Brotherhood
Brotherhood
Summary: They fought like brothers, they bickered like brothers, and they defended each other as brothers, now they must prove how strong the bond of a brother really is. The brotherhood of Konoha of this generation must persevere and embrace the will of fire.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto® Kishimoto-sama does!
Chapter 6: Of Clouds and Dreams
The heavy winds tore through the canopy of the ancient oak tree that Zabuza had perched himself on. His eyes closed, he listened as the wind whipped and whistled around his crouched form. A dull padded thump sounded behind him but he didn't budge. "Report, Haku."
"Hai," A tall, masked, brunette-haired boy said. "Gatoh has moved his men before us and is currently engaging Konoha's shinobi."
Zabuza stood up and plucked his head cleaver from the tree. He turned to Haku as he secured the mighty blade on his back. "We are going to have a change of plan. Right now Gatoh is weak and vulnerable. I am going to sever the weak chain. You, I want to incapacitate as many of Gatoh's men as possible."
Haku nodded, "Might as well abandon this ship before it sinks." With that, he dissipated into a cloud of mist.
Zabuza shuddered. "Sometimes that boy creeps me out…" He then leapt off to Gatoh's forest encampment.
- -
The sheer number of bandits was staggering. Sasuke sidestepped a hail of crossbow bolts that rained down on him. Sweat poured from his brow as he blasted a fireball at five unsuspecting bandits. Screams and yells erupted from the center of the intense but brief blast. Within seconds, the fire dissipated and six or seven more bandits filled the place of their wounded comrades.
"How many are there!" Kiba yelled as he hurled a pair of kunai at one of the men that had begun to charge. He fell to his knees and Sasuke incapacitated him with a swift strike to the neck.
"We have," Sasuke started as he cleaned house with the remaining six bandits, "no time to think about such trivial things."
Kiba exhaled heavily in relief as he saw that the road was clear. He knew that wasn't all of the bandits as he still heard the sound of fighting carried on the wind. The moans and groans at Kiba's feet caught his attention. One of Gatoh's men began to come around.
Kiba kicked the man forcefully and he went limp again. "Ne, Sasuke, what are we going to do with them?" Kiba said pointing a thumb at the unconscious bodies lying around. "We can't just leave them here."
"We don't have time to deal with garbage." Sasuke scoffed. Without hesitation, he headed off to another section of the city.
"Damn jackass." Kiba muttered before leaping off after him.
- -
"Kuso!" Naruto leapt forward with a burst of chakra. With a mighty cry, he buried his fist in one bandit's gut, knocking him away from Sakura who was protecting a group of cowering children. He rolled for a few meters before coming to a stop.
"Arigatou." Naruto nodded before turning back to the fray.
His one eye located three targets and the dark clad shinobi whipped a few kunai in that direction. Two missed their mark and Naruto cursed. Shino who creeping up on them from behind managed to disarm one of them as his kikaichu swarmed around them angrily. Naruto got the other with a well-placed kick to the face.
"Naruto, conserve your chakra, my scouts report about ninety or so bandits on the island." Sakura paled and Naruto's jaw dropped.
"That many?" Shino sadly nodded. Naruto sighed, he was mildly tired from his experience the night before and he was worried about Hinata's eyes.
"Naruto' let's get these civilians to safety." The blonde nodded and lead the three children to safety.
The kids followed close behind Naruto, the youngest clung desperately to his arm. "Don't worry; I won't let anyone hurt you." Inwardly he was shaking with fear and self-doubt. This was something not taught in the academy, and Naruto was fearful for his life and the life of his friends.
Shino who was watching their back made a peculiar hand motion and a pile of rubble faded away revealing a weary, battle- worn Hinata. "Once we reach the center you can rest." The Hyuuga heiress nodded, falling in step with her teammate's steady clip.
- -
His moves were swift and fluid, his strikes accurate and precise. Every move he made was beautifully and artistically lethal. Haku weaved in and out of Gatoh's thugs leaving a path of death in his wake. Each one was felled with a single senbon to the heart.
The masked nin darted into the shadows as a group of about five bandits passed by. They didn't notice him. With a miniscule amount of chakra, he formed five senbon out of water. These men are despicable, looting and burning hard-working villager's homes. Haku's hands moved to launch his senbon but a flicker of steel stopped him. All five bandits slumped to the ground with kunai buried deep into their backs. A silver-haired shinobi bent down and bound the bandits with steel cable.
It is the Copy Ninja… A mild wave of fear slightly overtook him. What if he attacks me?
"How long are you going to stand in the shadows?"
"!"
Haku dispelled his senbon and inched out from his hiding place tentatively. Kakashi's expression was unreadable as he appraised Haku carefully. "I see, so you are Zabuza's protégé."
Haku's eyes widened and his heart began to pound faster and faster. "H-how long have you known?"
"I merely hazarded a guess." Kakashi replied. In one swift motion, he plucked all five bloody kunai from the backs of the fallen bandits. "Since you are here I assume Zabuza is as well. What are your intentions?" Kakashi slightly widened his stance as if preparing to fight.
Haku fearfully took some steps back. I have to get out of here! "Z-Zabuza-san plans to eliminate Gatoh himself. I was sent here alone."
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed slightly scrutinizing the boy even more. The silence was excruciatingly tense and beads of sweat began to run down Haku's face. Suddenly Kakashi spoke dissipating the tension. "If I find that you were lying and your actions bring harm to my charges I will kill you and Zabuza." With that, Kakashi disappeared in a whirlwind of leaves.
Haku exhaled a breath he didn't know he had been holding. He raised his trembling hands to eye level. I think that was about the most terrifying experience I have ever had with another shinobi, just his presence… Zabuza-san, to be able to stand up to him, just how strong are you?
- -
Another villager fell victim to the bandit's powerful blade. His eyes were glazed over in madness, intoxicated by the thick coppery scent of fresh blood. Ooh how I love it so. The man giggled in delight as he plodded through the village streets among the carnage. A concrete retaining wall far behind him exploded in a grand fireball that reached for the heavens. The heat wave from the blast scorched his back and he guffawed madly. "This is what in means to live!"
His joy was immediately quashed as a fierce jab to his back left him paralyzed. "I guess this means your fun is over." Hinata stepped over the prone body and drove an intense spike of chakra through the man's head. He did not get up.
"Hinata-chan!" Naruto yelled as he raced up beside her.
"Naruto-kun?"
"Come, quick, they have breached the wall near where Kurenai-sensei has been protecting the villagers." She did not have to be told twice and she bolted after Naruto.
Naruto made his simple cross-shaped seal and about ten clones came darting beside him. "We might need the extra help."
By the time, Naruto and Hinata reached the battlefront several of the bandits and villagers lay in various stages of dying. They didn't even have time to be horrified by the sight. In the middle of a crowd of about thirty bandits, Kurenai stood her ground with Kiba and Sasuke at her flanks.
"Took you long enough dobe!" Sasuke yelled as he forcefully drove a kunai in a bandit's chest before launching himself off said bandit's body, barreling into two others.
"Urusei!" Naruto began channeling chakra into his fists, pounding each foe in the face. With each satisfying crunch Naruto's grin brew wider. Hinata passed opposite his direction heading straight for the middle.
Even without my eyes…I can still fight! Erupting into a flurry of jyuuken strikes Hinata immediately palmed two unsuspecting thugs in the back before immediately pivoting and thrusting a well aimed strike at the throat of a man who thought he could rush her. He fell and Hinata used his body to leap high over the heads of all of the thugs. In the air, performing an amazing feat of acrobatics, she spun using chakra and launched three kunai into the chests of three nearby enemies. Lightly landing she leapt back into the fray.
Kiba stood off and watched, mesmerized by the incredible display of power. He whistled in awe. "Damn, she's whooping their ass."
Though Kurenai wouldn't use those exact terms she agreed with Kiba. She really has grown. Her gaze turned to Naruto who was performing equally well as he finished off the last of the bandits in the area. It is undeniable; he was the catalyst for such a drastic change.
As the last bandit fell to Naruto's blade, they all grouped up in the center. The civilians who watched from behind the rubble slowly trickled out from their hiding places.
"I think that may be all of them, patrol the area and look for any surviving villagers. If there are any roaming bandits you know what to do." Kurenai commanded. The four genin nodded and dashed off. Now all that is left to do is to wait for Kakashi to return. Kurenai looked up in the sky, noticing that the sun was beginning to sink behind the horizon. A full day and we are still not done yet.
- -
Zabuza inched across the tiled roof of Gatoh's compound, careful to make not a sound. He spied an open window and crawled inside. This is easy…way too easy. Just as he finished his thought, the sound of a spring trap going off reached his ears. Shimatta! Zabuza rolled to get out of the way of kunai that landed mere millimeters away from where he had previously been. A final delayed kunai streaked for his face but Zabuza whipped his blade from his back and cleaved the projectile in two.
"Heh, it will take more than that to kill me Kakashi." The silver haired jounin simply materialized in one shadowy corner.
"Yare, yare, and here I was hoping I wouldn't have to spare the effort."
"Cut the crap, Kakashi, why are you here and not with your snot nosed little brats?" Zabuza snarled.
Kakashi quirked an eyebrow amusedly, "have you forgotten the strength of my genin? Or are you only feigning ignorance? Surely, my subordinates can take care of a few ruffians. If not Kurenai-san is more than capable."
"Whatever, just don't get in my way. Gatoh's mine."
"As you wish," Kakashi poofed away in a cloud of smoke as if he was never there.
Che, a clone, bastard was probably never here! Zabuza slung his blade over his shoulder and disappeared into the dark corridors.
- -
Outside of the complex Kakashi stepped out from between the trees. "So, that masked kid was telling the truth. Curious." With that, the real Kakashi disappeared in a whirlwind of leaves.
- -
His adrenaline was pumping at a feverish pace through his veins. Three had already fallen by his blade and it cried out for more blood. Hah, this is exhilarating! A shame there are so few guards… Zabuza made his way through the mazelike corridors coming to an ornate shoji door. He could hear voices from the other side.
"Nani! You mean to tell me that they failed!?" Zabuza cracked the door open a little and listened. "How could a few Konoha brats defeat my cold blooded killers? What happened to those Iwa castoffs I hired?" Wow, Kakashi was actually right… Maybe I give Konoha a little too little credit.
"T-they deserted sir." A rat-like quivered as he bowed low before the pudgy, well-dressed businessman.
"Why those dirty scumbags. Never could trust those nuke-nin. I'll show em'." Zabuza was preparing to move, his blade clutched tightly in his hand when he saw Gatoh go to open the vault. Jackpot! Zabuza's eyes glinted in glee.
As the last of the tumblers fell into place and the vault door swung open Zabuza leapt into action. Bursting through the rice paper door Zabuza went straight for Gatoh; his blade severing the man's head clean from his shoulders. Blood spurted from the wound as Gatoh's decapitated body fell limp to the floor in a bloody heap.
The other man screamed in absolute terror as Zabuza slowly approached him. "S-stay back!" He screeched as he backed himself into a corner. He tremblingly whipped a flimsy dagger from within his cloak. Zabuza slowly, hefted his blade onto his shoulders; Gatoh's fresh blood dripped menacingly from the glinting steel.
Zabuza merely grinned, his teeth showing in the darkness. "Now, why would I do something like that?" The man barely had time to scream as Zabuza's blade cleaved him in two. His body slumped to the floor dead, rent from shoulder to hip.
Zabuza re-strapped his blade to his back and headed for the vault. "Now let's see what we have here?"
- -
The process was long and arduous. Teams seven and eight had been searching through the rubble and debris for any surviving villagers. It was a solemn experience. In the center of the village, a funeral pyre burned. As much as fifteen men had died protecting their loved ones. Four women and nine children had lost their lives.
Atop the hill overseeing the somber procession team seven stood. Naruto's eyes were clouded and stormy, devoid of their normal lustre. That was stupid and so freaking lame. Why did so many people have to die? Were we not strong enough? Naruto's fists clenched at his sides.
"Naruto."
The blonde snapped out of his revile remembering the voice of his friend. "Ah, gomen Sakura-chan, I need some time alone."
With that, Naruto leapt off for the beach. "He's taking this quite hard."
Sasuke who was there as well just watched as the blonde's back retreated into the darkness. "Aa."
- -
The sound of the waves were calming and soothing to the blonde's battle frayed nerves. The cool water and sand that flowed between his bare toes was one of the most relaxing feelings Naruto had experienced in a long, long time.
Out over the waves he could see the silhouette of a grouping of islands against the backdrop of the night sky. This is so peaceful… Suddenly there was a rustling in the trees further up on the beach. Naruto immediately reached for a kunai only to find he had none. Shimatta! He reached for the blades concealed in his sleeves when a familiar voice called out to him.
"Naruto-kun, how did I know I would find you out here?"
"H-Haku-kun?"
The older boy was wearing the garb of a hunter nin and a mask covered his face. Naruto immediately recognized the garb from before. Haku was the one who was with Zabuza?! So that means… Naruto discretely slipped the crystalline blades from his sleeves into his hands and he buried them in the sand.
Haku removed his mask revealing his face to the blonde. He sat down next to the blonde. Naruto resisted the urge to lash out.
An awkward silence fell over the two as they looked over the rolling waves. Naruto broke the silence. "So you were that hunter nin that rescued Zabuza."
"Hai."
"Does, that make you my enemy." Naruto strained.
The boy fervently shook his head. "Iie, Zabuza-san has absolved himself of this conflict. That is what resulted in what happened today."
"You mean…"
Haku nodded. "We were supposed to fulfill our contract a few days ago but Zabuza-san decided it prudent to default on that particular agreement."
Naruto unburied his blades and admired their craftsmanship. Haku's eyes flickered to the small crystalline daggers. This tugging feeling…what is this?
"C-can I see that please?" Haku asked gesturing at one of the blades.
Naruto internally shrugged, meh, I guess it couldn't hurt. He passed Haku one of the small crystalline daggers.
As soon as Haku touched the delicate looking blade, a surge of chakra shot through his arm. Gasping in pain he nearly lost his grip on the small blade. What power…how can so much chakra be contained in such a small little dagger?
Haku stretched his arm out over the water, concentrating a small portion of his chakra through the small blade. An eerie green glow began to pulse from the hilt but Naruto just sat back and watched. A small thread of water shot into the air and then another slightly larger ribbon twirled around it.
"!"
Haku continued his display his precise control, weaving a lattice of complex strands in an intricate pattern. Naruto watched mesmerized. Such precision and control…I am nowhere near that proficient in my abilities…Wait a minute…How can Haku-kun do that?
"Ne. Haku-kun, how exactly can you do that?" Naruto was already formulating theories in his head. I wonder if he could be…no I shouldn't get my hopes up.
"This is my curse, a kekkei genkai that I inherited from my mother." Haku cast his eyes downward and let his control subside. The particles of water separated spraying them in a fine mist.
"I see." Well that is not much to go on. Naruto dropped the subject as it seemed to depress the brunette-haired boy.
"You should probably head back to your team. They are probably worried about you."
"Aa, what about you?"
"I'll go with you." The two shinobi got up and dashed into the village proper, leaving behind no traces that they had ever been there.
- -
By the time Naruto and Haku had reached the town square the fires had been doused and the villagers had retired to their homes, if it was still intact.
The eerie silence hung like a shadow over the port city. "Oi, you with Kakashi?" A plainly dressed villager yelled from across the street.
Naruto turned to him and nodded. "They're holdin some sort of meeting up at Tazuna's place. Heard something bout the Daimyo or another. Don't know exactly what's goin on but I spect it's mighty important." The man rambled.
"Arigatou." Naruto quickly shuffled away with Haku in tow. Just being in the man's presence was enough to upset Naruto.
Tazuna's house seemed to have eluded much damage save for a few broken windows and a charred porch bench. I guess a home away from the center of town can be a plus. A dense crowd of the displaced villagers stood anxiously in a semicircle around a dark haired figure. Naruto cursed his height, or lack thereof. "Wonder what's goin on?" Naruto thought aloud.
"Whatever it is we should probably take a look."
"Aa."
Naruto and Haku slinked through the crowd to get to the forefront. Torches had been erected to provide adequate light for a large area. In the middle of the semicircle of villagers Kurenai-sensei was kneeling before a stocky balding man. Hinata kneeled at her left, Shino, and Kiba were right behind her. Even Akamaru seemed to be kneeling, as well as a dog could kneel anyways.
What is this?
Haku could see the confusion on the blonde's face. His eyes revealed it all. "It is a diplomatic meeting. That man is the Daimyo of Nami no Kuni."
Realization dawned on the blonde. I'm sure Hinata-chan told me something about a diplomatic meeting or something like that during a training session. Something about a satellite state or something like that…
"Very, well," The man declared loudly; rolling up a small . The crowd seemed to grow even more silent. "Today, we witnessed a momentous event. Single handedly a select group of dedicated shinobi felled an army of Gatoh's finest soldiers. Even though this victory wasn't without its losses it is undeniable that without Konoha's intervention, Nami no Kuni would have ceased to exist this very day."
"Now is a time to celebrate as of today Nami no Kuni will forever be under Konoha's cloak of protection, let us enjoy an era of peace and prosperity!" The man stamped his seal on the scroll and rolled it back up. The action was met with a round of cheers from the crowd. Seemingly out of nowhere, cups of sake were clinking and music began to play. It was time for celebration!
Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto spied Kakashi in the upper window looking down at them. He nudged Haku and pointed. The brunette nodded and they made their way through the crowd to Tazuna's house.
They entered silently and slipped their way up the stairs. When they reached the upper room they were surprised to see both teams, Tazuna, Tsunami, and Zabuza. Even the Daimyo was there.
"This is…"
"Shut the door behind you Naruto." The genin eyed Naruto warily as he brought Haku inside.
Naruto complied and shut the door. A blue flash of chakra almost blinded him. Gah, stupid flashing chakra, Naruto tried, quite unsuccessfully, to rub the twinkling lights in his vision.
"First off, I think it prudent to escort Yoshida-sama back to his manse." A quick glance at Naruto was all that was necessary.
"Ah yes, It is about time I retire for the night." The man excused himself and two of Naruto's clones, who were waiting outside of the door, walked him out.
Sasuke's eye's narrowed. Since when could the dobe create clones so silently? Hell, since when could the dobe even throw a simple kunai straight? This rapid increase in power…I will have to increase my training. I will not be bested by him.
"Now, this is strictly a matter of shinobi, Tazuna-san, Tsunami-san, if you will." The bridge builder and his daughter left the room and it was just the shinobi left in the room.
Haku shifted uncomfortably under the furtive glances of the Konoha genin, especially those of the pale lavender-eyed Hyuuga heiress.
"Let's begin shall we, Naruto and Sasuke, you two will accompany Tazuna-san when he goes out to the bridge in the morning. If you can, do anything and everything in your power to help. The sooner the bridge is completed, the sooner we can leave."
"Team Eight will be going around and shoring up any damages that were inflicted by Gatoh's thugs; Sakura, you will accompany them. If that is all then we should prepare to turn in for the night; it has been a long day." Groans of consent erupted from the dead-tired genin as they filed out of the small, makeshift meeting room. All except Naruto, that is.
His eyes flickered to Zabuza who had been silent the entire time. "Ne, what do you plan on doing?"
The tall burly man, almost inaudible grunted a reply. "I'm gonna clean out that place Gatoh had and set up a shinobi training academy of sorts for these Nami brats. At least they won't be totally helpless if something like this were to happen again."
"So you plan on staying here Zabuza-san?" Haku interjected.
"Aa."
"But what about your ambition to rid Mizu no Kuni of its corruption, have you given up on your dream?" Haku's voice seemed to rise steadily until soon he was shouting.
"Aa, there are some things, that no matter how much struggling you do; will still end in failure, even struggling for the right things…" The statement hit both Haku and Naruto like a ton of bricks.
Could that be true? Could it really be that some goals are truly impossible to accomplish? Flashes of imagined failure danced behind his eyes. Flashes of rejection, flashes of pain overloaded the blonde's stress strained mind and sagged to his knees, sapphire eye wide with imagined fear. No, no, NO! Fiercely the blonde shredded the images in his mind, unknowingly he had begun stabbing himself repeatedly with a kunai in order to drive the images away.
"Naruto-kun, yamero!" Haku yelled throwing himself on the blonde Konoha genin. Both boy's tumbled on the ground and Haku yanked the bloody kunai from Naruto's grip and flung it to the wall.
Haku rolled off Naruto and saw that he was unconscious, probably from blood loss. Suddenly a cacophony of footsteps pounded up the steps. Zabuza took a few steps towards the window as a frantic Hinata burst through the door, her Byakugan blazing.
"What happened here?" She shoved Haku out of the way, as she tried to assess the damage to the boy with her limited medical knowledge. "Superficial wounds, how did Naruto-kun get them?"
"Zabuza-san said something and it set him off I think…" Haku offered weakly.
Hinata's Byakugan receded but her glare shifted to the man who was discreetly inching for the open window. "What could you have possibly said that would make Naruto-kun do that?" Hinata's voice was sharp as steel and the man visibly flinched.
The man backed up as the smaller girl got up and slowly approached him. Oh shit, oh shit… The mantra continued to get louder in his head as the girl approached. It wasn't that he was truly afraid of the girl, more like it was the whole concept of dealing with angry females in general.
Soon Kurenai came and Hinata stopped her advance. Zabuza internally sighed as the girl's sensei distracted her. His esteem for the crimson-eyed jounin jumped up a peg. Note to self, never piss of a Hyuuga female, ever.
Haku was informing Kurenai of all of the smaller details of what had happened and the jounin nodded in thanks. Using her limited healing techniques, she sealed up all of the larger gashes on his thighs and abdomen as his smaller cuts seemed to have healed already. It must be the healing power of the Kyuubi… Using a damp cloth, that Hinata had brought, she wiped away all of the blood.
"Hinata, can you roll out Naruto's futon?"
"Hai, sensei." The girl immediately obeyed, as she would do anything for her blonde-haired crush. The bedroll was laid out and Kurenai lay the unconscious Naruto down.
"Let's go, Naruto needs his rest." Kurenai beckoned and the two Kiri nin followed her out as she doused the lights.
- -
Naruto felt his world spinning before his eyes as he careened precariously through the darkness. He could feel himself screaming but he heard no sound. The vortex of black spiraled around him. Occasionally a flash of menacing red ripped through the darkness and he could feel his flesh being pried from his bones. The torture was sheer agony but anything Naruto tried to do to alter his course failed.
Suddenly his descent halted as he collided with some hard surface. Every single bone in his body seemed to shatter in the same way a mirror would if smashed to a sledgehammer. His pain was absolute; there were no words, or expressions, that could possibly describe the amount of pain he experienced.
Miraculously he could move. Barely could he tilt his head, but each micromuscular twitch seemed to increase the pain tenfold. When he had moved his head to the side sufficiently enough to see an ocean of candles all around, his body was in so much pain blood, mixed with tears, streamed down his face.
Faintly he could see the dark silhouette of a man that was much taller than he was. I'm here again…Hey I can think again! Naruto mused despite the pain. Then that means that…Minato's here.
The younger blonde attempted to move to get a better look at the man. Minato merely knelt down and tipped the contents of a cup into Naruto's mouth. Suddenly the pain disappeared and Naruto had full functionality of all of his facilities.
"Arigatou, Minato-sama." The elder blonde merely waved him off as Naruto got up into a sitting position.
"You're gonna have to find a better way of sending yourself here. Your mind is going to fry from all the stress you put it under."
Naruto grinned and scratched behind his head sheepishly. "Ah ,gomen."
The elder blonde merely chuckled. "Do you know why you are here, Naruto?" The sudden change in the man's voice almost startled the blonde.
"Iie."
"This is something that should have been done when I sealed the Kyuubi into you. The Kyuubi should be here with me but for some reason he has been separated."
"Why, is he separated?"
Minato only sighed. "My only conclusion is that my seal was incomplete when I sealed the Kyuubi into you."
Panic began to rise into the blonde's chest. "W-what is wrong with the seal, can the Kyuubi be released?"
"Well…he would have been released if you were killed because the Kyuubi's soul has not been properly bound to your own; this is also one of the factors contributing to your sucky ass chakra control."
"Hey!" Naruto cried indignantly. "It's not that bad."
The elder blonde snorted. "Like hell it isn't! I doubt you could even create a perfect kage bunshin even with the amount of practice you get since you spam the technique in a fight like a one trick pony."
"I do not!"
"Really, then name for me just one technique you use besides kage bunshin." The man smirked when the younger blonde began muttering curses under his breath. "See, you can't."
Again, the man's voice changed. "Here's some advice from one fellow shinobi to another. Do not become dependent on any one jutsu. Kage bunshin is a powerful technique, but some shinobi can capitalize on a weakness like that."
Naruto mumbled something under his breath that was inaudible to Minato. "I think we should fix that seal then we can work on fixing that landmine of flaws in your fighting style." The man chuckled as Naruto launched himself at the blonde but missed as Minato used the shunshin to get away.
- -
The wind was peaceful and serene, a heavy contrast to the inner turmoil Sandaime felt as he sat atop the Hokage monument overlooking the village. It's so peaceful…to think that there are those who want to snatch that peace away. The heavy sound of feet crunching on gravel approached him but Sarutobi didn't so much as twitch.
"Have you prepared the report to deliver to the council Danzo?" The aging Hokage asked. His eyes barely shifted to the captain of the ANBU Root Division.
"Hai, all matters are on your desk pending your approval Hokage-sama."
"Excellent, instruct your division to prepare for deployment in the villages of grass and mist in the morning."
"Hai, Hokage-sama." If one were looking one could see the gleam in the man's eye as he disappeared in a whirlwind of leaves.
To think that instruments of war must be implemented again…It's regrettable. The aging Hokage sighed again, his eyes saddened by what he was forced to put his village through. This time though, he had no idea how Konoha was going to pull through.
- -
A/N: This is somewhat how I pictured this chapter to come out. Sorry for those who thought I was going to follow my other plotline. I've kinda scrapped my other ideas but I think this has come out better. Review please and give me your ideas!