Kagami hastily walked through the vast camp of the 4th division, the nearby ninja were a little surprised by the wide smile on the veteran ninja's face considering he just lost his grandson 2 days ago. But Kagami was completely ignoring everyone around him and was briskly moving towards the large tent that was a few meters away from his position.
The 3 ninja who were standing as guards outside the tent, quickly bowed when they saw him approaching.His eyes could still not believe the information that he had discovered, he even checked it thrice...to think such a thing happened right under their nose."Minato..." said Kagami loudly,"It's true, isn't it?" asked Minato in a victorious voice as his father-in-law stepped beside him.He quickly handed a set of reports to him as a relieved smile came on the young Hokage's face. Meanwhile, Kagami could still not understand as to how his leader had come to such a conclusion...even after all the glaring facts in front of them."How did you know?" asked Kagami suspiciously,"I didn't...until I felt that change" said Minato calmly,"What change?"Kagami watched curiously as Minato turned around and there was a wide smile on the man's face. Just what was up with him? He just lost a son, hell he cremated his boy 2 days ago, and yet he was smiling..."My true name is Minato Senju, son of Tobirama and Toka Senju..." said Minato proudly, and Kagami actually took a few steps back as his mind was overwhelmed by this shocking information."It can't be..." said Kagami in disbelief, his sensei had a family?But Toka-sama died during child birth, the infant was never born...unless,"Yes, my mother died during my birth, but she knew my father had made enemies all over the world...even inside the village" said Minato suggestively,"My clan..." said Kagami disappointedly, it was a known fact that Tobirama was despised by many among the Uchiha.At one point even a rebellion was being planned, the Uchiha were angered by the discrimination shown to them by the Senju. They were promised equal status and Hashirama did keep his word. But Tobirama ruined everything with his suspicious nature and distrust of the Uchiha...fortunately he didn't live long and everything was settled peacefully when Hiruzen took over, his friend eased the tensions.And finally peace was established when Minato became the Yondaime, now that he thought about it Minato was a lot like Tobirama. Their ruling style was so similar, just like Tobirama didn't tolerate insubordination and did whatever it took to protect Konoha...Minato did the same, but without antagonizing the Uchiha or any other clan.Except the Hyuga...but that was a problem for another time."I am telling you the truth now because I sensed something in Naruto's body...before I cremated him" said Minato calmly,"What was it?" asked Kagami curiously, he sensed a deeper meaning behind Minato's words."Since I am a Senju and Mikoto is an Uchiha, Naruto's chakra is a mixture of these two clans...it's the same with Itachi. Although, Naruto is more of an Uchiha than a Senju...while Itachi is the opposite. But the body which we saw was not our Naruto...I believe he's still alive" said Minato smartly,"Impossible..." said Kagami in a shocked voice, just how was it possible?"The body which we found had a chakra which was only similar to Senju chakra...there was no trace of the Uchiha genes. My suspicions rose there, and that is why I asked you to check the ashes and determine the truth...and I see the results are as per my assumption. My son is alive..." said Minato happily, as he finished reading the report.Kagami was overjoyed on hearing this as a wide smile came on his face, words couldn't describe how happy his daughter would be when she heard this news?Judging from the expression on Kagami's face, Minato understood what his relative was thinking and decided to explain his plan."Kagami-sama, you cannot reveal this information to anyone...not even Mikoto or Itachi" said Minato sternly, as the old man was angered on hearing this order."Even knowing how much agony my daughter is in...she's your wife!" yelled Kagami angrily,"If you tell her then Naruto would really die..." said Minato seriously, as a frown came on Kagami's face...he just couldn't understand the logic behind Minato's plan."What are you saying?" asked Kagami in confusion,"I believe Naruto has either been captured or has willingly joined the enemy forces..." said Minato smartly,"You're insane...""I'm not, I know my son better than anyone. He is a far better military commander than me...his strategies have led us to victory against Iwa. Do you agree on this fact?" asked Minato patiently,"Yes, Naruto is quite dangerous when it comes to warfare. But what has this got to do with anything?" asked Kagami curiously,"He left me a letter stating that he believed that someone was influencing the Heavenly Alliance and this war was started by them. And Orochimaru is a part of this organization" explained Minato briefly,"The mysterious organization called "Akatsuki"...but we have received no information about their movements after that meeting with the Kages a few years ago" said Kagami flatly, as Minato agreed with his analysis."Except Kushina and Kisame who attacked our forces on Miyasato island were most probably a part of Akatsuki...it all makes sense now as to where Kushina was since all these years and why we got no information about her. Naruto must have realized that she was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki during their battle...and I believe he infiltrated the organization in order to exploit the real master mind of this war" explained Minato in detailKagami was baffled on hearing this plan, it was downright devious...but then again Naruto never played by the book. He was an unpredictable person...whom not even Kagami could understand.Before he could ask any further question a messenger quickly rushed inside the room and almost collapsed on the floor, as Minato raised his hand advising the man to take a deep breath. The man just gave Minato a grateful bow...and after a few seconds he straightened himself."Report""Hokage-sama, Kiri has surrendered. The Yondaime Mizukage, Yagura has accepted defeat" said the man happily, as Kagami and Minato's eyes widened in shock and joy. Was the war really ending in their favor?"What happened? Kiri was fairing quite well in this war..." said Kagami suspiciously, as the man gave a firm nod."Yes, they were. In fact, Yagura attacked our rebel fort on the southern border a few hours ago with 12,000 soldiers" said the messenger gravely, as Minato instantly got up from his seat and Kagami was right in front of the messenger. There were many of his soldiers in that fort..."Tell us everything...and why the hell were we not able to detect such a huge enemy movement?" asked Kagami sternly, this was a nightmare..."Apparently, the enemy had performed some kind of Fuinjutsu that delayed the SOS request from Mei Terumi. By the time our forces reached there, Yagura's entire army had been killed and the Mizukage had fled from the battlefield" said the messenger honestly,"12,000 soldiers died? All of them? How many did we lose?" asked Kagami urgently, as Minato patiently waited for the answer."We lost 95 rebel soldiers, the fort was destroyed too...but Mei Terumi and the rest of her men are alive. Kagami-sama, Hokage-sama...Mei-san has asked me to tell you that a single Konoha shinobi helped her in achieving this victory. He was a young boy, probably 15...he devised the entire plan of battle and is believed to be the one who defeated Yagura" said the messenger sincerely,Kagami looked at Minato in shock, so it really was him...Minato closed his eyes as a sense of relief spread across his entire body. The Hokage quickly walked towards the messenger and put his hand on the man's forehead as a small sealed glowed brightly."You can go now..." said Minato calmly,"Yes, my lord" said the messenger devotedly, and quickly went out of the room as Minato walked back towards his desk."What did you do?" asked Kagami curiously,"I sealed off all his memories of today's morning. He will never remember this information...it is now known only to us" said Minato seriously,"Do you really think it's him?" asked Kagami hesitantly, he really wanted to believe his grandson was alive...but it also proved the fact that he had went rogue and was acting on his own."There is no other military commander in Konoha or Fire Country, who can achieve such a victory. This report says he used the Mizukage's missiles and killed the entire force...all the battle strategies implemented by him were ingenious. He is spying from inside the Akatsuki...and from there he must have received such information about this surprise attack. And even if some other Konoha shinobi was there, except for Baku or Jiraiya...I doubt anyone could have defeated Yagura, he's the Jinchuuriki of the Sanbi. This proves that Naruto is alive..." explained Minato briefly,"I still believe we should wait for a few more days before jumping to conclusions. Despite all these facts showing us that he is alive, it rather proves that he is acting on his own...if Naruto had been captured then he must have at least left a hint behind for us to rescue him. Under this situation, he is behind enemy lines without any kind of back up" said Kagami frustratingly, just what was the boy thinking before taking such a step?"Kushina, could it be that you are working with him..." thought Minato analytically, all the evidence was against her...but he still wanted to believe that Kushina was not a traitor, definitely not now since he had proof that Naruto was still alive."I'll try to find him on my own...no one else must know about this. Naruto is my responsibility," said Minato authoritatively, as Kagami gave him a small smile."But still he has broken all the rules of Blacklight...if found guilty, he will be executed" said Kagami gravely, and the very next second a monstrous KI was felt in the entire room as Minato looked at him with his cold azure eyes."He is my son, Naruto has always fought to protect Konoha...if he has broken the rules, then there will be punishment. But nobody has the right to execute my son, except me. If anyone dares to even say such a thing, they will pay dearly!" said Minato darkly,"But Blacklight and Baku-""Are my subordinates. I am the Yondaime Hokage, and Konoha is under military rule. No one is above me...and I won't tolerate insubordination from anyone. You do remember what I do right?" asked Minato sternly,Kagami became a little nervous on seeing this side of Minato, it had been a lot of years since he had seen Minato behaving in this manner. Last time, Danzo had tried to usurp power by defaming Minato...and his teammate was stripped of all powers, his Root was disbanded, and Danzo's arm was cut off but it didn't stop there as Minato had the man crucified to a post for 2 days making all his enemies watch how ruthless he could be if threatened.Only when Danzo pleaded for mercy and on insistence of Kagami, Hiruzen, and the elders was the man pardoned. If not for this war, Danzo would now be living a lonely, isolated life under the constant surveillance of the Police Force. So, in a way Minato was similar to his own father...Ever since that day, no one in Konoha or Fire Country dared to doubt or even think of threatening Minato Namikaze..."Understood, Hokage-sama" said Kagami respectfully, as the KI slowly disappeared.He gave Kagami one stern gaze indicating his order of keeping this information secret, and only when the Uchiha leader gave him the confirmation nod...did Minato back off and quietly leave the room, as a tired sigh escaped from Kagami's lips."Naruto, you are such a troublesome child... but still it's good to see that your father will always be there to protect you," said Kagami happily, with a small smile on his face.A person could be seen standing in front of a small mirror in a dark room, his dark black eyes were keenly observing his own reflection in the mirror. But everything was a blur to him, why was he seeing those people?Those deformed, mangled, zombies glaring at him with those demonic eyes.Thousands and thousands of souls gazing at him accusingly. Men, women, children, every person looking at him with anger, hatred, sadness.He recognized all those civilians glaring at him hatefully, the men were furious, women were full of remorse, while those innocent children were looking at him with their sweet eyes...but the horrible thing was the amount of cuts and slices on their bodies.It was not just civilians, but thousands and thousands of ninjas were looking at him hatefully through the mirror."Why?""You killed us...""Bastard""Murderer""Demon""Why did you kill my child?"Thousands and thousands of accusations and abuses were being hurled at him as he stood firm as a rock, as his dead eyes accepted everything willingly...but his heart was breaking with every passing moment."It's too late to ask for forgiveness..." said Naruto sadly, as his eyes became moist.He closed his eyes in defeat as those yells and screams started again and were getting louder and louder with every passing second.Before he knew it, those souls dragged him inside the mirror and he found himself standing in hell. And all those souls had now transformed into demons waiting to torture him for eternity."Naruto..."His eyes widened in shock, when another person landed beside him and picked him up over his shoulder. Naruto was stunned when he saw who the person was."Armin..." said Naruto tearfully, as his best friend gave him a sympathetic look."I shouldn't have put such a heavy burden on you, brother" said Armin sadly, as he carried Naruto back towards the door of hell through which the demons had dragged him inside.Naruto saw all the demons charging towards them with the intent to capture them and torture their souls for eternity. He even saw the entrance gate of hell being quickly surrounded by demons."Naruto, there's only one thing which I want you to know..." said Armin emotionally, as he deflected the incoming attacks and carried his defeated friend towards his freedom."Even if the whole world hates you...I'll forever be by your side!" yelled Armin loudly, as he threw Naruto towards the door.Naruto watched demons jumping towards Armin as he quickly neared the light...and tears came in his eyes when Armin gave him a peaceful smile."So promise me......that you will return home""ARMIN!"(Akatsuki Base)He jolted up from his bed with a shocked look on his face. His entire body was covered in sweat, even his breathing was a lot more faster and his heart was pounding more quickly. A few tears had already slipped from his eyes and moistened his cheeks.It had happened again...He gently removed his face mask and saw its entire interior region was covered in his own blood."I see..." said Naruto calmly, as he threw the contaminated material in a nearby dustbin.A tired sigh escaped from his lips as he slowly got up from his bed...but he suddenly stopped as he saw where he was going.He was going towards the mirror!He took a few steps back in fear but quickly lost his balance and fell flat on the ground with a loud thud. This was the scene where Kushina Uzumaki walked into the room only to find Naruto lying flat on the floor with a terrified look on his face.She saw him glaring fearfully at the mirror on the far side of the room."Naruto...""Hang in there, Armin...I will get you out of there" said Naruto pleadingly,A frown came on her face, his hallucinations were getting worse with every passing day. Ever since he came back from that beach, he couldn't sleep and was barely holding himself together. She was no doctor, but she understood that something was wrong with Naruto.Kushina was angry with him, he had killed 12,000 people...after saying he would create his empire with the least amount of bloodshed, and then he did that massacre. But Kiri had surrendered and they were really heading towards the end of this bloody war...so, she reluctantly had to agree with his method.But that was not what she was concerned about, she was worried about Naruto's powers...and how deep Armin's death had affected him. The symptoms seen in the young commander was even worse than what she had seen in Kakashi all those years back, when the copy ninja lost his 2 teammates.Just what kind of power awakened in him that lead him to this point?"It was after Armin's death that he awakened the Mangekyo, his darkness (Ikiryo) resurfaced back again from his subconscious mind. The more time passed the more aggressive he became, he's losing himself...but what is the reason behind all of this?" thought Kushina in confusion,Regardless, they had to attend an emergency meeting with the rest of the Akatsuki..."NARUTO!"Her angry voice snapped him out of his imaginary world as he looked at her in shock. Naruto didn't even know that she was standing right beside him..."What are you doing here?" asked Naruto evasively, as he quickly got back on his feet.Kushina watched as he took out another face mask and covered his face, and after a few deep breaths he straightened himself and was now looking at her calmly, as if nothing had happened a few minutes ago.He looked at her and saw the same anger in her eyes, since the past 2 days..."We have been summoned for an emergency meeting. Get dressed..." said Kushina flatly, as he gave a small nod.She watched as he silently put on his Akatsuki cloak, and was now adjusting his silky blonde hair...trying to look as normal as possible."Go ahead...you can blame me, after all I did kill them all" said Naruto patiently, as she slowly came beside him.He saw her reflection in the mirror, she was in her Akatsuki uniform and her red hair were tied in a long ponytail while her crossed Konoha headband was placed properly on her forehead...but he just couldn't understand the gaze she was giving him."Kiri has surrendered..." said Kushina calmly, as he applied some powder in order to lighten the dark circles beneath his eyes...due to constantly being deprived of sleep."It is not possible for you to understand...there are times when you have to abandon your humanity and become a monster in order to overcome evil" stated Naruto honestly,"Is that the only way to win?" asked Kushina sadly,"It's one possible way to defeat evil...I think I can do it" said Naruto truthfully, as a frown came on her face."Tell me...if you really did become that monster and defeat that evil, would it really be a victory for us?" asked Kushina skeptically, as a tired sigh escaped from his lips."It won't be easy to overcome...""I know this world is corrupt and we need a new system. But I and everyone we care about would still be defeated...if we lose you in the process of creating this new world. Why do you always cross the limits and risk your life...Armin won't come back no matter what you do" said Kushina harshly,He slowly turned around and looked the red head straight in the eye..."I know, but it will at least let me die peacefully..." said Naruto sadly, as he slowly walked past her.Watching him move towards the door made Kushina even more sad, but at the same time she still could not understand what Naruto wanted in reality.All this fighting which he was doing, this dream of a new world...everything was connected to..."You're doing everything for Armin...Naruto, you only wanted to live in a world with your best friend, isn't it?" asked Kushina sympathetically, as he stopped walking and his fists clenched tightly.All his life Naruto never had any friends, he was constantly surrounded by people who were only interested in him because he was the son of the Hokage, as such he never had any true friends. But Armin and Mikasa were his first and best friends, they were the first true relationships which he formed outside his family.Mikasa was a unique girl, who always supported Naruto...but there were times when even she could not understand him.But Armin was different, he understood the darkness within Naruto but still stood by his side. She had seen all his memories, Naruto was a selfish person who had entered the war just to protect Itachi...he never really cared about his comrades. But Armin changed that, he taught him teamwork and value of friendship...he taught Naruto to live and before he knew it, Armin became Naruto's role model.A person who cared for everyone, a person who helped all his comrades...a friend who accepted all his negative traits and even then stood by his side till the very end.Armin was the one who turned a selfish, uncaring, dark Naruto into a brave, caring commander. He made him Commander Phoenix, the man loved by the entire 1st company of Blacklight.The Uchiha were really a cursed clan...Naruto was an exact replica of her friend, Mikoto. She could still remember how sad her friend was when her mother died...only Kami knew what she was going through right now."Kushina, you asked me why I don't care about my life?" asked Naruto silently,"Hai""Because I've been dead ever since that night at Shuri Castle...I couldn't keep my promise to Armin, I couldn't protect him or Kotetsu." said Naruto in a regretful voice..."Naruto...""I'm trash...but they were heroes of Konoha. But the very village betrayed them and sent them to their deaths...I was supposed to die there, but Armin died for me. He went in knowing he could die just to protect me...I hate the shinobi world, and even if I die a slow and painful death...even if the whole world calls me a monster I will not stop...I will create a world where people like Armin are loved, cherished and protected. And for that world I am ready to throw away my life..." said Naruto passionately,She closed her eyes in defeat, guess he was still a 15 year old boy in this case..."Grow up, Naruto...the shadow of death hangs over us all. Some deaths are harder to accept, but unless you accept that there can be no future" said Kushina vehemently, she was not going to give up on him.Even if she had to hammer these ideals in his mind, because the path Naruto was following would only lead to his death. It had taken Kakashi a few years to get over Obito and Rin's death, but Minato, Mikoto, Jiraiya and even Kushina herself had supported him bringing him back from the darkness he was drowning himself in.She just had to do it again..."I can't live like this...until I've fulfilled my dream I can never move on. You are either with me or against me...but I'm not gonna stop" said Naruto harshly, as he went out of the room.Kushina smacked her forehead in frustration, he really was the most stubborn, irritating, confusing, mysterious person she ever met...but she also couldn't deny the fact that Naruto was probably the most kind and gentle person she ever met after Minato, he really loved all his precious people.A small smile came on her face as she now knew what she had to accomplish."Moron..."(Miyasato island)Mikasa stood in attention, she was currently dressed in her uniform and was patiently waiting for any kind of response from the person sitting in front of her.To say the least, he was the last person she ever wanted to see in her entire life. He was the one who killed her two best friends and someday he was going to pay for that dearly."Sandaime Taichou...huh?" asked Baku distastefully, the old geezer was practically seething with anger.Because currently he was holding the official order naming Mikasa Ackerman as the Sandaime Taichou of 1st company, personally signed and issued to him by Minato Namikaze.That prick Naruto still haunted him even after his death..."I am at your service, Commander" said Mikasa bitterly, as she barely gave a short bow...if it was in her hands she would have killed the man with her bare hands."Let me make this clear, girl...you are not fit to be a captain. If only that fool Narut-" said Baku angrily, but was cut off when Mikasa raised her hand."Commander Naruto Namikaze...we don't respect the man, but the rank. Isn't that one of the most important rule of Blacklight...Commander?" asked Mikasa sarcastically, as the veteran Anbu commander clenched his fists tightly as a little KI leaked inside the room."Yes, Commander Naruto has made a mistake by naming you as the successor. If only I had known what was in those letters..." said Baku disappointedly, as Mikasa just ignored his ramblings."It is not my place to decide, I am under orders directly from Hokage-sama..." said Mikasa victoriously,"Thank you Naruto, I'll make sure that I make his life a living hell..." thought Mikasa sadistically, she knew there was nothing Baku could do now...no one could over rule Minato's order of naming her the captain.In a sad way, Naruto did think of everything before he...Meanwhile Baku took a deep breath in order to control his emotions. There was still a war on and he had to lead Konoha to victory, no matter the cost.And after all of this mess was over, he would teach the Heavenly Alliance and every ninja a village a proper lesson that they wouldn't even dare lift a finger on Konoha or Fire Country even in their wildest dreams. But before that..."As you know, Kiri has surrendered. Hokage-sama has directed the Third division led by Kakashi Hatake to detain the defeated Mizukage troops...but the Mizukage could not be captured as he committed suicide before our forces could get near him" explained Baku briefly,"Why did he do that?" asked Mikasa in surprise, this was the first time in history that a Kage had done such a thing."Don't know, don't care. Either way it makes things easier for us, Yagura named Mei Terumi as the new Mizukage...but whether she is worthy for the job or not is another question. Rest of Blacklight forces have also performed well in Iwa...if all goes according to our plan, Iwa would be defeated in 2 weeks" said Baku seriously, as a relieved look came on Mikasa's face."The war is really ending..." said Mikasa happily, at least the rest of her friends could go back home, this was what Naruto would have wanted."Too bad Armin and Naruto didn't live to see this day...their deaths were really tragic. One was killed like an animal...while the other was ripped apart. Don't you think...you could have done something to protect your two best friends? If you can't even protect them...how can you lead an entire company?" asked Baku insultingly, and a sly smile came on his face as Mikasa's fists clenched tightly.And the look in her eyes could destroy the Kyuubi itself..."Come on, vent out that anger...do it" thought Baku eagerly, he just needed a single opportunity."Mikasa, keep your shit in line. That bastard would use every dirty trick against you...but don't let him win. You have to stay as the captain..."Baku was surprised when the girl took in a deep breath and was now looking at him calmly. Why was she not attacking him? The Mikasa he knew would kill him for insulting her best friends in such a manner. He had practically spit on their deaths...and even that was not enough to anger her?What had changed?"I am the Sandaime Taichou and I swear to protect my comrades, no matter the cost. Is there anything else, Commander?" asked Mikasa flatly,"Thanks, Genma..." thought Mikasa gratefully, as she saw Baku gritted his teeth in anger."Fine, let's see how effective you are. Take a small platoon of your best soldiers...who you chose for this mission is up to you" said Baku challengingly, as a small smirk came on her face."What's the mission?""Kumo is the only real enemy now. Our front line troops are being destroyed by the lethal Kinkaku Unit. We need to take care of them..." said Baku urgently,"From what I know, that unit is said to be even more lethal than our own Anbu force" said Mikasa worriedly, as Baku gave an affirmative nod."Yes, but they are not better than Blacklight. There is a large supply depot inside Aokigahara forest, Kumo is secretly sending supplies and weapons to their Kinkaku units from this position. Your job is to infiltrate behind enemy lines and destroy that depot..." said Baku clearly,"What will be our plan for extraction after completion of the mission?" asked Mikasa suspiciously, as Baku took out a small map from his drawer.The veteran Anbu commander pointed his finger at a certain point in the forest, as Mikasa observed the distance between her target and the LZ.''You have 6 hours to complete your mission, there will be aerial troop transports ready to extract you and your team at Point 6409, be there at 0400 hours." instructed Baku seriously, as Mikasa gave him a firm nod,"What kind of enemy forces are there? And what is their estimated strength?" asked Mikasa thoughtfully,All these years she had not cared about these prospects, only thinking about ways of killing the enemy and protecting Naruto and Armin. But everything had changed now...Those two were gone, and she was a Commander now. Her men's lives would depend on her actions, and she could not afford to make any mistakes."Approximately 30 Kumo Anbu are guarding the depot. Though there could be a few more regular ninja in the area, considering the record of this company and an entire platoon under your command, it won't be too difficult to get the job done. Leave no survivors, even if anyone tries to surrender you will kill them...Ackerman, this mission is off the books" said Baku sternly, they could not afford any screw up and provide more opportunities to the enemy."Understood. We will get the job done..." said Mikasa confidently,"We'll see...now get moving. You leave in 3 hours..." said Baku authoritatively, as Mikasa reluctantly gave him a salute before exiting from the room.A tired sigh escaped from Baku's mouth as he sat back on his chair. This war had really did a lot of damage to his country, but finally it was coming to an end. He slowly took out a piece of paper and started writing..."The things we do for our country..."Kagami hastily walked through the vast camp of the 4th division, the nearby ninja were a little surprised by the wide smile on the veteran ninja's face considering he just lost his grandson 2 days ago. But Kagami was completely ignoring everyone around him and was briskly moving towards the large tent that was a few meters away from his position.The 3 ninja who were standing as guards outside the tent, quickly bowed when they saw him approaching.His eyes could still not believe the information that he had discovered, he even checked it thrice...to think such a thing happened right under their nose."Minato..." said Kagami loudly,"It's true, isn't it?" asked Minato in a victorious voice as his father-in-law stepped beside him.He quickly handed a set of reports to him as a relieved smile came on the young Hokage's face. Meanwhile, Kagami could still not understand as to how his leader had come to such a conclusion...even after all the glaring facts in front of them."How did you know?" asked Kagami suspiciously,"I didn't...until I felt that change" said Minato calmly,"What change?"Kagami watched curiously as Minato turned around and there was a wide smile on the man's face. Just what was up with him? He just lost a son, hell he cremated his boy 2 days ago, and yet he was smiling..."My true name is Minato Senju, son of Tobirama and Toka Senju..." said Minato proudly, and Kagami actually took a few steps back as his mind was overwhelmed by this shocking information."It can't be..." said Kagami in disbelief, his sensei had a family?But Toka-sama died during child birth, the infant was never born...unless,"Yes, my mother died during my birth, but she knew my father had made enemies all over the world...even inside the village" said Minato suggestively,"My clan..." said Kagami disappointedly, it was a known fact that Tobirama was despised by many among the Uchiha.At one point even a rebellion was being planned, the Uchiha were angered by the discrimination shown to them by the Senju. They were promised equal status and Hashirama did keep his word. But Tobirama ruined everything with his suspicious nature and distrust of the Uchiha...fortunately he didn't live long and everything was settled peacefully when Hiruzen took over, his friend eased the tensions.And finally peace was established when Minato became the Yondaime, now that he thought about it Minato was a lot like Tobirama. Their ruling style was so similar, just like Tobirama didn't tolerate insubordination and did whatever it took to protect Konoha...Minato did the same, but without antagonizing the Uchiha or any other clan.Except the Hyuga...but that was a problem for another time."I am telling you the truth now because I sensed something in Naruto's body...before I cremated him" said Minato calmly,"What was it?" asked Kagami curiously, he sensed a deeper meaning behind Minato's words."Since I am a Senju and Mikoto is an Uchiha, Naruto's chakra is a mixture of these two clans...it's the same with Itachi. Although, Naruto is more of an Uchiha than a Senju...while Itachi is the opposite. But the body which we saw was not our Naruto...I believe he's still alive" said Minato smartly,"Impossible..." said Kagami in a shocked voice, just how was it possible?"The body which we found had a chakra which was only similar to Senju chakra...there was no trace of the Uchiha genes. My suspicions rose there, and that is why I asked you to check the ashes and determine the truth...and I see the results are as per my assumption. My son is alive..." said Minato happily, as he finished reading the report.Kagami was overjoyed on hearing this as a wide smile came on his face, words couldn't describe how happy his daughter would be when she heard this news?Judging from the expression on Kagami's face, Minato understood what his relative was thinking and decided to explain his plan."Kagami-sama, you cannot reveal this information to anyone...not even Mikoto or Itachi" said Minato sternly, as the old man was angered on hearing this order."Even knowing how much agony my daughter is in...she's your wife!" yelled Kagami angrily,"If you tell her then Naruto would really die..." said Minato seriously, as a frown came on Kagami's face...he just couldn't understand the logic behind Minato's plan."What are you saying?" asked Kagami in confusion,"I believe Naruto has either been captured or has willingly joined the enemy forces..." said Minato smartly,"You're insane...""I'm not, I know my son better than anyone. He is a far better military commander than me...his strategies have led us to victory against Iwa. Do you agree on this fact?" asked Minato patiently,"Yes, Naruto is quite dangerous when it comes to warfare. But what has this got to do with anything?" asked Kagami curiously,"He left me a letter stating that he believed that someone was influencing the Heavenly Alliance and this war was started by them. And Orochimaru is a part of this organization" explained Minato briefly,"The mysterious organization called "Akatsuki"...but we have received no information about their movements after that meeting with the Kages a few years ago" said Kagami flatly, as Minato agreed with his analysis."Except Kushina and Kisame who attacked our forces on Miyasato island were most probably a part of Akatsuki...it all makes sense now as to where Kushina was since all these years and why we got no information about her. Naruto must have realized that she was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki during their battle...and I believe he infiltrated the organization in order to exploit the real master mind of this war" explained Minato in detailKagami was baffled on hearing this plan, it was downright devious...but then again Naruto never played by the book. He was an unpredictable person...whom not even Kagami could understand.Before he could ask any further question a messenger quickly rushed inside the room and almost collapsed on the floor, as Minato raised his hand advising the man to take a deep breath. The man just gave Minato a grateful bow...and after a few seconds he straightened himself."Report""Hokage-sama, Kiri has surrendered. The Yondaime Mizukage, Yagura has accepted defeat" said the man happily, as Kagami and Minato's eyes widened in shock and joy. Was the war really ending in their favor?"What happened? Kiri was fairing quite well in this war..." said Kagami suspiciously, as the man gave a firm nod."Yes, they were. In fact, Yagura attacked our rebel fort on the southern border a few hours ago with 12,000 soldiers" said the messenger gravely, as Minato instantly got up from his seat and Kagami was right in front of the messenger. There were many of his soldiers in that fort..."Tell us everything...and why the hell were we not able to detect such a huge enemy movement?" asked Kagami sternly, this was a nightmare..."Apparently, the enemy had performed some kind of Fuinjutsu that delayed the SOS request from Mei Terumi. By the time our forces reached there, Yagura's entire army had been killed and the Mizukage had fled from the battlefield" said the messenger honestly,"12,000 soldiers died? All of them? How many did we lose?" asked Kagami urgently, as Minato patiently waited for the answer."We lost 95 rebel soldiers, the fort was destroyed too...but Mei Terumi and the rest of her men are alive. Kagami-sama, Hokage-sama...Mei-san has asked me to tell you that a single Konoha shinobi helped her in achieving this victory. He was a young boy, probably 15...he devised the entire plan of battle and is believed to be the one who defeated Yagura" said the messenger sincerely,Kagami looked at Minato in shock, so it really was him...Minato closed his eyes as a sense of relief spread across his entire body. The Hokage quickly walked towards the messenger and put his hand on the man's forehead as a small sealed glowed brightly."You can go now..." said Minato calmly,"Yes, my lord" said the messenger devotedly, and quickly went out of the room as Minato walked back towards his desk."What did you do?" asked Kagami curiously,"I sealed off all his memories of today's morning. He will never remember this information...it is now known only to us" said Minato seriously,"Do you really think it's him?" asked Kagami hesitantly, he really wanted to believe his grandson was alive...but it also proved the fact that he had went rogue and was acting on his own."There is no other military commander in Konoha or Fire Country, who can achieve such a victory. This report says he used the Mizukage's missiles and killed the entire force...all the battle strategies implemented by him were ingenious. He is spying from inside the Akatsuki...and from there he must have received such information about this surprise attack. And even if some other Konoha shinobi was there, except for Baku or Jiraiya...I doubt anyone could have defeated Yagura, he's the Jinchuuriki of the Sanbi. This proves that Naruto is alive..." explained Minato briefly,"I still believe we should wait for a few more days before jumping to conclusions. Despite all these facts showing us that he is alive, it rather proves that he is acting on his own...if Naruto had been captured then he must have at least left a hint behind for us to rescue him. Under this situation, he is behind enemy lines without any kind of back up" said Kagami frustratingly, just what was the boy thinking before taking such a step?"Kushina, could it be that you are working with him..." thought Minato analytically, all the evidence was against her...but he still wanted to believe that Kushina was not a traitor, definitely not now since he had proof that Naruto was still alive."I'll try to find him on my own...no one else must know about this. Naruto is my responsibility," said Minato authoritatively, as Kagami gave him a small smile."But still he has broken all the rules of Blacklight...if found guilty, he will be executed" said Kagami gravely, and the very next second a monstrous KI was felt in the entire room as Minato looked at him with his cold azure eyes."He is my son, Naruto has always fought to protect Konoha...if he has broken the rules, then there will be punishment. But nobody has the right to execute my son, except me. If anyone dares to even say such a thing, they will pay dearly!" said Minato darkly,"But Blacklight and Baku-""Are my subordinates. I am the Yondaime Hokage, and Konoha is under military rule. No one is above me...and I won't tolerate insubordination from anyone. You do remember what I do right?" asked Minato sternly,Kagami became a little nervous on seeing this side of Minato, it had been a lot of years since he had seen Minato behaving in this manner. Last time, Danzo had tried to usurp power by defaming Minato...and his teammate was stripped of all powers, his Root was disbanded, and Danzo's arm was cut off but it didn't stop there as Minato had the man crucified to a post for 2 days making all his enemies watch how ruthless he could be if threatened.Only when Danzo pleaded for mercy and on insistence of Kagami, Hiruzen, and the elders was the man pardoned. If not for this war, Danzo would now be living a lonely, isolated life under the constant surveillance of the Police Force. So, in a way Minato was similar to his own father...Ever since that day, no one in Konoha or Fire Country dared to doubt or even think of threatening Minato Namikaze..."Understood, Hokage-sama" said Kagami respectfully, as the KI slowly disappeared.He gave Kagami one stern gaze indicating his order of keeping this information secret, and only when the Uchiha leader gave him the confirmation nod...did Minato back off and quietly leave the room, as a tired sigh escaped from Kagami's lips."Naruto, you are such a troublesome child... but still it's good to see that your father will always be there to protect you," said Kagami happily, with a small smile on his face.A person could be seen standing in front of a small mirror in a dark room, his dark black eyes were keenly observing his own reflection in the mirror. But everything was a blur to him, why was he seeing those people?Those deformed, mangled, zombies glaring at him with those demonic eyes.Thousands and thousands of souls gazing at him accusingly. Men, women, children, every person looking at him with anger, hatred, sadness.He recognized all those civilians glaring at him hatefully, the men were furious, women were full of remorse, while those innocent children were looking at him with their sweet eyes...but the horrible thing was the amount of cuts and slices on their bodies.It was not just civilians, but thousands and thousands of ninjas were looking at him hatefully through the mirror."Why?""You killed us...""Bastard""Murderer""Demon""Why did you kill my child?"Thousands and thousands of accusations and abuses were being hurled at him as he stood firm as a rock, as his dead eyes accepted everything willingly...but his heart was breaking with every passing moment."It's too late to ask for forgiveness..." said Naruto sadly, as his eyes became moist.He closed his eyes in defeat as those yells and screams started again and were getting louder and louder with every passing second.Before he knew it, those souls dragged him inside the mirror and he found himself standing in hell. And all those souls had now transformed into demons waiting to torture him for eternity."Naruto..."His eyes widened in shock, when another person landed beside him and picked him up over his shoulder. Naruto was stunned when he saw who the person was."Armin..." said Naruto tearfully, as his best friend gave him a sympathetic look."I shouldn't have put such a heavy burden on you, brother" said Armin sadly, as he carried Naruto back towards the door of hell through which the demons had dragged him inside.Naruto saw all the demons charging towards them with the intent to capture them and torture their souls for eternity. He even saw the entrance gate of hell being quickly surrounded by demons."Naruto, there's only one thing which I want you to know..." said Armin emotionally, as he deflected the incoming attacks and carried his defeated friend towards his freedom."Even if the whole world hates you...I'll forever be by your side!" yelled Armin loudly, as he threw Naruto towards the door.Naruto watched demons jumping towards Armin as he quickly neared the light...and tears came in his eyes when Armin gave him a peaceful smile."So promise me......that you will return home""ARMIN!"(Akatsuki Base)He jolted up from his bed with a shocked look on his face. His entire body was covered in sweat, even his breathing was a lot more faster and his heart was pounding more quickly. A few tears had already slipped from his eyes and moistened his cheeks.It had happened again...He gently removed his face mask and saw its entire interior region was covered in his own blood."I see..." said Naruto calmly, as he threw the contaminated material in a nearby dustbin.A tired sigh escaped from his lips as he slowly got up from his bed...but he suddenly stopped as he saw where he was going.He was going towards the mirror!He took a few steps back in fear but quickly lost his balance and fell flat on the ground with a loud thud. This was the scene where Kushina Uzumaki walked into the room only to find Naruto lying flat on the floor with a terrified look on his face.She saw him glaring fearfully at the mirror on the far side of the room."Naruto...""Hang in there, Armin...I will get you out of there" said Naruto pleadingly,A frown came on her face, his hallucinations were getting worse with every passing day. Ever since he came back from that beach, he couldn't sleep and was barely holding himself together. She was no doctor, but she understood that something was wrong with Naruto.Kushina was angry with him, he had killed 12,000 people...after saying he would create his empire with the least amount of bloodshed, and then he did that massacre. But Kiri had surrendered and they were really heading towards the end of this bloody war...so, she reluctantly had to agree with his method.But that was not what she was concerned about, she was worried about Naruto's powers...and how deep Armin's death had affected him. The symptoms seen in the young commander was even worse than what she had seen in Kakashi all those years back, when the copy ninja lost his 2 teammates.Just what kind of power awakened in him that lead him to this point?"It was after Armin's death that he awakened the Mangekyo, his darkness (Ikiryo) resurfaced back again from his subconscious mind. The more time passed the more aggressive he became, he's losing himself...but what is the reason behind all of this?" thought Kushina in confusion,Regardless, they had to attend an emergency meeting with the rest of the Akatsuki..."NARUTO!"Her angry voice snapped him out of his imaginary world as he looked at her in shock. Naruto didn't even know that she was standing right beside him..."What are you doing here?" asked Naruto evasively, as he quickly got back on his feet.Kushina watched as he took out another face mask and covered his face, and after a few deep breaths he straightened himself and was now looking at her calmly, as if nothing had happened a few minutes ago.He looked at her and saw the same anger in her eyes, since the past 2 days..."We have been summoned for an emergency meeting. Get dressed..." said Kushina flatly, as he gave a small nod.She watched as he silently put on his Akatsuki cloak, and was now adjusting his silky blonde hair...trying to look as normal as possible."Go ahead...you can blame me, after all I did kill them all" said Naruto patiently, as she slowly came beside him.He saw her reflection in the mirror, she was in her Akatsuki uniform and her red hair were tied in a long ponytail while her crossed Konoha headband was placed properly on her forehead...but he just couldn't understand the gaze she was giving him."Kiri has surrendered..." said Kushina calmly, as he applied some powder in order to lighten the dark circles beneath his eyes...due to constantly being deprived of sleep."It is not possible for you to understand...there are times when you have to abandon your humanity and become a monster in order to overcome evil" stated Naruto honestly,"Is that the only way to win?" asked Kushina sadly,"It's one possible way to defeat evil...I think I can do it" said Naruto truthfully, as a frown came on her face."Tell me...if you really did become that monster and defeat that evil, would it really be a victory for us?" asked Kushina skeptically, as a tired sigh escaped from his lips."It won't be easy to overcome...""I know this world is corrupt and we need a new system. But I and everyone we care about would still be defeated...if we lose you in the process of creating this new world. Why do you always cross the limits and risk your life...Armin won't come back no matter what you do" said Kushina harshly,He slowly turned around and looked the red head straight in the eye..."I know, but it will at least let me die peacefully..." said Naruto sadly, as he slowly walked past her.Watching him move towards the door made Kushina even more sad, but at the same time she still could not understand what Naruto wanted in reality.All this fighting which he was doing, this dream of a new world...everything was connected to..."You're doing everything for Armin...Naruto, you only wanted to live in a world with your best friend, isn't it?" asked Kushina sympathetically, as he stopped walking and his fists clenched tightly.All his life Naruto never had any friends, he was constantly surrounded by people who were only interested in him because he was the son of the Hokage, as such he never had any true friends. But Armin and Mikasa were his first and best friends, they were the first true relationships which he formed outside his family.Mikasa was a unique girl, who always supported Naruto...but there were times when even she could not understand him.But Armin was different, he understood the darkness within Naruto but still stood by his side. She had seen all his memories, Naruto was a selfish person who had entered the war just to protect Itachi...he never really cared about his comrades. But Armin changed that, he taught him teamwork and value of friendship...he taught Naruto to live and before he knew it, Armin became Naruto's role model.A person who cared for everyone, a person who helped all his comrades...a friend who accepted all his negative traits and even then stood by his side till the very end.Armin was the one who turned a selfish, uncaring, dark Naruto into a brave, caring commander. He made him Commander Phoenix, the man loved by the entire 1st company of Blacklight.The Uchiha were really a cursed clan...Naruto was an exact replica of her friend, Mikoto. She could still remember how sad her friend was when her mother died...only Kami knew what she was going through right now."Kushina, you asked me why I don't care about my life?" asked Naruto silently,"Hai""Because I've been dead ever since that night at Shuri Castle...I couldn't keep my promise to Armin, I couldn't protect him or Kotetsu." said Naruto in a regretful voice..."Naruto...""I'm trash...but they were heroes of Konoha. But the very village betrayed them and sent them to their deaths...I was supposed to die there, but Armin died for me. He went in knowing he could die just to protect me...I hate the shinobi world, and even if I die a slow and painful death...even if the whole world calls me a monster I will not stop...I will create a world where people like Armin are loved, cherished and protected. And for that world I am ready to throw away my life..." said Naruto passionately,She closed her eyes in defeat, guess he was still a 15 year old boy in this case..."Grow up, Naruto...the shadow of death hangs over us all. Some deaths are harder to accept, but unless you accept that there can be no future" said Kushina vehemently, she was not going to give up on him.Even if she had to hammer these ideals in his mind, because the path Naruto was following would only lead to his death. It had taken Kakashi a few years to get over Obito and Rin's death, but Minato, Mikoto, Jiraiya and even Kushina herself had supported him bringing him back from the darkness he was drowning himself in.She just had to do it again..."I can't live like this...until I've fulfilled my dream I can never move on. You are either with me or against me...but I'm not gonna stop" said Naruto harshly, as he went out of the room.Kushina smacked her forehead in frustration, he really was the most stubborn, irritating, confusing, mysterious person she ever met...but she also couldn't deny the fact that Naruto was probably the most kind and gentle person she ever met after Minato, he really loved all his precious people.A small smile came on her face as she now knew what she had to accomplish."Moron..."(Miyasato island)Mikasa stood in attention, she was currently dressed in her uniform and was patiently waiting for any kind of response from the person sitting in front of her.To say the least, he was the last person she ever wanted to see in her entire life. He was the one who killed her two best friends and someday he was going to pay for that dearly."Sandaime Taichou...huh?" asked Baku distastefully, the old geezer was practically seething with anger.Because currently he was holding the official order naming Mikasa Ackerman as the Sandaime Taichou of 1st company, personally signed and issued to him by Minato Namikaze.That prick Naruto still haunted him even after his death..."I am at your service, Commander" said Mikasa bitterly, as she barely gave a short bow...if it was in her hands she would have killed the man with her bare hands."Let me make this clear, girl...you are not fit to be a captain. If only that fool Narut-" said Baku angrily, but was cut off when Mikasa raised her hand."Commander Naruto Namikaze...we don't respect the man, but the rank. Isn't that one of the most important rule of Blacklight...Commander?" asked Mikasa sarcastically, as the veteran Anbu commander clenched his fists tightly as a little KI leaked inside the room."Yes, Commander Naruto has made a mistake by naming you as the successor. If only I had known what was in those letters..." said Baku disappointedly, as Mikasa just ignored his ramblings."It is not my place to decide, I am under orders directly from Hokage-sama..." said Mikasa victoriously,"Thank you Naruto, I'll make sure that I make his life a living hell..." thought Mikasa sadistically, she knew there was nothing Baku could do now...no one could over rule Minato's order of naming her the captain.In a sad way, Naruto did think of everything before he...Meanwhile Baku took a deep breath in order to control his emotions. There was still a war on and he had to lead Konoha to victory, no matter the cost.And after all of this mess was over, he would teach the Heavenly Alliance and every ninja a village a proper lesson that they wouldn't even dare lift a finger on Konoha or Fire Country even in their wildest dreams. But before that..."As you know, Kiri has surrendered. Hokage-sama has directed the Third division led by Kakashi Hatake to detain the defeated Mizukage troops...but the Mizukage could not be captured as he committed suicide before our forces could get near him" explained Baku briefly,"Why did he do that?" asked Mikasa in surprise, this was the first time in history that a Kage had done such a thing."Don't know, don't care. Either way it makes things easier for us, Yagura named Mei Terumi as the new Mizukage...but whether she is worthy for the job or not is another question. Rest of Blacklight forces have also performed well in Iwa...if all goes according to our plan, Iwa would be defeated in 2 weeks" said Baku seriously, as a relieved look came on Mikasa's face."The war is really ending..." said Mikasa happily, at least the rest of her friends could go back home, this was what Naruto would have wanted."Too bad Armin and Naruto didn't live to see this day...their deaths were really tragic. One was killed like an animal...while the other was ripped apart. Don't you think...you could have done something to protect your two best friends? If you can't even protect them...how can you lead an entire company?" asked Baku insultingly, and a sly smile came on his face as Mikasa's fists clenched tightly.And the look in her eyes could destroy the Kyuubi itself..."Come on, vent out that anger...do it" thought Baku eagerly, he just needed a single opportunity."Mikasa, keep your shit in line. That bastard would use every dirty trick against you...but don't let him win. You have to stay as the captain..."Baku was surprised when the girl took in a deep breath and was now looking at him calmly. Why was she not attacking him? The Mikasa he knew would kill him for insulting her best friends in such a manner. He had practically spit on their deaths...and even that was not enough to anger her?What had changed?"I am the Sandaime Taichou and I swear to protect my comrades, no matter the cost. Is there anything else, Commander?" asked Mikasa flatly,"Thanks, Genma..." thought Mikasa gratefully, as she saw Baku gritted his teeth in anger."Fine, let's see how effective you are. Take a small platoon of your best soldiers...who you chose for this mission is up to you" said Baku challengingly, as a small smirk came on her face."What's the mission?""Kumo is the only real enemy now. Our front line troops are being destroyed by the lethal Kinkaku Unit. We need to take care of them..." said Baku urgently,"From what I know, that unit is said to be even more lethal than our own Anbu force" said Mikasa worriedly, as Baku gave an affirmative nod."Yes, but they are not better than Blacklight. There is a large supply depot inside Aokigahara forest, Kumo is secretly sending supplies and weapons to their Kinkaku units from this position. Your job is to infiltrate behind enemy lines and destroy that depot..." said Baku clearly,"What will be our plan for extraction after completion of the mission?" asked Mikasa suspiciously, as Baku took out a small map from his drawer.The veteran Anbu commander pointed his finger at a certain point in the forest, as Mikasa observed the distance between her target and the LZ.''You have 6 hours to complete your mission, there will be aerial troop transports ready to extract you and your team at Point 6409, be there at 0400 hours." instructed Baku seriously, as Mikasa gave him a firm nod,"What kind of enemy forces are there? And what is their estimated strength?" asked Mikasa thoughtfully,All these years she had not cared about these prospects, only thinking about ways of killing the enemy and protecting Naruto and Armin. But everything had changed now...Those two were gone, and she was a Commander now. Her men's lives would depend on her actions, and she could not afford to make any mistakes."Approximately 30 Kumo Anbu are guarding the depot. Though there could be a few more regular ninja in the area, considering the record of this company and an entire platoon under your command, it won't be too difficult to get the job done. Leave no survivors, even if anyone tries to surrender you will kill them...Ackerman, this mission is off the books" said Baku sternly, they could not afford any screw up and provide more opportunities to the enemy."Understood. We will get the job done..." said Mikasa confidently,"We'll see...now get moving. You leave in 3 hours..." said Baku authoritatively, as Mikasa reluctantly gave him a salute before exiting from the room.A tired sigh escaped from Baku's mouth as he sat back on his chair. This war had really did a lot of damage to his country, but finally it was coming to an end. He slowly took out a piece of paper and started writing..."The things we do for our country..."Kagami hastily walked through the vast camp of the 4th division, the nearby ninja were a little surprised by the wide smile on the veteran ninja's face considering he just lost his grandson 2 days ago. But Kagami was completely ignoring everyone around him and was briskly moving towards the large tent that was a few meters away from his position.The 3 ninja who were standing as guards outside the tent, quickly bowed when they saw him approaching.His eyes could still not believe the information that he had discovered, he even checked it thrice...to think such a thing happened right under their nose."Minato..." said Kagami loudly,"It's true, isn't it?" asked Minato in a victorious voice as his father-in-law stepped beside him.He quickly handed a set of reports to him as a relieved smile came on the young Hokage's face. Meanwhile, Kagami could still not understand as to how his leader had come to such a conclusion...even after all the glaring facts in front of them."How did you know?" asked Kagami suspiciously,"I didn't...until I felt that change" said Minato calmly,"What change?"Kagami watched curiously as Minato turned around and there was a wide smile on the man's face. Just what was up with him? He just lost a son, hell he cremated his boy 2 days ago, and yet he was smiling..."My true name is Minato Senju, son of Tobirama and Toka Senju..." said Minato proudly, and Kagami actually took a few steps back as his mind was overwhelmed by this shocking information."It can't be..." said Kagami in disbelief, his sensei had a family?But Toka-sama died during child birth, the infant was never born...unless,"Yes, my mother died during my birth, but she knew my father had made enemies all over the world...even inside the village" said Minato suggestively,"My clan..." said Kagami disappointedly, it was a known fact that Tobirama was despised by many among the Uchiha.At one point even a rebellion was being planned, the Uchiha were angered by the discrimination shown to them by the Senju. They were promised equal status and Hashirama did keep his word. But Tobirama ruined everything with his suspicious nature and distrust of the Uchiha...fortunately he didn't live long and everything was settled peacefully when Hiruzen took over, his friend eased the tensions.And finally peace was established when Minato became the Yondaime, now that he thought about it Minato was a lot like Tobirama. Their ruling style was so similar, just like Tobirama didn't tolerate insubordination and did whatever it took to protect Konoha...Minato did the same, but without antagonizing the Uchiha or any other clan.Except the Hyuga...but that was a problem for another time."I am telling you the truth now because I sensed something in Naruto's body...before I cremated him" said Minato calmly,"What was it?" asked Kagami curiously, he sensed a deeper meaning behind Minato's words."Since I am a Senju and Mikoto is an Uchiha, Naruto's chakra is a mixture of these two clans...it's the same with Itachi. Although, Naruto is more of an Uchiha than a Senju...while Itachi is the opposite. But the body which we saw was not our Naruto...I believe he's still alive" said Minato smartly,"Impossible..." said Kagami in a shocked voice, just how was it possible?"The body which we found had a chakra which was only similar to Senju chakra...there was no trace of the Uchiha genes. My suspicions rose there, and that is why I asked you to check the ashes and determine the truth...and I see the results are as per my assumption. My son is alive..." said Minato happily, as he finished reading the report.Kagami was overjoyed on hearing this as a wide smile came on his face, words couldn't describe how happy his daughter would be when she heard this news?Judging from the expression on Kagami's face, Minato understood what his relative was thinking and decided to explain his plan."Kagami-sama, you cannot reveal this information to anyone...not even Mikoto or Itachi" said Minato sternly, as the old man was angered on hearing this order."Even knowing how much agony my daughter is in...she's your wife!" yelled Kagami angrily,"If you tell her then Naruto would really die..." said Minato seriously, as a frown came on Kagami's face...he just couldn't understand the logic behind Minato's plan."What are you saying?" asked Kagami in confusion,"I believe Naruto has either been captured or has willingly joined the enemy forces..." said Minato smartly,"You're insane...""I'm not, I know my son better than anyone. He is a far better military commander than me...his strategies have led us to victory against Iwa. Do you agree on this fact?" asked Minato patiently,"Yes, Naruto is quite dangerous when it comes to warfare. But what has this got to do with anything?" asked Kagami curiously,"He left me a letter stating that he believed that someone was influencing the Heavenly Alliance and this war was started by them. And Orochimaru is a part of this organization" explained Minato briefly,"The mysterious organization called "Akatsuki"...but we have received no information about their movements after that meeting with the Kages a few years ago" said Kagami flatly, as Minato agreed with his analysis."Except Kushina and Kisame who attacked our forces on Miyasato island were most probably a part of Akatsuki...it all makes sense now as to where Kushina was since all these years and why we got no information about her. Naruto must have realized that she was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki during their battle...and I believe he infiltrated the organization in order to exploit the real master mind of this war" explained Minato in detailKagami was baffled on hearing this plan, it was downright devious...but then again Naruto never played by the book. He was an unpredictable person...whom not even Kagami could understand.Before he could ask any further question a messenger quickly rushed inside the room and almost collapsed on the floor, as Minato raised his hand advising the man to take a deep breath. The man just gave Minato a grateful bow...and after a few seconds he straightened himself."Report""Hokage-sama, Kiri has surrendered. The Yondaime Mizukage, Yagura has accepted defeat" said the man happily, as Kagami and Minato's eyes widened in shock and joy. Was the war really ending in their favor?"What happened? Kiri was fairing quite well in this war..." said Kagami suspiciously, as the man gave a firm nod."Yes, they were. In fact, Yagura attacked our rebel fort on the southern border a few hours ago with 12,000 soldiers" said the messenger gravely, as Minato instantly got up from his seat and Kagami was right in front of the messenger. There were many of his soldiers in that fort..."Tell us everything...and why the hell were we not able to detect such a huge enemy movement?" asked Kagami sternly, this was a nightmare..."Apparently, the enemy had performed some kind of Fuinjutsu that delayed the SOS request from Mei Terumi. By the time our forces reached there, Yagura's entire army had been killed and the Mizukage had fled from the battlefield" said the messenger honestly,"12,000 soldiers died? All of them? How many did we lose?" asked Kagami urgently, as Minato patiently waited for the answer."We lost 95 rebel soldiers, the fort was destroyed too...but Mei Terumi and the rest of her men are alive. Kagami-sama, Hokage-sama...Mei-san has asked me to tell you that a single Konoha shinobi helped her in achieving this victory. He was a young boy, probably 15...he devised the entire plan of battle and is believed to be the one who defeated Yagura" said the messenger sincerely,Kagami looked at Minato in shock, so it really was him...Minato closed his eyes as a sense of relief spread across his entire body. The Hokage quickly walked towards the messenger and put his hand on the man's forehead as a small sealed glowed brightly."You can go now..." said Minato calmly,"Yes, my lord" said the messenger devotedly, and quickly went out of the room as Minato walked back towards his desk."What did you do?" asked Kagami curiously,"I sealed off all his memories of today's morning. He will never remember this information...it is now known only to us" said Minato seriously,"Do you really think it's him?" asked Kagami hesitantly, he really wanted to believe his grandson was alive...but it also proved the fact that he had went rogue and was acting on his own."There is no other military commander in Konoha or Fire Country, who can achieve such a victory. This report says he used the Mizukage's missiles and killed the entire force...all the battle strategies implemented by him were ingenious. He is spying from inside the Akatsuki...and from there he must have received such information about this surprise attack. And even if some other Konoha shinobi was there, except for Baku or Jiraiya...I doubt anyone could have defeated Yagura, he's the Jinchuuriki of the Sanbi. This proves that Naruto is alive..." explained Minato briefly,"I still believe we should wait for a few more days before jumping to conclusions. Despite all these facts showing us that he is alive, it rather proves that he is acting on his own...if Naruto had been captured then he must have at least left a hint behind for us to rescue him. Under this situation, he is behind enemy lines without any kind of back up" said Kagami frustratingly, just what was the boy thinking before taking such a step?"Kushina, could it be that you are working with him..." thought Minato analytically, all the evidence was against her...but he still wanted to believe that Kushina was not a traitor, definitely not now since he had proof that Naruto was still alive."I'll try to find him on my own...no one else must know about this. Naruto is my responsibility," said Minato authoritatively, as Kagami gave him a small smile."But still he has broken all the rules of Blacklight...if found guilty, he will be executed" said Kagami gravely, and the very next second a monstrous KI was felt in the entire room as Minato looked at him with his cold azure eyes."He is my son, Naruto has always fought to protect Konoha...if he has broken the rules, then there will be punishment. But nobody has the right to execute my son, except me. If anyone dares to even say such a thing, they will pay dearly!" said Minato darkly,"But Blacklight and Baku-""Are my subordinates. I am the Yondaime Hokage, and Konoha is under military rule. No one is above me...and I won't tolerate insubordination from anyone. You do remember what I do right?" asked Minato sternly,Kagami became a little nervous on seeing this side of Minato, it had been a lot of years since he had seen Minato behaving in this manner. Last time, Danzo had tried to usurp power by defaming Minato...and his teammate was stripped of all powers, his Root was disbanded, and Danzo's arm was cut off but it didn't stop there as Minato had the man crucified to a post for 2 days making all his enemies watch how ruthless he could be if threatened.Only when Danzo pleaded for mercy and on insistence of Kagami, Hiruzen, and the elders was the man pardoned. If not for this war, Danzo would now be living a lonely, isolated life under the constant surveillance of the Police Force. So, in a way Minato was similar to his own father...Ever since that day, no one in Konoha or Fire Country dared to doubt or even think of threatening Minato Namikaze..."Understood, Hokage-sama" said Kagami respectfully, as the KI slowly disappeared.He gave Kagami one stern gaze indicating his order of keeping this information secret, and only when the Uchiha leader gave him the confirmation nod...did Minato back off and quietly leave the room, as a tired sigh escaped from Kagami's lips."Naruto, you are such a troublesome child... but still it's good to see that your father will always be there to protect you," said Kagami happily, with a small smile on his face.A person could be seen standing in front of a small mirror in a dark room, his dark black eyes were keenly observing his own reflection in the mirror. But everything was a blur to him, why was he seeing those people?Those deformed, mangled, zombies glaring at him with those demonic eyes.Thousands and thousands of souls gazing at him accusingly. Men, women, children, every person looking at him with anger, hatred, sadness.He recognized all those civilians glaring at him hatefully, the men were furious, women were full of remorse, while those innocent children were looking at him with their sweet eyes...but the horrible thing was the amount of cuts and slices on their bodies.It was not just civilians, but thousands and thousands of ninjas were looking at him hatefully through the mirror."Why?""You killed us...""Bastard""Murderer""Demon""Why did you kill my child?"Thousands and thousands of accusations and abuses were being hurled at him as he stood firm as a rock, as his dead eyes accepted everything willingly...but his heart was breaking with every passing moment."It's too late to ask for forgiveness..." said Naruto sadly, as his eyes became moist.He closed his eyes in defeat as those yells and screams started again and were getting louder and louder with every passing second.Before he knew it, those souls dragged him inside the mirror and he found himself standing in hell. And all those souls had now transformed into demons waiting to torture him for eternity."Naruto..."His eyes widened in shock, when another person landed beside him and picked him up over his shoulder. Naruto was stunned when he saw who the person was."Armin..." said Naruto tearfully, as his best friend gave him a sympathetic look."I shouldn't have put such a heavy burden on you, brother" said Armin sadly, as he carried Naruto back towards the door of hell through which the demons had dragged him inside.Naruto saw all the demons charging towards them with the intent to capture them and torture their souls for eternity. He even saw the entrance gate of hell being quickly surrounded by demons."Naruto, there's only one thing which I want you to know..." said Armin emotionally, as he deflected the incoming attacks and carried his defeated friend towards his freedom."Even if the whole world hates you...I'll forever be by your side!" yelled Armin loudly, as he threw Naruto towards the door.Naruto watched demons jumping towards Armin as he quickly neared the light...and tears came in his eyes when Armin gave him a peaceful smile."So promise me......that you will return home""ARMIN!"(Akatsuki Base)He jolted up from his bed with a shocked look on his face. His entire body was covered in sweat, even his breathing was a lot more faster and his heart was pounding more quickly. A few tears had already slipped from his eyes and moistened his cheeks.It had happened again...He gently removed his face mask and saw its entire interior region was covered in his own blood."I see..." said Naruto calmly, as he threw the contaminated material in a nearby dustbin.A tired sigh escaped from his lips as he slowly got up from his bed...but he suddenly stopped as he saw where he was going.He was going towards the mirror!He took a few steps back in fear but quickly lost his balance and fell flat on the ground with a loud thud. This was the scene where Kushina Uzumaki walked into the room only to find Naruto lying flat on the floor with a terrified look on his face.She saw him glaring fearfully at the mirror on the far side of the room."Naruto...""Hang in there, Armin...I will get you out of there" said Naruto pleadingly,A frown came on her face, his hallucinations were getting worse with every passing day. Ever since he came back from that beach, he couldn't sleep and was barely holding himself together. She was no doctor, but she understood that something was wrong with Naruto.Kushina was angry with him, he had killed 12,000 people...after saying he would create his empire with the least amount of bloodshed, and then he did that massacre. But Kiri had surrendered and they were really heading towards the end of this bloody war...so, she reluctantly had to agree with his method.But that was not what she was concerned about, she was worried about Naruto's powers...and how deep Armin's death had affected him. The symptoms seen in the young commander was even worse than what she had seen in Kakashi all those years back, when the copy ninja lost his 2 teammates.Just what kind of power awakened in him that lead him to this point?"It was after Armin's death that he awakened the Mangekyo, his darkness (Ikiryo) resurfaced back again from his subconscious mind. The more time passed the more aggressive he became, he's losing himself...but what is the reason behind all of this?" thought Kushina in confusion,Regardless, they had to attend an emergency meeting with the rest of the Akatsuki..."NARUTO!"Her angry voice snapped him out of his imaginary world as he looked at her in shock. Naruto didn't even know that she was standing right beside him..."What are you doing here?" asked Naruto evasively, as he quickly got back on his feet.Kushina watched as he took out another face mask and covered his face, and after a few deep breaths he straightened himself and was now looking at her calmly, as if nothing had happened a few minutes ago.He looked at her and saw the same anger in her eyes, since the past 2 days..."We have been summoned for an emergency meeting. Get dressed..." said Kushina flatly, as he gave a small nod.She watched as he silently put on his Akatsuki cloak, and was now adjusting his silky blonde hair...trying to look as normal as possible."Go ahead...you can blame me, after all I did kill them all" said Naruto patiently, as she slowly came beside him.He saw her reflection in the mirror, she was in her Akatsuki uniform and her red hair were tied in a long ponytail while her crossed Konoha headband was placed properly on her forehead...but he just couldn't understand the gaze she was giving him."Kiri has surrendered..." said Kushina calmly, as he applied some powder in order to lighten the dark circles beneath his eyes...due to constantly being deprived of sleep."It is not possible for you to understand...there are times when you have to abandon your humanity and become a monster in order to overcome evil" stated Naruto honestly,"Is that the only way to win?" asked Kushina sadly,"It's one possible way to defeat evil...I think I can do it" said Naruto truthfully, as a frown came on her face."Tell me...if you really did become that monster and defeat that evil, would it really be a victory for us?" asked Kushina skeptically, as a tired sigh escaped from his lips."It won't be easy to overcome...""I know this world is corrupt and we need a new system. But I and everyone we care about would still be defeated...if we lose you in the process of creating this new world. Why do you always cross the limits and risk your life...Armin won't come back no matter what you do" said Kushina harshly,He slowly turned around and looked the red head straight in the eye..."I know, but it will at least let me die peacefully..." said Naruto sadly, as he slowly walked past her.Watching him move towards the door made Kushina even more sad, but at the same time she still could not understand what Naruto wanted in reality.All this fighting which he was doing, this dream of a new world...everything was connected to..."You're doing everything for Armin...Naruto, you only wanted to live in a world with your best friend, isn't it?" asked Kushina sympathetically, as he stopped walking and his fists clenched tightly.All his life Naruto never had any friends, he was constantly surrounded by people who were only interested in him because he was the son of the Hokage, as such he never had any true friends. But Armin and Mikasa were his first and best friends, they were the first true relationships which he formed outside his family.Mikasa was a unique girl, who always supported Naruto...but there were times when even she could not understand him.But Armin was different, he understood the darkness within Naruto but still stood by his side. She had seen all his memories, Naruto was a selfish person who had entered the war just to protect Itachi...he never really cared about his comrades. But Armin changed that, he taught him teamwork and value of friendship...he taught Naruto to live and before he knew it, Armin became Naruto's role model.A person who cared for everyone, a person who helped all his comrades...a friend who accepted all his negative traits and even then stood by his side till the very end.Armin was the one who turned a selfish, uncaring, dark Naruto into a brave, caring commander. He made him Commander Phoenix, the man loved by the entire 1st company of Blacklight.The Uchiha were really a cursed clan...Naruto was an exact replica of her friend, Mikoto. She could still remember how sad her friend was when her mother died...only Kami knew what she was going through right now."Kushina, you asked me why I don't care about my life?" asked Naruto silently,"Hai""Because I've been dead ever since that night at Shuri Castle...I couldn't keep my promise to Armin, I couldn't protect him or Kotetsu." said Naruto in a regretful voice..."Naruto...""I'm trash...but they were heroes of Konoha. But the very village betrayed them and sent them to their deaths...I was supposed to die there, but Armin died for me. He went in knowing he could die just to protect me...I hate the shinobi world, and even if I die a slow and painful death...even if the whole world calls me a monster I will not stop...I will create a world where people like Armin are loved, cherished and protected. And for that world I am ready to throw away my life..." said Naruto passionately,She closed her eyes in defeat, guess he was still a 15 year old boy in this case..."Grow up, Naruto...the shadow of death hangs over us all. Some deaths are harder to accept, but unless you accept that there can be no future" said Kushina vehemently, she was not going to give up on him.Even if she had to hammer these ideals in his mind, because the path Naruto was following would only lead to his death. It had taken Kakashi a few years to get over Obito and Rin's death, but Minato, Mikoto, Jiraiya and even Kushina herself had supported him bringing him back from the darkness he was drowning himself in.She just had to do it again..."I can't live like this...until I've fulfilled my dream I can never move on. You are either with me or against me...but I'm not gonna stop" said Naruto harshly, as he went out of the room.Kushina smacked her forehead in frustration, he really was the most stubborn, irritating, confusing, mysterious person she ever met...but she also couldn't deny the fact that Naruto was probably the most kind and gentle person she ever met after Minato, he really loved all his precious people.A small smile came on her face as she now knew what she had to accomplish."Moron..."(Miyasato island)Mikasa stood in attention, she was currently dressed in her uniform and was patiently waiting for any kind of response from the person sitting in front of her.To say the least, he was the last person she ever wanted to see in her entire life. He was the one who killed her two best friends and someday he was going to pay for that dearly."Sandaime Taichou...huh?" asked Baku distastefully, the old geezer was practically seething with anger.Because currently he was holding the official order naming Mikasa Ackerman as the Sandaime Taichou of 1st company, personally signed and issued to him by Minato Namikaze.That prick Naruto still haunted him even after his death..."I am at your service, Commander" said Mikasa bitterly, as she barely gave a short bow...if it was in her hands she would have killed the man with her bare hands."Let me make this clear, girl...you are not fit to be a captain. If only that fool Narut-" said Baku angrily, but was cut off when Mikasa raised her hand."Commander Naruto Namikaze...we don't respect the man, but the rank. Isn't that one of the most important rule of Blacklight...Commander?" asked Mikasa sarcastically, as the veteran Anbu commander clenched his fists tightly as a little KI leaked inside the room."Yes, Commander Naruto has made a mistake by naming you as the successor. If only I had known what was in those letters..." said Baku disappointedly, as Mikasa just ignored his ramblings."It is not my place to decide, I am under orders directly from Hokage-sama..." said Mikasa victoriously,"Thank you Naruto, I'll make sure that I make his life a living hell..." thought Mikasa sadistically, she knew there was nothing Baku could do now...no one could over rule Minato's order of naming her the captain.In a sad way, Naruto did think of everything before he...Meanwhile Baku took a deep breath in order to control his emotions. There was still a war on and he had to lead Konoha to victory, no matter the cost.And after all of this mess was over, he would teach the Heavenly Alliance and every ninja a village a proper lesson that they wouldn't even dare lift a finger on Konoha or Fire Country even in their wildest dreams. But before that..."As you know, Kiri has surrendered. Hokage-sama has directed the Third division led by Kakashi Hatake to detain the defeated Mizukage troops...but the Mizukage could not be captured as he committed suicide before our forces could get near him" explained Baku briefly,"Why did he do that?" asked Mikasa in surprise, this was the first time in history that a Kage had done such a thing."Don't know, don't care. Either way it makes things easier for us, Yagura named Mei Terumi as the new Mizukage...but whether she is worthy for the job or not is another question. Rest of Blacklight forces have also performed well in Iwa...if all goes according to our plan, Iwa would be defeated in 2 weeks" said Baku seriously, as a relieved look came on Mikasa's face."The war is really ending..." said Mikasa happily, at least the rest of her friends could go back home, this was what Naruto would have wanted."Too bad Armin and Naruto didn't live to see this day...their deaths were really tragic. One was killed like an animal...while the other was ripped apart. Don't you think...you could have done something to protect your two best friends? If you can't even protect them...how can you lead an entire company?" asked Baku insultingly, and a sly smile came on his face as Mikasa's fists clenched tightly.And the look in her eyes could destroy the Kyuubi itself..."Come on, vent out that anger...do it" thought Baku eagerly, he just needed a single opportunity."Mikasa, keep your shit in line. That bastard would use every dirty trick against you...but don't let him win. You have to stay as the captain..."Baku was surprised when the girl took in a deep breath and was now looking at him calmly. Why was she not attacking him? The Mikasa he knew would kill him for insulting her best friends in such a manner. He had practically spit on their deaths...and even that was not enough to anger her?What had changed?"I am the Sandaime Taichou and I swear to protect my comrades, no matter the cost. Is there anything else, Commander?" asked Mikasa flatly,"Thanks, Genma..." thought Mikasa gratefully, as she saw Baku gritted his teeth in anger."Fine, let's see how effective you are. Take a small platoon of your best soldiers...who you chose for this mission is up to you" said Baku challengingly, as a small smirk came on her face."What's the mission?""Kumo is the only real enemy now. Our front line troops are being destroyed by the lethal Kinkaku Unit. We need to take care of them..." said Baku urgently,"From what I know, that unit is said to be even more lethal than our own Anbu force" said Mikasa worriedly, as Baku gave an affirmative nod."Yes, but they are not better than Blacklight. There is a large supply depot inside Aokigahara forest, Kumo is secretly sending supplies and weapons to their Kinkaku units from this position. Your job is to infiltrate behind enemy lines and destroy that depot..." said Baku clearly,"What will be our plan for extraction after completion of the mission?" asked Mikasa suspiciously, as Baku took out a small map from his drawer.The veteran Anbu commander pointed his finger at a certain point in the forest, as Mikasa observed the distance between her target and the LZ.''You have 6 hours to complete your mission, there will be aerial troop transports ready to extract you and your team at Point 6409, be there at 0400 hours." instructed Baku seriously, as Mikasa gave him a firm nod,"What kind of enemy forces are there? And what is their estimated strength?" asked Mikasa thoughtfully,All these years she had not cared about these prospects, only thinking about ways of killing the enemy and protecting Naruto and Armin. But everything had changed now...Those two were gone, and she was a Commander now. Her men's lives would depend on her actions, and she could not afford to make any mistakes."Approximately 30 Kumo Anbu are guarding the depot. Though there could be a few more regular ninja in the area, considering the record of this company and an entire platoon under your command, it won't be too difficult to get the job done. Leave no survivors, even if anyone tries to surrender you will kill them...Ackerman, this mission is off the books" said Baku sternly, they could not afford any screw up and provide more opportunities to the enemy."Understood. We will get the job done..." said Mikasa confidently,"We'll see...now get moving. You leave in 3 hours..." said Baku authoritatively, as Mikasa reluctantly gave him a salute before exiting from the room.A tired sigh escaped from Baku's mouth as he sat back on his chair. This war had really did a lot of damage to his country, but finally it was coming to an end. He slowly took out a piece of paper and started writing..."The things we do for our country..."
YOU ARE READING
Namikaze Legend
FanficIn a twist of fate, Tobirama's only child survives and the Senju legacy continued. Years have passed since, and now two brothers have rose again to shake the entire world with their power, only this time they have the powers of both the Uchiha and S...
