Disclaimer: Naruto is a comic by Masashi Kishomoto, published by Shonen Jump, and produced as an animated series by Viz Media. The Art of War is a widely published text originally written Sun Tzu. The Kuroihi Syndicate, the Enkou Syndicates, Sora Keitaro, Sakurazaki Hana, Momiji Hashi, Dewaya Yahiko, Chairman Kuroihi and all affiliated members are my intellectual properties.
Author's Notes: Hello, good evening, and potato to all you happy readers out there. Before I start this chapter I have some distressing news I want to share with you all: The US Supreme Court will be reviewing a California Case regarding the protection of Video Games under the First Amendment. Should they decide the First Amendment does not appeal to videogames, an unprecedented change in the industry affecting all gamers will follow. Not just minors, but casual gamers, hard core gamers, even foreign gamers. I implore you, as friends and fellow gamers, to sign the petition hosted at Entertainment Consumer's Action. Why? Because if the Supreme Court rules against us, we could see vast restrictions on videogames the likes we've never seen. Our favorite videogames could very well disappear from shelves, future titles face cancellation mid-production, and many others will never even see the light of proposal. Friends, put aside the petty fanboy allegiances that splinter us. Together, gaming can see a future brighter than other.
I apologize for rambling, but this is a cause that is very dear to my heart. Moving along, I feel this chapter is one of my strongest yet. Why? Because I rewrote the entire thing from scratch several times before I was pleased enough to let my beta proof it. I hope you enjoy this installment, and want to thank you all for making it this far with me. It's been an amazing four years writing Oyabun and I hope you're all having a good time. I want to offer a special thanks to Kells for agreeing to beta for me. And now, some review responses:
Dark Ravie: Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it and hope you fine this next chapter wonderful.
Hieiashke: Yeah, just a little word play on my part. Cannonically, Naruto wasn't the brightest kid on the block and I try hard to stay true to that.
S. Warfield: Thanks, if there's one thing I love it – it's constructive criticism. Admittedly, a lot of my writings are after thoughts because only the outline of the story has been set in my mind. Everything else is me trying to flesh out the story and make sure the story flows. I know I've opened a lot of plot points but I can't really tie them all up too soon otherwise I'll have put all of my eggs into one basket. In addition, The Sicilian and Naruto are so radically different from one another that finding a stable middle ground for them is impossible at times. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm trying to keep the story as close to cannon as possible without writing my own mythos for the series which is what tends to happen with fan fics – they deviate so far from the original work that names are the only shared attributes. That said, thanks for your words and I'll try to work this into future chapters.
Dan: Okay, where do I begin with this? I know Iruka wouldn't make an ideal Hokage. It was just Naruto running ideas through his head and, canonically, he's never been the smartest kid around.
Shadow-Sensei: Konichiwa Shadow-kun, daijobu desu? Thanks for enjoying the previous chapter and I'm glad you liked it. And no worries if the review was late, we all have a lot of things to do with our lives. Admittedly, I'm surprised you're okay with my interpretation of Jiraiya. Granted he's a strong and cunning warrior, he always came off as a perverted goof ball in my eyes. That said, I intend to tie up most of the plot points I've opened up soon. That is: Keitaro and Hana's secret relationship, why Hashi helped Naruto, the nature of bushido, etc
Jiraiya's Apprentice: Glad you enjoyed it.
MasterChick: Is this…Lexi? If so, HEY! WHAT UP MEH HOMIE GIRL FROM FILIPINAS! KUMUSTAPO INDAY? If not, ignore everything I just said.
And so, I present the continuation of Oyabun:
Oyabun
(An Older Brother)
Chapter 36: Loss of Faith
Naruto waited until the weekly meeting to propose his plan to compensate for the Kitsune's losses from his deal with the Hyuga head. As was expected, the recovery time went from a few weeks to roughly two months before the clan was able to pull itself out of the negative. Naruto and Haku had no problems with this but Shinji and several of the senior clan heads were pressuring him to revoke his arrangement with the Hiashi. Naruto had no intention of doing so, enduring the persistent complaints of his fellow clansmen.
It was no different at the weekly clan meeting, where several of the senior clansmen were berating Naruto for making a maligned deal that harmed the Kitsune in their already crippled state. The meeting took place in the same room where the election ceremony took place. The senior clansmen were seated along the edge of the room, with Naruto at the far wall opposite the door. On his left kneeled Haku and on his right was Gan filling in for Shinji. Shinji was still hospital ridden and in no condition to leave his bed, let alone discuss matters vital to the clan's survival.
"Boss Kitsune! What in the hell were you thinking?" one of the clansmen demanded.
"We're already in the red because of the invasion and your damn real estate plan wasn't helping! The last thing we needed was you to go and blow it up in our faces!" another reprimanded, "We're already in trouble as it is!"
"We voted you in because we were under the impression you had connections with several prominent clans? It seems we were wrong!"
"Clearly they're the ones pulling his strings!" One of the elderly clansmen accused Naruto, pointing a finger at Naruto.
"Everyone, please try to calm down," Gan reprimanded coolly, "I understand you have your concerns. We all do. But placing blame on others isn't going to resolve the matter. Need I remind you that it wasn't bickering which won the Third Shinobi War."
"It was action!" one of the clansmen interrupted conclusively, "And I propose our first action be the repeal of Uzumaki Naruto as the chairman of the clan!"
Many of the fellow senior clansmen nodded in agreement, along with some whispers flying back and forth. Naruto's heart sank deep into his chest, despaired to see the clan was losing faith in him. Naruto did make a costly sacrifice to keep his promise to Hinata, but it was a costly sacrifice that the entire clan would feel. They were right to chastise him for it, but Naruto refused to let them see his unease. Naruto crossed his arms across his chest and pretended to be deep in thought to hide the worry.
"Everyone, please," Gan growled dangerously, "Yes, action was what resolved the last war. However, I think many of you need to be reminded that it was calm, calculated action that won the war. Behaving in a rash manner will not pull us out of this slump."
"Perhaps," the clansman replied, "However, I will not drop my motion."
"Then we'll table it for the time being," Gan concluded, "Some of you may not realize but this is a pivotal time for the entire Kuroihi Syndicate. The syndicate's stake in Konoha has always been the crown jewel of its seat as the dominant Ninkyo Dantai. If we are not able to demonstrate our clan's ability to maintain control under these circumstances, we risk the collapse of the entire Syndicate. We would be looking at the second Shinobi war all over again!"
"What are you talking about, Gan?" Miji demanded. Gan paused, a glimpse of embarrassment breaking through his otherwise calm demeanor. Naruto was amazed to see Gan taken almost aback by Miji's demand. The only time Naruto had seen Gan like this was when Naruto held a blade to his neck during the council election. Something about Miji's remark caught Gan off guard. Before anyone else was able to pick up on Gan's anxiety, he diverted, "It's not important, Miji. What is important is our resolution to maintain the stability of our clan. We must show the world that we will not let the death of our last clan head, nor the attack on the village, hinder us."
"Thank you Gan," Naruto responded from his seat, "It's good to see someone still has some reason in them. I'll admit that my decision may have been rash and most of you aren't happy with the results. But all I ask for is some patience. I already have a contingency plan if you will hear me out."
Naruto waited for a response, but found his audience silent. He took that as an agreement to hear him out but took care to word himself correctly, "As many of you are aware, Konoha's Village Council has been unable to name a candidate for the title of Fifth Hokage. In light of recent events, it is safe to assume the council would prefer to name one of the 'Sannin' as their next Hokage. Jiraiya has already refused the position, something I'm sure most of you already know. There is another Sannin some of you make know. She would make an ideal candidate because of her debt with the various Ninkyo Dantai throughout the—"
"You aren't actually suggesting what I think you're suggesting, are you?" Miji interrupted with a tone of amused surprise.
"Gentlemen, I propose we place our own nominee as a candidate for the next Hokage." Naruto explained, "Imagine it, the Hokage at our beck and call. We could have the entire village of Konoha under our command with a simple election. No one would ever dare to oppose us."
Naruto felt momentarily triumphant, proud to see the astonishment on their faces. At least until he heard a chortle came from Miji. Like wild fire it spread to everyone else in the room save for Haku and Gan. Naruto's heart sank back into his chest two-fold, but he hid his disappointment behind a calm expression. He was hoping the others would be behind his proposition, but he had failed to consider the astounding presumptuousness of his plan.
"Listen," Miji said through laughter, "No one, and I mean no one, has ever tried to take control of a Shinobi village. Especially one of the Great Five!"
"Now hold on a minute," Naruto declared, "You're telling me you don't want the entire village at our disposal?"
"Hey, don't put words in my mouth," Miji retorted, "I said no has ever tried what you're planning before. Ninja and people like us have never gotten along. We're too different. And you're saying you want to take Konoha over? The strongest village in the shinobi world, and you think we can do that?"
"Not think, no," Naruto replied, "Everyone. A third of the village is rubble, half of the citizens are displaced, and the village doesn't have a leader. This is our chance to prove the Kitsune is the dominant clan in Konoha, to put ourselves in a position where no one would dare to think about challenging us."
"That's all well and good, Boss," one of the senior clansmen chimed, "But let's be realistic for a second. We're in the red, our enemies are at our doorstep and you just gave away a chunk of our property. Now you're telling us you want to take control of the village's government? No one in the village council or the village would be stupid enough to allow that."
"If I may," Gan interrupted momentarily, "My opinion may not matter to you younger members, but I believe Naruto has a fair point. This may be the one chance we have to take control of a shinobi village and, as chairman Ryouke has proven to all of us, opportunity only knocks once. We should seize the opportunity while we can."
"You're off your rocker old man," Miji remarked, earning him a smack in the back of the head from one of Gan's employees. Miji scowled at the attack on his person but understood he may have gone too far with his comment.
"So, if there are no more objections," Naruto continued, "I want everyone to keep their eyes open from now on for Jiraiya. If you find him, send a message to either me or Haku immediately. He's our only lead to the Sannin indebted to all the world's Ninkyo Dantai. If we find him, then we'll find this person. That's all I have to say for now, so if there are no more matters to discuss: you are all dismissed."
Instantaneously, everyone gathered their things and left the room, each bowing in Naruto's direction slightly before leaving. Naruto took this chance to catch Haku before he could leave, "Haku, can we talk for a second?"
"Of course, is something on your mind?"
"I'd like you to use your water clones to keep tabs on some of these guys. I want to be sure if they're planning anything behind my back," Naruto requested. Haku didn't seem even remotely surprised by Naruto's request, responding with a simple nod, "I'll take care of it."
Naruto truly appreciated Haku's friendship at times like these, and was glad to have him on his side. As the two left the meeting room, they found Gan waiting alone without his two guards, "I was hoping to catch you two on the way out. We need to talk inside your office. Alone."
They each filed into Naruto's office, where Naruto found the mountain of paperwork on his desk increased in size since the meeting started. He despaired at knowing he would have to sort through it all eventually, but reminded himself Gan had something important to discuss. Naruto set aside most of the papers on the floor, trying to make neat stacks so as to keep the papers organized. Otherwise, he would waste time trying to get everything in order. They each took their seats, Gan retrieving a flask from within his suit and taking a swig of it.
"What is it you wanted to discuss?" Haku inquired Gan, whose excess sake dripping off the side of his mouth. Once Gan emptied the flask, he put it away inside his coat and began, "I was hoping to keep this to myself because I didn't want any of the other clansmen to worry. We have enough on our plates as is. It goes without saying that a lot of people were upset with the invasion. Ever since Oto and Suna invaded, the Kuroihi remain the only group who still has its interests here in Konoha. A lot of the other organizations believe the Kuroihi helped plan the attack, and as such we've been the center of blame for a while. And in that time, every single branch of the Kuroihi has been hit. Hashi, Keitaro-boy, Yamato, Nezumi, Taichi…all of them are being attacked."
"You don't mean…"
"Yeah, it's bad," Gan murmured, "the Kuroihi is fighting a war at the moment and looks like everyone wants a piece of us."
"How do you know all this, Gan?" Naruto leaned in with interest
"Because Hashi contacted me with a request for two platoons," Gan explained, "He sent me the message after an attack destroyed the entire west wing of his manor. It killed four of his men in the process. According to Hashi, if we can show the rest of the world that we can hold our clan together in Konoha, then that alone is enough to keep the situation under control. As I said before, the syndicate's stake in Konoha has always been its crown jewel."
Naruto didn't know whether to feel honored or dreadful at the revelation of the Kitsune's importance to the Kuroihi, "If that's true, why did Hashi trust me with it?"
"I don't pretend to know how Hashi thinks, Naruto," Gan explained, "But I have known him long enough to say this: he has a quality that is hard to come by in people working in our business, something that makes him very popular with everyone; even his enemies. It's his faith in those around him. Most people see it as a weakness, a shortcoming that will get him killed. However, Hashi has a good head on his shoulders. Believe me, he wouldn't have allowed you to take this position if he didn't think you were ready."
"That doesn't really answer my question," Naruto replied.
"No, it doesn't," Gan chuckled, retrieving another flask from within his coat. He took another swig of his drink, allowing some of it to spill out of his mouth as he greedily chugged every last gulp. It was Haku who commented on Gan's habit, "Maybe you shouldn't drink so much."
"Probably not," Gan hiccupped with a flushed face, "But when you get to my age and you've seen what I've seen, sake becomes your best friend, even when you lose whole hours to it. Anyway, your actions in the Land of Waves are common knowledge to everyone in the Kuroihi. Hashi wasn't too pleased that you went rogue and started your own clan, but he respected your initiative. He believes you could become a great chairman with the right guidance. Just think of this as a test; if you can keep the Kitsune together until the war is over, then you'll have earned both the clan's and the syndicate's acknowledgement as a 'true Oyabun'."
"I see," Naruto nodded, a glint of confidence showing on a small smile on his face. With a new found resolve, Naruto gleefully replied, "Okay, I won't let Hashi-sensei down!"
"That's what I was hoping to hear," Gan answered, "I'll pass the news to Hashi. Good luck to you, Naruto."
"Thank you, Gan," Naruto answered.
"I guess I should get to work on looking for Jiraiya, then," Haku bowed. He and Gan quietly departed Naruto's office. Naruto was pleased to see Hashi had such faith in him and had no intention of letting him down. His new found vigor didn't last long as he remembered the paperwork sitting at the foot of his desk. Deep down, he knew he should get started but his desire to avoid the task overpowered his guilt. As he battled inwardly over what to do next, the clock chimed to inform him the time was now two in the afternoon.
Naruto cursed at the realization of the time and bolted out the door as quickly as he could. He wasn't going to hear the end of it if he was late. It was all the more reason for Naruto to hasten himself. To anyone who was in the Kitsune Office at the time, Naruto was little more than a black and orange blur racing out the door and into the busy streets.
He arrived at the Hyuga compound shortly afterwards where he was greeted by two of the Hyuga clan's guards. While they treated him formally and welcomed him into the courtyard before the manor, Naruto could tell there was a hint of resentment in their voices. Standing at the front door into the manor was none other than Hyuga Hiashi, who coldly reprimanded Naruto, "You're late. I feel I must remind you of the importance of punctuality."
"I'm sorry," Naruto replied earnestly, "I was in a meeting."
"I don't care for excuses," Hiashi dismissed coldly, "Or for your gang's trivial concerns. If she wasn't so fond of you, your presence in my home would be unwelcome."
"That's great," Naruto responded halfheartedly, secretly already tuning out of the conversation, "May I ask where she is?"
"She is in her room and will be out to meet you shortly," Hiashi confirmed.
"With your permission, I'd like to wait inside," Naruto requested politely, despite his own feelings of animosity for the clan head. Hiashi nodded and allowed Naruto inside with a brief reminder, "You know the way to the common room. And remember, I have eyes and ears everywhere."
"I'll keep that in mind," Naruto answered, trying to hide his anxiety from the clan head. It went without saying that his relationship with the clan head showed no signs of improvement. In fact, Naruto was certain it became worse with each visit he paid to Hinata. Realistically though, it was more like Hinata inviting him over every day and him not earning the Hyuga clan's ire by accepting the invitation.
The common room was through a door at the back of the entrance hallway, where it home to low set table surrounded on all sides by pillows. Several hanging scrolls decorated the wall, each emblazoned with the symbol of the Hyuga Clan and one of four strange characters he couldn't recognize. Towards the back of the room was a large set of traditional sliding doors which ran out into the courtyard which was beautifully decorated with an arrangement of sakura trees. He took a seat and patiently waited for Hinata, passing the time by trying to decipher the strange characters on the wall scrolls but to no avail. As he gave up, he heard a knock at the door, "May I please enter?"
"Of course," Naruto answered. The door slid open to reveal Hinata's younger sister Hanabi carrying a tray with several cups and a pot of steaming tea. She stepped inside and quickly prepared the tea on the table for Naruto while explaining, "Father asked me to give you some tea."
"I see, thank you," Naruto answered graciously, receiving a cup of tea from Hanabi. Naruto was about to help himself to the tea when he noted Hanabi was staring at him intently. Her eyes spoke of eager fascination for what was before her. It unnerved Naruto and made him forget his thirst, "I'm sorry Hanabi, is there something I can do for you?"
"I was wondering why my sister is always inviting you here," Hanabi answered with a childish curiosity that Naruto found just a little too innocent to be true. Naruto's wasn't sure if Hiashi had instructed her to ask the question or if she was simply following her childish naiveté. She had to be Konohamaru's age so there was little chance she had any official ninja training. However, he could not dismiss the notion that she was merely feigning her innocence on the grounds that she was the child of the Hyuga clan head and that her refined quality was unnatural for a child her age. After some internal debate, Naruto came to a sudden realization, "Sorry Hanabi, but I don't really know."
"So then why do you always accept her invitation?" Hanabi asked.
"Because it would be rude to decline," Naruto told the small girl who seemed unconvinced. Much to Naruto's dismay, she pressed the matter, "Is it because you're scared of what father will do if you decline?"
Naruto remained silent, knowing for a fact it was a loaded question. He contemplated how he would respond all the while drinking the tea Hanabi continued to pour for him. Naruto was unable to shake the feeling of being watched, probably from Hiashi. Carefully choosing his words so as not to show weakness or earn the man's ire, Naruto said, "You're father is a good man."
"I see," Hanabi nodded, apparently finding what she was looking for, "So you do like my sister."
"Of course," Naruto answered, "She's a good, kind person. Who wouldn't like her?"
"I think you misunderstand," Hanabi explained, while Naruto put the cup of tea to his mouth, "I meant you love my sister."
A spray of hot tea shot out of Naruto's mouth. He coughed uncontrollably; both surprised and annoyed at Hanabi's implication. It was a very forward, almost rude implication but an annoying one nevertheless. The fact everyone he knew reached a similar conclusion was frustrating for him. Why did everyone come to that same conclusion? Did everyone actually believe there was something going on between himself and Hinata? He really hoped it was just a cruel joke that everyone but himself was in on.
When Naruto realized Hanabi was still gazing at him with intense concentration, he was forced to reply with the first words out of his mouth, "What gives you that idea?"
"Do you not like my sister?" Hanabi interrogated passively.
"I don't like… I mean she's… it's not" Naruto caught himself mid-sentence and remembered Hiashi's earlier claim to omniscience inside the Hyuga manor. Thinking carefully over what his next words would be, Naruto slowly said, "I don't dislike your sister. I have no reason to dislike Hinata."
"That doesn't quite answer my question," Hanabi stated plainly. Naruto carefully contemplated his response but found himself at a loss. Thankfully, Hinata saved him the trouble by appearing at the door and asking, "What question?"
"Hey Hinata," Naruto greeted first, partially with the hopes of diverting the subject. Hinata wore her usual attire that day minus the hooded sweater she tended to keep on. Admittedly, Naruto felt she looked a lot cuter when she didn't wear the baggy hooded coat. Hinata took a seat across from Naruto and shyly greeted, "Hello."
Hanabi provided Hinata a cup and carefully poured some tea into it. Upon completing her task, Hanabi bowed to her elder sister and said, "Sister, I will take my leave if you wish."
"Oh… no, please, stay with us," Hinata offered her younger sibling meekly, as if she were afraid to. Hanabi frowned and answered, "Father says it's rude to impose. Excuse me."
Hanabi bowed yet again and left the room, leaving Hinata dejected. Naruto noted Hinata's somber state and bluntly asked, "Family problems?"
"A little bit," Hinata answered, "Father let me back onto the compound and allowed me to join the clan…"
She paused herself and hesitated to finish her sentence. Her gaze drifted towards the floor and refused to divert its attention away. Naruto wondered if his efforts to help Hinata be welcomed into the Hyuga were for the better. Hinata appeared gracious for Naruto's efforts to help her be welcomed into the clan again. However, Naruto couldn't deny the behavior of several of the Hyuga – the guards' concealed resentment for him and Hanabi's prying nature.
"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Naruto said with a calm tone. Hinata's lack of a response earned Naruto's worry, "Hinata?"
"Naruto… I'm… my family doesn't like me always inviting you here," she explained, "They think I'm bringing shame to the entire clan by allowing you onto our estate."
"So stop inviting me, Hinata," Naruto suggested plainly, "If you're clan has a problem with me coming here then I won't. I'd hate to see the clan disown you again."
"But I… can't, Naruto," Hinata replied, "Because I want you to be here. I'm probably being selfish for it but I don't care because you… fill me with confidence, Naruto. I've always admired you're determination… your sense of self-worth."
Naruto was stunned at Hinata's sudden compliments, not because they were unwanted but because they were unexpected. For the second time today, someone was praising him for his actions when he felt he had done nothing at all. Naruto tried to remain calm but he could feel the teacup shaking in his hand. To hide his unease, Naruto set the cup on the table and rested his palm on his lap. His head felt light as air, the room started spinning, and the whole world felt insignificant. Recalling Keitaro's words of wisdom, Naruto did his best to remain calm.
"When you escaped… when you fled to the… to the yakuza," Hinata continued, "I hated you. I… couldn't believe you abandoned your dream of being Hokage. That you fled to the Land of Waves to… join a bosuzoku."
Naruto didn't know where to begin with that. 'Fleeing' the village was more of loose description. 'Kidnapped' would be a more appropriate term. 'Kidnapped by shinobi and rescued by Hashi-sensei' to be exact but Naruto was certain that would take too long to explain. Yet he could not get a word in to the conversation as Hinata continued, "But then, after you killed Gatou… you made the Land of Waves better… and rescued the Bridge Builder's family..."
Naruto was surprised Hinata knew about that little tidbit. Did everyone know? Naruto took great care to make sure nothing came back to him. Then again, between the Kuroihi and the Hyuga, Naruto wondered if everyone knew about the Land of Waves. Before he could even begin to deliberate if everyone and their mother knew, Hinata continued, "I didn't understand any of it at first… but as time went on… I began to realize, Naruto… you were still the same person deep down… the same person… I…"
Hinata paused yet again, frustrating Naruto to an indiscernible degree. Truthfully, Hinata was building towards something but Naruto had no idea what that was. He wished she would just say what she wanted to say. The prospect of whatever her point could be began to eat at him. It didn't help that Hinata appeared to have lost her voice, seeing as she kept opening and closing her mouth without making a sound.
"Hinata?"
"Naruto… I," Hinata spat out. Whatever she said next turned into an inaudible mumble. Perplexed, Naruto asked, "Sorry, I couldn't hear you."
"I said I…," Hinata repeated only to have her words disappear into another whisper.
"What?"
"I said I… you," Hinata mumbled again. At least he could make out part of what she was saying.
"You what me?" Naruto leaned in closer to better hear her mumbled jargon. He couldn't anticipate that Hinata would scream it though, "I SAID I LOVE YOU!"
Naruto recoiled sharply in surprise at the volume of Hinata's voice. She confessed her love for him. Naruto was amazed at how three little words were able to leave him dumbstruck. He was the chairman of the Kitsune Clan who organized the elimination of four rival clans, a faux war with a fifth, the real estate buy out of the village, reorganized the Kitsune to be more efficient, not to mention personally assassinating several targets on his own. How did a confession of love leave him astounded?
"I've always liked you, Naruto," Hinata shyly sputtered, her face as red as a beet, "So please… don't… don't ask me to do that."
Naruto tried to wrap his mind around Hinata's words. He wondered if there was something in the tea they were both drinking. More importantly, how did he get from trying to figure out what was troubling her to a love confession? He hardly knew anything about her and he was sure the same could be said for her, yet here she was. For a moment, Naruto considered the prospect of dating Hinata. Wondering if it would work or not. His daydreaming was halted when he recalled the present 'politics'. If her family hated her daily invitations to Naruto, how would they feel about them dating? More importantly, what about his enemies? Surely, they would go after her. Granted she was the Hyuga Heiress and she was safe within the walls of the compound. She couldn't stay there forever, though. She was a kunoichi of the village. She would be going on dangerous missions all the time.
"Hinata," Naruto began quietly, "You know…"
"I know," Hinata interrupted, "You like Sakura…"
"No, it's not that," Naruto corrected quickly. He hadn't even thought about Sakura in ages. He was too busy with work to even think about romance.
"Hinata… I'm sorry, can we talk about this another time?" Naruto requested, "I have too much on my mind right now. And… I'm sorry."
"I… understand," said Hinata hesitantly, her sorrowful tone striking a cord with Naruto, "But… will you come visit tomorrow?"
"Of course," Naruto agreed quickly, finishing the cup of tea in his hand, "I should probably be going."
"Right," Hinata agreed. Naruto sat up and left, hoping to put this entirely awkward scenario behind him. He bowed towards Hinata before leaving, mostly as a sign of acknowledgement of her as opposed to her status within the clan. As he left through the main gates, he couldn't help but notice several of the Hyuga were staring him down exasperatedly. Clearly, they had all heard Hinata's sudden and loud confession. He certainly worried for Hinata's well being more than ever.
As he left the Hyuga manor, he failed to notice two figures dressed in matching black cloaks emblazoned with red clouds waited in a bar just down the street. Both figures concealed their faces beneath rice hats lined with thin strips of paper. Were it not for their substantial height differences, any passerby would be unable to discern any difference. The first was holding a cup of herbal tea while the second helped himself to a barbeque stick loaded with four meatballs covered in teriyaki sauce.
"I presume you heard that?" the smaller of the two asked.
"Who couldn't? I'm sure half of the village heard her," the taller one pointed out. After a moment's silence, the figure wondered if his partner was planning something, "Why?"
"Considering options for acquiring the target."
"It's not like he actually feels the same way, though. Right?"
"He comes here every day. I believe it's safe to make that assumption."
"I was under the impression we were doing this as low profile as possible."
"I never said we would," the first figure added, "But you know as well as I do that deception is one of the greatest assets of a shinobi."
"Truer words have never been said," the second finished. The two watched and waited in silence, taking their time to enjoy the meal sitting before them.
…
Hatake Kakashi sat atop the roof of his apartment complex reading the latest novel in his favorite series. It was a graphic series of novels written by one of the village's greatest ninjas. It achieved international acclaim because of its nature and, much to Kakashi's delight, a movie adaptation of the first book was in production. Some said Kakashi was of poor taste for regularly reading such a novel. Kakashi didn't mind though, as the novel had a special place in his heart and very little could tear him away from the pages.
"Hey, I see you're enjoying my book," the author's voice gleefully exclaimed from behind him. Kakashi was disappointed he could no longer enjoy the book but tore his eyes away to greet his onlooker, "I heard you declined the position of Hokage."
"I'm not really cut out for politics," Jiraiya added, "But that's not why I'm here Kakashi. Truth is, I promised the elders I would go find Tsunade and convince her to come back. She'd make a better Hokage than I ever would."
"So then why come to me?" Kakashi inquired curiously.
"Because I wanted to talk to you about Naruto," Jiraiya said, much to Kakashi's surprise, "I told them I would take him with me on my search."
"Does it have anything to do with the fox?" Kakashi inquired curiously, "It did get loose during the invasion?"
"Yes," Jiraiya confirmed, "I need time to examine the seal and make sure it's still in place. What's more, I'm afraid my travels have led me to an organization referring to themselves as 'Akatsuki'. I don't know much about them. But I do know they want the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. That's the other reason I'm taking Naruto. I want to teach him some techniques to defend himself. Unfortunately two of them arrived in the village a little while after the invasion. I'm sure they were hoping to abduct him amidst all the confusion but, for whatever reason, they chose not to. They're under the impression no one has noticed their presence, but they still maintain a relatively low profile and have been keeping an eye on Naruto since they arrived."
"So you want a diversion so you can get Naruto out of the village," Kakashi stated more than asked, "What exactly am I dealing with?"
"I don't know anything about one of them, but I know one thing for certain. Itachi is the other," Jiraiya said grimly.
"I see," Kakashi frowned. There were few times in Kakashi's life where he was uncertain of his own abilities. This was one of those few times. He wasn't exactly sure if his own abilities were up to par against Itachi's. If there was another one and they were of similar strength, it would be trouble. Kakashi sighed and agreed, "Okay, I'll get some help. You can count on me to buy you some time."
"Thank you, Kakashi," Jiraiya said, "I'll be seeing him tomorrow. I have to give him the Third's parting gift."
"Parting gift?"
"I'm kind of surprised too," Jiraiya added, "Enma – his monkey summon – said the old man wanted Naruto to have something. A sword he took from Orochimaru in his final moments: the Kusanagi."
…
The following day proceeded slowly for Naruto. Since he woke up at eight that morning, he asked his secretary to cancel any appointments and dismiss any visitors so he could sort through the mountain of paperwork that continued to build on his desk. He was finally able to clear the first of ten stacks in two hours time. Unfortunately, in that time, three more stacks had appeared. The majority were all status reports from outlying sentries, toll road managers, spies, associates, and bookkeepers. Several were written requests for money, protection, favors and other miscellaneous matters which Naruto would not have imagined fathomable. All of them, Naruto could breeze through in under a minute.
The papers which took the longest were financing statements, which Naruto could make neither heads nor tails of. He wasn't bad at math; he simply had a hard time with taxes, interest rates, gross year over year growth, fiscal quarters and whatever else the papers threw his way. In his efforts to decipher these papers, he came to believe accountants made these numbers up so that people would have a need for them. He had no one to blame but himself though, since Miji's current injuries prevented him from doing the paper works himself.
From what he could read, it appeared the Kuroihi were finally making a profit, however small it was. The majority of that profit was coming from Gan's operations with his private security contractor. His business was probably profiting from Konoha's own hindered services at the moment. Naruto didn't care if that Konoha was being run into the ground as it meant it would be easier for him to take later.
He took that chance to glance at the clock. At ten minutes to twelve, Naruto recalled not having breakfast that morning so he decided to stop for now and buy a nice steaming bowl of Ichiraku Ramen. As he prepared to leave, a knock resounded off his door at what was considerably the worst time possible. The door opened a crack for his secretary to poke her head through, "Um…Boss…there's an important guest here to see you."
"I'm busy," Naruto said plainly, "Can you ask him or her to come back tomorrow?"
"I'm sorry, Boss Kitsune. But he refused to take no for an answer," she pleaded. Naruto massaged his temples and stared at her in disbelief, "Who is it?"
"The Legendary Toad Sage Jiraiya," Jiraiya introduced himself, pushing the door open and striking the strangest pose Naruto had ever seen, "How are you doing buddy?"
"What's this about? I thought you never wanted to see me again," Naruto asked impatiently, trying to conceal the famished groans from his stomach. Admittedly, he had mixed feelings about Jiraiya's arrival. It was a nuisance since it would prolong Naruto from eating but fortunate for him since he wouldn't have to continue looking for the man. Jiraiya frowned, "I'm going on a little trip and I was hoping I could count on somebody to be my personal body guard along the way."
Naruto examined Jiraiya carefully, looking for some sign of an ulterior motive. However, Jiraiya's already bizarre personality made it hard to tell a nervous twitch apart from a normal tick. He momentarily considered the possibility of declining but eventually relented as the clan desperately needed him. He was the only lead they, "I'll arrange for someone to personally escort you, but you know our services have a fee."
"Oh, I don't want just anybody," Jiraiya added slyly, "I'd like you to be the one to escort me. Think about it! Two young guys like us, off having a fun old time!"
Naruto already didn't like the sound of things. Jiraiya barged into his office and demanded Naruto escort him on some random adventure. He wouldn't put it past the pervert to be stupid enough to do that but something didn't sit right. The clan council would appreciate it if he personally accompanied Jiraiya on this suicide mission. They probably wouldn't given they weren't too keen on Naruto's plan in the first place. He would need a minute to discuss the matter personally with Jiraiya and dismissed his secretary, "Mind the front. Jiraiya and I have to talk."
"Yes sir," she bowed and closed the door behind her. Naruto offered Jiraiya a seat and got up from behind his desk, "Why do you want me exactly?"
"Why not? Who wouldn't want the chance to be my personal bodyguard?" Jiraiya asked childishly, in a tone that creeped him out.
"Cut the crap," Naruto scowled at the old man, "You told me you never wanted to see me again. Now you're in here asking me to personally escort you. What are you really after?"
"Alright. The truth is I need to inspect that seal on you," Jiraiya explained point at Naruto's stomach which growled hungrily at that instant, "Ever since the invasion, the village council has been afraid that the seal may break."
"What seal?" Naruto demanded from the old pervert, uncertain of any seal on his person. At least, not one he was aware of. Jiraiya groaned, "I guess no one has told you yet. When you were younger, the Nine Tailed Demon Fox was sealed inside of you. You may not have noticed but there were a lot of chakra bursts coming from the seal recently. I need to make sure the seal is still in working order."
"Oh… the fox," Naruto repeated quietly. As he recalled, every one of the villagers knew about its presence long before he did, "How do I know this isn't a trap?"
"It isn't," Jiraiya promised, "But we need to be as far from the village as possible when I check the seal. If something goes wrong, it would be bad for the Kyubi to get loose in the middle of the village."
"It still sounds like a trap," Naruto replied, "If I'm going, then I have two conditions: First, I want someone I trust to go as well."
"Who did you have in mind?"
"Haku. He's a good friend of mine, and there's no one else I would trust," Naruto answered, "My other condition is that you have to help us find one of your fellow Sannin. The Legendary Lollipop…or was it Sucker? In any case, she owes us a lot of money and we're looking to collect."
"Okay, it's a deal," Jiraiya replied hastily. Naruto didn't like how eager Jiraiya was to get Naruto to agree, "How long will this take?"
"A few days. Two weeks at the most," Jiraiya explained, "After that, we can put this whole thing behind us."
"Of course," Naruto agreed. Jiraiya got up from his chair and made to leave but stopped at the door, "Oh, by the way, I have a little gift for you."
It was then that Naruto took noticed of a long sword wrapped around Jiraiya's waist where the scroll he carried around used to be. Jiraiya untied the sword from his waste and presented it to Naruto, "It's a gift from the Third. His instructions were to give this to you."
"What is it?" Naruto asked, admiring the design of the katana carefully. At first glance it looked like any other katana. The handle was sewn together with what appeared to be snake skin, the hilt being made of pure gold. At the tip of the handle, where the blade began, was a large emerald glimmering brightly despite the dim room. Jiraiya held the katana in both hands and offered it to Naruto, "It has several names but the one you'll be most familiar with is: Kusanagi. The Third wanted you to have it."
Naruto took the sword in his hands with a firm grip and examined it carefully, "Kusanagi. Thank you."
"Well, I'll be on my way," Jiraiya said, "We're leaving tomorrow afternoon, so be ready then. I'll come get you and your friend, and then we'll leave."
With that he left Naruto to admire the katana. It was very beautiful to the eye, so beautiful that Naruto couldn't see himself using it for anything. As amazing as a gift it was, Naruto would prefer to use Kitsune in combat. He simply preferred Kitsune as a weapon. After he was done admiring the new katana, he went up to his room and retrieved Kitsune. He tied both weapons to his belt and spoke with his secretary, "If you see Haku, ask him to pack some things for tomorrow because we'll be escorting a client. Then send a message to Gan. Ask him to take charge for a while until we get back."
"Yes sir," his secretary nodded. Afterwards, he went to lunch at Ichiraku where he had a simple meal of miso ramen with beef. Once he was full, he went to the Hyuga Manor for his regular visit with Hinata. Much like the day before, he found many of the Hyuga's glaring at him. Naruto fathomed it was related to Hinata's vocal confession yesterday, and wouldn't be surprised if Hiashi tried to kill him where he stood.
He ignored their piercing eyes and proceeded into the common room where he found Hinata with Sakura and Sasuke. Hinata was seated on one side of the table, with Sasuke and Sakura opposite each other. Hinata was the first to notice Naruto's presence and sheepishly greeted, "Hello…Naruto."
"Hey," Sakura greeted with disinterest while Sasuke merely grunted.
"Hello," he greeted as he took a seat across from Hinata, "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
"No, we were…just having tea," Hanabi explained quietly. She poured a cup of tea for Naruto and offered it to him, "Please."
"Thank you," Naruto accepted the cup and took a drink, trying his best to ignore Hinata's gaze on him.
"Is that…a new sword?" Hinata asked, pointing at the katana. Naruto nodded, "Yeah. Jiraiya gave it to me. He said the Third Hokage wanted me to have it."
"The Third Hokage wanted you to have that?" Sasuke asked quietly. Naruto shrugged, "I guess. Honestly, I don't trust a word Jiraiya says. The guy's a perverted old freak."
"Jiraiya?"
"He's one of the Sannin, or so he says," Naruto explained. He unsheathed the katana from its scabbard and showed it to Hinata, "He said its name was Kusanagi."
"Kusanagi," Hanabi repeated, "I've heard that name before."
"Yeah," Naruto replaced the katana in its scabbard and took another drink of tea, "Listen Hinata, there's something I have to tell you."
"Really?" Hinata said hopefully. Naruto knew well what she was hoping to hear and took no joy in disappointing her, "Tomorrow, Haku and I will be escorting Jiraiya on some trip he's making. It will take a few days so I won't be able to visit for a while."
Hinata was saddened by Naruto's news. Naruto really wanted to give her an answer to her confession, but he wasn't exactly certain how he felt about her. The fact that everyone seemed to think they liked each other wasn't helping either. In the hope of making her smile, he said, "Hinata, about what you said yesterday. I'm sorry I didn't have an answer then, but I promise I'll have an answer for you once I come back."
"Okay," Hinata smiled weakly. Sakura and Sasuke exchanged confused glances, before Sakura asked, "An answer to what?"
"No…nothing," Hinata said loudly, casting a weary glance at Naruto. Naruto took the hint and understood Hinata was still embarrassed about the whole thing. He didn't blame her, though. Half of the neighborhood must have heard her loud confession. Truthfully, Naruto wasn't sure he would have an answer for her. He made a promise though, and he always kept his promises.
…
Author's Note: Hey folks. That's one more chapter over and done with. My next update will be in eight weeks on Friday, September 10th. If you loved the story, leave a comment in the reviews section. I also welcome constructive criticism and analysis into the next chapter of the story. If you are attending Northern Illinois University and would like to chat, just PM me and we can meet face to face! Or add me on the Facebook or Playstation Network (PSN ID leo11235). Don't forget to check out my Resistance Sample. Until next time, this is leonardo1123581321 signing out!