The coronation was grand. After Doto was publically judged and then executed for his crimes, those being high treason against Snow Country, murder of the previous daimyo, assault against the new daimyo, and a few more that weren't as damning, the remaining parts of the troops that had served under him were arrested and locked up.
Those that had simply followed orders because they didn't see another way to survive might be reinstated as guards, but Koyuki planned to change things a lot. She wouldn't allow the oppression of the people.
Her inauguration as daimyo was greeted with happiness all around her. She knew that she would have to fight a high number of battles in the future, as there were many that had profited from Doto's actions, but she had got the loyalty oaths from the leaders of the Snow ninja village.
Not to mention that she would soon sign an alliance treaty with Fire Country. This would be a major political coup, as under Doto Snow Country had lost most of their previous allies.
Koyuki appeared to the Konoha group once the official part of the coronation was over.
"I really want to thank you for all your work in freeing my country. And having patience with me. I know I wasn't the easiest person to protect," she admitted.
"No, certainly not, but we can understand the reason why," Naruto accepted.
"I'm especially grateful to you, Naruto. You made Sandayu see that his strategy was faulty and were essential in taking down my uncle. How about you move here and become head of my ninja guards?" Koyuki offered.
The others gasped. Such an offer was incredible. It was a high honour to be offered something like that. And the daimyo of Fire Country would definitely make it happen, should Naruto ask for it.
It would improve the relations between Fire Country and Snow Country massively, should one of Konoha's most prolific upcoming ninjas be accepted as leading guard to the new daimyo.
"Your offer honours me, Koyuki, but sadly I have to decline," Naruto said formally, "I fear I would be bored just having to watch out for threats against you.
I want to reach the top among the ninjas in the world and one day surpass my father. For that I need to become stronger and I can't do that in a position like commander of your ninja guard. I'm also just thirteen years old.
I need to grow and learn more by experience. I know that I'm really strong for my age, but I need to become even stronger to be able to take on the really powerful ninjas out there."
"I suspected that you might say something like that," Koyuki huffed, "Well, you all will always be welcome whenever you come back to Snow Country, though we're having a vote of renaming it Spring Country coming up next week.
And maybe, perhaps in the future I can recruit you away from Konoha," she grinned mischievously and kissed the surprised Naruto on the cheek.
Then she walked away and cheerily gave some children autographs that they asked for.
"Wow, talk about going to high places," Tenten commented.
"Not everybody can claim having got a kiss from a beautiful daimyo," Haku added.
"Yosh, such a youthful thing to happen to you, Naruto!" Lee exclaimed loudly, causing some stares going into their direction.
Naruto just nodded. He really hadn't expected the kiss. But in some way he was happy about it. It was the first time that somebody had kissed him voluntarily.
...
Kakashi listened closely to the report that Gai gave on the successful mission. He was glad about his face mask, as it hid his urge to grin hearing how his student had played a large part in the success of the mission.
Not to mention that Naruto getting some well-deserved acknowledgement and probably causing a new alliance for Fire Country and Konoha to be created would look very good on his mission record. Few ninjas could say this about their missions. Now Naruto had already saved two countries. Indeed impressive.
"I'm glad that the mission turned out like that and that you managed to get the rightful ruler of the newly dubbed Spring Country back onto her rightful throne. Very good work, team," Kakashi commented once Gai was done.
"I'm looking forward to seeing the offer of an alliance that you mentioned coming in. It would also benefit the village greatly if we could set up constant trading agreements with Spring Country. I am sure that the Daimyo will also compliment you for the results.
Now, I would like to speak with Naruto about the blueprints that he got for our research department, all others are free to go. You can take a week off from duty before you have to take the next mission."
Haku, Tenten, Neji, Lee and Gai bowed and left the office while Naruto remained. Kakashi dismissed his ANBU guards and activated the privacy seals.
"How much did you manage to take with you, Naruto?" Kakashi asked.
"Everything they had in their high security safe, sensei," Naruto answered after taking a seat. He knew that this would take longer.
"I think besides the chakra armour, we could also get a lot of use out of the plans for the train system. Not only for military purposes, but also for simple transport of goods.
It would cut the time of getting things to the village down a lot and that could be useful for both our military supplies as well as civilian products. We could also ask for a nice fee for letting civilians use our train system. Alone a connection between Konoha and the capitol would be immensely valuable."
"Not a bad idea, Naruto. I will certainly discuss this with the daimyo during our next meeting. From the report I managed to gather that some of your new seal designs passed the test successfully?" Kakashi half asked half stated.
"Yes, the net seals are very useful in a battle when you want to detain your opponent and not kill him. The seal that was created with the Hyuga clan in mind was also a success. Neji used it to great effect.
It takes one of the Hyuga's main weaknesses away. I have some more ideas from the mission for new seals as well. I will use the next week to work some of them out and then present them to you," Naruto told his sensei.
"That sounds promising. I'm looking forward to seeing them. Did you have any trouble with Haku? This was the first mission he went on with somebody that was directly involved in the mission that got him captured and Zabuza killed," Kakashi wanted to know.
"No, Haku worked well with me when we infiltrated the fortress and never showed any kind of animosity against me, even if I was the one to defeat and capture him back then," Naruto answered, "He did his part of the mission perfectly."
"That's good to know. While we were already quite sure of the three really having changed sides, there were some concerns left over Haku's feelings towards those directly involved in the Wave Country mission. Good to see that we can lay them to rest. While they will still be watched, we can reduce the number of watchers now with that report," Kakashi stated satisfied.
Naruto just nodded. Then he was surprised to have a scroll thrown at him.
"What is this, sensei?" Naruto asked.
"A sealing matrix that one of our teams came across when they were on a mission. We don't know yet what it truly means, which is why I want you to have a look at it, Naruto.
I would give you the same full week of free time as the others, but this is urgent. The scroll arrived yesterday and the team is waiting for our response on how to proceed with their mission," Kakashi stated.
Naruto opened the scroll and then analysed the sealing matrix before blanching.
"Sensei, where did they find that seal?" Naruto asked strained.
"The team is inside Fang Country to investigate the vanishing of a number of people that never reappeared anywhere. What is that seal about?" Kakashi asked.
"This is a variant of a summoning jutsu. A dangerous one at that. Where a normal summoning jutsu requires a small amount of blood to call an animal that you have a contract with, this one is based on the Jashin cult.
The seal basically, once a certain amount of human blood is sacrificed, will call a reaper spirit that will fuse with the one using the summoning array.
Supposedly, if the ritual is performed correctly, the summoner will become a high priest of Jashin, a reaper spirit that the Jashinists call a god, and be immortal.
As far as I know, from what I found in Orochimaru's notes, as little as there was about the group, you need at least fifty victims for the ritual," Naruto stated.
"Crap, that's really serious. Jashinists are already a pest before they are impossible to kill. We need to send backup to the team immediately. No normal chunin team can take on a skilled Jashinist," Kakashi cursed, "The massacre of the Hidden Hot Springs Village ten years ago was bad enough. We don't need another Hidan."
"The crazy priest that enjoys his 'religion' too much? He's an S-ranked missing nin," Naruto asked.
"Yes, that one. He was behind the massacre that caused the Hidden Hot Springs village to fully change their village into a tourist attraction, using the large number of natural hot springs that the country had to earn money.
They were a very small village anyway, and after Hidan was done there, the number of active ninjas was too low to call themselves a hidden village anymore anyway.
So far the number of Jashinists is low, as their rites involve self-injury and not many want to do that. But the crazy ones that actually follow them, are really dangerous, as they don't care about the number of innocents that they kill, all to please their so-called god," Kakashi confirmed.
Naruto pondered the situation.
"Sensei, please let me go and back up the team in Fang Country. I am probably the only one that can undo the sealing matrix before they activate it and create another immortal priest," Naruto asked.
"We can't let this get out. After a long A-rank mission like yours, you need to rest for at least two days, normally the week that I gave your team off. But I agree that this is an emergency. I will send you there as Dark Phoenix.
That way nobody should find it strange that you are doing two A-rank missions after another without a break. Hm, the fastest way to get there would be sending one of your kunai ahead and flashing there, but we don't want anybody to find out your identity," Kakashi pondered the problem.
"Fang Country is about a day at ninja speed away," Naruto mentioned, "I could fill up my supplies in one hour and then take off.
You could send a messenger hawk ahead to inform the team leader that I'm coming and to not, at any circumstances, let somebody with a large scythe pour blood anywhere near the seal. I don't know how many victims they have assembled already, but we should act fast."
"True. I'm going to send for Shikamaru and Hinata to support you. Shikamaru will be valuable to trap the Jashinists and Hinata can help you as a scout and be the team's medic," Kakashi decided.
"It will be a challenge to keep Shikamaru out of the loop," Naruto commented.
"I'm sure you'll manage. After all, you managed to keep everybody in the dark for years while you trained in secret," Kakashi told him with one of his eye smiles.
"Point," Naruto admitted.
"I'll have the two here in one hour," Kakashi stated and Naruto nodded, using the flying thundergod seal in his secret hideout to save time to go there.
"I really envy him for having that ability," Kakashi mumbled and called his assistant in to get Shikamaru and Hinata into his office.
...
Hey guys I really need some power stones to Elevate the ranking :)
...
if you want to read ahead of the public release you can join my p atreon :
p atreon.com/CarriePoppins