Naruto: The Last Harbinger of Storm

Naruto: The Last Harbinger of Storm – Book 2

Chapter 2: Dark Coulds

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Authors Note

Hey guys! 😊

 I'm not entirely satisfied with the phrasing of this chapter it feels a bit rushed, to be honest. Still, as promised, here's the chapter! 🎉 The upcoming war will be very interesting, and I'm sure you're wondering: Where is Naruto? 🤔 Stay tuned for more twists and turns! 

Let me know your thoughts—comment and like! Your feedback keeps me going. 💬✨

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"In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity."

— Sun Tzu

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Last Time On NTLHOS-Book 2:

The leader looked at the woman and said, "You may be the greatest seal mistress, and I respect you immensely, but never compare me to that man. No, we will do our part. After all, to get all the tailed beasts, he will have to take the Seven and Six-Tails, which are in Uzu. He will meet his match there."

"This world has no place for us," the leader continued, his voice colder now. "Not in Uzushiogakure for we are not worthy of mother Uzu. If Ashina's decendent wants to play politics with the butcher of our people, then he's no better than the old man who doomed us all. Let him have his empire. We'll make our own way—on our terms."

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Now:

The grand war room of Uzushiogakure, its vaulted ceilings adorned with maps and ancient Uzumaki seals, buzzed with anxious energy. Elite commanders—handpicked for their skill, loyalty, and strength stood around a central table, their expressions grim. Lady Mei, draped in her crimson robes, stood at the head, her presence unnerving. She had summoned this emergency council after receiving troubling news from the southwestern outposts.

Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Mist, leaned casually against the wall, a dangerous smirk playing on his lips. Beside him stood Rashirom Uzumaki, the ANBU commander, his hawk-like eyes watching everyone intently. Anko Mitarashi twirled a kunai, her usually cheeky grin replaced by a focused frown. Fresh from her year-long undercover mission, her return to Uzushio had been marred by this looming crisis. Fūka Uzumaki, leader of the assassination division, stood near the medical representative Nori Yakushi, who was filling in for Lady Tsunade.

Suifu, the wise old but acerbic strategist, tapped his cane impatiently, while Mithrusha radiated an ominous presence that silenced the whispers around her this was unusual for old kind lady, if she knew the content of the upcoming even. Jugo stood apart, his calm demeanor hiding. Ameyuri Ringo and Jinin Akebino completed the circle, their weapons reflecting the torchlight. This was the might of Uzushio gathered in one room, warriors who could change the tide of battle but they faced an enemy shrouded in shadow.

Mei began, her voice cutting through the tension. "Ladies and gentlemen, eight of our outposts have fallen. No communication for three days. A lone scout from the reconnaissance team barely made it back alive with news that a massive army is marching towards Uzushio."

The room erupted into hushed debates. Pakura, leader of the newly formed explosion division, stepped forward. "How large is this force?" she asked, her tone sharp.

Mei shook her head. "The scout was too weak to provide details, only that the numbers were overwhelming. The army is led by Deidara, the mad bomber, and Kakuzu, the bounty hunter."

The tension thickened. Zabuza's low chuckle broke the silence. "Finally, a real challenge. It's been too peaceful since the coronation."

Anko shot him a glare. "This isn't about your bloodlust, Zabuza. Eight outposts didn't fall to amateurs. We need strategy, not recklessness."

"Agreed," Pakura added. "Blindly charging in will only weaken us. We need to assess the enemy's full strength and intentions before committing to a counteroffensive."

"What of the Emperor?" Jugo asked, his tone calm but with an edge of urgency.

Suifu answered gravely, "The Emperor is in silence and darkness for nine days. He left explicit orders not to disturb him, no matter what."

Zabuza frowned. "And Tsunade? Isn't she supposed to handle things when he's—unavailable?"

"Lady Tsunade is in Neo Uzushio for urgent matters," Suifu replied. "We are on our own for now."

Jinin Akebino spoke up, his deep voice steady. "Then we act. We need to fortify our defenses and prepare a preemptive strike. Let's show them why Uzushio remains unconquered."

The room hummed with agreement. Mei raised her hand, silencing them. "We prepare for war, but we do so wisely. Uzushio will not fall. Dismissed."

Ameyuri Ringo smirked, her twin swords resting against her shoulders. "Sounds like a plan to me. Let's scout the area, figure out what we're dealing with, and then cut them down where they stand. Swift and decisive—just how I like it."

Juugo, the ever-calm voice of reason, finally spoke. "Before we think about cutting them down, we should focus on fortifying the city. If this army reaches Uzushiogakure, our people must be shielded. They come first."

"No," Suifu interrupted, his voice resonant and unyielding. He leaned on his cane, his piercing gaze sweeping the room. "With the Emperor indisposed and the Empress absent, I take command. As Grand Marshal of Uzushiogakure, it is my duty to lead this war. That is the meaning of this title: the leader of leaders."

Pakura, ever blunt, stepped forward. "With all due respect, Grand Marshal, I know your strength and honor. But can you truly keep up with the demands of the position? You're not as young as you used to be."

A shadow passed over Suifu's face, but his resolve remained steadfast. "That may be true, Pakura, but I must do this—if it is the last thing I ever accomplish. The last time Uzushio was threatened, I was helpless to act. I refuse to let that happen again." He straightened, a glint of determination in his eyes. "I am prepared to use the relics of Lord Ashina if it means protecting Mother Uzushio. And if I must lay down my life for this land, so be it."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "In the absence of the Emperor, the protocols we devised will guide us. Effective immediately, I am declaring a state of emergency across Uzushio. Dispatch a letter to the Empress and ensure a protection detail is sent to escort her safely back to the capital. Summon the clan heads at once—we'll need their wisdom and support for what is to come. And recall Lord Kaguya and Mangetsu Hozuki to the city. Their presence will be crucial."

Mithrusha leaned toward Rashirom, whispering with a sly grin, "The old goat still has some fight in him."

Suifu's sharp ears caught the remark, and his eyes glaring before he turned his attention to Kidōmaru. "You will lead the trap-making squad to secure the southwestern approaches. Your expertise with webs and barriers will slow the enemy down and gather vital intelligence. This is the day you've been trained for, Kidōmaru—don't fail me."

Kidōmaru nodded sharply. "Consider it done, Grand Marshal."

Suifu then turned to Fuen and Fudo. "You'll collaborate with Lady Mithrusha's teams to reinforce the city's inner defenses. If the outer barriers fail and the enemy breaches our walls, I want them to face nothing but death at every turn. Layered defenses—make it as impenetrable as possible."

"Zabuza and Ameyuri," Suifu said, his gaze narrowing, "you'll assemble a scouting team and locate the enemy. I want to know their numbers, their composition, and their leaders. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary—we cannot afford reckless losses."

Zabuza chuckled darkly, while Ameyuri simply smirked. "Understood," she said, the edge of anticipation clear in her voice.

"Mei, Jinin, and Pakura," Suifu continued, his voice steady, "you'll prepare our forces for battle. Train them for siege warfare, ensure our weapons and supplies are ready, and solidify the chain of command. Discipline and preparation will decide this war."

Finally, Suifu turned to Rashirom. "You will coordinate with the Emperor's intelligence network. I want to know if this army has ties to our enemies—be they old or new. Every scrap of information could prove critical."

As the Grand Marshal finished delegating, Anko stepped forward, her tone firm. "I still believe we should inform the Emperor. If this threat is as dire as it seems, he'll want to know."

Mei nodded in agreement. "The Emperor should be informed. But until we have concrete intelligence, we must act independently. He placed his trust in us to handle these situations."

Suifu's voice rose with authority, silencing the murmurs of dissent. "The Emperor will not be disturbed unless the outer barrier itself is breached. Do you think one mere army warrants disrupting his sacred preparations? He trusted us with the protection of Uzushio. If we cannot stand strong in his absence, then perhaps his faith in us was misplaced. Prove him right, not wrong."

Tayuya snorted derisively. "Trust? Sounds more like he doesn't want to waste his time on us."

"Watch your tongue," Mithrusha snapped, her voice icy. "The Emperor bears more than you can imagine. Right now, in that chamber, he is deprived of sight, sound, and touch. All five senses are sealed as he undergoes a ritual that no ordinary soul could endure. Do not speak of what you cannot understand."

"Enough," Suifu declared, his voice cutting through the rising tension. "This isn't the time for petty arguments. We are Uzushio's first line of defense, and we will show the enemy why we are never to be trifled with."

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In a secluded hall deep within the Uchiha district, the clan had gathered. The atmosphere was tense but different from the usual heated debates that often erupted among them. This time, there was a shared sense of unease rather than division. The flickering torches on the stone walls cast long shadows, as if reflecting the doubts clouding the minds of those present.

Yashiro Uchiha, known in his youth for his hot temper, had aged into a man of cautious wisdom. He stood at the center of the gathering, arms crossed, his eyes scanning the room. "The surge in the purchase of metal and kunai—it's undeniable. Since the Third Shinobi War, there hasn't been such a demand. And this isn't just a simple stockpiling for peacekeeping. This is preparation for war."

The murmurs began immediately. "Who's buying?" one voice called.

"It must be Konoha," another suggested.

Yashiro raised a hand, silencing them. "No. Konoha hasn't approached us for supplies. We've traced the buyers. They're third-party brokers, smaller factions, scattered groups. But the quantities—they all point to something much larger."

"Larger than Konoha?" someone scoffed.

"Yes," Yashiro replied firmly. "This pattern isn't isolated. If it were Konoha, we'd see demand rising across all major suppliers, but the other smiths and merchants haven't seen the same spike. Whoever this is, they're deliberately avoiding attention."

"But why not Konoha?" Inabi Uchiha's voice was skeptical. "Lord Third may not deal with us directly, but he has allies who would. It could still be them."

Yashiro shook his head. "Hiruzen Sarutobi would never risk exposing his intentions like this. He gets his supplies from established sources—contracts that have been in place for years. No, this is different. And I don't believe it's Konoha they're preparing to face."

The room fell silent as the weight of his words sank in.

"If it's not Konoha," asked Ginjiro Uchiha, his tone grim, "then who? And more importantly, where do we stand if war breaks out?"

The question hung in the air, heavy with implications. The Uchiha had long been a powerful force within Konoha, but their relationship with the village had grown strained over the years.

It was Mikoto Uchiha who finally broke the silence, her calm voice commanding attention. "If it's war under Hiruzen Sarutobi's leadership, the Uchiha will not participate."

The statement sent a ripple of shock through the gathering.

"Are you saying we'll refuse a direct order?" one elder asked, his voice a mix of disbelief.

"Yes," Mikoto replied, her tone unwavering. "The Uchiha have given too much—our blood, our lives, our pride—for a system that has done little to protect us in return. If Hiruzen calls for war, it will not be our war."

"And if it's not Konoha at war, but someone else?" Ginjiro pressed.

"That depends," Mikoto said, her gaze meeting his. "The Uchiha have always been protectors. If the threat comes to our doorstep, we will defend our home. But we will not march blindly into another conflict for the sake of Hiruzen's ambitions or guilt."

Yashiro nodded thoughtfully. "Lady Mikoto is right. If war comes, we must weigh our options carefully. We are not pawns to be sacrificed in someone else's game. The clan's survival must come first."

"What of Empaor?" another voice asked cautiously. "After his coronation, there was much talk among us. He seems different like a leader worth following. Could this have something to do with him?"

"That Emparor," Mikoto said softly, her expression unreadable, "has defied every expectation placed upon him. Whether he's part of this or not, only time will tell. But his Grace Uzumaki fight is his own, and for now, we have our own matters to consider."

Like making the hokage declare Itachi as his successor. Said Inabi in sneer

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Shikamaru lay on his back in the shade of a sprawling oak tree, watching clouds form, meld, and disperse across an endless blue sky. The breeze carried the faint scents of pine and late-spring pollen, a subtle mix he and his fellow Nara recognized well. It was the scent of change—or so Shikamaru mused. His clan had always been keen observers, and he could sense in his very bones that things were shifting in the Elemental Nations.

He recalled a conversation he'd had with his father, Shikaku, not long after the coronation of Emperor. Shikamaru, as the heir to the Nara Clan, had attended that monumental ceremony, an event that had reshaped the political landscape of their world. It had also stirred something in Shikamaru's usually laid-back soulca curiosity that felt almost akin to anxiety.

He remembered stepping into the grand hall where the new Emperor, took the crown and throne. Shikamaru had never seen such opulence tied so tightly with solemn purpose. Nor had he ever seen their 'Demon sensei' in that light. To Shikamaru, Uzumaki sensei had always been that worst task master, or "monster sensei" as they had dubbed him when he ran his classes at the Academy. The irony was that Naruto's old approach, by all accounts, relied on a kind of intimidation to keep his rowdy students in line, basically fear. Yet at the coronation, fear was absent from his people's eyes, there was only admiration, respect, and devotion. Shikamaru still felt a tingle at the memory. He'd never known Monster to inspire something so close to reverence.

The day after the ceremony, Shikamaru found himself in his father's study. Sunlight filtered through the shoji screens, illuminating the faint lines on Shikaku's face. His father looked tired exhausted, even but Shikamaru suspected the man's mind was as sharp as ever.

"Son," Shikaku had said, "If this so called new era comes to be then it is not going to be easy for anyone. The Land of Fire, Konoha, other nations they're all shifting around Uzushiogakure's rise. Uzumaki Naruto will changes everything alliances, trade routes, shinobi missions that is his nature. Even our own clan's place in the grand scheme will be uncertain."

Shikamaru had nodded, though a large part of him wished he could just close his eyes and drift off. Politics was troublesome at the best of times, now it had become a storm, the irony. "So… what do we do?"

His father smiled wryly. "We observe. We adapt. And we keep the Will of Fire alive in our own way. The Emperor might have given aunt Sukino place of high honour, but there is no love lost between us. 

"What about… him personally?" Shikamaru had asked. "Naruto Uzumaki. I saw him at the coronation. He was… different. More charismatic than I've ever seen him. The man had an aura."

"He's steps into any role that demands it," Shikaku had replied. "He's grown. And the world is responding to him. Whatever old grudges or illusions people had, they may not hold up much longer."

Shikamaru couldn't forget the spectacle the cheers, the sea of faces all chanting "Long live the Emperor." The coruscating light from braziers had cast Naruto in regal splendor, a far cry from the past Shikamaru remembered about "monster sensei," the tyrant of a teacher who'd terrified Academy kids. Shikamaru had always known it was an exaggeration Naruto wasn't cruel but the leap from that rumor to the genuine adoration he witnessed was striking. And he knew it was because of Uzumaki Naruto he and his entire batch became what they are now.

And the changes, Shikamaru thought with a silent sigh, didn't stop there.

One of the greatest surprises had been Konohamaru's sudden tranformation. Over the past three years, under the guidance of Lord Third, Lord Jiraya of the Sannin and Lord Alaruya, he had become a force of nature. Shikamaru had sparred with him once and gotten thoroughly trounced, albeit Konohamaru had held back. The memory still stung a bit, but it was overshadowed by Shikamaru's intrigue how had the once-exuberant brat grown to be so formidable?

Watching Konohamaru, Shikamaru had recognized a steadiness, a confidence akin to that of the older generation's greatest shinobi. Konohamaru had changed from an energetic aspiring Hokage to something akin to a warrior. Shikamaru had wondered if that path would make Konohamaru and Naruto converge again but the difference was still glaring. While Konohamaru was powerful, Shikamaru sensed Naruto existed on an entirely separate plane of power.

In the aftermath of the coronation, Shikamaru noticed that the Academy curriculum had subtly shifted. For the past five years, two names had loomed large in lectures on infamous prodigies: Orochimaru, the traitorous Sannin who nearly destroyed Konoha, and Naruto Uzumaki, the genius who turned his back on the village and attempted a coup. Now, from what Shikamaru had heard, Naruto's name was being quietly removed, as though the village found it awkward to celebrate someone who had effectively become a ruler. Only three months had passed, but the changes were undeniable. It was also the law of the land that a leader's name was not to appear in the Bingo Book. The moment someone ascended to a position of leadership, such as becoming a Kage, their name was removed from the records.

His father's warning echoed: Observe, adapt, keep the Will of Fire alive. Shikamaru thought of how much easier it would be to let the winds of politics blow where they might, like clouds drifting overhead. Yet, as the Nara heir, he couldn't be quite that careless. He had a responsibility—first to his clan, and then to the village.

Konoha might need every edge it can get, he reasoned. We can't be arrogant enough to assume we're the center of the world anymore. Not when an Emperor stands in the north, forging a brand-new empire out of the ashes of the old Uzushio.

As he got to his feet, Shikamaru brushed stray bits of grass from his pants. His posture was slumped in the typical Nara fashion, but his eyes glimmered with intelligence. He realized that none of the changes were going to halt anytime soon. If anything, they would accelerate. The idea felt troublesome, he loathed the endless strings of negotiations and counter-maneuvers. Yet his sense of duty and curiosity both urged him on.

"Troublesome world," he muttered to the sky. "But I guess I can't just watch clouds all day."

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NTLHOS-2: Chapter 4 – Drums and Gongs of War.

NTLHOS-2: Chapter 5 – First Wave. IS OUT.

NTLHOS-2: Chapter 6 – Price of Freedom.

NTLHOS-2: Chapter 7 – Crimson Storm.

NTLHOS-2: Chapter 8 – Retaliation.

NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 9 – The Gathering Woods In The Pyre. IS OUT!

NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 10 – We Forgive, But We Never Forget. IS OUT!

NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 11 – The Dept Is Called. IS OUT!

NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 12- How Times have changed. IS OUT!

NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 13: A New Game Of Chess. IS OUT!

NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 14: The Power Of A Single Stroke Of A Pen. IS OUT!

NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 15: Back to Konoha IS OUT! (NEW)

NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 16: The Night of Falling Crows IS OUT!.

NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 17: Did Uchihas Survive?. IS OUT! (NEW)

Chapter 18: Politics at its best. IS OUT!!!! (NEW)

NTLHOS BOOK 2: Chapter 19: Old Memory. IS OUT!!!! (NEW)

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