Chapter 9

Three weeks had passed since the conclusion of the Akatsuki Invasion of Suna, in which the organization of S-class missing nin led by Obito Uchiha was destroyed, and the Konoha-Imperial Conflict, in which a group of high-ranking shinobi led by two of the Sannin, picked a fight with the Emperor and his wife, the Empress Consort, resulting in the deaths of sixteen ANBU Black Ops, the maiming of several high-ranking Jounin and the death of Kakashi Hatake.

Upon their return to the West, Naruto had taken Obito Uchiha to the sword, which was followed by Kurama incinerating his body. As a final indignity, Naruto had pissed on the ashes. In the month following that incident, Konoha's standing as the strongest of the Shinobi Villages in the East has plummeted. Suna had taken Konoha's spot as the strongest of the Shinobi Villages, with both Konoha and Iwa tied for No.2. With Konoha knocked down a peg, Naruto and Hinata initiated Imperial Protocol 110482.

Originally called Operation: Kill The Bakas as a joke between Naruto and Hinata, Imperial Protocol 110482 – also known as Operation: Scorched Leaf – was a series of plans developed by Naruto and Hinata which would in the end, lead to Konoha's destruction. Sending in his army would be too tedious for Naruto, which is why he came up with this plan. Once Naruto and Hinata became the rulers of the Empire, the plans were revised and revamped. Following their return to Kimon, Naruto and Hinata had put their plan into action.

A week after returning to Kimon, Naruto had sent out a series of scrolls detailing not only the failed Akatsuki Invasion of Suna and the confrontation between the Empire and the Konoha shinobi, but also details in regards to the Akatsuki, Obito Uchiha and Operation Moon Eye. The results were as Naruto and Hinata had expected, which had damaged Konoha even further, sowing mistrust in the Leaf. Of course, Tsunade and the Fire Lord denied the accusations, saying that what Naruto was doing was out of spite. But seeing as how they had favored a hero over a potential traitor, their denials fell on deaf ears.

In response to the Imperial Nation's actions, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the Fire Damiyo responded by revealing that the Western Empire had the Jinchuuriki in their possession, and that they had fought in the Suna-Akatsuki War, hoping to use the political pressure from the Damiyos and the other Kages to force Naruto into surrendering the Jinchuuriki back to their respective villages.

However, Tsunade was a day late and a ryo short. The Damiyos which had the major villages had already knew that Naruto and Hinata had long since retrieved the Jinchuuriki, and allowed him to do so in exchange for a promise of non-aggression on his end. Should the Kages raise a stink over the loss of the Jinchuuriki, then the Damiyos will pull them back in line.

This did not sit well with Tsunade and Jiraiya.

Konohagakure no Sato, Fire Country

Jiraiya walked into the office. The one-armed Sannin's expression was grim, and has been grim since the fateful mission into Suna. The stump on where his arm used to be served as a reminder of what Naruto had become.

Tsunade looked up from her paperwork. "Well? Did you hear anything?" she demanded.

"Bad news all around," replied Jiraiya. "From what my informants have told me, it appears that the brat is two steps ahead of us. The Damiyos have long known that Naruto had taken the Jinchuuriki. In fact, they allowed him to do so in exchange of a promise of non-aggression on his end."

"Which means that their respective Kages can't do anything," Tsunade seethed. "What about Naruto and Hinata's Bingo Book entries?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "They were voided out. The gaki and the Hyuuga have been recognized as rulers of a sovereign nation, which as you know, carries automatic diplomatic immunity. Honestly, I never expected Naruto be be this cunning. Whatever he thinks of, he knows how to counterattack." He looked at his stump of an arm before turning back to his former teammate.

"But we still have one final card left to play, Jiraiya," Tsunade said. "The Kage Summit."

"Think it will work?" Jiraiya asked.

"Konoha is no longer the strongest of the shinobi villages," Tsunade said. "Hatake is dead, Gai is a cripple, and both Sarutobi and Yamato are in rehab. Aside from the fact that we lost four clans and Orochimaru is launching hit-and-run attacks over the border, thinning out our numbers even further, now that he has not to worry about the Akatsuki."

"You know what they are calling Naruto now, seeing as how he was responsible for the destruction of the Akatsuki? They are calling him the 'Akatsuki Killer.'"

"I don't care what they call him," Tsunade snapped. "He is a threat to not only Konoha, but to all of Fire Country."

"I agree," Jiraiya said. "Right now, my informants are looking into the Pekara Merchant House branches in Wind, Wave, Tea and Spring. So far, all we got are trade routes. Nothing concrete. Where is the Kage Summit being held?"

"Iron Country," Tsunade replied. "General Mifune has agreed to play as host and mediator to the other Kages. The meeting is to take place three weeks from now. You will remain here as acting Kage in my stead while I take two bodyguards, as per the conditions set by Mifune."

"Who are you taking with you?" asked Jiraiya.

"Danzou has offered two of his private security corps to accompany me, but I seriously don't trust him. Kiba Inuzuka is still out on the inactive list, so I will take the Inuzuka Matriarch and Sakura Haruno, as she was the least wounded shinobi out of the bunch. That brat has been lucky for a while now. But this time, his luck will run out once I turn the other kages against him."

"And the Jinchuuriki under his control?"

Tsunade huffed. "The tailed beasts were given to the other shinobi villages by my grandfather in order to keep the peace once they were tamed. By extension, the Jinchuuriki are the property of the Senju clan, which means that they belong to me. That brat will have no other option but to surrender the Jinchuuriki over to me, or else he will suffer the consequences."

Jiraiya sighed. "If this was the same brat that was a genin, then yeah, Naruto would not be a match for us. Now...he is an unknown, Tsunade. He is no longer the same brat that Sensei wanted to be Konoha's weapon. Because he is an unknown, that makes him even more dangerous." He gestured to his stump. "Look what he did to me. Look what he did to Asuma, Gai and Yamato. Hatake is dead, and he was one of our strongest shinobi. He could have killed us back in Suna, but chose not to, and it was not because that this was his former home."

"Are you saying that he spared all of us for a specific reason?" Tsunade asked.

"It looks that way," the one-armed Sage replied. "Maybe he wants us to suffer, or maybe he wants to destroy us himself. The kid was known to be unpredictable. He made the impossible possible. He beaten the Inuzuka heir and the Hyuuga prodigy in the Chuunin Exams. Hell, from what Sasuke had told me, he unlocked the power of the Rinnegan during their first battle at the Valley. The fact that he can fight without relying on it as a crutch makes him even more dangerous than Itachi, Obito and Sasuke combined."

Jiraiya remembered Naruto's words that day in Suna after he and Hinata (and Zabuza) had came out on top following their confrontation.

'You call this hatred. I call it retribution. You say this is vengeance? This is justice. But this is only the beginning, you hag. This is the beginning of the end for the Leaf. Go back to Konoha and tell them that the dead last has returned. Tell them that as the Yellow Flash brought Konoha's rise to power, the Emperor of the Six Paths will bring about its reckoning.'

"You think he could reach out to Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked.

Jiraiya shook his head. "I don't think so. I think it's safe to say that he is no more of a fan of that snake than the both of us. In the meantime, I'm heading for the Fire Capital to update the Fire Damiyo on the situation. Afterward, I'm going to check on some of my contacts in Tanzuka."

Tsunade nodded and dismissed Jiraiya.

Imperial Complex, Palace Gardens.

Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze watched with a smile as Hinata and Tenten exchanged gossip whilst sitting in the shade of the sakura trees. Hizashi and Minato were in their respective laps, while Hiashi and Neji fussed over the two children.

"He looks just like you," Mifune said, standing at the Emperor's side. "Fatherhood suits you."

"I'm glad you think so, General," the Emperor replied. His expression had gotten serious as he turned to the old samurai. "In spite of everything, this was not a social call. There is a reason why you decided to come to Kimon rather than contact my informants and spies in the East."

Several days earlier, General Mifune and a group of bodyguards had visited Kimon. Sonshi had received his longtime rival warmly, even going as far as to holding a feast in his rival's honor at his estate. On Friday, the day of the local tournaments, Sonshi and Mifune had fought in The Arena. Naruto, Hinata and the Imperial Council were among those in attendance. The battle had ended in a draw, but had left the old men in good spirits.

This was Naruto's second encounter with the Iron Country chief. The first time he had met Mifune was through Eiji Kibagami, when Mifune visited Kimon the first time to sign a trade agreement, which allowed the Empire to establish a Pekara Outpost in Iron Country in exchange for reduced prices for their goods.

The second time Mifune had came to the Imperial Complex, he had some information for the Emperor and Empress Consort. Information regarding Konoha.

"Once again, your intuition proves to be correct," Mifune confirmed. "Your actions in Suna towards your former village has caught the eye of the other villages. The Godaime Hokage has called for a summit of the Kages. I have been asked to host it, not to mention playing the role of mediator."

"And you agreed to do so."

"Yes. And it just so happens that the summit falls exactly on the same day as you and your wife are due for your annual inspection of the Pekara Merchant Branch in Iron Country, which is one month from now."

Naruto nodded in understanding. "Are you suggesting that I crash the summit General?"

The old man smirked. "Unofficially, yes. Officially...you know the rules."

"Interesting," Naruto said. "You said that only two bodyguards can come with me?"

Mifune nodded.

"Looks like you can expect my wife and I to the summit, General," Naruto said. "Thanks for the information."

Inside the Imperial Palace, later...

"So what did Mifune wanted to talk with you about?" Hinata asked as she put Minato to bed for the night. Their one-year-old son had so much energy. And now, he was tucked out. Minato let out a cute little yawn before settling in for the night.

Naruto watched as Hinata tended to their son. "Mifune dropped some interesting news in regards to the East," he replied. "The old hag has called for a Kage Summit."

"Senju plans on trying to get the Kages on her side," Hinata said. "Maybe even try and put pressure on us since they know we have the Jinchuuriki here."

"I was thinking the same thing," Naruto said. "I knew there was a reason why I married you."

Hinata turned to her husband and smiled. "Without me, you would get into trouble and be very miserable. So what do you plan on doing?" she asked. The look on Naruto's face said it all. "You're going to crash the summit, aren't you?"

"Yup."

Hinata pouted. "I see that you are not going to change your mind. Well, since you're going, I might as well come along. There is this cheongsam that I want to wear for the occasion. What were the conditions that Mifune had set?"

"Two bodyguards can come along. So I will bring Mochizuki and Sana."

Hinata nodded. "Naruto. Back in Suna when we confronted Tsunade and the others...why didn't you kill Sasuke? Why did you spare his life instead? I know he shoved a Chidori into your chest during the retrieval mission, but why not just kill him and be done with it?"

"I think Yugito's training has rubbed off on you," Naruto mused as he walked over to the nightstand drawer. "You should have been a Hellcat instead of a medic-nin." Unlocking the seals which kept the drawer locked, he opened it and pulled out two black books; one containing the insignia of the Leaf, the other containing the insignia of Danzou's ROOT ANBU.

Naruto began to explain. "The first time I returned to the Leaf, I assassinated Honmura and Koharu. I got the first book from Danzou detailing his crimes he had done in the name of the Leaf. The second book, I stole from the Hokage's office when I snuck back in to retrieve my parents' ashes...after spiking her sake with laxatives. Blowing up the Hokage Monument was a bonus."

Hinata began to leaf through the pages of the Hokage Black Book. "And when were you going to tell me about this?" she asked.

"I did tell you, remember? Sarutobi and those two idiot students of his have plenty of secrets."

"Oh." Hinata continued to flip through the pages. Then she stopped. "Son of a bitch."

Naruto knew that tone in her voice in an instant. If Hinata spoke in a tone that showed she was pissed, violence and in the most extreme cases, death would most likely ensue.

Hinata looked angry, and she had a very good reason why. "Sarutobi, Jiraiya and those two relics had a hand in my attempted kidnapping."

"The incident with Kumo?"

Hinata nodded. "Sarutobi tried to sell me out."

What Hinata was speaking of was the incident known as the Hyuuga Affair. Hinata had nearly been kidnapped by the Kumo ambassador, had it not been for her father, who had killed the kidnapper. Kumo had threatened war in retaliation, unless Konoha surrendered the Hyuuga clan head. Hizashi had went in Hiashi's place, as the Caged Bird Seal would rob Kumo of learning of the Bykaugan, and because he was Hiashi's twin brother so Kumo did not know the difference.

"Well it's a good thing that he died while fighting Orochimaru, didn't he?" Naruto said as he looked through Danzou's black book.

"You still haven't answered my question about Sasuke," Hinata said.

"Turn to page 49."

Hinata did as she was asked. "Operation: Downfall."

"The Uchiha was planning a coup d'etat," Naruto said as Hinata had read the blackout orders. "Sarutobi, Danzou, those two old bastards and Jiraiya had ordered Itachi to butcher the entire clan, save for Sasuke. What they don't know is that Obito had helped in the slaughter. The reason why Sasuke is still alive is simple, Hime. Konoha's destruction will not come from us."

"It's going to come from Sasuke," Hinata finished.

"By having Konoha and Fire Country focus their attention on me, they will not suspect the Uchiha of stabbing them in the back. Konoha knows that the Imperial Nation is a threat to them. Danzou tried to assassinate us, and failed. Tsunade lost face when she attacked us in Suna. Orochimaru will do his part in keeping pressure on Konoha. More than likely, he knows about the both of us, but since we hate Konoha as much as he does, he won't do anything that would cause us to turn our attention to him."

Naruto sat down beside Hinata. "Even back when we were under Hatake, Sasuke sees himself as an Elite because of his clan name and because of his Sharingan. What he values is power and influence. If Konoha does not give him what he wants, or if it appears to be weak, he will go elsewhere for the power that he thinks he so rightfully deserves. And seeing as how I, the former dead-last of the cell, is clearly stronger than he is, that is something that will eat at him."

"Which is why he tried to go to Orochimaru the first time," Hinata said. When Naruto nodded, Hinata continued. "And if he tries to defect to Orochimaru a second time..."

Naruto grinned. "This time, he would most likely succeed. All Sasuke needs is a push in the 'right direction.' Which is where these two black books come in. But I don't plan on driving him to the snake just yet. That won't happen until after the Imperial Kumite in two months' time. I will pit Sasuke against one of the Four Devas, preferably against Rasu. Once Sasuke finds out that he is not as powerful as he fancies himself to be..." Naruto gestured to the two books. "...he will find out the truth once I plant these inside his home. That Konoha has been using him as they once tried with me. He will run to Orochimaru."

"Only this time, there will be no retrieval team to stop him, as Orochimaru won't make the same mistake twice," Hinata said. "Sasuke will flee to Orochimaru and seeing as how Konoha was responsible for the destruction of his clan, he will bring down hell upon the Leaf." She chuckled dryly.

"And we will watch the festivities from a safe distance," Naruto said. "All we need is the popcorn. And regardless of how the battle will play out - be it Konoha ekes out a victory or the Snake destroys Konoha - we move in and finish the Leaf off once and for all."

"What about the Sannin?"

"Had they honored my parents' final wishes instead of betraying me, then this would not have gone as far as it had did," her husband replied. "Their time is over and they don't realize it."

Elsewhere in the East, the aforementioned Sannin and Sasuke Uchiha sneezed. At the same time, the ominous feeling of dread had crept up their spines, as if the Death God himself had sealed their fates.

Iron Country.

Iron Country was the only country in the Elemental Countries which had highly-trained samurai instead of shinobi. The samurai there were descended from samurai who had emigrated from the war-torn West in search of a more peaceful life. The other shinobi villages had left it alone, as the samurai were not only tough, but Iron Country had a long-standing policy in not to interfere in the other country's affairs.

Given its neutrality, the country was a perfect choice to host the Kage Summit.

The location of the Summit was held inside the Iron Capital, with General Mifune playing as host and mediator. As expected, the major players in the Elemental Countries were present for the meeting.

From Mist: Godaime Mizukage Mei Terumi and her bodyguards, Ao and Chojuro.

From Iwa: Sandaime Tsuchikage Onoki of Both Scales and his bodyguards, his granddaughter Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi.

From Konoha: Godaime Hokage Tsunade Senju and her bodyguards, Tzume Inuzuka and Sakura Haruno.

From Kumo: Godaime Raikage (i.e., puppet ruler) Ohatsu Katsuragi and her bodyguards, which happened to be Oto shinobi disguised as Kumo jounin.

From Suna: Godaime Kazekage Gaara of the Sands and his bodyguards (and siblings) Temari and Kankuro.

Also present, was the Emperor and Empress Consort of the Imperial Nation.

Pekara Merchant House - Iron Country Branch.

The Pekara Merchant House's Iron Branch was a walled compound located several blocks away from where the Kage Summit meeting was being held. Eiji Kibagami was instrumental in getting a trading alliance with Iron Country, as he had relatives living there.

Inside one of the offices within the compound, Naruto and Hinata Namikaze were finishing up their preparations. As this was a formal affair, Naruto and Hinata were dressed for the occasion. As Naruto had long since stopped wearing orange, his attire was mostly black, having embraced the Western style of clothing: vest, pants and boots. The tight-collared shirt was white. His longcoat hung on a rack, as did the black Kage-style hat.

Hinata was also finishing her own preparations. She was dressed in a red cheongsam dress with a black lotus pattern, which showed off her curvaceous figure. A red rose was tucked inside her hair. She wore no makeup, which enhanced her beauty.

The couple, along with their Elite Guard, had arrived in Iron Country via the Demon's Gate hours before the Kages were due to arrive, as there was no place for the Imperial Nation's airship to land. Following the inspection of the Pekara Compound, Naruto and Hinata made their preparations to crash the Kage Summit.

Hinata turned to her husband, who had just slipped on his longcoat. "Ready?"

Naruto nodded as he placed the Kage-style hat on his head. "Ready."

The Kage Summit.

A massive council chamber, consisting of a round table in the center of the room. Iron Samurai guarded the room, making sure that everything remained civil between the five kages and their respective bodyguards.

From Mifune's left, going clockwise, sat Godaime Mizukage Terumi, Godaime Hokage Senju, Sandaime Tsuchikage Onoki, Godaime Kazakage Gaara of the Sand, and last, Godaime Raikage Katsuragi. Flanking them were their respective bodyguards. There was a space that was directly opposite of Tsunade which was empty.

"For those of you who do not know who I am," Mifune began, "I am Mifune, Leader of Iron Country, and General of the Samurai forces here. On behalf of the people of Iron Country, I welcome you to my home. I will be acting as mediator for this meeting of the kages." He turned to Tsunade. "Godaime Hokage, you have the floor."

"Thank you, General," Tsunade said. Clearing her throat, she began to speak. "Fellow Kages...the threat of the Akatsuki has passed with its destruction. But there is a new threat on the rise. A threat that can not only destabilize the fragile balance of the Elemental Countries, but can destroy them."

Gaara's eyes narrowed, as did Mei's. They knew exactly what the Godaime was speaking of.

"I am talking about the Unified Western Empire and its so-called leaders, Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuuga," Tsunade finished. "From what Jiraiya has told me following his visit to the West, the Imperial Nation's military might is far more stronger than the those of our villages combined. What the East has seen with the destruction of the Akatsuki was nothing but a sample of what Uzumaki can muster."

"I disagree with your claims, Lady Hokage," Gaara said, coming to the defense of his friend. "Emperor Namikaze is not a threat to anyone of us here. Your opinion of him has been biased ever since the day he was born. Your actions in banishing him following the Retrieval Mission of the Uchiha has shown that."

"Indeed," Onoki said, knowing full well that the Emperor was the son of the infamous Yellow Flash, as well as of the circumstances surrounding Uzumaki's banishment. "Despite the Stone's issues with the Yellow Flash, it makes no sense in banishing a genin when he was successful in completing his mission, while giving a pardon to the genin who attempted to defect to a potential traitor. Had this taken place in Iwa, the Uchiha runt would have been executed, Sharingan be damned."

"Second, had Uzumaki had any ill will towards any of us," Mei continued, "then he would have invaded the East a long time ago. I agree with my Suna counterpart. Your opinion of him is flawed. His exploits in the East are of public knowledge. It was through him that the Leaf gained its many alliances. Ironic as it by the Uchiha that they were taken away."

Tsunade gritted her teeth as she balled her hands into fists. That part was true.

"In any event," Katsuragi, "from what I have observed, Uzumaki is not a threat to any of us. We all have heard of the reports coming from Suna. Yourself, Jiraiya, and several high-ranking shinobi confronted and fought the Emperor and Empress in the village streets."

Onoki cackled. "Oh, I would give anything to have been there. The look on your faces when the gaki that you, Jiraiya and all of Konoha had written off as worthless must have been priceless. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, the dead last, now discovered to be the Emperor of the West. Add the fact that both he and his wife had humbled you and your shinobi are a bonus."

"'Humbled?'" Tsunade repeated, rising from her seat. "'Humbled?!' Sixteen of my ANBU are dead! Kakashi Hatake, the last of the Yondaime's students, is dead! Jiraiya, my teammate, lost his arm at his hands! One of my shinobi had his back broken in such a way that not even I could fix it! And there are the wounded!"

"You want to pick a fight with me, Senju?" Onoki taunted, hopping to his feet. "You really shouldn't. Konoha is not looking very good now. You're no longer the strongest of the villages. Not after your actions in Suna, which had left a black eye upon the Leaf."

Mifune cleared his throat, getting the attention of the two kages. His silent glare told them to stand down, of which the Sandaime and the Godaime did. Behind Onoki, Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi grinned.

"Personally, I would rather fight that brat who calls himself 'Emperor' instead of you," Tsunade said. "He is nothing without that title, or the Rinnegan. I underestimated him the last time. It will not happen again."

"You really should be careful what you wish for, Godaime Hokage," a voice said from the door, causing everyone to turn to the now-open doors. "It may just backfire on you in the most extreme way."

Stepping into the room, longcoat fluttering behind him, was the Emperor and Empress of the Imperial Nation. Behind them, were two of their bodyguards - a woman who was dressed similar to Tsunade with tattoos and a Seiseibushi-level onna-bugeisha identified by her khaki flak vest as a member of the Hellcats.

Mifune rose from his chair. "Emperor Namikaze. Empress Namikaze. You honor my home with your presence. May I ask what you and your wife are doing here?" he asked, already knowing the answer to the question.

"Hinata and I are here on the tail end of my inspection tour of the Pekara Merchant Houses in the East," Naruto explained smoothly. "As per to Imperial tradition, we have come to pay our respects to the current ruler of the country." He looked around the room, studying the five Kages and their bodyguards. "It appears that my wife and I have come at an unexpected time."

"Quite the contrary," Mifune said. "The topic was about the both of you and the Western Empire."

"Yes, Emperor," Tsunade said, pronouncing Naruto's title with sarcasm. "We have some questions we would like answered."

Naruto looked at his wife, who nodded. "Of course," he said. "There's nothing wrong with a small chat. Very good for the soul."

Two more chairs were brought in and placed beside the Godaime Raikage. Naruto and Hinata walked over and took their seats, Benisato and Sana standing behind the Emperor and Empress. Naruto removed his hat and placed it on the table, as with the other kages. Tsunade was doing her very best not to try and knock his head off, but she managed to keep her composure.

"For those of you who don't know who I am, or to those who are meeting me for the first time," Naruto began, "I am Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, former genin of Konohagakure no Sato, now the First Sovereign Emperor of the Unified Western Empire."

"And I am his wife," Hinata continued. "Empress Consort Hinata Hyuuga Namikaze."

"So...it's true what the Godaime Hokage says about you, isn't it?" Onoki asked. "You are the son of Minato Namikaze?"

"I am," Naruto replied. "I am the legitimate heir of Minato Namikaze and his wife, Kushina Uzumaki Namikaze." He gestured to the two women behind him. "The women accompanying us are part of our Elite Guard. Major Benisato Mochizuki and Sana Sonshi. What you may have heard about the Western Empire is more than likely true. Yes, I was banished by the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato on trumped-up charges solely because I am the Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox. Hinata came with me at her father's behest, in order to avoid being branded with the Caged Bird Seal."

Naruto could not reveal his trump card just yet, saying that he was the former Jinchuuriki of Kurama. Not yet. For five minutes, Naruto and Hinata had told the meeting of the Kages of his trials and tribulations in the West. First, he had killed Rokubungi Oda, said to be the strongest of the warlords. He told them of the two years he had spent as a warlord, unifying the continent, and Hinata laying the foundation of what would be the Imperial medic program, which trained shinobi and samurai. He told them that following the Unification Wars, he and Hinata were the undisputed rulers of the West.

"That's it," Naruto finished. "Hinata and I came from nothing. We clawed our way to the top of the mountain. The people recognize the both of us as the Emperor and Empress of the West."

CLAP. CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.

Everyone turned to Tsunade. She was clapping sarcastically, while Tsume and Sakura had amused looks on their faces. "Bravo. You can spin a wonderful story, brat. I think Jiraiya could use that in his next book."

Naruto leaned back in his seat and chuckled. "You of all people know that I never lie about my skills, hag. It just burns at you, doesn't it? To see Sarutobi's plans into conditioning me into being Konoha's perfect weapon backfire? That when you could not control me, you banished me and sent the ANBU after me? How does it feel, knowing that Sarutobi is turning over in his grave at seeing his plans unfulfilled?"

"Be careful, Uzumaki," Tsunade warned, rising from her seat. "I can just as easily crush you like a bug."

"You tried, remember?" Naruto replied. "And what was the end result? Oh, that's right." He ticked off on his fingers. "Sixteen ANBU dead. Three maimed Jounin. One Sannin missing an arm. And Kakashi Hatake dead. And that was me and Hinata without trying. I am not the same gaki you once knew, Tsunade. You and all of Konoha should do well to remember that. The Akatsuki found out the hard way. You should be thanking me, Senju for eliminating the Akatsuki. Wiping them out was probably the most important event in the history of the Elemental Countries."

"And what is for you?" Onoki asked.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Tuesday."

Onoki chuckled. "I like this kid. Granted that his father was the Yellow Flash, the kid got spirit. And Iwa respects strength and honor. That, and the Western herbal tea your merchants sell has done wonders for my bad back."

"We are getting off subject here," Tsunade said. "There is still the matter of the Jinchuuriki." She leveled her gaze upon Naruto. "Do you not deny that you have all of the Jinchuuriki in your possession?"

"No. I will not deny it," Naruto said. "With the exception of General Nii and the Godaime Kazekage, I admit that I retrieved the Jinchuuriki from here, and offered them asylum within the Empire." Before Tsunade could say anything, Naruto continued. "I did this with the blessings and consent of the Damiyos of Earth, Lightning and Water, in exchange for a pledge of non-aggression on my end, and with me promising never to unleash the power of the Jinchuuriki upon their countries and villages. By taking the Jinchuuriki out of the picture, the playing field of the Elemental Countries has been reset."

"And yet, you used them in the war against the Akatsuki," Sakura pointed out. "You are a liar and a hypocrite."

Naruto snapped his gaze upon his former teammate. "I'm sorry, was I talking to you? Until I address you, Haruno, shut that hole between your nose and chin and reattach your lips to Senju's ass." Turning back to the assembled Kages, he addressed them, ignoring that Tsume was holding Sakura back. "Yes, I had the Jinchuuriki fight in the war with the Akatsuki, but I honored my promise not to unleash them upon the villages or the Elemental Countries. I asked them if they wanted some payback towards the Akatsuki and they agreed to come along."

"The damiyos may have agreed to your requests about the Jinchuuriki, but the Fire Damiyo didn't. And neither did I," Tsunade said. "The tailed beasts - and by extension the Jinchuuriki - are the property of the Senju clan. My grandfather gave the bijuu to the other shinobi villages. As the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, you will hand over the bijuu to me! And since you hold the strongest of the bijuu, I demand that you abdicate your throne and hand yourself over to face the justice of the Leaf!"

"Let me think about that...ah...um...no," Naruto replied.

"You dare refuse me?!" Tsunade snarled. "A Senju, and descendant of the Six Paths?!"

"I do. You seem to forget your history. The Uzumaki are the direct descendants of the Six Paths Sage, the original Jinchuuriki to the Ten-Tails. He split the power of the bijuu into nine beasts. You claim that just because of your family name, that the Jinchuuriki and by extension, Gaara and myself, are the property of the Leaf. In any case, the bijuu are not your property. The Jinchuuriki are under my protection. The Senju and the Uchiha are not blood relatives to the Six Paths. He adopted them and trained them, but they are not of his blood."

Onoki, Mei, Mifune and Katsuragi watched this soap opera play out between the Emperor and the Godaime Hokage.

"I don't care what you think! The Jinchuuriki are the property of the Senju clan! This is not open for discussion! You will hand them over to me now!"

Naruto's next question caught Tsunade off guard. "Did you see my mother the same way?"

"Wh-What?" Tsunade stuttered,

"It's a simple question. You of all people know that my mother was the Jinchuuriki to the Fox, as was your grandmother was before her," Naruto continued. "You blamed me for her death, when it was clear that it was Obito Uchiha who was responsible. Did you see my mother - your niece - as property to the Senju, despite her status? Answer the question, Senju."

"I...I don't have to answer that," Tsunade shot back.

"Of course you do," Naruto replied, his voice ice cold. "Since as you claim that the Jinchuuriki are the property of the Senju - of which I, too am a member of since Mito Uzumaki is a member of the Uzumaki clan - did you see my mother as property of the Leaf, despite her being the Damiyo of Whirlpool, as well as your niece? Answer me, Senju."

The tension in the room was thick. The other four kages watched as the standoff between the Godaime Hokage and the Emperor of the West stared the other down.

"I see the answer in your eyes, Senju. Despite the fact that my mother was the ruler of Whirlpool...despite the fact you saw her as the daughter you never had...you did see her as property," Naruto said.

"So what if I did?" Tsunade snarled. "Kushina was like a daughter to me, yes, I admit. But she held the power of the Kyuubi! A power that belonged to the Leaf! To my clan! Not yours!"

"Temper, temper, Senju," Naruto childed. "You really shouldn't get your blood pressure up at your age. But if you continue down this road, thinking that Konoha is still the strongest of the shinobi villages when it is not, seeing as how four of its clans and over two hundred jounin are under my protection, you are sadly mistaken. The only reason why I haven't decided to wipe the Leaf from the map is because seeing you and the village suffer because of your actions amuse me. But make no mistake, Senju. You, nor Konoha, nor the Fire Damiyo are in no position to make demands of myself or of the Imperial Nation."

He slowly rose from his chair, directing his killer intent at Tsunade and her bodyguards, his eyes shimmering into the Rinnegan, his voice becoming ice cold. "If you wish to go to war...I'll be more than happy to oblige you. You are already on thin ice with me for betraying not only my parents, but also the Uzumaki Clan. If you declare war on the Empire out of some misguided attempt at revenge, Gaara's Desert Burial will look merciful compared to what the Imperial Nation can do. You go to war with me, I guarantee that Konohagakure will be nothing more than a memory. The Leaf will be nothing more but a rumor. It will have never...existed."

'Yow. Scary,' Gaara thought.

Even Shukaku agreed with his tenant. "This one agrees."

'Note to self: Do not piss the Emperor off,' Onoki and Kurotsuchi both thought at the same time. Onoki was glad that he had let the old hatred of the Yondaime die. It was known that his son was the leader of the West, and that he hated Konoha with a passion. So long as the West honored the non-aggression pact, then Iwa had no problem with the Empire.

'Lord Orochimaru will have to be notified of this,' Katsuragi thought.

'Impressive, Namikaze,' Mei thought.

His threat made clear, Naruto's eyes went back to normal. Retrieving his hat, he placed it on his head as Hinata stood up. Turning to Mifune, he said, "General Mifune, on behalf of the Unified West, we thank you for your hospitality."

Mifune nodded. Giving one more glare to Tsunade and her bodyguards, the Imperial group strode to the door, but stopped.

"Oh. I almost forgot," Naruto said, turning around. He turned to Sana, and nodded. Sana produced six scrolls and tossed them to each of the kages, who caught them.

"What's this?" Onoki asked, not daring to open the scroll.

"In two months, the Unification Festival will take place," Naruto explained. "The highlight of the festival is the Imperial Kumite, which is held in South Ichiyama. What you hold in your hands is an invitation to the tournament. No kage can participate. Bring four of your strongest shinobi and samurai to compete. The winner of the tournament will earn 20 million ryo for their respective village and the title of champion. That invite you hold in you hands also promises safe conduct through the Imperial Nation."

"I'll be there," Tsunade said. "Just to see the look on your face when we show that the Will of Fire is strong enough to crush any and all challengers. Including your own fighters."

"The 'Will of Fire...'" Naruto repeated. "Konoha's Will of Fire no longer burns. It has been extinguished by your hypocrisy, your fear, your bigotry, and your hatred. Tell me something, Senju...did the Leaf ever gained back any of those alliances that I earned for them during my time as a genin?"

Tsunade's response was to glare at Naruto.

"Didn't think so," Naruto said, looking smug. "Half of the people in the East don't trust you, or Konoha, and for good reason. It would be bad for business to hire a village known for rewarding potential traitors and punishing heroes. Hopefully, I will see you all in South Ichiyama."

The other Kages nodded and the Imperial group walked out of the meeting chambers. Naruto's smug grin never leaving his face.

Konoha's downfall has begun.