Naruto currently made his way through Iwa's mountain borders, his armies trudging along as they did their best to traverse the jagged, cutting stalagmites that made up the mountain face, like a great wall of razor sharp spears, guarding Iwa's boundaries against any who would dare invade.
"Naruto-sama!" The voice of Kakashi reached him as the copy nin made his way up along with a Kiri chuunin, bowing once before he continued speaking. "Naruto-sama, Guan's found a pathway, it leads down the mountain, and appears to place us near the border.
Naruto nodded. "Very well, tell the commanders of this route, give them the coordinates and tell them to lead their men through it."
Kakashi nodded and then looked to the Kiri chuunin. "You heard him, get to it. Go to the commanders of squad alpha and Sigma, I'll head to Beta."
"Yes sir." The man bowed once before he vanished in a cloud of smoke, Kakashi following shortly after.
Naruto allowed his eyes to travel up skywards, where rain clouds ahead had thankfully begun to part. "Soon...very soon now."
The echoing sound of Liang's and Tsunade's footsteps seemed to echo down the hallway as they made their way up to the Raikage tower.
"You sent a message to Suna?" The legendary medic questioned with a raised eyebrow as she continued to walk up the stairs. "Do you think that they'll cooperate once you speak with them."
Liang didn't answer for a moment before he took a breath and spoke. "Weather they cooperate or not does not matter, they will soon attack Konoha regardless of their Kazekage's initial decision."
"I don't think I follow." Tsunade said as she raised an eyebrow. Liang merely closed his eyes for a brief moment. "You will soon enough." He clarified in his own way before he came across the door of his office, opening the wooden obstacle before he entered.
Jiraiya the toad sannin stood on the balcony of the tower. His stewardship of the lands while Naruto was away was going fairly smoothly. Still, the older man couldn't help but be vastly impressed with Naruto as each day passed. The sheer amounts of paperwork one had to shift through every single day. It was enough to drive him mad if he knew he was stuck doing this forever. Economies that needed to be balanced, supplies that needed to be sent, missions that had to be overseen, military divisions that needed to be rounded and stationed, upstarts and political revolutionaries that needed to be silenced, and not to mention, last but not least, the organization of the new campaign that was being led. While Naruto had arranged and fixed the vast majority of it, what little Jiraiya did have to do was enough to make him cringe.
Still, the vast amounts of paperwork weren't what he was worried over. There was...something wrong...he couldn't explain it. But he had a gut feeling, and these tended to be proven right most of the time. There was some strange, chill in the air, a change of sorts. Something was certainly wrong and whatever it was he had little doubt it would all come to ahead soon. Centering around Naruto.
The boy was strong, unbelievably so. To the point where if Jiraiya was posed a question over who would win between all of Konoha's military generals and him, he truly couldn't give a definitive answer to that.
But with that strength came something that even Naruto was not immune to.
Arrogance.
The boy planned, he prepared and he did research on his enemy as all good Shinobi's do, and as was imbued to him during his training as a child. But...More often than not recently, as his raw power felled all those who had risen against him with little to no trouble, despite even the best and most elaborate of schemes to defeat him, the boy had simply begun...overlooking his opponent, so to speak. He would simply...not care over what plans they could develop, or what elaborate schemes they could put together. Simply because he considered, and in most cases was above anything their skills could accomplish, even with the advantages of plans. Often times, Naruto wasn't even truly aware he did it.
But Jiraiya knew, he had seen a great many ninja fall to such petty things, his old teammate, Orochimaru, having been one of them. Having the audacity to show up at Konoha itself with just a few ninja as his escort, he was struck down by a power even he held no chance against.
The toad hermit could only sigh. Whatever happened...happened, and he did not have the authority to advance any troops anywhere unless it was an absolute emergency, and one of his hunches, or gut feelings didn't count.
Naruto currently stood on a small hill overlooking the camp his men had set up, already a perimeter had been established and patrols were circling the place. He heard footsteps, turning his head slightly he found Guan approaching him silently. When he finally reached him the man stood at his side for a brief moment before he spoke. "Lord, do you not think it is dangerous to be standing in the open like this?"
Naruto did not answer, his eyes traveling over the scenery before him, the silence stretching about.
Guan was used to these silences, and so took no offense in it. Instead he merely crossed his arms over his chest and stood at the blonds side, his slightly taller form standing like that of a bodyguard.
"Strange isn't it..." Was the sudden remark that Guan had to do a double take to make sure it had come from Naruto.
"Lord?" He questioned.
"All these years...they seem to have gone by so quickly. It seems like only yesterday, you and Ginchiko were surrendering Kiri...and now we stand here...upon this threshold into a new world."
Guan was struck speechless, never before had Naruto spoken in such a...strange tone...no...no, not strange...human.
Clearing his throat the man regained his composure before he spoke. "It may seem that way sometimes...but indeed...soon this world of war and death shall be finished. And we shall enter a new world...one of peace." The man nodded to himself solemnly.
Naruto spared a glance at the older man from the corner of his eye. "Guan...I never did apologize..." He said, ignoring the mans startled look. "For the loss of your eye all those years ago."
The appointed second in command of the seven swordsmen was rendered quite mute for a long time, his eyes visibly wide with shock as he stared down at the man that had set out to conquer the world. "M-my lord." He stuttered uncharacteristically as he bowed low. "Th-there is no need for such a thing, it was my own carelessness that brought this wound about. Please, do not apologize to your loyal servant."
"Hn." Naruto grunted softly, not denying but not admitting his correctness on his statement. "You and lady Ginchiko have served me loyally for many long years...once this chaos is over I will see you properly rewarded." He stated firmly.
"There is no need for such lord. You are the one that will bring about an age of peace in this land. It is as Hidetada would have wanted."
It had been a long time since Naruto had heard the name of the Kiri swordsman he had led to his death nearly a decade ago. It was something scarcely talked about, even among Ginchiko and Guan themselves, the two people closest to the late Shinobi. Naruto looked to Guan once more; a loyal servant indeed. Slowly the blond turned and began making his way down to the camp, Guan following after him a moment later.
Gaara sat in one of the various lounge rooms of the tower, a thoughtful look in his eyes and a contemplative frown on his face, Kankuro paced besides him, angrily muttering under his breath. "Damnit Gaara, I don't have enough patience for these bullshit meetings of yours..."
Gaara ignored his brothers crass remark as the door to their room opened, Temari stepping through it a moment later, her fan strapped to her back once again.
"Where have you been." Her brother snapped. "You're not in the best shape sis, you need to rest, not go parading around this tower."
Temari was about to respond when Gaara spoke. "Kankuro, she said she was going to go for a walk. Its understandable that she took the time she took."
"But Gaara..." The older boy said before he snorted, crossing his arms. "Fine whatever, when one of the messengers shows up saying that they find her passed out on the side of the street don't complain to me." He huffed.
Gaara ignored his annoyed older brother and turned his eyes onto Temari who approached one of the chairs, setting down her fan and falling onto the selected piece of furniture.
"Temari." Gaara called bringing her eyes onto him. He noticed the slight bags under them, as well as the tired haze within them. "Are you certain you should have left the hospital so soon? You look exhausted."
She shook her head. "I'm a little tired, but no. You need help in order to get a handle on this situation." She smiled. "And what kinda sister would I be if I just left my little brother to rot under all this paper work while I get to sit by and enjoy Hospital food and bedding."
Gaara smirked but it soon fell. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask you if you've spoken to Hana? I would have liked to have checked up on her myself but I didn't get the chance before this situation needed to be attended to."
Temari sighed as she nodded. "Yea...I managed to speak to her once, before I left...she...she really doesn't look well...I think that once you get a chance you should give her a paid leave of absence...have her rest up, get her head clear."
Gaara nodded. "I'll see to it." Before he looked to the door and stood up, several footsteps reaching his ears from down the hallway. "Good, they've arrived. We can get this meeting underway."
Hana groaned in discomfort as she felt the feeble grip of sleep become even weaker under the insistent and constant shaking of another. Her bloodshot eyes opened slowly, weakly from the recent strain on her mind and body. Tear streaks ran down her face and the table beneath her head was wet with salt-water.
"Hana?" Sakura's hesitant voice reached her ears, bringing the Inuzuka girls doe brown eyes up towards her. "Hmm?" She questioned as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Oh! Sakura? What is it?" She questioned wiping her eyes as she looked away from the pink haired medic as she began shifting through some of the documents on her desk.
Ever since the attack and subsequent return to Suna, Hana had thrown herself into her work. Trying to bury herself in her duties as a council member and clan head over what remained of the Inuzuka clan. She had scarcely slept, or eaten in the last few days since their arrival.
They had decided to leave her to her own devices, allowing her the freedom in order to clear her mind and get herself together, recover from both their physical and emotional defeat, as well as Kiba's condition.
Looking at her now, Sakura could tell that had been a mistake, a very bad one. Hana's once healthy and tanned skin was paler, her features sickly and seemingly thinned from lack of food, her hair matted down and limp, black bags gathering under bloodshot eyes and tear streaked cheeks.
"Hana..." Sakura spoke slowly, carefully. "Have you...been eating...or sleeping at all for that matter?"
Hana released a dry laugh, filled with forced humor. "Of course Sakura I'm fine...why would you say something like that."
"Because complaints from your clan members have come in...saying that you've been cooped up in this office...for two days."
Hana paused in her motions, but soon recovered. "I've been busy Sakura, works backed up with my leaving you know. I can't just let it keep on-"
"Hana..." Sakura interrupted gently, grasping Hana's shoulder and turning the girl to face her. Watching as she avoided her gaze as best she could, her downtrodden expression and moistening eyes pulling on Sakura's heart strings. "Hana...don't do this to yourself. Come on, come with me and lets get you something to eat, a change of clothes and to get some rest."
Hana shook her head. "No...I...I have to."
"Hana...don't punish yourself for what happened, its not your fault. Now please, let's get out of here huh?"
The Inuzuka girl weakly shook her head. "No...I...it should be me laying there...not...not Kiba."
Sakura moved forward and wrapped the Inuzuka girl in a comforting embrace, feeling the older girl wrap her arms around her waits from where she sat. The Inuzuka woman's hands tightening into fists, almost desperately clinging to the pink haired medic, her sobs growing in volume as the damn over her emotions crumbled. She felt Hana's clenched fists repeatedly, weakly hit her back. Her muffled words. "It should have been me." Repeating themselves through her sobs.
Sakura held the girl close, letting her tears moisten her clothes. "Shh." She cooed. "Its all right, its all right. No, it wasn't your fault Hana. Kiba wouldn't want you to do this to yourself."
As her whispered words left her lips, Sakura forced her own tears back. To see such a strong Kunoich fall like this, was something that truly hurt and Sakura couldn't help the pain that bloomed in her chest as she wondered just how much more pain, Hana, Kiba and the others would have to suffer at the hands of that devil before he was finally brought down.
How much more sorrow?
Zhuge Liang sat in one of the many rooms of the tower, currently attending the foreign delegates that were currently in Kumo when one of the Chuunin practically tore down the door. Breathing heavily, eyes filled with fear. "K-Ko-"
The man never needed to finish his sentence before an explosion was seen out the balcony, along the southern wall. Liang's eyes narrowed minutely as he stood up from his chair. "So...they have finally come then."
Naruto stood along the wall of the city, the battle around him beginning as Kumo jounin and Anbu that guarded the wall fought to hold them off.
Akina's form could be seen running from rooftop to rooftop, making her way to the wall as fast as she could, dozens of chuunin, Jounin, Anbu and even gennin, hot on her tail as they too moved to defend their city."
"It's time..."