Another Word For Monster

by Kuma Akuma

Konoha's Boogeyman. Jinchuriki. Hero. Traitor. Murderer. These were the names of Naruto Uzumaki. He left Konoha 3 years ago a broken man, looking for a peaceful life. But the shinobi life doesn't let peace come so easily. It calls you back. Through violence. Through war. Through blood. Monsters didn't get peace. And shinobi? That was just another word for monster. Light AU.

36. Chapter 36

Naruto sat down in front of his squad. Briefly he glanced at Kagari, a slight frown forming on his face before he nodded. The voices of his Chunin had just died down, walking him through how the battle with Hanabi had gone.

"Alright, first things first, good job on making it out of there. She let you live but getting that close to her is still an achievement," Naruto began.

"As for where you messed up. First, charging her wasn't a bad idea, but the second you realized you couldn't get close you should've retreated and swapped targets with me. That's partially my fault. Next up..."

Naruto looked at Suiren.

"Using your Suiton (Water Release) jutsu as cover was a good idea, but that won't work against the Byakugan with the scale of your jutsu. Your chakra reserves just aren't large enough. The best way for you to avoid her eyes is to target them directly with a flashbang or irritants."

Naruto turned to Midare.

"The second you realized she was luring you in you should have pulled back. You endangered the entire groups lives by choosing to continue the fight. You had no way of knowing she was skilled in close combat, but the fact remains she was clearly luring you. She was shooting precise shots over long distances, that requires some time of ocular jutsu. And then you learned she could at least see through the trees. You didn't know if there were more shinobi with her or if there were traps around her. Do not approach an enemy recklessly. You want to be an assassination specialist. You should know better."

The assassination trainee winced at the criticism but nodded, nonetheless.

Naruto then turned to Kagari.

"You...eat before battle. I shouldn't have to tell you that. A mistake like that is worse than Midare's. You were actively holding the team back and could have got your teammates killed, even before I showed up. You have to be smarter than that. Am I clear?"

Naruto leaned backwards, sighing.

"Frankly, the approach was where you all made the worst mistakes based on the information you had. You only knew she was a Hyuga when she approached you, and at that point you were all simply outclassed. I can't fix that in a short amount of time, but I can fix the information gap."

Naruto glanced at each of them.

"Tell me, what do you know of the Hyuga Clan's abilities?"

"They wield the dojutsu, the Byakugan," Suiren began. "I'm not too familiar on the specifics of what the dojutsu does however."

"I know it lets them see the tenketsu in one's body," Midare stated plainly. "Because of that the accuracy of their strikes in taijutsu is unmatched. They can shut off your tenketsu and in turn your chakra flow entirely."

"I don't know anything about them," Kagari whispered, feeling much lamer compared to his two companions.

Naruto nodded.

"Don't worry, that's about as much as I expected you all to know. It's a decent starting point. However, in combat with a Hyuga there's critical information you're going to need to know."

Naruto took out a kunai, drawing an X on the ground.

"First. The Hyuga get enhanced vision from their dojutsu, as I'm sure you can imagine."

The blonde drew a straight line from the X forwards.

"That enhanced vision isn't just being able to see your chakra network, it's also distance. They can see an incredibly far distance away. That's how Hanabi was able to snipe at all of us. When I was training with her she could see about two kilometers. I'd expect that her range has only gotten better. Therefore, do not expect to get the drop on her."

"But couldn't we attack her from behind," Midare questioned.

"A good idea, but not one that would work," the blonde explained. He drew a large circle around the central X figure, stopping just short of finishing it. "The Byakugan gives the wielder almost complete 360-degree vision. Not only that, but they can see through solid objects, including the ground. It's almost impossible to sneak up on a wielder of the Byakugan."

"Almost," Suiren questioned. "So, it's possible?"

"That's why I said near 360-degree vision. There's one blind spot." The blonde gestured to the gap he had left in his circle. "It's small, at the back of the neck, right above their thoracic vertebra. Not large enough for a fully sized human to hide in unless they're extremely far out. That is the only place to surprise her. It's why your attempted surprise attack failed."

"What if we confuse her," Kagari mentioned. "My genjutsu-"

"Won't work," Naruto stated plainly. "Not because the Byakugan has a unique protection against genjutsu like the Sharingan does, or well it might. I honestly don't know. But the main reason is because she'll see your chakra network move. She sees everything. You can't even prepare jutsu around her without her knowing it."

Kagari deflated.

Naruto leaned backwards, a frown forming on her face.

"I trained Hanabi to maximize the lethal powers her eyes give her. She's a master archer, and her Raiton (Lightning Release) chakra nature only makes her more dangerous. As you saw she can load her arrows with a frightening amount of Raiton chakra that detonates upon impact. Frankly speaking, it's a jutsu that is incredibly dangerous. It requires substantial defenses to guard against, and that's to say nothing about her new version that blends Katon (Fire Release) chakra with it. Don't let her mastery over archery fool you though, she's no slouch in taijutsu. She's not quite as good as her cousin Neji, but she's the Clan Heir for a reason. You all are only alive right now because she took it easy on you to mock you."

"How do we fight an opponent like that," Kagari muttered. "The way you describe her she's completely untouchable."

"For your skill level she is," Naruto stated. "Which is why ideally if we ever encounter her again, you're to leave me to handle her. She won't go easy on you again. Unfortunately, life isn't that predictable, especially in this line of work."

Naruto pointed his kunai at them.

"Which is why I'll be training you all on how to dodge. If you get into a fight with her frankly speaking, she's just shooting chickens if you're not in close range. None of you have the skill to counter her at long range, and getting you that skill takes time, time we don't have. It's incredibly dangerous, but your only option is to get into a mid-to-close quarters fight with her."

"I don't know much," Midare stated. "But I remember being vividly told to never get into a taijutsu competition with a Hyuga."

"And those tales are right," Naruto stated. "Issue is, I took the inverse of that statement and trained Hanabi in it. Her Clan trained in her close quarters combat. I trained her in long distance combat. Mid-distance is the safest place for her. You need to be close enough to pressure her if she tries to use her archery, but far enough away to retreat if she tries to close the distance."

"That sounds incredibly dangerous. She could intentionally bait us into one or the other."

"It is. You'll have to rely on your teammwork to protect each other. We'll be doing teammwork drills to ensure that's possible."

"So, we're going out the frying pan and into the fire."

"Absolutely," Naruto stated. "So, we're going to put in place a three-step training plan."

Naruto raised a finger.

"One. To get into the fire you have to make it there alive. You're going to be playing a little game with me I like to call tag. I trained Hanabi in it. Pretty much, I'm gonna throw these kunai at you, really, really fast. You have to dodge."

"Naruto-sensei," Suiren questioned. "How fast could you throw a kunai that it could be comparable to her arrows?"

"They won't be," Naruto shrugged. "Even I'm not capable of throwing kunai like she does arrows. That's why I'll be using clones while I do it. What I can't do in speed, I'll do in numbers."

Suiren paled, seemingly regretting asking the question.

"Step two, all of you, every day, will be going through taijutsu training with me. Hanabi's good, but she's not me good. You will each be going through the ringer with me. Your job isn't to win. That won't happen. Your job is to stay alive for more than five minutes. In this I can limit my speed to roughly Hanabi's to get you used to it to start and work up from there."

"This just sounds like you're trying to have us stay alive rather than fight her?"

"That's because that's exactly what I'm doing," Naruto stated.

Midare snarled, glaring at the Uzumaki.

"Are you really that protective?"

The words earned a deafening silence as Midare met Naruto's eyes once more. Emotions none of them could recognize burned in his eyes.

"I'm going to ignore that comment," the blonde stated plainly. His voice was ice, slashing at Midare like a whip. "Like I said, I can't train you all up to be at her level fast enough. So instead, I'm training you to survive until I get there to handle her."

Naruto looked directly at Midare.

"If you would like to ignore this training, you are welcome to. However, judging by your previous engagement, that is not advisable."

Midare was silent.

The blonde then raised his third finger. The air was tense after Midare's outburst. None dared interrupt him again.

"Step three. If, for some reason I can't get there in time you all need to be able to delay her just long enough to escape. The focus of this will be using any irritant you can to escape a battle, including flashbangs. The Byakugan is extremely sensitive to light. To be clear, the flashbang cannot be used anywhere just because she can see in all directions. It won't affect her if it isn't directly in front of her eyes. That is your best bet at temporarily stunning her, which means it's the best chance you'll get to escape. I've already sent a clone back to Ame to see if we can get any."

Naruto then glanced at the trio of them. His eyes lingered on Midare.

"The next step is working on this teamwork of ours. It's pathetic, and it won't work against someone like Hanabi. The only way any of you are getting out of a fight with her is as a team."

His eyes lingered on Midare.

"You will not win alone. Got it?"

Midare's eyes glanced at the ground, resentment burning in his eyes. He could hear the meaning in the blonde's words. It was both a threat and a promise. Midare shouldn't fight Hanabi alone not only because he couldn't defeat her, but it was also a promise that Naruto would not allow him to kill her. Meanwhile, the team grumbled, clearly not enjoying that instruction.

Naruto figured that would be their response. The group was still on very rocky ground with one another. His conversation with them last night had fixed some things, but it had also made things worse. Midare was willing to listen to him now, but he did not respect his decision regarding Hanabi's life. Kagari and he, while not directly confrontational, were estranged. And the frigid wall between Kagari and Midare was still there. The blonde couldn't tell them to talk it out either. Their personalities weren't conducive to it.

In some way, the group dysfunction reminded him of his own squads in their early days.

Either way, that could be addressed later.

"The first is teamwork. You all need to be able to work as a single machine, covering for the weakness of one another. That's more than just getting to know one another. That's also learning how to fight together. So, at the end of our taijutsu sessions, you three will be trying to attack me as a team. You goal is simply to land one blow at first. We'll work up from there."

"For now, we'll start off with tag."

Three copies of the blonde materialized around him, each with a kunai in hand. The blonde stood, looking down on his students who were staring up at him. The blonde raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing? Move."

---

"How do you plan on handling him, Shikaku-sama?"

"I already told you to stop calling me that Hanabi," the man stated. "You'll be Clan Head soon enough. We're equals."

"Until then you're Shikaku-sama," the Hyuga insisted. "Now, how do you plan on stopping him?"

"That will be up to you and the squad of ANBU we brought with us," Shikaku stated plainly. "We need to isolate him. The first step to that is ripping that armor of his off of him. We don't have the manpower here to fight him off directly. We'll have to stretch him out. Naruto is strong, but he's only one man. Even with his clones. Spread the attack. All the while, you pierce in."

"Are you sure this will work," Hanabi questioned. "My force will effectively be completely separated from our contingent."

"Are you scared?"

The kunoichi frowned.

"No. No one in Ame scares me."

"Well, that's foolish," Shikaku stated. "You should be scared. And not just of Naruto. He won't kill you, no matter how bad things get."

"All the better for it. I'll kill him and remove him as a threat."

"Use your head Hanabi," Shikaku hissed. "Naruto is a threat, sure, but at the end of the day he's not the political backbone of Rain. The Amekage is. This entire ploy is designed to lure him out of the ivory tower of his. He's the one you should be worried about. Besides, there's nothing stopping Naruto from capturing you if he wants. He captured Sakura."

Hanabi grunted. She wanted to say she wasn't like Sakura, but she wasn't delusional enough to think she was more powerful than the student of a Sannin. Shikaku sat down in a chair near her.

"I understand you're frustrated. Truly I do. I want revenge against Rain for what they've done just as much as you do. But we must be smart about it. Critical damage must be done. We can't do that militarily with the forces we have. To accomplish our objective, we have to have you push into their lands. We've drawn the first threat."

Shikaku stood, looking at the map on the table before the duo.

"Now let's draw the other."

---

The vile chakra was the first sign that something had occurred. The purple streaks of chakra that leaked off his body formed deep crevices in the stone. It shot upwards, roaring as a wave of force shot from his body. Red eyes pierced the veil of darkness in the room. Savage growls rose to challenge the roar of the vile, purple chakra. The beasts shot forwards, their jaws salivating at ripping their prize to shreds.

They were too slow.

The man's body snapped to attention. His hands moved, grabbing onto one of their necks. He swung it around like a bat, smashing it into the others in a mess of blood and gore from the force. Painful squels echoed through the halls as he continued to carve his way through the monsters with his impromptu weapon. Only when the beast in his hands was reduced to nothing more than a dead husk did he stop. He dropped the beast, turning to look at another. His face was illuminated from the candlelight in the room. It was there that, underneath all the blood and grime, Sasuke could see the various lines crossing along the man's body.

"Marvelous," Orochimaru muttered, a grin splitting his face. "He takes to the seal almost as well as Kimimaro."

"What did you do to him," Sasuke stated, horror in his eyes. The Sannin grinned, crimson eyes dancing in the light.

"I made him interesting," he said as if the answer was both a delight and entirely obvious. The Sannin turned to look at the Uchiha, the twisted look in his eye growing more pronounced at the sounds of the man below carving through the monsters.

"I wonder...how does his strength measure when compared to yours?"

Sasuke blinked, turning but he was too slow to react. Suddenly Orochimaru had grabbed him, and he felt a freeing sensation before he was hurled to the arena below. The Uchiha flipped, landing in a crouch. He flexed his hand, feeling the rush of his chakra unrestrained once more. Before he had time to fully relish the feeling his senses screamed at him to dodge. His listened, rolling to his right and avoiding the punch that shattered stone from connecting with him. His eyes snapped upwards, a frown forming on his face as he saw the threat.

Konohamaru.

"Calm down Konohamaru. It's me."

The man was non-responsive. His eyes were glassy, only pulsating with malicious intent. Sasuke frowned. Konohamaru shot forwards, his motions a blur to the Uchiha. His eyes widened as he felt the punch collide with his stomach. Blood flew from his mouth onto the ground before he was hurled into a nearby wall, cracking it on impact. The Uchiha wheezed in pain, his head reeling.

'When has he ever been that fast,' he thought. 'And he hits like Sakura.'

The Uchiha glanced upwards, a frown on his face.

"Konohamaru it's me! Sasuke. Whatever he did to you, get yourself together! Focus!"

Konohamaru grunted in response, eyes still glassy. Instead, he shot forwards once more, his fist cratering through the wall that was behind Sasuke. The Uchiha had only just managed to avoid the technique by leaping the second he heard the Sarutobi grunt in response. Sasuke kicked off the wall, a frown on his face. His eyes flashed into a familiar crimson the second he landed on the ground.

"Fine. If you won't see reason, I'll beat it into you."

The two comrades turned enemies shot towards each other. Each threw a punch, but Konohamaru's was faster. Stronger. Sasuke's eyes saw it. He attempted to slip the punch, but despite seeing the muscles in Konohamaru's body move he was completely incapable of countering. The Sarutobi shifted into a kick that smashed itself into Sasuke's chest. The Uchiha coughed up blood, skidding backwards as the sheer force of the blow overruled his chakra attempting to stick him to the ground.

Konohamaru wasted no time in following up, hands weaving together in a series of handseasl before a gout of flame shot from his mouth. Sasuke's eyes widened, leaping away from the jutsu and watching in horror as it turned the stone area they fought in to slag. A boiling heat wafted into the air from the sheer power behind the attack. The lines on Konohamaru's body grew more pronounced. The Sarutobi crouched down, prepared to continue his hunt. Sasuke frowned.

His basic Sharingan wouldn't cut it. So, the Uchiha reached deep, grasping at that cold familiar feeling he felt deep in his gut. The memory of his mother dying in his arms was momentarily all he could think of and he felt a great swell of hatred rise up within him. He blinked and the Mangekyou Sharingan burned in his eyes. Konohamaru shot forwards once more, but this time Sasuke could see everything.

'Whatever seal that is it made him strong. His muscles surge with every movement.'

The Uchiha slipped the punch, the frown on his face deepening. Konohamaru whirled, irritated at his elusive prey. He leapt after him once more, but Sasuke parried and slipped to the side once more. Konohamaru was clearly growing more familiar with the defensive fighting style as he swung a backfist out that threatened to smash into the Uchiha's chin. Sasuke ducked underneath the blow, but Konohamaru flowed with the movement and dropped into a sweeping leg kick that kicked Sasuke's feet from underneath him. Eyes wide, the Uchiha pushed off the ground with his arms to flip into the air.

Konohamaru leapt after him, the lines coalescing around his eyes. He roared as he threw the next punch, his voice distorted. Sasuke quickly threw his hands up, catching Konohamaru's arm at the wrist and flinging him higher into the room. The Sarutobi flipped with the momentum. Chakra roared to his feet and the roof shattered underneath the force as he kicked off it. Sasuke's eyes widened. The move was too fast to predict with his new eyes, even for him. The Sarutobi slammed into the Uchiha, sending the two careening into the ground. A cloud of smoke and dust filled the room on impact.

Orochimaru's eyes widened at the sight.

'Amazing! His speed surpasses the limits even of the Mangekyou Sharingan?'

The Sannin's crimson eyes spun as he stared at the dust cloud, waiting for some action. He had to hope that both were still alive. The Sarutobi for testing his seal more, and the Uchiha for being the test dummy for his Mangekyou abilities. The smoke slowly cleared, revealing Konohamaru standing above Sasuke. The Uchiha was wheezing on the ground, blood spilling from his mouth. Orochimaru smirked at the sight.

"I expected more from you, Sasuke-chan. Mikoto-chan would have reacted to that with ease."

As if a fire had been stoked within him, Sasuke rose. Hate burned on his face. Sasuke shot upwards, his fist smashing into Konohamaru's jaw. The Sarutobi stumbled backwards, rubbing at the point of contact. Just as the Uchiha got to his feet Konohamaru lashed out with a kick that smashed into his stomach, sending him rolling backwards. Sasuke rolled to his feet, a guttural noise erupting from his throat before he shot forwards once more. Konohamaru lashed out with another punch only for Sasuke to dodge it, eyes sharp.

Konohamaru took the initiative, lashing out with a series of blows that Sasuke carefully danced between. Orochimaru's eyes watched with interest.

'His eyes...'

He would never mistake that motion.

'They're spinning.'

Sasuke's Mangekyou Sharingan spun. His dodges became quicker. Sharper. Less wasted movement. Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.

'These eyes...they become stronger with repeated use just like the base Sharingan. He's growing accustomed to the Sarutobi's speed.'

Sasuke lashed out with a punch, smashing the blow into the Sarutobi's jaw. The younger shinobi stumbled backwards as Sasuke's right eye spun. Chakra surged behind it, and he felt the name spring to his lips as if given to him by a higher being.

"Kagutsuchi."

Orochimaru frowned as he saw nothing visible happen. He could detect there was no genjutsu being utilized, but the Uchiha's chakra had changed. The flow was...different? Sasuke seemed to know it too. He could feel it. His chakra change. It was more tangible to him. Something that was once subconcious suddenly became very aware. Very real. As if he could mold its shape with his hands like one could stone. Blood began to trickle from his right eye.

And Sasuke grinned.

He shot forwards, sliding in front of Konohamaru before the Sarutobi had time to react. His fist shot outwards, but Konohamaru just barely caught it. The Sarutobi responded with a kick to the head, but Sasuke kicked away, forming a singular handseal. His eyes narrowed. This jutsu had been a double-edged sword against Kagero but he could feel it. The advanced control was something different than he had ever expected. He could use the jutsu freely now, and with it the speed advantage of the lost Sarutobi would completely disappear.

"Raiton: Ōbādoraibu (Lightning Release: Overdrive)!"

Raiton chakra flared through his system, making him a bright light to Orochimaru's sensitive eyes. The Sannin hissed, covering his eyes from the sight.

The world slowed to a snail's pace for the Uchiha, aided by the enhanced precognition of his Mangekyou Sharingan. With his nervous system amplified the Uchiha knew it.

He was faster.

He shot forwards, his body a shimmering blur of blue light and electricity. Konohamaru's eyes widened before his head snapped to the side. He stumbled backwards, his brain freezing up at the feeling of his busted lip. Before he had any time to react Sasuke pressed his assault, fists flying forwards. Blow after blow rattled into Konohamaru's chest and stomach, each forcing him backwards. Before long he was pinned against the wall, Sasuke's eyes blazing as his fists rattled against his body. Orochimaru's eyes widened and the grin on his face threatened to deform it permanently from its sheer magnitude.

'Marvelous! What a jutsu! His chakra control magnified to a level I've only seen exceeded by Tsunade!'

Konohamaru's head cracked against the wall with another blow. Blood flew from his mouth. Sasuke's eyes tracked it the entire time, easily avoiding the liquid whilst continuing his assault. Despite the blows the lines on Konohamaru's body simply refused to recede. Sasuke bit his lip, letting the speed of the blows increase. He had to go faster. His eyes had to be better. He had to be good enough to beat Orochimaru!

'With this speed...I can do it. I can see!'

The Uchiha lashed out with another punch, but this time through divine intervention, skill, or some combination, Konohamaru managed to catch the blow. The glassy look in his eyes raged before his foot lashed out with a kick that Sasuke was quick to avoid. He quickly made space, eyes analyzing Konohamaru. The vile chakra was coursing through his system as if it was a curse. And it was all originating from the nape of his neck.

Before the Uchiha could capitalize on this Konohamaru was charging forwards, Rasengan in hand. The orb was slightly larger than normal. Still, Sasuke's entire nervous system was supercharged. His chakra control was at a level he had never experienced before. With a flash a Chidori sparked to life in his hands thanks to the control the Kagutsuchi offered. With a roar he launched forwards and the two jutsu clashed. A violent discharge of chakra ripped through the arena, crackling wisps smacking at the ground and leaving small indents. Before either could react a wave of force blew them apart as the two jutsu's detonated. The arena filled with dust and debris.

Orochimaru's eyes was alight. His body was vibrating with joy.

'These two are absolutely magnificent!'

The Sannin impatiently waited for the dust to clear. Eventually it did, revealing both looking at one another. Cuts and bruises covered their skin, and both were bleeding from their lips. Yet the Mangekyou was still active in Sasuke, while the cursed lines still crisscrossed across Konohamaru's skin. However, before the two could come to blows once more the lines quickly began to recede. Konohamaru's voice roared outwards, changing from that strange distortion back to his normal tone. The Sarutobi dropped to the ground, panting in exhaustion as the lines rested. Orochimaru's eyes widened.

"To force back the Chi no Juin (Cursed Seal of Earth). Even if exhausted from battle...what an impressive demonstration."

Sasuke looked upwards, ready to leap at Orochimaru in the moment's distraction, but the Sannin was already standing next to him. He tapped the Uchiha's forehead, and he felt the drain of his chakra being sealed from him, locking his power and the rush of his eyes behind a wall he could never hope to breach. It wasn't long before the Sannin was on the other side of the battlefield, doing the same to Konohamaru.

"You two are the best specimens I've had in a long time. I shall have to run more tests for both of you to grow more acquainted with your powers. To truly test their limits. We are going to discover magnificent things about the nature of jutsu together. I can feel it."

The Sannin grinned as he stared at both of them, and for the first time the two Konoha shinobi understood they were dealing with a truly deranged man.

"Aren't you excited?"

---

"So, you don't know what we're looking for either," Fugaku stated, leaning back against the chair. "Frustrating."

"I'd expect you to have a better idea, Mr. Uchiha," came the snarky response from Kakui.

"What does that mean?"

"Your eyes," Kakui muttered. "You could force someone to reveal information to you. Sure, someone trained like me might be able to resist it, but the untrained populace? No way. Why haven't you used it on the Daimyo already?"

"Why haven't you gone straight to the Daimyo and asked them for information about the shinobi force," Fugaku stated. The question was rhetorical.

"The reason is because that's stupid," the Uchiha continued. "If I use my Sharingan on the daimyo I spark an incident with Konoha and Rice. Unlike Kumo, we're not foolish enough to spark unnecessary wars."

"What's that barb supposed to mean, Uchiha pup," Kakui hissed. Fugaku stared at him, remembering that Kakui knew not who he was. He was hiding under a Henge (Transformation) to ensure that his identity wasn't revealed. Kakui hadn't thought to check for it. He had no idea he was speaking to the Uchiha Clan Head.

He likely would have fled if he did.

"Focus. The civilians clearly are unaware of anything going on in Rice. Whatever is going on certainly has nothing to do with Iron as they refuse to get involved with shinobi business other than trade. The Wagner Ocean is above Rice, leading into Snow. Whatever is going on has to be here, in Rice. Escalation is the only option, but we can't go directly to the Daimyo."

"There's other notable groups," Kakui muttered. "After the Second Shinobi World War the minor countries were devastated. Rice is no exception. The Clans that were left in the strongest positions rose up to form coalitions of power. The Amagiri Clan, the Fuma Clan, Hirasaka Clan, and Tenro Clan. They dominated the powers of Rice for a long while."

"They came to heel after the Third Shinobi World War. Rice negotiated with Fire to bring them to heel underneath the control of the Daimyo."

"Yes, and Fire was largely successful," Kakui stated. "However, there was one that had a meteoric rise to power. One that Fire couldn't put down without sacrificing power they couldn't sacrifice in the heat of a war. The Shiin Clan."

"And that's your idea? We approach the Shiin Clan and ask for information."

"In a sense," Kakui stated. "The Shiin Clan's power was as short lived as it was meteoric. They collapsed not long after the Third Shinobi World War."

"I'm aware. So? What's your point? How could a clan like that have any information?"

"Oh, but who best to know how to deal with shady dealings than a clan that had a meteoric rise to power," Kakui stated. A devious grin formed on his face. "You don't think it was all natural, do you? A clan strong enough to resist pressures from Fire, that isn't a normal clan. They had backing. Backing that clearly abandoned them when things became convenient."

"And you think that backing is what led to the disappearance of our forces."

"It's the best lead we've got."

Fugaku frowned. The idea wasn't entirely unappealing, but something about it bothered him. No, it was rather something in the way the man spoke. He drawled his words whenever he spoke of the clans in Rice, as if they were prizes that had yet been conquered. It was disgusting, and a distinctly Lightning trait. The flashes of Mikoto and Sasuke filled his mind. He had found no trace of them on the battlefield? Maybe he was pursuing the wrong thing. He already knew Kumo had been involved in the disappearance. Was it possible they had kidnapped them and used them to breed before carving out their eyes? Stealing Kekkei Genkai wasn't out of the question.

The storm of doubts raged in Fugaku's mind as he realized who he was working with. Perhaps none of it was rational. He had ruled out Kumo as the culprit, but perhaps he was wrong in doing so? But why would Kakui be here? To trick him? No, there was no way Lightning would have known anyone from Konoha would come to Rice specifically, and the Uchiha had been sure to undetected when tailing the man. Unless he was hiding a significant amount of skill Kakui was just as curious as he was as to what had occurred.

Why didn't that make the bile that filled his mouth any easier to swallow?

"Fine. But I'll be doing the talking."

"That's a bad idea," Kakui stated plainly. Fugaku cocked an eyebrow, but Kakui raised his hands placatingly.

"All due respect, but you Uchiha aren't really the type to be fondly received by other clans. You're one of the strongest clans around, and you look down on other clans. The Shiin Clan won't respond very kindly to your presence. I'll do the talking. You just sit there and look pretty. Oh, and no crimson eyes. Got it?"

Fugaku clenched his jaw. He had half a mind to kill the upstart Lightning shinobi and go visit the Shiin Clan himself, but he couldn't deny that he had a point. Clans, especially from minor countries, did not take kindly to clans from major countries. The Shiin Clan would not be receptive to him, knowing that he was an Uchiha. He could disguise himself once more of course. It was a simple jutsu.

But where was the fun in that when he could make Lightning take all of the blame?

"Fine. We go as Lightning shinobi investigating a disappearance."

"That's fine with me," Kakui stated. "Let's move."

---

The blonde frowned as he looked up at the sky. A bird was flying through the air. There had been no birds seen in the area the entire time he had been here. Wildlife often fled warzones, as they were too dangerous. For a lone bird to be present here meant either it was eating extremely well despite the conflict, an almost impossibility, or it was a summoned animal.

A clone had gathered his students, and the trio were huddling around the village, weapons drawn. Cuts and scrapes covered their skin. They had been particularly bad at dodging. The blonde hadn't lied when he said he was going to get them used to dodging projectiles that came at them quickly. He wasn't as fast as Hanabi, but he didn't need to be. They were lucky he wasn't aiming to kill, or they would have been long dead by now. The bruises that covered their skin was evidence enough of the brutality he had shown them through in their taijutsu spars.

They had no time to fully recover from that as the bird quickly descended towards Naruto. The blonde readied himself and shot up to meet it. He could withstand a threat better than his students or the village could. The bird paused, flapping its wings furiously at the sight of Naruto flying. He couldn't blame its confusion. It wasn't often one found a shinobi capable of flight. It was a skill almost exclusive to Iwa's Tsuchikage.

The bird squawked, looking at the blonde like he was an abomination before speaking.

"Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Who's asking?"

"Oboro Oomizu," the bird stated. "He asked me to send you a report. Said you would be here."

The blonde's eyes narrowed. He was unaware Oboro had a summoning contract. That would have been helpful information to know. He would have to inform his ally to communicate his preferred method of information dispersal. Still, this was fine.

"What is it?"

"There have been reports of assaults across the border of Rain and Fire, as I'm sure you're aware. But they've gotten more widespread. Towns all across the border are reporting raids. Crops being burnt, animals slaughtered, people killed. He's asking you expand your protection sphere. Focus on the entire northern border of Rain."

Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"I have a squad of Chunin with me. They're not prepared for that type of demand."

"Well get them used to it," the bird crowed. "He's directing his forces towards the eastern border. There's a large force pushing there. They have no choice."

The bird screeched before disappearing in a puff of smoke. The blonde frowned, cursing underneath his breath. Oboro was putting him in a particularly difficult situation. He doubted his team was capable of handling such a large-scale border patrol. What they needed to be focusing on was piercing the Konoha offensive, not sitting back twiddling their thumbs. Still, he couldn't just allow the raids to continue.

The blonde flew back down to his squad, eyes sharp.

"Alright, new orders. We're patrolling the entire northern border of Rain now."

"What," was the immediate reaction from Suiren. "That's so much land!"

"It does seem unreasonable," Midare stated. "We're only a four-man team."

"They don't seem to care much for that, and if the scale of the offensive Konoha is launching is true I can't much blame them. We'll have to make do for now. There should be a village just north-west of here. Let's move. We'll dispatch of any threats we find along the way. In the meantime, I'll leave a clone with each village we find. It will disperse itself if there's trouble and we'll come running as our detection system."

"Your clones can do that," Kagari questioned. "How?"

"My clones send me back my memories in battle," Naruto stated. "Konoha kinjutsu."

"Can you teach us," Suiren questioned. There was an eager look on her face. "It would be better if all of us had clones there, right? To be able to patrol better?"

"You don't have the chakra for it," Naruto stated. "They're solid clones and more chakra intensive than elemental clones. Most people can only produce up to ten. The fact I can do more than that has to do with my lineage and unique status as a Jinchuriki."

Suiren frowned but nodded. The blonde tilted his head and the quartet took off, eager to reach the next town over. A clone of the blonde sat atop Hitou's house once more, staring out at the sunset and waiting for any potential threats.

---

The next town over had been safe, completely untouched by Konohagakure threats. The town after it had been fine as well, each left with a clone of Naruto to watch over them. For a brief moment the group dared hope that Oboro's intel was wrong and that Konohagakure raids were not occuring in the northern lands.

Unfortunately, the third town they found disabused them of that notion.

The stench of burning human flesh assaulted their nostrils. Their eyes were filled with plumes of black smoke even as they neared the village. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he reached out with the Fūton: Ten No Kankaku (Wind Release: Heavenly Sense). There were too many bodies and too much flame moving in too many directions for him to pick out friend or foe, but it gave him a rough estimate based on the speed in which the air was distorted. There were abnormalities.

"There's at least ten of them," Naruto cried out. "Focus on escorting the civilians out. I'll deal with the shinobi!"

"What about the flames," Suiren called. "We should put them out!"

"No," Midare insisted. "They'll provide cover for us. Using large scale Suiton jutsu's would reveal that Ame shinobi are here and alert the Konoha shinobi. The power of a surprise attack is right here!"

"Some things are more important than the tactical advantage," Kagari screamed. "There are real people suffering in those flames. People with friends and families. Put it out!"

Naruto nodded.

"He's right. Our goal is to protect civilians. Killing foreign shinobi is tangential to that, not the primary directive."

Naruto weaved through a string of handseals before activating his jutsu. Dark clouds gathered overhead before they unleashed water that quickly doused the flames below. Still, waves of heat wafted from the town.

"Suiton: Amefuribari (Water Release: Falling Rain Needles)."

Naruto glanced back at his charges.

"Be careful. They'll know we're coming. Hide your headbands. It'll lower the guard of any Konoha shinobi even for a brief moment. A second is all it takes to decide a battle amongst shinobi."

The Chunin nodded, following the blonde's instructions before dashing into destroyed village. Naruto was quick to follow, eyes narrowed. The town was in shambles, so much so that he couldn't get much visibility due to the debris scattered in every direction. More than that, pillars of smoke quickly popped back up across the village, a clear sign that the fire from before was not natural. There was a Katon user among the assailants. Likely several. The blonde sped through the town, frustration forming on his face. It was larger than the other towns. More surface area to cover. He heard a scream to his left and dashed towards it, only for his head to snap to the side as he felt something surge through the air like a comet. He was struck by some force midair. The blonde hissed as he felt the weight smash into his side. He skipped across the ground before he slid to a stop.

His head snapped upwards, but he saw nothing but a wall of fire that quickly enveloped him. The blonde bit his lip, eyes scanning the area. The flames were distorting the air, and all of a sudden, the world had grown very still, making his Fūton: Ten No Kankaku completely useless. He stopped utilizing the technique. It was a waste of chakra. The second he did so the next attack came. His head snapped up as the large ball descended, prepared to smash into him. His eyes narrowed.

Akimichi.

The blonde opened his hand and felt the drain on his chakra surge to life as his new scythe formed. He slashed, and instead of being met with the force of an oversized Akimichi he was met with a torrent of blood. The blonde turned; eyes hard.

"Only a few more."

---

Suiren dashed into the battle right behind Midare and Kagari and was instantly blinded. The Konoha shinobi knew a threat was coming and responded as such the second anything abnormal appeared. The cloud of smoke that emerged was certainly not natural, likely a ninjutsu used to blind them. Luckily, smoke could blind but it did not stop their sensations. They felt the heat before it arrived, the trio diving out of the way of a ball of flame that exploded in a firestorm when it landed on the ground.

"Careful! Move as a unit," she screamed out, her voice barely heard over the flames. Midare and Kagari stopped, all of them tentative to move too quickly. They were the minority in this blaze. They weren't like their sensei. Moving alone could mean death. Unfortunately for them, they were not alone.

As if lured by the sound of her voice a shinobi burst from the flames, a savage grin on his face.

"Kill the shinobi!"

The man drew a blade as he charged. Suiren quickly drew a kunai, deflecting the attack. The man pressed forwards, using his superior strength to his advantage. Suiren grit her teeth, struggling to fend off the man. He twisted, swinging her guard wide before lashing out with a kick that smashed into her stomach. The kunochi fell to the ground, panic in her eyes as the sword poised to kill her. The Konoha shinobi grinned, eager to kill the kunoichi.

He never got the chance.

Midare leapt forwards, the ground erupting from the force he leapt with. In one fluid motion he drew a kunai before thrusting it into the man's left bicep, forcing him to drop the sword. The shinobi hissed, but Midare made no move to slow down. He drew his umbrellas, lashing out with two smacks against his temple that stunned him. Suiren leapt forwards, desperation on her face. She quickly plunged her kunai into the man's chest, piercing his heart. He gurgled on his blood, the liquid bursting from his mouth and the open wounds before he collapsed. Kagari took that time to regroup with his teammates.

"Good work," Midare commented.

As if lured by the sound of his voice they were descended upon by foes rabid with bloodlust. Red eyes burned in the flames as an Uchiha leapt at them, kunai in hand. Midare was quick to react, bringing his umbrellas up to stop the weapon cold. The Uchiha's face twisted with disgust at the weapon, kicking away and beginning to weave through handseals. Suiren's eyes narrowed, and she moved to counter. While it was possible the Uchiha could be utilizing a technique from any chakra nature, they were most known for their Katon speciality. Unfortunately, she was unlikely to get the chance to finish her string of seals. A kunoichi appeared behind her, spear raised to pierce her throat.

Kagari flashed to her defense, just barely throwing the spear off target. The kunoichi grunted, twirling the spear so the butt of it collided with Kagari's head. He fell, but not before reaching out with his hand and dragging the kunoichi to the ground with him. Then, the Uchiha and Suiren let fly.

"Katon: Honō Arare (Fire Release: Flaming Hail)!"

"Suiton: Mizurappa (Water Release: Wild Water Wave)!"

The two jutsu cancelled each other out, forming a cloud of steam that superheated the area. The Ame Chunin hissed, their bodies stinging from the heat but focused. Midare quickly dropped his umbrellas, instead weaving through handseals himself. Silently a clone of himself formed from the steam nearby, umbrella in hand. Midare quickly picked up his weapons and let the clone dash into the smoke. The clone was immediately sent skidding backwards courtesy of the Uchiha clashing with it. Midare leapt into the fray, leaving Suiren and Kagari behind.

The two had little time to care as the kunoichi behind them quickly rose to her feet, bringing her spear up and stabbing downwards at Kagari. The younger shinobi tilted his head, barely avoiding the weapon piercing through his skull. He suffered only a gash on his cheek for his troubles. Suiren swiped at the woman with her kunai, slicing open her bicep. The kunoichi stumbled back, hissing as she wielded the spear with one arm. Her eyes turned to Suiren and she twisted, hurling the spear at the kunoichi. Suiren squawked and dove to the ground. The spear sailed overhead.

Suiren rose, hands attempting to weave through handseals to capitalize only for her eyes to widen as she saw the kunoichi already in front of her. It was only thanks to Kagari that she didn't die. Her teammate had leapt in front of her, catching the kunoichi's punch. The two engaged in a brief taijutsu spat, a flurry of punches and kicks being exchanged before Kagari was sent backwards due to a kick to his sternum. The kunoichi snapped open her hand, and the screaming of their senses was the only warning Suiren and Kagari got to duck. The spear snapped back into the kunoichi's hands, just barely missing their heads.

The kunoichi spun, flames engulfing the spear before she twirled the weapon unleashing a wave of fire at the duo. Suiren's eyes widened but the jutsu moved to fast for her to react to. The kunoichi screamed, thrown back from the force as burns covered her skin.

"Suiren!"

The Konoha kunoichi leapt forwards, a grin on her face only to be tackled midair by Kagari. The two rolled across the ground. The Konoha kunoichi lashed out with her spear only for Kagari to slink into the charred ground, avoiding the strike.

"What?"

She had no time to think as a wave of water smashed into her back, throwing her forwards and ripping the spear from her hands. Suiren panted, launching a kunai that pierced her left leg. The kunoichi roared, ripping the weapon from her body before she charged the Ame Chunin. She would have reached her had a hand not snapped up from the ground, catching her leg and forcing her to the ground. She snarled as she saw Kagari leap from the ground behind her. Suiren hurled a storm of shuriken at her, slicing across her face as the two Ame Chunin retreated. The Konoha kunoichi screamed in rage, turning to face them.

The Konoha kunoichi launched herself at them, only for the ground to melt beneath her feet. She stumbled, crying out as she was swallowed whole before her world went dark. A rivulet of blood filled the air as her throat split open, courtesy of Suiren's kunai. She looked at Kagari, nodding in appreciation at the genjutsu he had cleverly used. He nodded back as he rose to his feet. Both turned, hoping to see Midare standing victorious above the Uchiha.

They were disappointed as they saw him locked in fierce combat with the man. The Konoha shinobi was clearly his superior at taijutsu. Midare and his clone were being pushed back despite the numbers advantage. Kagari grunted, sprinting forwards as Suiren weaved through handseals. However, before she could finish the sequence a man stepped in from behind her, slamming her to the ground roughly. Blood poured from a gash formed on her forehead as she cried out in pain. Kagari turned, eyes horrified to see a large man holding her down with a singular, oversized hand. He knew that technique.

Akimichi.

The Chunin glanced back at Midare, hoping he could handle the situation before he charged. He launched a kunai at the man only for him to effortlessly deflect them with his own kunai. Kagari was not one to be dismayed. He quickly began to weave through handseals as he approached. He knew he couldn't compete with an Akimichi in close quarters, but he didn't need to. He just needed to free Suiren. That was easily doable. He launched himself forwards, kunai clashing with his foes. He reached out, punching the Akimichi in the face to no effect. The Konoha shinobi grunted, sending to Chunin flying with his superior strength.

He made to follow up, but the Akimichi stumbled as the genjutsu took effect and Kagari took that moment to act. An enlarged arm gave the man significant strength, but it also created a larger target. His kunai lashed out against the man's hand, biting deep. His grip loosened just enough for the Ame shinobi to pull free his comrade. The Akimichi roared, stepping forwards and lashing out with a massive fist that sent the duo flying from the sheer force.

Meanwhile, Midare grit his teeth as the Uchiha continued his assault. He had grossly miscalculated his foes abilities. The Uchiha was skilled, and predictive powers of the Sharingan gave him a key advantage in taijutsu. He had to launch a surprise attack; it was the only way. He had hoped for help from his teammates, but they had disappeared in the flames, likely attacked by another entity. He was on his own.

He grunted, deflecting another slash with his umbrella. He had to move. He kicked back, disengaging, and letting his clone handle the fight. It wouldn't last long. He slinked behind one of the larger pieces of debris. He had no idea if the Sharingan could see through obstructions like the Byakugan could, but he would have to make do. He slipped away, stepping uncomfortably close to the wall of fire that Uchiha had no doubt set up to blind them when they first landed in the village. Smoke raided his lungs, causing damage he couldn't hope to measure on his own. Resisting the urge to cough was even more difficult than the searing heat.

That was when he saw it. The Uchiha illuminated by the flame, just barely visible from behind the black cloud. His head was snapping in every direction, clearly looking for him. Midare grunted, trying to form a clone but it couldn't solidify in the intense heat of the fire next to him. He grunted, gripping his umbrella tightly. Any form of Mizu Bunshin (Water Clone) was out of play it seemed. But he wasn't helpless. A clone formed, leaping into the fray towards the Uchiha. Meanwhile Midare waited for his opportunity.

It came the second the Uchiha's attention focused on his clone. Midare shot forwards, using chakra to enhance his speed as he aimed to thrust his umbrella deep into the Uchiha's ribcage. His chakra coalesced at the tip of the weapon.

The Uchiha spun, a grin on his face as he saw Midare. He turned his back to the clone, completely ignoring the kunai that speared through his chest to instead catch the umbrella that tried to spear through his ribcage. Midare's eyes widened in horror.

"How did you know?"

"The Sharingan can see through an illusionary clone boy," The Konoha shinobi stated. He raised his kunai, ready to slit his throat only for Midare to lash out with his feet, kicking his chin and snapping his head back. The force weakened his grip just enough for Midare to slip out of it. The teen twirled his umbrella, hate in his eyes.

"Jouro Senbon (Senbon Shower)!"

The springs in his umbrella activated, unleashing a storm of senbon. The Uchiha tried to react, parrying what he could with the enhanced vision of the Sharingan, but there were simply too many. By the time the attack ended the Uchiha looked like a pincushion. Still, he was not dead. He dropped to a knee, a heavy breath escaping his mouth before Midare shot forwards, eager to finish the fight. The Uchiha's head snapped up, but Midare knew better than to look the Uchiha in the eyes. The last-ditch gambit failed as the umbrella pierced the Uchiha's heart. The Konoha shinobi looked down, horror on his face as pain burned through his system.

"It takes more than that to stop me," the Ame Chunin hissed, before ripping the umbrella out. The Uchiha crumpled to the ground, dead.

Midare whirled, eyes narrowed. Slowly, he stalked into the burning flames. He needed to find his teammates, and quickly.

---

Kagari and Suiren were struggling underneath the immense pressure the Akimichi provided. His physical strength completely outclassed the two of them. His blows blew through their feeble defenses. Kagari had desperately attempted to raise the ground to defend them, giving them just a second of time so they could escape and formulate a plan. It was pointless. The man's strength was overwhelming. His fist grabbed Suiren, flinging her to the ground. The Konoha shinobi had his hands raised, prepared to smash the kunoichi into a thin paste.

Kagari was desperate. The man shrugged off any jutsu he used to try and slow him down. Even the genjutsu's he had attempted had been broken with ease. Whoever this Akimichi was, he was in a realm far beyond the other shinobi they had fought. The man's hands dropped and were stopped halfway through as he was forced to dodge. Shuriken pierced the air where his neck just was. Midare stood in the haze of smoke, eyes narrowed.

"Damn it Kagari, what the hell are you doing?"

Suiren scrambled to her feet.

"I-I was trying to-"

"Shut up!"

The Akimichi charged them, deathly silent. Instead, his body just continued to grow, becoming a giant that forced the trio to flee. They were chased throughout the battlefield, the ground shaking underneath the weight of the man's steps. They had no counter to such a jutsu. All they could do was avoid death and hope that Naruto came to save them.

The realization ate at Midare. The uselessness in the face of an overpowering enemy once again. It was that ire that made him spin around, umbrellas raised. He hurled one weapon at the giant before dashing forwards. The giant swatted away the projectile only to feel a slight prodding at his ankles. Midare had stabbed two kunai into them before leaping away. With a shout the kunai detonated, bringing the giant to his knees. The Ame Chunin leapt towards the man, drawing his other umbrella, and raising it to spear through the man's eye. A large opponent was just a larger target.

That was what he wanted to believe.

The Akimichi swatted him to the ground with ease, Midare screaming in pain as he felt the pop of his shoulder as he landed. Dislocation at best. A broken bone at worst. He looked up, fury in his eyes as he saw the giant return to his normal height. The man raised his foot, prepared to squash him into paste only for a whip of water to wrap around his ankle. Suiren screamed with effort as she tried to pull the man away, but instead was dragged in with a subtle shift of his weight. She flew, smashing into Midare to form a mess of limbs and pain. The Akimichi raised his foot to smash them to paste.

Kagari leapt forwards, all caution lost to the wind. Two kunai rested in his hands he moved. The Akimichi spun, snatching him by the head but Kagari didn't care. His body moved, stabbing into the Akimichi's arm repeatedly with the weapons like a savage animal, screaming all the while. The Akimichi hissed in pain as the steel ripped gash after gash into his body.

"Fucking brat!" The giant of a man roared as he smashed Kagari into the ground. The blow stunned the Chunin, who was left unable to move. Midare and Suiren came to his rescue, grabbing the limbs of the Akimichi who grunted and flung them to the ground. The two groaned in pain, exhausted and out of ideas that would work against the superior foe. Once more the Akimichi raised his foot, preparing to crush the two Ame Chunin. Kagari reached out his hand, desperation on his face. Once again, he had failed.

Kagari stared, horror in his eyes as he saw the giant raise his foot once more. He was still, body locked in a paralysis as he saw the impending death of his allies. They would be lost to the world, just like his parents were. Midare glanced at him, and the two locked eyes. For a brief moment time seemed to freeze as Midare realized help would not be coming and hate filled his eyes.

"No! Please, we gi-"

However, before the foot could descend and crush the two Ame Chunin the Akimichi screamed in pain. The entire leg had been torn into a mess of gore and blood as Naruto flew in the air, scythe in hand. He glanced at the trio.

"Are you all okay?"

A dumb, numb, nod was the best he could get from the group. He nodded, turning to look back at the Akimichi. He charged, scythe cleaving through the air before the Akimichi split in two, blood pouring onto the streets. Naruto crocked his head, nodding to himself. His hands sped through a slew of handseals before he unleashed a massive torrent of water that instantly quelled the new blaze the town had burst into. Heat still wafted into the air, and a haze made visibility difficult, but it was clear.

The battle was over.

---

They picked through the ruins of the town in silence. Naruto due to his focus, Suiren due to the tension in the air, and Midare and Kagari refused to even look at each other. The anger Midare radiated was palpable, threatening to spark a new blaze in the ashes of the destroyed town. The only thing that managed to stop the flames from erupting and devouring everything in their path was the sheer weight of Kagari's guilt. It was an anchor on the air itself.

The town was destroyed, civilians killed by the Konoha shinobi. None of the perpetrators had gotten away. Twelve Konoha shinobi, mostly killed by Naruto. It was a strange tactic to the blonde, these civilian attacks. There wasn't major infrastructure in Rain to attack in Rain. The capital, likely strictly off limits due to it being the seat of power, and two larger towns closer in the country proper. Still, he had never participated in a mission that directly targeted civilians. Sure, he had seen his fair share of collateral damage. He wouldn't say he hadn't caused any. That type of innocence wasn't something that could be preserved for someone who had led the annexation of an entire country.

But this was different.

This was deliberate targeting of civilians. In taking away farming they were going out of their way to massacre civilians. The only question was why? The blonde couldn't see the tactical benefit to attacking these fringe towns. Sure, it hurt the agriculture of Rain which stood on relatively shaky ground already, but was that truly the goal? If Konoha wanted to starve Rain out they had easier ways of doing so. The Aburame Clan could poison supplies and they'd be none the wiser until it was far too late. No, there was a reason why these attacks were so blatant and terroristic in nature.

The blonde just didn't know what.

And judging by the yelling he heard, he would have no time to think further about it.

He turned, seeing Midare stomping over to Kagari. Suiren tried to stand in the way, but she was easily shoved aside.

"What the hell is wrong with you!"

Ah, it looked like the tenous peace between the duo was broken.

Midare shoved Kagari to the ground as the blonde approached, rage burning in his eyes.

"What do you even do on the battlefield? You were just going to let us die."

"I-I tried! He was just too strong! I couldn't move after that last attack."

"I don't care what you tried!"

Midare glowered at his teammate.

"That's the second time Kagari. The second time we've been dead to rights by an enemy shinobi, and you did nothing about it. If Naruto hadn't been here, we'd be dead. And you would have followed right behind us."

Midare grit his teeth, his hands clenched as he remembered Kagari's words.

"It was just like Hanabi," he spat.

"There was a moment when you were actually going to say that we gave up. Surrender is an outcome far worse than defeat. I won't tolerate that kind of weak behavior from an Ame shinobi! I won't tolerate that type of weak behavior from you."

"That's not fair Midare and you know it! That shinobi was beyond any of us! If Kagari hadn't been there before we'd have died before Naruto-sensei had time to show up."

"If Kagari had been smart he'd have used genjutsu to distract him the first time and we could have killed him without Naruto-sensei. That's what a real shinobi would have done. Found a way to win regardless."

Midare spat on the ground where Kagari lay.

"Go home. You're not cut out to be shinobi."

"Enough."

Naruto interjected, standing between the duo. A frown graced his face as he realized teamwork exercises would have to take a backseat until he could figure out how to smooth over the relationship between the two young men.

"The battle is over. We'll have time for dissecting mistakes made. The border still needs patrolling for the day. I doubt this was their only attack."

The blonde looked at the trio, watching the winces that formed on their faces at the very suggestion of continuing their work for the day. A sigh escaped his lips before he glanced at Suiren.

"Take them back to Oaxaco. You're in charge. If you find any Konoha shinobi, you do not engage, am I clear?"

"Sir!"

"Good. I'll be back after I've finished border patrol. Dismissed."

Midare took off instantly, eliciting a frown from both Naruto and Suiren. The kunoichi slowly helped Kagari off the ground before they took off after their teammate. The blonde rubbed the back of his head, a frown forming on his face.

He was starting to understand more and more why Kakashi had done that bell test.

---

The two men from warring villages slowly entered the compound, eyes tracking every movement as they walked. There were a few people running around the small compound, mainly women and children. Some younger men were walking around, but the age gap was noticeable. It looked like no middle-aged men were present whatsoever. Only teenagers and the elderly.

A frown graced Kakui's face. That was the sign of war.

The two were led to a large building, three thick black lines decorating the golden doors that swung open to reveal a large path that led up to a chair. On the chair a man sat, narrow eyes analyzing the both of them. Slowly, they approached, flanked by guards the entire time. The man on the chair's pallid complexion unnerved them all. He was sickly, that much was clear. The purple kimono struggled to stay attached to his body, only resting there thanks to the purple sash that was snug tightly around his waist. He looked frail. An anorexic? One did not last long as a shinobi with such an affliction. One of the man's hands rested in the kimono, playing with some object that neither Kakui nor Fugaku could make out underneath the fabric.

As they neared the man they slowed to a stop, bowing their heads deep as a sign of respect. The man did not respond in kind.

"Why are Lightning shinobi in our lands? Rice has made clear that they wish to stay out of this conflict. The Shiin Clan holds the same opinion."

"Shiin-sama," Kakui began, head still bowed. "We come merely as humble guests. We wished to speak with you about an intriguing series of events. We even come bearing gifts."

"Gifts," the man stated. His voice was raspy, as if grating two stones together. "Gifts from a Great Power are curses. Your people bring nothing but destruction. You'd poison the fruit of a tree and sell it to your enemies before you made peace."

"But you are not our enemy," Kakui stated, the smile on his face plastered on. It looked strange against his skin. Unnatural. "We come as friends."

Kakui pulled a scroll from his shinobi pouch, careful to do so slowly as he watched the shinobi around the room tense. Fifteen shinobi standing guard among their leader. A show of force that was often reserved for Kage. The Kumo shinobi prepared to open the scroll only for several of the Shiin Clan shinobi to draw weapons. The Clan Leader before them narrowed his eyes.

"What is in that scroll?"

"The gift we bring to you, Shiin-sama."

The man slowly straightened his body in the chair, tilting his head as his focus on the two shinobi before him was renewed.

"If this is a trap..."

"I would never!"

The man gave a slight nod and Kakui took that as acceptance. With a subtle application of chakra, the scroll opened, revealing another mass of scrolls, much to the confusion of the Shiin Clan members.

"Ninjutsu scrolls mainly," Kakui stated. "But some contain gold and other minerals. For you to keep, free of charge. You needn't even give us the information we desire."

The leader turned, his eyes focusing on Fugaku. The man was had changed his skin tone and hair color under a Henge once more to look more like a typical Kumo shinobi. Fugaku met his eyes, causing the leader's eyes to narrow in response. The two remained locked in their staring competition until Kakui elbowed Fugaku in the side. The Uchiha curled his lip but bowed his head once more. The Shiin Clan member frowned but nodded his head.

"This is acceptable." He flicked his wrist and several clan members rushed over, collecting the scrolls that Kakui had revealed like ravenous beasts. Kakui eyed them, a friendly smile replacing the unnerving one he had from before.

"So, about our question-"

"I did not say I was going to answer it."

Kakui hesitated, not expecting that response. The clan leader took that moment to continue.

"You wish us to give you information, you will do something for us in turn. There is a goldmine in a nearby village, one that would help us regain our lost power in Rice."

Kakui frowned, not liking where things were going.

"Claim the goldmine in our name, and we shall answer your questions to the best of our abilities."

Kakui hesitated, not expecting such a request, but Fugaku stepped forwards, bowing his head. Only Kakui could see the look of frustration that was burned onto his face.

"As you wish, it shall be done, Shiin-sama."

---

The group of Chunin stumbled back into Hitou's home, greeted by the dead bodies of Kagari's parents. Kagari stared at them for a moment. The memories of them waking him up in the morning, and of their desperate attempts to save money to put him through the Academy flashed through his mind. The desperation on their faces when they realized they had nothing to call their own when their house was swept away by a particularly violent storm. The joy on their faces when he graduated and became a Genin.

He was ripped from his painful memories by Lurua and Akichi, the brother and sister each clinging to one of his legs.

"Kagari-nii you're back," Akichi said, a smile on his face. "We missed you so much! Hitou didn't let us play outside today."

Kagari glanced at the man who shrugged.

"It's dangerous," he said matter of factly, before he turned back to his work. He was repairing the house. The town had been at work all day, tearing down the houses that no longer housed anyone and using them to rebuild. It was dark work. Work that reminded them of the horrors they had to live through, but it was work that Rain civilians were used to. When you were as poor as they were, you did anything to survive.

"He's right you know," Kagari said. "It's still dangerous around here. You probably shouldn't be playing outside."

"It's fine, we have you here to protect us right!"

Kagari paused, frozen stiff by the words. He could feel Midare's cold eyes glaring at him from the corner of the house, refusing to comment if only for the innocence of the children. Suiren's eyes darted between the two, waiting for an explosion to erupt that would never occur.

"Right," Kagari said awkwardly, smiling in Akichi's face. "Well...I'll make it up to you. What do you two want for dinner?"

"Meat!" Lurua said. "But Hitou-jiji said we might have to wait a while for meat. There's not any more food..."

Kagari frowned, glancing at Hitou.

"Wasn't there supposed to be a hunting party that went out today?"

"Came back empty-handed," Hitou said. "No surprise there. The animals have all run off."

Kagari frowned, looking back at the disappointed children. He looked back at Hitou, a firm look forming on his face.

"Hey, I'll go find some meat for you guys alright! Enough to feed the whole village."

Midare's suffocated snort could barely be heard over the deafening rain, but it could be heard. Suiren glared at the Chunin but he refused to meet her gaze.

"What is wrong with you," she hissed underneath her breath.

"He won't bring anything back," Midare retorted. "He's a failure."

Kagari winced. He could hear the words over their hushed tones.

"I'll be gone for just a bit okay. Suiren will take care of you both okay?"

The two children looked over, an excited look on their face.

"Oh, the nice kunoichi lady? Will she do the water trick for us again?"

Suiren smiled, weaving through a string of handseals before water in the air coalesced into her palm. It got a series of 'oh's' and 'awes' from the two. She nodded at Kagari, and he took that as his signal to leave. Midare watched him leave, disgust in his eyes.

It wasn't long after Kagari left that Naruto arrived. Midare's eyes widened at his return.

"Naruto-sensei," Suiren called, a smile on her face as she lifted Lurua into the air. "You're back already."

The blonde nodded.

"I checked the next two towns over. I sent clones to handle the rest. So far no other signs of attack. Seems like the bulk of the Konoha force is attacking Oboro's side."

Midare frowned.

"You were able to cover the entire border by yourself," he whispered, confusion on his face. Naruto tilted his head.

"It's not the best strategy," the blonde admitted. "Clones are fragile. If they get hit hard enough, they'll pop. Even if they alert me when it happens it'll take time for me to get there. Even I can't cover an entire border by myself. But for scouting purposes and information gathering they're great."

Midare lurched from his seat, the frown on his face deepening.

"Teach me," he hissed.

The blonde tilted his head.

"Teach me," the Chunin reiterated. "Kagari is useless. We're functioning as a two-man cell here whenever you disappear. I need to make up the gap. I have to become stronger."

Midare clenched his fists.

"That Akimichi...if it weren't for you...we all would have died. I can't tolerate that! Ame shinobi must be the best of the best! So please, teach me how to use the jutsu!"

A frown formed on the blonde's face. He prepared to respond only to see the despondent looks on the civilians faces.

"Outside, now."

Midare hesitated but followed the orders. It was after he was outside that Naruto answered his question.

"I will not teach your that jutsu."

"What? But Rain is under threat? Is that a joke to you?"

"No." Naruto repeated, using a subtle application of chakra to make his voice boom. "That's final. Like I said before, you can't use this jutsu effectively. You don't have the chakra reserves."

The blonde paused before he continued, his voice steely.

"And another thing, you need to stop talking down to Kagari."

"What," Midare hissed, confusion in his voice. "He's a deadweight! We would be dead two times over if it wasn't for you stepping in to save us!"

"And the entire group would be dead if they followed your orders without fail," Naruto hissed. The words struck Midare like a slap across the face. "You noticed your ally behaving poorly on the battlefield and proceeded to push an engagement with a foe regardless. Lack of leadership. Kagari pointed out a very possible flaw in your approach strategy by recognizing Hanabi could have been luring you in that you ignored. A failure to delegate."

The blonde shook his head.

"Kagari pleaded with Hanabi to not kill you regardless of your poor treatment of him since this team has been formed. He delayed the Akimichi shinobi from killing you and Suiren before I had time to intervene. Sure, the kid isn't great at plenty of the aspects of being a shinobi yet, but he has the heart of a shinobi who cares for his comrades. That matters. You don't. That matters."

Midare stepped back, shock on his face at the words being spoken to him.

"It's not uniquely a you problem," Naruto stated with ease. "Like I said before, I should have stepped up and handled Hanabi. Or at least sent a group of clones with you all to defend you both then and today. I failed as a leader. We are all flawed Midare. That is why we work as a team. To overcome the flaws we have individually. You would do well to remember that."

The blonde turned to look at Suiren, the kunoichi stepping outside after the voices of the two raised.

"Where did Kagari go?"

"Out," Suiren answered. "The village doesn't have food for the night. He went to try and gather some."

"The village doesn't have food," the blonde questioned. "I thought-"

"The hunting party came back empty-handed," Hitou repeated as he stepped outside. "It's fine. We've all gone days without food before."

The blonde frowned, glancing at Midare.

"Stay here on guard duty. If anyone comes flare out as much chakra as you can. In the meantime, I'm going to go try and help Kagari go hunting."

The blonde looked at Suiren.

"Which way did he go?"

---

It wasn't long before the blonde Uzumaki caught up with his student in the wilderness, watching as he stalked through Rain terrain. Cracks and crevices spread through the ground. It was desolate. They were the only signs of life for miles.

"I know you're there sensei."

Naruto blinked, appearing next to Kagari in a flash.

"I wasn't hiding."

"What were you doing?"

"I didn't want you to wander off."

"I'm not wandering," Kagari said, glancing around. "I'm looking."

"For what exactly?"

Kagari was silent for a while, approching a nearby cliffside where a massive crevice. Slowly he looked over, cerulean eyes piercing into the dark depths that even the dull light of the sky failed to pierce. A beat passed. Another. Two more. Finally, he descended, sticking to the walls with his chakra. His eyes scanned across the rockey surface. He was looking for something. Naruto mimicked his movements as they went, curious for the meaning behind his actions. Slowly they descended, the sound of rain smashing against the ground the only sound that could be heard for miles. But Kagari continued as if possessed.

Finally, he shot forwards in a blur of motion, pouncing at speeds that were impossible for any non-shinobi. There was a flash of steel and an instant later it was over, revealing a small creature in hand. Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"Food," Kagari stated, finally responding to the blonde's question. "Wall rabbit. It's not great. The meat is tight and they're hard to skin but...it's better than nothing. These little guys don't run during shinobi conflict, so they're a reliable source of food. But the villagers can't get the food because scaling these crevices is too dangerous."

"You feed them?"

"I try to," Kagari admitted. "I'm from Oaxaco. It's a poor village that has always relied on farming and livestock to survive. I try to go hunting whenever I'm here to help them."

"I see," Naruto muttered. "Why didn't you tell me you were from Oaxaco?"

"It wasn't relevant sir."

"We're going to a warzone, and you didn't think it was relevant to tell me the place you're from was the destination?"

"No sir," Kagari stated, frustration burning his throat. "Adding in my emotions would have gotten in the way of the mission."

"And your parents," Naruto stated, glancing at the Chunin. "Will their death get in the way of the mission?"

Kagari stared up at Naruto, eyes hard. Icy.

"No sir."

Naruto stared back at the Ame shinobi, a strange look in his eyes. It was one that Kagari felt a distant familiarity too. The look unnerved him.

"Am I free to continue hunting now sir? I have to be quick, or the rest of the wall rabbits will go back to their burrows where we can't get them."

Naruto's eyebrow twitched briefly before a kunai slipped into his hands. Kagari's eyes widened.

"Well, what are you waiting for," Naruto muttered. "I'll need another demonstration if I'm to help."

A small smile formed on Kagari's face.

---

It wasn't long until the duo returned, carrying handfuls of wall rabbit. Lurua's eyes widened at the sight when they returned. A small smile filled the girls face as she ran up to Kagari.

"Wow! You caught so much food!"

"Sure did," Kagari stated, a bright smile on his face. "Go get the rest of the villagers while we get the food ready, okay? Tell them we'll throw a feast!"

"Alright!"

Lurua quickly ran off, a smile forming on her face despite the destroyed village around her. Akichi was quick to run off to help her, the eagerness in their movements evident.

"How did you get all this food," Suiren whispered, shock on her face.

"I know a guy," Kagari stated nonchalantly. Midare looked at his teammate, eyes drifting between Kagari and Naruto. A spark of something flashed in his eye that no one caught before Kagari gently placed the food on the lone table in Hitou's house before them.

"Now, let's cook!"

---

It took the group a while to finish preparing the food, but by the time they did they had enough food to feed the entire village. It wasn't much, certainly not enough to fill everyone up, but it was enough to make the familiar pang of hunger fade from their minds. For the first time since the Konoha shinobi had attacked, they had peace of mind.

Laughter and booming voices filled the night air, despite the somber events of recent days. Food, real food, not rations, was a welcome sight.

"Do it again!" Akichi cried, smiling at Suiren lifted him into the air. The girl smiled, throwing him up gently with a small application of chakra. Akichi squealed in delight as she caught him, begging to be thrown upwards once more. The kunoichi was happy to oblige.

Lurua sat next to Kagari, a smile on her face.

"Wall rabbit is my favorite food," she said in between mouthfuls. Kagari smirked, looking down at her large serving of the food.

"Well, it just so happens to be my favorite food too!"

"Really," Lurua whispered, continuing to shove food into her mouth. "I would think you get to eat all types of fancy food, Kagari-nii! You're a shinobi."

Kagari opened his mouth, the thought of denying it coming to mind only to be stilled. A horrifying thought appeared in his mind.

Was she wrong?

He could eat well in Ame, provided he had the money to buy food. Ame was the seat of power in Rain for a reason. Most of the economic and military power resided there, but similarly so did most of the food. The Amekage clearly was trying to strengthen the economy of the country and support the sparse villages throughout the country, but there was only so much he could do. Most of the country's population resided in Ame. It was only natural they had the most food.

But in doing so they had forgotten about the people on the borderlands. The people that suffered because of this system. It wasn't Ame's fault, but rather the other Great Powers. He had become a shinobi precisely to rectify that. To help support the little village he was from, and when they needed him most he wasn't there.

And his parents were gone because of it.

All while he was enjoying better food in the capital.

He was broken from his thoughts from the sound of footsteps. His eyes glanced upwards to see Midare staring down at him. He frowned, but Midare awkwardly shuffled his feet. Lurua happily ignored the chunin, continuing to eat her food. Midare's eyes glanced between the portions of the two before him, noticing that Lurua's was noticeably larger than Kagari's.

"Can we talk," the man stated.

Kagari hesitantly nodded, rising to go speak with Midare in private. They walked off into the distance, far from the center of the party. They stopped when they could only distantly hear the laughter and yelling of the villagers and shinobi alike. Kagari shuffled around, awkwardly looking down at the ground as Midare gathered his voice.

A tense silence filled the air before Midare cut it with a knife.

"Good job."

Kagari's eyes widened, his head snapping up. His eyes met Midare's and the Chunin was shocked to find genuine approval in his eyes.

"W-what?"

"Good job. With the food I mean," Midare stated. "This was good work. We had no rations, and you took it upon yourself to go treat the village. Go hunting. It's more than I did."

Kagari waved his hands, his face a flush red.

"N-no Naruto-sensei did most of the work really! I just showed him how to catch the rabbits!"

Midare frowned.

"Learn to take a damn compliment Kagari. I don't give them often."

The boy winced at the harshness in Midare's tone, but he could not help but break a small smile at the words. He had been complimented, by Midare of all people!

"You might have fucked up in the battle, but you showed that you cared about these people. Regardless of how I feel about how you perform in combat the fact that you care about the people of Rain matters. I had...forgotten that."

"Thanks," Kagari whispered, a small smile forming on his face. Midare frowned at the bashful nature.

"That's why I'm confused," Midare stated. "You clearly care about these people. About the country. The village. So why did you go into a battle, hungry?"

Kagari winced but could hear the genuine frustration in Midare's voice. He couldn't help but understand. His teammates lives had hung in the balanace and his lack of preparedness had almost cost them their lives. That type of frustration was only natural.

"The village...often goes hungry," Kagari stated plainly. "It has ever since I was born. Food is hard to come by in the border towns."

Kagari smiled.

"I remember being a child...watching my parents hide their hunger behind fake smiles as they gave me all of the food we had to eat. I remember hearing their stomachs growl as they struggled to sleep through the night. I...I remember the hunger pains myself when there was nothing to eat. A day. Two. Sometimes more."

Kagari shook his head.

"I...I don't want the village to have to go through that ever again. Especially not Lurua and Akichi."

"You gave them your food," Midare realized. The realization was sudden, and everything clicked afterwards. He hadn't not eaten because he was slacking. He was following in the footsteps of his parents. That was why he hadn't eaten anything. Because he made sure everyone else had food first and there was nothing left for him. His mind felt like it was filled with a thousand thoughts at the realization, none of them too kind about the words he had spoken to his teammate.

Midare opened his mouth.

"But...the food you were eating..."

Kagari gave a solemn smile and opened his hand. A small piece of food appeared, causing Midare's eyes to widen. Kagari smirked before the food disappeared into specks of light.

"It's a really basic genjutsu," Kagari said. "I didn't want Lurua and Akichi to worry, but I understand the problems it caused the team. I understand why you all were mad. I would be too if the roles were reversed. I put your lives on the line, and there's no excusing that. I should have gone out to catch some more to eat. I could have tried for the wall rabbit earlier. Or gone hunting, or-"

Kagari stopped when Midare placed a hand on his shoulder. Kagari looked upwards, meeting his teammates eyes only to see a solemn regret in them. He could see what Midare was feeling for the first time in their relationship.

Midare felt a crushing guilt weigh on him.

"I..." Midare paused, as if unsure of the words to say. "You shouldn't be apologizing to me for that," Midare stated plainly. "You did the right thing. You cared for civilians first. That's what Ame shinobi are supposed to do. Protect their people. You did that. You showed that you were a better shinobi than me."

Midare bowed his head, causing Kagari's eyes to widen. The Ame Chunin felt regret surge through his body as his thoughts wandered back to the group's first fight with Hanabi.

"You've done that more than I have through this mission," Midare said. "I should have valued that more. It's my job to protect Rain, but that's not just in the military. That's in the morale of the country too. Thank you for making me realize this, Kagari-san. And I'm sorry for my behavior."

Kagari blinked, waving his hands rapidly.

"Ah, there's really nothing to apologize for! Truly! If anything, I should be apologizing to you! I haven't carried my weight on these missions. I couldn't stop that Akimichi, and I was useless against Hanabi."

"You saved us against the Akimichi," Midare countered. "I know that. I was just...so...angry at being outmatched by another shinobi again. I'm one of the strongest Chunin in Ame and yet it feels like I can barely make a dent in the Konoha force. Hanabi Hyuga, that Akimichi, they both completely outclassed me. Even the Uchiha nearly killed me in our fight. It makes me wonder whether or not I truly can protect Rain. It's...frustrating to see that I was just a big fish in a little pond."

"You're more than that," Kagari countered. "You're the strongest person on the squad...not counting Naruto-sensei. That strength doesn't come from nowhere. You have a passion for Rain and to protect it. That's a good thing! That anger you're feeling makes sense. As opposed to me. I haven't been able to turn my love for Rain into anything but a disappointment."

"Then let's fix that," Midare said, holding out his hand. "I'll help you with your training. You and Suiren. We can grow stronger together. Then there won't be an opponent the three of us can't handle."

Kagari smiled, accepting the hand.

"Y-yeah that sounds great!"

The Chunin placed a hand behind his back.

"But I still feel like I should apologize."

Midare shook his head furiously.

"No! If anyone should I must!"

The two continued arguing, a heated conversation about who should be apologizing to who late into the night. Far from both of them a blonde-haired shinobi stood, a small smile resting on his face.