Chapter 33

Naruto stood before Tsunade and recounted the events that lead to his battle with Nagato, along with the conclusion. The Hokage sat behind her desk. She had steepled her fingers as she listened to him, the grave expression on her face one of conflict and pride.

"I followed Nagato's chakra signature using Sage Mode, but when I arrived at the cave where I last detected him, he wasn't there," Naruto said. "It could be that he left and is biding his time. However, there's no way for me to be sure."

"I see." Tsunade leaned forward and placed her head against her hands. "I can't believe you fought against Pein on your own. That was an incredibly stupid thing to do, Naruto."

Naruto shrugged. "I didn't have much choice. It was either fight him or let him kill my teammates."

"That is true." Tsunade sighed as though releasing all of her pent-up emotions with that one breath. "It seems you found yourself in a dangerous situation, but at least you defeated Pein's paths. That proves that you're growing stronger. What's more, since you defeated him, it also means that the alliance between the smaller hidden villages will fracture."

Pein had been the backbone of the alliance, the one who had gathered them and placed the minor villages on their warpath. They couldn't win without him. It was his strength that had given them courage, his abilities that had allowed them to stand up to the major villages. Once word spread that Pein had been defeated, the smaller nations would end the war, even if he was still alive.

"What should we do about the hidden villages?" asked Naruto.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, cupping her chin as she adopted a thoughtful mien. "We'll spread the word that you defeated Pein in single combat and wait to see what their response is. If they decide to end the war, we'll go ahead and create a peace treaty between us and the minor villages."

Naruto approved of that idea. He didn't want to kill people who didn't need to die. Eliminating bandits and missing ninja who killed for their own purposes was different than slaying ninja who simply wanted to defend their home. Peace would never come if the hidden villages fought each other.

"In that case, I'd like to suggest some potential ideas for the treaty," Naruto said.

"Go ahead." Tsunade waved at him to continue.

"I was thinking about the reason the minor villages decided to side with Pein," Naruto began. "It's a well-established fact that the major villages get most of the missions. When someone wants something done, the chances of them going to a minor village-like Kusa is low because no one truly gets to see the quality of their shinobi. Even so, when war breaks out between the villages as it did during the Third Great Shinobi War, it is always the smaller nations that suffer."

Naruto paused a moment to regain his breath. Tsunade, an intent expression on her face, remained silent.

"This is why the minor villages sided with Pein. I think their dissatisfaction and hatred toward the major nations has always been there, but they couldn't do anything because we were so powerful. Once Pein destroyed Kumo, he made them believe that we could be defeated if they followed him."

"All good points." Tsunade nodded. "And all essentially true. So, what are you asking of me? That I should be lenient with the smaller nations?"

Shaking his head, Naruto said, "I'm saying that instead of just forming a peace treaty, we should begin the process of creating a true alliance between all of the hidden villages, big and small. If we create a system where every nation has an equal opportunity to represent their village, we might be able to avoid needless wars and bloodshed."

The way Tsunade stared at him made Naruto feel slightly uncomfortable. It was the hard stare of someone who looked like she was seeing right through him. That expression on her face, combined with her piercing eyes, made him stand straighter, as though he were trying to feign that he wasn't bothered by it.

Eventually, however, the look left, and Tsunade gave him a weary smile. "You sound just like Jiraiya." She paused, the smile becoming drier. "Well, a slightly smarter version of Jiraiya. He always talked about ending the bloodshed between nations when he was younger, but he could never figure out how to do that."

Reaching underneath her desk, Tsunade pulled out a bottle of sake and two saucers. After uncorking the lid, she poured some sake in each glass and then slid one across the desk. Naruto picked it up and took a sip. He let the warm liquid slowly run down his throat and warm his belly.

"Your idea actually sounds more plausible than all the ones he's come up with. However…" Tsunade tossed back her drink in one gulp, unlike him, and then filled her saucer again. "… I don't think bringing about a lasting peace will be that easy. The Elemental Nations have been at war since before the founding of the hidden villages. Even when we're not fighting, we're in a constant state of cold war, always preparing for the next massive battle. Getting every village to agree to an alliance isn't going to be a simple task."

Naruto nodded. "I know that, but you know, if we don't at least make the attempt, then nothing will ever change." Tsunade leaned back and blinked several times, her wide eyes revealing her shock. Naruto gave her the most determined look he could muster. "If all we do is talk about how things can never change, then nothing ever will change. Someone has to start somewhere, someone has to extend an olive branch. That's why I've decided to be that someone. Even if I end up failing, at the very least, I will be able to say that I did everything in my power to bring peace to this land."

Tsunade and Naruto stared at each other in silence, which was broken only by the small rustling of the curtains. He didn't know what she was looking for. Her gaze seemed almost as if she was testing his resolve, or perhaps she was simply wondering if he had lost his mind. Neither one of those actions would have surprised him.

Within this silence, a voice spoke from the windowsill.

"I couldn't have put it better myself, brat."

Naruto and Tsunade look at the window as Jiraiya hopped into the room. The one-armed man grinned at the two.

"You'll never use the door, will you?" asked Tsunade with a sigh.

"Course not," Jiraiya responded, his wide grin growing larger. "You should know that by now. Anyway, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation—"

"You mean you were spying," Tsunade interrupted.

"—and I have to admit that I'm impressed," Jiraiya continued without missing a beat. "Not only did you defeat Pein, but it sounds like you've come up with a plausible way of ending the bloodshed that's stained the Elemental Nation for the past several hundred years."

"There's still a lot of flaws with this plan," Tsunade said.

Jiraiya nodded. "True, but it's the only plan I've ever heard that has a chance of succeeding. I think it's worth a shot."

Tsunade sighed. "In that case, can I count on you to begin spreading the information that Naruto defeated Pain?"

"I can certainly do that, though I don't think we'll need to worry." Jiraiya chuckled. "Rumor is already spreading thanks to the Kusa ninja who escaped their village's destruction. Not only that, but it seems like Naruto's actions have earned him their respect and put Nagato in a bad light. It won't be long before the other minor villages hear about how Pein destroyed a village he was allied with. No one will want to work with him after that."

It was certainly true. The ninja world was based on deceit. Even allies were often only using each other for their own purposes, and it was generally an accepted fact that, once their mutual goal had been met, they would turn on each other. Even so, destroying a village when they were still allied was going to leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

Naruto had avoided this issue by establishing more than mere alliances; he had established relationships. He had rescued Gaara when they were younger, saving his friend from the torment of being alone by offering understanding. Mei had become one of his lovers. What had once been an exchange program for mutual benefit had ended up with them being in a relationship. It was the same with Yugito. Even though Kumo was destroyed, before that, they had established an alliance because of the relationship between him and her.

Pein had only created that alliance by using the minor villages' hatred against the major villages and displaying his overwhelming power. He hadn't earned their trust, he hadn't established any friendships. The only thing he'd done was give their hatred direction. Hatred could never create a long-lasting alliance. It was a given that, even if they had ended in victory, the war would break out as the smaller villages fought over what was left of the larger villages. Now that he had shown his true colors, none of the villages were going to follow him.

"Well, that is certainly true," Tsunade admitted. After another moment's pause, she sighed. "All right. I'll give you my support. We'll wait a few weeks and see if they come to us. If they don't, I'll send emissaries to each village. That's about all I can do."

"That's all we ask," Naruto said as he and Jiraiya shared a grin.

It seemed Jiraiya's goal was one step closer to becoming reality.

XXXXXXXXXX

A week passed and, thanks to Jiraiya's spy network, news that Naruto had defeated Pain by himself spread across the Elemental Nations. Every corner seemed to know about what had happened. Reports came back in, informing everyone that the minor villages had completely broken off their alliance and were no longer taking action.

Naruto had been hoping that something would develop from this. He wanted the minor nations to try and broker a peace treaty, but that never happened. No emissaries came, no messages flew in, which lead Naruto to believe that the smaller nations were hoping to forget this entire war happened and return to the status quo.

It pissed him off.

"Oh! OH!"

A loud cry rang out around the room. Naruto was kneeling on a bed of dark blue sheets, which were crumpled and creased. His hands held the naked flesh of Mei's hips, keeping her steady as he thrust into her from behind. The warm wetness of her inner walls clung to him as though desperately trying to keep him in. Lewd, wet slurping and smacking noises echoed all around the room as his hips slapped against Mei's ass.

"Naruto! That feels so good! Your dick is pounding into my womb!"

"And your pussy is clinging to me! I love how it feels to be inside of you!"

Naruto leaned over until his chest was pressed against Mei's back, and then he reached around and found her breasts. Not like it was hard. Mei's tits were pretty large. He didn't cup her breast right away but instead pinched her nipple, tweaking and gently tugging on it.

Mei's cries increased in frequency and volume. Her back arched against him, causing her breasts to bounce. Naruto moved his head until he reached her ear, which he took into his mouth and nibbled on. The walls around him became tighter. They also became even wetter, allowing him to keep thrusting into her at the same blistering pace.

"Naruto! That feels so good! If you keep this up, I'm going to—!"

Having already sensed that she was close, Naruto let go of her breast, slid his hand down her stomach, and he rubbed his finger against her clit. Mei fell forward as if all of her strength had disappeared. Her scream was muffled by the pillow, but the amount of love juices flowing out of her told Naruto that she had orgasmed. He grunted, gritting his teeth as he held his own in for a few more seconds, and then released it inside of her. Mei screamed again.

Before Naruto could fall on top of her, he rolled off to the side. Lying on his back, he waited for a few seconds, catching his breath, and then turned over and pulled Mei against him. His lover sighed in content as she moved closer.

"It's been a long time since you and I have been alone, hasn't it?" Mei said without turning around to face him.

"It has," Naruto agreed. He kissed her shoulder, which earned an appreciative purr. "I'm sorry for not being able to drop by as often as I used to."

"Considering what's happened, I can't really blame you." He couldn't see it, but he could imagine her grimace. "War is a nasty business. Anyway, I don't want to talk about that." She turned around in his arms and smiled at him. "Tell me, how is Yugito doing?"

Naruto chuckled. "She's doing well. I haven't seen her much because we've both been busy. We just recently finished building a new district for the residents of Kumo out of one of the districts that got destroyed. She's been helping them all move in."

"I'm glad she's been doing well, but it sounds like you've been lonely," Mei said. "Is Yugao still avoiding you?"

Sighing as he pressed his forehead to hers, he said, "yes."

"You really should do something about her."

"Like?"

"Like kidnap her, throw her against the bed, and screw her brains out."

Feeling his lips curve into a smile, Naruto said, "I don't think that's the best way to make her start talking to me again."

"It would have worked with me."

"You're a lot more upfront and honest with yourself than she is."

"True." Mei paused for a moment. Naruto didn't say anything, instead choosing to wait for her to speak. "I think I might have an idea if you're willing to listen."

"I'm all ears," Naruto said after a moment's pause.

Grinning, Mei told Naruto her idea.

XXXXXXXXXX

Smoke drifted along the lazy air currents brought about by ceiling fans. Patrons sat at tables and at the bar, drinking and laughing. The low lighting made seeing all these people difficult—or maybe it was the alcohol. Yugao had certainly drank a lot. There were sake bottles strewn across the table, a table that she currently had her face planted on top of. The cool surface brought a sharp contrast to the warmth in her face.

"You know, I'm glad you called me out here," Kurenai began, "but if all you're going to do is drink, then I'm going to go home."

Yugao heard her friend's words, but she didn't say anything at first. Her body was warm, flushed, and pleasant. At the same time, she felt really guilty, not just because she was sitting here getting drunk while one of her friends looked after her, but also because the entire reason she was here was to avoid Naruto.

"I'm a horrible person!" Yugao mumbled, half-wailing.

Kurenai sighed and started rubbing Yugao's back. "There, there. You're not a horrible person. You're just confused."

"I'm an awful girlfriend!" Yugao's muttering gained volume, to the point where several of the people around them looked in her direction.

"I wouldn't say—" Kurenai paused, shook her head, and began again. "Actually, you know what? You are a horrible girlfriend. Naruto is worried sick about you, and here you are getting wasted and wallowing in guilt and self-pity. What the hell are you doing?"

Yugao looked up at Kurenai, her eyes already watering. "I don't know. I just don't feel like I can face him after what happened."

"And what happened?"

"I don't know!"

Kurenai twitched. "You don't know?"

"I can't remember!" Yugao wailed.

"Oh, for the love of—"

Yugao didn't remember much of what happened after that. Everything had become a blur of colors and muffled voices. She thought she remembered beating some people up, and then Kurenai dragging her out of the bar, but even that was nothing but streaks of color and sound.

Cool air hit her back, which made Yugao jerk. She must have fallen asleep at some point. Where was she? She couldn't see anything.

"Kurenai-sensei?" a voice asked. It was familiar, but for some reason, Yugao couldn't quite place it. She wondered if that was because of the ringing in her ears.

"I'm glad you're here," Kurenai said.

"Is that Yugao?"

"It is. Would you like to take her? She's being a pain in the ass."

"I think that's the first time I've ever heard you swear."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty pissed off right now."

What were these two talking about? Yugao would have frowned, but her facial muscles weren't working as she wanted them to. She heard more talking, but it was too muffled for her to make out anything aside from the occasional word. Seconds later, she felt weightless, and then she was engulfed in warmth. It was so comfortable that she snuggled closer to the source of the warmth.

Yugao must have fallen asleep at some point because the next thing she knew, someone was stroking her hair. It felt so good, gentle nails scraping against her skin. She wanted to stay like that. Sadly, the loving act also made her pause. There was only one person alive today who would do something like this to her, and she had been avoiding him.

She opened her eyes. Naruto's familiar blue eyes and whiskered face swam into her vision. He was smiling at her.

"Hey," he said, "how are you feeling?"

Yugao didn't know if it was because of Naruto's smile, or if it was the gentle voice he used when speaking with her, but Yugao began crying all over again. A loud wail left her mouth. She could feel water pouring down her eyes.

Naruto panicked. "Y-Yugao?! What's wrong?! What did I do?! I'm sorry if I—"

"It's not you!" Yugao continued to wail. "It's me! I'm a bad girlfriend!"

Yugao cried and wailed and screamed. She barely even noticed when Naruto had pulled her into his chest, though that didn't stop her from burying her face in his chest. She wrapped her arms around him and cried. She drenched his shirt in her tears. Throughout it all, Naruto held onto her, letting her cry until she settled down into the occasional hiccup.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"For what? Crying on me or avoiding me?"

She hiccuped again. "Both."

A hand landed on her head and stroked her hair. It was so comforting. She could have fallen asleep right there.

"It's okay," Naruto said. "Everything is fine. I'm not upset."

"You should be," Yugao sniffled. "I ignored you."

"You did, and it hurt." Naruto rested his cheek on her head. "But I don't care about that. I just want you to promise that you won't leave again."

"I promise," Yugao said. "I can't even remember why I left in the first place."

"That's because you're drunk."

Yugao laughed and cried at the same time. "Say, Naruto? Can you hold me for a while longer?"

"I'll hold you all night if that's what you want."

"Thanks."

Yugao smiled as she sank deeper into Naruto's arms. With her eyes closed, her breathing soon evened out. As she slowly drifted to sleep, she thanked the gods that Naruto had come into her life. She was so grateful. So… grate…

XXXXXXXXXX

A month passed and nothing happened, no letters came in, no emissaries appeared, nothing. Tsunade had been so angry that none of the minor villages had even attempted to speak with them that she had thrown her desk out of the window. After tossing her desk through a window, she then sent out emissaries to each hidden village.

That had been one week ago. They had yet to hear anything back.

Naruto and Yugao's relationship had mended. Yugao had apologized multiple times for ignoring him out of guilt. Naruto had only accepted her apology after they spent an entire night making love. Since then, he and Yugao had been together a lot more, not just at home, but also around Konoha. Sometimes Yugito joined them, but she was usually busy helping the Kumo refugees.

The integration of the Kumo refugees into the new housing district of Konoha had been successful, though some problems had arisen. Not every Konoha citizen had taken well to these new people. Not every Kumo refugee had been happy with their new houses. Several arguments had broken out, but that was what Yugito was there for. It was her job to help smooth things over.

Naruto did what he could to help since, like Yugito, he was something of a bridge between Konoha and Kumo. When an argument broke out, she would usually have him hiraishin over and lend her a hand. Fortunately, none of the arguments had been serious. Most of them were simple such as people walking on the wrong side of the street, or "that person bumped into me." Neither he nor Yugito had needed to deal with any serious infractions.

Today was Naruto's day off. He wasn't taking any missions, and he didn't want to train since he was trying to rest his body. Yugao was with him as they walked down the street arm in arm.

It was a nice day outside, though that didn't mean much since it was almost always nice in Konoha. He and Yugao weren't doing anything particular. They were mostly just spending time together, but she had mentioned that there were some things she wanted to check out in a few stores.

"Um, Naruto?" Yugao suddenly said.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for agreeing to go shopping with me."

Naruto smiled at the woman holding his arm. "Think nothing of it. I'm happy I get to spend more time with you."

They entered a number of shops, though they didn't buy anything. Usually, the shops they entered were based on whether or not the mannequins displayed in front of the store were wearing something interesting. If something caught Yugao's eye, she would drag him inside, and then find that outfit and try it on. Thus far, she had not found anything truly interesting, though she had tried on several outfits.

"I forgot to ask, but what exactly are you looking for?" asked Naruto.

"I was hoping to get a new bathing suit."

"Is this for a mission?"

"No." Shaking her head, Yugao tightened her arms around his left arm. "I was just thinking about how I would like to go with you to the beach sometime, and it would be nice if I had a cute bathing suit to show off to you."

"Ah."

Naruto went silent. He allowed Yugao to lead him around. She eventually found another store that she liked in the front display. After traveling down the racks, she grabbed only a single article of clothing, and then lead him to the changing stalls.

"No peeking!"

Yugao shut the door before Naruto could comment, which meant he could do nothing but lean against one side of the wall. He crossed his arms and stared at the people inside of the store. They were all women. Of course, he was in a women's store, so it only made sense. Naruto received a few looks of his own, but he ignored them.

"I'm all done." The door behind him clicked open. "How do I look, Naruto?"

Naruto turned around, a compliment on the tip of his tongue. It died when he got a good look at Yugao. The bikini that she had chosen was a dark orange. Thin straps made up most of the bikini, while the two small pieces of fabric that covered her breasts were black but had orange flames. Because it was such a small outfit, all of Yugao was laid bare. Her toned stomach glistened slightly in the light, showing off the dips and curves of her abs, and her well-defined arms and legs caught Naruto's attention.

"You look amazing, Yugao." Naruto gave her a thumbs up. "You're unbelievably sexy."

Smiling, Yugao said, "I'm glad to hear that. We'll add this to the clothes I'm buying. There are just a few more that I would like to try on."

"Sounds fine with me."

Yugao only managed to try on several more bathing suits before Kakashi appeared before them in a swirl of leaves. He looked at Yugao in her orange racing swimsuit, and then he looked at Naruto. He gave Naruto a thumbs up.

"I'm so proud of you."

While Yugao blushed, Naruto grinned. "Kakashi-sensei, what's up? Did you need us for something?"

Kakashi nodded. "Hokage-sama has called for a meeting of jonin."

A frown formed on Naruto's face at that sentence. A meeting of jonin was only called for two reasons: the newly minted genin were going to be getting their jonin senseis, or there was a crisis of some kind. Since the current students at the academy wouldn't graduate for another six months, that meant there was a problem.

"Tell Tsunade we'll be there shortly."

"Will do." Kakashi nodded to them both once before disappearing again.

Yugao changed into her regular clothes, they bought her bathing suits, and then they went to the Namikaze Estate to put it all away. Immediately afterward, Naruto hiraishined them to the Hokage Tower, directly into the meeting room located several floors below the Hokage's office.

A lot of people were already there. Naruto recognized Gai and Kakashi, Kurenai and Asuma, and Genmai. There were still many jonin who he didn't know, but that was because they had never interacted with each other before.

Tsunade was also there, standing in the back, where a small platform had been raised. There was a grave atmosphere about her. Naruto didn't know what was going on, but he could tell that something had happened.

"It looks like you're all here so we can start the meeting," Tsunade said. "Several hours ago, six of the twenty-two emissaries I sent out came back with grave news: the hidden villages they were sent two have been wiped out. Everyone down to the last man, woman, and child was brutally killed."

Her words caused a stirring among the ninja. No one said anything, though, for they were still ninja, well trained and doctrinated in when it was and wasn't appropriate to say anything. Naruto looked at the others, noticing their attentive expressions as Tsunade began speaking again.

"Another six of my emissaries have reported that there is an army of White Zetsu clones coming out from somewhere inside of Mountain's Graveyard." Tsunade paused before delivering her bombshell. "Reports claim that several S-ranked shinobi who we know are dead are leading them."

XXXXXXXXXX

Another meeting was called. This one was not a summit meeting, but a war council between nations. That was why Suna and Kiri, along with several minor nations who Konoha's emissaries had managed to contact, gathered their armies and marched to Konoha. Among those gathered, the one who showed up in the most style was, of course, the Land of Spring.

Naruto almost sighed as he watched the ten majestic zeppelins settle down just outside of Konoha. Tethers shot out from the bottom, staking into the ground, and several thousand men and women disembarked from the boarding ramps. Clad in the powerful gray chakra armor, bearing crossbows, swords, and shields, these were Koyuki's recently formed elite army.

Among that army were several snow ninja. Of course, he didn't know if they could be called Yuki ninja anymore. However, they still used snow in all of their ninjutsu. The snow was sealed inside several scrolls attached to their thighs. They, too, wore the chakra armor, though theirs appeared more streamlined.

The last person to leave the zeppelin that Naruto stood in front of was Koyuki herself. She was not dressed in her standard kimono. Decked in dark gray chakra armor that was fitted underneath a loose purple kimono, carrying a katana at her side, Koyuki looked like a warrior princess. Actually, her current outfit made him think of her Princess Gale role that she so often played in movies.

She wasn't alone. Konan, no longer wearing standard ninja garb, was dressed in a thigh-high kimono skirt. She did not wear the chakra armor like everyone else, or more like she couldn't. Chakra armor would mess with her paper ninjutsu. The kimono, a light purple, fluttered as she walked down the ramp.

"Naruto!"

Koyuki rushed down the ramp and leaped into Naruto's open arm. She didn't hesitate to capture his lips with her own. Koyuki's kiss was fiery and passionate. It was the kind of kiss that most people didn't normally give in public due to matters of propriety. Koyuki, despite being a daimyo, cared little for such things—at least when it came to their relationship.

"It's been a while," Naruto said seconds after Koyuki had thoroughly ravaged his mouth with her tongue. "I'm glad you and Konan are doing well."

"I wish the circumstances of our meeting were different," Koyuki said, a somewhat bitter smile curling her lips. "It seems we usually only see each other during a major crisis."

Koyuki was exaggerating a bit, but her words were not without merit. It was true that they usually saw each other when something bad had happened. Even so, it wasn't like they hadn't seen each other several times since the summit. Naruto made it a point to visit her and Konan when he wasn't busy with his ninja duties or spending time with Yugao and Yugito.

"Life sometimes works in strange ways," Naruto said as Konan finished ascending the stairs. He gave her a warm smile that was immediately returned. The kiss they shared was less enthusiastic than Koyuki's, but he didn't think it was any less passionate, especially when she slipped her tongue into his mouth. "You've become a lot less reserved. Is that Koyuki's influence, I wonder?"

Konan looked away, but Koyuki grinned and slipped her arms around one of Konan's. Her chest was puffed up as though she was pleased with herself. "You noticed that did you? I've been working on making her less reserved in public, but she still only acts that way when she doesn't realize that her inhibitions have been lowered. Bring it up and she gets like this."

As Koyuki gestured at her, as if emphasizing her point, Konan frowned. "I do not know what you mean."

"Right. I'm sure you don't." Koyuki grinned.

As several Konoha ninja met up with the Land of Spring's forces and helped them get sorted, Naruto escorted Koyuki and Konan to the meeting hall. As he did, he explained their current situation.

"Kiri and Suna's forces are already here. Mei and Gaara are in the meeting room with the others. Mifune should be here soon as well."

"Do we know where that army is?" asked Koyuki.

"Last time we checked, they're still at Mountain's Graveyard."

They entered the Hokage Tower and walked up a flight of stairs. The meeting room where the war council was being held was on the third floor. When they entered, it was to find Gaara and his siblings, and Mei and her two bodyguards, already there. The three were sitting around a round table inside of the brightly lit, circular room. While Gaara merely greeted him with a nod, Mei smiled… and then licked her lips as if she wanted to gobble him up.

Maybe she's remembering last night.

Mei had arrived early yesterday, packed her belongings at Naruto's, and then dragged him and Yugito across Konoha. They had eaten an early dinner and spent the rest of the night in Naruto's bedroom. They didn't get any sleep.

Yugito was still sleeping. Mei had exhausted the poor woman last night.

There were eight other people who Naruto had only been introduced to several days ago. They were the leaders of Frost, Claw, and Fang. Sadly, those three were the only small villages that had responded to their emissaries. They had come to Konoha after hearing about how Pein destroyed Kusagakure. It seemed they didn't want to be part of the alliance Nagato had created anymore. With each of the three leaders were two bodyguards.

"I'm glad you've arrived, Koyuki," Tsunade said as the daimyo of the Land of Spring took her seat. "Now we only have to wait for Mifune to arrive. Then we can get this meeting started."

"In that case," a voice began from the entrance, "please be sure to get this meeting started right now."

Mifune walked into the room, two samurai walking after him. His calm strides were long and quickly took him to an empty seat. He sat down and leaned back, glancing around the table before turning to Tsunade and nodding.

Tsunade nodded back. "Welcome, Mifune. I'm glad to see you could make it. Since you're here, I'll get started."

Everyone shifted in their seats to get comfortable. Naruto, who, due to not being a kage or daimyo, moved to stand beside Jiraiya, who was behind Tsunade. They shared a nod of greeting but didn't speak. The meeting was starting and neither wanted to disrupt it.

"I'll start from the beginning," Tsunade started. "Exactly one week ago, we received reports of White Zetsu clones gathering around the Mountain's Graveyard. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Zetsu is a member of Akatsuki. He looks like a man with a venus flytrap on his head. Half of him is black, and the other half is white. We've learned recently that he can split himself in half and has several thousand clones of him that are capable of fighting. The clones are indistinguishable from the real thing, and they have the ability to mimic a person's chakra signature."

Tsunade coughed into her hand.

"In either event, the White Zetsus are gathering. We can only conclude that their purpose is to begin a war. That, or they're trying to goad us into a war. Any actions were take will end with war anyway, so we've decided that joining forces to fight against this threat is the best option possible."

Tsunade finally sat down and, to the surprise of Naruto, Gaara stood up. He looked at everyone in the room, making eye contact with each person. Then, and only then, did he begin speaking.

"We've been analyzing the enemy's movements for several days now, thanks to Koyuki lending us one of her newest zeppelins. From their movements, we can determine that they are going to attack by two methods."

Gaara pressed a button on the table and, with a soft flicker, a light shot from a projector onto the wall. Everyone turned to look at the wall, which now had a light projected map illuminated on it. It was a map of the Elemental Nations. Several sections were circled in red ink, while several others were marked by arrows in blue ink.

"First, their main contingent is going to cross through the Mountain's Graveyard and make their way south toward the Land of Fire. This means cutting through the Land of Iron."

Mountain's Graveyard was located on the tip of the peninsula for the Land of Iron. However, it was also blocked off by a deep ravine. The map being displayed was topographical, so it mostly showed shifts in elevation. Mountain's Graveyard was at a lower elevation than the Land of Iron everywhere except for the mountains that dotted that particular region.

"We also believe they will split up their main forces and try to attack us from three different locations." As he continued, Gaara pointed to the blue arrows traveling toward Takigakure and Otogakure. "We've predicted that their plan is to attack from three separate directions, and have those directions converge on our army."

"Isn't all that just speculation, though?" asked a man with a sharp, pointed mustache. Naruto knew him as Metsuki Nanashi, the leader of the Land of Fangs.

"It is." Gaara nodded. "However, it is also the method of attack that makes the most sense. By splitting up their forces like this, they make it impossible for us to destroy them in one fell swoop."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Kimora Natsuki, a young and brash lord with blond hair and purple eyes. He was the recently minted leader of Land of Frost.

"I'm talking about the Hiraishin, of course." At Gaara's words, everyone turned to Naruto, who felt like he was suddenly being placed under a microscope. "Everyone knows that the Hiraishin is the single greatest threat to any army. With it, Naruto can decimate thousands of people in the blink of an eye. I'm sure Madara has taken this into account as well."

Kimora withdrew into his seat, grumbling only a little at being so thoroughly upstaged. Naruto didn't pay any more attention to the young man.

"Then wouldn't it make more sense for Madara to engage Naruto in single combat?" asked Mifune.

"It would," Gaara said. "And we're not discounting the possibility. However, the two of them have already fought and Naruto forced Madara to retreat. Unless he has a secret weapon up his sleeve, a one-on-one battle with Naruto wouldn't benefit him."

Once again, the looks he received were annoying, especially when Mei and Koyuki started giggling into their hands. It was weird. When he was younger, he would have loved receiving the looks of awe these people were giving him. Now he just wanted to punch these people in the face.

"I wouldn't put it past Madara to have some kind of secret weapon for dealing with Naruto," Tsunade said. "If he really is the man who fought against my grandfather, then there's a strong chance that he has something up his sleeve."

"And that's why part of our plan involves having Naruto confront him," Gaara said, finally getting to the main point of this meeting. "Our plan is to have three regiments that will engage the enemy forces, while one regiment stands back in case of a surprise attack. Each regiment will be commanded by myself, Tsunade, and Mei. Furthermore, each battalion will be commanded by officers of our choosing."

As far as strategies go, this one was very basic. Naruto didn't think that was a bad thing. If there was something he had learned during the war in Kiri against Yagura, it was that simple strategies were the best. The more complex the strategy, the more maneuvers required, the harder it was to change when something unexpected occurred.

"While our regiments are engaging the enemy, Naruto will take a small squadron and use one of Koyuki's zeppelins to launch a surprise attack on the enemy's stronghold," Gaara finished. "Are there any questions?"

Several questions were asked, mostly to clarify points on battalion movements and small-scale engagements. Naruto didn't pay much attention. He thought about his own role, attacking the enemy stronghold with a small squadron. He would have to pick his squadron carefully. This mission would probably be even more dangerous than the large-scale battle between the two armies.

"There is one more thing I believe we should clarify," Mei intruded into the conversation. "Since we're now an alliance, don't you think we should create a uniform to show our unification? At the very least, I believe we should have a headband to show that we're now one."

"I actually thought this might come up," Koyuki said suddenly. She stood up in her seat and smiled at everyone. "That's why I've taken it upon myself to officially design a new shinobi uniform." Her grin widened. "I think all of you will like it."

XXXXXXXXXX

The outfit that Koyuki had made was, indeed, pretty good. The tan vest was reminiscent of the ones used in Suna, but it was made in the style found in Kiri. Underneath the vest was a blue shirt and blue pants that were traditional of Konoha. The vest itself was chakra armor. It must have cost a fortune. The final touch was the headband, which had the kanji for shinobi on the head plate. Koyuki said that, since they were all ninja, their symbol should be something to signify this.

Preparations for the war began immediately after the war council. Mei had been put in charge of the shinobi's overall forces. With her at the head, the villages combined their forces into a single unit and began the process of creating a collaborated front known as the Allied Shinobi Forces.

Not everyone seemed to like this idea, and there were several fights that broke out during the integration process. However, Naruto, Mei, Gaara, and Tsunade all worked hard to resolve these conflicts. To further help resolve issues brought about by people of different nations working together, Gaara created a group comprised of Hinata, Chojuro, Temari, and a ninja from the Land of Claw named Takaki. Their job was to unbiasedly resolve any conflict that might arise.

Much of the preparation involved dealing with logistics. The Allied Shinobi Forces needed to take stock of and order their supplies. Thanks to Koyuki's zeppelins, which could traverse the Elemental Nations in several hours, they were able to easily transport all the supplies they needed, but creating a list that combined all of the supplies they had was difficult. That was why the task had been left up to Shikamaru, who had muttered a loud troublesome before getting to work.

Yugito, Samui, Ao, Kankuro, Hiashi, and Mifune had been named battalion leaders. They were going to work under Mei, Gaara, and Tsunade. Their role was going to be leading each battalion while the three regiment leaders directed their respective forces. Each battalion consisted of 5,000 troops. With six battalions in total, not including the one being kept in the rear, that made for 30,000 ninjas.

Underneath each battalion was further divided into two contingents of 2,500 ninjas, which was divided even further into legions, and then units, followed lastly by squadrons. This was done to create a stable chain of command. The idea had been Shikamaru's who, on top of being placed in charge of logistics, was also acting as Mei Terumi's military adviser.

Naruto had very little to do with the overall forces. His job was separate from the others. While they would fight a large-scale battle, he, along with two squads of four, would travel to Mountain's Graveyard and destroy the Akatsuki's stronghold. Even if destroying the stronghold didn't stop the war, it should damage Akatsuki's forces. Of course, Naruto's main task was not destroying the stronghold, but finding and killing Madara Uchiha.

For this mission, Naruto had selected seven other people to accompany him: Neji, Konan, Yugao, Tenten, Rock Lee, Sakura, and Kakashi. Since they were going in as two squads, he was leaving Kakashi in charge of Sakura, Rock Lee, and Tenten. Meanwhile, Naruto would be going with Konan, Yugao, and Neji. While their goals in this were the same, they were going to be going about it in different ways.

That was why, one week before their forces would move out, Naruto had gathered the two squadrons that would be going with him. They stood inside of the zeppelin they would be using. The room, a large space made of metal and wood, had been cleared of everything except for a round table, which sat in the center. Several circular windows on one end gave them a glimpse of the world outside.

Naruto and the other seven stood around the table. Resting on top was a map of Mountain's Graveyard. The paper, new parchment with very few wrinkles, made crinkling sounds as Naruto smoothed it out.

"Because there are no flat plains around Mountain Graveyard, we'll be dropping out from the zeppelin while it's in flight. Koyuki has prepared hang glider packs for us. We'll be practicing aerial maneuvers today and tomorrow to prepare for the operation."

"Is it too late to admit that I'm afraid of heights?" asked Tenten, raising her hand.

"Yes, it is," Naruto said. "I selected you for this task specifically because of your ability to use every kind of weapon and your sealing scrolls. Should we run into a small army or something, I'll need you to unleash my kunai. No one can do that but you."

"F-fine," Tenten muttered, looking away. "I'll do it. Just don't expect much since I'll probably be too busy throwing up."

"Do not worry, Tenten." Rock Lee gave her a thumbs up. "If you get sick, then I will carry you on my back!"

Tenten sighed. "Well, thanks for that. I guess I'll be counting on you then."

"Yosh!"

"Perhaps we should continue," Neji said. "Naruto, have you planned what we should do once we're in Mountain's Graveyard?"

Naruto nodded. "I have. We'll be splitting up into two teams. One team's job will be to find where the White Zetsu clones are being manufactured and destroy it."

"I am not sure I understand." Rock Lee scratched his head. "What do you mean by manufactured?"

"Sakura?" Kakashi gestured for her.

Coughing into her hand, Sakura said, "the White Zetsu clones are not real people. After doing a thorough analysis of several White Zetsu's, we've discovered that they're actually artificially created beings. Each White Zetsu is identical, and they all have the same genetic makeup. This leads me to believe that they're being manufactured in secret somewhere."

As Sakura took a step back, Naruto began talking again. "There are only a few places where the White Zetsu could have been created. Out of all those places, the Mountain's Graveyard is the only one that hasn't been thoroughly explored. What's more, the army couldn't have traveled there without alerting the Land of Iron."

"They could have gone by sea," Neji interjected.

"Then we would have received reports of a large armada sailing through the ocean," Naruto countered. "In order to reach the Mountain's Graveyard by sea, you have to pass by the Land of Spring. The White Zetsus showed up a month ago. Koyuki has been having zeppelins travel across the ocean for over two months. It would have been impossible for them to miss an armada the size of the White Zetsu army, which at last check, numbered over one-hundred thousand."

Smiling in a way that said he was satisfied, Neji said, "you bring up a good point. So, let's say the White Zetsus are being created in Mountain's Graveyard. There is still a lot of land that we must cover. Do you think two squads will be enough?"

"They will be for what I have planned," Naruto said. "We're not going in blind. Before we drop ourselves off, I plan on creating one thousand shadow clones to explore Mountain's Graveyard. With that many clones, it shouldn't take more than an hour to locate the entrance to Madara's hideout."

Neji nodded and backed down. Everyone else around the table had been silent until now. Konan stood beside him without speaking. She seemed to be preparing herself for the upcoming mission. Kakashi was reading his book, but Naruto didn't doubt that he was listening to every word said. Consequently, Sakura was glaring at Kakashi for reading smut in her presence. Tenten, Rock Lee, and Yugao also seemed relatively calm—well, Yugao and Tenten did. Rock Lee was…

"Yosh! This is so exciting! It has been far too long since you and I have gone on a mission together, Naruto!"

"Yeah… it has been a long time, hasn't it?"

"I am so excited! Now you and I can finally revel in the passionate flames of our youth!"

"Uh-huh…"

"Come, Naruto! Let us begin practicing with those hang gliders! I shall master using them in one hour, and if I cannot do that, then I shall do one-thousand push-ups on my thumbs! And if I cannot do that…"

As Rock Lee began listing challenges that he would do if he failed the master the hang gliders in a single hour, Naruto turned to Tenten and Neji. They both just gave him resigned sighs. It seemed not even the test of time could extinguish Rock Lee's enthusiasm.

XXXXXXXXXX

One week of training was enough for almost everyone to become at least semi-competent with the hang gliders—everyone except Tenten. That girl, no matter how much she tried, could barely get herself to jump out of the zeppelin. In fact, Naruto and Neji had taken turns pushing the girl out. Their hopes that a "trial by fire" training method would help went up in flames before it could even begin.

Tenten and Sakura had beaten the snot out of them.

Since Tenten couldn't use the hang glider, she would be traveling with Konan. As an S-ranked paper ninjutsu user, Konan could create wings to fly with. The paper wings, hardened by chakra, were enough that she could carry Tenten's weight along with her own. He just hoped it wouldn't hamper her maneuverability. He didn't know if Madara had any long-range attacks that could be used to shoot them down, but he wanted to be on the safe side.

After their last day of training, which consisted of them practicing aerial drop formations, Naruto, Konan, and Yugao returned home. As they entered the door, footsteps echoed from ahead. Yugito, dressed only in a pair of white shirts and cotton panties, walked into the entrance hall.

"You three have finally come back," she said.

"Hey, Yugi," Naruto greeted. Konan and Yugao also gave her their greetings.

"Mei and Koyuki are in the hot spring," Yugito informed them. "I told them to wait until you three came back, but they said they couldn't wait."

Konan sighed. "Those two are like peas in a pod."

"They're definitely on the same wavelength," Yugao agreed.

"Well, we should join them, then," Naruto said.

"What about dinner?" asked Yugito.

"I'll have a clone make it."

Everyone agreed that this was the best course of action, naturally, because it meant none of them had to cook. As ninjas, they were trained in the basics. They could cook. However, none of them actually enjoyed it.

After stripping down and folding up their clothes, Naruto and the girls wandered into the hot spring. It wasn't an open-air hot spring. They couldn't do that since Jiraiya could peek on them. Even so, the hot spring was large enough to easily fit 50 people. There were two pools, one that appeared manmade, and another that was built to look like a lagoon, with trees, plants, and boulders sticking up from the surface. Naruto and the girls almost always chose the lagoon.

"It's been a while since all of us have gotten together," Mei said as she leaned back against a sloped boulder. Naruto eyed her breasts, which bobbed up and down with the water.

"Right? I don't think all of us have been in one place since…" Koyuki tilted her head. "… five months ago, I think."

"That reminds me, the last time all five of us stayed here, didn't we get really drunk?" asked Yugito. She crossed her arms under her breasts. As they were squished together, a small pool formed in the valley between her breasts.

"We did." Mei grinned, and, leaning into Yugito, she gently wrapped her arms around the other woman and nibbled on the jinchurikki's ear. "As I recall, the six of us had a lot of fun together. Twenty-four hours of it."

Yugito's face was already red from the heat, but Naruto and the others were able to see her skin become an even darker hue. Her skin grew even darker when a moan passed through her lips.

"You shouldn't bring up the past like that!" Yugito snapped.

"Why?"

"B-because it's—"

"You're embarrassing her," Konan said in a calm demeanor.

"Hmm… isn't that the whole point?" Mei asked. "Don't you think Yugito is cute when she's embarrassed?"

Koyuki cupped her chin and, with a feigned thoughtful hum, slowly nodded her head. "She is pretty cute when her face lights up like that."

"Hey!" Yugito shouted.

"But I think Konan's the cutest when embarrassed!" Koyuki finished, slipping behind Konan and fondling her breasts.

"W-what are you—?"

"Besides, check these things out. Aren't they amazing?" Koyuki flicked Konan's nipples with the kind of skill that could only come from hours of practice. "Her breasts are so big and sensitive. Even the softest touch makes them hard."

"T-that's not something you're supposed to tell others!" Konan stuttered as she tried to get Koyuki off of her. It was to no avail. Most of her strength was leaving thanks to Koyuki's ministrations.

"Ha! You think that's amazing? Look at this!" Mei quickly pulled Yugito's arms away from her chest and hefted up her left breast. "These might be smaller than average—"

"Don't call my breasts small!"

"—but what they lack in size, they make up for in shape," Mei continued before flicking Yugito's nipples. The jinchurikki squealed. "Also, they're a lot more sensitive than anyone else's, and when you suck on them, they—"

Naruto sat on the sidelines and Koyuki and Mei bragged about Konan and Yugito's breasts, with each woman trying to one-up the other. Sadly, this meant Konan and Yugito were subject to some pretty erotic stuff. It even got to the point where Mei cupped Yugito's crotch, causing the blond woman's back to arch as she cried out.

"I'm not even sure what they're trying to prove anymore," Naruto said to himself.

"Me neither," Yugao admitted. Unlike the others, she was not getting involved. A small tray floated in front of her, and she drank sake from a small saucer. "I think they're just having fun embarrassing those two."

"You're probably right," Naruto agreed.

"Are you feeling okay?" Yugao asked as she poured him a saucer of sake. "You seem to be lost in thought."

"I'm fine." Naruto accepted the saucer with a grateful smile.

Despite saying that he was fine, the truth was that Naruto was deep in thought about the upcoming war. He was worried about what could happen. The last war that he had been in was short, consisting of no more than a few battles before he finished off Yagura. He didn't know if the battle with Pein could count since that had only lasted a few months. This time he would be going up against someone far stronger, and, if Mei was to be believed, the man they were going to be fighting might be the reason Yagura became a monster in the first place.

He didn't say anything about his worries. They had a strict no-work policy when at home. The home was a place to relax, to recover from the stress of work, not to bring up work-related issues.

"I suppose we can't just talk about whatever we want to here, can we?" Yugao said, smiling as though she understood what he was getting at.

He smiled back. "That's right. For now, let's just relax and leave tomorrow's worries for tomorrow."

He and Yugao clinked their glasses together, but before they could take a drink, Yugito and Konan judo tossed Mei and Koyuki into the water. The large splash their actions kicked up caused water to splash all over him and Yugao. Naturally, the sake was washed away.

"Oh, that does it," Yugao muttered as she and Naruto stood up.

A three-way battle took place between Koyuki and Mei, Yugito and Konan, and Naruto and Yugao. There was no telling who won since the battle ended in an orgy. That night, the six of them slept like rocks. Tomorrow they would go to war, but for the moment, all was peaceful.

XXXXXXXXXX

The army had assembled. Gaara, Tsunade, Mifune, and Mei stood in front of 30,000 ninjas, all of whom were primed and ready to battle. Their matching uniforms made them look like a sea of browns and greens. Their headbands glinted in the sunlight. Despite being from different villages, all of them were standing together for a single purpose.

Because they were on an elevated platform, built specifically for the purpose of this conversation, Naruto could see everyone. The entire sea of people lay before them. He stood behind the three kages, along with the village leaders of Claw, Frost, and Fang. Koyuki was also standing with him. He noticed, almost absently, that the three village leaders were staring at him and Koyuki. More specifically, they were looking at his and Koyuki's hands, which were laced together.

He ignored them.

Instead, he looked at the crowd of gathered shinobi. Despite wearing the same clothes, it was clear that many of these people could tell who was from what nation. Naruto could see the arguments breaking out. He didn't know what was being said—not even his hearing was that good—but it hardly mattered. The malcontent wafting from these people was suffocating.

It was, perhaps, a very good thing that Gaara was the one who had become the Chief-in-Command. With his sand's ability to create eyes, he could see the fights, and he could stop them. Sand exploded between the people who were arguing. It stopped everyone dead in their tracks. They all looked at where the sand had exploded, which even now blew away on the wind.

In this silence, Gaara spoke.

"For decades now, the shinobi world has been at war. During the First, Second, and Third Shinobi Wars, our villages fought, killed, and brutalized each other without mercy. It's only natural that many of us would still harbor a great deal of hatred for each other. It's natural for people who have been enemies for so long to distrust each other."

Gaara's become quite the orator. Naruto couldn't help but be impressed. Composed and calm, Gaara spoke in a clear voice that reached everyone down below.

"I understand where all of you are coming from because I was just like you once," Gaara continued, spreading his arms wide. "Because of the wars between shinobi nations, I was created, brought into this world, and trained to become a weapon. I hated this world. I hated the people in it. More than anything else, I wanted to kill everyone."

Gaara paused. Everyone standing before them had gone quiet. Not a word was spoken. Naruto almost ruined the moment by chuckling. Gaara had these people by the balls.

"My best friend saved me from that hellish fate," Gaara announced. "He wasn't a fellow Suna shinobi. He was an enemy, someone who by all rights should have hated me, but he didn't. After our battle, he told me that he understood me, that he wanted to help me. Despite the fact that I was his enemy, despite how my presence had hurt his village, he saved me from the hellish nightmare that I had been living."

Gaara turned his head and caught Naruto's eyes. There was an almost unnoticeable smile on the other redhead's face. Naruto smiled back. Years ago, he had once thought of Sasuke as his best friend, but he knew now that their friendship had been one-sided. Ever since he and Gaara hit it off, the Kazekage had been like a brother to him. Gaara had even once offered to have him marry Temari so they could become family.

"While all of us have fought and hurt each other at some point, there is someone who has hurt us even more. Akatsuki has hurt all of us. They've manipulated our people, destroyed our villages, and killed our ninja. If we let them do as they want, our friends and family will suffer. That is why we must work together. Even as we speak, an enemy that's one-hundred thousand strong is coming to crush us. A single village cannot hope to stand against them, but together, we can win. That is why I am asking you now…" Gaara bowed his head. "Please work together, work with me to end the threat that all of us are now facing."

The silence that had descended upon the gathering army was almost deafening. It was like everyone was so afraid of breaking it that they had forgotten how to breathe. Naruto stared at Gaara's back, remembering a time when his friend had been a psychotic killing machine. He knew that his fellow jinchurikki had come far, but at the same time, hearing this speech, feeling the heartfelt emotions pouring out from him, it really hit home. Gaara had changed so much from the young boy who once thought of himself as a monster.

Somewhere in the front, a person began clapping. Gaara blinked. Naruto blinked. One by one, the clapping grew louder, until, like a storm overtaking a small village, the clapping echoed across the entire clearing with a sound reminiscent of thunder. Chants could be heard mixed in with the claps. Cheers rang out. Naruto couldn't tell who was saying what, but the feelings coming from everyone were undeniable.

They were united as one.

XXXXXXXXXX

Everyone had their marching orders, and they would soon be moving out. The three regiments would travel together until they reached the Land of Fire's capital. Then they would branch off, going their separate ways to fight their separate battles. One regiment, a fourth, would remain behind at the capital. Their job was to provide backup should it be required.

All four regiments would be kept in constant contact with each other via the Intelligence Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces, which were being led by Inoichi Yamanaka. The Intelligence Division was in charge of keeping a communication line going. They did this with Chakra Transmission Devices, which were much more reliable than radio transmissions.

Naruto and his team would not be part of that chain of communication. They were going into the heart of the enemy territory. What's more, their opponent was Madara Uchiha. The chances of that man picking up chakra transmissions were, while seemingly inconceivable, not wholly impossible. In short, he and his team were going in blind.

It's a good thing I can hiraishin everyone to safety if need be.

Standing next to the boarding ramp, Naruto looked at Gaara, Mei, Tsunade, and the few others who were seeing him off. He had already exchanged several kisses. His lips were swollen, but he couldn't really complain about that.

"Good luck, Naruto." Gaara extended his hand. "I hope that the next time we meet, it will be after our inevitable victory."

Naruto grinned and took Gaara's hand. "Of course it will be! Who the hell do you take me for?! Madara won't know what hit him."

Gaara's smile, while not large, had a genuineness to it. "I'm sure of it. If you're the one fighting him, then his days are already numbered."

After Gaara's goodbye came Jiraiya's. He hopped around with a goofy grin and slapped Naruto on the shoulder. The sleeve of his missing arm wiggled. It was disturbing.

"Welp, I'll be seeing you in a few days, brat. Try not to miss me too much while you're out on your mission to save the world."

"Who'd miss a perverted old bastard like you?"

"How harsh! That's no way to speak to your sensei!"

After glaring at each other for several seconds, the two broke into similar smiles. Jiraiya pulled Naruto into a hug.

"Be careful. I know you're strong, but so is Madara. He's bound to have some tricks up his sleeve."

"I know. I'll be careful. Don't worry."

The last person to give him a goodbye was Tsunade. She didn't even say anything at first. She just pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. Naruto could actually feel his bones snapping from the strength of her grip.

"You be careful, okay brat?"

"R-right…"

"Don't be too reckless."

"O… okay…"

"And promise me you'll look after yourself!"

"C-can't breath…!"

"Oh, sorry!"

Tsunade let go of Naruto and stepped back. He glared at her, though there was no heat behind it. If he was honest with himself, Naruto did not want this moment to end. He wanted to stop time, to separate this moment from reality and remain there for an eternity, like this, with some of the people who mattered most. Time waited for no one, however, and so with a final wave and a grin, Naruto went up the boarding ramp.

He walked down the hall, his feet thunking against the wooden floor. He went up a flight of stairs. The last stairway opened into a large room. His companions were there. They greeted him with a smile—or an eye-smile, as the case was with Kakashi—and he returned their greetings with a bright grin before walking to the edge of a platform. Down below, sitting dutifully at their stations, was the bridge crew charged with piloting this zeppelin.

Naruto turned around. "Is everybody ready?"

He received a chorus of affirmatives and, with an ever-broadening grin, he turned around and pointed at the glass window several meters in front of him.

"Then let's go," he commanded as Yugito and Yugao came to stand on either side of him. "It's time for our mission, the one that will help end the war."

And bring peace to this land, he said, though not out loud.

As the zeppelin lifted off, Naruto wondered what would wait for him and the others in Mountain's Graveyard. Danger, certainly. An enemy of unknown strength, definitely. Even so, Naruto wasn't afraid. He had his friends standing beside him, two of the women he'd pledged himself to next to him, and an entire army standing at his back. With these factors, there was simply no way he could lose.

Watch out, "Madara." Your time has come.