Madara emerged on the mountain top overlooking Kirigakure and was not disappointed when he found his ally standing at its edge. The young Kage was calmly smoking which drew a curious look from the Uchiha as he stepped beside the man.
"Those things will kill you" he quipped with a smirk, earning a dry smile from Naruto.
"You and I both know that is not how I'll ever go out" replied Naruto sarcastically, making the Uchiha chuckle and offer a respectful nod before a more grim look arrived on his face.
"My Zetsu Spies across the world have reported that the Tsuchikage has positioned many of his troops strategically in the Land of Waterfall near the borders that they share with Kirigakure, many more are stationed in Iwagakure where he will be hosting the Kage Summit. Konoha as well as all the other nations are also preparing their shinobi and moving special forces units near your borders secretly. Do you understand what this means, Naruto?" asked Madara gravely,
He watched true disappointment arrive on the Mizukage's face as he crushed his cigarette and clenched his other fist painfully. Madara couldn't say he was surprised by what was happening considering he had warned the young Kage about the true nature of the shinobi world but he felt saddened nonetheless over what his ally was feeling right now.
He reminded Madara of Hashirama in many ways after all, a friend whom he loved and disagreed with strongly at the same time.
"Tobirama would never support such a drastic action, besides Konoha is an ally of Kirigakure" argued Naruto in defense,
"Your father is just a cog in the Great Wheel, I agree he wouldn't support such an action against you but he's not the Hokage anymore. Hiruzen is and you have already threatened him once on discovering how they lied to you about Ino's death in the past, you have destroyed the Water and Lightning Daimyo's rules alongside their entire families, you overthrew Hanzo Uzumaki who was a key ally of Hiruzen turning Uzu from a steadfast to an unreliable ally. You crushed one great village and nation alongside annexing few smaller ones, what's to stop you from taking more? No matter how much you want to make peace with all these villages and nations, you are the gravest threat to their very existence and way of living. A military threat to the shinobi world order and a political one to the Daimyo's who truly control this world" explained Madara patiently,
The Uchiha stepped in front of the young Kage and looked straight into the man's eyes even as despair spread across his heart.
"You are the devil that they all fear most, greater than the Otsutsuki whom they don't know. Try talking to them if you want but it would still end in conflict. In the end, they find it easier to blame one man than their own flawed shinobi world that gave birth to the very devil that they fear" said Madara somberly,
It was truly disheartening for Naruto to hear that, he understood why it was happening and it made sense in a twisted way for him to be considered as the 'enemy' of the shinobi world by the ones who ruled it.
However, a part of him wondered just how much more harm could human beings cause to each other in the pursuit of their goals...and he was a part of the problem itself.
Despite witnessing the horrors of two Great Ninja Wars and countless deaths, the shinobi world was willing to shed even more rivers of blood until the end of time.
Was this the kind of world he would bestow upon his children and loved ones?
Make them continue living in an endless hell?
To repeat the cycle over and over again...
"You play the bad guy next"
Hanzo Uzumaki's words came back to haunt him once again as the Mizukage wondered if the First Uzukage had truly foreseen such turn of events with his experience.
YOU ARE READING
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...
