Naruto: Path of Uchiha

Chapter 27: Preparations

Preparing for a war is definitely easier said than done.

Stood in Konoha's biggest ground were the five strongest from each village; the only exception was Konoha having six.

The kages of each village were here too, standing in front of their five respective battalions.

'All we have at most is one month. We not only have to be precise but quick as well', Obito is the first one to speak out of all the Kages.

'That's right. We must not underestimate our enemy', A follows, having experienced the threat firsthand.

'You all here are the strongest. Live up to your name', Gaara encourages.

'Get us to victory', Mei says.

'Now the time for squad leaders. From the stone village battalion, the squad leader will be Deidara', Onoki states.

'From the sand village, battalion will be myself. Sasori being second in command', Gaara says.

'From the cloud village battalion will be Killer Bee', A says.

'From the mist village battalion will be Kisame', Mei says.

'From the leaf village will be Naruto Uzumaki', Obito says.

Silence looms over the room.

***

Naruto's POV

Huh? Why do they keep picking me?

'Stop complaining',

I honestly expected either Itachi Nii-san or Kakashi Nii-san to be appointed the squad leader.

No offense to the Sanins and Might Guy; I just thought they were more suitable given their age.

But why me?

'Hokage. You were not accepting when I proposed Naruto to join the battalion, and now you appointed him as the squad leader. Why is that?', A, the Raikage, asks.

That's exactly what I am thinking.

Even Jiraiya-sama looks shocked.

'That's a matter between our battalion', Obito Nii-san deadpans.

'Oh shit'
'Yeah, oh sh*t.'

'That's unacceptable. Who knows if it will affect the war or not?', Onoki, the Tsuchikage, suspects.

'It won't. And to put it simply, I think he's the most capable. It was a decision made after much thinking', Obito Nii-san says.

'What?', even Kurama is shocked.

Me? The most capable? He must be joking.

'Well then. This conversation is over, I assume. Let's head back to the chambers for a private battalion meeting, then we will meet for the squad leaders meeting', Gaara says. Even being the youngest of the Kages, he doesn't hesitate to show his authority.

***

'Hokage-sama. What the heck were you thinking?', I say as calmly as I could, despite the situation.

'Naruto Uzumaki. You don't get to question the decisions of the Hokage', Obito Nii-san replies, mimicking my tone.

'Break it up, you two. Talk it out', Kakashi Nii-san interferes.

'No way! I am not capable enough! This will ruin our chances of winning', I say, slowly losing my temper.

'Why the heck are you underestimating yourself?!', Obito Nii-san fires back.

'I am not underestimating myself. It's just the people here are much more capable!', I say, pointing towards everyone else.

Obito Nii-san sighs. Then he charges at me. I charge at him back.

Before we reach each other, I get stopped by Itachi Nii-san and Obito Nii-san by Jiraiya-sama.

'Ahh, I didn't know you two had so much fierce youth in you!', Might Guy says.

He shuts up after Tsunade-sama sent him a glare.

'Being the adult here. It's clear that I have to be the one to break up this argument!', Tsunade-sama says, giving a look to Jiraiya-sama, which screams disappointment.

Jiraiya-sama takes the indication, 'Alright. Sit down, you two', he says.

We don't budge.

'Sit down!' Tsunade-sama shouts.

We all immediately sat down. Not only me and Obito Nii-san but everyone.

'Even I was close to sitting down', says Kurama.
'She is scary',

'Alright. Now, Obito. Why did you pick Naruto as the squad leader?', Tsunade-sama asks sweetly, the previous devil left behind.

'He is the most suitable for going against Orochimaru. He has been studying about him since he was very young. He literally knows everything about Orochimaru. You two were his teammates, and I think he knows more than you both', Obito Nii-san says, looking towards the Sanin, then Naruto.

'What's the point of doing all that hard work when in the end he won't even get the chance to face him off? Not only Naruto knows Orochimaru the best between us, having never even fought him, but he deserves this opportunity to go against him', Obito Nii-san says, completing his short speech with a long sigh.

Before I have time to think about this...

'Naruto. What's Orochimaru's special jutsu?', Kakashi Nii-san asks right away.

'Immortality jutsu', I answer.

'What about his signature jutsu?' Kakashi Nii-san asks once again.

'Hidden shadow snake hands', I answer once again.

'What's one of his strengths?' Kakashi Nii-san keeps on asking.

'His healing factor', I say.

'And his weakness?' Kakashi Nii-san doesn't stop asking.

'His obsession and arrogance',

'His mission number?', this time Jiraiya-sama asks, his tone indicating a joke obviously.

'Orochimaru has completed 1468 official missions in total with 17 D ranks, 322 C ranks, 521 B ranks, 491 A ranks, and 108 S ranks. Bonus fact: his registration number is 002300', I say almost immediately.

'Damn. I think you're obsessed with Orochimaru more than he's obsessed with immortality'.

'That's totally not true', (lies)

My answer left everyone speechless, Ha!

'Naruto! Do you know Ororchimaru's youth?', Mught Guys asks.

'Enough to want to be immortal',

'What about his favorite food?' Tusnade-sama hesitates a bit before asking.

'Eggs', I say.

'I am not even going to question how you know that', Itachi Nii-san says after looking towards Tsunade-sama to confirm that I am in-fact correct.

'See? I told you', Obito Nii-san says, crossing his hands.

'Fine. I agree to be the squad commander', I say, raising my hands.

With that, I, Naruto Uzumaki, am the squad commander for the Konoha battalion to fight against Orochimaru.

__________________________________

Now the time came for the squad leader meeting. Its aim is to finalize the strategy for the war.

Stood in the room were Naruto, Gaara, Killer Bee, Deidara, and Kisame.

'I assume we don't need introductions, hmph?', Deidara, who's representing the stone village, takes the lead of the conversation.

'That's right', Gaara says, crossing his hands.

'So? What's the plan?', Kisame asks.

'Orochimaru, we have to defeat, and about it, be discreet', Killer B says.

Naruto didn't pay attention to the rhyming sentences of Killer B, thinking they were just a one-time coincidence.

'Naruto right? Your plan was begrudgingly good for the alliance. Do you have any plans now?', Kisame says, eyeing Naruto down.

Naruto looks at him straight in the eyes; he remembers Kisame as one of the swordsmen of the mist.

'That was just a fluke. Although I would say we should prepare a formation and strategy first that rivals our opponent', Naruto says, shrugging his shoulders.

'A formation and strategy? We have intel that Orochimaru's reanimation army is at most 50, the other being Zetsus, which we can easily handle', Kisame says. Naruto nods his head in response.

'I say we should assume that just like us, Orochimaru has divided his reanimation force in five parts. So it makes five divisions of rivals, 10 in each division. We have five battalions, which have five members in each. If each village's battalion will take on one division of reanimations, then each person will have to go against two reanimations at most', Naruto explains.

'Going against two reanimations is lovely; I can handle that easily', Killer B says.

Naruto assumes two things. That killer bee agrees with his plan and that he likes to rhyme things. Often.

'Hmm, it makes sense. But how would we know who we are going against?', Kisame asks.

'We don't. That will be a surprise', Naruto deadpans.

'That's why we have to be prepared to take on any kind of enemy. It can be a previous Kage or an equal-level powerful Shinobi', Gaara says, agreeing with Naruto.

'This will be fun! My art will have the perfect opportunity to act as an explosion!', Deidara says, an unsettling grin on his face.

'Yeah. Let's go on with it', Naruto says, leading the others to training.
___________________________________

At Ororchimaru's hideout.

'Boss is still out', a man with a cloak on his head says.

'He is. We just have to wait until he recovers from the poison', another man says, this one a little taller.

'Damn that Itachi Uchiha for betraying us', the former man says.

'As soon as the boss recovers. We will start war. No mercy for anyone',

'Definitely',

***

At Konoha

'Are they alright?', Mikoto asks Obito, who was bombarded with questions as soon as he returned from the Hokage's office.

'They are. They're doing great. Especially Naruto, Itachi says he's a natural leader', Obito says.

'That's good. He has it in him', Fugaku says rather stoicly. Funny as he was the one who released a massive sigh of relief on the news of their safety.

'Did he say anything to me? Naruto?', Sasuke asks.

Sasuke was worried for his Kakashi Nii-san and Itachi Nii-san, but he was most worried for Naruto.

'He did', Obito says, passing him two letters. 'One is for Hinata', he adds.

Sasuke hurriedly puts Hinata's letter in his pocket, making a mental note to give it to her later.

Then he opens his own.

'What does it say?', Mikoto asks curiously.

'It says he's doing fine. He's taking his meals on time. He's training many new techniques. He's gotten close with the other squad leaders, and he's happy to be fighting. It says that we don't have to worry about him and just take care of ourselves. It says he can't wait to meet us as soon as the war is over', Sasuke says, tears welling in his eyes.

'Oh, my child', Mikoto says, sharing Sasuke's feelings.

'I'll go meet them in a few days. If you have any letters to give him, I will take them for you', Obito says, a small smile on his face.

'I do. I will give them to you tomorrow', Sasuke says, gratitude shining in his eyes.

'Alright', Obito said.

What Obito didn't expect was that he would receive at least 20 letters, all addressed to his brothers fighting in the war.

***

With that, the preparations for the war were ongoing. Everyone was determined. Although actually fighting was only the strongest from each village, it seemed like everyone was supporting them through spirits alone. Now was the time for actual war.

___________________________________

AN: Thank you for reading! The story's about to end though I have been writing a new one so look forward to it :)