Chapter 19: eighteen: broken sleepSummary:
"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved."
- George Macdonald
Notes:
Note: I went and invented a name for the Sandaime Kazekage, because that's a mouthful.
I do not own Naruto.
Chapter Text
This is important, please read it: I have nothing against constructive criticism, in fact I encourage it. I've received some of it and am really grateful as it helps me grow not only as a writer, but as a person too. However, if you're gonna be needlessly mean about it, then just please don't say anything. If you don't like this story, just stop reading it, there's no need to write rude comments for the sake of nothing. It really brings my mood down even though I know there are many people out there who enjoy this work.
TL;DR Constructive criticism is more than welcome, but if you're gonna be needlessly rude about it then just stop reading this story altogether.
Becoming Hokage 101
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Section Four
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Chapter Eighteen
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Halfway during my week-long training with Shikaku, he'd posed me an unusual question.
"What do you do against opponents who don't care for subtlety?"
My mind had gone straight to the Akatsuki, S-ranked ninja who had absolutely no need for inconspicuousness. They were powerful and confident, bringing down anyone in their path without caring about stealth.
"I'm assuming that someone who does that is either extremely strong or has a bigger plan behind that." I'd said, pausing to gauge Shikaku's reaction. He'd said nothing, and I continued. "Either way, until I can figure out whether it's the former or the latter, I'd keep my team on their strongest defense formation and see where to go from there."
I'd shrugged, because it was a situation I'd never been in before. If it's a foe so powerful you can't do much but go all out and stall enough for backup to come, there's nothing much that can be done. However, if the enemy is coming straight at you with a strategy in mind, then chances are they already know much of what you're capable of and wouldn't care much for testing the waters.
"That's not a bad strategy."
"It's not a good one either."
"It's not." The Nara clan head had agreed with me, not a hint of malice in his voice. The man is very honest and doesn't care much for pomp, which I appreciate. "Well, you're not wrong on the assessment. Given the war, though, you'll most likely face the latter."
I'd nodded, pausing my reading and turning fully to him. "What should I do in that case, then?"
Shikaku'd smirked, and a shiver had gone down my spine.
"Staying on the defensive isn't necessarily bad, but it's best to not let your enemy follow up on their strategy, hm?"
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The first explosion doesn't hit anyone, nor does the second or the third. They make loud noises and make dirt fly everywhere, but they are meant to be a diversion.
'So they wanted to separate us, huh.' I think, trying to assess the situation. Choza-sensei and the other two jounin who were with Minato had been separated from us during the blasts, now standing a few meters from us.
A flare of chakra from their side meant that everyone was fine, and next to me Minato flared his chakra as well.
'They probably meant for the adults to be all on one side and the children on the other one… well, too bad for them.'
Now much closer, the iron in their blood screeches less and grinds more, and it reminds me of sandpaper. It takes them one second to rethink their strategy, and their group splits in two. The biggest chakra signature of the group is heading our way, no doubt because of Minato, and three smaller ones follow. On the other side, four more head to Choza-sensei and the other two Konoha shinobi.
"Guys, I'll take on the big one. You be careful with the other three." Minato quickly whispers, getting his special kunai ready. We all nod at him, and my teammates look at me, waiting for instructions.
'It might take a bit to get used to that, but oh well.'
"I got a plan. Let me go first, then follow my lead with formation G." I say quickly, and a fourth explosion separates the three of us from Minato.
When the smoke clears, there are three Suna shinobi facing us, each controlling a puppet. Their chakra levels indicate they might be chunin, although they can't be older than 20.
'They're all young, teen males. Adrenaline is running wild in their veins, and the slightest thing might push them over the edge.' I smirk.
'Perfect.'
Deciding to make a show out of it, I put my right hand out, palm up. The ninja are wary, but make no move to attack. As swiftly as I can, I use my left hand to pull out an iron club that's roughly my body size from my right hand. I get the results I'd wanted; the Suna shinobi are shocked, mouths hanging open and iron grinding even harder than before.
"Show off." Genma mutters, and I grin.
"H-how-?!"
"You filthy Konoha shinobi!"
"I knew you bunch stole techniques, but to go as far to steal Kazekage-sama's own release… you must be out of your mind."
'They're more agitated than before. More nervous. More upset.'
I grin wider, swinging the club to rest on my shoulder.
"I don't need to steal anything when my technique is obviously cooler and better." I put up my nose in the air, a haughty look on my face. Next to me, Gai makes a small 'ooh' sound.
"You're lying!"
"You stole it!"
The three seem to shake in rage, tensing their bodies and looking at each other.
'That's right. Get angrier. Tell me more.'
"Let's go." I say, and next to me Gai blurs out of existence. The ninja on the left barely manages to use his humanoid puppet to block the attack, but no matter how sturdy it is, Gai's been getting strength training from Choza-sensei, and he takes out a chunk of its arm.
Genma seems like he's dancing, hitting the other Suna shinobi and his dog-like puppet in swift moves. The puppet is quite the shield, and the two engage in a deadly dance of taijutsu and senbon.
Formation G means 'go all out', and my two teammates certainly waste no time in using their best techniques against our enemies.
To my luck (or not, depending on the point of view), I'd gotten the least stable of the bunch. The poor guy is shaking in rage, grinding his teeth together and letting his chakra run all over the place. He's trying to intimidate me with killing intent, but next to the Kyuubi's sheer presence this boy is nothing.
'I once looked at Kushina and almost suffocated from Kurama's chakra, nevermind the fact it's well-sealed. If you think this is gonna work on me, you're gravely mistaken.'
Bringing my haughtiness up several notches, I turn a condescending look on the Suna shinobi, ignoring the battles around me. I can feel Minato's iron hum in a symphony nearby, and there's not a single doubt in my mind he's gonna wrap up his fight pretty soon. Genma and Gai also seem to be doing well, pushing their opponents back and not giving them much choice to retaliate.
'Talk to me, boy.'
"Darling, you don't need to be so upset. Listen, I know my technique is cooler and stronger, but that doesn't mean-"
He cuts me off with a sword attack from his puppet, summoning a second one in the next moment. The iron in his blood is back to screeching, and a voice in my head tells me to not bite off more than I can chew.
"Shut up!"
"Rude." I reply without thinking much, bringing my iron club to defend against another sword attack.
'Well, if we're talking about strength, it's obvious who's gonna be the winner. However…'
A gentle push from my chakra, and the spikes in the club suddenly stretch out in his direction. They hit one of his puppets' head and he's forced to fall back, keeping a safer distance.
"Tell me, can your beloved Kazekage do this? I don't think he can."
A burst of chakra to my legs sends me flying in his direction, and I swing my weapon. Grinning against his enraged face, I push forward.
"He can't, can he? I told you my technique is better."
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!"
He brings his second puppet behind me, and I know there's gonna be a senbon shower in a moment. Surely enough, I glance back and the puppet has its mouth open, ready to throw either senbon or poison at me.
'Knowing Suna shinobi, there's a high chance it's gonna be both.'
"Eat this!" He yells, eyes wide and pupils the size of saucers.
"No, thank you."
The puppet spits senbon at vital points in my chest and neck area, but they all hit my body and fall to the ground with barely audible tinkling sounds. The Suna shinobi stares at me, eyes impossibly wider, and shock overcomes rage for a moment.
'Keeping up the armor during this whole time was worth it, but I'm starting to get tired. Let's finish this up.' The iron club melts back into my hand, disappearing exactly the way it'd appeared. My hands form blocks of iron, familiar and easy in their simplicity.
"You-!"
I crouch just in time to avoid another senbon shower, no doubt coated in poison. The other puppet flies at me, sword at the ready, but I aim past it.
My arms whip forward and the Suna shinobi falls to the ground with a grunt, wrists bound together. Both puppets fall as well not even a second later, and the sword that'd been centimeters from my neck falls to the ground with a dull clang.
"Curse you, Konoha-!"
"Oh, give me a break." I swiftly knock him out, wanting to avoid killing at all costs.
'They'll probably want to question them, anyway.'
"I don't know what kind of shit you've been doing with Shikaku-san, but I want in." Genma drawls, suddenly next to me. He throws the Suna shinobi he'd been against in a pile next to the other one, and after a quick glance I determine he's mostly fine, some scratches and bruises aside.
"That was most refreshing! I can see the results of our training burn with the passion of a thousand suns!" Gai shouts excitedly, barely out of breath and not a single bruise. He too dumps the third shinobi on the pile, and we all look at our handiwork.
"Good work, guys." I say, wiping sweat off my forehead. My stomach growls, but I'm past the point of being embarrassed about it.
"Indeed, good work, kids!" Minato appears in front of us like magic, an unconscious woman wearing Suna attire slung over his shoulder.
"Are they going to be interrogated, Minato-sensei?" Genma asks while I wordlessly open a granola bar and start munching on it. It's also property of Akimichi and Co™, but it's not as fulfilling (or dangerous in case of an overdose) like their soldier pills.
"I'd love for T&I to do their magic, but we're too far from the village for them to come just because of this. We'll get what we can out of them here and decide what to do from there." The blonde sighs, carefully putting the unconscious kunoichi next to the others.
"If it's possible, why don't you participate, Genma?" Gai asks, a smile on his face. "Inoichi-san has been teaching you some techniques, has he not?"
Our oldest teammate shrugs, looking at the Suna shinobi pile with an uncertain look on his face. "He has, but…"
"Well, I don't see why not." The jonin pipes up, a reassuring smile on his lips. "We'll need Choza-san's permission, since he's your sensei, but you should be able to, if you want."
Genma then glances at me, as if he needs one last push. Swallowing the last bite of my snack, I look him dead in the eye and say in the most deadpan voice I can muster.
"You said you wanted in on whatever Shikaku-taicho and I were doing, right? I bet Inoichi-san's got you doing a lot worse, so why not?"
Before Genma can answer, Choza-sensei shunshins next to us, a proud look on his face.
"Well done, children! I'm glad to see everyone in one piece." He ruffles Gai's hair, a big grin on his lips. He then turns to our oldest teammate, a knowing glint in his eyes. "So long as there isn't too much gore, I don't see why you can't test your interrogation skills."
"Well, there you have it!" Minato swiftly wraps up the conversation, and I see the other two Konoha shinobi getting closer. They're carrying two bodies instead of the original four they fought against, and I cringe from imagining what likely happened.
'Fighting? No problem. Spying? Done. Sabotage? Leave it to me. Killing, though? Not sure if I'm gonna be able to get used to that as quickly as I should.'
"Why don't you three go freshen up and get some food?" Choza-sensei looks knowingly at me, and I grin back. "Genma, we'll call you in a minute, hm?"
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Night falls quickly, and there's no fire in our camp. We'd cooked some meat as fast as we could and extinguished it right away, not wanting to risk another attack so soon. Choza-sensei had told us to go to sleep right after we'd eaten dinner, because apparently we were going back to Konoha as soon as daybreak hit, and it honestly was a relief.
I move around my sleeping bag as quietly as I can, trying to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. No matter how tired I'd been, something in my mind refuses to let me sleep, and I get up with a huff.
"Where're you goin'?" Genma's sleepy mumble makes me pause and I glance back. He's got one eye open and his hair is a mess, but he kind of looks like he might get up as well, so I'm quick to whisper an excuse back.
"I need to pee." He looks at me for a second then nods, snuggling back into his covers and falling back asleep with a sigh.
'How cute.'
I tiptoe around my teammates, not wanting to disturb them anymore. Lying between the two boys had been nice and I'd felt safe, but I really wanted to talk to Minato without anyone listening in.
I do end up going to the bathroom, mostly because I'd feel bad for straight up lying to Genma, even if it is something minor. Then, I find a spot next to Minato, who's sitting in a tree branch overlooking our small camp.
For a while, both of us stay quiet, simply enjoying the night and the silence. I take this time to organize my thoughts, making a mental list of all the things I need to tell him.
"That was quite the strategy back there." The blonde breaks the silence with laughter in his voice, and I bite back a groan.
"Please don't scold me too. I never even knew Choza-sensei could look that scary." I shudder, involuntarily remember the look on his face. It was a reckless thing I did, yes, but if push came to shove I was certain it'd all work out. Even though we were slightly outnumbered, all they had going for them had been sheer number.
"Don't worry, I'm not gonna do that. What were you planning to achieve with it, though?"
I sigh dramatically, as if the entire weight of the world rests on my shoulders.
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(Does it not?)
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"I thought I could pull off a Shikaku-taicho and try to get some info out of them. It could've gone a lot better, but right now I'm just glad no one is seriously hurt."
"You wanted to know more about the Sandaime Kazekage, but it didn't turn out like you wanted it to." Minato hums, a pensive look on his young face. "I'm not surprised, since each village treats kekkei genkai very differently."
My mind goes straight to Kiri, with their indiscriminate massacre of shinobi. Iwa's Tsuchikage and his Dust Release were well known in the shinobi world, as it was something he was feared for. The same goes for Hashirama and his Wood Release; the technique is supposed to be gone along with the Shodaime himself, but his prowess was such that he got the name God of Shinobi. In both Konoha and Iwa, shinobi are proud of their kekkei genkai and are very protective of it, but Suna shinobi tend to view such things with a hint of suspicion. It's highly likely not many Suna shinobi know the true extent of the Kazekage's Magnetic Release, which is a shame.
"They'd thought I'd stolen the Kazekage's technique, which makes me think maybe Suna shinobi don't know much about it."
"Oh? Do tell." Sky blue eyes twinkle at me, and a grin pulls at his lips.
"You've figured it out already." I roll my eyes without any ill intent in it. Minato only shrugs in response.
"Maybe, but I like hearing you come to conclusions."
Minato and I are very much alike in some things, not so much in others. We think similarly, but he acts very differently from what I would if I were in his position. It's one of the reasons why I like talking to him, and not just because he might be my strongest ally as of yet.
"The two techniques aren't really the same thing, but to someone who doesn't know better they might as well be. The Magnetic release, as the name showcases, deals with the magnetic properties of different types of metal." I pause, gathering my thoughts.
'The Sandaime Kazekage had even used gold to contain Shukaku in canon, but I don't really remember when exactly that was.'
Minato nods encouragingly, and I continue. "The Iron Release is more similar to the Shodaime's Wood Release in that sense, I think, because it's the mix of two different elemental chakras. It has nothing to do with magnetism."
'Rather than dealing with magnetism, I manipulate iron. Even when dealing with the beads around my neck, what keeps them together and makes them move around isn't their magnetic properties, but rather their material itself.'
The jonin next to me nods thoughtfully, silent for a couple of seconds.
"Yes, that makes sense." He says without a hint of shame, and ignores the exasperated look I send him. "Well, either way, I can see why those Suna shinobi would think they're similar. Perhaps the Magnetic Release is more like the Tsuchikage's Dust Release, then?"
"I think so, yeah." I pause, double checking my surroundings for the nth time during our conversation. "Minato-sensei?"
"Yeah?"
"Have you ever seen the current Kazekage? Do you know what he's like?"
Minato adjusts his position and takes his time to think, even going so far as to close his eyes.
"I don't know much, to be honest. Akihisa of the Iron Sand is apparently a descendant of the Nidaime Kazekage, hence why he can use the Magnetic Release. He doesn't leave the village much and his shinobi know little more than we do. He's a bit of a mystery."
I nod, making a mental note to watch out for him. There's a very real possibility of a large scale confront between Suna and Konoha, even more so if there are rumours we stole the Kazekage's technique. In canon, Sasori killed him sometime during the war, but what if that never happens?
'What if I've already changed things so much that Akihisa will wear the hat for longer than anticipated?'
A single butterfly flutters around us and lands next to my hand. It's very colourful, its wings a beautiful mix of orange, blue, and black. Four round spots make it look as if there are two pairs of eyes on it, and I frown.
'What the hell. Aren't butterflies supposed to be diurnal? To whatever god that thinks this is a nice prank, it's not.'
I think about shooing it away, but it hasn't done anything, so I reluctantly leave it be and turn to Minato again.
"There's something else I wanted to talk about."
"I'm all ears."
"I finally managed to decode the Nidaime's diary."
Blue eyes twinkle and a grin pulls at his lips. His hand ruffles my hair like he's a proud parent, and I don't have the heart to swat it away.
"I knew you'd be able to do it. Were my notes useful at all?"
"They were. With Kakashi's help, decoding the two cyphers wasn't as difficult as I first thought."
Because Tobirama had been a paranoid little shit, and mixed two different cyphers into one single code as he wrote his diary. It was a mess and a half, and I actually considered breaking into Archives to look for clues, but I did manage to get it done.
If I had taken the paper with the code two years ago, back at Cryptography, there's no doubt I would've managed to complete it sooner. I could not, however, and would not let Danzo think even for a second that I was playing his game.
"You did a nice job. I'm assuming this newfound dexterity with your chakra release comes from that?"
"Yeah. Although the Shodaime had an ocean of chakra, the principles aren't really that different. It's actually quite relieving to know he couldn't use Earth and Water separately for a long time."
"What about the thing with Cryptography back then? Has been anything of the sort again?"
I shake my head, and a tingling sensation makes me realize the butterfly is now perched on my hand. I let it be, for some reason.
"Thankfully, no. I sense people watching me all the time, but I can't tell if they're there because of father's orders or not."
Minato frowns and his lips pull back into a grimace, as if he'd eaten something sour.
"That's a problem. There are a lot less ANBU in the village nowadays because of the war. Technically, there isn't supposed to be anyone 'free' enough to tag you."
Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate Minato's cold honesty, perhaps more than words can say. It doesn't mean I'm immune to it, though. Frank talks like these are far and few in-between, but they always feel like a bucket of ice cold water, and the lingering chill doesn't leave me for days.
"I…" I hesitate, then throw caution out the window. The blonde already knows so much, I might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb. "I might have an idea of who it is, but I don't have any evidence yet."
Sharp blue eyes pierce me, and only then I'm aware of the weight of this conversation. Were it anyone else, I might've been accused of treason. Minato then sighs heavily and runs a hand down his face, a scowl on his young features.
"...me too. We might be talking about the same person, actually. You do know you can't talk to anyone else about this, don't you?"
His eyes are serious and his gaze is heavy. I know I can't let a peep out about this, perhaps more than he might know.
"I know. I'm saying because it's you." I reply honestly, and maybe I shouldn't have said it like that, but it's true. The blonde sighs again.
"I'm happy for the trust, but I'm sad it's come to this in the first place. Doesn't make sense, does it?" He laughs without any humor, the sound barely disturbing the quiet night.
"It does." I reply firmly. "I feel glad I have someone to rely on, but I'm upset I have to in the first place."
We spend a few moments just looking into each other's eyes, and not for the first time I feel immensely grateful I have Minato on my side. Things would've been a thousand times for difficult without him.
"The truth is that some roots are buried so deep within the ground, no one notices how rotten they've become." He's careful to not mention names or specific characteristics that would lead to identifying someone, and I do the same.
"Or maybe they were noticed. Maybe whoever noticed them has decided to ignore it." I grit my teeth, at war with my feelings for my father. I love him, and I know he's a good man. I know he tries his best, I know he's old and tired, I know-
'-but the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, isn't it?'
"Maybe." Minato nods, reaching into his pocket and taking one of his special kunai out of it. He hands it to me, and I'm so stunned I receive it respectfully with both hands. I hadn't even noticed the butterfly was long gone.
"Minato-sensei?"
"I'm out of the village a lot, so if something happens I can't be there for you." He whispers, regret in both his face and voice. "If there's trouble and you can't rely on those nearby you, chanel chakra into the kunai and I'll come for you."
He holds my smaller hands in his and gently closes them down, the coldness of the kunai against my skin somehow both humbling and flattering.
"I'll definitely come for you, so don't do anything too reckless, okay?"
I choke on my breath and my throat closes up. Wordlessly I nod, trying to convey my feelings through my eyes alone. It seems to work, because then he lets go of me and messes up my hair once more.
"...thank you, Minato-sensei."
"You're welcome, Chiyuki."
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Just as Choza-sensei had said, we leave for Konoha as soon as the first rays of sun hit our camp. No one makes much small talk, because we're still on alert for another attack, so I keep an eye out while planning my next move.
'Minato and I probably arrived at the same conclusion because of two reasons: one, because they'd have to have enough power over the military structure of the village to do things behind my father's back; two, because they're the only ones capable of doing shit behind my father's back and not be called out on it. There are only a handful of people who match those criteria.'
And then there was the other thing he mentioned. He's away from the village more often than not, and if things were to go south I probably wouldn't have him to back me up.
'I need someone trustworthy inside the village, yesterday.'
To frame Danzo I'd need to gather evidence, preferably written because there's very little chance I'd find a willing witness. I don't have any way of proving he still manages ROOT yet, but I can prove there are children missing.
They're mostly orphans and residents of the slumps. No one cares if they go missing, just as no one cares if they exist. There's no official record of at least half of the orphans in the village, and I know that because I've heard people in the Admin Building complain about it a couple of times. Many of the orphan children in the village don't live in the orphanage, as many people believe they do; they live in the Slumps, past the Red Lights District, forgotten and ignored as if they're little more than trash.
I take a few deep breaths in, resisting the urge to clench my fists and frown.
'Think with your head, not with your face.'
At this point, there's nothing much that can be done about the children living in the Slumps. If they're not even accounted for in the first place, how would anyone realize they're missing?
The next step, then, is to investigate the orphanage and the one who runs it. The place should be running at full capacity because of the war, but it's not, and how does no one realize that?
Three days pass in a blur and somehow we're face to face with the village gates. Biting my lower lip, I narrow down my options to two people inside the village, and hope that I'm making the right decision.
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