Chapter 120: Aftermath Part Two!

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Kakashi's POV (Kage Box of Iron Arena - Land of Iron)

As the four emerged into the room, they faced the Five Kage and their bodyguard, who glared at the interruption. Rasa faced the crowd separately, standing before a bound and chakra sealed off Gaara. The rest of the Kage faced the two, obviously questioning them heavily. The bodyguards moved first, quickly moving to surround them, splitting off into two groups to surround their flanks and limit their movements. However, with a snap of Hiruzen's fingers, Tsunade and Jiraiya headed off both groups. They suddenly move, leading to a standstill.

Onoki seemed the first to gather his thoughts, sighing as he gazed at the group. "First, we have Rasa leading unstable weapons to the friendly exams, and now Hiruzen's foolish men misbehaving as usual," he complained. "In my day, we knew our place."

"Your day has long passed, old man," Yagura smiled. "Though I must admit, were they my own, I would take them to ask myself."

"Though they are not," Rasa interjected. "Besides, at least two have relevance in this case."

"They may be involved." Hiruzen allowed. "But they have no bearing on your crimes."

"To call them crimes is a gross exaggeration." Rasa countered with a scowl. "I mistook my son's behavior and mental soundness. Not attempted some sort of evil crime."

"I disagree most vehemently!" Mifune snapped. "I understand your shinobi work in "shadows" as you put it. But we samurai operate under a complex and honest honor system. To disrespect the rules of a host as a guest is a grave offense, to attempt to spill blood in my land despite my warnings not to is a grave offense, and to hide your son's delicate mental state is plain irresponsible!"

"Then allow me to compensate for the Land of Iron. I would offer favorable trade deals, financial boosts, and perhaps discounted service to amend this "dishonor,"" Rasa offered.

"Do not mock my land's customs, you arrogant fool!" Mifune snapped.

"Now now," Hiruzen chimed in. "We have several guests here. Perhaps we should look into this before continuing where we left off?" He offered calmly. "Once we know why they are here, we can determine if they should. To send them off now would be foolish; hearing them out first is best."

"I do grow weary of listening to you all argue." A agreed. "Let them speak; perhaps they'll offer something new."

Kakashi took it all in with practiced ease. Reading the open body language of the Kage, it seemed obvious where they were. A, Yagura, and Onoki seemed more exasperated and cautious. They likely recognized the situation had intense ramifications and were keeping clear to plot away based on the result.

Hiruzen was easiest for Kakashi to read, him being his own leader. And it was best to say Hiruzen was conflicted. His allyship with Rasa likely put him in a difficult position. Rasa is risking his asset, but the Leaf may be weakened or included if things go pear-shaped. Was it better to side with the Iron against the Sand. Or is it better to support their ally and attempt to make things smooth? Kakashi was glad it was not his choice.

Mifune was incensed in a way Kakashi could not say he had seen before. It was clear the man was aiming for blood. It's not that Kakashi could blame him; he would not mind burying a lightning cutter in Gaara's chest himself.

Kushina nodded to Naruto, showing her support as Kakashi started from them.

"We are here to inquire upon the fate of Gaara of the Sand," Kakashi answered with a bow. Kushina and Neji followed suit, but Naruto seemed locked into a stare with Gaara.

"I wish we could say we have an answer…" Hiruzen admitted.

"We do. This is simplistic in nature, a honor debt demands payment from the guilty party." Mifune called out.

"I have already offered you com-" Rasa began.

"I said guilty party; the debt must be paid by your son." Mifune countered.

"I will not entertain the demands of a hu- of a person like yourself," Gaara answered.

"Having a Genin be punished severely is a little absurd." Kakashi attempted.

"Ah, horeshit!" A roared. "They are soldiers all the same, punish the little shit and be done with it."

"I agree, unloyal dogs must be punished." Yagura concurred with a dark grin. "Even heroes are not above order."

"He may choose to give his own life or face me in a duel. I care little for the option but must insist-" Mifune started but was interrupted by Naruto.

"Why?" the blonde asked simply. The room was shocked by the Genin's speaking out and his odd question. Mifune's head whipped around as he focused on Naruto. The other Kage, including Rasa, followed suit. And soon, all eyes were on Naruto Uzumaki.

'Sometimes I wish he inherited your patience, Sensei…' Kakashi thought worriedly.

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Naruto's POV (A little bit before Naruto says "Why?")

Naruto felt the weight of the room settles upon him. Kakashi had obviously chosen to head their plea, perhaps using his odd charisma to sway them. But Naruto could not wait for such. He needed to talk to Gaara. He wouldn't stand idly as someone just like him suffered!

However, Naruto would readily admit that his boldness somewhat dropped when he realized that the most important leaders in the world were now focused on him—not merely from a distance but within mere feet. The thing that shocked Naruto the most was the latent chakra even he could sense. As if stuffing so many powerful shinobi into the room affected the very atmosphere. If Naruto had his way, he would day be seated here himself. It was a humbling experience.

However, glancing at Gaara, he felt a familiar internal tug as darkness took over his vision. Within an instant, he was bathed with light, and a blink revealed again that he had been transmitted from where he had been. He was in a desert… Gaara!

He whipped around and found the redhead lounging calmly on top of a dune a short distance away. Naruto, familiar with this place from his recent fight with Gaara, willed Riptide into existence with his right hand. The blade, while not truly real, made Naruto feel more comfortable.

"Worry not, brother." Gaara spoke his stare at Naruto's complex and one the Blonde could not decipher. "The time for us to fight has passed. Luckily, this mental connection between jinchuriki cannot be blocked off. Or we would be unable to have this discussion. Furthermore, time passes… oddly here. When maintaining this field, we may talk or battle for hours without much time passing in reality."

"I'm not becoming whatever you're trying to make me," Naruto replied bluntly. "Next time, I'll win and prove to y-"

"There will not be a next time. While you failed to beat me, I did learn something." Gaara interrupted him. "I still do not believe my ideals are wrong. Despite the morality of it, the simple fact is humans, no, people have and will continue to treat us wrong. Perhaps you disagree with my solution but must admit that something must change."

"Ah, so maybe things will get better if we reverse the order? Wouldn't that just lead to further hate between the two? Soon, they would be the underdog, and it would be the same. An endless cycle of pain and hatred is your solution." Naruto asked heatedly.

"Let me finish, brother," Gaara said. Naruto wanted to argue, but the lack of malice in his tone threw him off. He had figured Gaara would've been haughty and determined to continue their battle. "I recognize some of the flaws in my plan, not due to your reasons. People will always discriminate against those who are different. We can be virtuous or the lowest of scum, and they will decide our worth for us regardless. But we are forced to live with them; we very well cannot kill them off. We, too, need them, though differently than they need us. I've had time, my brother, to consider things; while that pa- those people have spent the day bickering like fools, I've spent it learning."

"Get to the damn point already!" Naruto's patience was wearing thin. He had come to save the freak, not argue with him! Now Gaara was monologuing again! Naruto found new depths to his patience as he managed to stop himself from rushing the redhead.

"I need to explain myself well, brother. I see now that power has limits; people and even my brethren will fight to their last breath against a monster. And despite how weak they are and how powerful we are, they would very well wipe us out in an all-out battle. The answer becomes clear then: we do not need a powerful and commanding leader like myself. But a compassionate, bold leader, one that can encourage our kin and opponents alike to stand with us." Gaara ranted. His energy was coming back.

"I don't want any part of this," Naruto replied evenly. "I have my own goals, dreams, and interests."

"I was concerned at first, worried my realization was for naught. After all, even with me beating you within an inch of your life, you never gave in. Until it becomes clear, you will lead us by your choice…" Gaara smiled knowingly.

"Ya, well, we're shinobi from different villages; it doesn't matter, ya know? I doubt they'd let us work together. Besides, we need to work out a plan to get out of the trouble you're in! I got a plan!"

"Then enact it after this, I worry little; my father would rather start a war than lose his weapon… I am not trying to convince you, Naruto Uzumaki. I know you will eventually see what I see. The treatment and discrimination will wear you down, and as you experience more of the world, you will see what I did long ago. Our world is flawed; it was not created that way, brother. No, it was corrupted by these… anyway. I know the time will come when you reach the same conclusion I have reached, where your compassion and drive will leave you needing allies." Gaara explained. Naruto stared back, utterly confused. "That is all I wanted. Farwe-"

"So nothing has changed? All of that was for nothing?" Naruto asked.

Gaara froze and openly considered such. "I would not say so. You may not have bested me in battle, but I will admit I see things… differently. Farwell… brother."

It was as if he blinked and was now back in the room. The assembled people silently waited for his response. Gaara smiled at the Blonde tauntingly, and Naruto's mind settled. Gathering his wits, Naruto began his desperate ploy.

"Why are we punishing Gaara or the Sand?" Naruto asked bluntly. He could see Kakashi, Neji, and Kushina tensed, obviously seeing his angle as a strange one.

"Don't play coy, Naruto." Hiruzen replied with a curious smile. "It is due to Gaara attempting to kill you, as well as disobeying the orders of the Samurai and even some kage in the process."

"These may sound minor to a young man like you." Mifune started. "But we cannot allow such transgression to pass. Such would encourage any fool to act out."

"But he didn't do that, not knowingly anyway." Naruto countered.

"How interesting," Yagura said with a smile. "Us jinchuriki seem to be anything but boring. Care to explain?"

"Why are we even entertaining this?! A mere Genin speaking during the assembly of Kage?!" A roared. "Have we no shame?!"

"He may not be a mere Genin for long," Onoki countered, though he did seem unimpressed with the blonde. "Though I will admit this is unorthodox. However, he spared and was gentle with my daughter; I shall hear him out."

A grumbled but likely remembering the Blonde's odd bout with Samui left the matter alone.

Hiruzen sighed dramatically. "I have always made it a point to hear the ideas and concerns of those under my authority."

"It matters little, Hiruzen." Mifune cut off harshly. "I will not have chaos within my land. First, you all bring jinchuriki without notice; they wreak havoc with my exams and now barge in with no respect!"

"I recognize such, but I ask you to forgive and at least hear their plea. It would only be fair considering what we have discussed before…" Hiruzen reasoned.

Mifune flinched at such, was silent momentarily, and then nodded. "The floor is yours, Uzumaki; I assure you. However, I expect a satisfactory answer."

Hiruzen smiled knowingly at Naruto as if the man had caught onto his ploy!

"Well, it's just like I said. Gaara isn't guilty of trying to kill me or disobeying direct orders," Naruto said with a shrug.

"You know, Naruto, that you nearly died several times?" Onoki asked with a smile and a raised brow. Had he caught on as well?

"Actually, the Genin makes a good point; while he's not quite a hero, all jinchuriki can take an absurd amount of damage," Yagura argued toward the Blonde's argument. "While it certainly seems murderous, I can assure you battles with jinchuriki are often violent."

"I suppose..." A agreed hesitantly. "But clearly, we attempted to stop the match; several attempted to break through the barrier. That should've been a clear indicator of our intentions even if you couldn't hear us." The Raikage countered, also seeming to lean against Naruto.

"That is the bigger of the two offenses, Naruto. While an attempted murder would be relatively minor in the heat of battle, intention or not, refusing to obey the orders of multiple Kages is quite the offense indeed," Hiruzen explained. "While punishments could vary, it wouldn't be unheard of for them to ask for the offenders' head."

"That is not an option." Rasa snapped. "I will not have my son taken nor my village weakened over an over-sensitive so-called samurai!"

"It doesn't matter anyway. We couldn't tell what was going on outside the barrier. Hell, I had no clue Kakashi wasn't still in there!" Naruto said with a smile.

"A bald-faced lie." Mifune snapped.

"Not the case…" Gaara spoke out calmly. "I had no way of knowing the match had been called off nor that the barrier was strong enough to keep you all out. It came to me unknowingly during the battle, and I thought it was a more decisive technique. Shikaku activated and kept it going independently of me. Until the combined strike of you all, we had no idea."

"Even then… Gaara froze for a second!" Naruto said with a snap.

"Indeed, I had no idea why but, in the heat of the battle, cared little. Now, you all must have come close to breaching the barrier. For I think that was some sort of recoil," Gaara explained.

"I'm not buying it!" Mifune snapped. "Why erect such a barrier if not to keep interference away!"

"It seems unlikely Naruto Uzumaki would stand up for Gaara unless he was actually innocent." Onoki reasoned. "I struggle to see why else he would support him now after that brutal battle."

"I'm bored of this conversation anyway!" A snapped. "I listened for interest in potential violence, but it seemed more like senseless bluffing. Let the damn man go."

"I also second that. It was an entertaining battle. Besides, Gaara seems to be quite the shinobi. It's a shame to be wasted due to some mere fun. My homeland would've loved such a battle." Yagura agreed.

Hiruzen nodded happily. Seemingly content with the explanation. Though Naruto suspected Hiruzen had caught on, he wasn't being sincere.

Rasa seemed to stare suspiciously at them but relaxed slightly.

Gaara seemed bored.

Mifune hummed at this, obviously annoyed, but recognized the room was now against him.

Rasa sighed loudly, "Come on, old Samurai. The argument is solid, and just to ensure good faith, I will provide you with a healthy amount of resources unique to the Land of Sand. For the next year, you will receive a steady supply of unique resources that are worth a fortune on the market. Drop your grievance, and we may both prosper."

Mifune sighed. "As it were. The Land of Iron shall forgive Gaara with the understanding he is innocent as long as the Sand proves true to their word. I promise this in my own life. Are the four Kage all in agreement to drop the matter of punishment of Gaara or the Sand?"

"Of course," Hiruzen said with a nod.

"I cared little anyway." Yagura shrugged.

"Aye." A agreed.

"Hm." Onoki sounded.

"Then the matter is concluded. I would ask that the shinobi, which is unnecessary for further discussion, leave and take my men to the medical bay, Aye?" Mifune asked.

Kakashi, Kushina, and Neji bowed, and Naruto did a second later.

"Wait!" Naruto questioned. "Did I become Chunin?"

"Why noisy Uzumaki." Mifune said with a fragile smile. "That is what we intend to discuss."