Chapter 16: Naruto's Choice

Naruto and Ruka stood in the Hokage's office in a loss of words and thoughts. Naruto was having an internal battle with himself. On one hand, this village had been his home and there were people whom he still loved here. On the other, this village ruined him, treated him worse than an animal and stripped away his only desire and dream in the world. Who cares if he ended up getting something even better. At the time they only wanted to cause him pain and suffering. Naruto knew that once upon a time nothing would have stopped him baring arms in defence of this village, however now he was incredibly hesitant to do so. Naruto Uzumaki was, in all honesty, a moron without many redeeming qualities or at least that was how many saw Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto may have not been the sharpest knife in the draw as a child or preteen, however, he had no means been completely stupid. Even though his education had been sabotaged on basically everything, even he knew an obviously intelligent demon was a dead one. True he hadn't known he was a demon container at the time, but that didn't stop the villagers calling him one. It had been Ruka, his wonderful, darling, wife the fantastic gem flower that she was that fixed the numerous holes in his education. She taught him so many things from how to cook, to how to play the political game.

What she couldn't teach she had or helped others teach him. She along with Zen the Clan's doctor, poison expert and medic figured out that his inability to sit still and overzealous behaviour was due to him having too much chakra. As it turns out, his body was producing so much chakra, it was wildly trying to escape his chakra cores to make room for new amount coming in. This not only expanded his chakra capacity but also created something similar to an adrenaline rush. It's also why he had constant terrible chakra control, it was less than the fact he had a large chakra capacity, although that does factor into it, it was more the behaviour of his chakra that made it so difficult. So his Ruka, along with Zen taught him how to properly meditate and settle his chakra. This also unintentionally helped him learn how to control the nine-tails power and how he unlocked his chakra chain bloodline. Zen had explained that the majority of Uzumaki's had the ability to solidify their chakra into chains or sometimes other weapons, he theorised that the wild behaviour of his chakra prevented it from ever solidifying enough to develop the chains until he calmed it down.

He loved his new clan more than anything, except his wife and children. But he did still love his former home for all its flaws. He knew Ruka would agree to anything unless he agreed. She wouldn't break her neutrality if Naruto said no. to be fair even he wasn't sure she would even if he did say yes. There was just so much to consider and he wasn't sure what to do, his heart and mind were at war within themselves. He didn't want to say no but he also didn't want to say yes. He was luckily pulled out of his mental deliberation when Ruka spoke to him.

"Do you mind getting a clone to check up on the kids and get an update from Kubinashi, Kejōrō and Saizō?" Ruka looked at him with a small glint that he recognised as a concern. Ruka would never smother her children or act as if she was deeply worried about them unless they were in danger or missing. But she secretly worries and Naruto can always tell. Tsunade would never pick up on it, it was just something you develop the ability to do when you love them and know them so well. So Naruto simply smiled at her gently and seamlessly created a shadow clone without a single hand seal. When it appeared it immediately took off to follow his orders. Ruka's eyes gave a hidden appreciative look.

Honestly, Naruto loved his wife's bright eyes and the expressions they could make. Despite being a ninja, clan head, and pretty much mercenary, Ruka would rarely hide any of her emotions or expressions and after being with her for seven years, Naruto could even read the hidden ones. Naruto had obviously learned a lot over the years due to Ruka not only in life and social skills but, in fighting to. The Bingo Book entry that the Elemental Nations hasn't even gotten most of his skills in it. Naruto by this point in life has mastered Sealing, his Chakra Chains and the Nine-Tails. In fact, the Kyuubi and he were now good friends and Kurama—Kyuubi's name, is rather fond of Ruka as well and had taught him how to use his chakra to regenerate himself as the fox does. He has practically mastered his Chakra control and he even has Fox Style Sage Mode. After leaving Konoha, Naruto had to give up the Toad contract because they are allied with Konoha. When he befriended Kurama, the fox told him where to find the Fox Contract. Members of the clan also taught him different Taijutsu styles and Kenjutsu which allowed him to create his personal Edge Blade Style. Even though his wife could still kick his ass in Kenjutsu he was nearly a master in that as well. He has mastered his three Elemental Styles Wind, Water and Lightning, this along with his massive, over Kage Level Chakra capacity allows him to use large combo Ninjutsu.

Not only did Zen fix his chakra issue but also his malnutrition from his childhood starvation and bad eating habits. Kurama had been converting the massive amount of ramen into nutrient, this, however, was only a temporary solution and had stunted his growth. Thankfully Zen was able to reverse all of it with his herbal remedies along with correct all the poorly healed injuries he had from when he was still in Konoha. He also learned how to determine if something was poisoned and how to identify different types of poison and how to treat them. He also learned basic non-chakra healing. He can never learn how to heal someone using chakra because Kurama's chakra naturally mixes with his own making it slightly corrosive. He can, however, act as a chakra battery to a healer. A technique that not even Tsunade had thought of trying before.

Naruto knew that after all of his consideration on this, no matter how much he loved his birth village or his new one. That there was only one answer that he could give Tsunade that would be true to him and his heart. He only hoped that his darling wife didn't think less of him for making it. He breathed deeply before he responded. The room had been silent since Ruka had asked him to make a shadow clone, so his breath had been heard by all. He looked at Tsunade to see so much hope in her eyes, it was devastating to see his mother figure so desperate. He looked to his wife out the corner of his eye and received a reassuring and warm look from hers. Her message was clear 'do what you think and feel is right, I'll support you no either way.' And that was the only look Naruto need to respond to Lady Tsunade's question.

"Lady Tsunade…" Naruto looked at the woman whom he saw as a mother to him and tried to ignore the hopefulness he saw. He clenched his fists and all his muscles tensed as he stated his next words "I cannot in good faith or conscience fight for Konoha in any way. As much as I loved my home village despite my treatment and banishment, I cannot trust your ninja with my or my comrade's safety. I must also stand by my new home and village who are neutral in this war." There he said it. It had killed him to do so, to crush her hope. But Naruto was being honest in his entire statement. He simply couldn't trust Konoha to watch his back or the lives of his Clansmen. His Clansmen were his not only his team but family and as Kakashi taught him protecting your team came before anything and anyone including a mission. If living in Konoha had taught him anything in his ruined education it was you can't trust Konoha to watch the Demon Brat's back because they want him dead more than you and he'll be dammed if his Clansmen die because of was time to say goodbye to the last tendrils from his heart to Konoha because Naruto Uzumaki isn't its protector anymore. No matter how much it breaks his heart.