Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not really doing anything elaborate this time.

AN: Well, this is what one would call an ear worm. It was originally supposed to be crack but I cannot write crack. Enjoy the Orange Legion you've got instead.

"So do all three of you understand the test?" Kakashi Hatake grinned down at the three Genin from beneath his mask but the way he allowed his eye to crinkle made it obvious he was smiling. By the way the three Genin looked at him nervously, some more than others, and how their eyes glanced to the bells suspended in the air he figured they did. "Alright then." He secured them at his waist and reached into one of the pockets on his vest. "You have until sunset." He would have laughed at their frightened expression as his hand reached in and drew out his book but chose not to. It was much harder than he thought when all three nearly fell on the ground from shock. "Begin when you feel you're ready. The test already started."

"Then let me show you the might of my forces!" Naruto Uzumaki stepped forward almost immediately and Kakashi considered it almost disappointing. He had wanted to see what the other two would do but the Uzumaki would probably be entertaining enough. He would beat him, throw him in the forest, and hunt for the rest of his potential teammates.

"Forces?" Sakura Haruno, the only civilian on the team, looked confused for a moment as Naruto stepped forward before she turned to Sasuke. "What is the idiot talking about Sa-"

It was as far as she got before she realized Sasuke was moving back with almost fear on his face, his black eyes turned red with two tomoe in each spinning around his pupil. His reaction was enough for Sakura to follow him. In part it was to protect herself from facing Kakashi alone or being drawn into the dead last's beating and in equal parts it was to get some time alone to speak with her crush on how they would manage to get the two bells and pass.

Naruto was naturally destined to fail.

"Prepare to bow before the might of my glorious legion!" Naruto's hands moved to a simple seal on the armor he wore on his wrist. "Suffer the fate of all enemies to my glorious empire!" Two things appeared in his hands then. One was a strange sword, a short one that was nothing like something Sakura had ever seen. It looked more like a large knife made to decorate a wall. In his other hand, actually strapped to his arm, was a large shield. It was massive, curved slightly and it was colored a simple, and bright, orange. Beneath a metal bump placed in the middle of the shield, was a red swirl.

"There's one of you." Kakashi felt he needed to make the obvious statement. He did not expect to hear laughter erupt from the potential Genin in front of him.

He also noted that the same potential Genin was now dressed differently. He was covered in armor of various shades of orange in addition to an orange cape hanging from his shoulders, attached there by two red swirls that acted as fasteners. Armor was placed on his arm, covered his chest and stomach with one piece and shoulders with another layer placed on top. The lower half of his legs was covered by metal armor but he kept his sandals on. Beneath the orange armor the Jonin noticed a black shirt or tunic that extended down past his waist and covered most of his exposed legs. From the waist down, strands of leather and metal formed a layer of protection that didn't impede the movement of his legs. It was the helmet he took note of the most, the same color as the armor and from it sprouted a solid black plume.

"You are foolish to not understand the glory that is my army!" Naruto placed his sword in a sheath at his side, something Kakashi just noticed and wanted to hit himself for missing such a detail, and drove the shield into the ground in front of him. The potential Genin crossed his fingers for the seal of a Jutsu the Jonin knew to be beyond most Shinobi who had earned the rank of Jonin. "Know it now Kakashi Hatake! Tremble and bow before the might of my glorious Orange Legion!"

"MULTIPLE SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

'Oh yeah.' Kakashi once again felt like hitting himself. He had forgotten the Uzumaki had learned the Kinjutsu from the Hokage…the old man was going a bit crazy in his old age to entrust such a dangerous techni-

Kakashi's brain temporarily stopped working as his eyes took in the scene.

Naruto stood before hundreds, if not a thousand, clones. All were similarly armed to him but he noticed that most of their armor was slightly less decorative and lacked the cape. The helmet of the summoned clones also lacked the plume and instead bore a red swirl on the forehead.

"Behold my glorious army! Behold the might of the Uzumaki Empire it shall bring forth! BEHOLD THE MIGHTY ORANGE LEGION!" As Naruto shouted out his words, he drew the shield up from the ground and returned the sword he wielded to his hand. All of the clones he had created followed his actions as he threw his hands out at his sides. "BEHOLD POWER!"

"So?" Kakashi decided to not let the Uzumaki throw him off his balance any more than he already had. He was a Jonin. The boy in front of him wasn't even a Genin no matter what he did or could do. Or how he could randomly make armor and weapons appear. Or how he had the ability to make hundreds of Shadow Clones all armed like he was. Or how he was currently barking orders and creating formations out of them.

"Legion on me!"

"HOO!"

Naruto raised his sword into the air with his order and immediately dozens of the waiting clones moved around him with a shout. They formed a solid line of steel with their shields held at the ready, ten closed across the distance. The formation stretched ten roars back with Naruto in the center. The hundreds of remaining clones marched around him, encircling the battlefield in a formation with their backs to the forest. A detachment of eighty or so clones already were marching into the forest with a clone dressed similarly to Naruto at the head. The Jonin also noted that they headed in the general direction Sasuke had fled with Sakura.

"Ready artillery!"

"HOO!"

His order was followed, the swords stabbed into the ground as instead each and every clone held their hand out and in a puff of smoke a spear appeared. Naruto was no different, his weapon was identical to those of the clones and appeared in an identical manner as Kakashi chose this moment to make some distance between him and Naruto's 'Orange Legion'.

"FIRE!"

"HOO!"

Approximately one hundred of the spears flew through the air and Kakashi made a note of the multiple explosive tags sailing behind each.

'I'm going to hate this test.'

"Where are we going!" Sakura chased after Sasuke as he seemed on a mad dash to escape the training ground.

"Away from that army!" Sasuke shouted back to her, actually responding at last as he came to a stop, resting against a tree as he allowed his breath to escape him in pants. "He's going to do something li-"

The battlefield they had fled from erupted after a shout.

"Like that." Sasuke finished his sentence and took note of their surroundings with his changed eyes. "He always does that first!"

"Wait, you've seen him use that technique? When?" It seemed like that was a bad question to ask as Sasuke's eyes turned alit with an inferno of uncontrollable fury. It was so intense that Sakura took a step back in blind panic from the object of her affection. Even then his eyes seemed to pierce through her soul and stare back at the Uzumaki who was battling a Jonin with an army.

"When he conquered the Uchiha district for no damn reason!"

FLASHBACK TO THE DAY THE ORANGE LEGION CONQUERED THE UCHIHA DISTRICT FOR 'NO DAMN REASON!'…

"What do you think you're doing near my house dobe?" He had noticed him the moment the blonde had stepped onto the streets. An instinctive nagging at the back of his mind to confront the dead last of the Academy before he could do anything to the empty place he called home. He wouldn't tolerate the blonde moron doing anything to damage the constant representation of his vengeance the entire district represented.

He was glad he had decided to stop him at the border of the district, not letting him get very far at all. The blonde hadn't moved past the border anyway so it wasn't like he needed to move from his spot on the wall. He must have wanted him to find him.

'If he challenges me to a costume contest I'm killing him.'

"Ah, Uchiha! You're just the man I wanted to see right now!" Naruto was dressed in ridiculous orange armor with an equally ridiculous helmet under his arm and cape over his shoulders. The other was currently holding onto the hilt of his sword at his waist. "I have an offer for you!" His smile was pure and held no disguised intentions and neither did his crystal clear blue eyes. "Surrender your land to the glorious Uzumaki Empire or face my Orange Legion in war! The strength of arms will show the victor where the strength of wits and words fail!"

The kid had snapped it seemed or was trying to be funny. Either way Sasuke snorted. It was the closest he would get to a laugh at the outright terrible joke he had just heard from the blonde. The idea of him breaking under the stress of being a failure was also amusing enough to warrant it. Maybe now he would finally learn to shut up and get out of his hair with his constant challenges. The sooner the better for the Uchiha.

"Get off my land dobe." Sasuke kicked off the wall he was leaning against as he crossed his arms over his chest. Coal black eyes looked into blue ones and, for some strange reason, he felt that something was off about the Uzumaki in front of him. "I don't feel like wasting time with you today. Now leave before I change my mind and use you for my target practice."

"I see you've made your choice." Naruto's eyes had hardened. They still screamed of their honest intentions through. He took a moment before he seemed to nod to himself and rose his hand off of his sword and up to chest level. "The Orange Legion is merciful so I will allow you the option to surrender until dawn."

"Get lost already." Shuriken filled one hand and coal black eyes glared at the Uzumaki before him. "I don't want to waste my shuriken on you."

"To the victor go the spoils then my friend." His index and middle finger were raised with his thumb tucked into his palm. Sasuke immediately recognized it as the Seal of Confrontation. "Prepare yourself for war my foe!"

He vanished in a swirl of leaves.

"Damn irritation." Sasuke put his hands in his pocket and made his way back to his house. He was intent to ignore the Uzumaki and his entire mad spiel from a few moments ago. "He's lucky I don't feel like throwing him off myself."

"LEGION!" Naruto's voice reached him from far off down the street and with an irritated sigh Sasuke turned around and froze at the sight behind him. It was as unbelievable as it was believable as he saw Naruto's 'Orange Legion' and realized something. He understood what he had felt was off with the Uzumaki when they had briefly talked.

His Chakra wasn't pouring out of him like always. It was almost muted and now he knew why.

Hundreds of identical blondes stood behind Naruto and the Uzumaki stood at the head of the entire army. His helmet was not yet on as his crystal clear blue eyes swept over the gathered soldiers of his 'Orange Legion' as he seemed to look for any flaws but a grin broke out over his face soon enough. He slammed his fist into the armor he wore on his chest, resting above his heart as the army moved on its feet, eager to begin the night's battle it seemed.

"PRESENT YOURSELVES FOR YOUR CENTURION!" Three clones dressed more like the original blonde marched out of the lines and stood in a solid row, spaced apart with their helmets under their arms. One had barked the order and the clones went ramrod straight. Sasuke noticed the clones that stood before Naruto each had a helmet with a different emblem in the swirl dotting the forehead. I, II, and III. The plume that sprouted from it was also bright red like the swirl symbol on their helmets.

Naruto's eyes looked over the three for a moment before his eyes changed and addressed the clones behind them.

"Before our grand Legion stands the waste of a once glorious and prosperous land!" Naruto's voice wasn't loud but carried over the entirety of the clones assembled before him. "Before us stands the land that was once great and civilized now turned to the dogs because of one savage who dared to call himself great once! What stands before us is the ruins he has created and the madness he drives to create in the world that belongs not to him but to me! You stand here as soldiers of my Orange Legion and soldiers of my glorious UZUMAKI EMPIRE!"

"HOO!" Shields were banged on the ground to produce a great noise.

"You stand here as a beacon of order, of civilization itself in these lands!"

"HOO!" The beating intensified.

'What the hell is going on?'

"While we are here WE are the Empire we all so proudly serve! We are a proud civilization! We are order! WE ARE UZUMAKI!"

"HOO!" It became nearly deafening to the Uchiha.

"PREPARE TO MARCH! ON YOUR CENTURION!"

"YES SIR!"

"READY YOUR ARMS!" The three unique clones, centurions Sasuke would guess from Naruto's brief speech, shouted out the order as one as they each placed on their helmets. Before they turned around they each did something identical to what Naruto had done. Bringing their fist up to their chest and striking their hearts. Naruto returned with the same before all four turned around, three to the army and one to the sole opponent standing against them.

"Pray for glory men!" Naruto rolled his neck as he drew up his shield and readied his sword.

"FORM RANKS!"

"HOO!" Shields were lifted and swords were drawn as one. The clones seamlessly began a synchronized step forward as Naruto was seamlessly placed at the head of the formation.

"This is insane." Sasuke decided not to stick around any longer. He vanished in a burst of leaves and went as far away as he could.

He had traps to arm.

The march was slow. Slow enough for him to grab everything he could and begin to lay out the traps on the rooftops, basics that he could use to hopefully stop the insane blonde before he reached the heart of the Uchiha district where he resided. It had been a great plan in terms of having an entire clan surrounding the head but it now became something else. The streets were designed with the idea in mind, funnel enemy forces stupid enough to take them to large blocky buildings before an ambush force could strike. A hammer and anvil strategy almost.

One building gave him oversight of the entire district and with it where he had planted numerous kunai and shuriken launchers, explosive tags, basic, and hastily assembled, wire traps, and anything else he could find in the past few hours.

Naruto's forces had stopped briefly to separate into four different groups, each roughly a hundred strong, with either one of the three clones he called a centurion or Naruto himself leading them. The four had conversed briefly with each other for an hour or so, maps laid out on a table several clones had grabbed as more rested around them. Their shields were implanted in the ground and another rested on top, a locking mechanism of some sort making a wall of shields. More clones had been busy, moving around what had to be a base camp of some kind and making use of idle time with drills or spars against one another.

Such a thing had helped Sasuke come to understand their combat style from where he used a telescope to spy on them. It involved heavy blows from the shield followed by a swing of the short sword before returning to the safety of the shield. It was brutal and could easily fall to fist when pushed or simple stomps to a downed opponent. At least individually that was the combat style. When together in groups of even two they moved together, shields held forward and swords held down but at the ready. He had seen them use spears, use arrows, and more from within different shield formations they assumed with little instruction beyond a shouted word.

'What the hell has gotten into him?' He had caught glimpses of Naruto thanks to small gaps in the shield wall and he was surprised at what he saw. The dead last and his clones were pouring over a map of the Uchiha district and more than once he saw them mark something but couldn't make out what. He also couldn't see much of their mouths to read their lips. He couldn't even if he wanted to, the blonde's intense expression and sheer focus would have kept him from doing much as he tried to puzzle over how the irritating prankster that was universally seen as an idiot could be so in command.

They had split up eventually. Two hundred or so moving back to spread out and encircle the Uchiha district, from what he could spot with his telescope, and another hundred remained at the base camp. Naruto seemed to want to personally march the last hundred into the heart of the Uchiha district.

Now the last Uchiha in Konoha waited for the inevitable assault with multiple boards covered in wire strings around him. They all tied back to his hastily put together traps to try and stop the army Naruto had created to attack the former home of his deceased clan. At the thought of Naruto Uzumaki of all people conquering the Uchiha district and making it in to whatever he wanted, Sasuke felt his blood boil.

The dead last wouldn't beat him.

"HALT!"

"HOO!"

The clones behind him immediately stopped, bringing their feet back as they stood behind their shields with swords at the ready. Several blue eyes cast a wary gaze over the numerous buildings around them. More than a few seemed almost nervous as they briefly shifted before a swift elbow or such from another clone stopped such actions. Naruto didn't move from where he stood in front of the army for several moments, focusing on something else it seemed, before he returned his sword to his side and waved his arm with two fingers raised on his hand. Immediately the first row of clones, ten in total, sprung out of the formation and the ranks immediately closed around the empty space.

"All of you go and scout ahead." Naruto's words were met with ten nods as the clones formed a row behind him. "Report back."

They were dismissed and raced down a nearby alley, splitting up into groups of two as they moved further and further down. Five pressed themselves against either side of two buildings when they reached the end and cautiously the front two peeked out, the other four holding swords at the ready behind them. Sasuke didn't see the need to attack scouts directly. His traps would be enough to take both them out the main army when they began to march again.

They triggered a wire trap the moment they stepped out the alley. They were torn to shreds in plumes of smoke. Naruto's reaction was immediate.

"READY ARTILLERY!"

"HOO!"

His order was followed as all swords were sheathed and his now less than a hundred clones held out their hands, a spear appearing in each of them. Naruto was with them as he seamlessly stepped back into the formation, his sword already at his side and spear now in hand.

"FIRE!"

They drew back and fired, spears pouring out in every direction.

Sasuke knew how things would turn out at the end of that light the moment he saw the explosive tags trailing each spear. He could only speak three words. Three words that perfectly summed up his situation.

"Fuck this bullshit."

END FLASHBACK TO THE DAY THE ORANGE LEGION CONQUERED THE UCHIHA DISTRICT FOR 'NO DAMN REASON!'…

FOR NOW!

"Uchiha!" Naruto's voice came from the forest then and Sasuke immediately shot upright, two kunai gripped in his hands and held at the ready despite Sakura never seeing him draw them. It was useless in the end as Naruto's clone army emerged all around them, letting out shouts as they banged their swords on their shields. It was almost deafening and made Sakura cover her ears to block out the sound of metal on metal. "There's no use running." Naruto's clone, the leader of the others it seemed, emerged last completely at ease. His sword was sheathed at his side and his shield was hardly raised for a fight. Moments later the shield itself was embedded into the ground and his helmet was taken off so they both could see the identical face Naruto had directed at them. "Praetor's glorious Orange Legion has you surrounded."

"What do you want then?" Sasuke didn't lower his kunai but it seemed like he understood what would happen if he attacked.

It would be a one-sided slaughter.

"Praetor Naruto wishes to have your assistance in this test." The centurion looked to Sakura next and his eyes softened as he bowed his head to her, fist placed on his armor over his heart. "I have also been given orders to escort Sakura-chan to safety with all of my might." His eyes returned to Sasuke and they returned to their past state. "You presence is demanded but your condition has been left up to your level of resistance."

"Sasuke-kun?" He wavered for a moment, the idea of resistance popping up but it seemed to deflate just as quickly. The kunai were returned to their place on his person and he gave a grudging nod. He knew he had no chance of winning against the force present.

"I'm glad you came to this decision." The centurion nodded to him before turning to the forest behind him. "DROP PILUM! PRESENT YOURSELVES TO SAKURA-CHAN!"

"HOO!"

Immediately, a dozen or so clones came marching out of the woods with smoke trailing into the air behind them. They each dropped to a knee in front of a growing confused Sakura and Sasuke took note of the differences each held from the other clones in their armor.

It was the same basic design but at the same time more elaborate, a pink motif of numerous sakura petals falling to the ground flowed up the tunics they wore underneath and the helmet of each held the same design. A sakura tree was in bloom and was in a hollow red lined circle, a dozen red swirls dotting the outside of it in equal intervals. The same could be said for the emblem on their shields and their sword blades carried the same pink design as their tunics on the sheath and hilts. The design seemed to even stretch forward onto the blade but Sasuke was unsure if his guess was correct.

"Allow me to introduce you to your personal escorts Sakura-chan." The clone returned his helmet to his head as he spoke and walked over to the dozen. "Praetor Naruto has gifted you a dozen Praetorians to use to your liking in this test!" The dozen clones rose to their feet as the centurion marched across their line. "They are yours to command with any order and will follow until death either on the battlefield or off it. Your life and will is all that matters to them."

"Praetor Naruto has given them the unique title of Blossom Guards." The centurion stepped to stand next to the shocked potential Genin and the Blossom Guards each stepped forward. "They await your orders."

"Why?" Sakura asked the only question that came to her mind as she saw the devotion in each pair of blue eyes locked on to her and only her.

"Praetor Naruto wishes that you are always protected. This is only a small part of the force you shall have command of. His Praetorians are at your service of course and more join the Blossom Guard every day." The centurion suddenly turned to Sasuke and as one the clones with him began to move from their encirclement into rows behind their leader. "Uchiha!" Sasuke found himself going ramrod straight, his Sharingan meeting the unmoving pools of blue of the centurion. "Praetor Naruto does not wish for you to march with us without proper armor! Neither am I allowed to leave without your presence among my troops!" Two clones came forward with a large chest carried between the two. "I have been asked by Praetor Naruto to ask of you a simple question!" The chest was placed on the ground by the two clones and their hands unlatched either side of it. "Are you prepared to join the Uzumaki Empire?" The centurion addressed him as the chest was opened and the unique armor inside was revealed.

Sasuke took a moment to stop and merely admire the armor in front of him. It wasn't black and orange like the rest of the armor the clones of Naruto's 'Orange Legion' wore or like Sakura's recently presented 'Blossom Guard'. It was different in the coloring but identical to another set.

"Why does it look like this?" It looked nearly identical to Naruto's own.

"Your actions on the battlefields of the past have shown you to be a worthy combatant and our observations have revealed you to have the qualities of a trusted ally as well." Respect entered the eyes of the centurion standing before them as he looked into Sasuke's Sharingan. "Praetor Naruto has informed all of his centurions you are to be presented with armor suiting your rank as Legate of the mighty and glorious Orange Legion."

"Legate?" Sakura almost seemed to taste the words as she spoke them, her question clear. Already her Blossom Guards had moved into place behind her, forming twin rows of six that loaned themselves well to the execution of many formations. They had practiced day in and day out for this moment and would not fail.

"Legate is the title of the second in command of the Orange Legion of the Uzumaki Empire." The centurion looked Sasuke in his eyes, his blue eyes clear in the message they held. "It is the highest rank one may hold in the Orange Legion, higher than any centurion and below only Praetor Naruto in authority." Steel filled his eyes, blue blades piercing red and black. "It is the highest honor any may receive in the Orange Legion as it shows the complete trust of Praetor Naruto in not only the capability of the one chosen but their loyalty as well."

"Why is he giving it to me then?" Sasuke asked the question Sakura wanted to know as well as confusion crossed both their faces in equal amount as the centurion looked to the chest once before responding.

"Praetor Naruto has shown himself to be an excellent judge of character and we of the Orange Legion will trust his judgement in you." The centurion gestured to the armor and immediately the two soldiers began to take it out and approach the Uchiha. "My century is ready to march and only await your command."

"Then…" Sasuke seemed to weigh his decision once again before he noticed something on the armor. "I accept."

"Then it's time to suit up."

"PILUM!" A voice called out over the battlefield and, launched from the assembled clones, a number of spears soared forward. "SUBSTITUTE!" Shields were planted into the ground just as quickly as swords were drawn and close to fifty clones joined the remaining airborne pilum. The remaining clones in the formation closed ranks and drew the substituted pilum from the ground and raised them into the air. "PILUM!"

All pilums were once again directed towards the silver hared Shinobi wielding two kunai in front of them. Rage burned in his eyes as the next wave arrived, screaming the war cry of the Orange Legion as they descended from the air with the thrown projectiles. Kakashi didn't care for how many attacked him, he only cared to cause them the same suffering they caused him after they had taken one of the only thing he loved from the world.

"Is this it?" Kakashi clashed with four of the clones at once, his twin kunai infused with Chakra and cutting through their swords with ease. More charged him but met the same fate as his kunai were too sharp with their enhanced cutting edge for their blades to match. They all retreated before he could finish them off as a centurion observed the battle for a moment before donning his helmet and turning to the clones watching the futile tactic they had unleashed to delay Kakashi. "You ruin my precious Icha Icha and this is all you can bring out! Try and get my blood pumping you little bastards!"

"DRAW SWORDS! FORM RANKS!"

"HOO!"

Like always, his orders were followed as shields embedded into the ground were drawn up along their arms and short swords were drawn from where they rested at their sides. The clones of the Orange Legion held no fear in this battle despite the odds so against them, the elements themselves risen up in opposition. It was nothing to the power of the Orange Legion to face this challenge no matter how revered Silver Fang was in the world. He was still a simple man and they held only the desire to see the Silver Fang bleed like all mortals must. More joined them as a centurion approached with reinforcements from the main camp, archers and the like assuming support positions behind the wall of shields of the main fighters.

"So you want glory after all then brother?" The two centurions briefly met, fist clenched over the heart covered by their armor. A grin was offered beneath the helmet of the centurion about to face the Silver Fang in battle.

"Is it not what we all wish for brother?" The centurion's blue eyes were not clouded with fear or anticipation as a solemn light shined from them. "We must all do our duty in the end and this is mine. If I attain glory then it will be all the better."

"Call for me and we will fire on the Fang." Both knew the duty of the other and departed, one returned to the reinforcements and began barking orders while the other rolled his shoulders as he approached his fellow clones. All were ready to do battle until the end.

The centurion easily stepped into the open ranks before they closed tight and banged on his shield with his sword before pointing forward.

"ON ME! FORWARD!"

"HOO!"

His orange cape was easy to follow as he led the latest charge against the Silver Fang they would fight until their last breath as the next wave of troops arrived and began to continue the encirclement. It was made somewhat difficult with the hounds he had shaped from the elements but it was still possible. The Orange Legion had suffered through worse and would triumph yet again against the might of the very elements themselves, they would become legends. The circle would hold and soon the Silver Fang would be defeated.

It was the truth because it had to be true. Their many sacrifices had to matter by the end of this day.

"SHIELDS!" Another gout of flames crashed against the steel of the Orange Legion as the hound of flames made an attempt to breach their shields with breath that gave birth to hellfire and failed. Its fireballs were worthless against the discipline of the Orange Legion and the centurion who held the line with them.

"ARCHERS!"

"HOO!"

The shields resting above them moved aside as bows were raised and arrows fitted to the string before a concentrated rain fired upon the hound of flames, forcing it to retreat yet again lest it face their bite. Again the shields reformed into a solid barrier between the clones and their foe and those at the front were embedded into the ground.

"PILUM!"

"HOO!"

Another wave of pilum soared through the air and came down towards Kakashi but it was stopped by a dome of stone that the spears could not pierce despite the numbers they were released in. It was only a distraction in the end regardless, more pilums were stabbed into the ground as the clones stepped aside and opened their ranks and quickly the pilum were substituted with. The ranks were closed and the once abandoned shields were returned to those they belonged to as the explosive tags wrapped around the shaft of each pilum burned.

"BRACE!"

"HOO!"

The words of the centurion were followed as the shields were simultaneously embedded in the ground and the clones each crouched behind it, sword sheathed at their side and hand over ears. It was done only moments before the blasts struck and the Silver Fang was concealed from sight.

"What's your status centurion?" Naruto was off the battlefield for now, retreated into the forest under an escort of his Praetorians despite his displeasure at such a tactic. The centurion he had left in charge, one of the three who had stormed the Uchiha district with him, was projected as an image across the table from him.

"The Silver Fang is powerful." The centurion didn't seem worried despite the nature of the battlefield Naruto could so easily see with his eyes from his tent. Smoke, mist, dirt, and lightning erupted into the air and gales blew through the trees. Many had already been stripped bare of leaves and he had given orders to turn them into firewood later. "His hounds continue to hamper our encirclement strategy but the longer we consistently engage him we have found that their power wanes. Soon he will not be able to summon them to him once they are weakened enough for capture. I intend to present them to you upon my return to camp Praetor." The promise of a trophy from the battle made Naruto's face change from grim to a grin.

"I look forward to it then centurion." The two mirrored each other as they placed their fists over their hearts. The image fizzled before fading and Naruto was left alone with only the Praetorians bordering his tent and a centurion as his company to see his sorrow.

"The Silver Fang has taken much from us this day and the sun has hardly risen." Naruto sighed as he stared down at the map before him, watching as large pieces of his army were annihilated by either the Silver Fang or the vicious dogs he created from the elements themselves. He himself had been wounded in the initial strike but the burns along both his arms were already mostly healed. "How much longer do we have until reinforcements from our Third Cohort arrive from the Uchiha district?"

"Hours from now." A Praetorian spoke up from near the entrance of the tent. "The centurions have each been delayed in their marching by several skirmishes across the fields they marched. The Third Cohort will not be arriving anytime soon."

"I see…" Naruto was silent as he took in the information. The First, Second, and Fourth were all that remained reachable now and the last two only remotely. Only the First was present in the battle and at half strength thanks to his side project, the Second was elsewhere on a campaign in hostile lands, and the Fourth continued the expedition he had sent it on merely days ago and they would have marched too long for him to call any of the large force back in time to matter in this battle. The others remained in training to his most recent knowledge. "I wished things had not gone so poorly when we have so few of the Orange Legion available to battle. What of the Sixth? The training is progressing adequately still?"

"The Fifth has hastened the training of the Sixth and both cohorts are dealing with the training of the Eighth now. The Seventh has been deemed ready to emerge and begin to serve the Orange Legion and await further command from you yourself, Praetor Naruto." That could work. He would sadly be absent from the battle for longer than he would wish but he could bring with him the forces that turned the tide in their favor if he could then reinforce the remains of the Third. He could either bring both forces with him upon his return to the battlefield or simply open up more battlefields than they were capable of handling at the moment.

"What of our Ninth Cohort? What is their status?" It was almost his last hope now. The Ninth, no matter how few, could reinforce the worst of the weak spots he could see now and were experienced enough to keep not only Silver Fang from catching on to his plan but he could send the Seventh to bring the remnants of the Third to him.

"The Ninth remains in a state of no contact. The Tenth has been pulled from their duty by many measures to continue searching for them but the odds are not in our favor now." The Praetorian's words made Naruto want to collapse into a chair but he tossed aside such a pointless thought.

Moping would get him nowhere.

"Dock our perimeter then." He hated he had to resort to this but he had no choice it seemed now. "Send all we can spare to reinforce our most heavy losses for now but coordinate our efforts from here."

"Praetor Naruto?" Shock traveled through the voices of his Praetorian at such an order. "Surely you don't mean to do such a thing."

"I do." Naruto would not argue with them and he couldn't even if he wanted to. "Bring up the centurion I sent to retrieve my second in command."

An image of the centurion he had sent into the forest stood in front of him within moments, saluting him with a fist over his heart before speaking.

"I am reporting as ordered Praetor Naruto. Legate is among us as well as Sakura-chan. We are marching with all haste to the main camp…" The centurion paused before he turned to the side for a moment before returning his full attention to the commander of the Orange Legion. "The Legate wishes to speak with you."

"Allow him." Naruto looked on intently at the map laid before him, his army's movements marked on it and he spotted the force still moving through the forest. The march back would of course be slow with the supplies he needed for the main camp from that sector. The sudden boom of thunder echoing across the sky made him briefly curl his hands into fist before he turned to the sole centurion in the tent with him. "Take your century and two others I'll call for. Reinforce those who hold back the storm. They've just lost more than half their forces to it and the Silver Fang will begin to hammer the men there once he flees the battle again."

"It will be done." His fist was held over his heart as he rose before the centurion drew his helmet up and hurried to assemble his troops. Reserves were in position already but they wouldn't hold for long if three centuries were being sent to reinforce them.

"Praetor." Sasuke's voice came with his image, Naruto focusing in on the Uchiha for a moment before a wide grin broke over his face.

"You're wearing the armor."

"I am."

"Then you are ready to engage the Silver Fang?"

"It seems you have a personal century already readied for me Praetor. It would be a shame to waste them."

"Good. My centurion can handle bringing his men back. Depart from them and return to base camp when I send the beacon into the air."

"I'll be there soon. I'll have my forces in shape faster and see how quick I bring him down." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "There's one question I have to ask before I head there, mind answering it?"

"Ask and you will be answered Legate."

"What about Sakura?"

"Her Blossom Guards will be responsible for protecting her."

"Fine then. Throw the beacon whenever you want."

The image fizzled and died and Naruto turned to the nearest Praetorian, the same who had informed him of the status of the Cohorts of his Orange Legion.

"Fire when you reach the center of camp." The order was simple and soon his victory would hinge on its success. The Praetorian left without a word and one stepped in from the ring outside to provide full protection to the Praetor inside the tent. He turned to the other side, meeting the blue eyes of two of his Praetorians. "Get my armor ready!" They left just as silently and once again two others stepped into the tent.

In a minute he smelled the burning of the beacon and a moment later he didn't just as a clamor ran through the camp.

"LEGATE AMONG US! PRESENT YOURSELVES!" He let a smile cross his face despite the harshness of the centurion responsible for his Praetorians. At times he could be a bit much. No other clone had devoted themselves so intently to the rules of the Orange Legion than he had and it showed.

"HOO!" He could tell the scene outside already from the clanging of steel on steel. His Orange Legion had risen as one and acknowledge Sasuke as not only one of them but the Legate. It was from his centurions all the way down.

Sasuke entered the tent in full armor and paused. He slowly raised his hand to his chest in a fist and came down on where his heart rested below the armor he had been gifted by the blonde at the table. Naruto did the same after a moment and a grin split his face.

"How does it feel to lead an army Sasuke?"

"I feel like it'll make things too easy for me now."

Despite how strange it was, the two had somehow become like lifelong friends. It was almost as if they had met before and now they had remembered each other. For all he had his clones for, for all his friends, his allies, Naruto Uzumaki only trusted Sasuke Uchiha to be his absolute second in command. It was a trust that he knew was so easily reciprocated despite how their relationship had been since the day they met. A grudging respect had been born since their first encounter and now it had changed into something else. Something more and deeper than either of them could ever fully understand. They just knew to trust the other despite appearances.

Maybe it was the power of spite? If anyone was going to be responsible for bringing down one of them it would be the other. No one else deserved it. Maybe it was the power of tragedy? One had grown up alone and unwanted and in turn grew desperate for attention while the other had suffered through the inverse. He had grown up surrounded by family until it had been ripped away and had been near obsessive in his desire to be left alone. They understood each other in ways others simply couldn't. Or maybe it was nothing but a gut feeling? Maybe both knew that the other had their back no matter the obstacle before them. It could be all three or none of them all. No matter what the reason for their relationship being as it was, it didn't change the indisputable facts. Sasuke Uchiha was Legate of the Orange Legion and Naruto Uzumaki was its Praetor. That wouldn't be changing for as long as either could help it.

"How does it feel to wear a uniform for once?"

The armor was something special. Naruto had it commissioned not long after the First Cohort had been created with the intention the same the entire time. He wanted Sasuke Uchiha to be his Legate and it showed. It was like his except the plates were a combination of various shades of blues. Beneath it the Uchiha wore a red tunic with a familiar red and white fan emblem at the end of not only each strap that reached down to cover his legs but across the armor. His blue cape was held in place by similar clasps to his own, once again the Uchiha uchiwa replacing the Uzumaki swirl. His helmet held a white plume where his held a crimson one. On Naruto's insistence, even the shield and sword had been customized. The shield bore the customary swirl but also the black and white uchiwa was placed within it and the sword was the same at the hilt, the same image of the Uzumaki swirl holding the Uchiha uchiwa within it.

"How does it feel to have an Uchiha in your army?"

"Just go get your century ready." Naruto turned back to the table and Sasuke turned to leave before he paused.

"Naruto."

"What?"

His Legate offered him a grin.

"Kakashi's a goner."

"I know."

Both carried identical grins as one left the tent and another awaited his armor to be delivered to him. It had been heavily damaged during his injury and a new set had to be retrieved from somewhere in the camp. It had taken time that he didn't like wasting just as the centurion in charge of his Praetorians entered the tent.

"Praetor Naruto." His fist was raised to his chest over his heart and Naruto returned the gesture from his clone.

"Centurion." Both let their hand fall back to their side as two Praetorians stepped into the tent with Naruto's armor held on a stand carried between them. It was a pristine set and already Naruto found he didn't like the aura it held. The richly crafted set looked like it belonged in a museum or on a display. Armor should be notched, dented, and more from when a warrior had taken to the battlefield in it.

"My armor." He could still be in some awe of the sheer quality of it through. Such a thing would never change. It was wonderfully crafted and Naruto knew how sturdy it truly was despite the pristine and near fragile look of it. He knew he would be dead if it didn't offer such great protection from Silver Fang's attack.

"CENTURION PRESENT!"

"HOO!"

Sasuke's arrival was marked with a shout and the sound of a hundred swords meeting a hundred shields. He looked across his small force when compared to the sheer might Naruto already commanded of the Orange Legion and couldn't help but allow a smile to cross his face. The centurion who had escorted him through the forest until he had seen the beacon had informed him of the various tactics they had been drilled in the use of and he fully intended to make good of such practice.

Kakashi wouldn't know what hit him once the Uchiha arrived.

AN: Strange thing about this story, I've written out a healthy amount of chapters. Have the first three.