Tsunade was the granddaughter of the 1st Hokage of the Leaf, Hashirama Senju. She was one of the most brilliant ninjas of her time, surviving even Hanzo the salamander's slaughter and the best medical ninja to date. But all that meant nothing when faced with the Leaf's decline. Ever since Naruto's kidnapping, things had been going down hill for the once proud village and to make things even worse, Sasuke Uchiha had ran away once more.
To make things even worse, Jiraiya had left the Leaf in search of Naruto and no word had been heard from him since. The Anbu units she had sent had all returned except for Yugao's unit. She had to turn down Kurenai and Anko's requests to search for her. She heard a knocking on her door and allowed whoever it was to enter. Imagine her surprise and anger at seeing Sakura Haruno, Hinata Hyuga and Ino Yamanaka enter.
''Lady Tsunade, may we enter?'' Sakura asked in a scared, timid voice more akin to Hinata than her.
''What do you want, brats? Can't you see I'm busy?'' she asked back, not hiding her obvious distain of the 3 girls. She had to fight the urge to remove their shinobi license for what they did to Naruto that day. And now had to fight an even stronger urge to not beat them up for even having the guts to show their faces.
''We want to ask if... you can take us under your wing to become your apprentices.'' Sakura said with all the courage she could muster.
''And why do you want to become my apprentice, Haruno? So that when you meet Naruto again, you can just pound him into dust with a super punch?'' Tsunade said to the pink haired girl who looked down in shame. ''Or so that you can finally have your dear Sasuke and he will never leave your side again?''
''It's not about that!'' Sakura nearly shouted. ''Please. Teach me so that I can bring Sasuke back and...''
''And?''
''So that I can have the strength to apologize to Naruto.'' Sakura finished her sentence, surprising Tsunade. ''I want to say I'm sorry for that day. I want to apologize but I'm not strong enough. Please help me be strong so that I can earn his forgiveness, lady Tsunade.'' Sakura nearly cried as she finished her words.
''Wow. I'm... honestly surprised.'' was all Tsunade could simply say. ''And you Hyuga, Yamanaka?''
''Same as Sakura's, lady Hokage.'' Ino replied in a confident way.
''Please, lady Tsunade. Help me become stronger.'' Hinata said as she wanted to apologize and confess her love to Naruto.
''Very well. Meet me tomorrow at 8:30 AM. No slagging, no complaining. Since you asked for it, there will be no restrictions on your training and I'll have you 3 be the best kunoichi in the Leaf.'' Tsunade said and the 3 girls smiled, happy that Tsunade complied to their wishes. For Tsunade, perhaps the Leaf still had hopes of redemption afterall.
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-Land of Snow-
Naruto, using his wings, hovered over the skies, seeing the vast mountains and forests covered in snow. Some of Doto's men had kidnapped the princess and as part of the contract in protecting her, he had to search for her. Naruto closed his eyes to get a better sense of his surroundings. His mind seeing every stretch of land down to the last detail. He searched and searched using his figurarive third eye till he eventually found the Snow Princess.
Captured and guarded by a thousand samurai about 2 miles east from his current position. A thousand samurai were nothing compared to his magical powers. He flew to her position, breaking the sound barrier, and landed in front of all of them. ''Surrender the princess to me.'' Naruto demanded as his wings became a cloak again. ''And I shall be merciful upon your souls.''
''Kill him!'' shouted the samurai captain.
''Idiots.'' Naruto then turned into a black mist that moved faster than their eyes could track. He killed the 2 samurai who were holding Koyuki hostage and transported her to safety. ''Hide in the forest. Wait till it's safe.'' Naruto ordered her as he walked out into the open. He put out his hand and the metal from beneath the ground came out to form two swords.
The samurai came charging at Naruto but the blonde was unfazed by their numbers. He thrust his sword through the head of a sanurai then slit the throat of a another. He began to slaughter the samurai as they continued their charge. ''Move! He's mine!'' shouted the captain as he charged but Naruto impaled him with his sword.
The samurai started firing their arrows but Naruto used his power to freeze the arrows. He then turned the arrows around and killed over 50 samurai. Naruto gave a war cry as he jumped up and landed and began his slaughter. Heads rolled on the ground, the snow covered with blood as Naruto didn't stop his onslaught. Naruto kicked a samurai to a rock and slit another's throat. He used his magic to grab the samurai by their throats, lifting them up and unleashed a burst of energy that turned well over 400 samurai to ashes.
After 2 minutes of intense fighting, the entire samurai army was eliminated. Naruto walked up to Koyuki who was shocked to see the slaughter. ''We move, princess.'' he said and the princess of Snow followed him. A heavy snow storm hit in, a unnatural and powerful one at that. Naruto found a cave and took some wood, put fire on it and both he and Koyuki stopped to wait out the storm. Naruto could sense an ice spirit trapped within the far mountaind that caused these winters. A problem for another time.
''You run from it.'' Naruto said, starting a conversation with the princess of the land.
''I don't know what you are talking about.'' Koyuki replied.
''You deny it but it keeps getting stronger and has been since we reached this place. The memories of events past haunting you.''
''Are you some sort of mind reader?''
''No. I can simply... feel people's emotions. Fear, rage, happiness, loneliness and more. Tell me princess, what is it that you are running from?''
Koyuki might as well tell the blonde. She feared his power more than her uncle or anyone. ''My uncle killed my father and since then, ruled this country like the tyrant he is.''
''You try hiding your pain with your acting. It seems we aren't so different.''
''Really?''
''Once... I was a ninja of the Hidden Leaf. The day I was born, the 9 tailed demon fox attacked. To save the village, my father, the 4th Hokage, had sealed the demon into me. The village blamed me for the destruction, thinking I was the fox reborn. My childhood was rough, to say the least. I was discriminated upon, shunned by everyone. Hated... the moment the fox was sealed. I masked my true feelings with a guise of a happy, idiotic persona but now... I'm tired of living that lie.''
''I'm sorry to hear that, Naruto.''
''Don't be. Now I'm out of the Leaf and live couldn't be happier for me. The fact that I told you my father was the 4th is a classified village secret and I would like it if you wouldn't tell anyone. Not that I really care if the Leaf finds out or not.''
''Okay. Then, tell me, Naruto. Why did you leave the village? I thought ninjas were supposed to be loyal to their affiliated villages.''
''I was saved. The mission to rescue one defective Uchiha had gone successfully save for the fact that my right side is scarred and I lost my right arm. My 'friends' had abandoned me in support of the Uchiha and two dwarves, Brokk and Eitri, saved me from the village. Now, I'm free from the cage that is the Leaf. Your cage is your refusal to accept your birthright, Koyuki. Embrace it and then you can be free. And I must tell you that there is an ice spirit here in these lands.''
''An ice spirit?''
''Yes. One that is responsible for the harsh winters. I will deal with the spirit... personally.'' Naruto assured her as the storm died out. ''Come. We are near where the movie crew is.'' Naruto said and they started moving. They came in under an abandoned tunnel when they heard the sounds of something moving extremely fast. It was a train. Naruto let out his wings and grabbed Koyuki's arm and sped out of the tunnel faster than anyone could see.
Koyuki breathed a sigh of relief but the train came and the voice of her uncle sounded from the train. Her protector named Sandayu had came in with 50 men, all of them valiant and ready to avenge Koyuki's father. ''Eliminate them.'' ordered Doto to his men and they prepared to open a hail of arrows.
Koyuki screamed in fear as the arrows were coming. Fear of losing her friend by the hands of her uncle but something happened. The arrows stopped mid air. ''Tch. What a pathetic display of power.'' Naruto said with an outstretch hand, glowing in dark blue light. He turned the arrows around and lit them in blue, magic flames. He then unleashed them on the train. The arrows enhanced by magic had strength comparable to fireballs and in a fury of explosives, the train was destroyed.
Doto barely survived the display of power showed by Naruto but he had another trick up his sleeve. His airship swooped down and captured his niece. He climbed onboard the airship but it wasn't flying away. Naruto used his power to trap the ship in the air. Doto quickly got inside in case the blonde tried anything. Naruto unfolded his wings and flew up, beheading the two samurai guarding the entrance.
Naruto slaughtered anyone who came in his way. He made his way into the bridge and used a gravity push that knocked out Mizore and Fubuki. Nadare Roga tried to attack but Naruto gravity slapped him away. In his fear, Doto put a knife near Koyuki's neck. ''Come any closer, monster, and I kill her.''
Naruto didn't care. He had learned many types of magic from Enoch, including reality manipulation and time-space mastery. He stopped time and got Koyuki out of his clutches. When the magic wore off, Doto was shocked and then he had the knife near his throat. He could see Naruto's hand clearly controlling his body. ''Please, mercy.'' he begged of the blonde who's cold stare never changed.
''I must admit that 'mercy' is a foreign concept to me since the day I left the village.'' replied Naruto and in a quick motion, Doto stabbed himself in the neck and was blood came out. Eventually, he died from blood loss and Koyuki could now take her rightful mantle as daimyo. ''Looks like the country has a new leader now.''
''I... I guess so. Pilot, land us down now.'' she ordered the pilot since she was clearly the rightful heir and Naruto was there to back her up in case of un-cooperative actions.
''Ugh, what hit me?'' Roga asked as he woke up along with his teammates and found Doto dead. ''Lord Doto... is dead!?''
''I see you awoke.'' the 3 looked up to see Naruto. ''Yes, Doto is dead. You will now pledge your undying loyalty to Koyuki or you will suffer a similar fate.''
''Yes.'' the 3 immediately bowed down and pledged allegiance to the new Snow daimyo. Naruto walked out of the room, ignoring Koyuki's questions and flew down to the Rainbow Glacier.
''Where are you, ice spirit? Show yourself.'' Naruto commanded and his ring helped him draw out the spirit.
''The ring of Enoch. How do you possess that ring, human?'' asked the snow spirit.
''I am his heir. Go to the land of Nod where magic belongs. Where all the remnants of the antediluvian world belong to and stop your harassment on the people of this land. This is my command.''
''I refuse. I like it here. I like it when these people die from the cold I bring to them.''
''Then you leave me no choice. As Enoch's heir, I strip you of the right to live.''
''You dare not! You are not my king!''
''The well-being of one matters not when faced with that of thousands upon thousands. You brought this upon yourself.'' Naruto then absorbed the ice spirit into the ring, then turning it into a fruit before he left the cave.
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-Arcadia, one week later-
''How goes the mission, my young apprentice?'' asked Enoch to his apprentice, who kneeled before his ethereal form.
''It went well, master. I got the chakra armor and the dwarves are remaking it with magic and death-metal to forge an Arcadian armor for me.''
''There is more you are not telling me, Naruto. I want every detail.''
''The lands of Snow Country were plagued by a snow spirit. But I subdued the spirit as it refused to obey my command.''
''And the fate that has fallen on this spirit?''
''I turned him into a fruit. Gave it to the new daimyo of Snow, Koyuki Kazehana, as a gift. On my instructions, she ate the fruit and gained the ice powers of the spirit since I don't need it's powers. She was more than kind enough to give me a chakra armor and...''
''And?''
''She has expressed her desire to... marry me and make me her husband.''
''I don't see why not. Having a queen for a wife is not so bad a power play. A political marriage can be useful in securing peace, alliances, wealth and power in the realm of politics. Kings and warlords do it all the time from the early days till the modern day.''
''Then I shall reply to her informing that I accept.'' Naruto said to his master as he left to do just that.
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