638Hey there folks! Another update, I hope you enjoy.
A heads up that it might be a bit before another update comes out because the next thing I'm working on will be rather large. I most definitely will get it out as soon as I can though.
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On to the story
The reality of warfare on the front lines was about as far from what was described to the population back in the Fire Nation. Instead of glorious, heroic, or valiant, it was only brutal, ruthless, and merciless. For Naruto, though, it was a step back in time to his infancy.
His few memories with his golden haired mother were of him living among the encampment of black and red clad soldiers. It was because of that and his extensive training among the Sun Warriors that Naruto was more prepared than most for the grueling life in the Army's Fire Bender Corps.
It took weeks before Naruto's unit even saw their first traces of combat. Weeks of marching through muck back and forth across the colonies and frontier territory of the Fire Nation's expansion into the former Earth Kingdom. All the while, superiors treated them like glorified errand boys.
Naruto was happy he at least wasn't one of the non-benders in his company. They really were treated like servants more than soldiers most of the time. To the point even a corporal like himself had been assigned five non-bending soldiers as his own squad.
Had they been placed into a unit of fellow non-benders Naruto was certain they would have had a much easier life. Being a part of the Thirteenth Jaguars though...it meant they amounted to fodder.
When their unit did finally encounter battle, it had been an ambush while the company was marching along the road between two larger Fire Nation encampments. The officers of the unit placed the non-benders toward the outer sides of their formation as boulders and disks of earth tore through them. They used them like meat shields.
Despite all his training and experience with army life, an actual real life battle for survival was new for Naruto. Instinct took over, and unlike his fellow fire benders happy to use their human cattle as sacrificial pieces, he stepped between them and the incoming earth-bender assault.
Two of his squad had somehow managed to survive within the unit for years and were stunned into inaction at Naruto's decision. The three younger members each hesitated only briefly before drawing their swords and readying themselves for the melee charge that would no doubt follow the barrage of earth bending attacks.
Naruto snarled as he thrust his fists forward creating a blast of fire that knocked hail of smaller sharp rocks back. With a pivoting step he brought down a kick that knocked a boulder off course making it cull a copse of trees rather than the team of soldiers it had been aimed at.
"They're coming." One of the two veterans said as he and his fellow veteran regained their senses and joined their squad's battle line.
His experience proved right as the moment they had joined the others, dozens of Earth Kingdom soldiers charged out of the tree line with a battlecry.
As the squad prepared themselves to face the impossible odds their corporal stepped forward. He swept his hands in a clawing motion as if raking his fingers across invisible prey. Flames responded immediately. Sweeping over himself and his soldiers the fire passed by harmlessly. Until it reached the front ranks of attacking soldiers and fell like a burning wave.
The front lines of enemy troops were instantly engulfed in flame. They didn't even get a chance to scream, the intense heat searing their lungs and throat upon impact and rendering them either mute or dead in the blink of an eye.
The second and third lines of advancing earth kingdom soldiers weren't as quickly killed. Most caught splashes of flames onto their armor and clothes setting the ablaze and shifting the fearsome battle cry of their charge into that of terrified and painful screams. Naruto didn't stop though. Spinning he swung out a low kick sending a wave of roaring flames out at knee height catching the charging soldiers that had been spared his initial attack and taking yet more lives.
Naruto didn't think about the lives he was taking. He knew if he stopped now the tide of battle could shift again. Between the growing flames he and a handful of other fire benders he could just make out the earth benders beyond the edge of the tree line forming makeshift shields of stone to protect another wave of soldiers.
"The trees!" Naruto shouted out to his fellow benders.
He didn't wait for any response before he began unleashing a torrent of fire into the cedars and other evergreens. Shouts of panic and pain soon called out from the edge of the woods.
The fire nation infantry reformed into a ramshackle formation around their benders. They finished off the remains of the initial wave of ambushers. Naruto's own unit stayed especially close to him. In the span of a few moments their loyalty toward him had sky rocketed and they were not about to let a stray earth kingdom arrow catch him by surprise.
Naruto kept his focus on the enemy though. The earth benders we're proving to be more clever than he expected. They overturned sections of the ground or even entire trees in an attempt to put out the flames. Unfortunately for them, doing so also gave a clear shot for Naruto and his comrades to exploit.
One of the soldiers with him, a girl perhaps a year or two older than he was, took aim with a bow after sheathing her sword and easily took the lives of two distracted earth benders with as many arrows.
The bender realized then that he didn't even know her name. Any of their names. He swore to rectify that after this battle was over. Thankfully it seemed to be drawing to a close. The earth kingdom survivors fled deeper into the forests surrounding the road leaving the men and women of the Thirteenth Jaguars company battered but alive and victorious.
Naruto wasn't sure who started the roar of victory but he wholeheartedly joined in as he felt the adrenaline of his first true battle wear off. The company took care of their casualties. Many had died mostly among the non-benders but after seeing the tactics in play first hand Naruto wasn't surprised in the slightest.
That angered him to an extent. He understood the strategic value of his fellow benders but each and every single one of the soldiers killed had been loyal and honorable soldiers of the Fire Nation. He knew that his unit was considered a fodder force but there was a difference from an entire unit designed to attract attention and spread out enemy forces and simply using your subordinates as a meat shield.
"Corporal!" A gruff voice barked drawing his attention.
A grizzled captain was stomping his way through the makeshift camp that had sprung up to tend to the wounded. He had all the tell tale signs of someone who had worked his way up from the dirt to his position as an officer. It took Naruto a second to realize he was talking to him and Naruto jolted to his feet along with the rest of his squad all of them snapping to attention.
"Ah, enough of that shit. You, Corporal, name!" The Captain demanded.
"Naruto, sir." He replied immediately with a salute.
"Family name?" He asked as he jotted onto a scroll.
"Agni, sir." Naruto replied with the slightest amount of hesitation.
Those around him all paused. They turned to regard him intently. Even his squad seemed shocked at the revelation. With good reason though. The royal house didn't technically have a family name, instead going by he or she blessed by Agni. On records though over a century ago it had been compressed to simply Agni to simplify official documents. Since Naruto was the acknowledged child of Prince Iroh he didn't have right to the line of succession, however he was a part of the royal family.
"Yeah, I figured it was you. Was that your work there with the forest?" The Captain asked less phased by the reveal of Naruto's family name than the rest.
"Yessir." Naruto answered simply.
"Good shit. You are replacing Xang as Sergeant. He took a stone disk to the head. So from now on you're no longer just with these five you're responsible for them...at least until you die or I find someone better." With that the Captain turned and strolled away as Naruto continued to blink at how abrupt and fast his first promotion was.
His squad didn't take as long to process things though. A few pops on the back and a modest cheer spread among them as they congratulated him on his advancement in rank.
The young man grinned at the praise. His squad were good folks. Now that they truly were his, though he decided to correct a mistake he had made with them. He introduced himself and asked about each of the others to learn as much as he could about them.
Each soldier was honestly interesting now that he took the time to actually get to know them.
Tsang, the eldest of them all, had been a soldier in the Army of the Fire Nation for nearly his entire life. He was pushing forty and had served since he reached the age required to enter, fourteen. He'd seen so much of the war by this point he was practically a history book given human form.
The second veteran, and quieter of the two had been Akio. A thin man he kept to himself but was polite when spoken to. Naruto recognized the mark of the Starving Season Campaign etched on a piece of his armor though. A simple scythe scratches into the black paint on his armor with a small knife or something.
Daji was a lean and averagely attractive young woman with a friendly disposition. She talked off their ears but her bubbly personality was hard to become irritated at for more than a few moments at a time.
Jiang was far more reserved than Daji but he was a hardcore patriot. His fervor when he spoke about the righteous cause of the Fire Nation seemed practically religious.
Lastly was the girl that seemed only a year or two older than Naruto. She was also a bit on the quieter side, but not to the extent of Akio. She simply seemed like a serious person. One that Naruto had to admit had his interest, as despite being among the newer recruits like himself she clearly had skill with her weapons and had received training before joining the military.
Naruto and his squad spent the next three days getting to know one another as they continued on to the next army encampment. Once they arrived at the destination though, any good mood the squad had been running on from their victory and Naruto's promotion was gone as they took in the true front lines of the Hundred Years War.
A sixteen mile long line of stone and steel defenses stood across from one another along both sides of a valley. It was clear the place had once been a beautiful and verdant place. The charred and twisted remains of tree trunks covered the mountain sides and the fields that once covered the valley floor had either burned, been trampled, or simply rotted with no one to harvest them. The river that passed through the valley had lost it's clear blue appearance and taken a black murky sludge like look as the mix of mud, ash, and corpses had tainted its waters.
It was here that Naruto and his squad found themselves truly realizing the scale of this war. It seemed like the world itself was dying.
Things got worse from there as they soon realized they were being moved directly into position to launch an attack down the slope of their did of the valley, across the river, and up the slope and against the defenses of the Earth Kingdom forces sitting on the mountain tops across from them. Their company, not even given a chance to rest from weeks of marching and being ambushed would be the front lines of the first wave.
Naruto nearly laughed at the madness of the whole thing. A direct assault against Earth Kingdom soldiers supported by Earth Benders across a river and up an incline against fortress-like defenses. It was suicide pure and simple.
But that was what his unit was for evidently. At least they wouldn't be alone. They were going to have support right behind them, including Fire tanks and the 8th Barrage detachment, a unit of specialized fire benders that created exploding balls of flame for use in siege battles.
Still that didn't calm his nerves for the coming assault in the slightest. Especially not when the moment the Fire Nation barrage began, the Earth Kingdom responded with one of their own, directed primarily at the slowly advancing troops marching down toward the valley.
Captain Raiko, the same that had promoted Naruto to sergeant, led the soldiers himself. Naruto had quickly come to see the captain as a sort of mentor. The man was gruff, no nonsense, and impatient. He was also loyal, understanding, and honorable. He had taken Naruto under his wing in a sort of way, giving him pointers on how to better lead and fight.
As it was now, Naruto had brought his squad right up along beside the Captain who didn't mind having some of the more competent members of his company at his back. As the reached the bottom most place of the Fire Nation positions Raiko turned to his gathered troops and grimly assessed them before nodding at the men and women under his command.
"You all know what is being asked of you. Space out, bunched up groups are easy targets for the enemy to drop some of that mountainside onto. We will be moving to the village ruins just past that burnt up field. There are supposed to be a half dozen small boats we can use to cross the river. You know what we're up against so work together and get to that village whatever you have to do. It has a few sturdy walls to give us some protection while we ready the boats. Move!" Raiko explained to them and the company streamed forward across the torn up farmland toward the shelter of along the river side.
Naruto ran with his squad hot on his heels. He could hear the whistling sounds followed by the devastating smack of rock into muddy earth all around. Soon the cries of fellow Fire Nation troops found his ears as well but he could do nothing for them and pressed on.
Glancing up he appreciated that at least they were getting some sort of support. Explosions covered the walls and other defenses of the Earth Kingdom lines. He had already seen a few large boulders either launched poorly or dropped back into their original positions due to the Earth Benders either having to seek cover or being killed.
Naruto and his five subordinates made it to the village without casualties, though they soon realized they were the only squad to do so. Captain Raiko rallied those that had made it, sadly they'd lost nearly a fifth of their number in the rush for the cover of the village alone. Things would only get worse from here too.
"We have to keep pushing. Once we start up those slopes and draw the enemy's focus the rest of our forces can cross the two bridges on either side of the lines. That means tanks and reinforcements will come as long as we keep drawing the Earth Benders attention to us. So I want their and Fourth squads to get those two boats into the water. Naruto, you and your squad with me we'll be taking this one. Lieutenant Cheingi, once myself and these three squads are across, I want you to begin ferrying the rest of the unit across as quickly as possible with the remaining boats. We'll try and keep their attention off of you long enough to get everyone onto that side." Raiko ordered.
The troops all snapped off a series of crisp yes sirs and headed off to do as they had been told. Naruto and his squad too jumped into action. They quickly got the boat into the river and while Raiko and Naruto provided the boat with cover through their bending as best they could, Mulan and Daji used a pair of shields to cover the rest of the team as they towed the craft across the putrid waters.
As they crossed, arrows began to join the boulders and rocks gunning for them. Naruto and Raiko we're soon breathing heavy from needing to keep an almost perpetual stream of fire over their craft to force away projectiles. Still they made it across and soon landed on the far bank of the river. Fourth squad had not been as lucky having taken a large Boulder early on as they moved out on the exposed river. Third squad had also suffered losses with two of their number killed by lucky, or rather unlucky arrows.
"Naruto lend me a hand." Raiko said as he stepped forward into the open and began bending balls of flame up toward the entrenched enemy further up the slope.
"Yes Captain!" Naruto called back as he joined the man.
"Keep your focus on the benders, they're the biggest threat to our boats crossing the river." He pointed out before punching forward to send a small but intensely hot ball of flame toward a gap in the defenses above. Sadly he couldn't possibly know if he killed his enemy or simply sent them scurrying for cover.
Naruto followed his lead and began pounding the positions of any bender he could see. He sent several small balls of flame similar to Raiko's at the enemy lines and kept them coming at a near continuous pace. Naruto and Raiko's focus on enemy benders left them open to the archers, though. Naruto very nearly caught one in the neck if Mulan hadn't caught it by the shaft and in one motion dre with against her own bow and returned it to center.
"Keep the benders off us Sergeant and we will keep the others off you." She said with a smile, getting a nod and a grin from Naruto as his squad each did their own part to keep the mission moving forward.
Thankfully the company managed to cross the river in quick time. Sadly their losses were as bad as expected and already a full third of the company was lost. Still they pressed on at the Captain's order.
The slope up to the Earth Kingdom line was far steeper than the one up to the Fire Nation lines. Coupled with the continuous harrying fire and the fact that they were purposefully throwing all they had at the earth kingdom forces to keep them occupied, its effect was the company equivalent of rubbing your face with a cheese grater.
They had yet to make it even half way up the slope toward the first set of Earth Kingdom trenches when Naruto realized half their number had fallen. His squad remained untouched and he could only thank Agni for whatever blessing had been placed on them. Soon he convinced the Captain to join him in creating a large set of pillars of flame. Burning up the shrubbery and broken trees of the mountainside the combination of smoke and flame gave them at least some relief and allowed for the company to rally.
They were only a short ways from the first trenches and walls of the Earth Kingdom forces but less than forty soldiers remained out of the two-hundred that had moved out from the fire nation held territory. Raiko looked down to the bridges to see that the advancing troops had begun to surge forward despite the Earth benders beginning to focus down the tanks and vulnerable infantry units.
"It's not enough, we have to do more." Raiko growled, getting a series of whimpers and worried whispers from the surviving soldiers.
"I know. Dammit, do I know. We still have a duty. If the situation was reversed and they were up here instead we would expect them to do all they could to buy us time." The Captain insisted.
"Naruto, you and your squad will be the first to advance. Everyone else cover them with whatever you have." He commanded and Naruto simply nodded before leading his team into position.
As he and his team psyched themselves up to go over the top of the rocks, the rest of the unit shuffled into good positions to either bend waves of flame at the defenders or take pot shots with their bows. Naruto did his best to at least share a commiserating look with his squad members. He saw the trepidation, or more aptly full on horror in their eyes and knew he shared the same fears. Still, he steeled himself and turning to face the slope took a final deep breath and flung himself upward toward nearly certain death.
He felt rather than heard them follow him up. The roar of fire and responding rumbles of boulders drowned out their footsteps and battle cries as they charged up the final few meters until they dropped into the trenches of the Earth Kingdom soldiers.
In the moment of Naruto dropping down beside them, there was a half second moment as he locked eyes with the first three enemy soldiers standing before him. Behind them an entire platoon of Earth Kingdom soldiers continued to focus on the rest of the Jaguar company.
The moment of hesitance was gone in the blink of an eye as Naruto suddenly inhaled deeply and moving in a well practiced pattern he swelled chi into his chest. With a roar he released the Dragon's Breath. The same bending move that had helped to solidify his father's own moniker as the Dragon of the West.
Flames burst forward sweeping down the trench, easily engulfing the first ten enemy soldiers. The rest of his squad rushed past him as the flames softened the enemy. Mulan and Tsang led the charge wielding jian swords and carving their way down the trench.
'Dear Azula,
It's not like I thought it would be. I remember the army camps and the soldiers from when I was little. It's different somehow. Not the way I expected it to be though. I can't help but wonder what it was like for my mother. I don't really remember her but I couldn't imagine doing this while lugging a kid around.
I guess that's why she didn't visit with me very often. I won't hold that against her. Still doesn't mean I really know about her.
Sorry, I'm rambling about nonsense. What I really want to know is how you are doing. I would ask if school is going well but knowing you like I do I know you and the girls will be passing without even trying. I want to know more about how you are feeling. Are you having any kind of troubles? Is there anything that is making you happier than usual? Tell me everything even the little things. It's nice to read about something normal. Or at least as normal as a princess's life can be.
I miss you. I miss training or sparring with you but most of all I miss sitting and talking with you, or walking around the palace and just spending time together. That all being said, I'm glad you aren't here.
It's not like we were told. It's a meat grinder. I've seen so many bodies. More people dead than I realized were even alive to be killed. The stench is sickening and I've felt the crack of fingers under my boots when marching across corpses in the road.
I still believe in our country though. The Earth kingdom military is even more wasteful with it's troops than our own. They use human waves to over power our positions. I've had to kill so many people already I've given up trying to keep track.
Now I sound depressed. I'm sorry again, I just miss you.
Some good news though. I was recently promoted to Lieutenant. We finally broke through their lines after the seventh attempt and I was given a pair of medals for my role, well that and the arrow that went through my hand. It's mostly healed but still kind of stiff.
Now, one other thing. Happy Birthday. I sent a present with this, it's not much but I think you will like it. I know it's a couple weeks late but thirteen is the final stop to reaching majority so I had to send something.
I have to stop writing now. Raiko, who just got bumped to Major recently is calling me. Please write to me. I cherish even that much from you.
With Love,
Naruto'
Azula read the letter for the third time and smiled slightly. It made her feel good knowing he was thinking of her even with so much going on. Along with that though she was worried. He had only gotten a little injury, but still the way he explained the war was far from how her tutors did.
"Just come home soon." She said as she picked up the crest he had sent her.
It was that of an Earth Kingdom Colonel. Only benders held such ranks among their army and she doubted Naruto would send her one he didn't win in combat himself.
It was an excellent birthday present. She liked to wear it like an arm bangle and tell the made up stories about how he won it through some daring raid. All the other girls were jealous, which they should be she was their princess after all.
Azula had, like Naruto believed, been excelling in school. As had Ty Lee and Mai. In fact, unlike most students who carried on at the finishing academy until they were eighteen or twenty. Azula and her girls were all expected to graduated in time for their fourteenth birthdays. She already had the massive celebration of her birthday, her friends birthdays and their graduation.
She was only disappointed that the party was a year away. At least Naruto would be able to come home on leave by then. He could come and visit her rather than the capital, and stay at the estate for the royal family near the academy.
Just the two of them.
She forced down the blush and killed the thoughts as she folded up his letter and stepped out of her lavish dorm and into the halls of her school. Other students bowed and praised her but she didn't pay them slightest mind. Especially the boys who clearly hungered after her. Or at least her body and wealth.
Garbage really, that was all they were. So much garbage. They didn't even compare to that sniveling weakling Zuko in her opinion. He at least was talented as an above average bender and skilled swordsman.
"Azula!"
"Azula."
Two voices called to her. One ecstatic and the other monotone with the faintest hint of fondness.
Just as Naruto had told her years ago, Azula had kept Ty Lee close to her. She was glad she had. Not forcing her into friendship through manipulation or fear. She had come to see Ty Lee in the same light as Naruto now. She knew her affection for her cousin was much deeper, but Ty Lee was irreplaceable by now and even spent more time with Azula than with her own family.
Mai was a bit different. Naruto had told her to show love to the girl and Zuko, but to never fully trust them. She wasn't sure about that so much anymore. Mai was right there alongside her nearly every step of the way.
The three of them more or less did everything together. Occasionally even sharing a dorm room for a night just talking.
Azula however still missed how things once were. She hated to admit it but she even missed Zuko at times. She often wrote to Naruto, and responded when he could. She had written to her father for the first ten months or so that she had been away. He had never responded though, merely having a courtier express his desire to see her set records at the academy and that he expected her to remain ever the best in her class.
She doubted he had even read what she sent him. That stung badly but she knew her father wasn't one for niceties. It just wasn't his personality to spend time on small matters like catching up. Plus he was Fire Lord. She should have known what would happen when she sent them.
The fact she had nearly cried several nights at the cold apathy her father had for her was simply her shedding her weakling self. After all, she didn't have her mother's affection growing up, but her Father's approval had been enough. She still refrained from bringing it up to Naruto. She knew he was overprotective of her, and while she had to admit she did like that he was so defensive of her, he had much bigger things to worry about then silly whinings of a little girl.
At least that's what she told herself. A part of her, the weaker part surely, wanted him here to comfort and hug her so badly. She'd never tell him why. Only that she missed him.
It had been months since Naruto was placed onto the front. He and his platoon slowly made their way back into camp. The ground was muddy from heavy traffic and the start of the rainy season. The camp they entered was ramshackle and primarily dedicated to a medical center, which took up the large central field. Several dozen tents of various sizes were strewn about each sheltering the wounded from the thin mist.
The last battle had been hard. The Thirteenth had been coupled up with the 2nd Tigerdillo regiment to try and break through a farming area. The following battle had lasted for hours and in the end neither side had true victory, but the Earth Kingdom's population always ensured that a draw was really a victory for the Earth Kingdom.
He and his platoon was silent as they marched into camp. Marched used loosely as possible. They watched as nurses rushed about with litters carrying injured soldiers or emptying pans filled with blood.
As they came in, other units greeted them and welcomed them back. Naruto had most of the platoon fall out and let them search out some food for themselves.
Naruto, himself, however needed to report in. He dismissed his squad, each having now become sergeants acting as his squad leaders. Mulan hesitated briefly. She and Naruto had become a sort of tag team in battle over the last few months. Partners.
Once his subordinates had joined their troops he entered the Colonel's tent. Raiko had been promoted once more recently and it had left the positions of both Captain and Major vacant. At least until now.
A bender, maybe two or three years older than Naruto stood beside Raiko with the other platoon leaders Naruto had grown used to working with eyeing the young man up. Once Naruto entered the young officer had a brief reprieve as the other Lieutenants warmly welcomed him, having thought his unit wiped out when they didn't report in earlier.
"I'm glad you and yours made it through that Naruto, sadly we aren't through with this area. The Earth Kingdom has numbers on their side so they will be up and ready to move again before too long. This is Captain Tukao, he has just joined us straight from the Officer's Academy, and is your new commander. Tukao, this is Naruto, the one I told you would be acting as your second-in-command." Raiko introduced.
Naruto looked the older boy up and down and compared him to himself and the other officers. Unlike Naruto, Raiko, and the rest Tukao was crisp clean and untouched by mud. He also was clearly uneasy under the looks from the other Lieutenants.
"Tukao, brief your men, I have other shit to handle. Naruto, keep these other animals in line if you have too." Raiko said before stepping out of the tent with small laughter from the Lieutenants in his wake
The new Captain hesitated for a moment before pulling out a map and unrolling it across one of the small tables in front of the gathered officers. Naruto meanwhile snatched up the small bowl of nuts and began loudly crunching on them, sharing them with the other Lieutenants as he did.
"Our company is here and we are to move along the river down to the Twelfth Colonials, then together we'll be making an attempt to capture this town here." Tukao explained as he pointed out specific points along the map.
The Lieutenants said nothing as they stared down at the map. Just eating. Tukao grew unsure of himself and cleared his throat before awkwardly turning to each of the others.
"Uh, Any questions?" He asked.
"Yeah I got a question for you Cap." A gruff looking woman with a milky colored, blind left eye.
"Yes uh-Chizu?" He responded.
"Yeah, you even started shaving yet?" She asked getting some chuckles as the Captain glanced toward Naruto.
"Don't look at him, he might be a baby face but he's torched more men than you have hair under your arms...that is if you have any yet." She mocked.
The Captain gained a sour look and stepped back before taking a very rigid and orderly appearance.
"Thirteenth Company, gather your men and move out." He barked before turning to the tent flap and making to leave.
He stopped, however as the Lieutenants just stared at him for a moment while continuing to eat. Slowly Naruto stretched and set the bowl on the table before slapping his hands together as if shaking dust off.
"Well, you heard him. Round up the troops and let's move out." Naruto said as he brushed past the Captain, followed by the other platoon leaders with Chizu going last. She stopped and cupped the Captain's chin before laughing.
"So clean, so cute." The woman laughed before dropping the younger man's chin and heading off to find her soldiers.
The troops, especially Naruto's own, were not pleased at getting orders to head out so soon. Several were in the middle of meals and others were attempting to get at least a moment of rest before they continued the endless fighting against the Earth Kingdom.
Still they did as ordered and followed their commanders into marching formation. Soon they were all underway, headed out to some small town that as far as Naruto could tell had been arbitrarily deduced as strategic in the campaign for this useless valley.
Sadly, Naruto had no way of knowing it would be this mission and the sheer brutal nature of it that would truly make his name reach the minds of citizens and nobles across the Fire Nation. Including Ozai himself.
The Battle of the Crossroads, the reveal of the Son of the Dragon.
Alright, a bit shorter than last chapter but that is to be expected. Next chapter obviously will focus around this mission Naruto and the others are embarking on as well as the Battle of the Crossroads which will make Naruto a household name.
For those interested, there has been a slight change to the Harem, besides Azula and Ty Lee they are still all secret, however I will admit that they are not Avatar characters. I'm not super fond of OC characters though they have their uses, so instead I have adapted characters from other series into the story that will fit into the story as part of the avatar world.
List:
Azula, Ty Lee, XXXX, XXXXX, and XXXX.
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you again.
Till Next Time