It had been six months since the Emperor fought Madara and won. Nobody had seen the battle, but the landscape had been changed as a result and its tremors had been felt all over. The captured Jinchuriki were released and returned to their homes. It was no charity from the Empire. Not when it didn't need the power of the Bijuu.

Still, had they kept them, everyone would have been uncomfortable. Everyone. Konoha. Kumo and especially Iwagakure. But Hiashi was not worried. At least not for Konoha. The Empire hadn't been bothering anyone. They've been focused on building the train system and fostering close ties with Feudal Lords while the Kage were sidelined. They were grumbling. But there was nothing that could be done. They could not force the Emperor to talk to them.

Hiashi glanced outside the window as the train stopped. He had ridden one from the Leaf to the Capital. For a month now, they've been running. It was a favored transport for civilians. Now they could travel without the fear of being attacked by bandits.

The outside was crowded. People from all over were at the large train station. It was his first time being here. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. When he stepped out along with Hanabi, he realized, this was another world.

Some people had to come here to get trains to other nations where there was no direct route. You could easily get lost after stepping out of the train. Everyone seemed to mind their own business. Everyone appeared to be in a hurry.

It was rush hour.

He glanced at Hanabi to see her reaction; there was only a slightly stretched brow. But Hiashi knew, she was overwhelmed. He looked around for signs. There were different gates, leading to different destinations. Hiashi saw seven in total. This was slightly underground. He'd known this.

A redhead man appeared in front of them unexpectedly.

He smiled. "Hiashi-sama," he said before glancing at Hanabi. "You must be Hanabi-san."

Hanabi nodded.

The man didn't introduce himself. Hiashi thought it was rude, but he didn't say so. The man led them outside the train station. It was just as crowded as the station. People looked lively. The atmosphere was welcoming. It was different from Konoha. Unformed shinobi walked around, doing patrols. Some buildings stood tall, as if he was in Amegakure. The buildings around certainly reflected the Capital's diversity. It was also amazing just how in less than a year, this place had become like this. It was not built as big as Konoha, but it was still crowded.

And, most people were civilians.

Hiashi blinked his eyes. He stared at the man he recognized as Haku. He was the man he had been corresponding with in regards to his visit. He was the one who had been running around making rounds with Daimyo. He was rumored to be very friendly with the Fire Lord. They were neighbors, in terms of borders anyway. Haku appeared to be the one who reigned supreme over the Empire. Over the past months, it has not been the Emperor, but Haku.

The Emperor seemed to disappear into the shadows while he showed up. In battle, he was known for being the one to have fought and defeated Kakuzu. He was known to freeze an entire bandit camp that civilians had been rescued. There were some rumors, but perhaps some were just an exaggeration.

Still, the man smiled kindly, but no doubt, he was powerful.

Hiashi greeted the man with a small smile and Hanabi did the same.

"Welcome to the Capital." Haku welcomed the two with a warm smile. "I have anticipated your visit for a while now." They should have met months ago, but other commitments came first. And besides, Naruto had wanted to show the Kage that he didn't need them.

"You are the one who have been pushing back at attempts to meet." Hiashi said as they started walking along the streets.

"Your talks are not with me but his Majesty. He has not been seeing people. There have been internal matters that needed to be solved." Haku responded casually.

Hiashi nodded. He was not going to ask what. As they walked, he realized, Haku was much respected. People seemed to bow to him, and others acknowledged his presence. No one seemed afraid of him. Everyone seemed to love him.

"Would you like to see the city first or would you like to see his Majesty?"

"The journey was comfortable. We can see the Emperor." Hiashi said.

Haku nodded. "He is not expecting to see you until tomorrow, but we will see if he permits it." he said with a smile.

"Should we not just see him tomorrow, then?" Hanabi suggested, not wanting to impose on the Emperor. The Leaf apparently needed this to work as it had no alliance with the Empire unlike with other villages.

Haku shook his head. "You don't have to worry about anything." He said reassuringly.

The Emperor's place was as beautiful as it was rumored. There was a natural fragrance around it. Perhaps it was the colorful trees around. Or maybe it came from the water stream. Hanabi was a little nervous now. She had been on many diplomatic missions. But this was unlike anything before. She was going to deal with the Emperor.

The most powerful man in this generation.

Of course, if you were talking to Sasuke–he would dispute that. But there was no one who came close to the Emperor aside from the Uchiha.

The throne room was intimidating. It was set out that way. You knew you walked into the ring of the Emperor. Power, wealth, it was all displayed. But, the treasure was the man on the throne. When was the last time she saw him?

Hanabi could not remember. But he looked different. His hair seemed to have been slightly cut that it no longer reached his shoulders. He wore a silver crown, a strangely shaped necklace. He covered himself with a dark cloak.

There appeared to be slight bags around his eyes as if he was hardly sleeping.

Immediately, Hanabi fell on her knees. It didn't matter that she was wearing ceremonial robes. She felt compelled to show respect before the Emperor. Her father only bowed his head ever so slightly. When she glanced at the Emperor, she realized, he was staring back at her, amused by something.

Perhaps it had been the speed in which she knelt down.

"The Hyuga clan is here to discuss what you started with Shikamaru, Your Majesty." Haku said, while there was a bit of seriousness in his voice, there was that casualness.

"Already? I thought we were not seeing them until next year."

Haku shook his head. "You have been avoiding people. It is time you stepped outside. And we need to conclude this or we won't move forward."

Listening to the two, Hiashi couldn't help but realize that ever since the battle with Madara, the Emperor has not made any public appearances. In fact, some people had even started rumors that he had been seriously injured in his battle with Madara–which was not hard to believe. Some had thought he was dead, which was why Haku was the one who was running the Empire.

The Feudal Lords had even said that Haku handled all things and anything he agreed with the Ice user was final. The Emperor only ratified alliances. Of course with that, Hiashi had known the demise of the Emperor was exaggerated.

He blinked when he realized the Emperor was now staring at him.

"Please enjoy seeing the city today and rest a bit. We will talk tomorrow around noon. Haku will entertain you for dinner."

He started with please, but Hiashi knew was just being polite.

Iwagakure

Kurotsuchi just shook her head seeing Yoshino lying flat on her rooftop. He usually came around at night, and always lay there. How many times has he come here over the past months? She hadn't kept count. But she still listened to him.

He was admittedly smart and offered some usable advice on certain issues.

Sighing tiredly, Kurotsuchi settled beside him and then looked above. She didn't think he'd stab her in the back. Not when her most trusted knew she met him on occasions. If something happened to her, he would be blamed.

The Empire would take the fall.

"This is going to be my last visit." Yoshino suddenly said.

Kurotsuchi twisted her neck to face him. It came out of nowhere. She was shocked. Baffled. The last time they had been talking smoothly without any issues between them–as long as the Emperor didn't come up.

"Why?"

"This has not been fruitful for me. We have not been able to move forward with our villages being on good terms or having an alliance, and you have only been using me."

Kurotsuchi snorted. "It isn't like you have not been using me. You first hinted that you'd work outside of the Emperor but it has become apparent that you cannot do anything against him."

Yoshino smiled. "Can you?"

"I'm not the one who makes it appear as if he was willing to do whatever for power."

"I'm not the one who's been secretly hoping someone does something while I cannot do anything myself. It is also ironic that you are displeased at my inability when you suffer from the same issue."

Kurotsuchi gritted her teeth. She wanted to shout and curse. But she held back. There was no point. She had stopped thinking about the Emperor with Yoshino. The situation in her village was getting better. The Daimyo was getting along with her. But she still didn't like the fact that Haku appeared to dine with him regularly and in private.

"What's going to happen?"

"I actually lied when I hinted anything of betrayal to the Emperor. My only interest was seeing you make proper decisions that won't see you destroyed. The path you were going on, his Majesty would have ordered his men to lay siege on Iwagakure…I did not want that. That is why I took over the diplomatic ties with you."

She had known. Every time she sent a message to the Empire, Haku always told her to speak to Yoshino as he did not have the authority to discuss anything with her. The moves Yoshino influenced her to make had helped save her.

But of course, she didn't owe him anything nor has she given him anything. It was his choice to do what he did.

She could only thank him.

"But while I have succeeded in some areas, I have failed in some." Yoshino added.

He was not going to add which area he failed or the fact that it was most crucial to him. But it didn't matter. He had worked hard on her and he now knew how to press her buttons, what made her laugh, what made her angry.

He was only unable to learn what she dreamed while sleeping.

Kurotsuchi was not concerned over what the man has failed. She was most worried about the fact that if she lost him, she would lose her connection with the Empire. There was nothing as dominant in politics as the Empire right now. Most goods running into her village came via the trains as merchants turn to them as the cheaper and safest method of transportation. Even things that would not normally reach them, were now reaching them as the method of transportation was now available for traders.

Kurotsuchi had benefited in some of that because of Yoshino. The trains were not planned to get into her village because of her dispute with the Emperor, but he had managed to do it. If she lost him, she would lose someone much closer to the Emperor.

She couldn't have it. Not when Haku, the other person, didn't seem interested in connecting with her. There was no other way to reach the Emperor aside from the Haku or Yoshino.

"What do you want?"

Yoshino smiled–inwardly.

This was not so bad.

The Following Day

Hanabi stepped into a meeting room with an expressionless mask on her face. She was holding it in. She was due to meet the Emperor alone, without her father or anyone else. Her father had not been receptive to the idea but Haku had said the Emperor did not have any ulterior motives and her father could do this if he trusted the Emperor to be faithful in their talks.

He'd only ended up agreeing to it after Haku said they would be talking at his tower on some other issues Konoha must have tried to have him bring out because the Emperor was not going to entertain it.

The room was empty. It was less imposing than the throne room. There was a small table in the center, a bottle and two saucers, with two cushions set aside. The door on the right was open, with a view to the garden.

It was peaceful.

Her tension eased a bit at the atmosphere but she did not sit down.

"You can sit down."

Hanabi nearly jumped when the Emperor suddenly spoke behind her. He'd frightened her. She'd not been expecting him. She had not even heard his footsteps or even sensed his presence. She already knew about this.

His silence.

If he wanted to kill her, he could have succeeded.

Once more, Hanabi saw that amused look on his face. It was much different looking at it up close. But his eyes still looked tired.

Hanabi dragged her feet to settle across him.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Your Majesty." Hanabi said in a polite tone. "But, I think my father would be the right person to talk to about such matters."

Naruto did not face Hanabi. He had his reasons. He didn't want to deal with Hiashi and he found it most interesting to deal with Hanabi. Still, recently, the people who came to see him were those who needed to be punished.

He hardly saw anyone who had not done anything wrong. He had become the judge, sentencing people to death.

He did not reward any.

But, Haku did so.

Of course, all rewards were in his name.

He poured the sake on both saucers and pushed one toward Hanabi before facing her.

"Aren't you the future head of your clan? Hiashi is old, and you are going to take over him? Is that not so?"

"There have been such talks, but my sister has also been proposed to take the role."

"Clan politics. Hinata is going to end up being married, maybe outside. And, she will leave the clan. I was in the same class as her years ago. She is not assertive enough to be a leader…But you are…Don't disappoint me."

The Emperor didn't hate her sister. From his expression, he appeared to be stating facts.

Hanabi let loose of the breath she held in and responded.

"I am the one to take over for my father, but I'm still not in a position to make decisions for the clan."

"Decisions have already been made. It is simply the finer details that need to be discussed." Naruto said with a shrug. "Sell your pitch to me…Or to be more precise, refresh my mind."

"Konoha decided that instead of forcing things, a more diplomatic way should be sought out to make a connection between the Leaf and the Empire. Marriage arrangements have been used for generations to foster and to show close relationships between nations. The Hyuga clan has some interest in forming close ties with the Uzumaki clan."

Naruto raised an eye brow. "What would those ties entail?"

"The use of Fuinjutsu and forming a relationship that will last for generations. My father aims for the Hyuga clan to become the most influential clan in the Hidden Leaf."

The clans were nobles and controlled some affairs of a village. In terms of politics, they also dominated. And they offered some military strength to the village in which they belonged.

Naruto smiled. He didn't have a problem with it. "Interesting. But before we go on the Fuinjutsu part, I would like to talk to your cousin, Neji."

"That can be arranged." Hanabi said. "Do you still agree that one of your children will marry a child from the Hyuga clan?"

"It has to be your child…Provided you marry into the Hyuga clan…"

"As someone who is to be clan head, I cannot marry outside the clan."

"That shall be on the agreement nonetheless. I don't want surprises. The human heart is very strange. You could fall in love with someone and then decide to get pregnant with them…"

Hanabi was surprised that such words could come out of the Emperor. She felt inclined to ask. "Does his Majesty believe in love?"

Naruto smiled. "I have felt the emotion of love. And I have seen it do wonders to some of my subordinates. I heard you were close to Konohamaru…Nothing there."

Hanabi's expression changed slightly. "There will be nothing."

"I like how you phrased that. Someone is going to be very disappointed. We will make the agreement. You still want my child to grow up in Konoha?"

"Yes, he or she will have to reside in our clan to become used to his future."

Naruto looked thoughtful for a moment before responding. "He or she…Would you be okay if I said, your child must grow up here without you?"

Hanabi tried to think of a Diplomatic answer but the Emperor spoke once more before she could.

"My child will grow here, be educated here in both life and shinobi matters. However, I'm not against him going to the Leaf. The Hyuga child must also come here to know this country. You should also have a backup plan, in case something happens to either. We will do the same." Naruto said before his eyes narrowed. "Tell me, did you people think of this to make my child a political hostage in case I ever decided to attack the Leaf?"

"That was not the thought of the Hyuga clan."

"You gave your answer very quickly. But, I will accept it."

"The clan has this tradition. Some of our clansmen are sent to work for the village while some work for the clan. The clan is willing to enter into an agreement that should the Empire require our expertise, the clan shinobi will be able to provide it…"

"It seems your father truly wants to grow his influence…But confidentiality issues?"

"Not everything the clan does is for Konoha. My father's first priority has always been the clan than the village. I should adhere to this principle."

"Excellent." Naruto said with a small smile. "It is impolite to refuse a drink from the Emperor."

Hanabi stared the drink the Emperor had shoved to her side. she didn't want to drink but she had no choice, did she? At least it was just one drink.

Haku worked at the tower and the compound but he spent most time at the latter location. At least that is what intel suggested. It was possible for people to come here and still not see the Emperor, even though he was around. It had been Konoha's struggle over the last several months.

Kakashi had come here but had still not met the Emperor. He'd spoken with Haku but the man had said he had not been given the authority to have any formal talks with the Leaf–he however did entertain the man. Still, nothing much had come out of it aside from deals with the trains. The Leaf had considered holding the trains' hostage to get the Empire to talk to them, but Shikamaru had suggested such an idea would be ill-informed and would only lead for the Empire to act against them.

While a meeting had now been sorted, Hiashi was still concerned that nothing with Konoha was being worked out.

The elders were not going to be pleased about it.

He glanced at Haku for a moment before looking around the crowded office. Scrolls, stacks of papers. There had been people coming in and going moments earlier. There was truly a large volume of work. The Empire was growing. Its political and economic muscles were growing. It was not flexing them, but it would soon enough.

"You seem to do much of the work around here." Hiashi started in a light tone.

"Not at all, His Majesty still does most of the heavy work. Besides, I work on authority of the Emperor." Haku said with a slight shrug. "He isn't going to take much time with Hanabi-san and after that, I will be called to speak to him. If you want to say something, you should say it now."

Hiashi didn't need to think about it for long. "Why doesn't he want to entertain a relationship with Konoha? Before the War and after, he seemed willing to the idea of forming closer ties with the Leaf."

"Only he can answer that question. A response from me would be mere speculation."

"Surely you have asked."

Haku stared for a moment before responding. "A possibility, but I'm not willing to discuss privileged conversations with the Emperor." He said. "What was the message from Konoha?"

"An alliance talk. Formal alliance talk." Hiashi said.

"Konoha is hosting Kage Summit soon, yes?" Haku said in thought. "I will persuade him to go to Konoha. Not for the summit, but to see you. You will host him. Whatever happens on that side is up to you."

"He'll notice something so bluntly clear."

"Doesn't matter." Haku said with a slight shrug of his shoulders. He slouched to his chair and held his hands together. "There is also a request we would like from your clan. We would like to utilize your shinobi for an S-rank mission."

"What mission?"

"Classified." Haku said. "At least for now. You'll get the details from Guren at a suitable time."

Hiashi was not going to complain about this kind of arrangement, but no doubt, Konoha was going to cry. This did not benefit the Leaf–not even a little. This was going to do well for the Hyuga clan. If Konoha thought that tying the clan with the Empire would benefit Konoha greatly, they were massively mistaken.

Still, if the Hyuga clan benefited, Konoha would also benefit. Regardless of what happens, the Hyuga clan would always be loyal to Konoha. If the Empire could not see that, than the relationship would end. He didn't think that these people didn't know that.

No, they had to know that. They were not even asking him of anything that would leave the clan at odds with Konoha. It was all above board.

It was late at night when Haku walked into Naruto's office. These days, Naori and Naoki worked shifts because Naruto could go around without sleeping for longer periods. Sometimes he could just sit on the throne in the throne room without any company. It was worrying and a little sad at times. He wondered what the man really wanted.

Was there something that he was missing? Was he simply not satisfied that things have come this far? Did he want more or was he just not happy with all things in general? Haku had tried asking before, but he had been shut down.

It was not that Naruto wore a sad face. The Emperor was still unreadable, but there was certainly something different about him.

When Haku stepped into the office, the blond was working on a stack of papers. He was still the Emperor. There were many things that he needed to go through. Reports that ended up in his desk had to be read and then stored away in a secure facility bound by barriers.

Haku sat in front of Naruto's desk. The office was just like the one in the Whirlpools. Nothing had changed–just the amount of work.

"You're making a habit of working late nights." Haku said in calm tone, eyes fully on the Emperor.

Naruto didn't immediately respond. His eyes remained focused on what he was reading before glancing up at Haku for a moment.

"There is nothing better to do at night…"

Haku almost laughed but he held back. Nothing better to do at night. "You have wives."

He emphasized the last word.

Naruto's lips twirled slightly into a smile. "And you think I should be bedding one of them at night? So, today, I decide where I go? Do I get the comfort of the delightful Mizukage? Do I go to Temari and feel her warm heart and listen to the troubles of her life and try to comfort her? Do I go to Whirlpools and here Karin complain about being pregnant and the hardships she has to go through while I dare to dream about being a father and what kind of a father I would become? Do I go to Land of Springs and forget about all shinobi matters? Do I go to Nadeshiko?"

Some men would be envious to have such a list of women. Some people couldn't even get one without having to pay. There was a brothel in this city, and he had seen many men go through for pleasure. The man who operated it had begged him to open it after he had first rejected the idea. He'd found it a little distasteful, but he had been convinced that some people made it their work.

He only agreed to it if all of them women were not forced and worked there voluntarily.

Yugao was always going there to check if everything was running according to the law.

Naruto didn't have to spend a cent. He had wives. Yet, these days, being alone seemed to be his beloved bedtime.

"Some people would be envious to have such options."

"I know one." Naruto said with a small smile.

Jiraiya would certainly say he was living the afterlife if such a thing was a reality for him. Ah, those days with the Sannin had truly been wonderful. He'd been a little less worried. He could enjoy things without being worried about anything.

He could go anywhere and allow the temptations to rule over him.

"Then?"

Naruto fell back into his chair, and closed his eyes for a moment. "I feel rather empty. I have everything but my heart feels a little empty. There is something that seems missing."

Haku raised an eye brow at this contradiction. "How do you have everything and still lack something?"

Naruto shrugged. "It cannot be explained. Or perhaps I do not want to bother myself explaining it. Everything is in order. My empire is growing. I can look forward to being a father. Temari is going to come here to live with me for a couple of months, I should be happy."

"Isn't that the problem?"

"What?"

"You've never lived your life to be happy. It was always about the goals of the Empire. but now we are at a stage where you must sit back and just watch other people work. You don't have to bother thinking about things because we do it for you."

"That is a little troubling. I'm not used to this." Naruto said in a flat tone. "I'm considering going on a trip…Just to refresh my mind. The last trip I went on was perhaps the happiest part in my life. I would think it is seeing the Uzumaki clan rise, but it is not. Seeing the clan grow only fills me with pride."

"I was also not aware Temari was coming? Are you gonna go with her?"

"I think so." Naruto said in thought. "What do you think of the idea?"

"I don't disagree with it. I can handle things in your absence and if there is anything that needs to be sorted out, Yoshino and Guren can always sort it out. If you can take your Imperial Train around the Elemental Nations, it could give you some needed rest and gives you a chance to see how the world has changed. At the same time, we can make new friends. While you won't be doing any official visits, I have no doubt that you will be engaged by leaders of all nations you will pass." Haku said in thought. "But I'll need to make preparations."

"Make them." Naruto said. He then released a long breath before speaking once more. "I guess I can go surprise Mei."

Kirigakure

Mei's eyes snapped open when she sensed a presence closer to her. She nearly jumped when she saw someone lying beside her on her bed but calmed when she saw it was Naruto. He was lying on his side–staring at her with a small smile on his lips. She could still not tell what he was thinking. These days, his presence has been a little scarce. He even looked tired.

Then again, even without wars and battles, there was another fight with paperwork that he had to engage. The Empire was growing, surely, time would also be limited. It didn't matter if there were other people assisting, he was still the Emperor.

The Mizukage cleared those thoughts. She was merely happy to see him here. To see him before her with a smile. She sometimes missed that small smile. She felt like she didn't need to move, but just stare at him silently without saying another word. Maybe for a couple minutes or an hour. Even if she fell asleep, it would not become a problem for her. The relationship was not all about touching. Emotional support was also needed.

"A little surprised to see you but I'm happy."

"I've realized I've been neglecting you." Naruto said. It was simply not the duties he had to complete but his desire for some alone time.

His voice was quiet and there was a bit of emotion. Things could truly change. Mei smiled. "Are you okay, though?"

Such a strange question.

The only other person who asked him the question so earnestly was Haku. The others didn't say anything. Not even Karin dared asking him about his mental health. He'd always held up. He'd always been fine. His mind had been set up to think in a different way. But he wanted to avoid that because it would not lead to happiness.

"I think I am."

Mei raised an eye brow. "That is new."

Naruto smiled. "Perhaps," he said. "There is just a dilemma that I must confront. With things moving in the right direction, there is little less of that rational thinking. I also think about what kind of parent I want to become. At the same time, I cannot afford to fail in my duty as Emperor by allowing emotions to get the best of me. It is a question of whether I stick to my guns or make a little adjustment. But the adjustment will be very difficult because my mind is used to setting up things in a certain way. Perhaps I may never even get rid of the way I think, but I can still show a little bit of love…If I have any to give."

Everyone had challenges to face. Mei would like it if Naruto showed a little more love. It would make things easy, it would make things happier. Happiness to the heart was not brought by rational thinking–emotions brought out happiness.

"Nothing would make me happier than seeing you smile more." Mei said with a warm smile. "Of course, there are still things one cannot expect from you. But for a happy family, a child must not grow to despise you, you need to show love. Not unless you want to brainwash them."

Naruto chuckled lightly. "I would think of doing something like that. Everyone has the freedom to choose what they want. It is simply learning that your freedom does not mean you must crush others and infringe on other people's principles, and ideals. In my empire, your freedom must not be what takes you to an opposing view that leads you to attempt to usurp me. I want the children to be happy and live their lives freely, but they must still know what is expected of them. I also know that if you neglect your children, they will resent you and the likelihood of them following your footsteps become none. So, the logical choice is to do what makes them admire you. Naturally, you cannot please all people. But that is just part of life."

Mei smiled. "I hope you make the decision that does not leave you miserable. You cannot sacrifice everything. I think you have already done enough. You should take a slight step back, but don't ever stop being vigilant."

"I cease being Emperor the day I become ignorant."

The air was fresh, but the noise was loud. It was not like Konoha or Uzushiogakure. This was different from any other village. Then again, every nation was unique. But this city of Naruto was crowded by people from different nations. Temari had read some reports of people wanting to come to visit this place for the good life. The capital was not just the home of the most powerful man in the shinobi world, it was also the most technologically advanced nation.

There were things to do that you could only find in this city. But from what she had heard, life was also very expensive here. Rich people tended to overprice things. But with orphanages run by the Empire and business coming in every day, the city's residents didn't have to worry about the capital.

This place was overflowing with opportunities and most of all, the good and peaceful life was guaranteed by the Emperor.

Temari had not set foot in Uzushiogakure ever since the fight with Madara ended. She'd gone to the Wave a couple of times. People called the Wave the second capital. The economy in the Wave was still strong and the fact that it is in the coast meant that all shipping into the Empire went through it. The Whirlpools had become closed once more. Getting into the Wave was even difficult these days with border control. From what she had heard, it was only people from the Wave who get a free pass into the Whirlpools.

The blonde shook her head. Her eyes wandered about the streets. She was with no one. The city was huge. But she didn't have to worry about getting lost. This was not her first time here. Children were playing in the streets. So careless and happy. Their smiles made her smile.

Naruto built this. He made this into reality. The same blond who walked into Suna for training was the one who built this. The same man she called husband. Her smile quickly disappeared when a certain Uzumaki flashed behind her.

"I was comfortable alone." Temari said with narrowed eyes.

Naoki smiled, walking behind the blonde. "I noticed."

"Then?"

"You are not very nice to me, Temari-san." Naoki more or less complained. "I don't think I've offended you in any way."

Had he? Temari shook her head. "What is it, Naoki?"

Naoki sighed. "Well, since my presence isn't wanted…I'll depart without giving you the message…And you won't find his Majesty at home."

Temari frowned. He knew she was coming in today. The exact time had not been arranged because she had not said which train she would take.

"Haku?"

"Locked in a meeting with delegates from the Earth and Cloud."

It was delegates from the Feudal Lords no doubt. It was a thing that this Empire did so often. When Haku had begun being open with his flirtation with the Feudal Lords, some villages had been worried. The Kage had been concerned about the Empire's motives. It had been especially concerning it was the time when the Empire was avoiding the Kage.

The alliances with the Daimyo made the Emperor even more powerful, politically. They listened to him. And they all seemed to have better relations with Haku than with Kage of their nations. Perhaps they were only laughing all the way to their beds due to the taxes the Empire paid them. The train business was making money. Lots of it. And, the Empire controlled the whole system in the shinobi world. Goods now traveled by train. Aide arrived faster.

The Empire affected the lives of all people in the shinobi world. And that was a dangerous power.

"And Naruto?"

"His Majesty," Naoki stressed the rank, "is out getting some fresh air. But I can take you to him."

Temari narrowed her eyes. She knew–she was not the Empress. Karin was. She did not have the same status as the Uzumaki. But from what she knew, Karin had no role whatsoever and she had little power. It was apparently stripped from her.

It had nothing to do with her pregnancy.

Thinking of this, she rubbed her belly and then responded.

"No; its fine. I'll wait for him."

The view was quite verdant below. Standing above the hill, one could see the vast green land of farms. Some of it was still just not yet green. There were many people moving around. Preparing the land. Making it fertile. The conditions favored agriculture. The Emperor was even using Mokuton to make it worth while. Water was available. The land was there for the taking. This was not the hot, breathless conditions of the Wind that suffocated even creatures meant for the desert.

Yoshino couldn't help but smile. Everything was moving according to plan. Harvest season would come and the Empire would be shipping large chunks of food. Merchants would be trading. Taking advantage of the fair prices negotiated and easier method of transportation that didn't come with the extra costs of hiring security.

"Smells fresh here." Karin said, standing beside Yoshino.

The Emperor was in a meditative position, sitting just in front of them.

"It's the smell of nature." Yoshino said.

He had come here needing to take on business with the Emperor but Karin had insisted on coming along. She said she wanted to go out despite the fact that she was not allowed to leave the palace. Naruto probably didn't want people to know about her pregnancy.

The shinobi world was in the dark over it–except for a few.

He took two steps closer to the Emperor and then started speaking. "Heika…"

"Yoshino." Naruto didn't open his eyes.

"I have managed things with Kurotsuchi. Haku can begin with negotiations. She believes that she now needs me. Though I have not been successful in completely changing her, the exercise was not utterly pointless."

Naruto was silent for a moment. He glanced back at Yoshino, but his eye lids remained shut. "It falls short of what I requested."

Yoshino was not going to deny that. But at this point, there was no reason to kill the woman, not unless they wanted to control Iwa from the shadows. But such an action now would only destabilize things. Besides, the Emperor was going to be bored with no challenges.

It was best to keep her around. As long as he managed to keep an eye on her and made sure she didn't come up with any surprises.

"Perhaps but…"

"There are no buts." Naruto cut off Yoshino. "Haku will not deal with Kurotsuchi, you will deal with her. If anything happens, you are responsible for it."

"And access to the Empire? What if she requests an audience with you?"

"Unless she wants to bow before me, we won't have anything to discuss…"

Yoshino nodded.

Well, he was not going to complain. In fact, this was a challenge. A good situation that would see him dictate things. He could move his play in the Stone. If he played his cards right, he may even end up having a say on who succeeds Kurotsuchi.

But that would not be for now.

Naruto now had no interest in the Kage. He was dealing with the Feudal Lords. In times of peace, they reigned supreme. But during wars, they were useless political hacks who could only object about this and that while selfishly crying for their safety.

"Amegake…That does have a pleasant ring to it, do you not think, your Majesty? Ame continues to be the focus of our military strength and continued growth can only lead for Nagato to be called a Kage. We are already a great nation that rivals the Great Five. You are not a Kage, you are more than that. The Kage dictate war, Nagato wants everlasting peace. He can play with the Kage to make his peace."

Naruto opened his left eye for a second before responding. "The Feudal Lords will soon recognize the Empire as the Sixth Great Nation. I will dine with the Feudal Lords. And it will only become an inevitability that we too get a Kage. What kind of a great nation doesn't have a Kage? Shinobi villages work on their own. You can leave Nagato to do as he pleases."

"If it leads to war?"

"Then so be it. Humans can never truly get along with everything. There will always be conflicts. But it will be how we handle it. We are at the center of the Great Nations. It there is gonna be a war, we would have to be proactive to protect ourselves. There will be no war, just death."

Yoshino shook his head. He should have expected Naruto to give that response. "I will speak to Nagato. And this means you won't have to deal with the Kage."

"I prefer it…"

"If that is what his Majesty demands, then it shall be so." Yoshino said with a small bow. "And that little problem?"

"Have Noroi send Sasuke to deal with it…They are originally after Uchiha anyway." Naruto said

"It shall be done." Yoshino said before turning to face Karin. "I'm done. Naoki will send you back home. I have some other things to do before returning."

Karin hesitated for a moment before stepping closer to Naruto. She then sat on his right side and stared down before glancing at him through the corner of her eyes.

She smiled nervously. "I know, but I wanted to go out and we need to start talking about a name. I have thought of a few…" She said with excitement.

It was not difficult to miss the excitement in Karin's tone. The months were moving. Soon, the cycle would end and she would give him his first child. Or as Naoki says it, the first official child. But Naruto knew, he had no other child. The one Karin held inside of her was his first. This was what was going to make him a father.

Whether he would become the best father or a miserable tyrant who courts the contempt of his first born was a debate he had inside.

"Do you think I will become a good father, Karin?" Naruto asked.

"What makes you think you won't?"

"I know my mind is not suited for dealing with children. The young ones sometimes speak irrational things but I don't tolerate that. As much as I want my first child to be strong enough to succeed me, I also want him to know the love of a father. I want him to be happy with life. I was miserable. There is hatred inside of me. I don't want a child of mine to have these feelings."

Karin just smiled. "If that is what you desire, you will make it happen. You have always been able to play any role you want."

Konohagakure

Kakashi sighed looking at the report from Hiashi. Nothing was going according to plan. Things were moving dangerously far away from them. It did seem that Naruto only played nice with them for a short while to form those agreements that they had formed. He was not breaking any of the agreements. But his presence in the Kage meetings had always been conditional on an invite.

The past meetings, the Emperor was always not available. They could not complain because not even the people in the Sound saw him nor the Daimyo his Empire appeared to be courting.

The Sixth Hokage glanced at Shikamaru for a moment and then asked. "What do you think?"

"I think the Emperor has achieved what he has set out to achieve and cemented himself as the strongest that he now no longer needs the Kage. He isn't simply ignoring you, it is most likely that he feels he doesn't need to sit down with you." the Nara said in a tired tone.

Whatever had to do with Naruto, was always challenging. The Emperor was a shrewd person. He was manipulatively good and Shikamaru feared to think that the world was moving in the palm of his hands.

Certainly, everything now moved past him and he stood at the center of all Great Five Nations.

"But it seems this issue is only with us and Iwagakure." Kakashi said.

"Well, he is forced with the other nations. Kiri, the Mizukage is his wife. She is not stupid and would not have moved ahead without benefiting her village. You saw how she handled things with them while Uzushio was still on lock-down. With Suna, it is more or less the same issue. While he has not been dealing with Gaara in person, the Wind Daimyo's deals with the empire appear aimed at Suna. It is most likely that the Wind lord wants to have Suna grow enough to challenge the other Great Nations rather than it being the smallest and always having to depend on others."

It was not to say the empire was very close to Suna. No, it was not like that. The Empire apparently had close ties with all Great Nations, just not the Great Villages.

"But I am not surprised about Iwa. You know how the Tsuchikage talks about the Emperor. Who would want to associate themselves with someone who openly talks about their contempt for you?"

No one. Kakashi thought mildly. "When the Emperor comes to this place, you'll talk to him."

"That is if he permits it."

"He will." Kakashi said confidently. "We will get a letter from the Fire Lord about this. We have also had to remind the Daimyo that his country is called the strongest because of Konohagakure if anything were to happen to this village that makes it lose its spot, he would no longer be the most powerful Daimyo. Of course, this was also done to see if the Empire has something on him."

"And does he?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know, but he has apparently offered us word that he will cooperate."

Sound Capital

Temari felt a little giddy to be in this kind of situation. She was even nervous. She never thought that she would ever be in such a situation, with all eyes on her. She was standing by the train station. Everything had come to a stand-still, all trains had stopped moving and everyone was out in the open, standing next to the Imperial train.

It was for the first time in months that the general public was seeing the Emperor. He was majestically dressed, his crown firmly on his head, hands folded behind his back, and he wore a gallant smile on his lips. They were bidding him a safe journey–for his travels across the shinobi world. Temari felt like she could disappear into the train, just to avoid the eyes that looked at her strangely.

It was not just civilians, but the leadership of the Empire that stood there, it was a nerve-wrecking moment.

She had grown up being the daughter of a Kage and now her brother was a Kage, but this atmosphere was different. The man standing beside her had a different stature compared to her brother and her father. This was the Emperor, the strongest shinobi alive or as many claimed.

Haku stepped forward smiling widely. "Take care of him…And don't let him get sidetracked by getting absorbed in work. He must enjoy his holiday."

This was not the kind of decision that had taken a long time planning. It was like a whimsical thing that was decided on the spot. Temari had been surprised. It was not the kind of thing that Naruto did but it was not such a bad thing. Work had been stressing her. It might look like there was some peace, but work still had to be done.

She was exhausting her mind a bit too often.

"You're going to send him work?" She asked.

"Well, of course. He is the Emperor, he must still approve certain things and sign off documents to make things official."

"I thought you could sign off such things, given your role."

Haku just smiled and did not address the question. He turned to Naruto. "Try to enjoy yourself, Your Majesty. The Empire will be still standing when you return."

"Don't encourage him like that." Naoki was quick to say as he stepped up. "When he gets a little too happy, Temari-san will get neglected while he goes rampant around bars and gambling areas to amuse himself and sit around in the darkest corner."

"I wouldn't do that while she is wide awake. I'd wait for her to sleep and then go out." Naruto responded with nonchalance.

Naoki laughed. "I can see you do that…"

Temari glared. "I'm still right here!"

She knew about that side of Naruto. He had done so while he was at Suna during the time he came to continue with his training.

"If you find him gone when you wake up, use your fan…" Haku suggested with a smile. "As long as you send the bill for the destruction to Suna…"

He shared a laugh with Naoki, while Naruto just put on an amused look.

"She shouldn't be taking her fan with her. We are not going to battle, and it there is any trouble, I trust Naoki and Naori will be around in a flash to handle matters…" Naruto said, glancing at Temari from the corner of his eyes.

"You're not taking my fan from me." Temari responded in a hardened tone and then turned to the train.

She stepped in without saying another word.

Naruto just shook his head.

Haku held out his hand. "Take care, Naruto. And don't worry too much about things here. We will be fine. If anything goes wrong, you know Naoki will be the first to tell you since he likes reporting matters that don't concern him…"

Naruto took the hand and shook it. He waved at the crowd behind and then turned away. Before stepping into the train, he spoke.

"I should hope to celebrate your union when I return. It should be a great day for the Empire that will be made a holiday to honor you and your great service, while cementing your place in our history. It shall also be a day that welcomes the first stage of restoration of the Yuki clan. Other than that, take care of my Empire."

And that concludes the story

A big thank you to everyone who has followed this story till now. Thank you very much.

I'd also like to thank Freestyle 763 for his inputs, suggestions and the editing. It was refreshing to have someone with a different perspective to things.

The Omnipresent Sage