— So, the clone's chakra will last for about a day and a half, — it was necessary not only to distract the awakened Anko but also to feed her while I was working, — and around then you should be able to get out of bed. So, after you recover in about a week, I'll come by and take you to the hospital for an examination.
— Thank you, Ryo-sama, — Akiko tried to lift her head on her elbow and incline it towards me, but I lightly tapped her on the forehead with a couple of fingers, making her stay in a lying position.
— No need to thank me. I'm helping out of sympathy for Anko-chan, but I'm also pursuing my own goals, — I shook my head.
Yeah, I don't want to hand over such a bright head as hers to someone like Orochimaru who wouldn't appreciate it. Looking at it, even though Anko isn't at the genius level of Kakashi or Itachi, she's very close, and if it weren't for that cursed mark of the Snake Sannin with all its attendant consequences, like the attitude of those around her and the loss of a proper teacher, this cheerful girl could have made it to the elite of jōnin like her father.
With proper training, she might even have reached the lower end of the S-rank. No, no one, except politicians like Hiruzen, would discard such talent. Besides, having students who rise to high levels is an incredible political asset among shinobi.
Just look at the Monkey; his power is partially maintained by the support of the three strongest fighters of the village, the support of the elders, and the clan with allies. If it were otherwise, he'd have been asked to step down immediately after the end of this war.
No one wants to go up against four of the strongest fighters, not to mention the huge indemnities. Of course, if Dan were alive and Nawaki had come into his own, the Senju might have tried to unseat Sarutobi with the inactivity of Tsunade, support from Mito, and perhaps the Uchiha or Hyuga, but they died too timely for Hiruzen. I bet there was some kind of setup involved.
After all, it is well known that I am a student of Mito, and if necessary, the Senju would support not only the Nara but also the Akimichi and Yamanaka. Adding to this the jinchūriki's friendship with the Uchiha (and the Hokage's dislike for them might push the proud ones towards an alliance), as well as her teacher — Hatake Sakumo — it makes for a very powerful coalition.
Most likely, I could also add the Inuzuka if I ask Tsume, who is preparing to take on the mantle of the clan leader in the near future from her severely weakened mother. Considering that Toka Senju, though older, still remains one of the strongest kunoichi of Konoha, second only to Mito-chan, it also adds up to a very serious combat capability.
And Hiruzen and his advisors might be short-sighted politicians who prefer the most obvious solutions (no person — no problem), but they're certainly not idiots and should have noticed that I am a linchpin among too many of the village's forces to just let it go.
Damn, I hate politics, though lessons from the clan elders and the Uzumaki family are slowly teaching me to view things from different perspectives and recognize not immediately obvious setups.
After saying goodbye to the confused girl, who still didn't know how to react to the miraculous rescue, and Anko, I headed home. I could only wonder when I had become so soft that I began to worry about essentially strangers, when not long ago I was truly concerned only about one Saya. Oh well…
— Ryo-sama, — the young genin Nara bowed as soon as I approached the clan quarter gates.
Yes, after returning from the front, my reputation even among my own clan soared rapidly, and after receiving the next rank of iryō-nin, even men twice my age began to treat me with great respect, though they don't bow like the younger ones. The gossip about changing the clan leader candidate after my uncle's resignation is particularly annoying, and Shikaku just smirks and tries to shift everything onto me, lazy yokai!
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