Wind Monk Banishment #5
Naruto: Wind Monk Banishment 5
Author Notes:
I know I said this chapter wouldn’t be up anytime soon since I had to work on Arcane Advent, but since my birthday is today, I’ve decided to spoil others instead of myself…although many will curse me for the cliff hanger…again. I won’t lie, but it is somewhat addicting.
So, thanks for the reviews and PMs. I pride myself in writing and I gotten a lot of good advice and concerns—along with a few complaints but less than expected, so that’s a win in my books—that I hope to address in this or future chapters. Keep it up.
Now, Naruto’s main issue with Konoha is his past treatment not the banishment itself. He’s has had time to think over everything he’s went through for the village and yet the villagers still hate him and claim he’s the fox when the two are separate beings and they are placing the blame solely on him.
Naruto is a little hot-headed when it comes to them, but he’s at least smarter than canon and being logical (rational) about his hatred, otherwise he’d be Sasuke from the anime and manga and decide on the genocide route which is overkill. He’s not going to hate newborns and the uninvolved, but he will not go back to the village willingly.
When Naruto gets too angry it affects his judgment and he knows it. That’s why he had to calm himself down numerous times in the last chapter. The one time he didn’t, he got a bunch of Chidori Senbon in his back for trying to kill Kakashi and forgetting about Sasuke.
Naruto will not join Kumo or any other ninja village of his own free will. The reasons will be explained in this chapter to settle the issue. They are both personal and logical reasons.
I’m not making a bashing fic either.
Danzo will still be a douche but he wants what’s best for the village and won’t say something stupid or illogical, Hiashi doesn’t look down on Hinata and he doesn’t hate Naruto but he’s obligated to keep the Hyuuga clan strong, not all shinobi are blind idiots and can understand that Naruto isn’t the fox, it’s mostly just them allowing their opinions to be colored by the masses for stupid reasons.
As for what Naruto has been doing these past for years, I was—and still will be—a little vague on the subject matter like the Eight Wind Spades until we reach the part I have planned for him to go through a flashback in a later chapter—not during a fight scene though, I hate those long breaks in fighting for that reason. You will learn a bit about his time in Iron though and an hint as to why he won’t be going near Iwa anytime soon.
As you can tell in this chapter, there is a progressive time skip and the jinchuuriki do NOT want to go back to the people who’ve treated them as weapons and all of them will put up a fight, risk of war be damned. Tell me what you thought about the old samurai and his past as well as the various justifications.
Fanfic recommendation while waiting for this to update: Yet Again with a little extra help by Third Fang.
On an unrelated note, I’ve had an intense desire to listen to N’Sync for the last few days and it scares me.
Chapter 5: Recalling of the Jincuuriki
The message had been sent.
The threat of Akatsuki had been known with the attempted theft of the Ichibi, and successful thefts of the Nibi, Sanibi, and Gobi.
Unwilling to lose their remaining jinchuuriki, the recalling of the jinchuuriki to their villages had begun.
Whether they liked it or not…
Land of Iron – One Week after Land of Wind Incident
“Fuu,” Naruto started as they entered a winter forest coated in evergreen trees. “I feel the need to warn you ahead of time about the person we’re staying with. Guard your ass…I mean that literally, not figuratively.”
“Huh?” she raised an eyebrow.
“He told me he had a fetish for them and this man is nearly as big a pervert as Jiraiya… and you have a very nice one,” he openly told her as they approached a good-sized cabin in the middle of the forest. “I don’t know why the goddess of perverts has decided to endear the strongest of them to me, or if it’s a tradeoff for the goddess of luck blessing me during gambling and cursing during missions, but the majority of my senseis have been perverts to an extent.”
“I’m sure he can’t be that bad…” she muttered as they approached the door. “But thanks for saying you approve of it.”
“Just letting you know…” he knocked on the door and waited for it to open. “And it is very nice.”
It revealed an old, short man that barely went past Naruto’s knees due to his advanced age robbing him of his height. He wore a plain blue kimono and had a black cane with a hilt at the end revealing it to be a sword in a sheath without a hand guard. His eyes were half-closed and his hair had been pure white and balding.
“Been awhile, Pervy Master!” Naruto gave him a heartfelt grin.
A smile etched itself onto the wrinkled face. “Indeed, whiskers.”
“Fuu, meet Pervy Master Hyoudou,” he looked over to his sword master. “Pervy Master, meet Fuu.”
“Hello,” Fuu told the man and gave him a short bow. “Thank you for taking care of Naruto before we met.”
The older man stepped around to look Fuu before he got a gleam in his eyes and slapped her ass causing her to jump. “Nice and firm. You’ve been busy I see, whiskers.”
“KILL—” Fuu crafted the Water Slicing Blade while her face was lit with shame and embarrassment…and a little excitement from the shock.
“Fuu, I warned you…put down the Water Slicing Blade,” Naruto held her back. “Pervy Master, please refrain from slapping one of my girlfriends’ ass.”
“She wants me to stop, she’d better get quicker reflexes…and one?” he chuckled. “Seems like you’ve taken after the Toad Brat and gone down the path of the Ero…well done.”
“It’s just her and Kanna,” Naruto told her. “I still find it odd that you call Pervy Sage a brat.”
“Well, he is compared to me. Still, I have a fine appreciation for his literature…” he motioned for the two to enter his home. “Speaking of which, when are you going to give it a try? I’d imagine you’ve done some things worth putting on paper.”
“Kanna would kill me given I’m rebuilding a village and it would feature her,” he warned. “Plus, if I did start writing Erotica, it’d have more plot than what he calls research…I will however castrate him for a certain volume involving a certain redhead and blonde.”
With Jiraiya
The Toad Sage was relaxing in a hot spring when he sneezed.
“One of the husbands of the women I’ve added to my research must be threatening to castrate me again…” Jiraiya sighed. “At least Minato never found out…he could actually pull it off…or Kushina.”
With the Older Pervert
The cabin was cozy but only had minor furnishings. The old pervert had Naruto make some tea while he talked with Fuu about Naruto and how he was somewhat proud that a kid with ninja heritage became somewhat passable at true Kenjutsu—the art of the sword. Fuu could hear the pride laced in his voice.
“Originally, this was just a small cabin with a single area,” the old man chuckled. “When whiskers moved in I told him I wanted it bigger as a joke. He took it seriously and hired contractors as well as helped them for the experience.”
“The old pervert has my respect,” Naruto told her as he gave them their tea. “He found me when I had left Kanna and the Wind Temple out in the woods after some Rounin—samurai who’ve left the service or an instructor disgraced or for other reasons—decided to attack me. That was the first time I met with samurai of Iron and those bastards caught me off guard with their shape manipulation. I was damn close to going into a cloaked state because they looked down on me because I fought ‘Like a ninja’ since warrior monks in the five nations have a base in ninja arts. Old man tore us a new one about fighting on his property before he whipped their asses.”
“Indeed,” the old man took a sip of tea. “Much ass was duly whipped. Lousy upstarts going on about how just because they could make fancy shapes using manipulation, they were above others. No wonder they got kicked out of their school.”
“The rest is history,” Naruto shrugged. “I stayed for a few months for a couple of lessons and then I met you. We’re close enough that I told him about the Kyuubi after he asked where I got all my stamina from and didn’t freak out, which put him above a ton of others.”
“I’m too old to care,” he said. “I’ve seen all kinds of things in my youth, including a giant salamander that breathed poison. Why would a fox in tall kid scare me?”
“The old human has guts,” Kurama muttered. “If it weren’t for the fact that his training keeps you—and by extension me—alive, I would gnaw on his frail bones.”
“So…” the old man got serious. “You here for old time’s sake or to train?”
“Training,” Naruto told him. “Konoha knows about me and Granny will be going all out I’m sure.”
“The Slug Girl, huh?” Hyoudou rubbed his chin. “I heard about her after she got her title with the Toad Brat and Snake Bastard, as you call him. You know you can’t use my style of swordsmanship with your blades…but we can refine what you know.”
Land of Earth – One Month after Land of Wind Incident
The hermit and container of the Four-Tailed Monkey, Roshi, sat on his wooden porch as the sun had just began to fall beyond the horizon and painted the sky a somber shade of molten red and orange. The sake cup in his hand felt heavy as he looked at a shorter man in front of him.
“What do you want Tsuchikage?” he said coldly. It had been about five days since he received uninvited guests in the form of Iwa ANBU. It had taken them longer to find him since he rarely stayed in touch.
“The Tsuchikage has ordered you back,” was what the once living ninjas ordered. He refused and they attempted to use force. They died a molten death, the heat finishing them well before they were halfway gone.
He was called Roshi of the Lava Style for a damn reason.
“Now is that any way to greet an old friend?” Oonoki smiled somberly.
“We haven’t been old friends since you became Tsuchikage and ordered me around like a weapon during the war and made do things that were cold and cruel. You gave me orders to burn down the majority of the farms near where I was stationed but you weren’t there to watch. You didn’t have to stay there and listen to children complain about starving to death. You didn’t have to kill desperate parents and orphans doing what they had to in order to survive. You still haven’t even apologized to the survivors or tried to regrow those fields after all this time.
“You became an asshole Oonoki, not a friend.” Roshi finished.
“Damn it Roshi, I’m not the First Hokage—I can’t just grow food and forests at no cost! We have to do things to ensure our shot at victory. All shinobi become weapons during war time.”
“Maybe, but at least they’re looked at as human. They’re mourned when they die and are treated when injured. If it weren’t for the Yonbi, I would’ve been dead long ago. We jinchuuriki get the short end of the stick enough to the point where giving into the hatred is easier than to wear a fake-ass smile through our lives. You know damn well that part of the reason Han wears that armor at all times is to hide the scars he got from his youth and so he’d feel safe…in his own damn village.
“And let’s not get on your behavior in terms of etiquette with other villages. Do I need to remind you of the Tragedy of Yosuga Pass? Where you ordered your men to betray those they were supposed to help? Despite claiming to have changed over these years, you still haven’t sent Kiri an apology and returned the belongings of their men you had killed.”
“You were always a bleeding heart.” Oonoki shook his head. “You weren’t there when I had to see that man Madara. I had to be ruthless to face men like him and do like Muu-sama did: What was best for the village.”
“Muu may have loved his village, but could you honestly say he was better than Madara when it came to his clan? I became more human because of the hell I went through and learned empathy—and that has bought me to moderate terms with my tenant during my travels. I can’t atone for all the crap I put other through on your orders, I simply don’t have enough years left to do so. It’s part of that reason that despite knowing the Yonbi’s name, I’ve never mentioned it.”
Oonoki started to levitate off the ground. “Roshi, you have to come back. That’s an order.”
“Why now?” Roshi asked the older man while pouring another cup.
“It seems like those upstarts we hired, Akatsuki, had been planning to steal our jinchuuriki. Deidara was probably the one who told them and even though he’s dead, the body was taken somehow from our morgue. They already got Han and I’ll be damned if I lose both of you.”
“Hmph,” Roshi shook his head before placing his empty sake bottle down. “You still refer to me and Han as your jinchuuriki, not friends or allies, but weapons. So in the end, you want me to spend even my final years as a weapon. I suffered at the hands of my own fellow comrades, fought in your damn war, and killed your enemies, yet I cannot spend my final years as I like.”
“Now Roshi, it was just unfortunate for you that you were born fit to be the Yonbi’s container.”
“We cannot choose how we are born…but we can choose how we die.” Roshi stood after finishing the last of the sake. “I’m tired of that village. I’d rather die at the hands of an enemy than to the machinations of the village that will only see me as a weapon or beast. Sometimes I wished the Yellow Flash had finished me when he had the chance.”
“Don’t joke about that,” he said. “I’m still receiving reports about that damn look-a-like that killed some of my men when they attacked him while he was with the Wind Daimyo and those monks. Self-defense, I can understand—my men, not so much. I would have killed any that survived because of the paperwork I had to deal with to ensure the Earth Daimyo and Wind Daimyo that it wasn’t an act of war.”
“I hope he is related so I can meet him one day and express my gratitude for the man’s help ending that last war…But enough small talk.” Roshi took a fighting stance. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Roshi,” Oonoki said tiredly. “You and I both know how this going to end.”
“Maybe, but you know what?” Roshi smiled proudly as his cloak began to form. “For Han, his and my tenants, and for myself…I’m going to make you work for it….”
“Always the difficult way…” Oonoki sighed. “God help you if I throw out my back…”
The Tsuchikage and jinchuuriki of the Yonbi clashed…and the landscape was forever changed.
Konoha
“Has anything interesting happened with you Daimyo-sama?” Tsunade asked, finishing up a meeting with the Fire Daimyo on events on the nation and village.
“Not much.” He shrugged. “Someone paid a substantial amount of money for the Land of Whirlpools, but they didn’t give me a name. We’ve been looking to do something with it since Uzushio fell…speaking of Uzushio, how is young Uzumaki? I was surprised to learn that the quiet guard that was with the young Wind Daimyo when she visited was him.”
“We’re trying to bring him back…” Tsunade told him. “The group explained it was an accident, but it doesn’t change the fact that we both signed the clauses on his exile. I’d like to give him a public apology to show that I regret it but…”
“Hokage-dono,” the Fire Daimyo addressed Tsunade. “I also regret my part in the boy’s banishment, and I’m willing to pay him in favors or monetary compensation, but you know how it is for those in a position of power…we simply can’t publicly apologize and let it be known we were manipulated…by a civilian of all things! If we do, how long until others try to pull the same stunt?”
“Then that only leaves force before things get out of hand,” Tsunade sighed. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the whole incident in the Land of Wind.”
“Yes…” he chuckled. “Not that I mind seeing another young version of you running around, and the Wind Daimyo who purchased that property was a very wasteful person, your apprentice must be taught restraint. That mission you authorized was unofficial and I cannot reimburse them for it otherwise it would seem like I authorized the kidnapping of two jinchuuriki with no affiliation.”
“That was a bad call on my part…” Tsunade rubbed her head. “Sakura doesn’t hate Naruto for the fox and her reasons were so shallow I thought she could rein them in. Her parents never encouraged it since they weren’t really affected by the Kyuubi’s attack on the village, having been away at the time. Unlike most of the other ninja, she has no traumatic background and I thought having her on the team would appeal to Naruto’s crush on her since I didn’t know he had found himself a girlfriend.”
“Two, if the rumors that have reached my ears are true,” the Daimyo chimed in. “The Wind Daimyo obviously trusted him enough to travel with him alone for protection.”
I hope the brat isn’t taking after Jiraiya…Tsunade thought before answering her equal. “Sakura clearly broke Rule #2 that I give my students: Medical Ninjas are not allowed to engage in the battles. She can defend herself or her patient to protect them, but she actively chased after Fuu, which I would be willing to excuse, but she used excess force above all else.”
“How did you punish your apprentice?”
“Well, it was my negligence for not beating self-control into her, so I’ve given her a more…hands-on approach after I sent her to off to Temari of the Desert with her chakra sealed and orders to return her in one piece at the least. She’ll also have to take reduced pay from missions for a tenth of the building’s cost, which will be a few years worth short of a few S-rank missions, with the rest coming from the seized finances from the idiot who modified the exile clauses…”
“Did you ever find out who killed him?”
“Nope…shame really,” she mused half-heartedly. “We’ve had to drop the search for…other reasons.”
“Quite a shame,” the Daimyo said without a hint of sorrow. He wanted to give the assassin a medal. “The assassin must’ve been quite skilled.”
Elsewhere in Konoha
Jiraiya sneezed. “Someone must be complimenting my manliness.”
“PERVERT!” the women currently being used for his research yelled at seeing him.
“Crap!” was his final words before hauling ass on toad back to avoid a justified maiming.
Back with Tsunade and Fire Daimyo
“What about Naruto’s heritage?” the Fire Daimyo asked.
“I’ve thought about it and I’m not going to tell the village unless Naruto wants me to.” Tsunade answered.
“Why not?”
“Because, anyone in Naruto’s generation will have only heard of his father from history books and only see him for the fox, while the older generation are too hard pressed to change their ways. Naruto won’t be their previous Hokage’s heir; he’ll still be the fox wearing the Fourth’s son’s skin. If people truly cared about the Fourth’s sacrifice they wouldn’t have treated him like they did.”
“Indeed that is a curse of our age…” the Daimyo sighed. “I have great respect for Uzumaki because his accomplishments have bought prosperity to not only our nation but our allied nations, not his heritage. People like him are so rare, but with the looming threat of another war waging over jinchuuriki and Akatsuki, do what you must to bring him back…”
With the Konoha 11 – Two Months after the Land of Wind Incident
“Let it rip!” Tenten proclaimed as she pulled the rip cord of a large shuriken launcher. The large shuriken gave out sparks as the rotation increased against the grating metal before it flew in an arc and through several airborne targets.
The retrieval team were preparing for their eventual encounter with Naruto between missions. They trained whenever they could for the unknown threat level he presented in groups or alone since all of them were rarely together at once. Even Iruka worked on his own skills and the basics with a little help from Anko Mitarashi despite not really being expected to contribute to the active fighting.
“The jinchuuriki of the Nanabi, Fuu is highly competent at aerial combat, water and lightning jutsu, can use insects like an Aburame from the reports, and Naruto taught her how to use clones. Of all of us, only I and Sai can effectively fight her in the sky while riding on our hawks or ink drawings, but she can blind us easily so we’ll take steps to neutralize it by having our rides blow the powder away. The rest will need to deal with Naruto from a mid-range or long range unless you’re confident enough to go up close, but he’s a wind type like Asuma and can give you a nasty wound as a result.” Sasuke gave advice to the practicing rookies based on their encounter.
Sasuke’s eyes were a blessing because of what they could do, but he was no longer arrogant enough to assume they made him god’s gift to the world. It was that type of thinking along with years of pent up frustration among other things that led to the civil war plot and Itachi’s mission. He used them to help his teammate improve instead like he should have before Naruto left.
“Anything to add Kakashi?” Sasuke asked the copy-cat.
“Well, we can’t bother with genjutsu since if Naruto is on good terms with his tenant, it won’t work, and Ino will have to act solely as a medic since her clan’s techniques won’t work on a container either.” Kakashi mused. “A jinchuuriki’s mindscape is linked to their demon, which means that if you try to control his body through your mind and chakra it’ll be a contest between you and them both. Shino, work on your taijutsu since both Naruto and Fuu will most likely close the distance to get at you and circumvent your insects, but don’t try to have them siphon Fuu’s chakra or they may fall under her control. Shikamaru, Naruto may have enough chakra to break free of your jutsu, but if you can hold him still for even a few seconds, it’ll be enough for us to get a blow in and restrain him.”
“I’m just glad Sakura and I are close enough that she helped me improve my medical jutsu so I won’t be useless since I can’t just control them with my normal techniques,” Ino stated. Their friendship had grown even stronger over the years—as close as she was with Shikamaru and Chouji.
“Where’s Kiba and Hinata?” Sasuke asked Shino. “They should be here.”
“Well, I believe that Kiba is still sulking that Hinata refused to eat with us last night after her mission. Hinata has been practicing with her father after all this time,” Shino stated. “I am concerned she is not getting enough rest.”
“She isn’t going to do something irrational during the mission…is she?”
“I…cannot honestly say,” Shino admitted. “Past emotions and words from the ill-intended have made her…delicate. She has shown absolute restraint lately, but in some ways it feels forced.”
Land of Iron – Three Months after the Land of Wind Incident
“Alright youngsters,” the old pervert took a drink of tea from the flask in his hand at about three hundred feet from Naruto and Fuu. He had been instructing them in control and giving advice while working on their physical conditioning, but this was the first sparring match. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
“Aren’t you gonna unsheathe your sword?” Fuu asked.
“Samurai only completely unsheathe their blades when in the company of their opponents to kill,” he explained. “I’ll simply use chakra flow with the sheath and bat you around a couple of times.”
Naruto closed his eyes and breathed calmly before throwing the first strike.
“Destruction—” Naruto swung the blade horizontally and released multiple bursts of chakra. They became numerous crescent arcs that rained towards the old man. “Barrage!”
The old man tilted his head and then took a step to the side and nonchalantly watched as they passed by at multiple angles. “You’ve got enough chakra in you to fire more of those than a unit of samurai, but you can’t control how they fly yet. You need more chakra control and less of them unless you plan on simply attacking a large contingency.”
The appearance of dozens of Fuu clones had the older man switch targets while they rushed in from all sides of the horizontal plane. He waited until they got close enough and then he made his move and spun fast while streaming chakra in the sheath before stopping.
“Destruction Halo,” A thin ring of chakra expanded outwards and cut through the clones. “My range has shrunk because of my age unfortunately.”
“Gale—” Naruto shrouded his hand in wind chakra and swiped it across the air. “Shuriken!” Spinning disks flew towards the old man who streamed his chakra into his sheathed sword and batted them away.
“Too fragile,” he told him. “You haven’t balanced the shaping with the amount of chakra. Don’t just think that because you have the shape it will work properly if you gorge it with chakra. In that case, make it bigger.”
Fuu came from above with Water Slicing Blades in both hands. When she was only a few feet away, she swung down the blades. They drew a blue arc in the sky as they descended on the man.
“Iai: Horizon Cut.” There was flash and the blades were sliced in two with enough force to resist Fuu’s fall. His eyes gleamed as he used his sheath to smack Fuu’s rear and earned a yelp. “You might have a firm ass, but your recovery time is too slow.”
Fuu blushed and flapped her wings to back away as Naruto rushed in from the front with a Rasengan roughly twice the size of his head and a half. “Grand Rasengan!”
“You’re telegraphing it.” Another flash before the old man jumped back. A line was drawn in the sphere. The left and right halves slid an inch before it ruptured into an explosion of released chakra. He had cut the Grand Rasengan in half before leaping back.
“Iai: Skyward Cut. My speed is not as fast compared to Mifune’s,” the old man suddenly got serious and frowned. Play time was over.
“Let’s test your defense,” he warned Naruto. “I’m coming.”
Chains emerged from Naruto’s body and coiled around him tightly. A solid layer of chakra was tempered and projected a thin barrier over his skin. “Chakra Chain: Armor!”
“Impressive and faster than your full barrier…but it has limits,” the old man said as he appeared from behind Naruto and took a swig of tea from his flask. Naruto kneeled over clenching where his floating ribs were supposed to be and the barrier cracked. “Because it is tied to your body, you still feel the force of my blows. Try to make it expand back into the sphere shape but maintain the ability to move by keeping it within an arm’s range.”
He glanced up at Fuu. “How about you?”
Fuu started making hand seals when the old man was already in front of her.
“Too slow.” He swung the sheathed blade and smacked her from the sky and into the snow below.
Fuu looked stunned as she began to sit up. “How can an old man be so—!” she shut up when she noticed he was in front of her already.
“I’ve been alive a long time little girl,” he told her with his sheathed blade next to her throat. “Much like you ninja, we samurai get more dangerous as we age and live through combat. Iaido was created to kill your kind before you can do any ninjutsu.”
He emitted enough killing intent that it felt like he could cut off her head before she could do a damn thing. Gone was the perverted old man, and in his place was a warrior. “Do you yield?”
Fuu nodded and he pulled back the weapon. “I’m heading back inside. My age is catching up with me.”
He left as Naruto wobbled over to her, waiting for the fox to finish healing his ribs.
“Naruto…What was that?” Fuu asked.
“The speed you mean? He’s that fast because he trained his ass off like bushy brows,” Naruto sat in the snow next to her. “Here, in isolation and the freezing cold. He trained until he bled and when I came along, he had me do the same. I can’t match him sword skills and if you try to make a hand seal on him, you’ll learn the hard way not to underestimate him.”
“No,” Fuu shook her head. “That killing intent, it was dangerous…and sad.”
“You felt that huh?” Naruto sighed. “Remember he told you he was in a unit with Mifune a few days ago, right?”
Fuu nodded. “What he didn’t tell you was that during the war, he was one of the one’s who encountered Hanzo with Mifune…and he ran. He ran away and Mifune bought him time to escape with the others by clashing with the salamander summoner…”
“Hanzo…he was an infamous ninja, right?” Fuu asked. “I didn’t go an Academy so I didn’t learn history, only current things Shibuki, his father, or that bastard Suien taught me, along with certain people to look out for.”
“Like me?” he hugged her.
“Especially you,” she leaned into him.
“Well, I only know because I picked up a history book out of boredom and the Wind Temple had books from all over. Hanzo was a monster in the Second War that not even Granny, Pervy Sage, and the Snake Bastard could beat together. They got the name Sannin from him because they survived fighting him. Even to this day, most people don’t know who killed the guy or if he’s really dead or not.”
“Then why was running bad?” It was a legitimate question.
“He was the oldest samurai there, the most experienced, and skilled enough to the point he earned that sword, Ukki, which is a Meitou—a blade that is famous and has history.” Naruto looked down. “Yet, he let a younger, promising samurai be the one to make the sacrifice. It was a miracle that Mifune lived through the poison and as a result he became immune to poisons.
“To him, it was his greatest shame. He never forgave himself for that and sought to atone with death by Mifune’s hands. Mifune forgave him, as well as the others who fled, which hurt even more since it meant he couldn’t take his own life or it would be disrespectful. He isolated himself, unable to stand in the same space as the comrade that he once fought alongside after leaving him for death, but he was unable to take his own life. He was willing to fade away from history instead of as a brave samurai of his era as penitence for his crime. He wouldn’t be missed, only forgotten with no one to grieve for him…”
“A lonely death where it would be the same as if he never existed,” Fuu finished.
“He feels a lot like Pervy Sage in that aspect…” Naruto sighed. “They both have things that they regret and feel as though they can never forgive themselves for until they die…if then.”
The two were bought out of their gloom by the appearance of their most commonly used ferret.
“Hey Boss!” Pace ran up to Naruto with an orange bandana and a scroll on its back. These few months he had made progress with their kind after he summoned the Ferret Boss and several of his kin and got to know their various abilities, lifestyles, and skills.
Naruto also learned a bit more about the Toads, like how they had sage skills and their own form of taijutsu. The toads and ferrets go back far until an incident involving Jiraiya spying on the previous contract holder while on a toad…Gamabunta blames the pervert for their years of separation.
The Ferret Boss also had a grudge against the Snake Boss, Manda, because…well it wasn’t a pleasant situation. Naruto had standing orders to summon the Ferret Boss if he ever ran across the overgrown snake. He didn’t blame him after what he learned…the problem was that they had to kill him before he escaped by anchoring him the location, meaning he’d have to check the storage facility for something that could help once he got back to Uzushio.
“Hey Pace, how’d it go?”
“I gave the old man’s grandson and princess the messages and the money, and they gave me the stuff you ordered and said they would get the message to Moon,” the ferret handed him the storage scroll and paused. “…Although that boy’s mom tried to glomp me…”
“Sorry about that,” Naruto gave him a treat. “Tell your family I said Hi.”
The ferret nodded and vanished.
“What did you order Naruto?”
“500 kunai in packs of 100 each, 200 of those ice…ball…tree…ice bomb thingys used by that flying girl from my trip to Snow before it became Spring, more ink and scrolls, poison powder and poison bombs from Suna and Grass, a couple of jutsus sealed into scrolls that I paid a few shinobi to perform, 20 explosive tag balls, materials to make a second seal rod, some sake from Wave, etc…I also sent Tazuna from Wave and his family a message along with Princess Yukie, who’ll pass another one to Moon country to the prince and king.”
“Naruto, there’s a thing called overkill,” she raised an eyebrow. “You’re strapped more than a small army.”
“All of these are going to be used in my version of the traditional style of Uzumaki fighting,” he told her. “I want to be ready for anything that Konoha or Akatsuki could throw against me.”
“I didn’t know your clan had a method of fighting?” Fuu scratched her head.
“Mom didn’t use it because she came to Konoha when she was young, and Granny’s grandmother stopped using it because she had Kurama and settled down with her husband before she was widowed,” Naruto explained. “The Uzumaki were feared because of their ability to seal just about anything: Jutsu, Souls, Etc. I can’t do everything they could but I can use sealing scrolls to completely throw my enemies off like I did with Kakashi—granted he got my ass in the end with that decapitation technique, but still…”
“At least you have a clan fighting style…or a clan. I have to fall back on the training I got from Suien and self-taught things,” Fuu sighed. “I can’t use a good portion of Choumei’s skills unless I’m in a stage two transformation. Outside the scale powder technique, some references I got on how the Aburame and Kamizuru clans use their insects, and my summonings, I’m limited.”
“Fuu, my main series of skills are close range and all chakra constructs or have me hitting something or using premade seal scrolls or sealing off an ability like summoning. I can also apply wind chakra externally to the Grand Rasengan now, but it still pushes and grates against an enemy instead of cutting them beyond the surface of their skin. You can fly and have an outright advantage against most enemies, attack from one end with your swords or jutsu, while your insects or clones attack from another, blind the enemy—which is infinitely useful against people who rely on their eyes—and you can throw together combination jutsu in tandem with yourself. We’ve both got limits, but we can work together to overcome them.”
“You’re right,” she kissed him passionately. “I have more at hand than I thought…so, what are you naming your new Rasengan?”
“Wind Style: Grand Squall Rasengan…and if you’re upset you don’t have a clan name, you can take mine once all this business with Akatsuki is done.”
Near Mount Katsuragi – Four Months after the Land of Wind Incident
The forest surrounding the mountain was covered in an abnormal rain storm that washed away chakra from those not intoned to its signature. It was the Mist Rain technique only taught to a special unit of Kiri-nin…the hunter-nin. They were on the move and they had finally found their prey.
“Water Style: Azure Dragon Palm!” was cried, as a spiraling torrent of water gathered and released from palm of one of the hunter’s hand. It tore through the air and was targeting a man and young woman running through the forest to escape.
“They’re only after me,” the man told the girl as they jumped off the branch that was destroyed by the incoming attack. “If you interfere, they’ll use it as an excuse to kill you!”
“I’m not abandoning you,” the girl said before she turned to face the incoming man who lacked the traditional mask of hunter-nin and wore an eye patch. She jumped away from her companion and blazed through hand seals. “Water Style: Wild Water Wave!”
She exhaled gallons of water that was slowly eaten away by the rain but still saturated with enough chakra to force the incoming man to jump away…and into a bubble filled area.
“Such a troublesome girl,” he said half-heartedly as the dozens of bubbles gathered towards the eye patch-wearer and the bubble-user snapped his fingers. “Water Style: Bubbles!”
A chorus of explosions engulfed the hunter-nin as the pressure inside the bubbles was released as an explosive force. Wood spattered along with the dirt that was caught in the blast. Yet, there were no viscera or remains…only water.
The girl’s scream caught his ears.
“Hotaru!” he looked back to see the girl being held by the eye patch-wearer himself at kunai point. I was fighting a Water Clone…
“Utakata, jinchuuriki of the Rokubi…the fact that Mizukage-sama sent both myself, Ao, and young Chojuro should warrant how desperately she wishes you retrieved,” he held the curved tipped kunai by her neck to get the point across. “You’ve been a hard man to find hiding behind those barriers on the mountain to the point that I almost overlooked it…”
“Let her go!” Utakata demanded.
“Be grateful we aren’t the same Bloody Mist as we were in the past, Mizukage-sama is even offering to expunge your crimes against the previous hunter-nin and show you records that your master meant you no harm in the incident he was killed in exchange for your return.”
“My so-called master trying to kill me and take the power was bad enough, but that was the last straw in a long series of problem with that damn village! You’ve taken someone hostage just to have a shot at catching me! You’ve always left bodies hidden in the mist just to accomplish your goals, no matter how high you’ve had to stack them. The Bloody Mist will always remain the same!”
Hotaru eyed the kunai careful and then looked at Utakata. She shed a single tear and prepared to run her neck through the kunai when Ao changed his grip to avoid that outcome.
“You’d be surprised at how many people have tried that in the past,” he told her calmly.
“Let her—” the jinchuuriki was cut off.
“Sorry about this!” a teen with blue hair, glasses connected to ear protectors, and shark teeth appeared behind him with a hammer made of chakra coming out of a sword. He slammed the hammer blade and sent the jinchuuriki flying into the rock face, next to Ao and Hotaru, creating a crater in it before he fell to the ground.
“Ngh—!” Utakata tried get up, only to see the teen in the air with his hammer ready to swing down again. “Hotaru…I—”
The earth shook as darkness claimed the jinchuuriki and the sound of smashing earth rang down in the cloud of dust. Only when it cleared did it reveal the injured form of the jinchuuriki of the Six-Tailed Slug.
“Well done, Chojuro,” Ao said.
“NO!” Hotaru screamed as hunter-nin surrounded her fallen mentor. Ao allowed her to break free as she had no chance of getting past them now.
“A jinchuuriki won’t die from—” the nervous swordsman was cut off by a loud noise that followed a loud yell.
“HOW COULD YOU!” the girl slapped Chojuro, who was knocked to the ground on his ass, and Ao, who just stood there and took it like a man. “HE’S NOT A WEAPON FOR YOU TO USE! HE’S A HUMAN!”
“He’s a weapon of the village, as are all shinobi, who has been recalled and he’s being hunted,” Ao said as the hunter-nin began to seal Utakata. “At least we’re taking him back alive. If you truly cared about him then you’d understand this was the best outcome for him.”
Ao snapped his fingers and had several hunter-nins grab the girl. “Escort her back to her home!”
“UTAKATA!” Hotaru screamed in sorrow as the other hunter-nin took her precious person away.
Land of Iron – Five Months after the Land of Wind Incident
“He’s so cute when he’s asleep,” Kanna chuckled as she laid safe in Naruto’s arms, along with Fuu, in a very large bed of a luxury suite hotel room. They were currently in a major village on the outskirts of town. “It had been so long, but I didn’t think his stamina could increase further.”
“I can’t believe you went along with the clones and the transformation, and did…” Fuu trailed off. “Anyway, it was funny when he introduced you to Pervy Master and you tried to beat him with a branch.”
“He said my ass was too soft after he smacked it so hard it had an imprint when I checked later!” Kanna countered and the two women went on with girl talk before things got back to a more somber mood.
“Kanna,” Fuu whispered to not wake Naruto. “I’ve been wondering something…why doesn’t Naruto just join another village? I heard Kumo treats theirs better than others.”
“During the time I was under his guard I asked him something like that when he told me he was banished,” Kanna sighed. “He said all the major villages use jinchuuriki as weapons and minor villages are the same to an extent. Kumo may treat jinchuuriki better, but both Naruto and his tenant would be hard pressed to even try to join, leaving aside the fact that they’d still be seen as weapons.”
“Why?” Fuu’s fingers traced a circle on Naruto’s abs. They weren’t rock-hard yet, but very firm.
“Because they’ve attempted to kidnap his mother and Kurama,” Kanna shifted her body to hug Naruto’s sleeping form. “He mentioned that the first time was with the Gold and Silver Brothers, who actually survived being eaten by the fox. The second time was when they kidnapped his mother and his father saved her. Since the ones that attempted to kidnap her and the Third Raikage have already died, he won’t seek revenge, but he won’t join them.”
“What about the places he’s helped?” Fuu bought up a secondary plan.
“Even the nations he’s helped might shelter him, but they are relatively small compared to the Land of Fire and Konoha, they would have to eventually yield to their demands under the threat of an embargo or such politics. The Hokage took gentle steps before by only sending one team to negotiate, but all the other Kages have begun forcing their jinchuuriki back according to the other Daimyo’s at the last meeting. She won’t hold back manpower anymore.”
“Did Naruto tell you what he wanted to set up the village for?” Fuu stroked Naruto’s whisker marks. “Naruto wants to restore his mother’s village and open it for all those who need a home away from the other villages, like abused orphans like he was in the past…and people like me…”
“That was the past,” Kanna gently rubbed Fuu’s face. “I love Naruto and you have me and him, while he has both of us now. He won’t put me in a bad position if he can help it, but I’ll support him in any manner he needs. He taught me a bit about chakra during our travels while he humbled me, but I can’t join him on the battlefield. Only you can do that and I’ll support you.”
For emphasis, Kanna kissed her on the forehead. “If he wants to create a place of peace where everyone can be accepted then I’ll do what I can. You do what you can as well.”
Mount Shumisen Remains
“The Uchiha did a number on you…” Sasori stated factually. “You probably should have cut your losses and went with Kakashi instead of Itachi’s little brother. You are lucky that whatever genjutsu you had on these ruins prevented the ninja from the five nations from thoroughly confirming your death.”
“Who are you?” a white haired man covered in bandages addressed the two men in black robes with red clouds. There had been a quick battle and they were currently in a stalemate, even though both parties were holding back.
“Hiruko, former Konoha-nin and international criminal for attempting to instigate the next great war and kidnapping shinobi from all great nations to obtain their bloodlines…” Kakuzu started. “We’ve come recruit you into Akatsuki. We might even be able to help you with that whole…immortality problem, given the two of us…”
“…I’m listening,” a small smile made its way across his bandaged face.
Land of Hot Water – Two weeks later
Naruto and Fuu appeared in an orange flash next to Pace in the Land of Hot Water.
“Thanks for the lift Pace,” Naruto told the small ferret. “Are you sure your dad is okay with you staying with us so long?”
“No problem!” Pace chirped. “Dad was grateful to hear about the Toad Boss and how the Snake Boss got skewered with his sword.”
“Alright,” Fuu kneeled so that Pace could hop on her shoulder. “What’s the plan Naruto?”
“We catch a boat going to the Land of Sea and water walk once we’re passing by the island,” he told her. “I don’t want to risk going by the Land of Fire since that’s where Gaara’s contractors are coming in from and Konoha frequents the port. I had Gaara recall the construction group for the next two weeks paid vacation so we could look around without worry that our identities would slip.”
“Meaning we’ll have an entire island to ourselves…” Fuu wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Yeah…” he nervously rubbed his head. “I planned to have Kanna come along, but she has a meeting with Gaara this week and she said she felt a little sick. They’ll drop by some time later next week.”
“I hope she’ll be okay,” Fuu grabbed his hand and led him to the docks. “Let’s go check our new home! Choumei wants to see if the living areas for the little ones are set up right.”
Naruto could only curse the gods that a member of Jiraiya’s spy network and one of Orochimaru’s lackeys oversaw them as they made their way to the docks. It didn’t take three days for the information to get back to their respective parties.
Konoha
Tsunade addressed the gathered units for the retrieval team.
“All of you are here because the time has come to retrieve Naruto Uzumaki and his partner and fellow jinchuuriki, Fuu. Now, this mission in itself is an S-class secret, only to be shared with individuals of my choosing after it is carried out successfully. As much as I wish I could say otherwise, you are authorized to use force if negotiations fail as he has stated that he won’t hold back.
“According to Jiraiya’s intelligence, they took a boat to the south,” she trailed her finger down from the edge of the Land of Hot Water to a small island. “I believe this is target location.”
“…The Land of Whirlpools?” Lee tilted his head.
“The Fire Daimyo informed me that someone had bought the entire island but didn’t give any information. In addition, Suna has been sending civilians according to the boat checkout logs. They rent boats and return them, but the destination log has an inaccurate time frame from where they were supposedly using them for fishing.”
“Of course…” Shizune muttered.
“Make sense.” Jiraiya added. “How the hell did we not think about that?”
“Are we missing something?” Kiba asked.
“The Land of Whirlpools is the original home of the Uzumaki Clan’s village, Uzushio.” Shizune told him.
“What kind of clan would stay in a place named the Land of Whirlpools! It’s so—”
“Kiba, shut up!” Sasuke told him while nodding towards the obviously irate look on Tsunade’s face.
“For your information Inuzuka, my grandmother and wife of the First Hokage was Mito Uzumaki!” Tsunade told him. “The next person who says something stupid gets the same treatment as Jiraiya when he does something perverted in front of me!”
Complete silence reigned.
“Now then, since the Academy didn’t apparently teach you history or you slept through it, the Uzumaki Clan were allied to the Senju Clan and you carry their symbol on your flak jackets—the spirals. Their village, Uzushio, was in the Land of Whirlpools…before it was wiped out.”
Shino raised his hands. “Why did such an event occur?”
“The Uzumaki were the best known seal masters in the world before their fall and it made them feared to the point that when Konoha was busy with their own battlefront, they were ambushed and decimated. To compare, the Fourth Hokage and Jiraiya were both taught their seals by Kushina Uzumaki…Naruto’s mother.”
“Princess—”
“The reason I’m telling them this is so they don’t get distracted and killed because they were stunned like Kakashi was,” she cut him off. “This is also an S-class secret and will remain unless Naruto consents to the public knowing it, but while we have no photographs of Naruto’s current appearance, according to Neji Hyuuga and the others who have confronted him, he bears a strong resemblance to the Fourth Hokage who was his father.”
“Not that surprising,” Shikamaru sighed…until everyone looked at him. “How many people in the village had blonde hair but weren’t from Ino’s family, born on the night of the Kyuubi attack, and had Asuma-sensei’s father looking after him since when he was a baby…? I’m lazy, not stupid.”
They looked at Asuma. “In my defense, Dad never told me who he was related to and after he entered the orphanage it was years before I saw him again since I was with the Twelve Guardians Ninja.”
“He used his own son?” Tenten asked.
“Minato was never the type to sacrifice an orphan, Naruto was the only newborn at the time, and jinchuuriki by nature are almost always related in some way to a high ranking figure inside their village to instill loyalty,” Jiraiya told them.
“Until the villagers trample over them,” Sasuke pointed out. “You wondered why Gaara was so kill-happy a few years ago.”
“We’re getting off topic!” Tsunade grabbed their attention. “The point is, by now I’m sure you all realize not only the fact that there is a power balance because each nation has one or more jinchuuriki, but Akatsuki has been going around and capturing them and upsetting the balance. The other nations have already put their effort into retrieving their own and leaving Naruto and Fuu out makes them bait for Akatsuki and for the nations who will seek to claim them in order to bolster their power.
“You’ve all been informed of what skills and techniques they’ve exhibited during their last encounters and just to be safe, Kakashi will go over them along the way, but it’s been almost half a year since then and I doubt they’ve been sitting still all this time and growing complacent. Your numbers are to ensure you capture Naruto as the primary target and Fuu as a secondary since one probably won’t go without the other, but Naruto is the greater threat. Is everyone with me so far?”
They all nodded.
“Shizune and Iruka are to try and reason with Naruto, as well as the rest of you who were close to him. Barring that fails, Iruka is a barrier-user and fairly skilled tracker, and Shizune is a medic and poison-user. Both jinchuuriki are capable of manifesting cloaks as you may have seen when he was younger, and Yamato is the only one of you capable of siphoning off the chakra and weakening them. You chuunin are to weaken them and create an opening for the jounin to settle the issue and Jiraiya to seal away their chakra. If at any state they go beyond three tails, enter a stage two transformations and gain blood cloaks, or full blown Bijuu states, chuunin are to withdraw from the battle and allow the jounin to act alone as well as send the fastest message toad to me so I can join them on the battle front.
“If Yamato, Kakashi, or Jiraiya are killed or no longer able to suppress their chakra, you will flee the location as quickly as possible. I don’t give a damn how you feel about Naruto or the fox, but don’t fuck up like Sakura did and destroy or say anything unnecessary or I’ll personally make you pay the bill after I shove my foot up your ass as hard as I can. Is that clear?”
“Yes, ma’am!” they all replied.
“You have two hours before leaving, spend them wisely.”
Outside the Hokage’s Tower
“Why didn’t you say something Shika?” Chouji asked. “If you knew all this time…”
“It wouldn’t have changed a thing,” Shikamaru told him. “Forget the fact that he’s related to someone famous, the village abused him as an orphan. Naruto has every right to a grudge and if we’re unlucky he’ll take it out on us.”
His heritage doesn’t matter…he’s used your kindness and taken advantage of you…the voice inside her head whispered. He’s strung you along…kill him…take away his everything…
“Hinata, are you alright?” Kiba asked her. “Your eyes are active…”
“Ah,” she deactivated them. “Sorry Kiba-kun.”
“What are your thoughts on the information we have received?” Shino asked her.
“We’re just to bring the Kyuubi back,” she told them. “That’s all…”
Shino watched as she walked off before addressing Neji and Kiba. “I believe we should ensure that one of us is by her side the entire time to prevent her from acting irrationally…”
“Iruka-sensei, since when are you a tracker?” Ino asked.
“How do you think I always found Naruto? I can perform a type of echolocation using sound waves by apply chakra to my vocal cords and ears. When air passes through the vocal cords it causes fluctuations.” Iruka sighed. “Because Naruto could hear very well, I had to make the sound waves become ultrasonic by applying more chakra to my ears and vocal cords, and even then I had to change the frequency occasionally.”
“So basically you follow your namesake and act like dolphin?” Shikamaru chuckled. “That’s troublesome.”
“Anko fell down laughing when I told her…” Iruka chuckled at himself.
Land of Sound
Kabuto had just relayed the information he received to one of his masters, planning to send information off to the other once Orochimaru made his decision. It was a dangerous game he was playing, but it was one he played very well.
“This too important to leave to mere lackeys…I shall go personally and take Guren and you with me,” Orochimaru told him. “Tsunade is sending Sasuke Uchiha, who once considered the Kyuubi brat a brother to reason with him, as well as Jiraiya to be sure they get him. This is a chance to strip Akatsuki of their goals and grab my next container…and if I just so happen to kill my old teammate and weaken Konoha in the process…a bonus, really.”
“Hasn’t Guren been a little…off since the death of that boy, Yuukimaru?” Kabuto asked.
“Yes…I fear that she may have had feelings for the boy,” Orochimaru shook his head. “However, she should still be capable of killing the Nanabi’s host after we give her incentive…”
An Akatsuki Base
“My spy has picked up that Orochimaru intends to kill the jinchuuriki and capture the Uchiha sent to retrieve them.” Sasori explained. “From the list of deployed ninja that he snatched, Konoha is sending Jiraiya the Toad Sage, Kakashi of the Sharingan, Asuma Sarutobi, and the Taijutsu Expert Might Gai, within four teams and some lesser known ninja.”
“What is the location?” Pain asked.
“The Land of Whirlpools…” Sasori told them. “Apparently the entire thing was bought earlier this year and contractors, artisans, and stone masons have been moving in and out according to the last plant I have Suna. We think they’re planning to rebuild Uzushio…the home of the Uzumaki clan.”
Konan’s eyes widened for a brief second, while Pain barely blinked.
Kisame chuckled. “So he’s rebuilding his home village?”
“Good bounties all around…” Kakuzu mused. “A shame we’re still too far to reach there before it all goes down. I imagine a battle between Sannin will be something worth witnessing even at my age.”
“We’ve let Orochimaru do as he pleases for too long,” Konan stated.
“Indeed.” Pain agreed. “Kisame, Itachi, you two are the closest to their location correct?”
“Yes,” Itachi answered.
“Then ensure that the snake does not leave alive.” Pain ordered. “If the Toad Sage does not finish the job, then make sure you do.”
“If the jinchuuriki brat is there and I’m there…” Kisame started.
“You two alone can’t handle that many.” Pain cut him off before he saw the shark man pout. “But if Itachi sees an opening and the main objective is dealt with, take him before Konoha can. But don’t kill him and don’t get caught. Your abilities are too useful in retrieving the Bijuu.”
The projections faded from existence.
Back in Ame
“Pain…” Konan addressed her god. “If he’s rebuilding the birth place of your clan…”
“The Uzumaki have had a long, pain-filled history up to and including their destruction,” he told her. “Naruto Uzumaki knows pain, having been a jinchuuriki, and seeks peace I’m sure. If he and the others had not been unfortunate to bear the power we seek, I would have left them be. Still, I would like them to see the world we will eventually bring about…”
He stared at the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and the bodies beneath them, still looking as fresh as the day they died…
New Uzushio
Fuu was on the edge of New Uzushio, flying over the area set up to house a variety of insect species that would adapt to the new environment of the island when a beetle from the shore that the workers usually docked on landed on her finger tips and sent the bad news.
“NARUTO!” Fuu yelled as she approached the central building where the tallest pole stood. “Konoha has come!”
“Well, that would be my luck taking a turn for the worst…” he muttered under his breath before pressing for details. “What can you tell me?”
Fuu told her as much as she could gather from the little one that informed her.
“Fuck…” Naruto said to himself. Those were odds even he wouldn’t be on. He sighed before he told Fuu, “Stay in the storage facility beneath the village until this over.”
“What the hell! Are you going to try to fight them yourself?”
“From the information you’ve given me, they sent my entire graduating classmates, which would be doable, but also Kakashi, the big version of Bushy Brows, Old Man’s son, Pervy Sage, and a few others the insects couldn’t identify. I’m confident, not crazy—that’s the Snake Bastard’s department.
“Fuu, they’re going to have their hands full with me, and I will not go down easy, but I need someone to watch over this place in case something happens to me. I’ll contact Gaara in a minute to tell him we have guests and to get ready to send a set of documents to the Fire Daimyo with Kanna’s signature, but he can’t directly intervene since Suna and Konoha are still in an alliance and neither one can interfere with each other on missions.”
“Why is that you have to fight, but I can run away? This is going to be my home too!”
“I can’t keep running,” Naruto told her. “Not now that they know about this place. I refuse to let the village I’m setting up be taken from me by Konoha or any other hidden village. Gaara understands what I’m planning and will do what he can, but he has no direct control of the politics of Konoha.”
“Naruto, unless you plan on physically stopping me, I’m going to fight.”
“…That’s a cheap shot dammit,” Naruto relented. “Fine, but show me your seal so that I can add a parallel array to the Boundless Orange Step as a last resort. It’ll be a rush job and if I use it, it’ll wipe the array for the original formula clean and I’ll have to reapply the whole thing, but it’ll transport you to Gaara’s location. I won’t let Konoha take you no matter what.”
“Pace, you go home.” Fuu told the ferret. “Naruto and I need to get ready.”
“No way! I can help you with that teleporting thing on the battlefield.”
“Pace…” Naruto chided him. “You aren’t a warrior or monk ferret. You can get killed.”
“I wanna! I wanna! I wanna! I wanna—” the young ferret kept going on a tantrum while Naruto and Fuu sighed and decided to talk strategy.
“Naruto, we can’t fight head to head with them, right?” Fuu confirmed and he nodded. “We don’t fight with them head on then; we have more stamina than them so we make it a guerilla war and wear them out. Fighting fair is for sparring, this is for our future.”
“…Point made,” Naruto admitted.
She looked at the map of the old Uzushio village. “You’ve still got traps set up in old Uzushio right?”
“Just one section of the trap barriers since I moved all of the manually triggered ones to the perimeter of the new village to set up the defense system,” he sighed. “They’ll be there in less than 30 minutes and I’ll be adding the parallel array into your seal which will take 10 minutes, plus another 10 so you can recover from the shock and pain while I tweak my own seal, so we can’t add more in time…”
“Oh, and what may I ask are you planning to do to your seal?” Kurama asked.
Let’s just say that if I get captured and they try to play the threat of death card…We have incentive for them to not try anything. Naruto answered.
Naruto walked over to the table and put chakra into his body seals to empty the contents. “Fuu, I want you to take a couple of my sealed scrolls just in case.”
Fuu looked at them. “Barriers, Fire, Poison, Exploding Tag Balls, Kunai w/Exploding Tags, Kunai w/Ice Bombs…” Fuu went on and on as she listed them all. “Once again Naruto, OVERKILL—there’s such a thing as too much.”
“Considering who we’re facing, I believe I’m under-equipped…”
With the Retrieval Team – 27 Minutes Later
The Konoha retrieval team leaped as they passed grassy plains and over green hills into the ruins of old Uzushio. Their cloaks billowed in the wind as they landed with their guards up and slowly made their way inwards.
The broken village was filled with collapsed pillars that had the spiral of Uzushio carved into them and the occasional building that still had at least a third of its original shape as they lined the narrow streams that gathered into a lake. In the center of the lake was a leaning tower that had been broken in half with the largest spiral emblem in the village barely visible above the water.
“This place is a mess!” Kiba said rudely, earning him a bark from his partner. “I was not being disrespectful!”
“This all that remained when the village was destroyed during the war…” Jiraiya said somberly. “This was the birth place of the Uzumaki clan, who were targeted for their sealing arts and the survivors scattered, along with their knowledge.”
“Are you sure that anyone has been on this island?” Ino asked.
“My insects have picked up the scent of several people…” Shino answered.
“Me and Akamaru have a few scents, but they’re days old…” Kiba added. “If these guys were supposed to be rebuilding this village, they slacked off.”
“You’re wrong…” Neji said with his bloodline active. “There’s another village further ahead. Maybe they felt it would be easier to build in a new location.”
“I’ll take a look…” Sai drew an ink bird and hopped onto it.
As he neared the new village, he noted that the perimeter was a circle that had been divided into sections by the streams that flowed through it. The buildings were smooth, cylindrical shaped and towering, but there was an abundance of flowers and parks being cultivated. In the center of the village was a large building with a long pole that rose above the village and had the Uzumaki emblem on the end.
“Dick-less really must have called in a few favors. It looks impressive…” Sai mused as he crossed the village boundary…before hundreds of chains emerged from the perimeter of the new village and Sai was forced to dodge them as they attempted to spear him before arcing towards the single tallest pole with the Uzumaki spiral at center and formed a barrier.
As he circled back to the group, something hit his ink bird from behind and caused it to burst. He fell from the sky like a stone. Chouji extended his hand and it grew to a massive size to catch the artist.
“Thanks…” Sai muttered.
As dozens of chakra signatures from the ground beneath them began to spring to life, Neji yelled, “SCATTER!”
Chains erupted from the ground and coiled towards the clumped together group. The ninja reacted quickly but a wave them curved to ensnare as many as they could. Iruka was snared as they coiled around all his limbs, Shikamaru was bound around the arms, and Jiraiya was caught by the left hand when he pushed Shizune out of the way. An intricate array appeared beneath the trio with another thirty chains crossed to make a translucent barrier.
“Where’s the enemy!” Yamato ordered.
Neji and Hinata looked around and could only make out two figures.
“Above us, moving towards 12 o’clock is a woman with wings,” Neji answered. “She was most likely the one who took out Sai’s drawing.”
“There’s a small creature also moving towards 12 o’ clock in front of us.” Hinata answered. “And below us are sealing tags that are remote activated, that’s where chains came from.”
The green-haired woman fluttered just above the ground, kicking up dust fifty feet in front of them. Her hair was lightly wafting in the wind as she looked at them piercing orange eyes while a ferret scampered beneath her. “Get out of our home!”
“The jinchuuriki of the Nanabi, Fuu…” Sasuke stated factually as a blur sped past him towards the figure.
“HINATA, NO!” Tenten threw a weighted chain at the girl to stop her from attacking first and Kiba was on Akamaru following her before she did something she would regret.
“Where’s the Kyuubi!” Hinata ordered as she closed the distance and got ready to strike the jinchuuriki with a Gentle Fist technique. The ferret rushed beneath her and pulsed chakra into the seal it had. It was only because she had her eyes active that she saw the man above her with a spiraling sphere of chakra in his hand or chain wrapping around her waist.
“Die.” he muttered before slamming the Grand Rasengan down towards the Hyuuga.
The chain around her jerked as Tenten and Lee pulled as hard as they could to avoid having her smashed along with the ground. Hinata flew backwards before flipping in midair and landing away from the cloud of dust and dirt on the back of Akamaru with Kiba as they went back to the group.
Fuu flew back and the figure jumped out of the cloud and somersaulted a good distance away before the group could get their guard up and the dust cleared.
The blonde haired-figure with cold blue eyes stared at the invaders. He wore a black pants and a deep orange long shirt with chakra chains that formed a cross around his torso that could be seen under the fluttering long coat and the scroll bandolier that went diagonally across his chest. Armed with his bracers and fingerless gloves, in his right hand was a dissipating Grand Rasengan, and on his left shoulder was the ferret.
“Minato…” Jiraiya muttered, as the image of father overlapped with son. The majority of the group looked stunned—despite being warned—as they looked at the near identical image of the Fourth Hokage from a history book.
“NARUTO!” Sasuke yelled and snapped them back to normal.
Naruto’s eyes took in the group but froze on a certain person. “Iruka-sensei? I expected my old classmates and a few others, but why are you here?”
“I was sent to try to convince you to return Naruto.” Iruka said while glancing at the barrier around them. He had experience in using barrier ninjutsu, not that Naruto knew it of course. “You’ve grown a lot.”
“In that case, I’m glad you and the other two troublesome ones were caught,” Naruto coldly stated. “I have nothing against you and Shikamaru’s jutsu is a pain in the ass, so you can stay there and out of the fight to tell Granny what happened when the rest trespassed on my property.”
“Your property? How did you afford an entire island?” Jiraiya asked while trying to figure out the sealing array used on the trap seal on the ground so he could defuse. The seventh array stabilizes the yang chakra and spreads it out using the chains so if it I…
Naruto shook his head. “Have you forgotten my luck in gambling? I’m the Anti-Tsunade.” Jiraiya and Shizune face palmed. “Your ass is mine after I get the rest, pervert!”
“Anti-Tsunade?” Neji muttered.
“Tsunade-sama is renowned for losing whenever she gambles,” Shizune rubbed her forehead. “Unless something bad is happening…”
“Which means he has ‘Mad Bank’ at his disposal and paid for the village’s construction himself as well,” Sai said…only for the others to look at him with raised eyebrows. “I read the term in a book.”
“That means we cannot use money as a bargaining tool for his return,” Shino stated.
“He doesn’t look like he’s in a bargaining mood…” Shikamaru muttered and Chouji nodded.
“I know I wasn’t the best Godparent Naruto but—” Jiraiya was cut off.
“You could’ve been better!” Naruto snapped. “You get a narrow pass because you taught me the Rasengan and for that, I’m going to send you back to Granny barely alive! I’m castrating you because you used my parents for your research, you pervert!”
“Kushina knew!” Jiraiya was shocked and Kakashi turned pale.
“Not exactly…” Fuu answered with a blush. “I crossed the memory with some of your…materials.”
“You’re a fan?” he raised an eyebrow.
“Can we get back to the matter at hand/castrating the pervert?” Yamato and Naruto interrupted.
Yamato coughed and spoke first. “Naruto Uzumaki, we have been assembled to retrieve you at all cost, as well as your partner if possible. We have been told to start with negotiation and then force if necessary.”
“Naruto, Tsunade-sama is willing to make reparations for the excess clauses in your exile…” Shizune tried to reason with him. “You have to come back so you can claim your father’s estate and we can remove the seals on your hands for you to practice ninjutsu again. She’ll also tell everyone your heritage if you want.”
“Shizune-nee, I’m not going back, not even for that…” he addressed the sister-like figure with no hostility. “The moment the Old Man’s Law was broken going back there was never an option and we all know it. Who I’m related to won’t change the opinions of the majority, and even if it did I will never forgive them regardless…plus I don’t want people constantly kissing my ass like they do Sasuke.”
“Cheap Shot!” Sasuke countered.
“As for these seals, I could’ve gotten rid of them easily by now. I bet I could even render that seal on Neji’s forehead useless by simply overwriting the algorithm sequence that causes pain through the nerve receptors—”
Neji’s eyes briefly widened at the prospect while the others were amazed he knew big words like ‘receptors’. He clearly was no longer an idiot.
“—I’m keeping them on because they represent a reminder of the pain I’ve gone through, the last betrayal…and also the freedom and happiness I’ve obtained now that I am no longer tied to that village. I won’t go back.”
“Konohamaru misses you Naruto,” Asuma told him. “A lot of us do.”
“We know the village has attempted to smother your flames of youth, but things are different; none of us here bare you any ill will,” Gai told him.
“He’s right Naruto,” Kakashi said. “I don’t blame you for hating me but we really don’t want to fight you if we can avoid it. This time things are in our favor and we know you aren’t going to go easy on us, so we’ll have to be rougher on both of you.”
“I might miss Konohamaru, the Ichirakus, and a few others, but like I told Kakashi, I’m not walking into a lion’s den and you won’t take me or Fuu back,” he pointed to the girl with her bloodline active. “No ill will? Have you been ignoring the killing intent that the Hyuuga princess has been giving out? You think I’m going to a village filled with thousands of that with Fuu?”
“Naru—” Iruka was cut off.
“That strike of hers was aiming for Fuu’s heart! If you didn’t save the bitch at the last minute she would’ve been the first to die for the attempt!”
“The strike would have left her unable to fight,” Hinata stated coldly. “We have three skilled medics here and the chakra could have easily been pushed out or dealt with before her heart failed if you surrendered. We were told to use force if negotiations failed, and you have made quite clear that you are neither wanted nor want to be in Konoha, Kyuubi.”
“I. AM NOT. THE KYUUBI!” Naruto’s eyes turned crimson. “The Kyuubi and I aren’t the same, and quite frankly he’s treated me better than Konoha treats their orphans! After everything I went through, going back to that hellish prison was never an option!”
“Naruto calm down…” Fuu told him. “Don’t lose control.”
Naruto closed his eyes before slowly opening them and showing steel in blue eyes and directing them towards Iruka, Jiraiya, and Kakashi. “Would you tolerate an enemy that’s invading your home? Would you let them attack your loved ones and drag you to a prison in chains without a fight?”
“Your home is Konoha,” Jiraiya said…even if he knew otherwise.
“This island is my home,” he glared at them and pulled out his sealing rod. “I’ll tell you the same thing I tell the others who’ve faced me and I’ve got nothing against: Leave and I won’t chase you, or fight with your lives on the line. I’ve been preparing to deal with Akatsuki and Konoha and I’m not holding back!”
“Naruto, please—” Iruka tried to reach him but Shikamaru cut him off.
“Look in his eyes Iruka-sensei, he’ll resist to the end and drag as many of us down with him as he can if he has to.” Shikamaru told him. “This is the Sasuke retrieval mission all over but with Naruto this time, words won’t reach him…”
“No…” Sasuke agreed before activating his bloodline. “No, they won’t.”
Jiraiya sighed remorsefully before he looked at Kakashi. “Do it.”
“Negotiations have failed.” Kakashi revealed his hidden eye. “Combat units, subdue the targets using force but try not to do anything fatal. Sakura, Ino, and Shizune, you are all medics and here for that reason. Do not engage unless they are trying to stop you from healing the injured, saving a patient, or being attacked.”
The group charged.
“Fuu get ready!” Naruto yelled as he tossed the squealing ferret to Fuu for safe keeping and formed the blade. “We’re going with the Glacier Collapse after the first volley!”
“Wheeeeee!” Pace exclaimed.
“Pace, this is not a game!” Fuu told him as she placed him on her head and summoned several clone that all started making hand signs.
“Rain Down!” Naruto swung the blade at the incoming group and it released several crescent arches that cut through the ruined pillars and stone towards the enemies of Naruto Uzumaki. “DESTRUCTION BARRAGE!”
The Battle of Old Uzushio had begun…
More Notes:
Yeah, sorry, but I had to end there…mostly because after that point it would be mood whiplash, comedy will be on the backburner. You can probably tell things will be a little…complicated next chapter. I hope I can make it work…
Don’t expect Naruto to have a curb-stomp battle. He will actually be trying to kill several of them while they have orders to bring him back alive, not unharmed, and they outnumber him and Fuu in jounin alone. Expect this to be a brutal battle with Konoha giving just as good as they get.
Now, I like to show that I don’t have characters pull things out of their asses without a reasonable excuse. So all of the training tools and technique mentions here have a purpose in the upcoming battles if I can find a place for them or don’t forget—even things from the earlier chapters will pop up sooner or later.
Also…you may have noticed a shout out to beyblade with Tenten…it had to be done.
If you don’t recognize a character or jutsu, go to the Naruto wikia. The old samurai and Kanna are the only OCs in this chapter and I list new jutsu. The sword Ukki translates to Melancholy.
Non – Canon Jutsu:
Gale Shuriken – Creates spinning disks of wind chakra to slice through an object or enemy.
Destruction Barrage – Releases a multitude of Destruction Strikes through multiple bursts of chakra and can be controlled under proper circumstances.
Chakra Chain: Armor – Wraps thin chains around the body to produce a barrier a skin level, but somewhat fragile with drawbacks. It can be expanded but it hinders combat.
Iai: Skyward Cut – A very fast vertical strike.
Iai: Horizon Cut – A very fast horizontal strike.
Destruction Halo – Uses blades or chakra streaming to create an expanding ring around user.
Canon Jutsu:
Grand Rasengan: Also known as Big Ball Rasengan, a larger than average sized Rasengan that works by applying more chakra than normal, it can be detonated on contact. (I like Grand Rasengan better, its cooler.)
Water Style: Wild Water Wave – A Basic skill with many variations, water gushes out the user’s mouth to wash away the enemy. (Dragon-Tiger-Hare)
Water Style: Bubbles – After blowing dozens of bubbles the user can control them. On contact they explode, but user can make a simultaneous explosion with a snap of the fingers.
Water Style: Azure Dragon Palm – Unleashes a spiraling torrent of water from hands.
Twilit Dreams Circle 
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