The red spot was an ocean. That was all that it could be described as. An ocean of red. It sunk into the ground, poisoning everything around it. It churned, currents carrying its contents all about. A soft sound could be heard from the red blot. Strange protrusions poked up through the top of it. Some were uncrushed vegetation, soaked in the red ichor. They dripped downwards, small ripples echoing throughout the blot. The other was white. There was no consistency in their shape, merely white objects that poked upwards. Some were sharp. Some were dull. Some were broken. Some were not. Simply white spots. In a similar manner white powder coated some areas of the red blot. It was a strange sight. White coating on the red monstrosity. Something about it felt...wrong.
The ruins of buildings could be seen throughout the red spot. The splintered remains of wood, sticking upwards or scattered across the intolerable sight. Nails, steel, and an assortment of other construction materials flowed within it like a river. The current dragged them along, a trail of red ripples following them. It was a slow trail. Thick. It struggled to move. It lacked the fluidity of water. It was thick. It took effort to move.
Then there was the smell. It reeked. It smelt of death. If any with a sensitive nose was to come near the area, they would retch as the offensive scent hit their nose. One would wish they were anosmatic. The stench was so bad that no animal dared to get close. If the sight of the spot didn't make them run the smell certainly did. Whatever was there was foul in property. Nothing that needed to be approached.
The spot rumbled, waves rippling across it as a massive thud shook the area. Another followed not long after, shaking the spot just as it had begun to settle once more. The rumbling continued; massive footprints being seen at the spot every rumble took place. In its place was sand, sand that trailed backwards to connect with the red spot. Slowly the red trailed off into the familiar yellowish-brown of the sand. Or did the sand trail to the red? It was impossible to tell. One second the red looked like it was devouring the sand, and the next the sand looked like it was feasting on the red. Perhaps it was all one in the same? Yes. That was it.
It was all sand.
A massive howl echoed through the air, another thunderous stomp echoing as the beast walked down the path towards Earth.
Lightning showered the blade just an instant before it connected with the dummy target. The weapon pierced right through its body, slipping forwards as if it was butter. The attack wasn't done, lightning flowing from the blade into the dummy. Smoke skewed upwards towards the sky as the electricity caused burns and small fires before the dummy dropped the ground from the destabilization, charred. The Uchiha's crimson eyes glared at the dummy before it. That wouldn't be effective against the Amekage. It wouldn't be effective against Naruto as long as his armor was active. He needed something else. Something new.
The Uchiha raised his arms again, grunting as the seals restricted his movements. The black markings that crisscrossed on his skin glowed with an oppressive power. The Uchiha grunted, his muscles straining as he shot forwards once more. His sword slashed outwards, cracking against more of the training dummies. Deep gashes formed on their sides, but they weren't cut in half. The Uchiha turned, frustration on his face. He couldn't do it. Not with the seals on. He needed to be better. Catching up physically was the first step. That was what he needed. The seals were the first step to that. They slowed his movements. Forcing him to slow down. Forcing his muscles to work harder to for the same amount of force and speed. To make it even harder he didn't allow himself to use chakra throughout the movements either. That was what he needed. To put himself through the worst to create something better.
"The angle on your wrist is slightly off. You had the force to cut through the targets."
The Uchiha turned, frowning as he saw his brother leaning on a nearby tree. The man still had bandages covering part of his body. He wasn't fully healthy yet. It would take some time. That was the cost of fighting a Jinchuriki.
"Itachi," Sasuke called out. "What are you doing here?"
"Is it a crime to see my little brother," Itachi called out. He walked forwards, lightly grabbing Sasuke's wrist and adjusting it. "Here. Do that next time and you'll succeed."
Sasuke grunted, snatching his hand free.
"You should be resting."
"A walk won't hurt me. But training yourself half to death will hurt you. You got back from Ame not long ago and you're training already. Have you even fully healed?"
"My injuries weren't serious."
Itachi eyed his brother. His eyes did not have his Sharingan active, but he didn't need it to read the expression on his brother's face.
"Sakura's capture weighs on you."
"How couldn't it," Sasuke snapped. "She kept me alive, allowed me to be healthy and what did I even do! I couldn't fight back; I couldn't protect her! I couldn't protect anyone."
"I understand how you feel," Itachi stated. "When Shisui was captured, I felt similarly. But you can't simply work yourself to death and expect to be able to save her. You have to be diligent Sasuke."
"That's why I'm here. I'm getting stronger so I can go back to Ame and save her."
"Let's say you go back to Ame," Itachi stated. "How strong do you think you'd have to be to save Sakura? The Amekage won't just give her up."
"I'll be strong enough! I'll defeat anyone in my way."
"Oh? Strong enough to defeat a man you couldn't even touch, with a squad backing you up? Then after him of course, you would have to fight Ame's military force and if he so decided, Naruto Uzumaki himself. You believe yourself capable of defeating an entire village and at least two S-class shinobi at once? You must be as strong as Hashirama Senju or Madara Uchiha then."
Sasuke frowned, refusing to look at his brother. Itachi's gaze didn't leave his brothers face. He kept talking.
"Perhaps you want to infiltrate the village. Surely that should be easy. After all, you all were incredibly successful at that. I doubt they would improve their defenses after all. And surely you know how the Amekage found you all when you were retreating in the first place."
Sasuke grit his teeth.
"And of course, you still know that Sakura is alive."
"So, what am I supposed to do," Sasuke roared. He blew up in his brother's face, red coloring his cheeks not from embarrassment but from rage. "Leave her to die!"
"Gather information," Itachi said calmly. "Assemble a team and strategize."
Itachi reached out, placing a hand on his brother's blade once more.
"Ask for help. We are family. I will do everything in my power to help you get Sakura back. But simply throwing yourself at a problem is more liable to get you killed than anything else. That was the lesson Sakura allowed you to learn by sacrificing herself in Rain. Do not squander it."
Sasuke was silent for a moment. Slowly, his eyes looked up to see his brother looking at him. Itachi's eyes were warm. He was reaching out to help. Sasuke looked back at him; his eyes frosty. Warmth and cold clashed for a moment, one trying to overpower the other. Eventually one side one. The world grew cold. Ice beat fire. And Itachi lowered his hands.
"I see. Well then I wish you luck brother."
Sasuke nodded. Itachi turned, walking away with a frown on his face.
'You don't have to do it all on your own brother. Why are you trying to isolate yourself?'
Meanwhile Sasuke readied himself to attack the dummies once more. His mind was frazzled, and he was desperate to calm it. He couldn't take Itachi's offer. He couldn't keep walking in his brother's shadow. Itachi had saved Shisui his way. That was fine. But Sasuke would save Sakura his own way. He needed to. He couldn't simply be an afterthought to his brother his whole life. He needed to prove himself. That much was clearer to him now. Sakura had sacrificed herself because he was weak. He would prove he no longer was when he freed her. That was what he had to do. That was his calling. He wasn't like his brother. Things didn't come naturally to him. He wasn't a genius who was gifted with strength. He wasn't someone who got to take a step back and calculate how to progress. The world wasn't that kind to him. It would pass him by. It already had.
He had to fight, scratch, and claw to get anything. That was who he was. That was his life. Where Itachi had gotten Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique) instantly, it took him days of training. Where Itachi had become a member of ANBU at the age of eleven, he hadn't even graduated the Academy at the same age. He had to work. He had to grind. That was who he was. That was what defined him. That was why he couldn't follow the path of a genius.
He moved, and the dummies shook with a violent force. A deeper slash. Not perfect. Still requiring more. He grit his teeth.
Again.
Naruto let the breath he held go, wind expelling from his mouth and pushing the dust at his feet away. He reached outwards, desperate to feel the movement. The wind. He could extend his chakra through it. It wasn't hard. He could feel the movements around him within a radius. Nagato's presence in front of him. His clones behind him, practicing as well. The dust on the ground, water in the small pool. He could feel it all. But it wasn't enough. His chakra squirmed, tightening. Slowly it tried to constrain the wind to a shape. A small ball. No bigger than a golf ball. He could do it. He just needed to focus more.
"Your chakra is leaking out," Nagato's call came. "It's too violent. Turbulent. You won't control it like that."
Naruto frowned at Nagato's analysis. His eyes were closed but he could hear the confusion on Nagato's face. He couldn't understand why the blonde couldn't figure the technique out. In principle it wasn't too far away from what he could already do. He understood the concept. But the blonde was struggling with the application. He simply couldn't force wind to bow to his wind. Yes, Naruto knew exactly what his fellow Uzumaki was thinking. His chakra shot outwards, the wind flowing outwards.
He failed.
The blonde grunted, rolling his eyes. The failure was becoming annoying.
"Well, how about we cut training short today and try something else?"
"No," Naruto muttered. "Walk me through how you do it one more time."
Nagato frowned, but acquiesced to his cousin's demands.
"I imagine cupping a pool of water. Placing it in a jar or cup. Any way to store water, it doesn't matter. I contain the water and then guide it. Force it out how I wish it to move. Manipulate it how I wish. My hands guide to move the way I want. As if clicking a button on a hose and the water rushes outwards."
Naruto frowned, sitting on the ground. That description was frustrating. He supposed it should be expected that Nagato couldn't explain it much better than that. Natural born genius's tended to be poor teachers. But that was fine. He understood the general idea. He captured the element and then guided it to do what he wished. That was what he did with the Fūton no Yoroi (Wind Release Armor). Each stage was just a larger application of that. The first was a small hole in a rock for the wind to flow through. The second was a cliff side, channeling the wind in one direction. The third was a tornado. A force of nature. He let the wind roar around him. He merely gave it a direction.
The blonde's eyes widened. He gave the wind a direction! He didn't contain it. Sure, he forced some paths closed depending on what stage of his armor he was using, but at the core was simply telling the wind this was the direction to follow. Nagato's analogy was fine, for water.
Naruto slammed his hands together, a grin on his face. Nagato blinked confused.
"Did you figure something out?"
Naruto merely grinned, refusing to respond. He needed to concentrate but...he had it. He was sure of it. He could do this. Don't contain the wind. Guide it. He gestured making repeated slashing motions with each of his hands. Blades. That was what he needed. Kunai. So, he slashed. He gave direction.
A howling filled the air and Naruto smirked. Nagato's eyes widened.
"You...you did it."
Naruto opened his eyes, raising his hands to see two kunai made completely of wind in his hands. His chakra was swirling inside his body, desperate to try to maintain control. It was difficult. It was chakra control at a level far beyond anything he had done before. His sensing was sending chakra through the air to gain analysis over any within a small radius. The Rasengan manipulated his raw chakra, a much simpler, albeit exceedingly difficult, form of chakra control. His armor tightly coiled his own chakra around him, a natural extension of his sensory jutsu. This was something more advanced than that. And it was hard. It would take him time to be able to do it easily. But it worked. He had a new skill. A grin split his face. Nagato smirked in response.
"Good," the redhead said. Twin kunai made of water formed in his hands, causing Naruto to narrow his eyes. Nagato dropped into a fighting stance.
"Now...let's practice."
The redhead charged.
Naruto groaned, stretching his bruises away as he walked through the streets of Amegakure. He had just finished his training with Nagato. It had been a succesful one, although painful. Cuts and bruises covered his skin, although much of the Ame civilians couldn't see it thanks to the large cloak he was wearing to cover the injuries. Walking through the village injured wasn't a good idea for the morale of a village, even if they weren't immediately under threat. Keeping one's people happy was as vital to running a village as making sure the economy was good and shinobi strong. It was integral. But as the blonde walked through the streets, he couldn't help but wonder if him being hurt would even put a damper on the attitude. The people spoke in such jovial tones. As though there was nothing to worry about in the entire world, even though the entire continent was in the middle of a war. Such positivity, such hope, was something he wasn't used to civilians expressing. In Konoha there were some. Teuchi. Ayame. But it was nothing like this. Nothing so consistent. It was antithetical to the horrors of war.
Konoha had felt the scars of battle. Civilians had been to the mass funerals. See the flames of poisoned carcasses and the stench of burning bodies fill the air. They had to watch, helpless, as shinobi they knew from jobs, friends, or as protectors died. But here it was different. Here the civilians laughed and moved around with such joy. The ever-present rain didn't beat it down and wash it away. They danced in it, making movements the blonde never thought he would see in the streets. It was like a parade. Where the village leaders were distraught over the potential invasion of Konoha, none of the civilians seemed phased at all.
The blonde sat down for a moment, taking in the sight. The neon lights on buildings danced in the rain, sparking vivid pulses of color he was desperate to see replicated. It was an amazing sight. Just...watching. Watching as the civilians went about their lives. They were a bubble. And Naruto envied them. He wished he could be like them.
A man sat next to him, smiling as his son waved at him. The father waved back, watching his son play with some other kids his age in a nearby park. The man leaned backwards, groaning.
"You had a long day too huh," he stated. Naruto blinked, surprised at the sudden spark of conversation. He didn't know this man. It was...unusual for people to randomly strike up conversation in Fire on their best day. Despite the moniker, in times of war it was not a warm country. It was frigid. Cold. People were on edge. But Rain? It was...welcoming.
"Hello," the man said. "You there? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Sorry," Naruto insisted. "Long day."
"I can tell. What could the great Naruto Uzumaki have done to be so exhausted?"
Naruto blinked. That was a surprise. There weren't many in Ame who knew who he was from his experience. Shinobi sure, but civilians were uncommon. It just contributed to how isolated the entire city felt from the rest of the world.
"You know me?"
"Of course, I do," the man stated. "I pay attention to the bingo books. You have to in this world."
"What, aiming to take me out? The money would be lifesaving for a civilian."
"Fat chance! I'm a civilian, not a shinobi. I'd have no shot. Besides, I didn't look at bingo books to find targets, I found them to learn who to stay away from."
"And yet you're so comfortable sitting next to me?"
The man shrugged, seemingly unbothered. The umbrella in his hands stopped the water from reaching him, scattering downwards onto the ground. In contrast, the blonde was drenched. His cloak was soaked in water and his body was cold. He would have to talk a long hot shower when he got back to the compound. Crowds of people walked by the two men, completely ignoring their existence.
"Nagato trusts you," the man stated. "Lets you live with his family. Take his son out. Good enough sign for me that you're to be trusted."
"You don't question your kage's judgement? Kage have made mistakes in the past. They've not cared about civilians."
"Not Nagato. He's different."
Naruto frowned, leaning back on his chair. He believed it. He believed that the man believed it. But the words still felt so foreign to him. A kage that didn't view the people as tools. Sure, individual beliefs of kage might vary. Hiruzen certainly had viewed everyone as humans. His father likely had as well. Hashirama. Onoki had viewed Iwa shinobi and civilians as his tribe to protect. But they still were military leaders. They had to be administrators. By the job description it required some ability to disassociate with the humanity of the population. The ability to look at them as numbers. Weapons. He was familiar with it.
He was born into weaponhood after all.
"You're so sure about that. How?"
The man pointed up to the central tower in Ame, the one where Nagato resided when he wasn't at home. The political center of the city.
"That's how," the man said. "Hanzo used to sit in that tower. That man...he protected our borders, but he didn't protect us. Nagato is different. He protects our borders, but that's not his goal. His goal is to protect us. He proved that when he saved us from Hanzo. He proved that when he didn't send our shinobi to die in pointless wars across the continent. He proves that with this rain."
The man lifted his hands, a smile on his face. He let his hands drift outwards, feeling the water flow through his outstretched hand.
"He protects this place with his control over the elements. He's a hero. He's the hero of the entire continent. You ask me why I believe in him, but it's because of that. It is not because he is strong. Anyone can be strong. It doesn't matter if you're weak or strong. That's not what defines a hero. Nagato is our hero because for him, helping others is an automatic reaction. It's a fabric of his being. He's willing to risk everything to save someone, and he'll do it without asking for anything in return. He simply wants to help. He doesn't have all the answers. It doesn't even matter if you have the answers. What matters is that you act when others need you. That is what a hero is. That's who Nagato is."
Naruto was silent, his eyes wide. What a...idealistic view. The man smiled, standing as his son ran back over to him, asking to go to a food store. The man laughed, nodding his head. The two began to walk off, but briefly the man stopped to turn to look at Naruto.
"I am merely a humble man Uzumaki-san. No training in the shinobi arts. But that is truly what I believe."
The man turned and walked away. Naruto watched him go, the man's words ringing in his head like bells.
"What's your name?"
The man smiled and turned.
"Kagane. Kagane Jihoin."
Naruto watched as the man walked off with his son, out of earshot now.
"Kagane..." Naruto whispered. "I'll remember that name...Kagane Jihoin."
Sasuke frowned as he heard the knock on the door. The darkness of his room should have been a sign that he didn't want to be bothered, but apparently his family had other ideas about what that meant. For a brief moment he considered not moving. Maybe they'd think he wasn't there. Of course, the next set of knocks on the door disabused him of that notion. With a groan he stood from his bed, opening the door. His mother stood before him.
"Yes Kaa-san?"
"Pack your things."
Sasuke blinked, confused.
"What?"
"I said pack your things," Mikoto stated. "We're going to the Forest of Death for training."
"But...why?"
"Itachi told me about what you've been doing," Mikoto stated. "Training yourself senseless without accepting help. You're not even fully healed yet and you're still training. I know I won't be able to stop you, but I can at least make sure it's worthwhile."
Sasuke frowned, attempting to refuse only for Mikoto to step closer to him, her eyes hard.
"I'm not asking. This is an order from your superior."
"Superior?"
"Yes, superior," Mikoto stated. She pointed to her forehead, causing Sasuke to pay attention to it for the first time that night. His eyes widened as he saw the glint in the moonlight that entered his room.
"You..."
"I'm back on active duty," Mikoto stated. "And you and I have been assigned to the Kumo front in two weeks' time. So, I have two weeks to get you trained up and ready for the battles to come instead of being this mope all day. So, get packing."
Sasuke's eyes widened, shock on his face. He stammered, unsure of what to say. Mikoto began to look irritated.
"Move damn it!"
"Yes Kaa-san!"
Naruto sat atop the roof of Nagato's house once more, the night sky blanketing the city of Amegakure. The everlasting rain poured down on the city, although Naruto was protected thanks to a small shelter on the house courtesy of a rain cover awning. The blonde stared over the city, his eyes wandering everywhere and nowhere. His vision may be on the city, but his mind was elsewhere. Focused on the words of Kagane. Nagato was a hero to these people. He gave them hope. Naruto shuddered.
Was that...was that how Konoha had felt about him? Before he had abandoned them?
The blonde was given no chance to ponder the thought as a redhaired man sat next to him. Nagato. Naruto turned to see the man looking out on the city as well, a small smile on his face.
"It seems my thinking spot will have to be shared in the future, eh cousin?"
"Sorry," Naruto stated, but his tone was wavy. Abstract. Elsewhere. Nagato picked up on this, a glint forming in his eyes.
"Don't worry about it. You have enough going on in your head anyways it seems."
Naruto seemed to snap out of it at those words, a faint blush forming on his face.
"That obvious?"
"Painfully."
A small chuckle escaped the lips of the two Uzumaki men, before they seemed to rest in silence. However, it wasn't long until Nagato broke the silence once more.
"Care to share?"
Naruto seemed to struggle to decide, his face contorting. Eventually it settled, but then it seemed like the words were difficult to get out if the flapping of his mouth was any indication. The blonde took a breath, a frown forming on his face as he continued to think.
"You're a hero to them," Naruto stated. "The people of Ame. Rain. You're their hero."
"Yes, they keep calling me that," Nagato stated, laughing bashfully. "I've asked them to stop."
"You saved them from Hanzo. Protected them from the threats of the outside. They all really look up to you. You're their idol. The joy I've seen here...they believe it's because of you. I believe it's because of you. It is...it's a strange thing to see."
Nagato frowned, glancing at his cousin. He wasn't interested in debating whether or not he deserved to be called a hero of Rain. He was sure that he did not, but he was also sure there was nothing he could do to change the general populace's opinion of him.
"What do you believe," Nagato questioned. That was what was interesting to him. Naruto frowned at the question, seemingly conflicted.
"I...I don't know. I don't believe heroes exist. Not anymore. But you...you are the closest thing I can think of to one."
Nagato snorted, rolling his eyes.
"Why do you think heroes don't exist?"
Naruto pointed to his hand, the Konoha headband in it glinting in the moonlight. Nagato looked at it, a curious look on his face.
"Because I've seen heroes," Naruto stated. "So-called ones. None of them were real. The old man, Sarutobi-sensei, was like a hero to me early in life. But at the end of the day when war came, he had to view me like a weapon at times to do what was required. I don't blame him. I was born into it. But would a hero do that? Hashirama Senju, he's dubbed a hero in Konoha. But he gave the villages their Bijuu. Allowed Madara Uchiha to bring the Kyuubi to Konoha's doorstep. Turned his own wife into a Jinchuriki. A living weapon. My own father saved Konoha from the Kyuubi's attack the day I was born. But he sacrificed me at the altar of a shinobi before I was old enough to even have a choice in the matter. They're all great men...but...is that really what a hero does?"
Naruto shook his head, his eyes hard.
"And me? Konoha depended on me. Looked up to me. Countless shinobi and civilians viewed me as their protector. I was honored by the Hokage and the Daimyo. Konohamaru, Hanabi, all of my friends back home depended on me. Looked up to me and I just...abandoned them. Weakened the village. Left them to contend with powerful shinobi with no help. It isn't my fault...but Konohamaru's right when he says if I was there jiji wouldn't be dead. I was their hero. And I abandoned them. So no...I don't think heroes are real."
Nagato frowned, leaning back to look up at the sky through the awning.
"I see. By that criterion I agree. No one is a hero."
Naruto looked up, somewhat surprised by the agreement.
"They all made some serious mistakes. Their actions have had ramifications on untold amounts of people. But they're not just defined by their mistakes."
Nagato paused, before a small smile came to his face.
"No one is perfect. If you judge heroes by their abilities to never make a mistake, never harm someone, then yes heroes don't exist. But I don't believe that's what makes a hero. A hero isn't someone who doesn't harm. Sometimes a hero must harm. If Minato Namikaze had not sealed the Kyuubi into you, what would have occurred? The beast would have rampaged throughout Konoha, killing everyone. And if Hashirama Senju had merely killed Madara Uchiha right then and there when he first left the village, would the Uchiha Clan not have revolted? One of Konoha's founders, and their leader however disavowed, murdered. What message would that send? And did Hiruzen Sarutobi not take you in? Raise you as his own? Sometimes heroes are forced to make the best out of a bad situation. They are faced with a choice, and sometimes they make the wrong one. But they can only choose what they believe is best. That is the curse of being human."
Naruto was silent.
"And you," Nagato continued. "You are a hero. You abandoned Konoha, and perhaps that was a mistake. But you protected Ashino. You protected my son and tried to warn me when he was in danger. And then, you protected the young boy who you grew up with despite his own mistakes. I think that makes you a hero. You acted out of love, to protect those that you cared about. That's what a hero is."
Nagato looked at Naruto.
"Jiraiya-sensei. He is my hero. He saved me. Orochimaru wanted to kill Konan, Yahiko, and I to put us out of our misery. But Jiraiya-sensei...he took us in. He felt responsibility for the actions he had done and raised us. Children native to a land he was at war with. Children who had every right to despise him because of the war. But he took us in without a second thought. Fed us. Clothed us. Housed us. Trained us. Taught us to live. That man made many mistakes. I'm sure he'd tell you that himself. But he will always be my hero. In the hour we needed someone to help us most, he reached out a hand and saved us."
Naruto turned, looking at Nagato. The two men's eyes met.
"So, you ask me...what is a hero? They are courageous, self-sacrificing people. They give help that's not asked for. People whose bodies move to help others before they've had a chance to think, regardless of the danger. You see a hero's job is to lay down their life to turn their promises into reality. Heroes lose. Heroes make mistakes. They suffer. They lose the things they care about most. But they still fight. Because right there, right next to protecting others is the most important quality of a hero."
Nagato smiled.
"A hero is someone who doesn't give up."
Naruto frowned, shaking his head.
"No," he stated, shaking his head. "Even if I could accept that position, heroes can't create change. They cannot protect anything...not permanently. Hashirama tried to end war with Konohagakure, but he just made wars even larger. Bloodier. The old man tried to give me the ability to rest. To take me in. But all he did was train a killer. A killer that abandoned his duty...and led to jiji's death. My father tried to save the village and create a hero for everyone to look up to in the form of a newborn child. All he did was create an orphan. You cannot create everlasting change in this world. Conflict is as natural as breathing. War...hatred...revenge...it will always exist. Protecting another requires hurting someone else. That someone has family...friends. They will come for you. Hunt you for hurting those they care about."
"The cycle of hatred," Nagato stated, nodding. "Jiraiya-sensei's thesis. Yes, you are correct. That is how this world works."
"So, heroes can't exist," Naruto exclaimed. "Heroes can't exist in a world where their very existence relies on hurting others."
Nagato smiled.
"Heroes exist precisely because people are hurting. Because others hurt others heroes must exist. A world with no conflict is a world with no heroes. Heroes require villains. But villains do not require heroes."
"What are you saying?"
Nagato smiled.
"That bad people will always exist. There is no solution to that problem. It is the human condition. Or perhaps that is the shinobi condition," Nagato stated.
"Violence," Naruto stated. "What shinobi supply. War. Death. Trained since children to be murder machines. Even in the process of helping...we use violence."
"Yes," Nagato stated. "But who is to say violence is always evil?"
"Huh?"
"Do you think the violence I utilized to kill Hanzo was evil?"
"Well...no."
"What about the violence Hashirama Senju used to kill Madara Uchiha? Was that evil of him?"
"...Where are you going with this?"
"Violence is not always evil. Sometimes violence is just. Violence can be used to defend the world from villains. But that violence must be used cautiously. Carefully. That is why I so wanted help...because I have felt myself lose control of my violence. Use it on those who weren't villains. I'm sure many heroes can say the same. They're not so different from villains after all. That temperament...that control is important."
"But that doesn't change what I said. Villains have people they care about and people that care about them. You're not solving anything."
"Yes," Nagato stated. "You're right. We're not. Jiraiya-sensei's question has yet to be answered."
Nagato sighed, a frown forming on his face.
"I do not have one. I do not know the answer."
"There isn't one," Naruto stated firmly. He thought back to his time in Konoha. To his bingo book entry. Flee on sight. "Because peace isn't real. It's an illusion, held up by the threats of war. Governments threaten war to instill peace. The Daimyo, the Great Powers, it's all the same. They all exert violence to ensure their dominance or threaten to. In doing so they create a peace, but it's fragile. Fake. It's an arms race in disguise. Government...shinobi...Daimyo...Great Powers...that's all we do. Compete to see who can cause the most violence...and that person sets the rules. Why do you think the other villages don't use Rain as a battleground anymore? Because they fear the violence you can cause. Why do you think Konoha invaded Kusa? Because they no longer felt the need for a satellite state. Because they felt they could exert more violence than any other Great Power."
Nagato nodded. "Perhaps. I must admit your addition to the theory makes sense. Exportation of violence...that sounds like an apt way of describing us...albeit...crass."
"But it's true," Naruto insisted. "Look at this war. It's long. Bloody. The title of the strongest Great Power is on the line. Historically that title has belonged to Konoha...but that title is waning. They're not winning this war as cleanly as they did the previous three. That's what happens when the arms race gets to close. People aren't afraid of mutually assured destruction. People fight. Because they believe, through some religious faith, that they will be the one to emerge from the battlefield. The victor. The one who truly had power. The one who can exert the most violence. Whenever that arms race gets to close...that's when war breaks out."
Naruto shook his head.
"How do you solve a system that feeds itself on violence and provides violence? A violent, brutal, feedback loop that devours everything in its path. Heroes can't stop that. They just contribute. And if they contribute...they can't be heroes."
Nagato smiled.
"No," he said. "I don't agree."
"How," Naruto cried out. "How can you still believe heroes exist? After all that!"
"Remember Jiraiya-sensei's lessons," Nagato continued. "When people get hurt, they learn to hate...that's true. But being hurt allows you to be kind. Whether or not someone uses it...that defines if they will use that pain to become a hero or a villain."
"If that was true that just means most people use their pain to become a villain," Naruto stated. "Which means the flaw is human nature. So still...heroes don't exist. They cannot exist. Not in this world."
"Maybe you are right. Maybe there are no true heroes in this world. But doesn't that make it beautiful? An ideal for us to continously strive towards? It is always there for us...pushing us to always do the best we can."
Naruto frowned, thinking about the words of his cousin. Slowly, he responded.
"That's such an idealistic view of the world," Naruto stated. "People don't look towards being a hero. You call it protecting what they care about...I call it burning down everything else. They're one in the same. Gaining strength to gain revenge on the ones who hurt you. To make anyone else fear hurting you."
Naruto nodded, seemingly confirming to himself his solution. The words that escaped his mouth only felt like confirmation to him.
"Yes. You cannot fight off a system that feeds itself on your very existence. Violence only begets violence. Heroes don't exist."
Nagato shook his head, getting an incredulous look from the blonde Uzumaki.
"You still don't agree?"
Nagato shook his head again.
"Because heroes don't care about all that," Nagato stated. "You can't look at the totality of the problem. It is overwhelming. One person will never think of the solution on their own. We've tried. Hashirama Senju. Minato Namikaze. Madara Uchiha. The Sandaime Raikage. The Sandaime and Yondaime Mizukage. Everyone believes that they have the answer. And yet all of them failed. Because you cannot confront it by charging at the entire problem. You can only fight it off, bit by bit."
Nagato looked at Naruto.
"Heroes cannot save people by trying to save the world. They can only save what is in front of them. Making a difference on such a grand scale cannot be done alone."
"So even if heroes exist, they can't save this world."
"No. They can."
"How!?"
"I believe there's a hero in all of us," Nagato stated calmly. Naruto's eyes widened. Sakura had said the same thing. "Every person. No matter how much they have given up on themselves...even you."
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"I'm no hero. I failed. I failed at protecting Konoha. I failed at protecting Konohamaru and Hanabi. I failed at protecting Jiraiya-sensei. I failed at protecting my wife! My child!"
"And yet you succeeded in protecting Ashino," Nagato stated. "In protecting Konohamaru from me, Kisame, and Yahiko. That is not the action of a man who is not a hero."
Nagato stood, stretching his body. Naruto looked at him, a frown on his face. Nagato merely smiled, looking at his younger cousin. He began to walk away, leaving Naruto to think about their conversation. He turned before he left, looking back at Naruto as rain soaked his form. Naruto met his eyes.
"How can you keep moving forward if you keep regretting the past Naruto?"
Naruto's eyes widened. Part of him grew angry at the words. How could he not regret the past? He had lost everything that he cared about! He had been left with nothing! But part of him resonated with the words. Part of him thought back to Makino's words.
"Perhaps it is time to start learning how to live again?"
Nagato smiled, leaving Naruto with parting words before he retreated indoors.
"You saved my son. You are a hero, at least to me."
The confirmation in the blonde cracked.
It had taken two more weeks until Konohamaru and Sasuke were fully healed. The duo met in front of the eastern gate of Konoha, surrounded by other Konoha shinobi. The group were preparing to go to the Kumo front, to defend their border. Both men looked physically healed, but neither looked well mentally. Konohamaru's clothes were dirty, as if he had barely taken care of himself. Underneath his eyes were bags, a clear indication of his exhaustion. However, despite that a smile rested on his face. In contrast, the Uchiha looked like death itself. No injuries sure, but he had been run ragged by his mother for the last two weeks. She had pushed him more than he had thought possible. It was harsher training than he had received for the final round of the Chunin Exams. He could only hope it would be beneficial.
Mikoto appeared next to the duo, her forehead protector glistening in the sun. She looked fine, both physically and mentally. She stepped to the front of the group of Konoha shinobi, fifty strong. They were going to reinforce a remote bunker that was somewhat trespassing on Frost territory. The Frost Daimyo and Kumo would be eager to remove the threat from their borders. As such it was imperative that this force reached the fort to effectively support it.
Mikoto raised her hand.
"All shinobi to me! We march, to Kumo!"
The crowd roared, and the group departed.
Omoi shot forwards through the mountains, following the Kumo force. He had been pulled from the Kiri front for this. A group of fifty shinobi were next to him, each of them moving to the rendezvous point. It wasn't something he was expecting. Some were Shimo shinobi, from the Land of Frost. A frozen tundra of a land, with a relatively small shinobi village to the northwest of Lightning. Shimogakure was the village that had formed there, under the leadership of the Frost Daimyo. It was a country of pathetic political and economic power due to where they had settled. That was to be expected. They were comprised mostly of rebels and exiles from the Land of Snow further to the north to the less fertile land below. Comprised mostly of bandits, rogue nin, and civilians the Daimyo made it a point to ally with Kumo as fast as possible once the village was founded in order to stabilize the country. Of course, that desperation had been noticed, and the Shodai Raikage and Daimyo at the time had made it a point to bind Frost to Lightning. Frost was effectively their vassal state. Protected from Snow and Hotsprings when it had a village, but it was forced to war whenever Kumo or Lightning demanded. Their shinobi weren't particularly powerful, but they were good fodder.
Of course, the bulk were Kumo shinobi. They were stronger and higher in number, which made sense for the task being assigned to them. Pierce Konoha's eastern flank and force a full-scale route to defend either the village or the Daimyo's capital in Shiranui. It was an ambitious plan, but if it worked it would allow Kumo to deal an even more devastating blow to Konoha. They would be desperate to stop the attack. They'd either overcommit and other villages could capitalize, the least helpful option, or they could slowly stop the invasion, but it would be bloody. In the best-case scenario Kumo would be able to force Konoha to surrender and demand massive concessions. Thus, Omoi was honored when he was given the task to participate in the invasion. Of course, he was still worried. What if a single wrong move lead to the massacre of the entire force and left Kumo incredibly lacking for manpower? Kiri and Konoha would pounce on the moment of weakness, allowing them to turn the tables on Lightning. His teammate tried to reassure him that would not occur.
Karui was next to him, her red hair flowing through the wind. She wasn't like Omoi, worried about all the ways the mission could fail and doom their country. No, she was thinking of glory. Of how much the Raikage would recognize her for her accomplishments in Fire. For the battlefield she was about to conquer. Yes, she could see it now. Her own personal weapon, crafted by the Sage Priests and requested by the Raikage. Personal training with B or Yugito. Perhaps Darui would even teach her how to utilize Kuroi Kaminari (Black Lightning). Yes, her greatness would be spoken with a reverence throughout Lightning. Raging fans. Tours. Money flowing in! She would never have to worry again. The most powerful kunoichi on the planet, besides Yugito of course, and the richest. She was almost drooling at the thought of it.
The duo crested the hill with the rest of their force, their eyes widening as they saw the encampment below. It was a massive encampment of Kumo and Shimo shinobi, all of them going about their business. In contrast to their group Shimo was the bulk, but there were enough Kumo shinobi for it to be a worthwhile endeavor.
"How many," Karui whispered. "How many do you think are here to invade Fire?"
Omoi's eyes widened in disbelief.
"2,000," Omoi stated. "There's got to be at least 2,000 shinobi here. 800 of ours."
Karui grinned, the savagery on her face would have scared any who looked directly at her.
"Good," she whispered. "It's time to burn those tree fuckers!"
The blonde frowned as he sat in his room, listening as Fuka closed the door with a click. She had just delivered news to the blonde. Nagato had just received word from Kisame. The Ichibi was not going to pressure Suna's border with Rain. No, the beast had gone further upwards into Fang and had just recently breached into Earth territory. From what it seemed like the beast was going on a beeline straight to Iwagakure or Rikuto Tor, depending on the direction it took. It was a massive win for both Konoha and Suna. Suna because the beast was putting a major amount of pressure on their allies, allies that were clearly struggling to push the beast backwards. Konoha because they no longer had to worry about the Ichibi breaching their western flank. It was a blessing for them. A curse for Nagato. He would need all the strength he could muster now. Konoha could deploy a larger force against Rain if they no longer had to worry about the Ichibi invading their borders. Yes, Nagato would need all the support he could get. He had already recalled Kisame considering the circumstances. Naruto, even if he was not a shinobi of Ame, should be there to support the redhead.
But why did something feel incredibly wrong in his gut?
The idea of leaving Earth to handle the Ichibi left a vile feeling in his gut. It was so strong he almost wanted to vomit. But why? He held no love for the Daimyo nor Iwagakure. He wouldn't care if the entire village was destroyed in battle. Even if he had already killed the one responsible, he blamed the entire village for Jiraiya's death. If the entire village burned, the world was better for it. Sure, the fallout would be devastating and make the war far bloodier than any could imagine, but that did not matter to him. No, that was not the reason his stomach churned at the thought of the beast terrorizing its way through Earth territory.
He glanced to his side, seeing the Shodai Hokage's necklace resting on a mantle. The jewel glinted in the moonlight that entered his room, almost as if it were glowing. Was it...calling him?
The blonde stood, his vision swimming as he did. He slowly approached the necklace, his vision steadily growing better as he did. With every step his stomach rested, calming itself. The pounding in his head that felt like it would pop stilled. As he stopped directly in front of the necklace, he finally felt calm. His mind raced. What was it? What was he so worried about in Iwa?
"Menma...that's a funny name."
"If you running saved you from that then...I can't blame you."
"I'll kill him! I swear I'll kill him! I won't let him take someone else from me!"
"Is this all you are? Just some sick murderous psychopath!"
"He simply wants to help. That's what a hero is."
"You are no longer a shinin. You are a living man. So go, go and live."
"Yeah, that's right. The Ichibi Jinchuriki has this sick little habit of crushing the bodies of his victims into pulp. He crushed jiji, over and over and over again."
"You told me when I came to the village this was my opportunity to change. To fight not to kill, but to protect."
"We'll save her."
"I believe there's a hero in all of us."
"But people have to choose to be a hero."
"This guy is responsible for the Sandaime's death."
"You are a hero, at least to me."
"A hero is someone who doesn't give up."
The blonde snapped back to reality, dazed after hearing the cacophony of voices roaring in his ears. He placed a hand to his head, his body shaking as a lone tear dropped from his eye. Those voices. The blonde realized that horrible feeling in his stomach. The sickness.
Aika.
Makino.
The blonde looked up at the moon, its light staring down on him.
"How can you keep forward if you keep regretting the past, Naruto?"
His heart beat and he heard it in his ears. It echoed.
"I can't believe I used to call you, my hero."
It screamed.
"You're...my...he...ro..."
IT ROARED.
It wasn't long before the blonde was covered in a cloak to protect him from the rain as he walked down the streets of Amegakure. He approached the gate, his eyes widening as he saw a redhaired man standing before him. The blonde stopped, meeting the man's eyes.
"You're going."
"I have to."
The redhead smiled.
"I figured you would."
"Are you here to stop me?"
The redhaired man smiled, shaking his head.
"No. I'm here to wish you luck."
The blonde nodded.
"Thank you."
He walked forwards, passing by the redhead. The man turned to look at the blonde's retreating form.
"I don't see him anymore. That man who came to this village. Where did he go?"
The blonde paused, turning his head ever so slightly to glance back at the redhead. The redhead could see the blonde's eyes, watching their violet glow in the night sky with a power he had not seen. A glint flashed into the redhead's eyes. A glow coming from the blonde's upper chest. A necklace dangled there, matching the intensity of his eyes.
"He decided to start fighting."
The redhead smiled. Slowly he nodded his head.
"Well...what are you waiting for. Go save them. We'll be here waiting for your return."
The blonde nodded before he turned, continuing his march. As he got to the gates he silently whispered.
"Thank you."
The redhaired man snorted, shaking his head.
"Of course."
Heyo! Thanks for reading this chaper, hope y'all enjoyed. This chapter is special. Why? Because it's the last build-up chapter. Frankly I almost included it in the last chapter because there weren't that many more scenes to write before we got right back into the action but I decided to split it up. It would have been super long. Anyways, what do you guys think? Mikoto, Konohamaru, and Sasuke are marching to Kumo not knowing the invasion force that awaits them there. Meanwhile Naruto is marching off to Earth to protect Aika and Makino. Bet y'all didn't think they'd be important again did you?
Exciting times ahead. I have been looking forward to writing these two upcoming battles for a while. The story can finally have shit hit the fan. The so-called prologue is done. Sure, some things haven't been entirely answered, but the plot lines that are important for now have been laid.
These next couple chapters might take me a bit longer to write. Not because I won't enjoy writing them just because I'm more busy now with work and everything and the fact that what happens in these next couple chapters is uh...kinda very, very important. So I need it to all feel super good.
Any predictions?
Review, review, review :)