Chapter 26

The Ultimate Sacrifice

Asiaka was pleased by how well his plan was going. He watched from his hiding place in the trees while Kakashi Hatake and his group of misfits walked unknowingly into his trap. When the first of his henchmen launched their attack, Asiaka couldn't help chuckling. His plan was a success!

This thought was quickly followed by anger when the kunai thrust into one of Kakashi's bodyguards resulted in the disbursement of a shadow clone. He should have realized it wouldn't be that easy. Nothing involving a Hatake ever was!

The tracker cats sprang into action and quickly located the true location of the approaching party. His men responded to the new information instantly, and soon the road was full of the sounds of battle. Kakashi was ushered through the larger knot of shinobi by two others – one with a scar covering most of his face – while the other sported a pair of sunglasses. Asiaka smiled to himself. This was bound to be entertaining – one way or another.

The tracker cats circled back to target their prey and were engaged by Kakashi's guards immediately. The great beasts kept them too busy to sufficiently guard their charge – leaving an opening for Asiaka to become involved in the battle himself.

--

Kakashi knew the shadow clones wouldn't fool his enemies for long – but they did allow his team a chance to pinpoint the ambushing ninja. While the attackers we occupied with the enemy ninja, he, Aoba and Raido moved forward, hoping to draw the great cats away from the tight knot of fighting behind them. The plan worked all too well – and within moments of breaking clear of the ambush – the three were confronted by the tracker cats.

Aoba and Raido engaged the beasts and Kakashi waited for the one person who had yet to make an appearance – Asiaka. He didn't have to wait long.

From the edge of the trees Kakashi heard rustling – but he knew better then to shift his focus in that direction for long – once he identified the source was not Asiaka – but rather, a small rabbit – he turned his attention back to the rest of his surroundings. He picked up the faint chakra signature from the opposite direction that gave him the advance knowledge that his attacker was approaching.

Kakashi easily dodged the series of thrusts and slices from the older man's katana. The look of hatred in Asiaka's eyes still surprised Kakashi – after all – prior to his recent encounters, he'd never met the man before. He briefly wondered just what Sakumo must have done to allow the hatred to fester like this for so long in this man.

Kakashi launched himself over the man's head and gracefully landed behind him, placing a kunai at Asiaka's throat in the process. Kakashi's words held the threat of death in every syllable. "This end's now, old man."

"I couldn't agree more, Copy-ninja!" The words came from behind him – and were followed by a high-pitched scream. By the time Kakashi dispelled the clone in his grip and spun around, what met his eyes sent shock through his body.

--

Mikoda saw Kakashi walking down the road, chatting amicably with the two ninja at his side – the remainder of his rescue party following behind. Aside from the bandage around his head he looked healthy enough, but she still wanted to check him over herself before she'd accept that as fact. She was about to call out to him when he was attacked by a pack of shinobi and two enormous cats. Thankfully his companions set themselves to keeping Kakashi out of harm's way – until the large red-headed man joined the fight that is.

Mikoda and Kyouki stood where they were – shocked into inaction – while Kakashi and the unknown ninja became a blur of motion. Kakashi narrowly avoided the other man's sword time after time. Mikoda watched in awe at the fluid grace the two showed while locked in their deadly dance. Kakashi's vault over the man's head was unexpected – and she couldn't help smiling when he landed behind the enemy and lifted a kunai to the others throat.

That was when she saw another version of the man coming at Kakashi from his blind side – another dangerous looking sword pointed at the unsuspecting Kakashi's back. Mikoda wasn't sure when her feet moved – all she knew for certain was that she couldn't let her beloved Kakashi die.

The sword pierced her flesh directly below her ribcage – and although she heard the scream - it took her a moment to recognize it as her own voice. She grimaced at the pain radiating through her body. If this one injury hurt this much – how had Kakashi withstood as much as he had over the past weeks?

She looked into the eyes of the assailant to see surprise and anger spread across his scarred face. She smiled defiantly at having prevented him from his true target, and then looked beyond him to the terrified face of her younger sister.

She felt a wrenching agony when the enemy tried to pull his blade free, and she followed her first instinct and grasped his hand on the blade – preventing him from using the weapon on anyone else. The man growled at her and used his foot to kick her to the ground – but she smiled slightly at the realization that he had released his grip on the blade to do it. She hit the dirt road and rolled onto her side – the length of steel still firmly sheathed in her body.

Her smile disappeared when the man drew a second, slightly shorter blade and moved to close the distance between himself and Kakashi. She tried to warn him, but her words came out as a groan. All she could do was watch as the blade slid into Kakashi's left shoulder.

--

Kakashi was at a loss for a moment while his brain tried to grasp that the woman he'd risked everything for to keep safe was lying on the ground – impaled by Asiaka's sword. In that brief moment of confusion he'd allowed an opening for his enemy to attack him directly. Kakashi came back to his senses just as the blade lunged forward, and he'd be able to twist his body just enough to have the steel blade pierce his shoulder instead of his heart.

Kakashi narrowed his eye dangerously and met the gaze of his and his father's enemy. The blood-lust in the other man's eyes was unmistakable – and Kakashi knew there would be only one ending to this battle. He stepped forward, sliding the man's blade deeper into his shoulder and willed his lightening blade to life in his right palm. At this distance, and with Asiaka still holding the sword grip firmly, Kakashi knew he could not miss. He thrust his palm straight at this man's chest and didn't even flinch as his chakra-covered palm punched a hole through Asiaka's chest and destroyed the man's heart in an instant. When it was over, Kakashi fell to his knees with the weight of the corpse still clinging to the short blade in his shoulder. He pushed the man's body away from him – not giving him another thought - and turned toward where he'd seen Mikoda fall to the ground.

Her gaze on his face was filled with so many things – pain, relief, love,acceptance – that he found himself gasping for air. He moved to her side, ignoring the blade in his own body, and took her gently in his arms while he looked at her injury. The sword was still lodged in her abdomen, but his nose told him there was more then just the wound to worry about. His face contorted into a look of anger at the knowledge that the bastard's blade had been coated in poison.

The feel of Mikoda's shaking hand on his cheek changed his expression to one of sorrow, as he stared into the face of the one person in his life who'd made him feel again after the death of his father, so long ago. She smiled at him and lowered that hand to her side again. Kakashi's eye softened, and he tried to place a smile on his face.

"Mikoda – what were you thinking?" His words were whispered, and he placed his palm against her tear-stained cheek.

She met his eyes. "That you needed to live, beloved."

He closed his eyes and shook a bit when a wave of emotion hit him. He swallowed back his feelings with schooled practice, and looked into her face once more.

"I could have survived his attack." He knew how false the words were – but he still pushed them past his lips. She laughed – ending it with a gurgling sound that made Kakashi's heart clench once more.

"Kakashi – you fool. You know as well as I do that the bastard's blade was poisoned. He didn't want you to survive even if he only managed to scratch you."

Mikoda drew in a shuddering breath and Kakashi pulled her closer into his grasp. "I know, Mikoda."

She smiled sadly at him. "I only regret that I didn't get the chance to hold you to your promise, Kakashi."

Kakashi furrowed his brow. "What promise was that, Koda?"

Her smile sweetened at his use of his pet-name for her. "To show me your home, of course."

He laughed lightly, trying not to jar either of the blades piercing their bodies. "The only place I've ever considered home, Mikoda, was wherever I was when holding you in my arms." He lowered his mask and placed a kiss on her lips, aware that the warmth of her body was already starting to fade. "You will forever be my home – my love."

He leaned down once more and kissed her deeply, trying to will his own warmth into her body. Her body relaxed in his arms, and when he pulled away from her, he knew her life was gone. He pulled his mask back into place, closed his eye, and took a slow, deliberate breath. The feel of a small hand on his cheek brought him back to himself. He opened his eye and looked into the tear-stained face of Mikoda's youngest sister – Kyouki.

The young girl leaned into his uninjured shoulder and sobbed. Kakashi lifted his right arm up to encircle the child's waist and let her show the emotion he could not bring himself to show himself.

--

Naruto fought the enemies side by side with the rest of the recovery team, and they made short work of the ninjas sent to ambush them. Once they joined Aoba and Raido to battle the tracker cats, Naruto knew the battle would be won – so he stepped back and decided to help Kakashi-sensei instead.

He arrived just in time to see the woman step into the blade of another attacker. His Sensei dispatched the clone in front of him swiftly, and then spun on his heel only to have the bastard stick him in the shoulder with another sword.

Naruto rushed to the side to help him, but the look on Kakashi-sensei's face when Naruto could see it made him freeze in place. It was the same exact look that the Kyuubi showed Naruto in his dreams – the look of a cold and calculating killer. Naruto felt the waves of deadly intent pouring off the Hokage, and he felt his blood chill at its contact. The precision and power in the thrust of Kakashi's lightening blade through the man was like nothing Naruto had ever witnessed before. The man's blood sprayed across Kakashi-sensei's face – but the Hokage barely noticed it.

Naruto swallowed back the bile rising in his throat when the visions fed him by the demon-fox rushed to the front of his mind. He felt his legs shake while his mind raced to try and push the fear he was feeling back.

A young girl rushed toward Kakashi-sensei and Naruto's eyes widened in fear at what Kakashi might do to her. After all – the demon had shown his Sensei slaughter countless other little girls – what would stop him from adding one more to his list?

He felt the Kyuubi's laughter build, along with his chakra, at the thought that he might have to attack the man who he idolized. Naruto felt his nails grow longer as he allowed the fox's power to start to meld with his body – but he stopped it when he saw Kakashi tenderly reach an arm around the young girl's waist and pull her into a gentle embrace.

Naruto shook his head – pushing the Kyuubi's low growl away from his mind. How could he have thought Kakashi-sensei would hurt anyone who didn't deserve it? How could he listen to that damn fox again?

He sighed and moved forward to help his Sensei grieve for this woman who obviously was someone precious to him.

--

"Shizune! Come quick! The Hokage's been injured!" Raido's voice caught Shizune's attention and she snapped her head up from the patient she was working on to look in that direction.

"Go on. Kakashi needs your help – probably more then me." Genma's tone was gentle but insistent.

She looked back at him and smiled. He was right – of course. His injury was just a superficial cut to his thigh. She could finish healing it after she took care of Kakashi.

"Don't move until I get back, Genma."

He chuckled at her. "Sorry, kiddo. But Kakashi is my first priority too."

She frowned – but knew he wasn't likely to stay put – so she helped him to his feet, and they headed toward the Hokage together.

Once there – she handed Genma over to Raido and Aoba and went right to work. Her eyes took in the lifeless bodies of Asiaka and a woman . . . was that the same woman Kakashi transported to the Leaf Village with his Mangekyo?

A glance into Kakashi's eye showed her that it was. Shizune choked back a tear and noticed the young girl with her nose buried into Kakashi's shoulder – even as she spotted the hilt of the short sword poking out of his other shoulder. She frowned and looked back down to the woman on the ground.

Kakashi's voice answered her unasked question. "This one, it seems, was not poisoned like that blade, Shizune."

She met his gaze again and wondered if that was truly regret she heard coloring his words. "What makes you so certain, Lord Hokage?"

He shrugged, causing a fresh stream of blood to flow from the wound. "I'm still breathing."

Shizune glanced over at the distraught child in his embrace and frowned. Once again – Kakashi seemed to know what she was thinking. His voice held its normal commanding tone.

"Naruto – please take care of Kyouki while Shizune tends to my wound."

Naruto stepped forward and placed one hand on the young girl's shoulder, while Kakashi slowly release his hold on her. There was a strange look in Naruto's blue eyes when he stepped away from them with the youngster in his care – but Shizune didn't have time to worry about that yet. She returned her attention to her main concern – the Hokage.

She quickly assessed him to ensure that the blood covering his face and chest were not his, and then concentrated on what seemed to be his only true injury – the sword through his shoulder. Concentrating her chakra into the palm of her hand, she examined the path of the blade and determined it had done no significant damage on its journey through Kakashi's flesh. She sighed in relief.

"This may hurt, Hokage." With those words she placed her hand on the hilt of the sword, and placed her other palm next to blade. In one swift motion, she pulled the blade free of his shoulder and immediately pushed chakra through her other palm to begin the healing process. The only sound from Kakashi was a slight grunt when the blade pulled free.

Shizune tossed the sword to the ground and put her empty hand on the back off Kakashi's shoulder to work on the exit wound. Once she had the openings partially sealed, she sat back a bit and met his eye.

"You should know the routine by now, Hokage. Off with the shirt."

Kakashi made no sound – just mechanically removed the shirt so Shizune had a better view of the damage. She frowned at his lack of response, and turned her focus back to the wound. Fortunately it was a clean, straight entry – with no twisting or tearing of the skin on either side of the wound. She placed her hands back over the cuts and sent her chakra flowing through it once more. Within minutes the wound was fully sealed and the Hokage was whole - at least physically.

Shizune wiped her hands on a cloth and leaned back once more. Kakashi never met her eyes after that. He pushed past her and approached the body of the fallen woman. Shizune watched as he gently removed the katana from her body – careful to place the blade to the side without touching the areas which surely still contained some of the deadly poison. Then he brushed the stray strands of blond hair out of her face, placed a tender kiss on the woman's forehead, and laid her gently out on the hard ground.

Kakashi knelt at her side for countless minutes just staring into her face. From the set of his shoulders and the strange look on his face, Shizune started to fear he might reach for the discarded blade and try to join her in death.

That fear was removed when Raido stepped forward and carefully retrieved the blade – wrapping it in a blanket and strapping it onto his back so they could bring it back to the village for analysis. The long exhale of breath from Kakashi's lips refocused her attention to the Hokage.

He looked to where Naruto was sitting with the young girl and pushed himself up to standing. Shizune had no words to comfort him. How could she? She knew words wouldn't help – after all – they certainly hadn't helped her or Tsunade when her brother, Dan, passed away. All Shizune could do was pray that the Hokage would be strong enough to withstand the unexpected loss.

She looked toward Genma and motioned for him to sit in front of her. Once he was seated, she drew her attention away from Kakashi's misery and back to the unhealed cut on the jonin's leg.

--

Kakashi walked to where Kyouki and Naruto were and sat on the ground next to them. He tried his best to push the cold facade which fell into place when Mikoda died to the side when he spoke with her sister – but he knew he'd failed to remove it completely.

"Why were you out here, Kyouki? Why did you leave the village?"

The slight flinch from Naruto told Kakashi his words had been more harsh then he'd intended. Kakashi frowned, then he shook his head and tried again.

"I'm sorry, Kyouki. Really I am. But I need to understand why she . . ." He closed his eye and swallowed deeply before reopening it and continuing. "Why was she out here to begin with?"

Kyouki's eyes were still flowing with tears for her older sister – but she rubbed them away and looked at him all the same. "We just wanted to see you before you got back to the village."

Kakashi widened his eye is surprise. "Why couldn't you just wait until I got back? We were only a half day away."

She looked at the ground. "Because we knew you would be too busy once you got back, Kakashi."

Understanding finally flowed into Kakashi's being. They'd been too slow. He reached forward and placed two fingers under Kyouki's chin, forcing her head to tip up until her saw her eyes again.

"When was the funeral?"

The young girl sniffled, and frowned. "Yesterday."

Naruto leaned forward with his hands on his knees. "Whose funeral, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi released Kyouki's chin and met the genin's blue eyes. "Tsunade's funeral."

Those blue eyes went wide when Kakashi's words pushed through to his brain. "No. It can't be! She promised!"

Kakashi watched the boy try to come to grip with the news. Naruto's fists clenched, and tears filled his eyes. Fortunately the demon-fox's chakra was no where in sight. Kakashi breathed a bit easier at that.

"Naruto – you know that even Tsunade couldn't fight back death forever."

Kakashi looked over his shoulder to where Shizune and the others were tending to the fallen and wounded. He sighed and realized he needed to let Tsunade's aide no the news as well.

Turning back to Naruto, he was surprised to see Kyouki hugging the young man, each sobbing into the others' shoulder. Perhaps they would find the strength in their joint loss to get through the next few days. He was glad Naruto had someone to share his pain with.

Kakashi pushed himself back to his feet and slowly rejoined the others. "Shizune – we need to talk."

The medic looked up at him. "What's wrong? Did I miss a wound?"

He shook his head. "In fact – I need to speak to all of you."

Their faces all showed concern. He steeled himself against the reactions he knew would follow, and said the words he'd hoped he'd never have to utter.

"The Lady Tsunade has passed from life. Her funeral was yesterday. We need to return to the village as quickly as possible."

He waited until those gathered had an adequate amount of time to process what he'd said. Disbelief shone clearly in their eyes. Kakashi placed an emotionless mask on his face and explained.

"That was why Kyouki and her sister came to meet us." He couldn't bring himself to say Mikoda's name quite yet. That wound was still to raw. "Tsunade is gone."

Those gathered bowed their heads in respect of the Fifth Hokage – while Shizune's shoulders shook with barely contained sobs – tears crept past her defenses to slide down her cheek.

Kakashi felt numb. There'd been so much death over the past few weeks. So much wasted energy and time. All because of him.

He felt a coldness settle into his mind and around his wounded heart. It was familiar and strangely comforting. It was how he'd pushed past the loses in his life time after time. Kakashi would distance himself from these latest deaths as well – push the emotions so far from sight that they were barely a memory – and concentrate on what mattered – protecting the village and destroying the Hidden Leaf's enemies.

He'd leave the administrative business to Shizune and the councilors – whether they liked it or not. At least until he was sure the numerous threats to the village's safety were negated. Until then – his sole purpose would be to eliminate those who had threatened and destroyed those precious to him.

The many enemies of the Village Hidden in the Leaves would soon learn to rue the day Kakashi Hatake became the Sixth Hokage.