Chapter 45
KARIN UZUMAKI
"Huff. Huff." Karin gasped for air as she tried to avoid another barrage of senbons. But, the attacks were relentless, as Shizune-sensei continued to throw senbon towards her. She supplied chakra to her adamantine chain, pushing it in front of her as she tried to block them.
CRACK.
But the sheer force behind them would push her back.
"All right, that is enough for today!" came the voice of her sensei, much to her relief. Training with Shizune-san had revealed to her why Konoha was so feared throughout the elemental nations. Such skill from a shinobi whose main specialty wasn't even combat was a true eye-opener.
She collapsed to the ground, her muscles aching and her body littered with cuts and scraps. Shizune-sensei walked towards her, speaking up.
"So, mind telling me what has got you so distracted?" she asked, and Karin should have expected her to notice. Karin had a lot of questions in regard to what happened during the general council.
Shizune-sensei sat on the ground next to her.
"Let me guess, it is about the general council and Shinso-kun's mission," and Karin nodded her head at that. These were the two of her biggest questions.
"Well, since you have a permanent seat on the council, you must have know-how about these things so I will teach you. So, ask away?"
"Why would Tsunade-sama send Shinso-kun to retaliate against Kusa? Moreso, why would it be kept a secret?" she spoke, and Shizune-san nodded as she took out the bingo book from her pocket.
"The mission against Kusa is because of this. Kusa broke the alliance, but Konoha did not retaliate, in hope that this would blow over and they would consider it all bygone with the case regarding your status," this showed Konoha's investment in her.
"But they did not accept this and put an absurd bounty on your head. A bounty which would have almost made it certain that unless you were accompanied by a jounin as soon as you step out of this village, you will be killed."
And Karin's eyes widen at that as her head snapped towards her sensei. Who just nodded her head.
"Yes, such a huge bounty would have even made large villages classify it as an A or S rank mission. A mission that is taken up by at least a jounin. And as for why it was kept a secret, take a guess from what you observed during the meeting."
And Karin began to think about what she had seen during the meeting. Her memory focuses on the bandaged elder who had spoken against her. And the surprise on the faces of the elders when Tsunade-sama revealed the mission. But she could not make a connection. What was so important about her?
"Well, since you seem to be struggling, let me tell you. This was all about control. Control and politics."
And Karin focused on Shizune-sensei's words.
"Tsunade-sama wanted to curb the control that the elders had, more specifically, that of Elder Danzo."
And Karin recognized the name. She had even heard Shinso mention it a couple of times.
"Why does he want more power, isn't he already an elder and why would he want to re-establish an alliance with Kusa."
Shinzune-senei shook her head at this.
"It was never about the alliance, he wanted to pressure Tsunade-sama and obtain some concessions, and you must understand Karin, while you alone are of significant importance, but when we combine that with your relationship with Shinso-kun, that just highlights it more so."
Karin frowned at that.
"But why. I mean, what is so important about me? I know that the Uzumaki were powerful in the past, but I know nothing about our clan's techniques or secrets."
Shizune-san gave her a wry smile at that, and her face had a melancholic look as she spoke up. But her words were cut off as a messenger interrupted them.
"Shizune-sama, you are needed in the hospital. The team from Kusa has returned."
And Karin's eyes widen at that, and with a nod, both she and Shizune-sensei got up and began to rush toward the Hospital.
They went through the main gates, and Karin looked around; her eyes immediately found two ANBU flanking a shinobi bed. A bed on which lay a shinobi with a bloody arm and leg. His body was littered with cuts. But he was conscious, and Karin took a huge sigh of relief at that, her feet carrying her towards the brown-haired shinobi.
Ignoring everyone, she hugged him. She could feel his surprise as his body stiffened, but then his healthy arm went around her as he muttered silently in her ears. The words made meant way less to her than she had thought. The person in her arms being much more important.
"I got them all. You are completely free."
0000
TSUNADE SENJU
"This can not stand. Do you even have any idea of the consequences of your actions?" Elder Homura shouted in her grating voice.
The three elders sat in front of Tsunade. Days had passed since the general council, yet no response had been received from the special ANBU under Danzo's watch. He had refused to hand over the seal design.
Tsunade could probably have tried an alternative, but she had been presented with a different opportunity. An opportunity to confirm the communication between Danzo and his outside help. A helper she had a huge suspicion about was her former teammate, Orochimaru.
"I don't understand what consequences. All I am saying is that handover the seal, and the Hokage office will remove and apply a more appropriate one. I done see anything wrong in it," she said with a smirk and from the anger on the old geezers faces, she had them on the ropes.
"Don't be naive. Anything could go wrong. The new seal could be defective, and what about the secrets and who even designed this seal? That young kid! Is he even that skilled, and can he even be tr…"
"Enough!" Tsunade cut the old woman off. It was time to end this. And she leaned forward on the table.
"Let me make this clear. I want the seal schematics and files of all those on which it has been placed on my table in two days. Failure to do so will result in your arrest!" and she smiled as she saw the flushed faces of the elders.
"For Treason!" she finished, and then they began to speak out once more. But Tsunade was ignoring the two minions as she stared straight at the bandaged elder. And she had not missed the frown on his face. And then he finally opened his mouth.
"Are you sure you want to plunge yourself into the darkness? Let me tell you, Princess, even your sensei Hiruzen did not step into the darkness, for he found it too distasteful. Are you sure you can stomach it?"
Tsunade frowned at that.
"I am the Hokage. The burdens of this village are mine to bear. And I will bear them for as long as I can." She replied. The man nodded and got off his seat, and began to walk out of the room. Speaking ominously as he left the room.
"We shall see whether you are ready for it or not," and with that, the elders left her office.
0000
KAKASHI HATAKE
Kakashi Hatake or ANBU hound to be more precise, moved along with his apprentice as they moved towards the location of the mission. Behind him, Crow-or Sasuke Uchiha followed him.
The months in the ANBU had changed Sasuke. While sparring with elite shinobi during training, had been helpful. The biggest advantage had been the weekly spar with Tsunade-sama herself. Sasuke had begun focusing more on himself, and now Kakashi could confidently say that he was at least on par with a regular jounin.
And this was just the beginning of his rise. Even right now, he could spot him practicing his chakra control.
"We will be reaching the destination in five minutes. Crow, tell me the details of this mission." He spoke up, and Sasuke's chakra vanished as the kid erased his presence.
"The mission is to assassinate a Nobel in rice country. According to our intel, the Nobel has close links to Otogakure."
Kakashi nodded at that as they flashed through the forest.
Finally, they reached their destination, and from his position on the top of the hill, Kakashi could spot the small caravan of the Nobel. Though from his experience, the caravan was too small.
For a noble, the number of people should have been much higher than thirty. Sasuke landed beside him. And Kakashi was impressed by the control of the kid.
"All right. You will cause a disturbance and I will take out the target," he commanded and Sasuke vanished from his side.
Kakashi once more focused on the caravan and tried to ascertain the approach he would make. And as he was done thinking, a loud explosion happened and the whole caravan stopped for a moment.
Kakashi waited until some of the guards had moved to check out the explosion ahead, and then he began to make his handseals. Lightning coalesced into his hand, and then Kakashi vanished in a blur approaching the main carriage.
"Intruder! Protect Sabuki-sama!" but the shouts came too late as Kakashi skewered the the guard and burst through the side of the carriage.
"CHIDORI!"
BOOM.
But he would feel no flesh, no bone impact his hand. His Sharingan would pick out no blood, and just as he was about to pull his arm back for another attack. His arm was held in a strong grip.
"It has been quite some time since I last saw you," came a very familiar slithery voice and Kakashi felt panic and fear strike his heart as he recognized the voice.
"Kakashi, or shall I call you ANBU hound," spoke the legendary sanin. A person who should be dead. And as the smoke cleared, he saw the yellow eyes with seats staring at him.
A trap! His brain supplied. But by who!
Kakashi pushed chakra into his hands and tried to attack the Snake sanin, but the attack would not connect, and he was kicked out of the carriage.
"You should be dead!" he spoke out. But the reply simply came in the form of a laugh.
"Well, I am really hard to kill. Moreover, you should be more worried about your own life right now," Kakashi looked around himself and found himself surrounded by a hoard of shinobi. Some of whom were wearing masks. Masks that Kakashi recognized.
This was not looking good. Not at all.
"Hatake!" suddenly, he found his name being called out. The circle of shinobi separated, and someone walked toward him. Someone whose schemes Kakashi had already fallen for once.
"Elder Danzo. I believe that you are committing treason." He spoke up toward the bandaged man.
"Once more," he added with a quip, but the man did not reply.
"Give up, Hatake, and join my side. Hiruzen was weak and could not run the village, and now his student isn't fit to be Hokage either. I am the only one ready to take the steps necessary for the prosperity of the village."
"I am afraid you are mixing your personal ambition with the village's prosperity…" but his words were cut off by an explosion.
BOOM.
And Kakashi covered his face as debris rose up. And then he felt lightning arch around him.
"WHY DON'T YOU TRY SAYING THAT TO MY FACE, OLD MAN!" and Kakashi felt relief permeate through him as he recognized the voice.
"It seems we have company," came the voice of Orochimaru, and Kakashi saw the form of Tsunade-sama standing there with her apprentice standing at her back.
"It is nice to see you again, Tsunade," Orochimaru said to the Hokage.
"I am afraid I can not say the same for you, you slithering bastard."
0000
DANZO'S game is up. Tsunade is done with him. An old nemesis returns. Orochimaru basically pushed Danzo to expedite, and then Tsunade made the timeline even shorter.
Danzo's plan was to assist Orochimaru here and then use him to land an assault on Tsunade to protect himself. But he miscalculated as Tsuande became aware of this as well.
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