Naruto uchiha

chapter 5

Almost four months had passed since the intended attack on Naruto and many people's lives had changed undesirably. The populace of Konoha had become aware of the attack and the news had spread swiftly amongst everyone. The revelation that the Hokage's son, Naruto Namikaze, killed two Jounin level shinobi and incapacitated another while saving a civilian girl and the Hyuuga Clan Heiress had become the talk of the town within the village. Several of the villagers who glared at the young boy because of the demon in him changed their views of him upon learning of his actions.

The news of Naruto's actions had spread to other villages as well, despite Minato trying to keep it hidden. The relations between Konoha and Iwagakure had further deteriorated after the event. Konoha had closed off all their trade routes within Amegakure and Kusagakure, the only two viable paths for the rock shinobi to get to Hi no Kuni (Fire Nation). The fact that a village was willing to send their own shinobi to another for the assassination of a Kage's family during these times had caused tension between the villages. The temporary peace which had settled over the Elemental Nations after the Third Shinobi War looked fragile and the slightest of friction between the villages had the possibility of igniting another war.

However, the only solace for Minato among all this disarray was that neither Kirigakure nor Sunagakure were ready for another war, either financially or in terms of their military assets. The rumors of an uprising within Kirigakure had made the other nations steer away from the Water Country and cut off all business trades with them.

Despite appearing moderately well to the other great four nations in the Elemental Nations, Sunagakure had started to struggle in the past few years financially. The Land of Wind's Daimyo started outsourcing missions previously given to Sunagakure to Konoha instead. The Yondaime Kazekage began selling gold dust to try to make up for the loss of funding. Even so, the situation did not look well for Sunagakure.

Sakura and Hinata had been awfully appalled by what they had gone through that night.

Sakura had not stepped out of the house much in the following months. Being a civilian girl, she did not have much knowledge in the obscure events that often took place in the shinobi world. Minato had provided intensive medical care for Sakura, in hopes that she could move past these events. Hinata too had been extremely horrified, despite being taught about such activities from a young age. She had been looked after by Hiashi, Hitomi and by the personal medics of the Hyuuga Clan. Hinata's escorts outside the compound had been doubled for her protection in case of any unforeseen situations.

However, Naruto's life had transformed the most from the experience of that night. Ever since he awakened the sharingan, his demeanor had somewhat changed. He was now more reserved and only showed his normal self to the people he trusted. He still smiled around people and engaged in conversations with to others if he was approached. But the change was visible to those who knew Naruto on a more personal level.

It was different for him to hear tales about the horrors of the shinobi world compared to going through it himself.

Taking a life.

But he understood why he had to do it. He had no qualms about what he did. He felt rather content that he could protect his two precious friends. However, he started to develop doubts in his mind about the current shinobi world. He knew from the anecdotes told by his father that the current period was a time of temporary peace. Albeit, one that Naruto believed would last. He wanted it to last. He just wanted to stay happy in his home with his father and talk with his friends.