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 Syndicate, the Kaki Alliance, the Shirotsuki Clan, Sora Keitaro, Sakurazaki Hana, Momiji Hashi, Dewaya Yahiko, Chairman Kuroihi Ryouke, Kuroihi Yamato, Kasen Eiji, Yagami Shinji, Utawa Miji, Doragon Gan, and all affiliated members are my intellectual properties.
Author's Note: Well, here we are dear readers. The final chapter to Oyabun. I'd like to take a moment to thank you, the readers, for coming this far with me and enjoying this story for so long. I also want to give commendations to my beta crew over the years: Olga and Kells. Thanks for all your assistance. It's been a long time coming so there's no point in delaying it any longer. I'll just do a few quick review responses and we'll dive right in:
DarkRavie: Here it is. The final chapter. Please enjoy.
Lazyman12: I'm planning on answering that question in the afterword I'll post up in about a month. It'll contain all my thoughts and experiences on writing this story over the years. If you really want to know though, I'll sum it up in one sentence: I got the idea from Mario Puzo's 'The Sicilian'.
Roboguy45: I'll admit, I put Sakura in a very negative light. I tried to make her more sympathetic towards the end, but there was very little I could salvage from her character.
OBSERVER01: Here we are. The final chapter. Thanks for coming all this way with me.
Lobocom: Thanks for the compliments. What did ahorro mean?
Shadow-Sensei: Thanks for being with this story for so long. This is the final chapter of Oyabun for a long time so please, read and enjoy.
Deathgod: It's unfortunate that you joined so late into the story since this is, in fact, the final chapter. Please read and enjoy.
And so, I present Oyabun's grand finale:
Oyabun
(An Older Brother)
Chapter 49: The Son of Momiji Hashi
Several days had passed since Naruto and Sai successfully retrieved Sasuke after his defection. Everyone on the recovery team came back alive, although Chouji was in critical condition upon his return. For his help, Naruto decided to reward Scorpio by giving him a few days paid vacation. Sai would be rewarded as well, something Naruto was going to be sure to attend to.
On Tsunade's orders, there were at least two shinobi standing guard outside his hospital room at all times. Naruto wanted to be extra careful and made sure some shinobi on the Kitsune's payroll occasionally stopped by to check up on him - mostly to make Sasuke feel important. About two days after the exhausting mission, Haku and his men returned from the Land of Snow, having assured that Princess Koyuki's new reign would last for some time.
Relieved to hear this news, Naruto went to see Sasuke. Naruto and Sai found Sasuke on his way to Orochimaru by himself, which meant Sasuke knew where Orochimaru was. This might be the closest anyone would ever get to finding the most wanted man alive and Naruto had to know where he was.
Hospital staff were kind enough to let him see Sasuke without too much trouble, although the admitting nurse did glare at him the whole time they were talking. The unit where Sasuke was being kept was under heavy guard by several shinobi, several of whom nodded at Naruto as he passed. The inside of Sasuke's room was dark since the blinds were closed and the light was off. He found Sasuke lying down on his bed staring up angrily at the ceiling.
"How are you Sasuke?" Naruto greeted him with a cheery smile.
"Why the hell are you here?" Sasuke grit his teeth.
"I wanted to check up on you," Naruto answered, "And make sure you're not going to run away again."
"Why would I bother?" Sasuke rolled his eyes, "You'd chase me down again and bring me back."
"So you're not going to run?"
"Just get the hell out of my room," Sasuke turned on his side, away from Naruto. Naruto didn't move from his spot beside Sasuke's bed, "Sasuke, I'm trying to protect you. As long as Orochimaru is after you, your life will always be in danger. You know what I have to do. Tell me."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I'm not an idiot, Sasuke. Stop acting like you don't know, because I know you do. When you act like you don't, it insults my intelligence," Naruto said calmly, "Tell me."
"Hinata," Sasuke murmured to himself. Naruto was surprised that this was what Sasuke would say first of all things, "What about her?"
"You're lucky to have her," Sasuke jealously frowned, "Of all the people, she chose you. You have someone who actually cares about you."
"You make it sound like you don't," Naruto pointed out carefully, unable to see Sasuke's face.
"Because I don't. Everyone who ever cared about me is dead," Sasuke said bitterly. That comment annoyed Naruto, but he took a deep breath to calm himself down and explained, "You do have people who care about you Sasuke. People who have always wanted to see you happy. All the girls in our academy class, Kakashi, Hinata-"
"They don't care about me," Sasuke said, "Not the way you or Hinata care about each other. Or the way your gang cares about you. I've heard them talking. They all talk like you're the greatest guy there is. I don't have any bond like that."
"That's because you're a jerk, Sasuke," Naruto retorted. Sasuke turned around and scowled, "Get out!"
"Just listen to me," Naruto said to Sasuke, "You don't have that kind of bond because you're a jerk. You keep everyone at a distance and can't be bothered to spend any time with someone if it doesn't help you. You want someone to care about you? Open your eyes! You have plenty of people who care about you! Spend some time with them! Get to know them better. Hell, Sakura wants to spend time with you."
Sasuke turned back again, looking out the window. He had the most humbled expression on his face before he looked away. He thought for a moment that he had struck a chord with Sasuke and that he had gone too far. If that was the case, he might not be able to get the information he needed.
"The Land of Rice," Sasuke said, "There's a complex about an hour's run from the border. It's marked by a snake head over a hidden entrance. That's what the Sound Four told me."
"Thank you Sasuke," Naruto nodded. He sat up and headed for the door, but stopped when he noticed daffodils sitting on Sasuke's bedside table, some looked fresh while others looked like they had been there for some time. He had to hold back a laugh, "Looks like Sakura's been visiting. You should ask if she'd like to grab some food together. She'd say yes in a heartbeat, y'know."
Naruto left to make arrangements for his plans.
...
Orochimaru sat up in his bed when the feeling of nausea finally over took him. He hacked harder than he ever had before, before finally the contents of his lunch from earlier that day flew out of his stomach. Despite the best efforts by his most capable team - the Sound Four - they were unable to retrieve Sasuke from the Hidden Leaf Village. Even with the assistance of Kimimaru, a star disciple who offered his body to Orochimaru but was incompatible due to some unknown disease, the mission failed. To his dismay, the entire team was killed in action. The truth of the assignment was to bring Uchiha Sasuke back to the Sound Village to be repurposed as Orochimaru's new body.
Many years ago, during his experiments to develop new jutsu, he had discovered a way to transfer his mind and soul from one body to another. The jutsu was flawed though. Over time, the host body would begin to reject Orochimaru's soul and would overcompensate in trying to remove the soul - leading to eventual death. This meant he had to transfer from one body to another regularly. After the Third Hokage removed his ability to use ninjutsu, and Tsunade refused to heal his deceased arms, the body started to reject his soul and became too painful to reside within. And so, Sasuke entered the picture as Orochimaru's ideal body. Without it, he was forced to choose from one of the many lack luster test subjects he kept in the prisons of the lower level of his hide out. Unfortunately, this new body didn't appear to be accepting of his soul at all. A few weeks in, and it was already starting to fail. He would have to change into a new body right away if he was going to survive.
"Lord Orochimaru, your afternoon tea is ready," one of his many followers said from beyond the threshold to his room.
"Yes, come in," Orochimaru said. The door opened to reveal an Oto nin holding a tray containing a pot of tea, a glass, and several bottles of medicine. The shinobi bowed and placed the tray on Orochimaru's bed side table, expertly offering the cup to Orochimaru, "M'lord."
"Thank you," Orochimaru nodded, sipping away at the tea. This nameless shinobi had been a very good assistant for the last few weeks, especially with Kabuto's sudden absence. He hadn't left or abandoned Orochimaru. He was too loyal to Orochimaru for that, not to mention that all of his belongings were still in his room. He couldn't have been busy because Kabuto was always ready to drop whatever he was doing to serve Orochimaru. So then why was he missing? He didn't know, but this shinobi had been very helpful in his absence.
And then Orochimaru felt it. A sudden stabbing sensation in his chest. His whole body burned like fire and his heart pounded as if it wanted to escape his body.
"My lord, are you alright?" the shinobi stood up, "What's wrong?"
"What is this?" Orochimaru asked himself aloud. It was too early for the body to be entering the final stages of death. He wouldn't need to transfer his soul for at least a few more weeks. Then it occurred to him, and the realization made his blood boil. He knew its effects well from experience, and the fact that he didn't notice only made him madder.
"You poisoned me," Orochimaru scowled, the ugly contortion of rage dressing his face. He grabbed the ninja by the neck and pulled him close, "If you don't give me the antidote, I'll be sure to bring you to hell with me!"
"Lord Orochimaru, I have no idea what you're talking about! This is just the same tea you always have," the shinobi explained between gasps for breath. Orochimaru tightened his grip, "And where did you acquire the tea?"
"From the tea shop!" the ninja gasped, "The one we always go to!"
"The tea keeper knows water jutsu," Orochimaru grit his teeth.
"Aargh!" the shinobi screamed as he slowly melted into a body of water.
"Water clone," Orochimaru muttered to himself, just as a spike of ice burst through his chest. Orochimaru crawled off his bed and started moving towards the door. He would be damned if he was going to die now. He still had so much he wanted to do, so much he had to accomplish!
For his parents.
Orochimaru felt more of his flesh tear as another spike of ice came out of his elbow. The pain was excruciating, but he still pushed on. Another spike shot out of his shoulder, just as he managed to reach up for the door. He wasn't going to die. Not here! Then he felt a resurgence of pain in his head. Something was coming. Something much worse. He let out a horrified scream, as one last intense moment of pain rammed its way through his head.
His subordinates heard the scream and came running, ready to protect and help their master if the need arose. They ran into his room without knocking and were horrified by their discovery.
...
It didn't take long for news of Orochimaru's death to spread, and this fact was met with joy across various countries. Sunagakure celebrated his death, since he was the main instigator of their conflict with Konoha and the one who murdered their former Kazekage - with elections ongoing to decide who would take the title of Fifth Kazekage. In Konoha, there was an air of relief. Naruto guessed this was because all the shinobi who died in the failed invasion had been avenged, especially the Third Hokage. The Land of Rice underwent a sudden revolt following Orochimaru's death. Gossip leaking out of the country suggested that Orochimaru's presence had corrupted the existing government and impoverished the land.
What caused everyone to celebrate also left them weary. Orochimaru's body had been found at the base of an ice sculpture that looked to be jutting out of his body. The sculpture took the shape of a seated fox staring downwards at Orochimaru's body with a pleased eye. At its feet, the ice came together to form words: 'So die, all who cross the Kitsune.'
It was the mystery that left people suspicious. The Kitsune Clan, a third level family in the Kuroihi Syndicate, managed to find Orochimaru before anyone else and killed the most wanted man alive in a brutal fashion. How they accomplished this would forever remain unknown and it scared people. It left them wondering just how far the arm of the Kitsune could reach. This renewed suspicion on the new Hokage and whether or not she was under the Kitsune's thumb. Lady Tsunade assured the villagers that she was not under the influence of any criminal organization, which calmed them to some degree but others wondered if the Kitsune had ordered her to say that.
Naruto laughed at that sentiment. He wasn't controlling Tsunade and she wasn't controlling him. They just had a mutual agreement to help each other out from time to time. Not that he would ever tell anyone that. The less people knew about the clan's operations, the better things would be for the clan.
It would be about two weeks after Orochimaru's death before Naruto asked Sai to come to the Kitsune Office. It was because of Sai's help that Naruto was able to successfully bring Sasuke back to the village - and Naruto was ready to thank him for it. The thing was, there was too much about Sai that Naruto simply couldn't trust. In that respect, he sent a message to Hashi-sensei asking for advice on the matter. Of all the things Hashi would do, Naruto didn't expect him to come walking through the front door. Naruto was ecstatic to see him and happily invited him into his office, "I gotta say Hashi-sensei, I didn't expect you to show up."
"You want me to go?" Hashi asked.
"Not on your life," Naruto said happily, "It's really great to see you, sensei."
"You too, Naruto," Hashi relaxed in a chair across from Naruto's desk, "Never thought I'd see this day; you sitting on that side of the desk while I give you advice on what to do."
"What are you talking about, sensei?" Naruto asked. Hashi waved his hands through the air and dismissed it, "We'll talk about it later. You said you needed help with this Sai, so what do you need help with?"
"Well that's just it," Naruto said, "He helped me with a little mess a while back—"
"You mean the Uchiha-kid running away, right?" Hashi asked curiously.
"Yeah, that was him," Naruto nodded, "I wanted to thank him for it, but I can't just say thanks. What he did deservers a little more than that. So, I considered letting him into the clan since it's pretty obvious he wants to join. Thing is, he has a lot of secrets. He doesn't want to talk about anything before he met Shinji, and what he does talk about doesn't make much sense. I even asked some of the guys to look into him and they couldn't find anything. I'm not even sure if Sai is his real name. What I do know is that he's skilled with ninjutsu and that leaves me asking: where did he learn to use it like that? He says his older brother taught him a few things, but what I saw was way more complicated than anything they teach at the academy."
"He sounds a lot like Scarecrow, only he's trying to make friends instead of killing us," Hashi recalled. Naruto remembered perfectly. It's hard to forget a ninja from your own village trying to kill you. And there lay the problem. How did Naruto know that Sai wasn't going to kill him? Hashi looked just as distressed by the matter and massaged his forehead to consider the matter, "With something like him, there's only one thing to do. Keep a close eye on him. Treat him like a good friend and stay vigilante. Wait for him to show his colors."
"What if he's trying to kill me?"
"He would have made an attempt by now. There are plenty of times when you have your guard down and he hasn't tried anything yet. My guess? He's after something else - information on the Kitsune, money, anything. So what can you do? Keep him close."
"Why not just kill him?" Naruto asked.
"Because he helped you and that would be rude," Hashi said matter-of-factly, "On the off chance he is after something, you'll want to know who he's working for: Konoha, some rogue ninja group, another clan, or if he's by himself. The only way you'll get that information is to keep him close. Otherwise they'll try again and be more careful about it."
"Okay," Naruto nodded, "I'll initiate him into the clan. That way, I'll have him close by all the time."
"Do you know how to initiate people into the clan?" Hashi-sensei asked. Naruto's face went red with embarrassment, "No."
"That's fine, I'll walk you through it," Hashi said.
After a week of memorization and some arrangements for sake, the preparations were complete. It was just a matter of Sai accepting Naruto's offer to join the clan. So, Naruto waited in his office going through more paperwork - his old enemy. He hoped Sai would show up soon, because he swore the words were dancing around the paper to mess with him. Naruto happily threw the paper aside when he heard knocking coming from his door, "Come in."
The door creaked open and Sai entered with a bow, "You asked to see me, Boss Kitsune?"
"Yeah, I did," Naruto motioned to the chair for Sai to sit, "It's been a while since you helped me retrieve Sasuke, and it occurred to me that I still haven't thanked you."
"If you're pleased, then that is thankful enough," Sai bowed. Sai's act was already starting to annoy Naruto, and Sai had just walked into the room. Naruto bit his lip and asked, "Listen. You told me that you wanted to prove that you could be useful to the Kitsune Clan. And you did. So I want to ask you a question: would you like to join the Kitsune?"
"What?" Sai's face lit up excitedly.
"I'm not repeating myself Sai."
"Yes, Boss Kitsune," Sai answered, "I'd be honored to join the Kitsune Clan."
This was exactly what Naruto wanted to hear. With a curt nod, he sat up and guided Sai out of the room, "Follow me. The ceremony is set up just down the hall."
"Ceremony?" Sai asked Naruto. The two of them continued down the hall past the kitchen into the private room where Yahiko had previously initiated Naruto into the clan. Hashi-sensei and Shinji were presiding in the room, resting his back against the wall and tucking several papers under his arm. Hashi waved at Sai as they walked into the room. As with Naruto's initiation, there was a table set in the middle of room with two glasses, a pitcher of sake, and two pillows for seats. Naruto kneeled down on his pillow against the back wall and Sai sat across from him. Sai looked around in amazed bewilderment around the room, until Naruto decided to get his attention with a cough. Then Naruto started the ceremony with a brief explanation of the Kuroihi, "I'm not sure what you've heard about the Kuroihi Syndicate, Sai. I can guarantee you that most of it are lies born from misunderstanding. A long time ago, there were clans of ronin and rorouni wandering the land in search of something they couldn't find: acceptance. There were many like them who didn't have the bonds of brotherhood as the clans did, but they were always welcomed into the clan with open arms. These outcast swordsmen became a family, with bonds stronger than any blood relation or love. They became blood brothers, reborn into the clan. And in that same way, I invite you: Sai – to be reborn as a member of the Kitsune Clan of the Sakurazaki Clan of the Kuroihi Syndicate."
Sai nodded as Naruto reached underneath the table for a scroll. He rolled it open and read aloud, "Do you, Sai, swear your full allegiance to the Kitsune, the Sakurazaki, and the Kuroihi?"
"Yes," Sai nodded.
"Do you agree to uphold the Law of the Three Families?"
"I will."
"Do you swear to live your life by the seven virtues?"
"Will you live a life of rectitude? To live a life entirely to the moral law of the Clan, placing them above all else. To follow commands without question, regardless of your own code or ethics?"
Sai hesitated for a moment before answering, "I will."
Naruto expected Sai to hesitate, and was now certain that Sai was loyal to someone else, "Will you reflect the strength of courage? Can you face your own demons and fears, at the command of your Oyabun? Are you willing to commit acts of wrong and of right, all at your Oyabun's leisure?"
"Yes."
"Will you be a benevolent force in this world, doing what is right and fearing to do wrong, as dictated by the law of the Three Families?"
"I will."
"Will you regard these principles highly, matched only by the demands and will of your Oyabun and, ultimately, the Chairman."
"I will."
"Do you swear to always speak the truth to everyone and anyone, without breaking the code of silence. Will you bite your tongue around the enemy and the authority. To speak honestly, without revealing knowledge of the clan?"
"I swear."
"Will you never forsake your honor as a person, your honor as a swordsman, and your honor as a brother of the Kitsune? To live a dutiful life to your Oyabun and no one else."
"I will."
"And finally, will you swear allegiance to no one else but your Oyabun. To offer yourself completely to his will? Loyal to your beliefs, your family and your friends second?"
"I will."
Naruto poured sake into both cups, making sure his has more than Sai's. He took a sip out of his cup while instructing Sai to do the same, "Drink."
Sai sniffed the liquid, took a sip and started coughing. Naruto poured the remainder of Sai's cup into his own, and then poured some back into Sai's cup. Naruto raised his cup, "Our forefathers used to mix their blood to prove their loyalty and brotherhood. Now, we use sake as a substitute. Please drink."
Sai raised the cup again to his mouth while Naruto answered, "Sai, I welcome you as a shatei of the Kuroihi and a member of the Kitsune."
Sai put a hand over his mouth and coughed - clearly trying to keep the sake from forcing its way back up. Naruto rose from his seat to pat Sai on the back, a welcome in to the arms of the Kitsune. Naruto had already arranged some work for Sai. The position wasn't too high in the organization - patrol duty. He considered letting Sai work the gambling, but Sai's less than warm personality might scare off regulars. Patrol was the best job for Sai. He wouldn't have to talk to people and he would be able to use his fighting skills effectively. He'd have to get Sai the right clothes and a tattoo first, though. That way, people would know he was a Kitsune. Upon further consideration though, he decided he'd let Shinji deal with it. Naruto didn't want to spend any more time with Sai than he already had.
Naruto and Hashi left the room while Shinji offered Sai congratulations for being accepted into the Kitsune. They returned to Naruto's office, where Naruto went to the window while Hashi took a seat, "He hesitated a little bit at the start of the ceremony."
"I noticed," Naruto affirmed. Sai would've act against them, that much was certain, "But I'll have most of the guys keeping an eye on him. If we're certain he's acting against us, we'll get him."
"Good," Hashi nodded.
"And I've taken care of all my work today! All that's left is dinner with Hinata tonight," Naruto said excitedly, kicking his feet up on his desk. Hashi mused to himself with a smile, "You've really changed since about a year ago..."
"What do you mean, sensei?" Naruto looked back at his sensei.
"Just admiring how much you've changed since we first met," Hashi pointed out, "Back then, you were just a scared kid hated by the village and with no one to look out for him. Call it cheesy, but you're quite the opposite now. You have the respect and admiration of your clan, a girlfriend, good friends, and you have the controlling interest in Konoha."
"You're embarrassing me, sensei," Naruto scratched the back of his head with a wide grin on his face. His face must have been bright red from how embarrassed he was.
"No, you deserve this praise," Hashi said, placing the papers he was holding on Naruto's desk, "I'm sure it's something your parents would love to hear."
"Sensei, I don't have parents," Naruto said, the smile slowly disappearing from his face. Hashi shook his head, "You have parents, Naruto. Which is what I came all this way to show you. I'm sorry if it seems like I invaded your privacy, but it was just something that bothered me for a long time."
Naruto's interest was piqued and he started examining the papers Hashi had left for him. If Hashi-sense was right, Naruto had parents. And he had a lot to talk to them about, most of which was a piece of his mind. For starters: where the hell were they his whole life?
Among the paperwork he found a birth certificate, some old mission files, death certificates, ninja profiles, and a will. Specifically, they were his birth certificates, and mission files from the day he was born. The death certificates and profiles were for a Namikaze Minato and an Uzumaki Kushina. When he read the name Uzumaki, Naruto instantly started reading the profile. It contained a picture of a beautiful red haired woman somewhere in her late twenties with what Naruto could only refer to as a shy but perfect smile. He recalled Chairman Kuroihi mentioning the name once, and something about the Land of Whirlpools.
As Naruto read, Hashi went on to explain, "Your parents, Naruto, were the Fourth Hokage and his wife. Namikaze Minato, also known as Konoha's Yellow Flash, and Uzumaki Kushina, the last known member of the Uzumaki Clan. This next part will be the hardest to hear. They both died the day you were born - the same day the Nine-Tailed Fox escaped."
Naruto didn't even look up from the paperwork when Hashi said this. Hearing that his parents were dead didn't leave as much of an impact on him as he thought. Then again, he never even knew them. They were strangers to him as far as he was concerned.
"No one was there when they died of course. All the coroners had to go off of is what they could figure out off the bodies. They believe your mother died from chakra exhaustion. The official record is that your mother was the previous bearer of the Nine-Tailed Fox, and the stress of childbirth weakened the seal on her just long enough for it to escape. Their guess is she used up the last of her chakra trying to protect herself and you. Your father. Well, I'm sure you know what happened to him."
"He died putting the fox inside me," Naruto said without skipping a beat, stating it like it was a casual fact. He was more astounded that he never concluded the Fourth was his father rather than the fact itself. The spiky blonde hair was a dead giveaway. How many shinobi did Naruto know had spiky blonde hair? Who else, but the Fourth! All the same, Naruto didn't care enough about it. The Fourth may be his blood father, but he had not been a father up to that point, the same to his mother.
"There's one other thing about your parents, Naruto," Hashi said, "It's about your father's will. If you'll notice, it's dated after his death. According to the record, it's because the Fourth left a message behind before his death. It was chakra based and buried beneath multiple layers of seals, so the intelligence division had a lot of difficulty getting to it. They were only able to get one part of the message: 'Naruto will need the fox's strength. War is coming'."
Naruto found the will and, as Hashi-sensei had told him, there it was. It was signed the day after the Fourth died, and the notes about the message were at the bottom. That last part was pretty vague though. 'Another war is coming'. What did that mean?
"The acting Hokage and other village elders at the time decided the best course of action would be to keep that message a secret," Hashi explained, "The world had just seen the end of one war, and Konoha didn't want to accidentally incite another one. It did cause a divide amongst the elders, though. Some of them felt that you had to be weaponized and become an instrument to destroy Konoha's enemies."
"Well I want to destroy something, does that count?" Naruto said with an evil smirk.
"Their plan didn't work, Naruto," Hashi pointed out, "Because the Third Hokage refused to let anyone, especially a newborn, become a weapon for war."
Hearing all of this information, especially about his parents, only served to frustrate Naruto. His dad thought he'd need the fox's power because another war was coming? What war! Orochimaru, the man who instigated most of the conflict in the last few months, was dead. Who else was left to disrupt the peace that was established?
"Why are you showing me this, sensei?" Naruto asked.
"Honesty, Naruto. I wanted to be completely honest with you about what I wanted to talk about next," Hashi explained. His voice was quiet and hesitant, as if gripped with uncertainty. He readjusted himself in his seat, "I said to you a long time ago that I wanted to be a ninja, just like you did—but I never told you why I became a yakuza instead."
Naruto leaned in closer as Hashi explained, "That's a half truth. I was a ninja, once. A chunin for the Hidden Leaf Village. I was married then with a wife and two kids. She was... wonderful, beautiful. I loved her more than anything in the world."
"So what happened to her?" Naruto asked, leaning in closely.
"The Nine-Tailed Fox happened," Hashi said quietly, "You see, she was the sister of the previous head of the Sakurazaki Clan. As a part of that, she had duties to fulfill for the clan. These duties... conflicted with the orders of the Leaf Ninja during the attack. In the confusion, she was killed by the fox."
"I'm sorry, sensei," Naruto said timidly, knowing these words probably wouldn't have any meaning with Hashi.
"The village refused to bury her or any of the other clansmen at the time with the rest of the dead. One of the higher-ups claimed yakuza didn't deserve to be buried with the villagers. I pleaded with the Hokage to at least return my wife's body to me so I could bury her, but the council had already decided to burn all the bodies and dispose of it in the forest. I became angry with the village. I hated them for what they'd done. So I retired from my duty as a shinobi, took my kids and went to live with my brother-in-law."
"Wait, two kids?" Naruto asked.
Hashi nodded somberly, "My son. He wanted to be a genin and was studying at the academy until the Nine-Tailed fox attack. I took him with me to my brother-in-law's. We were happy for a while. Until my brother-in-law became terminally ill. Eventually, leadership of the clan fell to me even though I didn't know anything about being leading a clan. Part of that involved arrangements to protect the only child of an important associate of the Sakurazaki. This child... had assassins coming for him regularly. One day, an assassin attacked while he was away from his bodyguards. My son was good friends with the kid at the time, so he went to protect the kid when he found out. He saved the kid, but he and the assassin killed each other."
"Oh..." Naruto frowned. Hashi shook his head and ran a hand through his graying hair, "I spent years blaming myself for it. What if I had been able to save my son? Why did I let that kid go off on his own without his guards? What if I had assigned more competent guards to protecting the kid?"
Hashi trailed off at that point. He reclined in his chair and gazed up at the ceiling. Naruto hated to admit it, but he had never seen Hashi like this. Hashi-sensei always stood tall, with an air of respect and certainty that made him unbreakable. Yet, the mere thought of his son had pierced his heart and brought mist to his eyes. Hashi didn't sob though. He straightened himself up and swallowed a lump in his throat, clearly trying to maintain a calm attitude.
Then a smile drew itself on his face, "And then you came into my life. Just showed up at the end of an alley, ready to get beat up by some drunkard. It was like seeing a ghost."
Hashi reached into his coat pocket and retrieved a photograph that he passed to Naruto. Naruto looked at the small picture and found himself mystified by its contents. Standing in the center of the frame was a younger Hashi with shorter hair beside a young tan woman with light brown hair and hazel eyes. Before them were two kids. The first was definitely a younger Hana with shoulder length hair and pretty wide eyes. The other was Naruto.
He blinked again, just to be sure he wasn't seeing things. The boy he was looking at was definitely himself. Or at least someone who looked like him, only without the whisker marks on his cheeks and the scar on his face. This had to be a joke. A sick twisted joke on Hashi's part.
"I know what you're thinking," Hashi said, "Believe me, I didn't want to believe it at first. But I wasn't the only one who saw the similarities. You look just like him. In some ways, you are him."
"This isn't funny sensei," Naruto put the photograph on the desk, "I'm not laughing."
"I'm not joking," Hashi said, "I run into and help people in the village all the time. You were the first one that I took a special interest in - I practically let you into my home, took special steps to protect you when you were in danger, even going far enough to kill if it meant you'd stay safe. But I was being selfish, Naruto. I took care of you because I thought you might be another chance for me to raise my son. As far as I was concerned, you were my son. You were... Saru. But that wasn't fair for you, because no matter how badly I wanted it - you never were going to be Saru."
Hashi paused for a moment, which Naruto used to let everything he'd heard sink in. The only reason Hashi had been so nice to him was because he looked like Hashi's deceased son. Hashi was right. That wasn't fair. He was not going to replace anyone's son.
"Which is why I'm telling you all this," Hashi said, "It's my way of saying I'm sorry. If you want, I'll leave you alone and you won't hear from me again. I'll talk to Chairman Kuroihi to put you under someone else and that'll be it. Or... if it's alright with you, I'd like to adopt you."
Naruto sat dumbfounded in his chair. The torrent of emotions running through him made it impossible to tell how he felt. He was angry, sad, and uncertain. Hashi took him in and only really cared because he looked like his son. He thought Hashi actually cared for him, but he only cared because he looked like his son. It depressed him. It angered him. But he couldn't be mad at Hashi-sensei after all his help. Even if it was only for a memory, he cared for Naruto. He helped him.
Besides which, Naruto hadn't been entirely honest with Hashi. Yahiko had committed sepukku and Naruto just covered up his death to masquerade as him for a while.
And then there was the code to consider. Hashi is Naruto's Oyabun, so he had to be respectful to him no matter what. As part of that oath, he had to be completely loyal to Hashi no matter what. Naruto was conflicted. He massaged his temples and tried to make sense about how to react. It troubled him more when he realized giving the order to kill a man came easier than a decision like this. What was wrong with him? Why did today have to become so complicated? He just wanted to go to dinner with Hinata!
Hashi must've sensed Naruto's hesitation and stated, "I'll give you some time to think it over-"
"No, sensei... I'll, um... give you an answer now," Naruto said, hesitating on what words to say. Against his better, he decided to just say everything he was thinking - hoping that maybe thinking aloud would help him reach some kind of conclusion, "I... I'm not your son. I will never be him. But these people... the Fourth and this Kushina lady... I don't know them. You said they're my parents, but I don't know anything about them. They're dead and that's all I care. But you sensei... even if you aren't my dad, you were more of one for me than most other people in the village. I can only think of two who actually gave a damn before I met you. One's dead, and I haven't spoken to the other one in a while. Compared to them, you've been more of a parent to me in a shorter amount of time."
Naruto paused after that, trying to think of what to say next, "Even if you only took me in because I looked like your son... you were still nicer to me than anybody else I knew back then. Heck, I'm better off now than I could've been if I hadn't met you. You even dug up information on my parents. I'm not... mad about all this. I'm hurt... but I'm not mad."
"And after everything that's happened-," Naruto stopped himself because he realized the next words out of his mouth were going to be embarrassing. At the same time, part of him wanted to say it anyway. Even if it was cheesy.
"You might as well be my father, sensei," Naruto said flat out, with a sheepish smile, "But I don't want a piece of paper to tell me who my family is. I don't need a piece of paper to decide that for me. You're the one who taught me that. Being in a clan... in a Ninkyo Dantai means being in family."
Hashi returned Naruto's smile and started laughing under his breath. He couldn't tell if Hashi was laughing at him, but it was certainly a joyful laugh - the kind one heard after being relieved of a dreadful circumstance. Hashi ran a hand through the blonde's head, "You've become a good leader, Naruto. A true yakuza."
"Thank you. For everything," Naruto nodded.
Hashi departed back to his own operations shortly afterwards, leaving Naruto free for his date with Hinata. He went to pick her up around six and took her to a nice meal at the local restaurant followed by a trip to the local park. It was simple, and it would give them much needed quality time. He had been far too busy with work - especially the planning for Orochimaru's assassination. After all that happened, he just wanted to take his mind off things and relax. Even if the Fourth Hokage's will had mentioned a coming war, Naruto wasn't going to think about it. For now, things were at peace and Naruto was content with that.
It went well, although Hinata did keep asking about why she hadn't seen him in a while. Naruto kept changing the discussion away from that topic, reminding her that he didn't want to tell her about business. All the same Hinata would bring up the issue, especially with news flying around that Orochimaru had been killed by the Kitsune Clan. This Naruto couldn't deny and so he was forced to confess, "Yeah. That was me. The Kuroihi wanted Orochimaru dead for trying to incite another war. That's the price he paid for threatening the peace, endangering lives, taking others, and costing lots of money. And that's all I want to say about it."
...
"You make it sound like it was nothing to you," Hinata noted quietly, seeing Naruto's tired eyes from across the table. Naruto shrugged and continued eating his food, "Let's just enjoy our food."
Hinata went back to her food, intimidated by Naruto. She knew that part of his clan leadership required killing others - but most of them were criminal low lives and none of them were famous shinobi. Hearing that he was the one responsible for killing Orochimaru - that he had been responsible somehow for his brutal murder and that he had done it from behind a desk - scared her. She didn't care about Orochimaru dying. He had been in the bingo book for a long time. 'Kill on Sight' as it was. But it was a high profile death - someone everyone knew and that everyone wanted dead. And Naruto was the one who did it.
It just kept coming back in her mind and it made her uneasy. She loved Naruto for what he was - a confident, if cocky, little boy in the academy with her who never backed down from a challenge and always shouted that he would be greater than all the previous Hokage. He wasn't a far cry from that, though he no longer went on about being Hokage. He was still always ready to help others when they needed it and always had a generally cheery disposition, but now he more readily killed other people without batting an eye. And that part scared her. She worried about what all the killing might do to him. What it would eventually do to him. That one day, he would be just as insane as the psychopathic Orochimaru and just as destructive. By being able to get to Orochimaru, he already proved he was more powerful than the Hokage - but how much more was he capable of?
"You're still thinking about it, aren't you?" Naruto asked, setting down his chopsticks and looking up at her blankly. Hinata nodded, "I'm worried about all the killing, Naruto. It didn't bother me before... but Orochimaru - he's a different case entirely. The other people were... criminals, thugs, and bandits. But him. He was the most wanted man. The one nobody could find, and you got to him."
"Yeah, that's what I told you," Naruto nodded.
"Doesn't it bother you?" Hinata asked, "Sometimes I think you're more powerful and more dangerous than you realize."
"That's because I'm not, Hinata," Naruto answered with a wide grin - a different smile from the one she fell in love with. It seemed reassuring at first glance, but Hinata knew well enough that this was not his genuine smile. It was a fake smile, which adorned his face as he said, "Those are all stories. I can't do everything, even though people say otherwise. I only found out where Orochimaru was hiding because I asked Sasuke for that information."
"I'm just scared... about what this'll do to you. About what being in the Kuroihi will do to you," Hinata said, hoping Naruto would understand. Naruto's smile slowly faded into a grimace, and he slumped over the chair, "I know. I wonder about that, sometimes. I've ordered so many people to die since I took over the Clan. I wish I didn't have to, but leaving them alive would be the worse since it meant they would endanger other people. But sometimes... they didn't deserve it at all. It was just orders."
Naruto went silent after that. Hinata must have struck a chord, because his eyes were full of regret and sadness. He looked like he was trying to hold it back, but it seemed like it was on the verge of breaking through. She put a hand on his, "What happened?"
Naruto looked up at her and shook his head, "Business."
Hinata frowned and let the subject end there. Naruto definitely didn't want to talk about it and she wasn't going to push it any farther. But some of her concerns were put to rest, because at least now she knew that he still had some doubt about what he was doing - that the notion of death still bothered him. It was enough for her and she decided it would be best to enjoy the rest of the date.
And it was joyful. He took her to the park where they watched the sun set over the horizon before he finally walked her back to her house. They cut through the Market District, since it was the fastest way back to the Hyuuga Manor. Along the way, they passed several shop keepers and shoppers who bowed at Naruto's presence. One kind old man went right up to Naruto and bowed upon seeing him, "Thank you."
Naruto returned the bow and bid the man have a good evening. It continued in this manner the whole way through the Market District, with a few villagers occasionally disappearing into stores as soon as Naruto was in sight. She told herself that these were people who were showing respect to Naruto as the head of his clan. Then they passed two men in black suits walking by but they stopped to bow down to Naruto, "Boss Kitsune."
"Hey," Naruto waved to them. Their path took them right by the Kitsune Office where one of Naruto's clansmen was busy waiting. He ran right up to Naruto and bowed, "Oyabun. Something came up that needs your immediate attention."
"Can this wait, Shinji? I'm...on a date right now," Naruto said matter-of-factly. Shinji shook his head, "No, Oyabun. He said it was important that he see you, right away."
"Who was it?" Naruto asked. Shinji shrugged, "He wouldn't say, but we have him waiting in your office."
Naruto groaned at the development and asked Hinata, "Do you mind walking home by yourself?"
"It's alright," Hinata said, "I'll just wait inside."
"I don't want to hold you up," Naruto reasoned, "Otherwise your dad will kill me. I'm pretty sure he's just looking for an excuse now."
"I don't mind waiting, Naruto," Hinata smiled shyly, "It's nothing really."
Hinata had no intention of letting Naruto go to his business in secret. Part of her still wanted to know what his business was, and she intended to find out even if he didn't want to tell her. Naruto quietly agreed and they went inside. Hinata took a seat in the lounge while Naruto and Shinji disappeared into the back. The waiting room was lined with arm chairs all around. On the far side of the lounge was a desk with small stacks of papers neatly filed together, which a secretary quietly organized into boxes marked - 'In', 'Out', 'Reprocess', 'Chairman'. A guard stood by the door, keeping Hinata from going into the back. Thinking quickly, she came up with an excuse to go into the back, "Could I trouble you for some tea?"
The guard examined her carefully, much to her discomfort, but agreed to let her into the back. He guided her down a long, brightly lit hallway with doors on both sides; one leading to a bathroom, another into a kitchen, one led into a large empty room, and the last one led into an office. She noticed the door to the office was slightly ajar as they passed. Once they were in the kitchen, Hinata quietly activated her byakugan to catch a glimpse inside his office. She discovered Naruto leaning against his desk, with Shinji standing against the door. In the room with them was a dark haired man in a black cloak with red cloud markings on it.
"I wanted to thank you personally, for bringing Sasuke back to the village," the man said blankly.
"You're welcome," Naruto said, "But you could've just sent a note. Coming in person, I get the feeling you're here for another reason."
"I am," the man said, "My associates-"
"The ones you're protecting me from."
"-wanted to thank you for taking care of Orochimaru for them. He'd been a thorn in their side for some time and you helped move him out of the way."
"So, what? Are they going to give a few more hours to live before they do whatever it is they're going to do?"
"Try years. As in three years," the man said blankly, "I... persuaded them to give you that much."
"How generous," Naruto answered sarcastically. The man nodded, "Yes. Before I go, I have one question: what are you going to do until then? You've been three years until my associates make a move against you again. I hope you'll use that time to prepare."
"If they want to come for me, then let them. Because I'm not afraid of them or what they think they can do to me," Naruto stated clearly,
"It's not what they'll do to you that you should be afraid of," the man corrected, "It's what they'll do to the people you care for."
"My responsibility as the head of the Kitsune Clan is to protect my clan, our associates, and the people most important to me," Naruto growled, dressing his face with a dangerous expression, "What makes them think they'll get close enough to lay a finger on my clan, my friends, or my girlfriend?"
"A good answer," the man bowed, "Good luck, Chairman Kitsune."
He disappeared into a cloud of smoke, and Hinata went back to wait in the lounge. She deactivated her byakugan just as the guard came back with a cup of tea, "Your tea, Lady Hyuuga."
"Oh... um... thank you," Hinata took the tea happily. Naruto popped his head through the door framed, "Hey, Hinata?"
"Hmm?" Hinata sipped at her tea and spun around to see him. He shot her an apologetic smile, "Sorry about that. Business."
"It's fine," Hinata smiled back, nervously. Naruto took her hand, and led her out into the village. She had no idea what most of the discussion meant, but what she heard unnerved her. Naruto would protect everyone he cared for - just like the Naruto she fell in love with. But it sounded like he had made a deal with some horrible people - people who planned on killing the ones he cared for to get to him. The streets were dark when they got outside, and the street lights lit the way back home. She couldn't wait to get there, away from Naruto's business. Things weren't perfect as they were, but Naruto loved her and he would protect her from any danger that dared to come near her. That would content her for her time with Naruto, but she feared what lay ahead, knowing there was something that dared to challenge Naruto - the one who killed Orochimaru. She knew hell lay ahead... and she had to prepare herself for when it came.
...
Author's Note: That's all folks! My final update. I will be uploading an Author's Afterword in four weeks on Friday, August 24th to discuss the creation process and production of Oyabun. If you have any questions that you would like answered, ask in the reviews section and I will happily answer it there.
Before I go, I have a few things I want to mention: I originally designed this story with loose ends so that I would have something to come back to if I ever wanted to write the sequel. Yes, I had a sequel in mind in case enough people demanded a continuation. I'll go more into that in the afterword. For now, just send me your thoughts and questions, and I'll respond in the afterword.
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 Facebook (see my profile), Twitter (leofib11235), the PlayStation Network (PSN ID leo112358). However, please let me know that you read these stories because I tend to ignore invites from random people I don't know. Until next time, this is leonardo1123581321 signing out for the last time.
