Naruto stood atop the Hokage monument, firmly holding a scroll in his right hand. Jiraiya had given it to him. He said he had found it in Sarutobi's office safe after cracking the code.
The contents still drifted through his thoughts.
'This scroll is meant for the eyes of Uzumaki Naruto.
By order of the Yondaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato
Naruto…if you are reading this, then I am no doubt already long dead from sealing the Bijuu, Kyuubi no Kitsune, into you.
I have asked Sarutobi to decree that you are to be named Konoha's hero…but…I am not naïve. They will not respect my wishes.
-A blotch of ink obscures the next lines.-
I had hoped to leave you a legacy, sadly however my home, along with every technique I had ever invented and written in my scrolls, including the one thing I'd hoped to teach you, Hiraishin, have been destroyed by the beast we now-
-Another blotch-
All I can leave you is my love. And I regret knowing that will not be enough.
I do not have much time, so I must make this quick, your mother died giving birth to-
-The words are illegible-
–me yourself, it is not your fault. And know that no matter what your choices are my son…you have our full support.
With love, Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha.
As the words in the scrolls ran through his mind a part of him felt…betrayed?
He felt betrayed by Sarutobi.
He had never asked who his parents were, it never really concerned him. It didn't matter.
But…the Hokage had kept this from him?
Why had he done it? Why had he kept it from him? Was it because he didn't think he was ready? Because he did not want him to know his heritage?
The Hokage would not do this out of simple malice, Naruto knew him well enough to know that much. He had a reason.
But still, his reason eluded him.
He shook his head to clear his foolish thoughts. He wouldn't get a reason now. So it was best to simply, set this aside and think of the best way to fulfill Sarutobi's last order.
Create a world of peace where people can be happy.
An impossible task in this world of shadows and death. War loomed over every country every minute of every day. All it would really take, was for any ninja nation to capture a forein ninja on their terrain and they could easily declare war. Or if not, just declare war outright to test the strength of their village.
So how was he to do this?
There was a very simple answer, one that came to him easily.
It was viable...dangerous...but viable; just as all things in the ninja world were.
But still, some…arrangements would need to be made.
With that thought in mind Naruto pocketed his scroll, turned and left.
He had plans to make.
Meanwhile, back in a certain ramen stand, Jiraiya sat, noisily slurping his noodles. His large form standing out among the crowd that walked through Konoha's streets. The village civilians were abuzz with the apparent revival of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.
As he set his bowl down he hit his chest a few times and stifled a few burps before standing on his stool. "How much do I owe ya old man?"
Techui looked from behind the counter. "That'll be twenty ryo Jiraiya-sama.
The Toad sannin took out his wallet and put a decent size clump of money on the table. "Keep the change!" He called as he exited the stall.
Stepping outside he looked up to the sky. "So you gonna join me?"
He didn't even have to look behind him as Kakashi closed his book with an audible snap and walked up next to the taller man.
Jiraiya spoke. "You know the council may try something against him soon."
Kakashi nodded. "Yes…" He drawled slowly. "What are you getting at."
Jiraiya paused, weighing his words. "Should…should they try something, I am going to take Naruto out of here myself." He turned to Kakashi. "Are you willing to help me?"
Kakashi scratched his chin before shrugging and nodding. "Yeah…and I think I might know a few others that would help too."
Jiraiya nodded. "Good, find them and make sure they can be trusted. And then should something happen, gather them." He smiled "I'll toss in…this for good measure.
He pulled out a golden Icha Icha book. Broad letters going across the cover. "Book #1 limited edition extended version"
Kakashi gasped and his eyes watered comically glistening with tears. "The rare limited, gold edition of Icha Icha tactics, volume one."
"Mint condition." Jiraiya added with a wicked smirk. Ohh yeah, Kakashi was practically his. He would take on the whole Anbu division by himself if this book was on the line.
Kakashi snapped out of it and cleared his throat. 'Whatever you need me to do, consider it done."
Jiraiya nodded and tossed him the book. "Get your friends. Then keep them and yourself on alert.'
Kakashi nodded and vanished in a cloud of smoke.
Jiraiya sighed and looked to the sky again. "Minato…you would be ashamed of us all…"
Meanwhile in the Hyuuga compound, a certain branch member sat before his fathers grave in contemplative silence.
He had come here, since that day, about three days ago when he had overheard the conversation between Hinata, Hanabi and his uncle.
A part of him, a large part wanted nothing more than to curse Hinata and Hanabi to the same hell that was this slavery of being a branch member.
But another part of him, one he had buried beneath bitterness and hate protested, almost painfully at those thoughts.
He hated the main house, he hated it with a passion, but never once, had he ever heard of either Hinata or Hanabi using the caged bird seal to punish, or subdue a branch member, In stark contrast to their father and almost any other Main house member he could recall off hand.
He could escape…but he would be dooming them to his fate.
He could save them, all it would take was to decline Hiashi's nomination of him to clan head…
That meant he would remain here. He would be left as a branch member. As a human with a leash.
Or Hiashi could kill him.
And then...then he couldn't blame fate.
Fate robbed you of choice.
And he would be choosing his fate this time.
'Father…what should I do? What would you do?'
Deep in the tunnels beneath Konoha, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki moved silently, clad in his old cloak and mask. The Anbu parted, allowing him passage while saluting, he may not be the most liked person in Konoha, but no one in the Anbu corps crossed him...ever.
As he reached the holding cell he was searching for. The Anbu saluted again before opening the iron door of the cell.
He stepped in, his eyes glowed behind his mask, adapting quickly to the dimly lit room, five figures, all bound with chakra absorbing chains and surrounded by specially designed Chakra dampening seals were spread around the room.
"Another one of these dick-less fuck heads come to beat us for helping kill the old fart." A girl with red hair snarled from her corner of the room.
"Tayuya…ladies shouldn't…"
"Shut up you fat piece of shit!" She lashed at a fat boy with a mohawk, making him cease his speech mid sentence.
Another, with four arms chuckled from him place in the room as did another who had pale purple hair purple eyeliner and purple lipstick.
Quite the…odd assortment of bodyguards, Orochimaru had chosen. But the one who caught his eye was the pale boy at the end of the room. Those two dots on his forehead…that was the symbol of the Kaguya.
It appears they were not all wiped out.
Kimimaro spoke up. "Quiet all of you." Immediately the room went silent as he glanced up at Naruto glaring. "What do you want?"
"The five of you are from Orochimaru's personal guard." He stated.
Tayuya and Jirobu stiffened. He spoke up. "I know that voice…" He said shakily.
"Your that fuck hea…I mean, the Anbu that killed Orochimaru-sama." She said, swallowing the lump in her throat and the curse word lodged in her voicebox.
Kimimaru glared at him and stood, lunging at the blond with surprising speed. His curse seal pulsed with effort as he tried to call upon its power. A small bone spike appeared from his palm, he had wanted a full blade, but the seal absorbing chains were completely messing up his chakra control.
As he reached striking distance however, he came to a full and sudden stop as Naruto lazily caught his throat and held him a good foot off the ground and tossed him to the wall with a sickening crack.
"You will cease your foolish desire for revenge now, or I will kill the lot of you without another word.."
Kimimaro coughed and wheezed as he tried to get air back into his lungs.
Tayuya turned and spoke. "What the hell do you want?"
Naruto's eyes flashed beneath his mask. "I want to make a deal."
Sasuke sat in the Uchiha compound, meditating over the events of the last few months.
The third Hokage, supposedly the strongest ninja in the village was defeated by his old student, someone who had left the village. Some rumors stated that he was killed after wards, others said he escaped. But one thing is what appeared in Sasuke's mind.
He had left the village.
He had left the village and was strong enough to kill the third Hokage.
Itachi, the day he chose to leave the village had killed the most powerful clan in Konoha.
To Sasuke's mind a pattern was definitely there.
If he wanted strength, he had to leave this village as well. It could offer him nothing.
And so it was, his eyes bleeding into crimson, that Sasuke packed his few belongings and with a leap over the Uchiha clan wall, left the hidden leaf village in the dead of night.
The next day, the council were heatedly arguing over who should be nominated as the next Hokage. An argument already held the previous day, that they had made no headway in. It looked like they were getting nowhere fast today either.
Jiraiya stood, near the door, silently observing, he was here only for Naruto. He wanted to make sure the council did not make a move against him. He could care less as to who they chose as the next Hokage.
Unfortunately, that meant he would have to sit and listen to this bullshit all damn day. Just to make sure he would be the first to know should anything be done or proposed against Naruto. It was no secret that the civilian population was in a complete uproar because of his now exposed identity.
Not too many in the council would be above killing him to increase their popularity.
Even less were above the fear of him. So they would kill him for that
He was snapped out of his thoughts as the doors to the chambers were burst open and in walked in the very boy that held his thoughts.
After a moment though, his eyes narrowed.
Something was off about this. He was wearing his Anbu cloak, but not his mask.
Homura, one of the head councilmen stood and addressed the young man as he walked into the center of the room. "Uzumaki, what is the meaning of this?"
Naruto stopped walking and stood right in the center of the room. "Honorable council." The boy spoke in his usual monotone drawl. "I thought that this would be the best time to inform you of the late Sandaime's final orders."
The entire chamber immediately broke out in hushed whispers. It took a moment for Homura to silence them. He cleared his throat before beginning again. "And what would those be Uzumaki-san?"
Naruto spoke. "Before Sarutobi-sama perished, he spoke his final orders to me. He told me. 'Make a world of peace, where people can be happy."
More murmurs broke out in the council and faint snickers could be heard, indicating just what they thought of the idea.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. 'A world of peace? What exactly does he mean by that?'
Homura hid his chuckles with coughs as he addressed the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. "I see, and just how do you, plan on carrying out this…assignment?"
"As you and I both know, council Homura, our nation is at constant war, peace has been unknown in this land for the past millennia. The reason for this is simple, so many nations all vying for power. There can be no peace as long as the land remains divided. There must be unity in order for peace to come. There cannot be five Shinobi nations. There can only be-"
"You cannot be serious!" Someone interrupted. Almost outright laughing "Are we to listen to this a moment longer."
"There can only be one Nation, one shinobi village, one empire. Without this…there can never be any peace."
Homura, raised an eyebrow, listening to the scoffing voices and irritated whispers. He knew Naruto was taking this seriously however. So he did his best to at least pretend the argument was worth taking seriously.
He cleared his throat "Such a proposal is foolish, there is no way we can conquer every hidden village on our own."
Naruto spoke up now. "Iwa is weak from their loss to us from the war, Kumo, has also recently lost a great deal of Shinobi in a confrontation they had with Iwa, weakening both countries. Kiri is locked in a civil war and the morale of Suna is all but crushed at their loss to us. Now is the perfect opportunity, perhaps the only one."
Homura's jaw tightened. Enough was enough "Uzumaki, this is a fools proposal. I suggest you head back to Anbu headquarters and take your next assignment."
Naruto stared blankly at the old man. "Then you will not carry out your Hokage's last order?"
"That old peace loving fool was delirious during the time of his death. It is a foolish ambition." Danzo spoke.
"I see.' Naruto said softly reaching into his cloak pulling out his Anbu mask. The room stilled.
"You are dismissed Uzumaki." Homura spoke.
Naruto ignored him, untying the straps behind the mask so he could place it over his face..
'Uzumaki, you are dismissed." Homura called beginning to worry. "You are to follow the orders of this council."
Naruto looked up at him, his mask stopping mid way to his face. "No…I am trained as it states in the Shinobi rule number 300, paragraph 5, verse 3. I am to follow the orders of my Hokage. None of you have, nor are worthy of that title...therefore, I am not obligated to obey your orders."
Jiraiya stared at the scene with wide, disbelieving eyes. Just what the hell was he about to do?
Naruto spoke as his mask slowly drew closer and closer to his face. "I have heard, that the Yondaime, wished me to be treated like a hero."
Every councilman in the room suddenly grew very pale.
"His final order was ignored by this council." He said placing the mask on his face.
"As will the Sandaime's final order; now be ignored by this council." He clicked the straps behind his head, holding his mask in place.
He began unsheathing the sword. "It appears this council does not pay respect to its fallen leaders."
He unsheathed his other sword. "Therefore…"
He finally looked up, his eyes glowing a fearsome crimson behind his mask. 'I find this council…unfit to rule and must be…"
Four figures fell from the roof, surrounding the council seats in a purple barrier. Jiraiya felt his eyes go wide and he stepped forward, when a second barrier, one that protected the sound four's backs appeared, barring his path.
Naruto's blades lit aflame. "Eliminated."