It was a quiet trip back to Oaxaco. The Ame Chunin were too heavily injured to talk, and the blonde didn't particularly feel like breaking the silence. Naruto had arrived back at Hitou's destroyed house, gently laying the trio on the ground. Akichi and Lurua had quickly ran over to Kagari, worried about his health. Hitou was more reserved, instead approaching the blonde directly for questions as to what had happened. Naruto had not been particularly interested in answering them, only mentioning that they had bit off more than they could chew.
Instead, the blonde patrolled outside. His wards wounds were not life threatening, Hanabi had made sure of that. They would recover eventually, especially with Hitou doing his best with his meager supplies of herbs to try and take care of them. Unfortunately, the blonde wasn't much of a medic to put them back in fighting shape. The most he could do was stand guard over the village. There was no doubt Konoha would be hesitant to attack the village again now that Hanabi had reported that he was staying there. Shikaku wouldn't be foolish enough to launch a direct assault at him. If they had the heavy hitters required to take him down, they wouldn't have opted with the stealthy approach from the beginning.
No, his presence alone was enough of a deterrent until Shikaku cooked up a plan. Which gave him time to think of a plan to counteract Shikaku's. But try as he might, he could not focus on that. Instead, his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Hanabi.
The Hyuga burned in his mind, a ray of cold air that left him shivering in the damp Rain environment. She meant so much to him. For her to be here...for him to have to seriously fight her. It ate at him.
Naruto bit his lip, blood trickling down from the self-harm and onto the ground below. His eyes remained locked on the border between Fire and Rain, but his mind was far beyond there.
'Hanabi...'
It took four days for the group of Ame Chunin to heal from their wounds to a manageable level. They weren't at top strength, but they could move around. Do light training. They were functional, which to a shinobi was as good as ready to go in wartime. Throughout the time there had been no sighting of Konoha shinobi, likely orders from Shikaku to avoid Oaxaco. The blonde wanted to think the man was retreating, but he knew better. He had simply refocused his efforts. Raids rang out in areas of the border where he wasn't, per reports from Oboro. He had sent a clone to request for more troops to be sent here, but he had been denied. For now, the group was on their own. Unfortunately for Naruto, he was not alone with his thoughts.
Midare stood before the blonde, frustration clear on his face. Behind the Chunin stood Suiren and Kagari who had been dragged along by Midare in his fit of petulant rage. The Chunin stomped his feet, eyes meeting Naruto's. Naruto's violet eyes met the goggles that covered Midare's face, but the equipment did nothing to hide the fury that was barely restrained within.
"Whose side are you on?"
The words were sharp, cracking like a whip against the armor Naruto reflexively brought to bear. Still, try as he might, the words chipped. They hurt. Midare did not stop there, stomping forwards to glare at the blonde.
"You had that Hyuga dead to rights, and you didn't finish the job! She's an enemy! A Konoha shinobi! I thought you had betrayed them, but maybe I was wrong!"
Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but Suiren spoke up instead.
"Midare-san be gentler. It's clear Naruto-sensei knew that Hyuga. It must be a complicated feeling for him to fight her."
"It doesn't matter," Midare stated, whirling on his teammate. "She was a threat. She could have killed any of us at any time. You were there, you saw it. She's a threat to Ame's security and he didn't deal with it. The same man that's rumored to have fought Amekage-sama the closest of any of his advisors."
Midare turned to look back at Naruto.
"If he has all of that power but refuses to use it in the defense of the village he says he's loyal to...in defense of the people he's claimed to take responsibility for...he's worse than useless. He's a traitor."
Naruto looked at the ground, a pang of shame filling his body. He couldn't deny the logic to Midare's words. From an objective perspective he should have killed Hanabi and been done with it. It would have truly sent a message to the Konoha force that he would be holding nothing back despite their previous relationship. He had sworn to be loyal to Ame in his pledge to Nagato, and he had taken on these three as his charges. That made their safety his responsibility, especially when they were in dangerous situations they couldn't handle alone.
And yet he hadn't protected them.
He had known when they ran off who they were going to face. And yet he hadn't told them to retreat. And when he finally arrived, he hadn't taken care of the threat.
It was a pathetic show of leadership by all measures.
Midare whirled, apparently done with chewing out Naruto to turn to look at Kagari. The teen's eyes instantly snapped to the ground.
"And you."
Midare stomped upwards, snatching Kagari by the cuff of his shirt. His eyes, hidden behind the goggles that covered them, radiated a hatred unlike what had been directed at Naruto.
"Is this a joke to you?"
"W-what? No, I-"
"Don't you fucking lie to me!"
Midare shoved Kagari to the ground, rage burning in his eyes.
"You came to a battle between shinobi hungry. Is this a joke to you? Are our lives a joke? Is this village's survival a joke?"
"Midare-"
"No, Suiren! This idiot went into battle with an enemy on an empty stomach. We're lucky we're not dead trying to compensate for it. He put everyone's lives at risk. It doesn't matter he did it intentionally or out of stupidity. Either will get us all killed."
Midare towered over the Chunin.
"Whatever the hell is wrong with you, get your head on straight. Or else go back to Ame and turn in your headband. We have a war to win."
Midare stomped off, anger rolling off him in waves and leaving the remaining trio too shocked to speak. Naruto was glancing at the ground, a shameful look on his face. But Kagari was something different. He looked hurt. Barely restrained tears burned in his eyes. Suiren glanced at him, struggling to find the words to help him before he took off running in another direction. Suiren could only watch, a frown on her face. She turned to look at her sensei, desperate for any guidance to handle this situation but found none.
The blonde was gone.
Konohamaru grunted as he fought against the restraints that bound him to the table. Sasuke sat, chained in a chair nearby and forced to watch as the Snake Sannin strutted around the room. The Sannin gleefully collected several instruments, seemingly organizing before he turned his attention back to the Sarutobi. His eyes worked over his prone body, causing a sick feeling to roll in the Uchiha's gut. Konohamaru's face was as still and stony as ever. The Sarutobi had not even truly begun to recover from his injuries before he was strapped to the table.
Whatever physical damage had been done by the beasts would clearly be topped by the psychological damage about to be done to the Sarutobi if the room was any indication. Corpses were splayed along the walls, organs splayed out from cuts in their flesh. The Sannin tortured people here, that much was clear. Whatever was going to happen to Konohamaru was worse than he could have possible imagined. The Uchiha wanted to rage, to lash out against his captor, but Orochimaru's jutsu was ever present, stripping his chakra from him. He couldn't even physically resist with his wrists and ankles shackled like they were. He could only watch.
"You're a brave one."
The voice of Orochimaru snapped the Uchiha from his thoughts and forced him to stare directly into the situation. Konohamaru stared up at the Sannin, and his eyes were defiant. Orochimaru seemed to gain a sick form of joy from the resiliency.
"You don't scare me."
"Oh, but I know I do," Orochcimaru stated, leaning one hand on the operating table. He licked his lips, a grin forming on his face. "I can see it in your eyes little Sarutobi. You fear me. And you should."
Slowly the Sannin brought his hands together, beginning to weave through a chain of complex seals with the elegance one would expect from a dancer.
"But not for this. What I am going to give you is a personal gift. You see, the Uchiha has something special about him already."
Orochimaru finished his sequence, seemingly having prepared the jutsu. Still, he didn't quite act yet, instead grabbing Sasuke's face and yanking it towards Konohamaru. Roughly, he pulled the Uchiha's eyelids far apart. Sasuke grimaced in discomfort, eyes watering from the cold, stale air hitting them. The Uchiha bit his lips in a refusal to give the traitor the satisfaction of seeing him shed a tear.
"You see, the Mangekyou Sharingan has given him power. But what about you? You lack an innate power."
The Sannin's neck began to elongate, creating a strange look similar to that of a giraffe.
"I have all the power I need."
"And yet you failed to kill me. Interesting."
"Let me out of these chains and I'll show you just how interesting I am. I won't even need chakra."
"As fascinating as that sounds, I think not."
The Sannin's head slithered over to Konohamaru, whispering in his ear. Visible fangs protruded from his mouth as his voice whispered into his ear.
"You see, I've been working on some experiments. Ways to test the limits of the human body. The limits of jutsu. Unfortunately, most of the test subjects haven't fared well. Only ten successful transfers."
The Sannin gestured to the corpses that decorated the walls of the room. A dark look formed on Konohamaru's face.
"And some of them had to get weaker versions of the technique. Kinjutsu is simply not for all it seems. So tragic, considering how powerful they are, don't you think?"
Orochimaru's head rose up, a daring gleam emanating from the Sharingan he held.
"Let's see how you fare hm?"
The man's head descended before he sunk his fangs into Konohamaru's neck. The teen screamed, and Sasuke could only watch with horror as he saw a strange marking formed on Konohamaru's neck. Orochimaru's head shot backwards, as if retracted by something within his body but Konohamaru's screaming did not stop. The only thing that stopped his body's convulsing was the shackles that pinned him to the operating table. Still, if his violent jerks continued, he would dislocate something or worse. A sly smile formed on the Sannin's face.
"What did you do to him!"
Orochimaru turned to look at Sasuke. Hatred was visible in the staple onyx eyes of the Uchiha. Orochimaru relished the emotion as he heard Konohamaru's grunts of pain begin to die down behind him.
"I gave him a gift. My most prized soldiers have it. It's for entertainment really."
"Undo it right now or I'll kill you, you hear me! You're just adding more reasons for me to kill you!"
Orochimaru sat down in front of Sasuke, a grin on his face.
"Kill me? Oh but Sasuke-chan...that's what I hope you try to do."
The Sannin reached out, cupping Sasuke's face.
"I'm going to break you...until the only thing left in your life...is me."
The Sannin stood, turning to walk towards the door and leave the two in the room alone. The Uchiha glared at his back, feeling a hatred he had never experienced before boiling up inside of him. The imprisonment. The murder of his mother. The torture of his ally. How he longed to put a knife through the Sannin's head.
"Be careful what you wish for," the Uchiha hissed.
Orochimaru glanced back at him, red eyes glowing in the dim light.
"Oh, I know exactly what I'm wishing for. And if you fail well...you'll both be dead anyways."
Sakura idly watched as Karin prepared food for the both of them. The two were the only ones in the house, with the rest of the Uzumaki Clan out for the day. That was the only reason Sakura could walk around the house freely. Karin had been careful to not leave Sakura alone when Fuka was home, and the Konoha kunoichi felt extremely uncomfortable next to Nagato even if he hadn't harmed her. Two clashing images of the man warred in her mind, one of the terror he caused on the battlefield, and the other of him prostrated in forgiveness.
That led to the two kunoichi spending a lot of time together. Karin sat the food down in front of Sakura and the duo began to eat in a deafening silence. Sakura's eyes glanced upwards, but Karin's eyes remained focused on the food she had cooked. Sakura frowned.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Cooking for you?"
"You're too smart to not know what I'm asking."
Karin paused; mouth open as if she was considering saying something. Slowly, she placed her chopsticks down, eyes turning upwards to look at the kunoichi before her. Crimson eyes met green.
"Naruto asked me to. That's all the reason I need."
"His word means that much to you? Enough to protect me?"
Karin leaned back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling.
"Have you ever not had a family?"
The question was unexpected, and for a moment Sakura didn't respond, confused. It took a while for her brain to compute.
"No. My parents are old, but I've known them my whole life."
"Right," Karin stated. "That's the difference I imagine. For people like us, the Uzumaki, family is a hard thing to come by."
Karin gestured to the home around the two.
"This may be the only place in the world you'll get more than one Uzumaki in one place. It's...sweet. It's something none of us really had before, or at least, not for a long time. I don't want to hurt that. Not like Fuka did."
"But Fuka did-"
"Fuka made a mistake," Karin stated. The words brought a shocked look to Sakura's face. "Fuka was thinking like a mother. And I commend her for that. In her shoes I can't guarantee I'd do anything different. But she wasn't being smart. She wanted you dead and didn't care about the consequences. She was thinking with her rage, and something like that just makes the situation worse. Make no mistake, everyone is mad at you. Even Naruto, for how conflicted he might feel about it. But we don't act on it for several reasons. Mine is because I don't want our family to splinter apart. Fuka's, is because she knows she's on thin ice."
Sakura glanced at Karin, a question visible on her face.
"And Nagato's? He is the boy's father."
Karin looked Sakura hard in the eyes.
"Do you know why you're not dead?"
"...Because I'm Naruto's childhood friend?"
Karin snorted.
"Sure, but that's not the real reason. The reason you're not dead is because Nagato is kind."
Sakura frowned, finding the word hard to ascribe to the Uzumaki Clan member. Sure, he had prostrated himself before her, but anyone who could fight like he did was certainly not someone she could call kind. That type of skill wasn't something honed through kindness but through the harshness of battle. That man knew how to kill. It flowed off his body with a sense of confidence that was only seen by S-class shinobi.
Whatever he was, kind was not the word she would use. But Karin clearly disagreed.
"At the end of the day, Nagato doesn't want war. He might say he's being a politician and keeping you alive as a bargaining chip or as a source of intel. But that's the Amekage talking. The reason you're not dead is because Nagato doesn't take pleasure in killing. He prefers peace. To talk things out. He's a ruler by the stroke of a pen, not the edge of a sword."
Karin stared at Sakura.
"I suppose he's very different than the Hokage in that respect."
Sakura snorted. That was the first barb Karin had thrown her way since the duo had met. It seemed the pregnant Uzumaki was beginning to break that icy-cold facade.
"Well, you're right that the Hokage isn't some kind person," Sakura stated. "But Nagato isn't either."
A frown covered Sakura's face. The weight of the man's chakra was forever implanted in her memory. The grace with which he moved. The ease with which he had put her squad out of commission to strike down Shikamaru. The command he had over the elements without even using handseals. The feeling of rage she felt emanating from him.
"He slaughtered my friends. Killed Sai with a level of ease I've only seen in trained killers. Brought us to our knees as he killed Shikamaru, knowing there was nothing we could have done to stop him. He looked like he took pleasure in that."
"You kidnapped his son. You are lucky he did not kill all of you."
"Does it matter," Sakura questioned. The Haruno saw Karin's eyes narrow and realized she was on thin ice. Still, she pushed forwards.
"If he took pleasure in it does the reasoning matter? He enjoyed killing us. He vented his frustrations and it felt good to him. I make no judgment on his motivation, simply his actions."
Sakura sighed.
"If I'd have to give my estimation, I'd say he's more deadly than the Hokage. It just takes more to push him to it."
Karin raised an eyebrow.
"Because he killed your friends?"
"Because of the power he holds," Sakura stated plainly. "Whatever it is, it certainly isn't natural."
"Power he wields defensively."
"Power is power," Sakura stated as if the answer were obvious. "It does not matter if it is wielded in defense or aggression. They are simply two sides of the same coin."
"Those are the words of someone who has only seen the perspective of a Great Power."
"They are the words of someone who has seen the perspective of war," Sakura stated plainly. "Tried to save lives during it. Defensive or aggressive, a kunai kills a human all the same."
"Those are the words of someone who has seen enough of war. How does a perspective like that grow in one who kidnapped a child?"
"I have seen the justifications used by all villages. All manner of shinobi. Everyone in their eyes is fighting a defensive war. To stop the enemy from invading. But at the end of the day, someone goes home without a father. A mother. A child. Or simply never goes home at all. How can I call that defensive?"
"Would you call what you did defensive?"
"No," Sakura stated honestly. "We should approached diplomatically."
"But still approached."
"Naruto may be my friend, but neither he or I are fools. We understand the nature of the world. He is too valuable an asset to be allowed to stay in another village, especially one such as Ame. A wanderer can be allowed, but a traitor must be put down."
"And when Nagato inevitably rejected your diplomacy? What then?"
Sakura frowned.
"I imagine it would come to blows then. The Hokage would not stand idle-"
"I don't care about the Hokage," Karin insisted. "What do you think? What would you have done?"
"If I had the power to, I'd have ended the war already," Sakura said as if her answer was clear as day. "I would have ended it years ago. So that Naruto never had to leave in the first place."
"And in this current situation?"
"I would have gone to Naruto directly."
"If he refused?"
Sakura bit her lip. She had been avoiding the question, but Karin refused to give her any room to weasel out of it. She would be forced to give an answer.
"My duty to the village comes first."
"Would that be a defensive use of power?"
"I do not know," Sakura answered honestly. "In some respect it would and would not. But regardless of our actions, Nagato did not use a defensive use of power against us."
"How so? You have already conceded what you did was not defensive."
"When you have the power to put a stop to violence without death and do not do it are you violent? If you could stop a criminal from committing a crime without killing them, but kill them anyway are you a murderer? Or someone acting in self-defense?"
"I can't say I often concern myself with the opinions of criminals to care one way or the other. But, to play along, I'd say that a criminal has no right to the claims of unequal force when they are the aggressor."
Sakura gave a mirthful smile.
"Yes, I imagine you would have that outlook. Your clan being near extinct and all...it only makes sense."
Karin frowned.
"What are you implying?"
"Only that those who have been wronged do what is necessary to survive. They don't consider the weight of their actions. How proportional their violence may be. I understand the sentiment. It is the foundation of being a shinobi. Perhaps the foundation of being human. But I cannot agree with it. I've seen too much of this war. I've healed too much."
Karin frowned. She knew the stories. Sakura Haruno was Konoha's best iryonin. No, she was the best iryonin in the world, bar none. Even Karin doubted her unique healing capabilities could compare to hers. It explained such a strange worldview for a shinobi to have regarding proportional force. It also created a burning question in Karin's mind.
"Do you worry about what may happen to Konoha if this war continues? That Nagato may use unequal force against your home?"
Sakura gave a soft smile.
"He may try. But, as unfortunate as it may be, war is a test in who can exert more force. Overwhelming economic, political, and military power is what wins wars. And in a clash of overwhelming force, strong as Nagato may be, he cannot defeat Konoha alone."
"He has Naruto."
Sakura almost laughed.
"Naruto? Please. You know as well as I do why he could never attack Konoha with his full heart in it. He wants to protect those precious to him. Attacking Konoha goes directly against that goal."
"So does failing to protect Ame."
"And thus, he's caught in a catch-22. Naruto's a powerful shinobi, but in a war against Konoha he won't be of use so long as he still views many in the village as his loved ones."
"War does things to a person," Karin responded. "He could change."
"He could," Sakura admitted. "But I doubt it. You forget, I've known Naruto far longer than any of you have."
"And Nagato? Do you doubt his capability of fighting Konoha with all he has?"
"You do," Sakura stated plainly. "You have said as much. He does not desire war."
"You doubt my claim," Karin countered. "You are the one who has lost a friend to him. Do you believe he is incapable of doing that again?"
"No," Sakura admitted, a hint of seriousness in her voice. "But I must admit...I hope it doesn't come to that."
Karin smirked.
"Then we'd best not go around trying to kidnap his son again hm?"
Sakura gave a small chuckle.
"Yes, we'd best not."
The two kunoichi smiled at each other, a form of mutual respect for their minds seemingly formed before they began to eat once more, the silence no longer deafening.
The blonde Uzumaki sat on top of the roof of Hitou's house like he just a few days before. His eyes were glassy. The words of Hanabi and Midare burned through his mind. Sakura's were not far behind. Their words were a harsh reality to him of the line he walked between worlds. That was the life he had chosen. He had abandoned Konoha and gone to Ame. He had chosen the life of a traitor and yet he knew what he wanted. He wanted to protect the people he cared for in both places. His heart would never leave Konoha...but similarly he knew it was no longer his home. He had people he cared for in both places.
But perhaps he was being selfish for thinking he could protect all of them.
After all, how could he push back Konoha without choosing a side?
"You seem to be having a difficult time sensei."
Naruto glanced up, surprised to see Suiren standing behind him.
"Suiren? What happened? Did Midare and Kagari get in another fight?"
"No, nothing like that," she whispered. "You just...I was worried about you."
Naruto blinked, the thought that she would be worried about him somehow entirely foreign to him. His brain fumbled, unable to comprehend it. Suiren took that opportunity to sit down to the Uzumaki, a smile on her face.
"You know her, don't you? The Hyuga that attacked us."
Naruto's brain began to function again.
"Yes...from my time back in Konoha."
"I see. And she means a lot to you?"
Naruto bit his lip, struggling to find the words to answer the question. Not because there wasn't one, but because of how Midare had behaved when he had refused to fight Hanabi. He had already lost one of his wards, he could not afford to lose another. Luckily for him, Suiren seemed to notice his hesitation.
"I won't be offended like Midare-san was," she stated. "He's...sensitive because of his past. But because of mine I can understand you better. I know what it's like leaving one place but still knowing that a part of it is home."
Naruto glanced at her, his mind going back to what she had said before.
"You were raised in Frost."
"Only partially," Suiren admitted. "I left when I was young. But my last name, Trott, comes from there. Because of it I've always been an outsider here. Everyone knows I'm not from Ame. It wasn't easy for people to trust me considering Ame's history. So, I know a bit about what you're going through."
Naruto wanted to laugh. He was asking someone who barely had the life experience to fill his shoes for advice. It was a ridiculous situation.
"And what did you do?"
"I learned my place," Suiren stated. Naruto frowned at the words but the passion in Suiren's words was enough to convince him to not ignore them. "I am an Ame shinobi, through and through. In becoming that I learned that everyone has a role to play, a place within the village to help it grow stronger. I learned my place and continued to try and be better at it. That is how I prove that I'm one of them. By protecting the place I call home."
Her eyes looked up at Naruto.
"You have to do that too."
Naruto frowned.
"I'm not really the type to sit in the cog of a machine. If I was, I wouldn't have left Konoha. That's the difference between our situations. You didn't choose to leave but made peace with it. I chose to. You weren't the reason for so much suffering. I am."
Naruto let loose a sigh.
"I'm a traitor to Konoha in their eyes and a traitor to Ame in Midare's."
"You are so long as you don't choose," Suiren stated. Suiren stared passionately at her blonde sensei.
"I said I hated the shinobi of the Great Powers when I introduced myself, but that wasn't the entire truth. What I really hate is being compared to them."
The girl's eyes grew cloudy.
"Frost is a vassal of Kumo, a satellite state. They're only in a slightly better position than Ame, at least before Hanzo or Amekage-sama came around. People assume I'm a Kumo spy more than a loyal shinobi. Combine that with Frost's reputation of being a country of vagabonds and exiles from Snow and...it wasn't easy growing up."
Her eyes looked up at the border of Konoha and Ame not far in the distance.
"There are Ame shinobi that will never trust me because I'm not from Rain. They will always look at me as a Kumo spy. I get it. The Great Powers destroyed this country. Turned it into a battlefield. They're trying to do it again. But that's not who I am. And I'm determined to prove that to as many people as I have to."
Her eyes looked up to Naruto.
"Are you ready to prove that you're loyal to Ame and not Konoha?"
Naruto frowned.
"If your suggestion is that I kill every Konoha shinobi I see, even those that I knew and bonded with I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I won't do that. I can't. I've lost too much already to ever do it."
"I'm not saying that," Suiren said. "But I am saying that you need to show at least Midare that you're not a traitor by protecting Ame's best interest. That's how you prove you're not a traitor."
"Easier said than done."
"For what it's worth, I never said it would be."
Suiren looked up at Naruto.
"And for what it's worth...I don't think you are a traitor Naruto-sensei. I think you care for people in both villages, but not the villages themselves. That isn't a traitor...but it's definitely not loyal either."
"What about you," Naruto questioned. "Do you trust me?"
"You're here fighting a war against Konoha. I know you have killed Konoha shinobi. I heard of your fight against the Ichibi in Earth, which couldn't be construed as a way of helping Ame or Konoha. I don't know exactly what it is that you're loyal to Naruto-sensei...but I know you'll fight to protect it, whatever it is. I believe we're part of that."
Suiren smiled.
"That's what trusting in your sensei means, right?"
Naruto stared down at the girl, his eyes stormy. A small smile formed on his face after a moment.
"Suiren, could you please gather the team," Naruto stated.
"It's time they learn about my past."
Suiren smiled.
"Of course, Naruto-sensei."
Kankuro pulled another senbon from the corpse in front of him, storing it in a storage scroll for later use. The blood of his opponents could be used to create some effective neurotoxin's if he had the time to create them. He turned, looking over the Katabami Gold Mine. They had attacked quickly, under the cover of night. The mine was lightly defended, clearly not expecting a raid this far inland from both the coast and border with Suna. Any typical attack would have been reported on far earlier, allowing them time to get more troops to defend the location.
Unfortunately for them, Suna had approached from the south.
It was a quiet operation, one that should not have reached the ears of Konoha. He had been sure to fully surround the mine to ensure there was no method of escape before his forces attacked. None had escaped their slaughter. The only potential threat was the fort nearby may have a long-range sensor type that was able to detect the battle, which made their next moves all the more important.
"Shinki."
The shinobi was there in a flash.
"Kazekage-sama?"
"Get ready to launch an attack on the fort. Tell the troops they have two hours to prepare before we attack."
"Isn't that moving too quickly?"
"We can't risk the news of the mine being taken to get out before we've solidified our position," Kankuro responded. "That fort is our lifeline. We capture it, we have a stable sieging ground to wage war on Konoha and Rivers from the South. We can't risk all the work we've already accomplished going to waste. Two hours is being generous."
Shinki bowed, compliant.
"Yes, Kazekage-sama."
Kankuro watched him leave before turning his attention back to his senbon. He glanced at the poison coating them, before a small smile came to his face.
Heat rolled off Yahiko in waves. His chakra surged, sending visible waves of heat pulsating throughout the room he was in. The door slowly croaked open, revealing Ajisai. The kunoichi wiped her brow, feeling sweat forming from the heat radiating off the man.
"Uh, Yahiko-sama, the people outside are growing worried. Is everything alright?"
Yahiko turned, his eyes piercing into Ajisai. The kunoichi could see the barely restrained storm in them. The man seemed to bite something back before he took a deep breath. His chakra calmed and the heat radiating off of him stilled. The temperature in the room slowly began to fall.
"My apologies Ajisai. Tell Fuyokama there's nothing to worry about."
"Sir," Ajisai stated. She didn't finish the sentence, instead pointing at the burnt piece of paper in his hands. Yahiko glanced down, a frown forming on his face.
"Ah. This."
Yahiko looked upwards, making eye contact with the girl. Slowly, he placed the burnt piece of paper on his desk.
"Trust me, it's nothing Ajisai. Go back outside."
Ajisai hesitated, her eyes glancing back at the paper. What could have bothered Yahiko so much she wasn't sure, but she knew she was curious. Still, she humbly bowed her head and left.
Yahiko watched her leave before sitting down on his chair, still fuming but controlling his response now.
"The Guide," he muttered underneath his breath.
The trio of Ame Chunin sat outside on nearby rocks as Naruto stood before them. It was dark, the setting sun casting a glaze over the sky. Suiren looked between her teammates and sensei expectantly. Hope fueled her, hope that they could rekindle the relationship that had existed before the fight with Hanabi, however fragile it may have been. She knew that this was not going to work.
Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his head. The action seemed to spark the ire of one Chunin in particular.
"Why are we here," Midare hissed.
Suiren frowned, making to say something only for Naruto to raise a hand. He nodded, a frown forming on his face.
"You're annoyed with me. I get it. You're confused as to why I didn't kill 'the Hyuga'," Naruto stated, using air quotes around her name. Clearly, he didn't approve of her title, but Midare didn't care one bit.
"I'm annoyed you didn't get rid of a threat to Amegakure. I'm furious that my supposed sensei, the person sent to stop these Konoha invasions doesn't seem to truly care about doing it."
Midare held his tongue, almost considering if he should say this before his worst instincts rang out.
"I'm suspicious that instead of being given a sensei, we were given a spy."
The frown on Naruto's face became more pronounced. The blonde reached behind him before pulling out a scroll and tossing it to Midare. The Chunin was quick to catch it, raising an eyebrow at Naruto.
"What's this?"
"Open it."
The Chunin hesitated, not fully understanding the words. Still, he opened it, revealing a storage fuinjutsu. With a quick glance at Naruto, he released the seal, only to recoil in horror at what came out of it.
Corpses.
Twenty-three to be precise.
"What the hell," Midare whispered.
Suiren squirmed at the sight, a frown forming on her face. Kagari took a step back, recoiling in disgust. Naruto wanted to laugh. They were shinobi, and each had likely killed someone before, but the sight of corpses still disturbed them. That was good. They had some humanity left.
He couldn't say the same.
"The twenty-three other Konoha shinobi that attacked us that day," Naruto stated.
Midare stared up at the Jinchuriki, confusion in his eyes.
"What...what the hell is this supposed to be?"
"Proof," Naruto stated. "Of my loyalty. I am not loyal to Konoha. I can and will kill Konoha shinobi if I have to. I've done that for longer than I've been with Ame kid. That's not the reason I didn't kill her."
Midare frowned. Suiren could see the gears turning in his head as if his skull were transparent. Confusion radiated from him in waves.
"Then what the hell was it," Midare questioned. His voice cracked. He almost shouted. "Why didn't you kill her then!"
He didn't stop there.
"She was going to kill us! Kill us!"
Naruto sighed once more, looking at the corpses in front of them.
"Bonds," Naruto stated plainly. "It's selfish, but that's the reason."
"What are you talking about Naruto-sensei," Kagari whispered.
"I didn't know these shinobi," Naruto stated. "I've lived in Konoha for most of my life. Been in almost every position you can think of, and I never once met them. That's not the case with her."
"I already know that. Suiren said as much. You're sentimental about her," Midare interrupted. "But why?"
"How much do you know about my life? Any of you?"
The group paused, glancing between each other before they arbitrarily began to list out the things they knew about the blonde.
"You're a Jinchuriki, to the Kyuubi to be precise," Suiren stated. "And you killed the Sandaime Tsuchikage."
"You were trained by Jiraiya the Toad Sage," Kagari continued. "And your father is Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage. Your mother is Kushina Uzumaki."
"You're part of the reason the war started, with the invasion of Kusagakure," Midare finished. "You disappeared from the war three years ago, only to turn up in Earth of all places."
Naruto nodded at their statements.
"You've got most of it right. But you're forgetting something critical."
Naruto stared at the ground, a deep longing forming on his face. The look was a shock to the students. They could recognize the deep pain that was seared into those eyes.
"I left the war effort a month after the Battle of Waves. If you know the reports, you know I almost completely unleashed the Kyuubi that day. The damage was terrible. I nearly destroyed Wave, along with the forces of Konoha and Kiri. Still, I was stopped, and Kiri managed to rout the Konoha force. The biggest blunder of my career."
Naruto's eyes slowly opened.
"And the worst day of my life."
"It's okay Naruto-sensei," Kagari stated. "We've all lost battles before! You recovered!"
Naruto smiled at the attempt to make him cheer up.
"No Kagari it...it wasn't the worst day of my life because I failed in a battle. It was why the Kyuubi was unleashed. A Kirigakure kunoichi, Yokomana Hai, killed Hinata Hyuga."
Suiren's eyes widened.
"Oh no," she whispered.
Midare and Kagari, confused, looked at her.
"What is it? It's just another-" Suiren covered Midare's mouth before he could say words he would certainly come to regret later. Naruto bit his lip.
"Hinata Hyuga was my wife."
The Chunin all stared at Naruto, horror in their eyes. They each had known war. They had to. Losing someone wasn't uncommon in Ame. Kagari's parents were proof enough of that. But that didn't make it any easier to bear.
"She was pregnant at the time...with a baby girl. That's why I unleashed the Kyuubi...because of my anger. Because of my hatred for Yokomana. For the war that had taken from me my sensei, my wife, and my baby girl."
Naruto's voice was cracking now, and it was clear he was struggling to hold back tears.
"That Hyuga you're fighting...she's someone I took on as a disciple back when I was in Konoha. I've known her since she was a child."
The unspoken words clicked to all, but Naruto still was obligated to say them.
"She's Hinata's little sister."
The words were dropped, and the crushing weight of the realization buried Naruto's students into the ground. Instantly they understood why, despite his efforts at combatting her, he was unable to go the final step in the battle.
Why he would never be able to do that.
"I...I see," Midare stated, stuttering over his words. "I...I'm sorry. I was...crass. I didn't understand your relationship."
"Naruto-sensei," Suiren whispered, her eyes wide. What the blonde had said was more than she had even expected when she first talked to him on the roof only a few hours ago. This was something different altogether.
Kagari was speechless, simply staring at the man.
Naruto bowed his head.
"I understand why you're frustrated Midare. Hanabi is strong. She's only gotten stronger since I left. She's an opponent none of you are ready to face right now and I could have defeated her...permanently. That's the tactical decision. That's the right decision in the eyes of Ame. But...no matter what the right decision is or how much she hates me now...I could never kill her."
The silence that followed was almost deafening. Suiren and Kagari looked at Midare and watched a storm of emotions flash across in his face. Anger. Resentment. Pity. Empathy. And then a flash back to anger again. Naruto, still bowing, saw none of it.
"I...understand," Midare said slowly. "You're put in an impossible situation. The two sides of the war could only rip you apart. You don't need to bow your head to me."
Midare rubbed the back of his head.
"I grew up in the capital," he began. "My family was poor, like everyone else. We struggled. The clashes between Iwa, Konoha, and Suna in our territory was unlike anything I had ever heard of before. For the most part I was unaffected, I was born too late to see it. But the stories my parents told…they were horrible. The scars left on their bodies…on their psyche…is something no one should experience. It's something I don't want anyone in Rain to experience."
Midare bit his lip.
"I'm…protective…of my country. Of the people within it. So, I understand your feelings. To you, she's part of your 'country'."
Midare glanced at the corpses.
"You...aren't disloyal to Ame," Midare stated, choosing his words carefully. "I can work with that."
The hesitation in his words felt like ankle weights to Naruto, dragging him into the depths of the sea. He could just hear the horrible words Midare was thinking. He was waiting for them to come.
And come they did.
"But...that doesn't change the reality. She's an enemy of Ame Naruto. She has raided and killed civilians. That's not something I can forgive and forget. I understand why you couldn't kill her," Midare emphasized.
"But don't expect me to make the same choice."
Naruto felt the world freeze. Suiren and Kagari glanced at each other before looking back at their sensei and teammate, scared to see what would come next. After what felt like an eternity the blonde raised his head, his eyes meeting Midare's. Cold determination met sadness. However, the sadness soon morphed into a bitter steel of its own that charged forwards with righteous fury.
"I see."
The two stared at each other, their worldviews clashing in a violent storm of explosions with no words said between the two shinobi. Suiren and Kagari felt awkward to stand there much less say anything. It was clear what the duo were thinking.
'I have to kill her.'
'I won't let him kill her.'
The two could have continued their clash forever. Perhaps they would have, had the blonde not had something to disrupt the staring competition with.
"You'll have to get in line then."
The context of the phrase struck the group, breaking even Midare out of his stupor.
"What do you mean?"
That was when Naruto turned to Kagari and a deep frown filled his face.
"I...wasn't sure how to tell you this Kagari. But...from what Hitou described about your parents' death..."
The blonde paused, somewhat unsure of how to continue what he was going to say. Clearly, it was eating at him. Still, the blonde braced himself and looked at Kagari.
"I'm pretty sure Hanabi killed your parents."
Ajisai closed the door, eyes scanning the room cautiously as she did so. No one. The girl sprinted over to Yahiko's desk, effortlessly flipping over it to glance down only to see nothing. She frowned, glancing down at the drawer below. Slowly she opened it to see the burnt piece of paper Yahiko had been holding only a few hours ago. The kunoichi brought it up, frowning as she realized it was hard to discern what the words on the page had been. It was some form of newspaper. She could only make out a few words before it became completely unintelligible.
"The Guide...?"
"Find something interesting?"
Ajisai's head snapped upwards, her eyes widening in shock as she saw Yahiko standing in the doorway. The man's face was neutral, but his eyes were sharp. Ajisai wanted to squeal in shock. She had been caught with her hand in the proverbial cookie jar.
"Ah, forgive me Yahiko-sama!"
Yahiko waved it off, approaching and looking at her.
"Why are you so interested in a piece of news that you decided to sneak into my office rather than ask me about it?"
"It's just..." the girl paused, seemingly struggling to find the words to say. "You're a village icon! A hero! I just wanted to know what was bothering you I guess..."
"And you didn't ask because..."
The girl winced.
"I was nervous," she whispered.
Yahiko gave a short laugh, shaking his head.
"Ah, and what if those were private military information above your rank? What would you have done then?"
Ajisai went still, eyes wide. She refused to meet Yahiko's eyes, instead firmly finding something on the floor she found uniquely interesting. Yahiko smirked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, you're not in trouble. Just...ask next time alright?"
"Understood sir!"
The girl's chest dropped, releasing a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. She looked up to Yahiko after quickly gathering herself, an expectant look in her eyes.
"So...would you mind telling me...sir..."
Yahiko frowned.
"Tell me Ajisai, what do you know of The Guide?"
"They're a newspaper organization, right? Like The Shinobi Weekly or the Water Daimyo Times."
"Right, but they're a little different than those two. The Guide is in controversies often for revealing military secrets that they for all intents and purposes should have no knowledge of."
"Isn't that a good thing? Don't we want them to reveal the failures of the Great Powers? Fight against those evil countries?"
"Yes, that's one idea," Yahiko muttered, leaning against the wall. "And in that aspect, they have my respect. But how do they get this information? The Great Powers certainly aren't handing it out. Which means they are infiltrating somehow. And if they can infiltrate them..."
"They can infiltrate us."
"They already have," Yahiko stated. The frown on his face grew more pronounced, a mar that fit all too naturally. "That article was about the raids going on at our borders by Konoha shinobi. Claiming that Ame can't protect its own civilians from Konoha incursions. Claiming that the people are the ones who need to rally together, rather than relying on us to protect them."
Ajisai's eyes narrowed. "But we're trying to protect them! We sent out forces to deal with it!"
"We have. But they haven't succeeded as of yet. But if The Guide has eyes at our borders as well it won't be long until they have eyes in the village as well. Who is to say they won't start spreading information we have of the tools Amado makes? Or reveal the secrets of Nagato's Rinnegan? Or that Kisame is here? This isn't just an attack at Ame's global standing to make us appear like a fake Great Power. It is a threat. Whatever the goal of The Guide is, it certainly isn't pro-Ame."
"So, they're our enemy."
Yahiko raised an eyebrow.
"Hm?"
"It's simple," the kunoichi stated, the confidence in her words akin to the faith of a Sage Priest. "Anyone who isn't pro-Ame is an enemy of Ame. And enemies of Ame must be eliminated."
"Yes," Yahiko muttered after a deep sigh. "That's the right thinking but it's too naive. We need strategy to deal with any threat. Simply throwing our weight around will get us targeted by every Great Power and we're not strong enough to handle that."
Yahiko shook his head, stepping off the wall.
"Well, you needn't worry yourself about it. Go get some rest. Long day tomorrow."
Yahiko made to leave, only for Ajisai to call out to him.
"Sir!"
He glanced back.
"If there's ever anything I can do to help in the war effort...to help put down an enemy to Ame...please consider me!"
Yahiko stared at her for a moment, eyes burning.
"I'll hold you to that, Ajisai."
The poison was the first sign that something was amiss for the Konoha shinobi. Unfortunately for many, it was their last. Bodies started dropping before any were prepared for battle. By the second the first shinobi even tipped over the fort was under siege. Gales of wind, gouts of flame, the crushing pressure of water. All of the elements surged down upon the Konoha forces instantly, a shock and awe attack that completely overwhelmed the forces. In but a short time, mere minutes into the battle, it was all but over.
Kankuro stood above the leader of the fort, watching as the shinobi and their ninken lay dying on the ground. Inuzuka clearly, although he did not recognize them specifically. The man growled, frustration clear on his face.
"H-how did you get by our sensors," he whispered, struggling to speak due to the blood filling his throat. Kankuro knelt, staring the man in the face. There was no reason not to tell him. The man was going to die soon, from the poison or steel. This was complete victory. He was not aware of a Yamanaka technique to read the minds of the dead.
But there was no reason to tell him either.
Instead, the Kazekage patted the man's cheek before he died, blood and saliva pooling onto the cobblestone he lay on. Kankuro stood, staring back at his forces. Good. The staging ground was set. The Kazekage turned, looking in the direction of Rivers and where their true target lay in Hirashi. They had conquered the core of power in Rivers with the mine and established a base of operations. Taking the capital of the country was good politically, but it wasn't necessary.
If he took Hirashi Rivers would fall anyway. It was reliant on its rivers to trade, rivers that flowed directly into Hirashi. The Fire city was a key point of trade that led to the capital of Rivers. If he took it, trade to Rivers could be placed under blockade to force the country to capitulate to his demands. That was how he did critical damage with the least amount of causalities. He could negotiate with Fire for peace from a position of power there.
The Kazekage's eyes burned.
'For Suna.'
Kakui frowned as he opened the door of the small inn. Slowly he approached the bartender at the front, sitting down on a nearby table. His eyes lazily glanced over the people in the room, but his mind was elsewhere. The last town had been a dead end. He would have to hope that this one would be different. He glanced up as the bartender neared him.
"Anything I can get you?"
"Water please. And a room for the night."
"Coming right up."
The bartender left as another man sat down right next to the man. Kakui glanced at him, annoyed.
"Oi, personal space just a suggestion in Rice asshole?"
"Sorry. I just like to be far from the door and you happen to be right here."
Kakui slammed his hands on the table. He was in a foul mood already and this stranger wasn't making it any better. He turned, eyes blazing only for his world to swim the second he saw a bright crimson red staring right at him. He collapsed on the table, getting looks from the people in the inn. The crimson-eyed man turned to look at them, and they quickly went back to minding their own business.
Itachi frowned. Another corpse. This one hit a little closer to home. Kuyama Uchiha was someone he knew. They weren't close, but they were around the same age. He had dinner at his parents' house one time. The man was a bit of rule breaker, which explained why he wasn't out with an escort. His cold body lay against the ground, missing his eyes. Itachi looked around, looking for signs of struggle. There weren't many. Whoever this had been was fast. A quick kill. Kuyama had likely been taken off guard.
But where was his guard? Danzo had promised an ANBU guard to watch over Uchiha. Surely, they hadn't noticed a singular Uchiha violating curfew and the escort policy and let him be. But the more he thought of it the more he came to believe it. Kuyama was not skilled enough to avoid an ANBU trail. He was a rather average shinobi. That fit the pattern of the attacks.
However, his age did not.
Kuyama may be an average shinobi, but he was a known shinobi. He had been part of the military for over a decade. People knew him, unlike the younger targets that had been picked off beforehand. Whoever this person attacking Uchiha were, they were getting bolder. Itachi would have too as well. The Patriarch sealed the body of Kuyama before he looked up at the dark sky above. Silently, his body morphed, transforming into a young looking Uchiha with a brilliant three-tomoi Sharingan spinning in his eyes.
Then, the Clan Head walked into the forest.
Kakui awoke to a bucket of water being splashed onto his face. He gasped for air, only to quickly still as he felt steel against his jugular.
"Why is Lightning in Rice?"
"Uchiha scum," Kakui hissed, realization dawning on him. It wasn't a hard explanation. Red eyes that put him unconscious? Textbook Uchiha genjutsu. He felt foolish for being so preoccupied in his emotions that he let himself get caught off guard like that.
However, he had no more time to think as the kunai bit into his skin, drawing blood.
"I won't ask you again."
"Alright, alright let's calm down we can be friends here," Kakui stated. He tried to raise his hands placatingly, but his hands were bound to separate sides of the chair he was on. He couldn't even see his assailant, the man standing behind him.
"Talk."
"What's in it for me," Kakui questioned, only to wince as the kunai bit just a little bit deeper.
"You're not in the position to be negotiating."
"And what kill me here? Sure, you could, but you gain nothing from that."
The steel bit deeper. It was clear the Uchiha didn't much care. Fortunately, Kakui was quick on his feet.
"Besides, if Konoha is here I bet it's for the same reason. You're searching for the missing shinobi."
The steel stopped digging into his flesh. Slowly the kunai was removed. The Uchiha walked in front of Kakui, eyes staring directly at him, the tomoi rotating in a hypnotizing spiral. Kakui grunted as he felt the effects of the subtly applied genjutsu. It wasn't strong, but it was useful. Constantly keeping his chakra active to break the genjutsu so he couldn't form jutsu now that the kunai could no longer kill him before he activated a technique. A constantly applying genjutsu was something to be expected of an Uchiha.
"...Keep talking."
"There's a missing contingent of Kumo and Shimo shinobi. We sent them to attack Konoha. There were signs of battle there's no use lying about it. But they're all missing. There aren't even corpses. Something happened there. I was sent to find out what. I assume you're much the same."
"What have you learned?"
"Ah, ah, ah," Kakui stated. "How about we take these restraints off and talk like civilized men shall we?"
The Uchiha frowned.
"Like I said, you're in no position to negotiate. You live or die at my whim."
"Our villages are at war; I'll die if I give you the information and die if I don't. It's no difference to me."
A smile split the Lightning Shinobi's face.
"When you think about it, I'm the one in a position of power here. I die either way. The question is Uchiha, how much information do you want?"
The Uchiha frowned, eyes narrowing on the man before him. The two stared at each other for a long time before Kakui tilted his head. The Kumo shinobi's eyes glistened in the light.
"What do you say we put aside our differences for now and work together to find out what's the cause of these disappearances...partner?"
The Uchiha's eyes narrowed. They were going into Rice blind. Whatever was here was a large enough threat to have provoked Kumo's interest as well. It had wiped out two battalions of shinobi and the only reason anyone knew was the nothingness left behind by the attack. Whatever they were dealing with in Rice, it was a real threat. To either of their villages. Allying with another shinobi sent to investigate the disappearances wasn't a bad idea, but it was a Kumo shinobi.
'Can I even trust him? No, do I need to?'
The Uchiha's frown deepened.
'I don't know who he is, so he isn't in a Bingo Book. That's more dangerous in a situation like this.'
"What's the guarantee I have you won't try and kill me and report to Kumo right after this?"
"My good word. Same that I have from you."
"One wrong move. The slightest twitch out of line. You even look the wrong direction...and I'll kill you."
Kakui smiled.
"I'd have it no other way."
Natsu rose from his bow, moving slowly so as to not provoke any acts of violence. His eyes searched over the crowd, watching the Kirigakure shinobi eyeing him with suspicion. He couldn't blame them, it wasn't everyday another shinobi of a Great Power showed up at your doorstep, claiming to want diplomatic talks during a war. It was only due to Iwa's and Kiri's relative distance from each other, leading to general non-contact and in turn lack of bad relations, that let him reach this far.
Returning home would require the gift of gab.
"Why have you come to see me, Iwagakure-san."
"Mizukage-sama," Natsu began, eyeing her auburn hair. Emerald eyes stared into him and for the first time since he had arrived in Water, he felt small. "I come bearing a message from Tscuhikage-sama. Something we believe will be of great interest to you."
"Hm? For your sake I would hope it's worth my time. I'm fighting a war you know."
"It is Mizukage-sama. Tsuchikage-sama has it on good intel that Rain is harboring a runaway of Water, one that you might have a personal stake in capturing. One, Kisame Hoshigaki, wielder of Samehada."
Mei's eyebrow ticked up, and a small smile formed on her face.
"Oh? And why should I believe you?"
"Kisame Hoshigaki has been missing from Water for years now. He all but disappeared from your village. A man like him wouldn't die somewhere, unknown. He was recruited by Rain. He serves the Amekage. It wouldn't be the first time Rain has amassed strength through the means of recruiting traitors. One need not look further than Naruto Uzumaki."
Mischief danced in Mei's eyes.
"I see. And what does Tsuchikage-dono gain from telling me this information. Certainly, it comes with a price."
"Merely the honor of giving one as beautiful and strong as yourself the information is enough to appease him, Mizukage-sama."
"Ah, a silver tongue and a cute face. You truly are remarkable."
Mei rose from her chair, approaching Natsu. She stared him down and he couldn't help but feel her chakra pulsating. Being a sensor, he was especially attuned to it. He was acutely aware of how easily she could kill him from this position. She possessed all the power here. Natsu glanced to the side, fear in his eyes.
"However, I don't believe you."
Mei touched his shoulder and Natsu went still. He could feel the chakra in her. It was thin, razor sharp. Ready to strike if he said but one wrong word.
"So, tell me, shinobi-san, what does the Tsuchikage want in return?"
It took all Natsu's mental strength to open his mouth and speak in the face of the killing intent.
"An agreement," Natsu whispered. "Rain has wronged Iwa as well as wronged you. They harbor Kisame Hoshigaki, but to my understanding Water has had a turbulent history with Naruto Uzumaki as well. He has also wronged us, by unleashing the Ichibi in our lands. Iwa can handle Suna and any potential retribution about the Ichibi, but Rain is an interesting predicament. A minor village, granted the nobility and status of a Great Power based off the words of religious fanatics? We cannot allow that to stand. It is an affront to the strength of the five Great Powers, the true Great Powers. We must show the world that they can be cowed. We would...appreciate...your help to bring them to heel."
Mei lifted the hand from his shoulder, seemingly satisfied with the answer. She strutted back to her chair, a smile forming on her face. Her back still to him she began to speak.
"So that man wants us to commit military troops to help him kill Kisame, the Amekage, and Naruto Uzumaki hm? Bold plan there. He does know we're fighting off Kumo and Konoha now, doesn't he? The show of force required to kill three kage level combatants at once is not insignificant."
"Tsuchikage-sama would delay the attack until you were ready, if you so agreed."
Mei turned, sitting in her chair. Her eyes twinkled and a small smile came to her face. The kunoichi was powerful. She held the weight of an entire military in her words. A military that was missing one of its most crucial weapons. They had five Swordsmen of the Mist available to them. Zabuza Momochi and Kisame Hoshigaki held up the last two trainees. Rogue assets that had run off with Kiri's most prized possessions. The Kubikiribocho and Samehada. The ability to regain one while killing a traitor was a fantastic opportunity. Especially when it included cutting off the head of another Great Power. And she was sure Yokomana would love the idea of ending the Uzumaki.
"Tell the Tsuchikage that we agree to his plan. However, we shall need time to alleviate the pressures caused from Konoha and Kumo. I expect that this will likely take some time. Somewhere in the realm of two months' time. Maybe three."
Mei waived the man off.
"You may go. Take the good news back to him. I'll have my shinobi be in contact for more concrete details."
Natsu bowed his head to the ground, just pleased to escape Water with his life.
"Thank you, Mizukage-sama!"
"Am I free to join you?"
Kagari glanced upwards, hollow eyes meeting Naruto. The blonde took his lack of a response as an invitation, sitting down next to the Ame Chunin. The sun was peaking up from above the horizon, casting streaks of golden light through the air.
"Do you often watch the morning come?"
"It's a habit," Kagari muttered. "My parents..."
"Ah," Naruto whispered, looking back at the insides of Hitou's house.
"Do you...want to talk about it?"
"What would talking do," Kagari muttered bitterly. "It wouldn't change the reality. They're dead."
"Talking helped me with Jiraiya-sensei's death. I don't know if it's a cure all but...that anger has to go somewhere."
Kagari was quiet for a moment, pondering the depth of Naruto's words.
"Anger has to go somewhere huh."
Kagari looked up at Naruto, eyes hard. The blonde recoiled from the intensity he saw in them.
"There's only one place I want to direct my anger. The question is, how will you take that?"
Naruto stared at Kagari, feeling a bitter truth rise in his heart, one that he couldn't avoid. He knew the words that would come out of Kagari's mouth, but he also knew he didn't want to hear them.
"What are you saying Kagari?"
Kagari stared at Naruto, and for the first time since the battle the blonde saw a stream of tears fall down his face. Then, the words Naruto knew he could not bear came forwards.
"I'm saying I'm going to kill Hanabi Hyuga."