(Land of Fire)
Mangetsu carefully walked through the dense forests of the Land of Fire, even if he was surrounded by his fellow swordsmen and the rest of the 501st- he still didn't want to let his guard down for a second. Certainly not after they had lost 30 of their men in that ambush at Nagi Island two days ago.
They had survived the conflict when the enemy had mysteriously vanished making Mangetsu and his comrades believe that there was an ulterior motive behind the attack, one that wasn't known to them.
That incident had also led to another disturbing outcome.
Their once calm and reliable General had barely spoken more than a few necessary orders ever since they left Nagi Island. Even when the linked up with their escort group from Konoha led by Hiro Hyuga-the head of the prestigious clan, the blonde had merely exchanged a simple nod and a brief greeting before asking the man to hurry up in escorting them to the Leaf.
All the while he had never once spoken to Tobirama and had actually gone to great lengths to maintain a distance from the Senju whereas previously they both were on friendly terms.
"Something's not right" he whispered,
"Keep quiet. Whatever it is, the General doesn't want us to know" warned Haku, having personally witnessed some of that wrath not very long ago.
"We could be walking into a trap" he suggested, earning a glare from his childhood friend.
"Shut your conspiracy theories. Konoha needs allies just like we do" denied Haku,
"Treachery is a shinobi's main weapon, Haku. We are not the Samurai" warned Kisame with a crooked smile,
"He's right. All bets are off if the tree huggers try something funny" promised Ameyuri with a grin,
"That's more like it. My blade's been itching for some fun" said Zabuza with an evil smile, making one of the Konoha Jounin to back away from the infamous Swordsmen.
"You do remember we are here to sign a peace treaty? Not start another war!" deadpanned Jinpachi, making Zabuza's eyebrows twitch in annoyance and the others to chuckle.
They stopped their conversation when Naruto glanced back at them and while he didn't say anything, the look in his eye made it perfectly clear that he didn't appreciate such statements being made publicly, especially when the Konoha ninjas were nearby.
The 501st was strong but they were entering the lion's den and it was better not to poke the beast.
Tobirama hesitantly glanced at his son who solemnly walked in the front, away from everyone else in their large group. He could feel the turmoil raging deep within the boy's heart ever since the events of Nagi Island. Seeing his brother like that and learning the dark truth of the past had shaken him. The fact that Uzu continued using the ones closest to him like Kushina despite his wishes in order to protect its self interest or that of its Kage had rattled his trust.
He may have told Nagato that the village still mattered over anything else, but Tobirama had seen the heartbreak in those eyes.
This was a man who lost his family, friends, his future and sacrificed even his memory for the sake of his village's future.
Only to be betrayed again and again.
His son was strong and a true ninja but there were limits to what a man could endure, it was what made the Hokage nervous. The way in which Madara seemed so interested in the boy and was so sure of the future.
It was the second instance when the traitorous Uchiha leader had met Naruto in battle and hand't killed the boy despite him choosing to oppose his plans.
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The Seventh Swordsman
Fanfiction"My sword is yours in victory and defeat", Naruto remembered pledging those words to the Second Mizukage as he became one of the feared Seven. He swore to defend Kiri, to protect its people and serve its Kage until his dying breath. But he also made...
