Naruto: Amongst the Whirling Tide Chapter 17

Hi all,

Here’s the next chapter. The battle in the Suna village continues, and Naruto heads out on a mission to hunt some pirates.

Chapter 17

A multitude of Konoha Shinobi rushed down the mountain and into the village, resembling a crashing wave on the shore. Meanwhile, small groups of Suna Shinobi launched long-range attacks in an attempt to take advantage of their descent. Former Hokages led the charge, expertly utilising the mountain as a protective barrier for their comrades. Massive rock pillars erupted from the mountain, intercepting the incoming projectiles.

As the group descended to the ground, they encountered the village’s unique terrain, causing them to split up and lose their cohesiveness. They dispersed, manoeuvring over and around the buildings, all with the common goal of overcoming any opposition on their way to the Kazekage's Tower.

The streets were strangely quiet as if the entire village had been abandoned. While this was partially true, with civilians already evacuated, the majority of Suna forces had strategically positioned themselves throughout the streets, preparing to ambush the invaders. The members of the puppet squad were deemed the most dangerous.

A Konoha Shinobi dashed through the streets, his heart pounding with adrenaline as he kept a sharp lookout for any enemy Shinobi. As a skilled sensor, he also used his ability to detect chakra signatures to locate the opposition. As he rounded a corner, a shadowy figure unexpectedly burst forth, entangling him with its limbs. When he tried to scream for help, he was quickly silenced by a third arm clamped over his mouth. The dreadful sound of wooden clacking reached his ears, filling him with dread as he realised the nature of his captor. Before he could react, a hail of swords pierced his body, putting an end to his struggle.

Suna, unlike the invaders, intended to kill without remorse.

The puppet squad did not have everything their way. The Azuma Squad, composed of the resurrected Shinobi, proved to be a more difficult adversary. Their bodies were stronger and more resilient, and any poisons that were released had no effect on them. As a result, several puppets were destroyed, leaving their users vulnerable to the invading force.

The Jonin Commander, Daisuke, stood atop the mountain, overlooking the village. From this vantage point, he surveyed the streets below, noting how the tide had shifted in their favour. The Suna opposition was crumbling under the weight of his army's overwhelming numbers. Daisuke weaved a series of hand signs, activating a sound-based communication jutsu as a means of speaking with his troops.

"Hokage one, two, and three, mobilise your forces and proceed directly to the tower to capture the Suna Council members. If at all possible, avoid fighting the Suna Shinobi on the ground."

Daisuke furrowed his brow as he continued to assess the situation. He realised that invading the village had been almost too easy, with far less resistance than he had anticipated. Although Suna could not compete with Konoha in terms of the number of Shinobi, it was still one of the five hidden villages.

"Sir!" a Shinobi appeared beside him, jolting him out of his contemplation.

"What is it?" Daisuke inquired, noticing his panicked expression.

"There is an enemy force approaching the village. They will arrive in about a minute."

“What?”

He hurried back to the opposite side of the mountain, giving him a view of the desert that surrounded the village. He noticed the group approaching their location. Among them was a small figure soaring through the air, which he instantly recognised as the Third Tsuchikage. He was accompanied by about two hundred Iwa Shinobis.

"Damn it," Daisuke swore. "How did Iwa learn about our plans to invade Suna?"

One of his subordinates standing nearby spoke up. "Perhaps Danzo's speech in Hokage Square alerted an Iwa spy, who returned to Iwa to inform the Tsuchikage?"

"Unlikely," Daisuke replied. "We were keeping an eye on the Iwa border for anyone travelling from Konoha."

"What are we going to do?" Spook inquired.

Daisuke used his communication jutsu once more to address the entire army. "Any Shinobi who are not currently engaged in combat, please return to the mountain's summit.  We are expecting visitors. Hokage two, join us as well."

After hearing the commander's orders, Tobirama turned away from the tower and retraced his steps through the village.

"This body blindly obeys orders," he grumbled. "Why on earth did I ever create this jutsu? I must have been inebriated at the time."

When he returned to the commander and the other Shinobi on the mountaintop, the enemy forces had just arrived and engaged the army.

As he watched, he noticed an elderly man soaring through the air, unleashing a powerful dust release on a group of Konoha Shinobi. The mountain was being eroded as the attack vanished everything it touched. He could feel the man's vast chakra reserves, which matched his own in size when he had been alive.

"That ancient relic is still around, and his chakra is still as potent as ever.”

It was unusual for a Shinobi to live to the age of Onoki, as their profession did not typically allow for a long life. But the Third Tsuchikage had lived through all three world wars. Although a Shinobi's body slowed with age, it did not matter to the Third Tsuchikage, who could propel himself through the air and attack from a great distance.

"I am curious if his dust release will be able to free me from this edo tensei," he pondered. "It is too bad I am ordered to go all out; otherwise, I could have just stood there and taken the attack to find out."

The commander, upon spotting Tobirama, issued a command to engage the Third Tsuchikage.

“As if I am a match for him with my abilities restricted.”

He rushed to confront the Third Tsuchikage despite his protests. An Iwa Shinobi attempted to obstruct his progress but was quickly caught in a powerful genjutsu. The shinobi was rendered blind by the powerful illusion. Tobirama summoned a razor-sharp waterblade and slashed the man as he darted past, causing him to crumple to the ground in a pool of blood.

Tobirama teleported and appeared next to the Third Tsuchikage. He had seeded the area with his kunai when he passed through here. It was not as effective as the Fourth Hokage's version because he could only mark a limited number of locations and could not travel long distances.

"Who the hell are you?" The Third Tsuchikage roared. He flew into the air after avoiding Tobirama's blade slash. "The Fourth Hokage? Impossible!”

“You are a couple of Hokage’s off, Onoki,” Tobirama replied.

He performed a long sequence of hand signs. A huge water dragon appeared and flew into the air to attack the man.

“Tobirama!” The Third Tsuchikage yelled. He pushed his hands forward and let out another dust release.

As the two Jutsu collided, a massive explosion erupted. The dragon vanished as the dust release obliterated the water.  The sheer force of the impact created a powerful shockwave that sent the man hurtling backwards through the air.

"It’s exactly as you say," Tobirama stated. "Danzo, against my wishes, is Edo Tensei to resurrect dead Shinobi. Even the first and third Hokage are being forced to partake in this invasion."

“What about the Fourth Hokage?”

"He is not present."

Upon noticing the Third Tsuchikage's proximity to one of his kunai, Tobirama swiftly teleported to that location.

He summoned another Water Dragon and attacked the Third's back, but the man reacted quickly and released another dust release to counter the attack.

"At least that is something," Onoki grumbled. "I could not stand it if that bastard was also here. Compared to his technique, yours isn’t that troublesome at all.”

"I feel really underappreciated," Tobirama lamented. "The fourth shamelessly appropriated my original technique and elevated it to new heights. If only I had been granted more time, I could have done the same."

"You are the one who created Edo Tensei," Tsuchikage snarled. "Do not expect me to compliment you on that."

"There are things that can't be changed, even if I wanted to.”

"I need backup," Tuchikage called to his subordinates. "Create a net around him to reduce the effectiveness of his flying raijin technique."

"I will help, grandfather," Kurotsuchi yelled as she finished off her opponent and ran up to join him.

"No, you must not engage him," Onoki yelled. "I am not going to lose another precious person to Konoha scum."

"I have come to fight, old man," Kurosuchi retorted. "Do not look down on me."

"I feel like our village's prestige is being called into question," Tobirama sighed.

Onoki summoned dozens of rock clones and, together with his subordinates, encircled him. Tobirama was able to free himself from the entanglement, but he was ordered to eliminate the Third Tsuchikage, so he couldn’t stray too far. Furthermore, by attracting a large number of Iwa Shinobi, he relieved the pressure that his comrades were experiencing. He may be here against his will, but he was not going to let his village suffer defeat.

"The cunning old bastard," Tobirama muttered. "This is a similar tactic to the one that caused my death in the first place."

Tobirama, on the other hand, began teleporting around the area, taking out as many Shinobi as he could. He spammed several powerful water-release jutsu since he did not have to worry about running out of chakra. He could not help but lament the fact that he did not have these chakra reserves back then, or he might still be alive today.

Despite his efforts, the rest of the battle was going badly, with the other Konoha Shinobi being overwhelmed. Only about a hundred Shinobi had returned to the mountaintop to fight the two hundred Iwa Shinobi, and they were losing ground. They could only compete because of the presence of several Akuma Squad members who were indefatigable. If this trend continued, their strong position would be jeopardised, and they could lose to the combined forces of Suna and Iwa.

While he was fighting, he continued to analyse the situation, searching for a way to change things in their favour. He finally noticed how Onoki hovered protectively over his granddaughter. If he could capture her, he would have an advantage that he could use.

He teleported to her location but had to dodge as another dust release obliterated the ground. It seemed that Onoki had anticipated his move. Kurotsuchi retaliated by launching a searing ball of lava towards him. Reacting swiftly, he conjured a water screen to shield himself. The protective screen burst into a billow of steam, momentarily blurring his vision but saving him from the molten lava. He leapt backwards as another assault obliterated the ground he had just occupied.

"Do you think you could hurt my granddaughter, Tobirama?" Onoki yelled.

“Always be on the lookout for any tactical advantage in a battle,” Tobirama advised.

Onoki snorted. "Are you trying to teach this old man how to fight a battle? I have got more experience than you."

Tobirama teleported to nearby kunai to avoid Onoki and Kurotsuchi's jutsu barrage. However, the surrounding Shinobi had figured out his strategy and positioned themselves next to the kunai he had placed. As a result, he was nearly hit on several occasions when he teleported to them.

“What is taking so long, Hokage Two?” Daisuke shouted. The commander was with a group of his comrades as they resisted a furious assault from the Iwa Shinobi.

“Why don’t you try and take on this troublesome pair?" Tobirama snarled.

A sudden shout had him looking in the direction of the village. The rest of the Akuma team, including the two Hokage, were returning.

“Iwa Shinobi, we are leaving!” Onoki shouted, grabbing his daughter and propelling her through the air. “We have seen enough from the Konoha rats. Take care of your comrades as you withdraw."

The Iwa Shinobi abandoned their opponents and retreated towards the mountain's edge. To facilitate their escape, several rock spears suddenly emerged from the ground and attacked their pursuers.

"Let them go," Diasuke commanded. "They are not today's target."

He turned as Hokage One and Three arrived next to him. “What is going on? Have you already captured the Suna Council?”

"They were not there," Hiruzen replied. "It seems they must have escaped along with the civilians. Additionally, they have taken their valuable equipment, books, and scrolls from the repository."

“How did they escape?” Daisuke frowned. “We have had someone watching the village, and we know where the escape tunnels are located. Were they checked?”

“They weren’t used,” Hashirama said. “They must have had another escape route.”

Daisuke bit his lower lip as he pondered the possibilities, and his eyes widened in realisation. He turned in the direction of where the Iwa Shinobi had retreated. Had the two villages been working together all along? Iwa were well-known for their Earth Release skills and tunnelling abilities. Had they created an escape tunnel for Suna? But how did they reach Iwa so quickly, and why did the Third Tsuhikage agree to such an arrangement? He must be missing something.

Iwa wasn’t here to stop them. They may have been content to inflict as much damage on Konoha as they could, but their true goal had been to buy time for Suna to flee. As well as gathering useful information about Konoha’s forces.

"Collect all the dead or captured Suna Shinobi," Daisuke ordered his army. “And search the village for any hidden entrances they used to escape the village.”

“It’s probably too late,” Spook commented. “They would have collapsed the tunnels behind them at this point.”

“I don’t care,” Daisuke said. “I want to confirm it. We need any and all information we can get to pass on to the Hokage."

“What are you going to do to the village after that?” Hiruzen asked.

“We will burn the village to the ground,” Daisuke replied. “They won’t have a home to return to once we have finished with it.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==

One day earlier

Chiyo looked around at the squabbling Suna Council members with a downturned mouth. In the best of times, the old fools were stubborn, but in a crisis, they were downright contradictory.

"We need to fortify our defences," one of the elders exclaimed. "I do not think Danzo will wait much longer before marching an army against us."

"You must be joking, right?" exclaimed another. "Are you forgetting that Konoha is short on manpower? They suffered losses in the invasion, just like we did, and do not forget about the Shinobi who defected from the village."

Ebizo, her brother, leaned in and whispered in her ear. “This is getting us nowhere. We have been here for hours and are still discussing the same thing."

Ebizo's face appeared tired, his sunken eyes hidden behind wrinkled folds of flesh.

“They need to vent,” Chiyo replied. "I am not sure why we are here because they are not interested in hearing our suggestions."

A yellow flash illuminated the room, and Chiyo shielded her eyes. When she looked up, she was surprised to see something completely unexpected. Minato Namikaze stood on the table.

"What is the Fourth Hokage doing here?" Someone cried. “He is supposed to be dead.”

“Yo!” Minato waved. He raised his hands as the members reacted quickly, preparing to attack the intruder. “I come in peace. I have an important message for you."

"How come you are still alive?" Chiyo's eyes narrowed as he examined him closely and noticed some anomalies. “You are not the real Minato.”

Minato hopped down from the table and took a seat. All of the members seated nearby quickly rose to their feet and moved away from him.

“You are correct,” Minato answered. "In a nutshell, Danzo is working with Orochimaru, and I have been resurrected with Edo Tensei. I managed to escape his control, and now here I am.”

He rendered the council members speechless. Chiyo and Ebizo exchanged glances, both recognising the implications of Minato's words. If this were true, Danzo would have gone beyond simply resurrecting the Fourth Hokage. That meant Konoha could quickly gather the forces needed to invade them.

The other members were slower to realise this, but when they did, they reacted poorly. They dissolved into a panicked mob, shouting over each other and completely ignoring the presence of the Fourth Hokage.

“Silence!” Enizo yelled, and the room fell silent. For an old man, he had a strong and commanding voice.

“Thank you, little brother,” Chiyo said. She turned to address Minato. "I had no idea the old warhorse was capable of such tactics. But why are you here? Are you here to forewarn us?"

“That’s right,” Minato said. “You do not have the Shinobi to resist Konoha’s army. I suggest that you take your civilians and abandon the village.”

"Do you think we are pathetic cowards?" Silas asked. He was a seasoned Shinobi with plenty of experience and bravery. "Even though she is a harsh mistress, we have learned to adapt to the desert. This is our home. We are not going to simply abandon it.”

Some of the members appeared to be scared. They did not seem to agree with what he was saying.

"You have the option of staying and fighting," Minato said. "But keep in mind that any Suna Shinobi who dies will be added to the ranks of the Konoha army. Your opposition will only serve to strengthen Konoha."

Chiyo tucked her hand beneath her chin. "Have you had any contact with Jiraiya and the other defectors?"

"That is correct," Minato replied. "I went in search of my son. I also noticed the three Suna siblings there. They are settling in well in the new village, despite their concerns about Suna."

“That is a relief." Chiyo smiled. "Now tell me how you can assist us. Are you going to use your technique to help us escape?"

"I am afraid my flying raijin technique is restricted in this body," Minato sighed. "I can only teleport myself over long distances."

"Do you have any other suggestions?"

Minato shook his head. "You might have enough time before the army arrives if you evacuate now."

The council spent the next hour debating the issue. They did not have much time to argue because they were pressed for time. Just as Chiyo was about to put her foot down, a Shinobi knocked on the door with a message from Iwa. She unrolled the scroll and read the contents.

"We might have another option," Chiyo said as she lowered the scroll. "One in which we can maintain our pride while also ensuring the safety of our citizens. We will give Konoha a sting in the side; they soon won’t forget for daring to invade us."

Minato blinked. He was too polite to point out the hypocrisy in those words.

==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Minato had returned from the Land of Wind a few days before, reporting the destruction of Suna. The village had fled through an escape tunnel built by Iwa and was now in an unknown location. They did not tell him about their plans, but he suspected they were occupying one of the Suna outposts bordering Iwa. The Konoha Shinobi had returned to their village, with fewer recruits than they would have liked.

Naruto spent more time with his father, and it was wonderful to hear stories about him and his mother. Minato was visibly uncomfortable because Kushina insisted on staying by Naruto’s side. He did participate in their training sessions and even offered suggestions based on his experience as a sensei. Kushina had unlocked her chakra and was already working on improving her chakra control. Aside from that, she was learning the fundamentals of taijutsu and weapons training. She approached everything with zeal and became easily frustrated when she did not immediately master something.

Kushina hurled a kunai at the target. When the kunai bounced off it and the girl yelled angrily, Naruto grinned.

"She reminds me so much of your mother; it is uncanny," Minato said from beside him.

"They are two completely different people," Naruto replied. "They will have different life experiences. I am going to make sure she doesn’t end up dying like my mother.”

"How come you named her Kushina if she is such a different person?"

Naruto grimaced. "I made a mistake there. But I was so taken with her appearance that I started calling her that. By the time I considered changing it, she had grown accustomed to it and would not respond to anything else."

"Are you planning to join the mission out at sea today?" Minato asked, changing the subject.

“Of course. I am going stir crazy on this island and I am craving some adventure.”

Last night, the first pirate subjugation missions were posted on the board. Naruto had hurried to sign up with some of the other Genin. They would send out two ships at the same time to hunt for pirates off the coast of the Land of Fire. Each ship would be made up of a mix of Chunin, Genin, and a Jonin.

Since Kiri residents joined the village, competition for available spots has been fierce. However, knowing the village's leader had its advantages.

Jiraiya and Mei were now the official leaders of the village, and they had assembled a small council of prominent Shinobi. There was also a civilian on the council to represent civilian interests.

The Shinobi system had been restored, but there were some differences from the standard system used by the hidden villages. It was more flexible than holding a Chunin exam for several individuals. Once you had earned a chance for a promotion through completing missions and conducting yourself well, you would be tested personally by one of the two leaders.

Naruto and the other Genin could advance to Chunin if they wanted to, and the upcoming mission would help them get there. They would not be done with the mission until they found and conquered a pirate ship.

"I wish I could accompany you," Minato sighed. "Jiraiya has been pressuring me to assist with village organisation because I have some experience with the subject."

"It is probably for the best," Naruto said. "Even with your abilities restricted, you are still far too powerful. It will leave us with nothing to do."

“It’s about time you headed out,” Minato said, looking up at the sun’s position in the sky. "I will take care of Kushina for you."

“Alright,” Naruto nodded.

He said his goodbyes to Kushina before heading to his tent. He changed into his outfit and double-checked his supplies. They could be at sea for several days or more, depending on how long it took to locate a pirate ship. The village provided plenty of supplies for the Shinobi, but it was prudent to be cautious.

He noticed that several people had already arrived as he approached the stairs leading to the underground cave.

"It is great to see you joining the mission, Naruto." Gai gave him a thumbs up. "I hope you are on board my ship. With our youthful enthusiasm, we can destroy the pirates."

"Sounds like a good time," Naruto said. “When will Lee be returning to active service?”

“Soon enough. Tsunade is a miracle worker. He is already doing some light training."

"Awesome." Naruto cast a glance to the side and noticed the three Suna siblings standing alone, their faces solemn.

"Are you also taking part in the mission?" Naruto asked, walking up to them.

"We need to release some pent-up stress," Temari replied. "Beating up some pirates sounds like the ideal solution."

"Well, we have the right kunoichi if we ever need a breeze in our sail." Naruto teased. When they did not laugh at his joke, he became serious. "Suna can be rebuilt. Anything is possible as long as you still have the people to occupy it."

“Optimistic as always, Uzumaki,” Gaara said.

"You could always persuade the other Suna residents to join our village," Naruto suggested. “The only issue is getting them here undetected."

"I do not think most of them would go for it," Kankuro scoffed. "But, as you mentioned, it is too difficult to get them here. Gaara approached your father and asked if he could do it."

Naruto looked at Gaara, surprised. Was he showing concern for his fellow villagers, whom he used to despise?

“Then there is only one thing for it,” Naruto said, grinning. “I will get my father to teach me the flying raijin technique. I won’t have any restrictions like my father does.”

“I don’t think it would be as easy as you think,” Temari said.

“I can do anything,” Naruto said. “Believe it!”

The rest of the Shinobi participating in the mission arrived, and they were separated into two groups. Gai got his wish and Naruto joined his team. The Genin with them included Sakura, Neji, Choji, Shikamaru, Temari, and Gaara. Most of them should have been Chunin by now, so it rankled that they were still stuck as Genin. There were some Kiri Genin as well, but Hikari was not one of them. Hinata was also absent, which disappointed him. She was working on something with her father.

They descended down to the underground cave, where the ships were docked at the pier. When he boarded the ship, he was greeted by the captain.

“Yusuke,” Naruto exclaimed. “You're taking part in this mission?”

Yusuke grinned and slapped him on the back. “It’s up to us civilians to pilot the ship. None of the Shinobi can run a ship worth a damn. You should learn to pilot a ship. It’s in your blood.”

“Maybe you can show me a few pointers along the way,” Naruto said. “It’s going to be pretty boring otherwise. What is the village paying you this time?”

"Of course, Ryo for me," Yusuke replied, looking around at his crew. "But it is different for them. They want to settle down in your village, along with their families.”

Naruto gave a nod. "A successful village primarily consists of ordinary citizens, but our numbers are too few. Are they aware that they will be restricted from leaving the island for the foreseeable future? We can’t let it get out that there are people living on the island."

"They do not mind if there are restrictions," Yusuke said, leading him over to the rudder so he could steer the ship out of the cave. "They want to find a safe place to live that is free of bandits and other criminals who take advantage of their inability to fight back."

Naruto winced. He remembered Hisashi's observations on how ordinary citizens were sacrificed and made to suffer hardships, so they had to rely on Shinobi to solve their problems. Most of them would likely seize the opportunity to reside on an island that ensured their anonymity and safety.

The ships embarked on the open sea, piercing through the dense fog surrounding the island and skillfully navigating the treacherous whirlpools that lay beyond. To maximise their search area, the ships set off in opposite directions, with Naruto’s ship charting a course to the southwest.

Naruto raised his head to bask in the warmth of the sun and breathed in the invigorating scent of the salty sea. There was something about being out on the open water that brought him a sense of serenity as if all his troubles had vanished into thin air.

They travelled for the entire day without encountering anything of note. Naruto spent his time between having a go at steering the ship and lightly sparring with the other Genin. They had to stop when Gaara got a little too enthusiastic.

The following day, it looked like it would be the same as yesterday. But that changed around midday when a cry came from the sailor looking out on the topmast.

“Ship ahoy! It is flying a black flag. It's turning in our direction.”

"It appears that we have discovered a pirate ship," Yusuke grinned. He held a telescope up to his eye and watched the ship sail towards them. "It’s moving at a breakneck pace! It’s powered by an internal combustion engine!"

“Gather around,” Gai said from the centre of the deck, looking unusually serious. Naruto joined the others in listening to the Jonin speak. "As soon as we engage the pirates, things will become chaotic. These are not good people; they pillage, rape, and murder people with impunity. So do not be afraid to take them out. They will not hesitate to do the same."

“Will there be many Shinobi among their numbers?” Naruto asked.

"Given the size and speed of the ship, I would say they are very successful at what they do. There will most likely be several Shinobi at the very least," Yusuke said. "If at all possible, avoid causing damage to their ship. It will be a great addition to our fleet."

"You heard him," Gai stated. "Take your positions and brace yourself for their arrival. That is when we unleash hell on these villains. Show me all of your youthful prowess!"

Naruto took up a position next to Gaara, who was looking particularly bloodthirsty. His gourd was open, and sand was pouring out onto the deck.

"Do not get so caught up in your rage that you attack one of our own," Naruto cautioned.

"I know what to do," Gaara said irritably.

“And take care of your sister—”

“I can take care of myself,” Temari interrupted him from Gaara’s other side.

“Or Shikamaru may upstage you and do it himself,” Naruto joked.

Seeing Gaara's menacing expression, he immediately ceased his playful banter.

With a hiss and a roar, the ship arrived, showering Naruto with a splatter of sea spray. It loomed before them, its massive size double that of their own vessel, cloaked in a daunting black hue. From beneath its deck, numerous cannons were visible, pointed menacingly in their direction. However, the pirates seemed uninterested in employing them. Drawing near, several pirates hurled hooks adorned with ropes, securing them to their boat.

Naruto braced himself as the first pirate dashed across the rope bridge. A massive sand hand appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the pirate, lifting him into the air. When the hand was squeezed, the pirate exploded, releasing a fountain of blood.

Naruto touched his cheek where the blood had splattered it. "Damn it, Gaara. Don’t be so messy.”

So, what do you think? Naruto battles with the pirates in the next chapter, but an unexpected arrival makes things even more dangerous.

Thanks for reading.