Chapter Forty
Out Of Line
Day 10
Monday
"Uzumaki train their children from ages six to seventeen. By that age, they will be considered adults upon completion of the Seal of Legacy. Unlike other villages, we did not send our children to war in teams. One child would apprentice between the ages of twelve to seventeen, which may include combat situations but not in the way of other nations."
Haku listened as he meditated quietly. His shirt is off, exposing a lithe body with very little muscle; a very effeminate form that relied on speed and nimbleness compared to strength and durability of his peers. His pale smooth skin is coated in a light sheen of sweat, partly to do with his exercise and partly to do with the extreme heat baking the room like a sauna.
His hands are curved into each other in a position as if he was holding a medium sized sphere. I'm the middle is a swirling mass of chakra, spinning in an elliptic shape similar to a globe. It was drawing on a lot of energy just to maintain the shape and velocity of the chakra.
"Because you are starting late, we are having to compact the traditional age blocks to compensate. That means I am taking the ages of six to eight and nine to eleven and combining them. Six to eight focuses on chakra control and endurance, Fuinjutsu fundamentals, and physical conditioning. You will learn to maintain chakra formation and circulation while enduring various harsh conditions that will test the resilience of the body. Hot, cold, wet, and pain."
Thwack!
Haku bit his lip as a wooden pole struck his arm, causing his fingers to twitch. The chakra shape wavered only a bit but did not immediately fail. He was able to regain control and composure before losing it to the second hit.
Thwack!
"Fuinjutsu will come second or not at all as Uzumaki have all had the innate understanding and control to master the skill. You, however, will skip that. That will bring us to our second portion; offensive and defensive combat. From ages nine to eleven, we Uzumaki prepared our children with the basics to perform their duty as warriors of our clan."
Thwack!
Mito hit Haku on his back, checking for any weakness before moving on in her explanation.
"You are Yuki, so your control of Ice gives us an idea on what element to focus on. Your Wind will be perfect for nature element weapon infusion training, while your Water control can be explored to give you defense in weapon fighting. The Uzumaki believed in unity and family and with that we had instilled group training and cohesion tactics into our children. We will move onto drills and teamwork-focused training within the next few days."
Mito noticed the boy's hands shaking and raised her pole before bringing it down on the boy's wrist. A sharp intake of breath was all she heard and while his hand that was struck violently shook the chakra sphere remained relatively stable. She watched a few more moments before nodding her head.
"Take a breather."
Haku exhaled roughly and fell back in exhaustion, his chest rising with each desperate inhale of air. He laid his arm across his eyes and winced as his body ached from the beating while he recuperated from the prolonged chakra use. He barely acknowledged the sudden drop in temperature with a shiver, merely laying still.
He knew that when he asked Mito for advanced training that it would be beyond anything he has done before, but he expected it to be something similar to what Zabuza had him do. His former master had been the strongest person in his eyes, a role model of a shinobi, and his methods had been brutal in their own right. But what this woman was teaching him was of its own league!
The fact that an entire clan did this at the ages that most went to the academy for basic education made him realize just why they were feared. Even if this is accelerated, the methods themselves were very barbaric and dated - 'traditional' the woman calls it. It was a wonder why it took three nations to defeat a single clan even if they had their own isolated island.
"Drink," Mito commanded as she held out a cup with her traditional tea. "This will help in recovery. A special mixture my great grandmother developed."
Haku pushed himself up to a sitting position and grabbed the cup from her hands. He looked down to see a steaming cup of sludge that is typical of the woman's tea. That was another thing that he realized about her. She was very proud of her tea ceremonies and homemade blends.
Apparently her ex-husband, the First Hokage, had said it was the best.
Unsurprising that the man who controls Wood nature would love this mud.
Despite that thought, Haku tilted his head back and down the entire cup in one go. He didn't even grimace at the aftertaste or consistency as he had grown accustomed to it by now.
"You both drink too," Mito turned to the other side of the yard. "Take a break."
Jiraiya looked over as he and Tayuya paused in their training. The old Toad Sage had taken Tayuya under his wing when she had asked for it and has been training her in everything he knew. She had realized Haku was taking lessons from Mito and decided that she would get better as well and she would rather die for good than get trained by Naruto's bastard father.
The Sannin was more than willing to help her, mostly to occupy his mind and partly because he wanted a student where he would give his all. He wasn't much of a sensei, that much had been evident, but that was because he tried to educate his students like a parent or an uncle. He had never treated it like he was a teacher first and friend second; authority had never been at the forefront of his methods.
Now he could change that, and it will be through Tayuya that he will see if he was a truly great shinobi. To see if he was more than a spymaster and lecherous fool.
Haku chuckled as the two grabbed a cup and grimaced a bit at their cups. Not everyone had gotten used to Mito's tea but it was through no fault of their own. They are similar in many ways. I guess that's why they do so well together.
Haku set his cup to the side and sat forward to rest his arms on his knees. He opened his palms to look at the small calluses marked by the early stages of the chakra control training. It was volatile at first and if he lost control while maintaining the proper velocity he was faced with a violent backlash.
Seeing the marks made him realize how soft his hands had used to be. He assumed it had to be due to his use of senbon instead of kunai or other weapons. He never needed to build up calluses to protect him until now. It was weird to feel and see on his pale skin.
I wonder if Naruto would be bothered by it.
Then again, Naruto had not returned his flirting or feelings in the years they've survived in Hell. It was a moot thought to think about but it still crept up. He truly did love Naruto, finding him to be his most precious person, and that would not change whether he returned those feelings or not.
Even if his feelings were not returned, Haku would be there for Naruto no matter what. That was part of the reason why Stephen trusted him so much with His true identity. No matter if he became the Savior or the End, he will see it through and in the end of it he will have a smile.
Please hang in there, Naruto-kun. We will find you soon.
Minato landed in the clearing in a crouch, getting the attention of the others. He waved his hand quickly before patting down his clothes from their disheveled look. He now wore a burgundy long sleeve shirt and flexible black pants to fit in with the more Earth-modern style. Instead of his iconic haori, he now wore a long charcoal coat that reached down to his knees that had seals containing his fuin-kunai.
"Haku," he called the boy's name as he approached. "There's a girl named Velvette at the restaurant that says she needs to talk to you. Apparently some stuff is going down in the Entertainment District."
Haku raised an eyebrow before getting to his feet. "I'm sorry Mito-sama, but I will have to cut the training short today. I don't know what could have happened but I should still check it out to be sure it's nothing serious."
Mito nodded her head in understanding. "With Naruto gone, it is likely that some may take advantage of the power vacuum. Be careful."
Velvette tapped her fingers on the table as she waited for someone to come talk to her. Well, someone other than these disgusting pigs.
Said pigs were some confident Sinners that were intoxicated and were trying to flirt with her, horribly mind you. She has faced plenty of harassment while in Hell, especially in her early years before climbing to her current status as Overlord, and while it had lessened at this point it never truly ended. There is always that small number of bastards who think they will be the one to get in her pants.
Little do they know, my eyes are set on only one man. Read, one man. She had never found men very interesting, a living dildo but even then her collection of toys will get the job done better than any man. Women have always been the freakiest and most pleasing to see naked, and they can model her clothes better as well.
But she would be a liar if she said it was all men. No. No, men were not all disgusting slobs or overconfident pieces of shit. Naruto proved that by being himself. He was confident, but also humble. He was kind, but he could draw a line when needed. He was handsome, but not to unreal standards that most male models try to hold themselves to.
She had been keeping tabs on the blonde more ever since coming under his control. She made sure she knew everything about him whenever something new came up. Ignoring the group watch with Valentino and Vox of what happened during the Extermination; she knew when he left to go to the Prince of Gluttony's party (she was jealous!), she knew when it came out he was dating said Sin, and when he mated with a Goetia Princess.
She knows it may seem like it but it wasn't stalking- okay, maybe it was a little. But can she be blamed? She wanted a piece of the action! He is just too good to not want to be involved with in some way!
And he's got good taste in partners.
A Prince of Sin, a Goetia Princess, a whole building of desirable females and pretty boys. Oh, how she has had plenty of fantasies about the sinful orgies she would be involved in if she lived there.
"Velvette."
She looked up and smirked when she saw one of the prospective toys of Naruto's. "Haku."
The pretty boy sat in the chair across from her and pulled herself in. "I heard you needed to talk to one of us?"
Indeed she did.
She nodded her head. "Vox and Val know something happened to Naruto. They are planning to take over his places - the orphanages, this entire block around the restaurant, and to even appeal to the Salvatici family."
Haku narrowed his eyes as he listened. "Why aren't you joining them in these plans? Why snitch?"
Velvette didn't like the word he used but couldn't help but acknowledge it. "Because I am still bound, even if Naruto is not here. I also like the arrangement. Nothing has changed in the way I run my media and my company, all I do is answer to Naruto and he doesn't expect much from me."
Haku could read that there was more going on and decided he needed more information to go off of. "Tell me how you came to know what Vox and Val are planning."
Velvets nodded as she began to tell the beginning of her day when she had gone to the V Tower.
Hours ago…
"No, I want those photos in this week's magazine! Do you know how hard it was to steal a clone of our new strongest Overlord to do a photo shoot?!"
Velvette was yelling into her phone at one of her assistants that was in charge of releasing her fashion magazine. With ever changing trends, which she controlled in the Pride Ring and some others, she had it posting weekly with new clothes her company has designed. The usual models are used, some being Succubus that agreed to wear and pose for her, but she had done something different this time.
She had made the decision that for this week's clothes Naruto will model them and that required getting him to agree. Now, she could have been a normal businesswoman and approached the blonde with the request. Or, stay with her now; she kidnaps one of his clones and makes him agree to do a few outfits for her.
For a nearly insanely powerful individual, it was hard to do! Took a lot of pleading, humping, and bribing just to get five outfits done!
"Don't give me that shit, I want those pictures in the magazine even if you have to pull others!" Velvette rolled her eyes as she stopped outside the office she shared with the other Vees. "Just get it done or I will fill your position with someone else."
With that, she hung up and stuffed her phone in her bag as she pushed open the doors. "Yo, what do you oldies want? I was busy preparing next week's fashion!"
"Vel," Valentino smiled from his seat on the couch. "Vox has an idea, baby."
Vox was standing rigid, his screen face blue with "Standby…" on the surface. Static and buzzes can be heard from him while his body twitches occasionally.
"This better be a good one or I'm leaving," the fashionista scoffed as she plopped herself on her loveseat.
"T-t-t-there." Vox's voice buzzed as his screen waved and buzzed. "All done. Ah, you're finally here, Velvette."
"Yeah, before you, clearly," Velvette's snide remark made Vox's screen twitch. "What did you call me here for when I was preparing next week's fashion?"
Vox now grinned, no longer annoyed from her comments, and extended his arms out exuberantly. "We have a great opportunity to do what we want once more! Ever since we were tricked into serving Naruto, we have had to tone back our methods and step into line with the boy's ideas and methods."
Velvette slowly looked up from her phone as her fellow Overlord was speaking. "What are you getting at?"
"He's missing!" Vox shouted before connecting to the television in the room. "Watch!"
Immediately, the screen began playing what looked like a recording from one of the Vox drones. Velvette immediately noticed the people in the video; the first being Naruto, but he was talking to and embracing the Goetia Princess and the Prince of Gluttony herself. After a few words were spoken, Naruto exploded in a cloud of smoke, revealing himself as a clone.
"It was a clone," Valentino commented unimpressed.
"There's a ton of Naruto's clones all around the city!" Velvette was now angry again as she rounded a glare on Vox. "You wasted our time showing us one of his clones comforting his girlfriends?!"
Vox glared at her before pointing at the TV. "All of them are disappearing like this! Left, right and center! Something happened to him!"
Velvette now blinked owlishly as her eyes grew wide, even Valentino being surprised with that news. She couldn't believe what her partner in business was saying. Something happened to Naruto?
"But I still feel my deal," Valentino's comment got Vox and Velvette's attention. "So he's not gone for good. How long is it to say before he comes back?"
"That's why while we get our grip back on our territories without everyone being emboldened by the blonde prick, we find a way to get out of the deal." Vox stood up and paced around his chair slowly while spacing out. "We've made our fair share of deals. We know the process. There is always a loophole."
Valentino hummed agreeably before sitting back in his chair. "If I can get those pretty things under his roof into a deal for my studio, anything would be worth it to see his reaction."
"And if we can take where he gets his power, then he will be left with nothing. All of his deals we can take over." Vox had a sharp-toothed grin on his screen as he spoke.
Velvette narrowed her gaze before staring at her social media page left open on her phone. She should be supportive to be free from her own deal, right? No more having to listen to someone else, just go back to her old ways.
But why? Why when being under the sexy blonde's supervision has been so much more fun? A sexy model that has the ears of Hell's upper echelons, and a bunch of cute girls and boys at his beck and call. A Sinner who was passionate and humble, and a breath of fresh air in the sea of deceiving douchebags.
Was it really so bad being among one of Naruto's 'people'? He looked after you, cared about you for your character, and he didn't put up with bullshit. If you were good with him and others, he was good to you.
The only reason you would not want to fall in line is because you have your own agenda.
"And I just wasn't up for that." Velvette told Haku with a shrug. "Like it or not, Naruto will run the Entertainment District his way. Give him time, he'll gain control of the others too when he comes back."
Haku raised an eyebrow at that but he accepted the Overlord's words as truth for now. She didn't seem to be deceiving and everything she said fit together too well to be a complete lie. So it is possible that she is turning on her former partners all to get more on Naruto's good side and get her own privileges.
"Then I guess it is time to pay them a visit," Haku sighed and got to his feet before turning for the front entrance. "And to remind them that even without Naruto here there are still people looking after his interests."
Tsunade couldn't believe how quickly everything was escalating.
Turns out that the leaders of Akatsuki were the leaders of Amegakure, something Jiraiya had thought was possible. But it's been confirmed that the woman and Pain who attacked the village were also the major vision of the mercenary organization. However, now another force has taken the reins and nothing was leaving the Land of Rain.
What is surprising is the disappearances of all but Kumogakure's Jinchuuriki. While Pain attacked the village, Fu of Takigakure had been kidnapped from near the village's secret entrance. Her body was discarded five miles southwest from her home. No marks other than a few bruises from fighting back but those would not have taken her life.
The extraction of the Biju is the same as what happened to Gaara but not the same location. What type of method could release and pacify a Biju? Where did they contain it? Do each of them have a Biju now?
That was a horrifying thought for her. S-rank shinobi with the power of a Biju; the Five Villages would be hard pressed to combat something like that.
The information gained by Jiraiya from Amegakure has served a greater purpose to prepare for the events to come. The war to come.
"Lady Tsunade," Shizune opened the door after a moment. "The three you called for are here."
Tsunade nodded her head. "Bring them in."
With their stories verified and all of the useful information gathered without torture, Tsunade decided that she will give them the meeting they were asking for. She is of course talking about the former teammates of Sasuke who have escaped from Orochimaru's control. She was curious what they had to talk about and if the girl was really an Uzumaki.
If she can gauge their mentality and motivations, then she can get a good idea of what to do with them. Can she use them in the upcoming war? Or are they just a security risk?
The door opened once more and Shizune held it open for the three guests (prisoners). They walked in and bowed, the bespectacled girl being in the front; the Uzumaki, Tsunade guessed dryly.
"Thank you for seeing us, Hokage-sama," Karin thanked the older woman. "We appreciate you taking the time."
Tsunade nodded her head and motioned to the chairs in front of her. "Take a seat."
As the three obliged, she began toying with her papers and documents. She moved unimportant ones to the side while the more sensitive ones she flipped over and placed in a side drawer for later. The rest she needed for the upcoming topics.
"I'm going to bring up some quick facts to be confirmed with my own ears and after that we will move on to other things," she started and looked at a sheet of neatly typed paragraphs. "Say yes if it's correct and no if it's not, understood?"
The three nodded their heads.
"First, you were all once part of Orochimaru's hidden village?" Karin answered affirmatively. "And you escaped with Sasuke Uchiha to become mercenaries?"
Again, Karin answered yes.
"Each of you have unique abilities that made you priceless to my former teammate?"
Karin paused at the wording and each tilted her head side to side apprehensively. "Yes and no."
Tsunade wrote down a question mark near that paragraph for later. "You came to our village with Sasuke to target the leader of Akatsuki?"
"No."
That made Tsunade look up this time, and noticed that even her silent teammates were looking at Karin weird. "What do you mean, 'no'?"
"We did not come with the intent to target Pain but to stop the village from being destroyed," Karin answered smoothly and honestly. "While yes, Pain and his Paths were our target in the end, it was for the sole purpose of preventing the complete destruction of Konoha."
"Under whose orders?"
"Sasuke's."
Karin locked eyes with Tsunade and her eyebrows narrowed at the disbelieving look on the blonde woman's face. She knew the woman did not believe her and decided to keep her comments to herself. She could argue all day on how Sasuke changed from all those years ago when he defected from his home but that won't change anything.
"Right," Tsunade finally said before turning to her paper. "And you know of Akatsuki plans for the Biju?"
"Yes and no," Karin sighed and Tsunade wrote down a question mark.
Tsunade wrote another question mark before setting down her pen. "You were hesitant with your answer to the statement about your special abilities. Explain that first."
"While each of us have special techniques or attributes that make us unique among others in Orochimaru's village, we were not priceless as your report says." The way she said the word made Tsunade sit back and stare critically at the girl while she continued to talk. "Of us, only Sasuke was invaluable to our former master and that was because he intended to take over Sasuke's body eventually."
"For the Sharingan," Tsunade realized what the girl was leading to.
Karin nodded her head. "Each of us were just used so he could understand each of our abilities; my healing, Suigetsu's moisture control, and Jugo's natural control over senjutsu chakra. After that, we were merely lab rats in his eyes."
Tsunade nodded her head in understanding as she cupped her chin in thought. "And the statement on Akatsuki's plans?"
"We probably know as much or even less than you do," Karin shrugged her shoulders. "We haven't really been keeping tabs on them beyond the extent of finding Itachi. We know they have targeted Jinchuuriki for their Biju and that they are being extracted into something that the leader worshiped."
"Something Pain worshiped?" Tsunade repeated in confusion. "It must be something from the Sage to be able to contain multiple Biju. You know nothing about a plan?"
"Nope," Karin answered. "Told you, we don't know anything beyond trying to find Itachi for Sasuke's revenge."
"So my little brother was fixated on revenge until the end."