naruto took this as his que to press on.
"Then there's our last little problem. Ame is at war Nagato, like it or not. Not taking lives from spies means going into fights blind. Not knowing the enemies plan means we're taking fights unaware. You will have to work harder on the battlefield. Risk more Ame shinobi lives. Do you truly believe you can save their lives without killing Konoha shinobi?"
"No," Nagato admitted. Naruto was shocked at the quickness of the answer. It was clear Nagato disliked the idea, but he was not hesitant to admit it. The words seemed to burn in his throat like an acid, but he got them out.
"I can't. I cannot even leave the capital. My rain detects intruders, and it is Karin's sensory techniques that allow us to detect if someone is a spy. It is a fickle balance."
"Can't Karin also detect shinobi? Her sensory technique is even better than yours. I don't see why you're necessary here."
"That depth of her skill is precisely why she cannot be the only person here. Karin is a skilled practioner, but she cannot keep her jutsu active day in and day out. She does not have the chakra supply to do so, especially whilst pregnant. It is unfortunate, but it is the truth. Ashino also possess the Kekkei Genkai however...I cannot ask my own son to defend the village."
Nagato looked at him.
"So, I come to you."
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"I don't like where this is going."
"You said you would serve as an Amegakure shinobi and like you said, we are at war. Out of everyone in the village, you know Konoha strategies the best. Our borders have not been stable for a long time, but with a Konoha force swiping away our border patrols they will grow even more unsteady. We cannot risk that."
"You want me to go fight them."
"Not just fight them," Nagato stated. The man bowed his head, as if the shame of what he was asking the blonde to do was almost too much. "I ask for you to train Ame shinobi of your choice."
Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"You were against it before."
"I still am. But Yahiko's point remains true. Ame shinobi are weaker than all Great Power shinobi on average. We need to bolster our ranks. I cannot be everywhere, and neither can you."
Nagato bowed to the blonde.
"It is with a heavy heart I ask you this. I understand my hypocrisy and if you decline."
Naruto squirmed underneath the sincerity.
"Raise your bloody head Nagato."
The man did not. Naruto sighed.
"I'll do it."
"You will?"
Nagato looked hopeful.
"Yeah, it's fine. I made a commitment to this village. I intend to honor it. But make no mistake I'm doing it my way. I'm not becoming a glorified trainer of shinobi. Not my style. I'm not a leader. Not anymore."
Naruto tilted his head.
"A week from now send me your best prospects. I'll select three of them to train and only three. Tell them to meet me in the Towers training grounds."
"Understood!"
Naruto squirmed once more.
"And stop bowing and acting so formal. You're a kage, start acting like it!"
Naruto smirked.
"You can't let people walk all over you all the time, whether they be me or Yahiko."
The Amekage smiled.
Shinki smiled as he saw his adoptive father approach, his force behind him. He had requested him not long ago. He had sent a message to Temari, requesting for her to send him and 500 of her troops to the port city of Hashifuna. It rested on the southeast of Wind, leading into the wide body of water that was the Moon Gulf. A temperamental area, it was common for hurricanes to tear through the port city. However, it was the safest route into Rivers and their desired goal if they wished to avoid having to break through the entirety of Asuma Sarutobi's defensive position. His forts in Rivers were strong and he was a formidable opponent in his own right. Forcing him to leave his forts was the right call.
Kankuro arrived in front of him, dressed in the traditional armor of the Kazekage. A gray chest plate with golden streaks highlighting it. His legs were coated in a thick armor, only this was black in color. The material seemed like it would have helped any who wore it die from sunstroke in Wind's heat, but the sealing matrix's inside of it were specifically designed to keep in cold and expel heat. It was probably the coolest piece of clothing one could own in Wind, despite its looks. The hat of the Kazekage rested on his head, with the clothe that hung from it covering the war paint that she knew covered his face. His eyes pierced from the veil that covered him. They were hard.
"Kotarou. It is good to see you. I'm glad to see you've brought the troops."
Shinki frowned. Last name. He wasn't speaking with his adoptive father, but rather the Kazekage. He bit his lip, his eyes glancing behind Kankuro. 500 shinobi stood behind him, ready to give their lives for this mission. A tenth of Sunagakure's total fighting force and an eighth of their active force. There was quite a bit of resources dedicated to this attack. Kankuro knew how badly Suna needed this victory and was banking everything on it.
"Yes Kazekage-sama," he stated, realizing his thoughts had delayed his response to the point it had gotten disrespectful. "We live to serve."
"You do not serve me," the Kazekage stated, walking past him. His hands gestured to the city of Hashifuna. Shinki couldn't help but notice the colorful seals engraved upon his fingers. They danced in the light just enough to make them look like jewelry, but he knew what they really were.
His arsenal.
"We serve the people," Kankuro stated. Shinki wanted to vomit at the statement. Kankuro cared about the people of Wind, no doubt. He was born and raised here like he was, and he had all of the feelings that accompanied that. He had even taken him in and raised him when he was but a young child wandering on the streets of Sunagakure. But he was a utilitarian first and foremost. If he had to kill a thousand civilians to save two thousand, he'd do it without losing a wink of sleep. He served the people, but not in a manner that they would like if they knew the truth of it. Shinki knew this all too well. Kankuro had made no attempt to hide the fact that he had saved him due to his Kekkei Genkai. The man was honest to those he trusted. It was something he respected. But he was just as coy as any politician.
"Forgive me, Kazekage-sama."
The Kazekage turned, ignoring his statements. Her walked towards the man next to him, the captain of their ship. A civilian, but one that had grown more familiar with the Moon Gulf than any shinobi had. He and his workers had promised to allow the Sunagakure shinobi to use their five boats as transport to the south side of Rivers for their invasion.
Shinki had to wonder if they had truly offered.
"Ah, Polumo I suspect."
"Yes, Kazekage-sama. It is an honor to meet you."
"The honor is mine. You are doing us a great service today."
"I was there in Suna during your inauguration sir," the man stated. Passion filled in his eyes and Shinki quickly got the answer to his question. "I would do anything to help the war effort sir!"
The Kazekage smiled, not that the man could see it. "Thank you. We shall be in your debt."
Poluma couldn't hide the ecstatic look on his face if he tried. Quickly he bowed to the Kazekage once more before barking some orders at his men. The Kazekage smirked.
Soon Rivers would be his.
And Konoha would soon follow.
The blonde stood outside the massive complex, a strange look on his face. So, this was where the weapons for civilians were manufactured in Ame? He had to admit he was expecting something more formal. It had the same drab coloring as the rest of the village, although the ring circling the dome that was the roof was a nice touch. And it was rotating. He had to wonder if it was via chakra or some form of electricity. Judging from the steam rising from it perhaps it was water poured? He couldn't be sure.
"It's called the Scientific Ninja Tool Development Facility," Konan stated. The woman stood next to him, the same stoic look on her face as he had always seen. "It used to be a place where Hanzo tested on our people. Nagato had planned to tear it down until Amado arrived here. He remodeled it and made it into the place it is today."
Naruto nodded and followed Konan as she stepped inside. The inside of the building was a stark white. The contrast briefly hurt his eyes as he walked inside, but he grew adjusted to it quickly. It was sterile inside, that much was clear. The blonde had to assume it operated much like a hospital. A strange design choice for a technological company, but he wasn't an expert at business. If it helped, who was he to judge?
He followed Konan, idly noticing the workers that ran around the building, talking about science at a level he could never hope to understand. Some bowed to Konan as she walked by, but otherwise they paid them little mind. That was strange. The people of Ame were used to seeing him around, but usually civilians treated him with some air of caution due to the tales spoken about him. Were they confident he meant no harm because he was with Konan? He didn't recognize any of them before. He hadn't seen them around the village, had he?
It didn't matter. He followed Konan through the building before she eventually reached a small room.
"Amado is inside. We'll see him about getting you a prosthetic."
Konan opened the door, revealing a neatly decorated room. There was hardly anything there. A table with some mechanical parts on top of it and several bookshelves containing information Naruto knew he would find uninteresting. In the center of the room stood two men. Both were tall with white hair, but one towered over the other even still. He was a giant, matching Kisame in height. A black cloak with red lining inside floated around the giant's body. The smaller man wore a colored black shirt, orange glasses tinting his face. The two men turned at the sound of the intrusion.
"Ah. Konan."
"Amado. Kashin."
Konan gestured to Naruto.
"This is Naruto. I'm sure you've heard of him."
"He's been staying in the village recently," Amado stated plainly. "I've seen him. Why is he here, disturbing my work?"
Naruto frowned.
"As you can see," Konan continued, apparently used to the behavior, "he is missing an arm."
"And what? You wish for me to give him a prosthetic?"
"Perceptive as always."
The man frowned, taking a cigarette from his pocket, and quickly lighting it. He took a drag, the smoke wafting through the air. The man glanced at the blonde.
"Why should I?"
"He's a shinobi of Ame now," came to voice from the giant. "That is the only reason I can see Yahiko agreeing to this."
Naruto turned to look at the giant and paused. A sense of deja vu washed over him. The man looked...he looked like Jiraiya? But that didn't make sense, Jiraiya didn't have any siblings. To his knowledge he didn't have any children either, even with his escapades to brothels throughout the Elemental Nations. But this man could have been mistaken for the man. That level of similarity wasn't something that could happen randomly.
"Jiraiya..."
The muttering drew the attention of Kashin, causing him to raise an eyebrow. Before Naruto could answer Konan interjected.
"Yahiko did not order this. Nagato did."
Another drag from Amado. The frown on his face grew more pronounced. He walked up to Naruto, quickly making the blonde focus his attention back onto him. He reached out, roughly placing his hands on the injury. Naruto winced in discomfort.
"Remove your shirt."
The blonde frowned at the tone of the command but did as told, slipping out of his shirt quickly. Amado frowned, tracing the injury with his hand. He took another drag from his cigarette, this time the smoke blowing in Naruto's general direction.
"I could do it," he stated finally. "Although he's the first shinobi I've ever seen that would be willing to go through with the process."
Naruto's eyes glanced at Konan who shrugged. Most shinobi who lost a limb either were put out of active duty or outright refused any type of prosthetic, regardless of quality. Most viewed it as a handicap, a weakness to be exploited rather than an assistance.
Amado glanced up at the blonde.
"Well? Would you be?"
Naruto frowned.
"I'd prefer to see it in action."
"You don't think what I'll make will be up to your quality. Typical of a shinobi."
Amado took another drag, the smoke once again flying into Naruto's face.
"I would if he respected my craft, but it's clear he doesn't."
"Show him then," Konan stated. "Naruto has only seen the civilian Scientific Ninja Tools you create. Show him some of the more advanced things you have been working on."
Amado looked at the woman, clearly hesitant.
"They're still experimental."
"They gave Kashin here a significant upgrade."
All attention turned back to the giant.
"Kashin was a human who couldn't make use of his natural chakra reserves without the experimental weapons Amado was working on," Konan explained. "Amado gave him the ability to utilize them."
Naruto focused in on the man, a strange look on his face. Kashin looked back at him. His face was a blank slate. He did not look like he had any Scientific Ninja Tools on him, but he supposed it was possible. Naruto frowned, dropping into a light stance. Kashin did the same. However, before the two could come to blows Konan brought a hand up.
"Not in here. The testing chambers."
The two men glanced at her, nodding. Kashin led Naruto into down a flight of stairs, headed towards a large white room. It was almost blinding, light reflecting in every direction.
"I apologize for the brightness. It is helpful with the research."
"I can imagine," Naruto muttered. "By the way, have you ever heard of Jiraiya?"
"The Sannin," Kashin responded, opening the door to the testing chamber. "He is a shinobi of legend. He even trained the Amekage. Of course, I've heard of him."
Naruto walked through the door.
"I meant more so have you met him. You...you look like him is all."
Kashin seemed to pause for half a second before continuing his walk to the other side of the room.
"I'm afraid I've never met the man. Any resemblance must just be a stroke of luck."
"I see," Naruto muttered, turning to face him. A large slab of glass was above the duo, allowing Konan and Amado to look down on the duo.
"Don't underestimate him Naruto," Konan called from the booth. Naruto grunted in response, slipping into his stance. The man was effectively a civilian. There was no way these scientific tools could overcome the gap between a shinobi and a civilian, it was impossible. Kashin dropped into his own stance in response.
Naruto eyed him. His stance was solid. It wasn't strong, but for a man who had apparently only recently come into his own in the utilization of chakra it certainly was above average. No clear holes. He had likely been trained beforehand. Martial arts training was common among many civilians in the larger nations, but he couldn't imagine someone in Ame not knowing the basics. Sure, it would be useless against someone who could utilize their chakra, but against your average bandit in a formerly war-torn country like this it could go a long way.
The blonde took a small step forward, carefully gauging the man's response. Nothing. A stone wall that lacked expression or change. Interesting. He clearly had nerves of steel to face down a shinobi with no reaction as a civilian, even if he was capable of using chakra. The capability of using chakra did not make someone powerful. The Daimyo had plenty of samurai in their retinue that could use chakra, but few were on the level of your average shinobi. That was what made the samurai of the Land of Iron so special. The demand for one to be more skilled was similar greater due to their career path. Soldiers they might be, but samurai were primarily the peacekeepers of the nations. Shinobi were the main military force.
Yet this man was unafraid. A man who for all intents and purposes should have been below your average samurai in technical skill. How odd.
Naruto lashed out with a punch, only for his eyes to widen as Kashin smoothly brought his hand up and caught the blow. The two paused like that before Kashin let his hand go. Naruto's eyes twitched before he lashed out once more. Faster this time. Stronger. Chakra surged through his muscles.
Kashin caught it once more, although there was a clear grunt for his efforts. Naruto, via a combination of frustration and curiosity stared at the man's hands. The explanation for how he had managed to catch the blow was clear and yet as murky as the ocean. Strange glowing lines rippled through the man's hands, pulsing with a blue energy. Chakra no doubt. Naruto pulled his hand back once more before he let loose a flurry of blows. Kashin was prepared. He flowed between them, eyes twisting to keep track of every movement. The man was deftly blocking his blows. With every deflection the faint blue glow around his body deepened. Lines of blue energy crackled across his skin, flaring up like a labyrinth of wires.
Naruto had to admit, he was impressed. However, what he was impressed by was not the tool that enhanced Kashin's strength, but rather his skill. He was deflecting his attacks like he was a trained shinobi all of his life. He left no openings by overextending, and he could tell there were no openings to counterattack.
The man was good.
So, Naruto decided to test just how good he was. He swung wide. The move was telegraphed and clunky, a clear opening for any experienced fighter to take advantage of and take the momentum of the fight.
And yet Kashin did not bite.
He ducked underneath the swing and eyed Naruto cautiously. Naruto raised an eyebrow. He didn't lash out at an obvious opening? There were two potential reasons for that. The first, and in his estimation the least likely, was that Kashin hadn't noticed it. But the man's movements were not that of an amateur. That left the latter explanation, that Kashin recognized that the opening was left intentionally and was bait.
That was interesting.
Naruto's eyes narrowed as his eyes met Kashin's. There was an edge in those eyes. One he could recognize. Whoever this man was, he was no simple civilian who had been born with large chakra reserves and yet no method of utilizing them. This man was a killer, through and through. There was an edge there that only those who had taken a life should have.
Naruto grunted, increasing the pressure. It was there that Kashin broke. The man was fast, Chunin level at least in raw taijutsu if their brief spat was anything to go by, but he was still far below Naruto, lacking a limb or not. The blonde blew through his guard, landing him flat on the floor.
Kashin groaned, holding his stomach. His eyes looked up to Naruto's.
"It seems the stories about you are true. Your taijutsu skills are incredible, even without another arm."
Naruto looked down at the man, curiosity still burning in his heart. Who was this man? How had he developed these skills?
"You're not too bad yourself, especially for someone who hasn't trained long."
Naruto reached out, lifting the man to his feet. He glanced at Amado. The scientist was still smoking, although there was a look in his eyes the blonde couldn't recognize. The duo of Naruto and Kashin quickly rejoined Konan and Amado in the other room.
"So? What do you think," Konan questioned. "Impressed?"
"I admit the ability to give him the strength to withstand my blows is impressive."
Naruto glanced at Kashin, eyes scanning the man. The blue lights on his body were fading now, as if the rush of chakra was dimming.
"Where are those blue lights coming from him?"
"Chakra Network Expansion Stilts," Amado stated. "Name pending."
Amado looked at Kashin.
"Kashin has an incredible amount of chakra. However, he was unable to use it for most of his life because of a genetic deformity. His chakra network was incredibly small and tight, refusing to let it pass through his sytem. A genetic defect I've never seen before. We implanted these into his system to widen the chakra pathways, and as a result he can utilize chakra. The hue you're seeing is the light of the chakra passing through the stilts. If necessary, it also allows steam to secrete along with sweat to cool down the pipes from his Katon (Fire Relase) chakra nature."
Naruto's eyes widened. Konan smirked. That explanation alone of the wonders of Scientific Ninja Tools had done it. She could see it on the blonde's face. For a man with a birth defect such as that to be able to utilize chakra as he could was nothing short of brilliance. Brilliance that only Amado possessed. The type of brilliance that made shinobi respect Scientific Ninja Tools instead of viewing them as some sort of fad or pale imitation of the skills they could utilize simply be practice.
It was respect.
"I see," Naruto stated, looking back at Kashin. The man wasn't looking at him, instead looking at the ground, his face a stone shell once more. Naruto couldn't help but feel a small amount of pity towards him. The man was clearly skilled and had undoubtedly seen his fair share of troubles by the way he carried himself. The man couldn't have been training with chakra for a long time and yet he was already so skilled despite such a massive disadvantage. If he had the blessing of being able to utilize his chakra from birth, where could he be at this time? What could he have done with his life?
What type of shinobi would he be?
Naruto had no doubt he would have heard of him. For such talent to have almost gone to waste, well, it reflected quite well on Amado. This man had given Kashin a life as a shinobi.
Perhaps he could in fact replace his arm. Naruto looked at the man. Amado looked at him, expectation on his face.
"Please," Naruto whispered.
"Make me a prosthetic."
Amado smirked, a smug sense of superiority resting in his eyes.
"Of course."
Kankuro shrugged as the boat landed on the small beach in the Southlands of Rivers. It was a long, uneventful ride. The Moon Gulf was protected from the larger oceans in the Elemental Nations by the Land of Mountains to its east. Kiri, which controlled the majority of the oceans, could not afford to send a military force to patrol these waters. It made the perfect launching ground to attacking Konoha without attracting any unwanted attention. Kiri wouldn't dare strike out at the Land of Mountains. They would instantly ally with Konoha, and their mines were a critical supplier of iron for Kiri's craftsmen.
As such, they landed on the beach unnoticed. A small beach, specifically chosen due to its clandestine nature. There were many outlets from the Gulf into Rivers, and most were unused for trade. The rapids were simply too dangerous and carved up any smaller ships. Larger ships could not progress deeply into the rivers before they were grounded. As such Rivers usually left them undefended. The lack of economic opportunity made them not a critical asset.
Legally.
Kankuro was well aware that the black market and smuggling used these rivers as a base, testing the raging rapids. He had to know. Some poisons simply could not be procured through legal means, and he did not have access to all the herbs and venomous creatures in the world. The black market was a critical asset to someone who relied on poisons such as himself.
Which meant he knew of the easily exposed beach. It was a tight fit. Dangerous. One ship would have capsized if it were not for the actions of several of their Doton (Earth Release) specialists. But they had landed. His army was in Rivers after a weeks' worth of travel. He had the element of surprise in his advantage. It was best to capitalize. The first major target, before the capital, would be the Katabami Gold Mine. It would serve as an economic lifeline for Suna as it had for Konoha's and River's wealth. A unit of 200 should be capable of seizing the mine itself.
No, the fort that was near it was the real problem. Defended mostly by Tani shinobi, but undoubtedly some Konoha shinobi resided there as well. That would be what he would have to crack to solidify his position here in Rivers. The less loses he could do it with the better. Konoha would send significant resistance the second their presence was discovered. Asuma Sarutobi would undoubtedly be first. But he had preparations for him. His forces on the western flank of Rivers were already gearing up for an assault. A distraction, but enough to draw the Sarutobi away.
No, who would come from the village itself was his concern. There were too many options. He couldn't predict them all. But with all their major threats focused on different fronts there was not much to be worried about. He could handle anything that came their way. That was his duty.
As Kazekage.
Naruto stretched on the battlefield of the Towers, loosening his body up. He groaned, swinging his lone arm. Amado has told him that the prosthetic would be completed relatively quickly. The benefit of Nagato's good graces. Unfortunately, it was not ready by the time this training session had occurred as he had hoped. It had been a week since he had seen the man. He was hoping Amado would have completed the project by the end of this one.
The blonde looked out in front of him as he finished his stretches, seeing the horde of shinobi gathered before him. He looked up at Nagato who stood above, watching them with an indeterminate look on his face.
"This is a larger selection than I expected."
"When I made the offer to learn from Naruto Uzumaki, you can imagine how many of our shinobi leapt at the opportunity."
Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his head. He wasn't expecting this turnout. There were at least fifty shinobi here, all eager to learn from him. He would have to weed them out, and quickly. He didn't feel like being here all day.
"All right then," he muttered. He turned towards the group, walking towards them. They stumbled out of his way, giving him ample space. He could hear their whispers.
"So that's Naruto Uzumaki?"
"I thought he'd be bigger."
"He defeated the Tsuchikage?"
"Tsuchikage? He defeated the Ichibi."
"He's missing an arm."
"He can't be that tough if he lost a limb."
"Shut up!"
The group went quiet at Naruto's voice. His eyebrow was twitching.
'Dear kami, they're like academy students.'
The blonde's eyes turned, sweeping over the crowd. He winced as some blurred as they left the vision of his good eye. He still hadn't quite adjusted to that. This would be a good time to test his abilities for multiple reasons.
"All right, there's too many of you," he began. "I don't know what you've heard but let me make this clear. Only three of you will be accepted. I have no interest in teaching more."
The group exclaimed. They had not been told that. They knew some selection process would be involved, but for their numbers to be cut down to just three was unnerving. They began eyeing one another. Trust had been destroyed by that phrase alone. They were no longer allies; they were competition.
Naruto snorted.
"And I'm not doing this one at a time. So all of you come at me at once."
Naruto dropped into a stance, a smirk forming on his face as he looked at them all.
"Let's see if you can make me use my hands."
The group snorted, seemingly insulted at the insinuation that all of them combined couldn't make him use his hands at all. They acted on such a claim. The overeager shinobi leapt at him, weapons in hands and fists clenched tightly. Naruto's eyes narrowed. They were the overeager ones of the group. Overall, they had the will to learn, but they lacked critical parts of the mindset of a shinobi if they believed simply leaping into action was the best method of attack. Shuriken flew towards his head, causing the blond to twist and turn, eyes tracking their movements. His attention was quickly taken by a large man who slashed at him with a kunai. The blonde sidestepped, watching the kunai slash at air. Harmless.
He grunted, twisting his body, and lashing out with a kick that sent the man flying into the air. The blonde ducked, slipping underneath a messy slash before his other leg shot upwards, cracking against the Ame shinobi's chin and sending him flying into the air. The large man shot forwards, recovered from the kick, in an attempt to tackle the blonde. Naruto snorted, leaning in and kneeing the man square in the chin.
The man flew backwards, blood shooting from his mouth before he crumpled onto the ground. The blonde turned to look at the rest of the group, an annoyed look on his face.
"Did you think I was kidding?"
The blonde frowned. This was...somewhat disappointing. He had already wiped out most of the group. Ame shinobi lay strewn on the ground in piles of bodies, all of them groaning in pain. It had been so easy. He didn't think it had even been fifteen minutes. He glanced up at Nagato who had an embarrassed look on his face.
"Is this really the best you could find? This is kinda pathetic."
The blonde ignored the cries of protest from the defeated shinobi. They were trying their best after all.
Their best just sucked.
Naruto sighed, glancing at the remaining group. Five people. A bored look crossed his face.
"All of you just come at me at once. I'd rather just get this over with."
The group all glanced around nervously. The hesitation on their face was only a fraction of what the blonde could detect. He had just treated the entire group like ragdolls, of course they were worried about fighting him with less people. He was far above their level. It scared them.
"Fine if you won't come to me...I'll come to you."
The blonde's eyes locked on a red-haired woman and he shot towards her. She panicked, quickly raising up her hands in a paltry defense. Naruto's leg shot out, hooking around her outstretched arm. He twisted and watched with apathy as her entire body flipped from the force. A minor application of chakra had done that. The blonde lashed out with a kick that the woman avoided by a quick application of the Kawarimi (Substitution). His foot shattered the tile she replaced herself with. He turned, an annoyed look on his face only to see a storm of senbon fly towards him. The blonde's eyes widened at the sudden action.
Seemed like his action had forced the rest of them to realize that the fight was still indeed going on.
The blonde grunted and asked the wind. The element wreathed his hand as he swatted the senbon away, the weapons turned into a pile of shrapnel from the crossing blades. Still, the blonde focused on the man who had launched the senbon. The Chunin smirked.
"Made you use your hand."
Naruto felt a small smile form on his face. However, before he was able to capitalize a whip of water surged towards his head. His scythe manifested in his hand in an instant. He twirled it, slicing through the whip with ease.
The smile on his face grew larger as he looked at the kunoichi who had launched the attack.
The blonde shot forwards, prepared to launch his counter offensive on the redhead and the man who had launched the senbon only for his eyes to widen. The world felt strange. A malignant chakra was trying to ensnare him. Genjutsu.
The blonde smirked and flexed his chakra causing the ground to explode from the force. The rumbling elicited a moment of shock from the group. Shock Naruto utilized. He shot forwards, slashing through the redhead's water whip before he dismissed his scythe. With a sharp punch to the temple, she lay on the ground unconscious. The blonde then turned; eyes narrowed on the young man with an umbrella in his hands. He was the one who had launched the senbon, but he wasn't the one utilizing the genjutsu. That was the real threat.
He looked over the battlefield, eyes narrowed. There should be four remaining, but there were only three. That meant that one was hiding. But they weren't above so...
The blonde raised his hand and a massive Rasengan formed. He roared, smashing it down onto the ground. An explosion ripped forth, forcing all the Ame shinobi into the air. Naruto smirked. Four. His eyes locked onto the newcomer. He was wearing a yellow jumpsuit with a sash around his eyes. The genjutsu user. Naruto leapt towards him, prepared to smash into his stomach only for his fist to fly through his chest. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he flew through the body, flipping through the air. He quickly activated his jutsu, allowing him to fly.
'A clone? He managed to avoid being destroyed by my jutsu. Alright...let's see how much pressure he can take.'
Naruto shot towards the ground, another Rasengan forming in his hand. This one was even larger than the one before. As he thrust it towards the ground he noticed a slight shifting at his six o-clock. A smirk crossed his face as the jutsu detonated, ripping the ground asunder. The blonde didn't wait to see the result. Instead, he shot forwards, hand reaching down and carving into the ground to snatch the shinobi within. The Ame shinobi gave a quick cry before he was hurled into the air. Naruto caught up with him, a smirk on his face.
"Nice work," he muttered. A second later the teen was sent careening towards the ground, smashing into it with a sickening pop.
Naruto turned, looking down on the other Ame shinobi. Three left. The first, a kunoichi with dark green hair, sent another whip of water at him. Naruto easily avoided it, a frown on his face. Her purple eyes glinted in the light of the tower; the only sign Naruto was given that something was wrong. The whip curled around him, constraining his body. The blonde's eyes widened, mildly impressed at her manipulation. It was better than the redheads.
"Oh? And what do you expect to do now that you have me trapped like this?"
"She doesn't need to do anything," came the call. Naruto turned his head to see the young man from before standing on the wall behind him. He leapt forwards, an umbrella in each hand. He thrusted forwards, a singular senbon sticking out from the tips of the umbrellas with chakra searing off of it. Naruto's eyes widened. That looked a lot like the Chidori, or at least a significantly weaker version of the attack. So, it was an assassination technique in the same vein?
Naruto had to compliment the kid. He certainly knew to capitalize on opportunities. Unfortunately, he still was not sure which ones were bait.
Naruto's armor erupted to life, freeing him of the water and shredding the young man's umbrella to tatters. His eyes widened but Naruto acted instantly, batting him down to the ground. He was unconscious long before he landed. Naruto turned to look back at the kunoichi, a smirk on his face. She looked at him, horrified. The blonde shot towards her. In her haste to defend herself the kunoichi formed a single handseal, forming a shield of water that shot forth a multitude of water senbon at the blonde. He powered through all of them, as they were unable to pierce his armor. He landed in front of her, but she was prepared. The water that formed her shield lashed out. The blonde smiled.
'An attempt at the Suirō no Jutsu (Water Prison Technique). Impressive. And in a way I've never seen it used before.'
Still, it was a failed attempt. The water of this jutsu was heavy, heavily condensed to create pressure that prevented the victim from escaping. But it was powerless against his wind. He slashed through the makeshift prison, feeling the water drench his body with a smile on his face. The kunoichi's eyes widened, horrified. He couldn't blame her. There were precious few opponents who could escape a Suirō no Jutsu from the inside, especially from someone who had developed such mastery over Suiton (Water Release) that she displayed. Unfortunately for her, he was one such shinobi.
He knocked her out with a throat chop.
'She could use Suiton with only one handseal. She's better than I expected.'
The blonde turned, looking at the final shinobi who sat on the ground horror in his eyes.
"I yield," they whispered. The blonde sighed, rubbing the back of his head. That was...anticlimactic. Although he had to give the shinobi credit. There was no point in fighting a battle one would clearly lose.
"Alright then," he muttered. "Guess that's that."
The Ame shinobi groaned as a group, each of them slowly pulling themselves to their feet. The blonde glanced around, watching as the ones he had just recently knocked into unconsciousness slowly came to. He looked around the group before him, somewhat annoyed. There were not many he was interested in training. They were weak. All shinobi could get stronger, even him, but he wasn't the teaching type. Hanabi and Konohamaru were the only exceptions, and he had known them since he was a child.
The blonde walked by the group, looking each of them over. Finally, he made his decision.
"You, you, and you," Naruto stated, pointing to each of them individually. Each Ame shinobi stood there, shock on their faces.
The shinobi who had tried the assassination technique.
The kunoichi who had demonstrated skill with Suiton.
And the shinobi who had tried to place him under genjutsu.
"I liked what you all showed," the blonde stated.
He glanced at the assassination technique user. "Decisiveness. You saw what you perceived to be an opening and took it. Going for the kill is important for a shinobi. There's no need to elongate battles."
The kunoichi. "Skill. You demonstrated a mastery over your element that no one else here did. Impressive."
The genjutsu user. "Knowledge. You tried to capitalize off the reports that I'm vulnerable to genjutsu. A smart strategy. You know your stuff."
The blonde looked at them all.
"I'll train you three. Meet me tomorrow in the Tower for our first session. As for the rest of you...dismissed."
The wait is over! Welcome back to "Season 2" of Another Word For Monster! This season arc wise is shorter, but boy oh boy, there's a lot more that happens here. Buckle up. It's gonna be wild.