Chapter 26: The Choice

(Two Weeks Earlier)

Mito Uzumaki had a radiant smile on her face and she was one of thousands cheering wildly as they watched the whirlpool banner of their clan being unfurled on top of the city hall. Her eyes shed out a single tear as she watched a young man of twenty four years of age smile as he placed the flag claiming the lost city back for their people.

Just like the rest of her clan, the man had bright red hair with one long bang covering his right eye but it only made him look more mysterious. His blue eyes were shining with pride and confidence, something which their people desperately needed to achieve this victory after nearly three months of brutal fighting and constant defeats.

Her heart ached for her youngest brother who was one of the many who were not here to see this day. Her only solace was the fact that her eldest and only surviving brother, heir of Uzu, and future leader of the Uzumaki had given them the victory they needed.

Nagato Uzumaki had always been more wild and brave than his sister and brother. It was his steadfast leadership that gave the Uzumaki the courage to face an enemy that wanted them killed to the last man. Even when his youngest brother Nahiro was killed and their people suffered another defeat, Nagato Uzumaki did not give up and continued fighting which inspired the Uzumaki to do the same despite all the odds against them.

Until yesterday, out of their seven great islands they had lost all except their capital of Uzushiogakure.

Their small villages were lost, their cities burned, their people died by the thousands.

Uzu's existence as a nation itself was at the verge of extinction. Their economy was shattered, a large part of their population was dead, food was getting scarce but most of all there was no sign of anyone coming to their aid. The only reason they had even survived this long was the fact that the Uzumaki had close to 25,000 ninjas and civilian fighters in their ranks.

Now barely half of those ninjas were still alive...

Still, Mito could not help but be proud of her eldest brother who reclaimed this island and pushed out the abominations holding this holy city.

A city she had lost...

Her defeat was not because of her cowardice but for the fact that she barely had one tenth of the men their enemy brought with them. She tried to buy as much time and resist for as long as she could, but when all seemed lost instead of sacrificing precious fighting men she ordered a retreat to their Capital city if only to regain their strength.

The plan worked and soon enough her eldest brother mustered their forces and led the assault that gave them this victory. It wouldn't have been possible had she sacrificed the 1000 men under her command needlessly.

Still, the men had rallied and fought valiantly when they saw the future heir of their clan lead the assault.

"NAGATO!"

"NAGATO!"

"NAGATO!"

Mito laughed on seeing their clan warriors yelling her brother's name at the top of their lungs. Nagato gave a winning smile as he held the flying Uzumaki banner in his hand...

"This city was once the holy land of our people. A place of worship, faith and devotion. And from today it shall be great once again!" declared Nagato proudly, and was deafened by the approving roars.

"Let those monsters know this! Never shall any Uzumaki bend to their will!" promised Nagato, to another round of cheers.

"Here I declare, the city of Hirashiman reclaimed!"

Nagato unleashed his sword and Mito could not help but feel hope surge in her own heart as her brother raised his sword victoriously in the air.

"FOR UZU!"

Mito and everyone of her clansmen could not resist unleashing their own swords in cheers and yell at the top of their lungs.

"FOR UZU!"

"FOR UZU!"

"FOR UZU!"

"FOR UZU!"

"FOR UZU!"

Mito waited as her brother made his way through their clansmen. For the first time in months, their people were smiling and cheering. There was a faint shimmer of hope in their eyes as they congratulated and cheered their future clan leader.

The men have found their Captain.

Pride surged through her as he came towards her and wordlessly they both embraced each other.

"Quite the speech..." teased Mito, earning an infectious grin from her brother.

"Remember today, little sister. Today is the first of our victories with many more to come..." boasted Nagato,

Mito looked at him and could not help but want to believe in him. She knew as long as their people had Nagato to lead them, there was still hope. Her brother was a fine ninja adept in ninjutsu, kenjutsu, fuinjutsu and taijutsu. Traits keenly desired among their clan leaders...

Mito on the other hand was someone who preferred diplomacy over battle. That was not to say she could not defend herself or their people, she was the finest Fuinjutsu master of their nation after her father. Even so, she knew that perhaps she would not have been able to take this city back from the enemy unlike Nagato.

She had tried her best to hold it for as long as possible but when her youngest brother Nahiro was killed, she realized the battle was lost and she had to consolidate her forces.

Her attention returned back to reality when she noticed their people already breaking barrels of sake and food. It would seem the party was about to start and knowing her people, it was going to be quite a wild night.

"They deserve it" advised Nagato, and she could not find any reason to object.

Her gaze caught sight of a very familiar man approaching towards them both. The crowd instantly parted with each person bowing and offering a respectful greeting to the man. Not that he deserved any less for Ayato Uzumaki was a feared and respected leader.

"There he is! Uzu's finest, my son and heir" said Ayato proudly, as he approached towards Nagato with a beaming smile on his wrinkled face. Despite his old age, his red hair had not lost their shine and he could still be a force on the battlefield. Nagato might be a good leader but it was Ayato's firm command that prevented any of their people from breaking down or doing something foolish.

Nagato gave a strained smile as he saw his father approaching. His relationship with the man was complicated at best, granted Ayato had provided for his children and governed their nation excellently. However, the same man had barely paid any attention or even showed interest in the upbringing of his younger children and focused all his attention on Nagato's development into the leader their people would need when Ayato was gone. Some might believe it to be right, but Nagato had watched his younger siblings struggle desperately for this man's approval only to be mocked at worst and told to do better at best. His brother died trying to hold this city knowing how disappointed their father would be if it was lost. Thankfully, Mito had enough sense to not order her remaining fighters to die needlessly and came back to their nation's capital. It allowed Nagato to muster his forces and in a surprise attack they took the city back. He remembered how severely their father had lambasted Mito, he blamed her for not only losing their holy city but also for the death of Nahiro.

Nagato had never forgotten or forgiven his father for the tears that Mito had shed after hearing such cruelty.

If only their mother was not killed by the mountain clans...

Still, they were in public and it was best if their people didn't see any friction in their leadership. Nagato hugged his father and even if he didn't like the man very much, Ayato was extremely proud of him. It could even be said his father loved him more than he ever loved Mito or Nahiro...

"The men say you were a force on the battlefield. That you single handedly trapped those bastards..." said Ayato proudly,

"Mito was the one who erected barriers across the city and cut off the enemy reinforcements. I was able to achieve this victory because of her, Father" pointed Nagato, his fists clenched when the old man glanced at his daughter with a grim look.

"Atleast you did something right for once, daughter. But if not for you, this city would never have been lost. I was reluctant to give you command but when Nagato insisted, I could not resist. I commanded you to hold this city to death, yet you abandoned it and got your brother killed" said Ayato disappointedly,

"I tried, Father. I can never forgive myself for not being able to save my brother, but I will not apologize for trying to save the lives of our people against certain death" replied Mito sadly, but her firm gaze was enough to make the old man see her thoughts clearly.

"You're too soft, Mito" scolded Ayato with a heavy frown,

"Father..." warned Nagato, making Ayato realize that many of their people had stopped their festivities and were now trying to see what was the problem between their lord's family.

Ayato sighed before looking at his brave son with a determined look in his eyes. Reluctantly, he had to gesture Mito to follow after him as Nagato did the same. Ayato took his children towards one of the broken watch towers and when he was certain they were alone, he looked at the ruin that was Hirashiman.

"We need to get back our remaining islands. We need to push the enemy out of our nation now that we have fate on our side. The men are in good spirits and they have you, Nagato, I want you to recapture Naga Island next" commanded Ayato seriously,

For all their differences, Mito knew her brother shared their father's feelings when it came to their strategy to survive this invasion. But before Nagato could reply to that order, she coughed lightly making both men look at her.

"What is it, Mito?" asked Ayato impatiently,

She hid her own sadness on not being even given a proper chance to speak her thoughts. The only reason she was even allowed this luxury was because of Nagato's presence and the last thing Ayato wanted was to offend his prized son. All her life, she had only been a daughter to her father. Someone whom he could use for their clan's benefit...nothing more.

And she had accepted her fate.

Family. Duty. Honor.

Those were their family's words and Mito had tried her best to live her life on the basis of those principles.

"Father, you have seen their numbers. You have seen what those monsters are capable off, we cannot afford to lose more men in retaking our lost islands. Cities can be rebuilt, what we need to do is consolidate our forces on Uzu and Hirashiman. We hold them here" suggested Mito, earning a scoff from her father.

"So you suggest allowing a foreign enemy to rape and pillage our nation? Uzu is well defended, no army has ever broken through our barriers. Hirashiman shall also have a decent garrison to hold it against any further incursions, but the majority of our forces lead by your brother will take back our lost islands. I know what my country needs and Nagato knows our lands better than those monsters, your brother has never disappointed me before. I cannot say the same for you" replied Ayato harshly, and didn't miss Nagato flinch while Mito took in a deep breath.

"Then we are doomed, Father. We cannot win this war much less survive it. Those monsters are not interested in our cities, wealth or hidden jutsu. They want to kill us all..." warned Mito,

She bristled when Ayato slammed his fist against the wall and the sheer ferocity in his eyes made her gulp nervously.

"If we are to die, then we shall do so defending our nation. Every last Uzumaki man, woman and child will fight tooth and nail and before our end comes, we'll make those bastards pay dearly in blood!" promised Ayato bitterly,

"Maybe we should again send messages for aid. If it could save our people, Father" proposed Nagato, earning a tired sigh from the Uzumaki leader.

"And who will answer our call for aid? Senjus? Fire Daimyo? No, my son...our allies have forsaken us. The old alliances between Senju and Uzumaki are no more. We are all alone" whispered Ayato gravely,

Mito could not deny that her father was right in this matter atleast. Words couldn't describe how disappointed and shocked the Uzumaki were when all their calls for aid went unanswered. Neither Hashirama or the Fire Daimyo sent help, they didn't even send a message. Granted, there was a civil war going on at that time in the Land of Fire...but still, in their time of need their allies had deserted them.

But her people couldn't survive anymore without aid. In her desperation, she could only see one way...

"The Dragon King shall answer"

The incredulous look she received from her father and brother made her nearly want to grimace but she held her ground. They might think her insane for even suggesting getting aid from an Uchiha, but the bitter truth was the fact that Naruto Uchiha had the power to save the Uzumaki.

"Dragon King? You're proposing getting aid from a damn UCHIHA?" asked Nagato in disbelief,

"I've heard a few things about this boy-king. They say he is just and loyal. But where was King Naruto when the enemy invaded our nation? Where was King Naruto when our people were butchered by the thousands? Where was King Naruto when my son-"

Ayato stopped himself when he noticed the sadness in the eyes of his children as they were reminded of their lost brother. They both were young and it was why they didn't understand the way shinobi were in reality.

"Let her go to him"

Both Mito and Ayato blinked on hearing what Nagato just suggested.

"What?" asked Ayato in surprise, he certainly had not expected such madness from his son.

"I've received intel that King Naruto marches with a large army to fight against the Samurai Nation. Mito knows diplomacy better than either of us, Father. If she can convince him to come to our aid, it could save the lives of many of our people" explained Nagato honestly,

"Her?" questioned Ayato skeptically,

"Yes" said Nagato firmly, staring right into his Father's eyes making the old man sigh again.

"What makes you think he'll come to our aid? Even if he does, it won't be for free" said Ayato bitterly,

"I don't know, Father. It is very likely he'll ask us to bend the knee and accept his rule. He sent us an offer before and you rejected it. But back then we had a huge army, now half of those warriors are gone and we are surrounded. We need help" suggested Mito honestly,

"Lose our independence? Are you out of your mind?" yelled Ayato furiously,

"It is better than being dead, Father. Or worse..." whispered Nagato reluctantly,

"Even if we miraculously survive this war, it is very likely the mountain clans will try to take advantage of our weakness. We have lost many good fighters, our cities and islands are in ruin, our supplies are low. Isolation is no longer possible...we have to join the King if we wish for the Uzumaki to have a safe future" insisted Mito passionately,

All she had were good words about the new King and it was true she was blindly hoping for many impossible things.

But hope was all she had left...

Even a stubborn man like Ayato could see the harsh reality that awaited their people. For all his pride, Ayato was not a foolish man.

"I have no hope in this matter but do what you can, Mito. Your brother seems to trust you despite all your failures...try not to fail your last brother" whispered Ayato bitterly, before he walked away.

Nagato embraced his sister as soon as their father was out of sight. He felt her shudder in his arms and knew very well how much she loved that man despite his cruelty and negligence.

"Stay strong, little sister. For our people..."

Mito stared at the retreating form of her homeland from her ship. She waved a final goodbye to her brother and he returned the gesture. She could not see his face clearly from the distance but in her heart she knew as long as Nagato lived, Uzu would never fall.

However, it didn't change the fact that their people needed help desperately and she was now responsible for getting them that aid. No matter the cost.

All she had with herself were a handful of warriors that would serve as her guard, but if the Dragon King wanted her taken hostage then he could do so very easily. Yet she had hope in her heart, few of their people who had returned from the mainlands to defend their nation had nothing but praise for the new King.

He was young but fair and honorable. Most of all he had the strongest Biju of the world serving him...

She could only imagine the power of that beast on the battlefield. It might just be enough to save her people...

Mito didn't know how she would be able to convince Naruto Uchiha to set aside his own war to fight hers.

But if she didn't succeed, then this might very well be the last time she saw her homeland and dear brother.

(Present Day)

Tsunade was awakened when she heard a strangled gasp from her side. She was surprised when she saw her husband was wide awake in their bed. His eyes were wide and utterly terrified, his bare chest sporting several beads of sweat and his forehead was the same. She gently touched his cheek and looked compassionately at him.

"Another one?" she asked,

He wordlessly nodded and didn't resist when she stroked his hair affectionately.

"What did you see this time?" she asked gently,

"Many things. Horrible things...a three headed dragon, a sea of darkness, a woman with eyes as pale as snow, a man who looked like an older version of myself only with dark black hair...and a child born in fire and blood" he whispered worriedly,

She raised her eyebrow at the last revelation because it was not something he had ever dreamed of before. His other visions were jaded and utterly confusing to say the least. She was inclined to dismiss his dreams as after effects of lack of sleep due to the hectic march but she had been there when Naruto revealed his dreams to his Biju friend.

Never had she seen a monster like the Kyuubi pale and be rendered speechless like that.

If these dreams unnerved someone inhuman and monstrous like the fox, then it worried her too because somehow they all came back to her husband. Even her own insecurities regarding him and Mikoto felt shallow in comparison to what trouble plagued Naruto and she tried her best to be there for him.

He still looked lost in his thoughts making her place a soft kiss on his lips. His eyes found hers but she didn't look away. It had taken her a while but she soon discovered that with him words were not necessary to offer comfort or even seek it. A strange phenomenon but not one she couldn't help but like.

Knowing that they were going to face a great battle only seemed to bring them closer together and she was glad for it as it helped reassure her doubts. Shisui had even suggested that a part of Naruto would always love Mikoto, she had been surprised that the boy even knew what was going on between his two friends but he had simply smiled and said those two had not been as discrete as they imagined. But the new commander of the Kingsguard, an elite force of 7000 warriors, had also suggested that a part of Naruto's heart was warming upto Tsunade. It had given her hope...

Naruto watched her as she was lost in her own thoughts. As time passed she had defied his doubts and tried her best to be there for him and support him. Tsunade didn't call him a lunatic when he revealed his dark dreams to her, considering the madness Uchiha were prone to develop, she had taken this turn in his life far better than he had ever expected. He knew she didn't understand what was happening to him despite her dearest wish to do so, yet that was enough to make him see that she was someone whom he could trust fully.

With everything.

"Tsunade" he called her gently, making her look at him curiously.

"What is it?" she asked, and didn't miss the nervousness in his eyes.

"The men found a hot spring in a cave deep within the forest. Considering that we might not get such leisure time in the future, I was thinking-"

"I would love to go. Just the two of us" she requested with a beaming smile, eliciting a faint smile on his own lips.

"As My Queen wishes" he replied happily,

Giving her one last kiss on the lips, he was about to leave the bed when she grasped his wrist making him stare back at her. She was biting her lip which was a clear sign that either she was nervous or wanted to say something that she didn't think would be to his liking. He gently squeezed her hand making her sigh in relief and look at him gratefully...

"I know our marriage was not what either of us planned for or expected. But the time that we have spent together has atleast made one thing clear to me. I don't regret it" she confessed, honesty and sincerity clearly visible in her dazzling hazel orbs.

If he had not developed the ability to control his emotions he might have shed a joyful tear on hearing those precious words from her. But since he couldn't do that, he decided to confess something that he had also realized as he spent more time with her.

"I know sometimes I am distant from you, it was because I didn't know how you'd react to the way I live or my actions and past. But you proved me wrong and there is no doubt remaining in my heart now. I trust you" he confessed,

Her eyes widened on hearing him say that, Naruto was not someone who would say anything lightly or on a whim. Most of his actions were always well thought out and came from the heart. She was about to speak when he cut her off...

"There is something that I have kept from you. Something that I couldn't trust you with before..." he confessed, guilt and shame clearly visible on his face.

"And you trust me with it now?" asked Tsunade, unable to hide her slight disappointment over his deception.

"I don't regret what I did and it was never my intention to hurt anyone with my actions, especially you. I want you to know that" he insisted, looking right into her eyes and she knew he was yet again speaking from his heart.

"And you want to tell me this secret in that cave, don't you?" asked Tsunade knowingly,

He was surprised by how quickly she realized his plan but then again she had great wits apart from her beauty. If she realized this much, then he knew that she understood why he was choosing to reveal his greatest secret to her in an isolated cave rather than in the midst of their army camp surrounded by thousands of soldiers and ninja lords.

Yet he still had hope for instead of lashing out at him for keeping any secret from her, Tsunade was trying to be patient and understanding. Shisui might have had a hand in that considering he was the one who was making the queen familiar with the Uchiha way of life and introducing little bits of Naruto's past which she didn't know about.

For that he was grateful both to his friend and his wife.

"Yes" he said honestly,

She was silent for a moment and he could not miss the doubts and fear in her eyes. Yet she pushed those negative emotions back and looked back at him seriously.

"Very well"

Whoever considered Naruto to be a less cunning man had surely never experienced how skillfully the King could make them dance to his whims.

Tsunade could not help but agree with that thought process as she contently sat in the beautiful and relaxing hot springs. There was bare minimum light in the cave and the air was a mix of hot and cold. Deep fog shrouded most of the area yet it was not so thick enough that she could miss the naked form of the King sitting on her opposite side. The lukewarm water relaxed each and every nerve of her body relieving a week's worth of fast travel. Her nerves were tingling pleasantly and she felt she could remain here forever. It also served to make her less focused on whatever secret Naruto kept hidden from her.

"You planned this very well" she said frankly, but her tone wasn't accusing even so it made him flinch.

"I was trying to find the best way to reveal the truth to you" he confessed sheepishly,

"Quite the diplomatic answer, my king. There might just be hope for you yet..." teased Tsunade with a playful smirk dancing on her lips,

His own eyebrows twitched and she saw him fight back the grin that wanted to break across his own handsome face. But he controlled his emotions as he steeled himself and came near her.

Tsunade moaned lustfully when he pressed his lips to hers. Unlike their past exploits, this kiss was less fierce but full of passion. She could feel him dearly trying to reassure her as he explored her mouth sending waves of pleasures throughout her entire body. Her body was already relaxed and aroused thanks to the hot springs and she felt stars flash before her eyes when his chakra coated hands gently squeezed her breasts. She trembled in his embrace and gave a silent scream between their kiss as she came really hard.

He held her firmly as her legs were barely able to handle her weight as every muscle in them was turned to water. Her vision was blurry and her heart was beating at a pace she never experienced before. She was panting firmly and if not for his repeated and gentle strokes on her naked back she would have lost all sense of her surroundings.

"Bastard" she cursed without any heat in her voice, making him chuckle and kiss her cheek affectionately.

"I told you I would give you pleasure everytime after our first night together. I'm just keeping my promise" he whispered cheekily, and despite her closed eyes she could already imagine that smug, victorious and cheeky smile plastered on that face of his.

Naruto chuckled loudly when she gave him a playful punch to the ribs before pushing him roughly into the water. She was quick to dive in after him and soon enough they were both fighting for control over the other. Their little spar being a mix of kissing, light punches, playful biting and even an occasional spank to the ass.

He didn't know how long they continued wrestling like that but it was enough to make him laugh and give him the reassurance he desperately needed. By the time they were done, it was not just him who was ready to reveal the truth.

But Tsunade was also calm enough to listen.

"Tell me" she whispered seriously, her hazel eyes staring at his own as her hands caressed his chest.

It's now or never.

He took a deep breath before losing himself in his memories as he remembered the past. Already it felt so long ago that he had met Shizuka, it felt like another lifetime. So much had happened since then, the Uchiha and Senju had united, the Daimyo was overthrown, he lost Mikoto, being chosen King, marrying Tsunade, and now the War of Conquest.

Had it already been barely six months since he last saw Shizuka? Gods, he might become a father sooner than he expected.

When he saw Tsunade still waiting for him, he knew he had to take a plunge into that dark valley and hope for the best.

"Before I met you, before the peace, I did something" began Naruto carefully,

"Go on" she reassured him,

"It was after I put down the Yamanaka rebellion once and for all. To make sure they didn't take up arms against my people ever again, I burned their leader alive and made them watch. It was something which I had to do but also left me shaken. Like you, I also didn't believe much in the gods but something inside me snapped and I needed to find an anchor or lose myself to the madness many in my clan have succumbed to in the past" he explained honestly,

"It's totally normal, for all my anger I cannot think I'll ever be able to do what you did. Even for my people" said Tsunade hesitantly, earning a grim nod from her husband.

"And I pray that you never have to. The burden of command is not easy to bear for anyone, it tests you in ways you could have never dreamed of. Where every action you take has to be thought of from all angles unless you make a mistake and innocents pay for that in blood. To find that peace again, I went to the Temple of Amaterasu of the Nadeshia clan" confessed Naruto,

Tsunade got a sinking feeling in her gut on hearing that. She was well aware of what that clan of only female warriors and priestess were famous for and judging from the way Naruto looked nervous, she was not going to like the rest of the tale one bit. Even so, she had to know so she gave him the consenting nod.

"There I met a priestess named Shizuka who helped me in finding that peace. One thing led to another and..." he left it unsaid,

Tsunade grimaced as she realized what had happened between Naruto and the Priestess.

"Were you with Mikoto together during that time?" she asked hesitantly, and was very much relieved when he shook his head.

"Not exactly. I mean, we were teasing each other all the time but we had not committed to anything at that point. It was only after I returned that Mikoto and I decided to give it a shot..." reassured Naruto,

"And why does your actions with Shizuka matter? She's your past, just like Mikoto and I cannot hold you guilty for having sex or relationships" said Tsunade honestly, and frowned when he pursed his lips for a moment before revealing the truth that left her speechless.

"What if that led to the creation of an unborn child?''

Tsunade paled and her hand on his chest stopped its caressing motion. She knew he was anxiously looking at her, waiting to hear her say something. But she couldn't do that...

The hard and bitter truth that there was a woman currently carrying his child in her belly left her paralyzed.

It changed everything, be it the alliance that was formed, their marriage and the rest of their lives.

Most of all, he knowingly kept this secret from her and the Senju alongwith their allies.

"Who knows about this?" she whispered, still looking at the water and not at him.

"The Kyuubi, Madara and you" he confessed,

She looked at him in disbelief and felt her own emotions go for another frantic spin. The fox was a dear friend of Naruto, and she knew how much Naruto loved his brother. It made sense that he told them of this, but to think he kept this from Tajima? Naori? His friends? Mikoto? Even the Uchiha and their allies?

"That's why you sued for peace so fiercely. For your child" realized Tsunade, as he nodded hesitantly.

"I did. And they are probably twins girls if Shizuka's medics are correct"

Tsunade grasped her forehead as she felt a painful headache spreading through her brain. Nothing could have ever prepared her for a life changing truth like this and she was desperately trying to find an anchor to hold on to. But unlike Naruto who found that anchor in Shizuka...

Tsunade didn't have anyone in this moment.

"Please say something, Tsunade" he pleaded, and she could not miss the desperation in his voice.

When she finally looked up at him, he flinched on seeing the burning anger and hurt in her eyes.

"You shouldn't have kept this from me or my family atleast. Do you know what you have done?" asked Tsunade bitterly, and was surprised when he glared back at her.

"I didn't know how you all would react to this. It could have probably destroyed any chance for peace and plunged us all into a never ending war. I did what I thought was right" argued Naruto fiercely,

She jabbed her finger painfully into his chest and looked at him even more furiously.

"Maybe. But it was selfish and you know that. Did you even think how my family and their allies would react when they discovered the truth? You created a peace on the foundation of a Massive Lie! If people discover the truth and in time they will because nothing stays secret in this world for eternity, there will be many who will feel betrayed. I feel betrayed!" she yelled, as she pushed herself away from him.

When he tried to reach her she gave him a scathing look that stopped him dead in his tracks.

"I understand your need to protect your children but by trying to do so you have placed the lives of thousands of other children at risk. Tobirama will kill you and your entire family when he learns of this!" said Tsunade in alarm,

He wanted to argue against her, to make her understand how this revelation could have neutralized any chance for peace or sent them all into an unknown future. But he couldn't because deep down he had always known how the Senjus and Tsunade herself would react when they learned that he kept such an important secret from them.

He was no ordinary man, but a King. His daughters through Shizuka would be Princesses because there was no way he would abandon them to their fate. It directly threatened the future of the children he would have with Tsunade.

Ninjas have gone to war for petty feuds.

For an important threat like this, they would probably go for a genocide. Hashirama and Itama could probably be pacified, but there were many like Tobirama and his allies who just wanted a chance to rebel.

And he had given them the perfect reason to do so.

"I made a mistake" he whispered sadly,

How could he have been so delusional in hoping the Senjus would accept this? It was a fool's wish and he had fell for it completely.

"You are King now, Naruto. Every action of yours have grave consequences..."

Her sharp words only made him feel worse but he knew he deserved it so kept his silence until another question came to his heart...

"What will you do?" he asked worriedly,

She paced restlessly across the hot spring sending ripples everywhere. The irony was that watching those ripples only made him realize even more how this could destroy everything they had built.

"I don't know! We are barely sixteen and are already rulers of an entire nation. We are fighting a war by uniting ninja clans that have fought each other for thousands of years!" confessed Tsunade in panic,

"Tsunade-"

"Don't!"

He felt as if someone had given him a painful slap as he watched the raw fury in her eyes and it unnerved him for he had never seen her like this before. Looking into her fierce eyes made him wonder whether she would kill him right here or do something worse.

"How could you lie to us all like that, Naruto?" she asked disappointedly,

"I'm sorry" he whispered, knowing it was not enough.

"I cannot fault you for having an unplanned child but the truth is that you kept this from not just my family but yours as well. You have betrayed them all and placed everyone's life at risk" lamented Tsunade,

He was alarmed when she started to march towards the shore of the hot spring.

"Tsunade!"

She looked at him and probably saw his fear and panic. She wished she could reassure him but she couldn't...

"It's best if we maintain distance for a while. I'll be heading back to the supply camp in our rear lines and take charge. It would not raise much suspicion since everyone would probably think it is a safe choice not to plunge both the king and queen into a dangerous battle and lose them both. My brothers would not question my choice either" she decided, surprising him with the fact that despite all her anger and betrayed emotions she could still think up of something intelligent like this.

"Will you tell your brothers?" he asked hesitantly, and saw her clench her fists.

"I don't know. I have never lied to them before...but I will do what I can not to endanger those children and Shizuka. They are innocent but not everyone would see that. That is all I can give you right now, Naruto" she whispered sadly,

Hearing her say that relieved and unnerved him at the same time. He was glad to know that she was not the type of person who would bring her wrath down on Shizuka and her unborn children for his mistakes, but if Tsunade ever told her brothers about this...

She walked away before he could say anything and for the first time in his life, Naruto experienced a feeling he had not experienced in a long time.

He was terrified.

By the time Naruto and his friends entered the command tent it was mid-afternoon. However, they were all surprised to find it already occupied. None were surprised to see Hashirama Senju or Naori Uchiha or even Shin Aburame waiting for the King, even the fox's presence didn't raise any eyebrows as the beast usually resided near to the King most of the time.

However, Naruto narrowed his eyes when he spotted a stunningly beautiful redheaded woman waiting for him. She was older than him by a few years, probably around Hashirama's age, her skin was even more paler than his own and her stark blue eyes were staring at him intensely. Her posture indicated pride, surprise and respect but also fear, desperation and nervousness.

The same could be said about the handful redheads including a little girl of nine standing around the woman protectively.

Before he could even speak, he was surprised when a golden blur passed from his side. He could not help but blink when Tsunade who had just charged into the tent went straight for the redhead woman and embraced her fiercely.

Confused, the king looked at his supporters and saw Hashirama gesture to the redhead who gave a short bow to him.

"This is Mito Uzumaki, my king. Daughter of Lord Ayato Uzumaki, heiress of the nation of Uzu" introduced Hashirama, and was there a hint of admiration in the man's voice?

Naruto was not in a good mood right now after his spat with Tsunade. He was still worried as to what she would do now that the truth was known to her and meeting an Uzumaki was not on his agenda right now. Certainly not when the stubborn redheads had ignored his proposal to join the Ninja Kingdom. He had even offered them quite a few lands in the Land of Lightning once it was secured and also proposed to let them rule Uzu but ultimately be answerable to him.

And they had ignored that offer continuing their never ending slight of the Uchiha.

"King Naruto" greeted Mito respectfully,

"What business does an Uzumaki heiress have here? If I remember correctly, I sent your people an offer to join the new world. Your father spat at my offer..." said Naruto frostily, maybe it was his anger and frustration with Tsunade's reaction or the insult Ayato Uzumaki had shown him, he was not in a good mood and Mito Uzumaki was going to bear the brunt of it for her poor timing.

The woman flinched at his harsh tone but before Naruto could rebuke her further he was silenced by Tsunade's stern glare.

"You will speak to her respectfully, my king. If we are all guilty for the crimes of our fathers, then we all ought to be executed" warned Tsunade icily,

Nearly everyone in the tent flinched at the rebuke and Hashirama was taken aback by his sister's changed attitude towards her husband. His ability to sense emotions already pointed barely restrained anger, hurt and pain burning in both Naruto and Tsunade's hearts. More so in Tsunade's case, he didn't know what happened but he knew he had to intervene.

"My King, my grandmother was an Uzumaki. The Senju share ties of blood with their clan, so do the Uchiha through our common ancestor..." said Hashirama honestly,

"We are kin. Uchiha and Uzumaki"

It was the little girl who spoke those words and surprised the King. His anger momentarily forgotten as he stared at the proud and defiant child.

Mito tensed when the King approached forward and knelt before the girl.

"What's your name?" asked Naruto curiously, making the girl lift her shoulders proudly.

"Kushina Uzumaki. Daughter of Nagato Uzumaki, heiress of Uzu" introduced the girl,

"Do you know who I am?" asked Naruto with a smile, making her nod eagerly.

"Dragon King. They say you ride upon a giant fox" said Kushina gleefully, as she stared at the fox sleeping in the corner who on hearing her words snorted much to everyone's shock.

Tsunade and everyone else tensed at the blatant insult but were surprised when Naruto rolled his eyes at the gesture...

"I do ride upon that lazy fox once I manage to get his fat ass off the ground" said Naruto playfully, and grinned when he saw Kurama growl at him.

Kushina laughed on hearing that and she pointed a finger at the grumbling Biju, "He's cute!"

"I AM THE KYUUBI, STUPID BRAT! I AM NOT CUTE!" roared Kurama in fury,

"And fluffy" said Kushina bravely,

"I AM NOT...FLUFFY!" yelled Kurama in disbelief, nearly making everyone deaf and sending half the camp in a frenzy.

"Oh shut up! Getting riled up by a little girl? You're getting soft..." chided Naruto, earning a series of grumbling and curses from the Biju before it went back to sulking in a corner.

Naruto's anger had mostly faded thanks to the interesting child before him. She was a fierce one, not many including the likes of Hashirama dared to irritate Kurama. He glanced at Tsunade only to see an unreadable expression on her face as she watched him and Kushina together...

He was brought out of his thoughts when Kushina again decided to make herself heard.

"My people are dying. We need help" said the child hesitantly, worry and fear clearly visible in her purple eyes.

Naruto frowned at the claim and looked at Mito Uzumaki questioningly. The older woman gestured to her guards and they hesitantly obeyed her command. Kushina soon found herself being escorted out of the tent by her clansmen, the child tried to protest but one glance from Mito silenced all her protests. When they were gone, Naruto stared at Mito seriously.

"What does she mean?"

Mito sighed but was relieved when Naruto gestured for everyone to take a seat. They were all reluctant to do so when the King himself remained standing but when he insisted they could not disobey. Only his newly formed Kingsguard stood alongside him. Mito had heard these four boys were childhood friends of the King and were fierce warriors themselves. The presence of Shisui Uchiha: The Morning Star and his famed sword Fury was enough to dissuade any hostile thoughts from arising in her mind. Not that they ever had...

"Nearly six months ago our patrols across our sea borders spotted ships. While they did not cross into our lands, these unknown parties often used to stay near the border longer than any merchant vessels ever did. We know for a fact that the Mountain clans from the Land of Lightning do not have any kind of fleet and imagined them to be a new nation trying to probe our defenses. Not taking the threat lightly, my father called for additional aid from the Fire Daimyo who promised him not just his forces but also those of the Uchiha and Senju" explained Mito briefly,

"That went well for him" said Naruto sarcastically, making Mito grimace as she was again reminded of the coup this young boy had staged. It still surprised her that someone noble like Hashirama could agree to such a thing but then again the man was a shinobi and treachery was not something unusual to them.

"It was only after news of the Daimyo's defeat reached us did we come under attack. Whole patrols started disappearing, our forward defense outposts were attacked and destroyed. We only realized the true magnitude of the threat when one of our seven islands went silent. My father called our armies and ordered an investigation. When we reached there..."

As Mito faltered, Naruto could not help but feel he was not going to like what she had to say. From the corner of his eye, he saw Kurama actually rise from his sleep and pay rapt attention the Uzumaki.

"What did you find there?" asked Tsunade gently, Mito was a friend of hers and even distant cousin if she tried to connect their family ties. Quite a few years of her childhood were spent in visiting Uzu and there she had befriended Mito, Nagato, and their brother Nahiro.

"The whole island was deserted. Not a soul was present inside the city, it was as if they all vanished. There were no bodies but only rivers of blood. A massacre happened there but no evidence was left for our army to investigate further. We soon realized we had made a mistake by taking our entire force to one place as within the next few days we got word that three more of our islands were attacked. We rushed to their defense with haste but found similar results everywhere" said Mito gravely, her despair clearly visible in her blue eyes.

"Who did this?" asked Hashirama furiously, he might have did his allies injustice by not rushing to their aide immediately but if they were facing such a grave threat then it was his duty to help them.

"Realizing the gravity of the threat my father ordered our forces to defend our capital Uzu and our remaining two islands. It was not long before we encountered the enemy for the first time and we knew what happened to our people. They all came back..." said Mito hesitantly,

"But you just said they were all massacred" pointed Shin Aburame confusedly, earning a haunted look from the Uzumaki woman.

"I never said they came back alive"

Naruto stiffened as memories of his dark dreams came haunting back in his heart. The tent erupted in panic and disbelief with questions being thrown at Mito alongwith accusations of lies, but everyone was silenced when Kurama himself approached the Uzumaki.

Mito gulped on seeing a smaller form of the strongest Biju of the world so close to her. This beast was capable of destroying entire nations and right now it was staring at her intensely...

"Explain everything" commanded Kurama, much to everyone's surprise.

"It was our own people who attacked us. But they were not our people anymore, they never spoke, they never listened as we pleaded them to stop this madness. They attacked our soldiers like animals not caring if they were struck down. Even when our ninjas severed their vital organs they still kept coming. We soon realized those men and women, even children were already dead. It was as if their dead bodies were being controlled like puppets by someone hiding in the shadows..." explained Mito gravely,

"Could it be fighters from the Land of Wind? Their people are well versed in the art of puppetry" suggested Itachi,

"Maybe. But no puppet master can control thousands of dead corpses. They certainly cannot attack and silence entire islands without alerting the Uzumaki defenders" countered Kagami worriedly,

"Lady Mito, did your fighters ever see the one behind this madness?'' questioned Shisui,

"Not up close. But we did see a few shadows at the back of our turned people, there were also strange inhuman creatures that were as pale as snow from head to toe but they were all waiting in the back and content with watching our own turned people destroy us. We lost both our islands and had to retreat to Uzu, my brother Nahiro was killed when our last island was lost" revealed Mito sadly,

Tsunade's eyes widened and without hesitation her hand reached up to clasp Mito's. The Uzumaki woman gave her a strained but thankful smile before looking at the King and the fox who were both very pale, the fox looked ready to piss himself which did not reassure Mito in the slightest.

"Did you see any banners?" asked Kurama hesitantly,

"My brother Nahiro reported one before he was killed. He said he saw a banner of a Great Tree with Ten Long Branches, but never before has such a banner been seen anywhere" answered Mito confusedly,

Naruto was alarmed when Kurama roared so furiously that it nearly caused a minor earthquake. Instantly he walked towards his friend even as others scrambled away from the out of control Biju. He knelt before the fox and placed a comforting hand on his neck. The familiar connection was established that allowed them to talk to each other without any words.

"Tell me" commanded Naruto, and watched the despair and fear in Kurama's eyes which unnerved him greatly.

"That banner only belonged to one person" said Kurama hesitantly,

"Who?'' demanded Naruto worriedly,

"Kaguya Otsutsuki"

Naruto's heart skipped a beat on hearing the name of that dreaded woman be mentioned again. He remembered Kurama's terrifying tale of the First War for Dawn and how Kaguya nearly destroyed the world if she had not been stopped by her sons.

"You said she was defeated. She's dead" countered Naruto fiercely,

Thousands of years had already passed since Kaguya's fall and while some her supporters still existed till this day, he doubted they could ever be capable of something like this.

"I know. But it does not change the fact that someone has raised her banner again. The reason I was tasked by the Sage to watch over the Uchiha was the fact that the third 'tainted' son of Kaguya corrupted your ancestor Indra and made him nearly awaken the Juubi in hopes of reviving Kaguya's trapped soul. While we managed to stop Indra averting another disaster, the Sage wanted any further attempts to corrupt the Uchiha to be stopped by any means. It was why he entrusted me, the strongest of his creation with this task while my other brothers and sisters maintained peace across the world" explained Kurama,

"How grave is this threat? I cannot fight a war on three fronts. My forces are already engaged against the Land of Wind, The Samurai Nation and they outnumber us. If I send aid to Uzu, I only further weaken my army. I cannot take this risk, certainly not now that Tsunade knows the truth about Shizuka" argued Naruto fiercely,

"You told her?" asked Kurama in disbelief, this couldn't have happened at a worst time?

It might just destroy the alliance they had formed so painfully. But it was done and there was no going back now, even so Naruto needed to know the truth.

"You need to send aid to Uzu and investigate the truth. The Uzumaki are a strong and ancient clan, if you ever want their allegiance then aid them in their hour of need. If these are truly Kaguya's supporters, then I fear it is not possible for us to defend Uzu without great losses. I suggest you get as many of them to safety before their islands are overrun" warned Kurama,

"This could all be a ploy, Kurama. We are talking about a woman that has been dead for thousands of years!" exclaimed Naruto, and flinched when the beast glared at him.

"It is your choice, King Naruto"

The beast gave that last piece of advice just as Mito came before Naruto and bent her knee. The importance of that gesture was not lost to Naruto for the Uzumaki were an extremely proud clan. For their heiress to kneel before him could only mean Ayato Uzumaki was desperate and was even willing to swear fealty to Naruto.

"You have every reason to deny any help to my people, King Naruto. My ancestors have not been kind or even cordial to the Uchiha and for that I ask your forgiveness. But my people are dying by the thousands, one of my brothers is already dead and more will follow. My father has agreed to swear fealty to you and accept you as our King. He only gave me one message to say to you" said Mito sincerely,

The redhead looked at the young king and saw a series of conflicted emotions present in his eyes.

"Uzushiogakure calls for aid"

Tsunade and everyone else watched nervously as Naruto clenched his fists. Whatever their personal opinions regarding the Uzumaki situation, Naruto was their King and his word would be final and might just decide the fate of the Uzumaki.

Naruto was already fighting a war on two fronts and his enemies outnumbered his forces greatly. The bitter fact was that he had no troops to spare even if he wanted to. Now, he also had to deal with the fact that Tsunade knew his darkest secret and his allies might turn on him any moment when they discovered the deception. In front of his eyes, everything was falling apart and he was helpless to stop it.

Three choices...

Shizuka's dark prophecy rang true in his heart and deep down he knew this was the second one.

When he made his first choice, it ended a never ending war and brought peace after thousands of years.

What consequences would the second one have?

Naori Uchiha watched her nephew close his eyes and take a deep breath. When he opened them again, he looked straight at Mito with clear determination in his eyes.

"And The Land of Fire shall answer"

Stunned silence prevailed across the tent as the magnitude of that decision washed over every person. Kurama could not help but smile in relief when Naruto turned towards his most trusted friend.

"Muster the Kingsguard force by evening, same goes for the naval fleet. I want as many ninjas and sailors you can summon...I shall lead them personally to Uzu" declared Naruto,

"My King, it gladdens me to hear that you have decided to aid our allies. But you need not burden yourself, I can lead this force while you lead our army to victory against the Samurai Nation" suggested Hashirama, but Naruto shook his head.

"No, Lord Senju. What kind of a King will I be if I let others defend my own people? No, you shall maintain command over 15,000 of our warriors and with the help of the fox you shall defeat the Samurai Nation" ordered Naruto, surprising both the Senju head and the Biju.

"What?" exclaimed Kurama fiercely,

"If my army loses here then it will all be for nothing. Help them defeat the Samurai Nation while I aid the Uzumaki. We'll repel the invaders by combining my 7000 elite troops with the Uzumaki fighters. If everything fails, I'll use our ships to save as many Uzumaki as I can and give them refuge in my own nation" declared Naruto, his iron voice leaving no room for protest from anyone. Including Kurama.

A part of Kurama wanted nothing more but to go with Naruto but the rational side of him knew it was important for Naruto to defeat the Samurai Nation. He was already taking a considerable sum of his forces including many elite warriors to help the Uzumaki and needed Kurama to aid Hashirama to defeat their enemies here. If this threat was truly what Kurama feared it was, then it only became more important to unite every fighter of the world. The only way to do that with haste was through force until everyone saw the true threat with their very own eyes. But if they waited for that to happen, then it would be too late.

The fox watched as Shisui and his sworn brothers rushed out to carry out Naruto's commands. The King then instructed Shin Aburame to accompany him to Uzu alongwith three civilian generals, Itama Senju and Naori Uchiha as well.

Mito could only watch in stunned silence as everyone rushed to obey the young king, she would have liked if he had brought his entire force and the Biju to Uzu's aid but knew it was not possible. Even so, The King himself was marching to their aid bringing the elite of his army to the fight including the likes of Naori Uchiha and his dangerous friends.

Surprisingly, Tsunade was ordered to stay back much to the blonde's shock.

When she approached her husband the fierce glare in his eyes could barely contain the sea of anger burning in his heart.

"Why?" she asked,

"I made a mistake and I am sorry for that but you know I only had the best intentions for everyone in my heart when I made that choice. You chose to want some space, I am only following your own request" said Naruto bitterly,

"But-"

She stopped on noticing the sadness and disappointment in his eyes. Despite all that had happened between them, she could not let him go out there like that. Not alone.

"You cannot make every decision in this marriage, Tsunade"

His words hurt and she fought back a grimace. With one last glance he walked away...

Naruto watched thousands of his elite ninjas march in discipline towards the royal fleet that shall take them to Uzushiogakure to face an unknown enemy that had already brought a clan like the Uzumaki to their knees.

Mito Uzumaki and all of her clansmen except for Kushina would be accompanying the King's force back to their homeland. Kushina had tried to protest but had to relent when Mito ordered her to stay here, thankfully Tsunade agreed to watch over the girl personally. Both women knew that if all was lost then atleast this way one of Uzu's future heiress would survive.

Shin Aburame and the civilian generals were making sure the arms and supplies were being loaded onto the ships carefully while Shisui, Itachi, Kagami and Takeshi guided the fighters.

Naruto gave a respectful nod to Hashirama and Kurama who both sent him him a firm gaze promising nothing but victory against the Samurai Nation. His eyes then fell upon his wife who was holding a moist eyed Kushina in her grasp...

There were many things he wanted to say to Tsunade and she likely had the same thoughts but a wall had developed between them and at the very least they needed time to accept the change in their life. This new campaign might just given them that opportunity...

Watching the three headed dragon banners being unfurled across every ship made Naruto realize the true gravity of the situation.

So, on the lands of Uzushiogakure the doom of our world might be unleashed...

He was brought out of his own thoughts when Naori placed a firm hand on his shoulder. Knowing that she was coming with him alongwith Itama Senju and his friends gave him hope. The three of them looked ahead when the Commander of the Kingsguard unleashed his sword from the top of the flagship, Hachimon.

Naruto could not help but smile on seeing his best friend wielding Fury and look at the thousands of ninjas boarding the ships who were all staring back at him. Shisui's voice was loud and commanding as he declared...

"Warriors of Kingsguard, Now is the time! Oaths you have taken, now fulfill them all!"

"FOR UZU!"

"FOR THE KING!"