Chapter 80: Counterattacks and Proposals

Naruto carefully stepped inside the luxurious room, the place was everything a man could imagine in his dream. Soft carpet, lavish in-built bathroom, a dressing corner, a beautiful mirror, one of the softest and most comfortable bed in all lands. And most of all an extremely beautiful woman sleeping soundly.

Just the mere sight of Haku and the place they shared together made him feel grateful, while he would not mind in living a less luxurious life his people had been insistent the Emperor was well appreciated for the endless service he had given to their realm all these years.

All of this was a significant achievement from the crappy pasts he and Haku had lived. And the moment she laid her eyes on this room, he had seen an almost pleading look in her eyes. His reply was a simple smile, besides he didn't mind the comfort either.

It was midnight right now, his journey back to the capital had been quite long. His wife was soundly sleeping in their bed, and the peaceful look on her face made him smile.

He unconsciously glanced at the ring in his hand, which made him happy. Marrying her was perhaps the best decision he made in his life, and he didn't regret it for a second.

She gave him a home to return to, filled the hole in his heart, became the friend with whom he could share his deepest fears and greatest happiness.

After taking a quick bath and dressed just in shorts, he crawled into the bed as quietly as possible. He simply propped one of his elbows and rested his head on it, calmly observing her slow breathing.

"You're staring..."

He smiled when he heard her voice, so she was awake. Of course she was, a sensor ninja like her would have realized he was there the moment he stepped foot in the corridor. Besides, she always had sharp intuitions when it came to him.

In the last 3 years, he had changed from a young boy into a man. He hated to admit it, but he looked like an exact replica of his father except he had smooth hair like his mother. He was tall, fair and handsome. His body had grown more muscular, and he even started growing a beard which he had to regularly maintain. Wife's orders...

Even now as he looked at her his breathing stopped a little...

Haku had changed quite greatly in the past years. She was still the same sweet girl whom he had fallen in love with, but now she was more mature than him. She displayed this ability by becoming an Empress and the one who handled the regular affairs of their kingdom. He would supervise her, guide her. But frankly she didn't need it, she was actually better at politics and negotiations than him. All the more reason he had given her the responsibilities...

Not only had this kept her from risking her life on the front-lines, it also reduced his burden of maintaining a vast empire as theirs. He had clearly expressed his wish that he didn't want her risking her life anymore, at first she was hurt but in time she understood Naruto was giving her something more important to handle. The fate of their kingdom, their future...he was making her take the lead, while supporting her from the shadows.

Sure, for the world he was a person who wanted to rule over everything. But Haku knew Naruto hated being an emperor, if not for the sake of Valkyrie the man would have gladly preferred to live a simple life away from all this spotlight and danger.

The more he thought about it, the more it terrified him of the things he had to do in the past 3 years. He had committed a genocide of his own race, destroyed so many lives in the hope that the new system he wanted to establish would lead the world to peace. He had to keep on moving forward, but deep down he wanted to repent for his sins. And he and Sasuke had promised themselves that one day when all of this was over, they would do just that.

His enemies considered him to be a heartless bastard and they had every reason to feel that way. But he had shown mercy too, he didn't kill anyone unless it was absolutely avoidable and unnecessary. He of all people knew the value of a person's life and what it meant to their families. In a way, his Mangekyo powers had enabled him to achieve victories with the least amount of bloodshed.

Her soft hands laid upon his cheeks bringing him out of troubled thoughts, he looked her in the eye and she gave him a nod. That was all he needed as he hugged her, relishing the scent of her. The gentle touch that made him feel at peace...

Beside her development as a leader and a person, she had developed in beauty as well. She was taller now almost reaching his shoulders, her face was still the same yet it had achieved a more feminine edge. Her hair now reached up to her back, and it was the most beautiful feature of her for him apart from her eyes.

"You okay?"

Her tone was gentle and welcoming, making him give her a smile while brushing a strand of her hair which was falling over her face. Gods, she was beautiful. He now realized how idiotic and broody he was 3 years ago, he would have cursed himself for eternity if he had let this woman go away that night. Fortunately, there had been an ounce of sense in his then stubborn brain and everything turned out alright.

"Yeah, just a long day. What about you?" asked Naruto sincerely, receiving a mock glare in return.

"Paperwork and meetings. You know when I signed up for this, I didn't expect my job would be so boring..."

She saw him wince and look away with guilt visible in his eyes. He never wanted to push her behind a desk, just like Tsunade. Both those were the only 2 people who had the wits to maintain their vast empire, and dealing with day-to-day issues and keeping their civilian subjects happy. Naruto would love nothing more than to command his people and solve the problems, but Haku had warned that would just backfire in the longer run.

She was right, and he had received the same advice from Tsunade. So, he had made a choice, Haku would be acting as his second in command and look after their kingdom with the assistance of Tsunade who was now the Assistant Governor of the Reich.

While they maintained the peace at home, Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Gaara and the rest of their soldiers fought their war. It was a balanced system which had worked quite smoothly so far.

"I'm not complaining. I know it's necessary, it's just..." said Haku quickly, trying to relieve the guilt he must be feeling. She was surprised when he got a bright smile on his face.

"Alright, whenever the next negotiations comes you can come with me. But there are certain conditions..." said Naruto in a resigned voice,

"Really?"

He merely rolled his eyes when he saw the eager look in her eyes, she was itching for some action. And he loved her too much to reject her wish.

"Yes. But you have to agree to my conditions..." said Naruto strictly, making her pout.

"Fine"

"You will follow my lead and if things get dangerous, I want you to retreat to safety. And I mean it, Haku. If I tell you to run, you follow my order. And this is non-negotiable..." said Naruto seriously,

"I can't just leave you alone in danger. What kind of wife do you think I am?" snapped Haku, as he rubbed his temple.

"You're not just my wife, but the empress as well. The people look up to you, sure Tsunade can handle the affairs while you're away but it is you who our people look upto for leadership with me being away. More importantly, I've lost a lot of people close to me. I can't lose you..." whispered Naruto, his voice barely reaching her ears.

The anger disappeared from her eyes and she took in a deep breath. He was really going out of his way to grant her wish, trying to take the first step. It had always been like this, each of them always took the first step and the other followed. Sure, there were arguments but they sorted it out in the end. He valued her advice and often acted on it, and she would make sure to fulfill whatever wish he had.

It was not a picture perfect marriage, but happy lives are often overrated.

"Alright, I'll do as you say..."

He bumped his forehead against her and gently kissed her cheek, and the tension that had developed went straight out of the window. They stayed like that, gazing into each other's eyes enjoying the intimacy.

"Do you think...that...maybe...we...can...have...a...child?" asked Haku hesitantly, choosing each word carefully and observing his every reaction. Right from the disappearance of his smile to the stiffness arriving in his body. He rolled off her and settled to lay beside her, eyes staring at the ceiling of their room.

"I honestly don't know, Haku. After what happened with Rei, I..."

His voice said it all, despite the passage of time Naruto had never forgiven himself for what happened to his long lost daughter. Haku had helped him get over his past with Root, Danzo, Shin, Sai, and even the betrayal of Hiruzen and his own parents. But Rei...

It was a completely different story, a barrier which she was barely able to break. Whenever she tried to talk about it, he would shut himself. It hurt her, but she managed because she knew deep down he was hurting even more.

"You can't change the past, Naruto..."

She whispered those soothing words in his ears, and he grasped her hand for comfort. This was his greatest weakness, a pain which she didn't want their enemies to even get a hint of. Naruto could defeat armies on his own, kick the current Kages to their graves but Rei...

That child was Naruto's Achilles heel, at first she had thought Kurenai was Naruto's weakness. But he had easily shut that woman out of his life, for the sake of his goal and for Haku. They had parted ways and Naruto had never looked back.

"I still see her face everyday. Those curious eyes, that fighter spirit..."

His grip on her hand tightened, and she knew he was reliving that night inside his mind. Naruto had showed her every memory of his past, except for that one memory of his daughter. He had met that child just once in his life, and this was the impact she had on him even after all these years.

In her eyes this was the striking difference between Naruto and his own father, Minato. While Minato Namikaze would have gladly sacrificed his own son for the sake of his village, Naruto had burned the same village to the ground for the sake of his daughter and the injustice done to her.

She had no doubt the reason behind the destruction of the ninja world, was the death of one innocent child.

"My love..." said Haku worriedly, when he became very silent.

"I have lived my entire life without any regret, except for this one..." confessed Naruto, as she stroked his cheek.

She didn't speak, fearing he would shut down on her again. This was the first time he was even willing to talk so much about Rei, and she didn't want to push him. So she listened...

"It's not that my daughter(sobs) gave her life for her nation and her comrades, it's just...that...I...never...told...her...that...I...loved...her...the...most"

His moist eyes had now tears running down his cheeks, his voice was heavy and she saw how deep the pain was. He would have to face this pain for the rest of his life.

"She was all that was best in me. And this ninja world turned that little girl into a weapon from the moment she was born, and for that I will destroy every single ninja in this world. I will burn their villages to the ground, execute their Kages publicly. I will take away all that they hold dear, just as they did to me. And this I promise as the 1st Emperor of the Reich..."

Haku tensed on hearing his tone, full of hatred and anger. She was not blind, despite his kind hearted nature there was another side to him. A part of him that scared her, not for herself. But...

Naruto narrowed his eyes when he saw Haku's hand tightly placed over her belly, suspicion arose in his heart.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" asked Naruto sharply, and saw her breathing stop.

Haku looked into his piercing dark eyes and had to call all her strength to not just crumble. Her hand slid down her belly and was now placed on his cheek. When she gave him a smile, the tension broke as he relaxed.

"Now why would you think that?" asked Haku sweetly,

"A boy"

Haku froze.

Her mind went blank with the revelation as her hand touched her belly, she could see the overjoyed smile on Tsunade's face as she read the report. The blonde Senju was like a mother to Naruto, and she had welcomed this good news saying she was getting a grandchild.

Haku so badly wished things were this simple for her as they were for Tsunade. This changed everything...

"Are you sure? I mean...it's too early" said Haku meekly, making Tsunade adopt a thinking pose.

"You have a point. We won't know for sure since you are only at 12 weeks now. But in a few more, we will. I still think it's a boy..." said Tsunade frankly,

"Hai''

"You look worried..."

"Why wouldn't I be?" snapped Haku, making the older woman frown.

"You don't want this child?" asked Tsunade disappointedly, and saw the empress's eyes widen.

"What? NO! How can you even think that?" questioned Haku, her hand clutching her belly even protectively.

"Then what's the problem?"

Tsunade was met with silence as Haku lowered her head, not meeting her piercing hazel eyes. Tsunade's mind quickly started connecting the picture and she came to a surprising conclusion.

"He doesn't know, does he?"

The only answer she got this time was the clenching of Haku's fist and the pained expression on her face. As far as Tsunade knew Naruto loved Haku, and vice versa. This child was a promise of a bright future, then why was she seeing the fear in the girl's eyes.

"It's him. I don't think he's ready to be a father, not now. Perhaps not ever..." said Haku sadly,

"Is this because of Rei?" asked Tsunade sympathetically, as she laid a comforting hand on the worried girl's shoulder. Deep down she knew Haku had a point, her adoptive son was messed up when it came to children. If only that tragedy had not happened in the past, but it was also that event that led to Valkryie and everything.

"Yes"

"I understand your concern. But he has a right to know, I'm surprised he hasn't realized this with his sensory powers..." said Tsunade curiously, as Haku pointed towards a barely visible kanji on the lower part of her arm.

"Karin developed a seal. It suppresses my chakra and acts as a shield that prevents a sensor from recognizing the life inside of me. It's only temporary..."

"You're damn right it's temporary. You're gaining weight slowly, it won't be long before he notices..."

Haku grimaced on hearing Tsunade's scolding, but the Senju was right. Naruto had a right to know, this was as much his child as hers. Not to forget that this baby would be a prince, the heir to the Reich's throne. A prince...

She couldn't help but smile when she thought about that, and in that moment itself she knew that she loved the little one more than anything.

The doubts, the fears she had went away as she finally accepted that very soon she would be a mother.

"So what does that make you, Baa-chan?" teased Haku, and saw Tsunade's eyebrows twitching.

"Tch"

"Admit it you like it"

"Now you're pushing it, girl"

"Tsunade Baa-chan"

Haku quickly ducked as Tsunade tried to give her a bop on the head, a moment later the older woman was giving her a tight hug and she felt a tear run down her eye. An action mimicked by Tsunade...

"What do you think he'll be like?" asked Haku curiously, as she broke the hug.

"From what I've observed the first child usually looks like the father with a few noticeable traits from the mother. Personality wise it could go either way, but I hope this brat takes after you. I don't need another little Naruto running around, his father already has a head bigger than a mountain. I don't think I can handle two of them, and neither can you..." joked Tsunade, eliciting a laugh from Haku.

"Little Naruto, sounds nice..." said Haku happily,

"You won't be saying that when you'll be changing diapers day and night. Babies are quite moody, but you'll do fine since you're already handling one moody baby quite well.." teased Tsunade,

"I just hope this child can make him..." said Haku hesitantly,

"Whole again?"

"Yeah"

"Naruto is many things, but he's not a bad father. But you've got to understand, men love their children as much as women. Daughters are especially the stars of their father's eyes, this child will never be a replacement for Rei. She'll always remain in his heart, but what I can assure you is that he'll love his son as much as he loved his deceased daughter..." explained Tsunade patiently,

"I understand. Thank you, Tsunade..." said Haku gratefully, making the older woman smirk.

"So does that mean I get to name the baby?"

"Hell no!"

Naruto calmly sat on the soft grass, his eyes glancing over the lake inside his palace. It was one of the most beautiful creation he had ever seen, being near water always relaxed him. Looking at it just made him forget all the troubles and be at peace.

"Within 3 years of his ascension to the throne, Emperor Naruto has changed the picture of this world. For he has destroyed the violent shinobi system..." said Sasuke bemusedly, as he read the headlines from one of the empire's newspapers.

He glanced on his side to see the tall figure of Uchiha Sasuke. Years had been well on his best friend, and nowadays he looked more and more like a younger version of his own father. Sasuke was more muscular than him, and had a gaze that would scare away the mightiest fighters. The perfect trait for the commander of the Reich army.

"This is just the beginning, still. I will create more rivers of blood, enough to obscure the name of Itachi Uchiha and the tragedy of the Uchiha clan from the people's memories..." promised Naruto, and saw the shock on Sasuke's face.

"Naruto, you..."

"It's not just me who has lost family, but you too. All of us have lost far too many things, but even so to brace for tomorrow we need to conquer the world first" said Naruto seriously, as he got back on his feet with an amused smile on his face.

"It is funny to actually say it..."

Sasuke smiled on hearing Naruto's little joke, he could still remember how pissed Naruto was at him for months for his actions against Kurenai. Naruto had punished him by sending him away to capture Water Country. It was a year before Sasuke came back victorious, by that time Naruto was married and his anger had vanished. He still owed Haku for that...

"But you will do it, no? Both of you..." said a new familiar voice,

Turning around they saw Kakashi approaching towards them, and just looking at what the masked guy was bringing along made Naruto smile even more.

"Yeah. For the sake of Valkyrie..." replied Naruto honestly, as he glanced towards Sasuke receiving a crisp salute in return.

"Yes, your majesty"

"NAWU!"

Sasuke cringed on hearing that high pitched noise, and just looking into Kakashi's bemused eye smile made him frown. Gods, kids were so frakking annoying...

Naruto was already on his knees, arms spread out in a welcoming gesture as a little boy ran straight towards him and jumped into his arms. He couldn't suppress the wide smile that came onto his face as he hugged the child.

"Good to see you too buddy..." replied Naruto happily,

Little Obito was his father's son in all aspects. 16 months old, he was an exact clone of Kakashi. Starting from his chibi face mask, to his unruly white hair with shades of ginger which he inherited from his mother. The noticeable feature of him were his dark eyes which were the same as Hanare, but in every other way he was Kakashi reincarnate.

He couldn't still believe that Kakashi had named him this child's godfather. But he appreciated it nonetheless.

Rummaging through his pocket he took out a paper plane and presented it to the child whose smile grew wider. With speed surprising for a kid, Obito snatched the plane away, eliciting a laugh from the emperor.

"Miss me?" asked Naruto cheerfully, as Kakashi and Sasuke exchanged greetings.

"Mm-hmm..."

Naruto smiled on seeing the child already wrapped around the paper plane, in truth it was just a piece of paper which he had folded and transformed into a plane. Yet to Obito it seemed the world right now. Things were so simple for him, a complete carefree life. He would grow up knowing the love a father and mother, go to school and learn values of life. Play with kids his age instead of learning to kill other people.

He would get all the things Naruto, Kakashi and Sasuke never did.

''Up"

Kakashi chuckled when his son raised his arms again ordering Naruto to lift him up in his arms. The little boy was only among the handful people who could command Naruto so easily.

"He learned that word pretty quickly..." said Kakashi, with a smile as he ruffled his son's hair earning a sheepish smile.

"He's a smart boy. Aren't you, Obito?" asked Naruto curiously,

"Yes! Nawu!"

"It's Naruto, Obi..." corrected the emperor, as the kid put a finger on his lips imitating his thoughtful pose.

"Na-tu?"

"No"

"Nawu?..."

"NaRuto, that's how you say it..."

After a few more attempts at getting the kid to say the correct name Naruto gave up, and Obito suddenly found the butterflies more attractive. So off he went inside the garden, carrying the paper plane high in the air the entire time.

"He's a lively one..." commented Naruto, as Kakashi stepped beside him.

"That he is. I'm happy to report that things are peaceful in Water Country. It seems the resistance have fallen back and shifted their base of headquarters from Kiri to somewhere else..." explained Kakashi, who was currently looking after the affairs of Kiri.

"Where?" asked Naruto

"Fire Nation..."

He saw Naruto's face darkening, and when the emperor got that look somebody was going to end up dead. That much Kakashi knew very well.

"I want to suppress all resistances before we move to Kumo, they are a pest which we need to eliminate as soon as possible..." warned Naruto,

"Agreed, but so is the case with Akatsuki. It still seems a mistake to let the captured Biju be stored in that statue, we need that monster on our side. You cannot let Tobi possess it..." said Sasuke, frustration evident in his eyes.

"Until I destroy all the ninja villages, I can't open another war front with the Akatsuki. We have to be patient..."

They were interrupted from their decision when Guren ran towards them. The Reich officer had a nervous look in her eyes which did little to ease Naruto's worries. After getting a salute from the woman, he ordered her to take a deep breath. Getting information from a tired person was a hassle Naruto didn't need right now.

"Your highness, the Tschuikage is moving towards Tokyo with his remaining fighters. We've tried to stop him, but he's too powerful..." said Guren worriedly,

Tokyo was the capital of the Empire, the place where all of them currently were. If any harm were to come to this place, then it would be bad. Most of all for morale of not only their soldiers, but it would bolster the resistance's will to fight and the rebellions against them would intensify.

"Guren, contact the press. Tell them I have breaking footage for them..." ordered Naruto,

"Yes, sir"

As soon as Guren went away, Naruto turned around and his glare made Sasuke look away. The Uchiha was the current governor of Earth Country, just like Kakashi was of Water Country, Tsunade of Fire Country and Gaara of Wind Country.

"By tonight I want Ohnoki's head on my feet, or your body on the battlefield. Am I clear?" asked Naruto sternly,

"What about his soldiers? You know I don't take prisoners..." warned Sasuke, not even caring about the fact that Naruto had just threatened him to commit suicide if he lost.

"Have it your way. Kill them but don't torture anyone. Take a company of Reich soldiers with you..." suggested Naruto, receiving a look from Sasuke.

"I'll handle this...on my own"

Naruto wanted to say more, but stopped and gave a nod instead. There were times when a heartless soldier like Sasuke was needed to win a war, and if anybody could finish this mess then it was Uchiha Sasuke.

"Kakashi, let's go. We have some live footage to watch..."

Ohnoki had a satisfied expression on his wrinkled face as his soldiers destroyed the first wave of Reich fighters, such was the power of his soldiers that even the greater enemy numbers didn't stop them. Or maybe it was the fact that their Tsuchikage was the one leading the charge, destroying several enemy forces from his untouchable position in the sky.

The "Flying Shinobi", he had always prided himself to be the only ninja to ever master the ability to fly. And now this power would help him defeat the evil emperor, once Naruto was finished he would restore peace to his nation. And also gain control over the empire...

"Tsuchikage-sama, I sense one enemy fighter approaching..." warned his sensor ninja,

"Just one? Find out who it is..." ordered the Kage,

A team of sensor ninja moved ahead of their force, their powers made them aware of the direction the person was coming from. Looking towards the eastern side, they saw a person seated atop of a hawk. And suddenly the ninja vanished in a black flash...

"It's...it's..."

BOOM!

Ohnoki who was previously smiling was now violently shocked when his entire force of soldiers were blown to oblivion. All he could see were black flashes across the battlefield and the cries of his dying men. He moved in to save them, but before he could attack the battle was over and only dead bodies remained.

A chill went down his spine as it made him remember the massacre that the "Yellow Flash" had committed in the Third Great Ninja War.

The event in front of him could be considered history repeating itself.

"You pest..."

He turned around to come face to face with a furious Sasuke Uchiha, a man who was the emperor's most powerful ally. A butcher who had murdered more number of ninja than Naruto himself, and a army commander who never took prisoners. The proof of this were all the dead Iwa shinobi lying on the battlefield.

"Uchiha Sasuke, you will pay for your sins..." promised Ohnoki, making Sasuke smile cruelly.

"Oh, I will. But before do that I will send your hypocritical ass straight to the underworld. By the time I am done with you, the entire world will remember you as the fool who thought he could defeat the emperor..." taunted Sasuke,

Ohnoki opened his mouth to give a befitting reply but instead ended up howling in pain as both of his arms suddenly started burning by black flames. The heat was more lethal than anything the Kage had ever felt. Within seconds the fires spread across his entire body, only for the old man to crumble into dust.

"You talk too much..." cursed Sasuke, as the real Ohnoki emerged from the forest beneath them.

"You lack manners, boy. It's an insult that someone like you is ruling my nation..." insulted Ohnoki

"Does it look like I care? The strong survive, the weak die. That is the rule of the ninja world, get used to it. The fact that you couldn't even protect your people just makes you more pathetic to me. A stubborn old man with one foot in the grave, the world will be better off without you..."

Ohnoki grinded his teeth on the scathing insult, this boy. Sasuke was a fanatic just like many Uchiha he had known during his lifetime, it was time to make the boy pay for his crimes.

"The title of the Tsuchikage shall rest with me..." said Ohnoki seriously, as Sasuke laughed.

"I have ascended beyond the stupid positions of a Kage. I am the Knight of the Emperor, I am the sword of the most powerful man in the world. Compared to that title, the Tsuchikage seems like...nothing"

Sasuke commanded his Hawk to move and with super speed the bird dashed towards the old Kage. At first the old man was surprised with the speed, but he quickly rose high in the air missing Sasuke's sword slash by an inch.

It was the Uchiha's turn to be shocked when his hawk cried out in pain, and it suddenly started crashing towards the ground with great speed. It was as if the bird was suddenly carrying an entire mountain on its wings and couldn't take it anymore.

"Doton: Kajugan no Jutsu (Earth Release: Added Weight Rock Technique)"

Sasuke cursed when he saw Ohnoki muttering his prized technique, just as the Kage had removed his hand from the bird's tail the summon had went crashing down before disappearing into a puff of smoke.

With his air superiority gone, Sasuke now stood on top of the tallest tree near his vicinity while his opponent hovered over him with a smug grin on his face.

Not willing to face another jab, Sasuke focused his Mangekyo sharingan on the Kage in front of him...

"Amaterasu"

Ohnoki gritted his teeth as a wall made of black flames started following him, from the experiences of his destroyed rock clone he was well aware of the damage this cursed fire would cause him. He could still feel the smirk of that Uchiha brat on seeing him run away from those black flames. Those fucking eyes...

CRACK

The Kage's eyes widened in pain and shock when a powerful kick impacted with his back, he could clearly hear the sickening crunch of his bones as Sasuke appeared over him and launched his attack. How the fuck did the boy manage this feat?

Only when he looked down did he notice that those black flames that were following him had brought him more closer to the ground, effectively putting him into Sasuke's crosshairs. But still it couldn't explain how quickly the boy emerged behind him and Ohnoki couldn't even feel the boy move.

Ohnoki crashed on the ground as Sasuke landed right in front of him, the expression on the boy's face showed he was rather displeased with the on going battle.

"If you are this weak, then what kind of frakked up delusion made you believe that you can take on Naruto? The emperor is more powerful than me.." said Sasuke flatly, he disliked revealing any kind of information to the enemy. But orders were orders, and he would follow Naruto's commands till the end.

Even if the entire world knew that Naruto was dangerous, Sasuke admitting out-loud that the emperor was more powerful than Sasuke himself who was right now kicking the Tsuchikage's ass should send a clear message.

"You tried to tear me apart, so it's good manners if I return the favor..." said Sasuke wickedly, and saw Ohnoki take a step back being now aware of the danger this Uchiha posed to his life.

"What are you?"

"The act of stealing from others is a sin. From the moment we are born, we continuously take something from others." said Sasuke mysteriously, as he glanced at the dark sky.

Ohnoki chose to remain silent, quite more interested in being alert to the boy's every movement, unless he wanted to serve his life on a silver plate.

"Life is an unending cycle of committing sin. Life is evil itself..." revealed Sasuke,

"Does that justify everything you've done, Uchiha?" asked Ohnoki bitterly,

"No, I am aware and accept the fact that I am evil. And so are you...."

Ohnoki tensed when Sasuke gave him a frightening smile that sent shivers down his spine, this boy was truly mad.

"Now, come and kill me..." challenged Sasuke,

Sasuke took out his sword and Ohnoki started weaving a set of hand seals as fast as he could. A determined expression came in the old man's eyes as he pointed his hands in his opponent's direction.

"Then die, Uchiha Sasuke!"

"Jinton Genkai Hakuri no jutsu: (Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique)"

In a flash, Sasuke found himself completely trapped into a large square shaped structure, with a sphere located at the center. His eyes widened when a cruel smile came on Ohnoki's face.

BOOM!

The sphere exploded violently obliterating everything in a 100 meter radius to dust. Smoke and debris flew across the battlefield, making the old Kage sigh in relief. The battle may have been brief, but there was something about that boy that sent alarming bells in the old Kage's heart. He could still feel the broken bones on his backside, if anything Sasuke knew how to deliver a powerful kick.

Just when he started to relax, his veteran senses picked up the sound of quick running. He looked up to see Sasuke emerging from the smoke and running towards him with a predatory look in his eyes.

"Impossible..." said Ohnoki in disbelief, even as he finished performing his next set of hand seals.

How did the boy managed to survive would be a question that would be later answered, but right now he knew Uchiha Sasuke was out for blood. His blood.

"Jinton: Genkai Hakuri Hashira (Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Pillar)"

Another powerful beam of the same light was fired by Ohnoki which completely ripped Sasuke's entire chest as the Uchiha stared in shock. The painful expression turned into a mischievous smile as the man simply vanished into thin air. Ohnoki quickly bit himself to dispel whatever genjutsu that was in effect but saw another Sasuke coming towards him from the left side.

Another from the right

The next one from behind.

One from the front.

From every direction one Sasuke was running towards him, and none of them appeared to be Bunshin of any kind.

Without hesitation and in a moment of panic, Ohnoki fired beam after beam of his Jinton style obliterating each copy of Sasuke. However the nightmare only seemed to get more intense as more and more Sasuke started getting killed. Minutes passed and despite the demise of several copies, Sasuke kept coming.

The Kage was panting harshly due to the heavy usage of chakra and the injuries he had already suffered...

"Once you let the darkness in, it completely consumes you..."

The ground beneath Ohnoki's feet cracked and in a flash Sasuke emerged grabbing the Kage by the throat with his left hand and lifting him in the air. Ohnoki tried to defend himself by bringing his hands forward, if he was going down then so was the boy.

SLASH

"AHHHHHH!" yelled Ohnoki, as showers of blood erupting from the left arm of his body.

The severed limb lay twitching on the blood stained battlefield, while the blood was drenched cleanly on Sasuke's sword. The Uchiha's expression was cold and unwavering as he smashed Ohnoki to the ground breaking the old man's legs.

"Rebelling is not a sin, and neither is fighting for what you believe in. But a man accepts the consequences of his actions..." advised Sasuke sagely, even as Ohnoki struggled to get back on his feet.

"Say that when you die..." cursed the Kage, and surprisingly a genuine smile came on Sasuke's lips.

"When I die, I'll meet my end with the same smile that I have right now, I have no regrets, now what shall it be? I've been ordered to give a quick death, but I prefer the painful one more..." sneered Sasuke,

"Fuck you!"

"Jinton-"

SLASH

The severed head of the Tsuchikage floated in the sky, a permanent horrified expression was etched into the murdered man's eyes. Before the head could hit the ground, a kunai impacted with the forehead sending it sailing away a few meters where it got implanted on the bark of a tree.

"A fitting end for a pathetic fool..." thought Sasuke irritatedly, as he saw his now blood stained uniform and sword.

"Frak, it all got filthy..."

(2 Days Later)

A satisfied smile was visible on the Emperor's face as he stared at the paper which had written on it the "Offer for Surrender" from the resistance. The fact that it was from Kurenai herself made him happy, she had finally seen the light.

After displaying the battle of Ohnoki and Sasuke over the entire world, the very next day he had received a message of a ceasefire and now this official offer for a truce and surrender. Things had worked out exactly as he had thought.

Kurenai and the resistance were willing to end their long standing conflict, provided they are able to negotiate a truce and a few treaties. If successful, they would merge with the empire.

Words couldn't express the relief he felt in this moment, fighting against her for so long had been extremely painful for him. He would finally get to see her after 2 years and maybe they could be friends again...

The War was over...