Naruto: The Last Harbinger of Storm – Book 2
NTLHOS-2: Chapter 4 – Drums and Gongs of War.
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Author's Note:
As promised, here's the next chapter! 🎉 This is a bonus chapter, meaning I've posted two chapters in a row, so don't miss out on the previous one! Make sure to read both and let me know your thoughts.
Your feedback and comments are what drive this story forward, so please like and comment—I truly appreciate every single one! 🙏🔥
Stay tuned for more intense twists and turns in the next update! 😊🔥
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"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves."—William Shakespeare
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Last Time On NTLHOS:
He recalled the man's last words about proposals and of Sukino, and shook his head with a faint smirk. Some things never changed. That man had always had the capacity to both amuse and horrify him in equal measure. But this also gives him an opportunity he will not waste.
"Yes, you're back, old friend," Hiruzen murmured. "And you've brought a storm with you how ironic."
His pipe long extinguished, his cigar wet, he flicked them both away. They tumbled off the monument, disappearing into the swirling leaves.
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Now:
Isanabi was an ordinary shinobi of the mist, just a human soldier without the cursed bloodlines possessed by so many of the monsters. He never aspired to become a hero, only to follow orders and survive. Yet here he was, part of an invading army marching on Uzushiogakure. He had watched his comrades, some of them his friends, fallen to horrors he could scarcely comprehend. Still, orders were orders, and the army pressed onward.
After days of grueling travel, they finally reached Uzu's shores. By then, Isanabi's fears had soared to new heights. He'd always heard rumours of the deviousness of the bloodline monsters, but living through the traps and ambushes was far worse than any story. The enemy was alaways unseen and toyed with them.
He remembers many incidents like one night, soldiers roamed onto what looked like solid ground just a small patch of land near a calm lagoon. The "soil" gave way beneath their collective weight, revealing a deadly pit of molten lava. Those who fell stood no chance, their screams echoed for seconds before silence reclaimed the night.
At dawn next day, a team woke to find their tents drenched in an acidic mist. The corrosive vapor ate through skin, cloth, and armor with horrific ease. The surviving soldiers, blinded and burned, described it as a waking nightmare.
On the next nights, eerie shapes formed and drifted in the mist Uzu shinobi, or perhaps phantoms conjured by malicious seals. It was no Kirigakure jutsu, it felt as though men were transforming into mist itself. The mist wasn't chakra-laced as it might have been from Kiri not even Zabuza's techniques would explain it. By morning, the they would discover three to four dozen of their own strangled by metallic wires or impaled on jagged kunai and spikes. No footprints, save for those behind them when they were strangled. No signs of a scuffle. Just twisted, lifeless bodies.
Even with their own contingent of highly skilled warriors patroling, the marching army had lost nearly a quarter of its number. Morale plummeted with each bloody dawn, yet their commanders pushed them onward, insisting that victory was within reach. They had seized many outposts along the way each, in hindsight, seemed barely defended. It felt too easy, almost deliberate.
They had come prepared for seal-based traps, knowing Uzushiogakure's legendary mastery of the art. Indeed, they encountered seal traps complex and deadly but far fewer than they had anticipated. The traps were enough to rival those of any major village but were far below what Uzushiogakure was rumored to be capable of. Instead, the army found itself ensnared by a different kind of danger, one they had didn't expected and were woefully unprepared for it. They knew there was lot of bloodline users in Uzu. But they didn't know Uzu had monsters who can change to mist. Or even that bloodline monsters who defected from Kiri could work in such cohesion.
The traps weren't purely based on seals. They were layered with techniques unfamiliar to the invaders an uncanny blend of strategy and supernatural horror. Soldiers whispered in about the eerie precision of the ambushes, the unnatural mist that seemed alive, and the unseen enemies who struck with devastating accuracy.
Some of the men began to speculate. They whispered that it was all part of a greater plan, the Uzumaki weren't simply defending their land, they were toying with the invaders, luring them forward, only to pick them apart with ambushes, so that they can claim the mist later. Victory felt farther away with every step, but seeing wall brought the moral back since no more gorilla war fare anymore. They confront them, man to man.
Now, standing at the foot of Uzushiogakure's massive gigantic walls, Isanabi peered through the haze of early morning. The fortress loomed before them, stones etched with spiraling symbols and seals. Broken sunlight caught on the swirling lines, and Isanabi felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. There was something alive in those seals in the wall.
All around him, the surviving soldiers huddled in uneasy silence. Exhaustion and dread weighed on them like leaden chains. Their captains exchanged tense whispers, and an uneasy question passed from one rank to the next:How many more will we lose just approaching these walls?
Isanabi swallowed hard. He could almost sense the presence of eyes watching from the parapets. Monsters and creatures of the Whirlpool.
Somewhere in front, an officer shouted commands orders to prepare siege towers, to check the ropes and grapples since the walls had seals that prevented from sticking with chakra. Also there was the infamous barrier. The soldiers stirred, forming ragged lines and squads. They were all aware, though unspoken, that this was a final destination.
In that moment, Isanabi couldn't shake the thought that they had walked into a massive trap.What if the walls themselves are just another lure?He imagined stepping onto a hidden seal that triggered a colossal wave of lava, or an acid flood, or some brand-new atrocity.
Despite his terror, Isanabi found himself wondering:What sort of enemy waits on the other side? Will the infamous His Grace Naruto Uzumaki the emperor show up?Were they truly bloodthirsty killers? Or protectors fighting for their home like he was doing his? The question offered no comfort, only a deepening sense of dread.
A hush spread through the ranks as the final war horn sounded. In the thick morning air, it felt like a death knell. Isanabi drew a shaky breath, his heart pounding.This is it,he thought. No more running, no more waiting. The assault on Uzushiogakure would either cement their victory or mark their utter annihilation. For his home, for his wife, for his daughter Mena, he had to do it. Failure wasn't an option. If they lost, there wouldn't be a Mist Village left to return to. Already, after Uzu's revival, Mist was suffering from a severe economic depression.
He clenched his kunai so hard his hand began to ache.I just have to survive and win,he told himself.That's all… just survive and win.
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On the parapets of Uzushiogakure, overlooking the roiling sea and the advancing enemy forces, stood Suifu Uzumaki, one of the oldest men in the Elemental Nations. For the first time in decades, he donned his grand marshal's armor of war. The polished plates reflected the flickering torchlight, casting long shadows on the stones of the wall. Beside him stood Mithrusha Uzumaki, her eyes filled with concern, along with the village's senior commanders, Mei Terumi, Zabuza Momochi, and Rashirom Uzumaki and others.
Suifu's mind swirled with strategies, countermeasures, and unanswered questions. Yet one thought lingered above all others a nagging suspicion, a sense that something vital was slipping through their grasp.
"I find there's something we're missing," Suifu began, his aged voice carrying through the silence. He gestured toward the distant shoreline, where the enemy campfires flickered like ghostly lights. "This army is large. We anticipated the Mist's involvement, but all these mercenaries and the minor villages… someone is pulling the strings behind the scenes. From what I've read in the reports, this isn't the Mizukage's doing at least not entirely. It feels… like someone else is orchestrating this."
Mithrusha nodded, her expression grim. "It's not just the sheer size of their forces that's concerning. It's their progress. They've made it this far, but the losses they've suffered are far fewer than we expected. Much fewer."
Suifu's brow furrowed. "Exactly. All the major seals we laid along their route the traps that should have culled far more of their numbers, have been deactivated. My intention was to eliminate at least three-quarters of their army before they even reached our shores. But now, they've arrived with most of their strength intact with only hardly one forth killed or injured. That's no coincidence."
Mei's voice was measured but laced with concern. "You think someone within their ranks has knowledge of Uzumaki seals?"
Suifu sighed, his gaze distant. "That's precisely what troubles me. We've altered the primary seal of the Whirlpool since the last invasion as in me and his grace. No one not even the invaders from the past should know the new entry and exit paths. Yet somehow, they've avoided our deadliest traps. The question is, who could possess such knowledge?"
The commanders exchanged uneasy glances. Zabuza broke the silence. "You're saying someone with deep knowledge of Uzumaki seals is working against us? That narrows it down to, what… a handful of people in the world?"
Suifu nodded gravely. "There are very few alive who could surpass Mithrusha or me in the art of sealing. Yet the precision with which our defences have been bypassed points to someone of that calibre. And the conclusions I'm reaching are far from pleasant."
He turned to Mei, Zabuza, and Rashirom. "You've confirmed that the surviving Surugi are only Alaruya Surugi and his descendants? No one else?"
They nodded in unison.
Suifu exhaled heavily, his words measured. "The Surugi Clan would be the most likely culprits. Their expertise in seals once rivals our own but not enough to alter the grand seal. But Alaruya Surugi couldn't even recreate Konoha's barrier properly. He's skilled, but he doesn't have the mastery to pull this off. I saw Lord Ashina lop off the head of Alaruya's grandfather with my own eyes during the last war. If that man were alive, he'd be my prime suspect."
Mithrusha's expression darkened. "Unless Alaruya has a child a son or daughter who's inherited or surpassed his skills. If such a person exists, they've been kept hidden from us."
"That's one possibility," Suifu admitted, his voice heavy. "But there's another, far graver possibility one I don't want to contemplate. That someone from within our own walls is aiding the enemy."
The words hung in the air like a curse. Mithrusha clenched her fists. "You think a traitor exists within Uzushiogakure? Someone who knows how to bypass our defenses?"
Suifu's gaze hardened. "It's unlikely, but not impossible. Very few within these walls know how to deceive and lie Infront of the Mind's Eye or navigate the grand seals. However, if it's not someone from the present… it could be someone from the past. Perhaps a survivor we assumed dead. Or worse, someone taught directly by a grandmaster of seals of Uzu."
The commanders stiffened at the implication. Zabuza growled, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. "You're saying it could be someone with Uzumaki blood?"
Suifu's voice dropped to a whisper. "Yes. The blood of the Uzumaki is a critical ingredient for the grand seals but not any Uzumaki seal. To have the knowledge and ability to access the grand seal embedded in the ocean bed that's something not even a grandmaster could achieve. Only the Lord of Uzushiogakure, or someone he personally entrusted with the knowledge, could access it."
Mithrusha's voice was sharp. "And if such knowledge has fallen into the wrong hands or worse some from the past…?"
"Then," Suifu said grimly, "we may be facing a threat unlike any we've ever encountered not since the last time. One that could turn the tide of this war in an instant. What really disturb me the eerie similarity to the previous invasion."
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The heavy silence of the underground chamber was only broken by the faint flicker of torchlight against the cold stone walls. This was a rare meeting of Konoha's elders. Seven elders who had been summoned by Hiruzen. The importance of his call was evident, even the notoriously mad Sukino was subdued, her usual mad ramblings, sharp wit and sarcasm tempered by an uncharacteristic seriousness.
Kriya Yamanaka was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, eyed Hiruzen as he entered the room. Her voice was calm, yet laced with curiosity. "Hiruzen, I understand why you'd call the others, but why summon us? Have we fossils suddenly become important again?"
Before the atmosphere could grow more contentious, Sukino, seated at the far end, raised her hand to calm her old teammate. "We're in the dark as much as you are," she said. Her voice was calm but lacked its usual edge. Sukino had noticed Hiruzen's distant demeanor over the past few days and the worried look in his eyes. Whatever had drawn them together, it wasn't good news.
The others sat quietly as Hiruzen sat in his seat. His face bore a sombre expression that seemed to draw the room's energy into an ominous one. Torifu Akimichi, always the blunt one, broke the silence. "Who died?" he asked, only half-joking.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, his gaze heavy as he looked around the room. "There's no better way to say this," he began. "Nobinaga is alive."
The silence that followed was deafening. It wasn't the kind of quiet that lingered after a shocking revelation, it was the kind that crushed the air from the room, leaving those within it frozen and suffocating. Even Danzo, whose stoicism was legendary, had his eyes widen at the name.
Sukino's reaction was the most visceral. Her eyes snapped open, wide with shock, something no one in the room had ever seen before. The normally unshakable and mad woman looked genuinely rattled. "Are you certain?" she asked, her voice sharp and urgent. "Who told you this? This information could be wrong. Lord Ashina killed him there were witnesses!" She said bit frantic.
Hiruzen grimaced, the weight of his words dragging him down. "I met him," he said simply. "He came to the village. He flared his chakra in our old signal, the code we made to let each other know we were near. It's him. He's real."
The room descended into chaos. Questions overlapped as disbelief and panic rippled through the elders.
Danzo's voice cut through the noise, accusing. "Why did you allow that man to enter the village? If you had to speak with him, it should have been outside Konoha. You jeopardized the safety of the entire village, it's like you invite a raving none tails to the village."
The irony of Danzo speaking of safety wasn't lost on anyone, but this time no one called him out. Nobinaga was a name that commanded caution from those who knows him, even among the elders. To know he had been within the village's walls sent a chill through them all.
Before Hiruzen could respond, Sukino leaned forward, her voice low but intense. "Why now? Why does he reveal himself now, of all times?"
Hiruzen met her gaze, the tension in his shoulders visible. "He wanted me to know he was alive. He wanted me know, to hear his plans. I don't believe he's here for Konoha at least not yet. His focus is on Uzushiogakure. He believes its destruction is within his reach."
He recounted their encounter in vivid detail the flash of lightning that revealed Nobinaga's silhouette, the killing intent that had brought seasoned ANBU to their knees and that he was in the same shape as all those years ago, and the chilling ease with which the man had spoken of his plans. By the time Hiruzen finished, the room was heavy with dread.
Torifu broke the silence, his voice grim. "So he's still after revenge. And if you've called Kriya and me here, that means it's too late to warn the Uzumaki."
Hiruzen nodded slowly. "It doesn't matter. According to Nobinaga, Uzumaki Naruto isn't in the village, and from my own intelligence, neither is Tsunade. Even if Naruto were there, the last time I saw him, he wasn't strong enough to face Nobinaga."
Sukino slammed her hand on the table, her composure finally breaking. "You're saying the most dangerous man we've ever had the displeasure of knowing is on his way to Uzushiogakure, and we're sitting here debating? This isn't just about Uzu. If Nobinaga succeeds, what's to stop him from coming here? You think that man gives a damn about his agreement with Lord Tobirama? A man who could betray his master—the worst crime anyone can commit—won't care one bit about an old agreement. He'll destabilize the entire region, and Konoha will be next!"
While I would happy to see Uzu humbled but a unpredictable man like him, who doesn't have any attachment to the world is far more dangerous than Uzumaki Naruto can ever be.
Hiruzen's voice was calm but resolute. "I am aware of the stakes, Sukino. But we cannot act rashly. Nobinaga told me he will take up the life of Hermit after Uzu, its not lieing I have seen it in his eyes and we must decide whether to weather it or divert it. If we oppose him directly, it could draw his wrath onto Konoha."
"Are you mad, Hiruzen? The old fogies will convince him otherwise. Why would they want Nobinaga to leave when his so-called death nearly destroyed their organization? Nobinaga cares about them enough to cancel his plans," she said, her voice dripping with disbelief.
Homura's gaze narrowed. "And what of Uzumaki Naruto? If he falls, his influence will crumble, but his death could also provoke war the next shinobi war. Are you willing to risk that?"
Hiruzen didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at each of them in turn. "We must tread carefully. What else can we do."
Kriya, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. "Then what's the plan, Hiruzen? What do we do?"
Hiruzen sighed, his expression weary but determined. "We observe. We gather intelligence. And we prepare for the worst. If Nobinaga's attention remains on Uzu, we will let them fight it out. I need time to completely regain my powers…" He trailed off,
Alaruya, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "It was Lady Mito before, and now it's Nobinaga. Has the fate of the Surugis is to always live in fear. Make sure Konohamaru is kept far from his sight. While he loathes Uzumaki blood, if he sees a Surugi, he will kill without hesitation."
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Deep beneath the surface of Uzushiogakure, Naruto Uzumaki sat in complete darkness. No light reached this chamber, and no sound pierced the oppressive silence. Even he could not speak, his voice forbidden by the strict requirement of this training. Once a day, through a teleportation seal, food materialized within the chamber. But it was not food he could see or smell, each meal was infused with a special essence that rendered it completely scentless. Naruto had to locate it solely through chakra perception and consume it without breaking the stillness of his environment.
For seven days, he had sat in this very posture, motionless. How many more days he would remain here, he didn't know. This was a critical step in mastering his kekkei tōta, and to progress, he had to strip away all perception, leaving only his chakra and higher senses as his guide.
When all five senses were cut off, only his inner energy and intuition remained. This was where his focus lay. He worked through intricate mental exercises, processes his master had taught him, pushing his understanding and control of his abilities further. Sometimes, in the stillness, he would close his eyes and hear his master's voice, guiding him through new practices in the echoing quiet of his mind.
Now, as Naruto shut his eyes, the stillness shifted. He was pulled abruptly into his mindscape. The familiar space felt different heavier, older, as if infused with a power that reached back to him. Standing before him was an old man, cloaked in simple robes, a staff in hand. His presence was both commanding and serene.
The man bore a striking resemblance to Naruto's master, yet there was something distinct about him. Naruto spoke. "Who are you?"
The old man's voice was deep and calm, yet it carried a weight that seemed to resonate with the very air around him. "I am a relic of the past," he said. "My name is Ashina Uzumaki."
Naruto's eyes widened in shock. It couldn't be. There had been many Ashinas in the Uzumaki lineage, but surely not him. "Ashina? As in His Grace Ashina Uzumaki, the previous Arch Sage?"
The old man's lips curved into a gentle smile. "I was called that, yes. Grace and Arch Sage, once. Now, I am just a soul."
Naruto's mind raced, struggling to process this revelation. "How are you here?" he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
The old man inclined his head slightly. "Like all who came before me, I sealed a part of my essence within this chaimber. When certain conditions are met, we are called forth. My presence here means the time is grave."
Naruto's brow furrowed. "Why are you here, now?"
Ashina's smile faded, replaced by a solemn expression. "An old mistake of mine has returned."
Naruto's heart sank. "What do you mean? What kind of mistake?"
Ashina's gaze was piercing, his voice steady. "One you will not face at least, not directly. If the village you have built is not strong enough to stop him, it will perish. That is the reality of this threat."
With those words, Ashina raised his staff and pressed it gently against Naruto's forehead. A surge of energy flowed through the contact, and in an instant, Naruto's mind was flooded with visions. He saw what was happening outside the village, the encroaching army, the traps that had failed, and the chaos on the horizon.
Then, he saw the source of it all. The mistake Ashina spoke of was revealed, a man shrouded in immense power. Naruto watched as this figure unleashed devastating abilities, tearing through defences with ease. His movements were otherworldly, his mastery of seals and strategy unparalleled. The sheer weight of his presence was suffocating, his power a force that even the strongest Uzumaki barriers struggled to contain.
The vision ended abruptly, leaving Naruto gasping for breath. Ashina withdrew his staff, his expression grave. "You now understand what they are up against. This is no ordinary foe. His knowledge is my mistake, and his hatred burns with a fury that can consume everything in its path. Prepare yourself, my decendent."
Naruto's hands clenched at his sides. "But he—"
Before he could argue, Ashina interrupted, his tone firm yet compassionate. "And before you think of something foolish like leaving this chamber to confront him, know this: even with your considerable power, the doors will not budge. They are sealed until your task here is complete. You must trust the strength of your people and the will of Uzushiogakure."
Naruto's mind churned with questions, but he knew the old man spoke the truth. The seals on the chamber were absolute, and this training was vital. He couldn't abandon it halfway.
Will you train me?
Ashina's expression softened. "No. You have to prepare yourself."
The old man's image began to recide into some corner of his mind, his voice echoing in the vastness of the mindscape. "Do not falter, child. The fates depends on you… and them."
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Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of NTLHOS- Book 2!
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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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