章 25: Chapter 22 The Emperor's Wishes

For how long has he been thinking about battles?

The desire to see the Uzumaki reign in this world?

There was never a time to enjoy the comfort of life, he always had to be the Emperor, playing judge and murderer. Karin may have been pushed towards him, but aside from Temari, she was truly the only other person he could speak with freely without any restraint. Perhaps conversations with her were much more enjoyable than with Temari.

There was always some attachment to Gaara's sister but there was not time to think about it. With battles heading towards conclusions, another chapter in his life would open up.

With a long and thoughtful look on his face, Naruto stripped the gown he wore–he was standing at the edge of a hot spring within the Land of Hot Springs.

Esoteric marks covered his chest with black ink.

There were no wounds.

There was nothing but peace within the waters. He closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth that filled his body. The muscles felt as if they were loosening up. The tension in his body evaporated slowly. He felt calm. It was almost as if he was trapped in the little world he captures for himself when he was alone.

Perhaps he was truly a miserable person who continually spends time alone, obsessed with thoughts about Fuinjutsu and what his life would have been like had his mother been alive and if Uzushio had never been destroyed in the first place. Maybe he would have lived a much simpler life.

There had been unbearable pain when he was younger.

He had been silently miserable. Only the Sandaime had cared. Konoha had turned him a villain – it had corrupted its thought towards him because of what he carried.

Maybe the destructive thought about the Uzumaki had been the result of his hidden emotions. Rationalizing things had been the only way he could grow without hating everything around him. He certainly would have been filled up with anger–which would have exploded with the Kyubi's goading.

But he was here.

Perhaps the downsize of his mindset was that he had suppressed his emotions.

"Someone is lost in thought."

Naruto blinked upon the words registering through his mind.

On the other side, Princess Koyuki sat, her naked body hidden within the waters. Naruto could still see the shadows of her breasts–it just made him curious to stare into the water to see if he could see more of it.

"I let my guard down," Naruto said in a whisper. He smiled warmly. "You have learned to be sneaky."

"You were just far away from me. I thought you may have been gone and trapped inside with a heated argument with the Kyubi."

Naruto shook his head. "I was thinking about things I never give myself time to think about. The war is to come to an end. There will still be more to do once it has ended."

"What things?" Koyuki asked curiously.

"Relationships, family, and my feelings about my bitter childhood. I've always avoided thinking about what could have been because it does not change anything and just makes you wish for things you can never have. Regardless, I want a future to be a little better. I have not even honored my promise to give you a child."

"Despite by pleadings…" Koyuki said.

"I won't deny I do find myself enjoying the physical pleasures a little too much, but I'd never deeply thought about being a father. Maybe I don't think I am ready for it. Maybe it is just some nonsensical fear."

"It's strange hearing you talk about fears. You have always been assured of what you want. You have never displayed a moment of weakness and always have an answer for everything," Koyuki said before smiling–a small smile. "But it is good to know you are still just like the rest of us."

"Everyone is human, dear. How we are trained to react to situations determines our emotional reactions. I taught myself certain lessons and principles. I have spent time thinking about the wider issues in life but I don't have all the answers. I'm not a genius – I just give myself time to think and conclude things logically." Naruto responded in a quiet tone before adding with a smile. "I guess we should start trying to give you what you want. It would be interesting–and something I can use to develop myself as a person."

"You want to use my child as an experiment?"

"I'm not that heartless. Every child of mine will be loved. Admittedly, there might be favoritism to those who will bear the Uzumaki name…It is really going to be a challenging experience but we will get it right. You have never raised a child either–so, we will see how it goes."

"As long as you don't abandon me to raise the child on my own."

"What do you think of me, Koyuki?"

"Well, for one thing, you don't love me. This marriage was just an arrangement we both made to benefit our nations."

"It's not like you love me either." Naruto said with a shrug. "I have learned that to care for someone, is the best thing you can do. I care for you."

"Sometimes for a woman, that is simply not enough. You need to give attention and time. Caring and protection are sometimes equivalent to you. There will be those people who will not be pleased with protection but will want more."

It was not that he didn't know about that.

During those days with Jiraiya, Naruto had observed many things about relationships. Konoha had deprived him of that, but he was no longer in that contemptuous village.

"I know that, but knowledge and awareness doesn't really mean application." Naruto said in a thoughtful tone. "It is going to be difficult. I wonder if I will even have the time. My duties alone will only grow once the war is over. And I fear that there could be some people lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike."

"Isn't there always something to worry about?"

"Always."

Sunagakure

Gaara stared expressionlessly at the papers on his desk–but his eyes were not focused on them.

His mind was in chaos.

It was a jungle that threatened to test the ever firm expressionless mask on his face. There was much to think about–the road ahead seemed narrow.

There was a chance of another war.

He had lived the past years thinking about its possibility. Konoha had trained its shinobi in preparation for war. Almost every Great Nation had prepared. At some point, it had seemed as if it would be an inevitability that they would be dragged to a blood bath but things had not progressed to that point.

Instead, it was Uzushio fighting–no, it was Naruto fighting.

And he was the one committing the bloodbath.

Just how many men had he killed already?

It was indeed war and perhaps for the survival of his people, he had to fight this way, but this was something that could have been avoided. Onoki and Ai were stubborn. Power was the rule. Because they had the power, their movements were right and justified. It was ridiculous. But that was how things operated in this world.

He didn't think it would continue nevertheless–not with the force of nature that was the Emperor. He had just come to disturb the order of the Five Kages, the balance of power.

He was not bound by the fear of the Great Nations.

Gaara was not worried too much about the Emperor but he worried about Iwagakure. Once the pressure they would invoke on the village starts squeezing the life out of them, he could expect some resistance. There was no doubt that the village would try to push back. Onoki would not simply grovel and apologize.

That is if he does survive Naruto–which Gaara doesn't think likely.

The Emperor was likely going to kill those two Kages.

The Kazekage looked up towards his door when he heard it slowly open. His sister walked in and closed it. His eyes fell firmly on her until she settled down on a chair in front of his desk.

"You look stressed." Temari said, her eyes fixed on her brother's.

Gaara shook his head in slow movements.

The words did not quickly escape from his lips.

He only spoke after a couple of moments had passed.

"Suna does not have the military strength to fight Iwagakure. We have to depend on Konoha to fight battles. If we are to get anything from them, we have to continue make sure that our relationship with them remains strong."

"Isn't it strong? You have worked hard since you became Kazekage to strengthen things after the invasion."

"It is, and there is a mutual respect and understanding between me and the Hokage."

"But?"

"Things can change, Temari. The Kage Summit taught me that power means everything in this world. If you do not have the power, no one will listen to you–those with power will trample you. The Tsuchikage even reminded me that I could not do anything to Iwagakure without help from Konoha."

Suna's dependence on Konoha had been the reason his father had even considered the idea of betraying the village in the first place. But Gaara was not going to follow that path. He was not treacherous. That aside, the Leaf was powerful. He had seen it himself–the village rebuilt its once fearsome shinobi over then past years. It continues to rebuild.

It was no wonder Tsunade had no problems going to war with both Stone and Cloud – as long as he was there offer support. Military strength was not attained simply for show–it was gained to be used. Naruto did not train become stronger just for the sake of it–he wanted to use his power.

Perhaps the powerful end up misusing their power because the power corrupts them. No, power does corrupt, especially those who allowed it to dictate their lives.

Solemnly, Gaara added.

"With your relationship with the Emperor, our relationship with him may become better than Konoha's. From what I have been able to gather, he hates the Leaf and their relationship might improve but it probably won't become like ours. Perhaps there is also the issue of why Konoha failed to rescue Uzushio before."

Temari looked away from her brother; she really did need to have a long chat with Naruto. He would not tell her about anything that does not affect their relationship. Whenever they are together, it was always about what concerns them and other things were kept locked away.

"Do you think our relationship with Uzushio may cause some friction with Konoha?"

"It is a possibility, but depending on what both Uzushio and Konoha are doing. We just need to ensure that we maintain things as much as we can. Certain things you cannot avoid regardless of how hard you may try. We must also look for ways to strengthen our military…Maybe that is not necessary at this time. But we will see what happens. Without weapons of destruction, there will not be destruction. Yet, it is not the weapons that are the cause of destruction. Jutsus are merely the imaginations of men. We think chaos. That is why we invent it. Perhaps to stop this kind of thing, we must stop thinking about them."

"Do you want me to use my relationship to make things better?"

"I'm sorry I must make this request."

"No; it is fine," Temari said with a wave of her right hand. "I did think that something like this would occur. It became apparent that I would have a role to play when he revealed himself as the Emperor."

Konohagakure

It was remarkable how much time he was spending in the village compared to a couple of years ago. He'd always been a visitor–ever since both his teammates left the Leaf, he'd also left. Perhaps being here had reminded him too much of his failures as a shinobi. But these days, he could hardly allow those factors to influence his decisions. He could not afford to be away from home–not with war knocking at their doorsteps.

If things work out with Naruto and his enemies, there would be no more war and perhaps they would try to make sure that such things never happened again. The current group of Kage were taking things in the right direction.

Jiraiya glanced at Tsunade from the window–where he sat. She seemed preoccupied with her thoughts than the work Shikaku had left behind for her. He smiled bitterly thinking of his feelings. You simply just could not get everyone to love you. Just because you love doesn't mean you will be loved.

Life was not fictional as the stories people wrote. Thinking of stories, he seriously needed to pick up on his writing. Perhaps he could draw inspiration from Naruto. He was the Emperor and with his history with women, he surely had some interesting stories to tell.

"You're drooling, you pervert!"

Jiraiya blinked; Tsunade was glaring at him.

He smiled a bit sheepishly. "I was just thinking about something, hime."

"Perverted no doubt." She said with disgust.

"Don't be like that, hime," Jiraiya responded, smiling. He then turned serious. "Nothing is happening yet, but fireworks should start soon. You think Naruto is going to win, don't you?"

Tsunade nodded.

"With the power he has displayed in this war, he could win. It would be stupid to bet against him. But still, nothing is certain. He could still lose the war to them."

"If he loses, they will kill him." Jiraiya shook his head and then corrected himself. "No, he has already come back from the dead. He has always displayed a smart sense of battle. If he is losing, he will flee. Naruto isn't that stupid after all. But if they win, things can go any other way."

"Maybe but they will move carefully. Perhaps it is cold to say, but if Naruto does die or lose, it would make things easier for us. Yet I don't think that Uzushio would be left without options. Nagato is still there and he has displayed that he is just as destructive as Naruto. There is a bit about the Empire's strength that we don't know and it is by design. The end of Naruto does not mean the end of it."

His former student–that peace loving Nagato who once didn't even know if it was right to kill to protect your loved ones; he had surely become a brutal person. Perhaps he was worse than Naruto. What Nagato had done in Amegakure was merciless.

Those two were Uzumaki and they had the power to change things. The Toads had warned him. If both wanted chaos and destruction, they would surely bring it–they had the power.

"I must go see Nagato once things have settled." Jiraiya announced. "We should now focus on how we work things out with Uzushio. Kumo might be a problem but Ai is perhaps reasonable and we could work things out with him."

"High chances are that they will be killed."

"You okay with that?"

"It doesn't matter. It is their war and this is what they want." Tsunade responded in a firm tone. "If they are killed, it clears the way for new leaders to come in. Perhaps a problem may be if the new leaders are like their predecessors. But I am hoping for something different."

Jiraiya's lips parted as he tried to respond but there was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

Shikaku opened the door before closing it once inside.

He greeted both Sannins with a small smile before sitting in front of Tsunade's desk.

"You're late."

"I apologize, I had got held up with something." He said.

"What did you want to discuss?" Jiraiya asked.

"About the way we move forward with the Uzumaki Empire. I spoke to the Emperor just after you left and we exchanged some words. You already know that he had made an agreement with the Sandaime Hokage. Part of what was in the agreement was that Naruto had to marry someone within the village to maintain relations with Konoha. But I think we should not work on that route. Naruto does not want to do it and given his contempt for this village, forcing him into the marriage will only make things worse. He will not do anything far beyond the agreement.

"We have to avoid that. I suggest that we break the current agreement and make a new one. We can discuss new terms that we all find acceptable when we sit with him. But there is something that we insist on inserting–and that is one of his children must marry into Konoha. The children would have to be introduced at a younger age and Naruto's child must also live here, study here and become a shinobi of this village."

"We had not considered that but it works better." Tsunade said in thought.

"You want the child to grow up here so that he/she grows attached to this village."

Shikaku nodded. "Better relations can only be formed when one of them is attached to this village. Naruto may not care for this village, but his children might. Of course, there is still the issue of who gets to marry. For this, I had considered the Hyuga."

"That includes the Byakugan. Do you think they would willingly agree to such a thing?"

"The Byakugan is not being taken anywhere since Naruto's child will grow here, thus by marriage become a member of the Hyuga clan. Hiashi will consider the benefits to his clan. The Empire is only going to grow and become more influential on the lives of many people in the Elemental Nations. If they get closer, they will benefit greatly. We cannot pick just anyone who is not noble since Naruto's children will be princes and princesses."

"Will you do the talking with Hiashi?" Tsunade asked.

"That would be troublesome." Shikaku said with a shake of his head. "Hiashi is my peer, it would work best coming from you."

"I will think about it…Is there anything else?"

"No," Shikaku said.

He spoke his last words and departed from the office.

Things were just going to get a little complicated from now on. At least she was going to quit. She was not getting any younger anyway. She certainly didn't want to lead this village through her old age as her sensei did. There were people capable of becoming Kage now.

"When is Kakashi going to arrive? I am going to have him sit with Hiashi to lead the discussion. It will be good to see how he handles diplomatic talks before I quit this tiring job."

"You really serious about that?"

"Of course I am." Tsunade said firmly. "I don't know how sensei did it for so many years but this job is too much. The brats might think being Hokage is fun but it is not. The responsibility you carry weighs you down."

"I can only imagine." Jiraiya said. "You're constantly put in a position where you must choose between two things. You must always be decisive. Sometimes you have to choose who gets to live or die. If you had to make such decisions, you'd certainly grow old quickly. But Kakashi should be fine–he was Anbu after all. He knows what is best."

"It is his tardiness that bothers me."

"I'm sure that will change with the new responsibility."

Uzushiogakure

Footsteps echoed through the throne room as Naruto strode, hands crossed on his back. There was no other sound other than his footsteps. When he sat down and rested his head on the palm of his right hand, everything became still–it was just complete silence.

Naruto did not hate it. He had designed the room to be completely cut off from the world–to give it privacy and peace. He didn't have to worry about explosions setting off outside while he remained ignorant.

Uzu was well protected.

After a couple of moments passed, Naori formed from the shadows, on the Emperor's left side.

"Where is Haku?"

"He has gone to Kirigakure to see if the issue with the Water Lord has been resolved. He should nevertheless return soon." Naori answered. "Did you need him?"

"No, I just did not feel his presence, so I wondered."

"Yoshino has requested permission to grant Miyuki access to the compound. He would not give his reasons as to why such a move should be made."

"No; Aside from my concerns, there is no reason to grant the request. She is useless to me and the protection of the compound. Her access will be restricted as normal."

"I will give him the message."

Naori was certain that Yoshino expected the rejection. Perhaps there was a game the man was playing with the Emperor. Sometimes it was difficult to understand just how the two thought at times. Yoshino was the only one who could take decisions that Naruto would have made. Haku was different–he didn't consider his superior's thoughts but what he believed was best for the situation.

"Kumo's forces in the sea have not made any movements. But we received a message saying that they stopped at an island and unloaded the suppliers. It could be that they are just taking a break from the sea travel while awaiting further instructions from the Raikage."

"They will move again." Naruto said in thought. "Keep watch on them. We must not let anyone escape if they make moves towards us. For now, we will play ignorant and allow the Cloud to think we see nothing."

"Nadeshiko sent a message."

"We will visit them once Haku returns. It has been long since we made an appearance." Naruto said. "Ready Itachi's eyes and put the seal on them. Send a message to Guren to start recruiting people she can use for Intelligence within the Sound. As planned, there will be one system that manages all our shinobi. Recruitment within the Sound will nevertheless be strict."

"The members of the Akatsuki?"

"They are no longer of use to us. They are wanted criminals and it would not serve us right should we shield them when the Great Nations want them. For now, leave them be but keep their movements under surveillance. We should nevertheless make plans for Kisame. He was too close to Obito."

"Will you handle it?"

"In due time…Perhaps it will be a hunt once we have settled things. But for now, we have our focus…" Naruto paused when he sensed Yoshino's presence.

The man walked purposefully toward him and stopped a couple of feet away from the throne before speaking.

"Your Majesty," he greeted with a smile.

Naruto merely nodded in response.

"I have been thinking about how we are going to build the trains and the railways without the Akatsuki no longer doing missions. The project to even develop the Sound is going to cost us more than we have and Amegakure will not be able to help as it did in the past."

"What do you have in mind?"

"We took Gato's business and that helped us with some funds but it was all spent in the Wave Country. The shipping business helps the Wave's economy, so we cannot take it. The Wave also needs to continue with its expansion to make it the kind of village we want it to be. Money will be required–which we do not have."

"I'm well aware that our financial position does not match our ambitions. Get to it."

Yoshino continued smiling as he responded.

"There are many criminals running loose and many gold mines that are in the hands of criminals. Bandits have loot with them. We can simply claim that instead of demanding compensations from Cloud and Stone. This will set us up for the future."

"That makes sense. Another reason?"

"I want to expand Uzushiogakure. It is still relatively too small. I want it to grow, but of course, we would still need to ensure that the Uzumaki know they cannot marry anyone not from the clan. Extinction is our greatest fear, and we have all agreed to do everything possible to make sure it is avoided."

"Uzushiogakure is yours–what happens to it is not my decision."

"But you would still need to approve."

"If you need my approval, you have it. However, ensure we don't have a situation with our people falling for those not of our blood. What should we make of it, Taboo? Yes, something forbidden." Naruto said. "How do you plan to make this plan of yours work?"

"I was hoping we could utilize Guren's extreme skills and the men she leads to make things happen. Noroi has already gathered valuable spots we could hit."

Naruto stared at the man thinking how long he had been having such thoughts. He then shook his head–he didn't need to know.

"You have my permission." He said. "I have rejected your request with regards to Miyuki… Does that pass your test?"

Yoshino merely continued smiling.

"Which side of you does she even know?"

"A side that she likes, your Majesty."

Naruto blinked before bursting out in laughter. "When does she get pregnant? I am expecting a child. If she is of any use, she will serve her purpose."

"Very soon, Your Majesty, very soon. I work hard at it."

Naruto smiled. "Does she know?"

Konoha, Uchiha Compound

Sasuke couldn't help but snort at his current predicament.

He had fled this village for more power–he did get it but just not quite enough. His salvation had been with his brother. It was at times maddening that many people looked down on his brother and cursed his name. He had once done it and vowed to murder him but he hadn't known the sacrifice his brother had made for Konoha.

Coming back here, he had vowed revenge over all those who were involved. But recently, he'd come to realize he was truly no longer interested. It has been some time since he returned to this village and ever since he has worked to protect it.

Perhaps it was his jealousy and contempt for Naruto that made him chase after the Emperor.

No doubt if he did anything, Konoha would turn on him–the whole of Uzushio would hunt him. Tsunade had made it clear to him that unless she gave the order, he was never to try anything. Admittedly, he'd never given much of a thought to the consequences–but he'd only been thinking about removing someone he believed to be a threat to the Leaf.

His eyes turned when he sensed something. He picked up the short sword lying on the floor on his right side–he was sitting just behind his house.

"I come in peace." Black Zetsu said in a slow dark tone seeing, the narrow look from the Uchiha.

He'd just formed from the ground, in front of Sasuke.

"What do you want? Naruto has been hunting you and it would make him owe me if I captured you."

"I did consider that but I have been watching you. And I want you to join me."

Sasuke's Sharingan activated and he strengthened the grip on his sword. He was familiar with the danger here and Naruto had mentioned it. He was simply not going to allow himself to be taken in for a ride when Itachi had already warned him about the dangerous characters in this shinobi world.

"I have no interest."

"I know where Itachi's eyes are and in your current situation, you need them. I can make sure you get them and take down the Emperor. These people are still not grateful of the sacrifice your brother made to this village. They scorn him and make him turn up to be a villain when he really was just following the village's orders."

Sasuke had a look of anger in his eyes but he controlled his rage. "Don't talk about my brother like you know him!"

"I know him better than you do."

"Naruto has those eyes… I'm not interested." He channeled lightning chakra into his sword, ready to attack Black Zetsu.

"Disappointing," Zetsu said. "Oh, well, not that it was unexpected. But I will return…"

He returned to the ground before Sasuke could attack him.

Uzushiogakure

The lone figure of Yugito stopped walking within the streets and looked up into the clear sky.

There was a chilly breeze at this time in the village–it was perhaps because the village was surrounded by waters. She was strangely becoming familiar with everything. The street was in its usual form of bubbles. Children walked around with their parents while some brats ran through–academy classes were over, so they were free to run loose.

Shops were open, people went in and out. Yugito had never taken part in the festivities within the village. She had always observed from a distance.

Maybe she did not want to end up liking the atmosphere a little too much.

But no one bothered her. Not even the people from the leader or the Emperor.

She was just left alone to do as she pleased.

One of the little things that Yugito had come to realize when walking around this village was that the Uzumaki were truly nobles. It was not that they walked around with their chests puffed up in arrogance of their status–no, they mingled with people and were much more energetic than others.

But when it came to romantic relationships, they did not mix. It didn't seem to bother anyone else as they were good people. It was still not something that was not practiced by other clans. She had also noted that most people came here from different lands. There were those from Ame and some from Nadeshiko. And some were just lost people the Empire brought in and fed.

The village was really charitable–everyone had a home.

Overall, the village was a good place to live. Still, there was no place quite like home. Yugito had missed the mountains of the Cloud. She had missed the terrain and the people at her home. She truly longed to be there. But she could not leave, not unless the Emperor permitted it.

Yugito focused on the road ahead and continued walking. She walked past some people, greeting some along the way. She stopped close to a ramen stand, seeing the Emperor sitting there. He looked just like a normal person. The people loved him–she had noticed as much.

He was their Emperor.

To the Uzumaki, he was like a god. To the little ones, he was even greater than a god. They were being told of his amazing power in the war with Stone and Cloud. The versions were not exaggerations but they did leave out the bloody trail of corpses he left behind.

It was understandable–you did not want to traumatize the little ones with such images.

She walked towards the ramen stand and then sat on a stool on the Emperor's right side. Oddly enough, despite holding her captive in this village and killing many people from her village, Yugito did not hate him–not even a little.

"Should you be sitting here like this?"

Naruto eyed Yugito for a moment with a raised brow and then asked. "Why not?"

"You are the Emperor. Some of these people worship you."

"I'm not a god… I can be normal. You don't expect me to start avoiding bars because I am the Emperor, do you?"

Yugito stared at him.

Naruto chuckled lightly. "When you stand too far away from your people, they only see you through the lenses of what they hear. In this case, they would only see me through what they hear about my achievements in the battlefield. If I allowed such a situation, adoration could become fear, especially if I just kept a straight face along the way. I don't want my people to come to the point where they fear even looking at me. I want them to be free to greet me without fear of death. If they respect me, it should not only because of my position but because of what I am to them."

Yugito did not respond immediately.

She made her order and eyed him out the corner of her eyes. He was sensible at times. Well, it was no wonder these people loved him.

"You're admittedly a good leader. I'm sure not many people would want to hear that."

"You mean your village and Iwagakure."

Yugito refused to comment on this–but it was her thought.

"How was the summit?" She asked a bit hesitantly–perhaps afraid to find out any bad news about her village.

"According to plan. Kumo and Iwa are retreating but I will still be facing the Kage–in a battle of death. They will most certainly die if they cannot defeat or outrun me." Naruto said firmly. "Have you come to a favorable decision?"

Yugito did not take time to respond; her response came a bit too quickly than she would have liked. She meant every word nevertheless.

"I cannot betray my village. I love Kumo even with all its faults. This is a good place. No doubt I'd be happy here if I learned to adapt but I have a home. I suffered for Kumo, and I will not let it be for nothing."

Naruto sighed.

"It is truly difficult to change people once they become loyal to something unless they are traitorous people."

"You're not mad?"

"Disappointed, yes but your rejection of my affections is hardly surprising." Naruto responded with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

"Oh…" Yugito mouthed before asking. "What will happen to me?"

"I'll return you home once the war is over. I have already achieved my objective anyway. Your presence here is no longer necessary but it will work best if you are returned after the war."

"Aside from keeping me away from the war, what else did you want?"

Naruto smiled. "Well, you like Uzushio, don't you? You'll have good things to say about us when you return home. Of course it will depend on whether the new leaders will be able to take your word. I still won't complain if you are treated as a traitor. You could still return here."

"And prove them true?"

"You'd go through the process of being called a traitor?"

"I was hated for being a Jinchuriki, no one trusted me and I was trained like a weapon–nothing will be worse than that."

Naruto shook his head.

"Are you macho?" He asked calmly. "Well, that is your decision to make. I would not take that route. You don't always have to suffer just to prove people wrong. At a certain point, you must say it is enough and look at other things. I have my share of suffering and pain. I don't want to live through that again and would not wish for anyone to go through it. You can easily lose your mind. But Jinchuriki resist because of the desire to form friendships and to be accepted. The world would be an unpleasant place if all Jinchuriki turned against their villages and wielded the mask of vengeance."

Kirigakure

"You should just find an apartment and come to live with us." Mei said to Haku with a small smile on her lips.

Haku shared the smile as he walked towards the Mizukage–who was sitting behind her desk in her office.

He did not say anything until he sat down.

"If I did not have a home already, I would not mind that but my visits are a little more forced because of the situation. I cannot leave Naruto alone because he will go through with his most reckless ideas." He said with a slight shake of his head.

It was simple for these people to simply call him Naruto, but Mei found it difficult to call him that–not with everything he has done. He was the Emperor. He had created a name for himself. There was possibly no shinobi who hasn't heard of his name now. He would die a legend in the shinobi world.

If he doesn't end up dying in battle, he would certainly live a long life.

The Uzumaki were known for this after all.

"Water Daimyo, issue?" Mei frowned just thinking about it. "Fortunately due to Yagura's reign and the civil war, we haven't had to depend on the Daimyo's support but he still holds influence and it would be a lie if I said we did not need his support."

"Still no changes?"

"He would not listen to anything I say. Perhaps Iwa got to him before we did. He seems positive that the Wave will become a threat. It has not stopped growing and once the war ends, it will continue to grow at an accelerated rate."

"We have already discussed this and set some terms to ensure we all benefit from our locations. A partnership is more worthwhile and beneficial to both sides."

"He doesn't see that–he just wants everything for himself." Mei said before heaving a long sigh. She put on a serious look before asking. "The Emperor will order his death if things stay like this, won't he?"

"That was the plan…Or we could just manipulate him."

The Godaime Mizukage leaned back in her chair and put on a thoughtful mask for a minute.

Once her thoughts settled, she responded.

"I can use threats to make him listen. There has always been that option but I held off from doing it because of the consequences that could arise but it seems I have no option. This is an internal matter, I don't want the Empire getting involved."

"You afraid we may end up controlling this country?"

"There is that thought." Mei admitted. "If I take this route, I will need you to be open with me. I will be putting my trust in you – that means you will back us up in case we come across some problems. I am also working on other things to help negate the consequences that may come."

"You have my word, Mizukage, the Empire will not abandon you. If you need assistance, we will help where we can."

Uzushiogakure

"I have been waiting for you." Naruto said to Haku as the Ice user walked into the throne room.

When he had reached a good distance, Haku kneeled before the Emperor and then responded. "I had some business to attend with Kirigakure but I have returned. I must say, news of your fame is spreading rather quickly. Is there someone pushing for it to spread this quickly?"

Naruto wasn't concerned about fame or glory.

Maybe it wasn't a bad thing to be known throughout the lands but being famous was not the main point at this stage, there were much more fundamental issues that he needed his attention. War was not over. Even when it would end, there would still be more work to be done.

The ground work was done nevertheless.

"I have not made such an order; Yoshino must have done it." Naruto answered. "Was your visit fruitful?"

Haku nodded.

"I will hear from the Mizukage soon, but it was fruitful. We should no longer be concerned. We will nevertheless have to put more effort with Kirigakure in the near future should things become difficult for them. I will compile a report and submit it tomorrow."

"More things to read." Naruto shook his head.

"You have never complained about such things before."

"I'm not complaining." The Emperor responded. "Once things are set, I cannot have you leaving my side, Haku. Originally, Naori and Naoki were meant to be my guards but the clan decided to change things and Naoki was sent for Karin. Noroi is the messenger, but he spends too much time away from me handling Intelligence and executing other things. Naori was forced to complete two jobs–I want to release him from being my guard once we are no longer at war. You will serve as both my number 2 and my personal guard."

"You've never actually needed a guard."

"Things change. You don't know what the future holds. My body has been corrupted by the many seals that I placed on myself. Perhaps I failed to understand what would happen if I died with the seals binding chakra from leaving my body. Though dead, my body was very much alive. I cannot always be ready for battle."

"I know; have you tried removing some seals?"

"I have but failed miserably. I won't admit this to the Uzumaki–I would be a laughing stock. I made too many that they have now formed a complex set of routes that I can't just untangle without making something go wrong. It isn't that it is impossible–but I would need someone's unique eyes."

"Pride?"

"Something like that." Naruto said.

"I didn't take you for the kind to be held up by pride."

Naruto stood up from the throne and slowly walked toward Haku. "I don't say this often, but Fuinjutsu is the only thing I hold onto for being Uzumaki. As you already know, some of these people don't even treat me as an Uzumaki because my father was not Uzumaki. The laws we have even put in place was discriminatory. But I am not concerned for that. My seals make me feel worthy of carrying the Uzumaki name."

Haku stood up before responding.

"It bothers you." He said with surprise. He smiled, finding it amusing that Naruto held such feelings. "Well, this is the Uzumaki clan, I should not be surprised."

"This isn't a funny matter," Naruto said before putting a hand on Haku's shoulder. They disappeared in the blink of an eye.

They appeared in the middle of a training ground away from the village. Trees surrounded the training ground; there was silence even so.

Haku looked around for a moment before facing Naruto–who had already created some distance between them.

"Sparring session?"

"Yes." Naruto said with a small nod of his head. "A real one this time around. You will be fighting most of my battles once the war is over. I have already displayed my strength, but you have not. The shinobi world must know of your strength as well. I will put you under pressure, and I expect you respond."

Haku was only concerned about Naruto's fighting capacity when the war ends. He took time to recover from battles where had exerted too much power. Without any Uzumaki backing him and the possibility of fighting two Jinchuriki, he would need to be at one hundred percent.

He could voice his thoughts but it was only Naruto who knew his body best. It still didn't make him any less worried.

"Don't be concerned." Naruto said with a wave of his right hand. "Keeping Sage Mode activated does help me replenish my chakra a bit quickly. I have even stored enough natural chakra in me to battle for days, only if my body will allow me."

"So, no holding back."

"Yes; no holding back."

Haku nodded; he hadn't done this in quite some time. Naruto was also not the kind of person he wanted to fight in a serious battle. Going all out in Ninjutsu would just give him a massive disadvantage if he could not do any harm. Fighting at a close range would do it.

Haku's instincts kicked in when he sensed some movement. Naruto was no longer in the spot he had been in moments ago.

His eyes scanned around for a second and he glared just in front of him.

Naruto appeared in the blink of an eye in front of Haku–he was slightly above the ground, body leaned forward a bit with his right hand, held out slightly with a fist formed. Before he could throw the punch, he suddenly disappeared along silent gusts.

Haku sensed the movements and snapped his right fingers. An ice mirror formed behind him. Naruto flashed just when the mirror formed.

His punch crashed into the wall.

The Emperor only smiled when his punch hit the mirror and it did not even budge. He felt a tinge of pain but it was nothing serious.

"Hyoton: Ice Needles!"

Naruto's eyes opened slightly when he sensed the build up of chakra.

He retreated and leapt into the air while jumping backwards, hands held together. While he was airborne, multiple ice needles shot out from the mirror.

He watched them weave through the air as they reared towards him menacingly.

"Katon: Great Fireball no Jutsu!"

Naruto inhaled some air and then exhaled a monstrous ball of flames that created a shadow over Haku.

The ice needles were hit by the intense flames and melted upon being consumed.

Haku had more or less expected Naruto to use a fire jutsu to avoid those needles. He was using Ninjutsu at the beginning even when he had said he should not. Well, he had no choice since Naruto dictated the flow of the battle. He needed to gain that control before engaging close up.

He held a single hand seal.

"Triple Demonic Mirroring Crystals."

While still airborne, Naruto's senses picked up something; a mirror appeared above and another below him. He quickly canceled his fire jutsu and held out both his hands. Winds started to gather around him before forming a shield of tornado around him.

Ice splinters shot out of the mirrors, rushing towards him from both sides. In the blink of an eye, the ice was upon him and crashed into the rotating winds. They were soon spat out to other directions. The tornado flashed to the ground, hitting in a small explosion that picked up debris from the ground.

When the winds around Naruto dispersed, Haku charged towards him, running through the ground.

After a couple of steps, he suddenly disappeared.

Naruto looked up when Haku appeared above. The ice user was flashing the back of his foot towards his head. He raised both hands and folded them just in time to block the kick. He winced slightly when the foot connected with his hands–if felt like he had just been hit by a stone of ice.

He pushed back slightly, forcing Haku to leap backwards into the air.

Haku timed everything correctly and opened his mouth the moment he leapt backwards. He released a smoke screen of ice that spread through the atmosphere before Naruto could move from his position. When he landed down, the air was cold. He could see his breath as his body started generating heat to keep his body warm.

Naruto held out his right hand.

"What is the name of this jutsu?" He asked curiously. "It is similar to the one you used to freeze Kumo shinobi at the bridge in the Wave? The atmosphere has changed–it is a little difficult to breathe and the air is heavy–it affects my control over wind but nothing I cannot overcome."

"It is not fair that you are able to analyze Ninjutsu like that."

"I have been around you for some time in the battleground and I once grew an interest in trying learn Hyoton."

"Are you ready then?"

Haku held out his right hand.

Naruto took a stance and smiled.

"I am."

But before Haku could make a move, Naori flashed behind him.

"There is a situation, Your Majesty!" He said in a serious tone.

Naruto straightened up, wearing an expressionless mask. "Haku, we will pick up some time. It seems that we cannot indulge ourselves in this situation." He said. "What?"

"Yoshino is waiting for you in the throne room along with Naoki."

"Bring Haku." The Emperor said before disappearing in the blink of an eye.

He appeared on the throne with that expressionless mask on his face. He stared down at the kneeling Yoshino while waiting for Haku and Naori to appear. They appeared after a couple of seconds; Haku knelt beside Yoshino while Naori walked to the throne.

"Naoki." Naruto called.

The Uzumaki materialized on the left side of the throne.

"Your Majesty."

"I assume you are the one with the news."

"Yes." Naoki said. "We caught three shinobi from Iwagakure within the Wave country. But they committed suicide before we could interrogate them. We don't know what they were doing or if it was just the three of them–but what is certain is that they had been here for more than a week."

"And nobody noticed them?"

"Well, the Wave is not protected like Uzu. It is easy for people to sneak into the country. You said no to barriers because it would just confuse people as there were a lot of people who were always coming into the country. We just kept watch of the Leader and important buildings." Naoki explained.

Naruto frowned deeply.

"Yoshino; What do you think?"

"That they were plotting something. We can be sure that there is indeed something that they did. The fact that they went as far as to kill themselves to avoid being interrogated meant that they did not want us to find out what they did or if there are more people."

Naruto nodded. "Haku?"

"It is concerning that they managed to sneak in and be able to move about but I share everyone's concerns. The Wave could be in trouble but we cannot be sure."

Naruto tapped his finger on the throne while thinking. More than a minute went by while, the only sound coming was from his fingers.

"What of Uzushio?"

"I cannot say but the measures we took, nobody should be able to come in unless they are civilian. But since the war started, we have not welcomed people we do not know. The only way to enter is through the bridge or by ship. Yet, seeing this, I cannot be sure that no one has not slipped through. There will always be a flaw in something created by men."

"Noroi is currently busy with the issue of Kurotsuchi. We cannot allow the Uzumaki forces to leave this village, as you have said, we don't know what may have slipped through. With Noroi busy, he cannot come now. Naoki, go to Ame and request some experienced shinobi from Nagato. Teleport them to the Wave and snuff out the danger. Take Shiro with you, he is a better sensory type than Karin. He should find any other shinobi if they are there."

"If they are using shinobi." Yoshino added in a serious tone.

"That is a possibility. We also use civilians for some covert operations that do not require fighting. If that is the case, and there is something those people did, we are screwed. They will likely know we are moving and take measures to avoid us. But I trust you will succeed Naoki."

"Of course, your Majesty. I will depart now." he said before disappearing in a flash.

Naruto rested his head on the palm of his right hand before speaking. "It seems I have made an oversight in judgment. I did not consider that such a thing would occur even when I knew that Stone and Cloud would not waste time laying siege in the Wave."

"We were focused on Uzushio. We have always saw it as the bigger picture." Yoshino said.

"Indeed, if anything happens, this can be blamed on me. It did seem like Naoki was already blaming me." Naruto said with a slight shake of his head.

"Must we make a visit somewhere, Naori?"

"Yes; we have Nadeshiko."

"We cannot cancel that visit." Naruto said. "But we will not be gone for long. I trust that you have put measures in place in case of emergency. If the compound must be used, then so be it. I will unlock the door to the throne room in the pocket dimension just in case."

"I will activate maximum security barriers but things in the village will not change."

"That is fine, we don't want anything to scare the people. Will you need Haku?"

"No; he should be with you. The message from Stone and Cloud could arrive even as we speak."

"Let us hope it does not." Naruto said before closing his eyes. "Do what you must, Yoshino."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The man said before vanishing into thin air.

Haku stood up and stared at Naruto with a curious look.

If something ends up happening, it would be a disaster but it would still be a nasty move from Iwagakure. The Wave was defenseless and had not threatened anyone.

It was associated with them but was not involved in the war. If Onoki was indeed targeting it to hurt them, Haku would be disappointed in humans, Kage to be particular. To simply wish harm for innocent civilians was just wrong and evil. People should not think like that.

"I didn't think they would resort to such a measure."

"This is the shinobi world. Winner determines everything. We are branded by win or lose. And for a win, shinobi will do everything, anything–and they will justify. We must think of such things. Just because we are not willing to lay siege on other villages and destroy everything does not mean that other people are not willing to do it."

"Still." Haku shook his head. "I saw some things while with Zabuza-sama but this will be a new scale. What are you going to do about it?"

"I have not thought of making any plans." Naruto said calmly. "Even if something happens, I don't know if I will make them pay. I just want us to get to the finishing line." He opened his eyes and spoke once more. "You'll go with me to Nadeshiko. I'll introduce you to those people. Naori, you'll stay here and summon us if there is something that needs our immediate attention."

Amegakure

The ever raining village; these days, it rained heavily and constantly. The whispers of discontent were growing by the day–but Nagato could not stop it. Not when they were at war. Iwa's forces were matching through the lands, returning home. There was no guarantee that they would not move towards this village.

Spies could try to come through. Vigilance was a necessary precaution at this point. If he blinked, this village could fall. The peace he had fought to protect would be destroyed–he could not have that. He could not watch everything he built be destroyed. Complaints didn't matter. But one day, it would all stop.

Konan walked towards the balcony where Nagato stood.

She stopped at his right side and looked at the heavy drops slamming down the village.

"Do you think they may come here?"

"We are not certain. They do seem to be going home. They have also declared us enemies they cannot fight, but we don't know what will happen tomorrow."

"It would be against the agreement made in the Kage Summit if they go that path."

"Agreements have always been torn apart when it was convenient."

That was just how the shinobi world worked. Nagato had always been cautious about these people–and he'd continue to be so. At least he did not have to worry about Naruto falling prey to nice words and empty promises.

He did have his reservations at first, but everything was clear.

"Things should move in the right direction now and we will finally enjoy our peace. Once the war ends, it will be within our grasp." Nagato added.

Konan did not offer a response but narrowed her eyes behind when she heard footsteps.

She saw Naoki walking towards them in slow purposeful steps.

"What brings you here?" Nagato asked while Konan remained silent, just watching the Uzumaki.

"His Majesty has sent me with a request. There is a bit of a situation within the Wave. We want to handle it before anything happens."

"What situation?"

"It is possible that the Wave may go into flames and Iwa shinobi or agents are running through the country. There is a possibility that they are planning something. We caught some who then killed themselves. We want to hunt down those who are possibly still there. And find out if those who killed themselves have planted something so we can disarm it."

"What is the request?"

"Experience shinobi skilled with tracking."

"Don't you have them?"

"Busy with other things. Some are with Guren and the others are with Noroi. We cannot afford to permit the others to depart from Uzushio because there might also be dangers there…"

"Konan, help him." Nagato instructed. "I will stop the rain for a little while to help you work faster."

Konan was gone for about 15 minutes with Naoki.

Nagato remained by the balcony, observing everything. When she returned to the tower, he did hand seals to start with the rain.

"Naruto knows this jutsu, why does he not use it? He could create a clone while in Sage Mode, and that should help things quicker."

"It would take away focus; there is the issue that it may be civilians in the Wave. He tracks chakra far better than anyone using Senjutsu but there are people better suited for that. We should not think this might not happen here. We must put extra eyes until we are certain there is no danger."

Nadeshiko

The village stood atop of hills, surrounded by a large forest. Haku had never been here before. As far as he was concerned, the people here would never give him entry unless he was with Naruto–some Uzumaki had come here though.

The village still had strict laws about men entering here.

They stood on a bridge connecting the hills. There was no one there–just the two of them. He stared below for a moment before glancing at Naruto.

"You never did tell me how you came across this village–or the situation in which you had to marry Shizuka."

"I guess I can thank Jiraiya for making it happen. But it would have still occurred anyway. Shizuka had to fight someone who was a student of Jiraiya and win that battle to force that person into marriage with her. We came across her while we were still thinking about whether we should fight Kirigakure or just leave it. Nadeshiko was closer and could have been useful. When we came across her, I took the opportunity and defeated her. It was my luck. Once I marry her, I can effectively take over Nadeshiko."

"Wait." Haku faced Naruto with surprise. "You never told me that you had plans to fight Kiri."

That was shocking considering everything he has known.

And he has been at Uzushio for some years now and he'd never heard about this. But then again, the battle lines were drawn way before he was revived in the Land Hidden in Whirlpools.

"There was no plan, just a thought." Naruto said with a wave of his right hand. "The laws of this village work a bit differently. Weak men are not wanted here. You must dominate the woman to take her hand."

"I guess that suits you perfectly." Haku said. "How did you come across her?"

"Noroi did some ground work and found out what had to be done. We did not know about the issue with Jiraiya but she told us when we met her and were glad." Naruto said as he turned his head to the right.

He saw Shizuka walking towards them along with someone. "We are not going to enter the village now, but you'll eventually see it. We don't even want to spend much time here."

Tokiwa was the first to speak after she reached them along with Shizuka. She knelt on one knee and greeted the Emperor.

"Your Majesty…It is good to see you again."

"Likewise." Naruto said before turning to face Shizuka with a smile–the woman did not share his smile causing him to shake his head.

He still cut the distance between them and hugged her a bit tightly.

"Shizuka."

"Your Majesty."

Her voice was low–she was still a woman with a closed heart. Pain did do wonders to people. It was not pleasant to have someone like that. The people that surrounded him were lively. He could be suffocating at times, he did need to have people who could give him some light.

Naruto separated from Shizuka and pointed at Haku. "That is Haku, he is my right hand man."

"It is no longer Yoshino?" Shizuka asked.

"Yoshino is dealing with other things." Naruto said. "You still look as miserable as before. I'd hope you'd have grown out of that shell. Well, it is not like I am doing anything to change the situation."

Shizuka looked stared at the man who defeated her. Her green eyes were glaring with a question but she did not voice it.

The words were surprising to hear from him. He had presented himself as a kind person–but she could not say he was. She had agreed to marry him because of tradition and nothing more. She looked away from him and moved closer to the edge of the bridge.

She placed her arms on the walls, leaning a bit while staring down.

"You want to do something?"

Naruto moved closer to her; he leaned on the walls with his back while watching her through the corner of his eyes.

"I am going to be your husband. Perhaps it is not the kind of romantic story you had dreamed of while still young but if you want to make something possible, you can. Happiness is something you create yourself. You cannot allow your past to bind you. Doing that, you just become miserable, unable to see the road ahead. Don't think it is impossible to love again. You are not affording yourself the opportunity. Give yourself that chance and you will live without regrets."

"It would be hard when you are not even around here."

"We can make arrangements. I am still fighting a war but once we are done with it, you will see me. My subordinates will say I am cold, but I have a heart. As stated in the letter we sent you, we just want to reassure you that we will make good on the agreement. We have not forgotten." he smiled. "I hope no one is trying to challenge you. I'd be disappointed if that was the case."

Shizuka managed a small smile.

"It is hard for anyone to challenge me when I tell them I have already been defeated by the Emperor."

"At least my name keeps some pests away." Naruto said with a smile. "We have a bit of a situation at home–we will not stay long. But I don't want you miserable. I will come again, we shall eat, drink and be merry."

"That sounds good."

"You don't have energy but that is okay."

He spoke to her for a couple of more minutes, telling her about the war. She had some questions which he answered. Once they were done talking, he bid her farewell and watched her leave with Tokiwa. He then turned to the silent Haku–who was giving him a questioning look.

"Are you really interested in her happiness?"

"I am offended that you of all people would question me, Haku."

"You're often a logical being." Haku responded with nonchalance. "It is going to take some doing. I'm surprised you'd speak of happiness. I only ever see you laughing and smiling when Karin is around."

"Everyone wants their peace and salvation." Naruto responded. "Maybe I can make it work for her and me. You never know. But admittedly, I am not too focused on her happiness. I just realize that strong relationships with mutual trust need happiness in them to cement their status. Unhappiness leads to thoughts of betrayal. If Shizuka is content with her life with me, she has no regrets, the people around her see me as a friend. But if miserable, the people around her become distrustful of my treatment of her and we could be in trouble."

"Hence my question." Haku said.

Naruto ignored this.

"Nadeshiko has many beautiful and powerful kunoichi, if you want, you can look around and challenge someone. I would not complain if you made this your second home."

"You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"No; you need to marry, have kids of your own and enjoy being human. I also need little Ice users to restore your clan."

"Maybe I will give it a try."

"You say maybe as if you have a choice. You are going to do this, even if I have to compel you."

"You made that obvious before."

"Then we will have no complaints when you must deliver. While I think things will be a little different after the war, the peace can only last for a few years before something happens and people forget our power. You cannot wait for there to be a favorable time, you must create one."

"You paint a bleak picture of the state of things." Haku said in a quiet tone.

"It is a reality we must accept Haku. But the reason we have come this far is because we want to avoid things becoming dangerous again. It does not mean we will not face dangers again. As we age, more stronger people will come and we must be ready for it. There might even be someone who is training now to surpass my power."

Haku frowned deeply. It wasn't that unthinkable. Naruto was skilled but so were other people. Shinobi were driven by different reasons. Haku hoped there would be no one strong as Naruto at this generation.

The world was not ready for it.

Fortunately, each generation had its special people who were considered gods of shinobi.

He hoped, Naruto was the only one and there would be no relics from the past coming back to haunt them.

Days Later

Unknown Location

Onoki didn't smile seeing the Raikage–they were ready for a battle to death with the Emperor but the reason he was not smiling was that the man only brought his brother with him. He had said so before but Onoki thought since he has said he would bring two with him, the man would follow his example. He was quick to voice his thoughts when he reached the man.

"You only brought your brother."

"I had stated my intentions before." Ai said with nonchalance.

"Are you afraid the Emperor will not be taken down with what we have?" He asked in a slightly mocking tone.

Strong as he was, Naruto could not possibly fight them all and win. He had the speed and Bee had the fire power. He was confident in their chances of claiming victory. If he didn't think they could win, he would not have even come this far.

Why fight when you had no confidence of winning?

"I'd remind you that it was the fact that we underestimated him that we have been brought to this situation. He has made us look like fools. People will start questioning if we are really strong."

"We just have to defeat him."

"It won't be that easy. Last time we faced him, he fooled around with us before walking away. You should take away your confidence in your speed and think this through clearly. We are going there as a team and we must win this, no matter what. I am not going to let your overconfidence ruin us both."

Ai glared at the small figure of the Tsuchikage for a couple of moments before speaking.

"My team is stronger than yours. You have no other reason to complain." Ai said sternly. "How are things are your end?"

"Everything is proceeding as planned. Even if things don't go as planned, we can be sure this will work."

"The Water Lord hasn't been moving as I would like. It appears that Kiri has been getting involved. It the village had agreed on siding with us, we would have hit Uzushio already."

"It can still happen. We may not move now but eventually, they will open their gates and we will strike." Onoki said with confidence. "For now, we face with Emperor."

"And we will win."

"For the sake of our villages, we must."

The others seemed to favor the Emperor.

If Naruto won against them, he could move towards their villages and that would be disastrous.

If he was able to win, the others would not be able to stop him.

He certainly knew this.