Chapter 2: Prologue, Part One

Two long years had passed since the end of the Unification Wars.

Two years since the lands of the Western Continent were united under a single ruler since the time of the Six Paths Sage, thus leading the people into an era of prosperity and peace.

The city of Kimon, also known as the Imperial Capital. Located twenty miles inland from the Western Sea, and accessible from the Kimon River, which snaked its way halfway through the Northern Continent, ending at its namesake. The Imperial Capital also served as a hub for trade, as did South Ichiyama in the Southern Region.

The nerve center of the Unified West was the Imperial Complex. (think the Imperial Palace in Japan). Located at the heart of Kumon City, which served as the Imperial Capital, the two-mile Complex sat on on top of a small hill and was heavily fortified, as it once belonged to the late Kimon warlord Rokunbungi Oda. Now, it served as the center of the Unified West. Spanning two miles, the four-story Imperial Palace, which served as the residence of the Emperor. The top two floors were reserved for the Emperor, while the bottom two floors were for their guests.

Aside from the Imperial Palace was the Hall of Sovereigns, of which the Emperor, the Empress and their 16-member Imperial Council - eight from the Empire's high-ranking samurai and shinobi clans and eight civilians and nobility who were the elected representatives of the people - met three times a week to conduct and manage the government. The House of Sovereigns also contained his throne room, where the royal couple would usually receive their guests, seated on their thrones, as well as their joint office.

Speaking of the Emperor, he was inside his office, taking on his greatest foe yet. A foe so devious, so cunning, that it almost made him wish that he was fighting his former cell, the Akatsuki, the Legendary Sannin and Hiruzen Sarutobi at once. A foe so cold and ruthless, that even Orochimaru would be sent screaming in terror from its presence.

That foe...was paperwork.

House of Sovereigns – Office of the Emperor and Empress Consort.

"Aagh...I should have known this job had a catch to it. Honestly...I don't see how my old man could have done this. Leading an army into battle was much easier."

The Emperor of the Unified West sat behind his desk, going through the mountain of paperwork, grumbling under his breath about how his wife was able to escape from the abomination of paperwork while he was stuck with it, and of the unfairness of it all.

Eighteen years old, he had came a long way since his days as a Konohagakure genin. He was no longer the loudmouthed, orange-loving, ramen-consuming knucklehead who screamed that he would be Hokage one day. The years he had spent in the West had changed him. Forged in the fires of war, trained in the ways of the shinobi and the samurai. Standing at six feet tall, with a wiry, muscular frame, the face a spitting image of his father. The whisker-like marks on his face - a sign of him being a jinchuuriki - were gone. His blond hair had taken on a reddish hue, a sign that he was of Uzumaki blood, the facial stubble on his face also the same color. Blue eyes showed intelligence combined with ruthlessness when needed be.

His style of clothing also changed as well. No more did he wore orange, which screamed 'Kill Me.' Instead, he took to wearing mostly black, since it can go with anything. The Emperor dressed simply, as it had reflected on his childhood; a white shirt with a tight collar and the sleeves rolled to his elbows, black vest, pants and boots. His longcoat remained on the hanger, while his black Kage-style hat hanged alongside the longcoat. The hat was mostly used to conceal his identity, mostly when he traveled abroad, which was often.

The Emperor of the Unified Western Empire, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, sighed. "Screw this," he muttered. Making a cross with his hands, he channeled his chakra and uttered the words, "Kage Bushin."

In a poof of smoke, five Shadow Clones appeared. Naruto rose from his seat and retrieved his longcoat. "Finish up the paperwork. I'm going for a walk."

"Yes, Boss," the clones acknowledged as they got to work.

Longcoat fluttering in the breeze, Naruto walked down the halls of the House of Sovereigns. Servants bowed to him as he passed, to which Naruto responded with a nod of the head. As it was past noon, there was one place where his wife could be: the Palace Gardens.

Rounding the corner, he ran into his senior adviser. A tall, walking mountain of muscle, tanned, with bleach blond hair and the mustache to match. His hitai-ate with the Imperial insignia – the Four Symbols Seal – was wrapped around one massive bicep.

Naruto greeted the older man. "Afternoon, A."

The former Raikage of Kumo-turned-adviser grunted. "Chief."

How did the Raikage of Kumo ended up in the West, and as Naruto's senior adviser? One year earlier, A was overthrown by Orochimaru, who had placed a puppet ruler in his place. The first order of the new Raikage: eliminate his predecessor and his brother, Killer Bee. However, as Emperor of the West, Naruto had a robust spy network in the East, and it was through them that Naruto was notified of the coup while visiting Gaara in Suna. With Hinata at his side and the aid of his Elite Guard, his personal bodyguards and the use of the Demons' Gate jutsu, Naruto arrived at the nick of time and slaughtered the Kumo ANBU, thus saving A and Bee's lives, and those of A's loyal supporters.

Imagine their shock upon returning to Suna that the Emperor was the former Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. Even A and Bee had heard about the exploits about the one who unified the lands under a single banner. It was then that Naruto offered A and Bee political asylum within the Empire. A and Bee accepted Naruto's offer, with A serving as senior adviser to the young Emperor, while Bee hung around the trading post of Rara, located thirty miles from Kumon.

"Dodging your duties once again, Chief?" A asked dryly.

"Duties? Have you seen the mountain of paperwork on my desk?" Naruto shot back.

A shuddered. "Don't remind me. I've had my share of doing paperwork when I was the Raikage. Whoever came up with paperwork needs to be strung up."

Naruto chuckled. "On that, I agree. I left a couple of Shadow Clones to finish up."

"I received word from Fu that several clans from Konohagakure have defected from the village. Is that true?"

Naruto nodded. Fu – the jinchuriki for Chomei, the Seven-Tailed Beetle – was part of the United West's information network. Anything Konoha-related was sent her way, and in turn, was delivered to either Naruto, his wife, or the Nine-Tails herself. "Four clans, plus ninety Jounin-level shinobi. They should be arriving within the week."

"Can you trust the Hyuuga and the Ino-Shika-Cho?"

"I can see you have your concerns, A," Naruto replied. "The Ino-Shika-Cho first generation were childhood friends with my father, and unlike my former teammates, their children never saw me as the fox. As for the Hyuuga, aside the fact that they hate the Uchiha with a passion, Hinata's mother was close friends with my own mother, and Hiashi saw her as an equal. Despite Sarutobi's efforts in stunting my growth in order to turn me into a weapon, those four men looked out for me in their own way, honoring a promise made to them by my parents."

A nodded, knowing of Naruto's treatment as the village pariah solely because he held the most powerful of the tailed beasts. Not even Bee and Yugito were treated as harshly. In his mind, the people of Konoha were total idiots, favoring a traitor over a hero.

In the aftermath of the Uchiha Retrieval Mission, once it became known as to what had happened through Gaara and Suna, public opinion regarding Konoha had plummeted. In the end, despite all of its posturing and its supposed 'Will of Fire,' Konohagakure no Sato was known as 'the village who rewards traitors' For the Fire Damiyo, Tsunade and Jiraiya, their name was synonymous with the words 'hypocrite' and 'backstabber.' And for Sasuke Uchiha, his name was synonymous with 'traitor.'

It was through his intelligence network – posing as merchants from the Pekara Merchant House – that Naruto had found out that the Konohagakure High Council not only promoted Sasuke to Jounin (which he did not deserve), but also activated the C.R.A.

Hiashi Hyuuga and Inoichi Yamanaka objected to having their daughters marry the Uchiha. When Tsunade threatened to strip them of clan status and revoked their shinobi registrations, Hiashi and Inoichi retaliated by turning in their hitai-ates and storming out of the council chambers. Shikaku and Chouza soon followed, turning in their hitai-ates as well, throwing in their lot with the Hyuuga and their longtime friend.

Unknown to Tsunade and the other pro-Uchiha members of the council, Hiashi had been in contact with the Imperial spies and had gotten word to Hinata. After talking it over with Naruto, he had agreed to allow the Hyuuga and anyone defecting from Konoha political asylum.

"Those four and their families looked out for me back in Konoha," Naruto continued. "Their children did not see me as a demon growing up."

"And Lord Namikaze always pays back his debts," A concluded.

The young Emperor nodded. "Plus, Konoha's reputation had already taken a serious hit when they banished me and favored the Uchiha. With the loss of four major clans, the village will be crippled even further."

"You know Konoha won't take this lying down," A said.

"They already did," Naruto replied. "As you probably know, the Unified West and Yours Truly are quite the hot topic in the East. They know of my exploits and of my strength, which is even greater than the Legendary Sannin combined. If Konoha attacked the defecting clans who were traveling with the Pekara merchants on the way to the coast..."

A nodded in understanding. "It would set off an international incident, and would make Konoha lose face, attacking an unarmed convoy. Impressive, Chief."

Naruto grinned. "Thank you. If you need me, I will be at the gardens."

A smirked as he nodded knowingly before walking off in the opposite direction.

Imperial Complex – Palace Gardens.

The Palace Gardens (think Shang Tsung's Palace Gardens without the Outworld-related stuff) was the favorite spot of the Empress Consort of the United West. Her husband had built it for her, obtaining various rare flowers from East and West. Located at the back of the complex, Naruto had it done for Hinata as a wedding gift, seeing as how his wife loved flowers. Kimon had several gardens and parks (as well as training grounds for its shinobi and samurai), but this was for the Emperor's personal use.

Seated under one of the trees, was the Empress Consort of the West. She was reading a romance novel under the shade of the trees, enjoying the spring day.

She was the same age as her husband. Her hair, once long during the Unification Wars, was now cut short again (think Samantha Byrne's hairstyle from Gears of War 3). She was taller than she was back when they were both Konoha genin, standing at five-feet-seven, several months younger than he was, her pupil-less lavender eyes identifying her as one of the Hyuuga. She was dressed in her standard medic-nin uniform, which was a black shinobi shozoku – a type of dark-colored training dogi for shinobi – with a crimson lotus decal on the left breast. Underneath the shozoku was a fishnet shirt. A black Jounin flak vest completed the outfit.

Like her husband, Hinata Hyuuga, now Hinata Namikaze had came a long way since Konoha. When the Uchiha was pardoned and Naruto was banished, Hinata was sent along with him by her father in order to keep the Hyuuga Council from branding her with the Caged Bird Seal. In the years following her exile, she too had been forged in the fires of war, having become Naruto's second-in-command. She was also the founder of the medic-ninja program used during the war, which was one of the major factors in Naruto winning the Unification Wars.

While she ran the program, her second-in-command was a clansman from Naruto's clan, Karin Uzumaki. The medic-ninja program produced top-notch medic-ninjas, who were later assigned to various parts of the Empire. Karin was also a former Otogakure kunoichi who had defected from Orochimaru because of his inhumane experiments on the sick in his quest for immortality.

Aside from being a highly-skilled medic, Hinata was also trained in the assassination arts by Yugito Nii, as well as political intrigue by the elderly Sonshi. She was known to the soldiers and to the people as 'The Lady,' and 'Princess of Foxes,' given as she was the Third Kitsune Sannin.

She continued to read her novel as she felt her husband's presence behind her. She had gotten better at detecting his chakra signature.

"How is it that you can sneak away from your duties at the hospital, while I have to use shadow clones to get away from the mountain of paperwork left on my desk?"

Hinata closed her book and looked up at her husband, who was leaning up against a nearby tree. "Karin took over for me at the hospital," Hinata replied, rising to her feet.

Unlike the wives of the Damiyos in the East, (Koyuki Kazahana being the exception), Hinata had an active role as the Empress of the Imperial Nation as head of the Imperial Medic Corps, which was one of the major reasons she was respected by the shinobi and samurai. Of course, she was not exempt from the horror that was paperwork.

Naruto walked over to her. "Really?" he asked, slipping his arms around his wife's waist, smiling broadly.

"Really," Hinata replied, returning the smile. "I missed you," she added, wrapping her arms around his waist. She had to go to the hospital early for a meeting with Karin and Kokoro Yamada, leaving Naruto in bed alone.

The moment, however, was ruined with the arrival of one of the kunoichi who was part of the Hellcats. Commanded by former Kumo kunoichi and jinchuuriki Yugito Nii, the Hellcats was one of several elite special forces units under Naruto and Hinata's command. The Hellcats were all female, consisting of both kunoichi and onna-bugeisha (female samurai), and identified by their khaki flak vests. Both Naruto and Hinata were former understudies of Yugito, as she had taught the both of them assassination techniques, which came in handy during the Unification Wars.

"Chief! Lady Hinata!"

Naruto frowned, while Hinata giggled. Releasing Hinata, he turned to face the kneeling Hellcat, who had arrived via shunshin. He recognized her as Yugito's second-in-command. "Yes, Kumi, what is it?" he asked, annoyed that his Hinata time was interrupted.

"Forgive me for interrupting, but I bring word from General Nii herself," the Hellcat replied. "There is an five-man envoy from the East en route to the Complex. General Nii has identified them as shinobi from Otogakure no Sato."

Naruto's frown deepened. "Who is leading them?" Hinata asked.

"General Nii has identified them as the Sound Four and the leader of the envoy as Kabuto Yakushi. They should be arriving within five minutes."

Naruto nodded. "Give my thanks to Yugito. Make sure they are discreetly tailed to the Complex."

"Sir." With that, the Hellcat vanished.

Naruto sighed. "Guess I'll have to take a raincheck for this," he said. "No rest for the wicked, I'm afraid. Remain here, since your eyes are a dead giveaway, okay?"

"Okay."

House of Sovereigns, Throne Room.

Seated on his throne, Rinnegan activated Naruto eyed the white-haired man with a combination of disdain and suspicion. Kurama was not there, as he did not want her to give away any suspicion as to her true identity. The Kage-style hat was on his head, effectively hiding his face. Not to take any chances, his face was concealed by his mask. Unlike the Kage hats of the East, the Imperial version was solid black, the cloth still white.

Unknown to Kabuto Yakushi, this had not been the first time that Naruto and Hinata had a run-in with the cunning shinobi. Six months earlier, while inspecting the Pekara Merchant House's Wind outpost near the Wind-Fire border, Kabuto had been ordered by Orochimaru to check the place out, having heard about the rise of the Western Empire and its leaders. What Kabuto found was the commander of Naruto's Elite Guards, Major Benisato Mochizuki.

Known as the 'Snake Queen of Kimon,' Kabuto had been soundly defeated by the older woman. Then Orochimaru had appeared. The Snake Queen fought the Snake Sannin while Naruto and Hinata watched from the sidelines, Benisato having been warned in advance of Orochimaru's methods. But it wasn't necessary, as Benisato had been more skilled than Orochimaru. The Snake Sannin had been forced to retreat.

The white-haired, bespectacled Oto shinobi took a knee, head bowed. "Your Imperial Majesty," he began, "May your reign be a long and prosperous one. My name is Kabuto Yakushi. I represent Otogakure, the Village Hidden in the Sound. I bring greetings from my master, Lord Orochimaru."

Using his chakra to disguise his voice (think Naruto speaking in Shredder's voice from the first movie), Naruto responded. "So what business does your master want with me?"

"Lord Orochimaru has been monitoring the events that have transpired here in the West with great interest," Kabuto said. "He is especially impressed that you have united the lands in so little time. He has sent me here to discuss terms of an alliance between your Empire and the Sound."

Naruto learned back on his throne. "Tell me, Yakushi...what would I gain should I ally myself to the Sound?"

"You would have the backing of one of the most powerful ninja in the East," Kabuto said. "Despite our small numbers, you would mostly benefit from Lord Orochimaru's guidance."

'In other words, take over my body since Sasuke is off limits, and use my army to invade Konoha,' Naruto thought darkly. The young Emperor made it look like he was in deep thought. "I am sorry, but a military alliance is not in the Empire's best interest."

"You misunderstood me, Your Majesty..." Kabuto began, but was cut off.

"Oh, don't be coy, Yakushi," Naruto replied. "Do you really think that you are the first from the East to ask for an alliance? First it was the Rock...then it was the Cloud...you make number three. The people has seen war since the era of my great ancestor, the Six Paths Sage."

Kabuto's eyes went wide. "You're a descendant of the Six Paths himself? I thought only the Senju and the Uchiha were his only descendants."

Naruto chuckled dryly. "No. The Six Paths had only one child – a daughter, who is the founder of my clan. The two brothers who would later found the Uchiha and Senju lines trained under him, nothing more. When the Six Paths died, they changed their lineage to make it so that they were his progeny, and tried to murder his daughter. Despite the Senju founder wielding the Mokouton and the Uchiha wielding the Sharingan, they were no match for the Rinnegan's power, and were beaten. After that incident, she fled here."

It was a half-truth, actually. The Uzumaki clan ancestor did not flee to the West, but instead settled in what was to be known as Whirlpool Country.

"But we are getting off subject," Naruto continued. "The people has seen war since the era of the Six Paths. Unlike the people of the East, they have not known a lasting peace. I saw the lawlessness of the lands and I gave them the peace they desired. I am merely a servant of the people and even an Emperor must listen to the will of the people. I am truly sorry that you have come this far, but tell your Lord Orochimaru that my answer is no."

Kabuto slowly nodded. "I see. In any case, Lord Orochimaru will be disappointed that you will not agree to the alliance. I thank you for your time, Your Majesty."

With a wave of his hand, Naruto excused Kabuto. As soon as the Sound envoy left the room, Naruto summoned the commander of Shadow Company. "Kazuma."

Emerging from the shadows as if it was water, was the head of the Kazuma Clan, and Commander of the appropriately-named Shadow Company. A bald, wiry man in his early fifties, Hideo Kazuma was the first to swear loyalty when Naruto had killed Rokubungi Oda. The Kazuma clan were masters of a rare bloodline called Shadow Release, which allowed them to cover major distances by using the shadows of various objects.

"You called, Chief?" Kazuma asked.

"Have your men tail Yakushi and the Oto envoy," Naruto ordered, removing his mask and returning to his normal voice. "Make sure that they are on the first boat out of Kimon. I don't trust him...or the snake. Between the snake and Konoha...I hate Orochimaru more. See to your orders, Kazuma."

Kazuma bowed. "Right away, my lord."

As Kazuma sank back into the shadows, Naruto frowned. Orochimaru was taking an interest in the Empire, and even though the snake-loving pedophile was on the back burner, he was a legitimate threat.

'No way am I letting the snake destroy Konoha,' Naruto thought as he deactivated his Rinnegan and removed the hat and mask. 'That responsibility falls onto me.' Looking at his watch he mentally cursed to himself. 'Damn. Thought I had more time before the meeting with the council. Oh well.'

Imperial Council Chambers, minutes later...

The council hall inside the Hall of Sovereigns was as big as the council chambers back inside Konoha. The council chambers consisted of three long tables; the first containing the seats of the Emperor, the Empress Consort, and their advisers. Two tables located on either side of the Emperor's table faced each other, each containing six seats for either side. The council was chosen by Naruto and Hinata personally to serve as ministers of their respective fields.

The meeting was straight-forward. Aside from a uprising of malcontents loyal to Oda which was quickly crushed before it could gain steam, and the financial situation concerning the southern badlands, there was nothing worthy to report. Good thing that they only met three times a month.

At the lead table, Naruto and Hinata sat side-by-side. Next to Hinata was A and Kurama, in her human form. Next to Naruto was the patriarch of the Uzumaki clan, Takuma Uzumaki. As the Uzumaki clan was famous for their fuuinjutsu, Takuma was his uncle, as Kushina was his older sister. Unlike Kushina and her son, who both wielded the Rinnegan, Takuma was a fuuinjutsu master. He was also known as the 'Maelstrom of Whirlpool,' given both his natural fighting abilities, as well as his short temper.

When Whirlpool had fallen in the last Shinobi War, Kushina, despite being Minato's wife, did not fully trust Konohagakure, and had ordered her brother to flee elsewhere. Taking five hundred Uzushiogakure shinobi with him – half of of them being Uzumaki clansmen – Takuma fled to the West, and had set up shop in the Northern Continent. Upon hearing of a rising warlord with the same surname as his own, Takuma sought him out, and found out that the warlord in question was his own nephew.

After hearing Naruto and Hinata's story, from his time in Konoha up to being the scapegoat for the Uchiha's attempted defection, which led to his defection, Takuma was furious. But in the end, Naruto had gained family, and more importantly, allies to his cause. When the West was united under Naruto's rule, he had been the first to accept a position of senior adviser to the Emperor and Empress Consort alongside Kurama.

Like the shinobi in both the East and West, the samurai also had their own ranking system. An apprentice samurai was the same as a shinobi-in-training, and received instruction from the Academy – the Imperial schools where up-and-coming shinobi and samurai learned how to fight. The largest of the schools were in the Imperial Capital, Kurata Port, South Ichiyama, and Tears' Point.

Once the amateur samurai passed a series of physical and mental exams, they became Aonisaibushi – Amateur Samurai. It was the shinobi equivalent of Genin. Unlike the shinobi system, the Aonisaibushi would be assigned to either a three-man cell or apprenticed to an elder samurai.

After two years, the Aonisaibushi were eligible to be promoted to Chukanbushi – Middle Samurai. The Chukanbushi is the most common rank of samurai, and was the shinobi equivalent of Chuunin. They were the foot soldiers and archers, the main bulk of the samurai forces under Naruto's command. It is there that the Chukanbushi had to prove their worth.

Last, was the Seieibushi – Elite Samurai. The samurai equivalent of Jounin, they are the highly-skilled samurai, a position that would take most of their lives to obtain. The Seieibushi were mainly the officers of the Imperial military, people who both the samurai and Naruto had fought alongside with and trusted with their lives. Some of the Seieibushi were clan heads, others were not. The Seieibushi were the ones who took on a single apprentice or a cell of their choosing. They were highly respected by both shinobi and samurai. Naruto himself was of this rank.

On Naruto's left: Sonshi, the elder samurai warrior and philosopher who had taught Naruto the ways of the samurai. In most cases, he was a lot like Danzou Shimura – a warhawk. Only difference was that he fought wars to defend his homeland, not to expand his influence. He was also the Minister of Defense. A powerful samurai even to this very day, he held the rank of Kodenbushi – the Legendary Samurai. In his younger days, as Naruto and Hinata had later found out, he had traveled in the east, defeating Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hanzou the Salamander and even the Sannin. During the Unification War, he had invited Naruto to his village and Naurto became so impressed with the old man, that he asked to be trained in the ways of the samurai. When the Empire was created, he was the first that Naruto had invited to be on the council. Despite his old age, Sonshi was well-respected by samurai and ninja alike. His granddaughter, Sana Sonshi, who was a member of Yugito's Hellcats, served as part of Naruto's Elite Guards. He was also the only person who could still kick Naruto's ass six falls out of ten.

Next was Eiji Kibagami, also from a respected samurai clan with connections in Iron Country, as he had family there, which was helpful when Naruto negotiated a trade agreement between the Empire and Iron. A hard-punching, hard-drinking samurai with a mouth that would make Tayuya blush and Hidan green with envy, he was the first to join up with Naruto in his ambition. He was a Seiseibushi-level shinobi who served as the Minister of Samurai Affairs. Despite being a foul-mouthed samurai, he was fiercely loyal to the young Emperor, honorable and carried himself as a true samurai. It was also a known fact that he and Kasumi Aihara were romantically involved. His pet wolf, Bijoumaru was at his side. Like Sonshi, Eiji had a member of his family as part of the Elite Guard - his nephew Hideo Kibagami served proudly.

Next to Kibagami was the the head of the Chiba clan, Kouda Chiba, a Jounin who served as Minister of Shinobi Affairs. The Chiba clan was a line of ninja who practiced a deadlier style of Taijutsu that would put even Rock Lee and Maito Gai to shame, the Taijutsu used originally as an assassination technique. Like Sonshi's granddaughter and Eiji's son, her eldest son, Takashi, served as one of Naruto's Elite Guards, a high honor for the Chiba Clan. In most ways, the Chiba clan reminded Naruto of the Inuzuka - fiercely loyal to the pack.

Sitting next to Kouda was her childhood friend and fellow ninja, Kokoro Yamada. The eldest daughter of a former nobleman and a Mist refugee, she was the diametric opposite of Zabuza's partner Haku, as her attacks were fire release attacks. A Tokubetsu Jounin shinobi, she was the Minister of Health, having been picked for the decision by Hinata herself. In an interesting sidenote, her bloodline allows her to endure an opponent's fire attacks unscathed. The Yamada clan also had a reputation for being top-notch healers whose skill rivaled that of Tsunade in her prime.

Next to the fire-wielding mistress was the regal Kasumi Aihara. She was a Seiseibushi-level samurai who served as Minster of the Interior. The Aihara was the most powerful samurai clan in the Southern Region (in both influence and skill), and aside from the elderly Sonshi who resided on the northern continent, was one of Naruto's major supporters. Kasumi herself was a legendary warrior in her own right, having led troops into battle. Despite being in her forties, she looked younger. When her husband was killed by Oda's hand, he was about to claim Aihara for his own. Thankfully, Naruto's arrival put a stop to those plans. Her best friend, Murasaki Shibiku, was a popular author of romance novels and poetry, Hinata being her biggest fan. It was also gaining prominence over Jiraiya's Icha Icha series in the East.

Seated next to Aihara was the head of the Okajima Ninja Clan, Hayate Okajima. Nicknamed 'The Tengu' because of his habit of wearing a Tengu mask to battle, the Okajima clan were skilled in ninjitsu, assassination techniques and recon. They were the natural rivals of the Shainto clan, who favored open combat over covert assassinations. Naruto had approached the Okajima clan head for an alliance. Hayate was impressed by the boy's bravado and tenacity that he signed on to Naruto's side. Once the War was over, Naruto had returned to the Okajima clan their lands which were taken from them by one of the more corrupt Damiyos. In return, the entire Okajima clan swore their eternal loyalty to their new Emperor.

On Hinata's right: Ryuji Shinzen and his wife Haruka Shinzen, the heads of the Western Empire's premier mercantile guild, Pekara Merchant House, and co-Ministers of Finance. Ryuji was originally a mercenary ninja, while Haruka had a gift for business and management, they were the first to back Naruto in his ambition financially following the death of Rokubungi Oda. When the Unification Wars had reached its conclusion, they created the merchant houses which had two purposes; providing imported and exported items across the Empire and in the East, while at the same time, keeping a close eye on the more unruly villages in the East. Thanks to Naruto, they now had branches all over the country, as well as several locations in the East, some of which served for gathering intel, as in Iwa, Fire Country and Kumo.

Next was Shinoda Wakaba, former pirate captain, now a close business partner and longtime friend with the Shinzens, since his ten-boat fleet was originally used to harass and plunder both Oda's and his allies' supplies. It was Haruka who had pointed out the perks in having a fleet of ships backing up his ambition to Naruto. Now, with the war over, the fleet was now used to transport goods all over the continent, as well as in the elemental countries. In an interesting sidenote, the Shinzens and Wakaba were both in-laws, since the Shinzen's son had married Wakaba's daughter, which had brought their families into a close alliance.

Seated next to Wakaba was Katsumoto Kitahara. A Damiyo from the Southern Region who supported the people and working class, he was overthrown by a power-mad Warlord and condemned to wander the lands, until Naruto found him. He was one of the key members in the civilian council in which thanks to Katsumoto, that his major support base was the civilians themselves. Katsumoto's lands were restored unto him, as well as his title as a reward for his service and loyalty. Given his passion for justice, it was fitting that he served as Minster of that post.

Next to Wakaba was Shin Akizuki. His home was the southern part of the continent. Shin was the youngest of the council at age twenty-three, and trained as a samurai, having been recently promoted to Seiseibushi. The son of Shinji Akizuki, a retired Warlord who had fought with Naruto, Shin had made a name for himself during the Unification Wars as a formidable swordsman, and can hold his own against Naruto in their occasional spars. In some cases, he reminded Naruto of Shikamaru at times: brilliant, but lazy.

Last, was Rumika Todo. Like Katsumoto, she was a Damiyo, but hailed from the North's mountainous Lahja Region. Todo was one of the Damiyos whose land the late Rokunbungi Oda had an eye for, since her lands contained iron mines deep within the mountains, but once Naruto had eliminated him, she saw the wise decision in backing him in his war of conquest. Her husband was the original Damiyo, until his death during a raiding party from Oda's men, forcing her to assume the role. But despite this, she was fiercely loyal to both her people and to the Emperor.

Zabuza Momichi and Haku were also sitting in at the Emperor's request. Thought to have died in Wave Country in Naruto's first mission, the former Mist Swordsman and his partner had instead fled the country as Mist hunter ninjas had arrived, forcing the pair to leave high-powered blood clones in their places. Zabuza and Haku had fled to the West, where they had hooked up with bloodline refugees who had fled the purges under Yagura and the Mist Damiyo. When Naruto had arrived on the Southern Continent with his forces two years earlier, Zabuza had already made a name for himself as a powerful warlord, with Haku as his second-in-command. It was Haku who had discovered that Naruto was the warlord who had united the Northern Continent under his rule.

Zabuza was surprised, to say the least. The little blond runt who had faced him down on Tazuna's bridge all those years ago had unified the Northern Continent. What surprised him even more was that Konoha had betrayed him in favor of his traitorous teammate. Despite the fact that he was mostly a bloodthirsty sadist, Zabuza had a set of morals. He decided to join Naruto under one condition: that he would be the one to kill Kakashi Hatake. Naruto agreed...on the condition that he alone would beat the holy hell out of him first before Zabuza killed him. That, Zabuza agreed to.

Zabuza was not only in command of his own unit, known as the Demon Brigade, but he also served as the chief interrogator in the Empire's Interrogation Division. He also taught Naruto Mist-style swordsmanship, which came in handy in his war of conquest.

Sonshi cleared his throat. "Before we adjourn this meeting, Chief, is there anything else you would like to add?"

"Yes," Naruto replied. "As you might or might now know, my wife and I have been in contact with the four clans who have defected from Konohagakure no Sato: the Hyuuga, the Yamanaka, the Akamichi and the Nara. Aside from the four clans and their heirs, accompanying them are two hundred jounin, one of which you might be interested in, Zabuza. His name is Ibiki Morino."

Zabuza recognized the name. "Ibiki...yes, I know of his reputation. Said to be the best in interrogation and torture"

"Who is he?" Eiji Kibagami asked.

"He is a Tokubetsu Jounin," Hinata explained. "Some would describe him as a sadist."

"Oh, sounds like someone your would like, Momichi," Eiji snorted, ignoring the sour look Zabuza had given him. "Please continue, Lady Hinata."

"His interrogation techniques are stuff of legend," Hinata continued. "Even when Naruto and I were coming up in the shinobi academy, Ibiki was someone to be feared. He has the unique ability to cause great pain and suffering without resorting to physical torture. His interrogation skills rely mostly on the ability to torture the mind. His knowledge on human psychology is top-notch. Ibiki is a firm believer of gaining control over a person's spirit by attacking the mind."

"That much is true," Zabuza said. "You can say that I am an admirer of his work. Back in my Seven Swordsman days, Kisame had chosen to kill off the shinobi belonging to Mist's Cypher Division rather than allow them to fall into his hands."

"Charming fellow," Kasumi Aihara dryly noted.

"Ibiki works with Anko Mitarashi," Hinata continued. "She is a Tokubetsu Jounin, like Ibiki. A former student of Orochimaru, she is a master of interrogation who uses snakes just like her former master. She also loves dango, and is a total sadist."

"What about the clan heads?" Eiji asked

"The four clan heads were friends with my parents," Naruto said. "They, nor their children, did not see me as a demon, unlike the rest of Konoha. Despite the efforts of Sarutobi and the Konoha Council to stunt my growth as a warrior, they looked out for me in their own way. The first clan head is Hiashi Hyuuga. You already know of the Bykaugan and its advantages and weaknesses, as well as the Caged Bird Seal."

"The other three clan are known for their teamwork," Hinata continued, "The Yamanaka, the Akamichi and the Nara clans, better known by their team name, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Ever since Konoha's founding, there always has been a team with that title, as they are famous for their teamwork. First up is Ibiki's partner, Inoichi Yamanaka. Intelligence specialist with a unique talent which is their clan's signature ability."

"Which is?" Kouda Chiba asked.

"The Yamanaka has the ability to read the opponent's minds and search their memories," Hinata said. "Their signature technique is the Mind Body Switch Technique, in which the Yamanaka can send their mind into a target's body, overriding the target's mind for a short period of time. He has a daughter, Ino, who was a former teammate of ours. The Mind Body Switch is just one of the many techniques the Yamanaka has at their disposal. His wife, Kozue Yamanaka, used to own the flower shop in town."

"Second is the Nara," Naruto said. "The Nara are known for their high-intellect and battle tactics. They are also known for attracting hotheaded women, low energy, and saying 'troublesome.' The Nara's specialty is shadow manipulation. The Nara's signature technique is the Shadow Imitation Technique, in which they can extend their shadow and merge with their target's own shadow, forcing the other to imitate the Nara's movements. Shikaku Nara is the clan head. Back in Konoha, he was the Jounin Commander, given his mastery of battle tactics. He also herds deer in his spare time, and is a natural herbalist. Shikamaru Nara is his son."

"Last, is the Akamichi," Hinata finished. "The Akamichi are the powerhouse of the trio, possessing great physical strength and can convert their calories into chakra. The downside to this is that their techniques drain their chakra while in use and maintaining them during battle can be tiring. For this reason, the Akamichi have very high chakra levels and for this reason, has to eat a lot in order to maintain those levels. Chouza Akamichi is the fifteenth head of the clan, while Chouji Akamichi is his son."

"Like I said earlier," Naruto said, "these four clan heads had done their best to aid me despite Sarutobi's orders not to do so. They offered me shelter, food and in some cases, a place to sleep. Their children did not see me as Kurama in human flesh. It is because of this, that Hinata and I are going to grant them political asylum into the Empire. They should be arriving by the end of the week by ship."

"Forgive me for being the voice of opposition Chief," Kokoro Yamada cut in, "but you grant the clans asylum, and then what? Automatic clan status right off the bat?"

Naruto shook his head. "Of course not, Kokoro. Just as Hinata and I had to work hard to get where we are at, they will not be given a free pass. They will be on probation for six months. When they prove their worth to the Unified West, when they show their loyalty to the Empire and her people, only then will we accept them as one of the Great Imperial Clans of the Imperial Nation. Is that reasonable enough for all of you?"

The council nodded. Their Emperor's conditions were acceptable.

It was then Eiji raised one hand. "Chief...If I was the Hokage, there would be no way that I would let four clans of such power leave the village. Are you not worried that Konoha might try something funny?"

"I've already taken precautions in case the cripple or the hag decide to send out assassination squads on the refugees," Naruto replied. "You are aware that the Pekara Merchant House has branches in the East, particular in Wave, Spring and Water, right?"

"Yes."

"The refugees had met up with one of the caravans who are on the way to the coast where the bridge once stood. And you know as well as I do that most of the merchants are some of the best shinobi and samurai veterans who had the honor of fighting by our side."

Eiji nodded in understanding. "Since you are an unknown to Konoha and Fire Country, attacking the refugees while being escorted to the coast by our caravans not only would cause Konoha to lose face with the villages who are known to us, but it also gives us a valid reason to go to Konoha and put blade and jutsu to asses." He cackled. "Chief, you were always such a sneaky little shit. Glad to see you still have the touch."

"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment," Naruto replied, used to the older samurai's foul-mouthed tendencies. This, coming from the same guy that came up with a thoughtful, albeit crude description about his wife's demeanor: "The only thing bigger than her tits is her heart."

Of course, he said that within earshot of Kasumi and the other female members of the council, which earned him a one-way trip to the hospital. He would be in a body cast for the rest of the month.

"Is there anything else?" Hinata asked.

The council shook their heads in the negative.

Naruto nodded. "This meeting is adjourned."