Naruto: Gyouan

[Kisune]

Five years have passed since the destruction of Pein and the fall of the Akatsuki. The man responsible for their defeat had now taken on the most daunting task of his entire life – Hokage! Uzumaki Naruto had finally achieved his ultimate goal; Not only the title of Hokage, but the respect and admiration of those around him.

With the enthusiasm that had become characteristic of the man; and the Hokage title still fresh on the official papers, he set out to finish the one thing that he had been unable to – Find and return Sasuke to Konoha. It didn’t take long for Naruto to track down his former team-mate, but it was not nearly as easy to convince him to return ‘home.’ A battle that will long remain in the history books and spoken legends of shinobi took place, leaving behind it a countryside that would never truly heal – a barren wasteland in the wake of their epic struggle against one another.

Finally, overpowered but not overcome, Sasuke saw the strides Naruto had taken for the sole purpose of returning him ‘home’ and recognized that his once weak team-mate had grown and was not only a formidable opponent; but someone that –COULD- beat him. The one thing Sasuke could respect was power, and the strength of Naruto’s commitment proved to be the Uchiha’s final undoing. Sasuke finally stepped through the gates of Konoha once more; not as an enemy, but as a friend.

Few within the village trust him, but fewer still risk Naruto’s wrath. Many within the Shinobi community watch the Uchiha with wary eyes.

Times had been peaceful in the wake of the Akatsuki’s defeat. Lives and villages began to heal, friendships began to blossom between a new generation of Kages and the people prospered. Unfortunately, in the world of Ninjas, peace can never last long. Hidden in the shadows, operating behind the distraction of the Akatsuki was another sinister threat.

It began quietly, with a few shinobi simply never returning from missions. The number of Missing Nin rose slowly among all the villages; shinobi suspected of abandoning their homes and added to an ever-growing bingo book. Many assumed, during the reign of the Akatsuki, that they were the culprits … or that Orochimaru was to blame.

But the disappearances continued, even after the Sound Lord and the Akatsuki organization were defeated. The smart Kages organized teams to investigate, but little was found. Suspicions began to form and tenuous treaties began to fall apart between countries.

Being the Kage of the most powerful of the countries, Rokukage Uzumaki had done his best to keep the peace among the many nations, but seeing the rise in fear and mistrust among the villages, Naruto began a campaign to bolster friendships and strengthen unsteady ties between them. The Chuunin exams were the perfect venue; the perfect excuse for pageantry and to show off their new rising stars to one another and the Lords of the surrounding countries.

Rumors had begun to spread of a new threat. Myths of a people who lived, but were not alive. Legends and Monsters that went bump in the night and stole naughty children away to join them in their undeath. Many disregard them as fairy-tales and horror stories made up to frighten children into behaving; but they are wrong.

The Ikibuke are –very- real. Lurking in the shadows, their ranks continue to grow and their dark plots begin to take shape. One empire, under one rule. They grow stronger every day, biding their time until they can make their move; and with one final, fatal blow claim all five countries as their own…

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