Naruto: Hero's Fist

The perpetual rain of Amegakure drummed against the windows of the Fleet Admiral's office, creating a soothing backdrop to the conversation within. Garp sat sprawled in a chair that seemed too small for his massive frame, munching on crackers as Hanzo stood by the window, his respirator gleaming dully in the muted light.

"You know what's absolutely hilarious, Garp?" Hanzo began, a hint of amusement in his voice despite his imposing appearance. "Not a single person in the shinobi world knows it was you who wiped out Chiyo and her forces."1

Garp paused mid-crunch, raising an eyebrow. "Eh? What do they think did it then?"

Hanzo turned to face his friend. "They're all convinced it was some sort of natural disaster. An earthquake, if you can believe it. Even Sunagakure's intelligence division is baffled. They don't truly understand what occurred, but many refuse to acknowledge that someone could have accomplished it."

For a moment, Garp just stared at Hanzo. Then, his face split into a wide grin, and he threw his head back, letting out a booming laugh that seemed to shake the walls.

"Bwahahahahahaha! An earthquake? That's what they're going with?" Garp wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling. "Well, I suppose they aren't wrong!"

Hanzo's shoulders shook with barely suppressed laughter. "Only you, Garp, could eliminate two thousand elite shinobi and have it attributed to a natural disaster."

"Makes our job easier, doesn't it?" Garp grinned, reaching for another cracker. "Let them wonder about the mysteries of nature. Keeps em guessing!!"

As their laughter subsided, Hanzo's expression grew more serious. "Speaking of other villages, we've detected increased activity along our borders. Kirigakure, in particular, has been quite bold in their probing."

Garp's eyes sharpened as he remembered their attack on his kids and the promise to wipe them off the map, though his casual demeanor remained. "Oh? The Bloody Mist thinks they can test us, do they? Do I need to pay them a visit?"

"Not just them," Hanzo said, moving to his desk and picking up a stack of reports. "Our intelligence suggests that other villages will likely follow suit. They're curious about the changes we've implemented and more than a little concerned about our growing strength. Add on the information blackout and I can't blame them for getting nervous."

Garp munched thoughtfully on his cracker, considering the implications. "Maybe it's time we showed them exactly what they're dealing with?" he said finally. "Give them a proper demonstration of the Marines' power. Something to make them think twice about causing trouble. I thought Chiyo's demise would do it, but looks like I have to leave some stragglers for it! Bwahahahahaha!!"

"What did you have in mind?" Hanzo asked though the glint in his eye suggested he already had an idea.

Garp's grin turned predatory. "Nothing too dramatic. Just enough to send a message. Let them know that the old ways of doing things, of using smaller nations as battlegrounds and children as soldiers... those days are over."

Hanzo nodded slowly, but then seemed to remember something. "Ah, speaking of messages, we received an interesting communication from Kumogakure today."

"Oh?" Garp raised an eyebrow, reaching for another cracker.

"They're proposing an alliance." Hanzo said, watching Garp's reaction carefully. "Rather unexpected, considering their usual isolationist tendencies."

Garp snorted. "The Raikage's no fool. He sees which way the wind is blowing. Probably figures it's better to be on our side than against us."

"True." Hanzo agreed, settling into his chair. "But an alliance with Kumo could complicate our relationships with other villages, particularly Konoha. And knowing the old bastard A, he'll likely want a fight."

"Let them complicate." Garp said dismissively. "We're not here to play their political games. We're here to change the system, to bring real justice to this world. If they can't handle that..." He shrugged his massive shoulders.

Hanzo was about to respond when a knock at the door interrupted them. Before either man could speak, the door burst open, and three familiar figures strode in.

Yahiko led the way, his usual grin in place, followed by Konan and Nagato. All three looked slightly disheveled but satisfied, like cats that had just caught a particularly troublesome mouse.

"Oi, you brats!" Garp called out. "Don't you know how to wait for permission before-"

His words were cut off as Yahiko gestured, and seven objects clattered onto Hanzo's desk. Seven very familiar, very legendary swords. Well, six and a seemingly alive pet shark.

Garp choked on his cracker. Hanzo's eyes widened behind his respirator. For a long moment, silence reigned in the office, broken only by the sound of rain against the windows.

"Are those..." Hanzo began, his voice unusually strained.

"The Seven Swords of the Mist?" Yahiko finished, his grin widening. "Yep! Along with their former owners, though they're bodies are... probably still falling somewhere over the North Sea by now."

"You..." Garp coughed, finally clearing his airway. "You three took down the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist? I knew those bastards weren't much but I didn't expect you three to accomplish that."

Konan nodded calmly. "They were terrorizing one of our protectorate villages. We couldn't let that stand."

"It wasn't particularly difficult," Nagato added quietly. "Though I think Fuguki might have been mildly surprised when his Samehada chose to side with us instead."

Garp and Hanzo exchanged stunned looks. These kids, whom they had trained and watched grow, had just casually eliminated one of the most feared fighting forces in the shinobi world.

"Well," Hanzo said finally, reaching out to touch one of the swords. "I suppose this answers our question about demonstrating the Marines' power."

Garp began to laugh, softly at first, then building to his characteristic booming roar. "Bwahahahahahahaha! It surely does. Though, I do wish I could have had some fun myself."

As his laughter echoed through the office, Garp felt a surge of pride so intense it almost hurt. These three... they had come so far from the scared, hungry orphans he'd first met. They were becoming legends in their own right.

'Maybe it's time they take up the titles? I didn't want to burden them too much so soon, but this practically shows that they've already reached the necessary level.

"So," Yahiko said, dropping into a chair and propping his feet up on Hanzo's desk (much to the Fleet Admiral's visible annoyance), "what's this we heard about Kumo wanting an alliance?"

Hanzo swatted Yahiko's feet off his desk before responding. "News travels fast, I see. I'll have to get the walls of my office reinforced. Yes, they've made an overture. Given recent events, we might find ourselves fielding more such requests soon."

"The elimination of Chiyo's forces first, then the defeat of the Seven Swordsmen..." Konan mused, her analytical mind already working through the implications. "The other villages will now be suspicious of us."

"Good." Nagato said, his Rinnegan eyes gleaming. "Let them understand that the old ways are ending. That true peace requires more than just a balance of power between hidden villages."

'Hmm? Is the brat getting a God Complex?' Garp thought before he suddenly gave the brat a Fist of Love, to the amusement of everyone except the person who was sent through the floor.

"Well." he said, reaching for another cracker while acting as if nothing occured, "I suppose we should discuss what to do with these new trophies. Though I have a feeling Kaya's gonna enjoy fiddling with them."

"Speaking of Kaya." Konan interjected, "She's requested to visit the ruins of Uzushiogakure."

"I'll talk to her about it." Garp said after a look at Hanzo.

'Perhaps it's time she and Nagato learn about their heritage? I could take them to visit myself.' Garp thought.

He had learned years prior that Nagato was never informed of his heritage by his parents, but it was high time that the information was disclosed to him.

"Oi, Gramps!" Yahiko's voice broke through his thoughts. "Are you going to eat all those crackers yourself, or are you going to share?"

Garp grinned, tossing the package to his grandson. Some things, at least, never changed.

"Just don't make a mess on Hanzo's desk." he warned. "You know how grumpy he gets about his paperwork."

Hanzo's indignant sputter was drowned out by the laughter of the others. Outside, the rain continued to fall, but it felt different now. Not the oppressive downpour that had once symbolized Amegakure's isolation and pain, but a cleansing rain, washing away the old to make way for the new.

[Author's Note: Hey guys, long time no see.

Sorry for going MIA on you guys, but life's kinda gotten hectic lately and I couldn't focus on my book.

First, I started suffering from writer's block and getting stuck in the middle of the next arc, but I'll figure it out soon.

Then, I've been applying for prestigious fellowships as well as starting my internship at the local DA's office, so I've been pretty swamped. But, I'm sure I'm going to get my schedule managed very soon. Before the semester starts, I plan to have at least 20 Chapters stocked up, enough to last till Spring Break if I do releases on Sundays and Thursdays.

I plan on giving you guys a chapter every day till Friday to make it up to you!!

As for this week's question, what is the general opinions of Blue Two Vortex? The first few chapters have been incredible.]