(Two Days Later)
Naori watched her nephew mount atop his monstrous fox as his remaining companions arrived in the courtyard. She could see it in his eyes, the thirst for battle with the only difference between him and Madara being the fact that while the elder brother enjoyed killing, the younger one only liked to test his limits against worthy foes.
But what made her young nephew more dangerous than anyone, even Madara, was the fact that Naruto didn't fear death.
He welcomed it.
For it would free him from the hell that was his life and that gave him the power over most people for he didn't want money, power, or glory. He just wanted to redeem his disgraced name, no matter how impossible it was.
When he approached her, he again stepped down to the ground allowing her to kiss his forehead and cheeks.
"Be victorious" she whispered, unable to hide her worry for she loved this boy as if he were her own. That fact had became crystal clear the day his life had changed forever.
His words all those years ago of her abandoning him during his early childhood had made her feel more guilty than all the lives she had taken.
For she could have chosen to love a motherless child.
And instead she chose to serve the clan believing he would never remember her.
But now she couldn't help but think how things could have changed if she had been there for him. Would his life have turned out the same way? Would he still be a pawn for their clan, for Tajima's ambition?
"It's bad to bid someone farewell with tears before they leave for battle" he admonished with that ever present arrogant smile,
She didn't reply and embraced him fiercely as tears slipped from her eyes. He was taller and more stronger than her now, and yet she wished to see him safe and happy from all those who wished to harm him.
"Just be safe and if things get too risky, come back" she whispered worriedly, and felt him stiffen in her embrace.
"We need this Alliance, Naori" he said seriously,
"Not if it means losing you or worse"
He couldn't help but smile and kiss her forehead, for this beautiful woman had looked after him more than his own father ever had. There were very few for whom he had any feelings, she was one of them.
"I won't die. Not until I kill Tobirama Senju" said Naruto furiously, his hatred for the second Senju heir seeping into his voice which made her clutch him more fiercely.
"Promise me you won't engage the Senjus. Killing Tobirama will not heal your pain..." suggested Naori, but he shook his head.
"He took away the one I loved most in this world. And I will take away all he holds dear before ending his miserable life and only then will I join my brothers" he whispered hatefully,
"You still have one brother in this world, Naruto. And he loves you more than anything"
Her words made him falter as he remembered the sibling who had defied everyone for him. One who would not hesitate to burn the entire world for him.
"Madara has Father. And I have to avenge Izuna..." he said stubbornly, making her break the hug and stare at him furiously.
"And what about me?"
Again, this woman made him feel more guilty than anyone else ever had. He looked away for he was not able to meet her piercing gaze that held so much anger but love for him at the same time.
"You should have been my mother"
Her heart warmed and broke at the same time hearing him say that. For hidden in those words was all he felt for her and the place she had in his heart.
"Then promise me..." she insisted fiercely,
"Naori..." he sighed, but she grabbed his chin forcefully making him look back in her eyes.
"Promise me..."
His defiant stare fought against her fierce gaze but she didn't break nor flinch which made him finally sigh in defeat.
"Very well. I will not engage the Senjus and only focus on the mission. I promise"
He smiled when pure relief washed across her face and her eyes lost some of the unbearable tension she had ever since his decision to take this mission. While she had insisted for him to take more men than just his Kinsguard, but he had refused for there was no need.
And he liked to work with people he trusted.
"Come back to me unharmed and victorious, then I shall give you a gift" she promised with a smile,
He smirked in return even as he moved to mount his beastly fox who simply stepped aside making the heavily armored Naruto fall flat on his face in the ground.
Naori and the rest of the Kinsguard laughed heartily even as Naruto glared daggers at the beast who stared back at him unapologetically.
It was with this happy memory that she watched him depart and made a silent prayer for his safety.
(Nightfall)
The group of six Uchiha's and one giant fox finally stopped their fast journey when they reached the borders of their clan territory. A few miles ahead began the borders of their most hated and dangerous enemy, The Senju.
Every member of the squad could feel the unspoken tension in the air as they saw Naruto's harsh stare fixated on the Senju borders. The hatred ever present in his eyes as his heart yearned for the one thing he had always wanted.
A chance to avenge his beloved brother.
It was a strange paradox for Kurama to witness, for the same boy had remained loyal and devoted to the Uchiha Clan even after all that was done to him. His love for his family exceeding the disgrace laid down upon him.
And yet at the same time his hatred for one Senju knew no bounds, and Kurama didn't doubt for a single second of the unspoken horrors Naruto was capable of inflicting just for a single chance of revenge.
He was an Uchiha and at the end of the day nothing would change that.
But the beast was relieved when the boy gave a resigned sigh before averting his gaze from the enemy borders and turning back towards his squad. If there was one thing true about the boy was the fact that he kept his promises, no matter what happened.
And that Naori woman had used that for his own good.
"We shall make camp here and move forth at midnight" commanded the Kinslayer, earning nods from his squadmates until Itachi presented one problem of their plan.
"While we can move swiftly in the darkness, it still leaves us open for detection. The Senju Clan is known for their hidden traps and sensor patrols. Any mistake and we will be surrounded before we can even blink" warned Itachi,
"That is a risk we must take. I guess it's better we are just a squad then, and not a small company as Naori-sama was suggesting" said Kagami honestly, but Takeshi shook his head in protest.
"There is strength in numbers. We could have used that extra help if not to confront the Senju in case of trouble, then atleast against the Yamanka Clan who will have a sizeable chunk of their fighters defending their homeland" said Takeshi with a frown,
Before anyone else could offer any more suggestions, Naruto's amused laughter again gathered the attention of the group.
"You gone senile, Golden Boy?" asked Mikoto slyly as she stared at his golden armor.
Chuckles and jeers erupted at her remark as Naruto blushed and glared at her, even Kurama snorted at the nickname this woman always had for his friend.
"Shut it, Miku-baka" he retorted sharply, resulting into Mikoto's eyebrows twitching violently as her twin brother laughed boisterously.
"Seriously, you guys. We're on a mission, you know" whispered Itachi in his usual broody tone,
After another few minutes of childless bickering, Naruto finally managed to gain control and looked at all his squadmates including the lazy fox pretending to sleep in a nearby corner.
"Do you trust me?" he asked seriously, his face losing all the joviality.
"Do we have a choice?" retorted Takeshi with an eye roll, and grunted in pain when two hard bops connected on his head courtesy of Mikoto and Kagami.
"We do, Lord Commander" assured Itachi with a feint smirk, making Naruto groan at the stupid nickname earning another round of smirks and chuckles from his group of crazy friends.
"Then I'll reveal our next action when the time is right" replied Naruto cryptically,
Surprisingly, Kurama saw all the squad members nod in agreement as they warily glanced at their surroundings clearly understanding Naruto's hidden message.
Be on guard.
The Biju couldn't help but agree with his friend's decision to stay silent for even if they were still in friendly territory, there was still a chance of enemies lurking nearby. And it would be utter folly if their mission plan was explained out here in the open.
The same had been the case when they had been preparing at their base for there were many people there whom Naruto didn't trust, even if they were Uchiha. And the Kinslayer still didn't trust Sakumo, so he had refrained from explaining his strategy of rescuing the Hatake clan head's daughter from the Yamanaka.
And it was a testament to the loyalty and trust the Kinsguard had in their leader that made them accept such a risky mission, and still go on forward without knowing their battle plan.
They were risking their lives for Naruto Uchiha.
And Kurama saw the determination in his friend's eyes to keep his loyal comrades safe.
"We have roughly six hours, so we'll rest in shifts. I'll take the first one with Kagami, the rest two can be decided by you guys" advised Naruto, earning another round of affirmative nods from the squad.
(Few Hours Later)
The sound of lips smashing softly echoed near the shores of the silent Naka river as two Uchiha's engaged in a messy tangle of limbs were lost in one another's company.
That was the case until one of them stopped earning a sharp glare from the other.
Naruto had the grace to feel guilty and apologetically stare at the beautiful woman currently lying beneath him. Although her next words rendered him speechless.
"Are you into boys?"
Mikoto smirked when he spluttered for a simple reply with his cheeks flushing red in embarrassment. She sighed and entangled herself out of his embrace much to his disappointment, but a swift glare from her made him raise his hands up in surrender.
She watched him remain silent and stare wistfully at the Naka river that flowed silently in front of them.
"Why do you hesitate to go further, Naruto?" she asked gently, touching his arm with her hand offering her support.
"Because I can't. I am forbidden, and I'll spoil your future if we go further" he answered honestly, which made her grasp his arm roughly.
"It doesn't matter" she said defiantly, edging closer and laying down lingering kisses on his cheeks and neck which made him sigh in pleasure.
"It matters to me" he whispered, but didn't stop her either.
Mikoto finally stopped her actions and looked in his eyes that had always held a never ending sea of pain and suffering.
"You know what they all call me: Kinslayer, Traitor...they all despise me. I don't want that for you because it will happen if we go any further, not to forget the trouble it will land my father and elder brother in" he explained hesitantly, which made her sigh but she grabbed his cheeks gently.
"I was the daughter of a servant, you know. Destined to be a whore until the Fuma Clan attacked our Castle forcing me and my brother to defend ourselves. The guards rushed to protect the important nobles and heirs of lesser Uchiha families leaving us all alone. We fought as best as we could, even killing four fighters who underestimated us. But we knew we would die there, until you came along" she whispered lovingly,
He listened to her words and was mesmerized by the sheer happiness and pride that was present in her eyes.
"Even if we were Uchiha, nobody bothered to protect the servants and whores. You and the lazy fox were the only ones that came out to defend us. I remember being mesmerized watching your golden armor, your handsome face, your swift dance with your sword and the beastly slaughter by the fox. It was a massacre, but to me it was one of the most beautiful things in the world" explained Mikoto fondly,
He couldn't help but smile, the pain in his heart being forgotten for atleast he was able to give this girl something to be happy about. Even if it was just his duty that demanded it.
"You were always kind and courteous to us servants even if most looked down upon you. I and my brother were not much different, but when the battle was over you walked to us stained with blood and guts, saying the words no one ever said to us after our parents died" she whispered,
"Are you okay?" he repeated shyly, remembering the moment which made her smile as well.
"Everyone always asked me and my brother to believe and follow many things: Traditions, our betters, our place in the world, our clan. But when I looked in your eyes the first time, I knew I could believe in you"
She smiled when he averted his gaze in a pitiful effort to conceal his moist eyes, so she hugged him fiercely.
"I don't care what others think of you. Never have, never will" she promised, and felt him shake in her arms.
"Thank you" he whispered gratefully,
They both remained embraced in each other arms knowing that even if their hearts were together, their worlds were apart from one another.
Mikoto couldn't help but laugh when he reverted back to his usual self...
"I wonder what Takeshi's reaction will be should he find out about our extra activities. Should be quite amusing..."
He was relieved when she laughed further even as she bonked him lightly on the arm making him grin as well.
"You're a jerk" she retorted,
"One of my finest traits, apart from my swordsmanship" he boasted with a cocky grin,
"Modest, aren't we?" she teased, and watched him shrug shamelessly.
"Don't worry. I'm older than Takeshi..." said Mikoto confidently,
"By two minutes.."
He smirked when her nostrils flared and her face became red in embarrassment. When he saw her raise her clenched fists, he did the one sensible thing.
He ran.
(Midnight)
While darkness covered the dense forests of the Land of Fire, a group of six Uchiha and one fox stood near the river shore with heavy frowns on their faces as they stared at their grinning leader.
"Out with it" said Shisui impatiently, tired of Naruto's suspense.
"Since we cannot travel by land, we travel by water" said Naruto dramatically, even going so far as giving up a thumbs up which made Itachi sweatdrop.
"What difference does that make? We'll still be spotted..." muttered Takeshi,
Naruto sighed mumbling something close to "No Imagination" which made Mikoto smirk. However, she was quite curious when Naruto raised his hand and the glare he got from the lazy fox was quite fierce. She always wondered about the beast's intelligence, and in this case its senses warned him just in time as Naruto raised seven large water bubbles with a single finger.
With his other hand, he took out seven identical large straws and threw them perfectly on top of the water bubbles.
Kurama felt a chill pass through his entire body when Naruto dropped his smile to replace it with a chilling gaze that made his surprised friends stand a little straighter and attentive.
"We are ninjas. Stealth is our finest weapon and we shall use it most unless forced to fight openly" said Naruto decisively,
"The current is strong downstream and we'll need proper navigation to reach Yamanka territory even if it is connected to Senju lands quite closely..." warned Kagami,
"And keep these bubbles together in an unbreakable link so none of us get separated because if that happens, we are done for" suggested Shisui,
"But we don't doubt your control over water and this is the best approach to reach our destination without attracting any attention. It's risky but doable" agreed Itachi with a firm nod,
Mikoto worriedly stared at the brown haired Uchiha in golden armor. She had never doubted his strength or his resolve, but their journey was going to be long, dangerous and tiring. Naruto alone would be responsible for keeping everyone alive for even a minor mistake on his part would mean death for any or all of them.
"What about your chakra reserves? Can you endure this journey without getting worn out? Because you won't get any chance to rest..." said Mikoto hesitantly, receiving a steely glance from the golden armored Uchiha.
"Just follow my lead and I will not fail any of you, I promise"
Despite the risks or challenges, Kurama himself alongwith the Uchiha's couldn't help but atleast respect Naruto's confidence and determination. Whether he could turn that into reality was a debatable question.
But he was their squad leader and he had given the command.
Objection was not an option.
(Two Hours Later)
Shisui gasped the first breath of fresh air as he finally emerged from the depths of the river, breaking free of the water bubble and was soon joined by the rest of his comrades who did the same thing as their group finally reached their destination.
Their heavy armor and weapons were previously stored in sealing scrolls before they began their uncertain journey.
He watched Naruto being the first one to reach the shore and look back at all of them with a cocky smirk.
"Cheater" mumbled Mikoto, for their leader had not swimmed or walked to the shore instead making the river water carry him to the lands on a small wave as if he was royalty while the rest of the squad was forced to walk, swim, and in case of a grumpy fox: paddle to the shore on four legs like a stupid dog for which it gave a nasty glare to its partner who merely patted his head affectionately.
As she reached the shore, Mikoto couldn't help but witness the unique relationship shared by Naruto and the fox.
The Uchiha always tried his very best to rile up the fox, and the beast did the same in return. But everytime they both simply laughed or grunted in the case of the fox at the end. Despite its nonchalant nature, she knew the fox was a deadly beast capable of slaughter having already helped Naruto in butchering the Fuma Clan.
She feared the day these two fought together again at their full powers for that day would be the true reckoning of the Uchiha Clan's words.
Fire and Blood.
But she also noticed that apart from teasing his friends by arriving first at the shore, Naruto had already placed silencing seals across a newly established perimeter by himself alongwith a heavy anti-detection genjutsu.
Currently, the Uchiha leader was busy using a simple wind jutsu to dry off his foxy friend who finally stopped scowling.
Shisui and Kagami did the same for the remaining squad.
Wordlessly, they unsealed their storage scrolls and armed themselves again. Now dressed in heavy armor with their weapons they were ready to carry out their mission.
Nobody said a word but there were a number of feelings lurking in their eyes.
Fear, Excitement, Anxiety, Doubt, Acceptance, and Determination.
"Liked the water ride?" asked Naruto with a jovial grin, instantly breaking the tension as everyone glared at him.
"Next time I'm walking" protested Kagami with a huff,
"Breathing from a straw for hours is damn uncomfortable!" complained Takeshi with a mild glare at his leader,
"Couldn't you have created a wind jutsu that allowed us to breath in the water bubble?" asked Shisui in a friendly manner,
Mikoto and Itachi simply shrugged while the giant fox grunted signifying his annoyance over the journey.
Kurama smirked when he heard Naruto mumble something close to "Ungrateful Bastards" in a sulky voice earning amused chuckles from the group. The fox couldn't help but notice the subtle way in which the boy had reduced the brimming tension and anxiety of his group, even if it meant making himself the butt of a joke.
It was one of the many fine traits that set the boy apart from his ancestor, Indra.
But when everyone looked relaxed and ready, Kurama again saw the same deadly eyes of Indra Uchiha coming alive in this boy.
"We can discuss the battle plan now that I have secured this area" suggested Naruto seriously, referring to the genjutsu and silencing seals that would give them some much needed cover.
As he explained his strategy, most of his comrades clearly expressed the flaws and merits both but still gave their consent making him smile.
When everyone of them became clear as to their part in the plan, they all glanced back at Kurama which made the beast scowl as he noticed everyone apart from Naruto, Mikoto and Itachi staring at him skeptically. The former two cared for him and the latter was too smart to understand Kurama's hidden power even if he never expressed that sentiment aloud to anyone of his group or clan.
"Do you think the fox can handle a suitable distraction to alert an entire clan?" asked Takeshi hesitantly, afraid of the beast as it growled at him menacingly.
Naruto smirked receiving a devilish grin from Kurama.
"Oh, he's going to enjoy fucking with the mindwalkers" said Naruto cheerfully, making his group sweat drop at the blood thirsty grin that arrived in Kurama's eyes. It was as if his leash was taken off and he was allowed to do something that was his true nature.
Be wild and create chaos.
"What is our plan of protecting the fox should he get into trouble?" asked Shisui worriedly, surprising Kurama quite suddenly.
"We need one of us to stay behind and keep an escape route ready should we fail or things get too hot. That person can also aid the fox should the need arise..." suggested Mikoto honestly, and saw the fox stare at her approvingly for her remark on it being able to handle Yamanaka.
"Who?" asked Kagami seriously,
Naruto again saw in the eyes of his friends: The Raw Clarity.
For the one who stayed behind faced a good chance of being the first to get killed alongwith the fox for the Yamanaka would start hunting them in full force. And that meant death.
The same was also the case for even the ones who would carry on the other part of the plan.
Naruto saw Kurama was just about to leave having no expectation of any Uchiha apart from the Kinslayer risking his life for the beast, and that would have been the case until one Uchiha did rise.
Shisui Uchiha had always been Naruto's most dutiful and loyal friend, one who never disappointed and that fact didn't change tonight as the same boy stepped towards Kurama much to the shock of the others.
"You really gonna risk your life for the fox should it get into trouble, Shisui?" asked Takeshi with a frown, his dislike for the fox clear in his voice.
"Yes"
Naruto couldn't help but swell with pride for with just a simple word Shisui had reaffirmed his belief that there was still hope for their clan. He was a fine warrior but a better man than anyone in their group. There was no hesitation or doubt in his determined eyes as he stared back at a surprised Kurama.
"Let's go, partner" said Shisui with a smile, earning an equally surprising friendly grin from the fox before they both walked away.
"Honorable Fool" mumbled Takeshi disappointedly, earning twin bops from Kagami and Itachi.
But Mikoto's gaze was fixed on Naruto's lingering eyes that were still staring at the retreating form of Shisui Uchiha. And in the Kinslayer's eyes, she saw something she had never seen before.
Admiration.
She couldn't help but feel that out of their whole group, Naruto admired and respected Shisui the most.
The boy was honorable, kind, brave, and loyal just like the Noble Samurai from the stories they had all heard when they were children.
Something she felt Naruto truly wanted himself to be until his life changed forever.
She watched him conceal his hidden feelings and take in a deep breath. When he looked back at the rest of their group, he was again the leader they needed at this time.
Naruto Uchiha, you are a mysterious man.
Shisui carefully concealed himself in the tall trees while his sharp eyes acutely observed Kurama who was nonchalantly walking on the ground. Just a few steps more and the fox would breach the sensor barrier that was always used by the Yamanaka.
No intruder could breach the clan's holdings without alerting their barrier teams who are always on duty. And yet Naruto had trusted this beast to cause a worthy distraction that would allow five Uchiha's to sneak inside in the chaos.
Shisui had already determined two separate routes that could be used by his team for quick escape in case of serious trouble, but had hope that Naruto could pull this through.
Because if he managed to do what he planned, it would greatly improve his tainted reputation in their clan and make their enemies fear him and their allies respect him.
Shisui as well as the rest of the Kinsguard had always wondered as to why Naruto had killed his own people. They had all harbored doubts and distaste about the boy, yet the same boy kept on fighting proving his loyalty over and over again despite the hate and scorn laid down on him by everyone.
The opinion of the Kinsguard members had changed the day when Naruto alongside the fox had charged out to meet the enemy Fuma Clan. He had risked his life to protect the servants and whores whom no one had bothered to defend as most Uchiha guards had decided to wait inside the great Castle protecting higher up noble heirs of important families and respected dignitaries, while the Fuma Clan burned down corridors and servant quarters.
His actions that day showed a side of him none of them thought ever existed. And when they took a risk getting to know him, they were all surprised to find the boy was nothing like the rumors proclaimed him to be.
And for that Shisui was ever grateful.
His eyes widened in horror and astonishment at the same time when the fox breached the barrier and unleashed such a massive outburst of chakra that sent Shisui crashing away from his safe location.
With a grunt he landed harshly upon the ground and couldn't help but gasp as the demonic chakra assaulted his senses.
For the first time in his life, he felt true fear and his own death in front of his eyes as he watched the fox glare hatefully with his demonic eyes at the Yamanaka settlement.
The sheer amount of energy that the beast just released erased any doubt from Shisui's mind.
This was no ordinary animal.
It was possibly a powerful summon or something much worse.
For the amount of chakra the fox had unleashed resulted into the barrier collapsing from the impact and soon enough alarm bells rang across the Yamanaka settlement as the mindwalkers prepared for a full blown enemy assault.
Shisui could already sense the first responders charging towards his location in order to eliminate the threat.
Yet despite his fears and wariness of the fox, he got up and stepped beside the beast ready for battle.
Kurama raised an eyebrow in amusement when he saw the fear in Shisui's eyes and couldn't blame the boy for the amount of energy he had just released was more than that possessed by 1000 veteran ninjas. And that was just an ounce of his true power.
Still, he had to give the young Uchiha credit for when most would have fled from the spot; Shisui was controlling his fears as he unleashed his sword for their enemies were almost upon them now.
Kurama decided to have some more fun as he unleashed all of his nine tails and grew more larger in size much to Shisui's horror which only grew when the fox gave him a menacing smile.
"If you die, I'll eat you"
Shisui blanched in pure shock on hearing the fox speak in actual human tongue. But soon enough he smirked which earned a grin from the large beast.
With a silent battlecry, the Uchiha and Biju teared into the first Yamanaka defenders.
Naruto watched the Yamanaka defenders running out of their massive clan castle by the hundreds while their civilian subjects screamed in terror across the town outside the castle.
He placed his hand on the ground and nodded silently when he felt the pieces falling into place.
With a flick of his wrist, he motioned for Itachi to move which the Uchiha boy did without hesitation and began silently running towards the town full of civilians while the rest of the squad rallied behind him.
"What happens now?" asked Mikoto hesitantly, on seeing the cold look in Naruto's eyes.
"They'll surrender or I will destroy them" he promised without remorse,
He turned back to his last three squadmates still left by his side. Mikoto seemed shaken having never seen a conflict of this scale, Takeshi looked ready to shed blood, while Kagami masked his emotions behind a stoic expression.
"At this rate, dozens will die" warned Mikoto,
"Hundreds" retorted Naruto coldly,
She weakly nodded for despite the harsh command it was her duty to follow his orders and at the very least there was no doubt in his eyes regarding his plan that gave all of them some hope.
"Mikoto, the Yamanaka are holding Kiara Hatake in the third tower of the castle. You will rescue her without fail..." commanded Naruto,
"What about the guards that are rushing outside the castle?" asked Takeshi seriously,
"When most of them are outside, we'll slip inside the castle and make our way towards their command and communication center. There I shall end this conflict or destroy this clan forever" said Naruto unflinchingly,
"Understood" replied Mikoto, performing a quick shunshin and going away in order to carry out her mission.
Naruto unleashed his sword as Kagami and Takeshi stepped beside him dutifully in order to fulfill their mission.
"We take this town tonight!"
Three shadows swooped across the vast corridors of the Yamanaka Castle hiding in the shadows. Their former clan affiliations masked by the present Yamanaka guard uniforms they had borrowed from some easy guards.
Most of the security forces of the castle had already moved towards the borders where the real action was happening.
Naruto couldn't help but grin for he knew Kurama must be having fun after a long time. The beast was forced to keep a low profile for years and only with the incident of the Fuma Clan was he allowed a chance to let off some steam.
Despite its friendly nature, Kurama was a beast of destruction and death.
Naruto had never forgotten that fact and nor would the Yamanaka after this day.
He still had doubts about exposing even a little of Kurama's true power knowing the Hagoromo and Kaguya clans were after him for reasons the beast was yet to disclose. Not to mention the Uchiha, Senju or any other clan would not allow such a powerful beast to roam free without aiding their cause.
However, Kurama had found a place for himself among the Uchiha due to his help in the massacre of the Fuma Clan.
Nor was the Uchiha Clan as weak as it was eight years ago, for they had many more allies sworn to their cause and were capable of dealing with any threat posed by the Kaguya or Hagoromo clans against the beast.
With that thought in mind, Naruto signaled his two comrades as they saw two guards protecting the nearest staircase that led to the command and communication center where the barrier teams and clan leadership would be scrambling to establish order.
Takeshi and Kagami expertly hit the two guards in the neck with sleeping darts allowing Naruto to charge forward and grab the now two unconscious Yamanaka quickly and hide their bodies in a nearby room.
He gestured for his comrades to hold as he sensed for any other presence on the upper stairwells, and when he found none except for a few strong ones at the top he gestured them to follow.
They ascended the staircases with as much speed as they could knowing that their speed would lead to either life or death for themselves.
Finally they reached the command center and saw twenty Yamanaka waiting for them with weapons raised.
"Guess it was too much to hope for a smooth takeover" said Naruto with a grin,
When he saw a few Yamanaka raise their hands to perform their clan's famous jutsu he quickly grabbed smoked bombs and so did Kagami and Takeshi from their pouches and shrouded the corridor in thick smoke.
Naruto activated his sharingan and his facemask ready to shield him from the smoke. As he located the chakra signatures of each of his enemies, he charged forward.
The first three guards died before they could even understand who hit them.
He could sense Kagami and Takeshi engaging their own foes as the smoke started to disappear courtesy of a quick wind jutsu from one of the Yamanaka.
When their visions cleared, Naruto found himself surrounded by atleast ten Yamanka while his friends fought against the remaining seven guards.
He smirked when they all attacked him at once with swords drawn in an attempt to hack him to pieces. He raised his own ancestral weapon blocking the enemy weapons and then much to their horror the Uchiha disappeared in a flock of crows.
Genjutsu.
Naruto didn't laugh or mock as per his usual nature and only used that small advantage to hack half of his foes by cleaving off their heads in one swift strike.
His sharingan rotated again predicting the moves of the remaining enemies as each of them tried to hit him from different angles.
He made a quick jump evading all the slashes and unleashed five quick and sharp kunai from his pouch with two of them ending in the skulls of Yamanaka guards while the rest were acutely deflected.
The last three Yamanaka guards cursed him loudly but his eyes were fixed on his friends.
Kagami gave a merciless strong kick to one of his enemies making the man cough blood before Takeshi's sword beheaded him instantly.
When two guards tried to attack Takeshi from behind, Kagami moved forward to his defense blocking the sword with his armed gauntlets much to the shock of the Yamanaka.
For while the Yamanaka were quite feared for their mind jutsu and interrogation as well as torture skills, they were no match when it came to deadly physical combat. A trait at which the Uchiha and Senju excelled at.
Kagami shoved his opponents back with a fierce push and quickly ducked just in time as Takeshi turned around and slashed the throats of the startled foes. The remaining two enemies took trembling steps backwards as both Uchiha boys stepped towards them.
But were prevented from fighting further when Naruto appeared behind the two Yamanaka stabbing one through the heart and another in the temple with his kunai. Looking back, they saw that each and everyone of the Yamanaka guards fighting against Naruto were all dead with gruesome wounds.
Naruto tossed his stained Yamanaka uniform which made Kagami and Takeshi do the same.
Now dressed in his golden armor bearing the insignia of a dragon he walked towards the door and gestured to his friends who swiftly nodded before placing explosive notes on the door.
With a thunderous blast, the locked door that was the last defense of the Yamanaka leadership was obliterated and three Uchiha's stormed inside to find a dozen Yamanaka gaping at them in shock.
Naruto's eyes zoomed in on one particular Yamanaka that was taller and looked more regal than the rest. If that was not enough to give away his identity, his invaluable family armor and stone cold gaze revealed his position.
Itama Yamanaka, current clan head and leader of his clan stared at the three Uchiha in front of him all armed and stained with blood.
The blood of his people.
His gaze narrowed when he saw the leading one having a facemask and dazzling golden armor bearing the insignia of a dragon on his chest and a dark black cloak fluttering on his back. And that sword...
There was no mistake.
"Kinslayer"
Kagami and Takeshi were about to move in retaliation for the insult until they received one discreet glance from Naruto that commanded otherwise who then looked back at the Yamanaka clan leader with his own icy expression.
"Lord Itama" he greeted coolly,
"Why have you attacked my clan without any provocation from our side?" asked Itama accusingly, making his few guards tense up and brandish their weapons not that it attracted even an eyelash from any of the Uchiha's.
"In retaliation from the crimes of your nephew, Iwashi Yamanaka, against the Hatake Clan by abducting their heiress. Since they are our sworn allies now it is our duty to bring them justice" answered Naruto honestly,
Itama's eyebrows shot up to his forehead at that revelation, unable to believe the Hatake who were sworn allies of the Senju's could so easily switch sides to the Uchiha's.
But then again Hashirama had shown quite favoritism to the Yamanaka Clan on Tobirama's insistence leading to this mess.
Itama Yamanaka knew trouble had started the day his nephew had laid eyes upon the Hatake girl when their clan visited Sakumo for a meeting. Itama had dearly loved his older brother who died a few years ago, his wife even before that leaving their only son Iwashi in his uncle's care and he had tried to look after the boy and preserve his right as the clan heir until he became strong enough.
But Iwashi proved to be a disappointment and was not at all like his dutiful parents who died for their clan. The boy was only interested in women, sex and alcohol.
Habits that led to all this bloodshed.
Even so, it didn't change the fact that it was the Yamanaka who were attacked tonight and Itama had a duty to protect his people no matter who the foe was.
"Is that what you tell yourself? That you're a servant of justice? You who killed your own people?" mocked Itama, and smirked when Naruto's grip on his sword tightened but his face displayed no outward aggression at the insult.
If not anything else, Itama could see the Kinslayer had quite a firm grip on his emotions. But if possible his blazing sharingan eyes burned with even more hatred and malice.
"Your nephew is a fool, Lord Itama. Right heir maybe, but a person who brought great suffering to your noble clan. He will only bring ruin to your people, but you are the rightful leader your people need in this hour and the future" said Naruto calmly,
"What are you saying?" asked one of the Yamanaka guards suspiciously,
"Sentence your nephew to whatever justice Sakumo Hatake deems just for his crimes alongwith all those who participated in this crime. You shall also pay reparations to the Uchiha Clan for you have dared to harm one of our allies, and from this day forth you and your clan shall serve my clan till the end of time"
Kagami and Takeshi stiffened on hearing Naruto's demands and judging from the rising red on the Yamanaka faces they could see these people were just about to explode for unlike the Hatake, the Yamanaka no matter how weak in actual combat were an ancient and noble clan with great power.
"How dare you..." snarled Itama in fury, making his guards step forward.
If possible Naruto's cold smile turned even more menacing as he pointed to the great barrier in the middle of the room that marked the location of each and every fighter alongwith their affiliations.
And in a matter of seconds, the situation and numbers changed quite drastically.
Where there were once nearly a 1000 Yamanaka fighting against two large chakra signatures which were Shisui and Kurama, now there were nearly 300 more chakra signatures all bearing the marks of the Hatake Clan followed by hundreds more of the Uchiha Clan courtesy of Naori doing her part in the plan.
The Yamanaka Clan was surrounded.
If that was not enough to make Itama and his supporters lose the color from their faces, the next news was the final nail.
"Lord Itama, our own civilians are attacking our own guards! They all seemed to be in some kind of genjutsu" shouted one of the barrier team ninjas,
Takeshi and Kagami looked at each other and knew the one responsible for this bizarre action.
Itachi.
"Or you can choose to defy us and face the consequences. You know our numbers now, our power, the fact that we have you surrounded and cornered. If I give the command my forces will tear down your town walls and storm this castle" promised Naruto coldly,
Itama took a step back when the Kinslayer unleashed his full killing intent making most Yamanaka's fall to their knees and look away from those murderous sharingan that promised to give them painful deaths.
"Hundreds will die, most of them your own. The first wave will be your own civilians that are being controlled by one of my men. So you'll start this bloody battle by killing people that have served your clan for generations. The second wave will be Hatake's who are itching for vengeance. My Uchiha fighters will follow when most of your fighters are dead, wounded or tired. When this castle falls, all those inside will be executed including your entire family. Your people will be butchered, your towers will burn, I'll destroy this castle stone by stone, and by the time I am done no one will ever know the Yamanaka clan ever existed" pledged Naruto darkly,
He walked forward and grabbed the shaken Yamanaka clan leader by the neck looking the now terrified man clearly in the eyes.
"I'll cut off your limbs painfully and make your pregnant wife watch. Then before I kill you and her, I shall tear apart her belly showing you both the face of your unborn child before killing it as well"
Naruto removed his grip from the man's neck making the now trembling man fall to his knees for the Uchiha in front of him had made him see the vision in reality with the help of his sharingan. Everything he had said, he was going to do it including the act of killing Itama's unborn child in front of him alongwith his wife.
The trembling man looked at the Kinslayer remembering this monster had not even spared his own people butchering innocent men, women and children. And those were his own people...
"Lord Itama, I'll leave you to make your decision" said Naruto icily,
Without another word, he turned around and marched towards the destroyed exit with his comrades following after him. The Yamanaka were about to breathe a sigh of relief for the devastating killing intent started to recede until it came back in full force when Naruto stopped at the edge of the destroyed doorway staring back at Itama Yamanaka with his cold sharingan.
"I hope you'll remember my clan's words, Itama Yamanaka"
And then he walked away even as the famed Uchiha words sent a shiver down the Yamanaka's hearts.
Fire and Blood