Chapter 1: Something You Should Know About Your Father

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto.

Author's Rant on manga:There are several things after Manga 450 that upset me. First and foremost is the lack of stage time for Hinata. Now, I'm not a Naruto X Hinata fanatic. Sure, they'd make a cute couple, but I won't go postal over it. However, I'm upset because Kishimoto drops the confession bomb, which is HUGE, but then does absolutely nothing more. At the very least, Naruto and Hinata should have a talk. The second thing is Sakura lying to Naruto about liking him. If Kishimoto wanted to pair Naruto and Sakura, well, that scene just about kill that pairing off completely. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Yeah, Naruto would be pretty stupid if he is to fall for that in the future, even if she means it then. Last, but not least, Danzou the Rokudaime? and still alive?

So here's my attempt to right everything that went wrong in Manga.

Hinata's chapter introduction:"Ano. I just want to say that I love my Naruto-kun and that I'm glad I'll be getting more screen time in this story and spending it with Naruto-kun."

XXXXXX

"I got you Naruto," Kakashi says with a smile, catching the blond hero who has just defeated Pein. "I'm proud of you."

Naruto is in no state to argue or resist help. He merely smiles back weakly.

As they journey closer to the village, or what's left of it, congratulatory shouts from a large gathering of grateful villagers greet them. Naruto is stunned and overwhelmed.

Words from his childhood bring a smile to his face. "I'll be greater than the Hokage. I'll make everyone acknowledge me. I'll protect everyone." Remembering he was once a lonely kid shunned or mistreated by everyone to now being showered with gratitude, appreciation, and love feels surreal.

"I told everyone what happened," explains the little slug on Naruto's shoulder, bring him out of his musing.

True, he already knows about her ability to relay messages to her counterparts much like how a radio does, but his mind is too exhausted and too overwhelmed with the scene before him to remember.

As if having the whole village cheering on a guy isn't already showing appreciation enough, the villagers crowd around their savior, some greeting him like he's a long lost member of their family while others bringing their kids as if being in his presence will result in good fortune.

Those who knows him watch from a distance. The ma and pa toads smile at the scene as memory of the late Jiraiya-chan and Minato flash before their eyes.

Iruka remembers Naruto's lonely days at the Academy and the striking difference to the love everyone feels for him now.

"Naruto-kun." Hinata is happy that he's okay and blushes as her lips involuntarily utter his name when she looks into his eyes. She gasps seeing him staring back at her.

'We need to talk,' he mouths, to which she nods.

Suddenly a glob of pink blocks his view. Not caring what that obnoxious color is, he tries to peer around it, but is interrupted by a punch to his guts. He turns to see Sakura - oh yeah, the pink hair - ranting, "Naruto, that was stupid. You could have gotten hurt!" She then embraces him and says, "Thank you."

Among those in the crowd is the Fire Daimyou. A week ago, he received an urgent letter from Danzou for him to be present in the village for an emergency meeting. Danzou being the sender instead of Tsunade had him puzzled, which he is now analyzing after the nerve-wrecking battle concludes. Flanking the Daimyou is Nara Shikaku, head of the Jounin Assembly.

'I bet this emergency meeting has to do with selecting the Rokudaime, or at least an Acting-Hokage, since Tsunade-hime is in a coma,' the Fire Daimyou muses. 'What I don't get is how that old warhawk knew to send for me a week before, and why I didn't see any of his ROOT agents assisting the fight or rescue efforts?'

The more he thinks about this, the more he hates where this is going. However, while looking at the crowd, a solution comes to him.

"May I have your attention, please," the Fire Lord raises his voice over their cheers. He still can't stop smiling at the young man's heroic efforts. 'His name's Naruto, isn't it?'

Just then, a ROOT agent - Daimyou knows about the ROOT emblem that tells them apart from regular ANBU - appears and requests his and the Nara's presence to a meeting that the village advisers are having.

"Already?" Shikaku quips while catching a glance from the Fire Lord.

"Stand down, ROOT!" the Daimyou orders, quite annoyed that his announcement has been interrupted.

"Villagers of Konohagakure!" Daimyou turns his attention back to the crowd and continues his speech with charisma befitting a country leader, "Even though today we lost our houses, our businesses, our schools, our buildings, we still have many things to count as blessings. We have the brave men and women who willingly put their lives on the line to protect all of us whom they hold dear. We have the will of fire that has been burning brightly since the founding of this village. And last but not least, we have our lives that make tomorrow possible."

Daimyou's speech brings the villagers' cheers to another high. He waits until they calm down before continuing.

"As many of you know, the Godaime Hokage used her chakra to heal everyone during the battle. She's now weakened to a comatose state, and the council is in sessions to select the Rokudaime."

The last part is news to everyone. After a few muttering, the crowd quiets and waits for the Daimyou's next words with abated breath.

"However, having just witness how our village's victory and morale have been shouldered by the strength and bravery of one fine heroic shinobi," Daimyou continues, "I believe such meeting would be pointless as I can think of no one better for the job, can you?"

Those in the village, shinobi and common villagers alike, look at each other with faces flashing through several emotions: confused, surprised, happy, and finally jubilation.

Amidst their shouts, Naruto looks at Kakashi puzzled. "What's going on, sensei?"

Kakashi lightly and warmly chuckles, "You've just achieved your dream, Naruto, or should I say, the Rokudaime Hokage."

"Me?!"

"Naruto-san, do you accept?" Daimyou asks, to which Naruto nods, not trusting his voice box.

"Naruto, say something to the people," Shikamaru's father urges. "Normally, you give your speech on your official inauguration, but with the massive rebuilding efforts ahead of us and the need to maintain morale and stability and the image of strength to our enemies and potential clients outside of the village, we cannot afford to wait another day without a leader. So, today will be both your nomination and inauguration all rolled into one." 'This will seal the deal, and Danzou will piss all over himself having his plans frustrated again.'

"Yes, Naruto-san, please announce your acceptance as their Rokudaime," Daimyou concurs, knowing what the Nara has in mind.

Naruto, while not understanding the whole implications, too agrees. Raising his voice, he begins, "The people of Konoha, I Uzumaki Naruto accepts your nomination to be the Rokudaime Hokage. I vow to serve and protect this precious village and its precious people. Konoha will rise from her ashes, stronger and better than before!"

Daimyou quickly adds in midst of the thundering cheers, "People of Konoha, meet your Rokudaime!"

Their thundering cheers roar even louder.

"You did it Naruto ... we believe in you!"

His friends want to congradulate Naruto with hugs and handshakes, but can only watch from a distance as the crowd gather around their Kage and savior, collectively grab him, and toss him in air to celebrate.

Daimyou sees the ROOT agent fidgeting in the corner of his eyes. "No, you're not going back to report anything to anyone until we're done here. Understood?"--to which he nodded--"Now follow my personal guard. He'll make sure you don't."

"Hai." The ROOT-nin relectantly allows himself to be led away.

XXXXXX

Some distance away Zetsu emerges from a tree branch to observe their celebration. "I can believe Kyuubi defeated Pein," his white half states. "I'M SURE MADARA HAS A BACKUP PLAN READY," his black half counters. "Let's go back then," the white half says as the two-halves melt as one entity into the tree.

As if almost instantly, the plant variant missing-nin re-emerges from the ground at some distant location far away from Konoha at the Akatsuki hideout.

After Zetsu reported of Pein's death and Konan's leaving, Madara ponders, "I believe that'll be the last we see of Konan. I still can't believe that the Kyuubi brat messed up our plans and that Pein betrayed me. He was supposed to save that technique for me. We'll need more pawns in order to properly sync with Gedou Mazou."

Zetsu asks, "What about the Eight-Tailed?"

"Kisame, you find the Eight-Tailed," Madara addresses the third member present. "I have an Uchiha to tame."

XXXXXX

Elsewhere in the Fire Country, the Cloud trio continue their journey to Konoha.

"If there are a ton of cute girls in Konoha and they all fall for me," Omoi begins, "oh, I wonder what I should do...."

"Just date them all, date one at a time, or don't bother with any of them ... who gives a hoot?" mocks Karui.

"Hm... Maybe you'll finally find someone who don't mind all your faults..." he volleys back.

"What did you say, punk!?" Karui shouts. Then she whispers more or less to herself, "I wouldn't mind some rich, tall, popular hottie coming on to me. You never know!"

"Nah, you're just overthinking things," Omoi teases with a straight face. "It'll never happen!"

Karui becomes furious and throws a rock, which he manages to dodge. "Who do you think you're messing with?"

Omoi then speculates about what would have happened if the rock she threw caused a chain of events resulting in an avalanche burying Konoha.

"What!? Now, who's overthinking things?" Karui yells back, but then freaks out when they come upon a destroyed Konoha.

"K-Karui, what have you done!" Omoi is genuinely freaking out, looking at the completely leveled village before him.

"No way!! I didn't do it on purpose! Did that little pebble really cause all this damage?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Samui sighs. Even after years of being teammates, she still can't believe how idiotic they are. "Let's find someone in charge."

XXXXXX

"Normally, Naruto," Daimyou explains to the newly appointed Rokudaime as he leads an entourage of Kakashi, Sakura, and Shikaku to a tent, "it's best to have your predecessor train you on how-to's of being a Hokage. Which is why we're here standing outside of Tsunade's tent. We need to find out about her condition."

Entering the tent, they find Shizune faithfully attending to her mentor, bed-ridden and in her aged form with monitoring equipments and bags hooking up to her.

Sakura informs those who don't know that Tsunade's been unconscious since protecting the village. "She used her chakra to heal everyone. Her chakra exhaustion left her comatose."

Daimyou asks, "When do you think she'll wake up?"

Sakura defers the question to Shizune who answers, "I don't know. I've never seen her this bad before. She's had several chakra infusions already, but she barely has anything to show for them."

Everyone watches on as Naruto walks closer to the weakened form of someone akin to family. He bents down and holds her hand, pressing it against his tear-glazed cheek.

"I'm sorry baa-chan," Naruto tries his best to control himself. "I didn't get here soon enough." Sniffling, "Your necklace got damaged during the battle, but I broke its curse." Pausing, "I'm now the next Hokage. Aren't you proud of me?" and openly sobbing now, "You gotta get better soon and show me how it's done, okay?"

Kakashi walks over to the young leader and puts his hand on the sobbing shoulders. "Naruto, we have to go now. Believe in her as she believed in you."

Naruto parts his 'baa-chan' and joins the Fire Daimyou out, leaving Sakura and Shizune behind.

Once they are gone, the two medics notice a beeping noise from one of the monitoring equipments seemingly answering the young man's pleading. The two smile at each other. Tsunade's vitals are looking up. Naruto sure is full of surprises.

XXXXXX

Naruto, Shikaku, and the Daimyou arrive at the Council Meeting together with their escorting ROOT-nin.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Koharu calls out the blond when he enters the room. "Thank you for saving our village, but unfortunately you're not allowed in this meeting."

"Actually," the Fire Lord next to Naruto speaks up, "he's the very reason we're having this meeting."

"Fire Daimyou-dono, I'm sure you misunderstood me. I am grateful for what he's done for Konoha, but ..."

"Koharu, you misunderstood me," Daimyou interrupts. "He's the reason we're having this meeting because he's the new Hokage."

"What!" Danzou, no longer stoic, stands and shouts uncharacteristically before calmly saying, "That's not possible. This meeting hasn't even convened yet."

"Danzou-san, you got a problem with Naruto being the Hokage?" Daimyou laces his question with anger. "He did save the village after all. Plus, he's the son of the Yondaime."

No surprised faces, Naruto notices as he ponders, 'So the council knew who's my father already?'

"Well," Danzou teeters, "he is young, lacking experience...."

"The nomination, acceptance, and inauguration all happened at ground zero, performed and witnessed by the entire village. He's Konoha's choice," Daimyou explains. "As well as mine. I'm not asking for your approval; I'm asking for your support of him in his new role."

Homura asks, "What say you, Shikaku of the Jounin Assembly?"

"We pledge our support. The alternative is unthinkable." The pineapple-haired Jounin declares while stealing a glance at Danzou.

The Sandaime's former teammates look at each other before Koharu finally says, "Homura and I pledge our full support as well." Contrary to popular belief, Koharu and Homura are NOT Danzou's cronies. At best, they are colleagues with many different opinions on how to run things and what are considered to be best for the village. Theirs is a love-hate relationship.

"Danzou?" Daimyou asks.

Danzou is staring intensely at Naruto with his lone unbandaged eye. He then turns his attention to the Fire Daimyou, but only to stare. He has worked so hard for this moment to come - his chance to finally take the mantel. He plotted to kill that damnable toad to keep the Kyuubi brat away, and now with the Hime weakened, his time has finally come. He won't have it thwarted by this brat! He'll have to use that jutsu.

It's then that Naruto feels a spike of chakra coming from Danzou. Training in Senjutsu has enhanced his ability to detect chakra activity. Without thinking through things, Naruto does the only thing he know how best: getting in harm's way.

"No you don't!" He flash-steps to stand in front of the Daimyou, blocking Danzou's line of direct view, readying for anything Danzou might try to harm the Fire Lord.

Naruto feels a pull on his consciousness as he appears before Kyuubi in his mindscape.

XXXXXX

"What do you want Fur-Ball!?" shouts Naruto, standing in his mindscape staring at his prisoner. He's still not happy that he has almost given in to the bijuu during his battle with Pein.

"Watch your tone brat!" Kyuubi shouts back. "I'm not the one calling this meeting."

Naruto looks around and sees a mortified Danzou, or a visage of, standing next to him. "What's he doing here?"

"He must have used one of the mind-controling techniques of the Sharingan," Kyuubi replies. "There one thing we can both agree we hate: that is the over-powered usage of those accursed eyes."

"Wait, how come he's just standing there?" asks the bijuu host. "Can't he move or say something?"

"Heh heh! It looks like his Sharingan is a transplant." Kyuubi's malicious sneerings are unnerving. "Leave me, child. I'm going to have some fun venting against the Sharingan."

As Naruto forcefully terminates the mindscape connection, he sees Kyuubi's chakra cloak pulling Danzou into the cage, having its way with him.

XXXXXX

"Naruto, what's going on?" Kakashi asks several times, not getting a response.

Mind-numbing, nail-curling screams still linger in his ears as Naruto now registers his surrounding in the Council Room. He winces when he sees Danzou foaming from his mouth, flopping out of his chair, and twitching in pain on the floor.

Naruto walks over to the suffering body and pull off the wrappings covering half of his face, exposing the transplant Sharingan before explaining, "He tried to mind control the Daimyou, but I got in the way. He ended up trapped in my mindscape where he became Kyuubi's plaything."

"Plaything? I thought Kyuubi is a he?" Homura asks.

"He is," Naruto replies, leaving everyone shuddering at the mental images.

Naruto pulls out a kunai and mercifully ended the warhawk's pathetic existence.

"I know this puts him in a bad light, but he earnestly believed he acted in Konoha's best interest all his life. Thank you for being so kind to him, Hokage-sama," Koharu says.

"Er... sure," Naruto says with his left hand bashfully patting the back of his head. "Can you just call me Naruto?"

"I don't think that'll do, Hokage-sama." Naruto turns to see Kakashi with a teasing smirk clearly formed under his mask.

"Et tu, sensei?"

Sharing the laughter with everyone else, the Daimyou bids his goodbye, setting to return to his palace.

"Hokage-sama," Homura grabs Naruto's attention, "please stop by my place tonight. You need to be informed of all that's Konoha."

"Yes, please do," his teammate and friend chimes in. "There's something about your father you should know."

XXXXXX

"There's something about my father I should know?" Naruto keeps repeating himself after leaving the Council Room. For the life of him, he can't figure out what. It can't possibly be his name. "Oh that would suck, bad." Then, what? WHAT?

He has to put his thoughts on hold as he meets with the Jounin Assembly and the Business District of Konoha to organize a rebuilding efforts.

Surprisingly the civilian sector of the village is more than supportive of Naruto's leadership. The Jounins too have lend their support and many comment on how natural of a leader Naruto prove to be, just like his father.

"Yamato-sensei, I'm putting you in charge of the entire reconstruction. The Wave will be sending their support. With your Mokuton, the rebuilding will be done in no time."

Yamato sweatdrops and says, "It's not that easy," but accepts nonetheless.

"Kakashi-sensei, you're in charge of reorganizing the ANBU. Gather all the ROOT agents and inform them what happened to their leader. Tell them they are pardoned for all the crimes they've committed under Danzou as long as they provide written reports or mission documents of everything done under his order and that they renew their pledge of allegiance to Konoha. Any who refuses are to be sent to Ibiki before scheduling their execution."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

"Stop call me that! Naruto will do just nicely," Naruto grunts and rolls his eyes at the smiling Kakashi. He still can't get used to the honorifics, especially from Kakashi or any of his close friends. Actually, anyone for that matter.

The newly appointed Hokage handles the rest of the tasks relatively well. He, unlike Tsunade, isn't afraid to delegate responsibilities and trusts in people's abilities. By the time he is finished, much of the normally routine village up-keepings and security-related missions are assigned to a hand full of Jounins as captains to lead their own respective assignments, while the remaining Jounins are divided into providing assistance to the Jounin captains, who are then responsible for recruiting Genins or Chuunins.

After tidying up the provisional monetary incentives for the businesses to remain and rebuild in Konoha, and successfully convincing them, Naruto dismisses everyone and plops into a chair for a much deserved rest. He hasn't properly rested yet after that exhausting battle with Pein, and needs it more than ever, especially after emotional high of being appointed as Rokudaime and the high stress that goes with said office.

Try as he does, he can't get settle his heart, not when every few seconds his mind replays Hinata declaring her love to him and receiving a fatal blow from Pein. From there, it's easy to recall how Hinata has always been there for him since the Academy; albeit, she was shy, acted weird, and fainted frequently.

"Come to think of it, how are her injuries?" the blond says while rising to his feet. He stretches out his senses into the natural energy around him and easily finds her in Training Ground 10.

XXXXXX

"Hi, Hinata-chan!" the blond greets as he closes the distant to his blue-haired comrade who's in her own world resting on some timber.

"Oh, hi, N-Naruto-kun," the blushing Hyuuga timidly greets her crush who's now sitting next to her.

Both sit there awkwardly until Naruto asks, "How are your injuries?"

"Ano, I'm okay. S-sorry I w-wasn't much h-help and added to your w-worry." Hinata is very depressed about this.

"Is that why you're sitting here by yourself?" Naruto asks reassuringly. ""Because you should know that you were a great help. What you said helped me find the strength to defeat him."

"Oh..." Hinata looks shyly away from Naruto's complement, but even more so by the fact that she virtually confessed her feelings to him.

'Is Naruto going to feel awkward about me now? awkward about us? Will I lose our friendship and him being such a great source of encouragement to me?' Hinata keeps asking herself those questions.

She looks at Naruto only to find him staring into space, like his mind is somewhere far away from there ... from her.

Then, her insecurities kick in. 'What if he still likes Sakura? Sakura is much stronger than I am. Why would he choose me?'

Meanwhile, with Naruto, he is having a conversation with his prisoner.

'You're just saying that to get in her panties. I did all the work!' Kyuubi shouts in his mind.

'Not so, Fur-Ball! Hinata-chan was great! If it wasn't for her, you would be Akatsuki's plaything by now,' Naruto rebukes.

Back in the real world, Naruto's face has a slight blush when he asks, "Did you mean what you said? well, you know , that you ..." Naruto hesitates to complete it, "... that you... well, you know..."

"Yes," Hinata responds resolutely, albeit almost too quiet to be heard if Naruto hasn't sat so close.

"Oh... okay." Naruto the hyperactive loudmouth becomes loss for words.

What is he supposed to say? "I love you back"? No, he doesn't know her like that. She's a friend, for sure, but a lover?

'You know, she isn't bad looking ... have you checked out her...'

'Shut it Furball, and stop looking at Hinata like that!'

Naruto shakes his head and forces himself out of the mindscape, annoyed at his perverted prisoner.

"I didn't know you feel that way about me," Naruto finally asks, "Since when?"

"Ac-cademy," Hinata whispers. "You were always so confident, and I-I was always so uns-sure of myself. I guess you ins-spired me ... and the Chuunin Exam preliminaries, your encouragement helped me to develop my own nindo."

"Your own nindo? That's great Hinata! What is it?"

Hinata sweatdrops. She then shyly whispers, "It's the s-same as yours."

"I'm sorry I didn't know you felt that way," Naruto replies weakly, "Besides, it's not like a commoner like me had a chance with the Hyuuga princess."

"I d-don't care about that," Hinata blurts out.

"Perhaps we can take thing slow and get to know each other first," Naruto offers with his patented smile.

"Th-that sounds good," Hinata shyly replies.

"By the way, I always wanted to ask, why did you faint and run a fever so much when you were younger?" When Hinata's face turns red and her body emits heat, Naruto asks again, "Yeah, just like now... Hinata ... Hinata-chan? are you okay?"

Hinata mumbles an answer.

"What was that again?" Her words are really too soft for him to hear.

She takes a deep breath and shouts, "I blushed and fainted because I liked you, but was too shy to do anything about it. Okay?"

"Oh..."

Naruto and Hinata remain awkwardly silent again, stealing frequent glances at each other, until two familiar voices startle Naruto.

"Inari and Tazuna? I was hoping you'd be the ones to come."

"Yeah, it's us," replies a surprisingly sober Tazuna. "The Wave Country is prosperous due to your help, so we're returning the favor."

"Hey Grandpa, I think nii-san was putting the moves on his girlfriend." Inari whispers out loud on purpose while winking at Naruto, much to the deepening of the blush on Hinata's face.

"How's a young boy like you know about 'putting the moves' on a girl?" Naruto asks.

"So, you admit she's your girlfriend? You go, bro. She's a hottie!" Inari teases with a toothy grin.

Naruto smiles sheepishly with a hand behind his head. He looks at Hinata, then Inari, and says, "Well, I haven't work up the nerves to ask her yet."

"I think you just did, Naruto," Tazuna says with a wink. "Just tell us who to report to so we can get started."

"Yamato's the head ninja for the reconstruction, and he's the guy with a wooden helmet ordering people around. Straight ahead."

"C'mon Inari, let's leave the love birds alone."

Silence follows the Wave duo's departure. After mentally shutting down a dozen scenarios, Naruto finally says, "Do you want to grab some ramen with me?"

"Yeah." Hinata's mesmerizing pearl eyes shyly looks into Naruto's enchanting cerulean blue. She smiles, too entranced to faint and too excited that her crush has returned her feeling to get nervous. "I'd like that."

They walk hand-in-hand to Naruto's favorite eatery, which, amazingly enough, survived the Akatsuki.

XXXXXX

After that informal lunch date, Naruto returns to to his make-shift office, which is a large tent erected near the vicinity of the rubble that used to be the Hokage tower, to find three Kumo-nins awaiting him.

"We're told to wait here for the Hokage." Karui looks over the blond appreciatively. She plays with her ruddy hair as she asks, "Do you know where he is?"

"Sheesh, why are all Kumo girls infatuated with blonds?" asks Omoi. He then pensively adds, "... though he's handsome enough that even a guy like me might find him attractive."

"Stop messing things up for me, you moron!" Karui swings her sheathed sword at her teammate, who is also swinging his.

"Stop it, you two!" Samui yells as she moves in between them.

But Naruto was faster, grabbing both weapons before they collide. Samui stands on one side, while Sai appears out of nowhere and stands on the other.

"I'm the man you seek," Naruto announces. "And please refrain from using attacking each other, or my ANBU" - glancing at Sai, whom Naruto assumes Kakashi has assigned to him - "might take it as an attack against me."

Samui apologies for them and hands him a letter from Raikage.

About halfway reading, Naruto's hands shake, and the letter drifts out of his grip. "You positive it was Sasuke?" he asks.

"Killer-Bee was our sensei so we made absolutely sure who took him. Sasuke is now Akatsuki," Samui replies.

Memories of someone he used to, and perhaps still do a little, consider his best friend and rival flood his emotions. Naruto knows he has to declare Sasuke a missing-nin, something that should have been done when the Teme left Konoha for Orochimaru. But a part of him still believed what he said to that traitor when they found him in the Snake-Sannin's lairs. "Can a person become a Hokage if he can't even rescue his friend?"

Naruto then recalls Sasuke's words that he never had any family connections, so he doesn't know that loss. Naruto remembers Jiraiya and how the loss of him to Pein affected him.

'No wonder Sasuke said I didn't know what that loss is. Nothing I said would have worked that day. But now? Now I understand how Sasuke felt and his want of revenge.'

While he keeps the three waiting, his memory lane takes him to his battle with Pein earlier today.

"Only by sharing pain can you understand it."

Naruto shakes his head, heavily weighed down by emotions, and says, "I'm sorry for what happened, but let's not jump to conclusions yet. Akatsuki captures jinchuurikis alive, so they extract the bijuus from them. There's a very good chance your sensei's still alive."

"Even if that is so, you still can't ignore the fact that Sasuke attacked our village and is now working for that criminal organization!" Karui shouts.

Just then, a Chuunin barges in and hands him a urgent document calling forth a Kages Summit.

Naruto looks up from the document into the distraught eyes of the Kumo trio. "Let me think it over, okay? Your Raikage will have his answer in 5 days at the Summit."

XXXXXX

Elsewhere Team Hawk moves through a forest. As Sasuke rushes onwards he remembers Itachi's words and his promise to kill the loved ones of anyone who rejects his way of life.

"Konoha, you will pay for all my pains and sufferings."

XXXXXX

Koharu and Homura are neighbors living in the nicest district in Konoha, the one to which the Hyuugas belong. It was early in the evening. Visiting here is Naruto's first time. What he sees, unfortunately, doesn't do the place justice as most of what made it posh has been destroyed by Pein, as has most of the village, although this part seems to withstand the damages better than others. The rebuilding work here, too, is better than most parts of Konoha.

Naruto frowns on that. 'No more class distinction, not since I now can do something about it.' The newly appointed Hokage smiles as he sends a clone to Yamato, the acting rebuilding architect. 'Konoha will rise from the ashes better than before.'

A few knocks and a brief greeting, Homura ushers in his leader into his abode, where Koharu is already waiting.

"Naruto-sama ..."

"Please," the boy interrupts, "if you must, only in public, but privately, Naruto will do just fine."

The two elders smile. "Very well. Er, Naruto," Homura places 5 scrolls on the table and continues, "there are several documents you must become familiar with. Each one details the all the A- and S-ranked missions of the 5 previous Hokages; the smallest scroll is obviously the Yondaime's."

Naruto fingers over those scrolls, lingering slightly longer on his father's. "Is this the one that'll tell me something I didn't already know about my father?"

"No," Koharu laughs and hands him a mid-size chest with elaborate seal marks. "Blood Detection Seal. Smear some of your blood on its center."

Biting his thumb, Naruto does what he's told, and a glow warms the engraving over the lock, sounding off a pop. Reaching in, he grabs out three scrolls and a tri-prong kunai.

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Readers' Corner: This story is rated T so the graphic detail of what Kyuubi does to Danzou is left to the imagination of the reader. Not too long ago, former President Bush requested legislation for a carte blanche to torture anyone suspect of terrorist activities. One can't help but wonder, is it 'right' for a country to torture their prisoners of war, even if it's for the noble cause of obtaining information to protect its citizens? At what point does it become a violation of 'human rights'?

I look forward to reading your input on this chapter, the Readers' Corner, or both.

Thank you.