Chapter 1: The Threat of War

"Night walker", huh?

Perhaps Shisui was right and he was the night walker. For Naruto, the night was day, and day was, at most, night. Uchiha yes, a member of the military police force, yes, but he walked the night and the slept through the day if he wasn't training.

At least, according to Itachi, this was the epitome of a true shinobi. The ideal shinobi for the Light of the Uchiha clan was one who walked through the shadows, seeking neither fame nor rewards for the death attraction work in protecting the Hidden Leaf.

Naruto had no desire to be clothed in glory or recognition. Itachi may be beloved and worshiped by some fanatics, but Naruto did not envy it. His fellow clansman fame brought much needed relief to their outcast of a clan and its maligned members. Maybe it was envy or just irrational fear. Whatever the case was, being Uchiha, if you were not either Shisui or Itachi was not particularly a joyous experience.

For this reason and then some, Naruto walked the night.

Most of his activity in the night was patrolling through Area 44's fences. It was one area the superior protectors of the village - the Anbu - did not patrol. And as result, there were less clashes when it came to who had custody of any suspects. It was usually silent. Every now and then, he caught something.

It was around 3am when he sensed movements deep into the forest. He usually lay down on the earth, never minding any dangerous insects or wild animals that could get the jump on him. Those who sneaked through the forest did not hop through the trees. One was easily detectable that way. While lying, he could easily detect the slight tremors of footsteps on the ground.

Naruto quickly got up, closed his eyes as he scanned for their general direction. They were three of them - moving away from the village. Intruders or Anbu? He knew the forest like the back of his mind. He's spent his three years of service within the Military Police running about this place and even setting up traps. He'd never truly caught anything, just annoyed the Anbu - and that gave him a little joy.

When he opened his eyes, a fully matured Sharingan glowed deeply into the night. Its hypnotic gaze turned the world crimson around him.

In a dark blur, he vanished.

It was indeed three shinobi. They were masked. The distinctive masks worn by Root forces. Possibly heading somewhere to cause trouble. He should just let them be - but Naruto hated these scums. He felt contempt so deep that it could shake the very foundation of this village. Their master was the root of some of the Uchiha's suffering. The slime ran a political campaign, mixed with dark arts to turn his clan into a disease that the villagers were all too keen to avoid.

Danzo was corrupted by the teachings of the Nidaime Hokage. But there was really nothing he could do about it. He was just a thirteen year old officer of the Military Police Force. He wore no headband of Konoha for he was not a shinobi of the village. He'd never even stepped foot into the shinobi academy.

While his feet slowly dangled on the branch of a tree, he flared his chakra a bit - just to alert them of his presence. They immediately halted and entered into a protective formation. He stood from where he hid and hopped through the couple of trees before landing behind the group.

"Illegal aliens running through the night... where do you think you're going?"

"None of your business, Uchiha."

"It is my business. I am the Uchiha who enforces order. And you're disturbing that order. You're not Anbu who report to the Hokage."

"We're in a hurry, leave us."

The robotic voice had no emotion nor any sense of nervousness. It was just cold calmness to be envied by any shinobi who worked in the darkness.

"You're not supposed to exist. If we don't see you, it is not a problem. But if we see you, it becomes a problem." Naruto replied with cold indifference. "I'm placing you under arrest for suspicion of carrying out covert operations without any authorization from the Hokage."

"Stand in the way and your life will be forfeit."

"Try me, tools. We will see who will forfeit their lives."

"It doesn't have to get to that point." An Anbu dropped in between the two parties. He had appeared out of nowhere and landed without a sound. The Root may have remained stoic behind their masks but there was a slight twitch in their chakra.

"Leave, Uchiha. You need not stop them."

To be dismissed so ruthlessly while in the job felt like a stab to his pride. But Naruto was used to the constant jabs from the Anbu. There were only a few he could count that he worked along with but the majority, they always wanted to assert their superiority over the Police Force - for Naruto, it felt like they wanted to stamp authority over the Uchiha. He thought it was ludicrous. No one had that power. Not even the Hokage.

He ignored the Anbu and faced the Root shinobi. "If I see you again, I'm arresting you." He said. Meaningless words. They were under direct orders from Fugaku not to do anything against Root shinobi. He just said it to have the last word.

He didn't even wait to for anyone to speak.

Such was the sad state of things.

By 5am, Naruto had already given his report at HQ and had gone back to the Clan compound. Others were getting ready for the new day, he was going to his long deserved sleep.

2pm

Naruto wouldn't say Itachi was his friend - it would be overreaching to claim otherwise. The genius of the clan was someone he trained with - and yet, the never got along in the same way as he did with Shisui.

Was it envy? Naruto did not envy Itachi - not even a little. The Uchiha had everything. He had parents who loved him and a younger brother he doted. Even if Fugaku might question his son's loyalties, if some members of the clan accused him of some crime, the father would be the first to defend - followed by Shisui. And him? Never. Not without knowing the facts. If there was one thing Naruto disliked about Itachi, it was his apparent love for Konoha. He loved the village above his family and for Naruto, there was no greater sin.

"Itachi." He greeted his fellow Uchiha with a warm smile.

Despite everything, Naruto respected Itachi for his strength. The pacifist ideal was nonsense in his mind but each one was entitled to their own ideals.

"Naruto." Itachi nodded. "My father is waiting for you."

Naruto folded his hands on his back and followed Itachi into his house. One hardly ever saw him smile - the rare moments were when he was playing with his little brother.

"I heard you made Anbu captain."

"Yes."

"Your father must be pleased."

"It is difficult to tell." Itachi admitted. "I think he would rather I spend more time handling clan matters than working for the village."

"Well, I wouldn't complain. You leave me with most of the work to do..." Naruto replied. "But I suppose that won't fit into your path. How long you intend to be Anbu?"

"For as long as the village needs me."

"The Sandaime Hokage will be more than pleased."

Naruto had never stood before the Sandaime Hokage - not even once. He had seen the Yondaime and exchange some greetings with him. But never with the famed Professor. Then again, he was the silent Uchiha. Only Anbu would know about him since he wasn't even registered as a shinobi of the village.

Itachi glanced at him through the corner of his eyes. "I heard last night you had a run in with Root agents."

Naruto grunted. "Yeah... met with the scums... would have arrested them if an Anbu didn't come in to stop me."

Itachi seemed to sigh. "You really don't want to have Danzo on your case. You should leave those matters to the Anbu and the Sandaime."

"I'm not really afraid of the slime."

"Is that you talking or your arrogance?"

Naruto smiled. His smile turned into a chuckle. "I don't think I've been accused of being arrogant. But hardly surprising, those of us who have awakened the Sharingan tend to become very arrogant. It is like it is written within the Uchiha DNA."

"It is simply that we see our Doujutsu as superior to all others. We thus feel superior to other people. Arrogance naturally arises. But we must defeat this thinking. It will ultimately lead to our downfall."

"True that." Naruto nodded in agreement. "Maybe you should consider opening a class for our clansmen. There are many of us with a chip on the shoulder..." he smiled - a little wickedly. "But I doubt they would even listen to you of all people."

Itachi did not reply as they had reached the back of the house. Fugaku was standing still, staring into the heavens with a blank expression on his face. He wasn't immediately responsive when Itachi called him.

When he did finally take note of them, Itachi spoke again. "I'm going to fetch Sasuke from the academy."

Fugaku merely nodded and Itachi departed without a word. Naruto glanced into the house thinking he would be able to see Mikoto - but there was no sign of her. She'd probably gone to the market.

He took a couple of steps and stood by Fugaku's left side. It was a clearing. Naruto had used this place so many times to train when he was younger. Fugaku had taken the reigns as an instructor. He taught both him and Itachi and sometimes would just watch them train.

"You wanted to see me, Fugaku-sama."

"I have asked you this question before: What is more important to you, the village or the clan."

"My answer will not change."

"If you ask Itachi, the answer will be different." There was no hint of disappointment in Fugaku as he spoke. "I originally trained you thinking you would be the one to support Itachi. He is going to be Clan head. And if things work out well, the Hokage. I thought you would become real friends with him, thus enabling you to support him."

But as Fugaku had learned, nothing ever worked as planned. He was immensely proud of his son - even if he might disagree with some choices. But Itachi was still his son and his achievements made him proud. Yet, it bothered him that he was drifting away from the clan and into the palms of the Sandaime Hokage. Loathe as he was to admit it, but he no longer had any control over his son.

He still had Sasuke and the boy could be trained.

The greater disappointment was the lack of connection between Naruto and Itachi. He'd thought the boys would click. He even showed them the horrors of war. But they just became two different people. His son was the quiet type who loved his village and would carry out any order for its sake. Naruto was loud when it called for it - but he preferred the company of his own thoughts rather than of those of his fellow clansman. He didn't even have a friend outside of the clan - at least as far as Fugaku was concerned.

The boys could work just fine together and had an understanding but there was no deeper bond between them. Fugaku would bitterly admit, he had failed in trying to foster that relationship.

"I can still support him."

Fugaku shook his head. "Mark your own path. Decide for yourself what your future holds, as Itachi has decided for himself."

Naruto has never really given a deeper meaning to the future ahead. What he was certain of was his love for his clan. Anything else was complementary. He didn't think he was born into this world for some holy reason. Those with the minds and appetite could. Naruto just wanted to grow loving his clan. He could defer from taking any decision until he was grown and had deeper understanding of other material things in life.

For now, he would train and do his best for both the clan and village.

Perhaps the only thing he could change was getting involved in clan politics. He never even said a word in those meetings. But he was not blind. He knew what went about. The adults may try to whisper, but they were loud enough.

"I understand."

"Good." Fugaku's tone changed. It became cold. "I read your report. And I was under the impression that I gave orders to stay away from Root shinobi. You've documented three encounters with them in this month alone."

"You gave orders not to investigate or arrest them. Anything suspicious was to be handed over to Anbu."

"Are you trying to find a clever way to twist my instructions?"

"No."

"Then why does it seem like you're going out of your way to disobey me?"

"I'm not." Naruto fell silent. How his heart seethed at the thought of Danzo. "But they are criminals. And I hate them." He admitted with emotion.

Fugaku put a hand on his shoulder. It made him flinch at the sudden contact.

You love something, you learn to hate. As young as he was, Naruto had learned true hatred. Things were bad before, but after Minato died, it just became worse. It became hell and Danzo was most responsible. The war hawk spread rumor about them having manipulated the Kyubi and then sent them to their own prison. Fugaku held no love for the man, but he was diplomatic. Sometimes he imagined that Naruto could face the consequences of killing Danzo if it meant removing a problem for the Uchiha.

Such was his love for his fellow clansmen.

"We all have concerns. But we must practice restraint and not do anything reckless before we make things worse." Fugaku said. He has been accused of being too nice. But any hardened policies would just send them into exile. This was their home, they had to navigate through the treachery and find their own place.

Fugaku had placed his bets on Itachi.

"You must be patient. Hatred will cloud your judgment. Learn to live with them. If they are doing something, alert the Anbu and get on with your duties." Fugaku added quietly. "Am I clear?"

"Yes."

"I trust there will not be any more incidents."

"There won't."

"You can leave." Fugaku said. He glanced at the boy. He wanted to smile but the smile wouldn't come alive.

Hokage Office

When Danzo walked into his office, Hiruzen willed himself into looking at his former teammate. There was a certain feeling of disdain when looking at the man. Tobirama would be disappointed. Then again, Hiruzen had not clothed himself in glory either. The ending of the war with Iwagakure still haunted him - even to this day. It was made worse by the fact that he had returned to the position he had once abandoned and there were cruel creatures like Danzo who took joy in reminding him of his failures.

"Why did you call for me, Hiruzen?"

"We have to talk."

"We're always talking." Danzo stared. "something important?"

"Yes. It concerns some of your activities."

"What activities?"

Hiruzen would have been happier if he didn't have do deal with Danzo but he turned a blind eye because the man took decisions he didn't have the spine to take. No, he no longer had the spine to take. Perhaps it is the constant wars and the tiredness from it all that has brought about this naivety in him. He did always want to think the best of people.

"It has come to my attention that you're planning to steal the Seven Tails."

"You've heard wrong. I have no such intentions. But even if I had, it wouldn't be a bad thing. We need all the power we can get. Our village has weakened because of your policies!"

"While it is true Konoha has grown weak, we're not going to discuss it. You will not do anything. If I hear you have captured the Seven Tails, I will have you arrested for treason."

"Taking decisions to protect the village is called treason now?"

"You have your ideas on how the village should be protected and I have my ideas. Unfortunately, I am the one who is Hokage, not you."

Maybe Danzo cursed their sensei for not choosing him as Hokage. He'd obviously been dismayed when Tobirama chose him. It had started years of rivalry. A bit one sided. Hiruzen had more pressing matters to deal with than competing with Danzo. He'd even put the man in the village council, and yet, that was never enough. Even to this day, Danzo held ambitions to unseat him.

"A pity you're Hokage. There has been nothing but misfortune in your reign. Tobirama sensei wouldn't have elected you if he thought you would become so weak minded."

"Either way, he chose me, not you. Deal with it. And you'll never become Hokage, Danzo. I'll make sure of it. You'll never sit on this seat, even after I'm dead."

Those strong words didn't bother Danzo. He had ways to get what he wanted. There was just no rush - things were moving in the right direction.

"Is that all?"

Hiruzen shook his head. "Conflict between Suna and Iwagakure continues. It seems that when Kirigakure is becoming involved."

"And we have Kumogakure..." Danzo shook his head. "But things are not in that level on their side. We should really take advantage of the situation and come to an agreement with Suna to take on the Stone. They have yet to pay for the losses we suffered in the last war..."

He was only saying things were not that bad with Kumo because they could be resolved simply. It was going to take some doing to actually accede to the demands but Konoha was not ready to fight the Cloud.

"No doubt afterwards, we betray Sunagakure."

Danzo said nothing.

"We're not going to form an alliance with Suna. You forget that we are still in conflict with the Hidden Mist. Nobody likes each other at the moment. We just stepped out of the Third War, we don't want to step into another one. And things with Kumo could head out of control."

"We wouldn't be here if you'd given the order to make Minato destroy Iwagakure. With him, we could have won the war."

There was no question that Minato tipped the scales of war. But it didn't matter - it was the past and his successor was already dead.

"I want you to send your Root to investigate things between Kiri and Suna. We cannot allow an alliance between them. It would not be good for Konoha. Send people closer to the Kazekage and then report back to me so we see how we act."

"It will be done." Danzo replied.

In the meantime, it wouldn't hurt to ensure that Suna and Iwa kept fighting. Danzo would fan the flames of war. If they could destroy each other, it was less a problem for the Hidden Leaf.

"You may leave."

Later

Two weeks ago, Kumogakure's head shinobi was killed in the village after an attempt to kidnap one of the Hyuga. Not the first incident the Hidden Cloud has attempted to Kidnap one of Konoha's children.

Hiruzen's only relief was that it was not the Uchiha who killed the man but Hiashi himself. Had it been the Uchiha, it would have made things much worse for them. One of the officers had discovered this and alerted the Hyuga who were already in pursuit.

It was a major scandal. Everyone in the village knew. The Anbu were on high alert. Shinobi were on stand-by and even Hunter-nin had been recalled from their duties. A war could break out. Perhaps Danzo's attempt to kidnap the Seven-Tails was in preparing for the war - if it broke out. Despite everything, Danzo's love for Konoha could never be doubted but it could be faulted for his warped views.

He glanced at both Shikaku and a stern faced Hiashi. Even at this stage, the man showed no emotions.

"I have received another letter from the Raikage. He demands Hiashi's head for the death of his Head Ninja or we go to war," Hiruzen said in a quiet and defeated tone.

Nothing truly changed with shinobi. Kumo and Konoha were technically still at war. The Head Ninja had come for the signing of the peace treaty. Kumo had ripped it apart because of this incident. And the man was already barking war threats. Shinobi were quick to bay for blood. Vindictive but how could they respond? Hiruzen had labored. Danzo had made noise but being strategic and not fighting Kumo because if they fought the village, and their two Jinchuriki, the Hidden Stone would take advantage of the situation.

As Danzo reminds him, which wouldn't be a possibility if they had finished them off when Minato gave them the advantage.

"Then he refuses to accept our accusation." Shikaku said.

"Yes. And whatever we say, he'll deny it. He didn't send the man for any other reason than to sign the peace treaty."

"But we know he tried to kidnap Hinata and they had no interest in the peace treaty. They just wanted our Byakugan!" Hiashi lost his composure a bit as he replied.

"It doesn't matter what we know. What matters is that he refuses to accept it. Even if we had proof, the Raikage would still not accept responsibility." Shikaku shook his head. "He believes he is in a position of power and can make the demand."

"What is Konoha's response?" Hiashi asked quietly.

"What have you decided as a clan?" Hiruzen asked curiously.

"If he demands my head, he will get it. But we don't want to give the enemy the Byakugan. My brother has volunteered to go instead. He'll die for me and for the sake of Konoha. With the caged bird seal, on his death, the Byakugan becomes sealed..." Hiashi replied sharply. "But I do not want to go through this. It is my duty as clan head to take responsibility for my actions. I have already put my brother through enough. If we can avoid war with this, then it must be done. I am ready."

"We don't have an option. We have to give something or we go to war." Hiruzen admitted. And for the life in him, Hiruzen would not take a decision that would take them to war, if he could even sacrifice his own life. "We don't want to bow to pressure even when we know Kumo is wrong - but we cannot afford war. We all know that wars have been fought for simple matters. And this is not nothing."

"Then, I'll do what must be done for the sake of Konoha." Hiashi resigned. "But I do not regret anything I have done. As a father, I had no choice but to protect her."

"I understand and I don't blame you." Hiruzen said. "We will see if it can be avoided when we send people... but do not hope for anything..." he turned to Shikaku. "How is the matter with Inoichi?"

"He has prepared the documentation and we know what we can about Kumo's Jinchuriki and their hiding places as well as some secrets the man knew." He smiled. "We also stumbled on the fact that he was appointed by the Feudal Lord and reported to him. Naturally, the Raikage kept him out of the important things and the position was only created to pacify the Feudal Lord's demand to have more control over the village."

"Hm.." Hiruzen leaned back on his chair, adopting a thoughtful expression. "Then we can use this against the Raikage. Have word sent to the Feudal Lord that A sent the Head Ninja to Konoha to be killed and then blame the Feudal Lord if it failed and then gain the power to appoint the Head Ninja himself."

Shikaku smiled - that was devious. Then again, the Sandaime was once called the Professor and the God of shinobi in his prime years.

"The Lightning Lord already knows the Raikage didn't like the Head Ninja and kept him out of important matters in the village. Despite holding the position of Head Ninja, he held no real power... this foundation would work for us. But instead of working it into his hears directly, how about indirectly? It sounds better coming from someone else. We can have the word spread within Kumogakure and the rumors can find its way within the Lightning capital. The Lightning Lord will have something to say..." Shikaku suggested.

Hiruzen nodded. "I see your point. If it is coming from us, we have a motive for lying. After all, we did kill the man." He closed his eyes, thinking of the right person for the job. "This must be spread out. Kumo can't get away with this. We will see if we can stall."

"You plan on holding some key negotiations with them?"

"Yes... but as I said, there isn't much hope for anything. This is for the future. We will nonetheless hold talks with them..." the Sandaime said firmly. "I think Danzo will be suitable for getting this done. But he'll require supervision, before he does something stupid."

Hiashi spoke for the first time after a while. "He does have experience with such things. He has ran some successful campaign against the Uchiha."

There was no emotion in Hiashi's tone or any sense of sympathy. There was competition, though it did seem one sided since Fugaku didn't openly like to get into arguments or competitions.

"Alas..." Hiruzen shook his head. "Prepare yourself." He said to Hiashi. "For now, we will try by all means to avoid this. Sacrificing one person for many is the right choice. Even Danzo would agree. But I fear it would only make things turn into an ugly situation in the future. This is not the first time Kumo has done something like this. It is their second and if we submit to their demands, there is no telling they wont do it again and then threaten war with us. We can't always make sacrifices like this. If we do get the situation where battles are starting to take place, then we can always give in to avoid a full blown out war. It will show them, we don't give in easily."

Hiashi nodded. Even if he was taking a hard stance, the Sandaime had no intention of going to war over something like this when it could be avoided.

"I understand. I'll talk with my father."

"Send your brother to me. I want to talk to him about this. Needless to say, this must be kept a secret."

"Thank you."

Hiruzen shook his head. "It is all for the sake of Konoha." He said. "If there is anything else, I call for you."

Hiashi knew he was being dismissed. It didn't feel right but he was a dignified man. And so, he curtly stood and departed without another word.

"Who are we going to send to Kumogakure to begin diplomatic missions?" Shikaku asked. "We cant send someone weak. We need someone who will project strength. Someone who Kumo can't kill in a show of intent. I was thinking Fugaku."

"He isn't going to like that. If we still end up going to war, the Uchiha will get blamed for this. The village already knows about the incident and Hiashi's involvement but the Uchiha will still get blamed. The mistrust goes deep and the hurt from the Kyubi rampage still runs deep. People want to blame something and the Uchiha are the target."

Hiruzen knew this much and it may look like he was setting Fugaku for failure but this was a risk he was willing to take. But if Fugaku didn't like it, he could always recall Jiraiya and send him.

"But if it works, it shines light on the Uchiha."

"Given history, I'm not inclined to believe it will work. We have always gone to war for simple things. Diplomacy will not solve anything. If he goes there with only intentions to accuse Kumo, he'll come back with a firm declaration of war, or may not even come back."

"I know. I will discuss it with him... He is ultimately going there to see if the Raikage is serious and if so, we will accept their demand." Hiruzen conceded. "In the meantime, no Hyuga must enter the Lightning country. Kumo may start killing them. And we can't have them leaving the Fire Nation or even Konoha without protection."

"Our other enemies might even take advantage of the situation and then blame it on Kumo make things worse."

"Yes. It is peak time for war tactics. We must be cautious in our actions. The village will remain on high alert and none of our most skilled will be leaving the village unless a mission demands them..." Hiruzen said.

He had to find the right balance because they could not stop doing missions. It would affect the village negatively and in times of war, they might not even have funds to push through. Missions had to be done, but with limitations.

"I will prepare what is necessary with Inoichi and the body for transportation to Kumogakure."

Hiruzen nodded. He held out his right hand, signaling for an Anbu. "Get me Danzo, now. And request for Fugaku to see me in an hour."

"Hai." The Anbu disappeared in the same fashion as he came.

A couple of Minutes Later

To be summoned twice by Hiruzen in a day was suspicious. Danzo was starting to even feel like the Sandaime was merely trying to keep him company while his Anbu ransacked his base. The thought made him very afraid. While he didn't think Hiruzen had it in him to plot against him, it wouldn't hurt to be careful. He needed to burn anything incriminating and hide important documents elsewhere that even if the unlikely scenario occurred, he would still be safe.

"I have a mission for you. It is very important that you do it as I say. Do we have an understanding on those premises?"

Danzo inwardly wondered what is was about. Two missions in one day? Hiruzen must be either sick or he was on his way to death and he was being set-up for failure.

"Yes." Even if there was no understanding, Danzo wasn't going to say no.

Hiruzen pushed a scroll toward Danzo, who did not pick it up but remained still, both eyes staring at the Hokage.

"What is it?"

"Intelligence operations... perhaps Counterintelligence..." Hiruzen smiled despite the grey situation. "You have experience in this sort of work. Your work against the Uchiha has been exemplary. For that, I give you credit. And that is what makes you the perfect person for this kind of job."

"Is it do with Kumogakure and its demands?"

"Yes. We have learned that the Head Ninja was appointed by the Feudal Lord and the Raikage didn't want him. You are to spread word within Kumogakure that the Raikage sent the Head Ninja to Konoha with the hope of him being killed and then blame it on the Feudal Lord. Such a rumor must be spread also in the Lightning Capital."

"It isn't going to work if the Raikage doesn't make the demand."

"You'll figure something out on that regard. It is either you spread that the Raikage is just waiting for time or something. The Daimyo already knows the Raikage kept things from the head Ninja and merely used him for convenience. That he would plot to get rid of wouldn't be unthinkable."

Danzo was silent for a couple of seconds. "For now, I wont add the last part. Just that the Raikage planned this knowing the Head Ninja would be killed, and he would gain the Byakugan."

"That is fine. As long as it works."

"The rumor will be spread..." Danzo then stared. "Why don't you send Shisui to manipulate the Daimyo? His Genjutsu is subtle and can't be detected."

"I'm surprised you know about Shisui's ability." Hiruzen said with a stern face.

"It is a dangerous ability that could be used even against you and me. The Uchiha could use it take over the village!"

"Oh?" Hiruzen smiled. "I thought you placed Shisui in the same trust as Itachi."

"They are Uchiha and that ability is dangerous." Danzo said firmly. "But importantly, you're not really thinking this will end Kumo's threat, are you?"

"Of course not."

"I thought perhaps your naivety had reached new highs. Good, then there is no fear of war. I suppose this will be used to disrupt Kumo."

"I do have some slight hope that diplomacy manages to make the Raikage pause, then this could give us a new angle of attack."

"You're not naïve to think diplomacy is going to work here. If you don't offer the sacrifice, it is war. We can't face Kumogakure head on. Not when Iwagakure has been recovering from its losses." Danzo paused for a second. "Unless of course, we make things worse for Suna and Iwa. Make sure they end up fighting so Iwagakure cannot turn its focus on us. I don't want to bow to Kumo's demands when they are wrong. But we have little choice in the matter. This plan however, can work in our favor for the future."

"I had a feeling you'd say that." Hiruzen didn't go as far as to order the man against plotting to ensure Iwa and Suna kept bickering. "The Hyuga are preparing for the sacrifice. It makes sense to sacrifice Hiashi's brother. That is what the clan had decided anyway."

"Then the Byakugan will not fall into the hands of Kumogakure."

"Yes."

"What about the one in the hands of Kirigakure?"

Hiruzen closed his eyes. "We are not going to cause trouble with all Great Nations. You have your orders... do them with haste..."

"It will be done." Danzo said. "I'll admit to being surprised we are agreeing on this. Then again, you'd do anything to avoid war... even if it means sacrificing yourself. In the event you plan on doing that, have a successor lined up. We can ill afford to be leaderless in such circumstances."

Hiruzen kept his eyes closed and did not respond to Danzo.

Area 44

"You're going to end up breaking one day."

Naruto glanced to the right, as he sat against a tree. His clothes were in tatters, bruising over his body. It was around 6pm, and he had to be ready for service soon enough, after getting some sleep.

The person speaking to him was non other than Shisui.

"I'm still young, my body can still take beatings and recover." Naruto replied with a shrug. "Besides, compared to you and Itachi, I'm an unknown figure with nothing special."

Shisui laughed and then sat down beside him. "You're never modest."

"Must be the tiredness speaking." Naruto grunted. "Been a long day."

"Well, you're not far off. You're our equal. It is just that you don't stand out and choose to walk the night." Shisui said.

"I'd get angry if I was working in the light. Besides, I don't want to end up like you and Itachi."

"Serving our village in earnest?"

Naruto shrugged. "Loving too much... and forget about family." He said blankly. "When did you return?"

"In the morning."

"Tough mission?" This time, Shisui was gone for two weeks. You didn't go that long as an Anbu on simple missions.

"It is the issue with Kumogakure. Most Anbu are out on patrol ready to take offensive action in case Kumogakure launches an attack."

Naruto was silent. He had seen the death that came with war. Fugaku had been kind enough to take them there. It was a scene that perhaps corrupted both he and Itachi. Naruto hadn't grown to be in fear of bloody battles. He understood it was part of the duty. But honestly, death was frightening thing and he would rather not be in war. As young as he was, if War broke out, he was going to be sent to the front lines. He would either be killing or end up being killed.

It was a world of survival of the fittest. The weak became devoured. Perhaps Madara was right, the world was about winners and losers.

"Are the leaders taking any action to solve it?"

"I don't know. I just returned." Shisui replied. "I want to talk to you about your relationship with Itachi."

"I don't have a problem with Itachi..."

"But you can't sit and have a normal conversation."

"We're fundamentally different people." Naruto shrugged with indifference. "Besides, I hardly have time during the day. I don't see him that often these days. He too is always busy with Anbu assignments like you. Especially since he became a captain."

"When are you going to decide?"

"Decide?"

"You can't work night shifts forever. You need to step into the day. Both Itachi and I are doing the best we can. We both hope as we continue to serve, the people will look into the clan differently. But it is just the two of us. We need more sensible people."

Naruto laughed at the thought of being sensible. It was indeed true, most of the clan members were arrogant pricks who walked with a god complex and barely masked resentment. He could count the Uchiha who have been lucky enough to awaken the Sharingan who did not think they were noble Lords of the Hidden Leaf.

Rationally speaking, there was nothing wrong with thinking the Uchiha were superior. Perhaps he didn't criticize others because he too was a subscriber of the Uchiha supremacy ideology. He was just subtle about it and didn't bully the weak.

"You've seen how our fellow clansman act on the streets. They don't cover themselves in glory."

"Which is why we need someone sensible in the streets. Someone who isn't governed by their emotions. Someone who can keep order in the village with grace and humility."

"Take Itachi off the Anbu and put him in the streets." Naruto shook his head. "I wouldn't be able to do anything. The adults are stuck up and won't listen. They hardly even listen to Fugaku-sama. When you speak to them, you're just another brat who thinks he knows better."

"Just think about. And be friends with Itachi. You don't have any other friends, not even outside of the clan."

"I don't need a reminder..." Naruto said a bit bitterly. "It's hard..." he said with a hint of frustration. "I have not had the luxury of being a child. I don't even know how to make friends!"

"That is easy." Shisui said encouragingly. "You should just make time. Starting by working during the day instead of spending the day training and sleeping."

Hokage Office

Even when darkness was starting to fall on the village, Fugaku still appreciated the admiration from the villagers. He was a man known throughout the Elemental Nations, and with feats worthy of being spoken among other legendary shinobi. The Kyubi rampage had turned things upside down. Danzo had them stay away from dealing with the Kyubi and the villagers then started to think they didn't do anything to protect the Hidden Leaf. There was much mistrust within the villagers, but the deeper problem lied with the village leadership. Of course, the problem with the villagers was compounded by some of the clan members reckless actions.

Yet, still, Fugaku still held some respect within the villagers. That he was the father of the most loved Uchiha made things better. But the clan's overall reputation wasn't that great.

He had a good relationship with the Sandaime Hokage. Fugaku respected the old man for he has always been fair. The only problem was that he allowed his Council to dictate things for him. If not for it, the Uchiha would have subdued the Kyubi without the need for Minato to die. He could have used his Sharingan and the Kyubi would have been sealed. But Danzo had his way, and then started a rumor that they refused to take part in the fight and were relocated away from the village as punishment. It didn't stop there, there were many other wild rumors, some of it nonsense and some of it believable.

When he arrived the office, it was quiet and with just the Sandaime present. Most of those who worked in the tower had already departed for the day to be with their families.

"Please sit, Fugaku-san."

That alone told Fugaku it was something serious. He sat down without question, just a slight brow being arched.

"How are things?"

"Fine... considering..."

Hiruzen nodded. "I have a proposal. You can accept it or reject it depending on how you view it. By now, the village already knows we could head out to war with Kumogakure because of what happened with the Hyuga. It is a fact that makes things tense... We're not simply going to fold to the demands of Kumogakure. It would be wise to do so to avoid a war, but we simply can't allow ourselves to be bullied without a fight.

"As a result, I have decided to hold some diplomatic meetings with Kumo to discuss this. Though, I am certain, he will think there is nothing to discuss. He has been clear in his letters that it is Hiashi's head or War. You will nonetheless go there and see if he can be persuaded. If not, we must be clear we're not simply bowing to be bullied, but do so, to avoid a war and there will be no repeat of this act."

"Then he really does want to obtain the Byakugan."

"Yes. He has always desired power. He respects strength after all." Hiruzen said. "The loss of the Head Ninja is nothing compared to what would be gained."

"Do you really think he would go to war? We are still feeling the effects of the Third War. Some physical wounds have yet to even heal. Who has the appetite for another war so soon?"

"Everything is possible. We can't think we won't go to war. That is why the Hyuga are ready to make the sacrifice." Hiruzen shook his head. In the event they had to go to war, he would have to take the necessary actions. "I hope your clan will be ready for the front lines if we go to war. You cannot be kept to protect the village. The Anbu will take that role."

Fugaku nodded even if it meant his clan members would be killed. It was war, people died. You didn't go into the battlefield and expect to come back alive.

"We will do whatever we can to protect Konoha." He cocked his head slightly. "But I don't even think you would allow things to go that far... You've said the Hyuga are ready."

"You're right. We will give into the demands of Kumo, but they will not get what they want."

"Then why bother with any diplomacy when we are still going to fold."

"I want you to go to Kumogakure and hold talks with the Raikage. Make it known to him of our thoughts and that Konoha is ready for anything and will not be bullied."

"But we are not ready."

"Acting tough." Hiruzen smiled. "You will remember that they tried to capture Kushina before. We didn't say anything then because we didn't want to cause an issue. If they do it this time, and we simply fold without some stern words, who is to say nothing like this won't happen?"

Fugaku was silent. If he came back with a declaration of war, it was going to look bad on them. But if they managed to smooth things over, it would look good on him. He would be the man who prevented a war from happening. The risks were higher - but knowing that Hiruzen planned on giving in if things came to it made him feel a little better about this. There was really nothing to lose.

Yet, he had a feeling he was being tested.

"So I must first stick to the accusation and remind him that he is dealing with Konoha."

"Yes, and if after all that, he remains unshaken, you will make the promise to give into their demands..." Hiruzen said. "With such terms, I don't think the Uchiha can come out looking bad from this. We will avoid war and the Uchiha will have taken part in it."

"It is a request from you. I will do it. You want someone who will be strong enough and someone who cant be taken down easily."

"Yes." Hiruzen pushed three scrolls toward Fugaku. "The sealing scroll has the Head Ninja's body. You'll give it to the Raikage. The other has important information Inoichi was able to recover from him. Read through it use it as you see necessary. The Third is the new peace treaty that mentions the Hyuga incident and how it was solved, as well as our accusations. I trust that you'll make the correct decisions."

"What is your council saying about this?"

"Nothing. They don't know. You'll be dispatched secretly. We don't want anyone trying to take advantage of the situation."

Fugaku nodded. "I'll take my son with me. He'll learn as these are some duties he'll have to carry out in the future as my successor."

Hiruzen smiled - both were proud of Itachi. At this rate, the Uchiha could break the curse and become Hokage. He was loved and respected. No shinobi could question Itachi's love for the Hidden Leaf. It was the same for Fugaku. It was just that sometimes envy got in the way of rational thinking. The abilities of the Sharingan were feared throughout the war. People knew you didn't face an Uchiha in battle alone. You'd be taken down quickly with their Genjutsu.

"I hope all goes all."

"I hope so as well."

"Will you be taking anyone else?"

"Naruto."

"Oh..." Hiruzen smiled. "I have heard much about him from Itachi... and Anbu."

Fugaku didn't want to discuss Naruto. The boy was his and not for the prying eyes of the village. Of course, Naruto really didn't keep a low profile while at work. But still, he wasn't going to discuss this with the Sandaime.

"We will leave before sunrise."

"I will have Itachi's schedule cleared."

Fugaku nodded and then stood up. "Since we are likely to be gone for about a week, can I trust that you'll watch Danzo and he wont try to put his claws on my clan."

"You have my word."

Uchiha Compound

Emergency meetings were a rare occurrence within the clan. Usually, such meetings were always held within their secret room in front if the stone tablet - a relic of the past.

Itachi glanced around - it was the usual suspects who always had something to say. The most powerful in the clan. Shisui sat by him and Naruto sat on the sides, hands folded across his chest, with his Sharingan activated. Naruto liked doing that. For no other reason than to rub on those who couldn't awaken it. As far as he was concerned, his fellow Uchiha was always a passenger in the meeting. But the elders trusted him - more so than him.

His father sat in front of the crowd, stern faced as always.

"The Sandaime Hokage has requested we give service to Konoha. Tomorrow morning, I will be leaving the village to head to Kumogakure to begin discussions on their threats for war."

They didn't even wait for details before they gave their thoughts.

"We're being set up for failure!"

There was a general consensus. It was like a pride of starved lions. Not only did hunger made them dangerous, but they were in vengeance mode because hyenas killed a young one.

The majority didn't trust the village leaders. Every decision they took that affected the clan was always looked upon with eyes of suspicion. Ever since they were pushed out of the village and put in a place were they could be watched easily, nothing has ever been the same.

"Why can't the Hyuga do this? They are the ones who killed the Head Ninja!"

"We can't always be put in such situations!"

"The decision is made." Fugaku said sharply. "I will be departing... And I want you all to know what we will be doing. You must be on your best behavior while I am away. Military Police must keep a low profile. I know we have been provoked often, and we have fallen for such petty tricks, but I urge you not to let these things get to you."

"Is this really safe?" Inabi questioned. "What if Danzo does try to take you out while away and then blame it on the Cloud?"

The man asked a good question and it wouldn't be out of question for Danzo to try it. It was exactly his method of operation. He would try to get rid of him and the have someone in charge who he could control - someone he could use. Someone he could trust.

"It wouldn't surprise me if it happened. Danzo does do as he pleases and the Sandaime turns a blind eye. We all know that man wants to destroy us."

"I know what his intentions are," Fugaku said. "But the decision is made and you have my express wishes. But if anything happens to me, Itachi is to be accepted as Clan head as my an heir and Shisui shall be made Military Police Head."

"We can't have someone who is not loyal to the clan as its head. Itachi will sacrifice us for Konoha!"

They spoke as if he wasn't even there. The only thing that surprised Itachi was his father's announcement.

The men continued to bicker about him. And the elders had problems with allowing Shisui to head Military Police. It was even suggested that someone else be made Clan head while Sasuke was groomed to take over as he could trained properly.

At the end of the meeting, there was no consensus and they all left grumbling. But nothing would be done without the clan head. They respected him like that. Itachi remained along with Shisui and Naruto as his father had requested.

"I didn't think you wanted me to take over Military Police." Shisui said, greatly honored that Fugaku thought highly of him.

"The Sandaime Hokage trusts you and everyone else older is a problem. They do not have your heart. They would replace all my policies and just make the clan more hated," Fugaku said with a shake of his head. "You're kind... unlike most of us. If someone like you was head, it would quickly change how we are perceived. As soon as you reach twenty, I will hand you the reins. You will be my Deputy. But will be in charge of most things."

"That would mean I'll have to stop being Anbu..."

"I will talk to the Sandaime about it. We cant have all of you in Anbu." Fugaku said. "You'll still be available for the village. But you'll have a role in the clan. I plan this in order to change things for the clan. As you can see, they think I am too soft."

"I would have thought Naruto would be suited for the role." Itachi spoke. "He is the one who knows Military Police and has been serving there. The others wouldn't have even disagreed if you said you planned on making him your successor in that role."

Fugaku glanced at Naruto who hadn't moved or said a word since the meeting began. "Naruto will decide what is best for him. If he wants something in Military Police, he can talk to me and we will see what we can do..." besides, Naruto was more hardened than those two.

"Do you really think something can happen along the way?" Naruto asked, changing the subject.

"I don't think Danzo would do anything. It would be too risky." Itachi agreed with Naruto. At least on the part of anything happening.

"Well, I don't think Danzo wouldn't do anything. He'd be much more happier if you were clan head. He trusts you." Naruto disagreed with Itachi.

Shisui sighed. But Naruto wasn't exactly wrong. It was just the way it was said that didn't sit well. Then again, Naruto did have a blunt way of speaking at times.

"I don't think he'd do anything against Fugaku-sama. Danzo isn't stupid. He knows his agents aren't powerful enough..."

"Unless he conspires with someone... say like Orochimaru."

"You think he still works with Orochimaru? He was the one who demanded Orochimaru be hunted down and killed."

"Because he was caught." Naruto shrugged. "But if Fugaku-sama thinks anything is possible, it wouldn't hurt to be cautious.... Are you going alone?"

"I'll be taking you and Itachi. I need Shisui to be my eyes and ears while I'm away." Fugaku said. "Besides, they listen to you."

Shisui smiled. "I understand. I'll have to clear my schedule."

"Yours has been cleared. I already spoke with the Sandaime." Fugaku said to Itachi. "The Sandaime gave me a choice and I chose to accept the mission. We have to do well. But you two will be coming with me to observe and learn. I want you to see another side of the shinobi world. Sometimes, facts mean nothing when people have an agenda. Even when confronted by the truth, the Raikage will not back down. Words mean nothing at times. But power is everything."

"It is because we are shinobi. We are trained to fight... not talk. It shinobi felt the horrors of war, there wouldn't have been three wars already. Pain and suffering means nothing if we can gain victory... at least that is how it looks from where I stand..." Naruto reasoned in a thoughtful tone.

"You're learning things even if you only deal with shadows..." Shisui said proudly.

"He is learning it from dealing with Anbu." Itachi said. "Besides, even some members of the clan refuse to see reason."

"They are just clouded by hate and an air of supremacy."

"Aren't you like them?" Fugaku asked Naruto.

He smiled. "Well, I can't help but think that if I can copy any Jutsu my opponent does, then I'm superior... it makes all their Ninjutsu useless..." he then chuckled bitterly. "But in my secret trainings with Gai, I have learned, to be humble. The man smacks me even when I can see his attacks coming. Nothing is more humiliating than that."

The Uchiha pride at full force. Yet, Itachi liked this about Naruto. He was proud of being Uchiha, and yet showed humility at times. It made him complex. But he had an understanding and wasn't filled with the same emotion many others had.

"I didn't know you trained with Gai." Shisui said.

"I heard about it from Kakashi-san."

"You must try it. I don't think anyone beats that guy in Taijutsu. And he knows how to fight without even looking into your eyes. I have fought the man three times and he has never once looked into my eyes once the battle started..." Naruto then smiled. "I once considered trapping him in a genjutsu before we started just to satisfy myself."

Shisui laughed. "Gai-san is indeed the best Taijutsu user in the village. I'm surprised you went back after getting smacked in the face, as you said."

"It's a torture. But Itachi rubbed me the right way. We must always know our limits and nothing is really without weakness. Even the mighty Sharingan has its faults... maybe I enjoy getting smacked around a little..." Naruto added with a grin.

Fugaku cleared his throat. "The clan is fortunate to have the three of you. There are no talents such as you three. None of those older ones match you three. You have the potential and you will bring a new age to the clan. It is my hope that you continue to get along and never lose sight of who you are. If you continue this path, then surely we will achieve something our ancestors were not able to achieve."

"Only if Naruto could stand in front like us."

"His time will come. The Sandaime is even beginning to ask questions." Fugaku shook his head. "Go and rest, for we leave early tomorrow."

Minutes later

Shisui was walking towards his house with Itachi. The Younger Uchiha obviously had something to say to him.

"I've never known you to be nervous about anything."

"I'm worried."

"About this mission?"

"My father took it thinking of what is best for the clan and the village. He prioritizes both. But my fear is that if the clan members demand of something and convince him, he'll go along with them."

"That is a possibility. We just have to ensure that we keep closer. They trust me, if anything is going to happen, they will let me know..." he smiled sadly. "It is just unfortunate that they do not trust you."

"It doesn't seem I can help it."

"Time will tell..."

Maybe that was true. But only if things changed for the clan. If things continued as they were, Itachi didn't think he could gain their trust. It bothered him a little that he didn't seem to be trying. He loved his clan like everyone. His father knew that. Shisui knew that.

He didn't intentionally miss clan meetings. He had duties to the village. It was a pity that some members didn't understand that. He didn't hate them. He loved them. They were his family. He would protect them. He would try to push the clan toward a better path. His father has held on and was respected but the mistrust ran deeper.

"Danzo knows about your ability."

"How does he know? Only you, and the Sandaime know about it."

"He must have spied. I don't know, but he knows... you must be careful and stay away from him. Knowing him, he might try to take away your power. If that were to happen, the clan will be pushed over the cliff. Everyone already hates Danzo. If this happens and he becomes a suspect, they will kill him."

It would be a scandal that would doom the Uchiha. Danzo was a respected Councilor of the village. He may be treasonous person, but he was still respected by the villagers. If the Uchiha killed such a man, it would be a death sentence to the clan and they probably would never recover from it.

Shisui understood why Fugaku never did anything against the man.

"I can imagine." Shisui replied in thought. "I will keep this to myself."

Following day

The usual gang had come out as soon as they heard Fugaku had gone out to Kumogakure. Hiruzen had expected them that it was even amusing that they came in as predictable. And he wondered why he kept them closer. It was on his watch that Danzo gave the Uchiha orders. It was on his watch that Danzo had the Uchiha relocated to outside. Honestly, he could have stopped it. He could have even stopped the latter, but he agreed with it. It was a wonder that Fugaku still trusted him.

Then again, this was one of many of his flaws. The one that still haunts him was Orochimaru, but worse was letting Minato die.

"It took you long enough to come here," Hiruzen said in a calm tone. "I was even beginning to think I may have to even summon you."

"Then it is true, you sent the Uchiha to deal with Kumogakure." Koharu stated in a measured tone. "What were you thinking? We all know that they can't he trusted."

"Fugaku is a respected shinobi known throughout the shinobi world. He is the perfect person for this job and I trust him." Hiruzen said with finality.

"You know they hold secretive meetings. They could even conspire with the Raikage to attack Konoha and then take over the village!" Danzo hissed furiously.

Honestly, what was Hiruzen thinking? To give the Uchiha such an important job? He could have sent someone else. There was no need for even anyone to go there. They could have just kept sending letters to the Raikage and then a messenger shinobi to deliver the body. Making a spectacle about this would just embolden A to make more ridiculous demands and put the Uchiha in a position to damage the Leaf.

"I didn't tell you anything because I knew you wouldn't agree with me."

"It is an important matter that could lead to war. We are your Council... you should have consulted with us."

"Consult?" Hiruzen asked. "I can see why Minato chose to sideline you and keep me closer."

"And he is dead because of it!" Danzo shot at the Sandaime. "If things had been done properly, Konoha wouldn't have lost its greatest weapon!"

Hiruzen stared at Danzo. Sometimes he did consider strangling the man. Then again, perhaps he kept him around because his dissenting voice kept him honest.

"If I remember correctly, you abused your position and started giving orders during the Kyubi's attack."

"It was a time of emergency."

"Indeed but it was your trust issues that got in the way. You didn't want the Uchiha to control the Kyubi and have its power because you wanted it yourself..." Hiruzen shook his head. He had expected them, but he was already getting worked up. "You are my Council because I put you there. And I can remove you. I keep you because I value your wisdom. You give me advice; you're not the Hokage... I am and I make the final decisions..." he stared at Danzo. "I didn't tell any of you because I was afraid you would take opportunity to plot Fugaku's death."

"It wouldn't be a bad plan."

Koharu agreed. "We trust young Itachi. If he can take over from his father, we would have more control over the clan. Itachi is a loyal shinobi who will give his all."

"It wouldn't be too late to give him the order to kill his father saying we have evidence he is planning on taking power by force." Danzo suggested.

"None of that will happen!" Hiruzen glared at all three. "And you wonder why Fugaku doesn't trust you. The man has always fought for the village and he gave us Itachi, and yet, you plot for his death. You all disappoint me... considering, he has never done anything wrong. I understand some members of the clan may have high opinions, but Fugaku has kept them in check."

"Let us not pretend he wouldn't do anything against Konoha if his clan demanded it." Homura added flatly. "What is done is done and we have warned you. If we are led straight into war, you will take the blame for this. You must resign and let us choose your successor."

"And I'm sure you're already thinking Danzo should replace me."

"If we are going to war, we need someone who can take the hard decisions. We saw how the last one ended."

"I chose them to test them. If they have evil intentions, they will make sure we head to war. If not, they think of what is best for Konoha. If Fugaku does as I trust he will, then I will start considering a new Council since this one no longer has valid opinions but is clouded by hate."

"You wouldn't dare!"

Hiruzen smiled. "I have work to do; please leave."

End of chapter