Naruto: The Last Harbinger of Storm
NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 28: Farewell.
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🖋️ Author's Note:
Thank you for your incredible patience, your support, and your faith. 🔥
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"The darkest nights produce the brightest stars. It is in our suffering that our greatest stories are forged."
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Previously on NTLHOS-2:
Tsunade, and few older people with her, immediately recognized her.
The moment he recognized her, he felt a fear he hadn't known in a very long time, greater than anyone else present, realizing the implications of this person being in Uzushio during his absence, especially with the barrier recognizing her also as a mainline Uzumaki. And his total lack of control. And women who smiled at them was none other than.
Uzumaki Kushina.
His mother.
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Now:
Tsunade had endured a lot in the past months, taxing shifts before, campaign hospitals, wards but this day felt heavier than all of them combined.
Husband, she caught herself thinking, as she stood in front of the gates of Uzushio.
In her thirties, she had been convinced the Senju name would die with her: no husband, no children, just a battlefield gravestone and a legend carved into stone beside her brother's.
Now, she carried a child and the man who loved her was leaving for... gods only knew how long.
"Any other gods listening," she muttered under her breath, rubbing her temples, "when I said life couldn't get worse, that was rhetorical. Not a challenge."
She grimaced. To bring Kushina of all people to Uzushio when her husband wouldn't even be here from moments from now...
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Flashback:
She'd woken that day morning with a start, expecting to find Naruto's arm slung across her waist. Instead the futon next to her was cold. Shinobi habit kicked in; a light touch on the sheets told her he'd been gone at least three hours from the heat in his side of the bed.
"Workaholic," she sighed. One last day and then he can sleep for as long as he wants, she told herself… but the thought had bitter edges.
She signaled an ANBU. A sleek figure materialized from the shōji's shadow.
"Empress?"
"Where's my husband?"
"His Grace is inside the main shrine. Doors are sealed."
"Sealed?"
"Only the heads of the fourteen shrines are allowed in. No one else."
Tsunade chewed the corner of her lip. She could walk into any room in Uzushio, except that one when Naruto was performing a rites. He had begun teaching her Senju way of spirituality, but she was still an initiate, the inner sanctum was barred.
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Inside the shrine, Naruto sat on a broad cedar dais, garbed in an arch-sage's robes, wooden prayer beads hanging at his collarbone. Before him, the fourteen shrine heads sat with cross-legged, plain linen instead of their usual ornate brocaded vestments on the floor. They bowed not as priests but as students before their master. Off to one side behind Naruto stood Lord Suifu, likewise in a monk's robe, his usual armor nowhere in sight. Suifu's presence alone put the assembly on edge; few remembered that the Grand Marshal himself was an accomplished true sage, practising for over two centuries and was trained by Lord Ashina himself.
Naruto's voice carried through the candlelit hall.
"You'll be maintaining the full cycle of offerings in my absence," he started. "If the flow of divine energy runs wild, you'll stabilize it, on your own. If it wanes, you'll coax it back. Should problems outstrip your training or capability, you will seek Lord Suifu. He's forgotten more about shrines than most of you know."
One of the younger heads, barely forty shifted uneasily.
"Master, what of hostile spirits? We've heard… dark entities gathering beyond the coast."
"Most deities do not meddle in such scuffles," Naruto replied. "Their quarrels reside in higher realms. But dark forces exist, yes, and they do have goals. Part of your charge is to keep the shrines and, by extension, our people safe from them."
He paused, eyes narrowing, voice hardening a fraction.
"And remember: one of the most accomplished sages alive, one on the cusp of arch-sagehood many years ago, still breathes. His adherence to the old rules is… questionable."
"Nobinaga… Nobinaga Yukesen."
"It's not that the position is hereditary, and that I was chosen simply because I was the next Lord Uzumaki and Nobinaga couldn't. No, it was his actions, or rather his heart and soul, that prevented Nobinaga from reaching that level, the level of an Arch Sage.
I wouldn't put it past a man who killed his own master, and that too through deception, to delve into even darker paths and cohort with darker deities. So, buckle up and stay vigilant. I can promise you one thing, he won't set foot on this land easily. I've made sure of it and prepared contingencies for almost every possibility. But in case all my planning is outsmarted, then you must stand up and face the situation."
At that moment, Suifu, who was standing behind Naruto, stepped forward.
"May I, Your Grace?" he asked.
Naruto nodded.
"Until His Grace, an Arch Sage, stands once more upon this soil, Nobinaga will never dare to touch the shrines from the astral realm. While he may have been able to match His Grace toe-to-toe in the material realm, he is nothing compared to a true Arch Sage in astral relm, despite once being considered a top-tier sage. In the astral realm, the difference between a sage and an Arch Sage is vast."
However, we must still expect astral attacks. His Grace has built defences to protect against such assaults, but even then, we do not know whether Nobinaga continues to practice sagehood or if he has already descended into darker dieties.
So, remain vigilant. Always be prepared for astral attacks or acts of sabotage.
The heads bowed once more.
"We understand, Grand Marshal. We will remain vigilant."
"So, the darker deities... do you think Nobinaga will fall so low?"
Naruto replied, "We don't know."
After a moment, Naruto continued, his tone growing heavier.
"On another note, I have been having visions of another group, one that is working to destroy the deities entirely. They are trying to escape my sight. While I accept that my perception cannot always be used for material matters, I can see happenings within the astral realm.
I have been fending off small attacks from this group ever since I reconsecrated the shrines. Thankfully, it's been manageable like facing the combined power of three or four sages attempting astral strikes, probably testing our defences.
I don't know exactly who they are. There are very few who can evade my sight directly, and these individuals are not powerful enough on their own to do that. But... wherever they are operating from was once a place touched or inhabited by a very powerful being or entity someone who had shielded it from the outside world, making it difficult even for me to perceive.
I have already briefed Lord Suifu about this group and the feeling they emanate. So prepare yourselves, we may soon be facing more than just Nobinaga."
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The council chamber of Uzushio with marble floor veined like crimson tide-lines, vaulted ceiling painted with swirling seals felt stifled, its atmosphere thick with sorrow. Every seat was filled: governors draped in provincial sashes, clan heads in formal haori, nobles glittering with ancestral jade, ANBU captains still wearing half-masks in deference to protocol. Empress Tsunade sat near the dais. Beside her, Grand Marshal Suifu stood in plain robes, staff resting across his knees, and Lady Mithrusha adjusted the sleeves of her elder's mantle with practiced calm.
Yet a hush clung to the room like damp wool. The Emperor's throne, carved from a single block, remained empty. No one knew precisely when Naruto would appear. He had disappeared into his own private shrine after the meeting with shrine heads, a sanctum even his own ANBU were forbidden to enter and the inner doors had not opened since. Voices drifted in subdued bursts: speculation, melancholy jokes, hurried strategies for the day after his departure. But enthusiasm was absent; everyone felt a stench of goodbye.
A herald finally stepped inside, silver trumpet raised, drawing unsure looks from the assembly. He lifted his voice, though the chamber's low murmur swallowed most of the formalities.
"Rise for His Grace, the Emperor of Uzushio, Lord Naruto Uzumaki.."
Chairs scraped, robes rustled. Feet hurried to stand, fists thudded against hearts, heads bowed in reverence. Then the doors swung wide.
Naruto entered alone, the crimson cloak of state brushing marble with each step. His eyes met those of every elder, every clan chief, every seasoned shinobi who'd bled to carve this empire from rubble. He ascended the dais, claimed his throne only long enough for ceremony, brief, restrained, the least flourish possible then rose again, stepping forward to address them.
"My lords, ladies, and honored guests," he began, voice resonant but warm, "I won't burden you with speeches. You'll hear me again shortly when I address the nation, and I'd rather not repeat myself. Let me speak plainly instead."
A soft ripple of chuckles answered him, Naruto's formalness in official gatherings was legendary but today to forgo the formalities.
"This empire will carry on tomorrow morning exactly as it did today," he continued, surveying the room. "If I discover anyone is using my absence as an excuse to slack or moan or bemoan…" he let a playful edge slip into his tone " they can expect suitable punishment upon my return."
That line coaxed genuine laughter from more than a few mouths; it sounded like the Emperor they knew.
"Now, the question of leadership," he said, spreading his hands. "I designed Uzushio's system to function smoothly even if I was absent. What I did not foresee was an exile without a clear successor. But you needn't fret."
He turned, offering a gentle nod toward Tsunade. "In my absence, Lady Tsunade Uzumaki—née Senju, my wife, your beloved Empress, will act as Lady of the Village. She'll deliberate alongside the Elder Council, chaired by Grand Marshal himself."
The old warrior inclined his head, staff tapping once on marble.
"And," Naruto added, letting the word hang a beat, "that arrangement will last only a few months."
An undercurrent of confusion flickered in the chamber. A few eyebrows rose. Naruto held up a finger, a faint grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.
"Because I bring you good news. I have not left Uzushio orphaned in my absence." He drew a breath. "My wife, Tsunade Senju, is pregnant with the future of the village. And just yesterday, we confirmed, it's a boy. In eight months and a few days, you will have your new Emperor of Uzushiogakure no Sato.
For a heartbeat, silence reigned startled, amazed. Then joy erupted. Voices overlapped in elated shouts; hands thundered against breastplates; a wave of applause rolled across the chamber, swelling toward the dome overhead.
Naruto let them celebrate for several long seconds before lifting his hand again. The hall slowly quieted, anticipation quivering in the air.
I, Naruto Uzumaki, Lord and Emperor of Uzushiogakure no Sato, declare that my heir, Arashi Uzumaki, upon his birth, will be the next Emperor of Uzushiogakure no Sato and Lord and Grace of the Uzumaki Clan."
At this, the shocked silence in the audience turned into loud, burgeoning cheers.
"Upon his first breath, until I return, he will be Emperor under the regency of his mother and the Elder Council. So be relieved, I am not leaving you without a guiding hand, even if that hand is still too young."
The cheers returned, louder, echoing so fiercely that the chandeliers rattled. Tsunade's cheeks glowed.
Naruto's face, however, steadied into solemnity. He reached his weist and drew forth a sword long from sheath. Untying the cloth revealed a blade of pale steel etched with whirlpool sigils, its guard carved like coiling waves.
"My Arashi no Megami," Naruto announced. "The ancestral blade of our line. It has guided Uzumaki lords for generations. Today I entrust it to Grand Marshal Suifu, to keep safe until my son is grown enough to wield the sword that bears his name."
He descended three steps and placed the weapon across Suifu's waiting palms, who had kneeled to receive it.
When Naruto climbed the dais again, his gaze swept the hall one final time.
"Remember," he said quietly, and the room stilled, "our strength has never been in any single man. It lies in the unity we forge and the will we share. Guard those bonds well. My exile changes nothing of your duty, nor of my love for this land."
He inclined his head to the gathering and suddenly he pivoted, cloak whispering against the dais as he strode toward the doors. Every delegate rose instinctively, chairs pushed back, fists finding hearts again, in a silent salute.
Naruto paused at the threshold, half-turning to offer a final, gentle admonition:
"Work above all," he said, a familiar twinkle in his eye. "I expect this place running smoother and better when I return than when I left."
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The plaza at Uzushio's heart had filled to bursting long before sunset. Nobles in silks lined the inner ring, while merchants, craftsmen, shinobi, and fishermen packed every tier of the grand boulevard all the way to the sea-wall. Children perched on their parents' shoulders; elders clutched prayer charms, the great sealing screens flickered to life, reflecting a dozen angles of the palace steps so even those farthest away could witness the moment their Emperor appeared.
For two full hours after the council session ended, no one had seen a glimpse of Naruto. The hush of anticipation, broken only by murmurs and the distant gull-cry, had grown so thick one could feel it under the skin.
Then, in a sudden scarlet flash, he materialized at the palace's gates.
A collective murmur swept through the plaza, followed by cheers that shook the banners on their poles. Naruto did not wear the crimson cloak of the Emperor this time. He had exchanged his imperial regalia for the plain gray habit of an Arch-Sage; only a strand of wooden prayer beads and the silver Uzumaki pendant gleamed at his throat.
Rashirom and a cordon of black-clad ANBU flanked him in a diamond formation, but their presence did nothing to dampen the eruption of affection. Near the inner ring, people bowed deeply, palms pressed over their hearts, a gesture that rippled outward like a wave, spreading all the way to the plaza's edges.
Farther back, hands began waving furiously, and voices rose, calling out his name.
Naruto lifted one hand, smiling as he returned wave for wave after he commanded to be in ease. The screens magnified the gesture; it rippled outward, calming the roar to a hushed tones. He mounted the broad marble steps to a simple wooden dais, not a throne and faced the ocean of faces. Lanterns cast golden halos across the plaza; sea air carried the faint scent of salt and cherry blossoms from cliffside groves.
He waited until even the distant edges of the crowd had stilled. Then, with only the soft hum of the voice-amplifying seal, he spoke:
"Children of Uzushio." The words rolled like a tide, reaching alleyways and rooftops. "I know many of you are saddened to see me depart. Believe me, I share that sadness. It weighs on my heart that, for a time, I will not walk these streets and watch our children race through the markets, nor greet the craftsmen whose hands give this city life.
"I could list a thousand reasons my heart aches: the laughter I'll miss, the festivals I won't dance in, the new seals I won't help carve into our gates." He paused, eyes sweeping the tiers. "But tonight is not about what I will miss, or what you will miss. There is no 'I' or 'you' when we speak of Mother Uzushio. Our village must thrive, whoever sits at its helm."
A murmur of agreement rose soft, earnest.
"This land was envisioned not by me, nor by you, but by the first Uzumakis who stepped on these isles with a dream of family, not conquest but of cherishing life above all. And so, though I leave, you will keep building more for the next generation. For the children here, and those yet unborn."
The crowd exhaled, a single vast breath.
"I know some of you look at me as something close to a saviour," Naruto continued, voice gentling, "but hear me clearly: I am only an tool of the divine, nothing more. The greatest gift you can give me is to live so fully, so joyfully that one day you forget my name. Leaders are remembered when times grow dark. I ask you to make this land so bright that neither legend nor saviour is needed."
Tears streaked many cheeks, cheers rose in fresh. The emotion in the plaza only deepened as Naruto continued speaking, but none more so than when he spoke of the new Emperor who would be born in a few short months. When Naruto described the future leadership of Uzushio and what had been decided in the Grand Council, the people's joy swelled to new heights. The prospect of their beloved Emperor having a son filled them with overwhelming pride and hope for the future. He lifted his hands for calm.
"A final request before I depart, in your excitement, please remember each other's safety. I will walk the designated path. My guards will maintain the lines. I will come to every bay, to the very edge of the village, where ever you are standing, so all may see. But no pushing, no climbing the barricades. Let no joy turn to tragedy on this night."
Rashirom signaled the perimeters; ice-clear barriers shifted, creating gentle lanes toward the dais. The crowd answered willingly, parting without protest.
Moving at a measured pace, Naruto traversed the first lane, close enough for those in the front rows to see his blue eyes, yet far enough to maintain order. Hands folded in reverence of the Naruto, elders murmured blessings, while children waved paper whirlpools mounted on sticks.
At each bay, he paused, meeting eyes and sharing a few quiet words. One by one, bay by bay, Naruto walked through every lane of the village over the next three hours, until he finally reached the bay where the gathered crowd could now see him live on the giant screens.
Even the city's edges felt the hush of that passage. High on the walls, lookouts watched him cross the final barricade, bow once more to the sea, and then step into a swirl of scarlet light that carried him beyond the tall gates. The seals shimmered closed behind him, Uzushio's ramparts glowing as if to say, We will hold until you return, your Grace.
For a heartbeat the crowd stood silent, the kind of silence that follows thunder. Then voices rose, not in mourning, but in a roaring tears yet to live brightly enough to honour his grace's wish.
Flashback End
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A chill wind swept across the stone road outside Uzushio's great gate. Lanterns bobbed along the dock path below, where three sleek ships lay ready to carry into exile. Tsunade, draped in her ceremonial cloak of muted crimson, waited with the escort detail: Rashirom at her flank, Lord Suifu behind her, and a small retinue of clan representatives determined, if nothing else to walk Naruto to the boats and see him off with dignity.
They expected sadness; they were prepared for tears. No one had prepared for Kushina Uzumaki.
One instant the gatehouse arch was empty; the next, Kushina stood square in the middle of the road, red hair fanned by the sea breeze, an almost mischievous gleam in her violet eyes. The escort froze. Even Tsunade's heartbeat stumbled.
"So," Naruto said, eyes narrowing, "what are you doing here… Mother?"
Kushina's lips curled in a grin that didn't reach her eyes.
"Oh, is this how you greet your old mother after twenty-five years? 'Son'?"
Rashirom inched forward, but Naruto lifted a hand. He was already probing her chakra: bit tainted, yes, strong strands of something other than mere life-force but not the malevolence he'd felt from the dark cabal that had tried assaulting the shrine. Small mercy.
"I sensed something the moment I returned from Konoha," Naruto replied. "Couldn't lock onto your signature until now. Great feat on your part, there are very few who can hide from me."
Kushina laughed lightly. "Child, I trained under Lady Mito herself, the greatest sensor in history. Think I didn't pick up a trick or two?"
Naruto inclined his head, acknowledging that even he would not be foolish enough to claim he was a better sensor than Lady Mito, at least not yet and certainly not when it came to sensing in the material realm. In the astral realm, he might be her equal, or perhaps even her better, but in the material realm, definitely not.
Kushina folded her arms. "I wanted to see my son. But I woke from coma only to learn you'd been banished. The blood seal I placed on you at birth went dark, meant either you were dead or someone powerful severed it. Even then, I couldn't find you. Not even in my wildest dreams did I guess that you were inside Uzushio all those time. I knew from my spies that something was happening in the Hokubu region, but I didn't bother much, since it was harming the other five nations.
And color me surprised when I heard that Uzushio had been rebuilt... and made into an empire.
Naruto's brow furrowed. That seal must have broken when I entered the Enchanted Forest. My master must have destroyed anything that could track me, thought Naruto.
Kushina's gaze hardened. "Then news finally reached me: Uzushio rebuild into an empire. For a heartbeat I was proud. Then I heard how you forgave the other villages, signed peace treaties, non-aggression pacts trading silk instead of blood debt." Her voice dripped disdain. "You disappointed me, Naruto. I thought you'd have the spine to do what is required. Leaving that traitor Nobinaga walking free? ... pathetic."
Naruto exhaled slowly. "I can sense you've trained deeply in the deities' ways. But no sage chakra flows in you. Is that grudge why you could never walk the true sage path, Mother?"
For a fraction of a second her expression faltered, pain flickering like candlelight but the harsh line returned.
"Yes. Lady Mito told me I couldn't embrace nature while I still clung to vengeance. So she taught me another road, the road of death. The Shinigami cares little for the softness of a heart."
She took a step, head cocked. "My patron told me what you did, summoning Bishonin himself and living to tell the tale. Impressive. But those chains around your aura bind you now. I can feel them, Naruto. You have to leave Uzushio soon… or they'll tighten."
Naruto's jaw clenched. "And you think you can simply step in?"
"I am the last of the main Uzumaki line," she declared, eyes blazing. "When you're gone, I'll claim the wards. I don't think even Lord Suifu," she said, "would disobey me. He is a man bound by his oaths and his oath is clear: the command of the Lord of Uzushio reigns supreme.
The rest of the lords will fall in line, or else I will have SS-rank Grandmasters execute them. They can no longer afford to oppose me at that point, not now when you are absent."
Naruto didn't even need to look at Suifu, who was already averting his eyes. He knew it to be true. Suifu was a man of his oath.
Until Naruto himself remained Lord, Kushina could not challenge him, since by the will of His Grace Ashina's wards, Naruto had been proclaimed the next Lord and Grace of Uzushio and not Kushina. The wards had chosen to be in his control, not hers, nor to the numerous others who had tried in the past. She would have needed to challenge him formally in a duel, though in truth, she stood little chance of winning, despite being a very formidable opponent. Even then, mere challenge was not enough. Permission would still have to be sought from the Deities themselves before any change in leadership could occur.
Even if the Lord was weak, if the Deities did not grant permission, the Lord remained.
But now, with Naruto leaving and Kushina being the only other surviving mainline Uzumaki, she had a chance.
Naruto dreaded the reaction of the other villages. They knew Kushina's reputation all too well.
Tsunade stepped forward, voice low but iron-hard. "He's still your son. Will do this to your own son?"
Kushina's gaze flicked to Tsunade. Something unreadable glimmered there regret? sadness? but it vanished behind a steely smile.
"I'll do what the clan requires."
Naruto lifted a hand, palm up. "Then hear......."
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To be continued. Stay tuned and let me know your thoughts! Like and comment! 🙏🔥
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Chapter 27: A Turn ON A Turn. IS OUT!
Chapter 28: Farewell. IS OUT!!!!!!!!
Chapter 29 – The Oath of the Oath-Keeper. IS OUT!!!!!!!!! (End of the Arc)
Chapter 30 – Aftermath.
Chapter 31: The Growing Crown, The cracking Roots.
Chapter 32: The Wandering Monk. 8k long
Chapter 33: A New face Or phase. 8k long
Chapter 34: Chinamaki. 5.5k long
Chapter 35: Cross Roads. IS OUT!!!!!!!!!!! 9K LONG
Chapter 36: The New Field. IS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!! 9k LONG
Chapter 37: Loyalty. IS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!! 7 K LONG
Chapter 38: Diversion. IS OUT!!!!!!!!!!! 7K Long
Chapter 39: Destruction. IS OUT!!!!!!!!!!! 12K Long
Chapter 40: Power of a God. 10K Long
Chapter 41: Perspectives. 12K Long
Chapter 42: Confluence of Storms. 18K
Chapter 43: Deception. 12k
Chapter 44: Judgement. 10k
Chapter 45: True Powers of the world. (NEW) 20k IS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( Naruto is Back)