Author's Note: This is the last chapter that was pre-written and pre-edited before I started posting the story. Chapter 9 has been written and is currently awaiting review by my beta-reader. Since she has a fair bit going on in her life right now, I'm not sure how long it will take for chapter 9 to come back to me. My beta-reader only checks for grammar, so discussing story/character ideas isn't a factor in the review process. Hopefully, I can maintain a consistent upload schedule of 1-2 weeks since I can usually write a chapter over the weekend.

Disclaimer: Naruto and Inuyasha belong to their respective owners.

Dialogue Legend:

"Unforgivable" – Normal dialogue

'Unforgivable' – character's thoughts/speaking to Inner Demon

"Unforgivable" – Jutsu name

'Unforgivable' – Inner Demon speaking

Review Corner:

savitarsurffer: For sure, canon-Hiashi was stuck in his ways due to circumstances beyond his control. While said circumstances don't excuse his actions regarding Hinata they do explain them. Agree 100% regarding Hinata's contribution to Naruto's education, though that won't be the only thing she teaches him. Good point regarding Rasa.

I never watched/read Boruto; I knew the writing for that series was going to be shit after watching the Boruto movie. If I didn't know better I'd think it was a Dragonball GT scenario where Kishimoto wasn't involved with its production. For fuck's sake, Naruto – someone who GREW UP WITHOUT PARENTS – would never focus on his work to the point that his family felt neglected; he KNOWS how that feels, he LIVED IT! Hinata wouldn't stand for it either, not once it became abundantly clear that Boruto needed his father. Kage Bushin are the perfect counter to the mountain of paperwork all the Kage are seen moaning about, plus he has Shikamaru.

The question of what happens when all of Naruto's power sources mix won't be directly answered for quite some time. However, this chapter does give some context regarding the possible outcomes.

Yes, Sasuke will have a harem as well. Compared to Naruto, Sasuke's candidates/members will be rather obvious but given that even canon-Sasuke said reviving his clan is one of his ambitions I don't feel it's OOC for him to take the path of least resistance.

TigrezzTail: Thank you, I'm glad you like how I implemented those!

Chapter 8 – Tactics, and Discoveries

"Dobe, have you lost your mind?" Sasuke yelled. "Not all of us have gargantuan reserves of Chakra; there's a reason that Jutsu was on a scroll containing forbidden techniques!"

"I never said you'd be using it in combat, only for training." Naruto raised his hands in submission. "The Kage Bushin no Jutsu was originally meant for high-risk infiltration or recon missions. When a Kage Bushin dissipates, all knowledge and experiences it gained during its existence is transferred to the original. Under normal circumstances, I'd say you both have enough spare Chakra to create one Kage Bushin without exhausting yourselves to the point that you can't train. That means if we train for one hour, you'd get the benefit of training for two hours, and we won't be training under normal circumstances."

"Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" (Shadow Clone Technique)

Naruto created thirty Kage Bushin. "With practice, you can control how much Chakra goes into the Kage Bushin you create; how much Chakra they have directly correlates to how much damage they can take and how long they last. However, at first, the Jutsu divides your Chakra evenly between you and each Kage Bushin you create; even worse, the Kage Bushin no Jutsu is a Yang-Release technique, so the Chakra you use for it can only be composed of physical energy."

"I can't speak for Sasuke-san, but I don't think I'd have enough stamina to do much training if the Chakra has to be Yang-Release!" Hinata pleaded, endurance had never been her forte.

"I'm with the hime on this one, dobe. I've got stamina in spades, but there's gotta be a better way to use it!"

"Your concerns are valid," Naruto said, "but mastering Yang Release is a great Chakra control exercise, and you don't need to worry about running out of stamina while I'm here." With that, Naruto instructed Hinata and Sasuke how to create a Kage Bushin. Hinata, daunted at the prospect of using such a demanding technique, was too flustered to properly use Yang Release; the resulting Kage Bushin was too unstable to maintain its existence and immediately dissipated. Sasuke, never one to back down from a challenge, succeeded in creating two stable Kage Bushin, but the effort nearly caused him to faint.

Naruto smiled at his teammates' efforts. "Sasuke, good job on making stable Kage Bushin, but making more than one at a time isn't good. Hinata, you almost had it; think of this Jutsu as a much more Chakra-intensive version of either the Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Jutsu) or the Kawarimi no Jutsu (Substitution Jutsu). Both are also derived from Yang Release. Once you're rejuvenated, we'll wait a few minutes for you to mentally prepare yourselves, and then you'll both try again."

Before either could protest, a pair of Naruto's Kage Bushin approached them and grabbed their hands, transferring an immense amount of Chakra into their charges.

"Chakra transfer? Dobe, you're a genius!"

"Naruto's Chakra? S-so warm!" Hinata sighed in pleasure.

The clone empowering Sasuke dissipated after roughly two minutes, while Hinata's "spare battery" moved away after nearly one minute.

"I need to get some things from my clan vault. Keep practicing the Kage Bushin no Jutsu while I'm gone; I shouldn't be more than a few minutes.

Naruto left the dining room and descended to the basement, creating a few Kage Bushin to carry what he'd need for the next step in his training regimen. As he turned to leave, he heard a nearly imperceptible sound; if his hearing had not been enhanced by the awakening of his Youki, he never would have heard it. He walked swiftly towards the source of the sound, the very door he lacked the time to open two nights ago, and opened it without hesitation. As he suspected, this room contained the clan's greatest treasures. There were no piles of gold or gems; he had found those in earlier sections of the vault.

What stood before him in this small room were two sets of armor locked behind display cases in the center of the room, and two swords mounted next to each other on the back wall. Naruto felt a surge of killing intent from the blade slightly to his right; this, he ignored, as he knew the sword emitting it was not the one who called him. The weapon to his left was a katana with a red guard, a white and black grip, and a gold pommel. As he grabbed it the chime he heard earlier echoed through his head, carrying a feminine voice.

"Naruto Namikaze, it is an honor and pleasure to meet you at last. I am Tenseiga – the Fang of Heaven. Lord Toga ordained my creation and bequeathed me to Lord Sesshomaru upon his death. Ever since, each Lord of the Namikaze possessing great affinity with their demonic lineage has wielded me. Now, it is your time, Lord Naruto."

"From you, I sense an overwhelming amount of compassion. You cannot kill, can you?" Though he had no doubt Tenseiga could hear his thoughts, Naruto spoke his question aloud out of habit.

"You are correct. I am meant only to slay beings not of this world; in this, I excel, but I cannot inflict even the slightest cut upon any mortal being."

"Good to know," Naruto said as he removed Tenseiga from the wall. His trademark orange jumpsuit lacked a place to fasten the sword, so he kept Tenseiga in his grasp and resolved to raid his master bedroom for clothing more suitable to wielding a katana.

"You are not disappointed? Many of your predecessors expressed disbelief, or even rage, that their distant ancestor wielded a weapon that cannot be utilized against most foes."

"Everyone has things they can do and things they cannot do. Often, there is a good reason behind why they cannot do certain things. A Shinobi must see beneath the underneath. Lord Toga and Lord Sesshomaru had other means to deal with threats originating on this world; they would not have been Daiyoukai otherwise. Besides, against a mortal foe, you are not as 'useless' as you, or my ancestors, believe."

"Your words inspire both gratitude and confusion. I am a sword, an instrument of death; how can I be useful against a being that I cannot harm?"

"Do you possess any other abilities?" Naruto replied with a foxlike grin.

"I can revive the dead if they have been slain within eight hours of your attempt to resurrect them. However, this can only be done once per person; furthermore, if the one you attempt to revive has already been resurrected by other means, I cannot revive them at all. Additionally, I can function as a conduit for your Youki, lending my power to the potency of your techniques, but only against beings I am capable of slaying. Also, I can purify the sins of the dead, if you happen to encounter their souls."

"Fascinating, does the body of one I intend to revive need to be, mostly, intact for the resurrection to work?"

"Yes, I require at least half of the target's body to be relatively unscathed to resurrect them. Those who have lost limbs will regain them, but I cannot restore a body that has been burned to a skeleton or completely crushed by debris. If your target has succumbed to poison or disease, I should be able to purge it, but I cannot guarantee success if said afflictions have supernatural properties and are incredibly potent. To my shame, I could not revive the demoness Kagura after she was poisoned by Naraku – the greatest enemy of Lord Sesshomaru.

"Sesshomaru loved her?" Naruto inquired.

"He never admitted as much, but he always locked his feelings deep within and kept his own counsel on such matters; Kagura loved Lord Sesshomaru dearly, and I suspect he either returned her affections or, at the very least, was willing to court her towards whatever fate unfolded afterwards."

"Whether she died for nothing, or not, is for me to decide." A stoic, masculine voice echoed within Naruto's mind, betraying nothing – and everything – of its owner's emotions.

"Was that one of your memories?" Naruto asked the heavenly blade.

"Indeed, though it was not my intent to relay it. For it to emerge merely due to our discussion, your affinity with your lineage must be astronomically potent in comparison with your ancestors."

"Is that so?" Naruto pondered.

"Beyond all doubt." Tenseiga answered. "I have one other ability: should your life be in dire peril, I can form a barrier around you to shield you from harm. While not an absolute defense, I can nullify an immense amount of damage. However, repeated uses of my barrier in quick succession will drain my energy reserves. If they are completely diminished, I will enter a state of dormancy, and several days must pass before my abilities can be utilized."

Naruto left the basement but before returning to the dining room, he visited the master bedroom and raided his new closet. Finding a pale orange kimono, he swiftly changed into it and tied Tenseiga's sheath onto its white obi.

Upon returning to the dining hall, Naruto and the clones he created to carry what he retrieved from the basement were met by a smirking Sasuke and a contented Hinata; none of the previous thirty Kage Bushin were present.

"Figures." Sasuke grunted. While we busted our asses mastering the production of one Kage Bushin, the dobe found time to change his clothes. Still, better this than that preposterous jumpsuit."

Hinata gazed at Naruto's new sword with awe. "Naruto is that sword one of your clan treasures?"

"Yes, while I was getting the things we'll need for the next step in our training, it called out to me. Meet Tenseiga, the Fang of Heaven!"

"Salutations, most cherished friend of Lord Naruto, and greetings, first and highest of Lord Naruto's betrothed. It is good to see that the offspring of Lord Hagoromo and Lady Kaguya continue to thrive, even in these modern times."

"We're not thriving; I am the last of my clan." Sasuke replied bitterly.

"At the moment, perhaps, yet you do not intend for this to be truth for much longer, surely. The Uchiha are hardly the first clan to be reduced to near-nothing, only to rise to greatness again within a handful of generations. Lord Naruto's Namikaze clan is an ideal example."

"Hagoromo is known to us as the Sage of Six Paths, but I have never heard of this 'Lady Kaguya' you speak of, Tenseiga-dono." Hinata addressed the blade, eager to learn more of her clan's history.

"The Eternal Princess of the Lunar People, often referred to as the Celestial Maiden." Tenseiga's admiration was clear in her voice. "Eons ago, moved by curiosity and loneliness, she descended from the Moon. She was greeted by monsters and spirits of near-infinite variety, with humans barely avoiding extinction. To her, this was unacceptable. She did not begrudge the mindless beings that merely hunted humans for food, but she viewed the truly malevolent monsters and spirits as blights on an otherwise flawless world. It is no exaggeration to say that her intervention saved the human race; not only did she eradicate many who would see your kind destroyed or eternally enslaved, she also taught humans much regarding combat and magic. Eventually, she returned to her people; whether she ever descended again, only she knows."

"Wow, she sounds like a saint." Naruto said

"Many humans of that age revered her as one, and she commanded similar respect from the demons of that era; even Lord Toga hesitated to fight her, his precise words on the subject were 'Princess Kaguya is a goddess among goddesses, both in might and – especially – in demeanor. Slaying her, assuming I have such capacity, is a feat equal to eternally tainting the universe.'"

"Incredible, to think my clan's founder was such an amazing being. I must discuss this with my father!" Hinata exclaimed.

"I'm sure he already knows; the true history and origins of a clan is passed down from Clan Head to Clan Head." Naruto calmed his fiancé down.

"As much I love ancient history, I'd like to get back to training sometime this week, please." Sasuke interrupted.

"Sasuke, my 'ancient history' concerns the Uchiha as well." Tenseiga replied sternly.

"How so?" Sasuke's eyes zeroed in on Tenseiga's hilt.

"Several thousand years after Lady Kaguya returned to the Moon, her legacy had greatly waned. The Hyuuga persisted, in no small part due to the mighty Byakugan they inherited from the Celestial Maiden. Lord Hagoromo was a historian and scientist before he was a warrior, and he refused to believe that, aside from the Hyuuga, nothing of Kaguya's time on Earth remained. Over decades, he pursued every half-remembered legend, each song the bards sang in praise of Lady Kaguya, and was eventually rewarded with the discovery of the Lunar Princess' personal diary, preserved by her mortal lover.

Within this tome, Lady Kaguya recorded all she had done during her time on Earth, ample lore for one to decipher the secret to her abilities. Lord Hagoromo, whose intellect was said to be the greatest humanity has ever known, did not disappoint. While the divinity Kaguya wielded as her birthright was far out of reach, he realized that the energy produced by the human soul could be combined with the physical energy of the human body to achieve many of the feats Kaguya was known for, albeit on a much lesser scale."

"Holy shit, you're saying the Sage of Six Paths – my clan's progenitor – invented Chakra by reverse-engineering Kaguya's divine power?" Sasuke spoke the question, but both Hinata and Naruto had the same shocked look on their faces.

"Understand that such a feat would never have been possible without the diary Lady Kaguya left behind. I believe she always intended for humanity to progress in this manner, but also that she recognized that if the gift of Chakra came directly from her, humanity would wage endless war to control her power."

"Hmph, too bad the Sage couldn't live up to her expectations. I'd hardly call the current ceasefires and non-aggression pacts signed by the Elemental Nations a state of genuine peace, to say nothing of the rest of the world." Sasuke responded with a cynical air.

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he addressed his friend. "Sure, but if you ask me, I'd guess the Sage realized that humans – as a species – are much more prone to seek conflict than resolution; they'd be at war with or without Chakra, and Hagoromo clearly had no intention of ruling over humanity as an invincible dictator. His only other choice was to entrust his will to his two sons, who would go on to create the Senju and Uchiha Clans, and hope for the best. Generations later, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha achieved world peace for a short period of time, so I can't say his will is unachievable. Who knows? Maybe I'll take a stab at it once I've resurrected my clans. Daiyoukai live for a very long time, and I'll need something to do."

Hinata sighed. "It's a shame that I'll not live to see the world you create, Naruto; I'm sure it will be a paradise devoid of war before you're through."

"Don't be ridiculous, my love; you'll be with me 'til the very end!" Naruto countered. "My clan's archives contain rituals to convert humans to Youkai, and I intend to use them on all my wives. I need to do some research, but surely there's a way to reap all of the benefits of being a Youkai and retain the human heart and spirit."

"Oh, Naruto!" Hinata embraced her fiancé, who responded by kissing her passionately on the lips. Hinata's shock delayed her action for the briefest of instants before she returned the kiss.

'Heh, dinner and a show; you really know how to make a guest jealous, dobe.' Sasuke mentally smirked.

'Perhaps you should court a lady or two of your own, if my Lord's affections rouse such envy in you, Sasuke.' Tenseiga recommended.

'Tenseiga-san, I appreciate your concern, but among my plentiful fangirls, none strike me as a good candidate for a girlfriend, let alone a wife!' Sasuke shouted within his mind.

'Oh, not even Sakura Haruno or Ino Yamanaka? If Lord Naruto's memories are any indication, you have concealed your attraction to them as well as my master has concealed the true extent of his talents.' Tenseiga taunted.

'Mother. Fucker. Guess I can't call Naruto a dobe anymore. Still, those two hate each other as much as they claim to love me, maybe more.'

'Their rivalry is derived from their infatuation; were they not close friends earlier in their youth? Kunoichi or not, they are still children. Time will soothe their hatred; so long as you are patient, opportunities to ensnare both of them will present themselves, and they shall be most happy they were caught.' Tenseiga counseled.

"Look at me, getting love advice from a sword." Sasuke snorted aloud. "Dobe, hime; can we get back to training or would you rather keep investigating how far you can go without having sex?!"

"Sorry, Sasuke, got carried away there." Naruto flushed as he removed himself from Hinata's embrace and adjusted his disheveled robe. Hinata managed a muffled squeak as her face assumed a tomato's color.

"Hem-hem. Moving on, now that you've mastered the creation of a Kage Bushin, let's find out what we're all good at!" Naruto gave Sasuke and Hinata two small sheets of paper each, one of which was slightly darker than the other.

"This is paper made from trees grown in Chakra-infused soil. It's highly sensitive to a Chakra's inherent affinity and has unique reactions when exposed to Chakra with specific affinities. Hinata, I know the Hyuuga Clan doesn't typically use Ninjutsu, favoring the Juuken in its place, but by rejecting Ninjutsu, your clan has cut itself off from all forms of long or mid-range attack. I'm sure your clan has methods of dealing with such techniques, but I believe it's far too wasteful to abandon the option of long-range combat."

"My Lord father would likely never approve of such a thing, nor would any other clan elder, but I am no longer a Hyuuga. I am a future Namikaze, and learning Ninjutsu sounds wonderful!" Hinata beamed with pride and determination.

"Naruto, I don't need Chakra paper to know my affinity; all Uchiha have Katon as their affinity." Sasuke declared.

"Channel your Chakra into the darker of the two sheets of paper." Naruto happily ignored his friend.

"Fine, I'll humor you. What the fuck!?" As Sasuke channeled his Chakra into the requested sheet, it did not burst into flames to indicate an affinity for Katon; instead, it wrinkled, indicating an affinity for Raiton."

"Raiton? It should be Katon!" Sasuke yelled.

"Sasuke-san, while rare, it is not unheard of for one to be born with a primary affinity for one Chakra Nature and a secondary affinity for another." Hinata offered.

"Bingo!" Naruto exclaimed as he held out a third pair of sheets, one in each hand, towards his teammates. Channeling Chakra into them, the lighter of the two sheets radiated golden light, indicating an affinity for Yang Release, while the darker sheet split in half, indicating an affinity for Futon.

"Hinata, it's your turn." Naruto turned to look only at her. "Even if you don't have a secondary affinity, being able to quickly learn one Nature Transformation will be a tremendous boost to your combat potential; plus, it's always possible to learn Nature Transformations you don't have an affinity for with enough time and effort."

"Let's see what I can do!" Hinata channeled Chakra into her sheets, revealing a primary affinity for Raiton and a secondary affinity for Suiton.

"Well, our enemies are fucked." Sasuke chuckled. "Hinata-hime, with some training, will have Raiton and Suiton at her disposal; meanwhile, I can already use Katon and Naruto can use Futon. Once I master Raiton, we'll have four of the five basic Nature Transformations between us and, on top of all that, we'll have the Byakugan, my future Sharingan, Naruto's Youkai form and – eventually – Kurama's power."

"Kurama doesn't count, not unless she agrees to help us." Naruto said in a tone indicating he would not budge on the subject. "The Senju and Uzumaki agreed to use her power to defend themselves and those they cared about; they meant well but, in the end, they still used her as a weapon against their enemies. I'll protect her with everything I have, but I'll never force her to use her power, even if it means my death – or that of my friends. Kurama always believed humans could be better than that; otherwise, she would have obliterated all of us ages ago."

"Dobe, have I ever mentioned that I hate it when you make sense?" Sasuke yelled, but there was no true anger behind his words.

"Get used to it, teme, I'm not going anywhere!" Naruto smirked.

"Naruto, finding teachers to train us in our Chakra affinities will take some time, but many current and former Konoha Shinobi owe the Hyuuga at least one favor; I'm certain I can convince Father to call some of them in." Hinata started thinking of all the meetings she attended with Hiashi that involved dealings with Shinobi outside the clan, trying to remember their names.

"Of course he'd do that for you, but there's no need." Naruto said as four out of the seven Kage Bushin Naruto created in the basement came forward, their arms filled with books; the other three returned to the basement, the contents of their books no longer needed.

"Hinata, I'd like you to focus on your primary Raiton affinity for now. For combat, it's easily the most versatile of the five Basic Nature transformations. There are some great examples of mid and long-range Raiton Jutsu for you to learn if you want to go that route. Alternatively, you could learn some melee Raiton Jutsu as an alternative to the Juuken. Shutting down Chakra points and indirectly damaging your opponent's organs is great, but you never know when you'll need some real power behind your strikes. Choose the option that feels best for you." After giving Hinata her objectives for the foreseeable future, Naruto addressed his other teammate.

"Sasuke, you've already got a great handle on Katon, so I'll leave it to you to decide whether to specialize in it further or start working on Raiton. Both of you: remember that the knowledge gained when a Kage Bushin dissipates is accompanied by the mental fatigue they accumulated during their existence. Even with only one Kage Bushin active at a time, the mental fatigue will take a toll and may sneak up on you if you're not careful. My affinity for Yang Release gives me a tremendous tolerance for it, which is how I could absorb the combined experience of 400 Kage Bushin during the Bell Test and not collapse from mental overload.

Also, for future reference, Kage Bushin can only cultivate and transfer mental experiences, not increases in muscle mass. So you can't use them to accelerate the benefits of strength training. I'll check in a few times a day to restock the Kage Bushin you'll need to maintain your accelerated training rates but, otherwise, I'll be using Kage Bushin to further my expertise in Futon while I start training in kenjutsu."

"Kenjutsu? Call me crazy, but I get the feeling that Tenseiga isn't meant to be used against most people." Sasuke reprimanded.

"Most isn't all, Sasuke-san; Naruto surely wants to be capable of wielding Tenseiga expertly when he encounters those it will be effective against." Hinata answered.

"You're half-right, Hinata." Naruto said cryptically. "The door in the back is set to teleport you and Sasuke to a massive training facility; at this stage in our training, we don't want to be in each other's hair. The guest bedrooms are on the third floor – there are eight of them, take your pick – and the kitchen has plenty of food and drink options for nutritious meals that are quick to prepare. Get up as early as you want, start training whenever in the morning, but at noon I'd like us all to take a lunch break and discuss our current results and goals for tomorrow. Good night!"

As Naruto headed towards the master bedroom, Hinata followed her fiancé with her eyes and needed more willpower than she'd ever admit to stop from insisting that they sleep – only sleep – together. A knowing smirk from Sasuke put the final nail in the coffin she'd managed to lock her lust into, and she moved to the third floor.

Midnight, 7 days after the Bell Test – Unknown location in Konoha

Danzo Shimura resisted, for the umpteenth time today, the impulse to scream in rage. He was holed up in the most secret of all his hideouts, one known only to him. He knew that Shikaku and his allies would want Root destroyed, and he'd suspected that their desire to protect Konoha would compel them to act without seeking approval from Hiruzen. What he had not anticipated was the overwhelming speed and efficiency of their hunt.

He had expected that Inoichi would arrest and interrogate all Root members known to him; indeed, he'd planned for it. The Root members recruited and trained from the start, before Hiruzen ordered the organization's dissolution, represented nearly a third of Root's current forces. Their loss would significantly delay his plans, but losing them was a small price to pay to ensure that Root's illicit activities could never be traced back to him. The cursed seal placed on the tongue of every operative induced fatal paralysis if any of them were forced to speak of Root's actions or motives. Consequently, the captured operatives should have been useless as prisoners.

However, Danzo had vastly underestimated the combined capabilities of Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka. Shikaku is the most gifted intellectual of his generation, by an immense margin, and Inoichi is an unrivaled master of all Jutsu pertaining to the mind. Upon realizing that their captives would immediately be killed after beginning to speak of their master's plans or resources, the Jonin Commander of Konoha and the leader of Konoha's Intelligence Division pooled their genius intellects to concoct the means to circumvent Danzo's curse.

The Root agents known to Inoichi numbered nearly 300. Before that figure reached 200, Shikaku and Inoichi had developed a Jutsu that temporarily neutralized the cursed seal, allowing the duo to ask at least five questions before the current interrogation subject was paralyzed. By the time the number of prisoners dropped to 150, Shikaku and Inoichi had perfected their new Jutsu, and the remaining prisoners could be interrogated with impunity.

Unfortunately for Danzo, the second half of the captured Root operatives contained those suspected by Shikaku and Inoichi to be the most senior members of their organization. The information they divulged was beyond price and was quickly relayed to the Shinobi raiding all known Root hideouts. More recently recruited Root agents who came to or emerged from the newly discovered hideouts were arrested and interrogated as well, creating a vicious cycle that achieved in five days what Hiruzen had failed to accomplish years ago: the complete annihilation of Root. As the outcome of this short, but very bloody, war became apparent, Danzo triggered the self-destruct Jutsu for all of his other hideouts, more to deny Konoha evidence of his transgressions than out of any hope of killing the elite Shinobi dispatched to destroy his forces.

'Naruto Uzumaki, you are the cause of this! My plans to make Konoha a nation unrivaled, shattered beyond repairing because of you! I'm sure you and your pathetic friends are hiding in that accursed mansion of yours, but your father's enemies are many. Now, they are your enemies!"

Danzo's internal monologue ceased as he finished writing two missives, one addressed to Iwa and the other to Kumo. He summoned two messenger hawks to deliver them. As the hawks left his final hideout via the warp seals in the room, Danzo began to gather the most damning of the documents pertaining to Konoha's military assets.

"If I cannot have this village, no one will!"

"I couldn't agree more, old friend!" A pale hand grabbed Danzo by the throat and lifted him out of his chair. Before the leader of Root could retaliate, three massive serpents wrapped themselves around each of his legs and his left arm before repeatedly biting into their respective limbs. Their potent venom, wielded by no natural snake, instantly paralyzed every muscle in the afflicted limbs but left the nerves intact; sealing Danzo's mobility but leaving him in excruciating pain.

"Orochimaru!" Danzo whispered harshly; barely able to speak due to his agony.

"Such arrogance, repurposing the majority of my hideouts. Did you honestly believe that I would not have surveillance seals placed on my lairs, or that you were the only one capable of concealing such seals from detection Jutsu?" Orochimaru cackled.

"Damn you!" Danzo attempted to release the seals on his right arm and right eye, but the Sannin tore said limb and eye from their sockets before Danzo could unleash the Jutsu contained within them.

"My, my, so many Sharingan in your arm; it's no wonder I couldn't find any after the Uchiha Massacre. I'm sure you have more stored here, in my grandest hideaway. Orochimaru summoned several dozen snakes and ordered them to search the lair.

"It's a shame that our alliance has to end now, of all times. After I kill Sarutobi-sensei, you would have been a valuable asset to my future plans, but you're of no use to me now that all of Root is either dead or imprisoned. After all, I can't have you blabbing about all our past dealings in some deranged attempt to secure your freedom, now can I?"

"Konoha will not fall to you; never to you!" Danzo spat.

"Patriotism, from a traitor? Even while on death's door, you continue to amuse me. Truly, I shall miss conversing with you. Farewell, Danzo!"

Orochimaru summoned a final snake, much larger than its predecessors, which decapitated Danzo with one bite. With a second bite, the giant serpent injected enough corrosive venom to liquefy the Root leader's corpse within a few minutes. As Orochimaru turned to greet the snakes returning with additional Sharingan eyes, he sensed an incredibly ominous presence from right behind him! Every Sharingan in the room burst into flames and black marks indicative of a powerful Fuinjutsu appeared on Danzo's corpse. Orochimaru only needed to wait a few seconds before learning the Jutsu's intended effect. Smaller objects, including Orochimaru's snakes, from all over the room were drawn to the body as if were a black hole, vanishing as they were sealed into it. As Danzo's final gambit took full effect, the building itself began to break apart and fall into his body.

"Fu-Fu-Fu-Fu-Fu, well played, War Hawk!" Orochimaru laughed as he, too, was pulled towards Danzo's corpse.

Otokagure

Orochimaru awakened from his meditations as the Kage Bushin he had dispatched to kill Danzo dispelled itself before it could be sealed into the Root leader's body, and he pounded his throne hard enough to break one of its armrests. The Sharingan, his greatest desire, was there by the dozen – possibly by the hundreds – and Danzo managed to deny him his prize even from beyond the grave! While he still viewed Sasuke Uchiha as the most viable option by which to obtain the Sharingan, the loss of so many spare Sharingan meant he would have to be very careful with any experiments he performed on Sasuke's eyes.

"Kabuto!"

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama?"

"My primary hideout in Konoha has been destroyed, along with most of my secondary hideouts. The few that remain are not enough for our invasion to proceed as originally planned. You have two hours to formulate a revised strategy. I trust that I need not mention the consequence of failure, should your new plan not satisfy me?"

"Indeed, Orochimaru-sama. I've already devised some alternative strategies against the possibility that your hideouts were discovered prematurely. At present, they're rather rough around the edges, but I'll have no problem smoothing them to perfection in the allotted time."

"We shall see!"

Chapter End

Ladies and gentlemen, Danzo Shimura has LEFT THE BUILDING! Not with a bang, but a pitiful whimper. His entire life's work was destroyed in a handful of days, followed quickly by him getting unceremoniously annihilated by a "fellow" traitor of Konoha. This mini-arc involving Root was a joy to write, and it all came about because I felt that Naruto has enough villains to worry about already between Orochimaru and the Akatsuki/Madara. Of course, those last two messages he sent will have ramifications.

And the Rabbit Goddess herself makes an appearance! Sort of. Given that this story's Kaguya is more in line with her depiction in Tale of the Bamboo Cutter than canon-Naruto (though she's still extremely powerful here), the Ten-Tails never existed. The other Tailed Beasts are essentially primordial entities here, having existed either since the very beginning of the world or coming into being shortly afterwards. Madara/the Akatsuki's goals are still the same, they'll just have a different method of utilizing the Tailed Beast's power to achieve them since recreating the Ten-Tails isn't an option.

Mortal Chakra (what Hagoromo invented after studying Kaguya's diary) in this series is a heavily diluted version of divine power, essentially the "spark" of divinity that all mortals possess. The potency and properties of said spark vary between different bloodlines and people, which is how Kekkei Genkai became a thing. So some "sparks" are less diluted than others, especially if someone is descended from a god or another supernatural being.

Bijuu Chakra is not divine in nature, but is so potent that the stronger Tailed Beasts are more powerful than most gods. If I had to give it a classification in this fanfic, I'd say it's more Lovecraftian in nature than anything else, neither divine nor demonic but something so old its exact nature cannot be comprehended.

The Land of Waves arc is next! Thank you for reading!