The Final Swirl
Naruto x Karin
The battle against Kagyuya was over and Team Seven had been summoned back to the world and welcomed by the edo-kage's with the Six Path Sage. One final betrayal takes place.
Chapter One; Our Farewell
Shinju Tree Battleground
Naruto grinned at his old teammates, stating. "Now all we have to do is use my chakra and your rinnegan…"
Sasuke cut him off, speaking blandly. "No."
This cut off the relieved air of those gathered, with all looking to the Uchiha, Naruto looks to his former teammate with eyes so cold and frigid, that most literally froze under it, as he spoke. "Let me guess, teme. You want to go fix this world with you at its head."
Sasuke smirked, his Uchiha smirk, and nodded firmly. "You catch on quickly, dobe. By killing the five kage, I will ascend to supreme daimyo of the elemental nations and rule it beneath the flag of the Uchiha."
Before Naruto could even think of sighing, Sakura stepped up beside Sasuke and smiled her agreement which actually earned her a deadpan then facepalm, as Naruto muttered. "This is way too cliché to be honest."
Kakashi shook his head, looking from his last loyal student to side against the group and sighed. "I am a failure of a sensei, seeing you all standing against the village like this…"
Naruto and Sasuke both snorted, though Naruto spoke first. "Did you forget, Kakashi-sensei, that I was banished? I am only here as I recognised the dangerous situation and came here to aid you, not return to the village."
Sasuke spoke next, condescending tone flowing thick. "That village was weak and holding me back. I came for the promised power and now I will lead the world to a revolution!"
He held his hands out wide and bellowed the last sentence as if beckoning in his own godly grace.
Naruto coughed and wheezed as if choking on air, hitting his fist against his battered grey hoodie from the ludicrous amount of arrogance and self-importance coming from this lunatic Uchiha that has replaced his best friend. Mentally, Naruto spoke to his inner demon. "Kurama. Have the Uchiha always been this arrogant?"
He hears a snort in return, Kurama replying exasperatedly. "Kit. I kept telling you this. Yet, no – he's my best friend…. Yada-yada…"
Naruto sighed hard, facepalming as he muttered. "I am so not going to hear the end of this."
All looked to him in question before Sasuke snarled back. "Oh, I will end this here and…"
He paused when a new arrival landed beside Naruto, which shouldn't be possible as everyone was supposed to be locked in the Shinju tree's branches and the cacophony of cocoons.
Naruto squared up against his former, now rogue leaf teammates before addressing the new arrival as he had expected. "You're late. What took you?"
The new arrival chuckled lowly, before adjusting her glasses as she looked to Naruto replying. "Sorry, Naru-kun, but I couldn't find my sword. Then, I had to shower to get that creep's stench off my skin…"
She shuddered as Naruto smirked, lifting his red sage haori where the mentioned sword was and her ruby eye's glistened in glee. As she reached for it, she found her out stretched arm grasped gently by Naruto drawing her eyes up and before she could react, he claimed her lips.
Her shock was fleeting, as the woman returned it with even more vigour and it was easy to see that tongues were battling one another. Everyone was left in a state of shock, so much so that they all missed the true exchange as chakra between them flowed silently.
Though, the shock led into wonder as Naruto's blond hair darkened to scarlet with blonde streaks, and unbeknownst to most, his eyes gained a light violet hue. The kunoichi though too went through a far less drastic change as chakra steam began to flow from her, again, unbeknownst to others, all her wounds were healed gradually and chakra reserves topped up.
The lip-lock was broken when the Uchiha growled out in fury, reminding the two that they had an audience. Sasuke yelled in outrage. "KARIN! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU…?"
He stopped when Karin pulled back slowly, only barely though as their noses were still touching sharing a smile between them as slowly parting their eyes with nothing but affection shared between them. She whispered lowly so only Naruto would hear her words. "We can finish this later, okay?"
Naruto nodded slowly, resting his head against hers briefly before pulling back and saying. "Yeah. Let's kick the butt of this dumbass and end the threat of the Uchiha, once and for all."
She nodded, stepping back, and placed the sword on her left hip. Karin replied. "I told you keeping him alive would come to bite us in the ass. Yet, you did not listen to me and instead you insisted on him being your best friend, yada-yada-yada…"
Naruto sweat dropped sighing hard, as his tenant chuckled lowly, before he muttered. "Totally not going to hear the end of this…"
Karin snapped back instantly. "You bet you won't. You know how much shit I had to put up with pretending to be his fangirl? I mean seriously."
She shuddered again, and Naruto sighed again, glancing at her with pleading eyes. "I will make it up to you, Karin-chan. I promise."
Karin huffed, before taking up her kenjutsu stance then replying. "Oh, I know you will. Let's end this quickly and get home. I am having a craving for Ramen and you will not be having any as punishment."
Chuckling Naruto shook his head as he pulls out a tanto from the small of his back, from beneath his haori, and looking at his new foe. "Fine. Though, if I am cooking, you can't stop me from having some too."
As he too took up his own kenjutsu stance, a kunai flipping into his left hand, and their opponents matched with their own respective stances, Sasuke with the interceptor fist and Sakura with a modified Senju basic stance.
While all that was going on, the edo-kage had gathered with the Sage of Six Paths and it was Minato who muttered. "This is quite the development."
The sage of six path just nodded, replying. "Indeed. To think, the world hangs in the balance of two rogues and their partners."
A chuckle travelled across the group of shinobi though it was filled with hesitation and a thick layer of concern. Minato especially had mixed feelings about things. When he first arrived, saw that his son did not in fact brandish their home's headband and had been banished but came to help regardless was a rollercoaster of emotions.
During the fight, he caught the drift of what happened and that he was banished years ago for attacking his teammate, the same one who attempted to go rogue but Naruto had recovered him. It was stupid. The council banished his son for completing his mission. Then the Uchiha ran off six months later, killing several shinobi on the way out.
Shaking his head of these distracting thoughts, Minato watches as his son and his partner face off against the traitor and his groupie. Silently wishing him luck. Though, the fourth hokage seems to picture himself and his wife over his son and his own partner, easily picturing them standing side-by-side against the might of the world.
This meant that he was not worried about the outcome of this skirmish. Cracking a grin, Minato nodded to himself. His son has this in the bag.
As the wind blows, both sides darted forward, Naruto against Sakura and Sasuke facing down Karin yet less than ten metres away from the clash, the Uzumaki switch positions and lash out with their blades.
Sasuke barely blocked Naruto's side swiping Tanto but was forced to leap back to escape the wind coated kunai in his left, yet he found himself blocking the flung projectile, and then, in a move that surprised everyone, Naruto substituted with the flung kunai instantly, and slashed down with his wind coated tanto.
Again, it was barely deflected by Sasuke, who got a cut to his left shoulder in the process, before lashing out with a kick that Naruto blocked with his free arm.
Karin however was far more graceful than her fellow Uzumaki, ducking turns sliding beneath the chakra laced haymaker from Sakura, though her horizontal slash opened the pinkette's side cleanly and the Uzumaki slid as she turned back. Sakura jumped after her, like a rhino, her mark of a thousand healing rippling across her body and healing the wound in moments.
Smirking, the redhead ducked and weaved around the wild punches as she was familiar with the fighting style enough to predict what the medic would do next. It was rather a simple affair to stay two steps ahead, with Karin only offering token fight back as her job was only to prevent this fangirl from returning to aid her obsession.
Sakura was furious. She always hated how this hussy was all over her Sasuke and now she finds out it was all an act. An act to keep an eye on Sasuke for their other failed teammate. Sure, they needed him in this fight, and he wasn't as annoying as before but he should know that his place was beneath Sasuke, who should be the leader of the land.
He's smarter than them, stronger than them, and by far more suited to lead then others. Once she explained things to Master Tsunade, she would understand that too. It is only logical that the best attain their rightful positions among society, so they all benefit.
After another earth shuddering super punch shattered the ground, Sakura watches as Karin lands a safe distance away, still with that stupid grin the blonde baka typically had as she adjusts her glasses before asking. "Why do you side with that thing of arrogance given physical form?"
If Karin was less of a woman, Sakura's glare of absolute loathing might have caused a reaction beyond a growing of her smirk. Sakura adjusts her gloves again, ensuring that they are securely placed, before replying. "You know, I detested you ever since I first met you. Though, I respected you as a rival at least, seeing as you were also seeking Sasuke-kun's attention and loved him like I did."
Karin shrugged, eyes locked on to the girl across from her, replying. "Needed to keep track of his whereabouts for Naru-kun. His ego just made it easier for me to act that part."
Sakura growls, punching her open palm before breaking into a crocked grin of her own. "Right, well – that just gives me more reason to beat your ass. Something I've fantasised about for years."
Karin shrugged again, not caring either way but that baka of hers better hurry with that Uchiha or this fangirl might realise what's going on exactly.
Naruto's extended wind coated tanto, that was now matching the long blade of the Uchiha but was invisible to the naked eyes, clashed with the lightning blade of his former best friend.
Sasuke growled in frustration at his lack of progress in defeating the idiot, who seemed to be taking this seriously. Is this what the dobe was capable of when he wasn't pulling his punches?
Unacceptable. He is a Uchiha. None can be stronger than he.
Sasuke roared out, having supercharged his lightning forcing the Uzumaki back. "Just die already! Susanoo!"
The ethereal warrior blasted fourth, with the shockwave knocking Naruto clear, even the other fight was interrupted by its arrival, with Karin kissing her teeth in annoyance and Sakura smirked in a sense of victory. Sasuke-kun is taking this fight seriously, so she must too.
Naruto flipped back twice before landing calmly on his feet rather gracefully some might say, looking up at the purple monster before him and contemplating his course of action. Sure, he could just go bijuu on this duck butt haired Uchiha but that would not be anywhere near as satisfying.
A soft growl from deep in his mind tells the jinchurki that his tenant wanted in on the action too, but he ignored that as he pulled on his own blood granted gift first before travelling down that route.
Sasuke slammed down his Sasunoo's sword atop Naruto who seemingly vanished from sight briefly, returned under several puffs of smoke all in a ring around the beast and then, much to the Uchiha's surprise, all fifteen shadow clones lashed out with chains of chakra and successfully pinned the construct in place.
The Uchiha was growling up a storm until a very familiar whining sound rang out drawing his eyes up, a massive rasengan shuriken of pure white thrown by, what he assumed, the original Naruto who yelled out. "Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!"
The explosion rang out far and wide, shuddering the ground as the swirling dome of wind pins encompassing the entire chakra construct and now, as it died down, and the lack of an Uchiha body tells that he had escaped.
The chirping of a thousand birds rang out and Naruto glanced back to catch Sasuke appearing with lightning in hand. The thrusting lightning covered hand jerked forward, yet it was caught at the wrist. Naruto grinned, before intercepting his opponents high kick. Shaking his head, Naruto commented. "Meh-meh, Sasuke-chan. This is not very proper."
Sasuke growled, before launching another punch towards the dobe's head that was interrupted by a headbutt, before Naruto called out. "Great clone explosion."
The explosion that erupted vacated the air around the tree's vicinity briefly, before a single form smashed down nearby bedrock, with dust and smoke bellowing wide. Yet, the attack wasn't over. A lava chakra shuriken followed, then dark blue flamed leading into a massive blast of chakra erupting and splashed across the ground that ripped up in the wake.
The other fight was broken up as both kunoichi had to flee to escape the explosion rippling across the battlefield, tearing the ground apart.
From the bellowing smoke came an arrow of purple chakra punching through six shadow clones before erupting in black flames catching three more. The remaining three land free from the counterattack and taking up defensive positions in preparation for the following attacks.
The three launched their chains that interlocked and successfully deflected the following strikes. Erupting from the smoke came another purple chakra construct, that charged out the smoke and the the clearly wounded Sasuke his mangekyo spinning wildly as he roared. "You are never going to be able to defeat me!"
The last gathering of red sage cloak donning figures grinned at the idiot coming straight at him, all relaxing their chains to allow them to break from their conjoining and promptly shot forward at the Uchiha at speed.
Sasuke darted around, evading Uzumaki bloodline with graceful yet sharp movements, and brandish a pair of blades that had a similar razor edge. He swiped at them, cutting through all three chakra beings with ease creating chakra smoke and revealing that none of them were the blond dobe.
As he glanced around, Sasuke scanned the area with his dojutsu but failed to locate his target until a shuddering impact from below, that rocked the entire chakra body of chakra, and a glance told him it was a fist of pure golden chakra erupting from the ground.
The sonic boom that erupted told all of the force utilised in the hit, yet again it was short lived as the sound of cracking was heard and foretold of a beat down that would be remembered for years to come.
Spitting blood from the exertion of power needed to fight back the force of the impact, Sasuke saw the growing form of the glowing nine-tailed beast that was growing out of the bedrock and roaring as a tailed beast bomb formed in it's mouth. A blast of thick, dense chakra ripped through the chest of his Sasunoo with little resistance, and it began to lose shape.
Before long the smashed chakra construct shattered and its occupant was blasted clear. During the abrupt airborne flight, Sasuke found himself eye-to-eye with that full might of the nine-tailed fox, that was preparing yet another bijuu bomb and he was fresh out of options.
Just before it fired, however, a certain pink haired kunoichi appeared at the foxes maw and landed a solid haymaker that knocked the attack wide. Sakura roared. "You will not harm Sasuke-kun anymore, you damn demon!"
The kitsune fell off balance from the surprise attack, just stumbling slightly with a hand falling to the ground to stabilise itself before snapping back with a roar and launching its human-like palm at the medical ninja.
Sakura, in total confidence in her strength, tried to launch a counterattack at the incoming strike with a second, chakra enhanced to the maximum, super powered punch at the limit of what she was biologically capable of and roared out again. "Chanaro!"
Her fist made contact but instead of the expected flung back, it absorbed the hit, as if a mosquito bite, and came crashing forward. Her shock was brief as the palm slap smacked one Sakura Haruno down hard, slashing through the air and down hard with the crater of bedrock reaching twenty meters with another shockwave trailing far and wide.
Before being able to confirm the damage done, the sound of numerous thunder storms rumbled through the ground and drew eyes up to the Sasunoo with a lightning beast in its arm and its occupant glaring down. Sasuke roared out with his entire being. "Chidori: Rikari Chidori roar!"
Yet, before he reached the towering fox the sound of rattling chains drowned out the hand held thunderstorm, with Sasuke watching in growing horror and rage as hundreds of chains block his view, before beginning to pierce his Sasunoo all over.
It's leg armour shattered again, the shoulder pouldron ripped off, followed by the shredding of it right wing, and even the crystal, that he resided in, was punched through and he had to duck one kunai tipped chain aimed at his head.
Despite all of the attacks from the chakra chains, the Uchiha did not stop as he eventually managed to punch through the wall of chakra chains, and with his thrusting lighting blast cutting through them. The few seconds after breaking through the hail of wall of dense Uzumaki chakra, Sasuke had only a few microseconds to observe the area before finding a hard, orange fist of chakra shattering through his Sasunoo once more.
The gem that held the Uchiha shattered under the force of the bijuu's fist, the entire being shattered in response to this with the thunderstorm of the Chidori falling silent. The shockwave caused even the massive tree base, they were fighting beneath, to ripple and the onlookers were blasted back briefly before their chakra locked them down.
Before looking back to see the battered form of the Uchiha came into view and he was trying to stand yet froze upon sensing the growing chakra pressure, the hair on his arms stood on-edge at the amount of power being gathered by the dobe. Swallowing hard, Sasuke looks up and surely enough another bijuu bomb had almost finished gathering.
He couldn't even breathe properly anymore, and his Susanoo wasn't responding right now and the hold on the other bijuu had clearly slipped away at some point sensing their approach to their location. Much to his surprise however was the sudden breaking apart of the dark purple sphere that faded away harmlessly, the pieces shimmering and fading away in particles of dust.
It took a moment before he realised that Sakura was standing ahead of him, heavily wounded and covered in dirt and blood. Her breathing was heavy and weighted yet she remained defiant in the face of the demon fox. A slight thump in his chest at the sight but that turned into horror as he spots the flames igniting in the beasts mouth.
Using all his might, Sasuke pulled all his strength and pushed himself up to his hands and knees, coughing blood and spittle into the dirt as he does. Though, things got worse when chains erupted from the ground at their feet, wrapped up the two and locked down his chakra along with Sakura's.
Both were restrained around each limb, waist, and neck, restricting their airwave enough to weaken but not pass out. This also allowed the Uzumaki sealing chains secondary ability to shine through, locking off all their access to their bodies chakra stores and leaving them both helpless.
Looking up, the last Uchiha then noticed that Karin was standing beneath the foxes maul that had lit up with orange flames. Her chains from her back feeding down into the ground. He gritted his teeth and growled out. "Oi! Dobe! Fight me! Don't hide behind that dumb fox or that bitch."
Kurama chuckled deep and throaty, grin matching his container and clanswoman beneath him. He spoke calmly. "Oh, poor little Uchiha. What's the matter? Not so powerful now, huh? No matter. Your time is up and your cursed line will end."
This is when Kakashi dropped in, standing between both sides but facing Naruto calling out. "Naruto! That's enough! They are defeated and…"
Kurama huffed but Karin replied on behalf of her team, saying. "Defeated, maybe… however, like cockroaches, the Uchiha need to be exterminated. The darkness of their hearts will always be a threat."
Taking a breath before narrowing her eyes dangerously, continuing. "We have given Sasuke plenty of time to adjust himself, to reflect and maybe self reflect or show positive change. Instead, he became a threat. A threat we had given plenty of time to overcome the darkness inherent in his character."
Kakashi had an argument, he knew he did but the list of crimes his missing ninja of a student was rather weighted. Karin continued. "My whole reason for accompanying him was to disprove Naruto's faith in him. His last declaration has proven both Kurama's and my point, thus here we are."
Taking a deep breath, the lone loyal leaf shinobi stepped forward, Kakashi replied. "I understand that, I really do, but we need to follow the due process. He is a missing leaf shinobi. We will take him back and judge him accordingly to what the law says."
Karin frowned however it was Kurama's rumbling chuckle that drew attention, shaking his head lightly as he answered. "Foolish boy. Were it not for my vessel, I would have destroyed that cursed clan long ago. His foolishness in believing he still had goodness within him. That has been disproven by his own actions."
The other bijuu arrive, all snarling at the battered members of team seven along with the Edo-kage in tow. It wasn't long before the earlier circle had been remade this time, with Kakashi stand in front of two of his students, that were still being restrained, and finds himself facing down all nine-tailed beasts alone
Naruto dropped down out of the Kurama chakra avatar, allowing his physical form to materialise, behind Karin that he immediately brings into a soft embrace from behind and speaks. "Kakashi-sensei…"
He pauses shaking his head, correcting himself. "Sorry, old habits…"
Chuckling, Naruto rested his chin on his girls shoulder, getting a slight rosiness to her pale cheeks as he explained. "Even as a banished nin, I have caught wind of the crap he's pulled. Firstly, he went AWOL from the leaf to join a known criminal shinobi. Aided and abetted said criminal shinobi with at least four separate accounts of medium scale civilian destruction."
Karin's speaks up next, steel in her voice, eyes narrowed dangerously. "Fifty-seven accounts of torturing civilians. One hundred and six uses of civilians to test his various jutsu. Fifteen separate accounts of S.assault."
Gyūki spoke next. "Your assault on Kumo and my container too."
Naruto nodded, glancing at his friend, before looking back at Kakashi. "And to top it off, his earlier statement about killing the five kage's, we can put attempted murder of village leaders to that already long list."
Even Hashirama couldn't really defend these actions for the young man, the others remaining silent. He stepped forward. "If these are all true, then you are most certainly a candidate for s-rank criminal, young Sasuke."
Kakashi replies, speaking for them. "Surely some of those things can be granted leniency? He came to our aid during this war, no? Thanks to him, you all returned to the land of the living to aid us. That has to mean something, right?"
Tobirama spoke up, grunting before voicing. "Only barely. He wanted to use us to destroy the village if my brother did not answer his questions to his satisfaction. That is unacceptable and unforgivable."
Sasuke smirked, realising he just had to catch either Naruto or Karin under a genjutsu and he could get out from this. He only had enough juice for one shot and thus spoke to distract them. "You won't kill me, dobe. You need me to undo this jutsu with the power of my eye."
He activates his rinnegan genjutsu on Karin, to get his power back only for the woman to smirk upon sensing the invading chakra. When she held up her left hand, a familiar crescent moon was now visible on her palm, much like his, and she broke out in a cackle that clued Naruto into what she had done.
Sasuke was wide-eyed upon seeing the sage's mark on her hand, his mark on that bitch's palm. How?
The others looked to the cackling mad scientist woman confusion on their faces, though Naruto himself was grinning too and began to explain. "Well, actually, Sasuke-chan, a good friend of mine informed me of this possibility, this exact possibility."
None missed the exaggerated glance up to the fox above him, that grinned harder with a low chuckle. Naruto continued. "So, we have been preparing for this possibility. Well, they have…"
He gestured up to his tenant, then tightened his hold on Karin earning flushing cheeks from the woman and a smirk from the other bijuu. In response, all the bijuu lined up and linked tails before Naruto and Karin went through hand-signs before both call out. "Sage art; Grand Release."
In response, Sasuke felt his rinnegan forcibly pulse against his will and the tree roots began lowering down before releasing their captives. Everyone was surprised, none more than Hagurumo, who was amazed at his children's creativeness, at the feat and the former hokages were in awe at this.
Once this was done, all the bijuu looked at the Uchiha with smug satisfaction. Sasuke was in shock and fearful of his fate now.
Naruto was the one to break the silence, staring at the lone loyal leaf shinobi. "So, Kakashi what will you do? Your student will die here. Will you stand against us or permit his punishment?"
Kakashi was still standing between his former blonde student, unsure of what to do at current. This is when Sakura finally spoke up. "Sensei! You can't! He is our teammate. You can't be…"
Karin shouted out, overpowering the screech of the pinkette. "Enough you damn fangirl!"
This is when the five kage's arrived, they couldn't understand what was going on. It looked like the banished leaf genin and redhead who had come to aid them with the snake sannin, had confronted the rogue Uchiha and the leaf team.
Tsunade stepped into the ring of the gathering of tailed beasts, and her banished gaki and asked. "Mind telling us what the hell is going on?"
Naruto glanced at them all, before looking to Kakashi then at the edo-kage with the four hokage stepping forward. Minato explaining. "When Naruto asked Sasuke to help release you all from the roots, he said 'no'. He then stated, and I quote; 'By killing the five kage, I will ascend to supreme daimyo of the elemental nations and rule it beneath the flag of the Uchiha.' End quote."
All the kage's eyes harden at that, not doubting the words of the legendary fourth hokage's words, all looking at the bound Uchiha behind the Jonin Hatake as Ay was the first to speak. "Is that right?"
Tsunade stepped forward next, her eyes hadn't left her apprentice, and asks. "What about Sakura then? Seeing as she is subdued and beaten too, I assume she had sided with him in his crackpot behaviour."
Tobirama replied curtly. "She did."
Tsunade frowned, as she continued forward further towards her student… former student, as it is clear that she had turned on her home. She spoke with so much ice in her voice, Matatabi's flames flickered and dimmed under the tone. "Sakura Haruno. I thought I had trained you better than this. Beaten out this fangirlism you seemed to have fallen back to."
Sakura struggled continuously, unable to summon any of her chakra in her coils nor her seal of a hundred healing. Her entire network was shut down by these damn chains of that damn skank.
Tsunade continued, fists rippling with chakra. "I thought you were better than this. Better than me. A true inheritor of the slug contract. The finest medical ninja to prowl these log-forsaken lands."
Stopping before her bound student, disappointment was all Tsunade could muster to face Sakura with as the others began to arrive and gather at the site. The others of the Konoha Ten had arrived and watched on wordlessly.
Tsunade let out a tight breath, asking with hurt in her voice. "What do you have to say for yourself, Sakura Haruno?"
Sakura remained silent for a moment, wondering what was left to say. Sasuke is her world. He had done bad things, sure, but he was still trying to bring peace. True peace just like the idiot was but far more realistically. If the kage fell, and just the kages, a new era could be dawn from the tragedy of this war. They would all be reset without leaders.
Sasuke will become their leader.
Biting her lip, tears prickling her eyes, Sakura's emerald green eyes met the cold hard, war torn honey-brown eyes of her mentor and replied. "It was the more realistic option. The older generation of shinobi are so set in their ways that they practically indoctrinate their students to their mindset. With everything swept away in one swoop, everything will start a new."
Her eyes harden, determination shimmering brightly. "We can understand one another as we all would have lost our leadership and would be forced to cooperate or risk dying out. Sasuke will be our guide. Our rallying point. He can guide us to…"
Tsunade's backhand would go down in history as one of her defining moments.
Sakura's mind was a haze from the slap but even still she recognized the feeling of her headband being removed, despite being held up by the chains that tie her down. The words of her mentor still rang through her muddled head as Tsunade informs. "You are a disgrace, Haruno."
As the hokage returned to her fellow kage's, she spots the fellow members of the Konoha Ten, soon to be nine, break down into tears, glare at the Uchiha, or stare at Naruto. She herself wasn't much better, she just had more experience shielding her emotions.
Eventually, Tsunade turned to Naruto and called out. "Naruto…?"
The nine-tailed jinchuriki looks to his former boss rather lazily, still with his head resting on Karin's shoulder as the two had been whispering back and forth during that display. Tsunade continued after gaining his attention. "I authorised the deaths of former leaf shinobi Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha."
Naruto stared back at her blankly, it wasn't the first time he'd be an accessory to murder but even still their deaths would hurt him emotionally at least. He turned to the two bound former teammates the pink haired Sakura was wide-eyed at that declaration, disbelieving her master had just said that.
Sasuke however, was just wiggling on the ground in a desperate attempt to save himself.
Fortunately, sensing his host's unease at the instruction, Kurama decided to act on behalf of Naruto. His flames gather within his mouth suddenly, drawing everyone's attention to the strongest bijuu but before they could react or do anything, his soaring amber flames had blasted forward.
The last thing Sakura saw was the wall of orange, managing only a fear laced. "Wait...!"
Sasuke stared at the encroaching wall of orange flames and couldn't believe this would end like this. He had so much to do. He had to rebuild the…
He too was engulfed in the flames of the Kyuubi no Yoko ending the life of the last Uchiha, his clan along with him.
Kakashi was on his knees, staring at the spot his former students once occupied. Nothing remained of either of them. Not even the ash. To his surprise, his own sensei appeared at his side, kneeling down and the last Hatake to glance over at the knowing face of Minato who says. "Do not blame yourself, Kakashi. It was their choice. Not yours."
Kakashi hung his head in shame, mumbling. "I… I failed them just the same, sensei."
Minato sighed, shaking his head then looking over to his son and his partner but before he could say anything else, all the remaining reanimations began to glow to signal that their time among the living was up.
Looking down at his own form, Minato let out a breath before the sound of steps on stone hit him and he jerked back to find Naruto and Karin standing there with solemn, but accepting looks upon their faces. He smiles softly, offering. "I guess it's time. After all, our presence here is unnatural."
Both offer nods so Minato continued. "Naruto. Happy birthday. Even with all the challenges you have faced. You have become a splendid man."
He looks to Karin, smile radiant. "And even found a woman as strong as your mother. I will be sure to tell her that along with everything else, I promise."
Despite the tears in his eyes, Naruto just nodded as his fingers intertwined with Karin's as she offered a brief squeeze of support. He replied after that urging from his precious person. "Tell her that I am fine and not to worry. I'm eating properly."
Despite the shaking in his frame, Naruto continued to smile through the tears. "That I try and bathe everyday. Karin-chan gets mad when I don't so… yeah… haha."
Karin smiles softly, but dared not interrupt this moment along with the other shinobi dotted around. Naruto continued. "I may not be a leaf shinobi anymore, but I still fight to protect my precious people, my many friends. I have plenty of those, all over the world, ya know."
Minato nodded, smiling wider despite himself loosing cohesion. Naruto continued. "Things may not have gone to the plans you both had for me, but, I just turned eighteen. I am still working things out but…"
Naruto beamed a megawatt smile as he scratched the back of his head, explaining. "I know about alcohol and stay clear of it mostly. Karin-chan ensures that too, as you know she's become my world and my most precious person. She is super strong, ya know."
Minato nodded as his body fell away, leaving only the chakra ghost.
Naruto continued, his face dropping as he states. "I know mum would approve of her. She strong, kind, and cares for me. Even when I am a bit of an idiot. So I have that covered."
His eyes clench shut, as he forces out. "Many still call me demon, or monster, or even a criminal, but I swear that I am doing my best to save everyone. I really am! So tell her, Tou-san! Tell her that I am alright. That I am doing my best to do you both proud."
Minato slowly lifted from the ground, but was paying wrapped attention to his son's final words. Naruto all but yells, clutching Karin's hand for dear life as he continued. "My dreams may have changed but I promise you, when I get there, I will have plenty to tell you both. How I was as strong as her, and faster than you. That I lived a full and happy life!"
He takes a heavy breath as he snaps up to his father, his father smile back as Naruto finishes. "Tell her that I am doing great. That I love her. That we will do you both proud. So, tell her… that she doesn't have to worry about me! Tell her that she doesn't have to worry about either of us!"
As he floats away, Minato nodded with a big smile. "Got it. I'll be sure to tell her everything. I promise."
He and the other returned soon find themselves fading back to the pure lands as everyone watches them silently. Karin had brought Naruto into a hug, not allowing the others to see her partner breaking down into tears despite her own.
As the tailed beasts all head their own separate ways, Kurama back to the seal willingly, the five kages turn their attention to the banished genin who had saved them in the end. A former Konoha shinobi who had been missing for the last six years since his exile from the Leaf.
Thankfully, Naruto had successfully managed to recompose himself before they got too close and he glances at them with a face of cold indifference, despite his reddened eyes and cheeks, along with Karin. He asks. "What is it now?"
Ay was the first to speak, as always. "Naruto Uzumaki. You know how hard it is to find you? I have been meaning to…?"
Naruto cut him off, stating blandly. "My answer is no. There is a reason I stayed hidden, Raikage. Sure, with the Akatsuki defeated, I am safe from them potentially ripping out my tenant, but by joining any of you, the power balance is shifted again. So no, Raikage. I will not join Kumo."
All the kages were taken aback by that reasoning. It was a fair point.
Karin then spoke up. "Surely, your new alliance will benefit from the joint middle ground and the complete lack of demon containers on all sides means that you are all on even ground."
The five all glance to one another but were brought back to the here and now as Tsunade stepped forward, hoping to convince her little brother-figure. "Naruto. With your new status of hero, I am sure that the village will welcome you back. You can come home now."
Naruto noticed the other members of his classmates, the Konoha Nine now that he was the last member of Team seven yet currently banished. They were all looking hopeful but memories of his banishment and the words they had used back then firmly broke any ties that might have lured him back.
Letting out a tired sigh, Naruto put it simply. "You really think that would work, Lady Hokage?"
Upon her stupefied look, he began to explain things. "Did you forget that my most used jutsu is the shadow clone jutsu? When the council announced my banishment, do you know what the village said? What my classmates said? I do. I know every single word they all said."
Tsunade looks over to the Konoha Nine and seeing their shocked expression, went wide eyed before snapping back to Naruto who had a tired grin on his face and nodded. "In my time of need, I sent my clones to try and ask for help. My classmates are mostly from clans so I figured they'd know how to help."
He shrugged before looking to them all, none being able to meet his gaze as he continued. "Most forget that even the Anbu have trouble finding me when I don't want to be found. Doubly so when I wasn't wearing my neon orange jumpsuit."
Returning his gaze back to the Hokage, he gave a bored face and Naruto finished. "So, no, Tsunade. I will not be coming back to the Leaf village. In fact, I am going on vacation."
Karin tugged on his hand slightly, a light glare at him causing Naruto to chuckle. "Right, we are going on vacation."
She nodded her approval, and Naruto looked back to the Kages. "We came here to help and save everyone. Pro-bono no less as it was the right thing to do. I think we deserve time off now."
Gaara speaks now, offering. "Surely there is something you desire? As my friend…"
Naruto shook his head, smiling at his brother in arm as he replied. "That is exactly why, Gaara. As your friend, I can't have you choose between your village and me."
It was Mei's turn now, stepping forward. "Where will you go? Surely, we could come to an arrangement again."
Karin took this one. "You have more allies now, Lady Mei. Two extra hands are nothing compared to the might of your fellow big five."
Naruto nodded his agreement, adding. "Should help you all get along better too. You don't need us… relics of a lost clan."
Dropping his free hand into his hoodie central pocket, his other holding Karin to his frame, he shrugged. "It should be a no brainer."
Onoki hovered closer, eyes narrowed on the two unaffiliated. "How can we trust you?"
The two Uzumaki raised an eyebrow, looking to one another briefly before looking back at the old timer as they gesture to the battleground all around. Naruto quipped. "We just helped save everyone. Should count for something, no?"
Karin shook her head, muttering. "Even after everything…"
Ay nodded stepping forward, clearing past the other kages. "Still. We need a way to…"
Naruto raised his hand, that was interlocked with Karin's, waved them off without releasing one another. "Nah, you don't. You have bigger problems then the last two members of a dead clan."
Ay grunts, stating. "That's the point. You two are the last Uzumaki. We can't just let you be. Your protection is…"
Tsunade cut in here, not allowing Kumo to claim her cousin clan. "The responsibility of the leaf. As Uzushiogakure and Konohagakure are sister villages, with still active treaties…"
Mei cut in here. "You banished him though, right? You can't use that card. Besides, in the past, he's given us aid, so Kiri will…"
Naruto and Karin chuckled loudly, and drew the kage's eyes to them. They both had smug grins, and it took a little while before Tsunade and Mei caught on to what they haven't said. Ay soon realises it too and grumbled. "Point taken."
Both Uzumaki nodded, not needing to waste breath explaining.
Onoki dropped down beside his fellow kages, offering. "At least let us send one shinobi each. As a type of protection detail?"
Again both snorted, shaking their heads before Karin pushes up her glasses, informing them. "No need. We'll be fine on our own."
This time Ay snorted, grunting out. "This isn't a negotiation. Your clan is a very important clan for the future and…"
Karin raised her hand, and the bulk of a man paused long enough to see the subzero steel gazes on both Uzumaki as she spoke. "Remind us again, who wiped out and scattered our clan to the four-corners of the world again?"
When no answer replied, Karin looked to Naruto and stated. "I think we've been here long enough."
Naruto nodded back, smirking. "Oh, someone's eager?"
Karin shrugged, stating. "It's been a few months, okay, and don't act like you are not."
Naruto chuckled in a good natured manner, despite the looming signature approaching from behind them, as he stated. "Never said I wasn't…"
Tsunade speaks up, cutting into their flirting. "Naruto, Karin. Surely we can come to an agreement. The Uzumaki clan is an important part of the Leaf Village and it's history. Please. Just come back with us."
Naruto shakes his head again, a weary expression upon his visage as he states. "The Leaf and the Uzumaki are no longer allies, Tsunade. I would ask that you remove it from your uniforms but it isn't like that matters anymore either."
He shrugged as she sighs, though Ay steps up with a blank face. "Then, if you won't come willingly…"
A barrier went up surrounding the pair, six alliance shinobi surrounding them projecting their chakra to contain the two Uzumaki. Ay then broke into a grin, exclaiming. "Then, we'll have to detain you as rogue shinobi."
Tsunade though, she knew those matching glints in their eyes and was about to warn the others but she was too late.
Naruto chuckled lowly, shaking his head. "Detain us?"
Karin smirked, her glasses reflecting the light from the pale cream barrier, blocking view of her ruby gaze as she informed. "We're already gone."
Upon those words both shadow clones puffed away in chakra smoke, meaning that at some point the real duo had slipped away and could now, theoretically, be anywhere.
Onoki snorted. Mei chuckled. Tsunade sighed, Gaara smirked, and Ay grumbled.
Elsewhere
A yawning Naruto looked to his side as he was hopping through tree's at Elite Jonin speed, seeing Karin look back at him with a frown and nodded at him signalling she got the memories of her clone too.
A silent signal stating that once again, the two will have to go into hiding, for Naruto a return to normal as for Karin however, a change as she was the one who went out in public, as plenty of people were looking for him after his banishment he could not be seen too often. What a farce that was.
He had beaten his late teammate and brought him back. He had two feet in the grave and, were it not for Tsunade's skills he would have died. Still, even after everything and he was on the road, Naruto had heard that it did not even take a full year before the Uchiha made another attempt at escaping. Killed a few of his fellow Leaf nin this time too.
Yet, they still, to this day, refused to place him in the Leaf Bingo book. Probably hoping to sway him back somehow. Not that it matters now though.
Glancing to his travel companion again, Naruto could never have guessed that all that time ago in the forest of Death that he'd meet a fellow Uzumaki, let alone his wife in all but name in Karin. She was a scaredy cat in the beginning, clearly not a fighter and more a rearguard than frontline. Yet, the more time they spent together, both in and out of the Leaf, they had become the missing piece of one another.
Looking forward, Naruto smiles knowing that since she came into his life, he's become more thoughtful and not so impulsive. Reckless might be a better word actually.
A snort from within his mind confirmed that reckless was the better word.
Karin however, too has changed. She's still super clingy at times, can panic suddenly when put on the spot, and can be easily flustered when surprised, but she has come into herself. Confidence in waves with a dark sense of humour. Skeptical but is willing to be presently surprised. Fierce when needed, calm when required, and yet can match his pace step for step without losing herself.
She's like a hyperactive-Nara at times.
A sudden chill rushed up Naruto's spine causing a robotic turning of his head over to see Karin's gleaming glasses glare that caused an involuntary gulp from the blonde tipped redhead. Naruto goes to ask but Karin speaks first. "You were thinking something stupid just now?"
Naruto can feel those ruby eyes narrow on him, and he tugs on his hoodie's neckline as he muttered. "I don't think that is the case."
That tick-mark was back and now Naruto knew he was screwed. Eventually, he grinned though, speaking. "Let's just get back to the grove."
Karin muttered, lowly. "Oh, great. I have to put up with that thing."
She swallowed hard upon seeing his cold glare, forcing her to avert her gaze, eventually mumbling. "She is…"
Naruto barked heatedly. "A person. Just like you and me."
Sitting beside a small crackling fire that night, the only witness to the Uzumaki couple's presence being the starry skies above, Karin finally confronts the distance that had grown between them. Placing her cup of instant coffee aside, her ruby gaze falls across the small flame between her and her fellow as she speaks. "Naruto…"
The formerly blond shinobi, banished from his birthplace, looked up at his sole companion with eyes heavy and wariness, so she continued. "I am sorry."
Naruto raised a brow in inquiry, and as she lets out a heavy sigh, pushing her glasses up her nose, Karin explains. "I know I haven't… exactly been around and skimped out in my duties as a life partner…"
A snort from the fiery haired man opposite interrupted her confession, earning a glare from the woman. Naruto spoke up after throwing a small stick into the flames separating them. "It wasn't by choice, nor do I blame you for it. The world was at stake after all, so naturally our personal life took a backseat for the greater good."
Upon seeing her contemplative face, he continued. "Besides…"
Gaining her attention, he shrugged with his eyes staring at the flames. "Oba was guilt ridden for weeks due to it. As i said, it was necessary for world peace and the greater good. Now though..."
Finally meeting her scarlet gaze with his own, Naruto finishes. "I fear she is simply holding on by willpower to apologise to you directly."
Karin's eyes widened at the news, her previous anger at him fading to worry by the statement and was quick to rush to his side. Her arms wrap around him, and the carefully crafted visage of a mature, capable, and powerful shinobi rogue crumbled in her embrace.
With the imminent death of his maternal grandmother hanging over him for the entirety of this war, Naruto Uzumaki finally let his façade drop and cry into his wife's arms.
It wasn't that he was ignorant of Karin's concerns about his other "entanglements" but they've been apart for years. He loves her, that is true even now, however, his promise to his grandmother and giving her happiness in these final days by seeing her own dreams come true is something he cannot, will not ignore.
Karin cursed this fact too. She wants to be mad, she really does, but their grandmother, hers by marriage, his by blood, has put her all into the revival of the clan. By any means necessary. Their rescue, was a prime example of this goal and the love she had shown them both when meeting.
She had even "borrowed" data, schematics, and idea's from both sides of common scientific law to do so.
Karin was sure that if known to the world at large, her grandmothers artificial human project would have been both condemned and praised in the same breath. Growing these life forms has taken many countless attempts, over eighty years of study, trials and errors. Yet only three were viable.
They are not the perfect human beings many believe them to be, no, that was never their goal. They were simply a means to an end. To birth the next generation of the clan, stronger and faster than before. Naruto was the last piece of her plan.
Karin's thoughts were broken through by Naruto lifting off her chest, wiping his face with his grey sleeve and turning to her with a sorrow filled smile, his voice was moist with resignation. "She's been so happy spending time with the others, but before I left I saw it…"
Karin replied by tightening her hold on him as he struggled to get the words out, Naruto eventually whispered. "She is so frail, Karin. Takes her so long to stand from her chair. She struggles recalling my name sometimes. I pretend not to notice when she looks confusingly at me or the others."
"She's over a century and a half old, Naruto." Karin replied softly, bringing him into a cuddle as she whispered. "Even for us Uzumaki, she is elderly."
Naruto nodded subtly, hugging tighter into her warmth with arms around her waist before responding. "A hundred and fifty-six. Her birthday was a few months back, remember?."
He chuckled but it was wet and loaded with fear and sorrow, though he continued. "I swear her eyes were glowing brighter than the sun that entire day."
Karin let off a low chuckle, pulling back to come face-to-face with her husband's gaze, replying. "I hope she got my gift."
Naruto nodded, smiling softly. "She did, and I quote: Even in that viper's nest, my little Karin is still a lady. You better not squander her, grandson, or so help me. End quote."
Karin smirked, rocking back and forth on his lap in an attempt to distract him from his troubled feelings despite her own wavering. Despite the deadpan she was getting in response to her action, she commented. "It is good advice. Who knows, maybe you'd get lucky before we get home."
Naruto raised a brow for a moment, then it fell and a very seductive smirk arrived, before she felt his hands messaging her back and travelling further in both directions. He whispered. "Oh, is that right?"
Upon her imperialist nod of confirmation, he leaned forward as his hands continued to roam, whispering sultry intent rolling. "Are you sure you aren't the lucky one tonight?"
Karin did not flush, and will deny it under oath despite the recollection of that one night, and she will never admit to anyone that she was contemplating on doing some very bad things to this man right now. Though, she coughed into her fist to regain her composure. "Yes, well, we are a little exposed out here. Maybe we should wait until we get home."
She felt Naruto's grip on her tight ass tighten briefly in a squeeze before he let out a sigh, and nodded, saying. "Yeah. We have to remain alert right now."
Karin wanted to leave this on an upside, cupped his face with both hands and kissed him softly. It wasn't a long passionate one, just enough to get his attention on her as she spoke softly. "When we get back, we'll spend a whole day in your room. I promise."
Naruto smiled at that and nodded subtlety in response. "I will hold you to it."
She smiled too, not her usual crazy scientist one, but a true heart warming and honest smile. He met it with his own and not his idiot persona, but his actual smile. It was one of their wedding vows to one another, to not use their masks around one another in private settings.
Hidden Uzumaki Grove
It took a few days for the duo to return to the hidden tunnel staying hidden the entire time, moving with practiced ease, stepping through the genjutsu seals that deactivated upon there approach and re-activated after they passed.
After they entered the large cavern, the opening in solid stone roof allowed the sun shine to light up the meadow like cave. It was a picturesque sight, without a doubt, as the flowers were in bloom and a few tiny figures running about. Karin counted them and frowned, there was another one out there. Damn. She has been away a long time.
Their arrival did not go unnoticed or unannounced as standing before the manor were four people of note. The compound however was a three-story classic Shinto architectural building with the Uzumaki Swirl prominently featured interwoven into the deep maroon, wooden structure and rice paper walls.
It sat at the far end of the cavern, just within the natural sunlight zone, as the last refuge for the recovering clan and home to the only one left alive and present during the sacking of Uzushiogakure. Semera Uzumaki, mother of Kushina Uzumaki, grandmother of Naruto Uzumaki, last clan matriarch and elder of clan Uzumaki.
At a respectable age of a hundred and fifty-six, for an Uzumaki, her once vibrant scarlet hair had long since lost its colour but seemed to hold its lush gleam. It still flowed smoothly down her back to her waist, her once flawless, pale skin had held up well to the test of time but at a glance you can tell it has past its prime and sagged at key places over her frame.
Even with her cane to support herself, she stands at five-foot-eight as she does not hunch forward, as that would be bad posture, and just needs an extra help sometimes. Despite the wear on her body, her vibrant violet eyes gleamed with the same sharpness one would expect of a kunoichi many times younger, and give credence to her prodigious intellect even after all this time.
Upon seeing her grandson and granddaughter arriving into the grove proper, she had to blink the recollection of their first arrival six years prior. Just like now, he had entered with her granddaughter in arm, both exhausted from the trip, malnourished, and very clearly on their last legs.
When their eyes met back then, she could see the sheer determination glowing within his deep cerulean blue eyes, that made her so proud and confident that her last descendant can fulfil her dream for the clan. Even despite his hair, Naruto Uzumaki was definitely her grandson.
Semera blinked again, and time seemed to fly by as now before her stood that same twelve-year-old boy turned eighteen-year-old man, that she had cared for these last six years and found absolute joy in having a family member around.
Naruto smiled at her, that she returned equally as brightly before he stepped up and brought her into a gentle embrace. Semera did not fight it but returned it as best she could, as he whispered. "I am back, Semera-oba."
She whispered back. "Welcome home, Naruto-chan."
Eventually, the two parted and Semera turned to Karin who smiled just as softly as she says. "I am home, Semera-oba."
With arms out, Semera gives the universal signal of come here, and Karin was quick to embrace her grandmother figure with even more vigour than her other half.
Naruto watched on with a warm smile when one of the other figures stepped up, her black base, maroon instead of white, French-maid attire denoting her station within the compound. The tallest of the three, and their appointed leader spoke first, her voice a soft melody to one's ears. "Naruto-sama…"
Naruto looked to the woman, who matched his six-foot-one frame, her snow white hair was like an avalanche down her back that reached her knees. Her skin was as pale as any Uzumaki he knew of, her face gave off a soft and gentle visage despite its usual deadpan.
Naruto noticed something out of the ordinary, for her, in the fact that she was wearing light, natural-looking makeup. Small black mascara wings around her eyes, that draw attention to them and peach coloured lip gloss that seemed to enhance the look of their softness as she spoked. "I am happy you are safe."
As she bowed upon noticing his attention on her, for a lack of a better term, perfect body caught the heir's attention next. As stated previously, she matched his height, but her curves was the stuff of legends whispered to perverts the world over.
Her bust secured behind both her maid gown, but also a corseted dress beneath and seals as it was an unusual H-cup, not that most would know with her layers and outfit. Naruto was one of the few blessed enough to have the honour of knowing this first hand. Wide, childbearing hips leading into perfectly toned ass then legs.
Her name is Kana Uzumaki, one of the artificial humans, the oldest of the three and the only one bonded to the heir. Naruto nodded once firmly, face softening into a smile. "Kana-chan, you know you don't need to be so formal with me."
She nodded once, confirming that she did indeed know this, so he instead looks to the slightly shorter two, both in the same outfit as Kana, and shared the same white hair and pale skin but had distinctively different faces.
The shortest of the three, had a much sharper visage, as if a bird of prey eyeing her dinner and a dangerous grin that told of an unfortunate fate for those who earn her wrath. This was Nanria, or Ria for short. Naruto, knowing this secret pranksters mindset all too well, thus spoke sharply. "Ria, hope you have kept out of trouble in my absence."
Nanria nodded once, but remained silent which caused him to narrow his eyes and causing her to sweat nervously despite remaining perfectly stoic. She knew silently that her master had likely figured her out but she'd be damned if she gave herself up. Unlike her older-counterpart, she had a more reasonable figure, a five-foot-eight with perky c-cups, and firm behind.
The last member of the trio was far too innocent for her own good, borderline childish, and unlike her "sisters" though, her snow white hair was thick and wavy that ran down to her shoulder blades. Soft features, cute button nose, and larger than normal eyes.
Subsequently, this random mutation of sorts allowed her eyesight to be sharper than a Uchiha, without their sharigan active. Naruto always found himself lost in them and also the first to notice that her eyes were three-toned of various violet shades within them.
This was Yukia. She almost matched her elder sister in height, about three inches shorter, but had a much slimmer frame with d-cups, hips are flared wide but not as much as her sister Kana. Naruto though knows for a fact that her ass would short circuit people of his godfather's persuasion, it was just objectively perfect and even he would be lying if he said otherwise.
Naruto address the childish one of the three, after his swift once over, as he spoke softly. "How are you feeling today, Yukia?"
Beaming a smile that seemed to light up her frame, Yukia bowed her head whilst nervously clasping her hands ahead of her as she replied. "Umm… I am fine… Naruto. I am happy that you and Lady Karin are back safe."
Naruto nodded with his soft smile in response to her before looking back to see Karin and Semera finish their reconnecting. Looking over to him, the matriarch pulls the two returned back in to hear all about their journey and the battle that decided the world's fate. As they stepped in, the two of the three maids followed them as Yukia stayed outside to watch the other residents.
A/N: A Random idea I got. Originally a Naruto x Karin story as the last two Uzumaki on the run from the Shinobi Alliance. I split the story from the campfire scene. I still have it and will probably go back to it at some point. Though, Naruto's grandmother was a new idea as there aren't many if any fics speaking of Naruto's grandparents.
Especially regarding his Uzumaki side, considering that the Uzumaki are supposed to have long lifespans. I have come across a few with his grandfather and even his great-grandfather.
The OC's are borrowed from another one of my stories, that I haven't posted yet, another banished story with the United Western Empire type, Unified Imperial Provinces, however Naruto is joined by his O-G team, Team Shikamaru from the Retrieval Arc, Shino, Yakumo, and surprisingly Yugito Nii.
2nd A/N: Inadvertent started on this stories Chapter Four, I tend to break chapters into around ten thousand words or so, and figured I should see what you guys think of it. The other version of this hit a snag as I don't really know where to take it. Like this one, they get to the Grove but it's empty as Naruto's grandmother had already passed away and did not get to finish her research.
Did not want to waste too much time on it so I went back to Tails of Freedom, Page Ten, to get it finished to move on to other projects. This story is behind even The First Hunter in priority, even if I have three chapters uploaded on here.
As to this stories rough timeline: Naruto's banishment killed Suna-Leaf relations. His disappearance delayed the Atkatsuki plans a full year atop cannon. Him being spotted aiding in the defeat of the Mizukage with the rebels restarted the plan. He only then popped again years later when Gaara was kidnapped.
With both his siblings in the village, Sasori was killed but Didera escaped with Gaara, only to be jumped later by Naruto who killed him. Asuma dies to Hiden, Sai takes Naruto's place during the revenge battle with the immortal duo and is killed but allowed Kakashi and Yamato to end Kakuzu.
Naruto and Karin help defeat Morio in Demon Country, Shion proposes her deal but Karin interferes. The blonde hasnt given up and Naruto is band from going back by his now wife.
Naruto heads back to the grove and undergoes Fox Sage training and works with Kurama for the first time. Son Goku sends Kurama a warning about the Akatsuki. Kurama takes this very seriously and informs the Uzumaki of the threat.
The war kicks off and Naruto, like cannon, arrives on the second day, spreading his clones far and wide to investigate the situation. Thing remain cannon except for the fact Killer Bee doesn't survive and he doesn't run into Itachi/Nagato duo.
o7