45 Naruto chapter 45

"P-Pregnant..." Fuyōna said as the word sank in, causing him to go quiet.

"Your... Pregnant?" Fuyōna said as he simply looked at Mei and down to her stomach.

"Yes. The medical core confirmed it this morning." Mei said.

Fuyōna sat down on one of the chairs as the news set in.

"Are you angry?" Mei asked.

Fuyōna looked up and smiled at her.

"How could I be angry?" He asked.

"It's just a shock, is all." He said.

Mei nodded.

"I didn't plan for this to happen either..." She said.

"But I won't get rid of it."

Fuyōna's head suddenly snapped around to look at Mei.

"I would never ask you to do that." He said almost harshly.

Mei was a little surprised but lowered her head with a simple smile.

"I know." She said.

"Look, Fuyōna. I don't expect you to be with me because I am pregnant suddenly. We are both adults, and we both have a responsibility to the village."

Fuyōna leaned forward onto the table and interlocked his fingers as he started to think about what needed to be done now.

"The elders and Ao have agreed that the next Mizukage can't be a pregnant one. Not at this time. It has to be you." She said.

"You are the only one who can do it, Fuyōna." She said, placing her hand on top of his.

Fuyōna knew she was right. He knew he had no choice now and could no longer bat off the responsibility to someone else.

This was the price of power.

"You can come back in now," Mei shouted, allowing the elders and Ao, who were waiting outside, to enter.

They all took their seats, and Mei slowly stood up to address them.

"The decision has been made. After receiving such news, I am stepping down as the next Mizukage as everyone agreed. Fuyōna Yuki will be taking my place." She said, looking over at him.

Fuyōna stood up to address everyone, accidentally letting his aura flare for a moment, getting everyone's attention as the sudden pressure was too strong not to notice.

"The role falls to me. I will lead our village to greatness and protect its people." Fuyōna said, letting his chakra settle.

"It's settled then. All hail Fuyōna Yuki, the Godaime Mizukage." The head elder said.

The others all bowed their heads in respect, and after a moment, Ao spoke.

"Make the preparations for the ceremony at once. The people need to see their new leader right away." He said.

The others agreed.

"We will make the preparations at once. The ceremony will commence tomorrow." The elder said.

"Good. That gives us two days before the meeting with the new Kazekage." Ao then said.

"Very well. We shall take our leave." The elders said as they all bowed and left the office. Leaving Ao, Mei and Fuyōna.

"It's all settled then. I'll leave you two alone." Ao said, knowing they still had a lot to talk about.

Fuyōna nodded, and both he and Mei bid him farewell.

"So about the baby," Fuyōna said after a moment of silence between them.

"It's ok Fuyōna," Mei said, interrupting him.

"I don't expect you to just suddenly stick around because I am pregnant. Besides, you are now the most desirable man in the village. It's only natural I should have some competition." She said with a smile.

Fuyōna was shocked at how adult her response was. It was certainly not something he was used to talking about and not the reaction he had expected.

"I'm sorry, Mei. I don't know what to say." He said at a loss for words.

"Then don't say anything for now. Instead, focus on your duties as the next Mizukage." Mei said, standing up and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Our baby and I will be here when you are ready." She said with a faint smile.

Fuyōna could see past it, though. He could see the hurt inside her even though such a perfect smile.

However, she was right. He had other things he had to do first and more significant things to worry about.

"I plan on being in this child's life. I hope you know that." Fuyōna said softly.

This time Mei closed her eyes, and a genuine smile slowly filled her face.

"I know." She said.

-Sometime later-

Fuyōna made his way home after finding out about Mei and his unborn child, along with the news he was to become the next Mizukage.

He had been gone for about two hours now, and he couldn't help wonder if Suiren would still be at his house.

Once he got home, he slowly opened the door and walked into the kitchen. As he had expected, it was empty, and he couldn't feel a presence inside.

"Looks like she's gone." he thought to himself before looking at a note that had been left on the table.

Fuyōna picked the paper up and read what was written on it.

"I have had to run out on an errand. Please don't think I have left. I want to see you again... If you want that, then please meet me later tonight at the small park down past the old tea shop.

Suiren."

Fuyōna read the note in his head and placed the paper back down onto the table. He had a lot to think about now. His new position as Mizukage. His love life that was now starting to become tangled between two women, one of whom was now pregnant with his child.

He wasn't sure what to do. On one hand, he had Mei, who he liked. She was fun, down to earth and gorgeous. She was also carrying his unborn child, and in a way, he felt terrible about not being there for her. On the other hand, there was Suiren. She was just as beautiful and entirely different from Mei personality-wise, and he had purposely gone out of his way to save her life twice now. Proving his feelings for her were real.

He liked them both, but for the time being, instead of stringing them along. He would be honest with them and focus on the village and his goals.

If they couldn't accept that, then that would be something he would have to make peace with.

With the remaining time, Fuyōna now found himself with. He decided to give the house a quick clean over and prepare some food that would last for the week for him and the boys.

With the help of a few shadows clones, he quickly had the house cleaned, and the food was preparing.

It was around 4 o'clock in the afternoon now, meaning Kimimaro and Haku would soon be home from the academy.

Fuyōna thought it important that he sit them both down and explain what was going to happen.

Now he was going to become the next Mizukage he might struggle to spend as much time with them. He was adamant he wouldn't let that happen, though.

Sitting down for a moment allowed him to collect his thoughts and plan for what was to come.

First on the list was to break the news to Haku and Kimimaro. Next was to break the news to Suiren, that he was worried about and wasn't sure how it could go.

After that was the official ceremony, his crowning as Mizukage, his new decrees and laws he could suddenly enforce, all that kind of stuff.

Then came the next threat. The looming war between the sand and mist. He would have to meet with the new Kazekage to discuss the terms of a peace agreement. However, his faith in peace was not held in high expectations.

Suddenly the door burst open, followed by the sound of Haku and Kimimaros voices.

"We did it. We did it!" They shouted as they bounded over with excitement.

Fuyōna instantly noticed their new hidden mist headbands, showing they had graduated from the academy as genin level shinobi.

"Sensei, Fuyōna! We did it! We passed!" Haku shouted in excitement.

Kimimaro was less bouncy about it, but he was still just as excited. Fuyōna smiled at both of them and stood to his feet.

"I never had any doubt you wouldn't!" He shouted in excitement himself.

"Looks like you are ready for the real test!" He also shouted, getting both of the boy's attention.

"Real test?" Haku asked.

Kimimaro also seemed surprised.

"Do we have to fight you, sensei?" He asked.

Fuyōna smiled as he crossed his arms.

"Kind of." He said.

"But the first test is much more simple than that." He said as he crossed his arms.

"First, you have to find me." He said, raising his arms into the hidden mist jutsu sign.

The mist suddenly burst into the air all around them, covering their field of view.

"Come and find me if you can!" Fuyōna shouted as his voice echoed through the mist before he vanished out of the house, leaving both the boys confused.

"He's gone!" Haku shouted as he tried to get his bearings in the mist.

"Come on, Haku, focus!" Kimimaro said as he grabbed his shoulder.

"I know, I know," Haku said as he let a burst of wind style chakra released from his body, causing the mist to disperse from the kitchen.

Both of the boys could see that Fuyōna had vanished and knew that the test was now to track him down.

Haku and Kimimaro quickly assessed the kitchen, and both found that the window had been left open ever so slightly.

"This way," Haku said as he opened the window, jumping out of it onto the grass.

Kimimaro followed him, and both of them knelt, seeing that footprints had been left in the mud.

"These are Fuyōna sensei's footprints. He went this way." Haku said.

Let's go!" Haku said as he suddenly started running in the same direction that the footprints were headed.

Kimimaro followed suit, and both of them entered the forest behind their house. Once there, they looked for more footprints seeing that the tracks had vanished, leading Kimimaro and Haku to assume that Fuyōna had taken to the tree branches to travel faster.

Haku jumped onto the first tree beach insight and confirmed this by seeing more prints. Kimimaro did the same and suddenly got a bad feeling as he pushed Haku out of the way.

"Look out!" He shouted as a large log came swinging at them on a rope.

Kimimaro let his bones grow as a defensive shield before the log hit him. Thanks to his defence, though, he suffered no damage and landed next to Haku, who had flipped onto his feet.

"Wow, that was a close one, thanks, Kimimaro. You ok?" He asked.

Kimimaro let his bones return into his body and nodded.

"Fine. But we should be more careful from here on." He said.

Haku agreed.

"Looks like Fuyōna sensei isn't playing with us." He said as he closed his eyes and started to focus.

Over their time in the academy and with Fuyōna so far, they had learnt a lot. They were training every day and night to improve their abilities and discover new ones.

Haku had shown great skill in tracking and sensory ability. Along with his speed and accuracy, he would become a dangerous foe.

Kimimaro had shown to adapt to almost any situation. His calm attitude and natural talent in taijutsu was impressive, and he, too, showed remarkable potential.

"This way," Haku said.

Kimimaro follower him, and this time, both of them remained on high alert for any more traps.

Meanwhile, Fuyōna was sitting down enjoying the afternoon sun that had broken through the clouds.

He had arrived at one of the larger training grounds on the outskirts of the village, one where he had done a lot of his own training when he was younger.

In his hand, he held two bells, and he tossed them into the air, catching them every time as they fell back down.

"I wonder how much longer they will be?" He thought to himself as he placed his hand over his knee, leaning back against a wooden post as he looked up into the sky.

"The weather is so nice today... Such a shame you won't live to enjoy it." Fuyōna suddenly said out loud, remaining as calm as before a storm.

Suddenly a wind sword sliced right through the wooden post and through Fuyōnas body, even cutting into the ground.

Fuyōnas body crumbled into ice, and the assailant responsible was shocked that his surprise attack had failed.

"You knew I was here all along? You certainly live up to your reputation, Kage slayer." The assassin said.

Fuyōna suddenly appeared as the breeze picked up, looking as if he was one with the wind itself.

Fuyōna took a close look at the person who had just tried to kill him. Seeing that it was an Anbu from the hidden sand, donning the traditional uniform of the Sunagakure-nin, which included a turban, the village's forehead protector, flak jacket, as well as a cloth that hid the lower half of his face, leaving only his eyes visible.

"Another assassin?" Fuyōna asked, almost sounding bored.

"Are you not aware of the meeting between your Kage and ours in two days?" Fuyōna asked, crossing his arms.

"I'm not here for her." The assassin responded as they pulled out a handful of Kunai, throwing them inform of themselves as if they were attached to wires.

Fuyōna couldn't quite tell if the assassin was male or female yet, as their voice was soft, and their body seemed like it could be either. Not that it mattered anyway.

"So you are acting alone?" Fuyōna asked.

"I am here to avenge a friend." The person said before they ran in to attack.

Fuyōna sighed and readied himself for what was to come as the assassin charged in with the intent to kill.

The assassin slashed with each hand. Wind swords had been formed on each of them, intending to cut Fuyōna to pieces. The kunai that also hung in the air around the assassin moved on their own and attacked at Fuyōna from all angles.

Fuyōna dodged each slash, thrust, chop and every other attack that came his way. Ducking weaving and slipping each of them with ease before he decided enough was enough.

With a wave of his hand, he broke right through the assailant's guard and grabbed them by the throat before slamming them to the ground.

He moved way too fast for the assassin to react, and they hit the ground with such devastating force that their body left an imprint in the ground.

"Hmm... Not doing so good down there, are you?" Fuyōna said as he let go of the person's face and slowly stood up.

"Fuyōna sensei!" Haku and Kimimaro suddenly shouted as they arrived from the tree line to see what had happened.

Fuyōna turned around to face them and smiled.

"Ah, boys, just in time." He said.

The assassin was hurting badly but was still able to get back up and push backwards to create some well-needed distance.

Fuyōna turned to face his opponent and placed his hands in his pockets.

"Maybe you will fare better again these Genin here." Fuyōna then said.

Kimimaro had already pieced together what was happening, and Haku was starting to make sense of it too.

"Now, boys, it looks as if your test has changed. This assassin will be your opponent. If you can defeat him, then you pass." Fuyōna said in a severe tone.

Kimimaru and Haku didn't say anything and simply took a ready stance each, knowing that this was no joke.

"You want me to fight with these children?" The person asked, standing to their full height, having recovered from Fuyōnas attack.

The hidden sand shinobi quickly assessed the new situation and deemed the mission a failure.

"There is no chance I can get to him now." The assassin thought.

"I need to make my escape." They thought as they pulled out a smoke bomb, throwing it onto the ground.

Quickly they adjusted their chakra to dash away as fast as possible, but the sudden a vice that gripped their wrist stopped them in their tracks.

The assassin turned around in horror to see Fuyōna holding their wrist in his hand.

"H-How did you?" The assassins said, shocked.

"If you try to run again, I will kill you myself," Fuyōna said as he let go of their wrist.

"Your only chance is to kill both of my students. Do that, and you are free to go." Fuyōna said.

The assassin couldn't believe what Fuyōna was saying but realised there was no other choice.

"Alright. Let the battle being!" Fuyōna said as he suddenly vanished out of sight, leaving Haku and Kimimaro to face off against the hidden sand Anbu.

"Kimimaro has already experienced the intensity of battle and the need to kill an opponent who is trying to kill you. Haku, however, has not. This is a perfect chance for both of them to test their full strength in a real-life or death battle... Hopefully, they can survive." Fuyōna thought as he took up a better vantage point so he could watch the battle.

Haku took out a handful of senbon needles from his weapon pouch. Luckily because they had been tested for graduation today, he had been allowed to carry real weapons and tools with him.

Kimimaro, on the other hand, was a living weapon and had no need for kunai or shuriken.

"So be it." The assassin said as they let their kunai hang around their body once more before creating a wind blade in their right hand.

"I won't hold back." They said as they prepared to advance.

Kimimaro was simply stood with a blank expression on his face as he waited to see what would happen.

Haku, on the other hand, had already taken a defensive position and was ready to move at a moments notice.

"Time to see how they fair." Fuyōna thought as he crossed his arms, getting ready for the show.

"I hope they survive." He said quietly, watching as the battle began.

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