Chapter 15: Captains and Commanders

This in not my book BUT I have asked for permission from the author but he still hasn't replied if anyone can get in touch with him let him know if he wants me to I can remove it from here

go check out the book at https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13522981/1/Reincarnation-Ok-Pal-The-Story-of-Kenta-Yamanaka-Book-2

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Welcome back, Kenta Fans!

One quick announcement/… rant(?)

If you have questions/comments/etc… Don't review as a guest, please. I cannot answer you directly if I have no one to reply to. I'm not going to add empty words to my chapter by answering you specifically in the chapter directly.

SO, if you have a question/comment… Take the literal one minute to create an account. It's free. I promise. It isn't hard.

If you HAVE an account and I can't reply back to you because you have PMs Disabled… Well, sorry. I definitely tried.

Second (Aello, you said one announcement. Piss off, you liar!)

I will absolutely NOT stand for this slight against MAMA BEAR GENMA! He only has two, TWO votes for his Hogwarts house. We're not moving on to the next character until he gets some LOVE. Go vote! In my profile! Now! Grrrrr.

P.S. One of those votes is mine so… One vote.

Y'all show some spect to Cpt Genma :D

On with the chapter! I'm pretty happy with how this one turned out. Hope y'all are too! :)

"You can't be serious?"

"When have you known me to be anything but serious?" Itachi asked with a raised brow.

"It's just. No one in their right state of mind would ever ask me to be a Jonin Captain."

"Are you saying that I am not mentally fit to be your military leader?" Itachi asked the Jonin across from him.

"I, no. That is not what I was saying, at all! Please, Lord Third. Surely you can see how terrible of an idea this is!"

Lord Third chuckled. "Actually, it was my suggestion. I think you will make a wonderful mentor and Captain to this team.

"But I'm not even a full-fledged Jonin! I'm only a Special-Jonin!"

"Genma Shiranui was only a Special-Jonin when he took command of Team Eleven." Itachi rebutted instantly.

"I. But. Isn't there anyone else?"

"Dozens of others, actually." Itachi said.

"Well then surely one of them would be a much better option than me!"

"Most of them would, yes. However, the others aren't available at this time. You are." Itachi said pointedly.

"It will be a good learning experience, for you and the Genin. Just think of it as a long-term mission." Lord Third said with a twinkle in his eye.

"But. I. Genin? Me? There's-"

"This discussion is over. You will report to your new team tomorrow at 0800, sharp. After this assignment, we can then discuss the end of your probation." Itachi stated in a hard voice.

"Probation?! Since when have I been on probation?!"

"Since I decided you were. Perks of being Hokage." Itachi said with a smirk.

"You will do wonderfully. Have faith in yourself." Lord Third said kindly.

"Congratulations, Ami Kogure. Team Captain of Team Three. Maybe next time you won't attempt to flirt with me after being reprimanded for almost starting an international incident." Itachi said.

Ami glared at Lord Fifth. "I'm going to take that hat from you one day. And when I do, I will banish you from Konoha."

"I await that day with bated breath. Now, get out of my office."

*************************************Those Poor Genin!*********************************

"Wait. He made you a Jonin Captain for a Genin team?" I asked, attempting to keep a straight face.

"I know! Can you believe it?!" Ami asked, ignoring the offered drink and grabbing the bottle directly.

"Those poor kids. They're more than likely going to die on their first mission with you." I said with a smirk.

"You better hope not." Ami mumbled, taking another long swig out of the bottle.

"What's that mean?" I asked curiously.

"Well, I-"

Ami was cut off by the door banging open.

"Kenta! Big Bro! You'll never guess who got assigned as our new Jonin Captain!" Kono's excited voice echoed through the house.

I stared at Ami in wide-eyed horror. Ami raised an eyebrow and tipped the bottle back, downing the rest of the contents.

"Wh-Who is it? Anyone I know?" I called back nervously, an eye trained on Ami.

"Yes! It's- Captain Ami! You're here!" Kono yelled in excitement, rushing over and clinging to Ami.

"Kenta-Dear. Meet one of my new minions. Kono Yamanaka." Ami said dryly.

"Unacceptable. I won't stand for it. Absolutely not!" I shrilly screeched.

"Oh relax, Princess. Your little sister is in good hands." Ami said, rolling her eyes.

"No... My little sister is in the hands of the Devil in mortal form. No. You and I are going to talk to Lord Fifth right now and make him fix this entire mess!""What mess is that, hon? And what did I tell you about calling your friends the devil?" Mom asked entering the dining room with some snacks.

I opened my mouth but Kono was already rattling off her dire predicament.

"Big Sis Ami is my new Jonin Captain! I have a badass Kunoichi as my team leader now! I'm going to learn so many things from her! Mom, isn't it so cool?!"

"Kono! Language! You keep this up, young lady, and I'll ground you!" Mom said with hands on hips. She turned to Ami. "But this is wonderful news! I know my little girl is in some of the most capable hands in the entire village. Being a first time mentor is daunting, dear. If you ever need advice or have questions, well my door has always been open for you."

"And I'm revoking her door access privilege! I ban you from the Yamanaka house!" I yelled.

"That would work if this were your house, my son. But it is mine. Ami is welcome." Mom said matter-of-factly.

"I'm the man of this house, woman!" I said, turning to her, straightening my back until I was at my full height.

"Excuse me?" Mom asked. The carnal bloodlust radiating from her had me shrinking back into the corner, shaking from head to toe.

"Sorry, mommy! Please, I didn't mean it!" I cried.

"Darn right you didn't. Disrespect me again and you'll be out on the streets!"

"But Mommy! Ami just spent nearly an hour bitching to me about having to take a Genin team! Now that she knows I'm against it, she's all for it! I'm telling you, she's not human! She's a demon!" I whined, making a cross with my fingers and brandishing them at said demon.

"Language!" Mom said through gritted teeth.

"You don't want me as a student?" A tiny voice asked.

Ami bent down and smooshed Kono's cheeks together. "Of course I do, little flower. I was venting to my ex-best friend about the responsibilities that being a Jonin Captain brings. It has nothing to do with you, and I'm very excited to teach you everything I know. Who knows? Maybe I'll take you on as my apprentice one of these days."

"Really?! That would be awesome!" Kono exclaimed, stars dancing in her eyes.

I sighed in defeat. I might be her loving big brother, but a strong kunoichi like Ami will always trump me when it entails being a shinobi.

Ami shot me a victorious smirk. 'I win.' She mouthed.

I puffed up, mouth open, ready to channel Jaguar and tear this little upstart a new one.

"Well, I better be off. I have to finish up the training program for my little minions, and I still have to do my D-Rank for the day. Kono, 0800, don't be late. Aunt Tori, let's have a girls day once the springs are back open. Drama Queen, I will make a shrine to mourn our lost friendship. Good day, my second favorite family minus the eldest daughter." And with that, Ami left.

I stood there, sputtering.

"Close your mouth, hon. You'll catch flies." Mom said, patting my cheek.

Kono giggled and jumped off her chair.

"Where are you going?" Mom asked.

"To train. I can't have my first day with Cpt Ami be a disaster!" Kono exclaimed as she rushed out of the room.

Mom chuckled and turned towards me, hands on hips.

"Kenta. Hon. Are you crying?"

I scrubbed my face furiously. "No! I just got dust in my eye. I'm not sad at all that my little sister is more excited to train with my teammate than me!"

"Oh for heaven's sake. Your friends are right. You are a drama queen! I guess I really do have two boys and two girls." Mom said with a smirk. She left the room, leaving me to stand there and wallow in my own self-pity.

"Wait. Did my own mother just call me a girl…?"

*********************************Kenta is Pathetic**************************************

I stood in the clearing, hunched over taking deep breaths. I glanced around, noticing the damage inflicted to the surrounding area. I smiled in satisfaction before grimacing at the pounding in my head and black spots dancing in my eyes.

I lay down on the ground in case I passed out once more. Forty-Five seconds. Two seconds better than my last attempt. It wasn't a huge improvement, but any improvement was worth celebrating.

It wasn't every day someone attempted to recreate a technique known only to the men who called themselves Raikage. It's not like the technique was difficult or complex. It was technically only a B-Rank technique. However, the amount of chakra required to sustain the 'Lightning Armor' was absolutely mind-boggling.

I took another deep breath and opened my eyes, staring off into the tree line at the edge of the clearing.

"You know," I called out, "Watching someone train for an hour could be seen as stalking by some. Come out."

Naruto stepped into the clearing, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I thought you didn't notice me since you seemed to be so focused. Nothing gets by you, eh?"

I snorted. "Naruto. A Genin just learning how to chakra sense wouldn't miss the bonfire that is your chakra. I'd have to be dead to not notice you."

Naruto nodded and came closer. "What were you working on? You were moving really fast!"

I sat up with a groan. "Attempting to recreate the famous 'Lightning Armor' of the Raikage. The final goal is to combine it with my 'Body-Flicker' style. It's… much harder than I thought it would be. I can't even hold the armor for a minute; let alone attempting to fly around the clearing and create afterimages."

"What are you having trouble with? Maybe I can help!"

"Unless you can transfer the Kyubi to me without dying, then I don't think there's anything you can do. It's the pinnacle of lightning manipulation. Time and training. That's the only thing I can do. My chakra reserve just isn't Kage Level." I frowned at my admission.

Naruto didn't reply at first. He suddenly snorted. "Kyubi is begging me to allow him to switch hosts. Apparently, he likes you."

I grinned at that, but didn't reply. A silence descended over the clearing. It stretched on, minute by minute. I was lost in my own thoughts, wondering what I could do in an attempt to crack this code. I know my reserves weren't huge, but they weren't small by any means. There had to be something I was missing. The Third Raikage fought for three days and nights before collapsing. There is NO way that his reserves were large enough to allow him to fight that long using the 'Lightning Armor' if it drained him as bad as it did me.

"Hey, Kenta?" Naruto's timid voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"Hm?"

"I, uh… I talked to mom. Did she tell you?"

"She did," was all I said. I had already said my piece and apologized as profusely and sincerely as I could.

"Yeah. After her, I talked to Hinata. And Granny Tsunade. And Pervert. And Old Man Hokage." Naruto said, staring at the ground, picking absentmindedly at the grass.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. They all said the same thing in their own… unique way."

"And what was that?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"That…," Naruto took a deep breath and made eye contact with me. Eyes full of confusion and sadness. "That you were right, and I was wrong."

I looked away. "It still doesn't excuse me," I said in a quiet voice.

"Yeah, they also said that. Mom said I had every right to be mad at you. And I was."

"You were? Not now?"

He shook his head. "No. Not anymore. Mom said something that really made me think. I've been doing that a lot these last few weeks, ya know? She told me that despite what I thought, what you did wasn't a personal attack or done in any way to hurt my feelings."

"She's right, you know? Hurting you was the absolute last thing I ever wanted to do. But-"I was cut off by Naruto's hand landing on my shoulder.

"I know. Because of you, Hanabi is alive. Hizashi is alive. People that being dead would have made Hinata sad. Mom is alive. Kono is alive. Fú is alive. Tayuya is alive. Thousands are alive. All because you were willing to hurt me to save them. You're a hero, Kenta. And me? I'm just a weak coward who doesn't deserve to be Hokage. If anyone does, it's you. You showed me that."

I stared at Naruto, wide-eyed. "What are you saying? Hokage is your dream. I would not make a good Hokage!"

"You would. You showed me that my way of thinking is naïve. How can I even consider myself to be a good Hokage when it was shoved in my face that I can't make the tough decisions. You can. You weighed all the options and made the right choice. I wanted to have my cake and eat it too. You gave up your cake so that everyone else could have a piece. That's what a true Hokage would do." Naruto was picking at the grass again.

I burst out in laughter, causing Naruto to look at me in confusion. "Sorry. It's just… you think that because at sixteen years old, a single learning moment eliminates you from consideration? I knew you were dumb, Naruto. But not this dumb."

Naruto's face colored slightly before his face fell once more. "But. You're only a few months older than me, and you can make that decision already! I should have been able to see that already!"

"Naruto. I also grew up studying the human mind. I am and always have been, even if I don't always act like it, more mature than my peers. You were the first friend I had that was my age. Before that, I either spent time with the adults, or alone with my books. I spent four years in ANBU, two of them as a squad captain. Do you think that was the first time I had to make a tough decision? Hell no. I had already had to make dozens of them in ANBU. You think that the first time I had to make a similar decision I did it flawlessly? Nope. I second and triple guessed myself. I still do. Life is about learning and growing as a person."

I shook Naruto's shoulder making him meet my eye. "Remember what Cpt Genma told us all those years ago?"

Naruto smiled slightly and nodded. "People make mistakes. Mistakes are allowed to happen. Learning and growing from our mistakes is part of growing up. However, only idiots don't learn and make the same mistakes. And none of my students are idiots, right? Or something like that."

I laughed. "Exactly. Captain is right though. You learned from this, didn't you?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I learned a lot."

"Part of being a good Hokage is being able to make the tough decisions. But guess what? Even the Hokage isn't infallible. Making the wrong decision, especially as Hokage, can be disastrous. However, it's bound to happen at least once. Look at Lord Third. He's still trying to repent for the mistakes he made." I squeezed Naruto's shoulder in reassurance.

"You're right. I overthought things again, didn't I?" Naruto asked with a nervous smile.

I nodded. "You did, Knucklehead. Wanna know the final key you need to be a great Hokage?"

Naruto nodded.

"Listening to your advisors. Discussing with them and coming to a decision as a team. The Hokage is our leader. We pledge our loyalty and fealty to him. However, he is just one man. A great Hokage isn't great because he is omnipotent and all-knowing. Lord Third's rule is a perfect example. He placed his faith and trust in the wrong person. But now look at Lord Fifth. He is the youngest Hokage to ever take the hat. No one would know that our Hokage is isn't even in his mid-twenties though if you judged him solely on the decisions he's made so far. Why? Because he works with his advisors and listens to them. He takes their experience, mixes it with his own, and comes to the best decision. That is the sign of a great Hokage."

"So when you take the hat eventually, surround yourself with people you trust. But, make sure they are not men and women afraid to challenge you. You need those kind of people. Do you think Lord Third, Commander Bear, Lord Shikaku, Lady Utatane, and Lord Mitokado don't challenge Lord Fifth for every decision he makes?"

Naruto snorted. "Those two old birds would challenge Lord Fifth even if they thought his decision was absolutely perfect. Just to be difficult."

"Exactly. And that's what a Hokage needs. If their decisions aren't being challenged, then they'll begin to believe that they are always correct. That's a dangerous thing for someone with as much power as the Hokage possesses."

"Yeah. You're right." Naruto said with a brow furrowed, which meant he was thinking hard on what I said.

"The plan still hasn't changed. One day you'll be Hokage and I'll be ANBU Commander. You think I won't speak up if I think you're being a moron?"

Naruto sent his first real smile. "You'll be like the old crows. Disagreeing with me just to disagree."

I smiled back. "Darn right. Gotta make that slow brain of yours work now and again."

Naruto laughed lowly. "Thanks, Kenta. I feel better."

"What are brothers for?" I asked, ruffling his hair.

Naruto swatted my hand away, smoothing out his hair. "Hey, Kenta?"

"What's up?"

"I'm sorry." Naruto mumbled out.

"What for?" I asked.

"For… You know. What I said when we confronted Nagato. About you not having humanity and that stuff." Naruto's eyes fell back to the ground.

I stared off into the tree line. "It's different seeing it in person rather than just hearing about it, isn't it?"

Naruto nodded. "It was… not what I was expecting."

I chuckled at that. "Did you think I just hurled a few insults and made them sad?"

Naruto nodded. "Something like that."

"Sorry to disappoint." I said flatly.

Naruto shook his head. "I just didn't think it was that terrifying. You transformed into an entirely different person right before my eyes, ya know? I didn't see my best friend and brother anymore. I legit saw someone I was genuinely afraid of. Did mom ever tell you about the time she first saw dad do the same thing?"

I shook my head. "No. She never told me."

"She told me that for weeks after she couldn't even look at him. She said he made a samurai kill himself just so he could stop hearing dads voice. I tried to imagine dad being cruel enough to make someone kill themselves, but I just couldn't do it. I guess it's the same with you. You told us about your mind games, but I thought it was more like what you did with Kiba. Pushing buttons to make them mad enough to get an opening. But… it's how you actually fight, isn't it?"

I nodded. "Most of the time, yeah."

"Mom told me something else though. She said that when we choose to love someone, whether romantically or pla… pla… whatever that word is."

"Platonically?" I asked.

"Yeah, that! She said that no matter how we love someone, we don't get to pick and choose what we love and what we don't. It's all or nothing." Naruto met my eye. "You're my best friend. You're my brother. You're the reason I'm even here today. I couldn't imagine my life without you there to annoy me. So… I'm sorry, Kenta." Naruto's eyes swam with tears.

I crawled over to the idiot and wrapped him in a hug. "Apology accepted. Only if you can forgive me."

Naruto wiped his nose with his sleeve. "I do. Just… Don't do it again, ya?"

I stared at him seriously. "I will only if I have to. I can't make that promise. What I can promise though is that IF I ever have to make that choice again, I'll be a little kinder about it."

Naruto nodded. "I promise I'll never put you in that position again. I love my clan. The Uzumaki are firm believers that family is everything. However, Honoka had to remind me. Loving your clan is fine. But putting the needs of the clan ahead of the village is never the right choice. The village first, always. If I want to be Hokage, I really have to remember that."

"See? Learning from your mistakes. Already wiser."

"So, can I ask you a question? I know you enjoy it, but like… what does it feel like when you do that to someone?" Naruto asked, pulling back and sitting much more relaxed on the ground than before.

"How do I describe it? When I use my clan technique to take over someone else, it's just me using another technique. There's no sense of accomplishment. Finding that chink in a person's mental armor, it gives you a rush. You're not using any kind of technique, just your wits. Breaking the small crack open, wider and wider, seeing the look of anguish and sorrow cross someone's face, it gives you a sense of power over them. Unlike my clan technique where I forcefully take over, using simple mind games to break my opponent is them relinquishing control to me. Having that kind of control, freely given, is addicting. You want more, and more. The darkness and demons inside me howl for more."

"I guess I can kinda get it. It's like… turning their own brain against them, ya? Like, the one safe space that people go to is their mind. It's theirs and no one else's. But you kinda… take that last line of defense and safety away from them, making them completely vulnerable. It's like fighting an opponent and leading them right into a trap that secures your win. You see them heading right for it, and you can't help but get excited knowing that you're about to win. Something like that?" Naruto asked.

I pursed my lips in thought. "Something like that, sure. Shinobi are trained to not show emotion. To remain in control. To break that, is to break them at the core of who they are. It's a rush unlike anything. The deeper they fall into my game, the more that emotional training breaks. The more it breaks, the stronger the rush is. Like when I fought Kimimaro. That dude wasn't ruffled by anything I said. He would have killed me had I not found the one thing that broke that cool demeanor of his. After that, he became sloppy, and I controlled the fight until it ended. I guess, the entire thing can be summarized is that once I find the crack, I control everything. Having that control is the ultimate drug."

Naruto nodded slowly. "I can kinda get it. Even if I didn't though, what you do is dad's legacy he left to you. I wouldn't ask you to give it up, even if it scared me shitless. It keeps his memory and legacy alive. That alone is worth any discomfort I might have. Though now that I know a little more, I think I can handle it. It… it really was kinda cool how you turned Nagato from God Complex to a broken man. Even if he was family, he hurt a lot of people."

I smiled slightly at that. "If you thought what I did to Nagato was bad, you should have seen what I did to… Kabuto…"

I hissed in annoyance. I completely forgot about that bespectacled nobody!

"I have to go, Naruto. I'll see you around. Come by for dinner on Wednesday, mom is making her yakisoba." I stood up, shaking off the wave of dizziness that swept over me.

"Oh. Ok. Hey, um. When is Fú coming home?" Naruto asked, joining me in standing.

"Ummm. A week from today, actually. Why?"

"Well I thought maybe we could do like a double date or something sometime? Old man Teuchi has a temporary location set-up."

I nodded and smiled at Naruto, preparing the dregs of chakra I had managed to recover during our talk. "We'll plan something. I gotta go."

And with that, I flickered out of the clearing directly towards the Hokage's temporary office.

************************************KY***********************************************

"How did he even survive?" I asked the woman beside me.

Tsunade snorted. "Little fucker is exactly like a cockroach, isn't he? Apparently he was able to regulate his caloric usage using medical techniques. As for water, the condensation that collected on the walls was just enough to keep him from croaking."

I stared at the unconscious form of Kabuto. After my talk with Naruto, I had rushed to the Hokage to ask about the man who had been abandoned in the cells of T&I in lieu of the attack by the Orochimaru and Danzo.

He had been left down there for almost a month. After gathering enough earth specialist, many of them from Iwa, we were able to dig down deep enough and pull the frail man from the wreckage.

I'm just glad that literally everyone, including Lord Fifth, forgot about the maggot. I was actually disappointed that instead of finding a decaying corpse, we instead found a man stubbornly clinging to life. It did reinforce my notion that Kabuto was basically worthless.

However, Lord Fifth had other plans.

I do have to get him something nice for letting me be the one to tell him. Lord Fifth spoils me so much.

"He's well enough to talk, right? I can't exactly make threats I can't keep if he isn't actually well enough." I asked Lady Tsunade.

She nodded. "Oh he's fine. He's been on IV fluids for two days, so dehydration is no longer an issue. He had a feeding tube the first day, and has since eaten every meal we've given to him. The infection he contracted has been dealt with, and he's done nothing but sleep since we brought him here. If he says differently, your threats will be perfectly justifiable."

I smiled brightly down at the legendary Kunoichi. "Thank you, Lady Tsunade. Do you want to join me? Or…?"

She shook her head. "I enjoy a good torture session just as much as the next. However, I have a meeting to attend in a few minutes and then I have to get back to the school."

I nodded. "Thank you for your assistance."

"Anytime, brat. Show me the memory though if anything juicy happens though. I'll be needing a good laugh and stiff drink after I'm done with this headache I'm about to endure."

"What's the meeting for, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Interviewing candidates to be the surrogate mother for Jiraiya and me." She admitted with a slight blush.

"That is wonderful! I hope it goes well for you." I said with a genuine smile splitting my face. The Uzumaki were slowly but surely rebuilding. The first Senju of my lifetime would be born within a year. Haku and Ranmaru would eventually have children of their own, providing two potential new and powerful bloodlines to Konoha. Sakura's research was starting to see progress, which could have the potential of unlocking my bloodline in my own children.

Konoha was going to be a powerhouse in the years to come.

"Thanks, kid. We had seventy-eight women apply. I'm all for taking the first one that I don't want to murder. Jiraiya wants to make sure we interview them all so we're certain. He has ONE near-death experience, now all of a sudden he's reliable. What the fuck is up with that?!"

I laughed loudly. "You'd rather your child's father remain a lecherous pervert?"

"Oh, he's still a lecherous pervert. He's just a more responsible lecherous pervert." Tsunade's own laugh joined mine.

"I feel like there's some irony, or something in that one sentence. Anyway, I won't keep you. I'll show you the memory later if anything happens. Remember, first born male HAS to be named after me."

"What? Why? Hell no. Your name sucks." Tsunade said, waving her hand in dismissal.

"My name is sanctified by the Gods themselves. Take that back, woman."

She let out a bark of laughter. "Whatever you say kid. Alright, I'm out. Good luck."

I waved as the petite blonde left in a hurry. I smiled softly, happy for the woman that had given so much for the village finally finding happiness. I turned back towards the room, my smile of innocent happiness turning dark at the thought of what was about to happen.

I passed the ANBU guarding the door, stopping as a wave of familiarity hit my senses. I turned toward the man. "Who the hell are you, Parrot? Why do I feel like I know you?"

Parrot glanced my way. "I do not know, Lord Yamanaka. Perhaps it's because I have seen you completely nude, binding us in a unique way?"

I laughed loudly and lightly punched his arm. "I like you Parrot. You're a funny dude. Don't let anyone except the Hokage himself enter this room. It's about to get messy."

Parrot saluted. "Yes, Captain. I won't fail you."

I turned toward the second operative, chuckling at the waves of indignation and irritation rolling off them.

"Do you have something to say, ANBU?" I asked with a laugh.

"Yeah. This was your idea, wasn't it? Not cool, Captain!" She said.

"Me? This was all Commander Bear's idea, not mine!"

She scoffed. "You don't fool me. I know that you're secretly Commander Bear."

I laughed. "Bear is several inches shorter than me."

"You use a transformation when you have to be seen." She said stubbornly crossing her arms.

"Look, I am sorry. But this is standard procedure when an ANBUs identity is compromised." I explained, glancing up at the dyed hair.

"I understand, but seriously, Captain?! Why this name?!" Ex-Panda whined.

"What? What's wrong with Walrus?" I asked with a smirk.

"Walrus's aren't cute! The name isn't even cute!" She complained.

"It was the only one available." Parrot supplied.

"Then you take it and I'll be Parrot." She snapped back.

"No thank you. It's a hideous mask and name." Parrot replied in an amicable tone.

Walrus puffed up, hissing like a cornered cat. I laughed uproariously and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's only temporary. Once a new name opens up, you can ask to take that name. I'll even put in a good word."

"Thank you, Captain." She said, even behind the mask, the obvious glare for Parrot was noticeable.

"Well, I've got a nobody to torture. Stay sharp!" I ordered.

Walrus and Parrot snapped to attention and saluted. I walked into the room, rolling my eyes at the obvious poor acting of being asleep.

"Morning, No One!" I called out cheerfully. I giggled at the spike of terror that shot from the man. "I know you're not asleep. It would be in your best interest to talk to me."

He rolled onto his back and sat up slowly. His wary eyes slowly turning towards me. I stood there, the perfect picture of patience. "W-what do y-you want?" He asked in a quiet and pathetic voice.

My smile grew. "I came to talk. I have an opportunity for you!"

"What… what kind of opportunity?" He asked, eyes still refusing to make direct contact with my own.

"An opportunity to be a free man, of course! Well, as free as a no name traitor can have. But it would get you out of your cell and back into doing one of the few things you're good at." I said, my near insane smile never leaving my face.

"What do you mean?" He asked hesitantly.

I flickered over to the empty chair, grabbing it and flickering to his bedside. The little weasel jumped half a foot into the air, causing me to laugh loudly.

"Relax, No One. I'm not here to hurt you. Yet."

He nodded but didn't speak.

"So, here's the deal. After applying half a dozen seals and curse seals to you, as well as your own personal ANBU squad, you could once again return to researching. Lord Fifth and I talked, and we decided that letting that semi-intelligent mind just rot away would be a waste. Sakura Haruno, someone I'm sure you're familiar with, has been doing research into genetics, with a specific focus in bloodlines. Having someone like you working underneath her would, I grudgingly admit, help her progress tremendously." I explained patiently.

"Why would I ever do that?" He asked, a hint of defiance in his voice.

"Oh, you're asking the right questions! If you refuse to work for her, then I get to forcefully extract every ounce of knowledge inside that tiny little brain of yours. If you survive the process with a mind that is still intact, then we send you to Hozuki Castle where you'll spend the rest of your days. Or, we may not even both with that and just kill you on the spot. Lord Fifth even hinted I could test a few of my… new techniques on you." I told the man, smile back in place.

No One grimaced. "So I'm either a slave or a prisoner."

I tsked. "Did you forget what I said already? Though you'll have so many seals on you, you won't be able to sneeze incorrectly, you'd still be free. You'd have your own apartment. You'd have free time to do as you please. You'd have a life. You'd no longer be a spy. You'd have an actual purpose. You could become a someone rather than No One."

Kabuto stared at me as if I had grown a second head. "Why would you offer this to me?"

I shrugged. "Lord Fifth's idea, not mine. Personally, I want to turn your brain to mush and laugh at your drooling husk until you wither away. However, he thinks that you can put that mind to work, and maybe, just maybe atone for your sins. The choice is yours. I'm happy either way."

He looked at me flabbergasted. "You'd be happy if I chose to help in Sakura's research and lived in Konoha."

I nodded. "Believe it or not, my love for the village overrides my distaste for you. I'm a pragmatic person. If the price I have to pay is seeing you wander the village as a free man as a result of helping the village gain strength? I'll pay it one hundred times. Especially considering that Sakura's research could ensure that everyone in me and my sibling's bloodline always activate the 'Storm Release' gene."

"That is her end goal?" Kabuto asked in shock.

I nodded once more. "That and a few other issues. Like the deterioration of the Sharingan once it evolves into its second stage. Activating dormant genes in citizens that may bring new bloodlines to Konoha. Sound appealing? You do a good job on this, and not only will your crimes be absolves, you'll be hailed as a hero in this village long after you pass on as an old man."

Kabuto's eyes widened and tears began to fall freely down his face. "That… That is all I've ever wanted. To be noticed by people for my achievements and no one else's. I could really have that?" He turned hopeful eyes in my direction.

I sneered down at the gross creature. "Sure. Whatever. Do you accept?"

He nodded vigorously. "Yes. Yes! I accept! I will do whatever I need to do."

I smiled darkly. "Perfect. Lady Uzumaki will be by once she gets the green light from the doctors that your body can handle the application of the seals."

"I… I s-see." Kabuto said nervously, a layer of sweat coating his brow upon seeing the look on his face.

"I'll be here as well. Honoka promises me that the application of two of the curse seals are not… pleasant."

I left Kabuto sitting in his bed wide eyed.

I laughed loudly, imagining his screaming and twitching form as Honoka applied her Curse Seal of Absolute Obedience to the dog.

Truthfully, I was happy that the man agreed. He really could help Sakura as he had experience in her chosen field of study.

It still didn't eliminate my wish that he'll mess it up at some point.

I'd love nothing more than putting down the rabid dog.

I stopped at the door and turned once more. "Remember, No One. This is a privilege; a gift that you are being given. I love nothing more than punishing naughty boys who break the rules set out clearly before them. For your sake, I hope you follow the rules to a T. I will be watching you like a hawk. The second you mess up, I will leave you a drooling mess who shits himself on the floor. Toodles!"

And with that cheerful incentive, I made my way back home for a much needed bath.

*************************************AK**********************************************

I grumbled as I made my way toward the front door. I glanced at the clock. 0800 exactly. I swear to the Gods, if this isn't life or death I would-

I opened the door, ready to lay into whomever woke me from my slumber. My vision was instantly filled with mint green. The familiar smell of lavender, grass, and hibiscus filling my nostrils with their heady scent.

I squeezed the small frame in my arms as tight as I could. For the first time in over a month, I finally felt fully relaxed.

"Missed you." I said gruffly.

"Missed you too." Fú said back quietly.

I kissed the top of her head and slowly pulled her away. I looked down, studying her from head to toe, making sure nothing was wrong. I smiled at seeing her back to her confident posture. The smile she wore was small, but it was genuine, not forced like the smiles she had given me before she left.

"You look well. Did Uncle's suggestion help?"

She nodded. "It did. It's still hard. I still don't like it. But, I can manage now. I can think clearly again. I'm not one hundred percent and I never will be, but I'm as close as I'm going to get."

I smiled. "Good. Together, we'll get through this."

She smiled back, much brighter than before. She stood on tip toes, kissing me. I sighed in contentment. All was right back in my world.

"Did you want to…?" I asked, gesturing vaguely towards the house.

She shook her head. "Actually, I came to get you for a meeting. Get dressed, it starts at 0830."

I opened the door wider, letting her walk past me. "Is it about…?"

She turned and smiled brightly. "Yup. We're going to take Taki back from Suien."

I kissed her once more and ran towards my room. "I'll be ready in five!" I called out.

Finally. It was time.

***************************************FU********************************************

"Everyone is here. We will begin. Lady Honoka?" Lord Fifth asked the woman beside him.

Honoka nodded and held the snake seal. A light blue barrier soon sprung into being around the clearing, instantly cutting off all noise from the outside.

"This is a barrier seal that seals and stores any and all sound made inside. We will not be overheard. You have all been asked to this meeting because your loyalty and dedication have been unquestioned." Lord Fifth called out.

I glanced around. The majority of the shinobi council was in attendance, as well as the advisors to the Hokage. Lord Shukaku and Commander Bear stood to Lord Fifth's right. All of my classmates plus team nine were here as well. Walrus and Parrot stood directly behind Lord Fifth. Honoka, Genma, Kakashi, Guy, Lady Tsunade and Lord Jiraiya stood off to his left.

"As many of you have guessed, we are here to discuss our plans for our invasion of Taki. Konoha initially agreed to take in Lady Fú; safeguarding and training her to our best capabilities. We were to keep her safe from Akatsuki or die trying. In exchange, once Akatsuki had been dealth with, we were to receive due compensation for our time and effort in keeping Lady Fú, as well as her training. Taki went behind our backs, enlisting Danzo to reclaim Lady Fú before the agreed time, and to renege on compensating us. Their treachery cannot be forgiven. Not in dark times like these. The entire shinobi world faces an opponent with untold power. We have to be united as one to succeed, or we fall divided."

Lord Fifth slowly swept the crowd. "You all represent our best and brightest. You are all some of my most powerful shinobi I have on roster right now. Our plan hinges on you all completing your mission to success."

"What is our mission, Lord Fifth?" Neji asked politely.

He glanced at the boy. "You all will be infiltrating Taki alongside Lady Fú. You will cause as much chaos and destruction as you are capable of. Once the enemy is in disarray, the bulk of our forces will reinforce you, sealing our swift victory. Your strength is needed to cripple their forces as quickly as possible to ensure the least amount of life lost; on both sides. You will attempt to persuade those not loyal to the usurper to stand down or join us. You will mercilessly cut down his supporters. When the sun sets, Suien will be dead, and Taki will be an annexation of Konoha."

Murmurs met Lord Fifth's bold declaration. It was certainly an ambitious plan, that was for sure. But seeing who all he was tasking with the mission, the probability of success was extremely favorable towards our forces. Three S-Rank shinobi alone would be enough for this mission, if I were being honest. S-Rank are known as army killers. I was more of a one on one kind of threat, but Cpt Genma was certainly up to the task of taking out swaths of enemies single-handedly. Cpt Kakashi was just a freak and could do literally anything.

Such a dream boat.

"What happens after we take Taki?" Guy asked in the most serious voice I had ever heard.

"Genma and Shizune have agreed to see to the task of ruling Taki. The force sent will stay with them to ensure that no unrest or rebellion will take hold. We do not plan on ruling Taki with an iron fist. Our hope is that after some time has passed, we can work out a deal to give Taki back their autonomy. However, if we have to, we will absorb the entirety of the Land of Canyons and disband Taki if our hand is forced. The World will soon know; the new Konoha does not take betrayal lightly."

More murmurs followed that statement. Many of them were positive, only a few still held doubts. I was one of the ones itching to get this show on the road.

"Does anyone else have any questions?" Lord Fifth asked those gathered. When no one spoke up he continued. "This small task force will be led by Lady Fú. She knows exactly how to get into Taki without tripping any alarms. Lady Uzumaki will be joining you all as contingency for any additions Suien made. Once you are inside, you will break off into your teams, taking out the key points and infrastructure that will be assigned to you before the mission. Fú and Team Eleven will confront Suien directly. I have granted Fú the honor of facing Suien in battle, since she is the one most personally affected by their treachery."

He turned toward Fú. "I am giving Kenta the authority to interfere if he believes you require it. I know that he knows how much this means to you, but I will not lose such a promising kunoichi due to a sense of revenge. If you cannot agree to my terms, you will be pulled from the mission. Do you understand?"

Fú turned towards me, smiling. She turned back to Lord Fifth. "I accept your conditions, Lord Fifth. I thank you for agreeing to my request in the first place. Suien personally trained Lord Shibuki. I know what he is capable of. I have confidence in my abilities. Having Kenta and his team as insurance only increases my confidence. As long as the usurper is dead, I don't care who lands the finishing blow. I would prefer it be me, but I will not risk my life for foolish pride. I've found a home and family here in Konoha. I won't throw that away for a personal vendetta."

Itachi smiled. "Well said. Once the primary objective for each team is met, Kakashi will give the signal, and the main force will come to help finish off any further resistance. If the gods favor us, the battle will be won within a few hours."

"Lord Fifth?" Sakura called out hesitantly.

"Yes, Sakura?"

"Um. If we are splitting into our teams, who will be joining Team Seven?"

"Ah. Glad you asked." He gestured vaguely behind him and Parrot stepped forward. He reached up, unsealing his mask. I smacked my forehead hard enough for those around me to hear. Of course. I should have known when Fuu said that he also thought Parrots chakra was familiar. I had only seen the boy a handful of times, but I should have put the pieces together.

"I believe you already know Sai? He will be resuming his place in Team Seven. I trust you have no issues with that?" Lord Fifth asked the girl.

Sakura shook her head and sent Sai a smile. "It's good to see you again, Sai. We had been wondering what happened to you."

Sai smiled. This time, it seemed much more natural than what my memory recalled.

"I look forward to working with you and Sasuke once more. From what I hear, it should go much smoother this time." Sai said with an easy smile.

Sakura blushed furiously. "Yes. Well. I've gotten a bit stronger than when we were Genin, and Sasuke is much more humble and willing to work with people. Team Seven is gunna kick everyone's ass here. Cha!" She finished with bravado, covering her earlier embarrassment at her reminder of being useless.

"Ha! Yeah right! Team Eight is gunna complete their objective so fast we'll be there to help you slowpokes finish yours!" Kiba called out with a wolfish grin.

The spark had been lit and soon friendly banter erupted between all the teams. I stay relatively quiet, letting Ami and Naruto do my shit talking for me. The two were loud enough for the job anyway. I watched Lord Fifth, happy that he seemed to be enjoying the banter, rather than getting annoyed. After some time though he called for silence.

"I'm glad to see your spirits so high. Keep that friendly competition going. It will only push you all to reach your maximum potential. Now, one last thing. A few months ago, Kenta led Sakura and Sasuke on a mission to kill Kakuzu, Taki's strongest shinobi in modern history. After a successful mission, they brought the corpse back as proof. After an autopsy, it was discovered that the forbidden technique that Kazuzu stole was still fully intact. After much debate on what to do with it, we've decided to offer the technique up to those in this room."

Itachi held up his hand as the noise level had risen instantly to deafening levels.

"There are criteria to observe that will disqualify you as a candidate. The first, and most important, no one with a bloodline. We don't know how the Jiongu will react to a bloodline." He called out.

A disappointed Sasuke and Neji instantly looked like someone had shoved a sour candy in their mouths, causing me snicker. I held up my hand. Lord Fifth noticed and gestured me to speak.

"Forgive me, we haven't had much chance to speak, but shouldn't Fú be given first choice? She is from Taki. This is hers by right." I said, causing a few to murmur their agreement.

"She was the first thought. However, due to being a Jinchuriki, her cells have undergone several mutations. She can still use her strings, as well as other abilities granted to her by Chomei. We do not want to risk the Jiongu rejecting her due to these mutations." Lord Fifth explained. I glanced towards Fú. She smiled and nodded.

"Thank you for thinking of me. But yes, Lord Fifth and I already discussed this." She whispered.

I nodded. "Apologies, Lord Fifth. Thank you for explaining."

Lord Fifth accepted my apology before turning towards the crowd once again. "The second condition. Obviously, no Jinchuriki. Also, none with a curse mark, nor a summoning contract. The curse mark for obvious reasons. The summoning, well… We don't know if becoming the Jiongu host will violate summoning terms or nullify the agreement altogether. The last thing we want is to offend a summoning clan; losing them forever. Plus, from seeing the memories of team ten in their fight against the man, I don't think your body will continue to produce blood. No blood, no summoning."

More murmurs met that declaration. Ami was cursing under her breath, causing me to snicker. Something about definitely banishing Lord Fifth.

"Finally. Anyone who is afraid to die need not apply. There is a chance that the Jiongu will reject you and kill you. We know that the Jiongu is a parasite that creates a symbiotic relationship with its host. Once inside you, it will instantly integrate itself in every major system in your body. The strain is great, and from what Fú remembers reading, most don't survive the process. Kakuzu was the first person it ever accepted. Seventeen others all died trying to become its host."

"However, if it does accept you, you will be given a great power. Your Jiongu will be able to replace any old, defect, or failing organs with new ones from your enemies. This also includes the heart. For those aware, the Jiongu allows its host the ability to hold up to four additional hearts inside their body. These can be used in conjunction with masks that we know how to create which will allow the host to use all five elements. There are still many unknown powers and abilities the Jiongu grants its host. However, the one we do know. The Host is immune to age and disease. They will live forever as long as even one of their hearts still beat. If this still sounds like something you would pursue, please step forward."

For a solid minute, not a single person moved. I was drooling on the inside and whining about the unfairness of it all. I would love something like this.

For the first time in my life, I cursed having a bloodline.

Drat.

"I'll do it."

I turned toward the source of the voice, mildly surprised.

"You are sure? As I said, the risk of death is high. I only wanted to offer this to the people in this barrier to show my appreciation for your loyalty. I do not expect you to risk your life for some foolish reason of your duty to the village." Itachi said in a serious tone.

"I'm sure. This sounds like an ability that complements my style of fighting already. I won't have to dramatically change my fighting style. I only have to learn to integrate the Jiongu into my style." Tenten said with a confident smirk.

"Tenten. Are you sure? Your wind release is coming along beautifully. You are risking everything; all your hard work, your youth, on a strong maybe." Guy asked from behind the girl, a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

She nodded. "My entire career I've been average. No matter how hard I work, I'm always in the middle of the pack. This is a chance to push me to near the top. Besides, using threads and controlling some masks is just a different version of my ninja tools." She said with a smile.

Tsunade spoke up. "If you survive, tests will need to be ran. My educated guess is that you'll end up sterile after this. You'll never have kids. Another thing to think about."

"I'll adopt. That was always my plan anyway." She said with a smile.

"Well discuss this later, in private. Come to my office tomorrow." Lord Fifth said.

Tenten nodded and stepped back next to her teammates. Neji and Lee instantly swarmed around her, whispering quickly.

"If there are no further questions you all are dismissed. We will have a final meeting three days before the attack. Use that time to shake off any rust you and your teammates may have collected over the years. Your teammate work will be the deciding factor whether this attack succeeds or fails. Dismissed."

****************************************IU*******************************************

I turned the scroll over and over in my hand, frowning at it.

Memories of the previous day's event played in my head.

I watched, fascinated, as the black flames said to be hot enough to turn normal fire to ash simply danced around the eyes we were attempting to destroy.

"Unbelievable. It's as if they're sentient. Hold them in your hand with no ill intent and they feel just like a normal pair of eyes. Apply any pressure and they become hard as diamond. I've never seen anything not burn under Amaterasu's flames." Lord Fifth said with a frown.

"The same thing happened with my lightning. It's as if it simply pushes away anything that attempts to harm them. Shizune couldn't even get a scraping to see if we could look at the DNA." I murmured.

The black flames vanished. "You asked Honoka about destroying the scroll?"

I nodded. "She confirmed that anything inside a storage scroll becomes lost in the void if the scroll is destroyed. However, she could not say one way or another that, even though no one has been able to do it yet, that someone wouldn't find a way to retrieve items thought to be lost for eternity."

"We can't take any chances." Lord Fifth said. "These eyes are too important to leave to chance. We know that this Tobi character has some type of space/time technique. Who's to say he couldn't easily retrieve the eyes if he discovered their fate?"

I nodded. "What shall we do with them? You should implant them, Lord Fifth. If anyone can tame their power, it would be you."

Lord Fifth shook his head. "I do not think my body could withstand such power. While my body is much stronger, the years of disease have taken their toll that I will never recover from. Why not yourself?"

I laughed loudly. "Me? You and I both know I'd fall to their temptation. We'd have another God-Complex idiot on our hands."

Lord Fifth smiled. "Good. At least you are aware of your weakness. Seal them up and take them with you. I will think on this."

I nodded. "Understood. As long as I'm alive, no one will get to them. I swear on my ancestors."

"I have no doubts. Now, go rest up. I can tell you pushed yourself to your absolute limit, again." Lord Fifth said.

I smiled. "Thank you, sir. I'll see you later."

I sighed heavily. That conversation was two days ago. In ten days, we would start our trek to Taki. I needed to find a place to hide these things while we were away. I couldn't risk them being on my person, even if the seal they were stored in was a blood seal coded only to me.

"What's wrong, little brother? What's in the scroll?" A voice asked.

I glanced at Fuu. "A conundrum." I said absentmindedly, twirling the scroll once again.

"How so?" He asked.

"I don't know what to do with it. The contents are impervious to even Lord Fifth's Amaterasu. It needs to be destroyed, or a decision made." I explained.

"Hmm. Why not destroy the scroll?" He asked.

I shook my head. "That was a suggestion. Honoka couldn't say with absolute certainty that someone wouldn't be able to find a way to access the contents regardless if the scroll was destroyed."

"Hmm. Well, what's inside? Maybe I can help." He sat down in the chair across from me.

I sat up and placed the scroll on my lap. "I can't tell you. What I can say is that the contents in this scroll are strong enough that if it fell into the wrong person's hands, they could conquer the world."

Fuu's eyebrows rose at that. "That is a debacle then. Why not use the contents then for Konoha's protection?"

"Lord Fifth and I are thinking on that. However, do you know anyone that wouldn't be corrupted by such a temptation of power?" I asked seriously.

Fuu shook his head. "One of the few memories I have of my time with father I remember him saying. 'Absolute power corrupts absolutely.' That is what you're worried about, no?"

I nodded. "Exactly. This is the kind of power that countries would go to war over. If anyone knew what I carried in here, Konoha would become the enemy of the entire continent. Akatsuki would attack in full force to get this back. We cannot, under any circumstances, let them have this."

Fuu nodded slowly. "I see your point. If only there were someone that we knew for sure wouldn't fall prey to such power. Someone who doesn't care about power for personal reasons. Someone who would be hesitant to even use such a power unless absolutely necessary."

My eyes lit up. I knew what to do. I jumped up and ran to Fuu, kissing the top of his head. "You're a genius. Love you, bro! Tell mom I'll be home for dinner!"

I was gone within seconds. Lord Fifth would need the final say in my plan, but I think he would agree. I knew exactly who these eyes belonged to.

How did I not even think of it before? Oh, yeah. I wasn't thinking clearly. Between Naruto being mad at me and my worry of my fiancé, I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself.

But now that I was thinking clearly, the choice was so obvious! It should have clicked when Lord Fifth said his body couldn't handle these eyes.

These were the eyes of a God. Most people would be destroyed attempting to harness such power.

There was one person that I knew though that had the body to easily subdue the eyes. The answer should have come to me sooner!

I mean, one of the children of the man who originally wielded the legendary eyes was sealed in the gut of the boy I had in mind.

An Uzumaki was able to use these eyes to their fullest potential. An Uzumaki with a tailed beast inside him would absolutely be able to use them.

An Uzumaki who doesn't care for personal power. His only desire for power comes from defending the people he loved. The village he loved.

His desire for power was to become strong enough to claim the title of Hokage. He wanted to become Hokage to protect every citizen in Konoha.

If that wasn't a just enough reason, I wouldn't know what to do.

Lord Fifth just had to agree.

He had to.

If he didn't, I had a terrible feeling that my power alone wouldn't be enough.

I he didn't agree, the pressure was completely on me.

And if I failed, the entire world would perish.

End.

Sooooooo. Who thinks Itachi will agree with Kenta? Do you think Naruto can resist the temptation of the Rinnegan? Or will he be another Pein in training?

Guess we'll find out!

Once again, let me know your thoughts on the chapter/story/my writing/anything. Love hearing from you all!

Tides of Change Ch 4 will be out in a few days! For those not following that story, check out my profile! It's a Percy Jackson/Naruto crossover! Especially if you love a Zabuza who's an EPIC troll and a Haku who's even more of a cinnamon roll than he is in this story!

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Until next week, Kenta Fans!