{A/N}

I tried to get this out on the 28th, but I was too slow and had a lot of stuff to do. Then, I tried the 1st of this month, but the universe got in my way. So, I've settled for the second of this month.
I want to post more this month since things are looking much better this time around, but promises can't be made until the summertime, and that's a long way from now. It's actually why I was able to pump so much out before now.

Anyway, enjoy this chapter. Warning, though, it's rather long. 19,000+ The longest one yet.

{Land of Earth: Iwagakure: Council chambers}

August 20th.

Line break.


The council chamber of Iwagakure is a sturdy, imposing room carved directly into the side of a mountain. The walls are thick and reinforced with chakra-enhanced rock to ensure privacy and to add an extra layer of security, a measure taken after Deidera's terrorism.

Large stone pillars rise from the floor to the ceiling, supporting the immense weight of the mountain above. The room is dimly lit by torches, casting flickering shadows over the stone carvings that depict the history of Iwa's founding and its legendary shinobi. In the center of the room is a large Marble table, circular in shape, around which the council sits. The table's surface is etched with a map of Iwagakure and its surrounding territories, used to plot out strategies and political decisions.

At the very end of this table sits an irritated Onoki, the old man rubbing his temple as the men at this table all bicker about the topic at hand. Sunagakure.

Never has an opportunity like this presented itself for Iwa, but there's no way in hell they were going to simply sit still as they had in the past. It was too good to be true.

"I say we take our chances and strike Suna while they're weakened!"

"For what?! Their land is useless to us! We should instead focus on trying to take their client villages for our own! The more tributaries, the better!"

"I'm not saying we conquer them directly! It's as you say. They'd make an excellent puppet state! We must strike!"

"And risk engaging Konoha?!

"Konoha is weakened. If anything, they'll back off when we're done taking care of their treacherous former ally."

"Enough." Onoki said, raising a hand and closing his eyes. "I've heard enough. I've made up my mind."

The men of the council all leaned forward to listen, and Onoki folded his papers, grabbing the pen on his right side. "The Land of Mountains will let us through solely because Suna won't be able to protect them. I say, we make them bend. The same goes for any foolish, petty village still under the influence of that dying state. Konoha can have Suna. Their economy is finished. We need the source of their once thriving economy to sustain our future campaigns." Onoki said as he began writing. "We will send an expeditionary force to the Land of Mountains, and from there, we will take the Land of Valleys, too. The rest of the client villages can be taken with ease."

The men of the council all nodded, and one spoke up. "And, what of Kumo's potential involvement? Surely, they'll want a piece of Suna as well, right?"

Onoki scoffed. "Let them. We have no interest in the desert. Let the two dogs fight over the scraps while we take what's rightfully ours. In the end, if they prove to be trouble, we'll use our new resources to our advantage and finish off the victor. There's no need to be hasty when the real spoils are already in reach."

The men all nodded, and with that, the meeting was concluded.


Line break.

Onoki made his way out of the chambers and glanced at his side, seeing his youngest son, Kozuchi, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed.

The man has brown hair and brown eyes, and is rather comely in appearance, and a few scars here and there. He's rather tall, standing at 6'3, and has a lean and muscular build, unlike his older brother's bulky physique.

"Kozuchi, What do you want?" The old man asked with a raised brow as he continued walking, the younger following behind him.

"To know if we're at war yet." The man said as he followed, a scowl plastered on his face like usual.

"If you consider bullying our neighbors into submission war, then yes. I'm not sending you to deal with them, though." Onoki said as they turned down the hall, Onoki's target being his office.

"And why is that?" Kozuchi asked, his eyes narrowing. "I've proven myself to you plenty of times as is. I'm ready to take my place as the heir to the Tsuchikage seat."

Onoki chuckled. "You think that's what this is about? Please. You lack the patience and the temperament. You need time."

"And you need to step aside and let me lead, old man." Kozuchi said, his eyes narrowing.

Onoki glared at the younger. "Watch your tone, boy. I'm still Tsuchikage, and you're still my son."

He rolled his eyes and opened the door for the elder. "After you."

Onoki grunted and floated up to his seat. "My task for you is more complicated than you could possibly imagine. It's a project of sorts."

Kozuchi raised a brow at that. "A project?"

"Long term assignment. Konoha is in possession of Shukaku thanks to the incompetence of their military. Sure they did some damage, but according to these reports, Konoha is still bolstering a manpower of roughly over Eleven thousand strong. Pitiful." Onoki scoffed.

"So, you want me to steal this Bijuu? Sounds easy enough." The man said as he sat down.

"No. I don't want their sand rat. I want the one responsible for sealing him dead, and I'm not talking about the Sannin. I wouldn't ask you to go toe to toe with him." Onoki said with a sigh.

Kozuchi raised a brow. "Think I can't take him?"

"You'd die trying. I want you to take out his apprentice. The Namikaze brat." Onoki said. "He holds an ability that makes him a war asset. He's a threat."

Kozuchi's eyes widened. "Namikaze?! You mean to tell me that the Yondaime has a kid?!"

"Yes. And he's a problem. I want him gone. He shares the same ability as his mother. You were a chunin during the third war, so I don't expect you to remember what his mother did to Han. We nearly lost a Jinchuuriki to those damn chains." Onoki grit his teeth. "I don't want the same problems down the line."

Kozuchi nodded. "So, you want me to take him out?"

"Yes. But it has to be right. Don't seek him out in the village or even in Fire Country. You can watch him, but don't engage. It's when he leaves that you strike. I'll give you the resources to make it happen, and a team to do so." Onoki said as he handed his son a folder. "This is everything we have on him, and this is the team you will use to take him down. You will have a year to plan, but I don't want to wait that long."

Kozuchi scowled. 'So this S-rank mission is me hunting a child.'

He set it down and crossed his arms. "Why not have Kitsuchi do this?"

"He's my general and a strategist. You're a better killer and a stronger warrior." Onoki said.

Kozuchi scowled. 'I'm a glorified assassin then.'

Onoki sighed. "You have your orders, Kozuchi. I want this done, and you're the only one I trust with this task."

The younger man looked away and nodded. "Yes, father. I'll make sure it gets done." He then got up and left.

Opening the door, the man nearly ran over a 13-year-old Kurotsuchi, the girl crossing her arms. "Oy! I'm not invisible!"

His eyes scanned the girl, and she froze, intimidated by her uncle's pissed-off vibe. "Out of the way, genin."

"Tch. I'm not a genin anymore. See?" The girl said, pointing at her headband, a Chunin flak jacket on her back.

Kozuchi rolled his eyes and ruffled her hair as he moved past her, leaving the two alone. "Ugh! Hey!"

"Granddaughter. What is the purpose of your visit." Said an exhausted Onoki. 'If I knew dealing with progeny would be this tiresome, I'd have invested into having only one child. Not three.'

The girl walked up to the man and looked down at him, her expression serious. "I want in on the mission to the land of Mountains."

Onoki raised a brow. "Who-... NO"

Kurotsuchi's eyes widened. "Why not?! I'm a chunin now! You said if I got stronger, you'd let me go on more dangerous missions!"

"And this is far too much for your level. End of story. I already have a slew of tasks prepared for you, and they are all in Canyon country. You're not going to war." The old man said with a sigh.

Kurotsuchi scowled. "I'm not weak, grandfather. I'm more than ready."

Onoki sat back in his seat and stared up at the ceiling as his granddaughter went on and on about how she was ready to go to war. 'This is going to be a long day. Kami, give me a break.'


Line break.

{Land of Wind: Sunagakure: Council chambers}

The council room of Sunagakure. A room with sandstone walls adorned with intricate carvings of past Kazekage, meant to remind everyone of Suna's storied history. They were worn and weathered, reflecting the harsh desert environment outside. Dim, amber light filter through narrow, high-set windows, casting long shadows across the chamber. A somber and tense atmosphere filled the room, a result of the heated discussion turning south as more terrible news was just brought forth.

In the middle of the room stands a large, round table made of polished stone, the centerpiece for all discussions. The table's surface is etched with a map of the Wind Country, highlighting Suna's key strongholds and surrounding territories.

Around the table are high-backed chairs made from wood and adorned with subtle clan insignias or other marks of rank. These chairs are arranged to reflect the influence of each council member. Elders like Chiyo and Ebizo occupy the most elevated positions directly opposite the entrance, while the military Leaders are sat closer to the Elders, with the seat of Jonin commander, a position once held by Baki, empty and closest to the elders.

Clan Representatives occupy seats on the other side of the room, facing the military leaders, and lastly, economic and Civil Representatives sit near the door, their roles focused on the village's domestic and financial recovery. A recovery that looks bleaker with the news that just reached them.

These individuals all stared at the lone messenger who was stuck in a bowed position, the man having just finished relaying the news of their armies reaching their borders.

Ebizo was leaned over the table, clutching it tight at the man's words. The composure he'd been keeping intact all this time was crumbling slowly as he closed his eyes to think. "One-thousand shinobi? That's it?" The old man whispered.

Chiyo's brow furrowed. 'No... This is far too few. The battle must have been a catastrophic failure. Baki is gone, and so is the Kazekage? What could've happened?!'

"Should we send a message to our border troops to fall back toward the Sabaku Bastion? We know Konoha will march through The land of Rivers, so we'd best be ready for them." Said Satsuki Moriko. The woman is a skilled tactician and the new military advisor known for her expertise in desert warfare. Short brown hair and brown eyes, she has a lean build, and a serious demeanor. Her attire is a blend of traditional Sunagakure garb and practical armor, with a long cloak that flutters in the desert winds.

Hideo Maeda, the Maeda clan head, scowled and shook his head. "Are you mad?! Why would we abandon our borders? We can't give an inch to them! Do you know-"

"Silence, Hideo," Chiyo said sternly, the old woman glaring at the map. "Satsuki is right. We have to fall back. The desert bastion is perfect for gorilla warfare, the only defense we'd have against the tree huggers."

Hideo pinched the bridge of his nose at the gravity of their situation. "Someone messed up during the invasion, surely. Rasa's plan was foolproof."

Chiyo bristled at that as Ebizo waved away the messenger. "Send word to our border units."

"Yes, my Lord!" the messenger replied with a salute as he quickly left.

"The Kazekage was brash in his solution in dealing with our economic plight came with a cost we can't afford. Killing the Daimyo and placing his sibling upon his throne is good on paper, but only when our resources are directed to such a task alone. Waging war with Konoha served us no purpose in the long run when we could've resolved the root of our issue in our own turf. So, no. His plan was not foolproof," Chiyo said, the old woman glaring at the Land of Fire on the map. " To top it off, he allied with a notorious villain in Orochimaru. The world sees us as the villains, or at the very least, the instigators of this whole conflict, and we're the ones that are paying the price for it."

Ebizo glanced at Satsuki. "Do we know how our forces were trimmed to such absurd numbers?"

"Whatever strategy they employed on our retreating forces left most of them incapacitated before they could even engage, according to their recently appointed commander, Shigeri," the woman stated calmly.

" Damn this reckless attack!" Keiji, one of the economic advisors, hissed as he looked over numerous documents repeatedly." We were already weakened beyond repair thanks to that fucking Daimyo, and now this! What do we even do?! I can't act with any of these funds!"

"Loan out from our tributaries. Simple solution." Chiyo said as she folded her papers and sat down, crossing her arms.

Keiji winced at that. "We... We might not be able to pay for a long-"

"That matters little. They will obey once called to war as well." Ebizo said.

"And if they don't? What then? What if they see the position we're in and take advantage?" The man said fearfully.

"They wouldn't dare. We're still one of the strongest military forces in the world. They'd be fools to turn against us. Besides, they can't afford to turn against us when Iwa is just as eager to...-" Chiyo paused, realizing the man had a point. Iwa is their greatest enemy, and the tug of war for the villages in between their borders had been the premise of the 1st and 3rd Shinobi World War.

Ebizo caught on and rubbed his temple. "We'll shelve that for later today. I think..."

The room remained silent for a moment before Ebizo cleared his throat. "Chiyo, we must prepare for negotiations. Suna cannot afford war. call for a ceasefire, reparations, and anything to stall for time."

"No!" Yelled one of the minor advisors. "Any sign of weakness will embolden Konoha and others. We will be picked apart. A treaty with them would turn us into slaves! We must show strength, even if it is an illusion."

Chiyo sighed. "Illusions won't save us, but I agree that negotiations won't work. If you haven't heard, Konoha's younger generation was targeted. To be expected in war, but Konoha doesn't see it that way. We will be dealing with Konoha in a state of hostility never seen in history. They will be belligerent, ruthless. This method of stalling may not give us anything in return."

Satsuki stared at the map with resignation. "Then it's either retaliate or survival. Either way, it's a lose-lose situation."

"Did we ask if Temari was present with the returning force?" Ota Hirohisa, the silent diplomatic advisor said softly while plotting something.

"No. It was reported she was missing with her two brothers. Based on their mission report, Kankuro is in their hands and Gaara's status is up in the air. Temari... May either be on the run, dead, or captured." Ebizo said grimly. "Why do you ask?"

Ota thought carefully for a second before speaking. "The whole world is looking between our nations now, seeing an opportunity to further their goals. Yet, a factor that has shaken the political stage of Fire Country needs to also be taken into account. The progeny of Konoha's greatest Kage since their First Kage has been revealed to the world. Is this not something we could use?"

"It's something to be concerned about." Chiyo bit. "Selling Temari isn't possible in the slightest, you know this. His situation is new and impossible to read. I'd rather see Namikaze six feet under before he ever has the chance to become anything like his father. End of story."

Most at the table nodded, but Ebizo wasn't as quick to dismiss the notion. "Hang on. Let's just shelve it for now. He's giving us another potential solution. One that may cushion things."

Chiyo closed her eyes as their discussions and topics ran amuck, with no clear subject being stuck with long enough for them to get anywhere.

She covered her face and shook her head. 'I shouldn't be dealing with this. I should be enjoying retirement. Our future generation has failed us.'


Line break.

A few hours later.

[Nightfall]

Chiyo sat slumped in her chair, a sour expression on her face. Ebizo stood off staring at the withering carved depictions of the previous three Kage, his gaze drifting toward her.

"How long do you think we have?" He asked as he gently stroked the carvings.

Chiyo grumbled, "You already know my answer."

He gave a grunt. "Right." He closed his eyes. "Well, maybe a more in-depth response will give us some form of solace, no? "

She frowned and stared down at her hands, eyes laced with age and wrinkles. She huffed in annoyance before reluctantly nodding.

"I'd estimate we have five days to prepare before Konoha will march here. Based on their movements, I'd say they would take the route from the land of rivers straight into our borders."

"Of course they will, that's the most obvious choice, isn't it?" he whispered before facing her.

She nodded. "Yes, well. It isn't their only option."

Ebizo leaned forward, a scowl appearing in an instant. "The Rain village would never-"

"Konoha is rich. They could pay for any of our neighboring nations to allow them to march against us. Who knows if the other lands haven't already been bribed for such a thing. And what of the Land of stone? Will they not attack too?" She interrupted as she looked toward her companion. "We are in the worst position possible. We can only pretend to be something we aren't and hold out as long as possible. The desert is still our ally. Yet, our people love to forget that it has betrayed us in the past too. This is the start of the 4th war, and we've lost well before it's truly begun."

Ebizo lowered his eyes and fell back into his chair. He slowly rubbed his hands over his face, letting out a deep breath as he tried to come up with a plan.

Chiyo looked at her fellow elder and gave a sigh. "Look at us. Cleaning up the mess of the newer generation. It was supposed to be the other way around, not this."

Ebizo raised his head and eyed her curiously, a frown marring his face. "Don't let their loss discourage you. It may feel as if the whole world is against us-"

"The whole world is against us." Chiyo cut him off. "We're being denounced on all sides. Soon, we'll be picked apart. 5,000 men vs Konoha's 14,000 strong is a mismatch."

Ebizo scanned her for a moment before staring at the carvings again. 'This generation has fallen, but that's why we're here. It seems I'll be the one keeping morale intact. Without it, we're doomed.'


Line break.

{Land of Fire: The Fire Capital: Hikarinoya Palace/Palace of the Fiery Field}

[August 21st]

Yusuke Koneko, a former and dethroned Daimyo of Fire Country, has been through the wringer this past week. The death of his favorite child was a blow to his entire house. His son, who brought their family name back from the gutter he lef it in, the young man who put their house on the throne after he himself lost it to treason. Was now dead.

His youngest grandson becoming a cripple also complicated things with the Hyuga clan as well, but he planned on fixing that soon. He'd visit the clan once more after ensuring his oldest grandson ascends the throne. His house would recover quickly from this, and all with his steady hand.

Or that's what he thought.

He sat on the throne of the Feudal Lord to hold court, discussing the handing of power over to Konoha since the country is now at war, as well as scheming to gain favor with whomever may become the next Hokage. He'd been relishing the feeling of ruling as regent, only for a large group of nobles to come through the doors uninvited, backed by the Supreme arbiter himself. A very bad sign.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion, Supreme arbiter?!" he yelled, glaring down at the man from his elevated throne.

Kogane Sakutaro, the arbiter, went to speak but was cut off by Oyama Hoshino. "Yusuke Koneko, we warned you that we wouldn't tolerate your ascension into regency given your past. The right to rule as regent goes to the Prime minister, not by the whims of a tyrant clinging to power."

"You dare?!" Yusuke hissed, standing up from his seat as he clutched his ornate cane.

"Your right to rule was stripped long ago. Stand down, Koneko-san." Kogane said sternly.

Yusuke fumed before forcing himself to smile, and speak, "Let's not be rash. I'm simply stepping in to fill my grandchild's shoes. By law, I am to assume regency."

Another older noble stepped in, a sneer on his face. "That's enough, Yusuke. Hisaki is gone and over half the country has lost faith in your bloodline. You cannot hide behind a boy to rule this nation once more. It is time the Great Houses choose a new path forward."

"And what path is this? To manipulate my grandson so that you may rule?!" he hissed back at, pointing a finger in his direction.

Kasumi Miyako, the most influencial of the group, scowled at that, glaring back at Yusuke. A woman with long dark hair and violet eyes, she's the biggest threat due to her connections to the very Daimyo that initially dethroned his house before his son took power. "We care not about the regency. In fact, we don't care for a child to sit on that throne. Not when we are at war. We have come together to force an election between the houses to dictate who shall sit the throne of the Feudal Lord."

Yusuke's eyes widened at this. "What?" He whispered.

Kogane looked over to the wary and confused guard and handed him two scrolls. "This one is for Yusuke, and this one is for yourself." The man said sternly before looking up at the old man once more. "Lord Yusuke Koneko, we have the authority and the numbers, so stand down. It was decided you would not sit a throne again under any circumstances, especially not for regency."

Yusuke snarled as he snatched the scroll being handed to him by the guard, unraveling it and reading it over. Then again. And again. He did this for a minute, his angry glare becoming wide with fear.

It was a petition and an order from the Prime minister with the signatures of the most powerful nobles of the court and the land to relinquish his position and allow for a royal selection to take place.

"ARE YOU MAD?!" The man bellowed, throwing the scroll to the floor in outrage.

He turned to his guards and pointed at the nobles in the room. "Have them removed from my presence at once! I want them all arrested for treason and hanged!"

The one closest to him ignored him as he read his own scroll over, and whatever it said, it made him hold his hand up to stop his fellow guards. "Hold it! This is an order from Commander Oyama. The laws dictate we follow protocol. That includes dealing with the current regent of the time."

The guard leader turned to Yusuke. "Lord Koneko. You're no longer in charge. Commander Oyama has decided you must give up the throne so a selection can be held."

Yusuke's eyes couldn't have shown more rage than in this moment. He raised a finger at his guard. "You would dethrone my grandchild?! The son of your former Daimyo?!"

"The audacity for you to so quickly sit that throne is what's baffling to me." Shiro Tsurugi, another powerful noble scoffed. "What were you expecting? That we would just sit and allow it to happen?"

Yusuke bristled at, seeing his own guards slowly turning against him.

"Yusuke. Remove yourself from the throne. You aren't in any trouble, so don't do anything you might regret later."

Yusuke held a look of utter fury, his eyes taking on a predatory look as he stepped back. "You will regret this transgression toward my family. I'll have you know that house Koneko isn't so easily cowed by-"

"Get out of the chair!" Hissed Shiro.

Yusuke growled and stepped off, storming past the crowd. His cane struck the ground with each step he took, echoing across the empty and massive chamber.

The throne was the symbol of his house, his right, and the will of the people, but not even he could stop the inevitable.

Of course, what he didn't understand was that this was his way of thinking, not that it was a truth whatsoever.

After all, his greatest fear is his house losing relevance.


Line break.

{Togoshi Koneko POV}

Togoshi Koneko, the eldest son of the now late Hisaki Koneko, sat in a chair at the end of his brother's room, watching as his sister coddled Masuda like always. He is a teen with black hair and deep blue eyes, much like their late mother. They all looked like her, actually, with their sister being the spitting image.

The boy had barely spoken to anyone since the loss of both his parents and his legs. The usually bubbly and rather annoying spoiled boy was a shell.

"Yuma. He's not a baby. He can feed himself." The older boy said with a grumble as he flipped through a novel he'd been trying to get through.

The 14-year-old glared at her older brother. "You only ever worry about yourself. He's being told he'll never walk again! At least I'm trying to help." she hissed at him before returning her gazeon her little brother.

Togoshi rolled his eyes at that. 'Like always, he's to be coddled by all. Even her. I shouldn't have said anything.' He thought to himself.

"He is a concern, but he's also alive. We have bigger things to worry about, like the way those people were looking at us on the way here." He said as he shut his book.

She shook her head. "The world has always targeted us. It's no surprise."

He stood up. "Yuma, those people looked at us differently than usual. They're vultures ready to pick us apart. When we were a target before, we had our father and mother's genius to help us. They are gone now, leaving us with grandfather, who these people do not like. Can you not understand what's happening?"

"I see what's happening, Togoshi! But I also just lost mom and dad! Our brother is in shock! And you're worried about politics rather than your little brother!" She yelled, standing up.

Togoshi sighed and motioned his hands in a placating manner. "Calm down. I'm not trying to upset you. But Masuda is secured compared to you and me. He has the Hyuga clan. Us? Our contracts with the Kyoto and Miyako houses stemmed from our father's influence and charisma. He's gone now."

She bristled. "I didn't want to marry that Kyoto pig anyway." She said as she sat by Masuda's side. "Masuda? Did you eat enough?" she cooed as she rubbed his back.

Masuda stared at his bowl, the boy silent with grief and shame. His mother and father are dead, and he's a cripple. Would Hinata want him like this? Would this stunt his development and result in the Hyuga turning him away?

Togoshi rolled his eyes at the sight of his brother's moping before walking toward the window, watching as the courtyard filled with nobility from all over to discuss this war with Wind Country... Or was it just their ninja village? He wasn't sure. He'd find out soon, though.

Just as he began to ponder further, their grandfather entered the room with their family physician, the man looking enraged.

"Put him in his chair! We're leaving!" Yusuke growled, startling Yuma.

"Grandfather? Why are we leaving?" The girl asked.

"I'll explain on the way to the estate!" The man roared.

Togoshi looked disturbed at this. "Hang on! What about my coronation?! Aren't we supposed to be-"

"There will be no coronation if we continue to stay here! Help the Physician with your brother!" The old man growled.

Yuma pouted. "Grandpa-"

"Shut it!" he growled. "No arguments! Move! now!"

'Dammit all! What has he done?!' Togoshi thought with rage and fear as he helped put his brother in his wheelchair, the younger brother whimpering with discomfort.

"Careful, young lord. We don't want to open his wound. " The Physician said sternly, glancing at Yusuke in disapproval. "Surely the boy can stay here, yes? He is in no condition to-"

"He's coming with us!" Yusuke hissed. "Our course requires he be with us. We can't let anyone here take advantage of him." The man said as he dumped all of his medicines into a bag.

Togoshi stopped helping and frowned deeply. "What happened?!"

Yusuke growled. "A coup of sorts."

The kids paled at this. "What?" Togoshi whispered.

"Don't slow down! Hurry up!" The man yelled, snapping Togoshi out of his trance.


Line break.

They quickly exited the palace and were soon loaded into their carriage, leaving the palace behind.

Yuma remained silent while Togoshi spoke with their grandfather, and a heated debate ensued. Meanwhile, Masuda was in a carriage designed to cater to his condition, the boy left out of the conversation.

"What?! Why is the prime minister against my ascension?!" The boy yelled.

"He doesn't think you'll be a worthy ruler. End of story." The man bit as he went through some papers, looking for the boy's marriage contract.

Togoshi furrowed his brow. "And he has the power to dethrone me?!"

"He had the backing of five out of the eight noble families. There was little I could do." Yusuke muttered in disgust as he flipped through a large file.

"H-how?! How d-did... Why did they back them?! And which houses?!" He whispered in shock.

Yusuke grimaced at this before reaching his hand into the bag, pulling out an unrolled scroll, and handing it to the boy. "That doesn't matter. I'll break it down for you when we are somewhere safe. Right now, I need the three of you to listen closely. We are more vulnerable than we've ever been. The contracts your parents and I have cultivated for the three of you need to be confirmed fast. We need something concrete. We need allies. Togoshi. The house you two were to join with have betrayed us. We need new contracts."

Togoshi slumped in his chair in shock as he listened to this.

"We only have the Hyuga, and their influence in the capital is non-existent." The old man said, almost snarling with rage.

Yuma nodded, remaining quiet as her brother paled and almost panicked at his grandfather's words.

"This means only our mother's house is an ally?" Togoshi asked.

The old man nodded. "Yes, well. You are the one in the most dire of straights. Your sister, however, may have a future through... Someone I wanted nothing to do with."

Togoshi's eyes narrowed at that. "And who is that."

"There are three noble houses that will be weakened two months from now, and it's thanks to the machinations of a now-dead Hiruzen Sarutobi, the former Hokage of Konohagakure. These actually happen to be the Arakara, Mokuzai, and Kyoto houses, respectively, and it's all thanks to Naruto Namikaze."

"Namikaze?! The son of the Fourth Hokage?!" He asked in utter surprise, not having known that his importance stretched so far.

Yuma was surprised at her brother's outburst and leaned close. "A shinobi house?! And with that kind of influence?!"

The old man nodded. "When we get home, our mission is simple. Find a new bride for Togoshi, secure the Hyuga, and get into contact with Namikaze Naruto. He will be an important player, and the entire country knows it. He is the prime target.."

Togoshi's eyes narrowed at this. 'If that's the case, then meeting him will also be a priority for myself as well. He'll be made to marry my sister, after all.'

Togoshi nodded, a bitter feeling creeping in as he watched the palace disappear behind the bustling buildings and shops they were now passing.

'So we've been reduced to this? When I become Daimyo, I can assure you, grandfather. You will never touch my seat again. Like father, I will elevate our house, and this time, I'll finish the job. starting with Namikaze Naruto.'

Line break

{Land of Fire: Konohagakure: Residential district: North}

'When will this heat give out already!' thought an immensely annoyed Kiba as he carried two large wooden support beams.

Akamaru barked at his side as his companion cheered Kiba on. It didn't serve much, but it was something.

He grunted as he set them onto the cart. Sasuke, Naruto, and Shikamaru were doing the same, setting their haul down. Of them, it was Naruto and Choji who were carrying the most weight.

Today, they were helping with construction, and thankfully, unlike when these little projects were D-ranked in nature, the all-day hours expected of this mission made this a C-rank—a worthy little check for some of the genin here.

It's a joint mission between the numerous lower-tier chunin and genin, with their efforts focused on rebuilding houses.

He'd been trying to outpace Naruto and Sasuke to show off for the girls, but with them working inside the building instead and the blonde being some kind of workhorse, he opted out and decided to forget the self-imposed challenge.

The boys were all wearing tank tops and baggy pants, so it was easy to see who was in the most in shape. Of course, Naruto was put on that pedastal. He'd been working on his endurance, but in the face of his rival's progress, it was hard to keep up.

The sun beat down on the group of genin, making the task even harder. The heat was sweltering, and the sweat was pouring off of them in buckets.

By the time they were all done, they met up with the girls inside the half finished building, who had been working on the interior with the construction crew, and were now taking a break.

They were wearing tank tops and pants as well, and boy were they a sight to behold for Kiba. Specifically his teammate.

Naruto paused after dispersing the clones he had spread out, retrieving their memories. He glanced at the boy and saw him staring at the girls. He wasn't sure at who, but then it became quite obvious after a little. It made him smirk slightly. "Crushing on Hinata?"

Kiba snapped out of whatever stupor he was in, and glared at the obviously amused Naruto, the boy patted on the shoulder by Choji who was passing by. "Ok, guys. Who's up for some lunch? I could really-"

"Shut it, fat ass." Kiba snapped before turning his full attention to Naruto. "What the hell is it to you, huh?"

Naruto shrugged. "I'm not judging. I figured her clan was strict on-"

"i've been told!" Kiba snapped, his face red.

Naruto blinked at first before glaring. "Watch it. I don't know why you're getting so worked up. I was just curious."

"Mind your business and-" Kiba paused when he felt a hand on the back of his neck, the grip tight.

"I'm sorry. What did you call me, Kiba?" Choji said, his voice low. He was glaring at the boy with an intensity that was rarely seen from the usually laid back genin. "I'm not sure I heard you right. Come again please?"

Kiba gulped. 'Oh, shit.'

"Easy there, Choji. I'm sure he didn't mean anything by that. Am I right, Kiba?" Shikamaru said from his lounging position, the boy lying on a wooden bench.

"Y-yeah! Of course!" He replied, his voice cracking a little. "I was just pissed off, b-but not at you! I'm sorry, man!"

Choji's eyes narrowed, and his grip tightened. Kiba winced before Choji let him go. "Ok. Now. As I was saying, who's up for some lunch? We've been working all day and could use the energy. We've got time, I'm sure."

"I'm down," Naruto replied. He had already eaten this morning, but his metabolism was so high he could eat more. Plus he was burning a lot of energy at once and... His favorite place to eat is no longer available. Just like that, his mood soured a bit. Every day things seem to remind him of his lost loved ones, food being one of them.

He turned to Sasuke, who was sitting on the same bench Shikamaru was lying on. "Sasuke, want anything?"

The Uchiha seemed to think about it for a minute before nodding. He'd need the energy, but not for the rest of this chore. He had plans after this that required him to be in shape. He had training to do. Lots of it. He needs to catch up to Naruto before the gap gets any larger. "Yeah. We could use the energy. I don't have any place in mind. Just nothing with sugar."

"Same here," Shino said while wiping his brow and handing Kiba water.

Naruto nodded. "Cool. Kiba. Be a doll and go ask the girls if they want anything."

Kiba raised a brow at first before crossing his arms. "No. I'm not your whipping boy."

Naruto shrugged. "You're right. I'm sure the girls would prefer me anyway," he said as he turned to walk over.

Kiba's eye twitched, and before Naruto could move, Kiba was already in front of him. "I got it!" He snapped and stomped off, leaving a smirking Naruto and a chuckling Choji.

"Nice one." The latter said.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. 'He's such a child.'

Meanwhile, Sakura, Ino, and Hinata looked over the work that had been done and were quite pleased. They had worked hard to get the interior in order, and they were almost finished.

The boards were done well, and the outline for brick and concrete to be filled in was there, too. It was immaculate.

"Good job, girls. We got done a little quicker than I expected." Hinata said as she inspected their work.

Ino sighed, her arms crossed. "Agreed. Now. Can we take a break already? I'm tired, and my hands hurt. Actually, everything hurts. This is too much." she complained.

Sakura raised a brow. "Sounds like you need to put more into your training if this level of exertion is enough to tire you out." She said in a slightly haughty fashion.

Ino huffed and glared at the girl. "Don't start with me, forehead. I train plenty. This is just not my type of work." Ino growled.

Hinata sighed as she looked at her nails, the two having another back and forth. 'Well. At least they blew up when all was said and done.' The heiress thought to herself.

Ino glared at the Sakura, getting in her face. "I'm not sure if you're trying to start something with me, but-"

"Hey, ladies!" Kiba called, and the girls turned to him as he walked over, his arms crossed and his face red. "The boys sent me to ask if you wanted anything. They're going for some food."

Ino raised a brow and smirked. "Kiba? Why in the world would they send you of all people to talk to us?' She said.

Kiba's eyes widened before he glared at the blonde, "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"I could use a drink. Maybe a water or something. I'm parched." Sakura replied, ignoring the exchange.

Kiba nodded before looking at Hinata. "And you, Hina?" He asked. His face got even redder. 'What the hell is wrong with me? Why did I think that would sound good?!'

Hinata obviously didn't like that one bit, becoming silent as she processed her nickname. "I'd prefer you to call me by my full name. And no. I'm not hungry, thank you."

Kiba deflated and Ino smirked, leaning forward toward Kiba, a smug expression on her face. "Oh? Getting a little familiar with Hina-chan I see. Not smooth. Don't you know you're talking to a princess?"

Kiba glared at her and opened his mouth to reply before she cut him off.

"Say, Kibbles. Let the boys know I'm eating too. You're free to go." She said, waving him away.

Kiba's eye twitched. "I'm not your dog, you bitch." He snapped.

Ino's smile only grew. "Fair. You're not mine. But you certainly belong to-"

"Ino. Don't tease him further." Hinata said with a sigh as she walked past them to speak to their contractor. "He's had enough, I'm sure."

Sakura sighed. "We'll meet with you guys in a bit," the girl said before following the others.

Kiba was fuming. He glared at Ino's back. 'I'll get that bitch, I swear I'll get her back.'

He then turned and walked off, his mood soured.


Line break.

{Land of Fire: Konohagakure: Nara compound}

Jiraiya sat in the large living space of Shikaku's residence, sipping tea and waiting for their fellow allies to arrive.

In front of him was a game he knew well. Shogi. He'd played for an hour or so, trying to beat the Nara, and he came close. Unfortunately, they stalemated. But he has a feeling the Nara dragged it out due to finding a worthy opponent.

It was a few minutes after the game when he heard Yoshino Nara, the man's wife, welcome Inoichi into the home.

He let out a breath as he heard her talking to the man at the door and stood to full height, stretching his limbs and twisting his back. 'Let's get this started.' He thought to himself as he followed Shikaku to the front of the home.

"Ah. Inoichi. Glad you could make it." Shikaku said with a smirk, patting the man on his back. "Come on in."

The blonde nodded, and they all walked into the living area, taking a seat around the table.

His wife bowed with respect to the men in the room and smiled. "Let me know if you guys need anything." The woman said before taking her leave.

Jiraiya noticed how tense she was, though, taking a mental note. 'So she knows something is happening at the very least.'

He then turned to the two men in the room and crossed his arms. "Where do we begin?"

Shikaku raised his hand. "I already have a plan in mind. I know how we need to go about this now that we have you on board."

"Who else is involved?" The sannin asked as he sat in a crossed legged position, closing his eyes to listen and think.

"The Anbu Commander is on our side on this. So is Choza, though, his role comes later." Inoichi said.

Jiraiya nodded. "Anyone else of importance?"

"No one relevant enough to be in the room, no. This is for our ears alone." Shikaku said with a severe tone.

Jiraiya motioned for him to go on from there, and the Nara did exactly that.

"Many of the clans haven't noticed yet, but the elders are at their most vulnerable. Their close relationship with Hiruzen gave them a degree of immunity. Hiruzen often trusted their judgment and allowed them to retain power over military and political decisions, but only when he was involved. Regardless, they are old, and have been in power since Hiruzen became Hokage." Shikaku said as he paced.

"And that was at the age of 20 or so years old. Yeah, I know. Your point?" Jiraiya asked slowly.

"My point is that for roughly Forty-eight years, the elders have held that position. Hell, Danzo used to run the Anbu before he created his little branch of Root. What I'm saying is, there is an illusion of power there that we can see through but others cannot, an illusion that has been there since before I was even born. They don't have Hiruzen now, they don't have a Hokage, they have nothing but clearance and voting strength. That's it." Shikaku said.

Jiraiya hummed at this as Shikaku continued.

"Without a Hokage, there is no singular figure to protect the elders or mediate between them and the rest of this village's power structure, aka, the clans and the military. They've lost the shield provided by Hiruzen. In order for this to work, we need to delay the ascension of a Hokage. If we do that and grab what we need to take them down, we can corner Danzo and take away all levels of clearance for good. A trial can be held and everything." Shikaku said.

Jiraiya thought about this for only a moment before looking towards a silent Inoichi. "Anything to add?"

Inoichi looked unsure of whether he could put it into words like Shikaku, but went ahead anyway. "Oh, uh. No. I think Shikaku covered everything, actually." The man said, rubbing the back of his head.

Jiraiya nodded. "Ok, good. So what is this master plan of yours? It's why I'm really here."

"We need dirt. Anything on the mission to subdue Suna's Jinchuuriki. I need mission reports from the sealing team that day, as well as communication records from the invasion, any files related to that day. We need anything and everything to do with them and their connection to the mission as a whole. I also want them in bulk, and I mean it. Grab it all. In fact, be sure to grab some files regarding the village's spending as well. I'll need extra ammunition." Shikaku said.

"All of it? That isn't very subtle." Jiraiya replied, his brow raised. "You know how many alarm bells that would ring?"

"I'm not asking for subtlety. We're going to fake them out by looking into someone who was under Danzo that day rather than the man himself."

"And who would that be?" Inoichi asked.

Shikaku smirked and slid a file from beneath his sleeve, handing it to Jiraiya. "None other than the man who dropped the ball to begin with. Kazuto Shiba."


Line break.

{Land of Fire: Konohagakure: Ironclad Repository}

Kazuto Shiba walked down the long hallway, a series of fortified chambers being passed, each room designed to hold powerful and forbidden artifacts. The gourd containing Shukaku happens to be in the most secure chamber.

He was given entry by the anbu guards, and inside was Danzo, the man inspecting the gourd with some of his experts.

The room is lined with layers of sealing formulas etched into the walls within it with a specific purpose. Since the gourd has not real security measures within it, actions had to be taken to prevent the erosion of the gourd due to Shukaku's attempts to escape, and so far, they are countering the affects quite well.

"Lord Danzo. I wasn't expecting your arrival." The man said as he bowed.

"Are you any closer to stabilizing the gourd to transfer it into our candidate?" The old man said, his voice gruff. He turned to the man and raised a brow. "You've had weeks."

Kazuto nodded. "Yes. But the process is delicate, and we can't rush this. We-"

"You made that mistake earlier. I understand that. It also cost me my reputation." The old man growled as he circled the gourd, the sealing experts filing out of the man's way.

"Yet, you have a new opportunity to fix that mistake. The vessel is ready, yet the beast isn't. Why is that? I want details. Is it paranoia? Or are you incapable of handling the tailed beast?" Danzo said.

Kazuto grit his teeth as he stared at the gourd. "I can assure you, I'm adapting as fast-"

"You have no experience with Bijuu'. I see. Then, your role here is redundant." The old man said, his voice cold. "You are dismissed."

Kazuto's eyes widened. "Wait! I've come so far! It won't take long at all!"

"Your words are empty, and your excuses are even worse." Danzo replied as he turned away, his gaze cold. "You've been dismissed."

"Lord Danzo-"

"Dismissed! You will be relocated and made to work on other projects instead. You've wasted enough of my time!" The old man snapped, and Kazuto flinched, his eyes narrowing. He bowed and left, his fists clenched.

'How dare he? I've done more for him than anyone else! And now, because of one mistake, it's all gone?! I could've figured it out easily had I been given more time!'

The man walked down the hall, his mind racing. 'He's going to replace me. With who? Who else could he trust with this task? I'm the best in this field save for Jiraiya!'

His eyes narrowed as he shoved his way into his office and started roughly organizing his notes, tearing down any and all research that was on his walls, his rage boiling. 'I'll show him! I'll make him regret this!'

He then paused and looked at one of his files. It was a file on Naruto. He had been looking into the boy as a way to understand the jinchuriki since there was absolutely nothing on the mysterious former Ninetails jinchuuriki.

'This brat. Surely... No. But what if?... Surely not!' He thought, his mind plagued at the idea of Naruto being the one to replace him. It was absurd and made no sense, but it was still something to fear, considering the boy warned them all not to tamper with Gaara's seal.

What he failed to notice was the shadow watching him, an anbu working directly under the commander, waiting for the man to leave.

Once he threw his temper tantrum and left, the Panther masked Anbu fazed from the wall and glanced down at the report on the incident in his hand. The only one of it's kind that goes into extreme detail on the extraction.

'Mission success. Taicho is going to be very pleased.'

Line break.

{Land of Fire: Konohagakure: Konoha's Archives}

[Jiraiya Pov]

The Archive. A secured room within the Hokage Tower where sensitive documents, mission logs, and financial reports are stored. Well, most of them.

The archive is divided into different sections, with more recent reports being kept in accessible areas and older, deeper secrets stored in vault-like areas. The files Jiraiya was looking for are spread across multiple sections, making this a rather annoying hunt. Luckily, he's a spymaster for a reason.

He'd already gathered a ton of files on anything to do with the elders and Danzo as is, and was now looking through the records of the One-tails incident reported by the panther masked captain.

It was unclear as to why Shikaku requested random files on top of that, but the man is smart. Really smart.

"Bingo." He whispered as he switched out another file with a fake.

Unfortunately, Danzo seems to have had anything directly related to the incident taken and altered. However, the old man never accounted for it's cousin files written up by the surviving Sealing teams. These files weren't military grade like the ones he had, so all he needed were the signed directives and orders to remove the initial stand in for Inoichi in place of Danzo during the blackout. This right here was key to uncovering the ones truly responsible for the destruction caused by Shukaku.

Just as expected, he felt the presence of another nearby, causing the man to quickly fade into the shadows. Literally.

He was so hidden in that moment that the numerous snooping white-masked Root agents couldn't find him, and they were trained to detect chakra signatures that are suppressed, even to a masterful degree.

They looked around, careful not to make any noise as they did a full sweep.

"Don't remove them all. Only what we've been told to replace." Whispered one of the Root agents.

'So. Danzo is cleaning up after himself? .' Jiraiya thought to himself, watching as they carefully took his fakes and placed their own. 'Well. I was right on time.'

He looked down at some of the files and frowned. 'Or was I?'


Line break.

{Rookie 9 POV}

The group went someplace to get some food, and fortunately, there were a lot of options available even after all that's happened.

Most of the shops are still getting back on their feet; their buildings are still pretty bad. The few that received little damage are already back in business.

However, this didn't mean restaurants were all shut down due to disrepair. Many resorted to using stands and outdoor seating, grills, and BBQ-based restaurants, which thrived even after the attack. Even certain seafood joints were able to survive.

This resulted in a village that was constantly cooking out. Everything smelled good, especially to a bunch of kids on their lunch break.

On the way to finding a place, the villagers treated them well. Or, they treated the new prince of Konoha well. Naruto is being revered by quite a few, with many offering samples of all kinds, discounted prices being introduced to the group thanks to his sheer presence. It was convenient, but the blonde was obviously a bit uncomfortable with the amount of attention he's receiving.

This, however, led them to a place called Dragonfire pavilion, a location Choji suggested. Since they were getting discounts, he figured they should take advantage of Naruto's status by picking one of the most expensive places in Konoha.

They even have a nice patio with some umbrellas for shade, the smell of grilled meat and vegetables wafting through the air. The group was seated and were currently ordering.

And of course, with Naruto paying, Choji took it upon himself to order as much as possible.

They were split up into two tables, but they had them close together to be inclusive.

Naruto hadn't been in the best mood for the past three weeks, but it was at a time like this that he was finally able to find some peace and distraction, although very brief.

Yet, Sasuke could tell he was still very out of it. He wasn't even paying that close attention to what was going on around him. Hell, the blonde was the only one who wasn't ready to order food, leading to him simply copying what he'd ordered instead.

He looked over and saw Sakura, though faring better on the surface given her natural social skills, was obviously straining herself to be normal. Her eyes would occasionally dim with something that reflected the stress and depression she was suffering from.

He sighed and crossed his arms. 'I knew things weren't going to be the same. They're both suffering in silence.'

"Earth to Sasuke!" Kiba yelled, startling both Naruto and Sasuke, the latter glaring at the Inuzuka as he rubbed his ear.

"What?" He said with a bit of venom.

"Can you pass me the damn soy sauce?! I asked you five times!" He yelled.

"There's no need to yell, Kiba. We're in a public space. I thought your clan had you properly trained." Sasuke said as he tossed the sauce to the boy, to which he batted it down and shot up from his seat.

"You wanna go, Uchiha? Cause I can take you!" Kiba growled, his eyes narrowing.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Go kick rocks. I would never waste my time on a weakling like you. I have my sights set on someone far more powerful."

Kiba cocked his fist back but froze, wincing with exertion when he felt his movements restricted. "Let go of me, Shikamaru." he hissed.

"Kiba, sit down," the Nara said, his eyes narrowing. You're being troublesome. And stop provoking him, Sasuke!"

"Fine!" Kiba snapped and sat back down, his face red as he glared at Sasuke.

The Uchiha rolled his eyes and went back to his food, ignoring the boy's glare.

"You know what? We should set up a little event between us. A match to end the exams debate for good. I have a bone to pick with both of you cocky assholes." He said as he dug into his steak, his eyes narrowing.

Naruto raised a brow, having only just come out of his dozing when Kiba flew out of his chair. "What are we talking about?"

"Don't play stupid, Naruto." Kiba growled. "You've been acting like a big shot ever since the exams. Same for you, Uchiha, and you didn't even compete."

"At least I was in the finales. And I doubt Naruto would waste time on someone he's already beaten, Kiba." Sasuke said, his tone smug.

Naruto glared with annoyance at this, and before he could get his two cents in, Choji spoke up.

"Hang on. Are you guys organizing a fight?" Choji asked, his eyes filled with amusement. "Why didn't you say so? I would've ordered more. In fact, looks like I'll be taking some of this to go. This is something to see with some food and drinks!"

Naruto scoffed. "Absolutely not. I'm not sparring with anyone. I've got things on my plate and won't have time anyway."

"What's the matter? Scared, Uzumaki?" Kiba said with a smirk.

"Shut up, Kiba. Don't you have Hinata to train with?" Sasuke said.

Kiba grit his teeth at that. She doesn't spar with him as much anymore since... She caught him ogling her. She didn't make a fuss, but it was still awkward. "I'm not so easy to shake off. I'm having that rematch." He said as he ripped into his steak.

"Kiba. You're acting like a child. Just leave it alone." Shino said, his voice low. "You're making yourself look foolish."

"Shut it, Shino! I'm not backing down!" He snapped, the boy's eyes narrowing. "I'm not scared of him like the rest of you are! I have had it with people putting him on a pedestal!"

Ino, who'd found her own discussion with Sakura interrupted by Kiba's rowdiness, decided to chime in. "Naruto-kun would tear you apart, Kiba. I don't know why you're so eager. You'll never beat him, not once."

Kiba glared at the blonde, his eyes narrowing. "Shut it, Ino! What do you know?! I beat him in the academy! And he relies on one trick to win all his fights!" He snapped.

Naruto raised a brow. "And what trick exactly?"

"Those fucking chains!" Kiba hissed.

Naruto leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. "You know what? Fine. We'll spar after I've taken care of... What needs to be taken care of. And you know what? I'll even handicap myself. I won't need ninjutsu to take you out. I'll embarrass you for ruining my appetite." Naruto said as he put his utensils down.

"You better be ready, because when we fight, I'm going to prove who's really the boss around here!" Kiba snapped before getting up and stomping out of the establishment, Akamaru following him.

Choji shrugged and slid some of Kiba's untouched plate onto his own. "More for me."

Ino shook her head. "Really, Choji? Why are you stuffing yourself?!"

"Oh, please. This is nothing. Besides, I'm gonna burn all this away thanks to my dad's last-second training before he leaves for war. I need all the energy I can get!"

Naruto sighed and leaned back in his chair, looking at the sky. 'I can't seem to get happy. This is torture.'


Line break

[2 hours later]

{Nara compound}

Shikaku stared at the documents laid out before him with annoyance, the same for Jiraiya.

Some of what Jiraiya nabbed hints at other funds going to separate projects, things not approved from Hiruzen, while others were obviously forged. They knew this because of the pattern shown on the nature of older reports brought in from Koharu and Homura versus Danzo's more carefully laid out versions.

"Look at this right here. See this? It isn't a direct file on the Takigakure incident, but its connection and report suggest resources being allocated to something related to the region." Shikaku whispered as he flipped through more and more.

Jiraiya nodded, his brow furrowed. "Somehow, funds are being diverted to other projects like Root from the village's coffers directly. I just saw agents going in to steal more reports from the restricted section, so there's no telling what else might have been altered."

Shikaku stood up and slid papers over to Jiraiya. "See this? Look at it."

Jiraiya was looking at what Shikaku was pointing at and understood what was being shown. Hidden and redacted reports, and it wasn't just this one. Anything to do with Shukaku is being covered up.

It doesn't matter whether or not they know the elders are secretly funneling village resources to ROOT if it can't be proven. By using falsified and miscellaneous expense categories in Konoha's official ledgers, they are covering their tracks. Basically, they are diverting money that is supposed to be going to the academy, the orphanage, the hospital, and other public services, and instead, giving it to ROOT. This was all being done under the guise of "national security,"

Shikaku let out a sigh and sat down, trying to think. We have a smoking gun, but it's scrambled and messy. Evidence could be written off as coincidental with how much Danzo has started to cover up.

They need a way to bring this all to the surface and show the people of the village just what the elders have been doing. All wasn't lost. Not when the anbu commander is active in his own investigation, and that man is smart as hell.

Jiraiya glanced at the names of the ones who signed the papers and knew them to be the elders' personal assistants. They could start there.

Shikaku continued. "Well. At least we have proof of a conspiracy against the village. This is treason. We can use this with enough evidence."

Jiraiya sighed. The goal was to take them down with the Shukaku incident, and they still can. But not as fast as they want.

"I need bank statements," Shikaku said out of the blue.

Jiraiya gave the man a confused look. "Huh?"

"I need bank statements. In fact, I need internal memos too. Anything that can further bring clarity to this is important." He said, tapping the documents with his pointer finger. "This is what I mean when I say that there is always a paper trail If you follow it. The truth of the matter has been in front of us the whole time. But... There's something else too."

Jiraiya furrowed his brow again. "What now?"

"I think Hiruzen knew about this." Shikaku said as he began folding the papers.

Jiraiya scowled at that and went to say something, but Shikaku raised a hand. "What I mean is I think he knew, but not to this extent. Think about it. The elders have immunity while he's in power since they are supposed to be the check on his power."

Jiraiya nodded, understanding what he was saying now. "The old man was a pacifist, so... He may have been afraid of the elders and their influence, another reason why this needs to happen. We can no longer allow them to hold power over the Hokage seat in this way."

Shikaku nodded and looked at his clock. "I'm going to need some time with this. I can't have my wife seeing me work on this."

Jiraiya nodded. "I'll get to work on those bank statements, wherever they may be."

Shikaku waved and saw the Sannin off before gathering his things to start his work somewhere more private. This is Danzo they are dealing with after all.


Line break.

{Danzo POV}

[Unknown location]

The room Danzo had organized for Koharu and Homura to discuss their indiscretions was perfectly secure. It was a secret base that was off the record, and it had been used to interrogate high-profile individuals in the past.

Both elders looked tense, with Homura looking more nervous than Koharu, the woman having a scowl on her face. She was the most worried, but she was doing her best to hide it.

Koharu was mostly confused as to why they were here to begin with.

"What's happening, Danzo? We don't usually meet like this." The woman said, looking around the painfully silent room in confusion.

Danzo let out a breath, his eyes closed as he did so. "I'll cut to the chase, Koharu. I'm afraid that our activities are being looked into."

Koharu raised a brow. "What activities? The tailed beast incident?"

Danzo looked at the fellow elder and set a stack of files down in front of them, to which their confusion grew.

"I'm afraid it's more than that. It seems that someone has been looking into your finances. They're trying to uncover the incident. I discovered only today. As you can see, I nabbed other files too. You haven't been covering your tracks regarding our other projects either." Danzo said in a low and obviously annoyed voice.

Homura's eyes widened, the man looking at the files in a panic before turning to Danzo. "What?!"

Koharu looked through the files and scowled. "These are our financial records. There's nothing suspicious about it when we've written off the expenses as miscellaneous."

Danzo nodded. "That is true. However, the problem lies with the fact that these are all written off the exact same way. There's nothing unusual about a single file looking like this. But what about all of them!" Danzo yelled, slamming his hand down on the table. "You've made it easy for the enemy to find! You've been too obvious with your dealings, and now we're in danger!"

Homura's eyes widened, the man looking at the files in a panic. "It wasn't our fault! Our assistant-"

"Stop it!" Danzo hissed, pointing at the files. "These are your dealings. Your responsibilities. If you allowed for this to go on under your noses, then that means the responsibility lies with you. I can't protect either of you when the evidence is so clear!"

Koharu shook her head. "This is preposterous. We've been the backbone of this village for years, and now we are being pressured? We are the Elders of Konoha. Surely we are above this. Embezzling funds isn't something we can even be harmed with."

"No." Danzo said as he paced the room. "The funds have nothing to do with this. You've handled money well over the years. The issue is how this leads back to dealings that look... Unethical. We have done things that won't be seen as in line with the village's interests, and now it's coming to bite us."

Homura pinched the bridge of his nose, understanding what was being told. "I see. So, basically, the files are easy to link to other projects related to Root, as well as... Oh no." He whispered.

Danzo clapped his hands. "You understand fully, Homura. It links to other things that would put me in grave danger. So, now, effectively, we need to take action before this gets out of hand."

Koharu looked at Danzo. "What are you suggesting, then?"

"We need to find who is doing this. I have an idea as to whom, but I don't want to be too quick to jump the gun. Your job is simple. Elect the next Hokage as either me or Jiraiya as soon as possible. In fact, warn him that if he doesn't take the seat now, then I'll take it for him. This could force him out of the village for that Senju brat." He said.

Homura looked confused at that. "Why would we want him going after her?!"

"Because he's the biggest threat to us. He's the only one capable of sneaking past me without my notice. He could be on the hunt, and if he is, he probably has help on top of that. With him out of the village and in search of the Senju, we'll be given time to deal with this mess." Danzo said as he began gathering the files and putting them away. "These will be replaced with more well-organized copies. The originals are to be burned and left to fade. Clean up after yourselves."

Both elders nodded, but Koharu spoke. "What about the investigation? Are we being stalked?"

Danzo frowned. "Most definitely. But don't worry. I have my agents on the field now. They thwarted the ones on your tail when coming here. It seems the Anbu commander is onto us as well. They won't be able to do this for long."

Homura nodded. "But only long enough for the toad sage to stop sticking his nose in our business. We understand."

"Good." Danzo said in a low tone, his eyes closed. "We will meet here again when only after Jiraiya is made to leave the village. There will be no contact with me and limited contact of either of you."

With that, Danzo left the two to themselves.


Line break

{Wind Country: The Borderlands}

[Temari POV]

She'd lost count of how many days it took just to get here with how time seemed to blend together in her mind. She had no way of knowing what day it was, nor did she care. All that mattered to her was that she was in her country again, able to rest.

Yet even with that being the case, she still wasn't safe. Suna has abandoned the posts of their outermost defenses for reasons she's unsure of, but if she had to guess, it was likely due to either lack of funds or lack of manpower.

'Or maybe both.' She thought to herself as she dragged her feet toward one of the sandstone bunkers nearby.

She went to kick open the door, but her heart stopped when she realized what she was doing. Why would she do something so stupid when no doubt her countrymen assumes the first people to come into contact with this place are Konoha ninja? They'd have traps set for them, and they'd be ready to strike.

She paled, realizing she would've been killed had she not been in her right mind. Another day and she might've done it. She's that exhausted.

'Explosive Seals, Tripwires, and my biggest fear. Pitfalls. It could be anything, so I need to be careful. If I'm not, then this is where my journey ends.'

She took a few steps back and looked at the bunker before looking at the ground. 'I'm going to have to do something risky.'

She slowly moved around the building, making sure to keep her eyes on the ground, and her feet away from any trip wires or loose sand. She was so tired that she almost tripped a few times, but it was worth the effort, because the building had food and water.

She navigated the sand with ease, using her fan to gently brush the ground and make sure there were no traps. She was so close to the back entrance now that she could taste the water in her mouth. The thought of having a full meal made her salivate, regardless of it likely being stale bread or whatever tarts are available. It's been a week since her last proper meal, and it was only a single apple from one of Konoha's many trees.

She made it too the door, but not too close. She let out a breath and tapped the door with her fan, and she was lucky to have done so. The moment the tip of the weapon hit the metal, a seal activated, and a blast of wind shot through the area, blowing her away and into the sand.

She was sent rolling, but she was able to stand up, only to hear a click.

'No! No!' She screamed in her head as she ran forward, dodging the explosion behind her. this time she was sent high into the air, landing harshly on her back. The girl let out a groan of pain. She had the wind knocked out of her and was sent a few meters away. Her vision was blurry, and her head was spinning, but she was still alive.

She felt a stinging in her leg and looked down to see that her right leg has blood pouring out, some burns visible as well. 'Crap!'

She quickly pulled herself to her feet, ignoring the pain as she limped to the bunker. She made it to the door and opened the hatch, fiddling with the contraptions keeping the door closed.

She was so desperate to get in that she didn't notice the footsteps of a man approaching her from behind, the sound of his kunai being drawn.

She drew her fan quickly, blowing it into the room with no hesitation, the blast of wind sending him flying back. The man, a ninja of Sunagakure, was sent hurtling into the wall with a pained grunt.

"Hang on!" He yelled as he put his hands up. "You're a sand shinobi!"

Temari looked at him in shock. "Y-you're... You're from the village?!"

The man nodded, and she felt her eyes water for a moment, relief at seeing a friendly face almost overwhelming her before she pulled herself together. "I'm so sorry! I thought you were a Konoha ninja trying to kill me!" The girl said as she fell to her knee, the pain in her legs now being too much.

The man scrambled to his feet and helped her to her feet. "You were the one who set off... I thought you were Konoha as well."

She nodded, wipping her eyes before noticing her hair had come undone, the bands having given out from all the activity. "I'm sorry. Do you have any food and water? I'm so tired." She whispered, the girl almost falling into his arms.

"Hey! Hang in there!" The man yelled as he picked her up and took her inside the bunker, closing the door behind him.

He set her down on the cot and quickly grabbed the medical supplies. "You're Temari, right?! You're one of the Kazekage's kids!"

Temari looked at him and nodded. "Y-yes."

The man's eyes widened at this. He turned around, rummaging for something to stop the blood in her leg. "I'm going to have to give a callout, don't worry. We'll get you home safe." He said as he grabbed some bandages.

She nodded. "Ok... Ok..." She whispered, trying to bring herself into the reality that she was alive and home... Somewhat.


Line break.

After bandaging up her leg, he gave her a canteen of water and some dried meat, which she scarfed down with no hesitation, the girl almost choking in her haste. The man chuckled and handed her the canteen again, watching her drink the whole thing.

"Thank you." She said after finishing the water, the girl now looking at him. "Again, I'm sorry for hurting you."

The man waved her off and smiled. He had a scar on his face that ran from his forehead, over his right eye, and down to his chin. It was a nasty one, but it didn't take away from his looks. He seemed to be in his early thirties, with hair as dirty as the sand in color that was short, and green eyes. His jacket suggested he was...Of a class of shinobi meant to take as many enemies out with them when they died, a suicide squad.

He smiled. "Don't worry about it. You have no idea how much morale your presence would bring to those wary of this upcoming conflict."

She looked down with a frown. "This place is abandoned. I'm guessing that means that you're the only one here?"

The man shook his head. "Nah. Not as abandoned as you might think. The other bunkers have my teammates in them. We're... We've accepted a role very few could ever accept, and we're ready to do it."

Temari nodded, realizing in a months time, this man will be dead. "I understand." She said, looking down at the floor.

The man chuckled. "Don't worry about me. I'm doing this to protect my home for the sake of my family, so relax."

Temari laid back on the cot, her eyes closing. "I'll try." She whispered, hoping to maybe get some rest.


Line break.

[2 days later]

{Land of Fire: Konohagakure: Naruto's residence}

"I haven't seen you in forever, Godfather." Naruto said in a raspy voice, his hair a mess and his eyes with bags under them. He hadn't gotten much sleep, and it was obvious.

Jiraiya was a bit stiff seeing the boy in this shape. Admittedly, he neglected him for a bit to assist in taking down the elders. With the council meeting to occur tomorrow, he figured it was now or never to deal with Naruto's inheritance as soon as possible.

"You ok, kid?" Jiraiya asked carefully.

Naruto didn't respond, simply stepping aside to let the older man inside. "Make yourself at home."

Jiraiya stepped in and was glad to see the place clean. Well, clean in the sense that there was no trash or clothe sprawled out. There were scrolls and sheets of paper here and there, but that was nothing.

"So. Why are you here?" Naruto said as he closed his eyes and laid on the couch.

"You aren't getting sleep." Jiraiya said with a tinge of worry.

"I'm not. I can't. If I sleep, they'll come back to haunt me." Naruto said softly.

"Who?" Jiraiya said as he picked up a sheet to find a concept for some kind of... He had no idea.

"Iruka, Hokage-Jiji, and Teuchi. Every time I sleep, they plague my dreams. They are so real that I forget they're dead." The boy said with a sigh.

"Naruto-"

"I'll figure it out. So. Surely there's a reason for the visit. Training? Errands? Just checking up on me to make sure I'm still alive, because I am."

"Murata is in the village. Your papers have been recognized by both the officials of Konoha and the court of the Fire capital. You need to claim the lands within the village now." Jiraiya said softly.

Naruto's eyes opened, and he sat up. "Does this mean my parent's possessions are mine?"

"They're about to be, yeah." Jiraiya nodded.

Naruto took a breath and nodded. "I'll get dress."


Line break.

{Land of Fire: Konohagakure: Konoha Administrative Complex}

The building was a large one, with many different rooms that were used for meetings, and even a courtroom. It was the place where the village's laws were made and broken down, and it's also the place where the civilian council would meet to discuss the future of the village.

Jiraiya said that with his paperwork, it would be smooth sailing, and so far, it was.

The two were in a room with a woman behind a desk. She looked annoyed out of her mind. There was a long, long line of people. Lawyers, landowners, merchants and others. He was the only child, and they were at the head of the line. This was because the woman, a secretary, recognized Jiraiya and made them go to the front.

This, of course, sparked outrage, with many complaints thrown her way.

"What the hell?! Why are they allowed to cut in front?! Do you know who I am?!" One man yelled, his face red with anger. He was a fat, ugly, and balding old merchant. It was obvious from the way he dressed. His clothes were made of fine silks, and his pointed shoes were of the highest quality.

"C'mon! I've been here for five hours being told the same shit! I want to see my lawyer! I want my damn permit already!" Another man yelled, this time a middle aged man with a scar on his cheek. He looked to be a former shinobi turned councilman.

"Please, calm down. Namikaze-san has already been given a reservation to see the judge, so please, don't cause a commotion." The woman said, her tone annoyed and tired.

"Reservation?!" A man yelled, his face red with rage. "What about mine?! Hey! Don't ignore me!"

The woman did just that as she led the two away and towards a door to the left of them, the boy looking back to see the man throwing a fit.

Jiraiya chuckled at the sight and brushed Naruto's hair a bit. "Don't mind them. They'll get over it."

They walked down a long hallway before coming to an office, where a man sat behind his desk. He was old and had a scowl on his face. "What's this about?!" The man yelled, his eyes narrowing at the boy. "Why is-"

The man paused when seeing Jiraiya with the blonde and instantly shot up from his seat to outstretch a hand. "Ah! My apologies. I wasn't in the right state of mind. please, sit!"

Naruto raised a brow at that, carefully shaking the man's hand after Jiraiya and taking a seat.

The woman sighed and handed the judge the papers, the man looking at them before nodding. "Ok. Let's get down to business."

Jiraiya nodded and leaned forward. "So. Do those papers also cover Minato's other belongings as well? The ones held in the vault and the tower."

The man nodded. "Absolutely. All three are easy to cover, but we should start with the fastest to deal with. Namikaze-san has large properties within Konoha that can be claimed, but the transfer will take a few days. However, the residential properties of both Kushina and Minato can be claimed this instance."

Jiraiya nodded and watched as the man put his stamp and signature on the top corner of the papers. "With this, no one should give you trouble, save for... Nah. No one is giving you trouble. I just need you both to sign here."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Finally. About time." The man said as he signed and handed the paper to Naruto.

Naruto was thankful for his beautiful handwriting. Fuinjutsu really assisted where he was lacking before.

"Good. Now, let's get to business. You are the son of the Yondaime, and you have a right to the lands that were left behind by him and his wife, Uzumaki Kushina. This deed relates to their direct assets and personal belongings."

Naruto looked closely at the paper, seeing the long list of items, assets, and the various warnings regarding his rights. "So... This is all mine?" He whispered.

The man nodded. "Indeed. I'm going to hand you a form that should act as a deterrent to those that would get in the way." He said as he slid a form over to Naruto. "I just need you to sign that right there."

Naruto looked at the form that had the giant words, Authorization of Heirship, and gulped. 'Here goes nothing.'

He signed the form carefully, and the man marveled at his unique signature. It was good to have one as he is. It doesn't look easy to replicate. "Ok. What now?" The boy asked, his eyes narrowed at the paper.

"Now, I do this." The man stamped all the signatures and slid it to him. "Don't lose these. Those right here are your weapons. Take these to the bank, take this to the front desk, and take this right here to both the Museum and the Hokage tower. Understood?"

Naruto nodded, letting out a breath as he and Jiraiya stood up. "Thank you, sir. I'll do that now."

The judge nodded. "Good luck, Namikaze-san. I look forward to doing business with you in the future."

He looked at Jiraiya, and the man nodded and gave a bow, Naruto doing the same before leaving.

As they did, Jiraiya smirked and patted his shoulder. "Good job in there. As of this moment, you are truly Namikaze Naruto in both name and title. This means... We'll need to work on formal decorum. Unfortunately, I only know the bare minimum, so... I guess we'll figure out those intricacies as we go along."

Naruto deflated. 'Oh. Great.'


Line break

After leaving the courthouse, Naruto and Jiraiya had his forms looked at, and one by one, he got what was his. The bank was first, and it was a simple process. All they did was look at the form, and the teller, a man named Taro, quickly went into the back and had him sign another form. With that, it was handed in and placed into some kind of file cabinet, and BAM! He's now the owner of the Namikaze fortune. Though, it is a bit low since Konoha has been dipping it's hands into the money, but he didn't care.

The house deed was also taken in, and it was here that he got his dose of irritation. Unpaid taxes of 12 years? Great. But it's his now.

Then, there was the Museum. And that was... Interesting.

"She said it was called, Ame-no-Murakumo" (Heavenly Cloud Gathering Sword). She threw a huge tantrum when she found out it was a fake, but it's a beautiful blade regardless." Jiraiya said as Naruto ogled one of his mother's swords with awe. It is indeed beautiful.

"Wait. A fake? why would there be a fake?" The boy asked.

Jiraiya leaned forward, staring at the blade's details. The blade appears to be forged from a material that glistens like polished silver, making it regal and pristine in appearance. There were Inscribed Runes in the metal, but if closely looked at, it was gibberish, hinting at the notion that whoever was crafting this blade didn't know Uzushio's fuinjutsu at all and was jut copying the pattern from memory. The guard is shaped like a swirling cloud, with delicate, flowing patterns. The hilt is wrapped in silk that has a cloud-like softness, woven in a silver-blue pattern. At the top of the hilt is a gemstone, possibly an azure crystal, that sparkles faintly.

"Look at the blade and read the glyphs." Jiraiya said as he squinted his eyes.

Naruto did so, and upon seeing it, he got excited at first before squinting his eyes again in confusion. "What the hell? This doens't... It almost looks like... But it's completely-"

"See why your mom was pissed? She wanted that sword so bad. It's a blade capable of... Well, I'm not sure. It my be in her diary." He said as he leaned away.

"So what makes the sword so special?" The boy asked as he circled the encasing.

"It is the cousin blade to the Kusanagi in that it was forged by the same person. According to her, this blade was given to the lord of the tides, and Uzumaki of old, while the Kusanagi was given to a snake general of the west. Both are devastating in power, with the former having... Killed-"

"Ok. Enough. I get it." Naruto said as he crossed his arms and tilted his head. The sword is still in good shape and everything. "I guess learning Kenjutsu is something I'll need to look into if I ever want to wield this thing. Or is it ceremonial?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "No Idea."

"Absolutely not!" Yelled a man in a suit, the guy being the curator of the place. "I will not simply give you something that was donated to the village!"

Both men turned to see the man marching up to them, a woman tryin to stop him.

"Boss! Han on a moment! They're-"

"Get off of me and get back to your station!" He yelled as he marched up to them with papers of his own.

Jiraiya sighed. 'Here we go. Time to shut this down, and fast.'

"This has been in public hands for too long now to be given away now. We signed the contract through the Civilian council and the elders of the village to display this, and on that contract, it said by ten years of being in the Namikaze family's absence, the sword would belong to Konoha. So no! I will not be handing over the blade!"

Jiraiya raised a brow. "Are you blind? Read the sheet of paper and look who signed it."

"I don't care about what that says. Namikaze or not, this is not yours to-Omph!" The man was lightly back handed, the man sputtering and fumbling for his falling glasses.

"Read the paper," Jiraiya said.

"H-How dare-Oof!" The man was flicked in the face, his glassed flying up into his hair.

"Read. The. Paper." Jiraiya hissed, the man's eyes widening. "Now."

The curator gulped and looked at the paper, his eyes scanning it before stopping at the signature. 'T-This can't... This...'

"Well? What does the form say?" Jiraiya said in a low, dangerous voice.

"I-I-"

"Say. It."

"Y-You have the rights to the Uzumaki artifacts, sir." The man whispered, his eyes sheening with resentment.

"There. Not difficult. C'mon, kiddo. We have another stop." Jiraiya said as he led the boy away, leaving behind the curator to fume at his loss.


Line break

{Land of Fire: Koohagakure: The Namikaze residence}

The Namikaze Residence stands as a symbol of both legacy and loss for those who knew the original owner. It has been abandoned for 13 years, ever since Minato and Kushina's deaths, but regular maintenance keeps it preserved as a monument of Konoha's history. Over time, the house has become an attraction for officials and noble tourists, visiting under strict supervision.

The house is located on the outskirts of Konoha, away from the bustling village center, surrounded by lush greenery.

Jiraiya and Naruto stood outside the tall stone walls that surround the residence, Naruto running his hand on the adorned Namikaze emblem.

A wrought-iron gate, intricately designed with swirls of wind-like patterns, marks the entrance, and Naruto could see the garden just inside the gate, surprisingly well-kept, filled with blooming trees and shrubs, despite the house being abandoned. A path of stone tiles leads up to the main entrance.

"This place is..."

"Otherworldly? Yeah. I know." Jiraiya said as he looked around. "He never liked how grand it all was, but the designer insisted."

Naruto nodded and pushed the gate open, walking through the cobblestone path, the grass on either side of him well-kept and trimmed.

Upon entering, the pair were welcomed by a main hall, wide and open, with a high ceiling supported by wooden beams. The floor is polished dark wood, and large windows with wooden frames allow sunlight to pour in. Tatami mats line certain sections of the floor, especially around the low-set seating areas. The hall has decorative scrolls hung on the walls, featuring traditional calligraphy and paintings of wind and water, symbols of both the Namikaze and Uzumaki clans.

There were paintings of all sorts, obviously ancient and of the Uzumaki lineage. It left Naruto feeling strange and excited.

He rushed toward an image that caught his attention the most, the one by the large staircase. It was of a redhaired man on a horse. He wore armor, and was battling in the snow wielding a large sword, and he had a long beard.

"This is pretty cool. I don't... Huh?! Naruto said as he saw a portrait of Mito Uzumaki and a man he didn't recognize, the two looking to be related.

"Ah. Mito and her little brother, Nagisa." The man said. "There's a lot for you to discover here. A lot even I don't know. Kushina wasn't one to share unless it was with her husband."

Naruto nodded and looked at some more paintings before following Jiraiya to the Formal Livingroom.

The living room seemed to blend the traditional and modern perfectly. Low tables and floor cushions surround a central area for gathering, but the space is enhanced by modern lighting fixtures that hang from the ceiling. One side of the room has a large stone fireplace, its hearth designed with swirling wind motifs. On the walls, wooden shelves house a mix of books, keepsakes, and a few framed photographs of Minato and Kushina. The furniture was also wrapped and covered in plastic, which was a shame but to be expected.

Naruto crossed his arms and glanced around. "The seats are-"

"I know. This is where your father would've housed... People like the Hyuga or the other traditional ruling class. You know how traditional they are," Jiraiya said as he ran his hand across a wooden table, the thing being smooth to the touch.

Naruto nodded, but still didn't like the room for that alone. He likes to sit high in his chair, but it can always be changed out for something more his style.

They moved onto Minato's study, and found that the room was blocked off, and for good reason. It wasn't a place to be visited be tourists. Luckily, Naruto had a way in through simply being related to the man.

Minato's study is a room that feels more modern than the rest. Large oak bookshelves line the walls, filled with scrolls, maps, and notebooks. A large desk sits in the middle, scattered with Minato's old papers, research notes, and plans. The room has an aura of intelligence and strategic brilliance, with diagrams of sealing techniques and village defenses still displayed on the walls. It made Naruto step out, feeling out of his league and depth, or like a child who doesn't belong or would get in trouble for touching anything.

'Holy crap, dad. This is all...'

The boy was very careful not to disturb anything, peering over with as much conscious movement as possible. It made Jiraiya smile at seeing the boy so reserved yet so eager at the same time.

He didn't open any drawers, and he didn't mettle. He only looked.

Naruto glanced down and saw the patterns for the Rasengan, but it looked different. A concept maybe? Swirling patterns of the Original in one note, but there was more to it as he read over the man's handwriting briefly.

"Did he intend to expand on the Rasengan?" Naruto asked while pointing at the notes.

Jiraiya nodded and stepped forward. "Ah. This was the last thing he was working on. His duties as Hokage got in the way of finishing the jutsu, but he had plans."

Naruto nodded and looked up at the tri-pronged kunai mounted on the wall above the desk.

He turned around and took the room in. It was stuffy and roomy all at once. A feeling hard to grasp and a bit much to take in when there's more to explore, so they left the room as it was.

They checked out the kitchen, the dining room, the other living room that Naruto happened to like way more, and many other rooms the large house had in store for the blonde. They even visited Naruto's room. And whereas Jiraiya thought there would be waterworks, there weren't.

Naruto looked at the crib, the stuffed animals, and the rocking chair in the corner. The boy's chest throbbed with pain, but surprisingly, it didn't destroy him as it could've. Or, maybe he was becoming hardened with the feeling of loss? That may not be a good thing.

Naruto walked up and sat in the rocking chair, crossing his arms as he took the room in.

"I would've loved this place. I can't imagine a better life for myself. Hell, I should've been living here from the get go. Now I feel like an intruder."

"You aren't an intruder, I can assure you." Jiraiya said from the door as he watched Naruto closely.

The boy didn't give a response. He was likely trying to decide something.

"I don't know if I can live here." Naruto said softly.

"You don't have to, but it is a really, really good place, Naruto." Jiraiya said as he stepped into the room.

"I know. It was perfect for raising a family. This place wouldn't serve to do anything for me, save for haunting me endlessly. In my little apartment, my loneliness isn't as noticeable when the space I occupy is meant for one. But in a place like this? With all the rooms and paintings and... Stuff. I don't know if I could do it." Naruto said as his voice choked up a bit before he steeled himself and sighed.

"Your mother had a property as well. It was gifted to her by Mito. We could check that out too, if you'd like." The older man said as he kneeled in front of Naruto. "Listen. Don't feel pressured to take this all in now. You've been through a lot. This is all to make sure you get what is rightfully yours. You can always come back later. Time is on your side."

Naruto frowned at that. "Hey. Jiraiya?"

"What is it?"

"Do you think I may have caused this?" He asked softly, leaning on his hand with a somber epression.

"Caused what?" Jiraiya asked with a bit more caution.

"Me wishing to know my parents surely came with a cost. I have all the things I didn't before, but lost all that I had too. I feel like Kami traded my heritage in for the ones closest to me. I think I'm being punished." He said with a bitter edge.

Jiraiya didn't know how to respond. He'd felt that way too after becoming the toad sage, like a curse was placed on him. "I doubt that. Everything that has happened was not your fault. I promise."

Naruto didn't respond well to that, and he could tell based on how he was looking at the crib. "I suppose I'm just gonna have to tough it out like always. So, where to next?" Naruto asked while standing up suddenly. "No time to waste. Lead the way."

Jiraiya nodded, standing up as well.

'I do hope this isn't biting us in the ass Hiruzen. Because if it is, I don't want to see the end result.' He thought to himself as they left the room.


Line break

{Land of Fire: Konohagakure: Hyuga compound}

[The next day]

The Koneko family arrive at the gates of the Hyuga compound and Togoshi can't help but compare the place to his own. It was a very traditional but prestine household.

'Not bad for a ninja clan.' The boy thought as the gates opened to them.

"Ah. Lord Koneko. Right this way, please," a Hyuga servant said, motioning them in.

Yusuke Koneko, nodded and led the procession, walking with a measured stride. However, his face was lined with the weight of political failures his family was dealing with. His elegant dark blue haori ripples in the breeze as his sharp eyes assess the compound. Behind him, Masuda is pushed in a finely crafted wooden wheelchair, his posture stiff, hands gripping the armrests, knuckles white with tension. His face was pale, beads of sweat forming at his temple—not from the heat, but from anxiety.

'No No No! Why did we have to come here before I was fully healed?! I'm not ready to face her yet!' The boy screamed in his head.

Yuma saw this and rested a hand on his shoulder, but the boy shirked away, not wishing for contact.

As they approach the main courtyard, the Hyuga clan's retainers, dressed in formal white robes, bowed slightly before stepping aside, the Hyuga silently observing every move their guests made.

The grandeur of the Hyuga estate was evident, but despite its beauty, the atmosphere was suffocating. They knew coming here before meeting Naruto could be a bad Idea, but the boy was no where to be found. So, with limited time, they had to settle for the Hyuga first.

At the heart of the courtyard stood Hiroshi Hyuga, his towering presence radiating authority. He wasn't keen on speaking to the dethroned family, but he had to maintain a professional demeanor.

He watched them carefully, and upon seeing Masuda, his features became as hard as stone.

'What is the meaning of this?' The man thought as he contemplated using his dojutsu to inspect the boy. It mattered little. He was staring at a cripple.

Beside him, Hinata stood in her customary elegant posture, wearing a finely embroidered white kimono that symbolizes her status as the clan's heiress. Like her grandfather, she was also caught of guard, though her outwardly expression remained the same.

Yusuke bowed, lowering his head briefly. "Lord Hiroshi, I appreciate the welcome. It is quite befitting of our status." He said with a smirk.

Hiroshi doesn't bow but acknowledges the gesture with a slight nod. "Your presence here was expected. It would have been discourteous to deny your request for this audience, Yusuke-san," the man said in a slightly cold and precise manner.

Yusuke's smirk faltered at this. 'Does he know of our position in court?! How?! Word couldn't have spread so fast! Or... Surely it's not about Masuda!' He thought as his gaze briefly flicked to his grandson.

Masuda's hands trembled slightly as he watched Hinata. Her beauty, always captivating to him, she seemed even more unapproachable now. His heart sank further when he realized she hasn't even glanced at him directly, causin him to grip his wheelchair as his anxiety started to peak.

As the Koneko family and their Hyuga hosts moved into the formal reception room, the tension in the air grew for Yusuke, who was now having second thoughts about coming here so soon.

The room is modestly furnished but comfortable, with cushions placed around a low table where tea has already been prepared.

Hiroshi took his seat carefully, his eyes scanning those present. It was interesting to see the entire family here. Hinata remained by his side, her expression also betraying none of her thoughts.

Yusuke is the first of his family to sit down, followed by his grandchildren, Togoshi and Yuma.

Masuda's grip on his wheelchair tightened as a servant moved him closer to the table, his chair lowered to meet the height of those around him. His eyes darted to Hinata, but her gaze remained fixed between his grandfather.

"It is an honor to be received by the Hyuga, especially in such complicated times," Yusuke began, forcing a diplomatic smile onto his face. "We are... Humbled by your hospitality, Lord Hiroshi."

Hiroshi acknowledged the compliment with a slight nod but offered no verbal response. His silence spoke volumes, and Yusuke felt rage rising in his chest. He had expected more formalities, but this was different. It was clear Hiroshi wasn't interested in playing along with the usual polite exchanges.

A Hyuga servant stepped forward, pouring tea with careful, practiced movements. The steaming cups were then passed to each guest.

"I do not see lord Hiashi. Is he perhaps-"

"Incapacitated, i'm afraid. He's recovering from the gruesome event that took place." Hiroshi said as he took his tea into his hand and took in it's smell. "Now, onto the reason of your visit."

"Yes. We come here with much to discuss," Yusuke continues. "The times have changed, and with the recent... events here in Konoha, there is much to address regarding the matter of the marriage."

Hiroshi's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and he turned his gaze toward Masuda, who avoided looking at him. A small crease forms between Hiroshi's brows, but his expression remained unreadable.

"Indeed, things have changed," Hiroshi finally said, his voice low and deliberate. "We find ourselves at a critical juncture, it seems. The original terms of this arrangement are now... in question."

Masuda nearly clawed at his chair as his anxiety grew. Hinata's fleeting look did nothing to calm him.

"In question?" Yusuke repeats, his lips twitching at the corners. "Lord Hiroshi, the Koneko family will always maintain its commitment. Surely we can come to some kind of arrangement. The marriage between Hinata and Masuda is a bond of great value. You would be given a foothold in the Capital, after all."

"Your ability to fulfill it is indeed in question. The lands your family promised have been compromised. It was what we desired, and was the agreed dowry your son presented... Unless, you come with something else to offer?" Hiroshi said as he gave a sip of his tea.

The silence that followed was crushing. Yusuke's face paled as Hiroshi's sank in. The truth is out in the open now, and there is no going back. Togoshi's eyes narrowed, and his hands balled into fists as he tries to contain his growing frustration. His grandfather was doing a poor job.

"We... understand the changes," Yusuke stammered, his diplomatic tone faltering. "However, we assure you that we have a... Solution to the dowry issue. We just require some... Time, is all. With our influence, we can-"

"Influence?" Hiroshi interrupted, his voice suddenly cold and cutting. His pale lavender eyes bore into Yusuke, leaving no room for pretense. "Influence that rests on what, exactly? Your position in the court has diminished. Thanks to that, this promised land is out of your reach. What, then, do you bring to the table? We haven't even mentioned the state of your grandson."

Masuda stiffened visibly in his wheelchair, and his eyes dart anxiously to Yusuke, who visibly tenses at the comment, before his gaze shifted to Hinata, who's eyes were closed as she listened to the adults speak.

"The state of my grandson?" Yusuke's hissed, clearly bristling at the direction this is taking. "What about it?"

"The fact that he is currently incapacitated is, of course, a concern," Hiroshi stated, leaning forward slightly, his Byakugan suddenly activating with a soft whir. "But the concern goes deeper. There is... the matter of fertility."

Silence followed after that, the only thing permiating it being Masuda's anxious breathing. The weight of the accusation, the sheer audacity of Hiroshi's statement, hits the family hard. .

Yusuke suddenly slammed his hands against the table, making the cups rattle and spill.

Hinata and Hiroshi were ready enough to hold their cups in place while the others spilled over, making Yuma shuffle away and Togoshi's tea to spill onto him, making him hiss. The servants rushed over to assist, and Yusuke towered over the pair of Hyuga' sitting in front of him.

"You dare speak of such things in front of my grandson?!" Yusuke bellows, his face red with indignation. "This is beyond disrespectful! To bring up such matters-"

"Disrespectful or prudent?" Hiroshi replies coldly, his tone unyielding. "If we are to form an alliance through marriage, the matter of heirs cannot be ignored. And from what I can see..."

He glanced at Masuda with detachment and shook his head, "your grandson's ability to provide heirs is... questionable."

Masuda's breath hitched, and his heart pounded in his ears. He felt every eye in the room on him at that moment, as though they were dissecting his very worth as a human being. It's too much. The shame, the anger, and the humiliation all swirl together in his mind until he can no longer remain silent. This man was questioning his very manhood. He couldn't take this standing...

Well, sitting.

"I-I'm still strong enough!" Masuda blurts out, his voice cracking. Everyone turns to look at him. His voice is desperate, trembling, as he glares at Hiroshi. "I can... I can still marry her! I'm more than capable of being a husband!"

Hiroshi doesn't respond immediately, letting Masuda's frantic words hang in the air. After a pause, he turns to Hinata and gestures subtly.

"Hinata, please. Would you confirm what I am seeing?"

Hinata resisted the urge to glare at her grandfather. This was unnecessary. Why go through all this trouble? She didn't understand it. Insulting a house of the court, no matter how precarious their situation, could still bite them later.

Hinata's Byakugan activated without hesitation. Her expression remained stoic as she glanced toward Masuda, her eyes shifting slightly as she examined him. It took no time for her to deduce that his physical condition is... Extreme. The fact that he wasn't in pain, even with what she was seeing, was something else, but still. Her grandfather is correct. He is compromised.

Her gaze lingers for only a moment before returning to her grandfather, her voice calm and professional. "I see the same, Grandfather. His chakra pathways show... Severe disruption."

The words fell like a death sentence. Masuda's face crumbled, and tears threatened to spill as he could take no more of this humiliation.

Yuma, watching the scene unfold, shot up from her seat, her voice tight with frustration. "This is an outrage! To insult Masuda in such a way! Have you no decency, Lord Hiroshi? You've crossed a line with this! We don't forget slights!"

Hiroshi didn't flinch. He turned his gaze toward Yuma. "Decency, you say? And yet, your family expected us to marry our heiress to a boy who can barely walk, let alone father children. If we had gone through with this marriage without knowing the truth, who would have been the greater deceiver? You would parade this cripple before us and expect what exactly? We see through all things, including deception."

"Tread carefully, Lord Hiashi! You are insulting the family of the next-"

"The next what?" Hiashi said, interrupting Togoshi. "Your family has a stained history, one that does you no favors."

Togoshi growled, and Yusuke stood up next, his face flushed with anger. His voice shakes with fury as he points an accusatory finger at Hiroshi. "You accuse us of deception when we came here in good faith—"

"Good faith?" Hiroshi's voice cut through Yusuke's words like a blade. "If this was truly good faith, you would have disclosed everything from the beginning. Instead, you hoped to secure the marriage, knowing that Masuda would never provide an heir. You would have trapped us in a failed union. It would have been an awkward and unfortunate experience for my granddaughter."

Yusuke's fists tremble in rage, and he goes to flip the table but thinks twice when he sees Hiroshi's hand flicker. It was a bleak reminder that he was in the presence of a dangerous man. He was a clan head. A powerful one. And here he was, a disgraced noble who couldn't even defend his family's honor.

He gritted his teeth and stepped back. "You will come to regret this, I can assure you."

"So we're done? Good. Please see them out," Hiroshi said dismissively.

As the Koneko family was escorted from the Hyuga compound, they felt a deep sense of indignation and anger. The meeting had not gone as expected, and the accusations leveled against Masuda had left them feeling insulted and humiliated. But none more than Masuda.

The boy was silent, his head bowed, tears freely flowing down his cheeks. His heart ached with a mix of shame, anger, and despair. He felt as though he had been stripped bare, his worth reduced to nothing more than his physical abilities.

Yuma, with a mask of fury, pushed Masuda's wheelchair with a force that mirrored her emotions. Even as their servants made attempts to take over, she shrugged them away.

As they walked out of the gates, Togoshi looked at his grandfather and crossed his arms. "I'm assuming the search for the Namikaze now takes priority?" He asked, his tone cold and serious.

Yusuke nodded. "Indeed. We need to find the boy. He's the only thing that can save us from ruin. If we can't get him, then surely the Hyuga will be biting their tongues when he is in our grasp."

Togoshi nodded. "Yeah. But that's only if Yuma can cnovince him to join us. This hinges in a marriage pact, not a simple alliance."

Yuma crossed her arms. "I'll figure it out. I doubt it'll be that difficult to sway him. He's a boy, after all. They're easy, trust me."

Togoshi scoffed. "This is Konoha, not the capital. He isn't some spoiled rich kid... He started with nothing. tread carefully."

She nodded as their grandfather led the way. "Noted."


Line break.

Meanwhile, as the Hyuga servants cleaned the mess made by the Koneko house, Hinata watched a pacing Hiroshi, the man deep in thought. His face showed nothing outwardly, but there was something in his eyes she couldn't quite put into words.

"What is plaguing you, Grandfather?" Hinata asked, breaking the silence. "You seem... Troubled."

Hiroshi stopped, his gaze turning to meet hers. "I have a mission for you, Hinata. A... New objective, of sorts."

'Oh no.' She thought in her head as she braced herself for what was to come. "And what exactly is expected of me? You'd be acting independently from the council on this." She said carefully.

The man glared at her. "The council defers to me for judgment; now listen carefully. The ownership of the lands has gone to someone who we... never suspected. Namikaze Naruto is a new player and must be monitored. I want you to...Invite him here."

"Invite-"

"I want to form an agreement with the boy. Perhaps a... Symbiotic relationship can be formed. I'm still thinking about it." The man said as he paced.

"Like the one between us and the Aburame clan?" The girl asked.

"Indeed. Unfortunately, we'd be the ones in tribute of the boy, but in the long run... It would be worth it. We just need him at our table." The man said as he ushered her to follow, to which the girl did so.

Hinata thought about it before nodding. "I'll seek him out."

She turned to leave, but her grandfather called out a moment later. "One more thing, Hinata. Tread carefully. There's no doubt in my mind that there are others after the boy, so... Be cunning."

Hinata nodded. "I'll be careful. I won't fail."

The man waved her off, and as she left, he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at where she stood. 'She was surprisingly more cooperative than usual. I haven't let my guard down around you yet, Hinata. I'm watching, and I'm waiting.'


Line break.

End chapter.

{A/N}
As of writing this, it is morning. The sun is still down, but I can see it creeping up on me.

This chapter was a huge pain to write, but it was also entertaining as well if that makes sense. There are so many perspectives to take into account, and there are still characters I want to explore, like Neji, for example. But I'm not sure how extreme I could make the chapter lengths. This chapter is actually two in one, so you'd have gotten a chapter a week ago, but it would have ended a bit strangely, and I didn't like that.

I have a lot of plans for this story, and it's being laid out perfectly so far, so it's smooth sailing from here. Everything is done for a reason, and every decision is thought out, I can assure you.
Anyway, leave a comment and let me know if you guys want me to respond to them. I'm sure there are questions that you want to be answered, and I'd be happy to answer them in the author's note, so don't be shy.

Til next time, thanks for reading.