Chapter 1: History of Whirlpool

[Excerpts from the History of Whirlpool]

About Whirlpool and Neo Uzushiogakure

Neo Uzushiogakure (or Neo Uzu for short) is built on the ruins of Old Uzushiogakure (Village Hidden in the Swirling Tides), located in Whirlpool Country. Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze is the Damiyo of Whirlpool, and Third Toad Sage. Nicknamed the Land of Exiles, Neo Uzu and is home to several shinobi clans, and other ninja nomad clans, as well as missing ninjas, Mist refugees from the bloodline wars, as well as several samurai clans. Its shinobi forces rivals that of Konoha in its prime. It is also one of the five great Shinobi villages in the country, having taken that title from its rival, Konohagakure no Sato.

Konan Uzumaki is the Rokudaime Uzukage of Whirlpool, while Yahiko Uzumaki is the commander of the Uzushiogakure ANBU Black Ops. Naruto's wife, Lady Hinata Namikaze, oversees the Uzushiogakure medic-ninja program while Anko Mitarashi oversees the Interrogation and Torture Division.

The ninja teams are similar to those of Konoha: a four-ninja cell (One jounin, three genin/chuunin – of which Naruto's children with Hinata are the latter). The Uzushiogakure Council consists of 24 members - 12 civilian and 12 clan heads. The civilian and shinobi cannot influence the other, a lesson Naruto learned as a Konoha ninja, thus keeping the civilian and shinobi matters separate, with Naruto as the council head. Like Konoha, Neo Uzu identifies its chuunin and jounin by flak vests – light gray for the chuunin, dark blue for the jounin and elite jounin, and are similar in design to those in Konoha. The Uzu ANBU is similar to its Konoha counterparts, but they do not wear animal masks to conceal their identities.

Neo Uzu has alliances with Suna, Snow and Mist. Due to Hinata being the wife of the Damiyo, has a non-aggression pact with Kumo (due to the fact that Kirabi and Yugito Nii both have a high degree of respect for Naruto). Iwa, despite the fact that Naruto is the son of Minato Namikaze, will not attack Neo Uzu as they too signed a non-aggression pact. Konoha and Fire Country, on the other hand, is openly hostile to Neo Uzu and neither the Hokage nor the Fire Damiyo does not recognize the village nor its damiyo.

Aside from the village, Whirlpool Country is home to a thriving mercantile guild known as the Pekara Merchant House, of which its main base of operations is located in the coastal town of Azura, with a port in Wave Country. The Pekara Merchant House has branches in Wind, Earth, Lightning, Spring and Water Countries, and has negotiated trade agreements with Sea, Tea, Forest, and Hot Water Countries. Combined with the Wave Protectorate's shipping fleet, the Pekara Mercantile Guild is the dominant merchant house in the area.

Neo Uzu has a 99 percent success rate in accomplishing assignments, both around Wave and in the Elemental Continents. Neo Uzu also holds Chuunin and Jounin tournaments twice a month among the Uzu shinobi, in order to keep their skills sharp. Uzushiogakure's methods of training has made Chuunin and Jounin-level ninja in less time then that of Konohagakure no Sato. Aside from those tournaments, Uzushiogakure also holds a annual Taijutsu tournament twice a year, of which the best from the Elemental Countries flock to Whirlpool Country to test their skills in open combat. Uzu's medic-ninja training program is the best Whirlpool has to offer, so much so that Water, Spring, Wind and Lightning often send their medics-in-training to undergo the training program, with great success.

Rise of Damiyo Namikaze

In some cases, an end is merely a beginning in disguise. Such is the case of the current Damiyo of Whirlpool, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. The son of deposed Whirlpool Damiyo Kushina Uzumaki and her husband, the Yondaime Hokage Minato Namikaze, Naruto was the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko (Nine-Tailed Fox), as his mother and grandmother was before him.

Orphaned during the Nine-Tails' attack on Konohagakure no Sato, Naruto was treated as the village pariah, seen by most of the village as the Nine-Tails reborn. rather than the village hero as his late father had requested in his final wishes to Jiraiya and Hiruzen Sarutobi. Instead, Despite being denied nearly everything in his right, Naruto set his sights on becoming Hokage and with the support of Hiruzen Sarutobi, enlists into the Konohagakure Shinobi Academy. Graduating at the age of twelve along, he was assigned to Cell Seven, consisting of Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha, with Kakashi Hatake as their sensei.

Prior to the Chuunin Exams and the death of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Naruto would make an impression wherever he went. Most of Konoha's citizenry and shinobi forces would go on to say that their trading and military alliances were all because of the Uchiha, but history is sometimes written by those who slander their heroes. It was because of Naruto that Konohagakure and Fire Country had several trading and military alliances with Spring (formerly Snow) Country, Wave Country (of which he used his shadow clones to steal and hide Gatou's immense wealth in Whirlpool Country and handing over Gatou's shipping business to the people of Wave), Tea Country, Sea Country, and countless others.

Despite all of this, Naruto was denied advancement because of the bigotry of the villagers. Not even when he was instrumental in stopping Gaara's rampage during the Suna-Oto Invasion of Konohagakure, or bringing back Tsunade Senju to become the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, he was still denied the rank of Chuunin.

The Uchiha Retrieval Mission, Betrayal, and Banishment

It is known that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Such is the case of Sasuke Uchiha. During the Chuunin Exams, he was approached by Orochimaru, who had placed the Cursed Seal of Heaven upon his body, thus granting the Uchiha a sample of immense power. Seduced with the opportunity to gain more power under the Snake Sage in order to avenge his clan, Sasuke defected from the village.

Almost immediately, a team of genin, led by newly-minted Chuunin Shikamaru Nara was organized, consisting of Chouji Akamichi, Neji Hyuuga, Rock Lee, Kiba Inuzuka, and Naruto Uzumaki on Tsunade's orders to retrieve the rogue Uchiha. Assisted by the Sand Siblings of Suna (Gaara, Kankuro and Temari), the Uchiha Retrieval Mission was underway. As the rest of Team Shikamaru faced off against the Sound Four, it was Uzumaki who had faced off against the Uchiha.

Despite the use of the Cursed Seal and the power of the Chidori, Sasuke had fallen to both the greater will of his former teammate...as well as the power of the Nine-Tails which Naruto wielded. With Team Shikamaru suffering numerous injuries, and Uzumaki himself suffering not one, but two Chidoris in the chest and shoulder, the Uchiha Retrieval Mission was a success, as Sasuke Uchiha was returned to Konohagakure no Sato.

With the Uchiha safely back in the village and the retrieval mission a success, Naruto had hoped that he would receive the recognition from both the civilians and the shinobi that he had earned.

He was wrong.

Despite everything, he was to be banished, with the full support of Jiraiya (who is after his father's jutsu and seals), Tsunade Senju (who blames Naruto for Kushina's death), the Fire Lord (who wants a piece of the combined wealth of the Uzumaki Namikaze family), the other members of the Konoha 11 (who sees Naruto as the Nine-Tails incarnate), and the Konohagakure Council (who also wants a cut of the riches of Naruto's parents as well as the Uzushiogakure jutsu). It was clear that both Tsunade and Jiraiya was not crazy about the Uchiha as were the other members, but they hated Naruto even more.

He also discovers that he is the son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki Namikaze and upon his banishment and death at the hands of the ROOT ANBU, the seals surrounding the Namikaze Compound will be weakened enough for Jiraiya to break through, allowing Konoha to rob him of the combined wealth and jutsu belonging to the Uzumaki Namikaze clan. The only person against this sinister plot was Special Jounin Anko Mitarashi, who was demoted to Chuunin for defending Naruto.

Naruto – who had overheard the conspirators as he was disguised as a member of the ANBU Black Ops outside the Hokage's office – was outright furious at this betrayal by those he considered to be the closest thing he had as a family, as well as the callousness of the village and that of the Fire Damiyo. The dream of being Hokage died that very day.

Aside from his impending banishment, Naruto had overheard that Hyuuga Clan Head Hiashi Hyuuga is planning on stripping his eldest daughter, Hinata Hyuuga of her position as heiress by her father and the Hyuuga elders and ordered to be branded with the Caged Bird Seal upon confirmation of Naruto's death. Upon finding out about her father's intentions from Naruto during a visit to the Hyuuga Compound, Hinata decides to flee with Naruto.

With an assist by the Nine-Tails, Naruto left a Kyuubi-powered, explosive kage bushin under a henge in Hinata's place before the pair fled to the safety of the Namikaze Estate, the Nine-Tails breaking through the seals with ease, allowing Hinata and Naruto access before sealing the estate behind them once more. While inside the estate, the kangaroo trial of Naruto Uzumaki was underway. Disgusted with the proceedings, Gaara and the Sand Siblings had left for Suna, but not alone, as the Konohamaru Corps had left the village with them, despite the best efforts of Asuma Sarutobi, who had pleaded with his nephew and his friends to remain in Konohagakure.

As expected, during the trial, Sasuke Uchiha was cleared of any and all wrongdoing, as all blame was placed upon the Cursed Seal and on Uzumaki himself. The trial ended with a guilty verdict; the sentence was immediate banishment from the Leaf. Naruto and Hinata both fled the village hours after the banishment orders came down from the Fire Lord and the Konoha Council. Tsunade sent out a squad of ANBU Black Ops, led by Kakashi Hatake, Hiashi Hyuuga and Jiraiya in hot pursuit of the pair the following day.

While this is going on, Naruto had came into contact with Anko Mitarashi and had asked for her help. She agreed, as she was the only person in the village to realize that Naruto had gotten a raw deal. No one came to Naruto's aid, despite everything. Not even Ichiraku and his daughter, as it had turned out, had been poisoning Naruto's ramen since day one. Fortunately, the Nine-Tails had neutralized the poisons, making them ineffective against the now-banished ninja.

As the people of Konohagakure celebrated the banishment of the jinchuuriki, Naruto made his own plans of escape. First, he and Anko cleaned out the weapons depot of every single weapons-grade exploding tags. In the dead or night, they tagged the Market District, the Uchiha District and the Hokage Monument. Second, Naruto had broke into the Hokage's office and stole the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing, as it had belonged to both his mother and father, as well as his birth certificate, signed by the Fire Lord and by his father. Third, out of pure spite, he killed the Fire Lord's cat, skinned it and sent its remains to the Fire Lord's wife. Last, Naruto had Anko use her Snake summons to notify Wave, Spring and several of Konoha's allies of their treachery.

Returning to the Namikaze Estate, Naruto, Anko and Hinata cleaned it out of its immense wealth (as Kushina did not trust Konohagakure with the Uzumaki clan's immense fortunes, combined with the wealth that Minato had gained, which is why she had hidden it inside the estate), and of its jutsu. With the assistance of the Nine-Tails, Naruto recovered an O-katana from a hidden panel – the signature weapon of Kushina Uzumaki, and several Hiraishin kunai belonging to his father. After rigging the place to explode with the remaining tags once Jiraiya break through the seals, Naruto, Hinata and Anko waited. Once the false Naruto and Hinata were destroyed by Jiraiya and the others, Naruto triggered the exploding tags. In the ensuing chaos, Naruto, Hinata and Anko escaped via a reverse summon to the home of the Toads – Myobokuzan Mountain.

Asylum

With Hinata and Anko backing up his claims, Naruto told the Toads of Konoha's intentions and of Jiraiya's treachery. Enraged, Gamabunta and Fukasaku reversed summoned Jiraiya. The look on the perverted sage's face was all that was needed upon seeing Naruto, Anko and Hinata standing before the Toad Council. Fukasaku, Shima, Gamabunta, Gamakichi and Gamatatsu had ended up beating Jiraiya within an inch of his life, which was followed by the Great Toad Sage sealing off Jiraiya's senjutsu chakra. Before booting the now-former Toad Sage out of Myobokuzan, Fukasaku issued the following decree:

"The alliance between Konogakure no Sato and Myoboukzan is hereby dissolved! You shame us with your actions, Jiraiya of the Sannin. We strip you of the summoning contract and give it to the son of the Yondaime. Furthermore, we will contact the other summons whose allegiance is that of Konohagakure and tell them to break off their contracts because of this treachery. Neither you nor the Leaf deserve our protection. Should anyone try to summon us, then Orochimaru will be the least of your concerns!"

Naruto was rewarded with the Toads Contract, and began to undergo senjutsu training. With the help of several shadow clones, he managed to get the basics down. By that time, the world outside of Myobokuzan was changing, and in Konoha's case, it was for the worst.

As expected, upon receiving word of the conspiracy and of Konoha's treachery, Suna and Wind Country had terminated the military alliance with Konohagakure and Fire Country. Spring Country and Harugakure (formerly Yukigakure) did the same, terminating its own trading and military alliance agreements with Konoha and Fire Country. Wave Country followed suit, upon paying off its mission. Unknown to Konoha, Naruto had several shadow clones secure the immense wealth belonging to Gato and hidden it in both Wave and the ruins of Whirlpool Country.

The victory was a bittersweet one, as Naruto, Anko and Hinata were placed inside the Bingo Book – all A-ranked missing ninja. Of course, Naruto's rank was raised to an S-rank when it became known that Jiraiya had triggered the remaining exploding tags inside the Namikaze Estate once he had broken the seals, leaving half of his face burned and killing several ANBU present.

Three months after the Sasuke Retrieval Mission, Naruto received word through Gaara that Spring Damiyo Koyuki Kazahana was offering the trio of missing ninja political asylum in her native Spring Country. Accepting the offer, Naruto, Anko and Hinata undergo a long and dangerous journey from Myobokuzan to Spring. However, near the Fire-Lightning border, they ran into a Konohagakure scouting party consisting of ROOT ANBU.

Despite crossing the border into Lightning Country, the ROOT ANBU remained in pursuit. Before the trio of missing ninja were overrun, they were rescued by a group of Jounin, led by Kumo kunoichi Yugito Nii, jinchuuriki to the Nibi no Bakaneko – the Two-Tailed Monster Cat. Recognizing the missing ninja from the Bingo Book, Yugito took them to see the Raikage of Kumo, A and his brother, Kirabi, jinchuuriki to the Hachibi no Kyogu – the Eight-Tailed Giant Ox. There, the renegade jinchuuriki and the most powerful ninja in Kumo had a sit-down, where A spoke of Naruto's father in a positive light.

"We were on opposite sides in the last Shinobi War," A explained. "We both fought when we were Jounin. Out of all of the ninja I had fought, your old man earned my respect. I actually mourned his untimely passing. Good man, even better ninja. Gone before his time. Shame. I was looking forward to seeing who was the strongest Kage out of both of us."

A and Naruto would continue to talk for several hours. Afterward, A and the Lightning Damiyo granted Naruto, Anko and Hinata safe passage through Lightning Country, where they caught a ship taking them to Spring Country.

Under the protection of Damiyo Kazahana, Naruto, Anko and Hinata felt safe for the first time in months. With Konohagakure shinobi effectively banned from her lands, the missing-ninja finally felt at peace. During this time, the Nine-Tails approached Naruto with an interesting offer – training in order to defend himself from not only his former village, but the Akatsuki in exchange for freedom.

Naruto accepted the offer, and with the aid of the Kyuubi, safely broke the seal. Naruto had blacked out for three days as his chakra system had adjusted to without the chakra of the Nine-Tails hindering it. Upon regaining consciousness, he was greeted with the sight of a shapely redheaded woman standing nearly six feet tall with piercing green eyes, pale skin, and a curvaceous frame that could put Tsunade to shame.

The humanized Nine-Tails – whose self-given name was Kitami Akashiya – laid out her plans for both Naruto and Hinata. She will train the both of them in Ninjitsu, Taijutsu and Kenjutsu. While Naruto undergoes the sage training by the Toads, Hinata will be training under Kitami to become the third Fox Sage. Kitami then revealed to Naruto several revelations – that the Uzumaki, Uchiha and Senju clans were the direct descendants of the Six Paths Sage. Whereas the Uchiha was granted the Sharingan, the Senju was granted Earth Release, while the Uzumaki – unknown to the Senju and the Uchiha – were given the ultimate dojutsu, the Rinnegan.

In the four years under Kitami's tutelage, Naruto and Hinata's skills have drastically improved. Hinata had become a talented medic-ninja and a prodigy in the Taijutsu arts. Naruto, on the other hand, had become a master in both Taijutsu and Kenjutsu, and mastered both the sage arts and the Rinnegan, as well as learning political intrigue from Damiyo Kazahana and the Spring Council. By the age of sixteen, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze was christened the Third Toad Sage, while Hinata was declared the Third Fox Sage, complete with an Enhanced Bykaugan.

It is also that while in Spring Country, Naruto and Hinata had gotten closer. By Hinata's thirteenth birthday, they were both dating. Once their training was completed, they were married, their wedding attended by Damiyo Kazahana, Kitami Akashiya, Anko Mitarashi, Gaara and the Sand Siblings, Team Misfits (Mari Sarutobi, Moegi and Udon) and Godaime Mizukage Mei Terumi. The union from the pair would produce two children – one boy and one girl – fraternal twins. Minato Uzumaki Namikaze would be the designated heir to his position of Damiyo, while Hitomi Uzumaki Namikaze worked to surpass her mother as a medic ninja.

Their godparents were the Kazekage Gaara, and the Sand Siblings, Team Misfits, the Raikage A and his brother Kirabi, Yugito Nii and Damiyo Kazahana, showing that the revitalized Namikaze clan had friends in high places.

The Mercenary Years

The next seven years, Naruto, his wife, and Anko found work as ninja mercenaries. During this time, two renegade Amegakure ninja joined their ranks near Kumogakure – Uzumaki master swordsman Yahiko Uzumaki and his companion, deposed Amegakure leader Konan. Both were former members of the Akatsuki, the organization of S-class missing ninja who were in fact, controlled by Uchiha clan founder Madara Uchiha.

As it turned out, Yahiko was descended from refugees of the Uzumaki clan which had scattered in the last Shinobi War, and was raised in Amegakure. Like Naruto, Yahiko was disllusioned with how his organization had ended up corrupted. Furthermore, he was happy to see that he was not the last of the Uzumaki clan. He had also given Naruto vital information in regards to the Akatsuki – that Madara Uchiha desired the powers of the tailed beasts for his plans of word domination.

It also became known that Konohagakure was redoubling their efforts in eliminating the missing ninja after Jiraiya's spy network had informed the former Toad Sage that the missing ninja had resurfaced. However, it was during a Taijutsu tournament being hosted in Tea Country that after defeating Rock Lee, Tenten and Hinata defeating Neji Hyuuga and Anko Mitarashi besting Mighty Gai that Tsunade and the Konohagakure Council saw that they were not the same genin-level ninja who had fled the village. They were now SS-class threats.

Over the seven years, Naruto and Hinata had decimated the ANBU Black Ops and the ROOT ANBU sent their way by Konohagakure no Sato, as well as the bounty hunters looking to cash in on their bounties placed on their heads. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio fell to the Namikaze couple (Shikamaru notifying the council that the missing-ninja were parents, much to Hiashi's dismay). The elder Ino-Shika-Cho trio tracked the Namikaze family and Anko Mitarashi to Spring Country, where they were visiting Damiyo Kazahana.

Like their children, Inochi Yamanaka, Shikaku Nara and Chouza Akamichi failed.

Trying the political route, Konoha sent a special envoy to Damiyo Kazahana led by Jiraiya, Hiashi Hyuuga, Kakashi Hatake, and Danzou Shimura, demanding that she hands over not only Anko, Naruto and Hinata, but also their children, as he planned on branding them with the Caged Bird Seal and shoving them into the Branch Family. Kazahana flatly refused the demand, as the Namikaze family and Anko had left earlier that week...

Kazahana was not amused. "You want me to hand over the hero of Spring Country, who without him, my homeland would still be under the rule of my uncle, a tyrant who tried to kill me? And why should I surrender the whereabouts of our hero and his family?"

Hiashi maintained his stoic posture. "With all due respect, Lady Damiyo...the Kyuubi brat is a threat to the safety of Konohagaure no Sato, and of Fire Country. Both him and his whore must be eliminated."

Kazahana scoffed. "A threat that is of your own creation. Oh yes, I know how Konoha pissed on the dying wishes of the Yondaime – Naruto's father. I also know about Shimura's desire to turn him into a living weapon because he is the jailer of the Nine-Tails."

Danzou's eye narrowed dangerously. "Be careful how you speak of such things, Lady Damiyo. You may not like how people choose to defend themselves."

"You should be more worried about yourself, Councilman Shimura," Kazahana replied, her voice as cold as ice. "I do not respond to idle threats very well. You can take your demands and shove it. I will not betray Namikaze, his wife, or my godchildren. Furthermore, I have no desire to deal with a village who would not only kiss the ass of a potential traitor and blame a boy for something that was not in his control."

"You dare insult the strongest of the shinobi villages?" Hiashi responded. "Wars have been started for less. The Fire Lord and the Godaime will not like this, Lady Damiyo."

"I dare, because Konoha is not as strong as you claim it to be. Kazahana replied, unfazed by the threat. "And I know several other villages and countries that would love to see Konohagakure burn to the ground...Mist and their Water Damiyo...Suna and my counterpart in Wind Country...three villages against one. Not good odds. No Sandaime...no Yondaime...and no jinchuuriki to save your asses. You are right about one thing, Hyuuga. Wars have been started for less...especially when the head of a foreign nation is threatened and insulted."

Danzou looked troubled. "You wouldn't dare...you couldn't..."

"Oh, I would, Councilman," Kazahana shot back. "Now leave. I've made it clear that Konohagakure is not welcome here...especially those from Cell Seven. Furthermore, any acts of aggression towards myself or towards Spring Country will result in war. Get out."

With the political attempt a failure, Konoha redoubled their efforts, only to have a sizable portion of their ANBU decimated, and the Konoha 11 defeated, along with the Elite Jounins.

In Hot Water Country, it came to a violent head. Led by Kakashi Hatake and Kurenai Sarutobi, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame tracked down their missing teammates and a fight ensued. In the years of their exile, the Konoha ninja found out the hard way that Naruto and Hinata had drastically improved in their skills. With Konan and Yahiko watching from the sidelines and keeping an eye on Minato and Hitomi, the fight commenced, with Hinata and Kitami fighting Cell Eight and Naruto and Anko dealing with Cell Seven. Unknown to both parties, Jiraiya was watching the brawl from the shadows.

The fight was indeed brutal. But despite superior numbers, Kitami and Hinata defeated Cell Eight, while Anko had taken down Sakura Haruno, leaving Naruto to face his former teammate and sensei in a 2-on-1 match. Despite Kakashi being a master of over 1000 jutsus and Sasuke obtaining the Magenkyou Sharingan, Naruto unleashed the fury of his taijutsu and senjutsu arts upon the Sharingan wielders. One Hirashin followed by a Thousand Years of Pain (i.e., Naruto punting Kakashi in the ass, sending him through a tree), and the lazy Jounin was out of commission.

Anko bowed out of the fight as the Uchiha prince and the Namikaze fought in a rematch from their confrontation at the Valley of the End. As expected, Sasuke used the power of the Cursed Seal, of which Naruto countered with his Rinnegan. Sasuke was easily outmatched as Naruto once again, and was dealt a crushing blow to Sasuke's ego by defeating him with little effort, but sparing his life and leaving him with some parting words.

"Remember this day, old friend.Remember the day that the dead last had you in his power. You're not even worth staining my hands or my blade with your blood. Go home. Go home and remember that I spared your pathetic life on a whim. Cross me again, and your brother will be the next best choice of reviving the Uchiha. To put it in words that you will understand, you fuck with me, I will send your head back to Konoha."

Upon returning to Konoha, Sasuke, Kakashi and Kurenai report to Tsunade and the council about Naruto's bloodline. This catches Danzou's interest, as he begins to see the possibilities of having the Rinnegan in his possession.

During the seven years abroad, Naruto met an older wandering shinobi by the name of Rashoujin Hattori Hanzou. Unknown to Naruto at the time, Rashoujin is the great-grandson of the late Amegakure warlord Hanzou the Salamander, and the current holder of the salamander contract. It was originally thought that Hanzou's family had been wiped out in the Second Shinobi War, but that was false. One of Hanzou's daughters had escaped at his request and had taken refuge at a minor shinobi village.

The ensuing battle between Naruto and Rashoujin lasted for three hours and had ended up leveling a chunk of Forest Country. Ninjitsu, Taijutsu, even summons were used as Naruto and Rashoujin gave each other no quarter. In the end, the battle was a draw, but both Naruto and Rashoujin came to respect the other for their strength and will. It is through this encounter that Rashoujin will take back what is rightfully his – Amegakure no Sato.

Revival of Whirlpool and Damiyo of Whirlpool Country

Following the seven years traveling abroad, Naruto decided to set up shop in Whirlpool Country, his mother's ancestral home. The dream of being a kage having long since died following his banishment, he formed Neo Uzushiogakure no Sato with Konan Uzumaki as the Rokudaime Uzukage. By birthright, Naruto Namikaze was the next in line to rule Whirlpool Country. So he took control as the Fifth Whirlpool Damiyo. As Damiyo, Naruto's Bingo Book entry is automatically invalid, as is Hinata's entry since she is the Damiyo's wife. The Whirlpool Ruins was already populated with the remnants of the Uzumaki clan who had decided to stay as well as a number of ronin samurai and those who fled Mist and Water Country during the bloodline purges. Backed with the infinite reserves of Gato's wealth that he had stolen, Naruto had Neo Uzushiogakure up and running within nine months.

With Naruto as the Damiyo, he began to recruit even more ninja, as well as rebuild the island and village. He even went as far as annexing the island north of Whirlpool – a mountainous, forested region – and turned it into a training and living area for the Uzushiogakure shinobi. The Namikaze children were the first to graduate from the rebuilt Uzushiogakure Shinobi. Minato turned out to be a prodigy in the Uzumaki Namikaze style of fuinjutsu and taijutsu, while Hitomi was a gifted medic-ninja and a master in her mother's style of Shin Jyuuken and her father's kenjutsu. With Minato possessing the Rinnegan and Hitomi the Bykaugan, they found themselves in the crosshairs of their parents' former village.

But, as expected, sheer luck and pulling off the impossible, not to mention being completely unpredictable is an Uzumaki trait that Naruto passed on to his kids once they became Uzu shinobi. Aside from being the Damiyo of Whirlpool, Naruto also taught at the Uzushiogakure Shinobi Academy in weapons combat and taijutsu. Through Uzushiogakure's methods, the revived village was known to produce chuunin and jounin-level ninja in half the time it took for Konohagakure to take to produce ninja of that caliber, which irked Konoha to no end.

As Damiyo of Whirlpool, Naruto forged military and trading alliances with Lightning, Wind and Spring Countries. Through hard negotiation, he managed to get Earth Country and Iwagakure to sign a non-aggression pact between their two countries and villages, as Iwa is honor bound not to violate the diplomatic immunity status that Naruto has a Whirlpool Damiyo.

It is also through the annual Taijutsu tournaments which Naruto holds that Konoha finds out about Naruto's resurfacing as the Whirlpool Damiyo. A team of Konohagakure ninja, led by Jiraiya, were sent to both scout Whirlpool and to win the prize money. They failed to win, but reported back that Naruto was the leader of Whirlpool, and of his children with Hinata.

In an interesting side-note, Konoha had sent out a marriage proposal to Kitami Akashiya (unknown to them as the Nine Tails in Human form) on the behalf of Sasuke Uchiha. Kitami flat-out refused the offer, which ultimately meant that Sasuke and more importantly, Konoha would gain a major foothold in Whirlpool Country, thus undermining Naruto and Konan's authority. Second, Hiashi sent word to Hinata that he wanted to meet both her and her children. Wisely, Hinata refused, knowing that her father would violate the automatic immunity status she has as Naruto's wife by attacking her and their children.

Her concerns were verified when a crack squad of Konoha ROOT ANBU and a squad of Hyuuga Ninja infiltrated the island country with orders to kidnap both Minato and Hitomi – Danzou wishing to take Minato and train him to be Konoha's ultimate weapons because of his eyes, and Hiashi, wishing to subjugate Hitomi to the Caged Bird Seal. They did not get very far, as their presence was detected by the Whirlpool Damiyo and his wife almost immediately. The squad of Konoha ninja were slaughtered with the exception of one of the Hyuuga Ninja, of which Hinata allowed to return home...after placing a time-delayed Caged Bird Seal on her, designed to kill her once she returned to Konoha to deliver a message to both Danzou and Hiashi:

To Councilman Shimura and Hiashi Hyuuga: I believe the men sealed inside the scroll belong to your ROOT ANBU and your main branch clan respectively. It is with regret that our children could not accompany them, as they have other priorities pertaining to Whirlpool. Sincerely, Damiyo Naruto Namikaze, Lady Hinata Namikaze

In the fifth year of Naruto's rule as Whirlpool Damiyo, the Akatsuki once again resurfaced. Despite having lost Hidan and Kazuku (both were killed by Yugito and Kirabi), the organization of S-class criminals were still a threat. Later, Naruto received word that a joint Oto-Akatsuki Invasion of Whirlpool Country was imminent. Led by Akatsuki chieftain Madara Uchiha and his second-in-command Pain, with the Oto forces commanded by Orochimaru, Whirlpool looked to be finished before it started.

Unknown to both Orochimaru and Madara, their intentions were already known by Naruto through his network of spies and informants, and he had planned accordingly. Suna, led by the Kazekage Gaara, along with Mizu, led by the Godaime Mizukage Mei Terumi formed a military alliance with Uzushiogakure, as they both had scores to settle with both Oto and the Akatsuki. With the blessings of A, Yugito Nii and Kirabi also joined in the battle, along with a small number of Kumo jounin. The Uzushiogakure Invasion has begun.

With the civilians evacuated, Naruto led the assault. With the Shinobi world watching in anticipation, the invasion had begun. Fighting broke out in Whirlpool and North Whirlpool. It was also the shortest battle in the history of warfare, lasting only three hours. In that time, the Akatsuki were wiped out, and Orochimaru's forces were decimated. Kitami Akashiya was credited with slaying Madara Uchiha, Kabuto Yakushi was slain by Hinata Namikaze, Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki were both killed by Naruto Namiakze. Orochimaru narrowly escaped as his Oto forces were slain down to the last man.

Seeking asylum in the one place he had sought to destroy, he was welcomed into Konohagakure by his former teammates. There, Orochimaru had given a fully detailed account of the Uzushiogakure Invasion, and of Itachi's defeat by the hands of the Whirlpool Damiyo himself. Sasuke was not very happy to hear that Naruto was the one to have killed his brother.

Tsunade and the Konohagakure Council grants Orochimaru asylum under a series of conditions – that Orochimaru will not conduct any experiments on the populace and that he takes Sasuke Uchiha on as his student. Orochimaru agrees to the conditions set before him. The Legendary Sanin were once again on the same side. It would be another year until Orochimaru would meet his untimely end.

As Whirlpool rebuilt its village and island, Naruto entered into a series of negotiations with the people of Wave Country. As Wave was still open to attack from Fire Country, the Whirlpool Damiyo offered protection in exchange for Wave becoming a protectorate under Whirlpool, as most of the Uzu shinobi there had loved ones and family in the southern island. Tazuna and the Wave Council agreed to the terms. Wave Country would greatly benefit under the protection of Uzushiogakure and its Damiyo, who they see as a hero.

However, Fire Country and Konohagakure would object to the plans in a most extreme way, thus intiating the Wave Conflict. Led by the three Sanin, Konohagakure invaded Wave Country two years later, claiming that Whirlpool was a threat and that Wave would act as a buffer zone. Before a full-scale war could erupt, Naruto challenged the three sages in a 3-on-1 match. Should they win, then Naruto would surrender Wave and retreat to Whirlpool. Should Naruto win, then Konoha loses all claim to Wave and leave the island.

With the gathered Konoha ninja watching – Sasuke Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake and Sakura Haruno among them as well as the other members of the Konoha 11 – Naruto fought the three Sanin. Despite the numbers advantage that the three Konohagakure ninja had over the Whirlpool Damiyo, Naruto had countered each of the Sanin's attacks and defeated them. With the people of Wave, the Konohagakure ninja and the Kazakage and Mizukage watching as witnesses, Naruto – perched on top of Gamakichi's head – passed judgment upon the Sanin.

"By right, Wave Country is now under the protection of Whirlpool Country and of Neo Uzushiogakure no Sato! Any further attempts of aggression towards the people of Wave will be seen as an act of war! To you...Jiraiya...Tsunade Senju...and Orochimaru...you were granted the title of Konohagakure's Legendary Sanin by Hanzou the Salamander as a result of surviving his onslaught. As that title was blessed upon you, so it can be taken away. As the Damiyo of Whirlpool..,I strip you of your title of Legendary Sanin!"

Orochimaru did not take the news very well. Kusanagi drawn, he tried to attack Naruto from behind. Naruto, having suspected that Orochimaru would try and pull something like this, activated a hidden seal placed on his body during the match, effectively immobilizing him long enough for Naruto to decapitate him with his katana. Threatening to do the same to the remaining former sanin, Tsunade and Jiraiya led the Konoha ninja back across the bridge and back into Fire Country.

Days later, the Great Naruto Bridge was destroyed by a squad of Uzushiogakure ANBU's Demolitions Unit, effectively cutting off access from the mainland. It would be the last time that the Namikaze clan would set their eyes on the disgraced Sanin ever again.

Invasion of Fire Country

In the decade following the banishment of Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, Konohagakure's status as one of the strongest shinobi villages had started to wane. Repeated attacks from both the smaller villages and the deaths of several high-ranking shinobi, and the near-crippling effects of the trade embargo set in place, Konoha, and Fire Country as a whole was now seen as a pariah state, especially after their performance during the Wave Conflict in which Naruto had stripped the title of Konoha's Legendary Sanin from Tsunade, Orochimaru and Jiraiya.

After the death of Orochimaru, Tsunade stepped down as Godaime Hokage and Sasuke Uchiha was named the Rokudaime Hokage of Konoha. Almost immediately, Sasuke made plans to invade Whirlpool and the Wave Protectorate and destroy his nemesis once and for all. But it was not meant to be. With the rise of Amegakure as a major shinobi power and its alliance with Iwakagure no Sato, Danzou, the Fire Lord and the Konoha Civilian Council saw Rashoujin Hanzou as a major threat.

Unknown to Sasuke, Danzou had ordered a black-ops mission with his best ROOT ANBU, ordering them to head into Ame and assassinate Rashoujin Hanzou. The mission was a failure, as Hanzou and his Ame shinobi slew the ROOT ANBU. It was only after Ame marched into Fire Country and towards the Fire Capital did Sasuke find out about what Danzou had done. Furious, Sasuke killed not only Danzou Shimura, but also the Konoha Civilian Council, the two elder ninja, Koharu Utatane and Honmura Mitokado, and seized control of the ROOT ANBU.

Hanzou's forces moved swiftly through Fire Country, laying siege upon the Fire Capital and taking the Fire Lord and his family hostage. Sasuke led a crack squad of Jounin-level ninja to liberate the Fire Capital and free the Fire Lord. But Hanzou saw this coming and led the Hokage and his forces into a trap. Out of a force of 200 Jounin, only 10 survived the slaughter. Among the casualties were the original Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Shino and Shibi Aburame, Tsume and Kiba Inuzuka, Hiashi Hyuuga, Neji Hyuuga, Maito Gai, Rock Lee, and Kakashi Hatake. Sasuke Uchiha was injured when Hanzou ripped out his eyes and crushed them under his heel, before crippling the Uchiha, rendering him unable to use his legs. The mission was a failure and the surviving jounin was forced to retreat.

In desperation, Konoha and the Fire Lord reached out to their former allies for salvation. Suna and Wind Country flat-out refused, as did Spring Country. Kumo and Lightning Country remained neutral. With Sasuke Uchiha crippled, Tsunade was forced to retake the post of Hokage. Several other minor Shinobi villages rallied to Amegakure's cause, launching guerrilla-style raids on Konoha, weakening the village even further. After Tsunade took back her post, Grass ninja launched a devastating raid on Konoha, destroying the hospital and killing all inside, including Sakura Haruno, Shizune and the crippled Rokudaime himself.

The situation looked very bleak for Konoha and Fire Country. Their shinobi forces were down by half, leaving only a handful of battle-experienced Jounin, along with Chuunin and Genin who had not seen battle. Oh, yes, Konohagakure was in its final days. Soon, Hanzou would do what even Orochimaru had failed to do, and will soon launch a leave-no-survivors assault on the village...