ch 26

Tengoku

Naruto, Nagi and Senjji stared at the old woman incredulously. Mabry and Jiraiya, the only council elders in the room, just nodded as if she had confirmed something for them. The light thrown by the candles illuminating the room seemed to dance, adding to the surrealism of the moment.

"A prince?" Nagi repeated quietly. "That's impossible."

Senjii eyed the two large men flanking the old woman. They hadn't so much as uttered a single word, nor budged an inch when she spoke. If he didn't know better he'd swear they were statues. His hands flexed, ready to grip his swords in an instant. There was an air of extreme competence about them. They were clearly her bodyguards.

"Yes my lord. You are the crown prince Nagiri, of the Kingdom of Nubia," she repeated.

"I've never heard of Nubia." Senjii interjected. Tsunade's eyes narrowed taking Senjii's body. The others in the room – being men - probably assumed he was just being strong and walking around after being seriously injured just yesterday. She, however, had some questions for the young warrior about what was clearly a miraculous recovery.

Mabry shifted slightly. "Nubia was its name twenty years ago. It was a land rich in gold and jewels. But because of that, people fought each other for every piece of land. Invasions, wars and murders were commonplace. The ruler there quelled it all brutally, bathing the land in bodies and blood. So, it's now known to everyone as the Land of Blood."

Nagi's eyes shifted from Mabry to the old lady who nodded.

"Yes. Lord Shisho has been brutal in his putting down of any rebellions or invasions. But he himself is not the rightful ruler of Nubia. Your story, young Nagiri, began nineteen years ago in the palace of KingBayajida. The Land of Nubia was once a secure land. Yes there was gold, and jewels, but the King managed the land well, and all were content and taken care of. But the King had a cousin, Shisho, who wanted power. He plotted and schemed. The day of your birth young prince, there was a massive feast and the palace doors were open to all to pay respects to the new heir. Shisho saw his opening, and struck. His men were in disguise, mingled in with the ordinary citizens. It was a slaughter."

"The Royal bloodline have always been masters of the way of shadows, but Shisho, bastard son of a royal and a foreigner, was a master of the way of fire. What his men did not destroy, he burned. The first born daughter of the King, your older sister, was amongst the first to die. She was a truly gifted shadow dancer. I, a maid in your mother's employ, saw her death with my own eyes as I was knocked cold by a falling beam."

"Beyond that we know very little. Shisho announced his rule, and the complete annihilation of your family was assumed. Shisho, for all his mastery of fire, was cold. Cold as death as he lay claim to the land. His spirit infused the people and they soon turned on each other. The Land of Blood is rightly named. Nubia is no more."

Nagi stared at the old woman, his eyes unblinking. His mind shut down, not knowing how to process any of what he heard. He went over it in his mind, no one daring to break the silence. Even Naruto stayed quiet, watching his friend.

"But the, how do you...I mean why do you think I am this prince?" he asked hesitantly.

She frowned at him, annoyed. "Think you I would not recognize the face of my true king and queen in their grown son?" She made a vexed sound. "If you require proof, I changed your bare behind and I know of the birthmark on your left cheek shaped like a dove."

Nagi blushed while Naruto and Senjii tried unsuccessfully to suppress their snickers. He looked up at his friends, and around the room. His head spinning, he lurched out of his chair and out the door, needing air.

As Naruto and Senjii went after Nagi, Mabry and Jiriya watched them intently. Jiraiya looked back across at the old lady.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Everyone calls me Granny Sara," she replied curtly.

"OK Granny Sara, your bodyguards there. Would you mind explaining them? I don't see an ex-maid needing, nor being able to have, two men like this."

Granny Sara laughed, "My boys here? You'd begrudge a little old lady some protection in a world such as we live in?"

Mabry smiled. "I know who you are Granny. There was a reason I allowed you and your 'boys' to come to Tengoku. We could use someone with your unique perspective of the world. And I must say, your boys look pretty handy too."

She cackled again. "I was wondering what game you were playing at Milford Mabry. A man as traveled as you would hardly mistake me for anyone else. Young Jiraiya here suspects, but you would know."

Jiraiya cocked his head, looking at Mabry, waiting for an explanation.

"Since we've been keeping track of history, centuries of it, there has been a Granny Sara working for one royal family or the other. It's hard to miss stories of her really."

Jiraiya looked at the old woman anew. "I HAVE heard stories of such a person. How can this be?"

"My secrets are my own young Jiraiya. Smarter men than you have tried to figure me out. I have lived to see them return to dust." She stood up shakily. "I have served countless families through the ages. This age saw me in the Land of Nubia, serving a very worthy family. They treated me as a family member, not as an immortal witch to be used or deferred to. I loved the queen like a daughter. Their death has blanketed me in sadness for these last twenty years."

She looked out to where Nagi had left.

"Perhaps the time is coming when their spirits will find peace, and mine as well."

Naruto, Nagi and Senjii just stood on the balcony of the highest floor of the White Tower, staring out into the sky. The sun was setting, and its orange and red hues caught the facets on Guerrera's mysterious beacon stone, perched higher still atop the tower. A prism of lights danced down on the sides of the tower, making it come alive in different colors. A soft cool evening breeze blew at them, ruffling their hair. Even Nagi's shoulder length dreadlocks shifted weightlessly.

"My first memory was in a slavers pit. I was sold to a farmer in the unknown lands. An investment he claimed. I don't remember him much, other than he was cruel to all. A man named Clarke, another slave, took me and ran away one day. He was dark, like me. Not all the slaves were dark. I remember being dressed up that day, being bathed. And led up to the main house. The smell. The smell is what I remember most. Some sort of perfume they put on me. I must have been six by then? Maybe seven? Clarke burst into the house and killed the owner. He took me and we ran. For a decade we ran. Clarke taught me what he knew of Capoeira. He didn't speak much. But we were a family he and I. When he died, I was a leaf in the wind."

Nagi turned to Naruto. "You guys changed that. Changed me. You're my best friends, and the only family I have now. This," he pointed out to Tengoku, "is my home now."

He sighed and leaned against the railing. "I didn't know my parents. I dream about them I think. That dream I have, the fire, the fall. I think it's real."

Senjii nodded and put his hand on Nagi's shoulder.

"I...I don't want to be a Prince. Or rule a Kingdom." His eyes grew steely, a glint shining in them. "But this Lord Shisho killed my mother, my father, my sister."

Naruto and Senjii stood silently their muscles tensing. Nagi stood straight as an arrow. His voice like iron as he spoke.

"I will avenge them."

The wind whistled, curving its way around them, seemingly embracing the moment.

Naruto struggled internally with what he was about to say. They'd so far made Tengoku a place of justice. Not throwing their weight around against the weak. Not killing mindlessly. Would this push them in a direction they were not supposed to go?

What was the difference between justice and vengeance?

"We will help," said Naruto quietly.

Tenchi looked down at the new armbands Guerrera had constructed according to Jiraiya's specifications. They were beautifully made, an intricate system of seals etched into soft silver. They'd tried again and again, and always the wearer, once activating the seals on the armband with an injection of chakra and a drop of blood would be summoned to the great seal drawn into the courtyard of the White Tower. It would be invaluable to them on all future excursions off the island. Naruto's clones had mapped out every river leading off the Island, but they'd still only found the one leading into it, and that was very close by. Any missions far away would mean that much longer before they could return.

These would solve that problem.

He looked up at Guerrera. "Excellent work my friend."

Guerrera nodded. "Si, these came out acceptable." He glanced up at the sunset.

"Perhaps tomorrow we can talk to Yoshi about these vanishing bricks of his."

Tenchi smiled. "That mad hatter is incredible. Mabry's idea of what to do with those bricks is also a bit crazy though."

Guerrera laughed, his deep bass resonating in the quiet evening. "Si. Well, after all a trading village that can vanish as the sun sets is something out of a legend. It will add to the mystique of Tengoku for sure."

"Indeed my friend."

Sunagakure

Gaara looked out over the balcony of his palace at the citizens going about their everyday business. He could see a little girl laughing as she pointed into dress shops with her mother. He saw a group of boys playing football and he – for a moment – flashed back to his own childhood memories. He ruthlessly suppressed them though, not wanting to spiral down that path. Sleep still eluded him, even though the laughter in his head had been more subdued recently. Since the battle with Naruto that time, he'd been better able to control the One-Tail inside him. People were slowly realizing he was not a danger to them. But there was still much doubt.

Word of the war between Iwagakure and Konahagakure was still on the tip of everyone's tongues. The people of Sunagakure were a hard people. Long accustom to living in a harsh world. Every day was a fight for survival in the hot sands. Even so, Gaara did not want war to come to Suna.

He did not think 'Emperor' Danzo would strike anytime soon. His own spies told him Danzo was recovering still from the Iwa battle. And even with the inclusion of the Iwa forces into his own, he was very busy joining those villages properly, and solidifying his base of operations. Gaara's advisers told him it would be a few years before Danzo was a real threat. And still there was the fact that one would be either a fool, or need to have unlimited resources to even attempt an attack on the ninja of Suna in their native environment when they had the advantage, and whose Kazekage could control the very ground they strode upon to get close enough to attack in the first place. But Gaara had his doubts it would be that long. For now though, he was happy his people were living in relative peace.

The treasure Naruto had found, the part Suna had kept for itself, was a sorely needed windfall. They'd been able to purchase better water filtration systems, and well digging equipment. New cavernous farms were being built into the surrounding cliff sides. Suna grew a lot of its own food, but still imported too much for Gaara's comfort. He wanted the entire village to be self-sufficient. If war did come, they'd not have to worry about supplies. They could retreat into their village and lock down, hopefully outlasting any siege.

An explosion to the North drew his attention away from his thoughts. A wry smile cracked his otherwise stoic face. The bowl-haired teacher and his students were training harder than anyone had a right to in the desert heat. Especially for people who were unaccustomed to said heat. Gaara held out his hand and used his Daisan no Me jutsu. This one was the size of a ping pong ball. He sent it soaring across towards where the sound was coming from. He'd been watching them with some curiosity since they'd begun their training, and he was astonished at their drive, and camaraderie.

Through his "eye" he saw the younger scary fashion sense one moving through a series of hard punches and blocks so fast he had a difficult time keeping up. From what he had observed from his own fight with Lee, he had no chakra skills to speak of. But when he removed his weights or opened his "gates" his speed and strength were beyond comparison. It was a clever compensation for what would otherwise be a crippling weakness in a ninja. For now, Lee's weights were on still and his hand movements were a blur. Gaara could not help but be impressed.

Likewise for the girl Hinata. Her movements weren't as sharp or hard as Lee's were. Hers were, elegant almost. She flowed from hit to hit, blocking Lee's attacks while seeming to move at half his speed. Gaara couldn't figure out the flow. It was like Lee was punching water, but the water just flowed around his punches and tried to strike back. It was a beautiful dance.

But that wasn't what had created the thunderous noise that had drawn his attention. Maito Gai was sparring with Neji, and if he didn't know better, Gaara would swear he was trying to kill him. Neji was spinning in his ultimate defense, while Gai punched, and kicked. Gaara saw a side kick that connected with a boom, and literally shifted Neji's defensive circle five feet to the left, kicking up dirt and stone as he moved. To his credit Neji kept his circle going.

Gaara withdrew his "eye", having seen enough for today. The intense training of the Konoha-nin was inspiring his own ninja to step up their own pursuits. His siblings were off practicing as well. Gaara himself had never felt the need to train. His perfect defense had always protected him against every attack. He was a pure chakra user, not ever bothering with Taijutsu of any kind. But... he had to admit it was something he should consider.

His best comparison was Naruto. Naruto was more powerful than he was. Gaara could admit that. Naruto didn't have Gaara's control necessarily, but in raw power, the Nine Tails beats the One Tail any day. But even Naruto used other skills besides chakra attacks. He'd heard many stories of Naruto over the past year, and even from seeing him in person, he knew that his friend was growing stronger and stronger.

It was still weird for Gaara to think he had an actual friend. But it fit, the two of them, bound together by the creatures within them.

"We have a delivery by hawk my Kazekage." Baki approached from across the room holding a small package.

"From whom?" Gaara asked without even turning around.

"From Jiraiya. Seems they've come up with a seal object for us to communicate with Tengoku." He pulled out a small scroll and a perfectly round stone with engravings all around it. "These are instructions on how to use it. It seems easy enough. Blood triggered jutsu, and a simple message gets sent immediately to the holder of the other stone. I assume that's Jiraiya. The scroll says this is a prototype. Only we and Wave have been sent these."

Gaara looked over at the rock curiously, then back out the window.

"What troubles you my Lord?" Gaara glanced at him, not realizing he'd shown his thoughts on his face.

"I have been considering learning more techniques," he said thoughtfully, still picturing the training Konoha-nin.

Baki nodded. "It does seem like everyone is training harder and harder. I would offer to teach you myself, but my expertise is in air attacks. I have no skill in sand. There is one though, who may be willing."

Gaara looked up curiously "May be?"

Baki laughed. "The old fool prefers to spend his days fishing with his sister. But as far as sand users go, Ebizo was always the master. In his day, he could control sand storms and shift the ground itself. Even though he did prefer using his mind than his skills."

Gaara sighed in recognition. "Ahh. Ebizo. And his sister Chiyo. Hmm." He looked off towards the sound of another boom coming from the Konoha-nin's training area.

"I will go to him."

Wave Country

Asuma crested the hill and looked out towards the sea. It had been a harrowing journey, and he'd not known what to expect when he got here, but it certainly hadn't been this. The Land of Waves had once looked like a sleepy little fishing village. Not anymore. Several tall stone buildings were being erected, ringing the island. A giant warship flying the flag of the Crescent Moon Kingdom was docked just offshore. The Great Naruto Bridge was heavily barricaded, every inch of it blockaded with physical obstacles and chakra traps.

He spied a group of men on the near bank moving stones onto a barge and approached cautiously. He had removed his Konoha headband and changed his clothes before, and was grateful now. They would not likely be welcoming to a Konoha-nin right about now.

As he got nearer, Asuma realized the group was comprised of ten workers and two guards. He was now picking up snippets of their conversation.

"Takada could be in a tavern, talking to the most beautiful girl in the world. Takada loves her straw colored hair and her plump behind. Instead where is Takada? Watching men lift rocks." A tall man with spiky black hair was musing out loud.

"Shut it fool." A short bald man covered in tattoos scowled at him. "You think I want to be here either? This is the job. And goddammit to Almighty Heaven would you stop talking in third person!?"

The tall one, Asuma now knew was Takada, sighed. "Masahiro does not understand. Her rump is the plumpest in the nine kingdoms. And Takada is a rump man."

"I'll give you that; it's a nice tukkus, Takada." Masahari smirked. "I bet Mizurai is keeping her company right now."

Takada growled. "Takada would not like that very much." Asuma saw his fingers clench around something he couldn't quite make out as yet. As he cleared some more trees though he realized it was the biggest meat cleaver sword he'd ever seen. "Not much at all."

"Relax idiot." Masahiro said with a laugh. "Mizurai is teaching at our little 'school for warriors' today."

Asuma was now within sight and the men looked over at him. He sensed the spike in chakra from both Takada and Masahari.

"Takada sees no paths of conflict." Takada said quietly. "No aggressiveness. Although the way he moves indicates high probability that he is a ninja disguised as a civilian."

"Who are you and what do you want?" Masahari said. The men had stopped moving the stones and Asuma realized each was holding their pickaxes tightly.

"My name is Asuma. And I've come seeking asylum."

Konoha

Danzo sat silently behind the curtain, surrounded by darkness, the only illumination in the room that of the four candles in formation directly across from the Emperor's line of sight. All an allusion to the kings and Emperors of old.

The one he had been waiting on finally arrived, escorted in by the remainder of his elite guard. He was already training Lizard's replacement, but it would be years before he would be ready. Until then, he only had his three left and he was keeping them close.

"YOSH! Emperor-sama, you are looking most YOUTHFUL this fine day!" Maito Gai exclaimed the moment he was placed within the circle of illumination.

Danzo frowned, not that anyone could see with the precautions he had put in place, and snapped at the so-called 'Green Beast' of Konoha, "Gai! Do you understand why you are here? Why I pulled you out of Suna? Do you understand why you were replaced and your students taken from you? By one of your own students even. Do you comprehend the truth behind all that?"

Gai grinned that insufferable smile of his. At least they'd kept that mini-Gai away. Danzo swore he'd never seen a more terrifying illusion than that... that... whatever it was Gai and Lee got up to with the sunset, the waves, and the... Danzo shivered, forcing the images from his mind. Again, not that anyone could see him. Thanks to the jutsus on the screen, all they saw was a dark, imposing shadowed silhouette and nothing more.

"YOSH! Indeed I do, Emperor-sama! A most YOUTHFUL decision indeed! Neji was indeed ready for such a heavy responsibility, as I could see when he arrived to relieve me of my YOUTHFUL duties, his FLAMES OF YOUTH were burning more brightly than ever before! I can only hope to do as good a job the second time around!" Gai was now openly crying, his fists covering his face.

If he was the sort, Danzo would have sweat-dropped. Instead, he growled out, "You think that I recalled you to give you a second genin team to train?!"

"YOSH!" Gai just grinned, tears gone like they'd never been.

He was taking all the fun out of this. Fine then. If he thought he was here to be given more students to train, then might as well make the most out of it. Besides, the candles had had more than enough time to do their job. Danzo couldn't help but marvel at his own genius when he considered the many levels of security he was under right now.

Besides all three of his elite guard being in the room, hidden in the shadows, there were another four layers of security. The first were the candles. They were specially designed by a clan in Iwa ironically, so that the smoke from the candles disrupted all illusions, whether it be genjutsus or a transformation. Even physical transformations were, while not dispelled, identified by a clear glow coming from the skin, visible only once the transformed person left the circle of light. The next level of security was the screen. It was riddled with enough seal-work that sometimes he got a headache just looking at it. Suffice it to say, it stopped all projectiles, both physical and chakra-based, obscured whoever and whatever was behind it so they were nothing more than an indistinguishable silhouette, while on the other side they were allowed to see everything like it was noon on the top of a mountain made of crystal glass. It wasn't the Byakugan or Sharingan, but it was the next best thing for those without such advantages.

The last two layers of security were what Danzo was activating now. In the space between the candles and the curtain, there was a pressure plate. So long as Danzo applied pressure to the counter-plate, the lethal darts wouldn't turn whoever was standing on said pressure plate into a poison-filled pincushion. The last was a bolt hole directly behind and below Danzo, hidden by the very platform he sat upon. The Emperor of Earth and Fire was under no illusions about Maito Gai's abilities. The man was as fast, if not faster, and definitely stronger than Kakashi had ever been. If anyone could dodge the darts and make it past the screen, and avoid the attacks of his guards, it would be Maito Gai.

Not that Danzo truly believed the naïve jounin capable of assassination in the first place, but after Naruto's attack and subsequent escape, he wasn't taking chances anymore.

"Come forward, Maito-san. I do indeed have a new purpose for you here in Konoha. That is close enough," he said once Gai was on the pressure plate. For the moment, Danzo kept the pressure on the counter-plate. Orochimaru was saying it would be some time before the first of the new breed of soldiers would be ready. And for right now, he needed every able-body that he had. Even those of questionable use.

At least he could be certain that the man before him was Maito Gai. Outside of the candle light, he was as dark as Danzo himself was to the eyes of others. If he'd been under a transformation of any kind, he would be glowing like a wraith out of a child's scary story.

"I'm assigning you to the prison, Gai. I'm sure all those lonely prisoners there will greatly enjoy your... fires of youth..." Danzo restrained the chuckle from leaving his lips. If only the fool knew that he was actually being sent there as a prisoner rather than to watch the other prisoners.

"Flames."

"What? What was that?" Danzo was confused. He was sure he'd just felt a chakra spike from the normally demure, yet overenthusiastic jounin.

"It is FLAMES OF YOUTH!" Gai exalted, and the chakra spike rose unbelievably high in an incredibly short amount of time. In less than ten seconds, Gai had just opened 7 of the 8 Gates!

The ROOT elite guard that were the first line of Danzo's defense, immediately surged forward from the shadows, using the ninja teleport to cross the short distance that much quicker. Gai had already been moving before they'd even fully materialized.

"GEKI – KONOHA KONGORIKI SENPU!" he shouted as he spun around in his Released Gates state. All three bodyguards were knocked back through the walls and ceiling of the room, none of them having a chance against the powerful close-range taijutsu attack.

Before Danzo could so much as open his mouth to demand what the man was doing, the Green Beast got into an unfamiliar pose. Despite the sight-augmentation of the sealed screen, all Danzo could see of it was that Gai had put his palm facing outward before his face and brought his other fist around in front of it. If not for the shadows and obscuring haze of chakra, Danzo was certain that he would see Gai's skin was a burning red. With no more warning than Gai forming a half of a Tiger seal with his palmed hand, the room was suddenly filled with a paralyzing air pressure wave that knock Danzo off his pedestal, but also kept all the poisoned darts from actually hitting as well as keeping the trapdoor to his escape shut even as Gai punched through the protective screen.

"HIRUDORA!" Gai shouted the name of his technique, and the last thing Danzo saw before he dematerialized, was the image of a giant tiger's face coming right at him to devour him whole.

Danzo rematerialized right behind Gai and wasted no time in putting a Chidori through the green beast's back... only to discover at the last possible moment that he'd instead put it through the corpse of a man he'd never seen before!

He let the limp body of the would be assassin fall to the ground, blood pooling at his feet. He swore mightily, having wasted one of his precious eyes. The door flew open and a small swarm of guards entered at full alert.

"Take this garbage away." He moved back to his desk. He didn't know how this assassin had used Gai's techniques. But no matter. The jounin had not returned from Sunagakure. Either he was involved in the assassination attempt, or he was dead. Regardless of which, Danzo ordered Maito Gai be put in the Bingo Book as an A-Rank criminal. The crime, high-treason and attempted assassination of the Emperor of Fire and Earth.

Tengoku

"This is a most excellent training exercise." N'uihc chimed in happily as he got up and picked up an empty backpack. He shuffled over to his tea case and began selecting very specific ones for his journey.

"No, no, a thousand times no!" Nagi said frantically. "This isn't training. I'm going to avenge my parents' death. I'm going to kill this man. It's a very big deal."

N'uihc nodded. "Indeed it is. A student of mine is going out on his first task–even though it is a childishly simple one–since beginning his training with the Master of Sinanju. I must ensure that you do not embarrass me too greatly." He glanced at Nagi pitifully. "As difficult as that may be however."

Nagi gave it up and looked hopelessly to Calamity. She just smirked at him, having told him this would not end well. N'uihc clucked his tongue in annoyance. "You young ones are just sitting there dawdling. When there is a task to be done, it's best to be about it earliest. I expect you ready in one hour to leave."

"Uhmm, N'uihc. It's not just us going." Calamity chimed in. "Both boys and girls teams are going."

"Cha!" N'uihc exclaimed. "Am I to be a babysitter then in my dying years?" He kept placing things neatly into his pack.

"But that means too that Lord Naruto will also be going?" he inquired.

"Yes Master." Nagi replied.

"Ah! Then the chance for N'uihc's embarrassment is now greater! If Lord Tenshikage sees you performing poorly in the battlefield this will be impossible to hide! N'uihc will be shamed forever!" he looked at the both of them with steely eyes, waiting for a response.

"We will not shame you Master," both Nagi and Calamity said in unison.

N'uihc sighed and shrugged. "Alas, poor N'uihc's fate and honor is now in the hands of an earthworm and a woman. Which is worse?!" He resumed packing. "One hour!"

Sakura and Hiroka stood packed and ready, waiting just inside the White Tower. Sakura adjusted her new arm band with the symbol for Tengoku on it. These were the new bands that allowed them to be summoned back home. She glanced over at her friend and teammate Hiroka. The two of them had been training together as much as possible since Calamity had been tied up with N'uihc. But on evenings they all got together to hang out and talk about their day. They'd become her best friends and confidantes. So she knew something was bothering Hiroka.

"What's on your mind?" she asked.

Hiroka adjusted her band as well, and touched her hair. A sign Sakura knew that she was thinking.

"This is a chance for me to spend some time with Senjii. I mean, well I mean…we haven't had a lot of time what with all the training. We've spoken but... not alone. I think he's still avoiding me as much as he can." Hiroka said embarrassingly.

"Maybe. From what you said I don't think he thinks he's worthy, not since his teacher was killed."

"But I've told him I don't care!" Hiroka said exasperatedly. "I know men have their honor but he's just pigheaded."

Sakura laughed. "Yes, I know a couple of very pig headed boys."

Tsunade walked into the room, glancing at the two of them. "Where's Calamity?"

"She's coming. She went with Nagi to let Master N'uihc know they were going."

Across the village…

"You're at a critical stage young Naruto." Pa Toad said with immense aggravation in his voice.

Naruto smiled and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah I know Pa. But I've gotta do this. I will leave really strong clones behind to continue my training though."

"That is not the same. Your strongest clones cannot channel natural chakra you are able to."

"It's the best I can do Pa. I have to do this with my friends."

Pa scoffed. "Well go then! But don't blame me if you blow up!" he hopped off in a huff leaving Naruto standing awkwardly with Ma Toad.

"Don't mind him Naruto. I think he's going to miss having you as a pupil while you're gone."

She smiled at him. "Please be careful dear."

Naruto grinned at Ma and ran off towards the Tower to pack.

An hour later Nagi stood facing his friends. Naruto, Senjii, Sakura, Calamity and Hiroka stood facing him, all packed lightly for the journey. Each wore a grim determined expression on their face. He was overwhelmed by their show of support. He'd never had anything like this in his life. A 'family' as much as it was. And here they were going without question to help him avenge a family he never knew.

Behind the group of Tennin stood N'uihc, unmoving as a statue. He was looking over the group with a keen eye, missing nothing, especially Naruto. If Nagi didn't know better he thought he saw the faintest hint of respect on his face, but he had to be imagining it.

None of the older heads were coming for the mission, but they were there to see them off regardless. Mabry and Yoshi were going to be working on the new vanishing trading village. Old man Tora, Tenchi and Guerrera were still teaching the academy students. Inari and his friends were back in classes, albeit more advanced ones. Ali and his clan were apparently preparing for something as well, something that was rather hush hush. There had been some whispers in the village, ranging from an election for best thief in the world to a decade-annual 'plundering games' that the clan was hoping to win.

Tsunade looked over the group. In Naruto's absence it was agreed that each of the older generation would take turns leading the village. This time it was Tsunade's turn. She scowled unhappily.

"Our two best – and only – teams going out on a single mission. That we're not even being paid for. We could just send one team." She grumbled.

Mabry whispered to her. "Yes we could, but you're wrong. There are numerous bounties on the head of Lord Shisho of the Land of Blood. I will be making contact with various parties before Naruto and the teams even reach the country. So this should be fairly profitable for us." He glanced over at the young teams. "Besides, they need to do this."

Tsunade shook her head, whispering back. "I know."

Nagi cleared his throat and opened his mouth, wanting to say something to his friends. Something to convey how he felt having them all at his back. A few seconds passed with them looking at him.

A few seconds more.

He smiled sheepishly. "Umm…thanks guys."

Naruto grinned back and shouted. "As a good friend of mine says, let's go ignite our flames of youth!"

They headed for the air stream that would take them into Blood Country.

Sunagakure

Deidara eyed the tall cliffs ahead that denoted the entrance to Sunagakure. He scowled, wiping the dripping sweat from his brow. This heat was more than he bargained for. Indeed this whole trip was more agonizing than he would have liked. For one, his partner in this venture was not the most talkative. Except when it came time to deride his art. Sasori had no respect for Deidara's clay sculpture bombs. He didn't see the artistry involved in the explosions. The sheer majestry of force and fire. The beauty to be found in the brief, brief moment of a blazing blast!

They came to a stop and he looked quizzically at Sasori. The oddly shaped spy master said he had someone on the inside who would enable them to enter the almost impregnable citadel. Deidara didn't really care though. He would just as easily have flown over the walls on one of his clay birds and just challenged Gaara. All this subterfuge bored him. Like his explosions, he was not subtle.

Sasori made a small movement, and shifted in the sand.

"It is done. Now we wait. It won't be long," he said.

Deidara stood still, his fingers itching, the tension beginning to be replaced by excitement. Soon he would rain death and destruction down. They would soon capture the One-Tail host.

Neji noticed him first. The Suna-nin was moving in a brisk manner past their training area. But that wasn't what alerted him. It was the blood. He turned quickly to the others.

"Sensei! That jounin over there has blood on him," he said quietly to Maito Gai.

Gai's eyes narrowed as he caught just a glimpse of the figure before he disappeared from sight. "He's headed towards the gates. It may be nothing…but we can make it a training exercise if it is!" With a signal they leapt after the sand ninja, trailing him.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the guarded entrance to Sunagakure proper. The Jounin seemed to be known amongst the other guards and he walked right up to one. Gai was about to call off their trailing him when they saw the Jounin plunge a dagger into the unsuspecting guard. He lowered the guard and moved on into the defended walls, undoubtedly to repeat his murder within. Gai wasted no time.

"Hinata. Alert Baki and Gaara." Hinata nodded and disappeared in a flash.

"Neji, get to a vantage point. The only reason to disable guards is to allow an invasion. I didn't think Danzo would be so bold, but get up high and tell me what's going on. Meet us at the main gate." Neji leapt up, climbing the cliffs quickly.

"I will eliminate that Jounin." Lee raced into the defended walls after the murderous spy, only to be stopped by Gai's hand on his shoulder.

"No Lee. You and Tenten, head for the main gate. I will meet you there in five minutes." Gai seemed a blur as he took off into the tunnels.

Lee nodded and bent over as he clicked off his weights, resting them on the ground. With a nod to Tenten, they headed towards the main gates.

Gai caught up to the Jounin after finding two more bodies. The spy didn't even have time to turn around as Gai's two finger thrust crushed the top of his spine, severing it completely, and forever paralyzing the man. He fell in a heap on the ground, crying out in pain.

"Guards!" Gai then shouted out. Within seconds three armed chuunin appeared. They were taken aback by the fallen Jounin at Gai's feet. They were about to attack him when he held up his hands.

"He was a spy, he killed three guards on the way here. See the truth for yourself." He pointed to the blood stained dagger in the Jounin's hand and the body of another guard a few paces back.

"An attack must be coming. Prepare!" He raced outside to meet his students, leaving three very confused guards behind.

Baki saw the girl Konoha-nin bounding towards them. Her manner and speed spoke of an emergency. He wondered for a second how she found him, but figured her eyes could pick out Gaara's chakra from a mile away. He glanced back towards Gaara who was deep in conversation with the two retired council members. He frowned. It looked like it was going well. Pity. Whatever this emergency was would interrupt their discussion.

Hinata arrived seconds later. "A Suna Jounin was killing guards at the entrance. Sensei asked me to alert you."

Baki looked at her for a second, eyes squinting, his mind working overtime. Initial doubt over the trustworthiness of a Konoha-nin was dismissed quickly. He knew these ninja. An attack on the guards could only mean one thing. He turned quickly.

"Kazekage! We are under attack. The main wall!"

Gai arrived at the same time as Lee and Tenten. Neji bounded down a second later.

"There are two men out there. No army that I could see. Both wearing dark robes with red clouds on them." Gai gave a start. He had expected maybe Danzo, but not this.

"Akatsuki!" He glanced at his pupils. They were not ready to face this threat. "We will wait for backup."

Deidara was growing impatient. "It's been half an hour Sasori! Can we just go please?!"

Sasori made an annoyed sound. "Yes it has been too long. My spy must have failed." He turned to Deidara. "You're free to do what you want. Just draw out the One-Tail."

Deidara grinned madly. He reached into his pouches and with a few quick motions formed a giant clay bird. He hopped on its back and it took off, towards the cliff and the city on the other side.

He was within feet of the cliff when he realized he was meeting no resistance at all. Not even a shout of alarm at the giant bird attacking. He sensed rather than saw a threat approaching him and his gut told him to swerve, which he did. An explosion rocked the spot his bird was a second earlier, the force almost making him lose his footing. The bird adjusted its flight. He glanced down and saw a group of ninja on top of the cliff. A girl was smiling up at him. She ran towards another boy – neither of them looked much like Suna-nin – who heaved her high into the air at incredible velocity. She was flying almost straight at him, almost. He watched in morbid curiosity as she reached the peak of her ascent. When she was just about parallel with him she made some fast signs and huge scrolls were unraveled. Before he knew it, a storm of knives, Shuriken, Kunai, and anything sharp and pointy were flying towards him. An unbelievable amount of weaponry!

He pulled the bird up, letting the majority of the sharp weapons embed themselves harmlessly in the clay of the bird. He laughed at the stupidity and naivety of the attack. He glanced at her and saw her waving and smiling as she fell back to earth. With a curse he leapt off the bird just as the hundreds of exploding tags attached to the Kunai and Shuriken detonated. They both hit the ground at roughly the same time, landing as well as their chakra enhanced legs would allow.

Sasori was making his way into the entrance when he saw Deidara's bird go up in smoke, so to speak. He cursed inwardly. The fool could do nothing right. A figure stepped in front of him, a figure he recognized.

Baki had long been known as one of the most feared Jounin in Sunagakure. His wind attacks and sword skills were legendary. But even he was worried as he realized the man facing him was an S-Rank missing nin from his own village.

"Stop right there Sasori of the Red Sand." Baki shouted clearly. An almost inaudible gasp was heard from somewhere behind him.

"Ahh, you know me then. Tell me before this goes further. What happened to my spy? I had hoped to do this without so much fanfare."

"The traitor Yura was killed. Turn yourself in Sasori and face your crimes." Baki replied, his voice steely.

Sasori saw no need to talk further so he attacked, his odd shell shape racing towards Baki who unleashed a cutting wind attack from his sword. Sasori dodged it easily and his cloak fluttered in the wind as a tail whipped out from beneath it and arced towards the Jounin. Baki blocked it and tried to cut it, but the tail moved at inhuman speed with great precision. Within seconds of the clash it had impaled his left shoulder, forcing him to drop his sword.

With a curse, Kankuro leapt out into the fray, directing his new puppet Salamander between Sasori and Baki. Sasori withdrew his tail and looked quizzically at Kankuro. Kankuro launched Crow at Sasori, his arms reaching for the oddly shaped man. As the puppet got close, it's mouth dropped open and a deadly gas enveloped the invading missing nin. Sasori laughed and his tail smashed through Crow. With a spin it ripped apart the puppet to the dismay of Kankuro.

"I was wondering what became of these. It's been many years since I've had a chance to play with my old creations. You handle them with some skill young man."

Kankuro swore violently. He knew the legend of Sasori of the Red Sands. The master puppeteer of Suna. He'd not realized that Sasori had also built the puppets he was now using. That would mean that he knew all of their built in tricks. He filed that away for future thought. He'd have to come up with new tricks on his puppets, and not rely so heavily on already constructed traps.

Sasori waited for him to make a move. Kankuro directed Salamander to attack, the large puppet stomping towards Sasori, its own tail hopefully a match for Sasori's. He also unleashed Black Ant in a combined attack. The puppets attacks were however anticipated and avoided, or blocked. Sasori's tail kept taking chunks out of Salamander which Kankuro was using mostly for defense, while Black Ant was for offense.

After a furious few minutes, Sasori had disabled both Puppets and leapt towards Kankuro. Other Suna-nin leapt out in defense but it was too late. He released a poison gas on them and landed safely on the other side. He headed into the city, hearing the sounds of gurgling as the Suna-nin outside died slowly.

Kankuro felt the effects of the poison creeping through his body. He'd been building up his immunities to poison ever since he began puppet training. That was an important skill to have. But this was Sasori, and that meant an unknown poison. He heard the sounds of his fellow ninja dying and cursed in his mind his ineffectiveness against Sasori. He would last longer than the others, but he knew he was dying. He closed his eyes as the convulsions began.

Deidara was having a hard time of it. The weapons girl had teamed up with another girl with a giant fan. Their combination of wind attacks and a never ending barrage of weapons was effectively neutralizing his bombs. Before he could get anything impressive going he was forced to dodge and avoid. Their plan seemed to be to not let up until they'd killed him. Normally that would be a good plan.

He ran straight at them, ducking and weaving, avoiding every attack that they threw at him. With a burst he launched at them.

Tenten and Temari were taken by surprise at his frontal attack, and therefore were not expecting it when suddenly "Deidara" exploded. They were blown backwards and bounced painfully on the dirt, unconscious.

Deidara burst out of the ground, grinning and laughing maniacally. He turned to go towards the village when the sand around him shifted suddenly and he was enveloped in a coffin of sand. He barely had time to register the voice before the sand crushed him into a clump of dead meat and dripping blood.

Gaara looked with distaste at the remains of the Akatsuki member, before glancing over anxiously towards his fallen sister. A medical ninja nodded at him and motioned for others to bring stretchers. Knowing she was OK, Gaara calmed down considerably. There was one more invader. He went looking for him.

Konoha Morgue

Kisaragi Saemon waited until he was sure that there was no one else in the room. His time with Jiraiya had not been wasted. While the Spymaster could very well have turned him into the perfect spy or the perfect assassin, given the time and resources, they did not in fact have the time or resources. So, in the two weeks that Kisaragi had with the Toad Sannin, Jiraiya had made it a priority to teach him exactly two jutsu. Everything else that he would need to know or learn, he was assured his Bloodline Limit would take care of it for him.

The first was the kawarimi no jutus, the Body Switch technique. Jiraiya had trained him in it so thoroughly and so well that he could now perform it without seals and barely more than a flicker of a chakra burst warning prior to the technique being used. The other, which is what had truly saved his life this day, was the ability to sense chakra attacks. He wasn't a chakra sensor, not by any stretch of the definition, but Jiraiya, Tsunade, and even Naruto himself a couple times, had worked with him until he could sense and dodge any large-chakra attack made against him.

Not dodge it completely, obviously, but dodge just enough and in just the right way so as to avoid being instantly killed. Yes, Danzo's counter attack had injured him, and badly, but he wasn't dead yet.

Quietly, making as little noise as possible, the 'unknown assassin' that Danzo had put a Chidori rolled himself off the table, doing his best not to shout out in pain, and made his way out of the morgue. He headed to his safe house as quickly and securely as possible, taking almost an hour to get there without being seen and without leaving any trail to follow.

Once the door was close behind him and the curtains drawn, he collapsed on the bed oblivious to the world.

Author's Note:

Things get pretty serious from the next chapter as the action heats up. Our young warriors face a moral decision and a hard battle. Meanwhile back in Konoha a surprising appearance shakes things up. Danzo ruthlessly expands his reach, inching closer to Wave Country. Gaara faces Sasori; and Jiraiya, Tsunade and Old Man Tora come to the aid of Sunagakure. Stay tuned for the next chapter readers, as the Blood arc begins!

OMAKES!

From LifeButAWalkingShadow

The sun was just cresting the fringes of Tengoku as one Haruno Sakura began her daily torture session with Tsunade.

"Come on Sakura, you can do better than this!"

The Sannin's words were accompanied by a five armed explosive kunai, heading straight towards the girl's head. Sakura barely held back an expletive as she ducked and weaved, dodging the projectiles her teacher had thrown with unusual vehemence.

"Stupid perving Jiraya, making me deal with a ** Tsunade… "She grumbled irritably, wasting a few precious seconds to steady herself.

Looking up, she saw that her teacher located what appeared to be the biggest boulder in the field, at least a quarter of a ton, and was in the process of picking it up.

"Seriously!?"

Tsunade flung the boulder.

"Stupid training, stupid Konoha, stupid Sannin! SHANNARU!" Empowered by her extreme aggravation, Sakura pumped as much chakra into her fists as she dared and pummeled the boulder out of the air with bone-shattering force, embedding it into the cloud-like surface of Tengoku.

Unseen by student and master, the rocks impact sent an abandoned piece of red brick, brought to Tengoku through the air streams, flying off into the distance. The projectile flew through the air and tumbled off the side of the cloud.

Right into one of the exit streams.

In a lonely grotto in the land of rivers, Deidara was doing one last stock take of his supplies before he set off on his mission to turn Orochimaru into bloodied meat-sponge.

"Explosive Clay, Kunai, Back-up Explosive Clay, Bakudan, Explosives and You for a little light reading, Water, Shruiken and Extra Back-up Explosive Clay. Yep, all set un!"

Nodding to himself, Deidara mounted his explosive bird and touched off the ground, moving into what seemed like a curiously localized gust of wind. At aerial speeds even the Sharingan would be hard pressed to comprehend, the errant piece of masonry reached the conclusion of its long, long flight.

Deidara would never know what caused the sharp pain to the back of his head, which knocked him off his bird with a dull thonk sound and sent him into oblivion for the next eleven hours.

He did, however, discover the fate of his uncontrolled clay bird. He then laughed his ** off about it for the next week.

Not exactly an early riser by nature, Shikamaru was awakened uncomfortably prematurely by the sound of loud alarm echoing around Konoha. Grudgingly moving out of bed, the shadow-used cautiously moved to the entrance to the bunker and ghosted outside.

Scanning his surroundings, Shikamaru was surprised to spot what looked like a huge white bird flying high in the sky above the city of Konoha. The creature appeared to be on a constant straight trajectory, and flying rather fast. Straight towards the Hokage monument.

As Shikamaru stood there, a large fire dragon appeared within his sightline over the trees, homing in on the bird. Sadly for Konoha's security force, it was too little too late, and Deidara's unmanned clay construct slammed into the gigantic stone face of Emperor Danzo.

The resulting fiery explosion, compounded with the rather powerful fire jutsu, was enough to utterly eradicate Danzo's effigy from the mountain, sending it tumbling down harmlessly into the trees beneath.

Shikamaru rubbed his eyes. "Did we do that?"

Realizing that the event would likely result in frantic searches for possible assailants within Konoha, Shikamaru strode back into the hidden bunker and blearily drifted off back to sleep, soothed by the satisfying sound of frantic klaxons.

"You'll never be any use against Danzo like this! Again!"

"Yes Tsunade-Sensei."

From Joshua The Evil Guy

"Clean the Monkey"

Senjii was walking along the marketplace one morning, on his way to the training grounds, when he saw an unusual sight. A mother was cleaning her mud-covered children outside her clean home. They way she employed such cleaning was by taking the garden hose and spraying them with water until there was no more mud in sight on their skin.

"Hmm..." he had an idea!

A few minutes later at the training ground saw Senjii working with his blades and using his energy to move them remotely.

That evening, just before sunset, Senjii was practicing his new move;

It freaked everybody out, except Naruto and Yoshi. Senjii held the cursed weapons in front of him and then let them go. They stayed where they had been held, and then chased after the target and shaved everything off it. Those flying blades could shave the fur off a cat without twitching one whisker or letting the cat know until the wind blew and it felt a draft. Against a warrior, it could strip them bare, disarm them, and still shave off their hair, beard, whatever, and all in the same move. He could also use it to increase his range and use some techniques long-range. It wasn't perfected, but it was still devastating to behold.

"Pass the Monkey"

Senjii was walking along the new residential district one morning, on his way to the training grounds, when he saw a familiar sight. Hundreds of Naruto's clones working all over the place. It was with regret, and a small bit of jealousy, that Senjii realized he did not have a clone technique of his own.

"Hmm..." he had an idea!

A few minutes later at the training ground saw Senjii working with his blades and using his energy to move them remotely.

That evening, just before sunset, Senjii was practicing his new move;

Senjii focused his chi on the weapons. He held out the swords to his side. He grabbed the sword and held it. He grabbed the sword and held it. He held both swords before him at the ready. Senjii looked to his right and stared at himself. He looked to his left and stared at himself once again. He looked down at his blades and noticed the ethereal glow surrounding each. It took him the longest time, but he'd finally found a way to give himself a variation of a bunshin no jutsu. On either side of him, while they appeared identical, were actually the spirits of the King and the Boy. He knew that he could summon the spirit of the Assassin as well, and that clone would wield two swords as he himself did, but he knew that it was beyond him at this time. He'd already divided his chi into thirds, putting a third into each of his blades, which through the curse and his own chi, somehow creates living bodies for the spirits to reside and fight in once more. He does not yet have the chi or chakra to summon the assassin spirit alone. Yet.