The Elemental Nations of Zipangu - 12 years after the formation of the Uzumaki Shogunate, hours before the end of the endless war.

The castle was old, with the ruin of flame taking away from this once beautiful land, with walls that looked like it was made at the last minute.

It's night out, with the entire castle surrounded by camps of soldiers, save for a lone river, which had a fleet of sail ships patrolling. Everyone that was present were staring at each side, awaiting the moment it all ends.

Atop a hill, two men are overlooking the castle on horses. The younger man has piercing blue eyes and a mane of blonde hair kept out of his hair by a black headband, dressed in black armor with a pink accent. Beside him is an older man with grey starting form in his short blonde hair and wrinkles under his blue eyes. This man is wearing orange armor with a black accent, and both men have spears on their backs and a helmet with a kitsune on the top. The younger man asks, "Father, after tonight, will it all be over?"

The father nods, "If we win, it will be. But we cannot guarantee it will be tonight. He is still alive."

The moment he said that, he felt like the man he was talking about was staring at him on the balcony of the castle.

40 Years Ago…

Castle Red Lantern, of the Uchiha Clan, one of the most prominent clans within all of the Zipangu. The head of the clan, a man with dusty brown has and deep frown lines, looks down at the message he had just gotten. He groaned in exhaustion, "The Yamanaka, Akimichi, and Nara are pooling their resources together. The Three Lords are preparing to march on through our lands to the capital of Konoha."

A cousin of the lord, who has a series of scars on the right side of his face, with his right eye kept shut having lost it, asked, "Fugaku-Sama, what should we do?"

Fugaku Uchiha explains, "We will never align with the Hyuuga or the Senju, and I'll be damned if we use the Akatsuki, so we will ride to the lands of the Uzumaki."

His wife, a ebony haired beauty who has aged more gracefully than her husband, giggles, "I cannot agree more, Fugaku-Sama, it will be nice to see Kushina again."

A boy with his ash black hair kept in a ponytail, with deep tear ducts, raises his hand, "But mother, I thought that Kushina was exiled years ago when she had a...Oh, what's the word."

Fugaku's eyes widen, "That is a word you do not need to learn to say for another few years, Itachi. You're free to run along now, your little brother must be getting impatient."

The 14 year old Itachi stands and bows to his father and mother, departing. Fugaku notes, "Itachi is right, since Kushina had a bastard son, the family was exiled by that worm squandering all the family has gained in a hundred years. If we're to ally with the Uzumaki and all the allies they have made, we must restore them to glory. Once that happens, none will march through our lands ever again."

His wife reminds him, "We must make haste, Fugaku-Sama, for if the Hyuuga follow the example of the Three Lords before the restoration is complete, this effort will be for naught."

Fugaku smiles to his wife, "Thank you, Mikoto, I'll do everything I can to give your friend a home again."

Days Later, Kurama Temple, outside the Former Uzumaki Province

Fugaku and the one eyed cousin ride up to the monastery on grey horses, with the Uchiha Banner of a red fan with a white handle held high by several retainers. At the stairs, they see a man with a grey beard and glasses, drinking sake out of a gourd, he stops drinking to hiccup, "Well well, if it isn't the high and mighty Uchiha. To what do we owe the honor?"

Fugaku tells him, "We're looking for Kushina Uzumaki."

The man points to the top of the stairs, "Up there, your highness."

Fugaku motions up the stairs, "Obito."

The two dismount and walk up the steps themselves. There, they see a ramen stand with a portly chef working up some cooking magic. At the front door are two men, one a black garbed shinobi with his face covered by a mask, save for his right eye, with a patch of spiked silver hair, and the other a samurai in dark blue armor with tanned skin, brown hair kept in a ponytail, and a scar across his nose. The samurai demands, "I am Iruka Umino, samurai of the Uzumaki Clan, identify yourself."

Fugaku speaks up, "Fugaku and Obito, of the Uchiha Clan. We wish to speak to Lady Kushina."

The two move out of the doorway, and Iruka warns, "If you try anything, Lady Kushina has a powerful guard to protect her."

The enter to find a group of monks praying to a thousand candles, while a woman is drinking tea in a corner with two people sitting beside her.

The woman drinking tea is recognizable, with flowing red hair that goes long across the floor, with a sculpted face and lilac eyes. She's dressed in a common kimono with a green haori that looks slightly dirty.

Beside her are a man and woman with similar red hair. The man has bangs blocking his eyes, wearing a maroon cloak with what looks like a peg leg for his right foot. The girl has her hair down to her back, with glasses, and a lilac dress.

The woman stops drinking and smiles to the newcomers, "Ah, Fugaku, welcome to my new abode. And is that little Obito? My has he grown."

Obito stops looking serious and flusters, awkwardly waving his hand, "Hello, Lady Kushina."

Fugaku looks at his cousin, "Boy, you are 25 years old, stop acting like she's your mother."

Kushina asks, "And how's Mikoto, I hear you have another son? Any chance you're trying for a daughter?"

Fugaku cringes, blushes, and gulps all at once, and starts blubbering. Kushina laughs, "Oh the perks of not giving a shit."

The girl next to her gasps, "Aunt Kushina!"

Kushina waves, "Oh don't worry, Karin, it's not like I said anything too offensive," she looks over to Fugaku, "so to what do I owe the honor after eight years?"

Fugaku explains, "Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi have entered an alliance. If they join the Hyuuga or the Sarutobi they will march onto the capital and through my lands."

Kushina groans, "So you want to ally with the Uzumaki and their allies to protect yourself."

Fugaku nods, "That is correct."

Kushina tells him, "Alright, you can end those two fools coup on one condition: My son is to be lord of the Uzumaki like his grandfather before him."

Fugaku inhales lightly, but promises, "I will get rid of those two, but I do not know if I can easily make your son the Daimyo of the land. As a…"

Kushina tells him, "I'm not offended if you call my son a bastard. As much as I hate it, that's what he is."

Fugaku continues, "As a bastard, he has a lot to prove, especially to me if we're to be allies."

Kushina offers, "If you must, take him into the family, raise him alongside your youngest. If you need someone to lead the clan until he's of age, I'm sure Nagato here can fill in."

The red haired man looks over to her in shock, "Lady Kushina?"

Kushina assures, "Don't worry, I have faith in you, my dear. Now, let's go get my son."

She raises herself up and walks past the Uchiha, and at the door she turns back to everyone, and motions forward, "Well, don't just stand there."

Everyone follows behind her until she gets to a river, where a boy in a conical hat is fishing. Kushina calls out, "Oy! Naruto!"

The boy looks over and walks up to her, "Hey, mom. What's going on?"

She motions to Fugaku and Obito, "This is Fugaku Uchiha and his retainer Obito, they've offered to help us take back our home."

Naruto starts jumping in the air, "Woohoo!"

Later that day, outside the Uzumaki Castle, currently called Cat's Jewel

Fugaku and Obito are met with their battalion of soldiers with Kushina, Nagato, the ninja, and Iruka. Inside their palanquin, Fugaku orders, "Alright, we take back the castle tonight. Kushina, tell me how you lost the castle, tell me it's strengths and weaknesses. Anything you can tell me will be helpful."

Kushina tells him, "The two usurpers are Mizuki and Gato. Mizuki is a ronin that my father took him in a year before Naruto was born. And before you ask, Naruto's father is not apart of the Uzumaki Retainers, especially Mizuki. Gato's a merchant that was brought in to give us the advantage of the sea. When Naruto was born, I lost my inheritance with my father since I ended any hope of being married. Nagato was the last male heir, but he also lost credibility when he lost his leg. So when my father died two years ago, they blackmailed, bribed, or even reminded them their contempt for Naruto to get the retainers in the castle to help in his coup. During my father's funeral I lost everything. Now the river north gives them an advantage of defense as well as a way to escape easily. However, the forest gives us an advantage of sneaking in. I've kept in touch with some friends throughout Zipangu, and all of our allies have refused to support them in any form. Those two have squandered hard earned gold on failing to get in their good graces."

Fugaku chuckles, "Alright, with the clouds coming in it should rain, and when it does, we climb over the wall and make sure those two fall."

In an hour the rain does come in, and it comes in hard. Fugaku give out command, "All right, Obito and Iruka will lead a team from the east. I will come in from the west, and the shinobi will lead a team to sneak in from the river in the north. Nagato will lead the horse cavalry when the gates are down. Kushina, you will ride ahead as a distraction of their forces. When the fighting starts, you will use the knives hidden under your robes to fight. But do not try to be a hero, stay alive."

The shinobi raises his hand, "For the record, my name is Kakashi Hatake."

Fugaku nods, "Noted. Now, everyone prepare for battle."

As the rain pours, Kushina rides up on a horse to a downtrodden guard. He looks up and gasps, "Lady Kushina, by the gods you've returned!"

She tells him, "Tell Gato I've come to speak with him."

The guard leaves, unaware that at the other side of the castle, Kakashi and a team of five shinobi are swimming up to the castle using reeds to breathe easily. On the sides, Obito and Fugaku each see Kushina has entered through telescopes. Both turn to their men, "We must wait until Kushina enters the castle."

Obito says more by asking Iruka, "How long does it take to go from the courtyard to wherever Gato would be?"

Iruka notes, "He'd be in the main hall, so around ten minutes."

Obito nods, "Let's wait till then, but if our gate is opened early by Kakashi, we charge."

Meanwhile, Kakashi and his men have successfully swam into the port. Kakashi notes only two guards, who are huddled together outside the rain. Kakashi slaps the water to make a big splash, making one of them stop talking, "What was that?"

"What is it," The other asks as he's leaving, "what's going on?"

He looks in the water, and shrugs, "Dunno, must be a toad or something."

Before he can stop looking down in the water, Kakashi jams a kunai knife into his throat, and his body falls into the water. The guard goes over and questions, "Hey, have you been stealing Gato's drugs again? You know he only gives those to his whores."

He looks and sees his friend floating in the water, and suddenly, one of the reed stocks have a dart shot out and into his throat. He starts choking before he falls backwards. The six leap out of the water, and Kakashi orders one of them, "Stay here, destroy the boats, make sure Gato and Mizuki never leave this castle."

The shinobi nods, "Hai, Kakashi-Sensei."

The other five pull out the weapons they have: Kusarigama, a sickle with an iron ball attached to a chain. Kakashi states to the other four, "We will split off in teams of three. Team 1 will open the east gate, Team 2 will open the west gate, and I'll head to the center to ensure Lady Kushina's safety. When your objectives are complete, make your way to the south gate and open it. Understood?"

The four nod, "Hai, Kakashi-Sensei."

As the five run off in different directions, Kushina has made her way to the main hall, where she finds the two detestable men who took everything sitting around with two painted whores on each arm. The short fat man with a mane of pale brown, pushes the girls away and stands up straight, "Lady Kushina-"

"Save it, Gato."

The tall man with white hair kept in a bandana with a sneering nose, chuckles, "To what do we owe the pleasure, Lady Kushina?"

Kushina lies, "I've come to negotiate me regaining my castle."

Gato and Mizuki laugh to each other, with Gato enquiring, "And how's that bastard you lost all this for?"

Kushina lies again, "He's decided to travel outside of Zipangu, see what's in the world. Joined a crew of pirates and everything."

Mizuki glared at her, trying to spot the bluff, "So he won't be returning for his 'birthright?'"

Kushina responds, "No, he's made it clear to me that he never wishes to be here ever again."

Gato tells her, "Alright, you can have the castle back, if you marry me, make my claim to this land legitimate."

Before Kushina can answer, a man enters, dressed in commoner clothes, with a somewhat handsome face save for a scar near his right eye, with a crop of silver hair spiked up. He's holding a gourd in his hand, "Hey...Where's the outhouse when you need one?"

Mizuki snorts, "Drunken fool, someone get him out of here! Remove a pinky when you do!"

Kushina clicks her tongue, "Such a severe punishment for not holding his liquor? I think I'll take my business elsewhere. Maybe I'll speak with the Hyuuga to have you removed. Come my poor boy, I'll give you a more deserving home."

He leans over to her, "Thanks purtty lady."

Kushina leaves the two men speechless while she takes the disguised Kakashi out of the room. She whispers, "Thanks, Kakashi. Nice acting by the way."

Kakashi chuckles, "No problem. We have shinobi destroying the boats and opening the east and west gates."

They leave the sight of some of the men, and Kakashi continues, "My duty now is ensuring your safety before we open the south gate."

Kushina stops and removes the floorboards in front of her and sneaks into it, reminding Kakashi, "My families lived here longer than Gato can ever hope to know where this goes. Now go open that gate."

Kakashi leaves her there, and heads to the south gate. Meanwhile, the East and West gates are successfully opened. Obito and Fugaku call out, "Charge!"

Hundreds of soldiers with the Uchiha banner start running into the gate from the trees they were hiding in. The guards were killed by the four Shinobi and easily swarmed into the building, killing anyone who drew a weapon on them. A horn is blown, fires are lit, and the civilians flee, screaming, "We're under attack! We're under attack!"

As the fighting is going on, Kakashi meets up with his four shinobi, and order, "Let's get this gate open, Nagato-Sama must enter!"

Very quickly the guards leave to help in the fighting save for one lone guard. As they leave, the five sneak up behind him. One of the shinobi smacks his helmet off with the iron ball while Kakashi stabs the sickle into his throat. As the man chokes on his blood, the remaining shinobi open the gates. A scout of the cavalry looks into his telescope, "Nagato-Sama, Kakashi-Sama has opened the gate."

Nagato look to his men, "You heard him. Charge!"

As all chaos breaks out, the main castle is surprisingly undisturbed. Gato and Mizuki continue to idly sit around, surrounded by strung out whores, until a bloodied man storms in. He blurts out, "M'lords...Uchiha forces...Have attacked."

Gato pops a vein in his forehead, "What!?"

The man suddenly falls as there's a huge gash in his back. They look to see a man with a cross-spear, making Mizuki gasp, "I know that spear...Iruka!?"

Iruka nods, "Glad to see me, traitor?"

Mizuki stands, brandishing a katana, "Gato, get to the boats. I'll kill this fool."

Gato doesn't hesitate to flee, pushing a girl out of his way as he fled out the back door. When he leaves, Iruka chuckles, "We already have had all the boats burnt to the ground, he's not going anywhere."

Mizuki charges at him, "Do you have any idea what you've done!? He owed a lot of people money that he spent trying to enter an alliance with one of the high class Daimyo!"

Iruka blocks every one of Mizuki's strikes, laughing, "So if you two don't die tonight, someone will kill you later? I can live with that."

As the two are fighting, Gato runs through the halls until he gets to the docks, where he sees the merchant fleet burning to the bottom of the river, and in the center of the docks are two Uchiha. Gato recognizes the older one, "Fugaku Uchiha-Sama. Um...What a...An honor it is to have you in my home. Whatever slight I've given to you, I swear I never meant to disrespect you."

Fugaku chuckles darkly, "It's not me you disrespected. It's her."

Gato turns around slowly, and sees Kushina standing before him with a dagger in her hand. Gato gulps, "Please don't kill me."

Kushina goes up to him and decks him in the face. When Gato wakes up, he finds himself tied up by the wrists and ankles. He looks over and sees Mizuki in a similar predicament. Fugaku demands, "Iruka tells me you two owe a lot of people money, is that correct?"

Gato nods, "Hai."

Kushina asks in curiosity, "Who do you owe the most?"

Gato answers, "Hidan of the Jashin Temples."

Kushina glares at him, "You squandered a hundred years of wealth on cultists!?"

Gato can't look in her eyes, so Fugaku decides, "In exchange for all the wealth you squandered, we'll trade what gold Hidan still has for the lives of both of you."

Mizuki finally snaps, "You can't send us there! They'll torture us!"

Fugaku shrugs, "Sorry, but the Uchiha have no need for torturers."

Obito and Iruka pick the two of them up and onto their feet and drag them out of the room. When the leave, Fugaku turns to Kushina, "Congratulations, Lady Kushina, welcome back to Castle Orange Maelstrom."

Kushina exhales, "Very good. Now I can retire and let Nagato run the land until Naruto's ready."

Fugaku warns, "You won't be seeing your son for eight years, can you live with that?"

Kushina's mood falls, but she admits, "I won't be happy with the thought, but if it means he'll be the Daimyo we need, then I can live with it."

Fugaku inquires, "So does that mean you will stand with the Uchiha?"

Kushina nods, "The Uzumaki will stand with the Uchiha."

And so, the Endless War continues through the land of Zipangu with the Uzumaki-Uchiha alliance keeping the Hyuuga and Sarutobi from conquering the capital. Yet it was not meant to last...Join us in two years.

Author's Note: So this is a minor project I've been thinking of and wanted to get on paper before I forget. Now for the record, if I'm lucky the next chapter won't come out in two years.