Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Naruto Dragon Champion ❯ Rewards Part 1 ( Chapter 30 )

Naruto The Twin Swords

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Naruto…

Chapter 25

Part 1

( ): Thoughts

((“ ”)): Holy Talon's voice

((( ))): Kyuubi's voice…

(((“ ”))): Death Fang's voice

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Konoha…

It had been weeks since the incident with Solana and the village was reaching the last stages of it's full recovery and many of the buildings that were wrecked were now rebuilt and the ninjas could breath a sigh of relief at the moment as this meant that they could now ease and rest a bit…even though defense was their primary priority. The village of Konoha now had some new features in it's design however….courtesy of one blonde Chuunin.

Naruto had created a number of statues of armored warriors near the gates and on the areas where access to Konoha could be found. The Statues were armed with metal weapons such as swords, shields, spears and bows with arrows….they however were NOT merely for the purpose of decoration. The statues were imbued with special enchantments that would protect Konoha from agents coming in with Chaos energy in their bodies. If they sensed that someone with Chaos energy, the statues would alert him and the other ninja and they would be the first line of defense for the village. They could also reinforce the ninja forces inside Konoha and since they could be rebuild and could regenerate using the elements of their construction which was metal and stone…they could maintain their form and be able to reassemble themselves when needed…freeing Naruto to fight with the other ninja forces of Konoha.

The golems had taken weeks of construction and hard work for Naruto but he was adamant in the defense of his village and worked hard to create the perfect golem guards with stone, metal, and more….many of the ninja were confused as to why he made them, but Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke, as well as Tsunade, Jiraiya, Iruka and Shizune were privy to the reasons why he constructed them in the first place and were the ones Naruto trusted when it involved the creation and purpose of the Golems…

Once they were done, they were stationed in key areas of defense for Konoha and were now permanent fixtures there….there were even a number of them protecting key areas in Konoha….such as the hospitals, living quarters, merchant districts, the Hyuuga estate, as well as the other noble houses of the village, the Hokage Monument, and naturally the Hokage Tower as there was no way Naruto would allow ANY agent of Death Fang access to the Tower to attack Tsunade for that matter.

Naruto had been growing in skill and ability, showing that his promotion to Chuunin was a very wise move in Tsunade's part and while he had grown up considerably in many ways….he still had his immature streak at times and kept up the spirits of those he was working with….there were even stories circulating that a number of Konoha Academy students would ask to have him as their future Jonin sensei. There were of course villagers who still disliked Naruto but that was not affecting him anymore and there were many more that consider him a good ninja to the village and his recent successes had made him more respected in the ninja forces of the village.

Naruto was currently on a C Ranked mission for the Daimyo of Fire Country to collect data on a new noble family house that was being established and if they were acceptable to be allies for the Fire Country. Naruto agreed and would be gone for at least a few weeks or so as he did his assignment. Tsunade was happy to see him taking much more interesting missions and he was able to put his growing skills to use….he had been able to use the Rasengan in it's normal form and he only reserved the fused Rasengan to special occasions and foes…

This left Konoha without their Dragon Champion, but his Golem guards were more than ready to hold the line and Naruto could easily call on Kael and fly back to Konoha to support it should another attack come out of nowhere to threaten the village. Tsunade was happy for the peace and quiet and the paperwork was done for the day and she could take a break.

As the blonde Hokage looked out to the village, her thoughts went back to Naruto and wondered how he was doing on his new mission. C ranked missions had some level of risk, that much she knew for a fact, but with Naruto's growing ninja skills, his maturity, and Holy Talon by his side, these missions would not be too hard for him to handle at the moment, also, even if it was dangerous….he could call on the power of the Kyuubi to aid him in battle….though how would Holy Talon react to the presence of the Kyuubi was something she had to be wary of at the moment. And she couldn't help but wonder how he would do without his team at this point and them, he and his team were quickly gaining fame at the moment.

She thought about Sakura and was happy that she was all right and was back to being her usual self and dedicated to her training as a Medic Nin…however, she thought about Sasuke and was a bit uneasy about the Uchiha….she knew for a fact from Jiraiya that Sasuke had been branded by the Cursed Seal Orochimaru had made and being attacked by the Magenkyo Sharingan of Itachi would have done things to Sasuke's mind….something was going to happen and soon….that much she could count on…

“Tsunade-sama?”

Tsunade turned and there was Sakura who was reporting in for duty at the moment, the pink haired Kunoichi was there for another round of training in what she could offer her, and the blonde Hokage had to admit that relations between Sakura and Naruto were improving well as they were certainly treating each other differently….Sakura's home managed to gain a pair of Golems as well to protect her and her family as Naruto personally saw to their creation for her sake and that of her family….the gesture was surprising and rather touching to Sakura as Naruto cared for her safety to assign her home and her family with their personal Golem body guards.

“Yes Sakura?”

“Has there been any work of Naruto-kun?”

Tsunade nodded and there was a letter that Naruto had sent a few days earlier and she had read it already and handed it to Sakura….who after reading it couldn't help but laugh a bit at the contents….it seemed that the noble family who he was investigating had hired a Cooking Ninja from the Land of Thunder to feed them on occasion and now they were reminding him of Chouji after a eating run…Naruto then wished the village well and all he cared about…

As soon as she read the letter, Sakura gave it back to Tsunade and they headed off to the training room in the Tower for Sakura's continuing training as a Medic Nin. As the two went there and Tsunade reviewed Sakura for the time being, the two wondered about how things were for Naruto….though they were not the only ones who were thinking about Naruto at the moment.

Several other women were thinking about Naruto and what he had become ever since he had grown to have Holy Talon as an ally and becoming a much more dedicated ninja at this time. And most of all they wanted to thank him for all he had done for them in their time of need….and they all directed their thoughts on what they intended to do to show Naruto how much they appreciate and care for him as a ninja and as someone that they care about…

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Far away…

“ACHOOOO!!!”

Naruto rubbed his nose for a minute and tried to check if he had any sinuses or cold…which was impossible…as far as he knew….he had never gotten sick before…Holy Talon heard that and the sword was surprised that his master sneezed when it had sensed to presence of a cold.

((“Master Naruto….you all right?”))

(Yeah….I think someone was talking about me or something.)

The Kyuubi naturally joined in the conversation as well.

(((That might be a good or bad thing….I just hope we get a decent enemy to fight….that Solana woman was mighty interesting….I should have joined in.)))

((“I suppose you would….after all, you relish combat a great deal…”))

(((And YOU don't?)))

((“Not when it's without purpose”))

(((I see…)))

(Calm down you two….we're still on duty here.)

“Naruto-san….are you all right?”

Naruto turned to the young boy who was the son of the family who he was investigating at the moment and he smiled back in reply.

“I'm fine….just had something annoy my nose for a minute.”

“Oh, I see….by the way….I've been hearing stories about you Naruto-san….is true you can summon….Dragons to aid you in battle…as well as armies?'

Naruto gave a slightly sheepish grin at the inquisitive young man and had to admit that his reputation was starting to get very high and while he found that to be very interesting at times, it could make things a little bit more distracting and things harder to accomplish, but he relished the challenges that was brought before him as it was a way to for him to improve and to grow….

“That's true….but I only resort to the if there is no other option….”

“Wow….can I see your sword?”

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In Orochimaru's lair…

“This evil blade….what can you tell me about your take on it's powers Kabuto?”

Orochimaru had been in a foul mood ever since being forced to find a new base of operations as the pain from his body from the beating he had received weeks to months before had not fully healed….no matter how many times he healed himself, the beating was still able to cause him pain. Faldren's blows to his body and his casual shattering of Kusanagi had severed to unnerve Orochimaru greatly despite how he tried to remain calm. Naruto had more than enough power to defeat him many times….and with his ability to meld the Rasengan with the powers given to him by Holy Talon….Naruto was proving to be more than a match for him. But this new information was certainly worth his attention. Kabuto recalled the kind of carnage Death Fang's minions could inflict on the village of Suna and how it was only with Naruto's intervention and that of the Konoha ninja that the village withstood the onslaught.

“It seems to have powers to equal Holy Talon and it is a living blade as well….equal to Holy Talon and from what I saw, it could very well be the key to equaling Naruto-kun and Holy Talon.”

“I see….I need to have time to think this over….have a number of our spies go out into the world and see if they can gather any and all information that they can find in order to locate this sword that you and the Sound Five have seen, this could be very useful for me and Sasuke-kun.”

“You have not changed your plans to take Sasuke-kun Orochimaru-sama?”

Orochimaru smiled at Kabuto evilly as he looked about and replied to his query at the moment. There were plenty of things for him to do at the moment and he needed to move to a new location in order to rest and recover carefully,. Sound Village was not becoming a safe place at the moment and with Kin on the side of Konoha, there was no doubt a chance that Konoha would deploy their ninjas to deal with them, and Suna would not be far behind as they know the truth that he was using them as mere tools to destroy Konoha completely. He knew that a combined Konoha and Suna strike team would be a problem….even more so if Naruto and Gaara were in the lead of that strike team.

“I have not….he will be mine yet Kabuto, and when I have him, I will finally have the Sharingan and then I will go out and claim Death Fang for my own….I will use both it and the Kusanagi to finally be the strongest and most powerful ninja in the world.”

Kabuto looked at Orochimaru at the moment and wondered on how this would come about….despite the fact that he was loyal to Orochimaru….he was not sure on how Death Fang would receive his master Orochimaru…would the sword allow him to be it's master?

“I understand that Orochimaru-sama….but what if that sword Death Fang would not recognize you as it's Master?”

Orochimaru however grinned and replied.

“I think I have the needed qualifications Kabuto….besides…I would like to have that sword before our…enemies in Akatsuki get their hands on it….I certainly would like it if a certain Uchiha would claim it.”

Kabuto nodded but he had no doubt in his mind that Akatsuki would eventually find out about Death Fang's existence at the moment.

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In a hidden base…

“So….are you sure about this information Itachi?”

Itachi nodded at that as he and Kisame were facing a figure hidden in shadow. And there were several others in the cave and it seemed that the others of Akatsuki were also in discussion in light of the discovery of Itachi and Kisame concerning the presence of Holy Talon.

“I am Pain-sama….this sword seemed to be a living blade with great intelligence and power….it's army were the ones who had attacked Suna at the time of our investigation of the situation there at the moment.”

“I see…I want you and Kisame to go out and see if this sword can be located…if this blade's power is as great as you say it is Itachi….then it could prove useful in the hunting of the other remaining Jinchuuriki…find the blade and if you can use it…take it.”

It was then that one of the shadows spoke in a very arrogant tone.

“Why should you send them? If that blade is real as they say it is…it should be in my hands!”

“Why would that be the case….you already have a weapon of your own….”

“You can never be short of weapons….”

Pain then spoke…

“Enough….Itachi….for the time being….you're hunt for the Kyuubi is delayed until we get more information concerning this blade known as Death Fang….find out all that you can and when you have more…or even the blade itself…then our hunt for the other Jinchuuriki can begin once more.”

“Hai…”

As Itachi and Kisame left….Itachi began to make some plans of his own concerning the sword…

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In Konoha….things were getting back to normal and routine news was being delivered to the village….highlighting the situation on the rest of the outside world….it seemed that there were no more brush fire incidents that required Konoha to act immediately when danger came into the fore. Tsunade took this carefully and made sure that despite the relative peace….the village would be ready for battle….the Hokage knew that sending Genin out of higher ranking missions that were not in their usual mission requirements was asking for too much danger for their lives…but she could do little at the moment and only hoped for the best.

Though she despised paper-work and all the duties of being a Hokage and having no free time for herself on occasion, she did find it nice to be in a position of power once in a while as she could use the authority she had to make the changes she deemed were needed to ensure that there would be less casualties in the ninja teams….she had every intention of having a medic nin attached to the ninja teams to make sure that their survival rates were going to be much better.

In her free time, she was able to train Sakura properly and after she had recovered after the kidnapping that she had been subjected to by the agents of Solana, Sakura was now showing a greater zeal in her training….which was starting to equal Naruto's own drive to succeed in what he puts his mind on and she couldn't help but feel that it would truly be a good thing as Naruto's influence on Sakura was very much positive. She couldn't help but think that Sakura's potential as a medic nin would truly make the pink haired Kunoichi a force to be reckoned with when her training was complete…couple that with the possible training she could get from Naruto on how to use her reserve of Dragon Fire for healing purposes, then Sakura would become a great medic nin someday.

Jiraiya was currently making a nuisance of himself on the women in the village at the moment and was currently out on his collection work for his latest novel and also keeping an eye on Akatsuki's movements…Jiraiya was a great ninja and was among the few she trusted with important matters despite his attitude at times.

Shizune had fully recovered from the ordeal of being kidnapped and was back to doing her duties and was currently out on a mission with several other Jonin for the village at the moment. She had been worried for Shizune's sake as she considered Shizune as one of the people she trusted greatly and deeply as well, and something of a daughter as she had been taking care of Shizune as much as Shizune was taking care of her….as despite her gambling habits and general disregard for Shizune's suggestions….the woman was her voice of reason and restraint and she made it a point not make Shizune worry too much about her.

Anko was back to her usual round of duties and was currently working on the soon to come Chuunin Exams for next year and she was fully recovered from the ordeal that she had undergone after being kidnapped by Solana's agents. The Jonin was back to being her tomboyish and hyperactive self and Tsunade admitted that Anko was like an adult female version of Naruto though before getting Holy Talon and growing up….Anko had far greater grey matter than Naruto previously did at the time. Though there was no doubt she would want to thank Naruto is some fashion for saving her life.

Kurenai was also fully recovered from the ordeal that she had gone through and was now back to leading her team into battle and their missions. The red eyed Jonin was one of the best Jonin they had despite being relatively new to the rank of Jonin…unlike the other Jonin at the moment. Kurenai also was taking the time to relax after the incident but there was no doubt that she felt that she owed Naruto her safety and life at the moment.

Hinata was fully recovered and for that the Hokage was thankful….apparently her crush on Naruto and the words of advice and courage that he gave her during the Chuunin Exams gave her the self confidence that she needed and the drive that she once lacked to be able to train harder….after she had recovered from being kidnapped by Solana's agents, Hinata was able to train again and still was the same young woman that she was before….though the Hokage had no doubt in her mind that she would want to find a way to repay Naruto for saving her life.

The same could be said for Ino…the young woman was happy to be free of Solana's grip at the moment and she was getting back to taking missions with her team and managing the flower shop owned by her family clan at the moment. Her family had been very happy that she had been rescued by Naruto and she was going to be all right….however, there was no doubt that Naruto's rescue of her from the captivity that she suffered in the hands of Solana and her agents made her want to pay Naruto back for saving her.

Kin was likewise fully recovered at the moment and was working with Zabuza and Haku at this time and she was also eager to thank Naruto in any possible way she could. She owed her new life to Naruto and after he rescued her yet again from being violated in some fashion by Solana's agents, she was eager for the chance to pay him back.

The same was in Ayame as well, as the daughter of Teuchi was eager for the chance to thank Naruto for all that he had done in saving her and the others at the time of the kidnapping that occurred, she had fully recovered and was back to being her cheerful self at the moment and she couldn't help but wish she could repay Naruto in some fashion.

Tenten was likewise in the same boat as the others and she was eager to pay Naruto back for saving her life…

And the same could be said for Temari….the blonde Hokage was well aware that Temari had an affection for the blonde ninja who had done a great deed in freeing her little brother Gaara and saving their home village of Suna from the Reapers…and she knew for a fact that sooner or later…she would make her move on Naruto and who knew what would be the results of that happening when the other women found out about that.

Tsunade couldn't help but sigh at the situation at the moment and wondered how Naruto would react if he knew that kind of situation he was in when it came to the women he had helped to rescue from Solana's trap. The good news was that no one else knew about this rather unique situation at the moment. However, it would have been a lie if she said that she was not interested in the chance to surprise Naruto and…well….have some fun of her own….after all she did like him a lot more than normal.

But how were they going to resolve this without any fists being thrown at one another….Kurenai looked at Hinata as a surrogate daughter and Hinata saw Kurenai as a mother figure….and if they fought one another, then that relationship would affect their team work and cohesion in the long run…and there were other things as well….if Naruto had any idea the kind of mess he was in with the women in his life….then who knew how he would take it?

This was going to take a lot of work….but she surely couldn't do it alone….she had to called them all together and get some things straightened out before the women were going to be at each other's throats and things were going to get really messy….that and it would be bad for Naruto's well being…the blonde Genin was a gentle and compassionate person and the thought of the people he cared about fighting one another would no doubt be shocking to him.

With that in mind…Tsunade decided to set up some ground rules and plans…if the women would be able to see the merits of these plans and accept them to avoid causing chaos and more into their lives, the village, and to the man in question, then all the better for everyone…of course….now was not the time for them to start entertaining ideas of having kids….not yet anyway.

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Days later…

In Naruto's case, he was busy reading all the needed paperwork…and at this point and time…he couldn't help but understand why Jiraiya was not keen on being Hokage, there was so much paper-work at times it was maddening….even he wondered how Tsunade could hold on to her sanity and keep working. But he knew that all this paperwork was the key to making sure that many things ran smoothly…business transactions, deals, alliances, and more…

As far as he had been able to find out…the noble family he was sent to investigate were all right and had no anomalies in their records or anything that would suggest that they were untrustworthy…that and Holy Talon telling him that these people were sincere was enough for him to write the letter to allow them to establish themselves to the Daimyo of the Fire Country.

As soon as he was done….all he had to do was wait for the letter that held the Daimyo's signature and his mission was complete….man he could not wait to get back home!!!

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In one of the hot springs in Konoha…

“I wonder why Tsunade-sama called us here….do you have any idea Sakura?”

Sakura shook her head at Tenten's question, and saw that the same question was in the eyes of Hinata, Ino, Kin, Ayame, and Temari as well….she had no idea why Tsunade was asking her to join in this as well.

As the group of young Kunoichi arrived…they were surprised to find Kurenai, Shizune, and Anko there as well….and the same could be said of the adults as Kurenai spoke to her adopted daughter.

“Hianta? What are you doing here? I thought you were busy training today.”

“I was….but I got a message from Hokage-sama to come here….w-why are you here Kurenai-sensei?”

“I was asked the same thing…as well as Anko, and Shizune>”

Anko and Shizune nodded and Sakura turned to Shizune.

“Do you have any idea why Tsunade-sama called us all here Shizune-san?”

Shizune shook her head and gave a very apologetic look.

“I'm sorry Sakura-san but Tsunade-sama has not told even me what is going on…I guess we'll find out why she called us all here soon enough.”

As they were there….Tsunade finally arrived and the blonde Hokage was happy that all of them were here at the moment and she spoke to them.

“All right…all of you are here, I want you all to relax for as long as you can….because what I am about to tell you all will be VERY difficult to swallow.”

As the women took of their clothes and were now in towels and relaxing in the springs, the Hokage watched as the tense atmosphere began to relax, but she knew for a good fact that the relaxation was not going to last very long and things were going to get really serious…and interesting in a few minutes….in fact….though it slightly grated on her nerves…she was actually looking forward to this.

She had ordered sake for herself, Shizune and Anko, while red wine for Kurenai, and then some cool tea for the others from the servers in the hot spring hotel they were in…as well as some food that suited the tastes of her companions at the moment…she wanted them to be fully relaxed before she would drop what would be the most scandalous thing ANYONE of them had ever heard of in their lives.

As soon as she was sure that the atmosphere was relaxed and all the food and drink were taken away…she spoke to the women before her at the moment.

“Now you're all wondering why I called you all here, am I correct?”

As the women nodded, she decided to speak.

“This little meeting has something to do with a certain blonde Chuunin who everyone here at the moment…including me for that matter has the hots for at the moment.”

It did not take long for the assembled Kunoichi to get the meaning of who that certain blonde Chuunin was and the results were fairly obvious as they all started blushing at the moment….reactions Tsunade knew to expect when it came to the blonde Chuunin in question as they all had different reasons. She continued from where she left off…

“Now I know that this is something that none of us are ready to talk about….but we have to be honest about this…Naruto has changed a great deal from the person we knew…add to the fact that we're all guilty of something…and that is seeing Naruto in the nude….am I right Anko, Shizune, Kurenai?”

All three women blushed bright red and Hinata couldn't help but look at her sensei with some considerable surprise as she had not expected this to occur. Tsunade saw that and spoke to both Hinata and Kurenai.

“Now you two….what happens is normal for women to go through so no need to get angry, and after all…both of you LIKED what you saw, or else you two would not have done it a second time.”

Both women blushed bright red at that and Tsunade continued…

“Now we need to discuss these things since I have no doubts in my mind that sooner or later….things are going to come to a point that we are going to start thinking about taking the relationship we each have with Naruto to the next level…and we all know what that next level is at the moment. The big problem is that if we take it to the next level with Naruto-kun and start arguing about it….then it will cause friction between one another….do you understand?”

The women thought about that and had to admit that Tsunade was telling the truth about that….

Tsunade saw that they were getting the idea and continued.

“Add to the fact that Naruto-kun is a kind hearted and gentle young man, passionate, brave, honest to a fault, loyal to his friends and loved ones, and utterly clueless when it comes to dealing with women…. But that is what makes it all the more fun when dealing with such men…there's a lot you can teach them.”

The women looked at the Hokage and couldn't help but be amazed at this more playful and open side top her personality….Tsunade knew that she was acting somewhat out of character…no doubt due to the sake at the moment and the fact that this was about Naruto….but she didn't mind at the moment as it helped her get ready for the soon to come bomb that she was going to blow up in the faces of the women before her.

“So….this is something we have to discuss….Naruto would be confused, sad, and angry if we start going after each other's throats at the thought of any of us getting intimate with him in more ways than one…though for the younger ones here….being out on a date with him is a good thing… However we must remember that Naruto would not like it if he is treated as a prize or something. After all he has gone through…he deserves happiness and love. And I know for a fact anyone here in this spring would try and give him that…but here's what I want to ask….”

Tsunade took a good gulp of the sake and knew that she was going to need the fortification for what she was going to say next.

“What would you say to the idea of sharing him?”

The other Kunoichi made only one reaction to Tsunade's suggestion.

“WHAT?!?!?!?!”

Tsunade was happy with the fact that she had taken a number of silence tags with her to the spring to make sure that the conversation was not heard by anyone at the moment….Kami only knew what would happen if that came out into Konoha.

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Naruto had just received the letter of approval from the Daimyo via ninja mail when he felt a MASSIVE sneeze coming and he barely had enough time to place the letter away before he gave a mighty sneeze and actually….

“ACHOOOOOOOO!!!!!”

Sneezed and used his reserve of Dragon Fire to shoot fire out his mouth and nose…startling the people who were in the house…thankfully Naruto was outside of the house when he got the letter and thus didn't burn down the house at all…he looked like a Dragon breathing fire from the mouth and nose…

Naruto shook himself and saw the burning tree outside and couldn't help but gasp.

(What the heck?!)

It was then that he could have sworn the Kyuubi was laughing at him and even Holy Talon was trying to stifle a chuckle at the moment…and the Kyuubi spoke.

(((Wow…that was some trick kit…somebody must be talking some really serious stuff about you at the moment….)))

((“I agree….I don't know what that was about but it seems to be very serious.”))

(Maybe….I wonder what they are talking about that involves me?)

Naruto had NO idea….

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Back in the hot-spring…

Tsunade knew that this was to be expected….but she was not going to back down and take back what she started as she looked at the very startled band of ninja women before her at the moment…all of them were blushing bright red and it was taking extreme effort for her to not join them in their current expression…

Hinata was amazingly the first to speak….which was against her normally shy and timid nature…

“H-H-Hokage-sama….are…are you being serious?!”

“I am Hinata-san….this is not something that is normally done at the moment, but I wanted you all here to listen and decide for yourselves whether you agree or not to what I have in mind.”

Sakura was flabbergasted that her master would be even suggesting such a thing?! But she would have to be a liar to say that there was not a single part of her mind that was entertaining that idea at the moment…but she was being objective here and she then spoke to her teacher.

“But Hokage-sama….such a thing is…well…unheard of!!!”

Temari was also at a loss for words in a moment or so….until she summoned her wits and spoke.

“It's not unheard of….there are instances that women do share a man….but that's not happened often….though I have to admit that it is….difficult to imagine.”

Tsunade then spoke to the others.

“I know it is hard…but we do care about Naruto don't we? And let`s not forget that Naruto is the kind of person who can really be the sweetest guy you would ever meet in this life….and here's a very serious truth….”

“We are ninja and when we take missions…there is a chance we might not come back from them. I know it is harsh….but that is a truth that none of us can run from….every mission we take when we are ninja will entail risks, and those said risks can be great and harsh, that is why we have to take what we can and hold it dear to us for the rest of our lives. And I'll be honest with you all….Naruto is a promising young man and there are very few like him in this world we live in…. “

The women became solemn at that and knew that there was truth in Tsunade's words to them about this matter. As ninja they had to be ready for anything and there was a chance that some of them might not make it back in time and so they had to be ready to take what they could and make it last for as long as they were able to do so. That was something that was true for them and since Tsunade had been alive for quite a while and had seen plenty over the years since she was alive, then she would know that what she said was very much true.

Tsunade however decided not to be a prophet of gloom all the while and spoke once more.

“Let's keep in mind however that we have to be sure we understand some things….first off…we can't just grab him every chance we get….we have to get his consent for this to work and even if this is probably a dream come true for most if not ALL men Naruto's age, he still has to be consenting…otherwise we'd end up merely using him…and if there is one thing we all can agree on….Naruto hates to be used like a tool by anyone. The second is that we have to not take things too far….and get carried away on this matter….we may be ninja but we are human after all and so is Naruto….let's not tire him out and make this hard for him….though that can actually make things very interesting for all of us.”

The women blushed at that and knew that she was speaking the truth on these matters at the moment and they each began to think on how to try this out with Naruto….if he was willing…

Tsunade then began to talk about how this can work out but they needed to see if Naruto would be comfortable with it first and as time passed some things were brought to the table that the Kunoichi discussed concerning Naruto and when it was nearly late in the night, the Kunoichi all agreed on their course of action and the only thing on their minds was how Naruto would react to this.

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On the way to Konoha…

Naruto was finished with his work and heading home to Konoha when he once more felt the need to sneeze and he was caught off guard and sneezed out…unleashing yet another burst of fire into the air like a Dragon….

“ACHOOOOOOO!!!!!”

As soon as he cleared his nose he shouted into the sky…

“DAMN IT!!!! STOP TALKING ABOUT ME ALREADY!!!!!”

--------

A day or two later…

Naruto moved on a leisurely pace back to Konoha as he munched on some food bars and took his time to get to his home village, his mission was successful and his pay was waiting for him back in the village and he couldn't help but feel that maybe things would look better once he got home and got the time to train again and get some much needed rest….

As he moved along he spotted a single crow flying ahead and thought nothing of it….until the Kyuubi spoke to him.

(((Kit….we've got company…)))

Naruto stopped and was instantly alert and stopped in the middle of the road and looked about….

“I see you have improved Naruto-kun.“

The crow landed before him and then transformed into someone he quickly recognized as well as the Kyuubi did as it growled in a deep and utterly feral fashion in Naruto's mind.

(((Uchiha!!!!! That accursed clan!!!!)))

--------

Naruto was surprised to see none other than Itachi Uchiha before him….he had a feeling that someone was tracking him and Holy Talon warned him of a familiar presence….however…he was not expecting Itachi of all people.

He drew Holy Talon out from the sheath and faced Itachi.

“What the heck are you doing here Itachi….come here to take me to your boss so you can have the Kyuubi?”

“No….I came here to talk…”

Naruto was wary….he recalled the last time he had an encounter with the Uchiha and it was NOT favorable to his mind in the very least.

“The last time you wanted to talk to me….you tried to kidnap me and take the Kyuubi out of my body, though how you were going to do that is something I don't want to know about. And I saw what you did to Sasuke in the hotel remember? What makes you think I'd be foolish enough to talk to you?”

Itachi looked at Naruto admitted that he had grown into a good ninja….befitting himself as the legacy of the Fourth Hokage and he was certainly someone to be respected for his abilities.

“Because I have met the only rival of your sword….I have met Death Fang.”

“WHAT?!”

Naruto was shocked and it took w while before he gripped Holy Talon and was even more wary at the moment of Itachi, he had no doubt this was a trick of Itachi to have him lower his guard at the moment.

“I don't believe you….”

((“Master Naruto….he is not lying….I can sense residual Chaos Energy on Itachi at this moment and I can sense that he does want to talk, and he is alone, I do not sense Itachi's companion anywhere….Itachi is alone at the moment.”))

(Are you sure?)

((“I am….besides…if he came here to capture you….he certainly has an odd way of doing it. We might as well find out what he wants to talk about and find out how he had found Death Fang.”))

Naruto thought it over slowly to weigh his options, he knew that Holy Talon would not lie to him at this point and time and if Itachi did want to capture him, he would have done so already, plus the fact that that shark faced Mist Swordsman Kisame is not with him at the moment told him that there was something else going on here.

From what he understood of Akatsuki from Jiraiya in a previous discussion, most of their members traveled in pairs in order to do their missions and they rarely operated in missions alone and while Itachi was no doubt able to handle things on his own, he would have Kisame along as he had sensed that the two were effective as a team. The blonde Chuunin decided to test the waters as he lowered his guard and sheathed Holy Talon.

“All right….Holy Talon tells me you're not lying….so talk already.”

Itachi nodded and showed his right arm and revealed the scars he got from trying to hold Death Fang's handle no less than five days ago. When he and Kisame had reported to the leader of Akatsuki, the one only known as Pain about the existence of the sword known as Death Fang, the leader had dispatched the two of them to seek out the sword to see if it could be of use for Akatsuki at the moment…and they left.

However, Itachi had other ideas concerning the sword and he and Kisame had been reassigned to seek out the sword in all the areas they could go to though they knew that it would be hard to find the sword's lair as there was no clue as to where it was at that point and time. However….on their last day of searching, they found it's lair deep in the borders of Bird, Wind, and Earth Country….deep within the mountains….it had been hard to locate the sword and when they had found it's lair…

Death Fang tested them.

“The sword that is Holy Talon's rival was beyond the boundaries of Earth, Bird, and Wind Country when we searched for it, we were ordered to put aside looking for you for the time being and focus on looking for this sword that would be the only rival of Holy Talon. We searched for days until we located it's lair…and it tested us greatly.”

“And you failed…why is it that Death Fang did not accept you Itachi? You slaughtered your entire clan and tortured your own brother….those two facts alone would have been enough for that evil blade to take you….but it rejected you, why is that?”

Itachi was silent as he looked at his wounded arm….the pain he had was not fully removed….no doubt a punishment placed on him by Death Fang for attempting to take it from it's place and use it for his own purposes….he had been shocked at how easily the sword had ripped through his mental shields and exposed what he truly planned at that moment and time and how the evil sword mocked him for thinking that he was going to claim it….and the dire warning the sword placed on him.

--------

Flashback…

The battle with the Reapers had proven to be one of the most difficulty….not that they were more powerful than Itachi and Kisame….but they were so tenacious and since they were technically spirits with temporary physical bodies….they could not be easily defeated for long as the two Akatsuki members fought their way through the cave and even when they were able to evade the Reapers that attacked them….their troubles were far from over…

Death Fang had placed a considerable number of traps and surprises in it's lair to test the ones who had come there to get him at the moment. Itachi and Kisame found out quickly that Death Fang's lair was a treasure trove of death and dismemberment as they barely avoided massive diamond spikes erupting from either the roof, the walls or the floor or even all three places at once….making it hard for them to move about. The traps were also different from one another such as shadows that literally came to life and attacked the two of them which Kisame was able to cut down with Samehada…

There were also sphere of ice that could freeze flesh to blocks in a moment and several of Kisame and Itachi's Kage Bushin were easily turned into frozen blocks as well…

Other traps included massive stone claws that lashed out and tried to crush them in their bloody grips, it was Itachi's agility that saved him…while Kisame's use of Samehada saved him as well….though the sword was not meant for this kind of situation as these beings were not made from chakra. Yet more traps included exploding clouds of acid and toxins that turned rock and metal into pools of liquid sludge, others also included powerful pillars of flame that would reduce everything to ash at a heart beat….and there were even traps that unleashed such a horrid smell that it utterly affected their senses and nearly lured them to their deaths…

And even stone warriors would arise from the very walls of the caverns they moved in to engage them….Kisame looked about and gave a slight growl.

“There seems to be no end to them!!! This is getting very annoying Itachi!”

“I know….the sword must want only the strongest to be it's master.”

The Reapers attacked with greater ferocity and Kisame couldn't help but feel a bit tested as the reapers were very tenacious and relished the chance to wound and kill the two of them and despite his sword skills, he couldn't help but admire the artful and deadly way the Reapers would move their Battle Scythes in both attack and defense and that made things for the Akatsuki duo even harder. Itachi tried to use his Magenkyo Sharingan to stun the incoming horde of Reapers….but to his horror….he finds out that since the Reapers are merely spirits given physical substance that was not the same as human bodies….

They were immune to the Genjutsu utilized by the Uchiha Clan and the Sharingan…forcing him to fight with physical force and combat jutsus than the Sharingan….he used the Amaterasu Flames to destroy a number of them but the Reapers cared little for loses and attacked… Kisame's sword strikes would have torn normal humans apart but the Reapers were not human at all and were blood thirsty as they continued to press the attack…they made it through and now found themselves in the heart of the lair of Death Fang….and to their surprise….after hours of dodging traps and more besides…there in the chamber were a contingent of Wraith Knights….armed with swords, axes and spears, all of which were made of bone…and Reapers were there as well…armed with their trade-mark Battle Scythes….

Amazingly….none of them warriors attacked and merely stood there….this made the two very wary and it was then that they heard a voice.

(((“Impressive…I am impressed with the two of you to have made it this far….but now we shall see how well you do here. Come….show me what you can do!!!”)))

The two got ready as the Wraith Knights and reapers attacked….Kisame and Itachi fought their hardest and even though Itachi was considered the greatest Uchiha prodigy…even he was tested to his limits as the Wraith Knights were unlike any foe he had fought in his life as they were already dead and he had to admit that unlike a certain Akatsuki duo…these Wraiths were not easily slain by even his fire techniques and the two of them had to be very careful…

(((“Good….you two might prove worthy….but I wonder….how long will you last….show me how far are you willing to go for power!!!!!”)))

“Itachi….get the sword!!!”

Itachi nodded and quickly moved past several Wraith Knights and reached Holy Talon's rival using the Bushin technique and he reached for the handle and gripped it…and in a moment, he wished he had not….

Death Fang's eye opened and it was the red eye of wrath as it glared at Itachi….

(((“UNHAND ME FOOL!!!!!!”)))

Arcs of pure energy were unleashed in that instant and quickly consumed Itachi's right arm and the pain he felt was unlike anything he had ever felt for the pain flooded not just his body….but his very mind and spirit.

“AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”