Two Hours Later; Some Distance From Tenmangu-machi)
In the forest far outside the town, Arashi and Kansui were lying on the grassy ground completely battered and with their chest gutted clean open with their blood pouring all over the ground. Kariya was standing over their slain bodies with his sword covered in their blood. Seijiro, with his cloak and hood over his head masking most of his face, was tying up the unconscious and beaten forms of Honoka, Karin, Akio, Akemi and Akira.
Hinata was lying motionlessly against a tree trunk in sitting position with three kunais embedded deep into her body after Kariya disarmed and immobilized her. A battered and lifeless Shizune was impaled with her body being held upright against a tree with a kodachi piece deeply into her chest cavity and out of her back and into the tree. The ambush was thorough and brutal.
"Where are the ones called Naruto and Seijiro who you mentioned earlier?" Kariya asked, "They weren't here with the others!"
"Naruto and the one called Jiraiya left to take care of some business though I don't know what that business is," Seijiro said, "Seijiro however proved to be a little difficult to track, surprisingly, even for me. But I do have fresh leads on his currents whereabouts."
"I want all of the those Uzumaki males killed!" Kariya said, "Naruto and Seijiro were supposed to be here among those two boys!"
"Cut your losses and take what I helped you to achieve here which is no doubt better than what you think you would have managed to accomplish on your own!" Seijiro replied with a neutral tone as she continued binding the unconscious forms of the Uzumaki females, "Naruto and Seijiro not being here is only a small price to pay out of everything else we managed to accomplish here. Naruto and Seijiro can always to dealt with at another time; just not today unfortunately."
"What about Tsunade?" Kariya asked.
"She's going to return to the motel these Uzumakis were staying at in two hours," Seijiro said, "She left to participate in another gambling event that one of the casinos is hosting. Having two of the Sannin away was the best opportunity to execute this plan. Having them here together would have proven to be very problematic. We wouldn't have gotten far against either of them fighting us as a team. They would have surely forced our retreat."
"I'm not ignorant to the power and strengths of the Sannin," Kariya retorted, "Facing both of them together would have been disastrous on our part."
Seijiro finished trying the unconscious Uzumaki females. By this time, the Kusa Jounin leader appeared and walked through the area with a couple of his ninjas in company. Seijiro stood up and faced the commanding Kusa Jounin.
"I did the job and delivered as promised," Seijiro said, "Now, I ask that I be given the second half of my payment as promised. That was the deal."
The massacre in the vicinity spoke volumes as it showed how brutal Seijiro was. The commanding Kusa Jounin signaled to a couple of his ninja to take the Uzumaki females into their custody before he went over to Seijiro.
"You truly live up to your title Bloodhound," the Kusa Jounin said as he took out from his vest an envelope possessing the second house of Seijiro's pay. Seijiro took the envelope and opened it. He saw the official written and stamped documents needed to take to the bank in order to have the full designated monetary transaction of funds from Kusa's treasury into his account done legally.
"You have your prize," Seijiro said, "And I have mine. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."
Seijiro made his way out of the wrecked bloodied up section of the forest when…
"Bloodhound!" Kariya called out, "You said that you have a lead on Seijiro. I want you to help me find him!"
"Does wanting his demise at your hands means that much to you?" Seijiro asked neutrally.
"I have an old score to settle with him that goes years back!" Kariya stated, "I want him to pay for it in blood like the rest of his brethren here!"
Seijiro was about to say something when a messenger peregrine falcon flew in through the trees from behind Kariya. The peregrine falcon flew over to Seijiro and landed down on his left shoulder.
"Mitsukai!" Seijiro greeted the falcon by its named and retrieved the rolled up written message that it was carrying around its right leg. Seijiro opened and read the encrypted message that Kariya was trying to peek at and read also. But Kariya was able to translate what the symbols in the message meant.
"Looks like circumstances have changed," Seijiro said, "One of my contacts located Seijiro and Naruto."
"He has?" Kariya asked, "Where are they now?"
"According to what this," Seijiro said, "A distance down at the river outside of Tenmangu-machi. If we leave now we can intercept them."
"Perfect!" Kariya agreed.
"Will you be departing from us then?" the commanding Kusa Jounin asked Kariya.
"Yes!" Kariya confirmed, "Consider my business with you and your people complete," Kariya turned to Seijiro and said, "Lead us to where your contact has found them."
With Mitsukai still on his left shoulder, Seijiro took Kariya by the shoulder and said, "This will be faster. As my contact will summon us to their exact location very shortly."
Within a few moments, both Seijiro and Kariya were gone via burst of whole smoke. The commanding Kusa Jounin turned to his team and said, "We have Karin and the other Uzumaki girls in our custody. Let's make haste and make our return to Kusa immediately."
"What about our other men at the campsite?" One of the Chuunins asked.
"Return to the campsite and break camp and pack everything to begin their return to Kusa," the commanding Jounin instructed, "But inform them that they must stay some distance from us in the event Jiraiya and Tsunade attempted track us."
"You want them to hold Jiraiya and Tsunade off if they attack?" the Chuunin asked.
"Our leader is counting on the success of this mission and we got Karin and four other Uzumaki women as huge bonuses!" the commanding Jounin stated, "You want this mission to end in disaster and failure to we allowed time for Jiraiya and Tsunade to track and find us!?"
"No sir," the Chuunin answered.
"Good!" the commanding Jounin said, "Now do as your ordered and return to the campsite to rely my instructions. Stay with them and should you find that Jiraiya and Tsunade are tracking us, report back to me immediately. Is that understood?"
"I understand sir," the Chuunin replied before bowing and heading off to make his way back to the campsite. Turning to his remaining men, the commanding Jounin instructed, "Let's move out and return to Kusa as soon as possible and report our village leader."
The other Kusa ninjas nodded in agreement as they departed from the area in the forest they were in and started on their way back to Kusagakure.
(Meanwhile In Far Part Of The Forest By The River)
Kariya found himself by the running river and looked around to see if Naruto and Seijiro were around.
"Where's Naruto and the one called Seijiro?" Kariya asked. However, Kariya didn't get to speak another word when chakra chains sudden appeared and bound him.
"WHAT THE!?" Kariya yelled, "WHAT IS THIS!?"
Kariya was now tightly bound with chains stretching and pulling his legs and arms away with other chains tightly holding his waist and neck. He strained painfully from the ordeal. He was completely immobilized and rendered helpless.
"They're called Adamantine Chakra Chains," Seijiro revealed as he was facing Kariya, "They're unbreakable and a specialty of the Uzumaki clan. Even the nine bijuu aren't able to break free of these chains of the Uzumaki clan."
"The Uzumaki clan?!" Kariya repeated before his expression darkened with rage and hate, "You betrayed me to the Uzumaki."
"No!" Seijiro stated, "I brought you here to finish the job I started after making the costly mistake of believing I killed you years ago."
"What are you talking about!?" Kariya spat with hatred.
"You so badly want to find and kill Uzumaki Seijiro, yes?" Seijiro asked, "Well, the truth is…"
Seijiro reached and removed his hood from off his head and revealed his face openly. Kariya's eyes widened in shock, disbelief and fear when he saw the face of the man that he fought and was nearly killed by years ago when the Uzumaki clan came to destroy him and his entire clan all those years ago.
"IT'S YOU!" Kariya screamed, "YOU'RE THE BLOODHOUND!?"
"You figured it out," Seijiro remarked mockingly. While having Kariya immobilized, Seijiro moved and placed a tag on each of his legs, arms, stomach and back.
"But you sold out your own brethren and allowed them to be taken and killed!" Kariya said.
"Did he?" a female voice asked. Kariya looked up to see Akio, Akemi and Akira standing in the tree above him. The triplet Uzumaki sisters leaped down to the ground and walked over to Seijiro.
"But you girls were captured!" Kariya said as he tried to figure things out, "Seijiro ambushed and bound all of you and sold you to Kusa! This doesn't make sense!"
"Don't worry," Seijiro coldly stated, "You won't live long enough to make sense out of anything after today."
What happened was that disguised kage bunshins were used. Different type of clones however were used in the female Uzumakis' places and taken with the Kusa ninjas.
"After you and your Kumo cohorts murdered our family," Akira said as she drew out her sword.
"You spent a very long time tracking and hunting us Kariya," Akemi added as also drew out her sword.
"Well," Akio concluded as drew her sword out, "Here we are!"
The Triple A sisters wasted no time and ran their swords into Kariya's chest cavity. Kariya spewed blood from his mouth after feeling the cold sharp blades stab into and through his body.
"This is for our family and all of our brethren you and your people murdered!" Akio said before she and her sisters pulled their swords from out of him. While standing in place, Seijiro placed his last tag over Kariya's face while allowing his eyes to see. Using his Adamantine chakra chains binding Kariya, Seijiro lifted and carried the fatally wounded Kariya over the running river.
"This time you won't survive the wrath of the Uzumakis!" Seijiro declared, "Our faces will be the last things you'll ever see!"
Seijiro, while keeping him, chained, hurled him into the middle of the running river and thrust him into in the river bed holding him down with his chains. Moments later, there was huge explosion of fire, water, debris, blood and destroyed body parts that erupted from out of the river, confirming Kariya's demise. Kamiya blown apart remains were carried off and washed away down the running river without a trace being left behind.
"That takes care of the Chitsurugi clan once and for all," Seijiro declared as he retracted his chains back into his body. Seijiro turned to the three Uzumaki females and fell to his knees as he bowed his head lowly to them and apologized, "I'm very sorry that my mistake in believing that I took care of Kariya years ago led to the deaths of your family and other members of our clan. I know I have much to atone for because of my tragic mistake."
"We don't blame you for what happened Seijiro-jisan," Akio assured, "You stopped him and helped us avenged our fallen family and clansmen. That's atonement enough for my sisters and I. So thank you."
Seijiro looked at as he saw Akio, Akemi and Akira bowed in gratitude to Seijiro. Seijiro stood back up and bowed back to them.
(At The Kusa Campsite)
There were over 120 Kusu Chuunins and Jounins at the campsite as the other 15 left to retrieve the five Uzumaki female. They have yet to receive word of whether or not the mission was accomplished. Two Chuunin were on guard a when a tri-pronged kunai with seal writings was thrown into their direction and embedded into a true near them.
"What the hell?!" one of the Chuunin said with a series of other tri-pronged kunais with seal writings on them were thrown from various directions all around the Kusa ninjas though none of them struck on of the ninja in any way. The Kusa ninjas were looking around trying to see from whom and where the tri-pronged kunais were being thrown. The Chuunins and Jounins all got on guard seeing that were under attack.
"Show yourself!" one of the Jounin ordered.
"You made the fatal with your recent actions!" a voice said, "Now I'm bringing the war to you!"
Naruto suddenly appeared in the middle of the campsite. The other Chuunins and Jounins turned to face him. Naruto however was fully dressed in standard Akatsuki clothes, cloak and straw hat over his head.
"Who are you?" One the Chuunins asked.
"The last thing you'll ever see," Naruto said, "Your bodies will be beyond recognition by the time I'm through with all of you."
"You got guts threatening us like that!" another Chuunin said as he pulled out his sword, "You made a very costly mistake coming here threatening us!"
"Actually," Naruto said, "You made a fatal mistake being here."
"You know too much whoever you are," a Jounin said, "Clearly we can't let you leave here!"
"Oh, don't worry," Naruto assured, "No other village or clan be getting involved and they don't need to since it doesn't involve them," Naruto then gave them a death glare, "The Akatsuki's war is with you guys for the crimes you all committed! You all will pay with your lives!"
"The Akatsuki!" another Chuunin shouted, "We heard about you bastards!"
"Either way," another Jounin said, "It's time to die!"
"I couldn't agree more," Naruto remarked with a cold tone, "I'll kill you all!"
On hearing that, a small number Kusa ninjas around Naruto go their weapons out and moved in to kill him. Since it was just one Uzumaki, they thought he'd be taken cared of without much trouble. Fifty to fifty-five men were within a thirteen-yard radius all around him running and screaming at the top of their lungs. Naruto held his ground, waiting for the enemy to get close. He waited until they were nearly on top of him before he executed his "Senko Tanken" ("Flashing Daggers"). When they were close enough Naruto initiated his jutsu and in doing so, there was a flash of yellow as a dome appeared centered on Naruto for just an instant. It formed a perfect sphere stretching out wide. There was a flash and then the dome was gone with a thirteen-yard blast radius with Naruto as its center point.
In the next instant all fifty-three ninja within its blast radius, their armor and weapons disintegrated. That was the word for it, one second they were there the next they were reduced to a fine red mist mixed with sawdust as a couple of small trees within the dome's blast radius were completely destroyed and shredded into tiny pieces. The only thing left standing in that space was Naruto as he saw blood splash into his direction all around him. His wind generated shield blocked and deflected all of the blood that would have splashed all over him.
The ground was drenched in blood and liquified flesh. All around Naruto the grass was watered with their blood and the air was left with a fine red mist was started to clear out. At the edge of the jutsu's range three bodies dropped to the ground chopped in ½ or ¾. Two men began screaming, not in anger but in pitiful agony. One had lost a leg from just below the knee. Another an arm and a leg. The appendages sliced off in a perfect curve. Fifty-two men died instantly from Naruto's new deadly attack. The number of the Kusa army in the campsite was instantly reduced to sixty-eight in an instant.
The remaining Kusa ninja who were at a distance witnessed this attack looked on in shock, horror and fear. They expected a lot of things but nothing like what they saw just moments ago.
"What the hell just happened!?" One of the remaining Jounins asked.
"There's no need to worry about that," Kansui said as he and his younger twin appeared from behind them also fully dressed in standard Akatsuki clothes and straw hats.
"None of you will live to report this anyway," Arashi stated.
"The Akatsuki is here to bring the war to you!" Naruto declared.
"You all will pay for this!" One of the Jounins threatened before biting down on his right thumb and racing through a set of hand signs, "Ninpō: Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
A towering burst of white smoke appeared and our of the smoke emerged a massive armored black warthog. The Kusa Jounin who summoned the beast was scene standing on top of it.
"Suidae-sama!" the Jounin greeted, "We're in need of your assistance in dealing with the Akatsuki!"
"I'll do what I can!" Suidae replied as he got ready to fight.
"I got this!" Kansui challenged as he stepped forward before the summoned beast. He then summoned a massive portion of his chakra and turned it into a towering "living" beast the size and height of a summoned beast. While inside the adamantine chakra beast he fabricated and shaped into the form of a white tiger, Kansui used it as a complete suit of armor. He then charged forward at Suidae and engaged the summoned beast in fierce combat.
Arashi summoned his chakra and formed adamantine chakra arsenals and weapons of various types while encasing himself in full protective adamantine chakra that took on the complete shape and appearance of a traditional armored samurai.
"Let's do this!" Arashi stated with an iron tone devoid of any perversions, "The Akatsuki will bring extinction to you and your forces!"
And with that, Arashi charged forward and began slaughtering the unit of Kusa ninjas without thinking twice about it. The Kusa ninja put out quite a fierce fight against Arashi but his adamantine chakra body armor was incredibly hard to penetrate through as it gave him an excellent form of defense. Using his chakra, he formed different types swords, katanas and spears and used them as flying projectiles from long range against incoming enemy ninjas.
All the while, Kansui, while still in his towering white tiger chakra beast form, continued battling against Suidae as the giant armored warthog raged and fought against his immense hardened chakra. Suidae and his summoner tried fighting and firing their best attacks against the towering adamantine chakra beast. There were a couple of Kusa ninjas that were quick to evade being trampled to death on though some got caught in Kansui's attack.
As the fight raged on, ten of the Kusa ninjas attempted to make an escape in order to warn the other fifteen that they thought were making their way back to the campsite that now turned into their gravesite. However, they didn't get far when they saw Karin, dressed in Akatsuki clothes and gear, standing in front of them ready to hand down their sentence.
"Where are you boys going?" Karin asked, "Didn't you bastards come to retrieve and enslave me again?"
Summoning her adamantine chakra chains from her body, Karin launched them at them at the Kusa ninjas as they turned and ran from her. They separated and attempted to dodge her chains but that didn't prove to be effective as Karin used her sensor abilities to trace and find every last one of them with her multiple chains in hot pursuit of them. She managed to captured and dragged them all back to their original location with her chains detaining them. Some of the ninja hit trees along the way back as a result of Karin's retracting chains having to go around some trees when chasing after them earlier. As soon as she gather them together, Karin opened her cloak and shirt and showed them all of the bite marks scars that were all over her body.
"You all and your people did this to me when I was only an innocent child!" Karin said with an arctic tone laced with venom and acid, "You used my mother like cattle until your use of her costed her life before almost damning me to that same fate. "
"IT'S YOU!" they shouted in unison after they realized who it was in front of them.
"That's right," Karin confirmed, "I'm the same girl your village abused. I have to live with these horrible scars that will never heal and carry them to my grave the same way my mother did after you all drank her chakra to death. So now…"
Karin lift them all up off the ground and requested of them sweetly, "Give my dear mother your thanks for drinking her to death."
With that, Karin proceeded hammering all ten of the ninjas she captured against all of the trees and boulders around her until they were reduced to lifeless bloody heaps of battered clothed flesh. When that was done, she used her chains to tear them all in halves before dropping their demolished carcasses to the ground. With them dead, Karin closed her shirt and cloak back and hurried over to give Arashi her assistance in taking out the remaining number of Kusa ninjas.
In another sector of the forest, twelve Kusa ninjas with their weapons out and ready were on the move through the trees in hot pursuit of Honoka who, like her brethren, was also dressed in Akatsuki clothes and gear. She leaped from tree to tree until saw a running river. She quickly made her way over to the river with the Kusa ninjas continuing to pursue her. Running over to the river, Honoka turned to face her enemies as she grabbed and pulled out Samehada. The twelve Kusa ninjas ganged up in front of her as she was ready to do battle.
"There nowhere to run!" one of the Kusa Chuunin declared, "Surrender and we'll spare your life!"
"You men should know what happens when you corner an animal," Honoka warned, "They show their fangs and attack their pursuer as their desperate last line of self-defense and self-preservation."
"Ha!" another Chuunin scoffed, "We'll do worse to you as we will to the Uzumakis!"
"Oh, you shouldn't have said that!" Honoka retorted as she formed a hand sign before the handle of the Samehada slithered up the sleeve of her right arm and wrapped around her right arm as it begin the process of fusing with her. Within moments, Honoka completely fused with her sword and turned into a humanoid shark kunoichi with gills at the side of her neck and shark fins protruding out of her elbows and back and a long stingray tail extending out of her tail bone. She had razor sharp shark teeth and the eyes of a great white shark. The enemy ninjas gasped at Honoka's fusion appearance.
"You'll regret your actions in this country!" Honoka warned before she raced through a series of hand signs and clasped her hands together, triggering the river waters to rise and form into a massive towering wall of water. Honoka then bit down on her right thumb and caused a trickle of blood to seep from out of it.
"I smell more than blood from you cowards!" Honoka said before her tone and expression turned dark. After performing a quick set of hand signs, Honoka slammed her right hand onto the towering water wall and into the water came a large burst of white smoke. After the smoke cloud cleared from within the water, what swam within the water wall behind Honoka were schools of ravenous piranhas summoned from Konoha's Forest of Death.
"You all reek of FEAR!" Honoka said as she focused her chakra from her right hand and into the water as she plunged right arm into the water wall. Her potent chakra was absorbed into the schools of piranhas in loads. That chakra however was a newly developed type that Honoka recently mastered and the results were going to be seen. Seconds later, the piranhas became twice as fast and ravenous.
"Supper time!" Honoka declared as she released and sent the piranha-filled water wall after the Kusa ninjas. The twelve ninjas ran for their lives as fast as they could as the deadly piranha-infested water wall rushed in pursuit of them with Honoka leading the charge from within the water wall with her piranhas swimming around her. Within a minute they were overtaken by the speeding water wall with Honoka swimming through the water easily and in jet speed in her humanoid shark form. With her targets in sight, she began body crashing into them brutally while slashing her fins and tail against them. The blood seeping from their wounds and into the water sent the piranhas into a crazed bloodlust frenzy as they immediately charged and beginning biting and eating the enemy ninjas alive. The Kusa ninjas screamed in terror as the piranhas gruesomely tore at them and devoured them alive down to the bones and marrow.
Two of the Kusa ninjas managed to escape the water wall and make their way to higher grounds by means of the trees they managed to climb. But they didn't get far as the water wall rose to the heights of the trees with the front section of the wall of water taking on the form and appearance of Honoka's humanoid shark face. Seconds later, the wall proceeded to chase after them through the trees.
"SHIT!" one of the Kusa ninjas cursed after seeing the deadly waters coming for them. Though they managed to make some distance between themselves and the water wall however, unfortunate for the two of them, the mouth of the Honoka's humanoid shark face in the water wall opened up and Honoka's chakra chains burst from out of the mouth and rapidly charged forward before catching and wrapping themselves around the two ninjas' ankles. The chains then pulled them from out and across the trees and into the open mouth of Honoka's water face. The captured men's blood curdling screams were the last things they gave before the mouth closed down on them, trapping them in the water as they were turned into fish food for the piranhas. The "Akatsuki" weren't taking any prisoners.
(Much Later)
The Chuunin from earlier was still making his way to where his fellow Kusa ninjas were. He stopped momentarily to take a short break before continuing on his way. After a couple of minutes of resting and eating some of his food rations, he got up and continued on his way to the campsite. It wasn't until another thirty-five minutes when he arrived on the scene, only to find the environment the campsite was originally stationed in looked like a complete ground zero warzone. It was clear that a fierce and very brutal battle took place as he saw blood and body parts of his Kusa comrades everywhere. In the aftermath of the carnage, the eerie silence was enough to sicken the Chuunin and put fear into his heart as asked himself, "What happened here!?"
As soon as he was about to leave to report what he found, his eyes caught glimpse of two figures moving through the forest from a distance dragging something away. The Chuunin quietly and inconspicuously followed after the figure and saw the figure were dressed in black cloaks with red clouds designs drawn on the cloaks while wearing straw hats, gray pants, ankle bandages and black sandals. He couldn't make out their faces as they were hidden under large collars of their cloaks. The Chuunin hid himself as he saw three other figures dressed in the same clothes and hats approaching the first two he saw.
He watched as one of the mysterious people opened blank scroll and set it down to the ground before writing something into it. The person then performed a set of hand signs and slammed her hand to the ground. Chakra then came from out of the scroll and over to all of the blood, torn and eaten body parts all around the forest. The chakra absorbed all of the blood and body part remains of the slaughtered Kusa ninjas into itself and returned back to the scroll, sealing itself into the scroll.
"They're trying to remove all of the evidence that they were here and killed off all of my comrades!" the Chuunin concluded. He made a quick escape in his efforts not to be noticed and killed. He hurried back to meet up with the other group that was already making their way back to Kusa. He had to hurry while hoping he wasn't being followed. The five figures removed their straw hats to reveal themselves to be Naruto, Honoka, Karin, Arashi and Kansui.
"Do you think he bought it?" Karin asked as Honoka finished up with the scroll she sealed the spilled blood and leftover body parts in.
"The speed he took off in said it all," Naruto stated, "They'll quickly believe the Akatsuki was responsible for what happened here. They won't suspect it was us the entire time."
After tying the scroll up, Honoka went and buried it in an unmarked grave in the forest and then returned to the group.
"That giant warthog was quite a fighter," Kansui commented, "Getting rid of it and forcing it to return back to its realm took me longer than I counted on. I had to quickly deal with its summoner before he could try to summon another beast for me to fight."
"Well, Karin and I had each other's backs as we faced off against our enemies together," Arashi said, "But I should have allowed myself to get injured though."
"Why would you wish that?" Karin asked.
"Because I would then be allowed to bite and sink my teeth in deep and taste of that sweet luscious ass of yours," Arashi laughed, causing Karin to blush hotly and Naruto to laugh at the idea.
"I'd whip you with my chains first before I decide on whether or not to heal you," Karin replied.
"Kinky aren't we?" Arashi replied.
"Enough with the flirting you two," Honoka replied.
"Any way Naruto," Kansui said, "We now just have to wait for the other half of your and Seijiro-jisan's plan to follow through."
"Honestly," Naruto admitted, "It was Seijiro-jisan who came up with most of the plan whereas I gave some of my own inputs and suggestions. Seijiro-jisan is more war experienced and a better battle tactician than any of us are. And if everything goes according to plan, Kusa won't know what hit them while believing the Akatsuki is responsible."
"Framing a criminal organization of S-class missing nins for your actions against the village that was bent on enslaving your female brethren," Jiraiya remarked as he, Hinata, Shizune, Tsunade and Tonton appeared and joined the group, "How very clever."
"The Akatsuki plans to target me again in the future," Naruto said, "So we're giving them some problems now before they start making moves against me again in the future. I'm amazed that Seijiro-jisan was able to get exact replicas of these Akatsuki clothes and gear so soon before we executed this plan. They certainly came in handy."
"I wish you allowed me to join you and the others during that battle Naruto-kun," Hinata said.
"I understand how much you wanted to be at my side Hinata-chan," Naruto said, "But I needed you as a backup standby in the slight chance that things didn't go according to plan. I'm strong and smart but I do have limits and I can be outsmarted by a more clever and experienced ninja."
"And even then, the victory isn't always won in favor of the enemy," Seijiro said as he and the Triple A sisters arrived on the scene, "I take it that everything was taken care of from your end."
"To the letter," Naruto said before turning to Tsunade, "A deal's a deal Tsunade-obaachan! I won the bet. So now you have to live up to your end of the bargain!"
Tsunade sighed and walked over to Naruto and stood in front of him. Reaching for the back of her neck, she removed her necklace and placed it around Naruto's neck, "I didn't think you could do it. But you truly proved me wrong."
"My precious people were being threatened by an army," Naruto said, "Wanting to protect them at all cost with my life served as my driving force to master that jutsu. I wasn't going to allow Kusa to have their way with my clan."
"Well they did pay a most generous sum of money for the "gifts" you had me give to them Naruto," Seijiro remarked.
"How much we're talking about?" Tsunade asked.
"The amount of money paid out was enough for me to take half to finance my spy network after I transferred and deposited the other half into the Uzumaki clan treasury," Seijiro said.
"With a righthand man like you at Naruto-kun's side," Karin remarked, "I can already see the power and prestige of our clan rising to prominence fast!"
"All good things in good time Karin," Seijiro said.
"Let's return back to the motel," Jiraiya suggested, "We all had a long day and I'm sure all of you could use the rest before we return to Konoha in two days."
Everyone agreed and started on their way back to Tenmangu-machi. Seijiro still had the peregrine falcon sitting his left shoulder. Honoka's pheromone chakra played a key role in getting the bird of prey into becoming Seijiro's partner. Naruto in the meantime thought back to what happened early yesterday…
(Flashback: Yesterday Morning)
Far outside of town in a clearing in the forest, Naruto was examining several of the tri-pronged kunais, picking them up off the ground at random to investigate their edges. The dummies and everything else had been chopped up into tiny pieces as if they were all put into a blender. The posts were piles of sawdust. Jiraiya leaned down to carefully examined the pile of steel dust that were once body armor for the wood post.
"Those armors were made of tempered steel and it was reinforced with chakra, and the armors still got shredded," Jiraiya noted, "Just how fast were those tri-pronged blades moving?"
"I can't find any damages to the blades at all," Naruto said as he was examining the specially made kunais, "They cut through steel, wood and flesh without even being marked up."
"It's a perfect attack," Seijiro stated having eyewitnessed Naruto's Flashing Dagger attack after perfecting it. There was a measure of awe and pride in his voice, "Anything and anyone that gets caught within Naruto's Senko Tanken dies, period."
Jiraiya nodded head in agreement.
"Naruto?" Seijiro inquired, "Is there any way you could limit its effects? Could you use it say…to just disarm an opponent or just wound him?"
Naruto shook his head and answered, "No. Unfortunately this kinjutsu doesn't work that way. It's like flipping on a switch; it's either on or it's not. That's why my use of this kinjutsu will be very limited. Worse case scenario is me using this kinjutsu and one or several of my comrades, friends or loved ones get caught in its blast radius during a fierce battle. Not to mention this kinjutsu consumes a considerable amount of chakra each time. Overuse of this kinjutsu would result instant death of the user. Therefore the number of times it can be used depends on the amount chakra that's at the user's disposal."
"How far can that kinjutsu's blast radius extend?" Seijiro asked.
"As of now," Naruto admitted, "I'm only able to reach thirteen yards of me in all directions. It's like Hiraishin in reverse. I don't teleport to the tri-pronged kunais. They teleport to me as the homing beacon, but in the process they shred and destroy everything and everyone in their paths."
Seijiro nodded his head as he listened carefully to Naruto's explanation.
"I advise you not to teach that attack to anyone Naruto," Jiraiya said seriously as he stood back up, "That kinjutsu is one hundred percent lethal and you admitted that you can't alter it. Since that's the case, there are two conditions that must be in place first if that kinjutsu is to be executed."
"OK," Naruto agreed and then asked, "What are they?"
"Never use that kinjutsu unless you're one hundred percent sure that your sensei and teammates are at least seventeen yards away from you. Develop some kind of code phrase to let them know you are about to unleash it so they don't try and get near you at the wrong moment," Jiraiya instructed, "And since you said it drains a considerable amount of chakra each time, like you brought out earlier, your use of that kinjutsu must be under dire circumstances after all other avenues of dealing with enemy forces have been exhausted."
"I understand," Naruto agreed as he took in everything Jiraiya instructed him on.
(End Of Flashback; Present Time)
Naruto snapped back to reality after thinking about Jiraiya's advice and warning to him with regards to that kinjutsu. He didn't want to think about the possibility of accidentally killing or maiming any of his friends or clan members with that attack. Or worse, Hinata getting caught up in that attack by accident even. Naruto shook the thoughts out of his head as he decided to think about more positive things, like getting back to Konoha and having one of Teuchi's large bowl of beef ramen that he hadn't had in days since the mission.
"We're going to have to change out of these Akatsuki clothes before we get back to Tenmangu-machi of course," Karin reminded.
"Since we're here we might as well split into two groups and go into the woods to change back to our normal clothes," Naruto suggested, "I'm sure all of us here packed and sealed our change of clothes before coming out here."
"I should hope so," Honoka remarked before before she and Karin split from the group and went into one direction while the Naruto, Kansui and Arashi went into another, leaving Jiraiya and the rest of the group behind to wait for their return so they could resume their trek back to town.
(Meanwhile)
The fourteen Kusa ninjas were making their way back to Kusa, hardly stopping breaks. Since the sun was still out they were trying to make the best of daylight before dusk started to set in. By now they had already made a good amount of distance from Tenmangu-machi and towards the direction where Kusagakure was located. They were expecting the rest of their troops to catch up and meet up with them when the time came for them to stop and rest for the night before continuing on their way back to Kusagakure.
(Back in Tenmangu-machi; Later That Evening)
Jiraiya was reading another correspondence letter from Hiruzen as they kept a communication line open with each other concerning the vital request Hiruzen was asking of Jiraiya. For two days, this correspondence was going back and forth until Jiraiya finally accepted to fulfill Hiruzen's earnest request. Though Jiraiya carried a measure of reluctance in going through with fulfilling his former sensei's request, he knew and understood why his sensei was asking that request of him and no one else. Jiraiya knew a great deal for him would change by accepting to go through with what was being earnestly and sincerely asked of him by his former sensei. After much mental deliberation, Jiraiya wrote his acceptance reply letter and had it sent back quickly to Hiruzen via the same toad messenger.
When that was done, Jiraiya decided to write a letter to his daughter Konohanosakuya-hime, also known as Sakuya-bime. He wanted to know about her progress, her life as a ruling monarch and her training. In his letter, Jiraiya explained to her about Naruto, the Uzumaki clan, his heritage and his entire past and ordeals. He also explained in the letter how he became Naruto's godfather. Towards the ending, Jiraiya told his daughter about what his former sensei was asking of him and that he decided to accept it, and that he wanted her to be there on that day so he could properly introduce her to everyone and Tsunade who accepted to date him. After concluding his second letter, he sent it to Sakuya-bime via another toad messenger.
Relieved that all of his letter writings were done, Jiraiya stretched out and took a breather to relaxed himself. Thinking about his daughter moved Jiraiya to take out his picture of his late wife Uzume-hime. Looking at the picture, he took a private moment to reminisce about all the great times he had with her and how she loved and accepted him for just being Jiraiya. He took pride in knowing that Uzume-hime was envied by a number of kunoichis in her village for having him for a husband and having his daughter. He recalled how Uzume-hime glowed with motherly pride and joy when she learned she was having his first daughter and heiress. There was so much both him and his late wife were looking forward to doing and teaching their daughter together. And during the earlier years of her upbringing, their daughter became known in Nadeshiko as "The Sage's Daughter."
Those were happy times in Jiraiya's life.
"So that's Uzume-hime!" Naruto said as he seemingly popped out of nowhere from behind Jiraiya. Jiraiya turned to his godson and asked, "When did you show up?"
"I decided to spend the evening talking with you," Naruto said, "Besides, Hinata-chan was a little moody for me to handle. I think she's on her cycle or something. I wonder how my father handled being around my mother during those times."
"He would hide in his office in the Hokage Tower saying that he had a lot of paperwork to do," Jiraiya laughed, "One time he, Kakashi, and Obito pretended that they forgot Rin's birthday, and that stunt brought out a deadly rage from Kushina that left young Kakashi traumatized and Minato shaken. Even Rin wasn't able to calm Kushina down despite reassuring her that it was no big deal. From what Minato told me, it was Obito's idea in order to give Rin a surprise party later that day. Sadly for them, the plan completely backfired."
Naruto burst out laughing as he visualized his father, the feared Yellow Flash and Kakashi cowering in front of an angry Kushina.
"What did my father, Kakashi-sensei and Obito do to calm her down?" Naruto laughed.
"They had to fight Kushina, three on one, in order to calm her down," Jiraiya recalled, "The fact that your mother was whipping out her Adamantine Chakra Chains on them with red chakra oozing out of her in loads were clear signs that she was seriously going to whip and beat the living crap out of all three of them."
"The Uzumaki temper sure is infamously feared!" Naruto laughed harder, "Even my father the late Yellow Flash feared it!"
"As laughable as that may sound Naruto," Jiraiya remarked, "A woman's rage isn't to be taken lightly. It almost got me killed, literally."
"You think I don't know that?" Naruto remarked and continued, "That psycho snake lady Anko tried to kill me with one of her summoned diamondback rattlesnakes just because I peeped on her for my needed infiltration spying and information gathering training. I had to bribe her for the needed antivenom after one of her vipers managed to bite me. But I sure as hell made sure not to leave empty handed as I managed to get some good photos of her naked before I left the bathhouse."
"You never told me about that incident," Jiraiya replied with a tone of interest, but then backed up as he paused to think about what Naruto said, "Infiltration spying and information gathering training?"
"That's what I call it," Naruto said, "My objective is to peep and gather as much data as I can on those females and what they talk about without getting caught. Getting caught is failure of the infiltration and spy mission and possible death if I fail to escape because my cover was blown. Because I resorted to using deadly kunoichis to peep on, including my girlfriend and distant female Uzumaki cousins, it helped develop my prowess as a spy master because I was using real kunoichis for my private training. And even if I got caught, escaping effectively was part of my training. Getting poisoned or beaten nearly to death was not an option!"
"Why didn't I think of that back then?" Jiraiya lamented, "Damn it! I could have avoided so much grief and medical treatment had I thought of your idea back then!"
"Well we can't change the past," Naruto said, "But I sure as hell learned a lot from yours. And there's still more I want to learn about."
"Like?" Jiraiya asked.
"Tell me everything about Uzume-hime and my god-sister Konohanasakuya-hime," Naruto implored as he took a seat in front of Jiraiya, "I want to know about the special lady who managed to tame the self-proclaimed Super Pervert into settling down with her and having a daughter with her."
"Sure," Jiraiya accepted, "I've been meaning to tell you about them anyway."
Jiraiya and Naruto spend the rest of the night talking and laughing about his time with Uzume-hime and his daughter. That night Jiraiya and Naruto had a true evening of sensei and disciple bonding.
(Two Days Later)
The surviving team of Kusa ninjas arrived and made it back to Kusagakure in a timely fashion. The Chuunin they had previously dispatched to the remaining 120 other Kusa ninjas had reported to them what happened and how the Akatsuki ambushed and killed off their entire platoon that were on standby. They knew they had to report this to their village leader upon their return and report it they did after bringing in the five "Uzumaki girls" in their custody.
The village leader heard some things about the Akatsuki but he couldn't figure out why they decided to attack his ninjas and wiped them out. His secretary was recording everything that was being explained by their ninjas in details, making sure not to miss a detail. The head director of their village's general hospital was also present in the office.
"I never thought we'd have to deal with the Akatsuki," the village said as he contemplated on the situation, "They costed us more than we can afford in terms of our ninjas on hand."
"Their deaths however weren't in vain as we not only reacquired Karin but four other female Uzumakis as well," the commanding Jounin said, "This was a major success for the mission with the help of The Bloodhound."
The village leader nodded his head in agreement before turning to his secretary and requesting, "Will you please excuse us? I have some private matters I wish to discuss at this time."
"Yes sir," the secretary said, "It's just about my break time anyway."
The secretary quickly left the office, wanting to enjoy her break from work to the full. After she quickly left the office, the village leader stood up and walked over from his desk to "Karin" and the other captured "Uzumaki females."
"I'm sure you thought you'd never step foot back here in Kusagakure again," the village leader stated, "But the reality is that my village is in dire need of your services and healing chakra. The service you and your Uzumaki sisters will provide for my village will be an invaluable asset that'll help restore the morale of my people."
"Your mother fully understood this Karin," the head director of the hospital interjected, "That was why her self-sacrifice was very much appreciated as it kept our village and ninjas alive."
"You hold a duty to this village Karin, not Konoha," the village leader said, "Your mother fulfilled her duty and it's your responsibility to carry it on in your mother's place."
"We just have one humble request sir," "Karin" said, "If it's not too much for me and my Uzumaki sisters to ask for."
"And what might that be?" the village leader asked. "Karin" and the other "Uzumaki girls" looked up at the village leader as "Karin" replied, "Die!"
(From Outside The Building)
The secretary was some distance from the building when it was suddenly engulfed in a colossal explosion of a blinding white fireball, vaporizing everything and everyone caught in its path. The powerful blast force of the explosion thrusted her off the ground and into the air as it launched her into and through the food stand that was a considerable distance. She was instantly knocked unconscious with a series of injuries and burns. Burning debris of various sizes were thrown everywhere doing additional damages and injuries to everything and everyone they came in contact with. The village was in total chaos and turmoil as they rushed to the now destroyed tower of the village leader, which was reduced to a massive burning crater in the ground.
"Art is a Blast!" "Deidara" roared enthusiastically as he and "Sasori" were seen fleeing the scene of the crime.
"AFTER THEM!" one of the Kusa Jounins ordered as he and a group of ninja went in pursuit of the Akatsuki members. As soon as they surrounded the to Akatsuki members, the Kusa Jounin yelled, "You bastards! You'll pay for what you've done!"
"Art is to be done with style!" "Deidara" retorted, "While fleeting with time, the moment of my artwork's blooming is when it's at its pinnacle moment! And its moment of blooming is now!"
"Deidara" and "Sasori" both glowed white back detonating themselves in an explosion that instantly killed the ninjas that chased after them. No one would suspect that the Uzumaki clan masterminded the attack that killed the Kusa village leader, the hospital's head director and over 160 Kusa ninjas. As far as everyone knew, the Akatsuki was behind the attack.
(Meanwhile Back In Tenmangu-machi)
The group had already left Tenmangu-machi and started on their trek back to Konoha. Mitsukai the peregrine falcon flew in and landed down on Seijiro's right shoulder. Seijiro petted his featured comrade while Honoka smiled at seeing the current oldest Uzumaki of the group enjoying his new partner she provided for him. Samehada was being carried on Honoka's back after it was completely wrapped and covered in bandages.
While on their way back to Konoha, Naruto and Seijiro started receiving incoming experiences and reports from their disguised spy clones that eyewitnessed everything that happened in Kusagakure. They saw that everything went according to plan. Kusagakure would never suspect the Uzumaki clan while scrambling to pick up the pieces of what's left of their village and ninja forces and putting up a high alert against the Akatsuki.
"The deed has been done," Naruto declared, "Kusa will not be pursuing of us anymore."
"That's good to hear," Karin remarked, "I can finally breathe easier now!"
The seven disguised White Fire Uzumaki Clone Bombs were provided by Seijiro and the Triple-A sisters. Karin though provided the one that was disguised as her as she wanted to give her personal message to Kusagakure's village leader. They used huge amounts of chakra in those deadly explosive clones to ensure the effectiveness of their self-detonation and destructive force.
"If you like I can help put your mind at ease my Scarlet-eyed Minx," Arashi offered with a toothy grin. Karin snorted and replied, "You don't say."
"Just try me out and I'm sure to leave you wanting more," Arashi offered.
"Confident, aren't we?" Karin remarked playfully.
"Will you two stop flirting already?" Akira requested.
"Why should they?" Jiraiya asked as he was writing things down in his notepad, "I was getting good fresh material out of those two for my next book."
"Oh Jiraiya-sama," Akio laughed, "You're still the same! You never change!"
"Be that as it may," Jiraiya replied as he placed his pen and notepad away, "But there's going to be great changes happening in Konoha after our return besides the additional Uzumakis being found and joined with the village accompanied by Tsunade's return."
"What do you mean?" Hinata asked, "What other developments will be taking place upon our return?"
"Sarutobi-sensei is going to retire and step down as Hokage once again," Jiraiya revealed, catching everyone's attention instantly as they all stopped walking along with Jiraiya.
"Jiisan is stepping down as Hokage!?" Naruto asked, "Are you serious?! When did you find that out!?"
"Through private correspondences between himself and I during this mission," Jiraiya said, "He didn't publicly announce this yet, but he officially told me that he's going to step down once again and look to his successor to become Konoha's new Godaime."
"I hope he's not planning on asking me to take up the mantle in becoming Hokage upon our return to Konoha," Tsunade remarked.
"You are the granddaughter of the Shodai and Uzumaki Mito-sama, you're related to the late Nidaime, you were taught by the Sandaime who was taught by your grandfather and the Nidaime, you're one of the Sannin and famed Slug Princess whose renown for her contributions to the medical field," Jiraiya said.
"I don't want the position," Tsunade stated, "I'm not interested in becoming the next Hokage."
"I named all of your attributes and familial ties to the first two Hokages, Tsunade-hime," Jiraiya clarified, "I never said they qualified you to be considered as a candidate and Sarutobi-sensei made it very clear as to why you're not qualified to become the Konoha's Godaime Hokage despite everything I mentioned just a moment ago. Even if you wanted to become the next Hokage, you wouldn't be chosen."
Oddly enough, Tsunade felt insulted by that revelation as she implored, "What explanation did Sarutobi-sensei give you as to why he would want me?"
"Does it matter?" Jiraiya asked with a shrug and reminded, "You don't want the position anyway, so why ask as to why you wouldn't be selected anyway?"
"Just humor me!" Tsunade retorted.
Sighing Jiraiya explained, "Tsunade, you officially joined the Uzumaki clan as a member through your grandmother's side of the family. Out of your own free will, you subjugated yourself to Naruto as the Uzumaki clan leader who's also part of Konoha's shinobi council. Under these conditions, you'd be disqualified as a potential candidate for the position and office of Hokage.
"The reason for this is because a Hokage cannot be under the subjugation of any clan leader within Konoha walls as it would bring political and social conflicts of interest. This law was put in place by your grandfather the Shodai himself when he and Tobirama-sama were establishing the laws and qualifications of becoming Hokage. This was done in order to avoid clan leaders from having manipulative influences and control over the Hokage."
"I'll have to keep that law in mind in the future," Naruto commented as he took in everything Jiraiya was explaining and that what Hashirama and Tobirama did made sense, "So was there anyone else jiisan considered for the position of Hokage?"
"I'm surprising you're not talking about yourself being selected to take Sandaime's place as Hokage, Naruto-kun," Karin remarked.
"I only recently became a Chuunin, our clan's new leader and new member of the shinobi council," Naruto reminded, "These three roles I'm in all at once are challenging enough. And added to this is that my recent experiences with you all here and in Konoha have showed me that I have a long way to go before I can become Hokage."
"You're humble and honest about your self-assessment so I have to say that you're on the right track," Jiraiya remarked candidly.
"So was there anyone else who was considered for the office of Hokage?" Shizune asked.
"Like Sarutobi-sensei," Jiraiya replied, "Shimura Danzō was also taught and trained by the Shodai and the Nidaime. However, Danzō is someone Hiruzen doesn't want as the next Hokage and for good reasons."
"What would happen if Danzō become the Godaime?" Shizune asked.
"It would end in total disaster for Konoha," Jiraiya said solemnly, "Danzō would turn Konoha into a militant police state and govern Konoha with an iron fist. He'll place his Root ANBU as his secret police all throughout Konoha and want every clan to give him their strongest members to join his Root ANBU. He'd especially would have Naruto turned into Konoha's ultimate weapon."
"He can't do that to me!" Naruto countered, "I'd be damn if I'd let him, plus I'm part of the shinobi council!"
"If he were to become the Hokage," Jiraiya replied, "Danzō would try to enforce his authority over you and you know it! Seeing the influences your clan has and the power it possesses, that war hawk would try to exert more control over you and your entire clan. He'd have every last member of your clan under tight surveillance."
"We would never let that happen!" Seijiro countered, "Our clan and people almost faced extinction and we would never allow any Kage to dominate us on top of that!"
"That's why Sarutobi-sensei said he could already see Naruto, the entire Uzumaki clan joined by the Hyuuga clan and Uchiha Sasuke rebelling and triggering a civil war within Konoha throwing all of Hi no Kuni into total chaos," Jiraiya said.
"Why would the Hyuuga clan side the Uzumaki clan if a civil war were to break out?" Shizune implored.
"The Uzumaki clan recently forged strong ties with the Hyuuga clan thanks to the hard work and contributions Naruto made to their clan," Jiraiya answered.
"Naruto-kun's contributions?" Shizune asked.
"I've done something the Hyuuga clan in the past would have thought to be impossible," Naruto explained, "Through Hinata-chan the clan heiress and her little sister Hanabi-chan, I created new advanced elemental Juuken fighting styles, the same elemental Juuken fighting style Hinata-chan used against Suna's Jinchuuriki and won without receiving so much as a scratch during the Chuunin Finals."
"You mean Gaara, Suna's proclaimed Ultimate Weapon?" Seijiro revealed, "I head of him and his exploits during my travels."
"Likewise, my brother and I did also," Arashi said, "You're telling us that your girlfriend kicked his ass!?"
"Royally!" Naruto confirmed, "It was eyewitnessed by our Sandaime, hundreds of foreign dignitaries and daimyōs, the Hyuuga clan and many of Konoha ninjas themselves. I know the Hyuuga clan wants me to train more of their Main House clan members after seeing how powerful Hinata-chan became just through my diligent training alone. Not to mention they and Hinata-chan can't wait to see Hanabi-chan's fruitage through my training. That's why the Hyuuga clan would sooner side with me rather than turn on me."
"And with the connection you and Seijiro have with the daimyō of Haru no Kuni and the priestess of Oni no Kuni," Jiraiya added, "Those two countries would no doubt send in reinforcements to side with you guys against Danzō and his forces. And Haru no Kuni is known for its advanced technology and weaponry. Nadeshiko wouldn't stay quiet to this either as not only do I have familial ties to the monarchy there, but Akio, Akemi and Akira also have connections to the governing council of Nadeshiko and they would mobilize against Konoha, them and their allies as well. It would be another Shinobi World War, this time triggered by the Uzumaki clan. And it wouldn't end in Konoha's favor as they would be forced to surrender."
They didn't miss the meaning behind Jiraya's last two statements. Without outright saying it, Jiraiya implied that he'd also rebel and war against Danzō if he became Hokage and crossed the line with the Uzumaki clan.
"But thankfully Danzō isn't a candidate for the role of Hokage so we don't have to worry about him gunning for the position," Jiraiya stated.
"I'm left to believe then that you know who's going to be the next Hokage," Tsunade figured.
"I do actually," Jiraiya said, "It was discussed between me and Sarutobi-sensei," Jiraiya said as everyone waited for the name of the one chose to become Godaime, "As the Toad Sage who was taught and trained by Sandaime and who later taught and trained the late Yondaime, I'm taking up the mantle to become Konoha's new Godaime Hokage."
It took a moment for Jiraiya's revelation to sink in, and sink in deep it did And when it did…
"WHAT?!" Naruto bellowed. "YOU'RE GOING TO BECOME THE NEXT HOKAGE!?"
"Are you that surprised and find anything wrong with that?" Jiraiya asked.
"I went from having a late father who was the Yondaime to a godfather going to become the Godaime training another future Hokage!" Naruto said, "I can't honestly see anything wrong with that! I can already so many possibilities ero-jisan becoming Godaime will have!" Naruto then turned to Jiraiya and remarked, "But don't think I'll be calling you Godaime-sama!"
"I wouldn't expect you to," Jiraiya replied, "It's not in your character anyway," Jiraiya turned to Tsunade and asked, "Well how about it Tsunade-hime, would you be interested in accepting a date from Konoha's soon-to-be Godaime Hokage?"
Knowing she lost the bet to Naruto, Tsunade knew she was in no position to refuse. So Tsunade replied, "Be a gentleman and not a pervert and show me a good time."
"I'm sure I can't do more than that," Jiraiya said confidently, "Just try me out and I'm sure I'll leave you wanting more!"
"Taking a page out of the book of the Uzumakis!" Arashi remarked after seeing how Jiraiya quoted his earlier words.
(Meanwhile In Nadeshiko)
Konohanasakuya-hime, also known as Sakuya-bime, was returning to her private chamber in the palace after an intense early morning exercise and training session with Shizuka and her teachers. Shizuka was walking alongside her as they were making their way to her private chamber.
"You've improved tremendously in such a short time Sakuya-bime!" Shizuka complimented, "It won't be long until you reach your late mother's caliber with the sword along with her strength."
"Thanks Shizuka-neechan!" Sakuya-bime thanked cheerfully, "My mother was a very strong woman and I can only hope to achieve the level of greatness she had in her prime."
"With the way you're developing and advancing," Shizuka said, "I wouldn't be surprised if you surpass your later mother in the future."
"My mother went toe-to-toe with a Sage, my father, and fought him to a stalemate in their first bout with each other," Sakura-bime reminded, "It was a close match the second time before my father finally won. Surpassing my late mother will be a very tall order for me to do."
"When your mother was alive," Shizuka said, "I remember her saying that you surpassing her was one of the things she hoped and dreamed of you accomplishing. She always saw potential and greatness in you."
"I suppose being the Sage's Daughter helps too, wouldn't you say?" Sakuya-bime joked.
"Speaking of Jiraiya-sama," Shizuka recalled, "Didn't you say you got a new letter from him?"
"I didn't get to read the letter thoroughly the other night because of my hectic training and school schedule," Sakuya-bime admitted, "I'll read his letter again after I get to my chamber."
The two girls talked for a short while longer before they arrived at her chamber. Shizuka told Sakuya-bime that she would come back to meet up with her later to escort her to her next teacher on diplomatic studies. After entering and closing the door behind her, Sakuya-bime went over to her desk and sat down in front of it. Seeing her father's letter on top of her desk, she picked it up and started re-reading the letter. While reading the letter, her father's words began to sink in as she took the time to read the letter carefully this time. While Sakuya-bime excitedly desired and wanted to meet her older godbrother Naruto however, her thoughts about Tsunade and her father saying they were soon going to start dating was a whole other matter altogether.
"Why is Tsunade interested in dating my father all of a sudden?"Sakuya-bime asked aloud to no one in particular, "I highly doubt it's because he's going to become Konoha's new Godaime Hokage."
She took out a blank piece of paper and began to write a reply letter to Jiraiya. Konohanasakuya-hime had some choice words she wanted to tell Tsunade in person and she wanted her father's permission to speak freely without his interference after she and her entourage to journey and arrive in Konoha in the next couple of days…
So much is happening and has happened. More Uzumakis were found and heading to Konoha with Naruto and Kusagakure was dealt a serious blow unknowingly by the Uzumaki clan. Jiraiya is going to become the Godaime Hokage and his daughter will be making her way to Konoha from Nadeshiko soon. What will happen when Konohanasakuya-hime is introduced for the first time as Jiraiya's daughter and ruling monarch of Nadeshiko? What will happen when Jiraiya's daughter and Tsunade meet for the first time? What's to become of Teams 7 and 8, and the spy mission Naruto is masterminding for Sasuke and Tayuya? Find out next time.