Darui’s POV (???)

  Travelling as a known figure across a long distance was always a daunting task. As the known right hand of the Raikage, and wielder of a powerful and rare Ninjutsu Darui made for quite the appealing target for mercenary or licensed shinobi alike. Doing so while making considerable efforts to not be noticed only increased the difficulty and danger.

  Such was necessary however for the task he had been sent out for. The Kage Summit had been called off by a mix of both Hiruzen and Rasa. It seemed the Leaf and Sand noticed the building tension and intended to stall it out as they prepared for the breaking point. But with the new alliance forged between Stone and Cloud the attempt was wasted effort. Today would ensure such.

  A and Onoki would certainly adjust their plans, but furthering their partnership would be mutually beneficial for both parties. As such maintaining communications and pooling info was to be expected. With long distance communication being risky, a letter or bird carrier could be intercepted with relative ease after all, and radio communication lacked the range, the only suitable method deemed safe was to send small parties of trusted and competent men to meet.

  Normally the selected messenger would be a low value member. Best to minimize risk, but A had never run in such a style. Bold and risky had become the status quo of the Cloud. A preferred to send someone strong enough to hold their own in case things went sour, as well as send a message to whatever party they met with. The Cloud preferred to show their strength when able. All the same, sending some meathead ran the risk of hurting diplomacy, and a single shinobi needed to be wise and crafty to survive on their own. Leaving Darui the coolheaded, powerful, veteran to be chosen. At the very least it wasn't a dull task, better than most he had been committed to as of late.

  The selected location was one of neutral territory. Suggested by Darui himself actually. It was a massive plot of land overrun by hills and valleys, overgrown plant life, massive bones of lead dead creatures, so difficult was the geography and wildlife to deal with no village nor organization felt the need to attempt to inhabit or control it. It’s position was also located within the median distance between both the Stone and Cloud. Encouraging only them to pursue it, though it would also serve another purpose…

  Darui landed on top the skull of what must’ve been a massive dog. Its fangs alone were larger than his own body. While the rest of it’s skeleton and corpse had been lost to time it’s massive skull had been preserved by a heavy layer of moss, perched on top of a plateau.

  Knowing Onoki it was reasonable to assume he would’ve sent his guy early. Likely to scout out the location for traps or ambush, he would find none. Darui aimed a finger into the sky and allowed his chakra to flare. With a casual grace Darui shot a bolt of dark lightning into the sky. It burst into dark embers high into the sky slowly fading in the air. A signal flare of sorts.

  In front of him creating an accidental dam was the massive shell of a turtle, the creature long dead, its shell was now filled with a massive growing tree. A man landed on the shell with a massive crash, somewhat cracking it from his impact. The earth below him bubbled as if alive from his presence. The Stone didn’t have too many notable shinobi besides Onoki these days, but this was one of them. Kitsuchi of the Stone, often rumored to be the ultimate Earth Style User. It seemed Onoki had predicted their show of force and had sent one to match him.

  For the first few seconds neither man spoke or moved. High level shinobi like them often did this, even allied both recognized the risk of the man before them intending harm. They scoped out each other, attempting to gauge if they could best one another. Darui could admit a battle between them would not be dull. But it was unneeded for now.

  “Darui of the Black Lightning.” Kitsuchi spoke simply. “Fitting of the Cloud to send someone as flashy as yourself. The new generation worries too much about flare and not skill.”

  Darui raised a brow but did not rise to the attempt. It was why they had sent him. “I suppose so.” He said with a shrug. “I typically don’t worry about such matters myself. Guessing the strength of others is sort of dull.”

  “Yet we just did such.” Kitsuchi said with a roll of his eyes. “You’ll have to forgive me, not particularly trusting of you Cloud.”

  “Don’t really care.” Darui replied flippantly. “Not really all that invested in these sort of politics, I serve my home, simple enough. Can we get to business now?”

  “Suppose so. You reached out for this meeting just like us. Meaning you’ve heard the same news. Rumor has it from the Leaf itself, their missing shinobi have returned, including their jinchuriki. If you lot aren’t following, it means the moment has passed.” Kitsuchi summarized.

  “We fail to see how this changes anything. The calling off of the Kage Summit shows for a fact the Leaf and Sand are not confident in their power for now. Besides, even without the opportunity together we have the strength to finally destroy the Leaf.” Darui countered. A had been precise in the position and stance Darui was to push. “After the last war you can’t mean to suggest such a prospect isn’t interesting?”

  “Of course it is.” Kitsuchi replied. “That doesn’t mean we’re willing to go balls to the wall for the chance at ‘em. Our old bastard has the suspicion you have more to gain here than us.”

  “We reached out because we saw an equal opportunity-”

  “We did too. But now things have changed, however we are not suggesting calling off the plan entirely. The Leaf is much too much of a threat to both the Cloud and Stone. We merely intend to continue a slow build as we are now. Consolidating our strength, waiting to see what happens with the Mist.” Kitsuchi countered hotly.

  Darui hummed for a moment before he replied. “We must at the very least work toward getting the support of both of our dayaimo’s. Without such we cannot move forward assuming your real intent.”

  “Our intent is clear. Bide our time and watch the world around us, the time will come and when it does the Stone stands with you. For now,” Kitsuchi paused before tossing a file over to Darui. The man caught it and flipped through it quickly. It contained updated trade agreements and cooperation between the Stone and Cloud. As well as a draft for a consistent pooling of resources. “That will have to be enough to prove our intent.”

  Darui smiled to himself as Kitsuchi turned to leave. This would not do, A had expected progress, not preparation or paperwork, but considerable action. Words and treaties were weak and unreliable to him. He valued action over anything else. But they had plotted for this.

  Onoki ran the village firmly, so much so that the village’s politics had become the same as him. Fickle, cautious, and likely to be slow to make a move. But the man was not impossible to motivate, with the right angle his cautious and fickle nature could be overruled. It had been his emotional wrath that had cost the Stone the war after all. They just needed to make Onoki believe the Leaf had committed quite the slight. Normally it’d be difficult to fool the veteran, but with the political state of things their ploy would be more than believable, the paranoid old man would expect it.

  Problem was the Leaf wasn’t aggressive, luckily enough-

  Darui’s eyes widened as he saw a massive fuma shuriken mere inches behind the head of Kitsuchi. He moved without warning, sweeping the larger man’s legs out from beneath him. The shuriken narrowly missed them both as Darui charged forward drawing his cleaver like sword.

  The assailant dashed out of the nearby tree line, a strange man in an all black bodysuit. They continued the assault, flicking several normal shuriken as they drew close. Darui used his blade to deflect each with ease as he drew closer still. The assailant drew a kunai as he struck for their neck with an overhand swing, barely blocking the blow. The two tested their strength against each other for a moment before Darui noticed something. Their forehead protector-

  Darui was stunned as a punch smashed into his ribs, a kick to the opposite side knocked the air from his body. And the third roundhouse sent Darui flying into a tree with a bang. The man groaned as he called out to Kitsuchi. “It’s a Leaf Shinobi, don’t let them leave alive Kitsuchi!”

  He watched as the older man emerged from the mud behind the assassin fast clad in heavy and painful looking stone gauntlets. “NOT A PROBLEM! STRIKING WITH INTENT TO KILL AYE? ALLOW ME TO RETURN THE FAVOR!”

  Darui rolled his eyes as he stood and raced around the two as they began their battle waiting for an opening. Kitsuchi threw a haymaker of a left that the assassin barely managed to weave around, they countered with another head kick. But Kitsuchi laughed as he tanked it and caught the leg, managing to rip their foe from their feet and attempting to slam them into the ground. Darui closed in as well sensing a chance closed in as he did. However the assassin suddenly managed to shock Kitsuchi, the larger man crying out in pain and stumbling back. Darui however slashed for the foe's head from behind, they dodged his blow with ease and stabbed a kunai into his leg as he passed. Darui cried out in pain and fell to the ground a short distance away.

  The shinobi coldly walked toward Darui before Kitsuchi appeared behind them yet again. The Leaf shinobi snapped his fingers and a blinding light shined blinding Kitsuchi, however the man chucked as he lunged and lifted up the assassin over his head even while blind. “It doesn’t matter if you blind me when I’m this close! Darui you’re still alive, finish this!”

  Darui smiled as he pointed his finger at the two. Blind as Kitsuchi was, he was smiling, confident they had overcome their foe. They were a Leaf shinobi after all… blind as Kitsuchi was, the man was heedless of the Leaf Headband and mask falling off their assailant. Revealing the smiling face of C. There was no Leaf shinobi, but to sell it… “Lightning Style: Black Hummingbird!”

  A small bird of crackling black lightning shot forth in an instant. But instead of hitting C as expected it pierced the chest of Kitsuchi, barely missing a lethal shot, but running him through all the same. The man cried out as he crumpled, the bird pierced him through and smacked into a mountain nearby erupting in an explosion. Easily reducing it to rubble in an instant. As Darui marveled over his attack C landed next to Kitsuchi cautiously checking him, as Darui shakily rose to his feet and limped over.

  “Was stabbing me in the leg truly necessary? That hurt like hell.” Darui complained.

  “This false flag attack needs to be convincing. Especially with it needing to fool the old crow Onoki. An attack by the Leaf on this meeting makes sense, but if it was easily repelled it wouldn’t be enough. We needed to badly wound but spare Kitsuchi here, and having you hurt as well merely sells the image better.” C replied. “Good work, you missed his vitals and arteries, the blast was hot enough to cauterize his wounds so bleeding isn’t an issue. Though he did go into shock, should be out for quite a while…”

  “It’s easy to forget just how crafty our Lord can be. Even Onoki can’t ignore this, an attack by the Leaf on his own son, one that also happened to injure me, a valuable asset to the Cloud. This will ensure blood is spilt. A truly has outdone himself… this will be anything but dull.” Darui concluded with a tired sigh.

  Ino’s POV (Nearby Uzumaki Residence - Hidden Leaf Village)

  It had been a whole week since the return of Naruto and the rest of their allies. A week after Choji and Lee fought so hard, they were trapped in comas. A week since the death of Yuno had seemed to bring a cloud among the heads of the newest generation of Leaf shinobi. It was shocking to Ino how beloved Yuno was among their peers. Nearly each had only the best to speak of the fallen Uchiha. It was haunting for Ino; Yuno was a friend but a distant one. Ino had always resented her flirting with Naruto, but now she would never do it again…

  The funeral had been a small but respectable affair, one that had been heartbreaking to see. It seemed all of their friends had been present, save for Naruto. The group, including Kushina, had waited after and found the blonde languishing at the grave. It had broken Ino's hurt to see the blonde so openly hurt, even more that he had to be dragged away by Kakashi and Neji. Team Seven and Kushina had taken the blonde home, and Kushina gently warned them off for now, predicting her son would need time.

  Well, it had been a whole week with no word. They were still on medical leave as a team, both for Naruto's minor injuries and the passing of an ally in the field. But still, Ino had suspected they'd see the blonde; it had been days since Team Seven had been together. Even after the funeral, Naruto was missing. Ino, worried sick over the blonde, had suggested they check on them. But to her surprise, they both seemed content to wait on him. Perhaps they were right to respect his wishes, but Ino had missed him and would be damned if she ignored him when he was in pain. If he wanted to send her away, it would be face-to-face.

  She reconsidered again and again on her way there. But she cared for Naruto and wanted to support him when needed. If he pushed her away, so be it, but she refused to at least try. Besides, Ino felt she understood Naruto better than most. She suspected the blonde was distracting and distancing himself to attempt to cope. That Yuno's death had been too much for Naruto to accept, and now he stalled the thought by staying busy and hiding his pain. Ino wouldn't let him suffer in silence.

  Ino knocked on the Uzumaki Residence's door, which was all too familiar now. These days, there are seals present throughout the home. After discovering Shozu's treachery, she upped the home's security. Not that too many openly dared to risk the ire of Kushina, even more so with the Police Force's new efforts to clean up the streets. There were a few moments before Kushina's tired face answered the door. Tired and as stressed as she looked, Kushina offered a kind smile to Ino. "I assume Naruto?" Ino nodded determinedly.

  "I wanted to give him time, but maybe he needs someone to get through to him." Kushina wondered aloud. "Ever since that mission, he just trains- barely sleeps or eats. I can't seem to break through to him; maybe you can." Kushina relented and allowed Ino to open the door. As they stepped inside, Ino could smell fragrant and delicious ramen and various cakes and other sweets. "Tried getting through to him using his stomach, but even that isn't working."

  "I'm sorry to hear it. Are you doing okay?" Ino asked. As worried as she was for Naruto, his mother looked rough herself.

  "Been worrying over my boy. It's never easy to lose a comrade, and it's plain to see he blames himself. I was thinking of scheduling a meeting for him with your father; I doubt he'd agreed to go, though…" Kushina admitted. "I'll be much better if you manage to help him, though I won't blame you if you can't."

  Ino nodded grimly. "Where is he?"

  "Like I said, he's been training himself into the ground. He's in the backyard and has torn it all to hell." Kushina complained as she stepped into the kitchen with that. "I won't bother the two of you; just gonna take care of all this food; let me know if you need anything."

  Ino marched through the home as the clatter of dishes sounded. She opened the back door and stepped outside, shocked for a moment.

  The fenced-off, decent-sized backyard was in utter chaos. The fence was dented and splintered throughout. The ground was covered in deep gauges and craters, and the targets Naruto used for practice were shattered by projectiles. Naruto stood in the center of it all. His standard uniform was tattered and filthy, covered in minor wounds and dirt. Yet, he stood alert and still as if waiting for something.

  Ino went to approach before suddenly, the ground beneath Naruto burst from three places behind him. Three more Naruto closed in from behind, zipping through the air at absurd speeds. However, Naruto didn't even turn as two bursts of smoke spawned behind him, sending two clones flying back. Naruto caught a flying kick from the third and smashed the leg of the clone, dispelling it mercilessly. The other two rolled from being batted back and unleashed several air blades in tandem. Yet again, however, several bursts of smoke appeared around Naruto, blocking each. The blonde, heedless of it all, lunged forward, grabbing both clones by their throats and slamming them into the hard dirt with explosions of smoke.

  Naruto paused for a moment, sensing her presence, and turned. Ino immediately could tell the blonde was in no everyday mood. His eyes were tired and dim; while alert and standing firm, he looked as though he only wished to rest. There was a spark of emotion Naruto carried, one that made her always feel welcomed, yet that was missing.

  "Ino, I didn't notice you. Now isn't the best time." Naruto said calmly. Ino tutted as she marched forward.

  "You've been hiding out like a loner for a week." Ino tried to tease, but Naruto wasn't amused.

  "I'm busy."

  "Busy? You're on leave, quite literally fighting yourself." Ino pointed out that she should still keep her lighter tone. Naruto was known for his humor, so it seemed a great way to test the waters.

  "Training," Naruto replied stiffly before his eyes widened. Two clones fell from above, making Ino flinch; Naruto scarcely reacted save for pointing a hand at both. An instant later, a concentrated blast of wind shot out from both hands. It sent one clone careening even higher into the sky; the other managed to roll to avoid the primary explosion and was sent rolling across the ground. "I'm not strong enough yet; I need to be stronger. Unless I'm needed, that's what I'm doing."

  "Why not train with our team?"

  "I need to become stronger myself… if I had been…"

  "Naruto…"

  "Don't you tell me it's not my fault!" Naruto suddenly snapped. "Everyone keeps saying how lucky we were, how we tried our best! I need to move on and accept what happened. But I can't! Yuno died; she died protecting us! And I did nothing but watch!" He ranted, suddenly punching the ground and causing it to cave slightly and crack. "Yuno and the rest of the Uchiha will never be able to move on, so how can I?!"

  Ino slowly stepped forward as he ranted. She had suspected the blonde may be like this. Since the formation of Team Seven, she had grown close to the blonde, close enough to realize he tended to internalize problems. Naruto could not accept that Yuno had died and was now overrun by grief and guilt. A man as proud and independent as Naruto would never ask for help when hurt; they tended to distract and distance themselves. She needed to break through.

  "I run around telling everyone how great I am, how one day I'll become Hokage; well, what kind of Hokage can't even save their friend?! How can I ever face Sasuke again when I'm the reason she died?!"

  Ino suddenly lunged forward, engulfing the blonde in a hug who shook against it weakly. "It's not your fault, Naruto; you did all you could…" She whispered into his ear. She shifted with the blonde as he kneeled over. She tightened her hug as both now kneeled low. Naruto's arms hung loosely at his sides as if he couldn't comprehend Ino's affection.

  "But I didn't." Naruto's voice was broken and weak. "I held back like I always did; this time, someone else paid the price. If I had just let go…"

  "You're talking about the Kyuubi, aren't you?"

  "Kurama," Naruto replied softly. "His name is Kurama."

  "Kurama then." Ino corrected calmly. "You had to use it to survive… I've only seen you use it once; even against Gaara, you abstained…"

  "When I was younger, before the academy even. Ma and I used to train hard. She was more on board with my path to becoming a shinobi back then. And as a fellow jinchuriki, she was determined to help me master the power within." Naruto began to explain, his hesitant and worried tone being alien. Making Ino listen intently as he spoke. "For a while, it went well. Ma had the unique ability to control Tailed Beast Chakra, but it went to hell when a group of Cloud Shinobi attacked. We always trained outside of the village; the Council had decided we needed to keep the public from knowing, and due to that, we were more exposed and vulnerable than normal. Apparently, a scouting party had bribed them to allow them so close. And when they had seen two jinchuriki free for the taking, they tried."

  "Your mother fought them off?" Ino asked curiously.

  "Tried," Naruto answered. "It was a full squad; Ma was out of shape at that point, and even with Kurama's power, she was slowly overwhelmed. They detained the two of us and debated what to do with us. Eventually, they decided to kill Ma and take me… I remember hearing one of them say it, of the wire tying me up snapping, and then just the color red… I had lost control and rampaged in a two-tail state. By the time Ma got me calmed down, I had killed the squad, and nearly her… it left an impact. Suddenly, Ma wasn't so keen on me being a shinobi, and I was terrified of myself. From that day on, I swore never to use the power of Kurama unless absolutely necessary. But then that woman…"

  "Woman?"

  "Mishiro Uzumaki," Naruto whispered; his tone was hard to read. Hatred was coated in each syllable, yet Ino detected regret and sadness. "She is part of a team under Ikam's orders. The whole situation with missing people seemed tied to her and some mysterious bastard named Blechumi. The two groups were determined to gain control over the summoning world. And to escape, we had no choice but to face them. After all sorts of fights and battles, we finally came close to escaping that land. We took down the Master and most of the enemies, and Sasuke and I were fighting Mishiro… she was so damn strong. Even Gaara seemed an easier task than her; Sasuke and I, working together, could barely keep up with her. So much so she got the upper hand; she managed to trap me within a barrier and had Sasuke at her mercy. I nearly used Kurama's power, but… it was too late… Yuno dived into the fight to save Sasuke and took a lethal blow to save him… then I got mad… so mad I didn't even hesitate to use Kurama. Suddenly, I was so much more powerful; it was… overwhelming… intoxicating. I remembered who I was, why I fought, and what I believed in. But I was so angry that none of it mattered. I didn't care about saving anyone anymore; I was not avenging Yuno but making Mishiro suffer as she had us. At that moment, using my full power, I overcame Mishiro with ease, had her beaten to a point, and even nearly killed her, but it wasn't enough. I let her keep healing so I could beat her more, I-... I tortured her. She gave us; she wasn't a threat, but I wanted to hurt her all the same… not only am I a failure… but I'm some sort of monster…"

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  Ino flinched momentarily as Naruto buried his head into the crook of her neck. She could feel a wetness; the proud man was quietly sobbing now. She had planned to confront him, to lead Naruto back to his usual happy self. But it was only now she realized there was no fixing this, nothing she could say to make Naruto accept things, to magically make him heal. She could only offer a small amount of comfort she could offer. Naruto cried into her shoulder and hugged her back tightly. All the while, Ino calmly whispered sweet nothings in his ear and instinctively brushed her fingers through his hair.

  Ino was surprised at how calm and content she felt as she comforted her crush. She had spent days agonizing over how to approach the blonde and how to be the best teammate and friend she could be while making Naruto recognize her as more. But she felt more than happy now. It was strange how bringing Naruto peace gave her her own. It was heartbreaking seeing the strong-minded fellow blonde so despondent. But at the very least, he need not suffer alone.

  "Do. Not. Dare. Disturb. Them." Kushina's voice whispered, shattering the moment.

  "I think you already did." Neji pointed out deftly, dodging a swipe from Kushina for the effort. "It seems she managed to break through to him, though I think seducing a man while he's down is an interesting strategy."

  "An arguably effective one," Kakashi chimed in as well. Considering you're single, perhaps you should take notes." Naruto and Ino both flinched, but Ino did not dare let go of her grip; it pleased her, and Naruto didn't either. Both watched with mute fascination as Kushina realized they had caught on and viciously began chasing Kakashi and Neji around the backyard.

  Ino felt a small pulse of fear. Just getting Naruto to open up had been burdensome, he may close them off harder, but they needed to tread light-

  "Hahaha-" Naruto choked out in laughter. He had lifted his head back, and Ino nearly cheered when she saw a small smile and a tiny glimmer of light in his eyes. "I love our team… even if I don't quite understand what they're discussing."

  "I'll tell you soon, Blondie." Ino smiled happily back at her friend and crush. Again, the two's moment was interrupted as the rest of Team Seven and Kushina loomed over them.

  "We missed you too, Blondie." Neji teased. "Naruto, I have never been good at… emotional support. I intend to rely on our dynamic and humor to bypass this and offer you a spar soon. I know how I'd feel, and a no-pressure fight would serve you well. I'm sorry to hear what happened… Yuno was among the better of us."

  "Thanks, Neji… I won't lie and say it doesn't bother me… but I can't afford to fall apart now…"

  "Well said." Kakashi chimed in with a grim nod. "The pain of losing a comrade and loved one is unparalleled. Though the path ahead is deceptively simple. Yuno and those who had fallen beforehand did so with the hope of protecting and saving the lives of their loved ones. The ideals are considered more important than their own safety. If you wish to be right by them, live and do it in a way they'd approve of."

  "We can't bring them back, son." Kushina agreed with a sad nod. "We can only pick up the pieces after accepting the loss and growing enough to stop it from happening again."

  Ino watched as Naruto grimly nodded, standing up from her.

  "Thank you all; I'm sorry I broke down like that. But we don't have time for me to keep moping around. I need to save Choji and Lee. I must go to the Ruins of the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools…" Naruto declared seriously.

  "Son, you just returned and barely survived your last outing!" Kushina replied worriedly. "Surely we can take more time-"

  "Choji and Lee might not have more time, Ma," Naruto said gruffly. "After everything we went through, I refuse to let them sit there and potentially die."

  "But your mother has a point, Naruto," Kakashi replied calmly. "Besides, the Hokage has us in red alert mode for good reason. Tensions in the Elemental Nations are at an all-time high. Leaving our home turf would be incredibly dangerous."

  "I don't care." Naruto rebuked. "I already watched one of my friends die helplessly. I'll be damned if I do it again. Nothing's gonna stop me from getting those rare herbs. I won't ignore what I know is right…"

  "Then you won't be doing it alone." Ino declared boldly, standing beside Naruto, happy to see Neji do the same. "You just went off and nearly lost your life. This time, we'll be at your side."

  "Team Seven supports its own." Neji agreed.

  "I can't support this." Kushina roared worriedly. "This is a crime and incredibly risky! Kakashi, talk some sense into them!"

  Kakashi, however, nervously laughed as he walked over and joined the others. "Sorry, Kushina, but I've always taught Team Seven the importance of teamwork and staying together." He explained as he dropped a hand on Naruto's head, who glared but allowed it. "Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum. Team Seven will set out without the approval of the Hokage… Kami, have mercy on my soul."

  Kushina growled angrily, making the entire Team Seven flinch before she sighed heavily and hugged her son. "Fine then. Like they said, there's no way I'm letting you go out there alone. Team Seven is a family, ya know?" She finished with a smile. Team Seven enjoyed the moment before the group began to plot and prepare…

  Rasa’s POV (Kazekage Manor - Hidden Sand Village)

  Rasa stared at a seal that flashed with angry red light repeatedly. Said seal was an emergency alarm installed throughout the village at several key points. This particular seal was tied to the Jounin / Anbu headquarters. The seal was made to voice several levels of alarm. It was now at the maximum level—the level saved for a village threatening level of danger… Gaara.

  Once the seal went off, Rasa and his men launched into action. First, he sent his own Jounin guard to subtly check on the office themselves and report back. Only once they had done so did Rasa realize just how dire things truly were.

  Just as Rasa had guessed, Gaara had been the cause. It seemed his son had launched a rebellion, further aided by the support of his supposedly right-hand woman, Pakura. The two had managed to drum up a fair amount of support, enough to wield a massive number advantage and launch a sudden and overwhelming assault on the Jounin / Anbu Headquarters. Even Lady Chiyo had been recruited and aided Gaara in shutting down his forces. Baki and Bumo had both been reported slain.

  With this in mind, Rasa summoned his secret guard of elite Anbu and Jounin to his side as his main force. The council and remaining loyal shinobi gathered as they held an emergency meeting.

  "This situation is beyond critical. The betrayal by Gaara and Pakura and the MIA status of Baki and Bumo are in a potential war without some of our best men."

  "It's worse off than even that. The Jounin just sent in their report and managed to find survivors. Their report showed roughly seventy percent of Jounin and Anbu were present for the attack. Of which ninety-five percent were either slain or captured. The final five percent half were too injured to be of current use. The other half have been reabsorbed into our forces. But with the enemy wielding an astonishing ninety percent of Genin and Chunin on their side, we're heavily outnumbered and gunned."

  "The last thirty percent of loyal manpower is even more spread out. Half of them are currently on missions or scouting roles, likely too far to be recalled before the next stage of Gaara's plan."

  "We hold the advantage of knowing they're coming, however. As far as they know, we're in the blind!"

  "We also wield the power of the strongest Anbu and Rasa-sama! We can't lose to that monster and his traitorous allies!"

  "We can't afford an outright battle either! With the state of the world, we're likely to be seen as an easy target!"

  The room argued back and forth. Even as the room was full of shinobi and politicians plotted obsessively, they were clearly panicking.

  "Enough." Rasa snapped, stopping the room with a flare of killing intent. "The path before us seems clear. An outright battle would be much too costly and risky. It takes too long to settle this matter, and we risk interference. And we also run the risk of releasing Shikaku should Gaara perish. That leaves only one option. A duel…"

  "A duel?!"

  "Against a monster?!"

  "We need to crush them, not legitimize them!"

  "We have no real choice in the matter." Rasa countered. "While their discontent with me fueled their decision in this battle, Gaara's powerful and manipulative mind led them this far. If Pakura or he were to fall, it would lead to this rebellion without a suitable leader, potentially without a leader. I will meet Pakura and my son in combat and capture both. My son, while powerful and intelligent, is arrogant and prideful. Should I publicly directly challenge him, he'll move to face me, which will force Pakura's hand as well…"

  "He has a point." Ebizo pointed out. "Gaara is not above such pettiness, nor has he ever been a true threat to Rasa. Furthermore, the people of the Sand are proud. If they intend to lead over them, they'll need respect, respect they may never have if they sneakily remove you."

  "Perhaps not, but survival will be his first concern. Rather, you had to rebuild relations with the people rather than attempt to rebuild his body after you're done with him." Another elder pointed out. "Should we prepare some sort of countermeasure?"

  "Of course. My personal Anbu will provide a suitable opening." Rasa explained. "They'll move to take out Chiyo; once Gaara's forces move to counter that, I'll take the fight to him directly."

  "Surely now we recognize the need to find a new host for the One Tails."

  "Gaara cannot be allowed to survive this offense! Treason and attempted homicide of the Kazekage, he shall hang!"

  The growing angry and confident voices filled the room with his passion. Rasa smiled coldly as he watched their hate be further bolstered with every moment. Gaara may have thought this a chance for him, but it had merely cemented Rasa's choice…

  Jiraiya’s POV (Hokage Manor - Hidden Leaf Village)

  It had been a long day, longer than most in his long life. Long enough for him to have processed everything that had happened. Naruto and co had seemed to survive but were in rough shape. Jiraiya and several others had been sent off to spread the information, but while they did so successfully, he doubted it would do much. Now, finally returning home, he was immediately called to Hiruzen’s side along with Tsunade.

  The two walked through the Hokage manor calmly; they had traveled these halls countless times. Even the servants, despite their status, scarcely reacted to the two. In fact, throughout the building, there was a heavy cloud of tension. Jiraiya wasn’t surprised; war had always brought out the worst in Hiruzen. However, he was surprised by the barely contained rage he detected in the message for the summon. Jiraiya hadn’t been around to annoy the old man, which left the two most likely candidates, Naruto and Tsunade.

  As the two walked past a servant carrying wine, Jiraiya swiped two glasses and passed one to Tsunade. As a spy extraordinaire, he had learned that in times like these, it was best to ply for information, and Tsunade was best plied with liquor.

  “I noticed in the old man’s message he seemed upset. Due to his ordering me to do what I do best, I’m a bit out of the loop. What happened while I was gone?” Jiraiya asked as he sipped the wine.

  “He’s an aging man; I’m sure the assortment of aches, pains, and memory loss leaves him agitated,” Tsunade replied flippantly.

  “You only get dismissive and insulting like that when particularly peeved,” Jiraiya replied grimly. “Is it safe to assume you’re involved in some way?”

  “Somewhat yes, you pervert. Naruto and his friends returned and were successfully stabilized for the main part. One of them, unfortunately, has perished, as I’m sure you heard, one Yuno Uchiha. Two more, Choji Akimichi and Rock Lee, are in comas and unlikely to wake up without rare medicine.” Tsunade began to explain.

  “For it still to be an issue, this rare medicine can’t be a local affair.” Jiraiya guessed as his frown deepened. “With the tense and volatile state of the world, though…”

  “Hiruzen has deemed the risk too high. He intends to wait for things to cool down. Naruto took exception to such, even striking him,” Tsunade said with a smile.

  “HE DID WHAT?!” Jiraiya cried out in shock. “Hiruzen could’ve executed him!”

  “Anbu intended to do it for him. Luckily, Kushina and I intervened. Things are as I can understand; I am not sending him in particular. He’s a value target for most enemy forces, after all. But it’s still a deeper problem; no one saves him, and Kushina could hope to get the medicine. And Hiruzen isn’t willing to risk it; he’s willing to allow the two to die to ensure the safety of the rest.” Tsunade explained with a sigh. “The same damned call I’d make… but somehow seeing Naruto so angry made me feel the same.”

  “It’s in the Ruins of the Uzumaki then…” Jiraiya grimly. “With such a dangerous journey and destination, I can understand his hesitance. I’ll talk to Naruto.”

  “Do you truly believe you can talk him out of it? A man like him will do whatever he thinks is right…”

  “Perhaps, but it’s too risky. I don’t like the decision, but it’s right.” Jiraiya concluded grimly. “He’s thinking only emotionally.”

  “He’s thinking like a human.” Tsunade pointed out.

  “We’re shinobi first. We fight for what we believe in and pursue our goals. But we always serve our home first. If we can’t maintain peace at home, we can’t hope to spread it,” Jiraiya reasoned. He’ll come around.”

  The two entered Hiruzen's office, where he pondered over his orb. The older man had used his clever creation to watch his village from afar for years. He seemed frustrated and confused as he glared into it. He noticed the two, set it down and nodded for them to approach. Jiraiya and Tsunade stood before their Hokage, who sighed heavily as he faced the two of them.

  “I’m sure Tsunade has caught you up on events while you were gone. And I have already received a report regarding the movements of our enemies.” Hiruzen began. “This meeting has been called for my concern over the attitude and movements of Naruto Uzumaki, and quite possibly Kushina Uzumaki.”

  Both Sannin tensed. “Are you suggesting my godson and his mother are a traitor?” Jiraiya asked dangerously.

  “He better not be,” Tsunade added.

  “Such is not my intention. However, after the turbulent last meeting, we had, and the high amounts of stress placed upon Naruto Uzumaki can lead to him making an impulsive and regrettable decision.” Hiruzen amended. “I do not intend to punish or detain him, but that is why I called you.”

  “Get to the point.” Tsuande spat. Jiraiya raised a brow; she was defensive…

  “My point is that with the situation as it is, we cannot afford for our jinchuriki to be in peril. I need the two of you to keep an eye on Naruto for now. Whether you just watch him or help him, I want Naruto kept calm and here for now.” Hiruzen explained. “I am not asking.”

  “Maybe I’m not-” Tsunade started before Jiraiya placed his hand over her mouth with a sigh.

  “Understood, sensei,” Jiraiya answered.

  Hiruzen nodded at the two, dismissing them both with a wave. This showed just how much this was affecting him. The grandfatherly Hiruzen was gone, replaced by the cold mind that had gotten him this far.

  Tsunade grabbed Jiraiya with a glare toward Hiruzen, and the two bodies flickered away.

  X-X

  The two of them appeared on top of the Hokage Rock. Tsunade slumped forward, pulling out a scroll from her bust and unsealing a bottle of sake and two glasses. She sat upon Hiruzen's head, scoffing at it and pouring some on it before filling the other two glasses.

  Jiraiya watched her work with equal parts perversion and confusion. She had received their orders, yet she had taken them here. Before questioning her, he sent out a chakra pulse and quickly detected Naruto and Kushina. For veterans like them, it wasn’t hard to detect Jinchuriki, specifically when they made no effort to conceal themselves. He supposed they could watch from here… nice view, nice-looking company, and a nice drink…

  “Are you gonna just stand there or drink with me?” Tsunade asked. “The only thing you're good for.”

  Jiraiya rolled his eyes as he sat next to his teammate. He picked up the glass and sipped at it. “Not the only thing, mind you, you know better than most.”

  “That was a mistake.” Tsunade countered hotly. “We were both drunk off our asses and in pain. Even you regret it.”

  “Only that I can’t remember it.”

  “Idiot… do you truly agree with Hiruzen’s decision? I agree it’s logical, but isn’t the whole idea of our home looking out for each other?” Tsunade asked grimly. “There was a time even Orochimaru believed in such.”

  “It’s our motivation, Hime, our cope if you will,” Jiraiya replied. “As much as we’d like to do good, we settle for this to protect what we have. I’m surprised a cynic like you is arguing against this. Cold-hearted like this was always right up your alley.”

  “Just because I’m a cynic doesn’t mean I don’t want better. Nor that I gave up on pursuing it…” Tsunade said with an odd tone.

  Jiraiya flinched as she recognized it; she took that same tone during medical procedures. His body began to feel numb and slow to move.

  “I don’t believe anyone in the Leaf or myself can make the world we often speak of. A better one…” Tsunade continued her rant as Jiraiya fell flat on his back with a curse. “But something about that kid makes me wanna believe, and now I can finally see he’s different…”

  “Y-you poisoned me,” Jiraiya grunted out as his body tensed and refused to budge an inch. Even his chakra lazily crawled around his body; he was helpless…

  “He is similar to the standard heroes the Leaf loves producing. Hiruzen, Minato, even yourself. Selfless and loyal people who can conquer incredible odds for their homes. But you all have a flaw. You’re too willing to compromise… But people like Dan? Nawaki? Even Naruto… they don’t have that in them. And this time, I’ll do whatever I can to foster that light they give. I’ll support Naruto Uzumaki first by helping him save his friends, then however else I can.”

  “T-tsunade…” Jiraiya croaked from the ground.

  “Don’t worry, it’s not a lethal poison. It will paralyze and stop you from using chakra, but you’ll be fine in a few hours. But by then, I’ll escort Naruto Uzumaki to the Ruins of the Uzumaki.” Tsunade explained as she began to walk down the sheer face of Hokage Rock. “I left a note for Shizune in her room; she’ll find you before long and help you.” Her piece said Jiraiya watched as she left his vision.

  What the hell was Tsunade thinking?!

  Ibiki’s POV (Intelligence Unit HQ - Hidden Leaf Village)

  Ibiki and Inochi watched as Anko interrogated their less-than-cooperative new guest. Suzumebachi had been easy to crack for Ibiki; he had barely had to strain her before she exposed her purpose being in Irminsul and her relationship with Ikam's group. Inoichi had easily verified their info. And while she had yet to crack on the front of giving up Iwa's secrets, they both knew Iwa had no clue of her current whereabouts. Let her stew over her situation; if she held solid, they'd try more… unpleasant methods even then. But the other one…

  They had watched Anko work for a while now. This room was an extension of the prison, guarded by a troop of Anbu at all times and sealed with defensive seals made by Jiraiya himself. Only the worst were brought here, enemies of the state, the kind they could do whatever with. They sat in a small office, a desk containing reports from the able-bodied members of the recent happening of Irminsul. The space between them was separated by soundproof glass capable of withstanding explosions. It was one-way glass, so they could watch with amenities as the other work. Suzumebachi sat bored in a cell across from them.

  She had willingly identified herself as Leifazu Uzumaki. Verifying that identity proved impossible; even their oldest records hadn't kept track of the Uzumaki. She verified that she used to serve the Uzumaki Village when it was operational, and she was, in fact, under the employ of Ikam Uzumaki. Other than that, she refused to speak.

  Ibiki had tried at first, but the insane were always challenging to crack mentally. Despite his angle or approach, Leifazu responded with an impressive detached boredom. Manipulation or farming of info was nearly impossible when the woman lied as much as she spoke. It was quickly decided to proceed with more invasive methods. However, Ibiki discovered that Leifazu could use her unique bloodline even with her chakra sealed away. Making it difficult to cut or harm her in any way. Not to mention, the woman seemed to be something of a Masochist. Ibiki had decided to settle on a constant barrage of interrogation while Suzumebachi stewed. A relentless mix of physical and mental probing until she cracked. Or, at the very least, shut up.

  Anko cried out excitedly as she cracked the woman with a flurry of blows. Ibiki had seen Anko work over plenty of men in their time working for the intelligence unit. But few were nearly so durable both mentally and physically to her treatment. As such, the careful and obsessive care she commonly used in her work was gone. Replaced with a savage and relentless flurry of cruel blows. Ibiki flinched as Leifazu cackled as she was savagely battered back and forth, bound to a bolted chair so tightly she couldn't even flinch. Anko, however, matched her laughter with her own as she switched to an impressive and brutal barrage of body kicks.

  Anko hadn't bothered asking a question in a while. She recognized they needed to batter away Leifazu's composure; only when she was close to breaking would she offer any use. Leifazu chuckled even as Anko's latest kick caused her to spit out blood even more when a sudden hook knocked a tooth loose.

  "We learned all about you from Orochimaru, you know." Leifazu mocked as she mumbled over blood. "His little toy student while he was in the village…"

  Anko smacked the woman before she slammed a powerful elbow into her chest. "You and the village; this isn't about me."

  "But it is!" Leifazu breathlessly mocked. The woman had been subjected to their attention for a week. It seemed even her hardened and unique body had its limits. "I wonder, while you worked under him, did ya lay with him-"

  Anko whipped out a kunai and, with incredible skill and precision, managed to slice the tip of the tongue of Leifazu off, who this time howled in pain before erupting in laughter.

  Ibiki and Inoichi entered the room. The Yamanaka prying Anko away, as Ibiki sat himself at the desk as Inochi escorted Anko out of it. While her more brutal methods were allowed, and somewhat even encouraged, it was important the prisoner never thought herself in control.

  “Ah a shame I like her. Not only is she fiery, but did you see that body?!” Leifazu joked as Ibiki calmly stared back. “Suppose if she did much more might be difficult for me to talk.” Ibiki noted as she spoke her tongue had stopped bleeding and had even regrown. Had mere Chunin taken down someone this durable? “So back to psychological warfare aye? Maybe build up a profile, explore my past and learn all my deep dark secrets?”

  “One, we have no need to build a profile or a background for you. If not for the seal you have in place we’d be walking through your memories even now. However,” Ibiki paused as Inoichi sat beside him.

  “As a Yamanaka and a professional psychologist I have already built a mental profile for you, the classic psycho, you exhibit all the traits, yet I suspect you may suffer from dissociative identity disorder, though with someone with your apparent IQ and mental instability diagnosing properly is near impossible.” Inoichi chimed in. “We don’t need to know all of that however,”

  “What we need to know is where to find Ikam, and the capabilities of himself and those under him.” Ibiki finished for his partner. This approach was their newest effort. It was Inoichi’s opinion Leifazu somehow saw this all as a game. As if her life was of no consequence to lose. So they had decided on an upfront approach. “I noticed you don’t seem that particularly loyal to Ikam, in fact I’ve heard you refer to him negatively several times during your stay here. I believe you're holding onto your secrets due to your knowledge of the fact we’ll kill you once we have what we want.”

  “Now that is a shocker, just coming right out and saying it? Are we at the point of holding my “impending doom” over my head?” Leifazu said with a roll of her eyes. “Death doesn’t scare me.”

  “Of course not.” Inoichi agreed with an enthusiastic nod. “We recognize that as well. However, if your death wasn’t guaranteed…”

  “We are prepared to offer you quite a sizable deal for your cooperation and future aid in the capture and execution of one Ikam Uzumaki.” Ibiki laid their news hand on the table calmly. “Assuming you offer something to show your worth, we could work out total amnesty for you, with the caveat that you would serve under us.”

  “Well well wel-”

  The wall of the room they were in suddenly erupted to shards. Ibiki drew a kunai as he threw several blindly toward the wall now gone as dust obscured who or what approached. Inoichi stood protectively in front of Leifazu as both waited with baited breath. However both could scarcely flinch as they suddenly were grabbed from beneath and pull to their chins into the floor. Both cried out in shock as two assailants rose from the floor they were now submerged in, three more emerged from the smoke.

  “You are trespassing and assaulting a top clearance Leaf asset!” Ibiki roared fearlessly even as only his head remained. “Who dares makes an enemy of the Leaf?!”

  “We’re not enemies.” A tired voice answered as the wary and hesitant face of Naruto Uzumaki appeared. At his sides were Kushina, Ino, Neji, and Kakashi. The last two were responsible for their surprise imprisonment. “But we need her, Neji can you grab the other one too?” As Naruto finished Neji nodded as he and Kakashi marched toward the cell of Suzumebachi and began freeing her. “We’ll return them when we’re done.”

  “Ino! This is madness!” Inoichi roared indignantly.

  “Sorry Daddy.” Ino said with a wince. “But this is necessary.”

  “Now this is a twist! Came to finish the job Naruto?” Leifazu crowed as Ibiki thought over their predicament.

  “No we need you, you’re gonna guide us to our old homeland, Leifazu.” Naruto decided grimly.

  Ibiki memorized it all, while he could free himself now he was under no illusionment he could take them all. Likely Anko had hidden away nearby, realizing the same he had. After seeing the exams he was certain any of them were his match. But the words of Naruto would prove valuable. It seemed this jail break party was destined for the Ruins of the Uzumaki…

  NEXT TIME

  Naruto and Co set out for their adventure, meeting with an unexpected (for them) ally who joins their party. The group sets out on their adventure beginning a slow trek toward the Ruins of the Uzumaki.

  Sasuke somewhat recovered from his funk and pursued his newest lead regarding the fate of his clan.

  Ikam manages to glean the fate of his team sent to Irminsul. Furious and going through an odd mental state, the man decides to return the Ruins of the Uzumaki himself.

  Orochimaru begins unleashing his surprises for the attackers of his home.

  Onoki reacts to A’s trick!

  AN

  Finally, it released a chapter on a decent turnout rate. It took serious dedication and blowing off some people… It sounded better in my head. Transnational chapters are always interesting, though I think this one makes up for the lack of action with the plot. Team Seven, plus Kushina, Leifazu, and Suzumebachi, are set to explore the Ruins of the Uzumaki to save Lee and Choji. Cloud and Stone are plotting perhaps the former more than the latter. And even more, built in the next chapter. Remember, however, NU:UM updates are next. Thanks for reading, and Peace~!