Chapter 11
The Fate to Zero
My face frowns as I read through a folder of documents on the dining table in the living room of my house.
"This is quite the… match up we have here." I commented softly to myself.
Five Konohagakure candidates made it to the finals. Followed by two candidates representing Kumogakure. Along with Sunagakure, Iwagakure and Kirigakure each having only one candidate making it into the finals.
This was going to be a nightmare for security trying to handle delegates, dignitaries and tourists coming in from all corners of the continent to view the spectacle. Something like this hasn't occurred in years if I remember correctly. All five great nations having candidates in a tournament was a rare thing.
I flip the page to find the match list for that day.
"Featured finalists for the Chunin Examinations hosted by Konohagakure no Sato…"
Uchiha Sasuke (Konoha) vs. Omoi (Kumo)
Haruno Sakura (Konoha) vs. Hyuga Neji (Konoha)
Tsubasa Daisuke (Konoha) vs. Karui (Kumo)
Nara Shikamaru (Konoha) vs. Hayami Saori (Suna)
Ai Fubuki (Iwa) vs. Ishikawa Akiko (Kiri)
"Huh. Six girls and four guys. Looks like it's a female dominant tournament this year."
"Mmm… you know. For an ethnic group that styles itself as being silent, stealthy and all that jazz. There sure is a lot of flair and hoopla going on," Merem said sardonically. "Makes me wonder if these people just put on the title of ninja for show and aren't something else."
Which was true. Shinobi people tend to act more like samurai than they do being… well ninjas. There were more expectations of open combat and flashy elemental techniques. A lot more shouting during fighting and all around mayhem. Although I suppose the upper echelon of shinobi were particularly stealthy and quiet. Those were the ones you had to watch out for.
"I mean… it's also to grab the attention of businesses to secure exclusive contracts for the respective nation. More contracts equals more money. So the better and flashier the fights helps cement the confidence in the buyer to support the nation knowing that there'll be a secure investment."
Merem scoffed. "There's other ways to secure a contract that doesn't need to be determined by senseless barbarism. I often forget how backwards this part of the world is. On one side you have people embracing modernity like the Land of Snow while others are stuck in some sort of feudal era."
His remarks were rather scathing.
"You know Magi are just as backwards if not more so than these people. The population is ruled by royal magi bloodlines with lords and ladies. Along with everyone still trying to kill each other here and there with sealing designates cropping up every so often."
The rat nods its head agreeing with me. "But at least we have the decency to keep out of the eye of the mundane and allowing them to forge the path best fit for humanity. Magi, while still prominent, has faded considerably ever since the Age of Gods ended."
True.
The feudal lords of these lands and shinobi have held onto power since time immemorial or rather when the revered mythical sage had emplaced the chakra system to diverge from thaumaturgy. That was probably thousands of years ago when it happened.
"Anyways we're getting off track here. I believe Sasuke will win against her opponent, but Sakura's will be considerably difficult to overcome."
It was a Hyuga. They thrived in hand-to-hand and close quarters combat. Their bloodline was specifically tailored for that, that they have an almost unfair advantage against other opponents. It was considered suicide for people to try and challenge them in their field.
Unluckily for Sakura, she was chosen to do just that.
"Indeed. So what's your plan for her to beat him?"
My fingers rub my forehead as I tried formulating different scenarios. Most of them ended up with Sakura causing extensive environmental damage in order to get the upper hand on Neji. Getting in close was out of the question. She would have to play outside the range of his influence.
A single touch or even glancing blow from his hands would spell doom for Sakura.
Medium, if not, long range combat was needed her.
I would suggest to do the same thing that she did against that blonde girl Ino, but I'm fairly certain he's expecting such a thing now. He would be more than ready to evade the ruptured earth that was heading his way.
Not to mention his speed was considerable. He was deadly fast. More so than Sakura.
"His ability is anti-chakra, but that's only applicable if he's able to touch his opponent. Realistically, all I can see her is playing keep away and destroying the field to work it in her favor. Create uneven terrain so he's not allowed decent footing to execute his techniques."
Merem gave me a funny look.
"Recycling old ideas eh?"
I shrugged. If it isn't broken, don't fix it. "It's better for her to play to her strengths."
"Ha – her strength." The rat chuckled. "So it'll be causing as much damage as possible and hope for a miracle then? Or is there more to save her hide from being turned into another Kayneth?"
I cringe a bit.
He was referring to the story of where Dad had used his Origin of Severing and Binding to completely destroy the magic circuits of the Master of Lancer in the Fourth War. From what I heard, it was a gruesome death of having your circuits fried and body slowly crumbling as it hemorrhaged to death.
To a point, the Hyuga's ability to stop chakra points was similar to Kiritsugu's.
"I'll need some time and talk with Kakashi and Sakura to figure things out. Not like we need anything complicated to win. Besides we also have to keep in mind the following rounds as well."
He nodded his head. "Well I'll leave you to that. Anyways there's something interesting that's turned up. It concerns about that minister Toshiyuki."
I set the folder down to give him my full attention.
"He's a crafty fellow that knows a decent amount of magecraft believe it or not. It's been increasingly difficult as of late to snoop around the ministry building. My usual pathways have either been blocked or lead in loops. He knows."
My lips purse together. "Were you able to get a read on his motives?"
Merem shrugged. "Not really. All I've been able to gather so far is that he has a fair amount of contacts with some individuals from the Sea of Estray."
"Sea of Estray?" I murmured.
"Mhm – they're known for body alteration. The former tenth apostle Nrvnqsr Chaos was originally a magus affiliated with them before he was slapped with a sealing designate and became a Dead Apostle Ancestor through magecraft."
I've only heard stories from other magi and from Merem about the former tenth. He was an individual who had experimented on his own body had somehow made an inverted reality marble with the ability to absorb creatures. At one point he had gathered 666 beasts into himself and made up the chaos that was his body.
Long story short, he was a terrifying being that could absorb anyone and anything.
"So should I do anything about this?"
He shook his head. "No. Absolutely not. Bringing you in would only serve to pull the trigger early. I want him to feel secure in his little bubble he's created for himself. Confidence begets complacency. Hopefully I'll be able to find out what's going on behind the scenes before anything troublesome occurs."
I frown a bit.
Things were becoming even more worrisome since the exposure of Michael. The Head of METI conveniently stalling Merem in his investigation is incredibly sketchy. There was a sneaking suspicion in the back of my head that maybe Tsubasa Toshiyuki and Michael were in league with each other.
But why would he be in talks with Konoha's traitor? Let alone possibly be allied with?
What were his goals? Was he aiming for a coup d'état? Or maybe to simply gain a boarder reach of influence with the western continents?
"So many questions… so little answers," I muttered out with a hint of annoyance.
"Such is life Emiya-kun. But fear not, there's no need to lose sleep over it. We'll find out eventually," said the Left Arm of Solomon reassuringly.
"I just hope it's in time before anything bad happens."
Hopefully I won't be eating my words any time soon.
Hopefully.
After my discussion with Merem, I decided to take a breath of fresh air by walking around town. It's been a while since I actually went about to explore what has changed or stayed the same.
I breathe in deeply. The air over in this part of the world was amazing. Everything was largely in part untouched by exorbitant usage of fossil fuels and little pollution. These were some of the things that held an upper hand compared to the west. But there's always a trade off somewhere for it all.
"Well… it's good to know that nothing has changed too much since I last left. Although I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
Looking around I can still remember walking the streets with Kiritsugu on our time off. Everyone was busy preparing the streets for the coming festivities of the tournament.
Streets were being cleaned.
Stalls being refurbished.
Stores stocking their shelves to the brim with goods and products.
The people of Konoha were all working diligently to impress the tourists and visitors that would be coming in less than a month.
My feet finds me near a popular and famous onsen near one of the upper end market districts. They say that it was the very first one established here, dating back less than a decade after the founding of the village. It was famous for developing something called the balneotherapy. Something about bathing treatment to maintain health, control dysfunctions and prevent illness.
Or so they say.
All I know was that they were incredibly relaxing.
A thought shot through my mind about maybe popping in for an hour or so, but a twinge of pain shooting down my right arm made me strike that idea immediately.
I shake my head disappointingly at myself.
I'm still insecure about showing it publically. I need to get over it, but… maybe later?
My ears pick up a perverse giggle that was coming from the back of the establishment.
"What the?"
Was that the sound of someone peeping into the hot springs? I peek around the corner and find a long white haired middle-aged man peering into a hole.
"Oh man, the Konoha babes are the finest around I swear! This is great material for my next book!"
I listened in closely and I think I can make out Sakura's voice in there.
As he was too distracted by the sights inside, I was able to walk up behind him. He was still furiously scribbling into his notepad. At a glance it's filled with nothing but measurements of hip, waist, and bust.
Of course.
I rub my chin. Should I do this the respectable way or the fun way?
A devilish grin forms on my face.
Sucks to be you old man.
I inhale sharply through my nose.
"HEY YOU PERVERT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING PEEPING ON THE WOMEN INSIDE THE HOT SPRING?!"
"Huh?"
The man turns around just in time to see the sole of my shoe plant firmly into his face, kicking him through the wooden wall and into the hot spring.
That was oddly satisfying.
He flailed about wildly in the hot water as the women stared at him. As soon as he stopped and realized the situation he was in, he laughed nervously.
"N-Now now ladies! I have a perfect and reasonable excuse as to my circumstances… you see there was-"
"P-PERVERT! GET HIM GIRLS!"
"O-Oh shit…" his voice going small.
A grin adorned my face as I heard his screams of mercy and forgiveness.
They didn't give him any.
The absolute thrashing they were giving to the peeping tom was an amusing sight to behold. A few times they even made me wince after a couple kicks to the man's gonads.
A couple running punts here.
Some well thrown punches there.
And… and I think at some point Sakura performed a German suplex!
A couple of times the man tried to pitifully escape, but was dragged straight back into the hole in the wall for another round of beating. After what was most likely the third or fourth, I stepped in before they actually put him into a coma or worse kill him.
No one deserved to die over something trivial like that.
"OK! OK! Ladies I think he's learned his lesson by now! You've all had your fun in beating the man up for the past five minutes." I clap my hands loudly to grab their attention. "He's already been beaten black and blue." His body twitches and gurgles something out. "And probably almost in a coma." One of the ladies kick him once more in the back and I hear something snap.
My face winces in pain with a part of me sympathizing for the poor fellow.
"Enough! Come on now, you're better than that." I chastise to the lady. Her face flushes in embarrassment.
"N-Naruto-kun?"
She had her body wrapped up in a small white towel that did very little hide her figure. I'm feeling thankful for the steam obscuring a bit of vision as I feel my cheeks go a bit rosy.
I divert my attention away from it as best as possible and stomp down my hormones with a certain viciousness.
"Sakura." I greet back.
"What are you doing here?"
"After finishing up some preparation for the matches I decided to walk around town for a bit when I came across this perverted idiot peeping." I tap his bloody and beaten form with my foot. He twitched. "Figured it be slightly amusing to expose him and well… here we are."
Sakura beams a smile. "Haha – it's always work for you Naruto-kun!"
I shrug and send a playful smirk. "Well someone has to pick up the slack for you."
They both giggle. "Of course, what would I do with you? You're such a hero!"
I let out a small laugh. "Ha, very funny you. Well I'll be off and take this idiot off your hands. I'll make sure he doesn't try anything funny. Catch you later this evening!"
Grabbing the man's ankle, I drag him out while sending a parting wave to Sakura behind me.
Up ahead there was a small bridge that went over the hot spring water that fueled the onsen. As I crossed over it, the limb that I was holding onto suddenly disappeared from my grasp.
"What the hell?" I turn around and immediately duck down as the man flew overhead with a flying kick.
"Ho! Ho! You're awfully quick on the uptake! Very well done!"
Wait. Just a moment ago he was beaten black and blue to an inch of his life.
"How the hell are you back up? You were barely conscious just a moment ago."
"Ha…" a low rumble emits from his chest.
"Ha! Haha!" it picked up speed to a chuckle.
"HA! HAHAHA!" and finally to a blown out laugh.
I looked at him with a strange expression as he began to cackle madly.
"Do you even know who I am boy?" he questions me.
I look to my left and right with a clueless face. "Uh… no?"
The man gasps in horror. "Look at my face boy! And answer me again!"
My eyes squint in focus on his face. "Oh!" I smack a fist into an open palm with sudden realization. "You're just another dime a dozen old pervert that likes to peep into women's baths!"
There was a smug grin on his face at the beginning that immediately faltered and broke down into utter incredulousness.
"Ignorant brat! I am Myoboku Mountain's Sage of the Toads! I am the purveyor of woman across the lands! The savior and hero to men of all ilk! The great and gallant Jiraiya of the Sannin at your service!"
He summoned a horse sized orange toad to perch himself up on while holding a ridiculous kabuki pose.
Silence.
I blink.
A smug smirk plays on his face.
"You're a loony."
The man now known as Jiraiya makes a gagging noise.
"Geez – when did it get so hard to impress young folk these days?" he muttered to himself.
I stood there staring at him. "So you're Michael's former teammate huh?" I said under my breath.
"What was that kid?"
"Nothing. So you're the author of that one book that Kakashi loves to read huh?"
His eyes widen in excitement. "Oh are you a fan of my best selling work? My books are renowned all around the world by critics you know! It's got action, love, drama! Everything in it! Plus the juicy bits hehehe!"
I gave him a blank stare.
"No I don't read shitty porn novels."
A look of horror crosses his face.
"H-How dare you! HOW DARE YOU!" He quickly went off on a rant about how much he poured his soul into the books and how I should be appreciative for his hard work.
My hands shoot up to cover my ears from his shouting. "Oi – use your inside voice you lecherous old bastard. You're going to blow my ear drums with your shouting!"
Geez – what was up with veteran shinobi and their eccentricities? Kakashi has his with reading erotic novels in public. Guy with his youth antics. And Anko with her unhealthy obsession with dango. Actually, she's been eating a whole lot more nowadays ever since I removed her own cursed seal. Someone should probably stop her or else she'll start putting on weight.
Scratch that – I'll let Kakashi handle that department. It's his job anyways.
"Oi kiddo, stop staring. I know I'm amazing and all, but you're seriously creeping me out. Besides, who are you?"
"Emiya."
"Emiya?" He parrots. "Emiya what? Don't you have a first name or something?"
"Just Emiya is fine. And no I wasn't staring, I was just lost in thought."
"Oh about what? Maybe it could be my winning complexion? Or basking in the glory of my manliness?" he gloats in good nature.
"You have none of those you pervert."
I wonder why Jiraiya of the Sannin was here. It was too coincidental that he shows up a day or two later after Michael. Was there something going in behind the scenes that I don't know of? Quite possibly so.
From what I could garner, Jiraiya was the foremost expert in being a spymaster. He had spy rings and organizations under his control all over the continent. So maybe there was something being worked on in secret.
Looks like another topic to bring up with Merem.
"Why you disrespectful brat!" His voice brings me out of my thoughts once more. "I could kick your ass six ways to Sunday! Right here! Right Now!"
"Wow. I'm so scared."
His eye twitches. "You sarcastic ass! This one's for ruining my research!"
He throws a half-serious punch to my gut. I blur out of existence and appear several meters behind him, whistling a tune while walking away.
"Huh?" Jiraiya turns around and yells. "HEY YOU ASSHOLE! GET BACK HERE!"
I smirk and kick it into high gear as he chases me. This should be fun.
It would be an hour so before I made my way home after messing with Jiraiya by stringing him along through the entire village. The entertainment wore off after thirty minutes of him fruitlessly chasing me. In the end I pulled a fast one on him being causing him to accidentally crash into the same bath house he had peeked on not so long ago.
Apparently they patched up the hole fast. And apparently there was another group of ladies enjoying the hot springs. Suffice to say this group of women hunted him down like a dog forcing him to abandon his chase on me for the preservation of his life.
As I walk up the streets to my house, I notice there was someone sitting down in front of my house hugging their knees close to their chest. There were a couple of bags next to them as well. As I got closer it was apparent who it was.
Uchiha Sasuke. Crying. In front of the entrance to my residence.
"Oh boy…"
Sasuke looks up with her eyes being all puffy and red.
I crouch down to pick up her stuff. "Come on you, let's get inside. I'll make some tea and we can go from there."
She doesn't move.
My shoulders drop.
Curse my bleeding heart and need to help people.
"Ah – geez come on Sasuke!"
I grabbed her hand with mine and hauled her up on her feet. She was still sniffling a little bit and rubbed her eyes.
By the Root, Sasuke looked absolutely pathetic.
"This is going to be a long day…"
The living room was quiet as a graveyard as I stood in front of the stove waiting to steep the tea. When steam started coming out, I pulled it off the burner and slipped in the tea leaves. A strong traditional green tea should help take the edge off a bit.
I had managed out a clone to go grab Kakashi and Sakura. I was going to be needing their help with this.
Returning to the living room, I set the teapot and cups down.
"Here," I poured her a cup.
She takes the offered drink and nurses it in her hands.
Silence resumes in the room as we sat at the table with our drinks. Sasuke kept looking down at her drink while I occasionally took sips from my own.
I mulled over the whole situation as I waited for Kakashi and Sakura. It felt wholesomely uncharacteristic for Daisuke to break the relationship off. If anyone it would've been Sasuke that would have been the one to call it off.
The guy was too possessive of her to even leave her out of his sights, let alone to initiate the break up.
Maybe there's something to do with Elder Tsubasa's tighter security on the ministry building against Merem? Could there be a possible connection as to why he's invested in this relationship? I would have to ask Merem if he has noticed anything worthwhile about this.
It was a niggling feeling in the back of my head that was getting to the point of annoyance.
If it were about me teaching Sasuke or even talking to her during the preliminaries than there could possibly be causation for some type of confrontation between the two. But not like this. Then again he upped and disappeared for several days before coming back with an entourage. He mostly ignored me and Team Seven as a whole, especially Sasuke.
Good riddance either way.
In my opinion, he was holding her back as a person and as a ninja. Uchiha Sasuke had potential to do many things and go above and beyond expectations if she weren't held down by senseless background rabble. Her interactions with people were limited being with him, that I think hampered her own sense of identity.
From my standpoint, Sasuke had no sense of self that she was able to build up on her own.
The foundations that are built from the childhood which we then surround ourselves with our relationships and interactions with people are what gives us a sense of self. Essentially an individual is a product of their environment.
Uchiha Sasuke is a building without a foundation. It was destroyed and left in shambles with her to pick up the pieces and rebuild with the broken pieces.
Entire clan murdered by her elder brother in a night? Neglect of provisional parental support from an adult like figure? Little to no psychological support after the aftermath? And well… terrible friends that lack any sort of basic moral principle? Yeah that was a recipe of having a distorted sense of identity if I were to say anything about it.
"Like you're one to talk."
My eyes narrow by the slightest of margins.
"You're getting awfully conversational, dropping a comment here and there."
"Hmph. The muzzle that you placed on me is starting to wane. Of course I'll be making a comment here and there to abstain the boredom in this world of swords you have me locked up in."
"Thank you for reminding me to tighten it then."
"Ha – good luck. It won't last very long."
I shifted the shroud on my right arm to tighten it. The passive effects it brought forth were fizzling out faster than I expected it to. The Kyubi was starting to come through more often, at least it was to make a passive snipe and not cause a ruckus. The last time I had to go in and quell the riot that was within me did not paint a pretty picture.
"It felt good you know…"
I look up to Sasuke. She broke the silence between us.
"Knowing that there was someone to come home to… and have them hold you was nice…" she spoke softly. I could barely hear her.
"I'm not sure if you know the feeling… but being alone hurts more than anything else. A-and… and he filled that void up. That's why I loved being with him… or I used to…"
I frown in displeasure.
That's a poor reason to be with someone. But I couldn't find myself to vocally fault her for that. Sasuke was on a roll and it would be for the best if I let her continue uninterrupted lest I put my foot in my mouth.
She takes a sip of tea.
"You know… Daisuke wasn't always like this?"
One of my eyebrows raises in question.
"A… well an asshole as you'd like to refer him." She pauses and looks down at her drink. "He used to be decent person. He was kind and caring in the beginning, or so I think, but it changed over the years after his brother died."
I shrug.
"People change. Sometimes they change for the better or worse."
So he had a brother huh? Hmm – still doesn't change anything or my opinion of him. There wasn't a single speck of sympathy or empathy for him and how he is as a person.
"I guess you're right…"
I gave her a hard look but abstained from saying anything.
"…a part of me wishes things could've worked out and that maybe he could've matured."
"And the other part?" I ask.
"The other side says that it's a good thing we separated, but…"
"You don't know what to do from here?" I finish for her. She nods her head. "Find your identity. Your sense of self. You've been with him that you relied on him to fill in your identity to complete itself. The you that was you was not the real you months ago. Now it's up to Uchiha Sasuke to find out who she is."
"The… real me?"
"Uchiha Sasuke, the Avenger of her clan? Uchiha Sasuke, the proud Kunoichi of Konohagakure? Or Uchiha Sasuke, the hollow husk that lived on through others? It's up to you now to find your ideals to make your life worthwhile."
"Like you with your ideal of being a hero?"
I'm not sure how to answer.
"Right?"
I inhale sharply.
"Yes," I say with finality.
Silence befalls us again.
"I'm sorry…"
What?
"Come again?" I didn't quite catch what she said.
"I said I'm sorry."
I'm befuddled as I don't know why she's apologizing.
"I made fun of your dreams when we were on that mission. I'm sorry. It wasn't stupid or dumb… it was admirable."
My face softens as she's attempting to become more forthcoming with herself.
"It's okay. Don't worry, I've had worse people than you ridicule me for trying to chase my dream. And trust me… they've done a whole lot worse than you could ever hope to do."
Heroic Spirit EMIYA being the prime example. The Me, from a distant future of a different world who followed through with his justice and was greeted with a never ending nightmare that broke him down to the point of insanity.
I rub my eyes tiredly with my right hand.
When I look back at the girl in front of me, she looks at me with a crestfallen face.
"You seem to know a lot about me and everyone else… I can't help but notice that we don't know anything about… you."
I made it poignant to not talk about myself too much. There were just some things that aren't meant to be dug up just yet.
Before she could pursue any further. The doorbell wrung allowing me an easy and convenient way to dodge her question. As I excused myself, I couldn't help but feel her eyes were staring at my back the entire time.
It was unnerving if I were honest with myself.
I found myself sitting on the porch with Kakashi as Sakura and Sasuke talked in the living room.
"Its times like this that make me feel a bit out of touch with people," said Kakashi as he scratched the back of his head. "And reminds me why we usually discourage inter team fraternization. The possibility of it ending badly is too high and team coordination and efficiency is thrown out the window. All the work you've put in to that team is gone in an instant."
Kakashi was starting to sound like an old man. "Maa, I feel old griping about this. Maybe if I were a better teacher I would've petitioned for them to be reevaluated with Hokage-sama."
I shook my head.
"Ah. I guess you're right. The outcome probably would have stayed the same. Still wouldn't hurt to have tried eh?"
I nodded my head as if it were a possibility.
"The best you can do is just impart what you can to them and do your best. There's no point in wallowing in should haves, could haves, and would haves. What's done is done, that's the way it is."
"Mhm." Kakashi hummed. "Oh," he turns to me. "I stopped by the Hokage's office earlier and he asked for you to come by. Here's the note."
"What does he want?" I ask as I read the paper. It was just the old man asking me to come by for a bit in thirty or so minutes.
Kakashi shrugs. "I don't know, maybe just for a little chat?"
"Ah, well I'll find out when I get there." I get up to make my way to the Hokage Tower. "Oh and Kakashi, invite Anko for dinner will you? How does tempura sound?"
He smiles with his eye. "That sounds great!"
Hopefully dinner will uplift Sasuke's mood.
My knuckles knock against the hard door to the Hokage's office.
A muffled, "Come in!" filters through the door.
I step into the room and see a familiar face standing in front of Old Man Sarutobi.
"You!" He points a finger at me.
"Yes me," I said blandly.
"You're the asshole that kicked me into the bath houses and ruined my research!"
"And you're that old pervert who writes shitty erotic novels that has the grammar of a ten year old."
He gasps and from the corner of my eye I can see the old man laughing nervously while attempting to discreetly put something away in his desk. "Yeah, I saw that by the way old man. Can't hide it from me."
"H-How dare you! My books have sold millions! If not hundreds of millions!"
"I mean… they do make some good fire material and they're cheap. So there's that."
"Why you snot nosed brat… why I ought to-"
"Ahem!" Sarutobi coughed. "Jiraiya-kun… you should be kinder to your godson Naruto-kun."
Huh?
"Huh?" He looks at me. "Wait…"
I gave the white haired man a bland look. This guy is my godfather? More importantly. I had a godfather? Well you certainly learning something new every day I suppose.
"This is…" he looks around the room. "Minato's kid?" Jiraiya says incredulously.
"No, I'm totally not his kid," I said sarcastically.
"I didn't know he grew up to be such an ass!"
A smirk appears on my face. "And I didn't know I had a perverted godfather, so I guess it balances out."
The Sandaime Hokage coughs into his hand. "Yes. Emiya Naruto meet Jiraiya. Jiraiya meet Emiya Naruto."
He gives me a once over. I can tell by his face that he didn't believe it.
"Wait… don't you mean Uzumaki?"
"I dropped that a while back after I was adopted. I'm sure you understand?"
Jiraiya's mouth hangs open.
"You're going to catch flies like that by the way," I said amusingly.
His mouth snaps shut.
"Y-You… you look so different… so…"
The man was having trouble trying to describe the change.
"Mature? Older?" I help finish for him.
"…no something else," he replies solemnly.
I gave him a questioning look before shrugging. "So old man? Besides a surprise reunion with my supposed godfather, what did you call me up here for?"
Hiruzen taps his smoke pipe to empty out the ash onto a tray. "On to business I see. It pertains to the incident in Training Ground 44 during the Second Stage where you encountered Orochimaru. There's… conflicting reports as to what happened. All we know is that a fourth of the forest is nothing more than a giant hole now. Any ideas as to what happened?"
Ah – so it was about that. I am a bit astonished that I hadn't been called up for questioning after the encounter a day or two later.
"After getting confirmation from Anko that Orochimaru was in the forest, I had an inkling as to why he was in there and rushed to rescue Team Seven while the exams were on-going. We met. We fought. And that's that."
He looks at me with a raised eyebrow. "That still doesn't explain the massive crater in which I must explain to the Ministers later on."
"Eh – just say it was a gas leak."
Hey. If it worked for Kirei, it can work here right?
"A… gas leak Naruto-kun? Really? In the middle of a forest."
"I mean… it's a start," I throw him a cheeky smirk.
"I'm unsure how to feel about your comedic response to this situation," he says dryly.
I close my eyes. I might as well be a little forthcoming about the situation.
"Old man."
"Hmm?"
"Get your book out."
"I'm… unsure as to what you are referring to?"
I open up one eye to look at him. "The one dad wrote for you in return for his asylum."
A stream of smoke bellows out of his nose. His face frowns, "I see you know about that hmm?"
"How could I not?"
Jiraiya to the left of me was looking bewildered as possible being the third-wheel of the conversation. "Umm – I'm out of the loop. What's going on?"
The Sandaime Hokage merely opens up a drawer and presses a button that reveals a secret compartment in his desk. He presents a book that has a plain bland brown cover.
"Do you remember the fire that occurred over a decade ago Jiraiya-kun?"
"Yeah, I was out in the Land of Rivers when it happened. They say it was some rogue Uchiha that set fire to a gas line and blew up a good portion of the market district." He rubs his chin. "What about it?"
"A cover story that was fabricated to conceal what truly happened. Long story short, a portal opened up between this continent and the Far West. Something spilled out and caused a massive fire outbreak. Now, where do you want me to open the book to Naruto-kun?"
"I don't know which chapter it's detailed in, but dad must've made a reference to a list concerning twenty-seven individuals."
He sharply inhales. "Surely you're not just assuming?"
I shake my head. "Open it up. You probably noticed that the list has question marks to some of the numbers. Either some of the positions are still vacant or there's no one that is capable of being a successor to the spot."
Sarutobi rifles through the pages. "Which one… is he?"
"No, you're asking the wrong question. You mean to ask who he is."
"There's nothing on the list except for… a… extra…" the realization suddenly dawns on his face.
"Yes."
"No." He responds in denial and stands up slamming his hands on the oak table.
I figured this would be his automatic reply. After all he had fathered the once young boy after his biological parents died and watched him grow up to be a monster. A mistake that he must surely regret to this day.
"The Orochimaru you know and grew up with is not Orochimaru. Sometime when he was growing up, the extra apostle ancestor known as Michael Roa Valdamjong assumed his body and took over. I'm almost positive that dad made a note about him being nicknamed 'The Infinite Reincarnator' or 'The Serpent of Akasha'."
Jiraiya looks at me as if I grew a second head. "I've known Orochi since we were little kids. This is sounding like some sort of wild story you conjured up out of nowhere."
"Then how do you explain his sudden obsessiveness for immortality hmm?" I ask calmly.
"Michael, to my knowledge and the Church's, has reincarnated seventeen times. With each incarnation, each individual showed an obsession with crafting perfect immortality. In each case they showed signs during their mid-twenties. For your former teammate's case, he started a little later in his thirties."
"I-…" Jiraiya stops himself. I can see from his facial expression that what I said was all too true. "I… just don't want to believe it."
"Then let me make you believe it. Orochimaru came from a highly respected shinobi family didn't he? Well respected. A prodigy in the making that only came once every other generation. He was calm. Collected. Had a high disposition among his peers and had accrued significant political power and standing in the village. In fact, at one point he was in contention for the position of the Fourth wasn't he?"
"Y-Yes…" they both say.
"But then you both notice the little cracks. The slips in that perfect façade of his. Those times when he's bloodthirsty and tears into his opponents with ease. Or those other times of showing arrogant superiority over others and enjoying the ability to toy with people simply because he can. And then… it all comes together when he becomes invested in his research. Countless hours toiling away in seclusion performing god knows what."
They were speechless.
"All seventeen of his incarnations share a similar story to how they lived and acted before they were eliminated. Need I go on?"
"No…" said a tired Hokage. He rubbed his eyes wearily "This has developed into something I would have never thought to have imagined."
"I think I'm going to need a stiff and long drink after this," mumbled Jiraiya.
"I can share your sentiments," said Sarutobi. "So why do you think he's back here in Konoha?"
It was a question directed to the both of us.
"Well I thought I had an idea beforehand coming into this, but after that? Not anymore." They both look towards me for an answer to which I shrug.
"Multitude of reasons. He still assumes all of you are ignorant to who he really is, so he will still most likely mascaraed as the vengeful student hell bent on killing his former teacher and destroy his former home."
"And the other reason as this Michael person?"
"I don't know honestly." It was a half-truth.
Merem and I suspect that he wants the massive ley line that's underneath Konohagakure no Sato for himself. It would be a massive boon to his research in thaumaturgy. The focal point was ripe for the pickings as it has been left unused for ages.
But I wasn't just about to disclose that information to just anyone. Not even to the two in the room with me.
"Hmm," the old man crossed his fingers. "Then it would make sense for the sightings of shinobi movement in our borders. Jiraiya-kun, any word from your contacts?"
…What?
"Whispers really, but they say that well…" he struggled to identify his former teammate. "Orochimaru has been bolstering his forces for an attack."
"Hmph… how daring of him. He must be quite confident."
"Well he was always known to be extremely arrogant," I chime in.
"Yes, but he must have an ace up his sleeve if he thinks he can just march on our walls."
True.
There could be a multitude of things that Michael has concocted in secrecy. A magus that has been left alone for decades by himself with his magecraft had the ability to explore esoteric subjects without the fear of Enforcers coming down on top of them was beyond dangerous.
"I'll call for a meeting soon to start activating the reserves and bring in patrol groups for the finals. I'' simply throw it all under the guise of added security for the festivities and foreign dignitaries visiting."
"How sly of you sensei."
"I can only hope it will be enough to mitigate any possible damage in the future."
A part of me says it won't and the other can only do just like he said.
Hope.
Hope that it doesn't come down to senseless death and destruction of innocent lives.
"Anything else old man? Or would you like me to write you a book as well?"
"Hmph, very funny Naruto-kun, but no. Thank you for coming in." He dismisses me with a wave of his hand. I bow in return and lazily waved to Jiraiya as I exited the room.
Just before the door closed, I heard the tail end of a peculiar topic being brought it.
Something, something rogue organization called Akatsuki.
I wonder what that's all about.
Dinner this evening with everyone was well received.
I had made a large batch of tempura seafood and vegetables to be paired up with rice and miso soup. There was light hearted conversation and laughs that went around the table between Anko and Kakashi while Sakura and Sasuke chit chatted about the upcoming finals.
It felt nice to be able to enjoy a home cooked meal with friends.
As of the moment, I was outside sitting down on the porch that was overlooking the garden. Everyone had already left for the night except for Sasuke who was taking up one of the guestrooms.
Looking up at the moon I noted its brilliance.
"The moon looks beautiful tonight…"
Saying those words made me feel like Kiritsugu that night. I made note of the time that it was nearing midnight by now.
"You're still up."
"Hmm?" I turn towards the voice and find Sasuke standing in the hallway. "Ah… yeah just enjoying the night sky is all."
The light pollution from the village was almost next to none so if one were to look up into the sky you could see the entire Milky Way galaxy. All the stars and constellations came to life along with the moon. It was peaceful to say the least to look at.
Sasuke gives me an odd look. "It's usually older people that tend to do this kind of stuff you know."
I gave a small nervous chuckle. "I suppose so. It's nice, relaxing and quiet. So I can see why they do it."
I lost count as to how many times I would stumble upon Kiritsugu just sitting in this exact spot staring at the moon for nights on end. Thinking back on it, I'm beginning to be reminded of that fateful conversation under a silver moon.
"Leave it to me dad! Your dream!"
"Right… yes. I can be at peace now…"
The raven haired girl plops herself down next to me to enjoy the view. A comfortable silence follows suit as I close my eyes.
"You seem to be… troubled by many things." Her voice cuts through the quiet night. "It's hard not to notice, but… you hide it exceptionally well."
It takes one to know one after all.
"Yeah… I suppose you can say that."
The weight that rested on my shoulders was heavy, but they were mine to bear.
"You hide a lot of things about yourself to everyone. I've never met someone who's so… secretive."
I mulled over her words before speaking. "It's not intentional or anything. Just… well you can say it's hard to speak about them in the first place."
"I know that feeling," she says. "It's difficult to talk about it to people who have never experienced these types of emotions before. They just don't know what it's like."
"Mhm," I hummed in agreement.
"Me and you… we're both alike you know."
An eyebrow quirks up in question as I glance at her before huffing an amused breath. "Far from it."
"That's not what I think."
I shrug but refrain from saying anything. Sasuke can think how ever she likes to, it doesn't change my opinion at all.
"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you," she apologizes. "You're just the first person that… that I haven't completely burnt the bridge to talk with."
"What about Sakura?"
She shakes her head. "N-No… I… well I burnt that bridge too, back when we were in Academy, but Sakura… she's a good person and was able to look pass it all. So I guess it's sort of being rebuilt. But with you I managed to not completely mess things up!"
My eyebrows rose up.
"You're one of the few people that have treated me with indifference when we first met. Even if we started off on the wrong foot, you didn't talk behind my back or anything like that."
I leaned back on my hands as she went on. Was this building up to a confession or something? Oh god I hope not. That would be disastrous all around.
"And… I appreciate that. Especially all the help you've given these past few months for the exams. You don't get enough credit for what you've done for us… for me."
"Hmph. I only did it because I owed Kakashi a favor and I felt bad for you all." I crossed my arms in front of my chest and close my eyes while smirking pretending to be smug. "How could I, in good conscience, allow three idiots participate in the Chunin Exams and get themselves killed?"
One of her hands shoves me to the side. It barely nudges me.
"You're such a jerk!"
An amused grin is plastered on my face.
"Yes, yes. I think we all know that by now. It's getting late." I move to stand up. "We should head to bed."
A hand grabs onto the sleeve of my jacket.
"Wait – I um…"
"Hmm?"
I look at her questioningly.
"…goodnight Naruto."
"Mhm – goodnight Sasuke."
The next day started as usual except I was making breakfast for not just myself now, but for Sasuke as well. I felt like going towards a small western breakfast today. Hash browns, eggs, sausages, and tomatoes with a side of fresh orange juice and English breakfast tea.
I wonder how Sasuke is going to react to that.
As I in the kitchen, someone loudly knocked on the door.
"Hey! Sasuke, can you get the door? I'm a little busy here."
"Y-Yeah!" I hear her get up to answer whoever it was.
"I wonder who it is. Can't be Kakashi since we're meeting up later and it couldn't be Sakura since she's at the hospital."
"GOOD MORNING!"
The pervert's voice rings throughout the living room and kitchen. I grab a spare spatula and throw it over my shoulder. A satisfying smack can be heard.
Bullseye.
"Use your inside voice damn it! And what the hell are you doing here you old perverted coot?"
"Ahh – can't you godfather visit his godson and get to know him a little more?" I heard him sniff. "And man what are you brewing up in the kitchen!? It smells divine! Can I get one too?"
I grumble a bit as I toss in more ingredients to make another plate for him. "Maybe if you'd ask me first before barging into my house. And I guess I can make a plate for you. But if you start shouting I'm dumping it over your head."
"Y-You're Jiraiya! Jiraiya of the Sannin! T-The sage of the toads! Author of the Icha-Icha series!" Her head swivels to me in the kitchen. "YOU'RE HIS GODSON?!"
"What did I say about inside voices?!" I growled to her while brandishing another spatula which causes her to shrink. "And yes, apparently my real parents thought it would be a great idea to have him as my godfather."
"That's so co-" She stops as soon as she sees me raising up my projectile. "I mean… uh – lame that you have a pervert for a godfather?" The girl recovers quickly.
I nod approvingly. "Breakfast is ready." I serve up three plates to them. "And stop idolizing him. You're only feeding that pervert's ego and it's already fat as it is."
Sasuke flushes in embarrassment and focuses on the food in front of her. She mutters a quick thank you before digging in. From the corner of my eye I saw her bite her lips before smiling happily. I wonder what that was all about.
"So you old pervert. What do you want?" For a boisterous man, he had the manners to eat decently.
"Well I was figuring you and I could get to know each other. Talk about what we've missed for the past decade or two. Maybe tell each other some stories? Or maybe even some of mine hehe." He giggles perversely at the end.
"No can do. I'm busy helping Kakashi prepare his two students for the finals."
"Bah – it's in like thirty days! You have plenty of time to spare! Come on – I'll even owe you a favor or two."
Hmm. A favor by one of the Sannin eh? I guess I'll call it in right now.
"I'll use that favor right now then."
"Huh? Really? What'll it be brat?"
"Help prepare Sasuke and Sakura for the finals."
"Nope. Then that'll mean you owe me!"
What was he a child? He was the one that offered first!
I shrug. "Well that means I won't be able to hang out then."
"Oh come on! Who can be that busy? You're like what? Eighteen? Nineteen? I'd think you'd have a lot more free time than us old folks!"
"W-Well Naruto actually is a pretty busy person. He's usually working on a couple of projects at home or helping Kakashi preparing us," Sasuke spoke, backing me up.
God bless Sasuke for speaking up in my defense.
Jiraiya crosses his arms and grumbles a bit. "Fine. But if I don't like their work ethics than I hold the right to refuse to help prepare them anymore. Got it brat?"
"Yeah, yeah – whatever old man." I wave him off. "They're hard workers, so I think you'll enjoy it. Besides, I think you're in for a surprise with the other teammate."
"And why's that?" He throws me a suspicious look.
"Oh – you'll see." I had a shit-eating grin on my face.
"SHANNARO!"
Sakura punches the ground with all her might causing the earth to erupt all around her in a fifty meter radius.
"H-Holy shit." Jiraiya looks like he's about to crap his pants. "She's like… she's like a pink haired Tsunade…"
"Told you," I said smugly beside him. "Believe me now?"
"Y-Yeah… I guess I can show them a couple pointers."
That was good enough for me. "You better not half-ass it."
"I won't! I won't! My name is on the line now, so if they don't make it to the finals. It'll look bad on my part!"
Off to the side, I could see Kakashi teaching Sasuke the beginning steps to his original signature technique. The precursor to the lightning blade.
With Jiraiya's assistance, their training will take leaps and bounds from here on out. I had the utmost confidence that the two women of Team Seven we're going to be making a deep run in the finals. Hell – I'll say that they'll be the finalists and meet each other in the last match.
I take a moment to enjoy the scenery all around us. The training ground that we were occupying had been used since the founding of the village.
"It's a bit nostalgic. When I was under the tutelage of the Sandaime Hokage, my team trained here. When I had the future Yondaime Hokage on my team, I trained them here as well. And so he did the same thing with Kakashi's genin team. It's only befitting that he trained is here too."
I whistle in awe. "That's some history right there."
I was mildly impressed that a tradition had unintentionally been made. It seemed like all the famous individuals of the village's past had their roots here growing up. That's actually pretty cool as I was standing on history. In fact I could be witnessing history unfold before my eyes. Sakura and Sasuke do have the potential to become great.
And then for the most fleeting of moments. I felt a presence watching over us. Over me. I look around in the immediate area to see if I can spot the person spying in on us.
"What's up? Sense someone trying to peek on us?"
I didn't answer back.
It felt vile. It felt evil.
It also felt hollow. Empty. A bottomless dark pit.
Right then and there, my body rejected what it was. My arm took that moment to go haywire and spasm out. I crunch over, holding it close to my chest.
What the hell is going? What's going on with my body? My arm?
"H-Hey kid! Are you alright? What the hell is going on? Kakashi! Stop what you're doing and help!"
I clutch my head. Voices began to filter inside my mind. No – they weren't voices! Curses!
Pain. Fear. Darkness. Hate.
The ugliness of humanity. The darkness within all ourselves.
I concentrate.
Where was it coming from? How far away? Who was doing this? Who had the capability of intruding my mind?
A connection between my mind and someone else had been made. It only lasted for the barest of seconds, but that was all they needed apparently. I'll track it back. It should lead me to a general direction.
Everyone was crowding around me in concern. I push them away. I still had a hand holding my head in pain. I wanted it to stop.
I expand my senses to its absolute limit. It was like a radar scanning for an object. A blip appears, but disappears. That's all I needed.
My bow is projected in my hand and a magically infused arrow was quickly knocked. I drew the string to its fullest before letting it fly.
Approximately five and a half kilometers. That was how far away they were from my position. It was just barely out of my range, but I could scare them enough to interrupt whatever they were doing.
The curses that were jittering around in my head quickly ceased. Allowing me a reprieve from whatever that was attacking me mentally. The arrow must have hit its mark, so where was the explosion in the distance?
"Naruto? Are you ok? Talk to us! What the hell is going on?"
"I don't know… I'm fine now."
I stared off into the general direction of where I shot.
It was like looking into the abyss.
The longer I stared, I felt something stare back at me.
A black haired man was perched upon a branch overlooking the forest beneath him.
He twirled a red arrow between his fingers playing with it casually.
"Nice aim." He notes lazily. "But not good enough."
The person steps out into the light from the cover of the shadows. He crushes the arrow in his hand and absorbs the residual prana.
He flexes his right arm that was covered in a ruined red shroud. The visible skin was light and fair; it was a stark contrast to the rest of his body that was dark skinned and fully tattooed with ancient black glyphs.
His blue eyes peered back at the person staring in his general direction.
"You can run, but you can't hide. After all… we have unfinished business between us Emiya-kun."
Author's Note: Sorry for the delays that occurred. Became unhappy how the chapter was developing and turning out.
This chapter is more of an interlude than anything else. So while I felt it was a bit slow, it developed some necessary things for the characters to develop and allow more events to unfold.
I really appreciate all the warm responses I've been receiving as of late! I'm doing my best to get better as a writer so I hope there's some noticeable improvement to my writing! Really appreciate those who take the time to leave a review or even just drop a comment! Thank you all very much!
I hope everyone enjoyed this week's chapter! If you are able to, please leave a review of your thoughts on the chapter and story! Feel free to message me at anything time as usual! Special mention to the users Dgco, for the in-depth private review he sent me, and OmegaTheMessiah, for the interesting conversation/messages! Also ChaosRune for reviewing every chapter in my story so far!
Word count before A/N: 9507.
